The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-10
LITERATURE.
Important Treatise on the Diseases
Of the Nervous System.
VAST PROGRESS OF MEDICAL SCIENCE.
Mr.. GIadstone's Latest Work-The ROYAL
Copyright Commission.

A TREATISE on THE DISEASES THE NERVOUS Srs-
by william A. Hammond, II. D. ID. Apple
ton X Co. 1876.
No part OF tho literature OF the profession exhibits
srkngly the progress that medical science has
made within comparatively recent period treatses
that relate the study OF diseases OF tho nervous
system. In the volume before science trcads with
assured step and definite knowledge fields where
less than generation since all was chaos and unccr
ta,nty best and deals amlarly with facts before
which she stood In awe, mysteries that might
not be contemplated with speculative eyes For
ages medicine practised without knowledge Of
the circulation OF the blood and the arteries derived
their name the opinion that they conduits
for air though how the ancient doctors cut any
body without discovering their in that respect is
one OF those things that modern fellow can
understand. But II tina world was ignorant OF tho
circulation OF the blood until the time when Scrvctus
was judicially murdered at Geneva because II
against the law Of that Canton for anybody to know
moro taan Calvin, how arid waste was its knowledge
Of the brain and spine In this volume Dr. Hammond
treats forty titles; and though all OF these not dis
tinctly recognized Diseases aud though they differ
widely from another 10 the extent OF knowl.
edge OF them, yet every one constitutes well defined
group OF symptoms morbid conditions, and the
knowledge OF the profession to all positive
stious considerations special inctions Of divine
wrath. But there not five OF these diseases that
were distinctly recognized the "good old timcs'
vistations that called for the DOCTOR while for all tho
rest, In FAR they looked upon at all us de-
parturcs from nature they contemplated
sons for the priest and his apparatus for the
OF evil spirits.
In this connection therefore, it may be distinctly
that is OF the least doubtful OF
tho increase of knowledge and the progress Of SCIENCE
that II leads dispense with tho Of tho
theologans IN favor Of having aud prac-
teal acquaintance with physical conditions Seven
eghhs Of this range OF diseases OF the system
exclusively tho sphere Of the priest No other
earthly power 1t thought could assist humanity
thcrc Now is the doctor who Is always called in
these OCCASIONS and supernatural explanations OF ner
phenomena only thought Of in those circles of
scmi-imbecilc driveers known Spritual'sts Is 1t
any consideration OF this fact that the hostl
y Of churchmcn generally the progress of sciences
All the progress the study OF diseases Of the brain
starts from the conception that that had, like
every other organ Of the human system, function
IN tho animal economy; but as that which
recognized the great distinctive junction OF
the brain then believed to DO the manifestation
OF vague entity called mind, the irregular per-
Torrance OF the function did not lead TO inquiry
The condition of tho brain, because connection
between the two recognized even II guessed at by
the TOW. Association between respiration and the
lungs circulation and the heart digestion and the
stomach-all these recognized, and certain
santly recurring Of these great functions
were found to be rotated with changed conditions
OF tho respective organs equally constant; and thus
with regard 10 the diseases OF the general system tho
knowledge of improving for thousands
OF years; but u required all those years and the
pax ,futi<, t,ofc ho
from the ancient conceptions that doctor could
compare the brain to the stomach and say
that 1t s'dgcsted thought But when this was
| once said, tho whole range OF latcr discovery
at became possible; aud indeed, nil
later labors OF psychologists were simply the
accumulations OF tho evidence which proves
that the the essential organ OF thought OF all
intellectual operations OF every manifestation con.
vitality, Individually tho eye is the organ OF
VISION To the professional man practitioner every
article In this volume is OF interest and permanent
value but the chapters that deal with the various
phases of this problem Of intellectual life viii DO
also very attractive to professional seekers or
topics that justly occupy great part OF the
attention OF tho thinking world As an indication OF
the style quote Dr. Hammond's distribution Of the
functions oil the BRAIN under tho head OF four ccmcn
tary dvisons-an admirable summary that includes IN
itself the whole outline OF the science Of mind -Tho
mind differs from forces in general In being compound;
that Is In beng mado up OF several othor forces
These perception, tho intellect. tho emotions and
the will All tho mental manifestations OF which the
brain capable embraced in ono or moro
OF these parts. Either ono Of them may 30 ex-
ercsed independently Of tho other, though they are
very intimately ectcd, and In all continuous men,
tai processes brought less, into relative
and action. As constituting tho basis OF my
classification OF tho several forms OF insanity II is ex
peaient describe these four sub.forccs OF tho
MUD -
IL PERCEPTION. perception Is 10 DO understood
that part or the mind whose Office II Is to place
divdual in relation with external objects For tho
evolution OF this tho brain intimate relation
with special organs which tho purpose OF
receiving Impressions OF objects. Thus, an image Is
formed upon tho retina and tho optic transmits
the excitation TO its gangion part Of the brain.
This at iunctonacs, tho force called perception
Is evolved and the image perceived II the rctna be
sufficiently diseased tho image not formed; II the
optic nerve abnormal condition tho cxcitation
ia not transmitted; IL tho gangon DO disor-
dcrcd the pcrccptive force Is evolved. Per.
cepton may be exercised without any superior intel
lectual act, without any dcaton whatever. Thus II
the cercbrum OF pigeon BIO removed the animal
Is stu capable Of seeing and OF hearing,
but II obtains idoa from these schscs The mind,
with the exception Of perception, Is lost Perception
u.s. however, tho starting point Of all location. 1t is
seated exclusively In tho BRAIN but is. under
tain circumstances especially in abnormal states or
the SYSTEM evolved from tho spinal cord
40 The ISrELLEor In tho normal condition Of tho
brain tho cxcitaion OF and the consequent per-
ccptlon, do stop at tho special gangIon OF that
sense. but transmitted to complex par. OF
the brain, whore tho perception Is resolved into an
idea Thus tho image Impressed upon tho rctna the
perception OF which has been formed by a scnsory
gangiion, ultimately the evolution Of another
force by which all its attributes capable Of being rep
resented upon the rctna less perfectly APP
prccia,cd according 10 the structural qualities OF tho
idcational contrc TO the formation OF tho idea
era important faculties and modes Of expression OF
the intellect contribute. Thus II suppose tho