The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-28
SOHE NEU BOOhS.


md to n nrgc eNtrnt rewritten. II is now pre-
scented in separate volume. AZ treatise On the
JhvStolo0g ~ Mint t\rpicton'~ and viii COM
mand earnest attention as disuuistion con-
ccrning the nervous structures and functions
which are the probable physical foundations.
or at all events the objective aspects. " those
natural phenomena which appear in conscious
hess as feelings aud thoughts.
The crude propos ton that the brain secretcs
thought as tho liver scrrctes bile, has been
the subject Of much ridiculc. and obviously
IL IL not an oxlct expression Of the facts
Not many persons. however. will now be-
found to deny that with each display OF
mental power there are corrclativc changes
in the material substratum; that every phc-
nomcnon Of the mind is the result ~ mani
fest energy Of some change, molecular. chcmi
cal or vital in the nervous elements Of the
brain. To demonstrate this correlation so far
~ may bc by the light Of existing knowledge,
md to trace the path by which the functional
activities of given organism translate them
selves into the shows Of conscious intellect IL
the task which Dr. Maudsoy has ossaycd ia the
present volume.
II IL plain that We have to deal here with mat
ter whose chemical nature is extremely com.
lIeN and obscure; for Notwithstanding the labor
which has been given To the chemical analysis
Of the brain and nervous system. and although
W. ur, nn,y surs of its chemical rlomcnts very
LITTLE il vet known .ynrtly of the actual Gamma
eition Of nerve element This much however.
H. ..rtnin. thn, its constituents nre of "A very
comul,x charnetcr. ,nsilv UNDERGO dccon,po-i-
,ion and h.inr c,rroundod largely Of cnrhnn
md hydrogen have, shat il chilled Il hi.,h nxi,ln.
ZION yuluc. 10 employ II few,more technical
terms no, q, v,i,l.l nj IN. outset. IL ia prob.
Mil. TINT a chcmi,.,l .ynth,.f- i. effected in the
.uh.t,n,, Of merry. through which tn, nutrient
m1ter.nl brought hy heid,nl il dnally convert.
od into highly comulex and unstable albumin
,td eonpouu,l. These r,pre.eutinc "A rrcat sum
of rnt,,ntinl energy which he.omos n,tiinl
,hrnush th,ir Accommodation during n,n .tinn.
In n word. without oxidation we can no mora
bnvc Thought from brain than we can haye flame
frnu final
IN. so-eallad cx,rootives Of ncrve testify To
,h,nge thr,u,h functional nettv,tv rh...
nrodu,is are ike thos. f,nnl in n,us lie AFTER
rx.r,ion in tho tasbionfp... ar A. pr ata,,I.l,v
,r.f,rs tn onu II th,, n.rformnn,, nj an i,.a
as in th, n.rforr,un.. ,f a movemap, thor. ID.
n r,tr,l,rnln rn,tnmoruho-is Of orrani, elr-
mont: the display Of energy is at the cost Of
highly organized matter which undergoes de-
generation or passes from higher to a lower
grade OF being: and the final retrogralc pro-
ducts are so far n is at present known, somc-
what similar in muscle and nerve While the
rontents of nerves. again. are neutral during
rest in the living state they become acid after
death and after great activity during life the
same IL the case. also. with regard to muscle
furthermore after prolonged mental exercise.
the products OF tho disintcgraton Of nerve ele-
mcnt, into whose composition phosphorus
largely enters. are recognized in an increase of
phosphates in the excreiions. We may add
tina, it is only 10y surprising an idea to be accom-
panied by II correlttivc change in the nerve
cells. that we can explain the exhaustion follow
Ing excessive mental work. anu the breaking
Town OF the brain IN extreme cases.
These things being so. what is II which in a
pnysloioSicM sense W" may designate mlhd
Mol OF course the material products OF cere-
bral activity which pass as excretions into the
blood hut the marvellous energy when cannot
DE Irasp"d or handled. inc energy when Is
mlhu should more properly he compared win
the energy whleh Is muscular junction here
men ~ palpaoIe the ialla'y OF the statement
I"' '"' pi"ii s''r".'s ,"""sh' ~ 'he i'N't So
cre'cs p"e, IL i pam tha' 'he uhglple results
oi the nraih aetlSlS' me Mnste matters winch
OF "A lower kind, and for ultimate expulsion
from the body. might fairly enough be- called a
BE erection OF the BRAIN but by no means could
That term be- applied TO the intangible energy
displayed IN the mental phenomena. But II
what We know a. mind is no tangible outcome
pi cerebral energy We must not conclude that u
Is spiritual entity which can exist apart from
thc complex organization OF the brain and its
suitable blood supply that 1t Is not ~ truly.
although, perhaps, A. ins'ruiably physical
phenomenon as gravatiOn. electricity. or
chemical affinity. Whatever he its real nature.
II IL most certainly dependent for its every
manifestation on the brain and nervous system
nnd now that scientific research Is daily dis
closing more and more clearly the relations no..
tween ii and its organ. it seems especially do
sirabe TO guard against the common meta
physical concnition Of intellect ne son.,hfnf,
Distinct from functional activity.
! me precise Propositions which DR.. Maudslcy
thinKs The iacts warrant US in dccmng es,ab-
iished may he very briefly suited. When as We
Say in common speech. n thought occurs in the
mini, what takes place is change in the gray
matter Of the brain: without 1t the thought
could not arise. and with il cannot fail to arise.
rms change consists in q Increment Of some
KIND. which IN our present defectof knowledge
every one may conceive Of rs he plcases bur
rude analogy may perhaps Ice found in the COM
Inunl Vibrations 81 music. II r. al least certain