St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-06-22
MIND AND BRAIN.
The Latest Scientific Opinions Concerning The
Dome CT Thouoh+

The Latest Scientific O pinions Concerning "TA
Dome Ct Thought
| The views expressed at the Washington
convention of the physicians OF insane
asylums indicate somewhat the course O
scientific opinion as to the functions O
the brain. To the poets and to the pop
ular conception, the human skull viii
long remain the dome of thought, the
palace OF the mind" To the student o.
physiology, the seat of the mental pro-
cesses has been gradually narrowing and
receding, till finally, DR.. CLARK, of To-
ronto, tells lis that no satisfactory evil
dence proves that mentality is localized
beyond focal part of the nerves at the
base of the brain. We can better ap-
preclate how great is this change from
former views, if we compare with such a
conception the notions on which phre-
nology was based, when the various at
tributes of mind were supposed to
display tn mselves in the "bumps" OF
the skull, and, consequently, to reside on
or near the circumference of the organ
within. If the new views are to be
accepted, much mole than phrenology
must be sacrificed. Brain power. the
new doctrine teaches, is not dependent
alone on the size of the skulls contents.
Probably, also, considerations of shape
will follow those of size; people with
high foreheads will gain no reputation
by their frontal expanses, and head as
low crowned as that of q mound builder
will be credited with a full average
supply of intellect.
1t must be admitted that there are
some facts hard to explain under the old
doctrine. DR.. Brown~Sequard described
a few years ago large number of cases
where people who had lost half or more
of their brains succeeded In keeping
quite as much sense as they had ever
posses sed. This was partially explained
on the theory that either half of the
brain may perform the functions of the
whole. But other instances were related
where the full mental caLacity survived
partial loss of both hemispheres of the
Drain. However, there was the cerebel>
UNI, the little brain, to fall back upon.
A great deal of faith has been pinned to
ne cerebellum by scientific folks who
lave lost faith in their brains. But now
ONES DR.. Walker Kemper, of Oshkosh,
With the post-mortem examination of a F,
atient who was interested in the news
the day, conversed intelligently on {
olitics, religion and science, and was
'ell versed in English literature, yet had {
Uttered from disease which had wasted
way one side of her cerebrum and the I
Their side of her cerebellum, till neither +
as On e>fourth the natural size. Such .
lstances seem more conclusive than the t
!mous experiments on pigeons, in which \
le birds not only survived the extirpa- +
on of their entire brains, but even re-
aimed, apparently, their normal senses f
I'd capacity after the lapse of few v
eeks. q
If it can be conceded that the mental b
culties reside in the focus of the e.
'rves at the base of the brain, there will a.
less difficulty in obtaining correct o
'tions about the insect world. Few
sects have any brains, yet many of &c
EN-, as for instance, Sir John Lub- e.
ck's ants, have sound, discriminating b.
tellects. In fact, certain savage ants re r.:
South America hold tracts of land, tn
d wage successful war on man when he W
tempts to plant residence On their tt.
main. Big brains, in that case, are q
werless against no brains. What,
On, it may be asked, is the use of the tn
gan in question, if it does not serve as M
3 seat OF the mind7 DIR. Brewn- ca ca
guards answer was that the brain. Gu
g the hand, does the work of the Ia
nd, as it is ordered, but is the instru- ca
Mt, not the motor. That view of the al
tier suggested at least one sen~ible wi
cept: if our brains are mere tools, we fin
'uld at all events keep them in good s sa