The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-05-01
NERVOUS CONDITIONS.
Some Interesting Experiments made
by Dr. CharOt In Paris

Some Interesting Experiments made
by DE. CharOt In Paris
For some years past DR.. Chariot, an emf
nent medical professor, has been giving at
the Asylum of Is Salpetriere, Paris, extra
official courses of clinical lectures on the
nervous maladies with which his work is 50
largely concerned. These weekly lectures
have been highly popular, and special in
terest has been excit this year, as the Pro-
fsssor hss takeu up questions connected
with somnambulism ana animal magnetism,
class of,phenomena, which have, perhaps,
been too much in the hards of chsrlatans
hitherto, and the truth about which has been
mixed with error and absurdity. Report
ing the Professors experience to the La
Nature, DIR. Cartaz considers he has given
positively demonstration that sonambulism
catalepsy, etc, are among the numerous
forms of hysteria.
Dr.'Charcot showed that certain hysteric
persons could be easily thrown under GER
tain conditions into such states. Thus, q
patient is placed before an intense light
e. e, the electric-and requested to look at
it. In few seconds or minutes she be-
comes mo;ionless in state of
catalepsy. The eyes are fixed;
the limbs are supple, and will
keep any position given them. In this
state physiognomy seems to reflect to some
extent the expressions Of the gestures; if
the limbs be put in a threatening attitude,
The face darkens; if the fingers be Joined on
the lips "a If TO wave kiss, the face be
comes smiling and open; but beyond such
notifications from attitude the patient re-
mains impressive, fixed and insensible TO
the outer world. II the luminous beam be
now interrupted with n screen, or by clos
ing the eyelids, the catalepsy suddenly
gives place to state of lethargy or
somnsmbulism. The patient falls on her
back, her neck being stretched, her breath
ing loud accompanied by slight hiccup),
the eyes convulsed, with all the symptoms
of the beginning OF a hysteroepileptic at
tack.
On being called loudly, she will rise and
come to the person calling, will perform at
request various combined movements, a.
writing, sewing, etc, and sometimes answer
questions, all the time being in complete
al :esthesia. Other agencies besides light
will bring on those cries-e. e., they may
be produced by sound; and TO illustrate
luis III. NHSICOl PIOuuCtu Il glStntlC tun-
ing fork, giving very deep note, and
sounded II when one Of the patients waa
seated 90 the resonance case; she soon fell
into ca,al,psy. The somnsmbulist state is
easily dissipsted-e g, by blowing into the
face. One notable experiment Of DIR. Char
cot proved that the two s,stes-cstalepsy
and lethsrgy-couid exit simultaneously
in one person.
The patient being put into the former
state il made lethsrgic on one side by
crossing the eye Of that side or shutting off
the luminous ray from it with II screen !;
this side (ssy the Left has then no longer
| the pr ,ptrty which the right has Of main
tanning any given attitude in the limbs. A
| peculiar muscular yperexcitability las DR.
Charcot further shows appears with the
iethsrgy. By gently pressing or rubbing a
muscle it can be made to contract immsdi-
ately; and on pressing the trunk of a nerve
the muscle TO which it passes will contract.
In this way may be produced those various
facial changes which DR.. Duchenne, OF
| RCulocue, has obtained with electricity
The Lsture of the nervous disorders 10
question is far from bling adequately
known az yet, and DR.. Charcot does not
offer any scientific explanation. 1t is i'm
Portant that ex ct observations should be
accumulated, ard the precise conditions Of
the phenomena, their modIfic atoms under
such and such causes, etc be diets rmired.