The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-11-19
THE HUMAN TELEGRAPH.

The Wonderful TeIearaphic syssern ,n the
Human Skula-En~w esstdly Il Works
when the Wires Are Down Out Of
Repair.
Recent investigations into the intrica-
cies of the mind and brain have realis-
tic or mechanical tendency. The brain
is treated like q vast and complicated
telegraph system in populous COM
munity, with various centers of informa-
ton and intelligence, communicating
and intercommunicating their news and
wants, sending messages hither and
thither along the nerves, and having
their business done at the very extremi-
ties of the bodily continental the capes
Horn and Good Hope represented by the
feet, at the highly organized island ma
tons like England and Japan, to which
one may hken the hands and fingers
But all this is so mysterious and hidden
that its regular operations cannot be de-
tected.
1t is only when the telegraph wires
break down, or the Atlantic cable ceases
working, or the railroad tracks are
blocked with the snow, that we fully
realize the necessity all these inventions
are to our civilization. And so it is only
when some portions of the apparatus
called the brain Is diseased that it is pos
slble to discover the relations of the parts
10 one and another and to the whole
Even then it is largely conjectural and
the conclusions OF some scientists are dis
puted by others; but still there has been
something discovered, and the observa-
tons in regard to the organism of that
part of the brain relating to speech have,
IN consequence of paralysis or palsy,
been reasonably well determined.
Verbal memory, thought, and express
sion by speech or writing depend upon
the activity of what are called auditory
and visual word centers of perception;
that is, those central brain batteries, as
one may call them, where words, after
being heard or seen in print or writing,
are understood, and given off again in
speech and writing. Any breaking
down of the nervous telegraph
lines between these centers result in
peculiar disorders. Sometimes disease
lowers their activity; then there are de-
fects iii speech or in the capacity to
write or TO read. At other times disease
may intensity the activity of the battery
aud telegraph. and then there will be IL
luSions, Authorizations and other mental
disorders peculiar to the insane.
Among the slight defects in this ap-
paratus, common to nearly all persons,
is momentary forgetfulness of words or
names, with power of recovery after a
time. But sometimes this defect is per-
manent and habitual, and the power TO
recall names and words is entirely gone
One person suffering from this loss of
power, caused by paralysis, could not,
when asked about his nightcap, tell what
It was. "And yet l know very well, he
said, "what it is, but / can't recollect."
When told that it was nightcap: ooh!
yes; it is nightcap." The same thing,
with few exceptions, like his pipe, was
reported, when various articles were
shown him. He had worked all his life
with a shovel and pickax, but could not
recall their names. When they were
told him, he would at once recognize the
words, but two minutes afterward he was
rs helpless as before.
AT A LOSS FOR WORD
Many persons in perfect health are
often at loss for word, but in the dis
eases of old age this is very common;
although it frequently happens that the
first letters of words are recollected. A
farmer fifty years old had stroke of par
aaysis, resulting in painful hesitation of
speech, which, however, was confined to
nouns and proper names. He could.
moreover, recollect the first letter of
eyery'word he wanted to use, but could
not recollect the word itself So he made
a list of words he was most in the habit
OF using. and put them down ON piece
Of paper in alphabetical form, including
the names of his family, his servants,
and acquaintance. This he kept con-
EeDiently in his pocket. III he wished to
ask anything about COW, he would turn
to the letter G, and finding the word
Cow" would keep his finger upon it
until he had finished his sentence and
introduced the word. So long as he had
his eyes fixed upon the written letters he
could pronouce the word ''cow" at the
proper place, but the moment he shut
up his book it passed out of his memory
and could not be recalled, although he
still recollected the initial and could get
at the word by turning to his book. Al
though he could not recollect his own
name or those of his acquaintance, he
never was ut loss for the initial of the
word he wished 10 use
UNABLE TO SPEAK
The telegraph communicating the
word from the ear or eye to the word
center may be in working order, when
the line between this words and
the organ or center of speech is down"
IN this case persons are entirely able to
comprehend what is said TO them. but.
unless by some accident or event not
under their control, they cannot put
their thoughts into speech.