Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-10-05
Speaking Without a Tongue.
Manchester Guardian.

The British Medical Journal reports q case
interesting to more than professional circles
which was recently under the care OF Mr.
Walter Whitehead at the Manchester Royal
Inirmary. The subject was cabinetmaker
of forty, who in consequence Of cancerous
disease had his tongue excised by the meth
cd devised by Mr.. Whitehead and usually
known by his name. The patient appears
to have been within measurable distance"
of death from suffOcation, starvation and ex-
haustion consequent upon severe and con-
tinuous pain. The removal of the tongue
secured certain amount of rest and dimin-
ished the pain. TracheOtomy was then per-
formed, so as to lessen the disturbance caused
by respiration and to avert the danger from
suffocation. Means were also found of feed
ing the patient; indeed, the man has gained
nearly stone in weight. Further, we are
told that Notwithstanding the loss of his
tongue, the obstruction in the pharynx and
the opening in the trachea, the patient can
articulate with remarkable distinctness, and
can make all his wishes known without the
use of signs or writing" This last circum-
stance will recall to some of our readers the
controversy as to the reality Of the occur
renee usually known as the miracle of the
African Confessors." Ecclesiastical histor
ians inform us that when by order of Huner-
ic some of the orthodox inhabitants of Tip
asa who refused to adopt Arianism had their
tongues publicly cut out by the roots, to the
astonishment of all they continued to enjoy
the power of speech. AS Cardinal Newman
has pointed out, the evidence was unusually
satisfactory. "Out of the seven writer's ad-
duced, six are contemporaries; three, if not
four, are eye-witnesses of the miracle one
reports from an eyewitness, and one testi-
fies to a permanent record at the burial
place of the subjects of it. All seven were
living or had been staying at one or the 9TH
er of the two places which are mentioned as
their abode. One is a Pope, second Cath
olic bishop, third a bishop of a schismati-
cal party, fourth an emperor, a fifth a SOL
dler, politician and a suspected intdel; a
sixth a statesman and courtier, seventh
rhetorician and philosopher" There can be
little surprise that this consensus of evil
dence should have given pause even to Glib
bon. With one exception, no physical ex-
planatiOn of the matter was adduced until
the Honorable Edward Twisleton published
his work to prove "the tongue not essential
to speech" Accepting fully the substantial
of the narratives that now remain
OF the event at Tipasa, he gave number of
examples of persons who have retained the
power of articulation Notwithstanding the
loss OF their tongue. One was the case Of
Pierre Durand, French boy living at Sau-
mer in 1880. Another was that OF a patient
OF Tulpius, physician whom many will re-
member as the Professor in Rembrandt's IA
nous picture of the Lessons in Anatomy"
third was Portuguese girl who was seen
at Lisbon early in the eighteenth century by
DR.. Joseph Wilcocks and NJ. Antoine de
Jusslen. 1t was this case that led the Rev.
Conyers Middleton to anticipate the eXpla-
nation of the African miracle afterwards de-
veloped at greater length and with weight
ler evidence by Mr.. Twisleton. In 1742 the
Royal Society caused careful examination
to be made Of the case of Margaret Cutting,
of Wickham Market, who had completely
lost her tongue by cancer, and yet continued
to pronounce letters and syllables very ar
ticulately." Sir John Malcolm mentions
that the voice Of Zal Khan, though indis
tinct and thick, was ineligible to persons
accustomed to converse with him. The
Emir Farris, although his tongue had been
continued to speak, and his abili-
" in that respect is testified by Mr.. Richard
Wood. who was then in the public service |
n the Lebanon. Sir John McNeill met sew
eral persons in Persia who had undergone
his barbarous punishment but retained !
heir power of speech, and DR.. Wolff had one
such person for his teacher in Mandaye. Sew
,ral Persian cases are attested by DR.. J. r. !
Dickson. Another English case is that of
Mr.. Robert Rawlings, whose tongue was re-
moved for cancer in 1861, and who could |
pronounce most letters, but was unable to |
sound either initial or final or d. Some
what similar was the experience of Man |
hester patient who in 1866 was under the |
are of Professor Syme. Six patients of Sir |
James Paget could talk quickly and intel
igibly after the healing of their wounds.
70 the long list adduced by Mr.. Twisleton
We may now add the case of the Manchester |
who owes his escape from /
,ainful and horrible death to the benefcent !
kill and knowledge of modern medical sci