St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-22
EYCEPTTONS.

EXCEPTIONS.
From time to time certain theories and
| long standing facts of medical science are
weakened or strengthened by developments
of an accidental nature
When DR.. Tanner passed the limit beyond
which life cannot be sustained without food,
and his weight increased pound and half,
it was curious speculation for DR.. Ham
mond and other Neurologists
They could not tell US why he was able to
exist without any sustenance, and to-day we
have no scientific calculation of the very
remarkable, actual, and complete abstinence
from food of Dr. Tanner for six weeks.
The brain is universally conceded to be the
organ of mind, yet there are certain cases
which throw doubt on the belief. There are
instances of persons whose brains have been
| Injured, even nearly destroyed,
and the intellect has not been sensibly
impaired. There is record in the New York
Tribune of young man who was struck vi
olent blow on the head with large pitcher
in bar room fight not long ago. He fell
uncon scious, and was taken to the hospital,
where an examination revealed depressed
fracture on the left side of the skull, near
the top. The inner table of the skull was
driven deeply into the brain, while the right
side of the body was paralyzed, the pulse
hard, the skin dry and hot, and the pupils
dilated. Commissions set in, and it was de-
| cided TO trcphine the skull. The man was
placed on the operating table, and being I'M
conscious no an@sthetic was used.
/ Whom fha traphina vac appliad A.
surgeon began to bore, he had hardly made
an impression on the bone when the patient
! opened his eyes and raised his
head to look about the ROOM
The surgeon and those present were as
| founded because the depressed bone had not
been elevated nor the pressure on the brain
removed, and the mans return to conscious
ness could not be explained.
He made spring for the floor after a
while, but his paralysis held him fast, and it
angered him. To all the surgeons argu-
ments for a continuance of the operation in
order to save his life, he gave the most obstl-
nate refusal. A priest was sent for to infiu-
ence him, but every appeal was idle, and as
an operation cannot be performed, nor an
an@sthetic administered without PATIENTS
consent in a hospital, he was left to his fate
1t was hoped that the stupor would return
and enable them to perform the operation,
but it did not, and it was supposed
that he must die, when unfavorable
| symptoms set in, and he grew
so much worse. The unconquerable will re-
manned, and while he lay for a number of
days perilously near death, he watched the
movements Of all who came near him, and
seemed to take in with some humor the dis
| appointment of the doctors who found him
alive each morning contrary to every belief
of their science.
A week from the time he entered the hos
| pital he showed improvement, and the para
| lyzed side was much better, but the depressed
bone bore upon the brain, and contrary to
medical experience and surgical laws he was
discharged cured at the end Of four weeks.
The surprising features of the case are re-
covery from paralysis and return to con-
seriousness, while the cause producing these
conditions remained unaltered, and a final
recovery without abnormal symptoms from
| depressed fracture of the inner table
of the skull, absolutely unaided by
surgical skill. This anomaly is ex-
| planned by some physicians in the
statement, that if the injury be confined to
one hemisphere, the other being intact is
sometimes capable of performing the func-
| tions Of the entire brain.
One sanguine authority advances the the
DRY that it is possible for the spinal cord and
other parts of the body to assume the func-
| tons of the brain, and he cites instances of
such deputed action.
But when it comes to positive statements.
and convincing illustration, no expert is
really equal to the solution of this uutrephined
young man walking about the streets OF New
York with section of bone pressing upon
| his brain las well as ever" say his friends.
and IL anything, brighter and better ma
| tured than he was before''
The brain, then, is conceded TO be the or
| gan of the mind, and it is shown that in
some cases Of serious and fatal $50 called)
injury to it, the intellect is often as capable
as ever, and as unfrustrated as If nothing
had happened to its subtle motor
We have always been told and believe. too.
that the heart is the seat of life, and any
vital injury to it is productive of instanta
neous death.
There are ine1plicible exceptions to this
belief which puzzle medical experts lust as
much as they do the uninitiated in physical
mysteries.
On the morning of the sth of
November, 1877, two officers raised pros
trate man to his feet in one of the streets of
St Louis, and asked him what was the
matter.
Il am hurt about the heart-me and
friend were skylarking aud he struck me
here" indicating spot on his breast bone.
lie was taken to the police station, aud
sitting at once on the wooden bench Of the
cell FETCHED p&nfully and groaned. The
following morning he was released. and
slowly took his way from the station; he
stopped at saloon, speaking of his heart
paining him, AMI took drink, which did
him no good 4 bystAnder suggested bis
going to a dispenssry, and the physician
there making the examination dis
covered stab in the breast
He prohed the wound, but the bone did not
seem 10 be penetrated. yet he considered
the case serious and advised the maa to 20
home and 90 to bed He grew
raoidlS worse and the attending