St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-20
BRAIN SURGERY.
a Remarkable Case That Alone Ought t
Silence the sati- Vipiisectio,sists.
London Times.)

NLondon Times.
While the Bishop of Oxford and Professor
Ruskin were on somewhat intangible grounds
denouncing vivsection at Oxford last Tues
day afternoon, there sat at one of the win
dows of the Hospital for Epilepsy and Paraly
sis, in Regents Park, in an invalid chair,
propped up with pillows, pale and careworn,
but with hopeful smile on his face, a man
who could have spoken really pertinent
word upon the subject and told the right
reverend prelate and great art critic that he
owed his life and his wife and children their
rescue from bereavement and penny to some
of these experiments on living animals which
they so roundly condemned. The case Of
this man has been watched with intense in
terest by the medical profession, for it is of
unique description and inaugurstes new
era in cerebral surgery; and now that it has
been brought to a successful issue, II seems
desirable that brief outline of it should be
placed before the general public, because it
illustrates wildly the benefits that physiolog
ical explorations may confer on mankind:
shows how speedily useful fruit may be gath
erred from researches undertaken in the pur
suit of knowledge and with no immediate
practical aim and reveals impressively the
precision and yeracity Of modern medical
science.
This case, then-this impressive and illus
trative case--is that of man who, when adj
mitted tn the Hospital for Epilepsy and Par
alysis, presented group of symptoms which
pointed to tumor of the brain-a distressing
and hitherto necessarily fatal malady, for the
diagnosis OF recognition OF which We are in
debted to bedside experience and post-mor-
TEN examination. But while clinical and
pathological observations have supplied us
with knowledge which enables US to disect
the existence Of tumors of the brain, they
have not afforded us any clue to the situa-
ton Of these morbid growths in the brain
mass, and IL was not until Professor Terrier
had, by his experiments on animals, demon
strated the localization Of sensory and motor
functions In the cerebral hemispheres that
the position of any diseased process by which
they might be invaded could be definitely ce-
termined. By the light Of those experiments
It is now possible in many instances to map
out the seat Of certain pathological changes
In these hemispheres with as much nicely
and certainty as If the skull and its cover
ings and Innings had become transparent
TO direct Inspection. And thus, in the case
TO which | am referring, DR.. Hughes Ben
nett under whose care the patient was,
guided by Terriers experiments, skillfully
Interpreted the palsies and convulsive move
ments which the man exhibited and deduced
from them that a small tumor was lodged at
one particular point in his ''dome Of thought
and was silently and relentlessly eating its
way into surrounding textures. Not more
surely do the hdgetings Of the electric needle
intimate their origin and. convey meaning
70 the telegraph clerk than lid the witch
ings Of this mans muscles announce TO Dr.
Hughes Ben nett that tumor Of limited di-
mansions was enscouced at a particular
point Of particular fold or convoluton Of
the brain--the ascending frontal convolu-
ton on the right side.
Very brilliant diagnosis this, 1t may be re-
marked and nothing more. A conclusion
has been arrived at which, should 1t prove
correct, will crafty professional pride; but
as IL cannot be confirmed or refuted until the
poor patient is no longer interested in the
matter, and cannot be made the basis of any
active interference, no great advance has
been made after all aud vivisection has yield
ed only some barren knowledge. Until quite
recently criticism of this kind would have
been justifable In sense, but now IL Is hap
PLY no longer possible, for another series OF
experiments on living animals, undertaken
by Professor Terrier aud Yeo have proved
that through our power Of localizing brain
lessons We may open q gateway for their re-
moval or relief The old notion that the
brain is an inviolable organ with noli me
tangere for its motto-a mysterious and Sc
cluded oracle of God that simply falls down
aud dies when its fame is descrated by in
trusion-has been dissipated by these expert
ments, and we know not that under puDctil-
ious sntiseptic precautions the brain, in the
lower animals at any rate, may be submitted
10 various operative procedures without risk
10 life or fear Of permanent injury. Embold-
eued by this knowledge, DR.. Hughes Bennett
devised way OF helping his patient whose
disease he bad diagnosed with such remark
able exactitude, and gave him one chance,
II he had the courage 10 embrace II, Of saving
his life and recovering bis health.
The patient had the position in which he
stood faithfully explained to him. He was
told that he labored under a malady which
medicines were powerless To touch and that II
left unassisted be must die in a few months
at latest, after prolonged sufferings similar TO
those which had already brought him TO the
verge OF exhaustion and which could only be
partially alleyiated by drugs, bat that one
outlet Of escape, narrow and dangerous, but
still in outlet, was open to him IN an opera
ton Of form dable nature and never before
performed on a human being, under which,
he might perhaps sink and die, but from
which be might, perhaps, obtain complete re-
lief. The man who had faith in his doctor
and no Gne-spun scruples about availing
himself Of the results OF viviseciiOnal discov-
cries, eagerly chose the operation. On the
25th ultimo, accordingly, Mr.. Godlee, sur
gror to University college hospital, in the
midst Of an earnest and anxious band Of
medical men, made an opening In the scalp
scull and brain membranes Of this man at
the point where DR.. Hughes Bennett bad
placed his OWNING finger. the point cores
ponding With the conyolution where be de-
cI4red the peccsnt body 10 be, and where, sure
enough Il was discovered In the substance
Of the brain. exactly where DR.. Hughes Ben
nett had predicted, tumor the size Of a wal
nut was found-z tumOr which NJ. Godlee
removed without difficulty. The man is now
convslescent, having never bad bad symP
ton and fun Of gratitude for the relief Afford
ed him. He has been snsiched from the
grave and from much suffering, and there 10
= good prospect that be viii Dc restored 70
life Of comfort and usefulness In that case
be viii be living monument OF the value Of
Vivisectiou. TIE medical profession win de-
clare With one voice that be e~es bis life TO
Ferrier's experiments, without which It would
have been In possible 70 iocalize bis msla6y
CT attempt its removal. AID that bis case
opeus up new aud far-rezching yistas Of
=