, 1885-03-08
THE NEW DISCOVERY
by WHICH MANKIND SHALL BE EMAN-
ciPATsp From NERVES
Ffbers Of One cia-. Of Nerves or@nad
Upon Those OF Another ciass-Ter-
ribls Pains Changed Into
- a.r1nir.s s-n-.iisa-


lRN@AN@ EA~o H~
1t was not Socrates who said perfect hap
pines Is impossible bseau . man has n~srvss;"
Tut the remark might have bean made with
entire truth by the great di-coserer Of hen
lock IS an antidots for q scoliing wife, \, 4
1t is to the nerves chiefly that mankind. an
especially ~omankinds owss the major POI
ton Of its susferingg The amount OF miser,
occasionei by mere nervousna3s. 50 Gale
Is very great; and when We add these to the
special pangs for which separate and inii-
vidual branches OF the nervous system arr
directly responsible. the sum total becomes
simply incslculabls. II its~ero not for his
meddlesorae nerves man could bump his
head or pinch his fingers, or even ha 70 his
corns trodden on without any serious annoy
ance. Fra and frcst would lo-e all their
tsrrors. and the fisnd, neuralgia. would re-
turn howling to his dan, II he has one. and
be known no more among the children Of
men.
The medical profession has long recognized
this tyranny OF the nervous system, IL could
hardly help doing 50 since it Is one OF the
chief sources OF the medical mans income.
But with a self-hacrihcing spirit rarely found
la any profession, the doctors have studi-
ously sought to relieve mankind from the
tyranny. Their noble efforts have not been
unavailing In the current number OF The
mtllcu4 AfoWu IL N ItlAtc4 luAl IT. III
4. Relchert has been experimenting recently
In thu laboratory OF Professor Schiff at Go
nova upon tho reunion OF divided nerves.
His object, In the plain u~ntechnicai language
OF The News, twas to determine whether
fbers-of nerves Of entirely different origin
and function, though still motor or ssnsory,
would unite. and should regeneration occur,
to ascertain whether a motor nerve was ca
pabie OF conveying impulses peculiar to an
other ssnsofy nerve. To this and, the vague
and hypoglossal nerves were selected as
being OF distinct origin and function. and as
afforiing the best facilities for observation.
Five dogs were prepared by Professor
Schlf by cutting the hypoglossal on one
side close to its exit from the Uranium and
the vagus at the thyroid gland. The peri
pheral end Of the ~hypoglossal was sutured
to the central end Of the vagus by a silk
thread through the n~eurilemma.n "The re-
suit we quote from the remarkably clear
statement OF The News, proved that the
motor fbers Of the vagus In the five dogs
operated upon, united to sinilar fbsrs OF the
hypoglossal, and that the h~ypoglossal hbera
conveyed impulses which were peculiar to
the vagus apparatus. They showed, more
over. that in at least one dog. irritation of
the sensory hbers In the ~hypoglossal trunk
gave rise TO impulses which were conveyed
ny NuH 1duhuAy ubola "a tuu Nukun 10 Tue
vagus c~enter-, and produced effects like
those produced by excitation of the vagus
trunk, thus proving in both instances that a
motor or ssnsory nerve can convey impulses
peculiar TO another motor or sensory nerve
of entirely different origin and function"
Lake all great inventions II Is very simple
when you once get the hang" OF 1t. Like
most great inventions, also. there will I'M
doubtsdly be mistakes at first In operating
IL. In detaching the nervesthat carry pain.
full sensations and tying them to Others
whose purposes are peaceful the several por.
ions. of the latter must, Of course, be taken
care OF. Without great care this process
may resu.t In serious confusion, II not in
grave unpleasantness While it would be
cause for rejoicing II a nerve. bsnt on pro-
ducing a twings Of the govt, could be baked
OF its purpose and compelled to content itself
with a mere winkor nod, it would be a serl.
Gus matter II tho nerve, whose ordinary vo-
cation Is to attend to harmless winkfng and
nodding, should find itself compelled by its
new associations TO &C into the pain-produc-
ing business Yet II Is inevitable that such
results should follow from an imperfect com
prehension Of the now method Perhaps II
is just as well. Otherwise the doctors who
arc entitled 10 SO much credit In the premise.
might find their s~srvicss dispensed with al.
together too speedily.
The grandest promise OF the nsw discovery
lies In its application to the reformation Of
Grimm als The prison surgeon OF the future
calleI to examine the convict just sentenced
will ascertain what his crims Is and the
nerve course followed by his sensations IN
carrying out his purpose Then by a judi
cious US, Of the scalpsl and proper sub
sequsnt treatment hs will shunt the murder
Gus or burglarious sensation In such a dirsc-
ton that 1t will evsntuats In an irresistible
impulse u work. This reformation thus
eifectsi VII b. radical AMI complete and it
will only 10 necessary to prevent by strlny
ent enaetm ant any readjustment OF thu con
vict's nerves TO the criminal basis by ire r
ponsibie outside practitioners.