The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-12-01

WEDNESDAY. DEC. /, 1886.
MAPPING the BRAIN.
GOOD RESULTS FOR MAN THAT HAVE
COME FROM vIvIsECTIoN.

A remarkable surgical operation
was described at the meeting of the
British Medical Association, held on
the 18th ult., by Surgeon Horsley
of the Bloomsbury National Hospital
for the paralyzed and epileptc. The
patient upon whom the operation had
been performed was exhibited by
the successful operator. The case
is very interesting one, because it
shows how great progress has been
made recently in brain surgery and
in the art of locating the seat of
disease at the surface of the brain
before the surgeons's instruments
are used. 1t also shows once more
and in striking way how much has
been gained for the human race by
experiments upon living animals.
The patient exhibited by DIR. Horsley
was treated for epilepsy. 1t was
decided that his skull should be
opened in order that the cause of
irritation might be removed. But
at what point should the opening be
made? Was it possible for the
physician to locate accurately the
position of the morbid growth be-
fore the surgeon should begin his
work? A spot on the skull was
pointed out, although there were no
external indications by which the
physician could be guided or as
sisted. At that spot the skull was
opened. There tumor was found
embedded in the brain substances.
This tumor, with portion of the
brain surrounding it, was removed.
The cause of irritation having been
taken away, the patient ceased to be
an epileptic. Before the operation
was performed he had been great
sufferer, and both the frequency
and the severity of his fits had been
increasing. When he was exhibited
at Brighton, one month after the
operation, the fits had not returned.
Two other patients whose skulls had
been opened for the removal of
diseased structure or morbid growth,
were shown at the same meeting by
DR.. Horsley, but in these cases the
physician had been assisted in loca-
ting the seat of disturbance on the
surface of the brain by external
marks, caused by injury in one case
and by trephining in the other. The
surgeons treatment of these patients
was successful, but for obvious rea-
sons the first case was far more re-
markable. In the first case the point
at which the skull should be opened
was determined solely by the fact
that the patients fits began in the
muscles which act upon the left
thumb. Knowing this the attending
physician also knew that the region
of the brain which excites or governs
the movements of those muscles was
irritated by something that should
be removed. He knew under what
part of the skull that part of the
skull that part of the brain service
could be found. He pointed out the
part of the skull which covered that
part of the brain; the surgeon re-
moved the bony cpyeaing; the
tumor was revealed and taken out.
The art of locating accurately ir
this way the seat of disturbance has
been developed by long series OF
experiments upon the brains of living
animals. 1T is one of the greatest
of the results that have been at
tanned by what is commonly called
vivisection-a broad term which
covers experiments of many kinds,
Isome of which do not necessarily
fall under strict difinition Of the
word. By the side of this art the
art of surgery has been developed
land improved by means of vivisec.
ZION. Ability to locate the irritating
rowth and ability to remove it
Without killing the patient have beer
obtained alike in great measure by
experiments upon living animals,
The results are already of great
value to mankind.-[N. Y. Times.