The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-27
THE SENSATION OF PAIN.
ITS SEAT AND ORIGIN NOT CONFINED
TO TIE PHYSICAL SYSTEM.

The severity of Pain Dependent, To .
Considerable Extent. Upon the Mental
Eism-at Animals of a Tow Grade
somr s.s>., i'm Faint.
nj oHIrs' ~. 10 nut intend 10 assert that
Their i 10 physical pam. but We Do assert
that APART ffl.a mental activity the tiesree Of
pain whi''h exists throughout the domain Of
animal life l. relatively 80 much hes than
what osir SENSATIONS inince us to believe that,
If W. wers- chle to eliminate the mental ele-
ment in "dr experience, the pains we 50 often
lsar waall le~... not their existence certainly,
bat npJ>. surely all theiv severity. We pro-
lor,,a b. show olIr reasons for such a belief
The frs point is this: all ANIMALS of lower
grade than human suffer very much le>s pain
from physical injuries than our own sensa-
tons convey 70 US We can readily see the
proof OF thi, in their habitual actions Many
of the star'i>hes detach parts OF their arms,
at the very smallest provocation. amt remain
uninjured by the change or loss. The Hol-
othurians pinch their bodies by contractions
Of their circular muscles until the posterior
portions drop of in successive fragments ami
perish This they would scarcely do if the
process involved pain.
CHoPPING A sHARk-woUNDED DEER
But leaving the invertebrates, and ascend
ing To the fishes, it is a fact well known TO all
anglers that fish which has torn away the
hook from line in its struggles TO escape will
take the bait again rs soon as its fright has
passed off, and while the hook still remains in
Sf,a IN, xrhi.eh has ,.arfnratol t'utnbipfr
swell-iish tTetrodon turgidusl in shallow
water, and dropping it overheard as Of no
value, you may any day ~ it swim to the
bottom and take your halt as quick as il
reaches there.
In cutting in whale III the low ATTITUDES,
sharks swarm around eager for food As
they may calse danger 10 the two men who
arr at work on the body Of the whalr, it is
customary IL place man on watch with
whaling -Spa'ie To drive them away Ii is
great fun for him, and he chops the sharks
without mercy. Very often vigorous blow
OF his kecn-eiged spade LAYS the whole side
OF a SHARK open, leaving his int,stines ex-
posed and i!oating out from his alslomen H.
he swims, ani yet this does not stop him or
seem at the first 10 cause him any special All.
noyance, for h. snaps up every bite Of bmh.
ler he can get as readily Us before.
Bnt it may liz said that these arr cold
bloo'led animals, and probably very littlc
sensitive Turning, then, TO a grade much
higher, single incident may suffice Ia illus
trate our point rs well rs a detail Of many
others could do tine day young deer was
brought into camp whose foreeg had been
broken by Il shot In the hope of saving It
for chillrens pet, we decdSl to amputate
the leg near the shoulder No chloroforln
was at hand, and the amputation was made
without any anesthetic. This very subject
Of pain in animals we had in careful consid-
Grafton at the time, and we watched for its
aniTtstation But scarcely the slightest
sign Of it was apparent The eye of deer u
siagulariy expressive. and If any faith can
ln placed in such tokens, the actual pain
which that fawn experienced during the
operation was certainly very slight.
PHYSICAL. ENDURANCE OF sAvAGES
Once more, and coming still higher, we
recognise the fact which is perfectly well
know. that sasages of the human race pay
small attention TO injuries at which our more
polished classes would manifest intense suffer
Ing. It may he said that il is because they
talk" pride in enduring the pain, and there
iore MAKE no manifestations This may
l~s,ibly ic trii, in some eases, as for instance
inthe presence of hostile ussallants etc, but
other circumstances show quite conclusvely
that the, really feel the pain in only II small
measure. Onc Of the missionaries in Damara
land stated. not long since, that the natives
there are constantly covered with blisters
which to us would be fearfully distressing
but which they almost totally disregard. The
orgia of tn blisters is the curious point.
They crowd up SO closely to their camp fire,
for the sake Of the pleasant warmth, that the
skin is burnt before they become conscious Of
the fact, and the heavy blisters are the re
suit.
Still again, every surgeon sees convincing
proof III his daily experience that the sens-
tiypness Of his various patients varies 80
widely that there must he some cause for II
beyond that which is physical Scientific
American,