St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-11-20
EPILEPSY DURABLE.
4 New Era In Surgery Which Promises to
Rid tho World of Great Curse.

L
4 New Era in Surgery which Promises t.
| Rid tho World of Great Curse.
At the meeting of the British Medi
cal Association at Brighton. Mr.. Victo
Horsley. F. R. S.. Surgeon to the Ma
tlonal Hospital for the Paralyzed an,
Epileptic. exhibited three patient
treated in that hospital, whose recovery
may be said to mark the commencement
OF new era in surgery. They are mer
who have been suffering from severe
epileptic fits, and in whom Mr.. Horsely
has opened the skull aud removed dis
eased structure or new growth from the
brain tself.
In the most recent of these three the
operation was performed on the 18th
OF July, and the patient was sufficiently
well to take the journey to Brighton.
The other two cases were operated
upon. one week or two and the other
several weeks earlier; and in none of
the three has there been any symptom
to interfere with the prompt and COM
plete recovery. Sc far. also. the men
are cured of their epilepsy: but con-
siderable time must be permitted to
elapse before any claim for permanence
OF result can be established. What is
actually proved at present is that it has
become possible, by the observation of
symptoms. not only to determine the
fact OF the existence of some morbid
growth within the skull. but also to de-
termlne its precise position with such
accuracy that it can be cut down upon
and removed. 1t is also proved thxt
considerable portions of brain NAV be
removed without injury, the functions
to which these portions are subservient
being performed, after awhile, very
possibly. by corresponding parts of the
opposite hemisphere.
In two of Mr.. Horsley's patients.
there had been injuries. and one of
them had been previously trephincd
for the purpose of elevating portions
OF bone which were depressed by frac-
ture OF his skull; so that in both of
these localization was assisted by man
fest external Indications; but in the
third there was nothing of this kind.
and the point at which the skull should
be opened was determined solely by
the fact that the fits commenced in a
particular group of muscles-those,
namely, which act upon the left thumb.
The physician in charge of the case
was able to say that this manner of
pointed certainly to
he presence of continuing source of
irritation near the surface of the brain
It definite spot; and, the surgeon
having opened the skull mt the point
Indicated, tumor was found Embedded |
n the brain substance. and, together
With a portion of brain surrounding it. |
vas removed, SO far with absolute ces-
alton OF the fits. which were previously |
lot only very frequent. but, as might |
ave been expected, were also increas-
ng alike in frequency and in severity,
nd were such as to disable the patient
rom following any occupation, not to
ny that they placed his life in con slant
jeopardy from accident There are
wo contingencies in relation to the
asses which render it impossible to
redict with certainty the permanencs
the results obtained, and these are,
rst. that the scar which must form in
r upon the brain tissue may possibly
self become a source of irritation in
lme; and. secondly, that second pro-
ortion of brain tumors. as of tumors
1 other parts ofthe body, are of ma
Ire to render recurrence possible or
We have here, then, an illustration
the value and usefulness of expert
lentation on living animals. DIR.
litzig and DIR. Ferrier commenced to
sperimcnt upon living animals by ap-
lying the stimulation of weak galvanic
lrrents to different portions of the
rain. that the Offices of these portions
ecame known, and then il was found
lat the brain surface is largely made
p of what are technically called motor
is to say. of regions which
lcIte movements, each in its especial
'rt of the body. Localization is as
It only in its infancy. but even now
experimenter. BIZ stimulating
succession different parts ofthe brain, ,
IN cause narcotizcd and therefore u.
animal to perform a con-
ferable variety of actions with perfect !
'ec!slon, and it has been found, for |
,ample. that a portion of the brain r
rface which the phrenologist asserted ,
be the seat of identity, or acquisitive-
SIS, or some such rubbish, is in reality
e exciting center of the movements of a
e left thumb. 1t was the application v
this particular piece of knowledge b
lich enabled the medical staff of the /,
stlonal Hospital to point out the seat ;,
the disease in Mr.. .Horsley's third
Times. p
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