Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-18
A RABBITS NERVE
GIVEN TO A VIENNA PHYSICIAN BY
a SURGICAL OPERATION,
The Great Nerve of Rabbits Thigh
Placed in Professor Fleisc,lPs Arm-A
Somewhat Technical Description of tho
Oase-The Results.

| occupant OF the clalr OF physiology III The
university of that city It appears that
DR.. Won Fleischl. sixteen years ago, acct
| dentally wounded himself while conduct.
| ing post mortem examination, and that
| the consequent Inflammation Of his right
arm and hand led ultimately to the loss
Of the terminal joint of his thumb. The
end Of the stump became painful, and in
the hope Of relieving this pain amputation
somewhat further back was performed,
but was followed, according to the report,
by the formation of ''neuroma" At this
point the history becomes little vague,
because the word 'neuroma," which is
most properly applied to class of tumors
which form upon nerves and which con-
sist mainly of redundant nerve tissue, is
applied with less exactness to tumors of
other kinds of which nerves NAV be the
seat, and is applied also to dubious en-
largements of the proximal Examinations
of divided nerves, engagements which
sometimes occur after the best performed
amputations, which seem to depend on
some personal popularity of the patient,
which are liable to recur again and again
after repeated amputations further back,
and which are attended by the most ago
nizing suffering.
NERVE FROM A RABB1T
1t may be presumed that the neuromata
of Professor Won Fleischl were Of the lat
ter class; and, in the hope of obtaining
relief, he underwent several fruitless
operations, which were directed to dis
secting out and removing portions CT the
nerves implicated, without recourse being
had to more extended amputation Of
other structures. He appears to have
been deprived, In succession, Of consider
able portions of the nerves supplying the
stump Of the thumb, both sides of the
forefnger, and the inner side Of the mid
die finger; but after every such operation
the former conditions were renewed in the
portions which were left, while the his
tory of many similar cases had been such
as to justify the most dismal forecasts Of
his future. In these circumstances the
ideas of repairing the nerves and of re-
placing the missing portions by fresh
nerve taken from rabbit suggested itself
to DR.. Gersung, and this proceeding
seems, as far as can at present be Judged,
to have been attended by complete and
most gratifying success.
The nerves of the animal BODY are
fibers of peculiar organization, which7 are
more or less packed in bundles or
trunks for the purposes of distribu-
ton, but which are individually separate
ana continuous from origin to terlnina-
ton, and which have no other function
than to convey the impression from the
outposts of the body to the brain or spi-
nal cord. or, In the opposite direction,
stimuli from the brain or spinal cord,
which call external parts into action. All
nerves appear to be alike, and the differ
ent functions to which they are subser-
Went depend not upon any difference of
the nerves themselves, but upon differ
enceS IN the parts from which they 90.
Just as the same telegraph wire will
move a needle or ring bell, or perform
any other duty to which electricity may
be applicable, according to the character
OF the apparatus with which it is con-
nected, so any nerve will do the duty of
any other if it be brought into connection
with the apparatus to which the other
rightfully belongs. Whatever stimulus is
applied to the optic nerve of hearing pro-
duceS sensation as of light. and no other.
THE INwARDNEss or IT.
But the effect thus produced BY stirnu
latlng given nerve does not depend ON
the nerve itself, which is a mere trans
hitting medium, but entirely upon the
central organ. IN the brain or spinal cord,
10 which the stimulus is convened. If VIC
could connect the auditory nerve with the
center Of sight and the optic nerve with
the center of hearing, stimulation of the
former would produce impressions OF light
and stimulation of the latter would pro |
duce impressions of souna-a fact which
has been abundantly demonstrated by ex-
pertinent on nerves III more accessible
situations. And. just rs there is nothing
special In any individual human nerve. |
and as any one Of them would be csnafle |
OF discharging the duty OF any other. so.
II may De assumed. there is no Difference I
between the endowmepts of the nerves of /
man aud those OF the lower animals. which /
fuInN identical funcraaus in an Identical /
=, II was therefore inherently probable
that the nerve Of en- animal. If n MEGA 1
'ooic Dc obtained OF the proper size and |
'el IN, ano il trans plantation and union |
'ouId be successfully effected, would |
Juice TO make good any loss of nervo in |
-lali' ana N the present instance, which |
5. we Believe, the first Of the kind on /
ecoco. not only have the transplantatiou |
va union been successful, but the pev
Aiece OF nerve seems TO have overcome tba
endency of the old to undergo decepers-
lon or structure ct its divided extremity.
l portion, six ceatinetecs in length. Of !
he great nerve Of the rabbits th.rh vas
elected. aud was SO removed iron, the
reshiy killed animal as to include the
atural bifurcstion of the r1atn trunk into
wo branches The divided stem was Sc
urea by stitches to the stump of the
erve IN Professor Won Fleiscfl's arm.
nd the ends Of the branches were
ecured In Ike manner TO the nerve
ordinations which remained in his fingers.
20 which were rendered useless by
heir separation from the trunk to which
aey belonged
The whole operation, Is natterxpf
purse. was coadneted With .stxss ma