The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-14
OUR TW BRAINS,
PROF. PROCTOR ON THE DUAIdY7
OF MANS BRAIN.

as Oue-DOuble Ccnsciousness-Cur
GUS Philosophical Problems sug
gested-The Individual Work of Each
Half Brain.
Copyright 1888 By s. s. Mcclure.
Every one knows that the cerebrum or
greater BRAN is symmetrically divided by
a vertical mediau conlmissure, as it is called,
che corpus cdliosuuD into two halves; the
cerebelum or little brain is also divided
into two halves, by the commissure called
rhe pOns uarotii. One may compare the two
half brains to the two sets of sense organs the
right eye, ear, and nostril, with all the ap
purtenances belonging to sight, hearing, and
smell on the right side of the head, aud On
the other side toe left eye, cor, and nostrils
with all the corresponding appurtenances
on the left. We may in somewhat similar
manner compare the two halves of the cere-
bellum with the right and left arm, the
right and left leg, and so forth. The two
halves OF, the brain may work together as
ore even as we see singly, hear singly, and
smell singly, though also each half may
under certain conditions work alone, the
other being dormant as we may see with
one eve, hear with one ear, and smell through
one noStrll; and further under other condi-
tons, rather more exceptional. the two
halves of the brain NAV work simultane-
CusiY but adversely even as we may see
double without intoxicatiOn to account for
l0 if the eyes work diversely. TN passing
may remark that under certain conditions,
by no means connected with intOxication,
Invariably see double. For i stance if
look at a distant bright light my right eve,
which is of the ordinary focal strength, sees
the light clearly, my lsft eve which is ex-
tremely shortsighted makes blurred image
of the light of which my sense of vision is
perfectly consciOus-thcugh usually when
am looking at distant objects taking no &C.
count OF Il work of my shortsighted eve
showing always on the sight Of the distinct
light the faint but much enlarged blurred
light, and IN like manner the two halves of
the cerebellum may work together as one,
as the two arms may work simultaneously;
or may work separately, lone resting the
whllst9 as each arm may work alone; or
may work together but diversely even as
one arm may sway a shield and the other a
sword, one arm hold on hat in high wind
while the other hands lady into her car
rage
Analogy is no proof, however, though it
may suggest truth capable of proof The
doubleness of sight with usually single but
possibly double, or even diverse vision. does
no prove that tue double brain is capable
of all three forms Of work, double work with
single impressions, separate work, and
double work with impressions diverse. And
50 with the work of the cerebellum, under
stood to control chiefly the motor nerves
while the brain rnainly (but by no means
solely regulates thought in its various mani
festations.
The actual proof that the halves of the
brain are Tor may bel as independent as the
two eyes or the two ears, depends on a va
riety of considerations.
First, it has been shown that one-half of
the brain may suffer serious evel destruct-
i've injury, and yet the mind remain SEEM
ingly unimpaired. DR.. Wigan, to whom the
theory of the duality of the brain is pri-
marily due, tells of boy who came under
his care on account of an accident by
which one side of the brain lost four
ounces of matter and appeared to him hope
lie sly injured, yet the boy manifested no
loss or perversion of mental power In an
other case, which also came under Dr.
Wigan's own care, the patient, man about
fifty years old, had lost, as was shown by
subsequent examination, the whole of one
hemisphere of the brain, yet remained per-
fectly rational to within few days of his
death.
The following case, also cited by DR..
Wigan, is even more decisive: gentle
man came TO DR.. Connolly, then one of the
most celebrated surgeons, on account of an
disease set up in one cheek by
the use of "a strong embrocation. This dis
ease spreading through the eye orbit had
affected the brain and when the patient APP
piled to DR.. Connolly the case was in reality
hopeless. The patient died, and postmor-
tenn examination showed that one hemi-
sphere of the brain was wholly destroyed
as DR.. Connolly expressed it, "a yawning
chasm." Yet this mans mind remained
clear and undisturbed to within few hours
Of his death.
In other cases cited by Cruveilheir, Abe
and others, but without any APP
parent recognition of their interest, pa
tlents have retained their full intellec-
tual faculties with one half of the cere-
Drum diseased, atrophied, or practically de-
stroyed.
1t is certain then that man mot neces-
sarily every mani can think with one half
of the brain, even as he can see with one
eye, or hear with one ear. There is also
clear evidence that in certain cases one half
OF the brain applies reasoning may individu-
atty of one character while the other half
OF the brain reasons in an entirely different
manner. One brain, to use the proper ex-
preston of the brain is really dual, may be
acute the other dull, one even may bo ra-
tlonal the other insane. The case introduced
into that clever Gf rather uasensatonaD
story 1.-THE Hoosier SchoomaSter, of the
soldier who in consequence of wound in
the head had two kinds of brain action, is
by no means fictional. This soldier had the
idea that his head had been shot off at Buena
Vista, and that the new one which had
crowd on warn't nigh SO good as the old
one" but l know some things" he said,
my heads later on one side, but it's all
right on to'ther, and when l know a thing
on the left side, know It," As Dr. Brown
Sequard SAYS, of such cases, "the lunatic is
at one and the same time perfectly rational
and perfectly insane" or as Wigan puts it,
an insane patient knows when he is sane
and when he is insane. He will put for
ward insane ideas, and Immediately aft err
wards he will say, L know they are insane"
Indeed many who have never been insane
have had an experience which would enable
them TO understand this double condition of
the brain; at least / can hardly suppose my
own experience altogether exceptional.
-Four years ago, in an acute attack of
neuralgia, submitted to the DOCTORS sug-
gestion that l should try the hypodermic
Injection of morphine. Usually l would
rather grin and bear pain than seek relief in
such ways; but nephralgia passes the pa
tlence of the most resolute.) Soon after the
operation l found my ideas utterly confused
and irrational. ! should have been able
mink, TO bear the temporary insanity, for
such practically was, IL it had been simple
Insanity. But the duality of the mental
action which went on, resulting mo matter