Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-22
VIOLENCE causes aphasia or the prevention

which WAS much thickened at this point.
The rest OF the cerebrum was normal in
every particular.
The cerebrum is composed OF two ma.
terisls-a white substance or conducting
material and a gray substance which Is
supposed TO be the seat OF reason and
thought. The gray material is on the
outside like a shell hence it is the cor
teal portion. Its thickness would indi-
cate unusual activity OF language. Ii is
composed OF cells some are spherical,
others with one process are called unipo-
lor; those with two processes are called
bipOar, and those with three tripolar,
while others with an indefinite number
of processes are called multipolar.
In the rest Of the brain these cells,
seenunder the microscope, were perfectly
| normal, but in this one locality they were
/ curiously distorted. At my request, the
Doctor gave me portion OF the sub
stance, which | Immediately froze. Sub
seqnently, with fine razor | success
! fully paned off a number OF thin lamin@
| for microscopic examination. The in
strument used was the one i had recently
secured from DIR. j. W. s. Arnold, the
distinguished microscopic, and with
which he had made large number of
excellent photo-micographs. Several
scientific experts Joined me in the ex-
animation of the portions Of the brain
which had been prepared. With a low
power we discovered that there was pc
culiar lamiuated structure to the tissue,
whereupon planed off q little more of
it in the direction of the laminations or
strata, the first having been transverse
or across these layers.
And now was presented o mystery.
Curious markings, which my friends de-
clared did not belong to the ordinary
structure, were plainly seen. Some
were geometrical, some sinuous, others
wavy, and all to greater or less degree
crossed each other. We now applied
higher power and secured a magnitica-
ton Of about 600 diameters This still
further increased the mystery. The
markings assumed more definite form
and seemed continuous. as if part of
picture or design a series of pothook-
shaped figures commingled with what
appeared to our surprised vision to be
Chinese characters or Egyptian hero
glyphics, all involved in a sinuous, YER
mlform-like mass.
My first step was to secure a photo
mlcrograph upon sensitive and
delicately prepared plate. Then | de-
tsrmined to subject this plate to further
magnifcation or enlargement. But now
came the difficulty of charging the pic
ture already made, because the deposit
of bromide of silver when magnified
complicated the images found in the
brain tissues. Finally this was over
come by preparing upon an optical
plane surface of glass a sensitive coating
OF albumen which was absolutely struc-
tureless, and gave an image free from all
stria and imperfection. BY the use of an
objective OF a very high power we now
had an amplification of 1900 diameters
Of the original This gave on our plate
a few complete characters that were the
wonder OF every person present.
Fully convinced that the figures were
not of a generally recognized pbysio-
logical character timidly suggested to
some of my scientific friends that they
might be symbols. One of them, a
learned man, who had been for years in
the East teacher and missionary, and
who is withal a. phllologist OF experience,
said : "Yes, they are strangely familiar. "
When informed of the nature OF the
specimen under examination and told
that it was a portion Of the brain of a
human being who in lie was distin-
guished for his linguistic attainments,
bis astonishment knew no bounds.
Looking at them still more closely, he
then assured us that the images so unin-
telligible to ordinary eyes were in truth
characters in the Ethiopic, ancient Syri-
&C, and Phmnician languages. He point
ed out the differences between them,
and, as far as he could do so, gave their
nameJ and meaning, and, in brief, so
fully identified them as to remove all
suspicion of merely accidental exist
ence. Naturally, the minuteness of the
microscopic field prevented intelli
gent combinations, for the tracery was
so complex, irregular, and involved as to
forbid the hope of unravelling by any
means now known the tangled records OF
thought, if such they We're, SO maniiestly
inscribed upon that bit of brain.
Ii anything practical shall result from
this discoyery-if, for instance, future
literary executors shall be able TO ex-
tract from the distinguished dead pos
thumous poems suppressed opinions, the
contents of burned letters" family Sc
crets, or the mysteries OF life that are
buried-it will be truly remarkable
achievement OF science, but whole lives
of patient experient and profound study |
must be expended upon a perplexing |
field of investigation before such a mar
velous result can be attained. My own |
business claims too much of my time to
permit me to give the mysterious subject |
the attention it requires, but now that | |
have suggested its possibilities there are
without doubt others who will eagerly |
EXPLORE this hitherto unknown realm.