New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-15
BRAIN PICTURES.
,Horo.pHYs1oLoGICAL DISCOVERY.

list REVEALS WONDERFUL THINGS.
70 the Editor OF The Trfbun.
SIR: Several years ago the scientific world was
startled by the result of a series of experiments
made to test the theory that for brief intervai
the eye retains upon its retina the
hast object on which it rested IN
life-in other words that species OF
photograph is made upon that organ which, II
quickly examined with a magnifying lens, may be
plainly identified 1t was alleged that an assassin
had been convicted in France on the strength Of
the evidence thus obtained, the image Of the
murderer having been found impressed upon the
eve of his victim while the latter was in the act Of
being struck down by the murderers weapon
Owing to the many impediments in the way OF
killing people for the mere purpose of adding to
the store of human knowledge, but little advance
has been made in the development of this curious
thought and until some one unsefshly volunteers
to DC experimental upon for the benefit of science,
il is not likely thatmuch progress will be made in
such difficult field of research.
Some fifteen years ago. while occupying my old
establishment on Broadway, frequently observed
gentleman APP arently Rfty-fvc or sixty years OF
age, with tall, erect figure and a distinguished
mir. His features were regular and strillingly
handsome, and he wore a flowing beard that once
had been black, but now was beginning TO show
the frost of time Evidently he was foreigner,
and 1 judged him to be man of noble birth and
high culture. His movements were full of dig
nity while his face showed the resigned expression
OF one who had suffered either from blighted
ambition or a hopeless love.
AS he always walked alone seemingly buried in
reflection l could contrive no plan of getting
at him." so to speak until one day he stopped for
a moment in front Of an excavation that was be-
ing made in front of the old Roosevelt property
on the corner Of FOurteenth-st. and Broadway,
now the site of the Domestic Building l hap
pencd to be passing at the time. and also paused
in oder to more closely observe the mysterious
stranger. At this juncture an acquaintance
tapped the shoulder and said, why,
Lockwood, YOU seem TO be very much interested
i'm the old Count yonder do you know him p" No,
do not" replied, and was Just wondering who
and what he is" We'll, Join me at lunch and
1t being an idle hour with me. accepted my
friends invitation. and he then related these
curious particulars.
The Count Borcnslli was formerly professor Of
languages in the College of Arts and Sciences in
Munich. At an early age he developed mar
Nelous gift in the acquisition Of languages and
before he was thirty-fve had successfully supple
mented the discoveries and labOrs of Champolon
In the Interpretation of many of the ancient hero
glyphics and symbols that had previously baffied
the skill of the great students OF philology. But,
and scientific men. the Count met and fell deeply
I'm love with young German girl He proposed
marriage. but was refused by the parents on the
ground that as the father and brothers of the
maiden were soldiers. and had been so for genera
tiOns. her road to Hymen must likewise be the
path TO glory" In short she must wed only
soldier. In hot blood the Count wrote letter to
the father which so incensed the family that one
OF the replied with a challenge. duel re-
suited. and the eldest brother Of the girl was left
dead on the field or severely wounded. The Count
RESIGNED his professorship. abandoned the scene Of
his literary work and came TO the United States.
where he lives upon moderate income from an
estate left him in his natipe land. and he is now
devotiny himself 10 the study of Egyptology Such
was my friends story.
OF course / became more interested than ever
in my Broadway character" After a while I
not ced that the Count began to show the ravages
Of time. lie was losing his erect and elastic step,
and as recently three years ago it was painful TO
observe how old age had fairly Overtaken him and
he had become decrepit, and with bent form
and locks grown white and long he tOttered by on
ais daily walk. bearing his weight upon staff
After this saw him rarely and finally not at all.
In the thronging events of Ncw-York life one has
little time 70 lnger on the past ana TOO often we
My hero and his history passed from mind until
a short time ago. when was sent for by Professor
black Of the Bellevue Hospital for Aged Men, on
Manhattan Boulevard. Come in person. he wrote,
las 1 have in which you will probably be
Interested" On reaching the dormitory of which
the Professor had charge, was surprised TO learn
that my missing friend. the Count, had just
passed away. The doctor knew but little OF ms
history and desired 10 send photcgraph to ms
surviving relatives collateral evidence OF MS
death. After the negatives were MADE the DOCTOR
remarked that such singular complications had
manifested themselves during the illness OF the
Count. especially in the cerebral region that he
| remained.
The brain has always been to me the most in
teresting organ of the human body, and tins 1
thought would he a good opportunity to observe
whether a life devoted to study would in any way
affect its material or structure. felt sure there
must he such a thing as growth. and knew OF
many instances in which the brain or portions OF
1 had been increased in size by culture. BESIDES,
an examination in the present case might determine
something for against the theories OF the phren-
0logistS.
Ia order that the face should not appear dis
figured at the funeral, an inclsi0n was begun AT q
point Immediately posteror TO the superior angle
OF the aurice, and carried directly over the verex
TO "a similar point the opposite side The scalp
WAS then denccted TO the sulra-orbial arches an
eriorly, and TO the Occptal protuberancc posteri,
Orly The sllull-cap was removed by saving
through the external table, beginning the section
IN front, about inch above the margin of the
orbit and extending it behind to level with the
occipital protuberance. The internal table was
hen broken with a chsel and hammer and the
,kull-cap ried OIL. The cranfll nerves and spinal
cord were then severed and the brain removed
with its three investing membranes, viz: the
dura mater, arachnoid and pia mater. There
was something peculiar in the appearance of the
dura mater. The sac of the arachnoid contained
q little bloody serum. The pia mater was noe
nal. On removing these the surface of the brain
proper was exposed. The general appearance OF
the cerebrum was likewise normal, the convou
tons not being remarkable except at one point
he inferior portion of the ascending frontal con
voIuton of the left side was very prominent
bu ging in such "a manner as TO form a decided
protuberance. Advanced PSYCHOLOGISTS allege
that the controllin~ GO, II sueoch I"carnl in
Iart II not wholly. at this pom; and it has
been demonstrated by OAK, Broca. Terrier and
others that il is this portion of the BRAIN If any
which governs the faculty Of speech. This part
when pressed uron by tnmor or subjected t.
violence causes aphaisia or the prevention or per
version of the articulate language. On opening
the brain it was found that the projection wa'
caused entirely by an ire'cn@" ~ ~" ray or We
sicuIar matter which was much thicllrncl at th'
Point 1hr rest of the ccrel,rum was normal IL
every particular.
The ocrebrum is composed of two materials
white substance or conducting material and gray
substance which is opposed 10 be the seat o.
reason and thought. The gray material is on The
outside like she'll hence it is the cOrtcal por
ton. Its thickness would indicate unusual activ
ity of language. 1t is composed OF cells some