Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1888-08-14
A RABBITS NERVE
OWEN TO A VIENNA PHYSICIAN ~
A SURGICAL OPERATION.
Tn. Great Nsrv. sf . Rabbits fhiss
Placed On Professor risisshi's Ar"'-A
Somewhat T.shais.i Description sf the
Cs.e-Ihe Results.

Tn. opsratIon was performed by 1T.
Gcrsung' ~ Vienna. and the patient va.
Professor Won nelsckl. the distinguishes
occupant % the chair u physiology In tho
unIy.r.lty 81 that city. II appears that
Dr. Won Helschl. sixteen years ago. sori'
dcn,ally wounded himself while condnet.
ing poet norton examination. and that
the consequent Inflammation ~ bis right
arm and hand lei ultimately 10 the loss
81 the terminal Joint ~ bis thumb he
end u the stump hecarbe PAINFUL ana IN
the hopc Of relieving this palm smpu'ailon
somewhat further bark was performed'
but was followed. according 30 the rrport,
by tho formation ~ ''neuruma- ~ TINS
point the history bseomes little vague.
l-causs the word "nsurums. which u
most properly applied 20 q class OF iumor-
which form upon nerves and which con.
slst mainly % REDUNDANT nerve tissue, y.
applied with lefs exaetness "a tgmorS OF
other kinds 81 which nerves may tr the
scat, and Is applied also 10 bulboas en-
larycmenis ~ the proximal tsrminAtions
Of divided nerves. enlsrgcmenis which
some,lmes occur after tho bcst performed
amputatlons, which seem % depend on
some personal pcculiAriiy ~ the patient.
which arr liable % nccur again and again
after repeated Amputations further baek'
and which ara attended by the most ago
Mining suffering.
SERyE PROM A RABnfr
II may IL presumed that the neuromata
Of Professor Won Helschl were 81 the lat.
ter class: and. In the hope % obtaining
relief. hs underwent several fruitless
opera,lons, which weru directed 90 dis.
sectlng out and removing portions ~ tho
nerves implicated. without recourse being
hal 90 more extended Ampuiation ~
other structures. lie appeArs 10 have
bccn deprived. In Succession. 81 oonsidsr'
able portions ~ the nerves supplying the
stump % the thumb. both sides u the
forchngvr. and the inner aide % the mid
die finger. but after every such OPERATION
the former conditions were rnewel In tho
portions which werr left. While tho his
tory - many similar eases bad been such
A. 10 Justify the most dismal FORECASTS ~
his future. In these circumstances the
IDEAS % rrpalring the nerves and Of ~
plAring the missing portions by frush
nerve taken from a rabbit suggested itself
10 Dr. Gersung. and this proceeding
seems, A. far a. can AZ present b. Judged,
20 have been attended BY complete aud
most gratifying succoss.
Tho nerves - the animal body arr
fbcr- % IeculiAr organization. which arr
more OF less packed In bundles 90
trunks" for ID. purposes ~ disiribu'
ton. bot which arr Individually separate
and continuous frum origin 10 termina
tlon. aud which have no other function
than 10 convey the impression frOm the
ouiposts u the body 90 the brain 90 spl
nal cord. OF. In the opposite direction.
stimuli from the brain or spinal cord.
which call external parts Into action. All
nerves appear a. D. alike. and tho differ.
ent functions 90 which they arc subsor
Went depend not upon any difference oi
the nerves themselves. bat upon differ
enccs Ia the parts from which they 20.
Just A. the same telegraph wire will
move a needle 90 ring a bell. 90 perform
any other duty 90 which electricity may
b. applicable. according a. tho character
% the appantus with which II Il con.
nocici. ~ any nerve will do the duty 81
any other " u D. bruught into connecsion
with the apparatus 90 which the other
nghtfully belongs. Whatever stimulus Il
applied 90 the optic nerve % hearing pro.
dgoes sensation A. % light. and no other.
INK ISwAHDSEss oF Ir.
but the effect thus produced by stlmu.
lailng q given nerve do-s not dspend on
the nerve itself. which IL a msru trans.
hitting medium. but enilrcly upon the
central organ. In the brain or spinal oord.
to which the stimulus IL conveyed. II We
could connect tho auditory nerve with the
center ~ sight and the optic nerve with
the center ~ hearing. stimulation ~ Ito
former would produce impressions ~ light
and stimulation ~ the latter would pro
ducc impressions - sound-a fact which
has bccn AhundAnily demonstrated BY cx.
pertinent GA nerves Ia morr Acccssihle
situations And. Just A. thcrr II nothing
special In any individual human nerve
and A. any Que 70 them would - capable
~ dlschArging the duty q any other. -,
II may h. assumed. theru L. no dificrno.
bctwcen the end0wmsnts u the nerves -
man and those % the lower animals. which
fulhll identical functions Ia al identical
manner.
Il Was therefore Inherently probable
that the nerve % en- animal, N a piece
could 10 obtained % the proper siIe and
length. and II irnsplAntatlon and union
could l. successfully Effected. would
suffice 10 make good any los of nerve In
man. and In the present instance. which
l.. We believe. the first Of the Kind Ca
rcoort. not only have the trAnsplAntAtlon
and union heen suocc-.ful. but tho new
pieco ~ nerve seems o. have overcome tho
tendency - the old 10 undergo dsgensra.
tiou % structure At it, divided extremity.
A portion. six osniimeters In length. %
the great nerve % tie rabbits thigh wAs
selected, and Was ~ removed frUm the
freshly killed animal a. 90 include the
natural blfnrvAtlon Of the main trunk into
two branches. The divided stem was -.
eurcd by stitches 10 the stump u the
nerve In Professor Won Hclschls arm.
and the ends of the branches Wvr,
secured la Ike manner 90 the nerve
ORGANIZATIONS which rrmAined Ia his fngrrs.
and pblch wero rendered useless by
their staratlon frUm the trunk 10 which
they belonged.
The whole Operation. a. a matter u
course. was conducted with strict Al.
hercncc % those principles Of Antlsep,lc
surgery without which failure would have
been more than likely. but by the otserv.
ance 81 which. union. almost anywheru or
81 any thing. can with a near approach 20
certainly h. secured The wound healed
kindly. the tunsplAnisd nerve sOon b.
came at home In it, new position. and al.
ready. after the lapse % little more than
two months. Il l. reported that sensation
IL returning 10 the fingers. At the sAino
time there has been no%eturn 90 pain.
and no frcsh Indication u the develop
ment OF neuromatA. ~ that tho hope n
an absolutely successful Issue may now
with some confidence be entertained
London World.
-------
An Overdose.