The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-08-05

Leading Physicians Say that Brown-Sequard',
Discovery Has Been Misunderstood.
PHILADELPHIA Record.

Leading Physicians Say that Brown-Sequards
Discovery Has Been Misunderstood.
Philadelphia Record.
This wholesale condemnation of rem
edy before 1T has been given a fair trial is
unworthy Of scientific age" said Dr. ].
William Giles yesterday in reference to the
attacks that have been made from pro-
fessiOnal quarters on the Brown-Sequard
elixir of life and it's hypodermic injection
INTO the human body: 1T is the duty of
and test the truth of the Paris doctors
theory, and !, for one, intend to make such
tests"
There are several other physicians who
establish the fact of DR.. Brown-Sequard's
rejuvenating elixir, and who propose to
satisfy themselves, if not their Fellow
practitioners. by the injection of fluid
decocted from the delicate parts of healthy
animals into some of their aged and de-
crepit patients.
Despite the ridicule that has been cast
upon the Partisan psychologist, he is not
without his ardent supporters in this city.
His fame and the alleged success of his
own and DR.. Variots experiments have led
number of physicians to take his side in
the contest. DR.. John V. Shoemaker is par
ticularly severe on these premature critics.
They call his method fraud. do theyf"
Brown-Sequard is in his dotage, and is too
old to know black from white. Well, |
called on him in Paris last summer, and /
know that his mind was then most keen
entists OF the world. and in this new idea
his reasoning has been strong. solid and
substantial. All the talk about an
elixir of life and a fountain of
youth is mere sensationalism. IL never
believe that his critics have ever read what
he himself has written about his expert.
ments. He is seventy-twO years old, and
he declares that after several injections he
was able to perform tasks that he had been
unable TO do for fifteen years. but he goes
on to say that his state of weakness re-
turned at the end of five weeks, and he
lays no claim to having discovered a mar
yelous cure The fluid nourishes the pa
TENTS system for time. but must be fire.
quently renewed in ord to sustain the
buoyant sensation. Ifan old nwho is lack
ing invita- fluid should hav, some pumped
into him, it IS reasonab'> to believe that he
would become, for the time. new man,
and herein lies the rejuvenation. Whether
the discovery will be of great scientific
value it is hard to say, but it will at least
be considered of much Importance"
DR.. Ernest La Place. who has recently
come to this city. to fill the chair of pathol-
Ogy in the Medico-Chirurgical College, is
another supporter of DR.. Brown-Sequard.
He is himself a Partisan, and has for some
years been quite intimately associated with
that scientist. Il would like to expert
ment for myself along the same lines,S he
said yesterday, land would do SO with
reasonable expectation of success. The
theory is not to be despised, and surely its
discoverer is not TO be. He is without
doubt the foremost Psychologist in the
world and his words and thou ghts are not
those of a WORKOUT veteran. Both for the
sake of the theory and its author expect
great results"
1.-The criticism that DR.. Brown-Sequard
is not practititioner. and. therefore, a
vain theorist. is twaddle," commented DIR.
Edward o. Shakespeare. mo mere prac-
titioner could have ever made such q dis
covery; it must have come from a deep
student, who Is much at his books and in
his laboratory. DR.. Brown-Sequard has
been an eminent authority for many years.
! used to hear his opinion quoted as author
ltative when was medical student and
laughing him to scorn We can't afford to
boot at scientists in these days of the tele-
graph and graphophone."