The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-01-12

alcoholism. Alcohol had been used by her to such
an extent that the d. white coating which
surrounds the little nerV> fbres-as O wire Ia
saved from rust by silk windings-hsd been eaten
away by the liquor The tender nerves left without
protection, had become diseased. Her will power
became impaired. Unable to control her appetite
she finally became unable to control her
movements Her eye muscles became paraly zed
Thus she was confined to her bed until she died.
some few weeks later. The microscope distinctly
reveals the places where the delicate white tissues
were eaten away by the alcohol, the exposed nerve
bres and the ravages of the disease which ollowed
In speaking of this lost power of motion, Dr.
Spitzka mentioned ex pertinent that was tried on
new born kitten. It's skull was opened and that
part of the brain which controls the motions of the
body was destroyed The head then closed
up. The kitten lived three months and died
pom dissecting ii it found that all traces of
nerves which had nything to do with the motion
of the body had entirely disappeared. The
appearance was as il they never had existed.
DIR. Spitzka also has the finest known collection
of twin salmon. They are the result of natures
effort to split single egg In the case of double
headed double tailed chickens il is the result of
double yolk in the egg. These cases compsr-
atively common But in the salmon the process is
different The nucleus at the side of the tiny yolk,
out ofwhich the little fish is formed Is by an effort
of nature to divide 1t broken apart, but not
entirely. From these broken fragments issue the
double or twin salmons. Two heads with a single
tail, and sometimes a single head and two tails,
the results of natures partial Occasionally
two distinct and perfectly formed salmon succeeded
in emanating from single egg Joined together
only by the yolk. One specimen is a single
fish without yolk, but another head, somew hat
smaller, growing from one side of its body.
Among the peculiar and interesting specimens
in Dr. Spitzka's collection two brains attached
to single spinal cord. This was taken from a
baby m0nstrosity, and seems to show the
effort on the part of nature in the OF twin
salmons. This was not the case, however, but is
the result of maternal impression. Another
peculiar freak here is frog with but one hind leg
and an otherwise perfectly developed body
DIR. Spitzka has many photographs of the people
and animals whose brains upstairs in the
laboratory. The sad face of the young girl of
White Plains is portrayed, and the touching face,
with its melancholy expression, tells only too
plainly of the suffering she endured. Possibly the
most interesting picture is that of lunatic who is
at present in the asylum on the island To all
appearances he is perfectly sane. He is
very talented artist, and paints continually, and
some of his paintings show remarkable skill.
Pretty scenes, artistic and true to nature; ideal
faces, with dreamy eyes and angelic features;
warriors in armor, both Grecian and Roman; nude
figures, graceful and lifelike; faces with gaping,
unearthly mouths, that looked like spook pictures;
artistic, weird and fancful things-al creations of
the artists disordered imagination. And yet this
queer genius will place feather across inkstand
and If it is accidentally touched he think 1t Is
evidence of conspiracy against him and becomes
morbid with fear and finally violent.
''Pen and Powder,