The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-07-25
HE CAN CRAEI BRAINS
Now York Surgeon Proves That Bran
Tissues Can be Interchanyed

HE CAN GRAFT BRAINS.
Now York Surgeon Proves That Bran
Tissues Can be Interchanged.
The progress of surgical science
In New York and the success with
which unusual demonstrations are
attended have attracted the atten-
tion of the faculty in every centre OF
technical learning in Europe. Reeu-
larly the profession is regaled with
histories" as they are called. of
phenomenal, operations by na..-s.,eSs
most famous 0 these 6peratte ttesss DIR.
W. Gilman Thompson, professor Of
I physiology in the New York Univel
slty College and visiting physician to
the Presbyterian and New York Hos
pltals. DIR. Thompson's latest exper-
iment was the grating Of the brain
OF one animal upon that of another.
His success opens the question of the
possibility Of the grating of the brains
OF human beings. DR.. Thompson
says;
'It occurred to me recently, while
studying cerebral localization in the
lower animals, that it would be inter
est:ng to
GRAFT A PIECE OF BRAIN TISSUE
from one side of dogs brain to the
other, or from one animals brain into
another's, and study its vitality. Of
course 1 hadno expectation of being
able to restore abolished function by
the operation, but the question of
vitality of the brain tissue and the
cause OF its degeneration are subjects
OF very wide interest. The first ex-
perlments were preliminary, made
Ill order to ascertain whether the
transplanted brain would be imme-
diately absorbed or would slough
away.
81 cut open the skulls of two large
dogs and interchanged pieces of the
brain tissue of each. On the third
day both dogs were killed, and the
transplantod pieces of brain looked
normal, and in each case they were
so firmly knitted together that it
was impossible to pull them apart
with forceps without laceration.
"The next experiment was with a
cat and dog. Three days later the
cat was killed. The transplanted
dogs brain was found where it had
been placed, firmly adherent to the
cats brain. No microscopic examin-
alton was made in connection with
the experiments, as they were intend
ed only to determine the possibil-
ity of the transplanted tissue adher-
ing. Being satisfied in regard to this
matter, l proceeded to another ex-
pertinent.
II procured street mongrel dog,
opened his skull over the left lobe of
the brain, and through the opening
removed small portion of brain it's
sue. A cat was simultaneous by operat-
ed upon in the same manner, and
the brain tissue of the cat and dog
were interchanged. The openings
were closed and treated. The dog
made good recovery from the opera
tion, although he was very feeble for
a few days and had to be fed artifi-
cially. Subsequently heappeared nor
NAL In every way, except the loss of
vision. He was killed at the end of
seven weeks, when the piece of trans
planted cats b:...;;ii, b:...;;ii, was found ta-I tas-I,
adhered to the dogs brain, with the
pia mater intact. 4
s,.l NOV, the features interest in
first: There is completeunion through
organic connective tissue of the con
tiguous portions of the two brains;
second, after seven weeks the cats
brain still maintained enough vitality
to be distinctly recognized as brain
tissue; third, brains of animals of two
very different species were thus made
to unite. I think the main fact of
this experiment, namely, that the
brain tissue has sufficient vitality to
survive for seven weeks the operation
of transportation without wholly los
ing it's identity as brain substance,
suggests an interesting field for furth-
er research, and I have no doubt
that other expcrimenters will be re
warded by investigating it.-New
York Star.