Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-26
BRAIN GRATING.
DIR. Thompson Describes a Successful and
Interesting Experiment.

Interesting Experiment..
A paper on the above subject by w. Gil
man Thompson, M. D., appeared in a re-
cent number of the New York Medical
Journal Attempts have been made to
graft nearly all the different tissues of the
body. Skin, bone, teeth, muscle, nerves,
glands eyes, mucous membrane, ETC., have
all been grated with more or less success,
but successful brain grating has not here
tofore been performed. With the ex-
ception of skin grating, and possibly
mucous membrane grating, the results of
such experiments have been of little
practical value. They are, however, OF
great scientific interest in demonstrating
the relative vitality of different tissues
and the astrological changes which ac-
company degenerative processes. The laws
of atrophy and final disappearance of dis
used organs, so ably advocated by Darwin,
are equally striking with regard to indi-
vidual tissues and cells, and it is a we'll
recognized fact that the - higher the
original development of tissue or cell has
BEEN e., the more it has been differ
entiated or specialized from the amnba
type-the more profoundly it is effected
by alterations in environment or nutrition,
SO as to degenerate completely, or be re-
placed by some form of tissue like the
connective, which is of lower development
but stronger vitality. The result of nerve
grating and Of nerve suture after complete
section have varied greatly in the hands
of different operators, but, despite many
discouraging failures, there is no doubt
that in man, as well as in the lower ami
mails, nerve fbers may reunite when
sutured, even after secondary degenera-
ton has occurred, and they exhibit res
toration of function. For this to occur,
however, the nerves must be in commune
cation with some trophic center.
Nerve grating does not succeed SO well
as nerve sutures in favorable cases. 1t oc-
Cured to DIR. Thompson recently, while
studying cerebral localization in the lower
animals, that it would be interesting to
graft 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 he had no expec-
tation of being able to restore abolished
function by the operation, but the ques-
ton of vitality of the brain tissue, and
the course of its degeneration is subject
which is of very wide interest. The first
experiments were preliminary, made in
order to ascertain whether the trans
planted brain would be Immediately alb
sorbed or would slough away.
No microscopic examination was made
in connection with these experiments, as
it was intended only to determine the pos
sibility of transplanted tissue adhering.
Being satisfied in regard to the matter,
DR.. Thompson secured large dog and per-
formed his experiment. A half-inch ire
phine was used and button of bone was
cut nearly through over the left cccipitaI
region, leaving a small attached margin so
that the button could be elevated and then
depressed like little trap-door Through
the opening C. C. of brain tissue were re-
moved. A cat was simultaneously ire
pinned and Is c. C. of brain from her left
occipital region were transferred in eight
seconds to the opening in the dogs brain.
The features of interest of this expert
ment are the facts that: l. There was
complete union, through organized con-
nectiye tissue, of the contiguous portions
of the two brains. 2. After seven weeks
the cats brain still maintained enough
vitality to be distinctly recognized as
brain tissue. 8. Brains of animals of two
very different species were thus made to
unite. 4. The cat and dog paris presented
perfect union as well. 5. There was a
sympathetic degeneration of the CORE
spending eonvoiutions upon the opposite
side of the dogs BRAIN For this curious
fact DR.. Thompson cannot account. He
bad never noticed it before, in as many as
fifty operations upon this region of the
brain of cats and dogs, although he had
sometimes seen removal of part of the
occipital region result in extensive soften
ing of the entire hemisphere of the same
side. The opposite degeneration in this
case may possibly be mere coincidence;
if so, it is very unusual and remarkable
one. There was no meningitis to favor it.
6. There was descending secondary degen-
Grafton of the dogs brain on the side Of
the graft, as is usual in cases of simple ex-
cision of brain cortex; hence the cats cor
tex had not succeeded in acting as nu-
TRENT center for the dogs brain.
DIR. Thompson thinks the main fact of
this experiment-namely, that brain It's
sue has sufficient vitality to survive for
seven weeks the operation of transplanta-
ton without wholly losing its identity as
brain substance-suggests an interesting
field for further research, and he has no
doubt that other experimenters will be re-
warded by investigating it.