The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-14
HAVE PEOPLE TWO BRAINS2
If So, They Are Not on Duty at the
Same Time.

DR.. William a. Hammond propounds
the question in the YOUTHS ComDdpion.
Have we two brains?" and seeks to
prove that we have by citing instances
wherein the two lObeS of the brain do not
act spontaneously. 1t is quite an under
taking to establish the fact that the aver
age man has two brains, but it exhibits a
real love of work on the part of DR.. Ham
mond when it would have been so much
easier to show by abundant example that
the average man has no brain at all.
However, let that pass. In ENCOURAGE
ment OF DR.. Hammond a few instances
where the two IobeS of the brain do not
operate simultaneously, in addition to
those cited by him. are of greater import
ance as well as more instructive
One SmithS0n borrowed of his friend
BROMLEY $40, for the announced purpose
Of paying his butcher, and promised to
repay the loan in one calendar week. In
stead OF giving the money to the butcher
Smithson expended the $40 for alcoholic
eXhilaration.
Now, it is fair to presume that when
Smithson contracted the loan he fully
meant to do as he said; but the trouble
was that only one lobe of his brain was
IN operation at the time. When the other
lobe began 10 get in It's work the situation
was entirely changed. In a word, the
two lobeS failed to work syncbronOuslv
IL 10 II uC CLlt1b IIlSy 40 III the case
of persons who borrow money for liv-
ing, but that is aside from the purpose of
this paper.
Miss Suarvely, upon bidding good by
to Miss Lamb, kissed the latter effu-
sively, informed her that she was dear
creature, and that it was a cruel hardship
to part from her. A moment later Miss
SuarVely was informing herself that Miss
Lamb was horrid, disgusting thing, and
that she Miss Suarvely) thanked her
stars that she had got away from the sour
old maid.
Here again is discovered a lack of
simultaneous action of the two brain
lobes. On either occasion Miss Suarye-
ly's vocal organs responded accurately TO
ment was on duty. 1t were rejecting
ungraciously upon Miss Suarvely's in
genIousneSs to suppose otherwise. Hence
it follows of necessity that Miss Suarvely
has two brains, or, which amounts to the
same thing, each lobe of ner brain acts
independently of the other, only one
lobe, so to speak, being on deck at q
time.
Tomtit swore that the first time he met
Hughleigh he would knock him down
Ten minutes later the meeting took place
Instead of knocking him down Iomtit
protested great pleasure at sight of Hugh
leigh, forced cigar-a good one-on him
anu IIiSiotSu tbtG he SuOulu take u1nn6r
with him.
Now, it We're idle to affirm that Tomtit
did not mean to knock Hughleigh down.
There was fire in his eye and convul-
sive clinching of his fists, which were am
pie proof of his sincerity, and had the
sleeping lobe Of his brain been awake at
the time and in sympathy with the active
lobe there can be no doubt that Hugh
leigh would have suffered a terrible
trouncing. Hughleigh has his lucky
stars to thank for the two iobes of Tom
tits brain not acting spontaneously.
But why multiply instances? Hun
| dreds could be adduced, were it necessary,
to sustain DR.. Hammond's proposition
that the average man has two brains, or
rather that his brain is divided into two
watches or reliefs, and that it is only in
exceptional cases where both lobes are
piped on deck, or where both lobes are
called to arms.-Boston Transcript.