The Republican., 1892-01-29
NERVOUS DISEASES.

Abstract ofa Lecture by DIR. j. II. Kellogg,
M. D., Of the Battle Creek, Mich, sani-
tarium.
The intimate and important relation
between the stomach and the brain is
only understood when we study care
fully the sympathetic nervous system.
The brain Is the organ of thought, but
not the only part of the body that
thinks 1t is an interesting fact which
biological studies sustain that nerve
cells, wherever they are, can think. A
nerve cell in one part of the brain does
one kind of thinking and a nerve cell in
another part does another kind. For
example, certain nerve cells refer to
color or to form and certain others to
memory. Each group OF cells in the
brain does a particular kind of think
ing. The cells found in the upper part
of the brain do the kind of thinking
which we call mind" while the cells
at the base of the brain do sort OF au-
tomato thinking The beginner at the
piano has to learn how to put down one
finger and then another, and then how
to strike chords with equal force. but
the fingers of the experienced pianist
adjust themselves without taking
thought as to their relation to the
keys A general does not give his or
ders to his soldiers direct, but to the
officers next below him, and so on down
until the rank and Ale are reached.
Just so with the nervous system; the
governor at the top Of the brain sends
his orders to the base of the brain and
from there the orders are sent to the
various parts of the body down through
the spinal cord and the ramifications OF
nerves leading from 1t. All of these
subordinate centers are capable OF do
ing a certain kind Of thinking. Ono
has charge of the liver and another OF
the heart; in one Is the seat of hunger
and in another the sense of WEAKNESS,
and SO on.
There is another set of nerves known
as the organic nervous system which is
located chiefly outside of the brain and
the spinal cord. The most important
and largest groups OF this system con-
stitute what is known as the "abdomi-
nal BRAIN" which lies back of the
stomach and is closely connected with
it. This organic nervous system 10
more highly developed in the lower ami
mails than in man. 1t has charge OF
the functions of nutrition, elimination.
is closely connected with the cerebro-
spinal system first mentioned.
Now as to the offices of the sympa-
thetic nervous system: When food
enters the stomach, it finds the fbers
of the sympathetic nerves distributed
everywhere on the inside of the stomach
and this contact enables the stomach to
determine how much gastric Juice it
should make and the kind and quantity.
So it calls for the right quantity Of
blood for use of the glands Of the
stomach.
Sometimes one gets palpitation Of the
heart after dinner for the reason that
the nerves connected with the heart are
also connected with the stomach, and
when the stomach is irritated. it sets up
an abnormal action OF the heart Thus
it is seen that the relation between the
| general and sympathetic nervous sys-
| tens are so direct and intimate that we
can not possibly dissociate them. Any
disease affecting the sympathetic nerv-
Gus system will directly affect the gen.
eral nervous system. People suffering
from nervous headaches are cured by
treating their stomachs. Dyspepsia
lies ut the foundation of most nervous
diseases and it is doubtless true that
half of the people in our asylums for
insane are sent there and kept there be-
cause of bad stomachs. Reported by
Helen l.. Manning.