The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-26

bright light. This shows that there exists al
ready sensibility 10 light. and In this respect
the human being presents = contrast to sew
eral Of the mammnls On the other hand. no
color whatever can be by the newborn child
| inRulshed from any other. nor are boun-
Diary lines, intervals. or forms perceived. The
whole leld OF vision presents = confused
mass Of bright and less bright portions.
in which in general only the Erosser diff
ferences OF luminosity are perceived. II IL
idle therefore. to dispute whether .
new born infant sees an object single or
double. or whether Il sees It upright or
upside down. or whether II confounds right
and left in the field OF vision. In reality. 1t
sees, as yet no objects at all. and is very slow
in learning TO distinguish between above and
below left and right near and far. by means OF
the motions Of things, by the movem ents Of its
own eyes and by It's attempts to seize objects.
Nor 10 even the alienation OF lighter and dark
or observed until ittakes place with large sur
faces and with a certain rapidlty. not excessive
nor dencient-unless, Indeed, the light IL daz-
zlngly bright. like the flame Of lamp. In the
latter case the brightness IL felt at once for
II occasions quick shutting OF the eyes.
Where this shutting does not take place In the
very earliest period there IL a doubt as to the
normal constitution OF the eye. and OF the por-
tIon OF the nervous system belonging to It
In the case Of children born from four to six
weeks too soon. the extraordinary sluRgishnes
with which they respond to the most varied ex-
ternal Impressions and the slowness with
which they learn to see. that is to interpret
their sensations OF light, give rise to the con-
lecture that their visual sphere. the upper
back part OF the cerebral cortex is the most
in arrears. At the first view. indeed.
the brain OF the newly born differs |
from that OF the adult apart from the |
ali ofi In thu mi n nj ita
ncies. 1t does not. indeed. lack the principal |
assures and convolutions but they are shall |
low, in part barely recognizable. while the |
secondary and tertiary assures are. as yet. |
almost fully wanting. Not till the fifth week,
according to the Investigations OF Sernoff are
the accessory convolutions present The brain
OF the new born child. In other words, is sort
OF i'm perfect model Of q human brain In re-
duced proportions, needing yet q good deal OF
carving. chiselling. and polishing. and micro
scopic investigation discloses great differ
ences between the two in reference to the
cortical layer OF the cerebrum. which is to be
looked upon as tho material substratum
Of all higher mental activity. This Is
the so-oalled gray matter OF the brain.
and It ia called gray because. In comparison
with the conducting white or medullary sub
stance. it actually looks gray. on account OF
the predominance In It OF ganglionic cells
IheBe IL ID Wnlcn. along with tnelr cOuuuctlHE
flbres. are still lacking in the newly born. or
are present only in very small quantity. where
as. after six weeks. their presence can be more
easily demonstrated. Later. when the brain
Is fully grown. the number OF ganglionic cells
amounts probably to several hundred millions.
Dr. Preyer, indeed. has no intention OF assert
ing that the gangllonio cells are the sole or
sven the chief agents OF all the higher intel
ectunl processes. for children without those
cells manifest certain signs OF mind, and much
Intelligence 10 found in animals possessing very
ew ganglionic cells. 1t is certain. however.
hat In man these cells increase with extra
ordinary rspidity as his mental development
ncreases. and one is forced. therefore. to at
ribute to them an important role in all cerebral
functions. II only that OF assisting the nutri-
ion OF the brain. II Is suggested that possibly
hey may effect the fresh formation OF the pro-
oplasm that spreads itself. as the Intellectual
development goes on. more and moro In extra
ordinarily fine ibres. like . network in the
yray substance; and this has been regarded
Is possibly the true substratum OF the mind.
md hence the seat OF the soul"