Morning journal and courier., 1893-12-04
The Brain and uemory.

From Cassell's Family Magazinel
What Is the brain like in it's capacity Of
storehouse and what should we see II we
could reduce stature to infnitesimal pro-
portions and travel along the corridors of
the braini Does it contain galleries of pic
turesl Is 1t furnished with shelves and
pigeon-holes for the classification and care
of records aud messsgesi 1t is impossible to
conceive what kind of apparatus or fittings
can at once be suitable for storing up pic
lures and sounds and all the varieties of i'm
pressions received from all the senses Nor
can we discover any curious machinery,
even with the microscope, for the struct-
ure of the gray matter is so minute as to
defy tide powers of the lens; and all that
we can detect is an sgglomerstion of min
ute cells.
A calculation has been made regarding
the number of brsin-cells. 1t Is assumed
that every thought or perception Is q seps-
rate lodger in the mind re squirting an apart
ment of the brain to itself; and the cells
are the apartments. We have to provide
accommodation for sill the incidents Of our
everyday life, for all We read in the daily
papers, for all that our schoolmssters
nrsmmed into US and sll that We have
learned since. How is this possible in one
small skulli Oar conception is assisted by
photography, which can print the Lords
Prayer so small that 1t requires q powerful
microscope to read 1t. Surely then, minute
portions of the brain may contain q great
deal. The cellst vary in sizs from one
three hurdreth of an inch in diameter TO
one three-thousandtb; and this being
known, Ii is not difficult TO estimate the
entire number of them in the brain. DR..
Hooke the mathematician said 3, l55. 760,
600; but according to Msynert's calcula-
ton the numbsr of cerebral celia is only
| 8O0, ,0O0, 900.
Seeing that the doctors differ, let ue use
the slate and pencil ourselves. The think
| ing power of the brain Is believed to reside
| In the gray matter of the surface. This Is
O sheet of cellular nerve substance, which
| Is erumplsd into convolutions through be-
| ing confined within the narrow limits of
the skull If It were spread out fat 1t
would be found equsl to layer one inch In
thickness and twelve inches long by eleven
inches brosd-or slightly more-giving q
total of 1874 cubic inches. If all the cells
were one three-hundredth of an inch In
diameter, there would be room for 27, ,000,-
600 In one cubic inch and therefore for
8, 3,61s, 900. 900 in the whole; but since many
of the cells are smaller, the total number
must be greater. Let us, however, be con-
tent with the 3.61s, ,0O0. 900. What is a
millionl The Bible, Old and New Tesla
ment together, is said to contain about
three and quarter millions Of letters Of
letters: we should therefore have to pile
up 1,113 copies of the scriptures to get 9
heap containing as many letters as the
brain contains cells. AS eaoh cell may &C
commodate one idea or thought, probably
even O smaller storehouse vould suffice for
the wants of the average human screature.
On the other hand, when great thinkers
require more accommodation, they may
perhaps be able to grow more brain cells;
and Webster did tell a great American
scholar that be had to change the sizs of
his hat every few years.