The herald., 1894-04-29
NOT JUST TO skQUARD.

ADo ObabH r6cbuJlY OI OuArl6e EuOuHtu |
Brown-Seqnard removed from the Geld
of medical science unique figure,
says the Washington Post. The famous
discoverer of what became known as the
"elzir OF life" was born on the island
of Msuritius in 1918. His fatAer was q
sea captain from Phladelphi whose
vessel was lost in Rn attempt to convey
provisions TO the inhabitants OF the is-
land OF MAurtus during famine. and |
who married rench lady on the island
named Sequerd. Their son, Charles
Eiouard, was educated in Mauritius,
completed his studies in Paris, ana re-
ceivsd the degree of VI. d. in l846 In
| 1854 he WAS appointed professor OF the
| physiology and pathology OF the nervous
! system at Harvard and took up his rest
dsnce in the United iates. This posi-
ton ne held for four years and then re-
turned to France and was appointed
professor of OK perrin snd compare
| tive pathology In the schoo OF medicine
in Paris, serving in that capacity until
1871. Iu 1870 he removed to Nav York,
" here he soon estab shed an extensive
practice He went back to Paris how
ever, and in 1873 took the chair of ez-
perimental medicine in the college of
|
since that time were not prolonged, but
be became prominent before the people
OF this country by reason of his iamous
discovery
PROLONGED HIS OWN LIFE.
DR.. William A. Hammond of this city
was personally acquainted with Brown
Sequard. In speaking OF MIN to rep
ressntative Of The Post, Dr.. Hammond
said:
1T was about ak years ago when he
promulgated The facts concerning what
the newspapers called his Elixir of Life.
But he did not call it that; he never
claimed it would make old people young,
or that it would do anything more than
prolong life and produce increased ac-
tivity, bath mental and physical, to old
or broken down persons. There Is no
doubt it did that much. He repeatedly
announced to the Paris academy OF Med
icine that be prolonged his own life by
tho use of his extract, and certainly, if
the evidence OF those who were ABOUT
him, and who were familiar with him
before his discovery, be taken into coz
sideration, there can be no doubt that
his remedy did add very materially
to his mental and physical vigor.
Like every body who discovers any
thing new, Brown-Sequard was the sub
ieet OF much MISREPRESENTATION and
abuse, but l think now that he
is dead he will probably be more
Justly estimated. That the world
is Indebted to him for the the establish
ment, or at least for the rediscovery, OF
g new principle in therapeutics, think
there can be no doubt. AS matter OF
fact there 10 no more reason why animal
49, Ia -
cine than there is why vegetable sub
stances should not be used We have
number of animal substances that are
used with very cons derable effect 10
medicine, notably musk, which is a
very powerful ansi-spasmodic, but its
use Was not systemstized until recent
years.
ESTABLISHED NEW PHYSIOLOGICAL PRIN-
CIPLES.
"Brown-Sequsrd was a very accom-
plished physiologist. His researches
placed him in the very front rank of
these who have advanced the science Of
medicine. He not only made discov-
eries in the anatomy OF the nervous syH-.
tenn and in the disease to which it is
subject, but he established principle of
physiology that before his time were
never even dreamed of. The lac state
ment that he made upon the subject of
the use of his extract was that he had
performed some 250, 900 injections with
out single Untoward result. and with
scarcely failure to produce what he
expected.
VERY few OF his earlier observations
nave bsen ogerthrown by the researches
OF subsequent investigators. In that
respect he differed very materially from
Charcot, who Ia some senses might be
| called his great rival The latter was 8
very brilliant man, but he has promul
gated more errors than probably any
other distinguished man of his time in
medical science. Bfown-Ssquard @as a
careful, painstsking investigator. His
jadg ment was remarkably good, and he
wsa net liable to bs led off by some ap-
pearances of success. He waited until
he had many evidences OF success before
he published his researches to the
world. Above all no man OF the present
day has been more intentionally misun-
derstoOd or more ridicuied than he for
claims that he never made
CONSTANTLY MALIGNED BY THE IGNORANT.
"He never pretended to have discov.
cred cure all or an elixir Of life, or
anything that was going to endow hu.
manity with ernal youth or restore
functions that had becoms organically
destroyed. Nevertheless, M Alignant and
ignorant physciane and ignorant news
papers constantly asserted tnat he did
Probably in medicine more than in any
other science man who starts on an
original track meets wltn opposition,
abuse and miars representation.
81 knew Br jwn-Sequard more than
25 years ago. ~hen he first lived ia this
country. He was married twice; his
first wife was Boston woman, and his
second came from Cincinnati. He was
at one time professor Of pathology in tue
medical college at Richmond. He had
very extsnslve practice In Paris to The
time of his death. Many people went
to him for treatment with his extract"
This extract. DR.. Hammond said. was
obtained from the guinea pig, and il
Was necessary to use il when fresh
When asked why this animal is 40 gen
erally made the subject of experiments
in medical science. the doctor said it
was because they we're so easily obtained
and perfectly safe to handle This lower
order OF an nals he said, is sensitive to
pain only in a very small degree, Frogs,
toj, are largely uisd for experiments,
and by simply stroking them they may
DE no hypnotized that they will lie per-
| Ill Al