The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-21
NO BRAINS NEEDED.
DOGS CAN SURVIVE AFTER ALL THE
BRAIN HAS BEEN REMOVED.


definite time after every particle Of the
brain has been removed?
According TO common belief and the the
cries Of medical men. life without brain
is impossible. But Prof Goltz. who is at
the head of the Strasburg University. in
Germany. declares that the brain is not
necessary TO life. Furthermore. he proves
his theory by the fact that he has succeed
ed in removing the brain OF "a dog-a large
mastif-without sacrificing the life Of the
animal.
Prof. Goltz is known to every medical
man in the world as a deep thinker and
the most eminent vivisector now Twins
The story of his experiment is so remark
able. so astounding and so contrary to
common belief that it would be rldlcuIed
If advanced by any less a parsonage than
the eminent German.
Prof. Goltz has performed the hitherto
uninterrupted feat of removing the brain
of a dog and leaving the animal physic-
ally as sound as before the operation was
performed, but absolutely lacking in in
telligence. and has recently published the
results of his experiments.
The matter possesses peculiar interest
10 Americans, because the possibility Of
life being possible without the presence
Of the brain was suggested by Prof. w.
}. Seaman, the eminent comedian. who is
an inmate of the Bloomingdale asylum.
IN p.tiful state OF imbecility. Prof.
Goltz concluded that poor Scanlan's brain
Is dead and perhaps IN a state of decom-
position, and that if it were removed the
condition OF Seaman would not be altered.
1t was to determine the truth or falsftv
OF THIS theory that he began his expert
ments on CANNES.
The laboratory of the Strasbure Uni
Versity is perhaps the best eduipped i'm
the world. Being of recent construcrIon
ana equipment, all of the latest ideas of
sclehtlHc men are embodied within ms
spacious buildings. The animals used for
scienunc demonstrat ton i'm the iustffu-
tloh are an born and bred on the prem
lses, a plentiful supply of the various
sorts being constantly on hand There
is a WelI-equipped veterinary hospital in
which the animals are treated after one
9perauon ana SO prepared to assist in
Masiffs were employed in Prof Goltz's
NlVisecuons. Before experimenting ON
the live animal he dissected the brains
OF several dead dogs and made himself
IamiIar with the anatomy of the head
or the mastlh. But It seems that he did
OF the brain after death, and his expert
ment on the first animal was not a sue
cess. The handling of the live. pulsating
brain was found to be more dinlcult than
dissecting the dead one
The operation on the first mastlff was
SO skiufully performed that the animal
hVed Tor hfty-one days, although Il grew
weaker each day and was paralyzed from
the time of the operation. The second
subject lived ninety-two days. and was
only partially paralyzed During this time
the dog tumbled about in the cage very
much like an Intoxicated man and seem
ed to enjoy himself as much as IL In
possession of the usual quantity of canine
gray matter. Prof Goltz was much
pleased with the success of the second
operation, and, having the mistakes of
the two experiments in mind, he resolved
to avoid them the nextrtima. rs
The third y.visection was a success in
every way. The DOG recovered from the
operation without suffering any Ill effects
and his health was even better than be-
fore. There was not the slightest syrnp-
tom Of paralysis, and during the eighteen
months that the dog was allowed 10 live
he grew fatter daily and enioyed life
peacefully until he was finally killed, all
that IT was possible to learn from study
ing his case having been learned
The condition of the brainless dog after
recovering from the shock of the operas
ton was identical With that of the actor
Seaman In every essential particular
they acted alike, and to the mind of Prof.
Goltz this was conclusive proof that his
theory regarding the actor was right. He
declares his belief that if Scanlans brain
We're removed there is no reason why he
should not continue to exist as hopeless
5mbecile for years. The presence Of the
brain in its present condition he saws is
dangerous, and when modification has
proceeded sufficiently it will result in
death.
The dog, which received the appropriate
name of Patience after the brain was re-
moved, presented an interesting aspect to
the scientific mind. All Intelligence was
gone, and the animal was merely a ma
chine. The sense of feeling remained and
a year after the brain was removed the
animal could be awakened from a deep
slumber by slight blows from a stick The
hearing was considerably impaired, but a
loud shout or other noise would awaken
the dog when sound asleep. 1t was neces-
sary TO speak louder than common in or
der TO attract the attention of poor Pa
thence, however which showed that the
keen sense of hearing usually possessed
by dogs was partially destroyed.
The sense of smell was abolutely gone
in the dog and the sight was partially de-
stroyed. Food placed directly under the
nose of the brute would be unnonced But
If it were placed in his mouth he ate it
with relish. TO determine if the taste
were left, meat was sDrinkled with quiz
nine and then placed in his mouth. Pa
thence chewed II for a moment and then
vigorously elected ii from his mouth, max
ing great splutter about ii. His palate
refused to accept beefsteak peppered with
cinchontdia.
Patience at times manifested symptoms
of anger when leased, and when an effort
was made to remove him from his cage
when he was resting he offered all the re-
sistance that he could When his hair
was rubbed the wrong way with a stick
the dog would snarl and snap in a manner
dog. He walked about the cage with steady
steps and was able to maintain his ball
ance. On one occasion. when he slipped
and fell on a smooth surface he regained
his feet without assistance. This activity
was especially noticeable when the animal
was hungry.
The case of Actor Seaman has no paral-
lei in the history of medicine in America
Physically he IS sound but mentally he
is blank. He eats what food is placed in
his mouth, and seems to relish it. but he
is absolutely devoid of intelligence. He
resembles the newborn infant in many re-
spects, being uneasy when hungry, and
appearing satisfied when fed. His face
has a vacant expression, and his eyes are
dull and listless. In this respect the con-
ditions of Seaman and the brainless ca
nipe are identical.
The startling theories of Prof Goltz
have set the scientific world to talking
Many eminent New York men have care
fully read his account Of the experiments
and the deductions that he draws from
them. If this man were less eminent than
Prof: Goltz, the theories would be ridi-
culed.
His idea is directly opposed to the gen
orally accepted theory of the brain as the
seat of life, and of all the motive power.
He does not directly combat this theory,
and contents himself with modestly sug-