The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-09
NEW LIGHT ON THE BRAIN
Parts Of Cerebellum May Be
Destroyed and Restored.
MONKEYS VISUAL LOBE
Future Possibility to Grow a New
Bran as Lobster Grows His
Claw-Important Discovery.

| Recent experiments by NJ. VitZou,
Freuch physiologist, lead to Il somewhat
sensational conclusion, and may possibly
explain sOnie--wonderful and unexplica-
| Bile recoveries from brain injury that have
been reported in the past. That conclu-
siou, briefly stated, is that a part OF tie
brain, when entirely destroyed or re-
moved, may be .replaced by the growth of
new brain cells. If this be true, then the
brain-the dominating organ of the animal
economy-possesses property that is
shared by none Of the lower organs over
which 1t presides; namely, that OF natural
replacement after injury. IL mans
finger Is cut off by u circular saw no one
expects to see new finger grow out in
its place; if he loses an eye, we do n took
for another to replace IL, yet II Mr.. VitZou
is right, the destruction Of an important
lobe OF the brain. for instance that which
presides over sight. need not be hopeless
the cells will gradually form again and
respond to the visual impressions receiv-
ed through the optic nerve, as before.
This property OF regrowth is common
among the lower creatures. If a Holsters
claw be taken Off, a new one will grow in
It's place. With still lower organisms the
removal of almost any amount OF tissue
is scarcely a serious affair, and its re-
placement Is largely n matter OF time.
Now IL appears that the higher animals
share this power, at least with respect TO
one organ, and that the most important
Of all.
.,f.
This is not altogether a new idea. 1t
has been advanced before, and has even
been made the subject OF somewhat
heated controversy. but NJ. Viyzou's ex-
perineDts are SO apparently decisive that
they may settle the matter, although IN
science all questions are open and no one
may consider that he has said permanent
last wGrd." However this may be, these
are tile experiments that seem to settle
the matter. They were tried not on man,
it is unnecessary to say-for it is not yet
lcgaltoscoop out even part OF human brain
while its owner yet lives-but on some OF
his dearest relatives among the lower ami
mails, namely, monkeys. The opponents OF
riyisection would doubtless raise their
voices in energetic protest at the cruelty
shown to these creatures. That expert
meDtation of this Kind must necessarily be
cruel, few will deny, but TO the enthu-
siastic Psychologist cruelty is quite justi-
fable when it leads to the acquisition Of
scientific knowledge.
In this case, that part of the brain was
removed from edCn OF tne monkeys tlldt
presides over the sense OF sight, the part
without which any one of US would be
quite. as blind as If his eyes Were put
out 1t was quite evident, after the OPP
erection. that the animals were, in fact
totally blind. They were kept and cared
Rand as the nlonths went oil they seemed
TO be Cd the way to recovery. Finally in
about d years time it was evident that
they saw, if not as perfectly as before,
at least partially-that is. something was
performing the functions of the removed
brain tissue. SO far the experiment can
hardly be said TO be conclusive for cases
lave been known where one part OF the
brain has been able to perform the duty
of another part.
II may have been, then. that the task OF
responding to visual impressions had been
learned by some other part of the brain.
Tile monkeys were, therefore. operated
upoRRrain-part OF the skull was removed
and the brain wasexamined. The part that
was taken out was found to be partly