St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-01

IN DrieI, LIT. ftlDOC mas ulScONeFcu
two principal facts: First, that the
mind of man is material, circulating
throughout the system; second, that the
brain performs for the mind precisely
the same function that the heart per-
forms for the blood, the circulation be-
ing maintained by series of Vibra-
lions or pulsations corresponding to
the pumping action of the heart. 1t
will thus be seen that DR.. Ribot's dis
covery bears a relation to the nervous
system somewhat similar to that which
the famous discovery made by Har-
vey-the circulation of the blood-bore
to the arterial or circulatory system.
At the time when Harvey announced
that the various parts of the body
were constantly supplied with streams
of blood pumped through the veins
and arteries by the muscular action of
the heart ne was pretty generally
laughed at not only by persons I'M
skilled in scientific matters, but also
by physicians and scientists. 1t is,
therefore, only reasonable to suppose
that DR.. Ribot will have to face some
jeering and scoffing, but in this re-
spect he will be no worse off than
Newton or Calico or Columbus or
many others who have benefited the
world in spite of itself.
AS a matter of fact, the essential
feature of this remarkable discovery
was ascertained by an assistant.
though under the direction of DR.. Ribot.
The method employed in their investi-
cations has met with some adverse
criticism from men Of science, but it
seems to be largely based on pref
udice. 1t was necessary, of course,
that in order to observe the operation
Of the brain and mind, living subjects
should be used. At that time the ex-
1stence of Prof. Roentgen's mysteri-
Gus cathode or X rays was unknown.
and DR.. Ribot and his assistants were
obliged to work without the aid of
this valuable agent. But the method
adopted answered the purpose fully
as we'll.
WHAT IS A HUMAN MICRO
SCOPE?"
The human microscope" is little
known in this country, but is familiar
to both English and French scientists.
1t is fact that when a person is
under hypnotic influence the various
senses are affected in a very peculiar
and abnormal manner. Different sub
jects are differently affected. Some are
able to detect sounds inaudible to or
binary ears. Others are strangely able
to see through what seem to be alb
solutely opaque substances. In this
respect the power of the eyesight of
some hypnotic subjects closely resem-
bles the property possessed by the in
visible rays from the vacuum tube,
discovered by Roentgen, of piercing
such apparently untransparent bodies
as iron and wood and human flesh.
This ability to see through bodies
which the eyesight of an ordinary per-
son cannot penetrate, is not in reality
quite so unreasonable q phenomenon
as it might seem to be- 1t is a differ
ence not of kind but of degree. For
example, there are some persons who
can appreciate notes in the musical
scale far beyond the conception Of
most ears. Our musical chromatic
scale is arranged in intervals of half
tones. Any tone less than a half tone
rs scarcely appreciate. Yet there are
certain people in the Orient who can
distinguish four different sounds where
we can only make out two Under hyp-
motto influence the senses are wonder
fully quickened, and it is perhaps not
so remarkable after all that the "hu-
man microscopes" persons placed un-
der the influence of hypnotism for the
sake of scientific investigation, should
be able to penetrate with their sight
the thin shell of the skull, and OBJ
serve the hitherto concealed opera
Eons of the brain.
1t was by means Of these human
microscopes" that Dr. Ribot and his
assistants pursued their Investigations.
The remarkable discovery above de-
scribed was, like many other important
discoveries, an accident. A particularly
sensitive subject, woman whose ex-
traordinary powers of physical percep-
ton had previously been employed
many times with valuable results, was
overheard one day by an assistant to
remark:
'.What curious thing it is, doctor, to see