Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-21
THE SECRET OF, PHYSICAL PAIN.
Is There a Separate System of Nerves
for Conveying That SensatiOn3
From, tho literary Digest

Is There a Separate System of Nerves
for Conveying That SensatiOn9
From the Literary Digest
1t has lately been maintained by some
French PSYCHOLOGISTS that the feeling of
pain is a special sensation, apart from
those of touch, sight, &C., and transmitted
to the brain by a special set of nerves.
When q boy falls and hurts his head, ac-
cordfng to this view, he has two sensations,
one OF contact with the ground. transmitted
to the brain by the ordinary nerves, and
one of pain duo to the injury received,
transmitted by the pain nerves. These
sensations may not even reach the
brain at the same time; in fact, the pain
usually gets there later. In the Revue
Scientifique NJ. PHILIPPE Tissie discusses this
theory and concludes that it does not cor
respond to the facts. which are to be ex-
planned rather by what goes on in the brain
itself, where there is probably a special
pain CENTER" that is not stimulated ex-
cept by an excessive sensation. Says M.
Tlssie.
Under this title elias Pain Its Special
Nerves?) M. FREDERICK has recently adj
dressed letter to NJ. Richet, in which he
maintains the existence of special nerves of
pain. NJ. FREDERICK bases his theory on O
the retardation of the sensation of pain
compared to that of touch; (O the suppress
sion of this sensation in certain cases; G)
the difference of sensibility to pain and
touCli, stS III pOItiol VI TIC Douy lual dl
scarcely sensitive at all to cold. but are
very much so to the pain of shock; and a.
the similarity Of painful sensation, what
ever may be Its cause, provided that the
injured cutaEeous surface is of a given
extent and the exciting cause Of a given
intensity. The stroke of a whip sears the
skin red-hot iron would.
I'VE think with NJ. Richet and with NJ.
Lonlbroso who accepts the theory that
pain is the result Of strong excitation of
the senses. that such reasons are not suf-
ficient, and, what is more. that the theory
of special nerves explains nothing. and
therefore serves only to confuse the al
ready complicated problem of the psyche
physiology of pain. On the other hand.
NJ FREDERICK fails to take into account the
psychic function of the brain.
Here are two facts from my expert
ence:
Il. One winter morning, on rising, my
mind being taken up with absorbing
process of thought, l proceeded, according
to my habit, to take my daily cold water
bath. But at the first contact of the
sponge. full of water, 1 was surprised; my
thought was replaced in my mind by
succession of two different impressions,
separated by a relatively long interval-one
of touch and one of temperature.
My consciousness thus aided in the clear
separation of two impressions Of different
kinds On the morrow morning l fixed my
attention, soon as I got up so that I
might better analyze the sensations felt
on the first contact of the sponge with the
skin. out cOulQ not OeteCt the SepdrduOu
of the two Impressions, as on the previous
day. when the phenomenon had been pro-
duced automatically.
II repeated the same experiment several
days in succession without result. This
seemed to me to be -confirmatory of the
views of NJ. Richet as opposed to those of
NJ. FREDERICK.
20. 1t happened at another time that 1
made misstep, placing my foot on the
ground sidewise so as to get
sensation of pain. / had first a sensation
of shock. the speed being about one-thir
tieth of second from my feet to my brain,
and at once l began observation with my
centers of analysis, for knew that sharp
pain would follow. The pain came one
second later; 1t lasted four or five seconds,
growing gradually less and less.
In this case l was warned. I waited,
and I analysed my feelings. The
impression of the shock had the time to be
perceived and registered, whence the pos
sbility of observation.
TT was not the same as In the former
case, the time of transfer being too rapid
to allow the analyZng centers to work
separately. Nevertheless, If an absorbing
process of thought holds them in working
order, dissertation can be produced because
the tactile impression knocks for an instant
at the gate of the Analysing centers so to
speak, and the time that 1t takes to open
this gate is long enough to cause solution
of continuity between the two impressions
of sensitiveness to touch and sensitiveness
to pain.
uciieNS INA II Is III Tie III dlu ludt We
must seek for the cause of the delay N
consciousness Of pain, and not in a retarda-
ton of speed on the part of special nerves
whose power Of transmission Is. as has
been supposed, less than that Of the ordi-
nary nerves."
According to the authors hypothesis,
then. pain, being simply a very powerful
sensation. differs from the ordinary sensa-
tions simply in excess of strength, and Is,
of course, transmitted over the same nerves
and with the same speed; but the mind
may apprehend it as sensation of touch.
as We may say. to the idea that 1t is an
excessive or painful sensation. To quote
again:
"A strong conception responds to strong
impression, coming from a special or highly
developed sensibility. But the ap-
probation of the impression is variable
The same blow received. for example, by