The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-04
IN SOCIAL RICHMOND.
DIR. ". s. GORDON BEFORE THE
VOMAN'S CLUE.
A Most Attractive Lecture on "the Nervous
system"-Miss Dora Jones to Lee
ture Before the Club Tonight

welcome to Or. William 3. Gordon yes
terday afternoon. There was, with the
exception Of the Loan Exhibition. no
counter diversion for the fashionable in
terest, although certainly Or. Gorden's
reputation Is 30 delightful ard his popu-
larity of so genuine a kind that he can
stand, in the capacity of lecturer, 4 pet
ty varied test In the way of counter
diversion. The pariors were fun and
in the audieace were Mrs. James GORDON
Mrs. Harry T. Smith, Mrs. George c.
Jordan. Mrs. J. d. Pichard, Miss Louisa
Biaii. Miss Lutte Peasants, MISS
Helen Montague, and Miss Virginia
pleasants, all guests of the chairman.
Miss Ellen Guigon and Miss Sylvia Taber
OF Boston, were non-residents of Rich
mond present.
Mrs. J. Arthur LEROY chairman. made
a most graceful Introductory speech
commenting upon the pleasure win
which the club welcomed Or. Gordon.
The DO tors subject was The Nervous
System" and TO make his lecture clem
he had some eight or ten fine charts. a
large blackboard two brains, vertebra'
column. and a skull.
lis talk was divided into the following
headings:
The Anatomy, Chemistry, and His,o-
lcgy Of the Nervous SYSTEM Functions OF
the Nerves. the Spinal Cord and the
Brain; Theories as TO the Higher Func-
tons OF the Brain in Relation To Mc,o-
physics, Definition OF Reflex Action, IN
nl0.tiOn Hypnotism, Automatism, SOr
mambutism. Theories OF Dreams.
BY way OF preface, Dr. Gordon paid
a high compliment to women IN general
and the work which they are doing IN
various professional fields. Some OF
the best histologists In the country,
said he, "are women" lie also COM
plimented the Club upon its growth anc
place I'm the community. Proceeding e
his subject proper. lie spoke OF the DIM
Guilty OF discussing his subject intelu-
gently In one hour lie could not give
more than cursory talk. However MS
"cursory talk was ono OF the most
instructive, able, and entertaining ever
given Lefore the club. Under the head
ing. Anatomy OF the Nervous system.
beside much other valuable Information
| all illustrated By recourse TO the charts.
! etc, some interesting facts relative 10
the weight Of the brain and spiral cora
we're given The cord, said the Doc
tor, was from sixteen To seventeen incn-
IS long, and weighed one and onc-hait
ounces. The brain OF the adult male
weighs forty-nine and one-haf ounces:
/ Of the adult female forty-four ounces
However. the Doctor got himself quickly
out of the difficulty by emphasizing the
fact that it was the texture, not the
weight Of the brain. that decided intel
lectuality. lie apologized for the missing
| four and a half ounces as CALAMITY as
possible. like a true Southern gentleman.
| He proceeded to show that relatively
mans brain is heavier than the BRAN
4 of any other animal, although not ac-
tualy so. The elephants brain weighs
| from eight to ten pounds; the whale
| five pounds. In commenting upon the
| chemistry Of the brain. the Doctor
| brought out the fact that 1t Is composer
| almost entirely of water, phosphorus, ana
| fat and spoke Of the highly important
part which the phosphorus plays.
| BY the histology OF tie nervous sys-
TEN. he meant. he said, its microscopes
anatomy. and this he proceeded TO make
beautifully clear by the aid OF his charts.
+, But the most interesting portion OF the
lecture was that which concerned itselt
with the functions of the various parts
Of the nervous system. The nerves
! were taken first. and their duties III
| tho human mechanism denned-to carry
impulses. Ganglon was defined. ana Inc
subdivisions OF the nerves enumerated
Inhibition was finely explained anu
numerous entertaining ILLUSTRATIONS
were cited TO make meaning clear.
a. also automatism The functions, OF
tho sninal cord were defined as cohduc-
ton reflex action. and automatlsm'
| Next the speaker enumerated the fuhc-
| lions Of the various parts or the pralh-
the frontal parietal and occipitai lopeS,
| The doctrine OF substitution was touchci
unon. and experimental illustration given
| Other theories also came m for snare
| Of the Doctors attention. Throughout
| the lecture happy anecdotes ana lliustfa-
| lions we're introduced. and several times
! o,testions were passed mp from the an-
| dience-notably by Mrs. John C.Robertson.
Mrs. T.. c. Minor and Mrs. }. H. "
| Daniel. AT it's conclusion congratula-
lions and expressions OF pleasure were
| heard on all sides. ,
An informal reception was held, as Is
the custom after the lectures, tea beng
served by Mrs. J. Smith Brockenbrough.
To-nicht al half-past o'clock. Miss
Dora DUTY Jones. of Washington. ID. C.,
will lecture before the club on The Ma
| donna In Art" the lecture 10 have SIXTY
stereoptlcon Illustrations. Miss Jones IS
the guest while in Richmond OF MIS-
Wexford Reed The rule regarding es-
| corts. which has obtained AT the preced-
ing lectures OF the winter. will hold good
for this. and all who attend are requested
to bear it in mind.
Miss Mary Weller Lewis has returned
from York. Pa. together with Mrs. Mary
Fitzgerald, OF Texas.
Miss Mary Mccaw has returned from
New York.
| DR.. Charles NJ. Edwards, eldest son or
DIR. Iandon y. Edwards. yesterday en-
tered upOn the practice OF medicine,
opening his Office at 100 west Grace street.
| DR.. Edwards graduated a year ago from
the University College OF Medicine, ana
has for the year past been resident pny-
stefan at the Virginia Hospital. winning
| golden opinions in that capacity. As his
| fathers son. he enters upon his career
with a hearty God speed from hundreds.
and there is every reason 10 believe thar
| he will bear his name worthily, and ada
! new honor to II.
DR. Moses ID. Hoge. Jr.. has purchased
| the house on east Grace street Formerly
occupied BY the late Or. chalkley. ana
VIII shortly remove into II. His present
house, north Third Streets so identi-
| fed with his beueacent and able practice