Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-05
PHANTOM LIMBS.
Feeling Experienced I'm Members
That Have Been Amputated.
0iterarv DiQeef1

tLdterary Digest)
We refer a sensation at once to It's
source In the fnger-tips or the ear or the
nose. or wherever II may be, and SO ex-
pert have We become in recognizing the
source that We localize the sensation It.
self there. thinking OF the sensation of
touch as being In the skin OF the finger,
instead of the brain. where it actually is.
| Hence. he who has lost q finger refers d.
rectly to the absent member any irrita-
ton Of the nerve that formerly connected
with 1t, and can scarcely believe that 1t
Is not In It's old place. This phenomenon
Is familiar enough. and many are the
supersttions to which it has given rise,
but 1t is only of late that IL has received
serious scientific study. A recent work
on the subject is that of NJ. Abbatucci,
published in Paris, which has called forth
a paper by Professor Pitres, contributed
to the Annales OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, OF
tnat city. We quote below part of an
ABSTRACT from the National Druggist
Charch). Says that paper:
NJ. Pitres shows that the illusion Of the
existence OF limb Gin place OF one which
mad been amputated) may go so far as TO
cases the illusion is so perfect and viva
cious that it constantly deceives the in
telllgenoe Of the individual, so imperious-
ly does it force itself upon him. Some Of
those who had lost limb, questioned by
Nj. Pitres, declared that they had felt the
amputated limb frequently more really
and substantially than they did the one
still attached to the body. Sometimes
they get to believing more firmly upon
the existence Of the phantom limb than
upon those members that remain, as in
the case Of a patient Of DR.. S. Weir
Mitchell, who declared: L state only the
truth when 1 say that 1 am more con-
scious of the existence in place of the
limb that lost than OF the one that l
saved
MANY Of Professor Pitres's patients
made analogous declarations. 'ParblueP
said one. L know mighty we'll that have
no right leg-yet, when / try to analyze
my sensations, feel that leg there. Why.
L feel the foot this minutes more dis
lnctly than L do the left one, which Is
there before my eyes. 1t 0he phantom)
hurts me, while the other does not. If 1
could not assure myself by the touch
and sight OF the stump. nothing could |
convince me that the right leg was gone.
L am having constantly to reason with |
myself in order to convince myself Of the |
unrealness of my sensations
When the illusion is as clear as in |
these cases. the person is constantly I'M |
consciously inclined to attempt to use |
the phantom limb. DR.. Wier Mitchell tells !
OF a horseman who had lost his arm, and |
thinking to take the reins In the ampu-
lated hand, dropped them on the neck
OF the horse, which was high-spirited, and
Ieaplng TO one side, threw the rider, bad
~ inJuring him. Another party, who had
lost his right hand, always tried TO pick
up his work with that hand, which inya-
riabiy caused him lit of evaporation.
AS might be imagined. such unfortu-
mates are constantly meeting with acct
tents which might have easily been avoid
ed but for the unconscious confidence
had in the existence Of the phantom limb.
DR.. Pitres tells Of heavy man who had
ost an arm, and who, in dressing one
morning, lost his equilibrium, and. start
ng to fall, put out the phantom arm 20
steady himself, and, as a consequence,
had severe fall.
we remember an old soldier who had
ost half Of both feet, and the injury had
)een partially repaired by a maker Of ar
lhclal limbs. This man would sit for a
half hour at time rubbing the ends of
lis shoes, where his corns formerly were,
md swearing at the pain the phantom
,orns were giving him. He would fire.
Iuently declare: There's going TO be a
hange in the weather-my corns are
lurting me- On being reminded that he
lad no corns he would say: Never mind!
feel 'em all the same
Now that the results OF investigations
AVE proven the realness of the sensa-
ions caused by these Authorizations and
he suffering produced by them, we may
lope that science will discover some
means Of preventing them"