The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-01-27
SECRET OF PHYSICAL PAIN.
~ There a Separate System of Nerves
for Conveying Tint Sensation:

for Conveying That Sensation:
1t has lately been maintained by some
French psychologists that the feeling
Of pain is a special sensation, apart
from those of touch, sight, etc., and is.
transmitted to the brain by a special
set of nerves.
When boy falls and hurts his head,
according to this view, he has two sem
sations, one of contact with the ground,
transmitted to the brain by the ordi-
nary nerves, and one of pain due 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 Scientiique NJ. PHILIPPE
Tissie discusses this theory, and con-
cludes that it does not correspond to
the facts, which are to be explained
rather by what goes on in the brain
itself, where there is probably a special
pain center" that is not stimulated
except by an excessive sensation.
According to the authors hypothesis,
pain, being simply very powerful SEN
sation, differs from the ordinary sensa-
tons simply in excess of strength, and
IS, of course, transmitted over the same
nerves and with the same speed; but
'he mind may apprehend it as a sensa-
lion of touch, or whatever it may be,
before waking up, as we may say, to
he idea that it is an excessive or pain
full sensation. To quote:
"a strong conception responds to a
strong impression, coming from a spe-
cial or highly developed sensibility. .
But the appreciation of the impression
is variable. The same blow received,
for example, by an English boxer at
the beginning of his training, and when
he is in full form, does not produce the
same painful reaction. We know that
4 boxer in good form should be able to
receive without much pain the most
powerful blows full on his chest.
ITO reach such degree of resistance
he accustoms himself to receive pro-
gressively, more and more powerful
blows And at the same time, as he
must himself deal blows, he habituates
his own fist to pain. He boxes against
bags, and little by little, as his fists be-
come accustomed to soft surfaces. he
strikes harder ones. A good boxer in
| training and in first-rate form should
De insensibie to the pain of blow
Does he reach this degree of insensi-
bility by education of set of special
nerves of pain? We think not. We
rather hold that he reaches it by proc
ess of psychic education. For him
pain should be only word, because
his training consists not so much in the
development of his muscles as in the
suppression of pain, which would inter
fere with him and prevent him from
striking out to the best advantage.
"Now, mental training has nothing to
do with special nerves of pain. This
mastery over pain cannot exist without
series of mental acts having relation
with the diverse painful sensations of a
blow of the fist. The becoming accus-
toned to it is a psychic phenomenon; it
| results from comparison of the progress
sive value of the intensity of the blows
received
I'VE, therefore, agree with the psychic
hypothesis advanced by NJ. Richet, who
believes that there is pain center in
| the brain, near the centers where the
sensations are produced. Literary Di-
geSt.