The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-16

WrlOten ana TAXED about IT Tor years, but
scientists say that such thing is unknown.
DR.. Mount Bleyer recently read paper be-
fore the Medico-Legal society in Philadel-
phia in which he said:
mo one has proved as yet the difference
between dead and a live brain cell. II we
can once differentiate between dead and live
brain cells we can more easily ascertain how
long time elapses before the death of cell
takes place
What do we understand by a cell? Both
plants and animals, while they differ so wide,
y in their externa. appearance. are funda-
mentally similar in their anatomical struc-
ture, for they are built up CT Similar elemsn-
tary units, which. az rule are only to be
seen with the microscope. The microscope
that will penetrate. however. into the in
terror OF the very nucleus Of cell has not
been made. In the study of the cell the bot
anist, the zoologist. the psychologist and the
pathologist go hand In hand If they wish to
search into the vital phenomena which take
place in health and disease. It is in the CO..
to which the anatomist reduces both plant
and animal organizations that the vital func-
tons are executed. AS Virohow has express
ed 1t, 1t Is the vital elementary unit. From
this point OF view all the vital processes Of
highly developed results Of the individual
vitality of innumerab.e fundamental cells. II
suSn Is the true fact, how is it possible by
IN the millions Of cells which compose tie
HAVE THEIR OWN LIFE.
I'VE know that brain cells have their own
cell life and are abe to live a certain time
after they are cut off from outside nutrition
without the supply OF any blood whatever
from the body. The nourishment is supplied
inside or the cell wall. and it can go on liv,
ing IN aIter being cut off from other resources.
II TINS is fact, It is certain that these mil
hons OF cells in the brain must continue to
live after the head is severed
Shock may cut on motion, but l do not
think it instantly destroys consciousness.
off or
you can stimulate the nerves for long time
but you cannot do it after the blood cells are
oead. You cannot get any response
- can take living cells from pigs glands
anu demonstrate to you that after these
glands have gone through their preparation
the cells are still living. You can see them
although they are removed from the BODY
You can see white blood cells which have
1een taken from body move afterward un-
der the microscope
Now, If we take all the scientific trutbs
mat nave thus far been demonstrated to US
by the experiments of savants all over the
S %orlo we can readily conceive that the cell
GOES not die as quickly as outward appear
ance and gross physiology teach. There is
no method of telling by our present methods
Oh observation BPS how much time is required
Tor the death of the cell to become apparent
IN the organ of the mind, the brain. OF
course, consider that consciousness after
oecapitatlon must cease, but how soon no
one can tell exactly experiments are too
gross sc far to give us positive proof of the
time. AT any rate, consciousness does not
cease instantly.
SLOW IN DYING.
Physiology teaches US that after the head
is severed from the trunk, and all the blood
supply to the nerves is destroyed, the direct
loss OF blood which comes by arresting the
exchanges of gases in the brain, etc., does
not take place for some minutes at least
three or four. after decaptation. The cheeks
remain red, and there are other signs. There
~! We know it to be the cause of the biting
OF swapping at the air manifested by de-
capitated animals, e. g. kittens. Also this
phenomenon is well marked in the head of
tortoise separated from the body,
II you study the rapidly fatal parts of
these factors and the respiratory theory we
observe that at first the respirations became
quicker and then after an atrack ~ oenera,
commissions. ending in respiratory snasms
there follows stage Of complete cessation on
respiration. Before this takes place there ore
resp d Few a sna aPla or sasping efforts at
peen severed from the body. The life OF the
brain therefore must be retained for some
a el art. after the head is severed from the very
trunk, It's nutritious blood and gases (tsa-en
1rem the fund stored up in the cells) are in
suthcient amount to carry on life for q nerjod
unknown at present as to time
Il don't believe that every brain cell dies
spontaneously, as they have their own cell
nfe. am also Of the opinion that in death
to de cer na the brain cells last
tlme after outward manifestations of death
maybe for three hours, or 1t NAV he moe
untli r1gor mortis sets in; for instance. in
apoplexy, In hemorrhage or primary henor
rnage, certain classes Of fevers like typhus
Now, when We know that an ordinary ce,,
nves after being removed from living body
~, Wny; eheh' cannot one brain cell also retain
It's lie when the conditions Immediately sur
rounding 1t are much the same as during it's
previous existence, for it requires eoma how.
TOT all the blood to drain from the decapitat
ed head Of a man?
PLACE FOR EXPERIMENT.
As to experiments, of course a ccmuaete
demonstration could be made only at Mo
guiuotine where special arrangements would
nave to be made for testing the sensations OF
SMELL heat, sight, etc.. during the minutes
or hours after death. But in this country. at
least the opportunity for making such ex-
periments Is not to be had, so we have tn
substitute animals. Tie results at least are
convincing. "
We cut of the head Of chicken and after
certain stimuli had been made it openeI it,
mouth and gasped five minutes after Its head
had been decapitated from the BODY We
cut off the head of a rabbit and found it sus-
was apparently dead. We were able to as
certain this by holding strong electric liehs
In front OF the eyes and moving it alternately
near to and far away from them. The pupils
of the eyes followed the light In it's move
ments. expanding and contracting-that ia
to say, focusing themselves upon the light
as it moved backward and forward We
were able to tell that the animal was cana
Bile OF smelling by the use of certain min
gent doors paced near the nasal organs We
were enabled to know that the decapitated
animals on which We experimented were ca
pabie OF feeling. pain by the fact that we
stimulated certain muscles and rot reacs
tons which were not due merely to the mus.
cles themselves