The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-09-27
OUR COMPLEX BRAIN
How NERVE MESSAGES ARE CON-
VEYEO 70 AND FROM IT.

II ~ FtEfAA tlNA " hhfAA AAtNtNN+N
and Transmits All ScnSatiOn-scif
Control the Key 10 Prcserving Its
Equilibrium.
The science Of medicine Is year after
year becoming more and more perfect.
Its diagnoses are more reliable, and its
method of treatment is more rational.
Although the brain is the chief part
of the animal man, yet there are many
things about the brain which scientists
have not yet fathomed.
But great strides have been made in
that knowledge which has only within
recent years been discovered and which
reveals TO us what the Uranium really
contains. Shelving what has gone be-
fore and what has been taught as med.
ical law, the following interesting data
on how the brain works are now what
Is accepted at the present time as the
correct theory.
The cerebrum-front and top-is the
chief part of the brain and the imme-
diate source of all our mental action.
The gray matter of the outer surface is
made up of layers of nerve cells. These
are the thinking centers. Experiments
have clearly demonstrated that each
convolution has a special function, and
If destroyed It cannot be replaced
II has also been found that the left
side Of the brain is more active than
the right.
How has that been found out? Well,
If an cpileptlc commences fit by
twltching the right thumb or hand one
would find It's cause in its nerve center
on the left side of the brain. 1t is only
within the past few years that medical
men are now able to make n map of the
surface Of the brain according to the
various functions performed.
All impressions received from the
outer world. whether through the me-
dium of sight. smell, hearing, taste or
touch, are carried direct to the surface
of the brain and recorded I'm the brain
cells of their respective areas. while
all movements are the result Of i'm
pulses from the cells in the different
motor AREAS.
Now, there are five lnrge sensory
areas in the make up of the brain.
First, sight, which is the largest, at
the back Of the brain. Smell taste and
herring have their positions at the side
of the head in the temporal 0cmples)
region and inner surface. Touch has
its domicilc at the top of the brain,
while the large motor giving motion)
area takes up the bulk Of the middle
brain.
These ure so splendidly arranged by
nature that the motor cells of the lips
are I'm front, then those of the hand,
arm and so on to the foot. TO give
you an example how the sensory and
motor nerves work: If you touched
anything hot or sharp, the impression
would be conveyed to the sensory area
along the nerves connected with It.
The sensory cell which received the
message would Immediately communi-
cate with the motor cells to pull your
hand away
Why is it easier to remember an OBJ
1ect than, say, n mathematical formula
or "a pOemi The reason of this is that
whereas the former has impressions
stamped on several brain centers such
as sight, touch. smell, taste and the
rest, the latter are stamped on centers
which are not nearly so retentive as
the former.
In repeating poetry, for instance, 1t
is the sound of the last line which
suggests the next line, but an object
presents itself to the brain centers
concerned Immediately You know an
apple or an orange when you see 1t
| because you are aided in distinguishing
| 1t by n set of centers which are not
only more numerous, but quicker in
| perception. Though poetry is revived
in the sight and sound centers, it is
not so well fixed there as in the other
case, because 1t calls up fewer cen
ters.
An apple, for instance, is stamped
twice in the optic center, once as a
green fruit and once as the printed
word. There is an optic word center
and pictorial or Photographic center
The poem is only stamped in the for
mer, as of course it is not an object
which can be pictorially represented.
The brain Is nothing less than big
album of photographs and other SEN
sorry Impressions. The prefrontal region
may be compared to n registry Office
where certain records are kept. In the
brain that particular part Is the start.
ing place for the memory. If we wish
to recall n subject. the stimulus must
pass to the prefrontal or registry office
of the brain. whence the stimulus is
sent to the brain cells containing the
sensations to be recalled. 1t is like q
signal box on Il railway.
Now, unless your blood be in good
order the active life of the brain will
be affected. Blood is the nourishinl
agent, and If 1t be of poor kind tho
work 1t does In the way of nourshment
viii be OF n worthless character practi
cally. Poor blood Is an enemy Of the
brain, but happily 1t is not so disas
trous n foe as worry. In that you have
the real enemy of the brain Worry
disorganiZes the machinery of the
brain and mind and Is little inferior tC
shock, which usually paralyzcs both,
Worry causcs irregular nerve action
and If 1t be continuous 1t produces {
confusion Of ideas. This depresses the
cells of the brain. and the usual result
Is If there Is no abatement in the WORRY
complete failure Of the brains actor
and consequent mental disturbance.
4 1 4 -