The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-19
ODD TRICK OF THE BRAIN
ST. LOUIS PHYSICIAN RECEIVERS A
LANGUAGE LOST FOR TWENTY
SEVEN YEARS
SONG OF A CHILD CAUSED IT
Found He Knew and Gould Talk
bohemian, Although He Was
Himself Surprised
Mt 1t.

When a man has lived eighty-six
years and been a student and man of af-
fairs since he arrived at the age Of
discretion 1t is not to be marveIled at
that he has had some strange expert
ences in the tricks that the human brain
sometimes plays. DR.. Simon Pollak, of
Grand and Cook avenues, the oldest
practicing physician in ST Louis. is such
man, and he relates an experience of
MS own that Is almost as strange in
some respects as the story told by Coler-
ldge of a serving woman who in a fever
spoke Latin Hebrew and Greek, and
the case of the butcher boy who, when
insane recited passages from 'Phedre,'
which he had heard only once, and did
not know the meaning of. In the cases
referred to the persons exhibiting the
phenomena were not in their normal
states; ordinary knowledge was in abey-
ance. With DR.. PoIlak, however, know
ledge that he supposed was gone from
him forever came back without displac-
ing other things, and it has remained
with him to this day. When the doctor
gets on the subject of pathology of the
brain he frequently tells of his own ex-
perience.
was born in Bohemia" he saws,
anG although French was the language
spoken In my ancestral home, very ma
turally picked up Bohemian. 1t was the
language of the street and of the plain
people, and heard it oftener than any
other. 1t was really my mother tongue;
my playmates spoke little else, the ser.
wants who cared for me used 1t exclu-
siVely, and grew to speak and under
stand 1T better than French.
When 1 was about six years old. my
family removed to Vienna. There a great
variety of languages is spoken, but
German is and was taught in the schools.
OF course I learned German, and in
time came to think in that language.
Gradually all memory of the Bohemian
language left me. l had no call to use
1t, and 1 forgot it entirely, as 1 sup
posed. When I came to America, a very
young man, 1 did not think I knew any
thing of the bohemian language. There
had been no call on me to use it and
l had forgotten it.
In 1913 there was uprising of the
Bohemians against Austria The cause
of the people was lost and during the
following year great many of the pa
triots came to this country. At that
as well as the most desirable city in the
West for immigrants to come to. Chicago
was isolated, having no railroads, and
settlers who wanted to make homes in
the West were brought here. They came
by way Of New Orleans or overland. A
great many of the Bohemian refugees
brought large sums of money with them.
A considerable number of them died
while en- route to st. Louis, and when
they arrived there was work for the
probate court.
Then the trouble began There were
very few Bohemians in this part of the
country who could speak English and it
was almost impossible to find interpre-
tiers. At that time 1 had an office on
Market street, between Fourth and t1trn,
now Known as Broadway l was pointed
out as native of Bohemia and one who
could probably speak the language. Old
Judge Ferguson, who then presided in
the probate court, sent for me and asked
me to act as interpreter for my country
men, 1 explained to him that I had for
gotten all l ever knew of the Bohemian
language, and however I might like to
serve my compatriots, 1 had not the
power.
Notwithstanding this, 7 was besieged
by Bohemians who thought that l, being
their countryman should be able to repre-
sent them in court. 1 tried to recall
the Language, but l could not remember
one word of it.
Finally one day man came to my Of
flee with two little children. They were
Bohemians, and wanted to tell me
about the money that had been left By
relative who had died during a trip up the
river. They could talk little German,
and I could understand them partially.
While we were talking the children were
playing on the floor and singing. l heard
the song they were singing, but at first
paid no attention to it. Suddenly 1 real
lied that 1 was listening to a familiar
melody, to an air that I knew. l could
not place It, but it buzzed in my brain.
I could feel 1t as plainly as though 1t were
a thing with a corporeal existence. 1t
would not leave me, I could not rest for
It; [ could not fix my mind on anything
else If I tried to talk to the parents of
the children that melody would intrude
itself on my mind 1 had to send the peo-
pie away.
After they were gone the song still
haunted me- 1t rang in my ears. and L
caught myself humming it unconsciously.
Then I found myself humming other airs
that did not remember that knew airs
that 1 had learned while child in Bohe-
mia. 1 tried to fix my thoughts on other
matters, but could not. When I went
home it was the same way; l could not
get the music out of my brain. 1 had
trouble sleeping that night. There SEEM
ed to be something unusual going on in
side my brain. In the still hours of the
night relief came; I remembered the song
It was the one that 1 had sung when u
child. 1 had forgotten it completely, I
supposed, but there it was again, as fresh
in my mind as though learned the day
before.
"Then 1t all came back to me. I knew
the Bohemian language as well as I ever
had I was doubtful of my ability to
speak it, however, until 1 made the ex-
pertinent, then I found I could talk as
well as ever. That day went into court
and announced that 1 was there to act as
interpreter for several Bohemians. Judge
Ferguson, who was something of mar
tinet, and rather gruff of speech, looked
sternly at me and said: I thought you
told me you could not speak Bohemian
so I did, SIR said; then I told him how
tie songs of the children had restored
my knowledge OF the tongue spoke as a
child.
1.-THE old judge heard me through, and
said: I don't believe word of it, He
couldn't understand how man could for
get a thing for twenty-seven years and
then suddenly regain his knowledge of it.
But ne did not object to my serving as
interpreter, and I was enabled to be Of
considerable service to my countrymen.
'I was In London in 1856, and met
Forbes Winslow. tho great psychologist,
TO whom 1 related my experience He
pronounced 1t one of the strangest cases
he eve" heard of. and said it demonstrated
the sounGncss of his theory that no i'm
preston made on the brain is ever lost.
1t may lie dormant for years, but when
the requisite stimnlant Is applied it re-
wives. DeQuincey expresses the idea with
eXactness and grace. What else than a