Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1902-01-15
new NERVE DISCOVERY
Famous Scientist Explains Dr..
Loeb's Theory of Life.
ELECTRICITY TIE PRIZE FACTOR.

z Professor serviss Claims the Diacov-
cry Comes Closer the Solution of
the Mystery of SisaIis, Than Physi-
oloEi.ts Have Ever Approached.
Light on Obscure Probienn..
Professor Jacques Loeb of the Uni
versify of Chicago declared recently
before the gathering of Psychologists
In Chicago that he had discovered the
physical processes that accompany
life. that electricity and not beat ener-
gy is the basis of life. Professor Gar
rett z. Seryiss. in explaining this dis
covery for the New York Journal.
says:
The great discovery concerning the
nature and manner of action of the
human nerves announced by DIR. AL
bert +. Mathews TO the American
Physiological society in Chicago and
backed by the authoritative approval
of Professor Jacques Loeb of the Chi
cago university is SO fundamental and
SO farreaching in its consequences
that it seems 10 warrant the hope that
ditious aud the limits of mans power
TO prolons his own life. 1t comes
closer to the solution of the mystery
of vitality than PSYCHOLOGISTS have
ever before been able to approach.
Some of the experiments that have
led up to this discovery have suggest
cd new idea of the nature of death
and have resulted in the case of the
rudmentary forms of life experiment
ed with in the indefinite postpone
ment OF dissolution. Even the discov-
erers do not think that they can indi-
cate the rea! depths TO which they
have reached or toward which they
are being led. The Whole foundation
of physiology and medicine may be
reconstructed. and we may find that
we possess control over the pheuom-
ena of life more masterfui than any
body has yet dared TO dream.
Let us see what. In plain terms. the
discovery is and why il is so farreach.
ing Briefly stated. il has been discov-
cred that our nerves. or at least the
inner cores of them. consist of what is
called a colloidal solution that is TO
say. of matter resembling gelatin held
In solution in water before ii has Jel'
lied or assumed the state of stiffened
elastic mass. and these coiloidai paru-
cles in the nerves carry charges of pos
tive electricity.
Whenever the nerve particles pass
from the coiloidai condition into the
state of gelatin. or. III other words |
become jelied. the nerve experiences
a stimulation or becomes active. Now.
this passage of the nerves from the
dissolved to the jeilied state is pro-
duced by the action OF atoms or ions
bearing charges of negative electricity.
Whenever such charges are introduced
into the nerves the latter are stimulat-
ed and contract.
This fact at once explains the action
OF certain chemical substances when !
introduced into the human body. some |
OF which tend to quiet the nerves and
others to excite them. The nerve quiet /
ing ions are those that bear charges |
Of positive electricity such as the at |
Oms Of sodium, potassium. calcium and !
hydrogen. and their presence tends TO
keep the colloidal particles of the |
nerves in u state of solution, SO that |
the nerves remain inactive.
The nerve stimulating ions are the |
atoms of such substances as fuorine /
and chlorine. which carry charges OF /
negative electricity and when intro
duced into the system cause the nerve /
particles to Goa iesce or become jellied. /
in which condition the nerve is active. |
the degree of activity depending upon
the intensity of the stimulation. Death |
appears to be the result of the stagna-
ton of the nerves. resulting from ina
biIity to respond TO stimulation How I
far the discovery of the manner in
which nerve action is or can be pro-
duced will enable psychologists TO OPP
pose the processes that end in death
can only be determined by further ex-
perments.
But without regard to any such pos
sible or only to be hoped for results
the new discovery throws food of
light on many hitherto obscure prob
lens II offers clear explana tion- for
instance. of the effect of anRsthetics
upon the body. Anything that tends to
keep the nerve particles in a state of
solution quiets the nerves. Now. the
nerve particles are largely composed
of fat. and 1t Is well known that all
anRsthetics dissolve fat: hence when
anRsthetics are introduced into the
system they produce the effect Of posi-
lively electrified ions in preventing the
nerve particles from coalescing. and
thus they quiet the nerves.
In a similar una nner the action of
whisky in arresting the progress Of
snake poison is explained. since snake
poison tends to coagulate the nerve
substance. thus causing death. while
alcohol if introduced quickly enough
the coaguIating tendency
md keeps the nerves in colloidai con-
dtion
Other familiar facts are also ex-
planned on the same principle. Heat
Tor instance as everybody knows.