El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-07-18

, thought that no true thinking is pos
sibIe in the man without its exercise. :
Concerning "Gray Natter
The so called gray matter or the
brain forms the envelope OF that organ
"a continuous layer one twelfth to
one-eighth of an inch thick, Of vefy
complex structure, in which are eIh-
bedded immense numbers OF little
bodies called cells (but not hollow
Of various shapes and sizes. Between
these cells ramifies network of in
Vulnerable gray fibers- This IS the ma
chine that does our thinking for US
though its mode Of operation is as yet
largely a mystery. we nave managed
to learn, however, that certain por-
tons Of the gray matter have definite
w and exclusively to do with certain
kinds Of perceptions, while other por-
tons exercise control over the muscles
Of various parts Of the body
In discussing the connection between
speech and the use OF the hand, 1t is
interesting to observe that in the
brain, the motor areas" governing the
hands are close by the area which con-
trolls the tongue and other muscles Of
articulation Here, in a small patch Of
gray matter not larger than a hazel
nut. is stored every word that can be
spoken. Let IL be injured las in the
case Of the man who was stabbeG in
the eve with an umbrella) and speech
lessness results.
Queer Effects Of Damage.
DR.. William H. Thomson. author Of
Brain and Personality" says: In the
visual area of the brain is q place
damage to which renders the person
unable to recognize even members Of
his own family. though he sees them;
and in the auditory area are places
injury to which renders the person
unable to know the most familiar tunes
when he hears them; while by injury
in another spot he loses all power Of
distinguishing sounds in general, so
that he cannot tell the bark Of a dog
from the song Of a bird"
These important brain areas, which
interpret what sights and sounds mean,
are educated only in the left brain of
the right handed person, and in the
right brain Of the left handed. They
and other such parts OF the gray mat
ter, which might be called areas Of
knowing" are developed only in the
hemisphere that contains the
speech center. The other hemisphere
is unintelligent-a mere automaton. I'M
able to know q lifelong companion by
sight, or to distinguish strains Of
music from mere noises.
Not only does each sense have its
anatomical seat in the brain, but there
Is a motor area TO control each group
Of muscles in the body. Thus, for IN
stance, If you wriggle your big toe,
the movement is directed from a pofnt
-'-s7- e-1SA-S --A1 AAA-ANAAE VI AAA1 up u
your head Around the sense areas
seem to be grouped thinking areas
which relate to those senses respective
Y They tell the person what to think
about the Information which his senses
BRING. Cut out any one OF them, and /
orthwith its kind Of intelligence is |
zone.
Observation Of persons suffering from |
,rain injuries, however. has proved /
hat these centers are developed only 4
n the left brain Of a right handed 1
ndividual-that is to say, in the brain /
which governs the hand which is used ]
he most This is the brain that pos /
esses the word making faculty-the /
aculty which most Importantly dis /
inguishes man from the lower animals, !