The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-12
DOCTOR ADMITS
VIVISECTION ON
INSANE HUMANS
Professor Vile of Ann Ar
bOr BOrpS Holes in Skulls
for Sciences Sake.
FINDS PARESIS CAUSE:
DEFENDS OPERAT

ANS AsBos, Mch. April I'll, was
not 'ony ago that Dr. 4. J. Vile. profess
sor ~ .he medical school of the tni-
Pontiac State Hospital for the Insane.
bored holes through the skulls OF six
patients and extracted from each guam
;.ty OF brain substance with which he
inocua,ed rabbits. When the rabbits
presence of the spiroch@ta pallida IN the
brains OF these lunatics had been estab-
l!shed and the cause of pares!s in the
patients determined.
Laymen were less Impressed by this
discovery than ihey were that virlsec-
ton had been pWcticed on human be-
inss In n State hospital. probably with
out their knowledge. The result Is that
Dr. VILE 10 being attacked in broad
cast distribution OF circulars and his
colleagues are rallying TO his support
The question OF whether or not human
Nivlsec.ion shall be permitted. especially
IN asylums and hospitals where the
wishes of the patient are not consulted.
has thus been brought s,rikngly to the
publ!c's attention.
Defend Tbeir Acts.
Several interesting facts nav, been
brought TO light by acknowledgements III
Dr. VILE and his assistants They showed
that physicians consider the act Of enter
ing a hospital for treatment implies as
sent to any experiments which the sur
geon may consider necessary - ena ole
him to ascertain the nature OF the pa
tients trouble.
II one goes tn the hospital he may
y. rform an experiment and II" further
permission will he asked. according 10
one of the most prominent men on the
faculty. That is. the physician will not
ask any further permission unless the
experiment jeopardizss life. He might
even drill hole in the patients head In
the interest NJ science. For. one physi-
clan said. this is not considered "A dan
gerous experiment
DR.. Vile. explaining what he himself
has done. says:
Tho method OF puncture IL as follows:
The patients head is first shaved and
the anterior portion OF the skull thor
oushly painted with tincture OF iodine.
The region is frozen with ethyl chloride
and revolving dental drill In thrust
quickly through the skin and deeper
tissues. 4 few rapid revolutions OF the
drill in the hands OF an assistant suffice
to pierce the skull.
Tn. drill is theu removed and
lorE. thin needle is inserted and pushed
firmly and deeply into the corieN. \
syringe barrel is attached to the end
OF the needle by suction -. small cyl!n-
der OF brain substance obtaining both
gray and white matter IS drawn into
the instrument, together with more or
less fluid from the yen,ricle.
The operation Is extremely simple.
one has only to avoid the cerebral and
meningeal vessels. and over the upper
frontal region. well away from tho mid
die line. such danger Is not encountered.
nor is any important centre disturbed.
In all cases thus far examined proc-
tically no pain has been experienced"
At Pontiac Dr.. Christian placed the
usual facilities AZ the disposal Of DIR.
VILE and provided the patients. These.
II is claimed. We're hopelessly insane.
Consent OF their guardians was neither
secured nor thought necessary. Yh-y
We're dying OF par~sis and tn. operation
neithe" FASTENED nor retarded the course
of the disease, The operations were
called successful. inasmuch as they
proved the contentious Of DT Vile
Physicians and surgeons in general
lave very little to cay on the subject,
hut refer lnterveNers to Dr. Vile. who
is extremely r.tIcent.
NO Danarr. Say Physicians.
When ! am ready to make a report
] will do SO through the medical journals
don't care TO appear in the public
press the professor said However. he
made no denial OF the ,rephlnIng.
one prominent physician said there is
no danger in tiephining and that il
sounds more serious 70 the layman than
II really is II is no more injurious than
to draw blood from the finger tips. and
the moment the operation is over the
patient is up and feels no particular
effect.
by these operations Dr. VILE estab-
lished the cause of paresis. which hith-
ertO had bafiied scientists" said this
physician. NO one knows the cause OF
scarlet fever. and | presume will never
know until We have experimental on a
child We should have To he abb. to
study the disease as we pleased-in a
little boy or girl--and possibly we will
have to allow another child to contract
the disease from the one under OBJ
serNatiOu'