The Washington times., 1916-04-12
Administering INTO
SKULLS OF HUMANS
Ann Arbor Professor Defends
Vlvisection on Heads Of the
Insane.

ANN ARBoR. April 12.-It was not
long ago that DIR. u. j. VILE, profess
sor In the medical school OF the Uni
versity OF Michigan, went to the Pom
tiac state Hospital for the Insane, bored
holes through the skulls of six patients.
and extracted from each Quantity OF
brain substance with which he inocu-
lated rabbits.
When the rabbits became infected DIR.
VILE said that the presence of the spi-
rochaeta paliida In the brains Of these
lunatics had boon established ana the
cause of paresis In the patients deter-
mined.
l.aymen were less impressed by this
discovery than they were that Vlvlsec-
ton bad been practiced on human ne
ings in a State hospital, probably WITH
out their knowledge.
The result is that Dr. Wne ~ Deihs
attacked In n broadcast distribution OF
circulars and his colleagues are ralfy-
ing to his support. The question OF
whether human vivisection shall be
permitted, especially In asylums sid
tent are not consulted, has thus been
brought stTikingly to the publicts at
tention.
Several interesting facts have been
brought TO light by Acknowledgements
OF DR.. Vile and his assistants. They
showed that physicians consider the
act OF entering a hospital for treat
b ment implies assent to any expert
Inents which the surgeon may con-
slider necessary to enable him to as
certain the nature Of the patients
trouble.
If one goes to the hospital they may
perform an experiment and no further
permission will be asked, according
TO one Of the most prominent mon on
the faculty. That is. the physician
ALI Enr To al ~
unless the experiment Jeopardizes life.
They might even drill a hole in the
patients head in the interest of
science. For, this physician said,
this is not considered a dangerous eN-
Or. VILE explaining what he himself
has done. says:
1.-THE method OF runcture is as fol-
lows: The patients head is first
shaved and thc anterior portion OF the
skull thoroughly painted with tirc'ure
of iodine. The region is frozen with
ethyl chloride mad a receiving dental
drill is thrust Quickly through the skin
and deeper tissues A few. rapid reVo
iutlons OF the drill in the hands Of an
assistant suffice &c pierce the skull.
'"rhe drill is then removed and Q
long, thin needle II inserted and pushed
firmly ard deeply into the corteX. A
syringe barrel is attached to the end
Of the needle. Blu suction a small cylin-
der OF brain substance containing both
gray ard white matter is Drawn into
the instrument. together with more OF
less fluid from tho ventricle.
''The operation Is extremely simple
One has only to avoid the cerebral and
meninaeal vessels. and over tn" upper
frontal region: well away from the mid
die line. well away from the middle
line. such danger Is not encountered
nor Is any important center disturbed
ticaiiy no rain has been experienced"
At Pontiac DR.. Christian placed the
usual facilities at the disposal OF DR.
VILE and provided the patients. These
II is claimed. were hopelesslv insane
Consent OF their guardians ives neither
secured nod thought necessary. They
were dying of pasesis and the operation
Mother fastened nor retarded the course
Of the disease. The operations were
called successful, inasmuch 90 they
proved tho contentious OF Dr. VILE.
Physicians and surgeons In genera
have little to say on the subject. bu
refer interviewers to DR.. VILE. who II
extremely reticent.
"when am ready to make a repor
will do so through the medical jour
nails. ] don't care to appear In thu
public press" the physician said. How
ever. he made no denial OF the trephin
ing.
One prominent physician said there Il
more serious to the layman than 4
really IL. 1t is no more Injurious thar
To draw blood from the finger tips. anC
the moment the operation Is over thu
patient Is up and feels no particular
effect
by these operations DR.. Vile estab
lished the cause OF paresis. which hith
erto had baffled scientists" said thi
physician. mo one knows the cause o
scarlet fever. and 1 presume will neve
know until we have experimental on
child. We should have to be able L
study the disease as We pleased-in
little boy or girl-and possibly we vii
have to allow another child to contrac
the disease from the one under OBJ
scrvatioh."