Evening star., 1936-11-20

sized cores of white tissue are cut on
each side. The skin then is drawn
back over the openings, so that only
small scar is left.
Cessation of anxiety and apprehen-
sion in the cases operated upon to
date has been obvious as soon as the
patients have recovered from the
anesthetic. None has complained of
pain. There always has been a slight
elevation Of temperature, which has
returned to normal within three days.
Some patients have been able to leave
the hospital after a week.
Case History Given.
Here is one of the case histories to
date:
/. A woman, aged So. Chief COM
plant. nervousness. insomnia. depres-
sion of spirits, anxiety and insecurity
getting progressively worse for a year.
She had always been high strung,
emotional and easily fatigued, a me-
ticulous housekeeper. with several
previous breakdowns For 10 years
she had taken sedatives in order to
sleep. She was unable to adjust her.
self to the idea of growing old. be-
came progressively more agitated.
tense and emotional; for instance,
when she was asked about colds or
sore throat she became agitated, say
ing, Why do you want to know?
Why do you ask me that? What does
that mean? What has that got to do
with it?" During the examinat ton
she was wringing her hands. moving
about in bed and trying to get out.
Four hours after the operation she
greeted the physician in a calm voice,
holding out her hand and declaring
that she felt much better The next
day the following conversation was
carried out:
Do you have any of your old
fears?"
P.-"No."
D-"What were yeu afraid Of?
P.-'I don't know. I seem to for
get"
DIDO you remember being upset
when you came here?"
P.-"Yes, was quite upset,
wasn't -"
D.-"What was it al. about?"
P-"I don't know. I seem to have
forgotten. 1t doesn't seem important
now"
Pre-Frontal Lobe.
The pre-frontal lobe of the brain
Is that area of the cerebral cortex i'm
mediately behind the forehead EXTEND
ing about half way to the vertex Of
the skull. Just behind it is the mar
row strip of the cortex wherein are
located. very precisely. the centers for
voluntary movements of the face,
arms, legs and trunk.
1t constitutes about a fifth of the
entire cerebral hemisphere. Neurolo-
gists still are quite nebulous about the
specific functions which it controls.
In the older neurologies it often was
described as the organ of intelli-
gence." Some excuse for this is found
in the fact that it is the newest part
OF the brain from the standpoint of
evolution, and also because it marks.
both in size and complexity of pattern.
the greatest divergence of human
brains from those of the great apes
Moreover, in it are found no precise
"centers,' such as those found in other
parts of the cortex for hearing. vision.
etc. 1t hardly could have been stuck
inside the skull for no purpose at all
for that Is not the way of evolution
in building up the species.
Hence, it was reasoned, it must be
the seat OF some general function.
perhaps an integration of all the other
functions of the brain. Because of its
extraordinary development in human
beings it was natural to identify
this general function with the one
In which the human species showed
its greatest superiority over any of the
lower animals-that Is, general in
telligence. Hence arose the popular.
but probably fallacious, "high-brow"
hypothesis-that the higher the fore
head the more intelligent the indi-
vidual.
Purpose Of Area.
For sornt years past one develop
ment after anoL;.er has struck blow
after blow at this organ of intelli-
gence" theory. 1t seemed to have
been entirely invalidated with medical
reports Of persons who suffered no
apparent loss in intelligence after the
pre-frontal lobes on both sides of the
brain had been nearly destroyed By
tumors. Yet the area must have
some purpose. or it wouldn't be there.
The light thrown on the functions
Of the organ by the operations of
DIR. Freeman and DR.. Watts is an
aspect of this surgery hardly second
in significance to its therapeutic re-
suits. The findings still are sonae-
what difhcult to interpret, especially
since they involve the subjective feel