Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-17
How Brain
Surgery
Affects Mind
PrefrontaI Opera tons
Said TO Control Soul
BY DIR. LOGAN CLENDENING

BY DR.. LOGAN CLENDENING
Gu RGERY has penetrated
- everywhere and is even stick
ing scalpels and forceps into the
soul.
This is another way of talking
about prefrontal lobe brain sur
gerry.
II is probably the prefrontal
lobe of the brain that controls
the operation OF the things we
call soul.
We have good many kinds
of brains, which we attained at
different stages in the evolu-
tionary process on our part. and
which arc all still functioning.
The oldest brain of all is the
automatic nervous system. con-
sisting OF series of ganglia
mostly down the outside of the
vertebral column.
This works without any
thought process on our part.
and controls such functions as
the distribution OF the flow Of
blood. secretions OF the salivary
and other glands and many other
purely automatic things.
In THE skull we have several
L brains. one of which is the
cerebellum. which also operates
without very much thought from
us, TO maintain equilibrium and
coordinate our movements.
Another mass of old nerve
tissue that Is prominent in GER
tain lower animals Is the thai
anus.
Here great many instinc-
tive emotions center such as APP
petite, love. fear. desire and hate.
The lower animals, which have
very large thalami. have no real
way OF controlling these funda-
mental emotions.
In man, the highest brain of
all the prefrontal lobe. is con-
nected with the thalamus and
can. TO considerable extent,
exert an influence on il.
The higher the individual in
the intellectual scale. the more
likely II is that he has we'll
developed preferential lobe.
CURGlCAL methods within the
~ past few years have invaded
even this part of the brain--the
seat of the soul.
Mental cases who are afflicted
with melancholia. with bursts
OF temper, those who arc unable
10 face the world as il is. can
be improved by having the pre-
frontal lobe severed from the
rest of the brain.
This leaves the individual
good deal Of an animal. but il
brings about an astonishing i'm
provement in certain conditions
such as melancholia.
Melancholics become cheerful
and stop their chronic worrying.
OTHER individuals who have
~ very antisocial tendencies
in many instances become free
from these manifestations and
amenable 10 discipline.
OF course, all results are not
as good as might be assumed
from seeing these statements
put down on paper, but in a
series of cases studied by Doc
tors Freeman and Watts of
Washington u. C.. about 50 per
cent of the results of removal
of the prefrontal lobes were
good. about 80 per cent were
fair. and the rest range from
some slight improvement 10 COM
plete failure.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERS
JC.-What are the symptoms
and treatment of diverticulitis
Answer - A diverticulum is
simply a sort of sac or pouch in
a mucous membrane. When il
becomes inflamed, il is called
diverticulitis.
This may be in the throat
gullet or stomach. Usually di-
verticulitis refers TO the diverti-
cula that are in the sigmoid part
OF the colon.
When the Inflammation of one
Of these is acute. il is something
like left-sided appendicitis.
II also will cause chronic pain.
indigestion and alternately, con-
stipation and diarrhea.
Treatment is effective by me-
dicinal agents if the condition
is mild and by surgical inter