ACTION OF THE HUMAN HEART.

Southland Times, Issue 1252, 17 May 1870, Page 3

ACTION OF THE HUMAN HEART.

'■'.' — TT .- 3..Y1 . '•',■' Dr Groux, a native of Hamburg, and at present a practising physician in Brooklyn, 'N.Y., was bowf^ithc>uT~tae sternum or breastbone. "" Dr J. Baxter Upharai of Boston, having been- intimately acquainted for many years with Dr Groux, has devised a number of ingenious experiments, by which, in hfe case, the action of the heart is made to manifest itself both to. the eyes and ears |>f persons, situated at a considerable distance. It should be borne in mind that the action of the heart in Dr Groux is perfectly normal and healthy, while the absence' of th^ sternum renders it possible to make certain, studies of the utmost importance, which are impossible in the case ; of the human being as. ordinarily constructed.. Dr Groux's case has been treated of : at length in . various medical journals; in Europe,, but never before has it been brought in such a striking manner before so larger an audience of scientific men. The mechanism of the heart 13 somewhat analogous to that, of a double action pump. In both cases the machinery, however perfectly it may work, makes some noise. ; IDrGroux was able to show three ; distinct motions .and. sounds occurring successively, and, a certain rhythm, in every beat of the heart. Dr. Groux also exercised the power, .rarely bestowed and .never used without great danger, of stopping at will, during a short period, the action of his heart. This was done thiseveningfc&the satisfaction of several -medical men, one of whom was listening with the ; stethoscope at the chest, and two others, feeling at the wrists for the pulse. , For about twenty seconds the action of vital organ in the frail chest of Dr. Groux completely ceased. 1 ' Some years'ago there existed an individual who : was 'wont i» experiment with himself in this manner, ; and who finally perished., through.: [being unable to resume the ordinary conditions of human, existence. Dr^ I7pham, so ifar from encouraging his friend Drl^Grpux, in the repetitidn of this perilous' experiment, has' earnestly entreated him * never to make the venture again. ; Some 1 years *go-IXr. Groux, Jbaving. made up his mind to. travel in -various fiities^pf; Europe^and America, caused;- ; jßufiis Chqat^ -tk« renowned lawyer, to drawup a wilLmaking over hra body, in the 1 eventof his deatli, to the surgeons for dissectioh. Portiqis of this will, which'is a long dteumentj j;eomposed in Mr Choate's happiest vein, were read, to the delight of the audience. The original draft, in the inimitable handwriting of Mr Choate himself, was also exhibited. The experiments .and explanations .specially relating to, Dr.. Groux were given with great clearness by that gentleman, who is a regularly graduated physician. It is clearly of great advantage to science that this rare malformation occurs in one who is so well' qualified to observe the obscure vital processes which it affords an opportunity of studying. Dr Upham contributed .a valuable paper on the action of the h^eartj^describing its anatomical position, appearance, and action.- Our knowledge of its_ position had l)een improved by slEudieY of 'the case of Dr Groux. In death ; the related muscles of the corpse caused -the heart to fall somewhat: from. . the , pl^e^. it naturally holdal in life.^litf.. Sounds! of pulsation were fully described»: ! as .wellias the intervals between the ; succesaive portions of the pulsation in>: the : aurible, ventricle, and aorta; These intervals hive been measured in thousandths; 1 of 1 a 'second by the chronograph, a valuable invention of the Jate Prof. .Bond^o^ yard University.; .Xi'l/l ■'■■ •/ "ua '"' ~ At the conclusion of his lecture, Dr. Upham gave some remarkable A experiments. The beatings bf the^'hfeartaP of several of the physicians ana p_atients r ! of the City Hospital, m < Bbston,were i automatically transmitted by telegraph from the hospital, .to the Hall in Salem, By means of the magnesium <ligb r t' v '%hese pulsations were made to manifest themselves to the sight by the vibratibn^of a beam of light Dn~the wall of the darkened room. A regular pulse of^^'slityper minute was first sent.'* mitted the healthy , pulse of an excited person, regular, but having a rapidity of ninety per minute. But the most interesting cases werethoaeofapatientsuffering from pneumonia, whbse pulsations numbered 118 per minute, and that of another afflicted; with organic disease of the heart. The , irregularity, of the ,bea(s in this latter case was vividly impressed on the mind by the sounds •of the: instrument. Prof. Farmer, the-.well-knowa-electrician, assisted by a skilful' ;oj»erator from Boston^ .hid ,chairge ;i^^^;of^^jth'e: electrical arrangements in Salem! Dr Knight "was in charge at the Hospital at Boston. The Franklin Telegraph, x ' Uop gave the ■free use~of their line¥^fo~r the experiments, which were successful to a Jdeg^ee even surpassing theynmticipations of Dr Upham'; It iieedli onlVtirTfe added that these exp^rimentsTare aatirejy^ juid have "their ; origin' in! Dr I .*, Upham's s^dies for making, the, m9^ipns,pij;j]l^;tQiroux's heart perceptible to those in distant! parts of a lecture roomi : ■•!•'" •y.u^j^h ,We underertad .that. ,the t Oineo maybe expected to arrive at the BlufF f with tiia English mail via Sue* on: or about Tttaiwiftf ffrit'.