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EXTRAORDINARY SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY.

A correspondent of the Dundee 1 Advertiser writes as follows : For some time the scientific world has not been startled or rejoiced by any very great discovery, but at the present moment we are on the eve of the publication of one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the present age. The happy man who has struck on a new and rich vein of scientific truth is Dr Ferrier, a successful student of philosophy, who gained the Ferguson scholarship in Glasgow before he studied medicine. It was probably his acquaintance with Professor Bain's psychology that led him to give special attention to the physiology of the brain; and his graduation thesis on the brain, for which he obtained a gold medal, proved that be had already entered on the study in which he is destined to acquire enduring fame. He has n(*vef lost sight of the subject to which he attached himself so early, and has been for a considerable time thoroughly up to the most advanced knowledge. About a month ago his plans were so far complete that he w£§ ready to begin his experiments with the Easter holiday. By the invitation of Dr Crichton Brown, he went to Wakefield, and was amply provided with eats and dogs, and other animals for his experiments. The results astonished himself, and it is not too much to say that during the last month more has been discovered regarding the action ..of the brain than all the preceding knowledge. The Modus operandi is now and ingenious. The animal to he experimented on, is first put Under" chloroform. The next thing is to clear away the skull, and expose the brain. This, it will be understood, is a difficult and delicate operation, but is done, and the animal may live from three hours to four days. The process employed by Dr Ferrier is what is known as faradising. After uncovering the brain he applies the point of an electrode to the convolutions of the brain. Its effect is to excite functional activity of that part and thereby to show what its real work it. One of the first experiments disclosed the part that is employed in wagging the tail. Soon after, the centres engaged in supplying the limbs, the mouth, head, &c, were discovered, and already Dr Ferrier has succeeded in almost completing a map of the brain, with all it organs, distinguished by the sure and rigorous test of experiment. Nothing could surpass the interest of these experiments. On the table before you is the dog with the skull removed. All seems, but for the breathing and movement of the brain, an inert mass of dead matter. The doctor applies the electrode, and presently the tail begins to wag. All else is motionless. Another touch and its fore-paw is stretched out; another, and its head is erected; another, and its mouth opens, naturally. Again the magic wand touches the brain, and the animal seems convulsed with fear and rage; and so on the experiments go. Once the divining rod has been discovered, it is comparatively easy for an expert vissicator to use it. The discovery, so simple, once it is known, will effect almost a revolution in physiology. Hitherto it has been looked on as an axiom that you cannot experiment with the brain—that it is too near the seat of life to be tampered with. Now experiment has been introduced into a region where we had reconciled ourselves to the vague and uncertain light of observation. There can be no doubt that we shall soon know the particular use of every convulution of the brain. Phrenology from the stage of empirieal observation will become a science. One of the chief results attained by Dr Ferrier in the belief that each convolution is a separate organ, although occasionally several may be conjoined for common work.

Ife also finds that the great motion jutres are collected in the front part f the brain, a result Which shows the brenologists were not far out in tbat uarter. It also has demonstrated hut the'nerves moving the muscles of ho jaw are just above the ear, where ]„» phrenoTotfisis place gustativeness. 3ut other make sad ia voc with the locality of many of the bumps." The most singular of all he experiments is oue proviug that in e of the main uses, if not the sole [ne, of cerebellum, is to supply the Liscies of the eye. This is an extraordinary confirmation of one of Pro'essor Bain's most characteristic views. gut the most important immediate .ffect of Dr Ferrier's discovery will be in improved treatment of the diseases if the brain. It has found out why onsiderable portions of the braiu jiav be diseased without interfering jith sanity, and why other slight lesions produce epilepsy. It has succeeded in artificially producing epilepsy in a dog. This is the most ivonderful part of tbe discovery, and proves the truth of the conjecture of Dr. Hewlings Jackson that epilepsy arises from a lesion between two bnvolutions of tbe brain. Dr. Ferrier

ias also found out the origin of ■horea, or St. Vitus' dance, and has jeen able to make his animals show all [he symptoms of the disease artificially. [le has caused tetanus and other peculiar and difficult states of the muscular system. Altogether the dis:nvery opens a new path in the treatment of the disease, and cannot fail to jroduce the most important benefits. [t will also give us a real scientific phrenology ; and, curiously, Dr. Ferrier's discovery coincides with pother almost essential to its practical success. Anatomists have warned (phrenologists that they erred in taking the Outward shape of the skull as indicating the shape of the brain. The sA'ull varies considerably, and it is impossible to say of any particular |art that tbe brain is such and such a Kgfcance below. Nevertheless a young tnatomist has recently shown that laere is a relation between the shape if the skull and of the brain, and that it is possible to know what is inside of the head without breaking it open. This is most opportune, for when Dr. Ferrier has mapped out the brain it will be possible to diagnose a man's faculties as easily as tell his shape. We are glad to learn that at the instance of Professor Huxley the Royal Society has come handsomely forward and voted a grant to Dr Ferrier to carry out his experiments on monkeys. The monkey is the nearest approach to man in the animal kingdom-; and as it is out of the question to experiment on men, the monkey will form an inadequate substitute. Altogether, it is likely fet Dr. Ferrier's discovery, beyond »/ discovery of the present generaton, will enlarge the circle of human and contribute to the iippiness of mankind.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18730916.2.15

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1107, 16 September 1873, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,136

EXTRAORDINARY SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1107, 16 September 1873, Page 2

EXTRAORDINARY SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1107, 16 September 1873, Page 2

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