Buchanan's Journal of Man, March 1887: Volume 1, Number 2 — John Shaqi
Buchanan's Journal of Man, March 1887: Volume 1, Number 2
Philosophy
Buchanan's Journal of Man, March 1887: Volume 1, Number 2
Medicine -- Periodicals; Phrenology -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
As there are many millions of sensitive persons who are capable of
receiving these impressions from the brain, we cannot but wonder at
the unanimous _indifference_ (which some may hereafter call stupidity)
which hinders the medical profession and scientists generally from
becoming acquainted with such facts, which I have proclaimed and
demonstrated until I have grown weary of attempting to instruct wilful
ignorance. Not only does the nervaura, direct from the brain convey
such impressions of organic action, but almost any substance held for
a few moments in contact with any part of the head will absorb enough
of the local nervaura to convey a distinct impression to a sensitive,
similar to that derived directly from the head.
Although the organs of the brain are thus distinct, they are not
distinct like the spokes of a wheel, each totally independent of the
other and fixed or invariable in its own simple character; for all
organs have double functions, and a great variety in their degree of
manifestation.
The double function is psychic and physiological, or physical. When
the action of the brain is confined within the cranium, its action is
purely psychic; but when its influence passes into the body, it
produces physiological effects. As the brain is the seat of the soul,
its action is essentially and primarily psychic; but as it is the
commander of the body, and the source of its spiritual vitality, all
its conditions or actions affect the body; and hence every organ has
its dual action, psychic and physiological. Cerebral physiology and
sarcognomy explain in detail how the brain and the mental conditions
affect the body; cerebral psychology shows how the brain and soul are
correlated. The purpose of this treatise is to show how the brain is
correlated with both soul and body, giving the principal attention to
the former.
If cerebral organs all have this double function, it is manifestly
exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to find any words competent
to express the double functions, and it will be necessary to adapt our
nomenclature to expressing the psychic function, leaving the
physiological to be expressed otherwise. As the basilar organs act
more directly upon the body, their nomenclature will be more
suggestive of physiological effects. The organ, for example, of
alimentiveness or appetite will suggest by its name its relation to
the stomach.
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