The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English: or, Medicine Simplified, 54th ed., One Million, Six Hundred; and Fifty Thousand — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English: or, Medicine Simplified, 54th ed., One Million, Six Hundred; and Fifty Thousand
John Stuart Mill · en
We may here allude to the recent experimental researches with reference
to the functions of various portions of the brain, prosecuted by Dr.
Ferrier, of England. He applied the electric current to different parts
of the cortical substance of the cerebrum in lower animals which had
been rendered insensible by chloroform, and by it could call forth
muscular actions expressive of ideas and emotions. Thus, in a cat, the
application of the electrodes at point 2, Fig. 77, caused elevation of
the shoulder and adduction of the limb, exactly as when a cat strikes a
ball with its paw; at point 4, corrugation of the left eye-brow, and the
drawing inward and downward of the left ear; when applied at point 5,
the animal exhibited signs of pain, screamed, and kicked with both hind
legs, especially the left, at the same time turned its head around and
looked behind in an astonished manner; at point 6, clutching movement of
the left paw, with protrusion of the claws; at point 13, twitching
backward of the left ear, and rotation of the head to the left and
slightly upward, as if the animal were listening; at point 17,
restlessness, opening of the mouth, and long-continued cries as if of
rage or pain; at a point on the under side of the hemisphere, not shown
in this figure, the animal started up, threw back its head, opened its
eyes widely, lashed its tail, panted, screamed and spit as if in furious
rage; and at point 20, sudden contraction of the muscles of the front of
the chest and neck, and of the depressors (muscles) of the lower jaw,
with panting movements. The movements of the paws were drawn inward by
stimulating the region between points 1, 2, and 6; those of the eyelids
and face were excited between 7 and 8; the side movements of the head
and ear in the region between points 9 and 14; and the movements of the
mouth, tongue and jaws, with certain associated movements of the neck,
being localized in the convolutions bordering on the fissure of Sylvius
(B), which marks the division between the anterior and middle lobes of
the cerebrum. Dr. Ferrier made similar experiments on dogs, rabbits, and
monkeys. The series of experiments made on the brain of the monkey is
said to be the most remarkable and interesting, not only because of the
variety of movements and distinctly expressive character of this animal,
but on account of the close conformity which the simple arrangement of
the convolutions of its brain bears to their more complex disposition in
the human cerebrum. It is premature to say what import we shall attach
to these experiments, but they have established the correctness of the
doctrine, advanced on page 105, that thought, the product of cerebral
functions, is a class of _reflex actions_. The cerebrum is not only the
source of ideas but also of those co-ordinate movements which correspond
to and accompany these ideas. Certain cerebral changes call forth mental
states and muscular movements which are mutually responsive. They