ON THE ORGANIC MATERIALITY OF THE MIND;

230 the

FOREIGN DEPARTMENT.

Lying-in

Institution of that town, has

lately published a treatise, in which, accord. I ing to the results of his experience, he

strongly extract should

recommends that all attempts to EXTIRPATION OF THE SPLEEN. the placenta should be avoided, and IN the meeting of the German naturalists and physicians at Berlin, on the 19th of that the division of the umbilical cliord be deferred, until the expulsion of 1823, Dr. Schultze of Freiburg, the has taken place. In more placenta resuits his the of communicated researches than 1800 this method of proceeding cases, relative to the functions of the spleen, and of the experiments he has made, with re. was followed by complete success ; on the other hand, in 429 cases, after the usual at. spect to the extirpation of this organ. The tempts to extract the placenta, very dangerfollowing brief extract will, we trust, be in- ous symptoms ensued, which, in 69 cases, to our readers. teresting The blood of the splenic veins, Dr. ended fatally. Dr. Kuestner asserts, that Schultze found as coagulable as other venous he never witnessed any ill effect from teatthe expulsion of the placenta to nature, blood, except when, a short time before the ing is of opinion that the very general and a had experiment, large quantity of fluid been injected into the stomach. The ex- practice of separating it, ought to be eon. fined to a few cases of irregular detirpation of the spleen, which Dr. Schultze livery, such very as where the placenta is attach. has very often performed, never proved to the os uteri, &c. fatal, and was hardly ever followed by any the of great derangement organic functions, even for several years after the operation; nutrition and digestion were carried on as ON THE before, the secretion of bile only was diminished, but in a very slight degree ; the ORGANIC MATERIALITY OF THE MIND; chyle of animals, on which the operation had been performed a considerable time preThe Immateriality of the Soul, and the viously, was found to coagulate, and to beNonidentity of the Two. come red in the same manner as that taken This from healthy animals. seems to be inBy G. D. DERMOTT, Esq. consistent with Hewson’s opinion, as to the function of the spleen ; Sir Everard Home’s To the Editor of THE LANCET. theory is refuted by the circumstance, that the animals drunk as much water after as SIR,—I feel myself bound to notice any before the operation. The growth of young thing you may be inclined to honour with animals was not at all checked by and a place in your very able Journal; and on young cats and dogs very soon regained in that account, principally, I now come forweight what they had lost by the removal ward to meet two attacks, the one from a of the spleen. Next to the secretion of sni-disant clergyman, the other from a suibile, the author observed a constant effect disant phrenologist, upon my paper conon the generative powers ; which, although the " Materiatity of the Mind, and cerning not completely suspended, were, in some the Immateriality of the Soul." As affairs degree, weakened by it; dogs and cats, from of argument, it would be absurd to array which the spleen had been extracted soon them ; both, espeoially the myself against after birth, always produced fewer young writer who himselfA Clergyman," styles The very ancient and ones than others.* have so entire:y misstated my case, that I can of the that general opinion, extirpation have no fair battle with them ; they both spleen is followed by an increased faculty of conjure up phantoms, which they cali mine, running, Dr. Schultze found always correct, and then set about to overthrow them. As at least in dogs. somebody says, in the mock tragedy of 7’om Thumb, they °° make the giants, and ON THE SEPARATION OF THE PLACENTA, then conquer them." AND THE DIVISION or THE UMBILICAL My theory is briefly this :-First, that the CHORD. mind is a materia! principle; that is to say, I)r. Kuestner, of Breslau accoucheur to that all the intellectual faculties are the organic functions of the cerebrum, in fact, * In most of the numerous cases where the organic life of the brain (taking it far the partial or total extirpation of the spleen granted thht the principle of life is that has beeti performed on human which is so essentially and specifically comthe generative powers remained unaltered. bined with all organic matter, as to be the Hailer, howt-ver, (Elem. Physiol., tom. vi. immediate cause of all action, or function, p. 423,) relates a case in which the opera- in organic matter). That. the brain is an ti on was foll m-ed by sterility. epitome of nervous impressions—that the

September,

ed

it;

indiriduals,

231

thoughts are actions of the brain-are ex- before we part,I must trouble you, Alycited by impressions made on its nervous Editor, with an extract or two, and some susceptibility, i.e. that these actions of the comments on them, to show the consistency,

mind are sequent to other material impres- the honesty, the meek, kind, Christian-like si:ns and actions in the nerves, occasioned readiness to falsify not only my arguments, by external agents, positions which, 1 think, but my motives, with which this professed are finely illustrated by the continuity and ! son of the church comes foi ward to show his for true religion ! Lomogeneousness of structure and substance between the brain and the nerves. Secondly, hopes I shall ° feel it my to communicate further information ;" that this same material mind is common to " he must apply to Mr. 1). for some all animals, being one and the same thing as the brain ; but that the faculties of minds ! further explanation, which he hopes he will are stronger and better developed in a ratio consider it his duty to give." Again, he After inserting this, as I take it to the size of the different portions of the brain; the vigour of its organic action, and for granted you will do, let your readers hear the healthy condition of its structure.- no more, either of the sublime inamities of Thirdly, that there is this difft-rence be- G. D. Dermott, or the humbler criticisms tween man and animals : another principle no one knows who! Now this is attached to man’s existence, which is not seems to me mightily like daring an enemy; attached to that of animals, it is not demon- and then piteously asking you, Mr. Editor, strable, but attached to our being, in some to tie him hand and foot ;a rare device, I way perfectly inexplicable—we call it the must own, and one which, like the rest of soul. That this soul, being entirely spiritu- his tirade, shows more familiarity with the than with his Bible. It is of a piece al, is of a nature not to be understood by a material mind ; it is the spiritual part of ’ with the valour of the man in King Lear, man’s existence, referred for a state of de- who waits till Kent is in the aud capers around the sturdy old warrior, velopment in a spiritual world ; perphaps, if I may be allowed to use a comparison for him with bad jokes and poking him, the sake of explanation, to be the future at arms length, with a dull sword. So much. his consistency. Now for his honesty. spiritual mind of what has been metaphoriHe wishes to represent me as having stated, cally called, in Scripture, a That it is ratioaal to admit that this soul, material and spiritual things are so in a future state, shall be responsible for different, that they cannot be existing in a of association." No impartial person, the actions of the mind in the previous material existence, because it is the con- who reads my paper, will suppose that this the doctrine I inculcate. On the contraiy, tinuation of the same individual’s existence, -only in a different state or form, the .mind fhave affirmed the possibility and the" cerbeing the ostensible representative of his tainty of a co-existence, but deny a senexistence in this world as the soul is in the sible’ co-existence ;" i.e. I do not believe soul and body can hold a coeval, codnext. Having thus endeavoured to define my temporaneous and combined state of deveown theory in my own way, I return to my lopment. The soul is not in a state of development liro assailants. The observations of the our present being ; we do not know its first, as 1 have before suggested, are any thing but argument; of course they can ad- qualities, its nature, nor can we rationally its existence ; that is to say, mit of no argument in reply. I shall, therefore, presently leave him, hopping and its qualities and its existence are not known flounderina in his marsh of contradictions, and identified by our senses and natural toads and frogs," i powers ; this is what I would mean by saywith his favourite the ft companions of a person who so ad- ing, that it is in a state of insensible as well mirably unites the venom of the one with as undeveloped existence. It is a principle the ridiculous contortions I.nd the dirty ! attached, no one knows how, by God, to splashings of the other. Their society will, man’s existence, the part which is responperhaps, be a relief to him after ""smoking sible for the mind’s actions, in a future himself," during the winter, with sin and ! state : the principle which is the representsea coal," as some vicars are wont to do, of a man’s pievious material existence. who love mammon more than God.r But This non-realisation of the soul to our own reason and senaes, in spite of the sagacious divine’s ridicule, goes, I think, some way * I beg leave not to be understood as to prove, that it is not, in this wor:d, in a conveying any sneer against religion and its developed state, thatis to say, it is doimant, professors, such an idea I should abhor ; I if he will admit of the term. allucle only to those who htixg the holy ’ Mr. Editor, I admit of the existence of office into contempt. For the rest, no man ! the soul, but differ from your correspondents can helve more reverence than mvself. ltiu believing, that the mind and soul are one

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First,—He duty and,

says.

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spiritual body.

for that " state

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that

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.

stocks,

232

principle, and because of this, without my out of the question. I can only observe of opinion tending to question, in any degree them, that they are a sad commentary upon whatever, the validity of one single doctri- the influence of what he asserts to be his nal point in the Bible, he impeaches me, creed, upon his conduct. by making a false deduction, viz., that con- I would next beg more particularly to

advert

to the opinions of your second corsequently I must consider " Bibles, revelations, ministers, and religion as totally respondent. He says that I am a defender useless in this present world, and owing of the materiality of the mind, yet fearing "

their existence to mere delusions, and that obloquy," admit the immateriality of the I thank the author for the reason my paper tends to shake a Christian’s belief," and most unceremoniously thrusts me which he has so gratuitously imputed to me. down amongst a list of infidels ! This rea- Notwithstanding his liberality, however, I soning is logical ; this palming of doctrines must still lay claim to its proceeding from upon me, which I should shudder to es- a more honourable impulse. I have no sense pouse, is his honesty-his God-like grace, of duplicity in my own mind, which would I suppose ! He most shrewdly asks me, lead me to arraign without good grounds what kind of a being God is !How is it the intentions of others. The weight of to be proved that such beings as a God and your correspondent’s criticisms are against the human soul exist and what sort of my considering the intellectual faculties to beings are they ? Is it necessary for me to be the organic material functions of the He speaks also, especially, of the tell a niinister, that he must not either apply to his own, or to any other man’s reason ) function that I ascribed to the cerebellum; to prove these things, but to his Bible, perhaps the terms of my description may not where he will find them explained, as far as seem to have conveyed an exact significaGod, in his divine dispensation, has thought tion. I contend that the mental faculties fit to reveal. He will also find, in his Bible, are the organic actions of the cerebrum, that that the impossibility of conceiving of spi- the cerebellum is the seat where the action ritual things, excepting by the power of of judgment becomes sensible, or whence its faith, is every where inculcated ; that it impulses are sent through the nerves to the was to kindle and keep alive this essential different active parts of the frame. I may faith the Bible itself was given, and that better explain myself by quoting one or two the utter incompatibility of spiritual demon- deductions, which M. Flourens has drawn strations with the powers of material minds, from his experiments. They are somewhat is distinctly shown in the assurance, that no to what your correspondent is man can see God, who is a Spirit, and lives. pleased to state them to be, viz., to preside As to his trying to suggest the possibility merely over the forward motions of the aniof an improvement in my speculations, by mal: that, he will perceive, is the opinion of supposing animals to have souls, if he (being Magendie. M. Flourens says, " it has been really a ‘ parson?") knows sufficient of shown that the immediate cause of muscular theology to prove it, or render it probable, contraction particularly resides in the spinal let him do so; I frankly own I cannot. marrow and nerves, and that the 7’egulating But by way of making his incomprehensi- cause of these contractions is placed in the bly inconsistent paper complete, he says, cerebellum ;" that is to say, the cerebellum the ’° very rarity of my paper would re- is the immediate agent of judgment, or, at deem it, were it not as trite as the king’s least, is the medium through which the imhighway." I deny, also, having collected pulses of the judgment are transmitted to any " scattered absurdities," or any " ex- the voluntary nerves. Hence we take away ploded doctrines ;" what I have said is my the cerebellum, and we take away the own opinion, springing solely from my own action of the judgment. Again, he says, observation. I have never read aDV writers " there exists, therefore, in the nervous either favouring infidelity or even advocat- system (cerebro spinal system) three pro’ ingthe materiality of the mind. I have i perties essentially different ; first, the Mheretofore avoided them upon the score ofi cater of motion ; the other, the 7’egulatorj and the third, the willer and the perceiver." the materiality of the mind having Formerly made use of to favour infidelity, and In having asserted that perception, volition, my feeling an utter aversion to all such i and all intellectual and sensitive faculties principles. He accuses Bichat and Law- reside, individually, in some certain portion - ence of having drawn conclusions of the cerebral mass, I do not pretend to go so far as (a phrenologist would) to point out physiology does not sanction, but, in the locality of anyone portion of the brain eame paper, confesses lie is no and therefore we may conclude, not able to as possessing any one particular faculty, and that the locality of such a portion of the judeof the veracity of what he states. These are the only points at all worth brain, or that the seat of such an intellect, can be strictly defined by any superficial notice in his paper. The rest are mark on the superficies of the skull—this, I rant. His personalities, of course, I

soul.

brain.

different

been

which thp

physiologist !

mere put

233

conceive,isbarefacedly dogmatical, andI only

my belief, that as some nerves (functionally) possess sensation, as some (functionally) possess volition, as the spinal marrow (functionally) possesses both, as the cerebellum possesses (functionally) the power of conveying the mandates of the will and judgment to the voluntary muscles, so the cerebrum, functionally, possesses the sense of perception, the sense of thought, the sense of will, memory, and all the rest of the intellectual faculties. Your correspondent, in spite of his phremean to

maintain

as

First, for asserting that the mental are the functions of the cerebrum ;

what? secondly, faculties

that all

is

imperfect, havaffected by, the fall of Adam. (I never knew, Mr. Editor, that this could be denied, or that the opinion was discountenanced by Scripture.) Thirdly, that all animals should have ministers, religions, Bibles, and revelations, and should enjoy a future state ; this 1 deny ever having written, as he disingenuously represents ; he has represented me to have made use of this expression unconditionally, nological science, seems to be frightened but he had not the candour to say that I by my stating, that the medullary part of mentioned it with these provisoes-if they the brain possesses all the distinguishing had souls-and if the mind were the soul living properties peculiar to the brain, as (for, that they have minds, certainly he either by religion, metuliving brain-organic-functional peculiari- cannot ties ; but if this were not the case, it would physics, physiology, or phrenology). Now be very strange indeed, that parts of so im- is all this, for which I am accused of being portant a viscus as the brain should be dogmatical, more dogmatical than his ph?-eorganised and have life, and yet not have nology, ascribing parlours and kitchens in their peculiar organic functions. his brain, for his good and bad propenI have heard it admitted that the brain sities ? He proposes the two following questions: posscsses these faculties; that is to say, that it is the seat of these faculties, (and which, Do the educated alone possess conscience ? I believe, no one presumes to deny,) and I answer, does he find man in any state yet, nevertheless, they do not admit them quite destitute of educationAll men are to be its specific organic actions, but that educated by habit to a certain extent ; all they are the immaterial principle connected men learn by experience to identify things, with the substance or organisation of the and to understand their own and other brain, through the medium of life, but we men’s actions ; if a man has not seen,felt, should then have no function left for the or heard of a thing, he is not aware of its brain. This is a most gratuitous hypothesis, existence, much less of its properties, for founded not on any thing like proof, but is a these senses are the inroads, or the means mere fugitive supposition, upheld because of the conveyance of knowledge to a man’s it favours the old opinion of the immateri- mind. In my last paper I supposed an imality of the mind, to which people are bi- possibility, for the sake of argument, a man goted by habit and education, and by con- born and living in total abstraction from the foundir.g two things which I believe are world; snch a man would know nothing. essentially different, the mind and the Secondly, he asks. do animals possess consoul. We mayjust as well say, that it is science, do they possess education?*! I not the function of the nerves to fill and answer, an animal may know if he does convey voluntary motion to the muscles, differently to what he has been taught to do, that it is not the function of the stomach to and, knowing that, he may shun the obserdigest, that it is not the function of the liver vation of man, for fear of the punishment to secrete bile, but that these are powers which he had been taught would succeed to seated in those organs, and connected to it ; the natural timidity of a mouse, or a their substance by the living principle; bird, occasions the creature to shun the obthis would be leaving no action for organic servation of man, because they have not matter, consequently, none for the brain as been accustomed to be in his presence ; a part of organic matter. as we should shun a large animal that Your divine correspondent, who, of we had not been accustomed to, see and course, should have learnt by this time that powers we do not understand, and the soul is immaterial, that we are not justi- therefore our natural timidity may occasion fied in attaching the idea of locality to any us to suppose dangers, which may be either thing but what is material, cries out for me real or merely imaginary. but systematito demonstrate the relative position of the cally accustom any timid animal to the predormitory of the soul; this caster-out of sence of man with impunity to themselves, devils calls upon me to produce from my mu- experience teaclies them they will receive seum souls pickled and preserved. Now no liarm, they no longer shun bis presence, I would just ask, does this minister display or, in other words, they become tame ; nay, either his divinity or his logic by such low more, we have numberless instances to nonsense? Your last correspondent, ac- prove, that by systematically accustoming ruses me strongly of being dogmatic; for not only timid but ferocious animals, either ing partaken of,

disprove,

just

whose

nature

or

being

234

presence oi man, or t.) that of each medium, or the seat of some certain secreinfluence is created over them, tion, peculiar to the braiu, as brain. which could only arise from an operation on Need I flinch from this opinion on ac. their minds, which enables them not only to ! count of the taunts of this anonymotis associate in spite of what we call natural writer, when 1 am borne out by the opinion the most illustrious Morgagni ; that the antipathies, but to associate with satisfaction, and to become attached to each other. ’ brain is a gland ! And now, Mr. Editor, I Thus we have numberless instances of the dismiss two assailants with every for having wasted so much time lion, and other ferocious animals, being’ masked antagonists, who have met domesticated ; and, indeed, there is an example in point, to which any one may me with’ so little argument. Their " cap refer, who will take a wr.Ik to the other side of darkness" gives them the advantage of Waterloo Bridge, where the cat, the of coming to the contest with personali. which are sometimes mistaken for mouse, the hawk, the rabbit, the guinea pig, the owl, the pigeon, the starling, and the honester and fairer weapons to which I the sparrow," live together inone cage in obliged to confine my reply, and to which, I am happy to say, I conceive my perfect harmony and happiness. be feariessly entrusted. I have cause Speech constitutes perhaps the greatest only to may that I- should have made this add, link in society; it links men in the closest answer at an earlier moment, had not doaffinity of friendship, or implacably divides affairs rendered it impossible till them ; it unites our ideas, and links our and helieve me, comparative estimations ofmen’s actions ; Your very obedient servant, if animals had this gift, and all their inG. D. DERMOTT. tellectual faculties (which they do possess in limited and various degrees) equally perfect with man, why then I do believe that CASE OF POISONING BY SUGAR OF LEAD. the existence of a conscience in animals would be as evident to man as his own. By GAVIN MILROY, Esq. Who can tell but that animals have a lanSARAn HoosF, zetat. 40, who had been guage (or some means of imperfectly conbed-ridden, in consequence of a comveving mental feeling as a substitute for long aifection of the urinary and menplicated between and who themselves; language) strual functions, swallowed, on the evening can tel! but what they are capable (so far of the 27th April, 1824, three teaspoonf’uls as may be necessary for their existence one ’, of sugar of lead, (plumbi superacetas mixed of with another) estimating and under- with a cupful of milk, mistaking it for standing each other’s actions, i. e., that they cream of tartar. Immediately after the aeci. have a knowledge or a conscience adapted ,I dent, she an indescribable sen. experienced to their state of existence ; they evidently sation of and distress at the pit depression have relative love, anger, gratitude, and of the stomach, which made hei’ suspect even the powers of recollection, &c. &c., to that she had taken something poisonous, In a certain extent. the course of four or five minutes she WM I had nearly forgotten your second corres- seized with a violent fit or vomiting, which almost without intermis,ion for objection to my stating that the pondent’s cortical pnrr of the brain is subservient to nearly six hours. Mixed with the contents the mfdultary part." I answer this has of the stomach a little Mood was occasion. always been preva’ent, 8’ld also any rejected. The vomiting had been en ancient opinion. amongst some of the best enuraoed by diluents. and a solution of brain sulphate of zinc, ordered by a practitioner anatomists. The cortical part ia very vascular, so minutelv so, that it has of erninence, who had seen the oatient. A been supposed to have been made up of ves- large dose of castor oil was administered. sels ; why is this the case. if it is not sub28. Considerable pain and tenderness of servient to the medullary ,part ; the two are the who:e abdomen, but felt mor’’ especially continuous, and the hrobuhjlity is, I arnue, at the scrobiculus cordis, not increased on that the c,-)rtictit part of the brain secretes pressure. ’1’he vomiting has creased since some living into the niediillary six o’clock this morning, but much nausea I part of the brain, or is subservient in giving and anxiety remain. Pulse 94, natmal; that same living endowment. The me- bowels haveisot been opened ; urine verv dullary part of the br.iin has no cellular scanty, and high coloured ; catamenia preI believe t’ia’ the and corticnl substance, sent. She complains of a sense of heat M’) part of the brair, is as much the vehicle, or tickling in the fauces the tongue is covered the medium, by which the secreting ves- with a black crust ; breath verv fœtid ; sels undergo a minute distribution, asthe greatly depressed. ralema i3 to the medullary substance Take two ounces castor oil ;and injectua of tt)f.. nerves ; and is. probably, also the purgative cl,t,lslei- immediately. to the

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