Lectures on phrenology / By George Combe, Esq. With notes, an introductory essay, and a historical sketch by Andrew Boardman, M.D.

  • Combe, George, 1788-1858.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on phrenology / By George Combe, Esq. With notes, an introductory essay, and a historical sketch by Andrew Boardman, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    pressure is made on one part of the brain, all are eq jail}; affected. If the membranes be cut, so as to permit effu Bion of blood, total unconsciousness does not take place from a partial injury. But, say objectors, *' how is it that the brain does not manifest structural derangement after death, when the in- dividual has jeen afflicted with insanity 1 This question »vas more c onfideiitly asked some years ago than now: more accurasc investigations have shown that, in the great majority of ca^es, such derangement is demonstrable ; and if it be not always the case, this is not more remarkable than what takes place in other parts, where there may be derangement or destruction of function, without the anat- omist being able to discover organic change. Thus some poisons destroy life, without any structural alteration being visible in any part of the body. Again, to show that the mind is independent of the body, it is said that the mind often fully manifests its faculties to the last moment of life, even in lingering disease. This is not true. It is important to distinguish between functional and organic derangement and simple weakness. Suppose 1 cut the muscles of my arm across, there would be organic derangement, completely incapacitating me from using my limb. Suppose I should bandage my arm tightly and keep it motionless for six months, at the end of that time I should be able to move it in the usual manner, but not with the usual force; the general structure would remain the same, but the size and power would be greatly diminished. So when the brain is but secondarily affected, the mode of manifestation may remain unchanged to the end of some fatal malady, but the energy will be greatly lessened. Thus, in disease of the lungs, the brain merely suffers, like other {.aits, synrpathetically, and from badly oxygenated blood. At the com tnencement of the disease, the mind may act with its usual ' gour. During the second month the patient thinks but little on subjects requiring mental energy;