An exposition of the fallacies of the materialistic theory of physiological psychology / by J.M. Winn.

  • Winn, James M. (James Michell), 1808-1900.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An exposition of the fallacies of the materialistic theory of physiological psychology / by J.M. Winn. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Unfortunately, the propagandism of Physiological Psychology* does not end with Dr. Ferrier. In the Nineteenth Century Review for December, 1879, Dr. Althaus, in advocating the localization of the intellec- tual faculty of intelligent language, in the third left frontal convolution of the brain, and its immediate * Materialistic Psychology is not only attended with mischief morally, but also pathologically. A case was reported in the Lancet, some years since, of a patient who had his skull trephined, under the supposition, I presume, that Dr. Ferrier had discovered the precise situation of the nervous centres. The patient’s skull was perforated, and he died from the shock of the operation. On a post-mortem examination, the disease was found to be at the base of the brain, beyond the reach of surgical skill. Since writing this note I found the following opinion of Experimental Physiology, which confirms my views :— “We regret to record the death of Mr. John Pettie, R.A. After suffer- ing for some time from an affection of the ear, Dr. Ferrier was taken into consultation, and on Monday, February 20th, Mr. Victor Horsley performed an operation for the removal of an abscess on the brain, but this seems to have been fruitless, the talented artist expiring almost immediately. The value of these operations appears as questionable now as in 1884, when ‘ F.R.S.’ claimed that the person operated on ‘had faith in his doctor, and no fine-spun scruples about availing himself of the results of vivisectional discoveries,’ ‘was snatched from the grave,’ ‘convalescent and full of gratitude,’ ‘with good prospect of restoration to a life of comfort and usefulness.’ ‘In that case*’ wrote F.R.S. to the Times, 'he will be a living monument of the value of vivisection.' It is well-known this ‘living monument’ died eight days after this letter of 1 F. R.S.’ was published, and now, once again, in 1893, Experimental Physiology has brought about its own condemnation. —The Animals’ Guardian.” We wish it to be understood that, whilst condemning useless experiments on animals, like those of Dr. Ferrier, we think there are occasions w’hen they are justifiable.