Experimental researches, illustrative of the functional oneness, unity, and diffusion, of nervous action, of four sets of nerves, and a fourfold set of functions, and transmitted impressions : with a brief exposition of the philosophy of vivisection, and of sensation / by Bennet Dowler.

  • Dowler, Bennet, 1797-1879.
Date:
[1851]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experimental researches, illustrative of the functional oneness, unity, and diffusion, of nervous action, of four sets of nerves, and a fourfold set of functions, and transmitted impressions : with a brief exposition of the philosophy of vivisection, and of sensation / by Bennet Dowler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    myself in capturing him, together with a high temperature of the weather, doubtlessly modified the results of the vivisection that followed. The copious hemorrhage which succeeded decapitation, was not ar- rested by ligature, or by other means. Life was extinguished in a much shorter time than usual. The persistence of life in this animal, after decapitation, is almost in an inverse ratio to the heat of the weather; at least it is so to a considerable extent, being dissipated much more rapidly in the summer than in the spring or winter. The head died first—that is to say, sensational, volitional, and motory phe- nomena disappeared from the head in five minutes; while in the trunk, these were manifested, when tests were used, during an hour, not to mention minor vestiges of vitality which continued as long as the ex- periments—a period of five hours, spent in extensive dissections, and progressive mutilations. The first division of the animal, that is, decapitation, took place near the shoulders, after which, for several minutes, the mouth gasped, and attempted to bite ; the eyes soon closed, and with increased force when the lids were touched. The headless trunk (as upon many former oc- casions) performed numerous actions indicative of sensation, intelli- gence, and volition. Resting perfectly quiet, deprived of all the special senses, it possessed only the general sense of touch, which responded in an accurate manner to all tactual impressions, even the simplest. No active agent, no pricking, no fire, was required to elicit definite and combined motions. The slightest touch of the finger seemed to be perceived by the whole trunk—the tail and limbs, as proved by their motions. The animal seemed to be aware of the nature of the touch- ing body, which, if free from a pain-giving property, was borne with- out any violent efforts to escape from it; but fire, punctures, and skin- ing, called into agonized action, the body, limbs, and tail. The body curved in a manner so as to recede from the offending agent; the limbs were directed so as to remove it, and even the short stump of the head- less neck was turned in the proper direction as if to bite, as if forget- ful that it had lost its head. The organs of smelling, tasting, hearing, and seeing having been completely lost, and its locomotive power greatly impaired, it appeared to concentrate its attention on the only remaining sense—touch ; and, from its action, far more impressive than words, it was evident that it judged accurately as to the nature, degree, duration, and place of painful, or painless impressions. Hitherto, from reading, as well as from my own numerous experi- ments, I had drawn the conclusion, that a decapitated animal was in- capable of forward, linear motion. This I found to be quite erroneous.