Cerebral physiology and materialism, with the result of the application of animal magnetism to the cerebral organs, an address... / by W.C. Engledue ; with a letter from Dr. Elliotson, on mesmeric phrenology and materialism.

  • Engledue, W. C. (William Collins), 1814-1859.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cerebral physiology and materialism, with the result of the application of animal magnetism to the cerebral organs, an address... / by W.C. Engledue ; with a letter from Dr. Elliotson, on mesmeric phrenology and materialism. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    simplicity and invariability of the laws governing inorganic matter are common to the laws regulating organized matter. The perfect man does not reach perfection by the gradual increase of a perfect form from the commencement; on the contrary, it is capable of de¬ monstration, that the development of his several organs follows cer¬ tain and invariable laws, and that these organs temporarily assume many forms, which the organs of the lower orders of beings perma¬ nently retain. The brain in its development is not an exception to this law. The brain of the most profound philosopher—the brains of Bacon and Newton—of Shakspeare and Byron, during their formation, assumed for a short time the peculiar form of the same organ in inferior beings. Is this a humiliating reflection ? By no means. What is the practical deduction ? If we see that the brain of the human being passes during its gradual development through so many inferior types, it is possible there may be a stoppage of de¬ velopment of some particular portion. Such we really find to be the case. Human beings are sometimes born without a brain—in other cases the hemispheres are wanting, and the mass presents the ap¬ pearance we see in fishes—in others, the posterior part of the brain is developed, the anterior and superior portions remaining very small. Thus we learn the cause of many cases of idiotcy; and these views, when fully investigated, may throw a flood of light on the laws regulating the minor modifications of cerebral matter. In some cases of malformed brain instincts present themselves which are never manifested when there is a proper balance existing between the several regions. This was seen lately in a most remarkable way at Paris. A peep into Nature’s laboratory is an excellent cure for chimeri¬ cal notions; and one glance at her secret workings will do more to annihilate the fancies and speculations of spiritual philosophers, than the daily repetition of wordy and hypothetical disputations. But our investigations must not rest here. Having examined the nervous organism in the mass, we naturally ask, what is its ulti¬ mate structure ? This question opens a wide field for research, and a rich harvest remains to be gathered in. When we speak of a nervous system, many other considerations require attention besides the mere external form and size. It would be impossible, a priori, to imagine the same formation to extend throughout. A very su¬ perficial examination reveals to us two structures. But the applica¬ tion of great ingenuity, and the aid of powerful microscopes, are required to inform us of the ultimate structure of these two tissues; and from this it follows that the diseases—the organic changes—may n