facts and appearances observed, upon those principles propounded by Dr. Buchanan, of which they are presented as illustrations and evidences, the sub-committee present also a brief and general statement of the outlines of Dr. Buchanan's system, as furnished by himself at their request. "In justice to Dr. Buchanan, they at the same time feel bound to declare the highly favorable manner in which, throughout all the intercourse growing out of this investigation, they have been impressed by the evident intelligence, sincerity, and earnestness of convictions, and truthfulness of conduct and deportment, strongly characterizing that gentleman; and that they are fully satisfied of the honorable motives prompting his present devotion to these investigations, in the sole spirit of a student of science, a pursuer of truth, and a friend of his race. They will also add that, feeling every reason to believe in the good faith and veracity of the subjects of these experiments-independent of those experiments which were, in themselves, of a nature to preclude deception-they deem it their duty, in view of the extraordinary facts they have witnessed, to say that, although they have obtained a very imperfect knowledge of the system of Dr. Buchanan, and have been prevented by the pressure of their other avocations from bestowing on the subject as much time as would have been desirable to themselves; they have had sufficient evidence to satisfy them that Dr. Buchanan's views have a rational experimental foundation, and that the subject opens a field of investigation second to no other in immediate interest, and in promise of important future results to science and humanity. "The different members of the sub-committee have not all been present at all the meetings described in their minutes. Some of them have, however, in private, on other occasions than those here referred to, witnessed other similar experiments, of the most interesting and satisfactory character, which are not here described, because not witnessed by them collectively, in that capacity in which alone they have to make the present report. The absence of Mr. Bellows from the city, at the time of submitting this report, renders it necessary to forego the advantage of his participation in it. The minutes were prepared by Dr. Forry, from notes taken at the time of the various experiments. The papers appended to this report are a brief and general statement, by Dr. Buchanan, of the outlines of his system or science of Neurology,' and the minutes of the proceedings of the sub-committee. "All of which is respectfully submitted. "WM. C. BRYANT, "J. L. O'SULLIVAN, The name Every reader must determine for himself the degree of confidence to which the statements of this committee are entitled. of one of its members is already classical in the English language; Dr. Forry's recent excellent work on the Climate and Endemic In B fluences of the United States has given him, though a young man, an honorable place among the scientific observers and writers of the day; while, however otherwise obscure, the remaining name is not unknown to the readers of the Review, through which he has the honor, monthly, of coming into a relation with them, grateful on the one side, and not unfriendly, it is hoped, on the other. The following outlines of the principles of Neurology, by Dr. Buchanan himself, will, in connection with the remarks already made, afford the reader at least some general idea of the subject: "Gentlemen-As you desire from me a sketch of the principles of Neurology, I submit the following brief statement, hoping that its brevity will not render it obscure: "The word Neurology, as it relates to man, is but another name for the great science of Anthropology, because the science of the nervous substance necessarily includes all the manifestations of mind and life connected with or dependent upon that substance, which we know is the seat of life and the organ of the mind. 66 Physiology, Pathology, Insanity, and what has been called Animal Magnetism, Mental Philosophy or Phrenology, Cranioscopy, Physiognomy, Education, &c., are partial views of the phenomena and systematic laws of the human constitution, which constitute the science of Neurology. "The characteristic feature of that system of Neurology which I have brought before the public is, that it has been established by means of cautious and decisive experiments, and may easily be verified by any individual who has the necessary patience to pur sue the investigation of the subject. "The experiments consist in exciting the various functions of the nervous substance in the cranium or the body by the application of the proper stimulating agents. Every article of the materia medica possesses in some form, or to some extent, the power of exciting and modifying the functions; Galvanism, Electricity, Magnetism, and Caloric, possess efficient exciting powers; but no agent that I have used possesses so efficient, and at the same time, so congenial an influence, as the aura of the nervous system. "This Nervaura, which is the agent by which one individual makes a physiological impression upon another, when in contact, is radiated and conducted freely from the human hand. The experiments which I have made in your presence, consist in applying this Nervaura to the various portions of the brain, upon which it may make an impression through the cranium and the face, which present no obstacles to its transmission. "To develope important results from such experiments, it is necessary that we should make them upon persons whose cerebral action is easily excited, or deranged by slight influences. It is necessary that the portion of the brain which we excite should be so energetically stimulated as to become predominant over all the other portions, and to manifest its functions in a pure and distinct form, unmingled with any different or counteracting functions. It is also extremely desirable that the experiments should be made upon persons whose mental cultivation, sagacity, and integrity, render their descriptions of their own sensations cautious, exact, and worthy of implicit confidence. "As my experiments have been repeated by many Phrenologists and others, and have generally been attempted by them during the state of somnambulism superinduced by mesmeric operations, I would remark that such experiments are often highly deceptive and inaccurate. Experiments should be made in the natural condition of the subject, and free from the imaginative excitement which belongs to somnambulism. As far as I have heard of the result of the somnambulic experiments, I know of but few cases in which the operator has not been misled by his imaginative subject. "An extensive course of experiments upon persons of intelligence, in their natural state of mind, has established and placed beyond a doubt, the fact that the brain, as a psychological organ, manifests an immense number of mental functions, and that there are no phrenological divisions in the brain, other than the anfractuosities of the convolutions, and that there are no simple primitive cerebral organs manifesting a pure special single function, unless we carry our sub-divisions so far as to make a primitive organ of each constituent fibre of a convolution. "The number of cerebral organs which we may recognize is, therefore, a matter of arbitrary arrangement, as we may divide the brain, for convenience, into three, four, or five regions, or with equal precision and functional accuracy, into three, four, or five hundred. From fifty to a hundred subdivisions would be as many as we can learn to locate correctly, and is a sufficient number for practical purposes. "It is established with equal certainty, that the brain is as much a physiological organ as a psychological organ, and that it maintains its sympathies with the body, and exercises its controlling power over it by means of certain conductor organs at the base of the encephalon, by which it radiates volitionary, circulatory and secretory influences to the muscular system and other tissues of the body. Each portion of the brain has an intimate relation or sym patny with its particular region of the body, and exercises a modifying influence upon the general circulation and innervation of the system. It is through the conductor organs that the special relations of the brain and the body are established, and all the physiological effects which may be produced by operating upon the brain, may be as easily, and, indeed, more promptly evolved by operating upon the corresponding conductors, which transmit their influence directly. "Thus do we explain the relations of the brain to the body, and by carrying out the mathematical laws of cerebral physiology, we show the influence of each hemisphere of the brain upon the opposite hemisphere, and through that upon the correlative half of the body. "To explain the relations of the mind to the brain, and the pe culiar mode or laws of their connection, would not be a more difficult task than to explain the relations between the brain and the body— either of which would seem to the novice a chimerical undertaking. "This higher psychological philosophy, however, constitutes no part of the psychologico-physiological system to which I have called the attention of the public, and which aims at extensive educational and medical utility. Of this system, I have given you a few imperfect illustrations, and regret that I have not had the opportunity of illustrating, in your presence, the beneficial influence which may be exerted upon the sick. "The experiments with medicines applied to the fingers, were designed to illustrate some important principles in reference to human impressibility, and the mode in which medicines produce their effects. "The experiment of bringing an impressible person into contact with the head of another, illustrates the laws of the transmission of the nervaura, and presents us a method of accomplishing a perfect diagnosis of disease, as well as of exploring the physiology of the brain, and ascertaining the characters of different individuals. This method, which I have been for some time engaged in applying to practice, must ultimately take the precedence of all other methods of diagnosis and examination, either for character, for disease, or for the establishment of scientific principles. "In conclusion, permit me to remark, that the principles of Neurology have been established by innumerable coincident harmonious facts, similar to those which you have witnessed, and that unless the testimony of our senses is utterly false, or unless a large number of intelligent observers have been suddenly seized by an epidemic and methodic insanity, a new class of facts has been developed, and a new science exists, which imperiously demands the attention of all lovers of truth or friends of man, and which, if even half of its bright promise is realized, must originate a great and happy era in the history of human progress. "With high respect, enhanced by the cordiality, courtesy and promptness with which you have engaged in your recent duties, I remain, Your humble servant, "Jos. R. BUCHANAN. "Messrs. Bryant, Forry and O'Sullivan." We shall next introduce to the reader some extracts from the minutes of the sub-committee. As these minutes alone would cover twice the space allotted to this article, we are obliged to exclude the greater portion; and to decide which shall go in, and which shall not, we find no easy task. "Sub-committee met on the 11th of November. Present, Mr. Bryant and Dr. Forry. "The person experimented upon was a lady residing near Poughkeepsie, aged about forty, and the mother of a large family. She declared her entire ignorance of the principles of phrenology, as well as the locality of any cerebral organ; and lest some doubts might be started upon this point, the certificate of the gentleman who accompanied her has been appended. "In these experiments, Dr. Buchanan designed to show that an individual who is highly 'impressible,' may not only have the special functions of the brain excited by having the corresponding portions of his head touched by another person, but may receive the 'nervauric' influence to the same extent, or nearly so, directly from the brain of another, simply by his placing the end of a finger on the region of a special organ upon such person. "The lady having, at the request of Dr. Buchanan, placed the ends of her index and middle fingers upon the upper part of Dr. Forry's forehead, in the region, as designated by phrenologists, of the reflective organs, and being now asked what mental emotions she experienced, replied-'I have a desire for knowledge, and particularly to know all about this subject.' Dr. Buchanan then asked her what her motive was in desiring this knowledge, to which she answered that she was influenced alone by the mere love of knowledge. Dr. Buchanan next raised her fingers so as to touch, at the same time, the region of benevolence in Dr. Forry's head, and being now interrogated as to her mental emotions, she said in reply that she still had a desire for knowledge, but that there was now a motive added to her wish for knowledge. This motive she declared to be a 'wish to do good;' that is, she desired to become acquainted with the mysteries of Neurology, with a view to be enabled to do good to her fellow-beings. Her hand was next placed in the region of Dr. Forry's self-esteem; instantly the whole tone of her manner changed. From being modest and retiring, she suddenly became bold and assuming. Jerking her hand from Dr. Forry's head, she remarked abruptly-'I do not like this sensation-I feel covetous.' To the question of Dr. Buchanan, why she felt covetous, the reply was—'I would wish to get means to make a display in the world.' Placing her hands now, at the request of Dr. Buchanan, successively on the upper fore part and on the back part of Dr. Forry's head, she described the sensation of the former as mild and more agreeable and causing ennobling feelings, whilst that of the latter was unpleasant, but imparted strength to her system-phenomena which accord with the principles laid down by Dr. Buchanan. These experiments were repeated with similar effects upon the head of Mr. Bryant; but when she came to the region of skepticism, she suddenly jerked away her hand, saying 'I feel nothing. This result, as Dr. Buchanan remarked, is a phenomenon that follows invariably. "As Dr. Buchanan's system modifies very much that of the phrenologists, it may be here mentioned that his divisions of the functions of the brain, as delineated externally on the skull by certain regions, as those of skepticism, insanity, intoxication, temperance, levity, &c., is, for the sake of convenience, adopted in these minutes by the sub-committee, without intending to express an opinion as to the accuracy of all its details. |