The Origin and Nature of Emotions [36]
for more than five minutes. This time limit is a safeguard against permanent injury from the temporary hypotension which causes one to faint. If the hemorrhage be long continued and the blood-pressure be low, there will be a permanent loss of some of the brain-cells. This explains why an individual who has suffered from a prolonged hemorrhage will never again be restored to his original powers.
Drugs.--According to their effect upon the brain-cells, drugs may be divided into three classes: First, those that stimulate the brain-cells to increased activity, as strychnin (Fig. 37); second, those that chemically destroy the brain-cells, as alcohol and iodoform (Figs. 38 and 39); third, those that suspend the functions of the cells without damaging them, as nitrous oxid, ether, morphin. Our experiments have shown that the brain-cell changes induced by drugs of the first class are precisely the same as the cycle of changes produced by the emotions and by physical activity. We have found that strychnin, according to the dosage, causes convulsions ending in exhaustion and death; excitation followed by lassitude; stimulation without notable after-results; or
{illust. caption = A, Section of Cerebellum of Normal Dog. C, Section of Cerebellum of Dog after Repeated Doses of Strychnin. FIG. 37.-- BRAIN-CELLS SHOWING STAGE OF HYPERCHROMATISM FOLLOWED BY CHROMATOLYSIS RESULTING FROM THE CONTINUATION OF THE STIMULUS. (Camera lucida drawings.)increased mental tone; while the brain-cells accurately display these physiologic alterations in proportional hyperchromatism in the active stages, and proportional chromatolysis in the stages of reaction. The biologic and therapeutic application of this fact is as obvious as it is important.
In our experiments, alcohol in large and repeated dosage caused marked morphologic changes in the brain-cells which went as far even as the destruction of some of the cells (Fig. 39). Ether, on the other hand, even after five hours of administration, produced no observable destructive changes in the brain-cells.
The effect of iodoform was peculiarly interesting, as it was the only drug that produced a rise of temperature. Its observed effect upon the brain-cells was that of wide-spread destruction.
Infections.--In every observation regarding the effect of pyogenic infections on dogs and on man we found that they caused definite and demonstrable lesions in certain cells of the nervous system, the most marked changes being in the cortex and the cerebellum (Fig. 40). For example, in fatal infections resulting from bowel obstruction, in peritonitis, and in osteomyelitis, the real lesion is in the brain-cells. We may, therefore, reasonably conclude that the lassitude, the diminished mental power, the excitability, irritability, restlessness, delirium, and unconsciousness which may be associated with acute infections, are due to physical changes in the brain-cells.
Graves' Disease.--In Graves' disease the brain-cells show marked changes which are apparently the same as those produced by overwork, by the emotions, and by strychnin. In the postmortem examination of one advanced case it was found that a large number of brain-cells were disintegrated beyond the power of recuperation, even had the patient lived. This is undoubtedly the reason why a severe case of exophthalmic goiter sustains a permanent loss of brain power.
Insomnia.--The brains of rabbits which had been kept awake for one hundred hours showed precisely the same changes as those shown in physical fatigue, strychnin poisoning, and exhaustion from emotional stimulation. Eight hours of continuous sleep restored all the cells except those that had been completely exhausted. This will explain the permanent ill effect of long-continued insomnia; that is, long-continued insomnia permanently destroys a part of the brain-cells just as do too great physical exertion, certain drugs, emotional strain, exophthalmic goiter, and hemorrhage. We found, however, that if, instead of natural sleep, the rabbits were placed for the same number
Drugs.--According to their effect upon the brain-cells, drugs may be divided into three classes: First, those that stimulate the brain-cells to increased activity, as strychnin (Fig. 37); second, those that chemically destroy the brain-cells, as alcohol and iodoform (Figs. 38 and 39); third, those that suspend the functions of the cells without damaging them, as nitrous oxid, ether, morphin. Our experiments have shown that the brain-cell changes induced by drugs of the first class are precisely the same as the cycle of changes produced by the emotions and by physical activity. We have found that strychnin, according to the dosage, causes convulsions ending in exhaustion and death; excitation followed by lassitude; stimulation without notable after-results; or
{illust. caption = A, Section of Cerebellum of Normal Dog. C, Section of Cerebellum of Dog after Repeated Doses of Strychnin. FIG. 37.-- BRAIN-CELLS SHOWING STAGE OF HYPERCHROMATISM FOLLOWED BY CHROMATOLYSIS RESULTING FROM THE CONTINUATION OF THE STIMULUS. (Camera lucida drawings.)increased mental tone; while the brain-cells accurately display these physiologic alterations in proportional hyperchromatism in the active stages, and proportional chromatolysis in the stages of reaction. The biologic and therapeutic application of this fact is as obvious as it is important.
In our experiments, alcohol in large and repeated dosage caused marked morphologic changes in the brain-cells which went as far even as the destruction of some of the cells (Fig. 39). Ether, on the other hand, even after five hours of administration, produced no observable destructive changes in the brain-cells.
The effect of iodoform was peculiarly interesting, as it was the only drug that produced a rise of temperature. Its observed effect upon the brain-cells was that of wide-spread destruction.
Infections.--In every observation regarding the effect of pyogenic infections on dogs and on man we found that they caused definite and demonstrable lesions in certain cells of the nervous system, the most marked changes being in the cortex and the cerebellum (Fig. 40). For example, in fatal infections resulting from bowel obstruction, in peritonitis, and in osteomyelitis, the real lesion is in the brain-cells. We may, therefore, reasonably conclude that the lassitude, the diminished mental power, the excitability, irritability, restlessness, delirium, and unconsciousness which may be associated with acute infections, are due to physical changes in the brain-cells.
Graves' Disease.--In Graves' disease the brain-cells show marked changes which are apparently the same as those produced by overwork, by the emotions, and by strychnin. In the postmortem examination of one advanced case it was found that a large number of brain-cells were disintegrated beyond the power of recuperation, even had the patient lived. This is undoubtedly the reason why a severe case of exophthalmic goiter sustains a permanent loss of brain power.
Insomnia.--The brains of rabbits which had been kept awake for one hundred hours showed precisely the same changes as those shown in physical fatigue, strychnin poisoning, and exhaustion from emotional stimulation. Eight hours of continuous sleep restored all the cells except those that had been completely exhausted. This will explain the permanent ill effect of long-continued insomnia; that is, long-continued insomnia permanently destroys a part of the brain-cells just as do too great physical exertion, certain drugs, emotional strain, exophthalmic goiter, and hemorrhage. We found, however, that if, instead of natural sleep, the rabbits were placed for the same number