文章简介

书名：The Project Gutenberg EBook of The American Journal of Dental Science,

Vol. XIX. No. 6. Oct. 1885, 作者：Various

简介：There is an invariable law by which means mind acts on matter, and it

is my purpose, in this paper, to briefly elucidate what I have learned

by reading, observation and experience on the subject. The great

advantage of meeting in council is an increase in knowledge on all

subjects in any way relating to our profession. We have many things yet

to learn that will be, when known, of great benefit to both ourselves

and the public.

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most

other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions

whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of

the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at

www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have

to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.

Title: The American Journal of Dental Science, Vol. XIX. No. 6. Oct. 1885

Author: Various

Editor: F. J. S Gorgas

Release Date: August 26, 2019 [EBook #60187]

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN JOURNAL--DENTAL SCIENCE, OCT 1885 ***

Produced by Jwala Kumar Sista and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was

produced from images generously made available by The

Internet Archive)

+Transcriber's Notes+

1. Typos have been silently corrected.

2. Variations of spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.

3. The text version is coded for italics and the like mark-ups i.e.,

(a) italics are indicated thus _italic_; (b) small-caps are indicated

thus CAPS; (c) Single image is indicated as [Illustration:]

4. One footnote moved to the end of book.

* * * * *

[Illustration: "cover-page"]

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL

OF

DENTAL SCIENCE

VOL. XIX. THIRD SERIES.--OCTOBER 1885. No. 6.

ARTICLE I.

NERVOUS ENERGY.

BY DR. E. PARSONS, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

[Read before the Georgia State Dental Society, May, 1885.]

GENTLEMEN--The subject I have chosen for your consideration at this,

our Annual Meeting, is "Nervous Energy, how Actuated, and its Varied

Phenomena." No one can question the importance of knowing all that can

be known about it.

There is an invariable law by which means mind acts on matter, and it

is my purpose, in this paper, to briefly elucidate what I have learned

by reading, observation and experience on the subject. The great

advantage of meeting in council is an increase in knowledge on all

subjects in any way relating to our profession. We have many things yet

to learn that will be, when known, of great benefit to both ourselves

and the public.

Science demands a full and free investigation of all or any causative

principle by which life is manifested, or death produced. So long as we

draw our conclusions only from appearances, we shall often be deceived

in a correct diagnosis; consequently often fail to cure diseases that

come within the legitimate bounds of our specialty.

Proper remuneration for our services are absolutely necessary for the

respectable maintainance of ourselves and those dependent on us; but

our best men are laboring unweariedly in their endeavor to elevate our

standard throughout the world, but particularly in our own country, and

this Society can do much to help them in their onward march, developing

all possible improvements in Scientific Dentistry.

Again, we all have a full consciousness of three things--we love,

we think, we act. But few have a scientific knowledge of the means

employed by which mind acts on matter. There are such varied forms and

circumstances controlling its development, that we need not marvel

at anything that comes within the sphere of our observation. As we

are brought face to face with almost every possible condition of

the nervous system, our opportunities for investigating the various

manifestations of nervous energy, its source and supply, may we not

equal any other specialty in solving the great problem of cause and

effect manifesting nervous energy? As the brain is the seat of all

sensation, I briefly present some of the best authenticated views

of its organization. I think you all will agree with me that it is

wonderfully constructed by Infinite Wisdom for the development of the

finite mind. In the elucidation of my subject, let us not forget the

fact that the blood has much to do with the various conditions of

the nervous system. It holds, or should contain in solution, all the

elements necessary for the growth and sustenance of every organ in the

body; it is both a receiver and a giver; it is fed from what we eat and

drink, without which it cannot perform the office intended.

THE BRAIN.

The brain is divided by the septum into two lobes, right and left

sides; also, into the cerebrum and the cerebellum, front and back

sides. Phrenologists divide the lobes into about forty convolutions,

assign to each a distinct office, and by careful observation of each as

to their development, profess to know individual character, and point

out what kind of occupation one, by nature, is best fitted for.

In 1840, Dr. Sherwood, of New York, by ingenious experiments,

demonstrated the fact that the brain has four large poles, two in the

cerebrum and two in the cerebellum, and from these proceed not only the

convolutions, but every nerve in the body. By these, and experiments

in animal magnetism, he maintained that animal magnetism is the motive

power of the human system, and without it there can be no connection

between mind and matter.

In the Fall of 1844, I invited several of our most eminent physicians

to meet me at my office to witness some experiments in magnetism. My

subject for demonstration was a young man of unimpeachable character,

twenty-three years of age. My visitors were very skeptical on the

subject of magnetism. There had been some public exhibitions, but the

result did not satisfy them.

I said, as the science of phrenology is ridiculed by some, I wished

first to exhibit each convolution of the brain, in a state of

exaltation, while he is as wide awake as we are. To prevent any

suspicion of collusion, I handed them a chart containing the names of

the different convolutions of the brain, and requested them to write on

paper any question or the name of the organ, for me to excite.

The first paper had on it mirth. I placed the point of my finger over

the organ, and he immediately broke out into an uncontrollable fit of

laughter. I passed off the influence and he instantly became calm. They

asked him what he laughed at. He said he did not know; he could not

help it.

The second paper had on it veneration. I excited the organ, and he

immediately bowed his head and assumed the attitude of the most zealous

pietist, and appeared to be in earnest prayer.

The next paper had on it music. I excited the organ, and he immediately

commenced singing with as much earnestness as if his life depended on

it.

The next paper had on it combativeness. I excited the organ; he

immediately doubled his fist and pitched into an imaginary enemy in the

most vigorous manner possible.

Not to take up too much space in this paper, I will only add, we went

through with about twenty of the organs with equally marked results,

which both pleased and astonished my friends. They said they now

thought there was much more truth in the science of phrenology than

they had supposed possible. I then said you have seen the effect of

so-called animal magnetism; I will now exhibit a different phase of

it. I magnetized him in the usual way, and said he is now as oblivious

to all external impressions as if his five senses had no existence.

Examine him and satisfy yourselves.

After a thorough examination, Dr. Richardson said he believed he could

cut off his leg and he would not feel it. I demagnetized him, which

restored him to full consciousness. They questioned him about it. He

said he did not remember anything done in that state. They then said

if it was practicable it would be a good thing in surgical operations.

They thanked me for the pleasure of witnessing the experiments, and

retired.

To understand the different nervous conditions of patients is of vast

importance to both dentists and physicians. This cannot be attained

without close observation and experience. If the nervous temperament of

a patient is known, we shall have a key to guide us in our treatment in

every individual case. Temperament is usually divided into six distinct

classes:

1st. Nervous bilious; 2d. Nervous sanguine; 3d. Nervous lymphatic; 4th.

Bilious nervous; 5th. Sanguine nervous; 6th. Lymphatic nervous.

You have doubtless observed a difference in the quality of human teeth.

We usually find the best in the nervous bilious temperament, and the

poorest in the lymphatic nervous. Viciated tastes and habits do not

change the shape of the teeth when once formed, but their quality.

Science demands discrimination under varied circumstances; it is not

possible to treat all alike, and be equally successful. I shall refer

to this again below.

I now present you with a few incidents in practice which may serve as a

basis for a better elucidation of my subject:

1st. In the Fall of 1835, I was called to see a gentleman at eight

P. M., represented to be suffering greatly, and unable to come to my

office. I was introduced to a large man walking the floor in great

agony. Seating him in a chair, I found the left side of the face

swollen; a purple colored spot over the antrum; the first molar on the

left upper jaw filled with gold; tooth firm, but evidently devitalized.

I diagnosed the trouble to be abscess in the antrum. I extracted the

tooth; he sprung out of the chair and dropped on the floor, face

downwards, and quivered like an ox struck on the head with an ax. I

used cold water freely to his head, and soon brought him to; placed

him back in the chair; made a free passage through the front labial

socket into the antrum, and the pus flowed freely. He then laid down

on the bed much relieved; gave him a half grain of opium; waited about

twenty minutes and injected the antrum with warm green tea; directed

his head to be kept cool with cloths wet with cold water; left him with

a promise to call again in a few hours; called again about three P.

M.; was told he had been sleeping several hours; I injected the antrum

with a weak solution of nitrate of silver; saw him the next morning and

again injected the antrum with a much stronger solution of nitrate of

silver; the swollen cheek appeared almost natural; said if he needed my

service any more to come to my office. About a week later he called on

me; brought me a sack; said a few hours before that he blowed it out

through the left nostril; it was about one and a fourth-inch long, and

about the size of an ordinary goose-quill; it was soft with a leathery

like appearance; said he was all right; paid his bill; have not seen

him since.

2d. In September, 1836, I was called by a physician to see his wife. He

said she was suffering terribly from facial neuralgia, and thought it

was caused by a tooth. She was in her eighth month of pregnancy. He had

applied the usual remedies, which gave no relief. I examined her teeth;

found both the third-molars on upper jaw decayed, and on slightly

tapping them with the handle of an instrument, the pain was greatly

increased. He said he was afraid of the consequences, in her state, of

having the teeth extracted. I told him nothing else would give relief.

She said take them out, it cannot be worse than I am now suffering. I

parted the gums from the teeth with a lance; I had barely completed

this part of the operation when she fainted; her mouth was open; I

took my forceps and extracted both teeth; brought her head forward to

prevent the blood running down her throat; we soon brought her back

to consciousness, and the first thing she said was: "I cannot have

them out." Her husband said: "Darling, they are both out." She said,

"Are they? I did not feel it; I am so glad; the pain is all gone." The

Doctor said to me--"You are a bold man: I would have stopped you if

I could, but you was too quick for me." I afterwards learned that no

serious result followed the operation.

3d. In August, 1856, a young lady, aged about twenty, came to my office

at eight o'clock A. M. Temperament nervous, lymphatic. Said she had not

slept a wink all night. Her face was pale, hands cold, pulse feeble.

Said she had a mortal dread of having a tooth extracted. I put my

mouth-mirror into her mouth for examination, and saw the tooth caused

the trouble. In an instant she fainted. I took my forceps and extracted

the tooth, used restoratives and soon brought her to. The first thing

she said was--"I cannot have it out." I showed her the tooth. She said:

"Oh! I am so glad I did not feel it;" and left the office laughing

about it.

4th. In the Fall of 1858 a lady called to have the two upper front

incisors filled. She appeared to be middle-aged, and apparently in good

health. On examination, the teeth were very close together--not badly

decayed, but must be separated for sufficient room to enable me to do

the work properly. Our only means, then, was either wedging or filing

them. I filed about one quarter of what was necessary, and she fainted.

I then filed as rapidly as possible while she was unconscious, and

completed this part of the operation, and used restoratives, and soon

brought her to. I gave her a glass of wine, and completed the operation

without further trouble.

5th. In the Fall of 1874, a lady called to have a tooth extracted.