3 2o POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



responded either to the emotions or to the volitions which control them 

 in their normal state. 



The character of the anastomosis, surgically considered, will easily 

 be seen from the charts (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) ; and the unfortunate condi- 

 tion of the patient on making the effort to close his eyes is represented 

 by the accompanying photograph (Fig. 3). 



Dr. Cushing's surgery, so far as the completeness of the union 

 effected between the two nerves was concerned, seems to have been 

 unusually successful. This fact gives additional interest to the dis- 

 cussion of the results from the physiological and psychological points 

 of view. At the time of the operation, owing to the healing of the 

 injury done to the chorda tympani, the sense of taste had largely 

 returned; but 'the patient's face had become, even during repose, 

 much drawn to the left, and an effort to close the eyes would result 

 in the peculiar grimace characteristic of facial paralysis, with tilting 

 up of the eyeball,' as shown in the photograph (Fig. 3). 



Almost immediately after the operation the patient insisted that 

 his condition was improved; that he was no longer troubled with 

 lachrymation, less troubled with saliva, and better able to dislodge 

 food from his flaccid cheek. He also thought that some power of 

 motion had returned to the eyelid. The doctor urges that this last 

 symptom of improvement could only be due to the inhibitory action of 

 the muscle concerned in raising the upper eyelid ; the other ' subjective 

 assurances of improvement ' he confesses that he is at a loss to ex- 

 plain. About them it would seem we must say, either that the patient 

 was altogether mistaken, or that at least some slight nervous impulse 

 was already passing over the recently united nerve-tract? 



On the tenth day after the operation the patient was sent home, 

 provided with a small galvanic battery which he used for daily electrical 

 treatment, and was later required to exercise the facial muscles per- 

 sistently before a mirror. From this time on a fairly steady improve- 

 ment was noticeable, beginning with the decrease in the asymmetrical 

 appearance of the face while at rest, the lessening of the cleft be- 

 tween the eyelids; and ending with the more and more highly 

 differentiated voluntary control of the facial muscles and even with 

 the partial recovery of their response to the varied forms of emotional 

 excitement. On the ninety-fifth day the patient reported that, while 

 galvanizing the muscles and at the same time watching his face in a 

 mirror, he noticed to his surprise, on moving his shoulder, that he 

 could produce considerable contraction in the paralyzed muscles. As 

 he expressed it : ' When I wish to laugh straight, I can help it out 

 with my shoulder.' 



A more particular description of this patient's condition at only 

 two points of time subsequently will be quite sufficient for my purpose. 



