[ 161 ^"^ 



XXV. On Injuries of the Brain, 



To Mr. TillocL 



Sir, In the last Numi)er of your Magazine, there is a very 

 interesting case recorded of considerable derangement of 

 tlie structure of tlie brain, thoracic and abdominal viscera.* 

 — The former it is my intention particularly to advert to. 



The person in whom this disease (tumours in the me- 

 dullary substance of the brain) existed, is noticed to have 

 been an acute reasoner, a man of good understanding : — in 

 short, to use the author's own words, ** distinguished for 

 the facility with which he could converse upon most sub* 

 jects ; and reasoned so closely that his intellectual powers 

 were generally regarded as of a superior kind.'' 



Lately I exaanned the brain of a person who died of in- 

 sanity. It was a fesnalc between Co and 70 years of age, 

 who, as far as I could learn, had been deranged for some 

 considerable time (at least 10 years) ; but, as I had not an 

 opportunity of seeing her whilst alive, cannot distinctly say 

 of what species : — ouffice it to observe, it was of the raving 

 kind. 



. Upon removuig the calvaria (or upper part of the cra- 

 nium), and raising the dura mater. I discovered the tunica 

 arachnoides to be very opake ; I could easily distinguish it 

 upon the superior surface of the brain, which cannot be 

 done with facility in the natural state, or where no disease 

 is prfsent. The vessels of the pia mater were loaded with 

 blood, but no effusion was apparent between the mem- ' 

 branes. Upon separating the hemispheres to observe the 

 corpus callosunii I found the arterial callosse considerably 

 enlarged, and in that state which precedes ossification, and 

 there was no appearance of raphe. 1 then proceeded to 

 remove part of the left hemisphere, in order more readily to 

 examine the ventricles; in doing which I nearly cut through 

 the whole of a tumour, which 1 found to be situated partly 

 in the cineritiou's and partly in the medullary substance of 

 the brain, opposite to ihe temporal fossa. 



The tumour was about the size of a half-crown piece, 

 and somewhat of that shape, though inclining to oval; it 

 was of a granulated appearance, liighly vascular, and around 

 the edge presented a dark blue colour; it was in structure 

 precisely similar to those (for I had an opportunity of ex^ 

 amining them in the recent state) described by Mr. Taun- 

 ton ; — there was an artery entering at the outer sicle which 

 was in a state of ossification. 



Vol. 33. No. 143. March 1810. L It 



