the Doétrine of Materialifm. 43 
fpinal marrow was equally tender, and fhrunk to 
half its natural fize. * 
An obfervation of the fame kind came under 
my own notice very lately. A_ girl died in the 
fourth month of an Arthritic complaint, with 
evident fymp'oms of an oppreffed brain, but in 
perfect poffeffion of her intellectual powers. When 
the upper part of the fkull was removed, before 
opening the Dura Mater, I was furprized at the 
flaccid appearance of the Brain; it did not feem 
to fill its Membranes, and it moved under the 
fingers with a very trifling refiftance, fo as to feel 
almoft like a poultice. We found the Ventricles 
quite full of water, and an effufion of blood upon 
the Tentorium, on the right fide. But the prin- 
cipal difeafe feemed to. be a total change in the 
confiftence and colour of the Brain, throughout. It 
would fearcely bear either handling or cutting, and 
the parts were uncommonly indifting. 
On reviewing the whole of this evidence, Iam 
difpofed to conclude, that as no part of the Brain 
appears effentially neceffary to the exiftence of the 
intellectual faculties, and as the whole of its vifible 
ftru@ure has been materially changed, without 
affecting the exercife of thofe faculties, fomething 
Fe more 
* Bonnet, Anatom, Praét. Tom. 1. p. 246. 
., t The Patient had not been dead more than twenty-four 
hours, 
