From the 'Unconscious to the Conscious 



Finally, all psychological faculties arise from clear 

 and definable cerebral localities. The destruction of 

 one of these centres extinguishes the corresponding 

 faculty. 



Such is the classical teaching so long considered 

 unquestionable, and generally unquestioned. Neverthe- 

 less serious difficulties have recently arisen and forced 

 themselves on our attention. 



3. FACTS OF NORMAL PSYCHOLOGY AT ISSUE WITH THE 



THESIS OF PARALLELISM 



In the first place the parallelism, analysed by the 

 light of new facts does not seem so close as was thought; 

 the attempts at cerebral localisation which promised 

 so well, have been checked if not ended. The work of 

 Pierre Marie, and the thesis of Moutier have proved 

 that the best established localisation, that of speech in 

 the third frontal on the left side is not rigidly correct. 

 Speech, like all other functions, requires that several 

 centres should work together. 



Certain pathological cases have proved that the 

 excision of large portions of the brain in the very parts 

 which were thought essential, may be followed by no 

 grave psychic disturbance, and no restriction of per- 

 sonality. 



Here is an abstract of the principal cases, quoted 

 from the Annales des Sciences Psychiques of Jan., 1917.* 



' M. Edmond Perrier brought before the French 

 Academy of Sciences at the session of December 

 22nd, 1913, the case observed by Dr R. Robinson; 

 of a man who lived a year, nearly without pain, and 

 without any mental disturbance, with a brain reduced 

 to pulp by a huge purulent abscess. In July, 1914, 



1 Summary by M. de Vesme. 

 7 8 



