140 SENSE OF TOUCH. 



organization of the soft parts of the hand alone concerns the sense of 

 touch directly. The other advantages, which it possesses, relate to 

 the power of applying it under the guidance of volition. 



Of the mode in which touch is effected it is not necessary to treat. 

 Being nothing more than tact, exerted by an appropriate instrument, 

 the physiology of the two must be identical. 



Metaphysicians have differed widely regarding the services that ought 

 to be attributed to the touch. Some have greatly exaggerated them, 

 considering it the sense par excellence, the first of the senses. It is an 

 ancient notion to ascribe the superiority of man over animals and his 

 pre-eminence in the universe his intelligence, in short to the hand. 

 Anaxagoras asserted, and Helvetius 1 revived the idea, "that man is the 

 wisest of animals because he possesses hands." The notion has been 

 embraced, and expanded by Condillac, 2 Buffon, 3 and many modern phy- 

 siologists and metaphysicians. Buffon assigned so much importance 

 to the touch, that he believed the cause why one person has more intel- 

 lect than another is his having made a more prompt and repeated use 

 of his hands from early infancy. Hence, he recommended, that infants 

 should use them freely from the moment of birth. Other metaphysi- 

 cians have considered the hand the source of mechanical capabilities ; 

 but the same answer applies to all these views. It can only be re- 

 garded as an instrument by which information of particular kinds is 

 conveyed to the brain; and by which other functions are executed, 

 under the direction of the will. The idiot often has the sense more 

 delicate than the man of genius or than the best mechanician, whilst 

 the most ingenious artists have by no means the most delicate touch. 

 We have, indeed, some striking cases to show, that the hand is not en- 

 titled to this extravagant commendation. Not many years ago, a Miss 

 Biffin was exhibited in London, who was totally devoid of upper and 

 lower extremities; yet she was unusually intelligent and ingenious. It 

 was surprising to observe the facility with which she hem-stitched; 

 turning the needle with the greatest rapidity in her mouth, and insert- 

 ing it by means of the teeth. She painted miniatures faithfully, and 

 beautifully ; holding the pencil between her head and neck. All her 

 motions were, in fact, confined to the tongue and lips, and to the muscles 

 of the neck. M. Magendie 4 alludes to a similar case. He says, that 

 there was, in Paris, at the time he wrote, a young artist, who had no signs 

 of arm, forearm, or hand, and whose feet had one toe less than usual, 

 the second; yet his intelligence was in no respect inferior to that of 

 boys of his age ; and he even gave indications of distinguished ability. 

 He sketched and painted with his feet. Not many years ago, a Miss 

 Honeywell, born without arms, travelled about this country. She had 

 acquired so much dexterity in the use of the scissors, as to be able, by 

 holding them in her mouth, to cut likenesses, watch-papers, flowers, &c. 

 She also wrote, drew, and executed all kinds of needlework with the 

 utmost ease and despatch. How fatal are such authentic examples to 

 the views of Helvetius and others! 



1 De 1'Homme, &c., torn. i. 2 Traite des Sensations, P. i. 



3 Histoire Naturelle, torn. vi. 4 Precis Elementaire, 2de edit., i. 154, Paris, 1825. 



