407 
MR. CHERRY’S REPLY TO MR. OLDEN. 
to convey. So far in simple comment : but there is something 
which looks very much like careless reading in the latter half of 
the second paragraph in Mr. Olden’s letter. I must beg of that 
gentleman to re-peruse the two communications from Mr. Hender- 
son and myself. 
Our remarks upon the “ mind not being affected ” seem to be 
viewed with astonishment, as if it was entirely out of all reason ; 
but so far from it, it is a correct division of the powers of the 
brain into the pure and innate or living action, and the controlling 
power over that action ; or, in other words, the difference between 
IN sanity and sanity, or half-drunk and dead-drunk. This con- 
dition of brain and its powers must never be lost sight of, as upon 
this depends the varied degrees of action, not only of ether, but 
also of many other medicinal agents. 
Mr. Olden has confounded these two powers or functions with 
each other ; for though we in colloquial language use lost or out of 
the mind for being in a state of insanity, yet it is a modern figure 
of speech, the old really expressive and strictly true phrase was 
“ out of his wits;” for were the mind to be really gone, death 
must ensue; but where the influence of a depressing agent is 
carried too far, or exists for too long a time, then there will be 
such a prostration of the innate or structural power itself as to put 
on the appearance of the loss of “ mind.” Carry this but ever so 
little too far, and death will inevitably ensue. 
I have long meditated some observations in connexion with 
the physiological developments of the brain and its subsidiary 
systems — a subject which has been left in undeserved oblivion — 
and shall embrace the first opportunity to lay them before the 
public. 
With regard to the apparatus used and invented by Mr. Olden, 
I have no fault to find, so far as it goes ; but in the earlier ex- 
periments we used an instrument de-facto its counterpart, and 
almost a “ vrai-semblance,” and in the last experiment we em- 
ployed an instrument very much more perfect in its construction, 
both for the introduction and expulsion of common air, an in- 
strument constructed by the late ingenious and talented Mr. Read; 
and so perfect was its action, that twelve ounces of ether were 
converted into vapour and passed off with the current of air, with 
the exception of a small corner of the lowest piece of sponge, in 
which about a drachm of ether might remain: the other parts were 
to the hand completely dry. The principal fault in the instrument — 
and which is recorded — was from the small size of the receiver not 
allowing a sufficient quantity of ether to be introduced at one 
time : this was so slight a defect, that had the inventor had health 
it would have been remedied with ease. In six experiments 
