THE “FUNNY-BONE.”

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VII, Issue 67, 12 September 1901, Page 2

THE “FUNNY-BONE.”

Everybody is familiar with the disagreesble sensation in the finger-tips known as a “ knock on the funny-bone.” In reality it is not a bone at all that causes the curious tingling, but an important nerve (the ulnar) wbioh ruos down the arm. It is for the most part deep-seated iu the flesh, but near the back of the elbow it lies close to the under-Burface of the skin. When this is accidentally struck the nerve conveys the impression to the brain. But it happens that sensations brought by the ulnar nerve are those usually which ha.ve been caused at its ends, the finger-tips ; and the brain obstinately refuses to believe that any message can possibly come along the telcgraph-wiro of the nerve except from the rpgular stations. So when the knock is experienced and the message received, the brain refers it* as having come from the termini of the line instead of from somewhere mid-way, and despite the aotual fact, assures us that it is our fingers that aro tiagling, and not our elbow. In the same way soldiers who have lost their legs sometimes say they feel a pain in their toes. What is happening is that the remainder of the nerve that used to go to the toes is b, ing affected, and the brain (which is the real and only seat of all pain) cannot account for the sensation excent as comimr from the absent foot.