DEVELOPMENT OF BRAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 6

DEVELOPMENT OF BRAIN.

LOWER TYPES UP TO MAN.

SEAT OF INTELLIGENCE.

LOCALISING TROUBLE AREAS. “The greater the development of the forepart of the brain, and its control areas, the greater the intelligence of the human being concerned,” said Dr. S. V. Sewell, of Melbourne, in lecturing on “Cerebral Tumour,” before a general meeting of the Medical Conference at Auckland. • Dr. Sewell showed a series of excellent lantern slides, illustrating the development of the brain. He traced its development through the lower types, such as amphibians, to the mammalians. There occurred, for the first time, in the mammkl, an area of brain substance set apart for the storage of impressions of sense, such as taste and smell. 'When the animal assumed the upright position in the ascent of the scale towards man, there was an increase in the storage capacity coincident with the growth of intelligence. In the higher apes there was a welldeveloped area in the posterior part of the brain, on the surface. MTien the human brain was reached, this area had extended further and occupies the greater part of the back of the brain. In human beings there were large control areas in the front part of the brain, which were more highly developed than any other part of the brain. In proportion to the development of this particular part of the\brain, so was the development of the intelligence of the human being concerned. There was a tremendous difference in this development. In mental defectives this portion of \the brain was small, and illdeveloped compared with normal individuals. \ Dr. Sewell proceeded to apply his remarks on the anatomy of the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumour. By means of special he said, it was possible accurately to localise cerebral tumours, so that the surgeon could, with confidence, decide upon the exact area of the skull through which his operation could give most ready access to the tumour.

Mr. W. A. Fairclough, of Auckland, dealt with eye symptoms associated with brain tumours. He illustrated the usual symptoms by means of beautiful lantern-, slides, and discussed some of the more intricate questions arising out of them, particularly from the point of view of diagnosis. The danger of incomplete operation was emphasised in a paper by Mr. L. A. Spedding. Auckland. In certain eases of brain tumour he advocated bilateral operation, and emphasised the desirability of early operation in order to obviate damage to the brain arising from tumours becoming irremediable. Dr. Francis P. Emerson, of Boston. U.S.A., referred to the association of ear disease and brain abscess, and the differentiation of the latter from cerebral tumour. He spoke particularly of ) the work of Dr. Harvey Cushing, the | famous American brain surgeon, and , went on to say that just as the findings ’ of the ophthalmic surgeon were required I in the exact diagnosis of brain tumour, the services of oral surgery were equally helpful in certain eases.