XII.

THE PAIN-LULLER.

Vivisection.

“Cause not pain, lest you yourselves be afflicted.”

From a small pet-bird of pink and green plumage, called in our language the Nebo, is extracted an electricity known as the “Pain-luller.”

The preparations previously used, though very serviceable, did not fulfil all requisites, and they so seriously suspended the vital action, that the patient often died in consequence.  By means of the “pain-luller” vivisection and the most difficult surgical operations can be performed safely and painlessly, without any part of the system being affected by the action of the “pain-luller,” with the exception of the nerves of sensation.  We knew that the feeling of pain in animals depends on the action of a particular set of nerves.  When this pain-lulling electricity is introduced into body, it is attracted to the nerves of sensation, and the sense of feeling remains suspended during several hours, whilst the other nerves and muscles—­as, indeed, all the rest of the organization—­continue to perform their functions as in their normal state.

VIVISECTION.

In vivisection the animal’s eyes are bandaged, so that he does not even know what is going on, but is free from pain, whilst all the springs of action, with the one exception, remain in their normal state.  This would not be the case if the animal suffered from acute pain and terror during the operation.  The continued energy of the functions is thought essential to the complete success of the operation, whether on the human frame or in vivisection.

HOW DISCOVERED.

The efficacy of the “pain-luller” was discovered by an accident.  A little girl carrying a pet Nebo was knocked down, and the wheel of a chariot passed over her legs.  In a convulsive effort to save her pet, the child pressed it to her bosom with so much force that she broke, the bird’s skin.  When the people ran to her assistance, and lifted her up, they found that both her legs were broken.  To the surprise of all, she did not cry, but only asked to be taken to her mother, and continued to press the bird to her breast.  From kindness, those near wished to take away the bird, but the girl would not loose her hold.

The doctors were astonished; for the severity of the fractures would ordinarily have caused acute pain, more particularly during the setting of the bones.  The child, however, though quite conscious of what was passing, did not suffer in the least, but continued to pet her little bird.

After many experiments, my scientific men found that this entire absence of pain was due to the Nebo’s electricity, which had escaped by the breaking of its skin.  This electricity, attracted by the nerves of sensation, had entered the child’s body when she pressed the pet convulsively to her bosom, the seat of great sensibility.  The electricity only suspended the sense of feeling, but did not affect any other part of the child’s system.