Experimental Study of a Case of Insensitivity to Pain

The long history of scientific investigation of pain has revolved around the question of whether it may be established as a separate sense modality, mediated through nerve structures separate from those which mediate other sensations such as touch, pressure, heat and cold. The viewpoint that pain may be so established has been represented historically by Von Frey. It has been traditionally opposed by Goldscheider, who looked upon pain as a non-specific sense, which could be mediated through tactile nerves from intensive summation of their excitations. […]