The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-09-21
HR r N OF. OGY -.

companylng remarks, Is extracted rom oE"ALL
''Eraniner Of Phrenology," the second edition.
just from the Boston press. The case appears
to make very strongly against the doctrine OF The
localzalion of the faculties of The minds as taught
by phrenoogy:
The idea that the brain is composed OF plural
ity of organs, and that each has its own approprl-
ate functions, has elected every argument which
could be brought TO its support. TO sustain the
proposition, volumes have been written, expert
ments have been made, all the records of medi-
cine and surgery have been ransacked in pursuit
of facts.
If the brain be composed of a plurality of or
gans, as represented by the figured head, each of
which is the seat of separate faculty, it necessa-
rily follows, that, when any one of these organs
is injured or destroyed lis faculty must be injured
or destroyed Also
Yet, in all the mutilations of the brain to
which man has been subjected for two thousand
years, it appears that the records of surgery do
not furnish single authenticated case in
which the loss of particular faculty has hap
pened according TO the organ on which the injury
was inflicted, while the other faculties renamed
unimpaired.
We learn, from the researches of Halter, DR..
Terrier, and numerous others, that vast variety
of cases are recorded in which large portions Of
many parts of the head as to dispose OF nearly all
the chronological organs in turn, and that not a
single case has happened Of such partial destrnc-
ton of intellect, as must have occurred if the
doctrine of separate organs be true; and we can
hardly find surgeon who has not met with cases
in his practice, where portions of the brain have
been destroyed by wounds, the consequences
of which fully confirm the statement of these
writers.
In many of these eases, blindness and deafness
have been produced, motion and sensation destroy
ed, and all the intellectual faculties suspended !;
but there has not been destruction of particu-
lar faculty of the mind while its othnr powers
have remained untouched. How, then, can it be
after the lapse Of so many ages that there are no
facts of this description to confirm the doctrines
of phrenology Certainly it cannot be for want
OF an opportunity for observation.
TO say nothing of the accidents of private le
there is scarcely naval or military battle in
which cases of injury of the chronological or
gans not met with in abundance; and yet the
science derives no support from this source.
The following case, If there were no other on
record, would be sufficient to overthrow the idea
OF plurality of cerebral organs, each limited to
its appropriate functions, held by phrenologsts.
1t occurred in the practice of an eminent physician
of Ohio, and was communicated by him to Pro-
fessor Dungson, Philadelp hia by whom it has
been published in the American Medical Intelli-
gencer for April, 1887, work edited by that dis
tinguished author:
Case Of fatal disorganization of the brain, scifh
out corresponding derangem of The intellect
ual and moral acts. By G.. ~. Boerstler, of
Lancaster, Ohio.
LANCASTER, Ono SEPT. 3, 1885.
DEAR SIR: Having leisure, take the liberty
of furnishing you with the facts of case, which,
to me, are OF deep concern, and are not devoid of
interest to the Psychologist and pathologist. 1
transcrbe from my note book as follows: In
August, 1888, was called to see William Miller,
a lad about eleven years old he had Just receiv-
ed kick from newly-shod horse, which fractur-
Ell the right superior portion of the os fronts,
and the anterior portion Of the right parietal
bone. During the operation Of removing the
fractured bones, found one portion, an inch and
half long, of an irregular form. driven into the
right anterior lobe of the cerebrum to the depth of
an inch on removing it about, about table
spoonful of brain was discharged. The piece Of
bone, having IFS edges serrated, and being driven
from before backwards, necessarily produced a
very great laceration of the mennges. The COM
mon lnteguments over the fracture were much con-
fused and laceraied and soughed in the course of
Anew day leaving exposed very considerable por-
ton Of the skull and brain. moulded to the
convexity Of the Uranium, wet pasteboards, and
then saturated them with albumen, which, when
dry, gave them considerable irmness these
confined with the double roller. looked
upon these precautionary measures as important
for feared hernia cerebri; four days gave reality
to these fears. Hernia came on but, after, six
days perseverance, | succeeded in preventing
any further protruson. There was no compress
sion, save by the fractured pieces, which were
readily removed. The boys faculties we're not
destroyed, but there was some intellectual con-
fusion from the time of the injury, during the
operation, and for two hours after; from aohich
time he recovered every faculty Of tie mind, and
they continued rigorous for sic veeks, and TO
uithin one hour Of his death which took place
on me- orty-third day. During all this period,
there was little apparent arrangement in any
of the organs. except slight irritative fever,
which supervened sixteen days after the injury,
and continued to the termination of the case. So
slight was this fever, that, in despite of all en-
treaties, the patient sat up every day, and fire.
quently walked to the window and Withdrew the
curtain, in oder 10 see the boys play in the streets,
in which he took deep interest-frequenly laugh
at heir e.. T