New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-04
RULOFF,S HEAD.
Examination of the Brain-Thickness OIL
the SkuIl-Digging for the BODY.

the Skull-Digging for the Body.
From the Binghampton republican, May r.
The work of dissecting Ruloff's head was
so tar completed this morning as to enable
those having it IN charge to ascertain the
weight of his brain. The brain weighed
fifty-nine ounces, being nine and nan or
ten ounces heavier than the average weight.
The heaviest brain ever weighed was tnat
of Cuyier, the French naturalist, when is
given bv some authorities at slxty-hve
ounces, and bv some at siXty-fOur ounces.
The brain of Daniel Webster (partly estlm-
ated on account of portion being DESTROYED
by disease weighed sixty-fOur ounces. The
brain of DR.. AmbercrObie, OF Scotland,
weighed sixty-four ounces. The average
weight of mems brain is about fifty ounces;
the maximum weight sixty-ive tCuvlers 81,
and the minimum weight tidiotso twenty
ounces. AS an average the lower portion
of the brain (cerebellum) is to the upper
portion tcerebrum) as i is to $40.
The lower, brute portion, OF Rullof
brain and the mechanical powers were IN
usually large. The upper portion OF the
brain, which directs the higher moral and
religious sentiments, was very deficient IN
RulIotf In the formation of his brain Rul-
loft was a ferociOus animal, and so far as
disposition could relieve him from RESPONSE
bility he was not strictly responsible for his
acts. There is no doubt that he thought
himself not a very bad man on the morning
he was led out of his prison. cursing from
the cell to the gallows. The measurement
of RullOff's head around at the eyebrows
supra orbital) was 2il2 inches. The skull
was probably the thlckest ever known. In
no place was it less than three-eighths OF an
inch in thickness, and in most places it was
half an inch. The usual thickness of mans
skull is less than one-fourth of an inch.
Rullofrs head was opened in the usual
way, by parting the scalp over the top of
the head, from one ear to the other, and
saving off the top The surgeons who per-
formed the operation say it required three
quarters of an hour to saw around the skull,
and before it was completed they began to
think the head was all skull.
With the protection of a skull half an
inch thick, and scalp of the thickness and
tOughness of rhinOceros rind, the man OF
seven murders was provided with a nat
ural helmet that would have defied the
force of any pistol bullet. If he had been
in Merick's place the bullet would have
made only a slight wound; and had he
been provided with cuts rera equal to his
scalp, his defensive armor against bullets
would have been as complete as coat of
mail
The cords in Ruloff-s neck we're as heavy
and strong as those of an OK, and from his
formation one would almost suppose that
he was protected against death from the
gallows as well as by injury to his head.
Rulloff's body was larger than it was sup
posed to be by casual observers. The
sheriff ascertgined when he took the meas
ure of the prisoner for coffin to bury him
in that he was five feet ten inches in height,
and measured nineteen inches across his
shoulders. When in good condition his
weight was us pounds.
1t was very well known that Ruloff
grave was opened three times last Friday by
different parties who wanted to obtain his
head. One of those parties was from AL
bany, and twice the body was disinterred by
persons living in Binghamton. One com
pany would no sooner cover up the body,
which all found headless, and leave it, than
another company would come and go
through with the same operation. 1t is now
known that the head was never buried with
the body, but was legally obtained before
the burial by the surgeons who have possess
sion of it,
The hair and beard were shaved off close.
and an excellent impression in plaster taken
of the whole head. The brain is now under
going hardening process. and when that is
completed an impression of it will be taken
entire, and then it will be parted the diff
terent parts weighed and impressions made
of the several sections