The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-06-06
RULLoFF.s BRAIN.
Result of the Surge Ons' Examlna.
tiOn.-lts Weight and the Thick.
ness Of His SkulI..His Grave
Thrice Opened on Friday Night.

From the Binghampton Republican, May a.
The work of dissecting Rullofrs head
was so far completed this morning as
to enable those having it in charge to
ascertain the weight of HE brain. The
brain weighed fifty-nine ounces, being
nine and half or ten ounces heavier
than the average weight, The heaviest
brain ever weighed was that Of Cuvier,
the French naturalist, which is given, by
some authorities at sixty-fivc ounces,
and by some at sixty -four ounces. The
brain of Daniel Webster (partly estima-
ted on account of a portion being de-
stroyed by ,disease) weighed fifty-four
ounces. The brain of DR., Abercrombie,
of Scotland, weighed sixty three ounces.
The average weight of mans brain
is about so ounces; the maximum
weight IS ounces, (Cuviers,) and the
minimum weight, Idiots, 20 ounces.
AS an average, the lower portion Of the
brain (cerebelfum) is to the upper per
ton (cerebrum) assl is.to 8 S,10.s The
lower, brute portion, of Rulloffs brain
and the mechanical powers were unusu.
ally large The upper portion OF the
brain, which directs the higher moral
and religious sentiments was very deli
cient in Rulloff In the formation of
his brain Rulloff was ferociaus animsl,
and so far as disposition could relieve
him from responsibility, he was not
strictly responsible for his acts. There
is no doubt that he thought himself not
a very had man, ON the morning he was
led out of his prison, cursing' from the
cell to the gallows. c5os,
The measurement of Rullof's head,
around at the eyebrows, supra orbital,) }
was twenty four and a-half inches. The
skull was probably the thickest 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
thick The usual thickness of mans
skull is less than one fourth Of an inch.
Rullof's 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 performed the operation say tire
quired three quarters Of an hour to saw
around the skull, and before it was COM
pleted they began TO think the head was
all skull. s.ais
With the protection of skull half an
inch thick, and a scalp Of the thickness
and toughness of a rhinoceros rind, the
man of seven murders was provided
with natural helmet, that would have
defed the force of pistol bullet If he
had been in Mirick's place, the bullet
would have made only slight wound;
and had he been provided with cults
vera equal to his scalp, his defensive
armer against bullets would have been
as complete as coat of mail. (
The cords in Rulloff's neck were as
heavy and strong as those of an OK;
and from his formation, one would al
most suppose that he was protected
against death from the gallows as well
as by injury to his head. AID s..g
Rullof's body was larger than it was
supposed to be by casual observers.--
The Sheriff ascertained, when he took
measure of the prisoner for a coffin to
bury him in, that he was FIVE feet and
ten inches in hight, and measured nine
teen inches across the shoulders. When
in good condition, his weight was about
It's.
1t is very well known that Rulloff's
grave was opened three times last Fri
day night by different parties who oswan-
ted to obtain his head. One of those
parties was from Albany, and twice the
body was disinterred by persons living
in Binghampton. One company would
no sooner cover up the body, which all
found needless, and leave it, then anoth-
er company would come and 60 through
! with the same operations. 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 possession of it. --a,.,s
The hair and beard were shaved off
close, and an excellent impression in
plaster was taken of the whole head =
The brain is now undergoing harden
ing process, and when that is completed,
an impression will be taken of it entire,
and then it will be parted, the different
parts weighed, and impressions made of
the several sections.