Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-13

He was often unscrupulous in his conduct
His mother was confined as lunatic for
over so years.
"Nations vary greatly as to the shape of
the head. Most of the people east of a line
drawn from Lapland to Siam are round
headed; negroes, Australians, English.
Irish and Scandnavians are long-headed;
while Hollanders are neither round nor
long-headed but compromise between the
two. Distinguished anthropologists of the
present century have been trying to dis
cover racial distinction in skulls, but the
fact is, there are not so many characteristics
of race in the Uranium as in other parts of
the body. Races have been mingling so
many thousands of years that cran1al dis
simiiarities are the rule among them, even
in tribes. and to some extent in families.
There are eight or ten species of artificial
deformity which have been practiced from
time immemorial among the lower races of
mankind and are still in vogue among GER
tain Polynesian and American tribes. The
disfguration is accomplished by means of
boards, bandages or masses of clay fastened
to the infantile skull to produce the desired
shape
NO CONSOLATION FOR BALD HEADS.
SIN New York, which is made up of so
many nationalities. a study of the heads in
a large audience is curiousIy instructive,
especially the bald heads which can be so
much more easily seen than the Others
Although the shapes of the bald heads may
vary in marked degree, this fact seems to
have no relation to the amount of delight
manifested by their possessors. A bald
head is not sign of an overgrowth of brain
which is oustlng its way up through the
skull, and should never be considered as in
any manner correlated with unusual intel
lectual abilities, but on the contrary, as an
evidence OF the weak -mindedness of a man
who will continue to wear a hard hat in
spite of the falling out of his hair through
the pressure of the rim on the nerves and
blood vessels of the scalp.
"Up to the age OF 25 the development ofa
mans skull depends on his education, and,
in fact, his entire environment. Subse-
quently the mind may develop great deal,
but the skull will not. From the age of 25
the skull retains the same proportion and
the same dimensions, and it is on this ac-
count that certain measurements of the head
become useful as means of Identification
of adults. They may change their appear
ance in many respects, but cannot volun-
tarily alter the shapes of their heads. M.
Bertillon has incorporated, therefore, Ger.
tain skull diameters in his system of identi
hcation Of criminals, now much employed
in France, but as yet little in this country.
AS regards shape and size of heads much
depends on hereditary factors. Taking
various classes of men. lawyers, as a rule,
have much better minds than doctors. Com
pairing an aggregation of lawyers with an
the different appearance which their differ
ent training has created in their craniums
as we'll as in their physiognomy.
LAWYERS AND DOCTORS.
A lawyer is compelled by his professional
duties to exercise his intellectual abilities
in the highest degree. He must be keen,
logical reasoner, possess sound judgment
and good memory; be strong and aggressive
in his mental tournaments with opponents,
and have all his faculties at ready command.
The principal requirement in doctor is an
ability to conform at all times and under all
circumstances his own emotional states to
those of his patients, but rarely to exercise
the vigorous faculties with which he may
have been at first endowed. His actions are
guided by policy. He must sympathize
with the sufferer when necessary, or be
hearty and cheerful when he sees that that |
course would have a been remedial effect |
upon the patient.
81 have the head measurements of 200 in |
'ane persons, 30 criminals and 80 eminent |
men (including lawyers, authors, editors,
great fnanciers. and others who have at |
aimed success through purely mental pow
,rs). When have 100 more criminals and |
eminent men. shall make comparative |
study. 1 have no politicians in my list of |
eminent men; hardly thought it worth
while to include them in comparative |
study of this kind between the heads of in
men and those of criminal de- |
inquents, because should have to stretch
ny Imagination to place them in the former
lass and the criminal standard would be
owered by the inclusion of the microcephalus
VI the politician. 81. I. 8.