Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-04-23
THE CAUSE OF SCIENCE.


incnt men in every walk of life within
the last few days. The request comes
an the form of Il confidential circular is
sued by society newly organized for
the purpose of more advanced invcsti-
CATION of mental phenomena as shown
by brain formation and development,
and its relation to health and disease,
intellect and ignorance, morality and
crime, Says the New York Continent.
The leading brain specialties of the
!, country have for a long time desired
that it should be the general custom for
. the brains of men and women who be-
conc i'll any way famous during life to
be disscctcd and examined and the re-
suits put on record. But it was not I'M
til lately that they have seen their way
clear to bringing this about. Now they
hope to make the custom general
through the medium of the special So
cicty which is being organized.
The members of the society agree to
allow an autopsy to be performed after
their deaths. They give full permits
sion to the specialists Ito preserve and
handle their brains in any way they
please and to record Their observations.
The specialists find no difficulty in get
ting the brains of men and women of
average and low>grade intelligence, and
already many startling discoveries have
been made by systematic examination
of brains of that class.
Naturally, famous people place a
higher value ON their brains than do
others The thought of dissection is
more repugpLnt to people the higher
their intelligence. Hence, when the
specialists sent letters to number of
well-llnown men, asking if they would
allow their brains to be examined if
others would in any great number, the
responses received were unexpectedly
hearty, The formation of n society
was undertaken mt once. The society
already has long list of men and WON
en- who have given their consent, and
Is waiting to hear from several hun
dred others in this country and abroad.
The list will not be made public. 1t is
known, however, that Phillip Brooks is
one Clergyman on the list, while Chaun-
ccy NJ. Depcw, James G. Blaine, DIR. r.
lfcber Newton and others are among
those who have received requests from
the society.
The readiness of famous people to ac-
ccde to the socicty'S request is partly
explained by the high character of the
specialists. DR.. Z. e. Spitzl1a, the noted
writer on insanity and diseases of the
brain and spinal cord, is a member of
the committee having the society in
charge. Associated with him arc DR..
Harrison Allen, DR.. +. Y. Darcum and
DIR. Joseph Lcidy of Philadelphia, DIR.
William Oslcr OF Johns Hopkins uni
vcrsity, and DIR. &. B. Wilder, of Cornell
university. DR.. Leidy has been elected
president of the society, and DR.. Will
lam Pepper, an intimate friend of Dr.
SpitzlSa and associated with him in
much of his work, is secretary. The
society will be known as the Society for
the Examination of Brain.
The doctors are not prompted in their
work by mere curiosity. Their object
is strictly scientific. The work will be
divided up, each member taking par
ticular portion of the brain. DIR. Spitzka
will probably give his attention to the
connection of the brain with the spinal
cord. Others will study it's relations to
the body. The theory that Il defect in
the brain will prove Il corresponding
defect in the body will be tested. The
value of this theory will be incalcula-
bic, as it will largely aid in dctermin.
ing the causes of sudden or violent
deaths. The brains of all great men
and women arc irrcgularly formed, lit
tie hills and valleys showing themselves
on the surface. These irregularities
are to be studied much as phrcnologist
studies bumps. The relation of the ir-
Irregularities to the intellectual traits of
the subject are to be determined. Then,
by Il long system Of comparison between
the brains of different subjects, many
interesting conclusions are expected to
be arrived ut.
1t may even happen that man who
during life thought himself very won
darful and distinguished person will be
found at death, by the unmistnlSnblc cvi-
dcnce of his brain, to be man of but