Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-05-30
CENTURY OF pARenoLoeY.
One Hundred Years Have Passed sinos
tho Science Was Discovered.

1t is century since the worthy and
ingenious DR.. Francois Joseph Call, the
father of "bumpology," as the scoffer
is fond of calling 1t, first introduced his
infant Uranium into an unbelieving |
world. Little did parents and nurses
who strokcd that inspired billiard ball
imagine that it potentially contained
complete map of itself, so TO speak,
and to its subsequent Investigations or
speculations mankind would be indebt-
ed for the successful localiZation of
every human propensity 49, and some
others in it's own special and peculiar
allotment, or small holding, in the hui
man skull. When we consider the many
spirited leaps by which alone the great
phrenologist and his followers have
landed at their successive conclusions,
we shall not hesitate to admit that this
famous scientific steeplechase is well
worthy to be held in remembrance, even
after 100 years. First il had to be as
sumed that each of the various faculties
and activities of the mind is specifically
allotted to particular portion of cere-
bral tissue; secondly that the degree of
power which it possesses is determined
not by the quality, but by the quantity
of such, cerebral tissue, and thirdly that
the measure of this quantity is in every
case indicated by protuberance on
the outer surface of the ckull. That it
would follow from this that the most
versatile of mankind would have the
| largest number of bumps; that the pre-
eminent possessor of a single gift, who
was weak, as many such persons are,
in other respects, would have head
composed of virtually one enormous
bump, and that the world-genius, to
whom the ages occasionally give birth,
possessing both wide variety and com
manding strength of intellect, would
present "A simply hydrocephalous APP
pearance--these are consequences of
his theories which have never troubled
that portion of the phrenologist's
brain-pan in which his logical faculty
| is neatly slowed away. The bump that
rises like u memorial tumulus over the
grave of his reasoning capacity has
never been disturbed by these difficult
ties for moment.
Nor would we ourselves say anything
to dash the hopefulness of the enthusi-
psts who are just now celebrating the
Tooth birthday of DR.. Gall. A compla-
cency of conviction which has sustained
itself on nothing since the first promul-
cation of the phrenologists doctrines
cannot, indeed, be easy to disconcert.
Rather it is likely to find confirmation
in every fresh advance of science, and
one is not surprised to hear, therefore,
that these sanguine theorists are look
ing confidently to electrography as
new ally. "Whatever record leaps 70
light" under the y rays, they feel as
sured that their master "never can be
shamed." When Roentgen has at last
effected his neutrality-suspicious. entrance
through the skullery wall into the in
terror of the cranial mansion, it will he
a great day entirely for the phrenolo-
gist. For he will find all the domestic
arrangements exactly as DR.. Gall and
his school have described them. COR
der" and Locality" and "Philoprogeni-
tiveness" and ali the rest of them will
be discovered in the places respectively
assigned to them ard will at once be
recognizable for what they are. The
correctness of the well-known dump
chart" which the photographers of
phrenology mapped ont long ago on the
surface of the Uranium will be trI-
umphantly indicated. and the mocker
will be forever put to confusion. The
only thing which will then remain TO
be proved will be the practical utility
of the science. and this no doubt will
present little difficulty 10 school of
theorists who have already proved so
much.
It's value for educational PURPOSES,
however. will still have 10 be cstab-
lished. The phrenologist should not be
satisfied until he has given to his sci
ence that last touch of eXactitude
which consists in rendering it predic-
tive. Analysis of the adult brain is,
after all, mere scientific pastime. IL
would be interesting, but no more than
interesting, to ascertain that Para
disc Lost" was generated in particular
bump on Millions skull, and that an
other protuberance under the hat of
John Hampden gave birth to his heroic
resolve TO oppose the unconstitutional
policy of Charles I. What we want TO
do is to catch our Hampdens young
their native villages, and to insure that
the embryo Millions of the future shall
not die mute and inglorious" through
the nonrecognition of their nascent
powers. The phrenologist, therefore,
has got to show that the genius of the
great puritan poet would have revealed
itself TO a skilled manipulation of his
crnnium in his cradle, and that the
spirit which impelled the parliament
:nry patriot to resist the impost of ship
money might have been detected by
chronological nurse in the act of brush
ing his hair.--London Telegraph.
|
Celebrating n Kings Coronation.