The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-09
n INVESTIGATE
PHREM)L0GY
Government Encourages a
Study of the Skull.
MEASURING BRAIN SPACE
Things Which Have Been
Done Along This Line.
MEASURING BRAIN SPACE

4
Is there a definite relation between
The shape Of the head and general char
acteristics?
What scientific facts Of value concern
ing man can be learned by the study Of
his skun?
These are questions that have never
been fully Of satisfactory answered. But
that they arc questions OF scientific inn
portance is evidenced by the fact that
the national government win seek TO
solve them.
Tie largest ana most complete corec-
ton of human crania in the world, four
thousand OF them, has Just been acquired
by the National Museum from the Sur
geon-General of the army This coliec-
ton VIII form the basis of an intricate
scientific Investigation, by expert crani-
ologists of the Bureau OF Ethnology.
The collection includes skulls from prac-
tically every race IN the world. Besides
the modera Europeans. the ancient Ro-
mans, the mound builders Of America,
other modern and prehistoric peoples are
represented.
one OF the tests which, with so many
specimens available, Is expected to yield
important data is the accurate measure
ment Of he brain chambers cubical area.
For thisA most delicate method has been
devised by Dr.. Washington Matthews
of The ocular army.
Dr. Jatthews first washes each skull
carefuy and allows it TO dry several
weeks or until it weighs the same as
beforeit was wet Then he sprays it in
SIDE nth shellc. varnish, whose volume
is accurately measured. The skull is
next made watertight by filing all artif-
cial .oles with rubber adhesive plaster.
Finay all exterior orinces except the
roun opening for the spinal cord are
closl with fresh putty
Tbs is obtained a complete cup. Into
thiswater is poured from a rubber tube
leang to a reservoir having a measur-
ing gauge. The water is distilled. and
go scrupulous is the test that the tenn
pe3ture OF the water Is constantly
wtched that its expansion and con
tletion may not cause error. This meas
usment of its volume gives Of course the
eact contents Of the skun.
This measurement gives the approxi-
iate volume OF the brain once incased
herein, and the compiled result Of many
ach measurements are expected to show
cine interesting facts.
These preliminary experiments are chief
Iy Tor the purpose Of establishing typical
skulls for th> races. More detailed study
Of Individual combinations VIII follow.
Scientific facts concerning the relation
between characteristics and cranial con-
are few. The most important
work in this Geld has been done by
Arthur Mcdonald, a specialist in the Blu
reau Of Education, who tested and meas
ured the heads Of 10000 school children.
He tabulated the results and made some
interesting deductions.
1T is instructive to think, when we
see an Irregular and poorly shaped head.
Mr. Mcdonald states, that something
must be wrong 1t is true that some of
the most intellectual individuals have
very poorly shaped crania but these are
exceptions to the rule. Investigation of
this question. although limited indicates
that our instructive disravor toward liz
shaped heads is not without basis.
Mentally duh children appear TO have
more Irregularities Of the head and face
than children in general. This was as
by an experiment upon 800
All were given simple fig
ures 10 add within a certain limited
time Those who added the most and
made the rewest errors were found on
examinst ton 70 have the more sym1etri-
cal heads. No general conclusion should.
however. be made from such a test until
a much greater number OF subjects can
be examined. Yet this preliminary exper-
iment indicates . probability.
'All Europeans can he generally divided
into two general classes. the short-head-
ed and broad headed. Formerly in Ger
many the long head prevailed. being
called the Germanic type; bat IL recent
times short heads have been on the IN
crease. and now they seem 70 constitute
the greatest number.
IN the study Of man perhaps the most
important measurements are those OF the
Uranium. which is the brains case. it is
also probable that defects of the Uranium
are more significant than those Of other
portions. 1t Is sometimes said thst. IN
general. the nearer . physical defect is
10 the brain the more significant * IS as
regards mental callre. 4 high palate
which indicates shallow brain cavity. is
= frequent accompaniment Of mental fee
bleness-a sign Of congenital detect.
That sirls marked bright by their
teachers have greater percentage II
medicines than those marked dun"
and that the reverse Is true Of boys. was
one Of the deductions made from AR.
McDonsid's measurement OF the 20.0o0
children mentioned. Others are as fol-
lows.
Children OF foreign pa-V0tage show q
slightly larger circumference Of head
shan those Of American paventaee. but
the latters heads are Iarrer than those
Ct mixed percntase. children with abb
normalitie- or defects heve smaller head
eircunferences than children in general
The broad-headed boy ard the long-head-
&C girl seem 20 be ideal types.
Intsresting results are being obtained
st tie Bureau OF Ethnology by making
composite rhotoErsr hs Of many. specimens
repr-sentative Of a particular race. Each
slzuI is placed upon an adjustable stand
behnd = screen having cross lines coin
ciahE with similar lines cut upon the
Erognd glass OF a camera set mp in front.
HAY Specimens were thus photogra phsd
upa the same plate.
he human race Is divided by craniolo-
iHiss into three clas-es-broad heads. me-
ain heads ana long heads These sa-
watts have not yet attempted howeve-.
to-ake into serioss account the bumps
of phrenology-
road heads are those whose breadths
al about 50 per cent OF their lengths.
Tndium heads. . TO 81 Per cent: long
lads under ) per cent.