Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-11-24

"Bumps" Have Little Relation to
Ones Mental Capacity.

An intimate relation exists be-
tween the brain and the bony re-
ceptacle in which it is inclOsed,
but there has been a tendency to
attach too much Importance to the
exterior form of the latter. The
old phrenolOgists failed to re-
member that there are great diff
ferences in the thicknesses OF
skulls, and imagined that the pre-
else shape of the organ inside
could be guessed from the
"bumps" on the shell. This was
bad mistake, but they made a still
more serious one. They supposed
that mere size, and not structure,
made any portion of the brain inn
pOrtant. The modern psychologist
knows that where a high degree
of intellectual power and culture
exists the surface of the brain is
broken up into more numerous
! lobes and cOnvOlutiOns than in i'd
lots and apes. A second indica.
tion of talent and mental vigOr is
found in the coating of gray mat
ter, or corteX, which Overlies the
mass of the brain. OF neither of
these things-cOnvOlutions or
cOrteX-can the slightest clew be
obtained by feeling of the exterior
of the skull. More real knowledge
is possessed today regarding the
brain than a quarter of century
ago, but the talk Of experts is
much less confident.
Prof. johnson SymingtOn de-
livered an address before the an
thrOpolOgical section of the Brit
ish Association for the Advance
ment of Science a fortnight or
more ago, It's conservative tone
| may be Inferred from the report
which "The Hospital gives; s
While not announcing any com
manding fact or any particularly
novel theory, it points out the
line along which future study Of
the functions of the several parts
of the brain may be pursued.
There are two positions related to
this subject fairly within the
grasp of modern knowledge.
First, the racial peculiarities OF
the form and size of the skull are
known on the basis of an exact
and complete investigation. 1t is
| also generally recognized that
while the chief factor in determine
ing cranial form is brain growth
there are other Influences which
contribute to this end. Hence tho
mere study of cranial shape and
capacity offers only limited pos
sibility of knowledge in reference
to cerebral development and func
tiOn.
Secondly, it is well known that
definite areas of the cerebral
cOrtex are connected with the ac-
tons of various groups Of mus
cles, and that other areas are as
sOciated with the reception Of
nerve impulses from the peripher-
al sense organs. But these areas
occupy only a omitted portion Of
the surface of the cerebral cOrteX.
The greater part of the cOrtex is
a terra incOgnita. There exists
no definite information regarding
the lOcalizatiOn of mental and
moral qualities. Hence what is
wanted is not merely a knowledge
of the specific peculiarities of the
skull in various races and classes
of mankind, for these afford no
certain criteria regarding brain
development. 1t is actual brain
facts which are required. When
these are fully known there will
be some prospect of arguing from
them, and from the respective
mental and moral qualities of the
different races, to definite cOnclu.
sions regarding the functions of
those parts of the cerebral cOrtex
which at present are clOuded in
physiological darkness.