Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
THE WEIGHT OF THE BRAIN.
It's Relation to Embellishments
Between the Brain Cells.

Between the Brain Cells.
From American Medicine.
Other factors besides brain weight are
known to influence intelligence. 1t has
long been known that the distinguishing
character of the human brain Is the large
number of connecting fbers, by which its
cells are co-ordinated. In no other species
are they so numerous or complicated. The
cells constitute but very small part of
the weight There is now considerable
evidence that the same rule applies among
individual men, and that those of great
intelligence have more connections, SO
that their cells can do more and better
team work.
Some Investigations have shown tho
corpus caHosum to have a. large cross
section in men who had shown great
ability 1t is also known that the brains
of able men are likely to present more
convolutions and deeper ones than the
average, as though there were more brain
cells as well as more connections. A few
observations In the lower races point TO
the fact that their brains are essentially
different in microscopic organization. partly
accounting for less intelligence. All these
facts will fully explain why men of intelli-
gence in the higher races may have brains
not notably heavy, but they dc not dis
prove the general statement that as class
such men do possess brains heavier than
the average.
The mistake arises from the failure TO
recognize that noted men who have shown
intellectual power not tnfrequently were
sharply limited to one of two directions,
being very defective in other directions
Blind Tom was an idiot, In fact-an ex-
IRENE case OF what is quite common. At
the other extreme was GambettR, who was
not much more than an orator, whose
cerebral speech cepters were found to be
highly developed. The rest Of his brain was
small ard his general intellectual power
ard judgments were decidedly defective.
Ability IT, one or two lines may make a
man famous, while he is really very de-
fective and his brain proves to be small.
Heavy brains are not necessarily intel
lectual ones, or elephants would be In the
class of geniuses. The material might also
be pathoiogic and the possessor an tmbe-
Gle. 1t often happens that men OF big
brain and great ability suffer from early
neglect and are found in lowiy employ
ments or may remain ignorant through
life These few facts do not prove that
large brains are worthless and not indfca-
tive of mental power as rule. We cannot
get away from the fact that man as an
animal Is supreme because of his large
brain; that among races the braniest are
the highest and that In any one race the
most Intelligent, as rule, are those who
have the most brains.
Men of small brains are not the leaders,
| and no statistics of the brain weights of a
few exceptional men noted for limited abil-
tiles can reverse the rule. Universities 40
not create brains. but merely train what
| exists so that the owners are better ntteo
| for the battle of life. Many man is sent
| to college who should be handling pick
| and shovel, and he never amounts to much.
even though he subsequently makes his liy-
| ing at some very limited specially.