The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-28
THE WEIGHT OF THE BRAIN.
Its Relation to Intellect-Connectior

Its Relation to Intellect-Connection
Between the Brain Cells.
Other factors besides brain weight are
known to the influence intelligence. 1t
has long been known that the distin-
gushing character of the human brain
is the large number Of connecting fibres,
by which it's cells are coordinated. In
no other species are they so numerous
or complicated. The cells constitute but
a very small part of the weight. There
is now considerable evidence that the
same rule applies among individual
men, and that those of great intelli-
gence have more connections, so that
their cells can do more and better
team work"
Some Investigations have shown the
corpus callosum to have 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 con-
nections. A few observations in the
fact that their brains are ESSENTIALLY
different microscopic organization,
partly accounting for less intelligence.
All these facts will fully explain why
men of intelligence in the higher races
may have brains not notably heavy, but
they do not disaprove the general state
ment that as class such men do pos
sess brains heavier than the average.
The mistake arises from the failure
to recognize that noted men who have
shown intellectual power not infre-
quently were sharply limited to one or
two directions, being very defective In
other directions. Blind Tom was an i'd
lot, in fact-an extreme case of what
is quite common. AT the other extreme
was Gambetta, who was not much
more than an orator, whose cerebral
speech centres were found to be
highly developed. The rest of his brain
was small and his general intellectual
power and judgements were decidedly
defective. Ability in one or two lines
may make a man famous, while he
is really very defective and his brain
proves to be small.
Heavy brains are not necessarily in
telIectual ones, or elephants would
be in the class of geniuses. The mater
ial might also be pathologic and the
possessor an imbecile. 1t often happens
that men of big brain and great ability
suffer from early neglect and are
found in lowly employments or may
remain ignorant through life These
few facts do not prove that large brain
are worthless and not indicative of
mental power as a rule. We cannot get
away from the fact that man as an
animal is supreme because of his large
brain; that among races the brainiest
are the highest, and that in any one
race the most intelligent, as a 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 not
ed for limited abilities can reverse the
rule. Universities do not create brains,
| but merely train what exists so that
the owners are better fitted for the
| battle Of life. Many man is sent to
college who should be handling a pick
and shovel, and he never amounts to
much, even though he subsequently
| makes his living at some very limited
| specialty.-From American Medicine.