Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-04
IN THE HUMAN BRAIN
Effort to Find Center. of Intel
ligenCe by Research.
lNTER-ACADEMlC MOVEMENT
Fad Growing of Willing Brains in In
terest of Science.
PHRENoLoGY NOW DIsCREDITED
Theories as to Depth of Convolutions
Amount of Gray Matter-Rela-
tive Weight Not Proved.
PHRENoLoGY NOW DIsCREDITED


Copyright 1905 by John Elfreth watkins)
A systematic search for the seat of intel
ligence in the brain has just commenced
through what is known as the Inter-aca-
demic Brain Research Movement. The
Wlstar Institute. Philadelphia, has been
chosen as the central institute for the
movement in the United Staes.
The other day when 1 called upon DIR.
Milton j. Greenman, the director of the in
stitute, he told me that this new enterprise
viii probably result in his receiving pTac-
tCally an unlimited number of brains for
preservation and study. He showed me the
newly received brain of Edward Dunlap,
the noted burglar and habitual criminal,
who left this organ to the institute be-
cause he thought that in it would be found
some unusual acteristics-possibly the
key to his long criminal life. This man.
who was a burglar because he couldn't
help It," was correct IN his assumption
that unusual features would be discovered
In his brain Its assures. or grooves, are
wider, deeper and more strangely marked
than those OF any other brain at the in
stitute But what relationship these or any
other peculaIities bear to character no
anatonist can say at present Hence the
newly organized movement to systemati-
cally probe the question.
willing Their Brains to Science.
Willing ones brain to science is a growing
fad. Three hundred Americans, represent
ing the cream of professional life. have
lately made such provisions in their last
testanents. The movement was originated
by Or. William Pepper, the eminent Phila-
delphia surgeon, who. at a meeting held in
his study formed an association of learned
men agreeing TO bequeath their brains to
their fellow members for the advancement
of science. Prior to this time students of
anatomy had to depend upon brains re-
ccived through the charity hospitals and
morgues and which were generally of men
of low order of intelligence. Out of this
meeting grew the Anthropometric Society,
whose three hundred members have in the
came manner pledged their brains TO their
fellow members. DIR, Joseph 1.eidy was
made president and few weeks afterward
he contributed his, the first, brain to the
collection, of which Wistar Institute has
ever since been the repository. From the
photograph OF DR. Leidy's brain was made
sthe centerpiece Of the official seal OF the
institute.
Among the many other brains since OBJ
tained In this manner We're those of Prof
Il. y. Cope, the foremost paleontologist OF
this country. Bishop Phillips Brooks gave
the society written permission to preserve
his brain, but he died from diphtheria and
his body was Theoretically sealed before
the society could claim their legacy. SEN
timental opposition on the part OF families
of members has deprived the society oil
many brains legally left TO 1t. Each mem
Der appends his signature TO a printed
form of Request.
Among the prominent living men who
have thus wiiled their brains TO the society
Is DIR. s. Weir Mitchell. the physician and
novelist
All sorts OF human brains-of the young
and old. sane and insane, of idiots and
rnurderers-also animal brains OF many
species. are being collected by Prof. Burt
G.. Wilder of Cornell University, who is re-