Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-06
'DR. EDW. SP|TzKA
DEAD OF APOPLEXY.
Brain Anatomist and Allenist
Stricken at His Home In
New York Monday
LIVED HERE MANY YEARS

Word was received here today that
DR.. Edward Spitzkn. brain anatomist
and alienist, who lived many years In
Philadelphia, died Of npoplcxy on Mon
day nt his home in Mount Vernon,
n. Y.
DIR. Spitzka was seated on his porch
in the evening with his wife and mother
when he complained Of feeling dizzy.
lie went to his room to rest for while
and a short time later his wife found
him dead. He was forty six years
old. Until 1914 he directed the Daniel
! Baugh Institute OF Anatomy, Tenth
and Clinton streets.
Son Of Noted Father
DR.. Spitzka was the son Of DR.. Ed
ward Charles Spitzka, Of New YORK. n
world famous brain anatomist. me
elder Spitzka came into notice whrn
still a young man as one Of the mcdicnl
witnesses at the trial of Guitcau iOr
the assassination Of President Gnrheid.
DR.. Spitzka. in defiance OF popular
opinion, testified that Gulteau was OK
unsound mind.
Like his son. the elder DIR. Spitzkn
died of apoplcxy in 1914, and his praih
was turned over to DR.. Edward An
thony Spitzka for exami mination. Inc
son weighed. measured and made draw
ings of his fathers brain. The elder
Spitzka's brain weighed 140O. grams,
which is 100 grams heavier than the
average human brain. Although the
elder scientist died suddenly OF apo
plexy, 1t was after prolonged illness
and several operations for necrosis OF
the jaw, and his son said that IN nor,
nal health DR.. Spitzka's brain would
have been appreciably heavier.
At that time the younger DR.. Spitzka
turned the brain over 80 Columbia Cni-
vcrsity for preservation, to be examined.
he said. either after his own death or
Mt such time as brain nnatomist
might appear who would be competent
to do the delicate work required. Dr.
Edward Anthony Spitzka expressed the
desire that his own brain might be ex-
amincd with his fathers. and the meas
urementS of the two compared.
DR.. Spitzkas connection with Phiia-
delphia ended shortly after his father
death. He went to New York to take
M the elder mans lifework In neu-
rolosy and brain anatomy, ana addea
his own collection of the brains OF
famous men TO the collection his father
had spent many years in forming
Graduate of p. and g, New York
DIR. Edward Anthony Spitzka grad.
uatcd in medicine from the College or
PHYSICIANS and Surgeons, in New York.
and the medical department OF columbia
I-riversity. For four years he hcld
thc Alumni Fellowship in Anatomy In
flat institution.
lie served ms dcmonstrator In nnat:
omv in the College of Physicians ana
Surgeons in 1904. two years after his
graduation. In 1906 hr was ca He'd to
the faculty Of Jefferson Medical Cot
lcge AS professor of general anatomy.
He was but thirty years Old, one OF the
Youngest men to hold chair at the
school.
lie was one OF the youngest members
Of the American Anthropometrlc so
riotv founded in 1901 by his father,
which enrolled among its members some
of the Country's most noted scientihc
mon They agreed as members OF the
society TO leave their brains to the or
gonizntion for measurement and study.
The Younger Spitzka became prosector
Of the society. aud in that capaclfy the
brains were turned over to HIM Tor dis
section and analysis.
some of his most distinguished work
wos done in studying the brains OF these
| extraordinary men. and comparing them
with the brains of average people who
died ~ public charges and came to the
| college dissccting table. lie examined
! also the brains OF numerous criminals
! in Philadolphia and New York after
they had been executed.
Authority on EleCtrocution
Th Spitzkas. father and son, were
| among the earliest authorities on elec-
trocution. The elder Spitzka directed
rho first elcctrocution in New York, and
oftcrward expressed horror at whnt he
! hod seen. He advocated the guillotine
ns the most merCiful way of ending the
llfc of n man condemned to death. pine
! ing clpctrocution second and hanging
third.
Hanging was ST II the, method In
vogue in PENNSYLVANIA. and DIR. Edward
! Anthony Spitzkn. when hc became n
| phiisdelphian, threw himself into m
agitation to substitute clectrocutiOn as
more humane. lie did more thnn any
other man to bring about the change.
One of his researches had to do with
the effect of electricity on the human
tissues, and held that criminal who
had been hanged could be rcsuscitated
by the expert use OF electricity X his
neck were not broken.
One Of DR.. Spitzka's big tasks at
Jefferson was the organization of the
Baugh Institute Of Anatomy, Of which
he was director. In his later years at
tho Philadelphia institution ho gave
most of his time and effort TO this work
DR.. Spitzka was married to Miss
Alice r. Ebcrspachcr in White Plains
| Now York. IN 1905.
Among the scientists who left drec
tions that uftcr death their brains
should go to DR.. Spitzka for scientific
study were many Philadelphians. Among
these were DR. Joseph Simms, Prof
+. d. Cope. Prof. Joseph Ieidy. Prof
Harrison Allen, George +. Train, Dr.
William Pepper, Major J. W. Powell
DR.. Edward Scguin, DR.. Philip Lcldy
Major J. B. Pond, DIR. a. J, Parker
Dr. Persifor Frazer, DR.. John II
Musscr and DR.. W. !. McGec.