Year: 1875

One of that class of physicians which is not
content with walking in the beaten track but
is constantly making excursions therefrom in
search of new things, has discovered that
most men are, physically, one-sidec. The
physician in question is DR.. Cox, and he has
ascertained that there is difference in the
lengths of the opposite lower limbs in the ma
jority of people, the difference amounting to
a considerable fraction of an inch. There
does not seem to be any uniformity in regard
to one or the other side being the larger, his
observations of fifty-four persons showing
that twenty-three had the right side longest,
twenty-five the left side; and six having no
difference. The doctor may have been in
spired to these researches by professional
pride quite as much as by love of science: for
if they prove anything they prove that a
broken leg is blessing. The surgeon, with
his tape and his student to tug away at the
foot, does not leave the patient until the frac-
tured limb is drawn out to the exact length of
the other; then the splints are put on, and
the erring leg has no chance to be shorter if
it wants to ever so bad. There is great con-
ISOLATION in this view of the case.


There is possibility that the Pennsylva-
mia physician has stumbled upon a wider
truth than he dreams, truth which remains
for the psychological anatomist to develop.
In most men the one-sidedneSs is by no
means confined to the legs, and generally
manifests itself in the head. The theory of
double brain is now regarded as pretty well
established, and very likely in many instances
one of these brains or hemispheres may be
much heavier than the other, and so render
the man greatly one-sided in his mental per-
ceptions. In cases where this superabundance
of size or weight is on the the right side the
deformity is not perhaps to be regretted.
Where it is on the other, serious evils may
result. 1t is not at all improbable that the
brains of those obstinate people who can see
but one side of subject are fashioned after
the manner of the hall, half lead and half
wood, which figures in the scientific appara-
tus as an illustration of the shifted centre of
gravity. The truth of this proposition might
be demonstrated by splitting open the heads
of these men. The result doubtless would be
gratifying. There would be at least great
deal of satisfaction in testing the theory.


Should the truth of this hypothesis be-
come established it will have a tendency to
revolutionize criminal jurisprudence; for the
criminal can scarcely be held accountable for
his violation of law if he be impeled thereto
by the unbalanced condition of his brain. He
surely ought not to bepunished for the natur-
al result of physical necessity. The better
and more scientific way of treating him
would be to open his skull and carefully pare
away the superfuous brain until the two
sds are on an equality; treatment much the
same as the surgeon applies to the broken
limb, tugging at it until it be of equal length
with its fellow. Indeed this manner of treat
ment ofcriminals seems pointed out by in
stinct as well as by science. When man
harms us we always want to break his head.
This is doubtless wise provision of nature
to prepare the way for a proper trimming of
the uneven brain by making a crack in the
skull so the surgeon may easily reach it.


The subject might be pursued at length ;
but enough has been said, it is hoped, to
demonstrate that DR.. Cox's theory of one
sidedness is deserving of careful attention and
thoughtful investigation by scientific men.