PAIL nuocA. 1:U 



have no special accjii;iintanrr u illi (•raiiiolo«j;y to Ibrm some 

 r()iK'i'j)tion of thr iiuiiR-nsc and inti-icate lal>or iiivolvod in 

 aci.iinit«.' uieasureimnts of the skull. Professor Huxley, 

 speakinu;; of these elaborate instruments, says, "One can 

 not mention the name <il' Tudca wilhout the «rreatest 

 gratitude." 



This, then, \\a-> the l)e.uinnin;; of the Laboratory of An- 

 throi)(»loi;y. In 180S, the Mini.ster of rublic Instruction, 

 M. Duruy, conceive<l the happy thou«,dit of establishing 

 the practical school of hij;h studies — L'ccole pratique des 

 Jtautes Hvdes — by giving an annual allowance and an offi- 

 cial character to the various laboratories connected with in- 

 stitutions of learning. Hroca's laboratory was included. 

 He at once instituted a .sy.stem of teaching which attracted 

 so large a class that he was obliged to ask the dean for per- 

 mission to u.se a larger theatre. 



The progress of the school was interrupted by the Franco- 

 German war of 1870-1. Broca was, at that time, professor 

 of clinical surgery at the hospital of La Pitie, which was 

 from the very beginning of the siege of Paris crowded with 

 wounded men. To these and to the care of the hospital he 

 devoted himself exclusively, and his laboratory was for- 

 saken. He had been one of the thi'ce directors appointed 

 to take charge of the Public Assistance. During the days 

 of the Commune, for which, as sterling republican and 

 patriot, he had a supreme detestation, he remained at his 

 post in Paris, taking care «>f the patients still in his hos- 

 pital, but busying himself in taking plaster-casts of brains, 

 thus beginning the superb collection of cerel)ral molds which 

 is now to be seen in the Musee l>r<jea. The I'ri'sident of the 

 Council of Public Assistance fled to \'ersailles without no- 

 tifying Broca, who was the vice-president, and leaving the 

 money and securities in charge of the cashier. The danger 

 of a seizure of these valuables by the communists was im- 

 minent, and Broca determined to save them, if })ossible. 

 He, himself, carried them away, night after night, in cari)et- 

 bags, and concealed them at the ho.spital of La Charite. by 

 the aid of the director. He was careful to leave three or 



