A Study of Cerebral Anthropology 17 



A divergence of opinion exists on the question of the relation 

 of brain weight to intelligence in the individual or in reference to 

 races. Schwalbe thinks that an increase of brain weight, as ap- 

 plied to an increase of intelligence, must take into consideration 

 body, weight and height. Virchow says that the brain-mass may 

 be very great without increase of intelligence. Stieda (1909), in 

 reviewing the work of Nacke, expresses the opinion that the 

 weight is of no value as an index to intelligence. Baer (1893) 

 notes the variations among elite brains and says that the varia- 

 tions, together with the fact that many men of only moderate 

 intelligence show equal variations, illustrate the groundlessness 

 of any contention that intelligence is based on weight. When we 

 remember that the brain mass possesses not only nervous elements, 

 as nerve fibers and cells, but neuroglia as well, it is plain that the 

 increase of the latter will be effective only in a mechanical way 

 and without any increase of psychic power. 



Lamb (1904) says, " Other things being equal, the brain weight 

 and mental capacity, in my opinion, bear a definite relation to 

 each other." (The writer must confess that he is unable to under- 

 stand on what this opinion is based.) Spitzka (1903&) seems to 

 hold much the same view as Lamb and quotes as evidence of the 

 very intimate relation between weight and mind, the work of 

 Maliejka (1902). This observer arranged 235 brains by occupa- 

 tion as follows: day laborers, 1410 gm. ; steadily employed 

 laborers, 1449.6 gm. ; porters, 1435.7 S^- ! mechanics, 1449 gm. ; 

 teachers and clerks, i486 gm. ; scholars, physicians, etc., 1500 gm. 

 It would be interesting to know whether the hand of chance had 

 been entirely eliminated as a factor in choosing the occupation of 

 some of these cases. 



Spitzka (1908) concludes, "Every rule has its exceptions and, 

 with these limitations, the inference that the intellectual status is 

 in some way reflected in the mass and weight of the brain seems 

 generally correct." He goes farther and from a limited number 

 of cases concludes that the higher the intellectual occupation, the 

 greater the weight. But if in these studies he has considered the 

 physical characters he does not indicate the fact in his text. 



Indirectly bearing on the question of the relation of weight and 



361 



