SCIENCE. 



93 



DR. PAUL BROCA. 



Since the lamented death of Claude Bernard no name 

 has been added to the necrology of France, which has 

 caused more universal regret than that of Dr. Broca. 

 Each, devoted to a special department of science, be- 

 came illustrious from patient and untiring research 



which led to definite results. Claude Bernard's investi- 

 gations into the glycogenic function of the liver stand a 

 monument to his genius and indefatigable industry. 

 Although Dr. Broca became famous as a surgeon and 

 anatomist it is the work he did in the department of 

 anthropology that has made his reputation world-wide. 

 He was born in 1824, at Sainte Foy la Grande 



•Xvv-" "I '- r ,".-'A 



DR. PAUL BROCA. 



(Gironde), became vice-president of the Academy ot 

 Medicine, officer of the Legion of Honor, and a member 

 of several learned societies. During the greater portion 

 of his life he was Professor of Surgical Pathology to the 

 Faculte de Medecine, and surgeon to the hospitals. His 

 numerous contributions to science relate chiefly to 

 Anthropology, and undoubtedly France owes to Broca, 

 more than any other, the advanced position she occupies 

 as a promoter of this science. 



In 1861, he made the remarkable discovery that the 

 seat of articulate language is situated near the third 

 frontal convolution on the left side of the brain. From 

 this time he devoted himself to the study of the cerebral 

 convolutions and ganglia and thus opened up a field for 

 scientific research hitherto almost unknown. His works 

 on "cerebral localizations" and "comparative anatomy 

 of the cerebral convolutions " were pioneers in this 



department of science, and are to-day standard authori- 

 ties on this subject. To Broca is due the founding of the 

 Anthropological Society of Paris, and later of the now 

 celebrated Ecole d' Anthropologic, with its magnificent 

 museum, libraries and laboratories, and a complete 

 course of lectures by a faculty of professors comprising 

 such names as Mortillet, Bertillon, and Topinard. 

 Broca himself had charge of the department of com' 

 parative anatomy of the primates. 



His sudden death is supposed to have been due to a 

 cerebral haemorrhage, induced perhaps, by excess of 

 labor and fatigue. Thus in the vigor of life and in 

 the midst of his work, has died a scholar, philosopher 

 and statesman, whose illustrious example will continue 

 to enlighten the path of those who follow his imperish- 

 able footprints. 



