190 



Brain of the Negro compared u-iih that of [Jan. 



the same high forehead and prominent nose as Europeans. Credible 

 travellers and accurate observers comfirm also what the celebrated 

 Blumenback said thirty years back, ' that the exterior of negroes gra- 

 dually approaches to that of other races, and acquires by degrees their 

 fine features.' " 



The author then examines the spinal cord and medulla oblongata 

 in the European and negro subject, and finds no remarkable differ- 

 ence, except that which arises from the different size of the bodies he 

 examined. He afterwards examines the cerebellum of the negro, which 

 he finds, with regard to outward form, fissures, and lobes, to be 

 exactly similar to the European. The cerebrum is next examined. 

 The general external character was the same as in the Caucasan ; the 

 differences being chiefly in the greater or less development of some 

 particular portion of the structure, probably not greater in any case 

 than may be found amongst Europeans themselves ; and in the inter- 

 nal structure he did not observe any difference so as to render special 

 description of the negro necessary or desirable. 



The next question examined is, whether the nerves of the negro are 

 thicker than those of the European, or, in other words, the brain less 

 in comparison with the quantity of nerve ? This he decides in the 

 negative. 



Lastly, his inquires are directed to the question, " Has the brain 

 of the negro more resemblance to the Orang-Outang than to that of the 

 European ?" He finds the following results : — 



" 1. The brain is absolutely and relatively smaller aad lighter, 

 shorter, narrower, and lower than the human brain, 



" 2 The brain is smaller ia comparison to the size of the nerves 

 than in man. 



" 3. The hemispheres of the brain are, relatively to the spinal mar- 

 row, medulla oblongata, the cerebellum, corpora quadrigemina, the 

 thalami optici, and corpora striata, smaller than in man. 



" 4. The gyri and sulci of the brain are not so numerous as in man. 



" The hypophysis and the origin of several nerves are wanting. By 

 comparing the negro brain with those of the orang-outang, we shall 

 find the same difference as between the brain of the European and the 

 orang-outang. The only similarity between the brain of the negro and 

 that of the orang-outang is, that the gyri and sulci on both hemispheres 

 are more symmetrical than in the brain of the European. It remains^ 

 however, to be proved whether this symmetry is to be found in all 

 negro brains, vv hich I very much doubt. The size and quantity of 

 the brain of the negro varies as much as the European from that of 



