500 
PROFESSOR TIEDEMANN ON TOE BRAIN OF THE NEGRO. 
In order to determine the weight of the human brain, I have weighed a number of 
brains, male and female, of different ages. In most cases I have also noticed the 
height of the body, according to the old measure of the Parisian Academy, as well as 
the weight and state of the body. I divided the brain from the spinal marrow, 
where the corpora pyramidalia, after their crossing, begin, and ascend upon the me- 
dulla oblongata. I separated the nerves at their entrance through the foramina of 
the skull. The serous or tunica arachnoidea and pia mater were then carefully re- 
moved. I made use of the apothecary or troy weight # . 
Joh. Riolan fil. (Anthropogr., lib. iv. p. 385. Parisiis, 1626.). “ Cum in statera humanum cerebrum librs- 
rem deprehendi trium librarum mercatoris pondus aequasse, quae quatuor libris medicis respondent.” 
J. Loesel (Scrutinium Renum. Regiomonti, 1642. 4to.). “ Cerebrum exemptum hominis strangulati, et ad 
lancem examinatum exaequabat libras quatuor medicas et totidem uncias.” 
C. V. Schneider (De Catarrhis, lib. iii. p. 592. Wittenbergae, 1660. 4to.). “Ego etiam autorfui, ut cere- 
brum juvenis hominis, qui capite plexus erat, diligenti libraretur examini. Corpus erat sanissimum, validissi- 
mum; illud cerebrum pendebat tres libras medicas et octo uncias.” 
M. Sennert (De Cerebro. Wittenbergae, 1662. 4to.). “The brain of a man weighed four pounds.” 
Th. Bartholin (Anatome, p.468. Lugd. Batav., 1686.). “ Cerebri humani magnitudo insignis est, nempe 
ad librarum quatuor vel quinque pondus.” 
Pozzi. “ The brain of a young man weighed 3 lbs. 8| oz., and his body 112 lbs. 6 oz.” 
According to Arlet, (Mem. de Montpellier, p. 47. 1746,) the weight of the brain is equal to four pounds. 
T. F. Meckel found the weight of the human brain of an adult 3 lbs. ■§ oz. \ drachm. 
Soemmerring (De Corporis Humani Fabrica, tom. iv. p. 38. Trajecti ad Mcenum, 1798,) says, “ Cerebrum et 
cerebellum, resecta medulla spinali statim pone nervum lingualem medium pondo sunt librarum duarum ad tres 
libras, sunt enim alia cerebra pondere librarum duarum, et unciarum quinque cum dimidia, alia librarum trium, 
et unciarum trium cum tribus quartis.” 
Portal (Anatomie Medicale, tom. iv. p. 30. Paris.). “ Le cerveau, le eervelet et la moelle allongee bien 
laves et leurs vaisseaux vides de sang, pesent dans l’adulte trois livres.” 
Josephus et Carolus Wenzel (De Penitiori Structura Cerebri Hominis et Brutorum, p.267. Tubingae, 1812, 
fol.). “ Pondus encephali humani, quale id de quinto vitae anno ad summam usque hominis senectutem ple- 
rumque invenitur, pondus viginti quatuor millium granorum non superat (= 41b 2J). Totius cerebri pondus 
inter viginti et viginti duo millia (3lb 5^ 5$ 20 gr. et 31b 9J 63 40 gr.).” 
Mascagni (Prodromo della Grande Anatomia, p. 78. Firenze, 1819. fol.). “ Nell’uomo il cervello da libbre 
quattro ariva a libbre quattro e mezzo e anche piu.” 
Alex. Monro Hamilton (The Anatomy of the Brain. Edinburgh, 1831. 8vo.) has undertaken some valuable 
investigations on the weight of the human brain. He found, nearly averaging, the adult male encephalus, in 
the Scot’s head, 3 lbs. 8 oz. troy : about one brain of seven is found about 4 lbs. troy ; the female encephalus is 
heavier, 3 lbs. 4 oz. One of a hundred female brains is found of 4 lbs. 
* 1 pound = 12 ounces; 1 ounce = 8 drachms; 1 drachm = 60 grains. 
