THE 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
No. 141.] 
APRIL 1, 1806. 
[No. 3, of Von. 21. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
For ihe Monthly Mugazine. 
ACCOUNT of DR. GALL’S DOCTRINE of 
the BRAIN, Or CRANIOLOGY. 
HE Craniology of Dr. Gall was the 
favourite topic of the German lite- 
rati, during the fummer of 1805, at almoft 
every univerfity anid capital of the north- 
ern provinces of Germany. Dr. Gall, 
who is a native of Suabia, began his lite- 
rary purfuits at the univerfity of Straf- 
burg, where he took the degree of a doc- 
tor in medicine. From thence he vilited 
‘Vienna, where he foon became a favou- 
rite <f the public as an able phyfician. 
Every moment he could {pare from his 
profeffional avocations, he employed in na- 
tural philofophy, and particularly in re- 
fearches relative to the ftruéture and na- 
ture of the brain. His difcoveries could 
not fail to attract public notice ; and he 
opened public leétures on Craniology, 
having previoufly obtained the fkulls of 
many hundred animals and men 5 in the 
protuberances and_depreffions of which 
his new hypothefis was always found true. 
The Government, however, by the fug- 
geltions of fome fanatical prietts, took the 
alarm, and he was forbidden to continue 
his leGtures.. But this did not ftop his in- 
quiries : ftudents in phyfic and men of re- 
fearch came from every part to procure 
information, which he never refufed; 
and his do&rine was foon fpread all over 
Germany by the writings of fome of his 
pupils. 
In the beginning of lat {pring the Doc- 
tor fet out for Berlin, and lodged in the 
houfe of his intimate friend Mr. Kotze- 
bue. He there met with univerfal ap- 
plaufe. The King, the Queen, Princes, 
and Princeffes, interefted themfelves fo 
much in his difcoveries, that he obtained 
an invitation to go through a courfe of 
le€&tures in the prefence of the Royal Fa- 
mily ; during which the Queen attended 
the diffe€tion of a human brain, while the 
Do&or demonttrated the whole feries of 
his valuable difcoveries. A ranccrous 
attack was now made on his doétrine by 
Doétor Walter, firt anatomift in Berlin ; 
but it failed of the iniended effect, every 
perfon being convinced that it was dic- 
MONTHLY Maa., Nos 1414 
tated by envy. On the other fide, the 
juftly-renowned Dr. Hufeland, firft phyfi- 
cian to the King, almoft all the faculty, 
as well as other proficients in that line of 
{cience, candidly profeffed their full af- 
fent ; and feveral interefting traéts were 
publifhed, in which ample juttice wa 
done to the doétrine. 
Dr. Gall vifited the houfes of correc. 
tion and prifons in Berlin and Spandau, 
and gave the moft convincing proofs of 
his ability to difcover fuch malefaétors, 
thieves, and men of particular talents, as 
were amongit the convicts and prifoners 3 
and a full and fatisfagtory account of - 
thofe vilits was publifhed at Berlin, ina 
journal called ‘Der Freymiitige, or, 
The Plain Dealer. From Berlin he went 
to Drefden, where his lectures met with 
general approbation. On leaving that 
capital, he proceeded to Torgau, on the 
borders of the Elbe, whither tie culprits 
‘of all Saxony are taken, in order to be 
put to work ina houfe of correétion which 
is fupported at the expence of the electo- 
rate. On this journey the Do&tor was ac. 
companied by leveral gentlemen of jearn- 
ing, particularly by Profeflor Bottiger, 
now fettled at Drefden, where he proved 
his Craniology to be founded on the firms 
eft bafis. Mr. Bottiger has publifhed 
Dr. Gall’s Obfervations, an abftraé&t of 
which is given in the following account ; 
to which is fubjoined, a Delineation of the 
Organs, as they have bcen difcovered by 
Dr. Gail. 
Dr. Gat, foon after his arrival -at 
Drefden, exprefled a firong defire of vifita 
ing the principal houfes of correStion, 
hofpitals, and charitable infitutions, of — 
the electorate of Saxony. Proper orders 
were therefore given by the gevernors to 
the ftewards of the bridewells of Wald- 
heim, Torgau, and Zwickau, to that 
purpofe; but Dr.’ G. being prevented by 
other engagements from undertaking a 
journey to every one of thefe three places, 
contented himfelf with going to Torgan, 
to examine the two inftitutions eftablifhed 
there, and to corroborate, by living exe 
amples, his obfervations on the brain and 
cranium, in prefence of feveral attentive 
and judicious witnefles. 
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