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Royer of the Jardin des Plantes, who is a decided phrenologist, selected from the catacombs about seventy skulls illustrative of the development of the different celebral organs; and, embracing the opportunity of the conveyance of the other articles, transmitted them to this city to a gentleman who delivered them to Professor Jameson, for the museum. This fact was mentioned in the newspapers at the time;nevertheless the skulls have not yet appeared in any patent apartment of that establishment. By a law of the college, the students attending Professor Jameson's lectures have the privilege of free access to the museum; and, accordingly, one of them, who, notwithstanding of an opinion delivered by that gentleman, ex cathedra, that phrenology is not warranted by experience, ventured to think differently, expressed a wish to inspect the skulls. The reply of the professor was, "The "skulls are in the garret, and you will see them afterwards, "as they are difficult to be got out." Now, we happen to know perfectly, that at the time alluded to, (July 1823), the skulls in question were not in the garret, but in presses in Professor Jameson's lecture-room, within the distance of three feet from the seats occupied by his hearers, and that he required only to turn a key to gratify the young gentleman's curiosity.

It is not in the least surprising, that, amidst the immense variety of objects connected with the museum under his charge, Professor Jameson should have forgotten where these skulls were deposited, and supposed them to be in the garret when they were in the presses fronting him. Besides, we understand that there is not yet room in the buildings for the public exhibition of many interesting specimens. These circumstances do, in our opinion, satisfactorily account for the professor's mistake, and for the skulls not being more prominently brought forward; but we reckon it an act of justice to him to add, that his condemnation of phrenology in his lectures, joined with the non-appearance of the skulls, has given rise among phrenologists to an impression, that he is unwilling that their science should derive support from any specimens

in the museum. While we entirely acquit the professor of any such feeling, we would seriously recommend to him to put an effectual stop to this notion by freely exposing the skulls in

press to the inspection of all who desire to see them, not doubting but that close investigation is the best means of exploding phrenology, if, as he says, it is not warranted by experience.

We are able to state farther, that the skulls are really very interesting to the student of phrenology. The question is often asked on what principle did Drs Gall and Spurzheim map out the skull, and assign different shapes to the different organs as appearing on the cranium? This collection presents a most satisfactory answer to the inquiry. In cases of extreme development of any particular organ, the bone situate above it protrudes in the very form and dimensions delineated by the founders of the science; and these skulls were selected with the view of illustrating this point, and do illustrate it in the most decided manner. In one skull, for example, cautiousness is the predominating organ, and the projection is seen to be exactly of the shape and size marked in the phrenological busts. In another, benevolence is the leading feature, in a third veneration predominates, and so on; and in each, the skull is seen presenting a distinct elevation of a form corresponding to that assigned to the external indication of the organ by Drs Gall and Spurzheim. The history of the individuals to whom the skulls belonged is not known, and the collection was sent as evidence merely of the fact, that elevations of the cranium, corresponding in figure and dimensions to those delineated on the phrenological busts, actually exist in nature, and that the lines of demarcation are not fanciful, as is generally reported and believed. After the real existence of the differences in development is established, the next step is to attend to the mental manifestations which accompany each particular form, and by this means, the phrenological student will obtain evidence of the functions of the parts of the brain, the form and size of which only are indicated by the skulls in question.

In the Transactions of the Phrenological Society, there is an interesting communication on the phrenology of Hindostan, by Dr George M. Patterson, the result of several thousand observations; and in illustration of which, he has presented the society with twelve Hindoo crania. We are happy to mention, that a collection of Hindoo skulls, to a similar or greater extent, has been received from India for the College Museum, and they are now in one of the apartments of the college.They completely coincide in type and appearance with those presented to the Phrenological Society, are particularly indicative of Hindoo talents and dispositions, and form an interesting contrast with the skulls of the other nations in the society's collection whose characters differ from that of the inhabitants of Hindostan.

ARTICLE V.

MR CHARLES BELL ON THE FUNCTIONS OF THE NERVES.

Philosophical Transactions, 1821-12th July.

WE have to congratulate our readers on the new light which is breaking in upon us on every hand, in regard to the functions of the different parts of the nervous system. The amazing progress made by Drs Gall and Spurzheim, in the discovery of the physiology of the brain, and that made by Mr Charles Bell in the physiology of the nerves, form a beautiful and valuable illustration of the importance of having a mode of investigation founded upon correct principles. So long as we acknowledged with one breath the intimate union and mutual influence of the mind and body, and yet studied the phenomena as if the mind were a disembodied spirit, our labour was almost entirely lost, although a stray fact might appear here and there amidst a mass of jarring

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and unprofitable materials. But when Drs Gall and Spurzheim first put in practice the only successful mode of inquiry, of never separating the study of mind from that of the organ by which it is incessantly influenced, the results became simple, consistent, and useful in an eminent degree.

In like manner, (p. 399,)" whilst the doctrines hitherto "received prevail," and "whilst the nerves are supposed to "proceed from one great centre, to have the same structure "and functions, and to be all sensible, and all of them to 66 convey what is vaguely called nervous power, the discov"eries of new nerves and ganglia are worse than useless : "they increase the intricacy, and repel inquiry. The end"less confusion of the subject induces the physician, instead "of taking the nervous system as the secure ground of his "practice, to dismiss it from his course of study as a subject "presenting too great irregularity for legitimate investigation " or reliance."

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But suppose it demonstrated that each set of nerves, however similar in structure and appearance to others, does yet perform a distinct function which no other nerves can perform in its place, and that "no organ which possesses only one "property or endowment has more than one nerve, however 66 exquisite the sense or action may be ;" and that "if two nerves coming from different sources are directed to one "part, this is the sign of a double function performed by "it." (p. 402.) So that "if a part, or organ, have many "distinct nerves, we may be certain, that instead of having a mere accumulation of nervous power, it possesses distinct powers, or enters into different combinations in proportion to "the number of its nerves," with what different interest will the anatomist proceed to the investigation of this part of his science? He then has an important and tangible object clearly in view. He can no longer wander on the way and fatigue himself to death unrewarded. He has principle to guide him, and the certain prospect of success as his recompense. Instead, therefore, "of resigning his inquiry in despair," Mr Bell tells us, that with the principle in view, "even the youngest stu

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"dents are brought to comprehend so much of the subject, "that the idea of chance or accident, or real confusion among "these numerous branches, is entirely dismissed; and what "remains unexplained has, by the success of our past in"quiries, become a subject of peculiar interest." From this single step made by Mr Bell, we are fully warranted in saying, that the physiology of the nerves will, in all probability, make a greater progress in the course of ten years than it has made since the world began. Such is the importance of the " right road" in the discovery of truth.

Mr B. begins his inquiry with the "nerves of respiration, "comprehending all the nerves which serve to combine the "muscles employed in the acts of breathing, speaking, &c."

The respiratory muscles are many in number, and are situated far apart. They belong to the face, neck, thorax, and abdomen. If a man be excited by exercise or passion, the respiratory action is extended and increased, the shoulders rise at each inspiration, the muscles of the throat and neck are in violent and simultaneous action, and the lips and nostrils move in time as regularly as the levator and depressor muscles of the ribs. It is obvious, that so many and so distant muscles cannot be combined in such regular action without some cords of connexion or affinity; these cords Mr B. calls the respiratory nerves, and he proceeds to shew that these have no other function than to combine these muscles in action.

In those animals which do not breathe, and whose mouth or throat has only one function to perform, these parts have only one nerve, and wherever a function is added, another nerve is also to be found. After the anatomist has employed weeks to disentangle and dissect all the nerves of the tongue, throat, and palate, in the human subject, he finds, at length, five different trunks of nerves, which only confused and perplexed, so long as he believed, that because nerves resemble each other they must necessarily perform the same function; but on the new principle he has no difficulty in extricating himself, when he considers the multiplied offices of the mouth in man," that it is a pneumatic as much as a manducatory

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