In the nineteenth century it was believed that the conformation of the skull was indicative of mental faculties and character. By feeling the contours of the head, phrenologists claimed to be able to identify which specific faculties were dominant in any personality. As respected practitioners, they were commonly consulted by individuals interested in self improvement. This approach was used by early psychiatrists and was endorsed by a prominent American asylum administrator, Amariah Brigham, one of the founders of the prestigious American Journal of Insanity.
While reading cranial bumps no longer enjoys respectability, there was more to phrenology than fraud or superstition. In this century it has been proven that certain areas of the brain perform their own distinct functions and can be isolated and treated independent of the rest of the organ.
Courtesy: National Museum of Man, National Museums of Canada (S 85-186)
