Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 89, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1908 — THE WEIGHT OF THE BRAIN. [ARTICLE]

THE WEIGHT OF THE BRAIN.

its Relation to Intellect —Connection Between the Brain Cells. Other factors besides brain weight are known to influence intelligence. It has long been known that the distinguishing character of the human brain is the largd npmber of connecting fibres, by which its cells are coordinated. In no other species are they so numerous or complicated. The cells constitute but a very small part of the weight. There is now considerable evidence that the same rule applies among individual men, and that those of great intelligence have more connections, so that their cells can do more and better “team, work.” Some investigations have shown the corpus callosum to nave a large cross section in men who had shown great ability. It Is also known that the brains of able men are likely to present more convolutions and deeper ones than the average, as though there were more brain cells as well as more connections. A few observations in the lower races pcint to the fact that their brains are essentially different in microscopic organization, partly accounting for less intelligence. All these facts will fully explain why men of intelligence in the higner races may have brains not notably heavy, but they do not disprove the general statement that as a class such men do possess brains heavier than the average. The mistake gilses from the failure, to recognize that noted men who have shown intellectual power not Infrequently were sharply limited to one or two directions, being very defective in other directions. Blind Tom was an idiot, in sact —an extreme case of what is quite common. At the other extreme was Gambetta, who was not much more than an orator, whose cerebral apeech centres were found to be highly developed. The rest of his brain was small and his general intellectual power and judgments were decidedly defective. Ability in one or two lines may make a man famous, while he really very defective and his brain proves to be small. Heavy brains are not necessary Intellectual ones, Ift elephants Foul'd be in the class of geniuses. The material might also be pathologic and the possessor an imbecile. It often happens that men of big brain and great ability suffer from early neglect and* are found In lowly employments or may remain ignorant through life/ These few facts do not prove that large brains are worthless and not] indicative of mental power as a rule. We cannot get away from the fact that, man as an animal is supreme because of his large brain; that among races the brainiest are the highest, and tn&t in any one race the most intelligent, a rule, are those who have the most brains.