at chapel or church, where it can with safety be adopted. I am, &c. "JOHN ETERIDGE WILKINSON, Superintendent to the Asylum. "N.B.-The female department is superintended by Mrs W., and skilful persons sent when required to conduct patients to the asylum." 3. NEWCASTLE Jail. On Wednesday 28th October, Mr Combe, accompanied by the following gentlemen, visited the jail: viz. Dr George Fife, assistant-surgeon to the jail (who is not a phrenologist); Benjamin Sorsbie, Esq., alderman; Dr D. B. White; Mr T. M. Greenhow, surgeon; Mr John Baird, surgeon; Mr George C. Atkinson; Mr Edward Richardson; Mr Thomas Richardson; Mr Wm. Hutton; and Captain Hooke. Mr Combe mentioned, that his chief object was to shew to such of the gentlemen present as had attended his lectures in Newcastle the reality of the fact which he had frequently stated, that there is a marked difference between the development of brain in men of virtuous dispositions, and its development in decidedly vicious characters, such as criminals usually are; and that the moral organs generally are larger in proportion to the organs of the animal propensities, in the former than in the latter: and he requested that a few striking cases of crime might be presented, and that the heads of the criminals should be compared with those of any of the gentlemen present indiscriminately. This was done; and Dr Fife suggested that it would be further desirable that Mr Combe should write down his own remarks on the cases, before any account of them was given, while he himself should, at the other side of the table, write down an account of their characters according to his knowledge of them, and that the two statements should then be compared. Mr Combe agreed to this request; and the following individuals were examined. P. S., aged about 20.-Mr Combe wrote as follows: Anterior lobe well developed; intellectual powers are considerable. The organ of Imitation is large, also Secretiveness; Acquisitiveness is rather large. The most defective organ is Conscientiousness. Benevolence and Veneration are large. The lower animal organs are not inordinate. My inference is, that this boy is not accused of violence; his dispositions are not ferocious, or cruel, or violent; he has a talent for deception, and a desire not regulated by justice. His desires may have indling theft. It is most probable that he has for pro appo Patient, H. C.-Mr Combe's Observations: He has large Combativeness, and enormous Self-Esteem; his Firmness is very large, and also Philoprogenitiveness; Imitation and Intellect are large. He will manifest extreme conceit of himself, with great determination. He will possess a great tendency to make provoking pretensions, and to oppose. He will have a great talent for imitation, and strong powers of natural language. -Mr Wilkinson's Remarks: This exactly describes the character. He believes himself to be a king: he is prone to imitate: he is opinionative, and fond of children. Mr Combe was gratified by Mr Wilkinson's attention, and requested him to furnish a brief description of his establishment and plan of treatment. In consequence, he addressed to Mr Combe the following letter; the particulars of which, in so far as a casual visit could enable him to judge, he is happy to confirm. "DUNSTANE LODGE ASYLUM, 26th October 1835. "DEAR SIR,-In answer to your polite note respecting my Institution, I beg to hand you the following short account of it. "Dunstane Lodge is situated in the county of Durham, three miles from Newcastle, and upon the banks of the river Tyne. The situation is healthy, cheerful, and sufficiently retired; the gardens extensive; the apartments spacious, well ventilated, and fitted up in the most commodious manner; and attached to the asylum is a small farm of fifty acres, for the exercise and amusement of the patients. "The design and object of the institution has ever been to offer the advantages of air and exercise, combined with various sources of amusement and healthy gratification, and at the same time to avoid as much as possible every appearance of restraint; to secure to the patient a place of safety conducted on the most humane principles, combining, by proper classification and convenience, the necessary security of an asylum with all the domestic comforts of a private dwelling. Every opportunity is embraced which can have a tendency to impart pleasure and contentment, to divert the mind, to awaken and win the attention and affection, to employ the time of the patients as is most agreeable to them, and to show that their sufferings receive sympathy and commiseration from those under whose care they are placed. I may here add, that, having seen the bad effects of divine service being performed to lunatics generally, I have not adopted it; but religious instruction is afforded in all cases where necessary, and permission to attend divine service either at chapel or church, where it can with safety be adopted. I am, &c. "JOHN ETERIDGE WILKINSON, Superintendent to the Asylum. "N.B.-The female department is superintended by Mrs W., and skilful persons sent when required to conduct patients to the asylum." 3. NEWCASTLE Jail. On Wednesday 28th October, Mr Combe, accompanied by the following gentlemen, visited the jail: viz. Dr George Fife, assistant-surgeon to the jail (who is not a phrenologist); Benjamin Sorsbie, Esq., alderman; Dr D. B. White; Mr T. M. Greenhow, surgeon; Mr John Baird, surgeon; Mr George C. Atkinson; Mr Edward Richardson; Mr Thomas Richardson; Mr Wm. Hutton; and Captain Hooke. Mr Combe mentioned, that his chief object was to shew to such of the gentlemen present as had attended his lectures in Newcastle the reality of the fact which he had frequently stated, that there is a marked difference between the development of brain in men of virtuous dispositions, and its development in decidedly vicious characters, such as criminals usually are; and that the moral organs generally are larger in proportion to the organs of the animal propensities, in the former than in the latter: and he requested that a few striking cases of crime might be presented, and that the heads of the criminals should be compared with those of any of the gentlemen present indiscriminately. This was done; and Dr Fife suggested that it would be further desirable that Mr Combe should write down his own remarks on the cases, before any account of them was given, while he himself should, at the other side of the table, write down an account of their characters according to his knowledge of them, and that the two statements should then be compared. Mr Combe agreed to this request; and the following individuals were examined. P. S., aged about 20.-Mr Combe wrote as follows: Anterior lobe well developed; intellectual powers are considerable. The organ of Imitation is large, also Secretiveness; Acquisitiveness is rather large. The most defective organ is Conscientiousness. Benevolence and Veneration are large. The lower animal organs are not inordinate. My inference is, that this boy is not accused of violence; his dispositions are not ferocious, or cruel, or violent; he has a talent for deception, and a desire for property not regulated by justice. His desires may have appeared in swindling or theft. It is most probable that he has swindled he has the combination which contributes to the talent of an actor.-Dr Fife's Remarks: A confirmed thief; he has been twice convicted of theft. He has never shewn brutality; but he has no sense of honesty. He has frequently attempted to impose on Dr Fife; he has considerable intellectual talent; he has attended school, and is quick and apt; he has a talent for imitation. T. S., age 18.-Mr Combe wrote: Destructiveness is very large; Combativeness, Secretiveness, and Acquisitiveness, are large; intellectual organs fairly developed; Amativeness is large; Conscientiousness rather moderate; Benevolence is full; and Veneration rather large. This boy is considerably different from the last. He is more violent in his dispositions; he has probably been committed for assault connected with women. He has also large Secretiveness and Acquisitiveness, and may have stolen, although I think this less probable. He has fair intellectual talents, and is an improveable subject.-Dr Fife's Remarks: Crime, rape.+ * No striking features in his gene ral character; mild disposition; has never shewn actual vice. J. W., aged 73.—Mr Combe's Observations: The coronal region is very defective; Veneration and Firmness are the best developed; but all are deficient. Cautiousness is enormously large; the organ of Combativeness is considerable, and Amativeness is large; there are no other leading organs of the propensities inordinate in development; the intellect is very moderate. I would have expected to find this case in a lunatic asylum rather than in a jail; and I cannot fix upon any particular feature of crime. His moral dispositions generally are very defective; but he has much caution. Except in connection with his Amativeness and Combativeness, I cannot specify the precise crime of which he has been convicted. Great deficiency in the moral organs is the characteristic feature, which leaves the lower propensities to act without control. Dr Fife's Remarks: A thief; void of every principle of honesty; obstinate; insolent; ungrateful for any kindness. In short, one of the most depraved characters with which I have ever been acquainted.-Note by Mr Combe: I have long maintained, that where the moral organs are extremely deficient, as in this case, the individual is a moral lunatic, and ought to be treated as such. Individuals in whom one organ is so large as Cautiousness is in this old man, and in whom the regulating organs of the moral sentiments are so deficient, are liable to fall into into insanity, if strongly excited, owing to the disproportion in their cerebral organs. It is common to meet with such cases in lunatic asylums; and as the criminal law has gone on punishing + The particular observations are not proper for publication. this individual during a long life (for he has been twice transported), and met with no success in reclaiming him, but left him in jail, under sentence for theft, at seventy years of age, I consider these facts a strong confirmation of my opinion that he ought to have been treated as a moral patient from the first. ARTICLE IX. DR SPURZHEIM AND THE EDINBURGH REVIEWER. IN vol. viii. p. 263, we quoted from Mr Carmichael's Memoir of Dr Spurzheim, a letter written by Dr S. in the year 1815, giving an account of his meeting with Dr John Gordon, the author of the well-known scurrilous article against Phrenology in the 49th Number of the Edinburgh Review. We lately conversed with a gentleman who acted in 1815 as Dr Gordon's anatomical assistant, and were assured by him that Spurzheim's letter is a most faithful narrative of what passed in the lecture-room of Dr Gordon, whose mortification, he added, was abundantly apparent. So beautiful and satisfactory were the demonstrations of Dr Spurzheim, that our informant, though Gordon's own assistant, could not refrain from loudly testifying his applause. We have lately observed in the Medico-Chirurgical Journal and Review for May 1817 (vol. iii. p. 425), a spirited defence of Dr Spurzheim, probably the first which appeared in any medical periodical of Britain. It confirms the statements in Spurzheim's letter, and as it will doubtless be acceptable to many of our readers, we here reprint it entire. "To the Editors of the Medico-Chirurgical Journal and Review. 'Hic murus aheneus esto, Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.' HOR. "GENTLEMEN,-The peculiar views which Dr Spurzheim entertains, with regard to the Anatomy and Physiology of the Brain and Nervous System, having engaged a considerable share of attention throughout Europe, the injurious treatment which he has met with in this city, instead of being a circumstance of local or temporary concern, will in all probability be, ere long, commented upon in other countries, so as to reflect ultimately much discredit on our national character for science as well as for hospitality. This weighty consideration, together with an innate love of justice, has prompted me to put forth a short outline of facts to the public; and I really do not know |
