A Woman’s Skull.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 852, 29 June 1888, Page 4

A Woman’s Skull.

Miss Frances Power Cobbe, in the ourrent number of the Englishwoman’s review, refers to a recent discussion on the size of womens skulls, and the weight of their brains, as compared with those of men. Mis 3 Cobbe, contesting the importance of the size of the head, quotes for her argument the small size of that of Mrs Somerville. She inquires who where the women on whose skulls Professor Romanes based his calculations? Apropos of this questiou, Miss Cobbe relates that some years ago she visited the museum of the College of Surgeons, and, on asking Professor Flower to show her some of the best skulls of women he possessed, she received the reply that there were no good ones, as the bodies of female paupers alone could be obtained, those of the women of the higher classes being unprocurable. Mies Cobbe offered her skull, when she had done with it, to the professor, who eagerly accepted the offer. The codicil in which she bequeathed this legacy to the college has since, however, Miss Cobbe adds, been revoked. This is to be deplored, for it would seem that the only way properly to ascertain the size and form of intelleotnal women’s skulls in relation to those of men is to do what Miss Cobbe contemplated doing—bequeath them to the Royal College of Surgeons.