THE ELEMENTS OF PHRENOLOGY.

Waikato Independent, Volume IV, Issue 238, 12 June 1906, Page 6

THE ELEMENTS OF PHRENOLOGY.

[By ax old Student.] (Continued.) The human brain is the habitation of the sou] or self, and uses this instrument for all its manifestations during its earthly career. The self acts in a similar position to a person in a telephone central office, in connecting the wires of communication of any or all its members, and the self does the same office in connecting the nerves for bodily needs and uses. It thus uses the nerves of the eyes to perceive its surroundings ; those of the ears to hear its messages; of its nostrils for smelling; the palate of the mouth for tasting and its nerves generally for feeling; for intelligence and for comprehending ; with its highest attributes for understanding. Yet, when looking at its structure, one is amazed to find the apparatus capable of such prodigous results, as shown by the most advanced persons recorded in history in mental and physical actions. Mankind have three distinct brains, though usually treated as one only. There is the primitive or abdominal brain, where the body begins and expands the whole of the machinery for physical and mental uses during its earthly pilgrimage. It occupies a ganglion of nerves at the back of the stomach called the solar plexus, from whence emanates vitality, volition, emotions and moods; as also digestion and assimilation of foods, that generate all the forces of the body ; such as muscular strength, energy, etc., which are distributed by the spinal column for future use. This brain is connected with the other brains by the spinal cord from its base in the sympathetic nerves, to the ganglion of nerves in the medulla oblongata. The second brain is called the cerebellum or little brain, which is the vehicle of the involuntary nerves, through which the emotions’ desires and passions act, generating all those forces included in the term physical love. It forms a separate lobe or division by itself, and occupies the lower part of the back of the skull, adjoining the neck. The third brain is the cerebum, the great storehouse of the voluntary nerves, through which all forces are set in motion by the self act. It is the central power of all,mental efforts of the mind in formulating ideas, thoughts and impulses resulting in action. It occupies the upper and larger portion of the head, and is divided into two hemispheres that act independently of each other, down to a connecting band which passes transversly, and joins them together in the corpus callossura. Each hemisphere has six lobes or divisions of faculties of a dual nature, and this quality of organs extends to all the faculties of the brain yet discovered. These three brains by their emotions, activities and thoughts represent human character, or the manifestation of the real man. The two last-mentioned brains only have been closely studied by phrenologists, so the third cr emotional brain is not so well understood, consequently there is but little data accumulated as to its influence. The head then is the habitation of the thinking brain, or cerebrum, a jelly-like substance convoluted all over with indentations more or less deep according to its quality and culture. It is covered with a grey film or veil of thin matter, that is more plentiful on brains of educated persons than on those of the uneducated, leading to the inference of its affecting acute thinking. Certain it is, the brain is the material instrument used by the ego, without which there could be no thought, desire or feeling. There is a vast difference in the quality of brains in various persons. Those that are of good quality are fine in texture, firm and close in fibre, and the convolutions are deeper with more grey matter theieon, while the higher tension infuses every movement with its own magnetism and mentality, that urges both mind and body to do their best. Phrenologists early discovered that the organs of the brains were located in groups, having a tendency to work together for certain purposes, but this was strongly denied by anatomists of the period, yet time works changes, even in medical science, which now admits that the cerebrum is naturally divided into six divisions, and with the cerebellum makes the seven, contended for as marked in phrenological charts. Each organ acts singly or in combination with otheis, the relative size of each showing its proportionate influence in all the operations of earthly life. Although the brain consists of a number of aggregate parts it is combined as a whole, but performing different functions. The deeper the convolutions and theuJbe grey matter existing to cover the greater seems its to grapple with

history, relating to their governing and mental power. All coarse organisms have low vibratory tensions, and these vibrations appear to govern everything connected with their minds and bodies, for as pointed out in ancient wisdom, “ Our brains are fine or coarse, according to the material atoms drawn to each unit for its composition. The body is constantly changing, each particle is a life, and the lives come and go. They are drawn to bodies consonant with themselves and are repelled from those that are discordant. All things live in rythmical vibrations ; as a body changes, its constituent vibrations also change for those m accord with the new conditions.” The quality is ascertainable by inspecting the fineness of the body, frame or form, and its compactness, with the texture of the skin, hair, etc. It is anal ogous to judging of a well-bred horse or other animal. Quality gives the best material to work upon, and thus obtains the best results. Science has certainly discovered that the, veil of nerve-fibres that connect every part of the brain and body together, is composed of innumerable threads, and that surprisingly few of these lines of communication are quite perfect in an average man’s brain, fewer still in less cultivated persons, but most in those of the best quality and the most cultured minds. It has been long suspected that a large area of brain matter is not used by man in his present stage of advancement, so the inference is now that the imperfect nerve-threads will become perfected when the higher nature of humanity is evolved by further experience and comprehension, then many other and better traits of character will be manifested.