Gall

History of Medicine, Biographies, Neurology

Also known as: Franz Joseph Gall

Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.

Summary

Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828) was a physician who founded phrenology, the doctrine that mental characteristics are expressed in the structure of the skull. While phrenology has long been discredited, some of his discoveries in brain anatomy and physiology remain valuable.

Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)

GALL, Franz Joseph (Franz Joseph Gall, 1758-1828), physician, is the founder of "phrenology," the doctrine that asserts that the characteristics of human psychic expression are found in the structure of the skull. Phrenology has long since demonstrated its inadequacy, but some of his discoveries in anatomy and physiology of the brain have value to this day. The principal works of Gall: "Introduction au cours de physiologie du cerveau" (P., 1808); "Recherches sur le systeme ner-veux en general et sur celui du cerveau en particulier" (Paris, 1809); together with J. Vimont and F. Broussais-"Sur les functions du cerveau" (Paris, 1822).

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Cite this page

“Gall.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/gall/