Introduction au cours de physiologie du cerveau

Gall, Franz Joseph (1758-1828); Marc-Antoine Jullien (1775-1848). Introduction au cours de physiologie du cerveau, ou discours prononcé par Dr. Gall, à la séance d'ouverture de son cours publique le 15 janvier 1808, et précis analytique de la marche suivie par le docteur dans ses recherches. 8vo. 46, [2, blank]pp. Paris: Firmin Didot; Lefort; F. Schoell; et les marchands de nouveautés, 1808. 198 x 126 mm. Later (?) wrappers. Minor foxing, title a bit soiled, but very good.

First Collected Edition, pairing Gall's Discours d'ouverture lu par M. le docteur Gall à la première séance de son cours public, sur la physiologie du cerveau (Paris: Firmin Didot [etc.], 1808) with Jullien's "Exposé de la marche suivie par Mr. le docteur Gall dans ses recherches sur la physiologie du cerveau," originally published in vol. 16, no. 48 of the Archives littéraires de l'Europe (December 1807). The latter work gives an analytical summary of Gall's neurological researches up to the time of writing.

Gall's neuroanatomical researches, begun around the turn of the 19th century, led to his groundbreaking theory of the localization of brain function, as well as to the development of phrenology, the influential pseudoscience that claimed to be able to read a person's character by examining the shape of his or her skull. Gall began lecturing on his neurological theories in France in late 1807, as stated in Brigitte and Helmut Heintel's bibliography of Gall's writings. The Heintels do not record this combined edition of Gall's and Jullien's works, and OCLC cites only one copy, in the Bibliothèque Genève.