1826 – Anatomy of the Brain – Spurzheim | First English Edition – Illustrated Neurology

Johann Spurzheim was a notable Germany physician who was one of the most prestigious 19th-century doctors, along with Franz Gall, to endorse phrenology as a science.

Gall and Spurzheim “invented and advanced the ‘science’ of phrenology, a concept holding that the moral, sexual, and intellectual traits of an individual are linked to corresponding protuberances of the brain which in turn manifest themselves as lumps on the skull.” (Heirs of Hippocrates 792)

Spurzheim, a native German speaker, produced several works on phrenology and physiognomical systems, in which he explored his theories on the human brain one of which was his Anatomy of the Brain. This 1826 first English edition was translated by Robert Willis.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The anatomy of the brain, with a general view of the nervous system
• Author(s): Johann Spurzheim
• Contributor(s): Robert Willis (Translator)
• Publisher: London, S. Highley
• Edition: First edition, 1826
• Binding: Hardcover boards
• Format: (8vo), single volume
• Size:  9.25 in x 5.75 in (23.5 cm x 14.6 cm)
• Collation: 234 p
• Illustrations: 11 plates
• Contents Include:
  • Anatomical description of the brain
  • General view of the nervous system
  • Discussion of cerebral organization
• Reference(s): Heirs of Hippocrates 792

Condition:

Good. Text block secure. Hardcover boards and binding show wear, rubbing, and some staining. Pages display age toning and spotting, most noticeable in the preliminaries. Text remains complete.

Why Collect This?

• Rare first English edition of Spurzheim
• Complete with all 11 full-page plates

Item Number: #50078