German anatomist and physiologist, a pioneer in ascribing
cerebral functions to various areas of the brain (localization).
He originated phrenology, the attempt to divine individual
intellect and personality from an examination of skull shape.
Convinced that mental functions are localized in specific
regions of the brain and that human behaviour is dependent
upon these functions, Gall assumed that the surface of the
skull faithfully reflects the relative development of the
various regions of the brain. His popular lectures in Vienna
on “cranioscopy” (called phrenology by his followers)
offended religious leaders, were condemned in 1802 by the
Austrian government as contrary to religion, and were banned.
Three years later he was forced to leave the country.
His concept of localized functions in the brain was proved
correct when the French surgeon Paul Broca demonstrated
the existence of a speech centre in the brain (1861). It
was also shown, however, that, since skull thickness varies,
the surface of the skull does not reflect the topography
of the brain, invalidating the basic premise of phrenology.
Gall was the first to identify the gray matter of the brain
with active tissue (neurons) and the white matter with conducting
tissue (ganglia).
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