title: On the origins of organology: Franz Joseph Gall and a girl named Bianchi.
abstract: Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828) introduced a new theory of mind and brain at the end of the eighteenth century, which he referred to as organology, dealing with mental functions and their cortical localizations. Gall wrote that observations regarding the verbal learning capacities of his schoolmates brought about his new way of thinking. This widely accepted view, however, requires qualification. Although Gall's experiences and observations as a schoolboy were relevant, especially for his craniology, these childhood memories might have been recalled and reinterpreted after he had started to think about the faculties of mind-specifically after he had met Bianchi, a 5-year-old girl with a special talent for music.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.eling@donders.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eling
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Program in History of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whitaker
mesh_terms: D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000266:history*; D003395:Craniology / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music; D011603:Psychophysiology / Q000266:history*
keywords: Craniology; Franz Joseph Gall; Localization of function; Music; Organology; Phrenology