Cerise - Lélut - Examen critique du système phrénologique & de l'organe phrénologique chez les animaux - 1836-1838

The Exposé et examen critique du système phrénologique is a work published in 1836 by the French physician of Italian origin Laurent Cerise. This book compiles a series of articles originally published in the review L'Européen. It constitutes one of the most well-constructed refutations of phrenology at its height, supporting the positions of other contemporaneous critics such as Louis Francisque Lélut.

Contents: This work is one of the key texts that helped disqualify phrenology by moving it from avant-garde science to pseudo-science, while paving the way for modern neurology.

relié à la suite :

De l'organe phrénologique de destruction chez les animaux ou examen de cette question par Louis-Francisque Lélut

Contents: Lélut concludes that the organ of destruction does not exist and that the shape of the skull cannot in any case determine the cruel or destructive character of an animal (and by extension, of a human being). He characterizes phrenology as a pseudoscience based on arbitrary observations.

Edited in Paris, by Trinquart, 1836 for the first work and by J. B Baillière, 1838 for the second - XXX pp, (1) ff, 228 pp, 90 pp, 2 ff - half calfskin of the period - in-8 - 13.5 x 21 cm.

Condition: Lower spine missing, front hinge cracked, but bindings solid, corners in good condition, back cover smooth adorned with gold-tooled clasps and the title piece in garnet morocco, some foxing. Complete.

The second work is indeed complete with its folding plate illustrated with several anatomical figures.

Copy in good condition, both works here are in the original edition.