Portrait of William Weir (1794-1876) Seated half-length in a black suit on a dark background. William Weir studied medicine at the University of Glasgow and became a licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1814, going on to become a Fellow in 1816. He graduated MD from the University of Glasgow in 1829. He worked at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary initially as a surgeon, before becoming Physician to the Infirmary in 1840. He also worked as Physician to the Barony Parish Fever Hospital in Glasgow. Weir worked as a lecturer in several of Glasgow's medical schools. He was Lecturer of Clinical Medicine at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Medical School, Lecturer on the Practice of Medicine at Portland Street Medical School and Lecturer at the Anderson Institute. Weir was President of the College from 1847 to 1849. Graham-Gilbert, John (Scottish painter and collector, 1794-1866) 19th century 88 Introduction to Phrenology As part of our 2019-2020 exhibition, "Great Minds: The Brain in Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry", we delve into the world of phrenology. Phrenology was very popular in Scotland during the early 19th century, but eventually lost followers due to its lack of scientific evidence. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-rgOxJague0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <a href="https://heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/exhibitions" target="_blank">Great Minds: The Brain in Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry</a> Cast of the Cranium of Robert Burns In 1834 the body of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, was exhumed from his grave in Dumfries. The exhumation was supervised by local surgeon Archibald Blacklock, who had an interest in phrenology. A plaster cast was taken of the skull, and Blacklock noted that “nothing could exceed the high state of preservation in which we found the bones of the cranium, or offer a fairer opportunity of supplying what has so long been desiderated by Phrenologists - a correct model of our immortal Poet’s head”. George Combe, a leading phrenologist, examined the cast and published his analysis in Edinburgh in 1834. Three casts were made during the 1834 exhumation. This cast is believed to be a copy produced later in the 19th century. It was in the possession of Murdoch Cameron, Professor of Midwifery at the University of Glasgow. Cameron then gave the cast to John Cleland, Professor of Anatomy, whose collection is housed in the University’s Museum of Anatomy. This item is on loan from The Hunterian, University of Glasgow. <iframe width="640" height="480" title="A 3D model" src="https://sketchfab.com/models/f7e70a9eee414f33b98722448497d10d/embed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; vr" mozallowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <p style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin: 5px; color: #4a4a4a;"><a href="https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/cast-of-the-cranium-of-robert-burns-f7e70a9eee414f33b98722448497d10d?utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_campaign=share-popup" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; color: #1caad9;">Cast of the Cranium of Robert Burns</a> by <a href="https://sketchfab.com/rcpsgheritage?utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_campaign=share-popup" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; color: #1caad9;">RCPSG Heritage</a> on <a href="https://sketchfab.com?utm_medium=embed&amp;utm_source=website&amp;utm_campaign=share-popup" target="_blank" style="font-weight: bold; color: #1caad9;">Sketchfab</a></p> <a href="https://heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/exhibitions" target="_blank">Great Minds: The Brain in Medicine, Surgery and Psychiatry</a> <div><a href="https://heritage.rcpsg.ac.uk/items/show/1368" target="_blank">Great Minds Exhibition Overview</a></div> Elements of Phrenology George Combe was a Scottish lawyer and one of the leading figures in the phrenological movement. In 1819 Combe had published several essays which discussed the work of the famous phrenologists Gall and Spurzheim. It was these essays that formed the basis of Combe’s ‘Elements of phrenology’. John Anderson: Edinburgh c. 1824 English Lister Room COM The Phreno-magnet, and Mirror of Nature The phreno-magnet, and mirror of nature : a record of facts, experiments, and discoveries in phrenology, magnetism, &c Spencer T Hall London : Simpkin, Marshall c. 1843 English Bookstore HAL Cast of the Cranium of Robert Burns This cast is believed to be a copy of the originals, produced in the 19th century. It was in the possession of Murdoch Cameron, Professor of Midwifery at the University of Glasgow. Cameron then gave the cast to John Cleland, Professor of Anatomy, whose collection is housed in the University’s Museum of Anatomy. This item is on loan to the College from the Hunterian Museum. c. 1800s