Phrenology was developed in the early eighteenth century by Franz
Joseph Gall, a doctor in Vienna. His interest began at school when he noticed
that boys with prominent eyes seemed to have the best memories. This led
him to believe that a connection existed between appearance and ability. Dr.
Gall’s research interested many people, but he was ridiculed by other
doctors. When he died in 1828, he was a poor and bitter man. It was only
many years later that Dr. Gall’s theories found support among some doctors
and scientists, and today the art of phrenology has become more accepted.