Neuronomy, education, and outreach in neuroscience: A historical case study of Burt Green Wilder

ABSTRACT

Burt Green Wilder (1841–1925) was a pioneering naturalist and anatomist who is historically known for his brain collection and for his contributions to neuroanatomical nomenclature. During his 42-year career, Wilder also used brain measurements for education and outreach, especially in regard to issues of race and gender. Additionally, Wilder influenced neuroscience education and acted as a scientific liaison to the public. For example, he designed early implementations of the sheep brain dissections that are still being conducted today, as well as likely conducted the first “Brain Day.” This article reviews each of these topics, as well as others, with the aim of accurately placing Wilder in the history of neuroscience as a naturalist and anatomist who, among other achievements, pioneered the use of brain measurements for education and outreach.

KEYWORDS:

• Fusiform gyrus
• Helen Gardener
• lingual gyrus
• neuroanatomy
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• women’s suffrage

Acknowledgment

I would like to thank Stanley Finger for comments and edits on previous versions of this manuscript.

Notes

¹ In http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/24/science/in-search-of-answers-from-the-great-brains-of-cornell.html.

² Wilder started studying the skulls of humans and apes in 1859 under Wyman’s guidance (Wilder, 1906). Wyman is credited with one of the first scientific accounts of the gorilla (Savage, 1847; Wyman, 1847). Wilder’s experience with Wyman contributed to his public disagreement with writer Owen Wister, which is discussed later in the article.

³ Wilder was appointed as a member of the committee on anatomical nomenclature at the 2nd Meeting of the Association of American Anatomists (the name was later changed to the American Association of Anatomists) held in Philadelphia in 1889.

⁴ For details, refer to: https://oraprdnt.uqtr.uquebec.ca/pls/public/docs/GSC233/F1017280946_Giacomini.pdf by Régis Olry.

⁵ We have already uncovered a link between Franklin P. Mall and Wilder as whistleblowers to the flawed methods of their contemporaries, and there is also a link between the two when it comes to monsters. In particular, Mall also studied and wrote about monsters from a pathological and embryonic point of view (Mall, 1908).

⁶ “Multiformes pluribus modis inter Monstra partus eduntur” (Fisher, 1866, p. 207).

⁷ Teratology can be considered a branch of embryology dealing with abnormal development and congenital malformations. Diploteratology can be considered a branch of teratology focused on conjoined twins.

⁸ https://www.sfn.org/public-outreach/brain-awareness-week

⁹ “Football or No Football: The question discussed by Profs. Wilson and Wilder,” The New York Times, February 18, 1894.

¹⁰ B. G. Wilder, “Collected reprints [1871–1905],” p. 136. (http://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924003391368).

¹¹ B.G. Wilder, “Collected reprints [1871–1905],” p. 16–19. (http://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924003391368).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by start-up funds provided by UC Berkeley.