THE HEAD HUNTERS

Interest in phrenology reached its zenith in the early l800s as scientists became interested in researching the skulls of famous musicians and scientists to determine whether the shape of the skull might be related to their unusual gifts. A recently published book called “Skull Snatchers” gave many details about this era on the morning CBC radio program dated February 10, 2010.
Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791) was exhumed from his pauper’s grave. A wire had been placed around his neck before burial and his identity was able to be proven. After their skulls were examined most of these people have since been reburied.

Emmanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was active in every branch of the physical sciences. He anticipated many later discoveries and inventions including a nebular hypothesis, a molecular theory, and a theory of cosmic atoms. He drew up plans for a submarine and a flying machine. He was a fellow in the Royal Academy of Sciences, and specialized in mineralogy and for more than 30 years was an assessor in the Royal Bureau of Mines. He was able to see things as they happened hundreds of miles away. At one point he was with a large group of people and suddenly told them that a fire was raging through a certain city, and later it was proved to be so. According to my husband’s family, his family name was originally Isaacson but later his name was changed to Swedenborg to honour him. My husband’s grandmother’s family name was Isaacson and it was said that she was a descendant of the Swedenborg family. It is quite possibly true since our son graduated as top student when he received his degree in Science from the University of Victoria and received the gold medal at graduation ceremonies. The skull of Swedenborg was also snatched several times and finally reburied in 1988. Edgar Cayce who died in 1944 was also able to see people who lived hundreds of miles away, diagnose their illness and prescribe a treatment. www.edgarcayce.org.