science of picking the pocket through the scalp."
the 19th Century, thousands of people, including many reputable
scientists, accepted as scientific fact that all aspects of
a person's character had a physical manifestation in the shape
of the brain, and the shape of the brain determined the shape
of the cranium.
They therefore concluded that a
trained professional could read a person's character by feeling
the bumps on his head, in addition to examining other physical
attributes. This science was known as Phrenology.
Phrenology was particularly popular
in America. Even when most of the scientific community abandoned
it in the later 19th Century, it was still widely practiced
and believed in by ordinary Americans well into the 20th Century.
This interesting aspect of the 19th
Century science is brought to life in a humorous and informative
way by Walter Nelson as "Doctor Malatesta: Frontier Phrenologist".
Doctor can set up his tent at your outdoor program,
or occupy a room in your historic house. There, he can
use his trained fingers to read the true character or
He is also available for "one
man shows" for schools, museums and historical
societies throughout the Southern California area.
Call Walter Nelson at 818-342-3482
or email OR
SEND AN EMAIL for more information.
Dr. Malatesta is based in Southern California