BRO'CA, PAUL (1824-SO). A French anthro pologist, born at Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, Gironde.
He studied at the Communal College of Sainte •oy and the E•ole Polyte•hnique and Faenhi• de MC.decine of Paris, became in 1846 assistant in anatomy to the FacuW, in 1848 prosector, and subsequently professor of surgical pathology. At various times he also held appointments as sur geon to important hospitals, including La Pith:. and La Salp•riere. In 1847, when he was con nected as medical assistant with a commission for the preparation of a report on excavations in the Church of the Celestins, he began a thor ough study of anthropology. In 1859, amid diffi culties caused by the hostility or indifference of other scientists and by the opposition of the Government, which suspected political plots, he founded the Anthropological Society of Paris. From the formation of this society, officially authorized in 1861, modern anthropological sci ence may be said to date. Broca established in 1872 the Revue d'Anthropologie, among the fore most periodicals of its class, in which many of his own works originally appeared. Finally lie founded, in 1876, at Paris, the well-known Eeole d'Anthropologie, equipped with laboratories, a library, and a well-stocked museum. Among its numerous courses was one by himself on the comparative anatomy of the primates. The so ciety, the school, and the laboratories are now known under the collective title of the Anthro pological Institute. During all this time Broca was constantly occupied with researches, many important results of which were published in Instructions gaterales pour les recherchcs anthro pologiques (1365) and Instructions eraniologiques et craniontetriques (1875). In 1861 he made and announced his noteworthy discovery of the seat of articulate speech in the third convolution of the left frontal lobe of the brain, since commonly called the 'convolution of Broca.' Disease in this
convolution, rutting off the blood-supply from it, or severing the fibres that lead from it to other parts of the brain, causes inability to make the effort needed to pronounce words or to read aloud.
(See APHASIA; NERTOUS SYSTEM.) The impor tance of Broca's contributions to anthropology cannot be overestimated.
Broca's activities were many-sided. He was one of the three directors of public assistance through the Franco-Prussian War, and from 1850 a permanent Senator. He was also inter ested in literature and :esthetics, and has been described as an attractive raconteur and conver sationalist. His friend and colleague, M. Jacques Bertillon, is quoted as having said of him, has there been a mind so active. so equally open to all kinds of knowledge, and so equally fond of all kinds." His energy as both teacher and writer was truly enormous. Besides numerous memoirs on a wide range of subjects, and au extensive list of contributions to the Bulletins of the Anthropological Society and the Revue (Pt nthropologic. he published the celebrat ed work, Des anerrysmes, et de Year traitement (1856) ; Ucthnologie de in France (18591; Re cherches stir l'hybridite animale en fittral et stir humaine en pa rt iculier (1860) ; Traits des tunteurs (1865-69); en' oires sur les came te+es physiques de l'hont me pratistorique (1869) and .1/ ('m oire.s d'unthropologie (4 vols., 1871-83 ) . Consult Correspondancc de Paul Broca (2 vols., Paris, 1886). A statue of him by Choppin was placed in the Ecole de Wdecine in 1887. Consult the biography by Pozzi (Paris, 1880).