BUCHANAN. 1! UGH AN A. . 87 a substitute delegate, working strenuously and effectively for the nomination of Mr. Lincoln. He stumped the state for him, and after his election removed to Boston. He was a delegate to the Baltimore con- vention in 1864, a firm supporter of Mr. Lincoln's renomination and a strenuous opponent of Andrew Johnson for the second place on the national ticket. He delivered the centennial oration in his native town in 1879. Since he has re- sided in Massachusetts he has refused to hold any political office whatever, and has only interested himself in politics by mak- ing speeches during the state and national campaigns. From the time of his taking up his residence in Boston, until i8cS7, he devoted his time almost entirely to an extensive and constantly increasing general practice in the several counties in East Massachu- setts, in both the state and federal courts, and not infrequently has been called to his old circuit in New Hampshire when he could spare the time. Mr. Bryant was married at the age of twenty-four to Susan M., the daugh- ter of Abraham Brown of Northiield, N. H., by whom he has three surviving children. He retired from business in April, 1887, and is known in both public and private life as a most genial and courteous gentle- man. BUCHANAN, JOSEPH RODES, son of 1 >r. Joseph and Nancy Buchanan, was born in Frankfort, Franklin county, Ky., December n, 1814. At the age of sev- enty-four he is still in his prime as to health, vigor, and application, editing " Buchanan's Journal of Man." His father's death in 1829 left the son to maintain himself unaided. As a printer, teacher, and medical student, he took an original course, and began in 1835 the career of public teacher, devoting himself to his life work, the consummation of physiology, by ascertaining the unex- plained functions of the brain and nervous system, founding his labors on the theory of Gall and Spurzheim, which he subjected to years of patient analysis and criticism, rejecting errors and adding important dis- coveries. His study of comparative devel- opment was superseded in 1841 by the discovery of the impressibility of the brain, and the power of affecting the brains of intelligent persons so as to determine the location of their various functions. In 1S42 he published his explanation of the brain, showing the psychic and physiolog- ical functions of all parts, a condensed statement of which he gave in his " Sys- tem of Anthropology" in 1S54. Having graduated from the medical department of the Louisville University, he presented his discoveries to the faculty and authorities of the university for examination, and on the first presentation of his subject he was sustained by Professor Caldwell of his alma mater, and subsequently by Robert Dale Owen, and his experiments were repeated by eminent scientists in this coun- try and Europe. In the winter of iS42-'43 Dr. Buchanan presented the subject in New York, and received the endorsement of a committee of eminent men, the late William Cullen Bry- ant being chairman. The same year a committee of physicians in Boston pub- lished a report of experiments signed by their secretary, Dr. Bowditch, showing a successful demonstration of the new sci- ence. A few months later the faculty of the State University of Indiana, under -*r f J RODES BUCHANAN. President Wylie, made a report of wonder- ful experiments on the brain by Dr. Bu- chanan, and their high estimate of the importance of the new science. The next year he was cordially endorsed by a large meeting in Boston, and specially eulogized by its chairman, Rev. John Pierpont. At
