QuackScience: Vaught’s Practical Character Reader

Vaught’s Practical Character Reader- Published by Chicago phrenologist  LA Vaught ,  in 1902  aims to teach the public how to apply the principles of phrenology in judging people’s worth.

Phrenology is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.

It used to be a faculty psychology, theory of brain and science of character reading.

The study of LA Vaught was based on  this theory, that a person’s intelligence, personality and character can be estimated by the shape of the skull.

Here’s how to find a good man.

As he confidently states in his Preface:

“The purpose of this book is to acquaint all with the elements of human nature and enable them to read these elements in all men, women and children in all countries. At least fifty thousand careful examinations have been made to prove the truthfulness of the nature and location of these elements. More than a million observations have been made to confirm the examinations. Therefore, it is given the world to be depended upon. Taken in its entirety it is absolutely reliable. Its facts can be completely demonstrated by all who will take the unprejudiced pains to do so. It is ready for use. It is practical. Use it”.

The theory that one can ascertain a person’s character by the shape of their features is disturbing to say the least.

All images from Library of Congress