Franz Josef Gall and his contribution to neuroanatomy with emphasis on the brain stem

Franz Josef Gall, born in 1758, studied medicine in Strasbourg and Vienna and focused his research in two areas. His most notorious research was in craniofacial morphology that gradually evolved into the pseudoscience of phrenology. His second research area was neuroanatomy. Although Gall is usually best remembered for his inglorious introduction of phrenology, his neuroanatomic contributions have more lasting significance. In this vignette we explore Gall's neuroanatomic contributions especially as they relate to brain stem anatomy. By means of blunt dissection he was the first to describe the origins of several cranial nerves, including the trigeminal nucleus. It will be apparent that Gall--his dubious introduction of phrenology notwithstanding--was a pioneer in the description of brain stem anatomy.