Percival Bailey
Encyclopedia
Percival Sylvester Bailey (May 9, 1892 – August 10, 1973) was an American neuropathologist, neurosurgeon and psychiatrist
who was a native of rural southern Illinois
. He originally studied to became a teacher at Illinois Normal University, but transferred to the University of Chicago
in 1912, where he became interested in neurology
. In 1918 he graduated from Northwestern University
in Evanston
, and in 1919 became an assistant to Harvey Cushing
(1869-1939) at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston
. In 1928 he became head of the neurosurgical department at the University of Chicago
, and in 1939 was professor of neurology and neurological surgery at the University of Illinois. From 1951 he was director of the Illinois State Psychiatric Institute.
Percival Bailey is remembered for his collaborative work with Harvey Cushing, and his important work involving the classification of brain tumor
s, which prior to his research was in state of disarray and confusion. From 1922 to 1925, Bailey performed extensive pathological
and histological studies of brain tumors, and based on cellular configuration, he created a classification system of thirteen categories. In 1927, he reduced the number of categories to ten.
In 1925, Bailey identified a mid-cerebellar glioma
that is usually associated with childhood called a medulloblastoma
, of which he published an important paper with Cushing titled Medulloblastoma Cerebelli. Also, the two doctors are credited with coining the term "hemangioblastoma
".
With Paul Bucy
(1904-1992), Bailey made investigations involving the structure of intracranial tumors and meningeal
tumors. The two men were able to confirm that a specific type of tumor (now known as an oligodendroglioma
) consisted of oligodendroglia. With Gerhardt von Bonin (1890-1979), Bailey authored two works, "The Neocortex of Macaca Mulatta" and "The Isocortex of Man", which provided an accurate description concerning the cytoarchitecture of the cerebral cortex
.
As a psychiatrist, Bailey was a vocal critic of Freudian psychology, which he considered speculative and unscientific. In 1965, he published a book about Freud
titled "Sigmund The Unserene".
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
who was a native of rural southern Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He originally studied to became a teacher at Illinois Normal University, but transferred to the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1912, where he became interested in neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
. In 1918 he graduated from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
, and in 1919 became an assistant to Harvey Cushing
Harvey Cushing
Harvey Williams Cushing, M.D. , was an American neurosurgeon and a pioneer of brain surgery, and the first to describe Cushing's syndrome...
(1869-1939) at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. In 1928 he became head of the neurosurgical department at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, and in 1939 was professor of neurology and neurological surgery at the University of Illinois. From 1951 he was director of the Illinois State Psychiatric Institute.
Percival Bailey is remembered for his collaborative work with Harvey Cushing, and his important work involving the classification of brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
s, which prior to his research was in state of disarray and confusion. From 1922 to 1925, Bailey performed extensive pathological
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
and histological studies of brain tumors, and based on cellular configuration, he created a classification system of thirteen categories. In 1927, he reduced the number of categories to ten.
In 1925, Bailey identified a mid-cerebellar glioma
Glioma
A glioma is a type of tumor that starts in the brain or spine. It is called a glioma because it arises from glial cells. The most common site of gliomas is the brain.-By type of cell:...
that is usually associated with childhood called a medulloblastoma
Medulloblastoma
Medulloblastoma is a highly malignant primary brain tumor that originates in the cerebellum or posterior fossa.Previously, medulloblastomas were thought to represent a subset of primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the posterior fossa...
, of which he published an important paper with Cushing titled Medulloblastoma Cerebelli. Also, the two doctors are credited with coining the term "hemangioblastoma
Hemangioblastoma
Hemangioblastomas are tumors of the central nervous system that originate from the vascular system usually during middle-age. Sometimes these tumors occur in other sites such as the spinal cord and retina...
".
With Paul Bucy
Paul Bucy
Paul Bucy was an American neuropathologist who was a native of Hubbard, Iowa. He studied medicine at the University of Iowa, and afterwards was an assistant to neurosurgeon Percival Bailey at the University of Chicago...
(1904-1992), Bailey made investigations involving the structure of intracranial tumors and meningeal
Meningioma
The word meningioma was first used by Harvey Cushing in 1922 to describe a tumor originating from the meninges, the membranous layers surrounding the CNS ....
tumors. The two men were able to confirm that a specific type of tumor (now known as an oligodendroglioma
Oligodendroglioma
Oligodendrogliomas are a type of glioma that are believed to originate from the oligodendrocytes of the brain or from a glial precursor cell. They occur primarily in adults but are also found in children...
) consisted of oligodendroglia. With Gerhardt von Bonin (1890-1979), Bailey authored two works, "The Neocortex of Macaca Mulatta" and "The Isocortex of Man", which provided an accurate description concerning the cytoarchitecture of the cerebral cortex
Cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex is a sheet of neural tissue that is outermost to the cerebrum of the mammalian brain. It plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness. It is constituted of up to six horizontal layers, each of which has a different...
.
As a psychiatrist, Bailey was a vocal critic of Freudian psychology, which he considered speculative and unscientific. In 1965, he published a book about Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
titled "Sigmund The Unserene".