Ancient brain surgery. Miss Helen Hecker, secretary to Dr. [...] Curator of Physical Anthropology of the Smithsonian Institution, poses with an ancient trephined skull discovered in Alaska by Dr. Hrdlicka, which is believed to prove that brain surgery was practiced there as long ago as 2,000 years. Dr. Hrdlicka made his discoveries from the lower strata of an ancient settlement on Kodiak Island. He believes that trephining among the Indians was a practical surgical operation, designed to relieve pressure against the brain from a skull fracture, and to remove bone splinters. It also is believed possible that these holes were bored in skulls, at times, to let out evil spirits causing headaches, 11/23/35