Scatter Brained

THE NEVER-GOT-A-CHANCE
By the time Josef Hassid (1923–1950) turned 12 he was being 
hailed as the greatest violinist in centuries. Over the next few 
years he made nine recordings, which are as valuable to violin 
afi cionados as great bootlegs are to Deadheads. Sadly, Hassid 
developed schizophrenia in his late teens. Even more sadly, he 
happened to develop schizophrenia at the height of Europe’s 
psychosurgery craze. He died from a botched lobotomy at the 
age of 26.
THE UNDERAPPRECIATED
Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718–1799) wrote the 18th century’s 
most infl uential book on diff erential calculus 
and
 integral cal-
culus  (which  sounds  like  a  very  impressive  accomplishment, 
even if we don’t understand it), and she was only the second 
woman in European history to be appointed a full professor-
ship in mathematics. Plus, she delivered an hour-long speech—
in Latin—on the subject of women’s rights to education. When 
she was 
nine.
 And yet today, hardly anyone’s ever heard of her.