Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-02-15
Communicated.
PHYSIOLOGICAL LETTERS NOTE TO NO. ILL.,


we had not intended to discuss any of
these controverted questions, which, ow-
ing to the imperfections of our knowledge,
are, 1t present, unsusceptible of solution !;
still the temptation to say a word aside
from our original purpose is too great to
be resisted.
AT the commencement we stated our
object 10 be, In writing these letters, g TO
give brief general outline Of the science
of Physiology and "to present the sci
ence as now taught by the ablest teachers
and writer's" This plan necessarily ex-
cluded controversy; and, Notwithstanding
many points in Physiology are now un-
settled, we yet deem it possible to set
forth the views of distinguished investi-
gators and thinkers without entering into
the merits OF controversies. Perhaps we
ough; TO have cited the opinion of the au-
thor of the a" Vestiges," when alluding to
the origin of Life but we were led to
| follow our plan by the fact that none of
the more eminent living naluralists adopt
the Development Hypothesis. Ia fact,
as matters now stand, many of the origi
nal grounds of tina: Hypothesis have been
shown to be unsound by recent investiga-
tons, still, this does not explode the Hy-
! potbesis, for, as the author Justly remar rks,
SIT may prove true, Y though
onehalf of the illustrations presented by
its first explica,or should be wrong"
That all may Judge of this Hypothesis
/ for themselves, we give it III the language
of It's author He says: We are drawn
on to the suppositiol that the first step in
the creation of life upon this planet was
CHEMICo-ELECrRIC OPERATION, BY WHICH
SIMPLE GERMINAL vESICLES WERE FRO
DUCED. This is so much, but what were
the next steps? | suggest as an hypoth
esis colntenanced by much that is ascer-
Iained, and likely to be further sanctioned
/ by much that remains TO be known, that
the first step was AN ADVANCE UNDER IA
/ vOR OF PECULIAR CONDITIONS, FROM THE
sI3rLEsT FORMS OF BEINGS TO THE NExr
/ MORE COMPLICATED, AND THIS THROUGH
TIE MEDIUM OF TIE ORDINARY PROCESS
OF GESERArIoS.' Vesuges of the Nat.
Hist. of Creation.
The origin of organic life upon this
plane, may be considered from three
points of view. First, that just presented,
in which it is assumed that organization
and life may be developed out of morgan
ic material, as a result Of the physical
! forces inherent IN matter In other words,
/ that development is as much prope rty
capacity, or power, of matter as any other
more familiar quality or attribute. Sec
ondly, it may be assumed that each and
every species of plants and animals re-
Quired in the first instance, direct inter
vention of Supreme Power to bring it into
existence = in short, that a miracle is
wrought each time that species Is
originated. This is the view adopted
! by tGAssIz and several other men of dis
tinction. Lastly, there may be those who
assume that SPECIES is an eternal success
sion of individuals, without beginning or
end. SO far as this earth is concerned
the direct evidence of Geology runs coun-
ter to the assumption for it is inferen-
TALLY demonstrable, not only that there
has been time in the history of the
world when organization and life did not
exist, and consequently that there must
have been a beginning of organic life on
this globe, but, also, that there is a natur-
al limitation to the duration of any species.
As already intimated, we consider all
inquiries into the ultimate origin of or
ganic life fru.less speculation-Interest-
ing and philosophical, i, may be-but with
which science, as science, has nothing tc
do; and although many attempts have
been made to apply CRUCIAL INSTANCES
10 the calculation ef the question, the or
acles of Zoology consider thai hey have
failed. BY them, the experiments o
Cross and WEEKS are distrusted, while
, experiments made by other observers dt
not yield The same results.
The doctrine of the transmutation o.
species, which is fundamental 10 the De
velopment Hypothesis, is combaued by
AcAssIz with all his vigor and learning
Those who believe In transmutaiIon as!
for time as one essential element Ia tht
process. Let it be granted. The human
species has a ,olerably legible record, ex
: tending back over five thousand years
, during which time the races Of men hav'
retained, unchanged, their peculiar am
distinguishing characteristics. If II b
h.-xh sE, IL. -..ul