The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-28


InJures-in other words, the powers are the
same by which perfection Ia first achieved, and
by which, when lost, II is recovered" Darwin
concludes, therefore, that tho several forms Of
budding nssiparous generation, the repair Of
injuries, and development are all essentially the
results of one and the same power.
The union OF the two sexual elements seems
at first sight to constitute n broad distinction
between sexual and non-sexual generation. Hut
the conjugatton of ale@, "bv which process
the contents of two cells coalesce In q single mass
capable Of Development" apparently supplies
the first step toward sexual union, and 1t seems
to have been established by experiments. In the
pairing Of zo5spores, that coniugation docs in
fact graduate into true sexual reproduction.
Moreover the now well-understood cascs OF
parthenoeenesis prove that the distinction be-
tween sexual and non-sexual generation is not
nearly SO great as was formerly thought, for ova
occasionally, and with some organisms, fire.
qucntly become developed into perfect
beings without the concourse Of the male.
Indee ;, with most OF the lower animals, and
even with mammals, the ova " show trace OF
parthenogetic power. for. without being fcrtil-
lied, they pass through the first stages " seq
mentation" 1t seems probable that with tho
separate sex ual clements deficient quantity Of
formative mater is the main cause Of their in
CAPACITY for PROLONGED existence, without COM
bning, and thereby increasing each others bulk.
Thus, in Darwin's view, sexual and nun.sex-
ual reproduction do not essentially dir,r, and
we have indicated some reasons for behe'ing
that the latter phenomenon Is identical IN prn-
ciple with the power Of regrowth and develop
ment.
Now Psychologists agree that the whole organ
ism consists OF a multitude of elemental parts
which are to a great extent Independent Of one
another. Each organ" says Claude Bernard,
has Its proper life, its autonomy; IL can de-
velop aud reproduce Itself Independently Of the
adjoining tissues" According to a German
authority, Nirchow, each system Is composed Of
an enormous mass of minute centres Of action.
Every element has It's own special action, and
even though 1t derive It's stimulus to activity
from other parts, yet alone effects the actual
performance Of duties Every single fibre cell
leads a sort Of parasitcal existence in rela.
ton TO tho rest OF the body. Every
single bone corpuscle really possesses con-
diuons Of nutrition peculiar TO itself" A
multitude OF facts support this view The
spur of a cock, after being Inserted In the ear Of
an OK. lived for eight years aud attained weight
OF fourteen ounces, and the astonishing length
OF about nine inches. The tail Of pig has beer
grated into the middle Of Its back, and re-
acquired sensibilitv. A piece OF perosteum
fro N the bone Of q young dog was inserted IN
der the skin OF rabbit, and true bone was de-
vcloped. Whether, however, each Of the innu-
merable autonomous elements composing every
organism Is a cell, or the modified product OF a
cell, is u doubtful question but It Is generally
admitted, as we promised, that a given being Is
made up Of vast number OF organic units, Gel
ular OF non -cellular, oil Of which possess their
own proper attributes, and are TO a certain ex-
tent independent Of all others.
Here, then, comes Darwin's hypothesis. 1t Is
conceded that the cells or units OF a body in-
crease by Subdivision prollferation retaining
the same nature. But besides this means OF in
crease. Darwin assumes that the units throw on
minute efanulCs which are dispersed through
out the whole system; shat these, when sup
piled with proper nutriment multiply in their
turn by self-divlsion, and are ultimately devel'
oped into units like those from which they
were originally derived. These eranules nay
be called gemmues. Thoy are collected from
all Tatts " the system TO constitute the xual
elements. and their development In the ne xt
generation constitutes a new being. but they
are likewise capable OF transmission IN n dor
mant state 90 future generations, and may then
be developed"
The development OF given gemmules de.
pends on their union with other partl lily devel-
| oped or nasceut cells mot gemmules) such as
would precede the matrix cells of the said GEM
mules in the regular course OF growth. Gem
mules are supposed to DC thrown OF by every
cell OF unit, not only during the aiul, state. but
throughout every stage Of growth. Lastly, he
| assumes that 1.-THE gctnuiulcs ia their dorm ant
state have a mutual affinity for each other lead
ing 10 their aggregation into buds. or into the
sexual elements" Hence II is not the repro
ductive organs, or buds, regarded as entities,
which generate new beings, but the units Of
which the individual bud or organ is composed
These assumptions, taken together constitute
the law which Darwin calls pangenesis.
This theory has teen received very differently
'ty different scien' lists, out We have no space to
examine the Or jec,ious 81 Herbert Spencer
and Others most of which are discussed by
Darwin In the pre- sent edition Of his work
There Is no doubt that the hypothesis leave,
many points in doubt, but on the other hand II
renders inteigibo and coherent phenomena
which hitherto nave Appeared Insulated and OBJ
scure And 1t Is well II bear IN mind the re
mark Of Whewen that "bypothcses may Otter
be Of service to science when they involve a Ger
tain portion Of incompletcness or even error"
1t is probable, however, that the reader vii
experience some difficulty in accepting the doc
trine u pangenesls, fiom the fact that the SUD
posed lemmules thrown of from each dideren
! unit tnfuusnput tue bpdy must DC 80 AlAINtl
lopsly numerous and minute. We are asked e
believe that every cell of every part as II change
during deyelopmcnt-and we know that SOM
insects UNDERGO at least twenty metamorphose
goes ON incess intly casting od these germs
All organic beings, moreover. are assumed u
include many dormant gemmlles derived from
their grandparents and more remote ancestors
though not from all their progenitors. AM
these almost Infinitely numerous aud minut
granulcs are contained within each bud
ovule, spermatozoon, and pollen-grain. A
nrst sight such an admission appears impos
sibe, but number and size are only relatiy
difficulties. Complete independent organism
exist which are barely visible under the highes
powers Of the microscope, and how excessvcl
diminutiye must be the seeds-nay, the cells q
units-of such bodies II the cell OF such a
organism be conceivable, why not the gemmul
Of such cell? Again, particles OF infection
matter 40 small rs TO be waited by the wind an
10 adhere to the smOothest paper, will multp
so rapidly as to faint within a brief time III
whole body OF a large animal. We should ais
reflect on the admitted number ana minutenei
Of the molecules composing particle Of ord
nary matter. On the whole, therefore, the dill
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