Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-13

eliminated in each generation. The habit
increased intensity upon the survivors unit
it becomes q part of their very nature. Oul
domestic fowls have, in most localities
been free from the attacks of birds Of prey
for many generations, yet have seen lit.
tie bantam chick in a London back stree
crouch and cover in the gutter when {
large piece of brown paper came drifting
and fapping from the window of . higf
factory close at hand.
Prehensile Grasp of Babes.
1t occurred to me that we might find some
habit of self-preservation of parallel char.
acter and of equal Importance to this among
the Young of the arboreal apes; and if,
when found, traces of the same character
istic were shown to be obviously persistent
in man, and serving no useful present pur-
pose, it would give considerable support to
the Darwinian theory Of human descent.
The habit was found in the extraordinary
disposition and ability exhibited by very
young apes to cling to the parent when, IN
times Of danger, she is obliged to use both
arms to climb swiftly out of reach of an ap-
preaching foe.
travelling naturalists have observed this,
and the former gives in his book on the
Malay Archipelago a most interesting ac-
count of an infant orang-outang, which,
though in all other respects as helpless as q
human babe, had such power of grasp that
he had to appeal for help when once 1t had
hooked its fingers in his beard. It is evi-
dent that for hundreds and thousands of
generations every young ape which failed
from any cause to exercise this power
in times of danger would fall and perish,
and only those which employed it efectu-
ally would live to perpetuate the race.
A Well Established Fact,
This then seems habit or characteristic
which should be projected forward into the
far future, and determined carefully to OBJ
serve to what extent it existed in the human
infant. And it is we'll to remember that not
only may the instinct be expected to con-
tinue, but also some measure of the capacity
to employ it with success. Anatomists have
many times remarked the surprising develop
ment of the shoulders and arms of infants
compared with the lower limbs, but until
lately no rational explanation of this salient
fact had been advanced.
The power and Inclination of the new born
babe to grasp finger, or. anything else it
could seize with its hands, had also been
noted, and Dr. O. W. Holmes in his excel
and Morals" (Which am ashamed to say is
out of print in England), quotes the words
of Mr.. Kentuck in the "Luck of Roaring
Camp" "He wrestled with my finger the
little cuss" to show that the fact was we'll
enough authenticated to be used for dramatic
purposes by the novelist.
I carefully experimental on q large num-
Der of infants of under a month old, and
found, to my establishment, that in consid-
erablv over 100 cases not one failed to
exhibit it, and that in all but two instances
the children were able to hang by their
hands to my finger or small stick and bear
their whole weight for periods varying
from five seconds to over two minutes and a
half
Tried It on His Own Son.
1t may interest some among this latter
Class also to learn that the very last of nv
experiments was performed few days ago
upon my infant son, Maurice (in the pres
ence and with the full sanction Of his
mother and nurse) before ever he had un-
primitive nature into that chrysalis condi-
tion Of incipient civilization, known as
'1ong clothes" and this youngest expo
nent of the Darwinian philosophy hung
plaeidly from my fore6nger for Is seconds.
Now no one can assert that this extraor-
1inary prehensile power is of any material
use to the human infant To understand
it's phenomenal development we must con-
'ider the general placidity and feebleness of
he muscular system in young babies
>stric excepting of course the muscles
which work the bowling apparatps) and
slso the fact that an unframed, strong
.dult will find hanging to horizontal bar
ior three minutes pretty severe test.
I have asserted, and hitherto have met
sith no contradiction, that this surprising
lift of grip can only be explained as a yes
ige of that power which for thousands of
generations was the means of saving our
lrboreal ancestors from destruction.
In conclusion will quote the words of |
Darwin on the expression Of feeling which |
nay possibly be called forth in some by
vhat I have already written; for it is likely |
o pro1e useful and edifying to the debaters |
N both sides: Gle who rejects with scorn
he belief that the shape of his own teeth is |
lue to our early forefathers having been |
provided with these formidable weapons |
will probably reveal by sneering the line of |
lis descent, for although he no longer in
ends or has the power to use these teeth as
Veapons, he Will unconsciously retract his |
snarling muscles $50 called by Sir G. Belly |
o Is to expose them ready for action like .
og prepared to fight"
LOUIS ROBINSON, M. D.
LONDON, ENGLAND.