Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1895-08-06
CHANGES IN MAN.
Startling Developments In the
Physical Structure.
Undergoing a Mental Metamorphosis as
Wen-Changes In Customs Following
in the Wake OF Intellectual
improvement.

1t is fact we are assured of by
paleontologists and anthropologistst that
primeval man not only had four more
teeth than men now have but had fewer
bones in the skull, and less foldings OF
convolutions Of the brain. The skull,
too, has changed according to environ
ments and use from an oval to glob-
ular shape, or to a compromise of the
two.
The jaw has retreated as the front
BRAIN has protruded. The tearing tusk
teeth have shortened up, and are neat
~ and gently ipclosed in the mouth.
Ears, from being pointed and nova
bic like horses ears, have become
rounded and firmly fastened to the
head. They are no longer the most
Important organ, as they were to the
river driftmen to enable them to hear
the approach of danger from all sides.
The nostrils, from being open and
alert, have closed up to outside affairs
to great extent. and serve mainly as
conduits and and as indicators of men
tai emotion. The eyes are shortening
in their range of vision, and ADAPTING
themselves to studious race. All the
senses were once intensely more acute,
and the tendency is now steadily t.,
lose more and more of their capabilitv
to gather in the world of sounds and
sights, except as these are correlated
into logic-that is, we can no lonper
tell poisons by taste and track our
enemies by scent, or distinguish dan
gers by the rustlcs in the air.
Occasionally child is born with pc
culiar gifts of an organic sort, and can
move his ears freely Or shake his scalp.
He does not use this faculty as it was
originally designed, to shake off flies
or dust; indeed, il seems to be a useless
reVerSlon to generally disuscd type.
Such changes in orr general physical
frame, says tho Boston Traveller. are.
startling and suggestive, but no more
important than the mental and moral
changes that are as demonstratablc.
Our ancestors were Individually carniy-
orouS, to the degree of cannibalisla.
The instinct for savage beasts and
rcvclry. involving bloodthirstv disrc-
gard OF human suffering, may Turk in
us yet.
The history of the Stanley expedition
suggests that positive savagery is latent
III l'%. IN such degrees that the absence
OF restraints of civilization may cause
It suddenly to blaze with ferocity: vet
we certainly arc transformed to q deem
abhorrcnce for customs that our fore
fathers lived up to without qualm.
Changes in customs are simpler than
changes in organic structure, but both
arc easily possible. The rudimentorv
tail is still III our possession, and | bavc
no doubt that if advantage could be
found i'll it's development we could pet
pack TO this appendage in it's fullness.
1t would not be impossible to develop a
race of men with tails if tails could be
used. Certainly highly civilized races
nave lapsed in moral and intelligence
TO savage and animal conceptions of
life. Such changes grow together and
are interlinlled.
AS the eye and the ear ar, less oc-
cupied in detecting the a. 7roach of
dangerous foes, they are mo occupied
in listening to the sorrow. I our fel-
lows. The pathos and syr .thv of q
noble eye, the keen intellec !ity of n
Students nose, are part e. !e evolu-
ton; the organ changes, at the
same time exchanges pu: .u3e and
power.
Darwin says man may be. used for
feeling some pride at HI. :. risen,
though not by his own e.: ',ns, to
the very summit of the c: ic scale:
and the fact that he has til ..isen. in.
stead of having been ~. ipinallv
placed there, may give hin n,,pe of n
still higher destiny in the re