The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-09-20
CHANGES In MAN.
startling Developments in the
Physical Structure.
undergoing a Mental Metamorphosis as
"eH-Changes in Customs Following
In the Wake OF intellectual
Improvement

IL Is fact we are assured of bv
Paieohtologlsts and danthropologists that
prlmeval man not only had four more
teeth than men now have but had fewer
bones IN the skull, and less foldings or
eonVolutlons of the brain The skull.
TOO has changed according to environ
ments and use from an oval to a plob-
ular shape, or to a compromise of the
two.
The jaw has retreated as the front
BRAN has protruded. The tearing tusls
teeth have shortened up, and are neat
ly and gently inclosed in the mouth.
Ears, from being pointed and nova
bic like horses ears. have become
rounded and firmly fastened to the
mead. They are no longer the most
important organ, as they were TO the
river drlftmen 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
10 great extent, and serve mainly as
condultS and and as indicators of men
tai emotion. The eyes are shortening
IN their range of vision. and adapting
themselves TO a Studious race All the
senses were once intensely more acute.
and the tendency is now steadily to
lose more and more of their capability
To gather in the world of sounds and
sights, except as these are correlated
INTO logIc-that is, we can no longer
tell poisons by taste and track our
enemies by scent, or distinguish dan
gers by the rustles in the air.
Occasionally child is born with pc
cullar gifts of an organic sort. and can
move his ears freely or shake his scalp
lie does not use this faculty as it was
originally designed. to shake off flies
or dust; indeed, it seems to be useless
reversion to a generally disused type
Such changes in our general physical
frame, says the Boston Traveller. are
startling and suggestive, but no more
Important than the mental and moral
changes that are as demonstratable
Our ancestors were indubitablv carniv-
orous, to the degree of cannibalism
The instinct for savage beasts and
revelry, involving bloodthirsty disre-
gard of human suffering, may lurl in
US yet.
The history of the Stanley expedition
suggests that positive saVagery is latent
in US, in such degrees that the absence
OF restraints of civilization may cause
Il suddenly to blaze with ferocity; vet
we certainly are transformed to d deep
abhorrence for customs that our fore
fathers lived up to without a qualm
Changes in customs are simpler than
changes in organic structure. but both
are easily possible. The rudimentarv
tail is still IN our possession, and have
no doubt that if advantage could b,
found in its development we could get
back to this appendage in its fullness
1t would not be impossible to develop a
race of men with tails if tails could be
used. Certainly highly civilized races
have lapsed in moral and intelligence
10 savage and animal conceptions Of
life. Such changes grow together and
are interlinlled.
AS the eye and the ear are less oc-
cupied in detecting the approach of
dangerous foes, they are more occupied
in listening to the sorrows of our fell
lows. The pathos and sympathy of a
noble eye. the keen intellectually OF a
students nose, are part of the evolu-
ton; the organ changes, and at the
same time exchanges purpose and
power
Darwin says man may be excused for
feeling some pride at having risen,
though not by his own exertions, to
the very summit of the organic scale;
and the fact that he has thus risen in
stead of having been aboriginally
placed there, may give him hope of
still higher destiny in the fu ture.