Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1895-12-07
WE HAVE THREE EYES.
Science Declares that Man Has Ru-
dimcntary Third Optic.

science declares mat Nau mas Ru-
dimcntary Third Optic.
Recent researches prove that man
and all vertebrates seem 10 possess the
rudiments of 4 third eye. This discOy-
cry is not only very interesting, but
also remarkably instructive. since the
rudimentary third eye of man has. by
one of the most noted philosophers Of
modern days. been looked upon as be
ing the seat of the soul.
AS organs by proper use develop in
strength and perfection. 30 they be-
come weak by lack of use. If for many
generations an organ should remain
without use its structure ia time be-
comes simpler and more imperfect.
such a process continues throughout
ages an organ, by constant diSuSe. VIII
become reduced TO 4 mere rudiment OF
what it was in the species using the
same. Thus. species of birds that only
walk and run. but never fly. have only
rudimentary wings. is the ostrich:
while in the eagle and the a!balrosS NE
wings are seen in Il state of perfection.
Now, in closely examining the skulls
of certain lizards. it was found shat
near the Top of head. under the dark.
opaque skin. and often in the very bone.
an almost perfect eye exists. although
no ray of light ever reaches ii. This
eye shows Il crystalline lens. Il rc;in3
of very complex structure and an optic
nerve: in fact. all the essential parts
Of Il perfect eye. But being covered
by the opaque skin of the animal. ii is
| absolutely useless. If this optic nerve
/ is traced to the brain it is found to
connect the eye with the so-calied pin
cal gland of the brain. This pineal
/ gland is. of course, in no sense of the
word a real gland. but Il definite por-
! ton of the nervous tissue of the brain,
| invariably located just back Of the
rounded brain-mass which generally is
| considered TO correspond to the corpora
! quadrigemina in a man.
! The third eye Of the spotted lizard is
! called the nineal eye. on account of the
nerve connection of the retina with the
pineal gland. Now. while in certain
lizards this highly developed eye is
useless because it is covered by Opaque
skin. and in others even deeply bedded
in bone il would seem probable that in
an earlier stage OF development this
pineal eye was not rudimentary. but in
constant use. a very slight modifica-
ton would accomplish this: namely,
the transparency of the skin covering
the eye This is exactly the condition
OF the normal eyes in reptiles today:
| the skin covers them. but it is trans
| parent where il passes over the eye.
In the skulls of some Of the gigantic
reptiles OF the earlier age of this globe.
| paleOntologistS have long ago found Il
large round perforaton. Proba bly, this
was the socket of The third or pineal
eye of the ichthyOSauruS. the pleso-
saurus and the laDyrnthOdon
But much more important conclu-
sion must be drawn from this discOv-
cry; namely. that in all vertebrates,
| even including man. the traces Of this
third eye remain to-day. The pineal
eye OF lizards being connected with the
large pineal gland of the same. it would
, seem that the pineal gland itself is
but the nerve center or optic thalmus
for this third eye. In all reptiles and
amphibia the pineal gland is large; so
Il is also in fishes. In higher animals
the cerebrum develops very much
OyergrOwing the more poSteriOr por-
tons of the brain. by this prepOnder-
ancc Of the nerve mass the pineal gland
becomes covered by the cerebrum and
assumes more and more rudimentary
forms. But it remains with obstinate
pertinaciiy. 1t is even always present
in man-thOugh here only of the size
of pea and rudely resembling a pine
cone in shape. Ii seems also degener
ated in structure. having hardly any
nervous tissue. These facts of farm
and structure have given rise - lis
name. that of pineal gland.-Populal
Science Monthly