The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-20
THE . WHENCENESS OF It
DIR. Silverman Searches for the
Origin of Our Race.
OLD EARTH HOT STUFF
But 1t Cooled of Some Time Ago Suf-
ficiently to Let Life Appear and
Have Its Crack in the Eter-
nal Razzle Dazzle.

The Unity club held another interest
ing meeting last evening. which was
largely attended. The feature of the
evening was a paper read by DR. James
A. Silverman on the subject. The
Origin of Our Race synopsis OF
which is as follows:
Il have been asked to talk to you this
evening, and to bring up a subject for
discussion. AS you have at former meet
ings discussed the destiny of our race
and its history, l have decided to take
up tonight the most plausible theory
of its origin. and to discuss with you
here we came from. One of the first
laws we learn in natural philosophy ~
that all matter is indestructible, and
from this we can deduce the converse
that no form OF matter can be obtained
from nothing: therefore, we know thai
all matter that now exists has always
existed and viii always exist, although
il may have changed its form many
times. Natural philosophy also teaches
us that matter may take three forms.
viz: Solid, liquid or gaseous, ana that
the unit of all the forms is the atom.
An atom is the smallest particle of any
element that cannot be further subdi-
vided. and is so small that it cannot DE
seen by the most powerful microscope.
Two or more atoms make moleeule
which are held in position by a force
called cohesion. All forms of matter
when heated expand, that il, the mole
cules are further separated and when
cooled contract or have the molecules
brought closer together. These mole
eules are constantly in motion. With
these preliminary remarks we are ready
to proceed with our theory. Try 10
imagine a time when from some un-
known cause all matter in the universe
was in a gaseous form and all the plan
cts formed one large heated body of
gas When the cause of the heat was
removed this immense body of gas be-
gan to cool and To contract AS the
cooling process continued chemical COM
bination took place, according TO the de-
gree of heat and other circumstances.
forming the forms of the elements and
their combinations which we now find,
until large, round semi-solid mass
was formed. which was surrounded by
an atmosphere of gas. This mass was
extremely hot and was by a cause not
definitely known set in motion, reYolN
ing upon its axis. and either through
internal conyulsions or centrifugal
force, or both. large masses BECAME de
tached and We're hurled into space, stop
ping at a distance of the inverse proper
tion to the size of the mass with that
Of the original mass, which we call the
sun, and held there by force which Is
called gravity. The force of gravity.
together With the force which hurled
them from the sun caused them to fo
tate about the sun forming the solar
system. Ii took millions of years for
the planet we call the earth to cool suf
fielently to support life In a similar
manner We're living things formed. the
elements of which they are formed COM
bining when at the proper temperature
for their combination. The principle of
all living animals is protoplasm. better
known to you in the form of the white
of an egg, only this is inanimate pro-
toplasm. All animals are composed of
myriads of cells of this protoplasm.
which itself is formed of the following
elements. Carbon. oxygen. nitrogen
hydrogen and sulphur. these elements
being In a gaseous form and free al the
time when all elements were so com
bined under the proper conditions of
temperature and conditions forming the
first living cell upon the earth. We
have now a cell for the smallest ami
NAL, which is identical with that first
cell, which is called the amoeba. Let
us now examine this amoeba under the
microscope and see what we can learn
In the first place il measures about
! $4,000 of an inch in diameter. Upon
| examining il we find that it possesses
| all the functions of men except that of
! sight and speaking. IL eats, digests.
moves, feels. breathes. etc. and has the
! power of reproducing itself. Man is SIM
/ ply an animal of myriads Of cells like
| this, each performing all of its func-
/ tions. but having one particular func-
+ ton developed better than the rest; thus
/ the cells for sight perform all of The
/ functions but have the function of See
\ ing more developed, and the cells for
/ digestion have that function developed
+ To greater degree than the rest yet
+ these cells perform each of the other
/ functions. because they are necessary 10
/ their existence. We have grown from
i an animal of one cell nature adding a
/ cell whenever ii became necessary or
/ whenever circumstances required it, The
different animals We're formed accord
/ ing TO the place. climate and circum-
i stance and part Of the earth upon which
/ they lived OF the fact that nature does
i add and take away as is necessary we
have plenty Of examples Thus people
! who ride horseback habitually have an
extra bone developed i'm the leg. The
appendix. which has caused the race so
much trouble lately. is simply a rud-
ment Of n former intestine. for which
I piece of digestive apparatus we have no
/ more use since we have perfected the
art of partially digsting our food before
we put it into our stomaehs and which
is fast disappearing, as are our wisdom
+ teeth. which we have no use for ] could
! quote many more examples did time
! permit. Thus have we evolved accord
/ ing to circumstances and conditions
/ from that simple and primary animal Of
one CELL