The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-03

Probable Result of the Process OF
EvOIutiOn-TO "a Great Extent the
Political and Social Problems of
Today Will He EIiminated-Fate
of Great Cities.
Here are some of the most remarkable
prophecies ever venture by men Of
science. To Swans in various scientific
institutions this question was addressed:
Looking as far into the future as your
eye can see, what changes are likely
to occur to cur brains, bodies and en-
vironments?"
Man of the distant future" said Prof
Otis Mason. viii occupy belt near the
equator. The earth is cooling, and as a
result the Esquimau must leave the po-
lar regions. Later the Yankee must
quit New England. All savage peoples
Will be eliminated from the earth.
The entire human race will be bru-
nette. The blond people were once bru-
nettes and became as they are through
some process of interbreeding. The
convolutionS of the brain will be larger
and viii admit a much greater blood
flow TO carry on the commerce of the
mind. Man will be stronger physically.
HIS hands and feet viii be much smaller.
Labor-savjng machinery will reduce
physical labor, but an increase OF ath-
letics will make the race stronger. Dis
appearance of small printing type will
leave the eyes much stronger.
The ear can never take the place of
the eye until some other heavenly body
hot
viii vanish ard the hair will improve.
The home of this age Will be a great
communal dwelling where all people of
the same Iinship viii live under the same
roof-Children. parents, grandparents,
uncIes, auGts and cousins. Increased ar
liberalization OF life viii render co-opera-
ton more necessary. Separate eStab-
lishments. such as the corner grocery,
will be considered absurdities of by-gone
days. as Will also the keeping of serv-
ants.
"ChemicalIy pure drinking water will
free the cells OF the body from mineral
matter and permit man to live to the
age OF Methuselah. Compressed foods
will never come into use. If they should
the stomach would atrOphy. The death
of an infant VIII be an exception, where
TO-DAY one-half of the human race new
er mature. The deadly microbe will Suf-
fer the fate of such dangerous animal
pests as have already been made extinct.
People who spread disease will be con-
sidered as enemies to manknd-punish-
able by severe penalties. Dress will be
more perfectly adapted to comfort,
health longevity and beauty 1t will
never be deprived of ornamentatiOn and
women and men viii never dress alike"
Man Will lose his wisdom teeth ut
terly," said Curator Lucas, the anato-
mist of the National museum, but mod
ern system of dentistry will probably
save The other teeth. 1t is possible that
there may be found the germ of a third
set. to cut after the disappearance of the
second Mammals far back in the ages
had third set of teeth, and man shows
indications of the same tendency. l
might add that there is danger of the
human race becoming homely rather than
beautiful as a result of the growing ten
dency Of man TO marry for intelligence
rather than beauty"
That man of the distant future would
be minus a little toe was the only pro-
phecy ventured by DR.. D. S. Lamb, the
pathologist of the Medical museum.
BRAIN BIGGER.
DR. Theodore \ Gill, biologist of the
Smithsonian institute, said that the wis
dom teeth would disappear, as would pos
sbly the verifoIm appendix and the little
toe.
Man himself" said he, rs a striking
evidence Of the fact that he was not spe
cial!y created. He is not only like the
ape but bears the impress of many in
ferior stocks. The appendix, for instance,
was inherited from ancestors to whom it
was important. and came to US through
the apes from primitive forms somewhat
like marsupiaI. 1t may disappear to a
slight extent. The gray matter of the
brain may increase somewhat in bulk,
but >vlebratiOn is not dependent upon
the size Of the brain. 1t is possible that
the little toe will disappear, but doubtful.
1t has its use in giving greater basis to
the foot
I doubt whether there will be an IN
crease in stature, especially since in the
future intellectually will become more
and more predominant over brute force.
HYGIENE and sanitary progress will have
an appreciate effect upon the average
length of human life, but longevity de-
pendent upon improved physical condi-
lions cannot be anticipated. I doubt If
the hair will decrease. The more civilized
have a thicker growth upon their faces
than lower orders Of men
The man OF the remote future" said
Prof Elmer Gates. will develop into {,
creature as superior to man, zoologically,
as man today is superior to the quadru-
mana. His normal span OF life will be
$50 years, with a chance for greater pro-
longation. His head will not be relatively
larger. but his brain and spinal cord will
have developed most. The number of
fiber tracts connecting cell groups in the
former will have greatly multiplied. All
bodily organs not needed will have dis
appeared. This crea ture will be much
larger and stronger than man is today.
His eyes will be larger and more mobile
in expression.
81 believe that acuteness Of the senses
will be increased from five to ten times
during the next century alone. The man
of the remote future will have senses
which we do not possess. He will be able