The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-01-20
PRIMITIVE MAN.
Professor virehow sheptieal About
the NeaAderthal skall-HAs Dis
covered Various Dsviatlons.

During the recent meeting of tho
congress OF anthropologists at Metz,
Prof. Nirchow read an important
paper on prehistoric Men and the
Distinction Between Species and Va
riety." After pointing out that two
kinds of change can be discerned in
the human organism-namely, Blu
menbach's innate variation, and, sec
ondly, changes occurring during life
time-~-the professor went on to say:
"rhe artificially caused change or
reformation belongs, strictly speak
ing, to the science of pathology.
There are, however, transitions; and
it is, therefore. difficult strictly to
distinguish the latter from an inher-
tied or acquired change. The ques-
ton of the descent of man has led to
many controversies about the Mean
derthal skull In many quarters it
has been regarded as the prototype
Of supposed original human race,
called also 'Adamites.' The anat-
omist, Prof. Schwalbe, of Strasburg,
has recently reexamined this skull,
and declared it to be that of pre-
historic race, which inhabited large
portion of Europe, and was akin to
the present Australian negro"
Prof. Virchow, however, main.
tanned that this hypothesis lacks the
necessary foundation, and proceeded:
THE fact that the skull exhibits
some peculiar traits which may be
considered, in part, as individualistic,
and partly as pathological forma-
tions, makes the matter very doubt
full. 1t is, moreover. impossible to-
infer from single individual what
whole race may have been. Hence,
the Neanderthal skull, and the .frag-
ments of skeleton belonging to it,
cannot be accepted as the prototype
of an original race. The doubt about
the hypothesis is all the greater as
q 'NeanderthaI-like' skull formation
Is not infrequently found among
people now living in different coun-
tries. 1t cannot be denied that the
skulls of the Frisians in northwest
ern Germany and the neigh boring
districts Of Holland show IL certain
similarity to that of Neanderthal
This might be taken as Il proof in
favor of the hypothesis; but some of
those peculiar formatiOns--for ex-
ample. the fairness of the prominent
paretal bone-cannot be looked upon
as normal
"Fnrthermore, the conclusions
drawn from the examination of few
skulls are misleading. We must not
be induced to build up anatomical
arguments for racial differences on
the uncertain basis of the Ncander-
thai skull"
Prof. Nirchow had himself careful
ly examined the Neander,hal skull,
and discovered various dcyiations,
which he regarded as showing an alb
normal development. He argued,
that the said sItull can
hardly be accepted as the type of
a race. This brought him to the
principle that "a whole race cannot
be reconstructed from IA single skull,
but only from numerous series of
objects which allow a Reconstruction
OF average normal conditions" The
professor then referred to the ex
PLANTATION recently given by Prof.
BALI regarding the Amos of japan,
Prof. BALI is of the opinion that his
race OF hairy men is a scattered REM
nant OF the Caucasian race, and com
pares it with the Russian peasants,
l'rof. Nirchow. on the other hand
that there are marked
differences between the two races
but that it is, at any rate, impossible
for the present to arrive at any def |
mite conclusion as to the origin of
I, he Amos.