New-York tribune., 1905-04-15
RIGHTHANDEDNESS
Origin of This and the Opposite
Trait.

That the great majority OF persons use the
right hand with greater skin than the left ia
doubtless due to two influeuces-an innate pre-
clivity and constant practice The preference
shown by most infants at the age OF one year
for the use Of the right hand proves that there
Is an inherited tendency. Further evidence
Of it is found in the greater ease with which
any entirely new act is performed BY the right
than by the left hand Training. however. IS an
important factor A mature person. having lost
the right hand by accident. can achieve wonders
with the other If he only exercises patience per-
severance and a strong will
The more mysterious Of the two factors In this
problem Is the inborn tendency How aid e
arise? There are exceptions to the rule. Per-
haps two out OF every hundred babies are left
handed. But when you stop TO think Of IT, the
natural inclination Of the other ninety-eight Is
remarkable. great many Psychologists have
speculated in regard to its cause. without reach
ing any conclusion upon which all could agree.
Several have fancied that the position OF the
heart viii affect the muscles and nerves OF the
right side In such manner as to promote
efficiency. Others have assumed that the left
side Of the brain. which controls the muscles
OF the right side. had earlier and greater de-
velopment; but that Is an explanation which
needs to be explained. and hence Is unsatisfac-
tory. Carlyle remarked that the question could
not be settled at ALL and was mot worth ask
Ing. except as a riddle" Physicians attach
more Importance than he to the solution. be-
ieving that the matter has a practical bearing
on business and social life. Moreover. any
one who viii examine a recent article in The
Popular Science Monthly by Dr. George
NJ Gould. Of Philadelphia. may decide that the
writer has come nearer to the underlying facts
than any Of his predecessors.
DR.. Gould believes that righrhandedness "a 81
thoroughly ingratated in human nature that iG
must have been partially developed in the saw
age ancestors Of the race Primitive man, in his
opinion. must have felt a definite need for the
exercise Of his right hand in preference to his
left; and that necessity must have been recOg-
nized and Obeyed for a 1Ons period continuously.
The impulse could not well have dictated his
habits in eating. for knives and forks are OF
recent origin. the modern gun had not been in
vented and writing practically unknown
Moreover, in such operations as chipping arrow
heads weaving baskets and welding clubs.
bows and arrows. it could not have mattered
much which hand was employed.
When warfare had been carried to such a
stage Of advancement to involve the of a
shield however. that object was probably held
on the left side in order to protect the heart.
Then, a matter OF convenience. the right
arm was left free for the more active function
OF HShJlhS WIN spear ana SWOrus ana WITH
habitual exercise came special skill An at
tendant phenomenon was a finer organization
OF that particular centre in the brain which con-
trOlled these movements. and which situ-
ated in the left half OF the organ. The brain is
the real seat OF all dexterity, and something
takes place there in correspondence with exter-
nal efficiency. With an increased use OF the
right hand DR.. Gould thinks, there must have
been greater demands upon the right eye. be-
cause vision must precede the 1Srder to strike or
to give peaceful signals. In this way there may
have been developed keener power OF vision
in the right eye than in the left. DR.. Gould as
sumes that there was. and declares that right
handed people are right-eyed." and that in their
brains the centre Of vision is on the left side in
close proximity to that governing the right arm.
While civilization yet at a low level COM
mUnicatiOn was carried on. especially with
strangers. largely in the sign language. Barter
laid the foundations Of arithmetic. and called
into play the digfts- The preference already
given to the right hand in battle may have
guided men in the choice for this service and