New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-04
WHY ARE WE RIaHTHANoED?

s. c. p calais Me): Why are we rlsne
handed? Is IL not because OF the grea.eL
veIonment of the conyolutions OF the left hemi-
sphere OF our brain?
Among the many hypothesis advanced IN eA-
PLANTATION of righthandedness. the one sugsesie'
by you is no doubt the most accepted IL was
Gratioet who showed that the circonvoiution'
of the left hemisphere were In advance Oh liios'
of the right hemisphere The first are areauy
shaped for a movement where the others are not
yet apparent. The left hemisphere which con-
trolls the movements of the right limbs is there
fore more precocious in Its development imam
the opposite hemisphere We can tnererore
easir,, understand why the child from the
earliest period of Its life with preference the
limbs the innervaton of which is thus more per-
feet AS says Broca. we are born leltortiieu'
consequently righthanded. SO TAR 60
good But IL is no solution Of the problem. for
the question may be raised. Why are the heni-
spheres so unequaly developed? This Is lhe
very knotty point of the question which thus re-
mains unanswered. II the left hemisphere is at
birth more developed. is It not because it had
developed with the ancestors for the very reason
that through work the right superior limbs had
attained a greater development? The function
reacts upon the organism. We therefore move
On a vinious circle Not because the left herni-
snbsra IS more perfect are rishthanded: be-
csrsa ue ara righthanded the left hemisphere
has developed r.
There is however. a simpler explanation IL
NAV be assumed that originally the symmetry
between the two parts Of the body was complete.
Then some took the habit OF using the right
hand others the left These were the first right
handed and lefthanded. Little by little the use
OF the right hand came TO prevail. Perhaps one
of the reasons for this preference OF the right
hand lay in the situation of the heart Inc
shield was held on the left side, and the actiVe
hand was forcbly the right. Once the cholce
made the number Of the righthanded prevailed
On account of imitation. The left hemisphere
became modified under the influence OF the WORK
Of the right hand and. through hered1ty, tne
child got a natural tendency to adopting the
tight hand tendency asserting itself in educa-
ton and imitation. To recapitulate. why are we
righthanded? Because. formerly the use or the
right hand came gradually to prevail Inc GER
vfcaI organism shaped itself accordingly Later
on through atavisrn il determined the tendency
OF the movements OF the superior right hmps'
and education and imitation did the rest.
.woMAN. HEAVENS SECOND THOUGHT"
" O. madison, Neb): Who is the author o,
the sentiment. Woman, heavens secoho
thought?'
George Meredith IN Diana OF the Cross
WAYS" makes his heroine say: II suppose we
women are taken to be second thoughts of the
Creator. human natures fringes. mere finishing
touches not a part OF the texture" Steele, IN
his Christian Hero" says of Adam: he
awaked and by a secret sympathy beheld his
wife he beheld his own roUsher make sorteneo
into sweetness and tempered into smiles; ne
saw creature who had it were heaven
second thought in her formation