The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-10-08
Simultaneous Discoveries
CONDOLENCES IN HISTORY THAT RESEMBLE
THE PEA Ry-COOk EXPLOIT

on record ot simultaneous or nearly
simultaneous discovery by two scient
lists working independently OF each
other is that In connection with the
planet Neptune Astronomers found
that the planet Uranus WAS wander
ing from its regular track. la 1919
the English asst. 0nomer John Couch
Adams. surmised that this irregular
ity OF movement was caused ~ some
hitherto undiscovered planet lie hs
urei out the latter's probable posi- t.oA
and size but search for the nlschlel
maker was not al once made IN Ems
land
In the same year. however. the
French astronomer Jeat Joseph Lev
errier. became interested IN the trouO
les Of Uranus. and came To the same
conclusion as Adams-that Is, that
he Irregularities could be caused only
by outside interference. lie com
municated his theory and quantity
of data relative 10 the position OF the
supposed planet 10 Gale. OF the Berlin
Observatory. who proceeded TO make
a thorough search OF the heavens. on
September %. 1916. he announced
that he had discovered the mysteri
GUS planet But before he could tell
England Of what he had found astron-
omers there had also begun a
thorough search On August 4. Aug
ust -. and September %. Challis OF
the Cambridge Observatory. discov'
cred the new planet in three different
positions but owning 10 a DELAY in
setting IL mapped the announcement
Of his discovery was anticipated by
the arrival in England on October J..
1876. OF the news from Berlin
Neptune by the way. had already
been observed as early As 1888. by
Lalande. but astronomers ~ere under
the impression that IL was a fixed
star not planet
The entire credit for the original
announcement OF the doctrine OF nat
rral selection goes. as a rule. u Oar
win Yet a review OF IN facts In the
cas- would seem 10 show that some
part Of the laurels belongs 20 Alfred
Russell Wallace another British in
vestigator. AS early as lS45 he had
theories regarding evolution which he
embodied. though in a rather vague
form. in an essay published in 1890.
But Nautilus. in his ESSAY on Popula-
ton went more deSply into the sub
iect. and inspired both Wallace and
Darwin 20 more thorough research.
Wallace's essay entitled on the
Tendency of Narities 10 Depart IN
definitely From the Original Type.
and Darwin's first ESSAY on the sub
ject were published together in the
Proceedings OF the Iinnaean Society
OF London" for August. 1858. Wal
lace. in his essay. covered ground
similar 10 that Of Darwin. but the lat
ter alone used the term natural Sc
lection.
Here. apparently. was the basis FOR
acrimonious controversy. but Wallace
proved 10 be too high-minded and toe
good a friend OF Darwin 10 enter into
il. He not only refrained from claim
ing any credit for the famous doctrine
but continued 10 maintain relations
OF excellent friendship with his more
celebrated colleague.
The above are among the more
striking instances OF simultaneous
discoveries They are by no means
all When Benjamin Franklin was
experimenting with his kite. in order
10 learn about atmospheric electricity
there was an investigator in Europe
busy with similar lines more re
cent instance is that Of the first ap
plication OF anaesthetics 10 reliev,
human suffering. the credit for which
seems 10 be divided between Ameri
can and British physicians. -Balti
more sun