The New York herald., 1922-08-20
Darwinisn, To-day
Its Teachings and Discoveries Guide Those Who Are
Investigating the Problems of the Human Body.


a rudiment Of the plaque is stifl pre-
served. although no one had noted Its
presence before. Darwin's theory Is an
engine Of discovery 1t guides men to
the observation OF new facts.
For the brain surgeon Darwin's teach
ing is not theory but a basis OF prac-
tice.r He has found by experience that
knowledge gained from study Of the
brain Of anthropoid apes can be directly
applied when operating on the brain of 4
child or of man. Psychologists have
found that the functional areas which
exist in the brain of anthropoid apes are
represented-and are often ELECTED by
disease or as the result of accidental
injury--on corresponding convolutions OF
the human brain. The correspondence
becomes less as we descend the ape
scale. Again, when a peculiarly human
disease has to be investigated is
found that OF all living animals only
the anthropoid apes show a high degree
OF susceptibility to human disease.
When the chifnpafsee is kept in con-
finement it becomes the subject of that
peculiarly human affiiction appendicitis.
Nearly twenty years ago Professor Nut
tall Of Cambridge showed that the blood
of anthr6pold apes IL most akin TO hu=
man blood In It's reactions. Whatever
may be the view of Darwlns theory In
popular imagination. there can BE no
doubt OF the strength wltR which it has
become established In the minds of nssi
who are adding yearly to our knowledge
OF the structure and function Of the
human body.
1 have only touched In this article on
the kihdS of evidence which eompeis
scientifc men to believe in the truth Of
evolution as appkea BY Darwin to mans
erigIn. His contention that man eannot
be regarded as having arisen as an In
dependent creation may assurediy Be
taken as fully proved. But when we
are asked to explain the exact nature OF
the evolutionary machinery which has
shaped human beings out OF Apelike
forms We have still to adnit-ar ad-
mission which Darwin insisted on in all
his writings-that we have much to dis
cover. IT Is true that no one has sue-
ceeded In producing new speeies-one
which has been proved to be incapable
Of breeding With the. parent speeies-but
he woul1 be bold prophet who declared
that this was Natures secret and man
would never And II out One discovery
OF recent years. the discovery that the
development and growth of all parts Of
the body are regulated and eoordinated
by ''hormone" mechanism, Is likely to
throw new light on The manner In
which new and useful characters come
into existence Hormones are substances
thrown into the circulating blood by the
ductless glands of the body. In our
hospitals medical men are noweihvesti-
eating the remarkable transformations
OF body and mind which follow disorders
Of the ductiess glands. A fuller knowl-
edge Of the action OF horh,ores cannot
fall to throw new light on the ma
chinery OF evolution. In Darwin's day
the hofmone system WAS unknown. but
1t Is just such a system as he was in
search Of and one which ne would have
seized upon and applied IL 1t had been
discovered In his time. Recent discov-
cries. far from overthrowing Darwinism,
serve to strengthen II. Thus II Will be
seen that, In the Judgment or those best
qualified TO pass an opinion on the the
,ry put forward in "The Descent OF Man"
Darwinism. far from being at the Dusk.
Is only at the Dawn