Evening star., 1924-12-06
TRACES ALL RACES
TO SAME ANCESTOR
Or. HrdIicka Says Color Dit.
ferentiations Probable Re-
suit of Climate.


Glow -brown-occurred not more
than $4,000 years ago, probably con-
;iderably later, DR.. Ales urdlicka,
anthropologist of the Smithsonian In
>titution. said in a lecture at the New
National Museum yesterday after
noon.
Comparatively recent detailed in
Vestigations, he said, have forced
science to discard the theory that
white, black and yellow men are of
fifferent primal ancestry. The racial
differences, although now deep
ed, are the result of environment
rather than origin.
The Darwinian theory of evolu-
fion-that IS, by natural selection and
the survival of the eftttest-undergoe
deep changes because of principles
unknown in Darwin's day, DR.. Hrd-
licka said. 1t can no longer be said
that only the fittest survive changed
"onditions. but that all the fit sur
tive. from those who are barely fit
% those who are most ft. All the
absolutely unfit perish, however.
New Factor Recognized.
The change Is due to the fact that
science now recognizes another fac
Tor IN evolution, the healing power
II nature, which was not taken into
consideration in the former caIcula-
ions. DR.. Hrdlicka mentioned some
"f the disease epidemics that swept
western and southern Europe in the
Middle Ages. If the old law of evo-
iution had applied, he said, it would
have meant the end of the human
race IN the countries affected because
Z was clearly a case of mans in
',bility to cope with certain changed
Conditions The blood Of great popu-
lsttons became Infected with various
naladies. Medical science had little
10 offer. But the automatic applica-
lion of the principle of natural heal
ing rescued 3, large part Of the white
race. A large part of medical science
'oday, lie said, consists in merely
aiding this principle OF natural
healing.
A second principle, he said, was
the constant desire for the better
which runs through all nature but
IS moro evident on the higher scales
IF evolution, particularly in man.
There is a natural impulse to seek
-omething more stimulating, more
pleasurable, In the highest sense of
he word. This was one OF the main
actors which worked to raise early
nan from an apelike creature into
IN organism approximately that of
present human beings. 1t is respon-
Sible for most of the higher differen-
tiation of the brain. The same prin-
ciple applies strongly today, DR.
Hrdlicka said, acting in proportion
TO the intelligence of the individual.
Love Not Blind.
third important factor IN the
differentiation of man and his pro-
gress upwards was and is sexual
selection, the lecturer said. The old
adage, Love Is blind" applies only to
4. few individuals and not to a ma
iority OF the race. The ideal Of the
normal man In selecting a mate is
always for the most beautiful and
intellectual woman it is possible to
obtain and the ideal Of woman for
fhe strongest and most intellectual
If men. Mismated couples are the
result OF accident rather than OF
natural law.
One of the most important factors
III the development of man, and par
ticularly in the development of the
white race, DR.. Hrdlicka said, was
the effect of the changing seasons in
western Europe, the cradle of the
race. In the time of early human de-
Telopment these seasons were prac-
tically what they are today, cold Win
ters and warm Summers, with inter-
mediate seasons. The ingenuity of
the early man was taxed to the utmost
to adapt himself to these rapidly
Cn&ngln con0lLlonS
Conditions Different.
The indications are, he said, that
with the coming Of the ice ages the
human precursors were driven south
There they developed under prac-
ttCally tropical conditions. Then some
uS them were driven north again by
conditions which were not clearly
understood. But they found them
selves facing something strange to
their experience, q, time of ice and
snow. AS a result a great number
perished Of cold and famine. Only
those survived who had developed
sufficient mentality to construct
clothing and to lay aside food.
Early man lived by hunting. In the
Winter he found game harder to
catch. He was obstructed In his
Enoveme lent by snoWdrifts. He was
more visible to his intended prey be-
cause OF the background of snow
There were not SO many animals
roaming the forests during the colder
months. Consequently the men who
survived were those intelligent
enough to construct rude weapons,
spears and possibly bows and arrows,
~ which killing could be accom-
plished at distance.
Advance Registered.
These Qualities were handed onto
ne children. and a considerable ad-
vance toward the true man Of today
was registered
The one great, fundamental agency
" man s development, DF. Hrdlicka
said, extends through all ma
ture-the phenomena OF adaptation
or the survival of the final stage in
changes the origin of which is nat
ural stimulation.
Thus under the influence of cold or
heat the body will respond nlomenta-
rily by contraction or expansion of
the arteries. When these contrac-
rions or expansions are frequent they
produce a permanent change in the
structure Of the body of the indiyid-
ual. Through many generations this
IS transmitted TO the offspring until
It becomes u permanent fixture in the
race. .s...--.-.
The question has been raised. Dr.
Hrdllcka said, a. to whether lnydi-
cine especially III some Of the sensa-
itonal advances mad" during the last
few years, is not defeating thc"Iuw uf
natural selection and hence iniurine
the race by throwing back into 1t in
dIyIduals marked by nature for death.
Medicine Part of Nature.
The fact Is, he said, that medicine
cannot defeat nature. Any individual
who is actually unfit must die. Medi-
cine is to be considered rather as
part of nature itself, factor in the
principle Of healing.
Thus entire armies formerly were
swept away by typhoid fever. These
represented the very best physical
specimens of the race, Their sys-
TENS simply had failed, in one par
ticular, to adapt themselves to the
changed conditions brought about by