Evening star., 1925-04-05
BY HAROLD Il. PHILLIPS.

puted theory that environment
has played an important role
~ in developing the peculiar in
dividual differences to be found
in modern men, an enthusiastic little
group of scientists recently travelled
to the primeval jungles of Central
America and there learned some star
ting lessons on the subject from
mans nearest of kin in the animal
kingdom
After living for more than two
months in leaf huts, Subsisting on
bills of fare that often included such
dubious jungle delicacies as fried
lizard, venomous looking iguana,
roast monkey meat and armadillo
sans armor, they have finally come
back to civilization with this message
for science to puzzle its furrowed
brow over:
There are greater individual differ
ences in monkeys dwelling in the
same jungle than there are in indi-
vidual men and women living in the
twentieth century cities of taxicabs,
radio and steam yachts--so that en-
vironment certainly does not neces-
sarily affect the individual. This was
the unanimous verdict of the observ-
ers. A new riddle for this generation
to solvei
In fact, what the scientists learned
In the dark, steamy jungles of Mica
ragua corroborates the earlier find
1ngS OF the embryologists-that the
so-called environmental differences
beween individul adults are just as
marked in the growing embryo as
they are in the finished product called
man. And that the gap between man
ana monkey is no greater than that
between the human embryo and the
intelligent person into which it
eventually evolves
Under this theory twins are not
twins, after all. The anatomist could
nnd marked differences in plentiful
numbers If he chose to look for them.
IN other words, none of US are identi-
oal, and many of the differences are
either definite reminders of the past
from which we have emerged or in
dicatons OF the future into which we
are going-sign posts along the road
or evolution.
x X
IN the party were Dr. Adolph II.
Schultz of the department of en-
Dryology of the Carnegie Institu-
tion of Washington; DR. George Il.
"islocki. assistant professor of anat-
omy at the Medical College of Johns
Hopkins University, in Baltimore; O.
.. Heard, also of the department of
CiAluL OlOSS OF the carnegie lnStltu-
ton, and DR.. +. F. Snyder of Roches-
ter University.
As far as Blueffelds, Nicaragua, the
party Travelled in more or less luxury.
DISSEMINATING at the little Central
American port, however, they board
ed small, stuffy schooner for
Princa Polka, on the very edge of the
Nicaraguan jungles in which dwell
the monkeys that were to teach them
the answers to the questions they
sought to solve. All went well armed
for the hazardous journey into the
interior.
At Princa Polka Dr. Schultz and
his colleagues organized a party con-
sisting of seven native Indians, II
men altogether, including the scien-
lists. They found the natives of
Princa Polka living in the most prim-
tive fashion, although the towns
sidewalks were built of solid ma
hogany. The homes, however, were
grass -thatched affairs and the main
industry was logging mahogany and
picking bananas when the population
was not sleeping, which was most Of
the time
Using native canoes made of hol-
lowed-out logs, the scientists struck
out up the Princa Polka River for
the heart of the jungle. Scarcely had
5riey entered the swampy forests,
however, Wnen Dr. Sny DER was SlFlCk-
en- with the dreaded malaria fever.
He was hurried back to Princa Pol
ka in the care of several trusty ma
tives, and the rest of the party, un-
dismayed by this unfortunate reverse,
continued up the river.
Their mission was primarily two
fold: First, to obtain a series of mon
keys from the same environment for
the purpose of determining, if pos
sible, whether individual differences
in simians are as marked as in man,
and secon1, to study growth curves
and laws regulating growth in mon
keys. There were some subordinate
things the members of the party
hoped to accomplish, among them be-
ing measurements of the native Mic
araguan Indians and the collection of
a number of species of bats for the
National Museum here.
Dr. Schultz purposely chose the
worst season of the year, the rainy
season, TO make the trip, because it
is at that time that monkeys in that
part of the world breed The investi-
cation he was engaged in necessi-
tated. .Ascollection not t-only,-of-adult