A first book in organic evolutionShute, D. Kerfoot (Daniel Kerfoot)
Science
A first book in organic evolution
Shute, D. Kerfoot (Daniel Kerfoot)
Evolution
Man, in his individual development, commences life as a small,
microscopic cell—the fertilized ovum—which is only one-fifth of a
millimeter in size. His first stage resembles an encysted protozoan
animal. As cell-multiplication proceeds he soon gets into the morula
stage, which resembles a colony of undifferentiated protozoans. He soon
evolves into a stage which may be compared to a colony of protozoans some
of the members of which have undergone differentiation. Then comes the
gastrula stage, which is distinctly suggestive of a low metazoan, and
in which the developing germ assumes fundamental anatomical qualities
such as characterize lowly animals like polyps. Then, by gradual
transmutations, the vertebrate characteristics appear; but it could not
be said at this stage of development, if one did not know, whether one
is observing a fish, an amphibian, a reptile, or a mammal. Finally, the
developing man passes through his fish and reptile phases and reaches the
mammal stage. But as yet it cannot be said to which order the animal
belongs. The evolution of the individual continuing, he finally assumes
those anatomical characteristics that stamp him as belonging to the order
of man.
The theory of evolution, then, teaches that this development of man in
the course of a few short months, like the development of the frog, is a
very condensed and abbreviated epitome of the evolution of mankind from
primitive protozoans during the incalculable ages of the past.
Drummond has prettily written that “the developing human embryo is
like a subtle phantasmagoria, a living theater in which a weird
transformation scene is being enacted and in which countless strange and
uncouth characters take part. Some of these characters are well known
to science, some are strangers. As the embryo unfolds, one by one these
animal-actors come upon the stage, file past in phantom-like procession,
throw off their drapery, and dissolve away into something else. Yet,
as they vanish, each leaves behind a vital portion of itself, some
original and characteristic memorial, something itself has made or won,
that perhaps it alone could make or win,—a bone, a muscle, a ganglion,
or a tooth,—to be the inheritance of the race. And it is only after
nearly all have played their part and dedicated their gift that a human
form, mysteriously compounded of all that has gone before, begins to be
discerned as the resultant.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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