Anatomy, Comparative; Embryology, Human; Evolution; Human beings -- Origin
types of animals, on the ground of anatomic structure and embryonic
development.
Baer’s epoch-making works aroused an extraordinary and widespread
interest in embryological research. Immediately afterwards we find a
great number of observers at work in the newly opened field, enlarging
it in a very short time with great energy by their various discoveries
in detail. Next to Baer’s comes the admirable work of Heinrich Rathke,
of Königsberg (died 1860); he made an extensive study of the
embryology, not only of the invertebrates (crustaceans, insects,
molluscs), but also, and particularly, of the vertebrates (fishes,
tortoises, serpents, crocodiles, etc.). We owe the first comprehensive
studies of mammal embryology to the careful research of Wilhelm
Bischoff, of Munich; his embryology of the rabbit (1840), the dog
(1842), the guinea-pig (1852), and the doe (1854), still form classical
studies. About the same time a great impetus was given to the
embryology of the invertebrates. The way was opened through this
obscure province by the studies of the famous Berlin zoologist,
Johannes Müller, on the echinoderms. He was followed by Albert
Kölliker, of Würtzburg, writing on the cuttlefish (or the cephalopods),
Siebold and Huxley on worms and zoophytes, Fritz Muller (Desterro) on
the crustacea, Weismann on insects, and so on. The number of workers in
this field has greatly increased of late, and a quantity of new and
astonishing discoveries have been made. One notices, in several of
these recent works on
embryology, that their authors are too little acquainted with
comparative anatomy and classification. Paleontology is, unfortunately,
altogether neglected by many of these new workers, although this
interesting science furnishes most important facts for phylogeny, and
thus often proves of very great service in ontogeny.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account