322 BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 



wonder. The passage in the Scriptures was pointed out, 

 that "there were giants in those days," and the bones were 

 taken to be evidences of the former existence of giants. The 

 opinions expressed regarding the fossil bones were varied and 

 fantastic, "some saying that they were rained from Heaven, 

 others saying that they were the gigantic limbs of the ancient 

 patriarchs, men who were believed to be tall because they 

 were known to be old." Following out this idea, "Henrion 

 in 1718 published a work in which he assigned to Adam a 

 height of 123 feet 9 inches, Noah being 20 feet shorter, and 



so on.' 



Determination of the Nature of Fossils. In due course 

 it came to be recognized that fossils were the remains of forms 

 that had been alive during earlier periods of time; but in 

 reaching this position there was continual controversy. Ob- 

 jections were especially vigorous from theological quarters, 

 since such a conclusion was deemed to be contradictory to 

 the Scriptures. The true nature of fossils had been clearly 

 perceived by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and certain 

 others in the sixteenth century. 



The work, however, that approached more nearly to sci- 

 entific demonstration was that of Steno (1638-1686), a 

 Dane who migrated to Italy and became the court physician 

 to the dukes of Tuscany. He was a versatile man who had 

 laid fast hold upon the new learning of his day. Eminent 

 as anatomist, physiologist, and physician, with his ever 

 active mind he undertook to encompass all learning. It is 

 interesting that Steno or Stensen after being passionately 

 devoted to science, became equally devoted to religion and 

 theology, and, forsaking all scientific pursuits, took orders 

 and returned to his native country with the title of bishop. 

 Here he worked in the service of humanity and religion to 

 the end of his life. 



In reference to his work in geology, his conclusions 



