Chapter 40 



BIOLOGISTS AND THEIR WORK 



HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGY 



The history and development of biology have passed through several 

 distinct periods. Agriculture, hunting, and husbandry of one kind or 

 another had their origins with prehistoric man. From a practical stand- 

 point, systems of medicine were in use at the very beginning of recorded 

 history more than 5,000 years ago. When the Greek and Roman civili- 

 zations were at their height, the foundations for natural science and 

 biology were laid. Particularly in Greece was the first systematic and 

 scientific work accomplished. After the Greek and Roman periods, there 

 was a decided decline during the Middle Ages, or so-called Dark Ages. 

 As will be observed from our discussion, there was a renaissance in 

 science which followed this long period of comparative inactivity. Dur- 

 ing the discouraging period of many years, the emphasis in scientific 

 work was based on the "opinions" of a few so-called "authorities." In- 

 vestigators made few attempts to prove things for themselves. The opin- 

 ions of the authorities were accepted without question. In fact, it was 

 on the border line of sacrilegiousness for an investigator to find out things 

 for himself. To evaluate the scientific attempts of those times properly, 

 we must judge and consider them in the light and spirit of that period 

 of history rather than compare them too drastically with modern at- 

 tempts. The following will give a few of the more important contribu- 

 tors to biologic development, the time during which they lived, their 

 nationalitv, and their individual contributions. More detailed informa- 

 tion will be found by reading the references given at the end of the 

 chapter. 



Thales (624-548 b.c). — Theory that the ocean was the mother of all 

 life. 



Anaximander (611-547 B.C.). — Theory that all creatures originated 

 from aquatic forms and were transformed into terrestrial forms. 



800 



