566 E. I. WERBER 



some authors and notably by v. Hippel ('09) and H. H, Wilder 

 ('08). The latter author, led by the ''symmetry and regularity 

 in anatomical details" of some monsters (cyclopia, diplopagus) 

 has come to look upon them as ''beings as orderly and perfect 

 in their development as are the usual and normal types of being." 

 In contradistinction to deformed embryos (true monsters) he 

 even proposes the term "Cosmobion (plural cosmobia)" to desig- 

 nate such 'regular' symmetrical monsters, the underlying primary 

 cause of which he assumes to be germinal variation. Quite 

 apart from the circumstance that the cause of 'germinal varia- 

 tion' would still have to be explained, its assumption would seem 

 unnecessary, because it can be demonstrated that of any given 

 batch of eggs of approximately the same (early) stage of develop- 

 ment those left in a normal environment will develop into beings 

 typical for their species, while those subjected to the influence 

 of agents which induce blastolysis will develop into monsters 

 of which some may come very near to Wilder's own standard 

 of ' cosmobia. ''^'* 



In our experiments such monsters have developed under the 

 blastolyzing influence of some products of pathologic metabo- 

 lism which might be imagined to be acting on the mammalian 

 ovum during its uterine as well as pre-uterine existence: In the 

 latter case we would be presented with w^hat might, in a restricted 

 sense of the word, be called 'germinal variation.' This germinal 

 deviation, however, being due to a pathological cause, it would 

 seem unwarranted to regard the developmental products of such 

 ova, no matter how symmetrical and well formed they might 

 be, as 'cosmobia' ('orderly hving beings'). Besides, it is not en- 

 tirely improbable that true 'cosmobia' might be produced, if it 

 only were possible to imitate exactly the environmental modifi- 

 cations which underlie the origm of monsters in nature. This 

 degree of accuracy is, however, not yet attained in our experiments. 



1° One cannot but admire the refinement of Wilder's morpliological specula- 

 tions. But, with all due respect for this accomplished morphological philosopher, 

 it is difficult to accept his theory of cosmobia. For, being, as it is, of necessity 

 based on the assumption of germinal variation (of an apathological nature) it 

 leads to the pessimistic conclusion that the problem of the origin of monsters 

 (or at least of 'symmetrical monsters' — 'cosmobia') is beyond control. 



