ORGANIC EVOLUTION — PHYSICAL O 



But men are huinfin because they look upwards and to the future, 

 not downwards to the past. And Darwin and Huxley, and even 

 liaeckel, will iu time learn tliat ovcr-scrutiniziny insufliciciit 

 evidence does not make it more complete." — MoxoN. 



Above I give three extracts — one from the writings 

 of a very eminent naturalist, the second from those of 

 an eminent physiologist, and the third from those of a 

 physician, also eminent. They disclose a difference of 

 opinion which is remarkable. Professor Weismann 

 scarcely deigns to discuss the theory of evolution, since, 

 in his opinion, it must be considered as proved with as 

 much certainty as is the fact that the world moves round 

 the sun, or as if it had been demonstrated mathemati- 

 cally ; and he adds, that we have now only to discuss 

 the details, merely to fill in the minutioG of the map, 

 the outlines of which Darwin has already sketched. Dr. 

 Haycraft also thiidcs that the theory of evolution has 

 passed from the category of mere hypothesis into the 

 category of that which must be accepted as proven fact. 

 But Dr. Moxon appears to think that, if a struggle 

 for existence leading to evolution ever did occur, it has 

 now ceased so far at least as man is concerned, and the 

 struggle has become one against mere existence, what- 

 ever that may mean, and he adds — " Darwin, Huxley, 

 and even Haeckel will in time learn that over-scrutin- 

 izincT insufficient evidence does not make it more 

 complete." 



His attitude is very characteristic of that of the vast 

 majority of the gencrnl public, and characteristic also 

 of that of the majority of medical men, who, while 

 observinf>- the effects of disease on man the individual, 

 have signally failed to observe its effects on man the 

 species. Had Dr. Moxon, when he wrote his essay on 

 alcoholism, which in its effects is a disease, occupied a 

 wider outlook, had lie considered the species as well 



