cii. iii.J ORIGIN OF ANIMAL NATURE. 329 



by external impressions to movements, which are usually sen- 

 sational voluntary [Willkiihrlich] ,^ but are probably only nerve- 

 actions, since, besides that there is no proof of senations being 

 felt by the foetus in utero, the brain seems to be unfit for the 

 operation of the animal-sentient forces, inasmuch as its natural 

 movement is dependent on respiration (24). So that the foetus 

 is analogous to an insentient animal in its nature, and becomes 

 sensational at the moment of birth. 



635. Since an animal is procreated by one like itself, so the 

 structure of the two are in accordance ; a resemblance in inci- 

 dental peculiarities of structure may accompany a similarity in 

 outward form, and as the embryo, whether in uiero or in the 

 shell, receives all its fluid elements from the female parent, 

 peculiarities in the condition of the fluids, as well as of the 

 sohds, may be thus communicated from parent to ofi'spring; 

 hence the hereditary predispositions to various states and condi- 

 tions of health and disease. 



636. Original defects in the structure of the germ, an un- 

 natural condition of the fluids which nourish it, violent move- 

 ments of the latter in the germinal tissues, injuries to its 

 structure by external force, the unnatural connection in growth 

 of two or more germs, and many other incidental causes, give 

 rise to various monstrosities (Haller, ^Oper. cit.,' tom. iii). In 

 some of these ways, violent emotions or sensations of the mother 

 may influence the foetus, and to this extent the former can act 

 upon the latter; but the doctrine of a harmony between the 

 sentient actions of the mother and foetus is fabulous. 



637. Merely organised natural bodies can never be developed 

 into living or sentient beings, as Needham erroneously taught. 

 The existence of an animal pre-supposes that it originated from 

 an animal germ, and that this was secreted by an animal 

 similar to itself, (Compare Spallanzani and Haller.) 



» See note to § 283.— Ed. 



