AvucustT 8, 1912] 
future gonads. 
to come to. Early in the book, Rignano speaks 
of the germinal substance exerting a formative 
influence on the developing soma, but he draws a 
curious distinction between the effective germinal | 
zone (or “true place of origin of the germinal sub- 
stance”) and the apparent germinal zone (or the 
place where the sexual cells are built up out of 
material separated out or secreted by the effective 
germinal zone); and gradually it turns out that 
in higher animals the activating central zone is 
constituted by the least differentiated part of the 
nervous system. So the hypothesis has nothing to 
do with pervasive gonadial hormones. In any 
case, Rignano’s view is that the central zone 
activates the developing organism, provoking a 
passage from one ontogenetic stage to another, 
until the equilibrium of the adult stage is reached. 
Then, however, a new perturbing influence comes 
into play: the body exhibits functional modifica- 
tions. This implies the deposition of specific 
elements in the somatic nuclei, and some of these 
are deposited likewise in the germinal substance 
of the central zone. It is thus that the trans- 
mission of acquired modifications becomes possible. 
A specific potential element deposited in the 
nucleus by a specific nervous current flowing 
through it may also be called an elementary 
nervous accumulator. It adds itself to others 
already present without changing them, and it is 
able, as soon as it finds itself again in conditions 
of environment like those present at the moment 
when it was deposited, to restore the same specific 
current by which it was deposited. We rub our 
eyes and wonder if we are reading biology at all. 
It is impossible in a few lines to do justice to 
an elaborate attempt to establish a new biogenetic 
theory, but we would submit the following 
remarks :—(a) Many who are disinclined to dogma- 
tism on the subject of the non-transmission of 
somatic modifications, who feel that “there must 
be something in Lamarckism after all,” will be 
in sympathy with Rignano’s enterprise. (b) If the 
variations that count are germinal, and if the 
continuity of the germ-plasm expresses a fact, 
there is no difficulty in reconciling a reasonable 
statement of the recapitulation doctrine with 
Weismann’s position. (c) It seems to us_ that 
Rignano has not taken sufficient account of the 
modifications that the recapitulation doctrine has 
been coerced to accept at the hands of expert 
embryologists. (d) It appears to us that Rignano 
has misunderstood Weismann’s, or, indeed, the 
modern conception of development. (e) We think 
that the author, who has all our admiration, has 
been in his theory of “centroepigenesis ”’ entirely 
misled by irrelevant physical analogies. 
NO. 2232, VOL. 89] 
NATURE 
For this is what it seems to us | 
5/7 
(2) The late Dr. Herter was led to write this book 
by the conviction that the conclusions of biology 
ought to furnish some trustworthy guidance in the 
art of life. The first chapter seeks to show that 
the animal body is a mechanism, and that the 
mechanistic theory is the one which now best 
serves the interests of humanity. But the diffi- 
culties of the mechanistic conception are inade- 
quately stated, and the modern statement of the 
vitalistic position is not dealt with. In the second 
chapter, which deals with growth and reproduc- 
tion, Mendelism is regarded as a discovery gained 
through the mechanistic hypothesis, and the theory 
of sex chromosomes as a corroboration. This will 
be apt to suggest to the unwary reader that the 
alternative to the mechanistic view is something 
mystical or magical. The third chapter is a frank 
advocacy of the view that the physical processes 
in the brain precede and cause the various phases 
of psychical life; the human animal is a conscious 
automaton; the mind is a function of the brain. 
The difficulties of this materialistic position are 
not appreciated. 
The second part of the book deals with the self- 
preservative instinct in its varied expression and 
with the difficult problem of controlling it in the 
interests of the race asa whole. Its chapters are 
full of good counsel based on the author’s wide 
experience and long reflection. 
The third part of the book is devoted to the 
so-called sex instinct, and its pervasive influence 
for good and ill. We can only refer to a few 
points. The instinct has to be imperious, and is 
therefore a source of danger. As Emerson said, 
“the preservation of the species was a point of 
such necessity that Nature has secured it at all 
hazards by immensely overloading the passions, at 
the risk of perpetual crime and disorder.” 
According to Dr. Herter, one of the most impor- 
tant evolutionary changes in progress is “a better- 
ment in the attitude of women toward the ideals 
—or lack of ideals—harboured by men.” In 
reference to the problems of marriage, it is rightly 
insisted that one criterion at ieast may be relied 
on, namely, the welfare of the family. 
We have then a thoughtful endeavour to use 
biological results in the guidance of life. The 
author was a medical professor in Columbia Uni- 
versity, and a scholarly biologist. His book is 
leagues away from anything amateurish or faddist ; 
it is full of wise teaching. And yet we must 
confess that it is to us amazingly disappointing, 
being shackled with materialistic and naturalistic 
limitations. . We must, indeed, always pay respect 
to the courage of naturalism—what Huxley called 
“the resolute facing of the world as it is.” We 
' doubt, however, whether the form it takes in this 
