550 Organic Physics. [July, 



symmetrical organism, with a male and female side. Such may 

 be the result of division of the germ of the higher animal. Pro- 

 duced by the union of male and female cells, and thus being 

 sexually balanced, its first step of division is into two cellular 

 halves, respectively male and female in their excess energies. 

 Each of these continues to divide, and we can, with some show 

 of reason, believe that each is the foundation of a separate develop- 

 ment, which results in two complete organisms, intimately con- 

 nected across their median line, yet polarly distinct. 



Such is a not illogical deduction. The male and female con- 

 stituents being polarly separated in the germ, and in the primary 

 results of its division, might naturally continue polarly separated 

 in the ultimate results of its division. The mature body consists 

 of two halves, answering organ for organ, and so intimately con- 

 nected by communicating nerves that practically no separation 

 exists. The lateral halves of the body are as like and as inti- 

 mately combined as were the lateral halves of the germinal cell, 

 and the mature state is only a complete unfoldment of conditions 

 which existed undeveloped in the germ. 1 



Had we space, several significant facts might be brought in 

 illustration of this idea. The character of these illustrative facts 

 may be briefly described. The frequent difference in degree of 

 development of the two sides of the body, is indicative of differ- 

 ences of vigor in the germinal poles, the male or the female pole 

 having an excess of energy. Certain malformations of the body 

 are strongly indicative of such a relation of its opposite halves. 

 In that form of malformation in which clefts or fissures appear, 

 this takes place invariably in the median line of the body. What 

 is called hare-lip is one such case of fissure, but many diverse 

 cases have been observed, and they are all of one general charac- 

 ter/a lack of continuity in the median line of the body, as if its 

 two halves had failed to fully unite. In another kind of malfor- 

 mation, in which lack of development produces coalescence of 

 organs, this always takes place across the median line. Thus 

 cases are known in which the two eyes were merged into one, and 

 others in which the lower part of the face was so undeveloped 



1 Each half of the body is, in fact, under the direct control of the other half, since 

 other half. This peculiar relation between the nerve centers and the lateral halves 



