SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES 
RELATING TO 
ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY 
(principally inyertebrata and cryptogamia), 
MICROSCOPY, Etc. 
Including Original Communications from Fellows and Others. 
* 
ZOOLOGY. 
VERTEBUATA. 
a. Embryology. f 
Present State of the Question as to the Origin and Inheritance of 
Acquired Characters.^ — Dr. F. Rohde begins by observing that Darwin’s 
influence has been gradually saturating medicine. The physiologist, 
pathologist, and even the practitioner, now recognise the need of being 
aware of what is known and unknown as to variation and heredity. His 
book is intended to help them. After discussing what heredity means, 
he gives a clear history of recent biological discussion in regard to 
heredity. The various theories may be grouped in a series between 
the extremes of pangenesis and the continuity of the germ-plasm. 
Turning to actual concrete cases in pathology, to nervous diseases in 
particular, he admits that acquired characters stimulate the germ-plasm 
to variability. The amount of this will depend on the extent, duration, 
and intensity of the somatic influence. What is inherited from neurotic 
parents is predisposition, a sensitive debility. Though it cannot be 
said that acquired pathological characters may never be transmitted, the 
probability is that all transmissible diseases and malformations have a 
germinal origin. 
Heredity and Rejuvenescence^ — Prof. C. Minot republishes an old 
article (1885) which has escaped attention, and adds to it two chapters 
on death and rejuvenescence. 
In opposition to the view that development is the outcome of a play 
* The Society are not intended to be denoted by the editorial “ we,” and they do 
not hold themselves responsible for the views of the authors of the papers noted, 
nor for any claim to novelty or otherwise made by them. The object of this part of 
the Journal is to present a summary of the papers as actually published , and to 
describe and illustrate Instruments, Apparatus, &c., which are either new or have 
not been previously described in this country. 
f This section includes not only papers relating to Embryology properly so called, 
but also those dealing with Evolution, Development and Reproduction, and allied 
subjects. 
X ‘ Ueber den gegenwartigen Stand der Frage nach der Entsteliung und Ver- 
erbung individueller Eigenschaften und Krankheiten,’ Jena, 1895, 8vo, xx. and 
149 pp. § Biol. Centralbl., xv. (1895) pp. 571-87. 
