EVOLUTION- FOR AND AGAINST

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 667, 20 May 1929, Page 9

EVOLUTION- FOR AND AGAINST

Influences of the Planets THE following letters on the subjects of Religion and Evolution and planetary influences have been received : EVOLUTION AND SCIENCE

Sir,— “A.E.C.” has made another attempt to deprecate the “notorious Town Hall meeting.” He now makes the unwarrantable assumption that those opposed to the Evolution theory do not make a thorough study of its bearings upon the whole of the sciences. A pretty big order, I think, but “A.E.C.” is onV trying to bluff us by talking in this way. Speaking for myself, allow me to say I have given the subject considerable study. “A.E.C.” talks about “‘ignorance of the modern theories of descent.” The trouble with men of his type is that they assume so much. Instead of replying to my contention oj& the subject of an All-Wise Designer, aaad the fact that structural resemblances are seen on every hand, “A.E.C.” evades me, and harks back to the speeches delivered at the Town Hall. In my opinion, the arguments adduced were quite up to the average, and most certainly give ‘A.E.C.’s” views complete refutation. The result is that his attempts to justify belief in Evolution land him in many pitiful blunders. Of course, biologists do not dogmatise on the idea that man has descended from existing species of apes, but they do dogmatise on the opinion that anthropoids and man had some common ancestor. It is no use for “A.E.C.” and his little coterie to accuse others of ignorance. Evolutionists, I have found, to be a most dogmatic class of people to deal with. Look at their effrontery about palaeontology. If man had come up through a long series of mutations, we should find signs of them in the crust of the earth, in all sizes, shapes, and forms. They cannot be produced. This great science shows that each geological period is very clearly defined. Indeed, there are many extinct species. They were in many ways greatly superior to structures of today. This latter point, by the way, favours degeneration, not Evolution. There are, however, many “persistent types.” The missing link theories are only assumptions. The fact is that materialists are given to vain “imaginings.” Their hypothesis is dangerous in the extreme, It undermines the basis of morality, and the natural advance of our race. They have nothing in true science to confirm their opinions. REUBEN E. DOWLE, A.V.1., Ph.S.

EVOLUTION IN SCHOOLS Sir, — The two conflicting principles which have been invoked in this controversy are the principle of religious neutrality and the principle of scientific freedom in instruction. Personally, 1 do not see in what way evolutionary instruction is a breach of religious neutrality while the former limits itself to the field of verified fact, but Mr. Norman Burton is of the opposite opinion, because, he states, there are some who object to Evolution in any form as antagonistic to Genesis. It would appear that they accept Genesis (an early effort to account for phenomena) without evidence, but that Evolution is unacceptable whatever the evidence. But do these people know what Evolution really is, or the scientific case in its support. Judging by the applause that greeted the most absurd reasoning and unscientific statements at the Town Hall meeting, I would hazard that not one in 500 had ever read a scientific text book on Evolution. Even the leaders of the movement show a startling ignorance of scientific fundamentals, as has been shown in these columns. The question resolves itself into whether we are to accept the dictation of those who denounce as anti-religious a theory of which they show lamentable lack of knowledge. To pacify these ultra-literal-ists, are we prepared to pay the price of defrauding our students from learning of the most illuminating and basic law ever discovered, and promulgated as such by the whole body of living scientists in physics, geology and biology 7? That would indeed be an infringement of educational freedom and efficiency. If it comes to be a choice of two evils, then the lesser one is to continue teaching Evolution in higher schools and colleges (if not lower grades), and accord some financial sup-

port to those opponents who found effij cient schools of their own. Does Mr. Burton not think it preferable thus to enable the majority of children to ab- : sorb scientific knowledge upon which to build for further progress than that w© should be dragged along in the unprogressive wake of the least enlightened minority*. A.E.C UNTIMELY DEATHS Your readers may have been struck I with the fact that sudden deaths and ; other tragic events are wont to occur in groups, and they will have noticed 1 tlio unusual number of such occur - 1 rences which were reported in The Sun toward the end of last week. My notes for this last period include about 40 1 of these sad events. There are very definite reasons why’ they should occur Several years back, one of our oldest and ablest medical men. in speaking of my work, urged me to apply’ it to medical science. Especially was he concerned to know whether there is any foundation for an opinion held thousands of y’ears ago that, at certain definite times, there are external conditions which render the average person specially fit or unfit to endure shock—e.g., an operation, or the effect of an anaesthetic. He pointed to the facts that a physical injury such as will at one time prove comparatively harmless may at another time cause death, and that all too often operations are attended by unaccountable misadventures, sudden or delayed. Darwin touched the fringe of a great truth when he said: “Man is subject, like all mammals, birds, beasts, and even insects, to that my’sterious law which causes diseases and vital functions to follow lunar periods.” The lunation is not the only factor—far less the prime factor—in such matters. The effect of the moon is to modify solar influences, and to do so more frequently, but usually to a lesser extent, than do the planets of our solar system. These latter are more responsible for disturbing changes, and apparently a knowledge of their effects, recognised to some extent long before the Christian era, has since been lost. Reasoning the matter out, I found theoretical argument sufficiently simple and convincing to satisfy me, and carefully kept records (of the past five years particularly) place the conclusions I arrived at bey’ond doubt. The vital force supplied to us is like everything else in physical creation —it cannot remain constant. It fluctuates in quantity and composition from day to Jay. and from hour to hour each day. It affects us both physically and mentally. It causes peculiarities in the birth-rate as well as in the death-rate. Moreover, it causes certain disease germs to be at one time harmless — perhaps even beneficient —at another time destructive. And the conditions j which will prevail at any particular time may b«- prognosticated years beforehand Such knowledge alters the whole outlook of therapeutics, and leads on to fresh fields of research, which seem both fruitful and unlimited. To avail himself of such knowledge, it Is not necessary’ for the medical man to enter upon mathematical investigations. Results can all be stated in perfectly simple form. Deranged mentality is no doubt our greatest scourge, and an increasing one. To it we must attribute most of our sorrow’ and crime. Surely it is time we brought fresh light—l might perhaps say some light—to bear upon it. Of our physical maladies, heart disease is the commonest, and an increasingly prevalent one. Hitherto we have not even known what keeps tin heart beating, or what causes it to stop. The simple knowledge of these ! things enables us to avoid heart ; troubles and certain concomitant allI ments. The fluctuation of the force : which keeps the heart beating ought to ■ strengthen it, but at certain times, when that force reaches a maximum or minimum, the disordered heart col- ; lapses under excessive strain or the ; reverse. In dealing with cases in i which the heart was endangered, I | have repeatedly adopted measures to I counteract such irregularities at criti- ■ cal times, and I am certain that in all j cases when operations have to be per- ! formed in unfavourable circumstances I external stimulation should be resorted to. Probably it would be w’ell to us** ; it in all operations.