Further observations on the unity of structure in the animal kingdom, and on congenital anomalies, including 'hermaphrodites' : with some remarks on embryology, as facilitating animal nomenclature, classification, and the study of comparative anatomy / by Martin Barry.

Barry, M. (Martin), 1802-1855.

Date:: [1837]

Credit: Further observations on the unity of structure in the animal kingdom, and on congenital anomalies, including 'hermaphrodites' : with some remarks on embryology, as facilitating animal nomenclature, classification, and the study of comparative anatomy / by Martin Barry. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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$The fact is, that naturalists have begun, just where they should have ended. They have attended to details, but neglect- ed general principles. Instead of analyzing, their process has been one of synthesis. Their attention has been directed to the grouping of the twigs,—as if thus they were to find their natu- ral connections, without even looking for assistance towards the branches, or the trunk that gave them forth. But the simile is inadequate ; the labour lost, has been greater than even this sup- poses. For in the grown tree of animal structure, parts, once essentially the same, not only have diverged in their develop- ment, and become elaborated into very different forms,—but, as said before, perform very different functions also. Hence a 'po- sitive, in addition to a negative source of error. But what other course coidd naturalists have taken ? Truly none : their “ circumstance allowed no other. It is only now that a way is beginning to be opened, by which it may by and by be possible to proceed in an opposite direction ; viz. from trunk to branches and to twigs. This, if ever accomplished, must be by means of the History of Development or Embryology, both human and comparative ; a science almost new, and regarding which, there prevails in this country the profoundest ignorance and indifference. The French are in advance of us; but it is to German enterprise, industry, and perseverance, that we are indebted for almost every fact known to us on this subject; at least of those brought to lio-ht m recent times* It is to be hoped, however, that ere long this science will begin to obtain, even among ourselves, some degree ot the attention which its importance claims.+ * When St Hilaire proclaimed in France the nrinoinle tw i • , ofTh fCa t EVe n° !olid basis but in ™«*»»y,-and that n £ not°ih0glC of the functions in their totality but thp mnwioi ... not the organs which, rc».mbl.nc«, Xe t o Z t' ‘5““ »»“• .nt’alstep : yet there was still wanting, Z^r %£% ^ eS' Fhtl.^oiwnal) weZ\^already^notic^!er ^86e T°^ “'l °ftbe ** New fJsuch an expeclnUon as’ifexpressed ablZ~SWe'have thfe.a^f?oSds the volume through, but seen enough to say 'that it omZ ly JUSt Synced and well-arranged facts, admirably calculatelHo ustrZ H lr11^ valuable great Mecltel and others, published in Germany Ifll te doctrines of the read this essay before writing the present• } years aK°- Hail we tains might have been adduefd by wafof ilhZrnd’om°f thC facts U con'$