Vrofessor Keith delivered the} last of his interesting course of lectures on Darwin's theory of the origin of man at the Royal Institution on May 10.
Speaking on the evolution of the human brain, he said there was a rea] danger of scientific men losing touch with the public. They were so engaged in furthering their own particular branches of knowledge} that they did not care to take the time or trouble to tell those employed in the work of everyday life! how scientific discoveries bore on! the general fund of knowledge. This was particularly true of the} mien investigating the development} and structure of the human body—more especially those who were working at a complex organ, such as the human brain. All biologists were convinced followers of Darwin, vot merely in theory, but in practice. In all investigations Dar-Win's theory served as their iariner's compass. If they had not) lost touch with public opinion, it would have been impossible for! eminent literary men to assure readers that Darwinism was a dead dogma.
Unperwontp or tHE Brats.
Last week Dr. Henry Head gave} the Croonian lecture to Fellows of the Royal Society on "Release of Vunetion in the Nervous System.'' He made a most important contribution to our knowledge of the human brain, the organ which has} to guide everyone of us through the daily round of work ud pleasure. His message became intel-eligible to all who realized that man's brain has reached its present eminence by the growth and} domination of the cerebral henzispheres—the seat of. man's higher Ities. They have attained their position by mastering and Lringing under control a world of ancient lower centres—cevtres which did almost independent duties in jungle days. Dr. Head showed that as long as the higher centres of the brain are normal, they control the lower, but if from the stress of war, ov of business, or of worry,! the higher centres become dar ed, then the lower and niore ancient instinctive and emotional centr loose and overpower "We have. long been ner in which the cerebral bern:
he said, "with the man-
plieres attain their dominant position in the growing human embryo, and their gradual increase as we ascend the animal scale. Dr. Head's researches have revealed the practical importance of Darwin's theory, and given medical men a dus to the nature of mental
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.