The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17974096518)

Upper, Leewenhoek; Lower, Mendel
Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo18amer (find matches)
Year: [1918 c1900-[1918]] (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library



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LEEUWENHOEK, THE FIRST GREAT MICROSCOPIST To know the history of our present control of dis- ( else tlirough the destruction of its microbes, we have to go back to Holland and the middle of the seven- teenth century, when Antony van Leeuwenhoek was making what the world thought useless discoveries of bacteria and protozoans. The microscope, then just invented in a simple form, was little more than a toy, but it so fascinated Leeuwenlioek that it is said he gave a great part of his life to study with it and examined almost everything he could lay his hands on. It is recorded that he had more than two hundred in- struments with an incredible number of lenses which he ground himself. It was his discovery of the flow of blood in the capillaries connecting the arteries and veins that was the iinal proof of Harvey's theory of the circulation. This man's work is only one instance of the ultimate practical value of theoretical research: most of the biological discoveries of greatest value in industrial and medical science have been made in the course of studies in pure science. Can we not make it possible that more of the young men of America have a chance to do scientific research? The Leeuwen- MENDEL, THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS hoeks of the future are among them STUDENT OF HEREDITY Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), abbot of a monastery at Briinn, Austria, through experiments made in his garden, chiefly with peas, demonstrated a law of inheritance which was one of the great biological dis- coveries of the nineteenth century. This law is based upon his discovery that, in cross breeding, the jiaren- tal characters are not blended but retain their individuality to such an extent that in subsequent genera- tions they may be separated and recombined like the cards in a pack. Mendel's interests were along theoretical lines and not in any way utilitarian, yet so important was his discovery that today Mendelism is becoming a household word. The most successful breeder of animals of the future will be biologically trained and will know every twist and turn of the latest Mendelian formula (See page 562) 556 •