Note 98 — IV. THE CONTINUITY OF THE GERM-PLASM AS THE FOUNDATION OF A THEORY OF HEREDITY.

Galton’s experiments on transfusion in Rabbits have in the mean time really proved that Darwin’s gemmules do not exist. Roth indeed states that Darwin has never maintained that his gemmules make use of the circulation as a medium, but while on the one hand it cannot be shown why they should fail to take the favourable opportunities afforded by such a medium, inasmuch as they are said to be constantly circulating through the body; so on the other hand we cannot understand how the gemmules could contrive to avoid the circulation. Darwin has acted very wisely in avoiding any explanation of the exact course in which his gemmules circulate. He offered his hypothesis as a formal and not as a real explanation.

Professor Meldola points out to me that Darwin did not admit that Galton’s experiments disproved pangenesis (‘Nature,’ April 27, 1871, p. 502), and Galton also admitted this in the next number of ‘Nature’ (May 4, 1871, p. 5).—A. W. 1889.