From fish to philosopher; the story of our internal environment

Homer William Smith

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Philosophy and History of Science History of Science and Medicine Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology

Abstract

FOREWORD which appeared in the fossil record 450,000,000 years ago.Here he postulates that the first fishes appeared in fresh water because the kidney of primitive types of fishes living today is adapted to life in fresh water.It has a large glomerulus, and therefore it is able to filter and excrete the large quantities of water which continuously dilute body tissue.When the book was first published in 1953, paleontologists agreed that the first fishes probably appeared in a fresh-water habitat, that Dr. Smith's evidence was critical, and that it strength- ened the paleontological findings: the fauna, flora, and chemical composition of certain geological beds sug- gested that they were laid dov/n in fresh water.But now the fresh-water habitat theory is no longer completely acceptable.Newly discovered facts about other geologi- cal beds, their faima, flora, and chemical make-up, and the time in which they were laid down, suggest that the first fishes appeared in a marine habitat.Recently at Harvard, where A. S. Romer leads the exponents of the fresh-water habitat theory.Dr. Smith was asked about the evidence presented by the Chicagoan, R. H. Deni- son, in support of the salt-water theory.Dr. Smith rephed that he had read Denison's work carefully, admired it, and felt it merited serious consideration.However, he maintained that his loyalties remain with his Cambridge colleague, Dr. Romer.These two views are in strong op- position, and they will force important revisions when more facts are gathered and analyzed.The problem is intriguing and one that needs solution.Students of pa- leontology are now working on the problem; this volume should be of considerable importance to their studies.