Etienne GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE (1772-1844),... - Lot 8 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay

Lot 8
Go to lot
Estimation :
3000 - 4000 EUR
Result without fees
Result : 3 000EUR
Etienne GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE (1772-1844),... - Lot 8 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay
Etienne GEOFFROY SAINT-HILAIRE (1772-1844), naturalist. Autograph manuscript (draft with erasures and corrections), "On the transformation of gelatinous viscous substances existing between the vertebral nuclei and by their analogy with egg white." 5 ½ pp. in-4. Very interesting complete manuscript outlining his work on the transformation of "nascent vertebrae," in line with Lamarck's theories; he reports on his experiments on the vertebrae and the "spinal column" of the lamprey. "I intend to present in a series of memoirs the work I did this winter on the nascent vertebrae, work to which I have already given half a publication in my last course at the Faculty of Science. To begin my research with the least organized vertebrae or vertebrae of the first fetal period, I first stopped on the considerations of the spinal column of the lamprey []. These results are as follows []. 1° Having cooked a section of lamprey in no other way than boiling it for 10 minutes in water, I examined the state of its cartilaginous cord []". He describes his observations at length and concludes: "If it happens that the action of heat is one of the pre-disposing causes to modify in the organization certain substances of a fixed nature at their first appearance, to examine as I have just done these transformations, would it not be to follow the procedures of nature? And would it not be truly to walk to happier explanations by proceeding in these researches rather by way of synthesis than by way of analysis. I will stop at this last idea. God forbid that I should have such exclusive thoughts. What do the means of questioning nature matter, if they lead to see it more closely and to better appreciate its mode of action?
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue