The genetical foundation

Abstract

The growth of genetical science as we know it today began with the rediscovery of Mendel’s work in 1900. Nevertheless, at the time of that event there were already genetical investigations in active progress; investigations which, although contributing relatively little to the development of genetical theory, still have an importance of their own. These were begun by Francis Galton, who published a general account of his methods and findings in Natural Inheritance (1889), and were continued by Karl Pearson and his pupils. From them the application of statistical mathematics to biological problems received a great impetus, and if only for this reason they mark a significant step in the growth of quantitative biology.