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The Case of the Midwife Toad
London. 1971. Hutchinson and Co. 22x14,5. 187p.
187 pages, Hardcover
First published February 18, 1971
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368 people want to read
About the author
Arthur Koestler
153 books949 followers
Darkness at Noon
(1940), novel of Hungarian-born British writer Arthur Koestler, portrays his disillusionment with Communism; his nonfiction works include
The Sleepwalkers
(1959) and
The Ghost in the Machine
(1967).
Arthur Koestler CBE [*Kösztler Artúr] was a prolific writer of essays, novels and autobiographies.
He was born into a Hungarian Jewish family in Budapest but, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria. His early career was in journalism. In 1931 he joined the Communist Party of Germany but, disillusioned, he resigned from it in 1938 and in 1940 published a devastating anti-Communist novel, Darkness at Noon, which propelled him to instant international fame.
Over the next forty-three years he espoused many causes, wrote novels and biographies, and numerous essays. In 1968 he was awarded the prestigious and valuable Sonning Prize "For outstanding contribution to European culture", and in 1972 he was made a "Commander of the British Empire" (CBE).
In 1976 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and three years later with leukaemia in its terminal stages. He committed suicide in 1983 in London.
Arthur Koestler CBE [*Kösztler Artúr] was a prolific writer of essays, novels and autobiographies.
He was born into a Hungarian Jewish family in Budapest but, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria. His early career was in journalism. In 1931 he joined the Communist Party of Germany but, disillusioned, he resigned from it in 1938 and in 1940 published a devastating anti-Communist novel, Darkness at Noon, which propelled him to instant international fame.
Over the next forty-three years he espoused many causes, wrote novels and biographies, and numerous essays. In 1968 he was awarded the prestigious and valuable Sonning Prize "For outstanding contribution to European culture", and in 1972 he was made a "Commander of the British Empire" (CBE).
In 1976 he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and three years later with leukaemia in its terminal stages. He committed suicide in 1983 in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 12, 2017
A nice reminder that accepted "science" may be a trend or belief, not objective method.
June 7, 2020
A fascinating and well-told story from the world of early 20th century biological science.
The conventional story is that Paul Kammerer fakes some experiments to prove that Lamarkian evolution was right and Darwinian evolution was wrong, and that he committed suicide when the fakery was exposed. Koestler, here, shows that the true story may be more complicated, though a lot remains murky.
The Lamarkian version of evolution is that animals can pass on traits to their offspring which they had developed during their own lifetimes as a result of struggle against some environmental condition. The alternative version is that an organism can only pass on traits they were already born with, plus some random mutations. We tend to call the second version Darwinian, though Darwin was actually often sympathetic to Lamarkian ideas. Kammerer, in turn, was not so far away from the standard interpretation. He believed only that occasionally some aquired traits might be passed on.
The bad image of Kammerer today is largely due to the negative opinions of Willam Bateson, who coined the term "genetics" and was a strong early popularizer of the work of Mendel. Bateson disbelieved some of Kammerer's work with frogs, which is fine, but he didn't really play fair. He never attempted to replicate the experiments (which to be fair are difficult and long). He argued against conclusions that Kammerer had never made. He complained that Kammerer wouldn't send him a sample for him to examine. Yet when Kammerer brought a sample to England and showed it to many prominent biolgists, Bateson twice refused to look at it, and then continued to claim Kammerer wouldn't make it available.
Very late in the saga, it was found that some black spots on a preserved frogs paw were due to an injection of ink. This looks very bad for Kammerer. However, the ink had been injected badly, and was very obviously fake. Many prominent biologists had already examined the sample for years before that and had not noticed. So it is quite possible, as Koestler argues, the fakery was done much later, long after the original controversy.
Kammerer's suicide doesn't necessarily indicate guilt. It could be combined effects of losing all his experimental work due to the war, losing all of his money due to massive post-war inflation, and losing his reputation. Replicating the experiments would have required at least 10 years, plus money and equipment he didn't have.
I don't know what the truth was. Kammerer's work involving other species remains accepted. I suspect he was honest about the frog experiments, too, even if his interpretations may have been wrong.
On the other hand, Kammerer and Koestler, both promoted some ideas that I consider wild and crazy. Kammerer created a theory of coincidences which Jung later presented as "Synchronicity". Koestler promoted theories of ESP and other paranormal phenomena. He himself committed suicide (due to Parkinson's disease and lukemia) along with his wife. Some think he pressured her into it.
In any case, this 1971 book remains a very engaging story, reading almost like a thriller, and involving many key ideas and people from the history of the theory of evolution in the 20th century.
The conventional story is that Paul Kammerer fakes some experiments to prove that Lamarkian evolution was right and Darwinian evolution was wrong, and that he committed suicide when the fakery was exposed. Koestler, here, shows that the true story may be more complicated, though a lot remains murky.
The Lamarkian version of evolution is that animals can pass on traits to their offspring which they had developed during their own lifetimes as a result of struggle against some environmental condition. The alternative version is that an organism can only pass on traits they were already born with, plus some random mutations. We tend to call the second version Darwinian, though Darwin was actually often sympathetic to Lamarkian ideas. Kammerer, in turn, was not so far away from the standard interpretation. He believed only that occasionally some aquired traits might be passed on.
The bad image of Kammerer today is largely due to the negative opinions of Willam Bateson, who coined the term "genetics" and was a strong early popularizer of the work of Mendel. Bateson disbelieved some of Kammerer's work with frogs, which is fine, but he didn't really play fair. He never attempted to replicate the experiments (which to be fair are difficult and long). He argued against conclusions that Kammerer had never made. He complained that Kammerer wouldn't send him a sample for him to examine. Yet when Kammerer brought a sample to England and showed it to many prominent biolgists, Bateson twice refused to look at it, and then continued to claim Kammerer wouldn't make it available.
Very late in the saga, it was found that some black spots on a preserved frogs paw were due to an injection of ink. This looks very bad for Kammerer. However, the ink had been injected badly, and was very obviously fake. Many prominent biologists had already examined the sample for years before that and had not noticed. So it is quite possible, as Koestler argues, the fakery was done much later, long after the original controversy.
Kammerer's suicide doesn't necessarily indicate guilt. It could be combined effects of losing all his experimental work due to the war, losing all of his money due to massive post-war inflation, and losing his reputation. Replicating the experiments would have required at least 10 years, plus money and equipment he didn't have.
I don't know what the truth was. Kammerer's work involving other species remains accepted. I suspect he was honest about the frog experiments, too, even if his interpretations may have been wrong.
On the other hand, Kammerer and Koestler, both promoted some ideas that I consider wild and crazy. Kammerer created a theory of coincidences which Jung later presented as "Synchronicity". Koestler promoted theories of ESP and other paranormal phenomena. He himself committed suicide (due to Parkinson's disease and lukemia) along with his wife. Some think he pressured her into it.
In any case, this 1971 book remains a very engaging story, reading almost like a thriller, and involving many key ideas and people from the history of the theory of evolution in the 20th century.
February 21, 2010
Interesting book. I liked the main theme: those who challenge the current framework are often shut down in relentless attack. These attacks are often not about the substance of the disagreement. However the diverting issues can shutdown conversation and allow the person challenging the status quo to be labeled unprofessional or questionable. Once this door is opened the argument can then be dismissed.
September 3, 2025
4.5 stars - based on the (incredible) cover alone, I (falsely) presumed that I had stumbled upon a delightfully obscure, campy sci-fi novel. Imagine my utter bamboozlement upon learning (well over halfway into reading the book, mind you) that what I’ve been reading is actually a delightfully obscure nonfictional essay!?! Gobsmacked, I was. Despite my misled expectations, however, I found this book to be totally compelling. It’s a meticulously researched and comprehensively detailed account of one exceptional scientist’s life’s work and the handful of bitter LOSERS who chose to undermine and discredit his scientific contributions every step of the way, ignoring all the verifiable proof and documented evidence that posed a challenge to their pre-existing scientific beliefs.
Koestler presents an unbiased and definitive account of Kammerer's experiments regarding various reptiles and amphibians (in particular, the infamous Midwife Toad), conducted in pursuit of verifying his theory of inherited gene adaptations. In addition to providing ample information regarding Kammerer's academic background, personal life, and scientific career trajectory, Koestler spends the majority of his essay discussing (as the title would suggest) the controversy surrounding Kammerer's experiments with Midwife Toads.
Essentially, Kammerer was a verifiable toad whisperer, capable of achieving unprecedented success in terms of toad handling and (most importantly) breeding. A life-long animal lover, he was meticulously careful with species preservation throughout his experiments, and possessed an almost other-worldly amount of patience and perseverance that proved necessary in obtaining his arguable outcomes. It took 15 years for him to complete his experiments on the Midwife Toad, ultimately demonstrating their ability to 1.) adapt to a new environment by developing "nuptial pads", a physical characteristic necessary for breeding purposes in their new environment and, most remarkably 2.) inherit the newly acquired physical adaptation from the preceding generation.
The outcome of Kammerer's experiments were, predictably, highly controversial within the scientific community, as his findings seemed to contradict the current scientific dogma regarding gene adaptation and inheritance, i.e. Neo-Darwinism; the biological theory that merges Charles Darwin's concept of evolution by natural selection with Gregor Mendel's theory of genetics. This theory posits that all genetic mutations are random, and natural selection acts on these variations to determine which traits are passed onto offspring. As you can well imagine, the idea that genetic mutations are NOT (always) random, and can actually develop out of necessity and be inherited by future generations was not easily accepted by other experts in the field, particularly those who had attempted (and failed miserably...*cough* William Bateson) to prove that very same hypothesis in the past. The fact that Kammerer's experiments were successful was deemed by fellow biologists and geneticists alike to be highly improbable, if not impossible, and some went so far as to accuse him of falsifying his results.
The drama that ensued as a result of this controversy, both in the media and Kammerer's personal/professional life was ultimately what led to his tragic and untimely demise; he committed suicide at the age of 46, shortly after the allegations of fraud were formally published against him. Despite Kammerer's ruined reputation and the suspicious circumstances of his death, Koestler makes a compelling case for his innocence, and ultimately affirms the merit of his life's work. "The Case of the Midwife Toad" is methodical and mesmerizing, as Koestler expertly outlines the whole affair with an almost scientific precision, presenting a comprehensive timeline of events, while fastidiously dissecting and countering detractor's arguments, and neatly exhibiting the (previously, & criminally overlooked!!!) evidence in support of Kammerer's monumental scientific contributions and his professional integrity
Koestler presents an unbiased and definitive account of Kammerer's experiments regarding various reptiles and amphibians (in particular, the infamous Midwife Toad), conducted in pursuit of verifying his theory of inherited gene adaptations. In addition to providing ample information regarding Kammerer's academic background, personal life, and scientific career trajectory, Koestler spends the majority of his essay discussing (as the title would suggest) the controversy surrounding Kammerer's experiments with Midwife Toads.
Essentially, Kammerer was a verifiable toad whisperer, capable of achieving unprecedented success in terms of toad handling and (most importantly) breeding. A life-long animal lover, he was meticulously careful with species preservation throughout his experiments, and possessed an almost other-worldly amount of patience and perseverance that proved necessary in obtaining his arguable outcomes. It took 15 years for him to complete his experiments on the Midwife Toad, ultimately demonstrating their ability to 1.) adapt to a new environment by developing "nuptial pads", a physical characteristic necessary for breeding purposes in their new environment and, most remarkably 2.) inherit the newly acquired physical adaptation from the preceding generation.
The outcome of Kammerer's experiments were, predictably, highly controversial within the scientific community, as his findings seemed to contradict the current scientific dogma regarding gene adaptation and inheritance, i.e. Neo-Darwinism; the biological theory that merges Charles Darwin's concept of evolution by natural selection with Gregor Mendel's theory of genetics. This theory posits that all genetic mutations are random, and natural selection acts on these variations to determine which traits are passed onto offspring. As you can well imagine, the idea that genetic mutations are NOT (always) random, and can actually develop out of necessity and be inherited by future generations was not easily accepted by other experts in the field, particularly those who had attempted (and failed miserably...*cough* William Bateson) to prove that very same hypothesis in the past. The fact that Kammerer's experiments were successful was deemed by fellow biologists and geneticists alike to be highly improbable, if not impossible, and some went so far as to accuse him of falsifying his results.
The drama that ensued as a result of this controversy, both in the media and Kammerer's personal/professional life was ultimately what led to his tragic and untimely demise; he committed suicide at the age of 46, shortly after the allegations of fraud were formally published against him. Despite Kammerer's ruined reputation and the suspicious circumstances of his death, Koestler makes a compelling case for his innocence, and ultimately affirms the merit of his life's work. "The Case of the Midwife Toad" is methodical and mesmerizing, as Koestler expertly outlines the whole affair with an almost scientific precision, presenting a comprehensive timeline of events, while fastidiously dissecting and countering detractor's arguments, and neatly exhibiting the (previously, & criminally overlooked!!!) evidence in support of Kammerer's monumental scientific contributions and his professional integrity
September 18, 2008
Nonfiction based on the life of conflicted biologist Dr. Paul Kammerer. It's always interesting to discuss evolution theory; book was written well for a layman like myself. Some of the data in the Appendix was as interesting as the main story itself.
November 2, 2022
An attempt to exonerate a famous scientist accused of fraud. It works well, gradually introducing evidence and maintaining interest. Personally, I felt the author withheld some information until later in the book to try to bolster his case. I remain unconvinced,but somewhat doubtful and enjoyed the read
February 18, 2020
Scientists battle to the death over evolutionary experiments. Mostly beyond my feeble brain's comprehension.
Read
March 7, 2021It reads like a mystery. Highly recommend.
July 29, 2018
An interesting account of bitter scientific disputes before the Second World War (mainly). I hope they aren't quite so acrimonious now.
February 2, 2021
Super interesting and well written. Very relevant to me as a zoology student.
August 25, 2018
Just to be clear, no one here, including Koestler, a non-scientist, was disputing the fact of evolution. The debate was about the mechanisms of evolution.
The latest research suggests that Kammerer was not a fraud but rather made an extraordinary discovery about midwife toads. Extraordinary claims require remarkable proof, so that strong doubt about his unverified claim was fully appropriate. His Lamarckian view of the mechanism of evolution, which he was attempting to prove, was wrong, although recent advances show that epigenetic mechanisms may be heritable, uncommon in higher organisms and unrelated to our toad.
The latest research suggests that Kammerer was not a fraud but rather made an extraordinary discovery about midwife toads. Extraordinary claims require remarkable proof, so that strong doubt about his unverified claim was fully appropriate. His Lamarckian view of the mechanism of evolution, which he was attempting to prove, was wrong, although recent advances show that epigenetic mechanisms may be heritable, uncommon in higher organisms and unrelated to our toad.
March 13, 2015
This is an historical science mystery concerned with the theory of evolution and the persecution and suicide of a scientist who contested it. Koestler's Roots of Coincidence is often regarded as the successor to this book.
August 22, 2014
Provides a nice overall perspective on the Dr. Paul Kammerer suicide case. Also, brilliantly illustrates how emotions and beliefs in science can lead to dirty politics between prominent scientists.
July 26, 2010
Who knew that brilliant scientists could act a lot like a bunch of high school girls?
April 6, 2020
Only Arthur Koestler could have written such a book with such lucidity. (My copy is the 1971 American edition). He managed to explain the most obscure of scientific experiments during the first half of the 20th century. He also exposed the competition between scientists and biologists in their circles. Apart from the experiments with toads etc. he has a chapter which doesn't totally fit in with the story. That is the theory of 'meaningful coincidence' and 'synchronicity', (See C.G. Jung).
It would be nice to see some of the 'Nature' magazines from the 1920s where the competitive battles were fought via letters and other articles.
Up-to-date; in the Irish Times 12/4/2018 suggests that Kammerer and his Lamarckian experiments were not fraudulent at all and there is a possibility he could be completely exonerated.
I believe that Kammerer's suicide will always remain a mystery.
Koestler, himself , took his own life in 1983.
It would be nice to see some of the 'Nature' magazines from the 1920s where the competitive battles were fought via letters and other articles.
Up-to-date; in the Irish Times 12/4/2018 suggests that Kammerer and his Lamarckian experiments were not fraudulent at all and there is a possibility he could be completely exonerated.
I believe that Kammerer's suicide will always remain a mystery.
Koestler, himself , took his own life in 1983.
September 5, 2022
I read this as a change from the fiction I usually read, so it was great fun to read a true story in a similar format to a thriller, and it definitely made it a lot more enjoyable to read a non-fiction book. Koestler shed brought forth a new perspective to a story long forgotten, and while I'll admit I haven't gotten round to looking in depth at the other (and 'mainstream') perspective on Kammerer and life's work, I do appreciate Koestler's well-balanced writings, where he brings up people's previous arguments against Kammerer and refutes them through logic, scientific evidence, and the words of those who knew him - including the scientists who were determined to take Kammerer down. The only reason you may not enjoy the book is because it _is_ still a recount of historical events, but, as I mentioned, Koestler's way of tackling the subject makes it so that you are immersed in the story. Will definitely read more of his work :)
September 7, 2017
Koestler's take on the scientific controversy of Paul Kammerer. Extremely well written and terribly interesting (if you like mysteries, biology, or philosophy of science). Worth it just for the way Koestler writes.
September 30, 2021
Required reading when we were students and still relevant today as Lamarckian ideas are still controversial
February 10, 2022
Kammerer was both an adulterer and fraud.
Read
February 11, 2025Read in 1976 for AP Biology at St Viator HS - I should read this again sometime soon
Read
February 13, 2017Really boring tbh
December 16, 2012
Interesting but not compelling account of scientific controversy in pre-WWI Austria-Hungary. It is of more interest as a historical account of scientific practice prior to the rise of industrial research labs--lots of old school epistlary warfare--than as a "mystery." For the lay science enthusiast it is interesting to read of the theory of Lamarckism and he lays out the intellectual foundations of Darwinism much better than most authors in this genre. Some reflections on the state of things still ring true--"though the theory of natural selection by random mutation provides a partial explanation, it leaves most questions unanswered...it is a part but likely not an important part of the origins of life." Yes the book is dated but so what; in light of the banality of today's ethical discussions on the practice of biology, you can learn a lot more from this account written by one of the greatest polymaths of the 20th century than your average modern ultra-materialist screed.
October 2, 2025
A very academic book, not for everybody. Koestler tells about a true conflict between scientists about whether or not behavior can trigger inherited characteristics. Those who want to make a case for that idea are call Lamarkians, to distinguish them from Darwin's notion that evolution proceeds from random mutation of genes—the changes that enhance life are inherited and the rest die out. Interestingly Darwin himself was interested in Lamarkian ideas.
This book details a researcher who claim to have triggered a physically inherited characteristic in a toad. Others attacked him and even accused him of faking his data. This conflict went on through academic journals for years, a Koestler details the journals and the correspondence that went on around the controversy. The publisher says it reads like a mystery thriller and for the right reader, I believe that is accurate.
This book details a researcher who claim to have triggered a physically inherited characteristic in a toad. Others attacked him and even accused him of faking his data. This conflict went on through academic journals for years, a Koestler details the journals and the correspondence that went on around the controversy. The publisher says it reads like a mystery thriller and for the right reader, I believe that is accurate.
June 24, 2013
Remember that perfect essay you wrote in college? You let the paths of research unfold before you, collected the anecdotal gems along the way and emerged with a story no one else had seen. This is better than that. Because Koestler is a better author than you. The subject of the story is Paul Kammerer, an artist turned scientist who saw the poetry in biology. He seems to have set up experiments based on what would be really cool if it worked out like he thought it would. Fittingly, this story about ostensibly dry material is full of life and artistic flair.
March 19, 2013
A fascinating book about an eminent Austrian scientist at the turn of the 20th century who did research on Darwinian theories or counter-theories. His work breeding certain Midwife Toads was the focus of incredible controversy. He was personally and professionally destroyed by envious scientific colleagues at other institutes, who claimed he faked his research. He committed suicide in 1926.
July 19, 2010
A delightful book, although somewhat dated in places now. I don't agree with everything Koestler says concerning evolution but it's still quite fascinating to see his mind at work.
November 22, 2012
I read this book many many years ago. Lifechanging.
December 9, 2014
Fascinating unraveling of this debate and drama I had no idea existed. I really enjoyed all of the primary sources!
May 8, 2012
excellent myth debunker
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews