Silent Meditation on Vestigial Organisms: An intimate portrait of the infamous Hungarian Countess, Elizabeth Báthory.
It was once thought that organs such as the tonsils and the appendix were useless “leftovers”, footprints of mans evolution. Current research has determined that that the small pouch which extends off the large intestine (the appendix) is particularly useful fighting infections as a result of exposure to certain types of radiation and other conditions.
Charles Darwin put forth the theory; the appendix was used primarily to digest leaves and other vegetation in early primates. As man evolved, he has eaten fewer vegetables preferring a variety of meats. Consequently, the appendix (or vermiform appendix, also cecal appendix / vermix appendix) has grown considerably smaller to accommodate the increased size of our stomachs.
