Influential group of mid-nineteenth century orthodox physicians and biblical scholars whose research led them to believe that evolution could not have occurred within the time frame allowed since the biblical Special Creation; that variation among human types was too great to be explained by historical or climatic influences, and therefore the races (even species) of humans must have been created separately; hence these scholars were also known as polygenists. Among the more prominent were Samuel Morton, Josiah Nott, and George Gliddon.