36 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1921. 



Textiles, medicine, wood technology ', and foods. — The collections 

 under the supervision of the curator of textiles, which, besides tex- 

 tiles, embrace medicine, food, wood technology, and miscellaneous 

 animal and vegetable products, were increased by man}' gifts and by 

 transfer from other Government bureaus, amounting to nearly 1,000 

 objects. The most important of these are as follows : 



From the Director of Air Service, War Department, specimens of 

 the fabrics used in the construction and equipment of airplanes for 

 military use; also examples of the same fabrics which had been con- 

 verted to demonstrate the value for civilian use of the large surplus 

 sold by the War Department to the public. There were added by 

 gift many beautiful specimens of silks, fur fabrics, plushes, and 

 velvets contributed by American manufacturers to show the progress 

 of textile industries in this country. 



The collections in the division of medicine were enlarged by a 

 series of the most frequency prescribed pharmaceutical preparations, 

 arranged, according to their therapeutic action, into 26 groups, by a 

 large series of models, specimens, and photographs illustrating vac- 

 cine and serum therapy and arranged to demonstrate the methods 

 used to combat smallpox, lockjaw, pneumonia, cerebrospinal menin- 

 gitis, and hay fever. The collection illustrating pharmacy received 

 valuable specimens of pharmaceutical apparatus and a large number 

 of additional documents and publications bearing on the history of 

 the United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Increased interest in the exhibition collections of the section of 

 wood technology resulted from the gift by the British Government 

 of a large section of one of the heavy oak beams taken from the roof 

 of Westminster Hall during recent repairs to that historic structure. 

 The roof was built under the orders of Richard II, in 1399, and oak 

 timbers used therein, allowing for the age of the tree, must be at 

 least 1,000 years old. The timber presented to the Museum exempli- 

 fies the durability of British oak and gives an idea of the beauty of 

 the old craftsman's work. 



Interest in the exhibits of the section of foods was increased by the 

 addition of over 100 examples of canned fruits, vegetables, fish, and 

 meats, which had been packed and preserved so as to present a most 

 attractive appearance. This appetizing array of canned foods was 

 all put up by children according to the cold-pack method and repre- 

 sented a selection from the jars winning prizes in 17 State contests 

 between members of boys' and girls' canning clubs. 



Mechanical and mineral technology. — One of the most important 

 fields of the division of mechanical technology is educational exhibits 

 visualizing the developments in the transportation systems of the 

 country and the details of such progress. In this connection there 

 were received a number of accessions, among which might be men- 



