THE EXHIBIT 507 



Cases I to VIII. South Corridor. Third floor exhibit. 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MAN 



This exhibit was prepared by Dr. William K. Gregory. While it is to be 

 a permanent Museum exhibit, it was inspired by the same purpose which 

 inspired the temporary exhibits of the Eugenics Congress, and was timed to 

 open to the public on the occasion of the opening of the Third International 

 Eugenics Congress. 



Ultimately the Hall of the Natural History of Man will consist of two 

 halves, the first entitled "Introduction to Human and Comparative Anat- 

 omy," and the second dealing with the physical characteristics of the races 

 of man, development, growth and allied topics. It is the first half of this 

 hall, prepared by Dr. Gregory, which constituted an exhibit of the Congress. 



As the title indicates, these exhibits trace the various structures and func- 

 tions of man from their earliest geological beginnings. Thus the basic long- 

 time background of human origin and advance is shown in close connection 

 with current studies on the conservation and advance of the various heredi- 

 tary endowments of living races and family-stocks. 



The "Introduction to Human and Comparative Anatomy" begins by 

 showing man in his cosmic aspect, conceived as a living engine which derives 

 its working capital of energy directly or indirectly from the energy of the 

 sun stored up in plant and animal tissue; this energy is appropriated by man 

 in food substances. Case I deals with the intake and outgo of this energy 

 through the various anatomical systems. It shows how the food energy is 

 made available by the digestive system and distributed by the "currency of 

 the blood," namely, the blood corpuscles. Other divisions give the most 

 essential facts regarding the "main pump of the body," the "living bellows" 

 (respiration), heat regulation and the like. 



Wall Chart 1, a decorative design, illustrates the history of anatomy and 

 stresses the fact that, thanks to the labors of Darwin and his successors, the 

 study of human anatomy has become a part of the history of the vertebrates 

 in geologic time. 



In Case II A the exhibits deal with "Organ Systems of Shark and Man," 

 showing the educational value of the anatomy of the common dogfish as 

 affording an epitome of human anatomy. The organ systems of shark and 

 man are then classified under twelve functional systems, some of which are 

 illustrated by anatomical models. 



In Case II B the "Elements of the Locomotor Apparatus" are set forth. 

 In the simplest possible words it is shown how red muscle fibers of the fish 

 are combined into W-shaped muscle flakes, or myomeres, how these consti- 



