July 10, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



41 



in all stages of growth; the largest possible 

 acquisitions of skeletal remains from all 

 the periods of peoples known the longest to 

 history, such as the Egyptians, the Sem- 

 ites, the Chinese, for the ascertainment of 

 physical variations in different localities 

 in known time; large collections of brains, 

 preserved by uniform methods, for the 

 study of gross, minute and chemical dif- 

 ferences in that organ, in definite groups 

 of humanity; and substantial series of at 

 least the skeletal parts and brains of the 

 anthropoid and other apes, for purposes 

 of comparison. The existing material, as 

 well as that to be added, should be held 

 in the best possible condition regarding 

 identification, cleaning, repairs and preser- 

 vation. All these are conditions, on the 

 fulfilment of which further advance in 

 physical anthropology depends directly. 

 Other objects needed, at least in our great 

 museums, are series of specimens fit for 

 exhibition, for illustrating to the public the 

 most interesting human variations; and 

 large gatherings of good photographs, as 

 well as accurate easts, fit for both study 

 and exhibition. 



The above by no means exhausts what 

 may be termed the internal wants and 

 therefore aims of physical anthropology. 

 There still remain the very important ob- 

 jects, of the virile development and ad- 

 vance of teaching ; the highest of our hopes, 

 namely, the foundation of separate central 

 institutes of physical anthropology, like the 

 Ecole d'anthropologie; the forming of a 

 special, international association; the con- 

 servation of original, detailed data, etc. 

 But these are largely matters of develop- 

 ment of the branch, dependent on progress 

 realized in the points before specified, and 

 their discussion can be postponed. 



This leads to the scientific aims proper 

 of physical anthropology, and these are in- 

 numerable. They extend from questions 

 of pure science and natural philosophy to 



those of high practical utility, and from 

 those of local interests to those of all hu- 

 manity. I shall pass briefly over those of 

 a more general nature and conclude with 

 those that are more specially American. 



The most urgent and important scientific 

 object before physical anthropology is the 

 gradual completion— in collaboration with 

 anatomists, physiologists, and even the 

 chemists— of the study of the normal white 

 man living under average conditions, and 

 of the complete range of his variations — 

 these facts to form a solid and stifficient 

 basis for all comparisons. This goal is 

 still very distant, notwithstanding the mass 

 of work already accomplished. It is neces- 

 sary to renew and extend the investigations 

 on every feature, every organ, every func- 

 tion of the medium white man, until these 

 are known in every detail. The facility 

 and value of all comparative work will in- 

 crease in direct proportion to the degree of 

 the consummation of efforts in this direc- 

 tion. The choice of the white man for the 

 standard is merely a matter of con- 

 venience; the yellow-brown or black man 

 would do equally as well, if not better, 

 were he available. 



The second task of physical anthropology 

 is to perfect, or aid in perfecting, detailed 

 knowledge of the structure, function and 

 chemical composition— with their variations 

 — in the primates. This field of investi- 

 gation may be regarded as the vestibule to 

 the space occupied by man's natural his- 

 tory and is indispensable to the under- 

 standing of man's past and continued 

 evolution, collectively and in every partic- 

 ular. The fossil forms of the primates 

 must naturally be comprised with the 

 living. 



The third great duty of our science is 

 the determination of development and vari- 

 ation in man's structure, and also as far 

 as possible in other organic qualities— par- 

 ticularly those of chemical nature— in rela- 



