10 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



stantly absent from the city, and there is little to report in the way 

 of addition or change, 



The section of Transportation, closely related to that of Naval Archi- 

 tecture, is under the charge of Mr. J. E. Watkins, of Philadelphia, who 

 continues to act as honorary curator, and whose plans were described 

 at length in his report presented last year. Owing to lack of space in 

 the exhibition halls, no new steps have been taken in the development 

 of the collection, although there are known to be numerous important 

 objects which can be secured whenever arrangements shall have been 

 made for their reception. 



The absence in Japan of Mr. Eomyn Hitchcock has necessitated a 

 suspension of operations in the sections of Foods and Textile Industries. 



The collections of Musical Instruments and Ceramics have received 

 a number of important additions. 



The Materia Medica collection is still under the charge of Dr. H. G. 

 Beyer, U. S. Navy, who has been carrying forward with great industry 

 the general plans adopted at the time of the establishment of this sec- 

 tion in 1881, and who reports that up to the present time the arrange- 

 ment and labeling of 1,970 specimens had been completed. Dr. Beyer 

 has carried on a number of experiments in pharmaco-physiology and 

 has published several papers. This work of investigation has been car- 

 ried on chiefly at the laboratories of the Naval Museum of Hygiene in 

 Washington, and of Johns Hopkins University. Incidentally Dr. Beyer 

 had devoted a considerable amount of time to devising methods for 

 preservation of the perishable animal and vegetable substances of which 

 the bulk of the Materia Medica collection is composed, and reports that 

 he has found bichloride of mercury to be the most satisfactory germicide. 

 Seventy-three entries have been made in the catalogue during the year. 

 The total number of specimens registered is 5,516, there being 3,488 in 

 the exhibition series and 500 duplicates. 



The collection of historical and personal relics, coins, medals, en- 

 graved portraits, and similar objects, is gradually increasing, though 

 without direct effort, and Mr. A. Howard Clark, for some time attached 

 to the Museum, has begun the work of cataloguing and arranging them. 

 It would appear that no part of the work is more attractive to the visitor 

 than that in which are displayed the personal relics of Washington, 

 Franklin, Jefferson, and the other statesmen and soldiers identified 

 with the early history of the nation, and its interest has been greatly 

 increased during the year by the addition of the Grant collection of ob- 

 jects, including the swords and military and civil testimonials belonging 

 to General U. S. Grant. These had been purchased by Mr. W. H. Van- 

 derbilt, and by him given to Mrs. Grant in trust to hold during the life- 

 time of General Grant, and at his death, or sooner, at her option, to be- 

 come the property of the United States Government. In accordance 

 with Mrs. Grant's request, the transfer of this collection was made by 



