PHYSIOLOGY 
THE increasing importance of the relation of man to the lower 
animals, particularly in matters pertaining to health and 
disease, and the importance of a knowledge of the functions 
of the organs of the human body, led to the establishment of the De- 
partment of Physiology in 1902. These were subjects which could not 
readily be illustrated with known Museum methods of exhibition so 
that a great deal of experimentation in methods of preparation was 
necessary before the subject of physiology could be presented to the 
public in an interesting and non-repellent way. 
The demand for exhibition space for the various departments of 
the Museum has been so great that it has not been possible to assign 
an exhibition hall to this department. Laboratory work, however, 
has progressed very satisfactorily and the Museum's preparation of 
anatomical material has been examined and approved by visiting 
scientists. Specimens of the heart have been prepared in such a way 
that the action of the ventricular valves is clearly shown. Another 
model with a preserved specimen of lungs shows the action of the 
diaphragm and its relation to the lungs in the usual process of respira- 
tion. Another model in wax and glass demonstrates the function of 
the kidney, while a large amount of material illustrating the com- 
parative anatomy of man and the lower animals has been pre- 
pared. 
The increasing attention that is being given to questions of sani- 
tation and spread of contagious diseases by municipal, state, and 
federal bodies, as well as by many philanthropic organizations, will 
result in making a physiological exhibit an integral part of a modern 
museum. 
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