The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-09-02
Collection of Cracked Craniums,
Gathered From the Early
Battlefields of Peru.
RARE SCIENTIFIC INTEREST.
Proof Positive That Surgeons Prac,
ticed Delicate Art of Trephin-
ing With Success Six
Centuries Ago.


REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington, Sept. Lone Of the EXHIBITS
which will be sent by the National Au-
scum to St. Louis will be Q collection OF
Peruvian skulls. probably 600 years old'
which show proof of having been t~rephineo,
a. 10 lone by modern surgeons. These
skulls have been studied with great inter
est by surgeons. The collection was &C
ouired by the museum in . curious n
Buried In Natural ~PfeseFvsttve.
During several years prior to 1@e Doctor
Manuel Antonio Muniz. sometime Surgeon
General Of the Army Of Peru, Travelled e1-
tensively through the ancient lands OF the
Incas and made large collections from the
scattered graves Of the Andean valleys a
the ~desiccated piedmont zone, Including
from the cordillera toward the PaSno
Ocean. Lowland Peru Is arid. and even the
rugged highlands fronting the Pacific re-
ceiye but limited rainfall, and by reason OF
4 combination Of conditions the air INC
consequently. the soil are dry nearly all
the year. In some Of the places the ground
is saline or nitrous. Accordingly. organic
matter buried In the earth u preserved In .
manner hardly conceivable to those accus-
toned to humid lands. and thus DOCTOR
Muuix's explorations were REMARKABLY Iluie-
full ,.,
Tn. material collected from the long-ne4-
iected tombs of Peru by Doctor Muniz COM
prised weapons Of war and the chase, al
sorts Of i~mplsments. domestic utensils. COZ.
tumery Of skins and fura n ARTICLES OF
adornmsnt; and last. but not least. ABOUT
a thousand skulls, nineteen Of which were
found to be trephined, several OF them NOR
| than once. Doctor Nuniz Intended the m
| ternatonsl Congress OF An~thropology Oh
,hs worid.s Cougress Auxiliary Of the
| Wor,d.s Columbian Exposition at chicago
| sor the purpose Of exhibiting and descr1one
! the trenhined crauia. He Afterwards AZ
,snded the Pan.American Medical Congress
\ In this city and exhibited tho collection IN
| Formally. Stu lates he Transferred it, Gus
| tody to Professor W j on pensi1 o.
| the Bureau Of American Esnnobosy; an
NJ issa- Doctor Nuniz had the mistofeun'
10 encounter Q political movemSos VIZ y
! ofhef Words. one Of those revoiuo0S Mnscl
are BY no means co,, OF Before The up
rising was at an end. bis noose va coii.c
and burned, his library and f1cn cos,eS
ton. were d:s aasolos Sna m at brousn
toxetber during his years OF labor, only ~
collection Of %trephined crania remains. Su.
the energetic collector has insuIso me as
4 Nv OK x0l1 LSu1AA0hs
10 the Bureau Of American Ethnoio1y
which. In turn, has turned It over Tor pun
Io exhibition In the National Museum
e1fgeoas IN Thoo Days. :.
The antiquity. Of the delicate proc smon n
primitive peoples, has been accounted 70
6y the common need Of such . msLnGn :
been t!ien very prevalent ..t,,~ NJ III
.Il" ..id : scientist Ter. s:cs sSsst sss class Ia % 8
ofYensive Weapons used by the ancient re
iayisas in shs !, v sfr1 sS.i,, eS Se eenipr ei@ss
VI shst conniex fracture Of the skull, Wit
depre.sion q is eo sSa. gtst'i "a % 4scs. e he:
1%S.A srenstoMed to throw stones Of NOR
q less round % , ,rsesa 1ni,i. ih. ypeio e li 5
@.sas N III sIfnG; they were also arme
WITH hIs. wood @s,. club an',, ssfs e eaype eet 9
~ ~S1S Ssataned. q well a. hatchefs o
both OF. taese metesiais and OF yariou
MeAssal KnoW1eAge Of Aneaen1:.
scWitk lreakinGs" Nun sDee