New-York tribune., 1908-03-08
RESULTS OF PAST STUDY.

The imperfect knowledge Of anatomy for this
purpose. the lack Of full collections Of material.
of properly trained men and of publications on
the subject, has handicapped investigators, yet
much has been accomplished Physical an
thropology has directly advanced general anat-
crry especially in regard to the skeleton and
the brain, and has contributed to zoology, gen
erai biology and other natural sciences. 1t has
established the physical knowledge of races and
many of their subdivisions. 1t gave an impetus
to search for remains of early man. and deter
mined the physical characteristics of the finds.
It actuated and largely carried out the study
mans development from his very beginning.
1t brought about physical investigation and
through this vast Improvement of knowledge
of the criminal and other defective classes 1t
led directly 70 the practical systems Of identif-
cation of criminals It took part in and pro-
NOTED the studies in human heredity, variation.
degeneration and racial internarriage. II
added to the knowledge of the functions and
pathology Of the human body and especially the
brain. 1t furthered vital statistics, and it has
already begun to assist other branches in point
ing out. on the basis of gained knowledge. ways
toward the safeguarding and improving Of the
human race.
Men engaged in research of this sort are
aiming now to tell in general what the man of
the future will be like and perhaps to look out
in a way for his needs. They are completing
a study Of the normal white man living under
average conditions and of. the complete range
OF rs variations. to have a firm standard of
comparison. They are perfecting the world S
knowledge of the structure, function and COM
position of the primates, or apes and monkeys.
They are determining the development and
variations of mans structure and composition
as far back as they can.
They comparing one race with another,
drawing more closely the lines of demarcation
of from another. and studying the
effects Of intermarriage offspring. They are
attempting 10 find out the effect of extremes
OF elevation. climate, foods. habitation. occupa-
ton and customs on the structure of They
are testing the physical characteristics of men
mentally below the average. They are studying
the effect OF surroundings on the growth of
children.
In America proper investigations have al
ready contributed in no small way 10 the study
Of child growth. Energies may also be applied
not only TO discovering the details OF the first
appearance of man on this side of the water but
in the present day to the problem of the char
acteristcs and racial relations Of the Indian and
the Esquimau. the physical assimilation OF the
new families Of the white race immigrating to
America, the development of the negro element
and the effect of the mixture of the white with
the negro and Indian; and to questions of q
similar nature arising in regard to the Philip
pines, Hawaii. Samoa and other colonies
In general the ultimate aim of the science
OF physical anthropology is on the basis of ac-
curnulated knowledge and with other branches
OF research, TO show the tendencies Of the future
development of man and to lay down indica-
tions 1or It's possible regulation or improvement