Evening journal., 1920-07-27
China MAY BE
CRADLEOF RACE
View is Widely Held That
1t Is Central
Asia
TO SEARCH FOR
FOSSIL REMAINS

NEW YORK, July 27.-Soleuists in
the Museum of Natural History are
discussing the prospect Of long
planned systematic search for fossils
IN unworked Chinese territory, whore
by the cradle OF the human race may
be dennetly located. They share The
view widely beld that II a man IS an
animal OF evolution ne had. his start
IN the area OF Central Asia, and not
unth ne had acquired dOminanoe over
other animals did he invade and over
run all parts of the Old World and
more recently the NON World. This
Theory Is believed 10 apply also 10
nnny races OF the lower animals now
Sonerally distributed.
Assuming this surmise 10 be cor
rect, the scientific investigators hold
NAT n Is useless 10 look for therfrsl
ioSSu ancestor OF man in the earlier
stages Of his evolution from the ape
in America or even IN Europe. They
believe the most promising fleld for
such discoveries win be in the re-
eions nearest to The oenter Of evolu-
tion and dispersal-6iiaI is I'M flfe in
terror OF China end westward through
Tibet and TurkeslOn. TO fhe shores IN
tfe Caspian Sea An this part of
hsia IS practically unexplored for
fossils.
Interest IN this cherished proSest
was revived In the last week by the
receipt Of a pamphlet on Dragon
limiting in China from rhe pen of
Dr. J. G. Anderson, OF the Chinese
Geological Survey. IN which an ap-
peal Is made 30 the Chinese 70 drop
dragon bones and dragon teeth
from the medicine list IN he Chi
nese pharnaoOpoeia and b gei
greater benefit Tor themselves IN fha
form of money by selling these relies
TO the scientists.
Extensive fossil search has been
The hope OF museum investigators
since several years ego the museum
obtained a small collection a fossil
teeth and bones which had been
bought an Chinese drug sbOps by a
German traveller who had learned tilc
use the Chinese make Of suoh mater-
riai as medicine He had found tlial
the medicine was administered
crushed 10 a powder and swallowed
wine for drinking. the wine mixture
LETT over night, then deoanted and
drunk ciecr and powdered and fried
Taken in any Of these forms, fhC
crushed bones ore believed by The
Chinese 10 be a specific for diseases
OF the liver and nervous disorders.
Or. anderson explains That ths
cr1slfed-bone preparation arts as
faith cure" the Chinese befievinf
that by assfnilatiug portiuns e ths
"dragons- the patient Win be In.
and energetic qualities Of tha1
revered monster. He notes alsr
that the teeth and bones OF animals
seven I'm fossil form. contain pllos
phate of lime, insOiuDle ordinarily
but which may be converted into sol
ubfe acid phosphate when steeped-ir n
weak acid In mis- form the,
would have the same refreshing ef
feet as the arid phospllates pre
scrfbed by physicians. and more ofteI
taken at soda fountains without pre-
scription.
Thus 70 yvolfld seem chat. taiusn witt
sour wine. dragons teetif'" may rial
" have medicinal value Wiry fos
al bones should be preferred 10 fresi
ones Is not so obvious. unless be
canse they have been cleared OF al
Eeiatinous and organic matter an,
may be more easily crushed and dis
solved than fresh ones.
Dr.. anderson SAYS mat however
much or little this use of fossils ha'
SERVED 30 reduce liver complaint Ol
IlohNlN HMNUH NHf AIillfrt. IT. IlIlHT
feres seriously with his own SGienti
No researches. The fossils have con
siderable commercial value as medlc
lnai potentials, Bnd those who know
where % find them Keep NAT know
ledps carefully 20 themselves NO
only Is r. almost Impossible 30 traC
che loraiities from which the fossil
rome TO market, but any promising
localities or prOspecte are hlQely 30 b
chained by the owners Of The land o
r-aided by cOvetous natives. with th'
result that The skuils Of fossils ar
broken by the raiders I'm extracting
the medicinal teeth. thus running tn
specimens for SCIENTIFIC purposes.
Money taiis- IN China, as else
where, and Or. anderson has startei
a cafnpaign TO teach the Chinese tha
good fossil siulls are worth more b
fine foreign geofOgist than their bat
tered fragments viii fetch at The ma
tive drug stores.