Outlines for a Museum of Anatomy / prepared for the Bureau of Education.

  • Robert Wilson Shufeldt
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines for a Museum of Anatomy / prepared for the Bureau of Education. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    doubt, it will be a wiug thrown out from some edifice devoted to other purposes iu connection with the institution. Such necessary and highly-important matters as lighting, method of heating, and having the entire structure fire-proof, fall within the prov- ince of the architect and the means of the institution involved. The halls of the American Museum of Natural History iu New York City meet, in my estimation, nearly eveiy end in view. They are wonder- fully perfect in their way, and well adapted in all particulars to exhibit a collection. Very important are the cases and their arrangement. Of course these will also vary greatly with the character of the specimens they are to contain. Some will be intended to stand iu the middle of a room, while others are to be against the wall. Osteological subjects should have a dark background, royal .purple being one of the best colors for this purpose. It is an advantage to have the cases on rollers in many instances, so that they can be moved. Good examples of this pattern are to be seen iu the TJ. S. National Museum at Washington. In these the specimens are exhibited on both sides, and the midparti- tioii furnishes the surface for the purple background of each. Large skeletons of animals are better without glass cases, and should stand in the hall in their appropriate places. Under no circumstances should many specimens be huddled together iu any single case. It is im- possible to study them under such circumstances, and only confusion can result. The more ijniiortant and medium-sized objects should be displayed on a plane about on the level of the line of vision of a man standing. The method of casing such objects as disarticulated skele- tons I shall speak of hereafter. Many museums of anatomy possess a library of greater or less pro- portions; when this is the case they are extremely fortunate, as the use- fnhiess of the institution is fully tripled thereby. Such a library should contain a copy of every work that has .been written upon the subjects of anatomy and physiology, and should subscribe for all the current litera- ture that pertains to the .same. In addition, it should have upon its shelves many works treating of kindred subjects, as special zoological monographs, proceedings and transactions of learned societies (native and foreign), and a full series of those subjects iu medicine and surgery where anatomy and phy.siology have been strictly applied. I have often pictured, with pleasure, such a library erected as a wing to the museum and having direct and eaSy communication with it, which can always be obtained by having both halls on the same floor. The ar- rangement would be complete if the two could be connected in a similar manner with a third large and airy apartment or hall, in which special anatomical material, such as di.sarticulated skeletons, could be kept for the use of privileged students, authors, and investigators. This room should be made particularly inviting and comfortable, and in it strict quiet should be maintained. Here, too, should be ranged, at conven- ient distances, suitable tables for those who are at work, having one or
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