Davidson Black: A Biography

Abstract

The announcement of the discovery of Peking Man in 1927 caused great interest among scientists and produced excellent copy for newspapers, which confidently announced that the missing link had been discovered. Despite later discoveries, Sinanthropus pekinensis remains a respected member of the pantheon of evolutionary landmarks. But very few persons today could identify the discoverer, and fewer still would know any more about him than his name. Davidson Black was a Canadian physician, professor of anatomy at Peking Union Medical College from 1919 to his death in 1934. His diagnosis of Sinanthropus pekinensis , initially made in 1926, was based on evidence derived from two fossil teeth. Extensive training in comparative anatomy, including a course of study with Elliott Smith in Manchester, served Black well. Many scientists were hesitant to accept the anatomist's judgment based only on such scanty material. However, Black was convinced he was right, and subsequent finds at