FINDINGS IN 216 ROUTINE AUTOPSIES OF MACACA MULATTA1

Abstract

DURING recent years the increasing use of non-human primates for experimental purposes has brought to light a vast amount of material on various phases of their life in health and disease. We have now learned through experience that these animals in captivity may be maintained in an excellent state of health and nu-trition. Breeding has become possible. Data concerning theirnormal age span, weight, and developmental relationships become essential. For this reason, two years ago, routine consecutive autopsies upon all primate forms dying in the Laboratory of Physiology of the Yale School of Medicine were un-dertaken by the authors, and the material from this study, together with data previ-ously collected in the same Laboratory are here published in a series of three papers dealing with the findings at autopsy of (a) the present group of 216 Macaca mulatta (Macacus rhesus of the older terminology) (b) 70 anthropoid apes (1), (c) 132 monkeys of miscellaneous species (2).