William Charles Osman Hill
Encyclopedia
William Charles Osman Hill (13 July 1901 – 25 January 1975) was a British anatomist, primatologist, and a leading authority on primate anatomy during the 20th century. He is best known for his nearly completed eight-volume series, Primates: Comparative Anatomy and Taxonomy, which covered all living and extinct primates known at the time in full detail and contained illustrations created by his wife, Yvonne. Schooled at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
in Birmingham and University of Birmingham
, he went on to publish 248 works and accumulated a vast collection of primate specimens that are now stored at the Royal College of Surgeons of England
.
in Birmingham, and later obtained his degrees from the University of Birmingham
. During medical school, also at the University of Birmingham, he won three junior student prizes and the Ingleby Scholarship in Midwifery
. He obtained his primary medical degree
s in 1924, and the same year took on the role of lecturer in zoology
. Osman Hill earned his M.D. with honors in 1925. He also earned his Ch. B and Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
(F.R.C.S.) while in medical school.
until 1930, but teaching anatomy
instead of zoology. In 1930, his career took shape when he moved to Sri Lanka
, then known as Ceylon, to become both Chair of Anatomy and Professor of Anatomy at the Ceylon Medical College (more recently named Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo
or Colombo Medical School). His position allowed him to pursue anthropological
studies of the indigenous Veddah people and comparative anatomy
of primate
s. During this time, he began developing a private menagerie
of exotic and native species. Consisting mostly of a variety of primates and parrot
s, the collection reported included several types of cockatoo
(family Cacatuidae), Red-fan Parrot
s (Deroptyus accipitrinus), Eclectus Parrot
s (Eclectus roratus), star tortoises (genus Geochelone
), leopard tortoise
s (Stigmochelys pardalis), Galápagos tortoise
s (Chelonoidis nigra), and Ruddy Mongoose
s (Herpestes smithii). Osman Hill held this position in Ceylon for 14 years, returning to the U.K. after being appointed as Reader
in Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh
in 1945. Upon his departure from Ceylon, his menagerie was divided between the London Zoo
and the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka.
Five years later in 1950, he became Prosector
for the Zoological Society of London
and remained there for twelve years. When he left the London Zoo in 1962, the old prosectorium that has been his office was closed, many preserved biological specimens were discarded, and the era of anatomists working at the London Zoo—starting from the time of Sir Richard Owen—came to a close. Between 1957 and 1958, Osman Hill also acted as a visiting scholar
at Emory University
in Atlanta, Georgia
. Later in 1958, primatologist Jane Goodall
studied primate behavior under him in preparation for her studies of wild chimpanzees. In 1962, he was hired as the Assistant Director of the Yerkes National Primate Research Center
(YNPRC) in Atlanta after being turned down for the position of Director.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
honored him as a fellow
in 1955 and for his contributions to science awarded him both its Gold Medal and the Macdougal-Brisbane Prize. Upon his retiring from YNPRC in 1969, the Royal College of Surgeons of England
made him a Hunterian Trustee
. Following retirement, Osman Hill divided his time between his home at Folkestone
and his continued work at the University of Turin
. His relentless work in anatomy ended only during the final stages of his terminal illness, after he had suffered three years of increased illness as well as diabetes.
or chapters in books based primarily upon his own observations. His first paper, which discussed the comparative anatomy of the pancreas, was published in 1926. In all, his works, which continued being published until the year of his death, focused on the anatomy and behavior of humans, primates, and other mammal
s.
Osman Hill is best known for writing Primates: Comparative Anatomy and Taxonomy, an eight-volume series that aimed to include all living and extinct primates. Published by Edinburgh University between 1953 and 1974, the series was the culmination of 50 years of his scientific research and thought. Each volume, starting with the strepsirrhines
, covered its subjects exhaustively, including native and scientific nomenclature
, anatomical structure, genetics, behavior and paleontology
. The books were illustrated with both photographs and drawings, most of which were made by his wife, Yvonne. The series was known for its breadth and depth, however it was never completed. Projected as a nine-volume set, Osman Hill died in 1975, leaving his magnum opus
unfinished. With five sections of the final volume written, including material on the taxonomy
and most of the anatomy of langur
s, it was hoped that his widow would be able to follow through with plans to prepare and publish them. However, she died one year later.
This monographic series
often received praise for its encyclopedic content, but was also criticized for occasional omissions, errors, and lack of specificity.
The following is a list of other selected publications written by Osman Hill between 1926 and 1974.
, then referred to as Java Man
or Pithecanthropus. He went further to suggest that Homo erectus may also fit the description of the elusive and more well-known cryptid
called Orang Pendek
from Sumatra
. He supported his now-defunct hypothesis by pointing out several shared similarities between the two islands, including comparable wildlife.
In the 1950s, he studied photographs of a relic from the Pangboche monastery in Nepal
called the Pangboche Hand
, which was claimed to be the hand of a Yeti
, and decided that it belonged to an unknown anthropoid
. However, after the a few bones from the relic were smuggled out of Nepal and brought to him for examination, he concluded that the bones had belonged to a human. He reportedly changed his mind later and declared the bones belonged to a Neanderthal
. In 1961, Osman Hill published an article entitled "Abominable snowmen: The present position". After examining the evidence available at the time, he and other researchers decided that although the Yeti might still exist, the evidence was not conclusive. In time, he lost interest in the matter due to a lack of new evidence.
Based on his studies of the results of a March 1960 expedition, Osman Hill concluded that "Ufiti", or Bili Ape
, was a remarkable chimpanzee
. Citing older reports of chimpanzees from the dense forests of Malawi
, he suggested that the Bili Ape represented an undiscovered subspecies of chimpanzee, more similar to the Western chimpanzee
(Pan troglodytes verus), despite being located nearer the Eastern chimpanzee
(Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).
s, who studied the entire biological world and considered their own observations and recordings as sufficient. To these ends, he utilized his curiosity and broad knowledge of natural history
.
Osman Hill was remembered for his skill at dissection
, and was noted for his ability to make quick, but accurate sketches of the anatomical features his scalpel revealed. He is also remembered for his work as a "painstaking investigator", physician
, and anthropologist. In his honor, two species have been named after him: Osman Hill's mangabey
(Lophocebus osmani) and the Colombo wolf snake (Lycodon osmanhilli). The Primate Society of Great Britain named their Osman Hill Medal award after him. The award is given every two years for distinguished contributions to primatology.
He is responsible for describing one subspecies
of black-and-white ruffed lemur
(Varecia variegata), the southern black-and-white ruffed lemur (V. v. editorum) in 1952; one subspecies of toque macaque
(Macaca sinica), the highland toque macaque (M. s. opisthomelas) in 1942; one subspecies of red slender loris
(Loris tardigradus), the Horton Plains slender loris (L. t. nycticeboides) in 1942; and two subspecies of gray slender loris
(Loris lydekkerianus), the highland slender loris (L. l. grandis) in 1932 and the dry zone slender loris (L. l. nordicus) in 1933.
His extensive collection of biological primate specimens, which included tissues and skeletons, is preserved at the Royal College of Surgeons of England
.
K.C., M.P.
, was not only his devoted wife, but also a collaborator and illustrator of his works. The couple preferred a small, close-knit circle of friends, and the dinners they hosted for their friends included the best wines and exotic dishes, such as python stew. Yvonne passed away close to a year after her husband.
Osman Hill was described in a memorial published in the International Journal of Primatology
(1981) as being "short and rotund, with twinkling blue eyes, a quiet manner, and a strong sense of humor." He was particularly remembered for his eagerness to help young researchers. In the Journal of Medical Primatology he was described as an "entertaining companion with a quick and ready wit." In another memorial, published in the Journal of Anatomy in 1975, he was described as friendly and tolerant, as well as "a merry man, vigorous, of humane culture, having the humour and good sense natural to those bred in the Provinces: a good Englishman." He was known to value simple citizenship and academics, and held small regard for people who "aspired to monarchy." At Yerkes in Atlanta, some staff members viewed him as "the archetypical English scholar-gentleman who viewed those from the 'colonies' as a step below the British."
In the British Who's Who
, Osman Hill named field ornithology
, botany
, photography, and travel as his recreations. Other casual interests included drugstore ice cream, good eating, old buildings, and gardening with his wife.
King Edward VI Camp Hill
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys is a grammar school in Kings Heath, Birmingham for ages of 11 to 18 . One of the seven establishments of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI, it is a voluntary aided school, with admission by selective exam...
in Birmingham and University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, he went on to publish 248 works and accumulated a vast collection of primate specimens that are now stored at the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
.
Early life and education
William Charles Osman Hill was born on 13 July 1901. He was educated first at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for BoysKing Edward VI Camp Hill
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys is a grammar school in Kings Heath, Birmingham for ages of 11 to 18 . One of the seven establishments of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI, it is a voluntary aided school, with admission by selective exam...
in Birmingham, and later obtained his degrees from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. During medical school, also at the University of Birmingham, he won three junior student prizes and the Ingleby Scholarship in Midwifery
Midwifery
Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding....
. He obtained his primary medical degree
Medical degree
A medical degree is, broadly defined, any academic degree which places its holder in a position to engage in the practice of medicine. BBC has reported that Medicine related degree programs such as MBBS, BDS and PharmD are the most difficult degree programs of all the other Bachelor degree programs...
s in 1924, and the same year took on the role of lecturer in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. Osman Hill earned his M.D. with honors in 1925. He also earned his Ch. B and Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
(F.R.C.S.) while in medical school.
Career
Upon graduation, Osman Hill continued his role as a lecturer at the University of Birmingham under an apprenticeshipApprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
until 1930, but teaching anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
instead of zoology. In 1930, his career took shape when he moved to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, then known as Ceylon, to become both Chair of Anatomy and Professor of Anatomy at the Ceylon Medical College (more recently named Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo
Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
Established in 1870 as the Colombo Medical School, the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, is the second oldest medical school in South Asia.-History:...
or Colombo Medical School). His position allowed him to pursue anthropological
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
studies of the indigenous Veddah people and comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy
Comparative anatomy is the study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of organisms. It is closely related to evolutionary biology and phylogeny .-Description:...
of primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s. During this time, he began developing a private menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
of exotic and native species. Consisting mostly of a variety of primates and parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s, the collection reported included several types of cockatoo
Cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
(family Cacatuidae), Red-fan Parrot
Red-fan Parrot
The Red-fan Parrot , also known as the Hawk-headed Parrot, is an unusual New World parrot hailing from the Amazon Rainforest...
s (Deroptyus accipitrinus), Eclectus Parrot
Eclectus Parrot
The Eclectus Parrot, Eclectus roratus, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Maluku Islands...
s (Eclectus roratus), star tortoises (genus Geochelone
Geochelone
Geochelone is a genus of tortoises.Geochelone tortoises, which are also known as typical tortoises or terrestrial turtles, can be found in Africa and Asia. They primarily eat plants.The genus consists of three extant species:...
), leopard tortoise
Leopard Tortoise
The Leopard tortoise is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape. It is the only member of the genus Stigmochelys, but in the past it was commonly placed in Geochelone instead...
s (Stigmochelys pardalis), Galápagos tortoise
Galápagos tortoise
The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise, reaching weights of over and lengths of over . With life spans in the wild of over 100 years, it is one of the longest-lived vertebrates...
s (Chelonoidis nigra), and Ruddy Mongoose
Ruddy Mongoose
The Ruddy Mongoose is a species of mongoose found in hill forests of peninsular India and Sri Lanka. This mongoose along with the Striped-necked Mongoose are the only mongoose species endemic to India and Sri Lanka....
s (Herpestes smithii). Osman Hill held this position in Ceylon for 14 years, returning to the U.K. after being appointed as Reader
Reader (academic rank)
The title of Reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship...
in Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1945. Upon his departure from Ceylon, his menagerie was divided between the London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
and the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka.
Five years later in 1950, he became Prosector
Prosector
A prosector is a person with the special task of preparing a dissection for demonstration, usually in medical schools or hospitals. Many important anatomists began their careers as prosectors working for lecturers and demonstrators in anatomy and pathology....
for the Zoological Society of London
Zoological Society of London
The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
and remained there for twelve years. When he left the London Zoo in 1962, the old prosectorium that has been his office was closed, many preserved biological specimens were discarded, and the era of anatomists working at the London Zoo—starting from the time of Sir Richard Owen—came to a close. Between 1957 and 1958, Osman Hill also acted as a visiting scholar
Visiting scholar
In the world of academia, a visiting scholar or visiting academic is a scholar from an institution who visits a host university, where he or she is projected to teach , lecture , or perform research on a topic the visitor is valued for...
at Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Later in 1958, primatologist Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
studied primate behavior under him in preparation for her studies of wild chimpanzees. In 1962, he was hired as the Assistant Director of the Yerkes National Primate Research Center
Yerkes National Primate Research Center
The Yerkes National Primate Research Center, originally established and located in Orange Park, Florida but was later relocated to Atlanta, Georgia at Emory University, is one of eight national primate research centers funded by the National Institutes of Health...
(YNPRC) in Atlanta after being turned down for the position of Director.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
honored him as a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
in 1955 and for his contributions to science awarded him both its Gold Medal and the Macdougal-Brisbane Prize. Upon his retiring from YNPRC in 1969, the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
made him a Hunterian Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
. Following retirement, Osman Hill divided his time between his home at Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
and his continued work at the University of Turin
University of Turin
The University of Turin is a university in the city of Turin in the Piedmont region of north-western Italy...
. His relentless work in anatomy ended only during the final stages of his terminal illness, after he had suffered three years of increased illness as well as diabetes.
Publications
During his career, Osman Hill wrote 248 publications, all academic journal articlesScientific literature
Scientific literature comprises scientific publications that report original empirical and theoretical work in the natural and social sciences, and within a scientific field is often abbreviated as the literature. Academic publishing is the process of placing the results of one's research into the...
or chapters in books based primarily upon his own observations. His first paper, which discussed the comparative anatomy of the pancreas, was published in 1926. In all, his works, which continued being published until the year of his death, focused on the anatomy and behavior of humans, primates, and other mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s.
Osman Hill is best known for writing Primates: Comparative Anatomy and Taxonomy, an eight-volume series that aimed to include all living and extinct primates. Published by Edinburgh University between 1953 and 1974, the series was the culmination of 50 years of his scientific research and thought. Each volume, starting with the strepsirrhines
Strepsirrhini
The clade Strepsirrhini is one of the two suborders of primates. Madagascar's only non-human primates are strepsirrhines, and others can be found in southeast Asia and Africa...
, covered its subjects exhaustively, including native and scientific nomenclature
Nomenclature
Nomenclature is a term that applies to either a list of names or terms, or to the system of principles, procedures and terms related to naming - which is the assigning of a word or phrase to a particular object or property...
, anatomical structure, genetics, behavior and paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
. The books were illustrated with both photographs and drawings, most of which were made by his wife, Yvonne. The series was known for its breadth and depth, however it was never completed. Projected as a nine-volume set, Osman Hill died in 1975, leaving his magnum opus
Magnum opus
Magnum opus , from the Latin meaning "great work", refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of a writer, artist, or composer.-Related terms:Sometimes the term magnum opus is used to refer to simply "a great work" rather than "the...
unfinished. With five sections of the final volume written, including material on the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
and most of the anatomy of langur
Colobinae
Colobinae is a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 59 species in 10 genera, including the skunk-like black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications split the colobine monkeys into two tribes, while others split them into...
s, it was hoped that his widow would be able to follow through with plans to prepare and publish them. However, she died one year later.
This monographic series
Monographic series
Monographic series are scholarly and scientific books released in successive volumes, each of which is structured like a separate book or scholarly monograph.-Semantics:...
often received praise for its encyclopedic content, but was also criticized for occasional omissions, errors, and lack of specificity.
Selected publications
The eight volumes for which Osman Hill is best remembered were- Primates Comparative Anatomy and Taxonomy (1953–1974)
The following is a list of other selected publications written by Osman Hill between 1926 and 1974.
Cryptozoology studies
In 1945, Osman Hill published an article entitled "Nittaewo—An unsolved problem of Ceylon", in which he speculated that a traditional Vedda story on Sri Lanka about savage dwarf-like humanoids, called Nittaewo, might have referred to an isolated species of Homo erectusHomo erectus
Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
, then referred to as Java Man
Java Man
Java Man is the name given to fossils discovered in 1891 at Trinil - Ngawi Regency on the banks of the Solo River in East Java, Indonesia, one of the first known specimens of Homo erectus...
or Pithecanthropus. He went further to suggest that Homo erectus may also fit the description of the elusive and more well-known cryptid
Cryptid
In cryptozoology and sometimes in cryptobotany, a cryptid is a creature or plant whose existence has been suggested but is unrecognized by scientific consensus and often regarded as highly unlikely. Famous examples include the Yeti in the Himalayas and the Loch Ness Monster in...
called Orang Pendek
Orang Pendek
Orang Pendek is the most common name given to a cryptid, or cryptozoological animal, that reportedly inhabits remote, mountainous forests on the island of Sumatra....
from Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. He supported his now-defunct hypothesis by pointing out several shared similarities between the two islands, including comparable wildlife.
In the 1950s, he studied photographs of a relic from the Pangboche monastery in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
called the Pangboche Hand
Pangboche Hand
The Pangboche Hand is an artifact stolen from a Buddhist monastery in Pangboche, Nepal. Supporters contend that the hand is from a Yeti, a scientifically unrecognized animal purported to live in the Himalayan mountains...
, which was claimed to be the hand of a Yeti
Yeti
The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their history and mythology...
, and decided that it belonged to an unknown anthropoid
Simian
The simians are the "higher primates" familiar to most people: the Old World monkeys and apes, including humans, , and the New World monkeys or platyrrhines. Simians tend to be larger than the "lower primates" or prosimians.- Classification and evolution :The simians are split into three groups...
. However, after the a few bones from the relic were smuggled out of Nepal and brought to him for examination, he concluded that the bones had belonged to a human. He reportedly changed his mind later and declared the bones belonged to a Neanderthal
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
. In 1961, Osman Hill published an article entitled "Abominable snowmen: The present position". After examining the evidence available at the time, he and other researchers decided that although the Yeti might still exist, the evidence was not conclusive. In time, he lost interest in the matter due to a lack of new evidence.
Based on his studies of the results of a March 1960 expedition, Osman Hill concluded that "Ufiti", or Bili Ape
Bili Ape
Bili Ape, also Bondo Mystery Ape, is the name given to a large chimpanzee that inhabits Bili Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
, was a remarkable chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
. Citing older reports of chimpanzees from the dense forests of Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, he suggested that the Bili Ape represented an undiscovered subspecies of chimpanzee, more similar to the Western chimpanzee
Western Chimpanzee
The western chimpanzee, or West African chimpanzee, is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee. It inhabits western Africa, mainly in Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea but with populations in surrounding countries.-Etymology:...
(Pan troglodytes verus), despite being located nearer the Eastern chimpanzee
Eastern Chimpanzee
The eastern chimpanzee is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee. It occurs in the Central African Republic, the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania....
(Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).
Legacy
Osman Hill is remembered as a "distinguished anatomist", "eminent primatologist", and the foremost authority on primate anatomy of his time. However, he did not consider himself a primatologist, but instead related best to old-school anatomists and naturalistNatural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
s, who studied the entire biological world and considered their own observations and recordings as sufficient. To these ends, he utilized his curiosity and broad knowledge of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
.
Osman Hill was remembered for his skill at dissection
Dissection
Dissection is usually the process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure and as an aid to discerning the functions and relationships of its components....
, and was noted for his ability to make quick, but accurate sketches of the anatomical features his scalpel revealed. He is also remembered for his work as a "painstaking investigator", physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, and anthropologist. In his honor, two species have been named after him: Osman Hill's mangabey
Osman Hill's Mangabey
Osman Hill’s mangabey is a species of crested mangabey in the Cercopithecidae family. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the gray-cheeked mangabey, L. albigena. It was named after William Charles Osman Hill, a primatologist, anthropologist, and anatomist from the 20th century....
(Lophocebus osmani) and the Colombo wolf snake (Lycodon osmanhilli). The Primate Society of Great Britain named their Osman Hill Medal award after him. The award is given every two years for distinguished contributions to primatology.
He is responsible for describing one subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of black-and-white ruffed lemur
Black-and-white ruffed lemur
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is the more endangered of the two species of ruffed lemurs, both of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, it has a much smaller population that is spread out, living in lower population densities...
(Varecia variegata), the southern black-and-white ruffed lemur (V. v. editorum) in 1952; one subspecies of toque macaque
Toque Macaque
The toque macaque is a reddish-brown coloured Old World monkey endemic to both Sri Lanka, where it is locally known as the 'Rilewa' or 'Rilawa'...
(Macaca sinica), the highland toque macaque (M. s. opisthomelas) in 1942; one subspecies of red slender loris
Red Slender Loris
The red slender loris is a small, nocturnal prosimian native to the rainforests of Sri Lanka. This is #6 of the 10 focal species and #22 of the 100 EDGE mammal species worldwide considered the most Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. Two subspecies have been identified, L. t....
(Loris tardigradus), the Horton Plains slender loris (L. t. nycticeboides) in 1942; and two subspecies of gray slender loris
Gray Slender Loris
The gray slender loris is a species of primate in the Loridae family. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss...
(Loris lydekkerianus), the highland slender loris (L. l. grandis) in 1932 and the dry zone slender loris (L. l. nordicus) in 1933.
His extensive collection of biological primate specimens, which included tissues and skeletons, is preserved at the Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
.
Personal life
Osman Hill married his wife, Yvonne Stranger, in 1947. Yvonne, the only daughter of Harold StrangerInnes Harold Stranger
Innes Harold Stranger was a British Barrister and Liberal politician who was briefly Member of Parliament for the Newbury constituency....
K.C., M.P.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, was not only his devoted wife, but also a collaborator and illustrator of his works. The couple preferred a small, close-knit circle of friends, and the dinners they hosted for their friends included the best wines and exotic dishes, such as python stew. Yvonne passed away close to a year after her husband.
Osman Hill was described in a memorial published in the International Journal of Primatology
International Journal of Primatology
The International Journal of Primatology is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes original research papers on the study of primates...
(1981) as being "short and rotund, with twinkling blue eyes, a quiet manner, and a strong sense of humor." He was particularly remembered for his eagerness to help young researchers. In the Journal of Medical Primatology he was described as an "entertaining companion with a quick and ready wit." In another memorial, published in the Journal of Anatomy in 1975, he was described as friendly and tolerant, as well as "a merry man, vigorous, of humane culture, having the humour and good sense natural to those bred in the Provinces: a good Englishman." He was known to value simple citizenship and academics, and held small regard for people who "aspired to monarchy." At Yerkes in Atlanta, some staff members viewed him as "the archetypical English scholar-gentleman who viewed those from the 'colonies' as a step below the British."
In the British Who's Who
Who's Who (UK)
Who's Who is an annual British publication of biographies which vary in length of about 30,000 living notable Britons.-History:...
, Osman Hill named field ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
, botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, photography, and travel as his recreations. Other casual interests included drugstore ice cream, good eating, old buildings, and gardening with his wife.