- Title: SWITZERLAND: THE HAND MUSEUM OPENS IN SWITZERLAND
- Date: 29th April 1996
- Summary: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (APRIL 25 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV EXTERIOR OF MUSEUM OF THE HAND 0.03 2. PAN INTERIOR OF EXHBITITION 0.11 3. CU OF EXHIBITS (8 SHOTS) 0.36 4. SV/CU MAN PLAYING WITH COMPUTER GAME USING HANDS (2 SHOTS) 0.49 5. SV ORIGINATOR OF MUSEUM CLAUDE VERDAN WALKING IN GARDEN 0.56 6. CU STATUE IN GARDEN 0.59 7. TV VERDAN TALKING TO REPORTER 1.01 8. CU VERDAN'S HANDS 1.04 9. MCU VERDAN SAYING THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO USE THEIR HANDS BUT THEY DO NOT REALISE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HAND WHICH HAS FORMED THE BASIS OF OUR CIVILISATION (FRENCH) 1.23 10.CU EXHIBITION/FISH/LIZARD/APE MAN/PAINTING DONE BY CAVE MAN/PAINTING DONE BY MODERN MAN/VIOLINIST/VIOLIN - SHOWING THE EVOLUTION OF MAN AND HANDS (7 SHOTS) 1.50 11.MCU MUSEUM DIRECTOR NINIAN HUBERT SAYING THAT DOLPHINS HAVE DEVELOPED BRAINS BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO MODIFY THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE HANDS (ENGLISH) 2.08 12.SV/CU DOCTORS PERFORMING HAND SURGERY (2 SHOTS) 2.18 13.CU X RAY OF HANDS 2.23 Initials P3/2 S3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 14th May 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
- City:
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVACY3ORY0WJSPAACD9MUZMHHQ6O
- Story Text: One of the world's most unusual museums has opened in Switzerland. Its a museum devoted to anatomy, but unlike other museums which focus on the whole human being, this one just focuses on one part of the boy - the hand.
The hand museum, which first opened its doors in March, is the brainchild of Swiss hand surgeon Claude Verdan. He has made the study of the human hand his whole life's work and believes it is a much maligned part of the body. He has devoted his time to the recognition of the hand, writing books on the subject at his home on the shores of Lake Lehman.
Verdan believes that people in general know how to use their hands and the hand is a docile servant. However, he adds, people hardly ever think about the significance of the hand, which is the basis of our civilisation and destiny.
At the museum itself visitors can see for themselves the huge part the hand plays in the role of the average human. The display sets out to show how the hand helps us to touch, communicate, feel and fight.
The story of the hand starts with a simple fish fin, some 400 million years ago. From water to land, from four legged animal to skilfull tool maker, the hand gave greater automony to the body.
Born in the brain, ideas are carried out through the use of the hand.
One expert, Ninian Hubert, believes that it is largely because of the hand that humans have been able to evolve to such an advanced state. It also because of hands that we are so much more advanced than animals who also have brains.
Hubert says dolphins have developped brains, but with fins (without hands), they aren't able to modify their own environment, so they can't have a culture.
And there is one fact that few people are aware of which is that the hand is the most sensitive part of the body - along with the mouth. It has 35 muscles, 50 bones and joints, and 50000 nerves which connect it to the brain. Some say that if hands ever disappear - so will humanity.
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