Allen gathered a considerable private collection of specimens which he bequeathed
to the Academy of Natural Sciences at
Philadelphia. While his work on bats
constituted Allen's most important scientific contribution he published numerous
valuable papers on other subjects including the joints, the muscles, locomotion,
distribution of color markings and craniology. He dissected and described the
Siamese twins. In craniology his most
important papers were on "Crania from
Florida Mounds" ("Proceedings of the
Philadelphia Academy," 1896) and on
"Hawaiian Skulls" (Proceedings of the
Wagner Free Institute of Science," 1898) .
In both papers he paid special attention
to individual adaptation of skull form to
function and depreciated craniology as a
certain criterion of race.
Harrison Allen published two textbooks, one in 1869 called " Outlines of Comparative Anatomy and Medical Zoology," the other in 1884, entitled "A System of Human Anatomy." The latter book is clearly written. The subject is taken up from the medical and surgical aspects. It was not commercially very successful, although the fruit of much painstaking labor.
In 1891 Allen published under the title "Addresses in Anatomy" a number of addresses previously delivered on the teaching and applications of anatomy. He did not believe that anatomy for medical students should be a mere handmaid of clinical surgery. To so teach anatomy he believed to be against the best interests not only of anatomy as a science, but also ultimately in its practical applications to medicine. He believed in taking it up from the morphological standpoint and that "morphology embraces all animated structures in a scheme of philosophy."
Allen was the first to suggest the term pedo-morphism in describing infantile characters in the bodies of adults.
In a work on "An Analysis of Life Form in Art" he collected much interesting material relating to design.
In all undertaken, he devoted the most patient attention to detail and was an exquisitely skillful dissector, although paying comparatively little attention to the technic of microscopic anatomy. As an example of Allen's methods of work, Brinton gives an account of his preparation of a paper on the "Jaw of Moulin-Quignon. This jaw was found in the Abbeville gravels in 1863, and was claimed by some to be that of a prehistoric man, while by others this was disputed. Allen became interested and took up the study of the human mandible with these questions in view:
1. What is the pattern of an ordinary jaw?
2. What is the value of the lower jaw in man as a test characteristic of race?
Allen visited every important anatomical collection in Philadelphia and studied over four hundred inferior maxillæ. His results he based on the three hundred and twenty more perfect specimens. He came to the conclusion that the lower jaw is of little value as a test character of race, owing to its wide variations everywhere.
Wilder gives the following summary of Allen's character:
"Pre-eminent among Dr. Allen's many admirable traits was his readiness to recognize the good qualities of others. Even respecting bores or those who wronged him I do not recall an unkind remark. So decided, indeed, was his predisposition to find some extenuating quality in even the most flagitious transgressor that had the devil been objurgated in his presence we may imagine him to add: 'His Satanic majesty has doubtless many sins to answer for, but let us not forget his extraordinary ability, activity, and enterprise.'
"I could occupy much time with details of my dear friend's life and nature, but content myself with enumerating what seem to me rare combinations of characteristics. An ardent naturalist and daily handling specimens variously preserved, he was fastidiously neat in person and apparel."
In December, 1869, Harrison Allen married Julia A., daughter of S. W. Colton, of Long Meadow, Massachusetts,
