The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-06-18
GUINEA PIGS ENOUGH.

How They Are Raised for Experimental
Purposes.
There is not the least danger Of a
scarcity of guinea pigs, despite the fact
that hundreds of them are being sacri-
feed daily on the altar Of science. The
demand created by the extensive manu-
facture of Koch's curative lymph has
not affected the local market in the
least. The harmless little animals are
wonderfully prolific, and two or three
healthy pair can easily furnish enough
subjects for small army Of doctors to
experiment with.
The usual price, says the Philadelphia
Record, one dollar and fifty cents to two
dollars a pair, has undergone no in
crease, though Philadelphia dealers are
in constant receipt of inquiries from
producers in regard to the probability
of an excessive future demand. The
dealers, in turn, are giving close scru-
tiny to the matter OF tuberculosis cure
in order to give timely notice to pro-
ducers, but it is authoritatively stated
that, even in case of suddenNincreased
demand, the scarcity Of the scientifical-
ly important animals could not be of
long duration. The guinea pigs litters,
too, are usually large, and the general
oddity of the little creature shows itself
in the fact that an odd number of young
are always born at time. Guinea pig
twins and quadruplets are unheard Of,
five small ones being the rule.
1t was with surprise that animal deal
ers learned of the discovery in patholo-
gy that the gentle rodent contains ele-
ments capable of successful warfare
with the rapscious bacillus tuberculosis,
and seller Of pets said that no one but
genius could have deduced from the
lymphatic temperament Of the guinea
pig the fact that from it could be de-
rived lymph of sufficient activity to
combat the 1micro-organism OF con-
sumption.
The guinea pigs sold in Philadelphia
are of two varieties, the smooth haired
and the rough haired or Abyssinian.
They are technically known as ''cavies,"
and the smooth haired "cavy," being
cheaper, is usually found in the shops
and used for scientific purposes.
Jefferson and the University medical
colleges dispose of fifty pairs each dur
ing the year, and they are the favorite
subjects of private vivisectors, who
timidly refrain from risking their fingers
by handling rats and other low-down
quadrupeds used in experimental medi-
cine. The cavy farm has never been
run to its fullest capacity, which is de-
clared by the proprietors to be limited
only by the size of the barn used fol
breeding purposes.
The pigs begin to breed at the age OF
two months, and well-constructed paiI
are capable of producing three litters a
year. Each succeeding litter is com
posed Of a larger number of young thar
the preceding one, SO that it often hap
pens thata gray old pair will presen
their owner with as many as eleven lit
tie ones at one litter.
The common CAVES are product o
; domestication, and it is said that thei
: wild relatives which swarm in Urugua.
,, and Brazil are vastly different from th'
cultivated variety, and would be useles
for experimental purposes. The at
tractive colors even Of the guinea phi
are the result of interbreeding of dit
ferent wild varieties, and, until use wa
made of the animal for scientific re
search, were its only claim to interest
Neither it's flesh nor fur are put to use
8 and attempts to use the offensive an
p defenseless quadruped for bait in hunt
: ing sports have always proved failures
The idea that the presence Of the cav
y in house is sufficient to drive ava
u rats and mice lacks confirmation, an
belongs to the same class as the stor
7 that If guinea pig be lifted by the tai
!. its eyes will fall out. The optical organ
= of the creature appear protrudin
i, enough to drop from their sockets o
!. slight provocation, but careful scare
. = fails to reveal the presence Of tail.