The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-07
ABUSED BY SCIENCE.
HOW THE FROG Is USED ~ THE
INTEREST or RESEARCH.

If Man Were Built as . Frog Is Con
strucsed He Could Do Some Wonderful
Lesping and Jumping-why the Eros
Is Valuable in Experiments.
Osteologist Lucas. Of the Smithsonian
| institution, was on his way thither, hold
ing by one hind leg large bullfrog which
! ne had just captured at the fishponds with
a seductive bit OF red flannel on fshhook,
when be was aecosted by a reporter. who
asked for what purpose the specimen was
intended. In response it was shown that
the captive was a curiosity in the anatom-
ical way, having three forearms on one
side OF its body, all of full size, though the
creature was not otherwise remarkable in
any respect. The intention was to dissecs
him for scientific purposes, and it was ex-
planned that the freak was very likely due
to the animals having started in life as
two individuals, which had become mixed
up, Like the children of Little Buttercup,
at an early stage OF their being.
THE frog has been called the victim Of
science because he is always being dis
sected for the purpose of seeing how he can
get along without his most essential or
gans, how his blood circulates and how his
nervous system acts" said Mr.. Lucas
HE is selected for such ends not, as IS
commonly imagined. because his structure
Is at all humanlike, but for the reason
that he will endure being chopped up 70
such a remarkable extent and still retain
life
You can remove his brain, and he will
get along fairly well without it, swallow
ing whatever is put into his mouth and
otherwise behaving as usual, though in an
automatic sort of fashion. In fact the sn-
iznal Will live indefinitely under such con-
ditions, as experiment has shown. II you
cut out his lungs he will not die for long
time, because he can breathe very well
through his skin. Human beings breathe
through the skin all oyer the body in
ANAL degree the blood IN the superficial
vessel taking up a certain amount Of oxy-
gen, but the function is exercised more sat
isfactorily by the frog.
Besides, his nervous system affords an
interesting study under ingenious torture
by the anatemist, and the corpuscleS in
his blood being remarkably large that
huid serves for the instruction Of the seeker
after medical knowledge.
FROGS UEDRR THE KNIFE.
''No, it is not customary to administer
anasthetics to frogs while undergoing vivi-
section. They would render experiments
on the nervous system unsatisfactory. Does
not the animal suffer very muchi you ask
Perhaps. 1t Is impossible TO know how
much. A great scientific authority has
SAID that death is the only measure of
pain a certain anaqunt of pain in itself
Will cause man 10 Gle.
Chop of a mans leg and he is likely 70
give up the ghost. Cut of frogs leg and,
if bleeding is stopped, the creatures gem
eral health is not apt TO be seriously inter
fered with. Descend lower in the scale aud
pull off the leg Of crab or stsrfish; it will
grow another. A turtle is likewise a vic
tim of science; because it will live through
all sorts OF dissections, and its heart viii
pump salt and water through fits veins az
il it were blood. Varnish frog, without
cutting out its lungs, however, and it viii
die promptly.
The frogs bony system is very simple.
1t has only nine Yertebrae in its backbone
fewer, believe, than any other animal,
and IL possesses no ribs at all Thus it is
air it breathes instead Of projecting its
chest as we do, and creating vacuum for
the atmosphere to pour into. It's hind legs
are very peculiar in one respect, the two
bones which form the heel in man being
greatly elongated, SO as TO give an extra
joint in the middle Of the big 'splay' foot,
besides the plevis hinges onto the back
bone, so as 70 give joint in the middle of
the back
. IF A MAN WERE BUILT THAT TAYl
"How much these extra hinges assist In
leaping you can see if you will take a strip
of stiff paper and fold IL several times.
Press the folds together and you viii find
that the paper strip has spring 20 it.
Three or four folds give certain amount
of spring, five or six folds make the sprinS
much stronger, and every additional fold
adds so much spring power. 1t Is the same
way with the frog, which, besides having
enormously long and muscular hind legs,
is assisted in jumping by hinge in his
back and another IN his foot, which you
and don't have.
''If you were built Ike frog you would
think nothing OF leaping across PennsyI
vania avenue at one hop. In the scientific
phrase tie frog is modified for jumping,
that being his method Of progression. He
has no kneepan, the bones Of the upper
and lower Lex being connected by hinge
or cartilage merely. On each hind foot he
has sixth toe. that has become rudlment-
ary. The fore feet have only four toes
each the thumb being absent. Evolution
lists say that in the development OF species
the thumb is the first digit 20 disappear,
next goes the little finger, next the fore
finger and lastly the fourth or ring finger.
Thus, they assert, the horse originally
had five toes On each foot. losing four If
them, ons after another, until now only
the middle toe II LETT, upon the nail o.
which the animal walks. Similarly the
cloven footed beasts have come down 70
two toes.
The PROG AyD The TOAD.
THE frog has huge skull, With a very
small brain cavity. and an enormous
mouth for The purpose Of swallowing FISH,
small ducks or any other prey Of size.
whole. Dan Beard. the artist, tells story
Of pe. frog re rad n an aquarium thai
attempted 20 get away with a baby ALI
gator newly imported from Florida. Oa
coming home be found Mr.. Frog. who had
taken down tie small saurian head arat.
jumping against the glass sides of the
aquarium in vain efforts 70 drive down tne
tail Of the victim, which was TOO long -
find room inside for IT'S accommodation
The freq. Ike the toad. has its tongue
fastened Ia front and loose behind. 80 that
II can capture Insects BY whipping l. over
AID oucwarril7 Unlike the toad. however.
It has teeth IN rs upper jaw. The toad =
higher animal THAN TIE frog. sscA1ss q
gives birth directly 20 iitsls ar breathing
tozds whereas the freq lays sEgs ;hss pr
ducs fshEke tad poles, 81 ussQ asutlT tr&rs-