The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-27
TO KILL OFF A PEST.
Experiments i'm Inoculating
Squirrels With Disease,
THEY PROVE TT A SUCCESS.
DIR. Kibbe Finds That the Destroyers
of Wheat Fields WIN Eat and
Destroy One Another.


Dr.. A. p. Kibbe. bacteriologist 10 the
state board OF health. is conducting
series OF experiments to determine whefh-
er IL IS possible to destroy the ground
SQUIRRELS that have proved such a pest TO
the farmers in Eastern Washington. He
thinks IL may be possible 10 do so by the
aid OF a germ which is said TO have been
successful In laboratory experiments So
little being known OF the ground squirrels
OF this state. the results are at present
matter of conjecture only. Tests OF the
germ are now being made On number of
squirrels recently received from Erens-
burg.
As an example of the ravages produced
by this animal the farmer who furnished
the squirrels stated that every vestige of
vegeta ton had been swept from his fields
and that his wheat crop was Utterly de-
stroyed. Not only are they destroyers of
crops bat in many instances the very
bitches. which carry the water with which
the farmer irrigates his land, are riddled
by them in their burrowing. necessitaffnS
great expense 10 keep the bitches in order.
This animal is about as large as red
squirrel and has bright black eyes. I6e
ears form but very narrow rim, raised
but little above the surrounding skin. In
gopher OF the plains. The tail is compare
lively short and lacks entirely the bushy
appearance of that of the ordinary SPUR
rel
when DR.. Kibbe was interviewed about
his experiments he said:
while | was visiting my friend. DR.. j.
E Bingham. OF Walla Walla, some two
years ago he told me some amusing
stories in connection with his attempts
Of he
ing the conversation / first learned how
destructive this small animal was 10 the
wheat fields, in many instances farmers
having lost their entire crop. AS physi-
clan. his knowledge of the various poi
sons was necessarily exact and exhaust
i've. He told me that he had tried almost
everything in the list of poisons known To
be fatal to man. While many or them
were effective the expense prevented
their ptac teal use. Strychinia had seemed
TO he the most effective as far as cost was
concerned. In talking the matter over with
him. / suggested the idea that, il Ii were
possible to inoculate the animals with the
germ OF a disease which would spread, 1t
would be less expensive and far more ef-
fective for the reason that the animals
themselves would act as carriers or the
poison 10 one another.
The first question to be determined
would necessarily be to find a germ which
would be fatal TO the animals when taken
into the stomach through the medium of
food, Next. the germ must be such one
as would be harmless to domestic AMI
mails Provided the ground squirrels were
omnivorous and ate the bodies of those
of their species who died from disease or
injury, ii would be a simple matter to in
ocuate them with a number of germs
which would be fatal. but at the same
time that this was done we might con-
vey an infectious disease TO cattle or
horses, resulting in Infinitely more dam
age than that produced by the ground
squirrels. Knowing absolutely nothing
about the habits of the ground squirrel
and being unable 10 learn anything of its
peculiarities as a species from those iiv-
ing in the country east of the mountains,
/ was forced to defer any experiments
until / had access to laboratory and
was supplied with the necessary germs to
begin a series OF experiments. When the
state board of health established labora-
tory In this place, / was in position to
undertake the investigation of this ques-
ton in a scientific way.
I'm keeping with promise made me at
the time of the above mentioned converse
ton. DR.. Bingham and his associate DR..
keylor in response to a request, sent me
by express ten ground squirrels. On the
arrival of the box five of the number
were dead. and of the bodies of three of
them but little was left but the hide,
bones and claws. the balance having been
eaten away by the survivors. This fact
settled the most important part of the
question. for. in captivity at least. they
were carnivorous. OF the remaining five
two died the following day after arrival,
two escaped, and thus had only one left
on which to experiment For several
weeks l devoted my time to studying the
habits of the animal In captivity, find
ing that he would eat almost anything.
meat he ate voraciously, wheat he de-
voured much as does a squirrel sitting up
on his hind legs and holding the grain in
his paws, cabbage, clover and vegetables
OF all kinds seemed to be agreeable 10 him.
He has been in the laboratory now about
six weeks and has never touched drop
of water 10 my knowledge. Water has
been placed in his cage and has remained
untouched for several days. That which
had disappeared could be accounted for
by evaporation. l recently received
dozen or more squirrels from Ellensburg
which were furnished me through the
kindness of Mr.. G. Lindsay Campbell and
the editor of the Ellensburg Capitol
These animals had been IN confinement
about two weeks and have not received a
drop Of water during that time. They have
grown fat and active. In spite of that fact.
I; would seem TO me that they derive suf-
fcient water from the vegetation on
which they live.
Having settled 10 my satisfaction
number Of points regarding the habits of
these animals and being satisfied that
those which I had were all In good health
I proceeded to look up literature on the
subject of experimental incubation of
pests Of various natures injecting grain
fields | found that experiments had been
made in the laboratory Of an experiment
station in Odessa, Russia, on one species
OF the spermophiles. or. as they are term
ed ground squirrels. with a germ which
is not dangerous to any OF the domestic
animals as far as is known. with the ex-
ception possibly of chickens. and in the
latter only when injected beneath the
skin. II was found in these experiments
that the particular species of ground
squirrel experimental upon not only died
from simultaneous incubation but those
who gnawed at the bodies also died with
fl three or four DAYS. The particular germ
used I brought with me from Koch's
laboratory last winter, solely by acct
dent rot being aware AT the time that il
had ever been put to any use OF this na-
ture. II our spermOphiles. or ground
squirrels. prove 10 be- OF the same species
as those experimental upon in Russia. l
believe the experiment Of trying 10 infect
them viii be successful. hat as I have no
means OF ascertaining what the Russian
variety was. the question Of success must