Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-18
UNCLE SANS MENAGERlE.
Maintained ut Agricultural Depart
ment for ExperiIm PURPOSES.


ment for Experimental Purposes.
1t is not generally known that the de-
rartment of agriculture has a mena-
gerie in connection with it, but such is
the case. The menagerie is not a very
large one, nor does it contain any rare
or strange animals. Most of them are
of the domestic variety. 1t is part of
the division of animal industry, and
the animals are used to develop interest
ing cases of disease ami to illustrate the
effects of an epidemic of a particular
kind, which the division may wish to
experiment on with view to stamp
ing it out and to test various kinds of
foods Of which a trial is thought to be
efficacious.
Comprised in this collection of ami
mails are rats and mice, guinea pigs, rab-
BITS, different sorts of fowls, some cattle
and sheep, and few others The larger
Of the animals are kept at the breeding
place of the department, on the Ben.
ming road, while others are domiciled in
the basement of the division of animal
industry laboratory, near the bureau Of
engraving and printing. The division
breeds its own smaller animals, as in
this way, when it wishes to experiment,
1T is assured of having them free from
any contamination.
Down in the basement, under the
laboratory, which was visited recently
by Star reporter, were seen a number
of coops and cages, in which were
grouped guinea pigs, rabbits and chick
ems. The animals seemed to be perfect
ly at home and formed seemingly
happy family, as some guinea pigs were
IN the cage with rabbits. One of the lit
tie white and black creatures was nit
bling at the whiskers of sleepy-looll-
ing rabbit, which blinked contentedly,
as If it enjoyed the operation or was too
lazy to resist any trespass on the part Of
the guinea pig.
A dilapidated-looIing chicken, which
had much the same appearance as has
tramp who has been forced to saw
wood for meal at a friendly inn,"
rested on top of cage. The guinea
pigs seemed to be the life of the place,
and ran in and out with apparently lit
tie or no concern whether school kept
or not"
On some of the cages where the rab-
bits were confined, printed in large
black letters, was the word "Rabies."
Upon the cards also were the warnings
to the attendants and others not to put
their hands in the cages. This meant
that the animals had been inocilated
with hydrophobia virus, and it was
therefore dangerous to handle the ami
mails. a further precaution taken in
such cases, it is said, is not to inoculats
animals carnivorous by nature, as they
Eecome terribly ferocious, nor any ami
mails whose chief means of defense is
by biting. A eat or dog, for instance,
will strive to bite when afflicted with
the disease, while rabbit, which is
purely vegetarian, will simply NOPE
and die without making any resistance.
In spite of the fact that the sentence
of death, and an awful one at that. was
affixed to their cages, the rabbits did not
appear to be otherwise than cheerful
and lively, and hoped niInbly about
their little quarters, and conducted
themselves in all respects after the man
sPected the visitors carefully, as if they
formed the most select and exclusive
community in the world, instead of one
which had been allotted to yield up
life for the benefit of science.
1t was stated that one steer, which
had the "blackleg," remained at one of
the experiment stations for about eight
years, and the persons there really be-
came attached to it. 1t is also a tradi-
ton of the division of animal industry
that two goats were once used for the
purpose of scientific experiment. The
trial was deemed to be most successful
in every particular, and wonderful re-
suits were expected, when. unfortun-
ately, the goats butted up against the
wall of death, and left yearning hopes
behind.-Washington Star.