The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1904-01-08
m THE INTEREST OF SCIENCE.
Guinea Pign, Rabbits and Mice Kept
at Harvard for a Peculiar
Purpose,


rabbits, guinea pigs and mice as ever
saw the light of day. Not thatth are
scientific from choice. No, indeed; for
many are the Wistful chances they cast
daily toward the grass and trees OF the
outer world. And when the sunlight
slants down through the narrow base
ment windows they have way Of cud-
ding up within the range of its rays that
is anything but scientific. They are not
scientific from choice; they have simply
had scientific honors thrust upon them,
says the New York Tribune.
Until they came to be part and parcel
of Prof. e. L. Marks collection, these lit
tie creatures were just plain everyday
rabbits, guinea pigs and mice, just cat
ing and living and feeling probably more
or less thankful because of the fact that
they were alive. Now, it is different
The curl of their hair, the color of their
eyes, may mean much in the future OF
the human race. Without means OF
knowing it themselves these little ami
mails are working out the laws of
heredity for man. Just what they have
proved, just how much they are expect
ed to prove, Prof. Mark, who is director
of the Harvard geological laboratory, is
not yet prepared to say. But he init
mates strongly that the time is not far
off when the little creatures will have
accomplished results which will interest
and enlighten, if not astonish, the
scientific world. 1t is in the hope of full
filling this belief that Prof Mark is ex-
perimenting with his little collection.
Given the best of food and every posi-
BILE attention an animal could desire, it
would be, to say the least, base ingrati-
tude should the little creatures fail to
prove what is expected of them.
Each animal is kept in the pink of
condition. The cages, which are ar
arranged in tiers, are large and COM
modious, light and airy. The whole
basement is perfectly ventilated, and no
more resembles the usual places in which
such animals are kept than pigsty does
q parlor. A careful record Of each ami
NAL in the collection is kept. From the
end of his nose to the tip of his tail moi
a fact about any of the animals in his
collection escapes the vigilant eye of tb E
professor. The color and curl of the AMI
mails hair, the color of his eyes, are
carefully noted, and any little defOrm-
ity or popularity is sought for. All this
and much else is set forth on a specially
devised chart With rubber stamp a
normal pelt is outlined in the record.
This shows the normal animal as he
would look if cut open and laid out, like
an open book, with the back up. On
this chart it is possible to indicate clear
ly any little popularity of the animal
under consideration. With this chart
carefully filed away for future refer
ence the rabbit, the mouse or the guinea
pig, as the case may be, may do his best
at growing. No matter to What degree
of perfection he may attain ne may be
confronted at any moment with the rec
ord Of the past. Grow as he will, science
has firm hold upon him; he cannot es-
cape Even death does not terminate
his service to mankind. He is as Valu.
able dead as alive, for then that Uinuts
description of himself made long befora
applies not only to his offspring, but to
his offspring's offspring. If he had q
crooked toe and that toe does not ap-
pear in any of his offspring, but does ap-
pear in their offspring, it-means some
thing. Just what that and other kindred
peculiarities, mean Prof Mark is moi
prepared to say.
There is striking similarity, to say
the least, between these peculiarities
which manifest themselves in the rat
bits, mice and guinea pigs of Prot.
Marks collection, and those which crop
out in the human race from generation
to generation. If the professor can de-
termine just what it is that is response
bic for these changes in the little ami
mails Gagged up in that HARVARD univbr-
sity basement, has he solved the mys-
terry surrounding the workings of
heredity in man? Should he be success
full in his effort to discover the cause
of these changes, get at the root Of the
matter, and possibly find some efgect i've
means of preventing insanity or some
other terrible affection being haI ded
down from one generation to anot her.
the world will owe to the professor a
debt of gratitude, and those little tab-
bits, guinea pigs and mice of his will not
have lived in vain.