Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-17
Science Working on 100000 Tiny
Rodents in Hope Of Conquer
ing Dread Disease.
A WONDERFUL EXPERIMENT.
Mankind May Owe Great Debt OF Graf.
itudc 10 Little Animals Regarded
As NOxious Pests.
speclal Correspondence.

oND0N. Nov. s.--Mice are at a
premium in London just now.
There Is one place where upwards
Of 100000 of the tiny rodents are
kept I'm stock" And still the cry is
for more. This is the headquarters OF
the imperial cancer research fund
which Is established In large building
adjoining the Savoy and Cecil hotels on
the Thames embankment, with which
al! American visitors TO London are
familiar.
The porter at the entrance OF this
building has never been known to turn
mouse away. Anything In the mouse
line, from the wild field creature unused
TO city ways, TO the sleek, white So
phisticated variety. Is acceptable at the
research building. IL you happen to
be broke and want 10 cents all you
have TO do Is to catch n mouse and
take him up TO the mouse hotel" In
varlably you can make a sale. No mat
ter how many mice you may have. the
market Is always open. There is dime
waiting for every possessor OF mouse
who wishes TO dispose OF his property.
MOST NoXIOUS PESTS.
Up TO this. time. the ordinary mouse
has been considered a mere pest: an
enemy 20 mankind. At last, however
mice have been advanced TO an honored
place in the animal world. Without
mice modern medicine would know
practically nothing about that deadly
foe TO the human race-cancer.
During the last few years, however.
since science has turned its attention
4.tr tcfA
OF cancer has progressed by leaps and
bounds. 1t is not too much TO predict
thar before many years, medical knowl-
edge win have extended to the mastery
OF cancer, Just as It's knowledge OF
diphtheria has rendered that once
dreadful plague practically harmless.
when we consider that the material for
cancer research Is supplied entirely by
mice. the human race owes the mouse a
debt OF the deepest gratitude, II SCI
ence IS able to isolate cancer and final
~ cure It through the agency of the
mouse. humanity should combine TO
erect a statue 20 the genus mouse. We
have statues to dogs. aud lions-why
tot TO mlceY
MOUSE ONLY ANIMAL.
Strange 10 say. the mouse has proved
the only animal capable OF serving In
! the search for the cause and cure Of
cancer Guinea pigs rabbits. dogs kit
tens. and all other animals so often
used in Investigations To discover
q remedy for deadly diseases have ut
terly failed 10 yield practical results In
cancer research, II was at this point.
when the world OF science was practice
ally stumped that the mouse came for
ward ana inundated himself on the
| altar OF acknowledgement the vlyi-
| sectors table.
, I have just paid a visit 10 the Lon
! don laboratory OF the imperial cancer
> research fund and saw from $4,000 TO
| 10000 mice, each one OF which had a
| cancer In some form or other. Mice
| i've for q very long time on the viy.-
| section treatment and some mice
| which have had cancer actually recov-
| en- II IL on this extremely interesting
| eact that the hope OF ultimately con-
| merug cancer rests. Why certain
| mice With vlrulent and undoubted can
Ger get Well Is the problem which SCI
! ence Is wrestling with today. Mice by
| the thousand are being observed and
| treated with certain medicines and
perhaps some day IN the not distant
future. one OF the doctors viii hit upon
! form OF treatment which viii enable
mice to recover with certainty, and
then the human race viii be rid OF ons
| OF the worst scouragcs which today Of
fects humanity.
REGARDED AS HOPELESS TASK.
When It was first proposed TO con-
duct systematic investigation into
tho cause and cure OF cancer, the medi-