The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-01-04
Prof, Watson Wants Men and
Monkey; for Science
TO TRY TO DETERMINE SIXTH SENSE
HAS TAKEN EYEBAlLS FhOM
RATS, WHO LATER FIND
THEIR WAY.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4.-Prof. John b.
Watson, the Chicago university in
structod, has announced that ne Will
pursue his experiments to determine
the sixth sense in animals and men 10
the larger animals, among them mon
keys and even human beings. The lat
ter, however, he does not propose to
make blind as he has rats.
His experiments up to the present
have been made by removing the eye
balls of rats, their sense OF SMELL
hearing. taste and to some extent their
sense of feeling. His first continued
experiments will be with carrier pig
cons.
DR.. Watson has been conducting his
experiments with rats for the last two
years. having built in the university
psychological laboratory a labyrinth
6xS feet in size, with a true passage
way four inches wide and forty feet
long. Placing food, which has always
been milk soaked bread, in the center,
he has turned the rats loose to find
their way. From seven to twenty trials
are usually necessary before the rats
discover the route.
Removes EyebalIs from Rats.
After they have become familiar with
the way, he has removed their eye
balls, but they have had no difficulty in
locating the food. Rats, deprived of
their eyesight, who have never before
been over the route, have located the
food with as much ease as those pos
sessing eyesight. Then the animals
have been deprived of their sense of
hearing and of smell, and they have
located the food. Changes in tempera-
ture and air pressure have made no
difference. 1t has been impossible to
deprive the rodents entirely of the
sense of touch in their feet without
paralyzing them.
By changing the position of the box
at right angles, it has been found that
the rats became confused, although
they ultimately found the correct route.
From these facts DR.. Watson has con-
cludel that the animals must have a
sixth sense.
Same Treatment for Pigeons.
DR.. Watson is planning to use prac-
tically the same labyrinth in testing
the carrier pigeons, concerning whose
"sense of direction" many marvellous
stories have been told. He is training
several monkeys now for use in the
experiments, and later these will lose
their eyes, hearing, and other senses.
By blindfolding them, stopping their
ears, and by other means DR.. Watson
SAYS he will be able to deprive men
temporarily, of all their senses except
that of touch, through their feet, and
this latter can be overcome by an I'M
even floor
MANY facts go to show that abOr-
dependent of their five senses said
DR. Watson last night, land if the
same results obtain in these additional
experiments as those with the rats
we would seem justified in asserting
that there is sixth sense"
Some of the most vital discoveries
in medicine have been reached through
vivisection, and the Investigations DR..
Watson is making are of the greatest
interest and scientific Importance"
said Acting President Harry Pratt Jud-
son. am sure there is no cruelty
involved although We leave such qYes-
tions to the various departments
DR.. Watson says that the rats suffer
ence in the loss of their eyesight, and
that they are as healthy after as be-
fore the operation