Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-01
WHITE MICE IMPORTANT
IN WAG|NC WORLD WAR
Lives OF American Soldiers and Sail
ors Depend Upon Finding of
Adequate Supply.
WILL FIGHT PNEUMO NIA
Can BE Used in Determining Form
OF Disease - Cost OF Little Ami
mails Jumps From 10 Cents Be-
fore War to ST.
Try Associated prcss.l

iHY Associated Pr"ss.l
CHICAGO, March 3l.--iic il just Il
little thing. with suow-whitc hid" and
beauty eyes yet is destined TO play
a most important part in the world
war. He" is the white mouse.
Major W. ~ Shields. chief medical
officer at the central department supply
depot here. says that these mice ar.
, needed in large numbers now. and that
| If there be those who are in "A VuanGry
as to how best they may serve their
country. it would be well for them to
look into the white mice industry.
White mice, Major Shields said are
among the most important needs Of th.
army hospitals. Upon securing oc a
| sufficient number OF the tiny rodents
may depend the lives OF many hundreds
OF American soldiers ana sailors.
Pneumonia is the specter with which
the tiny mice are called upon 10 do bat
tie. and, according 10 the medical sup
ply officer. IL the mice can be had n
sufficient numbers, they can crush this
grim plague of the environments and
trenches. They can alleviate the suf-
!crinE caused by pneumonia by the
sacrifice o: their lives FOR the manu-
tacture Of serum
| Through eiaborat" experiments ii has
/ been discovered. according TO Major
Shields that Pneumonia is OF several
Kinds, ench being distinct from the
other and requiring different serum.
/ There IS. however, but one way in
which 10 determine which form OF the
disease has attacked the patient That
is through the use OF white mice.
The question that faces the medical
supply officers Is 10 get the li,tlc ro-
deus which play such an important
part in army hospital service. Before
the war. said M..jor shields mice were
81.
purchase all one might desire.
Then came the war and the sudden
demand tor large quantities OF the ro-
dents. Immediately The price leapcd
upward. To-day. Major Shields said.
white mice are quoted at sl.22 each
with the prospects that the price has
not yet reached The top
THIS IS a sample OF the patriotism
"t some OF the people of this country
Major Shields said. 1t is 4 sad COM
Hentary upon such persons that they
VIII let their greed outStrlp their duty
20 America. \ white mic. breeder re-
Gently wrote asking my quotation on
mice When told h!m-giving him a
Inquire that SIX months ago would have
been considered eXtravaEant-hc re-
piled ;hat he could get 10 cents apiece
more elsewhere. AID lie refused TO let
Us have any"
Not all persons. however. are like
This. the officer added \ woman in
California, who sends on AN average ".
mtg mice = month TO the Chicago
depot. has requested that the check in
payment 70: the rodents be turned over
TO the American Red cross While the
department could not do this. i; was
none The less exceedingly gratlned to
note this spirit
White mice are bred in "AIouseries -
the major said in explaining how the
animals are reared. They breed rapid :
- ahd the expense for caring for them
- practically nothing. All THAI is re-
. CURED is Il place 10 keep them. which
needs not be expensive. and :. sl;uh,
expenditure for food. The mice are
ted lettuce. oats and greens. and ar.
very hardy. They are shipped TO the
/ Chicago depot from the Pacific coast
with practically no loss and are kept
Al me central departmental depot until
called Tor by the various hospitals.
Major Shields explained. however Thar
the supply is SO limited tina; the demo,
I II unable 20 keep any on hand and
/ has been obliged to use every facility
| NJ It's disposal in order 10 md enough
!" supply present needs 4. the hospi-
tails
Pneumonia is generally recognized
as one OF the most deadly diseases TO
Wh!ch soldiers are subject The aver
age death rate is S.S per cent. In con
sequence OF this fac; 1t presents !tseI:
I as deadly menace 10 the men at cam
comments both here and abroad. hut i:
sufficient supply OF white mice can be
obtained the death rate can be appre.
f. Gladly lowered.
In The diagnosis OF pneumonia with
"hite mice, sccretions from the nose
or throat OF the patient are injected
inio ;hc animal and then by a series
"' experiments which are executed
quickly tho exact nature OF the disease
Is "sccEiaincd ana the proper treat
mrht can lie administered No o,hc.
ANNA! can be USED FOR THIS work. thu
major said.
Major shields said that he is now
S'Sufi"E whit" mice from sevcra.
. mouscries IN The United Statcs ana
! Sin..l SHnnlN r.n.1, l.arn.Ia