Omaha daily bee., 1920-08-02
TO TRY OUT EFFECT
ON TOBACCO "a
WISCONSIN CO-EDS
investigation to Determine If
Weed Has Same Effect
On Both Sexes.
By EARL SHAUB.
Universal Service Staff Correspondent.

Madison, Wis, Aug. Twenty
four girl students Of the University
of Wisconsin will be paid 40 cents an
hour next winter to blow blue clouds
of smoke in the laboratory Of Prof.
NJ. 81. O'Shea.
The same privilege is now being
handed right out of the hun;dor 10
~ male students. And the 1nakin's
are free.
For 18 months these students have
been the subject OF an investigation
by Prof. O'Shea, who is seeking to
determine what effect, if any, to-
bacco has on the mental faculties
cf the users. The test will last
another six months.
One of the purposes of the inves-
tigation is to see if tobacco has the
same effects on girls that it produces
ON men.
Just what the test has shown to
date, Prof. O'Shea will not tell, He
will make B complete report when it
is finished.
Other Schools Investigate.
Simultaneously, similar investiga-
tions are being made at other uni-
versities. In these schools, however,
the examinations are to determine
the effect Of tobacco on the physical
body and the morals. Prof. OShea
lis specializing on. the mental effect
cnly.
Other universities at which exanni-
nations are being conducted are:
Johns Hopkins, University Of Mich
igan, Leland Stanford, Harvard and
Cornell.
The investigators will make their
reports at the same time and their
Joint findings will be published.
Since chewing is also included in
the test Prof. O'Shea is prepared to
raise the pay little as an added in
ducement when he collects his class
OF goods.
Want Facts Only.
"This work is being carried on for
scientific purposes only" Pref.
O'Shea explained today. 1T is, net
III the interest of any propaganda
whatever. Personally we do not care
whether tobacco is harmful or not.
All we want is the scientific truth
which we will publish to the world" :"
The students upon whom the in
vestigations are being made have no
idea what the test will show. The
professor has been very careful to
keep them in the dark on that sub.
ject.
eThe idea of/this," he explained,
"is to eliminate all suggestions from
their minds. If I should let them
know, either frankly or by intinla-
ton, what | am learning, the very
knowledge would have some sug-
gcstive Influence on their minds,
(which would hamper my work.
II am stpdying the effect of to-
bacco in all forms. Some of my
subjects smoke pipes. some cigars,
others cigarets, while still another
group chews the weed.
These young men use tobacco
cRly when l tell them to do SO, and
abstain when / give the order. |
spend three and a half hours day
with them in the laboratory.
Smokers Get 70 Cents an Hour.
Il pay my subjects 40 cents an
hour, and the university supplies the
tobacco. i have them smoke under
all conditions, sometimes before
they study for their other classes,
sometimes afterward; also some
times before meals, and at other
times Immediately afterward. Our
laboratory is a very pleasant place,
more like a parlor, with big easy
chairs, than like a work shop.
The boys seem to enjoy it very
much. 1t is quite interesting"
"Then there is no danger of a
strike for shorter hours it was
suggested to him.
"No; any strike would be for
longer hours"