The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1923-12-21
RATS USED TO AID
The HUMAN RACE
Effects Of Diet Studied by uni
verSity Professor.
GIVES new FACTS TO SCIENCE

DR.. T. ". McCollum, professor Of
biOchcmlStry In the School of Hygiene
and Public Health at Johns Hopkins
university, has put the rat to work ut
task that may eventually mean
longer and better life to man.
For fifteen years Doctor McCollum
has been experimenting with rats
thousands of thenl-and discovering
facts in the effect of diet upon growth,
health and heredity. These facts.
when enough Of them have been u.s.
sembted and studied, are expected to
aid in establishing new principles in
the science CT nutrition.
Professor McCollum's laboratory has
accommodations for 5000 rats, though
only $40 inmates are undergoing ex-
pertinent this summer. When the visi-
tor enters the room not sound be-
trays the presence Of living thing.
Cages In rows line the walls and the
floor, each heavily screened. Here and
there the quick flirting Of tall shows
that q cage Is occupied.
Diseased Rats Destroyed.
All Of the rats in the room are nor
NAL, healthy specimens. They are bred
there at the colony. Any Of the stock
rats that show signs of becoming I'M
healthy before entering into experiment
tation are destroyed.
New arrivals at the colony. in the
form Of baby rats, are fed orange juice
from an eye dropper. AS they grow
larger their diet Is changed, and when
they have matured a regular diet Is
prescribed. This diet consists Of Is
per cent wheat, % per cent maize, 29.5
per cent rolled oats, 10 per cent f1ux'
seed oil meal, 10 per cent casein and
five tenths of per cent calcium car
Donate. Daily bowl of milk is placed
In each cage and twice week the rats
get cabbage or carrots. This, with the
addition Of tap water, is the diet upon
which the stock rats thrive. When a
rat enters the experimental stage dis
titled water is used
Odd Effect OF Diet.
Doctor McColum has succeeded In
bringing about, by means Of diets,
practically any condition of health de-
sired. He can make the rat prema-
turely old, make it wild, make it tame,
and even regulate to the day it's span
of life. Further than that he has
proved that in many cases rats reac-
ton to a certain diet will be identical
with that Of man fed on the same
diet. He says:
"There is perhaps nothing more wor-
thy of careful consideration as a hui
man problem than the suggestive re-
suits of the behavior Of our experiment
tai rats as modified by diet"
1.-THE well-nourished rat" Doctor
McCollum says, when placed in a
cage, wants to explore its surroundings.
Its coat Is sleek, Its eyes bright and 1t
shows no signs of nervousness. After
exploring its new home 1t does not
manifest much activity, but Is perfect
Iy cOntented while On familiar ground"
To show that the healthy rat does
not mind being handled, Doctor McCOl-
lum opens a cage, reaches in with bare
hands, pulls six rats together by their
tails and calmly lifts them out, hold
ing them up for inspection, heads down.
ward. They do not SQueal and they
make no attempt to bite.
Entirely different symptoms are ex-
hibited by rats on a deficient diet.
When the cage 10 opened they retreat
to a far corner and show signs Of
fright. These rats are handled with a
pair Of long tongs, and 1t Is often I'M
possible to pick them up, because Of
3hAis frantic jumping about