The Washington times., 1923-10-20
DOCS ARE USED
IN TESTSFOR
POISON
Department Of Agriculture De-
termines Toxic Character Of
Vegetation With Them.
TRY it on the dog"

Try 1t on the dog"
This admonition, originating in
the early period of scientific re.
search, is the slogan OF the De.
partment of Agriculture in con.
Quoting experiments to determine
the toxic character of elements
found in vegetation suspected of
being poisons.
The dogs used are supplied by
the local pound. Almost any kind
Of dog is adaptable to such ex-
periments.
If the dog after being fed with
foods containing the suspected toxin
develops q condition sustaining rl1e
suspicion and appears to be ap-
proach death its transit over the
River Silk is made as easy for 1t as
possible.
Then an examination of the action
of the poison on its organs sis made
and science Is prepared to deter.
mine how to deal with the problem.
A commodious kennel in the east
end of the horticultural department
10 provided for the dogs used for
such experiments. There they find
everything a dog can desire to
make life pleasant. They are well
fed and kept in the pink of cnndi-
ton. This state continues until
they are selected for the expert
ment. The latter may cause them
some little inconvenience.
But this, It is insisted. should not
be exaggerated.
+ Some SURVIVE Tests
They are not utilized for expert.
mental work until it has been def,
nitely determined in the laboratory
that such js essential to complete
knowledge of the action OF the SUBJ
stance under investigation. Then it
is tried out on the dog. The fact
that some Of the dogs survive many
experiments of this kind indicates,
1t is said, that they are not used
in this way unnecessarily.
One locates the kennel quite
easily. Pass down the roadway
within the iron fence fronting the
executive buildings Of the green
house section. It win be found in
the last building to the east, a
building evidently used for storing
greenhouse equipment I When one
reaches this building It is only
necessary to stop. and listen. The
act of approaching and stopping
attracts. the, dogs attention and
they set up merry barking
chorus, for the dogs are the friend
liest in the city. The kennel con-
tains 100 square feet of floor space.
I'VE only used dogs in testing
~. - 51Hn n
covered in vegetation" said DR.. d.
B. Jones, in charge of dietetic Inves-
legations. "They are never used in
food experiments for they respond
too slowly. For the latter we en-
ploy the white rat of which we
have some 400 in our colony. They
have been found the most satisfac-
tory for such experimental work as
they respond quickly to influences
of all kinds and, breeding rapidly,
make it possible to trace effects
through several generations.
Good Canines Found.
At present there are several fine
specimens of dogs in the kennel.
One of them appears to be a we'll
bred fox terrier. They were picked
up by the dog catchers and turned
into the pound. There they were
examined and selected for use at the
department The latter pays the
pound a stipulated price for each
dog. None of the dogs show indi-
cations Of being the worse for their
past experiences.
Officials of the department insist
the service rendered by them is OF
the greatest value in ascertainfng
the action of suspected poisons con-
tanned in plant life, particularly
such as may enter food or are liable
to come into intimate contact with
the human in other ways. The OK
periments include the various saps
discovered in timber, likely to be
used in industry and for manu-
featuring purposes.
Had Escaped Once.
Any suggestion that the dogs ex-
perience cruel treatment in the
course Of their use in experimental
work is denied by the scientists Of
the department. That occasionally
one dies as the result of it's expert
ence, it is pointed out, is to be
expected, but his fate in turn is
of invaluable Importance in the re.
search work continually going on
in the various bureaus of the de-
partment They are never per-
mitted to pass through a period of
lingering agony when fatally ef-
fected, being mercifully disposed
of i'm way to end their suffering
in the shortest possible time. No
vivisectional work is carried on in
the bureaus Of the department.
The rat colony is regarded as one
Of the finest maintained by any
scientific institution in America.
The rodents are tame, rarely re-
quiring handling with tongs and
are used exclusively to determine
protein values. Sometimes, it is
true, the dietry supplied is so low
in protein that they starve to death,
but this is not permitted except
where it is necessary to definitely
establish some expected result.
Dr. A. G. Brown, who assumed
charge OF the departments bureau
of chemistry October 2, declared to-
day that the work in connection
with dietry was one of the most