Evening star., 1932-05-01

Death turks in the test tubes used in the
uariOus experiments in United States
Government Laboratories, yet scientists
there haze no fear of tempting fate if
the results wiH be beneficial to man
kind.
from Europe number of mich goats recently
drank some Of the milk from them. Soon after
his return he became very Ill and died. The
goats were infected with Malta fever. Rabies
have been contracted working over the bodies
Of dogs being examined for that disease.
There are no poison insects in the United
States says DR.. L. o. Howard, dean OF Gov
ernment entomologists. But that does not pre-
clude Government workers endangering their
lives working with insects. Insects carry DEATH
dealing diseases. Chief of these is the mos
quito. The classical example of men risking
their lives In the interest of science and hu-
manity is that of the work Of DIR. Walter Reed
with the mosquitoes of the South to determine
which, If any were responsible for yellow
fever. Not only did he risk his own life but
others associated with him did the same, per-
nitting themselves to be bitten by the disease
laden insects
DIANT explorers, more than any other group
of Government scientists, f1irt with death
under the sun, penetrate every jungle, travel
every stream highroad and byroad of the
world. The more out of the way a spot is, the
more fascinating it is to them; the more prim-
tive the savages, the more interesting they
are; the rarer the plant, the greater the incen-
tive to collect it. Each journey made by
plant explorer is q skirmish with death IN
some form or other.
1t may be that he has faced a firing squad
at the word of some bandit chieftain in the
remote Businesses of the Tibetan Mountains.
The cuarae-tipped jungle spear may have whis-
tied by his ears as he lodged at the first swish
Of air from its passage from the bow. The
headhunters may have disappeared as silently
and stealthily from his path as they appeared
in 1t, filling his heart with fear that. at some
bend Of the river, they may swarm out on him
and his party and destroy them.
He may have fought of millions Of mosqui-
toes over alligator infested waters of South
America or may have walked in his hammock
swinging beneath forest boughs to feel that
somewhere out there in the pitch-black dark
ness Of night. not so very far but that he could
touch it with his hands, turks a beast of the
forest or reptile Of gigantic proportions await
ing leisure opportunity to claim his life Or
he may have faced the red gleam of the lions
eye as the beast lashed its tail slowly and nerv-
ousy before charging
Flirting with death thus becomes the rule IN
stead of the exception with Uncle Sans scien-
lists, whether they be workers in the laboratory
or hunter Of the headhunters of New Guinea.
And seldom does one succeed in getting a MEM
Der Of the fraternity to talk about his personal
experiences. If he does the experiences are
generally minimized. To each it is only hap
pening in days work, looked upon laughingly
for the moment. but treasured in after years
S an experience to be recalled reminiscently
Out of these firtationS come discoveries and
findings of incalculable value to individual man
and the human race. Out of them come COL
lection of animals, plants, curios. mementos of
civilizations, If such the culture of savages
may be called, difficult and impossible of at
tainment by Mr.. Average Citizen throughout
the world.
Copyright, 1s32O