Evening star., 1941-11-13
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Laboratory, Field
And Study
Bu Thomas r. Henry.


A phantom feet now is entering the
iceberg -strewn Antarctic.
The ships are what are left of Europes
whalers and upon their success depends
much of Great Britains butter for
the next year.
The open season on Leviathan starts
early in December. 1t was to intercept
this fleet, whaling authorities here be-
lieve, that the Inflated Graf Won Spec
was sent into the South Atlantic and
met with one of the dramatic disasters
OF the war outside Montevideo.
This year the great whalers, with
their hunting pack of more than 100
killer ships about the size of armed
traWlers, are shrouded with all the Sc
creCy of battle fleet on operations.
1t mas been impossible to obtain any in
formation concerning them other than
confirmation of the fact that they still
are operating.
In normal year they gather more
than 2,500,000 barrels of whale oil This
has been the chief European source of
oleomargarine, used generally as a sub
supply is more important than ever this
year The size of the fleet is believed
little diminished. In normal years Nor
way and Great Britain each sent II
ships, which harvested a total of 1850
900 barrels. Germany had seven whalers
and Japan six. Presumably all the
German ships are tied up at their docks
One of the largest, the Jan Wellem, is
known to have been lost at Narvik.
1t is highly probable, whaling experts
say, that most of the rest are on the
way to their accustomed rendezvous with
the approach of the Antarctic summer.
SO far as is known, the Norwegian
feet is intact and is working for Britain.
One British whaler. the Terri Vixen, is
known to have been sunk off the coast
OF Ireland.
The supply Of whale oil is especially
important TO England because Of the
cutting off Of butter imports from Den
MAJ n. TlOIl TIC OIl 10 llldbC q SbEClA Ava
grade of oleo. which only an expert can
distinguish from real butter.
Most Of the Continent, supposedly.
must 60 without any supply. Japan
ordinarily has sold most of her whale
oil to Germany This year tranSporta-
ton would be impossible
Whales, once hunted ruthleSsly, now
are protected by an international agree
ment which. up to the present, has been
faithfully observed by most OF the ma
tions involved IN the operations. The
season runs from December to March
Is. The killing OF females with young
is prohibited and there are regulations
providing that when a whale is killed
the carcass must be fully utilized. II
cannot be Just stripped Of fat and then
thrown away.
Besides its use for butter whale
oil forms an important European source
for soaps and cosmetics.
From Camp Lee, Va, there came 10
the Smithsonian Institution here few
weeks ago First Glass Pvt. Stanley
Stewart on a few days leave. He had
taken TO camp with him when he Joined
the Army Medical Corps three months
ago what were perhaps the most CurloIs
objects ever TO form part Of an enlisted
mans baggage-some microscopically
minute bugs" on glass slides.
Unoer strong magnihcatlon they
looked like dwarf leatherbaCk turtles
Pvt. Stewart had found them in the
stomach Innings Of dead toads he had
picked up near the county hospital at
Quitman, Ga. where he had been en-
ployed as a medical teChnlcian before
entering the service.
For several months before joining the
Army, Stewart explains, he used 10
notice toads sitting almost motionless III
the hospital grounds. When he ap-
preached they would not hop away
After a touch of his toe such animals
would topple over, make a few quick
Jerks and die.
In the hospital laboratory he diSsected
many Of them to get clue to the
strange malady with which they were
afflicted Finally he found the micro
| organisms, members of the coccidia
family, buried in the lining OF theil
stomachs. They were causing peritonitis
! Bugs of the same family are known
throughout most of the animal kingdom
from the jellyflsh to man. Another rare
variety sometimes causes form OF
peritonitis in human beings.
When Stewart got his first leave during
recuperation from an operation he hur-
ried to show them to experts. 1t appears
| that he had made major scientific dis
covery. The little bugs were unknown
! 70 science.
Toads have been disappearing rapidly
| through the United States in recent
! years. The reason usually ascribed is
civilization. Millions are run over by
automobiles. Breeding places of others
in stagnant pools are covered with oil
Sc that their eggs cannot hatch.
The newly found pest also may be
contributing notably to the extermina.
ton of one of mans best friends.