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6 SfiC, -*AN. 27,1963 %ag gitgielgW C illtfil TODAY'S PULSE Animals7 Role Vital in Medical Research BY HARRY NELSON, The tremendous contri­bution animals have made to the field of medical research is seldom recog­nized. Without a n i m a l s on which to perfect surgical procedures, test drugs or carry out a myriad of o t h e r experimentation, the medical advances of the past 50 years would have been considerably fewer or else far more costly in human life. While it is true that, drugs and operations ev­entually must be tried on people, the risks would be Incalculably greater if ani­mals had not first been our stand-ins. : V; ^ Even the courageous astronauts reportedly re­ceived considerably psy­chological support from knowing that two chim­panzees, Enos and Ham, made successful trips into space using the same equipment they w e r e eventually to use. T h e r e are tentative plans to use chimps in a number of future space programs to test, man’s ability to withstand pro­longed weightlessness and long-term exposure to cos­mic radiation. ; M There is even a rumor that a chimp may ride the first Dyna - Soar p l a n e when it makes an un­manned orbit in the near future. '': According to Air ^orce aeromedics, chimps -have been trained to work for all their food and water for as long as 30 days in isolation. The chimps are getting so proficient at responding to lighted signals which instruct them how to man­ipulate levers that they r&re able to make 7,000 quick selections with only 15 errors. One wag has cracked that maybe it’s chimpan­zees rather than com­puters that h u m a n s should be worried abotit. Times Medical Editor P r i v a t e philanthropic foundations contributed $72 million for the support of medical research and education in 1960, accor­ding to a report issued by the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Luther L. Terry, surgeon-general, states in the report that the unpre­cedented expansion of fe­deral activity in health research in recent years has appeared to - reduce the relative importance of foundation expenditures in medical research. | Dot, he says, "the signi­ficance of foundations in America extends beyond fiscal considerations to the c h a r a c t e r of support which, by their nature as private agencies, the foun d a t i o n s are able to provide.” Some foundations have channeled support to rela­tively neglected or newly emerging fields. Others have redirected their re­sources to education. "As the report indicates, foundations continue to pioneer in new areas and, at the same time, counter­balance and supplement the forms and direction of support a r i s i n g from governmental efforts," Dr. Terry said. One of the principal reasons for overnutrition in this country, according to a University of Roches­ter pediatrician, is the common belief that plump babies are healthy babies and the tendency of mo­thers to equate weight gain with their own sue-, cess as mothers. Dr. Gilbert Forbes says that nutrition experts tra­ditionally have | been con­cerned with nutritional deficiency. Unfortunately, the old saw that "if a little is good for you, a little more will be better” has carried over to today and also is contributing to overnutrition. ?Mi Sciei NewM UNCOVERING ANCIENT BONE— John Mowby, graduate student at UC, uses broom to Uncover jawbone of a prehistoric camel north of Las Vegas. Times photo CLUES IN DESERT Continued from First Page said.. He said it is possible, however, that human re­mains may be found in caves in the area away from the site. The current project marks the first time that heavy equipment has been used extensively in such delicate work. Two big bulldozers and an earth-moving ma­chine capable of gulping up 30 yd. of dirt accounted for the removal of 300,000 tons Of S o il. . Dr. Shutler said bulldozers made 6-in. cuts into the strata "until we got down to yrhat looked like pay dirt. Sometimes we know what depth it is, and we can Stop. ” "Then we use a pick! and shovel, then dental tools, ice picks and paint brushes,” he said, "A detailed report of the vegetation in the area will be made after a pollen analysis is made of the soil at the University of Arizona, Dr. Shutler said. BY H, Science h Row. It is W prosperity f and-outer a tantly, sah dreds of ' h others in n over Ameri For many tional Skid getting a fa been to dc blood to a cc atory for $5 This way income was effortless. I restriction t] could not than every hardly mad< table. Boon Then can: sis. This is new proeedi ilt possible : give blood tv a week inste eight weeks, As a co plasma pr< jumped 16-f the income.: Aviation Agency Week Proclaimed I Federal Aviation Author­ity Week Will be Observed March 1-8 in Los Angeles County to celebrate the open­ing of a $4.5 million air traf­fic control facility at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale. The Board of Supervisors proclaimed the week on mo­tion of Chairman Warren M. Dorn. Problems of TB Programs to Be Studied Tuberculosis problems, in­cluding the difficulty of dis­covering some victims, will be discussed by doctors at a community meeting at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the county’s East Los Angeles Health Center, 670 S Ferris Ave. Supervisor Ernest E. Debs said that "hard-core” groups such as recent immigrants, transients, alcoholics and those who are apathetic about their personal health form a high risk. They re-spon d in only small numbers to chest X-ray programs. *