GENERAL DISCUSSION 749 



hand to hyperexcitability of the reticular ascending system; on the other hand, 

 to a passivity depending on extensive cortical depression. 



T. C. Ruch: I can not encourage the idea from our own data because the 

 direction of the effect on spontaneous activity, which would be the only data we 

 have, might reflect a general level of cortical excitability or something of that sort. 

 There was a reduction in both low level and sublethal level. 



BiLLEY Levixsox (University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York): Dr. Monnier's 

 idea is a fine one. It is something that has been bothering nie for a long time. 

 Rats make mistakes in the maze because they are plain stupid or because the 

 building is not soundproof, and there are a lot of distractions. Particularly in the 

 field, we have observed that these rats are hyperexcited and hyperdistractable. 

 I believe it would be very easy to design an experiment that would separate 

 these two different kinds of errors. 



Jasbir Sixgh (Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois): 

 Dr. Levinson has mentioned that radiation is a protective and non-protective 

 agent to certain systems of the body, and I would like to know which of those 

 systems particularly can we classify as protective or non-protective agents. Dr. 

 Harlow has mentioned that radiation reduced the lemon water consumption of 

 animals if they are exposed to radiation as compared to the normal consumption 

 of water. Is it due to the acidity of the lemon water or could it be due to some 

 other factors involved in the whole process? 



BiLLEV Levixsox: This is a rather difficult question to answer. This has been 

 referred to as the '"radiation chimera" or "radiation mosaic". I think it is worth 

 pointing out that there are many different systems in the body. Some of this is 

 having differential effects. By AET .some of these systems have been worked out, 

 e.g., cataracts, some changing in spleen efficiency, epilation, graying of the hair. 

 AET has also been worked with the hemapoietic systems and mean survival time. 

 There is a bibliography of .some 30 or 40 items listing various systems affected 

 by AET. The main thing is that it does not act on any of these systems in the 

 same way, and there are probably interaction effects between systems. 



Harry F. Harlow: I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Haley. He 

 could not be more right in terms of LD/50/30 or anything else. In the case of 

 chemical composition of any of the substances which we used in conditioned 

 aversion, I am frank to state that we have no data. Evers-thing we have done has 

 been a preliminary struggle to find conditions in which the phenomenon can be 

 demonstrated. We just chose substances for which the monkeys had a high 

 preference. 



Erxest Furchtgott (University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee): Having 

 worked on the problems of irradiation on behavior longer than any other American 

 psychologist, since about 1948, and having reviewed the field in 1955, I would 

 like to make some general comments about the state of the problem at present. 

 In my 1956 review, I commented about some of the problems which need investi- 

 gation in this field. I am glad to see that some of these problems have been 

 investigated. I also pointed out there are several problems which I think would 

 profit from a behavioral investigation, namely, an analysis of certain perceptual 

 or sensory changes. A number of your open investigators have pointed out that 



