SCIENTIFIC OFFENSIVE 



types already carefully studied ; it would be necessary 

 to translate their reactions into reactions of men. 



Pigs were particularly valuable since their skin and 

 short hair are comparable to man's. Goats were useful 

 because their weight is comparable to man's and the 

 quantity of their body fluid is sufficient for extensive 

 laboratory analysis. Rats, time-honored experimental 

 animals of radiology, were a logical choice since so 

 much is known about their response to radiation and 

 the correlation of their responses with man's. 



Some of the goats taken along were selected for 

 their psychoneurotic tendencies. Psychologists thought 

 that the severe explosion phenomena might change 

 these tendencies. 



The mice were chosen from special strains show^- 

 ing especially great likelihood of developing cancer, 

 or especially small likelihood. Here too it was hoped 

 that some interesting change would be produced, either 

 in these mice themselves or in their progeny. 



No dogs were included. During the early planning 

 of the operation many letters were received from the 

 public urging that dogs be excluded.* 



Surprising though it may seem, the main purpose 

 of placing test animals on the target vessels was not 

 to find what percentage of the ships' crews would be 

 injured or killed. That information could be obtained 

 without using test animals. It could be obtained by 



* Over 50 jjercent of the letters of protest received from the 

 public condemned the use of animals. A smaller percentage ex- 



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