Lincoln Scientist's Impressions Of Australian Research

Press, Volume C, Issue 29669, 13 November 1961, Page 7

Lincoln Scientist's Impressions Of Australian Research

I think the lan Clunieg Ross Animal Research Laboratory must be orse of the best research laboratories of its type in the world." said Mr D. S. Hart, senior lecturer in the animal husbandry department at Canterbury Agricultural College, who returned to Christchurch last week after spending some of his refresher leave in Australia with the division of animal physiology of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Orgnisation. Mr Hart said that 28 different research projects in pure animal physiology were proceeding at the laboratory at Prospect. 20 mites from Sydney. Each was a major project led by a highlyqualified research scientist, assisted by two or more qualified research officers, all holders of degrees, and teams of technicians. It would be hard to imagine any laboratory in the Western world which would be better equipped. Animal Hotel The animal houses were “an animal hotel," said Mr Hart. The experimental animals were penned individually. some in tempera-ture-controlled pens, and fed individually on prescribed rations. When a research officer wanted to perform an operation on an animal, all of the preparatory work on it was done for him. All he had to do was walk into the surgery and operate. The laboratory surgery was equipped on the scale of a normal hospital operating theatre. It was in use daily. The animals were treated as well as human beings, said Mr Hart. "The cost of maintaining these animals must almost be equivalent to maintaining a human in a reasonably good hotel." Climate Rooms Laboratory facilities included two climate. rooms large enough to hold about 16 sheep in individual pens. Here it was possible to reproduce nearly any climate in the world in terms of temperature and humidity. There was also control of daylight. Operating costs of these rooms were very high, as it was possible to hold sheep in the Australian summer at freezing point. A qualified engineer was needed to control these facilities. In an adjoining room at Prospect there was a wind tunnel. The laboratory, he said, had its own engineering laboratory with the sole function of making special equipment for its scientists Broad Approach The laboratory seemed to indicate that Australia had a broad-minded approach to animal research, particularly when it was engaged largely on fundamental research, said Mr Hart. No pressure was brought to bear on the scien-

tist to produce anything for immediate application on the farm. The officer in charge of the station and chief of the division. Dr. I. W. McDonald, has said his scientists could not do applied research, as well as fundamental research. because once they had

to think on an applied level it reduced their efficiency in fundamental research. The scientists themselves largely decided what they wanted to do with a certain amount of benevolent control from the chief of the division. Mr Hart said he did not gain the impression Prospect was an “ivory tower” institution. He had been impressed with the personnel and their approach to their work. They were very keen to find new knowledge, discuss it, and make it available to the scientific world. They were seeking new knowledge which was immensely important. for though it might not provide specific or immediate advantages to the human race, it might be an essential link in the chain of events leading to future developments of advantage to mankind. By spending money in this way the Australian Government was paying an insurance premium and it knew that unless it was paid there was little hope of making advances.