THE RAT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 4 June 1926, Page 2

THE RAT.

A "STEADY” DRINKER. As the result of a recent series of experiments. Dr. C. P. Richter, of the psychological laboratory of the John Hopkins University ißiDti-' more, U.S.A.). announces that tho vat does not object 10 being a steadydiinker of alcoholic; beverages, lint, iic will not get drunk if in; can help it.

The doctor says (hat. a rat which takes in the form of alcohol from -S to 16 per cent. of all the moisture he absorbs is not intoxicated thereby.’"He can change'over to a pure cold-water-.ration without .worry or discomfort.

“AA’e experimented with tw r o groups of rats,” said Dr... Richter, on March 13 last. “AVo fed one group with,alcohol in.quantities varying be“and 16 per cent, of all the moisture Uioy_ absorbed..... AVo...gave no ' alcohol” to ”thc~olher group.

“The rats taking alcohol grew just as rapidly as (hose taking only water, and they attained the same body weight, at maturity. “A curious thing happened. The rats which took alcohol took from 17 to 3G per cont. less of other food than did the rats which were taking moisture, in the form of waiter. The alcohol,, of course, contained the same food values which might have been .in sugar or other forms 'of food. In some mysterious manner the rats taking the.alcohol .adjusted themselves to this.

“AVo found, that the amount of alcohol that the rats, took did not intoxicate them, And w-c found that they could stop the use of alcohol without difficulty. “There was .this difference between tlie two groups: The rats taking the alcohol showed a slight, a very slight, diminution of energy compared to those that did not. take it.

“The alcohol'did not make these rats stagger or show- any signs of drunkenness. A rat will not drink enough to produce that effect if it can help it, blit I have seen other rats staggering from the effects of the alcohol.”