I think I'll start calling these episodes
Episode 3
Starring: Dr. Dohanich, Marci, & Amanda
Setting: Dry lab, day three of behavioral testing, first day testing object recognition.
The three scientists stand, staring, transfixed by the output video of the rat in the open field on the laptop. Amanda and Marci are wearing latex gloves. Amanda is the "computer master."
Dr. Dohanich looking at hands, then at the boxes of gloves on the shelf, all empty except for size Small...Uhhh, Marci, you'll have to take the rat out after the 180 seconds are up...I've got no gloves....need to go steal some from down the hall. Amanda, you keep up with the computer.
Marci Nods. Okay.
Amanda But I'll need to wipe out the interior of the box before the next trial...and you know, we're not supposed to use that "slaughterhouse disinfectant*" without gloves on. It's corrosive.
Dr. Dohanich looks at the backs of his hands, then shows them to Amanda and Marci. They're dry, chapped, and spotted with a few scabs ...well, I've been using it without gloves since we brought the jug down here a week ago.
Amanda Just because you've been doing it doesn't mean it's a good idea to continue doing it.
Dr. Dohanich pauses. Well, sex isn't a good idea, either, but people keep on doing it. Chuckles. Uh-oh, I probably shouldn't have said that.
Amanda argues. But,...but, no! From a biological standpoint, the meaning of life is sex!!
Marci Yeah! Procreation! That's the the point of life! And without sex, we'd have no experiment right now!
Dr. Dohanich whispers Not when everybody uses birth control.
.....
*Not really a disinfectant for slaughterhouses; rather, a veterinary germicide that is not approved for use around humans, according to the label. How, then, are the veterinary facilities supposed to be cleaned? By chimps? I only just now thought about that. Anyway, it's what the vivarium at Tulane uses for disinfection. Brand name Nolvasan, I believe.
................................
A bit later, we were running a male that was utterly terrified and wouldn't leave the corner of the maze. At the end of the trial, there was a pile of boli (scientific term for feces) on the spot where he had been cowering. I made a comment that the poor thing was scared to death, and Dr. Dohanich half-chuckled and said to me:
"A friend of mine once told me that everything in life is either sad or scary."
And I couldn't come up with a rebuttal.
I still can't.
Starring: Dr. Dohanich, Marci, & Amanda
Setting: Dry lab, day three of behavioral testing, first day testing object recognition.
The three scientists stand, staring, transfixed by the output video of the rat in the open field on the laptop. Amanda and Marci are wearing latex gloves. Amanda is the "computer master."
Dr. Dohanich looking at hands, then at the boxes of gloves on the shelf, all empty except for size Small...Uhhh, Marci, you'll have to take the rat out after the 180 seconds are up...I've got no gloves....need to go steal some from down the hall. Amanda, you keep up with the computer.
Marci Nods. Okay.
Amanda But I'll need to wipe out the interior of the box before the next trial...and you know, we're not supposed to use that "slaughterhouse disinfectant*" without gloves on. It's corrosive.
Dr. Dohanich looks at the backs of his hands, then shows them to Amanda and Marci. They're dry, chapped, and spotted with a few scabs ...well, I've been using it without gloves since we brought the jug down here a week ago.
Amanda Just because you've been doing it doesn't mean it's a good idea to continue doing it.
Dr. Dohanich pauses. Well, sex isn't a good idea, either, but people keep on doing it. Chuckles. Uh-oh, I probably shouldn't have said that.
Amanda argues. But,...but, no! From a biological standpoint, the meaning of life is sex!!
Marci Yeah! Procreation! That's the the point of life! And without sex, we'd have no experiment right now!
Dr. Dohanich whispers Not when everybody uses birth control.
.....
*Not really a disinfectant for slaughterhouses; rather, a veterinary germicide that is not approved for use around humans, according to the label. How, then, are the veterinary facilities supposed to be cleaned? By chimps? I only just now thought about that. Anyway, it's what the vivarium at Tulane uses for disinfection. Brand name Nolvasan, I believe.
................................
A bit later, we were running a male that was utterly terrified and wouldn't leave the corner of the maze. At the end of the trial, there was a pile of boli (scientific term for feces) on the spot where he had been cowering. I made a comment that the poor thing was scared to death, and Dr. Dohanich half-chuckled and said to me:
"A friend of mine once told me that everything in life is either sad or scary."
And I couldn't come up with a rebuttal.
I still can't.