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University Daily Kansan
Friday, Nov. 9, 1956
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KU's Rare Echidna, Snakes, Cats Used In Anatomy Study
Experimental comparative neurology, a field virtually ignored by anatomists, is being studied by the KU anatomy department. Howard Matzke, associate professor of anatomy, said research is being conducted to trace the pathway of a nerve, the brachium conjunctivum, which connects the cerebellum and the rest of the brain.
Prof. Matzke and Floyd Foltz, instructor of anatomy, want to determine where the nerve goes and what it does in animals.
Nerve Is Damaged
The nerve, which affects muscle coordination, must be damaged, and stained in order to study it. An animal's reflexes and reactions are observed carefully.
"The lower the animal form," Prof. Matzke said, "the less reaction there is after the nerve has been damaged."
A snake, for instance, is not able to hit its mark when it strikes. A cat falls easily, wobbles, and cannot coordinate. If the nerve is damaged in a human by a tumor or brain concussion, speech is impaired, walking becomes a drunken wobble, tremors occur, and much control over the body is lost.
"This relatively short nerve probably affects almost every nerve which controls muscles in the body." Prof. Matzke said.
He has already discovered where the nerve arises in some animal forms. Good results have been obtained after experiments with cats and possums. Tests on moles were successful, but the animal died before further study could be made.
"The animal must live at least 10 days after an operation for an experiment to be successful," Prof. Matzke said.
Rare Echidna Used
Rare Echidna Used Included among the animals used in experiments is an echidna, the lowest living form of mammal.
The KU echidna, called "Joe" by Prof. Matzke and "Josephine" by Mr. Foltz, was thought until recently to be the only living member of that species in the United States. However, after
Flags Always Fly At KU
Day and night two flags wave from the towers of Fraser Hall. Old Glory and the KU banner have been flying together since 1939 when the latter was designed by a fine arts student, Eleanor Girder Burton, and adopted by the University.
Except in extremely stormy and windy weather, both flags remain aloft. The law permits the American flag to fly at night if it is lighted.
The average life of the flags is approximately six months. In extremely windy weather, however, one may last only a month. New flags are bought about three times a year.
The flags are sometimes used to indicate that the University is in mourning. Whenever a member of the faculty dies, both are lowered to half-mast.
Used Weather Flags
Before World War I flags were hung to tell students the weather conditions. A white flag meant fair weather; a blue flag, stormy weather; a flag half blue and half white, unsettled weather; a white triangle indicated a rising temperature, and a blue triangle, a lowering temperature.
The use of weather flags was discontinued during the war, making way for the American flag which was flown continuously. Previously the flag had been hoisted only on national holidays or special occasions.
Other flags that have flown from the top of Fraser are the chancellor's flag; a pennant used during registration week, and a football banner, 16 feet long, which was hoisted before games. In 1938 some students raised a Communist flag on Fraser.
New Hampshire has almost 6,000 miles of hard-surfaced secondary and town roads and another 3500 miles of byways with improved gravel surface that are usually in good condition.
the primitive egg-laying mammal, whose sex will not be determined until surgery is possible, was featured recently in a television program, it was learned that another one is in Chicago's Park Zoo.
The possums, alligators and turtles used in experiments eat raw horse meat, but the echidna is more particular. Its diet consists of pablum or baby food, raw eggs, condensed milk, ant eggs, vitamins and dog food.
Firms Schedule Job Interviews
Interviews for engineering students will be held Monday through Friday, Nov. 16, by the companies listed below. Interview schedules may be signed in 111 Marvin, the School of Engineering office.
Monday—Bell Telephone System. Tuesday—Bell Telephone, Stanolind Oil and Gas Corp.
Wednesday—The Trane Co., Kansas City Power and Light Co., Columbia-Southern Chemical Co.
Thursday—Sperry Gyroscope Co., Chemstrand Corp., Dowell, Inc., Columbia-Southern. Friday—Corps of the Engineers, Pete Kiewit and Sons, Dow Corning Corp., American Oil Co.
Try Kansan Want Ads. Get Results.
WELCOME ALUMS
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HAYNES & KEENE
BEAT NEBRASKA!
Weaver
Welcome home!!
It's wonderful to have you back to experience the nostalgic feelings of Homecoming.
We'll see you at the game Saturday (we're closing at 1:00)
but, as another part of campus tradition we'll be ready and willing to continue serving you come Monday.
Come in,
won't you
After we beat Nebraska!
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