Yesterday, the deacons of our church surprised us with a rather large toad. Stretched out from toe to nose he measures about 10 inches. (I am guessing on that. I didn't stick my hand in the bucket to measure him when he was frantically trying to escape.) Todd is going to take the toad to school tomorrow for his biology class. Yes...Mr. Toad has "volunteered" to participate in biology lab. It reminds me of my first year teaching at Grace Academy in Chattanooga. During my free period the head of the science department invited me to participate with the Biology class as they were observing the circulatory system of the frog. I was asked to pith the frog and then place him on the overhead projector. We then were able to watch the blood flow through it's veins. We then cut him open so that we could observe it's heart beating. Oh...by the way. To pith a frog is to stick a metal probe down the spinal cord to in order paralyze the frog and then place the probe up into the brain cavity and scramble it. Yes...the frog is now brain dead but the heart is still beating for a little while longer so that you can see it at work. All in the name of science.
Oh my. I feel a little sick.
ReplyDeleteI know...disgusting isn't it. I still get the wheelies every time I think of pithing the frog. I don't think I could ever do it again. That was back when I was in my twenties and adventurous. Not anymore. I don't think I will be participating in Todd's lab tomorrow.
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