>AnswerMn: As I've been told, living ferrets are used to help prevent
>the accidental death of human babies.  Nurses need to practice how to
>properly insert a tracheal tube down a premature human infant's throat
>without harming the infant.
 
This statement by Ed is true.  The rest?  Well....
 
>QueryMn:  So, what's that got to do with ferrets?
>
>AnswerMn: As I understand, the physiology of the ferret's throat is
>closest anatomically to the premature infant's throat.  So it seems
>that the least of two evils maybe is to kill a couple of ferrets rather
>than risking an inept nurse killing an infant because she had no prior
>practice on a ferret.  It goes without saying that most of these ferrets
>live but for a short time after receipt from the ferret mills.
 
This is absolutely false - at least in my area.  I have a person who
works near Walter Reed Memorial Hospital in DC.  They use ferrets to
train on intubation - BUT - and its a big one - when the ferrets are
ready (they apparently will only do this procedure a certain number of
times per ferret) they are released from the hospital and to this person.
How do I know that?  Because when he can't place them, he brings them to
me.  They are Marshall farms ferrets and they have ear tags.  They are
*not* returned to Marshall Farms!  Last that I heard, Tango and Salsa
were doing great!  When they were released to me, they were happy,
healthy, well-adjusted boys - not on deaths' door as Ed would lead you
to believe.
 
Lisa Leidig, Head Ferret
The Ferret Haven "By-the-Sea"
www.ferrethaven.org
[Posted in FML issue 3861]