Professional Documents
Culture Documents
5261Test Bank for Oral Radiology Principles and Interpretation, 6th Edition, White, ISBN-10: 0323049834, ISBN-13: 9780323049832 download pdf full chapter
5261Test Bank for Oral Radiology Principles and Interpretation, 6th Edition, White, ISBN-10: 0323049834, ISBN-13: 9780323049832 download pdf full chapter
5261Test Bank for Oral Radiology Principles and Interpretation, 6th Edition, White, ISBN-10: 0323049834, ISBN-13: 9780323049832 download pdf full chapter
https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-principles-of-
marketing-15th-edition-kotler-
isbn-10-0133084043-isbn-13-9780133084047/
https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-interpersonal-
relationships-6th-edition-elizabeth-c-arnold-
isbn-10-1437709443-isbn-13-9781437709445/
https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-chemistry-9th-
edition-zumdahl-isbn-10-1133611095-isbn-13-9781133611097/
https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-business-
statistics-1st-edition-donnelly-
isbn-10-0132145391-isbn-13-9780132145398/
Test Bank for Oral Radiology Principles and
Interpretation, 6th Edition, White, ISBN-10:
0323049834, ISBN-13: 9780323049832
Full download link at: https://testbankbell.com/product/test-bank-for-oral-radiology-
principles-and-interpretation-6th-edition-white-isbn-10-0323049834-isbn-13-
9780323049832/
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
ANS: D
According to the Standard Model, all visible matter in the universe is made of up quarks, down
quarks, or electrons. Fundamental particles have no inner structure and cannot be divided.
Quarks only exist in association with other quarks, never as solitary particles. Leptons exist only
as solitary particles. Neutrons and protons are made of quarks. Electrons and neutrinos are stable
leptons.
REF: Page 2
A. form leptons.
B. form quarks.
C. mutually annihilate into pure energy.
D. create an antiparticle.
ANS: C
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-2
When antimatter particles interact with matter, they mutually annihilate into pure energy.
Electrons and neutrinos are stable leptons. The universe is made of 24% matter and 76% dark
energy. Only 5% of the matter is in the form of atoms and neutrinos. The nature of the rest of the
matter, and of dark energy, is unknown.
REF: Page 2
3) Which of the following types of force carrier particles mediates the strong nuclear force that
binds nuclei together?
A. Photons
B. Bosons
C. Gluons
D. Gravitons
ANS: C
Gluons mediate the strong nuclear force that binds nuclei together. Photons mediate the
electromagnetic force, bosons mediate the weak nuclear force associated with β decay, and
gravity is speculated to be mediated by gravitons.
REF: Page 2
A. “S” represents the principal quantum number describing the size of the orbital.
B. The p-type orbital consists of four lobes arranged around the nucleus.
C. No known atom has more than 19 orbitals.
D. Only two electrons may occupy an orbital.
ANS: D
Only two electrons may occupy an orbital. The principal quantum number is n, which describes
the size of the orbital. The p-type orbitals are bilobed and centered on the nucleus. D-type
orbitals consist of four lobes arranged around the nucleus or are bilobed with a ring. No known
atom has more than seven orbitals.
REF: Page 2
5) In order for an electron to move from an outer orbital shell to one closer to the nucleus:
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-3
ANS: A
When an electron moves from an outer orbital shell to one closer to the nucleus, energy is lost
and given up in the form of electromagnetic radiation. In order for an electron to move from a
specific orbital to another orbital farther from the nucleus, energy must be supplied in an amount
equal to the difference in binding energies between the two orbitals.
REF: Page 3
A. boson.
B. neutron.
C. proton.
D. electron.
ANS: D
β Particles most closely resemble an electron. When a neutron in a radioactive nucleus decays, it
produces a proton, a β particle and a neutrino. β Particles are otherwise identical to electrons.
REF: Page 4
7) The _________ of a particle, the greater is its linear energy transfer (LET).
ANS: A
The greater a particle’s mass and charge, the lower is its velocity. The rate of loss of energy from
a particle as it moves through matter, because of ionization of the surrounding matter, is its LET.
REF: Page 4
8) Which of the following forms of electromagnetic radiation has greater energy than x rays?
A. Infrared radiation
B. Gamma (γ) rays
C. Microwaves
D. Radio waves
ANS: B
γ Rays have greater energy than x rays. γ Rays originate in the nuclei of radioactive atoms.
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-4
REF: Page 4
9) The quantum theory of radiation has been successful in correlating experimental data on:
A. diffraction.
B. the production of x rays.
C. polarization.
D. refraction.
ANS: B
The quantum theory of radiation has been successful in correlating experimental data on the
interaction of radiation with atoms, the photoelectric effect, and the production of x rays. Wave
theory is more useful for considering radiation in bulk when millions of quanta are being
examined, as in experiments dealing with refraction, reflection, diffraction, interference, and
polarization.
10) High-energy photons such as x rays and γ rays are typically characterized by their:
A. energy.
B. wavelength.
C. frequency.
D. magnitude.
ANS: A
High-energy photons such as x rays and γ rays are typically characterized by their energy
(electron volts). Medium-energy photons (e.g., visible light and ultraviolet waves) are
characterized by their wavelength (nanometers), and low-energy photons (e.g., AM and FM
radio waves) by their frequency (KHz and MHz).
REF: Page 5
ANS: B
Within the x-ray tube, electrons stream from a filament in the cathode to a target in the anode.
REF: Page 5
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-5
A. is made of tungsten.
B. is positively charged
C. is a convex reflector.
D. contains the filament.
ANS: D
The focusing cup contains the filament. It is a negatively charged, concave reflector made of
molybdenum. The shape of the focusing cup electrostatically focuses the electrons emitted by the
filament into a narrow beam directed at the focal spot on the anode.
13) More than __% of the kinetic energy of electrons produced at the filament is converted to
heat at the target.
A. 10
B. 50
C. 90
D. 99
ANS: D
More than 99% of the kinetic energy of electrons produced at the filament is converted to heat at
the target. The conversion of the kinetic energy of the electrons into x-ray photons is an
inefficient process.
REF: Page 6
14) The apparent size of the focal spot seen from a position perpendicular to the electron beam is
smaller than the actual focal spot size because the:
ANS: B
The apparent size of the focal spot seen from a position perpendicular to the electron beam is
smaller than the actual focal spot size because the target is placed at an angle to the electron
beam.
REF: Page 6
15) The primary function(s) of the power supply of an x-ray machine is to:
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-6
C. provide a low-voltage current to heat the x-ray tube filament and generate a low potential
difference between the anode and the cathode.
D. provide a low-voltage current to heat the x-ray tube filament and generate a high potential
difference between the anode and the cathode.
ANS: D
The primary functions of the power supply of an x-ray machine are to provide a low-voltage
current to heat the x-ray tube filament and to generate a high potential difference between the
anode and the cathode. The low-voltage current also powers the light on the panel that indicates
that the machine is turned on.
REF: Page 7
16) When an x-ray machine is set to 70 kVp, the peak energy of electrons passing through the x-
ray tube is:
ANS: B
The peak energy of electrons passing through the x-ray tube is boosted by the high-voltage
transformer to up to 90,000 volts. This high voltage is required to give electrons sufficient
energy to generate x rays. The kVp dial is used to select the peak operating kilovoltage between
the anode and the cathode.
REF: Page 8
17) Current flows through the tube when the target anode is _____ and the filament is _____.
A. positive; positive
B. negative; negative
C. positive; negative
D. negative; positive
ANS: C
Current flows through the tube when the target anode is positive and the filament is negative.
The voltage potential between the anode and the cathode varies continuously as the polarity of
the line current alternates at 60 cycles per second.
REF: Page 8
18) Which of the following statements is true regarding the generation of x-ray pulses within an
alternating current (AC) x-ray tube?
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-7
A. During the inverse voltage or reverse bias portion of each cycle, the filament becomes
negative and the target becomes positive.
B. When an x-ray tube is powered with 60-cycle AC, 120 x rays are generated each second.
C. No x rays are generated during the inverse-voltage portion of the voltage cycle.
D. When photons produced by the filament strike the focal spot of the target, some of their
energy converts to electrons.
ANS: C
No x rays are generated during the inverse voltage or reverse bias portion of each cycle. When an
x-ray tube is powered with 60-cycle AC, 60 pulses of x rays are generated each second, each
having a duration of 1/120 second. When AC is applied across the x-ray tube, x-ray production is
limited to half the AC cycle. When electrons produced by the filament strike the focal spot of the
target, some of their energy converts to x-ray photons.
REF: Page 8
A. the mean energy of the x-ray beam is lower than that from a conventional half-wave rectified
machine operated at the same voltage.
B. the images for a given voltage setting and radiographic density will have a shorter contrast
scale compared with conventional x-ray machines.
C. at a given voltage setting and radiographic density, the patient receives a lower dose
compared with conventional x-ray machines.
D. X rays will not be generated during the inverse voltage portion of the voltage cycle.
ANS: C
For a full-wave rectified, high-frequency power x-ray machine, at a given voltage setting and
radiographic density, the patient receives a lower dose compared with conventional x-ray
machines.
REF: Page 9
20) A 15-impulse exposure is equivalent to _______ second for a conventional 60-cycle AC,
half-wave rectified x-ray machine.
A. 1
B. 0.5
C. 0.25
D. 0.125
ANS: C
A 15-impulse exposure is equivalent to 0.25 or ¼ second. Because conventional line current
alternates at 60 cycles per second, 60 impulses would equal a 1-second exposure.
REF: Page 9
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-8
A. is the lifetime of the machine in years permitted by law before it must be replaced.
B. is the number of x-ray exposures permitted by law before it must be replaced.
C. reflects the frequency with which successive exposures can be made.
D. describes the longest exposure time the tube can be energized for a range of voltages and tube
current values with risk of damage to the target from overheating.
ANS: C
The duty cycle of a dental x-ray machine reflects the frequency with which successive exposures
can be made. The tube rating describes the longest exposure time the tube can be energized for a
range of voltages and tube current values with risk of damage to the target from overheating.
REF: Page 9
22) The primary source of radiation from an x-ray tube is caused by:
A. bremsstrahlung radiation.
B. characteristic radiation.
C. electrons from the filament directly hitting the nucleus of atoms in the target.
D. electrons from the filament directly hitting electrons in the target.
ANS: A
The primary source of radiation from an x-ray tube is caused by bremsstrahlung radiation. It
occurs when the electron is attracted toward a positively charged nucleus, its path is altered
toward the nucleus because of the difference in electrical charges, and it loses some of its
velocity. Characteristic radiation only contributes a small fraction of the photons in an x-ray
beam. It occurs when an electron ejects an inner electron from the tungsten target.
REF: Page 9
23) The shape of the x-ray beam may be modified by altering the:
A. exposure duration.
B. exposure rate.
C. collimation.
D. intensity.
ANS: C
The shape of the x-ray beam may be modified by altering the collimation. The beam exposure
duration is altered by the timer, the exposure rate by the milliamperage, the energy by the kVp
and filtration, and the intensity by the target-patient distance.
REF: Page 10
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-9
24) When exposure time is doubled, the number of photons generated at all energies in the x-ray
emission spectrum is:
ANS: C
When the exposure time is doubled, the number of photons generated at all energies in the x-ray
emission spectrum is doubled, but the range of photon energies is unchanged.
REF: Page 10
25) A machine operating at 15 mA for 2 seconds produces the same quantity of radiation when
operated at 10 mA for __ second(s).
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
ANS: C
A machine operating at 15 mA for 2 seconds produces the same quantity of radiation when
operated at 10 mA for 3 seconds. Both produce 30 mA.
REF: Page 10
A. increase the number of photons generated, but neither their mean energy nor their maximal
energy.
B. increase the number of photons generated and their mean energy, but not their maximal
energy.
C. increase the number of photons generated, their mean energy, and their maximal energy.
D. decrease the number of photons generated, but will increase their mean energy and their
maximal energy.
ANS: C
Increasing the kVp will increase the number of photons generated, their mean energy, and their
maximal energy.
REF: Page 10
27) Dental x-ray beams are usually collimated to a circle ____ in diameter.
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-10
A. 1.0 mm
B. 2.5 mm
C. 2.75 inches
D. 8 inches
ANS: C
Dental x-ray beams are usually collimated to a circle 2.75 inches in diameter. Rectangular
collimators further limit the size of the beam to just larger than the x-ray film. The focal spot of
the tungsten target in the x-ray tube is about 1.0 × 3.0 mm. A short x-ray tube is 8 inches long.
REF: Page 12
28) The patient exposure resulting from a 1.0-second exposure using a 16-inch cone would be
equivalent to a __-second exposure with an 8-inch cone if the kVp and mA are kept constant.
A. 0.25
B. 0.5
C. 1.0
D. 2.0
ANS: A
The patient exposure resulting from a 1.0-second exposure using a 16-inch cone would be
equivalent to a 0.25-second exposure with an 8-inch cone if the kVp and mA are kept constant.
The inverse square law states that the intensity of an x-ray beam depends on the distance of the
measuring device from the focal spot. The intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the
distance from the source.
REF: Page 12
29) The primary means of dental x-ray beam attenuation is caused by:
A. coherent scattering.
B. photoelectric absorption.
C. Compton scattering.
D. pass-through with no interaction.
ANS: C
The primary means of dental x-ray beam attenuation is caused by Compton scattering. About
49% of the interactions in a dental x-ray beam exposure involve Compton scattering.
REF: Page 14
30) Photoelectric absorption occurs when a(n) ______________ of the absorbing medium.
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-11
ANS: C
Photoelectric absorption occurs when an incident photon interacts with an electron in an inner
orbital of an atom of the absorbing medium. The photon ejects the electron from its orbital, and it
becomes a recoil electron. The incident photon ceases to exist. The kinetic energy imparted to
the recoil electron is equal to the energy of the incident photon minus the binding energy of the
electron. Most photoelectric interactions occur in the 1s orbital because the density of the
electron cloud is greatest in this region and there is a higher probability of interaction.
31) ______________ will result in the loss of an electron and ionization of the absorbing atom.
ANS: D
Photoelectric absorption and Compton scattering, but not coherent scattering, will result in the
loss of an electron and ionization of the absorbing atom. Scattered photons will continue on new
paths, causing further ionizations. The recoil electrons also give up their energy by ionizing other
atoms.
REF: Page 14
32) As an x-ray beam passes through matter, the intensity of the beam ________ and the mean
energy of the residual beam ___________ by preferential removal of low-energy photons.
A. increases; decreases
B. decreases; increases
C. decreases; decreases
D. increases; increases
ANS: B
As an x-ray beam passes through matter, the intensity of the beam decreases and the mean
energy of the residual beam increases by preferential removal of low-energy photons. This
occurs because there is a wide range of photon energies in an x-ray beam. Low-energy photons
are much more likely to be absorbed than high-energy photons.
REF: Page 14
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Test Bank 1-12
33) When the energy of the incident photon is raised to match the binding energy of the 1s
orbital electrons of the absorber, the probability of photoelectric absorption ________ and the
number of transmitted photons __________.
A. increases; increases
B. increases; decreases
C. decreases; increases
D. decreases; decreases
ANS: B
When the energy of the incident photon is raised to match the binding energy of the 1s orbital
electrons of the absorber, the probability of photoelectric absorption increases and the number of
transmitted photons decreases. This is called K-edge absorption. Rare earth elements are
sometimes used as filters because their 1s orbital binding energies greatly increase the absorption
of high-energy photons. These high-energy photons are not as likely to contribute to a
radiographic image as mid-energy photons.
REF: Page 15
A. Gray.
B. Sievert.
C. air kerma.
D. Becquerel.
ANS: C
The SI unit of exposure is air kerma. Kerma is an acronym for “kinetic energy released in
matter.” It measures the kinetic energy transferred from photons to electrons. The SI measure of
absorbed dose is the Gray, and the rad is the traditional unit. The equivalent dose and the
effective dose are both measured in Sieverts according to the SI. Becquerel is the SI unit of
measurement for radioactivity.
REF: Page 16
Mosby items and derived items © 2010 by Mosby, Inc., an affiliate of Elsevier Inc.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Doctor Dolittle
in the Moon
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.
Language: English
Copyright, 1928, by
Hugh Lofting
Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
I
n writing the story of our adventures in the Moon I, Thomas
Stubbins, secretary to John Dolittle, M.D. (and son of Jacob
Stubbins, the cobbler of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh), find myself
greatly puzzled. It is not an easy task, remembering day by day
and hour by hour those crowded and exciting weeks. It is true I made
many notes for the Doctor, books full of them. But that information
was nearly all of a highly scientific kind. And I feel that I should tell
the story here not for the scientist so much as for the general reader.
And it is in that I am perplexed.
For the story could be told in many ways. People are so different
in what they want to know about a voyage. I had thought at one time
Jip could help me; and after reading him some chapters as I had first
set them down I asked for his opinion. I discovered he was mostly
interested in whether we had seen any rats in the Moon. I found I
could not tell him. I didn’t remember seeing any; and yet I am sure
there must have been some—or some sort of creature like a rat.
Then I asked Gub-Gub. And what he was chiefly concerned to
hear was the kind of vegetables we had fed on. (Dab-Dab snorted at
me for my pains and said I should have known better than to ask
him.) I tried my mother. She wanted to know how we had managed
when our underwear wore out—and a whole lot of other matters
about our living conditions, hardly any of which I could answer. Next I
went to Matthew Mugg. And the things he wanted to learn were
worse than either my mother’s or Jip’s: Were there any shops in the
Moon? What were the dogs and cats like? The good Cats’-meat-Man
seemed to have imagined it a place not very different from Puddleby
or the East End of London.
No, trying to get at what most people wanted to read concerning
the Moon did not bring me much profit. I couldn’t seem to tell them
any of the things they were most anxious to know. It reminded me of
the first time I had come to the Doctor’s house, hoping to be hired as
his assistant, and dear old Polynesia the parrot had questioned me.
“Are you a good noticer?” she had asked. I had always thought I was
—pretty good anyhow. But now I felt I had been a very poor noticer.
For it seemed I hadn’t noticed any of the things I should have done
to make the story of our voyage interesting to the ordinary public.
The trouble was of course attention. Human attention is like
butter: you can only spread it so thin and no thinner. If you try to
spread it over too many things at once you just don’t remember
them. And certainly during all our waking hours upon the Moon there
was so much for our ears and eyes and minds to take in it is a
wonder, I often think, that any clear memories at all remain.
The one who could have been of most help to me in writing my
impressions of the Moon was Jamaro Bumblelily, the giant moth who
carried us there. But as he was nowhere near me when I set to work
upon this book I decided I had better not consider the particular
wishes of Jip, Gub-Gub, my mother, Matthew or any one else, but
set the story down in my own way. Clearly the tale must be in any
case an imperfect, incomplete one. And the only thing to do is to go
forward with it, step by step, to the best of my recollection, from
where the great insect hovered, with our beating hearts pressed
close against his broad back, over the near and glowing landscape
of the Moon.
Any one could tell that the moth knew every detail of the country
we were landing in. Planing, circling and diving, he brought his wide-
winged body very deliberately down towards a little valley fenced in
with hills. The bottom of this, I saw as we drew nearer, was level,
sandy and dry.
The hills struck one at once as unusual. In fact all the mountains
as well (for much greater heights could presently be seen towering
away in the dim greenish light behind the nearer, lower ranges) had
one peculiarity. The tops seemed to be cut off and cup-like. The
Doctor afterwards explained to me that they were extinct volcanoes.
Nearly all these peaks had once belched fire and molten lava but
were now cold and dead. Some had been fretted and worn by winds
and weather and time into quite curious shapes; and yet others had
been filled up or half buried by drifting sand so that they had nearly
lost the appearance of volcanoes. I was reminded of “The
Whispering Rocks” which we had seen in Spidermonkey Island. And
though this scene was different in many things, no one who had ever
looked upon a volcanic landscape before could have mistaken it for
anything else.
The little valley, long and narrow, which we were apparently
making for did not show many signs of life, vegetable or animal. But
we were not disturbed by that. At least the Doctor wasn’t. He had
seen a tree and he was satisfied that before long he would find
water, vegetation and creatures.
At last when the moth had dropped within twenty feet of the
ground he spread his wings motionless and like a great kite gently
touched the sand, in hops at first, then ran a little, braced himself
and came to a standstill.
We had landed on the Moon!
By this time we had had a chance to get a little more used to the
new air. But before we made any attempt to “go ashore” the Doctor
thought it best to ask our gallant steed to stay where he was a while,
so that we could still further accustom ourselves to the new
atmosphere and conditions.
This request was willingly granted. Indeed the poor insect
himself, I imagine, was glad enough to rest a while. From
somewhere in his packages John Dolittle produced an emergency
ration of chocolate which he had been saving up. All four of us
munched in silence, too hungry and too awed by our new
surroundings to say a word.
The light changed unceasingly. It reminded me of the Northern
Lights, the Aurora Borealis. You would gaze at the mountains above
you, then turn away a moment, and on looking back find everything
that had been pink was now green, the shadows that had been violet
were rose.
Breathing was still kind of difficult. We were compelled for the
moment to keep the “moon-bells” handy. These were the great
orange-colored flowers that the moth had brought down for us. It was
their perfume (or gas) that had enabled us to cross the airless belt
that lay between the Moon and the Earth. A fit of coughing was
always liable to come on if one left them too long. But already we felt
that we could in time get used to this new air and soon do without
the bells altogether.
The gravity too was very confusing. It required hardly any effort to
rise from a sitting position to a standing one. Walking was no effort at
all—for the muscles—but for the lungs it was another question. The
most extraordinary sensation was jumping. The least little spring
from the ankles sent you flying into the air in the most fantastic
fashion. If it had not been for this problem of breathing properly
(which the Doctor seemed to feel we should approach with great
caution on account of its possible effect on the heart) we would all
have given ourselves up to this most light-hearted feeling which took
possession of us. I remember, myself, singing songs—the melody
was somewhat indistinct on account of a large mouthful of chocolate
—and I was most anxious to get down off the moth’s back and go
bounding away across the hills and valleys to explore this new world.
But I realize now that John Dolittle was very wise in making us
wait. He issued orders (in the low whispers which we found
necessary in this new clear air) to each and all of us that for the
present the flowers were not to be left behind for a single moment.
They were cumbersome things to carry but we obeyed orders. No
ladder was needed now to descend by. The gentlest jump sent one
flying off the insect’s back to the ground where you landed from a
twenty-five-foot drop with ease and comfort.
Zip! The spring was made. And we were wading in the sands of a
new world.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
The Land of Colors and Perfumes
W
e were after all, when you come to think of it, a very odd
party, this, which made the first landing on a new world. But
in a great many ways it was a peculiarly good combination.
First of all, Polynesia: she was the kind of bird which one
always supposed would exist under any conditions, drought, floods,
fire or frost. I’ve no doubt that at that time in my boyish way I
exaggerated Polynesia’s adaptability and endurance. But even to
this day I can never quite imagine any circumstances in which that
remarkable bird would perish. If she could get a pinch of seed (of
almost any kind) and a sip of water two or three times a week she
would not only carry on quite cheerfully but would scarcely even
remark upon the strange nature or scantiness of the rations.
Then Chee-Chee: he was not so easily provided for in the matter
of food. But he always seemed to be able to provide for himself
anything that was lacking. I have never known a better forager than
Chee-Chee. When every one was hungry he could go off into an
entirely new forest and just by smelling the wild fruits and nuts he
could tell if they were safe to eat. How he did this even John Dolittle
could never find out. Indeed Chee-Chee himself didn’t know.
Then myself: I had no scientific qualifications but I had learned
how to be a good secretary on natural history expeditions and I knew
a good deal about the Doctor’s ways.
Finally there was the Doctor. No naturalist has ever gone afield to
grasp at the secrets of a new land with the qualities John Dolittle
possessed. He never claimed to know anything, beforehand, for
certain. He came to new problems with a child-like innocence which
made it easy for himself to learn and the others to teach.
“By smelling he could tell if they were safe to eat”