By: by James Mahoney

Sharing 98.4 % of our genetic makeup, the chimpanzee is closer to us in evolutionary terms, than he is to his next closest kin - the gorilla and orangutan. Yet, it is this very closeness to man which makes the chimpanzee the ideal model in research for finding cures and developing vaccines against many of the diseases which plague our world.The list of contributions that the chimpanzee has made to medical science is long, but most significant are the areas of viral hepatitis and AIDS.

Without the chimpanzee, there would be no vaccine against hepatitis-B, one of our major diseases of the world. Two hundred million people, worldwide, are lifelong carriers of the disease and a significant proportion of them die before age 40 from liver cancer.

Another liver disease in which the chimpanzee has played a unique role is hepatitis C. Despite intensive research during the last two decades, medical researchers have been plagued by frustration in isolating and identifying the virus that causes this common disease. Only now, in the last two years or so, have breakthroughs been made which give the promise of developing an effective vaccine, a success that would not have been possible without the chimpanzees.

Hopefully, these and the other chimp veterans will be seen as ambassadors for their species, showing the world that we can, in fact, have the compassion to recognize their sacrifices for us.

While chimpanzees serve man for all or most of their lives, there is no national policy providing these unsung heroes with the dignity they deserve after their research days are over. The exceptions to this rule are: Seetee, Charlie Brown, Bold, Chaz, Ray and Lindsey, who the Waystation has offered to provide for. While they have all served their years in medical research, there are three very special ones who deserve further elaboration: Spike Mulligan, Rufe and Booie.

Beginning to grow out of his "terrible teens" at last, Spike is approaching 16-years old. I delivered him by Cesarean section when his mother, Belia, became ill in late pregnancy with what I thought was pregnancy toxemia. Instead of recovering after delivery, as I had expected, she worsened and died 4 days later from irreversible kidney failure. There were no other infants in the lab for Spike to socialize and grow up with so I took him home to be reared by my family. Angus, our "Heinz-57" dog kept him company for the first 9 months of his life. Still a baby at heart - despite all his muscle & brawn - Spike Mulligan is no "rocket scientist" of the chimpanzee world; the extent of his vocabulary is a caveman "uggh," which signals he is very happy and wants to play.

A real character with a great sense of humor, Booie is famous for his ability to use American Sign Language, the language of the hearing-impaired. (His recent appearance on ABC TV’s "20-20," touched the nation’s heart). Booie is very "talkative," forever signing for treats, drinks, cigarettes and tickle and chase. Once, he even accused me of lying when I told him I did not have sweets in my pocket, to which he signed twice in rapid succession, "Booie see sweet in pocket."

The veritable gentleman of the chimpanzee world, Rufe is 39-years old. He is incredibly intelligent, very loving and has been a wonderful father, playing with his babies and proudly carrying them around in his arms to show them off to the world. Sadly, Rufe is showing his age now and has become a little stooped. He is beginning to lose his hair and has a weak heart.