But that particular strain of laboratory mouse, Jandl pointed out, was known to have a high incidence of “spontaneous” lymphosarcoma, and even the authors of the study had discounted the results. Furthermore, both Harvard doctors told Cheeseman they had little faith in extrapolating the results of animal studies to human beings. The life spans of animals, their chromosomal structures, and their metabolism were just too different.

Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action, loc. 647