New-York tribune., 1874-10-22
VIVISECTION.

DO ANIMALS SUFFER UNDER MUTILATIONf
A CONTRIBUTION TO THE DISCUSSION BY DIR. A. b.
CROSBY THE SENSE OF PAIN ONLY PRESENT
WHERE THE PRESERVATION OF THE ANIMAL Is
AIDED BY Tr-INsTANCEs WITH GREAT VARIETY
OF ANIMALS BEARING OF THESE FACTS UPON
THE PRACTICE OF vIvIsECTIoN.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: AT the present time, when the human
1t aran Justly protests against cruelty toward ANIMALS
aud the scientist with equal justice. protests against
the abrogaton his necessary privilege OF vivsecton
IL NAV not be unnterestng to the public to know now
far animals do actually suffer under mutilation.
1t is proposition susceptible Of abundant proof that
the sense OF pain is designed for the sepreservaton OF
all ANIMALS and that each endowed with this sense to
an extent only sufficient to insure this result
believe that the above proposition is applicable TO
all brutes; that OF them, when mutlated, suffer
te and others at all. But before adducing facts
to prove this proposition 1t will be we'll for us to con-
slider what the proofs Of pain are Some persons nave
enormously supposed that convulsons are sign OF
PAIN but nothing could be further from the truth 80
far from indicating suffering they only show that the
brain has lost It's control the rest OF the nervous
system. Aside from feeling of muscular soreness.
have never known q patient conscious OF suffering
during these terrible paroxysms Nr Is the cry OF an
animal any proof Of pain No uproar can be greater tnan
that which pig makes being seized however gently
vet 1t would be absurd to regard this as mark OF PAIN
The struggling of animals has been construed as
sgu but this may be owing to their natural tmidity
under restraint The question can, perhaps be better
decided by observing how far animals are disturbed oy
mutilaton During the bloody battle OF the Fair Oaks
saw fore leg of horse carried away by solid sbot
He fell but made noise, and so far as could see'
gave no evidence of pain. On the contrary he soon
struggled on to his feet and commenced FEEDING. In
STOPPING the stump frequently strike the grouho'
but the horse gave signs OF disturbance During the
tha Fad forcps
womes before the impetuous onset Of the Confederate
Army and lost sight of him. Thrty-six hours after
ward the lost ground having been recovered, was
ordered by Casey to the field with corps OF
surgeons and ambuances for the relief OF the wounded
abandoned on our retreat Among the first things that
fixed my attention was horse which had sur
vived the battle, quietly feeding surrounded by the 1ne
killed and wounded they had fallen In the fight Ihs
attention 10 the mutated leg although the bone pro-
uded through the soft parts and the wouno was heo
Scotch gentleman by the name Of Rowell published
an article few years since in The PhHosophicdt Jour
ing upon this question. Some of these l have appro-
prated quite significant. post morse ei IN
oints Tae bia and fbuIa protruded the feet turned
back, and he walked on the ends OF the bones Inc
driver being willing to take the responsibility OF XIII
ing the horse, turned him into a field near by Next
morning the coverings were found forced mar way up
the legs holes been made four inches deep III the
ground by protruded bones and yet the horse looked
we'll and apparently felt well. An Oxford coachhorse
dsocated both fetlOck joints, and Travelled on the ends
of the bones until they worn smooth. Incredible
as 1t may seem the accident was not dsc0verea uhi
the coach stopped to change horses In this latter In
stance 1t supposed that spirited horse nght nave
the TO keep up Dy Gaef n
late animal The facts In these two examples re-
Naturalists tell us that dormce frequently eat of
part when mutiated. Rats when pressed by hunger
fact has been remarked Of monkeys, and at times in
menageries it becomes necessary TO dp .ngiT % tas IN IN
Paris an old mezena, having broken his leg, iinme
diatey set work eating it of with great gusto Pgs
usually make great outcry when Killed. but TINS Is
believed TO be the result Of fear rather than pain for
II the animal is stuck unawares he frequently remains
quiet. making noise whatever In these instances
the pain is evidently much iess than In corresponding
injuries inflicted upon man The Divine Denencence IS
conspicuogs 10 tins because Sc nn pn So
Rabbits and hares 1t is believed are susceptible 70
little pain, this sense In them being superseded
by other They are very prolific but II Is PROB,
ably that ono dies OF OLD age Iney are ne
prey and food of wild cats weases foxes ana other
carnivorOus animals When caught, they are lncapaoe
Of and pain would De o, @S
them TO struggle against IT, Inc lacK OF ths sehse
the By e bpn% m tn enable the
to in every direction Tue ears are large and capa
BILE of turning 50 as to catch the slightest SOUND ana
alert IL is well established fact with hunters that
do Gy out when bey are
and in danger OF being caught, or when they are
ensnared in net their CRIES are pteoSs ao0nsG tasy
they seldom cry and are easily dispatched apparently
out but when seized remain motOuless. and finished
without suffering Every boy who has followed the
Gnently pulls away from it, leaving tendons acerated.
or even biting the leg Of huater once ca caught rao
aud lively and fed well. Rats also have been known to
bite the leg of when caught In trap.
get their living by hunting. never do this. They may
sometimes lose leg cut off directly by trap; but as
and animals Of similar character have often been
found starved in traps rabbit under the same cir
to show concusivey that the sense
pain designed for the preservation OF animals
compelling them to take due care OF themselves The
benecence Of God is to be remarked In this that no
necessary for It's preservation. rat rabbit though
nconvenieaced Dy the loss OF leg can still provide
case of foxes other carnvora liable to be the sig
nal OF starvation unless their game Is unusually plenty
and hence they are endowed with sense OF pain pro-
portonate to their usefulness, and to insure their
Grabs and Holsters throw off claws after fright in
jury with Indifference Their sense of pain is very
sllght is that sense essential TO the crusaceOus
tribes Coated with armor strong enough 70 resist all
minor enemies. the sense OF pain would be OF no value
Them because animal that had the power to crush
their shells must inevitably destroy They evidently
suffer great pain in hot water but none after mutilation
Nature has furnished covering protective against
injury but as they may range all parts OF the sea.
in those parts which they formed to nhabt may
be that this Of temperature tells them not only
yoaRs c' to reach @aarty Sir Humphrey Davy who
devoted mucn time and research In investigating the
habits and pecuiates OF fishes came TO the conclusion
that their seuse Of pain is trlng celebrated natu
ralst afrms that single cod deposits 100000 eggs
or these only few hatch aud Of myriads perhaps
four reach maturity As the rest Of these are eaten. 1t
probable that Divine goodness has rendered them
! little susceptible 10 pain.
As far insects are concerned the sense OF pain Is
obviously sght Thus wasp has been observed to eat
| ly I'm nedately after its abdomen had been cut
Cockchaiers have been seen crawling about and
eating voracously after the same INJURY IL Is com
mon entomology that the dragon1y will eat for
long time after being fastened down With PIN That
God should have rendered these creatures only slightly
m main A "a