New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-16
yIVISEOTION.


SHOWS THAT vrvIsRcTIoN rs NOT CRUEL. AM
THAT IT HAS LED TO VALUABLE prscovERIEs'
In his letters to The Erenin6 Posi-, Henry
Bergh condemns the practice, OF vvisecnon, anu
also cites an instance OF the ABUSES IN oenos"e
Hospital from The Scape, edited py III H. KS SiAon
After giving several instances TO prove tnSs
ne has taken q correct stand MI. Beren SUMS
m -. ,ouovs: .Now It is, against these
sevsh abompations inflicted on the defenseess brute
N,nd tho unfortunate members OF our Own race-oeeus
done in the name Of Science and winch enanehgo 'no
,n,oues Of hell itself 70 srpass-that TINS appear
made 70 public opinion for the exercise OF s sovereign
poxer to suppress. Ii It not time that universal
,,nant shonld put stop to these horrid operations,
,hch tend TO harden the heart extinguish those ~
atuc,s which eye man confidence in and make the
physcian more dreaded than disease itsei Once more
and I have done. Let that section OF the law
NJ 1851 which the State Medical Convention succeeded
An appending to our bill at that time, be e1punged
therefrom and in lieu thereof enact another
holding men Of science equally Responsible
for their acts Of cruelty other citizens; ana
further, legalizlng the societies FOR the freVeh'
ton of Cruelty to Animals In this STATE 70
send one Of officers members to attend their iec
lures Let this be done, land those wicked cohtriou
tions to human knowledge which humanity would be
AL the better or for never knowing win cease and civ
ilization and religion longer dsgraced By deeds
which overshadow the barbarites OF the most savage
nations" .....
Austin Flint, r., the eminent psychologist, was called
upon by q TRIBUNE reporter recently, and asked
whether he would Ike TO give any description
OF his laboratory, what might be the manner
of conducting the work He answered that Mr..
Bergh's assertions made in the d.
rect face OF his contradictions Before
Mr. Bergh published his first letter, he wrote to Dr.
Flint concerning these physiological experimental Dr.
Flint letter courteously, and informed MI
Bereh positively that there foundation In fact
Mr. IA
Flint that he does not believe that told him the
truth and positively must decline to enter into any
controversy with Mr.. Bergh."
Though Dr. Flint declined to Justify his work, or in
any manner to contradict have anything to do with
Mr. Bereh's statements yet entered into some very
interesting talk concerning the abors OF physeloglst
Dr. Flint particularly spoke Of the views expressed by
Dr. John C. Dalton in regard to "Viviseebon."
These views OF DR.. Dalton, whose work upon physi-
ology the textbook in Harvard University and other
colleges when taken in answer TO Mr. Bergh contradict
his statements pontedy Dr. Flint said that he con
CURED with Dr. Dalton in regard 70 the subject MI
Bereh says: IL is maintained by the most eminent
psychologists OF the world that vvsecton IS not only
cruelty but scientific failure since the information
soughf 10 be obtained thereby is more attanable
while the body writing In agony than the correct
hour Of the day can be oy e CLOCK d rvs
accurate the results may be- the repetition
deplarabe bueheres is needless for the reason
that the knowledge thus acquired is already exhausted
and given the world In numerous learned treauses
rivang the anatomy of nature ITSELF Lheless bodies
furnish all the evidence necessary
Even though these living dssections were productive
Of that their advocates claim for theD IN the Ian
guage of learned writer this subject, mankind
have no right information thus acquired" The be-
nefceut Creator designed that immortal work
of hand should be thus tortured and dsgured even
my Informant, numerous races OF animals at times
90 be found within your operating premises ~ Various
with the Uranium removed and the brain taken out"
propose to offer for the consideration OF the public
ne
earned for themselves tbelotes pedestals In the Tenn
Die OF Fame, Conforming the practice of vivisecton'
Here follow short extracts from the works OF
eminent psychologists. Among them he quotes Cline,
eats that coleman declared that %he had blocked up
Hogndsditeh the result OF which was that he ascer
tanned they died for want OF air."
YET said Dr. Dalton, 100000 cattle were killed in
Buenos Ayres alone in 1865, the hides imported to
the United supply boots and shoes. Now If we
destroy such large number OF cattle to supply boots
and shoes it does not either reckless nor extrava
giant sacrifice comparatively small NUMBER OF oogs
and rabbits for acquisition Of knowledge which is to
benefit the human Thsis legitimate and praise
worthy object and experimental yivisectOn is
open TO the charge OF cruelty this account than the
dissection OF human bodies, for the study OF anatomy
As open to the charge Of sacriege and impiety.
In the next place, the method by experimenting upon
the living animal is capable Of being employed with
Judgment and pracccd with success. This has not al
WAYS been conceded it, and the objection is some
tunes made that h for various reasons uncertain and
falaoous and that IL is unlikely lead in any to
valuable results The most frequent form in which this
objection presents itself Is that operating upon the
living animal, violate and disturb the vital func
lions to such degree exhibit unnatural APP
earances and so lead to erroneous conclusions 1t is
said that the necessary steps Of the experimental
operatoH-the inoisOns, hgatures, mutilatons.
etc.-plaee the organs in an unnatural con
dton and interfere with the regular performance Of
their fupctonsso that they vtate the results OF the
experiment and render them worthless or deceptive
This objection however, is which certainly would
never be made by a practical experimenter, for the
reason that the difficulty to which it refers is always
present to his MIND and against which he guards
by uursmttng precautions. This is the first aud
simplest lesson which is learned by the experimental
physologs We might we'll object to the researches
OF the astronomer that the refractve power of the at
mosphere disors the rays Of light passing to his tee
scope and thus vitiates his observations Tho asron
mer is perfectly familiar with this refractive power
of the atmosphere He the mode OF its operation,
and makes allowance for it il his calculations.
q DR.. Dalton also says:
The objections urged against vvisecon are princl-
Is liable to uncertainty aud deception and third that
poin Of fact has not led 90 valuable results These
First. its cruelty. Tue injustice OF this charge
may be appreciated when we remember the ann aud
motive of all such experiments. Their object Is the I'M
prOyoment OF medical knowledge, and consequently
The relief OF human suffering and The cure of human
Diseases. Psychologists have sometimes been charged
with reckessness and disregard OF the lower creation
following out their passion for experiment. and il Is
said OF Of them that he deSrOyedn the course OF his
fife, fewer than 81 animals" with this object
II properly the aim of the psychologist TO
1nlct unnecessary suffering On the contrary II is de-
srable every account TO avoid doing No class Of
men be more the infictiOn OF suffering
Than the and naturasts who make the func
lions Of the animal organism their special
study and better qualified 70 Judge OF the
existence and degree OF sensbility III particular cases
Ii proper to rememberthat the great majority of cases
painful operation animals, for physiological ex
pertinent date from time anterior 10 the discovery OF