New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-04

be sccn in certain yindictlxo ASSAULTS In inc
medical Journals of last month. "ldiocy, I'M
"pu,lent Ignorance, silly scntimentalism, false
"bigotry,r etc, etc, are some OF the terms
which they lavish on I" Mr.. Bcrgh and his
"friends." II ~ to be hoped that their disco
lions of dogs and frogs are conducted moro
calmly and tempered with more mercy than
their manging of the amiablc old ladies' VINO
have been so FAR their most active opponents
in this country.
In England. however, the opposition TO yivi-
section assumes different position and force
Ii includes, of course, many gushing ho"-
reasoners of both sexes, who declare that men
have no moral right 60 inflict any pam on the
brute creation, for any purpose Whatever
certain enthusiastic gentlemen protesting thelr
readiness to die of any disease rather than ''lat
the remedy should be discovered through tor
turc of an animal, usually Strengthening their
argument by anecdotes of the intelligence OF a
fayoiite dog OF cat. Besides these emotional
souls, there il large body OF DIRECTORS, inciud-
ing physicians of high standing, who act the
matter in different light from the physlo!o-
gists. They assert that while viviSccti0n mas
TO n certain extent been useful to science, It's
importance has been greatly exaggerated tiNt
tho expcriment, could, in the majority OF cases,
have been tried on actual patients or dead
animals; and that it has been carried to hor-
rible and unnecessary extremes, not only ny
Magendie, Btclard, etc, by the Italian path
ologists, and in the infamous veterinary schools
at Lyons and Abort, but even III England.
Experiments, they state, are not as the physi-
clans alcge, made only by skillful men for
actual purposes Of discovery, but countless
dumb brutes are given to every tyr0
to try hi. prentice hand in butchery, by re-
producing every exploded mode OF operation
and proving every principle established Tor
two hundred years. The fortunes inflicted arc
incredible, from the statements of the physi-
ologists themselves-PrOf Schl's Guinea pigs,
for example, that "after particular lesion OF
" the brain were left to twist like corkscrew
"for hours. days, or weeks" Humane and
sllillful operators declare that. when possible,
anrsthetcs are administered but III the great
schools in Lcndon this is rarely done, and the
students amuse themselves by mimlcking the
cries of the dying creatures under their hands.
Such practice, its opponents contend, Is not only
cruel to the dogs, but debasing to the young
men, and renders them totally unfit for the
humane pIOIPSSlOH tiity HdhC Shoo'"'
Outsiders of course, can only look on In this
dispute and be annoyed or rather ashamed at
the unseemly rage of both parties. Who shall
decide when doctors and philanthropists de-
clare each other idiots and brutcsf Time,
perhaps, as in every other quarrel, may bring
each party in cooler mood half way over to
the other side. The good souls who hug their
pet dogs 40 closely may be induced 10 see the
absolute necessity for the sacrifice OF few to
the r,duirements of real science; and the
Jealous, humane patholOgist who p,lrsues his
experiments for high and worthy purpose
may open his eyes to the fact that there is
vast difference between himself aud the hordes
of Bob Sawyers and Ben Aliens. who bear the
same relation to men of science that butcher
does to the high priest who laid the slain
lamb upon the sacritcial altar, and admit that
it i, high time legal restrictions should compel
them to that deccncy and humanity which their
own natures do not suggest.