, 1876-09-09

Tho rcccnt legislation In the English rarla.
mcnt m the custom of experimenting upon
animals for tho alleged advance nf Science has
called forth an extc,ldc.l defense of the practice
frum Dr.. B. W. Richardson. An abstract ot ls
argument Is glyctl In successive numbers nr
NntNrt, thu last one Ut which contains an Inter
estlng history Of tho tests by which the curative
properties OF nitritc OF amyf 'wers discovered.
ThlS substance, which, according to DR., l,icl.-
arflsun, "ls now ono OF the most useful agents
In the hands of tic physician, md, what is most
to tho pnrposc, Is ono Of tic n,ost useiul for
relieving the rruclcst mud ]Nuninlcst iltaentcs"
VIVA discovered by laasd thirty years ugo. II was
produced by the actfon Of nitrous ncid on nn,ylIc
plco..ol, and by the ob.crratnn ot Ileckhcr, iss
yapos, on bclnE Inhaled. was fonnd to induce hcal
ache. M further disclosures were nude respcct.
lug II until Prot. Guthrie, Of ths 1undun School OF
Mines, while dst[!1ng the rtritc, observed That
sr xaf M m AZ" sS s II ts
Thrru fac:s l,ulns luhl!slrt il was thnasht that
tic agent might psoye powerful ht|,nnl.n., aud
spectrum was, therefore, submitted g ltr, it!rhnrd
SUM- with the request ltlat he would Inquire tnip
4. pAy,s!unh!e1l a!Nl lhcsAprnt!cal .iopert!,e..
self and such h9E!ly Enthusiasts AZ were willing 10
rIt lts an'l health for The phnnthr9pic putp.se
human s,.tferinH. In Tic course. ot hie HxpcrI.
nrnts Jr. ltlelsaFtson snun found tho Mitrlte 100
onu III aSf1 Il Il. 70 e on s WIFI.
by lnhaag it; hence II was wl'ey determined
that futgru experiments m,ss la tried With .hc
loWsr y. nnl,na!s. Fsass. sninca ps', csts. uN!i
ntti,c nf anyl, lr. hIcar4ron Nnd !ts c.,taInr.
ntorn had Lee,l before. Had this means OF re-.
search fafied him: tIrn lhc loc1nr wpnla huye ccn
nhligrl 10 lny ',hI> nov yalnahEt trmehy asi.lc
udAcd to the aslnnry III practical medicine"
fhc hrst result " llia Inquiry was a., nsrnr.ncs
that ntititc u an,yl wn* n"t an anrsts'rtc. Thc
action ot The nttrte was directly 1I Ills Neryors
system; unl thai sach ue.mH. Transferred tn the
.an,cnts Of nerves surrounding tlls arteries. IaFa.
iyzcd the snro.Mtryrs, M which tbs heart innie.
dn,e|y Injected thu vessels, causing thu peculiar
rclncss of he akin aud lr other 'i,cnpn,tns that
Richardson Bslabll.hcl the fact that n,Tu nt amy
Was the must potent el"ln!eal HWh' th"t linh ever
Aner a.cestan.y 1t" thsrarcnltc4 puA.lto u ihis
trnciy. hc ech!tl hox II rl,ultl Gr.t Le allf!,,.
itse.sa By experiments t''ri upon h'nsrf.
logical properties u nEile II ainy'," a 1slnarks.
in nt'let 10 discover ~ place as neans IT cure
Of haMan nalai!cs. III lied spen. thirty ycat. IN.
'it Il ts H. sofy e Ss
Eas!ons Into The nnture u the A9ch Or. Klcllafl'
son further !ehaarls: 'Hrhe point want 10 keep
n lnl H. that the fss4lts a!te4y o5.ained ata thv
lIutt* VI experimental Inquiry. suod at iEt cute
uf the placa whrrc lhis msw remedy came from.
took ar.t asa VI, siciaM. frnln tho land Of ths
chrnist. ccisImincd it, plhce III medicine. Then
other 4en tUok II frRH me. aud c0nGFiued my cstl-
u!atc. Thus tho history Of th:s rcnicdy, Il mado
clear fron its bcgnnIag and 1t IN u.t jutt to say
that, or soHss One ctsa given to llke mcthod Ut
becn obtatnca tfou i had been lost. Whether tho
results sto worthy tho method. whether, for in.
teanua In frog i. wereantnbv In order 10 discoyas
4 plan by which tetanpS Induced IL laAa lX uatusal