The sun., 1879-11-16

to prevent abuse. and TO insure an absolute
freedom from suffering on tho part OF the
sentlent subjects. Thus II Is ordered that
no experiment on living animals shall be
conducted as an illustration OF medical
lectures except under license from Sec
retary of State, which, moreover, must be
granted on certificate from some highly
qualified authority that the proposed exhi-
bition is Indispensable for due instruction.
1t is further provided that the subjects OF
the operation shall, during the whole OF the
experiment, be under the influence OF some
anesthctic Of sufficient power to annihilate
pain, and that they shall be killed before
they recover from such influence. Ger
tainly, these regulations seem to supply
every security against the reckless inilic-
tion OF suffering which could reasonably be
demanded
AS regards experiments undertaken in the
interest OF biological SCIENCE the English
statute seems to err, IL 1t err at all, on the
side of caution. OF course, such operations
are performed for one OF two ends-either
discovery or verifcation. 1t appears that
the British law countenances verincatory
tests, but only where there Is real uncer-
tanty, and it obliges the applicant to fur
nish certificate from unquestionable scien-
tiflc authority that such testing is absolutely
necessary for the effectual advancement OF
physiological knowledge. AS regards the
other and equally fruitful object Of vivisec-
ton, the act allows experiments with view
to the promotion by new discovery OF bio
logical science; but here, also, a certificate
Is required, and there is an awkward proviso
that the operations may be performed, not
directly for the enlargement by new discov-
cry OF physiological data, but for the pur-
pose OF testing a particular former discovery
alleged to have been made. 1t is claimed by
English Psychologists that these two clauses
practically amount to the same thing, and
reduce the function OF the investigator to
mere verfication; they declare, with the ut
most earnestness, that unless wider field
is opened to original research English sci
entists will be driven to carry on their labors
on the Continent. Here, then, as we have
said, the statute which is charged with lax
ity by the sentimeHtalists may be reason
ably accused OF excessive stringency.
Let us pass now to the provisions bearing
on the cases where experiments on animals
are made with the directly beneticent objects
OF extending the limits Of practical, surgical,
or medical treatment. For such a purpose,
the act tolerates vivisection under the infiu-
ence OF anesthetics, even where the nature
Of the inquiry requires the animals to be
kept alive after regaining consciousness.
Vivisect.on proper, however, practised with
view to disclosing or approving some new
form OF surgical operation, Is infrequent
compared to those experiments on animals
which are made for the purpose OF studying
the nature or action Of diseases and other
Injurious influences, with an eye to their
prevention or remedy. 1t is true that such
operations, depending on the administra-
tion of poisons or incubation with virus,
or exposure to disease, may involve, in
order to prove effective and instructive,
protracted misery, neither deadened with
an@sthetics nor shortened by death. The
immense benefits, however, which have re-
suited from this method OF investigation
cannot be ignored, and its employment
under the restrictions enforced in England
could not be abridged without q paralyzing
effect on remedial science.
According to the returns made under the
act up to June, 1873, only seven certificates
were given for the use OF experiments with
out an9sthetics, and only fifteen for dis
pensng with the obligation to kill the sub
iects before the recovery OF sensation. The
statistics for the past year show consider
able increase, but there is no evidence that
certificates are given or used without a sub
stantially beneficial object. In other words,
the British statute controlling vivisection
must be pronounced by impartial observers
to have worked well, and to only need
| amendment, If anywhere, through the re-
moval of some trammels on the progress OF
| original biological discovery. Would 1t not
| be judicious for those societies which advo-
cate a sweeping prohibition Of painful ex-
perments on sentient creatures to favor the
adoption OF reasonable regulations like those
enforced in England, and to watch over their
| faithful ayacutipn