The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-09-03
AN OBJECT LESSON.

HOW Doctor was Persuaded Never to
Practice VivfsectIon Again.
81 was once vivisectionist, but re-
formed, or, if you medical gentlemen
who believe in it prefer the term,
gave it up several years ago and have
had no desire to resume my investiga'
Kentucky, to several fellow practition-
ers at the Richelieu a few evenings ago.
while practicing lived in a New En-.
gland town. | was young and jealous
in the cause, and it was not long before
every one within the limits of the coun.
ty knew Of me as man who tortured
live animals to death and what little
practice / had l lost in consequence.
But had some means and remained at
the village until the episode which /
am about to relate. 1 had been in re-
ceipt of many threatening letters in
forming me unless | ceased my cruel
pleasures would be driven away. But
at the letters laughed, and to the re.
monstrances of the prominent citizens
of the village turned deaf ear. One
pitch-dark night, having occasion to
visit the drug store, was met on my re-
turn by five stalwart individuals whose
faces, owing to the darkness, could not
see. was asked if my name was DR..
Wilson, and upon replying in the af-
frmative was seized, bound and flung
into wagon. After half hours ride
we halted by big barn, inside which
was carried. A couple of lanterns were
lit, under one OF which was stood,
while under the other my captors, now
masked, grouped themselves. After
moments silence, one Of them, in dis
guised voice, said: Dr. Wilson, we
have long heard of you as vivisection.
ist. You pursue your investigation in
order, you say, to discover, by observ.
ing the suffering of one order of ami
mails (sufferings caused by you), the
means for relieving another order. We
think your reasoning sound. We are
gang of sand-baggers who make our liv-
ing on the highway. We do not wish to
kill, but we desire to so silence our
prey as to enable us to escape ere he
shall be able to give the alarm. To al
ways do this necessitates a knowl-
edge of just how hard o blow
is required to relieve one OF
his senses. OF course, we might learn
in due time from experience in our pro-
fession, of which / might say we are
new members; but that would be un-
wise for two reasons: We might at first
hit so hard as to kill, or we might not
hit hard enough to knock our man
senseless, and a light blow would only
cause him to yell an alarm. Neither
risk do we care to take. So we have
concluded to become, like you, desci-
pies of vivisection in order that we may
be able to save the lives of others and
preserve ourselves from capture at the
same time. We believe that you Will
appreciate our worthy purpose and in
behalf of humanity make no resistance
though, were you to do so. no good
would result, for we are far from any
house. What we intend to do is to
pound you on the head with sand-bag
gently at first, but gradually increas-
ing the strength of the blows until you
have been knocked insensible.'
II gazed at the group with feelings OF
terror" DR.. Wilson continued II did
not believe them to be in earnest But
when each man drew from his pocket
sand-bag and took position within
arms reach of where | stood trem bling,
/ realized my danger and demonstrated,
pleaded, begged, but to no purpose.
"What we do is for the benefit of hu-
panity, the spokesman replied, with
horrible grin. AS he did so he struck
me on the head with mis- sand-ba hard
enough to break my hat. The man
next him struck me hard enough to
make me vince, the next a little harder,
the next still harder, while the fifth
struck me so hard my teeth ratified. 1
screamed for help and in return re-
ceiyed thump from the spokesman
and heavier one from the second and so
on. stood it until three rounds had
been made and then fell on my knees
and Immediately after received blow
that knocked me senseIess. Whether
was hit again 1 do not know. was
revived by a bucketof water being flung
in my face. And then. heavens! will
ever forget it? l was made to stand
uD while the five repeated the expert
ment in order, the spokesman said,
that the lesson might be more firmly
impressed upon them. In vain /
begged. | swore to renounce my prac-
tice OF vivisection, to leave town, but
they laughed at me and began to rain
blows upon my head, increasing their
strength more slowly than before, thus
prolonging my terrible agony. Unable
to stand the pain, l fell on the ground
and feigned insensibility, but one of
them thrusting lighted match before
my eyes caused me to open them,
whereupon down came the blows again
until once more l was unconscious.
This time when came to l was alone.
Day was breaking. Pinned to nv coat
was a paper, on which was printed in
pencil: You have sworn to renounce
your devilish work and to leave town.
Do so.' And" the doctor concluded, 81
did so without a days delay or feeling
of regret. Chicago Evening Post.
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