New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-05
RRETAL SCIENTIFIC SPORT.

Viyisection has been claimed by many as one
of the most useful agencies in promoting the
progress of medical science. And so long as
it is conducted within reasonable lines and
practical objects are rigidly kept in view, those
practising 1t may be regarded as pursuing
useful investigations in the true scientific
spirit. But when its processes are irrational
and animals are tortured without the justifica-
ton of practical and useful ends those who
have recourse to it subject themselves to the
charge of wanton cruelty and barbarity. Some
recent experiments made by DR.. w. Gilman
Thompson, and reported upon by him in " The
New-York Medical Journal" seem to belong
in the latter category.
These experiments described as demon
strating the practicability of brain grating.
The attempt was made to prove that brain, as
well as skin, BONE muscle, glands, eyes or
nerves. can be transplanted and adapted to
physiological requirements of incorporation and
growth. Two dogs were trephined, small sec
tions of brain were cut out of each and then
exchanged. Total blindness resulted in the
eve opposite the lesion in each dog. On the
third day the dogs were killed, and the trans
planted brain sections were found to have
norma! appearance with indications OF adher-
ence of tissues. The experiment was repIted
on a cat and dog. The dogs fate is not
stated but the cat was made blind in one
eve. and when killed on the third day the tissue
transplanted was shown to adhere by layer
If fibrin TO the brain. similar pair were
onerated upon and corresponding results were
noted this time in the case of the dog. Then
a hutton of bone was cut out of another dogs
head and left so that it could be raised and
depressed like trap-door. A section 81 brain
was removed and replaced with SINH weight
of tissue from cats brain, the trephine open
ing being closed by the button. The dog was
very feeble for several days, but then made
fair recovery with the exception of loss of sight
AT the end of seven weeks the dog was killed
and the brain microscopically examined. The
transplanted section was found to adhere firm
" to the main tissue, but lines of degeneration
extended down into the dogs brain. The ex-
nerimenter processes to have demonstrated that
brain tissue has sufficient vitality to survive
for seven weeks the operation OF grating with
out wholly losing its identity and that while
there may be sympathetic degeneration on the
opposite side of the brain there. is complete
union of the tissues of animals of different
species.
These being the experiments and the results
it now remains to be determined whether the
processes of vivisection can be justified with
any standard of reason and common-sense. Let
| it be conceded that it has been proved that
dog can be kept alive, albeit with loss OF
sight. for seven weeks with a section Of cats
brain buttoned into hole made in his own
brain, and that degeneration of tissues while
inevitably taking place are remarkably slow
in development. What then? What has been
gained by all this trephining, brain-grafting
and animal torture? Is it of any practical
value to ascertain that dog will not die at
once but can be kept alive for seven weeks
with trap-door in his head and bit of cats
brain underneath? Is there the remotest pos
siblity that any application of this treatment
can ever be made to surgery? Can two human
beings ever be found outside OF an insane asy-
lum who will consent to exchange brain-grafts