New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-19
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
VIVSECTION WORSE THAN USELESS.
ARGUMENTS oF PROMINENT MEN AGAINST TIL
PRACTICE.


PRACTICE.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The question to the justifabty and
utility of vivisecton is again coming prominently for
ward.
in the days Of Lord Palmcrston Mr.. Urquhart was
receiving deputation when one of the gentlemen
remarked that he did not quite agree with something
Mr.. Urquhart had said whercupon Mr.. Urquhar meta
phorcally Selling the man By the throat, demanded
How dare you question me. srl You here to
| learn not TO question"
When the opponents of vivisectlon (other than
expert physlolOgistsl asked 4" What do you know
abo.it tie mysteries Of physiology How dare you
say that vivlsecton is not only useless but positively
mislcadng'" they say, did Canon Wherefore a
few days ago in London 81 would not dare 70 do so
unless were able to I'LL my mouth with arguments
| coming from leading in their own profession
Thus the opponents OF vivisectlon in America hav-
Ing the moral support Of the abes and best surgeons
scientists and PSYCHOLOGISTS yet probably minority
las great minds less than ordinary ones,
unhesitatingy assert that not only has vivsectl0n
failed 10 enghten, but ii has even been prolific OF
error. one by one have been disputed and success
fully answered the great claims TO what vIvsection
has accomplished for mankind; that at the present
day those advocates Of tue practice that are at all
abreast Of the times are somewhat cautious in their
/ assertion Of It's benefits.
l might fill many columns with the testimony OF
the highest authorities, including many even OF the
lOItlONl NlNlACtiOl as 10 IT,
Your editorial, Brutal scientific SPORT IS pre-
csely TO the point. 1t would seem 10 require no
special education 10 know that to reason from
healthy mutilated dog 10 a diseased whole man -
utterly mscientnc. That il is misleading as well
is amply proved by experience.
Professor Lawson TAFT, c0nfcssedly the greatest OF
all Ovarotomi>tS, and perhaps the greatest living
surgeon. speaking Of Professor Humphreys claim That
d" the man who first employed the carbolic ngaturc
would never have venturcd upon it the human body
lad he not first carefully tried it on animals says
This is Just of the cases where vvi-ccuon mas
led Us astray. If the carbOc gaturc had never been
tried on animals where it 10 answer admirably
1t would never have been tried on human patients
where it fails miscrably and la, cost many lives
Professor Huxley, In reply to Mr. spcncers a7-ump-
ton that the practitioner would be Wei advised VINO
should treat ms patients by deductions from vivsecuon'
rather than 10y induction from the Oberved phenomena
Of ease ana Of the effect, OF mcdicncs, says Well
all can reply is. Heaven forbid that should ever n!i
into that practitioners hands! And If thought any
writing, o mine could afford the smallest prcteAt l3
tac amount Of manslaugAcr Il which tiI man "ou''
be guilty should be -refed lndc,Ti, o,,,. od
Indeed. tie leading v.v!sectpr, very gcncTaiy an
nit. with Claude bernard. that their hands are
empty" and that AT best vVlNccuoh j. an lhltIc'
and, occasion, pr0haoie pdst'mc. IL certain,
doe, not require one To- have very hsh opinion ~ W
hi, fellows 70 believe that u the truth were ueTp
known. society would Indignantly demand the I'M
mediate CESSATION of This crime probably moro
Icrcmptonly than IL prevents the p,tt} and. by
comparison with vivi,ccttOn unimpoFtant abuses oi
MANY years ago the late Henry Bcrph wrote me
that le believed vvierct.on f. exceed IN atrolly M
other form, Of cru"it' combined at the present ua'
'Thc general public has the impression that the
practice OF vlysccupl is confined rev ''dlht i.,l
II science hut ~ tie number ana CONTINUITY oi me
fortunes, Of tlc perpetual repetition ~ the same OK
pertinent. 4 the millions u ~ ak "tlou' c\aLs,r1
Inn. nj best absolutely useless. hat p"rp"t1llv d'rc
Of all these brauchc- Of vv7eoton the general pHbHc
yi,1cctidn is q failure stumbling block In the