The daily critic., 1890-08-09
GAVE UP VIWSECTION.
AN OBJECT LESSON WITH SAND-BAGS
FOR A FRESH YOUNG DOCTOR.
Terrible Experience OF an Investigating
Physician with an indignant Band
OF Masked citizens.
FLom IL C1Ienao -.

from the Cbit00o F0sf
Il was once vivisecionist but I re.
formed, or, if you medical gentlemen
who believe in It prefer the term, gave
it up several years ago and have no de
sire 10 resume my investigations, " re.
marked Dr. S. X. Wilson Of Kentucky
TO several fellow practitioners at the
Ricbelieu a few evenings ago.
while practicing ] lived Ia a New
England town / was young and zeal
ous 10 the cause, and II was not long
before every one within the limits Of the
county knew Of me as a man who tor
tured live animals to death, and what
little practice had lost in conse.
uuence. But | had some means, and
remained at the village until the occur
renee Of the episode which I am about
TO relate.
Il had been in receipt of many threat
eninC letters informing me that unless |
ceased my cruel pleasure ! would be
driven away. But at the letters
laughed, and to the remonstrances Of
the prominent citizens Of the village
turned a deaf ear.
zone pitch dark night, having occa-
sion TO visit the drug store, | was met
on my return by five stalwart individ
uals whose faces, owing to the dark
ness. ! could not see was asked If
my name was DIR. Wilson, and upon re-
plying in the affirmative was seized,
bound and flung into a wagon.
After a half hours ride we halted
by a big barn, inside of which I 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 a
moments silence one Of them In a dis
guised voice said
Or. Wilson, We have long heard
Of you as a vivisectionist. You pursue
your investigations in order, you say to
discover, by observing the suffering Of
one order Of animals (sufferings caused
by YOU the means for relieving another
order We think your reasoning
sound
1--WE are gang Of sand. .baggers
who make our living on the highway.
We do not wish to Kill, but we desire
to so silence our prey rs to enable us to
escape ere he shall be able to give the
alarm. To always do this neCessitates
a knowledge Of Just how hard a blow Is
required 10 relieve one Of his senses.
OF course we might learn in due
time from experience In our profession,
of which / might say we are new mem.
bers; but that would be unwise for two
reasons: We might At first hit so hard
rs TO kill or we might not hit hard
enough 10 knock our man seuseless,
and a light blow would only cause him
20 yell an alarm.
Neither risk do we care 10 take
So we have concluded 10 become, like
you, disciples of vivisection IN order
that We may be able 10 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 10 do Is to pound
you on the head with a sandbag-
gently at first, but gradually increas.
ing the strength Of the blows until you
have been knocked insensible
II gaZed az the group with feelings
Of terror" Dr. Wilson continued. II
did not believe them 10 be IN earnest.
But when each man drew from his
pocket a sandbag and took a position
within arms reach Of where | stood
trembling, l realized my danger and re-
monstrated, pleaded, begged, but to no
purpose"
What we do Is for the benefit Of
humanity, the spokesman replied with
a horrible grin As he did so he struck
an Ha hHaI NTH hfu aauATsaaa
hard enough 10 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.
Il screamed for help and in return
received a thump from the spokesman
and a heavier one from the second and
so on. / stood II until three rounds
had been made and then fell on my
knees and Immediately after received a
blow that knocked me senseless.
Whether ! was bit again ! do not
know, ! was revived by a bucket of
water being flung in my face. And
then, heavens! will / ever forget it,
was made 10 stand up while the five
repeated the experiment, In order, the
spokesman said, that the lesson might
be more firmly impressed upon me.
In vain / begged. | swOTe 20 re
BouEc my practice Of yiyiseetion, 10
leave town, but they laughed az me
and began 10 rain blows upon my head,
increasing their strength more slowly
than before, thus pTolonging my terrible
agony.
Unable 10 stand the pain fell on the
ground and feigued insensibility, but
one Of them, thTusting a lighted match
before my eyes, caused me 20 open
them, Wbereup0n down came the blows
again until once more ! was uucon-
scious.
This time when / came 10 l was
alone Day was breaking Pinned to
my coat was a paper on which was
printed in pencil You have sworn 10
TenounCe your deyilish work and 10
leave town. DO SO. And, 9 the doctor
concluded, II did so without a days
delay OF a feeling Of regret
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