Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-02-16
"ViViSECIiON IN AMERICA. "

Chicago Tribune: An article In the
Critic relates some of the siciicuin.
facts of the viviscction of animals as
that upon no ethical question of our
day Is there u more striking difference
of opinion than regarding the value or
the righteousness of experimentation
upon living animals" But lie has no
doubts on the subject. He says the
men who commit the atrocities of vici-
section In the name of science are. as
rule. not physicians or surgeons. Few
of them have ever practiced medicine
or surgery. They have spent their lives
within the narrow limits of the labori-
tory. engaged In their cruel work. The
more the true physician or surgeon sees
of suffering the more kindly he feels
for unfortunatcs, be they human or
brute. Hence he cannot approve of tho
acts of atrocious cruelty performed In
the name of science. The character Of
some of these cruclties IL Indicated oy
the following extract:
animals have been subjected 10
burning. baking. freezing; saturation
with intiammablc oil and then setting
on fire: starvation to death: skinning
alive: Harding the feet with nails;
crushing and tormcnting In every mag
Unable way. Won Lesser. Of
Germany. made q long series of expert
mcnts In scnldirg animals to death. lie
plunged dog for thirty seconds into
boiling water: he scalds another fonr
times. AT various intervals: even AMI.
mails which have Just passed through
the pangs of parturition do not escape
Chauycau 'conaccrated more
than eighty large animals, mostly
horses ana mules. worn out in the ser
vice of man. To almost the eNtremcs'
torture possible to conceive, not, as ht
expressly tells us, to solve any prob
lem In medical theory. but simply Il
see what degree of pain can he inil'ct
cd through irritation of the spina
cord"
| Apologists for viviscction may claim
tina, such acts Of cruelty are confined t.
the continent of Europe. but this II no
so. In Jersey City one Individual In
performed u series of hundred AM
forty-onc experiments. his object bcin
Ito produce the greatest amount of IN
jury" to the spinal cord and Its attach
mcnts without killing the animal O'i'
right. With this end In view he hobble
the limbs of Il great number of dog
and then dropped them from II heigl
Of twenty-five feet. This conduct IL III
tingly characterized by the BIRTHS
Medical Journal rs 1.-THE most wanto
and stupid cruelty we have ever see
chroniclcd under the gulse Of scicl
tile experiment" For some years pas
vlvisection In England has been great
restricted by law. and It ought to he =
In this country. While the practlc
may be allowed IN medical schools
should be restricted there ana prohi'
ltcd altogether In the colleges. l, ma
he u necessary preparation for the met
ical profession, but IL of no possibl
utility to the many thousands Of colleg
men who choose some other professlo
than that of medicine. The humane ~
cie,ics have accomplished much goo
ia the restriction Of these crucltlcs, 1T
there II still room for them To int
pose with great advantage to prevcl
needless suffering to thousands OF po,
brutes who are subjected to the MOI
severe torturcs. the least ignoble resll
of which Is the qualification OF an Id
curiosity.