The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-04
DEFENSE Of VVISEGTIOH
Its Practice and Results Dis.
GuSsed By Sc entistS.
ABLE ARRAY OF ADVOCATES
Surgeon General Sternberg and Other
investigators Debated the Custom
Before the AnthrOpOIO2icaI Society
They Claimed That Science Owes
Its Advancement TO IL.

The 246th regular meeting OF the Anthro-
poiOgicaI Society was held in the assembly
room OF the Cosmos Club last night
1t was a field day OF the viviseetionists.
The anatomical principle so much decried
was ably defended by able scientific de
tenders.
Surgeon General George NJ. sternberg,
of the Army, was programmed TO speak on
''yivisectiOD, It's Objects and Results"
This announcement drew large number
OF people Interested in the subject. among
them one who is Interested in arresting
its further advancement, Mr.. Kennedy. OK
the anti-viviSeCtlon society, who listened
10 the main paper and the discussion fol-
lowing. taking notes the while.
Gen SterHberg began by a reference to
the advaucenento or knOwiedge being always
Necessary TO undergoing an experimental
stage. giving instances OF the worlds ad
verse opinion OF many OF the set principles
Of today.
GEN. sTERNBERG's ARGUMENTS
Some of the propositions he set forth
are:
The study Of the results of disease pro
CesSeS in the p0St-nOrtem room cannDt
settle questions relating to the etioIoey Of
disease, its mode OF transmission. II in
rectious its clinical history or its treat
ment. These are questions which concern
patient and physician, ard scientific medi-
cine depend upon their solution ~ scientific
methods. that is by experiment.
without doubt the progress OF medi
cine has been retarded by too great
reliance upon conclusions Cira wn from in
dividuaI observations, without submitting
these conclusions to the test OF experiment
Science not only demands an expert
mental demonstration, bat hesitaJes to
accept such a demonstration as conclusive
unless il has been verified by one or more
unpFejudiced Observers
Progress in the biological sciences calls
for experiments on living things The
term viviseetiOn originally related only
10 cutting operations upon living animals.
Its use has been extended by those who
have been led TO enter upon crusade
against experiments on living animals.
so that now it includes all experimentS
to which they are subjected
RETARDS SCIENCE.
Thus the injection OF bacteria under
the skin of a guinea pig becomes viyiseC
tion. 1t is by experiments Of this kind
that our knowledge OF disease germs has
been acquired. and without such expert
ments IL would be absolutely impossible 10
distinguish the harmless bacteria and the
deadly germs of tuberculosis, cholera, ty-
phoid fever pHerperaI fever. anthrax and
the like, which are now well known N
pathological laboratories
'sucn experiments have resulted in an
immense saving Of human life, yet the
observation-disclosures insist that they are
unjustifjable. and would enact measures
calculated to entirely arrest all profit
able research in this most important de-
pdrtment OF human knowledge
If there htld been no experiments on the
lower animals in the past, We would today
be in utter darkness and given over to vain
theories as regards the specific causes Of
the infectious diseases
ITS PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECT.
After Gen. Strrnberg discussions fol-
lowed. Dr. Frank Baker discussed the
pm ySiOlggjcal aspect of vivi>eCtiOn. be
ginning with HipPOCrates. showing the
system OF physiology taught by the anCieutS
as Illustrated hy the circulation Of blood.
anI tracing its history 90 the discovery OF
circulation by Harvey which was due 10
experimentation on animals. He explained
now functions ,cOuId Only be studied IN
living animals, as these conditions are
wanting after death.
DR.. Salmon, chief OF the bureau OF
animal industry, claimed that such dis
eases as pleurO-pneum0nia. hog cholera,
be studied by experiments on living ami
mails.
Mr.. Kennedy, Of the opposition" was
called on by Gen. Sternberg. He defined
the term OF viviScction as not to include
inOCulatiOn. He presented no argument
other than an appeal TO sentiment and
humane feelings
Dr. C. Wardwell Stiles. OF The Agri-
cultural Department, discussed the subject
from the standpoint OF comparative en-
tomology.