The evening times., 1896-05-01
MEN INSTEAD OF BRU1fS
Anti-V -ViVisectionists Warned by
The Academy of Sciences.
HUMANS WILL BE VICTIMS
If the Work Is Interfered With the
Medical ENperimenters May Use
Their Patients for the Purpose of
Advancing the Science of Biology.
The Report to Congress.

The paper from the Academy OF Sciences,
on vivisection, in answer 10 the request hy
Senator Galiinger for report upon the
subject, has been presented to the Senate
and is signed ny President Wells ii. Gibbs.
The report says:
Biology is the science OF living organisms
and Tissues and must therefore advance 10y
means of observations and experiments on
living beings. One or its most important
branches, physiology, forms the foundation
upon which the science and practice OF
medicine are built up, since knowledge
OF the bodily functions in their normal state
is essential for the understanding and treat
ment of those arrangements OF Junction
which constitute disease.
The TACT that the pursuit of physical
and chemical phenomena. as manifested by
living Deiugs, makes II necessary That pnysi-
ology should he studied by experimental
methods. The physiocgist, no less taan
the physicist and chemist. can expect ad-
vancement of his science only as the re-
suit OF careful v Planned laboratory work.
..If this work is interrered with, medical
science VIII continue to advance
as heretofore, by means of experiment, Tor
no legislation can AFFECT the position OF
pnysioIogy as an experimental science, hut
there Will be this important difference that
the eXperimenters Will he medical practi-
tioners and the victims human beings.
A LAW OF NATURE.
That animals must suffer aud die for the
benefit of mankind is a la of na turc, from
which we cannot escape IL we would, and
as long as man claims dominion over the
brute creation and asserts his right TO
kill and mutilate animals in order to OBJ
tain food and clothing, and even for the
purposes OF adornment, ii is surely un-
reasonable to wage Il Humanitarian war
fare against the only kind or pain-girinS
practice that has Tor its object the re-
lief-of pain.
The death of an animal in a physi-
illogical LABORATORY is usually altenued
with less suffering than is associated with
so called natural death. for the discovery
OF anaesthetics has extended its beneIicent
influence over the lower animals as well
as over the human race, and In modern
laboratories anaesthctics are always EN-
ployed. except where the operation in-
wolves less suffering to the animal than
the administration of the anaesthetiC, as
In the case OF inOculation, or in those in
stances in which the anaesthetic wouldin
terfere with the object OF the experiment.
As an offset to this trifling amount OF
animal surfe ring are To be epiacedincalculable
benefits to the human race. From the time
when Aristotle first discovered the insensi-
bilty OF the brain TO the latest experiments
by which auti-tOXine have largely robbed
Giphthcria of its tcrrCrs, Utmost every i'm
portant advance in medicine has been the
direct or indirect result OF know ledge ac-
Quired through animal experimentation.
tbs, OF course, conceivable that persons
whose occupations lead them to sacrifice
animal life for scientific purposes may at
times pay too little regard to the suffering
inflicted, but the academy understands
that even those who advocate restrictive
legislation by Congress do not claim that
such abuses exist in the District of Co
lumbia, and until this evidence is presented
1t would seem to be wise to leave the regu-
lation OF research In the hands of the govern
ing bodies Of Institutions in which work is
going on.
The men engaged in this work are
actuatcd by motives no less human than
those which guide persons who desire this
TSaS r.fll tk,bx 49, .
experiment and the amount of suffering,
they are, owing to their special training,
much better able to judge
When men in charge of its higher insti-
tuuons or research, concludes the paper,
show themselves incapable and inhumane,
then, and not till then, Con gress should in
terfere.
THE MEDICAL SOCIETY.
The memorial from the District Medical
Society is signed by Drs. s. c. Buscy and
s. s. Adams}.a-aFesident and secretary.
DR.. Adams states that the memorial was
unanimously adopted.
The paper states that an effort is be-
ing made to pass a bill to prevent ex-
pcriments upon living animals.
In opposition the society unheSitatingly
asserts that without such experiments
there could be no scie utific biology and
medicine would have no scientific basis
knowledge OF physiology, toxicology and
the action of many important medicines has
been gained in that way. The position that
no valuable results have been attained
by experiments upon the lower animals
is classed with sensational nonsense.
By propaganda, originated in Eng
land twenty years ago, exaggerated ac-
counts OF cruelties have been used to work
upon well-meanng and eStimable but srS-
ccptible membe RS OF the community v q nd this
attempt to secure Interference with scien-
tific work has resulted.
No evidence of cruel and unnecessary
experiments here has been produced. Phy-
sicians and others aged in these in
vestigations as matter Of fact ha abituaIly
administer anaesthetics where pain worthy
OF consideration is involved. They are
humane persons and interfe renee with
their operations and the proposed espion-
age would he an uncalled-for reflection
upon the humanity of the profession Hy-
podermic injections, the vaccination Of q
calf and similar triflng operations are of
anaesthetics.
IL Is difficult to understand why this
mischievous attempt to restrict science
should be made while the hunter, fisherman
ana FARMER are permitted TO hold animals
In traps for days, to play the fish upou
the line and to perform painful ope ratinns
upon farm animals without anaesthefics.
The Lone Star Beneficial Association
will give their eighteenth annual excur-
sion to River View Oh Sunday next. The
steamer will leave her wharf, foot OF
Seventh street, at q. M, 2:45 and 6
D. m. The Lone Star excursions In the
past have alwa Us been most enjoyable, and
this year it Will be no exception to the
and grounds all day. and all who go on the
excursion are promised most enjoyable
time The members OF the association
have the tickets, which are >2b cents, on