New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09

opposition to experimentation on animals in con-
necton with scientific research is due to mis-
conception and lack Of knowledge of the meth
DDS employed and the value of results attained.
The statements usually made by persons op-
posed to vivisection are either gross exaggera-
lions or absolute Misrepresentation OF the real
facts; and in saying this l speak with fun
knowledge for many years l have been In
charge Of one more laboratories where larger
numbers of animals have been used for research
work than anywhere else in this country. Dur
ing all that time there have never been. to my
knowledge any such c;uelties Inflicted upon anil
mails as are described by Observation-Disclosures
Il doubt whether statements made are made
by persons who have ever seer any experiments
on animals. The purposes for which dumb AMI
mails are ordinarily employed for scientific IN
vestigation not such, as a rule. as involve
much suffering. and 1t seems unnecessary to
deny most OF the statements which have been
made
"Of the value OF the scientific results which
have come from such work too much cannot be
said. Practically all Of the advances in modern
medicine and in sanitary science are founded
upon the knowledge Obtained, in part at least
from animal experiments 1t becomes really
question as whether the lives OF human
beings are more or less valuable than the lives
Of the animals employed. None OF the great ad-
yances made through the discoveries in bacterl-
oIoyy could have been possible without resort
to experiments on animals. These have re-
suited In saving each year hundreds OF thou
sands OF human lives. In New-York CITY, TOT
example, there has been reduction in the uea'h
rate from diseases due to bacteria or nearly
two-thrds which means saving IN thlS Guy
alone Of more than fifteen hundred lives yearly.
In dphthoria alone, since the Introduction or
dinbtheria antitoxn. the discovery Of when
IL based solely and absolutely on animal expert
ments, there has been reduction OF over thlr-
teen hundred this year in the deaths over the
last year previous to its discovery. me anti
yiyisectionists like the Observation-Disclosures are
mis,ed by sympathy due to ignorance as 10 the
true methods.
.Tt has been repeatedly stated by scientific OBJ
servers In Great Britain that the small progress
rrade there as compared with Germany was due
largely II not entirely. to the restrictions placed
upon scientific investigation by existing anti
yiyisection laws. and while rapid advances nave
characterized scientific work In medicine in re-
cent years in this country, there would have been
fewer good results and much Of the progress
would have been impossible II such laws existed
here"
Institute said when he saw the statement made
nv the Baltimore Observation-Disclosures THE state
nent Is ridiculously perverted and know OF no
such operations rs described" AS to suffering
on the part Of animals under the knife OF the
yiyisectionst the doctor said certainly they
suffer and certainly pain is inflicted But II Is
not true that scientists wantonly inlet pam on
animals. There may be monsters who torture
men on the operating table. and there may be
equally cruel men who delight in giving anil
mails main. hut in my long experience | have
fortunately never seen such men. Painful oper-
atoms are frequently performed. but In all cases
where annsthetics may be used the animal Is
made unconscious and suffers no more pain than
the human patient on the operating table.
Many horses. dogs. rabbits and smaller ANIMALS
must be killed every year on account OF these
operations. but. on the other hand. millions Of
human lives are saved. TO take an animal from
its cage or box and cut its head open or perform
any other operation on 1t is disgusting atIair'
and those who think that do it for pleasure
are much mistaken. In some Instances, such as
where the nerves will come up for examination
later the animal may not be anRsthctized. and
the operation is painful but then we perform it
as quickly as possible and we do all We can 10
lessen the suffering Of the animal
"pastcur whose researches were made In
great measure by means OF experiments with
animals. was sensitive with regard to the suffer-
ings which it was necessary 10 inilict upon them
II would have been entirely impossible for him
to give a hypodermic injection. and. even in
cases where chloroform abolished all sensitive
ness one could hear him pity the poor little anil
NAL that uttered the least unconscious groan.
1t would be just to add that most Of those VINO
rave recourse to viyisection and resign them
selves to the marsh necessity Of provoking pain
in order To learn how to overcome its causes are