The evening times., 1900-01-25
THE WAR ON vIvIsEcTIoN.
Arguments for the Bill Now Pending
in Congress.
To the Editor OF The Times:


To the Editor OF The Times:
thoughtful physician said to me re-
Gently: "A large part of the viyisection is
done, not by the doctors, but by biolo-
gists" At first thought this utterance
seemed to emphasize the humanity OF the
medical profession, but second thought
suggests itself which contradicts the irst
impression. Is the medical profession in
any measure relieved from fullest response
bility concerning the unwarrantable cruel
ties perpetrated in biological laboratories?
1t would seem not. In the journal OF the
American Medical Association" under date
of December %. 1899. the president OF the
association issued an appeal tdestined TO
reach perhaps 5000 medical mem, in
which he said referring to the bill for the
restriction of vivisection now before Con-
gress: Il take the opportunity of appeal
ing to the entire profession of the country
TO exert itself to the utmost to defeat this
most cruel and inhuman effort to promote
human and animal misery and death ana
10 restrict scientific research. IL is OF the
utmost Importance that every physician
who shall read this appeal shall Inn
mediately communicate especially EItn
the Senators from his State. shall
also invoke the aid of the Repre-
in his State. and by various personal
efforts shall aid in defeating this bill.
He added: 1T is especially requested
also that all of the national. State, and
county societies. at their next meeting,
take action looking toward the same end
If regular meetings are not soon 10 De
held, special meetings should be called.
Correspondence is invited from all those
who can give any aid.
In this appeal the sentiment of the en-
tire medical profession is We may infer.
clearly indicated by one chosen as their
present leader. word of explanation
for the benefit of those not familiar With
the restrictive bill in question which, as
one of its supporters says, Merely aims
TO impose decent restraints upon those
engaged in it (viviSection) and TO enable
the Government TO know precisely what
is being done"
Concerning this much-needed measure.
the late DR.. William A. Hammond. form
erly Surgeon General of the United states
Army. and for some years a practical ex-
perimenter, said: "It is admirable. 1t pro-
tects both the animal and.the human race,
and that is all that any reasonable person
can ask whether vivsectioniSt or anu
vivisectioniSt.
By this appeal from the President of the
American Medical Association, are we TO
infer that the general position Of the pro-
fession to which he belongs has been
clearly defined? II would indeed seem
that neither the biologist. nor the physl-
ologst. nor the physician. wishes TO aoate
by one jOt or one title the full, I'M
bridled license which in perfect secrecy
now holds uninterrupted sway. They have
defined their position, and the thousand
medical men in our own country, and a
still greater number on the Other SIDE OF
the water, have defined theirs by petition
for the total abolition of a system which
has been called Our meanest crime. and
which has been described by many men,
eminent both in medicine and surgery. as
unnecessary, cruel, brutal and mislead-
ing"
DIR. l.. f. Rauterberg, III communica-
ton dated so Fifth Street. Washington,
April IL. 1896. stated; 1T was my lot for
a number of years to be engaged in the
microscopical division of the Army Medi-
cal Museum and | practiced the most
inhuman and barbarous mutilatiOns of the
dumb animals under the supervision, and
with the sanction OF the United States
officer in charge" (The shameful cruel
ties he describes are hardly suitable for
the general TeaderD Those unnecessary
horrors" he adds practiced openly with
sanction Of the United States medical OH
GERS, make me think that stringent laws
are needed TO restrict such proceedings
1t is just such atrocities, secretly prac-
ticed. which the restrictive bill before
Congress aims at abating.
Just here it is not Inappropriate also TO
recall the words OF a well-knOwn physi-
clan: Unrestricted yivisection is dis
grace TO the country allowing It.. q. '.
New York ian %