Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-09
FOR VIVISECTION
Dr.. William Keen Makes Strong Plea
for observation-disclosures Letter
to Senator GaIlinger.

Philadelphia, Pa, Dec. S.-Dr. Will
liam w. Keen, the eminent surgeon Oh
this city, who was recently summoned
to Annapolis to perform an operation
on Midshipman Aiken to relieve him
of the effects of injuries sustained In
a foot ball game, attributes the sue
cess of his operation to knowledge
gained thru experiments in vivisection.
DR.. Keen has addressed letter set
ting forth the facts in the case to Sen
ator Gallinger, whom he regards as
one of the leaders of the anti-vivisec-
tionists in this country.
DR.. Keen in his letter says:
.I deem it my duty to call your at
tention to the case of Midshipman AK :
en-, of the United States Naval acad-
envy, who was recently injured In foot
ball game. My reason for doing SO is
to show you by single concrete ex-
ample that knowledge gained by AMI
NAL experimentation is an immense
boon to humanity, and that, therefore,
such experiments should be heartily
encouraged.
The facts Of Mr. Aiken's case are
as follows: When / first saw him three
days after the accident, found that
he had been unconscious for haii
hour after the accident, and ever since
then had complained bitterly of head
ache, which, which he located always
In the forehead. Soon after the acci-
dent he began to develop commissions.
In six hours and half after l saw
him he had twenty-four of these at
tacks, all limited to the right arm.
There was not fracture of the skull.
The only physical evidence of any in
Jury was a very slight bruise at the
outer end of the left eve brow. Had ]
seen the case before 1902 would have
been unable to see why the pains We're
chiefly manifested in the right arm. ]
would have been justified in inferring
that probably the front part OF his
brain was injured at the site at tn
bruise. Had I opened his skull at that
point, + would have found perfectly
normal brain and have missed the
clot. The young man therefore, would
have died whether his skull had been
opened or not.
'1n 1902 observe the difference. AS
a result Of knowledge derived from
experiments upon animals which have
located precisely the center for motion
of the right arm, reached the conclu-
sion that there had been rupture o.
a blood vessel within the head, and that
the situation of the clot should CORE
spond to the arm center Its position
was fixed absolutely as result of
experiments upon animals.
AS soon as the skull was opened at
this point the clot was found, it's thick
est point being exactly over the arm
center and the blood was removed with
the result that the patients life was
saved. This is only one of hundreds of
cases in which similar localization
has been made by many surgeons both
in Europe and America.
THE anti vivisectionists have fire.
quently been denied that surgeons have
learned anything from such expert :
ments.
Il state with the greatest positive
ness that without the knowledge de-
rived from experiments upon animals
which have demonstrated the facts OF
cerebral localization, 1 should never
have been able to locate the clot in Mr.
Aikens head and remove it.
I'm view therefore, of the evident
and positive benefit of such expert
ments, I trust that you will be willing
to desist from further efforts at such
repressive and, as 1 regard it, most in.
humane and cruel criticism"