The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-15
SENATOR GALLINGER 70 DIR. KEEN
Doubts That Midshipnian Atkins Life Was
Saved Through vtvtsectiOn.

WASHINGTON, Dec. l4.-Senator Calm ger
of New Hampshire has sent To DR. W. W
Keen Of Philadelphia communicat ion
in reply to the claims of the doctor that his
recent operation upon Midshipman Akin
10y which he reno we'd blood clot from his
brain and thereby saved his life, Is All W.
answerable argument in favor of vivisec-
ton. d.. Keen pointed out that had il
not been for information derived from
operations upon animals IL would never
have been known that Akin was dying
from pressure upon certain nerve centres
vivisectionist In his reply to DR.. Keen
he says
Are you sure. sir, that you saved the
life Of Midshipman Akin? Are not blood
clots on the brain frequently absorbed
by the processes OF nature. and lie 1t not
fact that In many such experiments death
has resulted before operation Your claim
that you located the blood clot because OF
experiments upon animals may OF may not
be true. as We have the highest possible
authority for believing that such expert
ments are oftentimes misleading and
absolutely without value. You are doubt
less we'll aware Of the tact that many dis
tinguished scientists have asserted that
experiments on animals in the matter of
localizing brain functions have led to moth
ing Of value. irasmuch as the human brain
Gihers immensely from that OF the highest
animals.
Prof. Ferrier has asserted that the
greatest disagreements ina inable' exist
among experienced Psychologists on that
point, adding 1t seems to me matter Of
essential importance that in geaeralizing
as TO the functions Of the cerebral hemi-
spheres we should be careful lest the
hypothesis we adopt however we'll Il may
seem to accord with the facts or expert
ments on one order Of aninals. should not
stand in fragrant contra6 elton 10 facts,
equally we'll established, obtained by ex.
periments OH others
sOn the general question OF the value OF
vivisection. which have never undertaken
70 interfere with, when humanely prac-
tised. it may be we'll for me to say that | am
fortified in my position by the opinions Of
many Of the leading SCIENTISTS Of the world,
including such well-known names "a that
Of the late lawson TAFT, the greatest ovari-
otomist Of the last century and by Sir Ben
jamin Ward Richardson, the distinguished
English physician. surgeon and scientist,
author Of a remarkable book on biological
Experimentation, who acknowledges him
self to be vivisertor, but who gives warn
ing to the professor that modern expert
mentation tends to unfit the physician for
the discharge Of his duties. summing up
his opinions in these words We're | again
to deliver a course Of physiological lectures
to qualified hearers, | should make the ex-
perimental demonstrations on living animals
es few and far between a. compatible with
duty They would be exceptional and pain
less from beginning to end
what have advocated Ia in precisely
that line and In support OF the contention
that, even II everything you claim in the
Akin case In true. students should be taught
the facts that you claim have been eetab.
lished precisely az they are taught the
theory OF the circulation Of the blood and
not through unnecessary torture on dumb
animals