The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-15

! first been quilted with long thin nails"
animals are moved about. racked with
torment, torn and twisted, crushed and
lacerated. hour by hour. until crucif1ed
nature could no longer endure and
death comes as a tardy release. The
experimenter says I can take an ear,
a paw, or bit of skin of the animal
and by turning the handle squeeze it
beneath the teeth of the pincers; l can
lift the animal by the suffering part;
I can tear it or crush it in all sorts of
ways" and he adds that these expert
mcnts are repeated day after day with
much delight and extreme patience for
the space OF a year
If, sir to attempt to prevent such
barbarous practices brings me under
your condemnation, l am willing to
have the case submitted to the judg-
ment Of the American people.
, Are you sure. sir, that you saved"
! the life of Nidsaipnan Aiken? Are rot
blood clots frequently absorbed by the
process of nature? And is it not fact
that in many such experiments death
has resulted because of the operation?
Your claim that you located the blood
C4ti DCGduSS Ol CA pei 4llSlSAS OE'ptA
animals may or may not be true, as we
have the highest possible authority for
believing that such experiments are
oftentines misleading and absolutely
without value. You are doubtless we'll
aware of the fact that many distin-
guished scientists have asserted that
experiments ON animals in the matter
of locating brain functions have led to
nothing OF value, inasmuCh as the hu-
man brain differs immensely from that
Of the highest animals. Professor Fer
rier has asserted that the greatst dis
agreements imaginable" exist among
experimental .physiologists on that
point, adding: 1t seems to me mat
ter of essential Importance that in gen
eraiizing as to the functions Of the Ger
ebral hemispheres We should be care
full less the hypothesis we adopt, how
ever we'll it may seem to accord with
the facts Of experiment on the order of
animals, should not stand in fragrant
contradiction to facts, equally we'll es-
tabnshed, obtained by experiments on
Others
On the general question of the value
of yivisection, which have never un-
dertallen to interfere with, when hu-
namely practiced, it may be we'll for me
to say that I am fortified in my position
by the opinions of many of the leading
scientists of the world, including such
we'll known names as that of the late
Lawson TAFT, the greatest ovariotomist
Of the last century. and by Sir Benja-
min Ward Richardson, the distinguish
ed English physician, surgeon and sci
enlist, author of a remarkable book on
Biological Experimentation, who ac-
knoUledges himself to be a Vivisector,
but who gives warning to the profess
sion that modern experimentation tends
to unfit the physician for the discharge
of his duties summing up his opinion
in these words: Were l again to de-
liver course of physiological lectures
to qualified hearers l should make the
experimental demonstration of living
animals as few and far between as are
compatible with duty. They would be
exceptional and painless from begin
ming to end"
What I have advocated is in precise
Iy that line and in support of the con-
tention that, If everything you claim in
the Aiken case is true, students should
be taught the facts that you claim have
been established precisely as they are
taught the theory of the circulation of
the blood, and not through unnecessary
torture on dumb animals.
have the honor to be,
Very respectfully yours,
T. H. Gallinger.
To w. W. Keen, Philadelphia, Pa.