Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-14
: Vivisecton as an Alternative for Condemned Criminals
Professor Belle yes
Many Would Prefer
the Knife to the
Moose, to the Benefit
of Surgical Science.

IVISECTTON is the alternative which
" Chancellor f. Benjamin Andrews, OF
- the Nebraska State University, would
lkzScMl offer to condemned criminals. He ad-
vocates such a course in the interests
of medical and surgical science believing that the
result would be for the good of humanity. Should
convicts thus submitted to the knife of the eX
detrimental surgeon survive the ordeal they
would be given their freedom. The chance OF
survival Andrews believes, would induce many
condemned men to take their chances rather
than go to the gallows.
Many of the problems Of medical science re-
ouire the use of live subjects he points out, and
in no way can they be secured under the pres
eut system. Even when animals of the lower
order are used much protest is heard. No hu
man being could be permitted to volunteer un.
der ordinary circumstances, but a person whose
life is claimed by the law he believes, could be
permitted to accept an alternative which might
offer him a chance to live.
There are many physiological and biological
problems awaiting solution and on the result
will depend progress in the curative arts.
"A body used in that way says the Chan.
cellor, "night easily produce benefit to the race
compared with which that of a soldiers death in
battle would seem trifng. 1t is fact that no
further progress in surgical or medical science
can be made through the study of the human
cadaver. All advance in anatomy and physiology
for the advancement Of medicine and surgery for
the prevention of disease. pain and death, must
come from vivisection. One of the most useful
services to humanity which live human body
could perform would be to allow its use for pur-
poses of experimentation, under anesthesia or
otherwise.
CRIMINALS WOULD SUBMIT VOLUN
TARILY.
Gone would not go so far as to wish hardened
murderers under condemnation forced against
their wills to science in that way; but,
they might submit in many instances rather
than face the certain fate of the or the
electric chair The law demands the life of the
condemned and the sole purpose of the exc.
clitioner is to take it eXpeditiously posi-
BILE. The object of the surgical eNperimentahsts
would he to attain the great benefits for science
and would not necessarily mean the extinction
of life 1t is probable that the experiment could
best be made of advantage to society in general
through observation during the process of cxper
imentation, followed by the application of the
methods of surgery and medicine for the preser
vation Of life in the wounded body.
"The law could make provision that the CON
vict surrendering himself for the benefit Of sci
ence should have the advantage of every safe.
euaru 1or MS protection CohsondnV Win the sue
cess of the experiment. Under such conditions
it would seem fair to commute the death sen.
tence of an incorrigbe murderer. Society would
receive the benefit of the additional knowledge
thus secured and all the deterrent effect Of the
death penalty would be secured.
"A medical publication in a recent issue re
minds us that there are precedents for such
course. Herophilus, of Alexandria, used in the
fourth century before Christ to dissect living
criminals sent him for that purpose by the off
GERS of the State, who were eager to advance