New-York tribune., 1907-01-14
THE RECENT vIvIsECTIoN CASE.
Necessity of Regulating Laws Set Forth by
Medical Correspondent.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The first thought person has on reading
of recent account by Professor Watson Of the
horrible tortures he inflicted an animal is. how
does any dare to confess such cruelty to the
world? The second may well be, how could any
body Of civilized men listen to such story without
protest2 Or have indeed reached the pitiable
condition of no longer having bowels of compass
sion2
The whole sad tale proves, what has often been
shown before. that no man, matter how wise or
how learned. with safety be allowed work
his unrestraned Will any living thing
1t was freely argued in old slavery DAYS that no
would damage his own property. Yet we
know that more than one slave killed by his
master. If. then. could not be trusted with
such valuable property, SVhy should expect
man, urged on by a devourng egotism to try to
add the honor Of some little discovery his repu-
tation, and hidden in the safe Of his labo-
ratory, TO let humanity and right come between
him and poor, helpless beast, not able to defend
itself even by word OF remonstrance?
Without going into the question whether vivi-
section ever OF real use the necessity of at least
aH Having seen what liberty 70 torture does, both
first, vivisectfon should be entirely forbidden 10
tors stgqsn5 al because m they often
IN any case they can hardly have the learning and
experience 10 make their torturing of use IN an
wishing to vivisect should be forced to apply to
rgPey ms bo, 6oaTd Ior license In this
or ascertain, what method he will employ and
why he does not intend TO anaesthetics if this
last is the case.
Third. proper precautions should be enforced
as 10 the housing and feeding Of animals and their
INN ediate painless DESTRUCTION, Il manned.
That these limitations will satisfy kind
hearts is no doubt true But deny
the enforcing OF such law would be very much
better than the present state OF affairs? Terribls
TO think Of when consider how much is GER
tainly done, OF which only occasional whisper, as
IL the present case, escapes to the public ear.
All humane persons must be thankful for what
The Tribune and other influential papers have
IN regard to this case and there seems more hone
than ever before that such law might be passed.
There is still another view OF viviSection which
is very strongly held by that noble and clearhead
woman DR.. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first regular
woman graduate in medicine. She believes that
the continual sight of unrelieved and calmly in
hicted suffering has most damaging effect on the
minds of students. and she has spoken with horror
of some schools for women where the future moth
ers of our race were taught well known truths Of
physiology by this barbarous ana unnecessary
method.
Strange as It IS II seems fact that our advance
IN civilization IS attended by hardening, rather
than the reverse, OF finer sensbilitieS II this
is So is It not dorbly important that our young
people should not witness the most Internal tort
ures inflicted on beings that cannot remonstrate
defend themselves? s. B. c, NJ. D,
Seaford, Del, Jan y. 1907.