The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-28
Voice Of the People
On vivise.ction,,.

On vivise elton.
Editor OF Tho Times Dispatch:
sir.---As you remark In your edttorla,
uron "Vivisectiori." statistics are not
reliable arguments. Are they not, how.
over, as effective weapons in disproy-
ms statements as In proving them?
Do not the upholders OF vlvisection
rely upon them in their rather vague
assertion that the practice has saved
many hundreds OF human Ives? In
the matter OF viviscction, the editor OF
The Times-Dispatch has divorced util-
ity from morals, whereas the history
OF the human race has demonstrated
that in the long results Utility has
no permanent basis except the moral
law. In the schools OF Alexandria. as
we'll as in those or the Middle Ages,
vivlsection was practiced extensively
Professor Andreozzi show that In Italy
between the years OF 1916 and 1870,
thirteen criminals were sent to Pisa
By the Tuscan government to be vivl-
sected. Since the English vivisector,
Professor Rutherford. declares, ."The
experiment must also be tried Upon
man before q conclusion can be drawn
surely the Tuscan government was act
Ing in obedience to the demands or
utility.
Yet the moral law triumpned, and TO-.
day we condemn practice which was
considered necessary by the profession
OF medicine at that period.
How an experiment like that per-
City. upon 141 dogs can be Justified
either by the law of utility or the law
Of morality 1t is difficult to conceive.
In a review OF his pamphlet describ.
Ing this experiment In detail. the Brit.
ish Medical Journal remarks: Apart
from the utterly useless nature OF the
observation as far as regards human
surgery or pathology. there Is cal
lous Indifference shown In the descrip.
ton Of the sufferings OF the poor brutes
which is positively revolving. We can.
not but feel ashamed Of the work as
Undertaken by member OF our profess
SION"
Yet no American medical journal had
a word Of condemnation for this afro.
city.
For other cases Of appalling cruelty.
see An Experimental Research into
Surgical Shock" by George w. Grille.
A. NJ. NJ. D.. Phi. D., Philadelphia. Gan
Experimental Study In Circular suture
OF the Intestines," by Dr.. w. s. Halstel,
or New York international journal OF
the Medical sciences), Cover thirty dogs
experimental on); Journal OF Expert.
mental Medicine, January. 1908: Reports
from Rockefeller Institute; The Journal
OF Physiology, November. 1897; Expert
ments by G. N. Stewart, NJ. A.. NJ. D..
Western Reserve University, Cleveland,
O.; Journal of Experimental Medicine.
w. T. Howard, Jr.. Western Reserve
University. Cleveland, and countless
others OF earlier or later date.
However, the profession embraces
men of profound moral sponsibility,
as well as intellectual acumen.
There can be no doubt that in this
relation there exists a case Of cruelty
to animals far transcending In it's re-
fnement and In its horror anything
that has been known in the history of
nations. There Will come time when
tho world will look back to modern
vivisection in the name Of science as It
row does to burning at the stake in
the name OF religion.'-The late Henry
j. Bigelow, NJ. D., professor OF surgery
IN Harvard University; surgeon OF the
Massachusetts, General Hospital.
Il am without words to express my
horror of vivisection, though have
been teacher of anatomy and surgery
for thirty years. 1t serves no purpose
that is not better served In other man
ners."-The late Professor James E.
Garretson. senior professor Of surgery,
AIedico- Chirurgical College, Philadel-
phia.
II urge against viviscction the SIR ong
est argument that 1t has proved useless
and misleading; that in the interest of
true science its employment should be
stopped SO that the energy and Skill OF
scientific investigation should be d.
rected into better and safer channels
Lawson TAFT, NJ D., F. X. c. S., LII. D.
MANY years ago carried out on the
continent sundry operations upon the
intestines of dogs, but such are the
differences between the human and ca
nine bowel that when came to operate
upon man I found I was much ham
pcred by my new experiences; that l had
every thing to unlearn. and that my
experience had done little but unfit me
to deal with the human intestine.".-
Frederick Treves, F. r. c. S. Formerly
surgeon extraordinary to Her Majesty
the Queen, and surgeon in ordinary to
the Duke of York;; consulting surgeon
London Hospital.
Before the Royal Commission, West
minister. London: "Healy Morris, presi-
dent Of the College of Surgeons, and a
very noted operator in the diseases OF
the Kidneys, admits that he never per-
formed any vivisection, and that the
excelsior OF that organ was done In the
time OF Hippocrates. This negatives
the claim put forth in behalf Of certain
very CRUEL experiments on dogs at
Brown Institute as having advanced
surgical science."-From a lecture by
DR.. Herbert snowe CAST winter. late
senior surgeon in Cancer Hospital. Lon
don.
II am convinced that whatever Is bad
erroneous. narrow minded or bad.
hearted In my profession has some root
drawing evil nourishment from the
v!visection school"-Dr. Garth Wilkin.
son (London).
FAIR PLAY. +
Richmond, Va, April rs, 1908.
Advice.
scuse me, won't YOU, Mister Taft,
While I tell you that raft
OF our people are protesting yot
should be
|Takin' twelve thousand q year,