The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-27
THE ANTE.VIVISECTIONIsTs.
Statement IN BehaIf Of Those Nho Want
Only TO Prevent Unnecessary Pain.

To tbs EDITOR or THE SuS Sir, Tho
editorial In yesterday SIN. "Violcuco about
Niyisection. does 4 great injustice ~ many
public spirited men and women who are Al.
tempting TO stop the abuses which are prob
ably daily practised under the existing laas
OF the State. II may he that some ann.
viyisectionists carry their opposition TO the
practice Of yiyisection to an extreme, both IN
the measures which they urge 10 suppress,
vivIsection altogether and in their denuncia.
ton OF those who defend the eXi-tinS -.
a. adequate, but they are comparatiNeIv
few In number. The great majority NJ those
who for lack Of a better descriptive term
are rallied nti-viyisectionists desire only ~
regulate the practice ano make 'egutauou
effective, They are satisfied that Ni,iss.
ton IA being daily practised In the mpit
cal schools and laboratories upon dogs AMI
cats without the slightest attempt IN sn,o
the animals from unnecessary pain The
effect Of these s~o-Called experiments il iu
eyitably TO brutalize The men who perform
them, TO make them insensible IN animal
suffering. and from that insensibilty To human
suffering IA only a step.
Many Of the entirely respectable and con.
scientlous physicians who in large number
defend the present laws are ignorant NJ tho
great c%ruelties which are praCtised aud lor
hapS do not care enough shout prcyeutruf
them TO inform themselves. With them the
frst consideration is theoretically he advance
ment Of medical science. Some or the most
eminent among them have themselves he
tome absolutely Indifferent 10 the unnece'.
'sry torture which they infict. For exam.
pie, within 4 faw days the following iuclden,
has rome to me. 30 well authenticated hv
persons so credible and reliable in judgment
that TO disbelieye II Is impossible. 4 Young
man OF about twenty five, the son Of wealthy
parents. Of most excellent habits. well ehu.
Gated, a young gentleman in every way, NaS.
as he still il. suffering from 4 severe disorder
Of the heart and nerves. An eminent physi-
cian who deyotes much Of his time 10 medical
research and experiment. as well known In
his profession as any in the city. and a tela.
tive Of the young man. took the latter into
his laboratory for purposes OF examination.
The physician took from q convenient cage
a live rabbit, injected into It's veins some
chemical which acts upon the heart. After a
living rabbit" and held II In his hand to oh
serve the effect. This was done TO test tho
young mans nerve. | do not wish 10 char
acterise the experiment. Its details will he
recognized by several persons who have be-.
come acquainted with II, who think as ! do
that il was an act Of unjustihable cruelty TO
the animal and TO the young man.
Acts OF cruelty perpetrated unnecessarily
and wantonly recoil upon the perpetrators
by debasing their characters. IL Is conceded
that som regulation Of vivisection is neces.
saryi " 80, that regulation should be effective,
else II rs not regulation, but license. | should
not wish regulation to be by such practi.
tioners Is ] have referredto above.
The objection to the existing law IL the
difficulty OF obtaining evidence. Both phys.
clans and students practise their experl.
ments OF vivisection behind locked doors,
through which access by others is i'm possible.
They keep each others secrets. and only tho
j%anitors. who remove the ofal, knoT WHIST
cruelties that are practiSed. Do you not
think that such practices should be stopped
and that vivisection should he ehectually
regulated 80 as TO be performed only -
those licensed TO do II, and under srCh e;
cumstances that proof OF violation Of tNe
law can be easily obtained and the violates
be severely punlshed7
The English law is not satisfactory in the
respect that the observance Of the law is ~.
cal profession itself to prevent violations
This defect has been very clearly eInps,d
In a recent Parliamentary inquiry, and %.
as you suggest, our State Legislature should
consider the English law for the purpose Of
improving our own, this fatal defect IN II
should be recoRnized and cured. II is not the
purpose Of this letter 20 state specifically
just what the Legislature should do, but 10
ask you to be Just toward the efforts of q con.
to abolish yivisection, who do aim TO rePu.
late i. but believe that regulation should be
effective. WILLIAM A. JENNER
INV York. March 2e.