New-York tribune., 1908-12-26
LETTERS TO THEEDITOR
TIVTSECTION AGAIN.
attitude of Society for Prevention Of
abuse Defined bg Counsel.
To The Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: A letter appearing in the newspapers signed
by Frank Van Fleet. in behalf OF the Medical So
ciaty OF the State Of New York s direct and
unfair attack BY upon the Society for
the Prevention Of Abuse IN Animal Experimental
ton. Of which have the honor TO be counsel
II begins by deliberately confusing this society.
which is endeavoring to law protecting
legitimate vivisectiou in the hands Of scientific
men. and merely preventing its abuse with So
cietv Of practical NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." who are
opposed TO almost all work OF the kind
The letter states society constantly re
hearses misleading statements when We car easily
inform ourselves Of existing Conditions We deny
the chsrEe-our statements are all well authenti-
Gated The fact is. however, that the almost tnsi-
perable obstructions which Or. Van Fleet or his
associates in vivisection have placed in the way
OF the disclosure to the public Of any dennfte or
clear idea OF what they are doing TO protect AMI
guarded laboratories is Of the principal reasons
for the existence Of this society
DR.. Van Fleet ard his associates must know that
# is as difficult for any one In search Of Informs
ton as TO existing conditions TO gain admit
lance to-day into these laboratories where vvisec-
ton is performed II would be for them 70 enter
the vault OF the United States Treasury the
Bank of England Secrecy seems 70 have become
the principal law recognized by vivisectors. and
this secrecy easily explains the decrease IN re-
ported cases Of cruelty
We insist and prepared to prove by the pest
legal authorities in this state the practice OF
I
ncorn petent or ignorant daboier who claims 20 De
doing vivisection work as 10 the most fearneo or
expert scientist in the land We challenge the
learned physician who wrote this letter to pro-
duce any law which requires the use OF anesthet-
les. in the most painful OF vivisection opera
which limits the practice OF vtvtsection IN
this state to the expert or competent practitioner
VIII the learned medical gentleman also answer
the following questions bearing directly upon ex-
i<IiRz conditions
L. How can legitimate scientific work by COM
petent men be injured by p Law which viii unit
all vivisection to competent men?
?. How legitimate scientific work be injured
by law which viii compel the use Of anesthetics
in all cases where the success OF the experiment
does not make the use Of an#sthetes tmprac-
ticsble?
} II our proposed legislation does not fully pro
tect legitimate scientific work, why do not these
learned gentlemen who opposed accept our OFT
repeated invitation and suggest some amendment
which will fully protect scientific research
ws hail this letter because it shows that these
medical gentlemen at last forced Heasurahly
into the open Perhaps the writer Will now an
swer of the above questions, which We have
asked before.
Dr. Van Fleets letter closes with the following
threat: That restrictive laws pertaining to this
subject are introduced into the Legislature This
winter the Medical Society of the State or New
York will oppose them Here IL frank aVoVai-
which ws are only too grateful TO receive as a
proof that our patient work OF gears has at last
this medical society to open its lips
and to that IL will oppose all restrictive
laws pertaining this subject-that Is 70 say II
as the policy of this great society that
all physicians or vfvtsectors competent or inconl-
petent shall be for all time a law unto them
selves and all legal restriction in vivisecton
work.
Seven hundred members OF the medical pro-
fessson. many Of them members Of this very
Medical Society Of the State OF New York. have
already expressed to US their appreciation Of the
necessity OF restrictive legislation upon this sub
iect and their approval of the law which We
offered last winter the Legislature. and propose
10 offer again this year
The threat oS the Medical Society of the state OF
New York will neither muzze nor terrorize these
who believe that some restriction should Be placed
even upon the medical fraternity in this practice
which involves the possibility Of such enormous
cruelty. The answer TO the threat will be found
In the action OF the Legislature The position
a ken by the Society for the Prevention OF Abuse
n Animal Experimentation Is the position taken
ov Herbert Spencer. the greatest OF English
scientists. when in 1898 he said;
We believe that the common interest OF hu-
nznity and science demands that vivisection. IKE
the study OF the human anatomy in the dissectins
-oon1 should be brought under the direct super
vision and control Of the state. The practice.
whether in public IN private. should be re-
tricted by to certain definite objects. and
'ounded by every possible safeguard against Il |
,ense or abuse
The time we think has gone by when any So
,ietv, even one which wieIds such tremendous |
political power are we'll aware is welded |
" the Medical Society OF the State of New York !
an. with threat and tissue OF misleading state
nents silence the voice Of the people Of the state
2. P BELLAMY.
-ounseI for the Society for the Prevention OF 1
Abuse in Animal Experimentation
New York City, Dec q. 1903