The sun., 1909-02-25
YIVISECTIONISr IS GUARDED
COLUMBIA READY TO, S0UELCH
DEMONSTRATION BY ANTS,


Hut None Appeared to Bether Dr. Nathan
Oppenheim while He Tells OF the
Great service Experiments on AMI
mails Have Been Doctors Not Cruel
Evidently the ardor OF the anti-vivi-
sectionists who put an end TO DR.. Albert
Leffingwell's lecture at Columbia Uni
versity last week got soaked through with
the rain yesterday afternoon for none
OF the cult was present at the lecture de-
livered by DR.. Nathan Oppenheim on
animal Experimentation"
The university officials. however, had
few extra proctors stationed at the doors
OF Havemeyer Hall, where the lecture was
given, and in the room itself the superin-
tendent OF buildings and grounds and a
number Of professors were on hand,
apparently prepared to check any dis
turbance. The audience, which was not
overlarge, had good proportion OF under
graduates, who we're there 10 take hand
In the expected fun.
DR.. Oppenheim defended the practices
OF vivisection and pointed out Its great
service 10 humanity. 'In all the years that
I have seen these experiments, said DR..
Oppenheim. Il have not como across q
single case OF cruelty. have not seen
a single case where the animal operated
on had as hard time as IL would have had
had 1t been in its natural environment.
One can't per form an intricate and deli
cate surgical experiment on wretched.
struggling, painstrioken animal Again
one doesn't create unhappiness and misery
lust for excitement. It's not conceivable
that men who for generations have shown
themselves gentle and considerate In their
treatment OF human beings or in their
own families should suddenly become
cruel inhuman monsters and torture
living animals
Z; p Dr. sSs s1o th1Ts sssS
and those who have learned by actual
experience In the laboratory. He de.
scribed the effect upon himself OF his frst
animal experiment when he was q student
the subject being the heart action OF
living calf.
when saw that real pump said the
lecturer. my idea Of the heart Of living
being took on a totally different aspect
and ! can hardly estimate the vaf,ie OF
this on my own education and Its lateI
usefulness In nay practice. We have got
TO have these things shown 10 our puppy
dootors so as to develop physicians who
are able TO do these things and not wsndei
on into the clouds and mists OF theory
when called TO perform particular
operation.
There is mighty little question when
IL comes to q choice Of operating upon
deformed child and letting IL grow ur
20 misery. but II you haven't men trained
20 do the reliable thing you can't have
the operation performed A service Il
better than uselessness by 30 much ID
this point Of view on animal matexperfmenta.
ton better than pragmatic fussing and
sentimentahty.'
As examples OF the terrible suffering
that has been alieviated through the
use Of animal experimentation DR.. OPP.
penheim told Of the work which aided
In the stamping out Of the yellow fever
scourge and the discovery Of the causes
and growth Of other diseases at the coe'
Of few guinea pigs and rabbits. He
described q simple experiment upon q
COW which disclosed the cause Of the vast
ing disease Of my xedema 20 prevalent In
Switzerland. and he also told how Q few
pennies might now buy enough Of the
extract from the thyroid glands Of calves
slau ughtsred in the Chioaso stookyards
to cure the victims Of this terrible disease