The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-01
VIVISECTION.

date tell of a more or less serious con-
fict which is being waged in the little
settlement of Clyde, near New Bruins
wick, n. j., between the anti-vivi-
sectionists and the yivi-Section1sts AT
this place is located the establish
ment where the animals are prepared
for operations and experiments by the
scientists connected with the Rookie
Teller Institute for Medical Research
in New york. The NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
have gone so far as to burn some of
the smaller buildings connected with
this New Jersey animal farm in their
over-zealousness to protest against
the cutting-up of animals for the
furtherance of medical research.
They and their brethren, through
out the country-and their number IS
not able-are we'll mean
ing people. no doubt, who can fnd
plenty of justification in their own
minds on the score of cruelty to ami
mails to warrant their stand against
vivisection. But their attitude IS one
which OPPOSES progress in the science
of medicine and surgery, than Whlcn
there is nothingsof greater importance
to the human family. promlscuous
vivisection is to be deplored. On the
other hand, though, its practice by
skilled scientists is to be encouraged.
It has been responsible for many inn
portant discoveries which have help
ed to mitigate suffering among hui
man beings; the ravages of many dis
eases have been checked by it. And
the accomplishment of these blessings
could have been brought about in no
other way.
It is somewhat forceful for the anti
vivisectionists to argue that the oper-
alton on and experimentation with
animals results in the infection OF
cruelty upon them. But the life OF
the dog and the cat, of fowls ana
other things which are the more gem
orally used for this purpose. IS I'M
certain at the best. Dogs and cats are
forever getting in fights in which
they inf1ict more or less severe IN
juries on each other. The former
are always getting run over by wag-
ons and street cars and being MAIN
ed and killed. The latter often sue
cumb to the bullet or the bootjack
fired at them by those whose sleep
is disturbed. Fowls of all sorts live
until they are fat enough to be killed
for the table. Cruelty of all sorts al
ways has been and probably always
will be inflicted on the smaller ami
mails and the birds noted, in the ordin-
airy course of their lives. and most of 1t
is much more severe than that to
which others of their species are fore
ed to submit at the hands of the scien-
lists Such animals as are killed are
put to death without subjecting them
to anything like pain. Those operated
on are handled in such careful
manner that their sufferings are re-
duced to minimum.
But the chief point in question is
not the cruelty that may be inflicted
on aaimals in the processes of vivf-
section. Rather is it the remarkable
achievements which it has made, and
will continue to make, possible in the
practice of medicine and surgery. The
saving of just one human life is worth
considerably more than all the dogs
and cats and other things which have
been sacrificed to science. But vivi-
section has done more than that. 1t
has been responsible for saving the
lives of thousands and alternating the
sufferings of ten times that number