Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-22

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essary suffering in this practice that there is
intense suffering, torture, hideous suffering
but necessary to true scientific research. This
suffering is justifable by law only when it can
be shown to be surrounded by every possible
safeguard against license or abuse.
Is it so surrounded by all who practice
vivisection?
If So let them prove the conditions With
them rests the burden of proof, because suf-
fering is inherent in the practice. We have
their own admission Of necessary cruelty O.
suffering. We say that the published records
even of the Rockefeller Institute contain cases
of suffering which call for inquiry. We say
that the unexplained use of curare, in vivi.
section, is prima facie proof of abuse.
Is what they hide unnecessary cruelty or
suffering?
Why do they oppose it?
The medical journals, some Of their best
and greatest men, say that many of the medi-
cal schools are grotesquely feeble and fatuous
The Board of Regents of the State of New
York has just now refused license to practice
medicine to the graduates Of twenty-four Of
these schools. We object to a practice neces.,
sary, difficult and justihably painful, and in
the sense cruel, being open, as our law or
rather lack Of law leaves viViseCtion omen to
every member of these and other similarly in.
adequate medical schools and to every quack
or impostor holding a medical certificate in
this entire State. We ask information as to
the practice as it is carried on in such places
and by such incompetents. They oppose the
giving of any information on this subject.
Why do they oppose it?
That there is a large amount of this I'M
principled and untrustworthy animal expert.
mentation in the State is evident from the
fact that there are for sale to the public
with no guarantee Of their purity-or safety
here to-day Il am advised by responsible drug
gists) between two and three thousand diff
ferent kinds of serums, each claimed to be a
cure for different disease, and each the re-
suit of animal experimentation most of them
in private laboratories and many of them by
irresponsible or unprncipled vivsectors
Is there any reputable medical practitioner
among our opponents who would Justify this
abuse, which is direct result of unrestricted
viviseoCtion?
Experts make their daring experiments here.
every one of them largely advertised and
many involving necessary suffering Some of
these experiments appear to be successful
Immediately the avarce and the greed of
other Would-be eXperimenters is aroused. If
one discovery is worth the $4,000 Nobel prize
which was just given to DR.. Carrel there
must be other discoveries equally lucrative to
be made. What is the result? Are we serious.
ly to suppose that the practitioners whom the
leaders OF the medical profession pronounce
coed to any length with vivisection eyper.
ments of any kind in pursuit of a like award
if no law restricts them?
We are asking protection for the public
against such an outrage. Nivisectors, why
do you unite to oppose restrictions which are
merely aimed at such abuse?
Once more, gentlemen Of the medical pro-
fessiOn, why should you oppose the adoption
here of something like the English law? Sure
ly Engand-the country of Charles Darwin.
Thomas Huxley, Tyndall and Lord Lister, four
of the greatest experts of research of the
century with its unequalled medical colleges
and hospitals is far superior to us. You sent
for an English surgeon, Sir Frederick Hallock
to study and advise how to improve the dis.
graceful condition of medical education in
America. Four times since 1890 the $4,000
Nobel prize for some distinguished discovery
in research has been awarded to English sci
entihc men and physicians in England-once
only in this country and then this last year
to our visiting FTenChman, DR.. Carrel For
thirty-fve years England has had a regulative
law. royal commission sitting for six years,
after hearing all the testimony, has recently
upheld that law. England favOrs vivisection
duly safeguarded by law faithfully admins.
tered, and so do we.
Why should anyone oppose this law? What
do they fear? Loss of money, loss of pres
tige? Surely not loss of opportunity for I'M
necessary cruelty!
Against unnecessary cruelty and against I'm.
necessary abuse and nothing else we work
To prevent this abuse and this cruelty we
ask the Legislature to appoint commission to,
investigate to the end that the truth may be
made clear and such abuse as NAV be found
to be existing may be corrected by reasonable
laws which may be recommended by the COM
mission. We hope to. secure it, We hone
that some of the great halls of the Rockefeller
Institute may be opened for its meetings and
that Dr. Flexner or other of its staff may be
members of the commission We hope for
honest men with no axes to grind no facts to
hide, no money to secure who will work IN.
gether for the public good, to take vivisection
out of the mire of public distrust into which
it has fallen by its abuse and to place it high
among the resources of honorable scientific
research.