Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-22
By F. P. BELLAMY,
Treasurer and Counsel of the Society for the
Prevention of Abuse in Animal
Experimentation.

ApNi itAdAiuH
TN Philadelphia police court, several prom
nent professors and surgeons connected
4 with the medical department of the Uni
versity OF Pennsylvania are now being prose.
cuted for cruelty to animals.
It is charged that in conducting experiments
upon living animals more pain was inflicted
than was necessary, that after the results OF
the experiments had been ascertained, the
mutilated animals were not promptly put out
Of their misery, and that in many other re-
spects the experiments were performed in a
manner revolving to anyone of humane in.
stincts. Indeed, some of the pieces Of ap-
paratus said to have been used in the expert.
ments were characterized by the presiding
judge as internal machines"
Whether or not these particular professors
ere guilty Of the charges made against them
is a matter Of trihing Importance compared
with the significance of the case from an
other aspect Institutions of the calibre Of the
medical department of the University of Penn
sylvania ought like Caesars wife, to be above
suspicion
The mere fact that sufficient has been IN.
oarthed in this institution to justify police
-istrate in holding one or more of the oper.
ating surgeons for trial will believe prove
of immense value to the cause OF those who
are seeking to prevent the abuse OF viyisectjon
For IL is possible that cruelty is practsed
ia connection with the experiments in iustitu.
lions of this character, the probability that
even greater cruelty is an accompaniment OF
similar experiments conducted In less reliable
institutions and by less competent workers is
very great.
There are eighteen thousand physicians and
medical students in New York who NAV salts.
fly their thirst for knowledge by cutting IN
living animals Not all of them avail them.
selves of this privilege. Many of them who
do no doubt, are perfectly competent, and
conduct their experiments in a humane man.
Ler. As to the rest there can be no doubt al
all that wanton cruelty and needless suffering
are an inevitable accompaniment: of the "ex.
periments" they perform.
Believing that vivisection ought to be re.
stricted to those who are competent to per
form it in proper manner ana to experiments
which may reasonably be regarded as of value
to mankind, the Society for the Prevention
OF Abuse OF Animal Experimentation and other
kindred organizations are demanding that a
State commission be appointed to investigate
the whole matter.
For six successive years our society has
presented a bill to the New York Legislature
in line with our platform, which advocates
the practice of viyseCtion duly limited to
competent experts
Our first two bills proposed to regulate the
practice OF viyisection. We found we could
make no Roadway against the strong oppOsi.
ton interposed by the medical profession.
Then We became more modest in our de-
mands- We presented bill in the following
three successive years providing for the ap-
pontment Of non partisan commission to
investigate and report upon the conditions sur
rounding the practice of vivisection in New
York State and to recommend a suitable law
10 regulate such practice so as to prevent its
abuse without interfering with Legitimate sci.
entifc research
All these bills met with the same opposition
Inc medical profession opposed our efforts to
regulate YlyisecuOn with no less bitterness
taan they opposed our humber request for
commission TO investigate whether regula-