The Washington times., 1923-10-24
WOMAN FIGHTS.
POISON SQUAD
DOGS BY j. 8.
Annette Montaigne Protests
Agriculture Chemists Using
Live Animals in Tests.

NEW YORK, Oct. 24.-Use of
dogs by the Department of Agri-
culture in experiments to deter
mine the toxic quality Of various
properties discovered In growing
foodstuffs and in the saps and
resins of woods utilized for manu-
featuring purposes was vigorously
attacked here today by Annette
Montaigne, prominent author ana
society woman in an exclusive in
Iterview.
cit is impossible to conceive Of
any necessity existing in the lab
oratories of the Department or Ag-
riculture which requires the de-
partment specialists to try It on
the dog In ascertaining the lethal
character of food elements or of
substances to be used in manu-
lfacturing," said Miss MOntaigne.
''The department laboratories are
the best equipped in the world.
The scientists employed by the
Government in the Department OF
Agriculture, especially in the Blu
reaIl Of Chemistry, count among
them some OF the ablest men in
the profession. It is absurd to in
sist that with the facilities at their
command, their extended experience
in research work, and their tech
be- called upon to resort to the
use of dogs to check up on their
conclusions. In this instance the
use OF animals cannot be even half
justified, as it might be where
anatomical experiments are made
TO definitely determine the possible
ties Of accomplishing certain re-
suits which might prove valuable
In surgical work.
No Need Of Animals.
Even In such cases it is i'm
possible to iudorse dumb animals
being used, for surgical science has
kept abreast Of the times and lead
ers of the profession can anticipate
with sufficient certainty the out
come Of such experiments without
actually trying them out on any
animal.
The fact that the Department of
I'Agriculture keeps q kennel of dogs
Tor experimental work, and uses
tneme In poison tests, will certain.
~ be news to thousands of per.
sons who have never suspected
any such practice existed there.
NO one susceptible to the finer
sentiments can possibly indorse the
practice and it is to be hoped that
elIner Secretary Wallace viii take
the steps necessary to end it, or
that Congress win be induced to
pass such legislation ais will put
stop to the 1nhunane use of
dogs and other animals. bv the
department, in carrying out en-
lperiments which can be completed
Sufficiently well without resort to
such practices"
Travesty on Civilization.
Insistence was laid Dy Miss Mon
tatgne on the ability of the Ru-
reau of Chemistry. Department Of
Agriculture, to determine with In
organic matter all Of the actions of
any OF the poisons found in plant
growth or in wood fiber. This she
insisted could be done by labora-
tory study Of actions and reactions
in test tubes and retorts.
when the chemists OF the De-
partment OF Agriculture know q
substance to be of a poisonous
character why should they feel it
necessary to employ it on living
tissue, just to observe the character
Of its action? Why make any liv-
ing thing undergo the agony of
such an experience when the only
possible result will be produce GER
tain tissual changes or the destruc
ton Of tissue, or a <paralysis OF or
ganic action, all accompanied by
intense suffering Of the helpless vic
tim? They identified the poison in
the first place, and if they failed
to do So in the laboratory then
they are not men sufficiently quail
fled to be entrusted with such work
by the Government. They might
ignorantly lead thousands Of per-
sons to death by an undiscovered.
or unrecognized, poison carried in
food. Pshaw, such experiments at
such a place are little less than a
travesty on civilization.
It Is understood that steps are
being taken to call the practice Of
the Department Of Agriculture in
experimenting on dogs to the at
tention OF humane societies all over
the country in an effort to create
a wave Of protest vigorous enough
to insure Government action in
stopping the practice.
col 1RSR