Evening star., 1953-12-05
Foes of Vivisection to Renew
Fight on Medical Use of Doqs
New Hearing Slated :
Jan. rs After 400
Hold Heated Session

Jan. rs After 400
Hold Heated Session
The Commissioners contro-
versial proposal to release i'm
pounded dogs to local medical
research centers cooled off today
with promises that more heat
will be generated on January IS.
Yesterdays public hearing on
the proposal, attended by some
400 persons at the District Build
ing, was largely devoted to the
testimony of doctors who favor
the plan. The majority of those
opposed are holding their fire
until January 25, when a second
public hearing will be held, a
spokesman for the opposition
said.
First taste of heated opposition
to the emotion packed proposal
came yesterday from an Ohio
housewife who told the Commis-
sioners she had "driven all
night" to attend the hearing.
Fears Affect on Children.
Mrs. Dorothy Drager, presi-
dent of the Animal Protective
Association of Ohio, said the
proposal would be "a terrible
wrong" She said acceptance of
the proposal would promote
juvenile delinquency when our
children hear that dogs are being
killed" Children would be
learning cruelty if dogs were
released for experimentation.
she said.
Mr.. Drager added that the
whole idea of animal expert
mentation is leading up to sex
perimentation on humans" in
the near future.
Another witness was Benjamin
Platt. a lawyer, who said he was
representing two New York or
CARNATIONS of animal owners.
He said he was not opposed
to "vivisection" but to the maxi
mum figure of 10 days dogs
would be held at the pound be-
fore being turned over to re-
search institutions under the
proposal. Mr.. Platt said dogs
have been placed in homes as
late as six months after they
were picked up as strays by
animal organizations.
Prays for Guidance.
Two minutes of silent prayer
were granted one witness, David
Darrin of ITO G. street NV,
who asked the Commissioners
permission to pray for divine
guidance"
Mr.. Darrin, who said he was
an engineer, quoted frequently
from the Bible during his teSti-
mony. He said that if dogs were
turned over to scientists it would
be "harming our Nation spiritu-
ally" Mr.. Darrin said animals
are human" and likened the
Commissioners-if they ap-
proved the propoSal-to PontiuS
PLATE.
Last person to testify against
the proposal was Raymond M.
Wilmotte, 1877 Thirtieth street
NV, president of the Poodle
Club of America.
Mr.. Wilmotte said he had been
authorized "by the unanimous
vote of the Board of Governors
of the Poodle Club of America
to make a presentation against
the proposed regulation" 1t is
an organization of some 200
persons, he said.
Contrary to popular belief"
Mr.. Wilmotte said, "the basic
purpose of the measure is not
to provide animals needed for
the evolution of medical science
but to save money for the hos
pitals which use such animals"
Regent Argues for Plan.
Rounding out the testimony
of those in favor Of the proposal
was the Rev. Thomas j. O'Don-
nell, regent of the Georgetown
University Medical School.
The audience burst into ap-
plause when. during his testi-
mony. Father O'Donnell said: IF
ethically, fundamentally .
animal experimentation in med
ical research is wrong, then the
killing of animals for food is
also wrong"
He added: 60. the advance
Of medical science, and the use
OF medicine to prevent and cure
disease, is intended by God for
the right order of humanity
the practice of animal expert
mentation is necessary means
to this end"
DR.. Edward c. Mazique, prom
inent colored physician, testified
the Medical Chirurgical Society
an organization of colored doc
torS-indorsed the proposal.
Other persons who testified for
the proposal included DR.. S.
Bayne-Jones, representing the
Surgeon General of the Army,
and Mrs. j. Winthrop Peabody,
chairman of the Ladies Board
of Georgetown University Hos
pital.
Another, j. Harry Phillips, jr.,
of 100l5 Brookmoor drive, Silver
Spring. told the commissioners
his wife died of a heart condi-
tion in 1949 which has been later
solved due to the development
of a surgical technique first prac-
ticed on dogs.
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