An ethical problem; or, Sidelights upon scientific experimentation on man and animalsLeffingwell, Albert
Philosophy
An ethical problem; or, Sidelights upon scientific experimentation on man and animals
Leffingwell, Albert
Medicine, Experimental; Vivisection
One advantage of such a register as this would be the assistance it
would render in all attempts to trace animals which are stolen or
lost, and which find their way to the laboratory. Every animal which
may possibly have been a pet should be kept for redemption for two to
three weeks, and no animal should be purchased unless the purchaser is
able to have a record of the address of the seller. Anyone can
distinguish between a homeless vagabond of the street and an animal
which must have been well treated in a good home, and I believe that
experimentation upon a pet animal under any conditions should be
forbidden by law.
The gain arising from such registration is obvious. It would mark the
entrance within the laboratory of every creature intended for
experimentation of any kind. It makes possible to an extent the
tracing of pet animals, lost or stolen, which now find themselves
devoted to vivisection. The inspection of such a register should be
permitted to any person whatever endeavouring to trace a lost or
stolen pet. A summary should be regularly furnished for publication,
attested by oath, precisely as the cashier of a national bank
periodically attests the accuracy of his reports. Such a report is
but a promulgation of facts which ought to be within the reach of the
public. By no stretch of the imagination can one honestly declare
that such knowledge will constitute an impediment to justifiable
research. Yet no one acquainted with this subject can doubt that
every resource of the laboratory will be brought forward to resist to
the uttermost even the giving of so little information as this.
But we must go beyond this. To trace animals to the door of the
laboratory, and there to drop them, leaves the curtain unlifted; they
enter the darkness, and that darkness must be dispelled. It must be
the privilege of the public to know as completely as possible EXACTLY
WHAT IS DONE AFTER THEY PASS THE DOOR. How is this to be
accomplished? How may we know what is done to the animals thus traced
to the door of every laboratory without being charged with impeding
the legitimate researches of science? For reasons stated, inspection
will not accomplish it. As carried out in England, it certainly has
accomplished but little for the protection of animals. The published
reports of experiments made in that country under one or another
"certificate," are practically of no value whatever except to show the
constant increase of such experiments every year. The plummet must
sink to deeper depths. If Society is to grant to the physiological
laboratory that isolation and freedom from interference which it
craves, THEN SOCIETY HAS THE RIGHT TO ASK IN RETURN THE COMPLETEST
DISCLOSURE THAT CAN BE GIVEN OF METHODS AND RESULTS.
It has the right. Unfortunately it cannot persuade or compel. That
is the province of Legislation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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