“Nonsense, my dear woman,” smiled the Principal. “You are talking with no more perception of the advancement of science than if you really lived in that nineteenth century to which you so oddly claim to belong. The animals do not suffer one little bit, as you will see when you go into the ‘Renewing Rooms.’ Long ago, a German chemist invented a wonderful ether, which he called ‘Bändiger.’ It had the power of instantaneously arresting sense and motion. Perfect unconsciousness was produced with electrical rapidity, and the clever chemist expected to earn his country’s gratitude for his marvellous discovery. But in those days governments were exceedingly narrow-minded, and the German Government was so struck with the remarkable powers for harm which the new discovery possessed, that it ignored all its beneficial qualities, and actually forbade the chemist to manufacture ‘Bändiger’ in future. Happily, he was more enlightened than his rulers, and not merely did his best to improve upon his invention, but left careful instructions to his successors relating to its manufacture. Many years after this, a miniature revolver was invented which, instead of cartridges, was charged with minute cells of ‘Bändiger.’ These ‘Bändiger’ revolvers were subsequently manufactured in large quantities in America, and as the State monopolised the manufacture, and charged high prices for every weapon, besides exacting a heavy tax for the privilege of using them, they proved a very profitable monopoly. From America their use spread to India, where they were speedily efficacious in ridding the country of the countless numbers of wild beasts which annually slaughtered a great proportion of the population. The ‘Bändiger’ does not kill. It only stuns instantaneously, the effect lasting long enough to enable us to kill outright, or to make such experiments as are required in the interests of science and progress. An animal once subjected to its influence feels no more pain, for it is absolutely unconscious during all subsequent operations, and if it has been too much cut up to recover easily, it is at once killed. If not, the administration of Schlafstrank enables it to recuperate painlessly, and be available for future experiments.” “This ‘Bändiger’ is really a frightful power. Does it never happen that crime is committed by its aid?” “Never. Nobody ever has the handling of a ‘Bändiger’ revolver, except our duly qualified and licensed surgeons, and they would not imperil their future existence and prosperity by stupid indulgence in a senseless freak. But come, we must now go in, or the rooms will be closed for the day.”