38o MISCELLANEA. [1875. 



or more probably later, greatly to benefit mankind ; but, 

 judging from all other sciences, the benefits will accrue only 

 indirectly in the search for abstract truth. It is certain that 

 physiology can progress only by experiments on living ani- 

 mals. Therefore the proposal to limit research to points of 

 which we can now see the bearings in regard to health, &c., 

 I look at as puerile. 1 thought at first it would be good to 

 limit vivisection to public laboratories ; but I have heard only 

 of those in London and Cambridge, and I think Oxford ; but 

 probably there may be a few others. Therefore only men 

 living in a few great towns would carry on investigation, and 

 this I should consider a great evil. If private men were per- 

 mitted to work in their own houses, and required a licence, I 

 do not see who is to determine whether any particular man 

 should receive one. It is young unknown men who are the 

 most likely to do good work. I would gladly punish severely 

 any one who operated on an animal not rendered insensible, 

 if the experiment made this possible ; but here again I do not 

 see that a magistrate or jury could possibly determine such a 

 point. Therefore I conclude, if (as is likely) some experi- 

 ments have been tried too often, or anaesthetics have not been 

 used when they could have been, the cure must be in the 

 improvement of humanitarian feelings. Under this point of 

 view I have rejoiced at the present agitation. If stringent 

 laws are passed, and this is likely, seeing how unscientific the 

 House of Commons is, and that the gentlemen of England 

 are humane, as long as their sports are not considered, which 

 entailed a hundred or thousand-fold more sufl^ering than the 

 experiments of physiologists — if such laws are passed, the re- 

 sult will assuredly be that physiology, which has been until 

 within the last few years at a standstill in England, will lan- 

 guish or quite cease. It will then be carried on solely on the 

 Continent; and there will be so many the fewer workers on 

 this grand subject, and this I should greatly regret. By the 

 way, F. Balfour, who has worked for two or three years in the 

 laboratory at Cambridge, declares to George that he has never 

 seen an experiment, except with animals rendered insensible. 



