THEODORE HOUGH I2/ 



In some of the experiments, a small vein immediately 

 under the skin was exposed by a short incision, and the 

 drug thus directly introduced into the circulation. The 

 pain thereby inflicted was no greater than that which 

 accompanies blood-letting, and as the supposed poisonous 

 drug proved to be absolutely innocuous, it may be said 

 that none of these animals suffered more than any one of 

 us would suffer during the healing of an ordinary cut in 

 the finger. 



I have seen some ten or twelve experiments where an 

 operation was performed under anesthesia and the animal 

 kept alive for some weeks, or even months, to observe the 

 effects of the operation. I do not say that there was not 

 some discomfort connected with the healing of the wound ; 

 but if there was, the conduct of the animals did not betray 

 it and I can only state my belief that not one of these 

 animals suffered what would be called serious pain. 



As to curare, I have often used it and seen it used ; but 

 I have yet to see an animal under its influence subjected 

 to operative procedure, or to other conditions likely to 

 cause pain, where consciousness was not first removed by 

 one of the methods above described. I know that curare 

 has been used, especially in the period prior to 1880, 

 without the concomitant use of ether or other anesthetics ; 

 I have read papers, published since that time, which 

 describe experiments where for some special reason the 

 drug was thus employed, although none that I can recall 

 were made in America. The point which I wish to make 

 is, that despite my own extended acquaintance with physi- 

 ological laboratories, I have not once seen the drug 

 employed in this way. 



In no case have I seen a demonstration for teaching pur- 

 poses, where pain was possible, that the animal was not 

 rendered unconscious in some merciful way. 



To sum up : I have seen at least two hundred experi- 



