i 7 o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



try, there appear to be seven in which anaesthetics are not always 

 employed ; in them, there is reason to believe that the pain inflicted 

 is either brief or not very severe. There is also reason for believing 

 that there is an annual decrease in the number of such demonstrations. 



Mr. Bergh wishes to suppress vivisection by act of Legislature. Dr. 

 Leffingwell would legally restrict painful experiments to original re- 

 search under rigid surveillance. Professor Dalton seems to think no 

 discussion of the subject is required.* Dr. L. S. Pilcher believes f it 

 only necessary that "the public should be informed of the truth re- 

 lating to vivisection in order that there should be secured to science 

 every advantage and privilege which its advancement may need." 

 The writer's communication \ of two years ago, together with opin- 

 ions which will be repeated at the close of this article, stated that he 

 had taught physiology for twelve years in a university, and for half 

 that time in a medical school, and yet had never performed a painful 

 vivisection. 



Since Cornell University owes its existence largely to the action 

 of the State Legislature, and is bound by its charter to "receive, 

 without charge for tuition, one student annually from each Assembly 

 district," there are peculiar reasons for making known the exact con- 

 dition of sentiment and practice therein with regard to vivisection. 

 Aside from practical work in the laboratory, the physiological teach- 

 ing comprises two courses of lectures, special and general. In the 

 former, those who intend to become physicians, or to teach physiology, 

 are made familiar with the details of experimental manipulation. In 

 the latter, the verbal instruction is illustrated by experiments differing 

 little from what are performed in some medical schools. The follow- 

 ing are fair selections from these experiments : 



1. A frog is killed by "pithing" with a sharp knife, and the brain is de- 

 stroyed with a piece of wire. The mucous membrane of the roof of the mouth 

 is removed, and the action of the cilia shown in various ways. 2. A frog is 

 rendered motionless by the injection of a little curare under the skin. Two of 

 the toes are tied apart, so as to stretch the intervening "web." The circulation 

 of the blood is then observed under a microscope. Since it is not certain that 

 sensibility is abrogated by curare, the animal is treated just as if it were in its 

 normal condition, to which it commonly returns after a short time. 3. A 

 pithed frog is employed for the demonstration of nervous, muscular, and reflex 

 actions. Although the animal is dead as a whole, the irritability of its muscles 

 and nerves and spinal cord persists for some time after the brain is destroyed 

 or the head cut off. 4. From an anaesthetized frog the brain proper is removed. 

 So long as the medulla remains, the respiratory movements continue ; when it 



* In the letter already mentioned, Professor Flint says, " I think investigators and 

 teachers should be the sole judges as to what is necessary in their investigations and 

 teachings." 



f "How Vivisection concerns Every Citizen," "Christian Advocate," July, 1SS0. 



% " The Two Kinds of Vivisection Sentisection and Callisection," "Medical Record," 

 August 21, 1S80. 



