191Ji-2 Convocation Week Meetings 113 



the various societies forming the Federation were of unusual 

 interest and of very high grade. 



The meetings came to a close on December 31st, 1913, at 

 which time the first executive session of the Federation was 

 held. At this meeting the feeling of the Federation concerning 

 animal experimentation was expressed and adopted in the fol- 

 lowing form: 



1. We, the members of the Federation of American Societies for Ex- 

 perimental Biology — comprising the American Physiological Society, the 

 American Society of Biological Chemists, the American Society for Phar- 

 macology and Experimental Therapeutics and the American Society for 

 Experimental Pathology, — in convention assembled hereby express our 

 accord with the declaration of the recent International Medical Congress, 

 and other authoritative medical organizations, in favor of the scientific 

 method designated properly animal experimentation but sometimes vivi- 

 section. 



2. We point to the remarkable and numerable achievements by animal 

 experimentation in the past in advancing the knowledge of biological 

 laws and devising methods of procedure for the cure of disease and the 

 prevention of suffering in human beings and lower animals. We em- 

 phasize the necessity of animal experimentation in continuing similar 

 beneficient work in the future. 



3. We are firmly opposed to cruelty to animals. We heartily support 

 all humane efforts to prevent the wanton infliction of pain. The vast ma- 

 jority of experiments on animals need not be, and in fact, are not accom- 

 panied by any pain whatsoever. Under the regulations already in force, 

 which reduce discomfort to the least possible amount and which require 

 the decision of doubtful cases by the responsible laboratory director the 

 performance of those rare experiments which involve pain, is we believe, 

 justifiable. 



4. We regret the widespread lack of information regarding the aims, 

 achievements and procedures of animal experimentation. We deplore 

 the persistent misrepresentation of these aims, achievements and procedure 

 by those who are opposed to this scientific method. We protest against 

 the frequent denunciations of self-sacrificing, high-minded men of science 

 who are devoting their lives to the welfare of mankind in efforts to solve 

 the complicated problems of living beings and their diseases. 



Wm. deB. MacI^^ider 



THE botanical SOCIETY OF AMERICA 



The Botanical Society of America met in Atlanta, in affilia- 

 tion, with the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science. About ninety members were present and a large pro- 

 gram of fifty-five papers was offered. Among these we have 

 space to mention only a few. Discussing the trend and influ- 



