1 40 FROM AN EASY CHAIR 



the medical men who are the leaders of their profession 

 unanimously assert, and prove by detailed accounts of 

 the discoveries made, that such study has been essential 

 to the progress established, and is essential for further 

 progress. Lord Lister, who by his antiseptic method 

 of treating surgical wounds has saved more pain to 

 present and future generations of men than all the 

 torturers of the Inquisition ever inflicted or dreamed of 

 inflicting, has been the leader in declaring the 

 inestimable value to humanity in fact, the absolute 

 necessity of physiological experiments on animals. 

 Whose judgment on this question can be considered of 

 greater value than his ? 



The anti -vivisection agitators, for the purpose of 

 exciting the emotions of those who listen to them, use 

 the word " torture " as describing the action of such 

 men as Pasteur and Lord Lister. To torture is to 

 inflict an ever-increasing amount of pain, with the view 

 of " extorting " a submission, a confession, or treasure 

 from a victim. To suggest that scientific and medical 

 men apply pain in this way, and to spread the word 

 " torture " among the ignorant, emotional public, in 

 connection with their inquiries, is dishonest as well as 

 ungrateful. 



One valuable result of the work of the present Royal 

 Commission on what is called " Vivisection,*" but should 

 be called " the use of animals in the discovery of means 

 of controlling disease and alleviating pain," is that it is 

 made quite clear that there is very little pain at all 

 inflicted in this beneficent work, owing to the fact that 

 anaesthetics and narcotics are administered to the 

 animals when anything which might cause pain is done. 

 I do not hesitate to say that there is in this country less 

 pain caused in a whole year in all the laboratories where 

 this great work for the public good is carried on than 

 in a single day's rabbit-shooting. 



It is important to correct, if possible, the misunder- 



