1874 VIVISECTION 159 



MY DEAR DONNELLY It will be the best course, 

 perhaps, if I set down in writing what I have to say 

 respecting the vivisections for physiological purposes 

 which have been performed here, and concerning which 

 you made me a communication from the Vice-President 

 of the Council this morning. 



I have always felt it my duty to defend those physi- 

 ologists who, like Brown Se"quard, by making experiments 

 on living animals, have added immensely not only to 

 scientific physiology, but to the means of alleviating 

 human suffering, against the often ignorant and some- 

 times malicious clamour which has been raised against 

 them. 



But personally, indeed I may say constitutionally, the 

 performance of experiments upon living and conscious 

 animals is extremely disagreeable to me, and I have 

 never followed any line of investigation in which such 

 experiments are required. 



When the course of instruction in Physiology here was 

 commenced, the question of giving experimental demon- 

 strations became a matter of anxious consideration with 

 me. It was clear that, without such demonstrations, the 

 subject could not be properly taught It was no less 

 clear from what had happened to me when, as President 

 of the British Association, I had defended Brown Sequard, 

 that I might expect to meet with every description of 

 abuse and misrepresentation if such demonstrations were 

 given. 



It did not appear to me, however, that the latter con- 

 sideration ought to weigh with me, and I took such a 

 course as I believe is defensible against everything but 

 misrepresentation. 



I gave strict instructions to the Demonstrators who 

 assisted me that no such experiments were to be performed, 

 unless the animal were previously rendered insensible to 

 pain either by destruction of the brain or by the admini- 

 stration of anaesthetics, and I have every reason to believe 



