92 ON ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION IN PHYSIOLOGY. [LECT. 



of the facts ; and not the mere catechismal parrot- 

 work which too often usurps the place of elementary 

 teaching. 



It is, I hope, unnecessary for me to give a formal 

 contradiction to the silly fiction, which is assiduously 

 circulated by fanatics who not only ought to know, 

 but do know, that their assertions are untrue, that I 

 have advocated the introduction of that experimental 

 discipline which is absolutely indispensable to the pro- 

 fessed physiologist, into elementary teaching. 



But while I should object to any experimentation 

 which can justly be called painful, for the purpose of 

 elementary instruction ; and, while, as a member of a 

 late Koyal Commission, I gladly did my best to prevent 

 the infliction of needless pain, for any purpose ; I think 

 it is my duty to take this opportunity of expressing 

 my regret at a condition of the law which permits a 

 boy to troll for pike, or set lines with live frog bait, 

 for idle amusement ; and, at the same time, lays the 

 teacher of that boy open to the penalty of fine and 

 imprisonment, if he uses the same animal for the 

 purpose of exhibiting one of the most beautiful and 

 instructive of physiological spectacles, the circulation 

 in the web of the foot. No one could undertake to 

 affirm that a frog is not inconvenienced by being 

 wrapped up in a wet rag, and having his toes tied out; 

 and it cannot be denied that inconvenience is a sort 

 of pain. But you must not inflict the least pain on a 

 vertebrated animal for scientific purposes (though you 

 may do a good deal in that way for gain or for sport) 

 without due licence of the Secretary of State for the 



