546 
NATURE 
[April 5, 1883 
It was found necessary to insert a clause in the Act allowing 
a judge to order any needful experiments by a medical jurist. 
But this may cause, and has already caused, injurious delays, 
and it would be desirable for each person engaged in this de- 
partment of scientific work to take out the necessary license 
beforehand. 
§ 7. The above is only a brief enumeration of some of the 
more striking and illustrative cases in which the objects pro- 
posed by experiments on animals have been attained. In some 
of these success has been brilliant and complete, in others com- 
parative and needing fuller development. In some the results 
have been the direct and exclusive consequence of the experi- 
ments, in others they have been due to these either as confirming 
or correcting previous conjectures, or as guiding clinical research, 
or as suggesting fruitful investigations by other methods. 
Without exaggerating its extent and cogency, the evidence 
is ample to show, what no one conversant with the subject doubts, 
that the great strides made in the practice of medicine during 
the last fifty years have been chiefly due to the exact scientific 
experimental inquiries of this epoch. In fact, experience fully 
bears out what reason demonstrates and authority confirms, that 
medicine rests chiefly upon physiology, and that physiology 
cannot advance without experiments. 
The prejudices excited by the account of long past or distant 
abuses of the right and duty of experiment will, it may be 
hoped, be dispelled (as in many cases they have been) by in- 
creased knowledge of the facts; while those which have been 
raised by reckless misstatement will subside on candid investi- 
gation. If any fear remain that evils which do not now exist 
may possibly arise in future, it may be dispelled by a con- 
sideration of the stringent regulations of the existing law, even 
if carried out with the utmost desire not to obstruct demon- 
strably useful scientific work. 
But it is on the scientific investigator himself that the respon- 
sibility must ultimately rest of determining what is the best 
method of accomplishing a given scientific result, and by what 
means the greatest possible result may be obtained at the least pos- 
sible cost of suffering. If restrictions are supposed to be neces- 
sary to control the conduct of careless individuals, let them be 
continued ; but so long as scientific men exercise their respon- 
sibility in the humane spirit which has hitherto guided investi- 
gation in this country, they have a right to ask that no unneces- 
sary obstacles should be placed in their way. 
It is therefore hoped that such a decided and influential 
expression of opinion will be made in Parliament as will not 
only rebuke ill-advised attempts to totally abolish one of the 
most important methods of natural knowledge, and an indis- 
pensable method for the improvement of medicine; but will 
also strengthen the hands of the Government in administering 
the law, so as not to interfere with the just claims of science 
and with the paramount claims of human suffering. 
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION AND CANADA 
ao following circular is being sent out by the British 
Association for the Advancement of Science :— 
“92, Albemarle Street, London, W., March 19 
‘*Str,—We have been instructed by the Council of the 
British Association to communicate to you the accompanying 
letter from Sir A, T. Galt, G.C.M.G., High Commissioner for 
Canada, This letter was written in reply to one addressed by 
us to him, making certain inquiries with reference to the invita- 
tion to visit Montreal in 1884, which was accepted by the Gene- 
ral Committee at the Southampton meeting last year. In that 
letter it was our endeavour to obtain information as accurate as 
possible concerning the probable expense of the journey to and 
from Montreal, including a stay of a fortnight or three weeks in 
Canada (in addition to the period of the meeting), and excur- 
sions to some of the more interesting localities. From the 
statements in Sir A. T. Galt’s letter, the members will be able 
to form an opinion as to the probable cost of the expedition, 
the amount of which must obviously, to a considerable extent, 
depend upon the length of time which they are willing to devote 
to the visit. 
‘*Tt is obviously most important to secure that the Montreal 
meeting should be attended by a strong and thoroughly repre- 
sentative body of members, so that the gathering may be both 
creditable to the Association and gratifying to our Canadian 
hosts. Further, many arrangements must be made prior to the 
meeting, and these must be settled considerably in advance of 
the usual dates. It will therefore greatly aid the Council and 
those who will have to carry out their instructions in detail, if 
you will be so good as to state your intention concerning the 
visit to Montreal by filling up the annexed form and returning it 
as addressed before April 14. 
‘* We remain, sir, your obedient servants, 
“°C, W. SIEMENS, President 
“© A, W. WILLIAMSON, General Treasurer 
** DouGLas GALTON, General 
“© A. G. VERNON HARCOURT, \ Secretaries 
““T. G. Bonney, Secretary” 
“*9, Victoria Chambers, London, S.W., March 3, 1883 
“* Dear Sir,—I have to refer you to your letter of November 
28 on the subject of the visit of the British Association for the 
Advancement of Science to Montreal in 1884, in accordance 
with the decision of the general committee, at their meeting at 
Southampton on August 28 last, and to inform you that I have 
received a communication from the Chairman of the Montreal 
Invitation Committee (T. Sterry Hunt, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S.), 
containing some detailed information on the different matters 
you mentioned to me. 
“‘Tt is my pleasant duty to state that the inhabitants of the 
city of Montreal received with satisfaction the intimation that 
the Association had decided to honour them with a visit, and 
much public spirit has already been manifested in the desire that 
everything should be done to make the occasion worthy of the 
illustrious body and of the country. Committees on invitation, 
on finance, and on conveyance have already been formed, and a 
guarantee fund opened very satisfactorily ; while the Government 
of the Dominion, in view of the widespread interest which the 
matter has awakened, will ask Parliament during its present 
session to vote a considerable sum ($20,000) as a contribution 
to the funds that will be subscribed by the public. Montreal, I 
may add, is not without experience of the requirements of an 
important meeting of the kind, having twice been favoured with 
vi-its from the American Association, the last occasion being in 
1882, when an attendance of more than 900 members anc asso- 
ciates was registered, and the Association, with its nine sections, 
found ample accommodation in the buildings of McGill Uni- 
versity. 
“¢] propose to answer your questions in the same order as that 
in which they were placed in your communication, but it will 
not be possible for me to do so in such full detail as I should 
like so far in advance of the time of their application, especially 
in regard to the cost of conveyance and the various expeditions 
to be arranged. I trust, however, the following information 
will be sufficient for the purpose of giving to the members of 
your distinguished Association an idea of the probable expenses 
they may be called upon to defray during their stay in Canada. 
“*(1.) ‘The cost of the journey to and from Montreal to one 
who makes it as a member of the Association or as the near 
relative of a member.’ 
““Dr. Sterry Hunt desires me to say that the committee will 
arrange fifty free passages for the conveyance of the officers of 
the Association whose attendance is indispensable at its annual 
meetings. The funds at the disposal of the committee will also 
enable it to negotiate with the steamship companies for the re- 
duction of the ordinary ocean passages in favour of Jond fide 
members of the Association. Two courses are open in which 
this can be done. 
‘*(1) To arrange for a number of passages to be offered at the 
single rate for the double journey—say 15/. 10s. 
‘*(2) For a general reduction, so far as the funds will permit. 
‘‘Kither of these plans can be adopted, but the steamship 
companies, although fully disposed to entertain the matter, do 
not care to make any definite engagements so far in advance, 
which will, I am sure, be readily understood. I am to state, 
however, that the committee is prepared, with the aid of the 
Government grant, to devote 3000/. to these purposes alone. 
««(II.) ‘The cost of board and lodging per head per diem for 
the above during the week of the meeting at Montreal.’ 
“I cannot do better than quote a paragraph from Dr. Sterry 
Hunt’s letter, in regard to this inquiry :—‘In reply to Prof. 
Bonney’s question as to the expenses of board and lodging for 
members of the British Association during the meeting in 
Montreal, the committee will give assurance that free entertain- 
ment will be provided for at least 150, and probably for all other 
members who may attend.’ 
