TEANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. — DEPT. ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. 415 



of the works of Plato, that it would be mischievous and impracticable to prohibit 

 their study, aud that there was no evidence that schoolmasters habitually chose 

 the least edifying passages as lessons for boys. Then what is called a compromise 

 would be made. It would be enacted that Plato might be read, but only in colleges 

 annually licensed for that purpose; that everyone wishing to read must have a 

 general certificate signed by certain professors,\ind setting forth his object, also to 

 be renewed every year ; and that special certificates might be severally obtained 

 for reading certain excepted dialogues, for copying from them, for publishing them, 

 or, in rare cases, for translating them. 



However reasonably such a system might be administered, who can doubt that 

 the result would be a diminution of the number of scholars, and a check to the 

 progress of learning ? 



Now this is what legislation has done for physiological experiments. The Act 

 39 & 40 Victoria? was hastily drawn and hurriedly discussed ; for noble lords and 

 Honourable gentlemen who had been taught from childhood to vivisect for un- 

 scientific purposes were eager to hurry off to their own merry vivisections, for 

 which they were ready provided with license and certificates. " And it works as 

 might be expected. Some shrink from seeing their names figure in disreputable 

 newspapers, and receiving more or less savagely abusive anonymous letters. Others 

 have no laboratories, and find difficulty in licensing their houses. Others are refused 

 the certificates they require. 



In one case two thoroughly qualified men were anxious to carry out an important 

 investigation on the treatment of snake-bites. They procured venomous snakes 

 from a distance, and applied for the special certificates necessarv. Considerable 

 delay ensued ; various objections were raised, and set at rest ; and at last all the 

 certificates were obtained ; but meantime the snakes had died. 



I must apologise for having detained you so long. The whole history of this 

 controversy is melancholy but instructive. 



To those of my audience who wish well to Science, I hope that I may have 

 made more clear the grounds on which vivisection is necessary and right, and thus ful- 

 filled one of the chief objects of the Association—' to obtain the° removal of any 

 disadvantage of a public kind which impedes the progress of science.' 



To those working physiologists who have honoured me by their presence I would 

 express the assurance that they have the confidence and the gratitude of the medical 

 profession, witnesses at once competent and impartial, who know the difficulties 

 and the value of such labours ; and as to present discouragements, looking back to 

 the obstacles which so long retarded the progress of our kindred science, Anatomy, 

 I may say 



O passi graviora, dabit Deus his quoque finem. 



When, in the earliest years of the Royal Society, Sir Christopher Wren and 

 Dr. Lower made those experiments on transfusion of blood which have at last proved 

 so beneficent, there were not wanting shallow witlings who scoffed at their re- 

 searches. It was of them that Cowley wrote with a just, indignation — 



Whoever would deposed Truth advance 



Into the throne usurped from it, 

 Must feel at first the blows of ignorance 



And the sharp points of envious wit. 



You have at least escaped the latter penalty. 



Dishonour fall on those 

 Who would to laughter or to scorn expose 



So virtuous and so noble a design. 

 So human for its use, for knowledge so divine I 



You wish your culminators no greater dishonour than failure to do mischief, 

 xou wish for yourselves no other reward than ' the wages of goin°- on.' 



