1882 VIVISECTION 127 



impose on me the task of doing so, but I have no 

 alternative, as you shall immediately see. 



The Physiological Society was formed, as you may 

 remember, for the purpose of obtaining combined 

 action among physiologists on the subject of Vivi- 

 section. The result in the first instance was to 

 resolve on a tentative policy of silence, with the view 

 of seeing whether the agitation would not burn itself 

 out. It is now thought that this policy has been 

 tried sufficiently long, and that we are losing ground 

 by continuing it. After much deliberation, there- 

 fore, the society has resolved to speak out upon the 

 subject, and the ' Nineteenth Century ' has been in- 

 volved as the medium of publication. Arrangements 

 have been made with Knowles for a symposium-like 

 series of short essays by all the leaders of biology and 

 medicine in this country — each to write on a branch 

 of the subject chosen by himself or allotted to him by 

 the society. In this matter of organising the con- 

 tributions, the society is to be represented by Dr. Pye 

 Smith, who combines science, medicine, and literary 

 culture better than any other member of our body. 



As secretary I am directed to write to all the men 

 whose names are mentioned in a resolution passed by 

 the society in accordance with the report of a com- 

 mittee appointed by the society to consider the sub- 

 ject. Hence these tears. 



Of course, your name in this matter is one of the 

 most important, and as the idea is to get a body of 

 great names, it would be a disappointment of no small 

 magnitude if yours should fail. It does not matter 

 so much that you should write a long dissertation, so 



