48 HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN RESEARCH 
In addition to the above procedures, these cats also had had sets of electrodes 
implanted in their heads and were being rotated in the dark. It would be hard 
to think of a series of experiments more abhorrent to this species of animal. 
Having both hind legs immobilized with steel pins for 101 days till they 
atrophied (American Journal of Physiology, May 1961) was a procedure under- 
gone by a different group of young experimental cats. 
DEATH BY STARVATION OR DEFICIENCY 
In another experiment, weanling kittens were slowly killed by feeding them 
an inadequate diet. The authors report (American Journal of Physiology, 
January 1961) : “The effects of the pyridoxine-free diet were quite striking. 
Within 4 to 6 weeks the deficient animals exhibited lack of weight gain, loss 
of subcutaneous tissue, coarseness and thinning of the body hair, and progressive 
ataxia. Ultimately the deficient animals became progressively weaker, devel- 
oped generalized seizures, and, if left on the diet, died * * *. 
“Approximately 25 kittens were started on the deficient diet. Of these only 
11 were available for final study. The other 14 died after rapid onset of 
seizures before the studies could be performed, from intercurrent infections, or, 
in one case, from trauma resulting from falling in the cage.” This piece of 
research was carried out at the NIH’s own laboratories in Bethesda. 
“In the following, we report results on gastric ulcers in mice, subjected to 
prolonged, continuous starvation.” With these words the authors (American 
Journal of Physiology, March 1960) introduce the account of their treatment 
of 120 mice, 24 of which they hoped would be pregnant (12 actually were). 
“During starvation, the mice lost approximately 40 percent of body weight.” 
The authors state that in examining the stomachs, “if too much hair or feces 
were present, results were discarded.” This desperate attempt to fill their 
stomachs with anything brings to mind the restraining cages advertised by their 
manufacturers as preventing animals from attacking tubes and other fixtures.” 
Dogs can stand the deprivation of food for much longer periods than such 
small animals as mice. Even following severe surgery, some of them survived 
fasts up to 6 weeks. The American Journal of Physiology, October 1957, tells 
how the dogs were subjected to two separate operations in which the surgical 
mortality was described as so high that “the animals were not studied or 
standardized before surgery” (“complete bilateral paravertebral ganglionectomy 
and denervation of both adrenal glands.”) It is reported that “one dog died 
during the first fast and another during the first realimentation with casein.” 
For when the dogs were finally allowed food, it was not a balanced diet. One 
was calculated to “show many features characteristic of a rather severe alarm 
reaction.” The authors report that “Selye states that fasting is an alarming 
stimulus and sensitizes the animal to other alarming stimuli.” The dogs, now 
having been subjected to two major operations, starvation up to 6 weeks, and 
feeding with an improper diet, “dermatitis, cutaneous ulcerations and alopecia” 
in the sympathectomized dogs “were much more frequent and often intense.” 
The authors show their familiarity with starving dogs, stating: “Normal, 
healthy dogs tolerate prolonged fasting surprisingly well. During the first 2 
or 3 weeks they frequently appear stimulated and are unusually playful and 
lively, later their reactions are slowed but they are usually in good condition 
for as long as 5 to 6 weeks.” 
BURNING 
Pain-relieving drugs are especially needed when burns have been inflicted : 
anesthesia at the time of infliction is essential. Yet both these means of 
preventing extreme suffering are omitted in some experiments. For example: 
(American Journal of Physiology, March 1960) “Dogs closely clipped and shaved 
the day before the experiment, were anesthetized (pentobarbital sodium 30 
milligiams/kilograms, the required vessels cannulated, and the determinations 
accomplished. The dogs were then blackened with powdered lamp black and 
30 percent of the calculated body surface burned at an intensity of 4.4 cal. /cm. 2 / 
sec. for 5 seconds (22 cal./cm. 2 ). The determinations were then repeated 1, 3 
and 5 to 6 hours following the injury. All .blood removed by sampling was 
replaced by an equal amount from a donor dog. In some dogs morphine (0.5-1 
milligrams/kilograms) was administered immediately after the 1-hour measure- 
ments.” On the next page the statement is made : “The response of plasma 
volume and red cell mass to the injury was not modified by morphine.” Never- 
theless, out of 29 dogs used, only 6 received morphine. 
