32 HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN RESEARCH 
(iii) The experiment must be for the advancement by new discovery 
of physiological knowledge or knowledge which will be useful 
for saving or prolonging life or alleviating suffering, in man 
or animals. Physiological knowledge is interpreted in the 
widest possible sense. 
Any one of these restrictions may be raised, under the authority of 
an appropriate certificate. Thus, Certificate A releases the licensee from 
restriction (i) above ; Certificate B from (ii) and Certificate C from (iii). 
Certificate A provides for experiments where an anaesthetic is not 
necessary or appropriate : such as inoculations, in which an anaesthetic 
would probably be a greater discomfort for the animal. 
Certificate B allows recovery from an anaesthetic, provided that the 
animal be killed as soon as the object of the experiment has been 
attained. 
Certificate C permits animals to be used in illustration of lectures 
to students or in demonstrations before learned societies. For such 
purposes the requirements of anaesthesia without recovery apply. The 
Royal Commission of 1906-1912 supported the absolute prohibition of 
painful experiments on conscious animals in illustration of lectures 
(Section 3, proviso (1) ). There can be no objection, however, to allowing 
suitable persons to witness experiments performed in accordance with the 
provisions of the Act, whether under licence alone, or under licence and 
any certificate. 
When horses, asses or mules are to be used for any procedure under 
the Act, Certificate F is needed, with or without other certificates. When 
dogs or cats are to be used for experiments under Certificates A or B, 
additional certificates E (with A) or EE (with B) are needed. These 
requirements are summarized in the Table. 
TABLE SUMMARIZING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENCE 
AND CERTIFICATES IN DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES 
Procedure 
HORSES, ASSES 
AND MULES 
DOGS AND CATS 
ALL OTHER 
VERTEBRATES 
Under anaesthesia 
without recovery 
Licence 
Certificate F 
Licence 
Licence 
Under anaesthesia 
with recovery 
Licence 
Certificates B & F 
Licence 
Certificates B & EE 
Licence 
Certificate B 
No anaesthesia 
employed 
Licence 
Certificates A & F 
Licence 
Certificates A & E 
Licence 
+ 
Certificate A 
Lectures and demon- 
strations, under 
anaesthesia without 
recovery 
Licence 
Certificates C & F 
Licence 
Certificate C 
Licence 
Certificate C 
There is no limit to the number of certificates which a licensee may hold. 
In the strict legal sense, a licence is granted by the Home Secretary, 
and certificates are given by the statutory signatories, that is, by a president 
of one of a number of learned bodies, and a professor of a main branch 
6 
