128 HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN RESEARCH 
Introduction 
The care and management of laboratory animals is a 
fundamental aspect of research in biology and medicine. 
Recently, laboratory animal medicine has evolved as a specialized 
professional field, to assure proper maintenance of experimental 
animals in research institutions. This development is a natural 
outgrowth of the increased financial support of medical research 
in recent years, of the consequent increase in the numbers of 
laboratory animals used, and of the great refinement in research 
techniques which requires better quality animals and animal care. 
Medical research programs seem destined for further 
expansion in the future both in terms of the volume of animals 
required and their complex, qualitative requirements. Undoubt- 
edly this will require an increase in facilities and personnel 
for laboratory animal care. However, a detailed analysis of 
the present status of this field should precede any expansion in 
these programs. Without this information, it would be difficult 
or impossible to estimate future requirements and to determine 
where the greatest emphasis is needed. For this reason, the 
Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, expressed 
interest in Academy-Research Council sponsorship of a survey 
of laboratory animal facilities in nonprofit, nonfederal 
medical research institutions in the United States. 
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