HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN RESEARCH 185 
of its functions. We believe that this type of board is in the best possible 
position to perform this function economically and properly. 
I strongly approve of laws promoting the humane treatment of all animals. 
Cruelty to animals is a crime and should be punished whether the culprit is a 
pet owner, a farmer, a trucker, or a scientist. The most effective measures to 
promote the humane treatment of experimental animals are those which Ameri- 
can scientists have already adopted and used ; namely, careful education of all 
animal attendants and students in the proper care of animals and State control 
of laboratory certification for receiving pound animals. 
In summary, H.R. 3556 and H.R. 1937, each in different ways, would put 
improper restrictions on teaching, would load investigators with mountains of 
paperwork, would add greatly to the cost of the medical research enterprise, 
would impede our national defense research programs in biology and medicine, 
would discourage innovations in biology and medicine generally. The hoped for 
gains in improved care of laboratory animals would not be achieved by the 
bills in question. If the Congress wishes to make real improvements in labora- 
tory animal housing and care, the scientific community stands willing and ready 
to offer realistic constructive proposals. We are ready to work with the Congress 
in pointing out how genuine progress can be made. Specifically, we call for 
more construction and equipment funds for animal housing as well as for funds 
for training of animal care personnel and for research in animal nutrition and 
care. 
APPENDIX A 
QUOTATION FROM LORD ADRIAN (WRITTEN FEBRUARY 7, 1961), MASTER OF TRINITY 
COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND, NOBEL LAUREATE IN PHYSIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, 
NOTED AS A NEUROPHYSIOLOGIST 
* * * Our system certainly protects us from antivivisection agitation. It does 
not make it possible for stray cats and dogs to be used for experimental purposes : 
We have to rely on dealers and have sometimes had trouble because we have 
had no check on their source of supply. I do not think we have been unduly 
hampered by the formalities needed for getting foreign students licensed and 
seeing that they follow the regulations, and we are on good terms with the 
inspectors who turn up occasionally from the Home Office. In fact their criticism 
about animal houses, etc., is sometimes a good lever for getting improvements 
agreed to by the university or hospital concerned. 
On the other hand I do feel that state regulation, based on an act which dates 
from the last century, has made us rather unenterprising. When there is some 
doubt whether a particular kind of research or class experiment needs special 
certificates, etc., my own tendency has been to give up the idea and stick to what 
I know to be allowable. We have certainly been a good deal behind other 
countries in work on the central nervous system in the past 30 years. One can 
think of various reasons for that, but work such as Bremer’s would have been 
difficult to carry out without considerable argument, although for all I know it 
may be sanctioned nowadays. Clearly it depends on the temperament of the 
research worker whether he will be put off by the need to get sanction for the 
sort of experiment which does not seem to be covered by the regulations; and 
I expect enterprising neurologists would not have been inhibited. 
I should say that the standard of treatment of animals used for experiments 
is much the same in the United States of America as here, for that reason I do 
not think state licensing of the kind contemplated can make much difference 
to the welfare of the animals in the United States of America. 
APPENDIX B 
CHAPTER 19 5 OF THE SESSION OF THE LAWS OF THE 1949 LEGISLATURE 
AN ACT To promote scientific research and instruction in animal and public health by 
making available to educational and scientific institutions, unclaimed and unredeemed 
animals impounded by public authority in animal pounds ; to provide licenses therefor 
and penalties for violations thereof 
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota : 
Section 1. As used in this act, “institution” means any school or college of 
agriculture, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, or other educational or 
scientific establishment properly concerned with the investigation of, or in- 
struction concerning the structure or functions of living organisms, the cause, 
prevention, control or cure of diseases or abnormal conditions of human beings 
or animals. 
