HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN RESEARCH 231 
The original intention of the Act was clear and reasonable but 
it was felt necessary to allow certificates to be issued permitting 
the absence of anaesthetics under certain conditions. The certifi- 
cates are sponsored by people few of whom have practical know- 
ledge of veterinary matters. It is in the use of these certificates 
that the intention of the Act has been grossly abused. An Act 
to prevent cruelty to animals has been turned into an Act 
to allow almost unlimited and uncontrolled experiments 
on animals. 
What goes on today behind closed doors 
In 1960 there, were 3,701,187 experiments. Of these 3,345,464 — 
nine out of ten — were without anaesthetics and by law should 
therefore be absolutely essential to the advancement of medical 
knowledge which will prolong or save life, or alleviate suffering. 
Of the remaining 355,723 anaesthetised animals, only 51,560 were 
destroyed, as required by the Act, before coming round. 
MANY ANIMALS ARE INOCULATED WITH VIRULENT DIS- 
EASES WHICH DO NOT NECESSARILY CAUSE DEATH, BUT 
WEEKS OF. LINGERING PAIN INSTEAD. SOMETIMES THEY ARE 
INOCULATED IN THE EYES. FEEDING EXPERIMENTS INCLUDE 
STARVATION, PARALYSIS AND CONVULSIONS. ANIMALS ARE 
DEPRIVED OF SLEEP TO AN EXCESSIVE DEGREE AND EXPOSED 
TO POISON GAS. 
THE ACT WAS OBVIOUSLY INTENDED TO PREVENT CRUELTY 
TO ANIMALS BUT, IN FACT, ALLOWS GRAVE FORMS OF CRUELTY. 
IT IS ALMOST INCREDIBLE THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE 
PROSECUTION SINCE 1876. 
Experiments inadequately controlled 
The R.S.P.C.A. is not opposed to experiments involving vivi- 
section, but to cruelty to animals during experiments — especially 
when it is unnecessary and therefore, in the express terms of the 
Act, illegal. 
This is because THE 1876 ACT IS NOT BEING ADMINISTERED 
PROPERLY, and the experiments are inadequately controlled. 
In 1876 there were 300 experiments a year, supervised by two 
inspectors. Now there are nearly 4,000,000 experiments, and only 
six inspectors. Worst of all, these INSPECTORS DO NOT 
INSPECT OR SUPERVISE 1% OF THE EXPERIMENTS. Nor do 
they have adequate knowledge of veterinary anaesthesia — a very 
specialized branch of anaesthetics — although the Act lays great 
stress upon conditions requiring them. 
