[March, 
176 Correspondence . 
gists, and pharmacologists — shall have perfect freedom to con- 
duct experiments on living animals, where such are necessary to 
the elucidation of the problems of health , disease , and thera- 
peutics .” We beg to call especial attention to the words we 
have italicised : they seem to us far too narrow. We doubt if, 
e.g., they would include the initial experiments of Galvani, the 
interesting researches of Madame Chauvin, and, generally 
speaking, all investigations on the causes which may influence 
the development of species.* Again, why are the words 
“ physiologists, pathologists, and pharmacologists,” used instead 
of the briefer and more comprehensive terms “ biologists and 
chemists ” ? 
We fear that, so long as certificates are necessary, competent 
men, if they have not the art of pushing themselves into notice, 
or if they have failed to do homage to some dominant clique, 
will find themselves excluded. We are glad to learn that Mr. 
T. M. Dolan does not propose to make a separate peace with the 
enemy to the exclusion of non-medical biologists, and we beg to 
tender our apologies for having misunderstood him. This is a 
point on which we feel the more jealous as we see plainly that it 
is one of the objedts of the anti-vivisedlionists to spread discord 
among men of Science. 
We think we may lay claim to some little insight into the 
question. In 1876, when some of our contemporaries anticipated 
that the proposed Vivisection Adt would satisfy the enemy, we 
ventured to express a very different opinion (“Journal of Science,” 
1876, p. 333), and in the same journal for 1878 (p. 651) we 
recommended the organisation of a Biological Research Defence 
League as a pressing necessity. Our suggestion was ignored, 
and the matter has gone from bad to worse. As “ servus servo- 
rum Scientice ” we are willing to co-operate with everyone in 
defeating the deplorable attacks made upon research ; but so long 
as we do noborganise we are as a scattered mob contending with 
a fully equipped, and, we must crave permission to say, “ a fana- 
tical ” army. 
The Editor. 
* It is not generally known that to feed an animal on unusual food, to expose 
it to a moister or drier air, or to a greater or less degree of atmospheric 
pressure, might possibly be construed as a “ painful experiment,” and subject 
the experimentalist to heavy penalties. 
