The influence of vivisection on human surgery / by Sampson Gamgee.

  • Sampson Gamgee
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The influence of vivisection on human surgery / by Sampson Gamgee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    30/36 page 28
    Puritan quite dead ? Is the story of Calvin and Servetus forgotten ? Is the “ Index Expurgatorius,” in spirit if not in letter, a Vatican monopoly ? Is it all charity under and around the Ecclesiastical Titles Act ? Are the far distant gaols, with the five hundred unheard suspects, no proof of mistaken statecraft ? The love of animals, which is one of the prime movers in the breasts of those who oppose vivisection, is deeply to be cherished. As Englishmen we yield for it to no nation. The alleged horrors of Alfort and of the Florence laboratory are not practised in Great Britain. We hold scientific ex¬ periments on animals are indispensable. Let us reassure all kindly persons, by giving every possible guarantee that only essential experiments shall be performed, and in the most humane manner possible. ATvisection might be re¬ stricted to licensed public institutions, such as medical schools or other scientific colleges, and then under the cognisance of their governing bodies. If in something like this spirit a truce be agreed upon, and the Act temperately administered, I feel quite confident that the medical profession will act in the matter, in the same spirit of benevolence and honour in which they discharge all their public duties. But, if spies are to track every scientific enquirer, and such prosecutions, as the recent one of Doctor Ferrier, to be renewed, I would venture to make an observation. Laws which are too stringent and uncompromising inspire their own violation. Smugglers are the outcome of oppressive fiscal laws, as body-snatchers were of prohibited human dissection. But there is yet another class of objectors. Those worthy persons who believe that by the performance of scientific ex¬ periments, especially on animals, men grow materialists and
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image