EXPERIMENTS ON LIVING ANIMALS.

1097 done by the exercise of a little forethought. Most of voluntary hospitals have libraries of a kind already, we fancy that the municipal hospitals are not so well and as these institutions, being fever hospitals, are

the but

of

experimental investigations. We are no advocates of experiments on living animals; unnecessary off, suffering is only inflicted by the careless and thoughtless, far and for this reason alone it is well that some investigation more cut off from the world than are the general hospitals, should always be made as to the capacity of an experimenter there is all the more reason why amusement should be before he is allowed to carry on experiments ; but it being provided for such of their inmates as are able to enjoy it. recognised ttat there is work to be done no obstacles should be placed in the way of using animals for FALSE ALARMS OF FIRE.

WITH reference to our annotation in THE LANCET of Oct. 10th we are happy to be able to record that one false alarmist has been caught. He is a young gentleman of tender years-namely, fourteen-and he turned out the Fire Brigade to a non-existent fire in Queen Anne’s-gate. He was suspected of having given several other false alarms, as in the office where he is employed there is a telephone and the alarms were given in a boy’s voice. Master Parsons has now retired for a space of fourteen days, failing to obtain any surety for his good behaviour for six months, and such surety, we should say, he would not obtain. This ingenuous youth has evidently mistaken his vocation. Imagination which can depict non-existent fires in so many localities as his presumably has. might find a lucrative vent in the manufacture of "penny bloods," for even that masterpiece of phantasy, the ball at the Vatican in "Jack Harkaway," pales before the efforts of Master Parsons. EXPERIMENTS ON

LIVING ANIMALS.

IN the return to the House of Commons showing the number of experiments performed on living animals during the year 1895 the inspector has given in tabular form a very full record of the experiments carried out under licences current under Act 39 and 40 Vict., c. 77. This return, as usual, contains the names of all persons who have held licences or special certificates during any part of the year, together with a statement of the registered places at which the licences were available ; it also contains the total number of experiments performed during the year, classified and arranged according to their general nature. The total number of those who held licences during the year was 213, but of these 65 performed no experiments. In order to show the stringent conditions under which the licences are held it is pointed out that all the licencees were restricted to the place or places specified on their licences, with the exception of those who were permitted to perform inoculation experiments in places other than aI licensed place,’ with the object of studying outbreaks of disease among animals in remote districts." As the inspector points out, we have in these tables evidence-, (1) that licences and certificates have been granted ard allowed only upon the recommendation of persons of high scientific standing; (2) that the licencees are persons who, by their training and education, are fitted to undertake experimental work and to profit by it ; and (3) that all experimental work has been conducted in suitable places." These limitations are valuable, and in the eyes of those who are not biased should afford sufficient guarantee that vivisection is not carried on, by scientific men at any rate, either for pecuniary benefit or as a matter of custom and routine. It is pointed out that most of the experiments performed are connected directly with the diagnosis of disease and with the preparation of therapeutic agents for the treatment of disease. In this connexion it is certainly a matter for consideration whether inoculation experiments, the majority of which are unattended by as much pain as is inflicted in vaccination, slight as that is, should come under the Experiments on Animals Acts at all, though, as might be pointed out, it is perhaps as well that experiments should only be carried out by those who have fitted themselves for the work and who are likely to make the best use

indiscriminate

other

experiments where

no

settlement of the

question

means are available for the under examination. In the report we find that under licence alone there were performed 1333 experiments, or one-fourth of the whole (4679) ; in these experiments the animals suffered no pain, as complete anaesthesia was maintained from before the commencement of the experiment until the animal was killed. Experiments performed under A, or E, or F along with A (2358), were all simple inoculations and were practically unaccompanied by any pain. Under certificate B, along with EE and F, 761 experiments had been made, the remainder, 227, being performed under certificate C. In Ireland there were performed 8 experiments under the licence only, 12 under Certificate A, and 20 under Certificate B. Four of these were directed to the diagnosis of canine rabies and 20 were in connexion with physiological experiments. We are glad to notice that, on the one hand, the licencees have, as usual, manifested strict loyalty to the letter and spirit of the Act, only 2 cases of irregularity on the part of licencees having called for official notice on the part of the Home Secretary of State, whilst on the other hand, though the Act is carried out so strictly, regard for the requirements of those who are conscientiously endeavouring to study the cause and treatment of disease are never lost sight of.

inspector’s

-

ANTI-VACCINATION AT READING. THE anti-vaccination campaign does not seem to have been one whit diminished by the overwhelming proofs of the value of vaccination given in the final report of the Royal Commission. An esteemed correspondent in Reading informs us that this movement has been very active in that town, where quite lately a meeting was held and addressed by Mr. Hadwen, whose work in Gloucester early in the year did much to confirm the people in withholding the protection of vaccination from their children-to their bitter cost as events shortly proved. Mr. Hadwen’a address in

Gloucester on Jan. 25th was reprinted and widely circulated. A few weeks later the hospital was filled with young unvaccinated children who had contracted small-pox at school, and many ot whom died. There is no shadow of doubt that if at the time that that speech was delivered there had been shown the same energetic recourse to vaccination as was taken subsequently, these innocent victims would not have perished. Mr. Hadwen, welearn, has now established himself in Gloucester as. the medical officer to an organisation for the treatment of disease on hydropathic principles. It is amazing that he should have any followers there after the frightful experience Gloucester has gained from reliance upon his fallacious sophistries. Reading, however, seems likely to. emulate Gloucester in its perversity, and our correspondent forwards to us a pamphlet written by a " botanical practitioner" which is full of the well-worn arguments preached by Mr. Hadwen and others, besides containing abuse of the general bulk of the medical profession. The author of the pamphlet, who has been given free opportunity to air his views in the columns of the local press, complains that challenges to discuss the question in open debate which he issued to a medical practitioner and a minister of religion These two gentlemen showed their have been ignored. good sense in taking no notice of the challenge. The