An Ethical Problem
By the Same Author
RAMBLES IN JAPAN WITHOUT A GUIDE. London, 1892
ILLEGITIMACY, and
THE INFLUENCE OF SEASONS UPON CONDUCT. London and New York, 1893
VIVISECTION IN AMERICA. New York, 1895
THE VIVISECTION QUESTION. New York, 1901
THE MORALITY OF LONDON. London, 1908
THE VIVISECTION CONTROVERSY. London, 1908
AMERICAN MEAT. London and New York, 1910
NEW YORK
C.P. FARREL, 117 EAST 21st STREET
1916
The position taken by the writer of this volume should be clearlyunderstood. It is not the view known as antivivisection, so far asthis means the condemnation without exception of all phases ofbiological investigation. There are methods of research which involveno animal suffering, and which are of scientific utility. Withincertain careful limitations, these would seem justifiable. For nearlyforty years, the writer has occupied the position which half a centuryago was generally held by a majority of the medical profession inEngland, and possibly in America, a position maintained in recentyears by such men as Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson of England, byProfessor William James and Dr. Henry J. Bigelow of HarvardUniversity. With the present ideals of the modern physiologicallaboratory, so far as they favour the practice of vivisection insecrecy and without legal regulation, the writer has no sympathywhatsoever.
An ethical problem exists. It concerns not the prevention of allexperimentation upon animals, but rather the abolition of its cruelty,its secrecy, its abuse.
Written at various times during a period extending over several years,a critic will undoubtedly discover instances of repetition andre-statement. Now and then, it has seemed advisable to include matterfrom earlier writings, long out of print; and new light has beenthrown upon some phases of a perplexing problem. Will it tend toinduce conviction of the need for reform? Assuredly, this is not tobe expected where there is disagreement regarding certain basicprinciples. First of all, there must be some common ground. Noagreement regarding vivisection can be anticipated or desired with anyman who holds that some vague and uncertain addition to the sum totalof knowledge would justify experiments made upon dying children in ahospital, without regard to their personal benefit, or sanction theinfliction of any degree of agony upon animals in a laboratory.
A liking for the use of italics as a means of directing attention tocertain statements is confessed. But wherever such italicized phrasesappear in quotations, the reader should ascribe the emphasis to thewriter, and not