An Ethical Problem Or, Sidelights upon Scientific Experimentation on Man and Animals   By: Albert Leffingwell (1845-1916)

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

AN ETHICAL PROBLEM

OR

SIDELIGHTS UPON SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTATION ON MAN AND ANIMALS

BY

ALBERT LEFFINGWELL, M.D.

LATE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN HUMANE ASSOCIATION AUTHOR OF "THE VIVISECTION QUESTION," ETC.

SECOND EDITION, REVISED

LONDON G. BELL AND SONS, LTD.

NEW YORK C.P. FARREL, 117 EAST 21st STREET

1916

PREFACE

The position taken by the writer of this volume should be clearly understood. It is not the view known as antivivisection, so far as this means the condemnation without exception of all phases of biological investigation. There are methods of research which involve no animal suffering, and which are of scientific utility. Within certain careful limitations, these would seem justifiable. For nearly forty years, the writer has occupied the position which half a century ago was generally held by a majority of the medical profession in England, and possibly in America, a position maintained in recent years by such men as Sir Benjamin Ward Richardson of England, by Professor William James and Dr. Henry J. Bigelow of Harvard University. With the present ideals of the modern physiological laboratory, so far as they favour the practice of vivisection in secrecy and without legal regulation, the writer has no sympathy whatsoever.

An ethical problem exists. It concerns not the prevention of all experimentation 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 and re statement. Now and then, it has seemed advisable to include matter from earlier writings, long out of print; and new light has been thrown upon some phases of a perplexing problem. Will it tend to induce conviction of the need for reform? Assuredly, this is not to be expected where there is disagreement regarding certain basic principles. First of all, there must be some common ground. No agreement regarding vivisection can be anticipated or desired with any man who holds that some vague and uncertain addition to the sum total of knowledge would justify experiments made upon dying children in a hospital, without regard to their personal benefit, or sanction the infliction of any degree of agony upon animals in a laboratory.

A liking for the use of italics as a means of directing attention to certain statements is confessed. But wherever such italicized phrases appear in quotations, the reader should ascribe the emphasis to the writer, and not to the original authority.