4661. (Chairman.) We are very sensible of your kindness in coming at some sacrifice to yourself to express your opinions to the Commission. We attribute it to the great interest which we know you take in the subject referred to us, both on the score of science and also on the score of humanity?
Mem: This print is only a first sketch. It is being now recast with a new & more simple form – but the substance of the proposed measure may be equally well seen in this draft.
R.B.L. | 2
586 Darwin and vivisection
EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS.
Sketch of Bill, No. 1
Arrangement of sections.
Preamble.
Section 1. —Authority to make experiments may be granted by Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for the Home Department.
I No experiment which can be performed under the influence of an anasthetic ought to be done without it.
II No painful experiment is justifiable for the mere purpose of illustrating a law or fact already demonstrated; in other words, experimentation without the employment of anasthetics is not a fitting exhibition for teaching purposes.
That your petitioners are persons engaged in the study of the Biological Sciences [‘& their application to medicine’ del].
That the art of preventing & curing disease is based upon a knowledge of the nature & causes of disease: and that the increase of such knowledge is the only means by which that art can be brought to perfection.
Darwin played an important role in the controversy over vivisection that broke out in late 1874. Public debate was sparked when the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals brought an unsuccessful prosecution against a French physiologist who had performed vivisection on dogs.
CD’s letter on his behalf made a great impression, but his candidacy nevertheless failed, largely owing to the hostility of Claude Bernard. CD’s opinion sustains his belief that his work will be a service to science.
Is alarmed by the petitions against vivisection that are being circulated. Believes there is scope for reasonable legislation and would like to see eminent physiologists prepare a petition so that the science could be protected and animals saved from needless suffering.
Discusses the experiments with phosphates on Drosera and animals.
Considers the question of preparing a petition on the question of animal experiments, with the aim of promoting rather than hindering science. [Response to 9849.]