An address by E.A. Schäfer ... on the case presented by anti-vivisectionists : (Annual General Meeting of the Dublin Branch of the Research Defence Society, March 24th, 1911).

  • Sharpey-Schäfer, E. A. (Edward Albert), Sir, 1850-1935.
Date:
1911
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: An address by E.A. Schäfer ... on the case presented by anti-vivisectionists : (Annual General Meeting of the Dublin Branch of the Research Defence Society, March 24th, 1911). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    21, Ladbroke Square, London,W. O . Form D 5 May 1911 Research Defence Society. AN ADDRESS by E. A. SCHAFER. F.R.S., LLD., D.Sc. (Professor of Physiology, Edinburgh) ON The Case Presented by Anti-Vivisectionists. (Annual General Meeting of the Dublin Branch of the Research Defence Society, March 24th, 1911.) I have thought that it might be a subject of interest to this Society, to put before it the views and statements which have been propounded by those who advocate the abolition of experiments on animals; since the main purpose of our Association is to show how impracticable such views are in the actual conditions of society. In order to obtain an idea of these views, we need do no more than consult the five volumes which have been issued in the Reports of the Royal Commission on the Act which is commonly known as “ The Cruelty to Animals Act,” 39 and 40 Vic., Cap. 77. I am not going to burthen you with many details; but, in order that you may understand the opinions that are actually held by anti-vivisec- tionists, I have culled certain excerpts from the evidence of repre- sentatives who were sent up, by their Societies, to give evidence before the Commission. Place aux dames. One lady, an authoress and theoso- phist, who came as a representative of a Society which calls itself the Parliamentary Association for the Abolition of Vivisection, began by stating that the practice of vivisection causes great moral and ethical deterioration of the race, which far outweighs any con- ceivable value to be derived from it. On being questioned with regard to this somewhat remarkable statement, she admitted that she had no evidence of such deterioration, but said that in her opinion experiments on animals were not justifiable, even if thou- sands of lives should be saved every year. For example, in India, where 20,000 people a year are killed by snake bites—if a method could be found, by experiments on animals, which would prevent such deaths, she would still say the experiments should not