❝ acute. 'the excitement gradually increased until the close of fifteen minutes after the administration of the drug, 'when it seemed to be frantic. These fits of intense 'cerebral excitement afterwards occurred at intervals ' of two or three minutes; between them the animal lay quiet. It appeared to be extremely susceptible 'to irritation. A stick brought near it was immediately bitten. Salivation became very profuse. 'Twelve minutes after the dose had been given the 'cat had difficulty in moving its posterior extremities. This difficulty gradually passed into complete paraplegia. Thirty minutes after, it could not move the hinder part of its body, but its senses were very The animal noticed every movement made 'near it, and it tried to bite. The paralysis gradually " invaded the fore extremities also, and the cat was ' unable to sit up. It lay with its head slightly raised, 'but still there was the same acuteness of the senses ' of hearing and vision, and it was easily irritated. It ' remained in this condition for an hour and a half, when, after two very severe clonic spasms, it died. The narrative of the above experiment indicates 'intense cerebral excitement associated with gradual loss of the functions of the spinal cord.' In regard to some experiments I have here, the Society has made extracts from them and printed them, and we have taken out the pith of them, as we consider, and it may save your time if I read what we printed. I can leave the document with you, so that you can verify it. 4444. Will you read it, if you please?—It is No. 13 of our publications. Facts: "Thine own mouth con""demneth thee, and not I. Yea, thine own lips 666 6 6.66 6.66 6.66 testify against thee" (Job xv. 5, 6). As it is often ' asserted that the practices of vivisectors are exaggerated, this Society brings forward more examples 6 of them. "Experimental Researches in Cerebral Physiology and Pathology," by David Ferrier, 'M.A., M.D. (Edin.) M.R.C.P., Professor of Forensic Medicine, King's College, London; Assistant-Phy'sician to the West London Hospital. "I have to "thank Dr. Crichton Browne for kindly placing at "my disposal the resources of the Pathological Laboratory of the West Riding Asylum, with a liberal supply of pigeons, fowls, guinea-pigs, rabbits, "cats, and dogs, for the purposes of my research. "The animals were extended on boards, the head "and limbs first tried with cords, which were after“wards relaxed. The brain was exposed by sawing away part of the skull; the surface then extended "by pincers, and electrical shocks, or irritation, given through copper wires applied to it. Concentrated ""chromic acid was also squirted into the brain, "through a small hole in the skull. Experiment I. “Medium-sized guinea-pig. Narcotised with chloro"form, and the greater part of left hemisphere exposed. The animal was then placed on the floor, "and watched. On recovery from stupor, the body "becomes curved from left to right-the head touch"ing the tail. Active movements of the fore-legs are 6.66 6.66 6.66 6.66 made, causing the animal to rotate round from left ""to right. Sometimes the animal makes violent "struggles, and falls on its back. When the muscles "of the right side are forcibly overcome, the state of pleurosthotonus returns on removal of the resistance. 6.66 6.66 6.66 "When placed on its right side, the animal makes rapid movements with both fore- and hind-legs, as ""in running, but it is unable to alter its position. "When placed on its left side, it becomes curled from ""left to right, as before, and regains its feet. The "" pleurosthotonus and movements of the legs occasionally remit. Half-an-hour after the animal is "able to rest quietly on its feet, but with the head "directed towards the tail, from left to right. The "animal was then, forty-five minutes after the opera"tion, again narcotised, and submitted to electric ""stimulation; but death took place, probably from an "overdose of chloroform during the first application ""of the electrodes. Apparently, the brain retained "its excitability; but I discovered that the move"ments induced by stimulating different parts, and ""which were on the left side, were in reality due to ""conduced currents from too strong stimulation. The "inferences I subsequently drew from the experiment 6.66 were, that the vital irritation consequent on expo"sure of the hemisphere, acted on the muscles of "the opposite side of the body, through the corpus ""striatum, causing tetanic spasm and pleurosthotonus. “The next experiments were undertaken with a view ""to ascertain," &c. "Several rabbits and cats were "employed for this purpose," &c. After detailing the above, Dr. David Ferrier proceeds to assert: "It may be mentioned here, once for all, that before and throughout all the following experiments, ether or "chloroform was administered." The natural inference 'from this qualified statement must necessarily be that 'narcotics were not administered in all the previous 6 6.66 6.66 6 6 6.66 experiments. Whether in later ones they were always given or not, or given to render the creatures help'less; whether the details now published invalidate 'the assertion of Dr. David Ferrier, whether intense ' and protracted agony was inflicted, may be estimated by these extracts from a mere preliminary 'instalment of a more extended and complete investigation, as these "experiments" are termed by Dr. David Ferrier. The public may, perhaps, realise 'from them what is the significance of the phrase, experimenting on animals under anaesthetics. "Ex""periment III. The next experiment was made on a large, strong cat. The skull was removed," &c. "The animal was only partially narcotised," p. 68. "My experiments, therefore, had to be extended over a very great many different animals," &c. "With ""and without chloroform, the application of the ""electrodes apparently produced no effect, the animal remaining perfectly quiet. Occasionally, during application of stronger currents, the animal exhibited ""restlessness, and uttered cries; but they did not ❝"indicate anything further than the usual restlessness ""and cries of guinea-pigs when under experimentation," p. 69. "In addition, also, the position of the "animal's head, and its condition as to anæsthesia, seems to modify the results," p. 77. "In confirma""tion of these same results, I observe in my notes ""of experiments made on a rabbit, already alluded to 6.66 6.66 6.66 6.66 6.66 6.66 (p. 36), that after about two-thirds of the superior "surface of the left hemisphere had been exposed, the "animal ultimately recovered, but the whole of the exposed part became the seat of suppuration and 6.66 "fungus cerebri; so that the greater part of the cor"tical substance was rendered entirely functionless. "During the five days intervening between the first "operation and the second, which necessitated its death, the animal had apparently recovered per 6.66 6.66 6.66 6.66 fectly, without any distinct paralysis of the opposite "side; but it had lost its natural sense of timidity, ""and regarded things which at other times would "have frightened it with a degree of stupid uncon6.66 cern. It was also observed that though there was "no distinct paralysis of the right side, the animal "always had a tendency to run in a circle towards "the right," &c. The following are some of the scenes which ensued in regard to a cat:-"Experi"ment IV. The greater part of the right hemisphere ""of a full-grown cat is exposed. The animal lies "breathing quietly in the semi-narcotised condition," ' &c. Observation 6. "The animal exhibits signs of 'pain; screams, and kicks with both hind-legs, espe"cially the left." Observation 12. "The animal ex"hibited signs of pain, screamed, and kicked out with "its left hind-leg, at the same time turning its head ""round, and looking behind in an astonished manner." 'Observation 18. "Repeated opening and closing the "jaws. The tongue was seen often to be protruded ""and retracted." Observation 19. "While the temporo-sphenodial gyri were being further exposed, ““the animal bit angrily, and gnawed its own legs. 6.66 6.66 6.66 6.66 It did the same generally after irritation of the ""same parts." Observation 20. "In every case rest"lessness, opening of the mouth, and long-continued "cries, as if of rage or pain." Observation 21. "The |