Part 16 (1/2)

EXPERIMENT 33. ”ON BURNING A PAW UNDER LIGHT ANAESTHESIA, THERE WAS A RISE OF PRESSURE OF 19 MILLIMETRES.”

What is ”LIGHT anaesthesia”?

It is a condition which a few drops of chloroform will produce; a state in which the loss of consciousness is so slight that any pain may be as keenly felt as if no stupefying agent had been given. What are we to think of a statemnet that in a condition of such light slumber the keenest of pains--THE BURNING OF LIVING FLESH--INVOLVED NO SUFFERING? How can one speak with authority on a matter like this against the evidence of the ”one obvious sign” of sensibility? When the paws of the miserable animal were burned, was there not the rise of blood-pressure which indicated suffering? ”Pain would cause a rise of blood-pressure,” said the professor of physiology of the University of Cambridge. Should we find the significant rise of the blood-pressure in other experiments where fire was used for the ”stimulation” of the nerves? Let us see.

EXPERIMENT 2. ”On burning a paw, there was a RISE OF PRESSURE OF 10 millimetres. Stimulation of sciatic nerve resulted in A RISE of systolic pressure.”

EXPERIMENT 4. ”11.45. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF PRESSURE.

” 1.27. Sciatic nerve stimulated; RISE OF BLOOD-PRESSURE.”

EXPERIMENT 6. ”Burned a paw. A RISE OF PRESSURE of 4 millimetres resulted.”

EXPERIMENT 12. ”On burning a paw, there was a RISE OF PRESSURE of 16 millimetres.”

EXPERIMENT 14. ”On burning a paw, A RISE OF 12 MILLIMETRES, followed by a temporary fall, and then a rise to a higher level.

”On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF BLOOD-PRESSURE OF 2 MILLIMETRES.”

EXPERIMENT 15. ”11.12. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF PRESSURE OF 8 MILLIMETRES.

”11.36. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF PRESSURE OF 12 MILLIMETRES.”

EXPERIMENT 16. ”Dog. Condition good.

”11.22. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF PRESSURE OF 22 MILLIMETRES.

”11.33. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF 29 MILLIMETRES.

”11.44. Contrl. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF 24 MILLIMETRES.

”12.26. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF PRESSURE OF 8 MILLIMETRES.

”12.35. On burning a paw, there was A STEADY RISE OF PRESSURE.”

EXPERIMENT 22. ”Dog. On burning a paw, there was A RISE IN PRESSURE OF 36 MILLIMETRES.”

EXPERIMENT 24. ”On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF BLOOD-PRESSURE OF 12 MILLIMETRES.

”12.19. On burning a paw, there was A RISE OF PRESSURE OF 18 MILLIMETRES.”

EXPERIMENT 29. ”2.13. Blood-pressure 43. On burning a paw it rose 12 millimetres.

”2.30. On burning a paw, THERE WAS A RISE OF BLOOD- PRESSURE.”

”3.6. On burning a paw, THERE WAS A RISE OF BLOOD- PRESSURE.”

EXPERIMENT 31. ”3.35. On burning a paw, THERE WAS A RISE OF PRESSURE.

”4.14. On burning a paw, THERE WAS A RISE OF PRESSURE.”

The foregoing experiments are not quoted in full; in many of them, at intervals, the animals were bled; and these observations of the effects of ”burning a paw” were incidental to others. BUT WHY ALL THIS BURNING AND STIMULATION TO PROVE A PHENOMENON SO UNIFORM?

One exceptional experiment must not be overlooked. On one occasion two dogs were vivisected at the same time. At the outset a paw of each dog was burned, causing A RISE of blood-pressure in each case. A little later the sciatic nerve was stimulated:

”11.25. On stimulating the sciatic nerves of each dog, Dog A showed a rising and falling pressure, and Dog B (MORE ETHER WAS GIVEN JUST THEN) showed an initial FALL, and a rise, with a sudden second FALL and a rise.

”11.32. BOTH DOGS WERE DEEPLY ANAESTHETIZED. Dog A: Stimulation PRODUCED NO EFFECT. Dog B: On stimulating the sciatic nerve, there was A FALL OF (BLOOD)-PRESSURE, WITH SLOW RECOVERY.”

Here we have recorded by the experimenter himself the difference in the effect of stimulation of nerves in an animal ”deeply anaesthetized” and the results produced when the anaesthesia was light.

It has seemed necessary to examine at some length these peculiar experiments. The volumes describing them are not easily to be seen; some appear to be out of print; even Sir Victor Horsley; in whose laboratory in London some of the experiments were performed, confessed that he did not know about the vivisections made in the United States--whether or not they differed from those performed in England.

In the vast number of these vivisections, so far beyond anything previously reported in our country by a single experimenters; in the ingenuity and variety of the mutilations to which the victims were subjected--mutilations and stimulations calculated to cause the extremest agony, unless the anaesthesia was perfect; in the seeming affirmation of absolute insensibility of the wretched animals, although contradicted by the only sign of suffering that in some cases could possibly be seen; in the apparent uselessness of experiments, repeated again and again simply to elicit precisely the same phenomena; above all, in the absence from criticism which some of these ”investigations” have managed to secure--all this const.i.tutes a claim for especial consideration. There can be little doubt that they merely ill.u.s.trate what goes on to-day, in many a laboratory in the United States, in secret--as these were made in secret--and untouched by the criticism of the outer world.

Of the absolute uselessness of the vast majority of these experiments much might be said, but it is aside from this inquiry. The question of utility is not here raised. The one matter of inquiry is the existence of pain.