To-morrow is Hospital Sunday, and we trust that it may
result in a liberal subscription for those most useful of all London Charities. At the same time, we would strongly recommend the Medical profes- sion, if they wish for the display of the same sort of confidence in them in another year, not to persevere in the policy of passionate opposition to Lord Carnarvon's Vivisection Bill to which the de- putation of Thursday, received by Lord Carnarvon at the Colonial Office, gave expression. It is certain that in one case at least some of the general funds of a hospital have been applied in subvention of the medical school attached to it, and while vivisection is, as it certainly is, practised in these medical schools, the public will not be satisfied, without such guarantees as Lord Carnarvon's Bill con- tains that these vivisections are guarded against all abuse. We sincerely regret the violent tone taken by the deputation of Thursday. It is about as wise to say that the restrictions recom- mended in Lord Carnarvon's Bill rank the medical men with criminals, as that the restrictions of the various Factory Acts rank factory-owners with criminals. All that is implied in such restric- tions is that there are helpless creatures in danger of suffering, whose interests require public protection, because those interests are not identical with the interests pursued by those who may be the cause or occasion of their suffering. This excess of anger against reasonable securities which men conscious of a dominant humanity should rather welcome than resist, will only excite the suspicion of the -public. Lord Carnarvon was courtesy itself, but held out no hope of yielding any substantial security for humane treatment.
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