Lord Winmarleigh, and Lord Cardwell (the President of the recent
Commission), both spoke cordially in support of the Bill, though Lord Winmarleigh appeared to regret the fifth clause, which exempts dogs and cats from liability to these experi- ments, and Lord Cardwell reserved his liberty of action with respect to any parts of the Bill which go beyond the unani- mous recommendations of the Commissioners. He made the very just observation that if we failed to control the system of physio- logical experiment on living creatures in its infancy, we should lose an advantage which might never occur again ; and he pointed out, what the bitter opponents of this Bill in the Press should bear in mind, that so far from challenging the opposition of men of science, the main provisions of the Bill were recommended by, and would receive the support of, the most eminent physiologists in the United Kingdom. We earnestly hope that the men of science will not set themselves against that most natural popular feeling which pleads for the complete exemption of dogs and cats from pain of this kind. Creatures whose life may be said to be lived in habits of constant and close affection for man, cannot be sacrificed to the mere desire of knowledge, without seriously lacerating the best part of man's own nature,—a far higher part than his highest speculative yearning.
Previous page
