ill cause
a rise of blood-pressure.

Let us now suppose that an animal destined to be vivisected lies
before us, "stretched" on the vivisection dog-board, so securely
fastened that voluntary movement is almost impossible. An incision
has been made in the neck, and in the principal artery has been
inserted a part of a delicate instrument designed to indicate the
fluctuations of the blood-pressure of the animal. The sciatic nerve
has been laid bare; the animal is supposed to be under the influence
of an anaaesthetic continuously administered, and if our imagination
is vivid and our faith implicit, we may believe that no suffering will
be felt. BUT HOW MAY WE BE CERTAIN? This question came up more than
once before the Royal Commission on Vivisection. How can one tell
that an animal may not be insufficiently anaesthetized IF IT CAN MAKE
NO SIGN, WHEN ALL THE ACTS BY WHICH IT MIGHT EVINCE ITS SUFFERING ARE
CAREFULLY RESTRAINED? The animal which lies before us cannot move;
every physical movement is as far as possible totally suppressed. It
cannot use its voice, for the trachea is cut and otherwise used. ARE
THERE NO MEANS WHEREBY WE CAN TELL WHETHER THE ANIMAL IS SUFFERING
what one of the Royal Commission called "a nightmare of suffering"?

The answer to this question has been given by some of the leading
physiologists of England.

Dr. J. M. Langley, professor of physiology in the University of
Cambridge, a Fellow of the Royal Society, gave explicit testimony on
this point. His examiner was desirous of knowing upon what he would
depend, other than upon the dose of the anaesthetic and watchfulness,
if in the animal he could see nothing that would satisfy him.

"There is the state of the blood-pressure, which would indicate to
some extent the reflexes on the vascular system," Professor Langley
replied.

"WOULD PAIN CAUSE AN INCREASE OF BLOOD-PRESSURE?"

"IT WOULD CAUSE A RISE OF BLOOD-PRESSURE," replied the physiologist.
Of course, he insisted upon the sufficiency of the anaesthesia, but he
had made the most important admission which his evidence affords. IF
PAIN WERE FELT, IT WOULD CAUSE A RISE OF BLOOD-PRESSURE.

Dr. W. E. Dixon of King's College, London, representing one of the
sections of the Royal Society of Medicine, gave evidence before the
Royal Commission on various matters pertaining to anaesthesia. Dogs,
he asserted, "very easily die of chloroform; but if one goes
sufficiently slowly they never die