eliabce whatever can be placed upon the
assertions or protesting denials of any profession vivisector now
drawing a large income from the vivisection of animals, whose
interests would possibly be affeted by failure to produce startling
results, or by removal of the secrecy that now enshrouds the
laboratory. The defenders of absolute licence have not told us the
truth on every occasion it has been sought from them, and it must be
gained from other sources and by other means.

It would seem, therefore, that the first step toward reform must be
the creation of a public sentiment, eager, not so much to pass
condemnation as to know the facts. That the laboratory, of its own
accord and initiative, will ever open its doors and give to the world
a complete knowledge of what goes on within its sacred precincts, is
more than we can expect. The doors will open only when public opinion
so demands. The laboratory is perfectly aware of this. With ever
yenergy that such consciousness gives, it will fight to keep
everything that it now hides from the light of day. Take, for
example, the question of vivisection in our institutions of learning.
To what extent is experimentation carried on therein merely to
demonstrate what every student knows in advance? It would appear that
certain lines of experiment are now permitted in such institutions
which hardly more than a generation ago were condemned as cruel by the
medical profession of Great Britain. We ought to inquire why it is
that experiments which scarcely thirty years ago were thus condemned,
are less abhorrent to-day. The removal of secrecy is the first and
most important step toward any true reform.

It is the fashion of certain apologists for vivisection without
control to represent their opponents as guided by sentiment alone.
Perhaps it would be well to quote the opinions of one whose work for
science should absolve him from that imputation.

One of the most illustrious philosphers which America has produced was
Dr. William James, professor of psychology in Harvard University. In
that institution, thirty-five years ago, he was assistant-professor of
physiology, and knew exactly what was done. Harvard made him a
professor of philosophy, and then of psychology; Princeton and Oxford
and Harvard conferred upon him their highest honours. He lectured
both at the University of Oxford and the University of Edinburgh. He
wa s a member of various scienfitic societies in Franc