"Vivisection, Virtue, and the Law in the Nineteenth Century" by Bates Vivisection is a practice of experimentalist doctors, but clinicians wanted to distance themselves from it because inflicting pain is at odds with caring for patients. Anti-vivisectors viewed by some as regressive luddites. Always a minority in support of vivisection Desire to protect anmials was "a form of social self-defense." Middle class activists? Cock-fights and bull-baitings alarmed the urban bourgeoisie Casual cruelty => Violence Radicals who wanted to empower disenfranchised humans Cruel and Improper Treatment of Cattle Act Required offender to act 'wantonly and cruelly' Moved focus from moral to legal concerns Originally a French ("Continental") Procedure Magendie is a famous Parisian vivisector Utilitarian arguments, "betterment of mankind," used by vivisectors Voluntary doctors' boards and organizations founded. Fear of vivisectors' character, human vivisections of charity patients Ethics wasn't an established practice in the nineteenth century Not even legislation until Medical Act of 1858 Virtue ethics: doctors expected to act gentlemanly Doctors can't enjoy vivisection; motives > actions Ideal motive is actually a balance: scientific inquiry tempered with a degree of care for the animal (but not too much, that's effeminate) Empathy seen to be lacking by vivisectors - Cadaver dissection had interchangeable arguments "Cold-heartedness and self-indulgence" 1876 Cruelty to Animals Act requires licensing (passed due to a shocking experiment conducted by a Frenchman) Dubious value on several bases: while quantitative value was obtained, objectors worried it had little scientific relevance to human. Countered with specific examples of benefits from vivisection like John Hunter's work with aneurysms. Nationalist criticism (Brits -> French, in particular) Objective criteria: "the information sought must not be obtainable by observation alone, the experiment must have a distinct and definite object, it must not be a repeat, it must cause the least possible suffering to the least sentient animal, and must be properly witnessed and recorded." (influence in Antivivisection Act) Wantonly: without rational regard Cruelty (Sir John Day): "Something which cannot be justified." There were no successful prosecutions of vivisectionists in Britain. 676 people licensed, many not required to use anaesthesia. Encouraged nepotism by requiring signatures of other physicians National Anti-Vivisection Society founded to end animal experiments. Also known as Victoria Street Society Claimed that Act made vivisection rates worse Teaching colleges avoided vivisections because teachers believed that "anyone who would look calmly on a vivisection would not make a good physician." Rare in the field too Support of laboratory medicine correlates strongly with feelings about vivisection. ---------------- Lecture Dogs used for vivisection because they are docile and like humans. - Traces its role into modern medical profession in conduct, education Paradox between rationality (cool indifferenc to suffering) and caring/sympathy/bedside-manner/compassion. - Dr. Watson & Holmes and Prendick & Dr. Moreau represent this paradox as separate people The Case Against Vivisection - Feminists and socialists wanted good treatment of disempowered humans - Upper class wants to control underclass and prevent "taste for blood" - Corresponds to Dr. Moreau's fear of "taste for flesh" - Progress & motive as proper justifications of cruelty - Dr. Moreau's negligence of pain corresponds to this Vivisectionists and Anti-vivisectionists continued to battle out in the legal system throughout the 19th century, but little changed in terms of public opinion and physicians' ability to vivisect.