HC Deb 11 May 1903 vol 122 cc300-1
MR. WEIR

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of dogs which have been subjected to experiments at London University College during the year ending 31st December last; and the number of such experiments which were conducted without the use of anæsthetics.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. AKERS DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine's

The total number is 232. Of these, 155 dogs were operated upon in the Department of Physiology, all under anæsthetics. In the remaining 77 cases, the experiments, which took place in the Department of Pathological Chemistry, were of the nature of inoculations or feeding experiments, not involving any serious operation, and were conducted without the use of anæsthetics. It is a condition of such experiments that if pain ensues the animal shall be killed under anæsthetics as soon as the main result of the experiment is attained.

MR. WEIR

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to an experiment made on a dog, on the 2nd February last, at the London University College; and will he take steps to secure that such experiments shall be discontinued, or conducted only in the presence of a Home Office Inspector, and while the animal is under the influence of anæsthetics.

MR. AKERS DOUGLAS

Inquiry into this case shows that during the whole of the experiment and until it was killed the dog was under anæsthetics. I am afraid that I cannot adopt the hon. Member's other suggestions.

MR. WEIR

Was the experiment conducted in the presence of a Home Office Inspector?

MR. AKERS DOUGLAS

It was carried out by a medical man holding a licence, but not in the presence of a Home Office Inspector.