HC Deb 06 July 1905 vol 148 cc1310-1
MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home-Department whether, in view of the fact that the total number of vivisection experiments in 1905 exceeded those of 1904 by 13,478 experiments, he will cause inquiry to be made into this matter with a view to the abolition of vivisection.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) I must point out to the hon. Member that this increase is almost entirely accounted for by the additional inoculations, hypodermic injections, and † See page 992. feeding experiments that have taken place. The total increase in all other kinds of experiments was only forty-five. These inoculations, which numbered 30,346 out of the total of 32,562 experiments performed in the year, in no case involved a serious operation; and a very large proportion of them were performed on behalf of public or local authorities. Constant attention is given to the matter, but I am not prepared to take action in the direction suggested.