HC Deb 10 March 1932 vol 262 c1954
25. Mr. HOPKIN MORRIS

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the experiments performed upon a monkey, denominated for the purposes of the experiments monkey 420, involving severe and enduring pain; and can he state whether in this ease the animal was forthwith painlessly destroyed?

Sir H. SAMUEL

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the experiments performed in the course of the investigation into an outbreak of rabies in Trinidad an account of which was published in the "Lancet" of 19th September last. I am advised that the symptoms recorded in the report of the experiments were mental in character due to the infections, and that there is no reason to suppose that the animal was suffering severe pain which was likely to endure.

Mr. MORRIS

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the article describing this experiment, it is stated that the animal was kept alive for a period of 10 days?

Sir H. SAMUEL

No, Sir, I was unaware that it was 10 days, but that does not affect the answer which I have given.