HC Deb 18 June 1935 vol 303 cc171-3
21. Mr. DOBBIE

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the number of animals, and the kind of animals, used for poison-gas experiments at Porton, Cambridge, and other places in this country, in the years 1925 to 1935; how many perished immediately; and how many died within one month?

Mr. HACKING

During the years in question, chemical defence experi

Statement showing the number of animals used for experimental purposes at the Chemical Defence Research Establishment, Porton, from 1925 to 1934, and the number of such animals which were killed as the result of the experiments.
Animals by species. Numbers used.
1925. 1926. 1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. 1934.
Rabbits … … 474 385 86 190 134 116 97 145 123 87
Rats … … 11 — — — — 150 58 18 24 39
Goats … … 38 3 2 5 40 6 45 11 10 —
Guinea Pigs … … 89 193 259 138 128 185 332 48 82 58
Cats … … 35 20 11 14 13 73 1 7 — —
Monkeys … … — — 1 — 1 — — — — —
Mice … … 36 31 26 123 29 179 46 37 176 141
Horses … … 5 12 — — — 8 — — — —
Canaries … … — — — 24 16 — — 7 — —
Pigeons … … — — — 30 16 2 — — — —
Fowls … … — — — 30 — — — — — —
Sheep … … — — — — 2 — — — — —
Animals by species. Numbers which died or were painlessly destroyed as a result of the experiments.
1925. 1926. 1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1931. 1932. 1933. 1934.
Rabbits … … 235 319 79 157 73 89 40 102 108 76
Rats … … 11 — — — — 149 54 11 15 39
Goats … … 23 1 2 3 1 6 45 9 8 —
Guinea Pigs … … 75 186 259 121 112 174 289 40 71 56
Cats … … 35 19 7 12 9 67 1 2 — —
Monkeys … … — — — — — — — — — —
Mice … … 36 26 26 118 21 177 37 25 174 136
Horses … … — — — — — — — — — —
Canaries … … — — — 24 16 — — 7 — —
Pigeons … … — — — 26 12 — — — — —
Fowls … … — — — 30 — — — — — —
Sheep … … — — — — — — — — — —

ments with animals were carried out only at the Chennai Defence Research Establishment, Porton, and, up to 1931, at the Physiological Laboratory, Cambridge. Information is not available precisely in the form asked for by the hon. Member, but I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT statements, showing the numbers and kinds of animals used in each year for these experiments and the numbers which died or were painlessly destroyed as a result of the experiments. Since 1929, a large proportion of the animals used was for experiments in connection with the subject of the safety of industrial employés.

Following are the statements:

Statement showing the number of animals used for experimental purposes at the Physiological Laboratory, Cambridge, from 1927 to 1931, on behalf of the War Department, and the number of such animals which were killed as the result of the experiments.
Animals by species. Numbers used. Numbers which died or were painlessly destroyed as a result of the experiments
1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1931. 1927. 1928. 1929. 1930. 1931.
Rabbits … … … — 118 150 23 6 — 85 117 23 —
Rats … … … 34 1 — — — — — — — —
Cats … … … — — 67 62 5 — — 67 62 —
Pigeons … … … — — 16 — — — — 2 — —
Figures prior to 1927 are not readily available.
Forward to