HC Deb 14 December 1926 vol 200 cc2782-3W
Sir R. GOWER

asked the Home Secretary how many dogs used for vivisectional experimental purposes in registered premises in the London area since the 1st. January of this year were not kept under complete antesthesia, during the whole time of the experiments; the nature of the experiment on each of such dogs; at which schools of physiofogy such experiments were, respectively, made; whether Reports have been received from the authorities of such schools giving the reasons why such animals were not kept under complete anæsthesia during the continuance of the experiments; and what such reasons are?

Captain HACKING

Sixteen at University College, five at the Brown Institution. I cannot undertake to give details of individual experiments, but I may say that the object of the experiments was in seven cases the investigation of dental diseases, in five insulin research, in four investigation of diseases of the tonsils, and in five investigation of the relation of the gall bladder to intestinal diseases. The last part of the question appears to he based on a misapprehension. The Act requires no such reports as are mentioned; what it does require is that before any experiment can be performed which involves keeping the animal alive after it recovers from the anaesthetic a certificate must he given by two of the scientific authorities mentioned in the Act to the effect that killing the animal before it so recovers would necessarily frustrate the object of the experiment; and further that before any such experiment is performed on a cat or dog an additional certificate must be given by two of the same scientific authorities that for specified reasons the object of the experiment will be necessarily frustrated unless it is performed on an animal similar in constitution and habits to a cat or clog and that no other animal is available for such experiment. These certificates were duly given in each of the eases mentioned above.

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