Last evening, Dr. H. P. Bowditch, dean of the medical faculty, lectured on the Advancement of Medicine by Research, to an audience filling the small hall in the Divinity building. His lecture was a plea in behalf of research by means of experiments on animals. He spoke of pain being a subjective sensation and relative in value. In animals which are dull in sensibility compared with man the sensation of pain is comparatively less. Many of the actions and cries which they make are out of proportion to the pain they bear, and are consequently misleading. The whole question is whether it is worth while to make animals suffer for the benefit of all mankind. Dr. Bowditch proved that it is. There is no moral objection, because we often expose those we love to some pain that they may gain from the results obtained. Why should animals so much duller be spared? We use animals for all other purposes, for food and clothing, and even for enjoyment and sport. The physiologist is certainly not so cruel as the sportsman. He takes every precaution to kill his victim with the least pain. Indeed, so painless are his methods that the death of an animal so killed is much pleasanter than that of the animal exposed to the vicissitudes of nature. In the natural state the weak are exposed to the attacks of the strong, and often are subjected to torment and mutilation before being put to death.

He went on to describe the workings and various departments of the laboratory of the practical physiologist. The methods by which pain in their experiments was reduced to the minimum was set forth, also the gains made to medical science. Our knowledge of the circulation of the blood and many other of the foundation stones of medical learning are due to the practice of vivisection. It is humanitarian, for by the sacrifice of the lower animals almost without pain the greatest benefits for the human race are obtained.