VIVISECTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13091, 3 June 1913, Page 7

VIVISECTION.

LONDON, April 10. Tho libel action brought by Miss Lind-af-Hagcby, the famous anti-vivisectionist, against Dr. Saleeby and the Pall Mall Gazette appears to show that Ihe attitudo of the public, toward "the knife" has- recently undergone a considerable change. People here are not nearly sO ready to be cut up by eminent surgeons as they were a few years ago. It is no longer fashionable to boast about the loss of your appendix and ,pait of your intestines. Incidentally, one gathers that in the opinion of Harley street, as formed by what its doctors see of Australians, the profession in Australia is altogether .too fond of cutting up its patients ; the London specialist in dentistry tells you that his fellows in the Commonwealth have carried to exi tremes the theory that teeth should be extracted only as a last resort. The "crowning" and "bridging" achievements of Sydney and Melbourne dentists are the marvel of the profession here. The best London 'men seem to do far more extraction t-han a few years ago ; freaks in mouth "carpentry" aro strongly condemned. However, to get back to Miss Lind-af-Hageby. This lady presides over the Anti-vivisection-ists' shop in Piccadilly, and tho .Pall Mall Gazette permitted its contributor to say that the exhibits of dogs and other animals undergoing operations were misleading, artd worse, and Miss Lind-af-Hageby is out for redress. KING EDWARD'S DEATH.

The hearing has been remarkable for the manner in which the plaintiff has conducted her own case. She 'has dieplayed conspicuous ability, and throughout six daya has kept the court in excellent humor by her play of wit and amazing range, of reference. Public opinion, while not going so far as the anti-vivisectionists, appears to incline to the view that experimental surgery has been, carried to extremes, often to the unnecessary mutilation of both humans and animals. There was some interesting allusion in the evidence to the death of King Edward. Sir George Kekewich, chairman of the Battersea hospital, reiterated his belief that death was due to vaccine treatment some months before. "We (the witness was speaking on behalf of an association of which he was a member) withdrew the statement made at the time because Queen Alexandra asked that it should be withdrawn. Why her Majesty objected I do not know. I felt a species of resentment against the doctors for having subjected his Majesty to that treatment." Mr- Duke, K.C., counsel for defendants, read a letter which appeared in the Times after the late King's death, stating that: "The Queen wishes it to be known that before the late King left England he had never felt better in •health than after his vaccine treatment. It kept him in excellent health for 15 months. The Queen wishes it to be known that, the attack the King had was in no way connected with his- previous treatment."

Sir George Kekewlch, however, reSeated and maintained his belief that, ut for the vaccine King Edward, would, have been still on the throne.