Library of Animal Rights History » Animal Welfare-Animal Rights Activists-Advocates-Quotes Against Cruelty to Animals

Albert Leffingwell

1845-1916

1880 | Does Vivisection Pay

1880-Jul | Albert Leffingwell, "Does Vivisection Pay," extracted from Scribner's Magazine, July, 1880 and reprinted in Illustrations of Vivisection, or, Experiments on Living Animals by Frances Power Cobbe (Philadelphia: American Anti-Vivisection Society, 1888); Online at Google Books.

1894 | Vivisection in America

1894 | Albert Leffingwell, Vivisection in America, in Animals' Rights, Considered in Relation to Social Progress with a Bibliographical Appendix by Henry Salt…also an Essay on Vivisection in America by Albert Leffingwell (New York & London, 1894; Online at Animal Rights History, 2002).

Dr. Albert Leffingwell in Vivisection in America suggests that "proof of their cruelties based upon [the vivisectors] own statements" and the fact that "not a single one of these experiments has yielded to medical science any discovery of the least practical value" provides the "conviction based on solid fact" essential to the "reform of abuse," "the first practical step" toward the abolition of vivisection.

Vivisection in Medical Schools

The duty of the hour, it seems to me, is the excitation of interest in this subject ; the acquisition of accurate knowledge about it ; the encouragement of intelligent personal investigation…Its evolution may be slow, but, once aroused, public sentiment in America is irresistible when based on Right ; and before this tribunal no cruelty or abuse of scientific research can ultimately escape condemnation and the stamp of atrocity and crime.

Vivisection in American Colleges

But suppose you demand that the recorded fact shall be emphasized 'by experiment and opportunity for observation?' Then some creature must be put to an agonizing death to gratify your curiosity.

All real progress in civilization depends upon man's ethical ideals.

Lines of Inquiry Regarding Vivisection

If every physician who believes that the door to cruelty should be shut, would but use his personal influence to that end, the law would be speedily passed. Let us hope that the time may soon come, when no man in the medical profession will hesitate to denounce all atrocities of experimentation for fear of being regarded as an opponent of science.

The American Humane Association on Restriction of Vivisection

Resolved, That, acting upon such scientific opinion and acknowledging itself in accord therewith, the American Humane Association hereby respectfully urges upon the Legislatures of every State in the Union the enactment of laws which shall prohibit, under severe penalty, the repetition of painful experiments upon animals for the purpose of teaching or demonstrating well–known and accepted facts.

1901 | The Vivisection Question

1901 | Albert Leffingwell, The Vivisection Question (New Haven, 1901); Online at Google Books.