Animal Rights History »» Dr. John Fox



Dr. John Fox

1895 | Why I Oppose Vivisection

As lovers of animals [as well as] interested in the advancement of the science of healing…there has been an absence of the principle 'Put yourself in his place' in the way in which [the vivisection] controversy has been conducted. (Dr. John Fox, "Why I Oppose Vivisection," Animals' Friend Magazine, 1895-Oct)

By what law of God or nature has one highly organized being the right to subject to what has been called 'the tortures of the damned' another equally sensitive creature; the principal difference being, in the inferior animal, an absence of the power of appeal and self–protection? (Dr. John Fox, "Why I Oppose Vivisection," Animals' Friend Magazine, 1895-Oct)

It is from the teaching of history that I am led to think that the practice of vivisection will eventually be abandoned as one of which we ought to be ashamed. (Dr. John Fox, "Why I Oppose Vivisection," Animals' Friend Magazine, 1895-Oct)

I do not know that I have received one atom of benefit on behalf of my patients for all the cruelty which I witnessed. I maintain that no useful end has been attained by this practice, and that by far the larger number of experimental tortures are inflicted for no practical or useful purpose. (Dr. John Fox, "Why I Oppose Vivisection," Animals' Friend Magazine, 1895-Oct)

Let people regard their bodies as very delicate and sensitive mechanism, needing intelligent treatment and watchful care ; let them study the laws of health and abide by them, avoiding excess and unnatural living and strain; let them keep their bodies and dwellings clean and pure and attend to the elementary laws of sanitation, and they will do more for the obliteration of sickness and disease than my profession can, for we are daily trying to undo the harm people are hourly doing themselves. (Dr. John Fox, "Why I Oppose Vivisection," Animals' Friend Magazine, 1895-Oct)



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Source Documents1895-Oct | Dr. John Makinson Fox, "Why I Oppose Vivisection, No. 10," Animals' Friend (London:1894-?) 2 (1895 Oct): 12-14. [Online at Animal Rights History, 2003]


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