Life, 1908-06-18 · page 17 of 28
Life — June 18, 1908 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Cartoon: "Their Own Medicine"** This anti-vivisection satire mocks scientists who perform painful experiments on animals without anesthesia. The cartoon depicts a gondola in Venice (with the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute in background) grotesquely modified as a vivisection apparatus—suggesting vivisectors should experience their own torture methods. The text quotes Dr. Stephen Smith's Paris antivivisection speech, describing graphic animal experiments: dogs with exposed nerves and open abdomens kept conscious for hours. The satire's point: if vivisectors claim such pain is "only slight," they should endure identical procedures themselves. **Political Context:** The piece contrasts European moral outrage ("No compromise!") with American timidity on animal welfare—comparing it dismissively to past tolerance of slavery and the Spanish Inquisition. This reflects genuine early 1900s antivivisection activism, a significant reform movement. **Secondary Items:** A brief note mocks expelling high school students for skipping class to see a hot-air balloon, arguing real education happens outside classrooms.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“OH, THESE Their Own Medicine R. STEPHEN SMITH, addressing an antivivisection meeting in Paris re- cently, said of vivisectors, “These men are criminals and should be treated as criminals. Lire goes further than that. Treat them not only as criminals, but give them, as criminals, the same treatment they give their own victims, who were net criminals. Give the first vi tor this, for instance : isec- The abdomen was next cut open and a tube was inserted into the alimentary canal. In this condition the dog was kept for eight hours. ‘The abdomen was frequently opened for exam- ination. No anesthetic was given. Professor Rutherford gave his opinion that the pain was only slight, : As the pain was “only slight,” of course he would not mind it. Another vivisector might learn from experience how this feels A dog is procured, the nerves of his Jarynx are cut to prevent him from howling, and a knife is plunged into his thigh, expo- sing the large nerve, the most sensitive of his anatomy. A cord is attached, and the stu. dents proceed to pull at it, causing the dog to writhe with convulsions. And so on, ad nauseam. This Paris meeting, according to the Journal of Zoophily, ended in a way that looks like business. ‘The incident of the evening came just after M. Solange-Pellat began to speak. “1 have drafted a bill," said be, ‘for the regulating of vivisection, which I should like to explain’’— Cries arose * Down with vivisection!"’ “* No compromise!"* any kind of vivisection! Something of a contrast to our American tentative, apologetic bills, in which the vivisectors’ feelings are first considered. Still, “We don't want AMERICANS !"” the Spanish Inquisition and human slavery in the United States were all handled at one time with the same caution. Misplaced Discipline Twenty students of both sexes were expelled from the North Adams High Schoo! because they cut exercises to see the big balloon go up.—Daily Paper. BSURD! There was more education for them in sceing the balloon go up than could possibly have been given them in the same space of time in school. The greatest defect in schools is the limitations of teachers. The Reply Courteous (From a correspondent) HAT is Life? “Animation; spirit; vivacity; vigor; energy; that upon which enjoyment or success depends; something dear to one as one’s existence,” ete.—Webster's International Dictionary. “Animation; spirit; vivacity; energy in action, thought or ex- pression; a source of vital energy, happiness or enjoyment,” etc. Century Dictionary. WHY THEY BUILT THE PYRAMIDS comicbooks.com