An ethical problem; or, Sidelights upon scientific experimentation on man and animals

The book examines the ethics and practice of experimental research on animals and humans, defining vivisection and surveying various methods. It traces historical development and scientific rationales while highlighting cruelty, secrecy, and mistaken justifications that have accompanied some experiments. The author criticizes the claim that potential knowledge alone legitimizes severe suffering and questions the assumption that anaesthesia reliably eliminates pain. He reviews public agitation, legal regulation, and the activities of reform societies, and evaluates controversial debate tactics used by proponents and opponents. The volume outlines alternatives to animal suffering, proposes principles for humane research, and considers the ethical boundary between animal experimentation and experimentation on human subjects.