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Show ARMY DOCTORS ON MEDICAL RESEARCH IN FRANCE. The extent to which condemnation of the Red Cross is being carried by antivivisectionists, because of the $100,000 appropriated appropriat-ed for medical research work at the war front, seems astonishing. A dispatch from Gen. Pershing's medical staff states that the medical department of the army is in full accord with what the Red Cross has done and is doing. It was asked to help in the study of the many problems of preventive medicine, and of medical and surgical diseases, against which the medical army corps must struggle, and the Red Cross promptly responded to that call. English medical authorities are vigorously co-operating in this research re-search work. The critics will probably not be surprised that the medical department of the United States army holds strong views about the matter under dispute, but in any event there is unlikely to be a letting up of all the opposition, whatever motives may inspire in-spire any part of it. Pride of opinion and sensitive feelings have been aroused, in addition to any secret purpose to hamper the prosecution of the war, and opposition so mixed does not readily subside, but let it be hoped most of it will. There will be much interest on the part of the impartial public pub-lic in learning what the men in Gen. Pershing's medical staff have to say regarding a controversy that has become bitter and is being be-ing used to injure the Red Cross. All can see that anything calculated cal-culated to hamper its work is much to be deplored. In response to an inquiry of the Red Cross war council a cablegram has been ' received from France in which the following statements are made : "We feel that any one endeavoring to stop the Red Cross from assisting in its humanitarian and humane desire to prevent American soldiers from being diseased and protecting them by olving the peculiar new problems of disease with which the army is confronted, is in reality giving aid and comfort to the enemy. "Research work so far undertaken includes studies of anaes-theics, anaes-theics, shell-shock, and trench fever, which last will be the main j line of investigation this winter. We are also investigating trench i nephritis and foot wound infections, including gas gangrene and ! tetanus. The animals used are principally guinea pigs, rabbits jand white rats. If operations causing pain to animals are per-j per-j formed, anethesia is used. Actually, very few animals have been jused for this work." ' j Patriotism calls on all of us for sacrifices, and in view of this i statement,, is it too much to hope that antivivisectionists will give j the Red Cross and the national cause the benefit of any doubt j they may have regarding the way in which the safety of American soldiers can best be conserved ? The doctors are not wantonly wounding the feelings of ' the sensitive in this matter, and their most efficient help will be needed by our soldiers. Let us give them all the aid that can be brought. The lives of men stricken i with wounds and disease are at stake. Springfield Republican. |