Today I felt like I was going to be sick. I had to watch a movie for class called "Unnecessary Fuss" about animal research going on at the University of Pennsylvania. It was called the Head Injury Clinic, and what they did there was inflict head injuries on primates to study their reactions. They had the procedures on videotape, which the animal rights people got ahold of to show the public. Over and over the movie portrayed several baboons that were strapped into a machine that very precisely slammed into their head at 80 G's to induce brain damage. Every time their tiny little bodies seized in pain and shock and then went limp. Afterward they had no coordination, could not walk, could not even attempt to escape, especially with incessant twitching and seizures. It made me feel ill and angry and helpless. This laboratory received $1 million in federal funding every year for 10 years before it was shut down. Who approved of this kind of thing? Who could justify torturing these intelligent creatures in the name of scientific research? And the students carrying out the experiments.. laughing at the monkeys, pretending everything they were doing was natural and good.. I hope they burn in a special kind of hell.
Granted, this all happened twenty years ago.. but the fact that it was done at all makes my heart hurt...
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Man, I picked a great thing to read right before going to bed. I'd be interested to know if you find out any more about who funded them, though.