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From the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals   30 April 1875

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

105, Jermyn Street, St. James’s, London, S.W.

April 30th. 1875.

Sir,

During the past three months the Committee of this Society have been engaged in investigations relating to the present practice of Vivisection in the United Kingdom, and they have at length determined to introduce into Parliament a Bill designed to limit that practice.1

Before taking such step they are very anxious to confer with eminent medical men, many of whom they are informed are willing to join them in promoting a legislative measure: and they have therefore resolved to invite several of such gentlemen to attend a meeting of the Committee to be held next Wednesday, May 5th. 1875, at three o’clock in the afternoon, when the noble President2 will take the chair, and the provisions of the Committee’s Bill will be read and finally discussed.

The Committee trust that you will do them the favour to be present on such occasion, which has been arranged not only in courtesy but in justice to the high and honourable profession of which you are a distinguished member.

I am, Sir, | Your obedient Servant, | Jno Colam3 | Secretary

1
The committee was appointed in January 1875 following the presentation of a memorial by Frances Power Cobbe calling for an inquiry into the practice of vivisection in Britain (see letter to T. H. Huxley, 14 January 1875 and n. 1). Cobbe parted company with the RSPCA and presented her own bill for the regulation of vivisection, and the RSPCA were preparing separate legislation (see Appendix VI).
2
The president was Dudley Ryder, earl of Harrowby.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-9958,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-9958