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- Food
Additives - V
Vaccinations - vaccines are often prepared using the
blood of animals or people who have contracted the disease in question
and built up an immunity to it.
- "Health authorities credit
vaccines for disease declines, and assure us of their safety and effectiveness.
Yet these seemingly rock-solid assumptions are directly contradicted
by government statistics, medical studies, Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports, and reputable research
scientists from around the world.
- In fact, infectious diseases
declined steadily for decades prior to vaccinations, U.S. doctors report
thousands of serious vaccine reactions each year including hundreds
of deaths and permanent disabilities, fully vaccinated populations have
experienced epidemics, and researchers attribute dozens of chronic immunological
and neurological conditions to mass immunization programs."
In the December 1994 Medical Post, Canadian author of the
best-seller Medical Mafia, Guylaine Lanctot, M.D. stated, "The medical
authorities keep lying. Vaccination has been a disaster on the immune
system. It actually causes a lot of illnesses. We are actually changing
our genetic code through vaccination...10 years from now we will know
that the biggest crime against humanity was vaccines." After an extensive
study of the medical literature on vaccination, Dr. Viera Scheibner
concluded that "there is no evidence whatsoever of the ability of vaccines
to prevent any diseases. To the contrary, there is a great wealth of
evidence that they cause serious side effects." - Alan Phillips, 85
- It is up to each parent to decide whether
their children should be vaccinated though governments apply pressure
and sometimes monetary incentive to ensure that vaccination continues.
There are also vested interests behind the development of new and unneeded
vaccines.
Vegetarianism - a diet that includes
no meat (including fish and chicken!) or other slaughterhouse by-products
(like gelatine, rennet), but may include milk and/or free range eggs;
and often includes the avoidance of animal products in all other forms:
such as leather, hair, fur, glue, feathers etc, used for non-food
purposes. A person on a Vegan diet avoids all forms of animal
products, in food or otherwise.
- The term 'vegetarian' was coined in the
1800's, but abstinence from meat has a long history dating back thousands
of years to ancient Egyptian priests, Pythagoras and Budda. As Colin
Spencer notes in the foreword to his book The Heretic's Feast"
1993, the voluntary aspect of abstaining from certain foods is linked
to the availability of food in general and "can only flourish in a well-fed
community, where people have enough leisure to reflect on the meaning
of existence" 76
- Spencer observes that it is not only recently
that vegetarians have become the cause of
"surprisingly virulent
anger in others...meat has become a symbol combining various meanings
to do with power, orthodoxy and dominance...often the vegetarian creed
has been one of dissidence, comprising rebels and outsiders...who
find the society they live in to lack moral worth...Vegetarians (have
in the past) become criminalised and were considered blasphemers and
heretics"
- Many modern proponents of secular vegetarianism
and veganism base their beliefs on utilitarianism, a theory of ethics,
that takes the greatest good to the greatest number of beings to be
the most valid reason for an action. This is certainly the view of Peter
Singer, philosopher and author of the seminal work "Animal Liberation"
1975. In the book, he claims that we cannot exclude animals from our
field of concern, for their lives have value just as ours do for we
are also animals. He goes further to say that by becoming a vegetarian
we can reduce animal suffering and human starvation at the same time.
For it is suffering, rather than animal deaths, that is within our power
to lessen: "we must ask ourselves, not: is it ever right to eat
meat? but: is it right to eat this meat?" p165, as we can never
know that the animal did not suffer, and the practicalities of modern
factory farming almost guarantee that the animal will suffer. 28
- The biggest source of misunderstanding
between meat-eaters and vegetarians seems to be the fact that many vegetarians
consider their decision to be a matter of ethics that informs their
existence, while many meat-eaters see it as a mere lifestyle choice
and as such, arbitrary and capricious. see also factory farming, meat.
- From the American Dietetic Association
Position Paper on Vegetarianism:
Mortality from
coronary artery disease is lower in vegetarians than in non-vegetarians...
One study demonstrated reversal of even severe coronary artery disease
without the use of lipid lowering drugs by using a combination of
a vegetarian diet deriving less than 10% of its energy from fat, smoking
cessation, stress management, and moderate exercise...Vegetarians
have lower rates of hypertension and non-insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus than do non-vegetarians; lessening these risk factors may
also decrease the risk of cardiovascular and coronary artery disease
in the vegetarian population. Seventh-Day Adventist vegetarians have
lower rates of mortality from colon cancer than the general population.
This may be attributable to dietary differences that include increased
fiber intake; decreased intake of total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol,
and caffeine; increased intake of fruits and vegetables; and, in lacto-vegetarians,
increased intakes of calcium. The dietary differences, especially
in vegans, may produce physiologic changes that may inhibit the causal
chain for colon cancer. Reduced consumption of meat and animal protein
has also been associated with decreased colon cancer in some, but
not all, studies of omnivores. Lung cancer rates are lower in vegetarians,
chiefly because they usually do not smoke, but possibly also because
of diet. Research suggests that vegetarians are also at decreased
risk for breast cancer. Obesity, a major public health problem in
the United States, exacerbates or complicates many diseases. Vegetarians,
especially vegans, often have weights that are closer to desirable
weights than do non-vegetarians. Vegetarians may be at lower risk
for non-insulin-dependent diabetes because they are leaner than non-vegetarian.
Also, vegetarians' high intake of complex carbohydrates, which are
often relatively high in fiber content, improves carbohydrate metabolism
and may lower basal blood glucose levels. 106
For more reading on the philosophy of vegetarianism
and vegansim see links page
Veterinarian Science - students
wanting to study vet science are often confronted with the 'necessity'
of dissecting animals for no other reason than to observe their physical
make-up, or to learn surgical techniques. Some alternative research
aids include:
- Plastination and Silyophilization
- specimens, after formalin fixation, are dehydrated and then infiltrated
with silicone; results in translucent, durable preserved specimen which
is resistant to compressive forces which can last indefinitely for use
in anatomy labs.
- Veterinary neuroanatomy
- Full colour digital images are presented of whole brain and brainstem
of sheep, and stained histological transverse sections of the canine
brain; neural pathways are visualised in animated tutorial programs
which are interactive
- Anesthesia and Analgesia
of Laboratory Animals - Interactive program teaches aspects of injectable
and inhalation anaesthesia and analgesia in rats, mice and guinea pigs
- Biochemical Simulations
- Software simulation of various biochemical exercises
- Clinical Cases - such
as effect of neurectomies in the horse and Starvation Tutorial (Covers
the biochemical changes occurring in humans from their last meal to
40 days) without food, available on VHS format. AVAR has this to say
about the video taping of unconscionable acts upon animals:
"an existing recording
of an objectionable situation (can) be used instead of repeating it
in class. For example, the phenomenon of anaphylactic shock has been
documented on film by staging it in guinea pigs. Whereas the original
act itself may be considered unconscionable by many, some may consider
it appropriate to use the film. It would be necessary, however, to
explain to the students that the original event is not being condoned
and that we simply are taking advantage of it to maximise the educational
benefit. It also would mean that, if such a film were lost, the original
event should not be restaged" 56 -
- Clinical Skills -
such as Koken Rat (Students can learn and practice venipuncture and
intra-gastric tubing), Life/form(r) CPR Dog (Simulator designed to teach
cardiopulmonary resuscitation in dogs)
- Pharmacology - such
as Cardiolab (Simulates effects of cardiovascular drugs on anaesthetised
or pithed animals), also many video aids available
- Physiology - videos
including Cardiopulmonary response to exercise (Demonstrated using a
dog running on a treadmill), Intestinal motility in the rabbit (Shows
surgical preparation to study intestinal movements in an anaesthetised
rabbit; describes effects of parasympatholytic drugs on the intestinal
motility), many others
- Surgery - DASIE (Dog
Abdominal Surrogate for Instructional Exercises), Sawbones(r) for dog
and horse orthopaedic procedures, Sharpoint(r) PracticeRat(tm)
- Toxicology - videos
including: Emergency Treatment of Dogs and Cats Poisoned by Convulsing
Pesticides, (Source: AVAR ) 56, 14
AVAR also has this to say about the
use of animals in a school situation:
- "In most cases, a student in veterinary
medical school does have the right not to be forced to violate her/his
ethical or religious principles concerning the use of nonhuman animals
in the classroom. The issue of student rights is complicated, however,
and requires a basic understanding of the source of these rights.
- The first amendment to the United States
Constitution provides, in essence, that there shall be no abridgment
of the right to practice religion. Many people who have a more progressive
view of traditional religions understand that reverence for life is
very much a part of those religions. The U.S. Supreme Court has also
interpreted this guarantee to protect not only "traditional" religious
beliefs, but also ethical beliefs that may not be connected with spiritual
belief even when that belief is not linked to a particular "traditional"
religious doctrine...
- In addition, in most cases, failure by
veterinary medical schools to provide an alternative to student surgery
or other course requirements involving the harmful use of nonhuman animals
is not related to legitimate educational concerns, but is more concerned
with a desire simply to frustrate those students who are sympathetic
to the animal rights movement. In such cases, other bodies of law, such
as contract law and tort law, become relevant. For example, a decision
not to provide an alternative because school officials do not like those
sympathetic to the idea of animal rights probably violates the contractual
obligation of the school not to make such decisions on anything other
than a solid and supportable educational ground, and might even constitute
tortious conduct by those involved in making the decision.
- Finally, there is a good deal of interest
on the state level in state laws that specifically and explicitly protect
students from coercion to hurt, kill or use nonhuman animals in the
classroom. This source of students' rights will become increasingly
important in the future."56 see also Vivisection
be sure to visit The Virtual Frog
Vichyssoise - potato and leek soup
usually containing chicken stock
Vitamins - many vitamin capsules
are coated with gelatine or may contain milk products. " Vitamin D2
is produced by sunlight acting on bacteria, however D3 is derived
from lanolin from sheeps' wool therefore only D3 which is guaranteed
sourced from wool sheared from live sheep is considered acceptable"
(UKVS). Vitamin D can also come from fish-liver oil
B12 is usually from an animal source. Some
vegetarian B12 fortified yeasts and analogs available. Some vegetarian
B12 vitamins are in a stomach base. Plant algae (spirulina) contains
B12. Seek medical advice if you are concerned about your vitamin levels.75
Vivisection - the widespread practise
of testing products and medicines on animals, as well as the killing
and dissecting of animals for learning purposes. Alternatives to testing
products on animals include the skintex and eyetex tissue culture
products, as well as computer modelling. Software, audio-visual, and
preserved and laminated specimens in various degrees of dissection
are also available for students. The American Association of
Veterinarians for Animal Rights provides a detail booklet on the
issue, with references for resources and the Norwegian Inventory of
Audiovisuals for Animal Use Alternatives provides a mail-order
service for such materials. see also, Veterinarian Science 50, 56
See also: Testing -
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