Slaughter of the Innocent: The Use of Animals in Medical Research

by Hans Ruesch

Hans Ruesch, a Swiss racing driver, a novelist, and an internationally prominent activist against animal experiments and vivisection. Ruesch did not believe that medical research could benefit by using such methods. Instead, Ruesch insisted that medicine was led dangerously astray by what he saw as pseudo-science, and a fatally false methodology. Hans Ruesch's magnificant book washes away the thin excuses of doctor apologists for animal testing. Comprehensively and carefully documented, objective, yet emotionally compelling.

Genres: Nonfiction

446 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1978

About the author

Hans Ruesch was a Italo-swiss racing driver, a novelist, and an internationally prominent activist against animal experiments and vivisection.

Ruesch was born in Naples on 17 May 1913 to an Italian-speaking Swiss mother and a German-speaking Swiss father. He lived the first 14 years of his life in Naples, where his father was a textile industrialist and a specialist in Pompeian Art. Ruesch attended boarding school in Switzerland. He then studied Law at the University of Zurich but dropped out in 1932 to join the racing circuit.

After World War II, in 1946, Ruesch left the United States and returned to Naples. He married Maria Luisa de la Feld in 1949. They separated in the early 1970s and Maria Luisa died in 2006. Hans Ruesch died of cancer at his home in Lugano, Switzerland, on 27 August 2007. He was 94. He is survived by his daughter, Vivian Ruesch Mellon of Manhattan, his sons, Hans Jr. Ruesch and Peter Ruesch, of Switzerland, and five grandchildren, Diana Mellon, Angela Mellon, Sarah Mellon, Jessica Ruesch and Gina Ruesch.

Reviews

[Frances Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really difficult read in parts, and I quite happily took the author's suggestion to skip a whole chapter. It was also immensely valuable in terms of ammunition to counter pro-vivisectionist arguments. This is one I need to have on my shelves.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo lessi anni e anni fa e ancora ne serbo il ricordo.
Ruesch documentatissimo ci fa fare un giro nel girone infernale della vivisezione, spacciata come unico mezzo per la ricerca scientifica. (in realtà, vedi Talinomide, se ne poteva e se ne può fare a meno e fare meno danni a animali e uomini)
Animalista integralista quale sono, 30anni fa o quasi riuscii a leggerlo, anche le parti più dure, oggi non posso più.
Oggi, anche passare davanti al bancone della carne di qualsiasi negozio, mi obbliga a girare il viso dall'altra parte.
La denuncia fatta da Ruesch sull'inutilità di tale pratica fu l'inizio di una messa in discussione importante della vivisezione.
Purtroppo ancora oggi milioni di topolini, e porcellini d'india e cavalli e primati e cani, ma foss'anche solo il moscerino della frutta, sono utilizzati per tale pratica crudele e inutile.
Per favore vi prego, vi prego dal profondo del cuore, donne utilizzate solo creme e rossetti e smalti etc etc solo con la dicitura "fabbricata senza sperimentazione animale", e uomini anche voi: creme, dopobarba, etc etc.. Vi prego, per favore, anche se solo una o uno lo fa vi ringrazio in anticipo, anche solo se cominciate a pensarci. (e ce ne sono neh! anche di grandi marche che si sono accorte che questo tipo di mercato "tira"...)

[Heather Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honoured to meet and get to know Hans Ruesch He was the most remarkable man . This is his master piece it should be compulsary reading for every one. Hans gave up his careers as Grand Prix winning racer and novelist when he discovered the horrors of viviscetion and dedicated his life to this great cause. He founded CIVIS and poured all his money into publishing anti vivisection books. He was a deeply troubled man and no wonder He twice attempted suicide but lived to be 93. People like Peter Singer and Christian Barnard sued Hans in court and of course with the weight of the world wide medical community behind them wons £100.00. of pounds/dollars in "damages" Hans once told me how he never saw his grand children any more because of his reputation. He wote poems to them but knew they would never see the poems. I both loved and hero worshipped Hans and dedicated my PH.D thesis on The Case for Animal Rights to him. Now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened . e e cumings Rest in Peace my friend and mentor Hans Ruesch .
Heather S Kelly BA (hons) MA PH.D MRIP

[Sue Marston · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a reason the Medical Mafia yanked the first printing of this book out of bookstores as soon as it arrived, and destroyed all copies. Also the reason that, for years afterwards (before Internet) mainstream bookstores wouldn't carry it. Because it pokes holes in the vivisectors' arguments that they are "noble scientists" trying to cure diseases and make our lives better. It also exposes the financial motives, the narcissism involved, and the horrific nature of the entire enterprise.

[Ametista · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Era stato questo prof. Brachet a sventrare una cagna gravida quasi a termine, a porle i cuccioli dinanzi agli occhi, e a constatare che anche moribonda essa li leccava affettuosamente. Che non vi siano limiti all’affettuosità del cane, ogni persona normale lo sa fin da bambino. Come tanti suoi colleghi, anche il prof. Brachet riuscì soltanto ad allargare i limiti della ‘’bestialità’’ umana. "

[Αντώνης Χαρατσής · Rating 5 out of 5]

Σοκ, λύπη, οργή. Όποιος ενδιαφέρεται να μάθει τι πραγματικά συμβαίνει στα εργαστήρια πειραμάτων ζώων και γιατί πρέπει να διαβάσει αυτό το βιβλίο.