I'm a bit confused. A reportedly vulnerable woman has apparently been given a 14 week jail sentence for putting her kitten in the microwave, causing 'horrendous suffering' when she believed it had killed her pet goldfish. She has (in my opinion, rightly) been banned from keeping animals for an extended period. The reason I am confused is that I believe that killing of experimental animals with microwaves has been an approved method used by some neurochemists because it supposedly produces an immediate destruction of the proteinaceous enzymes that destroy neurotransmitters (the chemicals that allow nerve impulses to cross the gaps between nerve cells). This enables them to measure levels of neurotransmitter with no post-mortem loss of material. The method is supposed to produce an immediate loss of consciousness.
This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Tuesday 18 March 2014
Microwaving Good-bye
I'm a bit confused. A reportedly vulnerable woman has apparently been given a 14 week jail sentence for putting her kitten in the microwave, causing 'horrendous suffering' when she believed it had killed her pet goldfish. She has (in my opinion, rightly) been banned from keeping animals for an extended period. The reason I am confused is that I believe that killing of experimental animals with microwaves has been an approved method used by some neurochemists because it supposedly produces an immediate destruction of the proteinaceous enzymes that destroy neurotransmitters (the chemicals that allow nerve impulses to cross the gaps between nerve cells). This enables them to measure levels of neurotransmitter with no post-mortem loss of material. The method is supposed to produce an immediate loss of consciousness.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What's In a Critter's Name? 17. Goose barnacle
Nobody had ever seen a migratory Barnacle goose nest or lay eggs. Folk, consequently, decided they must emerge, by spontaneous generation, ...
-
The UK government continue their quest to turn England's rivers back into sewers. They first facilitated the privatised water companies...
-
Garden plants in France, The Netherlands, The UK and Sikkim (NE India).
No comments:
Post a Comment