S-R-I Regulations for Experiments With Animals
This guide was prepared and approved by the National Society for Medical Research, the Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (National Research Council), and the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (1968).
1. The basic aims of scientific studies involving animals are to achieve an understanding of life and to advance our knowledge of life processes. Such studies lead to respect for life.
2. Insects, other invertebrates and protozoa are materials of choice for many experiments. They offer opportunities for exploration of biological principles and extension of established ones. Their wide variety and the feasibility of using larger numbers than is usually possible with vertebrates makes them especially suitable for illustrating principles.
3. A qualified adult supervisor must assume primary responsibility for the purposes and conditions of any experiment that involves living animals.
4. No experiment should be undertaken that involves anesthetic drugs, surgical procedures, pathogenic organisms, toxicological products, carcinogens, or ionizing radiation unless a trained life scientist, physician, dentist or veterinarian directly supervises the experiment.
5. Any experiment must be performed with the animal under appropriate anesthesia if pain is involved.
6. The comfort of the animal used in any study shall be a prime concern of the student investigator. Gentle handling, proper feeding, and provision of appropriate sanitary quarters shall be strictly observed. Any experiment in nutritional deficiency may proceed only to the point where symptoms of the deficiency appear. Appropriate measures shall then be taken to correct the deficiency, if such action is feasible, the animal(s) shall be killed by a humane method.
This booklet is one of the “Understanding the Atom” Series. Comments are invited on this booklet and others in the series; please send them to the Division of Technical Information, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D. C. 20545.
Published as part of the ABC’s educational assistance program, the series includes these titles:
Accelerators
Animals in Atomic Research
Atomic Fuel
Atomic Power Safety
Atoms at the Science Fair
Atoms in Agriculture
Atoms, Nature, and Man
Books on Atomic Energy for Adults and Children
Careers in Atomic Energy
Computers
Controlled Nuclear Fusion
Cryogenics, The Uncommon Cold
Direct Conversion of Energy
Fallout From Nuclear Tests
Food Preservation by Irradiation
Genetic Effects of Radiation
Index to the UAS Series
Lasers
Microstructure of Matter
Neutron Activation Analysis
Nondestructive Testing
Nuclear Clocks
Nuclear Energy for Desalting
Nuclear Power and Merchant Shipping
Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear Propulsion for Space
Nuclear Reactors
Nuclear Terms, A Brief Glossary
Our Atomic World
Plowshare
Plutonium
Power from Radioisotopes
Power Reactors in Small Packages
Radioactive Wastes
Radioisotopes and Life Processes
Radioisotopes in Industry
Radioisotopes in Medicine
Rare Earths
Research Reactors
SNAP, Nuclear Space Reactors
Sources of Nuclear Fuel
Space Radiation
Spectroscopy
Synthetic Transuranium Elements
The Atom and the Ocean
The Chemistry of the Noble Gases
The Elusive Neutrino
The First Reactor
The Natural Radiation Environment
Whole Body Counters
Your Body and Radiation
A single copy of any one booklet, or of no more than three different booklets, may be obtained free by writing to:
USAEC, P. O. BOX 62, OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE 37830
Complete sets of the series are available to school and public librarians, and to teachers who can make them available for reference or for use by groups. Requests should be made on school or library letterheads and indicate the proposed use.
Students and teachers who need other material on specific aspects of nuclear science, or references to other reading material, may also write to the Oak Ridge address. Requests should state the topic of interest exactly, and the use intended.
In all requests, include “Zip Code” in return address.
Printed in the United States of America
USAEC Division of Technical Information Extension, Oak Ridge, Tennessee