ABSTRACT
This Afterword must be treated with due scepticism. The original hardback was widely reviewed, with some reactions of the ‘this is a must read’ variety and rather more implying that I deserved the fate awaiting many animals in experimental laboratories. In choosing a selection of the latter, more critical, predictable, yet more instructive responses it is necessary to cover a lot of ground in a relatively short space. Inevitably I will duplicate (but I hope not as blatantly) certain shortcomings I impute to my critics; most notably their reaching for conclusions from contrived snippets of my text, in a spirit of protective self-justification rather than genuine enquiry. As a result, serious readers, although titillated by this initial skirmishing, will be far better equipped to review the whole campaign with authority when they have completed the book. Do not rush to judgement either way.
