Scientists ‘drown’ a dog to test breathable liquid
Russian scientists have developed a way of breathing underwater using a solution rich in oxygen - and tested it by holding a dog in a liquid-filled tank.
Dmitry Rogozin, the deputy prime minister, showed the technology to the president of Serbia in a demonstration broadcast on national television.
A researcher could be seen plunging a dachshund head-first into a small tank of liquid. President Vucic of Serbia and Rogozin looked on as the animal struggled in fear under the surface before appearing to calm.
The dog was later extracted and towelled down, with no apparent ill-effects, scientists said. The research is being led by a defence institute.
Oleg Kashin, a prominent journalist, posted a video of the event online, describing it as: "Some kind of . . . [expletive] fascism." Other social media users also expressed outrage.
Mr Rogozin defended the experiment. "Animal-abusers persecute dogs for their own bestial, criminal enjoyment, while science is conducting experiments using animals to understand the possibility of saving a person in trouble, or in an extreme situation," he said. "First a dog, then a more complex organism."
He likened the dachshunds to Belka and Strelka, the dogs that were sent into space before humans in 1960 and which are considered heroes in Russia.
"All the dogs who went through the experiment are alive and well," said Mr Rogozin, adding that afterwards they were adopted by the scientists and their families.
He said the technology could be used to rescue stricken crews after submarine accidents, such as the Kursk disaster in 2000 when 118 sailors died.
"Liquid ventilation" has been studied for decades. It involves organisms breathing an oxygenrich liquid such as perfluorocarbon.
The technology could be used for divers to operate at great depths and may allow crews to exit a stricken vessel without the risk of causing depression sickness.
The experiment was conducted by the Foundation for Advanced Research Projects (FPI), a government institute set up five years ago to develop Russian military technology.
Last year the foundation said that the procedure had first been tested on mice. Dogs had shown that they could breathe normally in the liquid for half an hour at a pressure equivalent to that found 500m underwater, it added.
Vitaly Davydov, deputy head of the FPI, predicted that a leap of courage would be needed to take advantage of the breakthrough. "A psychological barrier will also have to be overcome - a person would actually have to ‘suffocate’ in water voluntarily to start breathing with the liquid filling his lungs," he said.
The FPI said that the dog had coughed out the liquid and was in good health. "The dachshund feels well and all its vital signs are normal," a spokesman added.