T30 



where the peculiarity of the articulation leaves an opening. This is done by a variety of 

 instruments. Although the animal drops immediately, life continues for some seconds, and 

 even minutes, the heart continues to beat, and the brain to live and act. By the other 

 method, a small spot situated in the lower and posterior portion of the brain is reached and 

 broken up by the introduction of a narrow, sharp instrument. Death is almost instantaneous. 

 &quot; No attempt is made at inspiration, there is no struggle, and no appearance of suffering. 

 The animal dies simply by a want of aeration of the blood, which leads in a few moments to 

 an arrest of the circulation. (Dalton s Physiology.) Both of these modes of slaughtering, 

 especially the last, require an anatomical knowledge as well as a practical dexterity that but 

 few would attain, and, if they are not properly and quickly executed, are undoubtedly 

 attended by more suffering than by other methods. 



Depriving Of Sensibility. Without entering further into the consideration of 

 physiological questions of so much importance, we may with safety lay down the following 

 proposition, viz. : All animals, when slaughtered, should be deprived of sensibility by inflicting 

 sufficient injury to the brain, either by a sudden and violent blow of the axe or mallet, by 

 the bullet, or by some other equally efficient means, and should then be immediately bled 

 during the state of insensibility. 



It is important to know the exact situation 

 of the brain in animals, so that the shock to 

 this organ may be conveyed effectually and at 

 once, and not by clumsy and ill-directed efforts, 

 as is too often the case. It should be kept in 

 mind that the brain of animals occupies but a 

 comparatively small portion of the entire head. 

 In the attempt to fell them, the tendency is 



SITUATION OF THE BRAIN. 



(FIG. 1.) 



almost always to strike too low. Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of the horse s head, 

 showing the situation of the brain, and also the thinness of the frontal bone as compared 

 with the corresponding region in the ox. The horse may be destroyed by blows upon the 

 head, by the bullet, or by chloroform. 



1. By Bloivs. Having blindfolded the horse, the opera 

 tor, armed with a heavy axe or hammer, should stand upon the 

 side and to the front of the animal, directing his blow to a 

 point in the middle of a line drawn across the forehead from 

 the center of the pit above the eye. (See Fig. 2.) One vigor 

 ous and well-directed blow will fell the animal, but the blow 

 should be repeated to make destruction sure. 



2. By the Bullet. The operator should stand directly in 

 front of the animal, and place the muzzle of the rifle or pistol 

 within a few inches of the skull, aiming at the spot indicated 

 in Fig. 2. One shot is generally sufficient, if properly directed 

 in either case; if not, it should be repeated after the animal 

 falls. In most instances, so great and instantaneous is the 

 shock to the brain from a bullet that death follows instantly. 

 A shotgun loaded with buckshot is effectual, and may often 

 be more conveniently procured. 



3. By Chloroform. Procure a common feed -bag or small sack made of thin cotton 

 cloth, or of any sufficiently strong material, provided with strings or a strap to fasten over 

 the head, and at the bottom of this place a large sponge or a yard of flannel folded to the 

 size of eight inches square. The sponge or flannel, is to be saturated with chloroform and the 

 bag adjusted. If the suffocation and consequent struggling, which at first attend the admin- 



FIG. 2. 



