HUMANE MODES OF SLAUGHTER. 235 



other reasons, — and vrlien we bear in mind that the great 

 proportion of these animals are put to death with the most 

 needless cruelty, simply through ignorance of the proper 

 method of producing speedy death, it will he readily admitted 

 that any attempt to enlighten the public in this respect, may 

 at least serve to diminish the amount of such cruelty, and in- 

 directly lead to other equally satisfactory results. 



While I write more especially for the former, who is from 

 circumstances obliged to slaughter his own animals, and for 

 those who are called upon reluctantly to rid themselves of 

 some fond disabled pet, I also desire to call the attention of 

 those M'ho pursue the slaughtering of animals as a business, 

 to the great necessity of doing their work in the most humane 

 manner possible. To this end, there are certain measures 

 of importance to be kept in view, and to be carried into prac- 

 tice. 



Thus, the animal to be slaughtered should be conducted to 

 the spot selected as quietly as possible, without the use of 

 goad or club, and everything calculated to alarm him should 

 be removed. 



All slaughtering premises should be kept thoroughly 

 cleansed, and no carcasses should be allowed to bans: in view. 

 No animal should be permitted to witness the death of another. 

 Trifling as these measures may appear to the professional 

 butcher, they are in reality of vast importance, not oxAj iu 

 view of avoiding useless cruelty, but as affecting the whole- 

 someness of meat for food, and the market-value of the an- 

 imal slaughtered, — there being no question as to the effects 

 of torture, cruelty and fear upon the secretions, and if upon 

 the secretions, necessarily upon the flesh. 



The slaughtering of animals for food at the present day may 

 be classified under three methods : 1. Rendering the animals, 

 insensible by a blow on the head, followed b}' bleedino-; 

 2. Cutting through or injuring the spinal cord (pithing), so as 

 to destroy the powers of motion and sensation, with sub- 

 sequent bleeding; 3. Cutting the throat deeply, dividino- 

 all the blood-vessels, with or without thrusting the knife into 

 the heart, and without previousl}'^ stunning the animal. This 

 last method is practised by the Jews in slaying cattle. 



From certain experiments conducted for the purpose a few 



