xvi] 



ANESTHETICS HUMANE DESTRUCTION 



195 



crossways from each ear to the opposite eye will 

 intersect one another over the forehead. The 

 bullet should enter at this point of intersection, 

 and be directed slightly upwards, and on no 

 account downwards. Death is instantaneous, 

 but there may be nervous twitching after death. 



A bullet put in behind the ear, through the 

 fourth ventricle of the brain, causes absolute 

 cessation of nervous twitching, but this should 

 not be attempted by the amateur. It must be 

 fully borne in mind that the horse's brain is 

 between the base of the ears, and not between 

 the eyes. 



The R.S.P.C.A. (Jermyn Street, London) has 

 invented a humane horse-killer, which consists 

 of a long handle with a kind of revolver attached 

 to one end, the whole somewhat resembling a 

 pickaxe. The handle is held so that one end of 

 the " pick " is against the forehead, i.e. where 

 the bullet is to enter. The cartridge is fired by 

 releasing a spring in the handle. 



766. The knife can be used to pith the horse 

 or to sever the posterior aorta. Pithing causes 

 instantaneous death. It consists of completely 

 dividing the spinal cord between the first and 

 second cervical vertebrae (atlas and axis) ; but 

 this should not be attempted by anyone who has 

 not studied the anatomy of these two bones when 

 joined together, as it is very easy to insert the 

 knife and not to be able to find the cord. I do 

 not recommend this method to the layman. An 

 expert will insert knife, cut the nerve, and with- 

 draw the knife in one rapid stroke, the horse 

 dying immediately. A steel dissecting knife, 

 with a double edge, is the correct instrument to 

 use for this operation. 



I have only pithed a horse once, when the 

 animal died immediately my knife was in. I 

 did this as the only means available to put it out 

 of its misery. I think there are far better 

 methods. 



The posterior aorta is the large artery that 

 supplies the entire hindquarters and hind-limbs ; 

 it runs along underneath the backbone on the 

 left side, passing under the left kidney. The 

 hand and arm should be greased and inserted 

 up to the elbow in the rectum ; by placing the 

 hand against the roof of the rectum the throb- 

 bing in the artery can be easily felt, and at a 

 place approximately between the points of the 

 hips the artery should be cut right across. No 

 pain is felt, and the animal rapidly dies as if 

 falling to sleep. The hand must be rapidly with- 

 drawn to avoid escape of blood. The artery 

 must not be confused with the vena cava, which 

 runs along on the other side of the backbone, 

 and which has no throb in it. This carries the 

 venous blood back to the heart. I mention this 

 as a means when no others are available, as 

 horses are so often left suffering because no one 

 will put them out of their misery. 



767. Prussic acid (hydrocyanic) is sometimes 

 used to destroy horses. I strongly deprecate its 

 use, as I know of so many hopeless failures. 

 Unless the acid is absolutely fresh, it Is of little 

 use, as it rapidly decomposes. The only kind 

 that I can recommend is that bought in hermetic- 

 ally sealed tubes, when it will be fresh. Once 

 opened, the whole should be used, or the re- 

 mainder thrown away. It is sold in 2 oz. sealed 

 bottles, containing 2 per cent. (B.P.) ; once the 

 bottle is opened, it must not be kept. It should 

 be squirted into the mouth by means of a syringe 

 or bulb. It would be safer to use 4 oz., i.e. two 

 bottles, because the normal dose of prussic acid 

 for the horse is J to i dr. A 4 per cent, solution 

 (Scheele's) is also on the market, half of this 

 amount being required. 



Prussic acid is commonly used with dogs ; 

 1 oz. should be poured into the dog's mouth, 

 which must be held open with the jaws upwards. 

 Death is instantaneous. 



Chloroform can be used. When the animal 

 is completely anaesthetised, the air is cut off, 

 and the animal asphyxiated. 



768. Strychnine is also used. A hypodermic 

 injection of 10 grains strychnine sulphate made 

 into the jugular vein (P. 137) will cause in- 

 stantaneous death, but violent reflex struggling 

 will follow after the horse is really dead. The 

 jugular vein lies in the jugular groove on 

 the side of the neck. By pressing the finger 

 into the groove the blood pressure in the vein 

 causes the vein to swell up above the finger 

 towards the head ; the hypodermic needle is 

 injected into the swollen part. Either side of 

 the neck will do. 



Electrocution is used for dogs and cats and 

 other small animals, and is a very humane 

 method of destroying such animals painlessly 

 and instantaneously. Mr. Harris, of the Toronto 

 S.P.C.A., has had installed two of the latest 

 types, one for cats, and a larger one for dogs. 



The apparatus consists of a large cupboard 

 with double sides, top and bottom, and a damp 

 bed, on which the animal is laid. A metal collar 

 is placed around the animal's neck. The animal 

 is placed inside, and a wire hooked to the collar. 

 The door is closed, and a current of high voltage 

 is turned on, which makes the animal insensitive 

 and probably kills it. The current is then 

 increased in pressure (voltage), to 1,150, to make 

 sure that life is extinct. After a minute the door 

 is opened, and the animal taken out. 



I do not approve of the lethal chamber, so 

 popular a few years ago. It consists of a box, in 

 which the animal is placed, and, after he is 

 inside, chloroform vapour is introduced, thus 

 asphyxiating the animal. I conclude by remind- 

 ing the reader that there is no more humane 

 method of destroying the horse than shooting it. 

 I have never seen a case fail. 



