318 DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED BIRDS 
POSITION OF HAND AND KNIFE 
Figure 67 shows the position of a chicken ready for killing and 
held by the feet in a U-shaped shackle. Notice that the thumb of 
the killer is pressed firmly down on the head just below and behind 
pe. eae 
Fia. 67. Correct grasp of head at angle of jaw and position of small knife when 
cutting vein. (Pennington and Betts) 
the ear in the space to which attention was called when discussing 
the bones of the skull. Here, too, is the hinge of the jaw. Pressure 
of the thumb on one side of this portion of the skull and on the other 
side at the same place with the forefinger, or with the forefinger and 
second finger, will result in opening the chicken’s mouth and holding 
it open while the operator makes the cut to bleed. Held in such 
fashion, there is nothing to constrict the blood vessels, thereby pre- 
venting the blood from escaping even though these vessels be cut. 
The pressure against the jaw makes accurate cutting of the veins 
easier, since the bird can not close its mouth until the pressure is 
removed. Of course, care must be taken not to stretch the neck 
unduly, else the vessels will be pulled to such a narrow diameter 
that they are more difficult to find and also more difficult to empty. 
The position of the knife in the mouth, which is shown by the 
dotted line, needs no further explanation. The knife itself, how- 
ever, is very different from that ordinarily used in the bleeding of 
