Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-01-08
Modes Of Killing Animals.

DR.. Slade, Professor of Veterinary
Science at Bussey Institute, Harvard
College, recently read paper before
the Massachusetts Board of Agricul-
ture upon this subject, from which
we extract what follows:
DR.. Slade spoke on the subject of
killing domestic animals. both for
food and to relieve them of the burd-
en- of life, in case of disease or old
age. Animals for food are killed in
several different ways: by striking a
blow on the head that stuns the ami
NAL, followed byimmediate bleeding;
by driving a sharp needle or thin
knife through the neck, severing the
spinal cord, called pithing; by cut
ting the throat, as practiced by the
Jews. Many experiments have been
made to determine the most humane
method of taking life, and to learn
what is death and when it occurs.
Severing the head from the body
with knife, as by the guillotine, does
not cause instant death. The body
has two motions, those which are
voluntary, and those which are invol.
untary. Bodily motions are not sure
indications of pain. There may be
pain without motion, and motion
without pain. TO constitute pain,
the brain must be in connection with
the body injured. Piercing the nerv-
GUS centre in the neck, just back Of
the head, is supposed to cause instant
death, but the spot to be aimed at is
small and liable to be missed except
by experts. Probably the best meth
cd Of killing is to strike a stunning
blow on the head, and then bleed inn
mediately, by cutting the arteries
and veins connecting the heart with
head. The brain in animals is small
er than most people suppose, and it
is situated higher up. 1t is a com
mon mistake to strike too low down
on the face, causing severe pain with
out killing. 1t is best to blindfold
animals before attempting to strike.
To find the spot on the head Of
horse, draw line across the head
through the pits above the eyes. A
blow, or better, a pistol ball in the
centre of this line will kill instantly.
1t is advisable to dig the grave for a
horse with one end on an inclined
plane, that he may be led in. Then,
when he is shot, he will fall to the
bottom, thus saving much labor in
moving and placing in position.
The doctor did not recommend the
general use Of chloroform for killing
large, strong animals. He believes
the sensation of suffocation is often
more cruel than killing by a blow.
Cattle should also be blindfolded,
and the blow should fall about one
and half inches below the horns, in
the centre of the head. The tendency
is to strike too low on the OK as we'll
as the horse. The same may be said
of the hog. This animal should be
struck three or four inches above the
eyes. The line on sheep and calves
is about one and half inches above
the eyes. 1t is generally believed
that swine should not be stunned be-
fore bleeding. The lecturer said he
thought this a mistaken idea, as they
would bleed equally as well as if bled
first stunning. One of the
most sickening sounds ever heard on
the farm is that from the hog, during
its last struggles, and there is no good
reason why the present custom should
be continued.
There is perhaps no better method
of disposing Of kittens than by
drowning. Dogs may be instantly
killed by shooting above the ears, at
the side Of the head.
When dressing poultry, do not cut
off their heads and throw them down
to kick and tlutter on the ground.
1t does not have a good moral in
auence on the young people of the
household. Better strike hard blow
on the head, and bleed, the same as
other animals. Fishes for food
should be killed, and not left to die.
The food is much more wholesome,
and keeps longer, besides being hard
err and sweeter. There is no reason
why fishes should be excepted from
the general rule that animal food
should be bled. 1t is also very inhu-
man to let a fish die by slow degrees,
out of its natural element.