Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-11-17
NO. 46.
Strengthening Cattle with Dynamite.


The London Times says that expert
ments were made recently Mt the Isling-
ton cattle market to illustrate the use Of
dynamite as a means of slaughtering cat
tie humanely. Mr.. Thomas johnson, Of
Dudley, killed three bullocks in this
way. To show the safety with which
the explosive (Noble's dynamite) can be
employed, small quantities were first
burnt without any explosion.
The charge with which the cattle were
afterward killed consisted of about an
ounce, of pinkish pasty substance, into
Which had Ueeu plunged II uvtUnatur UII
fuse. The bullocks, bought that morn
ing in the market, were led into Mr..
Thomas Cross's slaughter house, and
tied up to posts there in the ordinary
way. Although many animals had re-
Gently been despatched with the pole
axe near by, the bullocks selected be-
traying no consciousness of their ap-
preaching fate. There was no tremOr or
sweat upon them.
The operator, fondling them, passed
across the forehead tillet of string
secured round the horns, and so arranged
that midway between the horns and eyes,
and thus in the centre of the forehead,
the charge OF dynamite was placed,
which formed the central and only orna-
ment of the fillet. Then the fuse was
fired, and in two cases the bullock was
killed at once by the explosion of the
ounce of dynamite. A hole was made in
the skull by the force of the explosion,
but the concussion was entirely local,
and people standing close by felt moth
ing. They heard loud report. The
animals were Immediately pithed by
passing cane down their spinal mar
rows to remove all sensibility, and in
quarter of an hour their carcasses,
stripped of the hide, and divided into
two, we're hanging up as sides of beef,
ready to be transported to the Metropoli-
tan Dead Meat Market.
The brain was found to be entirely
broken up. With the first bullock tried
the experiment was less successful.
The charge had been placed too low.
The animal was felled, but struggled on
the ground. A man was, however,
ready with the pole-axe. He smote
once, and no more, and the poor beast
was out of its agony. Afterward a
bullock was killed with one blow of the
pole.axe, and another by the French
method, the vertebr@ being severed
with a knife at the back of the neck. In
each case the cane was used Immediately
afterward.
All three modes of slaughter, properly
carried into effect, seemed as little cruel
as is consistent with the necessity of in
ficting death, but the pole-axe and knife,
both used with consummate skill yester-
day, require considerable practice to be
employed with dexterity. In country
slaughter houses, where the men have
less experience, a thick-browed bull is
sometimes struck again and again before
he dies. The dynamite may be applied
at leisure 10 the proper place, and the
operator ought to be able to count on
keeping it there. An objection to its use.
is in the report which it makes. The
secoud bullock was obviously frightened
by the noise Of the explosion of the first
charge. The three animals were killed
in nine minutes at the expense of about
Sd. In the Black Country, where dyna-
mite is r0mmon as blasting material
for mines, it is said to be already in
practical use in the slaughter house.