Morning journal and courier., 1886-01-26
DEATH WITHOUT PAIN.
An Analytical Chemist Presents
 Theory on the Subject.

An Analytical Chemist Fr0senbs a Theory on the Subject. From Chemist in Chambers Journal.l Let us suppose, for the sake of making tn e subject clearer, that we have pet dog which must be destroyed; and let us take the doom ed creature to different classes of persons and request them to suggest the best means for it's destruction. Let us in the first instance take it to that specimen of humanitv-or ip humanity, if you please-which, for the sake of distinction, has been called "a rough" !" and ask his advice. He will, in all probabi1- ity suggest two methods, which have been very largely used, and still are to some ex- tent-namely, hanging or drowning-and he will perhaps assure you that it will be but few struggles and then all will be over. Next, take it to sportsman, and you will be told to use very active poison-strychnine, perhaps, or corrosive sublimate, or white ar senic, or prussic acid; take it to a doctor, and perhaps he may tell you the same, or he may tell you to give chloroform first, and drown or otherwise kill the animal while un- der it's influence.
 BARBARoUs AND CRUEL METHODS.
 Not one of these methods can we indorse, and we speak from experience, having wit messed the death of many animals under each of these methods, even when applied in the most skillful manner. Drowning is barbarous and cruel method. The head must be forcibly submerged in water: and who that has seen the struggles and heard the cries of half drowned animal, should it for a moment get one breath of air, can say that it's death was unattended with great and violent pain. Can anyone who has witness ed the convulsive struggles-the sudden drawing up of the lower limbs toward the 4Iog g4ia aol fhn h11rG auo of an animal when killed by hanging-say it's death was painless one? AS for the strong poison treatment in our opinion 1t is worse than the two just mentioned, for not only is the suffering most acute, but it is enormous ly prolonged. Many poor thing have l seen subjected to what was called sklllful treatment in this way, and seldom have I ex- perienced more sickening feelings than when watching the agonies of the dying creature. Many stout and stern heart have I known on such occasions to resolve that they would not look upon such sights again. No; the death by strong poisons is very, very far from being humane method. Shooting is too slow and uncertain, and ought to be had recourse to only under exceptional circum- stances, when no other methods are applica- ble.
 There is one other method, seldom recom- mended because 1t is somewhat difficult of application, but which is nevertheless large
 
 cognition. It is the one suggested by Dr. Richardson, and used every week for the de- struction of carloads of wandering and worthless dogs which find their way to the Home for Lost Dogs at Battersea, and con- sists in killing chiefly by means of the gas known to chemists as carbonic oxide. Un- der the influence of this gas the animal sinks into an insensible sleep, from which it never wakes, and without the least sign of pain. It is the form of death so frequentl, chosen by French suicides, and unwarily has found many victim in the weary wayfarer who has laid himself to sleep on the warm bank on the leeward side of burning lime kiln.
 PAINLESS EFFECTS OF CARBoNIc OXIDE.
 Its application does not necessitate so much additional trouble and skill as to make it impracticable or unpopular. The animal has only to be placed in an air-tight chamber connected by pipe with another chamber in which charcoal fire is lighted. The pro ducts of combustion pass along the pipe to the chamber in which the animal is confined, and before long it dies, to all external ap pearances painless death. The quantity of carbonic oxide gas necessary for the de- struction of an animal is very small Le Blanc found that an animal could live in an atmosphere containing 25 per cent. of car bonic acid, but died in one containing E per cent of carbonic oxide, and that recov- cry was more difficult in the latter case. It is therefore evident that but very small quantity of this gas is sufficient to cause death
 Dr. Richardson points out that the method can be applied to animals killed to sup ply us with food; that the flesh of animals so killed is in no way altered, and that the blood can be drawn as completely after as before the animal has been narcotized. It has not yet been applied to oxen and horses, the necessarily larger size of the lethal chamber being in itself difficulty. Moreover, large animals require a higher percentage of gas to produce in them narcotic effects.
 The physiological effect of carbonic oxide has long been supposed by chemists to de- pend on the formation of compound of car bonic oxide with the haemoglobin or matter in the red corpuscles of the blood, by which the latter is prevented from exercising it's function as an absorbent of oxygen. But whatever it's action may be, one thing is cer- tain, that it is really humane method of slaughtering animals, and on this account we hope its application will receive that atten- tion it richly deserves.