Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-23
From the Nashville Onion.

From the Nashville Onion
Tue custom of the Hebrews Of killing cattle
after the manner prescribed by the Mosaic law.
which has recently been prohibited in some
parts OF Germany ON the ground OF 'cruelty to
animals" has been in vogue In Nashville q
number Of years. According to the Jewish law,
which was laid down by Moses. no butcher is
allowed to kill his own cattle. This must be
done by functiOnary known by the title OF
''shoshet," who receives his title directly from
the Jewish congregation. A years study is re-
quired by u person to tit him for the position of
''shoshet." The manner of killing AS described
to reporter by one OF the butchers, vino prac-
ticed the custom for many years, is quite inter.
esting.
to q ring in the floor, whereupOn a rope Is fast
ened to the creatures left hind leg, which is
then hoisted up until the body falls over upon
its side, thus compelling the animal to stand
upon It's fOreeet with its head resting upon its
horns. AT this juncture the sh 'shet armed
with long knife, The bi;t re OF which is some
two feet in length and as sharp Us "a razor, adj
vances TO the animals head and rubs his
hand over the neck In order to find u SOFT
place. This done he defily and quickly draws
the deadly weapon across the animafs threat
He Is only allowed to make one cut and Two
siashes. No one Is allowed to toubh the
animal AM n until II wa; BLEED to death When
dressed. The next thing done by the
shoset is To insert his arm on the inside
are perfectly Tree from the ribs. II SUCH is
found To be the Case, the lungs are drawn out,
placed upon table and thoroughly tested in
order TO ascertain their condition. Or upon this
depends the heaithfulness OF the meat. The
lest is accomplished by bluwing up the lungs.
II they are found 10 be air-tignt the shoshet at
can be sold TO Hebrew customers unless 50
branded. The seal contains line wori KOSHER
printed in Hebrew characters The entire pro-
cess is in accordance with the rules laid down
In the Mosaic law"
"Do you consider this manner of killing cattle
cruel, as has been charged by the press Of Ger
many9' asked the reporter.
"Cruei! No, sir; just the contrary. 1t Is. in my
opinion. the only perfectly humane way TO kill.
Animais slaughtered in this manner die
A PERFECTLY PAINLESS DEATH.
which Is far from being the Case with the mod
ern style OF knocking animals upon the head,
half "a dozen blows being often necessary before
the poor creature is completely stunned. The
Jewish mode OF killing has been proven by
some of the most learned men OF the world TO
be the best method of killing cattle. One good
effect resulting from this Mode OF Strengthening
Is that every drop OF blood Is run out of the
Carcass before it Is dressed, the Mosaic law ior-
tiddlng Jews TO eat tile blood OF animals.
Neither were the people of this ATTN permitted
TO eat rom the mind quarters OF animals, these
were not considered cieaniy. The same law
regulates The eating Of pork, which is also
defined unc.eaniy meat
ACCORDING TO THE STRICT ORTHODOX Law
u SuOSuet was required 10 repeat prayer before
doing the killing. He received so cents head
which made his position quite lucrative.
Calves and sheep, as well as beeves, were
required TO be killed in the manner prescribed
by Lne Mosaic law. Even poultry was included
in The list aud all chickens, geese. turkeys aud
other fowls eaten by tine Hebrews had to be
killed by tue shOsieL Two nights before tue
Jewish New Year u regular procession oI Jewish
people, mostly servants anu children, could bc
seen filing intO the Jewish butcher shops laden
with baskets containing live poultry. Tue
poultry WAS ali Killed by the shOshet. The
Jews were Obliged 70 pick the poultry dry
Instead of loosening tue feathers win hot
water, as Gentiies do, and the iorlner custom
stlil prevails among them, tut the manner Of
killing cattle just described, has been 10 some
extent abandoned"
sway Is thaL?'
"Weii, suppose 1t is because the Hebrews
like every Ody else, have become imbued WITH
new Ideas, aud have made up their minds that
meat prepared IN the modern way for the Chris
ti..ns is also good enough for tueln. Still, be-
lieve the OLD jewish Custom vi Killing 10 be
preferable, both from u humane and u cleanly
standpoint. Now That pteuro-pneumonia il
Raging among cattle around The country, this
mode vi kiiiiug would be good thing Ior Tue
public at large, tor diseased meat would be- de-
tected instantly. II may be that the word
viii 20 uacG u the old system, ior you know
there is much truth in The old saying, History
reutAtS ltSeii.'"