The new North-west., 1888-11-09
OUR ENEMY THE COW.
DISCUSSION OF HEBREW METHODS
OF SLAuGH1ER;NG CATTLE.

with DR.. Frederick de Sola Mendes, of the
Gates Of Prayer Synagogue, and Chief Rabbi
Joseph, on the Hebrew manner of slaughter
ing cattle.
DR.. Mendes said: "The idea that tubercu-
losis can be propagated in the human species
by the consumption of the flesh of animals
suffering from disease is an old one to the
sanitary legislation Of our people. The pro-
visions Of the Jewish law, as embodied in
the Yoreh Deah, fare minute and cover the
details sufficiently to enable the slaughterer
to decide whether the animal he has just
butchered is free from all taint.
II compiled chart Of sixty different ap-
pearances in the lungs of cattle malig-
nant, some harmless-and which are all
described in the accompanying text. It is
the duty of the butcher who slays the animal
to closely examine the lungs of the carcass
and from their appearance decide whether it
is free from tubercular and other taints. It
would be Impossible for the carcass of an in
fected animal to pass the inspection of con-
scientious slaughterer and be pronounced fit
for use.
II know nothing Of any enacments Of the
Jewish law which compels IN examination
Of the milk of animals suspected Of tubercu-
losis Having no knowledge Of the statistics
as to whether Hebrews, who observe the
rules, are less liable than Gentiles to tuber-
culosis, I can give no opinion should judge
that, other things being equal, the observ-
ant Jew has the benefit Of his fidelity to the
law in greater immunity from tubercular dis
eases. The questions of kosher meat were
discussed at length in Chicago some months
ago."
CHIEF RABBI JOSEPH.
Chief Rabbi Jacob Joseph, at his residence,
said: II have been too busy with my mani
fold duties to examine the slaughter houses
Of our people yet / have examined some Of
the knives to see that they have no jagged
edges and are as sharp as possible so as to
avoid unnecessary suffering by the cattle.
The law book Yoreh Deah, section IS, de-
scribes the lungs Of cattle-the lobes and the
rose lobe.
s'If the lobes are radically malformed we
call tho animal 'trefa,' or unclean, and there
fore uneatable. If the external or surface
tissue of the lungs has holes in it it is dis
ease, but may be cured. but if the underly-
ing skin has holes also it is 'trefa.' Some
times the holes are very small in both integu-
ments. We place the lungs in water and
initiate them through the windpipe. II there
are air bubbles that shows perforation. The
lobes Of the lung must not be adherent to
the body Of the animal or each other; that
shows that there are holes and pus has gen.
Grated, thereby causing this sticking to-
gether. This is 'trefa.' If the outer skin is
hard and leathery it is 'trefa.' If the lungs
cannot be easily inflated and fall together
that shows Inflammation and consequent fill
ing up Of the bronchial tubes. This disease
is curable."
"After death how can you tell whether the
sickness was curableq' asked the reporter.
1--WE put the lungs into water in all doubt
full cases for twenty-four hours We then
initiate them, and if they como up as in nor
NAL condition the animal was curable and
therefore eatable If there are watery pus-
tules on the outward skin it is durable, but
in the case of continent pustules it is 'trefa'
and not KOSHER If there are black stains
on the outer skin Of the lung it is 'trefa,' but
if white stains, 'kosher;' if yellow stains,
'trefa;' if blue, Kosher
.sNow as to milk. While tho COW is alive
1t cannot be discerned whether the milk is
unhealthy except the animal has the foot
and mouth disease. The milk of such COW is
forbidden; also the butter and cheese made
from her milk. Dropsy as O result of dis
ease is chronic in cattle and in man. If the
flesh of such cattle be consumed the infec-
ton is naturally absorbed"
'tWhat becomes of the animals that are
slaughtered and are not Eosherq'
Gas long as the board of health permits
the sale of the cattle we can sell it to Chris
tians and others. If Christians want to buy
kosher meat of us VIC are bound to sell it to
them. The law says So If the Christian
asks for kosher meat and is given diseased
meat the Hebrew commits sim"
''Do you think that Hebrews suffer more
from tuberculosis than Christians?"
ssUniversal statistics show that the He
brews suffer less from lung disease than any
other race. They certainly suffer less from
lung disease than any other race from sick
ness caused by eating diseased meat. The
general health Of the Hebrews is excellent.
Our law does not designate any disease which
comes from cattle that man can be inocu-
lated with.
Gas q rule Hebrews soak meat in water for
half an hour after purchasing it, and then
salt it for an hour. This is considered san
itary measure Shell dsh-oysters, crabs,
lobsters-aro not eaten by the orthodox
Jews"
DR.. NJ. G. Dadirrian, a native of Asia
Minor, but now practicing in New York,
said to reporter:
The subject of tuberculosis is one of great
interest to mo, as it must be to every medical
man. After receiving my education in the
University Medical college in this city twenty
years ago, returned to my home and prac-
ticed in Asia Minor three years, and in Con-
stantinople twelve years. may say that I
had very large practice, but being Chris
tian had some trouble with the Greeks, SO
four years ago packed up my belongings
and brought my family to New York.
''Now, during all those years in the East
rarely came across case of tuberculosis, and
have formed very strong opinion on the
cause of the absence Of the disease in that
part of the world. The Partisan congress
found that by cooking meat well and boiling
milk there was less danger Of catching tho
disease And this conforms with the result
of my experience III Asia Minor and Con-
stantinopie. There the natives eat generally
mutton and drink goats and sleeps milk.
They scarcely touch beef or cows milk, but if
they do they cook the meat well and always
ferment the milk. Here the mistake seems
to be that people imagine that there is more
nourishment in rare meat and milk from the
cow, but this is a fallacy, and am glad that
the Partisan congress reported it as such."-
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