The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-03


bodies of the animal, the exterior body,
containing the brain, and the interior
body, containing the heart, are separated
from one another in the easiest and best
manner.
in our ancient writings the most pain
full and the most painless kinds of death
are described. In the most painful death,
the soul is said to depart from the body
with the same difficulty that wool is ta-
ken out from thorns. In the easiest kind
of death, body and soul part with the
same ease that hair is drawn out from
milk. We maintain that the Shechitah
or the Jewish method of killing, although
slower, is easier and less painful than
that caused by blows inflicted on the
head
Zone thing is certain" continued the
manager; 1.-THE flesh of an animls killed
by the Jewish method looks more invi-
ting than that killed in the usual way,
because the beast has bled freely. Some
times coagulated blood is found on the
ribs of an animal killed by blows on the
head, on the inside near the spine, and
the clots of blood cannot be removed by
washing. The flesh of an animal killed
by blows is heavier than the flesh of one
killed by Shechitah, because the blood has
been absorbed by the members. The
Orthodox jew. Only be sure that thou
eat not the blood, for the blood is the
life it is written in Deuteronomy, and
we believe that If man eat blood, he
partakes of its properties and transmits
those. qualities to his children after
him.
"What is the matter with that beef
the visitor asks, seeing the examiner
shake his head obviously over part of
the laey-looking membrane he held, and
then confer with the Shochet
"a nail had penetrated the lining of
the stomach is the answer. SIT had
not injured the creature. The flaw was
healed, but still it existed, SO the meat
is not kosher. How does steer get hold
OF nails Oh, we frequently find
needles and all sorts of foreign substances
in the stomach. OF course not SO much
in the range cattle that are grass fed, but
the larger proportion of the kosher meat
must come from cattle that are stall fed.
The Western buyers get them, thin and
in poor condition on the range, and then
fatten them up in the stable"
What is true of the care exercised with
regard to kosher beef is equally true of
the poultry killing. There are hundreds
Of poultry dealers on the populous east
side and in the uptown districts where
prosperous. Jews live who have only
Shechitah killed geese, ducks, fowls, and
turkeys for their customers. Some few
of these slaughterers have establishment
of their own, keeping in their employ a
Shochet, and rabbi or examiner author
lied to affix the seal guaranteeing that
the ceremony of killing has been lawful.
By far the most general custom, how
ever, is for the Individual poultry-dealer
to buy coop Of live fowls and lodge
them at the big slaughter-house where
they can be killed at a cent a head after
the lawful and prescribed manner.
The slaughter-house at Gouverneur Slip
has tier upon tier of padlocked wire
cages on the various floors rented out to
the individual poultry dealers, much as
postoffice boxes are leased to patrons.
Fifteen thousand head of poultry day
are killed after the Jewish method at
this house. Eighteen Shochets are kept
regularly employed and average $15
week each. The feathered candidate for
killing is swung by the legs, which are
trough. The windpipe and gullet are cut,
exactly as in the case of beef. The knives
are kept stepped up to the handles in a
preparation of lime, in order that they
may not rust. Even after the Shechitah
has been properly performed there are
variety OF reasons why the flesh Of that
particular duck, turkey, or goose may
is an enlargement Of the crop, If a wing
or leg be injured, or if anything the least
abnormal has befallen the interior body,
the fowl is condemned. If killed proper
ly the fowl is taken to cunningly con-
trived machine where, in twinkling,
the Hebrew seal signifying approval is
affixed to the legs. In the winter season
from 5000 to 1000 geese are sealed in
single week.
Up to ten years ago there was no public
official charged with the care OF this de-
partment of domestic and religious we'll
being. The increase of Jewish popula-
ton, however, prompted the importation
of Rabbi Joseph, who is ifof Russian birth
and training. Before his coming each
slaughter house that catered to Jewish
trade employed its private Shochet. but
There are numerous butcher shops having
mystical letters in the windows, signify
ing 'kosher meat" but the initiated say
that not all Of these are to be trusted.
They have customers because the custo-
mers are ignorant that the lawful
ceremonies have been dispensed with.
o. f. G.