Year: 1874

Mr.. Slade, Prof, of Veterinary Science at
Bussey Institute, Harvard College, recently
read paper before the Massachusetts, Board
Of Agriculture upon this subject, from which
we extract what follows: DIR. Slade spoke
on the subject Of killing domestic animals,
both for food aud TO relieve them of the bur-
den OF life. in case of disease or old age.
Animals for food are killed in several differ
ent ways: by striking blow on the head
that stups the animal, followed by immediate
bleeding; by driving a sharp needle or .hin
knife through the neck, severing the spinal
cord, called pithing; by cutting the throat
as practiced by the Jews Many expert.
ments have been made to determine the most
humane method of taking life, and to learn
shat is death and when it occurs.


Severing the head from the body with a
knife, as by the guilotine, does not cause in.
stant death. The body has two motions,
those which are voluntary, and those which
are involuntary. Bodily motions are not
sure indications of pain. There may be
pain without motion, aud motion without
pain. To constitute pain, the brain must be
10 connection with the body injured. Pierc-
ing the nervous center in the neck, just back
of the head, is supposed to cause instant
death. but the spo. to be aimed at is small
and liable to be missed except by experts.
Probably the best method Of killing is to
strike stunning blow on the head, and then
bleed Immediately, by cutting the arteries
and veins connecting the heart with the
head The brain in animals is smaller than
most people suppose, and is situated higher
up. 1t is common mistake to strike too
low down on the face, causing severe pain
without killing 1t is best to blindfold ami.
mails before attempting to strike. To find
the spo, on the head OF horse, draw line
across the head through the pits above the
eyes, A blow, or better, pistol ball, in the
center of this line will kill instantly. 1t is
advisable to d & the grave for horse with
one end on an inclined plane that he may be
led in. Then, when shot, he will fall to the
bottom, thus saving much labor in moving
and placing in position.


The doctor did not recommend the gene
raj use of chloroform for killing large, strong
animals. he believes the sensation OF suffo-
cation is often more cruel than killing by a
blow. Cattle should also be blindtolded,
aud the blow should fall about one aud a
half inches below the horns, in the center OF
the head. The tendency is to strike too low
on the OK as well as the horse. The same
may be said of the hog The animal should
be struck three or four inches above the
eyes. The line of sheep aud calves is about
Que aud half inches above the eyes. 1t is
generally believed that swine should not be
stunned before bleeding. The lecturer said
he thought this mistaken idea, as they
would bleed equally as well as it bled with.
out first stunning. One Of the most sicken.
ing sounds ever heard on the farm is that
frem the hog, during its last struggles, and
there is no good reason why the present GUS
tom should be continued.


There is perhaps no better method Of dis
posing Of kittens than by drowning. Dogs
may be instantly killed by shooting above
the ears, at the side Of the head.


When dressing poultry, do not cut of
their heads and throw them down to kicG
aud autter on the ground 1t does not have
good moral influence on the young people
of the household. Better strike hard blow
on the head, aud bleed, the same as Other
animals. Fishes for food should be killed
aud not left 10 die. The food is much more
wholesome, and keeps longer, besides being
harder aud sweeter. There is no reason why
fishes should be excepted from the genera
rule that animal food should be bled. 1t il
also very nhumah TO let fish die by slow
degrees, out Of its natural element