Report of the Committee appointed by the Admiralty to consider the humane slaughtering of animals, with appendix.

  • Great Britain. Committee on Humane Slaughtering of Animals.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Committee appointed by the Admiralty to consider the humane slaughtering of animals, with appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/38 (page 17)
    FURTHER REPORT ON METHODS EMPLOYED AT ALDERSHOT ON 47rx MARCH. Ozen. Five different methods were employed for making the preliminary hole in the skull corresponding to the first operation in poll-axing the animal. All the methods showed themselves satisfactory in the fact that consciousness was immediately abolished, and the choice between the various methods is therefore a question of convenience and ease of application rather than of humanity. The first ox was killed by means of the “ Bruneau” mask, a bolt being driven into the front part of the skull by a stroke of the mallet. Unconsciousness was immediate ; the cane was introduced by the opening and the animal pithed, the cane evidently passing easily down to the upper part ofthe cord. The subsequent convulsions which ensued only affected the hind limbs, namely, those supplied by the lower part of the spinal cord. In the case of the second animal the “ Baxster”” mask was employed. Here, also, loss of con- sciousness was immediate, but there was some difficulty in introducing the cane for the pithing operation. This question is of some importance, since the mere punching of a hole in the front part of the skull would not, as arule, be sufficient to kill an animal. The shock of the blow does pro- duce unconsciousness, but unless there is damage to the lower parts of the brain this state would only last a certain time, and it is therefore important that the pithing operation should be carried out immediately after the animal has fallen. For the third beast the Greener Cartridge was used. The hole produced by the entry of the bullet was too small to admit of the pithing cane being introduced. This, however, does not matter if the Greener cartridge is applied at the right spot, since the bullet passes to the base of the brain and therefore destroys the vital centres of the medulla. Although a considerable time elapsed while fruitless efforts were being made to introduce the pithing cane, the movements of breathing did not return, showing that the lower part of the brain had been destroyed by the bullet. Under ordinary circumstances this method need not be put to so severe a test, since it is possible to introduce a wire through the hole left by the bullet to carry out the pithing. For the fourth animal the “ Blitz” instrument was used. In this instrument a bolt is driven into the front part of the skull by means of a small cartridge. It seemed to me that this method was not quite so satisfactory as those previously tried. The state of shock of the animal after it had falled from the driving in of the bolt did not seem to me so profound as in the other methods demonstrated. There was, however, no difficulty in introducing the pithing cane, and the brain was destroyed before the animal could be said to have recovered consciousness. ~~ In the fifth case the “ Wackett ’ punch was held by one man by means of a handle and was driven in by the stroke of a mallet delivered by a second man. So far as regards abolition of consciousness this method was also satisfactory. The question as to the choice to be made among these various methods is therefore to be deter- mined by the ease of their application. All can be said to be equally satisfactory when properly carried out. (Signed) Ernesr H Srar.ine. APPENDIX C. REPORT OF SUB-COMMITTEE ON VISITS TO ABATTOIRS IN GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND. We have, as desired, visited the abattoirs of several towns in Germany (Cologne and Constance) and Switzerland (Basle, Zurich, Lucerne, and Geneva), with the object of ascertaining whether the laws that require an animal, intended for slaughter, to be rendered unconscious before blood is drawn, are carried into effect, and especially as to the methoa of killing sheep, and we have to report as follows, viz. :— 2. Speaking generally, our investigations and inspections point to the conclusion that these laws are in operation, although we noticed that in Switzerland the methods adopted in the several abattoirs to secure unconsciousness were not altogether uniform. 3. The abattoirs themselves differ in design, arrangement, and organisation, but those at Cologne and Basle may be looked upon as typical of the requirements of the law of each nation and illus- trative of the principal features that could be considered with much advantage in regard to any large public abattoirs to be constructed in future. (A plan of the Cologne abattoir is attached to this-report. See Plan D on opposite page.) Firstly —As regards the slaughtering :— Although the mask is not infrequently used, it is the general practice to kill cattle by shooting with an apparatus similar to the Greener. Both methods work satisfactorily, death being, to all appearance, instantaneous, and, in consequence, the pithing cane is not used. As far as could be ascertained, the shooting had no deleterious effect upon the meat, either as regards the bullet 193.—R C