Abstract
IN the thirteenth annual Benjamin Ward Richardson Lecture which was delivered before the Model Abattoir Society on November 27 and has just been published, Sir Leonard Hill, who had chosen for his subject “Electric Methods of Producing Humane Slaughter”, maintained that Richardson's aim for humane slaughter was fulfilled by the introduction of the electric stunning instrument, which was a safe process and free from the objections made against shooting. The current is obtained from the usual 200 volt 50 cycle A.c. lighting current, and is reduced to 50 volts by a transformer. The electrodes, which are at the ends of the jaws of a tong-like instrument, are applied for 5 seconds in the case of pigs and for 20 seconds in the case of cattle, after soaking in 20 per cent saline, one on each side of the jaw of pigs, and between the eyes and ears of calves and sheep. The old method of electrocution, which caused violent contractions and even rupture of and haemorrhage into the muscles, is avoided by this process, and no spilling of blood occurs.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Humane Slaughter. Nature 135, 578 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/135578a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/135578a0