“On Killing Crabs and Lobsters Mercifully.— Fishermen,
and a few small fishmongers, sometimes unthinkingly are
guilty of much cruelty to lobsters and crabs during the
process of preparing them for human food. The animals
while still alive are put into saucepans or pots containing
cold water, and placed on a fire for the purpose of being
boiled. The water gradually rises in temperature, which
first alarms the poor creatures and shortly afterwards kills
them slowly. This practice revolts a humane mind it is
horrible to the animal and shocking to cultured persons. It
is desirable therefore to introduce a method more consistent
with moral feeling.
People are not easily induced to depart from usage ;
still, most men will admit the force of an appeal submitted
to them with tact on the score of kindness. In fact, they are
273 T
App. HUMANE WAY OP KILLING CRABS
cruel unwittingly, and follow this practice without thinking
of the torture they cause. The first objection they will
raise is that lobsters and crabs shed their claws if not
boiled gradually. To remove this conception it is best
to offer them double payment for a supply of shell-fish by
a trial process and test ; then they see, and are convinced.
“Directions. — Crabs should be ‘pithed’ before being placed
in the saucepan. This is done by inserting a stiletto in the
animal’s brain, as shown in our engraving, either from
above, perpendicularly (i), or from the side of the shell,
horizontally (2). This should be done quickly, and the
274
HUMANE WAY OP KILLING LOBSTERS App.
stiletto should be wriggled about, the object being not only
to stun the animal but to destroy the brain matter, and by
actual death prevent sensibility returning. If the insertion
be made as shown by mark i, the little crown lap, marked
3, should first of all be drawn back. The whole process may
be done in an instant, after which the animal may be boiled.
“Lobsters should be plunged into ample boiling water,
when death is instantaneous. Take care that the water
actually boils — not ‘steams’ merely. If several lobsters
have to be cooked at the same time, they should be packed
on each other in a pot, weighted down, with a wooden lid,
and boiling water poured rapidly on them.
“ I this morning visited Billingsgate Market. I made
my way to the boiling-room underneath the market, where
vast numbers of creatures are boiled every morning. In
this compartment there are eight boilers (about thirty-two
inches in depth, and twenty-seven inches in diameter) each
half full of boiling water. Standing around are numerous
iron baskets, which, when filled up with crabs and lobsters,
are hoisted by means of ropes and pulleys, and dropped
into the boiling cauldrons. The charge for boiling is <^d.
per basket. The lobsters are carried down here in hampers,
and after being once dipped in cold water to cleanse them
from sand and other impurities, are neatly packed in the
iron baskets. This done, a covering of wickerwork is laid
flat on the top layer of fish, and three or four stones are
laid on to keep them down in the same position when im-
mersed in the boiling water. Death is instantaneous.”
“A HUMANE WAY OF KILLING CALVES.
“ First, use the pole-axe ; then take off the head ; and
then hang up the body to drain. This method is not only
275
App. KIND TREATMENT OP ANIMALS
Page 107
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
“On Killing Crabs and Lobsters Mercifully.— Fishermen, and a few small fishmongers, sometimes unthinkingly are guilty of much cruelty to lobsters and crabs during the process of preparing them for human food. The animals while still alive are put into saucepans or pots containing cold water, and placed on a fire for the purpose of being boiled. The water gradually rises in temperature, which first alarms the poor creatures and shortly afterwards kills
them slowly. This practice revolts a humane mind; it is
horrible to the animal and shocking to cultured persons. It is desirable therefore to introduce a method more consistent with moral feeling.
People are not easily induced to depart from usage ; still, most men will admit the force of an appeal submitted to them with tact on the score of kindness. In fact, they are
273 T
App. HUMANE WAY OP KILLING CRABS
cruel unwittingly, and follow this practice without thinking of the torture they cause. The first objection they will raise is that lobsters and crabs shed their claws if not boiled gradually. To remove this conception it is best to offer them double payment for a supply of shell-fish by
a trial process and test ; then they see, and are convinced.
“Directions. — Crabs should be ‘pithed’ before being placed in the saucepan. This is done by inserting a stiletto in the animal’s brain, as shown in our engraving, either from above, perpendicularly (i), or from the side of the shell,
horizontally (2). This should be done quickly, and the
HUMANE WAY OP KILLING LOBSTERS App.
stiletto should be wriggled about, the object being not only to stun the animal but to destroy the brain matter, and by actual death prevent sensibility returning. If the insertion be made as shown by mark i, the little crown lap, marked 3, should first of all be drawn back. The whole process may be done in an instant, after which the animal may be boiled.
“Lobsters should be plunged into ample boiling water, when death is instantaneous. Take care that the water actually boils — not ‘steams’ merely. If several lobsters have to be cooked at the same time, they should be packed on each other in a pot, weighted down, with a wooden lid, and boiling water poured rapidly on them.
“ I this morning visited Billingsgate Market. I made my way to the boiling-room underneath the market, where vast numbers of creatures are boiled every morning. In this compartment there are eight boilers (about thirty-two inches in depth, and twenty-seven inches in diameter) each half full of boiling water. Standing around are numerous iron baskets, which, when filled up with crabs and lobsters, are hoisted by means of ropes and pulleys, and dropped into the boiling cauldrons. The charge for boiling is <^d. per basket. The lobsters are carried down here in hampers, and after being once dipped in cold water to cleanse them from sand and other impurities, are neatly packed in the iron baskets. This done, a covering of wickerwork is laid flat on the top layer of fish, and three or four stones are laid on to keep them down in the same position when immersed in the boiling water. Death is instantaneous.”
“A HUMANE WAY OF KILLING CALVES.
“ First, use the pole-axe ; then take off the head ; and then hang up the body to drain. This method is not only
App. KIND TREATMENT OP ANIMALS