Cohn, Jacob. The Royal Table - VWC: Faculty/Staff Web

36 THE ROYAL TABLE
cannot at any moment be very great, and that such pain
as is inflicted lasts for so short a time that the whole
pain felt cannot be very great. One must not be misled
by the struggles of the animal as it is dying. These are
the direct results of the bloodlessness of the brain, and far
from being signs of pain are in themselves proof that the
animal has already lost consciousness and is therefore removed
from pain." 53
In recent years a scientific study of ritual slaughter has
been made by Dr. S. Lieben. The results of his investi-
gations are fully reported in the "Prager Archil) juer
Ttermedezin" On the basis of actual experimental tests
the following points have been established:
1) Circulation in the brain ceases immediately with
the shechitah cut, and the sensitive brain cells are im-
mediately severed from their supply of nourishment.
2) Circulation ceases in all blood vessels, even those
uncut, and such circulation is not revived.
3) Such parts of the brain to which our testing meth-
ods are accessible lose their activity immediately after the
cut and never regain it.
4) When the supply of blood is cut off from the brain
by ligature, the brain is rendered functionless; so that
when in such cases an animal shows movements which
appear to be coming from a normal animal, they are not
conscious movements.
5)
If an animal were untied immediately after shecMtah
it would not indicate any degree of consciousness.
6) The psychic reaction of the pupil, i.e., its sudden
dilation immediately after it is exposed to painful irrita-
n See M. Hyamson, Jewish Method of Slaying Animals, in American
Jewish Year Book (vol. aS) 1923-4. Also Dembo, The Jewish
Method of Slaughter, which contains an exhaustive treatment.