The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-11-04
Fashionable Blood.DrinkerS.

Fashionable BlOOd.DrlnkerS.
have read occasional scraps in the
press, and listened to conversations in
private circles of remarkable cures hav-
ing been effected by means of the trans
fusion of blood from the veins of heal
thy persons oranimals to those of patients
diving from consumption, or for the want
of the life-giying fluid, but have never
paid any attention to it, and left it for
the doctors to cogitate upon. Yet with
in few days the subject was presented
to me in such form that could no lon
ger ignore it. l was making an eXami-
nation of number of the leading
slaughter-houses of the city, with view
of learning how nearly million and a
half of population are fed on animal
food, when i observed private carriages
draw up on Second avenue, in the neigh
borhood of East Forty-seventh stree, and
from them ladies alight whose dress and
manner too plainly assured me they
were members of the bon ton. Some OF
them were accompanied by delicately-
formed children, and others had gentle
men escorts. "What can bring these la
dies into this district, filled with rough
and uncouth butchers and fat-boilers?"
l naturally asked myself Ihad not long
to wonder, as I followed beyy of beau
ties into the slaughter-house OF Henry
Eisner, corner of Second avenue and
Forth-seventh, and, halting at the door
saw them extend little silver cups un-
der the necks of the suspended animals,
and, filling them with fresh warm blood,
drink it with the avidity hungry child
shows when a glass of milk or cream is
given to it. As the men cut the throats
of the believing beeves these ladies,
reared in the lap of luxury, would, with
out any outward sign of fear, either col
lect the blood themselves or stand by
while the butchers did it for them.
Some drank of it but sparingly, while
others passed the cup for second draught.
These were the blood drinkers of Gotham,
of whom I had heard traditions, but
who, until then, I had supposed existed
only in the Imagination of the city Bo-
hemian who exercises his inventive
genius to earn few dollars per week to
pay his washer woman and keep soul and
body together. One thing struck me as
singular-that of some fifteen persons
who entered the slaughter-houses in the
half hour I was there only the females
partook of the red dRught. A few re-
mained in their carriages and had the
blood carried out in silver cupsor glasses
from which they partook.
yentured to ask one lady why she
drank of the blood, when she replied:
Son the recommendation of my physi-
clan. am suffering from a lung aftec-
ton that he reports is likely to result in
consumption, and he says this is the only
certainty of recovery-that l must par
take of it freely"
"And how long, madam, have you fol-
lowed this singular treatment?' asked.
"For nearly four months. At first my
stomach rebelled at the sight and taste
of it, and could only barely taste it;
but l remembered that we ate blood
in our beefsteaks and roasts, and | grad
ually became resigned to it, until now l
can drink quart"
GLOW often do you come here!' was
the next question.
"Well, not at any regular time. L
usually come every Friday, which Is the
principal day for cattle-killing. Others
do not drink the blood OF cattle, but pre-
fer that of lambs.'
"And do you find that your health is
improving?"
gan the treatment was very much re-
duced was pale, weak and emaciated,
so that it was with difficulty l could get
ont to the carriage. I weighed but nine
ty-six pounds. Now, as you will see, l
have considerable color in my face. |
feel quite strong, and 1 weigh one hun
dred and fourteen pounds--quite gain,
you will say, in four months. MY ply
sician expresses the hope that, If L per-
severe month or two more, complete
cure will have been experienced. The
difficulty about it is the annoyance OF
coming here where we are exposed to the
gaze Of these rough men and children OF
the tenement-houses around us, who
crowd into the doors and look at us with
as much astouishment as if we were cir
cus~;;c1.crs In q street parade. 1t IS not
pleasant for ladies, but we must come
here. as the blood must be drank fresh
from the vein. before coagulatlon takes
place"
This matter of q blood cure has natu-
rally excited my curiosity, and having
made diligent inquiry among my medical
acquaintance, 1 have discovered some
well verified cases where animal blood has
been used to sustain and restore life, which
will not only interest your medical
readers, but all persons interested in scien-
tific Subjects