Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-11-27
HTsse Blood Cure.'

animals uutes with the atmosphere, and 10 a6-
sorbed by those people who are Immediately
about the body at the time Of death. This VI
tality is known to exist in the blood, and 1t Is
rot surprising then that there are persons who
daily visit the abaitoirs to catch the hot blood
OF the bullock and, driDkiDgit, nourish and sus
tain their own exhausted vitality. Such is &C:
tuav the case, and the abattoir at the foot OF
Thirty fourth street ard North River is the re.
cipient of tie most patronage and numbers
among lis patients or customers the greatest va.
riety Of diseases. The blood is drank principal.
~ f1r consumption ard debility and for diseases
ard complaints OF kindred nature. But there
have been some cases OF almost miraculous
cures, il Is stated, particularly among children,
Of scroulcus diseases and diseases OF the bones.
a visit to the slaughter house at the foot OF
Thirty fourth street was made yesterday BY the
writer Passing through the long lines of beef,
dressed aud ready for the mark et to the centre
of The huge bulldog, the shambles are found.
Crest, sturdy men, with arms bare to the
shoulder and dyed With blood, stood within
sma enclosure, ard hanging before them was
q Texan seer. still warm and the blood drip.
piug from the cash 10 his throat. The nipple.
struggling through the windows overhead and
reddish tint upon everything. The steer was
| lowered TO the floor, and, while the hide was
| being rapidly tnkeo from his body, the writer
turned to one Of the attendants and said -
"I)o people crme here to drink blood =
"Lord bless you, yes; lots OF thoD. Have a
glass ?" md the CORY Hercules stopped down
! for :: small dippcr that stood near by. The wrl-
ter, begging 10 be excused, continued the con
VcrSallon.
What do they drink it for -
"Wcil, for all kinds Of tliogs. 1t will cure
alncst aDylbDg il you only think it will. Con
sumption most Often and weakness Of all kinds.
Tim paopc drink it to get fat and tat people
who think they're weak to yet strong.
"llas it an unpleasant taste =
| "Oi, nc; tastes something like warm milk,
and here the man made motion IS if to get
some, which the writer hastily checked.
Can people come ard drink quantity of it
the first time %
VERY seldom. Nest people are afraid Of it
at first tut they get to like it after awhile. La.
dies are the worst; they make awful faces the
first few times, but they take to it 10 the end
just as if it was lager.
"Do you have many ladies' come for it 3
"l,os Almost every day We have some.
and il does them good, too Why there used
to bo a young lady conc here every morning 10
her carriage. The first time she came she look.
cd very bad. She was white and thin and did
not get out OF the carriage, because she was not
able to suppose. Well, she made an awful
fuss about it. thought she was going to faint
her, Take it away she said, and so it was
taken away. That day she managed TO get
down lcEspoonfu Of it after terrible fuss.
But she got to like it like all the rest, and ii
wasn't Ioug before she cou'd take lumber oil
i. and smack her lips, TOO. She got fatter and
fatter al! the time, and now she does not come
any more and suppose she is cured"
"Do they ever take the blood home with
them -
"rako it home? No, Sit; they have got to
lrirk i. when it is FRESH or else it will get clot
ted and they cant drink it all. gu see some
times they will have 70 wait few minutes IN
ill VIC Kill fresh steer. Just as soon as the
throat is cut the blood spurts out, and We catch
some of it in glass and then they must drink
it tight down.
"What is the social position Of the pa
ticnts 2"
"Wcl come arc rich and some are poor; but
they all meet 90 common ground when they
come here. Of course We take more interest u
women than We do in men; that's natural, you
know; and then the women always seem more
grateful when they arc cured than men do
There was 40 old man who came here once and
he used to grumble if the blood was not just
ready for him. We stood it as long as We could
and then up and told him one morning
that We did not run bar. After that he was
moro easy and took his blood as quiet as any
one. !"
AS the writer was about turning away from
| tho OF hp
Thirty-fourth street, the driver carefully pick
ing his horses way among the throug of cart:
and wagons that stood upon the street. Pass
ing the market the horses we're headed toward
the slaughter house, attracting but little atten.
lion from any onc. At the end OF the building
the carriage stopped, the door opened and a
young man stepped out and disappeared through
one Of the abattoir doors. That is pretty
healthy looking blood drinkcr, thought toe
writer as he drew near TO witness, II possible,
the b!ocd drinking ceremony. But it was cvi,
dent he was not the patient, as he 5000 returned
bcari0g small silver cup, which shonc 10 sharp
contrasts to It's crimson contents. A pale face
appeared at he carriage window, and a
dclicatcly glovrd hand reached out aud
took the cup. 1t disappeared for moment,
aud then reappeared. aud the young man turned
out what appeared to be about halt of the orig.
| lDal contents. 1t was evident that she was
''oew case and buocks blood had not yet be
come palatablc
The butchers say that the physicians will not
prescribe blood for their patients simply from
prejudice. They do prescribe raw meat, and
certainly, say they, the properties of raw meat
arc to be found in the blood 10 greater aud
stronger degree. The writer conversed with a
number of physicians on the subject and they
nearly all opposed blood drinking, while many
of them acknowledged that they believed most
excellent results have followed in some cases.
Most Of them object TO it 90 the ground that it
created depraved appetite that might in time
pass beyond all control. Ooe doctor states that
he believes the thirst for bullocks' blood creates
thirst for human blood. if not checked in
time. and he had heard of case where blood
driDkcr, % being deprived Of bis customary
beverage, spraDg upon one Of his brothers and
attempted to tear the flesh Of his arm with his
teeth. His passion for blood had become so
strong and upgoveruable that it was necessary TO
conGne and watch him. While out Of the To-.
fluencc he deplored the fact that he could not
control his awful appetite and warned bis reIa-