The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-19
A WONDERFUL SUCCESS,
DOG FAT FOR CONSUMPTION
From the New York World.

The attention of reporter of the World
was attracted yesterday afternoon while at
the dog pound by two boys who were care
fully skinning and dressing dog that had
just been drowned according to law for
vagrancy.
What are you doing that for?" was
asked.
Fer consumption, replied one of the
boys. For a two dollar BILL" said the
other.
1t was finally explained that many resi-
dents of the east side of the city firmly be-
lieve that dog fat is an infallible cure for
consumption.
The boys told you the truth, " said Dr.
Ennever, the veterinary stationed at the
pound, who was next questioned. "a
great many people believe that dog fat and
even the flesh of dogs is a sure cure for
consumption, and on an average one dog
a week is taken from here and reduced to
medicine.
Who comes after them?"
Generally women, either Germans or
Jews. They come up here, and after care
fully examining all the dogs, select one
that seems to be healthy and fat They
then point out their selection to an attend
ant, who ties string around it's neck or
marks the animal in some way so as to
identify it. The woman is told on what
day that particular beast will be drowned;
she returns at the time specified, gets the
body and turns it over to some of the
hoodlums round here, who for a dollar or
two skin it and takes off the fat. If she
wishes the carcass they dress it for her just |
as butcher would a lamb or calf No,
yellow dogs have no value in this way; a |
black dog is always chosen in preference |
to any other color, if he is fat and |
healthy"
How do they take the medicine, as I |
suppose they call it?'
In different ways. Some reduce it to |
oil and take it as liquid by the spoonful;
others try it out and then after it gets cold
spread it on bread as you would butter
and eat it SOL
do they eat the meat too"
Eyes; and as matter of fact, it's not
bad eating I've tried it myself, thought
I was not aware of it at the time. 1t
looks like young veal.
Have you any regular customers?"
we had one Mrs. Farley, who used
to live at the corner of Avenue A and Six
teenth street. She was pretty far gone
with consumption, but she used TO come
every other week for five or six months
and get a nice fat dog. | have not seen
her for some time, but don't think she's
lead Some one told me she was living
over on Ninth avenue But as general
,hink we dont't know our customers
names. This superstition is so general on
he east side that many of the drug stores
Keep dog fat or oil in stock There are
my number of those household remedies
or different diseases. Through Vermont
md New Hampshire the fat of skunks is
lsed as cure for Group and rheumatism. |
Then at the South, negroes use dogs flesh
IS a cure for rheumatism. The dog must
Ne jet black or the medicine is without
fffcacy When the animal is chosen it is |
ed on nothing but the lungs and livers of
accoons until it is so fat it can hardly
walk, when it is killed and eaten. After
hat if the patient is not cured he is per /
ectly assured that his pains and aches are
ttributable to some other cause"
During the last six years over 48, 600 |
ogs have been drowned at the pound. So {
ar this year 3,007 have been received, |
,674 drowned, 80 redeemed, returned by |
rder of the authorities and 232 are now /
waiting death.
|