The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-06-09
Drinking Hot Blood.
A Strange Morning Scene at New
York AbattOir.


A New York Journal reporter visited a
large abattoir in that city to witness the
operation of slaughtering, and to CLEAN some
facts concerning the cannibalistic tastes Of
civilized people. 1t was hardly o'clock
in the morning, and slight shower was
falling. A coupe and two coaches waited
outside, and the reporter asked one of the
drivers whether purchasers of beeves came
thus early to lay in their stock, to which
he replied d don't know nothing bout
that [ brings lady, an | don't think
she buys much beef"
Passing through wide wagon-way,
paved with large cobblestones, the floor
being on slant, the reporter soon came
upon small group, composed of five women
and eight men. Three of the former and
one of the men had arrived in coaches.
AS this group stood there in the early
morning, each with a glass, mug or tin
cup, looking anxiously toward the east in
the direction Of the slaughtering pens, they
were hungry for blood.
Presently a fine young bullock was
brought into the pen and the gate was
closed behind him. Two men, by dex-
ferrous movement, slipped the moose OF two
ropes around the bullock's hind legs, and
in another instant he dangled in mid-air,
head downward A butcher, blood-be-
grimed from head to foot, wearing huge
hat and heavy boots, with his trousers
tucked inside, entered the pen armed with
knife, the foot-long blade of which gllst-
ened in the gas-ight He waited mo-
ment until the animal ceased to beat in the
air with his forelegs, and then hastily cut
down a small portion of the skin at the
neck and severed the arteries, when
crimson tide flowed from the incision.
At the sight of the life blood of the now
dying bullock the eyes of all present gllst-
ened with an eagerness to get the first cup.
The blood-suckers (for that is what the
butchers call them) are not permitted in
side the pen, but boys working about the
premises make it point to be on hand
every morning when the killing is in pro
gress, and they take the receptacles and
hold them under the fountain OF blood un-
til full, returning them to their respective
owners. One gentleman after draining his
mug had it reflled and offered it to the re-
porter, who, after little battle with him.
self. tasted the fluid. 1t was not bad, and
he drank the entire contents OF the mug.
The taste was not much unlike fresh-milke d
tactical fluid sweetened. In fact, it tasted
SO superior to what had been imagined that
there need be no surprise at the remarkable
growth of the habit.
After the departure of the customers
the reporter asked the foreman whether he
had many every morning.
! eyes. That is small lot When we
| don't have more than dozen bloOd-thirsty
ladies and gentlemen here it is a poor day.
Some days there are as many as thirty.
''Do the same persons come often 2
"Well, as rnle, they are patients who
are sent here by their doctors. Some try
it once, get disguised and never come again
Others come few times and think they
are cured of consumption or something else
and stay away; but there are some who
come regularly every day or every second
dav for months at time, and although
there is seeming nothing the matter with
them, the appetite for blood has so grown
on them that they cannot stay away
"How much blood can your oldest Gus
toners drink at one time p
"Generally they confne themselves to
one glass or mug, but we have one lady
who comes every alternate day, She in
sists on having three full bumpers, while
that old man you saw here drinks two Of
his cupfuls every day"
"What are the complaints that are
treated by imbibing blood?"
''The majority who come here are con
sumptives, while there are number ot
rheumatics, cases of protracted fevers hav
ing impoverishment of the blood, and some
extremely aged people, requiring an infu
sion of new life
ado you charge them anything for the
blood they drink p
''Nary red. We are only too glad tC
give it to them, so long as they don't an
nov us or interfere in our work. The boys
who get the blood for them and wash theil
mugs generally get few cents from the
rich, but they are not permitted to demand
anything"
ado many wealthy persons seek this
kind of medicine ?"
''The greater portion of them are well
to-do, and some days there are at least {
dozen conveyances outside waiting unit
their occupants have had their morning
drink"
What They Ate 200 Years Ago.