The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-16
DOG NEAT AS A REMEDY.
DOCTORS TALK ABOUT TIE IN
DIANA GIRL WHO is TRYING 1T.

S-N - O~ASA ALA FEOA CONSUMPTION
and the Report States She Is In
proving Under the Canine Cure
No Mention Of the Breed or the
Way It is Taken-Opinions of Ply
eicians.
FTom the Neio York World.
The physicians Of New York do not re-
gard the case Of Mary Denigher Of Shelby
vile, Ind, as worthy Of scientific consider
alton. Miss Denigher is a young woman
now living on q diet Of dog meat for the
cure of consumption. A special dispatch
from Shelbyville yesterday said that she
rather liked the meat of dogs, and that,
although she only began eating it last
Thursday, she had shown marked signs Of
improvement,
Very few doctors of New York consented
to be interviewed on the subject. They did
not think that dog as a medicine would be
included In the therapeutics Of the nine
teenth century. or that the pharmacopaia
would be enlarged, even should Miss Deni-
CHER get well. Still they did not consider
the matter as absolutely ridiculous. They
simply didn't know anything about IL. The
facts at hand are too meager for scientific
discussion.
just as the Kock lymph, the Pasteur
treatment for hydrophobia, and the hi
chloride Of gold cure for drunkenness are
more or less involved In uncertainty, so the
dog meat remedy, they say, is questionable
experiment. Some essential points have
been left out in the news about Miss Denig =
hers case. The symptoms Of the young
woman have not been given, nor has any
haar kor
habits and disposition. Not word is said
as to whether she is Of a lively disposition.
Of nervous temperament, Rood-natured
and loveable, or crotchety and disagreeable.
1t isn't even said whether she is a blonde or
brunette, good-looking or homely.
Something quite as important as these
unknown features OF the case is the uucer-
tainty about the dog. What kind of dog
does Miss Denigher feed on! A st. Bernard,
Newfoundland, pug or poodlea Maybe the
''yalier dog" of Shelbyville is used, "Yaller
dogs" are said to be plenty and cheap in In
diana. But until the species is given many
eminent physicians of the country decline to
places themselves on record.
Then again there is q woful lack of In
formation concerning the manner in which
the dog is served. Does the patient take
her food in the shape of canine consomme,
or is it served up as pureee A ragout Of
spitz or chop from the delicate skye ter
rier might be good enough for any one, aud
everybody knows that the Indians consider
dog meet a luxury. Pioneers in the far
west found 1t to be the most costly kind of
food, and Washington Irving tells with
what gusto the explorers sent out by the
first John Jacob Aston ate the dogs they
purchased from the Indians on their way
to Astoria.
DR.. A. @. Stanard of West Thirty-fourth
street, said that he knew nothing whatever
of the merits Of dog flesh as cure for con-
sumption.
"StIll," he remarked, ut might do some
good. The great desideratum in consump-
tion Is to get nutrition into the patient.
Dog meat is nutritious, and If the patient
can be made to believe that it is good and
efficacious it will. Of course, prove bene-
fetal. Any kind of meat is good, and,
necessarily, dogs flesh would help TO
strengthen the person taking 1t"
DR.. G.. w. Roberts said be did not think
the proposition to feed a consumptive
patient on dog meat was ridiculous at all.
THE old German professors" observed
DR.. Roberts, SAY meat, eggs and milk -
who not dog meats 1t is certainly
nutritious. and might prove Of much
benefit to consumptive 1t is frequently
difficult matter TO get consumptives q
take and assimilate wholesome food. II
they can assimilate the flesh of dogs they
would undoubtedly be benefited
DR.. L. D. Waterman of indianapolis,
now on q visit here, said: II don't take
any stock In this case. Some crank proba-
bly, suggested dog meat TO this young
woman and she is taking it. Any kind OF
meat Is good, and If a person can consume
the flesh of dog, why so much the better.
was once nearly dead of consumption. A
cracker washed down with little milk felt
like ten-pound stone on my stomach. FL
nally | managed TO eat something. after a
preliminary drink Of whisky. After awhile
could eat four meals a day, with drink
Of whisky before each one. Yes, reckon
dog would be good, just as lamb or beef.
DR.. G. Mackenzie regarded the experiment
as absurd from a scientific standpoint.
DOG meat may be, good enough" DR..
Mackenzie said. "but 1t is absurd to say that
it can cure consumption. 1t cannot supply
the germ of life. There is now no doubt
about the tuberoular bacillus. Any kind of
meat is nutritious and to that extent, IL a
patient cannot eat beef, why, give him dog,
If he likes dog. But dogs are full of diseases.
So far as science is concerned it is absurd to
consider any such nostrums."
Mrs. DIR. s. Noonan wanted to know
what breed of dogs was used for Miss BENZ
gher's food. THAT might be essential, YOU
know" she said. smiling.
ut would be shame. though, to slice up
your dear little poodle into outlets, or sim :
mer him down to dog tea. As to dog meat
being cure for consumption, am not
competent to talk. 1 certainly would not
prescribe itP'
'Do you think 1t would be nutritious?n
swell, would rather die of consumption
than eat dog"
DIR. w. o. Plympton said he did not know
anything about it, He didn't see why dog
meat ought to be a cure for consumption,
and had no idea Of the effect of dog soup or
dog stew upon weakened system. DIR. A.
M. Phelps was equally ignorant.
DIR. Alfred l.. Loomis, the famous special
ist in consumption, was not accessible yes
terday afternoon. DIR. Abraham jacob,
DR.. Austin Flint, DIR. Robert Weir, DR..
Shrady and other eminent physicians de-
clined to discuss the merits or dement's Of
the dog cure In consumption.
Several other doctors thought that IL a
patient could be induced to eat dogs flesh
he could be induced to eat beef or some
other flesh.