The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-25
HORSE MEAT FOR FOOD.
The People OF Vienna Eat IL Be
cause Beef Il High


Carl Bailey Hurst. the United States
Consul General at Vienna. has just sent
| TO the State Department a report on the
| Utilization Of horse meat for food at the
Austrian capital He says
The comparatively high prices obtain
Z ing In Vienna for beef. mutton. and pork
put these meats beyond the reach of the
I poorer classes. who are most taxed by
| hard labor and are obviously in need Of
strengthening food. Nearly half "a cen
fury ago the experiment of putting horse
meat on the market was made for the frst
| time in Austria y Government decree
Of April 21. 1854 gave legal permission To
cut up and sell horse meat as an article
Of food During the rest OF that year and
| in ls55. 9i3 horses were slaughtered for
food in Vienna. the number rose In 1889
the last year for winch statistics are OBJ
tainable-to $3.50 head The statistics Of
the number Of horses and donkeys
slaughtered for food in Vienna during the
five years from $50 10 1850 inclusive. are
as follows
"Horses-1Ss5. p. 80: 1856. ZIssJ- 1857. -
6sfi 1895, 3f.0S9. 1883 25546
'Donkeys-lss5, Il; 1885. 81: 1897. IS: ISsS.
~; 1899. S.
The price Of horse meat ranges per
pound Of fore quarter, from 20 cents;
hind quarter, 6 to 9 cents; choice cuts for
: steak and roast. from 20 II cents. the
same cuts In beef averaging from % To
p cents a pound. The horse meat is also
worked up into sausages. and as such
sells at spondingIy low prices The
F. horse-meat butcher shops. Of which there
are now no less than Is5 in this city. pre-
sent clean and attractive appearance.
ana are IN no way distlnguishable from
the shops where the usual kinds Of meat
are sold, save By the sign an
nounclng their specially Restaurant
designate this fact fl a special col
unn on the bin OF fare offered 10 patrons
-, Inc regulations as TO the proper con-
CluoH or the horses slaughtered are very
stringent and carefully enforced The
Speeial inspectors appointed are. In the
MAN veterinary surgeons and those en-
trusted with the micr0scOpiraI exarniua-
t!pu Of the meat must be able to show a
certiucate OF having graduated from q
course or study IN this line al a veterinary
or slnlll1F Institution. and are sworn 90
llt 'tl-Lfui performance OF Sheir duties
The horses u be slaughtered are in
SPectrd Doth before and after slaughter
Lns- me many diseases Of which the
- lhploInS are easily overlooked ia the
HFlnS animal are readily recognized by
the experts after the animals have beer
sIaushtered The inspection Of the living
animals must be as complete as possible
ana the inspector is given the Opportuni-
" or observing them closely Ia and ont
OF the stall The Inspector. notified twens
ty-four hours previously. must De present
az the siaUghterinE. which should take
place by daylight II the slightest trace
OF tuheTCles or ulcers be found on the
nasal mucous membrane, or any disease Of
tlE sidluS OF the throat. the meat of the
animal IS forbidden for use as food and
due report is made Immediately 70 the
proper local authorizes
In the shops where the horse meat is
sold. certificate Of inspection must lie
open for all TO read As I'm other butcher
shops. the prices Of the various cuts Der
kiiogram must be stated on a sgnbOarli
In some Of these shops donkey meat is
also offered for sale. and this fact must
be announced in a similar manner"