The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-24
GUINEA PIGS FOR THE TABLE.
Food Conservers Seek to Introduce
South American Delicacy Here.

The guinea pig or cNic has come % Dc |
So universally associated with medical re-
search and experimentation that few real |
lie that he has either excuses for existence |
th0n to catch diseases and girc UP his lho |
3 science But guinea pigs are ut for any
table and are receiving much attention
NOW iii connection with the efforts e
utilize evciA means Tor increasing food
supplies Fill recently they were rarely
eaten in the United States, but in many
parts ol South america they have long
been j standard article of Diet.
Then near relationship II rabbits and
the fact that they are wholly vegetarian
ID habits lna} tcaS~ure any one entertain
! ing doubts a. to their fitness for the table.
| The small SIZE ii the domestic species is
| the chief cause of L, neglect as food
| animal. Vet other highly esteemed game
animals furnish less meat than 4 guinea
! pig The Peruvian method OF dressing
| the guinea Pig Tor cooking Is the ono gen
| orally adopted The animal Is killed by
dsioeating It's neck, after which 1t goes
through much the same process as suck
ing pig in preparation Tor cooking. Its
| throat is cut. il is hung up Tor few mn
uteS TO bleed: and IS then scalded in wa
tcr which ~ first is not too hot The
hair is removed. the skin scraped with a
knife, the entrails taken out. and the ear
oass washed in tepid water 1t is then
ready for the cook The Pcruvlans usual
II roast the ANIMALS. but the number OF
possible WAYS ST cooking them is unlimited
A traveller in Peru states that they are cX-
ccllcnt eating when cooked in any of the
ways commonly applied to small game
Here is what an American. long resident
III Peru. writes:
CAVES are excellent as entrees in va
lious stcws with mushrooms, with brown
onions. with green peas, ia soubise, and
especially IN curry \ practical cook vii
have no difficulty in varying the prepare
tons, and | will undertake to say tina
IT will be found difficult to make then
other than very good meate
Because Of the whiteness OF its skin tn
smooth haired white (albinol guinea pi
is hest adapted for the table. The male
become somewhat strong favored Wit
. age but are said to be tender and hncl
favored for much longer time. The.
) are probably at their best when about
year old
The large expansion of hospital and re
search work due TO the four years of wa
:, has greatly increased the demand for gur
i ca pigs, which are used mostly for testn
! and standardUiuS seruma and antltoxlnS
! In medical research immature animal
i weighing go grams tnearly nine ounces
are required This weight Is attained
= about six weeks. In past years the prit
OF guinea pig has been about sevent,
: FIVE cents. but reports have been receive
/ recently OF laboratories paying from 81
Il 81 90 because of the scarcity OF suitah
stock, Persons favorably situated nei
l. cities on Institutions requiring large nun
Il bcrs Of guinea pigs may establish a prof
/ able business in supplying them The
should remember, however, that anima
previously used for serum or antitoN
4 :2sts, or the offspring of guinea pigs th
~ have survived such tests, may be unfit Il
laboratory experiments
Guinea pigs breed at very early az
" bnt their capacity for reproduction h
~ been greatly exaggerated and mistake
Ut notion has become fixed in the minds
many people, according to the experts
be ANIMAL hushandry OF the department
y, agriculture.
at Ordinarily itters may be expected