Blood Cures

We Can and Do

Guarantee Dr. Acker’s Blood Elixir, for it has been fully demonstrated to the people of this country that it is superior to all other preparations for blood diseases. It is a positive cure for syphilitic poisoning, ulcers, eruptions and pimples. It purifies the whole system and thoroughly builds up the constitution. Sold by Guy A. Johnson.

## As a Cure

There are plenty of examples of drinking animal blood as a cure throughout history, the most famous of these being accounts of goat or lamb blood being prescribed by ancient Roman physicians as a treatment for epilepsy. Though the scope of those accounts is a bit broader than the subject of this Wiki and I will only be providing one or two examples for background.

### Modern Example of Animal Blood as a TB Cure

This article was found by the "Historian of the Strange", Robert Damon Schneck, and was first published in *The Daily Journal*, Wilmington, North Carolina, 1 May 1874 . You can find his Facebook post of the clipping here.

*The Charlotte Observer says: A citizen of this county, living in Providence neighborhood, told us an interesting story a day or two ago. He said that two years since, he weighed 226 pounds, and believed that he was the strongest man in the county, until he became unwell and began to lose flesh.*

*His ill health continued until last Summer, when he weighed only 100 pounds. The physicians told him that he had consumption and that they could do nothing to save his life. The man, however, did not despair, but from the time that he was reduced to 100 pounds began drinking the blood of goats and lambs, just after the animals were slain, and while the blood was yet warm.*

*In addition to this he ate mutton suet, and lived almost entirely on the blood and suet. It was but a short time until he began to feel the beneficial effects of this medical course. His strength began to return and with it his flesh. He grew more vigorous with each day, and now, though not entirely well, weighs 170 pounds and is improving rapidly.*

### Animal and Human Blood to Cure Epilepsy

* The following are given to epileptics: mare’s milk, a horse’s chestnut [the growth on the inside of the leg] in sweetened vinegar, goat’s meat roasted on a funeral pyre (as recommended by the Magi), and goat fat boiled down with an equal weight of bull’s gall and stored in a gall-bladder to prevent it touching the ground; the patient drinks this in water while standing upright (Pliny, Natural History 28.226).
* They say that epilepsy can be cured by eating the flesh of a wild animal killed by the same weapon as a human being has been killed (Pliny, Natural History 28.34).
* Soak a piece of cloth in the blood of a slaughtered gladiator or of some other criminal, then burn it and mix the ashes in wine. You will free a patient of his epilepsy if you give him seven doses. This treatment has often yielded excellent results (Alexander of Tralles, Therapeutics 1.565).

## As a Cause

* Region: USA
* Dates 1890-1920

What began as a quack cure quickly spawned several acts of "vampirism".

This one was brief but enjoyed an intense popularity in its day. A quack who sold patent cures popularized it and then effectively shot himself in the ass. He claimed drinking fresh warm ox blood could restore the vigor of life to all manner of complaints and could restore life to those who were under a vampire's attack. However, several competitors quickly jumped on the bandwagon, since ox blood was cheap and plentiful and it was rather easy to add a few drops of morphine or opium to the bottle. Original Quack ran an ad stating that bottled ox blood wouldn't do it, the fresher the better, so people stopped buying it completely and went to their local butcher.

A clipping from 1876 sums it up nicely.

*THE BLOOD-DRINKING REMEDY.*

*The following sensational, or rather, ghastly, description of the consequences sometimes following the practice of drinking the warm blood of animals, for some time employed wilh extraordinary success in the case of consumption and other wasting diseases, is taken from an American paper:*

*Blood drinking has become quite popular of late years, nnd many invalids daily visit the arbittoirs of New York for the purpose of drinking the warm life-blood of the ox. It is a fact — not so generally known, however, that this appetite for blood increases upon those who indulge in it. Women, who at first quaff with repugnance and some horror a wine glass of the warm crimson gore, gradually acquire a craving for it, and take down a tumblerful with evident relish.*

*Parties under this blood spelt invariably manifest a desire to try the effects of human blood. Two cases of this kind have been reported from New York.*

### Human Blood Cures

* Epileptics even drink the blood of gladiators, from living cups, as it were. It is an appalling sight to see wild animals drink the blood of gladiators in the arena, and yet those who suffer from epilepsy think it the most effective cure for their disease, to absorb a person’s warm blood while he is still breathing and to draw out his actual living soul straight from his wounds, even though it is not human to apply one’s lips even to the wounds of wild beasts. Others seek a cure through eating the leg marrow and brains of infants (Pliny, Natural History 28.4).
* What are we to say of those who treat their epilepsy by drinking with greedy thirst the blood of criminals as it runs fresh from their throats, slit at a show in the arena? (Tertullian, Apology 9.11).
* Some people have freed themselves from epilepsy by drinking the still warm blood of a gladiator who has had his throat cut – a wretched cure bearable only because their affliction was even more wretched (Celsus, On Medicine 3.23).

### A Respectable Young Lady

This account is part of an article, no author given, in the Ovens and Murry Advertiser 9 Sept 1876

*A young lady belonging to a respectable family suffered in health while devoting herself to her academic studies. Her medical attendant, who vouches for the truth of the story, suggested blood drinking. Permission and the necessary privacy were secured at the abattoir. Salutary effects were not long in following. The pallor left her cheek, her frame became more robust, and in ten months she regained fifteen pounds in weight. From having been a pale and uninteresting looking girl she developed radiant beauty, and she married the young assistant of the medical adviser who had saved her life.*

*Well acquainted with the means by which she had been restored, her husband encouraged her natural curiosity respecting the effects of various kinds of blood; and probable quite as much for the purpose of his professional information as for the gratification of her own wish, he opened a small artery in his leg and permitted her to suck the vital tide.*

    *An inordinate mania for her husband's blood forthwith supervened. He gratified the craving again and again until disgust for her became the predominant feeling of his mind; and after he had done himself a great amount of physical injury, he bade her a final adieu and sailed for Pern. The wretched young wife now lies on a sick bed, and almost entirely subsists on blood brought her from an abattoir. She is a monomaniac on this subject, and had she opportunity would undoubtedly become a vampire, and banquet perpetually on human blood.*

### An Accidental Vampiress

This account is part of an article, no author given, in the Ovens and Murry Advertiser 9 Sept 1876

*The other case was that of a woman of twenty-five threatened with a decline. By the advice of a physician she took, four times a day, a table spoonful of cod liver oil mixed in a wine glassful of blood. The woman was restored to health, but while she left off taking the oil she continued the dose of blood. At this time her husband met with an accident on the staircase of their house, by which he lacerated the back of his hand and wrist with broken glass. She rushed to him in alarm to stem the flow of blood ; but instead of stemming it she sucked it until he swooned away, and lay ghastly, exhausted, and motionless as one dead. The timely arrival of the landlord prevented a fatal catastrophe. The wretched wife was alternately sucking her husband's wrist and bewailing his misfortune in heartrending tones. Her face was smirched with blood. Her mouth literally dropped gore. The landlady at first imagined that she saw before her a terrible accident to the husband that had culminated in the suicide of the wife.*

### A Curious Missouri Sect

This clipping was found by Chris Woodyard and posted over at Haunted Ohio Books. You should definitely go check out the write up on the story. Particularly worth noting is that Chris, at the time of the original post, wasn't able to track down anyone's lives after the article was printed.

There is no photo to go with one as I cannot afford a newspaper archive subscription at this time.

BLOOD DRINKING SAMARITANS

*A Curious Missouri Sect Who Believe Human Blood is a Panacea For All Ailings Kansas City, Jan. 26, 1890. A few days ago Secretary of the Humane Society Huckett received the following letter: Mr. Huckett—There is somethin I think ought to be called to your attenshen at once which I think is bad for a civilized community, there is John Wrinkle and his two children He has ben sick and he is crazy on religion. His little girl Minnie is 13 year old and is boy John is 11. Wrinkle has heard of people drinken blod at sloughter houses for their health and he said he believed in the bible that it preeched that the well should make sacrifises for the sick. He did blead the little girl and boy until they are recks and he did drink the blod. It has leaked out and unless something is done by you the neighbors will take things into their own hands and that quick too. He lives on a little piece of land near the new city limits. Yours respectfully GEORGE WEST. p.s. send some officers.*

*He referred the letter to Chief of Police Speers, who sent Humane Officer Marran to investigate. I went with Officer Marran to the place where the savage rites were said to be enacted. It is on the Blue River, just inside the new city limits. I found that the letter to the secretary had not told half of the terrible state of affairs which has obtained in the Blue Valley. About a year ago there appeared among the people of that neighborhood a man named Silas Wilcox, who went about the country preaching the doctrine of doing good for the sick. It was not long until he had a sufficient number of adherents to his doctrines to warrant him in attempting to found a sect, which he named the Samaritans. Among the teachings he advocated was the drinking of blood for all diseases. He said that the Bible taught that blood was life. Almost daily pilgrimages were made by those who were ailing to the packing houses, and there they drank the blood of the freshly killed beeves.*

*Wilcox was not satisfied, however, with the blood of animals, and he advanced the doctrine that it was well to show belief in the doctrine by giving up human blood for the sick and suffering members of the band.  This doctrine was gradually established, Wilcox himself being the first to profit by the horrible practice. He apparently became very sick and was unable to make the pilgrimage to the packing house. He called upon the faithful members of the band to save his life. A woman named Nancy Dixon was persuaded to allow the preacher to suck blood from her arm. The effect was marvellous, for Wilcox recovered from his alleged illness the same day. This visible manifestation of the truth of his doctrines made a great impression on his followers, and the result has been that from that day the habit has steadily increased and is now a regular practice among the Samaritans.*

*At the home of John Wrinkle, mentioned in the letter, were found two emaciated children. On the bed lay Wrinkle, apparently in the last stages of consumption. When questioned about drinking the blood of the children he denied having done so. The children also denied it. Their bloodless appearance, however, excited the suspicion of the officer and he compelled them to show their arms. They were covered with scars around the elbows. When confronted with this evidence Wrinkle acknowledged that he had availed himself of the opportunity and the children had willingly given their blood to restore him to health.*

*The man was in such a condition that he could not be removed, but the children were taken in charge by the officer and placed in the Children’s Home. Chief Speers is anxious to take steps to put a stop to the practice, but there appears to be no law which applies to the case except where children are made use of to supply the blood. The band of Samaritans is composed of about twenty members, who hold regular weekly meetings at the houses of the different members. At these meetings the sick or ailing ask for assistance from the well, and they are detailed to give their blood according to their health and strength. When a member becomes very sick the well ones take turns in supplying him with the life giving fluid. They claim that they have a right to do this when the blood is a voluntary contribution, the same as physicians have the right to transfuse blood from one person to another.* New York Herald 27 January 1890: p. 5

## Sources and Information

1. ↑ Press Democrat, Volume XVI, Number 217, 26 March 1890

Digitized and hosted by UCR Center for Bibliographical Studies

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SRPD18900326.2.21&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1
2. ↑ The Daily Journal; Unknown. “Untitled.” "The Daily Journal", Wilmington, North Carolina, 1 May 1874. https://www.facebook.com/historianofthestrange/photos/a.264469480414258/1074954586032406/?type=3&theater.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 THE BLOOD-DRINKING REMEDY. (1876, September 9). *Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1918)*, p. 8. Retrieved September 7, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197061024
4. ↑ Found by Chris Woodyard and posted at http://hauntedohiobooks.com/news/blood-drinking-samaritans-missouri/ Clipping Text is New York Herald 27 January 1890: p. 5

### More Reading

* Additional information of Acker's Blood Elixir as well as his other tonics and photos of ads and bottles can be found here. https://www.bottlepickers.com/bottle\_articles253.htm
* https://www.facebook.com/historianofthestrange/
* http://hauntedohiobooks.com/news/blood-drinking-samaritans-missouri/
* https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/258735/
* A decent history of Bovinine https://onbeyondholcombe.wordpress.com/category/companies/s/
* Hilariously, the ad for Clark's Blood Mixture is included in a clipping about cow health. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/77071329