MARROW FROM ANIMAL BONES. 451 
it increaseth the geniture, and excellently sustaineth, and 
restoreth the vitall moisture. Moreover, it mollifieth the passages 
of the throat, and lenifieth the asperitie of it, and delighteth 
the stomacke, so that it be moderately taken; but if it be 
immoderately used, it mollifieth and relaxeth the stomacke, 
taketh away the appetite, and induceth a disposition to vomit.” 
Within the last few years our modern physicians have likewise 
learnt that animal marrow possesses special reparative powers 
for ailing and weakly persons who lack spinal strength, and red 
blood. Physiologists now teach that the red marrow within the 
flat bones is undeniably the birth-place of the red blood corpuscles 
as regards ourselves, and they make use of such red marrow 
from sound animals, freshly killed, for administering to bloodless 
patients, so as to stimulate their fresh blood formation. The 
animal marrow further contains some iron in a natural state, 
and fat in an easily assimilated form. Rapid improvement 
has been obtained for children by giving red bone marrow in 
rickets, spinal curvature, and diseases of the bones. Sheep’s 
marrow includes less solid fat, and more liquid fat than that 
of the ox. The marrow of bones is esteemed as a luxury even 
among savages. North American Indians hold it in high respect. 
They roast the round bones of the buffalo, elk, moose, and the 
deer, on the coals, then split these bones with a stone hatchet, 
and sometimes a wedge is driven in between the condyles. The 
marrow is scooped out with a rough wooden spoon, and eaten 
on the instant by the members of the party seated around 
the camp fire. Moreover, during the hunting season, marrow 
is collected by them in quantity for storing, and is packed in 
bladders, together with other marrow from the spinal bones. 
Likewise, among the Laplanders, and the Greenlanders, marrow, 
still warm from the natural heat of a freshly-slaughtered animal, 
is considered a supreme delicacy, and the dish of honour to be 
set before distinguished strangers. 5 
Among Secrets in Physick and Chirurgery (1653) by the Right 
Honourable Countesse of Kent, there is given as “a strengthening 
meat: take potato roots, roast them, or bake them, then pill 
them, and slice them into a dish ; put to it lumps of raw marrow, 
and a few currants, also a little whole mace, and sweeten it with 
sugar to your taste, and so eat it instead of buttered parsnips. 
In the Arcana Fairfaxiana Manuscripta, nearly three centuries 
old, is ordered “a caudle to strengthen ye backe.” Take ye 
