HOKSE-FLESH NUTKITIOUS. 9 



is the greater amount in the flesh of the horse of the 

 principle of kreatine, that nitrogenous substance dis- 

 covered in 1833 in beef-soup by Chevreul, who has 

 found it in all the vertebrate animals, and which, ac- 

 cording to Liebig, plays an important part in almost 

 all vital actions. This excess of Jcreatine should add 

 to the alimentary value of horse-flesh. Theory and 

 experiment are on this point in happy union ; and M. 

 Saint-Hilaire quotes varied and most competent testi- 

 mony showing its superiority. We can only refer to 

 the experience of the illustrious surgeon Larrey, who 

 thus sums up his long and distinguished practice in 

 camps and hospitals : 



*' I have very often, and with the greatest success, 

 given horse-flesh to the soldiers and the wounded of our 

 armies. In several of our campaigns on the Ehine, 

 in Catalonia, and the maritime Alps, I caused it, under 

 various circumstances, to be given to our soldiers ; 

 but, above all, we found the very great benefit of this 

 meat during the siege of Alexandria in Egypt. Not 

 only did it save the lives of the troops defending that 

 city; it powerfully contributed to the cure and invigora- 

 tion of the numerous sick and wounded in our hospitals, 

 and likewise aided in the removal of a scorbutic epidemic 

 which seized the whole army. There was a regular daily 

 distribution of this meat ; and most fortunately the 

 number of horses was sufficient to bring the army up 

 to the time of the capitulation. These animals, of the 

 Arab breed, were extremely thin, owing to the scarcity 

 of fodder, but they were generally young. In order to 

 overcome the prejudice of the soldiers, I was the first 

 to kill my horses and eat this food. 



" After the battle of Esslingen, shut up in the island 

 of Lobau, with the greater part of the French army 

 and about six thousand wounded, I caused soup to be 

 made of the numerous horses scattered over the island, 

 and belonging to the generals and superior officers. 

 The breastplates of those dismounted, and of the 



