98 ANIMAL FOOD RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



taining 27 per cent, of meat and 67 per cent, of a com- 

 bination of flour and water, has the appearance of a 

 perfect sausage. It is asserted by some that an addition 

 of flour is necessary, but this is not true. This addition 

 becomes unwholesome when the sausages are kept for 

 any time, for a fermentation is developed of the flour 

 and the water, and as the value of the sausage is largely 

 diminished, in Germany the sale of these adulterated 

 products is prohibited, when discovered. 



Horseflesh. — We now come to speak of horseflesh, which 

 has of late years become largely utilised for the food of 

 man, instead of being given to the dogs. There is much 

 ancient testimony in favour of its use although repug- 

 nant to many minds. The nomad tribes of Northern 

 Asia make horseflesh their favourite food, though they 

 have numerous herds of oxen and flocks of sheep. ' The 

 flesh is eaten in China, and the leg and hoof are left on 

 by the butchers to indicate the animal. 



Monseigneur Perny (" Bull, de la Soci^te d'Acclimata- 

 tion," 1884, p. 607,) tells us that in nine out of eighteen 

 provinces of China horseflesh is eaten by the poorer 

 classes, who let nothing go to waste, and its use seems 

 to be extending, as there are horse-butchers' shops in 

 all the principal towns. 



Mungo Park mentions wild horses being eaten in 

 Africa. Dr. Duncan tells us, in " CasSell's Natural His- 

 tory," that "The horse was universally used for food by 

 man before the historic period, and would be used now 

 in Europe more generally than it is, were it not for an 

 edict of the Church in the eighth century. During the 

 Roman occupation of Britain, it formed a large portion 

 of the diet of the inhabitants. As Christianity prevailed 

 over the heathen worship, it was banished from the table. 

 It appears, however, that it was used in this country as 

 late as the year 787, after it had been prohibited in 

 Eastern Europe. The ecclesiastical rule, however, was 

 not always obeyed, for the monks of St. Gall, in Switzer- 

 land, not only ate horseflesh in the eleventh century, but 

 returned thanks for it in a metrical grace, which has 



