i88L] Sanitary Legislation of the Pentateuch . 601 
over a number of fragments of pumice slightly soaked in 
blood, whilst in the other cases it was passed over pumice 
similarly soaked in gum-water, solution of sugar, and other 
adhesive liquids. In almost every case the organic solutions 
which had received their air over blood were much slower 
in showing signs of putrefaction than were the others. Our 
friend contends that fresh blood has a positive attraction 
for morbific germs independent of its glutinous character. 
Experimentation during some outbreak of pestilence is here 
wanting, and in the meantime we suspend judgment. 
We next come to the distinction between clean and un- 
clean beasts as affeCting the choice of food. We find ex- 
cluded all carnivorous animals (Leviticus, xi., 27), the 
rodents (ibid., 5, 6, and 29), the carnivorous and carrion- 
eating birds (ibid., 13 to 19), reptiles (ibid., 30), amphibia, 
and mollusca (12). The question now arises whether these 
regulations are exclusively symbolical, or whether they have 
not at the same time a sanitary meaning. If we consider 
what animals are thus excluded we can scarcely avoid 
entertaining the latter view. We find on the prohibited list, 
in addition to the swine — that eminently unclean beast — the 
mouse, and, a fortiori, the rat, and, as included among the 
carnivora, the cat and the dog. Here, then, we have in a 
group those beasts which are the home of Trichina, and 
through whose means, directly or indirectly, these parasites 
are introduced into the human system. Is this a mere un- 
intentional coincidence, or have we have not rather wise 
intention ? It may be said that, save the swine, none of the 
animals thus mentioned are used for human food. Such an 
assertion would be a great mistake. Dogs are eaten in 
China, in Poland, and from time to time, much nearer home, 
in the form of sausages. Cats enter into the Portuguese, and 
we suspeCt the Italian, cuisine. Rats and mice are eaten, 
not merely by Chinese and Gipsies, but find their way 
occasionally into soups, stews, and the like in Europe. 
Indeed, in “ this our highly favoured country,” a certain 
person, probably influential and evidently ignorant, wrote to 
a daily paper recommending rats as food for the poor, and 
adding the humane suggestion that any man who complained 
of starvation whilst rats were plentiful should be punished ! 
We will charitably hope that the writer was not aware that 
rats are foci of trichinae, and are with good reason suspeCted 
of being one of the sources from which these pests find their 
way into cats, swine, and certain fishes, such as the pike. 
The domestic cat and all the feline group are frequently and 
seriously infested with internal parasites. 
VOL. III. (THIRD SERIES). 2 R 
