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September 2, 1801

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The surgeon-in-chief of Napolean's Grand Army, Baron Dominque-Jean Larrey, ordered the slaughter of horses during the Siege of Alexandria in order to help the French soldiers cure their scurvy and contribute powerfully to the healing of the sick and wounded.

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HYGIENIC STUDIES ON HORSE FLESH AS FOOD

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[Translated from French]

All Paris has recently been upset about milk made from animal brains; which does not prevent all Paris today from drinking without disgust, and without remembering its forgotten emotion, the unhealthy beverage called café au lait.

Like adulterated milk, horse flesh, at a time when butcher's meat is so expensive, is said to enter Paris fraudulently in large quantities, and is sometimes sold for beef. It is curious and useful to examine whether this flesh in fact deserves the reprobation with which it is subjected.

Let us first seek what is the primary cause of the prejudices preserved to this day against horse flesh, used as food. Keysler, in his work entitled: Antiquitates selectœ septentrionales, after having demonstrated the good qualities and excellence of this flesh, teaches it in these terms:

— " The ancient Celts, northern peoples, sacrificed horses to their gods, and as the flesh of these victims composed the principal dish of the solemn feasts which followed these sacrifices, the horror which one had of these false acts of religion spread to all that entered into them; hence the zeal of the clergy, who, to destroy the heretical custom, believed it necessary to regard horse flesh as impure, and those who used it as filthy.
" The passage from a letter addressed on this occasion by Pope Gregory III to Saint Boniface, bishop of Germany, is too remarkable not to be quoted here.
"You have shown me," said this pontiff, "that some ate wild horse, and most of them domestic horse; Do not allow this to happen henceforth, most holy brother; abolish this custom by all means possible to you, and impose on all horse-eaters a just penance. They are filthy, and their action is execrable."
"It is since that time," adds Keysler, "that our ancestors have continued to be deprived of horse flesh, and this to their great detriment, magno rei familiaris de trimento."

This shows that horse flesh was very good and much sought after in those remote times. Let us prove that it has not changed in nature, and that it suits the stomachs of our contemporaries as well as those of our ancestors.

We owe the following documents to Mr. Baron Larrey, one of the most distinguished witnesses and instruments of our ancient military glory.
"The muscular flesh of the horse, especially that of the hindquarters, can be used to make soup, especially if a certain quantity of bacon is added; it can also be used in grilling and in beef à la mode, with the appropriate seasoning.
" Liver can also be used and prepared in the same way as that of horned beasts; it is even, it seems, more delicate than that which comes from them. This dish, continues Mr. Larrey, was especially sought after by our companions in the Russian campaign, who all spoke highly of it.
"Everyone knows, moreover, that horse flesh is the principal food of the peoples of Asiatic Tartary. I myself have very often had the soldiers and wounded of our armies use it with the greatest success.

"In some of our campaigns on the Rhine, Catalonia and the Maritime Alps, I have had it given to our soldiers on several occasions; but it was especially during the siege of Alexandria, in Egypt, that this meat was used to great advantage. Not only did it preserve the life of the troops who defended this city, but it also contributed powerfully to the healing and recovery of the sick and wounded, whom we had in great numbers in the hospitals; it also contributed to the disappearance of a scorbutic epidemic (scurvy) which had seized the whole army. Regular distributions of this meat were made daily, and fortunately the number of horses was sufficient to lead the army until the time of the capitulation. These animals, of the Arab breed, were very thin, due to the shortage of fodder, but they were generally young. To answer the objections which had been made by many prominent figures in the army, and to overcome the repugnance of the soldier, I was the first to have my horses killed and to eat this meat.
"At the siege of El-Arych in Syria, after having consumed the camels that we had, to feed the sick and wounded that were left in the fort, we were obliged to resort to horse meat, which served us very well.
"At the battle of Eylau, during the first twenty-four hours, I had to feed my wounded again with horse meat prepared in soup and in beef in the fashion; but, as we did not lack seasoning objects on this occasion, the wounded hardly distinguished this meat from that of beef. We must also say that the horses that were dedicated to this use were young and in satisfactory shape.
"After the battle of Eslingen, isolated on the island of Lobau, with the greater part of the French army and about six thousand wounded (the communication bridges having been broken), we were deprived of all resources for three days. To calm, in this critical circumstance, the hunger and impatience of these unfortunates, I had them make soup with the flesh of a fairly large quantity of horses scattered on this island, and which belonged to generals and senior officers. The breastplate of the dismounted and wounded horsemen themselves served as a pot for the concoction of this meat, and instead of salt, of which we were entirely devoid, it was seasoned with gunpowder. I only took care to decant the broth by pouring it from one breastplate into another through a cloth, and after having left it to clarify by rest. All our soldiers found this meat and this broth of a very good quality. Here I also gave the example by the sacrifice of one of my horses, and I made use of this same food, with this difference that I had been able to keep some salt and a little biscuit, which I used to make soup. Marshal Masséna, commander-in-chief of these troops, was very happy to share my meal, and seemed very satisfied with it.
"Thus," says Mr. Larrey, "experience shows that the use of horse meat is very suitable for human food; it seems to me especially very nourishing, because it contains a lot of osmazome. The taste is also pleasant; only this flesh is more or less stringy, according to the leanness and age of the animal. Why, adds this famous surgeon, not take advantage for the poor class and for the prisoners, of the horses that are killed every day in Paris? "

Doctor Berthollet, nephew of the famous chemist of the same name, and who practiced medicine for a long time in Taranto (kingdom of Naples), wrote that the people of this city ate horse flesh with pleasure; that it was sold there publicly by the pound, and that the sale was always prompt. The liver was considered a delicate piece; it was prepared in the same way as that of other livestock.

Géraud, a distinguished physician of the last century, advances in a very remarkable work, "that one would derive a very great utility from horse flesh, by using it as food."... After some developments, he adds: "A considerable quantity of horse and donkey flesh stealthily enters the large cities, and especially Paris, which, after the barrier, is sold under the name of beef, veal, and this meat is given at a lower price than that under the name under which it is sold... Why should we not have butcher's stalls where this meat would be publicly sold? It would be a great resource, especially in these times, when the flesh of ordinary animals is at a price that hardly allows the unfortunate to feed themselves with it. "

Géraud attributes several illnesses of the workers to the deprivation of meat... He would prefer horse flesh for them to the viscera of animals, such as the lungs, liver, spleen, stomachs, which the tripe sellers provide them... "If the sale of horses were free," he says, "it would be better and more advantageous, because the animal would be killed while still in good health, without waiting for an illness, an accident or old age to make it perish."

Let us add to these notions that at the time of the revolution, Paris was fed largely, for the space of three months, only with horse meat, without anyone noticing it and without the slightest accident resulting from it. Mr. Huzard has the proof; no one was any more able by their position to know what was happening there in this respect.

These precious details of facts observed on a large scale, at points of the globe far removed from each other, and in completely opposite circumstances, tend to demonstrate that horse flesh can be used, without inconvenience, as food.

Topics: (click image to open)

Facultative Carnivore
Facultative Carnivore describes the concept of animals that are technically omnivores but who thrive off of all meat diets. Humans may just be facultative carnivores - who need no plant products for long-term nutrition.
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. It can be treated and prevented by eating fresh meat and vegetables.
Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet involves eating only animal products such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, marrow, meat broths, organs. There are little to no plants in the diet.
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