HIPPOPH:AGY (Gr. horse-eating). The adoption of horse-flesh as food for man has at various times occupied the attention of physicians. That semi-civilized nations eat lime-fesh is well known. Witness Sir John Chardin's account of the Crim-Tartars. In Spain, a banquet, comprising roasted horse-flesh among the viands, was given in the time of Charles V.; and foal's flesh is eaten in some of the hill districts at the present day.
In 1855 and 1856 there was a good deal of discussion in Paris relative to the formal introduction of horse-flesh into time meat-markets. M. Geoffrey St. Hilaire delivered a lecture declaratory of the wholesome character of this food; and some of the more enthusiastic advocates of the plan formed themselves into a so-called hippophagic, or horse-eating society. The French are famous for their skill in so modifying the opera tions of cookery as to obtain as many varieties of flavor as possible with any and every kind of meat; and this skill was exercised abundantly in disguising (if not removing) the somewhat coarse taste and odor of horse-flesh. The journals of the time spoke of banquets held by the hippophagi, iu which the principal• dishes were horse-flesh, vari ously cooked and diversified.
In 1866 there was official recognition of the introduction of this kind of food into the market, under such restrictions as were deemed suitable. According to a statement in the Journal of the Society of Arts, the prefect of the Seine issued an ordonnanee in June of that year, recognizing horse-flesh as human food, establishing special slaughter-houses or abattoirs for it, and laying down detailed regulations. No ordinary horse-slaughter ers, but only those specially appointed, are to engage in the trade. The animals are to be killed in presence of a veterinary inspector, who is also to stamp or seal every dis tinct joint of meat after inspection. Unhealthy horses are excluded from the supply; they may be old, and worn out for work, but still healthy (the supply mostly comes from Normandy). All restaurateurs who use horseflesh in their potages, bouillis, etc., are to acquaint their customers distinctly with the fact. Within a few weeks after the issue of the ordonnance, there were establishments for horse-flesh bouilli and soup, and others for horse-flesh sausages, in Paris. avowedly sanctioned by the authorities. The decision pronounced upon the better portion of horse-flesh, by the medical men of Paris, is that it bears some such relation to ox-beef as brown bread does to wheaten—quite as wholesome, but not so pleasant in taste. During the French international exhibition of
1ii67 sonic of the humbler restaurants of Paris made great use of horse-flesh; so that when, during the siege of Paris in 1870-71, horse-tlesh was so extensively used as food, it was by no means a novelty to the Parisians.
In London a dinner was given, in 1868, to 160 guests at the Longhorn Hotel, to test the qualities of horse-ineot.,, It was devised by Mr. Bicknell, cooked by M. Castel, and presided over by Mr. Forsyth. Q.C. Known by their French names, the horse element in the dishes comprised " consommé de cheval," "huilc hippopliagique" (as a sauce for "terrines de foil maigre chevalines," "saucissons de eheval," "aloyou de cheval farci," "culotte de cheval braisee," " petits pates a la mOelle Bucephalc," " poulets garnis d l'hippogriffe." "longues de cheval," "gehas de pied de cheval an Marasquin," zephirs soutees a Phalle chevaleresque," "gateau veterinaire." Under plain English names were collared horse-head, a baron of horse (weighing 280 lbs.), and boiled withers. In most of the French dishes the taste of horse was almost hidden by condiments, etc., but in the baron it was left nearly unchanged—something between beef and venison. The best was done that could be done; but hippophagy does not seem to be any more popular in England than before that experimental banquet was given.
Daring 1866 and 1867 the Parisians did not avail themselves largely of the official permission to establish abattoirs and shops for the sale of horse-flesh; but by the begin ning of 1868 them were twenty butchers' shops in which nothing but horse-flesh was sold; and thus the sale had become considerable, at prices far Wow that of beef. Dia im? the siege of Paris by the Germans, in time later weeks of 1870 and early in 1871, the magnificent holies centrales displayed more ho•se-flesh than any other kind of food. Ilorse-broth formed the basis of all the soups, even at the most expensive hotels and restaurants. A horse-steak at an ordinary restaurant was charged four francs.
There has been something achieved also in France in feeding poultry with this kind of diet. One establishment was described, in 1864 (in tho Journal above quoted), as 30 acres, furnishing aceonunodation for 100,000 pullets at one time. The horses were slaughtered in abattoirs built for time purpose; the hides, hoofs, heads. marrow, bones, hair, intestines, tendons, and blood were sold to various manufacturers; the flesh was boiled, and chopped into small pieces as poultry food, and the refuse was salable as a rich manure.