Page:The Vegetarian, a monthly magainze published to advocate wholesome living (IA vegetarianmonthl00unse 2).pdf/13

Rh animals are present in slaughtered meat at times. No doubt many tuberculous cows are eaten.

Perhaps you have all heard of the man whose neighbor remarked that his chickens had the "gapes." He replied, "Mine did have them." "Haven’t they got them now?" "No; the preacher was here Thursday."

Perhaps some who live in rural districts have noticed how anxious the farmer is to see the stock buyer as soon as hogs begin to sicken with cholera. Would anyone recommend me to eat the flesh of a sick hog in preference to wheat, rice, corn, fruit, vegetables, nuts, etc.?

Suppose, though, that it is a well hog? What does the well hog’s body contain that the above mentioned vegetable products do not contain If anything, where did the hog get it? He probably lived on grass, corn and acorns, possibly a few grubworms. I have seen a few hogs that had an occasional snake or rat for diet. Possibly you have some patient with ‘“trichinosis."’ The patient ate the hog, the hog ate the snake, the snake ate the rat, and the poor rat was sick unto death with ‘ trichinosis.”’

What did you do for your patient, Doctor? Did you tell him not to eat another hog, that ate a snake, that ate a rat, that had trichinosis?

But suppose the meat is entirely healthy and healthful, is it an advantage or a disadvantage to relieve the human stomach of work it should do? If so, would it not be a still greater advantage to refine the flesh of the animal, throwing out all water, and only give the human stomach the very essence of nutriment?