Before the Invention of the Frankfurter, Two New Yorker’s Come Up With Their Own Version of the Hot Dog

In 1906 the Pure Food and Drugs Act was passed by Congress prohibiting interstate commerce in adulterated and misbranded food and drugs. Living in 19th century New York you never knew where your meat might be coming from. Food, especially meat, was often processed in unsanitary conditions. Of course then, as even now, you might not even know what type of food you are actually eating.

This appetizing tidbit is from the January 22, 1858 New York Times:

Police Intelligence.

SUPPOSED DOG SAUSAGE MANUFACTURERS.– Two men named Andrew Schiveizer and Francis Miller residing in Forty-seventh street, near the Eleventh-avenue, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of manufacturing dog meat into sausages, The two men were seen from a rear window by a daughter of one of the Twenty-second Ward Police, living in Forty eighth-street, in the act of dressing a dog, and stowing it away in a wash-tub. She communicated the fact to the Police, and Officer McDougal and others visited the premises occupied by the accused. and found the dog stowed away in the tub as described, Upon being. interrogated as to what disposition they intended to make of the carcass, they gave evasive replies. Miller at length asserted that his physician had prescribed dog meat for him. The accused were taken before Justice Kelly and held to await an examination in the sum of $1,000 bail each.

Though the article might not say so, it is likely that Schiveizer and Miller were going to sell the dog meat to an unsuspecting public.

You may not realize it but In modern China, Korea, Vietnam, Nigeria, Ghana and many other places throughout the world, eating dog is acceptable.