and fullness, that result from more stimulating diet. But in this gormandizing age, 1 fear 1 shall plead in vain, for a return to this simple breakfast-the delight of our robust fathers, and even now, the diet of some of the most vigorous and healthy inhabitants of our globe. But the sedentary and the literary men of our days, cannot, as they imagine, be sustained without something more invigorating and nourishing. "It is amusing," says the Journal of Health," to hear a nervous female, whose daily exercise consists in going up and down stairs two or three times a day and shopping once a week, complain that she cannot preserve her strength unless she eats freely of some kind meat, and takes her daily potations of strong coffee, to say nothing of porter, or wine sangaree."" For the information of all such misguided persons, we would beg leave to state that the large majority of mankind do not eat any animal food, or so sparingly, and at such long intervals that it cannot be said to form their nourishment." Milk, however, is an animal product; although it differs from meat, in containing no nitrogen; and seems to hold a middle place between vegetable and animal food.

of

Diet for consumptive invalids.

A late medical writer, in his Manual for Invalids, recommends milk, as better calculated than any other kind of food, for those who are predisposed to consumption. "Milk," says he, "has been found to be an animal fluid, affording the most tonic sustenance, with the least stimulating quality, of any thing that can be named." The influence of a milk

diet upon the mind is extremely salutary. Even as early as the days of Homer, we find him designating the milk eaters, not only as long lived, but as the most upright of

men:

Γλακτοφάγων ̓Αβιών τε, δικαιοτάτων ανθρωπων.

Whatever foundation there may be for this opinion, certain it is, that a diet chiefly of milk, does produce a most

happy serenity, vigor, and cheerfulness of mind; very different from the gloomy, crabbed, and irritable temper, and foggy intellect, of the man, who devours flesh, fish, and fowl, with ravenous appetite; and adds puddings, pies, and cake, to the load.*

Curious Compromise.

Some persons, convinced in their consciences, that milk diet at one of their daily meals would be serviceable, yet too much wedded to their meat, or their coffee, to give them up, have undertaken to unite the two, in a manner highly agreeable to a glutton's taste. After devouring their usual rations of meat, they take a bowl of bread and milk, to neutralize all the bad effects of their hearty meal. This is like loading down a cart with gravel, and then adding a few bushels of apples to make the draught easier.

Solid Food.

In speaking of solid food, I shall be as brief as possible; only presenting the result of general experience, particularly of weak stomachs, as to the digestibility and nutritive powers of the different varieties. On this subject, however, there is no such thing as a universal rule. For a man's stomach does sometimes digest an article of food, which in another condition, it could not master. Early habits, also, are to be taken into the account. Thus, a medical writer says, that "a dyspeptic Irishman can digest a potato which would kill a Scotchman. So bacon and long collards might lie easy in the bag of a Virginian, when they would raise a tempest in that of a New-Englander, whose stomach would rejoice in a sop of molasses that would turn the Virginian's insides into a vinegar cask.Ӡ

Grand Point in Dieting.

These remarks show us that the grand point in a system

* Note Z.

Southern Review, Aug. 1829. p. 225.

of dieting, is not to select certain articles of food, as indigestible, and others as digestible, and then, ever afterwards, to reject the one class as poisons, and adhere to the others as if they were sure to save life and restore health, paying little or no attention to the quantity. Yet this is the whole amount of the dieting, of which many make so much noise. They would as soon commit sacrilege, as to taste of the proscribed articles-perhaps pickles, cheese, or fruitwhile at the same time, they will swallow down, pork, beef, gravies, puddings, pies, &c. almost without end; and all the while imagine, that they are wonderfully strict in their diet. But the truth is, there is scarcely any article of food that may not be digested with comfort, even by a weak stomach, provided the quantity be not too large. Hence, when a man is so situated, as to be under the necessity of making a meal, from a dish which is very indigestible in his stomach, his only safety lies in taking special care that he does not eat too much of it.

In respect to most articles of food, however, there is a general agreement among those best qualified to judge; I mean among persons of weak digestive powers; as to their agreement or disagreement with the stomach.

Eggs and fish.

In respect to digestion, we may place eggs next to milk, when they are lightly boiled, or for two minutes and an half.* But boiled hard, or fried in the fat of pork, or bacon, we may place them next to pebbles. Fish hold a

* "The best mode of cooking this nutritious and valuable article of food," says a correspondent, "I have found to be the following. After the water boils, take it from the fire, and place it at a little distance, where it will not cool too fast-put in the eggs, and let them remain from 5 to 7 minutes, moving them around once or twice. They will then be moderately cooked nearly to the centre, whilst the albumen will be only a soft jelly quite to the shell."

Any one has but to try this method to be convinced of its superi ority.

middle rank as to nutrition, between vegetables and warm blooded animals and in a proper state, and properly cooked, several species are not difficult of digestion. Salmon, however, when salted, though very nutritive, is extremely indigestible. The same may be said of eels. They are too oily, and are said, like all other oily species, to produce eruptions on the skin, which, in warm climates, are very troublesome. Hence the reason why all fish without fins, were prohibited to the Jews, in the Levitical law. shell fish, oysters are the safest: lobsters, muscles, crabs, &c. need the strongest powers of digestion to manage them. Upon the whole, every invalid should be very cautious and sparing in his use of fish. "It is," says an able physician, "a very precarious if not dangerous species of food in weak stomachs. Without butter, or other sauces, it is insipid; and with these additions, it is poison."*

Poultry, Birds, &c.

Of the

Of the class of birds, the flesh of the common hen is, upon the whole, the best and easiest of digestion. The guinea hen, quail, common pigeon, and lark, are nearly as good. But to digest goose, requires a stomach of Herculean power. Ducks and all wild water fowl, are nearly as bad—and the turkey, especially with its attendant stuffings and gravies, is not much better.

Flesh of Quadrupeds.

The meat of quadrupeds mostly in use, is beef, mutton, lamb, veal, venison, and pork. These contain a great deal of nourishment in a small space; and if we consider merely the comparative ease with which animal substances are decomposed, the flesh of quadrupeds would be thought very easy of digestion. But experience shows that it produces greater heat and irritation in the system-called by Dr. Paris"the digestive fever"-than vegetables; and hence

* Mordid Sensibility. p. 113.-See also Note N,

it urges on the powers of the invalid too fast, and though it may give him temporary vigor, it weakens the digestive organs, and ultimately aggravates his complaints. Hence the necessity of mixing bread and other farinaceous food with meat and hence too, the nervous and the feeble, except in peculiar cases, should be very sparing in animal diet. Fresh meat, which has been kept as long as may be, without putrefaction, is undoubtedly far more digestible than pickled, salted, or smoked. Mutton is said to be the best of all these meats, so far as digestion is concerned: lamb is less valuable; and in general," the flesh of young animals is less nutritious and less easy of digestion, than that of full grown."* Hence it is, probably, that veal is found to be so very unfriendly to a weak stomach. For tender beef, next to mutton, is perhaps best adapted to such; and in point of nourishment, it stands, I believe, at the head of the list. The flesh of the deer, the hare, and the rabbit, little known in this quarter of the world, is said to be very digestible and nutritious. Pork also yields perhaps to no food in point of nourishment; and is hence well suited to persons who lead an active laborious life; but can hardly be considered wholesome for the sedentary and the literary, even when their health is good; for it produces obesity, disorders of the skin, and foulness of the digestive organs. Salt pork is more unfriendly to health than fresh and as to bacon, it is so extremely indigestible and heavy, that it ought if possible to be avoided, except by the healthy and laboring classes. The same may be said of beef that has been thoroughly salted; though that which is merely corned, is more agreeable and salutary.

Rule for the Invalid.

In all cases, however, in which the invalid cannot conveniently avoid partaking of such kinds of meat as salt pork, beef, bacon, and veal, there is one very safe rule for him to

→ Sure Methods, p. 11.