THE LADIES

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 236, 21 March 1885, Page 3

THE LADIES

« LETTERS ON" HEALTH.

(Specially Written- for the Ladies by a Lx\dy Doctor.)

It is quite time that a savoury and suitable dietary for the use of invalids would be very acceptable to the public, and that difficulty is frequently felt in providing dishes for the sick-room of an appetising, and at the same time of a light and inoffensive nature. 1 propose to give you a few hints of the kind you desire, with some formulas which are certainly not generally known in this country. Of course the regimen of any particular invalid must, in a great measure, be placed under the direction of the physician. Viands and beverages stirted to some forms of malady, or of convalescence, are unsuited to others, and, moreover, due account must be taken of individual idiosyncrasies and tastes. More especially with regard to invalids than to persons in health, it is most important to bear in mind that an aliment which is not relished will seldom prove nutritious or beneficial, because the necessary flow of digestive secretions is withheld for want of desire, and eating under such circumstances is likelier to result in indigestion and nausea, than in reparation of vital force and renewal of function. Medical opinion is still greatly divided respecting the nutritive qualities of beef tea, even when made on the most approved plan. Ordinarily the beef tea used as the basis of the "tea" is subjected to prolonged boiling, and the liquid, on cooling-, becomes a jelly, which fact is ignoraatly suPl^oscd bvinanv peoSJHHHHHBBfIfIHHHHHHHHHH w^yfii^B9^Hll^Rl^BHß^^HßSSfll^9l oi'gan^P^Rß^aQHHß^H^^^Hß^H^H^B^H^Hj they may be usefulasi^MHHHHvHßl appetite and digestive powers, this effect being due principally to the potassium salts and flavouring matters contained in them. The old notion that jelly must necessarily be nutritious has been long since exploded by scientific investigation. The chemical corjß| position of jelly, or gelatine, indeed afl proaches that of albuminous matter, bifl physiologically, its action is very differeiH Gelatine does not undergo in the stomaH the same transformation as nutritive suH stance — that is to say, the gastric seeretijß does hot convert it into 2 )e l>t° ne > and itH consequently of little or no value as fl alimentary agent. Nay, more, many of tfl best authorities on hygienic chemistry, boH at home and abroad, are of opinion that til addition of gelatine to the food of invali(H may often seriously disturb or retard tl digestive process. It is-, however, necessa] to state that all writers on the food questic are not agreed, even on this point. I Edward Smith, F.R.S., for instance, believ jelly to be a valuable form of food. Fru jelly must not, however, be confounded wil the jelly produced by the coction of bone The latter is a compound of four elementsoxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitroge Fruit or vegetable jelly is a compound of tIH first three elements only. As an aJimenfl however, fruit jelly, the basis of which H pectine, is of no greater value than is orclinaflj stock jelly. Beef-tea, even when scientiH cally prepared, is apx to be of but HttH service, because it is *usually distasteful Hj invalids, on account of its full and unsavouH taste and odour. Prepared unscientificallM it is certainly more toothsome, but is then, Hj I have pointed out, innutritious. A moH agreeable and a superior alimentary preparM tion may be made with fish stock, flavour J with pot-herbs and vegetables. The value 9 fish is too little appreciated in this country, notwithstanding — or, perhaps I should rather

say — on account of the fact that as an article of food it is far more economical than butcher's meat, besides being easier* of digestion, and much less liable to disease. Dr Davy, F.R.S., observes that populations subsisting on fish are found to be particularly strong, healthy, and prolific. "In no other class than in that of fishers," he says, "do we see larger families, handsomer ■women, or more robust and active men.,' Moreover, not only do. sturdy folks flourish so -well on fish, but, as Dr Pavy points out, it is also a specially suitable food for invalids and persons with weak digestions, and can constantly be employed with advantage when the stomach will not support coarser kinds of animal food. (Sea-fish, too, contain certain strengthening elements which, from a therapeutic point of view, are invaluable, and which are far more efficaciously introduced into the system in the form of food than under that of drugs. Everyone knows, too, how high a place has been accorded by medical men to the oil of the cod's liver as a fortifying agent in diseases due to mal-nutri-tion and want of stamina. This oil contains three important elements — phosphorus, iodine, bromine-*besides a special constituent jjeculiar to fish, but not necessarily to the cod, since oils of similar properties are yielded by several other sea-fish. It is, however, an unpleasant medicine to the taste, and often, therefore, impossible to assimilate ; so that the consumption of fishbroth containingits chief ingredients, and prepared in a palatable form, is to be preferred. In oi'der to make such broth scientifically, and to extract from the stock the utmost of its nutritive principles, the fish used should, while uncooked and unboned, be broken up into small pieces and placed in cold water. A pound- and-a-half of fish will require two pints of water, which should be poured upon it in an earthenware preserve jar. This jar should then be set in a saucepan oi ; hot water, so as to form B^BH^BBj^Rgj^fl^^H^BHHEßßv fresh BBHH|B^HBH^^ffl^^^H|^^BHß^H some a few BbHB^HHBJ^HH^HHHHH 1 '; au d SNRBj^B^HH^flH^Bß^M^^^H^Hv- in j^BJj^MHßßHJ^H|B9^9^flß^H^^s^wii the HB^fiBBB|[H^^SSjj^SBHfiHHBB rj^ lcn |HRH^^^H^^^^H[^^HB|^HHHflH ro th . ■H^HJH^H^H^H^^H^£^H)rotn Bs^HHHBBMRBH^^HBH^^^^^^^H^H ater, aBBS^BBBB£^B!^BBSB c ° f B^^BI^HB^^H^B^IBRbHB^^BH 116 or IBBH9BBBBBBHBHB g be HH^H^^HB^^RH^^^^HflH9H' eam > S^HI^HII^^SfiBIHII^BHB^BHHB' oms ' anc^ s^^HßH^B9^^^b^9b^^^^^K^99| f our p^ n t |9H^^^H^^b^^^H^Hß^^Bß^^B milk HBHHH^B^^^^HHHH^H^HHdded BH^^HH|^BH^HHHHHHH^HHgii a H^^H^^^^^^HHHhH^H^^Hk ef or c may bexn^^ffl^^f^mHjH^P^PMer broth is commerdable as a nutritious and suitable aliment for convalescent invalids. To make it take a pint of fish stock and two dozen oysters, a little butter, according- to taste, tw^ouncesof^floui^a^mal^ma^yij^^f j^9^^B^^^H^BHHH^B^BHH|^^^^BßJ^H a t 'Dan who?' sam ne^^^^^^^^^^^Bf I * I don't understand you,' said I. -..

' You said you were going to sue Dan, didn't you ? Dan who ?' I tried to suppress the indignation I felt as I explained that 1 was going ;is special war correspondent for the Observek to the seat of war. He broke into a loud and indissrirninate laugh. I passed on, utterly disgusted at the shallowness of his understanding. I entered Sharland's, the ehe.uist, and purchased two shillings' wort.ii of chloroform. Then I went ou to the Telegraph Office. ' I want to go to the iSoudan,' I said to the slim young man behind the counter. ' What's that ?' said he. Fearing another misunderstanding, I determined to make my meaning plain. I 1 want to go to the sejx. of war,' said I, slowly and distinctly". 1 This is not a shipping office,' said he ; ' you'll get full particulars at the corner of Custom House-street. I was getting warm. 1 You send cablegram's from here, don't you ?' said I. ' Yes.' 1 Well, I want to go by cable,' said I. 'Why in thunder dim'fc you say so at first then ?' said he ' What name ?' ' Press Association,' said I. 'All right, just step inside.' I stepped inside. ' Now fix yourself,' said he. I made my valise and myself up into as neat a parcel as possible. ' Are you ready ?' sui.l the young man.. ' Q.uite ready,' i replied from the inside. ' What address ?' said be. ' Sir G-arnet Wolddcy,' said I ; ' mark it " Immediate," and " This side up ; with care.'" ' Right you are,' said he, sticking on the ticket, ' I wish you a pleasant trip, old boy.' I felt pleased at his sudden congeniality. Soon I felt myself lifted up and squeezed into an aperture that seemed like a tube. I fancied I heard a good deal of giggling ; then I felt myself pushed farther down the tube. ■' My journey has commenced,' thought I, ' now for fame.' I took several long sniffs at the chloroform ; then all was oblivion. * # * # I was awakened by the noise of great cannon. Just as I stirred myself, I felt someone tugging at the strings of my parcel; the. next moment I stood in the presence of the great Sir JGhirnet Wolseley. ' Who are you, sir?' said he, eyeing me pi'etty c:1039. I fumbled in my pocket, and produced the only card I had left. ' Oh, you are a newspaper correspondent, eh ?' I Yes, my lord,' said I. ' How did you get here ?' said he. I 1 came by cable, ' said I. 'Indeed! quite a now way of travelling. TJmph, can you play euchre ?' ' Yes !' said I, rather surprised at the question. ' Well, come up this evening — say eight o'clock : I am very busy just now.' I acknowledged the invitation, and was bowing myself out of the presence, when I jostled against two soldiers who were entering, guarding another man in irons. His lordship noticed my look of surprise. ' Only a deserter,' said hej addressing me. 'Then why subject him to this degradation?' said I, ' seeing that we are all equal in that re spect. ' What do you mean, sir ?' said he, showing some astonishment. 1 We are all deserters, said I quietly. His lordship glared furiously at me for a moment ; then he gradually relaxed into a smile. ' Young man,' said he ; ' let me advise you to be careful how you joke with a colonel. With, an officer lower down in the ranks it might pass, but not with a colonel. I felt I was in disgrace, and I determined to get out of it honourably. 'I beg your pardon, my lord, bub I never think a joke worth cracking unless there is a kernel in it,' 3aid I. lie waved his hand, and T withdrew. When I got outside, I t,Gok out my note book and jotted down a few facts as I walked about. The weather here is fine : so is the rum I obtained a few minutes ago at Canteen ]>To. 3. There is a great interest m stocks — gun-stocks. There is no representative from the Evening Twinkler. - Granny is all over the fit-Id. x - Suddenly I heard the sharp report of rifles. 4 What's that ?' I said to a man standing close by me. 'It- 3 an Arab party attacking one of the outposts,, said he. I laughed. I What makes you smile ?' said he. I 1 was laughing, 1 said I ; 'at the idea of the Arabs having a fight with a post.' ' Why, you durned idiot,' said he ; 'an outpost is a body of - men placed at the . front ; and the Arabs are attacking them.' ' Oh !' said I, becoming serious ; ' then the war has commenced,' and off I ran, with my note book in my hand, towards the scene of action. Nameloc. (To he continucd.J [We have reason to believe that the humbug has never left the town, but is stowed away in the back parlour of a certain Q.ueen-street pub., and luxuriating on the princely advance which he received for salary, outfit and expenses. — Ed. Obs.]

For a weckling present buy a cabinet sewing machine from JD. JS. Chambers. ° Wx-ls' " Rough ox ooa:*3."— Ask for Well's '' Rough, on Corns." Quicfc relief, complete, permauen cure. Corns, warbs, buuious. Tlie N.Z. l)rag Co. General Aleuts. The New Zeaiaub Tweed Compant, so snccesafully managed by Mr Jospph Moses, hu^o just disposed of the lease of their Queen-street premises for a period, and intend to open business in ths well-known escabliskment of Jlir Hampton, Skortland-street. Mr Haun>r.ou has heuil in business "in Aucklund for more tiiitn 11 qviartcr of a cettvxy, and intends to retire, ufter his lons business career. The Tweed Company, will succeed him, and, we have no doab^ i.liat under Mr Moses' courteous . management, his successor's will receive a fair share of the patronage so long bestowed upon him. by the public of Auckland.] ;