The Porridge Child.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 17, 28 April 1906, Page 61

The Porridge Child.

BY

FLORENCE STACPOOLE.

Dr. Johnson was once animadverting rather scornfully upon the love of the Scotch for oatmeal. “Oats,” he said, “are used as food for horses in England.” • ’Yes,” remarked Lord Elibank. who heard him. “and where will you find such men and such horses?” The retort was admirable, for. as everyone knows. Highlanders, who live — or who used to do so in Dr. Johnson’s time —almost entirely on oatmeal, attain a stature and strength of bone much superior to their English cousins, and there can be but little doubt that their porridge contributed to the result more than their climate or heredity. The fact is that in oatmeal we have an immense amount of nutriment at a small cost —nutriment that makes both flesh and bone, for it contains both lime —which gives hardness to the bones—and nitrogen, which makes flesh and blood. In a pound and a quarter of Scotch oatmeal there will be supplied as much nitrogen and nearly as much fat as in a pound of uncooked beef. Consider the difference in the cost. An interesting account is given by a doctor at Netley Hospital of an experiment made by* the late Dr. Parkes to prove the nutritive value of oatmeal and milk as an exclusive diet for a man doing hard work. He kept a soldier — who. of course, consented to the experiment—for several weeks on oatmeal porridge and milk, without any other food whatever. The soldier was a strong fellow of thirty, and weighed nearly eleven stone. He had an allowance of one and threequarter pounds of oatmeal and a quart of milk a day. He did hard work, and remained all the time of the experiment in the best of health and at the same weight. The cost of his keep was five shillings and threepence a week. The doctor who records the experiment savs: “I have heard the man sav

that he was sorry when he had to return to his rations of bread, meat, and potatoes.” If such food can keep a man in health and maintain his weight and strength, we ean easily see bow admirable it must be for growing children. It supplies them with everything necessary for the best development of bone, blood, and muscle. and it has this not incons’derable advantage to recommend it t > th ' mothers of large families —i.e.. it is very easily cooked, and requires no special skill in its preparation. This is an excellent recipe for porridge —either oatmeal or wheatmeal. " Requisites: Oatmeal, coarse or tine, according to taste, water or milk salt. Method: Make a pint and a half of water or milk, or milk-an-water. come to boiling point: then directly sprinkle in a breakfastcupful of oatmeal with the left hand, stirring with the right hand all the time till the meal and water are well mixed. Then let it boil for ten minutes, add salt to taste, and continue the boiling for half an hour if possible, though twenty minutes may do if haste is necessary. It must be stirred from time to time to keep it from burning. It will burn more easily if made with milk than if made with water. If. however, you use a double saucepan—these are specially made for porridge and milk cooking and can be had from any ironmonger—there is no fear of its burning. All milk porridge is. of course, much more nutritious than water porridge. Remember that the salt must never be put in at the beginning, because it prevents the meal from swelling properly. If a double saucepan cannot be had use an iron one. Never an enamelled pan. as the meal is apt to burn quickly in it. If made as directed, it will be smooth and free from lumps. Underdone porridge is indigestible.