Chambers's cookery for young housewives

through. Put the juice and sugar into the preserving pan and boil it for twenty minutes, skimming as required. The juice and rind of one lemon to every pint of juice may be added with the sugar, when the apples are not very good. HINTS TO NURSES, AND INVALID COOKERY. The preparation and cooking of food should be thoroughly understood by a good nurse, so that should any dish be sent from the kitchen imperfectly prepared, directions may be given as to how this can be remedied. Food should never be prepared or cooked before a patient. Invalids’ food and the manner of giving it is most important, and this latter department falls exclusively to the nurse. Endeavour to give the food most appreciated by the sufferer (when not injurious), and present it in a kind and sympathetic manner ; offer only a small portion at a time, and in a scrupulously clean vessel, so that it may appear tempting, and when the patient has partaken of as much as he is able, let the dishes be at once removed from the room. Do ' not let the patient see you taste the food which is to be given to him, and never take your own meals before a patient. Keep all food out of the sick room, but close at hand. Be especially careful not to use milk that has stood in the room, or by the side of an invalid, for milk quickly absorbs any impure germs that may be floating in the atmosphere. Assume a quiet and cheerful manner at all times before your patient. Many diseases are controlled more by diet than medicine, and frequently the doctor in attendance, imagining that you know how to prepare all foods, gives his orders, and leaves the patient in your hands. Should a patient then be injudiciously fed, neither nursing nor medicine can remedy the ill effects. The effects of food tell on the body and on the blood ; therefore what is to be aimed at in sickness is to obtain the largest amount of nourishment with the least trouble to the patient. This in acute cases can be most safely supplied and easily digested in a liquid form. Get exact and minute instructions from BEEF-TEA, the doctor as to the kind and quantity of food to be administered, or in mistaken kindness you may occasion much suffering and increased illness. Ascertain whether food or sleep is more important ; act strictly according to instructions, and give food, like medicine, at regular intervals, for much may depend upon the nourishment being given at the right time. BEEF-TEA. 1 lb. lean beef. | 1 pint cold water, i teaspoonful salt. Choose freshly-killed beef, for after it has been hung the meat becomes dry and will not yield so much juice. Remove all skin and fat, and cut the beef into small pieces. If you have plenty of time at your disposal, a still better plan is to scrape or shred the beef ; this breaks it more thoroughly down and allows the water to mix better with it, but as it takes a long time it is not generally adopted. Have a stone jar with a tight-fitting lid ; into it put the beef with the water and salt ; cover it, and set it aside for ten minutes. This soaking in cold water and salt helps to draw out the juices. As soon as it has stood for a sufficient time, place the jar in a saucepan with water boiling around it, and allow it to cook thus for one hour. If the water in the pan boils away, add more.