t Joxirn. d. Physique, vol. liii. , ‘ Recherches des moyens d’amcliorcr
la subsistance du soldat.’ Here also ‘ pastilles of extract of meat ’ are
mentioned.
J ‘ bur la gelatine des os et son bouillon.’
y
130
THE SJ>IE/T OF COOKERY
proved to his satisfaction bones to be nutritive by allowing
dogs the choice between soup and bones : the animals chose
the bones and left the soup. He pulverized bones (against
which Proust bad warned), and called this the ‘ solution of
the Gordian knot ’ and the ‘ egg of Columbus.’ But this
was a mere filch from Cbaugeux.
Proust reduced all meat-jellies to a constant degree of
dryness ; be proposed that they should be used by mariners,
travellers, and explorers of new countries, and enable every-
body to produce immediately bouillon for kitchen, hospital,
and poor-house. Devaux bad declared the bouillon of meat
to be ‘ a black, salt, acrid juice, which beats the mouth and
decomposes,’ while the bone-bouillon was to be in every
respect superior. Proust refuted Devaux at length, and did
too much honour to this vapouring charlatan ; but the
charlatan all the same received the felicitations of learned
societies, generals, prefects, princes of Germany, and other
‘ philanthropists ’ ; even his Holiness the Pope blessed him
with his own hand, as a friend of humanity, and told him
that at Eome he, the Pope, had eleven establishments for
the production of ‘ bone-broth ’ (evidently destitute soup-
kitchens). Proust advised Devaux to put all his letters and
compliments into a fascicle, and mark it on the outside ;
‘ Matters about which I know nothing.’
But the ‘ science ’ blessed as philanthropic by a Pope had
the usual vitality of error. Devaux in 1828 published a new
pamphlet of 112 pages.* Gelatine is there described as
being amongst nutriments what gold is amongst metals ;
its bouillon is good for all ages and conditions, for the
animal body consists entirely of gelatine ; but meat-broth
frequently aggravates illness, and is not even good for
convalescents. A hundredweight of bones represent by
the gelatine which they contain that amount of gelatine
* ‘ De la gcSlatine dea oa et de son bouillon,' dedicated to tlie l>uc de
herri.
BOUILLON D'OS
13 1
which is given hy six hundredweight of meat ; meat ex-
hausted of its juice is mere ruhhish ; it is the gelatine only,
dissolved in a bouillon of meat or of bone, which constitutes
the aliment in these preparations. This proposition, that
meat was nutritious only by its gelatine, is as absurd as the
contention about the relative value of meat and bone broth.
But the very absurdity of the propositions, backed by the
evident cheapness of their execution, brought to Devaux,
besides, aud in consequence of the Papal blessing, the notice
and approval of the French King Louis XVIII. The
huraaxi, de charitd of the first arrondissement of Paris had
formed an institution du bouillon d’os, and its Maire pre-
sented a report on this to the King when the latter visited
the place. S. A. E. Madame and the princes being present
on this occasion, the King said to Devaux ; ‘ I rejoice in the
success of this* institution, and it is to you, sir, that
humanity will be indebted for it.’ This was the King on
whose table there appeared daily sixty different dishes, and
who kept tasting committees even for the fruit to be placed
upon his table.✪ Bouillon d'Os
Page 92 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
t Joxirn. d. Physique, vol. liii. , ‘ Recherches des moyens d’amcliorcr la subsistance du soldat.’ Here also ‘ pastilles of extract of meat ’ are mentioned.
J ' Sur la gelatine des os et son bouillon.'
y
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
proved to his satisfaction bones to be nutritive by allowing dogs the choice between soup and bones : the animals chose the bones and left the soup. He pulverized bones (against which Proust had warned), and called this the ‘ solution of the Gordian knot ’ and the ‘ egg of Columbus.’ But this was a mere filch from Changeux.
Proust reduced all meat-jellies to a constant degree of dryness ; be proposed that they should be used by mariners, travellers, and explorers of new countries, and enable everybody to produce immediately bouillon for kitchen, hospital, and poor-house. Devaux bad declared the bouillon of meat to be ‘ a black, salt, acrid juice, which beats the mouth and decomposes,’ while the bone-bouillon was to be in every respect superior. Proust refuted Devaux at length, and did too much honour to this vapouring charlatan ; but the charlatan all the same received the felicitations of learned societies, generals, prefects, princes of Germany, and other ‘ philanthropists ’ ; even his Holiness the Pope blessed him with his own hand, as a friend of humanity, and told him that at Eome he, the Pope, had eleven establishments for the production of ‘ bone-broth ’ (evidently destitute soupkitchens). Proust advised Devaux to put all his letters and compliments into a fascicle, and mark it on the outside ; ‘ Matters about which I know nothing.’
But the ‘ science ’ blessed as philanthropic by a Pope had the usual vitality of error. Devaux in 1828 published a new pamphlet of 112 pages.* Gelatine is there described as being amongst nutriments what gold is amongst metals ; its bouillon is good for all ages and conditions, for the animal body consists entirely of gelatine ; but meat-broth frequently aggravates illness, and is not even good for convalescents. A hundredweight of bones represent by the gelatine which they contain that amount of gelatine
* ' De la gélatine des os et de son bouillon,' dedicated to the Duc de Berry.
BOUILLON D'OS
13 1
which is given hy six hundredweight of meat ; meat exhausted of its juice is mere ruhhish ; it is the gelatine only, dissolved in a bouillon of meat or of bone, which constitutes the aliment in these preparations. This proposition, that meat was nutritious only by its gelatine, is as absurd as the contention about the relative value of meat and bone broth. But the very absurdity of the propositions, backed by the evident cheapness of their execution, brought to Devaux, besides, aud in consequence of the Papal blessing, the notice and approval of the French King Louis XVIII. The huraaxi, de charité of the first arrondissement of Paris had formed an institution du bouillon d’os, and its Maire presented a report on this to the King when the latter visited the place. S. A. E. Madame and the princes being present on this occasion, the King said to Devaux ; ‘ I rejoice in the success of this* institution, and it is to you, sir, that humanity will be indebted for it.’ This was the King on whose table there appeared daily sixty different dishes, and who kept tasting committees even for the fruit to be placed upon his table.
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Bouillon d'Os