Pork should always be avoided by dys-
peptics and by persons of uncertain peptic
powers, y^// rules about diet are intened for
these. Healthy people can digest almost
anything, except bob veal and very ancient
knife-resisting mutton, or leathery skirt of
beef; anything, in short, that their teeth will
chew. Fresh pork, for the hearty, active
man or woman, or roast pig, is good and
nourishing ; but it must always be well done.
All hog-meat must be cooked through (not
only on the surface) to destroy any possible
parasites which it may contain. Of these,
triehincE are the worst, being dangerous to
life; but they are certain to be killed, and
thus made harmless, by thoroughly cooking
the meat. Smoking it without cooking will
not make it safe. Freezing it may do so.
Birds have weaker, less nitrogenous
meat than mammals, but generally more
tender and delicate. Most digestible of
domestic birds are the turkey, chicken, and
guinea-fowl ; less so the duck (though often
very good), and least fit for doubtful stom-
achs, the goose. Pigeons are moderately
digestible, but one soon tires of them. Our
wild partridges, prairie chickens, and grouse
(some of which are called pheasants, but
there are no true pheasants native to this
country), and quails, are very good game-
birds for the table. So are reed-birds
(favorites for invalids and convalescents) ,
woodcock, snipe, and canvas-back ducks.
The turkey is perhaps our most valuable
original contribution to the diet of mankind,
unless we except the potiilo and maize.
Fish, of some kinds, are consumed in
almost all parts of the world. Thousands
of people depend upon fishing for a living.
There is still less nitrogenous material in
fish than in birds' meat ; some, as the sal-
mon, have a good deal of fat. A larger pro-
portion of the phosphates (salts containing
phosphorus) is present in their substance
than in land animals. Some persons
imagine that fish are therefore especially a
brain-making diet. But there is enough of
the phosphate in ordinary meat and bread
for any one's brains, if he can appropriate and
assimilate them w^ell. Fresh fish, nicely
cooked, are wholesome and nourishing.
Of articulates, lobsters, crabs, prawns,
and shrimps have been already mentioned.
Lobsters, at least, when fresh ^ are not un-
wholesome for most people. Remember,
everything taken outof the water spoils soon
after it dies. The place to enjoy lobsters,
crabs, and shrimps safely is at the seashore.
Molluscs, as oysters and elanis, are
nowhere more appreciated than in America.
Our oysters are probably the best in the
world ; although in tropical waters they
grow a great deal larger. Clams are tougher,
and much less digestible; their soup can be
enjoyed, however, without risking the hard
clam itself.
Convalescents can begin with good sound
oysters before they dare venture upon more
solid food. One of their virtues is that they
can be cooked in so many ways. Raw, they
are digestible by the hungry man almost
always. Roasted in the shell, they are man-
ageable by every stomach that has any gastric
juice in it; no solid is more digestible.
Panned, steamed, stewed, broiled they are
digestible and wholesome. Fried oysters
must be, with the dyspeptic, quite forbidden.
575
112
THE FAMILY DOCTOR
Time Table for the Housekeeper.
Apples, sour, hard . . . .
Apples, sweet and mellow
Asparagus
Beans (pod)
Beans with green Corn . .
Beef
Page 261
Presented as published in 1901. 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
Pork should always be avoided by dyspeptics and by persons of uncertain peptic powers. All rules about diet are intened for these. Healthy people can digest almost anything, except bob veal and very ancient knife-resisting mutton, or leathery skirt of beef; anything, in short, that their teeth will chew. Fresh pork, for the hearty, active man or woman, or roast pig, is good and nourishing ; but it must always be well done. All hog-meat must be cooked through (not only on the surface) to destroy any possible parasites which it may contain. Of these, trichinae are the worst, being dangerous to life; but they are certain to be killed, and thus made harmless, by thoroughly cooking the meat. Smoking it without cooking will not make it safe. Freezing it may do so.
Birds have weaker, less nitrogenous meat than mammals, but generally more tender and delicate. Most digestible of domestic birds are the turkey, chicken, and guinea-fowl ; less so the duck (though often very good), and least fit for doubtful stomachs, the goose. Pigeons are moderately digestible, but one soon tires of them. Our
wild partridges, prairie chickens, and grouse (some of which are called pheasants, but there are no true pheasants native to this country), and quails, are very good gamebirds for the table. So are reed-birds (favorites for invalids and convalescents) , woodcock, snipe, and canvas-back ducks. The turkey is perhaps our most valuable original contribution to the diet of mankind, unless we except the potato and maize.
Fish, of some kinds, are consumed in almost all parts of the world. Thousands of people depend upon fishing for a living. There is still less nitrogenous material in fish than in birds' meat ; some, as the salmon, have a good deal of fat. A larger proportion of the phosphates (salts containing phosphorus) is present in their substance than in land animals. Some persons imagine that fish are therefore especially a brain-making diet. But there is enough of the phosphate in ordinary meat and bread for any one's brains, if he can appropriate and assimilate them well. Fresh fish, nicely cooked, are wholesome and nourishing.
Of articulates, lobsters, crabs, prawns, and shrimps have been already mentioned. Lobsters, at least, when fresh, are not unwholesome for most people. Remember, everything taken outof the water spoils soon after it dies. The place to enjoy lobsters, crabs, and shrimps safely is at the seashore.
Molluscs, as oysters and clams, are nowhere more appreciated than in America. Our oysters are probably the best in the world ; although in tropical waters they grow a great deal larger. Clams are tougher, and much less digestible; their soup can be enjoyed, however, without risking the hard clam itself.
Convalescents can begin with good sound oysters before they dare venture upon more solid food. One of their virtues is that they can be cooked in so many ways. Raw, they are digestible by the hungry man almost always. Roasted in the shell, they are manageable by every stomach that has any gastric juice in it; no solid is more digestible. Panned, steamed, stewed, broiled they are digestible and wholesome. Fried oysters must be, with the dyspeptic, quite forbidden.
Time Table for the Housekeeper.
Apples, sour, hard . . . . Apples, sweet and mellow
Asparagus
Beans (pod)
Beans with green Corn . . Beef