THE OYSTER AND THE DOCTOR. 307 



They are infinitely more delicate in fibre and flavour, and 

 being for the most part vegetable feeders, they are far more 

 cleanly in their habits. 



Analysed as food, snails are said to contain 70 per 

 cent, of water, 16 per cent, of nitrogen, 7 per cent, of fat, 

 2 per cent, of salts, and 5 per cent, of undetermined matter. 

 Many adulterations much more reprehensible than the use 

 of snails enter into the food we are compelled to consume. 

 Their wholesomeness is unquestionable. 



There is, however, no reasoning with prejudice. Nor 

 are snails the only free food which is rejected. Eels are 

 frequently held in equal dislike, from a sort of idea that 

 they are water-snakes. 



And, lastly, of the frog, the Parisians eat the hind 

 legs ; the Germans, all muscular parts ; the Viennese, 

 -.almost any species suitable for table. 



I have been tempted to make these remarks relative 

 to the Curiosities of Food, simply to prove that a similar 

 prejudice exists in the minds of many people with regard 

 to oysters, and it is with the hope of conquering this pre- 

 judice (if my reader be unfortunate enough to have such) 

 that this chapter is written. 



" Oysters," says old Fuller, " are the only meat which 

 men eat alive, and vet account it no crueltv." The idea 



J J 



of eating any creature whilst still alive does, it must be 

 confessed, savour a little of ferocity, and, as King James 

 was wont to say, " He was a very valiant man who first 

 ventured on eating of oysters ;" (a) or, as the poet Gay 

 (a) Similar is the language of the German physician Linsenbahrt, 

 or Lentulus as he is more frequently called, who appears to have held 

 very decided opinions in his day, and to have abominated the " breedy 

 creatures," of which he thus speaks : " Animal est aspectu et horri- 

 dum et nauseosum, sive id spectes in sua concha clausum, sive apertum, 

 ut audax fuisse credi queat, qui primum ea labris admovit." 



