60 
Marcellin, aged 17 years, swallowed by accident on the 4th Febru 
ary, 1876, a solution of caustic potash. The most intense inflammation 
followed, and brought on the obliteration of oesophagus. He could 
therefore no more be fed in any manner whatever. Verneuil saved his 
life, in making ir> the pit of the stomach an opening through which they 
then introduced the solid and liquid foods necessary to his subsistence. 
This poor man at last died of consumption brought on, do you 
know by what cause ?' He was deprived of oesophagus, and conse- 
quently could not drink, but this did not prevent his becoming a drunk- 
ard : he would introduce, through his fistula, the alcoholic beverages 
which took him to his grave. 
But let us return to our bill of fare, gentlemen, I want to say a few 
words of the ingredients of which it is composed. To facilitate this 
description allow me to somewhat alter the order of their disposition. 
Let us divide them all, at first, in two classes : the solids and the liquids. 
Amongst the solids we shall examine meat and vegetables, sprinkling 
afterwards this dry subject with milk, broth and wine. But enough of 
words, time has come to act Waiter bring on the oysters. 
Oysters, gentlemen, contain carbon, nitrogen, salts and water and 
constitute a very useful aliment, easily digested, provided that they are 
eaten raw. Fried or in soup they are a great deal more indigestible. 
William Roberts has tried to give the explanation of this tact. The 
small yellowish mass which is called the " eye " and which is the most 
palatable part of the oyster, is the liver which is but an agglomeration 
of glycogruic substance. That liver during life contains, besides a 
digestive ferment, the hepatic diastasis. By the mere fact of mastication, 
these two substances are brought in contact, so that the glycogruic. is 
immediately digested by its own diastasis. 
Raw oysters therefore digest themselves without any other interven- 
tion. This advantage is annulled by cooking, because the heat, even 
moderate, destroys the ferment associated with the glycogruic substance. 
According to Roberts, alcohol has the same inconveniences, so that we 
should not drink any wine while eating oysters and be satisfied with 
milk, which did not prevent my ordering Sauterne to sprinkle these 
delicious mollusks. It is the fashion, do you see. In France and 
in Canada amongst those who eat "& la Franfaiie" white wines are 
indispensable with oysters. 
(Continued 0/1 pai>e 6y. ) 
