BRAINS OF ANIMALS, — 109 
BRAINS OF ANIMALS. 
Tue Brains of animals consist largely of a fatty matter containing 
cholesterin, and lecithin, the latter element being comparatively 
rich in phosphorus. Dr. Salmon (in 1696) directed that “a 
ram’s Brain fried, and a cake made of it with sheep suet, 
cinnamon, and nutmeg, is good against the lethargie, and other 
drowsie diseases.” But Dr. Yeo now admonishes that “ the large 
percentage of fat contained in the Brains of animals renders 
them difficult of use as food by weak stomachs.” Nevertheless, 
ordinarily, owing to its soft consistency, the Brain is more readily 
digested than any other animal part ; but, unfortunately, it is 
very imperfectly absorbed. 43 per cent of it being voided in the 
excrement from the bowels. Therefore, in spite of its easy 
digestibility, it cannot be regarded as a valuable food for invalids. 
Neither. as he supposes, is it in any sense specially fitted for 
“making Brains.” ‘‘Some persons do fancy,” said Lemery 
(1674), as an ancient writer has told, “that rabbit’s Brains 
weaken the memory, because this animal cannot for a moment 
after retain in mind the toils laid for her, and that she had just 
escaped ; but this conjecture being founded on a weak foundation, 
T shall not stop here, and go about to confute it.” 
To blanch (cali’s) Brains, put them into a basin, with some 
cold, well-salted water to wash them; then strain, and rinse 
them in two or three other waters; put them into a stewpan, 
with a sliced onion, a small bunch of herbs, a few black and 
white peppercorns, and a teaspoonful of lemon-juice ; bring 
them to the boil, then leave them in the liquid until cold ; remove 
the outside of the Brains, and cut up the inside white part into 
small dice, and use them for the table. The calf’s Brain is 
tasteless of itself, but palatable with a white sauce, and absolutely 
tender; when fried it evolves a very fine osmazome flavour, 
superior to that of any meat, or game ; but the least over-frying 
is destructive of this flavour. Ox Brain is not eatable. Brain 
substance, or its medicinal principle—“ cerebrin ’—got from the 
grey matter of calves’, and sheeps’ Brains, is used remedially by 
modern physicians against some forms of disease in the human 
brain. Concerning the dictum which has obtained a widespread 
belief as to the functions of the human brain, that “ without 
phosphorus there is no thought,” this is only true in the sense 
that the brain contains phosphorus as one of its constituents ; 
