BROTHS. 121 
is much to the point about a man who “killed hisself on 
principle,” giving the doctor to know he had eaten four crumpets 
every night for fifteen years “‘ on principle” : “ Four crumpets 
a night,” said the doctor, “ will do your business in six months.” 
‘* Are you sure of that ’ere ?” enquired the patient. “Tl stake 
my professional reputation on it,” answered the doctor. “ How 
many crumpets at a sitting do you think would polish me off ?” 
asked the patient. ‘“ Do you think half-a-crown’s worth would 
doit?” “I think it might,” said the doctor. ‘ Three shillings 
would be sure to do it, I suppose?” says the patient. “ Cer- 
tainly,’ says the doctor. ‘“ Wery good,” says the patient ; 
“Good night.” Next morning he gets up, has a fire lit, orders 
in three shillings’ worth o’ crumpets, toasts ’em all, eats ’em all, 
and so puts an end to hisself.” The crumpet resembles the 
spongy inside of a muffin. It much resembles a round piece 
of a blanket soaked in butter, and 1s nearly as indigestible ; 
the slang title “sudden death’’ has been given to this risky 
comestible. 
“ Bread,” said the Psalmist ‘ eaten in sorrow is vain.” Yet 
for a sick person of feeble digestive powers, and with a capricious 
appetite, simply-made bread-sauce, which can be most readily 
prepared, will often prove grateful, and nourishing, being, 
moreover, suggestive of game, or fowl. Take a pint of milk, 
a cupful of crumbled bread-crumb, a small onion, a blade of 
mace, a little pepper, and salt; peel, and cut the onion into 
quarters, and simmer them in the milk until tender, then take 
them out; stir the fine bread-crumbs into the boiling milk, 
and beat this with a fork very smoothly; add the seasoning, 
and butter, and a little white pepper, and give one more boil. 
To enrich the sauce, if desired, a spoonful of cream may be 
added. Time of making will be altogether only half-an-hour. 
BROTHS. 
Ir was about the year 1820 that the term Broth was for the first 
time given to an essential solution of meat, the strength thereot 
being determined by the weights of the principal ingredients used. 
‘In 1740, according to Le Cuisinier Moderne, an extract of meat 
was prepared in dry tablets “ which might be easily transported, 
and preserved during a year, or longer.” These dissolved into ex- 
cellent Broth, though half their solid matter was gelatine. The 
