FOWL. 293 
quantity of such food as contains digestible phosphatic salts.” 
Acting on which plain principle, not only foods rich in the 
phosphates are to be specially commended for invalid conditions, 
where there is a deficiency of the same, but the phosphatic salts 
themselves may be superadded in small quantities to the appro- 
priate foods, particularly for children with scrofulous ailments, 
or rickets. Cerebos Salt, which is now frequently supplied by 
the grocer as “ best salt,” is a mixture of four parts of phosphates 
derived from bran, with ninety-six parts of ordinary table salt ; 
‘* but this is” (says Dr. Hutchison) “ of doubtful utility, because 
the phosphates thus present are purely in an inorganic iorm.” 
Otherwise such phosphates help much to repair defective brain, 
and nerve structures, whilst promoting the growth of bone in 
children. If a saltspoontful of Cerebos is stirred in a wineglassful 
of cold water, it will then form a milky fluid, thus showing that 
it is something more than common salt. It does not cake in the 
saltcellar, and may be sprinkled as freely as sifted sugar. For 
retaining the potash salts in potatoes they must be cooked in 
their jackets. 
FOWL. 
THE Capon (a cock-chicken fed for the table), “ being fat, and 
not old, is generally for all bodies, and in all respects for whole- 
someness of meat, the best of all fowls, for it is easily digested, 
and acceptable to the stomacke, and maketh much good, firme, 
and temperate nourishment, almost altogether free from excre- 
ment”; thus quoth Dr. Tobias Venner (1620). “ Poultry,” 
declares Brillat Savarin, “is to the sick man who has been 
floating over an uncertain, and uneasy sea, like the first odour, 
or sight of land, to the storm-beaten, exhausted mariner.” 
Nevertheless, this same experienced gastronome regards the 
pullet as being no more to a cook than his canvas is to the painter, 
which is, of course, to say that a chicken is only a mere vehicle 
for exploiting the cook’s learning, and skill. What is termed 
by the chef a “Spread Eagle,” or ‘“‘ Poulet a la Crapoline,” is a 
young, plump chicken split down the back, and flattened, its 
breastbone being removed, and the bird being seasoned, oiled 
(or buttered), and grilled, or baked. The breast of a boiled 
chicken is among the most digestible forms of animal food, but 
the leg muscles are often tough, and stringy. Moreover, very 
