MEATS. 465 
therefore one may estimate that proteids from the animal source 
are quite twice as costly as proteids from the vegetable source, 
only there are additional stimulating, and cordial principles in the 
former, which are lacking in the latter. When the proteid of 
meat is swallowed, and reaches the stomach, then this animal 
food is converted by the gastric juice into peptones, as the first 
stage of digestion. Now the same early digestive process can be 
artificially brought about beforehand, outside the body, prior 
to eating the meat ; and it is contended that in such a way the 
stomach is saved efforts which can be then utilized for the later 
stages of digestion. But one may fairly ask, Are the artificial 
peptones of as much dietetic value as the proteid meat at first 
hand? Are they equally well assimilated, and as capable of 
recruiting the invalid ? We may confidently say that they can 
fully play the part in nutrition, which is ordinarily taken by 
proteids given unaltered, and swallowed as food in the customary 
manner. But it may not be denied that these outside peptones 
have a tendency to produce diarrhea, since they seem to cause 
a considerable flow of water from the blood into the stomach 
and bowels, leading to looseness. When treating fevers, and 
wishing to give proteids, it is found that milk albumin (or 
Plasmon) will nourish, without raising the bodily temperature 
as flesh meat does. Plasmon contains about 90 per cent of 
milk-albumin. 
Charles Lamb, a good judge of meat, compared thereto his 
own literary productions; and when a contributor to The 
Champion (1814) begged the editor, Mr. Scott, to “ wink occasion- 
ally at briskets, and veiny pieces.” As a rule the flesh of a 
female animal is more tender, but with less flavour, than that 
of the male. It was Jeremy Taylor’s hen-pecked husband who 
“ found dry bread abroad better eating than roast meat at home.” 
Mutton is the flesh of sheep (Mudto, originally a ram deprived 
of its horns). ‘“ The Moton boyled is of nature, and complexion 
sanguyne, the whiche to my jugement is holsome for your Grace “ 
(Babee’s Book). A leg of Mutton for roasting may be hung until 
' tender, and perhaps even a little high-smelling on the outside, 
because the action of the fire will brown, or carbonize it, making 
it sweet by the antiseptic brown caramel which is produced all 
over the outside of the roasted joint. But a leg of Mutton to 
be boiled must be perfectly fresh, seeing that no carbonizing 
of its outside is then effected, with antiseptic anti-putrescent 
30 
