542 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
in the mouth, and not swallowed whole. A marked difference 
is shown as to the action of cold water on the crushed, and 
uncrushed Oyster respectively; no less than half the solid 
matters are dissolved in the former case, but only one-fourth 
in the latter. Moreover, without doubt the Oyster’s true flavour 
is appreciated most when the mollusc is masticated, a sweet 
taste being then given by the liver—glycogen. Its mineral 
matters comprise a minute portion of copper oxide, with 
chloride of sodium, phosphate of lime, and of magnesia, 
together with other soluble phosphates. It thus becomes shown 
that Oysters afford nutritive material of each class,—proteid, 
carbohydrate, fat, and mineral salts,—all of these food elements 
being present in a readily assimilable form. But the proportion 
of solid nutriment in an Oyster is not large, three dozen of these 
molluscs of moderate size containing only from three to five 
ounces of solids; whilst their nitrogenous matter is not all 
proteid, but partly of a lower nutritive value. It would take 
fourteen ordinary Oysters to contain as much valid nourishment 
as one egg; therefore surprise need scarcely be felt at hearing 
of enormous meals being occasionally made of Oysters at one 
sitting. Seeing that the amount of glycogen, or liver sugar, 
contained in this mollusc is very small, it need not be pronounced 
unsuitable for a diabetic patient; its glycero-phosphatic 
compounds correspond to lecithin, as now used in medicine, 
from eggs, and other sources, for improving the nutrition of the 
nervous system. In the thickest part of the Oyster is its mass 
of olive-green liver. (Formerly the human liver was supposed 
to be the seat of love.) A property of stimulating the sexual 
impulses is ascribed to Oysters. “ Oysters, and eggs,” says 
Byron, “‘ are amatory food.” 
The best solvent of the Oyster, next to cold water, is found 
by practical experiment to be gin, which also brings out the 
flavour considerably. Chablis is likewise said to be a good 
solvent, especially of the mineral matters contained in the 
Oyster; indeed, the whole of the phosphates are dissolved 
thereby. Champagne has probably the same effect; and 
because of its exhilarating gases it is an improvement on 
Chablis. Again, Stout is preferred by many persons as a 
beverage with Oysters, but “curiously enough” (says the 
Lancet, 1903) “it does not seem to have any solvent effect 
_ thereupon, probably because the Stout already contains a 
