ANIMAL FOOD. 281 



advantage by the nursing.mother, who thus strengthens her own 

 system and also that of the child at her breast. Convalescents from 

 fever will find in the oyster a food both delicate and nourishing. 



Oyster-stew, prepared plain or with milk and oyster-essence, 

 made by slowly simmering oysters in their liquor or a little water 

 until they swell, seasoning with salt, straining the liquor, and serv^ 

 ing with dry toast or plain biscuits, are excellent methods of giving 

 oysters. 



Egg's, if the shell be included, contain everything that is nec- 

 essary for the formation and maintenance of the body. This food 

 does not, however, exist, as in milk, in a state of perfect solution, 

 but in a semi -liquid form ; consequently some digestion is necessary 

 before it can be assimilated. The white of the egg consists chiefly 

 of albumen, without fat and in a condition which admits of easy 

 absorption, the ease being increased if it be shaken or beaten up 

 with water. The yoke contains all the fat of the egg held in sus- 

 pension by some portion of albumen and is therefore richer than 

 the white. Raw and lightly boiled eggs are readily digested. If 

 the albumen be coagulated by the heat of cooking it becomes heavy 

 and difficult of digestion, and sometimes produces constipation or 

 irritation of the bowels. It should therefore be avoided by dyspep- 

 tics and persons recovering from illness, before the full powers of 

 digestion have been regained. If the insoluble portions of hard- 

 boiled eggs are delayed in the stomach and intestines they putrefy 

 and the sulphureted hydrogen and ammonia evolved become irri- 

 tating to the intestinal canal. But fresh, uncooked eggs are almost 

 wholly free from these objections. A fresh, raw egg, thoroughly 

 stirred into about half a pint of milk, forms, to most persons, a 

 palatable and nourishing article of diet. One great advantage this 

 preparation has over other food is that all the component parts are 

 retained in their natural state, are more completely dissolved and 

 consequently make less demands upon weak digestive powers than 

 when the egg is eaten in its solidified form. It patients object to 

 the taste of raw eggs a little sugar may be added, or if this be not 

 sufficient some simple flavoring extract may be used. Eggs seem 

 to be particularly useful in lung-diseases, and in cases of exhaustive 

 cough seem to act as palliatives. 



Egg, with milk and sugar, forms a plain custard, which is 

 often allowable and very grateful. 



Eggs undergo change by being kept. The porous shell allows 

 the evaporation of water and the infiltration of air; certain organic 

 changes also occur when the shell is rendered non-porous. To test 

 the freshness of an egg, an ounce of salt may be added to ten 

 .ounces or half a pint of water; in this solution a fresh egg will 

 just sink; one that has been kept for several days will float. A bad 

 egg is often sufficiently light to float in pure water. Fresh eggs 

 may also be known by holding them up to the light, when they wiU 

 appear clear ; if stale they will appear cloudy ; fresh eggs are most 



