282 



ANIMAL FOOD. 



translucent in the center, stale ones at the end. In order to pre- 

 serve the freshness of eggs various plans have been adopted to ren- 

 der the shells non-porous, or to exclude air, such as boiling them 

 for half a minute, keeping them in lime-water, bran or salt, or cov- 

 ering them with a coating of wax, oil, butter, gum or varnish; but 

 with only variable success. No musty egg is good for food, even 

 when put into puddings; it should be banished from the house if 

 there be the slightest smell of old straw about it. 



Duck's eggs are larger and have a stronger flavor than hen's 

 eggs ; the solid matter and the oil in a duck's egg exceeding those 

 of a hen's by as much as one-fourth. They are not often introduced 

 into the sick-room, but there is no reason why they should be ex- 

 cluded if the flavor be agreeable to the patient. 



ARTIFICIAL FIBEINE, so called, has been found available when 

 no other food could be taken. It is thus prepared : The white of 

 an egg is poured into cold water and allowed to remain for twelve 

 or more hours, during which time it undergoes a chemical change, 

 becoming solid and insoluble, assuming an opaque, snow-white ap- 

 pearance. This and the liquid in which it is immersed are heated 

 to the boiling point, and the fibrin is ready for use. It is very easy 

 to digest and to many is quitb a delicacy. It is said that the stomach 

 will retain this in many cases when everything else is promptly 

 rejected, its presence creating a craving for more food, and thus 

 promoting instead of diminishing digestion. 



Milk Pure milk contains in solution, like eggs, all the ele- 

 ments required for the growth and sustenance of the body. This 

 is especially true in relation to a child. Indeed it may be regarded 

 as the typical alimentary substance, since it contains nitrogenous, 

 fatty, saccharine and mineral matters and water, in the proportions 

 required by the animal economy, and in such a state as to be easily 

 assimilated. In fact, it requires no digestion, and it is this whicn 

 renders milk a most important and convenient article under many 

 circumstances; it is already digested and prepared for absorption. 

 In fever, pure milk as the main article or diet is far superior to 

 anything else, especially in typhoid and other fevers involving dis- 

 turbance of the stomach and bowels. Beef-tea, is often irritating, 

 but milk, on the contrary, is soothing, cooling, and at the same 

 time nourishing and strengthening. In chronic disorders of the 

 stomach and bowels, milk-diet is a most valuable accessory to medi- 

 cal treatment. It allows the stomach to have almost absolute rest, 

 which in many cases is all that is required. And this quiescent 

 condition can be prolonged almost indefinitely, since an adult can 

 be sustained for days or even weeks on milk alone. It should, how- 

 ever, be observed that milk would not be a suitable diet for adults 

 in health, as the nitrogenous matter is in considerable excess in 

 proportion to the carbonaceous. It is suited to young persons who 

 nave to grow, and who in order to grow must appropriate an excese 

 of what is nitrogenous to form a daily addition to the body. Or; 



