FOOD AND DRINK 99 



weight, but the loss is almost wholly water, evaporated by the 

 heat. Too intense or prolonged heat will dry the meat, or 

 burn it. Frying is the worst possible method, as the heated 

 fat, by penetrating the meat, or other article placed in it, dries 

 and hardens it, and thus renders it indigestible. 



21. Trichina. It should be remembered that ham, sausages, 

 and other forms of pork should never be eaten in a raw or 

 imperfectly cooked condition. The muscle of the pig is often 

 infested by a minute animal parasite, or worm, called trichina 

 spiralis. This worm may be introduced alive, in pork food, 

 into the human body, where it multiplies with great rapidity, 

 and gives rise to a painful and serious disease. This disease 

 has been prevalent in Germany, and cases of it occur from 

 time to time in this country. 



22. Fish. The part of fish that is eaten is the muscle, just 

 as in the case of the meats and poultry. It closely resembles 

 flesh in its composition, but is more watery. Some varieties are 

 very easy of digestion, such as salmon, trout, and cod ; others 

 are quite indigestible, especially lobsters, clams, and shell-fish 

 generally. A diet in which fish enters as the chief article, is 

 ill adapted to strengthen mind or body, while its continued 

 use is said to be the fertile source of nearly every form of 

 disease of the skin. Some persons are so constituted that they 

 can eat no kind of fish without experiencing unpleasant results. 



23. Vegetable Food. The list of vegetable articles of diet 

 is a very long one, including the grains from which our bread- 

 stuffs are made, the vegetables from the garden, and the fruits. 

 All the products of the vegetable kingdom are not alike useful. 

 Some are positively hurtful ; indeed the most virulent poisons, 

 as strychnia and prussic acid, are obtained from certain vege- 

 tables. Again, of such articles as have been found good for 

 food, some are more nourishing than others ; some require very 

 little preparation for use, while others are hard and indigest- 



21. What is " Trichina ? " How guarded against ? 



22. What part of fish is eaten ? What does it resemble ? Fish as food for digestion ? 

 Fish as a diet ? 



23. List of vegetable articles ? Usefulness of the different, vegetables ? Strychnia ? 

 What further is said in relation to the nourishing and other qualifies ofVegetables ? 



