72 THE OYSTER. 



liquor, "vritli no addition but a little pepper, and a faiiy 

 slice of French roll or other light bread, stops the feeling 

 of sickness, and keeps up the stamina unimpaired. 

 During the time, too, when a young child most requires 

 maternal care and attention, the mother's diet of oysters 

 will impart strength to the infant, and tend much to 

 alleviate the pains of its first teething. 



I am well aware that some persons have a repugnance 

 to the eating of oysters, and that it may be difficult to 

 overcome the dislike. However, as a proof that oysters 

 in general are nice to the taste, let me mention that 

 children under two years of age eat them with great 

 appetite ; and it is only after having discontinued eat- 

 ing any for some time that they take a dislike to 

 them. 



I have often had the oj)portunity of overcoming this 

 dislike, and the result was always satisfactory. The 

 method is very simple. Take a French roll (or a piece 

 of milk-bread) thinly buttered, and put on it the oyster 

 deprived of its beard, squeezing a few drops of lemon 

 and peppering it. ''"Well, after all, the taste of the 

 oyster is really fine !" is the usual exclamation, and 

 after that the joerson has eaten them in their natural 

 state with gusto. 



"WTien eaten for health, an oyster is best swallowed in 

 its own liquor the moment the shell is opened ; or if too 

 cold for the stomach, a sprinkling of pepper will remedy 

 the evil. Yinegar counteracts the eff'ect of the oyster 

 enriching the blood ; so when the oyster is eaten medi- 

 cinally it must be excluded. Dr. Evans, in Xo. 834 of 

 the ^' Family Herald " says, that when too many oysters 



