Mirror for dyspeptics; from the diary of a landlord.

  • Sanderson, J. M.
Date:
1844
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mirror for dyspeptics; from the diary of a landlord. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    employs, that he may correct or render more perfect such aliments as nature presents in a raw state. He should have a sound head, a sure taste and a delicate palate, that he may cleverly combine the in- gredients. Seasoning is the rock of indifferent cooking. Careme also, whose authority is quite as good, and whose works are the text- books of every country, says, his head should be strong, quick, pro- ductive. He should be tempered to command, active and animated, with an invincible ardor for labor. At the signal for serving dinner, he should be, beyond expression, a man of ensemble, of direction, enthusiastic, and attentive, even to trifles; vigilant, he should see every thing, and know every thing. A maitrc dliolel is never ill, never ! From three o'clock he is everywhere present; he operates everywhere by a powerful compulsion; he alone has the right to raise his voice, and every one should bend to him. With sucli authority and with such qualifications, how is it pos- sible to prepare a dinner with such cooks as abound throughout our country 1 or, how is it possible, having such cooks, to appreciate a dinner prepared by a cook with the qualifications laid down by such distinguished writers ? With these facts staring us in the face, and with the ignorance which so generally prevails, is it any wonder that the people of the country eat more with their mouths than they do with their minds ? or is it at all astonishing that we are so afflicted with the diseases that are alone found in this country ? If eating is necessary to the prolongation of life, why not pause and consider the quality of the material we consume ? Why select and intrust the most ignorant of our species with the preparation of our food 1 Why devour it as though we were cannibals, and then charge the destruc- tion of our constitution to the climate, the physician, or to any un- known cause ? But as Swift reminds us that it is idle to complain before we are attacked with disease, or to be in pain before we are convinced of the danger, we will only admonish our friends to be careful of what they eat, to look to their cooks, and never thank God for a dinner that has been spoiled in the cookino-. We are aware that Dr. Franklin has said that he never recollected what he had eaten the day before, and we are also aware, that no man se- lected with more care the particles he put in his stomach. At the age of seventy, he thanked his God that he had but three incurable diseases, and if he had not been cautious, we have our doubts whether he would have lived to that age. to be tortured or troubled with them. His mind therefore, if it was not engaged with what he ate, was particularly directed to the quality and to the manner in which it was cooked. But from the observations we have been enabled to make, we have discovered that the science of eating is as little understood as that of cooking, and where our subject is so completely surrounded by igno- rance, we will give a few examples that have presented themselves in the course of our business. The system upon which our esta- blishment is conducted, brings before us the better class of the com- munity, and of course our eyes are open to the various tastes and notions that everyday present themselves. The stout, athletic man