The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1894-02-02
A QUEER COMBINATION.
Tho Breakfast of Founder After
a Night Out.
An Ipstltution OF Uncertain origin YEA
Familiar to All Waters. Opinions
Of physieians on the Try

o. rhysIeians on the Try-
lug Mixture. IN
II d -. a
Take six men OF the world gentle
men. I mean, oftan all round social cx-
perience. who have been unfortunate
senough 70 stay too long with their
liquor once in awhile-and probably
Il fivco them viii tell you what Is meant
by the term .'drnnlsards breakfast"
says the New York Herald.
For tho enlightenment Of the sixth
member Il may be explained that .
"drunlsard's breakfast" so called in
many swell clubs and restaurants, con-
sists OF q salt niackerel, boiled, not
broiled; dish Of milk toast and a pot
OF strong. hot tea. This is repast
which is supposed TO be peculiarly
adapted to the stomach of man who
permitted himself to be tempted to look
too promiscuously upon the wine the
night before.
Ny wifc's absence from home com
PEELED me to take my meals nc the
restaurants recently. For my first
breakfast | went TO one Of the fine
/ tl0tGlp IA Viz NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The restaurant was chilly, and that,
I added to severe cold in my head.
must have given watery appearance
| to my eyes and a nervous tremor TO
my hand as took u seat and picked up
bill of fare. An obscquious waiter
stood ut hand to receive my order. I
ran over the list of meats a second
time. pausing, mentally, midway 'twix
a steak and a chop. The waiter,
noting my INDIGESTION, but utterly mis-
taking the spirit behind it all, stepped
to my side and with perfect politeness
said: "Eef I may be permit, recon-
men &c salt mackerel, wis re meelk
toast and re tea-ver' nice. It eez ze
breakfast popular wis gentlemen after
re excitement Of re long night"
The fellow had actually recommend
ed drunkard's breakfast for my con-
dition, although as matter of fact I
hadn't taken drink in year and a
half!
nNext morning went into another
restaurant near by-not exactly first
class place, but an extraordinarily
good second.class one-where the bust
ness is enormous. the cooking excel
lent and the service generally salts.
factory. My eyes were b1oodshot and
watcry still, the result of neuralgia
attack. The waiter, q dccorous, hand
some German-American, handed me
the bill of fare, eyed me suspiciously.
but not rudcly, for an instant and
then remarked in an undcrtone: "How
would nice salt mackercl, boiled, a
plate of milk toast and pot OF tea
suit you this morning? That is what
many of our patrons order for break
fast after they have been out late.
Much better than cocktails, assure
you.r
There was no impertinencc in the
mans voice or manner. lie didn't
dream Of being intrusive. He merely
thought he was doing me friendly
service in suggesting regular h:.ac-
ing ''drunhard's breakfast"
The same suggestion will be offered
in many fiIst-class restaurants TO any
man whose appearance or manner in
any way excites the suspicion thaa he
drank too much the night before. The
hint is always offered politely and
quietly. and only after the waiter has
convinced himself that his purpose in
making the suggestion will not bc mis-
understood.
Aud thus, in some mysterious way,
it has come to be believed among res
taurant walters that for u man who
has had long drinking bout the cor
rect breakfast should consist of salt
mackcrel, milk toast and tea! 1t is an
extraordinary combination. surely.
and why it is peculiarly adapted to
the condition of man recovering
from spree is us mysterious as the
identity of the genius who first pro-
posed II.
A popular physician who was spoken
to with reference to this fad said:
"Yes, | know what a 'drunkarG's
breakfast is. but why any man suffer
ing from ovcr-indulgence in drialS
should cut such meal is more than |
can tell. Salt inaclscrel is harsh, acrid,
hot and irritating to an already con.
| gested stomach. | can think of no
articleof food more likely to increase
| the digestive disorders due TO drink
than salt mackcrel.'
Another physician of long practice
and wide observation said: at would
be interesting to know how and with
whom the .drunkard's breakfast oriri,
mated. 1t is - ridiculous idea. None
but normal stomach in healthy con.
dition can digest salt lnackcrel with.
out discomfort, or at least unpleasant
reminders of its presence. 1t is a fish
that am very fond of, but II l eat Of
it even after drinking moderately i,
causes an attack of indigestion. NJ,
only theory of its supposed popularity
as breakfast dish for one who has
taken drop too much is this: It's salti
ness cxcites thirst for great quantities
of cold water, which is, in my opinion
of real benefit to IL stomach fevered
with alcoholic irritation. II enable.
him to drink water copiously until the
stomach is cleaned and cooled, and the
alcohol in his TISSUES becomes so di
lutcd that it is the more easily clint
mated from his system. As for its ali
mentary value in auch cases. cant
see that it has any. The milk toast
would be all right, but salt maclscrel
and tca-what an insult and Grim. 4,
* tO force them unnn a S+ptnnoI, "a