The St. Johns herald., 1895-08-29
A QUEER COMBINATION.
The Breakfast of a Founder Ate
 Night Out.
An Institution of Uncertain Origin Yet Familiar to All ,Faiters-OpiniOns of Physicians the Try
 ing Mixture.

Take six men of the world-gentle
 men, mean, of an all round social ex perience, who have been unfortunate enough to stay too long with their liquor once in awhile-and probably five of them will tell you what is meant by the term ''drunkard's breakfast. says the New York Herald
 For the enlightenment of the sixth member it may be explained that a 'drunl:ard's breakfast" so called in many swell clubs and restaurants, con sists of salt mackerel, boiled, not broiled; dish of milk toast, and pot of strong, hot tea. This is a repast which is supposed to be peculiarly adapted to the stomach of a man who permitted himself to be tempted to look too promiscuously upon the wine the night before.
 My wife's absence from home com. pelled me to take my meals at the restaurants recently. For my first breakfast l went to one of the fine hotels in the immediate neighborhood. The restaurant was chilly, and that, added to a severe cold in my head, must have given watery appearance to my eyes and nervous tremor to my hand as took seat and picked up bill of fare. An obseauious waiter stood at hand to receive my order. I ran over the list of meats a second time, pausing, mentally, midway 'twix steak and chop. The waiter, noting my indecision, but utterly mis- taking the spirit behind it all, stepped to my side and with perfect politeness said: "Eef I may be permit, recom- men ze salt maclzerel, wis ze meelk toast and ze tea-ver' nice. It eez ze breakfast popular wis gentlemen after ze excitement of ze 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
 QNeXt morning I went into another restaurant near by-not exactly a first class place, but an extraordinarily good second-class one-where the busi- ness is enormous, the cooking excel lent and the service generally satis- factory. My eyes were bloodshot and watery still, the result of a neuralgia attack. The waiter, decorous, hand- some German-Amcrican, handed me the bill of fare, eyed me suspiciously, but not rudcly, for an instant and then remarked in an undertone: "How would nice salt mackerel, boiled 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, I assure you"
 There was no impertinence in the mans voice or manner. He didn't dream of being intrusive. He merely thought he was doing me friendly service in suggesting a regular brac- ing 'drunkard's breakfast"
 The same suggestion will be offered in many first-class restaurants to any man whose appearance or manner in any way excites the suspicion that he drank too much the night before. The nint is always offered politely and quietly. and only after the waiter has convinced himself that his purpose in making the suggestion will not be mis- understood.
 And thus, in some mysterious way, 1t has come to be believed among res taurant walters that for a man who has had long drinking bout the cor rect breakfast should consist of salt maclzcrel, milk toast and tea! It is an extraordinary combination, surely, and why it is peculiarly adapted to the condition of man recovering from a spree is as mysterious as the identity of the genius who first pro- posed it.
 A popular physician who was spoken to with reference to this fad said: ''Yes, I know what a 'drunkards breakfast is. but why any man suffer, ing from over-indulgence, in drink should eat such meal is more than I can tell. Salt mackerel is. harsh, acrid, hot and irritating to an already con- gested stomach. I can think of no article of food more likely to increase the digestive disorders due to drink than salt mac1erel."
 Another physician of long practice and wide observation said: ''It would be interesting to know how and with whom the 'drunkard's breakfast origi- mated. 1t is ridiculous idea. None but normal stomach in healthy con- dition can digest salt mackerel with out discomfort, or at least unpleasant reminders of it's presence. It is fish that am very fond of, but if I eat oi it even after drinking moderately il causes an attack of indigestion. My only theory of its supposed popularity as a breakfast dish for one who has taken Q drop too much is this: Its salti- ness excites thirst for great quantities of cold water, which is, in my opinion, of real benefit to a stomach fevered with alcoholic irritation. 1t enables him to drink water copiously until the stomach is cleaned and cooled, and the alcohol in his tissues becomes so di- luted that it is the moro easily elimi- mated from his system. As for it's ali mentary value in such cases, I can't see that it has any. The milk toast would be all right, but salt mackerel and tea-what an insult and crime it ia tO force them mon a stomach al-