The St. Johns herald., 1895-07-25
A QUEER COMBINATION.
The Breakfast of e Founder After a Night Out.
An Institution of Uncertain Origin Yst Familiar to All Taiters-OpInIOns o< Physiclans on the Try
 ing Mixture

Take six men of the world-gentle. men, mean, Of an all round social cx- 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 'drullIard's breakfast" so called in many swcllclubs and restaurants, con sists of . salt I1aclzerel, boiled, not broiled; dish of milk toast. and pot of strong, hot tea. This i5 Q repast which is supposed to be peculiarly adapted to the stomach of a man who permitted himself to be tempted to look too prorniscuously upon the wine the night before.
 My wifc's absence from home com pelled rle to take my meals at the restaurants recently. For my first breakfast I went to one of the fine hotels in the immediate neighborhood. The restaurant was chilly, and that, added to . 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 a bill of fare. An obsequious waiter stood at hand to receive my order. ran over the list of meats a second time, pausing, mentally, midway 'twix . steak and c chop. The waiter, sv,1n I,-,k ar1r taking the spirit behind it all, stepped to my side and with perfect politeness said: "Eef may be permit. recon men zc salt mackerel. wis ze neck toast and zc tea-vcr' nice. It eez 70 breakfast populair wis gentlemen after ze excitement of ze long night"
 The fellow had actually recommend ed drunSard's breakfast for my con- dition, although as & matter of fact hadn't taken drink in year and . halfl
 ONext morning I went into another restaurant near by-not exactly first class place, but an extraordinarily good sccond-class one-whcre the busi- ness is enormous. the cooking excel lent and the service generally satis- factory. My eyes were bloodshot and watery still, tho result of q neuralgia attack. The waiter, Q dccorous, hand some German-American, handed me the bill of fare, eyed me suspiciously, but not rudely, for an instant and then remarked in an undertonc: "fiow would nice salt mackercl, boiled, plate of milk toast and a 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 q regular brac- ing "drunkard's breakfast"
 The same sugg 5tion will be offered in many frst-class restaurants to any man whose appearance or manner in any way excites the suspicion that 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 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 c long drinking bout the cor rect breakfast should consist of salt maclxercl, milk toast and tea! It is an extraordinary combination, surely, and why it is peculiarly adapted to the condition of man recovering from . spree is as mysterious as thc identity of the genius who first pro- posed it.
 A popular physician who was spoken to with reference to this fad said: "Ycs, l know what 'drunllards breakfast is, but why any man suffer ing from over-indulgence in drink should eat such meal is moro than I can tell. Salt mackerel is harsh, acrid, hot and irritating to an already con- gested stomach. can think of no article of food more likely to increase the digestive disorders due to drink than salt mackcrel."
 Another physician of long practice and wide observation said: Ut would be interesting to know how and with whom the 'drunkard's S breakfast origi- hated. It is 0 ridiculous idea. None but a normal stomach iA healthy con- dition can digest . salt macaecel with- out discomfort, or at least unpleasant reminders of it's presence. It is fish that am very fond of, but if eat oi it even after drinking moderately il causes an attack of indigestion. My only theory of it's supposed popularity as a breakfast dish for one who has taken drop too much is this: Its salti ness excitcs 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 tho stomach is cleaned and cooled, and the alcohol in his tissues becomes so Gi- luted that it is the more easily elimi- mated from his system. As for It's ali mcntary value in such cases, can't