The St. Johns herald., 1895-04-11
i QUEER COMBINATION.
The Breakfast of Rounder After
 8 NiTht Out
An Institution of Uncertain Origin Yet Familiar to All Walters Opinions of Physicians on the Try
 tnS Mixture.


 men, mean, of a1 all round social ex- perience, who have been unfortunate enough to stay too long with thcir liquor once in awllilc-and probably five of them will tell you what is meant by the term ''drunlard's breakfast, '' says the New York Herald.
 For the enlightenment of the sixth member it may be explained that a ''drunEari's breakfast" so called in many swell clubs and restaurants, con sists of salt mackerel. boiled, not bro;led; 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 promisouously upon the wine the night before,
 My wife's absence from home com pelled mo 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 a severe cold in my head, must have given a watery appearance to my eyes and nervous tremor to my hand as took a seat and picked up a bill of fare. An obsequious waiter stood at hand to receive my order. ran over the list of meats second time, pausing, mentally, midway 'twix steak and Q 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 may be permit. recon men zc salt macl1crel, wis ze neck toast and ze tca-ver' nice. It eez ze breakfast populair wis gentlemen after ze excitement of ze long night"
 The fellow had actually recommend ed drunkard's breakfast for my con- dition, although as a matter of fact hadn't taken drink in year and a half!
 Next morning I went into another restaurant near by-not exactly a 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 an watery still, the result of neuralgia attack. The waiter, a dccorous, hand some German-Amcrican, handed mc the bill of fare, eyed ne suspiciously but not rudely, for an instant an,' then remarked in an undcrtone: How would nice salt machcrcl. boiled. q plate of milk toast and a pot of tea suit you this morning? That is wha many of OUT patrons order for break fest after they have been out late Much better than cocktails, 1 assure you"
 There was no impertinence in the man's voice or manner. He didn dream of being intrusive. He merely thought he was doing me friendly service in suggesting a regular brac. ing ''dIunkarI's breakfast"
 The same suggestion will be offered in many frst-class restaurants to any man whose appearance CT manner n any way exciteS the suspicion that he drank too much the nig.lt before. The hint is always offered politely ana 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, it has come to be believed among res taurant waters that for man wiio has had long drinking bout tho cor rect brcakfaIt should consist of salt macllercl, 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.
 4 popular physician who was spoken to with reference to this fad said: "Yes, I know what a 'drunkard breakfast is, but why any man suffer- ing from ovcr-indulgence in drin, should eat such meal is more than I can tell. Salt naclIerel 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 mackerel."
 Another physician of long practice and wide observation said: Tt would be interesting to know how and with whom the drunkard's breakfast origi- mated. It is a ridiculous idea. None but a normal stomach in healthy con- dition can digest salt mackerel with out discomfort, or at least unpleasant reminders of it's presence. It is a fish that I am very fond of, but if eat oi it even after drinking moderately ii causes an attack of indigestion. My only theory of it's supposed popularity as Q breakfast dish for one who has taken 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 stomach fevered with alcoholic irritation. It enables him to drink water copiously until the stomach is cleaned and cooled, ana the alcohol in his tissues becomes so di- luted that it is the more easily elirni- mated from his system. As for its ali mentary value in such cases, Ican't see that it has any. The milk toast would be all right. but salt macl1erel and tea-what an insult and crime it