The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1899-07-01
THE OYSTER AS FOOD
Was Considered a Necessity by prim-
tive Man.
Regarded By Modern Man vita 90
much Favop-OpInions of seien-
lists as TO Their Health
fa1ness.

The recent experiments which have
been carried on In England with re-
gard TO the fitness OF the oyster as a
food product have produced tonne rath-
err alarming results for the considera-
ton OF the lovers of the luscious BIZ
valve"
IL appears that Wa are In as much
danger from bacteria and other small
and awful things when we eat oysters
IA when we quietly kiss our girl or
somebody else's. Still, we can hardly
think that the evil effect OF either has
been very great, for both pleasures have
been indulged in from the remotest am
tiqulty. Man probably ate oysters as
early as any sort of animal food.
A far back ~ the time Just follow
ing the glacial epoch. when all the
northern hemisphere was covered by
an enormous Ice cap many thousand
feet In thickness, there IL evidence that
the then primitive, uncultured man.
who did not even know how TO use
tools, ate oysters. Judging from the
amount Of them he consumed he APP
parently enjoyed them. The evidence
as 70 this point IL found In the great
Kitchen middens" located all along the
eastern coast OF North America and
at many points on The coast of Eu-
rope.
These so-called "middens" are moth
Ing more than the heaps Of refuse In
cidsnt on the housekeeping arrange
menta OF primitive man. They are Of
enormous extent and thickness, aud are
principally made up Of the broken
shells Of various sorts OF sheIlfish, sea
urchins, etc. In these great shell heaps
oyster shells largely predominant. and
from this II Ia seen that early man liked
his oyster, and from the half shell. too.
II has always been u matter OF great
wonder how the first man 10 eat an
oyster came 10 do such rash thing.
There have been many legendary and
poetical accounts of how this came
about. One has II that a man one day
walking along the soashors accidents tally
kioked an old oyster shell. which at
onoe opened wide he valves. allowing
the man 70 get . glimpse Of the beau
tiful oraam-colored layers that ahons
within.
His curiosity aroused. the man Inn
Insdintalv put HIS thumb and finger into
the opening 10 that he might take a
closer look ~ the contents The fingers
were. Of course, pinehod severely and
soon as released applied ~ tho mouth
70 soothe The wound. Tho pain was
instantly forgotten and lie place taken
by delicious stimulation OF the sense
Of taste.
Very AhOrtly the first oyster was
eaten. Another story makes the act
of eating the fret oyster punishment.
Ever since, men have gone ON eating
oysters. They formed the first dlah
At the classic banquet Of the Romans
Vitellius act oysters all day long and
the Idea prevailed that he could eat a
thousand az one sitting. oalisthsnea
the philosopher, was passionate oy.
ster eater. To another Roman. Ser.
giua orata, we owe the original idea OF
the oyster park. lie invented the oy.
stcr pond, In which he bred oysters
not for his own table. but for profit.
Among modern celebrities whose love
for oysters Ia recorded there 10 Louis
XII. who feaated the learned doctors ol
the sarbonns once year on oysters
Arcther Louis gave 20 his cook an or.
der OF nobility for his skill In cooking
them. and II 10 recorded Of Napoleon
that he always partook of the blvalve,
when they could be procured. on the
eve of his great battles.
Whatever the scientists may say In
regard 60 the possible poisonous sifeets
OF the bacteria. IL IL certain that there
IL no more easily digestsd food than
the oyster. One hundred and ninety.
two oysters contain an amount Of nusri.
ment equal 10 ~ ounces OF dry nitro.
gcnlaed substance, and rs this is the
amount Of food necessary for the sup
port Of man for day. II follows that
u he were 10 live entirely on oysters
he would have 20 eat 100 . day.
This very fact Of their small nutritive
power explains their extreme digest
Utility. All other known food aub.
stances will under certain conditions
@Iuae indigestion, but oysters have
never been known 20 do so.-- philadsl.
phia prens.