Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-11-18
QUEER THINGS MAN EATS.
Earth. Seawced, Birds' Meats, Turtle
Froas, snaiis and Coal Among Them

Eorths SeaWcedf b1rus Ncstsf iurticas
Frogs, snaiis and Coal Among Them.
Complaint is often made that the
average daily meal in the ordinary
household is a monotonous round OF
mutton and beef In the majority CT
instances this simple and oftentimes
uninteresting cycle Of food is compel
led on the score of convenience and
economy, although with little more
thought and trouble than are usually
bestowed on this matter we are con-
yinced that more variation could be
contrived. The subject deserves great
er attention than 1t has hitherto re-
ceived and the results In all proba-
bility would be pleasing.
In this connection 1t is interesting
to consider some OF the more or less
odd materials which man has been led
to choose for the purposes of food.
factor in regard to this choice, and
necessity also. 1t is hard to imagine
that earth would be used for choice
as food, and yet such has been the
case In many countries during famine.
The Laplanders mix earth with their
bread, the Russian peasant uses a
rock -four" and the poorer classes in
! Hungary are driven occasionally to
eat an earth which contains but a
trining proportion Of nourishing prin-
ciples.
The use of seaweed as food is an
| q " nj Of hn LOTT int
Of both necessity and environment. 1t
is not a little astonishing to find
what a number of seaweeds are really
edible and nourishing. Perhaps the
best known example in this country is
laver. which is a kind of stew made
from weed, an alga Porpyhra lacin-
iata). The laver made on the Devon
shire coast and to be found in some
London shops is excellent. The sea
algae, indeed, prove on analysis to
contain a considerable proportion OF
heterogeneous matter, and as they are
usually tender they are digestible.
There are also several sea MOSES
which are esteemed for their esculent
properties.
Agar-agar is another example of a
seaweed yielding a nutrient jelly. 1t
is supposed that the edible birds nest
so highly esteemed when prepared in
the form of soup by the Chinese has
its origin in the birds feeding upon
agar-agar. On the other hand, it is
said that the substance of which the
nest Ia composed is secreted from GER
tain glands which are developed dur
Ing the nest building season. but
which lose this function afterward.
The viscid substance resembles the
mucin or albumin excreted by the sub
lingual gland.
The turtle may be regarded as an
odd article of food since 1t is the only
example of an edible reptile, at least
in this country. Frogs legs, again,
are rarely eaten In this country,
though they are easily digested, pos
sess a delicate flavor and have about
the same nutritive value as chicken.
Neither is the snail esteemed as an ar
ticle of food In this country, though
in France it is partaken of in large
quantities and so good Is II that II mas
been called the poor mans oyster"
The edible snail, however, is partic-
ular kind and is generally collected In
considerable numbers from the vine
yards in the south of France. In
Spain the snail is served in most ex-
cellent and appetizing manner, and in
Paris a dish of selected snails is re-
served for the special use of the gour.
met. Coal would appear to be a
strange article of food, but instances
are known in which children and cats
have been found consuming 1t in a
not negligible quantity. There is nc
evidence, however, although coal con
tains an abundance of one of the most
important elements of food. e., car
bon-that in this form II Is in the least
degree milaied.-Lancet.