The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-13
A POPULAR ERROR:
ITS CORRECTION
Oysters Are Good in Months
Having No r." Despite
Popular Idea.

The West Point News knocks a popu-
lar error into a cooked hat in the fol-
lowing article:
i will be OF great interest TO every
housewife who enjoys good oysters to
learn that oysters are in better con-
dillon and flavor In March, April and
May than they are in February
If tho winter is severe oysters do not
have as much of their natural food
during January and February. and
frequently lose little In plumpncss.
warmer In March and April the beau-
tiful little microscopic diatome. which
constitute the principal food of the
oysters. multiply much more rapidly;
consequently the oyster grows fat and
improves in texture and flavor $50
that they are frequently at their best
in April and May. In June, however.
they begin to grow milky. and while
perfectly wholesome. the flavor Is not
as appetizing as during the fall, win
ter and spring,
| This information is important be-
cause there has been q popular Idea
that as soon as a month comes In the
name OF which the letter "R" Is not
found. the oysters are not so good.
I
months excepting May, as the letter
"R" Is found in all from September to
April inclusive.
Another interesting fact concerning
| oysters Is that Professor phelps, of the
Massachusetts Institute OF Technology.
has recently added his opinion to that
| of Professor Gorham. of Brown Uni
versIty, and Professor Nelson of Rut-
! gers College, and other scient ists by
coming out strongly In a lecture and In
an article IN the Science ConspeGtuH,
condemning those sensational writer's.
! who seek prominence and notoriety by
| attacking different food products with
out regard to the facts
| In referring to n certain writer who
has acquired some notoriety by attacks
upon oysters. Professor phelps says:
! ''Dr. -'s opinion OF oysters, IL IL
has any single basis OF; fact, must rest
upon an Interpretation Of bacteriolog
ical data upon which he is not qualified
to pass and In which the courts have
! thus far been obliged to dimgree with
| him.
He has been opposed In this mattcr
by leading authorities of the various
sciences which he has honored with his
attention. These gentlemen, many of
them scientists of world-w roputa-
! ton. therefore. become apostles OF
| 'suborned science and enemies of pure
| food"
The doctor whose sensational state
ments are criticized by Professor
Phelps claims that one person In the
United States has died from eating oys3
tiers during the past two years. al
though the cause of the illness is dis
ruted During the same period hun-
dreds OF thousands of persons have dad
from drinking impure milk and water.
and yet sensationalists have published
much about the oyster because 1t was
q novelty ~
So far as the evidence goes, II Is :,
thousand times as dangerous 10 drink
milk as II liz to eat oysters, and 1t Is a
hundred times as dangerous TO go on :,
railroad train or TO go In an automo :
bile or to walk tho streets where auto
mobiles abound MS II is to eat oysters.
One death Is claimed from eating oys-
ters In two years. while 10,5S5 persons
! were killed ON steam railroads In the
United States In the year ending June
so, 1919.
1t appears. therefore. from these and
many other facts that the assertions
| which have been made against oysters
are ridiculously exaggerated and de-
serve no attention whatsoever from
those who are guided by the facts.