You will say--with Mr Arnold Bennett, the distinguished playwright and novelist--"the tonic effect of ********* on me is simply _wonderful_."--From an advt. in _Punch_.

You may join in the chorus if you like, but you mustn't all expect to be simply _wonderful_ playwrights and testimonialists.

* * * * *

A STRANGE SHAMPOO.... "I make my chemist get the stallax for me,"

said she. "It comes only in sealed packages, enough to make up twenty-five or thirty individual shampoos, and it smells so good I could almost eat it."--_Secrets of Beauty_ column in _The Daily Sketch_.

Which only shows how careful one has to be.

* * * * *

In the days to come every army will fight on bloodless food.--_Herald of the Golden Age_.

When every army fights on bloodless food, we may be just as far from the Golden Age as we are now.

* * * * *

I am told that an obscure pract.i.tioner who sent up an account of some interesting discoveries, addressed to

MEDICAL CONGRESS, DIETETICS SECTION, LONDON.

has had his communication returned by the Post Office, marked _Not Known_.

* * * * *

There is no truth, it is said, in the rumour that a secret meeting was held during the Congress to discuss the proposed raising of the rate of commission payable by surgeons to physicians.

PETER PIPER.

HEALTHY LIFE RECIPES.

SOME "EMPROTE" RECIPES.

Exaggeration is popularly regarded as one of the vices of food reformers; but it is certainly no exaggeration whatever to say that Mr Eustace Miles and the restaurant a.s.sociated with his name have had a large share in bringing about the more sympathetic att.i.tude towards "food reform" noticeable on all sides to-day.

Mr Miles is no amateur in the gentle art of self-advertis.e.m.e.nt: he would be the first to admit it. But the advertis.e.m.e.nts have resulted undoubtedly in a very large number of people taking the first steps towards food reform, people who are repelled by the out-and-out "vegetarian" propaganda.

There are those who view with disfavour the introduction of manufactured or artificial foods into the health movement; they think it hinders simplicity. There is a truth in this; but, on the other hand, it must be recognised that the great majority cannot be reached save by meeting them half-way. This applies to the flavours of foods, the digestibility of foods and the convenience of foods. Few can go straight from beef to nuts. After generations of abuse the human digestive system has to be humoured if the ideal is to be approached.

And in this invaluable work of meeting people half-way and of humouring their tastes and digestions, the restaurant in Chandos Street, London, the specially prepared foods made and sold there and the strongly individual, thoroughly sane and pleasantly straightforward advocacy of Mr. Eustace Miles have been a very important factor.

The idea behind "Emprote"--the Eustace Miles Proteid Food--is that, being a blend, in powder form, of various kinds of proteid (the proteids of milk, of wheat, and so forth) it supplies the right kind of subst.i.tute for flesh foods not only because it is so easily a.s.similated, but because it is in a very convenient and easily kept form.

We believe such foods have a very definite and necessary part in the progress of the individual from the customary unhealthy diet to the better ways of feeding. The following recipes ill.u.s.trate some of the methods of using "Emprote." They are taken from the booklet _45 Quick and Easy Recipes for Healthy, Meatless Meals_, to be obtained for 2+1/2d.

post free from 40 Chandos Street, London, W.C.--

SAVOURY CHEESE SANDWICHES.

_NOTE.--These Savoury Sandwiches can form a complete meal with a little salad (dressed with oil and lemon juice), or celery or lettuce or watercress or other salad material._

3 oz. of cheddar cheese; 1 oz. of "Emprote"; the juice of half a lemon; two tablespoonfuls of fresh tomato pulp or tomato chutney; a pinch of celery salt.

Prepare some slices of not too new bread and b.u.t.ter. Mill the cheese, add to it the "Emprote" and the celery salt, then add the tomato pulp or chutney and the lemon juice. Mix all well together into a smooth stiff paste, and spread upon the slices, and form sandwiches, which may be eaten with watercress or lettuce or cuc.u.mber. If the material is too moist, mix in a little more "Emprote," or else "Procrums."

MACARONI CHEESE.

One teacupful of macaroni; two tablespoonfuls of milled cheese one tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter; one dessertspoonful of flour; one tablespoonful of "Emprote"; one large cupful of milk.

Boil the macaroni for half-an-hour in a little water. Strain the macaroni and put it in the bottom of a b.u.t.tered dish. (Put the liquid in the stock-pot, to thicken a soup.) Mill the cheese, and put half of it over the macaroni. In the small saucepan make a sauce of the b.u.t.ter, flour, milk and "Emprote." Pour this over the macaroni and cheese, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on the top, put in the pan to brown, then serve.

STUFFED VEGETABLE MARROW.

Mince two large onions very fine, and fry in 1 oz. of b.u.t.ter; add 3 oz. of "Proto-Savoury," one dessertspoonful of Nutril, 1 oz. of breadcrumbs (or "Procrums"), and one egg. Scoop the seeds from one large vegetable marrow, fill with the mixture, and bake for one hour.

Serve with Apple Sauce.

_NOTE.--"Proto-Savoury," "Nutril," and "Procrums" are special "E.M."

products and are readily obtainable from health Food Stores, etc._

A NOURISHING GRAVY READY IN A MINUTE.

When cutlets or croquettes are heated up, or when macaroni or vegetables or a vegetable stew (none of which are really adequate subst.i.tutes for meat) are to be made nourishing, mix some of the E.M.

Savoury (or Mulligatawny, or Blended) Gravy Powder, with hot water, to the thickness of gravy, and add to the dish.

* * * * *

NEW METHOD OF PREPARING FRUIT FOR THE DINNER-TABLE.

In cold weather fruit is often cold, and if heated in an oven may be injured partially or wholly. Here is, perhaps, a new way of warming fruit which has been tried and proves satisfactory. Wash the apples, pears, oranges, bananas and wipe them and place on a dish on the dinner-table. Also place a jug of boiling water and a bowl upon the table. Then when the fruit is required pour the hot water into the bowl and place the fruit in it and cover with a plate until warm enough to eat comfortably. Bananas should be peeled before placing in hot water.

"A.R."

HEALTH QUERIES.

_Under this heading our contributor, Dr Valentine Knaggs, deals briefly month by month, and according as s.p.a.ce permits, with questions of general interest to health seekers and others._

_In all Queries relating to health difficulties it is essential that full details of the correspondent's customary diet should be clearly given._