phuric acid. Gin is a favourite nursery remedy for the gripes of infants, but the practice should be strictly forbidden.

Twelfth-cake Ornaments are often coloured with poisonous matters. Upon some of these decorations being analysed, it was found that the blue consisted of sulphate of copper, as colouring matter; gypsum, chalk, and sugar forming the bulk. The salts of copper are most irritant poisons, only six grains of which are sufficient to kill a dog in half an hour. When they have been accidentally taken, the best antidote is the white of egg beaten up with sugar. The yellow ornaments consisted of the trisulphuret of arsenic as colouring matter, which it is well known is a powerful insidious poison. The green consisted of arsenite of copper, commonly called Scheeles' green, and carbonate of lead. The red colour contained bisulphuret of arsenic mixed with sugar and chalk. These combinations of copper, arsenic, and lead, are all very active poisons, chiefly affecting the lining membrane of the bowels, producing active inflammation, spasm of the intestine, and death. It is probable that the employment of these poisons, as well as the conventional high price of a twelfth-cake, have driven it out of fashion.

The effects of Vitriol may be counteracted as follows: Procure a little soda or potash, which will readily dissolve in water, or some soap-boiler's fresh lees, and apply it, or wash with this solution wherever the vitriol appears. This alkaline solution prevents pain, burn, or mark of any kind.

Poisonous Playthings.-When a few children are killed by the mixture of some poison in sugar-sticks, brandy-balls, peppermint-sticks, marshals' staffs, pink ladies, and fifty other confections,1 a coroner's inquest is held: for a time the unwholesome materials are disused, and the sweetmeats are made more wholesome, although they are less brilliant to the eye. But, besides the articles above referred to, other poisonous snares for children beset them in all directions. Amongst those matters which require attention are the colour-boxes which

1 Sugared plums, according to Dr. Paris, often contain a great deal of sulphate of lime (stucco), which, being insoluble, must be dangerous if it accumulate in the bowels.

are provided for the use of children. In nearly every instance the colours are composed of the most poisonous preparations of lead and other dangerous minerals. Amongst these are the various shades of green, a small portion of which will destroy life. Infant artists are almost invariably addicted to the bad practice of putting both paints and brushes into the mouth; and, in consequence, we have disordered stomachs, which often can in no way be accounted for. It is the same with other toys. The younger the child, the stronger is the impression that all playthings are good to eat. Persons may daily see india-rubber balls which have been thickly covered with coatings of vermilion and chromate of lead, which can easily be removed by the mouth or damp fingers. These are solid balls; but the death of some children has been traced to poisoning caused by the coloured gutta-percha air-balls. In the Noah's arks, in the Farm-yards, in the bright green coats of the Foresters, and in fifty other ways, there is danger to the lives and health of children. Now, there is no necessity for this. To a large extent vegetable colours, which are very telling and harmless, might be selected and used instead of the mineral preparations. In the Swiss toys this provision is, to a considerable extent, attended to; and, with taste, cochineal, indigo, and various yellows and siennas are used with good effect, and can do no damage.— Abridged from the Builder.

COOKERY FOR THE POOR.

A

CLERGYMAN of Hampshire, writing in the last century upon a very simple piece of domestic economy—the use of rushes instead of candles -observes that 'the very poor, who are always the worst economists, therefore must continue very poor.' This failing is nowhere more to be observed, than in the little acquaintance which the labouring classes have with the art of cooking food. They are badly fed, rather because their food is badly cooked, than on account of any defect either in quality or quantity. They do not, therefore, obtain the requisite amount of nourishment, and are thus driven to stimulants, which have their own evil consequences: the man becomes morally as well as physically deteriorated, and he proves a bad husband and father. The wife is to blame in this case: still, it must be remembered that she is rarely taught the art of cookery, but collects what little she knows of it from casual observation; besides which, a woman's work is more comprehensive than mere stewing and roasting. Needlework, habits of order and general economy, the management of children, and cleanliness, which is next to godliness-all these require teaching, and we want schools to teach them.

Meanwhile the want is being supplied in large and

1

populous towns by establishments for providing cheap, wholesome, and well-cooked food for the working classes, though this at a price which can only be practicable by reckoning customers by thousands; so that the scheme is scarcely applicable to small families. There are, however, innumerable places in England, where persons who are blessed with the means, are constantly gladdening the hearts of their poor neighbours, not by ostentatious almsgiving, but in doing 'good by stealth;' and there are thousands of these Ladies Bountiful in retired districts, beyond which the fame of such good deeds rarely travels. We now give receipts for such dishes as are best adapted for the above benevolent object :

Shin of Beef Soup.-A shin of beef will make excellent soup, enough for at least two days' dinners and suppers for six or

1 Several sets of these dining-rooms have been established in Glasgow with great success. 'Here,' says a visitor, 'every ration of everything sold, save meat, costs one penny. A ration of meat costs three-halfpence; lemonade, ginger-beer, and soda-water are sold at a penny a bottle. The first-floor is chiefly devoted to the sale and consumption of tea, coffee, bread and butter, and cold meat and eggs; on the upper floors, broth, soup, cold meat, hot collops, potatoes, rice, and plumpudding are sold.

'For fourpence-halfpenny I got a pint basin of peasoup, a plate of hot minced collops, a plate of potatoes, and eight ounces of bread; my companion, Mr. Stirling of Keir, got, for the same sum, a pint basin of broth, a plate of cold beef, a plate of potatoes, and a slice of plumpudding. The quantity of meat was small, but the ensemble of the dinner was certainly sufficient to satisfy any one not endowed with an exorbitant appetite.

'After we had thus dined, we called, in passing through the lower room, for a cup of coffee and a slice of bread and butter, and were each supplied, on paying 2d., with a large breakfast-cup full of coffee and milk, and four ounces of bread buttered.

'The remarkable feature of our entertainment was, that every article was of the very best quality. Better broth, soup, potatoes, and meat

seven persons. To do this, the bone must be sawn into three or four pieces, and put into a stew-pan or pot, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and then add a quart more; put it on a slow fire, and when it simmers, skim it clean; then put in a bundle of sweet herbs, some parsley, two large onions, a head of celery, a dozen berries of black pepper, and two dried bayleaves; add two or three sliced carrots, same of turnips, and stew it very gently till the meat is tender, which will be in about four or five hours. A little mushroom ketchup will improve the flavour. When the beef is quite tender, take four large spoonfuls of the clear fat from the top of the pot, and four spoonfuls of flour; mix it well together, and then by degrees stir it well into the soup then add the carrots, and simmer the whole for ten minutes.

Leg of Beef Soup.-Put into the soup-pot three pounds of leg of beef, half a pound of rice, a large onion, sweet herbs, a table

are not to be had in any club in London than in these Glasgow diningrooms; at no railway station that I have ever stopped at in Great Britain are such coffee, milk, and bread and butter ever sold at all.

'The provisions are all contracted for, at the best prices; the thick end of the ribs of beef and beef-steaks being the only meat received in the establishment. This meat, cut from the ribs, rolled, and dished, is sold cold in slices; the bones and trimmings going to make the soup and broth, in which the rolled beef is also boiled; while the beefsteaks, minced and stewed, become "hot collops," and, mixed with potatoes or rice, constitute a very savoury mess. The coffee is roasted and ground on the premises daily. Sugar, which I saw in casks, is of the best quality.'

Mr. John Pender has opened in Manchester, entirely at his own expense, an institution of this class, known as the Gaythorn Cooking Depot and Dining-rooms. The charge for the refreshments, all of a wholesome and substantial character, is moderate. A cup of milk may be had for a halfpenny; and a bowl of porridge, a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, and bread and butter, each for one penny. For dinner there is supplied a bowl of broth, a bowl of soup, plate of potatoes, bread and cheese, the charge for each being one penny; for 2d. a plate of cold beef may be had. A cup of coffee or tea is provided for a penny, and bread and butter may be had at the same price.