Veal is an unfit food for the sick, because the flesh is dense and difficult of digestion - the juices are rich in albumin, which hardens under the influence of heat. In gastric troubles, however, veal broth is to be recommended. In purchasing veal, see that it is not too young, the flesh is pink and the bones hard. Avoid veal where the flesh has a bluish tinge and is soft and flabby.

The knuckle, which is the lower part of the leg after the cutlets are taken off, and the neck are the best pieces for soup and broth.

The sweetbreads are a. part of the digestive viscera of the calf, hence are easily digested; when simply cookecf and not covered with rich sauces or mixed with mushrooms, they require only one hour for perfect digestion. They are rich in protein, but not as stimulating as lean flesh. They are sold in the market in pairs; the short, chubby one is called by the butchers the "heart" sweetbread; the long one, the thymus gland, is called by the butchers the "throat" sweetbread; this is not as tender as the "heart" sweetbread. The thymus gland, however, is just as good for creamed sweetbreads, so in purchasing a pair, save the "heart" sweetbread, the pancreas, for broiling or baking, and the thymus gland for picking apart. They hold digestive secretions, which naturally causes them to spoil quickly; in fact, they will digest themselves unless they are cooked or chilled as soon as they are taken from the calf.

To prepare, put them first into cold water, wash them, cover them with boiling water, add a half teaspoonful of salt and simmer gently three-quarters of an hour; then put them in a cloth or bag and on the ice. They will keep for one or two days. They are now ready for dressing or reheating according to the following recipes: