NOTHING is more attractive to the eye and more healthful, than fruit. We are often told “fruit does not agree with me” by people who have never had a fruit meal in their lives. The same people will tell you that they cannot digest Brazil nuts, one of the best laxative foods known, because they were taken after a large and unsuitable meal, and then the Brazil nuts are blamed for the unfortunate result of over-eating.
It has been said that if all of us would periodically have a weeks fast, nine-tenths of the doctors would be robbed of their employment. An occasional fast is excellent for the over-fed and the faultily-fed. The next best thing to a fast is undoubtedly a diet on fruit juices alone or on ripe fruit alone. The following suggestions regarding fruit salads may prove helpful.
A Good Dressing can be made with cream or Ideal milk, lemon, orange or other fruit juice and honey, well mixed in proportions, according to taste, or “Pitman” Nut Cream can be used. Ripe mashed bananas, whipped into the dressing, will add variety and attractiveness.
Ground Brazil Nuts. A quarter of a pound of Brazil nuts, put through a good nut mill, will fill a large plate. Sprinkled over the salad, grated nut adds to its nutritive and digestive value. Cheaper nuts, such as cashew, with a less distinctive flavour, can be substituted for the Brazil nuts, or Pine kernels, whole or ground, can be used. Americans will include peanuts at less than half the cost. In place of nuts, crumbled bran adds to the attractiveness of the fruit salad, and adds to it a laxative element.
Only one Fruit at a Time. Many people digest most easily one fruit at a time. Those who can digest mixtures may take countless combinations of fresh, dried, stewed, tinned and bottled fruits.
Sun Dried Fruits, such as Black Spanish Gigs, olives, plums, prunes, peaches, pears, apricots and seedless raisins should be soaked in cold water until they are restored to their natural size and tenderness. No sugar need be added. The fruit should be served in fruit salads without the juice, the latter providing a delightful drink. Rinse fruit on cold water before soaking it.
Spanish Black Figs. Of all dried fruits these are least known, but they are most highly appreciated by good reformers. They are by far the most laxative dried fruits, and the following recipes my prove helpful.
(1) Soak the black figs, take them out of the juice, and serve with grated Brazil nuts, or Brazose (malted Brazil nuts). This is an excellent laxative dish which may be flavoured with a little lemon juice.
(2) Instead of soaking, slowly simmer the fruit in a little water till tender, with or without the addition of lemon rind, and serve as above.
(3) Fig Cake. Heat together 4 lb. nut lard and 4 lb. light Barbados sugar, add two well whisked eggs, stir in 6 ozs wholemeal four with a little milk or nut cream, and 8 ozs. of well-washed finely chopped black figs and bake.
(4) Fig Pudding. Rub 4 ozs. of nut lard into 4 ozs. of wholemeal flour, add 4 ozs. of “Pitman” Laxative Breakfast Food 2 ozs. of light Barbados sugar, and 8 ozs. of washed and finely chopped black figs. Mix to a fairly wet paste with 4 pint or more of water, steam for four hours in a greased basin, or bake with extra water in a slow oven.
Henry followed in his father's footsteps, obtaining his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Durham in 1891. At the age of 27 he arrived in Melbourne in April 1894 aboard the Port Albert. He was registered as a medical practitioner in Victoria on 4 May 1894.
It appears that Dr Cook already believed in homœopathy, possibly because of his father's influence, as in 1895 Dr Cook took the position of Resident Surgeon of the Melbourne Homœopathic Hospital . (This position was previously held by Dr James Cook, unrelated, who resigned in March 1895). He was listed in the 1896 & 1897 editions of the Melbourne Post Office Directory as being Resident Medical Officer at the Melbourne Homœopathic Hospital, but not in the 1898 edition.
In 1901 he moved to Sale in Eastern Victoria, where he ran a practice in York Street. By 1909 his practice was at Wyndham Street, Shepparton.
By 1919 he had moved to 2 Studley Park Road, Kew, where he died on 7 May, 1923.