To a half-dozen large oysters with their juice add a half-pint of
cold water; heat in a saucepan to boiling, and boil briskly for a few
minutes; pour off the broth and set it aside.
Mince the oysters finely and reduce to a paste with a potato-masher in
a wooden bowl; put in a glass jar with the broth and add:
Extractum pancreatis, 15 grs.;
Soda bicarbonate, 15 grs.
Mixed thoroughly into one powder.
Let the jar stand in hot water or in a warm place, where the
temperature is not above 115° F., for an hour and a half. Then pour
into a saucepan, stir in a half-pint of milk and heat slowly to
boiling-point. Season to taste and serve hot.
The boiling is essential—to prevent further digestion and keep the
broth from spoiling.
If heated gradually the milk will be sufficiently digested before the
mixture boils.
The very small bits of oyster that remain undissolved may be strained
out, or rejected in eating the soup, but are rarely unacceptable to the
stomach.