Yes, it is mid 19th century humor so it is a little flowery and dense. This is not a early citation of a brain eating disease. I think the person got mixed up reading “calf” and brains.
There are scores of calf’s head recipes in mid 19th century American cook books, baked, broiled, boiled with and without the skin.
Not whale calves, but baby cows.
I did misread the effects of eating them as opposite of what Melville intended, though.