The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-25
Food for the Sick


them, in being able TO furnish il, in know
ing how to prepare it properly, and
when to give II. There Is q vast amount
OF ignorance upon this subject among
professional nurses and the people gener-
ally.
One Of the most com mon errors which =
physician meets with in his practice, Is the
idea which seems to prevail that a. soon
as a person is taken sick he must cum
mence being stuffed and gorged with food.
This is great error and sometimes does
| harm vet it is one that one can easi-
| " be pardoned. 1t flows from the purest
and best feelings, but you should use your
| Judgment The diet should, Of course, be
light. nourishing, and Of easy digestion.
| If you know it would be injurious, Of
| course, don't give it to him; il you have
serious doubts, withhold il; otherwise,
give it TO him if you can. But all the
while recoIleet that the patient does not
and will not need much food. This will
apply to all cases of acute disease-te
| feVers, inhammations and the like.
In chronic complaints, or diseases OF
| long standing, where there is little or no
fever, the rule will be somewhat different.
/ a light and absteInious diet may not be,
/ in fact, Is not so necessary. When persons
are first taken down sick with fever, or
any other acute disease, they seldom want
to eat anything for the FIRST few days, and
/ it IL very natural and proper that they
should not Food then, especially If It be
strong or difficult OF digestion, would do
| them absolute injury; and indeed any food
| might do more harm than good. In such
cases, and at such times, food should
never be urged upon a patient; he should
never be persuaded or induced to take
! food against his wish.
Nevertheless, il can not be denied that
patients often suffer for want of food, and
| that in the midst Of plenty. from the ig-
norance of those whose duty it is to see to
their wants, and from negligence and in
attention to the manner Of preparing their
| food, and to the proper times and manner
Of administering it, 1t requires judgment
and skill often 10 know how to prepare
suitable food and make it palatable, or
| even endurable to the patient; to know
I what sort of food, whether solid or liquid,
| vegetable or animal, is suitable to the con-
dition Of the patient; what hour OF the
| day certain kind of food is most suit
able.
Another thing | would speak Of, and
only to condemn-and that is the habit OF
leaving a patients food standing by the
| bedside or in sight of the patient in hopes
/ he will eat it by and by. 1t is calculated
to disgust patient with food, and renders
| him unable to take any at all. As gen.
eral thing too, the diet of the sick should
| be mainly of vegetable character; not
| by any means exclusively, but mainly
and this to be governed by circumstances,
and the condition of the patient. Meat broths
soups with more or less Of the juice of meats
in them, and, for very weak patients, beef
| tea, are often most excellent, being both
neurishing and palatable, and at the same
time sufficiently digestible.
RECIPES FOR FOOD FOR THE SICK
BEEF TEA-For very weak patients,
when even weak meat broths are thought
to be too strong, what is called beet tea Is
often made use Of. This article is greatly
overrated as an article of diet or susten-
ance, as it can possess but very little nutri-
ment. and the patient must be very feeble
indeed that cannot bear something stronger
1t is made as follows Take one-half pound
| of lean fresh beef, cut in thin slices, put
into a small vessel or bowl, pour over one
pint of boiling water, and let it stand hall
| hour by the fire to steep, bat not to boil
then pour off, squeeze out the juice from
the meat little, season with SALT and give
this ''tea" or liquid to the patient. 1t should
| be taken moderately warm.
CHICKEN PANADA.-Boil a Young grown
chicken until nearly done, in about two
quarts of water; then take out, remove the
skin from the breast, and WI en- cool enough
| cut off the breast, or white meat cut into
small pieces, put into mortar or other
strong vessel, and with pestle or piece OF
| hard wood, properly prepared, pound and
mash to a paste, adding little of the
| broth in which it was boiled. Season prop
| erly with salt Then boil to the coUsisten-
cy you wish, by adding sufficiently of
water-boiling slowly for a few minutes.
1t should be as thin as cruel. Toasted
| bread may be given with it.
CHICKEN BRoTH.-This may be made
best by taking a rather old chicken, and
boiling it down to shreds, seasoning with
salt; keep thin by adding water, and when
done, skim and strain. 1t can be placed
away in a suitable vessel of stone, to be
used from daily in such quantities as the
patient may require, by taking little and
warming it, and, ii need be, thinning it,
and, perhaps, adding other ingredients, as
toasted bread, boiled rice, and the like.
MUTTON DkuIAI - one pOuIlu 0I ledH
mutton, use one quart Of water and lit
tie salt, with few crusts of bread boil
slowly for a couple ol hours; then skim
off the oily matter carefui!y before using
Calls FEET BRorH-Take two calls
feet, well dressed, split open and cut off all
the fat, add about one -tonrth pound OF lean
meat, veal or beef boil in plenty of water,
three or four quarts, slowly, and Tor several
hours, down 10 about three pints. In the
meantime, add to il a piece OF wheat bread
crust and salt When il has boiled to a
Jelly letistand, skim and strain, when Il Is
ready for use.
To MAKE GRUELs. The must common
cruel is made OF corn meal and water,
with little salt. Take two tablespoons
of sifted meal, stir it into one teaeup OF
cold water, then put it into a saucepan
with one and a half PINS oil boiling water,
and boil slowly for hali an hour. To be
eaten with milk and sugar.
OATMEAL GRUEr.-Made the same as
eornmeal.
BARLEY GRUEL.-Boil four ounces OF
pearl barley, or one teacupful in three
quarts of water; boil it down TO one quart.
Strain and return. to the saucepan; CRATE
into il q little cinnamon, il You like, and
sweeten; add from one-half tothree-fourths
pints of fresh milk; warm mp, and use as
wanted
FLOUR GRUEI--Take one tablespoon of
ionrand stir il smoothly with one cup Of