St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-06-23
DIET FOR THE SICK.
It Ought tn BE . Good Deal the same a
the Person Takes when Well.

It Ought to BE . Good Deal the Same ~
the Person Takes when Well
In old times it was customary when
one became ill to prescribe diet OF
toast, broth. Cruel and the like. and
keep the sufferer on the shortest kind
of short rations even of this kind of
food. No matter how long the illness
continued this regime was kept up.
Exhausting and depicting medicines
were given. and every effort seemed to
be made to reduce the strength and
vitality of the patient. To be sure,
many people get well in spite of this
treatment, but it must be said that it
was more through good luck than good
management. When the constitutions
were robust enough to triumph over
SO many adverse conditions, there was
more or less complete recovery; but
delicate and susceptible temperaments
usually succumbed to this formidable
array of adversaries.
Modern medical common sense die
tates that people shall not be starved.
at least, whatever other treatment
may be necessary. Asufiicient amount
Of nourishing food is therefore given.
and this food is quite likely to he the
same that the person is in. the habit OF
taking during health, barring. OF
course, all extremely .indigestible
the remedies given. AS a general thing.
a sick person requires very much less
food than well one, althouglpthis is
not always the case. People of seden.
tary habits. those who take little or nc
exercise to exhaust the physical forces,
might need almost as much food when
sick as when well.
There are few follies more extreme
than that Of putting sick people on .
diet of toast-water and thin Cruel II
would make a we'll person sick, and
how one can be expected TO recover
health and strength on such pabuiun
is more than ordinary intel
ligence can conceive. A small guam
tity of good meats, the vegetables that
are most craved, a little light bread,
the best of butter and the usual bev
erages should be given if they are al
all relished. 1t is one of the greatest
of mistakes to give sick people sloppy
drinks of any sort II it is necessary
to quench the thirst. an abundance OF
pure water, boiled and cooled to the
temperature of spring-water, is most
desirable. Coffee, tea and chocolate
are better when used OF regula,
strength such as is taken during health
The quantity may be good deal les
I,,A hn elS0,~sl
the same. If people in ordinarily goo6
condition get cup of tea and coffee
such as invalids are supposed to re
quire, it would be almost certain t.
upset the digestion. How much more
need is there then of care when all oi
the functions Of the body are more OF
less deran ed?
of broiled chicken, steak or bird with
little dry toast and n cup of good
coffee will relish and be satisfying
when nothing in the way of invalid's
food, as ordinarily given, can be toler.
ated. OF course. the food should he
eaten very slowly indeed and thorough
ly masticated. II the condition of the
patient will permit, some extremely
entertaining conversation may he car.
ried on during the meal. 1t is a we'll
established fact that amusement dur
irg eating. especially that provocative
of laughter, is of the greatest possible
benefit. Indeed, the laughter cure.
administered in n quiet way and with.
out too much nervous agitation, has
been of the most marked ADVANTAGE in
many instances Several physicians
make it point to amuse and enter
tain their patients quite as much as tc
prescribe drugs and diagnose the cascs.
N. Y. Ledger