The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-15
Good For the Sick.

| Good For the Sick.
While over-much thought and study
may be given to the preparation of
| food for those in health, the careful
preparation of dietary for the invalid
and sick is of vital Importance and is
recognized as a valuable assistant to
| the efforts of the physician in fastening
| the recovery of the patient in nine cases
| out of ten; especially in cases where
| the system has become greatly debili-
| tated after long and wearing illness
RANGE OF FOODS LIMITED.
In preparing food for the invalid it
| must be borne in mind in most cases
the range is restricted as to materials,
| and that only certain methods of cook
| ing are admissible. Pork and the richer
| kinds of fish are out of the question.
Veal, except for broth jelly, is not
| suitable, especially if it is not well
| grown. Frying is not allowed, and.
| generally speaking, baking is quite as
| Objectionable.
| In an acute stage of illness food is
| hardly needed at all, and that must be
| given in the smallest quantities and in
| such form as to require almost no effort
on the part of the digestive organs to
| dispose of it In fevers the aim is to
| prevent waste of the precious albumi-
| nous tissue; to furnish the system with
| sufficient water to replace what is lost
| by evaporation ana carry OIL waste
| matter from a system that is sluggish
| because of the enforced repoSe of the
patient
THE FIRST ESSENTIAL.
In the preparation of food for the sick
absolute cleanliness must be observed
| in regard to food and utensils: as rel
| iSh" wins half the battle for life and re-
| stored health by tempting the patient
| to partake of suitable nourishment at
| the beginning of that period where
| kitchen physic' takes the place of all
or nearly all other kinds.
All foods must be of the freshest and
| best quality and should be kept from
| contact with anything by which they
| may be favored. Milk and milk foods
particularly should be kept and prepar-
| ed in vessels used for no other purposes
| and capable of being thoroughly cleans
| ed and scalded. Where there is fire.
| quent demand for invalid food, it is ad-
| visable to use special cooking utensils
/ for this purpose, keeping them apart
| from all others. Enameled vessels are
| best and under no circumstances must
| tin or unglaZed metal be used.
| Another point well to keep in mind is
that food which should be served hot
| to the patient is served hot and not
! lukewarm, and the cold foods cold
| THE MANNER OF PREPARING.
| The manner of preparing should be
| the simplest, and seasoning and flavor
| patients taste. Remember that in ill
| ness the palate is very sensitive, and
| ordinary SoaSOnlnSS are TOO SCrOnR ana
| some seasonings and fiavorings very
/ unwholesome. All irritating spices, such
| as cloves and allspice and pepper
| should be eliminated from the list
| Grease and fat of all description must
| be carefully removed from the food and
| left entirely out of the cooking If pos
| sible. When soups and broths are made,
| remove every particle Of grease before
serving. If this cannot be completely
| done by skimming, take pieces of clean,
| absorbent paper, lay them on the sur
| face and draw gently to the side of the
! vessels; this will take up the small
globules of fat and leave the soup free
| from grease.
| If in any case a moderate amount of
/ fat is desirable, it is better administer
| ed in form of fresh, sweet, uncooked
! butter or cream, or vegetable oil Each
| article of food must be prepared in such
| manner as to demand but little effort
on the part of the digestive system. Di-
! gestion uses up energy AID will retard
| the process of repair if undue tax is
| placed upon the system in its debilita-
| ted state. The nutritive elements of the
| food are extracted by mingHng with
/ and being saturated by the digestive
| juices sent out from the various glands
| in response to calls from the sense of
| small, or taste, or sight, aroused to de-
| sire by the stimulating odor, flavor or
| appearance of the food. If the condi-
| ton of the patient is such that these
| agents cannot be appealed to and in
| consequences the juices do not act, the
| food cannot fulfill its mission in nour-
| ishing and recuperating the body, but
| remains an inactive power for good but
| a fruitful cause of further disorder in
| the system. In such cases the feeder"
| must resort to pTedigested foods. These
| should be fully understood by the
| housewife as the ordinary preparations
for the sick, although they do not be-
| long so much to her needful knowledge
/ as to the diSpensary.
| WHAT THE FOOD MUST DO.
| Food must replace where disease has
wasted the energy and vitality of the
body, as in fevers. 1t must fortify the
| system against collapse following SUCH
/ illness or the shock attendant upon sur
| gica1 operations. In the former instance
| it is difficult to give sufficient variety
| in the foods themselves and the nurse
must depend up her ability to not only
/ administer the right kind of food but
| on the many little details that affect
| the patient very strongly, although per-
| haps not so important to one in health
| Illness has not only impaired digestion
/ to a serious extent but deprived the
patient of the desire to eat. This dis
| inclination can in most cases be readily
| overcome by observing the greatest
/ nicely and daintiness in dishing and
| serving. The patients attention is Of