Evening star., 1902-01-14
Table and Kitchen.
How Food Should BE Prepared for
tIan inlx

How Food Should BE Prepared 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 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 debil-
ftated after a long and wearing Illness.
Range of Foods Limited.
In preparing food for the invalid 1t
must be borne in mind in most cases the
range Is restricted as to materials, and that
only certain methods OF cooking are ad
missble. Pork and the richer kinds Of fish
are out of the question. Veal, except for
broth or Jelly. Is not suitable, especially If
1t Is not well grown. Frying is not allowed,
and. general speaking, baking is quite as
objectiona BILE.
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 1t. In fe-
vers the aim Is to prevent waste OF the pre-
cious albuminous tissue: to furnish the sys-
tenn with sufficient water to replace what is
lost by evaporation and carry of waste
matter from a system that Is sluggish be-
cause 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 relish"
wins half the battle for life and restored
health by tempting the patient to partake
Of suitable nourishment at the beginning
Of bof ;ol kjf fobo nh ior IL
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 fla
vored. Milk and milk foods particularly
should be kept and prepared In vessels
used for no other purposes and capable of
being thoroughly cleansed and scaldad.
Where there is frequent demand for inva-
lid food. it Is advisable to use special Cook
ing utensils for this purpose. keeping them
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 pa-
tient is served hot and not 1ukeWarm, and
the cold foods cold.
The Manner Of Preparing.
The manner Of preparing should be the
simplest, and seasoning and havoring very
carefully regulated to the patients CASTE
sensitive, and ordinary seasonings are too
strong and 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 descriptions must be
carefully removed from the food and left
entirely out Of the cooking if possible.
When soups and broths are made, remove
every particle of grease before serving. If
this cannot be completely done by skim
t,1rn 80 al, o1>-1.
per. lay them on the surface 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
II In any case moderate amount Of fat
is desirable, 1t is better administered in
form of fresh. sweet, uncooked butter or
cream, or vegetable oil. Each article of
food must be prepared In such manner as
the digestive system. Digestion uses up
energy and will retard the process Of re-
pair If undue tax Is placed upon the sys-
TEN in its debilitated state. The nutritive
elements of the food are extracted by min
Cling with and being saturated by the di-
gestive juices sent out from the various
glands In response to calls from the sense
of smell, or taste. or sight, aroused to de-
sire by the stimulating odor. flavor or ap-
pearance Of the food. II the condition of
the patient is such that these agents can
not be appealed to and in consequence
the juices do not act the food cannot full
ating 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 predI-
gested foods These should be as fully
understood by the housewife as the ordi-
nary preparations for the sick, although
they do not belong 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 surgical opera
tions. In the former instance 1t is difficult
to give sufficient variety in the foods them
selves, and the nurse must depend on her
ability to not only administer the right
kind of food, but on the many little details
that affect the patient very strongly al
though perhaps not so important to one
In health Illness has not only impaired
the digestion to a serious extent, but de-
priyed the patient Of the desire to eat. This
disinclination can In most cases be readily
overcome by observing the greatest nicely
and daintiness in dishing and serving. The
patients attention Is often distracted from
food he or she forms an unreasonable
aversion for by few pretty dishes and the
dainty and attractive manner OF present.
ing the unpopular but wholesome form of
nonrishment.
Coupled with attractiveness In serving
must be knowledge Of how to produce
as are suitable to the very sick; for the
whims and prejudfces of the patient must
not be considered to the retarding of their
recovery. Do not combat them openly
or Individual likes or dislikes with in
Naiids, as 1t is your province to know what
they require and to see to It that the nee
>essary kind Of foods are made paiatabie