Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-06
DIET KITCHENS USES
BE READY FOR EMERGENCIES
VARIETY AND DAINTINEss.
Food That Should Be Served to
Persons Who Are Not In
Health.

From the New York Tribune.
Every well-regulated family has Its
medicine chest, it's collection of simple
remedies for colds, indigestion, headache
and like ailments, but there is a growing
regard for more thorough equipment In case
of illness and emergencies.' said a sub
urban lecturer the other day, taking up the
matter of diet kitchens and the application
of the art Of dietetics to the treatment of
disease. "And If the modern woman Is
thoroughly up to date she has diet
kitchen in her household.
For all general rules of diet health Is
presupposed. But various notifications Of
diet are necessitated by disease. Articles
of food, though ordinarily wholesome,
which would increase the difficulty must be
avoided all the normal parts of the body
all the unaffected parts-must be carefully
nour1shed, and certain kinds Of food must
be given for curative purposes, food which
probably would not be recommended for
general use.
'It were we'll If greater heed were paid
to the treatment of the patient than Is COM
monty bestowed on that of the disease,
says prominent English physician. For
tunately, in the practice Of medicine, as
now carried on, particular attention is d.
rected to the diet. Food and a right die
tetic treatment come to be depended upon
quite as much as medicine|f not more
save in acute illnesses. Dietetics. accord
ing to modern enlightenment, has secured
careful study more particularly within the
last quarter century; the subject was GER
tainly insuffciently appreciated before that
time. Today, through the researches of
psychologist and chemist, it Is possible to
bring more exact knowledge to bear In the
dieteuc treatment of many morbid states,
and a good deal of this acknowledgement es-
tablished and beyond disputes also pos
sible of application provided the means are
at hand.
Ounce of Prevention.
Faculty is Yankee for SAVIOR faire, and
the opposite virtue to inability, unreadiness.
To the woman who has faculty nothing
is impossible. Having taken care that
everything about her household-cellar, sink
drains, bath rooms, ventilation, care being
especially important at this time Of the
year-she also makes provision for the pos
sibility of sickness in her family. The
preparation is merely kind of health in
surance. 1t is only morbid woman who
does this in a sense of nervous anticipatory
dread. / well remember girlhood friend
who announced to me gleefully that her
younger sister had the mumps. I am glad
something has really happened she said
for mamma has always worried and wor-
ried about us. There Is a whole bureau
full of old linen pieces for bandages, but
she didn't know how to make the Cruel that
the doctor wanted Emily to have Dc
mothers realize how often they are weighed
by their children and found wanting?
THE all-round woman knows how tt
make Cruel and broth and such sick room
necessities; she does not attempt to pre-
pare beef tea from the extract with colo
water-as l heard an unmodern woman
suggest doing just the other day. Moreover
the modern woman has al the appurte.
nances ready to hand in her diet kitchen
Any small room upstairs, convenient OF
access, and preferably on the second floor
will answer for diet kitchen. If possible
it should be adjacent to some large room
available in case of Illness But even &
good sized closet, provided it has window
may be utilized. The advantage of such g
room is great in cases needing only slight
care and is Unreasonable in protracted i'll
ness.
Outfit for Diet Kitchen.
I'm addition to the usual receptacles 70,
containing food-tight jars and tin boxes
or dishes as attractive as one wishes-the
essential outfit is not elaborate. 1t should
consist of a spirit or gas lamp. kept ready
to heat porcelain-lined saucepan at any
time. day or night; a cooking thermometer
for use in hot fluids; measuring glass tC
hold six eight ounces; glass funne
and a medicine dropper; meat mincine
machine and an egg beaten. good chatting
dish, although not necessary, Is highly de-
sirable. There must of course be salt
and pepper and sugar, and a reasona BILE
supply of dishes, knives, forks and spoons
Such an equipment gives opportunity fol
the quick, ready preparation of dropped
egg or an egsnog, a cup1ul or matted milk
or beef tea, hot lemonade-in fact. of any
Of the light dishes which help so greatly
toward convalescence, and which are oft
times omitted because the cook would be
disturbed by an invasion of her kitchen fol-
the purpose. Then, If the medicine ches,
of homeopathic or other remedies Is kept
here likewise, doses can be measured anG
administered with greatest facility.
1T is during convaleScence that the in
genuity of the caretaker is oftenest taxed.
Variety is a great point In arousing appe-
tite. Aside from broth, beef tea and egg
nog. there are many palatable. nourishing
compounds possible, such as the beaten
white of egg, favored with lemon juice, or
a glassful of orange juice, with lemon ma
voring. Oranges peeled and separated In
sections, the tough white skin and seeds re-
moved, then piled on shaved ice, are de-
lghtful. unexpected dish. AS to Cruel
generally considered disagreeable-a train
ed nurse gives the following directions for
a most palatable oatmeal drink: Take
coarse oatmeal have it pounded fine. cover
with cold water, stir, then allow 1t to set.
tie and pour off the water, repeating three
times: boil the water thus obtained fifteen
or more minutes. season, strain and mix
with a cu2ful Of hot cream. Served with
crisp bits of toast, this Is most appeuz
ing cruel.
Dainty Service.
"Daintiness in serving-dainty dishes and
attractive trays-adds infinitely to the
tempting effect of food. to invalids ever
more than to we'll people. 1t is in the OBJ
servance of the nicely of detail in prepar
ing and serving food for the sick room thai
most successful results are obtained
hou oba 90
ion in respect to some of the commences
articles of diet for the sick. Beef tea hal
been in and out Of repute, but there is lit
tie doubt now as to it's stimulating and rep
aratives qualities. Yet one must always dis
tinguish between dietary suitable fol
acute disease. when one has to wait and
tide over difficulties, and a diet that NAV
be better adapted to restore a weak or con
valescent patient. In most cases of acute
disease beef tea, freshly prepared, can wei
be taken and digested. 1t is unfortunately
good rule to boil milk before using it, es
pecially in the case of children and youns
This m