Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-10
Table
and
Kitchen.

s Kitchen. 3
8oouoo1ssooooo0oooo01ooas1 3
Conducted by Ida Ames Willis,
Marquette Building, Chicago. All
rights reserved by Banning Co., Chi
cago).
General Rules for Feeding the Sick.
For general rules for guidance in
feeding the sick we copy the following
from high authority:
In acute disease it is we'll to Fecom-
mend d special plan OF diet: in chronic
cases It is often more convenient simply
to TO, bid those articles which are likely
to prove harmful.
Before recommending any article it
is well to ascertain whether the pa
.ient likes it, and how it agrees with
him. No article of food should be for
hidden unless one has a good reason
for doing So
Unless there is some strong contra
indication, attention should always be
paid to the wishes and taste OF the pa
ticnt. This rule was first formulated
by Eippocrates in the aphorisin, such
food as is most grateful, though not
so wholesome, is to be preferred to
that which is better, but distasteful;'
and Sydenham recognized it's value
when he wrote: More Importance is
to be attached to the desires and feel
ings of the patient provided they are
not excessive or dangerous, than to
doubtful and fallacious rules of medi-
cal art"
If any article of food disagrees it is
better to reduce the quantity of it
taken before cutting it out of the die
tary altogether.
Changes in diet should, if possible
be made gradually. One should never
prescribe a diet for a patient without
having first ascertained what his habits
are as regards work and exercise.
Fluid Diet.
This is the first diet in fever. 1t has
the advantage of supplying water to
the tissues, of which they stand in spe-
cial need in fever; they crafty thirst
and do not necessitate chewing, which
taxes the patient owing to the dimin-
ution of the salivary secretions.
Milk is the simplest and most aYail7
able of nutritious liquid foods. IT
should form the basis of the diet If
it does not seem to agree with the pa
tient give it in small proportions and
taken very slowly and frequently, Or
modify it by adding water, or some al
kaline, or effervescing water, or lime
water. 1t may be the fat in the milk
causes the trouble. In this case it
should be SKINNED. If the patient
tires of it change the flavor--a little
cold coffee, caramel or malt extract
will often be agreeable.
The milk may be fortified by addi-
ton of cream, if easily borne, or by one
of the carbohydrates, such as milk
sugar or Il pure gelatine in small guam
tity, or the white of egg, or several
other food articles well known to the
physician. Sometimes milk Will pro-
duce vomiting and diarrhoea which
makes it necessary to peptonize the
milk or give koumiss instead.
However, restrict the feeding to the
plain (and if necessary diluted) milk
diet to the patient in bed with fevers
of short duration until you find that
insufficient to repair nutrition. Two
quarts a day will meet the demands
and sometimes even a little less in
cases where the body can afford to a
certain extent to draw upon its own
resources. and sometimes this must be
allowed when the stomach is very
weak and easily overtaxed.
Soups beef tea and broths belong
TO fluid diet, but are not strictly
speaking. foods. They are slightly
stimulants and used chiefly to excite
the appetite and are grateful to the
thirst of the patient. These may be
given in the proportion to pint day.
When diarrhoea is present avoid the
use of soups, broth, ETC., containing
meat cxtractiveS.
Semi Solid Foods.
Cereal preparations of various kinds
may be added to milk and made to
form Il thin, unsweetened Cruel, or the
beef teas and broths may be made to
serve as vehicles for conveying car
bohydrates farInaccous or prepared
proteid preparations into the body, thus
rendering their nutritive value much
higher and their stimulating quality
less liable to do harm if used rather
frequently.
Jellies approach the solid foods in
appearance and FORM but their nutri-
tive value is small. Their use in the
dietary. however, is well known and
they are always acceptable to the sick.
They may be made of beef, chicken,
veal or a combination of these, or of
gelatine-the latter favored with wine,
orange or lemon. We will give a few
simple preparations for liquid diet and
later follow them up with other we'll
known and useful preparations for the
invalid.
Home Made Beef Tea.
This process is usually a wastetul