Evening star., 1926-09-17
FOOD AND HEALTH
BY WINIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

| We are apt to think of an infec
tion as being something immediate
! and capable of a speedy ending; either
Of the germ or the individual harbor
ing 1t. AS matter of fact, many OF
our most battling cases of indigestion
or other illnesses are due to a. state OF
! chronic infection, a condition that Is
more or less lasting. One good ex'
ample of this is a chronic tuberculous
infection. Such types of infection are
| evident according to special rules. All
| other chronic infections are for the
| most part best treated by careful at
tentton to the exact type of diet which
| is most easily digested under prevail
ing conditions.
This means, of course, special at
tentton to individual digestive power.
| In fact, this digestive capacity is the
only item that must be taken into
| consideration in planning q diet for
| cases Of this character.
Appetite must be given special at
tentton. Food must be concentrated
so far as bulk is concerned, that is,
large quantities of foods containing
cellulose such as fruits and vegetables
| may irTitate and will certainly not
give sufficient nourishment in pro-
portion to weight.
Another principle that governs a
satisfactory diet in such cases is that
| in relation to protein or body building
material. In normal individuals the
tendency is to keep the amount of
| bodybuilding material of which meat,
| fish and eggs are types, down to a
comparatively moderate level.
In cases of chronic infection, how
ever, the opposite sometimes is true.
| If the physician orders an increase of
| this type of food, careful supervision
| must be exercised over the kidneys.
| If 1t turns out that the increase of
protein or bodybuilding food is caus-
ing trouble in the kidneys, then the
home dietitian must govern herself
| accordingly and cut down on the meat
eggs and fish.
| In the days before prohibition
physicians frequently depended to a
| certain extent on the judiciouS use of
appetite of a person with chronic in.
fection. Even now there are on the
market perfectly law-abiding bever
ages to give to such an individual.
| A good way to plan the diet is to
| map out the supply of energy nor
mally required by the patient and
| then to increase the calories suffi
GENTLY to take Care of the extra strain
on the system.
w mere the lnfectl0n Is acute. the
list of foods allowed is exceedingly
| limited. In cases where the infec-
tion is chronic. however, the variety
| need be limited only to such consid-
erations as those noted above To
repeat. the urine must be watched
| very carefully, as must the intestines.
for any signs of putrefaction. Either
of these signs Is indication that meat
and eggs must be omitted for a time.
Since bulky fruits and vegetables
are not part of a concentrated diet.
| fruit juices. especially that of the
grape, may serve a triple purpose
Whet the appetite, help the system
to acquire much needed mineral salts
| and vitamins and supply wholesome
beverages at one and the same time.
Finally, the three -meal-a day plan
with a light smack" at bedtime or be
tween meals is usually most satisfac-
tory. If there is much fever, the pa
tient must be fed every two hours
with much reduced portions. In any
| case, the entire program must be sub.
| mitted to the physician for his ap-
proval.
Copyright, 1926)