In acute diseases the diet should generally be of the simplest and lightest kind, such as beef-tea or mutton-broth, sago, tapioca, arrowroot, or gruel, with, at the same time, some little respect paid to the palate.

Due regard, however, must be paid to the general character and condition of the constitution. For instance, acute disease may occur in a very debilitated state of the health, and then may require the addition to the above of some alcoholic stimulant.

The stomach in such cases would not be able to digest solid food. The absence of this must be supplied by soups, broths, eggs, etc.

In the feeding of invalids, even children, some attention may be paid to their cravings after particular articles. It will often be found that the thing longed for is not injurious, and may be even called for in obedience to some indication by nature. The following incident may serve to illustrate this observation. A child of about four or five years old was suffering under diphtheria, and had got to refuse the port-wine and beef-tea that had been ordered it. It seemed that there was nothing for it but that the child must die from starvation and diphtheria together. One day she woke up from a nap and saw a glass of ale which was being drunk by its mother with her luncheon. This ale the child cried for, but the mother feared to allow her to drink. When appealed to the medical attendant said, "By all means let the child have it; and even put it in her way that she may take it herself without let or hindrance." The next time the child woke up she eagerly clutched at the malt liquor, and drank off a tumblerful.

From that moment she began to mend, and for the next forty-eight hours persistently refused everything else, either as food or medicine, and eventually made a good recovery.

When the disease, though acute, is of a less severe character, and is not stamped with extreme debility, the stomach will tolerate light solids, such as white fish, fowls, bread, rice, light puddings, and ripe pulpy fruit and vegetables may be taken with advantage, as the acid allays thirst.

In chronic disease a fuller diet is required, comprising meat, with some stimulant.

Milk

Milk is the most important article of diet in infancy, and is also both nutritious and digestible in diseases of adult life. A prejudice exists in the minds of many persons to the effect that milk is not easily digested. The opinion is, however, at once refuted by the fact that it forms the nourishment of infants and of young animals of all kinds. Cow's milk, however, is sometimes unsuited to the stomachs of infants brought up by hand, or, from its richness in oil and curd, to the stomachs of persons enfeebled by disease. The best substitute that can be used is asses' or goat's milk. The latter, however, is richer than the former.

Swiss Milk

Avery good form of milk is the "Swiss" or "Aylesbury" milk, which consists of pure milk evaporated down to a syrup, and thickened and preserved with honey. It keeps well in tins, and even for a short time after it has been opened.

For the first three or four months of an infant's life the best food is nurses-milk alone. If for any reason this cannot be given, asses' milk is the best substitute. Next to this cow's milk, diluted with an equal proportion of water in which half a teaspoonful of powdered sugar-of-milk has been dissolved. Cow's milk differs from human milk in its excess of cream and curd. The cream consists almost wholly of oil globules. The addition of a solution of sugar-of-milk reduces it in one direction, and raises it in another, to the level of human milk: thus, sugar-of-milk contains all the saline matters of the milk from which it was made;* therefore, by its addition (with water) to cow's milk, while the curd and oil are diluted, the deficiency of the salts is supplied, and thereby its composition is as nearly as possible equalized or assimilated one to the other.

Most infants will thrive well on this hand-feeding, but there are two points of essential importance to its success. One is the giving the food with regularity. For the first two or three weeks the child should be fed every two hours during the day, and once or twice in the course of the night. The interval should gradually be lengthened after the month.

The same rule as to time should be observed, whatever be the food, whether breast-milk or any substitute.