In China a doctor is engaged to keep the family well. He would be greatly helped by some knowledge of foods on the part of the mother of the family who plans the meals, for just as much as a good diet is essential for the maintenance of health, so one that is badly planned causes the lowering of the power of resistance of the body. This gives a chance for the disease germs which are ever present around us to get a foothold in the body and to develop into some serious condition. Aside from this, improper food is often the direct cause for much illness, whether of a serious kind or of some trifling nature which is, however, sufficient to lower working ability.

When the individual is sick and under the doctor's care, the doctor's directions as to the food that must be eaten must be carried out implicitly.

If, however, the nurse or the mother has a certain understanding of the terms in use when speaking of the kind of diet which can be given to the invalid, she can be of great help to the doctor. There are three such typical diets in common use in the hospitals today. The first of these is known as the Fluid Diet. As is shown by its name no solids are given, but all nourishment is given in liquid form. Milk, of course, is the basis of such a diet, alone or in various combinations with eggs, gruels, and broths. Fruit drinks are also included and the food value of these may also be increased by the use of eggs. It is usual to give such a diet in small quantities at frequent intervals.

Typical invalid diets

The second is known as the Soft or Semi-Solid Diet. This would include all foods in the fluid diet and the simplest of solid foods, such as toasts, custards, whips, souffles, gelatine dishes, and ice cream. All meat, fish, and green vegetables are omitted.

The third diet is known as the Light or Convalescent Diet. This diet is very similar to one that would be given a healthy child, since the aim is the same in both cases - to provide such food as will build the body without disturbing the digestion. Plenty of milk would be used in this diet as well as in the others and would be supplemented by the simpler meat dishes, well-cooked cereals, baked potatoes, green vegetables, fruits, and plain desserts. No fried food nor rich dishes would be given to a convalescent any more than to a child.

Since digestion is aided by the attractiveness with which the meal is served, this point should be carefully noted in the service for an invalid. The meals should be served at regular intervals, the foods should be cooked as perfectly as possible, and the whole served daintily on a tray covered with fine linen and the best china used. It would stimulate the appetite of the patient to have a little surprise on the tray, either a single flower, a gift, or a looked-for letter. It is never well to leave the invalid to eat his meal by himself, since pleasant companionship also tends to the better digestion of the food.

When one is first taken ill, fasting for two or three days does no harm in the case of an adult, since there is usually a sufficient supply of material in the body which can be utilized in such an emergency. During this period the digestive tract would have a chance for a complete rest. If, however, the illness is protracted, a sufficient amount of food must be provided to supply the fuel for the body activity. It was thought at one time that because a person was lying in bed and not performing any external work that he did not need any food. This theory is now just as obsolete as is the general bleeding of patients used some centuries ago. In studying a patient with a respiration calorimeter it was found that a healthy man of normal weight lying in bed for twenty-four hours would require about 1850 calories just to cover his internal muscular activity. In case of sickness the individual may even require more than this to overcome the wasting away of tissue due to bacterial action. The knowledge of this fact has revolutionized the feeding of patients suffering with long-time illnesses especially with such fevers as typhoid.

Serving