Spring Menu. Eczema

Whether or not eczema is a disease caused by bacteria, it is obvious that the weapon with which to combat this disorder is pure blood with an abundance of the white corpuscles. These phagocytes of the blood may be properly called the police of the body.

The patient should observe the following general rules:

Drink an abundance of pure water both at meals and between meals. Omit cane-sugar and all acids.

Dress as lightly as possible, and do not wear woolen garments next to the skin.

Take sufficient vigorous exercise each day to cause perspiration. If this cannot be done, the Turkish bath should be resorted to once a week.

Spend as much time in the open air as possible.

The meals should be substantially as follows:

Breakfast

A few spoonfuls of wheat bran, cooked, and eaten with cream

Two or three bran meal gems

Two or three egg whites, whipped very thoroughly, to which add a spoonful of cream

One ripe banana

Luncheon

A green salad, with nuts - liberal portion A fresh vegetable; preferably boiled onions or carrots

A baked potato

Dinner

A salad of any green succulent plant

Young onions

Peas or asparagus

A baked potato or baked beans

Summer Menu. Eczema

Breakfast

Raspberries, blackberries, grapes, or cantaloup A potato - sweet or white A cup of cocoa or sassafras tea (See recipe, p. 681)

Luncheon

Beets, asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or okra A potato - prepared choice

Dinner

Two fresh vegetables; choice of:

Asparagus Beans Beets Carrots

Corn

Eggplant

Onions

A very ripe peach or a cantaloup

Just before retiring, eat a few very ripe peaches, and take a tablespoonful of wheat bran.

Fall Menu. Eczema

Either of the following menus may be chosen for a period of ten or twenty days. They are designed especially for the removal of all forms of autointoxication or self-poisoning which sometimes manifest themselves by skin eruptions. While autointoxication may not be the primary cause of eczema, it augments all zymotic conditions. The chief purpose of these menus is to give to the body an opportunity to throw off the disease by removing all obstacles. I would therefore advise that the use of tobacco, tea, coffee, and all alcoholic stimulants be omitted.

From one to two glasses of water should be drunk at each of these meals, preferably a cup of hot water at the beginning, and a glass of cool water at the close. I would especially advise vigorous exercises night and morning, and deep breathing before an open window.

Winter Menu. Eczema

First Day: On rising, drink two or three glasses of water, eat a few grapes, and devote from three to five minutes to any one of the exercises shown in Vol. V, pp. 1343 to 1346, inclusive.

Breakfast

Baked white potatoes or bran meal gems A glass of rich milk

Luncheon

Baked beans

Bermuda onions

A potato or corn bread

Dinner

Any two of the following:

Beans Beets Carrots Parsnips

Pumpkin

Squash

Turnips

A green salad - either lettuce and tomatoes, or celery; very small portion

A baked white potato - eat skins and all (A cup of very thin cocoa may be taken, if something hot is desired; however, pure water would be preferable)

Just before retiring, devote from three to four minutes to the above-prescribed exercises. The lungs should be inflated to their extreme capacity. Do not carry any of these exercises, however, to a point beyond ordinary fatigue. Divide the exercise period, both night and morning, into three or four two-minute heats.

Exercise and deep breathing are second in importance to diet, and should be taken daily, night and morning.

Drink from one to two glasses of water at each meal, but do not take water into the mouth until mastication is perfect.

Second Day: The same as the first, slightly increasing the quantity of food until normal hunger is satisfied.

Third Day: Practically the same as the first, varying the luncheon according to hunger. The luncheon may consist of any one or two fresh vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, beets, baked white or sweet potatoes.

Fourth Day:

Breakfast

A cup of hot water

A sweet potato or two bran meal gems Two or three tablespoonfuls of wheat bran, with thin cream

Luncheon

Boiled onions A baked potato Choice of fish or an egg

Eat a pound of grapes ten minutes after this meal. The skins may be eliminated, but swallow the seeds and pulp. If grapes cannot be obtained, the juice of a sweet orange may be taken.

Dinner

String beans or spinach, with egg, and a liberal piece of Bermuda or Spanish onion, uncooked (The onions and the beans should be made exceedingly hot with red pepper)

A baked sweet or a white potato

A small piece of corn bread, with one-half glass of buttermilk

From one to two glasses of water should be drunk at each of these meals.

Just before retiring, devote from three to five minutes to the exercises prescribed for the first day.

Fifth Day: The same as the fourth, slightly increasing the quantity of food if there is a return of normal hunger; if not, continue to follow the diet as herein given, until natural hunger is felt.

Sixth Day: The same as the first, repeating the diet from eighteen to twenty days.