In feeding the sick, whether in the home or in the hospital, we are very likely to be governed by the three-meal-a-day tradition, and by the sentiments of interested friends rather than by sound judgment. The physician and attendants of the sick are frequently embarrassed, and not rarely actually diverted from a rational plan by these traditions and sentiments. In the home the well members of the family feel that if the sick one does not have three square meals a day he is being neglected and starved. In the hospital visiting friends are likely to feel that if an amply loaded tray is not brought into the room during the visit the patient is not getting the worth of his money.

As indicated above, sound reason frequently dictates a complete cessation of all food ingestion for twenty-four to seventy-two hours in the early stages of various diseases. The appetite of the patient may be usually taken as a safe guide, if not as to the particular kind of food the patient should have, surely as to whether or not he should have any food at all. After the initial fast the food must be selected with respect to the needs of the patient and to his cravings. To be properly and quickly digested the food must excite appetite. Here are a few principles that may govern the attendants of the sick:

I. Never serve more food than the patient is supposed to take. A precarious appetite that would relish a small amount of well-cooked food daintily served often experiences a complete revulsion when a great quantity of food is presented; so in the rick-room we may well depart from that code of etiquette that prompted our ancestors to lead their guests to a table groaning under the weight of food enough for three banquets.

II. The tray, the linen, and the dishes should be absolutely spotless in their cleanness. The dishes should be pretty and dainty, the linen the best that the house affords. The silver should be polished; food should be put upon the beautiful china dishes in an artistic way, garnished, if possible, and never smeared about the edges of the dishes, or dripped upon the napkins which cover the tray. As the tray is taken to the sick-room from the kitchen, it should be covered by a napkin. When this is removed in the presence of the patient the meal should always present at least one surprise to tempt the appetite.

It goes without saying that flies should be kept out of the sick-room and out of the kitchen absolutely for various reasons: first of all, on general sanitary grounds, to prevent the spread of any communicable disease to other members of the family or the neighborhood. Second, on aesthetic grounds, to promote the comfort of the patient. If flies alight upon the tray containing the food just brought from the kitchen, just this fact - trivial though it may seem to a healthy person with a strong appetite - may completely destroy all craving for food, and the patient turns away from his meal in disgust.

III. Cater to the patient's idiosyncrasies and personal likes and dislikes in the preparation of his menu, but do not consult him about it in advance. Members of the family may be consulted, but let each meal have at least one surprise in store.

IV. Physical preparation of the patient must be cared for if the meal is to be enjoyed. First of all, let the patient be put in a comfortable position, if that is possible. Second, let the face be washed with a wet wash cloth or sponge and dried. Let the mouth be thoroughly rinsed with cold water. After this preparation the patient waits expectant for his meal while the nurse goes to the kitchen to bring it. Not to be ignored in importance is the personal cleanliness of the nurse herself. Particularly must the hands have been evidently recently washed in preparation for the occasion whenever it is necessary for her to assist the patient in eating, or to feed the patient. If all of these little precautions are adopted, and all of these principles faithfully observed, the result will usually be satisfactory.