During the stage of fever, digestion is impaired; therefore, only easily digested and assimilable food should be given. Liquids, such as milk, gruels, and broths, are the best. Nausea and vomiting make feeding difficult, or, for the time, impossible. Rectal alimentation may have to be resorted to. It is rare that the rectum is tolerant, for diarrhea is the rule in such cases. Rectal feeding must also be employed during the periods of coma and convulsions. Huebner has advised forced feeding with the stomach-tube. So long, however, as a patient can swallow, it is best to give some food by the mouth. Often it can be given by the teaspoonful only, or by a medicine dropper inserted between the nearly closed lips. If temperature is high, the food should be peptonized. It may be milk or broth, or both. If temperature is nearly normal, it is unnecessary to digest food before it is given.

For mild cases a somewhat varied liquid diet should be prescribed, such as milk, kumiss, broth, meat-juice, custards of egg and milk, and soft-cooked eggs.

In the rare protracted cases characterized by repeated remissions and exacerbations the greatest pains should be taken during the former to administer nutritious food. A gradual wasting is the rule. This must be controlled by giving as nutritious food in as large amounts as possible.

During convalescence food is craved and can be given generously five or six times daily. At first eggs, milk, and cream toast, cornstarch, blanc mange, rice, oatmeal, and the other cereals, scraped or minced meat, and oysters should form the menu. Later squab, breast of chicken, chop, steak, fish, jellies, fruit, the simple vegetables, and breads may be added to it. Since the discovery of a curative serum by Flexner the disease can be made milder and the expectation of recovery is much greater.