The diet of measles is that of acute febrile maladies in general. During the period of pyrexia, appetite and digestion are poor. Food at this time should consist of milk, milk preparations, broths, and gruels. Cool drinks, such as water, lemonade, orange-juice, Vichy, Seltzer, either plain or with fruit-juice, such as unfermented grape-juice, should be given freely.

Nephritis is as rare a complication of measles as it is common in scarlet fever. In some epidemics, enteritis, with diarrhea, is common. Care must be taken not to give solid food too soon or to vary the food too early.

During convalescence, or at its beginning, there is danger of an extension of the bronchial inflammation to the small tubes, and of bronchopneumonia. When these complications occur, dangerous prostration develops. Dyspnea, hebetude, and anorexia make feeding difficult. Digestion is slow and imperfect, but food is necessary to combat the growing weakness. Liquid food must be given often and in moderate portions. For adults, coffee is often useful as a cardiac stimulant.

During the febrile period of the illness, hand-fed infants should be given food oftener, and in a more dilute form, than usual, so that the stomach shall not be taxed while its functions are imperfectly maintained.

When convalescence begins in older children, a more varied diet may at once be prescribed. Solid food and especially nitrogenous foods need not be withheld, as in cases of scarlatina. Exception to this rule should be made in the case of hemorrhagic measles. This form of the malady is not only more severe, causing greater prostration, but is more liable to renal complications, such as nephritis, or, if not to inflammation of the kidneys, at leasSto renal incompetence.