This condition is usually associated with some gastric catarrh. It arises from an error in diet, and more especially from too many sweets, unripe fruit, or a general excess of foodstuffs. It is important to note that the children of gouty stock are especially liable to attacks of gastric catarrh from chill.

The treatment is simple. All food should be withheld for twelve to twenty-four hours, during which thirst may be allayed by sipping hot water. A dose of castor oil or other aperient should be given at the outset. In older children, where there is a distinct history of the recent ingestion of unwholesome food, an emetic may be useful. After twelve to twenty-four hours' starvation, a little weak beef-tea, or chicken, mutton, or veal soup may be given, with a thin wafer of toast. If this is well borne, milk in diluted form may be added to the dietary, not more than 2 to 3 ounces being given at a time. The lighter forms of milk pudding and a little fish or chicken can soon be given, the recovery of the patient being usually a rapid one.

In cases of gastric catarrh which develop after a chill, the recovery may be more slow (see also Food Fever, p. 350). This may necessitate a day or two in bed, and the use of peptonised milk, albumin water, and the weaker beef-teas. In these patients a preliminary starvation cure for twenty-four hours is usually advantageous. In the rare cases in which the child is prostrate from excessive vomiting, stimulants may be advisable, champagne being probably the most useful form, given in closes of 1/2 to 1 ounce, according to the age of the child.