(a) Directions should not be of a general nature; all directions should be made specific, and in writing.

(b) The relation of the meals to rest, exercise, and work should be clearly defined.

(c) The quality and quantity of fluid ingested may be as important a consideration as the solid constituents of food.

(d) Keep in mind that in many instances the patient is simply giving free play to his appetite, and all that is necessary is to get him to stop over-eating. This may require a little tact, as in (e).

(e) Begin by cutting off some of the "extras" in the dietary.

Tell the patient that these are bad for him. These may not in themselves be injurious,but as a part of the whole they are throwing an unnecessary strain on the digestive functions.

(f) The patient's previous experience of the food recommended should be investigated. Regard must be paid to any idiosyncrasy, if such really exist.

(g) All meals should be taken slowly, special attention being directed to efficient mastication of the food.

(h) It may be advisable to make any radical change in diet slowly; a return to a normal diet should certainly be made gradually.

(i) If you decide to put the patient on a special system of diet, and more especially a restricted diet, and a satisfactory result is not obtained within two or three weeks, the diet is unsuitable and should be changed.

(J) Keep in mind the season of the year with its associated proclivity to over-indulgence in certain articles of diet, especially fruits.

(k) The application of the pancreatic reaction in the urine is of value in indicating whether the sugars and starches should be specially restricted (p. 377).