It is extremely doubtful whether any form of meat juice, meat extract, or other substance derived from meat ought to be given in the acute stage of the disease; because all these things stimulate a secretion of the gastric juice, which is undesirable at this stage of the disease. Nevertheless, it is usual to prescribe Valentine's meat juice, Brand's essence of beef, or Mosquera's beef-jelly with ice, small quantities only being given at a time.

Milk should never be given in an undiluted form to these patients, because it forms hard curds which cause pain, increase the vomiting, and otherwise are injurious. But if it is given with half or two - thirds of barley-water, rice-water, tragacanth-water, or isinglass, the curds formed by the milk will be small and soft, and they will be usefully employed in fixing the gastric juice which is secreted. The presence of alkalis, such as lime, soda or potash, neutralizes the acid, and thereby prevents the irritation due to the presence of gastric juice. But alkalis do more than that; they lessen the toughness of the mucus, and assist in its evacuation; they moderate the congestion of the mucous membrane, and sooth the irritability. Vichy or Vals water is often prescribed with these objects in view. But no fluid should be given in large quantities at a time. If the vomiting is very persistent it may be necessary to confine our attempts at feeding to giving a teaspoonful only of these substances every quarter of an hour, with a small piece of ice in between. Other patients may be able to take an ounce of fluid every half-hour, with a little ice and meat essence or jelly between. When liquids are rejected a teaspoonful of moss jelly or ordinary jelly may be retained. If milk and barley-water or other mucilaginous fluids is returned some Plasmon or Tilia might be tried. If the vomiting lasts more than twenty-four hours, rectal feeding should be resorted to. A mustard-plaster over the region of the stomach may check the vomiting by acting as a counter-irritant.

When the irritation of the stomach has subsided other foods may be cautiously given. One of the most bland and least irritating foods is junket. It is palatable, soothing, and absolutely free from anything which can disturb the stomach. A junket-tablet dissolved in a tablespoonful of cold water and added to a pint of lukewarm milk will make a smooth, soft, and delicious jelly in ten or fifteen minutes, which is ready for consumption as soon as it is cold. It may be flavoured with sugar and a drop of essence of lemon or vanilla, or a little extract of meat or beef-juice. Similar remarks apply to egg-custard; but this is more solid than junket and requires longer digestion owing to the coagulation of the egg. Jelly of almost any kind would now be agreeable to the stomach.

As soon as we know that the stomach will bear these articles very well we can begin to give others of a higher nutritive value and increased solidity. But the ancient rule of making haste slowly (festina lente) must be resolutely adhered to. The patient may desire more substantial food, and if it is allowed to be consumed too early there will either be a relapse of the acute symptoms or the disease will pass into the stage of chronic gastric catarrh. This is the period when Benger's Food and others which are partly predigested are of value to the patient. These foods should therefore be given: while affording additional nutriment to the body they do not greatly tax the stomach. Mellin's Food is a useful material for such cases.

(i) The following is a recipe for an unirritating food:-

Mellin's Food......1 tablespoonful

Cream.......2 tablespoonsful

Milk........1/2 pint

Two eggs; a pinch of salt.

Beat the eggs, salt, and cream together; add the milk, and place it in a double pan or in a basin over a pan of boiling water. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens a little; take it from the fire and continue to stir it for two or three minutes longer. Then add the Mellin's Food, previously dissolved in a little hot water. Mix all together; sweeten with sugar if it is desired, and add a teaspoonful of brandy or a tablespoonful of good sherry.

(2) The yolk of the eggs may be used alone if it is not heated, and more Mellin's Food can be added. Dissolve two tablespoonsful of Mellin's Food in a teacupful of warm water; beat up the yolk of two eggs, stir them into | pint of milk, with a teaspoonful of brandy or a tablespoonful of sherry, or salt to make it palatable, and mix all together. This mixture should not be boiled, and it is not so thick as the former.

(3) The food may be made into a jelly: Take 1/2 pint of milk, 1/2 ounce of gelatine, one egg, a large tablespoonful of Mellin's Food, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Put the milk and gelatine into a double pan or a basin over a pan of boiling water, and stir until it is dissolved. Let the yolk of the egg be beaten; pour the mixture over it, and stir steadily; return it to the stove; add the salt, sugar, and Mellin's Food dissolved in a small amount of water. When the mixture thickens stir into it the white of the egg, previously whipped; pour it into a mould until it is set.

As the stomach regains its normal condition other articles of food may be taken. A cupful of chicken or veal broth, a poached egg, or a little bit of steamed sole or plaice may be tried. But we must not "force the pace"; let the stomach have time to recover from its indisposition. The patient can live on milk foods, and it will be better for him to be satisfied with them for some time longer, rather than to incur the risk of a relapse or of transforming the sub-acute and transient condition into the more durable or permanent chronic gastric catarrh. A few more recipes for foods useful at this stage of the disease may here be given.

(4) Chicken Or Veal Cream

Take 1/2 pint of chicken or veal broth, 1/2 ounce of gelatine, and a breakfastcupful of Savory and Moore's Best Food. Let the food be prepared according to the usual directions. Make the broth hot and dissolve the gelatine in it; strain it into the food; add a table-spoonful of cream, and sufficient salt to make it palatable (but no pepper or other heating condiment), and pour it into a mould to set.

(5) Blancmange can be made by dissolving 1/4 ounce of gelatine in 1/2 pint of Savory and Moore's Food prepared in the ordinary way. It can be flavoured with a table-spoonful or two of strong coffee, chocolate, sherry, or fruit juice.

(6) Batter pudding is usually made with ordinary flour, but for persons who suffer from sub-acute gastric ailments, flour which has been partly dextrinized by heat or partly digested by pancreatic ferments is preferable. We have at our disposal many invalid foods of this character. Take a table-spoonful of Savory and Moore's Food and a tablespoonful of flour; mix them in a basin. Break an egg into the flour and thoroughly mix it, at the same time gradually add 1/4 pint of milk, and continue to beat it for a few minutes. Pour it into a buttered cup or basin, cover it with a piece of buttered paper, and steam it gently for half an hour.

When it is known that the stomach bears these things very well, we can advance a stage farther. Milk puddings may be taken in greater quantity, especially sago and tapioca puddings made with eggs. Sole, plaice, whiting, and fresh haddock, or turbot with a plain milk sauce and a tablespoonful of mashed potato, may be taken daily. It is better for the potatoes to be mashed by being put through a wire masher rather than to be pounded with a pestle; the former method makes them very light and digestible, the latter forms a close pasty mass which is not so permeable. A small amount of spinach, vegetable-marrow, or puree of cabbage may also be taken. A few days later some breast of chicken, pheasant, or guinea-fowl may be eaten; also some stewed prunes or apple-sauce and custard, bread and butter, and weak tea. On the following day some roast mutton may be tried. Thenceforward, if these foods have agreed with the patient, any light articles of food may be taken. But the patient should be warned that dietetic sins are as certain to bring their own punishment as other sins: that if improper foods be consumed by him a penalty will follow, and the consequences of such improprieties may be serious and followed by lifelong misery. It especially behoves these people to avoid high game, pickles, sour fruit, alcoholic liquors, excess of sweets, pastry, sausages, and other spiced foods. If care is exercised in the final treatment of these cases the stomach may return to its normal condition. But if the patient is careless about his diet, which may happen through ignorance of its importance, the condition will gradually pass into chronic gastric catarrh with hypochlorydia, atony, or loss of the motor power, and finally dilatation of the stomach. The consequences of such carelessness should, at any rate, be pointed out to the patient, and continual care should be exercised if these dire consequences are to be avoided.