In no class of cases is more benefit derived from the "rest cure" than in ulcers of the stomach. But the treatment should be carried out with thoroughness. Less than that is useless in any case coming under treatment. The idea is to produce physiological rest, that is absolute rest of the mind and body, including the stomach. By putting the patient to bed the expenditure of the body can be reduced to about 1400 calories of energy per day, which is considered the minimum. The feeding should be begun by giving 2 ounces of milk every two hours; this will be 24 ounces in twenty-four hours, and will yield 500 calories, or one - third of the energy used by the body; the remainder will be obtained by oxidation of the patient's tissues. If pain and vomiting follow these small doses of milk it may be diluted with an equal quantity of barley-water, lime-water, or other alkaline water to prevent the formation of curds. But the bulk of the meal is thereby increased. If the stomach resents this, we must resort to other means of preventing the formation of curds - viz., peptonization of the milk or the addition of 2 or 3 grains of citrate of soda to each ounce. In a mild case the patient will do very well with such treatment. On the second or third day the amount can be increased to 3 ounces of milk every two hours, making a total of 36 ounces; and each day the dose may be increased by 1 ounce, until a tea-cupful of milk is taken every two hours, making a total of 4 pints a day. Now, 1 pint of milk will yield 410 calories and 4 pints about 1600, which is enough to supply the energy used up and a little over to prevent the loss of flesh. If the patient cannot get through 4 pints a day we must resort to various ways of strengthening the milk. The first method is the addition of a milk-powder (Sanatogen or Plasmon); if these agree the total milk can be reduced to 3 pints on the condition that it is fortified by such powders. If they do not agree we can add some ordinary sugar, milk-sugar, and extract of malt, or Mellin's food to the milk for the same purpose. We can also add some Benger's food to one or two meals a day, or some peptonized milk gruel. If all seems to be going on well we can add a few other things to the list, so that by the end of a week the patient is getting: milk (3 pints), Benger's food, Sanatogen or Plasmon, 2 raw eggs, some jelly, junket, baked custard, Brand's essence, beef Plasmon, and a tablespoonful of raw meat juice in an equal quantity of port wine twice daily. It should be remembered that the gastric juice contains too much hydrochloric acid in most cases of gastric ulcer, therefore all kinds of extract of meat should be avoided, because they would exaggerate the hyperacidity. But if the physician knows there is no hyperacidity, or that the gastric juice is deficient in the normal acid, it would be proper to give some extract of meat (Bovril, Lemco, Oxo) in the milk two or three times a day. These are ideal diets for such cases. But it is not always possible to maintain the standard at this high level. We must, however, do our best, and never lose sight of the fact that when the patient is not getting enough food to supply the energy used by the body, the tissues are used as fuel to provide such energy. After two or three weeks' treatment in this manner we must begin to increase the quality, quantity, and solidity of the food. The amount of milk should remain the same, but more Benger's food may be given alternately with Mellin's food or dextrinized cereal foods, such as Ridge's, Neave's, Savory and Moore's. Junket is a very useful food at this stage. If these disagree we can try peptonized milk gruel, boiled arrowroot, or fine oatmeal, cooked for four or five hours. The following recipes will be useful:-

(a) Take 1/2 pint of milk, 1 egg, a dessertspoonful of Mellin's food, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of sugar. Boil the milk; beat up the egg, and pour the milk slowly over it, stirring all the time; return to the fire; when nearly ready add the salt, sugar, and the Mellin's food, dissolved in a very little water, stir until it begins to thicken, and pour it into a mould. It may be eaten warm or cold.

(b) Take a tablespoonful of Savory and Moore's best food and cook it in the usual way with 1/2 pint of milk. While hot add 1/4 ounce of gelatine, sweeten to taste, add a little flavouring, pour it into a mould, and turn out when it is cool.

If these foods agree we can next try a spoonful or two of scraped meat, pounded chicken or fish, and an equal amount of mashed potato. At the end of a month the patient should be able to take a poached egg and stale bread and butter for breakfast; sole, plaice, or whiting for dinner; and sponge or Madeira cake for tea; a cupful of tea is also permissible. A gradual return to the ordinary diet should be made from this time forth, and the progress should be rapid.

In cases considered to be severe by reason of great haemorrhage, persistent vomiting, or some other indication of a more serious condition, it is advisable to stop all feeding by the mouth for the space of a week. Nothing should be swallowed. Rectal feeding should be resorted to. As rectal feeding is adopted in other cases besides ulcer of the stomach, a special article will be devoted to it. In these cases the patient should be given a "feed" of 5 or 6 ounces every four or six hours. We must not blind ourselves to the small amount of nutriment obtained in this manner. Six feeds a day, including a total of 1 1/4 pints of milk, 3 raw eggs, 1 ounce of extract of malt or glucose, and a little brandy, would only yield about 700 calories, or less than half the amount of energy spent by the body when absolutely at rest. But even this would not be all absorbed. Anybody who has treated patients in this way must have observed the large proportion of faeces which is returned. Moreover, the great deficiency of the food is evident by the rapid wasting of the body during such feeding.