Immediate treatment is necessary; do not neglect a day; incurable conditions may appear. Diet is of primary importance, as drugs frequently irritate the stomach and should never be given except under the supervision of a physician. Select a non-stimulating diet, one that will utilize the secretions formed by its presence in the stomach. The patient should have rest, and the motor action of the stomach must not be taxed in the slightest degree. A good balance can be maintained for several days by the use of milk preparations. Albuminized milk, modified milk, peptonized milk, sipped slowly - held in the mouth a second or two before swallowing. Later, when the appetite comes, give cornmeal and arrowroot gruels, "ye perfect food," Meiggs' food, egg flip, egg cordial, almond milk and plum porridge. After this, if the patient is improving, add a little finely-minced sweetbread; scraped mutton cake, with dry, un-buttered, bread; soup a la Reine and Salisbury meat cake. Do not, however; add solid foods too soon.

Fruit juices may be given throughout the disease, not with meals, but as a feeding. If any of these foods do not irritate the stomach and seem to agree, continue for several days, changing from one to another to keep up variety. If sweet milk does not agree (and it will not unless sipped slowly) substitute modified milk, or milk and lime water, or whey, with the addition of milk sugar.

This disease calls for moist, not dry foods. Well-cooked light cereals, as farina, Cream of Wheat and Wheatlet, will take the place of bread, but should be thoroughly masticated. Hot water may be sipped thirty minutes before each feeding, and, in fact, for several months to come give a cup of hot water an hour before each meal. Subacid fruits - bananas, blackberries, raspberries and peaches - may be cooked in a little water thickened with arrowroot, and strained through a fine sieve and served warm with a little whole milk. Banana meal mush, with milk, is frequently borne with greater ease than other foods.

If fermentations begin, stop at once all carbohydrates (starches and sugars), substituting meat broth, fruit juices and modified milk.

Lightly broiled sweetbread, chopped fine with a silver knife, seasoned with a little celery salt, makes an exceedingly good meal, if the patient can be induced to eat it. A scraped beef cake, mixed with two tablespoonfuls of fresh-grated pineapple, seasoned and broiled lightly usually agrees very well. Mutton may be substituted for beef.

After the patient recovers, he must live on simple, carefully-cooked foods for a year, and perhaps longer. Avoid pork, veal, fried foods, lobster, clams, crabs, shrimps, rich sauces and highly-seasoned soups, coarse vegetables, raw apples, pears, condiments, excessive salt dishes, anchovies, herring, caviar, strong tea, coffee, and wine with meals.