THE GOLDEN RULE IN DIETETICS. 147 



of rest is secured for the digestive glands. It is interesting that in 

 clinical investigations with the stomach-tube, after a period when the 

 alkalies were looked upon as succagogues, a new phase has also set in, 

 mention being now more frequently made of a restraining effect. 



The cause of the erroneous belief that alkalies promote a flow 

 of juice obviously lies in this, that people omitted to compare the 

 effects of the saline solutions with those of like quantities of water 

 (Dr. Chi gin). 



The second point which we may consider is the following. The 

 chief difficulty of the physician who wishes to regulate the diet of 

 patients when they suffer from digestive disturbances consists in the 

 fact that idiosyncrasy plays a very important role. In one and 

 the same illness, different patients react to the same diet in wholly 

 different ways. That which is agreeable to one, and is well borne and 

 useful, may be rank poison to another. Consequently, the golden rule 

 in dietetics is to give no directions with regard to food till one has made 

 inquiries concerning the inclinations and habits of the patient. What 

 does all this indicate ? Till now physiology had no experimental 

 answer to the question. But our facts, it appears to me, contribute to 

 a clearing up of the situation. Every food determines a certain amount 

 of digestive work, and when a given dietary is long continued, definite 

 and fixed types of glands are set up which can only slowly and with 

 difficulty be altered. In consequence, digestive disturbances are often 

 instituted if a change be suddenly made from one dietetic regime to 

 another, especially from a sparse to a rich diet, such, for instance, as 

 happens after the long Russian fasts. These disturbances are expres- 

 sions of the temporary insufficiency of the digestive glands to meet the 

 new demands made upon them. 



Finally, it may be of some use to relate the following here : There 

 are often cases of sudden and unaccountable digestive disturbances 

 From the standpoint of modern physiology they might be explained by 

 an activity of the secreto-inhibitory nervous system, which from some 

 cause or other has been excessively and abnormally stimulated. In any 

 case, this system is now a factor of which the physician has to take due 

 account. 



