5 02 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



quantity, and to the time and manner of giving it. The kind of food 

 to be given is usually prescribed by the physician. If it is left to your 

 own discretion, consult, as far as possible, the tastes of your patient, 

 try to secure a judicious variety, and do not let him know until you 

 bring it what he is going to have next. Milk is the only article of 

 diet which contains in itself all the essential elements of nutrition. It 

 is, therefore, the only thing upon which you may allow your patient 

 entirely to subsist for any length of time. The most concentrated 

 forms of food are to be preferred, such as convey the greatest amount 

 of nourishment in the smallest bulk. 



Whatever you give, be sure that it is the best of its kind milk 

 perfectly sweet, eggs above suspicion. Remember that you have 

 more than the ordinary fastidiousness to contend with, and never offer 

 a sick person anything which you have not, pr-jviously tasted yourself, 

 and so feel absolutely sure of. This does not mean that you are to 

 taste it in his presence. Bring only so much as can be taken at once. 

 A large amount looks so discouraging that it destroys the appetite for 

 even a little. Take away promptly what is not eaten. It is worse 

 than useless to leave it in sight in the hope that it will soon be wanted. 

 Give only a small quantity of food at a time, but give it at short and 

 regular intervals. A capful every two hours is more easily managed 

 by weak digestive organs than would be a large meal three times a 

 day. When a table-spoonful can not be taken hourly without distress, 

 you may give successfully a tea-spoonful every quarter of an hour. 

 The idiosyncrasies of each individual case must be considered. Regu- 

 larity is, however, always important. When you do not feed your 

 patient again until morning, it is well to give him some light and 

 easily assimilated nourishment the last thing at night. 



If you have a helpless patient to feed, do it slowly, and avoid un- 

 manageable quantities. It requires attention and care to do this well 

 without making an external application of it. Fluid food is most 

 easily given, and with the least exertion on the part of the patient, 

 through a bent glass tube. 



Serve the food in as attractive a form as possible. If it pleases the 

 eye, it has a much better chance of proving acceptable to a delicate 

 appetite. You can at least have the dishes spotlessly clean, and dry 

 on the outside. Have hot things hot, and cold ones very cold. To 

 successfully cater to the capricious appetite of an invalid requires the 

 faculty of observation, judgment, and no little ingenuity ; but it is 

 worth the exercise of them all, for in most cases the question of nour- 

 ishment is more important than that of medicine. 



Give medicine or stimulant ordered always on time, and measure 

 it accurately. Acquire the habit of always reading the label before 

 you open a bottle. Pour the contents from the unlabeled side. Cork 

 tightly after using, as many drugs lose their virtue upon exposure to 

 the air. Use no remedies, however beneficial you may fancy they 



