ACUTE GASTRIC CATARRH. 509 



In gastric catarrh, caused by catching cold, the causal indications 

 demand diaphoretic treatment. 



When induced by unknown epidemic influences, there are no causal 

 indications to fulfil. 



For the fulfilment of the indications of the disease, it is just as ne- 

 cessary to follow out the strictest dietetic rules, as it is unnecessary to 

 give medicine. Experience teaches that the abnormal hyperaemia, mu- 

 cous secretion, etc., of the gastric mucous membrane readily and speedi- 

 ly disappear on the removal of the causes which had induced or kept it 

 up. But, as there is no doubt that even the mildest ingesta may main- 

 tain catarrhal hyperaemia, it is safest to keep patients with acute gastric 

 catarrh without food for a while to let them fast entirely. This is 

 particularly advisable in the form called status gastricus. This order 

 is often objected to ; anxious mothers can hardly make up their minds 

 to refuse their children all nourishment, even for a short time ; adults 

 with acute gastiic catarrh do not feel hungry, it is true ; but they 

 have a longing for salty, piquant food. The more we insist on the 

 fasting, the better results we shall have. If the disease is protracted, 

 if it is accompanied by fever, or if, on account of the consumption of 

 tissue, caused by the fever, we fear continuing the starvation, we 

 should give nourishment in the fluid form, as that causes least irrita- 

 tion. In choosing this nourishment, we must remember that the gas- 

 tric secretion is rendered alkaline from the admixture of mucus, and its 

 digestive power greatly impaired. Hence we should usually forbid 

 milk, eggs, and meats, which require acid gastric juice for their assimi- 

 lation, and, as long as there are no signs of abnormal formation of 

 acid, we should only permit amylaceous food. The so-called water- 

 soups are very suitable nourishment for persons with protracted gas- 

 tric catarrh. 



It is exceedingly difficult to manage the diet of children with acute 

 gastric catarrh, which has been caused, and is kept up, by decomposi- 

 tion of the contents of the stomach, that it is difficult to arrest. Milk, 

 which is the most suitable and natural food for children, is injurious to 

 them in these cases, because it quickly decomposes ; then arises the 

 difficult question : What shall we give them instead of milk ? Under 

 these circumstances, what nutriment will not be decomposed and trans- 

 formed into injurious substances ? We may easily satisfy ourselves 

 that oat and barley gruel, as well as arrow-root and panada, are 

 changed, and become sour as quickly as milk. 



For the successful treatment of the disease in question, we should 

 carefully remember that the children do not suffer from hunger, even 

 if we withdraw all nourishment for a day or two, and feed them on 

 fresh water alone, avoiding even the addition of sugar. If, under this 



