FOOTNOTE:
[94] Malted foods are contraindicated, as malt exerts a very laxative effect.
CHAPTER XIII
FEVERS IN GENERAL
Fever is an abnormal condition characterized by an elevation of body temperature, quickened respiration and circulation, and a certain amount of tissue waste. This elevation of temperature may be due to various conditions, such as local inflammation, infectious diseases, disturbed metabolism and food poisoning (ptomaine).
Tissue Waste in Fevers.—Fevers of short duration, such as accompany colds, tonsillitis, chicken pox and intermittent fever, remittent fever, and at times malarial fever, do not cause sufficient tissue waste to make the nutrition the important feature of the treatment. In ptomaine poisoning the tissue waste may be great, but it is the result of the poisoning, as is the fever, so that the diet needs to be adjusted only after the disturbance has abated. In the beginning, starvation is instituted and the fever disappears when the poisoning is controlled.
Treatment of Fevers of Short Duration.—In all fevers of short duration then, the treatment is directed with the following points in mind: (1) relieving the cause, (2) preventing gastro-intestinal disturbances, (3) saving the heart, kidneys, etc., extra strain.
Dietetic Treatment.—In doing this the diet is so formulated as to meet the above-mentioned conditions, and fluids seem the best form in which food can be given to bring about the desired results. The quantity of fluids should be small and the intervals between feedings short. Two-hour intervals seem best in the beginning. These intervals are lengthened as the fever decreases and the amount of food at each feeding increased. When convalescence is established, semi-solid, soft or convalescent diet may replace the fluids and the patient gradually brought back to a normal diet.
Fluid Diet.—The following foods constitute a fluid diet: milk, whole milk, plain, peptonized, or albumenized, buttermilk, koumiss, malted milk, milk shake, milk punch, cream, whey; fruit beverages, plain, albumenized, or mixed with whole raw egg; eggnog, milk and ginger ale, cocoa, strained gruels, broths reënforced with egg or plain. Carbonated water may be added to milk or fruit beverages.