Doctors Chase and Rose advise farina used more frequently than oatmeal, and the plain cream soup, rice or potato, more often than soups made of celery or asparagus (the latter used to break the monotony). They also advise the more frequent use of green string beans and asparagus in preference to other vegetables.
Elimination of Salt.—In many cases of nephritis, especially those belonging to the parenchymatous type, the kidneys manifest a difficulty in eliminating salt, and instead of excreting the normal quantity, find it impossible to eliminate more than two or three grams or less a day. The retained salts pass into the fluids of the tissues, giving rise to or increasing the already existing edema. Tests[117] have been devised to find the extent of the kidney function to excrete salt. The following diets are among those commonly used:[118]
3 liters of milk (this contains 5 gm. sodium chloride and 100 gm. protein)
or
Strauss Diet, consisting of ¾ liter milk, 4 eggs, 150 gm. bread, and enough fruit and fruit juice, tea and sugar to make it palatable. (This diet contains about 3 gm. of salt.)
If the kidneys are able to excrete the amount of salt contained in these diets, salt may be added in quantities of from 5 to 10 grams.
Salt-poor Diets.—When the kidneys are unable to eliminate the normal amount of salt, some of the salt-poor diets should be advised. Coleman claims,[119] however, that these diets have not fulfilled the promises held out by them. Coleman groups the salt-poor diets under three headings:
(1) The strict salt-poor diet, of which Widal’s diet is an example.
(2) The medium strict salt-poor diet, allowing from 2.5 to 5 grams of salt a day. Under this heading the milk diet was placed, in which 2 to 3 grams of salt is served a day at table.
(3) The moderate salt-poor diet, in which from 5 to 10 grams of salt are allowed each day. In using this diet it is not necessary to prepare a special menu for the patient, but take precautions to leave the salt shaker off the tray and exclude bacon, ham, and other salty foods from the dietary.