The digestive faculties in an old man are weak; but milk is in a manner ready digested. He wants an easy nourishment; and this affords it; without loading the stomach, or oppressing it during the hours of rest.
Asses milk is most easy of digestion: a pint of that, with a small toast, eaten two hours before bed-time, will be nourishing; and sit easy on the stomach. The value of asses milk is its lightness: that of the cow is richer and heavier. Those who use the latter in the country, should mix it first with an equal quantity of soft water: in London this care is unnecessary, those who sell milk do it for them.
There are many other methods in which milk is proper: milk pottage, and thin rice milk, will give a change. But some farther pleasing variety need not be denied. Weak broths of veal, chicken, and mutton, may be eat occasionally; and Jellies honestly made at home, are proper, safe, and wholesome.
These things will answer the two purposes of nourishing, and moistening; for aged persons are naturally too dry.
The breakfast is not very important. Those who eat no supper are too hungry in a morning; and the stomach being loaded with what they take at that time, is the less able to digest a dinner. This is the reason we advice old persons to eat suppers, of a right kind; these take off the too keen edge of the morning’s appetite; and there will remain just so much desire to eat, as will lead them to get a little into the stomach without loading it.
Men may fast away their appetite; and their power of digestion goes with it. The conduct of the appetite regulates the health; and this is a point not enough regarded.
It is as essential not to keep the stomach empty, as it is not to overload it. Wind is the consequence of emptiness; and this always disturbs its office. It should be constantly kept at its due employment in advanced periods of life; and this by small quantities of proper food.
Therefore breakfasts are as necessary as suppers: only those who are troubled with phlegm should eat less at this meal than others. A cup of chocolate, not made too strong, is a good breakfast. Coffee I cannot advise generally: but the exceptions against tea are in a great measure groundless.
If an elderly person likes tea, he need not deny it to himself for breakfast. Let him use the plain green sort of sixteen shillings a pound, and make it well; taking care the water boils, and allowing so much tea that it may be of sufficient strength, without standing too long upon the leaves.
Let him drink three moderate cups, with a little sugar and a good deal of milk; and take it neither too hot, nor mawkishly cool. Let him eat with it a thin slice or two of good bread, with a little butter: and he will find all this nourishing and excellent.