F. Diet in Cases of Typhus.
Typhus abdominalis is a form of disease which requires the most careful dietetic treatment, since it combines high fever, which lasts for several weeks, with a severe ulcerous process in the small and large intestines.
Nutrition is seriously hampered by the long duration of the illness, usually considerable lack of appetite and the absolute necessity of nursing the ulcerous intestines in the most studiously careful way.
In cases which develop to the highest degree, it naturally follows that the patient wastes away to a great extent.
In the first place, all solid food must be strictly avoided. Too great stress cannot be laid on this point, since the patient, especially in lighter cases, frequently shows a strong desire for food—especially fruit.
Any lack of firmness and caution in this respect may have the most disastrous consequences. Many a patient suffering from typhus has lost his life or experienced a bad relapse and hemorrhages of the intestines through a mistake in diet,—through taking too much or unsuitable food.
The most critical period for the liability to hemorrhage, which in some cases is very profuse, is the third, and in lighter cases, the second week, when the crust of the intestinal ulcers begins to scale off.
The diet list, as in cases of typhus, consists of Form II, and milk; and it should be made a rule to confine it strictly to the most simple food, bouillon, mucilaginous soups, milk, undiluted or with tea, everything prepared with a little egg. Cream will sometimes agree with the patient.
The stools will indicate the digestion or otherwise of the milk. If there are many morsels of casein apparent in the same, the quantity of milk must be reduced and given in diluted form. The use of meat juice, liquid or frozen, and meat jelly, is quite permissible. Although neither of these preparations are very strong, they must be considered as important building-stones for the nourishment of the patient, and they offer a little variety, which is often most desirable.
Drinks. For drinking, usually fresh water is used, also bread and albumen water, especially Dechmann's Plasmogen, 15 grains in one pint of water, a mouthful from time to time alternating with Dechmann's Tonogen.