Great caution must be used in regard to fruit juices and lemonade on account of the danger of irritation of the intestines.
Carbonated and other mineral waters must be strictly avoided, since they only add to the usually prevailing meteorism, or gas in the abdominal cavity.
Albumen water, which is occasionally used in case of febrile disease and intestinal catarrh of children, is prepared by mixing the white of an egg and two to four spoonfuls of sugar in a tumbler of water. This is strained and cooled before being used. It is easily understood that by this we generate new life in the patient, so to speak, through the albumen, since it contains a large quantity of tissue building material, which in turn prevents catabolism or destruction of the organism, this as contrasted with the methods of the old regime which dooms the patient to certain death by opiates,—a course frequently resorted to by inexperienced practitioners.
If, by attention and care, the treatment has succeeded in strengthening the energy of the resisting organism to a certain degree during the fever, it becomes necessary in due course to regulate the desire for food, which sometimes grows and asserts itself in a rapid and energetic manner, while the fever is receding.
The cessation of fever by no means indicates that the ulcers are completely healed, and any mistake as to quantity and quality of food may cause a relapse. Liquid diet must, therefore, be given exclusively for at least, another eight days after the fever has ceased. After this, from week to week, gradually, the use of Form III, may be employed and thereafter more solid food, as given anon, under Form IV.
These cautions must be strictly heeded, especially in case of typhus recurrens.
If in the course of typhus severe complications, such as hemorrhage of the intestines or perforation thereof, should supervene, nourishment must immediately be reduced to a minimum. In such instances it is best to confine the diet to mucilaginous soup and to forbid everything else, as long as hemorrhages have not ceased, or the other dangerous peritonitic symptoms have not disappeared. Gradually, Form V and lastly, Form VI, may be followed.
Form IV. Diet of the lightest kind, containing meat, but only in scraped or shredded form. Noodle soup, rice soup.
Mashed boiled brains or sweetbread, or puree of white or red roasted meat, in soup.
Brains and sweetbread boiled.