We see, frequently, such a thing as this: a person is confined to bed, sick and ill; there is no desire for food, but rather a loathing at the very idea of eating; distressing symptoms of various sorts are showing that the work of digestion and assimilation is going on badly, if really going on at all. The patient is started on a course of hot water in half-teacupfuls every ten minutes. When this has gone on for perhaps six or seven hours, he begins to be very hungry, and takes food with relish, probably for the first time for months past. In the meantime a greatly increased quantity of water has passed from the body one way and another, but has all passed loaded with waste material. The breath is loaded with carbonic acid and other impurities; the perspiration is loaded with all that makes it differ from pure water; the urine, especially, is loaded with waste separated from the blood and tissues of the body. The space, so to speak, left vacant by all this washing away of waste matter makes its emptiness felt by a call upon the stomach to furnish fresh material. Some will say that the hot water merely passes off by the kidneys without entering the circulation at all. This is impossible, and facts, patent to everyone, demonstrate that they are in error. The substances with which the water becomes impregnated show that it has been mingled with the circulation, and the wholesome effects produced prove that it has made itself useful. "Hard" water, as it is called, will not do so well as "soft" water. Distilled water is best of all. So much superior is it, indeed, that its use cannot be too strongly insisted on. It can be had from the druggist at twopence per quart. Where nourishment is given with too little water, the food will often fail almost entirely to enter the circulation. But a little warm water, somewhat above blood heat, but not too hot, will make all right. This is especially seen in nourishing infants (_see_ Infants' Food). Food, then, will not act as water does, nor will water act as food. Even a little sugar mixed with the hot water completely alters its effect on the body. As it has already dissolved the sugar, it cannot dissolve what is needed to be removed from the body. Sugar and water is not a _bad_ mixture, but it will by no means do instead of pure water in the cases we contemplate. On the other hand, a mixture of alcohol with the water is ruinous, and that just in proportion to the quantity of alcohol, small or great. Beer, for example, can never do what is required of water, nor can wine, or any other alcoholic drink. Tea added to the water also alters its quality. The water _alone_, and as nearly perfect in purity as it can be got, is the only thing which will do the necessary work.