The diet should consist of milk and cream with well cooked strained pearl barley and steel cut oats or bran, a moderate amount of toast, calf’s-foot jelly, eggs, strained legumes and fat meats. Raw greens, fruits and nuts should be given as soon as the child is able to digest them without difficulty. Always select the food in the right combination and never allow excesses of any kind. The bowels must be kept regular by enemas. OBESITY. Obesity is a constitutional disease, due to excess of food in general or to excess of wrong food and interference with the nerve supply controlling the oxidation processes. Thousands of people who suffer from this “fat habit” could cure themselves by proper attention to hygiene and diet. A normal individual who lives right, thinks right and is engaged in useful work, does not need to carry useless fat around with him. Do not take the advice of a friend who promises relief with dangerous drugs and salves, or excessive steam-baths and violent exercises. A diet suitable in quality and quantity to the particular constitution, useful activity, alternated with sufficient rest and recreation, and plenty of sunlight and dry, fresh air, are the only means to bring permanent results. A change of occupation is necessary at times. The dry diet, consisting of the necessary amount of proteins, with a large amount of raw greens or fruits and fats, and abstinence from tea and coffee and foods which are rich in starch and sugar, will bring relief to the majority of people who have a tendency to grow stout. There are special conditions which require special treatment, such as tonic baths, massage, sun-baths, osteopathic treatments and special prescribed diets and exercises which cannot be discussed here. CHAPTER II. CARE AND FEEDING OF CONVALESCENTS. Convalescence depends much upon the proper food. Fevers require that the patient’s strength should be kept up. If the body has been overfed on certain articles, these must be stopped, and those elements which are needed must be administered in the form of food, water, air and so on. The fever is nature’s method of throwing off disease,--and if properly guided it does not become dangerous. A physician should be sent for at once. The diet prescribed for the patient and the directions in regard to quantity, temperature and time of administration should be carried out in every detail, just like other directions in regard to nursing. Many a patient has been seriously injured or even killed through the administration of foods which were forbidden by the doctor. At times there is a special desire for a particular kind of food. It may be an indication that the system requires it, and such craving should always be reported to the doctor, and if possible the physician will suggest such a food or some substitute which will answer the purpose.