The temperature of the food should be tested before serving. Blood warm is generally the best. The tray should not be loaded with a variety of foods. The patient should not be tempted with food unless forced feeding is indicated. If the tongue is coated, give a little water with lemon juice before breakfast, especially if milk foods are to be eaten. If the appetite is not keen, do not take milk foods for breakfast. VOMITING. If vomiting occurs or is continued for any length of time, it may be checked by giving cold weak tea or black coffee at frequent intervals, or a few drops of brandy in a tablespoonful of ice water. In many cases it is better for the patient to have his breakfast in bed for some time after recovery, especially if the exertion of dressing is tiresome or the temperature of the room is unsuited to the patient’s condition. A mild warm room is preferable to an overheated one. DIET. Diet for the sick may be classified as liquid, semi-liquid and solid foods. A liquid diet is generally given only during acute illness or after operations. The kind of food, as well as the amount and intervals at which it should be given, are usually prescribed by the attending physician. Therefore, only a few suggestions are given. If nourishment by enema is necessary, predigested substances are the best; peptonized milk and malt extracts or well prepared, strained gruels of bran and oats, or of bran alone, to which one to two teaspoonsful of brandy have been added. Black cereal coffee or weak black coffee are often excellent where stimulation is desired. The amount should be from one to three ounces at a time, and the temperature should be luke warm. It must be injected very slowly. If the patient is of a nervous temperament, or suffers from irritability of the stomach, he should have as little animal food as possible, especially for breakfast. As a rule a well prepared water gruel satisfies the demands of the body until the noon hour. It acts as a sedative and rests the whole body, and in this way more nervous energy can be expended for digestion at the noon meal. There are some exceptions; for example, if a patient has had a restless night and is exhausted, he may have a cupful of freshly prepared whey or bran-tea with milk or cream before his breakfast. As a rule such conditions should not appear during convalescence, and may be prevented by intelligent nursing and avoidance of unnecessary company. The greatest care should be taken not to allow a patient to eat rapidly or to take large quantities at one time, and also to avoid foods which produce fermentation. SUGGESTIVE MENUS. 1. Breakfast. A cup of whey with or without lemon, and albumen water. 10 to 11 A. M. Five to ten ounces of milk, diluted with gruel or tea. Dinner. Gelatine prepared from barley, rice, bran or legumes and a little zwieback. 3 to 4 P. M. Cocoa or milk (5 to 10 ounces) with zwieback. Supper. Malt coffee with hot cream and milk-sugar and zwieback.