Valere aude (dare to be healthy) : $b or, The light of physical regenerationDechmann, Louis
Science
Valere aude (dare to be healthy) : $b or, The light of physical regeneration
Dechmann, Louis
Diet therapy; Health
The danger that the patient will receive too much solid food, hard to
digest, is generally speaking not very great since, during acute fever,
patients as a rule show a decided lack of appetite. The other extreme is
the more likely to occur; that the amount of nutrition given may be less
than what is requisite and helpful; too much deference being paid to the
inclinations of the patient. Formerly the general belief obtained that
fever would be increased, in a degree detrimental to the patient, by
allowing the consumption of any considerable amount of food, and
following this doctrine, the patient was permitted to go hungry. This,
however, is absolutely erroneous. _No one would feed a feverish person
in a forcible manner, but it is absolutely imperative to take care that
he receives food productive of energy in reasonable quantities._
As a rule hardly one-half, or at the most two-thirds of the normal
quantity of nourishment necessary for the preservation of life, may be
introduced into the organism in case of acute febrile disease. I have
already indicated that there is no particular danger in such partial
"inanition" (starvation) for a short period, but that, accordingly, the
qualitative side of the nourishment becomes more important the longer
the fever lasts. It has also been mentioned that the organism reduces
its work of decomposition, gradually adapting itself to the unfavorable
conditions of sustenance, and thus meets our efforts to maintain its
material equilibrium.
_It is important always to make use of any periods of remission and
intermission, during which the patient has a better appetite and can
digest more easily, to give him a good supply of food._ It is also well
to administer _as much nourishing food as possible_ in the beginning of
an illness, which is likely to be lengthy, provided the patient is not
yet wholly under the effects of the febrile disease. The food must then
be gradually reduced in the course of the illness.
As to quality, the diet must be selected from forms II and III (as
below), and will consequently consist of glutinous soups, in some cases
with the addition of a nutritive preparation of egg, meat jelly, milk
and possibly thin gruel and milk.
The quantity of food which the patient may receive can only be given
approximately, as follows:
For adults--(to constitute a sustaining diet). Soup 1/2 pint, milk and
milk gruel 1/3 pint, meat 3 oz., farinaceous food the same, 2 eggs,
potatoes, vegetables, fruit sauces 2 to 2-1/2., pastry and bread 2 oz.
These quantities must be considered as the maximum for each portion. The
quantity of beverage at each meal must also be very limited, not
exceeding 3 to 6 oz., so that the stomach is not overburdened
unnecessarily nor its contents too much diluted.
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