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.
The reduced meals are harmonized with the object of sufficient general nourishment by eating more frequently, about five to six times a day. Patients with fever should have some food in small quantity every 2 to 3 hours. It is important that _the patient be fed regularly at fixed times_. This will be found advantageous both for the patient and for nursing.
_Form II_ comprises _purely liquid nourishment, "soup diet."_ Consommé of pigeon, chicken, veal, mutton, beef, beef-tea, meat jelly, which becomes liquid under the influence of bodily heat, strained soups or such as are prepared of the finest flour with water or bouillon, of barley, oats, rice (glutinous soup), green corn, rye flour, malted milk. All of these soups, with or without any additions such as raw eggs, either whole or the yolk only, if well mixed and not coagulated are easily digested. (Besides albumen preparations, Dech-Manna powders, dry extract of malt, etc., may be added).
_Form III_ comprises _nourishment which is not purely liquid_. Milk and milk preparations (belonging to this group on account of their coagulation in the stomach):
(a)--Cow's milk, diluted and without cream, dilution with 1/2 to 2/3 barley water, rice water, lime water, vichy water, pure water, light tea.
(c)--Full milk, either diluted or undiluted.
(e)--All of these milk combinations with an addition of yolk of egg, well mixed, whole egg, cacao, also a combination of egg and cacao.