cure for
inebriety. Health and strength may be fully maintained upon fine
wholemeal unleavened bread, pure dairy or nut butter, and apples.
Apple water or apple tea is an excellent drink for fever patients.
Apples possess tonic properties and provoke appetite for food. Hence the
old-fashioned custom of eating an apple before dinner.
_Apple Tea._
The following are two good recipes for apple tea:-- (1) Take 2 sound
apples, wash, but do not peel, and cut into thin slices. Add some strips
of lemon rind. Pour on 1 pint of boiling water (distilled). Strain when
cold. (2) Bake 2 apples. Pour over them 1 pint boiling water. Strain
when cold.
_Asparagus._
Asparagus is said to strengthen and develop the artistic faculties. It
also calms palpitation of the heart. It is very helpful to rheumatic
patients on account of its salts of potash. It should be steamed, not
boiled, otherwise part of the valuable salts are lost.
_Banana._
The banana is invaluable in inflammation of all kinds. For this reason
it is very useful in cases of typhoid fever, gastritis, peritonitis,
etc., and may constitute the only food allowed for a time.
Not only does it actually subdue the inflammation of the intestines,
but, in the opinion of at least one authority, as it consists of 95 per
cent. nutriment, it does not possess sufficient waste matter to irritate
the inflamed spots.
But great care should be taken in its administration. The banana should
be _thoroughly sound and ripe_, and all the stringy portion carefully
removed. It should then be mashed and beaten to a cream. In severe cases
I think it is better to give this neat, but if not liked by the patient
a little lemon juice, well mixed in, may render it more acceptable. It
may also be taken with fresh cream.
A friend who has had a very wide experience in illness told me that she
was once hurriedly sent for at night to a girl suffering from
peritonitis. Not knowing what she might, or might not, find in the way
of remedies when she arrived at her destination, my friend took with her
some strong barley water, bananas, and an enema syringe. She found the
girl lying across the bed screaming, obviously in agony. First of all my
friend administered a warm water enema. A pint of plain warm water was
injected first, and after this had come away as much warm water as could
be got in was injected and then allowed to come away. The object of this
was to thoroughly wash out the bowe
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