is the chief diet for the first three
weeks. If it disagrees, it should be modified or peptonized to suit
the condition. Koumiss and buttermilk may be substituted when it is
impossible to prepare the milk so that it will not cause digestional
disturbances. This, however, is seldom found to be the case during
infancy. Malted milk and even condensed milk, or some of the
dextrinized and malted foods at times prove valuable when whole milk
disagrees. But the nurse must remember that a baby runs a risk of
developing nutritional diseases of a grave character if fresh milk is
eliminated from the diet for any great length of time.

Older children may have plain vanilla ice cream and plain junket,
oyster or clam broth made with milk, the oysters and clams carefully
strained out. Lemonade and orange juice may be given, but no meat
broths or albumenized beverages or egg dishes can be admitted to the
dietary.

~Development of Nephritis.~--Nephritis must be guarded against. The
skin, being covered with a rash, is put out of commission as an
excretory organ; in consequence all of the work of this description is
placed upon the kidneys. In the first part of this text the work of
the kidneys was defined; it was found that they were the chief organs
for the excretion of the end-products of protein metabolism. It can be
readily understood that when these organs are given not only their own
work but that of the other organs to perform, unless the food
requiring the greatest amount of effort on the part of the kidneys is
confined to those types which can be most easily taken care of, such
as milk, the kidneys stand a great chance of becoming impaired. Such
is the case in nephritis.

~Convalescent Treatment.~--The return to normal diet must be made with
the greatest caution. Specimens of urine must be taken often, for in
this way alone can the development of nephritis be reckoned with.[87]
Should nephritis develop in spite of efforts to prevent it, a
farinaceous diet[88] such as is given in these conditions must be
resorted to.

After three weeks, if the patient shows no disposition toward
nephritis, and if convalescence is progressing satisfactorily, the
diet may be increased day by day, adding milk toast, cereals, cream
soups, rice, baked potato, then custards and soft eggs, the soft part
of oysters, broiled or baked fish, broiled breast of chicken, and,
still later, rare beef and lamb chops. Meat, however, must not be
given until a