nd prepared in the most
careful manner, the amount of food given at a time must be small--it
is wiser to feed the patient oftener than to run the risk of
indigestion by giving more than can be readily handled by the already
taxed digestive apparatus.

~The Bowels~ must be kept open in the majority of cases. Peristalsis
is stimulated by the giving of water and fruit beverages as soon as it
is advisable to give anything by mouth.

~Reenforcing the Diet~ is at times necessary in order that the
patient's strength may be kept up. In such cases lactose, eggs and
some of the predigested casein or beef preparations are found to be
valuable.

~Before the Operation~ the patient must be made ready to take the
anesthetic. This is done by preventing an accumulation of food in the
intestinal tract. The day before the operation, then, it is necessary
to limit the diet materially by giving food in small amounts. The
light diets prescribed in acute conditions are as a rule suitable,
unless otherwise indicated.

~The Day of the Operation~ a cup of tea, coffee, or broth may usually
be given, with a cracker, unless the operation is to be performed
early in the morning, in which case the patient is given no food at
all. Some physicians allow a glass of milk on the day of the
operation, but this is left entirely to the physician in charge.

~After Operation~ a period of total abstinence from both food and
water is necessary in order not to increase or induce nausea and
vomiting. As soon as these symptoms subside, unless otherwise
indicated, a certain amount of hot, cold, or carbonated water may be
given. After this, albumen water may form the first nutrient
administered. Milk, broth and fruit beverages follow the giving of
albumen water, after which the semi-solids, such as soft eggs,
gelatin and milk soups, constitute the convalescent diet.

~The Character of the Diet~ after the operation depends wholly upon
the nature of the disease for which the operation was deemed
necessary.

~Diet After Gastro-enterostomy~ must be adjusted in order not to
increase the acid content of the gastric organ, otherwise the delicate
mucous linings of the intestines would be subjected to direct contact
with materials which are irritating in character, owing to the fact
that the mass passes through the new opening and has thus been
deprived of the neutralizing agents found in the upper part of the
intestinal tract. Under the circumstances milk, albumen