Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1910 — Home Course In Domestic Science [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Home Course In Domestic Science

XYlll.—Food For lnvalids and Children. By EDITH G. CHARLTON, In Charge of Domestic Economy lowa State College. Copyright, 1910. by American Preas Association. THE chief difference between cooking for the sick and for those in good health is that the sick person must have his food properly prepared and the one who is perfectly well ought to have It properly prepared. One is a case of necessity in order to regain health; the other is a case of prevention to ward off sickness. There Is no medicine more important and powerful than the right kind of food cooked and served in the 'best way to make it easy of digestion and nutritious. Since this is true there is no part of nursing more important than that of preparing the Invalid's meals. Selecting and cooking meals for one who has little appetite mean more than choosing certain nutritious foods and cooking them well. They mean presenting the proper food to the patient in such an attractive way that an appetite will be .awakened and there will be a desire to eat. It is essential, tben. that special care be taken in arranging the patient's tray. A sick person is unusually sensitive to details. Little things which possibly would pass unnoticed by tbe person in normal health may cause actual discomfort to the one weakened by disease. The tray should always be covered with a clean cloth. The smallest stain or a rumpled appearance may take away the patient’s desire for the food. The prettiest, thinnest china and glass, the brightest silver. should be sent to tbe sickroom. Tuese in themselves will appeal to the eye and thus aid digestion. The food should be served in small quantities and by courses It is not unusual for the sijrbt of a tray loaded U, Band. 2 Band to be worn after second month. 3. Stockings. 4. Shirt. 5. Petticoat. S. Nightgown. 7. Cambric slip.] with many dishes on which generous helpings of food are served to take away the patient's appetite before ue has tasted a mouthful. A well till,Hi tray may be gratifying to the person convalescing from a long iiluess when food was limited to liquids but as a

rule it is unappetizing almost to every person. Before taking the tray to the patient make sure that his room is in order and that he is ready for the meal. Freshen the air in the room for a few moments, wipe the patieDt’s hands and face with a dampened cloth, straighten the bedclothes and rearrange the pillows. Then bring in the tray with the food on it freshly prepared. Serve hot things hot and cold things cold. Have everything as nearly perfect as possible. Place the tray w ithin easy reach of the patient if he is able to feed himself and then while he eats talk to him of Interesting, pleasant things, which will cause him to forget himself and what be la doing. Do not sit down beside the bed and watch every monthfu! he takes, occasionally remarking on his Improved appetite or the lack of it. Sncb a procedure is very likely to make the patient feel he has eaten enough before he is fairly started on the meal. The patient’s diet is naturally somewhat limited. There are a great many kinds of foods that he is not allowed to eUt. and even those that are permitted cannot be cooked in all sorts of ways The physician in charge of the case will give a list of foods allowed, and in some cases he will state how. they are to be prepared. But his directions are often general, as “give him. soft cooked eggs'* or “let him hUVe a bit of chicken or a nice cream soup.” Any specific instructions regarding recipes hr different wars of serving the same food are not often atr tempted by the doctor. If the nurse—be she wife, mother, daughter or professional—does not know bow to Serve eggs in a variety of ways, bow even beef tea and gruels may be given new t

y forms and. flavors, then the patient will probably weary of them, perhaps refuse to eat them. Fortunate is tbe woman who knows hotv to prepare simple foods attractively, making &d friends appear as new acquaintances. But there are certain • don’ra" /that must be observed when cooking for the sick. Don't give an invalid or little child fried food of any kind. It is bard to digest, and the digestive organs of both sick people and children are weak,- ~7 Don’t Include pork in the invalid's bill of fare. A little crisp bacon or bacon gravy may be allowed occasionally. Don’t serve highly seasoned food/ The sense of taste is generally very keen in sickness, anil the natural seasoning of food is often enough. Besides. spices may w eaken by overstimulation the digestive glands. Do not use pepper, mustard or vinegar and use salt sparingly. Don’t boil eggs for either invalids or children. Always cook them in water which has not quite reached the boiling point. Don’t cook milk directly over the fire: it is almost sure to burn. Even if it does not. milk should not be boiled for the same reason that an egg should not. Boiling temperature makes the albumen tough and indigestible. Don’t cook cream soups or boiled custards directly over the fire. Use a double boiler to keep the temperature below boiling. Don’t serve insufficiently cooked cereals. Rice, oatmeal and cornstarch should be cooked for a long time over hot water Rice requires about two hours and oatmeal at least four hours’ steam cooking. Don’t serve fried potatoes: When they are allowed they are much better baked, because they are more quickly digested in that form. Don’t serve eheese and don’t cook butter too long. In making cream soups add the butter just before serving. Nurse’s tare of Herself. The woman Who is acting as nurse in her home is very apt to neglect herself. It may be hard for her to do otherwise, especially if there are other demands on her time and strength. But if the patient needs constant care then it is almost imperative that the person who is caring for him should be relieved of other duties and responsibilities. His recovery demands this, for the nurse’s mental and physical condition has often a marked effect on the patient. If the nurse is tired out, has been obliged to do without sufficient sleep for several nights, she is not likely to be herself. She will be nervous, easily excited, perhaps irritable and utterly unfit to give her best.effort to her task. 1 ' She should have regular hours for sleep, when her rest will be unbroken for at least seven hours out of each twenty-four. Then_a short time should

be allowed every day for outdoor exercise.rj breathing the air of even « well ventilated sickroom soon tells on even robust health. The nurse should have also good, nourishing, easily digested food at regular hours. When sickness comes into the family such matters as guarding the health of the nurse and keeping the other members of the household in good health are often overlooked, ami a single case of iliness very often Becomes two or three just because of this neglect. Everything should be done to hasten the recovery of the patient as well as preserve the good health of the rest of the family. J/The nurse should wear comfortable clothing—a washable dress and broad soled shoes—apd if the disease is at all infectious she should be careful to wash her hands each time she touches the patient. Professional nurses learn very early in their training the importance of disinfecting and using every precaution to prevent farther development of the disease germs, but the inexperienced sometimes find it hard to realize how very powerful and insidious are these minute germs. It’is not at ail necessary for the home nurse to be versed in drugs and medicines, nor should she be required to put on complicated bandages, prepare dressings or administer treatments which require professional skill and experience. All such matters will be undertaken by the physician when a trained nurse is not employed. But the Woman who knows how to put on a simple bandage, how to stop an ordinary attack of nosebieeding. what to do when sortie one faints and also is familiar with simple remedies for simple ailments will always find the knowledge useful. In fact, it is a part of the all round woman’s education to know these things and be able to apply them jn a common sense way. ; y The Care of Little Children. No woman should consider her education complete until she has an intelligent knowledge regarding the care of little children. When we consider that the material out of which either heroes or invalids are made is found in the nursery it behooves every woman to see to it that either by her personal effort or by her influence she is doing her part to have the future generation composed of strong men atid women, capable of being heroes, and that the number of weaklings is lessened. One of the greatest errors made in the management of children relates to their nutrition. “If the child is properly fed he will stand a great deal of abuse in other directions,” says one authority, but more is necessary than food if the child is to develop properly. He must have fresh air, suitable nutrition and a chance to live as a young child should, free from care, with lothing to excite nerves or prevent the proper development of body and mind —as nearly like a young animal as possible.