Page:Food and cookery for the sick and convalescent.djvu/89

Rh 2. Improving digestibility.
 * By skimming, scalding, diluting with charged waters or farinaceous gruels, or by adding alkalines or acids. Addition of salt prevents biliousness.


 * Bicarbonate of soda prevents mal-fermentation. By the addition of farinaceous gruels milk forms in less dense clots.


 * By scalding, lactic acid fermentation is restricted. Hot milk soothes mucous membrane, allays a slight throat irritation, increases peristalsis, and tends to produce sleep.

3. Predigesting.
 * By adding Fairchild's Pancreatin or Pepsin powder, which changes the proteids to albumoses, and if the process is continued long enough, to peptones. If converted to peptones there will be a bitter taste.


 * Predigested milk is used in extreme cases to bridge the patient over a critical period, and for forced feeding in many hospitals and by many physicians.


 * According to the best authorities, however, predigested milk has no advantage over ordinary milk. From the fact that the proteids are partially digested, it would seem that a large amount of nutriment could be given in predigested milk; if, however, it is administered in sufficient quantities to supply a large amount of nutriment, one of two symptoms usually appear,—diarrhœa or nausea.