CHAPTER XII.
BEVERAGES.
A BEVERAGE is any drink. Water, the chief one of them all, is Nature's beverage. Almost all of the beverages have but little nutritive value (exception must be made, however, to egg-nogs, cocoa, chocolate, etc.); nevertheless their use in health as well as in disease should be carefully considered. When abstinence from solid or semi-solid food is necessary for a short time, a liquid diet must furnish the nourishment.
Starchy beverages include toast, rice, and barley water. Rice and barley water are given to reduce a laxative condition of the bowels, and are often used alternately. Rice water is soothing to the whole alimentary canal. Toast water is given in extreme cases of nausea.
Fruit beverages are cooling, refreshing, slightly stimulating, and are valuable for the salts, acids, and sugar they contain. They are frequently employed when high temperature is present. Lemons and oranges are most used in the making of fruit beverages on account of their cheapness and popularity. Raspberries, strawberries, pineapples, currants, grapes, and tamarinds are used less frequently. As all fruits contain one or more acids, a physician should be consulted as to the kind to be given in individual cases. Pineapple contains a ferment which digests proteids.
Wine whey is slightly stimulating, and is often retained in severe gastric troubles. For a limited period it may be used successfully for debilitated infants with weak digestion. It stimulates the digestive ferments to such an extent that there may be a gradual return to a regular
