Drinks for the Sick

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 5, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 30.

Drinks for the Sick.

ONE of the first duties of the nurse in the sick-room is the preparation of cooling drinks for the patient. Ice water, even if permitted by the physician, is not satisfying nor wholesome, and, since in all kinds of disease of which fever is the usual adjunct there is a constant thirst, it is necessary to have prepared a drink both refreshing and healthful. The knowledge of the best means of concocting several kinds of beverages is essential, since the patient soon tires of one kind, however acceptable it may have been at first. A certain nicety in preparing drinks is also necessary, for no one is so fastidious as a sick person, and care should be taken that the cup is clean and that a dainty napkin should accompany it, so that no escaping liquid should annoy the patient. Acid drinks are usually the most satisfactory, unless the nature of the disease prevents their use. Lemonade, from which all seeds and pieces of peel are carefully extracted, lime-juice water, tamarind water, currant jelly water and raspberry water are enjoyed by most people who crave a cooling beverage. The lessons taught to the nurses of the Massachusetts General Hospital, the City Hospital, and to the physicians in the course at the Boston Cooking School, comprise several excellent recipes for drinks for the sick.

Barley water, a well-known nourishing beverage, useful for colds, chest affections and other illness, is made of one teaspoonful of pearl barley, three blocks of sugar, one-half a lemon, and a quart of boiling water. Wash the barley in cold water, add the boiling water, sugar, and lemon; let it stand covered and warm for three hours.

Toast Water—Toast very brown one pint of white or brown bread-crusts. Add one pint of cold water and let it stand one hour. Strain and add cream and sugar.

Apple Tea—Roast two large, sour apples and cover with boiling water. Cool and strain, pour, and add sugar to taste.

Rice Water—Two tablespoonfuls of rice, one quart of cold water, cook one hour or until dissolved, and add salt and sugar to taste.

For flaxseed lemonade pour one quart of boiling water over four tablespoonfuls of cold flaxseed, steep three hours, strain, add juice of three lemons, and sweeten to taste.—Boston Journal.