Diet in Typhoid Fever

Of the infectious fevers, the commonest is the typhoid or enteric fever. Patients should be given plenty of liquids, tea, coffee, strained fruit juice, ice cream, butter milk, whey, barley water, etc. Vegetables, fruits like mango, papaya, guava, etc. should not be used as long as there is either fever or loose motions. Apples are good. Soft over ripe banana may be given. Soft rice, sago conji (porridge) and whey should form the basic diet and patients should be encouraged to add the other forms of food to the diet after the temperature is normal for 24 hours. Ice cream, chocolate, candies and sweetened fruit juice give adequate caloric supply and should be used in an uncomplicated case. Typhoid fever is capable of undergoing several complications. The diet then needs to be further modified. This should only be done under the guidance of a competent doctor.