The treatment of chronic rheumatism differs from that of the acute disease.

Most persons with this disease are underfed and badly nourished; they have been starved in the land of plenty; they have been ignorant of the foods necessary for perfect nutrition. It is not an unusual thing to find chronic rheumatism among the tea and toast maidens, or the so-called vegetarians of the rural districts, who live on bread, fruit, cereals, "weak" tea or coffee, or cambric tea, or pork and potatoes - all carbonaceous foods. They usually have heavy dinners in the middle of the day, go to work quickly after eating, and their suppers are "light," composed of doughnuts, stewed fruits, white bread, all well washed down with two or three cups of tea. Persons of this type are naturally "subject to colds." They wear three or four times as much clothing as is necessary for warmth, and heavy flannels which prevent normal activity of the skin - in fact, the skin is almost in a dead condition. If they remove their underclothes at night and shake them out, a fine white powder falls over the floor. They sit in a warm, unventilated room, and sleep in a room with the "night air" shut out. These people look on pure air and water as their greatest enemies.

Feed these patients rather than starve them. Give them eggs and milk, and red meats. Lean beef is frequently found advantageous. Cream soups are advisable; yolk of egg and milk; infant foods, as Eskay's, malted milk and Mellin's food; junket; now and then a glass of koumys. Tea and coffee can be taken between meals alone, but never with food. All foods must be thoroughly masticated. The use of sour milk and buttermilk must be determined by the physician; in certain cases they are good, in others bad. Give cottage cheese three or four times a week in the place of meat; stale bread and rice are the acceptable starch foods. Give citrus fruits and apples.