There are certain general rules that may be followed to a great extent in all cases of cardiac trouble, no matter whether the defects are partly counterbalanced or not. It is now recognized by all dietitians that the prolific source of heart troubles is an irregular mode of life, an unbalanced dietary or foods badly cooked.

The road to relief is by a straight and narrow diet. Foods must be well selected, simply cooked and easily digested; and a sufficiently long time allowed after each meal to digest it thoroughly. Eating between meals must be strictly prohibited. Even a glass of water taken long after the meal but before digestion is completed may give rise to flatulency and produce a paroxysm. All indigestible foods, coarse vegetables, dense raw fruits, such meats as pork, veal, lobsters, clams, pink-fleshed fish, coarse breads, badly-cooked cereals, effervescing drinks, strong tea, coffee and chocolate, must be avoided. The stomach must never be overloaded or palpitation will occur.

In each case the digestive capacity of the patient must be carefully studied, and each meal must be just enough, not an ounce over. Any residue of undigested food remaining in the stomach and intestines will set up unnatural fermentations and again cause flatulency and a paroxysm.

Palpitation

When this occurs stop all solid foods at once. The meals have been too heavy, or the patient has eaten too much. Give milk, or milk and barley water, koumys or matzoon, every two hours, for several days. Then add an egg, and go gradually on to the usual spare diet. Persons who have "heart trouble" must never eat eggs, milk and meat at the same meal, acid fruit with bread or cereals, drink coffee or tea at meals, nor should they take soup at the beginning of a meal. All rich sauces, salads, cooked fats, sweet dishes and over-starchy dishes must be avoided. A baked potato mashed with cream, and a little well-cooked dry rice are allowable two or three times a week.

If Edema Occurs

Give for several days predigested foods, milk, hot peptonized milk, peptonized milk gruels, peptonized beef and oysters, or such easily-digested foods as plain junket or egg junket, koumys, matzoon or leban.

Constipation

This complication is usually the foremost among the symptoms of heart trouble, and follows gastric disturbances. For relief add a tablespoonful of milk sugar to a glass of plain milk, or give the juice of two oranges, or a small cup of cafe au lait, following a glass of water, early in the morning, or a saucer of Roman meal mush with cream. Do not give purgatives unless ordered by a physician.