_Banana._

The banana is invaluable in inflammation of all kinds. For this reason
it is very useful in cases of typhoid fever, gastritis, peritonitis,
etc., and may constitute the only food allowed for a time.

Not only does it actually subdue the inflammation of the intestines,
but, in the opinion of at least one authority, as it consists of 95 per
cent. nutriment, it does not possess sufficient waste matter to irritate
the inflamed spots.

But great care should be taken in its administration. The banana should
be _thoroughly sound and ripe_, and all the stringy portion carefully
removed. It should then be mashed and beaten to a cream. In severe cases
I think it is better to give this neat, but if not liked by the patient
a little lemon juice, well mixed in, may render it more acceptable. It
may also be taken with fresh cream.

A friend who has had a very wide experience in illness told me that she
was once hurriedly sent for at night to a girl suffering from
peritonitis. Not knowing what she might, or might not, find in the way
of remedies when she arrived at her destination, my friend took with her
some strong barley water, bananas, and an enema syringe. She found the
girl lying across the bed screaming, obviously in agony. First of all my
friend administered a warm water enema. A pint of plain warm water was
injected first, and after this had come away as much warm water as could
be got in was injected and then allowed to come away. The object of this
was to thoroughly wash out the bowels. Then the barley water was warmed,
the bananas mashed, beaten to cream, and mixed in with the barley water.
A soothing nutrient lotion was thus prepared, and as much as the patient