INULIN, in chemistry, a starch-like carbohydrate known also as alantin, menyanthin, dahlin, synanthrin and sinis trin. It occurs in many plants of the large family Compositae, to which the elecampane (lnula Helenium) belongs; and forms a white tasteless powder, sparingly soluble in cold water, very soluble in hot water and insoluble in alcohol. It is coloured yel low by iodine, and reduces ammoniacal silver and gold solutions, but not Fehling's solution. Heated with water or dilute acids, it is converted into laevulose (d-fructose). (See CARBOHYDRATES.) INVALID COOKERY. As the aim in invalid cookery is to build up bodily weakness and strengthen the tissues, light and nourishing food should be given that entails a minimum of effort for the digestive organs. Small, frequent meals should be the rule, and these ought to be served as daintily as possible to attract the eye of the patient. Hence, moulds and other recep tacles used for invalid cookery should be small. Where possible, broiled or steamed food is best, as by these methods the maximum of nourishment is conserved. Never give fried food to invalids. The best invalid food for many serious cases is milk. Doctors' special orders should be followed accurately. As a general rule, unless otherwise ordered, a fever patient requires a fluid diet, mainly milk. Milk may be mixed with lime water or barley water, or peptonized powders are sometimes used for those patients who find difficulty in taking large quantities of plain milk, but allow ance should be made for dilution.
Where "solids" are permitted, corn-starch, arrowroot, patent barley and egg jellies are recommended. Beef juice and meat extracts, though excellent in certain cases, should not be given to patients suffering from rheumatic troubles. Diabetic cases are
not generally allowed starch and sugar, but plenty of fats and proteid are required. Saccharine should be substituted for sugar and gluten and proteid breads are useful. Gastric patients gen erally need peptonized foods, and when convalescent they may take beef juice or light meats; e.g., chicken or lamb. In tuber culosis it is very necessary to give plenty of nourishing food, especially milk, fats and oils; e.g., cream, fat bacon, yolks of eggs, etc. Lemon and orange juice and thin barley water are useful invalid drinks. Where iced water is given great care should be taken that the ice is pure and well washed.
Barley water can be made either with uncooked chicken barley or cooked pearl barley; many doctors advise the former method. The barley water is needed for cleansing purposes. For this, wash 2 OZ. of uncooked chicken barley, place in a jug and pour over it one pint of boiling water ; allow to stand until cool and strain off the clear liquid. Serve with a slice of lemon. Ordinary barley water is prepared by boiling 2 oz. of washed pearl barley in one pint of water until quite soft. Strain off the liquid. Flavour with lemon and sweeten to taste.
Oatmeal gruel is made with patent groats, English fine oat meal or Scotch meal ; for infants the fine oatmeal or prepared groats is best. Mix one teaspoonful with a little cold water ; stir in half a pint of cold water ; boil for fifteen minutes stirring all the time to keep free from lumps ; strain and mix with half the quantity of milk; reheat, and sweeten and flavour to taste.
(J. A. Si.)