DI′ET

Food or victuals. In medicine food regulated by certain rules, or prescribed for the cure or prevention of disease. The dietetic part of medicine is no inconsiderable branch, and deserves a much greater share of regard than it commonly meets with. A great variety of diseases might be removed by the observance of a proper diet and regimen, without the a istance of medicine, were it not for the impatience of the sufferers. On all occasions it may come in as a proper a istant to the cure, which sometimes cannot be performed without a due observance of the non-naturals. Writers on dietetics ( DIETETIC A , L.) have taken much trouble to divide and cla ify the numerous articles of food suitable to the various conditions of the body in health and disease; but little practical advantage has resulted from their labours. Low diet, middle diet, full diet, milk diet, farinaceous diet, fruit diet, and vegetable diet, are terms which, under most circumstances, are sufficiently simple to be almost self-explanatory.