Practical dietetics: with special reference to diet in diseases

Practical Dietetics was first published by D. Appleton in the late 19th century as a comprehensive medical reference. William Gilman Thompson, a professor of medicine at Cornell University Medical College, designed this work to bridge the gap between clinical pathology and nutritional science. At a time when the medical community was increasingly focusing on the therapeutic applications of diet, Thompson sought to provide physicians with a systematic guide to managing specific diseases through caloric and nutrient regulation.

The 1902 edition reflects the period's rigorous, albeit nascent, approach to dietary management. Thompson’s work was widely regarded for its methodical categorization of foodstuffs and its detailed instructions for hospital-based dietary regimes. It became a staple in medical libraries and institutional settings, favored by practitioners who valued its structured tables and clinical focus during the early era of evidence-based nutritional medicine.