feed a cold and starve a fever
- feed a cold and starve a fever
Probably intended as two separate admonitions, but the rationale behind the alternative interpretation is explained in quot. 2002. Early medical advice is represented by: 1574 J. WITHALS Dict. 66 Fasting is a great remedie in feuers.
1852 E. FITZGERALD Polonius p. ix. ‘Stuff a cold and starve a fever,’ has been grievously misconstrued, so as to bring on the fever it was meant to prevent.
1867 ‘M. TWAIN’ Celebrated Jumping Frog 69 It was policy to ‘feed a cold and starve a fever’.
1939 C. MORLEY Kitty Foyle xxxi. I said I better go downstairs and eat a square meal, ‘feed a cold and starve a fever.’.. ‘You misunderstand that,’ he says. ‘It means if you feed a cold you’ll have to starve a fever later.’
1997 Washington Times 19 Nov. A8 ‘Forget about feeding a cold and starving a fever,’ Dr. Edelman said, adding there is no medical reason for diet changes.
2002 New Scientist 9 Feb. 51 The saying should be: ‘If you feed a cold you will have to starve a fever.’ The theory goes that if you carry on eating when you have a cold, your body will have to use up vital energy digesting the food rather than..fighting the cold. You are therefore more likely to allow the cold to develop and become a fever. Your body will then have no option but to shut down your desire to eat in order to direct all its energy into fighting the fever.
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Look at other dictionaries:
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