When an adequate high-protein diet has been given patients both before and after surgery, the destruction of body protein has been almost completely prevented in spite of extreme stress; and such a diet often makes the expense and discomfort of intravenous and/or tube feedings unnecessary. A month or more of preparation before surgery is important for all persons, especially those who are already ill. Malnourished and ill individuals are poor surgical risks, have adverse reactions to anesthetics, are susceptible to shock and infections, and heal slowly. Animals deficient in protein for only five days prior to surgery require twice as long to heal as their well-fed litter mates even though given adequate protein afterward.8 Because the blood protein may remain normal, a patient's protein intake can be far too low without the physician recognizing it.