Long-Term Nasogastric Feeding Tube

To the Editor:— About 20 years ago, at the annual meeting of the Washington State Medical Society, I described a cellophane tubing sold by the Visking Company, the diameter of which approximated that of the common Levin tube. This tube was filled with melted butter as an obturator, chilled, and passed before the butter could melt. The result was a pliable nonirritating tube which permitted feeding without the problems of the Levin tube. The Penrose tube described seems unduly complex, and I think our "butter tube" has definite advantages. It has been used in the Northwest by many men and found extremely valuable. I have kept it in place as long as four months.