The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-04-06
GOOD NURSING.
BY FLORENCE HIGur1xGa1E.

.Iave no more sleep. It is curious but
quite intclligihle fact, that if patient is
waked after few hou.s, instead Of a few
minutes sleep, lie is muc., more likely to
sleep again. Because pain, like irr,nbiiv
OF the brain. 1errrtuatcs aud in,ensifies it.
self. If YOU have gained a respite ofci,hcr
IN steep. ypu have gained more than the
mere respite. Both the probability Of recur-
renee and @; the same intensity will he
diminished; whereas both will be terribly
increased by want Of sleep. This is the
reason wl: sleep is so all important. This
Is tie reason why patient walked in the
early part Of his sleep loses, not only his
Sleep but his power TO sleep. \ healthy
person. who allows himself 10 sleep during
the day, will lose his sleep at night. But
1t IS exactly the reverse with the sick gene
rally: the more they sleep, the better will
they be able to sleep.
have often been surprised at the though.
'fssness (resuting in cruelty, quite uninten-
t'onaIly) of friends, or of doctors. who will
hold long conversation just in the room.
or passage adjoining TO the room of the'pa-
| 'ent, who is either every moment expectipu
them to come in, or who has Just seen them
and knows they are talking about him. If
ne Is an am'ahlc patient, he will try to occu-
pv his attention elsewhere and not TO listen
and This makes matters wcrse-for thc
strain upon his attention. and the effort hc
makes are so great, that it is well if he is
not worse for hours after. If it is n wbi..
p"lrd ronvcrsairn in the same room. then
" Is absolutely cruel; for it is impossible
that the PATIENTS attention should not be
'"vo'unarily strained to hear. Walking
on t'p.toe, doing anything in the room very
slowly, are injurious for exactly the same
reasons A firm light quick step, steady
quick hand, arc the dcsiderutu not the
>iow' lingering, shuffling foot, the tin. ID
uncertain touch. Slowness is not gentle.
ness, though it is often mistaken for such :
1nlrkncSs, liShtness, and gentleness, are quite
compatible. Again, if friends and doctors
did but watch, AS nurses can and should
watch, the features sharpening, the eyes
growing almost wild, of fever patients who
are listening for the entrance from the cor.
rldor of the persons whose voices they are
hearing, these would never run the risk again
of creating such expectation. or irritation
OF mind. Such unnecessary nois has un
doubtedIy induced or aggravated deliriun,
IN many cases. I have known such-in one
case death ensued. 1t is but fair to say that
this death was attributed to fright. It was
the result Of along whispered conversation
within sight Of the patient, about an i'm
pending operation but any one who has
known the more than s!oicism, the cheerful
GOODNESS, with which the certainty OF IN
operation will be accepted by any patient,
capable of bearing an operation at all. if i,
Is properly communicated to him, will Lcsi,
tate to hpiicve that it WAS mere fear wbicl.
produced, as was averred, the fatal resu:l
IN this instance. 1t was rather the uncer.
ta'nty, the strained expectation as to what
was to be decided upon. ~.
need hardly say that the other common
cause, namely. for doctor or friend to leave
the patient, and communicate his opinion
on The result Of his visit to the friends inst
outside the patti ent's door, or in the adioin-
ing room, after the visit, but within hear
ing or knowledge Of the patient, is If posi-,
ble, worst Of ALL. a. .... 49,, .-.
| It's, think, alarming to see that the
dress Of women is daily more and more
uniting them for any mission or useful.
ness at all. 1t is equally untitled for all
poetic and all domestic purposes. Compel.
led by the dress, every woman now shufiles
or waddles-only man can cross the floor
of " sick room without shaking. it What
has become Of ofwoman's light stepl the firm
light, quick step we have been, asking for 2
Unnecessary noise, then, is the most cruel
absence ofcsreSwh can be inflicted either
ON sick Or we'll. nurse who rnstles 4
am speaking of f"nufsesprotessioRai and un-
protessionaD is fho.. horror ,9f,a batient,
Though perhaps be,does not know Why.
Ths faget of ,sjlk 'ahd cri6oline, ,the rattlibg
Of keys, the .useaki ng~ofAstays and Of shoes,
VII DO the epaiient more harii, than all The
medicines inthe world wil,doj hin, good.
Theno iseless, step. of woman 1.-The noiseless
(taiSery Of W oman fts mays fo,,,rns ,e k.,lL
in' VI tlhbiaaay:s.' Herskirts' (apda wsIloIif tbey
denot throw down sometPpiHsaese; Of fdrrnnitlre5
will Mt Isast. sCrusbGagaiast every astihleih
room as she moves, "a
;, ;, .Asehspiain wastopas piearbibs'ts A. Glass
81 fseI'sssifansi sifa,n skeas' as'lbsSotpktfsS StBa5jrs
tisnpernent = said Close yonr, esrsl fs.
gainss. had diseonrsea' THE asiudsnts In
!ritdiafeiy . ciArpea .;their ahandssaS4 tEeir-
= j. i5t... : 80; adj 81 -
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