Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1860-02-23
Florence Nightingale on Nursing.

ten bosk called "Notes on Nursing," from
which the following is an extract:
"Never 10 allew patient 70 be walked,
Intentionally sT accidentally, is sine eIa
non Of all geod nursing. 1.-The is roussd out
Of his first sleep, he is slmest certain to
have no mere sleep. II is a curious but
quite ineligible Fact, that if pstisnt is wa
ksd after few hours instead Of few min.
utes sleep, he is as much more likely to
sleep again. Because pain, like irriIability
Of brain, parpstuates snd ihtensifss itself.
II yeu have gained respite Of either in
sleep you have gained more than the mere
respite. Both the probability of recurrence
and Of tbs same intensity will be diminish
ed; whereas both will be terribly increased
by want Of sleep. This is the reason why
sleep is so all important. This is the res-
son why patient walked in the early part
of his sleep Losses not only his sleep, but
the power TO sleep. A healthy person who
allows himself 10 sleep during the day will
lose his sleep at night. But it's exactly the
reverse with the sick generally; the more
they sleep, the better will they be able to
sleep.
Il have often been surprised at the
thsughllessness (resulling in cruelty, quits
uniutenliOnsllY) Of friends or doctors, who
will hold lcng conversation just in the
room or passage adjoining to tho room Of
the patient, who Is either every monsnt e1-
pecting them TO csme in. or who has Just
seen them, snd kaews they are talking a.
bout him. If he IS an smiable patient, he
will try 10 occupy his attention elsewhere
and not to listen: and this makes matters
worse-fer the strain upon his attention AID
the effort he makes, are 10 great that it is
well if he IS not worse for hours after. II
/ il is a whispered conversation in the same
raom, then il is absolutely cruel, for it is
impossible that the Psiient attention should
not be invO.untariiy strained TO hsar.-
Waking on iip-toe, doing anytning in the
room very slowly, are injurious, for exactly
the sans rensoas. A firm, light, quick step,
steady, quick hand are the dssidersta; not
the slow, lingering, shufling foot-ths tim
id, uncertain touch. Slowness is net gen
tleuess, though it is often mistaken for such;
9uieknsss, lighiness, and gentlsness are
quite compatible. Again, if friends ard
doctors did but watch, as nurses can and
should watch, the features sharpening, the
eyes growing almost wild, Of fever paiiesis
who listening Tor the entrance from the c0r-
rider Of lie persons whose veioes ihsy ara
hsaling there, these would never Tun ths
risk again Of creating such expectation or
irritation OF mind. Such unnecessary noise
has undoubtedly ihducea or aggravated de-
liriun in rasny cases. have known such
in one case death ensued. II is but fair 10
say that this death was attributed 10 fright.
It was the result Of long whispered con-
versation, within sight Of The patient, about
sn impending operation; but any one UhC
has known ths mere than steiei,m, The
cheerful eoolnsSs, with which the certainty
Of al operation will bs accepted by any pa.
tient, capable of bearing al operation at al
| If It is properly communicated 10 him, will
hesitate 10 believe that it was mere fssr
which produced, as was svsrred, the fatal
result in This instance. lt-was raihsr the
uncertsiRty, The strained expectation Es Ia
what was tO be decided upon.
~ need hardly say that tho ether common
cause, namely, for doctor or friend 10
leave the patient and communicate his opin-
ions on the result of his visit 10 the friends
Just outside The patients door, or in the ad-
joining room, after the visit, but within hear
ing or knowledge Of the patient, is, if pos
sibls, worst Of ell.
alt is, think, alarming, peculiarly al This
limo, when the female ak-bsttles are per-
petually impressin. upon US 'woman's par
ticular worth and general missionariness,
10 see that the dress of women is daily
more and more uniting thsm for any 'pis-
sen' or usefulness at all. II is equally I'M
fitted for all poetic and domestic purposes.
A man is now mere handy and far less OBJ
jeetionabls being in sick room than wo-
man. Compelled by her dress, every wo-
man new either shufilss or wsddles; enly a
man csn cross The floor of sick room with
out shaking it. What is bsceme Of woman $
light step-ths firm, light, quick step we
have been asking t0r?"