The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1861-04-27
LADIES' DEPARTMENT.
The Sick Chamber.


Florence Nightingale has published 4
book entitled "Notes on Nursing" Wd
extract the following from the chapter on
noise:
Never to allow a patient to be walked. !
Intentionally OF accidentally, is sine qna|
non Of all good nursing. If lie is reused
out Of his first sleep; he is almost certain
10 have no more sleep. 1t is curious
but quite Ineligible tact, that if patient
is awakened after a few hours instead Of
a few minutes sleep, he is much rnofsI
likely to sleep again; because pain. like
irritability of brain; perpetuates and in-|
tensifes itself IL you have gained a res
pite Of either in sleep, you have gained
more than mere respite. Both the proba-
bility of recurrence, and of the same in-|
tensity will be diminished whereas both
win be terribly increased by want of
sleep. This is the reason why patient
walked in the early part of his sleep lsSes|
not only his sleep but his power to Sleep
A healthy person who allows himself I'll
sleep during the day loses his sleep at|
night. But it is exactly the reverse with
the sick generaliy-the more they Sleep
the better they will be able to sleep.
| have often been surprised at the|
though,lessness, resulting in cruelty, qu,s|
uninientional, of friends or of doctors, who'd
will hold long conversation just in ths|
room or passage adjoining to the room of
the patient. who is either every momeut|
expecting them to come in, or who has|
just sent them, and who knows they are|
talking about him. II he is an amiabIs|
patient, he will try to occupy his atten-
ton elsewhere, and not to listen, and this
makes matters worse, tor the strain upon
his attention, and the efforts he makes are|
so great, that it is we'll if he is not worse
for hours after. If it is whispered con-
yersation i'll the same room, then it is abb
solutely cruel, for it is impossible that tho
patients attention should not be involun-
tarily strained 10 hear.
Walking on tiptoe, doing anything iu|
the same room very slowly, are Injurious
for the same reasons. A firm, light, quick
step-a steady, quick hand, are the desid-
crata not the slow, lingering, shuffling|
foot---,he timid, uncertain touch Slow
ness is not gentleness, though it is often
mistaken for such quickness. lightness.
and gentleness are quite compatible.
| Again IL 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 lis
tcning for the entrance from the corridor
of the persons whose voices they are hear
ing there, these would never run the risk
again Of creating such expectation or irri.
tatiOn of mind. Such unnecessary noise
has undoubtedly induced or aggravated
delirium in many cases: l have known
such in one case death ensued 1t was
the result Of long, whispered conversa-
ton, within sight Of the patient, about an
impending operation; but any one who
knows the more than stoicism, the cheer
full GOODNESS with which the certainty of
an operation will be accepted by any pa
ticnt capable Of bearing an operation at
all, if it is properly communicated to him,
will hesitate to believe that il was nero
fear which produced, as was sverred, the
fatal result in this particular instance. Ii
was rather the uncertainty. the strained
expectation as to what was 10 be decided
upon.
/ need hardly Say that the other COM
mon case, namel y, for doctor or friend
to leave the patient, and communicate his
opinion of the result of his visit TO the
friends Just outside the patients door, or
within the hearing or the knowledge of
the patient, is, if possible, the worst Of all.
1t is, | think, alarnls4g, peculiarly at
the time when the female ink-bottles are
perpctually imprcssng upon US woman's
particular worth AMI general mission, to
see that the dress OF women is daily more
and uo,e uniting them for any mission
or usefulness at all. It is equally untitled
for all poetic and all domestic purposes.
A man is now more handy, and far less
Objectionable being in sick room than al
woman. Compelled by her dress, every
woman either shuflies or waddlrs only al
man can cross the floor OF = sick room
without, shaking it. What is become of
womans light step--tlIat firm, light, quick
step VIC nave been asking for
AMOUNT or ABSENCE PROPER PoR
IIrsBhNDs.--Miss Muloch says -" Al
lady Of my acquaintance gives it as her
sine ora 0on of domestic felicity, that the
'mon Of the family, should always be alb
sent at least Elk hours in the day. And
..uly, a mistress Of family, however
strong her affection for the male members
Of it, cannot but acknowledge that this ID
a great boon. A house where papa Qy
the boys are always 'pottering about,
hopping in and out at all hours, everlast