Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-07-29
Bed and Bedding for the Sick.

If bed is higher than sofa, the pa
tient often prefers not to get out at all,
rather than undergo the fatigue of getting
out. II the bed were low one, he might
often feel like taking few minutes exer-
else every day in another room, or even
in the open air. 1t is SO very odd that
people never think of this, or OF how many
more times q patient who is in bed for
twenty-four hours is Obliged to get In and
out Of bed than they are who only get
into bed aud cut Of bed perhaps once dur
ing the twenty four hours.
A patients bed should always be in the
lightest spot in the room, and he should
be able TO Zee. out of window PIE
1t Is scarcely necessary to say that the
old fouf-post bed, with curtains, is utterly
inadmissahle, whether for the sick or for
the well. Hospital bedsteads are in many
respects very much better than private
ones.
There is reason to believe that not q
few of the cases apparently resembling
scrofula among children proceed from the
habit Of sleeping with the head under the
bed. clothes, and so inhaling air already
breathed, which is further contaminated
by exhalations from the skin. Patients
are sometimes given to q similar habit,
are 80 disposed that the patient must nee
essatily breathe air more or less poisoned
by exhalations from his skin. A good
nurse will be careful to attend to this 1t
is an important part, so to speak, OF ven
tilation.
1t may be worth while to remark that
where there is any danger of bed sores a
blanket should never be placed URder the
patient 1t retains damp, and acts like d
poultice.
Never use anything but light blankets
as bed covering for the sick. The heavy
cotton and impervious counterpane is bad,
for the very reason that it keeps in the
emanations from the sick person, while
the blanket allows them to pass through.
Weak patients are invariably distressed
by great aceigh of bed clothes, which
often prevents their getting any sound
sleep whatever 1.t 30
One word about pillows. Every weak
patient, be his illness what 1t may suffers
more or less from difficulty in breathing
To take the weight of the body from of
the poor chest, which at best is hardly up
to its work, ought therefore to be the OBJ
iect of tho nurse in arranging his pillows.
Now what does she do and what are the
consequences She piles the pillows one
upon the other ike wall OF DrlCEe, lne
head is thrown upon the chest, and the
shoulders are pushed forward, 60 as not
to allow the lungs room to erpd7ed. The
pillows, in fact, lean upon the patient not
the patient upon the pillows, 1t ia inn
possible to give rule for this, because 1t
must vary with the figure Of the patient.
Tall patients suffer much moro than short
ones, because of the drag of tho long
limbs upon the waist. But the object is to
support, with the pillows, the back below
the breathing apparatus, and above the
hips; so as to allow the shoulders room
to fall back, and TO support the head, with
out throwing it foricard. The suffering
of exhausted patients is greatly increased
by neglect Of these points. And many
an invalid, too weak to drag about the
pillow himself slips his book or anything
ut hand behind the lower part of bis back
to support it. t.--BoSton Journal 9f CasmSs-
JasI