The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-11-08

this water up to the knees. DO this ten
or twelve minutes.
4. Cover the patient up with the bed
clothes. Presently he or she Is chilly or
hot; put on or rake off coverlets to suit.
5. Now, then, the skin is beginning to
get red spots like pin points upon it,
scattered evenly or gathered into patches.
If the latter, the care is what is called
bad, or by physicians continent.
6. Drink water water is the plain
tive or wildly shouted plea. Give it
promptly; not in huge draughts at long
intervals, but in little sips every few
minutes. Explain kindly to the patient
the reason for this, and that you will
give him one Of these little drinks just as
often as he wants. During the next
twenty-four or Gorty-eigbt hours give
three or four hot mustard water foot
baths, and every now and then, when
drink is wanted, change the plain cold
water for toast water, plain black cold
tea, or thin, very thin, cold oatmeal
cruel in which there is no butter. Which
ever of these the patient prefers give him
till he tires Of it. The Cruel is the most
strengthening. Between these give him
sips Of cold beef tea with pinch of salt
in il, or chicken tea. II he fall asleep
don't leave the room, but watch carefully
till he wakes, when at once address some
kind words Of hope and assurance to
him.
Watch carefully for what may be
called the turning craving of the dis
order. This is the sudden expression of
a desire by the patient for some particu-
lar article of food or drink--an egg, a
broiled beefsteak, raw onion, a fried
potato, an apple, &c. The moment the
wish is made known, give it promptly,
but carefully, in small quantities. As a
general rule, though the patient starts to
cat this with avidity, few bites or sips
will satisfy him, and he pushes it away.
Sure recovery has now set in, and the
only care thereafter is to keep the patient
cleanly and moderate in his eating and
drinking.
To prevent itching and pitting: As
soon as the pustules begin to I'LL up pat
them with a small cloth dipped repeat
edly in barley water, and then anoint
them well with sweet oil applied by
means of a stout feather. In cases of
children, inclose the hands and forearms
in old, soft, but strong linen or muslin
bags well oiled. Don't be afraid of the
bed-clothes, for they are generally de-
stroyed.
AS to what are termed disinfectants, if
could not obtain bromo-chloraium, or
some other odorless disinfcctant, would
not use any at all. Carbolic acid and
chloride Of lime, the most commonly
used, are far more nauseating than the
smell of the smallpox itself. firmly
believe that more people died of carbolic
acid in Philadelphia here last winter than
of smallpox.
From the moment of attack the room
should be kept dark, and morning and
night it should be thoroughly ventilated,
the patient being covered completely over
with the bed-clothes, while the windows
and doors are opened for at least ten
minutes each time.
Now, sir. would like to hnve all who
may follow this advice report the results
to you for publication; for | feel certain
that il the people can once be taught to
lose this cowardly fear Of smallpox, pa
tients will receive proper nursing, and,
getting that, the fatal cases will be re-
duced 10 rs low an average as that of any |
ordinary ailment Of which man, in the
course Of nature, must at some time die. !
G. w. ALEXANDER.