Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-12-23
Nursing the Sick.

Nursing the Sick.
Let him take teaspoonful once in
three hours" said the doctor rs he was
about to leave the room.
1.-The is asl ,ep, asked the nurse, "w when
the time comes around, shall | wake him
up for his incidence"
No. no. never. Sleep is, in almost
every sickness. better than any medicine
we can give
| This WAS the opinion OF Il learned and
prosperous physician Of the old school,
| and, as the opinion is doubtless sound and
good, it shall be the basis of Il brief pa
per on nursing the sick. The only point
to which l would draw attention is the
one almost universally disreyarded and
never esteemed vitality important. as il
really is. 1t is the absolute Importance OF
quiet, to insure the proper effect of med
icineS and the steady improvement OF the
patient,
No one who has not gone through with
what is called a fit Of sickness, can under
stand the value and blcssedness of Quic,
in !. sick room There are two ways OF
learning it; one is by enjoying it; the
other is suffering the want Of it. | have
been in hospitals where hundreds and
thousands Of patients We're enduring the
p2nS> Of wounds and bruises and ores
and have seen the influence of ,listractina
noises upon PROSTATE army of sufferers
have been in the chamber Of sickness
where Il single patient was >oothcd in
all his pains by the gentle power of Il
tender tone. and the still more potent spell
of perfect silence, that acts like Il healng
charm
| was. years ago, prostrated by fever
and brought very low. that to others il
seemed the gates of death would open and
let Ine in. At such times the voices o
loving friends, in conversation. We're :,
trying to my nerves. thu lonGrd iol
wings to nv away. If they spoke low.
strained every hearing nerve. to c:.trE
their words if they converSrd in ordlna
nv tones. it WI. like htr>h music, and al
most drove me out of my SENSES. They
would have givcn their right hands on
ewes to do me good but. if lhev had on
thought Of nv ears and brain viii, Ii they
were di,tracting, they would have Eivrl
me the precious boon of silence. NOR,
valulblc To- me then than gold. c,slomcl oI
love
Dlrections.-l. From the sickroom TX
clude all persons but the patient and tn,
nurse in charge Whatever assistance i
required .houIi be within easy reach, bu
the less the number in the room the les
temptation to converse. Ii 4 physician l.
in .,tten,i,nce let his directions hc oitpd
Discharge any nurse vt once who know
80 much more thar the doctor Is 10 deter
mine whether his prescriptions are best o.
not; or dismiss the doctor an. install t.
| -,.l i. Il
there should be only one captain. |
other members Of the family b">idc> the
one in charge are admitted, let them en-
ter softly, administer to the >utfrre
their loving offices. and retire; soothing
and not disturbing him by their voices o
steps.
9. Let your feet be shol with prcpara
ton Of such peace rs shall render YOU
footsteps inaudiblc a, You move about tn
room. Squetking OF heavy shoes are
most intosr..ble annoyance to Il sicl
person. If YOURS are not 80 soft ~ to b
perfectly noI>ce>s when YOU tread. cove
the .oles with wool, or with wooden cloth
and be sure that no one comes into tn
room. on any errand whatever, whose step
are to be y disturbance 10 the quiet vo
have ordered.
3 Shut ont. 4. far rs possible. the nois
Of the street. In the country. the annoy
, anct Of the street noise is not suffered, an
the iiendish scream of the railroad en-
ginc is now justly undergoing a protc>
: that we my hope in the interest of com
mon humanity, will lead to lis final SUP
: PRESTON. Keep your poor patient IN I'll
quetcst room i'll the house. and fight stead
, ilv against the Intrusion of noise frol
, without.
L. Let in the sunshine. The sun IN
t healing in his beams. Keep the rool
. just As light, by day and night. a> may b
, pleasant to the patient Regulate II
, rs not to disturb his repose, bat. whcne'
er his eyes are open. let them have non
but pleasant objects to rest on: not ho'
A ror of great darkness, nor of Grote>qu
! shadows. which to him assume the form
l of monsters. Light is cheerful; dark
:. is depressing Light is like life, Darl
n ness is death-likc. Open the windows fu
: sunshine and air.
# might make these hints many NOR
e but the only point want to present
e the Importance Of perfect quiet in the slcl
d ROOM H.ud igntrus NUT, etc, whlc
$ means Having been there, know no
Il it is myself" ."-lrennu>, in N.w York q
It Scrrcr.