Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-06-02
What a Nurse Should Know

! the sick too warm, Free perspira-
! ton is rarely useful. The skin
may be kept moist by tepid, or
cold bathing, but not by heavy
clothing, Avoid feather beds and
pillows, unless they be compressed
so that the head and body may not
sink into them, and so be maze too
warm for comfort.
Cleanliness in health contributes
large to ease and comfort, but more
so in disease. Sponging the sur
face twice a day, or oftener, aids
the recuperative powers Of nature
Children need special care in clean
sing those parts that are soiIed by
the excretions, and so make sores
or excavations. The armpits,groins'
and other parts should be kept
clean and dry. Bed and body
clothing should be daily changed
even if soft cloths are placed under
the patients body. These latter
can be easily removed and others
be substituted without fatiguing or
exhausting the sufferer, who needs
ali the strength he has, and more.
Snonoinc the face, hands, and tenn
pies with cold wafer, in all tebrile
disease, confers a large amount OF
comfort, In some cases, applying
fold of linen OF cotton saturated
with cologne, vinegar, and WATER
camphor water, or other evapora .
ting and cooling lotions, may be
more effective. AS GOODNESS is the
purpose, change such applications
as often as they become warm.
Cholera infantum is a disease Of
the alimentary canal. 1t is caused
by excessive heat, vitiated air, bad
food. These must be removed at
once. This malady may be intro
dnced by diarrhea and show its
proper character by vomiting and ID
purging. The pulse is often full
and tense, the skin not and dry.
Sudden pains may come IN the
bowels and lower limbs, The eX-
cretions from the intestnes may be
fluid, frothy and green. Not rare
| ly the food hurries on its outward
way, without meeting with any
change of color. Now what should
the mother or nurse observe and
what can she do? She should
note all the conditions Just related,
note their peculiar character and
such other conditions as may ap-
pear, and call the physician at once,
| if they are at all severe. If he
does no. come soon and the little
patient is growing worse, give it a
warm blanket bath and retain heat
about its body for ten to thirty min
utes. If the child is very young
and nursing, no food is so useful as
the mothers milk. Avoid starchy
diet; make oatmeal coffee. Roast
the oatmeal. or oats and boil it
slowly for halt hour Or more, strain
| it, add a very little salt and a small
quantity of new milk, and mix
with it if the child is much exhaus-
| ed one halt as much beef tea. We
have cured many cases Of this cruel
malady by avoiding all drugs and
giving the sufferer this composition
of oatmeal decoction and beef tea
Avoid large quantities OF any drink.
Avoid solid food even in small guam
titles. Lime water is often useful
in milk. Give all kinds OF food in
a warm state. A little cold water
may be given now and then. Small
pieces Of ice, enclosed in a piece Of
cause may be often useful. When
the mouth is hot and the tongue is
dry, sucking ice yields great relief
and comfort. The bed should be
made Of hair, and the room kept
cool, take the patient INTO the open
air, and keep for several weeks on
elastic flannel about its bowels. 1t
will support them and keep them
in an even temperature. Many
things must be learned from actual
experience in this as in other Sc
we're diseases Of infancy.
Commissions come so suddenly in
many cases.that mother, or nurse
should make herself familiar with
the proper way Of treating them,
various causes introduce them. In
digestion, DENTON, disturbance of
the brain. They come slyly often
and give no warning of their APP
proacb, sometimes the observing
nurse may anticipate them by MOTTO
ing that the child sleeps with half
closed eyes, and soon has clenched
hands, and a twiIchiDg Of the mus
cles of the face and limbs. In
some cases no promon.tary symp- |
toms occur, and the commissions
may come suddenly, but in ten min
utes they pass away. What may
the nurse do, if they should occur
without any notice OF then coming
is useful knowledge. Find the
causes OF the irritation, and remove |
them. Loosen, or remove tight |
clothing, give a warm blanket BATH
Never attempt to straighten contract
ed muscles. Protect the head eyes
and tongue. If the sufferer Is in
clined to bite his tongue, tie a large |
cork in a piece of strong cotton
cloth, and place it between his
tooth Have 50 LARGE a niece of !