St. Landry democrat., 1881-10-22
Care of and Hints to Callers on the
Sick.


anxious, if we'll, to call and offer our
assistance and sympathize with the in
valid and their friends This is right;
it is just as it should be. love to have
nv friends call on me when am sick.
1t cheers me up and takes my mind off
from self for the time being.
We all know what a blessing it is to
have a friend in affliction; one that we
can place confidence in when we are
worn out with watching over sick
bed; one that will care for their every
want Just as cbeerfully, lovingly and
trustworthy as we could ourselves.
This is the kind of help weneed atsuch
times, if we need any.
There are times when calling on the
sick does great harm; for instance, if
person lies dangerously i'll, or at the
point of death, to have the house filled,
IRON morning till night, with callers,
that come out of idle curiosity and stay
hours and gossip, when they can do no
earthly good. This is decidedly wrong.
Only call at the door Qlnless you are
sure your friend is able to see you
without harm) and inquire for his well
fare, and express wish to stay if you
can be of any service; if not, leave inn
mediately. 49,. a...
Enter and leave the house and move
about the room quietly. Garry a cheer
full face, and speak cheerful words, full
of sympathy. In order to cheer, it is
not necessary to comment upon all the
unfavorable symptoms of the patient.
but make the most of the favorable
ones. Talk about something outside;
tell the news, but not the list OF the sick
and dying. -" @
If your friend is very sick, do not
fall into gay and careless talk in the
attempt to be cheerful. Do not con-
verse in an undertone to any one in
sick-room; this excites the curiosity,
and often leads your friend to think
YOU are alarmed, and that his is a
hopeless case. The result is your friend
gets discouraged and nervous, and
grows worse in very short time. Do
not ask questions, and thus obige your
friend to talk.
If possible, carry something with
you to please the eye and relieve the
monotony of the sck-room; a pretty
china cup, to be used whenever drink
is wanted, or bouquet of flowers is a
suitable gift; these especially please
children; and, if desirable, some little
delicacy to tempt the appetite will be
well bestowed. but avoid the common
custom of tempting them with unwhole-
some things. Stay only a moment; or a
few moments at the most, unless you
can be of some help.
| believe in every family taking care
] of their own sick, as far as possible, for
/ this reason: It is best to have one
steady nurse; patients, as a rule, have
better care, less confusion, and medi-
cine is given with more regularity.
When I am called to watch over a
sick person, this is one of the first
questions: Do you give your own med
icine. or am to give ite In nine cases
out Of ten / am to give it. Well, the
next thing to be done is to take the
directions for giving the medicine. |
90 to the table or stand; my eyes rest
upon goblet of solution. a vial of pei
lets, two and perhaps three different
kinds of powders, the three clusters so
near together it is hard matter to tell
sstother from which" I find, by look
inc them over, that the doctor has not
written out the direction in full. turn
to the late nurse and ask how it is
given, and he or she goes on to tell.
and when they have finished it would
defy a philadelphia lawyer to I'M
ravel the mess correctly. This neglect
on the part of the physician is, in my
humble opinion, objectionable.
I never allow a doctor to leave the
house without writing out the directions
of the. medicine to be given in full and
legibly.. 81 - Z.
2. The nurse must follow out the d.
rections, as given, to the letter. and
/ watch the result, and be able to- give
the symptoms Of. the patient correctly
to the physician in attendance on his
nextcalI.
II 3. Ask what effect the medicine left
should have upon the patient if it works
as he would wish, and what the result
would be if it should work contrary or
the dose prove too large; then if he
(the doctor) is at distance You can
use your own Judgment in case all is not
right.
By a close observance OF the above
{ one cannot fail to make themselves USE
!. full in the sick-room.
Every intelligent person should know
how to ascertain the state of the pulse
in health; then, by comparing it
with what it is when he is
aiIing, he may have some idea
OF the urgency Of his case. Parents
should know the health pulse Of each
child-as now and then person is born
with peculiarly slow or fast pulse =
and the very case in hand may be OF
that popularity. An infants pulse is
40; child Of seven about eighty, and
from twenty eight to sixty years it is
seventy beats minute, declining to
sixty at eighty. A healthful grown
persons pulse beats seventy times a
minute; there may be good health
down to sixty, but If the pulse always