Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-12-22
On tire Care Of a Slcs.l.oom.

regard to house nursing of late that it
seems as though there was no more to
= be said Bnt when one enters sick
e room;a glance around will generally in
dictate that there Is much need of in
struction.
The windows which should be ar
ranged for the free ingress of air and
sunlight are closed. have even found
them with a shawl or blanket over
: them when there was fever patient in
the room. The patient does not like
r9e light, and so the window is covered.
Light and sunshine carry strength
with them, and are great aids in bring
ing back health and strength. The best
way is to turn the bed with the head
towards the window, if this can be done
without the bed being too near the win
screen, or if there is no screen to be
had, a common clothes horse that can
be found in any house will do. Drape
this with large shawl or anything that
Is convenient. making it look as well as
possible for the sake of the patient, as a
sick person enjoys having something
pleasant to look at This screen will
shade the eyes of the patient and pre-
vent the air from blowing directly on
the bed, and the room can be kept per-
fectly fresh and cool without danger to
the patient.
DO not think that air is necessarily
pure because it is cool, or impure be-
cause it is warm. Arrange the windows
according to the condition of the pa
tient. A patient with pneumonia. or
many of the l,aay troubles, cannot bear
the same amount of ali as fever pa
tient.
If the weather is cool, have board
made six inches broad and just the
same width as the window, so that
it will fit the groove that the window
slides in. Put this in below the window,
letting the sash rest upon it, and the
room will be ventilated without danger
of the air blowing on the patient. Or
frames, one six inches broad and
another ten or twelve inches broad,
wide enough to fit the groove for the
sash and covered with flannel, are ex-
cellent to use as ventilators. The air
loses much of its dampness in passing
through the flannel. With care, the
room can be kept perfectly fresh with
out danger to the patient, and do not
forget that your patient needs fresh air
both day and night So much for ven
tilation only.
Ask the doctor if the patient can have
a great deal of fresh air. If he says
EYES," put extra covers on the bed, &C
cording to the temperature, put some
thing light and warm about the head,
leaving the face exposed, if the patient
can bear it. If not, throw something
over the head-board and put it down
over the patient so that it will not
touch the face; this is not often neces-
sary, as most people can bear the air
and enjoy it. When the patient is
properly covered, open all the windows
wide, leaving them open ten or fifteen
minutes if,,the patients face is not COW
cred. If it is, leave them open a shorter
time, or your patient may feel stified.
Patients should not he left alone while
the windows are open, but the nurse
will need to dress as for going out of
doors in order to stay with them. Keep
the patients feet and limbs warm.
Close the windows and let the air warm
. little before taking off any of the
covers; uncover the face first, and take
off the other covers as the room gets
warmed. This can be done two or three
times day and is very refreshing.
When patients are arranged for the
night, it often quiets and soothes them,
if restless, and helps them to sleep
better.
For convalescents and nervous peo-
pie who are able to be partly or wholly
dressed, put them on a couch, covering
them sufficiently, or dress them as for
v,Ia hxy
dow lin the sun, if possible), and let
them remain for half an hour or more
once or twice day. Be sure the doors
are closed so that there will be no
draughts.
This way of giving the patient air
may seem dangerous to those not ac-
customed to it, but your physician will
tell you whether it can be done with
safety. 1t often works wonders, as
many a patient can get plenty of fresh
sir in this way that could not 60 out to
drive for long time.
Doors are what we have to do with
all our lives, and yet nineteen people
out of every twenty make noise clos
ing every door they 60 through. Ply
sicians have not yet learned that they
disturb the patient they are striving to
quiet by closing the door noisily when
they enter or leave the house or room.
Il is perfe ,tly easy to close \ door quiz
city, yet few people make it a practice
TO do it until some one in the house is
III. and then it is often forgotten.
The patient tat for days and nights
has had no rest is finally relieved from
pain and rs quietly sleeping. If there
is nothing to disturb him, some hours
of refreshing sleep may be expected,
irving the rest and strength