The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1883-04-12


The early part of convalescence is oft.
en- trying time TO the feeble invalid,
The fr ends about You have heretofore
been so quiet and anxious and fearful,
fearing you were slipping away from
them into the sha lows OF the great un-
known, that now, the crisis past, their
lght-heartedness, Their hustle and talk,
their slight relaxing of attent on, is too
sudden change, and seems to your fee
bic and weakened sens rs much ike care
lessness, indifference and lack of heart.
The only trouble is, thev do not quite
comprehend how feeble and i'll and
nervous you still are
Sometimes in this first part OF conva-
lescence that patient who has hereto
fore been quiet as a mouse, grows all at
once -'touchy" and hard to suit. The
nerves were at first perhaps too weak
TO rebel; now they are jaded and sore,
and no one but those who have had ex-
perience can understand how tritling a
thing will hurt and jangle them.
Something similar TO these expe-
riences is often felt b the young and
ratl.er feeble mother in the trying after
days. When those about her are re-
ioicing that 1.-THE worstis over" 1t often
seems to her that the worst has iust ar
rived, and she lies with strength spent
and nerves at once weak and tense, and
weighted down with such varied and
accumulated discom 'orts as it seems 10
her she cannot endure. and often. I'M
fortunately, with no one about her who
possesses the wisdom to understand
the miseries of her case Under these
conditions all hustle should lie strictly
prohibited; visits to her and the little
stranger de erred; and all exertion and
anxiety on her part CAREFUL guarded
against. What she Graves is rest, quiet
and soothing influences, and these she
should have.
With convalescence comes an effort
to return to the ordinary habits of life.
among which is the habit of eating. At
this stage the nurse re uires not little
discretion and tact. Sometimes the APP
petite is feeble; sometimes it is rapa-
cious. and re Guires curbing and re.
straint. In the latter case it is inju-
dicious and cruel TO bring within sight
of the convalescent things which cannot
be allowed. or to bring heaped-up
plates of goodies and expect self-con-
troll. The better way is to bring into
the sick-room at each meal only what is
permitted.
When the appetite is feeble, and it is
desirable that it be gently coaxed, it is
quite as desirable that the plates should
not be overloaded rs be ore; an over
flowing cup or piled-up platter will
. often produce the opposite effect from
Z that desired. and turn what was before
only Indifference to food, into absolute
loathing of it. 1t is better, too, not to
harrass the patient with questions as to
what would be preferred but rather
make trial of this and that which seems
suitable; often something coming unex-
pectedly will relish much better with
the sick than what is foreknown.
Also it is desirable that the dishes, or
some one of them, shall have an agree
able and appetizing smell. This may
seem foolish and unimportant, but it is
not. 1t scarcely need lie said that each
article should be prepared so as not
only to have an agreeable taste, but an
agreeable look also; that the dishes, if
not new, should at least be free from
hicks or cracks; that the knives and
silver should be shining, and the nap
kins clean and white. Country Gentle
man.