The Brookhaven leader., 1883-11-22
On the Care Of a Sick.ROom.

be said. Bnt when one enters a sick
room a glance around will generally in
dicate 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. l have even found
them with shawl or blanket over
them when there was fever patient in
the room. The patient does not like
the 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
dow. If this cannot be done, use a
screen, or if there is no screen to be
had, common clothes horse that can
be found in any house will do. Drape
this with large shawl or anything that
is convene ent. making it look as well as
possible for the sake of the patient, as Il
sick person en- oys 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
tent. A patient with pntunOnia. or
many of the Ting trOubles, cannot bear
the same amount of air 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-
cellcnt 10 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
YES" put extra covers on the bed, ac-
cording to the temperature, put some
thing light and warm about the head,
leaving the face exposed, if the patient
can bear it. Ii not, throw something
4, l,t
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 ,the patients face is not COW
cred. If it is, leave them open shorter
time, or your patient may feel stitled.
Patients should not be 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 5 feet and limbs warm.
Close the windows and let the air warm
a 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 couvalescents and nervous peo-
pie who are able to be partly or wholly
dressed, put them on Il couch, covering
them sufficiently, or dress them as for
driving, place them by an open win
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 patient can get plenty of fresh
air in this way that could not 90 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 go 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.
1t is perfectly easy to close door qui-
city, yet few people make it practice
to do it until some one in the house is
i'll, and then it is often forgotten.
The patient that for days and nights
has had no rest is finally relieved from
pain and is quietly sleeping. If there
is nothing to disturb him, some hours
of refreshing sleep may be expected,
giving the. rest and strength
so much needed. But some
one, forgetful of the needed
carefulness, closes door with slam,
and the patient starts with every nerve
quivering, not only losing the much
needed sleep, but having to suffer from
a sudden Weakening, so hard for weak
person to bear. If people would prac-
tice and teach care in closing doors un-
til it became their habit to do so, no one
need suffer from this one of the unnec-
essarY noises.
Sometimes there are large cracks by
the hinges of doors, over which
pieces of cloth should be pasted to pre-
vent air or light from passing into the
room when the door swings open. The
window sashes usually rattle with the
wind, the jar of passing cart or even
footsteps in the house; this should be
prevented, and is easily accomplished
by pushing in folded card or wedge
of wood between the two sashes.
There is often in the sick-room an ar
ray of bottles, boxes of pills, besides