The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-11-14
Mistakes IN Nursing.

the most practical poftloh Vi tne "a
D. suggestions. It will be observed
that the writer dwells upon the I'M
portance Of avoiding over-attenIon
on she part of the attendant IN the
sick room, and the importance OF que
rude. which he defines as the absence
of al excitement, and it must be re-
membered, the writer further adds.
that ANYTHING out Of the common VIII
tend to excite the mind Of a. sufferer.
Do not. therefore, walk on tip-toe,
for this. in addition 10 its unusual elab-
Grafton of the gait, invariably causes
acertain amount of creaking. Speak
in low tones; but don't whisper; a
whisper will often awaken a sleeper
who would not be disturbed by ordl-
nary conversation; and never say
Hush" Let your clothes and foot
covering be Of as noiseless and unob-
trusire a character as possible, and
instead Of gliding and lettering about
ike q rickety ghost, do not hesitate to
walk. IF YOU have occasion to say
anything in the room, say 1t so that
the patient can hear it if he wishes,
and do not let him be aware of your
conspiring privately with the others,
especially at the door.
That door has much ITO answer for.
lit be visible from the bed, people
open It cautiously, put their heads in,
and slowly withdraw again. If, as is
more frequently the case, is screened
by the bed curtains. mysterious
openings tnd shuttings are heard, I'M
attended with any ingress or egress,
and sett5 y9ce colleagues 60 ION outside.
When you enter, do so honestly, and
~ once: do not spend five minutes in
turning the handle, like housebreak-
cr. thereby producing series Of ir-
rilatiug little clicks, finally .termin-
ating in a big snap, with which the
door flies open. II the latch be at all
rusty, handle that Is slowly wound
back in this way will often stick, and
either require to be ratified back into
position, or, If left as it Is, may start
back suddenly after a time Of its own
accord withareport like pistol shot.
1t is ALWAYS well to rccollect that it
byno means follows that sick person
q asleep because lis eyes are shut;
DC may be acatcly conscious of all
hat Is pa ing in the room, though
unable or unwilling to make any sign;
and NOTHING can be more maddenlng,
under ueb circumstances. than 10
have people hush-sh-jng, and wills
pcriay around. and crcaking about OH
the tips OF ihcir toes. We have all
sympathized in our beasts with poor
Sir Leicester Dedlock when his tom
que was smitteu with paralysis, with
his sister constantly bending over him
with clasped hands and murmuring,
He IS asleep" til goaded to desper-
alton lie makes signs for his slate
and writes, Il am not.
Never zlaud at The foot Of the bed
aud look at the patient While talk
ing to him Is better to sit by the side
Of the bed aud a. near the pillow as
possible. So that YOU may converse
easily, while your face and body are
turned in the same direction as his.
BY thi. means, YOU can make all nee
essary observations Of his features
without enforcing the arrest of his
eyes to your own, which is'so'embar.
raising and disagreeable t. one lying
in bed, and Is almost unavoidable
when facing him. Keep him in as
comfortable position as possible, by
all means, but don't be too demon
strative in smoothing the pillows
and little offices Of that sort. Fid-
getty attentions will worry him, and
do him more harm than downright
neglect.
When you are sleepy, it is better
for your charge, as well as for your
self, that you should go to bed at once
and get that repose in slumber to
which you must succumb eventually, |
however strong your devotion may
be, and however great the interests
at stake. 1t is not necessary to dwell |
here on the prudence of economizing
your strength, that YOU may be ca
pable Of CRATER or prolonged exertions
should the need for them arise, or to
look ut this detail from the point of
view which affects yourself. But in
any case, You can be of little or no
service, worn out with fatigue, and in
a condition more akin to somnambu-
liSm than vigilance, and the spectacle
Of noddiug, doing nurse is neither
soothing nor reassuring to tie sufferer
while if you be one near dear to him,
he viii be tormcnted with anxiety
lest you should impair your own
health on his account In such a
ease rs this, You cannot do better
than lie down comfortably on a sofa
or-bad where he can watch YOU, and
tbcre have q good nap-ior his sake.
Some people have a great notion Of
tempting the appetite by the sug-
Ec>.ion of al manner Of calables and i
dyiak&bles, or by bringing them ready
prepared to the bedside experiment.
ally. This, no doubt, is very well at
timgs-during conyaIesenee, for in
stance; bat as | am medical man,
AN persuaded that it Is mistake in
the earlier stage OF an illness. when
all food is loathed alike, and the crea-
ton ofan appetite IS an impossibility.
The only thing Ia be done Is to i'm
press on the invalid the necessity of ,
taking wha, Is ordered for him at ,
stated times; just As hetakes his medi
cine; and it should be prepared on the ,
same footing Is 4 medicine with !
the understanding that 1t is 4 naus- :
eous dose, and must lie presented in !,
a form that will admit Of its being !
swallowed as campaetly aud as rap. :
idly rs possible It Is worse than !
useless to employ aayoring matters :
st this stage. with the idea of max
Ing anything palatable; If YOU can 7
render his food absolutely tastless. as I
viii do far more for him. Aud beyond !;
this foreiblo administration 50 to :
speak, Of a certain amount, | think :
little good Is gained BY suggesting I
this OF that delieacY, in the hope that !
your patient may be induced to I
fancy something. We may take :
1t for granted that when he feels in :
elined for anything he will ask for it !,
spontaneously, and the promptings of !;
nature are more likely to lead him :
TO choice of what is best for him. >
than our string of suggestions. l i
have frequently observed that when = :
sick people have mentioned desire |,
for any special food. they almost in :
eariably eat of it when it is procured: :
where as it often happens, when they Il
have been persuaded to assent to !.
something which has been proposed,
.ba inelination II ever existad-