Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-05
THE SICK ROOM.
The Little Things That GOad the Sick to
Desperation.


The following views on the errors in
nursing is from the pen of an English
physician, in the London Telegraph, who,
having spent the past three years on his
back, owing to a run and relapse of fever,
knows whereof he speaks:
Do not walk on tiptoe, for this, in addi-
ton to its unusual elaboration of the gait,
invariably causes a certain amount of
creakng.
Speak in low tones, but don't whisper;
whisper will often awaken a sleeper
who would not be disturbed by ordinary
conversation, and never say "Hushv
Let your clothes and foot covering be of
as noiseless and unOhtrusive character
as possible, and instead of gliding and
tottering about like a rickety ghost, do
not hesitate to walk. If YOU have occa-
sion to say anything in the room say it so
that the patient can hear it II he wishes,
and do not let him be aware of your con-
spring privately with Others, especially
at the door.
The door has much to answer for. If it
be visible from the bed, people open it
cautiously, put their heads in and slowly
withdraw again. If, as is more frequently
the case, it is screened by the bed cur
tains, mysterious OPENINGS and shuttings
are heard, unattended with any ingress
or egress, and soto Voce cOloquies go on
outside. When you enter do 80 honestly
and at once; do not spend five minutes in
turning the handle, like a house-breaker,
thereby producing a series of irritating
little clicks, finally terminating in big
snap, with which the door flies open. If
the latch be at all rusty, n 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 time of its own
accord with report like a pistol shot.
1t is always well to recollect that it by
no means follows that sick person is
asleep because his eyes are shut; he may
be acutely conscious of all that is passing
in the room, though unable or unwilling
to make any sign; and nothing can be
more maddening, under the circumstan-
ces, than to have people hush-sh-ing and
whispering around, and creaking about
on the tips of their toes. We have all
sympathzed in our hearts with poor Sir
Leicester DedlOck when his tongue was
smitten with paralysis, with his sister
constantly bending over him with clasped
hands and murmuring: she is asleepW
till, goaded to desperation, he makes
signs for his slate aud writes: 81 am not"
Never stand at the foot Of the bed and
look at the patient. While talking to him
it is better to sit by the side OF the bed,
and as 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 this means you can make all
necessary observation of his features
without lnfOrcing the rest of his eyes to
your own, which is so embarrassing and
disagreeable to one lying in bed, and is
almost unavoidable when facing him.
Keep him in as comfortable position as
DOssible by all means Int don't be too
demOBstrative in soothing the pillows and
little offices of that sort. Fidgety atten-
lions will worry him, and do him more
harm than downright NEGLECT.