The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-07-08
THE SICK ROOM.
The Little Things That Goad the Sick
to Desperation.

~ DeSpcrNtlOu.
The following views on the errors in
nursing is from the pen of an English
physician, in the London Telegraph,
who. having spent the pas. three years
on his back, owing to run and relapse
Of fever, knows whereof he speaks:
DO not walk on tiptoc. for this, in ad-
dition to its unusual elaboration Of the
gait, invariably causes certain amount
of creaking.
Speak in low tones, but don't whisper;
n whisper will often awaken n sleeper
who would not be disturbed hy ordiha-
ry conversation, and never say "IIush."
Let your clothes and foot covering be
Of rs noiselcss and unobstrusivc char
acter as possible, and instead Of gliding
and tottering about like rickerty ghost,
10 not hesitate to walk. If you have
an occasion to say anything in the room
say it so that the patient can hear it if
he wishes, and do not let him be aware
of your conspiring 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 curtains, mysterious open
ings and shuttings arc heard, unattended
with any ingress or cgress, and soto
voco coiloquies go on outside. When
you enter do SO honestly and at once
do not spend five minutes in turning
the handle, like house breaker, there
by producing series Of irritating lit
tie clicks, finally terminating in big
snap, with which tho. door flies open.
If the latch be at all rusty, handle
that is slowly wound back in this way
will often stick. and either required to
be ratified back into position, or, if left
as it is, may start back suddenly after q
time Of its own accord with report like
pistol shot.
1t is always we'll to recollect that ii
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 cir
cumstances, than to have people hush
sh-ing and whispering around, and
creaking about on the tips Of their toes
We haye all sympnthizcd in our hearts
with poor Sir Leicester Dcdlock when
his tongue was smitten with paralysis
with his sister constantly bending Owe,
him with clasped hands and murmering
"He is aslecp!" till, goaded to despera-
ton, signs for his slate and 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 rs near tho pillow as pos.
siblc, 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 OBJ.
servations Of his features without enforc.
ing tho rest of his eyes to your own
which is so embarrassing and disagree,
able to one lying in bed, and is almos
unavoidable when facing him. Keel
him in MS comfortable position as pos
sible by all means, but don't be too do
monstratiye in soothing the pillows ant
little Offices Of that ssrt. Fidgety at
tentions will worry him, and do hin
more harm than downrisht.neglect.