Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-10-15
IN THE SICK ROOM.
The Experience of An Intelligent Nurse
Presented In Popular Form.

presented In fOpuihF
"In summer persons caring for the
sick invariably raise the windows from
the bottom" remarked . trained
nurse. "Now, except in very sultry,
close weather this should not be done.
The sick-room should be constantly
supplied with fresh air, but 1t should be
admitted in such q way as to cause no
strong current near or about the
patient. The best way is to drop the
windows from the top. Cool air being
heavier descends, and when introduced
high up purifies and freshens the at
mosphers more thoroughly. 1t is
always dangerous to open = window in
the direction from which the wind is
blowing.
People who are not disturbed by
disorder when well are often irritated
/ by the least confusion in the arrange
ment of room when i'll. Every thing
in the room should DO carefully ad-
justed to the best advantage, for q sick
persons fancy is most capricious.
Nothing should DO allowed to lie
around carelessly. The table should
not be Uttered with books and papers.
Flowers should be kept no longer than
absolutely fresh. Medicine and water
glasses should be carefully washed and
kept from the sight of the patient
The constant sight Of medicine is not
only trying to an invalid but often
nauseating.
mo food should ever be prepared in
the sick-room. If only a small bowl of
broth. it should be served as invitingly
as possible. Nor should . bowl Of
broth or Cruel or cup of tea be carried
to the sick person in your hand; place
it on tray covered with clean napkin.
Bring but little quantity at time, for
a large quantity is apt to take away the
patients appetite. II possible, always
serve too little, reserving supply
until asked for more. II the physician
should order larger amount OF food,
than the patient can take at one time,
as for instance, q cupful of milk or
broth, try only little, a tablespoon
full or so at time. If the stomach re-
jects even this, try even less. Too
great care can not be observed in all
these seeming small details. With
persons of highly sensitive nervous
organizations the observance of these
apparently trivial things often means
the issue of life or death.
"Absolute cleanliness is imperative
in the sick room. The bed linen should
be changed at least every other day,
unless the patients condition is such
as to make il impracticable. Sprinkle
the carpet with tea leaves before sweep
| ing, and dust with a damp cloth.
Cleanliness is the only means by which
the air can be kept pure, especially in
summer. Impure air, whether in the
sick room or otherwise on the premises
readily becomes poison. Cleanliness
in summer is not only essential to the
recovery of the sick, but to tho con
tinuance Of good health to those who
are we'll.
at is never desirable to darken ,
sick room except in some nervous dis
eases. affections Of the eyes. or in tn,
acute stages Of the disease There ar,
persons whose nervous systems hav,
become so disarranged that the broat
daylight Is an actual pain to them ant
nothing so grateful to their disturbed
nerves as the darkness. Light, how
ever. is an important adjunct in conva
lescence. When the patient Is very
sick it is easy to admit plenty Of ligh
without allowing 1t to fall in such
way as to occasion annoyance
Be sure that the lamp does not smok
or give out . bad odor at night
and that the gas does not leak
and that the lamp is not so place
as to make shadows flicker within
sight of the patient when vsu keep
burning all night. II the gas je
causes this effect on the wall, shade
in such . manner as to prevent tn
formation Of distracting shadows
Little things that in health would
unnoticed often have disastrous influ
ence on a system weakened by long O
severe illness.
"For all stomach infammations Q
irritations there is generally nothin
cit er than cracked ice. The lumr
can be allowed to melt in the mouth
One supply Of ice can be made to la.
for number of hours by laying it in
piece of coarse flannel suspended in
bowl. Take a deep bowl. holding
quart or more and piece of coars
flannel. oblong in shape, about twic
as long as it is broad. Fasten the far
mel around the bowl with a string !
such way as to make it reach abol
. half way to the bottom. Put tn
cracked ice into this flannel cup an
; cover it with the end left over becau,
of the oblong shade. In this name
the ice is kent dry. the water runnin
through the flannel into the bowl.
"Another word about flowers: Kee
no heavily scented blossoms near Il
: sick person. and If flowers are place
near the bedside during the day r
: move them at night. People with de-
= cate imaginations are often very sens
a tive in regard to preponderance
!, viii e blossoms about them when vel
. i'll. They want to behold somethir
u vivid that speaks of throbbing life, n
the symbolic flowers Of death.
. "All idiosyncracies of the sick mu