The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-08-20
TREATMENT OF INVALIDS.

SpOnging with cool water is one of
the recognized I,"anS of reducing the
heat of the body in fcvcrs and it is very
refreshing in any case when the sick
person has To STAY in bed for more than
a day or two. Children always like to
be spongcd if they are at all feverish.
ut does make me feel SO good" dear
little patient once said to me when /
had finished bathing him and many an
older one has sighed thankfully: 81
feel as if could go to sleep now" BY
attending carefully to the following di-
rcctions even II novice will have no diff
ticulty in giving Il bath to person in
bed. Collect at the bedside everything
that will be needed; two blankets, two
towels, a sponge, soap if desired, and a
basin of tcpid water. Ii the night dress
is to be changed fresh one must be put
to warm. Move the patient to one side
of the bed and turn the clothes back to-
wards him. keeping him covered, on
the cleared space lay doubled blanket
over the under sheet, replace the clothes
as before and move the patient over on
the doubled blanket. Fold i'm two the
other spare blanket provided and lay it
on top of the bed clothes, draw it close
under tie chin of the patient and pin it
to the pillow by the two upper corners.
Slip the hand under this folded blanket
and draw away all the other bed clothes
towards the foot of the bed. leaving the
patient covered with the blanket alone
Take ont the pins and unfasten the
night dress, slipping out the arms and
drawing 1t over the head. being careful
the blanket does not slip aside during
the operation. The patient is now ready
for the bath. Squeeze the sponge so it
will not drip and wash the face. ears
and neck, drying them with a towel as
soon rs possible, pass the sponge under
the blanket and battle the body. small
portion at Il time, wiping one part be-
fore wctting another; 10 wash the back
turn the patient on one side. still under
the blanket. When all is sponged and
thoroughly dried bring the warm night
dress, put the arms in first then holding
the back gathered up none hand, raise
the head with the other hand and slip it
on, pull it down, replace the bed clothes
that have been turned aside, draw out
the upper blanket used, move the pa
tient to the other side of the bed, take
out the lower blanket used in the bath,
arrange the pillows and spread the
blankets to dry. They will be damp
but not wet if the bath has been proper
ly given.
removing the patient from bed is SIM
pie matter to The initiated. Have the
clean sheet rolled length ways to about
half its width. that is take hold of the
'ir OF the sheet and fold it towards the
Ia Lie. lay it across Il chair near by
and move the patient to one side of the
bed folding the clothes back, towards
him as if about to give bath, push the
soiled under sheet towards him also and
on the half of the mattress thus exposed
lay the clean sheet with the rolled part
| towards the patient, tuck the free edge
under the mattress at the side, head and
| foot, straighten the bed coverings over
| the whole bed and move the patient,
under their shelter all the time, oyer the
roll on to the smooth part of the clean
sheet; 90 around TO the other side of the
| bed, pull of the soilcd sheet, unroll the
| remainder of the clean sheet and tuck
| that side under the mattress. These di.
rections can easily be practised at any
time, substituting roll of cotton, or q
| pillow, for patient and when the
| knowledge is needed it will be found a
great advantage to be able to perform
this simple operation without difficulty.
| To change the upper sheet lay the fresh
| one outside the bed clothes with blank.
ct over it, draw the other bed clothes
| from under it either holding it i'm place
with one hand or pinning the upper
corners to the pillows to keep it steady,
the bed clothes can then be spread over
it. When there is great restlessness and
difficulty in keeping the sufferer cover
cd with the clothes flannel jacket
should be worn over the night dress.
Two must be provided and changed
morning and night; the one not in ust
being well aired.-EiizabeM Robinson
ScOgil, in Good Housekeeping.