The Irish standard., 1886-07-31
THE AMATEUR pocTRESS.
She Should be Careful not to Overstep Ger.
tain Defined Limits.

ne ANA Goos
She Should be Careful not to Overstep Ger.
tain Defined Limits.
The amateur doctress must be careful
not to overstep certain well-defined linz
its in her work, OF she may do more
harm than good. Some women when
they begin dabbling in medicines do not
know where to stop.
One important use of the amateur
doctress is that from her larger
experience she can see at once when
an illness is serious, and insist that a
doctor shall be Immediately sent for. 1t
is difficult sometimes to convince people
of the necessity.
Some doctors carefully adapt their
language to their hearers, and use SIM
pie words and go over the instructions
more than once when they are speaking
to very ignorant people; but Others
abuse the poor people for their heart
lessness and carelessness, and say that
they never carry out orders, when the
truth of the matter is that the orders
are couched in technical terms
just as unintelligible to them
as Chinese. For instance, bottle
of medicine was sent labeled: ITO be
taken in recumbent posture" J" The
wife went all round inquiring if any of
the neighbors could lend her recuna-
bent posture for the man to take his
medicine in. Even if they understand
the words, poor people often have no
practical knowledge how to do the
things they are told to do. In such
cases the lady amateur is a most useful
supplement- to the medical man. rec
member a woman saying that the doc
tor had told her to make beef tea; was
she to put Che beef in the teapot, and
fill ii up with boiling waterp Many
people refuse beef tea, saying it makes
them f1atulent. 1t is useful for a lady
doctress to know that bit Of bruised
ginger boiled with the beef will prevent
this:
How to make alinseed pouitice is an
other thing that people require to be
taught. The cold, clarnmy poultices
that are often applied do more harm
than good. To make really satisfac-
tory poultice, have a basin and dish
quite hot. and the water boiling. Ii the
poultice is for the chest, take piece of
clean rag large enough to cover the
whole chest, and lay it on the hot dish.
Pour into the basin as much boiling
water as will mix the poultice, Scat
ter the linseed meal in lightly, and
stir it with knife until it is sufficiently
consistent. IF it is too dry, the poultice
will not hold together; and if it is too
sloppy, it feels very damp and unco,n-
Portable. Spread the pou1tice on the
rag evenly with the knife, and double
over the rag a tiny bit at the edges.
Garry the poultice to the patient on the
hot dish. Ii it is too hot TO apply. it is
easy to let it cool for q minute. Bind
the poultice firmly OF with handker.
chief or few folds Of bandaging, and
lay piece OF flannel over it, both in
order to retain the heat and to prevent
the clothes from being made damp. One
woman, having made linseed poaltice,
kept it for future use ever after. and
whenever poultice WAS ordered, used
to warm up the dry, nouldy old thing
in the oven and put it ON again.
A bucket Of fresh cold water kept
under the bed of bedrjdden person will
usually prevent bed-snres. The slight
evaporation keeps the bed cool and
pleasant. II bed-sores have formed, All
old silk handkerchief tackled inside the
garment is comfortable. There are
many harmless homemade remedies
which q lady may dispense in the case
of trihing ailments, like coughs and
Gods, asthma and weakness, and ordi'
nary bilious attacks; and to these home
medicines perhaps a few simple and
well known patent medicines may safe
ly be added; but no one who has not
had regular medical training ought
ever to think of administering drugs
which they may chance to have heard
are good for this or that ailment-
Such things as black~currant tea,
raspberry vinegar with water, lemonade
and rhubarb sEerbet are most welcome
to thirsty, feverish sufferers; and the
loan for short time of such appliances
as hot-water bag, an air cushion, or
bed-rest may sometimes afford great
relief to invalids. H0rpea''s Weekly.