Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-05-14
THE HOUSEHOLD.


Sponging with cold water is one of the
recognized means of reducing the heat of the
body in fevers and it is very refreshing in
any case when the sick person has TO stay in
bed for over day or two. Children always
like to be sponged if they are at all feverish.
1T does make me feel so good, a dear little
patient once said to me when l had finished
bathing him and many an older one has sigh
ed thankfully 81 feel as if / could go to
sleep now" By attending carefully to the
following directions even a novice will have
no difficulty in giving bath to a person in
bed. Collect at the bedside everything that
will be nee ded two blankets, two towels, a
sponge, soap if desired, and a basin Of tepid
water If the night dress is to be changed a
fresh one must be put to warm. Move the
patient to one side Of the bed and turn the
clothes back towards him, keeping him COW
cred on the cleared place lay doubled ban.
ket over the under sheet, replace the clothes
as before and move the patient over on the
doubled blanket Fold in two the other
spare blanket provided and lay it on. top of
the bed clothes, draw it close under the
chin of the patient and pin 1t to the pill
low by the two upper corners. Slip the
hand under this folded blanket and draw
away all the other bed clothes toward the
foot of the bed leaving the patient covered
with the blanket alone. Take out the pins
! and unfasten the night dress, slipping out
the arms and drawing it 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 80 it will not
drip and wash the face, ears and neck, dry
| ing them with towel as soon as possible,
! pass the sponge under the blanket and battle
the body, a small portion at a time, wiping
one part before wetting another; to 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 in one hand, raise the head with
the other hand and slip it on, pull it down,
replace the bed clothes that have been turn
ed aside, draw out the upper blankets used,
move the patient to the other side of the bed
take out the lower blankets 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 properly given.
To change the under sheet without remov-
ing the patient from the bed is a simple mat
ter to the initiated. Have the clean sheet
rolled length ways to about half its width,
that is take hold of the side of the sheet and
fold 1t towards the middle, lay it across a
chair near by and move the patient to one
side of the bed folding the clothes back, tow
ards him as if about to give bath, push the
soiled under sheet toward 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 mat.
tress at the side, head and foot, straighten
the bed coverings over the whole bed and
move the patient, under their shelter all the
time, over the roll on to the smooth part OF
the clean sheet go around to the other side
of the bed, pull off the soied sheet unroIl
the remainder of the clean sheet and tuck
that side under the mattress. These direc-
tons can easily be praotised at any time, sub
shutting a roll of cotton, or a 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 diff
hculty. To change the upper sheet lay the
fresh one outside the clothes with a blanket
over it, draw the other bed clothes from un
der it either holding it in place with on,
hand or pinning the upper corners to the pill
lows to keep it steady, the bed clothes cal
then be spread over it. When there is
great Testlessness and difficulty in keeping
the sufferer covered with the clothes a flame
jacket should be worn over the night dress
Two must be provided and changed morning
and night; the one not in use being we'll air
ed. -HLiza5eth Robinson ScOoH, IN Goo
housekeeping.