The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-07
THE HOSPITAL DRAWER.
Esr an Emergency Nothing Like 1t In th'
Household.

Bsr an Emergency Nothing Like 1t In the
Household.
Every household should appropriate a
drawer or chest for the accumulation of
articles liable to be needed in case of
sickness.
This drawer should contain the vari-
GUS articles and appliances which past
experience or anticipation may suggest.
1t is perhaps needless to observe that
everything laid away should be scrupu-
lousy clean.
Old sheets that have been retired from
regular service are always useful in sick
ness, and a good pile of them is a valua-
BILE feature of the hospital supply.
Old muslin is always in demand-both
in large and small pieces-and these
should be freed from bands, buttons and
trimmings or hard seams and neatly
folded in piles or the small pieces IN
rolls, ready for use.
Old linen is also valuable. This should
be kept by itself, in rolls or bags, ac-.
cording to size of pieces, but even small
scraps often come handy.
Rolls of old flannel should be ready for
sudden demand.
Handkerchiefs too much worn for or
binary use should find their way to the
''hospital drawer" as old, soft clothes
are always of use in the sickroom.
A box for small articles should occupy
a corner of the drawer, to hold such con-
veniences as a small box of absorbent
cotton, bent glass tubes-one quite small
for medicine, the other large for liquid
nourishment and drinks. A graduated
glass for measuring medicine will not
come amiss, also or two small glasses
for holding medicines and drinks. These
articles may be found at the drug store,
as well as various other little things
which may be thought of, and which it
will save time and anxiety to have in
readiness. A supply of safety pins, both
large and small, should not be omitted
from the list.
A rubber cloth for the bed should be
procured when convenient and laid by
for time of need.
a rubber bag for hot water is a desid-
eratum, though bottles of convenient
size and shape (dasks do very well), and
furnished with corks that may be relied
upon, will form a very good substitute.
Value OF the salt Bath.
In the spring when the system is apt
to be run down by the confinement in
the heated atmosphere of winter houses
and by thelack OF the good, green vege-
tables which do so much to tone up the
system it is well to call attention to
the value Of salt bathing. Almost all
intelligent nurses now recommend the
salt bath, especially for eryou persons
or individuals whose systems have be-
com enervated by lack of abundant
outdoor exercise. Where a person is in
individually good health and is accus-
toned to a cold bath a cup of rock salt
may always be used to advantage dis
solved in the bathing water.
But this saline bath must be rinses off
afterward with clear water, and the body
then rubbed vigorously with heavy crash
towels. But in the case Of a little child
or a delicate person authorities recon-
mend the warm salt water bath taken at
night just before retiring. The soothing
effect Of such a bath as this can hardly
be appreciated by aperson who has never
tried it. A nervous little child will often
fall into a refreshing slumber after such
a bath as this when every other expedi.
emit fails.