Evening star., 1907-10-26
] HOUSE
TOLD


E1s.A=--z-s-s
While some women take more natur-
ally to Uursing-than others. being. lis'
the poet, born with facility in tha
direction not made" +. is an art tls.
every woman should do her best To
quiTe. Sickness and accidents are q.
TO enter any hcma, no matter how car
fully guarded and ,hat without warn..,
Fortunatc is the woman who at sarg
time OF trial may obtain at ono, Ia.
services OF "A skilled and Conscientious
nurse, but for one who can compass his
there are hundreds to whom II !s an i'm
possibility. ard their own skill and knowI-
edge may be all that int ,rvenes between
some loved one and death. Emergency
lectures and courses in dietetios ana ham,
nursing are doing much to prepare the
younger generation for their raspoast-
biities in caring for the health OF .ha
family; but there is much stIu 10 be
learned. Tones have been compiled and
inserted in cook books and household
manuals under tho caption The Family
Doctor but The Family Nurse" and
she is more invaluable than tha doctor
has not been so wen represented How
many of US know how 10 make a plaster
tnat will draw hut not blister: a crnun
tent that will enable US 10 relieve the ia
bored breathing Of the baby when crOup
comes on in the night and a doctor twr n
" miles away; TO extract 4 fish hook
from the flesh, re iieve 4 hemorrirlge, in
ternal or external; relieve q child when
1t pok-s a shoe button up it's nose or
swallows a pin. how TO give a hot pack
or wash the long hair of a patient con-
hned to the bed? Yet we may be called
upon at any moment to perform surl
services personally or at least direll
~ h
tellSence. In Practical Nursing a
new book just issued by c. p Putnam's
sons, all th3 conditions and procedures
necessary to the proper care of the sick
are succinctiy explained. The book Is
me joint work of Miss Maxwell super
lntendent these many years OF the Pres
byterian Hospital School of Nursing. and
MISS Pope, instructor in the same we'll
known institution, While intended pri-
narily for nurses 1t will be found a
most efficient handbook for all who care
for the sick or desire 10 ale via.e human
suffering. Among the practical sugges-
tons that every houswfe viii do well
to ponder, then make a note ont" or
paste in her own family scrapbook, are
the following:
Care of Beds and Blankets.
Blankets are best for the sick bed when
made two parts cotton to one OF wool
y larger proportion of wool will not stand
frequent washings while a smaller pro-
portion Will not give sufficient warmth
nor wear well. Care should be taken to
prevent the unnecessary solling of blan-
kets, as washing greatly deteriorates
them. Never allow the ends of blanket
to drag on the floor. and see that while
1t Is over the patient the top is well pro-
tected by the sheet and spread. ct is a
good plan to protect all blankets by bast-
ing fold of cheesecloth three or four
inches deep on either side over the top Of
the blanketD Use an old blanket when one
IS needed next the patient and there Is
likelihood of its becoming soiled in any
way. Blankets are best disinfected by
being exposed to the action of formalde-
hyde fumes Dry cleansing is recommended
when not too expe pensive. as the blankets
remain normal size. Spreads should al
ways be made of some lightweight ma
terial, such as dirnity. 1t is often imper-
ative to protect the mattress with rub
Der. The black rubber blankets used by
the United States army are excellent for
this purpose. White double-faced rubber
is nice for home use. but frequent dis
Infection soon d!scolors It. When i'm
possible to obtain rubber. oilcloth, such as
kitchen table covers are made of. may
De used: or in an emergency several
thickne sses of newspaper, brown paper or
japanese paper tackled together.
To Disinfect a Mattress.
The mattress must be disinfected after
the recovery or death of patient II
the patient has had contagious or in
fectious disease or a septic wound, 1t must
be either baked or exposed to formalde-
hyde fumes. Under other circumstances IL
is disnfected by whisking 1t well with
whisk broom wet in a per cent forma-
line solution or one-twentieth carbolic
solution. To dsinfact in the ordinary
manner, bring the disnfectant to the
bed in agate basin, dip the whisk into
1t frequently, and whisk vigorously. pay
ing particular attention to all seams and
tuftings. The same solution made half
strength by the addition of water, is
used to disinfect the bedstead. AS dis
injecting solutions are very expensive.
only tne amount required should be pre-
pared
The Pillows.
Feather and horsehair are the best
Filings for sickbed pillows. When there.
is profuse perspiration or other cond-
tions exist likely to cause the wetting or
soiling OF the pollow, a rubber pillow
case should be put under the muslin one.
To Get a Patient Up in Chair.
Place chair at right angles with the
bed, make it comfortable by placing one
pillow in the seat and another at the
back, the open END of the pillow case
downward. Put a blanket cornerwise over
the pillow, lift the patient. placing your
arm over his shoulder If he is sitting up
in bed. ard taking firm hold under the
opposite axilla. have him clasp his hands
on your lear shoulder and place your free
arm under his knees. This method
though not always the most convenient,
throws the strain on the lifter's should
ers, which can stand il better than the
back. Seat in the chair, wrap the
blanket about him. leaving it rather loose
around the arms, but tucking it snugly
around the feet and legs and pin with
large safety pin. Count the pulse as soon
as he is up and again shortly afterward.
After an illness of any severity q pa
tient should seldom remain up longer
than twenty or thirty minutes the first
day, and even a shorter time if the pluse
changes.
To Sit Patient Up in Bed.
10 sit a patient up in bed a back rest
IS very helpful. Since it saves the use Of
a large number of pillows. Without ona
it requires at least six pillows to make Il
patient truly comfortable. Dispose them
in such manner that the head will not