Oxford Democrat., 1910-03-08
Home Care Of the Sick.

/ from the invalid. Fold the blanket and
upper sheet carefully over on the patient.
Pass to the other side of the bed and
roll the lower sheet toward the invalid.
Place the clean sheet on this side OF the
mattress, rolling the part that will 60
under the patient. Gently roll or assist
the patient over to that side Of the bed
on to the clean sheet, and in this way
the old sheet can be removed and the
new sheet unrolled and put into place.
Raise the mattress In drawing out the
used sheet, SO 1t will not be torn. II
you can get assistance, let one person si'
ON the edge of the bed and hold the
patient, while you shake the pillows and
put on clean covers. The change in
posture often rests the invalid, and
clean pillow-case is always refreshing.
Many amateur nurses dread changing
q patients nightgown, but this Is not 30
difficult, if understood. In some
hospitals the night garments are button
ed down the back as we'll as in front, as
this enables the nurse to get at the body.
This is open to the objection that, If they
become unbuttoned, draught may
strike the back, and buttons are often
disagreeable to lie on. In changing the
night garments, roll the skirt of the gar
ment to the sleeves 80 it forms ring.
Place it on the bed ready for use. Have
the patient lie on his back and draw up
his knees. If he is too weak to do this,
place one hand under the hips and assist
to raise the body. With the other hand
draw up the old nightdress over the
hips, raise the shoulders and draw it
over the head, and gently detach it from
each arm separately. The rolled night
dress, which has been waiting, should
instantly be placed over the head. Draw
the invali6's hand through the sleeve by
putting your hand in the front opening
and gently pushing the sleeve over the
patients arm. Pull the gown down,
again raising the body in the middle.
There are many new contrivances for
the sick room that facilitate the care OF
the sick. One is an adjustable table
which can be lowered or raised to any
height. The top rests on support
which is on one side of the table. This
allows the table to be placed close to the
bed, and the top directly over the bed
and in front of the patient. 1t is con-
venient to serve meals on, to rest book,
or to play a game. Another excellent
device is a wooden frame about twelve
inches wide and six inches high. This
is covered with ticking, and q piece OF
wood on the back allows it to be ADJUST
ed to any angle. The pillows can rest
against it, and in this way the patient
can be lifted to half reclining or sitting
position. Other back-rests constructed
on the same principle are made OF steel
and enameled white, and have spiral
spring back. The back-rest folds up
compactly when not in use. Another
device for the sick room is big white
enameled tray, which can be filled with
eatables in the kitchen and carried to
the sick-room, and placed on an adjust
able table.
Bandages can always be kept in the
house ready for use, and can be made OF
old table cloths, cut in long strips or In
the miletail form. This is a square
piece of cloth, the sides terminating in
many ends which are pinned over one
another when adjusted. 1t does not al
ways take professional nurse to provide
many things that add to the comfort OF
patient, and as many persons, especially
chronic invalids, have to be cared for at
home, it often pays the n-professional
nurse to see what new comforts are pro-
vided for sick people, and to spend day
with a professional nurse learning how
to dress an invalid, make bed, treat a
wound, how to apply relief in case OF
collapse, and to get hints applicable to
the case in hand. One can learn many
little things that ease the tedium OF a
sick room. For instance, a sheet wrung
out in cold water and hung in the open
doorway will cool the room in the hot
test weather. When it is desirable to
keep ice in the room, it can be placed in
wooden box and covered with bits OF
newspaper. In this way 1t will melt
very little. 49,,
It is desirable that the invalid
should be given sunny room, and
towels, handkerchiefs, and clothing
should be washed separately from the
rest OF the family's clothes, boiled, and
| in some cases soaked for several hours In
disinfecting solution. One or more
windows should be raised to insure good
ventilation, heavy carpets should be re-
moved, and the floor should be wiped
with damp cloth, as sweeping raises
dust that is bad for patient. 1nvalids
suffering with tuberculosis find the
sputum. cups great convenience. They
come in metal, glass, and china, and
range in price from fifty cents to two
dollars. The paper sputum envelopes
are still more popular with invalids, no
matter what the disease. These are
made of heavy brown paper folded like
an envelope. They sell for dollar and
half a hundred, and one envelope
day can be used. They are intended to
hold Japanese paper napkin or a piece
of antiseptic cotton, which is used In
place of cloth handkerchief. No matter
what the disease, the patient will appre-
ciate the comfort of these envelopes.
There is nothing better for the invalid
| or we'll person than the intelligent use OF
water in bathing and in drinking. Doc
tors now estimate that it requires five
pints of water day to run the body.
Some of this is found in the food sub
stances, but large quantities should be
taken between meals, at rising and at
bedtime. 1t will take the place of pills,
will aid perspiration and carry of poi
sonous matter. 1t is habit easily form.
ed and can be carried on in almost any
| situation in life. The nurse can give the
patient water often, If only spoonful at
time. Another requisite of the sick
| room Is that the amateur nurse should
be cheerful. The world is for each Of
| US as we show ourselves to the world,
and the patient reflects the cheerfulness
| of the nurse, and draws his ability to
endure and his outlook upon the day,
largely from her. Talk health and
strength to the patient and thus he be-
becomes infected with health and
strength.-Ex.
Hints.
Do not let tea and coffee remain in the