Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-02
Furniture for Invalid.

Invalids arc naturally irritable and the
good home nurse makes allowances. At
the same time she do not little to
reduce the sundry anloyances Of which
the nervous and feeble are apt to. COM
plain.
The patient confined to the rocking chair
provided with handy and comfortable
foot rest-one that can be moved about
without Earring. That slender legged kind
covered with garish- colored plush, which
one buys in the furniture stores and
which appears to be made for ornament
more than service, is neither as durable
nor comfortable as the plain homemade
sort devised of small soap box and up
holstered with corduroy on all sides. This
never jars on the nerves when tossed over
on hardwood floor and can be showed
about without noise
The invalid of active temperament longs
for action at the first signal of returning
health. And here is where a light and
properly shaped lapboard will prove a
boon. Ii should be made wide enough to
lay across the arms of the invalids chair,
and the Semi-circular indent should be
quite deep to admit of the free movement
of the arms
The general ,apboard used for sewing
and embroidering is trif1e too heavy.
L he HSIlteT ones n1due Oh DdSSWOOO III
stead of lockwood are more desirable for
use in the sick room. They are COM
posed of two leaves hinged together in
the center on the underside. With their
aid the patient can while away many
weary hours with light employment and
amusements such as sorting scraps or
post cards, playing solitaire or writing
letters
A little revolving table or perpendicu-
lar box. or cabinet on casters so it may
hr cd hn,, to c,pet h.
next in importance, especially with the
invalid who would not be burden or
bother to others. The cabinet could he
made of a rectangular box set on end,
painted white and provided with two or
three shelves. The latter may be cut to
order and inserted without additional help
from carpenter, and will prove handy
receptacle for medicines, towels, napkins,
plasters and the like. 1t will save much
time to that home nurse who is also man.
aeer in general in the household, for in
most cases the invalid will be able to help
himself with a revolving table or cabinet
at his elbow.
An invalid's or convalescent's chair
should have fairly broad and extended
arms on which to rest the hands or prop
the elbows. When the arms are broad a
book rest may be easily attached. Gen
orally the invalid would like to read. but
the pleasure becomes a strenuous task
instead because Of the WEAKNESS due to
holding up the book with the same
muscles all the time. The armless rocker
is always fatiguing to the invalid because
it does not rest all the muscles.
One can devise a pretty serviceable
wheel chair of rattan rocker that has
strong wooden runners. The small steel
and rubber wheels of baby's go-cart
that is out of commission can be fastened
against the runners so they revolve with
case Bore two holes into each runner
about two feet apart and we'll toward the
front. Pass two steel rods through these
SO that thew will be parallel and fit the
wheels to the ends extending beyond the
holes by means of bolts and iron wash
ers. Oil thoroughly and they will re-
Volve without friction.
Among other things the invalid should
always be provided with is a tocsin and
a WALKING stick Of the serviceable sort.
Both might prove handy in emergencies.