Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08

I II IS more IMAM pFQlEdTlIN tFyiiS u
be ill in the spring. Then everything
in nature seems to be preparing to
! expand in healthy activity, and nobody
| wants to stay imprisoned in the house
! However some of us have to stay IN
the house because of Illness, in the
spring as well as at other times. And
although the Imprisonment is tedious
| there are many ways to make it comfort
! able. comparatively speaking, and even
rather interesting.
/ Food plays tremendously important
! part in the welfare of any one who is
/ Ill. And the way the food Is prepared
( and presented has much to do with the
I effect it has on the patient The appetite
of the sick person needs tempting.
To begin with, the food should be of
the best quality. That does not mean
: of the most expensive quality, for that
is out OF reach of most sick persons. But
everything should be fresh and sweet
and in good condition. Then it should be
carefully cooked Lastly it should be
telnptingly served-and this is a big part
/ of the nurses duty. For sweetbreads at
30 cents. well cooked, may be SO served
! The china used should be dainty The
/ napkin should be fresh. The tray should
be covered with spotless, simple cloth.
A few flowers. an unexpected letter,
new magazine or joke or ancedote cut
| from paper and pasted on a card all
add to the appetizing appearance of the
| invald's tray. And on any special holt
day or anniversary a little place favor
! ~ on i3t a r.
| The nurse should strive to serve the
| food in unexpected forms Ice cream
| nodded in the shape of a flower is much
| more delicious, on a day when the flow
| ers beginning to blossom out of
doors. than a shapeless mound of ice
| cream on plate Jelly, poured while
| thin in a ng-stemmed sherbet glass
/ allowed to harden there, and then topped
J with a bit of whipped cream. is dainty
! Soup is easier to eat served in boufllon
| cup, and a covered cup makes sure Its
| heat. Many creamed dishes-creamed
sweetbreads. for one thing-can be placed
| in small paper cases and surrounded with
| a frill of crepe paper.
X
| A slice of toast, cut in strips and ar
! ranged on a dolly spread on a gold and
white plate. creamed chicken in a paper
case. surrounded with a frill OF yellow
paper bound on with yellow ribbon: on
another gold and white plate cup of
cambria tea in dainty teapot, the pulp
of an orange. freed from all skin and
fiber. dried in an orange skin basket. and
a single jonquil in a slender glass make
quite a feast Of a very simple and easily
prepared meal.
Some sort Of table for the person who
must stay in bed Is almost essential. A
child's cutting table can be bought for
less than dollar and, after the legs
have been sawed off at convenient
enameled white. A boy who likes carpen-
try work can fashion a serviceable bed
tray at home.
A regulation bed tray can be bought for
a moderate price. And a wide reading
board, with an adjustable rack that holds
the book. can be used quite as well as
any other sort. The invalid will find
such a tray or table useful not only
at meal time, for she can play cards or
| other games on it. write. rest her books
and magazines on it, or use it for any
other forms of diversion.
There is a convenient little bedstead
bracket with a brass frame and q plate
glass bottom, that can be clamped on
any bed head to hold medicine, flowers
books any other small object This
does not take the place of the bed tray,
but supplements 1t.
Sitting up in bed. under ordinary con-
ditions, is about as uncomfortable as any
thing could be. A rack to put under
the pillows can be bought for about
So and this makes a sitting posture
in bed an easy one. IL one of these
is not available two sides of a wooden
box can be utilized for the same pur-
pose. The wood should be painted. so
that it will not splinter easily. This of
course, is by no means SO good as the
real rack, but 1t is a makeshift that
can be used in the case of emergency
if illness occurs in a camp, for instance,
or In summer cottage far from the
shops.
| A small pillow to put In the hollow of
| the back, or an especially soft one to
| put under the head. is an acceptable gift
for any one who is i'll. Such pillow
| should be covered with a simple wash
| able cover. that goes like a pillow slip
| or else buttons easily in place.
/ Nowadays negliges that can be easily
| slipped in bed. and boudoir caps and
! slippers are all so dainty that ii is no
1 difficult matter TO look well in bed. But
! uhe bed negliges should not be too
| elaborate. And there should be an easily
| adjusted wooden jacket or cape of some
| sort that can be conveniently pulled
| about the shoulders when the windows
| or doors are open