New Britain herald., 1916-04-05
Why Dicky's Mother Wished a Nurse.

our nNlnS room. Ills lOle NdS lerf1- fed, his eyes more so. No less an xious than he, I stood near him wait ing for the verdict.
 The physicians examination of my nother-in law had been most thorough. He had tested her heart and lungs, noted her respiration, her pulse and her temperature, and at the close had treasured her with a gentle smile and the words: Don't worry. Everything will be all right if you'll just follow direc-
 tions. Take this, please, and then go
 to sleep again.
 She had taken the tiny tablet he save her. and had swallowed the
 water I put to her lips after it with out a protest Then, closing her eyes. she had gone to sleep again. I did not like her drowsincss. It was
 not like her thus meekly to acquiesce in whatever was done for her. I felt myself trembling as l waited
 with Dicky for the physicians answer.
 "NO there is no pneumonia pres
 ent now,' Dr. Petit said slowly but I must not disguise from you the fact ! that it may develop at any time. She 1 has a very heavy cold, with consider l able temperature. She must remain ] in bed and have exceptional care for several days. Have you had any eX- 1 rerience in illness?' He turned to me abruptly. l stam- | mered my reply.
 T took care of my mother for many yearS.
 1 I did not dare to voice the ohjec
 tion I felt-that I was afraid to l take the responsibility of nursing my i mother-in-law. Like a flash, too, ] there came to me the rem em brance 1 that the next week was to bring my l first session with the Lotus study 1 club, whose history section l had ! promised to instruct It was the l chance had struggled, almost i fought for the chance to earn some : money of my own. I felt baffled, al- most trapped, as l faced the cer- taintv of having to give up the position if my mother-in- S illness was long.
 For even as I waited for the
 physician's next words I decided tn on if it were necessary for me to do
 so What I would never do at ! Dicky's unreasoning command.
 simply 10 gratify his vanity, was 1 ready to relinquish for his mothers $ l necessity.
 1 DO you know how to mako Q l mustard plaster?" ... i came down with a swift jerk 1 from the heights of self-sacritlco to ! the proSaic plain of the physician $ I question.
 ] CT haven't made one for fifteen 1 years. but I am sure I could manage l Ono.'
 suppose my voice betrayed the l amazement felt at pr. Petit s l ordering so old fashioned a remedy i as a mustard plaster, for an amused 1 smile accompanied his next words. pr. pcttits Directions. l "Thcsc old d-fashioned remedies are l rapdlv coming back into favor. In the foreign hospitals. from which l l have just returned they arc using l them altogether in these cases. Will l you get me two spoons, one glass ftll ] of water and one empty glass, 1 please?'
 1 When I had brought them he l measured the water by spoon1uls l from the full glass to the empty one 1 Then from vial in his case he ] measured spoonful of dark looking
 liouid and added it to the water,
 Putting some white pellets in san en-
 ,elope. he handed them to me, and l then drew a pencil and paper from his pocket.
 You would better write down the Girections,' he said gravely. "These,' 1 indicating the pellets in the envelope 'are to be given every half-hour
 until you have given twelve. The i crlo ic to hp given
 every two hours until her tempera- ture drops to normal. You under
 stand the use of a clinical thermome-
 ter, of course?''
 ''Oh. yes.'
 Good Now for the mustard plas-
 ters You would better use three l rarts white flour to one part dry
 mustard Moistcn with the white of
 an egg to prevent blistering, and if the mixture be too dry for spreading i add very little warm water. Spread between pieces of thin muslin
 and cover both chest and back with
 them Cover them with flannel, and i ever them you would better slip pneumonia jacket. You can make
 this yourself, or you can purchase it
 at the drug store.
 "I'll get one directly" Dicky inter- i Icsed.
 "Verv we'll. Leave the plasters on 1 until the skin is well reddened. l Keep the patient warmly but slightly i covered. and she must be nOur- 1 ished-'
 He stopped and wrote something | on prescription blank and handed it to Dicky.
 "A tablespoonful of this in a 1 little water every two hours will pro- 1 vide her with nOurishment until the | fever subsides," he said. '"The most 1 important thing of all with this
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