Milford chronicle., 1918-10-18
HOW TO NURSE
FLU" PATIENTS
Surgeon General Blue Gives Some
Valuable Pointers Home Care.
Present Generation Spoiled

Surgeon General Rupert Blue, OF
the United States Public Health Ser
vice, in a statement issued yesterday
at Washington, said an acute shortage
OF physicians and nurses made it i'm
perative for sufferers from Spanish
Influenza to get along if possible with
home nursing.
THE present generation" said the
surgeon general, has been spoiled by
having had expert medical and nurs.
ing care readily available. 1t was not
so in the days of our grandmOthers
when every good housewife was ex-
pected to know a good deal about the
care of the sick. Every person who
feels sick and appears to be develop
ing an attack of influenza should at
once be put to bed in a well-ventilat-
ed room. If his bowels have moved
regularly it is not necessary to give
a physic; where a physic is needed a
dose of castor oil or Rochelle salts
should be given.
THE room should be cleared of all
unnecessary furniture bric-a-brac and
rugs.
If the patient is feverish a doctor
should be called, and this should be
done in any case if the patient appears
very sick, coughs up pinkish (blood
stained) spitum, or breathes rapidly
or painfully.
Most of the patients cough up con-
siderable mucus; in some there is
much mucus discharged from the nose
and throat. This material should not /
be collected in handkerchiefs, but
rather on old rags or paper napkins.
As soon as used these rags or papers
should be burned.
The patients will not be hungry,
and the diet should, therefore, be
light. Milk, soft-boiled egg, toast
or crackers, a bit of jelly or jam,
stewed fruit, some cooked cereal, like
oatmeal, hOminy or rice-these will
suffice in most cases.
The comfort of the patient depends
on a number of little things-a well
ventilated room, a thoroughly clean
bed, with fresh smooth sheets and Z
pillow cases; quiet, so that refresh I
ing sleep may be had; cool drinking r
water, conveniently placed; a cool i
compress to the head if there is head n
ache; keeping the patients face and b
hands clean, and hair combed; keep C
ing his mouth clean, preferably with t
some pleasant wash; letting the pa $
tient know that someone is within fl
call, but not annoying him with too {
much fussing; giving the patient plen-
y of OpOrtunity to rest and sleep. N
1T is desirable to give the sick room {
good airing several times a day The
patient should be well protected
lgainst colds and drafts, and then the
windows should be opened widely to
ct in the fresh air. &c
The attendant should wear a gauze d
mask over her mouth and nose while T
he is in the sick room. Such a mask in
S easily made by folding a piece of I'll
auze fourfold, sewing a piece of tape tn
L the four corners and tie the upper II
ct of tapes over the ears, the lower W
ct around the neck. The attendant u
hould always wash her hands with tt
Dap and water Immediately after of
'aiting on or touching the patient P,
ttendant should if possible wear a al
'ashable gown or an apron which di
overs the dress. This will make it ar
uch simpler to avoid infection. of
Lest it be misunderstood, l wish ell
add one word of caution; when in gr
)ubt, call the doctor" tn