Part 49 (1/2)
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Sensible Rules for the Nurse.
”Remember to be extremely neat in dress; a few drops of hartshorn in the water used for _daily_ bathing will remove the disagreeable odors of warmth and perspiration.
”Never speak of the symptoms of your patient in his presence, unless questioned by the doctor, whose orders you are always to obey _implicitly_.
”Remember never to be a gossip or tattler, and always to hold sacred the knowledge which, to a certain extent, you must obtain of the private affairs of your patient and the household in which you nurse.
”Never contradict your patient, nor argue with him, nor let him see that you are annoyed about anything.
”Never _whisper_ in the sick room. If your patient be well enough, and wishes you to talk to him, speak in a low, distinct voice, on cheerful subjects. Don't relate painful hospital experiences, nor give details of the maladies of former patients, and remember never to startle him with accounts of dreadful crimes or accidents that you have read in the newspapers.
”_Write_ down the orders that the physician gives you as to time for giving the medicines, food, etc.
”Keep the room bright (unless the doctor orders it darkened).
”Let the air of the room be as pure as possible, and keep everything in order, but without being fussy and bustling.
”The only way to remove dust in a sick room is to wipe everything with a damp cloth.
”Remember to carry out all vessels covered. Empty and wash them immediately, and keep some disinfectant in them.
”Remember that to leave the patient's untasted food by his side, from meal to meal, in hopes that he will eat it in the interval, is simply to prevent him from taking any food at all.
”Medicines, beef tea or stimulants, should never be kept where the patient can see them or smell them.
”Light-colored clothing should be worn by those who have the care of the sick, in preference to dark-colored apparel; particularly if the disease is of a contagious nature. Experiments have shown that black and other dark colors will absorb more readily the subtle effluvia that emanates from sick persons than white or light colors.”
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Longevity.
The following table exhibits very recent mortality statistics, showing the average duration of life among persons of various cla.s.ses:
_Employment_ _Years_.
Judges 65 Farmers 64 Bank Officers 64 Coopers 58 Public Officers 57 Clergymen 56 s.h.i.+pwrights 55 Hatters 54 Lawyers 54 Rope Makers 54 Blacksmiths 51 Merchants 51 Calico Printers 51 Physicians 51 Butchers 50 Carpenters 49 Masons 48 Traders 46 Tailors 44 Jewelers 44 Manufacturers 43 Bakers 43 Painters 43 Shoemakers 43 Mechanics 43 Editors 40 Musicians 39 Printers 38 Machinists 36 Teachers 34 Clerks 34 Operatives 32
”It will be easily seen, by these figures, how a quiet or tranquil life affects longevity. The phlegmatic man will live longer, all other things being equal, than the sanguine, nervous individual. Marriage is favorable to longevity, and it has also been ascertained that women live longer than men.” {368}
[Ill.u.s.tration: HOT WATER THROAT BAG. HOT WATER BAG.]
HOW TO APPLY AND USE HOT WATER IN ALL DISEASES.
1. THE HOT WATER THROAT BAG. The hot water throat bag is made from fine white rubber fastened to the head by a rubber band (see ill.u.s.tration), and is an unfailing remedy for catarrh, hay fever, cold, toothache, headache, earache, neuralgia, etc.