In moving about the room walk with a light firm step, not on tiptoe.
Avoid creaking boots. It is better to wear slippers. Don't sit on the
bed or in a rocking chair. The first is likely to disarrange the clothes
and disturb the patient. The latter is annoying to him to follow, the
motions of the chair. Whatever is to be done in the way of tidying up
the room do quietly and promptly, but don't hurry.
Seek to anticipate the wants of your patient without his being obliged
to express them. Never contradict a patient ; if inclined to be delirious,
or if the mind is filled with morbid fancies and delusions, contradiction
only excites ; rather seem to fall in with the imaginations of the patient
and seek to turn the mind in a different direction. Oil the hinges of
the doors and don't allow them to shut with a slam. Do not speak to
others in the patient's presence of his disease, or talk to him when alone
of the sickness of others. Better talk too little on any subject than too
much. What conversation you have let it be of a cheerful nature, and
no matter how serious the case may be, don't let alarm manifest itself
in your countenance.
There are certain times in the twenty-four hours when patients are
apt to be worse. About 5 o'clock in the afternoon there generally is
an increase of fever ; at about 4 o'clock in the morning is the time
when the powers of life are at their lowest ebb. The temperature of
the body will be higher at 5 p. m. than it is at 4 a. m. In severe cases
of illness the morning hour (4 a. m.), is the most critical of the twenty-
four. More deaths occur at that time than at any other. It is, there-
fore, necessary at that time to see that your patient is warm enough, or
is not faint ; give a little nourishment or stimulus, beef tea or milk
punch, and replenish the fire or put on more bed-clothing, if needed.
In regard to replenishing the fire, have at all times ready paper bags
filled with coal, which can be put on the fire one at a time without
using a coal-hod and shovel, thus avoiding a noise.
When your patient wakes in the morning sponge the face and hands,
or wipe them with a soft cloth wet with tepid water, in which may be
put a teaspoonful of ammonia water. This is always refreshing, and it
may be repeated several times during the day. Let him rinse out the
mouth with water, and have ready some broth, gruel, or other nutri-
ment for him to take. You can do all this by having your arrange-
ments made the night before, without disturbing the rest of the family.
Do not cook or warm any food in the patient's room. Food and water
intended for the patient's use must not be kept in the room, only while
giving it. Frequently the patient will be thirsty in the night. For this
purpose ice may be used, given in small pieces.
256 MEDICAL.
Page 226
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
In moving about the room walk with a light firm step, not on tiptoe. Avoid creaking boots. It is better to wear slippers. Don't sit on the bed or in a rocking chair. The first is likely to disarrange the clothes and disturb the patient. The latter is annoying to him to follow, the motions of the chair. Whatever is to be done in the way of tidying up the room do quietly and promptly, but don't hurry.
Seek to anticipate the wants of your patient without his being obliged to express them. Never contradict a patient ; if inclined to be delirious, or if the mind is filled with morbid fancies and delusions, contradiction only excites ; rather seem to fall in with the imaginations of the patient and seek to turn the mind in a different direction. Oil the hinges of the doors and don't allow them to shut with a slam. Do not speak to others in the patient's presence of his disease, or talk to him when alone of the sickness of others. Better talk too little on any subject than too much. What conversation you have let it be of a cheerful nature, and no matter how serious the case may be, don't let alarm manifest itself in your countenance.
There are certain times in the twenty-four hours when patients are apt to be worse. About 5 o'clock in the afternoon there generally is an increase of fever ; at about 4 o'clock in the morning is the time when the powers of life are at their lowest ebb. The temperature of the body will be higher at 5 p. m. than it is at 4 a. m. In severe cases of illness the morning hour (4 a. m.), is the most critical of the twentyfour. More deaths occur at that time than at any other. It is, therefore, necessary at that time to see that your patient is warm enough, or is not faint ; give a little nourishment or stimulus, beef tea or milk punch, and replenish the fire or put on more bed-clothing, if needed. In regard to replenishing the fire, have at all times ready paper bags filled with coal, which can be put on the fire one at a time without using a coal-hod and shovel, thus avoiding a noise.
When your patient wakes in the morning sponge the face and hands, or wipe them with a soft cloth wet with tepid water, in which may be put a teaspoonful of ammonia water. This is always refreshing, and it may be repeated several times during the day. Let him rinse out the mouth with water, and have ready some broth, gruel, or other nutriment for him to take. You can do all this by having your arrangements made the night before, without disturbing the rest of the family. Do not cook or warm any food in the patient's room. Food and water intended for the patient's use must not be kept in the room, only while giving it. Frequently the patient will be thirsty in the night. For this purpose ice may be used, given in small pieces.