392 NTJKSING THE SICK. 



The deportment and remarks of 'the nurse to the patient 

 should be tranquil and encouraging. The illness of a friend, or 

 death of any person, should not be alluded to in the sick-room. No 

 doubt or fear of the patient's recovery, either by a look OT by a 

 word, should be expressed or intimated by the nurse, in the chamber 

 of the sick. When such information is necessary to be communi- 

 cated, it is the duty of the physician to impart it to the sick person. 



The nurse should not confine herself to the sick-room more 

 than six hours at a time. She should eat her food regularly, sleep 

 at regular periods, and take exercise daily in the open air. To do 

 this, let her quietly leave the room when the patient is sleeping. A 

 watcher, or temporary nurse, may supply her place. There is but 

 little danger of contracting disease if the nurse attend to the 

 simple laws of health and remain not more than six .hours at a 

 time in the sick-room. 



Directions for Watchers These necessary assistants, like 

 the nurse, should have knowledge and practice. They should 

 ever be cheerful, kind, firm and attentive in the presence of the 

 patient. ( 



A simple, nutritious supper should be eaten before entering 

 the sick-room, and it is well, during the night, to take some plain 

 food. 



When watching in cold weather, a person should be warmly 

 dressed and furnished with an extra garment, as a cloak or shawl, 

 because the system becomes exhausted towards morning and less 

 heat is generated in the body. 



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 be of a contagious character. Experiments have shown 

 that black and other colors will absorb more readily the subtile ef- 

 fluvia that emanates from sick persons, than white or light colors. 



Whatever may be wanted during the night should be brought 

 into the sick chamber or the adjoining room, before the family 

 retire for sleep, in order that the slumbers of the patient be not 

 disturbed by haste or searching for needed articles. 



The same general directions should be observed by watchers, 

 as are given to the nurse; nor should the watcher deem it necessary 

 to make herself acceptable to the patient by exhausting conversa- 

 tion. 



It can hardlv be expected that the farmer who has been labor- 

 ing hard in the field, or the mechanic who has toiled during the 

 day, is qualified to render all those little attentions that a sick per- 

 son requires. Hence, would it not be more benevolent and 

 economical to employ and pay watchers, who are qualified by 

 knowledge and training, to perform this duty in a faithful manner, 

 while the kindness and sympathy of friends may be practically 

 manifested by assisting to defray the expenses of these qualified and 

 useful assistants? 



