PREFACE. 



Primarily this book was written for the use of nurses, 

 in the belief that by broadening their comprehension of 

 infectious and parasitic diseases it would materially 

 assist them in performing their duties more intelli- 

 gently, and with greater satisfaction to themselves. 

 Through the solicitations of several medical friends who 

 kindly looked over my manuscript, and who were of 

 the opinion that both physicians and students of med- 

 icine would find as much to interest them in its pages 

 as would nurses, the original design of the book was 

 altered somewhat. It seemed to me that if in place 

 of the conventional (seriatum) text-book consideration 

 of the above diseases the fundamental principles which 

 govern all were substituted, knowledge of wider utility 

 would be acquired, and with less effort, because much 

 unimportant detail could be avoided. It was my aim, 

 also, by reflecting current medical thought to explain 

 to nurses the reasons for performing many duties which 

 they are merely taught to do. Then, since the trained 

 nurse's position as medical assistant to the doctor and 



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