SOLUTIONS—USES AND PREPARATION OF. 
also assists in preventing the thirst from which 
patients so often suffer after surgical operations. 
0.7 per cent, is the strength used. The solu¬ 
tion is made by dissolving one dram of common 
salt in each pint of hot water. Sterilize in a 
covered vessel before using, except where used 
as a rectal injection, when sterilization is not 
necessary. When used intravenously, or sub¬ 
cutaneously, it must always be sterilized* The 
intravenous injections Tire never given by the 
nurse, as it is a method confined to the physician 
alone. It is used during operations very often, or 
immediately after operations, when there has 
been much loss of blood, or where the patient is 
suffering from shock, in order “to furnish suf¬ 
ficient fluid to suspend the remaining red blood 
cells for circulation through the system, and to 
restore a normal amount of circulating fluid for 
the heart and arteries to act upon.” 
When Preparing for an Operation the 
nurse can make up a salt splution containing two 
ounces of common salt to one pint of hot water; 
sterilize the solution by boiling five to ten min¬ 
utes, after filtering. Keep in a tightly closed ster¬ 
ile jar. One dram of this solution added to each 
pint of sterile water is the required strength for 
all injections necessary when the patient is suffer¬ 
ing from shock, exhaustion, or other causes in 
which normal salt is called for. It should be 
made anew for each operation. 
*Sterilize the syringe, canula, suture, thermometer 
for testing the temperature of the solution (which should 
be 115 0 to 120 0 F). scissors, and everything in the shape 
of instruments by boiling in soda carbonate solution. 
For the intravenous injections, thoroughly scrub and 
sterilize the area to be used. 
87 
