HYGIENE. 
Chapter VIII. 
Result of 
Neglected 
Hygienic Laws. 
Neglect of the laws of hygiene frequently 
brings upon the human structure troubles which 
so weaken its various organs and systems that 
access and development of bacteria therein be¬ 
comes an easy matter. It seems opportune, there¬ 
fore, to add a few thoughts along hygienic lines. 
Nurses, perhaps more than any other class of 
women, should not only understand but obey the 
laws of Nature as revealed to us in the study of 
hygiene. We are so often questioned by sick ones 
entrusted to our care as to why certain ills have 
come into their lives. Too often they suffer from 
diseases brought upon themselves through neg¬ 
lect or ignorance of hygienic laws. While it is 
* not within the province of the nurse to take the 
place of the physician, whose duty it is to ex¬ 
plain this painful truth to his patient, she can 
very often afterward help the sufferer by sug¬ 
gestion, advice and example, to guard against 
future troubles. 
Hygiene 
Defined. 
In the first place, then, what do we mean by 
hygiene? Hygiene is that branch of science 
which teaches us how to keep healthy. In by¬ 
gone years, so-called civilization and the accom¬ 
panying customs of the day laid so many restric- 
96 
