" When it is necessary to change the bed-clothes of a bed-ridden
or nearly helpless patient, the following will be an easy course to
pursue : Having the clean sheet ready, roll up the dirty under-sheet
as close to the patient as possible, then half roll up the clean sheet,
and place the unrolled half over that portion of the bed from which
the dirty linen has been removed. Then lift the patient on to this,
and having removed the remainder of the dirty sheet and replaced
it by unrolling the clean one, the patient will be made comfortable
very rapidly, and with the least possible inconvenience. If the patient
be too weak to be moved bodily, as we have suggested, it is not diffi-
cult to change the under-sheet without lifting the patient much, pro-
vided the aid of an assistant is secured. With this method it is
necessary to begin at the head of the bed ; to gradually withdraw
the dirty sheet and at the same time replace it with the clean one,
which must be rolled up and put in readiness at the head of the bed
before the dirty linen is removed."
The draw-sheet is very essential in some forms of sickness or after
some surgical operations. The bed can be protected by rubber, but
where there are discharges a soft old sheet should be folded to about
two feet wide and rolled up, letting a free end be under the patient.
Then as it becomes wet, it can be drawn along on the opposite
side from that where it was passed under, and the soiled end be
rolled tight and pinned. In this way, " one sheet will admit of
IN THE SICK-KOOM; OR, SANITARY NURSING. l6l
several changes, and by pinning to it a clean one a succession of
draw-sheets may be passed under a patient, with a minimum of dis-
turbance."
In an article of this nature it is, of course, impossible to give more
than general directions, but principles of nursing are fortunately the
same for all forms of sickness. And among the rules which viust
be followed, no matter what the case or age or condition, quiet ranks
in importance with pure air and suitable food. The thing which
passes unnoticed by the well person, or is regarded as the merest
trifle, is a source not only of annoyance, but often of acute suffering
to the invalid. The child may not be able to define this like the
adult, but the fact remains the same. Some are far more sensitive
than others, but then one or two rules are applicable to all.
The most essential of these is one often ignored altogether.
" Never allow a patient to be waked, either intentionally or acciden-
tally." Even in health one who is roused suddenly from a first
sleep is apt to remain wakeful and restless for some time. Miss
Nightingale puts the case more simply and intelligently than any
other authority. " It is a curious but quite intelligible fact, that, if
a patient is waked after a few hours' instead of a few minutes' sleep,
he is much more likely to sleep again. Because pain, like irritability
of brain, perpetuates and intensifies itself. If you have gained a
respite of either in sleep, you have gained more than the mere re-
spite. Both the probability of recurrence and of the same intensity
will be diminished ; whereas both will be terribly increased by want
of sleep. This is the reason why sleep is all important. This is the
reason why a patient waked in the early part of his sleep loses not
only his sleep, but his power to sleep.
Page 100
Presented as published in 1883. 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
" When it is necessary to change the bed-clothes of a bed-ridden or nearly helpless patient, the following will be an easy course to pursue : Having the clean sheet ready, roll up the dirty under-sheet as close to the patient as possible, then half roll up the clean sheet, and place the unrolled half over that portion of the bed from which the dirty linen has been removed. Then lift the patient on to this, and having removed the remainder of the dirty sheet and replaced it by unrolling the clean one, the patient will be made comfortable very rapidly, and with the least possible inconvenience. If the patient be too weak to be moved bodily, as we have suggested, it is not difficult to change the under-sheet without lifting the patient much, provided the aid of an assistant is secured. With this method it is necessary to begin at the head of the bed ; to gradually withdraw the dirty sheet and at the same time replace it with the clean one, which must be rolled up and put in readiness at the head of the bed before the dirty linen is removed."
The draw-sheet is very essential in some forms of sickness or after some surgical operations. The bed can be protected by rubber, but where there are discharges a soft old sheet should be folded to about two feet wide and rolled up, letting a free end be under the patient. Then as it becomes wet, it can be drawn along on the opposite side from that where it was passed under, and the soiled end be rolled tight and pinned. In this way, " one sheet will admit of
several changes, and by pinning to it a clean one a succession of draw-sheets may be passed under a patient, with a minimum of disturbance."
In an article of this nature it is, of course, impossible to give more than general directions, but principles of nursing are fortunately the same for all forms of sickness. And among the rules which viust be followed, no matter what the case or age or condition, quiet ranks in importance with pure air and suitable food. The thing which passes unnoticed by the well person, or is regarded as the merest trifle, is a source not only of annoyance, but often of acute suffering to the invalid. The child may not be able to define this like the adult, but the fact remains the same. Some are far more sensitive than others, but then one or two rules are applicable to all.
The most essential of these is one often ignored altogether. " Never allow a patient to be waked, either intentionally or accidentally." Even in health one who is roused suddenly from a first sleep is apt to remain wakeful and restless for some time. Miss Nightingale puts the case more simply and intelligently than any other authority. " It is a curious but quite intelligible fact, that, if a patient is waked after a few hours' instead of a few minutes' sleep, he is much more likely to sleep again. Because pain, like irritability of brain, perpetuates and intensifies itself. If you have gained a respite of either in sleep, you have gained more than the mere respite. Both the probability of recurrence and of the same intensity will be diminished ; whereas both will be terribly increased by want of sleep. This is the reason why sleep is all important. This is the reason why a patient waked in the early part of his sleep loses not only his sleep, but his power to sleep.