The new Kentucky home cook book

HINTS FOR THE SICK-ROOM. In selecting a room for the occupancy of the sick, always choose one that is sunny and well ventilated, for on these two essentials much depends. Air may be freely admitted by lowering the top sash of a window and raising the lower sash one inch. Avoid having the patient in a draught, and keep sufficiently covered, so as not to be chilled. The atmosphere of the room may be speedily deodorized by burning a wisp of paper or sprinkling cologne upon a heated shovel. Matting for the floor is preferable to carpet; it is easier to keep clean, and has no woolen texture to absorb the germs of disease. The broom should be moistened before sweeping, and the furniture wiped off with a damp cloth. All unnecessary furniture should be removed. The bed-linen should be perfectly clean, and frequently changed. Blankets are more desirable than comforts where warmth is needed. For the outside cover always use the snowy counterpane. Adorn the walls with cheerful pictures and pretty objects that will attract the eye and divert the mind of the patient while convalescing, thereby hastening recovery. Have a small table in the room, covered with a white cloth; place on it a vase of flowers and a book or two. These can be quickly removed and the table placed by the bedside when needed. Do not have too great a variety at one meal, and very little of each article, lest the appetite become satiated. The food should be placed upon a tray covered with a spotless napkin ; the china, silver, and glass glistening with cleanli- The New Kentucky Home Cook Book. ness; and in the midst of all a tiny bouquet of flowers, bright but not fragrant. If the surroundings are dainty the simplest fare will look inviting, and perhaps tempt the appetite. Avoid all unnecessary noise in the room. Sudden noises are distracting. The rattling of a newspaper is particularly trying upon the nervous system, and should never be permitted in a sick-room. Replenish the fire with lumps of coal in paper sacks; this method will not disturb the patient. Under no circumstances awaken an invalid out of a sound sleep, unless it is necessary to administer a stimulant to sustain life. Never whisper in a sick-room. It is far better to talk aloud in a moderate tone. Avoid talking just outside the door, where only a word or two can be heard and the rest imagined. Unpleasant topics should never be discussed in the presence of the sick — only the most cheerful news related, if you desire their speedy recovery. A pleasant-faced, even-tempered nurse is invaluable, and should be prized for her worth ; for she will greatly aid the physician in enabling the sick one to recuperate, and thereby prove an angel in disguise. SOUP FOR INVALIDS Cut into small pieces one pound of beef or mutton, or a part of both. Boil it gently in two quarts of water. Take off the scum, and when reduced to a pint strain it. Season with a little salt, and take a tea-cupful at a time. Complete Home. SUPERIOR BEEF TEA. Take one pound of lean, fresh beef, chop it fine, and pour over it one pint of cold water. Let it stand three hours, and drain well. Set the water aside, and pour over the beef one pint of tepid water ; let it stand three hours, pour 356 The Neiv Kentucky Home Cook Book.