and alleviate much suffering and often to save from death. Take, for example, what is called a " common cold " (which, by-the-way, is one of the most fertile sources of illness, especially in cold climates), and let us see what can be done to prevent or cure it. Carefulness in regard to clothing, avoidance of drafts and sudden chills, and a habit of being much in the fresh air, will do a good deal in the way of prevention, and when the cold is fairly caught a lit- tle judicious care at the outset will often prevent the long illnesses which so frequently follow neglected colds. The requisites are warmth, an even temperature, light food and good air. It is well to give a hot bath, to put the feet in hot mustard water, to give hot drinks; if the cold is on the chest, to put on a mustard plaster; if it is in the head, to steam it with hot water, with a little camphor in it, taking care, always, to prevent any chill from following the profuse perspiration. The bowels should be kept open, by a dose of oil, of some mineral water, or by an ensema, the head cool and the feet warm, and a day or two of this sort of treatment will usually break up even a heavy cold. In the case of fever, again, the stomach and bowels must be regu- lated as quickly as possible ; light, nourishing food, such as beef-tea, chicken or mutton broth, rice, milk, etc., should be given ; the patient must be kept quiet and in a darkened room, with the head cool and feet warm, while ice or cold ON HABITS AND MANNERS. 155 water may be frequently given. Diarrhceis or .dysentery demand perfect quiet ; the best thing to be done, in many cases, being simply to put the patient to bed and feed him, or her, on arrowroot, rice and water, beef-tea, etc. ; giving small quantities at a time. All derangements of the stom- ach, inflammations, etc., require the same treatment ; the principle being that rest and light food give Nature a chance to effect her own cure, and Nature is by far the best physician we can employ. Medicines' of any kind should rarely be given without the advice of a physician and never unless you are thoroughly familiar with their action. There are times, of course, when quick action is necessary, as in the case of croup, when ipecac should at once be given in sufficient quantities to produce vomiting ; or, in colic, when a dose of castor-oil is always a safe remedy ; but usually it is best to get the advice of a good doctor before giving any medicine; for when you begin to administer drugs, about which you know little or nothing, you are playing with edged tools. When you have a patient to take care of who is con- fined to the bed, there are certain things to be done, no matter what the illness may be, which are the foundation of good nursing You must keep the air fresh by opening a window (not a door), and shielding the patient from the draft. If the weather is cold, you can either leave the win- ON HABITS AND MANNERS.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

and alleviate much suffering and often to save from death. Take, for example, what is called a " common cold " (which, by-the-way, is one of the most fertile sources of illness, especially in cold climates), and let us see what can be done to prevent or cure it. Carefulness in regard to clothing, avoidance of drafts and sudden chills, and a habit of being much in the fresh air, will do a good deal in the way of prevention, and when the cold is fairly caught a little judicious care at the outset will often prevent the long illnesses which so frequently follow neglected colds. The requisites are warmth, an even temperature, light food and good air. It is well to give a hot bath, to put the feet in hot mustard water, to give hot drinks; if the cold is on the chest, to put on a mustard plaster; if it is in the head, to steam it with hot water, with a little camphor in it, taking care, always, to prevent any chill from following the profuse perspiration. The bowels should be kept open, by a dose of oil, of some mineral water, or by an enema, the head cool and the feet warm, and a day or two of this sort of treatment will usually break up even a heavy cold. In the case of fever, again, the stomach and bowels must be regulated as quickly as possible ; light, nourishing food, such as beef-tea, chicken or mutton broth, rice, milk, etc., should be given ; the patient must be kept quiet and in a darkened room, with the head cool and feet warm, while ice or cold water may be frequently given. Diarrhoea or dysentery demand perfect quiet ; the best thing to be done, in many cases, being simply to put the patient to bed and feed him, or her, on arrowroot, rice and water, beef-tea, etc. ; giving small quantities at a time. All derangements of the stomach, inflammations, etc., require the same treatment ; the principle being that rest and light food give Nature a chance to effect her own cure, and Nature is by far the best physician we can employ. Medicines' of any kind should rarely be given without the advice of a physician and never unless you are thoroughly familiar with their action. There are times, of course, when quick action is necessary, as in the case of croup, when ipecac should at once be given in sufficient quantities to produce vomiting ; or, in colic, when a dose of castor-oil is always a safe remedy ; but usually it is best to get the advice of a good doctor before giving any medicine; for when you begin to administer drugs, about which you know little or nothing, you are playing with edged tools. When you have a patient to take care of who is confined to the bed, there are certain things to be done, no matter what the illness may be, which are the foundation of good nursing You must keep the air fresh by opening a window (not a door), and shielding the patient from the draft. If the weather is cold, you can either leave the win-

On habits and manners