position from time to time. This is the case
with fractures of the thigh or leg. In such
instances the utmost care must be taken to
preserve the soundness of the skin where it is
most pressed upon. It must be examined
every day, and bathed gently with whiskey or
soap liniment. When redness and tenderness
of the skin begin to appear, a protection to it
must be supplied, by covering the part with a
piece of soft, thick buckskin, upon which
soap-plaster has been smoothly spread ; or,
if that is not at hand, two layers of adhesive
plaster, very smoothly adjusted to the surface,
will do for the purpose. Small pillows, or
air- or water-cushions, in rings or other
shapes, are often employed to take the pres-
sure off of tender parts. They may some-
times do good ; but, in surgical practice, I
have been repeatedly disappointed with
them, especially with air- and water-cush-
ions or pillows. When bedsores actually
occur, is is necessary to relieve the sores
from pressure ; and, besides, they must be
treated like open wounds or ulcers.
Sick=Qarments.
These should be as simple as possible.
One sufficiently warm and long night-shirt
or night-gown will, as a rule, be enough ;
the less worn, the easier it will be to make
changes. If the limbs incline to be cold,
light drawers may be added ; with the old
and feeble, stockings also. Changes of gar-
ments worn constantly in bed should be fre-
quent. One "robe" for the day and an-
other for the night would be well, but for
the fatigue of so many movements.
There should be no exposure to cold dur-
ing such changes. There need be none, if
the room is moderately warm at the time
(70° Fahr.) and the fresh garment is well
warmed near the bed. One arm should be
taken out of the sleeve it is in, and put in
the new one ; then the old shirt should be
lifted off over the head, and the new one
put in its place ; lastly, the other arm
should be changed and the shirt drawn
down. When a long gown is ready to put
down over the head and shoulders, the old
one can be drawn off" at the feet.
If any garment becomes soiled, it must
be removed as soon as possible. There are,
531
68
THE FAMIL Y DOCTOR
of course, some states of extreme debility in
which it is not safe to move the patient so
often as above said. But, by having gar-
ments made loose, and cut or ripped if neces-
sary to facilitate removal, the refreshment
of such changes nia}^ be obtained in more
cases of illness than many people suppose.
When the disease from which a patient
suffers is contagious, as small- pox, scarlet
fever, measles or typhus fever, every article
of clothing worn, as well as the sheets,
blankets and bedding, must be (for safety to
others) either boiled or burned. In malig-
nant cases, or those attended by much soil-
ing of the clothes, they had better be burned.
In other instances they may be thoroughly
boiled, and then spread out in the sun to
dry.
Washing and Bathing.
Page 204
Presented as published in 1901. 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
position from time to time. This is the case with fractures of the thigh or leg. In such instances the utmost care must be taken to preserve the soundness of the skin where it is most pressed upon. It must be examined every day, and bathed gently with whiskey or soap liniment. When redness and tenderness of the skin begin to appear, a protection to it must be supplied, by covering the part with a piece of soft, thick buckskin, upon which soap-plaster has been smoothly spread ; or, if that is not at hand, two layers of adhesive plaster, very smoothly adjusted to the surface, will do for the purpose. Small pillows, or air- or water-cushions, in rings or other shapes, are often employed to take the pressure off of tender parts. They may sometimes do good ; but, in surgical practice, I have been repeatedly disappointed with them, especially with air- and water-cushions or pillows. When bedsores actually occur, it is necessary to relieve the sores from pressure ; and, besides, they must be treated like open wounds or ulcers.
Sick=Qarments.
These should be as simple as possible. One sufficiently warm and long night-shirt or night-gown will, as a rule, be enough ; the less worn, the easier it will be to make changes. If the limbs incline to be cold, light drawers may be added ; with the old and feeble, stockings also. Changes of garments worn constantly in bed should be frequent. One "robe" for the day and another for the night would be well, but for the fatigue of so many movements.
There should be no exposure to cold during such changes. There need be none, if the room is moderately warm at the time (70° Fahr.) and the fresh garment is well warmed near the bed. One arm should be taken out of the sleeve it is in, and put in the new one ; then the old shirt should be lifted off over the head, and the new one put in its place ; lastly, the other arm should be changed and the shirt drawn down. When a long gown is ready to put down over the head and shoulders, the old one can be drawn off" at the feet.
If any garment becomes soiled, it must be removed as soon as possible. There are,
of course, some states of extreme debility in which it is not safe to move the patient so often as above said. But, by having garments made loose, and cut or ripped if necessary to facilitate removal, the refreshment of such changes may be obtained in more cases of illness than many people suppose. When the disease from which a patient suffers is contagious, as small- pox, scarlet fever, measles or typhus fever, every article of clothing worn, as well as the sheets, blankets and bedding, must be (for safety to others) either boiled or burned. In malignant cases, or those attended by much soiling of the clothes, they had better be burned. In other instances they may be thoroughly boiled, and then spread out in the sun to dry.
Washing and Bathing.