Neither, of course, should a patient, while being washed or in
any way exposed, remain in the draught of an open window or door.
[6]
[Sidenote: Don't make your sick-room into a sewer.]
But never, never should the possession of this indispensable lid confirm
you in the abominable practice of letting the chamber utensil remain in
a patient's room unemptied, except once in the 24 hours, i.e., when
the bed is made. Yes, impossible as it may appear, I have known the best
and most attentive nurses guilty of this; aye, and have known, too, a
patient afflicted with severe diarrhoea for ten days, and the nurse (a
very good one) not know of it, because the chamber utensil (one with a
lid) was emptied only once in the 24 hours, and that by the housemaid
who came in and made the patient's bed every evening. As well might you
have a sewer under the room, or think that in a water closet the plug
need be pulled up but once a day. Also take care that your _lid_, as
well as your utensil, be always thoroughly rinsed.
If a nurse declines to do these kinds of things for her patient,
"because it is not her business," I should say that nursing was not her
calling.
Pages:
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190