Volume 1

Health lectures for the people.

Date:
1883-1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health lectures for the people. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    658/896 (page 192)
    often take to bed until the second week. The fever usually lasts from three to four weeks and then he should begin to mend. The feverishness gradually disappears. At this time the very greatest care and attention are required or a relapse will follow. No fever requires such watchfulness and care on the part of the nurse as to diet. The doctor's orders as to this must be rigidly carried out; a very slight indiscretion, such as eating hard biscuit, grapes, etc, has been known to cause perforation of the - bowels and death. The usual diet is milk, three to four'pints, given a tea-cupful at a time. Until allowed by the doctor give nothing but milk and do not allow the patient to leave his bed. Infection is conveyed by the effluvia and emanations from the intestinal discharges of the patient. Those should be at once covered and got rid of, using disinfectants freely, carbolic powder or chloride of lime is best. Strict cleanliness of all utensils used for the patient should be observed, and for her own safety, the nurse must be careful not to inhale the effluvia from the motions of the patient. If strict cleanliness, good ventilation and a free use of disinfectants is observed, there is little danger of infection from typhoid fever. Typhus Fever is caused by overcrowding, bad ventilation, a dirty condition of houses, clothes and people. It is a preventible disease. It comes on more suddenly and is more quickly over than typhoid, usually lasting fourteen to seventeen days. Eelapses are not usual. Commonly it sets in suddenly with a shivering fit, headache, a feeling of languor and drowsiness, the skin hot and dry; as the fever goes on the patient lies in a stupor, quite indifferent to what is going on. The nurse must not only think, but act for him; he does not ask for nourishment, and can scarcely be in- duced to take it; his life depends on the nourishment being given regularly. Towards the end of the first week a rash appears—small, dull, crimson, irregular spots, chiefly on the back and arms ; the teeth and lips become covered with a brown crust called Sordes. This must be cleaned with a piece of lemon, or rag dipped in lime-juice, rubbed over them. The lips and tongue often become cracked and very painful, and bleed occasionally; when this is the case rub a little vaseline ointment