Notes on hospitals / by Florence Nightingale.

  • Nightingale, Florence, 1820-1910.
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes on hospitals / by Florence Nightingale. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    we have heard a myth of scarlet fever being carried in a bedside carpet. One would think the inference in people's minds, from these just (and unjust) terrors, would be to remove instantly every hindrance to the foul air being carried off; but, instead of that, their inference is to shut it up or to run away from the sick. One would think that the first and last idea in construct- ing hospitals would be to contrive such means of ventilation as would be perpetually and instantly carrying off these morbid emanations. One would think that it would be the first thing taught to the attendants to manage such means of ventilation. Often, however, it is not even the last thing- taught to them. A much larger mass of air is required to dilute and carry away these emanations than is generally supposed, and the whole art of ventilation resolves itself into applying in any specific case the best method of renewing the air sufficiently without producing draughts, or occasioning excessive varieties in temperature. Trifling varieties are rather beneficial than otherwise in most cases. A cooler atmosphere at night acts like a tonic. 4. Deficiency of Light.—What is the proportionate in- fluence of the four defects enumerated in delaying recovery I am not competent to determine. Second only to fresh air, however, I should be inclined to rank light in importance for the sick. Direct sunlight, not only daylight, is necessary for speedy recovery, except, per- haps, in certain ophthalmic and a small number of other cases. Instances could be given, almost endless, where, in dark wards or in wards with a northern aspect, even when thoroughlv warmed, or in wards with borrowed light, even when