Nursing the sick / by J. Halliday Croom.

  • Croom, J. Halliday (John Halliday), 1847-1923.
Date:
[between 1800 and 1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nursing the sick / by J. Halliday Croom. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    NURSING THE SICK. By J. HALLIDAY CROOM, M. D., F. R. C. P., Lecturer, Edinburgh School of Medicine, Ladies and Gentlemen,—I am to suppose that you have got some one very ill, and that you are desirous to get him well again as soon as possible. You must not imagine that you have done all you can when you have brought a doctor to him and got a bottle of physic. Both of these are important, perhaps both are absolutely essential, and yet there is a great deal more you can do to help in bringing back health and strength to your patient. It may be that recovery is hindered by want of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quietness, rest, and proper food. All those things you have in your power to bestow, and all those go to further his recovery, and constitute proper nursing just as much as making a poultice or a bed. The three great factors of life are—air, heat, and nourishment, each and all are essential to life, and deprived of them, ill-health, tardy recovery, and death are the result. Now I wish to point out to you that these three factors are almost entirely in the hands of the nurse who is constantly with the sick person. It will be apparent to you how much she can do, either to hasten the sick person’s recovery or his death, by the right use she makes of these powerful remedies. Now let me suppose that you have the charge of a sick person. Let me say a few words with regard to the choice of a room. If you have two or three to select from, choose a sunny, light one, looking to the south. See that it has a fire-place, and that its