SUGGESTIONS SIC K-E O O M COMPILED BY AN AMERICAN WOMAN. ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & COMPANY, 770 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. WY S9H7 cl Copyright, 1876, by Anson D. F. Randolph & Co. EDWARD O. JENKINS, PRINTER AND STEREOTYPER "OSmoXTH WILLIAM ST., N.Y ** ■» surplUT' ROBERT RUTTER, BINDER, IAN STREET, N.Y. DUF TO THE COMMITTEE OF the TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES, ATTACHED TO BELLEVUE HOSPITAL, NEW YORK, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE COMPILER. PREFACE. The very modest title of this little book sufficiently describes its object. It is not designed for use in Hospital Nursing, that has been ably and exhaust- ively treated in Miss Florence Lees' admirable " Hand- book for Hospital Sisters," which should be familiar to every one interested in the subject. For those, either professional nurses or otherwise, who have not been able to enjo'y the advantages of the long and thorough course of training so minutely described in the above-mentioned book, it is hoped that some of these suggestions may be found useful. Although some portions of the book are the result of the writer's own experience, it is mainly a compi- lation. Acknowledgment is due not only to Miss Lees, but to Miss Nightingale's " Notes on Nursing," to a small " Manual for Army Nurses," published during the war, under the auspices of the Woman's Central Relief Association, and to many unpublished sources. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE S 1 C K-R O O M. WHAT NOT TO DO IN A SICK-ROOM. Do not wear a starched garment, or anything that rustles. Avoid all little noises—the sudden shutting of a door, the creaking of shoes, etc. Sometimes the rocking of a chair, or sewing, and passing the needle in and out of work, or turning over the pages of a book or newspaper, makes the difference between comfort and misery to a sick person. He is, as a usual thing, far more disturbed by these little fussy noises, than by a steady, louder, necessary noise, to which he submits cheerfully enough. Do not jar the room by treading heavily, nor the bed by leaning ' against it. Above all things, never sit on the bed. Allow nothing to remain'in the room which 'can give off moisture, and have nothing aired or cooked by the patient's fire. Never waken a sleeping patient, unless under the physician's orders, to give medicine or nour- ishment, or to change a dressing, and with care (7) 8 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. and a little practice, this last can almost alwayg be done without disturbing him. Avoid all uncertainty and strained expectation on the part of the patient. Keep his mind as quiet as possible. Be especially careful to have everything settled without confusion or bustle before leaving the room at night, which should never be later than 9 P. M. Allow no whispering —an even, low tone is far less objectionable than a whisper, which the patient involuntarily strains his attention to hear. Ask him no more ques- tions than are absolutely necessary, and never force him to repeat a remark or an answer. Never speak to him abruptly. Do not hesitate about little things if you think he would be more comfortable with less or more light, or covering, for example, do not consult him, but quietly make the change. In fact, never tax him to make a decision upon anything whatever, unless it be a matter of vital importance, and not even then if it can be avoided. If such matter come up, and cannot be set aside, use judgment in choosing the hour when he is strongest, and best able to bear it. In taking care of a delirious patient, be sure not to contradict, but to humor and agree with him. This often prevents violent outbreaks of frenzy. Never let the sick person see, smell, or hear Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 9 about food before it is brought to him. Let each meal be in the shape of a pleasant surprise. Ap- petite is often tempted in this way. Let the food be served with dainty neatness, and never pre- sent him with a cup of tea or broth, a portion ol which has been spilled in the saucer. Never let the patient's head, as he lies in bed, be higher than the throat of the chimney, except for an occasional change of posture, or in diseases of the respiratory organs. Thus he gets all the pure air there is. His bed should not be higher than the window, and placed so that he can see out of it. Let the sick-room be the brightest in the house, and give admittance to all the sunlight the weak eyes are able to bear. Do not mislay things about the room, so as to be obliged to hunt for them at the moment of wanting to use them. Do not open and shut the door oftener than is absolutely necessary, in get- ting things that may be needed out of the sick- room. A nurse has constant occasion for a clear head and a good memory. Do not leave a patient alone for many minutes in his room upon his first getting up after an ill- ness. He may be faint after the unusual exer- tion, or he may want something not immediately within his reach. It is a good plan to have a little nourishment or restorative ready for him to take just at this moment. B3 sure to see that 10 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. he is safely back in bed before he has reached the point of fatigue. It is better for him to sit up several times during the day for a little while each time, than to exhaust his newly-acquired strength by sitting up too long at once. Do not allow the slightest alteration in the con-, dition of a patient to escape notice. This is of the utmost importance. Life or death often hangs on such critical observation, in cases of recent operations, of fever, and small-pox, where certain symptoms should meet with-immediate attention. For example, if a patient sleep in the early part of the night, and is wakeful later, it is a sign of exhaustion, and he needs food, stimulus, or warmth. If he lie awake till towards morn- ing, and then fall asleep, it betokens undue ex- citement which should be met, and if possible re- lieved, by quiet, coolness, sedatives, and a lighter diet. Also, in some illnesses, the temperature of the body suddenly decreases. Even in Summer there is apt to be a chill in early morning, the most.critical time, with very ill persons, in the twenty-four hours, when the heat of the earth is least, and the vital powers of the patient at their lowest ebb. Death is not infrequently the result of a want of watchfulness on the part of the nurse at this precise moment. There should be hot bot- tles disposed about the person—flannels wrung out in hot water and spirits, and applied to the Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 11 extremities—hot drinks and stimulants adminis- tered, according to the doctor's orders. Every nurse should have her little spirit lamp, whereon she can heat a drink at almost a moment's notice. The hand of a patient discloses far more of his real condition than his face—whether it is wasted and transparent, hot or cold, etc. The face is often so altered by a passing expression, that it is not a safe criterion by which to judge. The constant use of narcotics produces a patchiness of color in the face, frequently deceptive to an in- experienced observer. Do not allow a place in the sick-room for flow- ers emitting a powerful odor, such as tube-roses, etc.; but other than these, flowers are harmless, and often beneficial. Place them where the pa- tient can see them without effort, and remove them at night, and altogether upon the first symp- tom of withering. Variety cannot be too strongly- insisted upon. Bring in the baby, or in default thereof a kitten, for a little play, at the time in the day when the patient is at his strongest, tak- ing care, of course, not to fatigue him. Give him outside news that is bright and cheering—actual practical facts, not sentiments and speculations. He has enough of morbid feelings and fancies, born of his weak physical condition, and needs to have his mind diverted into new channels, and away from himself. 12 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. A nurse should never repeat personal or do- mestic details with which she may become ac- quainted in the course of her duties, to any one. She should not worry nor tire her patient with a continuous stream of talk, nor speak of him and his condition at all, in his hearing. Never allow the least delay or impunctuality in anything that is to be done for the sick. Let the medicines, remedies, etc., be administered at the very minute. This is exceedingly necessary, on every account. If a patient's bed is to be changed, do not disturb him by speaking before- hand of your intention to do it. Wait until every preparation tor the change is in entire readiness, and then effect it quietly and quickly. Do not make a poultice until the wound to which it is to be applied has been carefully cleansed and pre- pared for it. When this is done, cover it with a .bit of linen, wet or dry, according to directions, until the poultice is made. It is astonishing how much a patient's strength is spared, and what a great difference is made in his comfort, by atten- tion to such little precautions, that to people in health seem insignificant—almost unnecessary. Never use anything for a patient because it does not show the dirt. That is the very reason why its use should be avoided. Absolute clean- liness is the first requisite in good nursing. The bed should never be pushed up against Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 13 the wall. Let there be free circulation of air all around it, and space to go in and out in attend- ance upon the patient without jarring him. Do not allow reading aloud in the sick-room unless the patient particularly asks for it, and even then it should be discontinued the moment his attention flags. A cheerful countenance in a sick-room cannot be too strongly insisted upon. Even if the nurse be tired, she must be careful to conceal it from the patient. ADVICE TO NURSES ABOUT DRESS, PERSONAL HABITS, ETC. Every nurse should sponge her entire person once in twenty-four hours with water and soap. In addition to this, she should wash her face and hands frequently during the course of the day. If in attendance upon a contagious disease, a wound, or an operation case, her hands should be rinsed every few hours in some weak disinfectant. It is well to have an entire change of under-gar- ments every day. Indeed, this is an almost indis- pensable precaution in contagious disease, un- less she and her patient be entirely isolated, a thing ordinarily very difficult to manage. She should never serve a meal in the same apron in which wounds have been dressed. She should have aprons of different kinds — an oil-silk or 14 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. india-rubber apron for the very dirtiest work, or where there is danger of getting wet—some of brown linen, made large, for ordinary use, and a few smaller white ones for afternoon wear. They should all be made with a bib in front to protect the dress. Large brown linen cuffs, or slip sleeves % which tie above the elbow, are also a necessary part of her outfit. Her dress must be simply made, of course, with no suspicion of a hoop- skirt, and a worsted material that absorbs or- ganic matter should be carefully avoided. Bet- ter, even in Winter, have dresses that can be washed, and make up the difference in warmth by warmer under-clothing. More depends upon a nurse's dress in a sick-room than is often thought. Many a weak person is depressed by the constant sight of a sombre black dress, without perhaps being able to tell the reason why. Black is of all colors the most unsuitable for this service. It shows spots more easily than anything else, and its associations are those of gloom. A little wrhite cap keeps the hair in order, and adds cheerful- ness to the dress, especially if, from time to time, a bright ribbon is worn in it, with perhaps a cor- responding knot fastening the white collar. In surgical cases the nurse should have a small basket always at hand, containing lint, bandages, ointments, etc. She ought to have, also, de- pending from her side by a ribbon, a little pin- Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 15 cushion, with place for needles, thread and silk, and thimble, to take a stitch in a bandage, for ex- ample, at any time, and a pair of good-sized scis- sors, the points sheathed. VENTILA TION. Never be afraid of open windows when a pa- tient is in bed, provided no draught blows over him. The time when invalids are most apt to take cold is on the first getting-up, after the two-fold exhaustion of dressing, and relaxation of the skin, incapable, through weakness, of reaction. Every sick-room should have a window opening into the outside fresh air, beside the indispensable open chimney. It is impossible to ventilate a room properly, if the only dependence for this purpose is one window. It is better to have no curtains to either window or bed ; the latter are especially objectionable, and if they are allowed at the windows they should be of muslin, or some light material, never anything heavy and dark to exclude light and air/ In cases of contagion, or cancer, a carpet is thought by the highest author- ities to be very undesirable. CONTAGION AND INFECTION. Florence Nightingale says, that " True nursing ignores infection except to prevent it." No doubt exists as to the fact of both contagion and infec- 16 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. tion, the former spreading the disease by means of germs obtained from direct personal contact with the patient, carried in clothes, bedding, sometimes even in the hair of the nurse, the lat- ter propagating it through the medium of the arr. Thorough cleanliness is the best preventive, and goes far to do away with them both. If it should come to the nurse's knowledge that there is a drain under the house wThere her pa- tient lies ill, she would better, if possible, have him removed at once. The risk would be less, if the removal were carefully planned and executed, than to allow him to remain with this fruitful source of poison ever near him, the danger of which is tenfold increased by his susceptible con- dition. Of course such an important step should never be taken except with a doctor's advice or permission, that is, unless no such help be at hand, and the nurse be thrown therefore upon her own resources and discretion. There is a difference not generally understood between disinfectants and deodorizers. The for- mer, like chloride of lime, per manganate of pot- ash, etc., absorb whatever imperceptible delete- rious substances the air of a sick-room has taken up, thus making it pure again. They need to be changed frequently—as often as once in every twelve hours ; and if the disease be highly infec- tious, still oftener, once in six, or even three hours. Suggestions for the Sick-Room. \f Deodorizers, on the contrary, do not absorb, they but substitute a powerful harmless odor for the noxious one. They supplement the disinfectants, and are often of the greatest use, but by no means should be depended upon to take their place. The atomizer, by means of which strong essences can be sprayed into every corner of the room by the hand, is a very excellent thing. A good way to deodorize is to bring into the room a shovel full of hot coals, and pour on to them about two tablespoonfuls of toilet vinegar, taking the precaution to hold the shovel at arm's length, so that the heated steam may not fly up into the face. The strong aromatic smell some- times affects the atmosphere agreeably for hours afterwards. Roasting coffee brought in hot in the same way, and wafted around the room, an- swers the same purpose. But after all, these things are only adjuncts. The real dependence is thorough ventilation. Pure air and plenty of sun-light are better than all the deodorizers in the world. In cases of dysentery, or chronic diarrhoea, a small portable earth-closet, that can be removed, and emptied every week, is a great assistance in keeping the air pure, as well as a convenience to the nurse. They can be bought of various sizes and patterns, and are comparatively inexpensive. Of course, where there is abundance of service, 18 Suggestions for the Sick Room. and the vessel can be emptied without a great deal of extra trouble, this is unnecessary, and the other way much to be preferred. " BEDS AND BEDDING. The best bedstead is of iron, three and a half feet wide. It is a good plan, if practicable, where a person is ill a long time, to have two of these, the patient spending twelve hours alternately in each, the entire bedding of the one not in use airing meantime. This is better than to have one wide bed, moving the patient from side to side. A hair mattress with patent springs, makes the most comfortable bed, though in a hospital, ticks filled with straw or hay, which can be wash- ed and refilled at small expense for every new- comer, are preferred, as being easier to keep clean. White cotton-quilts are heavy, without corre- sponding warmth. In some of the German hos- pitals a sheet over the blanket is used as a bed- spread, fastened at the bottom, and pulled up after the bed is made. This has the advantage of protecting the blanket from dust, while it is more easily washed. In making a bed, care must be taken to keep the clothes under and over the patient free from wrinkles. If there be no bolster-case, put the bolster on the top of the under sheet, which should be long enough to allow of its being Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 19 drawn down under and then over the bolster, from the back. But a case is much better, unless, indeed, pillows are used to the exclusion of a bolster altogether. If a patient be too ill to help himself from one bed to another, the easiest way to lift him is to fold a sheet quite smoothly, and small, breadth- wise, and lifting his head a moment, slip it under the back of his neck. The nurse alone cannot do this. Then carefully unfold the sheet, disturbing him as little as possible, until he lies wholly upon it. Now, let four persons take each a corner, and standing above the bed on chairs, gently lift their burden on to the other bed, which should be rolled up close alongside to begin with. Draw out the sheet, and the transfer will have been accomplished with surprisingly little difficulty. If the patient be very weak, he should receive nourishment either immediately before or after the change, as it is exhausting. If the sheet is to be changed without removing the patient to another bed, roll up half of the clean sheet lengthwise—do the same by the soil- ed one on the side of the bed opposite the one where the patient lies. Place the clean sheet (the rolled-up side) next the soiled one, and gently lift him over on to it; then draw away the soiled one from the other side, and smooth the fresh one, and the thing is done. 20 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. VISITORS. A nurse must use judgment as to the admission of visitors. As a general rule, a very sick person should see nobody at all, except his physician and care-taker, unless he ask to see some- partic- ular person, and will not be quieted otherwise. But with convalescents it is different. Some- times a bright, cheery visitor with news from that outside world from which the patient is tem- porarily cut off, does great good. The visit must be received at the time of the day when the patient is at his best. Sometimes, after a good night's rest, he is bright in the morning, and his energies begin to flag towards afternoon. With another, perhaps, the night will have been rest- less, the morning finds him exhausted, and it is not until afternoon that he feels like making ex- ertion enough to see anybody. A fussy, loud- talking, question-asking guest may do great harm by being admitted at all, be he relative or friend, while even a quiet-spoken, soothing person should be excluded except when in the nurse's judg- ment the patient is fit for the excitement of com- pany. She should have full power to decide in this important matter, as she is the only one who understands the real condition of the patient, but she must endeavor to make intelligent decisions. Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 21 MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS. Where there is much dust about a sick-room, dip the broom lightly in water before sweeping. Always use a damp cloth in dusting, except for picture frames and black walnut oiled furniture. In cases of protracted or chronic illness, it will be found best to have two sick-rooms, ad- joining, into one of which the patient might be occasionally moved for a change, and in which should be made all the preparations destined for him, but which he must never be allowed to see beforehand. Cooking can be done here to some extent, poultices made, utensils washed, etc.; here everything not in immediate use should be kept: bottles, bandages, etc., ready to hand; thus avoiding confusion and disorder in the sick- room proper. A window in this room, let down from the top (and windows ought always to be so constructed), with the door open into the next room where the patient sleeps, gives all the ventilation needed at night in cold weather, and this without the possibility of draught or chill. Such a room will do much to facilitate recovery, especially in convalescence, when the patient is nervous and impatient of little noises and fussings. At night the flare of the fire can be deadened by throwing ashes on the blaze. Coal can be 22 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. . put on without noise by lifting it piece by piece in a gloved hand, or by putting broken coal in brown paper bags kept for the purpose, which can be placed quietly on the fire. Warm water and soda should be used to cleanse all utensils, washing-soda of course, a half teacupful to a pail of water. The edges of the bed-pan should be greased or oiled, and it should be warmed by rinsing with hot water before using, and if the passages are offensive, it should always contain a disinfectant. What- ever passes from the patient should be at once removed, be it twenty times in the day or night, the vessel and cover thoroughly cleansed and rinsed afterwards in cold water. A special towel should be kept for this purpose. In long illnesses, or in surgical cases, where there are frequent dressings, a good supply of short night-gowns, a number of which are made to open behind, will be found of the greatest service. BA THING AND BA THS. The main point in bathing a sick person is to do it at least expense to his vital powers. It should be done at least once in twenty-four hours. In a hospital, screens should be placed around the bed to exclude draught and obser- vation. At home, doors and windows should Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 23 be Shut, and the nurse left alone with her pa- tient. Put an india-rubber sheet under, and a blanket over him. Use tepid water, and a soft sponge or flannel kept for this purpose. The doctor must give directions as to the tem- perature, which should always be regulated by a thermometer. A nurse's hand is never a safe test in this matter. Never give an entirely cold bath without express orders from a physician. Uncover but one member at a time ; first wash the face, ears, and neck; next take each arm in turn, then each leg and foot, after that the back, and last of all the stomach. In exposing too much surface at once, there is danger of a check of perspiration. Where the skin is harsh and rough from fever, great relief is often ex- perienced from the free use of common soft soap. If the patient be absolutely dirty, and the bath necessary for cleanliness, soap of some kind must be used, and really hot water. Use plenty of hot towels, and when the bath is ended, a gentle friction of the whole bodj' by the hand is useful as promoting circulation. After that, quietly withdraw the india-rubber sheet, put on a warmed night-dress, and leave him to rest. When the feet alone are to be washed, which may sometimes be done for its soothing effect, lift the clothes from the foot of the bed, put a Suggestions for the Sick-Room. strip of india-rubber cloth under, and wash them as above described. In a hospital, unless the condition of the per- son entering be such as to make it impossible, each one should be bathed in some way before putting into a clean bed. Those who are able to bathe in a tub, of course will do so. There should be two thermometers in use, one for the temperature of the room, which ordinarily should not be allowed to get above 700 Fahr., the other for the bath, this with a red indicator rather than mercury. As a tonic-bath, a handful of rock-salt dis- solved in water is sometimes of great service. One caution is necessary, not to use too much of it. Brine hardens the skin, as it were pick- ling it, thus defeating the very object in view, while what is wanted is the stimulant. A tablespoonful to a full basin of water is about the right proportion." It must be rock-salt, and the bath must wait until it is dissolved. Table- salt will not answer the purpose at all. Half a tumbler of alcohol in the basin of water per- forms the same office and is pleasanter to the skin, but is more expensive. In a sitz bath, the proportion is half a tea-cup of salt, or a full tumbler of alcohol to a pail of water. In fevers, a little vinegar and water, one-fourth vinegar, makes a very refreshing bath, though this is Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 25 objected to by some, as clogging the pores oi the skin. Brushing or combing the hair, whichever is found the more acceptable, should always be an accompaniment of the bath, if the patient be strong enough to bear it. Done gently, it is very soothing, and removes any tendency to nervousness. Brush or comb first one side of the head, and then the other. Never rub the top of the head. The best sitz bath-tubs are those used at some water-cures, of cedar, as being less apt to chill the bather than those of zinc. A pleas- ant bath is made by first putting a blanket into the tub, and then pouring in the water. The patient, sitting down, the now warm, moist blanket is wrapped around him, and another one thrown over him and the tub. For further directions on this subject, see Miss Lees' book, section 10. REMEDIES AND APPLIANCES. Where hot fomentations are ordered, flannels sewn together at the ends, wrung out of boil- ing water by means of two sticks twisted in opposite directions, are very useful. Or, they may be wrung out by putting a dry towel around them, and squeezing it hard. In either case, the flannel must be applied while hot, 26 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. and covered with several thicknesses of dry flannel, to retain the heat as long as possible. It should be changed every ten minutes, and replaced by another, prepared meantime. Where counter-irritation is necessary, a table- spoonful of spirits of turpentine sprinkled on the hot flannel, or alcohol and cayenne pepper (an ounce to a pint) may be used. But either of these must remain on but a very few minutes, or the skin will be blistered. A soothing fomentation is of hot poppy water, which is made as follows: 4 ozs. of dried poppy- heads broken to pieces, and the seeds removed. Boil the shells in a quart of water for fifteen minutes, strain, and apply as nearly boiling as possible. In severe pain in the stomach, equal parts of camphor and laudanum and water heated, and put on hot flannel covered with a dry piece, and changed' every twenty minutes, sometimes af- fords relief. Flannel wrung out in hot spirits, applied as above, is also good, and sometimes it is a quieting thing to cover the part simply with a piece of oiled silk. In lung fevers, where a doctor cannot be reached, it is safe to put a merino shirt wet with, turpentine on the patient, with a careful covering of oiled silk; this must be kept on until dry, and then renewed. Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 27 When a person is suffering from nausea, bath- ing the face with some strong essence in water frequently relieves it entirely. Small pieces of cracked ice held in the mouth till melted helps this, and carbonated (plain soda) water. This latter is excellent as a tonic, and the free use of it is often ordered in fevers. Bed sores are preventable, in the first place, by great attention to cleanliness in all its de- tails. Never put a blanket underneath a pa- tient in bed. The heat and moisture it induces softens the skin, and makes the trouble more difficult to avoid. Careful examination should take place every day, and if the skin of the back or side on which he usually lies, looks red in small round spots, wash first with soap and warm water, drying gently but thoroughly with a soft, hot towel. Next powder lightly with rice or violet powder, to ensure perfect dryness. Then apply cither one of the following prep- arations : Collodion, painted on in one brush- ful without a break; 1 oz. borax, dissolved in a pint of brandy; 1 oz. burnt alum, dissolved in a pint of water. In Germany, a lemon cut in half is rubbed over the back after the washing. Precaution from exposure to a draught must be taken during the process. Some physicians object to this treatment, on the ground that it stops the pores of the skin, 28 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. but the application is merely a local one, cover- ing a very small surface, and it has certainly proved efficacious in preventing bed sores. In croup, or any obstruction of the breathing apparatus, a kettle filled with boiling water on a trivet over the fire, steaming away, softens the air of the room and makes it easier for the oppressed sufferer. In Summer the kettle may be placed over a gas or spirit flame. To stop bleeding in case of hemorrhage from the lungs, a teaspoonful of table-salt swallowed dry, a recumbent position, and perfect quiet is the most efficacious remedy, until a physician ar- rives, who should be sent for without an instant's delay. For continued bleeding after a cut, or after leeches have been applied, use the salt ex- ternally, unless there be a severed artery. This is easily determined by the nature of the flow. If the blood be very bright red, and comes from the wound in sudden spurts, it is arterial blood thrown out in this way by the action of the heart. To stop this at once is imperative, as it is life- blood flowing away, and if not arrested the pa- tient will bleed to death in a short time. • The old-fashioned way to stop such bleeding was to tie a bandage tightly between the wound and the heart, thus preventing the flow. But mod- ern science has proved this practice faulty, inas- much as it seriously impedes the general circula- Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 29 tion. The modern and approved method is to take some soft material, the first that comes to hand,—for it must be done quickly,—cotton-wad- ding, or some lint being the best, and thrust it tightly into the very wound itself, holding it there until a clot has formed. This effectually meets the difficulty without producing other un- desirable complications. To stop profuse bleeding at the nose, roll a small ball of paper quite hard, and press it firmly against the large blood-vessel at the base of the tongue underneath. There are also other ways of effecting this re- sult. Sometimes a firm pressure underneath the upper lip will do it—or ice applied to the fore- head and temples, or to the back of the neck. A graduated measuring-glass is a great help to accuracy in the administering of medicines. A glass tube should always be used where acids are taken, to prevent injury to the teeth, and it is well, also, to brush them afterwards. Where a patient is too ill to raise his head, liquid food should be given him through a glass tube, slight- ly bent at the end near his mouth. Volatile medicines should be kept excluded from the light in bottles with glass-stoppers, and should be closed immediately that the dose is poured out, which should be swallowed at once. In dropping medicine, it flows more readily if 30 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. the edge of the bottle be slightly moistened. There are " droppers " to be bought at the drug- gists, of various kinds, which may be found useful. In making any sort of decoction, unless special directions are given, the proportion is always an ounce to a pint. Simple cerate, useful in dressing wounds, iu flamed surfaces, etc., is made by melting together one part of white wax and two of tried-out lard, or olive oil. The best instrument for giving enemas is the French one—an upright metal vessel, holding a pint, with a covering opening in half, a tube through the middle, and a handle on the top. At the bottom is fastened a flexible india-rubber tube, fitted in with a stop-cock, with the usual ivory insertion piece at the end. The vessel contains the enema—the end of the tube, which should always be greased before using, is insert- ed, the handle on top is gently turned, and the liquid passes. The affair is very simple, and far more effectual than the old-fashioned india-rub- ber ball and syringe, which, however, it is well not to be without. Care must be taken that the liquid be injected very gradually. There should be no sudden shock to the parts involved. When the enema is to be retained, it must be small in quantity—not more than a tumbler full —and after it has been given, a towel should be Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 31 rolled up in a ball and pressed against the funda- ment for some minutes. For piles, a small enema of half a tumbler of iced-water, taken every morning, and retained as long as possible, is of more use than any amount of medicine, inasmuch as it attacks the disease immediately rather than mediately. For nutrition, beef-tea is ordinarily given in small quantities, and at short intervals. Brandy may be added for a stimulant, at the instance of a doctor. Milk-punch is also administered occa- sionally in this way. In dysentery a sedative injection is used of two ounces of thin starch, made with cold water, and laudanum—the quantity of the latter, varying ac- cording to the age and condition of the patient, would better be directed by a physician. A fre- quent and very painful accompaniment to this disease is suppression of the urine. An onion poultice greatly relieves this. Take four large onions and boil them in as little water as pos- sible, until quite soft, so that they mash easily; then mash them with a spoon, and lay over the bowels—a hot flannel on the outside. In paralysis, the first thing to do is to ensure an immediate free movement of the bowels. For this purpose, an enema of two ounces of camo- mile flowers, boiled ten minutes in a quart of water, strained and used cold, with a heaping 32 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. teaspoonful of salt, is perhaps the best. The whole body must be rubbed smartly with hot vinegar and water, and if the patient be able to swallow, a tablespoonful of brandy in a cup of weak tea should be given in sips every ten min- utes. The object is to withdraw the pressure of blood from the brain, consequently the extremi- ties must be kept warm by frequent rubbing and hot applications, and mustard plasters may be used on the calves of the legs and the back of the arms. The rubbing with the boiling vinegar and water should be thoroughly done at least twice a day. For sun-stroke the above enema may also be used, with ice applied to the spine and the top of the head. On no account make any applica- tion to the back of the neck without doctor's orders. The following are good purgative enemas. Their effectiveness is generally in proportion to the quantity used. A quart of liquid is not too much—sometimes even more is prescribed. One quart warm soap-suds (white castile soap). The same, with the addition of two tablespoon- fuls of molasses, one of sweet oil, and a half tea- spoonful of salt. One ounce of castor oil beaten up with the yolk of an egg, and mixed with a pint of warm water. One ounce of turpentine used in the same way. Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 33 For chronic constipation, a daily enema of a pint and a half of cold water will be of the great- est use. Sometimes a tumbler of cold water drank immediately upon rising is beneficial. The old linen used for poultices, dressings, etc., should not be shirts, as they are not substantial enough, but old table-cloths, and napkins, and sheets. Never make a poultice without first scalding out the basin in which it is made. If it is to be kept on several hours, a very little sweet oil spread over the side next the skin keeps it from hardening. Dipping the spoon or knife with which it is spread in hot water will make it smoother. It never should be heavy enough to be felt as a weight. A mustard poultice should always have a bit of thin old muslin between it and the skin. A poultice is useful on account of its heat and moisture. To retain this as long as possible, a strip of oil silk should be wrapped around it. Great care should be taken if it is dry on re- moval, not to irritate or tear the sensitive skin underneath. The cloth on which it is made must be soaked with a sponge, wet in warm water, until it come off easily. Add the hot water to whatever meal is used for the poultice very slowly, mixing thoroughly and stirring till it is quite smooth, and of the 34 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. proper consistence. It may be made of ground flaxseed, ground slippery elm, or boiled bread and milk. For a sprain, apply a poultice of rye meal and vinegar, very hot, and just thick enough not to run. This should be changed as soon as the heat decreases. A stimulating poultice is made of a pound of ground flaxseed mixed with a half pint of brewer's yeast, stirred constantly while heating to prevent burning. This quantity should make at least three applications. Where there is an offensive discharge, a few drops of some disin- fectant may be added. Mustard should be mixed with two-thirds flour. If to be kept on a long time, mix clear mustard quite stiff with molasses instead of water. It then burns, but does not blister the skin. Where there is much throb- bing pain, a drachm of laudanum, put on the top of a poultice, is very soothing. A mild stimulant poultice is made by dusting the top of a flaxseed or slippery elm poultice with a little dry mus- tard. Where an immediate effect is wanted, the French sinapisms, to be bought at any apotheca- ry's, will be found useful. For burns, apply cloths kept constantly wet with lime-water and sweet oil in equal parts. Also an application of lard dusted over with flour, and covered with cotton-batting, is good. The object is to exclude the air as much as pos- sible. For superficial burns, where the skin is Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 35 not broken, the white of an egg is good, or the lather of soap from a shaving cup—and soft soap is often found very cooling and grateful. A mustard foot-bath may be given in bed by lifting the clothes at the foot, spreading an india- rubber sheet, and placing the pail containing the bath (less than half full, so as to allow for the feet, and not spill over) upon it. The patient lies on his back, draws up his knees, and puts his feet in the bath. Cover pail and all with a blanket, put- ting in the hand underneath, and bathing the legs well. After fifteen minutes, remove the pail, and rub the legs.and feet smartly with a coarse hot towel. The feet must be felt quite often in bed, and always kept warm. A hot brick, or a soap- stone wrapped in flannel, is better than the moist heat of hot water. When this is used, the bottle must be either of tin or earthen- ware, carefully corked and rolled in flannel. On first getting up after a long illness, the feet will be tender. To harden them, soak them once a day for ten minutes in some astringent, like alum and cold water, or rub them thor- oughly with alcohol. Pond's extract of ham- mamelis is also good. In fevers, where the mouth is parched, a bit of lemon rubbed over the gums will be found refreshing. Where the forehead is to be bathed, 36 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. there should be two cloths in use, one in the basin, the other laid upon the head. In cases of poisoning, the first thing to be done is to eject the poison from the stomach, and for this a strong emetic must be given at once. A tablespoonful of mustard in a tum- bler of warm water, or one teaspoonful of syrup of ipecac will answer the purpose. Many persons administer strong coffee, or milk, or white of egg, as antidotes, while five drops of spirits of camphor is supposed to be a specific for vegetable poisons. For a rattle- snake bite, nothing better is . known than the immediate withdrawal of the poison before it enters into the circulation by means of suction, but in all other cases the emetic is the safer remedy. For insects' stings a poultice of moist earth is good, on account of the ammonia it contains, or a few drops of ammonia itself seems to coun- teract the poison ; a slice of raw onion is said also to afford relief. People who have been exposed to intense cold until nearly frozen to death, should be kept away from heat and steadily rubbed with ice or snow (better the latter) until the natural respiration, which is twenty times a minute, be restored. They should then have some hot drink, like a cup of tea, with a tablespoonful of brandy in it. Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 37 For chilblains, as soon as a spot appears, cover it with court-plaster, and it will speedily disappear. If this precaution be neglected, and the blains give pain, soak the feet night and morning in turpentine, in which as much cam- phor gum has been dissolved as it will absorb. Pond's extract, both hot and cold, is also said to be excellent for this. For external poisons, from ivy, etc., nothing except a few days' time seems to be of much use. Some find relief in bathing in alkaline water, others apply soft soap, or take internally a homeopathic preparation of arsenic, but these remedies are frequently quite ineffectual. A hop pillow is soothing in restlessness, and conduces to sleep. Of disinfectants, permanganate of potassium is one of the most effectual; it is also the most expensive. Chloride of lime is useful and cheap- er. Carbolic acid is very much used. A weak solution of this (one part to twenty of water) is good for washing the hands. Carbolic toilet soap can be bought at the apothecary's, and is excellent for this purpose also. There can be no rules given as to the fre- quency with which a patient's night-dress, sheets, and pillow-cases should be changed. Physicians differ widely on this point. With the very sick it is an exhausting process, while in some fevers 38 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. and in contagious disorders it may be thought absolutely necessary to make the change once a day. An extra pillow might be kept in the other room, and with its cool, clean case be slipped under the head with little disturbance and great relief, where weakness prevents an entire change. But, at least, everything should be renewed as often as twice a week. Every nurse should have a small blank-book with pencil attached, in which to note down accurately every symptom, the exact time of every change, however slight, the condition of the evacuations, etc., for the help of the doctor. It should be, in fact, a trustworthy record of every hour in the sick-room. This is especially neces- sary at night. The advantages of a symptom book thus carefully kept are too obvious to need dwelling upon. Three drops of ammonia in a wine-glass of water will quiet the nervous condition preceding an hysterical attack. There seems to be a radical difference of opin- ion among people in general upon the important point of hired versus domestic nurses. Many persons think that the immediate family or in- timate friends of a sick person are the only ones who have the least nght to care for him, and object most strenuously to the bringing in of outside service. Mi33 Lees advocates the contrary opin- Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 39 ion strongly, giving as reasons that the relatives of a patient have ordinarily neither the technical training, nor the self-control resulting from long experience among the sick, nor the comparative want of feeling of a professional nurse. These are weighty reasons, not to be set aside without mature deliberation. It would seem that much could be said on both sides of the question. Love is an all-powerful teacher, sometimes, with its keen intuitions and tender suggestions, supplying the place of a more varied experience. Yet the cost in feeling to the care taker is very great. Where the tension is continued for weary days and still wearier nights, till anxiety and despond- ency get the upper hand, undoubtedly a good hired nurse will prove more efficient. The pa- tient's own feelings should be in a measure con- sulted. Some cannot bear the kindly necessary offices except from those dear to them, while with others it is quite the reverse. If he hesitate to ask for what he needs, or make an effort of self-control for which he is physically incapable, and which is harmful in its inevitable reaction, out of consideration for his nurse, there should unquestionably be with him in that capacity some one whom he has no especial motive to spare. This is a much less complicated question to foreigners than to us Americans, because there 40 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. are schools for training nurses in England and on the Continent, of many years' standing. But until very lately how almost impossible it has been to procure a really trustworthy, intelligent nurse. Of course, in individual cases there have been such, but ignorance and self-conceit have been the rule, competency and self-respect the ex- ception. Many a time has a sick person lan- guished for want of proper care, because the nurse hired to attend to him was too afraid of not being a lady to do the thousand and one nameless, perhaps disagreeable, but necessary things for his comfort! We are slowly learning in this country, through the all-pervading power of examples, that a true lady never shrinks from anything right and proper to be done. It is not to be wondered at that a careful, orderly house- keeper, when sickness comes into her family, feels that any amount of over-exertion on her part is preferable to introducing into the house such an element of discord, requiring such an amount of extra trouble in being waited upon, and then perhaps not to be trusted in a sick- room, as the ordinary hired nurse heretofore has proved herself to be. But we are at last awakening to the fact, that our dearest hopes in their time of peril and ex- tremity ought no longer to be trusted on the one hand to Sairy Gamps and Betsy Prigs, nor on the other to affectionate but undisciplined solic- Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 41 itude. Affection alone never yet made a good nurse. Steps have been taken to meet this. crying need in the community. Training-schools for nurses, based on the principles of the best institutions of the kind abroad, modified to suit the peculiar character and needs of our own country, are springing up, in connection with hospitals, in several of our large cities. Intelli- gent, educated women are sought out as pupils, and as a month's probation is required before they are accepted for the course of training, the result is a body of material the very best to be found for such work. In Boston, Philadelphia, and New Haven, the attempt is being made, while in New York the Training-School for Nurses attached to Bellevue Hospital is now in the third year of its existence, and already has begun to send its trained nurses into private ser- vice. When the time comes that no nurse can expect an engagement without showing a diplo- ma of graduation from one or other of these schools, perhaps all will agree that the care of the sick should devolve upon hired nurses. DIET. Sick cookery should do at least half the work of the patient's impaired digestion. Liquid foods are generally given to those too weak to bear solids, but they are also useful in giving variety to the sick diet list when the patient becomes 42 Suggestions for the Sick-Room. convalescent. They should be administered at short intervals, in small quantities, and as highly concentrated as his condition will allow, as too much liquid is often injurious. Florence Night- ingale says, that there are four causes of starva- tion among the sick. First: defective cooking. Second: defect in choice of diet. Third : a want of judgment as to the hours of taking nourish- ment. And fourth: a want of appetite on the part of the patient. As one remedy for this last, it is suggested that a nurse should not, standing by a patient's bed-side, taste his tea, to see if it be sweet enough, or his broth, if it be hot. Tastes differ so much, that this is no sure test, and the disgust which the thing produces effectually takes away what little appetite there might have been. There should also be little tempting delicacies especially prepared, and brought in without a word of warning. Medical cases require this more than surgical. A person with a broken leg, for example, unless it is accompanied by fever, can generally eat anything that he would eat in health, though want of exercise takes the edge off the appetite somewhat. A woman's digestion is slower than that of a man, consequently a sick man needs nourishment at shorter intervals than a sick woman. Arrowroot, as a vehicle for wrine as a restora- tive, is well enough, but in itself it contains little or no nourishment, consisting principally of Suggestions for the Sick-Room. 43 starch and water. Flour, where it can be used, is better. For the same reason, oatmeal, barley, crushed wheat, etc., are to be preferred as arti- cles of diet for the sick to sago, tapioca, etc. Jelly made from gelatine, also has almost no nu- trition, and a tendency to produce diarrhoea. It is better made in the old-fashioned way from calves' feet, though even then it should be given as a variety, not as a dependence. Milk is nourishing, but persons of a bilious ten- dency cannot take it freely. A tablespoonful of lime-water in a tumbler of milk acts as a correc- tive, and cannot be perceived in the taste. Care must be taken that it is entirely sweet, as drink- ing sour milk, especially in Summer, commonly results in diarrhoea. In fevers, buttermilk is sometimes used to advantage. Sweets are not generally relished in illness, the furred tongue preferring that which is sharp or pungent. A little tea or coffee is a good hot restorative in exhaustion. Given at 5 or 6 a. m., after a restless night, it often produces sleep. But never give either after 5 P. M., when the want of sleep results from excitement which tea or coffee but increases. Coffee is more of a restorative than tea, but not so readily assimilated. To make lime-water, take | lb. unslacked lime, and pour upon it 1 qt. cold water. Let it stand twenty-four hours. Strain and use. A table of measures to be used when a set of scales and weights are not easily procurable : i Pint (pt.),. . . . i pound (lb.) J Pint, . . . . .an even tumbler full. 2 Ounces (oz.), a wine-glass full. i Ounce, ..... two tablespoonfuls. \ Ounce, . . . . one tablespoonful. 2 Drachms, . . . . one dessert spoonful. i Drachm, .... one teaspoonful. 60 Drops (min.), . . . one teaspoonful. RFXEIPTS FOR THE SICK. It may be well to state that many of these receipts are not intended for very sick patients; but there are frequently surgical cases and convalescents, where the appetite needs tempting—chronic invalidism, also, where the digestion is not impaired, is often the better for a more varied and stimulating diet than can be given to those suffering under acute and local illness. It is rather the fashion at present to depreciate the usefulness of beef tea—and we are far from insisting that it possesses as valuable nutritious properties as more solid foods; but we still think it of great impor- tance as an article of diet for the sick, and have yet to learn that any of the objectors to its use have suggested an available substitute. SOLID FOODS. PLAIN BOILED RICE. Take % lb. (half a cup full) of rice; wash it well in cold water; pour upon it a quart of boiling water; add a pinch of salt; let it boil briskly for twenty minutes; then strain as dry as possible, and let the rice stand un- covered on the side of the range, keeping hot, but not cooking for half an hour; turn it out into a heated dish ; (45) 46 Receipts for the Sick. every grain should be dry and separate. Eaten with syrup, or cream, and sugar. This makes an ordinary vegetable dish full. SWEET RICE. Add to the plain boiled rice 1 oz. of butter, 1 oz. sugar, X pt. of boiling milk, (a tiny piece of cinnamon being boiled in it and strained out before it is put to the rice); rub the batter and sugar well together, and add it to the boiling milk; then stir the mixture thor- oughly into the rice over the fire. Eat plain, or with currant jelly. RICE WITH GRAVY. Add to the plain boiled rice four tablespoonfuls of any good essence of beef or rich gravy, heated with a small bit of butter and half a teaspoonful of salt; stir as above, and serve hot. TO STEAM RICE. Half lb. washed rice, 1 quart cold water and a pinch of salt; put it covered in a slow oven; let it steam for an hour or longer, until the water is quite absorbed; then add \XA pts. more water, and let it steam another hour. Let it stand till cold. Eaten in slices, with sugar or syrup. This is very nice fried in butter and eaten hot, for a change. This makes about \\ pints. SWEDISH RICE. One tumbler currant jelly. One wine-glass cold water. Heat it boiling hot. Pound one cup of rice in Receipts for the Sick. 47 a mortar until quite fine—cover it with cold water, and let it soak half an hour. Then stir it gradually into the boiling jelly, and continue boiling, and stirring for fif- teen minutes. Pour into a form. Eat cold with cream and sugar. One small mould. RICE JELLY. Quarter pound washed rice, 2 qts. cold water, and a pinch of salt. Set it covered on the back of the range where it will simmer slowly, but never boil, stirring oc- casionally that it do not burn, for six hours. The grains should have entirely disappeared, and the whole have become a transparent gelatinous mass. Strain away all the water possible. Turn into moulds, and serve cold with a little jam or some kind of preserve. This quan- tity will fill two pint moulds. This rice water, with the addition of \ cup sugar and the juice of one lemon, makes a refreshing drink. RICE PUDDING {without eggs). Two-thirds of a tea cup of rice. 1 qt. milk.. 1 cup sugar. 1 tablespoonful butter. A pinch of salt, and a very little nutmeg. Bake in a slow oven a full hour. It fills an ordinary-sized pudding dish. Very excellent. POP ROBIN, OR THICKENED MILK. Knead one cup full of flour into a hard ball with water. Tie it firmly in a linen cloth as if for a dumpling. Put it into cold water and let it boil slowly for twelve hours. Then take it out and dry it thoroughly before the fire. Remove the cloth, pare off the thick rind, and dry the 48 Receipts for the Sick. ball again. Grate two tablespoonfuls and stir it slowly into a pint of boiling milk, and let it boil twenty min- utes. Serve hot. This is good in dysentery. BAKED CUSTARD. One quart milk, i cup sugar. Warm the milk, and dissolve the sugar in it. Beat together the whites and yolks of five eggs—add them to the milk and sugar. Strain it, put in a teaspoonful of vanilla or other flavor- ing extract. Pour into a pudding dish, or cups, set it (or them) into a pan of boiling water, put the pan into a quick oven, and bake a quarter of an hour. This will fill ten custard cups. SOFT OR BOILED CUSTARD. Ingredients and proportions as above. Instead of baking, put it in a tin saucepan over a slow fire, and stir constantly until it is of the consistency of thick cream. BLANC MANGE. One quart rich milk or cream, i.cup sugar, i tea- spoonful flavoring. Let it get warm on the fire without boiling. Dissolve two large tablespoonfuls of gelatine in a wine-glass of boiling water, stir it slowly into the warmed milk, and let it boil up once well. Strain and pour into moulds. WINE JELL Y. Two heaping tablespoonfuls gelatine, i tumbler even full (^ pt.) good sherry wine, f lb. of sugar. Juice of Receipts for the Sick. 49 two lemons and grated rind of one. Soak these to- gether for fifteen minutes, stirring so that the gelatine dissolves. Then add \\ pints boiling water, stirring again. In hot weather, when jelly is not so apt to stif- fen, an additional dessert spoonful of gelatine may be put in. Strain into moulds. This quantity makes two good-sized moulds. ANOTHER WINE JELLY. Pour 1 pt. cold water on one package of Cox's gel- atine, and let it stand one hour, with the juice of two lemons, and the grated rind of one. Then add 1 pt. wine, 2 lbs. sugar, and 3 pts. boiling water. Put it on the fire, and let it boil up at once. Strain and pour into moulds. This makes two forms and a half. LEMON JELL Y. Take the juice of two large lemons and the grated rind of one. Beat separately the yolks and whites of two eggs. Mix them together with two cups of sugar and \ glass of wine. Stir this on the fire until the sugar is entirely dissolved. Then add 2 tablespoonfuls gel- atine (previously soaked twenty minutes in £ tumbler cold water.) When quite smooth, take from the fire, and strain into mould. This makes one mould. CHICKEN JELL Y. Take the head and claws of a chicken to be roasted. Scald them for a moment, so as to be able to scrape off the hair. Then put them into a saucepan, cover them evenly with cold water and a pinch of salt. Let 50 Receipts for the Sick. them simmer very slowly for four hours. Strain into a tumbler, and serve cold. This makes a small tumbler- ful. SAGO JELLY. Soak a tablespoonful of sago in a wine-glass of cold water over night. In morning add a tablespoonful of sugar, a small pinch of salt, a quarter of the peel of a lemon, and a pt. of cold water. Let this gradually reach boiling point, and boil for five minutes, stirring continually. Then add two tablespoonfuls of wine. Mix well, and either pour into a mould and use as jelly, or serve hot. One mould. CALF 'S-FOO T JELL Y. Get the feet with the hair on, because when already cleaned a great deal of gelatine has been removed. Hold them in boiling water for five minutes, when the hair will scrape easily off with a knife. Boil three calves' feet in three quarts of cold water, until it is reduced to three pints, and the feet broken. Strain it and let it get cold. Then remove the fat and the sediment. Put it into a tin or porcelain-lined saucepan, with fib. sugar, \ pt. wine, the juice of one large lemon, and a quarter of its peel. Beat thoroughly the whites of five eggs, and add them together with their shells, broken up into small pieces. Set it over a slow fire, and stir it until it boils, but not after that. Let it boil slowly twenty minutes, then throw in a tea- cup of cold water and let it boil five minutes longer, when remove it from the fire, cover it, and let it Receipts for the Sick. 51 stand half an hour to settle. Then strain into moulds, without pressure. It is an improvement to put in a tablespoonful of brandy, less that amount of wine. Three large moulds. Moulds should be rubbed inside with a brush or feather dipped in white of an egg, to prevent the jelly from sticking. A very small quantity will suffice, which might be reserved before the eggs are beaten. In beating the whites of eggs, they should always be stiff enough to stand quite alone. A wire egg-whisk is the proper thing for this purpose; but if that is not to be had, use a steel fork or knife, never anything silver, as that makes the eggs heavy. Beat with a short, quick, firm motion from the wrist and elbow, not from the shoulder. CRACKED OR CRUSHED WHEAT. { The latter preferred?) Soak i pint of wheat over night in just enough cold water to wet it. In morning, stir it slowly into 3 pts. boiling water. Add a teaspoonful of salt, and keep stirring it over the fire for fifteen minutes. Pour into forms, and eat cold with milk and sugar. Two moulds. OA TMEAL. This is prepared in the same way, except that it is not soaked over night, but sprinkled very slowly into the boiiing water, and stirred for twenty-five minutes. Crushed wheat or oatmeal mush may be prepared as above, with half the quantity of the wheat or meal. This, eaten hot with sugar and cream, is an excellent 52 Receipts for the Sick. breakfast dish, and has a good effect in regulating the bowels. INDIAN MEAL GRUEL. Two tablespoonfuls of meal mixed thoroughly with lA tumbler cold water. Put it on the fire, and add to it slowly a tumbler and a half more water, stirring it all the time. Add half a teaspoonful of salt, and let it boil slowly for % of an hour, with an occasional stir to keep it from burning. Serve hot with a little nutmeg grated on top. This will make a pint bowl of gruel. It may be made with milk instead of water. OATMEAL GRUEL. Made in the same way. BREAD PUDDING. Pour a pt. of boiling water over \ loaf of stale bread. Cover closely till thoroughly soaked. Then squeeze half the water out, through a colander, add while hot two tablespoonfuls "brown sugar, one do. of melted butter, one do. brandy, and a little nutmeg. Put in a well-buttered dish, and bake four hours in a slow oven. MA CCARONI AND MILK. Take three curled pieces of maccaroni, soak them in a pint of warmed milk until quite swollen and soft. Add a pinch of salt, and boil slowly for twenty minutes. THE FRENCH WA Y TO PREPARE RA W BEEF. Cut it into long, narrow strips, carefully removing all gristle and fat. Then scrape it lightly and rapidly Receipts for the Sick. 53 downwards with a sharp knife. Spread it thickly and evenly on slices of buttered bread, with a little salt. This is by far the most palatable way to prepare it. POACHED EGGS. Break each egg separately into an earthen or tin cup, which has first been heated by filling with boiling water, and then carefully dried. The yolks must not be bro- ken. Place the cups in a saucepan of boiling water, which should reach about half way on the outside of them. Let them boil three minutes. A piece of nice- ly-toasted bread, cut rather thin, and buttered evenly, should be waiting on a hot plate, and the egg slipped carefully from the cup upon it. Sprinkle a few grains of salt upon the egg, and serve very hot. SCRAMBLED EGGS. To be good, these should be served directly from the fire. Put first into the tin saucepan, or chafing dish, \ teaspoonful salt, and a tablespoonful of butter. When this is heated, pour in four veggs, beaten together as lightly as possible. Stir constantly in the same direc- tion with a silver spoon, until they are sufficiently thick. They should not cook a moment after that. A table- spoonful of cream put in with the butter makes the dish richer. STEWED OYSTERS. One dozen good-sized oysters. Strain the liquor from them. Put them in a saucepan with just enough liquor to cover them. Let them simmer slowly, but not 54 Receipts for the Sick. boil. Mix smoothly together two teaspoonfuls flour, three tablespoonfuls milk, one tablespoonful butter, and a good pinch of salt. When the ears of the oysters begin to curl up (in about ten minutes), take them from the fire, drain the liquor from them in a colander, put it back in the saucepan, and add the above mixture. Let it boil up quickly, and then put in the oysters for five minutes. Grate a very little nutmeg in. This is a very excellent receipt, as the oysters do not get too much cooking. ROAST OYSTERS. Take four large oysters in the shell. Wash them clean, and put them on the top of the range, the scoop- ed out side downward, until they open fairly. Then re- move the upper shell, taking care not to spill the juice, and separate the oyster from the under shell with a knife. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top, and serve very hot. ROAST CLAMS. May be served in the same way, only without salt. Sometimes a delicate stomach can take the pure clam- juice, when unable to retain anything else. STEWED CLAMS. Extract the juice from a dozen clams by putting them into a pot on the fire, after first washing the shells. Take the juice, and add to it a tablespoonful of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of flour well mixed. Let this boil up quickly. Then put in the clams for five min- utes, and serve very hot. Receipts for the Sick. 55 MILK TOAST. Cut three slices of white or Graham bread rather thick. Toast them evenly on a toasting-fork before the fire, or on a gridiron. Heat i pt. of milk till it boils. Pour half over the toast, cover it, and let it soak. Put the other half back on the fire. Add to it two table- spoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, and a pinch of salt. Let it boil for five minutes, and pour it over the toast. Serve hot. Cream is good instead of milk. DIPPED CRACKERS. Take three large Boston crackers. Split them, and pour a wine-glass of boiling water over them. When this is soaked up, toast them. Then butter them, and sprinkle them thickly with sugar. Heat a wine-glass of wine, and pour over them. Add a little nutmeg. "Serve hot. FARINA AND CORN-STARCH. Various directions how to prepare these articles are printed upon the papers in which they come. A tea- spoonful of any kind of flavoring preferred should be added to a quart. Farina is very nice, made about one- third thicker than the receipt, and allowed to get cold. Then fried in slices in butter, and eaten hot with sugar or syrup. ARROWROOT. Take a dessert spoonful of arrowroot, and mix it smoothly with a wine-glass of cold water. Then add it 56 Receipts for the Sick. by degrees to \ pint boiling milk, in which a teaspoon- ful of sugar has been dissolved. Boil it for five min- utes, stirring all the time. It may be flavored with nut- meg, or with a small piece of cinnamon boiled in the milk, and strained out before the arrowrooot is added ; or a glass of port wine may be put in. Served either hot or cold. This will make a small bowl full. ROASTED POTATOES. Take large potatoes, wash and dry them, and put them on the oven floor, turning occasionally, for four hours. Then open, take out of the skins, and serve hot with butter or cream, and a little salt. BAKED APPLES {plain). Take greenings or Spitzenbergs. Put them in a pan with a very little water in the bottom to prevent their burning. Put them in a slow oven, and let them bake till quite tender. A fork stuck in will decide that. Sprinkle them with sugar, and serve hot or cold. CODDLED APPLES. Spitzenbergs are the best for this, though any apples will do. Pare and core them. Put them in a pan with a very little water, and fill the centres with sugar, and either a bit of cinnamon or lemon-peel in each. Bake' till tender. Serve with cream, hot or cold. SHANK-BONE JELLY. Take six shank mutton bones. Scrape them with a brush, and wash in two waters. Put them into a \\ Receipts for the Sick. 57 pints cold water, with \ teaspoonful salt, and let them simmer slowly eight hours; half an hour before taking off the fire, add the peel of half a lemon. If you do this, put in a tablespoonful of sugar, and leave out the salt. Strain into a mould, and serve hot as a liquid, or cold as a jelly. One mould. IRISH MOSS JELLY. Stir one tablespoonful of Irish moss slowly into i\ pts. boiling milk. Add two tablespoonfuls sugar, and juice of half a large lemon. Let it boil quickly down to a pint, stirring occasionally until it begins to thicken, but not after. Strain into mould. Serve cold. One mould. BOILED HOMINY. Two cups of hominy ; 1 qt. cold water, a little salt. Boil very slowly for six hours. A farina kettle should be used for this to prevent its burning; but if not, put the hominy in a tin pail, and set it in a kettle of boiling water. Serve hot, with butter and sugar or syrup, or let stand till cold and fry in brown slices. This quan- tity will make a good-sized vegetable dish full. TO BROIL A BEEF-STEAK. Let the fire be very bright and hot. If the gridiron used have iron bars instead of wires, it must be lightly greased with butter. Put down the steak, sprinkling it with a little salt first. Have a hot tin placed so as to receive the gravy that drips. Five minutes' broiling is generally sufficient for a good-sized porter-house steak, 58 Receipts for the Sick. unless it is wanted very well done. Put it on a hot platter, and pour the gravy over it. MUTTON CHOPS- Prepared in the same way, except that they need less cooking, being smaller, and most people prefer them dry, without the gravy, which should be kept, and used in different ways,—poured over rice, or a roast potato, etc. GRAHAM BREAD. One and a half pints wheat flour wet with warm milk and water, \ teaspoonful salt, and x£ cup yeast, set in a sponge over night. In morning, when light, add a cupful of new milk, and K cupful brown sugar, and stir in Graham flour till it is too stiff to stir longer. Let it rise again for four hours. Then knead it well, make into loaves, and bake one hour in a moderate oven. This will make four good-sized loaves. TO MAKE AN OMELET. Three eggs whisked lightly together, not over- beaten, x/t cupful of cream stirred in, and a pinch of salt. Have ready a spider over a quick fire, the bottom covered with melted butter. Into this pour the eggs and cream, holding the handle with the left hand, and gently stirring the mixture with a wooden spoon in the other. The omelet will " set" almost immediately, when the stirring must be discontinued, and a gentle shaking of the spider carried on inces- santly, the edges being turned up lightly every mo- Receipts for the Sick. 59 ment or two with the wooden spoon. Four minutes is quite enough to cook it. It should be solid and flakey on the inside, and of a golden color on the outside — not browned at all. The fire must not be too fierce, but brisk and clear. Double it over, and serve at once on a very hot dish. Almost anything mixes well with an omelet, to give it flavor, provided it is chopped finely enough. A tablespoonful of parsley, or a teaspoonful of grated cheese, etc. LIQUID FOODS, BROTHS, DRINKS, etc. TO MAKE COFFEE. The French coffee is not boiled, but dripped from a little machine which comes for the purpose, the direc- tions with it. The old-fashioned way of boiling coffee is as follows: First roast the berry, by covering the bottom of a pan with it, and putting it in a moderate oven, stirring it and turning it occasionally till it is evenly browned, without being at all burned. This requires a great deal of judgment, and if the coffee can be bought already roasted, it is safer. There is a little machine which is wound up, filled with coffee, and set on the fire. It revolves a certain number of times, and when it stops turning the coffee is roasted. Half pt. ground coffee, just wet with cold water, the white of one egg beaten and stirred in. Add this grad- ually, when the coffee is thoroughly soaked, to 2 qts. boiling water. Let it boil quickly up once. Then put 60 Receipts for the Sick. it by the side of the fire, and put in two tablespoonfuls of cold water to settle it. Let it stand five minutes, strain, and serve. This quantity will give eight people each a cup. If cream is used with it instead of boiling milk, the cups should be heated by filling with hot water, and then dried. It is better roasted freshly each time, but if that can- not be done, it should be kept in a dark place, excluded from the air, apd heated in the oven before grinding. TEA. Tea, heated hot in the oven before infusion, has much more strength and flavor than when used cold. CHOCOLA TE. Grate y£ lb. of chocolate, and mix it very smoothly with cold water. Stir it gradually into i pt. boiling water, in which a vanilla bean has been boiled. Stir it constantly. As soon as it boils up well, add i pt. boil- ing milk, and two tablespoonfuls of rice flour or arrow- root well mixed in a teaspoonful of cold water. Boil this quickly for five minutes. Add four tablespoonfuls powdered sugar, and take out the bean. This makes four cups. BEEF TEA. A saucepan lined with porcelain should be kept to make beef tea, and never used for any other purpose. It is well to mark the quantities, from half a pint up to four quarts, on the outside with white paint. Skimming is most effectually accomplished by put- ting a piece of blotting-paper lightly over the top of the Receipts for the Sick. 61 liquid, taking care to wet it as little as possible. The particles of fat are absorbed by the bibulous paper. Use several pieces, if necessary. Fat is more easily removed if the liquid is allowed to become cold, but that cannot always be done. The meat for beef tea should be lean and juicy, and without bones, and every particle of gristle and fat carefully taken away before using. A very sharp knife is necessary for this. If it is given long at a time, the seasoning must be varied, else it excites disgust. For this purpose, one clove heated in a portion is of use. Another way to season it is to take a tablespoonful of celery seed tied up in a bit of* muslin, and heat it in a portion. The same little bag of seed can be used four times. Still another way is to serve it cold, with £ teaspoonful of lemon-juice to a portion. A QUICK WAY TO MAKE BEEF TEA. Half pound beef chopped finely, and soaked in £ pt. cold water with a little salt, for ten minutes. Then heat it slowly to boiling point, and let it boil three min- utes. Strain, skim, season, and serve hot. ANOTHER QUICK WAY. Half pound beef cut into dice, in i pint cold water and pinch of salt, gradually heated to boiling point, and boiled ten minutes. Strain, skim, season, and serve hot. STILL ANOTHER QUICK WAY. Cut £ lb. beef into dice, and put it into a wide-mouth- ed bottle with just cold water enough to cover it. Cork 62 Receipts for the Sick. the bottle, and put it in a saucepan of cold water over a slow fire. When the water in the saucepan boils, the tea is made. Strain, skim, season, and serve hot. Either of these three can be made within half an hour. This last makes about half a cup full. THE VER Y BEST WA Y. Three pounds beef cut into dice, and thrown into 3 pts. cold water. Let it stand three hours. Add \ teaspoonful salt. Then cover it, and put it on a slow fire; let it simmer, but never boil, until the quantity is reduced one-half. This will take six hours at least- Strain and set aside till next day, when skim, season, and serve hot. It should be perfectly clear, and a golden brown color. It is very nice to cut half a slice of stale bread in dice, roast them in a quick oven for five minutes, turning so that they brown evenly, and put them in the bottom of the basin before pouring in the tea. A poached egg is sometimes liked in a portion. The cup ought always to be warmed with hot water before using, for any hot drink. Double the quantity can be made and set aside in cold weather. THE NEXT BEST WA Y. Cut the meat into dice, and fill a large-mouthed bottle about half full. Add a little salt. Cork it tightly, put it in a saucepan of cold water, and let it boil all day long. The next day skim, strain, season, and serve hot BEEF TEA THAT THE MOST DELICATE STOMACH CAN RETAIN. One pound beef cut into dice and thrown into 1 pt. Receipts for the Sick. 63 cold water, and a pinch of salt. Add four drops of hy- drochloric acid, cover, and let it stand half an hour. Skim, strain, season, and serve hot. The acid performs the first two processes of digestion, so that the liquid is turned into chyle the moment it is swallowed. This should only be given to those patients absolutely too weak to take other nourishment, and only with the doc- tor's consent, as in certain conditions of the system so powerful an acid might do mischief. BEEF JUICE. Take 1 lb. beef cut into dice, and throw it into half a pint cold water. Let it stand 12 hours. Then strain, skim, heat quickly with a little salt, and serve hot, with half slice of thin hot toast. BEEF JUICE, {No. 2.) Broil for one minute before a clear fire 1 lb. beef. Then grate it fine by rubbing and tearing it on a large grater. Rub this through a seive, and you have a thickish liquid which can be drank, and yet which con- tains the whole nourishment of the beef. Heat quickly with a little salt, and serve as above. BEEF JUICE {No. 3.) Score and broil 1 minute pieces of beef about the size of the palm of the hand- Then express the juice by means of a small metal meat-press, although a lemon- squeezer can be used. Heat with a pinch of salt, and skim. Give a dessert spoonful at stated intervals. 1 lb. of beef makes three tablespoonfuls of juice. 64 Receipts for the Sick. VALENTINE'S MEA T JUICE. This is an excellent preparation found at all druggists. It comes in two-ounce phials, and a teaspoonful of it is to be diluted in half a wine-glass of cold water for a dose. It does not take the place of b,eef tea, but is a valuable supplement or variation to it, and is very con- venient for night use, as it is taken cold. Although the directions on the bottle say that the nature of the juice is changed on the addition of hot water, still a very acceptable drink may be made by putting three teaspoonfuls to a cup full, with a great deal of salt. All prepared extracts of beef, Borden's, Lie- big's, etc., need quite a large quantity of salt to make them appetizing. MUTTON BROTH {made quickly) Take three ribs of mutton, remove all fat, break the bones, and score the meat. Cover it evenly with boil- ing water, add a pinch of salt, and let it stand five minutes. Then pour f of a pint of cold water over it, and let it boil quickly for 20 minutes. Strain, skim, season, and serve hot. This makes two cupfuls of broth. It can be thickened by putting in a tablespoon- ful of rice or pearl barley, washed, and soaked ten min- utes in \ cupful of cold water, five minutes before the broth has done boiling. THE SAME. When the above broth is poured off the meat and bones, put i£. pts. cold water to them, cover the sauce- pan and let them simmer slowly all day. Serve as above. Receipts for the Sick. 65 CHICKEN BROTH. Remove the skin and fat from a small chicken. Di- vide it longitudinally, and take out all the insides. Then, with a sharp knife, cut it in as thin slices as pos- sible. Add a saltspoonful of salt, and pour on 1 quart boiling water. Cover and simmer over a slow fire for two hours. Then set it in front of the fire for A an hour, when strain, skim, season, and serve hot. It can be thickened with rice or barley as above. ANOTHER WAY. Take the skin and fat from a chicken (an old hen is equally good or better.) Cut it into joints and soak in a tea-cup of cold water for one hour. Then add a salt- spoonful of salt, cover it, and let it simmer slowly over a slow fire for A an hour. Boil quickly after that for five minutes. Serve as above. This broth is stronger than the preceding and more quickly made. BARLEY WATER. Two tablespoonfuls pearl barley, well washed, 1 qt. cold water. Boil down to one pt. On a moderate fire this should take }( of an hour. Ten minutes before it is taken off from the fire add X peel of a lemon. Strain and put in two tablespoonfuls sugar. Serve as a cold drink. FLAXSEED TEA. One oz. unground flaxseed. 1 pt. boiling water. Let it stand near the fire four hours. Strain, and add three tablespoonfuls sugar, and the juice of one lemon. 66 Receipts for the Sick. This should be made fresh daily, as it spoils by standing. Cold or hot. CREAM OF TARTAR WATER. Half oz. cream of tartar, juice and half the peel of one lemon. 3 pts. boiling water. Cover and let stand till cold, when add A. cup sugar. TOAST-WATER. Cut a very thick slice of Graham or white bread (the former preferred), and toast it thoroughly brown with- out burning. Pour upon it iA pts; boiling water. Let it get cold, when add two tablespoonfuls currant jelly. LEMONADE. Juice and half the peel of one lemon. Pour over it 1 pt. boiling water. Raise the pitcher high, and pour the liquid rapidly into another. Do this six times. When cold, strain and add 3 tablespoonfuls sugar thoroughly dissolved in A wine-glass cold water. Ice is an im- provement. Be careful to remove all the seeds before pouring on the water. CHAMOMILE TEA. Tablespoonful of the herb, 1 pt. boiling water, % peel of lemon. Let stand At, hour. Strain and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Hot or cold. Sage and cat- nip tea made in the same way. CRANBERRY GRUEL. Mash a tea-cup of ripe cranberries in a cup of cold water. Sprinkle slowly a heaping tablespoonful of In- dian or oatmeal in 1 qt. boiling water, with X lemon ceipts for the Sick. 6j peel. Add the cranberries and A cup brown sugar, and boil gently 15 minutes. Strain, and put in a wine-glass of wine. Hot or cold. STIMULANTS AND RESTORATIVES. MILK OR CREAM PUNCH. To A* pt. milk or cream, add one wine-glass of brandy or whiskey, and a dessertspoonful sugar. Stir well. This should be made fresh daily. The usual portion is 2 ozs. three times a day. WINE WHEY. Heat 1 pt. milk to boiling point. Pour in Vi tum- bler wine. The curd will set almost immediately, when remove it, without stirring, from the fire, and strain. When cold, strain again through a finer sieve. Add 2 tablespoonfuls sugar, and serve cold. Always use a silver spoon in pressing the curd in the sieve, as any other metal makes the whey dark. This makes a pint. OATMEAL CAUDLE. Add 4 tablespoonfuls oatmeal, smoothly mixed, in ^ tumbler cold water, to 1 qt. boiling water in which has been boiled a stick of cinnamon and A* peel lemon. Let it boil 5 minutes. Strain out the cinnamon and lemon peel and put in a cupful of sugar, and a tum- bler of Madeira wine. Serve hot. COLD CAUDLE. Beat up thoroughly two tablespoonfuls cream in a pt. 68 Receipts for the Sick. of cold gruel, a tablespoonful of curagoa, noyau, or char- treuse, and a wine-glass sherry. Add X lb. rock candy, dissolved in a wine-glass water. Half a tumbler for a portion. SAGO AND BEEF TEA. Wash well 2 ozs. pearl sago. Stew it in % pt. water for one hour until very thick. Mix with it X pt. boiling cream and the beaten yolks of four eggs, and mingle the whole with 1 qt. boiling beef tea. WINE GRUEL. Beat up one raw egg, white and yolk together, with a wine-glass of sherry, and add A pt. hot gruel, 2 table- spoonfuls sugar and a little nutmeg. EGG NOGG. Beat up the whites and yolks together of four eggs in A cupful cold water. Add slowly, beating all the time, 6 tablespoonfuls brandy, 2 tablespoonfuls sugar, and a little nutmeg. Two tablespoonfuls every three hours for a portion. EGG NOGG {Aro. 2.) Beat up well the yolk of one egg. Add slowly one tablespoon boiling water. Beat some more. Add one teaspoon sugar. Beat some more. Add slowly one ta- blespoon brandy, beating. Have ready the white of the egg, beaten lightly. Stir it in thoroughly, and serve at once. EGG NOGG {No. 8.) The yolk of an egg beaten, a tablespoon boiling water added, and stirred into a wine-glass of cream, and Receipts for the Sick. 69 a tablespoonful sugar. The white beaten very light, and stirred in. Last of all, add a wine-glass of sherry, and serve at once. BEEF TEA AND EGG. Beat a raw egg a little, and stir it into Y% pint hot beef tea. SAGO POSSET. Two ounces washed sago. 1 qt. cold water. Boil iA hours. Tablespoonful sugar—rind (grated) of X lemon, A. pt. sherry wine mixed together, and stirred in. Boil five minutes. Serve hot or cold, a wine-glass every four hours for a portion. A MEANS OF GIVING WINE. A slice of toast, \\ inches thick, covered with pow- dered sugar. Over this pour A pt. port wine, and when soaked up grate a little nutmeg over it- TO MULL WINE. Beat lightly the yolks of two eggs. Scald two glasses of sherry, and a dessertspoonful sugar. Stir the egg rapidly one way, and pour the hot wine gradually over it. Pour the mixture from one vessel to another quick- ly, which makes it froth. Serve immediately. INDEX. PAGE WHAT NOTTO DO IN A SICK-ROOM.............................. 7 ADVICE TO NURSES ABOUT DRESS, ETC......................-.. 13 VENTILATION....................................................... 15 CONTAGION AND INFECTION..................................... 15 BEDS AND BEDDING................................................ 18 VISITORS.............................................................. 20 MISCELLANEOUS SUGGESTIONS................................... 21 BATHING AND BATHS.............................................. 22 REMEDIES AND APPLIANCES...................................... 25 Hot Fomentations................................................. 26 Prevention of Bed-Sores.......................................... 27 To Stop Hemorrhage............................................. 28 To Stop Nose-Bleeding............................................ 29 Simple Cerate.................................................... 30 Enemas.............................................................. 30 Poultices............................................................ 33 Burns............................................................... 34 Mustard Foot-Bath................................................ 35 Poisons.........................................., ................. 36 Insect Stings ...................................................... 36 To Resuscitate a Frozen Person.................................. 36 Chilblains.......................................................... 37 External Poisons................................................... 37 Disinfectants..................................................... 37 Hired versus Domestic Nursing.................................... 38 Train ing-Schools for Nurses..................................... 40 DIET.................................................................... 41 TO MAKE LIME-WATER........................................... 43 (70) Index. j i PAGE TABLE OF MEASURES............................................... 44 RECEIPTS FOR THE SICK.......................................... 45 SOLID FOODS.......................................................... 4S Plain-Boiled Rice............ ..................................... 45 Rice in other Forms ......................................... 46 Rice Jelly........................................................... 47 Rice Pudding..................................................... 47 Pop Robin.......................................................... 47 Custards............................................................ 48 Blanc Mange....................................................... 48 Wine and Other Jellies........................................... 48 Cracked Wheat.................................................... 51 Oatmeal............................................................. 51 Indian and Oatmeal Gruel....................................... 52 Bread Pudding..................................................... 52 Maccaroni and Milk................................................ 52 French way to Prepare Raw Beef....................'........... 52 Poached and Scrambled Eggs...................................... S3 Stewed Oysters__................................................. S3 Roast Oysters...................................................... 54 Roast and Stewed Clams.......................................... 54 Milk Toast.......................................................... 55 Dipped Crackers................................................... 55 Farina and Corn Starch........................................... 55 Arrowroot......................................................... 55 Roasted Potatoes.................................................. 56 Baked and Coddled Apples....................................... 56 Shank-Bone Jelly................................................. 56 Irish Moss Jelly................................................... 57 Boiled Hominy..................................................... 57 To Broil a Beef-Steak............................................. 57 Mutton Chops......... ............................................. 58 Graham Bread................................................... 58 To Make an Omelet............................................... 58 LIQUID FOODS....................................................... 59 Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate...................................... 60 Beef Tea........................................................... 60 Quick Ways to Make It.......................................... 61 Best Ways......................................................... 62 Beef-Tea for Delicate Stomachs.................................. 62 Beef-Juice—Nos. 1, 2, and 3......................................... 63 Valentine's Meat-Juice ........................................... 64 Mutton Broths.................................................... 64 72 Index. LIQUID FOODS—Continued. page Chicken Broths..................................................... 65 Barley-Water....................................................... 65 Flaxseed-Tea................................................. ..... 65 Cream of Tartar Water.......................................... 66 Toast-Water........................................................ 66 Lemonade........................................................... 66 Chamomile Tea................................................... 66 Cranberry Gruel.................................................. 66 STIMULANTS AND RESTORATIVES............................... 67 Milk Punch......................................................... 67 Wine Whey......................................................... 67 Oatmeal and Cold Caudle........................................ 67 Sago and Beef-Tea................................................ 68 Wine-Gruel........................................................ 68 Egg Nogg—Nos. 1, 2, and 3.......................................... 68 Beef-Tea and Egg............................................. .... 69 Sago Posset......................................................... 69 A Means of Giving Wine........................................... 69 To Mull Wine..................................................... 69