Visitors should never be allowed in the sick room during the height of a disease, and during convalescence not more than one visitor should be allowed at one time, and the visit then should be only two or three minutes in length. The order and the quietness and the system of the sick room should be perfect. Visitors and loitering members of the family do no good and they may do much harm to the recuperating nervous system of the child.

LOCATION OF THE SICK ROOM

In these days of high rents, we realize that the greater per cent of our readers are living in apartments and homes just big enough conveniently to care for the family during health, and while it would be pleasant and convenient to have a spare room or an attic chamber that could be used in case of illness, it is the exception rather than the rule that the families to whom sickness comes have these extra apartments. When a contagious or an infectious disease comes to the family, it is of great importance that the sick child be isolated, preferably on another floor, from that used by the immediate family.

Those living in homes, more than likely can fix up a room on the attic floor for the isolation, and those living in apartments may put the sick child in one end of the apartment, while they inhabit the other end. One family under my observation not long ago had a child stricken with the measles. In the same apartment there lived a puny baby not quite two years old. Coming as it did in February, the mother of the child was apprehensive, fearing that measles would leave a severe bronchitis which might mean the death of the already too-delicate baby. She was instructed to move the baby's bed to the sun parlor in the front of the flat, while the boy with the measles was put in the parents' room in the rear end of the flat. A sheet was suspended in the middle of the hall leading from the living-room to the bedrooms. Door knobs were disinfected daily, a caretaker was put in charge of the measles patient, the mother very frequently was compelled to go back and administer a treatment, but each time she donned a large apron and completely covered her hair with a towel, she administered the treatment, took off her wrappings, thoroughly washed her face and hands—disinfected them—and returned to her baby in the front part of the house.

At night this mother slept on the floor on springs and mattress in the living-room, and to that home the measles came and departed, and the baby did not get them at all, so perfect was the isolation, so vigilant the disinfection, and so scrupulous the care to prevent contamination. So you see from this one instance that it is altogether possible to make isolation complete even on the same floor. But, mind you, the dishes that the lad ate from were all kept in his room. Food was brought to the sheet and there the caretaker held her dishes while the cook poured or lifted the food from her clean dishes to the dishes the caretaker brought from the sick room.

Whether the sick room is in the attic or whether it be the rear end of an apartment, if the principles of contagion and disinfection are understood I believe it is perfectly possible to isolate even scarlet fever without danger to the other members of the family.

NECESSARY FURNISHINGS

For slight indispositions and trifling disorders, it is not necessary to strip the room of its adornment, but it is well to clear off the dresser tops, protect them well with many thicknesses of newspapers covered over by a folded sheet so that alcohol, witch-hazel and other necessaries will not injure the mahogany or oak-top dresser. Whenever the children are sick, rob the room of anything that is going to be in your way. In instances of infectious or contagious diseases, take down all silk or wool hangings, replace them by washable curtains or inexpensive ones that can be burned if necessary, and remove valuable paintings and other bric-a-brac that later fumigation will harm or that may gather the dust during the days of illness.

Just as it is necessary for the man who mines the coal to wear suitable garments, and for the woman who does the scrubbing to dress accordingly, and for the nurse who cares for the case to wear washable clothes—so it is necessary to dress the sick room in garments that are suitable, convenient, and capable of being thoroughly disinfected, fumigated, or even burned if the occasion demands. Hence, expensive rugs should be replaced by rag carpets or no rug at all, while unnecessary articles and garments should be removed from closets, etc.

Remembering that the little fellow is to remain in this room for possibly two weeks or maybe six weeks, let us put up some bright-colored pictures that he will enjoy, bring in some books and magazines by which he may be entertained, secure a few simple toys that will not tax the brain, but serve as a help to pass away the long hours. There are many paper games that may be had, such as transfer pictures, picture puzzles, kindergarten papers, drawing pictures, as well as toys that may be put together to fashion new articles. A whole lot of fun can be gotten out of a bunch of burrs that can be stuck together to make men, animals, houses, etc. Scissors and pictures are entertaining as well as paper dolls with their wardrobes. Rubber balloons, or a target gun for the boy of six will be a great source of delight to him; as will a doll with a trunk full of clothes for the little girl during her convalescent days. A tactful nurse and a resourceful mother will think of all the rest that we have not mentioned—which will amuse, entertain and keep happy our convalescent children, help them to forget that they are "shut ins."

THE NURSERY REFRIGERATOR

It is wise in instances of the more severe childhood troubles, such as infectious and contagious diseases, to keep as many things in the sick room as possible, and so we remind our reader of the home-made ice box, described elsewhere in this book, in which may be kept the fruit juices and the fruits, as well as the milk and the buttermilk. Many medicines, particularly the oily medicines, should be kept in this home-made ice box and five cents worth of ice a day will not only make things taste better, especially during the warm months, but will protect the other members of the family, for the family ice box is a big central station which must be protected against infections and carriers of disease.

In connection with the ice box, we are reminded that it would be a great convenience to have a simple contrivance for heating bouillon, milk, or making a piece of toast, which can be readily done with an electric heater, an alcohol stove, or a small apparatus fitting over the gas jet.

SICK ROOM DISINFECTANTS

The most important thing which we are going to mention in this division of the chapter is the disinfection of the door knobs. According to the directions on the poison bottle, place an antiseptic tablet into a small amount of water which will make a solution of 1 to 1000 of bichlorid of mercury, and several times a day disinfect the door knobs, particularly in the sick end of the house—thoroughly washing and adequately rubbing with a towel moistened in this solution.

All stools and urine from the sick one will receive attention as directed by the physician. The stools from a typhoid patient should stand for one-half hour in a chamber covered with a layer of lime.

It is not at all necessary to have vessels containing disinfectant substances standing about the room and in the closet. In a room adjoining should be kept all of the dishes used by the sick patient, his tray, half a dozen napkins, knife, fork, spoon, serving dishes, drinking glass, pitcher, etc. All bedding and all linen used by the sick member should be allowed to stand in a solution of disinfectant for several hours when they may be wrung out of the solution, dropped into a bucket and carried to the laundry without any danger to other members of the family.

The nurse is not allowed to leave this room in the garments that are worn while caring for the sick. She should have her meals in an adjoining room which is also under strict isolation.

THE MEDICINE CHEST

The sick room medicine chest should be so placed on the wall that it is outside the reach of the smaller members of the family, for in it should be placed poisons for external use that are capable of producing death if taken internally. Bottles that hold these poisons—such as bichlorid of mercury, lysol, carbolic acid, laudanum, paregoric, belladonna, etc.—should be so different from the other bottles in the medicine chest that if one should reach for them with his eyes shut or in the dark he would at once recognize that he had hold of a poison bottle. This is absolutely necessary. It usually means a bit of extra expense, but when we realize what tragedies may be avoided by such slight expense, it must not be considered.

Bottles may be procured that have been molded with points of glass projecting from the outside which make them rough to the touch, or they may be covered with a wire mesh or with a wicker covering which may easily be told from the other bottles in the case.

One woman lost her life because the nurse placed two ounces of carbolic acid in the enema instead of two ounces of saline solution. Saline solution is nothing but salt and water, while carbolic acid cost the woman her life, simply because the carbolic acid was not placed in a specialized poison bottle and the attendant could not read the label in the dark.

Under no circumstances keep from one year to another the remnants of unused medicine of a former sickness, for medicines do not keep well and often lose their strength if kept longer than the physician intended.

In this medicine chest should be found the following articles:

A glass graduate marked with fluid drachms (1 teaspoon), and fluid ounces (8 teaspoons).
A medicine dropper.
Absorbent cotton.
Boric acid.
Camphorated oil.
Castor oil.
Aromatic spirits of ammonia.
Alcohol.
Olive oil.
Epsom salts.
Soda-mint tablets.
Vaseline.
Zinc ointment, together with other medicines the physician orders.
Ice bag, hot-water bottle and oiled silk.

Besides these articles, in the nursery—in readiness for emergencies and accidents—should be found the following:

Gauze bandages of various sizes.
Sterile gauze.
Boric acid crystals and powder.
Mustard.
A pocket case of instruments containing scissors, knife, dressing forceps, etc.
Syrup of ipecac.
Glycerin.
Tincture of iodine.
Package of ordinary baking soda.
Peroxid of hydrogen.
Absorbent cotton.
Needle and thread.
Lime water.

PATENT MEDICINES

Aside from the giving of castor oil and the application of vaseline to the nose, or of applying boracic acid to the eyes, no medicine should be administered to the baby without competent medical advice. There are numerous widely advertised nostrums frequently sold as soothing syrups to be used during the teething or during attacks of diarrhea, or cough spasms, croup, or worms, that contain dangerous drugs and should not be given to children. Many well-meaning but ignorant mothers are slowly but surely laying the foundations for serious nervous disorders and are often making veritable dope fiends out of their children. Patent medicines are dangerous things in the hands of the people; if we are going to give medicines to our little babies let us at least know what we are giving. Let some conscientious, scientific physician examine the baby and prescribe for its needs.

If urged to use a patent medicine, examine the label carefully, for the Federal Food and Drug Act requires the manufacturer of patent medicines to print plainly on the label of the bottle the name and amount of certain dangerous drugs which it may contain.

The drugs mentioned in this drug act and which are often used in patent medicine nostrums are, chloral hydrate, cocaine, heroin, chloroform, alpha or beta eucaine, opium, morphin, alcohol, cannabis indica, or any derivative or preparation of any such substance contained therein.

There are many other drugs sold on the market containing syrups or flavoring materials which may do harm—which may upset the baby's digestion.

Mothers avoid patent medicines. Consult your physician. Never give a baby any sort of medicine to induce sleep. Unless babies are sick or spoiled or hungry, they will go to sleep of themselves, and even in the days of a high fever a wet-sheet pack seldom ever fails to put the baby to sleep and can do no harm if properly given.

This may be as good a place as any to mention the dosage of castor oil which is as follows:

Up to three months, ½ teaspoon.
From three to six months, 1 teaspoon.
From six to nine months, 1½ teaspoons.
From nine to twelve months, 1 dessert spoon (2 teaspoons).
From twelve months on, 1 to 2 tablespoons.

AFTER THE SICKNESS IS OVER

The physician will direct when the disinfectant bath is to be given to the patient previous to his liberation from isolation. The different diseases demand different treatment, but, on the whole, it is about as follows:

The day before the boy is to be allowed to go out among the family once more he receives a soap wash, clean sheet and bedding on the bed, and puts on clean garments. The following morning, his head thoroughly shampooed, his nails manicured, a second soap wash is given followed by a weak bichlorid bath (1 to 10,000 solution) which is followed by an alcohol rub. He is then allowed to go out of the sick room which is now to be thoroughly disinfected and fumigated.

After the illness is over, the sick room and the adjoining closets and ante rooms must be thoroughly disinfected or fumigated. If you are located in a city, the health authorities will do this after an infectious or contagious disease. Away from such conveniences, use the following method:

Place two ounces of crystals of permanganate of potash in a pan and have a pint bottle of formalin near by. Everything in the room is now exposed, dresser drawers are opened, all bedding, all garments—in fact everything that is in the room—is put in such a position as to be readily exposed to the fumes which are to follow. A line should be stretched across the room over which are thrown the bedding, garments, etc. The cracks of the windows and doors, except the one door of exit, are now sealed up with paper which has been dipped in green soap, and having the paper strips and pan of green soap ready just outside the exit door, the formalin is now poured over the permanganate crystals. Fumes will immediately arise and permeate every corner, crack and crevice of the sick room. Now quickly make your exit, close the door and seal up key hole and cracks and space under the door with paper dipped in green soap. Leave the room for six hours. After this with a well-moistened cloth to the nose, rush in and throw the windows open, hurry out and allow the room to air from twelve to twenty-four hours, after which wash woodwork and painted walls or take paper off and repaper walls; recalcimine ceilings and closets; scrub closet shelves and dresser drawers, bedsteads, and other furniture thoroughly. If the mattress is old throw it away, but if not, sun it for several days following the fumigation.