American Red Cross Text-Book on Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick

Of all the considerations that determine health, heredity is the one unalterable factor. Although certain characteristics are obviously hereditary,--complexion, height, and ment...

The principles of hygiene are fundamentally the same for young and old. The applications, however, differ at different ages. From the time when physical growth and development a...

The first chapter of this book described the ways in which communicable diseases are carried from person to person, and also some principles underlying methods of prevention. Th...

In many cases of sickness institutional care has marked advantages. It may be the only solution when adequate provision for the sick is impossible at home; and it is often a nec...

By indications of sickness we mean all evidences of deviation from a normal physical condition. They may be apparent only to the person in whom they occur, or to a second person...

3. What special care would you give to the mouth and teeth? to the finger and toe nails? to the hair? to badly tangled hair? How would you cleanse the mouth of a helpless patient?

This chapter describes a few home treatments for the relief of slight ailments and injuries, together with some measures that may be employed in emergencies. For more extended i...

Diseases of two kinds have long been recognized: first, those transmitted directly or indirectly from person to person, like smallpox, measles, and typhoid fever; and second, di...

ACTION OF DRUGS.--Modern medical practice increasingly emphasizes diet, baths, exercises, and other hygienic measures in the treatment of sickness. Drugs are given far less than...

The common saying that the best bed for an invalid is his own bed contains an element of truth. Taking from a patient his own accustomed bed, even when a better is substituted,...

Patients who are confined to bed even for a few days often suffer acutely from muscular tension, from pressure, and from fatigue due to lack of exercise. Indeed, many a sick per...

Adequate care of the sick consists to a large extent in rendering their physical and mental surroundings as favorable as possible. Obviously, a sick person, since his strength i...

Bathing is necessary in sickness no less than in health. It stimulates and equalizes the circulation, is soothing in feverish conditions, is refreshing to most people, and by af...

Substances used for food are generally grouped into three classes, called the three nutrients. The nutrients are: first, the proteids or nitrogenous substances, which are found...

INFLAMMATION.--A process called inflammation sometimes occurs in tissues that have been injured or invaded by bacteria. Although painful, it is nevertheless one of the reparativ...

Health and sickness, at all times momentous factors in the welfare of our nation, now as never before are matters of vital importance. To win its victories both in peace and in...

Conditions in which the nervous system is involved, 257. Headache, 257. Sleeplessness, 258. Fainting, 259. Convulsions, 260. Shock, 261. Stimulants, 263. Sunstroke and heat exha...

Bedsteads, 133. Mattresses, 135. Care of the mattress, 136. Pillows, 136. Protection of the mattress and pillows, 137. Rubber sheets and pillow-cases, 138. Sheets, 139. Draw she...

Incubation period, 238. Care of patients with colds or other slight infections, 238. Care during more serious infections, 242. Children's diseases, 246. Rules for isolation and...

Growth and development, 64. Average size, 64. Muscular development, 65. Development of special senses, of speech, of teeth, 66. Normal excretions, 67. Clothing, 68. Sleep, 70. F...

Communicable diseases, 1. Micro-organisms and bacteria, 1. Parasites, 3. Structure and development of parasites, 4. Bacteria, 4. Shape, 4. Size, 5. Motion, 5. Multiplication, 5....

Objective symptoms, 92. Temperature, 92. Pulse, 96. Respiration, 99. General appearance, 100. Special senses, 101. Voice, tongue, throat, gums, 102. Cough, 103. Appetite, 103. E...

Heredity, 27. Hygiene of environment and person, 28. Ventilation, 29. Lighting, 32. Cleanliness of houses, 33. Garbage, 37. Insects, 38. Sewage, 39. Personal cleanliness, 41. Or...

Children, 281. Physical defects, 283. Eye-strain, 284. Enlarged tonsils and adenoids, 284. Defective hearing, 285. Defective teeth, 286. Posture, 286. Predisposition to nervousn...

Inflammation, 220. Hot applications, 225. Dry heat, 225. Moist heat, 227. Stupes or hot fomentations, 229. Cold applications, 231. Dry cold, 231. Moist cold, 232. Cold compresse...

Cleansing baths, 154. Bed bath, 156. Care of the mouth and teeth, 160. Care of the hair, 163. To wash the hair of a bed patient, 164. Hot foot-baths, 165. Cool sponge bath, 166.

The digestive process, 188. Feeding the sick, 191. Liquid diet, 192. Semi-solid diet, 192. Light or convalescent diet, 193. Full diet, 193. Serving food for the sick, 195. To fe...

Action of drugs, 200. Amateur dosing, 202. Patent remedies, 205. Administration of medicine, 206. Suppositories, 209. Enemata, 210. Sprays and gargles, 213. Inhalation, 213. Inu...