Jane Eayre Fryer

“ To restore a person who has fainted:
Keep people away. Patient needs air.
Lay patient flat on floor with no pillow, having fresh air in room. Fan patient.
Loosen clothing about neck.
Hold household ammonia or smelling salts to nose.
Dash a little cold water in face.
Coffee may be given after patient recovers consciousness.
“That is all the lesson for to-day,” said the assistant nurse, “and you’ve all been so attentive that I would like to give you a reward.”
“I don’t think that we need any reward, Miss Helpem,” said Tom Holden, “when you’ve done so much for us all, already. ”

“ The disease germs which we dread most in cases of wounds are the germs of blood-poisoning and lockjaw (or tetanus) . They are everywhere about us, in standing water, air, dust. They cannot do a bit of harm to the outside of the body, if the skin is unbroken—no more than a fly can do to the armor of some old knight. ”

“ All bottles should be labeled plainly, and the stoppers should be tied about with a piece of gauze—not very attractive, I admit, but one of the best safeguards against making a mistake as to the ‘right bottle.’ Poisons should not be kept in the general medicine closet, but in a place by themselves—unless we except iodine, which has such a decided odor that it may be kept in a more accessible place, ready for its many uses. ”

“ When Billy promised her any favor she could think of as a birthday present, Mary Frances joyfully asked him to spend a whole day at the Dolls’ Hospital in the playroom, pretending they were little kiddies again—that she was Miss Helpem, the assistant nurse, and that Billy was the ambulance driver. To keep his promise, Billy consented.
Just as they stepped into the playroom door, they [18] seemed to grow smaller and smaller, until they were no bigger than the dolls themselves. ”

“ If carron oil is not at hand, use any dressing [E] to cover surface to keep out the air—as lard, butter, olive oil—or sprinkle with baking soda, or cover with white of egg, or with a paste made of starch or flour and water. Also spread on compress [E] some of the same remedy that has been applied to the burn. Hold compress in place with a loose bandage.
Solution of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) made by dissolving as much soda as possible in hot water (about one teaspoonful to a cup) is particularly relieving to scalds. ”

“ Gee, I wish I were twelve years old, so I could be a boy scout!”
“We treat you just as if you were one. Let’s go over to the river bank,” suggested their patrol leader. At the signal, off they started over the hills of the sand-pile of Mary Frances’ playroom, coming at length to Painted River and Looking Glass Lake, on which floated the toy [57] ducks and swans which Mary Frances’ little friend Eleanor had given her for a Christmas present.
When they re-assembled at four o’clock, the assistant nurse was surprised at their appearance, for several swollen faces were plastered in blotches of mud. ”

“ Then give a half-teaspoon table salt twice a day for two or three days.
An old-fashioned home remedy is one-quarter teaspoonful cream of tartar in one-quarter glass of water three times a day, at morning, noon and evening, for three days.
If hives persist, see doctor.
“Did you have it all planned to give us this lesson. Miss Helpem?” asked Soami Brave, while the girls bathed their sunburned faces as directed, and treated the poison ivy rash with the Epsom salt solution. ”

“ Brave in the hospital, we’ll put that leg in the right kind of splints and bandages,” remarked the doctor, as he and the driver and orderly placed him on the stretcher. “You’ll be running a race like a boy in a few weeks,” he continued encouragingly as he seated himself beside the patient in the ambulance, and the nurse helped Mrs. Brave to a place. ”

“ If you practice putting these kinds of bandages on your dolls perhaps you will be able some day to help somebody who gets hurt, and seem yourself like a fairy to the person whose pain you helped.
The children became so enthusiastic in practising the various methods of bandaging that it grew to be quite a joke in their homes. Many times they waylaid the various members of their families, whom they wouldn’t let go until they were bandaged to look like heroes from the battlefield. ”

“ My man brought him home, but his arm gets worse all time. You know what to do?”
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“I think I can help,” said Shesa, wishing with all her heart she had brought her emergency kit with her. “Let me see your patient.”
The woman led the way into the only bedroom in the cabin. On a rude wooden bed lay a young man, dressed in a much soiled khaki uniform. At the sound of Shesa’s voice, he started up. “Sister!” he exclaimed. “Why, this seems too good to be true! Oh, perhaps I’m dreaming. My arm pains so I guess I’m just ‘seeing things’ from fever.”
For one moment Shesa lost her self-control. ”

“ With a medicine dropper, drop into ear some warm olive oil; or saturate a small piece of absorbent cotton with the warm olive oil, and place in ear—cover with dry cotton.
(Mothers often use one drop of laudanum in the olive oil, but laudanum is too dreadful a poison for children to handle.)
For watery discharge after earache, it is best to see a doctor, but a sprinkling of boric acid in the ear will usually relieve the trouble.
If earache recurs often, see the doctor.
For Insect in the Ear
Drown insect by filling ear with warm olive oil. ”

“ One is the mosquito, and the other is fleas.”
The boys laughed.
“Not animals, Ibee; insects,” corrected Miss Helpem. [56] “We will not have time to speak at length of the mosquito, for that would make a whole lesson in itself, but I do want to say that mosquitoes are the cause of some of our worst diseases, for they carry disease germs from one person’s blood into another’s. To destroy them, kerosene oil should be sprayed or sprinkled or poured on the surface of any stagnant water; for mosquito babies (wigglers) live in stagnant (standing) water. ”

“ The bleeding from a slight cut is never very severe and will generally stop of itself in a short time. It is best to let a slight cut bleed a little, as the bleeding carries away the germs which may have been on the edge of the knife or whatever caused the wound. ”

“ Send for doctor at once. Much harm is done by unskilled handling. Do not move patient unless absolutely necessary.
If a compound fracture, apply iodine. Bandage a sterile gauze compress loosely over wound, tie a cloth tightly around limb, between wound and body. See “Hemorrhage” in this list.
Using extreme gentleness, place limb in comfortable position on a pillow or pad, and tie fast with strips of muslin or bandages.
If impossible to get doctor for a long time, and patient must be moved, use extreme carefulness, and tie limb to padded splints with bandages. ”

“ Before exposure, spread over the face and arms, cold cream or any grease at hand—even cream off milk; or use toilet powder.
Keep the head covered, but have air space between the top of the hat and top of head.
Treatment:
Never wash sunburn.
Never open the blisters.
Mix a lotion of one part limewater to three parts olive oil (sweet oil) , and apply.
You see, the treatment is very much the same as for burns.
Plant Poisoning
(See Reference List)
Poison Ivy and a few other plants cause a rash upon the skin after contact with their irritating juices. ”

“ As the three lifted Shesa, Miss Helpem carefully held the stretcher in place, and afterward helped carry the patient to the ambulance. Next they carried the two children, using a stretcher for little Ibee, and making a two-handed seat for Soami. (A “sedan chair,” you know—the kind you play with at school.)
“I’m sorry neither doctor could leave the operating room to come, Miss Helpem,” remarked Miss Bossem, to her assistant, who was Mary Frances, you remember. ”

“ This germ has such a terrible effect upon the body that if not destroyed in time, it causes the jaws to lock so tightly together that they cannot be forced open. Gradually the patient starves to death and finally dies in terrible convulsions of pain.
Toy pistols, firecrackers, blank cartridges, being loaded with gunpowder are very dangerous playthings, and their use should be discouraged. Any physician or nurse will tell you that the hospitals have many deaths from tetanus (lockjaw) after the Fourth of July.
What to Do for Powder Wounds
See a doctor. ”

“ Let patient inhale smelling salts or household ammonia.
Rub limbs toward body.
Remember: An unconscious person cannot swallow. Medicine may enter windpipe and cause strangulation. After patient becomes conscious, give stimulants; such as aromatic spirit of ammonia or hot coffee.
Fever Blisters (Cold Sores) .
Apply boric acid ointment, [M] or touch frequently with spirit of nitre or spirit of camphor. ”

“ Wrapped the Supposed Injury With Narrow Gauze
“In the next practice game, the ‘child’ acts as mother and ‘mother’ as ‘child,’” said the assistant nurse. “This time the ‘child’s’ clothing has caught fire from a spark which snapped out of the fireplace.”
The girls laughed.
The nurse smiled. “Girls,” she said, “these games may make you feel like laughing, but please keep in mind how [52] serious the real accident would be, and try to learn what to do. You will be so much better able to live useful lives.”
You see, Mary Frances didn’t quite remember that they were only dolls. ”

“ If a person becomes chilled from exposure:
1. Use hot-water bags (or stones or bricks, heated in the oven) or hot stove lids or flatirons, covered with paper or cloth to prevent burning the patient. Place them under the arms and at the feet.
2. Rub the patient’s limbs toward the body.
3. Give hot coffee or tea or hot lemonade.
4. Keep well wrapped.
5. Give a hot foot bath in which is a teaspoonful powdered mustard.
6. Wrap in blanket and put to bed.
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Fainting
(See Reference List)
Fainting is caused when too small an amount of blood flows to the head. ”

“ Everyone should learn to distinguish poison ivy, which has three leaves, not five, as has the Virginia Creeper (see picture in this chapter) . If this poisonous plant were recognized and avoided, there would be but few cases of plant poisoning.
Treatment:
Do not scratch.
Mop on rash a saturated solution of Epsom salt, or boric acid, [65] or baking soda, [G] with a small “sponge” of absorbent cotton, which is to be thrown away after using. Allow application to dry in the air.
Prickly Heat
Prickly Heat is an itching redness of the skin caused from overheating the body. ”

“ This picture shows one of Mary Frances’ big dolls bandaged in roller bandages.
The two-and-a-half-inch wide roller bandage four or six yards long is the size most used for grown-up people, although narrower ones are needed for fingers.
On the doll’s body inch-wide bandages were used, and the ends were sewed in place. To prevent slipping, strips of adhesive plaster were placed over the folds of the edges.
Under the assistant nurse’s kind care, Private Brave soon grew better and was able to take an interest in the other patients. ”

“ They make great deep sores out of little cuts, and prevent wounds from healing. So you can readily understand how necessary it is to keep all materials which touch broken skin perfectly clean, and they cannot be clean if touched by the hands. Neither is any material clean which has come in contact with dust.
Understanding this, your aim will be to keep germs out of any wound. ”

“ The other “case” was a lady who fainted when she saw the accident, and was quickly revived in the tent.
“I really believe that this is the best Fourth of July celebration our town has ever known, Doctor,” said the Mayor, complimenting Doctor Surecure upon the success of the day. “‘A sane Fourth’ as you said, will give more pleasure, if people will co-operate, than all the din of firecrackers and thunder of powder. ”

“ Just as Chief Arrestem came into the cross-roads leading to Sandpile Village, the runaway automobile flew past.
[22]
“By Jiminy, I don’t wonder McStoppem couldn’t catch them,” he said under his breath, as he put on still more speed. “That man’s lost control of his car, and unless I’m mistaken there’ll be an accident when he comes to that dangerous turn in the road where that big rocking chair stands.” ”

“ If blood is dark, and comes in slow flow (venous) —
Tie a cloth around between end of limb and wound. Or use a tourniquet, loosening it in one hour.
Using a Tourniquet
In either case, bandage a clean gauze compress against wound. If unable to use these methods because of too rapid bleeding, press fingers into wound, but have another person tie as described. Do not use finger pressure if possible to avoid, for the wound should be kept clean.
Any of the following tend to stop bleeding:
Ice or ice water. Very hot water. Vinegar, 1 tbsp. to 4 tbsp. water. Salt, 1 tsp. to 4 tbsp. water. ”

“ An easier method is to mix together equal parts oil of turpentine and olive oil. Heat by setting the cup containing the mixture in very hot water. Apply by rubbing. Cover with woolen cloth wrung out of hot water, as described above.
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LIST OF REMEDIES FOR THE HOME MEDICINE CLOSET
In every home there should be a certain closet or shelf high above little children’s reach, where the medicines and articles needed in emergencies are kept. Among these should be found, plainly labeled, the following:
1. Tincture of Iodine. 2. Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia. 3. ”

“ Sniff ice water and salt up nostrils. One-half teaspoon salt to a glass of water.
5. Place a piece of ice under the upper lip. Hold ice, wrapped in cloth, on the bridge of the nose.
6. If bleeding still continues, use a small piece of absorbent cotton as a wedge or plug or cork. Fasten a thread to the cotton—to be used to remove it. Dip it into peroxide of hydrogen, and push gently into bleeding nostril with a pencil.
Shesa Brave brought the articles needed as Miss Helpem worked, and in a very few seconds after the nurse had used the cotton wedge, Jim’s nose stopped bleeding. ”