When once the Sick are properly ranged, the next Care must be to prevent infectious and malignant Disorders from being generated, and from spreading amongst the Sick; which is principally to be effected by keeping the Sick and the Hospital extremely clean and well-aired, and the Wards as sweet, and free from putrid and offensive Smells, as possible. Every sick Man, as soon as he arrives at an Hospital, should be washed with warm Water, or if there is a warm Bath, or bathing Tub, to be put into it; and afterwards be supplied with a clean Shirt[156] well-aired before he be put to Bed; and his own dirty Linen should be immediately carried to the Wash-House: And every Morning each Nurse ought to carry a Bucket full of warm Water, and a Piece of Soap and a Towel, round to each of her Patients, and make them wash their Hands and Face, and their Feet, when dirty. [156] Every military Hospital ought to have a Number of Shirts belonging to it, for the Use of the Sick who arrive without having clean Linen with them. As soon as their own Shirts are washed and dried, or that new ones are provided by their Regiments, the Hospital Shirts ought to be taken from them. Every Morning all the Wards ought to be scraped and swept, and afterwards sprinkled with warm Vinegar; and when dirty, they ought to be washed after the Fires are lighted. Every Thing in the Wards, and about the Sick, should be kept as clean as possible; the Chamber-Pots and Close-Stools ought to be carried away as soon as used, and immediately emptied and washed before they be brought back. The Windows of the Wards ought to be kept open to admit fresh Air Morning and Evening, for a longer or shorter Time, according as the Weather will permit. If the Wards are close, and the Cieling too low, Dr. _Pringle_ advises to remove some Part of them, and to open the Garret Story to the Tiles[157]; and if the Opening of the Windows is not sufficient to air the Wards, Ventilators of different Kinds, such as those mentioned by Dr. _Hales_ and Dr. _Pringle_, may be used, especially when the Weather is hot. [157] In Wards which are too close, it has been found that one or two square Holes (of about six or eight, or ten Inches diameter), cut in the Cieling, and a Tube made of Wood fitted to it, and carried up into the Chimney of the Ward above, so as to enter above the Grate, is one of the best Contrivances for procuring a free Circulation of Air; as the foul Air, which is lightest, and occupies the highest Part of the Ward, finds a free Exit by these Tubes: We have such Tubes now fixed in several of the Wards in _St. George_’s Hospital. A Hole cut above the Door of the Ward, or in the upper Part of the Windows, and one of what are called the _Chamber Ventilators_ fixed in it, will answer, where Holes cannot be conveniently cut in the Cieling. In Winter, Fires should be lighted in all the Wards where it can be done.