By arranging and comparing symptoms, and by noting the circumstances under which they occur, the physician can distinguish the disease, and learn what are the indications of treatment—this belongs especially to him. But it is very important that a nurse should know how to note all changes as they occur, and sometimes it is best she should keep a written record of them. An important point in a trained or skillful nurse is that of her ability to observe accurately and describe intelligently what comes under notice in the absence of the physician. She should cultivate the habit of strict observation, and simple and truthful statement—neither deficient, exaggerated, or perverted, stating facts and not opinions. Symptoms or phenomena which accompany disease may be _subjective_, those which are evident only to the patient, or _objective_ which are observable by others. Both sorts of symptoms shed mutual light on each other, and as the statements of the patient are not always trustworthy, the nurse should be careful not to let anything pass unseen that can by vigilance be noted. The following directions will help the nurse to cultivate the habit of observing symptoms: Try to learn all you can of the previous history of the case; you will sometimes get information which the patient would not be likely to communicate to the doctor in person. Note the patient’s apparent age with any indications of disguised age, signs of weakness—whether corpulent or bloated; note any deformities, swellings or wounds, and notice the attitudes and expression of the countenance. A sufferer instinctively takes THE POSITION most conducive to ease. When one lung is affected the patient lies on that side, that the healthy one may have the greater freedom of motion. When there is peritonitis (inflammation of the bowels), he lies on his back with his knees drawn up to relax the abdominal muscles. If there is colic alone he may lie on the abdomen, as pressure may relieve his pain. When a patient has been persistently on his back, if he turns onto his side it is a sign of improvement. Inability to breathe termed ORTHOPNŒA, occurs in affections of the heart, and also in asthma. Lying quietly in bed is usually a favorable sign. Restlessness and slipping to the foot of the bed, in low stages of fever, are bad signs. Of the uneasy, morbid symptoms, _pain_ is the most important, and most common. Pain occurs in nearly all inflammations, and it may occur where there is no inflammation at all. Bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, the bladder, the kidneys, the uterus, all modify in a manner that is peculiar to themselves the pain that is produced by injury or disease. Such terms as the following are used to express a peculiar character of pain: It is said to be sharp, shooting, growing, burning, dull, heavy, tearing, and so on.