This is another reason why the person who washes the wound should also make the poultice, as also why the Orderlies should clean the ward, why the Nurse should as far as possible be relieved of all “mental labour,” and why kept as much as possible to “manual labour.” All severe wounds she should wash and dress herself, and many a wound becomes severe, when the patient is allowed to fiddle over it himself. Some wounds will not bear being left uncovered, and of course in some cases the Nurse will wash the wound, and immediately afterwards apply the poultice. In general, the Surgeon will consider the wounds take no harm from being washed all round, and then poulticed all round. This requires not to be over-hurried, and not to lose a moment’s time. A careful Nurse will never apply a poultice without having first seen the wound: carelessness, haste, idleness, over-work, and prudery, each and all produce very sorry results as to this. I think, therefore, poultices should be made in the ward, and immediately after the table cleared away, and the slight mess also. In some Hospitals they place a straw carpet just round the table, and also carry it to any bed which requires an extra mess in dressing or cleaning. [Sidenote: 9. Presses in Ward.] 9. A regular store closet is hardly desirable. A good arrangement is this:-- At the end of the ward, nearest the Nurse’s room, or the ward-door, a large press for linen. By it or opposite it another press, for stimulants, dangerous medicines, stock medicines, such as castor oil and one or two others which are always to be at hand, though not ordered for any particular case, stock lotions (as few as possible), lint, old soft linen, stronger but not coarse ditto for pads, &c., cotton wool, tow, oilskin, splints and pads, &c., &c. Of all these things, the Nurse should always have a certain reserve on hand.