The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in HygieneGalbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Science
The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; A Study in Hygiene
Galbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
Women -- Health and hygiene
The lying-in room must be kept free from all odors, all soiled
clothing must be at once removed from the room, and good ventilation
must be insured, being careful to prevent any drafts.
While the patient is asleep, and after the baby has been attended to,
the nurse should place all blood-stained articles in cold water to
soak. If in the city, the after-birth may be burned in the furnace or
range; it should be well covered with coal. In the country the
after-birth can be buried in a deep hole.
During the first two or three days the vulvar dressings should be
changed from every three to six hours, and at all times as often as
they are soiled. Each time that the dressing is renewed the external
genitals and their immediate surroundings are to be carefully cleansed
with sterilized water, and finally washed with a solution of boric
acid, in the proportion of one tablespoonful of boric acid to one
quart of water. It is convenient to keep this solution mixed and on
hand, as it takes some little time to prepare it; it should be kept in
a strength double that which is desired, so that it may be diluted
with warm water to give the desired temperature. This solution may be
poured over the parts from a small pitcher, the douche-pan having been
placed under the patient before the washing began. After labor the
vulva is very sensitive, so that while the greatest care must be used
to remove all clots of blood and the discharge, there must be no brisk
rubbing of the parts. No blood-stained linen should be permitted to
remain about the patient or the bed.
Since the lying-in woman perspires freely, her skin ought to be
frequently cleansed by sponging with a weak solution of alcohol in
tepid water; this should be followed by friction with a towel until
the skin is in a glow. Cleanliness of the bed is promoted by the use
of a draw-sheet, which is a sheet folded to four thicknesses and
placed beneath the patient's hips in such a way that the upper edge of
the sheet shall come under the lower part of the pillows. Air and
light must be freely admitted at all times in order that the room may
be bright and cheerful. For the first few weeks the eyes of the
new-born infant should be shielded from all strong light.
Visitors.-- For the first week after the confinement the patient
should see no visitors. Even the husband or mother should not remain
in the room long at a time. Nothing of a disagreeable nature should be
told to the patient; and whoever goes into the sick-room should always
carry the most cheerful manner, as it is highly necessary that the
patient should be kept mentally as well as physically quiet at this
time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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