Sysmptoms Suggest Causes
Do NOT TREAT SYMPTOMS ONLY.-—In treating disease one should not treat only the symptoms, such as fever, chills, in- flammation, spasm.s, etc. These are simply the inevitable con¬sequences of the inability of the vital force to control the affected tissues in a natural or healthy manner. These symp¬toms should aid us in locating the tissues or structures altered character through influences at variance with their normal condition. For instance, a “cold” is an eliminating process, an attempt upon the part of Nature to get rid of poisons and impurities.
At any time in the course of an illness several complica¬tions may arise, such as hemorrhage, convulsions, and coma. All such complications call for immediate and expert action. In such cases a trained nurse is of incalculable value. How¬ever, if for any reasons such a nurse is not available the person who assumes the responsibility of attending the sick should try to prepare for all these emergencies by reading up beforehand everything relating to the particular disease and possible com¬plications, as given in this volume.
In the course of a serious illness the patient usually becomes more or less helpless. Hence the need of an attendant whose duty it becomes to look after all his bodily comforts and to watch his condition carefully and critically. The principles of nursing have been sufficiently covered in Volume VII (Sec. 3.) to acquaint anyone with the essentials.
It is well for the nurse or the attendant to familiarize her- • self with a sick-room chart. This is easy to keep and is a great convenience in following the course of the disease, as it will show the temperature, pulse-rate, respiration rate, bowel move¬ments, kidney actions, treatment instituted, amount of food and water taken, amount of sleep the patient has had- and any other important matters necessary to record for the informa¬tion of the physician.