FIG.

PAGB

.

92

93 96

IOI

116

118

124

125 126

129

130 131

133

23. Serre Noud,
24. Pedicle Pins,
25. Aseptic Razor with Metallic Handle, .
26. Arrangement of Operating Pad in Abdominal Section,
27. Hypodermic Needles and Syringe,
28. Davidson Syringe, .
29. Glass Catheter,
30. Coach Urinal, .
31. Female Urinal,
32. Feeder,
33. Slipper Bed-pan,
34. Eureka Bed-pan,
35. Rubber Air cushion,
36. Glass Drainage Tube,
37. Glass Syringe for Draining Tube,
38. Hard Rubber Syringe for Draining Tube,
39. London Supporter,
40. Elastic Abdominal Bandage,
41. Leiter's Tube-cap, .
42. Rubber Water-coil,
43. Cradle for Supporting Bedclothes,
44. The External Genitalia,
45. Cavity of the Uterus and Fallopian Tubes,
46. Equipoise Waist,
47. Fountain Syringe,
48. Rubber Bed pan,
49. Utero-vaginal Irrigator,
50. Vaginal Nozzle with Reverse Current,

134 134 135 143

.

144

149

151

156 169

171 178

191

FIG.

PAGE

204 206 206

.

207

207

208

209

212

213 218

51. Chadwick's Gynæcological Table,
52. The Uterine Sound, .
53. Bi-valve Speculum,
54.

Speculum, Virginal,
55. Cylindrical Speculum,
56. Sims's Speculum,
57. Dressing Forceps, .
58. Sims's Position, or Semi-prone Position, .
59. Genu pectoral Position, .
60. Operating Pad,
61. Leg-holder,
62. Dorsal, or Lithotomy Position, .
63. Anatomical Forceps, .
64. S-shaped Catheter, .
65. Bulbous Catheter,
66. Paquelin's Thermo-cautery, .
67. Aspirator and Needle,
68. Intra-uterine Return Catheter,
69. Bistouries,
70. Diagram of Nurse Report,

227 228

240 245 246

250

254

255 261

267 “ So kind, so duteous, diligent, So tender over (her) occasions, true, So feat, so nurse-like!”

SHAKESPEARE's Cymbeline, IV, 5.

“ Ask God to give thee skill in comfort's art

That thou mayst consecrated be and set apart
Unto a life of sympathy;
For heavy is the weight of woe in every heart,
And comforters are needed much of Christ-like touch.”

UNKNOWN.

NURSING

IN

ABDOMINAL SURGERY

AND

DISEASES OF WOMEN.

CHAPTER I.

THE SURGICAL NURSE.

nursing.

“A perfect nurse," says the surgeon, J. Grieg QualificaSmith, in his celebrated work on Abdominal Sur-tions for gery, “is a perfect woman, rarely to be had.” There are possibilities of perfection, however, in every human being of average health and ability. Both men and women fail oftener in attaining a high degree of excellence in character and work from indolence rather than incompetency.

Energy of will — self-originating force — is the soul of every great character. Where it is, there is life ; where it is not, there is faintness, helplessness, and despondency.” Energy of will is largely a

Necessity for training.

matter of self-discipline, and it is one of the first requisites to success in nursing as in other professions.

A serene, sunny disposition is another important qualification in a good nurse, for it serves to produce an atmosphere of quiet content in the sickroom which conduces greatly to the comfort and well-being of the patient, as of all concerned.

Self-forgetfulness, sympathy, cheerfulness, patience, tact, quickness of observation, method and skill in action, implicit obedience and loyalty to her physician—all of which are so essential to the good nurse—are the fruit of long and careful self-discipline combined with practical experience.

The surgical nurse should be habituated to the sight of blood. She should be strong-nerved and of steady hand. Sudden emergencies should not throw her off her guard. Thorough training and a knowledge of the conditions which may demand prompt action on her part will enable her to attain the necessary self-possession. Knowledge gives courage. Skill is gained by practice. For the acquirement of knowledge and skill it is essential that the surgical nurse should have a course of training in the wards of a hospital where considerable surgical work is done.

So much does the success of a surgeon's work depend upon the nurse that extreme care should