A reference hand-book for nurses

by Amanda K. Beck

PREFACE.

As a probationer doing class and hospital work and as a graduate trained nurse I took notes of all the various formulæ, directions, etc., that might at some time be useful to me in the pursuit of my duties. My class work was productive of many valuable items of information; these and such other items as I gathered in the course of my hospital work and while on private duty, and others which were the result of my own experience and observation, I kept in a memorandum book which soon became indispensable to me, and which I used until the leaves became worn and fell apart. I rewrote this memorandum book three times, and the task of its fourth rewriting made me wish that I had its contents in a form more easily preserved. The inspiration followed that my notes in book form would be of general use to most nurses and of some use to many physicians. This little volume is the result.

To my own notes, all of which have been submitted to competent authorities for criticism, I have added several articles by eminent physicians and superintending nurses, which tend to round out the usefulness of the book. I have kept in mind, however, my original intention of producing a hand-book of convenient size for quick reference.

To the authors of these articles, to the friendly critics to whom my notes were submitted, and to the kind friends who encouraged me in this work, I extend my sincere thanks.

AMANDA K. BECK, R. N.

REFERENCE HAND-BOOK
FOR NURSES.

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ABBREVIATIONS.

Abbreviation.	Latin.	English.
āā	Ana	Of each.
A. c.	Ante cibum	Before meals.
Ad., Add.	Adde	Let there be added.
Ad lib.	Ad libitum	At pleasure.
Adv.	Adversum	Against.
Alt. dieb.	Alternis diebus	Every other day.
Alt. hor.	Alternis horis	Every other hour.
Aq.	Aqua	Water.
Aq. astr.	Aqua astricta	Ice.
Aq. bull.	Aqua bulliens	Boiling water.
Aq. dest.	Aqua destillata	Distilled water.
Aq. ferv.	Aqua fervens	Hot water.
Aq. font.	Aqua fontana	Spring water.
Aq. mar.	Aqua marina	Sea-water.
Aq. tep.	Aqua tepida	Tepid water.
Ba.	Barium	Barium.
B. A.	Balneum arenæ	Sand-bath.
Bib.	Bibe	Drink.
B. i. d. or B. d.	Bis in die	Twice daily.
B. M.	Balneum maris	Sea-water bath.
Bull.	Bulliat	Let it boil.
B. V.	Balneum vaporis	Vapor-bath.
C.	Conguis	Gallon.
c.	Cum	With.
Cap.	Capsular	A capsule.
C.c.	Centimeter cubicum	Cubic centimeter.
Cerat.	Ceratum	A cerate.
Chart.	Chartula	A small paper.
C. M.	Cras mane	Tomorrow morning.
C. N.	Cras nocte	Tomorrow night.
Col.	Cola	Strain.
Colet.	Coletur	Let it be strained.
Collyr.	Collyrium	An eye-wash.
Comp.	Compositus	Compound.
Cong.	Congius	A gallon.
Cons.	Conserva	Keep.
Coq.	Coque	Boil.
Crast.	Crastinus	For tomorrow.
C. V.	Cras vespere	Tomorrow evening.
D.	Da	Let it be given.
Decoct.	Decoctum	Decoction.
Def.	Defæcatio	Defecation.
Dieb. alt.	Diebus alternis	On alternate days.
Dieb. tert.	Diebus tertiis	Every third day.
Dil.	Dilue	Dissolve.
Dilut.	Dilutus	Dilute.
Dim.	Dimidius	One-half.
Disp.	Dispensa	Dispense.
Divid.	Dividendus	To be divided.
D. P.	Directione propria	With a proper direction.
Dr., ʒ	Drachma	A dram.
Emuls.	Emulsum	Emulsion.
En., Enem.	Enema	A rectal injection.
Et.	Et	And.
Exhib.	Exhibeatur	Let it be given.
Ext.	Extractum	An extract.
Ext. fl.	Extractum fluidum	Fluidextract.
F., Ft.	Fiat	Make.
Filt.	Filtra	Filter.
Fl.	Fluidum	Fluid.
F. m.	Fiat mistura	Make a mixture.
Garg.	Gargarisma	A gargle.
Gm.	Gramma	A gram.
Gr.	Granum	A grain.
Gtt.	Gutta	A drop.
H.	Hora	An hour.
Hor. decub.	Hora decubitus	At bedtime.
H. s.	Hora somni	At bedtime.
Id.	Idem	The same.
I. e.	Id est	That is.
Ind.	In dies	Daily.
Infus.	Infusum	Infusion.
L.	Liter	A liter.
Lb., lb.	Libra	A pound.
Lin.	Linimentum	A liniment.
Liq.	Liquor	A solution.
Lot.	Lotio	A lotion.
M.	Misce	Mix.
M., ♍	Minimum	A minim.
Mas.	Massa	A pill mass.
Mist.	Mistura	A mixture.
N. b.	Nota bene	Note well or take
		particular notice.
No.	Numerus	Number.
Noct.	Nocte	At night.
O.	Octarius	A pint.
O. m.	Omni mane	Every morning.
Omn. hor.	Omni hora	Every hour.
Omn. noct.	Omni nocte	Every night.
Ov.	Ovum	Egg.
P. C.	Post cibum	After meals.
Pil.	Pilula	A pill.
Præp.	Præparatus	Prepared.
P. r. n.	Pro re nata	When necessary.
Pulv.	Pulvis	A powder.
Q.	Quaque	Every.
Q. i. d. or Q. d.	Quatuor in die	Four times a day.
Q. l.	Quantum libet	As much as you choose.
Q. p.	Quantum placeat	At will.
Qq. hor.	Quaqua hora	Every hour.
Q. s.	Quantum sufficit	A sufficient quantity.
Q. v.	Quantum vis	As much as you like.
℞	Recipe	Take.
Rep.	Repetatur	Let it be repeated.
S.	Sine	Without.
Scrup., ℈	Scrupulum	A scruple.
Sig.	Signa	Mark or sign.
Sing.	Singulorum	Of each.
Solv.	Solve	Dissolve.
S. O. S.	Si opus sit	If necessary.
Spt.	Spiritus	Spirit.
Ss.	Semis	A half.
Stat.	Statim	Immediately.
Su.	Sumet	Let him take.
Syr.	Syrupus	Syrup.
T. i. d. or T. d.	Ter in die	Three times a day.
Tinct. or Tr.	Tinctura	A tincture.
Trit.	Tritura	Triturate.
Troch.	Trochiscus	A lozenge.
Ult. præs.	Ultimum præscriptus	Last prescribed.
Unc., ℥	Uncia	An ounce.
Ung.	Unguentum	An ointment.
U. S. P.		United States Pharmacopœia.
Ut. dict.	Ut dictum	As directed.
Utend.	Utendus	To be used.
Vehic.	Vehiculum	A vehicle.
Vel	Vel	Or.
Vin.	Vinum	Wine.
Vitel. ovi	Vitellus ovi	Yolk of egg.
Viz.	Videlicet	Namely.
Vs.	Venæsectio	Venesection.