Broths of all sorts, beef juice, and meat jellies will sour and decompose unless kept close to the ice. Carbonated waters, such as Vichy, Apollinaris, White Rock, etc., as well as champagne and other sparkling wines, must be kept in a dark, cool place, lying on the side. It is better to put only one or two bottles on the ice at a time, since the wine flattens (loses its sparkle) if it is ever allowed to become warm after once being placed on ice. Koumiss and other fermented milk products must be treated in a like manner to assure having them served at their best.

RULES GOVERNING SELECTION OF FOOD

There are certain fundamental rules to be observed in the selection of our food materials, whether they are intended for those in health or for those suffering from pathological conditions. These rules are definite and obligatory. All food materials must be of good quality; that is, they must be of known purity and cleanliness, and adulteration should not be tolerated. In health the small amount of preservative used in certain canned and bottled foods would probably have little if any effect on the individual, but in sickness this is not always the case. With regard to milk, this point has particular significance. To obviate danger, the nurse should use discrimination in the selection of the dealer from whom the meat, milk, eggs, fruit, and vegetables are purchased, as well as the grocer who supplies the remainder of the food materials used by the patient.

THE CARE OF FOODS AND UTENSILS

The next point of consideration is the care of the food materials. This is quite as important as the selection, for even the best of food may be ruined by careless handling, not only in the preparation, but likewise during the period before it is prepared for the invalid’s consumption. The rules governing the handling of food materials before they reach the consumer are subject to inspection by law, but the housekeeper or nurse has no such rules to guard or govern her; hence she may be wantonly careless or ignorantly unsanitary unless taught the right way to care for the food in her charge. Perishable fruits and vegetables must be kept in a cool place to preserve their freshness.

Method of Washing Dishes.—Cleanliness must be observed in the care of all food materials and the utensils in which they are to be prepared. If the nurse will observe the scientific rules governing the solubility of the foodstuffs, she will be able to save herself much time and trouble. For example, it is a known scientific fact that starch is insoluble in cold water and more or less soluble in boiling water, hence it would be a useless waste of time to try to wash a utensil in which a starchy food has been cooked in cold water. Fats solidify under the influence of cold and melt under the influence of heat, so that hot water should be used in conjunction with soap or an alkali to remove grease from dishes and silver and utensils. Albumens are soluble in cold water and are coagulated in hot, therefore to remove milk, egg white, and like protein substances from glasses, spoons, etc., it is advisable to soak first in cold water to wash out the food material, and then to wash thoroughly in hot soapsuds to cleanse and polish. The dishcloths used in the washing and drying of dishes and kitchen utensils should be washed after using in hot soapsuds, rinsed in clear water, then dried in the sun. When this is impossible, they should at least be hung in the fresh air to make them sweet and clean before the next using. In contagious diseases the care of the utensils and dishes used by the patient is of the utmost importance. They should be thoroughly sterilized before being placed with those used by the rest of the family, otherwise the disease may be communicated to the unaffected members. A word about the handling of glasses and spoons used in administering medicine in the sickroom: It is advisable when possible to keep these separate from those used on the tray, as many medicines have a very lasting and disagreeable taste, which is more than apt to cling to the spoons or glasses in which they are measured and in turn be communicated to the food, making it distinctly unpalatable. This has been found to be the case with asafetida, valerian, ichthyol, etc.

METRIC MEASURE

The metric system is a system of weights and measures expressed in the decimal scale. The principal units with which we are concerned are:

The liter—L.Cubic centimeter—c.c.
The gram—gm.Centigram—cgm.
Milligram—mgm.