hen she should be able to play
two or three quiet games, such as cards, dominoes, checkers, and be able
to read aloud and to tell cheerful and amusing stories. Children may
often be kept quiet and happy by hearing little rhymes recited. It might
be a good idea for every Girl Scout to be able to tell three short
stories and three funny stories, know three conundrums and three short
poems, play three quiet games of cards, play checkers, play dominoes and
know three puzzles.

Excitement is always bad for sick people and they become tired easily,
so they should not be read to, talked to, nor played with for too long
an interval, even if they seem to wish it themselves. The Scout must
always remember that these things are being done for the pleasure of the
sick person, and she must be very patient, to let the games or stories
be of their own choosing if they wish it, and to avoid being noisy
herself.

Daily Routine

There should be a regular daily routine. Have regular hours for feeding,
bathing, giving treatment and medicines, giving the bedpan, etc. Be
punctual.

Usually the first thing to do in the morning is to close or open the
window as necessary, and to give the patient a bedpan. Have it warm.
Take temperature, pulse and respiration and record them. Bring a basin
of warm water, soap, towel, etc., to wash hands and face, and a glass of
water to brush teeth. Tidy the hair. Straighten up the room a little.
Prepare and serve patient's breakfast. After an hour the bed bath may be
taken, but a tub bath should not be taken until two hours after
breakfast.

Make the bed. Clean up the room. If the patient is well enough, let her
read or see visitors after this. Serve the dinner. After dinner, open
the windows, lower the shades, and let the patient rest and sleep if
possible for at least an hour. Sick people need more rest than well
people and should have a regular hour for rest in the daytime. If they
sleep, so much the better, as it has been proved that patients who take
a nap during the day sleep better at night. After four o'clock give a
drink of some kind of hot or cold substance, as needed or
desired--broth, milk, lemonade. In the late afternoon sick people are
often tired and restless. Change of position, rearrangement of the
pillows or a good rub give comfort and relieve the restlessness.
Diversion of some kind, nothing noisy or exciting, may serve the same
purpose. It may be found wise to delay the bath until