benefit than medicines. An old poem, written
over two hundred and fifty years ago, struck the right chord when it
advised:

"Use three physicians: First, Dr. Quiet,
Then Dr. Merryman, and Dr. Diet."

Noise and disturbance of whatever description must be an unknown
quantity in a sick room. There "Dr. Quiet" should hold undisputed and
peaceful sway. Felt or soft kid slippers, devoid of any offensive
squeak, should be worn, and loud tones and exclamations prohibited. On
the other hand, do not whisper to any person who chances to be in the
room. Whispering arouses the patient's curiosity and suspicions, and,
if he be asleep, the sibilant sound will pierce his slumbers and
awaken him. Let all remarks be made in a low-pitched undertone. Never,
even at the risk of causing offence, allow discussion of any subject
to occur in the presence of the invalid. You may imagine that he does
not mind it, that his mind will be diverted; but the argument ended,
there may be noticed a flush on the cheek and a rapidity of breathing
that bodes ill. One admirable physician makes it a rule never to
permit political or religious topics to be canvassed in the hearing
of one of his "cases," as a wide experience has taught him that such
matters cannot be talked of without causing some degree of excitement,
and thus retarding the patient's progress on the road toward health.
For the same reason, try, by every effort, to keep your charge from
thinking of work which should be done, and of any possible
inconvenience he may be causing. There never was, and never will be, a
convenient time for a person to be ill, so, whenever it comes, resolve
to make the best of it. There is no greater cruelty than that of
allowing a sick person to imagine that, but for his ill-timed
indisposition, you might be able to go here or there, or to do this or
that. Under such an idea the couch becomes a bed of clipped
horse-hairs to the helpless sufferer, and he feels himself to be a
useless hulk. This unkindness is oftentimes unintentional, and due
more to thoughtlessness than to deliberate hard-heartedness. To avoid
causing such discomfort do not look worried or distracted while
ministering to your patient's wants, and do not fussily "fly around"
in straightening and setting the room to rights. Let everything be
done decently and in order, rapidly and quietly.

Another desideratum of the chamber of illness is _cleanliness_ in the
minutest particular. When the dise