It is, I think, alarming, peculiarly at this time, when the female ink-bottles are perpetually impressing upon us “woman’s” “particular worth and general missionariness,” to see that the dress of women is daily more and more unfitting them for any “mission,” or usefulness at all.  It is equally unfitted for all poetic and all domestic purposes.  A man is now a more handy and far less objectionable being in a sick room than a woman.  Compelled by her dress, every woman now either shuffles or waddles—­only a man can cross the floor of a sick-room without shaking it!  What is become of woman’s light step?—­the firm, light, quick step we have been asking for?

Unnecessary noise, then, is the most cruel absence of care which can be inflicted either on sick or well.  For, in all these remarks, the sick are only mentioned as suffering in a greater proportion than the well from precisely the same causes.

Unnecessary (although slight) noise injures a sick person much more than necessary noise (of a much greater amount).

[Sidenote:  Patient’s repulsion to nurses who rustle.]

All doctrines about mysterious affinities and aversions will be found to resolve themselves very much, if not entirely, into presence or absence of care in these things.

A nurse who rustles (I am speaking of nurses professional and unprofessional) is the horror of a patient, though perhaps he does not know why.

The fidget of silk and of crinoline, the rattling of keys, the creaking of stays and of shoes, will do a patient more harm than all the medicines in the world will do him good.

The noiseless step of woman, the noiseless drapery of woman, are mere figures of speech in this day.  Her skirts (and well if they do not throw down some piece of furniture) will at least brush against every article in the room as she moves.[1]

Again, one nurse cannot open the door without making everything rattle.  Or she opens the door unnecessarily often, for want of remembering all the articles that might be brought in at once.

A good nurse will always make sure that no door or window in her patient’s room shall rattle or creak; that no blind or curtain shall, by any change of wind through the open window be made to flap—­especially will she be careful of all this before she leaves her patients for the night.  If you wait till your patients tell you, or remind you of these things, where is the use of their having a nurse?  There are more shy than exacting patients, in all classes; and many a patient passes a bad night, time after time, rather than remind his nurse every night of all the things she has forgotten.

If there are blinds to your windows, always take care to have them well up, when they are not being used.  A little piece slipping down, and flapping with every draught, will distract a patient.

[Sidenote:  Hurry peculiarly hurtful to sick.]