A Reference Hand-Book for Nurses

Part 1

Transcriber’s Notes:

Underscores “” before and after a word or phrase indicate italics_ in the original text. Equal signs “=” before and after a word or phrase indicate =bold= in the original text. Small capitals have been converted to SOLID capitals. Illustrations have been moved so they do not break up paragraphs. Antiquated spellings have been preserved. Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected. The “ADDITIONAL NOTES” section, pages 211 to 226 have been removed as they serve no function in an ebook.

A REFERENCE HAND-BOOK FOR NURSES

BY AMANDA K. BECK, R. N.

Graduate of the Illinois Training School for Nurses

FOURTH EDITION, REVISED PHILADELPHIA AND LONDON W. B. SAUNDERS COMPANY 1919

Copyright, 1905, by W. B. Saunders and Company. Reprinted August, 1905, July, 1906, June, 1907, and January, 1908. Revised, reprinted, and recopyrighted August, 1908. Reprinted March, 1909, February, 1910, July, 1910, March, 1911, February, 1912, and August, 1912. Revised, reprinted, and recopyrighted February, 1913. Reprinted October, 1913, May, 1914, November, 1914, January, 1915, May, 1915, September, 1915, June, 1916, January, 1917, July, 1917, November, 1917, April, 1918, and August, 1918. Revised, reprinted, and recopyrighted March, 1919

Copyright, 1919, by W. B. Saunders Company

PRINTED IN AMERICA

PRESS OF W. B. SAUNDERS COMPANY PHILADELPHIA

TO ISABEL McISAAC

For many years Superintendent of the Illinois Training School for Nurses, of Chicago

AND TO IDORA C. ROSE

Formerly her Assistant and now her Successor

THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED

PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.

In the present edition of this work a few new subjects have been added and the text has been somewhat altered in order that certain recent advances and changes might be noted and brought into daily service. I have not been unmindful, however, of the fact that to be of the greatest possible use to our profession this volume must remain small and compact.

I hear frequently that this Handbook is valued by my fellow-workers and that it is to many of them a daily help and companion. This is a source of great pleasure to me, and I hope that this new edition will be found more useful even than any of its predecessors.

A. K. BECK, R. N. CHICAGO, ILL., March, 1919.

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.

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.

Part 2

=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.

GLOSSARY OF MATERIA MEDICA.

In the following Glossary will be found short definitions of many of the terms employed in the Dispensatory to designate the medical properties of the remedies; most of the words are commonly employed as nouns, and sometimes as adjectives.

=Absorbents.=—Drugs used to produce absorption of exudates or diseased tissues. =Abstergents.=—Detergents (cleansing agents). =Alteratives.=—Medicines used to so modify nutrition as to overcome morbid processes. =Analeptics.=—Restorative medicines or food. =Analgesics.=—Medicines used to allay pain. =Anaphrodisiacs.=—Medicines used to allay sexual feeling. =Anesthetics.=—Medicines used to produce anesthesia or unconsciousness. =Anodynes.=—Medicines used to allay pain. =Antacids.=—Medicines used to neutralize acid in the stomach and intestines. =Anthelmintics.=—Medicines used to destroy intestinal worms. =Antiarthritics.=—Medicines used for the relief of gout. =Antihydropics.=—Medicines used for the relief of dropsy. =Antilithics.=—Medicines used for the relief of calculous affections. =Antiperiodics.=—Medicines used for the relief of malarial fevers. =Antipyretics.=—Medicines used for the reduction of bodily temperature in fevers. =Antiseptics.=—Substances which have the power of preventing putrefaction. =Antispasmodics.=—Medicines used for the relief of nervous irritability and minor spasms. =Antisyphilitics.=—Medicines used for the relief of syphilis. =Antizymotics.=—Substances which have the power of killing disease germs. =Aperients.=—Mild purgatives. =Aphrodisiacs.=—Substances used to increase sexual power or excitement. =Aromatic Bitters.=—Medicines which unite the properties of the aromatic and simple bitters. =Aromatics.=—Medicines characterized by a fragrant or spicy taste and odor, and stimulant to the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane. =Astringents.=—Medicines having the power of influencing vital contractility, thereby condensing tissues.

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