perhaps from month to month. These tedious cases require variation— not of the truth, but of the medium of its presentment. A word casually dropped-a tract left behind us-occasional visits rather of a familiar than of an official character-will be probable means of access to their consciences. Yet too great effort to bring forth new things' may partake too much of human wisdom. The unvarying repetitions of the old' statement of truth have generally proved as the waters that wear the stones.' (Job xiv. 19.) In other cases, we may have to guard against needless discouragement from legal expressions in common use among the sick, which must be often tried by the standard of their own imperfect mode of communication, rather than by the rules of strict accuracy." Though nature and grace are, in the abstract, distinct, yet there is such a thing as nature in grace. Where a work of grace upon the soul has commenced late in life, there is generally a great obscurity in the mode of expression. The views and feelings of such persons are often more scriptural than their language. " * "No regulations can prescribe the precise measure of attendance upon the sick." This must depend upon the size of the parish, and the nature of each case. Too much may be done, as well as too little. VISITS SHOULD BE SHORT. Persons visited should be addressed in an under tone of voice. All noise is disagreeable, and hurtful in a sick room. Quietness and gentleness are peculiarly desirable. They have a good effect upon the patients, by shewing that you feel for their bodies, as well as are interested about their souls. The following observations are very valuable. "In cases of peculiar repulsiveness, some intermission would be advisable. Watching, however, unexpected openings, or important emergencies. The time of visiting may also vary. Sometimes regularity is desirable, often inexpedient: customary attendance usually losing something of its impressiveness. A system without a system is generally to be preferred-perseverance and watchfulness rather than exactness. Under all circumstances, however, the convenience of the sick should be a matter of primary consideration." ↑ With regard to ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENT to the sick, it is best never to propose it: and in most cases to decline it when proposed by others. It is usually regarded as a viaticum. It has a most hardening effect upon the attendants on the sick. Where, indeed, persons have been in the habit of receiving it, when well, there is not that danger attending its administration, but in other cases it is far better to omit it. This divine ordinance is most sadly abused-neglected by the living, and sought in their last moments by the dying. In visiting the sick poor, it is better not to administer temporal relief at that time, but rather to direct the district visitor to call and relieve them. The minister's visits should not be looked for from any desire of pecuniary assistance. The following statistics of the number of sick persons are curious. In a population of 12,000 persons, there are generally about 500 sick in the course of the year. The proportion is smaller in towns of from 2 to 6,000. Of the 500 cases above mentioned, 300 are serious, and + Ibid., p. 512. Indeed the whole chapter is most excellent. confine persons to the house; 100 are cases of indisposition, and the remainder cutaneous affections, and others not altogether preventing labour. As a general average one in fifty is always sick, exclusive of infants. To Destroy Contagion, and Prevent Infectious Fevers. Take common salt 24 oz., pure manganese oz., water 1 oz., oil of vitriol 1 oz., mix the salt and manganese well together, and put them into a glass tumbler; pour the water on this mixture, and then 1-4th of the vitriol; after it has ceased to raise vapour, pour 1-4th more, and repeat it every six hours. This quantity is sufficient to purify a middle sized room. To fumigate thoroughly, the doors and windows should be shut: but a perpetual slow extrication of fumes is also desirable, since the contagion is perpetually generated; and this may be procured by stirring the mixture occasionally with a stick; during this however the air should be freely admitted. The glass should be placed so near the patient that the fumes may be just perceptible where he lies. The following rules are intended to enable medical, clerical, and other visitors and attendants of the sick, to perform their important duties with safety to themselves, and are printed with a view to their being put up in every house where there is an infectious fever, and in order to prevent the contagion being communicated to any part of the family, or neighbourhood. 1. As safety from danger entirely depends on cleanliness and fresh air, the room door of a patient ill of an infectious fever, especially in the habitations of the poor, should never be shut; a window in it, during the day, ought to be frequently opened; for the free admission of the air is so essentially necessary, that without it, whenever one inhabitant sickens, others catch the disease. 2. The bed curtains should never be close drawn round the patient; but only on the side next the light, so as to shade the face. 3. All the clothes, utensils, &c. should be frequently changed, immediately immersed in cold water a little soured with vitriol, and washed clean when taken out of it. For the worst mode in which the poison of infection can be applied, is by the apparel, or bed clothes of the sick. 4. All discharges from the patient should be received into acidulated water, and instantly removed. The floor near the patient's bed should be rubbed clean every day with a wet mop or cloth. 5. The air in a sick room has, at the same time, a more infectious quality in some parts of it than in others. Visitors and attendants should avoid the current of the patient's breath; the air which ascends from his body, especially if the bed curtains be closed, and the vapour arising from all evacuations. When medical or other duties require a visitor to be placed in these situations of danger, infection may be frequently prevented by holding the breath for a short time, or by dropping a little distilled vinegar on a handkerchief and holding it to the nose. 6. Visitors should not go into an infectious chamber with an empty stomach; and in doubtful circumstances, on coming out, they should blow from the nose, and spit from the mouth, any infectious poison, which may have been drawn in by the breath, and may adhere to those passages. 7. Those who handle the sick should wash their hands and mouths before they eat or drink, and never swallow their spittle whilst in the sick chamber. 8. All persons, except the necessary attendants, should be excluded from the patient's room. 9. Intemperance and abstemiousness should be equally shunned by all the attendants. If these rules are strictly adhered to, not one person in one hundred will take the infection, however violent it may be; and thousands of lives will be saved, and boundless misery prevented. As many persons may not be able to procure the materials to make the mixture, they may on application to-have them ready mixed GRATIS, with the use of glasses proper for the Recipe for Preventing Infection. purpose. (Extracted from "The Children's Friend," March, 1840.) Get at a druggist's some black oxyde of manganese. It is very cheap, and therefore you may get two or three pounds. You may then put one table-spoonful of this, and four of common salt, into a small basin, and mix it with a little water. You then pour a little oil of vitriol upon it, and it begins to smoke. This smoke is what they call fumigation. It fills the house, and kills the infection. When the smoke dies away, you pour a little more vitriol, and in a day or two put fresh salt and manganese. Only mind you don't burn your fingers or clothes with the vitriol There have been many recipes for fumigation, and one for which the Government gave five thousand pounds, it was found so useful in the navy; but this is far the simplest, and, I do believe, in all respects the best. Best Method of Applying Leeches. Leeches may be employed in all cases where local blood-letting is thought necessary, particularly where the cupping glasses cannot be applied. As it is sometimes very difficult to make them adhere, the following method is advised, as preferable to that of wetting the part with cream, sugar, &c. A few minutes before they are used, they should be taken out of the water and allowed to dry themselves perfectly by crawling on a very soft cloth; during which time the part should be well washed with pure water only, and then wiped quite dry. If there be any hairs on the spot, they should be close shaved; they should then be retained to the skin under a small wine glass, when they will generally fasten in a short time. When, nevertheless, they do not readily fix, or it is wished to apply them exactly on a particular spot, as, for instance, close to the angle of the eye in opthalmia, it is recommended to puncture the skin with a lancet, and to use a glass tube made for the purpose, by holding that end of the instrument in which the head of the leech lies close to the spot, and covering the other with the finger. The discharge of blood after the leech falls off is usually of more service than the process itself, and should therefore be encouraged by bathing the bleeding orifices with cloths dipped in hot water; when too abundant, it is easily stopped with brandy, vinegar, or other styptics, or with a compress of linen cloths bound strongly over them. BIBLES AND PRAYER BOOKS. "The ONE of the first objects of the devoted minister will be to see that his people are all furnished with a copy of the WORD OF GOD, and of our truly scriptural LITURGY; and where practicable, it will be well to get them supplied with a good SELECTION of PSALMS AND HYMNS. Bible Society," and "the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," afford great facilities for obtaining copies of the Scriptures, at very reduced prices, and of various sized types. The following may serve as specimens of size, type, and price, of the British and Foreign Bible Society's Bibles and Testaments. ENGLISH. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: ENGLISH BIBLE, Imperial 4to. with marginal references, Also same type, ENGLISH TESTAMENT, 8vo. col. calf, 4s. 6d. PICA. 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report ? and PICA BIBLE, Crown 4to. with marginal references, coloured calf, 16s. Ditto, 8vo. without marginal references, coloured calf, 9s. 8d. Also same type, PICA TESTAMENT, 8vo. coloured calf, 3s. 7d. Ditto, sheep, 2s. 5d. Ditto, 8vo. with PSALMS, sheep, 3s. Id. SMALL-PICA. 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. SMALL-PICA BIBLE, with marginal references, coloured calf, 12s. 4d LONG-PRIMER. Nweek, very early in the morning, upon the first day of the they came unto the sepulchre, bringing LONG-PRIMER BIBLE, 8vo. coloured calf, 7s. Also same type, LONG-PRIMER TESTAMENT, 8vo. col. clf. 2s. 10d. BREVIER. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 28 And the Lord said unto Moses, BREVIER BIBLE, 8vo. with marginal references, col. calf, 9s. 2d. Also same type, BREVIER TESTAMENT, 12mo. col. calf, 1s. 11d. Ditto, with PSALMS, sheep, 1s. 4d. BREVIER PSALMS, 12mo. embossed cloth, 10d. |