A nurse's handbook of obstetrics . irst in Credes method or in the useof a 5 per cent, solution of protargol dropped into the eyes im-mediately after the labor, and this should always be done as apreventive measure. If the disease develops in spite of thisprophylactic treatment, the infant is to be kept in a dark roomand the eyes bathed at intervals of from twenty to thirty minuteswith sterile ice-cold saturated solution of boric acid. Iced clothsmust be kept constantly on the eyes until the inflammation hassubsided, and when the boric acid solution is used the lids mustbe separated so that it
A nurse's handbook of obstetrics . irst in Credes method or in the useof a 5 per cent, solution of protargol dropped into the eyes im-mediately after the labor, and this should always be done as apreventive measure. If the disease develops in spite of thisprophylactic treatment, the infant is to be kept in a dark roomand the eyes bathed at intervals of from twenty to thirty minuteswith sterile ice-cold saturated solution of boric acid. Iced clothsmust be kept constantly on the eyes until the inflammation hassubsided, and when the boric acid solution is used the lids mustbe separated so that it will flow freely into the eye and reachevery part of the diseased tissues. Whenever the iced cloths are changed or the boric acid isused, fresh pieces of gauze must be employed and the old onesdestroyed at once by burning. If opacities appear on the corneain the form of small milky-white spots, the physician must benotified immediately, for, unless the most energetic measuresare adopted without delay, the sight will be OPHTHALMIA NEONATORUM. 337 The nurse must remember that this is a distinctly infectiousdisease, and that there is extreme danger of conveying it toothers and of setting up an acute infection in the maternalgenital tract. Even the eyes of the nurse herself may becomeinfected unless she is most painstaking in her methods. Gloves,cap, gown, and glasses must be worn by the nurse. The pa-tient is placed upon a table and the nurse seated at its head. Shemust handle all dressings with forceps. If one eye only is in-fected the sound one must be protected by a Buller shieldfastened to the face by an adhesive strip, and must be inspectedat least twice a day for possible infection. Every article used by doctor, nurse, and patient must beabsolutely diverted from use to other purposes. The ice-pads should be of soft lintine, quaker flannel or somesuch material and cut into one-inch squares. These should beplaced upon a cake of ice, and applied (three to the minut
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookid54510150rnlm, bookyear1915
