Health, or, How to Live

THE PACK

Preparation is made for the PACK on a bed or lounge, the pillow lying in its place, and two warm comfortables and a woolen blanket, or as many blankets as will amount to these in quantity, being spread outside. Over these is spread the wet sheet, slightly wrung, and so high up that it will reach but a few inches below the knees, and may be wrapped around the head. The patient immediately places himself upon this, on his back, his arms at his sides, and the attendant quickly brings the corner of the sheet over from the further side, under the chin, and tucks it under the near shoulder, and up close to the neck, and then all along down the body to the bottom of the sheet. Then the opposite side of the sheet is spread over and tucked under in the same way. Then one side of the blanket, then the other, and so on of the comfortables, being sure to make these snug around the feet. If there is liability that the feet will grow cold, they should be wrapped in a warm blanket or have a bottle of hot water placed near them, outside the blanket. Sometimes we wrap them in flannel folded and wrung out of hot water; and very frequently, when persons have local congestions, as of the lungs, liver, or throat we place over the part, hot, wet flannels when we put them in pack. I have known persons who could not take a pack in the ordinary way without chilling, have them administered with great benefit by placing a strip of hot flannel up and down the back-bone, inside the wet sheet. A cool wet towel should be laid on the forehead, and the person left entirely quiet, and in three times out of four he will go to sleep and get a delicious nap. He should not be left alone, however, unless he is accustomed to it, as he may become very nervous on finding himself alone and helpless. The rule of remaining in the pack, if the patient is quiet, is till he feels thoroughly warm; say from twenty-five to sixty minutes. It is usual to give persons some form of general bath, as described above, the moment he is taken out of pack; though with feeble persons we sometimes throw the dry sheet round them instead, and wipe immediately. On such one may take a towel-washing, lying still, and being only partly uncovered at a time. HHTL 83.2