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.