2300. The several fires lighted, the housemaid proceeds with her

dusting, and polishing the several pieces of furniture in the

breakfast-parlour, leaving no corner unvisited. Before sweeping the

carpet, it is a good practice to sprinkle it all over with tea-leaves,

which not only lay all dust, but give a slightly fragrant smell to the

room. It is now in order for the reception of the family; and where

there is neither footman nor parlour-maid, she now proceeds to the

dressing-room, and lights her mistress's fire, if she is in the habit of

having one to dress by. Her mistress is called, hot water placed in the

dressing-room for her use, her clothes--as far as they are under the

house-maid's charge--put before the fire to air, hanging a fire-guard on

the bars where there is one, while she proceeds to prepare the

breakfast.

2301. In summer the housemaid's work is considerably abridged: she

throws open the windows of the several rooms not occupied as bedrooms,

that they may receive the fresh morning air before they are occupied;

she prepares the breakfast-room by sweeping the carpet, rubbing tables

and chairs, dusting mantel-shelf and picture-frames with a light brush,

dusting the furniture, and beating and sweeping the rug; she cleans the

grate when necessary, and replaces the white paper or arranges the

shavings with which it is filled, leaving everything clean and tidy for

breakfast. It is not enough, however, in cleaning furniture, just to

pass lightly over the surface; the rims and legs of tables, and the

backs and legs of chairs and sofas, should be rubbed vigorously daily;

if there is a book-case, every corner of every pane and ledge requires

to be carefully wiped, so that not a speck of dust can be found in the

room.

2302. After the breakfast-room is finished, the housemaid should proceed

to sweep down the stairs, commencing at the top, whilst the cook has the

charge of the hall, door-step, and passages. After this she should go

into the drawing-room, cover up every article of furniture that is

likely to spoil, with large dusting-sheets, and put the chairs together,

by turning them seat to seat, and, in fact, make as much room as

possible, by placing all the loose furniture in the middle of the room,

whilst she sweeps the corners and sides. When this is accomplished, the

furniture can then be put back in its place, and the middle of the room

swept, sweeping the dirt, as before said, towards the fireplace. The

same rules should be observed in cleaning the drawing-room grates as we

have just stated, putting down the cloth, before commencing, to prevent

the carpet from getting soiled. In the country, a room would not require

sweeping thoroughly like this more than twice a week; but the housemaid

should go over it every morning with a dust-pan and broom, taking up

every crumb and piece she may see. After the sweeping she should leave

the room, shut the door, and proceed to lay the breakfast. Where there

is neither footman nor parlour-maid kept, the duty of laying the

breakfast-cloth rests on the housemaid.

[Illustration: BANISTER-BROOM.]

[Illustration: STAIRCASE-BROOM.]

2303. Before laying the cloth for breakfast, the heater of the tea-urn

is to be placed in the hottest part of the kitchen fire; or, where the

kettle is used, boiled on the kitchen fire, and then removed to the

parlour, where it is kept hot. Having washed herself free from the dust

arising from the morning's work, the housemaid collects the

breakfast-things on her tray, takes the breakfast-cloth from the napkin

press, and carries them all on the tray into the parlour; arranges them

on the table, placing a sufficiency of knives, forks, and salt-cellars

for the family, and takes the tray back to the pantry; gets a supply of

milk, cream, and bread; fills the butter-dish, taking care that the salt

is plentiful, and soft and dry, and that hot plates and egg-cups are

ready where warm meat or eggs are served, and that butter-knife and

bread-knife are in their places. And now she should give the signal for

breakfast, holding herself ready to fill the urn with hot water, or hand

the kettle, and take in the rolls, toast, and other eatables, with which

the cook supplies her, when the breakfast-room bell rings; bearing in

mind that she is never to enter the parlour with dirty hands or with a

dirty apron, and that everything is to be handed on a tray; that she is

to hand everything she may be required to supply, on the left hand of

the person she is serving, and that all is done quietly and without

bustle or hurry. In some families, where there is a large number to

attend on, the cook waits at breakfast whilst the housemaid is busy

upstairs in the bedrooms, or sweeping, dusting, and putting the

drawing-room in order.

2304. Breakfast served, the housemaid proceeds to the bed-chambers,

throws up the sashes, if not already done, pulls up the blinds, throwing

back curtains at the same time, and opens the beds, by removing the

clothes, placing them over a horse, or, failing that, over the backs of

chairs. She now proceeds to empty the slops. In doing this, everything

is emptied into the slop-pail, leaving a little scalding-hot water for a

minute in such vessels as require it; adding a drop of turpentine to the

water, when that is not sufficient to cleanse them. The basin is

emptied, well rinsed with clean water, and carefully wiped; the ewers

emptied and washed; finally, the water-jugs themselves emptied out and

rinsed, and wiped dry. As soon as this is done, she should remove and

empty the pails, taking care that they also are well washed, scalded,

and wiped as soon as they are empty.

2305. Next follows bedmaking, at which the cook or kitchen-maid, where

one is kept, usually assists; but, before beginning, velvet chairs, or

other things injured by dust, should be removed to another room. In

bedmaking, the fancy of its occupant should be consulted; some like beds

sloping from the top towards the feet, swelling slightly in the middle;

others, perfectly flat: a good housemaid will accommodate each bed to

the taste of the sleeper, taking care to shake, beat, and turn it well

in the process. Some persons prefer sleeping on the mattress; in which

case a feather bed is usually beneath, resting on a second mattress, and

a straw paillasse at the bottom. In this case, the mattresses should

change places daily; the feather bed placed on the mattress shaken,

beaten, taken up and opened several times, so as thoroughly to separate

the feathers: if too large to be thus handled, the maid should shake and

beat one end first, and then the other, smoothing it afterwards equally

all over into the required shape, and place the mattress gently over it.

Any feathers which escape in this process a tidy servant will put back

through the seam of the tick; she will also be careful to sew up any

stitch that gives way the moment it is discovered. The bedclothes are

laid on, beginning with an under blanket and sheet, which are tucked

under the mattress at the bottom. The bolster is then beaten and shaken,

and put on, the top of the sheet rolled round it, and the sheet tucked

in all round. The pillows and other bedclothes follow, and the

counterpane over all, which should fall in graceful folds, and at equal

distance from the ground all round. The curtains are drawn to the head

and folded neatly across the bed, and the whole finished in a smooth and

graceful manner. Where spring-mattresses are used, care should be taken

that the top one is turned every day. The housemaid should now take up

in a dustpan any pieces that may be on the carpet; she should dust the

room, shut the door, and proceed to another room. When all the bedrooms

are finished, she should dust the stairs, and polish the handrail of the

banisters, and see that all ledges, window-sills, &c., are quite free

from dust. It will be necessary for the housemaid to divide her work, so

that she may not have too much to do on certain days, and not sufficient

to fill up her time on other days. In the country, bedrooms should be

swept and thoroughly cleaned once a week; and to be methodical and

regular in her work, the housemaid should have certain days for doing

certain rooms thoroughly. For instance, the drawing-room on Monday, two

bedrooms on Tuesday, two on Wednesday, and so on, reserving a day for

thoroughly cleaning the plate, bedroom candlesticks, &c. &c., which she

will have to do where there is no parlour-maid or footman kept. By this

means the work will be divided, and there will be no unnecessary

bustling and hurrying, as is the case where the work is done any time,

without rule or regulation.

[Illustration: SCRUBBING-BRUSH.]

2306. Once a week, when a bedroom is to be thoroughly cleaned, the

house-maid should commence by brushing the mattresses of the bed before

it is made; she should then make it, shake the curtains, lay them

smoothly on the bed, and pin or tuck up the bottom valance, so that she

may be able to sweep under the bed. She should then unloop the

window-curtains, shake them, and pin them high up out of the way. After

clearing the dressing-table, and the room altogether of little articles

of china, &c. &c., she should shake the toilet-covers, fold them up, and

lay them on the bed, over which a large dusting-sheet should be thrown.

She should then sweep the room; first of all sprinkling the carpet with

well-squeezed tea-leaves, or a little freshly-pulled grass, when this is

obtainable. After the carpet is swept, and the grate cleaned, she should

wash with soap and water, with a little soda in it, the washing-table

apparatus, removing all marks or fur round the jugs, caused by the

water. The water-bottles and tumblers must also have her attention, as

well as the top of the washing-stand, which should be cleaned with soap

and flannel if it be marble: if of polished mahogany, no soap must be

used. When these are all clean and arranged in their places, the

housemaid should scrub the floor where it is not covered with carpet,

under the beds, and round the wainscot. She should use as little soap

and soda as possible, as too free a use of these articles is liable to

give the boards a black appearance. In the country, cold soft water, a

clean scrubbing-brush, and a willing arm, are all that are required to

make bedroom floors look white. In winter it is not advisable to scrub

rooms too often, as it is difficult to dry them thoroughly at that

season of the year, and nothing is more dangerous than to allow persons

to sleep in a damp room. The housemaid should now dust the furniture,

blinds, ornaments, &c.; polish the looking-glass; arrange the

toilet-cover and muslin; remove the cover from the bed, and straighten

and arrange the curtains and counterpane. A bedroom should be cleaned

like this every week. There are times, however, when it is necessary to

have the carpet up; this should be done once a year in the country, and

twice a year in large cities. The best time for these arrangements is

spring and autumn, when the bed-furniture requires changing to suit the

seasons of the year. After arranging the furniture, it should all be

well rubbed and polished; and for this purpose the housemaid should

provide herself with an old silk pocket-handkerchief, to finish the

polishing.

[Illustration: LONG HAIR-BROOM.]

2307. As modern furniture is now nearly always French-polished, it

should often be rubbed with an old silk rubber, or a fine cloth or

duster, to keep it free from smears. Three or four times a year any of

the following polishes may be applied with very great success, as any of

them make French-polished furniture look very well. One precaution must

be taken,--not to put too much of the polish on at one time, and _to

rub, not smear_ it over the articles.

FURNITURE POLISH.

2308. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 pint of linseed-oil, 1/4 pint of vinegar, 1 oz.

of spirits of salts, 1/2 oz. of muriatic antimony.

_Mode_.--Mix all well together, and shake before using.

FURNITURE POLISH.

2309. INGREDIENTS.--Equal proportions of linseed-oil, turpentine,

vinegar, and spirits of wine.

_Mode_.--When used, shake the mixture well, and rub on the furniture

with a piece of linen rag, and polish with a clean duster. Vinegar and

oil, rubbed in with flannel, and the furniture rubbed with a clean

duster, produce a very good polish.

FURNITURE PASTE.

2310. INGREDIENTS.--3 oz. of common beeswax, 1 oz. of white wax, 1 oz.

of curd soap, 1 pint of turpentine, 1 pint of boiled water.

[Illustration: FURNITURE BRUSH.]

_Mode_.--Mix the ingredients together, adding the water when cold; shake

the mixture frequently in the bottle, and do not use it for 48 hours

after it is made. It should be applied with a piece of flannel, the

furniture polished with a duster, and then with an old silk rubber.

2311. The chambers are finished, the chamber candlesticks brought down

and cleaned, the parlour lamps trimmed;--and here the housemaid's utmost

care is required. In cleaning candlesticks, as in every other cleaning,

she should have cloths and brushes kept for that purpose alone; the

knife used to scrape them should be applied to no other purpose; the

tallow-grease should be thrown into a box kept for the purpose; the same

with everything connected with the lamp-trimming; the best mode of doing

which she will do well to learn from the tradesman who supplies the oil;

always bearing in mind, however, that without perfect cleanliness, which

involves occasional scalding, no lamp can be kept in order.

2312. The drawing and dining-room, inasmuch as everything there is more

costly and valuable, require even more care. When the carpets are of the

kind known as velvet-pile, they require to be swept firmly by a hard

whisk brush, made of cocoanut fibre.

2313. The furniture must be carefully gone over in every corner with a

soft cloth, that it may be left perfectly free from dust; or where that

is beyond reach, with a brush made of long feathers, or a goose's wing.

The sofas are swept in the same manner, slightly beaten, the cushions

shaken and smoothed, the picture-frames swept, and everything arranged

in its proper place. This, of course, applies to dining as well as

drawing-room and morning-room. And now the housemaid may dress herself

for the day, and prepare for the family dinner, at which she must

attend.

2314. We need not repeat the long instructions already given for laying

the dinner-table. At the family dinner, even where no footman waits, the

routine will be the same. In most families the cloth is laid with the

slips on each side, with napkins, knives, forks, spoons, and wine and

finger glasses on all occasions.

[Illustration: BUTLER'S TRAY AND STAND.]

2315. She should ascertain that her plate is in order, glasses free from

smears, water-bottles and decanters the same, and everything ready on

her tray, that she may be able to lay her cloth properly. Few things add

more to the neat and comfortable appearance of a dinner-table than

well-polished plate; indeed, the state of the plate is a certain

indication of a well-managed or ill-managed household. Nothing is easier

than to keep plate in good order, and yet many servants, from stupidity

and ignorance, make it the greatest trouble of all things under their

care. It should be remembered, that it is utterly impossible to make

greasy silver take a polish; and that as spoons and forks in daily use

are continually in contact with grease, they must require good washing

in soap-and-water to remove it. Silver should be washed with a soapy

flannel in one water, rinsed in another, and then wiped dry with a dry

cloth. The plate so washed may be polished with the plate-rags, as in

the following directions:--Once a week all the plate should receive a

thorough cleaning with the hartshorn powder, as directed in the first

recipe for cleaning plate; and where the housemaid can find time, rubbed

every day with the plate-rags.

2316. Hartshorn, we may observe, is one of the best possible

ingredients for plate-powder in daily use. It leaves on the

silver a deep, dark polish, and at the same time does less

injury than anything else. It has also the advantage of being

very cheap; almost all the ordinary powders sold in boxes

containing more or less of quicksilver, in some form or another;

and this in process of time is sure to make the plate brittle.

If any one wishes to be convinced of the effect of quicksilver

on plate, he has only to rub a little of it on one place for

some time,--on the handle of a silver teaspoon for instance, and

he will find it break in that spot with very little pressure.

To Clean Plate.

_A very excellent method._

[Illustration: PLATE-BRUSH.]

2317. Wash the plate well to remove all grease, in a strong lather of

common yellow soap and boiling water, and wipe it quite dry; then mix as

much hartshorn powder as will be required, into a thick paste, with cold

water or spirits of wine; smear this lightly over the plate with a piece

of soft rag, and leave it for some little time to dry. When perfectly

dry, brush it off quite clean with a soft plate-brush, and polish the

plate with a dry leather. If the plate be very dirty, or much tarnished,

spirits of wine will be found to answer better than the water for mixing

the paste.

Plate-rags for daily use.

2318. Boil soft rags (nothing is better for the purpose than the tops of

old cotton stockings) in a mixture of new milk and hartshorn powder, in

the proportion of 1 oz. of powder to a pint of milk; boil them for 5

minutes; wring them as soon as they are taken out, for a moment, in cold

water, and dry them before the fire. With these rags rub the plate

briskly as soon as it has been well washed and dried after daily use. A

most beautiful deep polish will be produced, and the plate will require

nothing more than merely to be dusted with a leather or a dry soft

cloth, before it is again put on the table.

2319. For waiting at table, the housemaid should be neatly and cleanly

dressed, and, if possible, her dress made with closed sleeves, the large

open ones dipping and falling into everything on the table, and being

very much in the way. She should not wear creaking boots, and should

move about the room as noiselessly as possible, anticipating people's

wants by handing them things without being asked for them, and

altogether be as quiet as possible. It will be needless here to repeat

what we have already said respecting waiting at table, in the duties of

the butler and footman: rules that are good to be observed by them, are

equally good for the parlour-maid or housemaid.

2320. The housemaid having announced that dinner is on the table, will

hand the soup, fish, meat, or side-dishes to the different members of

the family; but in families who do not spend much of the day together,

they will probably prefer being alone at dinner and breakfast; the

housemaid will be required, after all are helped, if her master does not

wish her to stay in the room, to go on with her work of cleaning up in

the pantry, and answer the bell when rung. In this case she will place a

pile of plates on the table or a dumbwaiter, within reach of her master

and mistress, and leave the room.

[Illustration: CRUMB-BRUSH].

2321. Dinner over, the housemaid removes the plates and dishes on the

tray, places the dirty knives and forks in the basket prepared for them,

folds up the napkins in the ring which indicates by which member of the

family it has been used, brushes off the crumbs on the hand-tray kept

for the purpose, folds up the table-cloth in the folds already made, and

places it in the linen-press to be smoothed out. After every meal the

table should be rubbed, all marks from hot plates removed, and the

table-cover thrown over, and the room restored to its usual order. If

the family retire to the drawing-room, or any other room, it is a good

practice to throw up the sash to admit fresh air and ventilate the room.

2322. The housemaid's evening service consists in washing up the

dinner-things, the plate, plated articles, and glasses, restoring

everything to its place; cleaning up her pantry, and putting away

everything for use when next required; lastly, preparing for tea, as the

time approaches, by setting the things out on the tray, getting the urn

or kettle ready, with cream and other things usually partaken of at that

meal.

2323. In summer-time the windows of all the bedrooms, which have been

closed during the heat of the day, should be thrown open for an hour or

so after sunset, in order to air them. Before dark they should be

closed, the bedclothes turned down, and the night-clothes laid in order

for use when required. During winter, where fires are required in the

dressing-rooms, they should be lighted an hour before the usual time of

retiring, placing a fire-guard before each fire. At the same time, the

night-things on the horse should be placed before it to be aired, with a

tin can of hot water, if the mistress is in the habit of washing before

going to bed. We may add, that there is no greater preservative of

beauty than washing the face every night in hot water. The housemaid

will probably be required to assist her mistress to undress and put her

dress in order for the morrow; in which case her duties are very much

those of the lady's-maid.

2324. And now the fire is made up for the night, the fireguard replaced,

and everything in the room in order for the night, the housemaid taking

care to leave the night-candle and matches together in a convenient

place, should they be required. It is usual in summer to remove all

highly fragrant flowers from sleeping-rooms, the impression being that

their scent is injurious in a close chamber.

2325. On leisure days, the housemaid should be able to do some

needlework for her mistress,--such as turning and mending sheets and

darning the house linen, or assist her in anything she may think fit to

give her to do. For this reason it is almost essential that a housemaid,

in a small family, should be an expert needlewoman; as, if she be a good

manager and an active girl, she will have time on her hands to get

through plenty of work.

2326. _Periodical Cleanings_.--Besides the daily routine which we have

described, there are portions of every house which can only be

thoroughly cleaned occasionally; at which time the whole house usually

undergoes a more thorough cleaning than is permitted in the general way.

On these occasions it is usual to begin at the top of the house and

clean downwards; moving everything out of the room; washing the

wainscoting or paint with soft soap and water; pulling down the beds and

thoroughly cleansing all the joints; "scrubbing" the floor; beating

feather beds, mattress, and paillasse, and thoroughly purifying every

article of furniture before it is put back in its place.

2327. This general cleaning usually takes place in the spring or early

summer, when the warm curtains of winter are replaced by the light and

cheerful muslin curtains. Carpets are at the same time taken up and

beaten, except where the mistress of the house has been worried into an

experiment by the often-reiterated question, "Why beat your carpets?" In

this case she will probably have made up her mind to try the cleaning

process, and arranged with the company to send for them on the morning

when cleaning commenced. It is hardly necessary to repeat, that on this

occasion every article is to be gone over, the French-polished furniture

well rubbed and polished. The same thorough system of cleaning should be

done throughout the house; the walls cleaned where painted, and swept

down with a soft broom or feather brush where papered; the window and

bed curtains, which have been replaced with muslin ones, carefully

brushed, or, if they require it, cleaned; lamps not likely to be

required, washed out with hot water, dried, and cleaned. The several

grates are now to be furnished with their summer ornaments; and we know

none prettier than the following, which the housemaid may provide at a

small expense to her mistress:--Purchase two yards and a half of

crinoline muslin, and tear it into small strips, the selvage way of the

material, about an inch wide; strip this thread by thread on each side,

leaving the four centre threads; this gives about six-and-thirty pieces,

fringed on each side, which are tied together at one end, and fastened

to the trap of the register, while the threads, unravelled, are spread

gracefully about the grate, the lower part of which is filled with paper

shavings. This makes a very elegant and very cheap ornament, which is

much stronger, besides, than those usually purchased.

[Illustration: CORNICE-BRUSH.]

[Illustration: HOUSE-PAIL.]

[Illustration: DUSTING-BRUSH.]

2328. As winter approaches, this house-cleaning will have to be

repeated, and the warm bed and window curtains replaced. The process of

scouring and cleaning is again necessary, and must be gone through,

beginning at the top, and going through the house, down to the kitchens.

2329. Independently of these daily and periodical cleanings, other

occupations will present themselves from time to time, which the

housemaid will have to perform. When spots show on polished furniture,

they can generally be restored by soap-and-water and a sponge, the

polish being brought out by using a little polish, and then well rubbing

it. Again, drawers which draw out stiffly may be made to move more

easily if the spot where they press is rubbed over with a little soap.

2330. Chips broken off any of the furniture should be collected and

replaced, by means of a little glue applied to it. Liquid glue, which is

sold prepared in bottles, is very useful to have in the house, as it

requires no melting; and anything broken can be so quickly repaired.

2331. Breaking glass and china is about the most disagreeable thing that

can happen in a family, and it is, probably, a greater annoyance to a

right-minded servant than to the mistress. A neat-handed housemaid may

sometimes repair these breakages, where they are not broken in very

conspicuous places, by joining the pieces very neatly together with a

cement made as follows:--Dissolve an ounce of gum mastic in a quantity

of highly-rectified spirits of wine; then soften an ounce of isinglass

in warm water, and, finally, dissolve it in rum or brandy, till it forms

a thick jelly. Mix the isinglass and gum mastic together, adding a

quarter of an ounce of finely-powdered gum ammoniac; put the whole into

an earthen pipkin, and in a warm place, till they are thoroughly

incorporated together; pour it into a small phial, and cork it down for

use.

2332. In using it, dissolve a small piece of the cement in a silver

teaspoon over a lighted candle. The broken pieces of glass or china

being warmed, and touched with the now liquid cement, join the parts

neatly together, and hold in their places till the cement has set; then

wipe away the cement adhering to the edge of the joint, and leave it for

twelve hours without touching it: the joint will be as strong as the

china itself, and if neatly done, it will show no joining. It is

essential that neither of the pieces be wetted either with hot or cold

water.

USEFUL RECIPES FOR HOUSEMAIDS.

To clean Marble.

2333. Mix with 1/4 pint of soap lees, 1/2 gill of turpentine, sufficient

pipe-clay and bullock's gall to make the whole into rather a thick

paste. Apply it to the marble with a soft brush, and after a day or two,

when quite dry, rub it off with a soft rag. Apply this a second or third

time till the marble is quite clean.

Another method.

2334. Take two parts of soda, one of pumice-stone, and one of

finely-powdered chalk. Sift these through a fine sieve, and mix them

into a paste with water. Rub this well all over the marble, and the

stains will be removed; then wash it with soap-and-water, and a

beautiful bright polish will be produced.

To clean Floorcloth.

2335. After having washed the floorcloth in the usual manner with a damp

flannel, wet it all over with milk and rub it well with a dry cloth,

when a most beautiful polish will be brought out. Some persons use for

rubbing a well-waxed flannel; but this in general produces an unpleasant

slipperiness, which is not the case with the milk.

To clean Decanters.

2336. Roll up in small pieces some soft brown or blotting paper; wet

them, and soap them well. Put them into the decanters about one quarter

full of warm water; shake them well for a few minutes, then rinse with

clear cold water; wipe the outsides with a nice dry cloth, put the

decanters to drain, and when dry they will be almost as bright as new

ones.

To brighten Gilt Frames.

2337. Take sufficient flour of sulphur to give a golden tinge to about

1-1/2 pint of water, and in this boil 4 or 5 bruised onions, or garlic,

which will answer the same purpose. Strain off the liquid, and with it,

when cold, wash, with a soft brush, any gilding which requires

restoring, and when dry it will come out as bright as new work.

To preserve bright Grates or Fire-irons from Rust.

2338. Make a strong paste of fresh lime and water, and with a fine brush

smear it as thickly as possible over all the polished surface requiring

preservation. By this simple means, all the grates and fire-irons in an

empty house may be kept for months free from harm, without further care

or attention.

German Furniture-Gloss.

2339. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. yellow wax, 1 oz. black rosin, 2 oz. of oil

of turpentine.

_Mode_.--Cut the wax into small pieces, and melt it in a pipkin, with

the rosin pounded very fine. Stir in gradually, while these two

ingredients are quite warm, the oil of turpentine. Keep this composition

well covered for use in a tin or earthen pot. A little of this gloss

should be spread on a piece of coarse woollen cloth, and the furniture

well rubbed with it; afterwards it should be polished with a fine cloth.

DUTIES OF THE MAID-OF-ALL-WORK.

2340. The general servant, or maid-of-all-work, is perhaps the only one

of her class deserving of commiseration: her life is a solitary one, and

in, some places, her work is never done. She is also subject to rougher

treatment than either the house or kitchen-maid, especially in her

earlier career: she starts in life, probably a girl of thirteen, with

some small tradesman's wife as her mistress, just a step above her in

the social scale; and although the class contains among them many

excellent, kind-hearted women, it also contains some very rough

specimens of the feminine gender, and to some of these it occasionally

falls to give our maid-of-all-work her first lessons in her multifarious

occupations: the mistress's commands are the measure of the

maid-of-all-work's duties. By the time she has become a tolerable

servant, she is probably engaged in some respectable tradesman's house,

where she has to rise with the lark, for she has to do in her own person

all the work which in larger establishments is performed by cook,

kitchen-maid, and housemaid, and occasionally the part of a footman's

duty, which consists in carrying messages.

2341. The general servant's duties commence by opening the shutters (and

windows, if the weather permits) of all the lower apartments in the

house; she should then brush up her kitchen-range, light the fire, clear

away the ashes, clean the hearth, and polish with a leather the bright

parts of the range, doing all as rapidly and as vigorously as possible,

that no more time be wasted than is necessary. After putting on the

kettle, she should then proceed to the dining-room or parlour to get it

in order for breakfast. She should first roll up the rug, take up the

fender, shake and fold up the table-cloth, then sweep the room, carrying

the dirt towards the fireplace; a coarse cloth should then be laid down

over the carpet, and she should proceed to clean the grate, having all

her utensils close to her. When the grate is finished, the ashes cleared

away, the hearth cleaned, and the fender put back in its place, she must

dust the furniture, not omitting the legs of the tables and chairs; and

if there are any ornaments or things on the sideboard, she must not dust

round them, but lift them up on to another place, dust well where they

have been standing, and then replace the things. Nothing annoys a

particular mistress so much as to find, when she comes down stairs,

different articles of furniture looking as if they had never been

dusted. If the servant is at all methodical, and gets into a habit of

_doing_ a room in a certain way, she will scarcely ever leave her duties

neglected. After the rug is put down, the table-cloth arranged, and

everything in order, she should lay the cloth for breakfast, and then

shut the dining-room door.

2342. The hall must now be swept, the mats shaken, the door-step

cleaned, and any brass knockers or handles polished up with the leather.

If the family breakfast very early, the tidying of the hall must then be

deferred till after that meal. After cleaning the boots that are

absolutely required, the servant should now wash her hands and face, put

on a clean white apron, and be ready for her mistress when she comes

down stairs. In families where there is much work to do before

breakfast, the master of the house frequently has two pairs of boots in

wear, so that they may be properly cleaned when the servant has more

time to do them, in the daytime. This arrangement is, perhaps, scarcely

necessary in the summer-time, when there are no grates to clean every

morning; but in the dark days of winter it is only kind and thoughtful

to lighten a servant-of-all-work's duties as much as possible.

[Illustration: BLACKING-BRUSH BOX.]

2343. She will now carry the urn into the dining-room, where her

mistress will make the tea or coffee, and sometimes will boil the eggs,

to insure them being done to her liking. In the mean time the servant

cooks, if required, the bacon, kidneys, fish, &c.;--if cold meat is to

be served, she must always send it to table on a clean dish, and nicely

garnished with tufts of parsley, if this is obtainable.

2344. After she has had her own breakfast, and whilst the family are

finishing theirs, she should go upstairs into the bedrooms, open all the

windows, strip the clothes off the beds, and leave them to air whilst

she is clearing away the breakfast things. She should then take up the

crumbs in a dustpan from under the table, put the chairs in their

places, and sweep up the hearth.

2345. The breakfast things washed up, the kitchen should be tidied, so

that it may be neat when her mistress comes in to give the orders for

the day: after receiving these orders, the servant should go upstairs

again, with a jug of boiling water, the slop-pail, and two cloths. After

emptying the slops, and scalding the vessels with the boiling water, and

wiping them thoroughly dry, she should wipe the top of the wash-table

and arrange it all in order. She then proceeds to make the beds, in

which occupation she is generally assisted by the mistress, or, if she

have any daughters, by one of them. Before commencing to make the bed,

the servant should put on a large bed-apron, kept for this purpose only,

which should be made very wide, to button round the waist and meet

behind, while it should be made as long as the dress. By adopting this

plan, the blacks and dirt on servants' dresses (which at all times it is

impossible to help) will not rub off on to the bed-clothes, mattresses,

and bed furniture. When the beds are made, the rooms should be dusted,

the stairs lightly swept down, hall furniture, closets, &c., dusted. The

lady of the house, where there is but one servant kept, frequently takes

charge of the drawing-room herself, that is to say, dusting it; the

servant sweeping, cleaning windows, looking-glasses, grates, and rough

work of that sort. If there are many ornaments and knick-knacks about

the room, it is certainly better for the mistress to dust these herself,

as a maid-of-all-work's hands are not always in a condition to handle

delicate ornaments.

2346. Now she has gone the rounds of the house and seen that all is in

order, the servant goes to her kitchen to see about the cooking of the

dinner, in which very often her mistress will assist her. She should put

on a coarse apron with a bib to do her dirty work in, which may be

easily replaced by a white one if required.

2347. Half an hour before dinner is ready, she should lay the cloth,

that everything may be in readiness when she is dishing up the dinner,

and take all into the dining-room that is likely to be required, in the

way of knives, forks, spoons, bread, salt, water, &c. &c. By exercising

a little forethought, much confusion and trouble may be saved both to

mistress and servant, by getting everything ready for the dinner in good

time.

2348. After taking in the dinner, when every one is seated, she removes

the covers, hands the plates round, and pours out the beer; and should

be careful to hand everything on the left side of the person she is

waiting on.

2349. We need scarcely say that a maid-of-all-work cannot stay in the

dining-room during the whole of dinner-time, as she must dish up her

pudding, or whatever is served after the first course. When she sees

every one helped, she should leave the room to make her preparations for

the next course; and anything that is required, such as bread, &c.,

people may assist themselves to in the absence of the servant.

2350. When the dinner things are cleared away, the servant should sweep

up the crumbs in the dining-room, sweep the hearth, and lightly dust the

furniture, then sit down to her own dinner.

[Illustration: KNIFE-CLEANING MACHINE]

2351. After this, she washes up and puts away the dinner things, sweeps

the kitchen, dusts and tidies it, and puts on the kettle for tea. She

should now, before dressing herself for the afternoon, clean her knives,

boots, and shoes, and do any other dirty work in the scullery that may

be necessary. Knife-cleaning machines are rapidly taking the place, in

most households, of the old knife-board. The saving of labour by the

knife-cleaner is very great, and its performance of the work is very

satisfactory. Small and large machines are manufactured, some cleaning

only four knives, whilst others clean as many as twelve at once. Nothing

can be more simple than the process of machine knife-cleaning; and

although, in a very limited household, the substitution of the machine

for the board may not be necessary, yet we should advise all

housekeepers, to whom the outlay is not a difficulty, to avail

themselves of the services of a machine. We have already spoken of its

management in the "Duties of the Footman," No. 2177.

2352. When the servant is dressed, she takes in the tea, and after tea

turns down the beds, sees that the water-jugs and bottles are full,

closes the windows, and draws down the blinds. If the weather is very

warm, these are usually left open until the last thing at night, to cool

the rooms.

2353. The routine of a general servant's duties depends upon the kind of

situation she occupies; but a systematic maid-of-all-work should so

contrive to divide her work, that every day in the week may have its

proper share. By this means she is able to keep the house clean with

less fatigue to herself than if she left all the cleaning to do at the

end of the week. Supposing there are five bedrooms in the house, two

sitting-rooms, kitchen, scullery, and the usual domestic offices:--on

Monday she should thoroughly clean the drawing-room; on Tuesday, two of

the bedrooms; on Wednesday, two more; on Thursday, the other bedroom and

stairs; on Friday morning she should sweep the dining-room very

thoroughly, clean the hall, and in the afternoon her kitchen tins and

bright utensils. By arranging her work in this manner, no undue

proportion will fall to Saturday's share, and she will then have this

day for cleaning plate, cleaning her kitchen, and arranging everything

in nice order. The regular work must, of course, be performed in the

usual manner, as we have endeavoured to describe.

2354. Before retiring to bed, she will do well to clean up glasses,

plates, &c. which have been used for the evening meal, and prepare for

her morning's work by placing her wood near the fire, on the hob, to

dry, taking care there is no danger of it igniting, before she leaves

the kitchen for the night. Before retiring, she will have to lock and

bolt the doors, unless the master undertakes this office himself.

2355. If the washing, or even a portion of it, is done at home, it will

be impossible for the maid-of-all-work to do her household duties

thoroughly, during the time it is about, unless she have some

assistance. Usually, if all the washing is done at home, the mistress

hires some one to assist at the wash-tub, and sees to little matters

herself, in the way of dusting, clearing away breakfast things, folding,

starching, and ironing the fine things. With a little management much

can be accomplished, provided the mistress be industrious, energetic,

and willing to lend a helping hand. Let washing-week be not the excuse

for having everything in a muddle; and although "things" cannot be

cleaned so thoroughly, and so much time spent upon them, as ordinarily,

yet the house may be kept tidy and clear from litter without a great

deal of exertion either on the part of the mistress or servant. We will

conclude our remarks with an extract from an admirably-written book,

called "Home Truths for Home Peace." The authoress says, with respect to

the great wash--"Amongst all the occasions in which it is most difficult

and glorious to keep muddle out of a family, 'the great wash' stands

pre-eminent; and as very little money is now saved by having

_everything_ done at home, many ladies, with the option of taking

another servant or putting out the chief part of the washing, have

thankfully adopted the latter course." She goes on to say--"When a

gentleman who dines at home can't bear washing in the house, but gladly

pays for its being done elsewhere, the lady should gratefully submit to

his wishes, and put out anything in her whole establishment rather than

put out a good and generous husband."

2356. A bustling and active girl will always find time to do a little

needlework for herself, if she lives with consistent and reasonable

people. In the summer evenings she should manage to sit down for two or

three hours, and for a short time in the afternoon in leisure days. A

general servant's duties are so multifarious, that unless she be quick

and active, she will not be able to accomplish this. To discharge these

various duties properly is a difficult task, and sometimes a thankless

office; but it must be remembered that a good maid-of-all-work will make

a good servant in any capacity, and may be safely taken not only without

fear of failure, but with every probability of giving satisfaction to

her employer.

DUTIES OF THE DAIRY-MAID.

2357. The duties of the dairy-maid differ considerably in different

districts. In Scotland, Wales, and some of the northern counties, women

milk the cows. On some of the large dairy farms in other parts of

England, she takes her share in the milking, but in private families the

milking is generally performed by the cowkeeper, and the dairy-maid only

receives the milkpails from him morning and night, and empties and

cleans them preparatory to the next milking; her duty being to supply

the family with milk, cream, and butter, and other luxuries depending on

the "milky mothers" of the herd.

2358. _The Dairy._--The object with which gentlemen keep cows is

to procure milk unadulterated, and sweet butter, for themselves

and families: in order to obtain this, however, great

cleanliness is required, and as visitors, as well as the

mistress of the house, sometimes visit the dairy, some efforts

are usually made to render it ornamental and picturesque. The

locality is usually fixed near to the house; it should neither

be exposed to the fierce heat of the summer's sun nor to the

equally unfavourable frosts of winter--it must be both sheltered

and shaded. If it is a building apart from the house and other

offices, the walls should be tolerably thick, and if hollow, the

temperature will be more equable. The walls inside are usually

covered with Dutch glazed tiles; the flooring also of glazed

tiles set in asphalte, to resist water; and the ceiling, lath

and plaster, or closely-jointed woodwork, painted. Its

architecture will be a matter of fancy: it should have a

northern aspect, and a thatched roof is considered most

suitable, from the shade and shelter it affords; and it should

contain at least two apartments, besides a cool place for

storing away butter. One of the apartments, in which the milk is

placed to deposit cream, or to ripen for churning, is usually

surrounded by shelves of marble or slate, on which the

milk-dishes rest; but it will be found a better plan to have a

large square or round table of stone in the centre, with a

water-tight ledge all round it, in which water may remain in hot

weather, or, if some attempt at the picturesque is desired, a

small fountain might occupy the centre, which would keep the

apartment cool and fresh. Round this table the milk-dishes

should be ranged; one shelf, or dresser, of slate or marble,

being kept for the various occupations of the dairy-maid: it

will be found a better plan than putting them on shelves and

corners against the wall. There should be a funnel or ventilator

in the ceiling, communicating with the open air, made to open

and shut as required. Double windows are recommended, but of the

lattice kind, so that they may open, and with wire-gauze blinds

fitted into the opening, and calico blinds, which may be wetted

when additional coolness is required. The other apartment will

be used for churning, washing, and scrubbing--in fact, the

scullery of the dairy, with a boiler for hot water, and a sink

with cold water laid on, which should be plentiful and good. In

some dairies a third apartment, or, at least, a cool airy

pantry, is required for storing away butter, with shelves of

marble or slate, to hold the cream-jars while it is ripening;

and where cheeses are made, a fourth becomes necessary. The

dairy utensils are not numerous,--_churns_, _milk-pails_ for

each cow, _hair-sieves_, _slices of tin_, milk-pans, marble

dishes for cream for family use, scales and weights, a portable

rack for drying the utensils, _wooden bowls_, butter-moulds and

butter-patters, and _wooden tubs_ for washing the utensils,

comprising pretty nearly everything.

2359. _Pails_ are made of maple-wood or elm, and hooped, or of

tin, more or less ornamented. One is required for each cow.

2360. The _Hair-Sieve_ is made of closely-twisted horse-hair,

with a rim, through which the milk is strained to remove any

hairs which may have dropped from the cow in milking.

2361. _Milk-Dishes_ are shallow basins of glass, of glazed

earthenware, or tin, about 16 inches in diameter at top, and 12

at the bottom, and 5 or 6 inches deep, holding about 8 to 10

quarts each when full.

2362. _Churns_ are of all sorts and sizes, from that which

churns 70 or 80 gallons by means of a strap from the engine, to

the square box in which a pound of butter is made. The churn

used for families is a square box, 18 inches by 12 or 13, and 17

deep, bevelled below to the plane of the _dashers_, with a loose

lid or cover. The dasher consists of an axis of wood, to which

the four beaters or fanners are attached; these fans are simply

four pieces of elm strongly dovetailed together, forming an

oblong square, with a space left open, two of the openings being

left broader than the others; attached to an axle, they form an

axis with four projecting blades; the axle fits into supports at

the centre of the box; a handle is fitted to it, and the act of

churning is done by turning the handle.

2363. Such is the temple in which the dairy-maid presides: it

should be removed both from stable and cowhouse, and larder; no

animal smells should come near it, and the drainage should be

perfect.

2364. The dairy-maid receives the milk from the cowkeeper, each pail

being strained through the hair-sieve into one of the milk-basins. This

is left in the basins from twenty-four to thirty-six hours in the

summer, according to the weather; after which it is skimmed off by means

of the slicer, and poured into glazed earthenware jars to "turn" for

churning. Some persons prefer making up a separate churning for the milk

of each cow; in which there is some advantage. In this case the basins

of each cow, for two days, would either be kept together or labelled. As

soon as emptied, the pails should be scalded and every particle of milk

washed out, and placed away in a dry place till next required; and all

milk spilt on the floor, or on the table or dresser, cleaned up with a

cloth and hot water. Where very great attention is paid to the dairy,

the milk-coolers are used larger in winter, when it is desirable to

retard the cooling down and increase the creamy deposit, and smaller in

summer, to hasten it; the temperature required being from 55° to 50°, In

summer it is sometimes expedient, in very sultry weather, to keep the

dairy fresh and cool by suspending cloths dipped in chloride of lime

across the room.

2365. In some dairies it is usual to churn twice, and in others three

times a week: the former produces the best butter, the other the

greatest quantity. With three cows, the produce should be 27 to 30

quarts a day. The dairy-maid should churn every day when very hot, if

they are in full milk, and every second day in more temperate weather;

besides supplying the milk and cream required for a large establishment.

The churning should always be done in the morning: the dairy-maid will

find it advantageous in being at work on churning mornings by five

o'clock. The operation occupies from 20 minutes to half an hour in

summer, and considerably longer in winter. A steady uniform motion is

necessary to produce sweet butter; neither too quick nor too slow. Rapid

motion causes the cream to heave and swell, from too much air being

forced into it: the result is a tedious churning, and soft, bad-coloured

butter.

2366. In spring and summer, when the cow has her natural food, no

artificial colour is required; but in winter, under stall-feeding, the

colour is white and tallowy, and some persons prefer a higher colour.

This is communicated by mixing a little finely-powdered arnotto with the

cream before putting it into the churn; a still more, natural and

delicate colour is communicated by scraping a red carrot into a clean

piece of linen cloth, dipping it into water, and squeezing it into the

cream.

2367. As soon as the butter comes, the milk is poured off, and the

butter put into a shallow wooden tub or bowl, full of pure spring water,

in which it is washed and kneaded, pouring off the water, and renewing

it until it comes away perfectly free from milk. Imperfect washing is

the frequent cause of bad butter, and in nothing is the skill of the

dairy-maid tested more than in this process; moreover, it is one in

which cleanliness of habits and person are most necessary. In this

operation we want the aid of Phyllis's neat, soft, and perfectly clean

hand; for no mechanical operation can so well squeeze out the sour

particles of milk or curd.

2368. The operations of churning and butter-making over, the butter-milk

is disposed of: usually, in England, it goes to the pigs; but it is a,

very wholesome beverage when fresh, and some persons like it; the

disposal, therefore, will rest with the mistress: the dairy-maid's duty

is to get rid of it. She must then scald with boiling water and scrub

out every utensil she has used; brush out the churn, clean out the

cream-jars, which will probably require the use of a little common soda

to purify; wipe all dry, and place them in a position where the sun can

reach them for a short time, to sweeten them.

2369. In Devonshire, celebrated for its dairy system, the milk

is always scalded. The milk-pans, which are of tin, and contain

from 10 to 12 quarts, after standing 10 or 12 hours, are placed

on a hot plate of iron, over a stove, until the cream has formed

on the surface, which is indicated by the air-bubbles rising

through the milk, and producing blisters on the surface-coating

of cream. This indicates its approach to the boiling point: and

the vessel is now removed to cool. When sufficiently, that is,

quite cool, the cream is skimmed off with the slice: it is now

the clouted cream for which Devonshire is so famous. It is now

placed in the churn, and churned until the butter comes, which

it generally does in a much shorter time than by the other

process. The butter so made contains more _caseine_ than butter

made in the usual way, but does not keep so long.

2370. It is a question frequently discussed, how far it is economical

for families to keep cows and make their own butter. It is calculated

that a good cow costs from May 1 to October 1, when well but

economically kept, £5. 16s. 6d; and from October 1 to April 30, £10. 2s.

6d. During that time she should produce 227 lbs. of butter, besides the

skimmed milk. Of course, if new milk and cream are required, that will

diminish the quantity of butter.

2371. Besides churning and keeping her dairy in order, the dairy-maid

has charge of the whole produce, handing it over to the cook, butler, or

housemaid as required; and she will do well to keep an exact account

both of what she receives and how and when she disposes of it.

DUTIES OF THE LAUNDRY-MAID.

2372. The laundry-maid is charged with the duty of washing and

getting-up the family linen,--a situation of great importance where the

washing is all done at home; but in large towns, where there is little

convenience for bleaching and drying, it is chiefly done by professional

laundresses and companies, who apply mechanical and chemical processes

to the purpose. These processes, however, are supposed to injure the

fabric of the linen; and in many families the fine linen, cottons, and

muslins, are washed and got-up at home, even where the bulk of the

washing is given out. In country and suburban houses, where greater

conveniences exist, washing at home is more common,--in country places

universal.

2373. The laundry establishment consists of a washing-house, an ironing

and drying-room, and sometimes a drying-closet heated by furnaces. The

washing-house will probably be attached to the kitchen; but it is better

that it should be completely detached from it, and of one story, with a

funnel or shaft to carry off the steam. It will be of a size

proportioned to the extent of the washing to be done. A range of tubs,

either round or oblong, opposite to, and sloping towards, the light,

narrower at the bottom than the top, for convenience in stooping over,

and fixed at a height suited to the convenience of the women using them;

each tub having a tap for hot and cold water, and another in the bottom,

communicating with the drains, for drawing off foul water. A boiler and

furnace, proportioned in size to the wants of the family, should also be

fixed. The flooring should be York stone, laid on brick piers, with good

drainage, or asphalte, sloping gently towards a gutter connected with

the drain.

2374. Adjoining the bleaching-house, a second room, about the same size,

is required for ironing, drying, and mangling. The contents of this room

should comprise an ironing-board, opposite to the light; a strong white

deal table, about twelve or fourteen feet long, and about three and a

half feet broad, with drawers for ironing-blankets; a mangle in one

corner, and clothes-horses for drying and airing; cupboards for holding

the various irons, starch, and other articles used in ironing; a

hot-plate built in the chimney, with furnace beneath it for heating the

irons; sometimes arranged with a flue for carrying the hot air round the

room for drying. Where this is the case, however, there should be a

funnel in the ceiling for ventilation and carrying off steam; but a

better arrangement is to have a hot-air closet adjoining, heated by

hot-air pipes, and lined with iron, with proper arrangements for

carrying off steam, and clothes-horses on castors running in grooves, to

run into it for drying purposes. This leaves the laundry free from

unwholesome vapour.

2375. The laundry-maid should commence her labours on Monday morning by

a careful examination of the articles committed to her care, and enter

them in the washing-book; separating the white linen and collars, sheets

and body-linen, into one heap, fine muslins into another, coloured

cotton and linen fabrics into a third, woollens into a fourth, and the

coarser kitchen and other greasy cloths into a fifth. Every article

should be examined for ink- or grease-spots, or for fruit- or

wine-stains. Ink-spots are removed by dipping the part into hot water,

and then spreading it smoothly on the hand or on the back of a spoon,

pouring a few drops of oxalic acid or salts of sorel over the ink-spot,

rubbing and rinsing it in cold water till removed; grease-spots, by

rubbing over with yellow soap, and rinsing in hot water; fruit- and

wine-spots, by dipping in a solution of sal ammonia or spirits of wine,

and rinsing.

2376. Every article having been examined and assorted, the sheets and

fine linen should be placed in one of the tubs and just covered with

lukewarm water, in which a little soda has been dissolved and mixed, and

left there to soak till the morning. The greasy cloths and dirtier

things should be laid to soak in another tub, in a liquor composed of

1/2 lb. of unslaked lime to every 6 quarts of water which has been

boiled for two hours, then left to settle, and strained off when clear.

Each article should be rinsed in this liquor to wet it thoroughly, and

left to soak till the morning, just covered by it when the things are

pressed together. Coppers and boilers should now be filled, and the

fires laid ready to light.

2377. Early on the following morning the fires should be lighted, and as

soon as hot water can be procured, washing commenced; the sheets and

body-linen being wanted to whiten in the morning, should be taken first;

each article being removed in succession from the lye in which it has

been soaking, rinsed, rubbed, and wrung, and laid aside until the tub is

empty, when the foul water is drawn off. The tub should be again filled

with luke-warm water, about 80°, in which the articles should again be

plunged, and each gone over carefully with soap, and rubbed. Novices in

the art sometimes rub the linen against the skin; more experienced

washerwomen rub one linen surface against the other, which saves their

hands, and enables them to continue their labour much longer, besides

economizing time, two parts being thus cleaned at once.

2378. After this first washing, the linen should be put into a second

water as hot as the hand can bear, and again rubbed over in every part,

examining every part for spots not yet moved, which require to be again

soaped over and rubbed till thoroughly clean; then rinsed and wrung, the

larger and stronger articles by two of the women; the smaller and more

delicate articles requiring gentler treatment.

2379. In order to remove every particle of soap, and produce a good

colour, they should now be placed, and boiled for about an hour and a

half in the copper, in which soda, in the proportion of a teaspoonful to

every two gallons of water, has been dissolved. Some very careful

laundresses put the linen into a canvas bag to protect it from the scum

and the sides of the copper. When taken out, it should again be rinsed,

first in clean hot water, and then in abundance of cold water slightly

tinged with fig-blue, and again wrung dry. It should now be removed from

the washing-house and hung up to dry or spread out to bleach, if there

are conveniences for it; and the earlier in the day this is done, the

clearer and whiter will be the linen.

2380. Coloured muslins, cottons, and linens, require a milder treatment;

any application of soda will discharge the colour, and soaking all

night, even in pure water, deteriorates the more delicate tints. When

ready for washing, if not too dirty, they should be put into cold water

and washed very speedily, using the common yellow soap, which should be

rinsed off immediately. One article should be washed at a time, and

rinsed out immediately before any others are wetted. When washed

thoroughly, they should be rinsed in succession in soft water, in which

common salt has been dissolved, in the proportion of a handful to three

or four gallons, and afterwards wrung gently, as soon as rinsed, with as

little twisting as possible, and then hung out to dry. Delicate-coloured

articles should not be exposed to the sun, but dried in the shade, using

clean lines and wooden pegs.

2381. Woollen articles are liable to shrink, unless the flannel has been

well shrunk before making up. This liability is increased where very hot

water is used: cold water would thus be the best to wash woollens in;

but, as this would not remove the dirt, lukewarm water, about 85°, and

yellow soap, are recommended. When thoroughly washed in this, they

require a good deal of rinsing in cold water, to remove the soap.

2382. Greasy cloths, which have soaked all night in the liquid

described, should be now washed out with soap-and-water as hot as the

hands can bear, first in one water, and rinsed out in a second; and

afterwards boiled for two hours in water in which a little soda is

dissolved. When taken out, they should be rinsed in cold water, and laid

out or hung up to dry.

2383. Silk handkerchiefs require to be washed alone. When they contain

snuff, they should be soaked by themselves in lukewarm water two or

three hours; they should be rinsed out and put to soak with the others

in cold water for an hour or two; then washed in lukewarm water, being

soaped as they are washed. If this does not remove all stains, they

should be washed a second time in similar water, and, when finished,

rinsed in soft water in which a handful of common salt has been

dissolved. In washing stuff or woollen dresses, the band at the waist

and the lining at the bottom should be removed, and wherever it is

gathered into folds; and, in furniture, the hems and gatherings. A black

silk dress, if very dirty, must be washed; but, if only soiled, soaking

for four-and-twenty hours will do; if old and rusty, a pint of common

spirits should be mixed with each gallon of water, which is an

improvement under any circumstances. Whether soaked or washed, it should

be hung up to drain, and dried without wringing.

2384. Satin and silk ribbons, both white and coloured, may be cleaned in

the same manner.

2385. Silks, when washed, should be dried in the shade, on a

linen-horse, taking care that they are kept smooth and unwrinkled. If

black or blue, they will be improved if laid again on the table, when

dry, and sponged with gin, or whiskey, or other white spirit.

2386. The operations should be concluded by rinsing the tubs, cleaning

the coppers, scrubbing the floors of the washing-house, and restoring

everything to order and cleanliness.

2387. Thursday and Friday, in a laundry in full employ, are usually

devoted to mangling, starching, and ironing.

2388. Linen, cotton, and other fabrics, after being washed and dried,

are made smooth and glossy by mangling and by ironing. The mangling

process, which is simply passing them between rollers subjected to a

very considerable pressure, produced by weight, is confined to sheets,

towels, table-linen, and similar articles, which are without folds or

plaits. Ironing is necessary to smooth body-linen, and made-up articles

of delicate texture or gathered into folds. The mangle is too well known

to need description.

2389. _Ironing_.--The irons consist of the common flat-iron,

which is of different sizes, varying from 4 to 10 inches in

length, triangular in form, and from 2-1/2 to 4-1/2 inches in

width at the broad end; the oval iron, which is used for more

delicate articles; and the box-iron, which is hollow, and heated

by a red-hot iron inserted into the box. The Italian iron is a

hollow tube, smooth on the outside, and raised on a slender

pedestal with a footstalk. Into the hollow cylinder a red-hot

iron is pushed, which heats it; and the smooth outside of the

latter is used, on which articles such as frills, and plaited

articles, are drawn. Crimping- and gauffering-machines are used

for a kind of plaiting where much regularity is required, the

articles being passed through two iron rollers fluted so as to

represent the kind of plait or fold required.

2390. Starching is a process by which stiffness is communicated to

certain parts of linen, as the collar and front of shirts, by dipping

them in a paste made of starch boiled in water, mixed with a little gum

Arabic, where extra stiffness is required.

TO MAKE STARCH.

2391. INGREDIENTS.--Allow 1/2 pint of cold water and 1 quart of boiling

water to every 2 tablespoonfuls of starch.

_Mode_.--Put the starch into a tolerably large basin; pour over it the

cold water, and stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon until it is

perfectly free from lumps, and quite smooth. Then take the basin to the

fire, and whilst the water is _actually boiling_ in the kettle or

boiler, pour it over the starch, stirring it the whole time. If made

properly in this manner, the starch will require no further boiling; but

should the water not be boiling when added to the starch, it will not

thicken, and must be put into a clean saucepan, and stirred over the

fire until it boils. Take it off the fire, strain it into a clean basin,

cover it up to prevent a skin forming on the top, and, when sufficiently

cool that the hand may be borne in it, starch the things. Many persons,

to give a shiny and smooth appearance to the linen when ironed, stir

round two or three times in the starch a piece of wax candle, which also

prevents the iron from sticking.

2392. When the "things to be starched" are washed, dried, and taken off

the lines, they should be dipped into the hot starch made as directed,

squeezed out of it, and then just dipped into cold water, and

immediately squeezed dry. If fine things be wrung, or roughly used, they

are very liable to tear; so too much care cannot be exercised in this

respect. If the article is lace, clap it between the hands a few times,

which will assist to clear it; then have ready laid out on the table a

large clean towel or cloth; shake out the starched things, lay them on

the cloth, and roll it up tightly, and let it remain for three or fours,

when the things will be ready to iron.

2393. To be able to iron properly requires much practice and experience.

Strict cleanliness with all the ironing utensils must be observed, as,

if this is not the case, not the most expert ironer will be able to make

her things look clear and free from smears, &c. After wiping down her

ironing table, the laundry-maid should place a coarse cloth on it, and

over that the ironing-blanket, with her stand and iron-rubber; and

having ascertained that her irons are quite clean and of the right heat,

she proceeds with her work.

2394. It is a good plan to try the heat of the iron on a coarse cloth or

apron before ironing anything fine: there is then no danger of

scorching. For ironing fine things, such as collars, cuffs, muslins, and

laces, there is nothing so clean and nice to use as the box-iron; the

bottom being bright, and never placed near the fire, it is always

perfectly clean; it should, however, be kept in a dry place, for fear of

its rusting. Gauffering-tongs or irons must be placed in a clear fire

for a minute, then withdrawn, wiped with a coarse rubber, and the heat

of them tried on a piece of paper, as, unless great care is taken, these

will very soon scorch.

2395. The skirts of muslin dresses should be ironed on a skirt-board

covered with flannel, and the fronts of shirts on a smaller board, also

covered with flannel; this board being placed between the back and

front.

2396. After things are mangled, they should also be ironed in the folds

and gathers; dinner-napkins smoothed over, as also table-cloths,

pillow-cases, and sometimes sheets. The bands of flannel petticoats, and

shoulder-straps to flannel waistcoats, must also undergo the same

process.

UPPER AND UNDER NURSEMAIDS.

2397. The nursery is of great importance in every family, and in

families of distinction, where there are several young children, it is

an establishment kept apart from the rest of the family, under the

charge of an upper nurse, assisted by under nursery-maids proportioned

to the work to be done. The responsible duties of upper nursemaid

commence with the weaning of the child: it must now be separated from

the mother or wet-nurse, at least for a time, and the cares of the

nursemaid, which have hitherto been only occasionally put in

requisition, are now to be entirely devoted to the infant. She washes,

dresses, and feeds it; walks out with it, and regulates all its little

wants; and, even at this early age, many good qualities are required to

do so in a satisfactory manner. Patience and good temper are

indispensable qualities; truthfulness, purity of manners, minute

cleanliness, and docility and obedience, almost equally so. She ought

also to be acquainted with the art of ironing and trimming little caps,

and be handy with her needle.

2398. There is a considerable art in carrying an infant

comfortably for itself and for the nursemaid. If she carry it

always seated upright on her arm, and presses it too closely

against her chest, the stomach of the child is apt to get

compressed, and the back fatigued. For her own comfort, a good

nurse will frequently vary this position, by changing from one

arm to the other, and sometimes by laying it across both,

raising the head a little. When teaching it to walk, and guiding

it by the hand, she should change the hand from time to time, so

as to avoid raising one shoulder higher than the other. This is

the only way in which a child should be taught to walk;

leading-strings and other foolish inventions, which force an

infant to make efforts, with its shoulders and head forward,

before it knows how to use its limbs, will only render it

feeble, and retard its progress.

2399. Most children have some bad habit, of which they must be

broken; but this is never accomplished by harshness without

developing worse evils: kindness, perseverance, and patience in

the nurse, are here of the utmost importance. When

finger-sucking is one of these habits, the fingers are sometimes

rubbed with bitter aloes, or some equally disagreeable

substance. Others have dirty habits, which are only to be

changed by patience, perseverance, and, above all, by regularity

in the nurse. She should never be permitted to inflict

punishment on these occasions, or, indeed, on any occasion. But,

if punishment is to be avoided, it is still more necessary that

all kinds of indulgences and flattery be equally forbidden.

Yielding to all the whims of a child,--picking up its toys when

thrown away in mere wantonness, would be intolerable. A child

should never be led to think others inferior to it, to beat a

dog, or even the stone against which it falls, as some children

are taught to do by silly nurses. Neither should the nurse

affect or show alarm at any of the little accidents which must

inevitably happen: if it falls, treat it as a trifle; otherwise

she encourages a spirit of cowardice and timidity. But she will

take care that such accidents are not of frequent occurrence, or

the result of neglect.

2400. The nurse should keep the child as clean as possible, and

particularly she should train it to habits of cleanliness, so

that it should feel uncomfortable when otherwise; watching

especially that it does not soil itself in eating. At the same

time, vanity in its personal appearance is not to be encouraged

by over-care in this respect, or by too tight lacing or

buttoning of dresses, nor a small foot cultivated by the use of

tight shoes.

2401. Nursemaids would do well to repeat to the parents

faithfully and truly the defects they observe in the

dispositions of very young children. If properly checked in

time, evil propensities may be eradicated; but this should not

extend to anything but serious defects; otherwise, the intuitive

perceptions which all children possess will construe the act

into "spying" and "informing," which should never be resorted to

in the case of children, nor, indeed, in any case.

2402. Such are the cares which devolve upon the nursemaid, and it is her

duty to fulfil them personally. In large establishments she will have

assistants proportioned to the number of children of which she has the

care. The under nursemaid lights the fires, sweeps, scours, and dusts

the rooms, and makes the beds; empties slops, and carries up water;

brings up and removes the nursery meals; washes and dresses all the

children, except the infant, and assists in mending. Where there is a

nursery girl to assist, she does the rougher part of the cleaning; and

all take their meals in the nursery together, after the children of the

family have done.

2403. In smaller families, where there is only one nursemaid kept, she

is assisted by the housemaid, or servant-of-all-work, who will do the

rougher part of the work, and carry up the nursery meals. In such

circumstances she will be more immediately under the eye of her

mistress, who will probably relieve her from some of the cares of the

infant. In higher families, the upper nurse is usually permitted to sup

or dine occasionally at the housekeeper's table by way of relaxation,

when the children are all well, and her subordinates trustworthy.

2404. Where the nurse has the entire charge of the nursery, and the

mother is too much occupied to do more than pay a daily visit to it, it

is desirable that she be a person of observation, and possess some

acquaintance with the diseases incident to childhood, as also with such

simple remedies as may be useful before a medical attendant can be

procured, or where such attendance is not considered necessary. All

these little ailments are preceded by symptoms so minute as to be only

perceptible to close observation; such as twitching of the brows,

restless sleep, grinding the gums, and, in some inflammatory diseases,

even to the child abstaining from crying, from fear of the increased

pain produced by the movement. Dentition, or cutting the teeth, is

attended with many of these symptoms. Measles, thrush, scarlatina,

croup, hooping-cough, and other childish complaints, are all preceded by

well-known symptoms, which may be alleviated and rendered less virulent

by simple remedies instantaneously applied.

2405. _Dentition_ is usually the first serious trouble, bringing many

other disorders in its train. The symptoms are most perceptible to the

mother: the child sucks feebly, and with gums hot, inflamed, and

swollen. In this case, relief is yielded by rubbing them from time to

time with a little of Mrs. Johnson's soothing syrup, a valuable and

perfectly safe medicine. Selfish and thoughtless nurses, and mothers

too, sometimes give cordials and sleeping-draughts, whose effects are

too well known.

2406. _Convulsion Fits_ sometimes follow the feverish restlessness

produced by these causes; in which case a hot bath should be

administered without delay, and the lower parts of the body rubbed, the

bath being as hot as it can be without scalding the tender skin; at the

same time, the doctor should be sent for immediately, for no nurse

should administer medicine in this case, unless the fits have been

repeated and the doctor has left directions with her how to act.

2407. _Croup_ is one of the most alarming diseases of childhood; it is

accompanied with a hoarse, croaking, ringing cough, and comes on very

suddenly, and most so in strong, robust children. A very hot bath should

be instantly administered, followed by an emetic, either in the form of

tartar-emetic, croup-powder, or a teaspoonful of ipecacuanha, wrapping

the body warmly up in flannel after the bath. The slightest delay in

administering the bath, or the emetic, may be fatal; hence, the

importance of nurses about very young children being acquainted with the

symptoms.

2408. _Hooping-Cough_ is generally preceded by the moaning noise during

sleep, which even adults threatened with the disorder cannot avoid: it

is followed by violent fits of coughing, which little can be done to

relieve. A child attacked by this disorder should be kept as much as

possible in the fresh, pure air, but out of draughts, and kept warm, and

supplied with plenty of nourishing food. Many fatal diseases flow from

this scourge of childhood, and a change to purer air, if possible,

should follow convalescence.

2409. _Worms_ are the torment of some children: the symptoms are, an

unnatural craving for food, even after a full meal; costiveness,

suddenly followed by the reverse; fetid breath, a livid circle under the

eyes, enlarged abdomen, and picking the nose; for which the remedies

must be prescribed by the doctor.

2410. _Measles_ and _Scarlatina_ much resemble each other in their early

stages: headache, restlessness, and fretfulness are the symptoms of

both. Shivering fits, succeeded by a hot skin; pains in the back and

limbs, accompanied by sickness, and, in severe cases, sore throat; pain

about the jaws, difficulty in swallowing, running at the eyes, which

become red and inflamed, while the face is hot and flushed, often

distinguish scarlatina and scarlet fever, of which it is only a mild

form.

2411. While the case is doubtful, a dessert-spoonful of spirit of nitre

diluted in water, given at bedtime, will throw the child into a gentle

perspiration, and will bring out the rash in either case. In measles,

this appears first on the face; in scarlatina, on the chest; and in both

cases a doctor should be called in. In scarlatina, tartar-emetic powder

or ipecacuanha may be administered in the mean time.

2412. In all cases, cleanliness, fresh air, clean utensils, and frequent

washing of the person, both of nurse and children, are even more

necessary in the nursery than in either drawing-room or sick-room,

inasmuch as the delicate organs of childhood are more susceptible of

injury from smells and vapours than adults.

2413. It may not be out of place if we conclude this brief notice of the

duties of a nursemaid, by an extract from Florence Nightingale's

admirable "Notes on Nursing." Referring to children, she says:--

2414. "They are much more susceptible than grown people to all

noxious influences. They are affected by the same things, but

much more quickly and seriously; by want of fresh air, of proper

warmth; want of cleanliness in house, clothes, bedding, or body;

by improper food, want of punctuality, by dulness, by want of

light, by too much or too little covering in bed or when up."

And all this in health; and then she quotes a passage from a

lecture on sudden deaths in infancy, to show the importance of

careful nursing of children:--"In the great majority of

instances, when death suddenly befalls the infant or young

child, it is an _accident_; it is not a necessary, inevitable

result of any disease. That which is known to injure children

most seriously is foul air; keeping the rooms where they sleep

closely shut up is destruction to them; and, if the child's

breathing be disordered by disease, a few hours only of such

foul air may endanger its life, even where no inconvenience is

felt by grown-up persons in the room."

2415. Persons moving in the beat society will see, after

perusing Miss Nightingale's book, that this "foul air," "want of

light," "too much or too little clothing," and improper food, is

not confined to Crown Street or St. Giles's; that Belgravia and

the squares have their north room, where the rays of the sun

never reach. "A wooden bedstead, two or three mattresses piled

up to above the height of the table, a vallance attached to the

frame,--nothing but a miracle could ever thoroughly dry or air

such a bed and bedding,"--is the ordinary bed of a private

house, than which nothing can be more unwholesome. "Don't treat

your children like sick," she sums up; "don't dose them with

tea. Let them eat meat and drink milk, or half a glass of light

beer. Give them fresh, light, sunny, and open rooms, cool

bedrooms, plenty of outdoor exercise, facing even the cold, and

wind, and weather, in sufficiently warm clothes, and with

sufficient exercise, plenty of amusements and play; more

liberty, and less schooling, and cramming, and training; more

attention to food and less to physic."

DUTIES OF THE SICK-NURSE.

2416. All women are likely, at some period of their lives, to be called

on to perform the duties of a sick-nurse, and should prepare themselves

as much as possible, by observation and reading, for the occasion when

they may be required to perform the office. The main requirements are

good temper, compassion for suffering, sympathy with sufferers, which

most women worthy of the name possess, neat-handedness, quiet manners,

love of order, and cleanliness. With these qualifications there will be

very little to be wished for; the desire to relieve suffering will

inspire a thousand little attentions, and surmount the disgusts which

some of the offices attending the sick-room are apt to create. Where

serious illness visits a household, and protracted nursing is likely to

become necessary, a professional nurse will probably be engaged, who has

been trained to its duties; but in some families, and those not a few

let us hope, the ladies of the family would oppose such an arrangement

as a failure of duty on their part. There is, besides, even when a

professional nurse is ultimately called in, a period of doubt and

hesitation, while disease has not yet developed itself, when the patient

must be attended to; and, in these cases, some of the female servants of

the establishment must give their attendance in the sick-room. There

are, also, slight attacks of cold, influenza, and accidents in a

thousand forms, to which all are subject, where domestic nursing becomes

a necessity; where disease, though unattended with danger, is

nevertheless accompanied by the nervous irritation incident to illness,

and when all the attention of the domestic nurse becomes necessary.

2417. In the first stage of sickness, while doubt and a little

perplexity hang over the household as to the nature of the sickness,

there are some things about which no doubt can exist: the patient's room

must be kept in a perfectly pure state, and arrangements made for proper

attendance; for the first canon of nursing, according to Florence

Nightingale, its apostle, is to "keep the air the patient breathes as

pure as the external air, without chilling him." This can be done

without any preparation which might alarm the patient; with proper

windows, open fireplaces, and a supply of fuel, the room may be as fresh

as it is outside, and kept at a temperature suitable for the patient's

state.

2418. Windows, however, must be opened from above, and not from below,

and draughts avoided; cool air admitted beneath the patient's head

chills the lower strata and the floor. The careful nurse will keep the

door shut when the window is open; she will also take care that the

patient is not placed between the door and the open window, nor between

the open fireplace and the window. If confined to bed, she will see that

the bed is placed in a thoroughly ventilated part of the room, but out

of the current of air which is produced by the momentary opening of

doors, as well as out of the line of draught between the window and the

open chimney, and that the temperature of the room is kept about 64°.

Where it is necessary to admit air by the door, the windows should be

closed; but there are few circumstances in which good air can be

obtained through the chamber-door; through it, on the contrary, the

gases generated in the lower parts of the house are likely to be drawn

into the invalid chamber.

2419. These precautions taken, and plain nourishing diet, such as the

patient desires, furnished, probably little more can be done, unless

more serious symptoms present themselves; in which case medical advice

will be sought.

2420. Under no circumstances is ventilation of the sick-room so

essential as in cases of febrile diseases, usually considered

infectious; such as typhus and puerperal fevers, influenza,

hooping-cough, small- and chicken-pox, scarlet fever, measles, and

erysipelas: all these are considered communicable through the air; but

there is little danger of infection being thus communicated, provided

the room is kept thoroughly ventilated. On the contrary, if this

essential be neglected, the power of infection is greatly increased and

concentrated in the confined and impure air; it settles upon the clothes

of the attendants and visitors, especially where they are of wool, and

is frequently communicated to other families in this manner.

2421. Under all circumstances, therefore, the sick-room should be kept

as fresh and sweet as the open air, while the temperature is kept up by

artificial heat, taking care that the fire burns clear, and gives out no

smoke into the room; that the room is perfectly clean, wiped over with a

damp cloth every day, if boarded; and swept, after sprinkling with damp

tea-leaves, or other aromatic leaves, if carpeted; that all utensils are

emptied and cleaned as soon as used, and not once in four-and-twenty

hours, as is sometimes done. "A slop-pail," Miss Nightingale says,

"should never enter a sick-room; everything should be carried direct to

the water-closet, emptied there, and brought up clean; in the best

hospitals the slop-pail is unknown." "I do not approve," says Miss

Nightingale, "of making housemaids of nurses,--that would be waste of

means; but I have seen surgical sisters, women whose hands were worth to

them two or three guineas a week, down on their knees, scouring a room

or hut, because they thought it was not fit for their patients: these

women had the true nurse spirit."

2422. Bad smells are sometimes met by sprinkling a little liquid

chloride of lime on the floor; fumigation by burning pastiles is also a

common expedient for the purification of the sick-room. They are useful,

but only in the sense hinted at by the medical lecturer, who commenced

his lecture thus:--"Fumigations, gentlemen, are of essential importance;

they make so abominable a smell, that they compel you to open the

windows and admit fresh air." In this sense they are useful, but

ineffectual unless the cause be removed, and fresh air admitted.

2423. The sick-room should be quiet; no talking, no gossiping, and,

above all, no whispering,--this is absolute cruelty to the patient; he

thinks his complaint the subject, and strains his ear painfully to catch

the sound. No rustling of dresses, nor creaking shoes either; where the

carpets are taken up, the nurse should wear list shoes, or some other

noiseless material, and her dress should be of soft material that does

not rustle. Miss Nightingale denounces crinoline, and quotes Lord

Melbourne on the subject of women in the sick-room, who said, "I would

rather have men about me, when ill, than women; it requires very strong

health to put up with women." Ungrateful man! but absolute quiet is

necessary in the sick-room.

2424. Never let the patient be waked out of his first sleep by noise,

never roused by anything like a surprise. Always sit in the apartment,

so that the patient has you in view, and that it is not necessary for

him to turn in speaking to you. Never keep a patient standing; never

speak to one while moving. Never lean on the sick-bed. Above all, be

calm and decisive with the patient, and prevent all noises over-head.

2425. A careful nurse, when a patient leaves his bed, will open the

sheets wide, and throw the clothes back so as thoroughly to air the bed;

She will avoid drying or airing anything damp in the sick-room.

2426. "It is another fallacy," says Florence Nightingale, "to suppose

that night air is injurious; a great authority told me that, in London,

the air is never so good as after ten o'clock, when smoke has

diminished; but then it must be air from without, not within, and not

air vitiated by gaseous airs." "A great fallacy prevails also," she

says, in another section, "about flowers poisoning the air of the

sick-room: no one ever saw them over-crowding the sick-room; but, if

they did, they actually absorb carbonic acid and give off oxygen." Cut

flowers also decompose water, and produce oxygen gas. Lilies, and some

other very odorous plants, may perhaps give out smells unsuited to a

close room, while the atmosphere of the sick-room should always be fresh

and natural.

2427. "Patients," says Miss Nightingale, "are sometimes starved in the

midst of plenty, from want of attention to the ways which alone make it

possible for them to take food. A spoonful of beef-tea, or arrowroot and

wine, or some other light nourishing diet, should be given every hour,

for the patient's stomach will reject large supplies. In very weak

patients there is often a nervous difficulty in swallowing, which is

much increased if food is not ready and presented at the moment when it

is wanted: the nurse should be able to discriminate, and know when this

moment is approaching."

2428. Diet suitable for patients will depend, in some degree, on their

natural likes and dislikes, which the nurse will do well to acquaint

herself with. Beef-tea is useful and relishing, but possesses little

nourishment; when evaporated, it presents a teaspoonful of solid meat to

a pint of water. Eggs are not equivalent to the same weight of meat.

Arrowroot is less nourishing than flour. Butter is the lightest and most

digestible kind of fat. Cream, in some diseases, cannot be replaced.

But, to sum up with some of Miss Nightingale's useful maxims:--Observation

is the nurse's best guide, and the patient's appetite the rule. Half a

pint of milk is equal to a quarter of a pound of meat. Beef-tea is the

least nourishing food administered to the sick; and tea and coffee, she

thinks, are both too much excluded from the sick-room.

THE MONTHLY NURSE.

2429. The choice of a monthly nurse is of the utmost importance; and in

the case of a young mother with her first child, it would be well for

her to seek advice and counsel from her more experienced relatives in

this matter. In the first place, the engaging a monthly nurse in good

time is of the utmost importance, as, if she be competent and clever,

her services will be sought months beforehand; a good nurse having

seldom much of her time disengaged. There are some qualifications which

it is evident the nurse should possess: she should be scrupulously clean

and tidy in her person; honest, sober, and noiseless in her movements;

should possess a natural love for children, and have a strong nerve in

case of emergencies. Snuff-taking and spirit-drinking must not be

included in her habits; but these are happily much less frequent than

they were in former days.

2430. Receiving, as she often will, instructions from the doctor, she

should bear these in mind, and carefully carry them out. In those

instances where she does not feel herself sufficiently informed, she

should ask advice from the medical man, and not take upon herself to

administer medicines, &c., without his knowledge.

2431. A monthly nurse should be between 30 and 50 years of age,

sufficiently old to have had a little experience, and yet not too old or

infirm to be able to perform various duties requiring strength and

bodily vigour. She should be able to wake the moment she is called,--at

any hour of the night, that the mother or child may have their wants

immediately attended to. Good temper, united to a kind and gentle

disposition, is indispensable; and, although the nurse will frequently

have much to endure from the whims and caprices of the invalid, she

should make allowances for these, and command her temper, at the same

time exerting her authority when it is necessary.

2432. What the nurse has to do in the way of cleaning and dusting her

lady's room, depends entirely on the establishment that is kept. Where

there are plenty of servants, the nurse, of course, has nothing whatever

to do but attend on her patient, and ring the bell for anything she may

require. Where the number of domestics is limited, she should not mind

keeping her room in order; that is to say, sweeping and dusting it every

morning. If fires be necessary, the housemaid should always clean the

grate, and do all that is wanted in that way, as this, being rather

dirty work, would soil the nurse's dress, and unfit her to approach the

bed, or take the infant without soiling its clothes. In small

establishments, too, the nurse should herself fetch things she may

require, and not ring every time she wants anything; and she must, of

course, not leave her invalid unless she sees everything is comfortable;

and then only for a few minutes. When down stairs, and in company with

the other servants, the nurse should not repeat what she may have heard

in her lady's room, as much mischief may be done by a gossiping nurse.

As in most houses the monthly nurse is usually sent for a few days

before her services may be required, she should see that all is in

readiness; that there be no bustle and hurry at the time the confinement

takes place. She should keep two pairs of sheets thoroughly aired, as

well as night-dresses, flannels, &c. &c. All the things which will be

required to dress the baby the first time should be laid in the basket

in readiness, in the order in which they are to be put on; as well as

scissors, thread, a few pieces of soft linen rag, and two or three

flannel squares. If a berceaunette is to be used immediately, the nurse

should ascertain that the mattresses, pillow, &c. are all well aired;

and if not already done before she arrives, she should assist in

covering and trimming it, ready for the little occupant. A monthly nurse

should be handy at her needle, as, if she is in the house some time

before the baby is born, she will require some work of this sort; to

occupy her time. She should also understand the making-up of little

caps, although we can scarcely say this is one of the nurse's duties. As

most children wear no caps, except out of doors, her powers in this way

will not be much taxed.

2433. A nurse should endeavour to make her room as cheerful as possible,

and always keep it clean and tidy. She should empty the chamber utensils

as soon as used, and on no account put things under the bed. Soiled

baby's napkins should be rolled up and put into a pan, when they should

be washed out every morning, and hung out to dry: they are then in a fit

state to send to the laundress; and should, on no account, be left

dirty, but done every morning in this way. The bedroom should be kept

rather dark, particularly for the first week or ten days; of a regular

temperature, and as free as possible from draughts, at the same time

well ventilated and free from unpleasant smells.

2434. The infant during the month must not be exposed to strong light,

or much air; and in carrying it about the passages, stairs, &c., the

nurse should always have its head-flannel on, to protect the eyes and

ears from the currents of air. For the management of children, we must

refer our readers to the following chapters; and we need only say, in

conclusion, that a good nurse should understand the symptoms of various

ills incident to this period, as, in all cases, prevention is better

than cure. As young mothers with their first baby are very often much

troubled at first with their breasts, the nurse should understand the

art of emptying them by suction, or some other contrivance. If the

breasts are kept well drawn, there will be but little danger of

inflammation; and as the infant at first cannot take all that is

necessary, something must be done to keep the inflammation down. This is

one of the greatest difficulties a nurse has to contend with, and we can

only advise her to be very persevering, to rub the breasts well, and to

let the infant suck as soon and as often as possible, until they get in

proper order.

THE WET-NURSE.

2435. We are aware that, according to the opinion of some ladies, there

is no domestic theme, during a certain period of their married lives,

more fraught with vexation and disquietude than that ever-fruitful

source of annoyance, "the Nurse;" but, as we believe, there are

thousands of excellent wives and mothers who pass through life without

even a temporary embroglio in the kitchen, or suffering a state of moral

hectic the whole time of a nurse's empire in the nursery or bedroom. Our

own experience goes to prove, that although many unqualified persons

palm themselves off on ladies as fully competent for the duties they so

rashly and dishonestly undertake to perform, and thus expose themselves

to ill-will and merited censure, there are still very many fully equal

to the legitimate exercise of what they undertake; and if they do not in

every case give entire satisfaction, some of the fault,--and sometimes a

great deal of it,--may be honestly placed to the account of the ladies

themselves, who, in many instances, are so impressed with the propriety

of their own method of performing everything, as to insist upon the

adoption of _their_ system in preference to that of the nurse, whose

plan is probably based on a comprehensive forethought, and rendered

perfect in all its details by an ample experience.

2436. In all our remarks on this subject, we should remember with

gentleness the order of society from which our nurses are drawn; and

that those who make their duty a study, and are termed professional

nurses, have much to endure from the caprice and egotism of their

employers; while others are driven to the occupation from the laudable

motive of feeding their own children, and who, in fulfilling that

object, are too often both selfish and sensual, performing, without

further interest than is consistent with their own advantage, the

routine of customary duties.

2437. Properly speaking, there are two nurses,--the nurse for the mother

and the nurse for the child, or, the monthly and the wet nurse. Of the

former we have already spoken, and will now proceed to describe the

duties of the latter, and add some suggestions as to her age, physical

health, and moral conduct, subjects of the utmost importance as far as

the charge intrusted to her is concerned, and therefore demanding some

special remarks.

2438. When from illness, suppression of the milk, accident, or some

natural process, the mother is deprived of the pleasure of rearing her

infant, it becomes necessary at once to look around for a fitting

substitute, so that the child may not suffer, by any needless delay, a

physical loss by the deprivation of its natural food. The first

consideration should be as regards age, state of health, and temper.

2439. The age, if possible, should not be less than twenty nor exceed

thirty years, with the health sound in every respect, and the body free

from all eruptive disease or local blemish. The best evidence of a sound

state of health will be found in the woman's clear open countenance, the

ruddy tone of the skin, the full, round, and elastic state of the

breasts, and especially in the erectile, firm condition of the nipple,

which, in all unhealthy states of the body, is pendulous, flabby, and

relaxed; in which case, the milk is sure to be imperfect in its

organization, and, consequently, deficient in its nutrient qualities.

Appetite is another indication of health in the suckling nurse or

mother; for it is impossible a woman can feed her child without having a

corresponding appetite; and though inordinate craving for food is

neither desirable nor necessary, a natural vigour should be experienced

at meal-times, and the food taken should be anticipated and enjoyed.

2440. Besides her health, the moral state of the nurse is to be taken

into account, or that mental discipline or principle of conduct which

would deter the nurse from at any time gratifying her own pleasures and

appetites at the cost or suffering of her infant charge.

2441. The conscientiousness and good faith that would prevent a nurse so

acting are, unfortunately, very rare; and many nurses, rather than

forego the enjoyment of a favourite dish, though morally certain of the

effect it will have on the child, will, on the first opportunity, feed

with avidity on fried meats, cabbage, cucumbers, pickles, or other crude

and injurious aliments, in defiance of all orders given, or confidence

reposed in their word, good sense, and humanity. And when the infant is

afterwards racked with pain, and a night of disquiet alarms the mother,

the doctor is sent for, and the nurse, covering her dereliction by a

falsehood, the consequence of her gluttony is treated as a disease, and

the poor infant is dosed for some days with medicines, that can do it

but little if any good, and, in all probability, materially retard its

physical development. The selfish nurse, in her ignorance, believes,

too, that as long as she experiences no admonitory symptoms herself, the

child cannot suffer; and satisfied that, whatever is the cause of its

screams and plunges, neither she, nor what she had eaten, had anything

to do with it, with this flattering assurance at her heart, she watches

her opportunity, and has another luxurious feast off the proscribed

dainties, till the increasing disturbance in the child's health, or

treachery from the kitchen, opens the eyes of mother and doctor to the

nurse's unprincipled conduct. In all such cases the infant should be

spared the infliction of medicine, and, as a wholesome corrective to

herself, and relief to her charge, a good sound dose administered to the

nurse.

2442. Respecting the diet of the wet-nurse, the first point of

importance is to fix early and definite hours for every meal; and the

mother should see that no cause is ever allowed to interfere with their

punctuality. The food itself should be light, easy of digestion, and

simple. Boiled or roast meat, with bread and potatoes, with occasionally

a piece of sago, rice, or tapioca pudding, should constitute the dinner,

the only meal that requires special comment; broths, green vegetables,

and all acid or salt foods, must be avoided. Fresh fish, once or twice a

week, may be taken; but it is hardly sufficiently nutritious to be often

used as a meal. If the dinner is taken early,--at one o'clock,--there

will be no occasion for luncheon, which too often, to the injury of the

child, is made the cover for a first dinner. Half a pint of stout, with

a Reading biscuit, at eleven o'clock, will be abundantly sufficient

between breakfast at eight and a good dinner, with a pint of porter at

one o'clock. About eight o'clock in the evening, half a pint of stout,

with another biscuit, may be taken; and for supper, at ten or half-past,

a pint of porter, with a slice of toast or a small amount of bread and

cheese, may conclude the feeding for the day.

2443. Animal food once in twenty-four hours is quite sufficient. All

spirits, unless in extreme cases, should be avoided; and wine is still

more seldom needed. With a due quantity of plain digestible food, and

the proportion of stout and porter ordered, with early hours and

regularity, the nurse will not only be strong and healthy herself, but

fully capable of rearing a child in health and strength. There are two

points all mothers, who are obliged to employ wet-nurses, should

remember, and be on their guard against. The first is, never to allow a

nurse to give medicine to the infant on her own authority: many have

such an infatuated idea of the _healing excellence_ of castor-oil, that

they would administer a dose of this disgusting grease twice a week, and

think they had done a meritorious service to the child. The next point

is, to watch carefully, lest, to insure a night's sleep for herself, she

does not dose the infant with Godfrey's cordial, syrup of poppies, or

some narcotic potion, to insure tranquillity to the one and give the

opportunity of sleep to the other. The fact that scores of nurses keep

secret bottles of these deadly syrups, for the purpose of stilling their

charges, is notorious; and that many use them to a fearful extent, is

sufficiently patent to all.

2444. It therefore behoves the mother, while obliged to trust to a

nurse, to use her best discretion to guard her child from the

unprincipled treatment of the person she must, to a certain extent,

depend upon and trust; and to remember, in all cases, rather than resort

to castor-oil or sedatives, to consult a medical man for her infant in

preference to following the counsel of her nurse.

THE REARING, MANAGEMENT, AND DISEASES OF INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD.