ve as few angles as possible, and all its
joints should be smooth and well finished. The springs should be made of
wire stretched tightly on a metal frame that fits smoothly into the head
and foot pieces. Large castors should be used; they may be removed from
the foot if the bed moves too easily.

A bed to be used in sickness should have the following
dimensions--length, 6 ft. 6 in., height 24 to 26 inches, width, 36
inches. If a bed is either too high or too low the labor of lifting and
moving the patient is greatly increased. If the bed is too narrow the
patient is insecure. If the bed is too wide, its center is difficult or
impossible to reach without leaning or kneeling upon it; and if too
short, it will prove uncomfortable for a tall person. A bed that is too
low may be raised on four heavy boxes of the same height; or still
better, upon heavy wooden blocks which any carpenter can easily make,
and which are well worth a little trouble to obtain. In the top of each
block a hollow should be made into which the leg of the bed will fit
after the castor has been removed. A broad firm stool or a low chair may
be provided for a patient who has difficulty in getting in and out of a
high bed.

Beds with complicated attachments for moving patients are not
recommended for family use. They are expensive, likely to get out of
order, seldom needed, and generally unsatisfactory. In some surgical
cases a bed with a firm, flat surface is necessary. Such a surface may
be secured by placing between the mattress and springs two boards
slightly separated, or one wide board with holes bored in it to afford
ventilation.

Wooden beds are undesirable: they are difficult to keep clean, they
readily absorb moisture and odors, they cannot well be disinfected, and
their solid frames prevent a free circulation of air. Moreover, it is
almost impossible to render fit for use again a wooden bed into which
vermin have once made their way. Folding beds and lounges even of the
best type are unhygienic, usually too low for the patient's comfort, and
often insecure.

A bedstead should be wiped frequently with a damp cloth; if it is of
enameled iron it may be washed with soap and water. The springs may be
cleansed with a stiff brush dipped in kerosene oil. Excessive use of
water upon the springs is likely to make them rust.

MATTRESSES.--Various substances are used in the manufacture of
mattresses, but nothing has yet been found that is as satisfa