the bottle, replace the cork, and
again read the label on the bottle.

Most medicines should be diluted with a little water. Pills and capsules
should not be presented to patients in the attendant's fingers, but on a
saucer or teaspoon. Acids and medicines containing iron should be taken
through a glass tube kept for medicine exclusively. Tubes and glasses
should be washed at once after use, and neither they nor the bottles
should stay in the patient's room. If a dose is omitted for any reason,
do not increase the next dose; give the regular dose at the next regular
time.

Serious mistakes in giving or taking drugs are far too common, and no
precautions are too great to guard against them. Never use medicine from
a box or bottle that has no label. Never take or give another person a
medicine selected in the dark, even though you have positive knowledge
that there is no other bottle or box of medicine in the whole house; in
just such circumstances the fatal mistakes occur.

A few things can be done to make medicines more palatable. The water
used to dilute the dose and to be taken after it should be very cold.
Holding the nose is helpful. A piece of cracker, a peppermint, or a
slice of lemon or orange, if allowed, may be taken afterward. Giving
disagreeable medicine in ordinary food, as lemon juice, orange juice, or
milk, and giving bitter powders in jam or jelly, is unwise because it
sometimes results in life long dislike for a useful article of diet.
Where food is given directly after the dose to take away its taste, the
association of dislike seems to be formed less frequently.

The taste of castor oil is so disgusting that it often causes vomiting,
but if skillfully given the oil need not be tasted by a patient who is
willing to cooperate. Its way of sticking to the tongue and teeth
constitutes the chief difficulty; the object therefore is to prevent it
from sticking by swallowing the dose all at once. To administer the oil,
wet the inside of a medicine glass or large spoon with very cold water,
and leave a little water in the bottom. Pour the required dose in slowly
and cover it with more cold water. Let the patient hold in his hand
something to take away the taste,--cracker, bread, peppermint, or
whatever is allowed; for castor oil water is not very effectual. Then
direct him to hold his nose, open his mouth, and hold his breath;
caution him to let the oil run down without swallowing until all has
been taken, a