er, water glass, napkin, etc., must be alike at every meal; this
not only facilitates the service by making it easy for the nurse to
see whether any of these necessary articles are left off, but it also
enables the patient to find them without trouble.

~The Linen.~--The linen cover of the tray must be clean and uncreased.
The napkin likewise must be clean and unwrinkled. The china must be
free from chips and cracks. Care must be taken not to put a collection
of odd pieces on the tray as it gives an untidy appearance.

~The Silver.~--The silver must be bright and in cold weather made
slightly warm, as must also the china. The chill of cold silver may
readily obliterate a fragile appetite, and to place hot food in cold
dishes will deprive it of much of its palatability. The foods intended
to be hot must be really hot, not warm, and those which are intended
to be cold should be thoroughly chilled before being served to a
patient. The placing of flowers on a tray is a questionable addition
to it; a single flower laid across the folded napkin may add
daintiness and attractiveness, but it is poor judgment to
over-decorate, either with flowers or by garnishing the dishes.

~Arranging the Tray.~--If the nurse will place the necessary articles
upon the tray and memorize their position so that she will be able to
duplicate the same at each meal, she will be able to tell at a glance
if everything needed is in its proper place, thereby saving herself
unnecessary steps and the patient the worry of having to wait until
they can be brought. Food should not be allowed to stand in the
sickroom, and glasses or plates in which food has been served should
be removed from sight as soon as the patient finishes with them. Care
must be taken, however, not to create the impression of hurry or the
patient will be made nervous and either will lose her appetite or have
indigestion.

The nurse should be careful of her topics of conversation during the
meal hour. Especially must disagreeable subjects and business matters
be rigidly excluded if the invalid is to obtain the full benefit of
the food served her.

1. ~Setting the Tray.~--Tray should be sufficiently large not to give
the appearance of being crowded, but not too large.

2. Tray cover must be spotless, and of a size to just cover the edges
of tray; if too large, make a pleat down the center.

3. Place service plate directly in front of patient.

4. Knife, cutting edge in, to the r