Hospital Restraining Sheet

This is a special bed covering made from the fairly heavy canvas or cloth as used in straight jackets.  The overall 
size is that of a standard hospital bed.  Along the edges at about one foot intervals are grommets through which 
pieces of rope are threaded to tie the "sheet" to the bed frame.
Centred in the upper third of the sheet is an opening through which the patient's head passed.  Sewn into the lower 
portion of this opening is a padded leather collar, which could be buckled snugly (but not tightly) around the neck.  
At a suitable distance below this opening are two pockets constructed of the same material as the sheet.  These 
pockets are on the inside of the sheet and were of a size to accept each of the person's arms - similar to the sleeves 
of a straight jacket.
Adjacent to the pockets are two flaps of sheet material with attached straps for wrapping the flaps around the torso 
down to the waist.
    At the lower end of the sheet, again on the inside, are two loops of leather strapping with ends coming up 
through small, reinforced slits in the sheet.  These loops could be buckled tightly to restrain the ankles in position 
beneath the sheet.
    To apply this restraint, the sheet is thrown over the patient and the mid-portion secured to the bed frame.  With 
the person in the sitting position, his or her arms were inserted in the pockets and the flaps buckled around the 
chest.  The head was brought out through the sheet opening, the collar buckled and the upper portion of the sheet 
could then be secured to the bed frame.  Finally, the ankles were placed in the loops, the straps fastened, and the 
lower portion of the sheet was tied down to the frame.