ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21051, 30 December 1933, Page 4

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE

work or thi; wlkk [By SPLINT.) flitis column !■ fontribiited \v«<-kly !>y a rcs'pnnsiMci officer of tl:o St. .John AmbuI,men lirinndo. and in it (ill matters rclalm? to first-aid may riiscunH. Corrnspnndrnco i« invited end questions will b'i answered. | At 5 p.m. yesterday the St. John Free Ambulance had responded to 01 calls for the week, and of these, 48 necessitated motor transport to hospital. Distant calls were attended to at Darlleld, Springfield, and Hornby. At the first-aid dressing station, Peterborough street, the ambulance nursing sisters on duty gave treatment to 35 persons, who attended with minor injuries. The greatest number attending the dressing station on any one day was 10, on Thursday. Brigade Appointments. The following appointments in the Canterbury district of the brigade have been approved by the Chief Commissioner for the Dominion (Colonel G. Barclay):—Cliristehurch N.o 3 ambulance division: Douglas W. Harper, sergeant; Leonard D. Martin, George E. Harper, and Leslie Itowse, corporals. Resignation. Miss Elsie Jowett has resigned her position as ambulance officer (reserve) attached to Christchurch nursing division. Award of Service Badges. Service badges for three years' efficiency have been awarded to Ambulance Sisters I. Lloyd, L. Butler, and J. O'Callahati, of the Christchurch Nursing Division. Divisional Notes. With the exception of New Year's Day, the St. Matthew's ambulance division will continue to hold regular weekly meetings at the brigade rooms on Monday evenings. Other ambulance and nursing divisions have signified their intention to remain in recess until after the holidays. Useful First-Aid Hints. The application of a blue bag to the affected part, in the case of stings of plants and insects, is one of the most commonly used household remedies. It is not. generally known, however, how the blue bag acts in such cases, and the following extract taken from the "St. John Ambulance Gazette," will therefore be of interest: "The blue bag is useful because it contains alkalies of which bicarbonate of soda is its chief constituent. It follows, therefore, that these will be more effective in action when moistened with water than when applied dry to the injured part." In the ease of a bee sling, the "sting' should first be removed with a needle, pen-kife or forceps, because the poison gland is attached to the sting and the muscles of the poison sac keep on infecting more poison til! the sac is empty. * In cases of drowning never l'orget that the clearance from the air passages of water or other obstruction, is absolutely necessary before resorting to artificial respiration. With cuts, remember that all broken skin surfaces are likely places for microbes to enter and cause inflammation. Paint with tincture of iodine, and keep covered, with a clean piece of linen. A shilling advertisement in the classified section of "The Press" will sell your goods. Try it. 12 words Ih. three insertions 2s