ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21714, 22 February 1936, Page 11

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE

WOfcK OP THE WEEK IBr SPLINT.J [This column is contributed weekly by a responsible officer of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, *nd in it all matters relating to first-aid may be discussed. Correspondence is invited and questions will be answered.} The number of calls attended to during the week was 79, and of these id were accidents and two country trips. The mileage in the latter case was 78, and the total mileage for the week was 529. I ' Personal Mr J. T. Norton, Lyttelton, _was elected a life member of the St. John Ambulance Association at the general committee meeting held on Wednesday evening. • ,' Brigade in Mourning An order by the assistant commissioner, Dr. F. J. Borrie, states that members of the brigade will wear mouring for a period, of six months from; the date of the death of King George V. « In accordance With regulations, officers should wear the usual black mourning band on the upper portion of. the left; arm. Qther ranks should have the second button of the> tunic completely covered with a small piece of black material.- In cases where the rank and file are wearing tunics .with the open neck, as in the case of the transport section and others, the first button will be covered. . .

Dangers in Giving First-aid Before a'member of the brigade, is permitted to attend on public duty for giving first-aid in accident cases, he ij required to have passed the prescribed examination, and in addition to have attended a number of the regular weekly practices of his division. It is during this course of training that the ambulance man is made to realise the value of a good knowledge of first-aid where human lifev is at stake. Even then the young first-aider is not permitted to go out on public duty alone, but will at first be accompanied by a more experienced ambulance man or woman. ' The danger, however, is when one has little knowledge of first-aid, or no knowledge at all. This has been in evidence on frequent occasions when members of the public, with the best of intentions, attempt, to give relief to sufferers. There are instances, for example, where persons have been knocked down in the street, and although making no attempt to get up, they are immediately helped to their feet by symoathetic bystanders, regardless of the fact that they may have had a broken leg or other serious.injuries. Under these circumstances the patient would be much better, lying on the ground until the arrival of a doctor or the ambulance. In the meantime, however, he should be made comfortable and kept warm by covering him with an overcoat or rug. There are many such cases, however, where expert attention is essential, and it becomes the duty of every citizen to learn how to give first-aid in cases of emergency. The St. John Ambulance course of training is made available to every man and woman, full particulars of which mav be obtained from the secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association, 55 Peterborough street, telephone 30-383. Divisional Notes There was a fair attendance of members of the Lyttelton Railway Ambulance Division on Monday evening. Superintendent J. Lister was in charge and a series of tests in "Improving Work" were carried out, a very miscellaneous collection of material being used. Notification was received that all those who had sat for their annual re-examination had passed. Ambulance duties were afterwards arranged. . At the weekly meeting of the St, Matthew's Ambulance Division held on Monday evening there was a fair attendance. Owing to the absence of the superintendent the division was taken by Ambulance Officer E. A.

Batcbelor. After the public: duties had been arranged practical first-aid was oflrriftd out> Members of the St. Matthew's Nursover- a good v duty was arranged;;|or%Wednesday morning, and aitffew m6nitet«»fas accepted on a month's probatiQn.; Questions were asked Oh, chjptera ■% and 2 of the Home NttrsinJtteßook.. *&& which the division accepted iuv invitation to join with Nursing Division, wberj*- ,they had practice in roller Mnda#&& mch was later inspected:; by; F. J. The' Selwyn Nursing Division met in the brigade rooms on Tuesday evening, when Mrs Watt presided over a good attendance of members. After the various duties - were arranged, members practised roller bandaging. . The usual parade of the Christchurch Ambulance Division was held on Wednesday evening* Superintendent W. M. Palmer presided' oyer a- good attendance of members.. A- vote of thanks was passed t 6 Private M, White, i who v gave five sets of the new tion splints in birch; and to Ambulance Officer P.'A. Wentworth and Private A. M. Evans, who gave the ferrules. Messages of greetings were read from the Grand Prior, Lieutenant-General Aylmer Hunter-Weston,'K.C.B:, Chancellor of the Order, and Beatrice pent, lady superintendent and Chief .of the order/conveyed by Colonel J. L. Sieeman, Chief Commissioner for, the Brigade Overseas. When the business of the evening was concluded, lady district, officer, exercised the di* vision in roller bandaging. _. . The No. 1 Girl Guide Nursing Divi- j sion held its weekly parade on Tues-1 day evening at brigade headquarters. Miss G. A. Donaldson, lady:divisional superintendent, presiding,oyer a good attendance of members. of the evening consisted of bedrmaking and roller bandaging practice. . _ Miss M. Chapman, of the Cadet Nursing Division, has been admitted as a probationer to the division. The Beckenham Nursing Division held its usual weekly meeting on Thursday evening. Mrs Gay, lady superintendent, presided. There was a very small attendance on account of the wet evening. After inspection and roll-call, public duty wasi arranged for the following week. The evening was spent in questions in first-aid and home nursing. .