Transport improved during 86 yews

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32715, 18 September 1971, Page 15

Transport improved during 86 yews

The ambulance service probably is the best known of the many facets of work undertaken by the Order of St John. The standard of the service for transporting patients has improved greatly in the 86 years since the first conveyance was instituted.

The first mode of conveyance in Christchurch was the Ashford litter which was used from 1885 until 1906. The litter was on two wheels and the stretcher could be detached and enclosed. Hand drawn, it was “fitted with delicate springs and a hamper of surgical requisites.” The first horse ambulance was bought in 1898. A minimum charge of 7s 6d an hour was made for this ambulance, use of which was forbidden for infectious cases. In 1907, the horse ambulance was fitted with indiarubber tyres and a horse-ambulance brougham was bought. This had “a special spring stretcher with pneumatic mattress,” and it could be hired for 12s 6d an hour. The first motor ambulance appeared in Christchurch in 1917. This was a Hudson, which was joined by a Studebaker later the same year. From 80 calls for the ambulance in 1898, the number of calls increased to 1079 involving 1264 miles in 1917, and 1008 involving 6515 miles in 1927. INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC During the influenza epidemic of 1918-19, St John ambulances were supplemented with vans lent by local

business firms: A. J. White, Ltd, Beath and Company, J. Bailantyne and Company, and Strange and Company. With the outbreak of the Second World War, calls from Bumham Military Camp involved 2247 miles in only three months. Mr H. C. Urlwin lent a four-berth trailer during this period, and this was used to transfer patients from Christchurch Hospital to Burwood' Hospital. In 1939, seven ambulances carried 4894 patients over 48,163 miles, in 1950 eight ambulances carried 11,977 patients over 115,343 miles, and last year,' the 10 ambulances of the Christchurth sub-centre carried 28,957 patients over 164,819 miles, showing the growth of the role of the order in the community.