Don’t let accidents ruin it

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34037, 29 December 1975, Page 15

Don’t let accidents ruin it

Your guide to what to do in a holiday emergency. Tear it out and keep it with vou when you go away.

Many a holiday has been spoiled by the results of a minor accident or illness which might have been prevented by a little forethought or alleviated by prompt, simple but properly applied treatment.

With the assit ice and advice of the St John Ambulance Brigade, the following rudimentary advice is offered to holidaymakers. A check on first a. 1 supplies may prove just as vital to the success of a holiday as the packing of all the provisions and equipment that most people regard as the essentials for a happy holiday. Sound knowledge is also necessary: and anyone who has not been trained in first aid is better to be cautious in treating a patient than to assume his diagnosis is correct and undertake treatment that may compound the trouble. Get the best advice that is handy When an injurv or illness appears to be serious, when in any doubt about the condition of the patient, or when a patient does not appear to be responding to treatment, advice should be sought from a hospital, a doctor, or the St John Ambulance. For the untrained, first aid advice is best restricted to simple treatment that

limits the chances of complications. This summan' of advice offers no more than that. BURNS AND SCALDS Place the injured part of the bodv in cold water for about five minutes. Then cover the burn with a dry dressing. Do not break any blisters which form Any metal objects such as rings, or a watch strap, near the burned area should be removed quickly as they may intensify the burn. Do not apply lotions, ointments, or oil dressings. Do not prick blisters. Remove any constricting items before swelling begins. Home treament should only be attempted with minor burns and scalds. Medical advice should be sought quickly for any serie s burn. Superficial burns or scalds are more painful than srpall deep burns. Avoiding infection is a vital part of first aid. CU.S AND BRUISES These should be carefully washed clean with an antiseptic solution. Take care if it is a concentrated antiseptic; make sure that it is diluted and made up exactly according to the instructions on the container. The wound or bruise should be dried with clean gauze and a sterile dressin, applied. Bandage firmly, but not tightly, to keep the dressing in place. Medical adv* -e should be sought for serious cuts

which may require stitching.

Minor bleeding may appear alarming; it usually stops of its own accord, and a little pressure applied locally will control it. - DROWNING

The aim must be to get air into the casualty’s lungs as fast as possible and then, if necessary, to ensure that the heart is beating and the blood circulating. If you are not familiar with resuscitation methods, obtain an instruction chart and keep it handy. .Start resuscitation immediately after removing anv obvious obstructions from the casualty’s mouth. Rescue breathing should be started while a victim is being carried ashore; do not wait until the patient can be laid on the ground. While respiration is being restored, instruct bystanders to remove as much v. clothing as possible, rapidly dry the casualty, and keep wrapped in dry blankets for warmth. The casualty should be taken to hospital as soon as possible, even if a good recovery is made, in case complications develop. FISHBONES If a fishbone sticks in the throat, medical advice should be sought at. once. The old remedy of eating dry bread in an attempt to dislodge a bone or other sharp object stuck in the throat is mistaken. A sharp object which goes further into the digestive system may puncture the stomach or intestines and cause even more serious damage. If the bone, or any other object cannot be removed through the mouth, the patient will need medical treatment. FISH-HOOKS If a fish-hook gets caught in the flesh do not try to remove it unless the head has gone right through' and the barbs are not embedded in the flesh. Unskilled attempts to remove a hook which has the barbs embedded in the flesh may cause serious wounds. Do not push the hook further through the flesh in an attempt to get the barbs up to the surface where they can be removed. A fish-hook embedded in the flesh should be removed only by a doctor. GARDEN INJURIES These are all too common. The best “treatment” is to take sufficient care with tools and lawnmowers to prevent an accident from happening. Care should be taken not to pull the blades of a rotary mower back on to the user’s feet; avoid mowing

where there is a danger of sending stones shooting upwards. Simple injuries from a spade, fork, or sickle, may be treated as for minor cuts; clean them with a dilute antiseptic and cover them with a sterile dressing. But gardening accidents are often serious. They should not be treated lightly. Wounds should be cleaned with particular care and when there is any doubt about their seriousness medical help should be sought.

HANGOVERS There are many favourite cures and almost all are guaranteed by those who recommend them. All of them are of questionable value. The best advice is: do not drink too much alcohol. HEAT STROKE

Place the sufferer in the shade in a restful position. Apply cold or wet cloths to the head, fan the body, and give him cold drinks if desired. In severe cases, when a high temperature persists and the victim suffers cramp, medical advice should be sought. The onset of heat stroke may be quite sudden. The patient may quickly become unconscious. If he is conscious, he will probably be restless, have a headache, and feel dizzy and hot. His face may be flushed, his skin hot and dry to the touch, his pulse pounding and breath noisy. The object of first aid is to reduce the casualty's temperature. The cause is the inability of the body to control its temperature by sweating. POISONING

Determine as quickly, accurately, and completely as you can what has caused the poisoning and seek medical help at once. Fast correct treatment is essential, and it may depend on a doctor knowing exactly what poison has been consumed. The usual symptoms are retching, vomiting, and pain. Try to learn from the casualty as quickly as possible what has happened. This information will assist expert treatment. SPRAINS

Apply cold packs to the injured part. Bandage with a firm bandage. If the

sprain does not appear to be responding to this treatment after a day or two. seek medical advice. In doubtful cases, treat the injury as if it were a fracture: try to keep the injured part steady.

FRACTURES A fractured bone is a broken bone. Usually, it is caused by unusual force being applied to the bone, either directly, where the injury occurs, or from force being transmitted up a limb so that a bone is broken away from the point of impact. Usual signs of a fracture are discolouration or bruising of the surrounding skin; pain; loss of function; unnatural shape and deformity of a limb. Sometimes there is a wound and the broken bone is visible. If a fracture is .suspected, all wounds should be covered with sterile dressings and limbs should be very carefully immobilised. For example, tie an injured leg to the uninjured leg by using three broad bandages tied around the ankles, knees and legs. An injured arm may be supported with a sling. All fractures or suspected fractures require prompt medical treatment at hospital. Do not move any patient with' a suspected fracture until the limb has been adequately supported. STINGS

Bee stings: Remove the sting. Apply an antihistamine cream if it is available immediately. Otherwise the area should be bathed in a weak alkaline solution. A table-spoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in a pint of water makes a suitable lotion. Wasp stings: Remove the sting. Apply an antihistamine cream if it is available. Otherwise, the area should be bathed in a very weak acid solution. Vinegar diluted with water , makes a suitable lotion. Bathe the area frequently and, if the swelling does not go down, medical advice should be sought. Most insect bites are relieved if smeared with an antihistamine cream or dabbed with methylated spirits — but do not use this near the eyes.