Your guide for all those holiday emergencies

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 6

Your guide for all those holiday emergencies

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 any 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 wet 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. liplibone*

If a fishbone sticks in the throat, medical advice should be sought at once.

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 of 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 acci’ dents 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.

ably 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.

PoifOiiing

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 knowning 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, U the