Airline first aid described

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 6

Airline first aid described

Life-saving medical care [ aboard aircraft is extremely • rare and where deaths have' occurred it is unlikely any | in-flight treatment would I have been of value. This was pointed out to; delegates attending the triennial meeting of the Aviation! Medical Society of Australia: and New Zealand at Noahs Hotel yesterday by Dr P. R.; Degotardi, of Sydney. Very few complaints were received from passengers - about medical care, and: most related to colic. Next' most common ailments were I real or suspected heart dis-j ease, and respiratory' emergencies. Dr Degotardi described the first aid and physicians’ kits i which are carried aboard: Qantas aircraft and notedthe strict regulations attached to their use. No matter how qualified the person administering medical aid might be. there were legal problems sur-i rounding such treatment, said the principal medical officer for Air New Zealand All' Air New Zealand! flights carry first-aid kits for simple emergencies and

cabin staff are trained in their use. There are also narcotics for pain relief and maternity kits for unexpected in-flight births. In Australia, New Zealand and Britain there are no legal restraints applying to medical treatment in flight. “Unfortunately,” Dr Platts said, “this is not the case with American citizens. Unless treatment is preceded by a full examination and investigation, any form of treatment is considered to be negligent and is subject to civil liability for damages in the event of injury or death. “This means that the international carrier must walk a tight-rope, conscious of moral obligation on one hand and civil liability to damages on the other.” The legal implications posed by the American courts were under scrutiny, Dr Platts said. In 1975 a socalled “Good Samaritan Bill” was introduced to encourage on-the-scene emergency care without running the risk of subsequent legal action. However, the bill was still under study. Nor had its aim been accepted hv certain

other countries. He noted that Air New Zealand over the years had had no complaints from passengers about inadequate medical equipment. In 1974 the airline experienced one in-flight death, a terminal cancer case. There were no deaths in 1975, and one death from haemorrhage in 1976. Last year there were four deaths — all invalids undergoing I treatment. I Delegates also saw films of the early development of I pilot ejection systems in | Sweden. The medical aspects jof ejection were outlined by j Squadron Leader J. G. Faris, I officer in charge of the (Defence Environmental ’ Medicine Unit of the R.N.Z.A.F. ; Squadron Leader D. W. I Stewart, base medical officer , with the R.N.Z.A.F. at Ohakea. described pilots’ ex- : periences with ejection from 'aircraft and noted that such events had been rare in the R.N.Z.A.F. He cited one case of an : R.N.Z.A.F. exchange pilot (with the United States Navy I over Florida in 1969. His in-

structor, in the rear seat, was temporarily blinded by a bird strike and thought the aircraft had collided with a small plane. The instructor ejected and parachuted on to farm land and was picked up four hours later. The student pilot, meanwhile, “not knowing what had happened or where his instructor had gone, flew the aircraft safely back to base.” The meeting will conclude this afternoon after delegates have heard papers dealing with aircraft accident casualties, pregnancy and flying, the human factor in accidents, and other specialised medical topics.