ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

Hutt News, Volume 18, Issue 3, 21 June 1944, Page 7

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE

HUTT VALLUY ('OKI'S. 0111 l iNUKSING SISTFJIS. We lei'! (jIT last week where the first, of our nursing sisters started their great work in Jerusalem. The scent; of their labour of love was the Hospital of St. John and, of course, being a truly Christian effort, class or denomination did not count, and throughout the centuries this spirit has prevailed. It is indeed a strange contradiction that even to-day we, in warfare, first inflict an injury on the enemy and then carry him carefully to a hospital and then with care and skill tend to the ghastly wounds we have, through the fighting branch of our armies, inflicted. What a pity we cculd not live according to the Order—"For the Faith" and "For the Service of Mankind." However, the Hospital of St. John in Jerusalem does. I understand, come nearer to this true ideal as the major ca.es are those of the eye, sustained by the sun unci sand of this district 1 inferred to retrogression as well as pi 111 a iJitxeuin & yarugva jh, and this t'aci is, un.oriuai.Leiy, ti.it. ior generations U i.iUiy Fa>it' was considered from the point of view of domestic utility. Time went on, however, and at> euucation became more general, certain ladies became pioneers of the nursing sisters of to-day. These woiuierliu. workers laid the foundation of the V.A.D. of to-day, and they had a terrible battle to light before they attained that end. The medical profession were delinitely opposed to the idea. The status of the woman helpers in the very mediocre hospitals that existed then could only be classilied as charwomen, and the light for recognition made by those ladies, "whose names shall live for evermore," stands out as a shining \igbt in the history of the world. The mafeuitude of their battle for recognition is best shown in the life of Florence Nightingale. She was the daugntei of a family in high social stnno.ng. She had a firstclass education and yet, in spite of these two powerful assets, it was only after a struggle that would have disheartened many members of the sterner sex, that she attained her object. Yes, she carried on and won. Since then tliat ideal has become an established fact. No matter where a war or disaster may happen, there will be found the women | to lend that helping hand that has! j counted so much. The doctor of today feels confident when, after his j examination, he leaves his ■ case in : the hands of the nurse. He can go J 011 his visits to other patients secure lin the knowledge that the further treatment has been loft in good hands. : We must not, however, consider that the great work done in the Crimean War by Florence Nightingale gained .all this. It was, however, what might be called a glorious precedent to work upon. In the South African War of 1899-1902— nearly half a century after the Crimea —the V.A.D.'s who went out did not get the recognition they deserved. Even later, between 1914 and 1918, their value was not appreciated in the way it should hav been. This tendency to continue our age-old prejudice against new ideas is, to a certain extent, still with us and it was that which made me decide to endeavour to educate the mind of the qualified practitioner and the possible patient to the high efficiency of our V.A.D. Our next instalment will deal entirely with the V.A.D. of to-day. JACOBUS.

"When pain affects the human frame w lien unless brings it low. 'Tis then the help of man to man Relieves the Isul'ferer so."' In the pages of an ordinary diary we find many items that make oui minds travel back through the years, or even centuries, linn have passeu since the recorded event occurred, or the person lived that has made that particular date either a l'estiva. or an anniversary. If you look at your diary you will find that tin 24tli of June is St. John Baptist's Day. What a volume of thought tliit must put in the minds of members of the above Association no mattei in what part of the world they may be. Through their minds will flash pictures of the original hospital ol St. John in Jerusalem nine centuries ago, and of the present magnificent hospital in the same city to-day. They will also see how the followers of that great Order throughout the centuries, have followed the grand principles of the Order. For the Faith they have worked and the Service of Mankind has been their grand ideal. We all know the glorious work done by the medical branches of all services on the field of battle. The grand service given by St. John Ambulance and 'Nursing Divisions on our fields of sport, and public hospitals, but there is one branch of service that is overlooked. That is the valuable work done in factories v/orks and other places, where our war workers are kept fit by the continuous attention of a fellow worker who stops for a few minutes his own particular job and gives immediate nad efficient treatment to whatever injury his fellow worker may be suffering from. In the course of a year thousands of such cases are dealt with here in

New Zealand, so you can picture in~ »uxulnw ui woX'jv uone uj muuuu nuai. aiders in the nuge mtiunw u.. xiUuieiand. J n auuiuuu me uuitb "are almost uncoumaoie vneit uiv. assistanec of tilts unauvertised is cailed to deul with accidents m the homes of his neighbours. hour oi the day or night does not signify: the true memuer of hi. Joiiu O oes to his job and renders what uelp is within lus power, n the doctor is required he is called, but ihe work of the true followers of bt. John does not end there. He, if doctor so desires, will carry on the necessary work outlined by him, and the doctor, who to-day is a v.er.\ overworked person; is often glint to 'take full advantage of such assistance. A special church parade is, where possible, held on the nearest Sunday to St. John the Baptist Day. This year that falls on 2f>tli Juno, and the Hutt Valley Corps will march, headed by the Hutt Valley Pip. Band, from Gear Street, Petone, to St. David's Presbyterian Church, Britannia Street, where the St. John Day service will be held at 11 a.m. In addition to the St.. John Ambulance, I understand that His Wo>' ship the Mayor and the Borough Councillors will also be present. ' JACOBUS.