A TRYING EXPERIENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24782, 5 December 1941, Page 6

A TRYING EXPERIENCE

ELDERLY WOMAN'S ORDEAJ. ARDUOUS RESCUE WORK (P.A.) ' AUCKLAND, Dec. 4. Lying helpless with a . fractured pelvis on the rocks half a mile from Wesley Bay, Manukau Harbour, for nearly two hours this morning until the incoming tide was flowing around her, Mrs Mary Theresa Barrs, aged 64, who was staying in Aldersgate road, Waikowhai. was the victim of an unenviable experience. . , Mrs Barrs, clad in a bathing suit, was walking with her sister across the rocks to swim when she slipped, injuring her pelvis and receiving head injuries. Unable to move; she lay on the rocks from about 9.30 o'clock until 11 o'clock, waiting for her sister to bring assistance before she became covered bv the incoming tide, which was to reach its peak about 11.30. Her position was becoming desperate, and Dr Knight, of Mount Eden,, was c*3 lie d Dr knight had to walk through th« water to reach Mrs Barrs, who was then partially covered by the tide, but he managed to bring her to safety. An ambulance called from the city arrived promptly, and, Mrs Barrs, after being! given further medical assistance, was placed on a collapsible stretcher. Almost service conditions were experienced by the two ambulance officers in carrying the. patient to the ambulance waiting on the ; rpad about half a mile away." The - stretcher, had first to be lifted up a fairly steep 20; foot bank and then earned for half a mile along a rough track. Frequent stops had to be taken to rest the patient, and the iourney to the ambulance occupied about ,45 minutes. ;;