ATTENTION TO WOUNDED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25215, 3 May 1943, Page 2

ATTENTION TO WOUNDED

BLOOD TRANSFUSION IN BATTLE Methods used by the Eighth Army for blood transfusion in the frcmt line of battle are those introduced to the New Zealand Division by Brigadier P. A. Ardagh, of Christchurch, until recently assistant director of medical services of the division. This information was given by Dr L. C. L. Averill to the annual meeting of the Canterbury branch of the National Blood Transfusion Service on Friday night. Brigadier Ardagh’s promotion from the rank of colonel and his appointment as deputy director of medical services of a corps were announced last month. Dr Averill, speaking of the importance of blood transfusion for New Zealand troops overseas, drew attention to the work of Brigadier Ardagh who, he said, believed that by bringing transfusion units to the edge of the fighting lines many lives could be saved. In practising his methods he had been so successful that in the battle of A 1 Alamein the mortality rate for penetrating wounds was far lower in his unit than in others. His methods had now been adopted throughout the Eighth Army. Brigadier Ardagh, who was educated at the Waitaki Boys’ High School and Otago University, began practising In Christchurch in 1914. He has an outstanding war record. In the last war he won the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross, was mentioned in despatches, and was recommended for the Victoria Cross for personal gallantry in establishing and working in an advanced medical depot at Creve-Coeur, which was under shell fire for 36 hours. Since 1924 he has served on the War Pensions Appeal Board, and in 1930 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He was president of the Christchurch branch of the British Medical Association in 1938.