FIRST AID.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 85

FIRST AID.

i [All Rights Reserved.] WHAT TO DO TILL THE DOCTOR COMES. A Series of Simple, and Helpful by the Late Db W. Gordon-Stables, R.N. XXIV.—THE NERVOUS SYSTEM; Eor any complete description of the nervous system I must refer my readers to works on anatomy. I may say here, however, that there are two distinct systems: (1) the cerebro-spinal system, which is -controlled by the will, and (2) the sympathetic • system, which is entirely independent of the 'will, the nerves doing their work, whether we are conscious or unconscious, asleep or. awake. The for mer are called isensory and motor nerves. The latter regulate our breathing, our circulation, and j.lbo secretion and excretion. • .

Ignorant people talk about nervousness as if it did not depend on any disease rr irregularity that had tangible existence. They do not know that the nerves are as visible to the eye. of the anatomis as the blood-vessels or Dorses themselves. There is then, inside the chest and abdomen, and in front of the spinal column, a double row of little white masse® of brain tissue, which run from the skull to the end or the spine. These masses might be called miniature brains,, arid it is these that carry on the chief work of life all unfelt and unknown by us. But, remember, they are fed by the same blood as the nerves of sensation and movement, and in low sates of the system they. become weak; hence what is called nervousness. Another thing the reader would do well to remember is this : Although these two systems of nerves, have their own duties to perform, the one cannot be seriously wrong without the other being more or less affected.

ON THE STRETCHER. Some instructions have already been given with regard to the transport of injured persons, but the following directions for the position of the patient on the stretcher should be borne in mind, else injury may be done to the case':— 1. In accidents to the chest, the latter should be well raised, and the body should be inclined to the injured side. 2. In cases of wounds of the abdomen, place him on his back, and if the wounds be across, or if they be punctured, the muscl'?s may be relaxed by putting some folds of rug or clothing under the thighs and knees, but if the wound Is vertical or long ways the legs should be extended. 3. If there are injuries to' upper limbs, lay the sufferer on the back or upon the side that is not injured. 4. If the lower limbs or the back, turn somewhat towards the injured side. 5. If the iniuries be to the head or neck, see that he is placed so aa to avoid pressure on them.

In carrying a case .of this kind great care must be taken against jolting. Keep the stretcher as low" down towards the ground as possible, avoiding, of course, any risk of actual contact therewith.

Keep the stretcher as level as can be. Cases of fractured spine must only be moved under the direction of a medical man.

In fractures of the extremities, and, indeed, in all cases of severe injury, the greatest caution and care is to be observed in getting the patient upstairs to his bed. The doctor should supervise, and it is always better if sitairs can be avoided and a bed made for the case down below. A FRACTURE BED.

In what is called a "fracture bed" it is important that there should be a levelne«ss and firmness, with smoothness and a comfortable elasticity all over. If it be a spine that is injured or a lower limb fractured, no pillows or bolster should be used, only a thin cusTiion under the head. Place a board under the legs of the bed at the foot to raise that end somewhat. IMPROVISED STRETCHERS.

If the stretcher be a door or shutter there must be four bearers, and the greatest ca.re must be taken not to injure the patient in any way in putting him x>n or taking him off.Where regular ambulance star etchers cannot be .obtained they must be improvised. "There is a rifle stretcher much used in the field, for the making of which the following instructions are given: "Spread a blanket on'the "ground. Lay two unloaded and examined rifles, with bayonets fixed thereon, paralled to each other, and each, lOin from the centre of the blanket, both muzzles pointing in the same direction, the trigger-guards outwards. Turn a fold of the blanket 6in wide oyer the end of the butts. Fold the right side of the rug over the rifle on that side to the. rifle on the opposite side, and fold the left side of the rug or blanket in a similar way. A eta-etcher is thus formed having three folds of blanket, the end at which the butts are being the head thereof."

Stretchers may be made with rug and poles, from pole and ropes, frotm topcoat and poles, etc. A piece of a broad ladder, with padding of sacking stuff or hay or sitraw carefully tied on, makes a goc<u impromptu stretcher. But whatever sort is used it riiuet first be tested for strength and comfort. HANDY PLAN IN MINES.

For narrow cut/ting® and amines the following plan is laid down in Sheph&rdV manual, whereby two bearers can lift a patient on to a stretcher. No. 1 places his feet on each side of the patient between his body and arms, the toe of each foot as near-the armpits as. possible, standing over the man. He then stoops down and passes his band between the sides, of the chest, and the arms underneath the shoulders, and locks the fingers. If the patient's arms be uninjured he may put them round the neck of No. 1, and by this means greatly assist him in lifting. No. 2 at the same time places his right foot between the calves of the injured imam's leg as close to the knees as possible, and his left foot at the injured man's (right side close to the crest, of the hip (when the patient's legs are in splints and tied together, the feet of No. 2 must necessarily be placed outside). He then stoops and passes his arms round the outside of the patient's thighs at the lowest part, and locks his fingers behind just at the bend of the knees. When both are ready No. 1 will give the order to lift and move forward; the patient is then slowly lifted just sufficiently to allow his body to' clear the stretcher. Both bearers will slowly and gradually move forward, No. 1 by very short steps, and No. 2 by bending ma body forward over his left thigh, by means of which he exercises a pushing movement, which very ,gi%itly assists No. 1; No. 2, when he has bent his body as much as he can without moving his feet, advances this right foot to his left, then again advances his left foot, and bends his body forward. This movement is to be repeated until the patient is laid on the stretcher. , A FINAL WORD. In case of accident ori rail or road, or on the street, one of the principal things to know, if you mean to give first aid, is how to lift and convey a patient most comfortably and most carefully to a place of safety and shelter while more skilful attendance is being procured. Without a very large number of illustrations it is somewhat difficult to convey enough useful information to the lay reader. On the other .hand, too many cuts and plans in an article like this oertainlv tend to confuse, and may make one turn"~away from it as one would from a complicated proposition of Euclid. A careful perusal of this chapter, however, is bound to do good, and those who wish to make themselves proficient must remember that there is nothing to, be done without practice as well as study, and. they should miss no chance of learning all they can, never knowing when or where such knowledge may come in handy and bo the means of saving life or limb.