FIRST AID IN BRIEF

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 65, Issue 5493, 3 July 1942, Page 6

FIRST AID IN BRIEF

.ADVICE FOR THE LAYMAN HEALTH MINISTRY LEAFLET MANY CASES COVERED ' Simple and valuable instructions, easily comprehensible to the layman, for the rendering of first aid in an jemergency are contained in a leaflet issued some time ago for general distribution by the British Ministry of Health- A copy of this leaflet has been received locally, and is re-print-ed below with the pre-fixed advice of the Health Ministry: “ Read it carefully several times, cut it out, and carry it with you.” AFTER AN AIR ATTACK First aid parties will reach the wounded.within a few minutes. Even such a short time counts. The man or woman on the spot can save lives by immediate and proper action. Be prepared to see severe wounds. Be courageous, and keep your head. Keep your mind on your duty to your injured fellow man. Everyone in these days of danger should carry several clean handkerchiefs or small towels. These;can be used as bandages, and their inner laundered surfaces are quite suitable for application to open wounds as a first dressing. Unless a patient is in a highly dangerous place you should treat him where he lies- To lift or drag the wounded can do serious damage. Your general rule is that the moving and transport should be left to trained parties. The first and most important duty of the civilian helper who first reaches a casualty is to stop bleeding/ When you cut a thumb you naturally grab it firmly with the fingers of your other hand. That application of pressure to a bleeding wound is the correct thing to do in all cases. : TO STOP BLEEDING Press on the bleeding point with fingers or hands- As soon as possible apply a clean thick pad or folded handkerchief or towel. Use an inner surface of your handkerchiefs or towels. Keep up the pressure through this pad. Bandage the pad firmly in position over the wound. Be sure that the dressing is applied firmly enough io control the loss of blood- If there js still oozing of blood past or through the pad, renew pressure over the whole dressing. BLEEDING FROM ARM OR LEG Press on the wound with the fingers or hands. Apply a clean thick pad as soon as possible. Keep up pressure through the pad. Bandage the pad firmly over the wound. If this fails, pass a bandage, tie, handkerchief, elastic or fabric belt, or similar article round the limb as close to the wound as possible, at a point between the wound and the trunk. Knot the fabric so that the limb is loosely i encircled- Pass a stick through the slack loop and twist till the tightening of the band round the limb stops the blood loss, taking care not to pinch the skin. Hold tight till the First Aid party arrives. If you have to do this, make a note of the time when you tighten the loop and give it to the patient or attach it to the limb- It is very important that the hospital Surgeon should know this. BLEEDING FROM THE HEAD Press with fingers or hands on the bleeding parts. Apply a clean pad as soon as possible. Keep up pressure through the pad. Bandage the pad firmly in position. BLEEDING FROM THE TRUNK These wounds are usually grave. Cover them with several layers of dressing. Keep up gently firm pressure over the pads. SHOCK OR COLLAPSE All wounded are likely to collapseControl bleeding at once. Keep the patient lying down- Loosen clothing at neck and waist, but do not expose the patient to chill. Prop the head comfortably. Wrap blankets or coats round the patient, not forgetting gently to slip some under him. Put hot bottles, if available, outside the blankets- Let him smoke if he will. Give him plenty to drink, warm drinks preferably, and the best of all is warm very sweet tea. By your presence and

helpfulness encourage him. Follow' this routine' even in apparently slight cases. Ihwill save livesWarning: Do. not give fluid to cases of wounding of belly. Patients who have injuries to the belly must not he given anything by mouth; not even, sips of water should be swallowed; but the mouth may be'rinsed out. SUFFOCATION Pressure of fallen debris may compress the chest and cause suffocation. To release a person so buried is a matter of the utmost urgency. Do I not a secondCLOTHES ON FIRE Take a rug or heavy coat. Wfrap it round the victim. Prevent him running about. Lay him on the ground, using force if necessary- Smother the flames by pressure or beating through the rugTREATMENT OF BURNS Treat first for shock as described above. Treat the burn later. Do not apply oil of any kind. The best thing to use, if .available, is a substance such as one of the tannic acid, jellies, which can be bought an tubes at any chemist’s; A'very good.substitute is a series of layers of dressing moistened with cold tea. If this is not at hand cover, the burn with dry clean dressings several layers thick. If you exceed these . instructions you may do great harm- Leave, all other treatment to trained men. Lives are at. stake—play for safety. • SLIGHT iMODIFICATION. Sincfe the issue: 'of the leaflet a slight modification has taken place in regard to emergency treatment of burns which are of sufficient magnitude to be treated in hospital. If a case is burned badly enough to need surgical treatment, the hospital asks that the only dressing to be applied beforehand be either a dry dressing or (preferably) one wet with a solution of bicarbonate of soda, one teaspoonful bp a breakfast cup of warin water. A very weak saline solution can also be used, provided the strength of one level teaspoonful of salt to one pint of warm water is not exceeded. Emphasis is also laid on the stopping of serious bleeding and the application of the tourniquet. A tourniquet should be carried by everyone, and everyone should know how to use one. Apply it if simple pressure through a pad, together with a firm bandage, fails to control the bleeding from a limb. An improved tourniquet can be made from two feet of bicycle inner tube or a strip of rubber 11 inches wide by about two feet long, cut from the inner tube of a car. To one end of it tie two feet of string, leaving two long ends. Apply it like a bandage, but stretch it so that the first turn is tight round the limb Once the first turn has been made then pressure can be increased if necessary with the second turn to stop the blood spurting. When the rubber is wound right round, tie the string to prevent the tourniquet from unwinding. This broad rubber strip gives firm pressure without cutting into the flesh, as a cloth or string does; but in an emergency anything available may have to be used; a stocking is useful, too. After fifteen minutes the tourniquet should be loosened, as by this time the blood can almost always be controlled by pressure through a pad and a firm bandage. With regard to transport, care is much more important than speed in getting a patient to a hospital- If serious bleeding has been stopped, do not spoil the patient’s chance of survival by jolting him or moving him too hurriedly or carelessly. The treatment of shock is then far more important than anything else. Keep him warm and make him as comfortable as is possible.