WHERE IS THE AMBULANCE?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20335, 6 February 1936, Page 5

WHERE IS THE AMBULANCE?

To the Editor of ” The Timaru Herald ” Sir, —Your correspondent who recently raised the question of maintenance of ambulance service did well to bring before the public an important matter. My experience has been that under conditions sometimes very difficult for them, the St. John ambulance Brigade have been wonderfully courteous, attentive, prompt, and efficient. There is only one car available and people who raise the cry “Where is the ambulance?” should remember that the van may be out on an errand, as it was on a recent occasion when summoned. Your correspondent stressing the importance of getting the ambulance, did less than justice to the medical practitioners •of this district, who constantly give their services immediately in accident cases. No ambulance man would willingly undertake the duties and responsibilities of a doctor—in fact one of the first principles for St. John Ambulance members to learn is that they are subsidiary to, but in no case to replace skilled medical attention—and the first rule in an accident case should be for some responsible person to get into touch with an available doctor, give him clear descriptions of site of accident, extent of injuries, if possible, and arrange for him to attend immediately. Much can be done by the trained hand, life may even be saved by skilled surgical attention in the first few minutes after injury. When one surgeon has been communicated with and has agreed to come Immediately, that should end the responsibility of the bystander who telephoned. Too often, however, irresponsible and excited people ring up numerous doctors, who may leave urgent work, hurry to the scene, only to find someone else in attendance. I have seen three medical men arrive to find one of their colleagues giving the necessary attention and have heard them express annoyance at being unnecessarily remarking that repetitions of this would make them shy in the future of attending to an urgent accident summons. What is needed is co-ordinated surgical first aid and transport service.—l am, etc., URGENT MESSAGE. Timaru, February 3.