MEDICAL AID

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 24, 29 January 1934, Page 8

MEDICAL AID

SHIP CALLS TO DOCTORS

NEW CODE OF SIGNALS

(Frotn "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, December 29. Ships carrying fewer than 100 passengers arc not required to carry a doctor. In the caso of serious accident or illness a captain very often sends a wireless message to tho nearest ship carrying a doctor asking for aclvice. - ■ ■ Experience has shown that in-many such emergencies, masters havo not been awaro of tho prcciso details required by a doctor to enable him to form, a correct diagnosis of tho case, with the result that many costly, slipshod and involved messages have been, exchanged, and between ships of different nationality language difficulties have added further to the confusion. ' Tho new "International Code of Signals," which • comes into force for all ships and shore, signal stations on January 1, contains in Volume II (for radio signalling), a soction known as the "Case-Stating System." which has been designed to do away with tho abovementioned difficulties. The system contains just under 1000 signals to bo made by five-letter groups, and is divided into 24 sections. Instructions are appended to assist the masted in framing his message, and the doctor his reply. THOROUGHLY INTERNATIONAL Sections 1 to 20 aro for. the use of the master, who, after a thorough examination of tho patient, .will, frame his message in the sequence of ' the code. These sections refer to description and age of patient, breathing, pulse, temperature, duration of illness, onset of illness, accident, or injury, symptoms and signs of illness, nature of pain or swelling, and description of various parts of tho body. Tho committee assembled in London in October, 1928, and completed ita work in December, 1930, the seven editions being compiled simultaneously and conjointly, so that the coclo may bo said to bo thoroughly international. Thero can bo no doubt that an intelligent 'use of tho "Oase-Stating System," especially in cases of serious injury or obscure diseases, will be a tremendous boon to 'tho seafaring . community, and a sourco of great satisfaction both to masters of ships and their patients, iir knowing, that they aro get-1 ting the best possible advice in a des-! perato situation. During 1933 thonso of tho new In-' ternational Code of Signals has been i optional, but on January 1 it comes permanently into force among ships of, all nationalities. Volume lis for use' of flag signals. Volume II for radio-. telegraph- signals. This now code supersedes ono that ] has been'in uso since 1901, and which' was devoted to flag signals only. '