HOSPITAL BY AIR.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 February 1924, Page 1

HOSPITAL BY AIR.

[’ATI KXT-S' rXK.H’I:: KXPKI! I K XCK. SYDXKY. I'Y‘l>. ‘_M. D.-iad- i.l the trail-port of :iii inimed mini over a distance of 5-11) miles by aeroplane rii Perth 110-pilul work si low that the Noil h-We-t Air Service. which carries mails all IJit* way from Derby in the far Xort li-Wost to Perth in the south of Western Australia. war. prohahly rc-puiisibic for saving the life of a man mi the first orraMoii that it has hroii used as an ainl*u 1:i i i i*<*. The day after Stanley lies, n (wonty-year-old teamster, hail heon brought into Carnarvon, a town 510 miles north of Perth, suffering from severe injuries to the head, the 'plane arrived on its southward journey. li was found that lies required urgent attention with the aid of Xra.Vs. a hii li could only he obtained ill Perth, lies had been driving his camel team with a lior.-e and dray attached, some distance out of Carnarvon, of which town hi.s father is town clerk. During the day he had occasion to walk round the dray, and evidently startled the horse from sleep, for it lashed out with a hind hoof, and kicked lies on the right side of the forehead. The limited accommodation on the aeroplane was already hooked, hut cue of the passengers made wav for the injured man. heaving Carnarvon at 6.50 a.i11., tile aeroplane did the trip in two flights of 270 miles each. Some delay in the early stages was made up in the concluding run, and the mail arrived at the Maylaiids aerodrome on time, at -1.30 p.m. The St. John Ambulance was waiting for the patient, who was quickly transported to the Perth Hospital. Ties, when seen at the Perth Hospital the following day and asked how ho liked air travelling, smiled. "We had a ‘honza’ run,” lie said: *.*T enjoyed it.” Tlis condition is not regarded as serious. The aerial mail service had not previouslv been required to transport a casualty case, although a number of unusual passengers have been carried, including a baby a few days old.