AERO AMBULANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1926, Page 4

AERO AMBULANCE.

1000 MILES TO HOSPITAL. SYDNEY, May 1-1. A notable feat was performed this week by a New South Wales commercial aviation service. A seriouslyinjured man was carried 7(10 miles in an aeroplane to be placed upon a train for another 300 miles’ journey to a Sydncy hospital. The services of Western Australia and North Queensland carry patients quite regularly, hut in this instance the patient was buffering from a broken spine. Ids injuries emphasising the seriousness of the pilot’s task. In November. 1924, Andrew Brooks, an elderly Broken Hill miner, fell down a shaft, and broke nearly everytliiug| buChis courage. Ilis left leg was fractured in three places. His right ankle, right hip. hack and several ribs were broken. -For eighteen months be was in a hospital bed at Broken Hill but tlie broken spine refused to knit, and Brooks and Ids relations decided that an attempt must be made to receive treatment in a Sydney hospital. But the question arose, how was Brooks to lie carried thither. An overland journey of fjflO miles across country was impossible. To travel by train. Brooks; would have to go to Adelaide, and

thence via Melbourne to Sydney, a journey of more than 1500 miles, involving at least three changes, ft was then that Brooks’ relatives decided to utilise Hie aviation service that runs between Broken Hill and .Melbourne via the New South Wales town of Cootamundra. To the latter town Brooks was to be carried by ’plane, and tllence by train to Sydney.

A special canvas stretcher was constructed for Brooks, and in this he was placed in tiie ’plane, packed in with wadding. A sister of a Broken TTill hospital accompanied him. The ’plane took off at 7.15 a.in., reached Mildurn at 11 a.in., Hay for lunch, and Cootaninndra at -J..‘10 p.m. Those 700 miles were covered in nine hours, including stops, hut the journey of .300 miles from Cootamnudra to Sydney by train occupied Id hours, and it was not until 5.30 n.m_ the next morning that Brooks was taken out of the train and carried by motor ambulance to tlie Coast Hospital. Asked for his experience, Brooks said: “ That ’plane is a good ’un. I only wish she could have brought me right here. It’s just like a little yacht out there on still water, floating along, ft’s a. beautiful way to travel. Wo came through heavy storms, hut she just rose right over them. Sometimes we went tlirough them, and you couldn’t see anything for rain. But 1 was in the cabin, as warm as I am now here in bed.’’