Ambulance Workers in Auckland

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 508, 10 November 1928, Page 17

Ambulance Workers in Auckland

(WRITTEN for THE SDN by MAX P WHATMAN.)

Then in Palestine, By the wayside, in sober grandeur stood A hospital that, night and day, received The pilgrims of the West, and, when ’ticas asked “Who are the noble founders?” every tongue At once replied, -The merchants of Amalfi . . BOUT the year I 1048 certain merChants o£ Amalfi, a Pleasant little seaport to the south of Naples, who were trading to Palestine, either tal there or, which is thought more probable, raised an existing one to a more important position and provided for its serving by a body of men who called themselves the Brothers of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. The Brotherhood speedily became so important that it was formed into an Order of militant monks, undertaking as their special and distinctive charge the protection of pilgrims journeying to and from the Holy Land. Driven from Palestine in 1291 after a desperate struggle with the Saracens, the Knights removed to the castle of Kolossi in Cyprus and thence to the strongly fortified island of Rhodes. From that island also they were driven, by the Turks, and they finally found a refuge in the island of Malta about 1530. There they remained, a militant Order of Christian men carrying out their fundamental principles of ministering to the sick and needy until, in 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte captured the island, and the knights were scattered broadcast all over Europe. A branch of the Order, which had flourished in England with its headquarters at Clerkenwell, has survived to the present day, modified of course, owing to changes in religious thought and modern environment. Probably the best known modern work of the Order is the development through its Ambulance Dept., of the St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade, the latter beingmore or less an offshoot of the former. The Red Cross movement, -which became active at the beginning of the latter half of last century, was much stimulated by the Franco-Prussian War of 1870

—^ J.L. and 1871, and many members o£ tbe Order enrolled themselves in the newly formed British National Aid Society established for Red Cross work. Experience gained in the war made it clear that no Red Cross Society could efficiently carry out its work in time of war unless organised in time of peace and this experience resulted, in 1877, in the formation of the St. John Ambulance Association with the object of giving instruction in ambulance work. The organisation flourished, and in 1892, New Zealand led the way in the formation of brigade units in the colonies when an ambulance corps was founded in Dunedin. Through the Years Auckland followed shortly afterward with the founding of a local centre inaugurated on February 23, 1892, at a meeting attended by the Governor, Lord Onslow, whose term of office was concluded on the following day. During the first year’s activity, 271 students passed first aid examinations. Enthusiasm was high and the Association was able to show a credit balance of £ls 4s. Dr. F. W. E. Dawson, whose picture to-day hangs in the Rut-

land Street lecture hall, was at this time chairman of the executive committee and is the real founder of the work in Auckland.

By the end of the following year over 400 students had been prepared for examination by the association’s honorary instructors, classes having been held in eight suburbs as well as at the main depot. The Auckland Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade was formed in October of 1893 with Dr. Dawson as Honorary Surgeon with the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel, and Mr. C. J. Tunks, the present Assistant-

Commissioner, as Superintendent. The main object of the association was, and still is, to train students in taking care of the sick. The brigade planned to put that knowledge into use by keeping in a state of efficiency a body of men trained to give immediate first aid to the injured, and all members had to possess first aid certificates. At the end of the first year the Auckland Corps of the brigade had 25 members and a considerable record of service. Its only equipment was an Ashford wheeled litter and two stretchers.

For 14 years the association and brigade progressed steadily until, in 1908, a milestone was reached when, with a street collection inaugurating “Ambulance Day,” £SOO was obtained as a nucleus toward a Building Fund. The Nursing Division was also founded; the number attending first aid classes was greatly increased, and 14 Ashford litter stations were established in different parts of the city.

Five years later the association shifted to its new station in Rutland Street which -was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Crossley, Bishop of Auckland, on Friday, May 23, 1913. Largely

owing to a bequest of £IOOO made to the Association by Sir John Logan Campbell, the building, which cost about £3,500, was opened free of debt and the committee was able to turn its attention to acquiring a motor ambulance wagon. About this time the brigade members were put into their familiar black uniforms and commenced a regular attendance at sports meetings of various kinds. Next year found the association and brigade fully prepared, when, on August 4, war was declared. Members enthusiastically grasped the many opportunities afforded them to assist the Empire’s cause by supplying volunteers for active service and making garments and first aid material for soldiers and refugees. The Epsom Nursing Division, which was founded on November 15, 1914, equipped and staffed the Epsom Convalescent Home for wounded soldiers which was opened in September, 1915. Attendance at football matches and race meetings was carried on, as usual, in addition to the extraordinary war work. Far from sinking back into a state of comparative coma after the strenuous years of the war, a great new work was founded in 1920 when the District Nursing Service began operations on January 5. During the first two months of the service, 1323 visits were paid to 155 patients with excellent results. The association’s nurses also contributed materially to the checking of the recurrence of the influenza epidemic with which the city was threatened in January and February, 1920. A post-war reaction affected the association, however, mainly in the decreased number of pupils attending first aid lectures. It was not long, conditions becoming almost normal once more, before the attendances improved and 1922 was a record year. Over 100 men and boys and 451 women and girls attended classes and, of these, nearly 500 passed tests satisfactorily.

*—■ -<.l- ■> <- The great event of the year was the completion of a motor ambulance wagon built locally for the association. It cost £350 and, used in conjunction with a car also bought for ambulance work, assisted the association to maintain an efficient transport service. The work done by the district nurses also increased during 1922 and in 12 months, 8,143 visits were made to 621 patients. In the following year another motor ambulance was purchased and excellent work was done, 236 patients

having been carried 2,174 miles, 27 returned soldiers 144 miles and 25 players, who had met with accidents on sports grounds, a distance of 388 miles. A street collection and appeal by circulars was launched to procure funds for the maintenance of the District Nursing and Motor Ambulance Services, the satisfactory sum of £1,302 being collected.

Organisation To-day The association now has four motor ambulances specially built and equipped with all modern appliances such as balloon tyres and shock absorbers to ensure the comfort of the patients. Bach ambulance has an adequately stocked first aid cupboard. Mr.' S. E. Langstone, Transport Officer, and his assistants are skilled ambulance men as well as efficient chauffeurs, and can always summon to their assistance one of the district nurses or a member of the brigade. During the past two years, by arrangement with the Harbour Board, an ambulance has been kept at the station on Queen’s Wharf so that it is always available for attending to casualties on the wharves or waterfront. It has also been arranged with the Hospital Board that the association’s ambulances assist in the transport of patients to, or from the hospital when needed. Ashford litter stations are maintained at Mount Eden, Birkenhead, Northcote, Devonport, Onehunga, and the Onehunga wharf. The first aid and home nursing lectures are more popular than ever and were attended last year by 1,440 pupils, most of whom gained the certificates of the association. Lectures are given at various railway stations in the province, the department having decided to offer its employees every facility to obtain a

SL. tUw, aim Jn. knowledge of first aid to the injured. Three trained nurses and one probationer are kept fully occupied with the District Nursing Service and last year 6,575 visits were made to 951 patients; doctors were assisted at 39 operations and 110 out-patients were treated at the Ambulance Station, the number of visits totalling 951. The association wishes it to be clearly understood that the Nursing Service is for the benefit of the sick poor only. Those in the position to do so are expected to secure the sei'vices of a trained nurse, as the association

nurses are fully occupied in attending to more deserving cases. The brigade is in a better position than has ever been the case hitherto. New divisions have been formed; older divisions have received many recruits, and there has been a remarkable increase in efficiency and the amount of work done by both Ambulance and Nursing Divisions. Nearly 9000 first aid cases were attended to by brigade members last year in addition to 2,707 cases attended to by the association’s transport officers at Queen’s Wharf. The Ambulance Department of the Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem is now divided into three separate parts. There is the St. John Ambulance Association, the St. John Ambulance Brigade (in the case of New Zealand, the St. John Ambulance Brigade Overseas) and the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem. As has already been mentioned it was with a similar hospital in Palestine that the Order started its work in 1048, 880 years ago.

The association must not be considered as a rival to the medical fraternity. Its primary purpose is to afford relief until a doctor can arrive, and the excellent understanding it has

with medical men is evidenced by the fact that more than 120 doctors are honorary members of the association’s medical staff in Auckland alone. “Pro Utilitate Hominum” reads the association motto and its members can truthfully declare that their work is for the service of mankind and has been through all those centuries since the members of the old militant Order guided the footsteps of weary pilgrims along the thorny paths of Palestine.

Busy Saturdays Those who, in the winter, wend their ways to Eden Park, Remuera, Carlaw Park, or any other ground where their favourite sports are “waged,” are well acquainted with the figure of “Zambuk” as he trots smartly on to the field in response to summoning blasts of the referee’s whistle. Yet how many have given him more than a passing thought? Does it ever accur to you, for instance, that all over the Auckland Province, and for that matter all over the Empire, these men are affording relief to the victims of 10,000 sporting accidents? Perhaps the brigade figures of an ordinary Saturday in July will be illuminating. On July 21, 1928, 10 divis-

ions were on duty at 45 recreation grounds throughout the province. Ambulance men attended 3S football matches and five hockey matches, being also present at cycle races and the Auckland Amusement Park. The total number of men on duty was 111 and 301 cases were treated. All these services, and the attendance of the motor ambulances at race meetings, are given free, although sums of money are donated every year by the various sports bodies for which the brigade has catered. Secretary for 33 Years Mr. William Rattray, who celebrated his 76th birthday last August, has been secretary of the Auckland Centre for

33 years. He was appointed to the position on August 17, 1895. After holding the post for 17 years, Mr. Rattray was compelled, through bad health, to resign and assume the less arduous duties of honorary treasurer. In a year, however, his health having improved, he was back in harness, and has been secretary e»er since. For the past six years Mr. Rattray has been honorary secretary, carrying

on the Centre's work with the aid of a typist. Prior to that he was, for a time, paid £4O a year, but has never received an adequate remuneration: in fact he has been a frequent and generous contributor to the funds of the centre.

To quote the Assistant-Commission-er, Mr. C. J. Tunks: “Mr. Rattray has been enthusiastic, consistent and persistent in his work for the centre.

Under Mr. Rattray's careful guidance the work of the brigade in Auck land has developed rapidly.

The value of the brigade’s quiet, unobtrusive work is inestimable and, though this article is not intended to suggest an appeal and has not been prompted by any request of the authorities, it may persuade those who are desirous of participating in this unselfish work to make application for further details to the secretary, St. John Ambulance Brigade. Rutland St.