First Aid to the Injured

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2074, 3 February 1898, Page 2

First Aid to the Injured

From an advertisement in another column our readers will observe that a preliminary meeting of ladies is to be held this afternoon in the Public Hall at 3 o’clock, for the purpose uf considering the advisability or otherwise of forming a class to undergo instruction in this important subject. The vicar (the Rev E. J. McFarland) will occupy-the chair. It would, perhaps, be as well to take this opportunity to say a few words on the object of these lectures on the subject of first aid, which are usually given under the auspices of the St. John’s Ambulance Association. That association was established in 1877, and.it was formed for the purpose of spreading sufficient instruction among people of all classes of society, to enable them to give immediate help in oases of injury or sudden seizure of illness. In the presence of some great catastrophe, such as a terrible railway accident, a violent explosion, a large fire, or other misfortunethat results in the maiming and wounding of our fellow-creatures, all are naturally eager to render help to the sufferers. Everyone is prompted by the ordinary feelings of humanity to render assistance in such emergencies, but too often on amount of pure ignorance they do not know how to give aid. Others confident in their own powers from want of skill or rough handling increase the sufferings of the injured and even jeopardise their lives. The object of the Association is to do away with this lamentable and total ignorance, and to show all who will accept of their teaching how they may best render help to those injured, or taken suddenly ill, until medical assistance atrives. AU ladies in Te Aroha desirous of attending the proposed lectures are requested to be present this afternoon, and those, wishful of joining, but unable to be present, should send in their names to the secretary ( pro tem), Mrs Campbell, ‘ The Bungalow,\Te Aroha. In connection with active , military service knowledge of this character would be of inestimable use, we think. The work of collecting the wounded and attending to their first wants, after an engagement, is described by an experienced authority on such subjects as a “ vast and serious concern,” and on the way in which this duty is performed depends whether the sufferers rally from their hurts or rapidly succumb; and in very many other cases, whether the wounded recover or remain crippled for life. Asa matter of fact, no militery ambulance society in New Zealand could grapple satisfactorily with the huge masses of sick and wounded, we should have upon our hands in event of our having to have recourse to defensive operations against the attack of a foreign power, and, no doubt, should such a misfortune ever befall us, such bodies of men and women trained as we should like to seo them trained in the principles of first-aid, •would foi’m excellent material from which to recruit Red Cross societies whose services in the cause of humanity during recent European wars have been of such inestimable value. We should like very much to see a class formed of young men, Now is the time to form such, as the surgical and other appliances used at the ladies class might be utilised for the men’s class We shall be very pleased to add further names to the list of those we have already received. j