BLOOD TRANSFUSION
VALUE IN PEACE & WAR reserve list of donors WANTED. ADDRESS BY MR C. MEACHEN. ‘•Whether in peace or war, this organisation will be very valuable indeed,” said the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, last night, when introducing Mr C. Meachen, secretary and organiser of the Blood Transfusion Service, to a meeting held in the Municipal Social Hall last night. The hall was packed to the doors. Among those present were a good representation of the E.P.S., members of the Nursing Division of the St John Ambulance and V.A.D’s.
Mr Meachen, stating that there was already a branch of the organisation in Masterton, congratulated it on its achievements. The object of his visit was to bring under notice, especially to the E.P.S., the work of the Blood Transfusion Service in an emergency. Although there were plenty of donors for peace time, in the case of an emergency there would be a shortage. In a hit and run raid they might have a thousand casualties in Wellington and arrangements had been made, if necessary, to evacuate the public hospital at the rate of 100 patients per hour. Mr Meachen went on to state that blood was classified in four well-de-fined groups. He stressed the importance of every man in the E.P.S. organisation having first aid knowledge and of‘the great help to relatives and others if the name and address of an injured person could be obtained promptly, before, perhaps, the victim lapsed into unconsciousness. After referring to the work of the medical services unit of the E.P.S., Mr Meachen said it was essential that Masterton should have a reserve list of blood donors in case of an emergency.
A branch of the Blood Transfusion Service, said Dr T. L. Parr, was formed in Masterton about 18 months ago. The number of donors was about 65 and the number of transfusions made totalled about 25 during the last 18 months. Dr Parr said a donor suffered no harm in the loss of blood, there was no difficulty in giving it and no one need be in the least afraid of the procedure. He emphasised the importance of a wide knowledge of first aid among the community. It would be a tremendous help, he said, if there were a sufficient number of people in the community who had a knowledge of first aid work to take the lead in dealing, with cases of injury, until more skilled or professional assistance was obtained.
Mr Meachen screened films showing the procedure in blood transfusion, methods to stop arterial bleeding and the correct way to extinguish incendiary bombs. Forms to be filled in by blood donors were distributed to the meeting.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1941, Page 4
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445BLOOD TRANSFUSION Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1941, Page 4
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