First Aid Journal 1910-1911

FIRST AI D':

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and. Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proprietors to make this Joumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the] oumal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgen tly requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" F i r st Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

A Re v iew of th e Yea r , 1909

IN accordance with o ur usual custom at the cornmencemtnt of the New Year we propose to briefly review some of the events of the past year.

As regards both Ambulance and Fire Brigade circles there is but little to chronicle which is of more than passing interest. One even t , however, in connection with the latter service, created no little surpr ise and some indignation, we allude to the promotion of the Third Officer of the London Fire Briga.de to the pusition of Chief Officer. The passing over of the claims of the Second Officer was naturally resented by the men of this sp le n did fo rce, renowned, as they are, not only for their high state of discipline, but also for their loyalty to their officers, and it wa s r ecognise d by all impartial obse rvers, that, no t hi n g but t h eir sense of the in justice of the action of the Fi re Brigade Commi t tee of the London County Council, would have caused them to take the unfortunate course they adopted, in pet itio n ing the Counci l on behalf of the Seco n d Officer. I n connectio n with the National Fire Brigades Union, it is g rat ify in g to re co r d, t hat it was never in a more sat isfac tory co n dit io n C h ie f Office r Hill h as

amply justified the confidence which his friends placed in him, when he was elected to succeed Mr. Horace Folker as head of the Secretariat of the Union. It is to be regretted that the Annual Camp this year was not favomed with better weather. The local Council and townspeople of Tonbridge had spared neither trouble or expense to make the visit a pleasant one, and had the meeting been favoured with fine weather, we believe it would have been olle of the most successful yet held under the auspices of the Union In addition to the of Capt. Hamilton from the London Fire Brigade, another which was equally regretted, was that of Supt. Ely from the Leicester Fire Brigade, especially so, as the cause was the continued ill-health of the popular officer. The many friends of Supt. Ely, both in the professional Fire Service, as well as those in the Volunteer Branch will unite in wishing that in his retirement he may yet be spared for many years to enjoy the rest to which his well spent life and arduous duties in the past so thoroughly entitle him.

The ambulance movement shows no abatement in public interest, and on our railways, and in connection with the police force of the country it continues to receive support and encouragemeut from those in control, added to which an undoubted impetus has been given to the work by the recent development of the Red Cross Society, in undertaking in conjunction with the S.J.A.A .. the formation, of Voluntary Aid Detachments. It is too early to speak with any certainty as to the probable success of the movement, but judging by the progress which has already been made it is to be hoped that before the close of the present year, Great Britain will have an auxilliary force capable of meeting all requirements should this country ever unfortunately be engaged in a war which might severely tax the resources of the Royal Army Medical Service. We are glad to note that there is on the part of the Red Cross Society an evident desire to work in harmony with the St. John Ambulance Brigade, this is evidenced by the appointment of many of the Superior Officers of the Brigade to the position of County Directors of the Red Cross movement in their respective districts. This is, we should think a wise step, and one which should tend to the avoidance of friction. We trust as a result that these gentlemen will leave no stone unturned to secure for

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the Nursing Sisters of the Brigade some such recognition as we have previously outlined.

As a proof that the members of the Brigade are ready and willing to take their part in connection with the defence of the Empire, we have only to point to the patriotic response which they have made to the call for volunteers for the Military Home Hospitals Reserve and the Royal Naval Auxilliary Sick Berth Reserve. The efficiency of the several districts never stood so high, and the Deputy Commissioners report a continued increase in numbers. Public duty again has been undertaken on all occasions of large gatherings, and many complimentary references have been passed in high quarters on the splendid services rendered to the community. Perhaps the highest compliment which has ever been bestowed upon it is the permission which has graciously been accorded to the Metropolitan Corps by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, that the Corps shall in future be known as "The Prince of Wales Corps," with the right to wear the Prince of Wales Feathers on the collar of the tunic. This is a distinction which will be much appreciated by not only the Metropolitan mem bers but by those in the Provinces as well, implying, as it does, Royal recognition of the work of the Brigade as a whole. Another recognition by Royalty which has given much satisfaction to ambulance workers in the Welsh District was the visit of H. R. H. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyle, on the occasion of the annual competition for the" Sir Charles Warren Shield Il when Her Royal Highness graciously presented the trophy and prizes to the winning teams. Two prominent officers resigned during the year under review, ;viz., Colonel Gibbon, V.D., Deputy Commissioner, No. 6 District, and District Supt. of Stores Shute B. Piers, of the No. 1. District. In connection with the work in British Dominions beyond the Sea, it is gratifying to place on record the splendid progress and useful work the various Brigades are carrying on in the Colonies, especially so in Australia and New Zealand.

The Ambulance Service for London, which we had hoped would have been inaugurated during the past year, is still conspicuous by its absence, although some of our optimistic friends affirm that London will not have long to wait before she has a Service worthy alike of her fame and her requirements.

Death has removed from our midst several prominent men connected with the Ambulance Movement and the Fire Service, among whom may be mentioned Lord Amherst, of Hackney. His lordship was for some years Secretary General of the Order and during that period proved a warm friend to St. John Am bulance Brigade. Another equally staunch supporter has passed away in the person of General Sir Owen Tudor Burne. During the South African War,

AI D.- January, 1910.

Sir Owen was a constant attendant at the Sunday morning Services which were held at St. John Church, and on more than one occasion he addressed a few kInd words to the Volunteers. By the decease of Major Fox and Mr. Duke Fox the ambulance cause in the Heavy Woollens District has lost two of its most earnest supporters. The local Executive will find it difficult to fill the vacancy thus created, but, we trust, that other local gentlemen will come forward and carryon the good work, which, as far as Dewsbury is concerned, will be indissolubly connected for all time with the name of Fox. Yet another earnest worker whose loss is sincerely deplored in Preston, is Honorary Surgeon Holden, who, both as lecturer and honorary surgeon to the local corps, had endeared himself to all with whom he had come in contract with.

English Firemen will unite with their French comrades in mourning the loss of that grand old Fire ChiefCaptain Lefebre. For many years he had been a constant visitor to this country, for the people of which he had a feeling of regard. He was an Honorary Life Mem ber of the National Fire Brigades' Union. Of all these faithful workers it may truthfully be said "They have gone from our midst, but truly their record shall live in the works they left behind them."

First Aid in Railway Accidents.

( Concluded from page 8) )

(b) WOUNDS AND HiEMORRHAGE. Patients may be wounded from splinters, or by being violently thrown against the sides, or on the floors of the carriages, and these wounds may be accompanied by severe hremorrhage.

If the wounds are superficial it is best not to touch tlzem j allow them to remain uncovered until proper means are at hand for dressing them. If they are touched by dirty fingers the probability is they will become infected, and as there is sure to be a lot of mud about they may become infected with the micro-organism of tetanus. Materials from the carriages should never be used for dressings. If there is severe hcemorrhage it will have to be controlled, and the best way to do this is to apply an improvised tourniquet to the main artery above the wound. For this we can use a strip torn off one of the curtains, and for a stick to hold it we can use a piece from one of the luggage rails.

(c) SYNCOPE. (d) SHOCK. (e) CONCUSSION AND COMPRESSION OF THE BRAIN. These will be indicated by the usual signs. The treatment will consist of

(i.) Keeping the patient warm, in a recumbent position, with his head low.

(ii.) Removing him indoors as quickly as possible, applying warmth to his body and hot water bottles to his feet, and the means to be adopted for these have already been dealt with (see Fracture of the Spine).

TRANSPORT OF INJURED.

The injured having been treated and removed to temporary shelters, we have to consider the best means of

January, 19 10

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transport, and here nothing can be better than to fit up goods wagons. after the Zavodovsky's method, failing this method, patIents can be removed on their wooden stretchers and placed on the floors of goods wagons.

A First Aid Emergency Bandage.

WE recently inspected several samples of an ingenious and

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enclosed in which attached two roller bandages. The whole IS an? IS folded .square in a special and enclosed m oIled paper, With an outside casing of ordmary I?aper. In applying the bandage all that has to be done IS remove. the covering, and pull the roller m dl:ect!ons, which opens out the pad, and It can be applJed m the position desired, the

exceedingly interesting invention known as the "Asepto Emergency Bandage." The merit claimed for this bandage

bar:dages ,,;ill serve to secure it there. As a proof of ItS aseptic character, we may mention that the method o.f the bandage renders it absolutely impossible for tne InsIde of the pad to become contaminated. This from first aider's point of view is a worthy consideration, as it IS not always possible to have clean hands or the withal to prior to dressing a case. Without any risk of mfectlOn to the wound the bandage may be handled with the dirtiest of hands, as there is no necessity for the

is the ease with which it can be applied hy any person to his own wounds, or to those of others, and that without

person applying it to touch the inside of the pad with his hands. It is so essentially practicable, so reliable, and yet so simple of application that the" Asepto " bandage should find a place in the surgical havresac of any ambulance service or first aid !"escue corps. We have seen no other bandage to compare with it and we advise our readers to write to Mr. Voet, 2, Coleman-street, London, E.c., for samples and full particulars, and do not forget to mention that FIRST AID was the source from whence you learned of its existence.

assistance, and under the most unfavourable conditions.

The dressing consists of a pad of compressed wadding

Mrs. J. S. Griffiths, the wife of the popular Deputy Commissioner of the No. 2 District, S.J.A.B., has, with the sanction of His Majesty the King, been enrolled as a Lady of Grace ip the Order 0f St. John,

NeE

G E.R.-In connection with the Liverpool-street Division of the Great Eastern Railway Ambulance Corps, an Individual Competition for three prizes was held at the Liverpool Street Station on Thursday, pecember. 30th The competition was for members not Included In the teams chosen to represent the division at the annual competition for the Great Eastern Challenge Cup, or who had not previously gained a prize at any other G:eat Eastern Ambulance competition. The judging was kIndly undertaken by Dr. E. King Houchin, who is the surgeon to the division, and also to the Ilford DIVIsIOn of the Metropolitan Corps, S.J.A.B. Supt. W. R. Magnm, of the latter division kindly assisted Dr. King Houchin.

The following were the tests set :-

Viva the difference between a fracture and a dislocation. Describe the difference between a fainting fit and a hysterical fit?

Bandaging. -Co mpound complIcated fracture of right radius.

The competition proved to be very close, three of the members, Messrs. Watts, Wilson and Whyatt gaining the maximum number of marks, thus tieing and necessitating a further test, which was as follows :-

" A man in a riot is struck on the forehead with an iron stave, the frontal bone is fractured and the man is insensi ble."

At the conclusion of th is test the judge placed the competitors in the following order :-1st, Mr. Wilson; 2nd, Mr. Whyatt; 3rd, Mr. Watts.

The competition lasted thr<;e-and-a-quarter hours, and at its conclusion Dr. King Houchin spoke in high terms of the efficiency of all the competitors, and especially complimented the winners, who he congratulated upon their success.

The proceedings dosed with a vote of thanks to Dr. King Houchin and Mr. Magnus, proposed by :vIr. Buss and seconded by Mr. Watts.

GREAT CENTRAL.-An interesting meeting in connection with this railway was held at Worksop Station, on the afternoon of Sunday, January 2nd, when Dr. Menzies presented certificates and vouchers to the successful candidates at the recent class. At the conclusion of the distribution, Mr. T. Mitchell, who presided, on behalf of the class, presented Dr. Menzies with a silver-plated inkstand, suitably inscribed, in recognition of the services he had so ungrudgingly given in connection with the instruction of the men.

The worthy doctor replied in a happy little speech, expressive of his appreciation of the handsome gift, and the good feeling which had prompted it, concluding by assuring the members that he should always regard their gift as a memento of the many happy hours he had spent with them in connection with ambulance work.

A presentation was then made to Mr. Blackmore, who has succeeded Mr. Rowlands as hon. secretary, and to Mr. T. Mitchell for his services as instructor. The present in

Al D.- January, 1910.

each case took the form of a pipe and tobacco pouch. Both recipients acknowledged the gift. We are given to understand the men are hard for the coming competition, and they are determIned that no effort shall be wanting on their part to win the coveted trophy.

L. & N.W.R.-The annual meeting in connection with the Leamington class was held at the Avenue Railway Station last month. Mr. W. Hirons, station master, presided, and was supported by Dr. T. E. Cecil Cole., Prior to the presentation of the annual report on the year s work, the secretary (Mr. C. Middleton), on behalf of the class, presented Dr. Cecil Cole with a han.dso.me um?rella a mark of their great appreciation of hiS kIndness In devotIng so much of his time to the instruction of the members. The doctor feelingly acknowledged the gift.

MlDLAND RAILWA Y -Unaba ted interest has been taken in ambulap.ce work by the employes of this Company; during the past year 540 members have been successful in obtaining the first aid certificate, bringing up the total of " first aiders" employed on this railway to 9,979, representing 14'27 per cent. of the total staff.

The distribution in the various departments of the Company is as follows -Traffic (coaching), 3,6$4; traffic (goods), 1,349; ways and 2,741 ; locomotive, 1,55 2; carriage and wagon, 510; Vanous, 17 3·

It is gratifying to place on record that dunng the past year several instances of valuable first aid, rendered by the Company's ambulance men have been reported and recognised. In many cases the doctors have reported that the treatment rendered gave evidence of a high standard of proficiency. In some instances first aid was rendered under requiring not only promptitude, but self possession, and courage and an aptitude to intelligently grasp the difficulties of the

The applications for the special awards granted by the Company have this year numbered 128, and after careful consideration the committee have decided to award II gold and 55 silver medals and 18 illuminated .certificates, and to endorse three illuminated certificates which han been previously presented.

The following are the reCIpients of thp. varIOUS awards :-Gold Medals- J. E. Parr (Westhouses and Blackwell locomotive depart.); G. W. Vickers, (Chaddeston coaching), A. A. Osborne, (Chaddeston coaching), and C. W. Daniel (Derby coaching).

Silver Medal.- T. M. Duke (Derby carnage and wagon depart.) C. M. Robinson (Derby coaching), G. Whotton, (Rasland locomotive), B. Dickinson (Clay Cross coaching), T. Gorham (Derby 9'. May (C.haddeston coaching), T. Maxwell (Toton SIdll1gs coachIng), H. Langridge (Derby way and works), J. W. Daybell (Toton carriage and wagon), T. Allen (Toton way and works), and F. Smith (Sandacre coaching).

Illuminated Certificates.-J. Orme (silver medallist), Derby locomotive department; H. Rodger (silver medallist), Derby carriage and wagon; T. Maxwell (silver medallist), Toton Siding,> coaching.

In addition 35 men who have rendered first aid or assisted in doing so, have been specially commended by the Committee.

The annual distribution of the certificates, and labels, to the Bristol classes took place last month at St. Philip's Goods Station. The chair was occupied by

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Mr. W. E. Salisbury (District Goods Manager), who was supported by Mr. H. W.L. Harford, one of. the Directors, who kindly attended to make the presentation. In open109 the proceedings, the Chairman spoke in appreciative terms of the success of the Midland Ambulance Corps during the past year. As am bulance men they were in 1 very useful and commendable work. In concludIng, he spoke of the valuable services r endered to the corps by Dr. Mather, without fee or reward. Mr. Harford having presented the awards, said it gave him much pleasure to present to Dr. Mather on behalf of the corp,s, a handsome carriage rug. The doctor had acted as theIr hon. surgeon for the last six years, and in addition to instructing the classes he had given an additional course of very valuable lectures. He regularly attended their practices, and in fact his services were always at the disposal of the corps should they require his assistance. In thanking the members for their kind recognition of his services, Dr. Mather expressed gra tification that so many of the older members of the coros continued to take an active interest in its welfare. it was his opinion that ambulance work generally, had by no means come to the top of the tree yet; it was only in its infancy. CO,ntinuing, the referre? to the aid rendered by the Midland men, whIch, he saId, had proved extremely valuable tn the doctors, because the members wisely refused to take upon themselves supreme responsibility, but having rendered first aid, adopted the precaution of quickly placing the patient under the care of a medical man. In conclusion, the doctor suggested that a course of nursing lectures should be run during the ensuing session, a suggestion that received the unanimous approval of the mem bers. The usual vote of thanks c')neluded a most interesting and successful meeting.

S.E. & C.R.-The classes on this railway are now in full swing.

Excellent as the record of work done last season was it is confidently anticipated th-at a large increase in the number of men qualified in "first aid" work will be apparent when the results of the examinations this season are made known.

The Centre Secretary especially asks that an effort should be made by all men entitled to be examined for voucher, medallion, or label, to attend for eXc:lmination.

The tickets for the annual dinner, which will be held at the Crystal Palace on April 13th next, are now in the hands of the district secretaries. A very large attendance is anticipated, and those desirous of being present should make early application for their tickets, as, in order to avoid overcrowding, the issue of these will be limited to one thou5and.

A new series of" National Health Manuals" are being prepared under th e able editorship of Dr. T. N. Kelynack, whose name will be sufficient guarantee that the work will be of the best. All forms of social effort and enterprise in so far as they touch medico-sociological problems will be dealt with. Each chapter in every volume will be written by a well-known medical expert. The series, which will consist of 12 volumes, will be issued by Robert Culley, The Methodist Publisbing House, City-road, London, E.c. The first volume dealing with "Infancy)) will be issued shortly.

WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH ADVERT1SER8 PLEASE MENTION" FIRST AlD."

Annual Distribution to the Poor Children

101

of Clothing of Clerkenwell.

ONCE again the advent of Christmas saw assembled in the precincts of St. John'S Gate, Clerkenwell, a crowd of 111 clad little waifs and strays, who had mustered in response to the kindly invite extended to them by the warm-hearted Nursing Sisters of the Headquarters Division, to receive at their hands gifts of warm clothing to protect their little frames from the inclement weather, and gifts of buns, sweets, toys, and the like so dear to the hearts of all little ones . It was early in the evening when I wended my way to " The Gate," on Decemb er 20th, where I found already assembled Lady Supt. Mrs.]. Calvin Lines and her band uf busy Nursing Sisters. Indeed the lengthy programme which they had to go through had n ecessitated an early muster in the afternoon, in order to make preparation for the strenuous work of the evening. The large show-room, which had been placed at their disposal for the distribution, looked more like a Christmas Storp, than a show room devoted to the storage of am bulance vehicles and other first aid appliances. Piles of clothing of all sizes and description, heaps of toys, cakes, oranges, sweets, and crackers were displayed on all sides, ready to hand for distribution when the clock should strike the magic hour of six. Tickets had been distributed through the medium of the Rector, the Parish urse, and others acquainted with the wants of the locality, thus ensurin g th at the really deserving received the gifts.

Punctually at the hour a start was made, and the mothers, accompanied in many instances by two or three children were admitted when the latter were at once taken hand by the Nursing Sisters, the children getting, in some instances" a outfit of useful clothing, some receiVIng, Inaddltl o n, a new paIr of boots-a luxury which, alas, most of them sadly to need; and then came the cro,:"ning ?elight of all from the children's point of VI ew, prIor to each "bairn" r ece ived quite a larg e parcel, consisting of cake, sweets, toys and an ,orange How eyes sparkled as they held out their httle hands to r eceIve these welcome gifts-treasures such as lhey had not perhaps handled since the last distribution a year ago. Ano so for thr ee hours the good work goes on. If une lo o ked for wearin ess on the part of the good Sisters engaaed in their labour of love, it was not apparent, each one too engrossed in the work on hand to give even a thought to one's self. Could the kind donors of all this happiness only have been have been more than satisfied at the WIse dlstnbutlOn of the gifts which their had made .":ell, e ver),thinO' has an en d1l1 0', and the last tIny reCIpIent o 0 d' " d' " having been duly "outfitted" and Its goo les, the door is closed, and the now ttred sisters prepare for home. Surely, that j ourney hom= have been a pleasant one, brightened as it woul? With the that they had shed some little sunshIne ,Into the drab lives of some of His little It would 10 a great measure, we are sure compensate them for the many hours of labour which they'spend in the sh,adow the grey old "Gate," working for th is annual festival, for It must n?t that the three hours so pleasantly In dlstnbutmg these gifts represents the sum total of theIr labours. many months their busy fingers have bee.n engaged In cuttinO' out and making up the garments whIch haye been so appreciated

It is desired by the Lady Supennte ndent to express

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the thanks of herself and the mem bers of the Nursing Division to Messrs. E. Brown & Co., for gifts of toys; to Messrs. Tom Smith & Co., for gifts of crackers; to Messrs. Hebbert & Co., for material also to the officers and members of No. 44 Division for gift of money to purchase material; to Supt. and Mrs. Morphett, of Settle, for again kindly sending a large parcel of clothing, and to many others who showed their interest by helping the good cause.

We are pleased to hear that the result of the recent "Whist Drive" has placed the Division in funds wherewith to commence the preparations for another year, as it is earnestly hoped by all that the Sisters may long be spared to carryon this truly humanitarian work.

Lalor's Double=Action Alar Tourniquet.

THIS tourniquet, which has been designed by Major N. P. O'Gorman-Lalor, I.M.S., is, as its name implies, a double action one, and would appear to present several distinct advantages over similar instruments previously in use.

]. The motion of screwing clown the pad on the wounded vessel at the same time raises two metal wings at either side of the instrument. This action results in

AID.- January, I9IO.

3. The bearing points of the instrument are so far apart that the skin cannot be nipped up between them, however rapidly it is applied.

In use the pad should be applied directly over, and parallel to the course of the vessel, and the tape should be well tightened around the limb before the instrument is screwed down.

The instrument is made by John Weiss & Son, Ltd., 287, Oxford-street, London, W.

January, I9 IO . -FIRST

The British Red Cross Society.

GOOD progress is being made with the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments in several of the Counties. Meetings have been held in support of the movement at Haywards Heath, presided over by Capt. e. w. Sergison, D.L., when the aims and objects of the Organisation were fully explained by Mr. G. Makins, e.B., F.R.e.S. At Bristol when a large and enthusiastic meetIng was held in connection with the Bristol Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and presided over by Chief Supt. Hayman, when addresses were delivered by Sir George White a.nd Deputy Commissioner Griffiths. At Malton, presided over by the Hon. H. W. Fitzwilliam, and addressed by Colonel H. Mostyn Owen and Colonel De Burgh Birch. At Glynde (Sussex), by invitation of Mrs. Beckwith-Smith, a meeting was held at Glynde-place, and addressed by Dr. E. Stewart.

At Perth, where a meeting was held in the Boys' and Girls' Hail, presided over by the Lord Provost, and addressed by Sir George Beatson.

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Outwardly inclined to excessive brusqueness, Duke Fox was essentially a man who required to be known before you could appreciate his real nature, once you really got to know him you soon realised what a genuinely warm heart beat beneath that apparently somewhat curt exterior. A typical Yorkshireman, he was straight as a die in all his dealings. He dearly loved the "county of broad acres," but he was by no means insular in his tastes or prejudices. He had travelled widely, and in conversation he could be most interesting while giving his impressions of the various countries which he had visited.

At the time of the South African war, when Dewsbury sent her quota of ambulance men to the front, Duke Fox took a keen interest in the welfare of the lads going South, and he accompanied some of the drafts to London, and attended the services with them in the ancient Priory Church (St. John's) prior to their departure.

diminished pressure upon the limb, and the return venous circulation is encourag"ed in place of being obstructed as it is by instruments of the usual type.

2. The double movement, which every turn of the screw causes, considerably increases the mechanical advantage of the latter. The vessel is thus rapidly compressed by a few turns of the screw.

The Prince of Wales as Grand Prior of the Order of St. John, has approved of the recommendation of the Chapter-General that Mr. Harold Boulton, M.V.O., be appointed Honorary Organising Commissioner of the Ambulance Department (St. John Ambulance Association) for Canada.

A memorandum issued by the S.J.A.A., dated January loth, 1910, contains the following :-

It has been decided by the War Office, in consultation with the Committees of the British Red Cross Society and the St. John Ambulance Association, that the duties which members of the Voluntary Aid Detachments for Men will be called upon to perform will not necessitate a knowledge of nursing, therefore all men holding the first aid certificate of the St. John Ambulance Association, and desirous of joining the said detachments, can do so forthwith.

Candidates for the Voluntary Aid Detachments for Women must, however, hold both the first aid and nursmg certificates of the St. John Ambulance Association.

We are glad to notice in the list of Honorary Associates the name of Dr. Sloman, of Farnham. The recognition is in very way well deserved; the doctor commenced lecturing for the St. John's Ambulance Association on the formation of the Farnham Centre in 1882, twenty-eight years ago, and since that long period his interest has never waned, for he is as keenly interested in it to-day as ever he was. We trust that Dr. Sloman may long be spared to continue his good work, and to wear the insignia presented to him in recognition of his unselfish labours on behalf of this humanitarian work.

FOLKESToNE. -With the object of forming a nursing di vision a special course of nursing lectures has been organised by Supt. Adams, and about 40 ladies have already joined.

ROTHERHAM.-The supernumerary officers of this corps held their Christmas Cinderella Dance on Tuesday, December 28th, in the Oddfellows Hall, Westgate. There was a capital attendance, many members of other corps being present, and the dance was voted one of the most pleasant which the corps has held.

In connection with the Hampshire Branch, a comprehensive little pamphlet has been issued by the indefatigable County Director (Colonel Twiss) who is always thorough in whatever he undertakes. This pamphlet should prove an invaluable guide to those who propose to take up the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments within the area of the County.

In London, the Polytechnic always to the fore in matters relating to ambulance work, detachments have already been formed and the necessary officers appointed, viz.:-Commandant, Colonel James Cantlie, F.R.C.S.; Assistant-Commandant, J. Maclean Carvell, Esq., M.R.e.S.; Medical L. W. Sam bon, Esq., M.D.; Quarkrmaster, J. Taylor j Assistant-Quartermaster, Mr. W. J. Roberts j Pharmacists, Messrs. W. H. Martindale, Ph.D., F.e.S., and A. G. Gibbon.

Women's Detachment :-Commandant, Miss May Thorne, M.D., F.R.e.S.; Ass/stant-Commandant, Miss Lilian Chesney, M.B.; Quartermaster, Mr. William J. Fuller; Assistant-Quartc!rmasta-, Miss Evelyn M. Burgessj Lady Superintenden ts, Mrs. Vincent Hoare and Mrs. James Cantlie.

Application for enrolment should be made as early as possible. Further particulars may be obtained from Mr. Mitchell, Director of Education, the Polytechnic, Regentstreet, London, "V.

Obituary.

By the death of Major Chaley Fox and his brother Mr. Duke Fox, the town of Dewsbury has within a period of three weeks, lost two of its most prominent citizens, and men whose loss will be severely felt in the town and district for some time to come j indeed, it may in truth be said of both it will be difficult, if not impossible, to fill the void which has been created by their deaths.

Although both brothers took an interest in ambulance work, the younger, Duke, was more prominently connected with it, and in him the Heavy Woollen District Centre, possessed a keen and practical first aider. For twenty-five years he held the position of Local Honorary Secretary, and during that time he had signed upwards of 8,000 certificates, and had issued through the medium of the centre 1,500 medallions, a feat of which he was deservedly proud.

It was in the midst of children that Duke Fox was perhaps seen at his best, he loved the bairns and they instinctly took to him, he inspired their confidence and won their affection. As a prominent member of the Poor Children's Dinner Fund he took the keenest interest in the movement, and on the occasion of the children's annual gathering he was always present, exerting himself to promote their enjoyment.

Devotedly attached to his wife, her death in May, 19°7, was a severe blow to him, and one from which he never seemed to recover. His many friends could not fail but to notice that from that period he seemed to age visibly, and he lost much of that naturally buoyancy of character which was so distinctive a feature of his whole nature.

Both of the brothers had their services to the Am bulance Department of the Order of St. John recognised by their enrolment, as Knights of Grac e A distinction which they valued very highly, and one to which their whole hearted service to the cause of human suffering had fully entitled them.

This brief notice cannot be better summed up than by quoting the words of a speaker at a local meeting recently held at Dewsbury :-" The names of Major Fox and Mr. Duke Fox were household names in Dewsbury, they were affectionate brothers and partners, men of whom the generation might be proud, and men who had left an example to the citizens of their town."

Capt. Ugo Peune has been appointed Colonel Commanding the Fire Brigade of Joining the service in I887 he has had a dlstlllgUlshed career, been decorated by the Italian Government on two occaSlOns with the medal for life saving.

SOUTH SHIELDs.-In connection with the nursing division here a most successful dance was held on December 30th, in the Crown Assembly Rooms, Ocean-road. There were about I So ladies and gentlemen present. The music was supplied by Smith's and Mr. James Redhead efficiently discharged the dutieS of M.e. The stewards were Messrs. R. W. e. Newlands, Jas. Wheldon, H. Moore, J. H. Redhead, and Dr. Goudie. The h?n?rary secretaries who were responsible for the arrangements, were Miss e. M. Crease an? MISS ElSIe Redhead, and that they were thoroughly satisfactory was evidenced by the way in which the large number of guests e!1joyed themselves.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

Brevities.

SPEAKING at a presentation of certificates held recently in connection with the Denaby and Cadeby Collieries Corps, Chief Supt. Chambers said the St. John Ambulance Association was undoubtedly a splendid organisation, but it was badly managed, a fact that was well known to every ambulance man. The honour for the spread of the work, and it was world-wide now, was due, not to that organisation, but to the medical men who so generously assisted to carry it out. The way in which the work had progressed in Denaby was largely due to Dr. Twigg, whose whole-hearted efforts on its behalf were known and appreciated throughout the district, indeed owing to his personality and his methods of instruction, it was no longer a task to the men, but a really pleasant recreation. In concluding his remarks, Chief Supt. Chambers said in Denaby we, who are engaged in this work have been actually starving for some slight recognition or appreciation of our work, but I hope after the meeting this afternoon, and the support of the distinguished company present, we may be able to go into our work in the future with even greater zest.

This is a strong indictment, but it is an old aXOIm and a very true one, that there are generally two sides to every question. Have the claims of those for whom recognition is desired, ever been properly brought to the notice of the authorities in London? This is, we should say, the proper course to adopt, and we believe we are correct in stating that any recommendation forwarded by a local committee to the Central Executive Committee in London is always accorded every consideration, and dealt with upon its merits. The record of those who are engaged in ambulance work in the Denaby Cadeby Main Colliery District, is one of which all concerned may be justly proud. Dr. Twigg and Chief Supt. Chambers are especially to be commended; in the dissemination of the knowledge of first aid among the colliery workers of the district, they have never begrudged either time or trouble, and we are sure, that their recognition by the authorities would be both highly popular and thoroughly deserved.

* * *

We do not know who is responsible for the instructiun in first aid in the new edition of Scouting for Boys, but some of it should certainly be excised, notably that part relating to the treatment of quinsy. The book directs that should the swelling of the tonsils become so great that the patient cannot breathe, there are three courses open to the boy scout. One is to " Get a tube of some sort, such as that of a bicycle pump, or a pea-shooter, a pencil-case with the end opened, etc., and push it into the throat, so as to keep a passage open for air to get into the lungs." In the second, the lad is advised to "cut a little hole in each tonsil" to let out the matter which causes the swelling.

AI D.- January, 1910.

In the third, he is advised" to cut s hole in the neck, in the hollow just above the breast-bone into the hard windpipe" with a penknife wrapped in rag, so that only the tip is exposed, and then "to push a tube into the hole thus made!" Our contemporary The British Medical Journal conjectures, and very rightly we think, that this drastic operation would quickly end in a coroner's inquest! We " opine" so too.

* * * UNDER the Fothergill Trust, the Council of the Royal Society of Arts in June, 1907, offered a gold medal, or a prize of twenty pounds, for the best portable apparatus or appliance for enabling men to undertake rescue work in mines, or other places where air is noxious. A certain number of answers were received in response to this offer, but after carefully considering the circumstances, and having regard to the fact that the right was reserved of extending the time for sending in, it was decided by the Council to cancel the original offer and to accept for competition any apparatus which may be submitted not later than March 31st, 1910. In awarding the medal regard will be had in the first place to excellence of design and contrivance, and secondly, to excellence of manafacture. Credit will be given to the exhibitor for such parts of the apparatus as are his own invention; the object being primarily to distinguish the apparatus which appears the most likely of being practically usefuL Inventors intending to compete should send in a notice of their intention, together with a full description of their invention not later than March 3 1st, 19 0, to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, John-street, Adelphi, London, W.e. In all cases where the apparatus has been put into actual use, the experience of sllch use should be given, and the special points of merits claimed for the apparatus set forth. Doubtless there are some colliery workers among our readers who have given this subject consideration; some may possibly have designs or models of such apparatus. If they should want any advice or assistance we shall be pleased to help them as far as it lays within our power.

* * *

THE report of the Y orkshi re Mines Am bulance Leagu e states that the method adopted at the last annual meetin g of appointing a medical committee to carry out the competitions had proved most satisfactory; it was therefore intended to adopt the same method this year. After outlining the scheme for the competition, the report recommends that the Committee should pay a visit to some colliery and get to know a little more of the practical difficulties in removing injured workmen from falls of roof and sides before they decided upon the erection of any artificial roadway. In any case, it was not often they could see in the pit without a lamp, whereas on the surface with an artificial roadway they could not keep the daylight out.

WHEN OORRERPONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION "FIRST AID."

January, 19 10

S!:JOHN J\MBUlANct

No. I District (Metropolitan Corps.)

A distinctive honour has been conferred upon the Metropolitan Corps, by H.R.H ..the GnlOd P;,ior. of the Order. It will in future be deSIgnated the Pnnce of Wales' Corps" with the privilege of wearing, as a distinctive badge, his Royal Highnesses's plume feathers on the collar. It is gratifying to learn that thIS mark of approval is intended not only to signalise appreciation of

Al D.- lOS

he had rendered to the Division as honorary secretary, an appointment he had held for the last fourteen years and nine months. Sergt. Marston has the proud distinction of having held the posilion of honorory secretary in a division, longer than any other member in the Metropolitan Corps, and he only resigned the post on account of ill-health. Joinin g the Division in October 1894, he was elected honorary secretary in January 1895, and resigned it in September 1909. We are pleased to learn that First-class Sergt. \'lars ton will still continue a member of the Division, in which he still takes a keen and active interest.

In presenting the gifts, Supt. Olley alluded to the great help he had received from First-class Sergt. Marston, and to the able and efficient way in which he had discharged the duties of the appointment. In conclusion, he expressed the wish, that Sergt. Marston might be spared for many years, to assist in the good work, in which he had always shown so warm an interest.

In returning thanks for the presentation, First-class Sergt. Marston; in a feeling speech, expressed his indebtedness to the Superintendent, Officers and Members for their handsome recognition of his services, and also for their kind wishes, assuring them that he should always treasure their gift as one of his most cherished possessions. No. 2 District.

BRISTOL.- This city is generally admitted to be one of the best ambulanced towns in the United Kingdom. Under the auspices of the local corps of the S.J.A.B., an transport service is maintained, and Supt. A Cotton, who IS responsible for its efficient working, is to be congratulated upon the valuable services which the department has rendered during the past year.

Summary of cases attended to by the Transport Department Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st, 1909 :-

FIRST-CLASS SERGT. MARSTON.

the services rendered by the Metropolitan Corps alone, but is intended also to recognise the work of the Brigade generally, whether at home or abroad. Connected as the Metropolitan Corps is with the historic Headquarters of the Order of St. John, and bearing in mind how often they are called upon to do duty upon State and other Royal functions, we are sure the provincial units will not begrudge the honour which has been conferred primarily upon their Metropolitan comrades.

LEYTON AND LEYTON STONE, No. 4 DIVISION.-Firstclass Sergt. Marston, of this Division, was the on Dec. 18th of a presentation watch and chaIn, medallion attached, in recognition of the valuable servIces

HYTHI£ -With a view to the formation of a section of the St. John Ambulance B.igade, a special course of lectures for men was com menced here on January 12th. The lectures are given at the Hythe Infirmary, and are well attended.

RAl\lSGATE.- The annual Christmas prize distribution in connection with the Town Division took place at the Drill Hall, York ·street, on December 17th. Hon. Surgeon Woods presided, and in the the Mayoress, who was indisposed, the presentatIon was kmdly undertaken. by His Worship the Mayor. The pnzes are awarded for effiCIent first aid work, plus points for drill attendance.

NO.4-District.

WHITWORTH. - On Tuesday, January 4th, the am\:)ulance and nursing divisions foregathered to celebrate the

-FIRST

opening of their new drill-room in Acre-street. The proceedings commenced with a capital repast, which was much appreciated by the large number of guests who were present. A capital concert, ably presided over by Supt. Stott, followed, and subsequently dancing was indulged in.

NO.5 District.

ILKESTON.-A public meeting for the presentation of certificates and medallions was held at the Town Hall, in November last. The Mayor presided, but it was to be regretted that a larger audience was not present.

The Mayor, in a eulogistic speech, referred to the good work being carried out by the Brigade in all parts of the country, and regretted that it did not receive more financial support in Ilkeston. He was informed by the secretary that he had not sufficient funds in hand to buy the medallions for those who were entitled to them. This was to be regretted, as in his opinion am bulance work was quite as important as the work done in hospitals, and he might say more so, for in some cases injuries which otherwise might be serious, were rendered less dangerous when efficient first aid was prompt. From the employers' point of view this ambulance work was the stitch in time which saved nine, because it shortened the period of a man's absence from work, and reduced his suffering-; it also reduced the amount of compensation to be paid by the employer. The work of the ambulance was excellent, because it was done with a high sense of duty and not with any idea of gain or pecuniary reward, and for that reason it deserved better encouragement. He should be please to give a su bscri ption of two guineas towards the funds.

After a few remarks from the Secretary, the certificates and medaliions were presented and the mem bers of the corps then gave an ambulance display.

An interesting address was then given by Mr. Longden, who stated that he took his medallion in I 88 I, and his number was 84. The Stanton Ironworks, in addition to paying for the class fees of their men who attended the classes, also paid for their medallions, which he thought was the least any Company could do. After a sympathetic reference to the new scheme of the Red Cross Society, the speaker referred t() the establishment of the proposed rescue station at Mansfield, and the instruction which would be given in the use of oxygen and the smoke helmet, and urged his hearers to ask their employers to attend for instruction. The usual vote of thanks concluded the meeting.

TIBSHELF.- The Tibshelf and Blackwell Corps, accompanied by the local Boys' Brigade, attended divine service at Stonebroom Church on Sunday, January 9th. Appropriate hymns were rendered during the service, and an eloquent sermon was preached by the Rev. R.J Small. There was a capital muster. Deputy - Commissioner Wardell was also present.

No.

7 District.

CARDIFF. - The G. W.R. Division are to be congratulated on the very marked success which attended their recent concert at the Wood-street Chapel. Assistant Commissioner Herbert who is indefatigable in his efforts to promote the ambulance movement in the Principality, presided, and th ere was an audience of at least I,5 00 persons. A long and varied programme was given and much appreciated by the large audience. It is expected that the concert will realise well over £5 0

AI D.- January, I9IO.

Yorkshire Mines Ambulance League.

THE annual meeting of the above League was held last month at the Hotel Metropole, Leeds, Mr. W. H. Pickering, Chief Inspector of Mines for Yorkshire, presiding. The report and balance sheet were presented and adopted. The receipts for the year had amounted to £371 I4 S• 4 d ., including a balance of £ I 20 18s. 8d. from the previous year. After the payment of expenses there remained a balance in hand of ,£"123 lOS. Id. The subscriptions amounted to £247 I6s., and the main items of expenditure were examination fees '£ 98 9s. 6d., and medals £44 lOS.

The Hon. Edward Wood was reappointed president, and Mr. John Wainwright was reappointed secretary and treasurer.

In the course of his remarks the Chairman expressed the opinion that the time had now arrived when they should have a written constitution for the League, and Mr. 1. Hodges moved that a small committee should be formed to draft a constitution. It was advisable that the rules should be put into such order that they would have something reliable to guide them. The proposition was seconded by Mr. Gill, and carried.

The medical committee to carry out the competition was appointed as follows :- Dr. Murray (Scarborough), Dr. Pickersgill (Sherdurn-in-Elmet), Dr. Demetriadi (Huddersfield), and Dr. Burman (Wath).

PETERBOROUGH.-At a concert organised in connection with this centre of the S.J.A,A. last month, Mr. Robert Swales was presenteJ with the vellum vote of thanks conferred upon him by the Chapter of the Order in recognition of the valuable services he had rendered to the ambulance department of the Order for upwards of twenty years.

NEW ZEALAND.-At a meeting of the Local Council held last month, Dr. H. McLelland Inglis presiding, th e Chairman reported that some time ago they wrote to the headquarters of the Association, enquiring what honours could be conferred upon members who had rendered good service to the Association. In reply they had received a list of the various grades, which included with the grades of Honorary Serving Brother or Sister and Honorary Associate. The names of five members had been submitted for the honours named, and the matter was left in the hand s of a sub-committee to report.

The question of supplying ambulance kits to the public school was left in abeyance till the financial position of the district had improved.

A discussion took place regarding the way in which the depots were pillaged by unscrupulous persons. One member said that the thieves had a great liking for forceps and scissors, but, he added, their particular fancy is the lancet, for it makes an excellent tobacco knife.

The Minister for Hospitals and Charitable Aid has notified the District Council of the Association, that the Government could not see its way to subsidise the amount collected on Hospital Saturday. It has been decided to circularise the Mem bers of Parliament and the branches of the Association in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin, to see if pressure cannot be brought to bear upon the Minister to make him altp.r his decision. "We shall have to go slow next year if we don't get the subsidy," one member remarked during the discussion.

January, 9 I O. -FIRST A New Motor Fire Tender.

BRIGHTON'S Fire Chief is admittedly one of the smartest "fire fighters" in this country, and his ingenuity is proverbial. The Town Council recently purchased a fourcylinder" Star" chassis, and Supt. drew up plans for converting it into a motor fire mach me at the lowest possible cost.

How admirably the work has been carried out can be readily seen by our and it is also of note that it was all carned out by members of the bngade at their own headquarters, and the result has been to equip the Brighton Fire Brigade with a composite machine, consisting of fire engine, .escape, am bulan,ce wagon and chemical extmgUlsher. It IS capable of attaming a speed of forty mile.s an hour, and will readily negotiate any hill in or around Bnghton.

The new machine has already proved its value, at a fire which broke out in Queen's-road on December 27th. Within four minutes of receiving the call the motor had covered the distance between Preston-circus and the

too pleased to show them, and more fully explain all the details of his latest "fire fighting" machine.

The London Private Fire Brigades' Association.

THE above Association which celebrates its eleventh birthday in March, was formed in the year 1899. In January of that year, Mr. H. Beghin, who at that time held the post of Chief Officer of the Polytechnic Private Fire Brigade, conceived the idea of holding a Fire Tournament for the various Private Fire Brigades connected with the large mercantile warehouses and establishments located within the Metropolitan area. At the outset, the promoter had to contend with no little opposition, in some quarters it was urged that the idea would not appeal to the various Private Brigades in the Metropolis, and, as a display, it was not likely to attract the general public, 3.nd would, therefore, in all probability, result in financial failure, Mr. Beghin, however, was not easily daunted, and in

southern end of Queen's-road, Supt. Lacroix had located and extinguished the fire with the chemical extincteur, and had telephoned the " official stop."

But for this prompt response to the call, the fire, which originated in the basement of a fruiterer's premises, where there were a number of boxes and a quantity of inflamable lumber stored, might easily have got out of control, and would probably have resulted in a very serious conflag ation.

Three days after the fire recorded above, the motor was again in action; a call was received in the early hours of Thursday, December 30th, that a fire had broken out in Rochester-street. Directly the call was received Supt. Lacroix was away with the motor. Arrived on the scene he discovered the neighbours making valiant efforts to prevent the spread of the outbreak with buckets of water, but the fire was too strong for their efforts To get at the seat of the fire with the "chemical" was, with Supt. Lacroix, but th e work of a moment, and the conflagration once boldly tackled was very quickly extinguished. If any of our readers are interested in motor traction, as applied to fire engines, we are sure that our good friend, Supt. Lacroix, will be only

spite of all these pessimistic prophecies of failure, he persevered with his venture and the show was held. Amongst the audience who attended were several fire brigade officers of wide experience, and these ge ntlemen at the voted the Tournament, for a first attempt, a very creditable performance. .'

The judging on this occasIOn was kmdly u?dertaken by Chief Officer Dyson, a?d so I?uch was he Impressed with the value of these PrIvate Bngades, that he suggested to the various officers in charge of them, the desirability of forming an Association, in which should be the whole of the Private Fire Brigades located withm the administrative County of London. The suggestion was warmly approved by those which had taken part in the tournament, and at a meetmg called subsequently to consider the question, nin e brigades were enrolled, and a committee was appointed to draw up rules for the governme nt of the proposed Association.

Since its formation its progress has been a record of steady and continuous growth, an? to -day it has on its roll 39 brigades, with a membershIp of 95.0 officers and men and ;t has occurred to us, that It would prove ,

J08 -FIRST

of interest to many of our readers, if we presented the.m with a brief article reminiscent of the work of the ASSOCIation since its incef/t io n, and an account of the various brigades affiliated to the

Connected as many of the bngades are wIth bUSIness houses in the City of London, it was only natural that the promoters of the new Association should desire as their President its Chief Magistrate. The then occupant of the office, Sir Alfred James Newton, was approached, and at once readily assented to accept the position, and each successive Lord Mayor has honoured the Association, by following in the footsteps of his predecessor, and it is hoped that this connecting link between the City and its volunteer firemen will be maintained for all time.

In the early days of the Association the pioneers of the movement realised, if it was to be successful, it would involve plenty of hard work on the part of its executive, they were fortunate, therefore, in the selection of the administrative officers to conduct the organisation at the InitIatIve. As Chairman their choice fell upon Mr. W. J. Church-Brasier, and surely no better selection could have been made, as Brigade Chief Superintendent of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, this gentleman had a wide experience of all the details, connected with the organising, and development of an institution based on voluntary lines, added to which he had practical experience as a fireman, having held the position of Second Officer in the Corporation Fire Brigade at Margate. Mr. Church-Brasier held the position for many years, resigning the appointment upon his retirement from the St. John Ambulance Brigade, owing to a serious illness which brought about a breakdown in his health. Mr. Church-Brasier was succeeded as Chairman by Capt. Horatio Miller, Chief Officer of the Ley ton and Leytor.stone Brigade. This gentleman has a

A I D - January 19 1 0.

In its secretariat the Association has been equally fortunate, its first honorary secretary was Mr. J. D. Rider a member of Messrs. Stapley & Smith's Private Brigade. This gentleman was indefatigable in the di scharge of the duties of the office, until the outbreak of th e

JanuarYI 19 [0. -F IR S T on the Council are thoroughly aplJreciative of his zeal and assiduity.

Other gentlemen who lent their aid to th e Association in its early rlays, and who have an interest in iI,S welfare ever since, are the vlce-presldents:- Col. SIr H erbert C. Perrott, Bart., C. R, Sir Richard Stapley, Col. Fox Hon. Capt. Dyson, Mr. R Richard Isaac, and Capt. W. M. Hitchcock (Geelong F,R, Australia) was elected one of the vice-presidents of the Association in 1904, and since then has rendere? valuable help in m any ways, for not only IS he a subscriber to. the annual p rize fund, but he has on more than one occasIOn his appreciation of good work by presentatIOn a nnually to the winning team of the CIty shIeld, of a handsome commemorative medal. He is a kindly, courteous g entleman, and alwa) s a welcome visitor at the Associati on's gatherings, and we trust that for yet to com e he may be spared to take an Interest In, and these) ounger "fire fighters" in their voluntary service.

This record of the indebtedness of the Association would be incomplete without some reference to the valua ble services rendered by the han counsel (Mr. C. E. Milnes Hey, M .A.), the hon. sol ic itor (Mr. T. W Tempany), t he chaplain (The Rev. T. W. Wood), and the hon. m edical officer, Major Maitland Coffin, each of these gentlemen has taken a real active in the Association, and they have at all tImes shown a wlllIngness t o assist in its advancement.

South. African when he resigned, having enlisted in the CIty Impenal Volunteers As his successor the AssoChief Officer of the Merryweather Fire BrIgade and the selectIOn was a wise one, for Mr. Rushforth discharged the duties in a way which undoubtedly enhanced the reputation of the Association, and as a result led to an. increase in its membership; indeed, so so that the I?CreaSe in the work of the departm ent the appoIntment of an assistant secretary, and Mr. Stillwell, of Stapley & SmIth's Brigade, was elected to the POSItIon. Subs eq uently, un the resignatio n of Capt. Rushforth, upon his appointment as vice-chairm an Mr. Still well was elected his successor, with Chid Office; Beaven, of the Robertson Lamps Brigade, as assistant secretary. These gentlemen were untiring in tiJeir efforts to promote the progress of the Association, and un doubtedly under their fostering care its reputation was not only maintained, but its efforts to improve the status of the Private, F.ire Service were more fully recognised, that thIS IS so was eVIdenced by the fact, that the Association is now entrusted to carry out the details for the annual competition for the handsome Challenge Shield, presented by the Corporation of the City of London, to encourage efficiency in the Private Fire Brigades of the Metropolis.

Nor must we omit to mention the services rendered b y Sir Robert H. Rogers, in with presentat ion or the handsome Challenge ShIeld by the CIty Corporat ion for annual competition amongst the private fire brigades located within the administrative County of London.

As a mem ber of the Court of Com mon Council, Sir R obert on more than one occasion, referred to the valuable services rendered to the community by the members of the private fire brigades, in checking at the inception what might have proved serious conflagrations, and pleaded for

A I D.- 10 9

was provided, which is justly regarded as the" blue riband" of the London Private Fire Brigades' Service. An additional honour confe rred upon the Association at the same period was the inclusion or its members in the annual civic

COL. SIR HERBETT PERROTT, BART., C.B

reputation as a fireman which may be justly described as international, and the Association was indeed fortunate in securing his services to preside over their deliberations. Under his skilled and careful guidance the Association to i.ncrease both in numbers and efficiency, and Capt. MIller IS. at times ready to assist in any plan, which has as ItS aim, the promotion of the objects for which the Association was formed.

The present honorary secretary, Mr. Chandler Haswell, of R. H. & S. Rogers' Brigade, was appointed to the office In March, 1907, on the resignation of Messrs. Stillwell and Beaven. He is a worthy successor to those gentlemen. who .had him. Although, perhaps, the work entaIled, IS not of qUIte so strenuous a character as it was in the early days of the Association, still the office is no sinecure, and the holder must be prepared to be both self-sacrificing and self-denying. In Mr. Haswell the Association has a secretary who is not afraid of hard wor k that is if one may judge by the hours he devotes to the of the office. He is both tactful and courteous, and his colleagues

CIIIl<':F

0 FFICEI{ Ih ,

so me recognition and encouragement. Eventually his ea rnest advocacy bore fruit, and the matter was referred to t h e City Lands Committee, with the result, that a trophy

pageant of ovember 9th. is hardly necessary to say !t is one which is justly apprecIated by the members, as. It is a tangible proof that the "City Fathers" recognIse the fact, that they haye in these volunteer a valuable corps of auxiliaries to the regular fire service of the metropolis. .'

Did space permit much more mIght be written about the organisation as a whole, but as we to with the several briaades which are enrolled In the ASSOCiation, we shall these introductory remarks, by. ex· lJressmg the hope, that its of us efulness a! tIme goes on increase, and that. ItS. members recognlsJO o that they belong to a service, whIch In tu the call of duty, may be called upon to save bfe as .well as protect property from the of fire,. wIll no effort, to perfect their trainIng In the dutIes whIch they

EX-CHIEF SUPT 'V. J. CHURCH-BRASIER.

HON. CAPT. W. M. HITCHCOCK.

1(0 -FIRST

have voluntarily undertaken. It is a gratifying proof of their present high stat e of effi c ie n c y, t o be to place on record the fact, th a t they ha ve no firm e r than th e chief officers of the two professi o n a l fir e fightlOg forces of the metropolis, the London Fir e Brigad e and the L o ndon Salvage Corps.

COMPETITION FOR THE CITY SHIELD.

The fifth annual competition for the valuable presented by the City Corporation was held at the GUildhall on December 18th. Eleven teams competed, representing some of the largest houses in Citr, and a general marked improvement in the dnlls, whIch were arranged on similar lines to those of last year was very evident.

The wet drill for teams of four men and one officer, took place in the Guildhall Yard, and was as follows :-Men standing 30 ft. from hydrant, upon command from officer in charge: (a) run to hydrant, get to work from fixed standpipe with 50 ft. length canvas hose and branch (roundthread couplings), and strike first target j (b) add a length of hose, strike second target from near side of obstacle (c) insert a third length between and second lengths and strike second target from far SIde of obstacle; (d) replace second length supposed to be damaged, and strike second target. Tie knot in damaged hose.

For the dry drill in the Guildhall two men were added to the team. The six men with officer parading were numbered off and then selected haphazard by the judges and numbered. A type written paper of instructions, the contents of which were not previously known to the team, was then handed to the officer. This intimated that a fire was supposed to have broken out on the steps in. centre of hall, and gave six definite orders which were reqUired to be given by the officer. These orders were to the effect that two men were to get to work with handpump and buckets, a third to ring the fire alarm, and the other three connect and run out two lengths of hose from standpipe hydrant at far end of hall; handpump then to be knocked off and a line of hose run out from hydrant at other end of hall a second length added to this (next to hydrant), and fin a lly one of the lengths from the first hydrant replaced by a fresh length. The officer in charge was allowed three minutes to study these orders, and to ascertain the position of hydrants and alarm post, and he had then to give the commands from memory. The result was as follows :-

We an in no way responsible jor the opinions expressed, or Ih e statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

FRACTURE OF LOWER TAW.

DE AR SIR, - I am afraid" Dualine" has not read the in· s tructions for the above in his First Aid Text Book in the way in which the author intended it to be read.

Allow me to suggest that by "centre of bandage " is not meant the centre of a bandage when folded into a narrow olle and measured from each end, because in this case it would be quite impossible to tie off on the opposite side, rather it is in· tended that the breadth should be taken into consideration, the c'hin bein g placed in the centre so that an equal proportion of bandage is above and below, thus forming a g ood support for t be injury.

I think if your correspondent takes thiS view and commen ces with the chin in the centre, as regards breadth, an d a little to one side of the centre as regards length, he will be able to follow out instru c tions, and will find the bandage one of the most interesting in the book.- Yours truly,

DO COMPETITIONS THE PROGRESS OF

KENTISH L AD. PROMOTE OR AMBULANCE RET ARD WORK ?

D EAR SIR, - Herein please find my subscription for curre nt year. In reviewing the past year I think that we must re po rt progress, and compliment you upon a general improvement in I' Our Journal. " The series of by uir to my mind good, and I would suggest, Sir, that SimIlar artIcles fr olIt tbe of our Examiners would be instructive and intere sting to many of your readers; for instance, " My Impressions of the Final Inter -Railway Competition," by Dr. F. Christian , the j ud g e, would be appre c iated by many. .

A point was raised in one uf your Issues by a co rres pondent at a time when I was in very indifferent health, viz." Do Competitions Promote or Retard the Progress of Ambu · lance Work. " I beg to quote a few figures that I think will s peak for themselves ,

In 1889 the Dire c tors of the London and Bnghton R ail· way offered a Silver Challenge Cup and fivp. guineas to pro· mote competitions on the line. The cup, a handsome trophy was sent to the principal railway stations for came in due course to Brighton (and I may mentIOn that ID Brighton the Company employ. about 3,000 hands ) a friend or two from the Locomotive Department, I got a glImpse of it, carefully guarded in the office of the Station Superintendent Brighton Central. After a lot of trouble five men were got together and the Cup was won in 1900, lost to the New Cross Brigade 1901, regained 1902, and won every year until 1908, when it was regained by New.

January, 19 10 -FIRST

I have'had cause to be proud of many and l:,:ve no hesitation in saying most emphatIcally that In my diStrI c t, competitions have greatly aSSisted th.e progress of first aid ork and on our System as a whole It has cre a ted a keener turned antagonist.s into the best of friends, and generally improved the of the men. And I hope with our Centre under gUld,:nce our secretary, Mr. KIng, the first aid work on thIS lme contl?ue to

I am not sending this With a?y Idea ?f pu.blIcatlOn, but should you extract frorr: It of suffiCient mterest, do so if you wish. Wlshmg you a brIght and prosperous 19IO.Yours truly,

W. L. GIRLING.

[We cordially thank Mr. Girling for his letter, and for the kind remarks he makes abou.t AID H is views on the value of competitions are qUIte m WIth our own, and .we believe coincide with those of the maJonty of our readers. Like our correspondent, we q.uite re<l:lise that artic.les as of Dr. Muir are not only mterestmg, Instructive, and we wish that we could present SImIlar artIcles oftener, but it must be remembered that medical men are very busy men, they unselfishly devote much of their le\sure to the of the work, but they can spare time for preparatIOn of special artic.Jes However, If some of medIcal will favour us m thiS way, we are sure their efforts would give pleasure to all of our readers. A paper from the pen of Dr. Christian, on the lInes suggested by our would, espec ially as we are now approachmg the competitIOn season, be much appreciated.-EDITOR "F.A."]

THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE.

DEAR SIR,-My attention has been called to a letter in your last issue Sub.-Divisional containing some assertions whIch are, I thmk, unmtentlOnally very misleading.

Is your correspondent aware, I wonder, of the fact that the Belgravia Nursing ,Division ?fthe St. J ohn Brigade, which was formed ITI 1899 still prospers; that It IS the present holder of the Nurses' Challenge Bowl; that it has proved itself ever ready to respond to the call of duty, and also that it can do the "methodical routine work minus that glamour " of which he speaks, and without which incentive he seems to think no workers connected with Belgravia can be worthy members of the Brigade, to which they are proud to belong.I am, yours faithfully,

LADY SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BELGRAVE NUR SING DIVISION.

[We have pleasure in inserting our correspondent's letter. We must say that we did not gather that the Inspector s remarks in our last issue were directed against any section of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, but referred rather to the work of the Association in its early days. We feel sure that anyone who is conversant with the present-day work of the Metropolitan Corps, would agree that the nursing sisters of the Belgravia Nursing Division are as efficient in their work, and as regular in their attendance on public duty, as any other Nursing Division in the Brigade.-EDITOR "F.A."]

Aids to Memory for "First Aid" Students.

EDIN.

AID.- III

THE MODERN PHYSICIAN.

By Dr. ANDREW WILSON.

A GREAT WORK FOR AMBULANCE MEN.

A WORK that justifies its claim to be an epitome of all that specialised medical and surgical knowledge necessary for First Aiders, as well as an authoritative manual of reference on all information relating to Health and Disease, is a work to be welcomed by all our readers who wish to study their subject more deeply than is possible from superficial text books.

In "The Modern Physician," by Dr. Andrew Wilson, fullest space is devoted to "First Aid)J and Ambulance Work. In respect of completeness, accuracy of description, and wealth of illustration, "The Modern Physician" stand s without a rival amongst the works published on this important subject in the United Kingdom. It is scientifically accurate and reliable without being dull the name of its editor, so long and popularly known as an expositor of Health laws and a teacher of Hygiene, is a guarantee of this. This work is absolutely complete as regards Health and Disease, and is thoroughly up -to-date.

As a knowledge of the body in Health is necessary to the due understanding of the body when its functions are deranged by disease, a description of every part of the frame will be found here. The skeleton, muscles, digestive system, heart and lungs, brain and nervous system, organs of sense, skin, kidneys and the body 's microscopic structure are duly described. In this connection the illustrations are of particular value, the "mannikins" or dummies more especially; in these the organs are made to overlap each other exactly as they do in the human body.

The section devoted to Hygiene includes the full exposition of the Laws of Health, and special attention is devoted to Physical Culture. Such topics as beverages, air, exercise, b.aths, hohdays, temperament, &c., are treated 10 thIS sectlOn.

The last volume is espe c ially devoted to the Health of "'vVomen, and Dr. Wilson has here been assisted by a number of eminent women physicians. Midwifery and treatment and Diseases of Infants are here fully dea lt WIth

Mr. J. DANIEL, 23, Kent Avenue, Ashford, Kent, writes: -

"Its all round excellence makes it a valuable acquisition. The section dealing with ambulance work is especially good. The book is written in splendid style and the illustrations are first rate. The method of payment places it within the reach of all."

A FREE BOOKLET.

At the invitation of Mr. W. Hayward Pitman, Chairman of the City Lands Committee, the Lord Mayor at the conclusion of the display presented the shield and medals to the successful competitors. He expressed the pleasure he felt in handing the awards to the winners, and he was gratified to note the continued success of the competition.

A vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress for their presence was carried with acclamation.

In the evening, the competitors were entertained at dinner by the City Lands Committee.

In 1904 occurred the third successive WIn for Bn ghton Loco Team, and the Cup became its property. They generously offered it back to the Directors as ajJerjJetual challenge trophy. The offer was accepted, and the Directors appreciating the spirit in whi ch it was made, gave to each member of the team a framed certificate certifying the winning and returning of the Cup. They also raised the prize money from five guineas to £24 per year. Apart from the competition work of the team, the members of it were regular and punctual at all the clas ses formed, and they did their best to impart what they to others. My class roll for 1904 was 27 members, and In 1908 , 229, and this present session bi?s fair t.o eclIpse. all and I firmly believe, sir, that thiS huge Increase IS due, III a very large measure, to the unselfish work of those five men, and

TO THE PUBL ISHIX G COTlIP.-'l. NY, Ct u n H ouse, S urrey treet, London, \V .C. Pl ease s enu me, F REE OF S:-IARGE a nd w t hout any on my par t :-

1) I t1u s ru led Bookl e t on TH E P HYS ICIAN

2) P a rti c-u ta rs of y our offer to de lIver h e com pl ete work for a first pa)ment of

TS. 6d. he ba ance o be pa d for by a fe l\' smatl monthly pay ments.

N \1 F :\ In.)

A DORT'SS· ·········

Price THREEPENCE. Allman's "FIRST AlD."

To

As it is the wish and desire of the Prop rietors to make this Journal as in structive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in a ll parts of the country are asked to give it all the h elp they can.

Superi ntenden ts of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Ch ief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and n otices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Compe titions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

ADMIRALTV, &c. LARCE SHEET "FIRST AID" DIACRAMS

Of the Illustrations in Warwick & Tunstall's" 'FIRST AID' TO THE INJURED AND SICK."

Paper Covers, Interleaved, 6d. net. Post free 7d. AMBULANCE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS.

By D. M. MACDONALD, M.B., Surg-. Lieut. 2nd ScoUis!. Horse.

., Will be found extremely useful. "-BroadAr1'ow

6d. net. Red Cloth Covers. Post free 7d. Supplementary.

., FIRST AID" TO MINERS.

By Dr. WM. B. ARTHUR.

"We heartil y recommend this book." Fi1'st Aid.

BRISTOL: JOHN WRIGHT & SONS Ltd. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT &: CO., Ltd

worl

PHONE,' with 24 selections and 17.inch p orn, sumptuously hand·painted, powerful steel mOlor, lO-in ch disc, and o ud·tone sound·box,

Correspondents se nding in photos are urgently requested to state on he back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

and it is to be hoped that during the forthcoming elections the electors will raise the question, as to who are the parties responsible for the delay.

For years past the Council has been agitating for powers to provide an efficient servi ce, and it strenuously resisted the efforts uf the Metropolitan Asylums Board to organise and control the service, even going so far as to assert that it had a scheme already prepared to inaugurate an efficient service at once ; yet, notwithstanding the dangers in our streets, which owing to the increase in motor traffic have been largely augmented, as far as we can ascertain the old unsatisfactory condition of affairs is likely to continue for some indefinite period yet, unless some concerted action is taken to bring pressure to bear upon the authorities at Spring Gardens.

Why is London Waiting?

THERE was a time when discussing the question of an up-to-date Ambulance Service for the Metropolis, interested correspondents were in the habit of writing to the Press and putting the query, "Why should London wait?" Well, since that period London has waited a very long time, approximately about thirteen years, and she is still waiting. The delay at the present time is most incomprehensible. The Metropolitan Ambulance Act of 1909 received the Royal Assent on October 29th, and at once came into force. That being the case what is the reason for this delay?

Even presuming that the Council required time to properly formulate a scheme, surely three months is more than sufficient to have accomplished this, but the Council has practically had a longer time than even this wherewith to deal with the subject. The third reading of the measure was carried in the House of Commons in August, and its passage through the House of Lords was both sympathetic and expeditious. The responsibility for the non-appearance in our streets of an efficient service must now therefore rest solely with the London County Council,

The failure on the part of the Council to act more promptly has, we believe, bitterly disappointed those who championed its claim to be the proper authority to carry out the scheme. For our part we are not surprised at the result, from the very first we deprecated the idea of entrusting the Council with the task of organising an Ambulance Service for the Metropolis, and urged that it should be placed under the control of the authorities at the Home Office, and worked by them in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police. That this would h a ve been the better plan we are more than ever convinced. There are too many faddists in the Council to ensure the necessary unanimity, as to the proper lines upon which the service should be run, that being so delay is obvious, and the inevitable result will be, that, the scheme when it is launched will be lacking in efficiency, and in all probability inadequate to the requirements made upon it.

It is not generally known, we believe that during the passage of the Bill through the House of Lords, an attempt was made to get a clause inserted, to enable the Council to contract and make arrangements with the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and the various Poor Law authorities within the area, for the use of their ambulances in connection with the proposed service. The pr0posal was not pressed, but in view of the fact, that, the idea of entrusting the proposed service to the Metropolitan Asylums Board, as suggested by the majority of the members of the Royal Commission, was scouted by the promoters of the Council

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scheme, we are surprised that it was ever put forward. It would appear that the Council, to use an Americanism, "Has bitten off more than it can chew."

In the meantime, we should like to take this opportunity, of O(lce more congratulating the City Authorities, on the satisfactory way in which the Ambulance Service is working, within the area of the one square mile. There is no doubt, that much of the credit for this is due to the thorough of the subject possessed by the Commissioner of the City Police. Capt. Nott-Bower had already gained experience in connection with the Liverpo')l Ambulance Service, which our readers will remem ber was inaugurated during the time he held the position of Chief Constable of that city, the knowledge he had thus acquired enabled him to advise the Corporation as to how they should proceed, in order to secure the successful working of their proposed service. How fully that success has been assured is now admitted on all sides, and if it is expert advice that the London County Council is waiting for, its members would, we think, be well advised to consult with the authorities at Old Jewry. with a view to the extension of the excellent system which is in operation in the City.

My .--.-Impressions of Inter= Railway the (1909) Final Competition.

By L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN, M.B.C.M.EDIN.

H0770rary Associate of tlze Order of tlze Hospital of St. ofJerusalem in England; Ifonorary

Life Member of, and E xaminer and Judge for tlze S T.A.A. '

IN response to official invitation following upon suggestIons made In the January issue of FIRST AID I have pleasure in submitting the following comments, w'ith respect to matters, that I hope may be of interest to ambulance workers.

Before. into. details with respect to the work done 10 thiS cOmpetltlOr:, a few words with respect to am bulance work generally, WIll, I feel sure, not be out of place.

At.the it must be clearly recognised that, in a most vItal and manner, the competitions of 19 0 9 with the work of the St. John Ambulance Assocla.tl.on), stand. out prominently from all preceding coml?etitlOns, a.s .belng the first to be held under specially modIfied con.dItlOns. The remarks that follow must be taken applicable to all students preparing for examination for certIficate, voucher, medallion or label' when h . . b ') suc examlnatlOn IS ased upon the revised text book. One has .only to thoroughly the revised edition of the officIal text-book (ve. ry attention being directed to the all-zmportant prznctjles lazd down in Chapter I.) d rerr: em ber. are. now governed by' :h:t revIsed edltlOn, and It will be readdy appreciated that the am b.ulance stud.ent has now, a very much wider field open to him for provmg his capability, or otherwise, of dealing

AI D.-- February, 1910.

with cases under conditions of emergency. He can, no longer, with credit to himself, or his team, rest content with acting in the purely mechanical and automatic manner, as has heen so very often seen in the past; and which, unhappily is still so very constantly seen in ambulance examin3.tions. On the contrary, most important fundamental principles are now dearly laid down for the guidance of ambulance students; and the earnest and practical first aid worker will readily realize that he is thereby ' authoritatively instructed that Izz's actions must, tlzroZtgizout, be governed b), a full comideratiun for tile conddz'01l of the suffering palient, and tlze more 01' less unfavourable surr07l1ldings under wludz lze il s7lpposed to be placed.

I feel it would be well to lay special emphasis upon this subject (not that it should, in the slightest degree, be looked upon as applicable to those taking part in advanced ambulance competitions, such as that about to be considered, but) because its importance is, as yet so far as my experience goes-much too little realized by the very great majority of ambulance workers.

To impress the subject mo!'e forcibly upon the mind, I would give, as a typical enmple, the following incident took place at a railway competition not long ago, at which I was one of the interested spectators. The suppatient was seated on a chair-how he got into the posltlOn was not stated. Attached to his was the label- cc Fracture of both bones of right leg. Treat."

I was close by, and a careful observer of all that took place. The candidate got a rug, spread it out on the floor, and told the 'c patient)) to get up and lie down on the rug. Without look at, or word to the cc patient," he .proceded to hunt up splints and bandages, and, finally, With very great neatness, bandaged the lim b wit h splints, etc., in the most perfect style, so far as the aPfearance was concerned. Then-allowing the t? he as he was he waited, his mind quite at ease, tIll the Judge came round and examined tlze bandaging. C;ould anyon.e. conceive first aid of a more rudimentary (If not perniCIOUS) character? And yet the candidate actually got 18 marks out of 20; the judge not having happened to see the character of the first aid given.

Just think what would have happened had this been an actual case of fracture. A simple fracture converted b cc fi " 'd " y . r5t of a most deplorably bad character, into a (possibly) dIsgracefully mutilated limb. How diametrically opposed to the correct method of rendering first aid in such an emergency? Has not every ambulance man and woman seen this kind of work done over and over again?

Examples such as the above could be multiplied cc ad nauseam." Supposed fractures left untouched-the very first thoughts of the candidate being cc where are the re crulation splz'nts and ban.lages 7 Instead of "how must I shew care for the patient, and prevent furtlze1' misc!zief7"

So also cases of varicose vein bleeding left standing and untreated, whilst the ca?didate looks about for a conple of ba,:dages. So also WIth cases of arterial hremorrhage, pOIsoned wounds, etc., forgetful of the fact-the all imP?rtant fact-that God has provided us with brains and WIth hands, both of which should be brought into action by the resourceful first aider.

The style of work to ' which I have drawn attention be too forcibly condemned, and should be, in the hIghest degree, discouraged in ambulance classes and in ambulance.examinat.ions. Judging, from my own experience, an and Judge, I have not the slightest hesitation statIng that. a change is needed. Students working up for exammatlOns should have their attention very

February, 19 10 -FIRST

specially directed to this really important of "incorrect application of first aid" (as instanced by the purely mechanical exercise of bandaging), as compared with "first aid intelligently applied." The sooner the utter absurdity of the usual method of work is thoroughly and generaHy realized, and an absolutely different method of procedure adopted, as a matter of rouNne (vide Chapter 1. official Text Book) so much the better for ambulance work in general, and so much the more credit to all immediately concerned.

The competitions of 1909 being based upon the revised edition of the official Text Book, candidates were naturally expected to put into practice the important principles laid down therein. With regard to the Final Competition, in May last, at which I had the honour and privilege of acting as judge, in conjunction with my esteemed colleague--Lieut.-Colonel G. E. Twiss-in order that there should be no possibility of any misconception in the minds of the candidates regarding the broad facts abov e-stated, the following notice was prepared, and read out to the assem bled teams, prior to the contest. cc It must be clearly understood tlzat the object of ambulance compeNtion s is to test the abz'lity of men to deal with cases under conditions of emergency-this must be borne in mind, and acted upon throughout tlze c011'tjetition."

Such, then, were the clearly understood conditions, underlying the Final Test in the 1909 Competition for the St. John Ambulance Association Inter-Railway Challenge Shield. These conditions, it is interesting to note, are embodied in the regulations for 1910, and must be fully recognised by intending competitors. They are conditions such as, I am sure, must commend themselves to all earnest ambulance men as being conducive to the development of first aid work in its most realistic and practical sense.

(To be continued.)

Reviews.

FOOD A D HEALTH.

By Arthur E. Powell, Lieut. Royal Engineers. London:

Methuen and Co., 36, Essex-street, Strand. Priee 3S. 6d.

WHETHER we as a nation eat too much meat is a much debated point and one upon which we should hesitate to pass an opinion; while, therefore, we cannot agree with all that the au thQr has to say on the subject, we can at least express our appreciation of the very clear and lucid way in which Lieut. Powell places his views before his readers. The author has evidently given earnest thought to his subject, and has consulted a large number of authorities to prove the correctness of the theories which he holds. The book is undoubtedly interesting, and even those who may not entirely agree with the views of the author, will find some of the rules which he advocates are worth more than passing consideration.

FIRST AID TO THE INJURED AND SICK.

By F. J. Warwick, B.A., M.B. (Cantab.), M.RC.S., L.I.A., A.K.G. ( Lond. ) and A.G. Tunstall, M.D., F.RC.S. (Edin. ) Bristol: John Wright and Sons.

Price IS in leatlzer, 2S. 6d.

WE have received a copy of this handbook which has once more been thoroughly revised and brought up to date. It is, as most of our readers know, much more advan<=ed than tr e

AI D.- lIS

majority of ambulance books, and it is therefore especially use.fu.l for the v:hlch are held in connection with the training of the TerrItorIal Medical units, and those members of .t?e St. John Amb,:lance Brigade, who are enrolled in the MI.l1tary Home Reserve, will find it a most useful gUIde to the acqUisItIOn of mu ch valuable information in connection with military si.de.of their training.

The necessIty of first aId In the fire service has not been lost sight of, and a special chapter has been devoted to this branch of the public service. Indeed, the authors have shown such a versit.ality in dealing with their subject, and have covered so WIde a field, that we are a little surprised to find that they have not touched upon marine ambulance. As is well known, the Board of Trade now make it compulsory for all men,bers of the mercantile marine aspiring to the rank of to possess an an;bulance qualification, and we would certainly suggest to all ship owners that this book should find a place upon the ship's book-shelf. The new illustrations which have been included in this edition are excellent and have greatly added to the value of the book.

THE FIELD AMBULANCE GUIDE. By Capt. G. H. Painton, R.A.M.C. London: H. Clowes and Sons, Ltd., 23, Cockspur-street.

Price 2S. 6d.

THI S little work which has been compiled by Capt. G. H. Painton, RA.M.C., and published by permission of the War Office, will be found most useful to those occupied in field ambulance work. While engaged in his duties as Quartermaster at the RA.M .C. Depot, at Aldershot, Capt. Painton compiled a series of notes which he found to greatly facilitate his duties, and at the request of many officers they have now been collated and published.

The book should prove especially useful to officers of the Territorial force, many of whom have not too much leisure to devote to study. No matter whether on the march or in camp, it is only necessary to open the book at the initial letter of the article required, to find out from whence to requisition it. Should the article not appear in the notes, it may be safely assumed that it is not authorised.

Many officers of the St. John Ambulance Brigade are now enrolled in the Military Home Hospitals Reserves, as Quartermasters. We should certainly advise these gentlemen to provide themselves with this handy little guide, as it will prove of the greatest possible assistance in enabling them to attain profi ci ency in the duties v,;hi ch they would be called upon to perform in the event of mobilisation.

Marie-Louise Priscilla Perrott, the first daughter and only child of Colonel Sir Herbert Perrott, Bart., C.B., and Lady Perrott, was christened on Friday February 11th, at Brompton Parish Church by the Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal, Canon Edgar Sheppard, by the Rev. A. Gough, the Vicar of the Parish. Her Highness Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein acted as godmother. and the other godparents were the Marquis of Breadalbane, Mrs. Edward Trotter, Miss Hilda Hare (Aunt), and Dr. Edwin Freshfield, L.L.D. Among those present were Dowager Countess of Airlie, the Dowager Lady Loch, VIScountess Montgarrett, Viscount Knutsford, the. Dowager Countess of Cottenham, Lady Scott-Gatty, Viscountess Kelburn, Lady Garvagh, the Countess of Halsbury and Mrs. Marcus Hare.

WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH ADVERl'ISE,RS AJI), II

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AI D.-

Our Portrait Gallery.

ASSISTANT - C::Ol\Il\IISSIONER A. HAl\Il\IERSLEY

JOHN STOi\T, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., No. VI. DISTHICT, S.J A.B.

THERE are few more popular surgeons in the "county of broad acres" than the gentleman v:hose portrait we are pleased to present to our readers this month.

It was on the 9th of June, 1899, that Dr. Johnston first commenced an active interest in the work of the St. John

February, 1910.

it has given unbounded satisfaction, not only to the members of the Hull Corps, but to the district generally to learn that His Royal Highness, the Grand Prior, ha s recently sanctioned his appointment to the responsibl e position of Assistant - Commissioner. N ever was an appointment more popular or more thoroughly deserved.

From the foregoing account it must not be assumed that Dr. Johnston confines his energies solely to advancing th e interests of the Brigade, for he is just as keenly interested in the work of the Association, and he has for some years lectured to classes held in connection with the various railways, in addition to those organised by the Hull Centre, on the Committee of which he is an active member. He is an Honorary Life Member of the St. John Ambulance Association, and is on the Red Cross Co;'lmittee for East Yorkshire. In connection with the Voluntary Aid Detachments now being formed, it is gratifying to place on record that mainly through the efforts of Dr. Johnston thre e women's detachments and one for men have been forme d in Hull, and all bid fair to prove efficient and reliable units in the new organisation.

Much more could be written about the genial docto r did space but permit. He is the class of man who appeals to am bulance workers, and at once inspires their interest and retains it. Genial, and with an entire absence of side he goes about amongst the ambulance workers, whether the railway or elsewhere, as one of themselves, hence h e has thoroughly won their confidence and esteem. Hi s residence is an open house for all engaged In the cause, and many are the pleasant and instructive gatherings which are held there.

. In we wish the worthy doctor a long career In connectlOn with the work he loves so well and this wish will, we are sure, be echoed by all his in th e district, in the interests or the cause of which he has don e so much.

February, 19 10

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ST.JOHN A,MBUlJ\.NCf...

No. 2 Oistrict.

BRISTOL.-This Corps continues to fully maintain its high reputation. During the past year the number of cases attended to exclusive of those dealt with by the transpo rt department was 2,905. In connection with the transport department the record comprises I, 166 accidents, 15 2 fires, and 1,422 total of 2,740, making together 5,645 dealt WIth during the year.

AID.-

In p.roposing the of "The Corps," Mr. F. W. an eloquent tnbute to the work which was caron m Ne,wton and the neighbourhood, and as an Instance of the mterest the mem bers continued to take in the work of the corps, he stated that several members would shortl:y receive. their long service medals, having served 15 years m the bngade.

Chief Surgeon .Gri.mbly, who on rising to respond met With a most enthUSIastiC reception, gave a brief account of the work by the corps during the past year, and the casualtIes-to the number of 200-which had received attention. had 25 requisitions for the wagon, and 50 for the htters, shOWIng how much this form of transport was needed.

Ambulance Brigade, on his appointment as Honorary Surgeon to the Western Division of the Hull Corps. In the l.atter part of that 'y.ear he was actively engaged in connectlOn wI.th the of the brigade for service in trying time he rendered yeoman serVlce m connectlOn wIth the preparation and dispatch of members of the Co:ps proceeding to London, en route South .Afnca. HIS keen interest in the work was spee?Ily recognIsed, and he was detailed to lecture to the specIal classes formed for those who had volunteered for the front, and both officers and men bear testimony to his labours on their behalf, in order that they should pro.ve m every way worthy of their corps and the brigade to whIch they belonged.

Although at times a!1xious to promote the progress of the work, and Jealous of Its reputation, Dr. Johnston has nev.er used It as a means to secure his own advancementIS one of the last to unduly push his own claims. Ii ortun.atel y for bngade. his career has been watched by tho.se authonty, and hIS promotion to the position of Chief Surgeon of the H':lll Corps in ] 902 was followed in J 190 4, .by hiS appoIntment to the position of District ChIef Supenntendent on the staff of No. VI. District, and

At an. enquiry held at the City Coroner's Court, ,London, WIth reference to the deg,th of Frederick Hooper , It was stated that the deceased was knocked down by a motor-omnibus on Ludgate-hill. The calf of the man 's right leg was caught under a wheel, and after he was extricated: P.e. Blackmore rendered first aid by applying a tournIquet to the femoral artery to stop the h ce morrhag e. of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, said that th F.: ImprovIsed tourniquet was most efficiently applied and the bleeding. "But for the policeman saId, salJ the doctor, "Hooper would have died before he reached Hospital." A verdict of accidental death was returned, and the constable was commended.

:3 e

A serious accident occurred at Wolverley on February 4th. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley were proceeding in thei r motor along the Wolverhampton-road to fetch voters to th e poll, when owing to the slippery condition of the road the car skidded and went into the hedge. Mr. J. C. Perkins happened to be in field with his gun. He promptly went to aS51stance, .and handed his gun to a lad who was standmg near. WhIle he was helping to remove the car the charge in one of the barrels exploded and the shot entered Mr. Perkins' thigh, inflicting a wound. Fortunately Mr. Bradley was able to render very efficient first aid, and, as ?octors afterwards agreed, undoubted .Mr. PerkInS hfe. The car being righted he was placed In It, and at once conveyed to Kidderminster Infirmary.

It is interesting to note that the only paid members on the transport department are the collectors and clerk, and three specially trained drivers who are on duty day and night. The remainder of the work is all done voluntarily by mem bers of the corps, skilled in this branch of the work. The appliances consist of litters, wagons (3), broughams, and first aid material. With someone alway s on duty, a call is most promptly answered, a great advantage when it is borne in mind that in case of accident or sudden illness the least delay may involve serious consequences. A large amount of public duty has been undertaken during the pa3t year, and the reputation of the " F" Bearer Company has been fully maintained. Those members of the Corps, too, who are enrolled in the Royal Naval Sick Berth Reserve have acquitted themselves well. In addition to the men enrolled in these two branches seventy men are attached to the Military Home Reserve, and sixty-two men and thirty-two women have joined the Voluntary Aid Detachments of the British Red Cross Society. The record is one of which Bristol may be justly proud, and we congratulate Chief Surgeon Hayman on the very marked advance in the efficiency and usefulness of the Corps since it came under his command. We should. say that he possesses a personality which inspires the result being that the duties are carried out In that spirit of emulation which must have inspired the Hospitallers of old.

CHELTENHAM.- The proposal to establish a corps in connection with the S.J.A.B., which was mooted here about a year ago, is at last taking definite shape; three divisions are already in course of formation, and one of Cheltenham's most popular residents -Major Percy Shewell, J.P., e.e.has consented to take the post of Chief Superintendent.

The MRjor has thrown himself heartily into the work of organising the corps, and in addition he and Mrs. have contributed the sum of '£'20 towards the InItial expenses. This is a good lead, and we trust one that will be followed by residents in the town and district.

NEWTON ABBOT.-There are few more enthusiastic workers in the St. John Ambulance Brigade than Chief Surgeon Grimbly and Chief Supt. Jewell of this corps, and their popularity was borne ample evidence to by those who assembled on the occasion of the annual dinner, which took place on Friday, February 4th, under the presidency of Mr. F. Watts.

Supt. J who on rising to propose "The Subscnbers" met wlth a most cordial reception, said that the strength of the corps was now 92, and only recently at one parade, out of a possible '67, no less than 85 were present. One of their subscribers, who had closely watched wO.rk of the corps had offered to present them with a sohd Sliver Challenge Shield, to replace the Cup which was won outright by the Newton Corps. The trophy would be open to teams r epr esentative of the Counties of Cornwall and Devon. It was hoped that this would still furth er stimulate interest in the ambulance movement in the two counties.

No. 4 District.

MANCHESTER AND SALFORD CORPs.-The first Divisional Competition of the corps for the ., Wm. Riggin" Silver Challenge Shield took place on Saturday, 12th mst., at the Burlington-s treet Drill Hall, by kind permission of Col. Pollitt.

There was a good attendance of the public, and much interest was displayed in the proceedings. All the teams competing in the event gave a splendid exhibition of up-todate ambulance methods, and were, without doubt, a credit to the various divisions they represented. The competition was keen, and resulted in a victory for the Ardwick representatives by the narrow margin of half a point over Hulme.

At the conclusion of the presentation of prizes, Col. C. J. Trimble, in the course of a speech, highly complimented Supt. Cryer upon the efficient state of the various units under his command.

No. 5 District.

BATLEY.-The members of this Division arranged and carried out a realistic test of their ability on Tuesday evening, the 8th inst. Information was received of a supposed blasting accident, involving serious loss of life and injuries to many, at the quarries around Howley. The Batley Corps called for assistance from their colleagues at Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Ossett, Morley, Ardsley, and Cleckheaton, all of whom responded to the call. On their arrival at Batley, the Dewsbury corps, proceeded to the scene of the " disaster" at the double, in charge of Supts. Allott, and Barraclough and First Officer Terry (Ravensthorpe). The Hon.Surgeons of the Batley Division arrived shortly after the corps, and they made an exhaustive examination of the 'patients," and spoke highly upon the work done.

At the close hot stim _'- nts-coffee and sandwiches --were prepared and served oy some of the nurses of the Batley Division (Mrs. D. B. Scott, Misses M. Taylor, Eatough and Adamson). Th e whole work was accomplished without a hitch, and was voted a huge success by all present. The general arrangements for the event were

lIS -FIRST

effectively arranged and carried out by Supt. Allott, Mr. H. Greenwood, and the Secretary (Mr. D. B. Scott), to all of whom the highest praise is due.

An interesting feature of the event was the. arrIval about 8,3° of a party of Boy Scouts, who, the beacon fire at Howley, had turned out accordIng to the regulations of that movement.

LINCOLN.-The eighth annual dinner of this corps .was presided over by His Worship the Mayor (Councillor Parker), and was held at the Drill Hall, on January Supporting His among others, were the City Sheriff (Mr. Odltng), Chief Supt.. Lam bert, .The Rev. Canon Hicks Alderman Wyatt, Chief Supt. Deighton, &c.

In to the toast. of the. "Lincoln Corps," Chief Supt. Lambert gave an InterestIng account of work, which he said had now been much extended. Dunng the year they had attended about 5,000 cases, that meant on an average 12 cases a day. This w,as partly for by the number of minor cases whIch occurred In the foundries. Public duty had been undertaken regularly at the football matches, and at various demonstrations when heI,p had been Forty-eight parades h.ad been held for drill and instruction and 40 for duty, and with such a record he thought they might reasonably look t? public for that support which was to maIntaIn their present sphere of usefulness. DUring the past year two events stood out as red letter days in the history of the corps, the one was the acquisition of headquarters, and, the other was the acquirement of the ambulance van. SInce May last the van had been out 40 times, which was more than once a week. He was afraId that they were seriously in debt with regard to this department of work, they hoped that it might be possible for the CIty Council to make them a grant for the upkeep of the van.

Other toasts were "The Subscribers" and "The Worshipful the Mayor."

In responding to the latter, His Worship said he was glad to hear of the work of the corps was doing, and he thought if the public knew more about it, and realised its value to the community, they would not be in the unhappy position of lacking the necessary funds to carryon their excellent organisation.

During the evening cups and medals won in the last competition were presented, and a presentation was also made to Chief Surgeon Lambert for the valuable assistance he has rendered to the ambulance cause in the City of Lincoln during the past twenty years.

The proceedings were further enlivened by a tasteful selection of instrumental and vocal music.

RAVENSTHORPE.-It is with deep regret that we have to report the death of Arthur Holt, senior corporal in this Hivision. Deceased who was 45 years of age passed away at his residence on the 28th ulto. He was an enthusiastic ambulance worker and took an active interest in the work until a short while ago. The interment took pJace on the 1st inst. at Mirfield Parish Church, the Service being conducted by the Rev. M. A. Maddocks. The coffin, wh 'ch was of plain oak, was covered with the flag, and placed upon it were the late Corporal's cap and belt; the buglers sounded the "First" and "Last Post" at the grave side About 3 0 comrades, under command of First Officer W. H. Terry, attended the last sad rites. Among the many floral tributes was a harp" With Deepest Sympathy" from the Officers and Men of the Ravensthorpe Division.

AI D.- February, 1910.

ROTHERHAM.-Some strong remarks were !Dade at tl.le annual dinner of this corps anent the of diSplayed in its welfare by the general publIc, as eVI?enced by the response to an appeal recently sent out Its behalf.

The dinner which was held at the Masomc Hall, on January was presided over by Acting Chief Supt. Chambers, who was supported by Major K?ight, Major Phillips, Capt. Haywood, Chief Surgeon Riddell, Hon. Surgeon Ram, etc. ., "

Major Knight, In respondIng to the toast of Imperial Forces," said they had had ye.ars. expenence of the Territorial Force, and they had faith 10 future. was not perfect, but it was capable. of expansIOn. In hiS opinion some kind of universal service should adopted Much good would be done if every able-bodied young fellow joined the Territorial Force for four "

The toast of the" St. John Ambulance Bngade was proposed by Major Phillips, responded tc:> by the Chairman. In the course of hiS remarks, Supt. Chambers referred to the growth of the dunng the past year. They now consisted of five ?IVISlOns, as compared with four last year, a .one haVIng recently been formed at Silverwood. IndiVidually the members had attended upwards of six hundred cases the year, a record which effectually proved the necessity for such a service. Alluding to the financial position .of the corps, he said two appeals had been sent out, to but twelve people had responded. Not a very encouragmg respons e to the efforts which they were makIng to promote the extension of their sphere of action. If they could only secure sixty subscribers of two guineas they would have ample funds for all their requirements.

\iVELBECK.- The interest taken by His Grace the Duke of Portland in the WeI beck Division is well know?, and any movement having for its aim the In the efficiency of its members is sure of sypport and e?couragement. By his invitation, the DIVISion mustered In the underground rooms at the A?bey for the annual competition. Supt. Hamlyn was In and Dr. Thompson, of Retford, who acted as Judge, was panied by Dr. Crawford, Hon. Surgeon to the DIVISion The proceedings were also honoured by the of the Duke, who was a.ccompanied by the MarqUIS of Titchfield.

At the conclusion of a very practical and searchIng examination, Dr. Thompson, in making h,is award, congratulated His Grace on having such an effiCient division and said the work reflected the greatest credit on all and showed a marked improvement on that of last year.

In a few well chosen remarks His Grace expressed hiS gratification at the judge's report. He congratulated the officers and members, and expressed his willingness to help the division in any way that he could.

Supt. Hamlyn thanked the Duke for his kind and encouraging remarks.

WORKSOP.-The annual dinner given by the officers of this division is an event always looked forward to as one of the happiest gatherings of those interested in the ambulance movement. The one which was recently held under the genial presidency of the popular Surgeon Supt. (Capt. Helm Montague) proved no exception to the general rule. The gathering took place at the Hotel a?d amongst the guests who supported the Chauman was ;)l(

February, 19 10• -FIRST

Frederick Milner, who takes a warm interest in the Division. After the cloth was cleared the loyal toasts were duly honoured and on rising to propose the "Hosts of the evening, 'the Officers of the I?ivision," Sir, Frederick Milner met with a cordial reception. In alludmg to work of the Ambulance Brigade, he said it was a work which entailed much self-sacrifice, on the part of both officers and men. They would not readily forget that, when the last war broke out, members of that volunteered and went out and did most excellent service. It had always been a great pleasure to ?it? to take an interest in the division and to encourage It In any way that he could. In associating the toast with the name of Dr. Montague, the speaker referred to the valuable services :vhich he had rendered to the division. He had worked Incessantly for the Brigade for the last thirtee.n years, in two years more he would be entitled to hiS long service and he hoped that there would be som.e further recogmtIOn of his services besides. It would be difficult to find anyone to adequately fill his place.

The was drunk with musical honours, and on rising to reply, the chairman received. quite an In the course of his speech Dr. MIlner Sir Frederick Milner for his kInd remarks, refernng to the work of the Division, he said it gave him great pleasure to say that he had no fault to find. The. musters perhaps were not quite as well attended as t,hey mlgh.t be, and wanted a few more recruits. He did not thInk the publIc quite realised the work the members did. They were always ready to turn out at the call of duty, and they h.ad turned out that night to take a case to Sheffield. With regard to the Red Cross .Society, he did not propose to go into its merits or dements. There was a gap to be filled in between the Territorials and the Base Hospitals, and the Red Cross Society were going to try and fill it the proposed Voluntary Aid Detachments. They, In that Division had been asked to form one, and he was glad to say that' every man had promised to join. As regards camp, last year they sent thirteen men, and he hoped that thirteen men, at least, would attend the next camp.

On the call of the Chairman, the health of SIr Frederick Milner was heartily drunk, and, in m.aking the presentation of a silver inkstand, given by himself, to Bugler A. Castle, as the most efficient man of the Sir Frederick alluded to the keeness of the contest which had taken place for his prize, and said that no less than six men had attended every drill. Hon. Surgeon Crawford, who had conducted the examination, had stated that he had a most difficult task so even were the abilities of both Bugler Castle and Corp.' Storey. He had pleasure in presenting the inkstand to Bugler Castle.

Business Items.

Cm sLE HuRsT.-The U.D.e. have resolved to make application to the L.G.B. for sanction to the raising of a loan not exceeding £ 500 for the purchase of a steam fire engine, hose and other appliances, and for taking down and rebuildil1g the Fire Station at West Chislehurst.

EDINBUR GH. - The T.e. have accepted the tender of Messrs. Henry Simonis & Co., of London, amounting to £675, plus £ So for rubb <; r tyres, for the supply of a fire escape and water tower.

HADDIN GTO T.-The e.e. have decided to obtain a motor ambulance for use in connection with the County Hospital.

MALTON.-The U .D,e. will at its next meeting take into consideration the advisability of providing a fire escape.

MlD DLESBROUGH.-Th e Fire Brigade Committee have decided to obtain quotations with respect to a proposed motor fire engine.

MIRFIELD.- The U.D.e. have accepted the tender of Mr. H. Halmshaw, at £30, for the supply _ of a fourwheeled hose cart to the fire brigade.

RHONDDA.-The U.D.e. have acquired a plot of land for the erection of a fire station, which would afford accommodation for a new motor fire engine.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.- TheCorporation have accepted the tender of Messrs. Dennis Bros., Ltd., at £785, for a so-horse power petrol motor, with fire escape.

SALFORD.-The L.G. B. have held an inquiry into the application of the T. e. for perm ission to borrow £2,250, for the provision of two motor fire engmes.

STIRLING.-The Eastern District Committee of the e.e. have accepted the tender of Mr. George Thompson, of Stirling, at £'74 lOS ., for the supply of a new ambulance wagon.

WATH.- The U.D.e. have resolved to purchase a motor fire engine at a cost of £750, and to apply to the L. G. B. for sanction to raise a loan for that purpose.

WITTON GILBERT.-The P.e. are considering the question of providing a manual fire engine, and the clerk has been requested to obtain estimates.

.

Following this came a presentation to the Chairman on behalf of the last first [tid class, of a case of razors. In presenting the gift, Mr. R. H. Allen said that they all knew and appreciated what the doctor had done for the am bulance cause. He asked his acceptance of the case razors as a token of their gratitude for the time and devotl?n he had given to make the class efficient. The Chairman briefly acknowledged the gift.

Other toasts were the " Subscribers" and the "Artists." A capital programme of an? vocal music enlivened the evening, the proceedIngs terminating with the National Anthem and "Auld lang Syne."

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

WORTHING.-The General Purposes Committee of the T. e. recom mend the purchase of a motor-driven fire brigade vehicle, and the of the tender of M;ss.rs. Dennis Bros. Ltd. of GUlldford, at £687. The outot Includes a escape and aid" chemical fire extinguishing apparatus complete With hose.

YARMOUTH.-The T.e. have accepted the tender of Messrs. McGregor & Co. for the supply of twenty 75 ft. lengths of "Rob Roy" brand of canvas fire hose at £3 8s. per length.

The Ley ton and Leytonstone Fire Brigade held their annual concert at the Town Hall, Ley ton, on February 3rd As usual the residents of the district well supported the brigade. During the evening, W A: Hurry, J. P" presented the prizes won by the bngade dUrIng 19 0 9.

Brevities.

'v'V-E are g:ad to learn that the neL amount handed over to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution as a result of the efforts made on behalf of the Lifeboat Saturday Fund last year was £19,351. The valuable work done by this noble Institution all round our coasts is well known to our readers, many of whom are, we know, enthusiastic supporters of the cause. They will be gratified therefore to learn that last year's collection exceeds that for 1908 by the sum of £ 1,100. The amount subscribed in the later year was £18,25 [ ; 1907, £20,686; 1906, .£17, 68 5; and 19 0 5, £17,5 27. We venture to hope that 1910 will exceed all previous efforts. The necessary up -keep of the large fleet of boats now maintained by the Institution involves a large expenditure of money, and it is only by practising the most rigid economy that the executive are enabled to maintain the large number of Lifeboat stations all round our coast. We have before advocated its claims to the sympathy of our readers, when, in response to our appeal, some of them came forward to assist the cause. The Institution is one of which we dwellers on this "sea girt" isle are justly proud, and that its beneficent work should in any wa y be curtailed for lack of funds would, we are sure, be a matter for reproach and regret to all of us. The greater proportion of the craft upon the sea flies the Union Jack. In assisting this noble Institution to keep watch and ward around our coast we are perhaps making provision for the safety of someone near and dear to us, who one day may be in peril on the sea. Annual subscriptions and donations are urgently needed, and will be thankfully received and acknowledged by the Secretary, Mr. Charles Dibdin, 22, Charing Cross-road, London, W.c., or by any of the local honorary secretaries. This Institution is one for which we have a very real regard and sympathy, and we do appeal to our readers to support it. The smallest sum will be acceptable, and your example may be followed by others with the result that the " mickle" will become the "muckle."

THE record of another splendid organisation, the Royal Humane Society, is also to hand, and contains interesting details. During the past year 700 cases of gallant action in saving, or attempting to save, life from drowning in all parts of the Empire were submitted for examination, 800 persons concerned in these cases receiving recognition, either in the form of medals, testimonials, or of monetary rewards. It is a grand record, showing as it does that by the efforts of gallant men and women, and in some instances children, a large number of human lives have been saved for a further course of usefulness, a large proportion, be it noted, being those in the heydey of youth. In 65 cases, it is sad to note, the effort was unsuccessful, in nine cases the would-be rescuer losing his own life in the plucky attempt to save the life of another. One

AI D.- February, 1910.

hundred and fifty-three cases took place in the various the country, and 56 persons who attempted suicide were rescued and handed over to their friends. The awards made included nine silver and 143 bronze medals or clasps, both showing a considerable increase over the previous year; 503 testimonials, and 121 pecuniary rewards, amounting to £1 J 4; 30 certificates were also given for prompt action in the application of the proper methods of restoring the apparently drowned or dead. Forty of these awards went to men belonging to the land forces, a like num ber being granted to gallant seamen 10 various parts of the world, while 50 have been presented to courageous members of our police force. It might be as well to k)oint out that cases eligible for the Societ y's recogOltlOn includes rescues, or attempted rescues, from drowning or from suffocation in mines, wells, or sewers, should be reported within two months to the Society. The offices are at 4, Trafalgar-square, London, where literature connected with the work of the Society, and illustrated sheets showing the methods of artificial respiration can be obtained free of cost.

* * *

IT is some little time since we heard of the Girls' Yeomanry First Aid Corps, and we had been wondering whether it had gone the way of the Women's Volunteer Medical Staff Corps, which our readers will remember had a few years back a meteoric existence in London and then disappeared to be heard of no more. However, it would seem from correspondence which has recently appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette that the latter-day organisation is still in existence, although under another name, it has now blossomed out as the" Women's Sick and Wounded Convoy Corps." To the casual reader the correspondence which has appeared in our contemporary would imply that the writer, a lady, had only just become cognisant of the existence of the W.S. and 'V.c.c., although her letter, in which she introduces it to the notice of the readers of that journal, would seem to savour more than a casual acquaintance with the working of the organisation. We note that it still retains in its syllabus of instruction such items as the conduct and management of horses, and other pro. poganda for which women are totally unfitted. In connection with the Voluntary Aid Detachments which are being formed, the women of this country have every opportunity of learning the habits of discipline, as indeed, they would also, if they joined a Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. In the latter organisation also, they would have opportunities of attending actual cases when on duty, added to which they will only be called upon to carry out those duties which are essentially women's work.

THERE are few more enthusiastic or able exponents of the ambulance cause than the Deputy-Commissioner of the No. 5 District of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

February, 1910. -FIRST

He has devoled the best years of his life to the furtheranc E. of the movement, and not only his time but his purse has always been available for its extension. We can quite unde rstand therefore that he should hold strong views, as regards the policy which is now being pursued in con· nection with the promotion of the Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachments. At the annual dinner of the Tibshelf Cor ps he gave expression to his views on this subject, pointing out that up to the present time, th e Brigade had borne the heat and burden of the day in connection with the preparation of men and women for service in case of national emergency; and it could not be expected that they would be content to sink their individuality and sacrifice the honour for which they had worked.

FOR giving expression to these opinions, Mr. Wardell has been taken to task by the Chief Secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association. We are inclined to think that in taking this course the Chief Secretary has committed something more than a mere error of judgment, in thus practically censuring through the public Press, one of the principal officers of the Ambulance Brigade, and we are not surprised, therefore, to learn that it has aroused a feeling of indignation in more than one quarter. It should be well known to the authorities at St. John's Gate that the proposed Voluntary Aid Detachments did not command the sympathy ')f the Brigade as a whole, and that is doubtless the reason that provision was made for the formation of Brigade units under their own officers. We ourselves have no feeling of antagonism towards the British Red Cross Society with the work which it should perform, namely the provision of all the ne cessary equipment for service in time of national emergency, we have every sympathy, but we do claim that in the preparation of men and women for service with the national forces the Society, not having had previous experience, should not have taken in hand a work, which was already being carried out in so satisfactory a manner by the various district s of the Brigade. * * *

WE sincerely trust that the scheme will justify the high expectatio ns formed about it, but we cannot refrain from a feeling of sincere regret, that a movement which means so much, in connection with the preparedness of this country to cope with any possible national emergency, was not placed absolutely in the hands of the Staff of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Had it have been, there would have been no element of doubt as to its being equal to any call which might be made upon its patriotism or resources. In the past it has given ea rnest evidence of this, as is testified to by the memorial in St. John's Church, Clerkenwell, which records the fact that sixty-one of its members laid down their lives on the South African veldt in the pat riotic discharge of their voluntary duty for Queen and Co untry. It was on behalf of such men as these that

AI D.- 121

Mr. Wardell spoke out so boldly, and we venture to assert that there are others who, if they had the courage of their own convictions, would desire to say as much. It would perhaps be better for the service to which they belong if they possessed that courage. The position it occupies today would be stronger one.

THE recent fatal fire at Clapham has emphasised the necessity for ad ditional legislation in connection with the dressing of drapers' shop windows. At Christmas time it is the custom of the trade to display their goods on a ground work or backing of cotton wool or other inflammable material. Here, upon inspection, you will find displayed articles in celluloid in close proximity to gas or electric fittings. A fused wire in the case of one, or a small portion of a broken incandescent mantle falling alight from the other may readily start a conflagration. It should be made compulsory that all windows in which inflammable goods are so displayed should only be illuminated from the outside. In the matter of building construction, too, recent fires have shown that many of the presumed safeguards which are relied upon, when put to the test fail at the critical moment.

They appear to have an extraordinary fire brigade at Strabone, County Tyrone, Ireland. At a recent meeting of the Urban Council its personnel was discussed, when the chairman intimated that the chief officer of the brigade had reported that, with the exception of himself, no member of the brigade was able, owing to advanced years, to mount a roof. A g reat deal of sympathy was expressed for the old men who, if dismissed, it was pointed out, would be unable to find other employment, but eventually a committee was appointed to go into the question and make the necessary changes to secure the efficiency of the brigade.

In mining circles in New South Wales a great interest continues to be taken in the spread of ambulance work among the miners. In 1897 a Government Ambulance Corps was established for the purpose of promoting a knowledge of first aid work among coal and metal miners. The Corps is governed by a committee consisting of medical men and officers of the department, the Minister for Mines being ex offido patron, and the Under Secretary ex c1ficio president. Any ten or more bona fide persons who are connected with mining may be enrolled as a class on application to the Secretary. A class will run from three to six months. It makes its own arrangements with a qualified medical man, who is usually the doctor to the mine, and when that gentleman considers the class ready for examination, another medical man is detailed by the Department to conduct it. Following this prelimina.y course of instruction, there is an advanced course. To all who pass the preliminary course a certificate is awarded, and to those passing the advanced course, a silver medallion. Books of instruction including am bulance h a ndbook, drill book and accident book are issued gratis to all students, in addition to which the clas') is also provided with triangular and roller bandages and ambulance rugs.

G.W.R. - The annual dinner of the Cardiff ambulance men in connection with this Company was held at the Central Hotel on Friday, J anualY 28th. Assistant-Commissioner Herbert Lewis (No. 7 District) presided, and amongst the visitors present was Mr. Arthurten (Am bulance Secretary from Paddington).

In an interesting address the Chalrma.n to the progress which ambulance work was maklOg 10 .Wales. In Glamorganshire this was especially marked; theIrs ,,:as the largest centre in the Empire, and throughout the PrIncipality he did not think they would fin? a smarter body. of ambulance men than they had in Cardiff. After alludlOg to the importance of am bulan.ce work for railway both in the interests of the public, and also as a possible aid to their fellow workers, the Chairman referred to the Home Hospital Reserve, which he hoped many more of the railway men would join. He had written to the Secretary for War (Mr. Haldane) asking .whether he approve of railwaymen being enrolled 10 the Voluntary Detachments which in the case of war, would be the hnk between the field of operations and the base hospitals. Mr. Haldane had replied as follows :-" Certainly do everything you can to get the rail waymen to help us, for in time of emergency their help would be invaluable." He (the speaker) felt sure the railwaymen of Cardiff would not be behind in this great national movement.

During the evening a prelOentation was made to Mr. H. Phillips, the first secretary to the brigade in Cardiff, and another to Mr. R. Germain, who organised the concert recently held in connection with the division. A presentation of labels and medallions also took place. These proceedings were followed by a capital musical programme.

The annual meeting of the Swindon Works class was presidt'd over by Mr. G. J. Churchward, and was held in the Lecture Hall at the Mechanics Institute on December loth.

After the usual routine business had been concluded, a presentation of certificates, medallions and labels took place, and this was followed by the presentation of the Challenge Cup which had been won by a team consisting of Messrs. J. Tuck, Brinkworth, Leaky, Reeves and Timbell, who each received a medal.

Perhaps the most interesting item on the agenda was a presentation to the two respected surgeon lect,urers of the classes, as it was evidence how thoroughly the railway men of Swindon appreciated the unselfish labours of these gentlemen. In making the presentations, which in the case of Dr. Berry took the form of a very handsome easy chair, while to Dr. Swinhoe was presented a handsome cigar case. The Chairman paid a well-merited tribute to the services these two gentlemen had rendered to the ambulance cause in Swindon, and humorously remarked that he did not know why they should encourage Dr. Swinhoe to smoke, but he would suggest that the doctors should make a kind of joint stock arrangement, so that Dr. Berry could lend him the chair to smoke in, while Dr. Swinhoe could supply

AID. - February, IgI0.

the sigars. He had much pleasure in handing to these two gentlemen those tokens of thei.r appreci.ation of their work. Both medical gentlemen 10 returning thanks, took the opportunity of giving the ambulance men some useful hints, and urged them to renewed efforts to greater efficiency in first aid work, Dr. Berry remarking that on the occasion of the last railway competition, he had the opportunity of going up to London to witness the final; while there he got into conversation with many men who knew the mem bers of the various teams, and he found the secret of their sllccess was that they did not just do am bulance work at the time of the lectures; but they were doing it all the year round. They stuck to their work and worked hard and that was the secret of their success. He was afraid they did not always do so in Swindon. A vote of thanks to the Chairman for presiding brought the proceedings to a close.

L. B. & S. C. R.-Although no mention was m1.de in the daily Press of the first aid rendered by the am bulance men in the service of this Company, at the recent sad disaster at Stoat's Nest, we are pleased to be able to place on record that very efficient assistance was given by two men (Messrs. Legg and Rapley) at that station; and a t East Croydon and Victoria Stations, an adequate numb er of men, with full equipment, were waiting in readiness to receive and deal with the cases, some of whom were sent to hospital, while others proceeded to their homes.

A largely attended meeting of the ambulance men In the employ of this Company, in connection with the Brighton District, was held at the Locomotive Mess Room, Brighton Central Station, on Jan. 28th, when the results of the examinations for the session 1gog- r 0 were announced. The chair was occupied by the popular lecturer to the classes (Dr. Shardlow) who was supported. among others, by Messrs. J. King (Centre Secretary, London), W. L. Girling (Brighton District Secretary), etc.

An interesting account of the progress of the work 10 Brighton District was given by Mr. Girling. Th e average attendance at the Viaduct-road Class had been 70, and at the Mess Room Class 60. The latter had greatly exceeded his expectations, being much in ac.vance of pr evious years. H e would like to take that opportunity of saying how much they were indebted to Mr. Marsh, th e head of his department, without his help he could not possibly do what he did in connection with the All the appliances of the department were placed at hIS disposal by Mr. Marsh, and he also found a r00f!l, and gave him (the speaker) encouragement, and time off 10 connection with the classes. Mr. Marsh had also offered a cup for the Individual Competition amongst the men of Brighton District. Several of the other officers had also promIsed prizes, as also had their good friend Dr. Shardlow. Subsequently the rules for the Individual Competition were drawn up and approved.

Following this came one of the most interesting items on the agenda, a presentation to Dr. Shardlow. In making the presentation, Mr. Girling said they all appreciated and valued the services of Dr. Shardlow. He was one of the best lecturers they had, and was much more regular in his attendance at the Brighton classes than many of the students, although they knew that for a busy medical practitioner he must often do so at great personal inconvenience. As a mark of their esteem, and as SOllle slight recognition of his generous help, he asked Dr. Shardlow's acceptance of a pair of ebony hair brushes bearing hiS initials, also a case of razors.

February, IgI0. -FIRST

The doctor was evidently quite taken by surprise. In acknowledging the gift, which he did in a feeling little speech, he pointed out that he did not deserve any recognition, the attention which they gave to his lectures was ample compensation for the service which he had rendered, at the same time he accepted their gift with pleasure, if only on account of the kindly feeling which had prompted it.

Mr. King, in a brief speech, commented on the work of the session and spoke a few encouraging words to the candidates who had taken their certificates.

M.R.-On J an nary 24th, a numerously attended meeting was held in the Stanley Hail, Junction-road,

AI D.- 12 3

held in the Railway Institute, York, on January 2gth, when delegates attended from the various districts comprised within the Ctntre. The proceedings were presided over by Mr. Penty. The Half-Yearly Report was presented by the General Secretary (Mr. G. Jackson). Briefly summarised, it was as follows:- Thirty-six classes had been formed at various Stations on the System during the halfyear, and the num ber of students who had been examined since November, 1895, was as follows :-First aid certificates, 6,177 re-examination vouchers, 3,404 medallions, 2,494; labels, 618. Accident returns, Darlington, 3,9 1 7 HUll, 2,193; Leeds, 1,366; Middlesbrough, 1,894; Newcastle, 3,781 ; York, 4,978-total, 18,12g; thus making

HULL AND BARNSLEY RAILWAY, ALEXANDRA DOCK DIVISION, WITH THE TROPHIES GAINED BY THEM 909

London, N., to witness the presentation of certificates to men of the London and Bedford DIstrIct, engaged in the Engineers' Department. During proceedings it was mentioned that there are 933 men I.n Department employed in the London. and Bedford Dlstnct who are qualified to render first aid, and of these 423 received certificates or medallions, as a result of last year's work in connection with the ambulance classes. We understand that throughout the entire Midland System there are something like 10,000 men quairfied to render first aid.

N.E.R.-The half-yearly meeting of this Centre was

a gra nd total of 165,369 si nce January 18g6. Classes are about to be commenced at several places, and there is every prospect of the work being fully equal to former The prospects are good also for the competitions in these districts.

Mr. Jackson reported that he had been advised from St. John's Gate that the Grand Prior of the Order of St. John had sanctioned the award of a Certificate of Honour to Mr. J. Butler, of Newcastle, who at the risk of his. own life rescued two men who had been overcome by gas In an u ndergro;.rnd passage at Newcastle Station

Several matters connected with the forthcoming competition were discussed, and it was decided that the final

Seated on the right is Mr. C. W. Jackson (Dock Supt. ) ; seated on the left is Han. Surgeon J. G. l\lcW illie. Standing in centre of back row is Supt. A. Stead.

stage of the competition should be ?eld at York, on April 9th next. The Council of the Institute were thanked for the use of the room.

S.E. & C. R. - We are asked to competing in the Group Competitions on this railway m March next that the latest date for entering is February 28th, and to st'ate that it would be of considerable advantage to the Centre Secretary if entries reached him well before that date.

Dr. A. R. Henchley, of Canterbury, has presented to the Centre a handsome cup, and this will be for in the Beginner's Group. We have no dnub! tnat ve ry practical proof of Dr. Henchley's in teres! m the rall.waymen and the first aid caus e generally, wIll b e very highly appreciated by the Competitors, and will act as a stimulus to the work on this railway.

Over 900 tickets have already been sold for the dmner at the Crystal Palace on Wednesday, April 13 th next.

AI D.- February , 19[0.

Gen. Hon. Secretary be authorised to carry out the arrangements as agreed to. A letter from the Mayor of South end was read by the Gen. Hon. Secretary, on of the Corporation a cordial welcome tu the U mon to theIr town.

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

This report, the adoption of wh,ich. was moved by Chief Officer Levy, dealt With the deficits in connection with the Yorkshue Dlstnct and the South- Western District. In connection with the former it was stated that the District Committee bad agreed to make a further payment of £ IO on account. of the loan due to the Union' and the Finance Committee recommended that the be ac ce pted in full discharge of the loan. In the case of th e latte r District it was recommended that in view of the prais e worthy efforts which .the l?cal had made to meet the deficit in connectIOn With their competition at Plymouth, they be _g_ranted the sum of £ IS towards the fund they were ralsmg.

Authority was given to the q-eneral Committee to expend the sum of £10 In connectIOn With the scheme for the pr e paration of a Textbook.

The balances standing to the credit of the respeC!IVe Districts were reported, with the exception of the folloWIng: Cornish, West Midland, Yurkshire, and the North-E.astern. No reports from these districts have so far been received.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE.

National Fire Brigades' Union.

THE annual meeting of the Central Council of the Union was held at the Holborn Restaurant, London, on February 9th, Lieut. -Col. Seabroke presided and was supported by a large and representative number of officers.

Prior to the commencement of the actual busIness Hon. Chief Officer Dyer said he desired to bring before them a resolution which he was sure would meet with the sympathy and approval of all present :- " That the Council of the National Fire Brigades' Union express their deep sympathy with their comrades of the Fire Service in l'aris, and its several districts, and congratulate them on their self-denying and gallant conduct during the floods." The proposal was seconded by Col. Fox and carried unanimously.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, then followed the election of several new brigades, during which a discussion took place relative to the transfer of the Bampton Brigade from the South Midland to the West Midland District. Chief Officer Lane suggested that the precedent of transferring brigades was not a wis e one, and would inevitably lead to confusion as to the limits of the several districts, added to which a brigade might transfer to suit its own convenience, more particularly as regards competitions. Chief Officer Graham suggested that the transfer should be sanctioned subject to its approval by the two districts concerned, and this course, was approved.

REPORT OF THE TOURNAMENT

In submitting this report the committee mentioned that they had rec eiv e d an invitation from the local a uthorities at S outhend-on-Sea to hold the Annual CamlJ and Competitions in that town from the 2nd to the 9th of July. The terms suggested were satisfactory, and it was recommendecl that the invitation be accepted, and that the

The formal adoption of this report was moved by Colonel Seabroke. It contained several matters of more than passing interest. In consequ ence of the strong feeling against the proposed rule that Vice-Presidents should be called upon to pay an annual subscription of one the committee recommended that the rule should be rescmded.

It was reported that in connection with the compilation of a Firemen's Textbook, promises of co-operation had been received from the London Fire Brigade, the Association of Professional Fire Chiefs, and the London Private Fire Brigades' Association. It was also recommended that a scheme for the examination of Chief Officers be approved, and that the committee be authorised to arrange details for the same. The question of the revision of the variou s districts of the Union was still under consideration. It was recommended that in future District Chairmen should be ex officio members of the General Purposes Committee LON G SERVICE MEDAL COMMITTEE.

This report was presented by Chief Officer Miller, who formally moved its adoption. It was recommended that the following rule should be adopted with regard to the issue of the Silver Medal in lieu of Bronze. "That on th e issue of a silv er medal in lieu of a bronze one, the latter together with bars attached thereto shall cease to have an y value as a Long Service Medal, and shall not afterward s be worn as such, and the same shall not be transferred ou t of the family of the medallist."

The Council were also asked to confirm the issue o f 13 0 medals to members of Brigades who had qualified.

REPORT OF THE AMBULANCE COMMITTEE

It was reported that the Department still continued to make progres s, although fewer officers and men had been examined durin g the year. Attention was again drawn to the facilities which are now given to enable firemen to b e re-e xamined at Camp or during the progress of a District meeting, and it was suggested that a memorandum upon the subject should appear in the annual report. It was reported that Major Maitland Coffin and Dr. Greene had

FebruarYI I9 IO -FIRST

been requested to write a chapter on the value of ambulance work for insertion in the Firemen's Textbook. It was recommended that each district should b e entitled to t wo re presentatives to serve on the ambulanc e co mmitt ee i nstead of only on e

It was further report e d th a t th e qu e stion ha d aris e n as to the official recognition of the Ambulance Certificate of the Union by the War Office, and it was recommended that the matter be taken up, and, if necessary, a deputation be a ppointed to wait upon and discuss the subject with the authorities at the War Office.

The appointment of Chief Officer Clulee as Chairman o f the Committee was recommended and approved.

ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT S

These were presented by the Gen. Hon. Secretary, a nd after due discussion were approved. The election of the Executive Officers and Standing Committees was th e n proceeded with, and resulted in the re-election of the officials and the re-appointment of the several committees - a wise course to adopt, for when you have willing and reliable officers, conversant with the general routine and co nduct of the work, it would be folly to make changes.

It was decided to hold the Annual General Meeting and Banquet on March 16th.

LEICESTER.-We have received the annual report of this Brigade, and must congratulate Chief Officer Nealon the record of his first year's work. There has been a decrease in the number of calls receive d, the number being 2 less than last year. Of the number of calls attended 73 were between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., and 92 between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. It is to be regretted that two of these were attended with fatal results, but in neither case was any blame attributable to the Brigade. The ambulance service continues to work satisfactorily, the number of calls received during the year under review was 527, an increase of 80 over the year preceding. The whole o f the plant is in a satisfactory condition, and the conduct o f the staff has been most exemplary

NORTH WALEs. - We have received from Lieut. J. O. Hughes, the energetic hon. secretary of this District, a c opy of the last annual re port, and we heartily congratulate him on the progress which it continues to make under his car e ful supervision. The financial condition of the District is most satisfactory, and there is a balance in hand of £33. An earnest appeal is made to the Brigades in the District to support the Widows and Orphans' Fund.

RAMSGATE.-In his report on the year's work, Capt. West refers to the inadequacy of the plant under his control, and points out that should a fire break out and make any progress before the arrival of the brigade upon the scene, it would be well nigh impossible to arrest its progress with the appliances at present in use, the result being that -it might demolish a whole range of buildings in S0me of the busiest parts of the town. Capt. West asks for an up-to-date fire alarm system, and for a motor fire engine, and we think that the Corporation would be well advised to give ear to his request. The members of the governing ?ody of the town are all business men, many of them havmg much at stake, they should therefore recognise that once it should get abroad that their town was inadequately

THE MODERN PHYSICIAN.

By Dr. ANDREW WILSON.

A GREAT WORK FOR AMBULANCE MEN.

A WORK its claim to be an epitome of all that medIcal and surgical knowledge necessary for Fltst Alders, as well as an authoritative manual of reference on all information relating to Health and Disease is a work to be welcomed by all our readers who wish study their subject more deeply than is possible from superficial text books.

In "The. Modern Physician," by Dr. Andrew Wilson, fullest space IS devoted to "First Aid " and Ambulance Work. In respect of completeness, accuracy of description, and wealth of illustration, "The Modern Physician" stands without a rival amongst the works published on this important subje c t in the United Kingdom. It is scientificall y accurate and reliable without being dull ; the name of its editor, so long and popu larly known as an expositor of Health laws and a teacher of Hygiene, is a guarantee of this. This work is absolutely complete as regards Health and Disease, and is thoroughly up-to-date.

As a knowledge of the body in Health is necessary to the due understandin g of the body when its functions are deranged by disease, a description of every part of the frame will be found her e The skeleton, muscles, digestive system, heart and lungs, brain and nervous system, organs of sense, skin, kidneys and the body s microscopic structure are duly described. In this connection the illustrations are of particular value, the "mannikins " or dummies more especially; in these the organs are made to overlap each other exactly as they do in the human body.

The section devoted to Hygiene includes the full exposition of the Laws of Health, and special attention is devoted to Physical Culture. Such topics as foods, beverages, air, exercise, clothing, sleep, baths, holidays, temperament, &c., are treated in this section.

The last volume is espe c ially devoted to the Health of Women, and Dr. Wilson has here been assisted by a number of eminent women physicians . Midwifery and the treatment and Diseases of Infants a !"e here fully dealt with.

Mr. J. DANIEL, 23, Kent Avenue, Ashford, Kent, writes:" Its all round excellence makes it a valuable acquisition. The section dealing with ambulance work is especially good. The book is written in splendid style and the illustrations are first rate. The method of payment places it within the reach of all. "

A FREE BOOKLET.

TO TH E CAXTO PUB LI SHIN G COM PAN Y, Clun H ouse, S u rrey S treet L ondon, V. C. P lease sent.! me FREE OF C HARGE and w tho ut a ny ob iga tion on my part ;-

(1) Illus ra t ed Bookle t on " TH E M ODEllN PH YSIC AN "

(2) Pa rti cula s of y our offer t o del iver he co mpl ete work for a firs t pay me nt o f 15. 6d , th e ba ance to be pa d for by a few s ma ll month y pa yme nts_

-FIRST

protected against the perils of fire it might possibly deter many visitors from patronising this favourite watering place during the summer months.

The number of fires attended during 1909 was 25, an increase of r over the preceding year ; the value of the property destroyed being about £r,475'

SHEFFIELD.-The report of Chief Officer Frost is, as usual, a comprehensive and carefully tab'llated statement of the work carried out during the year. The total num ber of calls received was 293, an increase of 2 r on the previous year. Five of these were unfortunately attended with loss of life. The num ber of lives actually at risk during the year was 220. On six occasions the Brigade has been turned out to assist the police to search premises for burglars. On one occasion the motor escape being used when two men were brought off the roof of a block of business premises. Commendation is paid to the various private fire brigades in the City, their prompt action having on several occasions prevented what would have been more serious fires. It will be reassuring to the shopping public of Sheffield to know that Chief Officer Frost considers that the large drapery establishments in the City have taken every precaution to minimise the risk of fire. Fire appliances are kept ready to hand, and the staff at the several establishments are regularly put through a course of drill. Chief Officer Frost adds his testimony to the value of motor appliances, and suggests that if the present record is to be maintained it will be necessary to further increase this method of fire extinction. The Ambulance Department is working satisfactorily, the number of calls received the year w.as 2,727, an increase of 105 on the prevIOUS year. Thnty-fi ve of the firemen hold the certificate of the St. John Am bulance Associati on, and the remamder are undergoing instruction.

Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein has fixed Friday, May I3th, for the presentation at the Portman Rooms of the Silver Challenge Shield and prizes awarded by the St. John Ambulance Association to those teams in the finals in the annual inter-railway and brigade competitions.

In its report on the Estimates for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Committee of the First Cham ber of the States General, Holland, call attention to the fact that the members of the Second Dutch Ambulance Corps of the Dutch Red Cross Society, who took part in the South African War, are still lying under the stigma of being traitors and spies. The Committee point out that they were for eighteen months prisoners at Ceylon, and that the Dutch Government had never prosecuted a conclusive enquiry as to the foundation of these charges, the truth of the men themselves strenuously deny. The Comurge !low that Great Britain is pursuing a conclhatory polIcy 10 South Africa the Minister for Foreign Affairs should have this matter cleared up.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

We are in no way responsible jor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDIToRs.

FRACTURE OF THE LOWER JAW.

DEAR SIR,-.In reply to "Kentish Lad," if he will apply the bandage as dIrected In the text book, viz.:- The centre of bandage under the chin, when measured from the ends, he will find that it brings the knot on the side near the twist which is quite correct. Tbe knot is not shown in the I am afraid your correspondent has not studied the text book very closely, or he woulcl have that it says, "Tie the ends on the side and not on the opposite side." If your correspondent will use a little common sense, which all lecturers on first aId recommend to student;;, he will see that if the twist or knot should be on the injured side it will give the patient pain.-Yours faithfully,

" THE ONE WHO DON'T KNO\\,"

[vVe have read our correspondent's letter through very carefully, but we must say we fail to grasp the logic of his facts. We certainly think that those who aspire to pose as critics on the words or actions of others, should be sure of the stability of their o,\ n position first. Does our correspondent's nom de plume correctly describe his attitude as regards the present controversy.-ED. " F.A."J

THE VOLUI TARY AID DETACHMENTS.

SIR,-Much indignation has been aroused in this part of the country by the insertion of a letter in the Sheifield Daily Telegraph from the Chief Secretary of the St. John Ambulance AssocIation, hauling up the Deputy·Commissioner of this District for a statement which he is reported to have made at Tibshelf, regarding the efforts now being made by the Red Cross Society to form detachments in places where there already exists a division of the Brigade.

I am not concerned so much about the "wigging" that Mr. Wardell has got. That gentleman I have no doubt is quite equal to the task of" standing to his guns," but what I do desire to point out is that the new movement is not working as smoothly with the Brigade as the letter from the Chief Secretary would imply. I t may do in some parts where the Brigade has practically collared the movement in order to prevent its doing any mischief; but tbat being so, does it not show how absolutely unnecessary the new organisation is. Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners are engaged in working both movements, labour to promote and uphold the efficiency of two presumedly distinct organisatio.ns, which are both engaged in the one laudable object, that of bemg ready against all emergencies. Such _ a chaotic state of affairs cannot long exist, one or the other must in time "snuff out " the other. Which is it to be? That's wbat thinking men are asking down here. I trust for the sake of the country that the Brigade may come up " top dog," but it won't if its members are slack, or neglect the opportunity of keeping themselves before the public. Have more drills, and show yourselves oftener in public. Get up displays and concerts in order to get the "shekels" to keep your equipment" up-to-date," and as a result you will in all probability be eventually left in sole possession.- Yours truly, "YORKSHIRE TYKE."

F

OR Uniform complete; silver belts, great coat, caps.-Partlculars, apply, Colonel Gibbon, Ripon.

FIRST AID.

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Joumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advan ce the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brig ade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

There is a very strong feeling prevalent The Training in Fire Brigade Circles that steps should of be taken, not only to impr ove the Fireman. status of the Fireman, but also to still further perfect hi:; education in the all important work of fire extinction. With both these aim s we have every sympathy; that the status of the Service has been raised considerably in the past few years we are ready to admit, but much remains yet to be done before it receives full recognition for the services which its members render in the cause of public safety. In France, Germany, Belgium, and other continental countries, the great importance of fire fighting is fully recognised by the a uthorities, the result being that the Fireman is held in much higher estimation by the people of those countries.

We quite realise that since the establishment of the National Fire Brigades' Union, its executive have, in the past, wrought many changes, which have all led to enhancing the popularity of the service; but much remains to be done, and it is gratifying to know that the Union is fully alive to this and is taking steps to still further perfect the work it has taken in hand.

In Chief Officer Hill, the Union has at the head of its Secretariat a fire brigade officer who is not only skilled in all that appertains to the methods of fire fighting, but one who is keenly alive to the fact that, if the position of the Union, as an educational factor, is to be more fully recognised, it is necessary that it should give some proof of its capabilities in this direction. That this view is recognised by the members of the Council we do not doubt, for we feel sure that the General Honorary Secretary has not only the respect of his colleagues, but he possesses their entire confidence in the steps which he is taking to bring about the higher efficiency of the Service.

That the question is one which bristles with difficulties, all who are acquainted with the wOl:king of the same in different parts of the country will readily admit, and the Union will be wise, therefore, to secure the sympathyand co-operation of the various Municipalities within the United Kingdom, in connection with any scheme which they may propose to bring forward. One of the most important items that requires attention is undoubtedly the provision of the Fireman's Text-Book, in order to ensure uniformity in drill and working, and with a view to its general adoption by all branches of the Service, it is gratifying to know that a joint committee has been formed consisting of representatives of the London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Brigades' Union, the Professional Fire Brigade Officers ' Association, and the London Private Fire Brigades' Association, in order to go thoroughly into the question. The result should be a text-book which should be acceptable to all branches and suitable for all requirements.

The question of a Training School or College, for the higher education of firemen in all matters relating to the question of fire extinction, and fire prevention-for one is equally as important as the other - is, we fear, not quite so easy of solution. The training would undoubtedly be of great value if carried out under some properly constituted authority, which possessed the right to examine students and grant certificates, but at present no such authority exists, and unless formed under Government control, or with the sanction of the Government, its decisiONS would not, we fear, carry much weight, or the possession of its certificate ensure for the holder a higher reputation as a fire -fighter

-FIRST

One thing is certain, if it is necessary that the various Police Forces in the country should be inspected annually, surely it is equally so, or more so, that the various Fire Brigades which are responsible for the safe-guarding of our citizens from the awful ravages from fire, should also be subject to an annual inspection at the hands of an expert by Government. In New Zealand this is already carried out in many parts of the Dominion, and its universal adoption is only a question of time. Surely, if our Colonies are convinced of the necessity which exists for Government inspection, it is time that the mother country should also realised the urgency of the question.

Since the withdrawal of Mr. Guy Pym from Parliamentary life we have not heard so much about the "Firemens' Charter," we trust that it has not dropped out altogether, but that if not heard of again in this Parliament it may be in the next. The whole subject is a very interesting one, and we should like to hear the views of those of our readers who are connected with the Fire Service. We, ourselves, entertain very strong opinions on the question, especially as regarding those relating to the status of the Fire Brigade Offiicer. To our mind the responsibilities undertaken even in time of peace, are much greater than those of an officer in the Territorial Forces, while in the case of invasion they would of necessity be equally as great. That being so, why should service in the one be assume to confer higher social distinction than the other.

My

Impressions of Inter .. Railway the (1909) Final Competition.

By L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN, M.B ,C.M.EDIN.

Honorary Associate of the Order of tlze Hospital of St Joh n ofJerusalem £n England; Honorary Life Member of, and Examiner, and Judge for the SIA.A.

( Concluded from page I IS )

THE test was under my supervision. In making the follow1Og comments respecting the work done I do beg my remarks be taken in a kindly spirit by and that 1t be that I am il!dividualising only thos.e po1Ots upon whlch better attentIOn was required, leav10g untouched the very excellent and most invaluable work that was done, and wlzz'dz reflected unbounded credit upon the and most 1;raiseworthy competitors.

The glVen was not a dIfficult one, and was devised wlth th.e object of presenting the patient before the candi1o. a manner such as would occur naturally-the beIng to test the resourcefulness of mind, etc. of the vanous teams.

Card No. I.-" Four men, Nos. I, 2, 3 and 4 are at work at a count.ry station hearing a cry, No. 4 lo'oks up and sees NO·5 10 the act of falling from a low roof he lies

AID. - March, 1910.

where he fell. Act as should be done in the emergency stated."

This card was given to NO.4, who saw the accident. Results noted. In no case were full marks earned at this stage in fact three of the teams received no marks whatever, the character of the approach being such as, it must be acknowledged, would be prejudicial rather than otherwise.

This subject is, to my mind, one of very great importance, and justifies, in this case, some detailed comments. I quote from a letter written thereon on May 14th, 19 0 9 :" Act as should be done in the emergency stated." "Under such conditions, what could be more crudely artificial, even to the verge of absolute ridiculousness (were the issue not so serious), than for stretcher drill to be carried out, as was done £11, some instances on Friday last. Such kind of display may look pretty and interesting from a spectacular point of view, as part of stretcher drill, but God help the poor patient whilst this gallery work is going on. Surely what is needed, under the circumstances stated in the competition test, is the application of sound common sense. This was made known to all the teams prior to the competition by the announcement of the words: 'It must be clearly understood that tlze object of this competition is to test tlze ability of men to deal with cases under conditions of emergency, and this must be borne in m£1zd and acted upon tlzroughout tlzls competition.' Such being the case the' character of approach' in different competitions will vary according to the test given. In the case at issue, undoubtedly the duty of No. 4 was to promptly call the attention of his companions to the accident, that had just occurred. He should quickly instruct one or two of the men to hasten with him to the case, to give proper first aid, whilst the other should go for the ambulance hamper at the station. Not till they had seen the requirements of the case should they send a messenger, or better, telephone to the doctor, for it was within the bounds of possibility that the doctor might not be required. To my mind, the stretcher ought not to be brought at first, for it miglzt not be needed, and, anyhow, the presence of another helper might be far more valuable at first. Still, as keeping strictly within the conditions, I should have given full marks had such been brought. Number - made the mistake of telephoning to the doctor immediately upon seeing the accident instead of first rendering' first aid,' and ascertaining, by seeing the patient, what definite statement to send to the doctor."

On reaching the patient, the" principles of first aid" should at once be brought prominently into action. (Be " observant,!) and with resourcefulnes and discriminationwhilst doing what is possible for the benefit of the patient - be specially careful to PREVENT THE PATIENT BEING MADE WORSE by improper movement, improper position, or improper treatment).

Upon the patient was placed the following label :"Patient is insensible, and it is noticed that right temple is swollen and discoloured, the face is pale and the pupils equal. Scarlet blood spurts out in jets from a large wound of palm of right hand, in which fragments of slate are seen. The patient's home is in the village half a mile distant. The nearest doctor several miles away."

The captain of one of the teams (otherwise very excellent) made a great mistake in giving very explicit directions throughout, and doing nothing himself. This method of dealing with cases of emergency can hardly be commended. He should show resourcefulness of action, as well as resourcefulness of mind.

The first aid given for the various named conditions

March, 19 10 -FIRST

(i.e. hremorrhage, insensibility, wound and bruise) was and well to but much more than this is reqUIred. In treat10g such a case as the one under consideration, the cause of mischief must be constantly borne in mind, and, in this case, the possibility of further injuries-not at first discernible-should be noted and action taken accordingly. (Observant, resourceful discriminating). This lack of thought, regarding possible' complications resulting from the fall, proved a sturn bling-block to some 0therwise excellent workers.

To instance what I mean. The elevation of the limb that was carried out in connection with the treatment of hremorrhage, should have been conducted with cautious observation on the part of the candidates, with the express object of detecting any suspicious sign that might point to fracture, etc. So also, any necessary movement of the patient should be carried out, only after prompt and careful observation, during any such necessary movement. All this care being especially necessary in this case, inasmuch as the acc ident wac; such, as fracture, or other injury, only too probable. Th1s speclal care and observation should have been mentioned, and marks would have accrued accordingly.

For the treatment of the hremorrhage. Flexion, being painful, is not so suitable as pressure on the brachial or pressure on the radial and ulnar (brachial preferable). '

It must always be remembered that prior to the supervention of insensibility, the patient may have had something in the which would, to an unconscious patient, prove an object of profound danger. The mouth should alway s be carefully examined, with the distinct object of removing any foreign body, and to see that the tongue forms no obstruction.

The work of the team having been noted up to a certain point, a further card was given indicating that, as a result of the fall, a fracture of the leg had occurred.

Card No. 2.-"Signs of fracture of the middle of left leg have been observed."

The last three words of this card indicate what should have taken place in an actual case (such as the supposed case under treatment) if treated with proper care. Unfortunately for some concerned (who otherwise showed good practical work) the words" have been observed" did not express their experience. The omission of the intelligent and thoughtful observation of the patient, and of the circumstances connected with the emergency-which should take place in every case-resulted, not only in failure to recogni se the possibility of an injury that might reasonably have been anticipated, in time to prevent, increasing, and perlzaps irreparable mischief-but, from a cot/zpetition point oj View, also resulted in loss of marRs, for the trlatment of that injury.

The actual treatment of the fracture was very good indee d, but failure to ascertain whether the fracture was complicate d by a wound needing protection, lost valuable marks. Card NO,3 was given, after having made observatio n on this point.

Card No. 3.-" The fracture is simple."

Sufficient care was not taken in some cases with regard to watchful guard over th e respiration of the insensible patie nt, and especially with regard to the position of the head. This should always be kept well to the one, or other, side, so long as the patient is unconscious, for fear of saliva or vomit, etc., blocking up the air passages. In only two cases were full marks gained for attention to this point. It is not sufficient to place the head to one side at the outset, and afterwards to be heedless respecting its position. This

AID. -

must be specially borne in mind during transport· a wise rule this and other reasons-would be that the. pahent should be kept under constant observation This is merely an example of that disa.nd which-though not specially laId down 10 forthcoming in an ambulance competIt1on Will reflect credit upon, and gain marks the bulance competitor. It's practical importance 1S self-eVIdent, so also with regard to the carriage of the patient on the stretcher. The bearers should be considered. The distance to be traversed in this case was ?alf a mile. A change of bearers would not only prove an Immense rehef, but would also tend materially to the greater safety, (if the patient were to become conscious) to the greater boddy and mental comfort of the one who is being transported. '

A point that was not sufficiently clearly made known to me, was the possibility of return to consciousness, and need then, for .encouragement to quiet rest and sleep, WIth guarded warnmg as to danger and excitement. There being danger, in this case, of brain trouble later, special care should be taken in the home preparation, to lessen all possible sources of excitement.

Cold cloths, to be effective, should be changed from time to time, otherwise they are apt to do more harm than good.

The character of the home preparations was, on the whole good; but it would be advisable for ambulance men to consider well, and thoroughly realize what would be the effect upon a household, were the relatives therein to be suddenly and unexpectedly brought face to face with a body of men accompanying a patient carried up on a stretcher no previous warning having been conveyed by a reliable messenger, capable of breaking the news in a tactful manner. Discretion on the part of the team, by the sending forward one of their number-in the absence of other reliable messenger-to give timely warning, would prevent much painful and distracting excitement and confusion.

I am well aware that many little points referred to in these remarks, are not specifically named in the official text-book, but the competent ambulance st1Jdent is fortunately not at all crippled through this fact. It must be obvious that it would be impossible, within the limits of a small text-book to lay down detailed instructions to meet the full requirements of every case. Such, moreover, would be distinctly unwise, for it would tend to limit the practical application of many valuable ideas of thoughtful am bulance men and women.

Principles, such as those laid down for the guidance of ambulance workers, prevent such crippling, and open out a wide sphere of usefulness. The first aider must be "observant," "tactful," " explicit," "discriminating," "unpresumptious," but above all, gentle and "resourceful, " using "to the best advantage whatever is at hand to prevent further damage, and to assist Nature's efforts to repair mischief already done."

These excellent principles should be looked upon as the guiding star for the am bulance student, tlzroughout all Izt's ambulance work.

I cannot conclude this article, relating to the Final Competition of 1909 without making special reference to the very kind and Invaluable help rendered by the Competition Secretary-YIr. W. R. Edwards. I am 9ulte sure I am expressing the views of my colleage (Lleut.Colonel G. E. Twiss) as well as my own, when I that his keen foresight, and kind thoughtfulness, contnbuted greatly to the success of the competition, and rendered our work a veritable and unmixed pleasure.

-FIRST

whether fracture simple or compound

G. E.R.-The preliminary competitions in connection with the annual competition have recently taken place at Ipswich, Cambridge and Stratford Centres, with the result that the following teams will compete in the final competition to be held at the Mechanics' Institute, Stratford, on Wednesday, April 6th, and the challange cup (presented by the Directors) and prizes will be presented to the ultimate winners at a public meeting to be held at the Town Hall, Stratford, in the evening :-Stratford (No. I), March, Lynn, Liverpool-street (No. I), Stratford (Stores), Lea Bridge and Cam bridge.

Twenty-five teams competed, and the above mentioned teams are given in the order of total marks scored.

A special prize presented by Dr. Howard for the best individual work was awarded to Mr. E. Barker, of the Stratford (No. I) team, who scored 38l marks out of a possible 40.

March, 19 10 -FIRST

which the meetings had given him, and trusted to have other opportunities of. helping them. Mr. Roe, who presided, presented certIficates and medallions and the meeting closed with the usual votes of thanks'.

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was. supported among others by Mr. H. Turnbull, vicechairman; Mr. Geo. Jackson, general secretary; and Mr. G. W. Scott, district secretary.

Watchful care throughout lest air passages become obstructed -

If necessary, artificial respiration stating method to be adopted and reason Should conscz'ous77ess 1'eturn.

Water to drink

Encouraging words Encourage sleep

Caution as to perfect quietness

Stretch er Work.

Preparation of stretcherHandling patient

Carrying

Care of patient on routeCharacter of home preparation

Exira 11lad;:s -

Coming Events.

Pa1,tiwlan offorthcoming events will be inse1'ted in this colUlII1/ fre e oj charge, if received not later than tlte I4th of each month

Br(gltOuse.-Brighouse Friendly Societies and Trades' Demonstration, Saturday, June 25th. Entry forms, &c., apply B. Bottomley, 5, Vale-street, Brighouse.

London.-The competition for the" William Heywood" Challenge Shield and "Grant" Medal will be held on two alternate .Saturdays in June. The competition is open to all holdmg first aId residing within a radius of 10 miles fn?m Polytechl11c, Regent-street, London. Particulars on applIcatIon to W. Heywood, 81, Davies-street, London, W.

BrusseZs.- The International Fire Service and Fire Prevention Congress, to be organised at Brussels from July 27th to August I st., by Royal Federation of Belgium FiJ e BrIgades, on the occasIOn of the Universal Exhibition under the patronage of the Belgium Government and of the I tional Fire Service Council.

Stores Division.-The prizes won in connection with this Division were distributed on March 9th, by Mrs. Thorp. Mr. Thorp, in opening the proceedings, stated that since the Class had been formed, five years ago, 47 candidates had presented themselves for examination, of whom 41 had satisfied the examiners; this was very satisfactory and he hoped it would be continued. He was particularly pleased with the success which had been obtained by the female students at the class held in connection with the Sacks and Sheets Factory, Romford, where 10 candidates presented themselves for examination and 8 passed.

Mr. Cichtira, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Thorp for presiding, said that he had never approached him either for advice or help in connection with the work of the Division without receiving his practical assistance.

L.B. & S.C.R.-In connection with this railway centre, a presentation of certificates took place at a "smoker" held at the Station Hotel, Horsham. The proceedings were presided over by Mr. A. C. Oddie, J.p., and a capital musical programme was carried through during the evening. In addition to the railway men, the lectures were attended this year by representatives of the Volunteer Fire Brigade and the 'Vest Sussex Police Force. Thirty men had qualified for the examination, but only twenty presented themselves, all of whom past. During the evening two presentations took place. Dr. Stevens, the lecturer, was the reci pient of a case of pipE;s from the members of the class, and the class secretary, Mr. Searle, was presented with an umbrella.

N.E.R.-A meeting of the Malton Branch of this Railway Centre was held in the waiting-room at the Station, on March 6th, the object being to present the lecturer with a travelling-bag as a slight recognition of the valuable services which he had rendered to the Class. :Mr. Ticklepenny, the Class Secretary, made the presentation with a few well-chosen remarks expressive of the gratitude of the members for all that the dcctor had done for them. In acknowledging the gift, Dr. Holt expressed the pleasure'

CEB:y kind of the. Commanding, the annual competltlOns 10 connectlOn w1th the Leeds district took place at the Drill-hall, Woodhouse-lane. The judges were Dr. W. Robinson, of Redcar, and Dr. E. J. Burnett, of Saltburn. There was a large attendance of railway men from all parts of the district, and many of the principal officials of the Company were also present. results were declared as follows :-( I) Ripon. 3 I 8 pOints; (2) Cross Gates, No.2, 30 4; (3) Neville Bill, No. I, 2519; (':t-) Cross Gates, No. I, 288; (5) Leeds, (6) NevLlle Hlll, NO.2, 229. In presenting the shield and medals to the members of the Ripon Team, Mr. Noble congratulated them upon their success, which, he said, he hOIJed would act as an incentive to other men to take up ambulance work. In conclusion, he proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to the judges for their painstaking work. The vote was carried with acclamation, and in the course of their reply both the medical gentlemen referred to the excellent work they had witnessed.

Mr. Noble was thanked for attending and for handing the shield to the winners, and a hearty vote of thanks was also accorded to the otpcer commanding for the use of the Drill-hall. The arrangements were, as usual, perfect and reflected credit upon the General Secretary.

The half-yearly meeting of the York District was held at the Railwaymen's Assembly Rooms, Selby, February 19 th Mr. Penty, chairman of the district, presided, and

a few prelimi?ary by the Chairman, the Dlstnct Secretary submitted hiS Report, which was adopted and ordered to be entered on the minutes. The Delegates' Report was also presented and adopted and ordered to be entered on the minutes.

. A vote of condolence was passed with the widow and faml.ly of the late T. Dobson, who was killed at York Station, on January 21St, after which a collection was made the sum of £1 4S. was realised, and this sum has Since been handed over to the widow by the District Secretary.

It was decided to hold the annual meeting at Coxwold in September, and with the usual vote of to the Chairman for presiding, and to others the meetmg closed.

S.E. & c.R.- The accompanying illustration shows the fully,equipped ambulance carriag.e which is .in use. on the South Eastern and Chatham Rallway. ThIS carnage is kept at Longhedge Locomotiye and is made use of on all occasions when necessity reqUlres the conveyance of an injured workman from to Victoria Station for transport to hospital. It IS also avaIlable, and has been used, for train accidents.

The fittings of the van have receIved .unstmted praise from medical men and others who have mspected them. They comprise a bed, stretcher, of all descriptions, bandages, splints, stove for etc.

Mr. H. S. Wainwright (Locomotive Supenntendent)

-FIRST

and Mr. J. W. Barber (resident Superintendent at Longhedge) give every encouragement to ambulance work and foster every effort on the part of the staff to keep themselves proficient, and maintain the van in readiness for use at all times.

We have had an opportunity of inspecting the van, and must say that it is thoroughly equipped in every detail for dealing with accidents either of a trifling or more serious nature, and it certainly is much to the credit of the ambulance workers at Longhedge that such care should be taken to maintain the vehicle in full readiness for use under any conditions.

The provision of this van gives evidence of the interest displayed by the directors and officers of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway in the progress of first aid work throughout the Company's system. We are sure it must be gratifying to all concerned, to know that by means of this ambulance carriage it is possible to convey patients to hospital with the least inconvenience and in the minimum of time.

The annual Group Competitions for the Challenge Cups and Prizes offered for competition by the directors are now in progress, and the results of Group 4 and the Beginners Group are appended. We hope to be able to publish the questions with the analysis in our next issue.

Group 4.-Held at Tunbridge Wells.

Judges :-Dr. J. M. Carvell (London), Dr. Collingwood

AI D.- March, 1910.

tion with the Liverpool District of this rail way took place on March 9th at the North-Western Hotel. Fifteen teams competed, and the examination was of a thoroughly practical nature. Several of the principal officials of the Company were present, and at the conclusion the result was announced as follows :-1, Brunswick Dock Goods, 207i 2, Park-lane Goods, 174 3, Garston Goods, I73i 4, Widnes Traffic, 167; 5, Waterloo Goods, 160-!; 6, Stafford Loco, 153; 7, Canada Docks Goods, 152; 8, Lime-street Coaching, 152; 9, Edgehill Goods, 148; 10, Alexandra Dock Goods, 145 j II, Birkenhead Goods, 128; 12, Waver tree Permanent Way, 12; 13, Rathbone-road Loco, 110; 14, Edge-lane Coaching, 99t 15, Ellesmere Port, 9 I.

The winning team will take part in the final, which will take place at Manchester on April 6th.

In presenting the prizes to the second and third teams -the first received theirs at Mancbester-Mr. Turnbull, District Superintenc1ent, referred to the interest which the chairman and directors of the Company took in the ambulance work of the employes. The prizes for individual work was won by D. P. \Vatson, Brunswick Goods, who secured 32 points, the maximum number obtainable being 50. Prior to closing the proceedings votes of thanks were passed to the judges and Mr. Turnbull.

Motor= Tri=Car First Aid Fire Appliance.

IT is the generally accepted idea that only the larger machines used in the extinction of fires are arranged for motor traction; this, however, is not so. We understand that there are two or three fire brigades in this country which are in possession of tri-car first aid appliances. The

March 19 10 -FIRST

In towns where they have no resident staff, or one man 'only on duty at the time, this little vehicle should prove a valuable fire fighting appliance. In most of the smaller towns and villages there is generally a hose-truck, which, on the alarm of fire, has to be run by hand to the scene of the outbreak, the result bejng that on arrival the man, or men, are more or less exhausted by the exertions they have already undergone. With a machine such as the Auto-Carrier, they would arrive at the fire much more quickly, and on arrival would be comparatively fresh, and therefore better fitted to cope with the work on hand; added to which it must be borne in mind that the machine is capable of carrying a larger supply of equipment, including porn pier ladders, or other life-saving The price of the Carrier, unfitted, is '£95, which is sufficiently moderate to recommend it to small Brigades with a limited income. Messrs. F. B. Goodchild & Co., of Craven House, Kingsway, London, who are the sole concessionaires for "Auto-Carriers," Ltd., will be pleased to supply any

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135

modern motor-driven aeroplane or the motor boat be as.nearly weightless as is compatible with efficiency, and thIS taxes to the utmost the inventiveness and skill of all concerned.

Among the exhibits of accessories for motor boats and flying which most thorougly comply with the above condItIOns, the "Tabloid" First-Aid Outfits and " Tabloid" Medicine Chests should be mentioned. A of equipment which leaves nothmg to be deSired III POlnt of compactness or utility is shown by Messrs. Burroughs, Welcome & Co., the sizes and contents of the cases varying from the tiny" Tabloid" Pocked First-Aid Outfit, not bigger than a cIgarette case, to the more elaborate equipments suitable for a yachting or motoring trip.

BOSToN.-The members of this division have just completed a course of instruction in Hygiene and Home

THE EQUIPMENT OF THE FIRST Am FIRE TRI·CAR AT CLEETHORPES.

Man in front is wearing a smoke helmet and is being supplied with fresh air by the superintendent. further information respecting the cost of upkeep and renewals of the vehicles.

---._.--Aero and Motor Boat Exhibition.

Beginner's Group.-Held at Tunbridge Wells.

Judges: -Dr. Brewer (Brockley), Col. Lees Hall, R.A.M.C. (London).

2

3

Arms Loco. 223

4 New Cross 205

5 Clock House 184

7 Dover Priory Loco. 169

8 Hither Green NO.4 163

9 Bricklayer'S Arms Goods 151

Maximum No. of marks in each instance, 300

L. & N. W. R.- The annual competitions in connec-

THE CLEETHORPES BRIGADE STARTING OUT FOR A FIRST AID FIRE CALL ON THEIR 5 h.p. A.C. TRI-CAR.

Auto-Carriers, Ltd., whose works are at Norwood, have placed such a machine on the market. One was supplied, a twelvemonth ago, to the Cleethorpes Fire Brigade, and is here illustrated. It carries the following equipment:Six 75ft. lengths of hose, three 6 ft. scaling ladders, one smoke helmet with 60 ft. of hose complete, 2 gallon extinguishers, etc. When it was delivered to the brigade it had seating accommodation for two firemen only, but the chief officer found it so speedy that he added a third seat himsp.lf. We understand that the machine has proved of immense service in enabling the Brigade to effect several prompt" stops," and it still continues to give every satisfaction.

IN connection with the Aero and Motor Boat Exhibition, which was held at Olympia from March th to 19th under the auspices of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, many new developments of considerable interest are to be observed. The cult of rapid movement may almost be regarded as the special and peculiar characteristic of our time, and its votaries are growing more numero us and more ingenius every year. The historian of the future looking back upon this decade and summing up the net results of man's first conquest of the air, may be able to gauge more accurately than ourselves the full effect of that prodigious achievement, and probably it will be found that its most remarkable resu;t was the immense stimulus it gave to the production of light motors and motoring appliances. Everything which goes into the

Nursing under Hon. Surgeon C. H. Pilcher, and It IS gratifying to report that Chief Surgeon Lam bert, of Lincoln, who was the examiner, has certified nearly the whole of the members as entitled to wear the Nursing Badge of the Brigade.

It must be borne in mind that the medallion is now no longer the goal at which the aspiring first aider aims. If he is in earnest in his desire to retain and improve his knowledge, he will regard the acquisition of this proof of his efficiency, as only the completion of the first stage of his ambulance career, and he will not rest satisfied until he has succeeded in passing every examination which is open to him. In this sense, should he be a mem ber of the Home Hospital Reserve, he must certainly qualify for the nursing certificate.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

-FIRST Brevities.

OUR readers will remember the terrible dock disaster a t Newport in the month of July last year, when the newspaper lad, King, distinguished himself by his heroic and unselfish conduct, and for which he subsequently received the Albert Medal and other awards. In calling attention to the case at the time, we referred also, as our readers will remember, to the gallant conduct of several other individuals, including some of the Ale x andra Dock Ambulance Division, and two surgeons (Drs. Hamilton and Neville). We understand that recently the names of these gentlemen, together with the names of three ambulance men and five navvies, were submitted to the order of St. John, with the request that some mark of r ecognition might be conferred upon them for their gallant conduct upon that occasion, the application being signed, among others, by V iscount Tred egar and the Worshipful Mayor of Newport. Th e result of the application has just been made public, a nd by it we learn that the ambulance men and the navvies will receive the bron ze medal of the Order, but the claims of the doctors to some recognition has been ignored, or shall we say, passed over

HOW EVE R, no matter what the reason for the some what strang e decision of the Order, it has aroused considerable adverse criticism locally where the whole facts of the case are thorou ghly known. It is a matter of common knowledge that th e doctors went down into the trench as we ll as the men who have received recognition In stantiation of this, however, we might mention that the Easter n Ma il, Cardiff, in its issue of July 3rd, said, "Dr. Hamilton, who ) by the way, had risked his life to pass down some brandy to the boy King, etc." T lze Sou th W ales Daily News Cardiff, commenting on the work of rescue, sa id, in its issue of July 5th, "This nec essitated several men and th ree doctors going down a chasm into a most perilous position." These facts were also borne out by the correspondents of the leading London daily papers. Our action in taking up the question may be criticis e d, but the fa.cts were brought to our notice by an impartial observer, with the re q uest that we would go into the matter ourselves; We have done so, and must candidly confess we cannot understand why the doctors claim to recognition shou!d h a ve b een ignored. That local feeling has been considerably aroused in t he matter we also found and the wish was generally expressed that the Order of' St. John would even now reconsider its decision and make the award to both to Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Neville. One we laid great stress on in th e cou;se of our enquiries, d:d either of thes e gentlemen receive any fee for their se r? We were assure d they did not, their services were voluntary- quite as much so as the men who received the reward. We trust, therefore, that the claims

Al D.- March, 1910.

of these gentlemen may yet receive recognition. There are some medical men, we know, who will not consent to assist the ambulance cause unless paid to do so. In their case it might be justifiable to withhold recognition; we say it might be, we do not admit that it would be; but in present case even the semblance of such a pretext is absent. For the doctors-Dr. Hamilton especially-have done much to popularise the ambulance movement in this part, and to what a high state their training has been brought was amply evidenced a few years since, when teams from this part of Wales- pupils of Dr. Hamilton-carried off both the National Ambulance Trophies in one year.

The National Association for the Pre .. vention of Consumption.

THIS Association is doing a valuable work for the community at large in the efforts which it is making to stamp out that dreadful scourge consumption. It may not be generally known, but of all the deaths in the United K!ngdom, of persons between the ages of twenty-five and near ly one h a1j are du e to consu mption, a terrible record mdeed, especially when it is borne in mind that it is now a proven fact that the disease is preventable. We believe in some districts the members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade have taken on the duties of health visitors, with a view to advising the poorer classes on such important matters as ventilation and sanitation; they may be glad to know that the Association for the Prevention of Consumption issue a series of leaflets dealing with this disease in all its forms, from Leaflet No. 2 we cull the following rules relating to ventilation :-In order to prethe and the spread of consumption, fresh au and ventilatIOn are essential in dwelling rooms, factories, workshops and offices, particularly where the work carried on is associated with gaseous fumes of fine dust.

The better the ventilation, the greater the worker's power. (This is a fact that should appeal alike to employer and employ e.)

Windows should be made to open to the external air, and should be kept open day and night, unless this is forbidden by the medical adviser.

In case of a strong wind blowing directly against the a supply of fresh air can be secured by opening the wmdow at the top, or by opening the bottom sash about four inches, and fixing in the room, one or two inches back from the window-frame, a piece of board the whole width of the window.

Open spaces around buildings are necessary to allow access of fresh air.

Back-to-back houses and cellar tenements are unfit for human habitation. (These two regulations should at all times be upon by local au thorities.)

F:esh and su?light kill disease germs. Every room m which there IS, or has been, a case of infectious disease must be especially well ventilated.

Every room, especially if used for sleeping in, should have an open fireplace.

N ever block up the fireplace or the chimney. If there be a register, never close it.

Rooms-especially and passages be frequently flooded WIth fresh air by opening all the wmdows and doors. This is particularly necessary afte: crowded gatherings in churches, schoolrooms, hotels,

March, 19 10

-Fl1tST

theatres, public halls, etc. (We should especially commend this precaution to clergymen and ministers, who are very prone to neglect it in connection with the places of worship under their control).

Remember that the air of rooms is rendered impure by burning in them gas or oil. Each gaslight consumes as much air as a human being.

Do not fail to remember that the air of a room can never be pure if the room be dirty.

Copies of this leaflet, as well as others, may be obtained on application to the Honorary Secretary, J. J. Perkins, Esq , M B , F.R.C.P., 20, Hanover-squar e, London, W.

An American Ambulance Wagon,

A 1 D.- 137

enough to allow of two or three attendants or doctors to work there in cases where the injured person requires im mediate treatment. All appliances wh ich are necessary are carried, and are easy of access.

The main pa nel of the right-hand, or off-side of the body is hinged, along its low er edge, above the wheel pa nel and drops to a horizontal position over the rear wheel and mud-guard, thus exposing the wh o le length of the special! y constructed stretcher. This str etcher is fitted with rubb er-tyr ed wheels, which run in grooved rails built into the inside of the hinged panel. The rails, which continue to the int erior, pe rmit of th e fr e e openin g and closing of the door; th e y form a continuous groove for the wheels of the stretch e r to run in, and their inn er ends are curved upwards so as to a ct as a stop for the wheels. On the opposite sid e in the in t erior, a re thr ee or four sin gle-hinged

By the courtesy of the Editor of the C omme rcial M otor, we seat s, which fold upward out o f th e wa y Ab ove the large are enabled to reproduce the drawings here shown, whi c h sid e pan el are windo w sashes, provid e d with fr osted -glass represent the design for a Motor Ambulance Wagon body pan es and made to op en in wardly ab out thre e inch es with that may, of com:se, be the hin ge s place d at the mounted on any bottom. of chassis. whether pro- Th e front part ition, pelled by means of • se p a ratin g th e interior electricity, petrol or fr o m th e driver s seat, steam. The design h as a :sm a ll d rop winappeared in the Ameri- d o w, ab o ut 12 in. by can journal Til e H orse- 18 in. less A ge, and its author On th e roof are suggests that the tread :".. three gal vani se d tank s of the wheels, or better c on ta inin g cold wat er, still, the over-all dimen- para ffin and ho t water sions over the tyres, r esp ec tive ly. Th e parashould preferably be ffi n is led th ro ugh pip es made to fit the tramcar t o a b urne r und e rn eath tracks of the particular THE F ORM OF STRETCHE R SUE GEST ED BY TH E DES IGNER OF THI!: CA R. th e h oo d of the driv e r s town in which the seat, for h eating th e vehicle is to do service, as in that case the use of the water in th e ta nk o n th e roo f. Th e ho t a nd cold wa te r are smooth rails, especially in streets which ar e badly paved, led into the interior fo r th e use of th e a tt e ndants. A small will give greater comfort to the patient and will also allow basin to receive the wate r is hin ged to the fron t partition of increased speed. and empties itself wh e n turn e d up . E lec t ric li ghts overhead and extension cords with hand-l a mps, fe d fr o m a sm all The form of body construction as shown in the design storage bat tery, furnish illu.m_ina.tion. is said to be largely used in some European cities, and It IS claimed that this method of handling the stretcher is the Supt. W. G. P a pe, o f the No. 38 Di Prince o f most convenient, and most cautious way of conveyin g a Wales s C o rps, was Feb 26 th, to MI SS Flore n ce patient into the vehicle. The interior of the wagon is wide Bisney, of Catford.

A SUGGESTED DESIGN FOR THE BODYWORK OF A MOTOR AM BU LANCE VAN.

a

A I D.- March, 1910.

held that position for the last time, he having also received a Staff appointment. He congratulated the new Supt., Mr. H. J. Bintcliffe on his promotion to the command of the Division, and expressed his belief that in his new position he would worthily maintain the traditions established by his predecessors.

District Supt. of Stores S. H. Vilven made a suitable reply.

The toast of "The Visitors" was proposed by 1st Class Sergt. P. A. Nix, and responded to by Deputy-Commissioner Col. Lees Hall.

No. I District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

WALTHAMSTOW:(No. 29 DrvI SION).- The fifth annual concert in connection witlJ this division was held at the Walthamstow Public Baths, on Thursday, Feb. loth, and was a great success, the hall being crowded and many people being unable to gain seats. Among those present on the occasion were J. Hammond, Esq ., e.V.O., F.R.C.S., Hon. Surg. Thornton Challis, R.A.M.e.(T.), Supt. Blum, Supt. F. Edgell (Colchester), &c.

The Walthamstow Division was established 10 the year 1898, and during the past 11 years its members have treated upwards of 3,346 cases, of which number over 300 have been transported to various hospitals. It is unique in one way, its ambulance station being the only one in the Metropolitan area which is kept open both night and day, and it is considered incomparably the best equipped

There is also a Nursing Division attached, the Hon. Surg. being Lady Rachel McKenzie, M.B., and the Lady Supt. Mrs. E. Cardo. The enrolled strength of this di vision is 18 Nursing Sisters.

CYCLIST DIVISION.

-The annual dinner of this division was

PILOto byl

WALTHAM

An excellent programme of music under the direction of Cyclist L. A. Evans was provided and largely contributed to the success of the evening.

No. 5 District.

CASTLEFORD. - A meeting m connection with this division took place at the Masonic Hall, Castleford, on Wednesday, March 2nd, the occasion being the presentation of certificates and medallions to the successful pupils who had recently passed the examination held in connection with the classes promoted by the division.

The proceedings commenced with an excellent tea which was well attended, and subsequently a concert was held, the programme consisting of a varied selection of vocal and instrumental items. Mr.

F. T. Hunt, J.P., presided, and was supported by Supt. Firth, 1st Officer Roberts and others.

[E. iV. ivfeade,-.

ST OW (No. 29) DIVI SION, PRINCE OF WALE S'S CORPS.

held recently at the Florence Restaurant, Rupert-street, W., and proved to be a most enjoyable function. Supt. Frank Hayman was in the chair, and among those present were Inspector-General Belgrave Ninnis (Chief Commissioner of the Brigade), Col. Lees Hall (Deputy-Commissioner No. District), District Supt.-Sec. W. J. H. Pontin, District Supt. of Stores S. H. Vilven, Supts. Hallatt, Goodman, Lines and Atkins.

The loyal toasts having been duly honoured, the Chairman proposed the" Prince of Wales's Corps," which was responded to by the Chief Commissioner, who, in the course of his remarks, referred to the special honour conferred upon the Brigade by the title under which the No. I District will in future be known.

" The Division" was proposed by District Supt.-Sec. W. J. H. Pontin, who, speaking as a former superintendent of the Division, gave an interesting account of its progress, and pointed out that five of their former members had been promoted to the District Staff, while their present Supt.

March, 1910. -FIRST essential that the members of the police force should possess it.

Votes of thanks brought the proceedings to a close.

Reviews.

FIRST AID MEMORANDA.

Compiled by W. V. Simpkins, Instructor to the Denaby Main and other Ambulance Classes.

Rotherham : W. V. Simpkins, 145, Co.-Op.-terrace, Denaby Main.

Price 2d.

As a rule we do not approve of ambulance text-books written by laymen, but this little booklet can hardly be regarded as aspiring to be regarded as a text-book. I t is rather a series of notes and cautions, which have been compiled, with the object of assisting the dubious first aider in promptly diagnosing his case, before deciding on the necessary treatment. Mr. Simpkins is an old hand at ambulance work, and he has assisted a large number of students to obtain the Certificate. This has given him ample opportunity of discovering what are invariably the candidates weak points. They rarely differ, so that this little" aid" will invariably meet all cases. The two pages "What you don't do" should be laid to heart by the well meaning, but at times over-excited first aid enthusiast. The "Memoranda " is well bound in a neat cloth cover, and can be conveniently carried in the waistcoat pocket.

THE HYGIENE OF SCHOOL LIFE.

By Ralph H. Crowley, M.D., M.R.C.P. London: Methuen, Essex-street, Strand. Price,3s. 6d.

AI D.- 139

as vermin,.hence has mixed up the scientific With the Side of hiS subject, being that we have a work which should prove of Illestlmmable value in educating the public on the precautions which they should adopt with a view .to the of many of these household pests. The necessity for gettmg nd of bugs flies lice and other vermin is forcibly put, for it be that many of these pests do not spread disease, they are in themsel ves distinct evidence of dirt and ins.anitary surroundings, which more often than not leads up to disease, therefore their extermi,nation should at all times be insisted upon. We commend thiS book to all of those who are interested in sanitary matters and it should certainly find a place on the bookshelf of Secondary School, and even in our Elementary Schools ex. tracts from it might with advantage be read to the scholars The work is illustra!ed with some capital engravings , which undoubtedly add to ItS value.

National Fire Brigades' Union.

Supt. Firth, in the course of a few remarks, called attention to the time which the members gave in the discharge of their voluntary duties, and thanked the chairman for the in-

terest he had always taken in their work.

In his opening remarks the chairman eulogised the work in which the members were engaged, and said he could not help thinking, how necessary it was tha.t they of the am bulance service should work hand in hand with the Territorial Forces. As an employer of labour he knew the risks which were run by those engaged in hazardous occupations, and he could assure them that they appreciated the services of those who sacrificed their time to acquire a knowledge of first aid. From his experience in his own works he was glad to see the officials take so great an interest in the work.

During the interval in the programme, opportunity was taken to present the certificates, &c., and in alludiflg to the presence of the police amongst the recipients, the chairman remarked how pleased he was to see them present. Surely, said he, if it is desirable that everyone should possess a knowledge of this most valuable knowledge, it is absolutely

The medical inspection of children attending our Elementary Schools is now insisted upon by the Board of Education, and, although we believe it has not yet been adopted by some Committees, its extension is only a matter of time. As regards the School Medical Service, we suppose, there is no better authority on its problems, and the best methods for carrying them out than the author of this valuable little work. Although Dr. Crowley modestly points out that the conclusions arrived at, and the measures he advocates, are purely his own, and based upon his own practical experience, it is recognised by all who have any knowledge of the subject, that no one is therefore more qualified to advise upon so important a subject than he is. The book should certainly be in the possession of every Local School Authority, as it may happen, and often does, that points arise with which owing to inexperience, they feel incompetent to deal, or what steps to take. In sllch cases Dr. Crowley'S book would oft times help them to at once arrive at a decision, instead of postponing the question or referring it to the Board of Education. We were especially interested in the chapter on Open-Air Schools, and we should certainly like to see an extension of this system.

HOUSEHOLD PESTS AND HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES.

By W. R. Boelter. London: John Bale, Sons, and Danielson, Gt. Titchfielcl-street. Pn'ce 2 s. 6d.

THE author of this book is the well-known writer on the Rat Problem. The subject at first glance does not strike one as being a very interesting one, but in the hands of so capable a writer as Mr. Boelter, we find that there is a great deal in it, which is not only instructive, but is at the same time intensely interesting. The book is written in a style which is most likely to attract the attention of the reader who hates "your purely scientific work." As the author points out, it is necessary to tempt this class of reader to tackle a book on such an unsavoury

Hon. Chief Officer J. H. Dyer occupied the chair at the annual general meeting of the Union held at Holborn Restaurant, London, on March 16th. In sub mitting the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, he was pleased to record the prosperous year which the Union had gone through, which showed a vitality and energy in all the branches of its work. Financially they were in a strong position, as shown by the Statement of Accoun ts, and he would ask them to approve of the Report as printed.

Col. Seabroke seconded, and it was carried.

On the proposition of Col. Sea broke, the recommendation of the Central Council to rescind the following clause in Rule 5 was carried :-In the third line to delete the words, "The President and Vice-Presidents, both of the Union and Districts, shall, on election and subsequently, pay a similar subscription respectively, unless they subscribe as individual or Honorary Members."

On the proposition of Hon. e.0. Dyer, and seconded by e.0. Graham, His Grace the Duke of Marlborough was re-elected President. The Vice-Presidents, on the proposition of e.0. Levy, seconded by e.0. Bell, were also re-elected.

e.0. Levy proposed the re-election of Mr. W. P. Trench as Hon. Treasurer, and a vote thanks be recorded for his services. e.0. Henderson seconded, and it was carried.

Previous to the General Meeting e.0. Graham presided over the annual meeting of the Widows' and Orphans' Fund. In presenting the report and accounts he was pleased to record that they had a successful year. As regards their cinematograph entertainments, he wished to call their attention to the fact that the new Act came into force on February 15th. An application had been received by the widow of the late Fireman Pordo (?), of the Rawmash Brigade, for a grant. He thought it was a very deserving case, and he proposed a grant of £ IO to be made. After some discussion this was carried.

-FIRST

The ufficers were re-elected and lhe meeting then adjourned with the usual vote to the chairman.

The annual dinner following on the general meeting, was presided over by Lieut. Sladen, R.N., in the unavoidable absence of the President, the Duke of Marlborough. A large representative company were present.

Lieut. Sladen, in proposing the toast of the N. F.B. U., referred to the progressive character of the work, and in connection with the compilation of the Fireman's textbook, he said the Union could carry with it the two wings of the fire brigades, as they had been promised the cooperation of the Professional Fire Brigades' Officers' Association and the London Private Fire Brigades' Association. He was proud to say that L.e.e. had authorised him to assist the Union in the compilation of the work, and he would place at its disposal the accum1llated knowledge of the London Fire Brigade.

Col. Seabroke, in responding, said that they had now been raised from that of amateurs, ano they had gained the position at which they had been striving to realise that of comrades and men with whom they had to deal; he referred to their successful camp at Tonbridge. He had every reason to believe it would be equally so at South end this year. e.0. Graham ably proposed the toast of the "Visitors," which was responded to by Alderman Francis and Mr. S. Bucknill. An excellent musical programme was supplied by the Porth and Cymmer Male Choir, under the conductorship of Mr. Rhys Evans.

The International Fire Service and Fire Prevention Congress.

IN another column we have briefly recorded a few preliminary details of the coming congress to be held at Brussels and Spa. We are now given to understand that the N.F.B. U. have received from the Belgian Federation an official invitation, and a committee mainly consisting of the vice-presidents of the Union is to be organised to make the arrangements, in order that it may be represented at this international gathering.

The congress will be held at Brussels from July 27th to 30th, and will be continued at Spa until August 2nd. A very extensive programme is being formulated, and the foreign delegates should receive an excellent recertion.

Mr. e. Kusel, 36, Newton-road, Westbourne-grove, London, W., is the official representative of the Belgium Federation in this country, and he will be glad to give particulars to chief officers of brigades intending to take part in the congress.

Assistant - Commissioner Woolston was married on February 24th at St. Thomas's Church, Longford, Coventry, to Mrs. Florence Catherine Walker, eldest daughter of the late Dr. W. Moxon, ].l:'., of Northampton. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. W. Dore Rudgard, M.A., Rector of Longford, who is a staff officer of No. 3 District, and an old friend of Mr. Woolston's. Later in the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Woolston took train to London. Not only in ambulance circles, but in connection with many other institutions, Mr. Woolston has made a host of friends, and they will, we are sure, endorse our wish that the future of both Mr. and Mrs. Woolston may be a bright and happy one.

We are in no way responsible /01' the opinions rJxpressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

GRATIFYING ENQUIRY.

DEAR SIR, -- I had not heard of FIRST AID till I had a copy of" First Aid to the Injured and Sick," by Warwick and Tunstall. In the article by L. M. F. Christian, of the Railway Competition, could you-in your next number-let me know what would be the best thing to do with a patient with both bones (tibia and fibula ) fractured and the patient sitting in a chair, as stated in his article. I am already the holder of the St John's and Essex County Certificates, but I am always open to learn and if I can do so by reading your J oumal you can count me as a regular reader, and will do my best to get others to read FIRST AID.

I am employed in a factory with about six hundred others -a good number of them are St. John's men who would be pleased to read a Journal like FIRST AID.-Yours faithfully, " CORDITE."

[Of course, from the position and surroundings of the patient it will be at once suspected that the patient has contrived to reach the chair after having sustained the injury. The possibility of intensification of the original mischief is therefore very probable.

A few moments consideration will be sufficient to convince your correspondent that what is required in this, as in so many other cases, is the application of common sense. Apply, to this individual case, the general rules applicable to all cases of fracture of the limbs. Briefly put, It will be some'what as follows: -(a) Be calm and (with discretion ) act promptly, hut with gentleness; (b) Guard against movement immediately, cautioning patient; (c) Support with greatest care; (d) Lessen shock (with assistance whenever possible ) ; (e) Doctor sent for ;

(j ) Expose, and if is compound "protect" wound;

(g) Consider the possibility of further injuries; (/z) Secure in most suitable position and keep at rest; (£) Arrange for appropriate method of transport.-L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

AN AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR LONDON.

SIR,--While fully agree with you that the Ambulance Service for London should have been placed under the control of the Home Office? and worked by the Metropolitan Police, I was at the same t ime glad to see that more than half the candidates (on both sides) for election to the L.C.C., pledged themselves to forward the movement if elected. If the L.C.C. makes a start, has been too long delayed as it is, the Home wI.ll probably have to follow suit in all thickly populated dlstncts .served by the Metropolitan Police, outside the L.C.C. boundaries.

The delay in putting the Act in force has been caused I imagine, by the of the outgoing Council 'to lllcur any fresh ture III view of the election being so close at hand. It IS to be hoped that no strife between the Moderate and Progressive Parties on the Council will be allowed to hinder any lon ger this much needed reform.

With all you say as to the due to Capt. NottDower for carrymg out the Ambulance System In the City I also fully Many a n:an has been Knighted or got th'e C.B. for less Important services than have been rendered in this matter by the City Commissioner of Police.-Faithfully yours,

H. NELSON HARDY, F.R.C.S.Ed.

March I9IO. -FIRST

FRACTURE OF THE LOWER JA\<\!.

DEAR SIR, l have read with great intere s the correspond ence of the last month or two relati ng to the fracture of the lower jaw. Itseems to me that several of our fellow pupils are going astray in this matter, and are in a dilemma as to how they are to proceed in future competition work. As far as I can ascertain, the suggestion of "Kentish Lad" has been adopted unanimously by the majority of ambulance men as being the only one practicable, as after practising the treatment laid down in the official te xt-book one is in a dilemma, because it does not work out, i.e.-there is not sufficient bandage left to tie off as shown by the diagram, and I think it would be to the benefit of all ambulance pupils if, for their future guidance, this matter was taken up with the officials of the ambulance department of the Association, and the proper in terpretation published. cannot pass without a word of criticism on the letter which appeared in the February" FIRST AID, signed by " One who Don't Know," and agree with the Editor, and endorse the view that he really" does not know;" and I would like to remind him of the old le gend, "Where ignorance is bliss its folly to be wise." Let him treat the case with an Esmarch's triangular bandage, and say how he succeeds. trust first aiders will not let this matter rest until it has been made quite clear. -Yours faithfully, "RAILWAY;\IAN. "

THE VOLUNTARY AID DETACHME l TS.

SIR,-I note in your last issue some comments relating to the Deputy Commissioner of No. 5 District and the Chief Secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association re The Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachments, I quite agree with your remarks that the Chief Secretary has committed something more than a mere error of judgment in practically censuring through the public press, one of the principal officers of the Ambulance Brigade.

The new B.O. 168, has just come to my notice. It is intended to form Voluntary Aid Detachments composed entirely of members of the Brigade, as they are especially fitted to form such detachments. Now, sir, what is the difference (i f any) between the suggested Voluntary Aid Detachments and the present members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, who are always, as I understand, holding themselves in readiness in case of a national emergency?

D.O. 168 states that as the duties which the men will be called upon to perform will not necessitate a knowledge of nursing, a nursing certificate will not be required, but it is desirable that all Brigade members should be in possession of that certificate. On memorandum of this B.O. it points out that all men holding the first aid certificate of the St. John Ambulance Association and desirous of joining the said detachments, can do so forthwith. What would have been the result during the late Boer war if the members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade' (who so readily volunteered) had not been in possession of the nursing certificate. I remember on many occasions where the Field Hospital Staff had to call to their assistance the members attached to bearer companies who were in possession of that certificate, in order to carry out the duties efficiently.

Why not make it compulsory for men of the Voluntary Aid Detachments to hold nursing certificates, in order to make them efficient for any duties they may be called upon to perform?

Personally, I am not at all surprised that a feeling of indignation has been aroused a t the proposal to form such detachments, seeing that up to the present t im e the preparation of men and women for service with the national forces has been carried out in so satisfactory a manner by the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

I sincerely trust that respective divisions will keep themselves before the public, and not allow any such organisation as tbe one suggested to step in and carry away the honour which the members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade haye earned and are justly entitled to.- Yours, &c., "AN OLD BRIGADE MEl\JBER."

A I D.THE MODERN PHYSICIAN.

By Dr. ANDREW WILSON.

A GREAT WORK FOR AMBULANCE MEN.

A WORK that justifies its claim to be an epitome of all that specialised medical and surgical knowledge necessary for First Aiders, as well as an authoritative manual of :efcrence on all information relating to Health and Disease, IS a work to be welcomed by all our readers who wish to study their subject more deeply than is possible from superficial text books.

In "The Modern Physician," by Dr. Andrew Wilson, fullest space is devoted to "First Aid" and Ambulance Work. In respect of completeness, accuracy of description, and wealth of illustration, "The Modern Physician" stands without a rival amongst the works published on this important subject in the United Kingdom. It is scientifically accurate and reliable without being dull; the name of its editor, so long and popularly known as an expositor of Health laws and a teacher of Hygiene, is a guarantee of this. This work is absolutely complete as regards Health and Disease, and is thoroughly up-to-date.

As a knowledge of the body in Health is necessary to the due understanding of the body when its functions are deranged by disease, a description of every part of the frame will be found here. The skeleton, muscles, digestive system, heart and lungs, brain and nervous system, organs of sense, skin, kidneys and the body's microscopic structure are duly described. In this connection the illustrations are of particular value, the "mannikins" or dummies more especially; in these the organs are made to overlap each other exactly as they do in the human body.

The section devoted to Hygiene includes the full exposition of the Laws of Health, and special attention is devoted to Physical Culture. Such topics as foods, beverages, air, exercise, clothing, sleep, baths, holidays, temperament, &c., are treated in this section.

The last volume is especially devoted to the Health of Women, and Dr. Wilson has here been assisted by a number of eminent women physicians. Midwifery and the treatment and Diseases of Infants are here fully dealt with.

Mr. J. DANIEL, 23, Kent Avenue, Ashford, Kent, writes:-

"Its all round excellence makes it a valuable acquisition. The section dealing with ambulance work is especially good. The book is written in splendid style and the illustrations are first rate. The method of payment places it within the reach of all."

A FREE BOOKLET.

TO THE C.\.XTON PUBLlSHING COMP.\ Y, Clun H ouse, Surrey treet, London, \V.C

Please seml me, FREE OF and with out any on my part ;-

(1) lllustrated Hooklet on PHYSICIAN.

(2) Particulars of your offer to dehver Ihe complete work for a first payment of IS. 6d., the balance to he paid for by a few small monrhly paymenls.

-FIRST AID.- March, 1910.

RE A COMPETITION STRETCHER TEST.

DEAR SIR,-A man found on a railway track with vertical wound of stomach, organs protruding and fracture of nj;ht .femur. Would you kindly oblige me (being a member of St. John's and a reader of your valuable paper FIRST AID) by giving in this month's issue, the correct treatment to above test, in order to settle a little dispute. Your decision will gladly be accepted as final.- Yours in anticipation, " DISPUTED."

[We submitted your query to Dr. Heaton C. Howard who w:ites as follows :-" In my opinion it is impossible to proceed WIth the treatment of this case until further particulars are given. Firstly :-' Wound of stomach.' The stomach being an organ in the abdomen cannot be wounded without a wound in the abdominal wall; which is not mentioned. Secondly :, Organs' cannot protrude out of the stomach, as its contents are food, and not organs. Tlzirdly :-Information is required about the fracture whether it is simple or otherwise. 1£ the test were wound of abdomen, intestines protruding, and fracture of right femur,' the candidate would inquire as to the fracture, and if it were simple or of such a nature that it could wait for a short time, then the abdominal wound should be treated first; but if the fracture were compli ca ted with severe. h;:emorrhage, that would require treatment before the abdon:1l1al wound. I presume the correspondent wishes to know If the knees can be bent when one femur is fractured (simple). In this case t1:e more serious injury must be attended t? first, a!ld the fracture would not be made worse by a large pIllow be1l1g placed beneath both knees. 1£ two injuries cannot be treated together, treat the more serious one and leave the other."]

INFORMATION NEEDED.

DEAR SIR,-It .has occurred to me to write and ask if you aSSISt me by tellIng me how I may join a Division of the BrIgade.

I recently attended a course of instruction at the Kilburnlane Schools. The Class was held on Thursday evenings 111

POPULAR ATLAS-MODEL

of the Anatomy and Physiology of

MAN

This Atlas - Model is a comple[e reproduction of th(' human body, composed of a number of plates which open out and fold over, thus showing very clearly the many parts of the body in their correct positions; the whole being coloured to nature, with every organ, bone, muscle, vein, etc., numbered, making reference to the "Text " as simple as possible

PRICE 3s. 6d. NET.

(Postage 3d. extra).

The Explanatory Text is by HUBERT E. J. BISS, nt.A., M.D., D.P.H.

OfTHEAIA1'OI\YAIID PHYSlOIOO OF THE MALE HulWI BODY.

order to suit the arrangements of myself and a few men friends. After working hard, and coming out top in the examination held by Dr. Carvell, I am anxious to join the St. John Ambulance Brigarie. There are two Divisions which are anxious I should join, but as I am the manager at a shop and have only the Thursdays to myself I find it impossible to attend their drills and lectures I like the work, and would Tl!uch like to join a Division and rio public duty at holiday tImes.

thought that perhaps through the medium of yoUI' widely read Journal I might hear of a likely Division which I could join.

Thanking you in anticipation, and apologising for the lIberty I have taken in trespass ing on your space.-I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, F. WYCH.

76, Harvist-road, Kilburn, N .W.

[We have mu ch pleasure in inserting our correspondent's letter, and have no doubt that some of our readers will be able to help him by suggesting a Division to which he may apply for membership.-ED. " F.A."]

AMBULANCE COMPETITIONS.

DEAR SIR,-May I be permitted through your columns to appeal to Secretaries of Ambulance Competitions to advertise their fixtures in FIRST AID, say, a month beforehand. I feel ;mre the idea would he popular and would tend, think, to 1l1du.ce a number of teams to enter, thereby increasing the 111terest WIth the result that they would be more successful.

Thanking you for the insertion of this letter in yo ur next issue.-Yours faithfully, " El\JPIRE."

[We insert these announcements in our" Coming Events Column" free.-ED. "F.A."]

!'--N ASSOCIATION" T YKE."- We regret that we ca nnot letter as you have not complied with our rule, whIch reqUIres that correspondents must in all cases favour us with thei r names and addresses.

The InGependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is he wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publicalion their official news and notices. Suggesions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the J ouma!.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications lhey may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise ou r readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in wri ting.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

BY J. W. MARTIN, M.D., M Ch R.D.I., Medical Officer Tesssop Hospital for Women, Examiner and Lecturer

and others.

By J. W. MARTIN, M.D. Fifth Edition. Price IS. 6d. net. Seventeenth Thousand.

UNIFORM WITH ABOVE ATLAS=MODEL OF THE FEMALE BODY, SHOWING EVERY

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These are the traditions which th e scout movement aims at perpetuating, and which should gain for it ample sympathy. Some persons maintain that it has a tendency to foster militiarism, but it has no greater tendency in this direc tion than has the Church Lads' Brigade or the Boys' Brigade, or even the Boys' Life Brigade. All of these organisations instruct their members in a certain amo unt of military drill, and inculcate habits of discipline, indeed it 1S ab solut ely necessary to do so, if the training is to be something better than mere veneer.

It must not, however, be assumed that military precision is the one aim and end of the movement, the boys are encouraged to lead clean and healthy to reverence their Maker, and honour their King. The lesson of unselfishness is constantly impressed upon them, and they learn to cheerfully deny themselves, if by so doing they can gi ve assistance or pleasure to others. It is often urged that the age of chivalry is passed, i.f so, the scout movement aims at reviving it, for its members are at all times, urged to be gentle and courteous towards those of the opposite sex.

The Training of the Boy Scout.

T HERE have been few more popular movements set on foot in recent years than the splendid organisation which owes its inception to General Sir Robert Baden-Powell. That the "Hero of Mafeking" had accurately gauged the temperament of the average boy has been amply evidenced by the phenomenal progress which the movement has made since the scheme was first launched. The books which appeal most to the imagination of the healthy boy are those which recount the daring deeds of the early pioneers of Britain's Colonial Empire. He looks forward to the time, when arrived at man's estate, he may have th e opportunity of emulating the d e eds of his ancestors in the maintenance of the Empire of which they had laid the foundation. It is quite possible that these plans o f early youth will never be consumated, and that in after life he may be engaged in pursuits of a much less exciting character, but the dreams of his youth will have done him no harm, if they have inculcated in him the desire to do aU that lays within his power to maintain and uphold th e splendid heritage his forefathers have bequeathed to him.

We hav e sketched briefly the groundwork of the scout's trainin g, to those who would decry it on account of of its military, or sensational tendency, we would commend the description of the Scout's Badge, taken from Sir Robert's book "Scouting for Boys." "The Scout's Badge," says the author, "is the arrow head, which shows the north on a map or on the compass. It is the badge of the sc o ut in the army, because he shows the way; so, to, a peace scout shows the way in doing his duty Rnd helping others. The motto on it is the scout's motto of , Be Prepared,' which means that a scout must always be prepared at any moment to do his duty, and to face danger in order to help his fellow men. Its scroll is turned up at the ends like a scout's mouth, because he does his duty with a smile and willingly. The knot is to remind him to do a good turn to some one daily."

Principles such as are here advocated should commend the movement to even the most ardent anti-militiarist.

At the present time better provision is being made to improve our Red Cross Organisation in case of National Emergency. The promoters of the Boy Scout Movement, and similar organisations for the training of our boys and

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girls, are inculcating in them the principles of first aid while they are young. A course which, as our readers are aware we have always advocated, feeling assured, that when'they grow up they will continue to take an interest in its teaching.

Here, then you have the nucleus of an auxiliary service, which properly fostered and encouraged, will ensure, that every man and woman shall be capable of taking part in the succouring of the sick and wounded.

To place the movement on a sound footing, funds are, we understand, urgently needed. We trust, therefore, that those who have the means will come forward, and strengthen the hands of the gallant officer, who has hesitated to retire from the service he loves so well, In order that he may devote the whole of his time to the better training of the youth of his country' We honour him for his self-sacrifice, and we heartily wish him the success he is so well entitled to expect.

How useful these lads may become in every day life is fully borne out in daily evidence, for we constantly see recorded in the public Press, instances where Scout Patrols have rendered signal service, either in the extinction of fire or in the rendering of prompt and skilful aid in cases of accident.

Coming Events.

Partimlar s ojfo rthcoming events will be inserted in this colu7Jt11 j1 ee oj charge , if r eceived not later than the I4th oj each month

Bng-house.-Brighouse Friendly Societies and Trades' Demonstration, Saturday, June 25th. Entry forms, &c., apply B. Bottomley, 5, Vale -street, Bnghouse.

Brussels.- The I nternational Fire Service and Fire Prevention Con g ress, to be organised at from July 27th to August 1St., by the Royal of Fire Brigades, on the of the Universal ExhlbltlOn, under the patronage of the Relg:lum Government and of the International Fire Service CouncIl.

Ezeter. - The third annual competition for the" Devon and Cornwall" Shield will take place at the Guildhall on April 30th. Hon. Sec., Supt. T C. Quintrell, 11, Moor-street, Cam borne.

London. - The competition for the "William Heywood" Challenge Shield and "Grant. " will be held on June 25th. The preliminary w111 be h eld on lIth, and the first eight teams m each contest Will be elJglble t? compete in the fin a ls. Owing to the large of applications it IS important that all teams contemplatmg entermg should do so at on ce as the number will probably be limited. Full particulars from W. Heywood, 8r, Davies-street, London, W.

Marg ate - The annual tou:-name.nt and competitions of the S.E. District of the NatIOnal Flre Bngades' UDlon will be held here on Whit-Monday, May 16th. Particulars and entry forms from Hedley Peters, Sittingbourne.

Soutlzend. - The annual camp and competitions of the N.F.B.U. will be held from July yd to 9th. Full particulars from A. Hill, Union Bank Chambers, Bedford.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

CAMBRIAN.- The annual competition for the Challenge Shield presented by this Company was at Welshpool, when Dr. Lloyd (Chirk), was the Seven teams entered for the competition, and the first to Portmadoc with 296! marks, who dId task 10 thirty-two minutes. The next in order of ment were:Welshpool, 286!; Machynlleth, 258!; Towyn, 242; Oswestry Loco (A), 2I2; Oswestry Loco (B), 208; Abdystwyth, 200. Dr. Lloyd remarked that several young teams had competed and they required a long and careful training. He was very pleased to find. that .ambulance work was still continued on the Cambnan raIlways, and he heartily congratulated the winners upon once more winning the shield.

Having been presented With the shIeld, Mr. C. E. Owen on behalf of thp, Portmadoc team, said it gave the'll great pleasure to win the shield once more. They had competed for it on nine occasions, and they had now been successful on three, and on three occasions had been runners up. Williamson moved a vote of thanks to Dr. Lloyd and his colleagues, and also to Mr. Mrs. Conacher for their generosity, Mr. Conacher hav10g announced that morning that Mrs. Conacher would present a silver medal to each member of the winning team; 5s. to each of the five members of the second team; and 5s. each to the third team. The resolution was carried with acclamation, and Dr. Skinner moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Hodson, the ambulance secretary, which was also pasS'ed.

CARDIFF.-The annual competition for the "Cardiff" Challenge Shield was decided on April gth in St. John's Schoolroom, Queen-street, Cardiff. There ":as a large attendance (including many ladies), and keen was manifested in the work. The holders of the shield were the team from the Rhymney Railway..

Dr. D. Thornley conducted the judging, being aSSIsted by Dr. Fairfield Thomas (assistant medical officer of health) and Dr. Robert Shaw (Bristol).

The competing teams were :-Cardlff RatlwayHerbert Hunt (captain), Cornelius Kallaher, Charles Wells, Al bert Jorgenson and William Padget.

Great Western Railway-L R. Baker (captain), J. Davey, J. Watts, R Germain, and E. .Ewens.

Rhymney Railway-Henry Vmer (captam), A. Howells, George Gibbon, John Wilson and Tom Morga?

The competition, which included the usual tests 10 stretcher drill, individual bandaging, viva voce &c ., was very keenly fought, and the competltors gave a very credible exhibition.

Dr. Thornley heartily congratulated the teams on theIr work and announce the results as follows :-I, Great Railway Company, 84; 2, Rhymney Railway Company, 78; Cardiff Ratlway Company, 70.

CHESHIRE LINEs.-The seventeenth ambulance competition with this railway took place on April 8th, in .the second-class ladies' waiting-room at the Central Station,

April 19IO -FIRST

Liverpool, and the teams were put through a series of severe tests by Dr. F. de B. Pim, of Barrowford.

CEAt the conclusion of the competition the newly appointed manager of the Cheshire Lines Railway, Mr. Robert Charlton, who presided, announced that the winning team was that from Warrington Station, with 27 6 points out of a possible 300 2 nd, H uskisson Station, Liverpool, 266; 3rd, Stockport (Tiviot Dale), 250; and 4 th Manchester (Central), 248. The members of the winning team were :-H. Holloway (captain), W. Walton, Jas. Fogg, H. A. Roberts, and A. Olbard.

The Chairman, continuing, said he regretted Dr. Pim had to leave before the meeting finished, as he had to catch an early train, but he (the chairman) would like to express their appreciation of the great value which they put upon the doctor's services.

Dr. Pim, in reply, said that the ambulance work he had seen done that day far surpassed what he saw on his last visit seven years ago; he hoped they would continue in the work, follow up their practices, and succeed in winning the Inter-Railway Shield, and bring it to Liverpool. There was one point he would like to impress upon them, and that was not to waste time upon unnecessary work; do the work more expeditiously. He did not mean them to do it badly or roughly, but when they went up to London the judges always took the time into consideration.

Before calling upon Miss Constance Charlton to distribute the prizes, the chairman said that ambulance work was very valuable to railway men, and many lives had been saved by first aid. They had never brought the shield to the Cheshire Lines yet, although they had been very near it, and he hoped the team which went to London would bring it back with them. They had in their secretary, Mr. E. O. Lloyd, a man who put his wholp. energy and enthusiasm into the work, and he would ask them to accord a vote of thanks to Mr. Lloyd.

Mr. Lloyd (who has just been admitted a Honorary Serving Brother of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England) replying, said he could not have conducted the work without having the hearty co-operation of the men. There was nothing like having a knowledge of first aid, which was becoming a prominent question in this country. Since he had been identified with the work 7 I2 men of the traffic department had qualified and were holding certificates and medals, while in engineers' department 233 men had passed. The Warnngton team, as victors, will represent them in the open Inter-Railway competition at London.

Miss Charlton then presented the prizes to the successful competitors.

A vote of thanks to the chairman and Miss Charlton concluded the proceedings.

G.C.R - The final round in the annual competition in connection with this Railway was held on March 3rd, at London-road Station, Manchester. The following teams had been selected as a result of the preliminary competitions :-Mexborough, Hull, Corporation Pier, Grimsby, and Newton. Dr. George the ]udg.e, and gave the teams a thoroughly practIcal senes of tests In which all concerned acquitted themselves well. Newton won the shield Hull was second, and Mexboro' third. The challenge shield and prizes were presented by Sir Clement Royds, c.B., one of the Directors.

G.E.R- The annual competition for the Challenge Cup and other prizes, presented by the Company and Mr. W_ Hyde (General Manager), was held at the G.E.R.

A I D.147

Mechanics' Institute on April 7th. The winning team of this competition is eligible to compete in the Inter-Railway Competition. This honour, after a severe contest, fell to the March team, which have on previous occasions carried off the Inter-Railway trophy, and we should say when taking into consideration its former experience, has a good chance to repeat its performance.

The members of the team were :- Messrs. A. Mortlock, F. Goodenough, F. W. Brundell, W. Goodley and F. Watts. (Reserve, W. C. Crowe). They scored 287 marks out of a possible 300

The other teams were :-Ly nn, 269 ; Liverpool -street, 25 8 ; Lea Bridge, 248; Stratford, 237 Stratford Stores , 235; Cambridge, 22g.

The judges were Brigade Hon. Surgeon Heaton C. Howard, Prince of Wales Corps, and Brigade District Supt. Secretary W. A. Gibb, M. D., NO,3 District.

In the evening a concert and distribution of pri zes was held at the Town Hall, Stratford, Lord Claude Hamilton, M.P., presided, supported by his co-directors and officers of the Company. There was also present Mrs. Hugh Flower who distributed the prizes, and Col. Probyn, M.P., the Mayor of West Ham and Inspector - General Belgrave Ninnis, RN.

Lord Claude Hamilton expiessed the pleasure it gave him to be present that evening, and he congratulated the G.E.R men on a general advance of ambulance work and the high position they held amongst other railways.

The corps now contained 48 divisions, and since its establishment in 189I, 2,801 men had secured certificates. During the past year 368 men presented themselves for examination, of these 347 satisfiEd the examiners

Dr. Heaton Howard, in re sponding to the vote of thanks accorded the judges of the competition, said the test that day had been a very stiff one the Inter-Railway competition of last year had se t them an example in this respect, which they must follow. He would like to make them a suggestion, which in his opinion would advance the standard of railway ambulance work, that when an accident occurred, if an expert ambu lance man co uld be sent down to the scene and make notes of the nature of the various injuries and report as to whether they are treated as taught from the official text book. Mr. T. O. Mein, the Centre Secretary, replied to a vote of thanks which was accorded to the officers of the corps.

Mr. Walt e r Walters ' concert party provided an excellent musical programme.

G.N.R-The Challenge Cup in connection with this railway has been won this year by the Spalding team. This is only the third occasion that the Cup has b een won .outside the King's Cross district. At a concert recently gIven at Spaldine, Yfr. Mouncey, stationmaster, appeared on the platform with the Cup, and the team wa s a ccorded an enthusiastic ovation.

L. B. & S. C. R-The preliminary competItIOns in connections with this railway were concluded on March 20th. The competitions were open to any five in the company's service who held the first aId certIficate, and twenty-seven teams entered-seven .for section "A." and twenty for section "B "-representwg the followmg:Brighton (9 teams), N e w Cross .(3 Horsham (2 teams), Willow Walk (2 teams), Victona (2 teams), Sutton, Epsom, St. Leonards, Eastbourne, Lewes, Newhaven, Hove, Gypsy Hill and Shoreham.. Col. Lees Hall, acted as judge, and was aSSIsted by Mr. W. L. GIrhng and Mr. E. Huntley, District Secretaries. The result was de-

c1ared by Mr. J. King, the Centre Secretary, who lated the winners on their success and sympathIsed wIth the losers.

The following are the prizewinners :- Section " A ", 1St, Willow Walk, 274 points;. 2nd, New C:oss (A), 27 points; 3rd, Eastbourne, 245 pomts; 4th, Bnghton No. team, 239 points. Section "B", 1st, Brighton Carriage, No.2, 245 points; 2nd, Brighton. Loco., 2, 244 points; 3rd, Willow Walk (B), 234 pomts ; .BrIghton Loco., NO.3 team, 229 points; Shoreham 225 POIlltS.

In the course of a few remarks at the close of the competition, Col. Lees Hall said the work he had judged that day was of a better character than any he had before seen on the Brighton Railway. He strongly urged the competitors to study the minutest detail, and to be proI?pt III the application of the requisite treatment. He pomte? out that competitors had lost points in several cases owmg to their having treated the wrong side, right instead of left, and vice versa.

The final stage in the competition for the L.B & S.C.R Directors' Challange Cup took place at the All Saints' Institute, New Cross, on Monday, April 4th, under the direction of the district secretaries, Mr. C. E. Cherry, and Mr. W. L. Girling, Brighton (acting for Centre secretary Mr. J. King, who arrived late)n the evening). The contest was a very keen one, and proved one of the finest and hardest ever given on this railway. There were about 200 persons present, both ladies and gentlemen, and much interest was evidenced in the work, for many remained to the close, being anxious to hear the results and comments of the judge (Dr. Muir). Dr. Muir's comments were most valuable, and at the conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was accorded him.

The results of the competition are as follows :-1, New Cross (A), 205i marks; 2, Willow Walk (A), I80i; 3, Brighton Loco (B), 151; 4, Brighton Carriage (B), 120. The winning team was comprised of Messrs. W. Marshall, W. Simmons, W. Mason, 'iV. Rapley, A. Briant, and was coached by Dr. J. Stanley Davies. The maximum number of marks obtainable was 300. New Cross team now hold the cup for 12 months, and each mem ber receives a silver medal. This is the third year in succession that New Cross (A) has won the cup.

L. & N. W. R- The competition in connection with the Rugby District of this Railway took place at the CoOperative Hall, Rugby, on March 24th. Twelve teams competed, and the result was as follows :-ISt, Rugby (No.2), 250 points; 2nd, Nuneaton, 3rd, Rugby (No. I), 4th, Colwick, 228; 5th, Peterborough, 6th, Loughborough, 2 I 51; 7th, Castlethorpe, 2091 ; 8th, Weedon, 9th, Roade, I43}; loth, Bridgestreet, Northampton, 142; IIth, Rugeley, 130; 12th, Hallaton, 123 The maximum was 300. The individual prize was won by C. Buckler, of N un eaton. The prizes to the second and third teams were presented by Mrs. Heath, of Newbold Park. The winners of the competition would it was understood receive their prizes at Manchester at the final.

The Crewe District held its competition on March 14th, the premier pOtiition was won by the Permanent Way Dc.'partment with a total of 268 points out of a maximum of 300. Thomas Haughton, who has won the individual prize for the last three year'>, again secured premier honours.

The final competition in connection with this Compan¥ was held at Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester, on Apnl6th.

A I D.- April, 1910.

From 9.30 in the morning till about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, with a short interval for IU!'lcheon, the teams were kept hard at work going through the tests and questions put before them by the judges, Major F. C Westmacott, F.RC.S.,RA.M.C.(T.), and Dr. R. D. Crao, M.RC.S., L R C. P., both of Manchester. The results were announced and the Shield and prizes presented by Mr. George Macpherson, a director of the Company later on in the afternoon. The championship went to Brunswick Dock (Goods), Liverpool, who obtained 226 marks out of a possible 300. The other results were as follows :-2, Wolverhampton, 208; 3, Buxton, 20 5; 4, Plodder-lane, 202; 5, Crewe, 191); 6, Golborne, 179; 7, Shrewsbury, Rugby, 171; 9, Bangor, IJ, Staveley, 132}; II, Broad-street, 13 I.

At the presentation of prizes Mr. Cook, of Crewe, presided.

Mr. Macpherson, in distributing the prizes, congratulated the winning team on its achievement, and hoped it would render as good an account of itself in the InterRailway competition as did last year's winners.

Major Westmacott and Dr. Cran both spoke and expressed high terms at the standard of work carried out. The former said he had the greatest difficulty in deciding the best team in many respects. He particularly commended the stretcher work.

Mr. Walker, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Macpherson for distributing the prizes, expressed the opinion that in railway work, and in other kinds of work, knowledge of first aid treatment was so important as almost to justify its being made obligatory.

Mr. Cook, in seconding, while congratulating the successful teams, reminded all the competitors that the main object of the instruction was to enable them to relieve suffering.

In replying, Mr. Macpherson thanked the judges, the district secretaries, the :::ompetitors, the instructors and Mr. Jennison for their respective assistance.

Awards were also made to the following district secretaries in recognition of their whole-hearted work :-Messrs.

J. W. Allen, Manchester; W. J. Battisson, Wolverhampton; J. Gayton, Bangor; J. c. Graham, Birmingham; T. Graham, Wigan; J. Green, Shrewsbury; E. R Hobbs, Rugby; J. A. Orr, Liverpool; S. Robinson, Oldham; T. Thelwell, Penrith; and A. W(}rrall, Crewe.

L. & Y.R-A large number of railway men assembled at the Lecture Hall of the Manchester Athenreum, on Thursday, March 19th, to witness the final round in tbe annual competition for the challenge Shield. Many of the officers of the Company were also present. Lieut.-Colonel Trimble, C. M.G., was the judge, and placed the teams in the following order :-ISt, North Mersey, 236t point'>; 2nd, Horwich Works, 216; 3rd, Barnsley, 159; 4th, Aintree (No. 2 Team), 156; 5th, North Docks (Liverpool), IS Ji ; lith, Newton Heath (C. and W. Department, Fire Brigade Team), I28t.

The men who obtained the highest number of marks in the preliminary competitions were also awarded prizef:, and in order to encourage the men who acted as reserves for the several teams a separate competition had been arranged for them, and several prizes were awarded.

The prizes were handed to the successful competitors by Mrs. Fielden, the wife of the deputy chairman of the Company, to whom, as well as to Colonel Trimble, and Dr. Ashton, who judged the preliminary competitions, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded.

The honour conferred upon Messrs. Tucket, Great

April, 1910 -FIRST

Howard-street Station, Liverpool; Beswick, Victoria Station, Manchester; Sumner, Carriage and Wagon Department, Newton Heath; and Cook, Police Department, Southport, by their selection as Honorary Serving Brothers of the Order of St. John was mentioned at the presentation. It was also stated that Dr. Coates, of Norwich, and Dr. Robinson, of Fleetwood, had been enrolled as Honorary Associates in recognition of their services in instructing the employes of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. During the past year thirty-four classes had been held. The total number of men now qualified to render first aid on the Railway is 5,052. The number of casualties attended during the past year was 11,341.

M. & G. N. JOINT. - The first annual competition for

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City, Spalding and Sheringham. The judging was undertaken by Dr. Hoosegood, of North Walsham, Norfolk. The following were the questions in the viva voce examination :-

r. Give the causes, signs, and treatment of convulsions in children.

2. This man has had an injury to his chest (left side ), but complains of pain midway between the breast bone and the spine, especially when he takes a deep breath. You notice that his breath is short and shallow, and that he is coughing up frothy, bright red blood. What is he suffering from ? Treat the case.

3. YOLl have to treat a case of drowning- single-handed. Which method of artificial resp iration would you employ?

Why?

4. A man has taken poison You do not know what the THE L. & N. W. R\'. CHAMPION TEAM.

the challenge shield offered for between teams (excluding last year's .ambulance classes, held in connectIOn WIth thIS raIlway, took place in the Oddfellows Hall, Sutt?n Bndge, on March ] 6th. There was a large of mterested spectators, n.nd the proceedings were pres1ded over by Mr. W. Dennis, Junr., J.P.

The competiting teams represented Eye Green, Melton Constable (A), Melton Constable (B), Norwich

poison is. The lips and mouth are not stained or burned. How will you treat the case ?

The following were the tests for individual treatment :-

Nos. and :2 will treat a case of sprained ankle (l eft ), out of doors and carry him to shelter, supporting the limb.

No.' 3. Treat a case of fracture of the tibia and (at the middle of the left leg ) You find tpe end of the tib ia projecting through the skin.

By courtesy ) F (1 ft to right ) r Redfern and G. Worthington; centre row, J. A. Haigh. A. Bebley (captain ), and P. Watson; ront row e top Dr. Cran and Major Westmacott, M.D. (judges), and W. J. Hughes (reserve )

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NO.4. Treat this case of severe arterial hzemorrhage from a wound in the left arm pit. NO.5. Apply digital pressure to the left femoral artery at the groin.

The stretcher case was as follows :-

On opening the door of a railway carriage at terminus, you see the followi ng :-A about 50, on the floor with his feet towards you, Il1 an msenslble condItIOn. On further examination you find that the man s face IS red, and that the skin seems warl1ler than natural. The breath smells nf brandy. The breathing is of a l<;>ud. snoring and the lips are puffed out at ea ch. expIratIon. The on .the left side of the body are more stIff than those on the rIght ex cept near the elbow, where there is an un?atural moblltty, and a fra cture is discovered just above the JOIl1t (left elbow ) The pupil of the left eye is larger than that of the rIght eye. Wh3.t is the man suffenn g from? Treat the case, carry the patient uphill to the hospital.

While the result of the competition was being arrived at the Chairman addressed the meeting, urging upon the men present the importance of an training. Competitions such as the one they had wltnessed that afternoon served to slimulate the various mem bers of the teams to h'igher efficiency, and he hoped that it was not the last time that they would have the opportunity of witnessing such an excellent display in Sutton Bridge. It has been suggested to him that the teams should have been asked to try some work on a lady, as they did not think all the injured would be gentlemen. Sometimes a lady was as unfortunate as a gentleman, and he hoped that if there were any ladies who would like to come forward on the next occasion, they would bear the matter in mind.

The result of the competition was then announced as follows :- 1, Eye Green, 264 t points; 2, Melton Constable (B), 233; 3, Spalding, 228; 4, Norwich City, 226!; 5, Melton Constable (A), 2 12; 6, Sheringham, 147. The maximum was 300.

In announcing this decision, Dr. Hoosegood said, it had been a great pleasure to him to examine the teams that day. He had had some experience in examining classes at Norwich, but from what he had seen that day he had come to the conclusion that the classes from the M. & G.N.R. were the best. He had never examined any classes so good, and the high standard of efficiency reflected the greatest credit on all concerned.

The handsome Shield and prizes were then presented to the successful teams by Miss Thorold.

The usual vote of thanks cuncluded the meeting. During the afternoon refreshments were banded round by the ladies connected with the Sutton Bridge centre. The arrangements for the competition were made by Mr. E. G. Palmer, and admirably carried out by Mr. Mitchell, the secretary of the local corps.

METROPOLITAN. - The competition for the Directors' and Officers' Challenge Shield was held at the Neasden Works on Saturday, April 2nd. Five teams entered, and the Shield was won by one of the three teams sent up by the Traffic Department, with a total of 229 points out of a maximum of 300. Dr. Carvel acted as judge. The winning team was composed of :-H. Hawkins, H. Alder, W. H. Burrows, A. G. Ford and H. Morgan.

The winning team will hold the Shield for one year and take the prizes offered by the Company, and will also represent the Metropolitan Railway Company at the InterRailway Competition.

The full result of the competition is given below :-

Traffic Dept., A. G. Ford, captain F. J. Biddle, " E. Baker, Permanent VYay Dept., F. W. Kent Carr' Shed, Hammersmith, F. Dawson

Highest number of marks obtainable 200 100 300

The first two places for Individual Work were secured by A. G. Ford, 34, and H. Morgan, 33l Highest possible number of marks, 40.

N.E.R. - The annual competitions in connection with this railway have as usual created great interest among the ambulance men in the Company's service.

A large gathering assembled to witness the contest for the Darlington District Shield, among those present being the Mayor and the Mayoress (Councillor and Mrs. Prior).

Five teams took part and the judging was undertaken by Dr. Leigh and Dr. Harkness. The tests set were all of a practical character, and the teams showed considerable skill in dealing with them.

The result was declared as follows :-1, North-road, Darlington, 352t points; 2, Bishop Auckland (No. I), 305t; 3, BishOp Auckland (No.2), 287t; 4, Bank Top, 261t; 5, Shildon, 2I2!, The maximum number of points obtainable was 400.

The competition for the Newcastle District took at Gateshead, when the result was as follows :-1, castle Central, points; 2, Tyne Dock (No. I), 3, Park Lane, 327; 4, Tyne Dock (No.2), 308 maximum was 420

place New337 ; The

The York and district competition took place on Saturday, March 19th, at the Railway Institute, York. Drs. Fisher and H. C. Pearson were the judges. The result of the contest was as follows :- 1, York (No. 1),131 points; 2, York (No.2), 121; 3, York (NO.3), 93; Ferrybridge, 76.

The stretcher test was as follows :-" A man standing on a station platform is seen to turn pale and fall in a faint. in the act Of falling his head strikes against a t';n travelling trunk and he sustained an injury to the left temporal artery. His right trousers leg and became saturated with blood. Treat case, and place patient on stretcher and convey to waiting room."

The final competition between the teams representing the Hull, Leeds, Darlington, Newcastle, York and Middlesbrough districts of this railway centre for the "Wharton" Shield, took place on Saturday, April 9th. Mr. W. Worsdell (chief mechanical engineer) presided over the proceedings, which were largely attended by railway men from all parts of the system. Dr. L. M. F. Christian, of Stockport, acted as adjudicator, and ultimately gave his decision in favour of the York Carriage Shops team (the present holders of the shield), and they will accordingly represent the N.E.R. in the competition for the National Railway Challenge Shield.

The morning was devoted to individual injuries, and the afternoon competitions to stretcher work. In making his award Dr. Christian explained that the tests set were not in the nature of ordinary am bulance work, but such as would be met with in actual cases on the railways. He complimented all .the teams on the excellence of their work. He then announced the awards as follows :-

I, York District (Carriage Shops), 193i marks; 2, Newcastle (Central), 192; 3, Darlington (North-road Station), 1901; 4, Middlesbrough (West Hartlepool),

April [910 -FIRST

(571; 5, Hull (Hull Docks), I4 2i; 6, Leeds (Ripon Station), 1141-

Mr. J. Lloyd Wharton (chairman of the North Eastern Railway Company) then presented the shield to Mr.

The " Sanoid" Illustrated Bandage.

Triangular

Hutchinson, the captain of the York team, and said he WE have receiv.ed from Messrs. Cuxson, Gerrard & Co., most sincerely hoped this was only a prelude to a greater Ltd., a large tnangular bandage, which they have called victory in London, when he trusted the York team might the" Sanoid," and which constitutes a first aid sheet as do as it did some years ago. win the national competition. well as a bandage. Six pictorial representations ofa human Nothing in connection with his position on the in various attitudes are printed upon it, North-Eastern Railway had given him greater showmg the bandag;e applied to different regions satisfaction than the progress made in ambulance the a first aid dressing for thirty work. dIfferent InJunes, the nature of each being indiMr. "\iVharton then presented silver medals RED (l CROSS cated by a number and table. The to each member of the winning team. / = bandage should prove of value to all He also presented medals for meritorious " 5A.NOID " BAN DACE engaged in first aid work, as the figures first aid service to Jonathan C. Dyball are amply large enough to show how

(Monk Seaton), for performing artificial respirationJor over half an hour at Monk Seaton on August 9th, 1909, upon William Elder, who had been partially poisoned by carbon dioxide in a drain; and to John Butler, Newcastle, who on April 29th, 1909, on the occasion of an explosion at the station, rescued, at peril of his own life, Wm. Naylor, a plumber, from a subway where the explosion occurred. Butler, who made three attempts and eventually succeeded, has received;[ 10 from the "Carnegie" Hero Fund, and will receive from the Prince of Wales the certificate of honour awarded by the Grand Priory of the Order of St. John. Mr. Lloyd Wharton also handed to Butler the orignal cheque from the Carnegie Fund, which had been framed.

Certificates for meritorious services were presented to Henry A. Lee and Matthew H. Easton, Hartlepool, for rescuing John Williams-who had been seriously injuredfrom a shaft 30 ft. deep at Hartlepool.

Opportunity was also taken to present Mr. George Jackson, who has been secretary of the N.E.R. Centre for fourteen years, with a dining-room clock, and Mrs. Jackson with a memento, in recognition of Mr. Jackson's services to the Centre. Mr. Wharton, who made the presentation, said that Mr. Jackson was the main cause of the good work done in ambulance training on the North-Eastern Railway. Mr. Jackson suitably acknowledged the gifts.

Votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. Lloyd Wharton, to Dr. Christian, and to the Chairman.

BELGIUM CONGREss.-English fire brigade officers desiring to take part in the Congress to be held on the occasion of the Brussels Exhibition, July 27th to August 2nd, should apply to Capitaine Philips, Termonde, Belgium, for the forms which it is necessary to fill in by those wishing to become members, and they will be supplied with the Exhibition book free of charge. Officers not Hon. Members of the Belgium Federation must enclose P.O. for 8s.

the various folds and turns are:] made. The size of the bandage is about 52 in. at the base, and 2 5 in. from base to apex.

Having the reference printed on the bandage is a splendid idea, for one is apt to lose the printed paper directions usually enclosed with illustrated triangular bandages.

An Anti=Tanning Teapot.

THE accompanied illustration show the principle of a new teapot which hac; been submitted to our inspection by the "Cheer.up Teapot" Company, of 20, York-street Glasgow. Its object, as will be readily seen, is to have perfect control over the time during which the infusion of the tea takes place, and this is accomplished by simply giving the lid

a half-turn, which completely removes the leaves trom the prepared infusion and so preve?ts any further from taking place. The cl.allTl that the proportion of the valuable mgred,ents can be any of the bitter principles which are SO objectIonable 111 tea.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

-FIRST Brevities.

AID.Notes on First Aid Simplified.

WE understand that a large number of recognitions have been conferred by the Chapter and Council of the Order of St. ] ohn of ] erusalem in England, bu t up to the time of going to .,press we have not received an official list, and cannot therefore publish it, as we have been requested to do by som e of the recipients We can quite appreciate the fact that those who have had the distinction conferred on them, would like it to appear in FIRST Am in order that their friends in other parts of the country might learn of their good fortune.

* **

AT a meeting in connection with the ambulance class recently held a t Forest gate, Miss Randall reported the receipt of an encouraging letter from the chief secretary, Sir Herb ert Perrott. In the course of his communication the chief secretary says ;-

"I should also very much like to know that you propos e to form a unit of the St. John Am bulance Brigade, another branch of our work which is more than ever important in this day of the world when the British Red Cross Society is engaged in organising Voluntary Aid Detachments. You probably know that during the recent South African and Chinese wars we supplied over 2,000 members of the St. ]')hn Ambulance Brigade, who did duty as hospital orderlies, both on board ship and at the scenes of hostilities. But, quite apart from this branch of their work, it is well known that hardly any public gathering takes place, either in the metropolis or the provinces, when corp s or divisions of the St. ] ohn Ambulance Brigade are not in evidence. The Metropolitan Corps alone is enabled to rend e r, on an average, first aid to the injured to between 5,000 and 6,000 cases on these occasions every year, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has recently shown his appreciation, as President of the St. John bulance .Association, of the good work done by serVIc e s g e nerally, by granting the No. Dls.tnct, I.e., the Metropolitan Corps, the privilege of being deSIgnated 'The Prince of Wales's Corps,' with the right to the. plume of feathers as a c011ar badge on theIr UnIform. So high an opinion is held b H.R. H. of the importance of the work of the St. J Ambulance Brigade, that every year at Marlborough House he presents a silve r' service medal' to those members who h a ve completed the qualifying period of service for this distinction. "

THESE kind and complimentary remarks will we are sure, .be received with satisfaction by members of' the BriIn all parts of the country. It implies on the part of the ChIef Secretary, at any rate, his unshaken confiJence, and w.h.o. IS better fitted to judge the Brigade, and its capabIlitIes, to meet every emergency.

By SYDNEY H. LAMB, Serg ea n t St. John Ambu lance Brigade ) ' M ember of the Roy al Nava l Aux iliary Sick Berth Reserve

I HAVE endeavoured in this article to place in a simplified and convenient form the main points of first aid, and I believe th.at, in conjunction with Dr. Cantlie's book, my scheme WIll prove of use. My own experience has convinced me that it will be of great assistance to the student to have before him the skeleton of the knowledge he is to acquire, enabling him to grasp immediately the principles of first aid.

FR ACTURES.

Dejimlz'on. - A fracture is a break of bone.

CAU SES

1. Direct Violm ce. - The bone is broken at the seat of injury.

2 .lnrt,irect Violence.- The bone is broken away.from the seat of mJury. Example; A person falling on out s tretched hand sustains fracture of clav icle (collar bone )

3. Mus cula r A ction. - The bone snaps across owing to a sudden and violent contraction of the muscles. Example; The patella (kneecap ) in running.

KIND S

1. S imple - The bone only is broken.

2. C07npound.- The hone is broken and the skin also injured, thereby permitting the air to get to the seat of injury.

3· Complicat ed. - The bone is broken and some surroundparts-such as an artery, vein, muscle or lung, are also mJured.

4· Comminu ted.-The bone is broken into splinters.

5. The bone is broken and the ragged edges are wedged mto one another.

6. Greenstick. - Met with in children. The bone not being thoroughly set cracks, but dues not break.

SI GNS AN D SYM PTO MS

Pai.n, swell in g, loss or power, deformity, irregularity, shortemng, and crep itus.

Note.-Crepltus IS absent in greenstick and impacted fractures.

TREAT MENT.

Secure broken limb above and below the fracture by means of splmts and bandages, in order to prevent further movement of the broken part s No te. - 1. Never attempt to ascertain whether the bone is broken by looking for crepitus or unnatural mobility. Careless handling may complicate the injury.

2. If there IS any h c:e morrhage present, arrest it at on ce before treatmg for the fra cture.

3· If in doubt whether a bone is fra c tured or not t rea t as a fi'acture, so as to be 01Z th e safe sic'le.

4· On no accoullt move patient unt il the fra c ture has been attended to.

SPLINTS AND BANDAGES

Upp er Arm - Two small splints, 2 b a ndages, sm all arm slmg.

Metaca rpal Bones.- One splint, banda g e, 1a7'ge arm slmg.

Fore Arm.-( Ulna or radius or both bones ), 2 splints, 3 bandages, larg e arm sling.

Tlzzg h.- ( Femur ) 2 splints, 7 bandages.

L eg .-(Tibia ) 2 splints, 5 bandages.

Foot. -( Metatarsus ) splint, 1 bandag e.

Knee Cap.-(Patella ) I splint, 4 bandages.

POSITION OF S PL INTS AND BAND AG ES THI GH.

on rea c.hin g from armpit to beyond foot.

Splmt on mSIde reachmg fron, the fork to beyond foot.

BAND AGE S

1. Underneath armpit round the chest.

2. Round the pelvis just above hip bones.

3. Above the fracture.

April, 19 10•

4. Below the fracture.

5. Round the leg.

-FIRST

AID.-

6. Round both ankles, to secure the legs together and tied underneath the feet.

7. Round both knees. L EG.

Splint on outside reaching from above the knee to beyond the foot.

Splint on inside reaching from the fork to beyond foot.

BAND AGES

J. Above the knee.

2. Above the fracture.

3. Below the fracture.

4. Round both ankles to secure the legs together, and tied underneath the feet.

5 Round both knees.

K KEE CAP

Splint reaching from buttock to beyond the foot.

B ANDAGES

1. Placed above knee -cap, crossed under knee and tied below knee cap.

2. Placed below knee-cap, crossed under knee and tied -above knee cap.

3. Secure splint by bandage round the thigh.

4. Round the Ieg-.

Note - In fractures involving the foot or patella slightly raise and support the injured l mb.

SPECIAL FRACTURES

S KULL.

SY lllpt07lZs. -( a. )-B ase of S ku ll - Bleedin g from nose or ears, and issue of clear fluid from ears.

T REATME NT.

Support the broken pelvis by of broad bandages, which must not be tied too tightly, and send for medical a d.

COLL AR B ONE (Clavicle )

Sympto71Z s - Drooping of shoulder on side of injury Patient supports arm at elbow. If finger is passed gently over injury, the broken bone may be felt over-riding

T REAT;VIENT

Carefully remove pat ient s clothing, pla ce a pad in the arm pit, bend forearm, an d secure arm to the body by means of a narrow bandage placed over the elbow and fastened round the body securing the a rm and hand, wh ich should be placed under the bandage

If two bandages are available, support arm on injured side in" St John " a rm-sling and then put on broad b a ndage as above.

SH OULDER BLADE Scapula)

Very rarely met with. Caused b y dire c t v olen ce.

T REAT:\l E T

Carefully remove patient s clothin g fa s ten br oa d h a nd (lg e over the fracture, c arry across the body, cro s s over oppo si Ie shoulder and tie underneath armpit. Support arm on inj ure d side in " St. John " arm-sling

B REAST Bo 'E ( Sternum )

Fracture can actuall y be felt.

T REATMENT

Send for medi cal aid, and until the do c to r arri ves remo ve ti g ht clothing. Pl ac e patient in easy posit ion, appl y cold water dressings, and above all keep patient fronl mov in g.

COLLES'S F RACTURE

(

b. ) R oo! of Sk ull. Fra cture may be felt or even seen through the wound.

Caused by severe blow or fall, etc.

T REATMEKT

1. Send for medical aid.

2. Arrest any h c:e morrhage.

3. Remove any tight clo th ing that impedes easy breathin g (neck, chest, wa ist )

4. Pla ce patient in comfortable position.

5. Apply cold dressing to the head.

6. Treat for shock.

The treatment for insensibility will be g iv en m a future article.

L OWER J AW

SY7llp tollZs - L ne of teeth very irregular, inability to speak or use jaw, bleeding from the gum s.

T RK \ T:\l E T. Secure and support the j a w by m eans of a narrow bandage placed under the jaw; c a rry one end of the banda g e up .the side of the face and over the head, and cross at angle of JCl.w bringing the long end over the c hin, and tying off on the opposi te side.

RI DS

SY17lpt07lZs - Sharp pain felt on t a kin g deep breath; the fracture may be felt on passing hand gently over the injury.

T REAT:'I IENT

Support the ribs by means of. two. broad bandages round the body and tied on the opposite Side of the fracture , the lower overlapping half of the ba.nd a ge arm on injured side in a large slI.ng. Inclme patient on mJureo side to give freedom of breath mg.

Note. If fracture involves injury to lungs or any other organs, frothy blood may be coughe d up, in vyhic.h case .do no t use bandages, but undo tight and mc1me patIent to injured side in order to ease breath mg. . . .

Give ice to SLIck, and apply cold dressmgs over Injury.

S1'1 IE OR B AC I":: JlONE.

Sympt07lt s - Loss of power below fra c ture

TR EAT l\ l E T.

Send for medical aid, and until the do c tor arrIves keep the patient absolutely flat on his back.

P E LVIS.

Symptollts. - Inability to stand or walk without great pain.

Frac ture of the rad ius just above the wri s t, ca used u sua ll y by a fall on the palm of the hand G ener a l symptoms for fracture but de f or m ity much in eviden ce.

T READIENT

Treat as for fra cture of ulna and ra d ius.

P OTT'S F RACTURE

Fracture of the fibul a j ust abo ve the j o int of the (l nkle, c aused by twistin g of the foot, or fall n g on the feet [10 m a height. Genera l s ympt o ms for fr ac ture but deformity mu ch n eviden ce.

T RKATMENT

Treat as (or fra c ture of both bones of the le g.

IM PORTANT PO INTS TO BE O BSERVED I r F RACTURES

1.- N ever attempt to look for crepitus or unnatural mob ility. Lea ve this for medical man.

2. - Always secure fracture by s pl ints an d b a nda g es befo r e removal even shoul d the tr a ffi c be cons iderably dela yed treating fractures of 10\\ er e xtremities sin g le handed use the sound l mb a s a splint, tyin g both feet to gether at the ankles.

4. - S plints can be made from ri fl es , broom -s ic ks, \\'a lkin g sticks, umbrellas, folded newspapers, e tc.

s. - Bandages can be m a de from han d ker chiefs, mu ffl ers ties, straps, rope, braces , etc.

6. - An umbrella can be stripped, the ribs and st ic k used for splints and the covering torn up for bandages.

7. - Alw a ys treat for shock.

8.-ln case of fracture where rh a ge IS pre sent, arrest the h ce morrha g e befor e pro c eeding to tr ea t the fr a c ture

(To be continued)

Where to Stay at Southend and Westcliff duping the N.F.B.U. Camp Week, July 2nd to 9th.

PALACE HOTEL, Southend-on-Sea.

Fin est positi on facin g Sou h and Sea

2 0 0 Roo ms. Replele wi th evelY mo dern com·enience

T erm s, 12 5 6d. per day inclu siv e.

Tel ephone: 186 Soul hend.

Telegram s : "Palace, Southend- on-Sea. "

-FIRST

South=Eastern and Chatham Railway.

THE annual competitions on this Railway have now concluded and those teams which have been successful have 'no doubt discovered ere this i5 in print, where they scored over their opponents, and those have been less fortunate have discovered the errors whIch they lost marks upon. The best teams undoubtedly won; but failure to win on these occasions, should only serve to spu'r on the losing teams to greater efforts in the future. Generally speaking, it is clearly evident that a improvement characterised the work, and the q uestlOns, on the whole, were answered intelligently and well. Before giving the results, we should like to throw out a hint to the members of the Superintendent Office Team -the winners for the second year in succession of the challenge shield, presented by the Direct.ors, and the team which will represent the Company 111 the InterRailway Competition, a lthou gh their work WdS performed with much credit and l<l.cked that nervousness which was so conspicious when they competed in the Inter-Railway Competition last year-it must be performeu with a little more promptitude than was exhibited at the final on April 13th, for they must bear in mind time is taken into consideration by the judges.

RE SULTS ;-

GROUP I. - Held at Ramsgate, March 18th.

Maximum marks 300

Team Marks Teal" Marks

Superintendent's Office Ashford RL nning Sheds 16S

Sittingbourne Hawkhurst r64

Sevenoaks 216 Be c kenh am 163!

Victoria 213 Ramsgate... ...IS8t

Ashford Works, NO.1 179 Herne Hdl 149t Red Hill ...I67t Canterbury I42t GR OUP Ir. - Held at Ramsgate, March 17th.

AID.-

Page.

19ot Ashford Station 143

Harbour 190 Abbey Wood '" I42

Hither Green, NO.1 18s Broadstairs 139

Reacling Loco. ...166 Dover Harbour I18t

Reading Traffic ...16s

GROUP II I. - Held at Tunbridge Wells, l\larch 15th and 16th.

Team I\Iarks Team Marks

Nutfield 199t New Brompton Loco 154

Hither Green United I8st Sevenoaks, NO.2 154

Hither Green, No.2 184! Gravesend I5 1!

Bricklayers' Arms Loco., Ken t House I 5 I

No. I... ...184 Orp ngton 15 1

Lydd ...180 Sittingbourne, NO.2 134t

are called to a patient who is sitting against.a fence and find him bleeding from a wound in the left armpIt. You are told that he was trying to climb some iron railings and became impaled One of the uprights has penetrated the armpit to the extent of 4 inches and has fractured the humerus close to shoulder joint ( pp. 52 and 84).

Apri l 19 10 -FIRST

Page Tests. Encouraging words

47 Water, tea) etc

46 Do not unload unless under instruction of medical man

Marks. 2 3

18 Bystanders to accompany patient, to render further assistance if necessary 2

5.-This lad, employed in a has a fracture of the humerus (lower There IS much All that you have your pocket IS a pocket-?andkerchlef, a piece of str.ing, a knIfe, and a couple of safety-pIns. Treat. No splints available (p p. 53 and 54 )·

41 Position

54 Angular splint improvised from millboard (i nner side of flexed limb )

54 Bandages;

37 (1) Pocket·handkerchief

37 (2) Patient's handkerchief or necktie

Improvised sling;

Pin sleeve to clothing or pass hand mSlde buttoned coat

18 Resourcefu lness QUESTIONS.

I.-Describe in full the varieties of fracture; give general signs and symptoms which may be. present, and say m what fractures you expect to find all these signs and symptoms. Varieties (pp 34, 35 and 37 )-

34 Accordmg to the conditIOn of the tissues

to the bone

to the injury to the bone Itself

Cause:

] 13 Blow, stab, bullet

I [3 Fracture of lower ribs

17

accident

Pain and swelling at seat of injury

Rapid loss of strength

Giddiness

Faintness (especially when upright position assumed)

95 Pallor offace and lips...

95 Breathing hurried, laboured, with

I rregulari ty Unnatural mobility...

(no t to be searched for ) Absence of certain signs in greenstIck and impacted

4.- If you were called to a man who had

153

153

135

fall of temperature by hot applications

152 See that bottle is preserved ?

5. - B y what means maya person become asphyxlated.-

2

2. - Name the boundaries of the abdomen, the structures contained therein, and their posltionBoundaries-

I I I Diaphragm (above)

I I I Pelvis (be low )

Queenboro' PIer... ...170 Folkestone Harbour

l\1eopham... ...164 (Marine ) 126t

Strood 159 Ashford Loco. ...119"2

Ashford Loco., Turnery Iss t Tonbridge, o. I II4

Ashford Station, No.2 I5St Slades Green I0 5t

Lordship Lane P'layers I55t

Group 1. Questions being the most comprehensive we append them ;-

STRETCHER WORK.

The patient, a man, sixty years of age, when coming down some steps in the dark, misses his footing, and in endeavouring to save himself, falls violently.

On examination, it is at once apparent that he has a fracture of the left knee-cap, and there is also eVidence of a fracture of the left femur, in the middle of the shaft (p.p 56 and 58).

Treat and remove-

3 & 4·- T he patient, a window-cleaner in his shirt-sleeves has fallen off a ladder and lays where he fell. He complains of a severe pain in the region of the 8th dorsal vertebne. Act as yo u would if such a case came before you ( p. 45).

17,45 Prevent all movement 3 .-

43,45 Cover patient warmly... 3

17,18 Examine for possible injuries 3 The patient has a fractured spine (pp. 44 and 46).

18 Obtain assistance of bystanders 2

1I,45 Send for sticks '"

45 Turn up collar of coat and roll up sticks in each side of coat

46 Broad bandage under head 46 Bandages under body 18 Instructions to assistants

I II Lumbar vertebrce (behind )

III Muscular walls (front and sides)

S tructures-

79 Large arteries; aorta and iljacs

II Stomach ( immediately below pIt of stomach )

I II Liver (upper part of abdomen) covered by right lower ribs

I I Spleen (beneath ribs upper part left side of stomach)

... ...

I I Intest ines (c avity of abdomen)

I I Kidneys (back )

I II Bladder (pelvis )

71 Inferior vena cava 2

118 Sympathetic nerve chain 2

3.- H ow may rupture of the liver be ca u sed; wllat are the signs and symptoms, and what treatment would you adopt, pending arrival of medical man who has been sent for?-

138 ( I ) Obstru.ction of air passages 2 d 9_1

138 By rownmg ... .... 1'"

38 Pressure fr<?m outSIde h-)" ulatlon 1.) hangIng (i) , smothermg (2) 2 (1) 1 k" (1)

13 8 Foreign body.m throat "2 c 10 2

13 8 Swelling of tIssues of throa 1 (2) tion (i) , scald of throat (2) , pOlsonmg by a corrosive

138 (2) Inhaling poisonous gases

138 Coal gas

13 8 Producer, or water gas

138 Smoke , , ..,

13 8 Fumes from charcoal or coke fire

138 Sewer gas

138 Limekiln gas

13 8 Carbonic acid gas

138 (3) Pressure ?n chest

138 Sand or debns

138 Crowd

138 (4) Nervous affecti?n... :

13 8 Narcotic and certaIn 01 her pOIsons

138 Collapse

138 Electric shock

138 Lightning

The final competition was held at the Crystal Palace

-FIRST

I f both bones of my leg were broken I would prefer to lie down.-ED. « F.A."]

A SUGGESTION TO PUBLISHERS.

DEAR SIR,-May I suggest, through your valuable J oumal, to the publishers of First Aid Manuals, Textbooks, etc. that. they. consider the advisability of issuing the new revised portions !n pamphlet form, in addition to the complete revised this those who already possess the original Issue to bnng their books up-to-date by the insertion of the new pamph}e.t. I am sure it would be a real boon to many to. whom shillings are a great consideration. I trust someone will lead the way in this direction.

Also, will you please give your opinion in answer to the following query.: (( What is the correct (first aid ) treatment for a fractured clavicle and fractured humerus in the upper third on the same side ?"

Thanking you in anticipation - Yours truly, (( BRISTOL."

[In this case the fractured clavicle cannot be treated therefore leave it and treat the humerus.-ED. F.A.]

FRACTURE OF LOWER JAW.

DEAR SlR, - I have with great interest read the correspondence. to the fracture of the lower jaw, and I am the opinIOn that" One Who Don t Know " is justified in his s tatement. I ha ve applied the bandage myself before two medIC,;t! men, and their opinions are satisfactory. '

First place centre of the bandage under the chin cross the crown of the head .with one end or the and tWist over the angle of the jaW on the opposite side to the fracture. You have.a short end of five inches. Take the long end <;lround !he chin the neck; you will have to tie cl?se behind the tWISt. The advantage of this IS, the smooth Side of the bandage lays on the fracture.Yours, &c.,

"ONE WHO HA S TRIED."

"DEWAR" COMPETITION.

SIR,- I should to suggest thn:lUgh the medium of your J a few In connectIOn With conducting the prebmlnary the "Dewar " competition, more partlcul.arly In connection With NO.3 District.

ThiS year the examination was held at Northampton with Asslstan.t - Commissioner vVoo.lston as one of the W<?uld It be better for thiS gentleman to abstain from acting as a Judge on when the competition is at N orth.amptor:, seeing that he IS so closely allied to that clty\ because It must be a difficult matter for him to act In an unpreJudlclal manner.

Further, could not the. test be carried out alternately in the and East AnglIa, because it is unfair that East AnglJans .should have to bear the heavy travelling and hotel Incurred year after and in many instances loss ?f time. -r:here are equal facilities for conducting the contest In the dlstnct named as at orthampton.

Some of the of the Horthampton Division acted as on AprIl 9th. I do not wish to impute that any :nfnngement took place on their part but it would certainly be better if a disinterested party in this capacity, and thereby get unbiassed results. - Yours, &c., " JU STITIA."

A COMPETITION STRETCHER TEST.

DEAR reply to your very kind recognition of my query regardlllg the above. "A man found on a railway with v.ertlCal wound of stomach, organs protuding and fracture of nght should read, "Vertical wound of abdomen bowels protudlng and fracture right femur." '

Card stating of fracture so we treated sim Ie fracture and carried out the Ilth Editfon Text Book for the vertical' wound of the abdomen I t when Illtestmes or other organs protude whethe;

oJ. the knees and raise the IS we I, with thiS exception, raising the sound limb only, and car ned the patient in that position, on the march.

AID.- April, 19 roo

sir, if you will kindly bear with me a little further, I will give you I?Y of dispute.

r that after the elevation process had been done ( I It that that action the bowels recede in their place agam), the patient should have been laid perfectly flat to allow the edges of wound to come closer together, and thereby leave gapmg wound, also it would be better to the and would allow us to put up the' fracture In the regulatIOn way.

My that we ?id perfectly right in treatIng and carrymg the patient round m. the elevated position, I canl!0t see why we should carry a patient on the march with a gapmg. and. also I fail to see how he secures the outer regulation. splmt, Without bandage round the chest.

I have the a little more clearly, and rOU! pardon. If I am trespassing on your patience, mam pomt IS eleva/zon or perfectly flat - which is it? Am I nght or ? Remaining again, with sincere thanks to you and the medical gentleman, "YOURS IN ANTICIPATION OF A FINAL DECISION."

[1 am not at all certain the bowels would go back into the by merely bendlllg up the legs, if they do, the are altered. The abdominal wound, being more senous fracture, be treated first, and in the method given my. prevIous answer. Your correspondent seems to me qUite nght both in his practice and theory.HEATON C. HOWARD.]

GRATIFYING ENQUIRY.

SIR,-The letter under the above headi ng in your March was answering, and I am wondermg very muc.h If IS now a "gratified enquirer."

I am t;1lllg t? a man with a fracture of the tibia and fibula. contnvmg to reach a chair" after the injury had been sustal?ed. Even he had reached the chair, I am how long It would be before he fell out of it in a dead famt.

The first aid treatment is said to be "somewhat as follows" ;.-

"

(a) Be calm and (with discretion ) act promptly but with gentleness."

What is to be done?

"(b) Guard against movement; immediately cautioning patient."

I"can im.agin.e the patient doing anything but "sit tight. Telhng a patient m such a plight" not to move" is not " tackful."

"(c ) Support with the greatest care."

How? By the ? How can you draw down the foot With the patient slttmg in a chair?

And (d), (e), (f ), (g ), (h), (£) can all be criticised in the same way.

Now what is to be ?one? You are single-handed. Tie legs, kn.ees together; tip the chair backward until the patient IS honzontal, then supporting both limbs with one. hand remove the chair with the other. Lay the limbs straight on ground, undo your bandages, and put up the fractured leg In the way. Do it all carefully, promptly gently, treat the patient for shock. '

ThiS IS the sort of answer that would" gratify" me would " t'f" " gra I y my cOI?monsense," and I fancy would" gratify" the unfortunate patient.

Byt what would gratify me more than all would be the omzsszon oj such a questt'on I is most unNl,ely that anyone w?uld gd to a chair With a broken leg. I have seen a man .wlth a broken fibula attempt to walk two miles, but he only did about a hundred yards in four hours such "tests" be discarded. I confess th'ey test ingenUity, but they do not appeal to me as testing" first aid."-

Yours truly, RICHARD SEDGWICK.

..,. * 0 .", wmg to pressure <;>n our space, we are compell ed to hold over several letters until our next issue.

WHEN OORREJRPONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION "F'IRST AID."

The Inclependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Joumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, corresponden ts in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invi ted for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Jau mal.

We particularly desire to ask our corresp ondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photograph s or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

when, after the Order had been granted its Royal Charter, he accepted the position of Grand Prior, it was at once recognised that he had no intention of posing as a mere figure-head. One of his early actions was to attend at St. Tohn's Gate, and unv e il the memorial to his beloved son, the late Duke of Clarence, the first Sub-Prior of the Order. Once in each year, too, at Marlborough Housp., he presented the Life Saving awards granted by the Order for the saving of life on land. A gracious acb which the recipients justly felt gave an enhanced value to the decorations they received. On the death of Queen Victoria, his Majesty became the Sovereign Head and Patron of the Order, being succeeded in the office of Grand Prior by George, Prince of Wales, who now succeeds his illustrous father as Monarch of the greatest empire the world has ever known.

Edward the

SELDOM, if ever before, as the heart of the nation been so profoundly stirred as it was on the murning of the 7th of May, Peacemaker. at receiving the dread intelligence, that the most popular, the best beloved Monarch in the world had been struck down by the hand of death, and that Great Britain was now bereft of the King who, since his accession to the throne a little more than nine years back, had by his able statesmanship placed his country on a higher plane than it had ever occupied before, not by means of conquest, but by the means of peaceful missions and the interchange of international courtesies.

By the whole world King Edward was recognised as an advocate of peace, and the whole world to-day joins hands with the British Empire, and with head mourns the loss of the Monarch who had used his kingly influence to promote the golden principles, which were proclaimed at the nativity nearly twenty centuries ago.

As is well known to our readers, the interest taken by King Edward in the Order. of St. John and its several departments was very great, from the time,

On relinquishing the office of Grand Prior his late Majesty still continued to take an interest in the work of the Order, and a practical proof of his appreciation of the loyalty, and self-sacrifice, which had been shown by the St. John Ambulance Brigade, in volunteering in such large numbers for hospital duty in South Africa during the Boer War, was evinced when he intimated his intention to present to a representative detachment, the medals which had been awarded by the Order, with his Majesty's sanction, in recognition of the service rendered. Futhermore, both King Edward and his beloved Consort have at all times shown, a warm interest in the pu blic am bulance duty undertaken by the Brigade, and on more than one occasion they have visited and inspected the Ambulance Stations formed at the annual Shows of the Royal Agricultural Society, and other places, and have expressed satisfaction at the completeness of the arrangements.

Writing this brief memoir, it seems, even now, almost impossible to realise that King Edward no longer lives, the tragedy was all so sudden-so cruelly sudden-that for the present it hardly seems credible that his all too brief reign has ended. To his successor he has left a splendid heritage, and one is led to hope that the son, who was so fully conversant with the high ideals entertained by his Royal Father, will by God's assistance strive to maintain, and still further strengthen those bonds of international friend-

ship, which are so necessary to the continuance of universal peace.

The Archbishop, In the course of a sermon he preached on the Sunday following the late King's death, said ;-" Those who listened yesterday to the quiet words of the brave, resolute, straightforward man, of high purpose, and of simple disciplined life, who is called in the prime of his manhood to take up duties so overwhelming in their greatness, have cause, surely, for thankfulness and of h0pe. Thousands have already read them. They will, to-morrow, be in the hands of all." After quoting King George's words, "To endeavour to follow in my father's footsteps, and at the same time to uphold the Constitutional Government of these Realms, will be the earnest object of my life." His Grace went on to say ;-" There is no man or woman within these walls but will pray God to help our King to make those humble, hopeful, high resolves come true." The sentiment so sympathetically expressed by the Primate will, we are sure, find a responsive echo in the hearts of all his Majesty's subjects.

King Edward by his life and actions has added an imperishable lustre to the name of Edward. May we hope, that his son and will add an equal lustre to the name of George, by striving to promote the principles of Internation a l Peace, which, for the past nIne years, had been the ai m of his late beloved father.

Notes on First Aid Simplified.

By SYDNEY H. LAMB, Sergeal1t St. Jolzn Ambulance Brigade; Member oj tlze Royal _l'laval Auxihary Sick Ber/lt Reserve.

(Continued from page I5]).

SPR <\I S STRAIN S, AND DI S LOCATIONS.

SPRAIN is the overstretching and tearing of the ligaments round a joint, caused by a sudden jerk or twist.

SJI71Zptollls -S evere pain at seat of injury, inability to use joi nt, swelling, discolouration.

TREAD-1ENT.

Apply padded splint--cold or hot water dressing, and rest until arrival of medical aid.

If upper extrerr.ities place forearm in large arm sling

If lower extrem ities slig-htly elevate the limb.

STRAIN is the overstretching of the tendons or muscles caused by the over-exertion in lifting weights, etc., etc.

TR EATMENT

Apply firm bandage-hot or cold dressings-rest.

DI SLOCATION is the displacement of one or more bones forming a joint.

Causes.- Violence-direct or indirect; muscular action.

Symptoms. - Unnatural position of limb, pain, deformity fixity of joint, swelling, no crepitus-numbness

TR EATMENT

Support the injured side and prevent further movement. Apply hot or cold water dress ngs, and await medical aid.

AID.- May, 1910.

Do NOT ATTEMPT TO REDlJCE A DISLOCATION.

If unable to determine whether the injury is sprain, stram, or dislocation, treat as a fracture.

No/e. - In dislocatzon, fiXIty of JOInt and. absence of crepitus. In fracture, unnatural mobility and crepitus.

H Ml\IO RRH AGE or bleedit1g, is an escape of blood from the heart or bloodvessels.

C AUSES

I. Injury, e.g., a person cutting himself knife.

2. Disease, e.g., bursting of a varicose veIn. KINDS.

I. Capillary, indicated by blood, which is g enerally a brick red colour, oozing from the whole surface of the wound.

2. Venous, indicated by blood, which is. of dark purple colour, flowing in a continuous stream, and IssuIng from the wound on the sidejurtltest from the heart.

3. Arterial, indicated by blood,. whIch a bng.ht colour, flowing in a pulsatile stream, (I.e., spurting ), and IssUlllg from the side of the wound nearest to the heart.

TR EATl\fENT.

I. Cajnlla1,),. Cleanse well the wound and then dress with a clean piece of lint.

2. Venous. Place a clean pad directly on the wound and secure with bandage, and, if insufficient, tie above an? below the injury; raise the limb above the level of the heart If bleeding is of a severe character.

3. Arterial. Place a pa? dIrectly on the wound a nd secure with bandage. If bleedlllg IS exceSSIve, apply pressure by means of a tourniquet on artery on the side nearest the heart, and the limb.

NOTE IN ARRE STING HMl\lORRHAGE.

I. -N ever give stimulants, as they increase the action of the heart.

2.-Promptness is of vital importance.

1.-In placing pads on injury, make certain they are thoroughly clean.

4.- Treat for shock.

INT ERNAL H Ml\ IORRHA GE.

Patient loses strength, becomes faint and stupefied, fac e and lips pallor, the breathing is hurried and heavy? WIth tendency to yawn. Pulse cannot be felt at radIal or ulnar artery. Restlessness of patient, eventually leadin g to unconsciousness.

TR EATMENT

Place the patient in a recumbent pOSitIOn. Usual treatment for insensibility. If position of bleeding is known, place ice -bag over the region.

Elevate the feet, and firmly banda g e the whole of the body from toes to fingers. Send for medical man. Keep patient perfectly quiet. Give ice to suck if not unconscious. Apply hot water bottles (care fully wrapped up ) to feet.

VARICOSE VEIN.

A distended vein, caused by ex cessive standing, which weakens the valves of the vein.

TR EATMENT.

Elevate the limb, e xpos e the wound, apply clean pad and bandage firmly on the injury. If insufficient, apply a s tricture on the limb furthest away from the heart, also one above the injury. Treat for shock.

WO UNDS BURNS SCALDS.

WOUNDS may involve injuries where the sk.in cut or broke.n, or bruises where through a blow the caplllanes under the skill are torn, thereby causing discolouration.

KINDS.

J. Incised. - Where there is a clean cut caused by a knife or sharp instrument.

2. Lacerated.- Where the parts are torn and have a ragged appearance, caused through injury by machinery or the bites of animals.

3. Contused. - Where the skin is broken and the ing parts are bruised, caused by a. severe blow.

-FIRST

4·. PttlZ.ctured.-Where the wound is small and the edges are drIven Illwards, caused by a bayonet thrust or stab with a pointed instrument, such as a knife or dagger.

5· GU1Z-shot.-Caused by loaded fire-arms.

6. Poisoned.-A wound into which some poison has got. Example; Snake bite, or mad dog (rabies )

GENERAL TRATEMENT.

r. Arrest any h a'! morrhage.

2. Cleanse well.

3. Apply clean dressings.

4. Treat for shock.

5· In case of I?o is oned a ligature must be tied very firmly round the 11mb on SIde of wound nearest the heart, in order to prevent the poison reaching the heart.

Note.- Wounds may he transverse or vertical and care must be taken when supporting the parts injured, the edges of the wound are not gaping; e.g., wound on extreme side of elbow would re-open if the arm were supported in an armsling.

BURNS.

Caused by dry heat, such as flames or red hot Irons, etc., etc.

TREATMENT

Exclude the air by applying dressings of cotton-wool saturated in salad or olive oil, or carron oil (equa proportions of linseed oil and lime-water )

lVote. -. Cut the away round the burn. Never pull off any of.the clothlllg that have adhered to the injury, but mOisten With od.

SCALDS.

Caused by moist heat, such as boiling water, etc., etc.

Treat as for burns.

TREATMENT.

Note.-In cases of severe burns and scalds, shock mvanably follows, and must be carefully treated. (To be continued).

The '" Inter=RaiIway" and "Dewar" Shield Competitions.

THE verdict of the railway test is by the time this is in print so widely known that it is hardly necessary to recall It, yet if the event is traced step by step and it should not prove of interest it will serve as a record of the successful work accomplished in the competition. The preliminary heat of the competition for the handsome shield and pri ze s presented by the Order of 8t. John, was held at St. John's Gate on April 23rd, when twenty -five teams competed for the right to take part in the final.

After a thorough and keenly contested competItion the following eight teams were adjudged as having qualified to take part in the final ;-

I. The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway

The Alexandra Dock and Rail way

3. Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway

4. Hull and Barnsley Railway

5· South Eastern and Chatham Railway

6. North Staffordshire Railway

7.

The other competing teams were placed in the ing order ;-

AID.-

Much surprise was felt that such stalwarts as the Great and Londo,": a.nd North Western Railways had failed to qualify prelIminary honours, more particularly the team representing the last named railway, which gained such a decisive victory in 19 0 9.

The final heats for the "Railway" and "Dewar" Shields took place at the Portman Rooms on May 6th. Each and every year th ese contests become keener, and we can realise the difficulties the judges have to encounter before givil1g their final decision. The enthusiasm which is displayed is ample proof of the interest taken in the competitions, and we noticed many men studiously making notes of the tactics adopted by the rival teams, and in futur.e years these men may captain teams which will prove formidable opponents to those which were in the arena on May 6th.

Each team had to submit to the individual test and the com bined stretcher test, and generally speaking the standard of efficiency was well maintained, and evidently the teams had studied those details which showed they were thorough and practical in their methods of treatment, and we were glad to see what is known as "playing to the gallery" in order to impress the judges was not such a noticeable feature.

The judges in the Railway competition were; Major C. R. Laurie, M.R.C.S. (Red ruth) and S. Glanville Morris. M.D. (Mardy), and the final results were given as follows ;-

1. Alexandra (N & S.W. ) Docks and Railway

Grea t Western Railway

Furness Railway

and Great Northern Joint Railway South Eastern and Chatham Railway

It is interesting to note that tbis is the second occasion the Alexandra Dock team has secured the shield, and the fifth occasion they have contested in the final, and we are informed that each member of the team had a hand in the splendid work of rescue in the terr ible trench disaster which occurred last summer. Their knowledge of the theory goes hand in hand with actual practice, for during the last year their class treated som e 300 cases, and we understand that about 70 per cent. of these were treated by one or other mem ber of the team. The members are G. H. Osborne (captain), D. McCarthy, A. J. Green, D. Phillips, R. Minns. Reserve- J. Aldridge.

The judges in the Brigade Competition were Lieut.Colonel ]. D. Lloyd, District Chief Surgeon NO.7 District; Capt. E. B. Pooley, District Chief Surgeon NO.4 District; Dr. C. J. R. MacFadden, Hon. Surgeon Hampstead Division, No. District. The preliminary heats had been held in all the seven districts 1 blJt regret that the space

-FIRST

at our disposal will not permit us to record these. In the final contest all the teams did good work. It is satisfactory to think how keen was the competition for the "blue ribbon" of the Brigade. The results were declared as follows ;-

I. Sittingbourne, NO.2 District

2. Kendal, NO.4 District

3. Mardy Division, Rondda Fach Corps, NO·7 District

4. The Ackton Hall Colliery Co Division, NO·5 District

5. Headquarters Division, Northampton Corps, NO.3 Distri c t

6. Hylton Colliery Division, No.6 District

7. South I\Tetropolitan Gas Co. Division, NO.1 District Maximum marks, 350.

Marks. 25 0 !

23 212

Page. 20 Written (r) message to doctor (I) stating nature of injUlY ( I ), place of accident ( 1), patient's house ( I ) and route to be followed

135 Sending to ambulance station for hot-water bottles (2) , asking for covers ( 1) asking for smp.lling salts (2), applying hot-water bottles - protected (4), sprinkling cold water on face (2), using smellin .!?' salts ( r ), avoiding other stimulants for fear of internal h cemorrhage (2)

It is worthy of note that the members of the Sittingbourne Team all belong to the S.E. & C. Railway Centre, and they were the winner of the" Symons Eccles" Challenge cup last year.

Subsequently in the absence of Princess Christian the prizes were presented by Lady Esher and among those on the platform were Viscount Knutsford, Sir J. Furley, Colonel A. C. Yates, Drs. L. M. Frank Christian, Muir, S. Glanville Morris. and C. J. R. MacFadden. During the course of the proceedings, Mr. W. R. Edwards, who has been Secretary of the Railway Competition since its inception, was made the receipent of a handsome ti mepiece by the Committee of the Competition as a mark of appreciation of his services during that period. Mr. Edwards, in thanking them for their kindness, dealt with the history of the contest, said that last year was the turning point of the competitions as the tests now set were to encourage the competitors to deal with the cases as they would under actual conditions.

Sir Richard Temple proposed a vote of thanks to the judges.

The following are the railway questionsS TRETCHER WORK.

Ca1'd I, to be handed to NO.4.

You are in a goods yard With Nos. r, 2 and 3. You see a man kicked by a horse in the region of the abdomen and fall down.

Page.

Marks. Approach 3

L abel Pat!ent is conscious He has drawn up his lower limbs and put his hanels over the seat of injury. His home is half-a-mde away at the far end of the town. A doctor resides near the patient 's home. A fully equipped ambulance statiun is the scene accident. The Judge will answer proper questions put to him or to the patient.

134, 95 For shock and internalllcemorrhage

17, IIj For iniury to stomach...

17 For injury to lungs

17 For injury to head '"

I? For wound of wall of abdomen

17 For fracture of ribs or breastbone

17 No for fracture of pelvis and of

pnnclpal benes of limbs, as patient is able to move all limbs

Card 2 to handed to N? 4 when examination finished. You ha v e discovered nothing to indicate clearly any injury except severe shock.

135 Loosening clothir:g

135 Covering patient

135 Encouraging patient '"

135 Supporting lower limb s with due regard to patient's comfort

127 Indu cing circulation

5. Breathing and circulation are restored. patient straight home where doctor will relieve you further responsibility and instruct you as to unloading. Proceeding to patient's home and unloading Extra marks for discretion, changing bearers, general smartness, etc.

INJURIES AND VIVA VOCE.

No. I. If, in the case of accident, you wanted to find out whether there was a fracture of the cranium and were the fracture was, how wou ld you propose to do it?

General

17 Own observation of accident

17 If accident not seen ( I ) tactful questioning of patient ( I ), if conscious ( I ), for history ( I ), and symptoms ( I ) ... ...

17 Tactful questioning of bystanders for history

36 Marks on clothing or skin

T7 Noting surroundings to see anything that might have caused the fracture

35 Pain, if patient conscious 2

35 Insensib ility gradual or sudden 2

T3 2 Possible signs of compression, flushed face ( 1) stertorous breathing ( I ), one side limp ( I ), unequal pupils ( I ) usually raised temperature ( I ), signs of concussion may precede ( r ) 6

Fracture of Upile? part.

43 Cause. Direct violence ( I ) such as a blow on the head ( r) 2

44 Signs. Swelling ( I ) irregularity ( I ) perhaps wound on scalp (I)... 3

Fracture of base

44 Causes. Indirec violence ( I), such as fall on head (I), feet ( I ), or lower part of spi ne ( r), blow on jaw ( I )

44 Signs. Blood or clear fluid from ear channe l (I), blood frorrJ nose or mouth ( I ), bloodshot eye (I) 3

Extra marks 3

No: 2. A man, walking bare-footed, is bitten on the foot by.a pOIsonous snake. Xou are alone, md see the accident, which occurs. close to an inhabited Adopt the proper course for thiS emergency, and explain your treatment as you proceed.

17

Treat fracture of left knee -c ap, and leave patient where he is. What you cannot do actually may

2

Ice and cold water dressing

135 Treat shock

Card 2. How would you attempt to obtam ice, would you make an ice -bag?

18

Extra marks

Nos. 4 & 5. Card. You are walking together on a mountain side, when you find a man with his right ankle sprained. Careful examination shows no other injury. To reach his home, half a mile away, you have to pass along a narrow path where two men cannot walk beside each other, and then through a village street.

N.B.- The judge will note the conversation of 4 and 5, and their instructions to others in the village street, and at patient's house.

64 Tight bandage over foot

16 Looking for water, and suggesting likely places in which to find it Judge will say where water is after asking) if necessary, where it is likely to be found.

Taking water to patient, or patient to water

Wetting bandage

Fore and aft method of carrying

Change to more suitable method of carrying when reaching street, preferably threehanded seat

19 T\lessage to home

1\ Tessage to doctor

Removal of boot and sock

Position of limb

Cold water dressings

Obtaining ice and sponge b .,g, or other means of making ice bag

65 Applying ice

18 Obtaining hot water (steps being taken to boil a kettle while cold applications are being tried)

65 Hot fomentations

Extra marks

The following are Brigade questions :INJURY AND STRETCHER WORK.

Card 1. You are travelling by rail as a stretcher detachment equipped with a stretcher, regulation havresac and waterbottle. Upon arriving at your destination and as yo u are preparing to alig ht, you hear and are .in(ormed that a boy in alighting from the tram whdst .It was still In motIOn has slipped and bas had his n/;/tt le g tWisted round the footboard of the carriage and the platfon!:. On reachmg the

patient, you find that he has been lifted clear of the train by a porter and a passenger, and has been carried into the waitingroom and placed upon the floor. You will now take over the responsibility of the case, pp. 18,41,43,77,134.

Card 2. On you observe from the boy 's appearance that he IS suffering from shock, but is conscious. You find evidence of a severe comminated fracture in the region of the probably of the upper end of the tibia, but tne fracture IS not a compound one, nor are the external wounds of a very serious nature, pp. 36,41,60-62,77,78,134-6.

(The porter and passenger are r.epresented by the Judge, to whom you may address any questIOns ), p. [8.

c;ard 3· Since your treatment commenced, the patient's conc11tlon hCls become much worse, and he is now in a state of collapse. There is extreme pallor, calel clammy skin, feeble pulse and shallow breathing, with marked restlessness. There is also considerable swelling of the right leg, especially in the region of the calf, pp. 18-20,79,90,95,96, 135,136

Card 4. There is a difficulty in obtaining the servi c es of a doctor. The hospital is a quarter-of-a-mile away.

No suitable vehicle can be obtained, p. I9.

INDIVIDUAL INJURIE S.

1. - Treat burst varicose v ein in the right leg occurring out-of-doors, pp. 94-95.

I I. - Apply digital pressure to the right subclavian artery, indoors, pp. 84-85.

II I. - Treat fracture of the right elbow with dislocation, occurring out-of-doors, p. 54.

IV. -Treat fracture of both collar-bones, occurring out-ofdoors, pp. -1-9- 51.

V.-Apply artificial respiration to person apparently drowned, and also suffering from fra c ture of the right humerus. Schafer's method, pp. 121, 122, 123. Laborde's method, pp. 126-127.

VIYA VOCE.

Describe the Cerebro-Spinal ervous System, pp. 117-118. Ans7.uer : -

The Cerebro-Spinal System is made up of the Brain, the Spinal Cord and the Nerves, and throu g h its agency sensations are received, and the will causes the action of the voluntary muscles. For example, when a part is injured a sensation of pain is conveyed to the brain by tile nerve, thus affording an indication of the seat of injury, or a warning of a possible danger of further damac;e. On attention being directed tt! the injury, an is instantly made to ease the pain, or to move the injured part from danger, p. 117·

The Brain is situated within the cranium, and is di,·ided in the middle line, so that, with the exception of some connecting bands, the right and left sides are separate, p 117·

The Spinal Cord is the long cord of nervous matter lylllg within the spinal canal. It leaves the brain through an opening in the base of the cranium, and extends to the upper lumber vertebrae, p. 11 7·

The Nerves proceed from the brain and spinal cord n pairs as pearly-white trunks, and their branches can be. traced throughout the tissues of the body. \Vhen a ner.ve worn through there is paralysis of motion and sensatIOn 10 the region in which its branches are distributed, p. 11 8

The Sympathetic System extends as a nervous. c ham ea c h side of the front of the spmal column along ItS entire length, and sends branches to all the organs of the chest and abdomen to control the involuntary muscles, and thereby regulate the vital functions. This system is not under the control of the will, and acts alike during sleep and activity, p. 118:

Describe fully Professor method of artifiCial respiration, pp. 121- 123.

I.- Waste no time in loosening or removing clothing, p. 121.

I I. - Lay the patient In a prone pOSitIOn ( I.e., back ul?wards ) with his head turned to one Sid e, so as to keep hiS nose ;nd mouth away from the ground. No pad is to be placed under the patient, nor need the tongue be drawn out, as it will fall naturally, p. 121.

II I.-Kneel at one side fa c ing the patient's head, and place the palms of your on bis lowest one at each side, the thumbs nearly tOllchmg one another In the small of

I66

the Leaning your. body forward, slowly apply firm, but not vIolent, pressure straIght downwards upon the back and part of the chest, thus driving air out and producing expIratIOn. Draw back your body somewhat more rapidly and relax t.he but do not remove your hands; this produces InSpIratIOn, p. 12 r.

IV.-Alternate these movements by a rhythmic swaying and for.wards of your body, twelve to fifteen times a mInute, perseverIng until respiration is restored or a doctor pronounces life to be extinct, p. 123.

What are the causes, signs and symptoms of shock, faintIng (syncope), collapse? pp. 134-135.

Causes.

I. - I njury in the region of the abdomen, extensive wounds and burns, fractures, lacerated. wounds, and severe crush are some of the .more causes of shock, p. 134.

II. ------:- Fnght, antIcIpatIon of Injury, and sudden bad news, or sometImes sudden removal of fear and anxiety after prolonged suspense, pr?duce shock or fainting, p. 134.

II I. - Some pOIsons cause shock, while others, such as alcohol, so depress the nervous system that collapse ensues p. 134· '

V 0: heart weakness, a close or crowded ro.on:, tIght clothIng, fatIgue or want of food may bring on fall1tIng or collapse, p. 134.

Sig ns and Symptoms.

v.- Tbe general of shock may be recognised by extreme pallor, a of cold, clammy skin, feeble pulse, and shallow breathIng, accompanied if h;::e morrha a e has b severe b d' h" h een y an s.lg mg. The term "collapse " signia very serIOUS condItIOn In which tbe life of the patient is 111 tbe greatest danger; th e temperature of the body falls below !1ormal, an? one .of treatment is to prevent it sinkIng to a pOI.n.t at whIch lIfe Impossible. An attendant danger of the condItIon of c<?llapse IS tbe liability to sudden rela se after a temporary Improvel!1ent, and the utmost care Ind watchfulness must be exercIsed to maintain the heat of t) body and to guard against failure of the heart and pp. 134- 135.

What do you mean by Asphyxia, and how may this condItIon be brought about? p. 13 8

1.-1\ is said to be asphyxiated when the blood is not wIth oxygen, and the patient becomes insensible p. I.)

II.- condition be brought about as follows:ObstructIon of the aIr passages.

(a ) By drowning.

(b) By from outside: strangulation han in smotherIng. g g,

(c) By a fore,ign body in the throat; Choking.

(d) By s.wellIng of the tissues of the throat: Inftamscald of tbe throat, poisoning by a COrrosl ve p. 138.

II L- Inhaling poisonous gases. By coal as (as used i the producer, or gas, smoke, from a coa 80r co e fire, sewer gas, lIme-kiln gas, carbonic acid gas p. 13 ' , on the chest, as when crushed b d. debrIS, or by a crowd, p. 13 8 Y san 01 V.-Nervous affections, as the result of na t' certain othe' II rco IC and I h' r pOIsons, co apse, electric shock or stroke b Ig tmng, p. 138 ,y

AID.-

May I910

a crooked stick; an umbrella is because the metal llbs would act as conductors of electrIcIty, and it is not infreque'1tly the case that the" stick" of the umbrella is a metal tube, p. T43. the sufferer away from contact. Care should be taken to aV?ld touching with naked hands the sufferer's hands, wet clothm.g, or boots If.the. soles are nailed. The armpits should be aVOIded as perspIratIon usually makes the clothing damp there, p. 143.

Apply the gen.eral for insensibility (loosen clothmg,. J?rocure free cIrculatIOn of aIr and place in a recumbent pOSItIOn ), p. I44.

Dip in cold water and attempt to arouse him by sharply fllckmg the and chest, p. 144. respiration if other methods fail to restore anImatIon. Laborde's" method has been found to be very sllccessful, p. 144.

Treat burns if there are any, p. 144.

THE RAILWAY COMPETITION, BY A JUDGE.

1.'he. AlI-England Railway Competition Final .sets a standard for so many other competitions that. It IS to .note it is now an excelIent test of efficiency In dealIng WIth cases of emergency. Thou h to the outlooker there is not so much of a demo t t· g as he ld' h' ns ra IOn wou '7'IS It IS very practical and its effect must be to make candl?ates exercise their common sense. Ambulance men are. finding more and more that there is much to learr: beSIdes what is found between the covers of the text-book. Far more depends on the captain than hitherto, and some teams. would do a great deal better if allowed a competent Judge to determine for the h IS best fitted to ,take in a situation immediatel md w. 0, corr " y, an give ec necessary with promptness and due regard. the case which the judge presents for consideratIon; It IS not always the most experienced man wh d best as ct' M f' 0 oes ap am. ost 0 the mIstakes are not the result of Ignorance but from want of care in grasping the h I

If thIS were a real injury how ought I to work. IS what No. 4 has to determine a d 't' h {' '1 , nIlS t e constant lal ure to deal WIth the patient ca th I f as a patIent that uses e oss 0 many marks. Those who intend to form teams cannot do better than study a set of t' as these. ques Ions such

In this stretcher test No. 4 sees a man t' h 'd " mee WIt an aCCl ent, It IS hIS duty to run and see what h h and what assistance he can render taking Nas appened 3 with him. In some competitio'ns where I, 2, .and hh ave less experience, they rush at patient e were a football or go with such pomp d ug ffi' an ceremony as IS su clent to alarm an injured person.

May, 1910 -FIRST

message that will cause the least possible alarm, and that gives detailed instructions as to what they are to have ready.

The first test in part B is very practical and the analysis shows exactly what should pass through a first aider's mind. Every man knows it all and knows all the other tests and might have had full marks if only--. In test 2 I wonder how many had the least idea as to what strength of permanganate of potash solution is used to inject in t.he neighbourhood of the wound.

BRI GADE COMPETITION TESTS, BY A JUDGE.

I have had the privilege of seeing the papers set for these tests and have been asked to give my opinion of them. With one exception I think the whole of the tests are practical ought to be of good use to competitors, but I do not thInk that the method of working out the answers would pick out the best men, as the marking is very uneven and the strict attention is not given to minute detail that is required in these days.

Stretclzer vVork.- Three marks seem to be given for almost anything whether important or not, e.g., 3 marks for preventing people from crowding into room, and 3 marks for keeping people from the patient-if they are not in the room how can they be around the patient? Three marks each are allowed for applying smelling salts, adding sugar and treating wounds. Surely, treating wounds is of much more importance than adding sugar.

Card NO.2 says the judge may be asked questions, but no marks are given for asking any question. Card NO.3. Here it seems to me that a most important point has been omitted. After the patient's broken leg has been bandaged, &c , there is supposed to be internal hcemorrhage into the calf. The marking sheet says "Removing bandages, &c., if necessary, 3 marks." As the next point is feeling the pulse in anterior and posterior tibial arteries, apparently the bandages or some of theul must be removed for that purpose, but, of course, for further examination of the limb they all ought to be taken off. The o:nission is this - are the bandages and splints to be replaced or not? Marks should be given for one or the other.

This strp-tcher exercise evidently has not been thoroughly worked out.

Viv a voce .-The first question is "Describe the cerebro -spinal nervous system." On the marking sheet marks are given for describing the sympathetic system as well, which is not part of the question.

AID.-

. I think it is pity that in tb,is competition, the highest a brigade can go In for, the markIng should be so inefficient and sho,:ld be failing on those points necessary to find team whIch can do the best practical work.

M. R.- The sixth annual display and concert in connection with the West Hampstead Corps took place in St. C.uthbert's Hall, Fordwych-road, Brondlesbury, on Monday, April 18th. The president, W. B. Kingham, Esq., took the chair and was supported by H. S. Salter, Esq., vice-president.

The programme, which was presented to a full hall, was a most attractive one. During the evening the secretary, Mr. T. W. Harris presented his report dealing with the work of the corps during the last twelve months. In competitions they had been very successful, winning the " Kingham" Cup in June 1909, the" William Heywood" Shield in July, 1909, and the "Preston" Cup in February, I 9 o.

Accidents dealt with by members had been few, but first aid had been rendered during the year by A. L. George to a man with crushed foot ; Messrs. E. Newton and T. W. Harris, in a case of strained back, and R. C. Cayford contused wound of fingers. There 'were also several minor cases which it was unnecessary to mention.

The members of the corps gave a display of bandaging, and the prize team, Messrs. R. H. Cayford (capt.), F. T. Parsons, E. W. Newton, A. L. George and H. Hallifax, also gave an exhibition of team work and drill. The audience being asked to give a test case to the team, a gentleman asked to see a case of supposed drowning treated this was smartly attended to by the Sylvester and Howard methods.

The Chairman then made a few remarks on the importance of first aid, especially on our railways, and expressed his satisfaction with the success of the corps in the competitions.

The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman and vice-chairman for presiding.

What J?recautions would you observe in lib r from electrIc contact, and having liber t d h eatIng a man ment would you adopt? pp. 14 2 144. a e 1m what treatI I yourself from the earth by stand ing 0 " su ator or" non-conductor" that . b n an Inthe current. AmongS't hodlis, a _ .whlch resists glass, dry bricks, dry silk, dry clothes Idry or straw, p. 14 2 "ry lay

Protect your hands from cant h h medium by coverin them ac. WIt .t e sufferer or the is probably th/best an Altho';1gh 111 runn111g for indiar bb a or, 0 not waste time ingj an indiarubber but use dry art icles of clothwould serve to protect thePhoucd or. cap, or folded newspaper, f an s In an emergenc If means 0 Insulating the hands are at h d y. no

Here there are two circumstances to b . first 'bl' ear m mind ,.a .pOSSI e Injury from the kick, and seco d SIble InJyry the fall. An examination' is ton be a ducted In whIch a careful study is made of the t " state t d f h' pa lent Sown men s an 0 IS general condition but th' take too long shock he is almost to ?f the abdomen is not unlikely there may b '. woun f f" e an Internal Injury, a racture 0 the nbs or sternum and I tl at the <;>f head or some other wound fall. .It IS eVIdent that shock must be treated with pOSSIble delay, and the sooner he can be got ho h b st are ignorant as to what passed bet me eh etter. and the judges, my own couragmg words" are often such as not t . enand the fearful possibilities any by the different bearers are sufficient t e 1m thmk hImself killed many times over. 0 rna e The messenger to the doctor nlust h made to drag the sufferer away by m an lattempt may be eans 0 a oop of dry rope same or other messenger to the home urry, and the must convey a

In the third question as to what are the causes, signs and symptoms of shock, fainting, collapse, 16 marks are given to the causes and 4 to the signs and symptoms; it is not even marking.

In the 4th question about asphyxia, the answer is divided into 5 parts, and 4 marks given to each, quite irrespective of separate value of each.

In all of these questions it would be difficult for a judge to follow a candidate speaking quickly, and to mark down his answers correctly, owing to the insufficient detail of the marking.

Individual TFork. - Test No. 5 is "apply artificial respiration to person apparently drowned, and also suffering from fracture of right humerus." The particular kind of fracture is not mentioned, or is any question referring to it allowed for in the marking. Out of 20 marks, 14 are given to the method of artificial respiration and after treatment, 5 for extra marks, and one to the fracture. Comment on that particular test is not required.

In these tests of individual work two are allowed 8 marks out of 20 for general smartness, two 5, and one 6 marks.

FLEETWOOD.-In connection with the Fleetwood Industrial Co-Operative Society the seventh annual competition for a handsome silver challenge cup was held in the Co-Operative Hall, on April 30th. The competition was open to teams located within the County of Lancashi:e. Nine teams entered and the challenge cup and first pn ze was awarded to Horwick, L. & Y. Railway Fire Brigade with a total of 285 points. Horwick (S.J.A.B.) team was second with 284 points, Earlestown L. & N.-W.R. was fourth with 273 points. Prizes were awarded to the members of all of these teams. At the close of the contest the prizes were presented by Mr. Thomas Marginson. A large number of people visited the Hall during the time the contest was in and showed a keen interest in the work of the respect 1ve teams. The judges were F. Schofield Rhodes, Esq., M.R.C.S., and G. S. McKennon, Esq., M.B.

, Brevities.

IN the course of an interesting paper on "The Possibilities of Rescue Work in connection with Mine Explosions and Fires," Dr. J. S. Haldane, says :-It is the duty of every manager to consider carefully how his mine may be made as safe as possible from the risk of explosion or fire j and this is a far more important matter than the consideration of rescue work. But prevention and cure are in reality as intimately connected in the work of a mining engineer as in that of a doctor and a manager ought to consider and discuss with his staff what might happen, and what action would be required, in the event of explosion or fire at any possible part of his mine; also how the required action could be carried into effect. In such emergencies everyw thing may depend on clear thinking, proper provision and competent direction. With a view to competent direction in dangerous emergencies the manager's proper place is not in the fighting-line, heading rescue parties or exposing himself to disablement, but taking the general direction of all thllt is done. Failure or disaster has often resulted from the manager being disabled or somewhere out of reach in the mine.

SIR WILLIAlII COLLINS asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he was prepared to sanction the co-operation of the police in the manner recommended by the Departmental Committee of 1906-9 in the event of the London County Council establishing a rapid ambulance service, summonable by telephone, in accordance with their powers under the Metropolitan Ambulances Act of 19°9. Mr. Churchill answered that he had not any information as to the intentions of the London County Council in this matter, but he need not say he should be happy to give his best consideration to any proposal that might be put before him, with every desire to sanction, as far as may be practicable, the co-operation of the police. In answer to a further question put by Mr. Hay Morgan as to the use of hand-stretchers for conveying injured persons to hospitals, Mr. Churchill said that handstretchers had not been used for this purpose by the M etropolitan Police for many years, but wheeled litters of an improved pattern were so used. The London County Council last year obtained Parliamentary powers for the provision of motor ambulances, and he understood this question was now engaging the attention of the Council.

CATHEDRAL cities are usually regarded by most people as very sleepy and prosy towns, where the inhabitants-live out a sort of "hum-drum" existence. How co ntrary this is to fact is well known to those individuals who have an intimate knowledge of life in our cathedral cities. For hospitality they can invariably give points to many other more flourishing townships. This was amply evidenced the other day on the occasion of the holding of the annual

AID.- May, 1910.

competitions in connection with No. 7 District, in the fine old City of Hereford. Directly it was known it was the intention of the district staff to hold the contests in the City, the good folk of Hereford, under the leadership of its popular Mayor, arranged to give the units of the Brigade a fitting reception. The Guildhall was placed at their disposal, and funds were collected for a luncheon, and His Worship personally provided tea for the City's guests in No 2 Committee Room. Bravo, Hereford! How different the chilling welcome usualiy accorded to the Brigade by Civic Fathers and citizens alike in other parts of the country.

Coming Events.

Particulars offortltcoming events will be inserted in this colu1/tu free oj chal'ge, if received not later thall tlte I4th of eaclt month

Brzglwuse.-Brighouse Friendly Societies and Trades' Demonstration, Saturday, June 25th. Entry forms, &c., apply B. Bottomley, 5, Vale-street, Brighouse.

Brussels.- The International Fire Service and Fire Prevention Congress, to be organised at Brussels from July 27th to August 1st., by the Royal Federation of Belgium Fire Brigades. The official representative of the Belgium Federation in this country is Mr. C. Kusel, 36, Newton-road, Westbourne-grove, London, W., and all fire brigade officers who desire to take part in this Congress should apply to him for particulars.

Clecklteaton.- The am bulan ce competition for the " Cleckheaton " Challenge Shield and prizes will be held on July 30th. For full particulars apply A. Rickinson, Whitechapel-road, Cleckheaton.

Grange Moo1'.-Ambulance competition, sports, etc., will be held on June 18th. Particulars and entry forms can be obtained from T. Westerby, Grange Moor, near Wakefield.

Hemswort/t.- The ambulance competitions organised by the Hospital Committee will be held on June 18th. For entry forms and particulars apply to the secretary, J. D. Jefferson, I I, Centre-street, Hemsworth, near Wakefield.

Keigltley.- The annual ambulance and nursing competitions will be held on June 18th at Victoria Park, Keighley. For particulars apply, ambulance competition, A. Redman, 40 Exley-head, Keighley; nursing competition, F. Heaton, 54, Redcliffe-street, Keighley.

Leicester.- The Tenth Annual Tournament of the Leicester Private Fire Brigades' Association will be held on June 18th. Hon. Sec., Capt. J. Yates, Hasledean, Dulvertonroad, Leicester.

Leyto1Z.- The Ley ton and Ley tons tone Fire Brigade Annual Competition will be held on August 1St. Particulars of Capt. H. Miller, Kensall Lodge, Church-road, Ley ton, Essex.

London.-The competition for the "William Heywood" Challenge Shield and "Grant" Medal will be held on June 25 th The prelim inary competi tions will be held on June 1 I th, but for the conve nience of teams which desire it, special arrangements have been made for the contest to be worked off entil:ely on one day. Full particulars from W. Heywood, 81, DaVies-street, London, W.

.Manelzester.-The first Nursing Competition for the " C. J. Trim ble" Challenge Shield, and "Howard" Rosebowl opened to Nursing Divisions in the NO.4 District will be held on June !th. Entries close on May 22nd. Full particulars can be obtained from Mrs. A. Howard, 24, Grafton-street, Preston.

May,

I9 10 -FIRST

i j,fa nsfield.- The competition for "Cowling" lenge Cup, which is confin ed to teams 10 the No. 5 will be held at Mansfield on June 18th. The:e wdl also be a gala and a programme of, attractions Full particulars from F. W. Comne, 21, Burn s-street, Mansfield, Notts.

Margate.-Owing to the death of His Most. Majesty King Ed ward VIr., Patron of the NatIOnal FIre Brigades' Union, the Annual Tournament of the SouthEastern District, which was to have been held at on Whit-Monday, May 16th, was postponed. Due notice Will be giv en when the Tournament is to take place.

Nottingha1lZ.-The Association of !Zailway Corps will hold an Ambulance CompetItIOn, Boys Bngade and Boys' Scout Competition, and a Brass Contest at Nottingham on July 16th. For full partIculars al?ply T. R. Scott, 38, Lichfield-road, Sneinton Boulevard, N ottmgham.

So Itthend.- The annual camp and competitions of the N.F.B.U. will be held from July 3rd to 9th Full partIculars from A. Hill, Union Bank Chambers, Bedford.

Reviews.

FIRST AID TO THE SICK.

AID.-

that as a result of a careful perusal of this little manual, the enthu siastic ambulance student will aim at a more intelligent grasp of the practical side of the work, as distinct from the mechanical methods so constantly seen both at examinations and competitions.

WE have received from the Railway Publishing Co., Ltd., London, a copy of the" Railway Year Book, 1910." This is an annual book of reference which will be found of considerable utility to all of those who are interested in railway work, in fact it is well worthy of its sub·title, "The Whitaker of the Railway Service."

The historical sketches of the various railways of Great Britain and I reI and are a special feature of the work , and contain not only the principal events in railway history, but also statistics of capital, receipts, expenditure, dividends, rolling stock, mileage and train mileage. are showing the number of fatal aCCIdents and InJunes accrulOg amongst passengers and to men employed, and a list of notable railway accidents.

The price is 2S. IOd. post free.

Presentation to Colonel Trimble.

By D.

Hastings Young, M.B., M.S. Edin., etc. London: George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 68-78, Carter Lane. Price 3s 6d net.

THE object of this work is to give. sufficient information concerning the more common forms to e?abl.e the average individual, ?ot only to remedies 10 the earliest stages of ordmary cases of before of the doctor, but also to co-operate mtelligently With hIm 10 the treatment of the case.

Made up of the part of ongmally dehvered as lectures the work constitutes a capItal refe.rence of the everyday .which likely to be met m a household. It is written in plam and SImple language, and s.hould .rorm an excellent companion work to all manuals on FZ1'St Azd to tlte Injured.

AIDS TO MEMORY FOR "FIRST AID" STUDE TS.

By L. M. Frank Christian, M.B., C.M., Edin. Stockport: Connell & Bailey, Ltd., " Express" Office, St. Peter's-square. Price 6d.

OUR readers will remember that it was .our.privilege to review the first edition of this Ii ttle manual whIch .IS. the work of our esteemed contributor, Dr. L. M. Frank Chnstlan. We said then that we were certain it. would to "first aiders" in all walks of life, and that It has done so IS shown.by the fact that the author has been compelled to prepare a thIrd edition. h b '1 d

Like those which have preceded It, It as compl e with the greatest care, and it will appeal to the ambulance man or woman-we refer those who go m for an exami nation , or competition, resolvlOg to take the same care in the treatment of the mJury. as they would do in a similar case m actual llfe. Too much time and thOllght is often laVIshed. upon the set of the bandages, or considering whether the sphnts are of .the regulation length. By the foregoing, we do n<?t mean to Imply we are satisfied with slovenly worki not, but thelf': IS d · . all th'Ings and pro\!ldmcr that you ensure that a me lum m b "fi. your treatment is that IS all that the earnest rst aider" should have In VIew.

Dr Christian lays down some very Important pOInts (or the of the ambulance student, and .we should all of our readers who do possess a copy of hiS .book to obtam one, and your "up-to-date" bulance competl t?r. would tainly be well advised to obtam a copy. We celtamly beheve

FEW men have devoted more time and thought to the promotion of the Ambulance than the P?pular Deputy-Commissioner of NO.4 DistrIct (Colonel Tnmble, C.M.G.) and that his labours had been app:eciated in the District which he so ably commands was eVidenced the other day, when the various Nursing Divisions presented him with a handsome silver challenge shield and a silver cake dish. The former was handed back to the District for annual competition amongst the nursing units in the District and will be known as the" C. J. Trimble Challenge Shield." The cake dish will be retained by Colonel Trimble as a practical proof of .the and regard in which he is held by the NurSlOg DlVlslOns under hiS command.

The presentation, which took on April 30th, made at a meeting held at the GUildhall, Preston. HIS Worship the Mayor presided and was supported on the platform by a large number of ambulance and nurSIng officers.

Dr. R. C. Brown, who made the presentation, referred to the splendid services rendered by Col. Trimble to the ambulance cause for the past tw e nty-five years. Especially' was this shown dllTing the Boer war, and for the services he then rendered his late Majesty the King conferred upon him the Order of St. Michael and St. George.

The gift was acknowledged by Col. Trimble in his usual happy style. After expressing his sincere appreciation of the handsome gift which the nursIng. and nursing sisters of the district had presented him With, and which had come as a complete surprise.to him, the. Color: el went on to gi ve some interesting data 111 the progress which am wo:k, more 111 connection with the bngade, contmu.ed to make 111 the district. The entire strength of the brIgade was now about r8,000, and of that number 3,238 ambulance officers and men, and I,026 nursing officers and Sisters, or rather. m?re than 25 per cent. of the whole belonged to No. 4 .dlstnct. In conclusion, he once more thanked them for then handorne gift the value of which had been enhanced by the that' he had received it at the of Dr. Brown, whom he had the pleasure of know 109 for upwards of thirty years.

The usual votes of thanks concluded meetIng, all of the speakers expressing warm appreCIatIOn of the services which Col. Trim ble had rendered to the ambulance movement.

-FIRST

AID.-

Our Portrait Gallery.

HENRY COSMO ORIIlE BONSOR, ESQ., D.L., Chairman of the Managing Committee, South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, and President of the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway Centre S.J.A A

IN this month's issue of FIRST AID appears the result of the annual competition for the National Railway Shield, and it is, therefore, in accordance with the fitness of things,

the Companies, that h e has held both posItions in a way, which has earned distinction for himself, and been of the greatest possible benefit to both Companies ever since. Although the subject of our sketch must find his time fairly well occupied with th e joint concern over which he so ably presides, he yet finds other outlets for his keen business aptitude, in proof of which we may mention that he has been a Director of the Bank of England since 1885 and he is also one of H.M.'s Lieutenants for the City of London. Nor are the claims of charity overlooked, for Mr. Bonsor is the treasurer ot Guy's Hospital, that admirable Instituti on which stands adjacent to London Bridge and proves so grea t a boon to the busy workers in the Borough and surrounding districts.

As President of the Ambu lance Centre of the Railway, Mr. Bonsor is no mere figurehead, but he takes a very real and active interest in its successful working ; his great anxiety being that the ambulance movement-of th e value of which he is so fully convinced-sha ll attain to the highest degre e of proficiency among the employes of the Railway with which his name is associated, indeed this is distinctly characteristic of the desire which actuates him in all th at appertains to the successful working of the S.E. & c.R.

In private life Mr. Cosmo Bonsor is the true type of an English gentleman, kind and courteous to all with whom h e may come in cont3.ct. But whether in private or in public life, he is the class of man to inspire, not only the friendship of those in his own sphere of life, but the affectionate regard of those in humbler stations, who recognise and appreciate all he has done, and aspires to do, to enable the employes of his company to improve and advance their prospects. May he continue for many years to cont rol the destines of this Southern line, and under his guiding hand may its future be a prosperous and successful one.

SOUTHPORT.-The annua l Nursing Competition in connection with No. 4 District was held here recently. Eleven squads, all from Lancashire, had entered, and the judging had been kindly undertaken by Drs. Bensall, Holt and Reid. The competition which was very keen throughout, resulted in Preston securing premier honours with 337 points out of a possible 400; Castleton came next with 31 6, and Accrington was third with 3 I. The individual members of these teams each secured a prize.

May, 19 10

AID.-

As Hotel accommodation will be much taxed, it will be necessary for th ose who wish to join the party to intimate their desire to Mons Kusel, 36, Newton-road, Westbourne Grov.e, London, W. (w ith lOS. as deposit ), not later than June 9th, Jl1 order that rooms and accommodation may be reserved. This appli es more particularly to Officers.

Subjoined are the proposed arrangen:ents, which, however, are conti ngent on not less than twenty .out together; the return journey can, however, be made It would be necessary to take both full and undress ul11forms. - Yours faithfully.

National Fire Brigades' Union.

THE followin g mourning orders have been issued by th e

N.F.B.U.:-

"Owing to the death of our honoured and beloved King Edward V II., it is requested that all .of the National Fire Brigades' Union wear crape 3 In. Wide on the left arm, from May 6th to 6th, 19[0."

"The King's Funeral - Our PreSident, the of Marlborough, K.G., is endeavouring to arrange for a body of Firemen belonging to the Union to attend the fun e ral of our beloved Patron, his late Majesty King VII., of which, if permission be given, particulars :vd1 be sent to such Brigades as intimate that they would lIke to attend. This must be sent by return of post to me."

"Memorial Servicel.-B rigades who cannot atter:d the King'8 funeral, I would suggest should make a I?01l1t attending any Memorial Service that may be held In theIr own town and thus show their sense of the great loss we have and the respect and affection felt by the Union for one who was our Patron and a sincere lover and well-wislJer to the Fire Service of Ollr country. .Members should appear in full uniform -on ly Officers weanng gloves and a crape band on the left arm " By Order.

(Sicrned) AUGUSTUS HILL, <> Hon General Secretary. Headquarters, Bedford, May lo th , 19 10.

Entries for the Southend-on-Sea Camp close on June 4th. Officels, desiring that their BrIgades should compete, should make application for entry form at an early date.

(Signed) AUGUSTUS HILL, Hon. General Secretary. Headquarters, Bedford, May 2nd, 1919.

FIREMEN.

Rail. - London-Spa, return 3rd Class

Four days board and lodging at Spa, at 6s Expenses at Brussels

£ s. d 6 14 0 04 6 £2 10 °

To leave London, Thusday, July 28th, 9 p.m.; boat Dover to Ostend; arrive at Brussels, next mor,nmg, about 5 o'clock; will be taken charge of by Brussels Firemen and Federation the whole day; sleep at SP<l·

Return from Spa Tuesday evenin g, August 2nd; l11ght boat, Ostend to arrive in London Wednesday morning.

OFFICERS.

Rail. - London-Spa, return (Second Class ) First Class on Boat Three Days, Brussels, at 16s. Four Days, Spa, 12S.

Thi s does not include lunch on boat. No lug-gage allowed free; every person to look after his own luggage. W d d Suogested Journey. - Leave London on e nes ay, July 27fh, 9 a m.; arrive at Brussel, 4.30 p:m.

On Tuesday evening, August 2nd, either sleep at or take train to Ostend and sleep there. Those who prefer It can come back by the ni gh t boat.

Mr. C. Kusel informs us that all officers n?t honorary members of the Belgium Federation who deSlIe to take part will have to pay a fee ?f 8s., and t.hat the £6 ISS. quoted in the above Circular 1l1cludes a to the official banquet at Spa, and also that the return ticket issued from London to Spa allows the bearer to break the journey at Brussels each way.

that in our "Gallery" we should present to our r eade rs the portrait of a gentleman connected with the Railway world.

Mr. Cosmo Bonsor who was born in the year 18 4 8 was educated at Eton, and has had a wide and varied experience. Seeking Parliamentary honours he was electe d in 1885 the member for the Wimbledon Division of Surrey, and he continued to represent that constituency until 19°0.

It was in the year 1894 that he joined the Board of t? e Railway, and in the following year, upon the apP.oll1tment of the late Sir G. Russell to the position of Chairman of the Company, Mr. Bonsor was appointed Deputy-Chairman, and upon the death of Sir G. Russell. in 1898, he was unanimously chosen to succeed him as Chairman of the Company.

To Mr. Bonsor much of the credit is due for bringing abc>ut the working agreement be tw een the S.E. and L.c. & D. C?mpanies, and its com in g into force, he the Managtng Committee, in addition to re tall1ll1g the POSitIon of Chairman of t h e South-Eastern Railway, and it is admitted by those who are interested in

Where to Stay at Southend and Westcliff during the N.F.B.U. Camp Week, July 2nd to 9th.

PALACE HOTEL, SOLithend -on -Sea. Finest position facing South and Sea. 200 Room s. Replete with every modern conyenience.

T erms, 12S. 6d. per day inclusive.

Telephone: 186 Southend.

Telegrams: "Palace , Southend-on-Sea."

MASCOTTE PRIVATE HOTEL, The Cliffs, Westcliff-on-Sea.

Facing Bandstand and overlooking Sea.

Three minutes from Southend Station. Inclusive Term s from 30 5. Personal supe rvi sio n. MR and MRS. H. A. REDIIOUSE.

Telephone: 64 Southend.

Telegrams: "Mascolle, Cliffs, Southend."

We h ave received the following circular from the Hon. Secretary with reference to the Belgium Congress :DEAR Sm,-In connection with the Exhibition our comrades of the Royal Belgium FederatIOn WIll, fr?m July 28th to August 2nd next, celebrate the twenty-first anmversary of their foundation. In consequence of the dea th of the late King and of the late Burgomaster of Brussels, wIll be held at Spa 'about 82 miles from Brussels.

'Our Be lgium comrades hope to. have the of. a goodly number of British Firemen WIth and It IS that the Review on Sunday, July 31st, wIll be a grand an impressive sight, probably th<;lLlsands C?f Firemen from almost eve r country in Europe t akll1g part 111 the same. Sunday and Monday. will be the days for men, and the previous days be devoted (I f you so WIS to visi tin g the Brussels ExhIbItIOn.

Mons Kusel, the representative of the BelgIUm Federa(1on in England has made arrangements whereby both and men make the visit at very small costs. Men e looked after by the Spa Fire Brigade, and the total estimated cost per man will not exceed 50S b h Officers will have to pay for all ut t e total estimated cost to them for the whole time IS £6 15 s

We understand that already sO.me. of principal officers of the Union have slgl1lfied their ll1tentlOn of being present, and team the Salvage Corps, under Supt. Allison, Will be gOIng over With a Salvage-cart and horses.

At the annual business me eting of London Private Fire Brigades Association, held at then Headquarters. Mason Hall Tavern, a very full attendance n:ustered f?r h 1 t · of Officers and Councd. Capta1l1s HoratIO tee ec IOn h' Miller as chairman V. Rushforth, as vlce-c airman, Chandler Haswell, as' hon. secretary, and the. other were re-elected, and heartily thanked for past year s D 'ng the evening Mr. Walter Hitchcock, V.P., services. un .' fAt r Hon. Ca tain of the Geelong Fire Bngade, 0 us. ra la, p t d by the officers and members With a was presen e ." f h beautifully illuminated address 111 0 hiS services and interest in London's Firemen w 0 b 850 Mr Hitchcock sUltably acknowledged n ow num er the gift.

We are in no way responsib,e jor the opinions or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

THE TREATMENT OF BRUISES.

DEAR SIR,- Seeing that you answer queries on first aid treatment in your J oumal, perhaps you can give me the proper treatment of bruises. I seek your opinion on this subject becau s e many ambulance men say that cold water drives the blood from the wound , and others say that cold water would c ongeal the blood in the wound, and others say that warm wa ter is the treatment as it keeps the blood flowing, and thereby causlDg the brUIS€S to turn black. Should be grateful of your opinion. - Yours faithfully,

"A R AILW AY M AN. "

[In th.i s one must thorou g hly realise what a bruIse IS. It IS an lDJury of the tissues beneath the skin (the skin not being broken ) causing the small blood-vessels and capillaries to be ruptured and the blood in them to be extravasated into the surrounding tissues, and such blood cannot return into the circ ulation again ( as seems to be implied in the above query ) ThIS extravasated blood coagulates soon after it leaves t.he vessels and be comes absorbed by the lymphatIcs and probably the varIOUS cells in the tissues Cold is the best immediate treatment because it makes the ruptured vessels contract and close thus pre venting the escape of any more In add ItIon gentle massage of the part is of great use as spreads the blood over a larger surface, causIn g It to be more readily absorbed.]

TREATMENT OF FRACTURE OF BOTH BONES OF LEFT LEG.

DEAR your last issue there appears some corfracture of both bones of leg -patIent SIttlDg on a chaIr. ThIS ought not to be left in its present stage. There is ev idently much misconception existing respecting the whole subject.

Firstly, as re g ards the p osition of tlze p a tient. Se c ondly, as regards tlte t rea tment to be adopted That pers.on could a c tually sustain a fracture when in su ch a POSItIon IS possible, but very improbable. ?ossIble, however, by dIrect VIolence, e.g., a severe kick, or the Impact of a bullet, or a blow with a heavy weapon. On the other that a. person in such a position, after havm g sustaI.ned such an mJury, IS not only poss ible, but IS, m fact, m the hIghest degree probable I magI1:e a woman, alone in. a house, standing on a steplad?er, trym.g to hang up a pIcture The woman slips, and sustams a fracture of both bones of the leg. Will she remam where she time very probably she will; but later, almost certamly It w1l1 be found that she has crawled tIll she gets to a couch or easy chair, there to remain tIll help comes.

But imagine the san:e accident happening, and the patient not alone. What more lIkely than that a sympathetic and wellhe.lper WOUld. at proceed to encourage the to rIse,. and failure bemg the result, would assist the p atIent to a. chaIr or couch, blissftilly ignorant of the increased rIsk to whICh the unfortunate patient had been thereby exposed.

This course of action is by no means imaginary, but only too real. As a matter of fact, the last two cases of fracture treated by me were. those of the lower e xtremity, and in both upon my am.val, I found the patient seated in a chair (not m an easy chaIr ), placed in this position by injudicious,

AID.-

May 191 0.

but well-meaning, neighbours. One a case of impacted fracture of the neck of the femur; the other a fract u re of both bones of the leg.

Surely it is right that ambulance workers should be tested as to their mode of procedure if brought face to face with such cases. It must be remembered that ambulance men and women are not always on the spot immediately an accident oc curs' on contrary, as a rule the patient at first, dependent u'pon htlTIself, or at the mercy of untramed helpers. Such tests, therefore, as above stated, must by no means be discarded from competitions. They are tests of far too valuable a nature, alw,ays prov ided that th e surrounding s of tile cas e are made suffiCIently clear to the competitor. S uclt details are z"7Zab solutely z'mperatz"ve if really intelligent practical work IS to be forthcomIng. Unfortunately, this vital point is one mu c h too frequently overlooked. First aid workers must learn to realise that in ambulan c e work, the details of treatment depend absolutely and ent irely upon the circumstances and surroundings attending the case. In other \\lords ambulance work essentially consists in adapting one s self one s treatment to many varying conditions, the details of treatment in one case being absolutely different from those in another although the disability may be the same. '

your. Mar ch issue "C.o:d ite )) makes a very proper enquIry relat1l1g to a competItIon test - " Fracture of both bones of right leg on page 114. If reference be made to that artIcle, It wIll be seen that most important fundamental prin c iples were then under consideration. the xener a lz"sed cllar,acter of reply given, the only k1l1d of reply that could SUItably be gIven under the circumstances.

Your Richard Sed g wi ck, has gone to the trouble to detaIl treatment such as 1 e x pect he would apply were the actual t.est, as above, put before him in competition. The mode of a dVIsed by him is evidently based upon the crudely artIfi CIal chara c ter of the surroundin a s of tht patient a t th e i£me of t he c0 1lZp'e(£tion A ssumin g h the persIstance of very umza tural condItIons, and It shows resour cefulness and self-reliance. Under the ordinary c ondit ions of everyday life, however, a mode of pro c edure would be thoroughly bad, and qUIte out of the question. vVh a t tlzat course of action slwu ld actu al ly be depends, as have stated upon surrounding co ndziions; e.g., if the patient were in a ough.ly restful position, limb safely supported, absolutely 1Zothz1Z{j should be the way of treatIn g the fracture, if were any of. a doctor being on the s cene a reasonable tIme. (It IS well to in mind the posSIbIlIty of most improvising a couch p!acIng a chaIr on each SIde of the original. ) At the same tIme Important general rules should in all ca s es be well borne in mind. were in my previous reply, but.1 sl!ould here speCIally that very mu ch is ellZbodz ed Z1Z th e two w ords, " w zth dis cretio n. "

From what I stated it will, I think, be evident that ambulance competItors, faced with such bare facts as stated in the before-mentioned test, are very seriously cri ppled. They should realI ze, however, that such vagueness may be intentional on the part of judge, the object being to test the tac tfulness or of the candidates. A m bula n ce if any doubt r ega rdzng s urrounding s, sh ould prove to tlt e Judg e tlzey re cox nise its importan ce by ask inx d efin i te instructzons th er eon before co mmencz'ng to apply til e treatm ent.-

Yours truly,

L. M. FRANK CURI STIAN.

SIR,-:- The advice sou.gh.t by your correspondent on the above subject and many SImIlar questions will be welcon-ed by many" first aiders," as know it is to get cases, t.o the. mexpenenced placing 1l1Jured persons 111 such pOSItIOns 111 theIr desire to help.

. I was called to a man who, while assisting to load a plan?, slIpped on the dc;>or of a goods wagon, and the piano fell on leg and broke It 111 two places; the other man lifted Injured one, or rather dragged him, and sat him on a box 111 the wagon 1 was in a position to secure help, and did so, and the man on the floor of the wagon. But if I had been s1l1gle-handed, I should have b e en very glad to have had

May, 19 10 -FIRST

advice as to how such a case should be treated, and there are many still who arc looking for the advice, so far n ot g i ven

I take it that the e xaminer sought to know, unlike many of to-day, what" first aid" the competitor knew, and how he would apply it to a man found in this absurd position

I trust you will not discourage those seeking advice on many questions which may seem ab s urd, for I feel sure, sir, that such is looked for, stud ied and acted on, by even advan c ed "first aiders " and I feel if they continue with the splendId replies often given, that their worth will be proved to you by an increase in the sale of your valuable journal. - Yours truly,

J. J. A.

FRACTURE OF RIGHT FOREARM.

DEAR Sm, -In FIRST AID for May, 1909, I notice a question g iven as follows: -

" Patient falls heavily, breakin g both bones of right forearm You have four bandages 'in your overcoat po cket ; no wooden splints are allowed. "

Will you kindly ad vise me as to what way this case should be treated, as it does not say in the First Aid book in what way you have to bandage a case of this description ? Your answer will oblige.-Yours, &c., J. J RO BIN SON.

[Our reader is apparently under the impression that no splints of any kind may be used, but we think a little reflec tion will convince h i m that it is i ntended to imply that the competitor must m a ke u s e of extemporised material, su c h as new spapers, bottle wrappers, &c.-E D "F. A. " ]

THE ANNUAL COi\1PETITION I N No. 7 DISTRICT.

D E AR SIR,-Knowing you are always ready to assist 111 the first aid movement, ma y I soli c it a liLtle space in your valuable j o urnal with a " iew of g ettin g the other "Dewar " competitors and am 1) ulance men n the NO.7 District to c ome forth and prove themselves men with a conscience and not toys to be pl a yed with by the Commissioners of our distri c t.

Th s letter is not a personal c omplaint, neither the result of the defeat of the team in whi c h I competed, hut the result of a c onferen c e with a larg e number of the other

For the benefit of those not at Hereford on Apnl 23rd, I would like to describe what took place. Nine teams c ompeted, or sh a ll say, attended for competition? They drew lots and were shut up in a room.

The stret cher case g iven was :-" A man has fallen some distance from a flyin g mach ine, fa c e pale, bleedin g from the ears; both co llar-bones broken Render first aid and convey to safety according to R.A. M.C. Drill, 190 4."

No. I team c ame in and were judged by the Deputy-Commis"ioner. After the stret c her case th is judge took the men into another room for further tests, thus leaving a va c ancy for another judge for No.2 team, which now came in. This was judged by a district staff offi c er who, after consultatIon with two other officers , and finally the assIstance of the DeputyCommissioner, got over the difficulty. This same staff officer judged teams 3 and 4, and herein lies t.he trouble: No: 3 team is a colliery team, and I understand thIS staff officer IS, when not on bri gade duty, a colliery official at the same place. I am doubtful as to who judged NO.5 team, but teams 6 and .7 were judged by the Assitant-Commissi<:>ner, the other officer's 1I1terest having apparently ceased after hIS team compete? But 10 and behold, when the last team came 111 It was neIther of the three who had already acted as judges, but a fourth was requisitioned for the duty-another staff so you. see, for nine teams four separate judges were tnecl It fall' or reasonable to expec ambulance men to devote theIr spare time to a noble cause and then get treated like this? You should have seen the smiling when the marks were being examined by the officers referred to after each team had gone through the test. And fancy a judge asking the officer in charge of Cl; team whether he had sp.nt for a doctor. The reason you wIll see later.

The climax however was reached when the Deputy-Commissioner gave llis which, after I reveal it, you will, I think, agree with me there is no further work for ambulance men.

AI D -

The first thing he required was to send for a doctor; not, mark you, to assist in the treatment of the case in order to tell you whether the person was dead before you touched him. S o if this is the method re q u ired, all ambulan c e men in future must, when called to an a cc ident, first g et a doctor to see if the patient is dead ( naturally an ambulan c e man c ould not tell himself), if not, let the doctor treat him. If all competin g teams do this they will stand a good chan ce of comin g out first. Even if a man is in conta ct with an ele c tri c medium, or ju s t brought out of the water apparently drowned, I presume we must first get a doctor to tell us whether he is dead This new idea really makes things so easy that certificates of efficiency should n0w be distributed broadcast; no need for exams. The second point was- Plug bo tlt ears t o ar res t bleed ing , never mz'nd w lz at th e S t. j olm's or any other book tells you

Now, Mr. Editor and fellow ambulan c e men, st a nding in the r00m and listenin g to this service, were as fine a lot of ambulance men you will find in the c o untr y some of them having already won the" Dewar " shield, other s the" Inter -Railway " shield, and two or three had only the day before se c ured first place in the" Inter-Railway " preliminar y competition a t St John s Gate.

Fancy these men going to Hereford to listen to su ch rubbish. Is there any wonder the judgment was received with dissent and hissing ?

We have not finished thou gh y et. The Deputy-Commissioner stated the object of the competition wa s to sele c t the best team to represent the NO.7 Distri c t in the final for the "Dewar " shield, but unfortunately the bes t team that day to be disqualified ( we though t as bec ause the m charge worked with h is team, which IS contr a ry to He however did not mention that this was the first brI g ade hese men had seen or attended, or had no one to initiate them in brigade methods ; neIther dId he apologise for allowin g the team whose offi c er assisted them in the treatment of their patient to go to Lo?d o n y ear ; neither did he disqualify himself for not readIl1 g the tions in regard to judging d istin c tly in a cc ordan ce WIth the latest edition of the St. John s h a ndbook.

However to c ut a lon g sto r y shor t, o. 3 team b y their own Colliery M anager, was awarded first place WIth 128 marks, another team being next door, so to second pl a c e with This team, penalI zed P01l1ts for one of their bearers slIppmg Il1 comll1g to the patIent, otherwise - their marking would be I28i and first place, so my conclusion is that neither the best, nor se c ond best team, goes to London, and the competition is nothing more or than an annual farce, and I sin c erely hope the teams wIlI n o t allow the next year to elapse without dem a ndll1 g a fa Ir competition. Stran g ers to judge, team s not to be known to the judges in any way, and a representatIve of ea c h team to che.ck the marking, and see that the jud g es are not Il1terfered WIth in the execut ion of their duty.

My letter is unduly long,.but it is the wish of a large bel' of the competito r s that far ce should be publIc!y exposed, and in so doing I belIeve It wIll a step forward Il1 the history of the St. J ohn blllan c e BrIgade Thankin g you for troublll1g you .-Yours faIthfull y, C ON VI CT F ROl\I N O.7 C ELL. p.S. - Since writing this letter, I see in your Apr i is s ue that the competitions in o. 3 Distri c t are not all and like to extend my sympathy to them, and seek theIr co-ore:atIon in obtaining a first-rate competition, free from all SUspI CI on of favour in each district.

THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND THE S J.A.B.

DEAR SIR,-Those of the St. Ambulance Brigade, who, like myself, have VIewed WIth feelll1gs of applehension the possible encroachment on the work of the BrIgade by the British Red Cross Society, have beer: at tImes stron g ly denounced for our presumed antagonism to t.he latter organisation, and at other.s twitted with lack of 111 the stability of our own serVIce. The charge may be, 111 some cases not altogether without fotl ndatlOn, but, as a rule, I that those in charge of Bngade unIts wouln g ladly operate with the Red Cr?ss on all !Datters relatll1 g to the provision of materIal, equIpment, and SUItable transport,

r74 -FIRST

provided that the Red Cross people left to the Brigade the right to find the personnel. To those members of the Br gade who are taking an intelligent interest in this question, it is becoming more apparent daily that the definite aim of the Red Cross Society is to ultimatel y oust the Brigade altogether - as a St. John unit - from any operations which may be taken in connection with any future war in which this country may be involved. Is this generous? Is it just to the 2,000 men of the St. John Ambulan ce Brigade, who at the sa c rifice, in some instances, of offi c ial positions, patriotically served in South Africa during the whole of that trying campaign, and who made a name for the Brigade, which we thought would live for all time, a nd gain for us the privilege, nay, the right, to be re cognised by our dist incti ve title in any future campaign, in which we might be called upon to take a part. Now we hear it constantly asserted by those who voice the aims and ambi t ions of the Red Cross Society: .( That it has been de c ided by the W a r Offi ce that no aid shall be accepted from any other So c iety but theirs. " If this is so it necessarily follows that ultimately the Red Cross Society wIll be adopted as the Organisation to deal with all matters connected with ambulance in this country, as similar so c ieties now do in other countries.

I find, on readin g the newspaper reports of meetings held in connection with the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments, that it is the exception rather than the rule, to see the n a me of the St. John Ambulance Association mentioned, even in conne c tion with the instruction of the personnel. This week I have seen reports of meetings held at places so wide apart as Uppingham, in Lei cestershire; Romsey, in Hampshire; Barkston, in Linco lnshire; and, in no sin g le instance, does the name of the St. John Asso c iation occ ur, even in connection with the teaching of first aid and nursing. Anyone not conversant with the matter would assume that the Red Cross Society was proposing to undertake the ambulance instruction of its members. It was, however,I S lppose , deemed not politic to start the campa ign in this spirit,as it might have resulted in failure, so the slowe r but more effective method of absorption is evidently the a im of the So c iety. It may be argued that I am an alarmist, but I am no more so than those who believe the invasion of th is country is not only possible but probable. I the and thinking over what I read, I can see the sIgns of the tImes.

I trust that you can find room for this letter. I make no apo!ogy for its because I believe the present state of affaIrs demands straIght ta lk and a clear exposition of their possible trend -Yours respectfully,

A SS ISTANT W ARD M AS TER S.J.A.B.,

SO UTH AFRI CA 1\' C AMPAI GN, 1900-1-2.

CH U RCH PARADES.

DEAR SlR, - In your edition of November last, I wrote you a letter rel a tive to the treatment of this Division in connection with a Church Parade which we had recently held asking some of your readers to kindly enlighten me as to governed the holding of these special parades Slll c e wrItmg you I have looked an xiously each month for some reply ! Surely, the subject is not of su c h little importance. t?':lt it does not appeal to your readers! We are a young DI VISIon, strI v mg hard to make headway and we would be to any of your readers who could enlighten us on the POInts whIch I raIsed in my letter.

Thanking you in advance for kindly inserting this letter, and, trustmg that as a result, it may produce some further corresponden c e which may help us. - Yours truly, "WILLING HELPING HAND."

THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE CONTROVERSY.

the letter in February'S issue of FIRST AID, SIgned YorkshIre Tyke, " I should like to know why sh ould not C.hief Secretary (( have up" the Deputy-CommISSIoner 0'£ DIstrIct No. V. when what he says is perfectly honest, uprIght and straight?

The St. John Ambulance Asso c iation is the ambulance depar.tment of Orc;ler of St. John of Jerusalem in England, of wh1ch the BrIgade IS only a part, and it would be no more

AID.- May, 1910.

than a "boys brigade " if they had not the Association certificates, vouchers, medallions, etc.

I think that the Deputy and Assistant-Commissioners have quite sufficient to look after with the Brigade affairs- · they cannot do two things at once and do them in a correct manner. It is evident that Mr. Wardell cannot look after the one affair properly, much less two. Indeed the Chief Commissioner has severely c riticised Mr. Wardell's work in my hearing.

The Brigade Commissioners tried to depress the Bearer Company movement when it was qu ite new; are they trying to do the same with the Voluntary Aid Detachments?

With regard to the sphere of the Brigade, InspectorGeneral Ninnis has distinctly laid it down that its special duties are" civil and not military, or even semi-military."

I have found that certain people will not join the Brigade because they think it is carried out too much in a military way. -Yours truly,

AN ASSOCIATION "TYKE."

DR. CHRISTIAN S ARTICLE. read w ith much interest the very excellent article m your Issues of February and March. There is much in it that should be of great utility, not only to the ambulance compet!t?r, to first aid students generally. As an old competitIon Judge, however, I rr,ust take exception to his strictures on the captain of one of the teams, whose work he says was "otherwise very ex c ellent, except that he made a very great f!1istake i!1 very explicit directions throughout, and domg nothmg hImself. This method of dealing with cases of emergen c y can hardly be commended. He should show resourcefulness of action, as well as resourcefulness of mind."

N<?w, sir, .with 2:ll due deference to the worthy doctor, I mamtam that m a c tlllg as he did the captain was acting for the best. He should his. assistants. He is in charge the and responsible for theIr work; by doing some portIOn of It hImself he would be lacking in efficient supervisiona very. grave fault, to my mInd. I ndeed, I believe that in the that govern the" Dewar " competition it is expressly laId down that the officer in charge may direct and advise but he must not a s sist. A condition with which I agree.

I like to hear the opinions of other judges on thIS quest lOn, as to my mind it is distinctly confusing to to be to act in this way in some competItIons and to be penalIsed for doing so in others.-Yours truly,

M.R.C.S.

We regret that an error occurred in Dr Heaton C. Howard's reply to our correspondent (( Yours in Anticipation of a Final Decision." The paragraph "Your correspondent seems to me quite rz;f{ltt in his practice and theory," should have been quite wro1zg - ED. " F. A."

JUST PUBLISHED.

288 pp. , Crown 8vo. Cl oth extra. 3s. 6d, net.

FIRST AID TO THE SICK:

DISEASES, THEIR DESCRIPTION & TREATMENT. A Wo rk of R efer e nce fo r th e l.i.om e, written in Pl a in Language.

By D. HASTINGS YOUNG, M.B., M.S.(Edin.), etc.

Introdu ction - Di seases of the Ch es t-of th e Alimentary Sys temof the Throat. a nd the Li ver-of the Kidneys- of the Nerves-C n stltutlOnal DIseases- Infec ti ous and Co ntagiou5 Diseases

- Symptoms of Vario us Di seas es-Di seases of th e Skin - Appendix - Full Ind e x.

FIRST AID TO THE CHILO, by the same Author, will be ready shortl y.

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD., BROADWAY HOUSE, LO NDON, F.e.

FIRST AID.

The Inc!ependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services. Conducted

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Pronrietors to make this J oumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, corre spondent s in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the] ournal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing. " First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

mised to discharge the duties of his high office fo r the benefit of his people. And there is no room for doubt that he will, as his father did b e fore him, carry out thos e duties to the very le tter.

It is admitted on all sides that His Maj e sty will bring to the guid a nce of His Council a knowl e dge of the Empire and its various peoples, that is possessed by none of its members. This fact a lone will en a bl e him to more r e adily grasp and d e al with many of th e problems which are likely to occasionally arise in connection with the g ove rnm e nt of an Empire so vast as the one over whi c h King G e org e has now been called upon to rule. The various visits whi c h His Majesty has paid to British Dominions across the seas will have had the effec too, of making h i m known to the subjects of his scattered Empire. They have se e n their King and have heard his voice, and realised that his great aim will be to strengthen by ties of sympathy and affection, their love for the" Motherland." He has sympathised with their aims and ambitions, and by his frank and generous manner has already g ained their loyalty and affection.

His Most

LAST month it was our painful duty to chronicle the decease of our dearly Gracious loved King, the Sovereign Head and Majesty King Patron of the Order of St. John. The George V. old French legend "Le Rot est m ort. Vive Ie Rot" has always appeared to us as savouring somewhat of a spirit of cynical indifference at the death of the Sovereign, a feeling which is distinctly contrary to the traditions of the British race. In the first few days of their grief at the loss which the Empire had sustained by the death of its dearly beloved ruler, the subjects of King Edward had but one thought: what would the future have in store now that we were deprived of his guiding hand and wide experience? And many a prayer went up that his successor might have guidance to emulate and carry out those high ideals which had earned for his dearly loved father the title of "Peacemaker."

King Edward has been laid to rest, and the heart of the nation now that its first outburst of grief is somewhat assuaged, goes out to his successor, who, in words dentical to those used by his dearly loved father, has pro-

His English subjects, too, have realised that, like his Royal Parents, his heart is full of sympathy for those in sorrow or distress. In the midst of his own great grief came the news of the appalling disaster at Whitehaven, and immediately with that ready sympathy so characteristic of our Royal Family, he despatched a message of c ondolence to all of those whose hearts were, like his own, bowed down with a great sorrow.

As a sailor, the disaster which has just befallen our very good friends across the water by the sinking of the submersible "Pluviose," naturally evoked his deepest sympathy, and his message to the French Navy has caused a feeling of gratitude which must tend to still more fully cement the feelings of friendship between the two nations.

We, in common with other loyal subjects of His M have faith in the future ; we entertain nO aJesty, doubt as to the ability of King George to wisely rule and direct the destinies of his vast Empire, provided always that he has the support and cO-0peration of ministers who are as loyal to the Constitution and the country as he himself is well known to be.

Notes on First Aid Simplified.

By SYDNEY H. LAMB, Sergeallt St. Jolzn Ambulance Brigade; Member of tlzt Royal Naval Auxilt'ary Sick Bertll Reserve.

(Continued from page I6J).

I NSEN IBILl1 Y.

I NSE TS IBILITY or unconsciousness arises when the (unctions of the brain are in abeyance; either directly. from dIsease or injury to the brain itse lf or indirectly from dIsturbance of tbe action of the lungs or heart.

C\USES.

I. Shock.

2. Concussion of the brain.

3. Compression of the brain.

4. Fits (a) drun.ken, (k) (c) epileptic, (d ) hysterical, (e) apoplecllc, mfantIle.

5. Sunstroke or

6. Effects of certa111 pOIsons.

7 Suffocation by gas es or drowning, hanging, etc. (asphyxia).

8 Electric shock.

I l\DIEDIATE TREAT:'IfENT.

1. Send for medical man.

2. Arrest h cemorrhage if present.

3. Lay the patient on his back or m any position which aids respiration.

4. Undo all clothing round neck, chest, waz'st.

5. Provide for sufficient supply of fresh air:

6. I f the face is pale, lower the head or raIse the rest of the body.

7 If the face is flushed, raise the head.

Note.-N ever give any fluids or food of any description by the mouth while the patient is insensible.

On no account leave your patient unless in the care of a responsible person.

GENERAL TREA TMENT

Proceed to examine the patient as stated below, to ascertain the nature of the imensibility.

J. Feel if the pulse beats either at the wrist (Radial ) temple (Temporal ), or neck ( Carotid ).

The pulse may be absent altogether; it may be slow, quick, or feeble.

The pulse may a beat occasionally: when it is said to be intermittent.

The pulse may beat quickly and slowly by turns: when it is said to be irregular.

2. If the pulse cannot be felt, ascertain whether the heart beats, by placing your hand over the heart or your ear to the ches t.

3· Observe the breathing and note the odour of the breath. The breathing may be slow or lahoured, accompanied by loud snoring and puffing of the cheeks (s tertorous )

Note.-If the patient's breath smells of alcohol, do not immediately conclude that it is a cas e of drunkenness; the patient, feeling his illness coming on, may bave taken a stimulant (see Apople xy).

4· Examine the scalp, temples, back of head, for injuries. Examine the ears, nose and eyes for signs of h ce morrhage. Examine the mouth for blood, for stains for poisons.

5· Raise the eyelids and examine the state of the pupils (the dark round spots in the centre of the iris )

Under ordinary conditions of light the pupils dilate (expand ) In bright ligbt the pupils contract to small dimensions. In many diseased co nditions the pupils are abnormal.

They may be both widely dilated or botb minutely contracted. They may be irregular-one dilated and the other contracted. They may be fixed, i.e .' will not respond to light. of the above altered condItIOns of the pupils denotes a serIOUS state.

A I D.- June, 1910.

6. Examine the body and extremities for signs of fractures, dislocations and wounds.

Examine the neck for signs of strangulatIOn and hangIng. Compare both sides of tbe body for Ii mpnes.s or helplessness.

7. Notice the temperature of the skmj It may be hot, cold or natural.

The simplest way is to place the back of your hand on the naked chest of patient.

Special treatment for msenslbdlty caused by the following :SHOCK.

Shock or collapse is that condition of body .re.sulting from some severe injury or other ca uses whICh dlmlD1sh the action of the heart and circulation. "

Sz'gns and Symptoms. - Pat ient feels cold, face IS pale, cold and clammy, pulse weak, breathing hardly perceptIble, temperature lowered, restlessness of patIent, who may become delirious.

TRKA Ti\ lENT.

Treat injuries, if any, and prevent temperature b y covering up patient with warm blankets or by hotwater bottles to the feet and abdomen. If patIent IS not unconscious, give warm drinks.

CONCUSSION OF THE BRAm.

Concussion is ca used by a severe blow or a heavy fall on the cranium, resulting in a person stunned.

S(gns and feeble pulse, shallow breathing, pupils fixed and equal 111 sIze.

TRE ATl\[ENT

Lay pat ient in a position which g ives freedom in breathing. Undo all tight clothing, proVIde for .sufficle nt supply of fresh air. Treat for shock. Send for medIcal man.

COMPRE SS ION OF THE BRAIN.

Compression may be by a pie ce of bone ?eing driven in, which compresses the (fra c ture C?f cra nIum ) ; or by the rupture of a bloodvessel wlt.hm the cranIum, there?y causing an accumulation of blood compresses the bram.

Signs and Sympto771s.-InsenslbIllty, wound of scalp or fracture of skull may be felt, pulse full and slow, breathing stertorous, pupils unequal and in severe cases fixed, face flushed, skin hot.

TR EATMENT

Lay patient in position which gives fr.eedom in breathing, undo all tight clothing, provide for suffiCIent supply of fresh air, raise the head slightly, keep patient quiet, send for medical man. Treat for shock.

Note.-When compression is ca used by a blood vessel bursting, insensibility comes on in about 20 minutes time. ApOPLEXY.

Apopzexy is caused by the bursting of a d/seased blood vessel in or about the surface of the brain. and Symptoms.-Usually in elderly persons- insensibility, pulse slow and full, stertorous and puffing through one side of mouth, pupIls fixed and unequal, face flushed, skin hot, paralysis on one side of the body.

Note-Breath may smell of alcohol. See General Treatment ( No. 3) above.

TR1UTTlTENT.

Lay patient on back and slightly raise the IH'ad. Apply ice bag or towels wrung out with cold water to the head and hot bottles or hot brick to the feet. Undo all tight clothing. Treat for shock. Send for medical man.

DR UNKEN FIT ( ALCOHOLIC POISONING )

Drunken Fit or collapse from drink is very often taken for apoplexy.

Sz'gns and SY1l2pt0112S.-0dour of breath, complete or partial insensibility, pulse feeble or perhaps absent, breathmg slow and stertorous, pupils dilated and equal and respond to light, face flushed, skin cold and clammy, temperature lowered, if roused patient becomes incoherent.

TREATMENT.

Undo all tight cloth ng, provide for sufficient supply of fresh air, keep patient warm by hot blankets and hot-water bottles. When patient is roused give warm tea or coffee; and when completely recovered give an emetic. (See Chapter 6 ).

EPILEPSY OR FALLING SICKNE SS

Signs and Symptoms.-Patient falls insensible to the ground, all the muscles Qf the body are convulsed, features

June, 19 10 - FIR S T distorted, hands tightly clenched, thumbs inwards, eyes squinting, pupils equally dilated and fixed, face first and then dusky, froth appears at the mouth, the tongue IS generally bitten.

TREATMENT.

Undo all tight clothing, provide free circulation of air, prevent tongue from bei,ng bitten by in mouth a penknife wrapped up 111 a prevent patIent from hurting himself, kneel down behmd the ofpatlent and support his head, and then gently restra1l1 the movements of the limbs, taking great care not to stop altogether, otherwise the muscles will be torn. When patIent recovers see that he is cared for and allowed to rest; he will probably fall into a deep slumber and should not be disturbed.

FAINTING SYNCOPE )

Fainting fits are caused throug:h overcrowded room-tIght clothing, fright, sudden news, fatIgue, want of food, loss of blood, heart failure. "

Sz'r;ns and Symptoms. -F eelmg of glddmess, pallor, feeble pulse, shallow breathing, partial ll1sensibility, cold sweat on forehead.

TREATMENT.

Undo all tight clothing, provide free c.irculation of fresh air, lay patient flat on ?ack and raIse the feet, apply smelling salts to the cre':lte a when patient is able to swallow gIve a lIttle sal volatIle 1D a glass of cold water.

When a person faints in crowded theatre, etc., force patIent's head do,," n between his knees in order to let a supply of blood reach the brain.

HY STERIA.

Patient usually a young girl, sudden.ly falls in a comfortable pOSItion on the floor or couch, takmg care not to hurt herself throws herself about, grinds her teeth, clenches her fists laughs and kicks; patient not completely , . ' insensible.

TREATM ENT.

Be firm and threaten with cold water, and if this has nc effect, sprinkle. or even throw cold water over her. Do not be too sympathetIC. INFANTIL E CONVULSIONS.

I nfantile convulsions are generally caused by teething or any other illness usually occurring ,in infants.

Signs and SY1J'lptoms:- The chIld bec?mes peeVIsh and fretful body becomes and the 11.mbs b.ecome convulsed, pulse weak and rapId, breathmg hurned, sk1l1 cold and clammy-i nsensibility.

TREATMENT.

Place the child in a warm bath for fifteen minutes, and at the same time apply cold water to the head. Send for a medical man.

SUN STROKE

Sunstroke is caused by exposure to the sun.

Signs and Sy mptoms.-Giddiness, sickness and. weakness, drowsiness, insensibility, eyes beco.me bloodshot, skm dry ':lnd hot, pupils and then dIlate, pulse slow or qUIck, breathing qUIck and heavy.

TREATMENT.

Remove patient to a cool place away from the sun. Undo clothing at neck and upper portion of ?ody, apply cO.ld douche until consciollsness returns, remove patient to bed, whIch should be in darkened room, if insensibility returns repeat treatment. Send for medical man.

FREEZIN G - TR EATMENT.

On no account place patient near the fire, rub the body with cold water or, if handy, sn<?w; gradually restore warmth. Give hot drinks when patient IS ab le to swallow.

SUFFOCATION BY GASES OR SMOKE.

TREATMENT.

Remove the patip.nt into the fresh air, undo all tight clothing. F!ick the chest and feet WIth wet towels. Apply artifiCIal respIratIOn. Treat for Shock.

SUFFOCATION BY DROWNIN G.

TREATMENT.

After the patient has been taken out of the fr:ee .the ;air assages of water, etc., and then apply artIfiCIal reSpIratIOn.

p(a) Sylv e ster's method when there are 119 fractures of th e :nbs or arms.

Al D -

(b) Marshall Hall's method as above.

(c) Howard's method if arms are fractured

(d) Laborde s method if ribs are broken.

(e) Professor Schafer's method; this is the new method, and is the simplest and most effe c tive. In this method. no time is lost in removing clothing, etc. As soon as the patIent has been taken out of the water, tbe work of inducing resFiration commences. The patient must be placed face downwards on the ground. Head turned on one side and resting on an arm. The operator should kneel on one side and facing the patient's head. Place bis flat hand over the lower portion of the patient's By throwin.g. his forward the operator induces expIratIOn. By raIsIng hIS body and removing the pressure inspiration is performed. The£e movements must be performed about to minute. After breathing has been restored, Induce .by rubbing the limbs; when the patient regaInS give hot drinks. Remove patient to bed and place hIm between hot blankets. Send for medical man.

S UFFOCATION BY HAN GING OR STRANGULATION.

TREADIENT

If the patient is hanging, support him and then cut him down. Remove the rope or has been U?do all tight clothing, and commence artIfiCIal respIratIOn If is insensible. When conciousness has been restored gIv e stimulants, etc. Send for medical man.

ELECTRIC SHOCK.

T REATMENT.

Remove pat ient from contact with current, taking care to see that you are thoroughly insulated beforehand. tight clothing round neck, chest, Apply artlfiClal respiration. Laborde's method or Schafer s only as the muscles are usually drawn. When has been restored give hot drinks and treat for shock. Send for medical man.

(To be continued).

MmLAND.-The members of the Midland Railway ambulance class (passenger department) at Leicester have just concluded another successful season's as a fitting wind up they mustered at t.he MarqUls of WellIngton Hotel on June 2nd for a smokIng concert. A first-rate progr;mme was and thoroughly enjoyed, and during the evening Mr. Appe:ley, the class secretary, presented with a gold fountaIn pen and an umbrell.a In recognition of his work. Dr. Young With a silver cigarette case, and Dr. Payne WIth a gifl All the recipients made a few remarks expressmg their thanks for the gifts with which they had been presented.

= • E

N E.R.-A large party of r:nen belongto the York District and their friends VISIted F Iley on June 4th for their annual inspection. The party was panied by Mr. F. Penty (Chairman of the York DIstrict branch N E.R. centre, S.].A.A.), Mr. George J centre secretary, and Col. F. W. Gibbon , the kIn?ly attending to judge the ambulance competition, :which formed part of the day's programme, and took place. In the Crescent Garden. The" Pickersgill" C,up was agaIn won b No.2 Carriage Shop, and in announcIng. the re?ult . congratulated the winners their efficiency. It was an interestmg COInCident tnat It was exactly a quarter of a centurY.to the day of the month that he received his first presentatlOn at !yne Dock. .He thought he might claim that he had dUring all time faithfully advocated the cause of ambulance work In North of England. During that quarter of a e had been happy, and fortunate to have the aid at hall times of Mr. Penty and Mr. Jackson. He belIeved t a: when he started that first aid class he had only 45 b u t the number of men on the North Eastern Ratiway tod ay was legion.

The Funeral of King Edward VII.

" SPLENDID! " This was the term which many of the leading newspapers applied to the services rendered by the various ambulance organisations which did street duty on the occasion of the passing, for the last time, of the World's Peacemaker, King Edward. And the term was apt and appropriate. In no other city in the world, we believe, would the arrangements have been so thorough or have worked so smoothly and satisfactorily.

The following organisations had been entrusted with the arrangements :--

Church Nursing and Ambulance Brigade.

Royal Army Medical Corps.

The Stretcher Bearer Section of the 25th Batt. County of London Regiment.

"Prince of Wales" Corps (No.1 District) S.J.A.B.

The latter organisation had 1,163 offices, men and nursing sisters on duty, and these were placed in charge of the 35 stations which had been allocated to the Brigade. Each of these stations was in medical charge of an Hon. Surgeon who was assisted by the necessary staff of am bulance officers, men and nursing sisters. It was noted on this occasion that a large number of the staff were prominently in evidence in front of the crowds, were the i r services, w hen wanted, were easily available.

Fortunately, the actual casualties were few' although, owing to the oppressive heat and the long

AID. - June, 19 10

Batt. County of London Regiment. Owing to the heat and the long wait all these stations were kept fully employed on the 20th May. The Commissioner of Police desires to express to these Associations his grateful thanks for the invaluable aid they rendered, not only on this day, but also on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the lying-in-state. It should be added that beyond these civilian stations the Military Ambulance Corps rendered substantial aid to all comers; and to them also the thanks 0: the public are due."

The stations in charge of the S.J A.B. at which the largest number of casualties were treated were as follows:

-Apsley Gate, 645 ; the Mall, opposite Marlborough-yard, 593 ; Jermyn-street, 348; in the Green Park, opposite Half Moon-street, 3°4; Seymour-street, Edgware-road, 270 ; Grosvenor-road, 230; Horse Guards Avenue, 253; and Marble Arch, 250. Of these cases 20 were removed to hospital.

WINDSOR.

The am bulance duty here was undertaken by the members of the No. 2 District.

The following stations, 12 in number, we r e formed :-Top of Thames - s t r e e t, Castle Hill, top of Peascod-street, High-street (near Guildhall), St. Alban's-street, top of Sheet - street, the Parish Church, Par k -s t r e e t, C h u r c h - street, Long Walk (near Stand), Lon g Walk (leading to George I V. gateway), and the Quadrangle.

June, 19 10 -FIRST

divisions :-Southampton Nursing, 12 ; Southampton Ambulance, 9; Portsmouth Nursing, II; Landport Ambulance, I); Gosport Nursing, 3 Gosport Ambulance 6' Lymingtr)n Nursing, 4; Sandown Ambulance,s; Ambulance, 6; Bournemouth Ambulance, 6. Total, 77. Upwards of 300 cases, principally faints, were attended during the day. Although some of the detachments had been in the train the greater part of the night, they all stood the strain of the work, and expressed their grati6cation at having been privileged to undertake duty on so historic, although mournful, occasion.

N.F.B.U. CONTINGENT AT THE FUNERAL.

By no section of the public will the death of King Edward VII. be more genuinely regretted than by the firemen of the Empire, in which category we include not only those of the United Kingdom, but of the British Dominions beyond the seas. His interest in and appreciation of the Fire Service was well known. In his young days he was constantly at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, and for years kept a uniform at its headquarters, and frequently went out to a call in company with Captain Shaw.

Soon after his accession King Edward consented to give his pat ron age to the National Fire Brigades' Union, and only last summer showed his lively interest in the Fire Service by attending the grand display of the London Fire Brigade in Hyde Park. Immediately on

AID.-

181

had some time to spare before taking up their assigned position, were dismissed until 7. IS. They were then formed up under the command of Col. Seabroke, V.D., chairman of the Union, with Hon. Capt. Dyer and Capt. A. Hill as staff officers. It was a very smart and representative body that marched off at 7.25 by the way of Whitehall, and entered the Horse Guards Parade. Here every assistance and courtesy was shown by the Military Authorities, and a fine position was allotted to the contingent in the Mall, just in front of the Duke of York s Column. The period of waiting, from 7.30 to 10 o clock was a hot and trying one, but there was not a man who was not proud to bear the inconvenience in order to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of one whom all loved and honoured so truly.

By half-past ten the sad cort ege had passed by, and before 11 o'clock the contingent had marched back to Scotland Yard by way of Pall Mall, Trafalgar Square and Avenue. Prior to dismissing it Col. Sea broke expressed the

IN ST. JAMES PARK ON THE OCCASION OF THE KING'S FUNERAL.

the number of sightseers who succumbed owing to fa10tness or sheer exhaustion was very heavy, the number of cases treated by the St. J oh n organisation alone was 6,0.14, and, doubtless, there were many ca.ses unrecorded ow1Og the stress of the work at times being too heavy to admIt of names, etc., being taken.

It must .also be mentioned the St. John's Brigade had do1Og duty each day dUring the lying-in-state in Westm.1Oster and they jus.tly deserved the very high whIch have. been paid them for the admirable way 10 whIch they carned out their voluntary self-denying labours.

The Chief C?mmissioner of the Metropolitan Police Issued the follow1Og communication on the ambulance work during the lying-in-state and funeral the King :-" The St. John Ambulance [why WIll they say" Association" instead of "F.A."] "supplied ambulances at thirty-five statIOns along the of route, and the Church Nursing and Brigade of Women and Girls supplied six. In addition there was a stretcher bearer section of the 25 th

The parade state was 3 9 of all ranks, made

up as follows:Staff, 4; medical officers, 8; ambulance officers, 29; serg.eants, 32; rank and file, 173 ; nursing officers, 7 ; nursing SIsters, 66.

The district staff officers present were: AssistantCommissioners C. Cotton) F.R.C.P., F. Sprawson and Lieut.Col. G. E. Twiss, R.A.M.C., and District Supt. of Stores E. Street.

total number of cases treated was 634 A tribute to then work, a somewhat unusual one under the circumstances, was paid to the mem bers of the brigade by the crowds in the streets after all was over, who applauded them as the various detachments from each station rejoined the main body on its way back from the Long Walk.

In the regretted absence of the Deputy-Commissioner Dr. J. S. Griffiths, of Bristol, owing to indisposition, the arrangements for the day were carried out by Assistant Commissioner F. Sprawson.

We understand that Lieut.-Col. Twiss, who is the Assistant-Commissioner in charge of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight porti0n of No. 2 District, had under his command at Windsor representatives from the following

learning of the death of King Edward the headquarters of the Union got into communication with the Lord Cham berlain, with a view of obtaining permission for a contingent to represent

Plwto by] [j W Oakle)"

THE MElIIBER S OF THE SOUTHAlIIPTON NURSIN G DIVISION WHO WERE ON DUTY AT THE KING's FUNERAL AT WIND SO R.

the Union at the funeral. Each brigade in the Union was notified as to what was being done, and nearly 200 brigades wrote expressing a wish to take part should the necessary permission be accorded.

Late in the evening of May 18th, the Secretary for War wired headquarters that a position would be reserved on the Horse Guards Parade for 200 members of the Union, and the same night notice of this was sent to all brigades that had expressed a wish to go. Lieutenant Sladen, R.N., Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade, most kindly offered to help the Union in any way in making arrangements, and gave permission for the contingent to assemble at the Scotland Yard Fire Station, near Northumberland Avenue, at 6.30 a.m. on the 20th. Several officers from long distances arrived there late on Thursday night, and were most kindly accommodated, a fraternal courtesy which was much appreciated. By 6.30 a.m. on Friday morning nearly 180 members, the majority of whom were chief officers, paraded in the Courtyard, and as they

indebtedness of all to Lieut. Sladen, R.N., for his great assistance and kindness to the contingent, which he said proved once more the warm sympathy and goodwill he entertained towards the Union. He also expressed the thanks of all to Capt. Hill, their hon. general secretary, for the great amount of work which must have been carried out at headquarters in order to secure such a representative gathering, and ensure so successful an end to their sad duty, and it is interesting to learn that upwards of a thousand letters and nearly 200 telegrams were handed in at headquarters in relation to this last tribute to the memory of Edward the Peacemaker

THE FIRE BRIGADE CONTIN GE NT AT WINDSOR.

As on the occasion of the funeral of H. M. Queen Victoria, the services of the members of the local fire brigades were accepted to assist in forming a guard of honour as the funeral of King Edward passed on the way to St. George's Chapel.

On this occasion Capt. Hall was requested by the military authorities to assist in lining the route, and thus all firemen stood shoulder to shoulder with the Imperial forces an honour that was much appreciated by all ranks. were about 120 of all ranks on parade, and a very smart appearance they presented. Capt. Hall was in command and he bad as his staff officers, Hon. Capt. Dyson and Lieut.-Col. Finn. Amongst other officers present we noticed Hon. Capt. Folker, Supt. Tabor (secretary South Midland District), &c.

In connection with this duty the followmg letter has

[G. R N1fIm

A CONTINGENT OF THE S.J.A.B. TREATING PATIENTS

r82 -FIRST

been received from Col. Cuthbert, who was in command of the troops at Windsor ;-

"Will you please convey to the members of the fire brigades who were present last Friday on the occasion of the funeral of his late Majesty King Edward VII. at Windsor my most grateful thanks, as the officer commanding the troops that day, for their valuable services and for the great assistance they rendered me in keeping the route of the procession that day. Their discipline was excellent, and they presented a very smart appearance, which was commented upon afterwards to me by several distinguished personages who were in the procession, and who had specially noticed the members of the fire brigades. Please allow me also to thank you personally for your ready help and assistance as Chief Officer of the Windsor Fire Brigade."

ST.JOHN AMBUlI\.NCf..

No. I District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

On June Ilth this district helds its competitions and display in the grounds of the London College of Divinity, Highbury (by kind permission of the Principal), and an instructive and interesting display was afforded to the numerous spectators.

Very smartly the men lined up for the various tests. All round the spacious grounds tents appeared; there were store tents and mess tents, officers' tents and general tents, an in every way proper provision was made for the comfort and convenience of the guests.

The South Metropolitan Gas Company's Band played a capital selection of music during the afternoon.

First came the" Nurses'" Challenge Bowl, which was awarded, after a written, viva voce, and practlcal first aid examination to Miss Smith, of NO.9 Division; Mrs. Davidson, of No.2, being second; and Miss Symington, of No. ro, third.

The" Massey-Manwaring" competition was won by the South Metropolitan Gas Co.; the G. W.R. (Paddinglon), and Ley ton and Leytonstone divisions were the runners-up.

The "Osborn" Challenge Shield competition, in which the work had to be done with improvised materials, was awarded to Merlon and Wimbledon G.W.R. were second, and Ley ton and Leytonstone third.

The" Efficiency" Challenge Cup was won by Ley ton and Leytonstone, Hampstead, under Sergt. Hudson, was second, and Harrow third.

In the individual competition for the "Gent" Cup, Sergeant S. J. Warr e n, of Hampstead, secured the trophy.

G. T. Cooper, of King'S-Cross G.N.R. DlvlslOn, acted as referee to the tug-of-war, which was won by lhe South Metropolitan Gas Company from the Becton Produce Works after a series of exciting rounds.

Lady Perrott presented the prizes. She was accompanied by Colonel Perrott, who congratulated the Brigade on bemg permItted to use the Prince of Wales's feathers. Admiration had been expressed the

AID.- June, I9IO.

world over for the way the men and nurses conducted themselves on the occasion of the King's funeral; and they would have another opportunity of distinguishing themselves at the Coronation.

Coming Events.

Particula rs offort/tcoming t'llents will be inserted in this COltt11t11 !"ft oj charge, if received not later tItan tlte I4th of each month

Brtglwuse.-Brighouse Friendly Societies and Trades' Demonstration, Saturday, June 25th. Entry forms, &c., apply B. Bottomley, 5, Vale-street, Brighouse.

Brussels.-The International Fire Service and Fire Prevention Congress, to be organised at Brussels from July 27th to August 1st., by the Royal Federation of Belgium Fire Brigades. The official representative of the Belgium Federation in this country is Mr. C. Kusel, 36, Newton-road, Westbourne-grove, London, W., and all fire brigade officers who desi:e to take part in this Congress should apply to him for partIculars.

C!ecklzeaton.- The ambulance competition for the" Cleckheaton " Challenge Shield and prizes will be held on July 30th. For full particulars apply A. Rickinson, Whitechapel-road, Cleckheaton.

London.- The competition for the "William Heywood" Challenge Shield and" Grant)) Medal will be held June 25th commencing at 2. o'cJoc.k, at the Polytechnic, Regent-street: London. will be presented by Sir W. Collins, M.P. All frIends mterested are welcome to witness the contest.

Leyton.- and Ley tons tone Fire Brigade Annual CompetItIon will be held on August st. Particulars of Capt. H. Miller, Kensall Lodge, Church-road, Ley ton, Essex.

Ravensthorje.- The annual competition of this Division will be held on Septenlber lOth. Entry forms will be issued in the course of a week or so. All applications should be addressed to Hon. W. Ledgard, Alma-street, Ravensthorpe-road, ThornhIll, Dewsbury.

Rhymney - The first annual meeting of the Division will be on August 3rd. Cycle and foot racing, ambulance, fire and boy scouts competitions. For entry forms and partIculars apply to J. J. Jenkins, 68, Forge-street} Rhymney.

Nott(ngham.-The Association of Railway Ambulance Corps will hold an Ambulance Competition Boys' Brigade and Boys Scout Competition, and a Band Contest at N ottingham July 16th. full particulars apply T. R. Scott, 38, Llchfield-road, Snemton Boulevard, N ottingham.

Skzpton - Skipton and District Hospital Gala, July 16th. Ambulance and fire brigade competitions. Schedules and entry forms from T. Hudson, 48, Russell-street, Skipton.

Soutlze,:d.-The annual camp and competitions of the N.F.B.U. wIll be held from July 3rd to 9th. Full particulars from A. Hill, Union Bank Chambers, Bedford.

Trevarno. - The annual competition for the "BickfordTrophy be held on July 29th. Superintendents

1.ntend teams to compete should signify their mtentlOns of domg so on or before July 1St_ Hon. Sec., H. W. Spaight, Porthleven

The first competition for the "Glanville Morris" Champion Shield, in connection with the Rhondda Fach Corps, took place at the Porth Police Court Rooms on 19th. The result being ;-} st, Mardy No.2, '23 8 pomts; 2nd, Ferndale, 211 ; 3rd, Great Western, 206.

June, 19 10 • -FIRST

Our Portrait Gallery.

DISTRICT CHIEF SURGEON J. ROBERT SO N CREASE, F.R.C.S., EDIN HON. ASSOCIATE OF THE ORDER OF THE HO SPITAL OF ST. JOHN OF JER USA LEM IN ENGLAND.

OF Huguenot descent the gentleman whose portrait appears in our gallery this month was born in Edinburgh and educated first at the Royal High School in that city; subsequently becoming a student at the University

AID.-

In 1889 the South Shields Nursing Division was formed with Mrs. Robertson Crease as Lady Superintendent, and in the same year in recognition of the valuable services which Dr. Crease had rendered to the Ambulance Department of the Order of St. John he was enrolled as an Honorary Associate of the Order.

I n 1902 Dr. Robertson Crease was appointed District Chief Surgeon, and he still continues to hold the position. In the discharge of the duties attaching to the office the doctor is most zealo us, no matter whether conducting an insppction or assisting in one of the combined drills which are frequ en tly held, and which serve to keep the several corps and divisions included in the district so competent to act in unison.

As a citizen, in public life Dr. Crease does his share; he is a Justice of the Peace, was a member of the Board of Guardians, and also an office bearer in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. Neither does he neglect the social side of life's duties ) he was one of the founders of the South Shields Golf Club, and takes a keen interest in the "Royal and Ancient." As a Freemason he holds high office in the craft, and is a member of the following: Lodge of Edinburgh, Mary's Chapel No. I, and the Hedworth Lodge (South Shields). He is also a Companion of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Northumberland and Durham, and of the Royal Order of Scotland. A member of the 18th Degree ; Sovereign Prince, Rose Croix of the Supreme Council of Scotland.

From the above brief account those of our readers who do not know him will endorse the views of those who do, that he is a good all-round fellow, keen in the maintenance of discipline while on duty, but a genuine believer in the social elements of life as a means for promoting that spirit of en comarade and good fellowship which should at all times characterise ambulance work and be the aim of both offir:er and man to strive to cultivate.

Reviews.

and School of Medicine in connection with Royal Colleges, and having qualified in 186 I, he settled down to practice in South Shields.

In 1868 Dr. Robertson Crease was appointed Hon. Surgeon to the South Shields Lite Brigade, a position whi c h he still holds at the present time, being also the instructor to the ambulance classes which have been held in connection with it since 18 77.

It was in when, owing to the large number of wrecks which occurred during a very stormy winter, the pressing need for first aid work in counection with the Life Saving Brigade became evident, and classes were at once formed for the purpose of instructing the members in the principles of bandaging and stretcher drill. The followlllg year thIS class was placed under the St. John Ambulance Association, and the first official examination of its members was carried out by Surgeon Major G. A. Hutton. cla.sses co ntinue? to be held in connection with the LIfe Savlllg Bng8de It was not until 883 that South Shields became a of the St. John Am bulance Association, and that malllly through the efforts of Dr. Crease.

WE have received from Supt. Gilbert the Official Report of the thirty-fi rst annual conference of the United Fire Brigades Association of New Zealand ThiS been fully compiled and editecl, is interestIng readIng as shOWIng the great advance fire brigade made 111 years in New Zealand, more espeCIally S111ce the adoptIOn of Fire Boards.

Our heartiest congratulations to Mr. Gilbert on his tion as President of the Association for the ensuing year. ThIS is an honour which Mr. Gilbert well merited, not only on account of of service (he has occ.upied the. position of secretary for the past :!..j. years ), but also 111 of many valuable services he has rendered the ASSOCIatIOn durIng that period

WE have received from Messrs. W. & G. Foyle a copy of their recentl y revised Catalogue of Books. Those of our readers who are think ing of addmg: to theIr book shelves should wr ite to Messrs. Foyle, 135, Channg Cross-road, London, W.C., for a copy;. they.will find several barga111s. Books are sent on approval If deSIred.

WE have to acknowledge the receipt of the Report of the Queensland Ambulance. Transport Bngade Hospital, whose headquarters are at The Rel?ort shows that the Association is in a most flounshl.ng c:ondltlOn. I t has not only the sympathy but also the finanCIal ald. of the authorities, and as a result its headquarters and equ ipment are both up to date.

-FIRST Brevities.

How thoroughly capable is the St. John Ambulance Brigade of coping Wilh any emergency WaS fully emphasised on the occasion of the funeral of the late King. In London and from all parts of the provinces we have received of the gratifying response to the call of duty made by the mem bers of the Brigade and the number of cases treated. It is an object lesson which should appeal to the promoters of these Voluntary Aid Detachments, showing how much more advantageous it would be to strengthen the existing organisation rather than to bring into being a new and untried one. We have said all the way along, and we still maintain it, there is neither room nor need for the creation of a new organisation. For ad ults the best organisation for instruction and practice is the St. John Ambulance Brigade. While for th e younger element we have the Boys' Life Brigade and the Boy Scouts. We are not surprised to learn that in many parts the movement is already beginning to "fizzle out." Lack of enthusiasm coupled with lack of financial assistance is already beginning to tell the tale.

SPEAKlNG at Winchester recently at a Red Cross meeting, Insp ector-Genera l Sir Henry Woods said:Some time ago the Gosport Centre of the St. John Am buance Association decided to do all they could to help the Red Cross Society and to com bine the two, but they had been unable to get definite instructions as to what would be expected of the St. John Ambulance Association and what they were going in for. At the present moment he knew that many were holding back from joining detachments simply from want of information. In working for this scheme of the Red Cross they had added very much to their labours. They found it impossible to ask for subscriptions for both the St. John and the Red Cross, and he wished to know whether they woul<l continue the tW0 under one subscription.

* * *

THE Marquis of Winchester speaking at the same meeting, said they recognised the grtat services the St. John Ambulance Association had rendered, not only to the Red Cross movement, but to the country at large. It was thought, however, that the St. John certificates were expensive, and it might be possible to obtain some system of obtaining certificates which should be recognised by th e War Office, a nd which would fulfil the nec essa ry requirements. He had discussed with th e Director of Education and the Medical Officer of the County that morning a scheme whereby certificates would be given by the me<lical officers for acceptance by the British Red Cross Society and the War Office. He hoped that Col. Magill would give his assurance and get th e scheme adopted. Quite so, that's what we have foreseen all the way along. At the first favourabl e opportunity the Red Cross people would

19 10

throw overboard all connection with the St. John Am bulance Association.

* * *

THE chute tragedy at the Junior United Service Club was left in a very unsatisfactory conclusion as a result of the Coroner's enquiry. The first account of the tragedy -and we never saw it contradicted-said that the chute tore in half, the lower portion falling with the girl, whilst the upper portion was left flapping about. If that is what happened we fail to see how it could have been the result of a tear caused by a nail in the heel of the girl's shoe. Giving evidence, the club engineer said, if he had examined the girl's shoes beforehand, he did not think he would have detected the nails, they were so small. This further accentuates the improbability as to the cause of the accident. Our own irppression is that the chute was practically worn out and should have been condemned long since. It was stated that it had been in use for upwards of seven years since it was last repaired and passed by Messrs. Merryweather. We should like to have heard someone from the firm give evidence at the inquest. To our mind the whole thing is most unsatisfactory.

* * * "A DIS GUSTED PRIVATE," in the Manchester Corps, S.J.A.B., writes to the local press, to complain of the treatment the Brigade receives at the hands of the police authorities on the occasion of street processions in that city. He states that they are kept by the police at the back of the crowd, where, hemmed in they have the greatest diffi c ulty in reaching a case. "They m:ly not," he goes on to say, "even cross the route of the procession to patrol the opposite side of the street to where their stations may be fixed, whereas, in other towns, a man in St. John uniform is afforded every facility to move from point to point in order that he may give his aid where needed." The result of all this "dragooning" is that members of the Corps feel unwilling to "turn out" for street duty as long as such an unsatisfactory state of affairs continues.

*

* *

" DISGUSTED PRIVATE" is quite right, it is an unsatisfactory state of affairs, and the sooner Chief Constable Peacock or the members of the Watch Committee abandoned such high -handed officialism the better. Mr. Peacock has apparently not yet realised the fact that the ambulance man is a very good ally of the policeman, who, by attending to the sick and injured on such occasions, leaves the latter free to attend to his purely police functions. The ambulance man has a right therefore to expect that every assistance will he given him by the authorities instead of his being subjected to such worrying tactics as those now complained of.

* * *

OUR readers will remember a few years back the members of the Metropolitan Corps were subjected to the same kind of treatment. We took up the question and

June. 19 10

-FIRST

pointed out how impossible it was for the men and sisters to work under such conditions. That they often had to practically fight their way to the front to rescue some poor, suffering one, in addition to which they might be in the rear of the crowd one minute, and then, owing to the arrival of more sightseers, eventually find themselves in the centre of the crowd, to all intents and purposes, absolutely useless. In opposition to our argument that they should be located on the street refuges, &c., in the centre of the roadway, it was stated that Royalty did not like to see the ambulance so strikingly in evidence. We never believed it. At any rate, on the occasion of King Edward's funeral ambulance parties were in evidence on the very sites suggested by us, and how well the arrangement worked has been amply testified to by the Press and public alike.

The Competition for the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Ambulance Trophy.

THE first competition for this handsome trophy, which has been acquired by public subscription, mainly through the indefatigable exertions of Mr. W. J. ChurchBrasier, took place on April 2 st at the Empress Rooms, Cliftonville, Margate. The competition was open to teams located within the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and squads from the following divisions entered:Ashford, Chichester, Doddington, Dover, Faversham, Ramsgate, Sittingbourne and Willes borough. The judging was kindly

undertaken by Major Warwick, R.A.M.C.(T) and Hon. Surgeon Garrett. General regret was expressed on all sides that owing to a serious breakdown in his health Mr. ChurchBraiser, who had so un -

AID.-

2nd.-Sittingbourne, 2 I 5 point. Five electro-plated cruets.

3nd. -W illesboroug\ 190 points. Five ambulance pocket cases, presented by Messrs. Reynolds and Branson, of Leeds.

4th.-Ramsgate, 188 points. Five ambulance pocket cases presented by Messrs. Cuxson, Gerrard & Co., of Birmingham.

sth. -Ashford, 185 points. Five ambulance books, "First Aid to Sick and Injured, " presented by Major Warwick.

The "Decies" Nursing Cup, which is open to Kentish Nursing Divisions, was also competed for and was won by Ramsgate by points. Hon. Surgeon Pinniger kindly acted as judge.

At the presentation of prizes, Asst.-Commissioner Cotton presided, and was supported by Sir John Furley, C.B., the Mayor and Mayoress of the Rev. Sir Charles and Lady Shaw, Col. and Mrs. Daniel, Hon. Surgeon Street and others.

In opening the proceedings, Dr. Cotton expressed regret at Mr. Church-Brasier's absence, and also deplored the fact that owing to a family bereavement Lady Furley, who had kindly consented to present the prizes, was unable to be present. Sir John had, however, kindly attended and would officiate in her stead.

Supt. Venis (Westgate-on Sea) then, in the absence of Mr. ChurchBrasier, requested his Worship the Mayor, on behalf of the subscribers, to kindly present the shield to Dr. Cotton, as representing the Deputy - Commissioner of the District. This having been done with a few appropriate words from his Worship on the value of the work of the Am bulance Brigade, Dr. Cotton in turn handed the trophy to Sir John Furley, who then presented it and the other prizes to the winners.

In response to a vote of thanks for his presence, Sir John expressed his pleasure at once more visiting Margate in connection with WINNERS OF THE KENT, SUR REY AND SUSSEX TROPHY. selfishly devoted so much of his time to the acquIsItIOn of the trophy and pn zes , was unable to be present upon the first occasion when it was competed for. The tests set were of a thoroughly practical character, and at the conclusion Major Warwick, in announcing the decision made some useful criticisms on the work done, calling attention to the too military style of marching.. He generally congratulated the teams, however, on theJr excellent work, and referred regretfully on the. absence .of Mr. Church-Brasier, who, he said, was an old fnend of hiS, and had stimulated his enthusiasm in ambulance work.

The result was as follows :-

"" '"'-:;' I st.-Dover, 2 I7 points. The "Counties" Trophy, the East Kent Cup, and five electro-plated tea sets.

ambulance work. His pleasure upon this occasion, however was somewhat marred owing to the absence of Mr.' Brasier. On the formation of the Transport Corps in London, Mr. Brasier became hiS chief assistant, and in the subsequent of the St. John Ambulance Brigade was largely responSible for the great success of the m.ovement. He was one of organisers that he (Sn John) kn ew.. In c?nnectlon With the South African war, when the over 2,000 men to the front to as hospital orderlies, the services rendered by Mr. BraSier, were worthy of al.l praise and were most invaluable. The success With which the details that day had been was, he understood, largely due to the careful way 111 which they had been pre-

THE DOVER TEA M.

I86 -FIRST

pared beforehand by Mr. Brasier, which proved that he still retained all his methods for successful organisations. In thanking them once more for the welcome accorded him, Sir John, said he was glad to know that am bulance work still went on in the town, and that they still possessed the wheeled litter which he remem bered inspecting on the occasion of one of his visits over twenty years back.

The Rev. Sir Charles Shaw proposed a vote of thanks to the Mayor and Mayoress for their presence there that afternoon, and, in reply his Worship said, it had been a very great pleasure to him to be present and witness that very excellent display of ambulance work. He was sorry that the trophy was not to remain in Margate, especially as it had been acquired mainly through the efforts of a fellow townsman. Mr. Church-Brasier was a very old friend of his; they were boys together and brother Volunteers in the days gone by, and they were now colleagues on the Council. He wished he could have been present with them that afternoon. They were especially pleased to hear Sir John's kind reference to Mr. Brasier's services.

Si r John Furley was the veteran pioneer of am bulance work and they were proud to welcome him amongst them. Votes of thanks were also accorded to the judges on the proposition of Hon. Surgeon Street, and to the Subscribers and Chairman, and a most successful gathering was brought to a close.

The telegraph having been put in motion, the winning team received quite an ovation on their arrival at Dover, where they were met by Supt. Lawes and a strong muster of the Division, and as soon as they appeared bearing the trophy they were greeted with enthusiastic applause, cheer after cheer being given.

Corporal Tupper in a modest, little speech acknowledged. the reception. He said they had worked very hard to attaIn success, but they never really expected to win the trophy, although they did think they might bring back the East Kent. Cup, which, fur some years past, they had hoped to WIn one day. They had succeeded beyond their expectations and had secured both trophies and five valuable tea services as well. It was the proudest day of his life.

A procession was. then formed, and the trophy having been mounted on taxI-cab, headed by the Salvation Army Band, proceeded. to the residence of the Honorary Surgeons, were brIef halts were made. On arrival at the Town Hall, cheers were given for Corporal Tupper and his squad. The Division was then dismis!;)ed.

G.E.R., LEYTONSTONE DrvIsION.-An examination of the above Division was held recently by Dr. Harris, of Walthamstow, when 26 candidates sat for examination. satisfied the examiner viz., 6 passed for certificates, 6 for vouchers, 9 for medallions and 3 for bars.

S.E. & c.R.-On the 24th May last the certificates, medallions, &c., gained by the members of the Hither class were handed to the recipients by Mr. E. A. the Centre secretary, at a meeting held in the waitIng-room at Hither Green Station.

Mr. Richards said that he was determined that the South Eastern and Chatham Railway should be second to none so far as the ambulance movement was concerned, and urged all the members of the class to exercise their best endeavours towards this end.

A very handsome silver inkstand, subscribed for by bers of the class, was presen ted to Dr. J. Wood, the mstructor of the class, that gentleman suitably responding.

A smoking concert was held at Queenboro' on May 27th, the occasion being set apart for the presentation of awards to the successful members of the Queenboro' class. The Mayor of Queenboro' occupied the chair, and was supported by the Rev. H. Castle, Mr. E. Richards (Centre anum ber of local officials, a very pleasant evenmg beIng spent.

On June 2nd the Mayor of Margate met the railway men of t?at district for the purpose of distributing the awards gamed at the recent ambulance examinations. He the it gave him to see so many young men giVIng up their evenings and pleasure to the work. He referred also to the splendid services rendered in the China and South African Wars, when hundreds of ambulance men sacrified their lives in endeavouring to assist others.

June, I9 IO -FIRST hill, 85t; 3rd , Hastings, 85; 4th, Crowhurst, 5th , Tunbridge Wells, 81; 6th, Ore, 76i; 7 th , Rye, 53·

Generil.lly a marked improvement in the standard of the work was noticeable, more particularly in the stretcher section, but one or two obvious mistakes were perpetuated by some of the competing teams, which the members afterwards much regretted, and with the impression of these blunders on their memories they are not likely to reoccur.

Subsequently the members of the teams and their friends partook tea at the Victoria Hall, where the presentation of the shield and medals was made by Dr. J. P. Wills, J.P.

Major Henchley, in the course of his remarks, gave a short criticism of the work done that day, which he generalised by "Don't." One thing was, don't put bandages over a man's stomach when it was desired to tie him to a stretcher, for the breathing was carried on very largely by the abdominal muscles. Secondly, he went on to say competing teams were divided into two classes. There was the team in which No. 2 talked too much, and the other in which NO.4 did not say enough. Then, when putting ice on the patient they did not want to smother it with clothing. Another point was that examinees were all anxious to answer more than they were asked; they were apt to mix up symptoms with the treatment. But he could sincerely say that he was pleased with the work they had done, and he hoped. to make a renewal of their acquaintance at an early date. Votes of thanks concluded the gathering, and great credit is due to Mr. G. Manser for the way he organised and carried out the secretarial duties of the competition.

AID.-

A, 12S. 6d. per man; Eastbourne, 7s. 6d. per man; Brighton, Loco No. I, 55. per man.

Section B. (For teams who have not previously won a prize).-Brighton Loco NO.2 and Brighton Carriage, a tie, 125. per man; Willow Walk, B, 7S. per man; Brighton Loco NO.3, 5s. per man; Shoreham, 3s. per man.

Section C. - Winners, New Cross, A, the Challenge Cup, and a silver medal to each man.

Forty-five men in all received prizes, and to Mr. W. L. Giriing, the Brighton District his lordship, with a short but very complimentary speech, presented the Insignia of an Hon. Serving Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

His lordship encouraged the competing teams to go on with their efforts to improve, and stated that over 2,000 cases of first aid had been rendered on the Company's System in the past twelve months, and that two members of the Company s staff-both competitors, viz., W. Rapley, captain of New Cross, and D. E. Legg, of Brighton Goods Team, did splenoid service at Stoats Nest on the day of

disaster there, for which they were thanked.

The thanks of the ambulance men generally on the System for the facilities granted them were modestly voiced by Mr. W. L. Girling (Brighton) and Mr. W. Rapley (New Cross).

After the presen· tation the prizewinners were entertained to luncheon, under the presidency of the Cen tre Secretary (Mr. J. King) ; Mr. W. L. Girling being in the vice-chair.

[,lIari;u! Studio, "Y,·w}>ort.

THE ALEXANDRA DOCK TEAM.

Where to Stay at Southend and Westcliff during the N.F.B.U. Camp Week,

A very successful smoking concert was also held at Wye on June 8th, a presentation being made to Dr. Hinds, the. hon. lecturer to the class, of a handsome smoking cabmet.

July 2nd to 9th.

PALACE HOTEL, Southend-on-Sea.

Fin es posi tion facing South and Sea.

200 Room s Replete with every modern convenience.

Terms 12S 6d. per day inclusive.

Telephone: 186 Southend.

Telegrams: "Palace , Southend-on·Sea."

MASCOTTE PRIVATE HOTEL, The Cliffs, Westcliff-on-Sea

Facing Bandstand and overlooking Sea.

•

Three minutes from Southend Stalion. Inclusive Terms from 30s. Personal supervi sion. MR. and MRS. I-I. A. REDI-IOUSE.

Telephone: 64 Southend.

Telegrams: "Mascotte, Cliffs, Southend."

A meeting was held recently at Seven oaks for the purpose of distributing the awards to the members of the Seven oaks class.

We are asked by the Centre Secretary to announce that on July 13th Dr. Muir will deliver a lecture in the Railway Mission Hall, Amersham Vale, New Cross, on "Where the Official Text Book is Misunderstood." Members of the staff desiring to attend should communicate with district secretary in order that the necessary travel tlckets may be supplied. The meeting will com· mence at 7.45 p. m.

The annual competition for the "Brassey" confined to the members of the NO.5 District of thIS raIlway, took place on May 25th at the Artillery Drill Hall, Bexhill·on-Sea. Seven teams entered and the judging was undertaken by Major Henchley (CanterbUlY) and Dr. Brewer (New Cross). The final results were declared as follows :-Ist, Battle, 86 marks; 2nd, Bex-

L.B. & S.C. - The eleventh annual distribution of prizes in connection with the

\iVrNNERS OF THE INTER-RAILWAY COMPETITION.

ambulance competitions on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway for the year 19IO took place at the chief offices of the Company, London Bridge, on Monday, May 9 th The RIght Hon. the Earl of Bessborough, C.V.O., c.B., chairman of the Company, and Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John, supported by Mr. F. Freeman-Thomas (director), Mr. William Forbes (general manager), Mr. J. J. Brewer (secretary), Mr. H. A. Sire (goods manager), Mr. P. V. Rose (solicitor), and Mr. J. King (secretary of the Company's Ambulance Centre).

His lordship preceded the presentation with a very touching reference to the loss sustained to the Order of St John and the nation at large by the lamented death of his late Majesty King Edward, who was sovereign head and patron of the Order.

The prizes presented were :-

Section A. (For teams of five who have previously won a prize).-Willow Walk, A, 20S. per man; New Cross,

L. & Y. Ry.- The presentation of certificates and medallions to the members of the ambulance class took place on June 2nd at Todmorden Station. NIr. S. Wilson (secretary) presided. At the con-

clusion of the presentation ot the awards Dr. Lawson Russell was the recipient of a handsome biscuit barrel, presented by the mem bers of the class as a slight token of their esteem. Mr. J. W. White made the presentation, which was suitably acknowledged by Dr. Lawson-Russell.

The King, who became Sovereign, head, and patron of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England on the death of King Edward, has accepted the office of patron of its ambulance department, the St. John Ambulance Association.

In connection with the ambulance class for employes of the N.E. Ry. at Stockton and the members of the police forces at Stockton and Thornaby, a whist drive was held on May 26th at the Room, Stockton, at which the medallIOns, &c., gamed by the successful students were presented. About 100 people were present and the gathering proved most enjoyable.

Photo by)

The "Argenta" Cup Competition.

THE annual competitIOn for 1910 for this valuable trophy took place at Blackpool on June 4th, and by the courtesy of Mr. J. c. Derham, Asst.-Commissi?ner, we are enabled to give a synopsis of the tests submitted and th.e awarded. As will be seen each team had a dIstmctIv e number and the name of the divisions were not divulged until the conclusion of the competition. As will be seen by the marking, it was a fairly close struggle between the ieading teams.

We are in no way responsib,e /01' the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

LONDON'S NOTABLE APPRECIATION OF AMBULANCE WORK AT KING EDWARD'S FUNERAL.

DEAR SIR,-After a tour taken purposely for and information r e ambulance matters, keepmg well 10 the vicinity of the route provided the Royal procession through London, from WestmlOster to Paddmgton, on. 20th with the idea that those of your country and provmclal who may have been atten?ing might like to know from an ambulance worker 5 POlOt of VIew, I have no hesitation in stating that everything was most satisfactory, while the leading feature that impressed me was fact of the frequency with which I heard the Ambulance ServIce spoken .of by persons of all classes, invariably praise- frequently WIth surpris e and satisfaction their skl.ll and resourcefulness, noting the pointed cross bemg and domg Just what, when and where it was wanted.

Never before in my experience has appreciation ?f the work of the S.J .A.B. been so unsti!lted general the leading daily newspapers as on thls occaSIon, Tlte TZ7lZ.es, Mornz'ng Post, and Clwom'de, all make chorus. praIse of the workers of St. John, likewise the Chief CommIssIOner of the Metropolitan Police.

This should give all members of the splmt an.d bandage department a very real uplIfting sense of progressIve encouragement and general satisfaction-verr different from the condition of affairs quite the reverse 10 1886-7, when the authorities were short-sighted enough to treat the members of a Volunteer Ambulance Service in the usual manner Volunteer Services are generally treated in this country with something bordering on a combination of ridicule and contempt, based on the solid rock of prejudice, in the face of facts clear as the noon day!

We accustom ourselves in speaking of one another, and of measures to employ such unmeasured and exaggerated terms that we not only pervert and confuse our language, but .our notions, ideas and perceptions. Nevertheless, tl:e police proved themselves unequal to cope WIth noters casualties in the West End and were deplorably weak III numbers for duty at the Jubilee Celebration, and, yet they, in a most uncompromising manner, told the Ambulance D.epartment to" Get out of it !" "Pass along, please!" had not been 'invented then, and, as a consequence? the long ind!fference of this real value of ambulance and polIce co·operatlon continued until the 2000 S.J.A.B.'s went out to South Africa-in that war where the glorious British Army was brought to a standstilll, foiled, humiliated, the loss of many killed and wounded or taken prIsoners, by two Repubhcs --a nation of peasants-who have never in their lives, and who apparently had no pomts 111 the.lr fav:our but their mobility, their knowledge of the country, 10 whIch were fighting and their familiarity with the use of the nfle The dire necessity of some kind of trained first aid was only too apparent when it came to relying on the resources of the Medical Department of the Regular when such great authorities as Dr. Conan Doyle and SIr F. Treves gave outspoken appreciation of their value as that at Queen Victoria'S funeral, the misunderstanding in the public and mind had to a great extent become cleared an.d a proper llltere.st began to establish itself not only on speCIal occaSIOns, but III daily life.

June, 19 10 -FIRST

The 6000 cases and upwards attended to (rom thirty-five stations in the 4t miles of roadway at King Edward's fune ral, under a burning sun, are not to be. forgotten. May very real progress and prospenty the condItIOn of FIRST AID and the cause It so ably and persIstently rep(esents in the fullest sense is deeply smcere WIsh of L. A. C.

[\Ve think that some of the statements C?f our correspondent are contrary to fact. From the very first tIme the of!er of ambulance assistance was made to the Metropohtan PolIce, at the time of the first Jubilee, by Mr. (now Sir J ohn ), the greatest cordiality has prevailed the two :)erVlces and every assistance has at all tImes been accorded to the Brigade by the Police Authorities. There may have isolated cases in the early days men wer.e on duty 10 plain clothes and the police fallmg to recoglllse them as ambulance men" moved them on." - ED., "F.A."J

LONDON'S AMBULANCE DEFICENCY.

DEAR SIR -The evident necessity for adequate ambulance provision in the streets, on the occasion of King Edward's funeral should show how very deficient London Arnbulal!ce remain, when it comes to the hard fact of bemg prepared for rendering first aid to number of people simultaneously. The present makeshIft. of the Metropolitan Police, and the HospItals ASSOCIatIOn, only show this more clearly.

The longer I live and the more datly expenence I obtalll of London's Ambulance requirements, I invariably come to the unavoidable conclusion that nothing short of an extensIOn of the City Police call point system will really .meet that need, especially outside the City, where the :ound each Police Station is half-a-mile, and the HospItals mIles apart.Sincerely yours,

ERNE ST J. RACKWIT Z

UNDER PRESENT CONDITIONS DO THE MOST PROFICIENT AMBULANCE MEN WIN IN AMBULANCE COMPETITIONS?

DEAR SIR,- The above query. is, I think, of more than passing interest to the skilled first alder, and I trust that some of them will take advantage of your to express th.elr views both for, and against, the present concl1tlons under whIch competitions are held.

At one time was a pronounced behever ambulance competitions as a means of increasing the of the ambulance man and thereby leading to an extensIOn of the principles of first aid.

Just recently, however, my on the value of these competitions as a test for actual first aId work, has undergone a decidedTimechange. was when the competitor gained hIS pOIn.ts on the quality or the ex cellence of his. first aid work-especIally wl.th regard to its efficiency. All thIS appears to be reference to recent tests will show, when we find, pomts are gIven for such items as "Encouraging words, " to doctor," &c are equally.as foolIsh, and I presume, more WIth a vIew. to.theatnca.l effect than any idea of testing the man's skIll m. first ald. On what hnes, 1 wonder, would the judge apprals.e the valu.e of encouraging words as given by the respectlV,e One man might possess a very musical VOIce whIch mIght. have a soothing effect on the patient, while another mIght be endowed with one suggestIve of the hav"ker to provoke shock in a nervouS p::tlent.. No, Mr. Edltol, if we are going to hold lll. wOlk let the points be awarded for genume fi:st skIll, a!ld do not give inferior teams the chance of creepmg by the aId of such theatrical nonsense as I have q uoted. Ehmmate the makebeLIeve altogether, and let the best exponent of GENUIN E first aid treatment secure the honour5. - Yours"Atruly,LOOKER

TONGUE GUARD FOR EPILEPTIC PATIENTS.

DEAR SIR - 1 send herewith a piece of leather similar to that used for cut as you will see-wedge-shape at

AID.- 18 9

each end. This is a most useful article for preventing patients in a fit from biting their tongue. The wedge-shaped ends enable one to slide it easily between the teeth, which one cannot do in the case of a piece of wood. Although of hard leather it is 50ft enough to prevent injury to the patient s teeth. I have used one on several cases, especially on those called upon to treat at King Edward s funeral. The cost is very small, being under a penny.-Yours faithfully, ONE OF THE S.].A.B.

"FRACTURE OF RIGHT FOREARM, "

DEAR SIR,-In reference to the above query raised by a fellow ambulance student and correspondent, Mr. J. J. Robinson, which appeared in your issue for May, I presume he refers to that lJractical test judged by Colonel Twiss for NO.5 bearers in the Inter-Railway Final, 1909. The answer is clearly given in the" First M.anual, on p. 36, last. line but viz.:-" Folded coat" m whIch you have paddm5 and splmt combined, three bandages to be applied round coat and injured limb and one for large arm sling.

I have been a reader of FIRST AID for a number of years, Mr. Editor, but this month ( May ) contains more valuable matter than any previous number, and should prove a good opportunity for ambulance to. i.ts pages to their fellow workers. Thankmg you 10 antlClpatlOn.-Yours faithfully,

"RAILWAY COMPETITOR, BLETCHL EY. "

THE AMBULANCE DUTY AT WINDSOR.

DEAR SIR, - It was my privilege to form one of the contingent which did ambulance duty in the streets of Windsor along the route taken by the Royal .Funeral, b?th on the occasion of the death of Queen Vlctona and agalO on May 20th when the remains of our dearly loved King were laid to rest. But how differently were affairs managed on the former occasion. The incoming squads were met on arrival late at night by Deputy-Commissioner Vernon and Brigade Chief Superintendent and escorted to a large schoolro?m kindly loaned by the vIcar. Here two great fires was burnmg -it was winter-and each man was allotted four army rugs to " doss" on. We were also informed of a local caterer who had arranged to supply meals at a tariff.

In the morning, after of a breakfast, we fell in and the statIOns havmg been prevIously fixed on, we were into detachments according to the size of the area over which we had to keep ambulance guard. All being ready we were marched off under the D.C., leaving the several detachments en route. There was no hurry, no confusion, all was order and method.

How different was it on the occasion of King Edward s Funeral. There was no one to meet the incoming squads overnight the members of which were left to "find" for In the morning we fell in, but the officer, aprarently responsible for the seemed for a t lme quite at sea as to what to do WIth us. At last a brIght Idea struck him he would" trot us round," and, lIke the brave old Duke of York, "he marched us up a jolly long hill and he marched us down again.".

I failed to see the purport of thiS myself, unless It was to render the already perspiring men and women thoroughly moist before they commenc ed the arduous labours of the day. d d' d' b h Well in time we were all duly poste ,an JU gmg y t e appreciative expressions with which we were greeted on our return, 1 presume each and woman may assume that both he and she had done their duty.

But I do hope that should we have to parade public ambulance duty again, someone WIll be .entrusted WIth the command who IS compet ent to carry It out,-Yours truly, "A PER SPIRING VICTIM. "

DR. CHRISTIAN'S ARTICLE.

DEAR SIR,-Adverting to the above .subject in you; issue f M " M D M.R.C.S." takes exceptIon to the stnctures o ay, ., f f h passed by Dr. Christian on the captalO 0 one 0 t e teams,

WHEN CORREl8PONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION "FIRST AID."

ON."

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Inter-Railway Competition, J909. Being present as a spectatol'l anxious to learn from those who had beaten us earlier in the fight, I think Dr. Christian let the gentleman referred to down very gently indeed, and the captain himself was not dE'terred thereby, for, again this year, he was in the final-although not the winner. Dr. Christian only expressed the opinion of a number of spectators of the 1909 Railway Final.

May I be permitted to point out to "M.D., M.R.C.S." that the conditions of the Railway and Brigade Competitions are altogether different, viz., in the I nter-Railway Competition each man is supposed to be at his usual employment when the call to render assistance is received, and all the members of the so-called squad have to assist one of their number who they mutually recognise as "captain" in their endeavours to assist an injured fellow worker, or may be passenger, and to evolve order and help out of chaos; while the Brigade squad represents an ambulance bearer squad fully equipped and in cltarge of an officer in order to effi ci ently supervise their actions and treatment should they be on public, though voluntary, duty, therefore they work under similar conditions wher. competing in the" Dewar" competitions.

We, as ambulance workers, are grateful to such examiners as Dr. Christian for their detailed criticisms, for while we endeavour to learn to make ourselves efficient in order to assist our less fortunate fellow creatures in accident and sickness, still our l im ited knowledge leaves us far from perfect, and it is sud. remarks, calling attention to the errors which we make, that rouses us to further energy and endeavour in the noble work which we are proud to be engaged in. I can only say to such gentlemen, never mind what we do right either in practice or competition; tell us what we say or do wrong, and we shall endeavour to learn to do better.

Thanking you, Sir, for the privileges we enjoy in the columns of FIRST Am.- I am, Sir, yours faithfully, "RAILWAY CO:\[PETlTOH., BLETCHLEY."

THE COMPETITIONS AT THE PORTMAN ROOMS.

DEAR SIR,-I was very interested in the criticism of the recent competitions at the Portman Rooms. The one on the "Dewar Competition" however would have proved of more value, if you had published a full synopsis of the marks awarded, as you did in the case of the Railway Competition. To those of us who competed, but who failed to secure premier honours, it have pro v ed especially valuable, as we might by the aid of such synopsis be enabled, within a little, to trace were we failed to score.

Trusting on another occasion you will do this, and expressing my appreciation of your Journal and its efforts on behalf of first aid.- Yours truly "ACTING CORPORAL."

[Vfce guite ,;-ealise t.he value of publishing the analysis of Bngade competition, both from a competitor's standpOInt, and that of others interested in first aid work, and we should have done so, but unfortunately, the authorities at headquarters would not give us permission.-ED_ "F.A."]

TREATMENT OF FRACTURE OF BOTH BONES OF LEFT LEG.

D EAR SIR,-I am in complete accord with much that is contained in Dr. Christian's letter in your May issue but still "Cordi.te" has had but a poor respon;e to his gratlfymg enquiry. "

The crudely artificial character of the surroundings of a patient " are part and parcel of an ambulance competition. If the competitors are to begin questioning the judge the re.s uIt is likely to. prove interesting, since the successful 'team WIll be that which asks the most intelligent questions and makes the most intelligent use of the answers. To make the farce complete, L':lne should be engaged, where an actual raIlway CollISion mIght be utilised. The pat ient who groaned lnudest might get an extra mark or two also!

" As before, suc h questions test. ingemdty but not first aid ; but the candidate who questions the examiner would get short shrift from me.

AID.-

Perhaps, for" Cordite's" sake, who has my sympathy, we might yet have the detailedjJrojJer treatment of the case" considering the crudely artificial character of the surroundings of the patient at the time of competition.- Yours very truly, RICHARD SEDGWICK.

FRACTURED RIBS AND THIGH.

DEAR SIR,-May I invite your opinion on the following test given in a recent Open Competition held early in June. On the teams meeting they were told there would be no rules governing the competition, but would be a test of first aid. Two doctors judged and two teams worked at once. On the patient was placed a label with the folIowll1g test written with blacklead pencil, " Fractured Ribs," then came some word that you had to ask the doctor what it meant, and he said "spitting of blood"; "Fractured Thigh "-it did not state which ribs were fractured or on which side the injuries were. This information was asked of the doctor, and the reply was, treat where you like and which side you like, but both injuries must be treated on one side_

Most of the teams treated with ice or cold water dressing to ribs, outer splints from armpit to and inside splint, top bandage placed below the fractured nbs and no pressure made on it just to keep upper part of splint in place, and the doctor told why it was not placed close up to the armpit; then other bandages placed on for simple fractured thigh.

When the doctors judged the work they said the top bandage should not have been put on, and the outer splint should only have been from the pelvis to the foot. I may add here that the winning team treated left ribs and right thigh; whether thev were told the same as other teams I do not know. The doctors said why the short splint should have been used was because you may want to sit patient up.

I should be glad if you will give me the foIIow1l1g information : - Should the long or short outer splint be used, and would it be right to sit patient up ?-Yours truly, A CAPTAIN.

[1. I am inclined to think that in this case where a bandage cannot be put round the chest, a short outer splint would be sufficient.

2. I cannot think why YOLl may want to sit the patient up, except for some reason that is not stated in the test and it does not seem quite right to expect treatment for which is !lot mentioned. According to the text-book, the treatment IS: lay the patient down, inclined a little towards the injured s ide; and I see nothing in the test as given above that requires any modification of the treatment.

The meaning of" no rules governing the competition" is not clear, and might have some bearing on the test given.HEATON C. HOWAH. D.]

BACUP.-The annual inspection of the Ambulance Nursing Divisions took place on May 28th, the inspectmg officer was District Chief Supt. A. L. Garnett.

JUST PUB LI SH E D.

288 pp., Crown 8vo. Cloth extra. 35 6d, net.

FIRST AID TO THE SICK:

DISEASES, THEIR DESCRIPTION & TREATMENT

A Work of Reference fo r the flome, written in Plain Language.

By D. HASTINGS YOUNG , M . B . M. S (E din.) etc

Intwduction-Di seases of the Chest-of the Alimentary Systemof the Throat and Nose-of the Liver-of the Kidneys-of the Nenes-Constitutional Diseases-Infectious and Contagious Diseases -Symptoms of Various Diseases-Diseases of the Skin-Appendix -F ull Index

F I RST AID TO THE CH I LD, by the same Author, will be ready shortly_

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD., BROADWAY HOUSE, LONDON, E.c.

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services .

T o Ou r Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, nnless previously agreed upon in writing.

" Fi r st Ai d " i s p ub li sh ed on the 2 0th of the month.

EDIT O RIAL.

WE have never professed the art of Dis illu s i on. prophecy, and indeed it did not require that one should be gifted with the sense of second sight, to realise, that the agreement between the War Office on the one side, and the Red Cross Society, and the St. John Ambulance Association on the other was likely to be of short duration.

From the very first we were suspicious of the aims of the Red Cross Society. It appeared to us that the cooperation of the authorities at St. John's Gate had been accepted by the Society because it would have been courting disaster to have inaugurated classes under its own organisation, savouring as this would have done of direct opposition to an Association which had already earned the gratitude of the nation, by the way in which it had instructed and organised the men and women of the Empire in the principles of first aid, and the best methods for utilising the knowledge thus acquired to the public advantage.

N or were we alone in this view of the situation. From all quarters we received communications pointing out that the agreement was not in accordance with the principles of fair play, inasmuch as the St.

John Ambulance Association was to do all the "spade work," that, is they were to instruct and then organise into detachments, the men and women of the various counties, and then hand them over to the control of an organisation, which beyond a flow of eloquence, more or less dramatic, at pu blic meetings, had not raised a finger or granted, as far as we know, a single sixpence towards the cost of a movement, over which they proposed in the future to take full control in the same way in which they had already assumed all the credit for its inauguration.

That this one sided agreement has fallen to pieces we are not surprised, for it was one-sided, as instance the clause which stated that m any wars of the future in which this country might be involved, the War Office had decided to accept no offer of assistance other than that which was tendered through the medium of the British Red Cross Society. This certainly means, if it means anything at all, that should th e occasion arise, as in the case of the South African War, when the Army Medical D.;partment was in sore need of help, that help if tendered by the St. John Ambulance Association would have to be declined unless it was made under the auspices of th e British Red Cross Society.

Thus the St. John authorities, who it is admitted on all sides, made no blunders in connection with the Hospital side of the Boer War, are to be effaced by the British Red Cross Society, which, if we are to believe the stories told by some of its principal advocates, was responsible for some of the grossest mismanagement and some of the greatest blunders, especially in the dispatch and delivery of medical stores and comforts, a branch of Red Cross work with which, from years of training, its staff should surely have been quite conversant.

Having expressed our views on the agreement now happily terminated, we have just a few words to sayan the situation as it now stands, and in this connection we cannot congratulate the authorities at St. John's Gate on their wisdom in proposing to organise under the auspices of the St. John Ambulance Association, ambulance companies formed on exactly the same lines as those organised by the Red Cross Society. To our mind this is an error in tactics, and savours somewhat of the surly youth who, finding that he cannot get all his own way, straightway

-FIRST

throws up the game, and proceeds to spoil his late playmates pitch.

If, in the first instance, the Association had stood aloof and elected to carry out a scheme of its own initiation, no one could have said a word. Its executive would have been quite within its rights, but to first bless, and then actively support a movement, which you subsequently proceed to oppose is not good diplomacy, especially when it is understood that the scheme has not only the sympathy but the active support of one of the highest ladies in the land. Furthermore we fail to see the need for any such line of conduct. All that the authorities at the Gate required to do was to organise a crusade, and present special inducements to men and women to join the existing Ambulance and Nursing Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and to form fresh units in towns and villages where none now exist. This would have been legitimate opposition, inasmuch as it could only be as a proof that those responsi ule for the conduct and efficiency of the Brigade did not intend to allow it to be supplanted by the Voluntary Aid Detachments.

In th e case of the Nursing Divisions the Association had a splendid card to play, and one which we have advocated in the past. Why not approach Queen Mary with the request that she would allow a Nursing Reservf. to be formed from members of the St. John Nursing Divisions to be designated as Queen Mary's Territorial Forces Nursing Reserve. Candidates for this Reserve might undergo a special training, and it ought not to be difficult to devise rules and regulations for the conduct of such a branch. There is already a precedent in the fact that the Metropolitan Corps is now officially recognised as "The Prince of Wales' Corps." If in the case of the Nursing Divisions some such honour were conferred we are convinced that women would readily enrol in an organisation, which has the sympathy and was under patronage of the Queen Consort.

We have before pointed out that we do not think the Voluntary Aid Detachments will ever oust the units of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, even although they may elect to take up public duty as now carried out by the latter body. The uniform of the Brigade is now a familiar one to the man and woman in the crowded streets, and the unselfish labours of its members are at all times warmly appreciated, as evidenced by the action of the crowds as they watched the return march of the ambulance detachments who had been on duty both in London and at Windsor. Not even the mournful sadness of the occasion could prevent the outburst of applause as they passed, in recognition of duty which had been well and nobly done. As Sir Herbert Perrott, the Chief Secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association said,

AID.- July, 19£0

when addressing the members of "The Prince of Wales' Corps" recently, "Admiration had been expressed the world over for the way the men and nurses conducted themselves on the occasion of the King's funeral."

In conclusion, we trust that the nation a l emergency may never arise, and with a monarch on the throne equally as keen on the maintenance of peace as was his late beloved father, we do not think it will. Still, in the event of such a calamity, we dare venture to assert that the St. John Ambulance Brigade will be fully capable of coping with all the details necessary to ensure that skilful nursing, capable transport, and suitable hospi tal accom modation, shall not be lacking for our Territorial "Tommies."

Notes on First Aid Simplified.

By SYDNEY H. LAMB, Sergea1lt St. fohn Ambulance Brigade ;

(Concluded/rom page I79).

P01S0NS.

A poison is a substance which when it enters the sY5tem causes severe damage to the internal organs, and if treatment is not immediate death may ensue.

In all cas es of suspected poisoning, send at once for a medical man, not forgetting to inform him that poisoning is suspected.

Poisons can be divided into four classes, viz. ;etc.

J. Corrosives: consisting chiefly of acids and alkalies. Acids; Nitric, sulphuric, hydrochloric, carbolic, oxalic, Alkalies; Caustic soda, caustic potash, ammonia, etc.

2. Irritants: Arsenic, mercury, silver, lead, copper, phosphorus, antimony, etc., etc.

3. Narcotics: Opium, alcohol, hemlock, camphor, ether, cbloroform, etc., etc.

4. Narcotic Irritants: Strychnia, aconite, poisonous fungi, etc., etc.

GENERAL TREADIENT IN CASES OF P01S0NIN G

Mzl/, can be given in quantities when the patient is 110t insensible

EJ{{;s beaten up with milk or water can be given wIlen the patient is not insensible

Otis. Any vegetable oil, such as olive, salad, or linseed oil, can be given in spoonfuls, except in cases 0./poz'soning from plzosphorus. (Phosphorus is soluble in oil, and if oil were given it would dissolve the phosphorus, thereby enabling it to enter the system. )

Butter may be given if no oil is handy.

Tea. Strong tea is always safe, as Il1 many cases it neutralises the poison.

EmeNc can be given, except wizen the lips and ?lZoutlt are stained or burned by acids 17r alkalies.

1. A dessertspoonful of mustard in a glass of warm water.

2. A tablespoonful of salt in a glass of warm water. If an acid is known to have been swallowed, g-ive an alkatz' at once. If an al/,ali is known to have been swallowed, give an acid at once.

TREAT FOR SHOCK WHEN lT OCCURS.

Note.-I n all cases any vomited matter or food, or any other substance suspected of being or containing the poison, must be preserved for examination.

July, 19 10

-FIRST

When a person has swallowed a poison and threatens to go to sleep, /iJeefJ Mm a'wake.

When there are no stains about the mouth, give an emetic.

When there are stains about the mouth, give eggs, milk, or oils, but no emetic.

CLASS OF POISON. ACTION. TREATMENT.

Corrosives: Acids. Alkalies.

AID.-

the greater will be the assistance to the surgeon who has to deal with the patient afterwards.

H ce morrhage, if severe, must be arrested before anything else is done, and in applying a tourniquet only apply sufficient pressure to arrest the bleeding.

Never give stimulants in cases of severe h cem orrhage. Keep patient warm and quiet and be particularly careful in injuries to the head -if the patient is sick turn his head to one side.

Burn the t issues of the mouth and tong ue, etc. Stain the mouth or c hin.

Irn'tants: Narcotics:

Do. do. do.

Wash the mouth out with an alkaline solution of chalk, whitening, or wallplaster. Give demulcent or soothing drinks, such as barley water or milk, etc. No emetic. Wash the mouth out with an acid solution, such as vinegar and water, or lemon and water, and then give eggs, milk, etc. No emetic.

Great pain in stomach and throat. Severe shock.

Give an emetic and then treat for shock. Eggs in milk or strong tea can be given before or after the emetic.

Tendency to go to sleep. Stertorous breathing.

Give an emetic if patient is not insensible Keep patient awake by walking him about or flicking his chest with a damp cloth, etc. If tile breatlzz'ng has stopped, commence artzjidal respiration.

Narcotic-Irritants:

Pain in throat and stomach. Delirium, convulsions, and insensibility.

Give an emetic if patient is not z'me?Zsible Hot blanket and water bottles; mustard plaster over the heart. Give patient stimulants if he is not insensible Artificial respiration if breathing stops.

PROCEDURI!: IN CASE S OF ACCIDENT.

If in the street and the injury is a of .the lower extremities, on no account remove patient until lImb IS securely fixed.

Never jump quickly to conclusions as to the nature of th: accident; go about your work m a cool way, but thoroughly examine the pat.ient and. then treat for Ill)unes,. etc.

Question patient, If c<;msclous, as to pOSSible history of injury etc' if unconscIOUS, carefully observe the surroundings. 'nroken chair or ladder, broken shaft of cart or trap, over-turned motor car, broken. cycle, broken of tree, banana skins, etc., etc., 1I11 of would denote a fall resulting in perhaps conCUSSIOn, compression, fracture5, sprains, etc., etc.

Bottle or paper having contamed pOIson; kl1lfe, raZOl or revolver lying about, escape of gas, would suggest attempted suicide.

Overhead tramway cable breaking, thunderstorms, etc., would suggest electric shock.

Burst gun or revolver ,,:,ounds.

When you have ascertamed what IS wrong- With the patient, don't argue with the bye-standers, but at once get on treatment in your own way-be gentle, firm and metho.chcal III all you do, always remembering the better your work 15 done)

In cases of burns or scalds at once cover up the injured parts to exclude the air, until you have got the requisite dressings ready.

In sending for medical aid specify in writing, if possible, the nature of the accident.

Should a person meet with a severe injury and you are called upon to remove him to his home, it is always advisable to send a message (judiciously worded ) to his home to prepare them for his arrival.

In transporting a patient great care must be observed in reference to the nature of the injuries to the patient

If no stretchers are available, improvise them ;-

Two rails from fence, strong pipes (g as or water ), clothes props or two poles can be placed through a sack or the sleeves of a great coat or two smaller coats, the sleeves of which have been turned in and the coat buttoned up ;

Inside seat of a tramcar or railway compartment;

A ladder with rugs placed on it.

Before using an improvised stretcher test it carefully for strength.Never use hand-seats for carrying a patient long distances , as the constant lifting and lowering of the patient is liable to aggravate the injuries.

If in the country and no horse ambulance IS at hand, get a country cart or milk and car.efullr pack With straw, rug's or blankets, and ride With the patient m order to steady him.

In transporting a p<l:tient any distance to home or hosp ital, it is advisable to occaSIOnally mspect the bandages, etc., to see that they have not been disturbed or displaced.

Obituary.

IT is with sincere regret that we have to the death of ex-Chief Supt. John A. Buckley, of Leicester. The deceased gentleman had n?t beer: in good health for some little time past, but the Immediate .cause of death was due to a paralytic stroke, as result of which Mr ..!3uckley passed peacefully away on July 6th. Chief Supt. Huckley was one of the founders of the Leicester Centre and took his first aid certificate in 1881.. In co-?pera tlOn WI th Mr. Frank Turner, he was instrumental 111 startmg the bearer company in connection with the volunteers, from which he retired some years back With the rank of sergeant. In recognition of his services on behalf of ambulance movement, he was admitted as an Hon. ServIDg of the Order of St. John, and was one the reCIpients of the service medal. He took a k te n 111 and was a Fellow of the Royal Society. At one time connected with the Bishop-street Wesleyan Church as a local preacher, he was an "earnest speaker, es ocially in the cause of temperance. One who k.new 11" ays "The Good Samaritan" aptly deSCrIbed 1m we , s , b t t John Buckley, dictatorial he might be at times, a heart he was one of the kindest o.f men, ar: d at all. times read to do a great action 'lnd relle.ve or distress. S y members of the Brigade wIll doubtless reorne presen f mem ber how on the occasion of the second con erence which was held in London, John rose and that the h · d . ht be held in Lp.icester assuring hiS hearers t lr one mig -, f h th t the should have a real warm welc.ome rom e Backs," a promise which was faithfully carned out.

Memb er of tlte Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Bertlz Reserve.

July,

Annual Competition for the "William Heywood" Shield and the "Grant" Medal.

THIS competition, which is open to men holding the St. John Ambulance certificate and residing within ten miles of the Polytechnic, was held in that Institute on June 25 th

The judges were, for the "Heywood" Shield, Dr. J. Maclean Carvell (stretcher), Drs. Rhodes and Paterson and Col. Lees Hall (practical), Drs. Rowntree, Stoker, ShrubsaIl, Gordon Taylor and Williams (viva voce); for the "Grant" Medal, Drs. P. Edmunds and Pryce-Tenkins (practical), Dr. Potter (viva voce).

The following was the result :-

" Heywood" Shield: 1st, G.W.R. (Paddington), s06} points; 2nd, S.E. & c.R. (Charing Cross Guards) 3rd, S.E. & c.R. (Bricklayer's Arms Loco), 466; 4th, G.N.R. (King's Cross), 465i; 5th, L. & N.W. R. (J. Findell's team), 46 It; 6th, S. E. & c.R. (H. C. Trim's team),

,. Grant" Medal: 1st, A. G. Ford, 163; 2nd, E. W. Newton, 162; 3rd, G. J. Ralph, 160; 4 th , J. J. Ascott, 157; 5th,A. L.George, 151; 6th, Rudge, ISO. TEST FOR SHIELD COMPETITION. STRETCHER.

Patient was hurrying along New Bond-street to catch a train at the Central London Railway, when he unexpectedly came off the kerb. After vainly endeavouring to recover his balance he fell forward and pitched heavily on to his right shoulder.

He is unable to stand, or to use his right arm; he complains of a good deal of pam and says his right leg is useless.

Treat and remove on stretcher to the Middlesex Hospital, about three-quarters of a mile away.

NOTICE. -The captain of the team may ask the patient any question he likes. The judge will answer. PRACTICAL.

Patient is insensible and is bleeding from the ear. Render first aid.

How would you treat a child who had upset a kettle of boiling water over her leg?

A man in a field on a hot day falls unconscioLls, he has small pupils, stertorous breathing, hot dry skin and rapid pulse. His breath smells of alcohol. What would you do?

Would you give stimulants to a man who had been stabbed in the abdomen. There is no external hccmorrhage. He has fainted once and is very pale?

How would you treat a patient who was coughing up considerable quantities of blood?

How would you treat a patient who had cut his own throat and opened the windpipe?

How would you deal with an insect in the ear?

How would you treat a child with a bead in its nose?

Give signs and sytnptons of fracture.

What is your treatment for insensibility?

Give signs and symptoms of internal \Vhat is your treatment for internal h::cmorrhage?

TESTS FOR" GRANT" M 1<: 01\ L CONTEST. PRACTICAL.

(I ) Treat fracture of patella.

(2) The leg is amputated by train accident. There are clots of blood on the stump. Bleeding has ceased. Prepare for conveyance to a hospital a considerable distance away.

(3) Treat fracture of both bones on right forearm with arter al bleeding.

(4 ) Treat bite, by mad dog, on right forearm which is badly torn. (Out of doors )

(

5) Man drunk; he has fallen and fractured his lower jaw. VIVA VOCE.

What are the most distinctive symptoms of compression of the brain?

What changes take place in the blood as it passes through the capillaries of the body?

What are the most all round (or generally useful) antidotes for poison? Give reasons for your selection in order of usefulness.

What are the special advantages of Schafer's method of performing artificial respiration, and the uses of Laborde's method?

C(

AI n.-

Th.e North .Mersey team secured the trophy and were thus adjudged winners of the cups for the fifth time. The teams en.ter.ed for the 1,. & Y. Directors' Shield and Sir George Pllklngton's Challeng.e Cup, Capt. George M. D., R.A.M.C.(T.), being the judge of the Ihirty-four competing from all parts of the Company's and the preliminary test the North Mersey I eam were agam placed first.

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY -The annual meeting of the Goods Centre was held on July 2nd, a.nd was presIded over by Mr. W. r. Carmichael (Supennte.ndenq. There was a good attendance, including followmg of stations and departments: -Messrs. Robmson, Ayrton, Forrest, Savage, Hlubert, Mercer, BaIliff, Hams and Ditchfield. An illtcresting report wa<; given by the Secretary of the Division, Mr. G. J.

Fracture of the lower jaw and left forearm.

Dressing- of head (scalp ) or shoulder.

Treat patient who is in contact with live electric wire.

Treat patient with fractured humerus.

Treat patient who is suffering from carbolic acid poison-

Compound fracture of both bones of right leg, with arterial bleeding. ing.

Cut throat with wound of right carotid artery.

Complicated fracture of ribs, right side.

Fracture of both collar bones.

Vertical wound of abdomen, with intestines protruding.

Compound fracture of left leg with venous bleeding.

Fracture of left shoulder blade.

Patient is bleeding from a ruptured varicose vem m the leg.

VIV A VOCE.

l-Iow would you treat a case of carbolic acid poisoning?

What are the signs of apoplexy?

What are the dangers c;>f a stab wound of the abdomen?,

How would you deal wIth a man who had just been rolled on by his horse?

The characteristic symptoms of compression of the brain?

The changes which occur in the blood during its passage through the capillaries?

The peculiar advantages of Schafer's method of artificial respiration, the uses of Laborde's method?

The most generally useful antidotes, their properties (tea, mIlk, waler, etc. ) ?

How would you recognise and treat a case of poisoning by (a ) opium; (b ) chloral?

The competitions commenced about 2 o'clock and the results were announced at 7.30. At the presentation which subsequently took place, Douglas Hogg, Esq. (VicePresident of the Polytechnic), occupied the chair. He was supported by Mackenzie Bell, Esq., Dr. Carvell, Dr. Grant, Mr. Heywood, Dr. Beresford Kingsford, and Mr. Roberts.

In a few remarks the chairman expressed his pleasure at presiding over the first meeting of this kind held at the Polytechnic, and said he hoped that in the new building they would be able to arrange for an even larger competition. He thanked Mr. Mackenzie Bell for his very generous gift of the medals. Also Dr. Grant for the great interest he has shown in ambulance work by presenting a special medal for indiviclual competition. In addition, he went on to say how much they were indebted to the medical men who gave their valuable services in aid of the Polytechnic ambulance work. In conclusion, he thanked Sir William Collins, M.P., M.D., etc., for kindly acting as director of the examinations, and requested him to present the shield and the I medals to the respective winners.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Sir William Collins, in the course of his speech, congratulated the men upon the very efficient manner in which they had worked that day, and said he was pleased to note that they were all quite satisfied that they had received fair treatment all round. In conclusion, he stated that the number of accidents in the streets of London was steadily increasing year by year, but he was glad to say that a scheme had now been suggested to deal more efficiently with these cases of accidents.

The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

This squad were the first winners of the new "Charles J. Trimble" Shield.

have been caused had there been the slightest bungling. There had been two examinations held by Dr. G. H. Darwin, the first for labels, 27 mem bers presenting themselves for the tests, and all succeeding in passing. The second was in connection with the Winter Class, Dr. Paddock, of Bootie, being the lecturer, and 57 candidates were examined-24 for First Certificate; 15 for Voucher; ten for Medallion, and eight for Label; 52 passed, and only five failed. Thus the total number of members passing the examinations was 79, as compared with 73 in 1908-9, and 63 in 1907-8. In the several competitions held during the year, one team, Aintree No.2, had done remarkably well, seeing that all the members, except the Captain, had only passed their first examination last February, and the promise which this team has already given, bids fair to bring them to the top of the ladder in future competitions. On February 19th, the challenge cups presented by the Sports Committee and the President were competed for.

tulated the Secretary of the Division, Mr. G. J. Tucker, who is also Captain of the North Mersey Team, on his selection to the rank of an Hon. Serving Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the decoration of the Order having been conferred upon him by King Edward VII. shortly before his ceath. The honour was not only a personal one to Mr. Tucker, but it also reflected credit upon the Liverpool Division, and especially upon the team which he had led so often to victory in the competitions. Continuing, Mr. Carmichael urged that a still greater interest should be taken in am bulance work by the staff, and those who joined in the studies

In the final, six teams .gaining the highest points and, for. the first hme, three Liverpool teams were lOcluded, havmg secured the first, third and fourth places. The awards :-( i) North Mersey, 23 6 i out 3 00 ; (2) HorWich, 216; (3) Barnsley, 159; (i-) Amtree, No.2, 156; (5) North Docks, (6) Newton Heath, 128t. ThiS makes the fifth time that the North Mersey Team been the. winners, and they represented the Company In the Inter-RaIlway Competition. The certificates, medallions and labels were presented by Mr. W. J. Carmichael, and in his remarks he congraTucker, showing that the members of the six corps had rendered during the year first aid in 1,3'17 cases and redressed I 10 casessome of which were very serious-and the men had been highly complimented by the Doctors for their efficiency in treating the patients, especially in one case where a man had one of his thigh bones broken by a quantity of slate slabs falling upon him. The slabs had to be moved very gently and according to the unsolicited testimony of the Hospital doctor, the bandaging and splinting, had been done so effectually that the man had been saved a compound or complicated fracture, which might

and practices should persevere until they were thoroughly efficient, as the knowledge gained would be of inestimable benefit to themselves and the community amongst whom they lived and worked.

The Officers for the ensuing year were elected, viz.: -President, Mr. W. J. Carmichael; Vice-Presidents, Messrs. Rouse and Windle; Treasurer, 1\1r. J. A. Gaukrodger; Secretary, Mr. G. J. Tucker; Committee, Messrs. Griffiths, Robinson, Matthewman, Ayrton and Savage.

A vote of thanks was passed to the President and all other Officers for their services during the past year, also to the Directors and Officials of the Company for the many facilities which had been afforded for carrying on the work.

S.E. & c. RY.-On Thursday, June 16th, a smoking concert was held at Meopham, the occasion being the distribution of the awards gained by the members of the ambulance class held here. The chair was occupied by

CASTLETON NURS1NG D1VISION.

-FIRST

Dr. Golding-Bird, who laid stress on the importance of every railwayman having a knowledge of first aid. A presentation was mane by the members of the class to the honorary lecturer, Dr. Griffiths, and the class secretary, Mr. J. Rowlands.

The certificates gained by the mem bers of the Dover class were distri buted at a concert held in that town on June Z 1 st. There was a good attendance of the S. E. and CR. employes with their wives, and the utmost enthusiasm prevailed. The class secretary, Mr. T. Jones, was presented with a silver-mounted walking stick by the members of the Dover Harbour cl'OiSS as a recognition of his many years of good service in the ambulance cause.

The "Courthorpe" trophy for the best am bulance man in NO.5 District was won by Mr. G. Page, of Hastings Station, at a competition held at Bexhill on Wednesday, June zznd.

The certificates gained by the Slades Green, Woolwich and Dartford classes were presented on Tuesday, June z8th, in St. Augustine's Parish Room at Slades Green by Mrs. E. C Cox, wife of the ChJ.irman of the Centre Committee. There was a very large attendance of the successful candidates and their friends. The Cup won by the Slades Green team at Dartford recently, was e l(hibited on the table on the platform. The first part of the proceedings took the form of a first aid demonstration, followed by an excellent concert. In reply to a vote of thanks to Mrs. Cox for presenting the awards, she said it had given her much pleasure to be at Slades Green and to see so many interested in the ambulance movement. She was once an ambulance student herself, and of course that made her more than ordinarily interested in the work. She thought that great credit was due to those men who devoted their leisure time to the study of ambulance work.

The certificates, etc., gained by the members of the Ashford district were presented at a concert held at the Ashford, on Monday, July 4th, under the chaIrmanshIp E. C Cox, Esq , J. Shaw, District Engineer; E. A. RIchards, Centre Secretary; Dr. F. Cook, etc. The Local Secretary in making his report, referred to the large number of men in the works at Ashford who were still without a knowledge of first aid, and made an appeal for larger classes next session. It had been a source of much satisfaction to the men at Ashford that one of their teams had secured the" Beginners' Group Cup" and he hoped that this would be an encouragement to' others to go Rhead with the work.

On Wednesday, July 13th, the Deptford Trades Hall at Cross, which had been specially hired for the occaSIOn, was filled to overflowing by S.E. & CR. ambulance men, the occasion being the distribution of the awards to the members of the New Cross and Clock Hoyse Ciasses, followed by a lecture from Dr. R. D. Muir, entItled "Where the Official Text-book is misunderstood." When Dr. Muir is announced to lecture a large following can always be assured, and without a doubt a most profitable and enjoyable evening was spent by all present.

& N.V\:'.R-The annual meeting of the Bletchley Dlstnct of thIS Centre was held at the Coffee Tavern on .z7 th , under the presidency of Mr. C S. Lowndes (Dlstnct Traffic Supt.), who was supported amongst others by. Bradbrook, Dr. Moberley, Mr. H. W. Blakeney (Dlstncl Mana&er)? and Mr. H. T. Fracy.

!he dlstrlbuted the following awards:-

Certificate: T. Nlcholls. Medallions: J. Bates, C. Blane T. Bradbury, W. Rowe, F. G. Smith and A. Wilson.

AID.- July, 19 10

or Bars: (Fourth year), G. Bird, J. Wintle, A. Thurlow and J. Turney (Sixth year), F. Alderman, C. Chappell, William Rollings, W. J. Louster, W. H. Tugwell and M. Turney (Seventh year), r. Lucas, J. Vaughan; (Eighth year), T. Warr, S. Lee, A. Timms and W. G. Brown.

A vote of thanks to the chairman was proposed by Mr. Fracy, seconded by Mr. Taberner, and carried with acclamation, as also were votes of thanks to the medical staff and local honorary secretary.

The "Sir Charles Warren" Shield.

THE fifth annual competition for this coveted trophy, which has done so much to stimulate ambulance enthusiasm in the Rhondda Valley, took place on June 25th on the Llwymypia field. The judges were Lieut.-Col. R. R. Sleman, RA. M.C(T.), and Major E. St. Vincent Ryan, RA.M.C(T.).

The tests submitted were of a thoroughly practical character, and at the conclusion the following was announced as the result :-

1st, Maindy and Eastern, Ton Pentre, 365 points, shield and £7 2nd, Ferndale, 348 points, certificate and £5; 3 rd , Mardy, 33 2 points, certificate and £3; 4th, Abergorky, 330 points, £2; 5th, Tylorstown, 304 points; 6th, Ystrad-Rhondda, z93 points.

A large and appreciative audience witnessed the competition and the presentation of the prizes to the successful teams. Prominent amongst them we noticed the popular Deputy-Commissioner of the District, Col. E. Cureton, M.D., V. D., Asst.-Commissioner Lewis, Mr. Leonard Llewlyn, District Supt. of Stores T. E. Richards, Chief Surgeon Morris, and the energetic secretary to the competition, Chief Supt. Torn Davies, to whose zeal and enthusiasm am buance work in this district owes so great a debt.

This is the first time that the shield has been captured by a team representing the Rhondda Fawr, and the winners received a splendid ovation on going up to receive the trophy from the hands of Mrs. Leonard Llewelyn.

The usual vote of thanks brought the proceedings, which had been most successful, to a close.

Prior to the competition the judges, officers and visitors were entertained to luncheon by the Director ot the Cambriam Coal Combine. In the absence of Mr. D. A. Thomas, M.P., the chair was taken by Mr. Leonard Llewelyn. The toast of the St. John Ambulance Association proposed by Dr. W. A. Atkinson, Chief Inspector of Mmes, who referred to the dangerous nature of mining operations in the district, and said the mem bers of the deserved the greatest gratitude of the mhabltants for undertaking this work on behalf of their fellows.

Lieut.-Colonel R. R Sleman and Major E. St. Vincent Ryan responded, the former referring to the valuable services rendered by the St. John Ambulance men in South Africa, a statement which was endorsed by Major St. Vincent Ryan.

The toast of the NO.7 District St. John Ambulance Bngade was proposed by Mr. Herbert R. Jenkins and reto by Colonel Cureton, who paid a well deserved tnbute to the valuable services rendered to the ambulance cause by Mr. Tom Davies. In referring to the increase in strength of the enrolled mem bers in No. 7 District he pleaded for further support on the part of the colliery owners.

District Supt. of Stores T. E. Richards submitted the

July, 19 10 -FIRST

toast of the Glamorgan Coal Company, and said that the Directors of the Cambrian Combine deserved the highest recognition for the way in which they had fostered and encourged the am bulance movement. In the course of a really icteresting speech he sketched out a plan for the organisation of a. rescue corps for district.

In responding, Mr. Llewelyn expressed regret that the Chairman and Managing Director of the Cambrian Combine (Mr. Thomas, M.P.) could not bp. present. Referring to what had been done by the Combine for ambulance work, Mr. Llewelyn assured them it was nothing more than the St. John Ambulance Association deserved. He believed that, as a rule, the workmen took up ambulance work more enthusiastically than did the officials. He should like to see the officials take a keener interest in it. It was the intention of the coal owners to erect a rescue station at Porth. This would be thoroughly equipped at a cost of something over £5,000, and men would be retained there ready for any emergency which might unfortunately arise. Speaking as one of the coal-owners, he could say they thoroughly realised their responsibilities in connection with accidents, and every thing was being done to avert them. As long as mimng operations continued there would be accidt.nts, and the great motto he had always tried to impress upon officials was " Safety first, coal afterwards."

The toast of " The Chairman," was proposed by Asst.-Commissioner Lewis, and the response brought the proceedings to a conclusion.

Vickers, Son's & Maxim, Ltd.

THE annual ambulance competition in connection with the Naval Construction Works, Barrow-in-Furness, of this firm pla.ce. in June. J. H. Boolds, Esq., Director of the ShlpbUlldmg Department, presided, and was supported by Mr. W. M. Bradley (Corps Supt.) and a large number of officers and members of the Works Ambulance Corps.

Four teams presented themselves, two from the Engin=ering, and two from the Shipbuilding Departments. The tests were of a very practical character, being arranged t') show how the competitors would act in cases of accident most likely to occur in the' workshops, founderies and yards of the firm.

The judges were District Chief Surgeon E. B. Pooley (Dalton) and Dr. J. Leslie Callaghan (Barrow) who awarded the first prize to the following Shipbuilding Team :-8. Tasker, E. Le Butt, F. Gunthorpe, J. H. Weaver, with 203 marks, the second prize going to one of the Engineering Teams, the mem bers of which were :-R England, J. Roberts, J. Cubis, C. Brown, with 19 I marks.

A feature of the contest was that two of the competitors in the first team have been in the winning squad three years in succ ession, the rules compelling the team gaining the first prize to drop two of their number in subsequent competitions.

• Lamb's Patent "Facile" Couch.

FROM the Medical Requisites Company, of

LAMI3'S PATENT STRETCHER.

In presenting the prizes, Mr. Boolds spoke of the pleasure it had been to him to watch the different squads go through their work, and he assured them the company were desirous that no instrucDeansgate, Manchester, we have received particulars of the above. The couch, which is well made, the workmanship being excellent, is designed to act either as an am bulance Stretcher, operating table, bed and bed rest, couch or chair; can be tilted on end, fixed in any sloping or horizontal, and can be had in wood or metal.

It is c1ai med for it that it is easy of manipulation, can be wheeled about as required, and occupies but little space when not in use. The will be pleased to send further particulars of this and many other novel inventions, all designed with a view to the minimising of human pain and suffering. Our readers, when writing, should not forget to mention FIRST AlD.

The Church Parade at Hampton on the 12th June resulted in the Hampton Fire Brigade being able to hand over £100 to the Widows and Orphans Fund of the N.F.B.U.

tion or appliances should be spared to keep their am bulance corps in a statp. of efficiency. He wished, on his own behalf and that of his colleagues on the directorate and himself, to thank their ambulance men for the prompt and efficient services they had rendered in the past when, unfortunately, accidents had occurred. He (Mr. Boolds) had noticed how close the third team was to the second, there being only a point or so difference, he was sorry there was not a third pri ze, but he had instructed Mr. Bradley to get prizes, equivalent to the second, for them; they thoroughly deserved them.

Mr. Bradley, on behalf of the corps, thanked Mr. Boolds for his presence, his kind remarks, and also the extra prize, which he was sure would be hIghly apprecIated. Votes of thanks to the judges terminated a very pleasant and instructive evening.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

-FIRST Brevities.

THE line of action adopted by the executive of the St. John Ambulance Association in withdrawing from participation in the Voluntary Aid scheme is being freely criticised in more than one quarter. It was, of course, to be expected that the Association would be denounced by a section of the nursing profession, some members of which consider they are quite as competent to give the necessary instruction, and undertake the examination of candidates, as any member of the medical profession, however eminent. To this contention, however, we take strong exception. Ever since the foundation of the St. John Ambulance Association, its great claim on the confid ence of the public has been the fact that under its rules it was absolutely necessary not only for the instruction to be given by a fully qualified medical man, but that the examination should also be undertaken by a second medical practitioner, who should be appointed by the authorities at the Gate. It may be argued that there are some lay members who, from years of practice, are more fully versed in the principles of first aid than are many doctors. We do not deny that it may be so, but once the door were opened to admit of their inclusion as recognised instructors, it would be found difficult to know where to draw the line. These men and women make valuable assistants to medical men conducting classes, but if ambulance instruction is to retain the confidence of the public it must, as heretofore, be under the same restrictions which have hitherto prevailed.

* * *

O F course, we are fain to admit that the Association has taken a somewhat peculiar method of showing its objection to the views of its co-partners in this so-called national scheme, and we are therefore not surprised to find in certain high quarters disapproval is freely expressed. Speaking at a meeting of the West Riding Territorial Association at York recently, the Earl of Harewood said, "It was difficult to know exactly what the St. John Ambulance Association really wanted, but they seemed disinclined to work with any other body. Until they could be got to work in harmony with the Red Cross Association and the county associations, he was afraid much progress could not be made in organising the hospitals."

* * *

FOR Sir Richard Temple in this unfortunate controversy we have a very strong feeling of sympathy. We believe that he has laboured for the success of the movement with all characteristic energy and sincerity of purpose, and that It has turned out a failure cannot, we are sure be laid to his door. We have one regret, however, and is, Sir Richard's great ability for organisation and enthUSIasm for the ambulance cause have not been utilised in the furtherance of the Ambulance Brigade as a national movement, rather than in fostering the aims and ambitions of the Red Cross Society.

AI D.- July, 19 10

THE Mines Accidents (Rescue and Aid) Bill, as at present framed, does not appear to be wholly acceptable to either colliers or colliery owners. Whether some of its Frovisions are too drastic we will not at present decide, but we certainly think that the proposition that each mine should he provided with a rescue station and equipment is hardly necessary. It would be much better, to our way of thinking, that each group of mines, within a given area, should combine together to equip and maintain an up-to-date station with a thoroughly trained rescue crew. At this centre instruction might also be given to men working in the various mines within the area, and this would ensure that a fully competent band of rescuers could be available for any emergency. If it is made compulsory that each mine shall provide rescue equipment, we can quite believe the contention of some of the critics of the measure, the owners as by law compelled will provide the equipment, but the training of a rescue staff will in many cases be evaded. That this was what occurred some years ago, when it was made compulsory to provide ambulance stretchers, &c., we know full well'. In accordance with the provisions of the Act the gear was provided, but it was many years, in some cases, before the miners were instructed in its use.

ST.JOHN AMBUlANCE.

AID.-

9

most this being the presentation to Mr. ? J?arnngton Piers, who has just retired from the post of Dlstnct of Stores after nearly 20 years' service, of a handsome service of plate and an illuminated address. In introducing the subject, Supt. Lines spoke in eloquent the and affection held by all members of the dIstnct for then comrade whose services they were unfortunately to lose.

Supt. Olley followed with a few well chosen words and the presentation was made by the Chief Commissione; of the Brigade, who felicitated Supt. Piers upon his long

No. District ( Pri n ce o f Wales's Corps . )

The members of this fine corps attended divine service at the Priory Church of St. John, Clerkenwell, on Sunday, June 26th. There were about 350 officers and men, and about So nurses present. The parade was under the command of the Deputy-Commissioner (Col. LeesHall), and marched from and to Finsbury-circus headed by the band of the South Metropolitan Gas Co. A thoroughly inspiring address was delivered by the Rector, in the course of which he referred to the great honour had recently been conferred upon the corps. Appropnate were sung, and the service, which was thoroughly hearty In tone throughout, concluded with the sin:sing of the National Anthem.

*

* * THE Dundee Advertis er says one of the skeletons belonging to the West Fife Centre of the St. Andrew's Am bulance Association is going all to the deuce. Its lamentable condition was described by a much concerned member at the annual meeting of the Centre in Dunfermline. As may be imagined, the skeleton is there for the education of seekers after anatomical truth, but to them its state must be misleading. The well-behaved skeleton seemingly should have ribs that float and ribs that don't, but every ri b possessed by this graceless and degenerate specimen of the flesh less genus homo is in a floating condi _ tion. The human anatomy is a difficult matter to master at any time, but when the model unblushingly sports nothing except the floating article in the way of ribs the student must be launched in a veritable sea of uncertainty. No wonder that It was suggested a committee should be appointed to watch the skeleton. It must have been up to some tricks before it got all these floating ribs.

* * * REPLYING to the toast of the St. John Ambulance Association on the occasion of the luncheon given in connection with the competition for the "Sir Charles Warren" Shield, Major St. Vincent-Ryan said" It had been his good fortune to see the St. John Ambulance men at work just outside Bloemfontein, and despite the ridicule which they received f::om the Regulars, he could speak well of them."

It is news to us to learn that the Regulars ridiculed the St. John men; our information is all the other way about, the Regulars from the Director-General downwards had nothing but unstinted praise for the St. John men. The only carping criticism came from a few volunteer "medicos" and orderlies who were out there, and was due primarily to the fact that they could not shut their eyes and ears to the evidence that the untried St. John ma.n had scored.

No. 47 DrvrsION.-On the loth inst. a force of over 200 members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade attended St. Anne's Church, Thorburn -square, at the invitation of No. 47 Division, which is attached to Willow Walk Goods Station.

The men mustered in full uniform at their drill room at Willow Walk Station, and headed by the South Metropolitan Gas Works Band from Old Kent-road, the members of which had kindly volunteered their services, marched over Greyhound Bridge and through Old Kent-road, Page's Walk, Crimscott-street, Grange-road, Alscot-road and Fordroad to the church.

Large numbers of the L.B. & S.c.R. employes and other friends of the corps had gathered, and filled the body of the church, overflowing into the gallery, Mr. H. Humphries, District Goods Superintendent at Willow Walk, being amongst those who were present.

The Rev. A. Sinker expressed his pleasure at meeting the ambulance men, and said he hoped that their ranks would be greatly increased by the enrolment of some of those who had watched the proceedings, especially lads who were about to go out into the world.

The sermon preached by the Rev. A. Sinker, from the text "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body," was most instructive.

At the conclusion of the service, the men marched by a circuitous route back to their drill room, where Mr. Blackman had prepared for them a dainty and well laid tea.

After the meal, short and bright addresses were delivered by Asst. Commissioner W. H. Morgan, Supt. W. H. Pontin, and others.

The annual dinner of the officers of the "Prince of Wales's Corps" was held recently at the Holborn Restaurant, and was well attended. The chair was taken by Colonel Lees Hall, Deputy-Commissioner of the District, who was supported by Inspector-General Belgrave Ninnis, Chief Commissioner of the Brigade, Mr. W. H . .'VIorgan, Asst.Commissioner, and members of the headquarters staff.

Advantage was taken of the occasion to perform a

and honourable record, and on behalf of the headquarters staff expressed regret at the retirement which had been rendered necessary from health reasons.

Supt. Piers, who spoke with considerable emotion, referred to the varied experiences during his term of service, and with characteristic modesty gave all credit for the improvement that had been effected to the men of the brigade, whose loyalty and support had never been wanting throughout his official connection with the corps.

He felt deeply the severance from his old comrad es, but although he was advis ed by his medical man to tak e a rest he would ever be with them in spirit, and he still hoped to be able for many years to come to assist in the forwarding of that movement in which all present were d evoted.

Mr. S. B. Piers would be glad to exchange photos with any of his old comrades of the old days who he has met in camp or on duty.

No. 2 District.

SOUTHA IVIPTON. - The annual competition for the "Twiss" Silver Rose Bowl was held at the Royal Victoria Rooms on June 18th. The judging was kindly undertaken by Fleet Surgeon Hardie (Supt. and Hon Surgeon, Bournemouth Division), and Hon. Surgeon Ewart,

-FIRST

Chichester Division. Competing squads entered from Gosport, Portsmonth, Lymington and Southampton. The examination which was of a very searching and practical character resulted as follows :-(1) Southampton, 25 6 '5; (2) Portsmouth, 235; (3) Lymington, 21 9'5; (4) Gosport, 195'5· The trophy (with a souvenir spoon for each member of the first and second squads) was presented to the Southampton Squad by Miss Du Pre (Lady of Grace of the O.S.J.J.). Colonel Bance, Chairman of the Committee of the Centre, was congratulated on his enrolment, with the sanction and approval of his Majesty, as an Honorary Associate of the Order. Colonel Twiss thanked all those who had assisted, and Colonel Bance also for having lent the room. The proceedings closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

The annual Church Parade was held on Sunday, June 26th, at Holy Rood Church, when the Brigade had the support of the Southampton Section of the 5th Wessex Field Ambulance and the local Corps of Boy Scouts. The CClrporation also attended in state and there were also present a large number of the leading townspeople. The Service was conducted by the Vicar (Rev. R. Merrick); the lessons being read by the Mayor. An impressive sermon was preached by the Rev. R. A. Mitchell, Vicar of Highfield. In the course of his address the rev. gentleman paid a warm tri bute to the value of the work of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and the self-denying labours of its members. At the close of the Service a collection was made on behalf of the Southampton Horse Ambulance Fund.

BRISTOL. - The members of this Corps attended Divine Service at the Cathedral, on June 26th, by invitation of the Rev. Dean Pigott. The Lord Mayor and L'ldy Mayoress, the Sheriff and many members of the Corp0ration were also present. Dr. Griffiths, Deputy Com missioner in charge of No. 2 District, was accompanied by the following officers of the Corps :-Chief Supt. Hayman, Supt. Parker and Ambulance Officers Trott, Tratt, and Wiggle. Several member;; of the Nursing Division, in charge of Lady Supt. Mrs. J. S. Griffiths were also present. An appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev. E. J. Houghton.

Sunday afternoon, June 26th, the Kent DlVlslOns of the S.J.A.B. attended Divine Service at the Cathedral. Mustering in the Station-yard at the West Railway Station, the various Divisions, under the command of Assistant-Commissioner Cotton, marched from thence to the .Cathedral.. The sermon was preached by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Hardmg. At the close of the Service the Brigade back to the Station-yard, were the mem bers were dismissed.

No. 5 District.

NORTH STAFFORDSIHRE CORPs.-This corps was inon J u.ne. 25 th on Parkhill Football Ground, by the Chlef of the Brigade, Inspector General Belgrave Nmnls, R.N., M. D. The following divisions were on pa.rade: -Byrslem, Newcastle, North Staffs Railway, Pottenes Electnc TractIOn, Shelton Steel and Iron Company, Tunstall and Halmer End, the whole being under the command of Chief Surgeon Arlidge.

The inspecting officer, who was accompanied by Asst. Commissioner Malkin as staff officer first made a close the men and their after which the several dlvlSlons went through various evolutions.

AI D.- July, 1910.

The band of the Potteries Electric Tramways played during the inspection.

Addressing the corps at the conclusion, the Chief Commissioner expressed the pleasure which it had afforded him to inspect the corps. He pointed out that whilst the mem bers of the brigade are trained primarily to render first aid to those who are sick or injured in civil life, he hoped that more members would enrol in and wear the badges of the special reserves, i.e., the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve, and the Military Home Hospitals Reserve. He also called special attention to the St. John Ambulap.ce Companies now being formed under Brigade Order 175 for aid to the sick and wounded in the event of national emergency.

Prior to the inspection the Chief Commissioner, Asst. Commissioner, and the officers of the corps lunched with Chief Surgeon Arlidge and Mrs. Arlidge at Rosemount.

No. 6 District.

The competilions for the various handsome trophies presented for annual competition in conneclion with ambulance work in this district took place last month. Preliminary contests were held for Durham and Northumberland Divisions and for Yorkshire Divisions.

The final stage of the competitions was held at Newcastle in the Westgate Hill Schools. The judges were, for the Silver Challenge Shield, Drs. S. Farmer and T. M. Clayton; for the Bronze Shield, Drs. J. R. Crease and Lazenby; and for the" C. B. Palmer" Bowl, Drs. F. W. Burn and A. M. Walker. The Nursing competition was judged by Dr. J. Anderson. The following were the results :-

The Silver Chall,=nge Shield, with five silver medals, Wc:lS won by the Ouston team with 390 points out of a maximum of 425. Gateshead Fell were second with 369 points, and secured the Deputy-Commissioner's Cup.

The Bronze Challenge Shield, with five silver medals, was won by the Ouston team with 36 z points out of a maximum of 425. Neptune Street (Hull) were second with 353 and secured the "District Staff" Cup.

The "c. B. Palmer" Challenge Bowl-open to bona fide miners only, they being efficient members of No.6 District-was won by Gateshead Fell with 334 POlOts out of a maximum of 365. Each member of the winning team received in addition a silver watch presented by the donor.

The "Atkinson" Cup, open to Nursing Divisions, was won by Hull (A) with 295 points, Hull (B) being second with 294 points, and thus securing the "Ritchie II Cup. The members of both teams in addition received souvenir spoons.

In this competition Felling (A) team and the two Hull teams all tied for first place, and had, therefore, to submit to further tests. There were only four entries.

l Three teams out of four to tie, we should assume the judge must have been a novice at competition work.ED. "F.A."]

The trophies were subsequently presented to the successful squads by Mr. Edward Shore, M.P. The whole of the arrangements for the preliminary and final stages of the competition were carried out by District Supt.-Treasurer

J. O. Vaughan (Hull) lJnd Sergt T. Wilkinson (Gates head).

HULL.-The inspection of this Corps took place on June 18th, in the field attached to the Rifle Barracks.

The Inspecting Officer was Deputy-Commissioner C. B. Palmer who was accompanied by District Chief Supt. R. Anderson, District Supt. F. W. Burn and District

July, 19 10

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Supt. - Treasurer J O. Vaughan. There were seven Ambulance Divisions and three Nursing Divisions on parade, and Asst.-Commissioner A. Hammersley Johnston who is also acting Chief-Supt. of the Hull Corps was in command. After a close inspection of the AmbulanCe! Divisions, the Nursing Divisions, which had in the meanwhile moved acr::>ss the parade ground, went through a display treating patients with b::>th the triangular and the roller bandage. The Ambulance Divisions then marchedpast in "Column of the left," and returned in "Column of SectlOns, With closed stretchers-by the right." Having then reformed into line, under the command of the various superintendents, the corps advanced upon a row of supposed patients and rendered first aid. After the supposed injuries, and the treatment, adopted had been inspected the men were drawn up and addressed by the Inspecting Officer, who, in the course of his remarks, expressed his entire satisfaction with all he had seen and congratulated all ranks on their efficiency and their smart appearance. Among the large crowd of interested spectators was Lady Nllnburnholme (President of the local Red Cross Society), Dr. Denyer, C.M.G. (Hon. Secretary of the local Red Cros3 Society) and Mr. Watkins (General Manager, Hull and Barnsley Railway).

At the conclusion of the inspection a smoking concert was held in the Central Hall, the chair being occupied by Asst.-Commissioner Johnston, who, prior to the commencement of the concert, informed the meeting that Supt.Secretary Atkinson had an announcement to make.

On rising, Mr. Atkinson said it was his duty to report several cases of insubordination; meetings of officers and members had been held without the authority or sanction of the officer in command of the corps. The result of these secret conciaves was, that he (the speaker), had now the pleasure to ask the Deputy-Commissioner to present to Dr. Johnston on behalf of the officers and mem bers of the Hull Corps, a roll-top desk, inkstand and an illuminated address, as a small token of the esteem and regard wh:ch they felt for him. As a rule, said Mr. Atkinson, testimonials were made to individuals who were relinquishing their work; in this case, however, the recipient was continuing his active labours, and, indeed, adding to them.

After a few words from Mr. Palmer, expressive of his appreciation of the work of Dr. Johnston. The popular doctor, on rising to respond, was greeted with a round of applause. He said that when Mr. Atkinson asked leave to make his announcement, he had no idea of a presentation to himself. Truly, the secret had been well kept. In future, if he heard it stated that a lady could not keep a secret he should say it was a libel, as doubtless all the nursing sisters knew of it, and yet he had never heard even a whisoer. He felt he could not find words to adequately express his thanks; he would content himself, therefore, by saying that from the bottom of his heart he thanked them.

On Sunday, June 19th, the Corps attended Divine Service at Christ Church. The Deputy-Commissioner and his staff were also present. On the return, Dr. A. W. Scott, the hon. secretary of the local centre S.J.A.A., requested the Deputy-Commissioner to t? Asst.-Commissioner Johnston and Supt. Krause their diplomas from the Order of St. John. Supt. Wilson received his diploma as an Hon. Serving Brother through the Hull and Ruosley Railway on the following Monday.

AID.- II Coming Events.

Pa1,ticulars OJ forthcoming events will be inserted in this colum17 fr et oj charge, if received not later than the I4th of eaclt month

Brussels.- The International Fire Service and Fire Prevention Congress, to be organised at Brussels from July 27th to August 1st., by the Royal Federation of Belgium Fire Brigades. The official representative of the Belgium Federation in this country is Mr. C. Kusel, 36, Newton-road, Westbourne-grove, London, W., and all fire brigade officers who desire to take part in this Congress should apply to him for particulars.

Cleckheaton.- The ambulance competition for the" Cle ckheaton " Challenge Shield and prizes will be held on July 30th. For full particulars apply A. Rickinson, Whitechapel-road, Cleckheaton.

Leyton. - The Ley ton and Leytonstone Fire Brigade Annual Competition will be held on August 1St. Particulars of Capt. H. Miller, Kensall Lodge, Church-road, Ley ton, Essex.

Pontejract.-The annual ambulance competition for the "Pontefract Subscription " Challenge Shield and valuable prizes, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3rd, in the" Historic Castle Grounds, " by kind permission of the trustees also Nursing competition. Forms and full particulars from J. Nicholson, Paradise-gardens, Pontefract.

Ravenstltarj;e.- The annual competition of this Division will be held on Septenlber loth. Entry forms are now ready and may be had from the Hon. Sec. W. Ledgard, Alma House, Ravensthorpe-road, Thornhill, Dewsbury.

Rhymney. - The first annual meeting of the Division will be held on August 3rd. Cycle and foot racing, ambulan ce, fire brigade and boy scouts competitions. For entry forms and particulars apply to J. J. Jenkins, 68, Forge-street ) Rhymney.

Trevarno. - The annual competition for the" BickfordSmith" Trophy will be held on July 29th. Superintendents who intend sending teams to compete should signify their intentions of doing so on or before July ISt. Hon. Sec., H. W. Spaight, Porthleven.

Ambulance Competition at Sheffield.

THE annual competition for the handsome gold and silver Shield, open to classes of the S.J.A.A. within a radius of twenty miles of Sheffield, was held last month, and the trophy, which is valued at 100 guineas, was presented to the winning team, the Attercliffe Branch of John Brown and CO.'s works, at a champagne dinner given by the donor, Mr. H. L. Brown, at Stephenson's Restaurant.

Mr. H. C. Else, who presided, paid a fitting tribute to the generosity of Mr. Brown, who, he said, was one of first men in Sheffield to appreciate the benefit of first ald and gave it his unstinting support.

Mr. Brown made an exceedingly interesting reply, which in these days of Socialism and "Little England" doctrines, should be laid to heart by all patriotic Britishers. After referring to the need of more ambulance classes in Sheffield he went on to remark that in dear old England they V:ere very humane. Englishmen did not always show it, but should the occasion arise they were always ready to give of their best without a word. The ambulance was a typical example, it was a blessing. He remembered well how the movement started in and how a class was formed at the old circus now occupied tJy the Empire Theatre. Mr. Bernard Firth mentioned to him that assistance was needed and he (Mr. Brown) gave the

WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH ADVER TISER8 PLEASE MENTION" FIRST AID."

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r2

shield. The competition, however became dormant but was revived through the interest of Mr. Else and' Mr. Douglas Vickers.

He advised the defeated teams to persevere until they caI?e out on the top. There was nothing like courage and trYlOg, and he had never known an Englishman to fail when he did to really try. First aid was a grand thing, and he lIke to see more and more men in a position to help their fellow-creatures in !::ritical cases. Prompt first aid might save a man's life.

He had been in Sheffield fifty years next November. Reference had been made to his connection with the Volunteers. For fifteen years he served in the Hallamshires, and one of the greatest mistakes in his life was when he retired from the battalion. He came to Sheffield on a Sund.ay, and he saw some men drilling. (( They are real workingmen," commented a friend to him in German.

" But they are soldiers and carry the rifle" he commented. ,,"\, h h .l es, t ey wear t e uniform and they work every day" commented his German friend.

He learned that anyone could join, and the next day he volunteered. Before that he had handled a rifle in the Polish insurrection. The recruits who served in the ranks on either side of him were Sir Frederick T. Mappin and the father Colonel Branson, the present commander of the Hallamshlres. He did not know English and did not even kt:lOW the words of command, but the man in the rear rank kicked out and he s.oon learned their meaning.

The.re w=re many Enghshmen who did not appretheir country as they should. They made his blood bod. They ought to be under the Russian yoke for a time, as h e had been. England was the finest country in the every man should love it and be ready to defend It at any hme.

Other toasts were" The Association" "The Judges" and" The Press.',

The N.P.B.U. Annual Camp and Competitions.

THE National Fire Brigades' Union camp at Southchurch Hall Park, .Southend, concluded on Saturday, 9th inst. prizes were distributed by the Mayor (Mr. W. H: Kmg), 10 the presence of a large company.

The phenomenal success of the Southend Brigade was a feature. of the competitions. They took no less than shields, three challenge bowls, one vase, and the man c?ampionship medal of the Eastern District besides £30 m money.

The shield (the blue ribbon event) which they had set their hearts on, went to Hampton, who beat the local team by one-fifth of a second, being the last tea of the day to compete. This brigade also secured the 0 man ambulance shield and the" Dewar"

Among the WlOners of other competitions were Le ton and Leytonstone, Essex County Asylum Shoeb ChY ' f d d G T ury, 109or , an rays. :vIayoress also handed long-service .to the followlOg of the Southend Fire Capt.. Harvey, Lleut. White, Chief En ineer Engmeer J. Wood, Firemen A. Ste W Sawkms, and H. Finch. war,

On Monday Mayor and members of the Cor orahon. were to luncheon by the Officers of the NatIOnal FLre Brigades' Union Capt Cl I 'd' , . u ee pres mg.

AID. - July, 19 10 Reviews.

A MANUAL OF NURSING HYGIENE.

By W. W. Feldman, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. London: Bailliere, Tindall & Cox., Henrietta-street, W.c. Price 2S. 6d.

THE author opens this book with a quotation from Herbert Spencer. He says: "Is it. not an astonis?in.g fact that, though on treatment of offspring depend theIr lives or death, and theIr moral welfare or rulO, yet not one word of instruction on the treatment of is ever given to those will byeand-by be palents? f?e truth of these remarks IS fully borne out by facts, statIstIcs show that in England and Wales alone 250,000 mfants,Perish annually from preventable causes. !hese figures are qUIte apart from the enormous number of who are reared with physical defects due to the Ignorance .of. parents. there is ample need for such a work as. this IS perfectly eVident, and written as it is in a clear and lucId manner, devoid of technical terms it should show the mother or nurse the" way wherein she walk and the work she must do" eXl?lain t? her how to bring up a child and why she It up 10 that particular way. The object, and to facilitate the grasp of the subject IS well Illustrated.

reports on the am bulance duty at the Royal Show at and the South-East Lancashire Re\ iew are unavoidably held over on account of pressure on our space.

3' E

LONDON, .BRIGHTON & SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.-On Satur?ay, 9th lOSt., a box labelled "perishable" was sent to. Brighton station, it contained a note of good wishes (signed by regular readers of FIRST Am-two platelayers and .a Signalman) and a large quantity of sweet peas and These were for a party of 200 am bulance their. w.lves. and who were leaving the Brlghto? dlstnct (10 special coaches provided free by the of Wm. Forbes, Esq., general manager of the hne) en route for West H.oathly, to accept an invitation

Mr. and Mrs. J. GodwlO King to visit their delightful reSl?enCe, Upon arrival at West Hoathl vehicles were prOVided for the ladies and children the reft of the party, by. the kindness of the trustees,' passing thr?ugh beautIful Rockhur&t estate, which stands preemlOe!1 t 10 South for its rocky scenery. Mr. and Mrs. GOdWlO welcomed the party upon arrival and very swinging, merry-go-round and m swmg. Then followed a welcome call for tea which OWlOg to the dull weather was served in the mansion' the host and hostess sparing nothing that would add to pleasure and comfort of the guests: After tea the party w.as photographed, and a demonstratIOn of 6rst aid methods given by 25 operators, under the supervision of the district secretary. The centre secretary, Mr. J. King, and Dr. J. of the hon. lecturers, declining to be anythmg but hohday makers. The host, hostess and housefollowed J:?ost keenly the. demonstrated, parthe vanous types of artIficial respiration. Cheers were gIven, as only ambulance men can give them, for the host and hostess, the general manager of the line, and the centre. secretary. was reached about 10.30, everyone but greatly Impressed with the kindness and generosity extended to them by their host and hostess. The host, by the way, holds a first aid certificate of the St. John Am bulance Association.

July r9 10 -FIRST

The Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

THE intimation that H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught K.G., has been appointed Grand Prior of the Order been received with t.he greatest possible satisfaction by all who are connected With the Order or any of its Departments for our "S?ldier Prince" as he is still affectionately called b; m.any of hiS Royal sU.bjects, is deservedly popular With all classes. Whtle \0 India he took a keen interest in the local branch of the St. John Ambulance Association and as President of the Association, in succession to King George who has accepted the office of Patron, we are sure that he will give every support and encouragement to its beneficent aims and objects.

We have received from the Secretary of the Order a copy of the Report of the Chapter General for 1909. This is, as usual, most interesting. The various Department Reports which are incorporated bearing testimony to the admirable work which is being carried on under the auspices of the Order. Especially interesting is the Report which has been received from Major-General J. C. Dd.lton, relating to his visits to the Ctntres of Jamaica, Gi braltar and Malta, and we certainly hope to see his very admirable suggestion as regards the latter place supported and encouraged. It would, to our mind, put the coping-stone, so to speak, to the work of the English Branch in Europe, and undoubtedly greatly enhance its prestige.

Under R e f. T.E. 9, the Ambulance Department of the Order has issued a complete set of instructions on the formation of County Companies which are to be formed by the Territorial Branch of the St. John Ambulance Association.

On June 24th, St. John the Baptist Day, the annual commemoration services were held at the Priory Church of St. John, Clerkenwell. The Holy Eucharist was celebrated in the Crypt Chapel at 8,30, and, considering the adverse weather, the service was fairly well attended. At 2 p.m. the annual service was held in the ch urch and a large num ber of the members and honorary associates were present. The service was taken by the Rector (the Rev. T. W. Wood), the lesson was read by the Rev. Paul Wyatt, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. Canon Duckworth, C.V.O., D.D. At the conclusion a collection was made for the various charitable works of the Order. The General Assem bl y was subsequently held at St. John'S Gate under the presidency of the Rt. Hon. Lord Knutsford, G.C.M.G., Chancellor of the Order. His Lordship announced that H. R.H. the Duke of Connaught had been appointed Grand Prior in succession to King George, who on accession to the throne became the Sovereign Head and Patron of the Order. Several interesting departmental reports were submitted and approved.

His Majesty, King George V., the Sovereign Head and Patron of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England, has been pleased to approve of the appointment of Dr. J. W. Smith, of Ryton, as an honorary associate of the Order, in recognition of his valuable services on behalf of the ambulance cause. Dr. Smith has been engaged in instructing Ambulance and Nursing Classes for about 30 years, and the recognition of his services by the Chancery of the Order has given great satisfaction to his numerous students and friends in the district. Dr. Smith is the rpopular hon. surgeon to the Addison Colliery Division, S.J.A.E.

AID.-

We are in no way responsib.e lor the opinions cxpre-rsed, or the statements made, by Correspondents. -

EDITORS

THE WINDSOR DUTY.

I?EAR SIR,-As I sit writing this communi cation to you I have 10 front of me the copy of a Distri ct Order, issued under th.e authOrity of the Deputy-Commissioner of the No. 2 Disand gi ving orders .as to the am bulan ce duty to be done at WlOdsor on the occasIon of the Royal Funeral. Now this intimates that owing- to the larg-e number desirin g to do duty It had been found necessary to make some lim it hence t?e. d ivision to which I belong-a nursing y) five. I do not desire to grumble at this decision, our dIVISion loyally accepted the situation and sent only the specified number for the duty. This, however, is what I do not unde.rsta.nd, it is a point which I think will require explanatIOn If Dlstnct Orders are to be loyally obeyed in the It is, "Why was the Southampton Nursing Div ision permItted to send up twelve representatives?" which it did according to your account, althoug-h the portrait group shows SIxteen, and why was the Portsmouth Nursing Division allowed eleven members?

I see by the Brigade Report that the former di vi sion has a!l enrolled streng th of forty-two, and the latter division twentyeight members; but even numbers, I take it, would not entitle them to send up contingents so largely in ex cess of the authorised number; furthermore, there is no mention in the District Order of any rule allowing it. We are not allowed to write to the press, I believe, therefore although I enclose my card, please do not publish my name.- Yours truly, "A BS IT INVIDIA."

GRATIFYING ENQUIRY.

DEAR SIR,- The statements made by Richard Sedgwick in your April issue, under the above headin g , taken in conjunction with his more recent utterance s, give proof that Richard Sedgwick- despite his own self-satisfaction - has something to learn. Among his injudicious statements is the following:"The crudely artificial character of the surroundings of a patient' are part and parcel of an ambulance competition. '" Such being the basis upon which he criticises and advises, those of your readers as are interested in ambulance competitions will undoubtedly be acting wisely if they look upon opinions, aclvice and sympathy from any such source as of very questionable value. (" A Looker On," page 189. )

First aiders generally would do well to bear in mind that ambulance competitions-such, at any rate, as are really deserving the dignity of such a name should be regarded, both by judges and candidates, from the standpoint of stern reality. Starting with such a substantial foundation (the only one of any practical value ), the well-trained ambulance student, in for competition, will, for the time being, absolutely dissociate from his all thoughts of examinat ion, as such. He must picture before his mind an actual patient, and his act ions must throughout" be governed by a full consideration for the condition of the suffering patient, and the more or less unfavourable surroundings under which he is supposed to be placed. " This has already been err.phasised on pages I4 and 172 Notwithstanding this fundamental fa ct- so all-important from a practical point of view, Sedgwick pe(sists in his desire (OLlt of sympathy for" Cordite "), for" the detaIled proper treatment of the case, considering the crudely artifi c ial

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character of the surroundings of the patient at the time Of competition." .., Under such ridiculously unrealtstlc conditIOns, any attempt on my part to enter into details, with no further data .at my disposal, would sim ply encouragemen t to the perslstel!ce of a system that, In my opInIOn (rather than Judges should do their utmost to crush entirely out of

Richard Sedgwick has .himself, on .page 158 -It IS pl.easIng to notice, under protest-given a very appropnate to the unrealistic conditions actually eXisting at the time of competition. But is its. practical value? Surely something different from this IS required from ambulance men and undergoing a serious examination upon how really to act m cases of emergency.

Undoubtedly the duty of the well-tramed. and resourceful candidate, with such a vague test before would be to promptly prevent injurious movem.ent. !hen m order that he could be in a position to proceed In an Intelligent manner, he should give the judge a practical proof of his "tact" and " discretion )) by acting as advised on pa.ge I 72, and thus away from his mind the cru?ely character of hiS actual surroundings-that artificiality which (contrary to Richard Sedgwick's rash assertion) is by no means part and parcel of an ambulance competition" when dealt With by a tactful and resourceful first aider.

I will conclude by summarising the situation as follows ;Undoubtedly, the most deserving cand idate will be he with any such vague and incomplete tests put befor.e hlf!1 (either in competition or examination ) .the most mtellIgent questions, and makes the most Intelligent use of the answers."- Yours truly,

L. M. FRAN K CHRISTIAN.

THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE CO TROVERSY.

DEAR SIR,- I have perused with pity and amu.sement the somewhat illiterate and particularly vulgar tffuslOn appearing in your columns over the 720112 de plume" An Association Tyke." 1 don't think from what I know of Mr. Wardell that he ever aspired to run the Voluntary Aid Detachments in addition to conrrolling his District of the Bngade, and in my previous letter I ct'rtainly never suggested that he did. One thing, however, in the letter of "Association Tyke" is illuminating and calls for comment, showing as it does how on occasions the influence of the Deputy-Commissioner in charge of a district is liable to be destroyed ; that is, if we are to believe "A. T." when he says that" I t is evident that Mr. Wardell cannot look after the one affair properly, much less two. Inde ed, tile Chief Commissioner has severely criticised Mr. TVardell' s w ork in my hraril1g." If this statement is correct I do not wonder that we occasionally hear that there is a spirit of unrest in the Brigade.-Yours truly, "YORKSHIRE TYKE."

FIRST AID TREATMENT FOR UNCONSC IOUS PATIENT WITH COMPOUND FRACTURE OF FOH.EARM AND BADLY CUT KNEES.

D H: AR SIR, - I should deem it a fa\ our if you would obtain for me, through your valuable experts, the answers to the following questions ;-

Four men are called to a man who has just been got out Of a room full of smoke. He is unconscious. He has sustained a compound fracture of the right forearm ( both bones), and he is cut about the knees and bleeding severely He was found laid upon his left side.

Question I. Would it be correct to turn him on his back first and treat the h a: morrhage, whilst others were performing Laborde's method of artificial respiration.

Question 2. Would it be wrong to turn him on to his stomach ( of course guarding the fractured arm) and perform Schafer's method of artificial respiration.

Thanking you in anticipation,-Yours faithfully, " OBSERVER."

[In this case the method of treatment depends a good deal on the degree of asphyxiation that is present. The severe bleeding shows that the heart is acting pretty well. The breath-

AID.- July, 19 10

ing may be slow, shallow, or hardly perceptible. It is on these points a decision has to be made as to the treatment.

In my opinion, the bl'!eding from cuts." about" the knees would not be serious, and except for puttIng a bandage round the knees temporarily, the dressing of the wounds could be left until respiration was restored.

As regards the unconsciousness, nothl ng IS said .as. to the cause of it, so it must be presumed to asphYXIatIOn, for which artificial respiration is required, and It should be commenced at once-either Schafer's or Howard's. I do not think Laborde's method would be as effective as either of the other two.

Providing the case is as outlined ab?ve, the would be to turn the patient on to his m order to him and ascertain the extent of the bleedIng, the condItIOn of his breathing and heart, and then proceed as above.-HEATON

C.

HOWARD.]

A COAT S.J.A.B. BADGE WHEN FOR ME MBERS OF THE IN PRIVATE CLOTHES.

DEAR SIR - Shall I be intruding too much upon your space by raising a point in connection wi.lh the weari.ng Association badge by mem bers of the Brigade when In CivIlian dress. There are doubtless thousands of men and women who have passed the qualifying examination of the Association, and of this number how many I wonder are members of the S.J.A.B. There are, I am aware, a large number of the .members of the Association who are not members of the Brigade, yet Brigade and Association members alike wear the same coat badge. Would it not be possible for of the Brigade to be supplied with a small reprodu.ctl.on of the Brigade scroll, to be worn beneath the badge. Thus we should have a certain means of dlstmglllshmg between the members of the S.J.A.B. and those of the Association.

I should like your opinion on this question. Personally, I think those who have followed up the able teaching of the Association by joining the thereby makipg themselves more efficient in the publiC service should be given some distinctive badge to distinguish them fr?m. those who do not undertake public ambulance duty. Wlshmg FIRST Am every success,-Yours sincerely, R. F.

[The proper course is for our correspondent to lay his proposal before the authorities at St. John's Gate.-Ed. "F.A."]

JUST PUBLISHED.

288 pp., Crown 8vo. Cloth extra. 3s. 6d. net.

FIRST AID TO THE SICK:

DISEASES, THEIR DESCRIPTION & TREATMENT. A Work of Reference for the Home, written in Plain Language. By D. HASTINGS YOUNG, M.B., M.S.(Edin.), etc.

Introduction-Diseases of the Chest - of the Alimentary Systemof the Throat and Nose-of the Liver-of the Kidneys-of the Nenes-Cl nstitutional Di seases- Infectious and Contagiou s Diseases - Symptoms of Variou s Diseases - Diseases of the Skin - Appendix - Full Indel{.

FIRST AID TO THE CHILD, by the same AUlhor, will be ready shortly.

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD., BROADWAY HOUSE, LONDON, E.c.

MASCOTTE PRIVATE

FIRST AID.

The Inciependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

[NEW SERIES. ] AUGUST, I9IO. [Entered at Stationers' Hall.] TWOPENCE.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this J oumal as instruclive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Jouma!.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the &itme the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

LIKE his dearly beloved father, King His Majesty George possesses that ready knack of and saying the right thing, and knowing Heroism exactly the right time to say it. This in fact was once more strikingly the Mines. illustrated by His Majesty's tactful and sympathetic speech to the mining heroes of the Whitehaven Colliery disaster, on the occasion of their attending at Marlborough House to receive at his hands the "Miners' V. c."

As is perhaps known to our readers, it is :not usual upon such occasions for any speech-making, the Home Secretary, or some other minister in attendance recounts the act of heroism for which the distinction has been awarded, and the recipient advancing, the medal is pinned on his or on her breast, to be followed by a shake of the hand and a few brief words of congratulation.

On the present occasion, however, from what we can learn it had been freely rumoured that the list of awards which had been submitted and approved by the authorities, did not give general satisfaction in the locality where the disaster occurred, it being felt that some who should have received the coveted distinction had been overlooked. If

this was so, it would have doubtless reached the ears of His Majesty, and would, we are sure, be inexpressibly painful to him, to think that a disaster which happened at the time when his own heart was stricken with a great sorrow, should be a cause for any heart-burning or adverse feeling of any kind.

Prior to the ceremony of presenting the awards His Majesty addressed the recipients as follows ;_

" It gives me the greatest pleasure to see before me so many brave miners who risked their lives in an attempt to rescue their ill-fated comrades who perished in the terrible disaster at the Whitehaven Colliery, and to show my appreciation of their bravery by presenting the Medals which have been awarded to them. The tragic circumstances are fresh in all our memories. The disaster at a moment when the Royal family and the whole nation were plunged into mourning by the death of my beloved father and the news of the calamity which brought grief into the homes of hundreds of my subjects at Whitehaven reached the Queen and myself when we were saddened by our own bereavement, and moved us to profound sympathy with the families of those who met their death so suddenly in the mine.

" King Edward took great interest in the lives of the miners he knew the many dangers they have to face in their daily work, and he realised the devotion with which they are ready to risk their own lives when an accident happens. The Edward Medal which I bestow to-day established by him in order to distinguish by some mark of honour the many heroic acts performed by miners who endanger their own lives in endeavouring to save the lives of others.

"I am very glad to know th:lt so many mmers have proved worthy of receiving the Medal. The Home Secretary informs me that the standard of bravery among miners is so high that it is no easy task to select the names to be recommended to me for the distinction. It is specially difficult when at a widespread disaster like that at Whitehaven all those present are earnestly engaged in the work of rescue and there is no one to watch and appraise the part taken by each man.

" It may be found that other men who took part in the work at Whitehaven performed acts of bravery and

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devotion not less worthy of distinction, and the Home Secretary will not feel precluded from making to me a further recommendation if he should hear that among the many devoted workers there were others who risked their lives with courage equal to yours. I feel assured that everyone of those now before me has amply earned the decoration I am about to bestow by conspicuous courage and devotion, and by risking his own life in the hope of saving those who had been overtaken by an appalling disaster.

" It gives me the greatest pleasure to see before me so many brave miners who risked their lives in an attempt to rescue lives."

These are the words of a brave man addressed to brave men, and they will we are sure be appreciated, not only by those who heard them, but by those others who may, perhaps, in the heat of the moment have felt that they had not received the award to which they considered they had a claim. It was not only a handsome tribute to the valour 0[- those who took part in the attempted rescue at Whitehaven, but it was a tribute also to the typ ical bravery and devotion of those engaged in this ha za rdous occupation and displayed a bond of sympathy with them which will not only enhance King George's popularity as a Sovereign, but will gain for him the same measure of loyal affection as was felt for his beloved father.

"Where

By DR. R. D. MUIR.

THE following is a verbatim report of a lecture, delivered to the members of the S.E. & c.R. Centre ot the St. John Ambulance Association, at New Cross, on Wednesday, July 13th, 1910, by Dr. R. D. Muir.

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN,

We all make mistakes. I made a mistake by suggesting at your annual dinner that it would be a very !Sood thing if somebody were asked to explain to the men where the First Aid Text Book is misunderstood ' because not many days afterwards, Mr. Richards came me and said that he wanted to know if I would give that lecture.

. Well, I certainly had suggested that I should give 1t, or perhaps the suggestlOn would have remained unsuggested. Experience as an Examiner has shown me that there are a good many things in that book that are misunderstood, and it not to be surprised at, because the book has been wntten by a professional man for unprofessional readers. The wonder is, not that there are parts of the book that are not understood, but that the parts of the book that are not understood are so few as they are! It would, perhaps, make it easier for those who want to take notes if, as I go on, I just give you the page of the.Text Book to which I am referring; an(l please do not thmk, because I say that such mistakes are madf» that the mistakes are made by everybody. All I want

AID.- August, 1910.

you to understand is that I find they are made very frequently indeed!

Now, page I7.-It may surprise you to ?e told th.at the principles of first aid often not brought m.t? pract1ce by men who are in jumor teams and compet1tlOns. They seem to have an idea from reading the book that what is required of them is to tell the Examiner" I should be observant,' 'tactful,' 'resourceful,' 'discriminating' and , explicit.'" What the Examiner wants is not to be told these thin.gs, but to see that you know how to put these various qualities into practice. He wants to see you do these things, just as he wants to see you put on a bandage properly; and, gentlemen, anybody who practises can learn to put on a bandage, but it is not anybody who can do these matters, for they require experience and commonsense that is not readily acquired.

At the foot of that same page you will see that signs are "what may be perceived." Now, what may be "perceived " is a sort of thing that men fail to grasp. I suppose five men out of six think it means what can be "seen." So it does; but it means more! It means what may be discerned-that is, what information can be gathered not only by the eye, but by the mind and understanding.

On page I8 there is a paragraph headed "Air," and that has caused men the loss of a good many marks. When you are told at a competition, or anything else, that the "patient's breathing has ceased," of course you understand from this paragraph that you are to employ artificial res pi ratio n. But you must always bear in mind that it is no use performing artificial respiration unless you are quite sure that the air channels are clear, and that the patient is placed in a position in which breathing is possible.

Page 54 - We have a list here of the varieties of fracture, but perhaps because of the way it is put, it does not occur to men that the same fracture may belong to many classes. A man may have a broken leg, which may have a wound ; there may be also an injury to an artery or to a vein, or to both. The bone may be broken in several places, so that it is a compound complicated, comminuted fracture. Now, I am bound to say, as far as my experi<;;nce goes, that even among a body of men like this, who have all got their bars, if asked what a compound complicated, comminuted fracture is they would do nothing but scratch their heads.

On page 4I.-General rules to be observed in the treatment of fractures. Should an accident occur under such circumstances that the patient need not be moved immediately, and it is known that a doctor will be present almost at once, it is neither the duty of the first aider to make a detailed examination when he suspects a fracture nor to apply splints. But it is his duty merely to steady and support the injured limb, to make the patient comfortable, and to cover him up to lessen the shock, and that is all that is necessary for him to do until the doctor arrives; of course, stopping hcemorrhage until the doctor is there. It is his duty to examine the injury, and he will do it skilfully- at least, I hope so-and without causin g the patient unnecessary pain.

Now, if that patient has already been through an examination by the ambulance man, and if splints have already been applied, well, the man is put to an unnecessary amount of pain; and surely one of the great first aid principles, and one that the first aider should have in mind, is to reduce the patient's sufferings.

Page 44. - 1t is clearly stated in your book that in the case of a man with a fractured base insensibility may come on immediately, from which, please, you are to understand that it sometimes comes on very slowly. I have known

August, 1910.

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four hours elapse before a man with a fractured base became unconscious, and during more than two hours of that time he was carryin g out his work as if nothin g had happened.. I tel.l you this: that a fractured base may be w1th senous consequences, and when there is a head mJury you better not make up your mind in too great a hurry? af; any or all the signs that may be VIZ., bleeding from the nose, bleeding from the ear, VOl'Illtln g blood from the stomach, swelling round the eye, and so forth -a ll these signs may be present or may be absent You may not ge t any of them.

Page 5 .-Fracture of botlz clavic!es .-Shall you or ?hall you not put a pad under the arms? Well, the book 1S obscure on this point, but let me say that it is very. dIfficult to ke ep the pads in place, and unless they are put. 10 v.ery carefully-or perhaps I should say in spite of their being put very carefully-they may be to the discomfort patient with this kind of bandage; and I believe that 1t 1S the custom at St. John's Gate not to take off marks from men who have used these pads. They certainly are not necessary when .are drawn back by that d?uble bandage, and hme, which 1S always of importance, 1S wasted by putting them there.

Supposing you happen to come across a case in an examination where you are told to treat a man for the fractur e of both clavicles, and you know th e Examiner expects to pads in both armpits; my advice is put them t/zere. But If you get a case in practice, don't use them, because they serve no useful purpose. Mind, I am talking about a double fracture and not a single one.

Page 6} . - In the case of a disloca tion out of doors, a lot of padding may be necessary to support the limb comfortably. For instance, dislocation of the shoulder' the arm. be forced in various positions, we will sa,) in a posltlOn up and out from the side, and you require not only. to keep the weight of th e arm up that way, but by puttl?g a r.aci under the elbow. If you just support the 10 a shng you are pressing the arm outwards and caus109 the man a e;oo d deal of pain. A dislocated joint is fixed, and the must be support e d so that its weight is taken off the Jomt, and does not pr ess in any direction whatever; and .further, it is a great mistake to add to t?e weIght that IS already th er e by the application of a splint.

Pa,fte 74·-Yo U are told very distinctly (now we have to page 74) must be made on the pressure pomt. Now a pomt 1S very small, gentlemen, and the id ea of some ambulance men is that a point is a sort of area' and you apply pressure on such and such an artery, and they say 1t IS somewhere about there, or near it.

Of course, it is perfectly evident that men who talk that have not attended their lectures with any reguand" anyw.here about here," because they have not stud1ed the questlOn more thoroughly, is quite accurate enough for them. But it is not accurate enough to satisfy the Examiner, nor is it enough to be any good at all to the patIent. Indeed, unless you get right on to the very pomt you may be doing harm instead of good.

Alongside arteries there is a vein, perhaps two veIns. The artery bnngs the blood from the heart the veins are carrying it back. If you miss the artery yo u put pressure on, then you may be putting pressure on the vein. Very well, you have got a wound somewhere. The blood cannot get back t? the. heart properly because you cut off the way of It getting back by pressing 011 the vem. The pressure at the wound is increased and out comes the blood; and not only does the blood corne out,

AI D.-

but it comes out with such force that it is impossible for any to a clo.t there and cork up the hole out of which the blood 1S coming, which in many cases it would do if it was not the man had put a pad in the wrong place. You 1f you left it alone the man would be better off than If you put a pad just off the artery on the vein.

( To be continued).

The Existing Ambulance Organisation of the Home Railways.

OUR readers doubtless remem ber last year a paper O? before the Bnt1sh Medical Assoat by Dr. Carvell.. "Cnfortunately, owing to the t1me lIm1t, much that was of lOterest had to be omitted. By the courtesy of pr. Carvell, the complete notes have been at our and we have much pleasure in presenting them here, sure that details given as regards ar;n bulance orgamsatlOn on the vanous railways will prove of Interest to our readers in the railway service. Cambrian Railway.

Cl asses began to be formed in 1895 ; a Centre of the St. John Am bulance Association was formed in 1898

Expenses are borne entirely by the Company. Encouragement: A challenge shield is offered for competition each year; free passes are granted.

Cardiff Rail way.

A Centre was formed in 1899. All expenses arp oaid by the Company.

Cheshire Lines Committee.

A Centre was formed in 19°4. Expenses are borne by the CommIttee. Encouragemen t : All men who qualify for the label are granted an extra free pass each year; prizes are offered .for competition. As to material and appliances, the Committee have about 30 portable "first aid" boxes and 20 stretchers.

Furness Railway.

Centre was formed in I 900. Encouragement: A silver challenge shield, presented by the Directors, is competed for eac h year, and prizes are given to each member in the first and second teams.

Great Central Railway.

The ambulance classes on this line are promoted and managed by the men themselves. Those men who pass the first examination are allowed a grant of 3S. and an arm badge; in the case of those who fail or unable to attend the examination but attended the lectures an allowance of 1s. 6d. is given. No allowance is made on passing the second examination; on passing the third examination, the am bulance man is granted an extra pass annually, and an extra day's leave in the year of passing, and is presented with the St. John silver medallion.

Special medals are presented for exceptional treatment in cases of accident.

A challenge shield and money prizes are offered for competition annually.

Great Eastern Railway.

Am bulance instruction was first given In connection with this railway in 1897, but in 1891 the ambulance men on the Great Eastern Railway established themselves as the G.E.R. Corps of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. A Centre of the Association was formed in 1896.

The line is formed into divisions, each division being controlled by a Committee of twelve members. A fee of one shilling is paid by each member attending the first

the Official Text Book is Misunderstood."

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course of lectures, and successful candidates bec?me entitled to enrolment as members of the corps. are presented to corps members who pass the third nation, provided they have attend.ed at least twelve in each of the two years succeedmg the date of theIr first examination, and labels are granted under the same conditions. Certificates issued, 3,444; vouchers, 1,33 6 medallions, 833 labels, 38 7.

A challenge cup and handsome money prizes are offered for competition each year.

Great Northern Railway.

This Company leave the men to form the c1as.ses themselves, but grant 4S. and a badge. to each man pass.mg the first examination, and 2S. on passmg second and thIrd. The Company also pay for a bronze medalli.o? and label.

The officers give a CClp for competltlOn annually. There are about I,600 qualified ambulance men on the system.

Great Western Railway.

This Company pays all expenses in connection with lectures and examinations, and provide all material, "first aid" boxes, stretchers and litters. A Centre was formed in 1896.

The line is divided into two sections j competitions are held annually. Three handsome money prizes are given for teams in each section; also three money prizes for individual work in each section. The first individual prize-winner in each section compete for a gold and silver medal and further money prizes. The six highest sectional teams compete in a final competition; each member of the winning team in this competition receive a silver medal. There are about eight thousand employes who hold the first aid certificate.

Hull &. Barnsley Railway.

In 1907 a Centre of the St. John Am bulance Association was formed. Up till then 139 men in the Company's employ were qualified; now there are 256 men who hold the certificate, 43 the voucher, 36 the medallion, 3 the label and 20 men have qualified for the nursing certificate.

The Directors supply free a book and bandages to every man passing his first examination, and a medallion to those passing the third examination; they also grant money prizes for annual competition.

Lancashire &. Yorkshire Railway.

A Centre was formed in 1897 5,052 men have obtained the certificate, 1,602 the voucher, 908 the medallion, and 755 the label. The whole cost of the classes is borne by the Company; medallions, labels and arm badges are supplied free of cost. As an encouragement, the Company grant each year an additional pass to each man, his wife and children, provided the man passes the yearly label examination and puts in a recognised nu m ber of practices.

Liverpool Overhead Railway.

This offers a small prize annually to each of the men con:posmg the team selected to represent them in the Inter-Rallway Competition. This encourages the men to t.ry to. qualify for team, as they have a couple of days

In London wIth their expenses.

London and North=Western Railway.

.A Ce.ntre was formed in 1897. All expenses In connectIOn wIth classes is borne by the Company.

There arc ::. T62 certificate holders 698 vouchers 1,497 medallion, and 77 label a bout I 2

A I D.- August 1910.

cent. of the staff. Those passing the second and third examination, have the privilege of a local free pass.

A challenge shield and prizes are offered for annual competition.

London &. Railway.

A was formed in 1899. The Company offer a challenge shield and money prizes for competition ; also expend £50 in prizes. All expenses m connectlO? with classes are borne by the Company; 1,700 certIficate holders and 700 medallion holdp,rs are on the line.

London, Brighton &. South=Csast Railway.

The Company formed a Centre in 1906; all expenses of classes are paid by them. The Company also present arm badges, medallions and labels.

All men rendering themselves efficient in the year are granted an extra pass. A challenge cup and prizes are offered for competition yearly.

There are 77 3 men who hold certificates, 40 vouchers, :J 94 medallions and 387 labels.

Metropolitan Railway.

A Centre was formed in 1904. The Company pays all expenses of the classes and provides books and material free. Arm badges, medallions and labels are presented by the Company. There are 590 employes qualified in first aid.

A day's extra leave with pay is granted to all men, who attend twelve monthly practices.

The Directors and Officers have given a challenge shield; money prizes are given by the Company and two silver cups are awarded for the most meritorious first aid work during the year.

Midland Railway.

A grant of 3S. is made to men passing the first examination; IS. for the second and IS. for the third, and an additional 2S. is given for the purchase of the St. John medallion.

The Company do not organise competitions, but grant gold and silver medals and certificates, in recognition of special skill, to those who render first aid.

There are now in the service of the Company 9,979 men qualified to render first aid, representing 14'27 of the staff.

Midland &. Great Northern Joint Railway. This Company formed a Centre in 1900. All expenses are borne by the Company. Prizes are offered for competition. North London Railway.

Expenses paid by _ the Company. An annual competition held.

50uth=Eastern &. Chatham Railway.

A Centre was formed in 1905. All expenses in connection with classes are borne by the Company. A challenge shield, presented by the Directors and officers is offeied for competition annually. Passes are granted to those who obtain the certificate, and additional passes are issued to medallion and label holders, their wives and children.

Cups and prizes are awarded to the first and second teams in the group competitions.

In 1910, 1,242 passed in the various first aid eX<imlnations, and 5, 2 5 men have qualified since the Centre has been established. This Company have a thoroughly equipped ambulance van always ready.

R.ailway.

Formed a Centre in 1895. A challenge shield and

August, 1910.

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prizes are offered for competition annually. Medals and certificates are awarded for meritorious first aid services. Since the Centre has been established 6,365 certificates have been issued, 3,526 vouchers, 2,609 medallions and 78 9 labels.

Taff Vale Railway.

This Company affords every possible facility to the to the staff to take up ambulance work. A silver shield is competed for annually.

The Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

ONE of the first acts in connection with his recent appointment as Grand Prior of the Order of St. John took place at its historic headquarters, St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, on Tuesday, July 19th, when His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, K.G., presented the awards granted by the Order during the past year for saving life on land, and also the service medals awarded to officers and members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

A guard of honour from the "Prince of Wales's Corps" was posted outside the Gate, and the Duke on his arrival was received by Col. Sir Her bert C. Perrott, Bart., C. B., secretary, and other distinguished members of the Order.

The following were presented with bronze medals awarded for meritorious conduct in connection with the Newport Dock disaster :-Supt. G. H. Osborne, Sergt. D. McCarthy, Pte. J. Aldridge (Newport Corps, S.J.A.B.), Charles Crogan, George Bradford, A. Kinsella, J. Andrews, and Walter Willis.

The following members of the S.J.A.B. received the silver medal, awarded for distinguished service to the Order and its Departments.

Deputy Commissioner Col. Edward Cureton, V.D., M.D., No. 7 District.

Honorary Surgeon Aifred F. Street, M.D., 'Westgate-on-Sea Division.

Honorary Surgeon John Crew, M.D., Welling borough Corps.

Superintendent Ernest Wilson, Gateshead Fell Division.

Superintendent Matthew H. Dawson, Clitheroe Division.

SuperIntendent George R. Edwards, Alverstoke Division.

Superintendent \Villiam E. Hartland, Dudley Division.

Superintendent William T. Knight, Olney Division.

Superintendent Albert A. Atkins, Prince of \Vales s Corps.

Superintendent Frederick Wilson, Hull Corps

Super!ntendent Joseph T. Garner, Rochdale Corps.

SuperIntendent Joseph Alwyn Ilott, M illbay Division.

Superintendent Frederick H. Oldham, Crewe Division.

Superinlendent William Heap, Colne Di,·ision.

Lady Superintendent Mrs. Mason, Southampton Tursing Division.

Lady Superintendent Miss Emma E. Gieve, Portsmouth Nursing Division.

Lady Superintendent Miss Charlotte E. Hughes, Shrewsbury Nursing Division.

1st Ambulance Officer William Rushton, Clitheroe Division.

1st Ambulance Officer Frank G. Cosburn, Prince of 'Vales's Corps.

1st Ambulance Officer George P. Hoblin, Millbay Division.

1st Class Sergeant and Honorary Secretary vVilliam Brown, Bacup Division.

1st Class Sergeant Charles II. Wright, Prince of Wales s Corps.

1st Class Sergeant Robert J. Hayes, Prince of \Vales's Corps.

1st Class Sergeant Henry W. Marston, Prince of Wales's Corps.

1st Class Sergeant Robert W. Stone, Prince of vVales's Corps.

Sergeant Thomas H. vVorth, Northampton Corps.

Sergeant Benjamin Jefferies, Wellingborough Corps.

Sergeant Sidney J. Fisk, Prince of Wales 's Corps.

Sergeant George Simpson, Reading Division.

Sergeant George William Wren, Reading Division.

AID.- 2I

Sergeant Frederick W. Covington, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Sergeant J Adrien Geerts, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Honorary Secretary and Sergeant Charles E. Cherry, Prince of \Vales's Corps.

Sergeant Sidney J. West, Prince of Wales s Corps.

Corporal Charles Dower, Prince of \Vales's Corps.

Corporal Joseph Wild, Rochdale Corps.

Corporal Charles W. Roberts, Accrington Corps.

Corporal E. BO.nd, Corps. George f. IIewltt, Pnnce of Wales's Corps. Alfred Wellingborough Corps.

Pnvate John BrIckell, Prince of Wales's Corps. Private Samuel Hatton, Heywood Division. John Wilkinson, Burnley Division.

Pnvate Joseph P. Hart, Prince of Wales's Corps. Nursing Sister Esther Matthews, Shrewsbury ursing Division.

Nursing Sister Mary B. Urwick, Shrewsbury Nursing Division.

Nursing Sister Emily F. Smith, Shrewsbury 1 ursing Division. The Service Medal was also awarded to Col. E. J. L. R. C. P., Honorary Surgeon, Al verstoke Di vision, Sll1ce deceased,

The reclplents were afterwards entertained to luncheon at the Manchester Hotel, Aldersgate-street, E.C.

Death of Miss Florence Nightingale"The Lady with the Lamp."

THE year 1910 has been marked by the death of many distinguished and dearly loved personages, and now to the list has to be added another, for on August 13th, Miss Florence passed quietly away at her residence 10, South-street, London. Although the health of the deceased lady, who was in her nintieth year, had for some time past given cause for anxiety, her death, which was due to heart failure, came somewhat unexpectedly.

Few women had done more for suffering humanity than the gentle, brave hearted lady who has now gone from us, for it was undoubtedly due to the heroic part which Florence Nightingale took in the terrible sufferings of the sick and wounded in the fever-stricken hospitals of the Crimea that led, not only to a reform of the military hospital administration, but was mainly responsible also for the many reforms which have since taken place in connection with the nursing profession.

Much might be written concerning the life and character of Florence Nightingale did space but allow, but other and more gifted pens have written, and will again write, the story of how in November 1854, this intrepid, heroic woman, accomparlied by thirty-seven other women as devoted as herself, set out in response to the call for aid, the need for which had been so graphically described by thp. late Sir William Russell in his letters home from the front.

If heroism was one of her strong points, modesty was another and she has never coveted admiration or publicity. Th'ose engaged in ambulance. or hospital wO.rk will feel that the world was all the ncher by the birth of Florence Nightingale, and it is all the poorer by her removal from us, although she has lived to see the many improvements for which she worked so strenuously and lovingly, now an accomplished fact. She has gone us, but truly the words as follows here, as Longfellow saId in his matchless poem :-

A lady with a lamp shall stand

In the greatest history of the land, A noble type of good Heroic womanhood.

-FIRST

The Welsh National First Aid Competition.

AT the inaugural meeting of the Glamorgan Summer Mining School a competition in ambulance and rescue ,:,,?rk was held at Cardiff on August 1St. The competItIOn attracted an entry of 42 teams representing every centre of the South Wales coalfields; these : were subsequently reduced to twelve teams to compete in the final. No less than eighteen medical men were !n the task of judging, and they speak in terms of high praise of the work of all the competitors. The time occupied by the competion was from 10 a.m. until 7.30 p.m. At the conclUSIOn the result was declared as follows :-

1st, Mardy No. I, 2021 points, winners of.the "Webb" Challenge Cup and £ 10 lOS.; 2nd, Abergork.l No. I, 19 2 points, £5 5s.; 3rd, Six Bells No.2, 189! pomts, £4 4s.; 4th, Six Bells No. I, points, £3 3s. ; 5th, Ferndale NO.1, 186 points, £2 2S.; 6th, Tillery, 1721 points,£r IS.

There was a large and distinguished company present during part of the day, including Sir Henry Cunynghame, K.c. B., Professor Boda, of the Tokio University; Dr. Atkinson (Superintendent Inspector of Mines for Wales), and Mr. Treharne Rees (President of the Engineer's Institute).

This was quite the most important competition which has as yet been held in the Principality, as may be gathered from the fact that 42 teams entered and competed, and in addition 160 men attended from various divisions in South Wales.

Prior to the presentation the men were inspected in Grey Friars-road by Assistant Commissioner H. Lewis, who was accompanied by Sir Henry Cunynghame, The men were formed up in two battailons and were under the command of District Chief Superintendent T. E. Richards.

Sir Henry was greatly interested in the contents of the men's pouches, and warmly complimented them upon their smart appearance and upon the work which he had witnessed at the competitions. He is a great believer in the value of discipline, recognising that however well trained men may be, they must work under supervision, otherwise you would have several men giving different commands at one and the same time.

A mede of praise must be awarded to the different superintendents for supervising the carrying out of the excellent arrangements which had been so carefully planned by the hon. secretary, Mr. Henry Davies.

Votes of thanks were accorded to Principal Griffiths for the use of the University Buildings, to the donors of the prizes, to the various medical instructors of teams, and to Mr. Henry Davies, the hard-working and energetic hon. secretary, to whom every credit is due for the successful way in which the whole of the proceedings went off. It was a large undertaking for one day, and that it practically went through without a hitch shows how carefully the details must have been planned out.

" First aid" visitors to the White City should not fail to pay a visit to the exhibits of Messrs. Burroughs, Welcome & Co., where they will find many interesting examples of the great progress which has taken place in recent years in the production of valuable medicaments in tabloid form.. A handy little guide and descriptive catalogue has been Issued, and those of our readers who desire a copy can doubtless obtain one. It has evidently been compiled care and is well worth a place on the bookshelf, for It Will very often prove a book of ready reference.

G.N. & L. & N.W. JOINT.-The annual competition of the Western Division was held in the grounds of Gedling Manor, which were again placed at the ?isposal of the classes by Lieut.-Col. W. H. Blackburn. EIght teams had entered, and the judging was kindly undertaken by Dr. Murray (Gedling) and Dr. Black (Nottingham).

The challenge shield was won by Colwick, L. & N. W., No. I, with 318 points, Derby, G.N., being the runners-up with 315; Colwick, G.N., was third with 292, closely followed by Leicester, G.N., with 286; Bingham, G.N., with 27 I, came next; then followed Col wick, L. & N. W., No.2, with 263; Nottingham, L. & N.W. Goods Dept., with 238, and Nottingham, Victoria, 236.

The members of the three leading teams received prizes, and these, with the shield, were. presented to the winners by Lieut.-Col. Blackburn, who, 10 the course of a brief speech, expressed his pleasure at having witnessed the competition, which reflected credit on all concerned. It was very essential that railwaymen, owing to the dangerous nature of their calling, should take up the work of first aid, as by efficiency in this direction many lives might be saved which would otherwise, for want of skilled assistance, be lost in case of accidents.

The Netherfield Railwaymen's Band was in attendance and played selections during the afternoon and evening.

The 1st Col wick troop of Boy Scouts were also present. Lieut.-Col. and Mrs. Blackburn entertained the competing teams, the band and the scouts to tea, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to them for their kindness. A similar compliment was paid to the medical gentlemen who had kindly officiated as judges.

S.E. & c.R.-On Saturday, July 16th, a very successful smoking concert was held at the Railway Hotel, Lydd, when the certificates gained by the Lydd Ambulance Class were presented by the Mayor, Alderman E. Finn. Doctor Oliver, the honorary lecturer, was present and spoke encouraging words to the members uf the Class. The Mayor expressed the pleasure that it gave him to realise that the Lydd railway men were trained to render good service in cases of accident and hoped that the Lydd Team would bring one of the Company's cups to that town next year.

On Saturday, July 23rd, the annual Ambulance and Fire Brigade Display took place at Longhedge Works in the presence of a large crowd of workmen with their wives and fri e nds together with such distinguished visitors as the Lady Mary Shelley, Sir Courtenay and Lady Honywood, General Moncrieff (late commanding Scots Guards), Sir Geo. Levett, K.c.B., Mr. G. D. Faber, c.B., M.P., Capt. Leigh Pemberton (late of the Grenadier Guards) and Miss Maud Leigh Pem berton (president of the Lor.ghedge Fire Brigade), Mr. Charles S. Stewart, c.B., Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Livesey, Admiral Noel, the Hon. Victor A. Parnell, &c. Mr. E. C. Cox (chairman of the Centre) presided. The ambulance display took precedence and constituted a thorough test of the efficiency of the railway staff in coping

August, 19 10 - FIR S T A I D. -

with an emergency that called for the rendering of first aid to the injured. The Fire Brigade paraded in full uniform and were inspected by General Moncrieff and Miss Maud Leigh Pemberton. At the Temple Ewell Flower Show, held at Kearsney, on Wednesday, July 27th, an Ambulance Competition was instituted for teams of five men holders of a First Aid Certificate and resident within eight miles of Kearsney Station. Doctor W. K. Brewer, of Brockley, was the Examiner, and set the competitors a very stiff test. The first prize went to the Dover Hospital Team; second prize, to the Boys' Life Brigade, Deal, and third prize to the Dover Priory Railway Team. Lady Crundall presented the prizes at the close of the competition and had a word of encouragement for all the competitors.

the usual character, including sprains, kicks from horses, grit in eyes, bites from horses, wounds caused by machinery. Of the more serious cases three were ordered home and three were sent to hospital. Some of the cases treated might readily have proved even more serious had there been any delay in treatment, thus once again showing how necessary it is to have a fully equipped station and staff on the show ground.

A visitor from Liverpool was standing near one of the stands when a large flag-pole broke and dropped upon him, striking him on the head. He was promptly conveyed to the ambulance station, where he was found to be suffering from slight concussion, his tongue also having been bitten through. After receiving attention he left in charge of friends.

An open air competition was held at Tonbridge on July 28th for prizes kindly presented by Dr. Watts, the Honorary Lecturer to the

COLWICK LOCO. TEAM, L. & N.W. Ry., out of a bottle. After drinking part of the contents, it was discovered that by mistake he had been gi ven a bottle containing sheep dip, which was poisonous. The unfortunate farmer was promptly conveyed to the am bulance station where he was given a strong emetic. In a very short time he rallied and appeared none the worse for his unpleasant experience.

Another curious case was that of a farmer from Wales. He was invited by a friend who was engaged in the show ground to have ,a drink Tonbridge Class. Brilliant weather favoured the contest, which resulted in Tonbridge Locomotive Team ga1OlOg premier honours, with T onbridge Station team second. Medals were given to members of each of these teams. The occasion was also made the opportunity for presenting Dr. Watts with a silver cake dish from the mem bers of the Tonbridge Class as a recognition of the esteem in which he is held by the railway men at Tonbridge.

At Charing on July 30th a most successful smoking concert was held at which the certificates gained by members of that class were presented. A demonstration also took place in connection with the Hither Green Corps on August 9th, a full report of which will appear in our next issue.

The Ambulance Station at the Royal Show.

THE Royal Agricultural Society held their annual show this year in Liverpool, and the whole of the ambulance arrangements were entrusted to the Liverpool Corps.

The arrangements made by Chief Supt. Ellison were very complete, twenty-eight men and eleven nursing sisters being on duty each day, as well as one or more honorary surgeC'ns.

The number of cases dealt with during the meeting was eighty-four, including redressings, w: hich , as our readers know, is permissible at these as they are invariably done under the directIOn of the medical officer in charge. The cases treated were of

Another somewhat serious case was that of an American VISitor, who, whilst inspecting the stock was somehow badly bitten about the lower part of the face by one of the horses, his lower lip in fact being almost torn away. Taken to the ambulance station, the wound was first thoroughly cleansed and then stitched up and bandaged. After resting awhile he was able to W. Parker. leave in company with his friends.

THE BRITISH FIRE PREVENTION COM [ITTEE.- This Committee has forwarded us a copy of their report on some tests which they have recently made in connection with flannelette and other textile materials. In undertaking these tests the Committee has been largely .actuated by a desire to find a really reliable flannelette which shall prove efficient, in order that its use may be reco.mmen?ed with a view to minimising the fearful loss of hfe, which, notwithstanding all warnings, continues to take place amongst the infant population of these isles.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

WINNERS OF TIIE WESTERN DIVISIO G. N. & L. & N.W. Rys. JOINT CO:\IPETITION.

J. Nighlingale (capl.). T. Mahan.

C. II. Lowe. If. York.

-FIRST

no ostentatious show of stern and unyielding d!scipline, but the men know what he wants and he gets It.

A ru mour reaches me that the success of the J 9 I 0 Camp has been so pronounced that, in. will be the time selected for the annual traInIng. That eIghty more men attended this year than last, is a pretty good criterion that the date is the most suitable for the majority.

That good old campaigner Chief Supt. Harvey Reeves was there, as usual, always smiling, and always good natured. It would hardly seem like a NO,3 Camp wIthout "Harvey Reev es ," and I should say on. th e social side, for he is a born entertainer, and dItto orgamser.

AID.- August, 1910.

a source of satisfaction to all the mem bers of the Chapter to find so many members coming forward in a patriotic and philanthropic manner, maki ng themselves capable of taking part in the noble and humane work of assisting the sick and injured.

Among those present at the inspection were Lady Perrott, General Gatt, Mr. E. Fraser, and Miss Dupree.

On Saturday, July 16th, the members and friends of No 24 (Doulton) Division and No. 10 Nursing Division spent a pleasant evening together at St. Andrew's Hall, New Kent-road. The occasion was one in honour of 1st Officer J. H. Lord, who left England for Australia on the 30th July, a fter eleven years' service with No. 24 Division, during the latter period of which he has been the officer in-charge. Amongst those present in addition to 1st Officer Lord and Mrs. Lord, were the Rev.Goulden, of St. Andrew's Church, Assistant-Commissioner W. H. Morgan, Dist.-Supt. Secretary Pontin, District Supt. of Stores Vilven, Supt. Orchard, Lady Supt. Miss Law, Dr. R. G. Reid, Dr. Berkeley and Mrs. Berkeley.

No. District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

The annual inspection of this fine corps took place on the Guards' parade ground in Hyde Park on July 16th. The number of all ranks on parade was 1,005, including 182 nursing sisters.

The programme on this occasion not of quite so ambitious a character as that carried out on the occasion of last year's inspection, and hence no doubt it was not so interesting to the general body of spectators. Something also was iacking in the conduct of the operations, there seemed to be an absence of proper control, and this was especially noticeable at times.

After a series of exhibitions in the various methods of drill, first aid treatment, &c., the corps marched past the inspecting officer (Inspector General Belgrave Ninnis, R.N., Chief Commissioner), with whom were the Deputy-Commissioner (Col. Lee<;-Hall) and the District Chief Surgeon (Col. James Cantlie). In this ceremonial drill the headquarters corps always acquits itself well, and this occasion was no exception to the general rule. The various companies as a rule went by as steady as a line regiment, the fine physique of the men and their smart and well set up figures being especially commented upon by several military men standing by.

Subsequently, in his address at the close of the inspection, the inspecting officer said that proud as he was of the corps last year, he was prouder of it to-day. It had always proved itself capable when called upon for work. He was especially pleased to see so many members belonged to the special reserves, and great credit was due to them for assuming these extra duties in addition to their everyday work and their ordinary work in connection with the brigade. More members were, however, badly wanted for these reserves, and these he had no doubt would be forthcoming.

Col. Sir H erbert Perrott also said a few words, and expressed his satisfaction at what he had seen. There would be a meeting of the Chapter-General in a day or two, which would be presided over by the Duke of Connaught, and it would give him great pleasure to report favourably on the display to his Royal Highness. It was

After a most enjoyable tea, the company assembled in the upper hall, where Miss Hilda Mitchell, opened the programme with a pianoforte solo. The event of the evening, however, was the presentation to 1st Officer Lord on the part of his comrades in No. 24 Division and the Nursing Sisters of No. 10 Division, of a watch, which had been suitably engraved. Sergt. Rittman referred to the good w0rk performed by 1st Officer Lord during the time he had been a member, and especially since his appointment as the officer-in-charge of the division, which now numbers something like ninety members. In conclusion, Sergt. Rittman, asked Mr. Morgan to present the watch to 1st Officer Lord as a token of his comrades' resp ect and esteem. Mr. Morgan having complied, a pleasant little surprise followed when he stated that he had also been asked to present to Mrs. Lord a pearl brooch as a token of regard from her husband's comrades.

Following the presentation, Mr. Morgan, in the course of a short speech, referred in terms of warm praise to the able manner in which 1st Officer Lord had performed his duties as the officer-in-charge of the division. The Asst.Commissioner also referred to the fine example set by 1st Class Sergt. Bulcraig, who was in charge of the division prior to the appointment of 1st Officer Lord, and who had since formed a division in Hobart, Tasmania. In concluding, Mr. Morgan said that he hoped 1st Officer Lurd would write to him when in Australia with a view to becoming attached to a unit of the Brigade in that country.

In reply, 1st Officer Lord expressed on behalf of himself and his wife his thanks for his comrades' gift to them both. Referring to his work in the division, 1St Officer Lord stated that he owed his thanks to those who had worked with him in helping to make the division a success, and to the staff at the district headquarters for the advice they had given whenever he had occasion to ask. Although this was probabl y the last time he should wear his uniform in England, he hoped to have the honour of wearing it again in Australia.

Sergt. Rittman proposed a vote of thanks to the staff officers for their presence during the evening and called upon Sergt. Grey to second the same. After the vote of thanks, Sergt. Grey added his personal expression of regard for 1st Officer Lord, whom they had always found the best of comrades and the most loving of friends; his name and memory would always be associated with that of 1st Class Sergt. Bulcraig and of Sergt. Kilsby, who had also quite recently departed for Australia.

August, 19 10 -FIRST

During the evening Miss Florence Leicester charmed the company with her beautiful of "I Think."

Mr. William Baker presented real Scottish humour to perfection ill his recitation" Foxes Tails," and Mr. A. Kent's fine voice was much in ." Thora. ':

The proceedings termmated WIth the smgmg of the National Anthem by all present.

No. 2 District.

CHICHESTER AND LITTLEHAMPTON.-On the 20th

July these divisions had their annual com bined and field training. They assem bled as on former occaSlOns, a t Barnham, midway between the two. places. The practice arranged by Hon. Surgeon Richardson, of hampton on this occasion, took a novel form. The patle.nts were supposed to be the wounded which had been left behmd by an advancing force, and were along fields and hedgerows adjoining a country road, hIdden behmd ricks and in ditches. A patrol of Boy Scouts from Llttlewere then sent out in search of them, and when-

AI D.-

had not received any instruction in such work before, there were extremely few errors, and the whole performance was extremely creditable.

After some combined drill with open and closed stretchers the whole party were marched to the "Murrel Arms," where they were put through a course uf knife ar:d fork drill, at which there did not appear to be any recrUlts wanting instruction. .'

After a short time spent in goodfellowshlp .the dlVlSl?nS once more fell in and were marched to the railway station to catch respectively the last up and down which started within a few minutes of each other. BeSides the officers above mentioned, there were present Harris, of Littlehampton, and 1st Officer States, of Chichester.

TREVARNo.-The competition for the Bickford-Smith Trophy was brought off most successfully here in beautiful weather be fore a crowd of about 2,000 people on July 29 th Six Divisions - Dolcoath, Ca mborne, Cubert, Poole, Porthleven and Redruth-were represented by teams. Hon. Surgeon Pereira, Exeter Division, acted as judge.

h D Pereira, Mr.

Silting clown (Jrom lefl to right), Supt D olcoal, r ever they found one of the wounded men they back along the road to .the station. On recelvmg the signal a squad was sent off dow? the road to the waiting scout who gmded them to the patIent, whose injuries were set out on a card.

The" flag-wagging" by the youngst.ers excellent, and the squads soon doubled off to th e l.r patIents. They were instructed not only to treat the patIents, but to c?nsider the best way of bringing them back to th e dressmg station. They had to negotiate all of and on arrival at the dressing station to explam their reasons for choosing the particular method they had adopted, the route they had followed, the precautions they. had taken on the wa y, and the probable state of the patIent under th e cucu mstances.

As they were brought in the treatment of the was criticised by Dist.-Supt. of Stores Street, who was In command, and by Hon. Surgeon Richardson.

On the whole the work was very well done and showed marked intelligence. Considering that many of the men

and Dr.

The stretcher test was a case of accident with machinery in which the patient's arm was torn off, and he was suffering severely from shock. After the stretcher individual member had the usual Vlva voce exammatIOn and supposed to The result was :-ISt,. Dolcoath; 2nd, Redruth; srd, Porthleven; .4th, Poole ) 5th Cam borne : 6th, Cubert. Dolcoath wtII hold the for twelve months, and each member of. first three teams received a silver medal. The competitIOn was d b Dr H \V Spai o-ht Porthleven, who also organIse y . ., b' acted as hon orary secre tary.

No. 4 District. . .

We have received a copy of the of NO·4 DIstnct. This is a very practical method of showmg at a glance. to what extent a district is ambulanced, an? we should the idea will be adopted by other dl.stncts. The vanous d · hether ambulance or nursm g, are already shown IVISlOns, w ffi f h d' t . t on the map, and the residences of the 0 <:::ers 0 t e IS nc

THE DOLCOATII DIVISION.-WINNERS OF THE "BICKFORD·S:'.IITlI " TROPHY

Bickford-Smilh,

II. W. Spaighl.

-FIRST

staff are also indicated by small distinctive flags. We do not know who is responsible for the production, but we heartily congratulate them on the capital idea and on the excellent way in which it has been carried out.

No. 6 District.

HULL.-On July 16th the members of the Neptunestreet Division (Hull and Barnsley Railway) held their annual outing to South Cave. carriages were attached to the 1.25 p.m. from Hull, and upon arrival at South Cave the party, numbering about 60, at once made their way to a large field at the foot of Mount Airey (kindly lent by Mr. B. Pinder). Sports were indulged in, also cricket, at the conclusion of which the pri zes were presented by Mr. H. Harrison, every child being the recipient of a prize. Subsequently Mount Airey was climbed, all being delighted with the view from the top. Later on, tea, which had been provided by Mrs. W. Ward, in the Church Institute, was partaken of, everyone voting it excellent. All too soon the time for departure came, Hull being reached at 9.30 p.m., after a most enjoyable outing. Thanks are tendered to the officials of the Hull and Barnsley Railway Company for the free railway tickets which were granted

Upon July 18th, Supt. F. Wilson (accompanied by Sergt. Nunns) left Hull for London in order to receive his long·service medal at the hands of the Grand Prior, H.RH. the Duke of Connaught, and to sign th e roll of the Order of St. John as an Honorary Serving Brother. Upon his arrival home on the 19th he was received by a guard of honour of the members of the division, who are naturally very proud of the honour conferred upon their Supt.

The Association of RaHway Ambulance Corps.

THIS. Association, which was founded about four years ago, held .ltS second. annual demonstration on the City Ground, NottIngham, kIndly lent for the occasion by the Forest Football Club, on Saturday, July 16th, when a larg e body of spectators assem bled to witness the attractive programme of provided by the Committee. The primary object whIch the promoters have in view is of course the stimulation and furtherance of the ambulance movement and in this .they were successful if we may judge by the entnes.

T.here were, of course, additional attractions provided, mcludmg a band contest, for which there were thirteen entries; competitions for members of Boys Brigades a marathon race over a course of eleven miles, and a aeroplane ready for flight, was also exhibited We regret to learn, however, that on account of counter-attractions in the immediatp- neighbourhood the financial result of the undertaking will fall short of the amount required to meet the expenses. This is greatly to be regretted, for Mr. Thomas R. Scott, the indefatigable secretary, and his colleagues certainly deserved success for the whole-hearted way in which they had once more striven to attain it. We are glad to learn that his YVorship the Mayor, as soon as he that there likely to be a deficit, promptly towards It. We trust that others who are cogmsant of the pluck and resourcefulness of these railway first aiders will also come forward with a donation however small, towards assisting to wipe out the deficit.

The ambulance competition for stretcher teams secured entnes from places as far distant as Oxford and Gloucester.

AID. - August, 1910.

The following qualified for the final :-York, N.E.R (Captain H. Mallard) j Gloucester, G. W.R. (Captain H. J. Daniel); Beeston Ambulance Corps (Captain Edwin March, G.E.R (Captain F. Goodenough); BirmIngham, Lawley-street, M.R, and Burton-on-Trent Police.

Final: rst, York, N.E.R; 2nd, March, G.E.R 3rd , Gloucester, G. W.R; 4th, Birmingham, Lawley -street, M.R

It was interesting to observe the struggle for premier honours between those redoubtable opponents, York, N. ER, and March, G. E. R.

Individual ambulance competition, to any holder of the S.J. A.B. certificat e Qualified for final:- W. Goodley, March, Cam bs; G. H. Roach, Leicester, A. Atkinson, York A. Farmery, Denby Main, and J. Salt, Burton-on-Trent. Final-1st, Atkinson' 2nd Goodley' 3rd, Roach. ) )

Duke of Portland's Shield. Qualified for final:Gloucester Combined, M.R. : Normanton Station, M.R; Mansfield, No. I, M,R.; Leeds United, No. I, and Chesterfield, Wagon Works. Final :-ISt, Normanton, M.R 2nd, Gloucester ; 3rd, Chesterfield, 4th, Mansfield.

, The judges were Drs. J. Neilson (Bulwell), Cornwall, MIlne, Blurton and Tweedie (Nottingham) and Dr. Payne (Leicester. )

There were only three entries for the Boys' Brigade bandag ing and stretcher competition, which resulted as follows :-Ist, Eastwood Cadet Boys' Life Brigade, Sir Shield and 1 ; 3 IDS .; 2nd, Eastwood Boys' LIfe Bngade yd, Colwick District Boy Scouts. This year's win ners also secured the trophy last year. Dr. N eilkindly acted as judge. The march past of the Boys' Bngade was one of the most interesting items of the pro gramme. The steadiness of the youngsters was most commendable.

brass band contest was won by Boot' s Band, last year's wrnners.

!he marathon race was won by Arthur Gilman, of Nottmgham.

Among those who visited ground during the day were Lorn Lady, Henry Bentrnck, Mr. A. Richardson, J.P., and hIS WorshIp the Mayor and the Sheriff of Nottingham. His Grace the Duke of Portland was unable to be present, but he sent a kindly letter wishing the gala all success, as also did Capt. Morrison, M.P.

South=East Lancashire Ambulance Review and Inspection.

fourteenth annual review and competition in connectIOn WIth the corps (S.J.A.B.) located in the South-East LancashIre portIOn of the No. 4 District took place at Bacup on ] une 18th.

The ambulance divisions mustered at the Ambulance Dnll Hall, and, by the Stack stead Band, marched to the. FIeld. The following am bulance corps and .dIVIslOns :-Bacup, Prestwich, Whitefield, H.aslrn,gden, Dukrnfield, Salford, Whitworth, Radcliffe, Vlct?na Hall, Castleton, Barrow, Rochdale, Heywood, Tottrngton, Crompton, Todmorden, Oldham, Ashton-underLyne, Norden, Bury and Hulme, a total of 453 officers and men.

The following nursing divisions also attended: Bacup, Crompton, Asht.on, Norden, Bury, Castleton, Bolton, Oldham, Prestwlch, Rochdale, Tottington and Todmorden.

On arrival the various divisions were drawn up, and

August, 19IO -FIRST

received the inspecting officer (Inspector-General Ninnis, RN., Chief Commissioner, who was accompallled by Col. Trimble, CM.G. (Deputy Commissioner), with a general salute, subsequently marching past the command of Asst.-Commissioner Lawrence WhIttaker. Then followed the competitions. The attendance to witness these was not large, hence there was an absence of enthusiasm in the proceedings, although some very creditable first aid work was shown. At the close of the competitions, which occupied until a six, His Worship the Mayor called upon the rnspectmg officer to address the parade.

Inspector-General Ninnis by thanking the Deputy-Commissioner for InVitIng to witness that parade, and he could assure them that g iven him every satisfaction. He knew what No. 4 could do, but he was not prepared for such a parade as It had been his privilege to witness that afternoon. .H e had never before seen nurses fall in and go through theIr evolutions as he had seen them that day. He did not think there was any other society where the. nurses had so thoroughly learned their drill. Everythrng he had seen that day reflected the highest credit upon all concerned, f?r what he had said of the nurses could also be truthfully saId of the ambulance divisions. The excellence of their drill and their marching applied equally to the men as to the nurses. The march past was exceedin g well done, with the exception that a few of the officers, who should have known better saluted with the left hand. He hoped to the strength and efficiency of the divisions although if they did not possess t?e necessa:-y. espn t de he might talk to them for a year wlthout the deSlT ed end. If each individual has not th e WIsh or nothing he might say would make them good and effiCIent ambulance men or nurses. He was at a loss for words to give full expression to his views on all he had seen that afternoon.

Col. Trimbl e also spoke a few words III appreclatlOn of the work he had seen that day, and while lamenting the fact that the ambulance movement did not. always recei,ve the support that it merited from the leadrng and offiCIal classes said that their hearts went out to the \lIayor of Bacup 'for the encouragement and which he given them. Col. Trimble also thanked the Judges for th e Ir attendance and kind services.

The Mayor, in response, said it had been a real pleasure to himself and the people of Bacup to welcome them there that day.

The prizes were then by Mrs. Shaw.

Nursing Divisions: 1st Pri ze (South-East Nursing Divisions Shield), 185. pornts ; 2nd Prize (Lees Cup), Bury, r84 POInts 3 rd Pn ze, Rochdale, 183 points.

Ambulance Divisions: 1St Pn ze (Wilson and Stock all Shield) Salford, 93 points ; 2nd Prize (South-East shire Corps and Divi.sions' Cup), Heywood, 89 pOInts ; 3rd Prize, Bury, 88 pornts..

Attendance Pri zes, Nursmg DIvIsIOns: Crompton, Norden and Todmorden, each tied with 100 per cent., and each will receive a rose bowl.

Ambulance Divisions: Dukinfield, Heywood, Crompton tied, each with J 00 per cent., and each wJlI receive a rose bowl.

The bed-making prize was won by Rochdale WIth 28 points' Norden bein a second with 27 points.

Equipment: Rochdale, 66 1 points 2nd, Crompton, 65 points.

On the motion of Assistant-Commissioner Whittaker,

AID.-

a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mrs. Shaw for distributing the prizes, and the Mayor briefly responded on her behalf.

At the conclusion of the Review, tea was provided in the Mechanics Institut e, and this was followed by a social and dance.

The British Fire Contingent at the Congress in Belgium.

WHEN one em barks on an expedition of this kind an element of doubt always exists as to 'whether the gathering com bines the functions of being both an educational and an enjoyable trip, with the former so much depends upon the individual taste; but even with the most ard u o us of our mem bers who desired to follow the deli beration of the congress not being linguists it was more a. difficult task for the majori ty to apprecIate the diSCUSSIOns, for the languages which predominated were French, German and Flemish. But we understand much useful work was accomplished by th e International Fire Prevention Committee in the form of adopting a concise schem e of preventive measures, which are publish e d in three languages, of much use to the fire service ; with the latter consideration in view it depends entirely on the company one t.o meet to decide if the trip is an enjoyabl e one, and It IS without hesitation that we say that there could not have been a more cong e nial company depart from Charing Cross on July 27th, under the command of Capt. Dyson.

Arriving at Os tend the usual Contmental muddle of passing th e luggage thr?ugh the Custom-house the transferring it t o the tram for Brussels was expenenced ; this at times is a considerable source of annoyance, but as it was witnessed on subsequent occasions we became quite adapts at keeping a viligent survey of our packages, and this constituted not the least enjoyable part of our travels

Having installed ourselves at the Grand Hotel and our accommodation disputes settled-we WIll not attempt to dwell upon these, for one individual who was given as his dwelling No. !-oo, bathroom , and another who had five flights of statrs to clImb, dwelt upon them at considerable length - we soon began to look around us. to find out the sights of the city, and in the four days whIch we spent there we sawall that was to be seen.

Our next destination was to be Spa, and for here we made our way on July 30th and at delightful spot late in afternoon m the evenIng, we were officially receIved at the ch a teau of the The n e xt day commenced a long programme functIOns, which continued until August 2nd, and both I? the cor:npetitions and proc essions the English contmgent dIStinguished itself.

All praise is due to Capt. J auns, of the Spa FIre Brigade, for the way he organised .the programn: e , for apart from the business the meetlOg, enjoyable excursions were arranged mto the surroundmg country

A demonstration was giv e n with a Denms Turbme Motor Fire Engine, and in a machine it proved its supenonty. TermmatlOg our VISIt with a short sojourn at Ostend, one and all that they had thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and to Mr. who organised our contingent, we showed our of his efforts by presenting him with a hands.ome

We propose to deal in a subsequent of an mteresting demonstration to prevent petrol explOSIons.

TO 1"l-( E'.. . I

We are in no way responsib.e jor the opinions txpressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

A TIMELY WARNI N G AS REGARDS AP P ARENTLY SLI G HT ACCIDENTS.

have from one of the weekly June. I thmk It mi ght mterest your readers, as it forCibly Illustrates the paragraph on pa g e 20, "First Aid to the Injured, " by James Cantlie, F .R.C S" "At times an apparently slight injury is by g rave danger, and may a ctually cause loss of life, "

Date of King's funeral May 20 th; a dmission t o infirmary June lOth, - Yours fa ithfully, J. M. CARVEL L

CDr. Thomas hel d an in q uest on Ma ry Ann Greaves. 55, wife of a a boure r, of Bemert on-street, Caledonian-road. - The husband said his wife went to see the funeral of the late Kin g , and on return ing she co mplained that she had had a fall whilst witnessing the procession. A few days later she became partly paralysed, and on June l o th she was admitted to the I slington Infirmary, where she gradually grew worse, a nd died on Monday la st.-Dr, Meares, who had made a post -mortem examination, slid death was due to the rupture of a small artery in the br a in caused by the fall. -Verdi c t a cc idental death.]

THE RED C ROS S SOCIETY AND THE ST.

JOHN Ai\lBULA N CE ASSO C IATION.

P EA R , SIR! - [ am fully in sympathy with the spirit of your art icle m la s t month s FI RST AID, but I am decidedly CU:lOuS find out what IS n?w the real of the St. John um.ts, that the authorIty under whi ch they serve is now ac tmg on ItS own responsibil ity. It has re cently been my prIvIlege to see an offi c ial commun ication in which the foll.owing occurre:d : "There is only: one medium through which voluntary aid can re a ch the sold ier or sailor in time of war, an,d that is the British Red C ross So ci e ty, By an arran g ement w,lth the War Offi ce a nd the Admir a lty, this Society is now recogmsed as sole channel ,thr?ugh which voluntary aid can the sick wounded 111 time of war, and in return Society has that aid shall be furn ished in precisely the that Department di c tates."

Now, If thiS IS so, It a ppears to me it effectually bars the door aga111st the St. J and therefore wh a t is the object of formlll g comp:lnJes which, under present conditions would not be a ccepted for in case of emergen cy.

, Of course, Sill c e the rupture fresh conditions may have been down, but th111k that the War Offi ce authorities should Issue pronoun cement, an,d thereby clear up these doubts wh.lch eXist at present, and whICh must be detrimental to all parties concerned.-Yours truly,

K. DUN STAN.

THE WINDSOR DUTY.

DEAR SlR, - " Absit Invidia "- whi c h mi cr ht be freely "Growler "- has a still greater griev';,nce than she th111ks she has, for, by a pnnter',s (and s uch thillgs will happen to the of us ), you printed" 12 " instead of" 21."

. old s<;>ldler IS to act without obta ining perm lsslon, and Instead of Sl W.ng and doi ng noth ing then, I wrote With the document quoted In front of me and got sanction to

AI D.- August, 1910.

bring as many nursing sisters from my sub-district Hants Isle of Wight and Dorset, as volunteered to go, ' , If you: correspondent had used her pen then instead of now she might have been a ble to take 21 from her nursing division if they volunteered.

If not allowed to write to the Press why does she not obey that order as stri c tly as the one she treasures up so much ?-

Yours sincerely,

GEORGE E. TWI SS

THE ETHICS OF AMBULAN'CE COURTESY.

pEAR SlR, - Would you kindly inform me, through the medium of your valuable paper, what would be the correct mode of pro,cedure in the following case :An accident o cc urs in the streets, or elsewhere; the first man to arr.lve on the scene is one who has only just obtained his first a id He pro ceeds at once to attend the pa tient, III two or three minutes there appears a man who has passed ei g ht or nine examinations-I mean a man who has five, six labels, ,;md wh,o has also a gold medallion for competit ion work. Now whi ch of the two should take the case in hand pending the arrival of medical assistance?-Yours respectfully,

W, B.

[We bel ieve is no hard and fast rule as regards this. first arnval haVIng passed the neceSSi1ry qualifying examit? first aid to the injured, would be perfectly wlthlr: h S n g ht should he to continue his treatment, but we thInk pruden ce would dictate to the wise first aider that it be more dis creet to surrender the control to the more experIen ced ambulance man and work under his direction.-

FRACTURED RIBS AND THIGH.

D EA R SIR, -. To settle a dispute between myself and a few other first aid students ,will kindly answer through your paper the me,thod of ':I'lth a person suffering from ,of left nbs and rIght thigh? Thanking you, Sir in antiCipatIOn.

"

rr ncomplete questions of this kind are difficult to answer so as to satisfy a , because the point on which Inf<;>rmatlon IS deSired IS not sufficiently indicated. fakIng the question to mean simple fracture in both cases, I do not see why the treatment laid down in the Text Bo?k for each. case shoul? be out, except as regards laYIng the patient on the IllJured sloe But I do not think the correspondent wants to be told this, as he must know it already, therefore there must be some othe-r point not sufficiently defined,-H EATON C. HOWARD ,]

JUST PUBLISHED.

288 pp., Crown 8vo. Cloth extra. 3s. 6d. net.

FIRST AID TO THE SIOK: DISEASES,

THEIR DESCRIPTION & TREATMENT.

A Work of Reference [o r the Home, written in Plain Language, By D. HASTINGS YOUNG, M.B., M.S.(Edin.), etc.

Introdu cti on-Di seases of the Chest-of the Alimentary System- Of the Throa t , a n,d the Live:-of the Kidneys-of the N and Contagious Diseases - Symp toms of Va nou s Dl seases- Dlseases of the Skin - Appendix - Full Index.

FIRST AID TO THE CHILD, by the same Author, will be ready shortly.

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD.,

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

The Inc!ependent Journal for the

To

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this ! oumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents ITI all of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Bngade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Terntonals), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to it ,known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and ,,;lil also for public,ation their official news and notices. SuggestIOns are ITIvlted for Pnze Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the J oumal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the &ame the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

mem bers, regarding the views of certain of their comrades hailing from another land.

And these are the men who propose to bring about the regeneration of the human race. If the result of their vapourings did not, at times, lead to fanatical outbursts on the part of some of their miserable dupes, their proceedings might be treated with the contempt they merit, but, unfortunately, at times they welcome in their midst the exponents of "the killing no murder " creed, with the result that anarchy and lawlessness are openly espoused, and as a result of the publicity which ensues it receives an additional impetus in the lands from which such delegates are from.

The Cult of

THOSE well-meaning but woefully misguided individuals who regard Socialism as a panacea for all the ills that human Socialism. flesh is heir to, and who loudly acclaim that their creed implies the brotherhood of man, have within the last few weeks been holding their annual congress in Copenhagen. We have read reports of some of the meetings, there was, of course, the usual irresponsib le "piffle" which so largely permeates the arguments of the believers in Socialism, but very little which was likely to commend their creed to those thinking men or women who believe in equity and justice.

One thing was quite apparent and that was that a very large number of those in attendance held very pronounced views as regards the rights of property ownF!rs; and the methods which they suggested, as a means to the transference of all property to the State, for the benefit of the whol e were based on the same old threadbare arg uments As regards their ostentatious boast of universal brotherhood, it was almost too painfully evident how utterly insincere it was. Beneath the apparent guise of friendliness one with the other, it was only too easy to see there was a vein of suspicion in th e minds of some of the

How different is the propaganda carried on by the members of our Fire Brigade and Ambulance Services. In their case the citizens of the various nations meet from time to time in order to discuss in friendly spirit the best means to be adopted for the saving and safeguarding of human life. There is no suggestion as to the most effectual means of destroying it. No, these are the men who are willing to sacrifice their own lives in their efforts to save the lives of th eir fellows, There is no brag about it, men who are capable of such heroism don't shout, they don't foregather in Trafalgar-square, and similar meeting places and prate about what they are prepared to do for their fellows. They just wait for the occasion to arise, and then they do it, and then step back again into the ra!1ks of their comrades, conscious only of having done that which they felt it was their duty to do.

We are given to understand that the Socialists have started schools in this country in order to propagate their pernicious teaching amongst the rising generation. Well, all we can say is, that we hope it is not true. If it is, we trust that the scheme will fail from want of support and fail it should , when we have such men as Sir Robert Baden-Powell and others devoting their time to teaching our lads and lassies the true elements of the brotherhood of me n.

At the hands of the Socialists, the training will be such as to teach the youthful mind the wicked doctrine of class versus class, with all its principles of robbery and spoilation. How different are the ethics of the Boy Scout movement or thos e of the Boys and Girls' Life Brigades

-FIRST

and similar organisations. In these the promoters train the youth to be chivalrous, to be resourceful, and to do their best to help one of their fellows, even should It be to their own detriment.

We can picture in imagination the future careers of two lads-the one trained in Socialism, the other on the lines of the Boy Scout movement. The latter, we unhesitatingly assert, will develop into a citizen which any nation would be glad to have, the former will, in an probability, eventually become a loafer or possibly a "tubthumping" demagogue, whose room would be regarded by any honourable society of men as preferable to his presence.

It is contrary to our custom to deal with matters political in these columns, but we regard Socialism as something quite outside the sphere of ordinary politics. It is a menace, and a danger, to society at large, and those who are engaged in combating its dangerous heresies are entitled to receive the support of all who recognise its evil' hence we trust that those of our readers whe have the 'time and opportunity to assist in the advancement of those splendid organisations promoted for the youth of both sexes by the Hero of Mafeking and others, will do all that lays in their power to make them even more successful than they are at present.

It is in the time of their youth that we must train the men and women of the future in the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, for that is the time when their minds are most impressionable for good or evil. Properly trained and safeguarded against the errors of Socialism, we need have no fear about the future of our race. We can safely rely that they will safeguard the interests of the grand inheritance which their ancestors have bequeathed them.

"Where the Official Text Book is Misunderstood."

By DR. R. D. MUIR.

(Continued from page I9).

On page 77, gentlemen, in arresting hcemorrhage it is not sufficient to apply a pad and bandage. All the other instructions on page 77 sho1.,1ld be attended to, and I ask you to think when you have been in for examinations and you have been asked to stop hremorrhage from a wound in a certain place, how many of you, besides applying the tourniquet, have put your dressing or pad on the wound itself; and unless a man does this in practice he is not likely to do it when he comes face to face with the actual case.

Page 8I.- The pressure point of the facial artery IS very easy to find, but it is not very often found. You are told in the Text Book that it is two fingers' breadth in front -of the angle of the jaw. Well, if you put your fingers just at the angle of the jaw and go forward you will feel a groove-thece is no difficl,llty about

AID. - September, 1910

feeling it-and very often it is not just tw.o bre.adth beyond the angle of the jaw. Very often It IS at the mIddle of the second finger, and not beyond it.

Now when you have bleeding from the facial artery, remem be;, in the case of the facial artery and in the case of several of the arteries about the head, the branches of other arteries join. They meet in the middle; so that if you get bleeding, say from th.e cheek, and it ca.nnot be by pressure on the one SIde where the faCial artery IS, and for some reason you do not think it advisable to pinch the two sides of the wound with your finger, then you will often stop it by putting pressure on the other facial artery; and not do as most men do when they find that the pressure on the facial does not stop bleeding, immediately apply pressure on the carotid artery.

Page 8J.-Perhaps when I was about this lecture if I had known there were gOIng to be other on the platform, I should have been a little more careful about the points that I was taking up; but if they do not agree with me they can have it out with you afterwards.

On page 83 you are told in the of fracture of the skull with hremorrhage, to use a nng pad. Now, if there is thing that I hate it is a ring pad, and the use of it can generally be avoided if you apply pressure round the head covering the pressure points, that is of course if the injury is somewhere on the top. Now a 'fractured is very like the broken pane of a window. If you throw a stone through a window you find there is not only a hole there, but it is starred in various directions; or if you make a hole in the ice it in various directions and that is exactly the case wlth a fractured skull. It' is not only where the fracture is, in the middle, but it is cracked all round. It is what we call a starshaped fracture, and sometimes the ends of these stars-:the lines of these stars-go a long way off. So you wIll understand that if you put on a ring pad, and I have seen it done, you may press the bone in and give the patient what he does not want-depressed fracture of the skull, and com pression of the brain.

Page 84.-Hremorrhage from the subclavian, or rather hremorrhage that is to be stopped by pressure on the subclavian. Such hremorrhage is usually very severe and very dangerous, and must be stopped immediately. I do not know why it is put quite as it is in the book, but I do not think it is put in the way that it should be.

If you get hcemorrhage, or leakage, in a big blood vessel you immediately place your finger at the point where the leakage is; and in the case of hremorrhage of the subclavian you should immediately thrust your finger down behind the collar-bone, and putting the head on one side press the finger down in the place where the subclavian is and keep it there. Then undo the collar, or get an assistant to undo the collar, when you can then get your finger down easier. It is better for the patient, and you obtain better pressure on the artery, but sometimes it takes some few moments to undo a collar. You know it takes you some time to understand your own collar; but it is a very different thing to understand somebody else's. Immediately stick your finger down and get pressure on as well as you can, and, when you have got it there, undo the collar, or get someone else to do it for you. Then you can get pressure on and do it more effectually than you otherwise would have done if you had waited uI'!til you had loosened the collar-and the patient was dead.

Page 86.-You are told in the book that the line of the brachial artery follows the seam of the coat sleeve. That is quite true if the seam of the sleeve is where it should be.

Septem ber 19 o. -FIRST

It should be in the centre of the inside part of the arm, along the inner border of the biceps muscle, but sometimes you have seams somewhere else. I suppose occasionally the sleeve comes off and gets put on again all askew. What happens is this:-Very often a man is told to put pressure on the brachial artery. He turns the man's arm up, and the seam changes from its correct position, and he puts pressure on the sleeve seam. Of course, you will understand that that rule only holds good when the sleeve is not turned round, but left to lie as it is in its natural position.

Page 89.- You all know the femoral artery. Some of the examiners say that they rarely find a man who can compress femoral artery, and I know one or two of your examiners (I am not one of them) who say that on principle they will never pass a man who cannot stop the hremorrhage that he is given. Well, it is jolly hard lines if you get a femoral artery, because it is very hard to do it. It starts from the middle of the groin, that is plain enough, but it is the lower point where they get fairly "chawed up." The lower point is on the inner side of the knee. You will feel a piece of bone that sticks out harder than any other part. We doctors call it the aductor tubercle. If you take a piece of string; you find the middle of the groin where you are told, then you feel for the aductor tubercle; you see it is a piece of bone that sticks out. If you divide that line up into three, the top two parts of the three are over the femoral artery. Now some men bring the femoral artery in all sorts of places. You start from the middle of the groin, and you take the upper two-thirds of that line; that is enough for all practical purposes. There are some doctors who say that you ought to go a little on one side of the aductor tubercle, but if you use pressure in the place I have stated you will never be far wrong. You will be sufficiently on the femoral artery. And, let me say this too, be sure when you are compressing it that you are squeezing it up against the bone. It is no good pressing the artery unless Y0U are pressing something hard. Use your finger and not your pad; you know they twist up out place. We are all very sorry for the man whose pads tWISt out of place, but they should be put on so that they do not get out of place, and so that they squeeze the artery up against the bone.

(To be concluded).

Crippled Children's Holiday Hospital, Slead House, Brighouse.

THE ambulance man or woman does not confine his or her attention solely to the relief of sickness or sudden illness. They are constantly on the look out for fresh fields of work whereby they may be the means of alleviating suffering It was this feeling of sympathy which prompted the formation of the poor children's boot and clothing funds in London and Blackpool and now the members. of the Corps have hit upon the novel experIment of formIng a Holiday Hospital for crippled chi.ldren

The Holiday Camp or HospItal, whIch was co.nducted at Slead House from August 13th to 20th, was 10 every way successful. The house, a very old and r?omy one, enclosed in a small park, was placed at the dIsposal of the corps rent free. The furniture, was in loaned and partly made by kind-hearted, skIlled mechamcs, members of the corps, who also voluntarily cleaned and prepared the house for the reception of the little inmates.

The several reports of the medical staff, the nursIng staff, the superintendent of stores, and others, have been

AID.- 35

forwarded to us, and are most interesting, and we only wish that our space admitted of our publishing them in detail, but those of our readers who desire to have fuller particulars than we can might apply to Mr. Albert Thomson, Supt. of Stores, 42, Thornhill-road, Brighouse for a copy of the full report, price sixpence.

The house was ready for occupation by a.m., on August 13th, and the patients were brought there by motor ambulance, and we are glad to note that fire precantions were not neglected. A small portable fire engine was placed in the hall and a fire bucket in each room, and all members on duty were instructed what to do in case of fire.

Two short Services were conducted on Sunday by the Rev. O. S. Laurie, vicar, and the Rev. J. Thomson, Bridge End Congregational Church.

The necessary funds were raised by voluntary contributions and all the work done by members of the Corps both beforehand and during the week was purely voluntary.

Amusements were thoughtfully provided for the " kid dies " in the shape of swings, rocking-boats, see-saws, &c.

The messing was worked to scale and the cost per head was approximately 9d. per day. We append herewith specimen menus for both staff and the children :-

MEALS FOR CHILDREN-MONDAY.

Breakfast :-Quaker oats, porridge and milk, syrup or sugar. Dinner :-Boiled Beef, potatoes, vegetable, bread, stewed fruit. Tea:-Tea and milk, bread and butter, cake. Supper :-Currant cake, milk.

MEALS FOR STAFF-MONDAY.

Breakfast :-Quaker oats, porridge and milk, syrup or sugar, bacon, eggs. Dinner :-Roast Mutton, potatoes, vegetable, bread, stewed fruit. Tea :-Tea and milk, bread and butter, salad. Supper :-Currant cake, milk. There were 22 little patients, 18 boys and 9 girls. On arrival the children were provided with fresh clothing if they required it; a supply having been kindly placed at the disposal of the Nursing Sisters. They also received a bag containing a new hai: brush, com b and brush which they took home WIth them at the termmatlOn of their visit.

The working staff was arranged as J:he working sisters were divided into three sectIOns, (I) general duty section; (2) cooking section; (3) nurslOg section. Sergeant Coates was and Groves carried out the responsIble dutIes of hospItal steward.

The whole of the arrangements worked most smoothly, and the Lady Superintendent (Mrs. that the hospital should be an annual InstItutIOn . The knowledge gained by the staff is most va;uable! and the value to the little patients of the week s outmg under healthy climatic conditions, with good food, cannot be overestimated.

The members of the medical staff say in their report: _" The experiment has conclusiv.ely proved to us that it is not only possible, but comparatIvely to staff and maintain hospitals, in case of necessIty arlsmg, by means of the trained men and women of the St. John Ambulance Brigade." .'

This should be interestlOg readlOg for the members of the Red Cross Society, and it thoroughly bears .out our own contention that should the emergency anse the men and women of the brigade are fully able to cope with it. ffi

We offer our heartiest congratulatIOns to the 0 cers and members of the Brighouse Corps on the very gr€'at

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success which has attended their kind and humanitarian venture.

Ambulance Parade at Cardiff.

TH E great inter est which is now taken in Wales in the ambulance movement, was strikingly illustrated on Sept. 3 rd , when upwards of 1,500 members of the St. John

AID.-

September, 1910.

this opportunity of showing her appreciation of the work they were doing. On their behalf, she had much pleasure in presenting that beautiful car to the Lord for service in the city and neigh bourhood. In concluslOn, her Ladyship expressed the pleasure at seeing so many ambulance men and nursing sisters present on that occasion, and she hoped that as time went on their numbers would be largely increased.

In accepting the gift the Lord Mayor said that such a vehicle had long been wanted.

Sir Richard Temple, Deputy Chairman of the St. John Ambulance Association, then asked the Marchioness to decorate distinguished workers in the ambulance cause with the insignia conferred upon them by th e Order of St. John. After a brief allusion to the controversy between the Association and the Red Cross Society-and deprecatin g the causes which had e d up to it - Sir Richard went on to state that the Association proposed to start a Corps of Rescue Sisters, whose mission it would be to assist the wives of workin g men at their homes, and teach them the elementary prin c iples of home nursing, so that the breadwinners might more quickly recover from the effect of their injuries.

The Marchioness, th en amid cheers, decorated Mr. William McKenzie, the Chief Constable of Cardiff;

September, 19 10 - FIR S

__ ________

referred to the great interest which Sir William had always taken in all matters appertaining to am bulance work.

The Marchioness, next at the request of Lord Ninian Crichton Smart, and on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Webb, presented to Mr. Godfrey Clark the "Webb" Challenge Cup, and a replica of it, to be handed to the Mardy team, this year's winners.

The gift was accepted by Mr. Godfrey Clark and handed over to the Mardy Division.

The High Sheriff of Glamorgan (Mr. Percy Player) proposed a vote of thanks to Sir William Thomas Lewis, and Sir Alfred Thomas seconded, both gentlemen paying high tribute to the services which Sir William had rendered not only to the ambulance cause, but to others which had as their aims and objective the benefiting of the people. A similar compliment was paid to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Webb on the proposition of General Tyler, and seconded by Mr. T. Hurry Riche8.

sightseers, hence there will be a grand chance for public duty for the Welsh Divisions.

The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

H. M. THE KING has appointed Col. Sir Herbert Perrott of the Ordcr of St. John of Jerusalem in England 10 place of Col. Sir Herbert Jekyll, K.C.M.G promoted Chancellor.

?ir was made a C.B. (civil) "for serVIce 10 connectlOn WIth the Transvaal War elsewhere than in that country." It was in 1876 that he was elected a Knight of JusticE: of the Order,of which he has been an Executive Officer for the past 35 years, in

Ambulance Brigade mustered In Cathys Park, Cardiff, for inspection by the Chief Commissioner (InspectorGeneral Belgrave Ninnis, R.N., M.D.).

A large number of invited guests were present and evinced great interest in the inspection and the series of presentations which followed.

The Marchioness of Bute, accompanied by the Inspecting Officer, proceeded past the line of am bulance men to the handsome motor am bulance car, which she had been asked to present to the Cardiff Corporation on behalf of the Wales and Monmouthshire District. Mr. Herbert Lewis (Assistant-Commissioner, No. 7 District) having explained the car and its equipment, Lord Tredegar then formally asked Lady Bute to present the ambnlance to the Lord Mayor of for the. service of the public In general. HIS Lordship said it was customary for ladies to launch our TH E P RESE T i.TlON great before they were sent on theIr errands of destruction, and he saw no reason why an emblem of peace, secured for the alleviation of the sick a nd suffering should nO.t be handed over by the gentle hands of a lady. It was SIngularly appropriate, too, that this ceremony should b.e by Lady Bute in the midst of the vast whIch surrounded Cardiff Castle. In handmg ove r the carriage Lady Bute expressed her gratltude to the members of the Association for giving her

1

District Chief Supt. Richards, Mardy ; and Mr. W. A. Wheel, of Moriston, with the insignia of their respective grades in the Order.

At the request of Mr. E. W. M. Corbett, Lady Bute, on behalf of Sir William Thomas Lewis, presented to Mr. Herbert Lewis, the" Lady Lewis" Cup for annual competition among ambulance men in South Wales and Monmouthshire. In returning thanks, Mr. Herbert Lewis

The Mayor of Newport proposed, and the Mayor of Swansea seconded a vote of thanks to the Marchioness of Bute for her great kindness in attending and making the presentations. The Most Noble the Marquis of Bute returned thanks on behalf of the Marchioness.

A vote of thankS was also accorded to the Lord Mayor of Cardiff for his kindness in allowing the use of the assembly rooms.

Tea was subsequently partaken of in the assembly rooms, City Hall, Cardiff.

From first to last the whole proceedings were most successful and reflect the greatest credit on those responsible for the organisation. It should be the means of still further stimulating enthusiasm in the ambulance cause in the Principality, especially in view of the investiture of H.RH. the Prince of Wales, which it is now authoritatively stated will take place in Carnarvon next year. The ceremony, which is unique, will doubtless attract crowds of

recognition of his services as Honorary Secretary of the Eastern War Sick and Wounded Relief Fund of that year, and he has been Chief Secretary of the St. John Ambulance Association since its formation by the Order of St. John in 1877.

The King has appointed Mr. W. R. Edwards to be Secretary of the Order, of which he bas been Assistant Secretary and Accountant for some years past, besides being the Director of Stores of its Ambulance Department, St. John Ambulance Association, as well as Honorary Accountant of another of its departments, the British Ophthalmic Hospital at Jerusalem, a " Foundation" of the Order under its Royal Charter of Incorporation.

Mr. Edwards was formerly an officer in the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

VIE\\ OF THE P \R \UE C.\RlJIFF.

THE MOTOR Al\IB UL \NCE TO TJ-1E CJT\ 0

ON P .i.R.\T> E SEPT. yd.

The indefatigable honorary secretary of the Southampton Centre of the S.J.A.A. (Col. Twiss) is leaving no stone unturned to still further augment the strength of the newly formed ambulance co mpani es A letter of appeal has been issued, urging the necessity for joining, and we doubt n ot that it will be the means of stimulating a greater increase in the movement in that part of NO.2 District, which is so thoroughly supervised by its Asst.-Commissioner.

The letter has evidently been compiled after much thought and consideration, a.nd we regret that space precludes us from publishing it. Should any of our readers desire a copy, doubtless Col. Twiss will oblige them, provided he has a(!1Y spare copies left.

The St. John Ambulance Association

v. the British Red Cross Society.

THE tension between these two bodies seems in no way lessened in spite of the efforts which many well-meaning individuals are making to effect a settlement.

Speaking at Plymouth, recently, 1'1r. J. S. C. Davis, the Hon. County Director, said the difficul ties which they had to contend with seemed almost endless. The last difficulty-and one which was very serious indeed-had arisen from the action of the St. John Ambulance Association in withdrawing all its men from the detachments. The result was that in Plymouth there were hardly any men left in the detachments. The same thing had happened at Torquay, the men's detachment had been practically broken up by the action of the St. John Am bulance Association. In Exeter exactly the same thing had occured. The St. John Ambulance Association had succeeded in practically ruining three of the men's detachments in the county. What excuse or justification they had for acting in such a manner he did not know and neither did he know what action the War Office posed to take in the matter. He hoped, however, that something would be done by those in authority to bring the St. John Am bulance Associa ti on to a be tter frame of mind. Not content with withdrawing all their men from the Red Cross Society's detachments, they now proposed to set up a rival organisation in opposition to them. Whether it would be acknowledged by the War Office he could not say, but he did hope something would be done to heal the differences, for it was absolutely impossible, as must admit, to run a duplicate system of aId detachments,. and it was not patriotic for any recogl1lsed body to go agamst the expressed wishes of the Government.

Writing to the Western Mornino- News Plymouth a Welsh Chief Supt., S·lA.B., asks ? How it that the Aid Detachments of the Red Cross Society have been rumed, as ,alleged by County Director (Mr. Davis), by the St. John s men formmg a unit of their own? Does not the complaint of the County Director show a sign of

AID.- September, 1910.

weakness, when it proves these detachments cann,ot. be formed without borrowing members from another dlstmct organisation."

Addressing a meetmg at Derby, called 10 support .of the Red Cross Society, his Grace the Duke of DevonshIre spoke in th e strongest terms upon the friction at present exists between the St. John Am bulance AssoclatJOn and the Red Cross Society. A sacred duty had devolved upon them to make some preparations for the succour and relief of men who might be wounded in consequence of a campaign to sav e their country and defend the lives of those at home. It was hardly possible to conceive there could be any friction between organisations upon whom that sacred duty had been placed. It was preposterous to think there should be any rivalry and trouble between two bodies which may have, or are asked to take, a share in this solemn duty-that of the alleviation of suffering. He felt confident that when the position was realised-and those present did realise it-ways and means could be found to remove friction if such did exist. His Grace praised the past and present work of. the St.. J ?hn Ambulance Brigade, which was a most essential orgaDisatIOn, but for the emergency for which thE.Y were preparing there was ample room and need for the Red Cross Society as well. Were there any friction locally, he would feel inclined never again to take part in a public meeting if he could not at a conference between the leaders of the two bodies bring them into agreement within a quarter of an hour.

Speaking at Newcastle-on-Tyne, Sir Richard Temple, Bart., C. B., Asst.-Director of the Order of St. John, referren to the causes which led up to the withdrawal of the St. John Ambulance Association from the agreeme!lt with the War Office and the British Red Cross Society. With regard to the contention that the County Companies formed by the St. John Ambulance Association would be private companies, and as such could expect neither official recognition or assistance from the War Office or any officer serving under it, Sir Richard admitted that it would not be possi ble for the County Associations, General Officers Commanding, and Officers of regiments to give official help, but of course their wives and relatives could. But in any case this was no cause for dismay, because by a recent ruling of the War Office, the Voluntary Aid Detachments which they had themselves formed, and which were raised according to their own scheme, were to get neither gratuity or allowance on mobilisation, so that in the event of war they would practically be on the same footing as the St. John Companies. Let them not be dismayed by the bogey of threatened official non -recognition. In a war of invasion no Government dare refuse the assistance of those trained and ready to help with the sick and wounded.

Speaking at Furness recently His Grace the Duke of Devonshire said, in reference to the present controversy, that, to his mind, it was almost unthinkable that in England, at the beginning of the twentieth century, when they were seriously discussing the question of the invasion of this country, there should be anything like rivalry or dispute between two bodies which were primarily intended to relieve suffering and to help the wounded in case of an invasion. He had in various capacities taken a considerable amount of interest both in the work of the St. John Am bulance Brigade and the work of the Red Cross Society, and he was quite confident that anything which would in any way diminish the high standard of work which was being done by the St. John Ambulance Brigade ought to be looked upon with the greatest possible caution. He

" September, 1910. --FIRST believed the training given was most for all purposes, and in the event of anythmg lIke an mvaslon there must be a very heavy demand the of the brigade. Those men who were workmg on the railways would probably have to attend to their own systems, and not be able to move elsewhere. There were, however, a number of the St. John Ambulance Brigade who were not connected with any particular railway, and they wOLld p.robably take a prominent part in attending to a defendmg army, but beyond that there must be. a very large numt:>er of people who were unable, from various. causes, to receive that necessary and requisite training whIch would fit them to receive a certificate from the St. John Association. It must be quite clear that in the of an invasion of this country they would have to ImprovIse at the moment a very considerable number of what were technically known as voluntary aid detachments. He did not know whether he was right or wrong, but he felt absolutely confident that when they were making arrangements for an emergency such as he

AID.-

best energy of both Associations could be brought forward, not for the purpose of overlapping, but for the purpose of being able to supplement the work which was done by the other. In making those observations, he could only say that he had solely been actuated by what he believed to be the best for both Associations, and he hoped that each Association might be able to do something to increase the efficiency of the whole.

An Ambulance Cycle.

WE are informed by Messrs. Henry Simonis & Co., of Pretoria Works, Walthamstow, N.E., that in consequenc.e of increased demand they are enabled to produce then collapsible ambulance cycles cheaper, and now offer these machines at £ 15 15s. instead of £22 lOS.

We detailed a description of this useful apparatus some little time ago, and ambulance corps, police forces

THE MA SFIELD C OLLIERY DIVISION. h th "Mansfield " Cup for the best marc pas a This Divis ion, fornled in 190 9, has alreaAd y achlie1ved this year. the nnua nspec lOn had outlined there was ample room for both to do excelJent and admirable work. It was unthmkable that they to-day should seriously be wrangling on such a subject as that. In he was closely with the Territorial ASSOCiatIOn, the Red Cross Society, and the St. John Brigade, an? he. had gone into the matter in some detaIl, and he said,. wlthout any hesitation whatever, from the personal he received there, that they could fully mamtam the high standard of efficie ncy which was now h.eld by the St. Tohn Ambulance Brigade, and at the. same there Vvt=re ample opportunities for impartmg a certam amount of lOd struction, which might not reach that h.lgh an which would be necessary if that .ternble misfortune them He asked those who m1ght be connected wlth upon t a either one or both of those ASSOCIatIOns not to come premature decision, and he hoped the .matter recelve a great deal more consideration than It had and that some amicable scheme might be arranged In whlch the

and collieries which have it in use speak very highly of The whole cycle can be divided in the centre, t e two wheels placed side by side of each .other With a stretcher cloth hung between two poles which. were f . 1 h f The converSIOn 0 IS viously carned a ong t e rame. ' the cycle into a litter occupies less m.mutes, and. efficiency of the latter from the hygienic pomt of vIew IS an d · ly hl'gh on'" the pneumatI c tyres assure great excee 109 v, comfort to the patient.

---._.---

b f the Royal Mint-street G.N.R. The mem ers 0 . d Ambulance Class will hold their first annual dmner smoking concerst 0M n Arms Tavern, t. 1 ary xe, " . 6d h and programme will be provided. Tickets 3s th for which early application. should be made N Co' Secretary, Mr. Percy Sebnght, Goods Depot, . .' ., Royal Mint-street, E.c.

Brevities.

WE have at all times a very real feeling of sympathy for the non-uniformed members of an ambulance division, especially on the occasion of some great function such as the annual inspection. In most cases it is not their fault that they have not donned the prescribed uniform. They are, perhaps, mostly working men with little or no cash to spare for such luxuries, and they have no band of generous subscribers prepared to supply the deficiency. Their employers rightly do not consider uniform as a necessary adjunct to curriculum for acquiring a knowledge of first aid still their enthusiasm in the work prompts them to band together to keep up their practices and maintain their efficiency. With this end, therefore, in view, they become an enrolled division in the Brigade, and the knowledge that they form one of the units of a large national organisation stimulates their zeal and prompts them to maintain their efficiency. On their own ground they never quite realise the lack of uniform, it is only when they "come out into the limelight" so to speak, that they recognise how important a part uniform plays in such a function. They may be equally as smart in their first aid drill, perhaps smarter, than many of their comrades in uniform, but they don't look it, and their appearance in the middle of a long line of uniformed men would have the effect of minimising to a very large extent the smart appearance of the parade as a whole.

UNDER these circumstances, is it to be wondered at that a commanding officer, who is anxious that those under his command may appear to the best advantage, should decide whether plain clothes divisions should take up their positions in rear of the line? We think not, and that being our view of the circumstances, we cannot endorse the of individuals who are just now writing to the dally press m Newcastle, approving of the conduct of an officer of a plain clothes division who, feeling incensed that. his division was not placed according to seniority, straightway marched his men back to the railway station and took the train home. To our mind, such conduct was not only petty, but it was a distinct act of insubordination and proves that an officer who openly defies his by so flagrantly refusing to recognise their orders cannot himself expect to have his own orders obeyed by those under him, and he is not fit therefore to be entrusted with the command of a division. The Deputy-Commissioner of No. 6 District is a kind-hearted man, although very properly a fir.m disciplinarian, and he would not willingly hurt the Jeelmgs of those serving under him. We would under.take to say that had the order been cheerfully out, m spite of the apparent loss of prestige which It entalle.d, and the facts have been afterwards placed before him, he would have done something more tangible than empty for a body of men who, in spite of then lack of finanCIal Support, still contrived to carry on the good work at their own expense.

WE are at all times glad to see the services of an ambulance man, or woman, recognised by the Order of St. John, but we do wish that the recipient or his or her friends would not seize upon the occasion as being a fitting one to publish a lot of palpable rubbish, not to say untruths, in order to still further magnify the honour thus conferred. For instance, just recently a gentleman who has acted for many years as a lay assistant instructor to the ambulance classes in his neighbourhood, has received the badge elf an Honorary Serving Brother in recognition of his services. The local paper devotes nearly half a column to particulars of the fact, including descriptions of the decoration, diploma, the Homage Roll, &c. It then goes on to say that the gentleman also holds a silver medal for efficiency-we presume the medallion is meant. 'Well, as our readers know, a silver medal reflects no greater merit upon the holder than does the bronze, it is simply a question of paying the extra cost. It then goes on to say that "the honour just conferred is a very high one, more particularly as the recipient is the first layman in the district to secure the coveted honour in the third section." What on earth is meant by this we are at a loss to understand. In another case a local paper refers to the recipient as being the first working man in the coul1try to receive this high distinction. We have published in our columns the names of several working men who have been so honoured. C(

L. B. & S. C. Rv.-One of the most interesting competitions that have been held on this line was concluded on the 28th ult. For some years efforts have been made in the Brighton district to bring about a purely individual competition quite independent of all team work, and this yea:, to the encouraging financial support of all the dlstnct officers of the Company, it became possible for the district Secretary of the Centre to put his pet scheme into operation. Three prizes, value lOS. 6d., 4 S a.nd 3s. 6d , were provided for each department, i.e., Carnage, Engmeers, Goods, Loco and Traffic, by their respective chiefs ; also a special prize of the same value was provided by the chief draughts man, Mr. B. K. Field, for men who had not previously won a prize. The loco' and carriage engineer, Mr. Earle Marsh, gave a very handsome Challenge Cup, with a stipulation that it was open for any man in the district to compete for irrespective of department.. chief storekeeper, Mr. T. R. Jackson, offered a speClal prize of 2 IS. annually to go with the Cup.

.. men entered, and the competition was dIVIded mto three parts. A qualifying round, judged by the district Secretary, in which the num ber was reduced to 4 0 A preliminary round, in which all departmental prizes

September, 1910. -FIRST were awarded and the ten highest, irrespective of departments, qualified for the final.

For the final test (which was judged by Dr. W. A. Dow, of Lewes, and Dr. J. Shardlow, of and witnessed by about 200 spectators). A circle 10 ft. in diameter was made on the floor d a large hall; in the centre was an imitation fire hydrant, marked leaky; in the middle of the circle a patient was placed with both feet on the ground and both hands on an imitation electric cable; by the side of the circle a bag containing gasfitters tools, and several lengths of gas -pipe and a short ladder were quite conspicuous. The printed label given to each competitor stated that the patient was a gasfitter, engaged filing an overhead pipe, when he slipped and fell, and in his fall struck his chin on a girder and broke his jaw; he clutched

AID.- 41

held on Wednesday, September 28th, at St. Saviour's Hall Ditching Rise, Brighton, which will hold 600, and it sure to be packed.

There was a capital muster of railway men at the Railway Hotel, Pulborough, on Septf'mber 8th, to witness the presentation of certificates, vouchers, medallions and labels which had been gained by railwaymen in this district at the classes held last spring. Mr. E. Trangmar (locomotive superintendent) presided, and was supported amongst others by Mr. M. Searle (District Secretary of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Centre).

A capital musical programme had been arranged, and during an interval the chairman intimated that they were greatly honoured by the presence of Mrs. Foot, who had kindly attended to present the awards. He could assure that lady that her kindness was much appreciated.

After a few remarks from Mr. Searle, who expressed regret at the absence of Mr. King (centre secretary), the awards were presented to the successful candidates by Mrs. Foot.

This was followed by a very pleasant little function, the chairman presenting, on behalf of the old and new members of the classes, an handsome gold-mounted umbrella to the lecturer (Mr. Foot). The gift, said Mr. Searle, was a small token of appreciation in which they held the doctor. Mr. Foot was one who had a natural aptitUde for teaching. That made all the difference with men who were railway men first, and to whom first aid was after all a secondary consideration.

The genial doctor, who was greeted with musical honours and applause, returned thanks in a witty and appropriate speech, in the course of which he intimated that he should be most willing to give another course of lectures. Anyone who undertook to teach an ambulance class should do so to the best of his ability, and that had been his aim throughout.

Cheers were also given for Mrs. Foot, and the musical programme was then continued.

MR. S. J. WATKIN S

(Brighton Carriage Dept. ), winner of the" Earle-Marsh " Cup, Individual Competition, L.B. & S.C. Ry

wildly at a live electric cable, tearing it from its supports, and you find him clutching it firmly with both hands and note that his breathing is suspended.

Note.-It will take you five minutes to reach the nearest doctor two minutes to reach the nearest telephone, and one-and-a:half minutes to reach the nearest First Aid Emergency Box, and you are allowed two spectators as m essengers only.

The tests lasted from 7 to 10.30, and for once the doctor's verdict was the same as the spectator, and S. J. Watkins, a brass-finisher in the carriage department, was declared the winner with 68 points out of a possible 135·

The Cup and Prizes will be presented by Mrs. D Earle Marsh at the annual concert of the district to be

CARDIFF Rv.-Lieut. Colonel C. S. Denniss, general manager of this railway, whose portrait recently appeared in our gallery, has been selected for admission as an Honorary Serving Brother of the Order of St. John, and has been notified that his selection has received the sanction and approval of His Most Gracious Majesty King George V., Sovereign Head and Patron of the Order. The distinction has been conferred in recognition of the valuable services rendered by Col. Denniss in connection with ambulance work on this railway. The Centre was organised by him; and since its inauguration, and during the period of his management, considerably over I,OOO members of the staff in the different departments have qualified for the certificate of the Association.

G.E.R.- The members of the Colchester Division gave an ambulance display in the Railway Mission School on August 17th. The Deputy Mayor (Mr Gurney Benham) presided, and he was supported amongst others by Dr. Tolan Fell and Messrs. John Bellchambers, E. Boyden, &c. The display, which consisted of a series of supposed accidents, and the subsequent treatment of the injured, was watched with great interest.

During the evening the Deputy presented labels and medallions. Among the reCIpIents of the former was the veteran John Bellchambers. It must be many years ago since he first took up ambulance. on the G.E.R., when he travelled up and down the line stlmu -

-FIRST

lating the interest of his fellow workers by his own enthusiasm, or takin g charge of a litter and squad of men in a particularly busy corner on the Lord Mayor's route on November 9th. Ah me, that was years ago, and yet John doesn t look ve ry much older, and his hand is as deft and his head as erect as it was in those days go ne by.

In congratulating the division on the work it had accomplished, the Deputy Mayor said he took an especial interest in it, for a few months after its foundation seventeen years ago he, in his capacity as Mayor, presided over its first ambulance display. He complimented the members on the display they had given that evening. The visitors had seen almost every form of excruciating agony portrayed, and the exhibition had shown what could be done by men as the result of diligent practice and perfect discipline. He had no wish to say anything against any harmless amusement, but there were some forms which were more unselfish and more useful than others, and the acquisition of a knowledge of first aid was one of the most useful and certainly one of the most unselfish. In concluding, the Deputy Mayor made allusion to the work of Mr. Bellchambers in connection with ambulance work, not only on the railway but in other departments of the town.

On the proposition of Mr. Bellchambers, seconded by Dr. Nolan Fell, a vote of thanks was accorded to the Deputy Mayor for his presence and for presenting the awards.

In the article dealing with the "Existing Ambulance Organisation of Homp. Railways" in the last issue an error occurred. Ambulance instruction on the G.E.R. was first given in 1879 and not 1897 (p. 19)

S. E. & C. R - On Tuesday, August 9th, an interesting ambulance demonstration took place on the lawn at the rear of Dr. Wood s house at Hither Green. The programme was carried out entirely by the members of the Hither Green Ambulance Corps, Dr. Wood, the hon. surgeon, having kindly placed the grounds at the rear of his house at the disposal of the Committee. A goodly company was present, and the proceeds of the entertainment were devoted to the corps fund, and we understand that as a result of the meeting a considerable addition has been made to the corps balance.

There were seven items on the programme as follows :-

I. How platelay e rs render first aid in emergency.

2. The importance of posure after accidents or sudden illness.

3· Representation of a street accident.

4· Roller ba ndag e display.

5 · Making improvised stretchers.

6. First a id in variety (improvised).

7· Triangular bandage display, and which were carried out in a most and thorough manner. Dr. Wood explained to the comDany present the reason for the various first aid treatments adopted. The of the street accident was especially well carned out, even to the policeman taking in a voluminous notebook, the name and address of the butcher's boy who knocked down the person supposed to be crossing the road.

Th.e demonstration not only interesting but most mstructlve, and was car ned throughout with a whole heartedness which speaks well for the organisation and interest of the members.

dark the grounds were very prettily illuminated With Chmese la?terns and. fairy lamps, aud a good programme of musIC was carned out by the New Cross S.E. &

AID.- September, 1910.

C.R Mission Band, under the bat6n of Mr. G. F. Stevens.

On the 13th S eptember a meeting was held at Sandgate Station for the presentation of the awards gained by the members of the Sandgate Class. Dr. Bradbury, in presenting the certificates, &c., to the successful candidates, expressed his admiration of the way in which the memberEhad turned up a t the class and studied the first aid principles, and exprpssed the pleasure it had given him to know that the per c entage of passes was so high He asked the mem bers to see to it that the class was even double the si ze next season, and assured them of his willingness to help them at all times.

During th e evening a presentation of a silver cigarette cas e was made to Dr. Bradbury by Mr. Porter, the stationmaster at Sandgate, on b e half of the members of th e Sandgate Class, and the Class Secretary, Mr. Bourne, handed a silver mounted walking stick to Mr. Memps, of the local branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, as an acknowledgment of the help the class had received from him also. These gentlemen suitably responded and the Centre Secretary, who was present, added his testimony of the value of the knowledge of first aid work.

FURNES S RAILWAY. - The annual competitions in connection with this railway took place in the picturesque grounds of the Furness Abbey Hotel, last month. His Grace the Duke of Devonshire presided and was supported by a large llnd distinguished company.

The competition which commenced at o'clock in the morning was adjudicated upon by Surgeon Major Darwin, M.D.

At the conclusion of the competition, the Chairman gave a breif resu me of tne work of the Centre and r eferred in appreciative terms to the fact that in connection with Inter-Railway Competition the Furness Railway competing against the whole of the Railways in England and Wales succeeded in attaining third place, a very commendable performance considering that they were ninth in the year 19°9. Afcer a passing reference to the splendid success rendered by the St. John Ambulance Brigade on the occasion of the late King s funeral, his Grace went on to refer at some length to the unfortunate dispute between the St. John Ambulance Association and the Red Cross Society. In concluding his address, his Grace announced the result of the competitions and congratulated the Ulverston Team which had won the competition for the first time.

The following was the result :- ISt, Ulverston (winners of the Directors Challenge Shield) points ; 2nd, Whitehaven, 138t j 3rd, Barrow, 19t ; 4th, Millom, 101 ; 5th, Moor Row, 87 t points. The prizes were pres e nted to the successful teams by Lady Moyra Cavendish. The five men who represented the railway in Inter-Railway Competitions were presented with silver cigarette cases in recognition of the honourable position they attained in the competition. The Centre Secretary (Mr. Hope) was also presented with a similar gift,

After a few remarks from Surgeon Major Darwin, who warmly commended the action of the Association in connection with the unfortunate difference of opinion between it and the Red Cross Society, Mr, Aslett (Secretary and General Manager of the Company) proposed a hearty vote of thanks to his Grace for presiding, and, in the course of his speech, referred to the valuable services which the Duke was rendering to his country in connection with many institutions having as their aim the amelioration of suffering. His Grace was also a prominent member of the

September, 1910. -FIRST

County Association for the development of the Territorial Forces, Mayor of Eastbourne, and a Gra?d Master in Masonery. The vote was carned With rousmg cheers.

His Grace thanked Mr. Aslett for hiS kmd remarks, and the company present for the way in which they had received the vote. He assured his hearers that he and his colleagues would at all times be pleased to do what they could in furtherance of the ambulance cause.

Votes of thanks were accorded to Lady Moyra Cavendish and to the medical staff. Subsequently the company adjourned to the Furness Abbey Hotel where afternoon tea was served.

First Aid After Colliery Explosions. *

By J. HENTON WHITE, M.D F.RC.S.E., Hon. Surgeo n Birmingham Corps, SJA.B.

QUITE recently the and Whitehaven Colliery disasters have brought prommently before us the n.eed ?f a better knowledge of rendering first aid after explOSIOns 111 coal mines. After the Darran catastrophe, of the twenty-

At D.- 43

windows are closed. People and animals in the lower rooms are first affected, then the fumes pass into the sleeping rooms above, and whole households have been found poisoned in this way.

On entering such a house there is no warning smell as in the case of coal gas, to give a clue and it is most important to recognise the cause of the tro1lble at once. It is worse than useless to resort to artificial respiration or any other means of treatment in such a house; the patients must be got out immediately.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AFTERDAMP OR CARBON MONOXIDE POI SONING.

There may be none, until the patient suddenly falls down helpless to become rapidly unconscious.

Persons lying or sitting quietly in the mine because of some injury simply become

If walking along the mine, and espeCially on exertIOn, such as is necessary to move wounded men, feelings of exhaustion weakness in the legs, giddiness, palpitation, shortness breath and shivering may be perceived; men do not readily answer when spoken to, stagger in their walk and finally fall down unconsciousness sets in, the breathing becomes stertorous, the skin moist, the irregular and the lips and surface of the body show a brIght

It numbe rs nearly 50 This Division was formed In 1909 by the efforts 0 r. wI t t cc a s ons members, nearly all of whom have undertaken publi c duty se vera Impor an 0

pink, almost cherry-re? which is. characteristic of carbon monoxide pOlsomng and aft.er .death . This colour will, of course, not be seen m the dIm light of the mine. When symptoms once show themselves the patient rapidly becomes ",:orse, and even after removal to the fresh air it is a long tlme before recovery takes place. A man who' has once been slightly affected by afte.rdamp is very easily overcome if he goes down the pit agam. It is well, therefore, not to permit a man who has from the mine to lead a fresh band of. men! as he IS likely to collapse and become a b.urden to hiS rehef party.

The following suggestIOns may be useful for relief parties :- '1

(1.) Do not go near the site of t he explOSIOn untl some means of ventilation has been deVised.

(2.) The rescue party should go w ith the fresh air current if possible. .'

(3 ) Six or seven men form convenient Sized parties

(4:) Each party should be followed up by a relief after a short interval.

.,. Conden sed from a n ambulance lecture deli vered al Cromer Camp to he me n of N o III. Di strict S.J.A B., on Au gus 5th 19 IO

(5.) Men exhausted by a long day's work, or after a long walk, or with empty stomachs, should not be selected

(6.) Each party should take a small bird in a cage, and a mouse. The bird will die very soon if afterdamp be encountered and some time before the men are at all affected the mouse will show signs of distress and stagger about shortly afterwards. This is the danger signal and the party must at once return, taking. them their patients if possible j but they must retire, In any case, to fresh air or they will be overcome by the gas.

(7.) If one of the party become affected, all must retire forthwith.

(8.) The circumstance that the lamp burns brightly and that the flame is not" capped" is no sign of freedom of the air from afterdamp.

(9.) Never attempt perform respiration. in the mine. Get the patients out qUickly not attemptmg any elaborate treatment of injuries.

(10.) In fractures of the lower extremities merely tie both ankles and knees together. Put fractured arms alongside the trunk and tie to the side by two broad bandages. In fractured collar bone put a pad in the armpit and tie the arm to the side at the eibow. In severe haemorrhage put on a tourniquet above and do not stop to dress the wound.

(1 I.) Use discrimination in deciding which patients to save first, if you come upon a crowd of wounded men j fractured spines take long to move, rarely recover and the time so spent might save two or three more promising cases.

(12.) Get cases to the pit-head as quickly as possible. It is better to save one than to get two up just too

In some pits oxygen helmets may be available, they are cumbersome and men can do little rescue work with them on, unless the wounded are very near to the shaft they are of little use except perhaps for the first party going down after the accident.

TREATMENT

WHEN REMOVED FROM THE PIT.

As a rule surgeons are here and the duty of the ambulance man ends, but it may happen after a big accident that there are many injured and few doctors. The following hints may be useful:-

If breathing has ceased or nearly so, and there is any sign of life perform artificial respiration by Schafers method. It can be done quickly and singlehanded and admits more air to the chest at each forced respiration than any of the other methods described in the text book.

If there is stertorous breathing, artificial respiration is not required. I mention this because I have seen it done quite unnecessarily.

Warm oxygen should be administered from rubber bags, or football bladders, which are filled as required from cylinders of oxygen and then warmed before the fire for a few seconds. The bladder is slightly squeezed by the assistant at every inspiration (i.e. when pressure is taken off the lower ribs) and the tube or nozzle is held in or near the mouth. Keep the patients very warm this is important and is often neglected.

Watch carefully as collapse with stoppage of breathing occasionally occurs even after recovery i if necessary, resort again to artificial respiration.

Keep very quiet and allow no exertion or excitement for some hours.

Treat burns and injuries as directed in the text book. In the absence o.f other orders from the surgeon, convey home or to hospital on a stretcher.

Just recently a very convenient oxygen first aid apparatus has been put in the market by Messrs. Siebe, Gorman & Co., who are manufacturers of diving apparatus.

AI D.- September,

1910.

It is called the "Oxylithe First Aid Equipment." This apparatus was shown and oxygen generated and its use demonstrated on a supposed case of carbon-monoxide poisoning at the end of the lecture. It consists of a tinbox filled with "oxylithe"; the box is perforated when required for use by a drawing pin, it is then sunk in a bucket of cold water, when the water reaches the " oxylithe" oxygen is given off much in the same way as acetylene is evolved when water reaches the carbide of calcium in an acetylene lamp. As the gas is given off it is conducted by a tlJbe through a wash bottle and thence directly to the nostrils of the patient.

It is simple and reliable and each tin gives off about a cubic foot of warm oxygen. It is well to note that the water in the bucket becomes very caustic and will burn holes in clothes or injure the skin if reasonable care be not taken in emptying it away.

AMBUlJ\.NCt

o

__ No. 2 District.

SHEERNEss. - We deeply regTet to report the decease of Mr. J. H. Burrows, the respected superintendent of the local division, at the comparatively early age of 58. Mr. Burrows had been in indifferent health for some little time, and recently resigned his position as a draughtsman in the constructive department at the dockyard for the same reason. He has been connected with ambulance work in Sheerness for about 35 years, and his death will leave a gap which will not be easily filled. The funeral took place at the Isle of Sheppey Cemetery amid many manifestations of respectful sympathy. The local division followed the remains of their deceased officer and friend to their last resting place.

REDRUTH.-The services rendered to the ambulance cause by Major Caspar Laurie in Cornwall and the neighbouring counties have been most valuable, and we are glad to know that his unselfish labours have recently been recognised by his fellow workers and others who appreciate all he has done in furtherance of the cause.

Presiding at a supper given in honour of Dr. Laurie, Supt. Parsons briefly sketched the work which the worthy doctor had done in their midst, and on behalf of the members of the division and other friends, presented him with an handsome silver epergne.

Mr. Rashleigh, one of the oldest members of the Redruth Division, also spoke, and endorsed all that had been said by the superintendent regarding the good work done for the cause by the worthy doctor.

Dr. Laurie, who on rising to return thanks for the gift was received with continuous applause, expressed his thanks for the handsome gift with which they had presented him. He regretted leaving Redruth, but as Asst.Commissioner in the NO.2 District, the finest district in the country, he should still visit them. His successor, Dr. Lionel Phillips, had promised to continue the good work, which he trusted would still continue to make progress. A capital musical programme had been arra.nged, and a most pleasant evening was spent.

September, 19 10 -FIRST No. 3 District.

NORTHAMPTON.-The headquarters division and sections were inspected at the Castle Station by Asst.Commissioner Woolston on the afternoon of Sunday, September 4th.

The inspection was followed by a supposed "railway smash," which was very well carried out. The supposed injured, who were about the permanent way, had their injuries temporanly treated. They were then conveyed to the carriages of a waiting train and placed in the empty compartments, the train being subsequently unloaded at the station platform.

The work was excellent, and the inspecting officer ex pressed himself as thoroughly. satisfied. In the course of his remarks, Mr. Woolston pOinted out that a great deal was now expected of the ambulance men, and urged them to make themselves even more efficient than they were. Re hoped they would see their way to joining either the Naval or Military Home Hospitals Reserves or the voluntary aid He out it. a "good insurance agaInst unemployment In case of invasIOn. You could be sure of getting a pound a week and your (grub,'" he said. (( The (grub' you could eat yourself, and the pound you could send the (missis.'" Incidentally. h,e pointed out that their chIef surgeon had accepted a Major s commission in the Eastern General Hospital. (( It would be very much better for the said Mr. Woolston, " if some people took on work hke theIrS and buckled to. They would be a good deal better behaved at home, and we would look after them at camp." The Chief Surgeon, who was also present, spoke approvingly of the work done.

Ip SW ICH.-The annual inspection of the Gippeswyk Division took place on September 5th at the headquarters in Ipswich when the District Supt. Secretary, Capt. W. A. Gibb, M.D., R.A.M.C.(T.), was the inspecting officer.

The members with the exception of five were on parade, under Supt. F. H. and Supt. Gibb expressed himself as highly pleased With the smart appearance of the men and the satisfactory state of the stores department. The division was congratulated upon haVIng 15 members belonging to the Military Home. Rese.rve, and upon also having obtained 10 certificates In from the S.J.A.A. This was naturally regarded as a sign of real progress, no other division in East Anglia having obtained similar certificates.

No. 4 District.

MACCLESFIELD,-A social gathering for the sentation of a gift to Mr. R. B. Hall, the late Chief Officer of the Division, was held on August 22nd, at the Central Hall, Chestergate. There were about twenty members with their wives and friends present and a most enjoyable evening was spent. M.r. J. H. Bingham, the newly appointed Chief Officer, presided..

In the course of his remarks, the chatrman said he was sure he was voicing the views of all present when he said how much they regretted Mr. Hall's retirement, especially as it was due to He could assure them that it was not an unmixed pleasure to hold the position of Chief Officer, as he felt that he could never adequately fill the place of one who had served the town so well. In recognition of his and as a small token of their esteem and appreCIatIOn Sergeant Snape, one of their oldest mem bers, would now make a presentation to Mr. Hall.

A I D.- 45

Sergeant Snape than handed to Mr. Hall, a framed photograph of himself, on which was a suitable inscription.

In accepting their gift, Mr. Hall, who was evidently deeply touched, said he should always look upon it as a reminder of the happy times he had spent among them. He felt thankful to think that he had been a member of the Division, and that in the course of his service he had been able to do some little good. He trusted that the work would go on and prosper, and that the members would at all times strive to do their utmost to alleviate pain and suffering. In conclusion, he once more thanked them for their kind expressions of good will, and for that token of their appreciation of his services.

During the evening a capital musical programme was rendered by several ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Cole presiding at the piano. Later on, games and dancing were indulged in. The Chief Officer (Mr. Bingham). kindly provided refreshments, and a very pleasant evenmg was brought to a close, at o'clock, with the singing of the National Anthem.

We are in no way responsib.e /01' the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

THE WINDSOR DUTY.

DEAR SIR - I thank Colonel Twiss for letter of explanation and' for his admonition also. I fall to see (( Absit 1nvidia" might be freely translated" Growler. " It IS not so defined in my dictionary.

I admit I erred in airing my views through the Press, but, unfortunately, there is no other satisfact.ory channel 0l?en to us. I note rrinter s error and not correctIOn improves the SituatIOn. I am not an old soldier, therefore. I deny the imputation that I am a "Growler." I shall agam subscribe myself. - Yours truly, (( AUS IT I NVIDIA."

SIR,-As a regular r.eader of your little Joumal, I am always greatly interested m your correspond,ence. .for by a perusal of that corner one ofteIl: gets an diummatlllg view of the opinions of those engaged III the work, matters a ertaining to the ambulance In thiS sense I interested in the letter of your corresponden.t who signed herself (( Absit Invidia"; the. lIteral translatIOn of which I find is (( envy ap.nt." It certalllly struck me t hat the fair writer had good grounds for complalllt, although Judglllg from the tone of her letter it d id n,o t appear to have been written in that spirit. To my It to have been written rather with a view to calling to an. anomaly which the writer felt was, to an extent, mconslstent With recognised rules. . h' th'

Now Sir I note that the gentleman, who, III t IS mon s Joumal her to task, and who is, I understand, an. officer of high' standing in the corps,. .her with professlllg an admiration for one rule, while mfnnglllg another: Well, the gentleman decidedly scores there, but.1 note by hiS lette} that he is a soldier and as such, he IS doubtless cognIzant 0 the existence of old proverb, « one man may run away ' th 'the horse while another must not look over the stable I n words, that although a plac 7d may 'write to the Press-and often does-hiS offence, If any, IS

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invariably winked at ; but, let one of the rank and file attempt to air his grievance in the Press, over his own sign manual, and, as sure as night (ollows day, condign punishment will be meted out to him.

Just a word or two more and I have done. The gallant writer says, that on receipt of the order he at once wrote and obtained sanction to bring as many nursing sisters from his district as volunteered to go. Well, I am inclined to think that such procedure was most irregular. Supposing every officer in the corps had written and applied for a like privilege, why I should imagine that the route, which after all is a very short one, would scarcely have allowed of their being properly distributed in order to satisfactorily perform ambulance duty. But, perhaps, under such circumstances the surplus would then have taken up the less exacting, but possibly more interesting role, that of the mere sightseer.-Yours truly,

AMBRO SE THlRKELL.

THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

DEAR SIR,-I am a professional nurse, with a hospital train ing and now engaged in parish work. In connection with the classes formed by our County Council for instruction in nursing I have acted as lecturer and instructor, and if I was asked to undertake similar work in connection with the Voluntary Aid Detachments I should certainly do so, as I maintain a fully qualified nurse is equally as competent to give the necessary instruction in nursing as are the members of the medical staff of the St. John Ambulance Association. I know this is rank heresy and contrary to your views as expressed in your columns a short while ago but having attended a nursing class held under the anspices of the latter organisation, I must certainly confess that I was not impressed with either the youthful lecturer's style or his methods of imparting instruction. It seemed to me that he left a great deal to his lay assistants, confining his own efforts principally to a not very lucid explanation of the text book.

You must not overlook the fact, Mr. Editor, that it was a woman-Miss Florence Nightingale-who was mainly responsible for the reorganisation of our army medical and nursing services, for on her arrival in the Crimea she at once assumed co ntrol, and chiefly throu gh her own efforts evolved order out of c haos and gave to the suffering soldiers a chance for their lives.

W.hen she in the Cri.mea, in February r855, the from disease -a nd entirely due to insanitary surroundmgs -w as 42 per cent. per day In less than a fortnight largely through the provision of more efficient means of tilation in the hospitals, and the vigorous sanitary measures by her, the mortality fell to 31 cent. per day, and In less than a month to 14 per cent., until June in the same year it was as low as 2 per cent. And all this mark you was due to the initiative of a woman. I think that answers' your cri ticism very fully, and I should be curious to see how the medical men whose ca use you so boldly champion would answer or refute it. - Yours truly,

SISTER MERCY.

[We are still unconvinced, and therefore of the same opinIOn s till. To our mind it is absolutely essential that the nstru ctio n be given by duly qualified medical men, rather than left In the hands of members of the nursing profession. We know of some professional nur ses who have not had a hospital training, but we suppose they would be quite as eligible to act a? le cturers and demonstrators under the proP?sed new regylatlOns. We unhesitatin g ly re-affirm our preVIOUS contentIOn, that the strong line now taken by the Executi,:,e of the Association should have been taken before. In fact, It was due to the members of their medical staff that they should long since have protested against the introduction of lay lecturers. The London County Council who should know better, are great sinners in this respect. - E'd. " F.A.]

ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION IN THE CASE OF PATIENT WITH FRACTURED SKULL.

DEAR SIR,-I should deem it a favour if you would obtain for through. your competent experts the answer to the follOWIng It was a test set at a Manchester ambulance competitIOn :-

A I D.- September,

1910.

" A man has fallen and fractured the base of his skul1. " Now in treating the case you get a certain number of marks for placing the head in which would be slightly raised, and apparently breathIng has ceased. Now what method of artificial respiration should be used in such a case, and why?"

-Yours faithfully,

" DARWENTER."

[There must be something more in the test than what is given here. Something to explain the cessation of breathing. If the breathing has stopped solely from the injury to the head the patient will be beyond artificial respiration and will only require the services of the undertaker.

For the reason given above, I cannot tell what kind of artificial respiration should be used.- HEAT ON C. HOWARD.]

GRIT IN EYE.

DEAR SIR, - I shall feel much obliged if you could inform me through your valuable paper if it is possible for a small piece of grit or other substance to so get in between the surface of the eye and the eye-lids so as not to be felt after a time, but that later on it should reassert itself. This may be beyond the bounds of first aid, but the question was put to me and I am rather anxious to know if it could really happen. - Yours, &c., F. H. W.

[Yes.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

THE ARRANGEMENT AT A MONMOUTHSHIRE. AMBULANCE COMPETITION.

DEAR SIR,- I hope you will allow me a small space in your valuable Journal in order that I can give a few details of a competition recently held in Monmouthshire. Sixteen teams entered the contest, which took place in an open field in a small ring enclosed with hurdles, and five doctors adjudicated. Two squads were at work at the same time, each squad having two doctors in attendance, while the fifth doctor took the theory after each team had finished the combined test.

The chief injuries in the combined test were complicated fractures of ribs, and a compound fracture of the femur, both on the right s ide.

After the first two teams had started, one steward was told off to look after the remaining fourteen in the open field at no gr.eat. distance the competing ring. Just fancy one man mInding seventy m a crowded field ! In fact, it would be possible for a "stranger " to convey to his favourite team the nature of the test. Again, one team entered the contest after it had commenced simply because the secretary gave them a note allowing them to do so. The way in which teams were cramped for space in the ring was ridiculous. I t was a state of chaos and not order, and a sight to see the five doctors, three teams and possibly four, all working in a space the size of a chicken run.

I n treating the accident one winning team actually secured the femur splint with a tight bandage around the chest and so pressing the broken rib further inwards. I really say marks were given for killing the patient in this most expeditiOUS way or not. I may say, however. that the decision of the judges .met with genera.l disapproval, and men who were perfectly qualtfied to know, said that If contests of this sort were allowed to continue it would kill instead of encourage ambulan ce As a word I should like to appeal to lovers of first aid to do their very utmost to reduce contests of this class to a minimum. With apologies for occupying so much of your space,-I am, yours, &c., "FAIRPLAY. "

Messrs. Newton, Chambers & Co., Ltd., of Thorncliffe, near Sheffield, have been awarded a Grand Prix by the judges at the Japan-British Exhibition for their disinfectant fluid "Izal." Although premier honours have been awarde.d. to "Izal " on many former occasions, this latest recognItlOn bears fresh witness to the reliability and excellence of this well-known disinfectant preparation. " is offered for many purposes, sanitary, surgical, horticultural, and veterinary, and much useful work in connection with the scientific use of disinfectants has been done in the laboratories at Thornc1iffe.

FIRST AID •

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

Conducted

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desi re of the Proorietors to make this Journal as in structive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Terrilorials), the Volunteer Ambulance Schoo l of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respec tive organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do no t pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

SHALL this country adopt compulsory National methods for raising an army for home Service. defence? is a question which at the present moment is receiving attention at the hands of those who realise most thoroughly the truth of the old adage, "If you desire peace prepare for war." It is, however, in no spirit of menace that they that our defensive force is inadequate to execute the duties which it might be called upon to carry out in a time of national emergency.

It has long been common knowledge that the Territorial Force created by Mr. Haldane has failed to realise the expectations which were formed of it. For some time past recruiting for the different branches of the service has been anything but satisfactory. RecrUits seem shy about voluntarily undertaking responsibilities may in the event of the contract not being kept, find Its sequel in the Police Court.

Now it is well known that to the freedom lovll1g Englishman anything savouring of conscription would be m.o st strenuously opposed by all sections of the community. We confess, that we, ourselves, do not like this as a means for raising a fighting force; but we recognise that

we are at the parting of the ways. Voluntary enlistment having proved a failure it will eventually be necessary to devise some means for the maintenance of a National Force for purely defensive purposes The average Englishman is too prone to accept the grea t privileges which he enjoys in this land of freeQom as his undoubted heritage by right of birth, but he fails to realise that the possession of those privileges entails some responsibility. One of our most eminent statesmen-Mr. Chamberlain-at the Colonial Conference of 1902, said, "The privileges which we enjoy involve corresponding obligations. The responsibilities, therefore, must be reciprocial and must be shared in common, and I do not think that any Empire may be said to be on a sure foundation which is not based upon recognised community of sacrifices."

These are weighty words, and they undoubtedly put the case for National Service plainl y and forcibly. By insisting on the military training of all able-bodied youths between the ages of 18 and 2 I there might be some hardship entailed in certain cases, but the Government of the day might, we think , be relied upon so to frame their Act as to ensure that it should not be unduly severe in its working. After all " Defence and not defiance " would still be the motto of such a force. It would be formed not with any idea of aggression, or with the desire that we should pose as a great military power, but solely for the purpose of repelling attack should it happen at any time, which, God forbid, that our shores should be invaded by a foreign power.

In the creation of such a force there would necessarily be certain classes who by virture of their calling, or for other reasons, would be exempt from military training, and in this category it would be only fair that the framers of the Act should include members of recognised ambulance corps and fire brigades, who already devote much person.al service to the benefit of their fellow citizens. Indeed, m the case of both these organisations, in the event of ld d bt dl be much for them to invasion there wou un ou e y do in out the special duties for which they are now enrolled.

The millenium is, we fear, still a long way distant, and and the restless activity in certain quarters must at times give those responsible for the safeguarding of our vast Em-

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pire serious concern, so that it may come to pass, perhaps sooner than we anticipate, that it may be necessary to take some steps to initiate some such form of National service as we have here outlined To many of the youth of this country it would, we feel sure, be of real benefit ; the necessary discipline inculcated during his period 'of service, and the physical training which he would be called upon to undergo, would all tend to smarten him up, and eradicate the spirit of hooliganism which appears inherent in a certain class.

"Where the Official Text Book is Misunderstood."

By DR. R. D. MUIR.

( Concluded from jage3S).

Page 94. - Now I do not think that there is any question that is put in first aid examinations that makes men feel more aghast than when they are asked" What is a varicose vein?" What is a varicose vein? generally repeated either in a tone of surprise, or of grieved resentment. Well, it is all there in the book, only it is not put just in that way. You will find that it is told you that a varicose vein is a vein which has become dilated, looking like a worm under the surface of the skin. In time the vein becomes so dilated or distended that the valves cannot meet because they are too far apart. It is all in the book ; I have give n it you from the book-only it is put rather in a different way-but, I suppose, it is because of the way it is put men do not like being asked, and when they are asked they do not answer properly "What is a varicose vein?"

Page 95.-Signs and symptoms of internal h::emorrhage, are generally due to a deficiency of blood in the brain or other internal organs. Perhaps after you have heard this, young men, you will find it easier to understand the rules of treatment, and, having understood the rules of treatment, you will find them easier to remem ber and follow. The of treatme.nt have for their object stopping of bleedmg, and secunng that that blood whIch there is in the body should go as far as possible where its presence is most needed.

Now supposing you were to give stimulants? I know there are some men who do not always say they would not stimulants. but that the book says you should not give stimulants. That makes one a bit suspicious of what that man would do, if he puts it in that undecided way. If you were to give stimulants it would make the blood vessels about the body open out, they would become swollen, and because they opened out they would hold more blood and because they hold more blood there would be blood available for the brain and other organs had not the blood vessels opened out and expanded. The hole in this vessel becomes big and the blood pours out more easlly, and the man dies a little quicker than he would have done.

Page 98.-Supposing the blood has been a short time in the it becomes like coffee grounds. This IS brought about by the action of the juice that IS m the stomach. It is not only in the case of the blood that comes from the wall of the stomach but any

A I 0.- October, 1910.

blood that comes to the stomach from anywhere else at all therefore, if the man vomits up stuff which looks coffee grounds, you must not say at once, as many men do at all events, in examinations, that his stomach bleeding. You can say that blood is coming out of the stomach, but how the blood got there is another question. It might be just as simple as the blood from the socket of a tooth. It might be vomited up and be black in colour, and all you can tell from the condition of it is that the blood has been in the stomach. Take bleeding from another organ. Supposing blood was coming out of the ear channel. You must not necessarily think that the base of the skull has been fractured. If the man has scratched his ear, and the blood is obviously coming from the scratch, or if you see blood obviously coming from a little boil in the ear, that is enough, do not condemn the man by saying that he has got a fractured base, just because you see he has got blood in the ear channel when the blood is coming from a very minor source.

Page IOJ.-Strips of linen that are placed over a burn should be placed on top of one another like the slates of a house, each one overlapping the other. If that is not done they get out of place, and part of the burnt surface is uncovered, because the thing has TUcked up a bit.

Page I07.-In this country we are not often, fortunately, troubled with snake bits, but men seem very anxious to know how to treat a snake bite properly, and I suppose you should know how to treat it properly, because an examiner will give you some credit if you can give him particulars. The amount of permanganate of potash to be injected hypodermically, that is under the skin, in a snake bite is two grains dissolved in 15 drops of water. This sort of thing, of course, the man who has been in India, knows a great deal better and more about than I do. Then men are always asking "What is dilute ammonia?

In the treatment of stings you are instructed to mop the parts with dilute ammonia. That dilute ammonia is something which is beautiful. Well, to tell you the truth. I do not know what was in the mind of the man who wrote the book, but I will tell you what answers very well. One part of solution of ammonia to five parts of water ; or, one part of strong solution of ammonia with ten parts of water, and, of course, it is a dilute solution of ammonia. That answers very well in the case of stings.

Pag e I09.- The handkerchief used to remove a foreign body from a person's eye, should, if possible, be the handkerchief owned by the individual who i!J the owner of the eye that contains the foreign body. People do not like other people's dirty handkerchiefs put in their eyes, but do not mind their own dirty handkerchief. You are told to moisten it; but do not moisten it yourself. People prefer to do it themselves, and have their own saliva put in their eyes rather than someone else's, and, if for any reilson the patient cannot moisten it-or d r es not wish to moisten it with his saliva, use some fresh clean water. Do not use your handkerchief, do not put your spittle in the patient's eye-and, if you cannot use the patient's, use some water.

Pag e I09. again.-Injuries to the joints of the upper extremities. You must be guided by circumstances as to whether you would place the arm in a splint or not. The book tells you very decidedly, in the case of the lower extremity, to use a splint-in the case of the upper extremity a sling. Supposing it is a bullet wound, you can take it there is a compound fracture. And, of course, compound fractures are treated on splints; but, in either case, it might be sufficient to get the arm at rest if you put it in a sling. If that is not sufficient you can put a broad bandage on over the sling so as to keep the arm fixed up

October, 1910. -FIRST against the chest. To put it plainly you must not only go by the instructions in the book, but you must be resourceful and use your common sense.

Pag e I Io.-When quicklime is embedded in the eye what proportion of vinegar and water should be used? It says in the book, "bathe the eye with vinegar and warm water." I do not know what it means; but I will tell you what proportion you can use :-One part of vinegar to two parts of method treating a which, I thInk, mIght be mtroduced In a new edItIOn, IS to clean out the eye by means of a pledget of linen soaked in olive oil) and having got the eye as clean as you can, you drop in some water, in which as much cane-sugar has been dissolved as the water will hold. The effect of the canesugar on the lime is to make a new compound which does not harm the eye in the least.

Page I I I.-Foreign body in the nose. It is generally a child that sticks a button up its nose, and you may not have pepper or snuff at hand. It is not every house that has pepper in it, or that has snuff in it nowadays, and it is no good telling the child how to blow its nose because it does not know how. If you roll up a pIece of paper in a such as would use ir: lighting pipe, and screw It up the chIld sather nostnl and leave It there. Presently the child will begin to snee ze-and sneeze violently-and down will come the button, unless it is firmly stuck there.

Page II 4. -The directions as to TU pture are plain enough. But the answers one gets! There are. plenty of people suffering from rupture. I.suppose that Ir: a room like this there are twenty or thIrty men suffenng from rupture for which a doctor's advice is needed, but there is no urgency about it. There becomes great. urgency and danger if a rupture thathas.been there hme.suddenly becomes painful, or the patIent becomes SIck, or If a fresh rupture occurs with pain and sickness. Then you must send for a do ctor at once, put on th e bandages, and raise the buttocks. In the book it tells you to raise the buttocks. What does it mean? Well, it means, what you do by raising the patient is this : -You put something ur:derneath his seat and raise him up very high underneath hIS seat Sf) that the weight of his bowels will to draw them again, and prevent more rupture cO mIng out, haVIng raised him up like that, you make hIm hIS so that the part is rendered lax, and as It IS lax It does not press on the rupture-and so does not hurt.

Pa cre I2I. - Professor Sch a efer's method of artIfiCIal respiration. The instruction is "Waste no time in loosening the clothing." Of course, I suppose, there are only half a dozen men here who do clearly understand what that means. It does not mean loosen the clothing as quickly as possible ; it means-do not loosen the clothing at all. You are told that the tongue must be held out. Gentlemen, you cannot hold the tongue. with you: fingers ; you have got to do it with some of lInen or a handkerchief. If you attempt to hold It WIth your fingers, you cannot hold it securely.

Laborde's method of respiration. Continue to grasp the tongue with the cloth, ,if y.ou allow it to recede into the mouth and let go of It, It IS dIfficult to catch hold of it again.

Page I3s.-There is considerable misconception as. to how much covering should be be put on a person sufferIng from shock. You put on as much clothing as is necessary to keep him warm. Do not pile all. the overcoats you can find in a dressing-room on top of hIm, and nearly. squeeze the life out of him. You do nut want a heap of clothing. You want just a little covering to keep him wal m, and not so

AID.-

much as to add to his difficulty of continuing to live under the weight.

Page I40.-Ambulance men do not not understand what is meant by opening the mouth forcibly, nor do they understand what to do to keep it open when they have opened the mouth forcibly, and you know if a man does not wish to open his mouth-well, unless you know how to do it, you won t do it. You take the handle of a spoon, get it between his teeth, and turn it round, and it will be very difficult to resist it. Supposing you have got to keep it open for someone else. You can do it yourself without the patient being able to shut it, and you can hold on as long as you like without any fatigue to yourself. It may be necessary hi) do this when a man has been choked, and he has got a lump of meat down there, in order that you may get your fingers down-because his jaw may be fixed -and indeed, if you have to put your fingers down a man's throat from any cause wh3.tever, remember the man is thinking about your fingers being down his throat, and perhaps after you have released him his jaws come together-and, unless you got something ?etween his teeth-well, you jolly well Wish you had somethIng between them.

Page Iso.-Examination candidates who have read Mr. Cantlie' s book seem to have an idea that the best way of making a man sick is by one of the four methods ; but it often takes a good deal more to make a man SIck. All these methods that he gives can be very much helped by copious drinks of tepid water. By copious drink.s I do not mean a tumberful, but give the man as many pmts as you can get him to take, or until it comes out like a fountain.

You must remember that when poison has been taken with a view to suicide, force ma y have to be administered. In reality pushing a finger down the throat can always be tried, but remember that when you do that you must either wrap something round your fingers, or place something in his mouth to keep it open, so that when the man s teeth come together they do not come on your finger. Use a handkerchief, or put something in the man's mouth, or both, to protect yourself. It does no good to patient to bite your finger, and it does a certam amount of harm. I suppose, because it is mentlOned first, most men seem to pin their faith on tick ling the back of the throat with a feather. You will that certain poisons the throat is in such a condItl.on th.at It does not feel ; it is, in fact, insensi.ble. You ml&ht tIckl e it with a feather not only for five mmutes, u?tll you are black in the face without the SIck. r I say this because men seem to thInk that by tIcklmg the reather in the mouth it is sure to make a man sick ; but, gentleman, it is not so.

I am afraid I have kept you a long tIme. I hope I have dealt with most of the points that you w.ante.d dealt with and I hope that I have dealt with the subject m such a that you can understand it. I have no doubt that many men who have heard me knew what I had to say before I commenced. I thank you, gentlemen, all the more for the patience with which you have lIstened to me.

On going to press we learn from Mr. C. Kusel. with deep regret the death at age. of 74, of Mr. Mlgn ot, C ommander of the Livarot Fne BTlgade, France.

When corresponding with Advertisers pJease mention "First Aid."

No. District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

In connection with the Southall section, a very pleasant evening was spent at Holy Trinity Hall, Southall, on Sept. 14th, when a large number of mem bers attended a whist drive and dance, held in aid of the funds of No. 44 (West London) Division, B section. Amongst those present were Hon. Surgeon E. J. Manning, M.R.e.S., L.R.e. P., in charge of the section J ISt Officer A. W. J ournet, No. 44 (West London) Division 1st Officer A. E. Pullen, No. 48 (Ealing) Division and others.

Mr. Fossey, of Southall, was M.e. for the whist drive, Mr. John King, of Southall, was M.e. for the dancing.

From 8 till 9.50 whist was in full swing, and after an interval of about twenty minutes, during which refreshments were served, the whist was continued till 10, 30.

The prizes were then presented by Hon. Surgeon Manning to the following ladies :-1, Miss White (Ealing), cake stand; 2. Mrs. W. King (Southall), crumb tray and brush j 3, Mrs. Adams (Southall), electro-plated buttonhook. Gentlemen: I, Sergt. Brierley (Hounslow) "Gem" safety razor in case; 2, Mr. F. e. Faulkner (Southall), hall set j 3, Mr. Scott (Southall), set of military brushes in case.

After presenting the prizes, Dr. Manning said he was pleased to see such a large num ber present, and hoped that another evening like this might be arranged.

At the conclusion of the ladies' and gentlemen's first aid classes arrangements were now being made to hold a first aid class for ladies in October. and one for gentlemen about the first week in November.

Mr. A W. Journet also made a few remarks, and said he felt sure the Southall Division (as it would be known after the 30th Septem ber) would be a strong division, and that they had at their head a first rate officer in Hon. Surgeon Manning. It was a great honour to the members of the brigade for Dr. Manning to take the interest he had he had ?nly to help them as hon. surgeon, but was wlllmg to asslst them further as superintendent. Dancing then proceeded with until 12 o'clock when the national anthem brought a very pleasant to a close.

No. 2 District.

ASHFORD (KENT).-SUPt. G. M. Mather has been selected as an Honorary Serving Broth e r of the Order of St. John, and his selection has received the sanction and approval of His Majesty King George V., Sovereign Head and Patron of the Order. Mr. Mather has a long and useful in con?ection with ambulance work, and lately recelved the serVlce medal of the Order. This later decoration is also equally well earned, and we heartily congraSupt. :vI:ather on the recognition of his 25 years serVlce.

BOURNEMoUTH.- The annual inspection of th e local am bulance nursing divisions was carried out by Lieut.Colonel TW1SS, Asst.-Commissioner. The nursing division

AID.-

October, 1910.

was first inspected at the Lansdowne Schools. Twentysix members were on parade, and they were tested as to their knowledge of first aid and nursing. The ambulance division was afterwards inspected at the Drill Hall, and went through first aid and stretcher drill. The stores and equipment, record sheets and other official forms were duly produced and were all in order. Both divisions were warmly commended by the Inspecting Officer on the progress which they had made during the short time they had been organised. Hon. Surgeon and Supt. Hardie, of the ambulance division, and Hon. Surgeon and Lady Supt. E. Bond, of the nursing division, were both present on parade. His Worship the Mayor (Councillor Bridge) was an interested spectator at the inspection of the am bulance division.

EXETER . - This division is shortly to have an up-todate horse ambulance carriage. The Exeter City Council have voted £25 towards the purchase of same, the remainder having been collected by Supt. Bowden.

On Sunday, October 16th, the members of the division, accompanied by the Mayor and Corporation, attended Divine Service at the Cathedral in the afternoon, the occasion being the Harvest Festival. The Rev. Prebendary Dangar preached to a crowded congregation, the collection being on behalf of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. There were on parade-Supt. Bowden (in command), 1st Class Sergt. Rivers, Sergt. Marsh, nineteen rank and file, total of all ranks twenty-two.

No. 3 District.

IpSWICH.-The annual inspection of this corps which took place on Saturday, September 24th, partook of a somewhat novel, although distinctly practical character. The demonstration took place in Christchurch Park, and was the outcome of a suggestion by the Deputy Commissioner of the District (Colonel G. S. Elliston) who was the Insp ecting Officer.

The formal inspection of the corps was first taken, and afterwards the ambulance and nursing divisions bein a drawn up in line, the Inspecting Officer briefly outlined scheme for .the day's operations. He had decided, said Colonel Elhston, to depart somewhat from the ordinary routine, as he desired to test their knowledge in regard to work which they would be called upon to perform as voluntary aid detachments. The general idea, he continued, was that an action had been fought in the direction of Westerfield, and the Field Ambulances had been at work, clearing the front of wounded to the dressing station. They would represent one section of men and two women's sections of a voluntary aid detachment. The women's sections would form a clearing hospital of tents on the line of to the general hospital, for the reception of and redreSSIng the wounded, and the men would go off in sections and search for wounded. When found they would render first aid and transport them by the nearest route to the hospital and hand them over to the nursing sisters.

The hospital tent, and two bell tents to serve respectivelyas store tent and kitchen had been pitched by fifteen men of the East Anglican Field Ambulance, under Sergt.-Major Buggy. The" wounded" were men of the same corps, and they wore their khaki uniform.

" Each had an appropriate label denoting the Injury from whlch he was suffering. These included lance fractures, and compound. Having found the:r man and admmIstered the requisite treatment, the patlent was duly transported to the hospital tent, and

October, 19 10

-FIRST

handed over to the nursing sisters, who received their instructions from the medical officer in charge, who, on learning what the injuries were, called out his instructions something after this manner, viz. :-" Transverse wound to the front wall of the abdomen. Remove first dressings j wash and clean it. Don't put back any bowel; leave it to me. Take his temperature." Every patient was put to bed in the orthodox fashion, some with hot-water bottles-

OF OFFICERS

AID.- 53

and fast," someone in the tent called out, "Here, I say, we can t do with this, you know they're coming in too fast," but as the inspecting officer pointed out, that was just how they would come in if the experience was a real one. The last case having been brought in, the inspecting officer went round the tent examining each patient in turn, after which he expressed himself as well satisfied with the way the proceedings had been carried out.

Capt. W. A. Gibb acted as staff officer to the Deputy·Commissioner, Chief Supt. Smithers was in charge of the ambulance men, Hon. Surgeon Hossack was in:charge of th e clearing hospital, and Lady Supt. Coulcher was in charge of the nursing sisters, whilst the medical men on duty with the ambulance sections were Chief Surgeon Eades, Col. S. S. Hoyland, Lieut. and Hon. Surgeon W. F. Fryer. The nurses working in the hospital tent were in charge of Nursing Sisters Mrs. Hemsworth and Mrs. Hume. Nursing Sister Mrs. Damant had charge of the kitchen, while Nursing Sister Miss Leader similarly supervised the stores, and Nursing Sisters Miss Elvey and Miss King undertook the duties of lady pharmacists.

N ORTHAMPToN.-The inspection 01 the Nursing Division took place at the Am bulance Hall, on Septem ber 27th, thE: inspecting officer being Asst.-Commissioner T. H. Woolston.

At the conclusion of an excellent display of bandaging skill, the nursing sisters were drawn up in line and addressed by the inspecting officer. In the course of

real hot water-at their feet. Over the head of each patient was the regulation chart, giving his name, injury, temperature, &c. Like the hot-water, the taking of the temperature was real, and the patient had to lie there and suck the clinical. They acted their part wellnot a smile was to be seen-although some of them, doubtless, wished the clinical had been a cigarette. In the case of the removal of clothing, the articles were duly tied up and labelled with the owner's name and handed into the custody of the sister-i n-charge of the pack store.

In th e kitchen the cooks were very busy making beef tea- real beef teafor the poor patients on arrival, although to our man it seemed that the ambulance men who had carried them some distance to the friendly shelter of the hospital stood more in need of sustenance.

The general idea was that when the wounded had been further attended to and made as comfortable as possible, they were removed to the station to be taken to the General Hospital at Cambridge, but this part of the programme was left to the imagination. There were one or two touches of unconscious humour during the manceuvres, for instance, when the wounded were coming in "thick

his remarks, Mr. Woolston emphasised the importan.ce of organisation such as theirs, not only from a first aId POInt of view as regards the treatment of .accidents, also .on account of their knowledge of nursIng and whIc? could not fail to be of inestimable value In theIr own homes. He expressed his entire satIsfactIOn at the work which he had seen, and urg;ed upon the members the

GROUP

OF THE IPSWICH CORPS.

Back Row (left to right).-rst Officer Ellis, Supt. Ramsey, lIon. Surgeon H ossack , Lieut. ·Col. lIoyland, V. D., Chief Su rgeon Eades, Hon. Surgeon Hetherton, District Supt. Secretary Gibb, Hon Surgeon Fryer, Supt. Damant, Supt. Roberts. Front Row (lef( to right). - Supt. Pawsey, 2nd Nursing Officer Mrs IIume, Lady Supt. Miss Cou1cher, Deputy Commissioner Col. Elliston, V D., rst Nursing Officer Miss Hemsworth, Chief Supt. Smithers.

MEMBERS OF TIlE IPSWICH CORPS.

desirability of attaching themselves to one of the Voluntary Aid Detachments of the Brigade, which in the event of !he invasion of the country, would form one of the most portant factors in the ambulance side of war organIsation.

Chief Supt. Harvey Reeves, who was present, also congratulated the division, and paid a high tribute to the work of Hon. Surgeon Chambers, who had rende:ed wholehearted service in bringing the division up to Its present high state of efficiency.

In a few remarks, Hon. Surgeon Chambers expressed his thanks for the kind words of the inspecting officer and chief superintendent, but attributed much of the success of the division to the devotion and energy of the lady superintendent and her officers.

It is of interest to mention that the division, which now numbers 52 members, has, during the period of its existence, supplied the nursing profession with 22 members, one of whom, Miss Helen Tompkins, no,,:" on the staff of Croydon Hospital, was present as an mterested spectator of the division in which she first received her training.

The annual competition for the challenge cup given some years back by the Marquis of Northampton, took place on October 1st, at the Ambulance Hall. Three teams only entered-Headquarters (who have won the cup several times), Weeden and Flore. The judges were Asst. Commissioner Woolston and District Chief Surgeon Audland.

The competition was of the usual character, and at the conclusion the result was announced as follows :-1, Northampton Headquarters; 2, Flore; 3, Weedon. The individual prize was won by Private H. Bland (Northampton).

After the competition the teams were entertained to a meat tea, at the conclusion of which Mrs. Woolston presented the cup and prizes to the winning teams.

A vote of thanks to the judges was proposed by Chief Supt. Harvey Reeves, and seconded by Supt. Adnitt, and carried with acclamation.

In the course of his reply, Asst.-Commissioner Woolston criticised the work of the afternoon, and gave the members some valuable hints.

A most enjoyable evening was spent at the headquarters of the corps on October 6th. There was a large attendance of the mem bers and their friends, among those present being Asst. Commissioner and Mrs. T. H. Woolston, Chief Supt. Harvey Reeves and Supt. and Mrs. Adnitt.

The proceedings commenced with a whist drive, the prizes being given by the officers and their friends. At the conclusion of the drive the prizes were presented to the winners by Mrs. T. H. Woolston, who also presented the certificates and prizes to winners of the" Marquis" Cup this year, the certificates to the winners of the cup last year, and also the certificates to the winners of the Camp cup at Cromer.

In proposing a hearty vote of thanks to Mrs. Woolston for her kindness ir: making the presentation, Chief Supt. Harvey Reeves said he rejoiced that their Asst.-Commissioner had found for his wife a lady who had taken such a rleep interest in am bulance work.

Asst.-Commissioner Woolston responded on behalf of his wife.

A dance followed, and at intervals there were some capital musical items contributed by members of the compan y presen t.

Ai 0, - October, 1910.

No. 4 District.

The annual conference in connection with this important district, which is an event always looked forward to by officers and members alike, took place this year at Warrington, on Saturday, Septem ber 24th.

It had originally been intended to hold the gathering in the Public Hall, but the number of delegates attending was so large that an adjournment had to be made to Parr Hall.

The proceedings having been formally opened the delegates were officially welcomed by the Mayor (Alderman W. F. Forshaw).

In the course of a most interesting address, the Deputy Commissioner (Col. Trimble, C.M.G.), who presided, referred to the arrangement which had existed until just recently between the War Office, the Red Cross Society, and the St. John Ambulance Association, for the raising of Voluntary Aid Detachments for service in case of national emergency. In conformity with that agreement the Asso , ciation undertook the instruction of the candidates, who, on passing the required examination, received the certificate, but as people were not joining in sufficient numbers to satisfy the War Office, the authorities there decided to accept as a sufficient qualification, first aid certificates issued by other bodies-County Councils or something of that kind. The Order of St. John naturally took exception to this, because, they said, quite rightly, that all who joined these detachments should have a thorough training in first aid. The War Office and the Red Cross Society did not see this in the same light, and there was a split. They (the War Office and Red Cross Society) were still forming these detachments, and the Order of St. John had determined to form their own voluntary aid detachments, of (r) members of the Brigade and (2) members of the Association who were not attached to the Brigade. District Supt. Garnett had undertaken the work of organisation so far as the North-west District was concerned. He had seen a statement in the press that the War Office would not recognise any other bodies than the Red Cross.

Assuming that that statement was issued with the authority of the War Office, it was not to their credit. Why should the War Office thus stultify itself and try to retard any organisation engaged in a patriotic and Christianlike endeavour to tend the sick and wounded in time of invasion? It was absolutely wicked and unjust, and, if it was authentic, it was aimed at the detachments being formed by the Brigade, and no one regretted it more than he did. The Brigade had never done, and would not do, anything to hinder the work of the Red Cross Society but, disregarding the War Office in this, the Brigade, being prepared to assist the country, would go forward, and he knew they would have the great majority of the country behind them.

" Are their memories short?" Colonel Trimble asked.

" Do they forget the South African War, when we gave them 2,000 of our men, 70 of whom lost their lives? They cannot have forgotten that. Have they forgotten that there are eight Bearer Companies to-day organised in this Brigade, or that there is the agreement with the Brigade that in the case the Royal Arm y Medical Corps are drafted out of the country we step in and take over the military hospitals, and work them for them? Are we taking or playing a selfish part? We are not, but a generous, upright, and patriotic part, which in the end wili receive the success it merits. We receive nothing from the War Office. They only paid our men on active service, and I don't think they give us anything, except to pay for the clothing

October, 19 10 -FIRST

of the men of the Bearer Com panies. If we are losing the support of the War Office we are losing what we never had. I don't know whether I shall get into trouble for making this statement but I don't care, because I think the members of the 4 (North-Western) District ought to know how we have been treated and how the matter stands."

It was decided on the proposition of Supt. Wolstenholme (Altrincham) to recommend the publication of Officers' records and qualifications.

A motion by Hon. Surgeon Cockill (Kendal) recommending that men who had put in their drills, and were otherwise properly qualified, should not be rendered nonefficient simply because they una?le the annual inspection, was after httle

Some very sensible suggestIOns havmg theIr the improvement of the uniform of the NursIng DlVlsIOns, were made by Lady Supt. Mrs. Howard (Preston), and the Deputy-Commissioner undertook to place these before the proper authorities.

No. 5 District.

HEBDEN BRIDGE.-Death has removed another earnest worker in the ambulance cause from the sphere of his earthly labours in the person of Corporal James Townsend, who passed quietly away at the early age of 25 years. The funeral took place on Saturday, October 1st, at Heptonstall Parish Church, and attracted a large the members of which evinced the deepest sympathy With the friends of the deceased, the regret at his early death being general and widespread. the head of the cortege, when it left the deceased's reSIdence, walked the Rev. E. G. Thomas, Pastor of Heptonstall Slack Baptist Church, who conducted a Service at the house, then followed the Hon. Surgeon and Supt. G. G. Lawson, in command of the Hebden Bridge Corps, with him was Supt. of Stores T. Thornton, of Brighouse then the members of the. Hebden Bridge Corps, in charge of First Officer Hamson and Second Officer T. Dawson; the mourners, and a large number of personal friends of the late Corporal Townsend. From the Churchyard gates to the sacred edifi.ce the mortal remains were carried by First Officer Harnson, Second Officer Dawson, Sergts. Lowe and Jackson, Corporal Stell and Pte. C. Cockcroft. From the church to the grave the bearers consisted of the competing squad which, under the late comrade, had so often proved victorious; these were Ptes. Beaumont, Naylor, Clegg, J. W. Jackson, and J. Taylor. The Rev. E. O. Williams the Service in the church and at the graveSIde. A la:ge num ber of floral tributes were sent. On the followmg day a memorial service was held at the church, and the ambulance men attended in goodly number.

ILKESTON. - Assistant - Commissioner Percy Ratcliffe inspected the local corps on Saturday, October ISt. The parade took place on the Rutland Cottage Ground, and there were about 90 men on parade !.lnder the command of Chief Surgeon A. Dobson. The men. having gone through the regulation foot and stretcher dnll were su.bsequently drawn up in line and addressed by the who expressed himself as very pleased at the way In whIch the several drills had been executed. He a warm tribute to the work of the sergeants who, he said, by t.he intelligent way in which they carried out the entrusted to them, materially lightened the labours of their commanding officer and his staff. The fine band. of the Corps was present and their music was much appreciated.

AI D.- 55 No. 7 District.

DOWLAIs.-The Police Ambulance Division here was inspected on Sept. 29th by Di3trict Chief Supt.. T. E. Richards. The inspecting officer was accompamed by Hon. Surgeon H. Lewis Hughes. This is the only Police Ambulance Division in Glamorgan, and the Borough Council are giving every encouragement to the movement. Police Inspector Lamb put the division through the reguhtion drills which were well carried out and earned well merited praise from the inspecting when the men at the conclusion of the inspectIOn. It IS mteresting to note that upwards of So cases receive treatment at the hands of the ambulance policemen yearly.

WE are glad to learn that an arrangement has been arrived at between the St. John Ambulance :Ass?ciati?n and the War Office by which the Army CounCIl Will, WIth the concurrence of CQunty Associations, adopt and Companies of the Ambulance m exactly the same way In which the yoluntary Detachments of the British Red Cross Society are registered, an? a circular to this effect is being issued by the Army CounCil to the County Associations in Englan? and Wales. We are glad to learn that their is no intention on. the part of the War Office to boycott the St. John CompanIes, although we should have been better pleased had we lea:ned that the Army Council had decided to entrust th,= of the auxiliary ambulance aid entirely to th.e authontles at St. John's Gate. We are convinced that It would bee.n the wiser course, and even now we do not despaIr of thiS course being ultimately adopted.

Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein has accepted the presidency of the Gosport, Alverstoke, and Fareham Centre of the S.J.A.A.

Viscountess Esher's Ambulance Classes recommence on October 3ISt. Those wishing to join .should apply early, and by letter to 2, Tilney-street, Mayfair. W.

AMBULANCE EQUIPMENT FOR ScouTs.-Messrs. Burroughs Wellcome & Co., who are always up-to-date in reparing for any new movement, have prepared Boy a "Tabloid" First Aid Case, No. 709.. It IS fitted with the most useful and necessary bandages compact and compressed form, which is of. every speciality issued by this firm. ':Vlth the IS .glve.n a very handy little manual, containing a Simple as to how to treat the majority of occasionally happen on scouting expeditIOns ,!,hls lIttle outfit, which costs the modest sum of five shIllmgs, contains a sufficient supply of all necessary dreSSings, etc in' a neat box, and can be attached ?y a, webbmg to the waist belt or cycle bar, and carned Without the least inconvenience.

-FIRST Brevities.

WE are glad to welcome Col. Trimble as a supporter, although a somewhat tardy one, of the views that we have so often given expression to regarding the short memories of those at the War Office in considering the position of the St. John Am bulance Brigade in its relationship to the question of national defence. The gallant Colonel spoke out plainly at Warrington, and we can only regret that he did not do so at the time when the Deputy-Commissioner of NO.5 district (Mr. Stuart Wardell) emphasised his objections to the proposed scheme. United action on t he part of the whole of the Deputy-Commissioners at that time might have saved the situation and given the Brigade the position which it has fully earned the right to occupy. That was the time to protest, but Col. Trimble and others of his colleagues were silent then, and to use a legal phrase, allowed judgment to go by default, the result being that the one man who had the courage of his opinions, and did not hesitate to express them, got severely censured.

COL. TRIMBLE concluded his remarks by stating that " he did not know whether he would get into trouble for making his statement, but he did not care if he did." We think he need have had no apprehension on that score, his remarks were made at a time, when the views to which he gave expression had been endorsed and adopted at St. John's Gate, and it was not likely, therefore, that he would receive censure for giving expression to them. They were, however, a trifle too late to be of any value, that's all.

MR. HORACE BOULTON, M.A., who is on a visit to Canada with a view to the promotion of the ambulance movement in the Dominion, has had a splendid reception wherever he has spoken, with the result that ambulance work, which has for a long period been more or less dorment, gives evident signs of healthy revival. "Mr Boulton," writes a Canadian correspondent, "is a singularly gifted speaker, and' tells the tale' in a way which compels the attention and inspires interest. As a result of his visit here (British Columbia) I believe we shall ere long have one or more ambulance divisions. The personality of Mr. Boulton is vastly different to that of the last delegate who visited the dominion from the old country, and who I heard at Montreal. That gentleman's visit I think did little or no good. His manner and methods being that of the autocrat were too aggressive and not at all calculated to insplre interest among free and easy colonials in the cause he espoused."

WE have frequently in these columns called -attention to the utter futility of passing Acts of Parliament, which while they compel colliery owners to provide stretchers and ambulance equipment for use in their mines and works,

AID.-

October, 19[0.

leave it optional to the collier as to whether he shall, or shall not, acquire the necessary knowledge which will enable him to make use of the appliances provided. We are glad to see that two gentlemp.n connected with the mining world, Mr. W. H. Chambers and Mr. C. E. Royds, the former at Denabyand the latter at Rotherham, have been rubbing this fact home when addressing their miners recently. Voluntary service is a splendid ideal, and we all admire the man who is willing to sacrifice much of his little leisure, in order to learn how to render himself of service to his fellow men in case of accident; but it does not seem quite in accord with the fitness of things that a minority, a very small minority, recognising their obligations to their fellows should give up their own time to the acquirement of first aid knowledge, whilst the majority, the large majority, are selfishly devoting that same spare time to their own enjoyment in the football field or in other pleasures.

* * *

AMBULANCE work is not sport, neither is it work in the ordinary acceptance of the term, but in all dangerous avocations its a ;'ery necessary work, a work of the highest importance, especially when it necessitates working underground. Above ground and in open air you can perhaps get a doctor in a very short time, but underground it is different, the workers must rely on assistance from those who have given their time to studying first aid. After all when science has done all it can, and when Acts of Parliament have grappled with the problems as to the best methods to adopt in order to minimise the risk to life in underground workings, there yet remains the fact, so strongly emphasised by both these gentlemen, the collier's safety depends first and foremost on himself, on his own individual skill, his knowledge of surrounding conditions, and above all in the exercise of his own care. To all intents and purposes each collier carries not only his own life, but the lives of others in his hands. To sum up the matter, just as it is essential that the individual should know enough of mining to avoid risks, so each one should know enough ambulance work to be prepared to render first aid whenever the necessity should arise.

Sir Frederic Treves may be a great surgeon, which he undoubtedly is, but when he tells an English audience that this country possesses no organisation competent or prepared to deal with war in this land, as he did when addressing a Red Cross meeting at Exeter, why it seems to suggest that even great men are blessed with short memories, and yet we believe Sir Frederic is a Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John, and should therefore have known that his statement was contrary to fact.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

October, 1910.

-FIRST CE

ASSOCIATION OF RAILWAY AMBULANCE CORPs.-A conference in connection with the above was held at the West Riding Hotel, Leeds, on September 18th, and was attended by delegates from Manchester, Bristol, N ottingham, Cheadle Heath, London, Chesterfield, Leeds, Bradford, Burton, Wellingboro', and all the lanse centres in the Midlands.

The conference opened at 11.30 a. m., and dealt with many important matters, the principal of which was the forthcoming competitions, which are again to be held in Nottingham.

After some little discussion it was decided to leave all the arrangements for the competitions in the hands of the Executive Committee.

The Secretary presented the annual report and balance sheet, which were accepted. It was a matter of sincere regret that competition for this year again resulted in a financial loss, owing to the date selected clashing with the holding of the Nottingham Regatta. The loss was £66 18s. 2d.

The election of officers resulted as

follows : - President, G. Shrive, Nottingham; Secretary, Thomas R. S cot t, Nottingham;

AID.-

57

equipment consisted of 104 stretchers, 12 medical chests, 18 ambulance boxes, 56 rugs, 30 pillows, 50 blankets and six palliasses These were available at Richmond Station the greater proportion of the men and equipment being the scene by 9-43. The latest hour at which men and equipment arrived was 10.12. A supplement to the return show that there is a hospital car at Ballaratand, one at North Melbourne, while there are 22 casualty cars distributed among the important stations. Nine Ashford litters 55 medical 422 ambulance boxes and 1,048 stretchers are 10 stock. Of the stretchers, 48 are at Spencer-street, 71 on the suburban trains, 139 on the country trains, 136 on the casualty cars, 24 on the hospital cars, and 630 at country stations.

L. & Y. - The members and their friends of the Todmorden Centre held an enjoyable picnic at Mytholmroyd, on Sept. 24th. By the kind permission of Mr. Hinchcliffe the beautiful grounds of Cragg Hall were visited and proved of much interest to the party. Tea was provided at Fair View and ample justice was done to it by all, a pleasant stroll back through the woods concluded an enjoyable afternoon.

A new class was started at Todmorden Station on Oct. 5th with 32 members, Dr. Lawson Russell again acting as lecturer.

GREAT CENTRAL.

-In connection with the Bridgehouses Station class a tea and concert was held on Sept. 28th, in the Friends' Adult School, Hartshead. A tasty and substantial tea had been prepared by the caterers, Mr. and Mrs. Wells, and about 120 guests sat dowll and did ample justice to the good things provided.

ASSOCIATION OF RAILWAY CORPS DE LEGATES ,VI-IO ATTENDED THE A NUAL MEETING AT LEE D S.

Treasurer, E. S. Breed, Leeds; Assistant Secretary, W. Malin, Derby; Executive Committee, Messrs Twistleton (Bristol), Wiggington (Derby), Downing (Mansfield), Blackburn (Leicester), Pike (Broomsgrove), George (West Hampstead).

It was decided to appoint a Finance Committee, tbe selection of mem bers to serve on the same being left in the hands of the Executive Committee.

That the Australian Railways are alive to the importance of ambulance organisation is born out by the following :-During the hearing of the Richmond railway disaster council for the Commissioners put in an official return, showing what was done from the ambulance dep6t at Spencer-street on the morning of the accident. The accident occurred at 9.6 a. m., and the return showed that first-aid men were on the scene at 9.15. There were ten men and they had with them six am bulance boxes, and 12 stretchers. Subsequently 43 first aid men attended, and

There was a large attendance at the concert which followed.

Mr. Tate (Goods Agent) presided, and his opening remarks were of a most encouraging character, and were much appreciated. The presentation of certificates and medallions was kindly undertaken by Mr. A. W. Noel Pillars, M R.C.V.S. Opportunity was taken of the occasion to present earnest workers in the ambulance cause with some slight recognition of appreciation. Dr. Torley received a flower-pot and pedestal, i\1r. J. Ritur (secretary), half a dinner service, Mr. J. W. Ballard, who has acted as lay instructor, received a pair of bron zes. A meritorious medal, presented by the Company, for services rendered to an unfortunate workmate in N ovem ber last was presented to Mr. Joseph Ridgway.

An excellent programme of vocal and instrumental items was given during the evening, and at the conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was, on the proposition of Mr. Burrell (Traffic Department), seconded by Mr. Carrington (Rolling Stock Department), proposed to the artists, to Mr. Tate for presiding, Mr. and_Mrs. Wells for catering, and to

-FIRST

all who had in any way assisted to the ev:ening so successfuL The vote was carried wIth acclamatIOn,. and the proceedings closed with the singing of the NatIOnal Anthem.

G.E.R-The annual meeting of the Lowestoft Division of the Great Eastern Railway Ambulance Corps was held at the Central Station on Tuesday, September 27 th , when the following officers were elected for the season :- Chairman, H. J. Charlish ; First Officer, C. WIlkm ; Hon. Sec. and Treasurer, G. A. Blundell Inspector of Stores, S. H. Halls; Committeemen, Messrs. Broome, Juler Raynor Rivett and Wright. The secretary's report that u'p to the present first aid had been rendered in upwards of 100 cases during year, thus demonstrating the value of an efficlent ambylance dlvlslon. It was also pointed out that the team the division in the annual G.E.R competItIOn thIS year, only missed gaining a place in the final, by 5! points, and as practi cally the same team might be expected t? compete again next year, they are naturally hopeful of Improving upon their form of last year. A course of lectures has been arranged, and after the examination a local competition for prizes will be arranged.

L. & N. W R-The second annual competition for the London District Challenge Cup was held at Bletchley Park by kind permission of Mr. H. S. Leon. Seven teams entered, but only five turned up to face the judges, who were Dr. W. Bradbrook (Bletchley), Dr. G. W.· Buxton (Fenny Stratford), Dr. W. H. Square (Leighton Bu zzard), Dr. S. C. H. Moberly (Winslow). There was a large number of people present from the surrounding district, who appeared to take the keenest interest in the work of the respective teams. The maximum number of points which could be gained in the competition was 450, and the final award of the judges was as follows :-

1st, Broad-street Goods Department, 376 points ; 2nd, Camden Goods Department, 370; 3rd, Haydon-square, 35 0 4th, Willesden Wagon Department, 336; 5th, Euston Carriage Department, 3 7. The Challenge Cup was presented to Mr. E. Milburn (in charge of the winning team) by Mr. H. W. Williams (District Engineer).

Subsequently the various teams and others were entertained to tea.

L. B. & S. C. R-There was a crowded audience at the St. Saviour's Hall, Ditchling Rise, Brighton, on Sept. 28th, to witness the annual presentation of prizes in connection with the Brighton District of this Railway Centre. Mr. D. Earle Marsh, M.LC.E., presided, and was supported by the Mayor (Alderman Geere, lP.) and other gentlemen. An excellent musical programme had been arranged, and the prizes were presented during the interval.

The chairman in his opening remarks, referring to the value of an ambulance training, said he was not presumptious enough to speak on his own behalf of the skill of their am bulance men, but on the occasion of the deplorable accident at Stoat's N est, he learnt from the doctors at the hospitals to which the injured were removed, and from the Company's own medical attendants, that the first aid treatment rendered by their ambulance men was excellent. As an official of the railway he thanked the members of the Association for the good work they were doing, and assured them that the officers of the Company highly valued the services they were able to render when first aid was required.

Mrs. Earle Marsh who had kindly consented to present

AI D.- October, 1910.

the prizes to the winners was, prior to commencing that ceremony, presented with a charming bouquet.

The list of recipients was a lengthy one and the presentation occupied some time, and at its several votes of thanks were accorded a hearty receptIOn.

The Mayor in proposing a vote of thanks to the medical staff, eulogised the excellent work which was being carried out in connection with the Brighton line. The vote was acknowledged on behalf of the medical men by Dr. Wiggins, who said he and his colleagues were only too pleased to assist in a work which they regarded as of such supreme importance to the public at large.

A vote of thanks was passed to the Mayor and to Mr. and Mrs. Earle Marsh on the motion of Mr. Petrie, who, in allusion to the Stoat's Nest accident, said he was in the train and could bear testimony to the excellence of the ambulance work of one of their Brighton members, Mr. E. D. Legg, of the Goods Department. Although the latter was himself in the train and was knocked about a bit, he showed his grit by at once rendering first aid to a serious case in a way that led him (the speaker) to believe at the time he was a doctor, instead of one of their own men who had been trained by Dr. Shardlow.

One of the most interesting items in the evening's proceedings was the presentation to Mr. Girling, in recognition of his services as District Secretary, of a handsome time-piece suitably inscribed. In making the presentation on behalf of the subscribers, Dr. Shard low said that no one more than himself realised the great amount of work Mr. Girling did for the am bulance cause.

In returning thanks for the gift, Mr. Girling said the secret had been well kept, for this was the first he had heard of it. His position as secretary did entail a little work, and but for the facilities Mr. Earle Marsh gave him and the services the doctors so promptly and so freely rendered, it would be impossible for him to occupy. This had been a record year for their Centre, and they had recently started a class which on the second night had an attendance of 74-a record for Brighton. During the past year he had received a number of letters referring in grateful terms to the first aid treatment rendered by their members.

The concert was then proceeded with, at the close the meeting was unanimously voted the best held in connection with the Brighton section.

S.E. & C.R-The annual report of this Railway Centre is as usual a record of splendid progress, and we most heartily congratulate the committee, more especially its chairman and secretary on the very marked success which has once more crowned their year's work. The report, which is full of interest from start to finish, contains some good illustrations which will undoubtedly add to its value in the eyes of the members of the staff who are ambulance men.

Capital group portraits are given of the winners of the Directors' Challenge Shield for 19 10; also of the Sittingbourne men, who, as a team representing No. 2 District, S.lA.B., carried off the "Dewar" shield against selected teams representing the whole of the districts of England and Wales, but the illustrations which will appeal most strongly to the railway men are the portraits of the medical staff, especially as amongst the number are included the photographs of such popular "medicos" as Dr. Muir, Dr. Henchley and Dr. Noble, to mention only a few who have gained the confidence and esteem of the railway men by the unselfish way in which they are at all times ready to

October, 1910. -FIRST

sacrifice their own leisure in order to assist the cause either by instructing classes or in coaching teams.

There are several items of more than passing interest which should be carefully noted by the ambulance employes of the Company. To further encourage the members of the staff to come up annually for re-examination, a special medal has been struck, and will be awarded to those who successfully pass a re-examination for seven years in succession. This will be in bronze, but those who qualify for fourteen consecutive years a silver medal will be presented, while a gold medal will be presented to those who qualify for twenty-one years in succession.

With regard to competitive work, we are glad to see that this is receiving further several gentlemen having presented trophies. Major Henchley has presented a handsome Challenge Cup for competition in connection with "The Beginners' Group." Dr. Linnington has presented a Shield for competition by teams representative of No. 8 District of the Centre; and for competition in NO.5 District, a Cup has been presented by Mr. G. Courthorpe, M.P., for the Rye Division of Sussex. Messrs. M'Corquodale & Co., the well-known

AID.- 59

glad to see that the plan inaugurated, Wt::! belleve, some t?ree years sinc.e is still in .vogue, and that whenever practicable the servIces of quahfied ambulance men are utilised in assisting in the removal of invalid passengers to and from trains.

The importance of keeping the ambulance appliances and equ}pment scrupulously clean is specially pointed out, and statIon masters and all concerned are requested to give attention to th is very necessary caution. It is also pointed out that station masters and heads of departments should see that a list of the staff qualified to render first aid in case of emergency is posted at each station or dep ot, in a position where it can be readily seen. It is further specially requested that particulars of any cases in which the first aid rendered by members of the Company's staff has been of conspicous character, shall at once be reported to the committeeman for the district.

N. E. R- The President of this Centre (Mr. A. K. Butterworth, General Manager) has recently issued his annual circular upon the results of the competitions, &c.,

printing firm, has presented the Centre with a handsome Challenge Cup, which is to be competed for at the Representative competition.

We are glad to note that the Station Masters are awarded the thanks of the Committee for again instituting a Shilling Fund, whereby the sum of ..£ II I2S. was handed over to the ambulance men as prizes. Such actions as these, we are certain, are much appreciated by the employes of the lesser grades, who recognise in it a tangible proof of the interest their superiors take in their proficiency. The example might, we think, be followed by mem bers of the staff connected with other grades. We are certain that in formulating a scheme they would receive every possible assistance from the energetic and enthusiastic Centre Secretary.

Special attention is called to certain regulations which have been adopted in connection with the annual competitions, and we should advise all competitors to make a careful study of these.

We have on previous occasions alluded to the large number of invalids which travel on this line, and we are

for 19 o. The circular also corltains copies of the reports of the Judges at the several district and other competitions which have been held in connection with the Centre during the past year. One of these, a somewhat lengthy report, by Dr. L. M. Frank Christain, on the final competition which took place at York on April 9th, is eSpecially interesting, containing as it does many hints which will be of service not only to competitors but to ambulance men in general. It is gratifying to see how large a number of men still continue to present themselves for anuual re-examination for the label, thus giving practical proof that their interest in am bulallce work is unabated. In connection with the annual competitions, all of the Judges spp.ak in terms of warm commendation of the very excellent arrangements made by and carried out under the supervision of Mr: George Jackson, the indefa tigable General Secretary of the Centre.

WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION "FIRST AID. JJ

We are in no way responsib.e jor the opinions or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDIToRs.

A STAB BEIIIND THE LEFT KNEE.

DEAR SIR,-During a fracas between foreign sailors, one of the co mbatants receives a stab behind the left knee, the knife penetrating the artery situated in that

There are no bandages or other appliances at hand, except, of course, of clothing.

Cantlie's" First Aid" gIves two methods of treatment, vir.. :-( Page 92.) .,. flexion at the knee with a pad if no pad available the trouser leg may}e :oll.ed or gathered up to serve instead." I09.) In.JUrles to joint by bullet, stab, &c., wrap the part In c'?tton :vool. Afford rest and support If the lower 11mb, III a straight position by a splint (i n this case

Which of the above would you consIder the proper course to adopt in the emergen r:y stated?

Trusting you will favour with a reply, and thankmg you In advance. - Yours truly, "WHITE CROSS."

[The first, on account of the wound of the arte:y. The second method is for stab only, without wound of mam artery -an entirely different injury.-HEATON C. HOW ARD .]

THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION" AND GRATUITOUS AVIBULANCE INSTRUCTION.

SIR -O ur local medical men have informed us that the British Medical Association has recently passed a resolution deciding that the time has now arrived. when the gratuitous lecturing to ambulance classes by medIcal men must cease, and that in future all lectures must be paid for at the rate of one guinea per lecture, or five guineas for the course resolution has been adopted, as understand, by the majority of the local br a n ches of the British Medical Association.

Now, sir, the doctors have done, and are doing a splendid work on behalf of the ambulance cause, and what has led the Association to take up this attitude it is difficult to say, for I understand that many medical men, especially those holding the position of honorary surgeons in the brigade, are opposed to it.

Should this resolution be enforced, it wiil certainly mean the loss ofa large number of recruits to the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Classes in some districts will cease altogether, and the brigade in those parts will be seriously affected.

Permit me to give you an Illustration.

If the loca divisions around here were to hold classes similar to those held last year, with the same number of students, it would cost in lecturing fees no less a sum than 55 guineas. Now, sir, where has this money to come from? The local centre of the S.J.A.A. could not pay such a sum, for the very good and sufficient reason that it has no money, and it would be well nigh impossible to take such a sum from the brigade funds. You G\.Dnot charge the students -many of whom are working men earning a very small wage-an increased fee. If you did you would soon have no students; and yet if we desire to hold classes we shall have to frnd the money somehow.

Some centres, I know, have handed over their classes to the Education authorities, but there are some Education Committees, which do not care about the bother of ambulance classes, and even when they do take and work them they are npt of the same benefit to the brigade as those run under the direct control of our own organisation.

At b.- October 1910.

No more sure means of damaging the interests of the brigade could have been devised than the method ad?pted by the British Medical Association. At a correspondmg date last year we had over 120 students attending our classes, this year we have no classes, and this situatio.n !s the direct result of the action of the Bntlsh MedICal ASSOCiatIOn.

The ambulance brigade is composed mainly of working men, many of whom devote of hours. each year. to a work for which they neither receive -nor deSire to recelveany payor other emolument; yet British !V1edical Association has adopted a resolutIOn like thIS, demandmg five guineas for men, many of whom spend no more than five or six hours in each year to the furtherance of ambulance work.

I should like to hear the views of other members of the brigade upon this matter, and .then perhaps it m.ight be possible to take some united actIOn as a protest agamst the ar.tion of the British Medical Association. -Yours, &c., JOHN L.

COLHERN.

"THE CULT OF SOCIALISM. "

SIR,-I beg to enter:m emphatic protest against the introduction of politics in AID.

Whatever a man's opinIOn-be he Jew, Chnstlan, or Atheist; Liberal, Conservative, Labour, or that mu c h-despised dog, the Socialist- he may be none the less a competent ambulance student.

One's political opinions are the result of one's beliefs, and to cast a slur on those opinions is not only beside the mark ( in a paper supposed to be devoted to the ambulance service ), but a gratuitous insult.

To say that because a man believes our present social and political system to be wrong, and socialism to be the best means to remove the ill-effects of this chaotic system, "he will probably become a loafer whose room will be regarded by any honourable society of men as preferable to his company" is, to say the least, arrant nonsense.

You say it is contrary to custom to deal WIth matters political in the columns of FIRST AID. Very well, then, stick to custom, and leave incursions into politics alone, else you will raise a hornet s nest that will do no good to the promotion of ambulance work.

As for your reference to the" hero of Mafeking," have a vivid recollection of a night in London known as "Ma{eking night." Eh! What? 'Nuff said I- Yours, &c., W. W. HUNT.

[Our correspondent is quite correct in his contention, "it is contrary to our usual custom to deal with matters political ," but he has omitted to quote the reasons which we gave in this instance for departing from that rule, we ):;0 on to say, "but we regard socialism as something quite outside the sphere of ordinary politics. I t is a menace, and a danger, to society at large. " From this expression of opinion as a whole we do not desire to detract one word. Unfortunately we have had opportunities of appreciating the evils of socialism. It is ridiculous to place it in the same category as are the well organised organisations to which our correspondent refers. The present disturbed state of our Indian Empire is held by those who know the natives, to be largely due to the wild speeches which were made by a socialist agitator when touring that country. The present conditions prevailing in Paris are directly traceable to the action of the socialists. We unhesitatingly admit that we do deplore the fact that they are propagating their teaching amongst the young. The condition of our poorer classes is undoubtedly an ever-increasing anxiety, but to suggest that socialism is the panacea for the problem is as dangerous as it is false; and the exponents of socialism know that as well as we do.

We have answered our critic thus fully, because we feel very deeply on the subject. We know of no sadder spectacle than that of a wagon load of children following a socialist procession singing" The Red Flag."

As regards the state of affairs on Mafeking night, to which our correspondent refers, to a great extent we are no doubt in sympathy with his views; but it must be borne in mind that the nation had for months been in a state of tension regarding the safety of that little spot on the veldt, and its gallant garrison, that when the news came that it was relieved, the

October 1910. -FIRST people for a time were delirious with joy. It is not often that the Britisher is so lacking in self-restraint.-ED. "F. A."]

DEAR SIR, -As a subscriber to your valuable and influential paper I was very much pained to find you go out of your way to atta.ck s?cialism in your leading art.icle, an "ism " which, to my mmd, IS a grand mental "first ald. " But apart from the question as to whether socialism is right or wrong, surely it is not good policy on your part to take sides, whether conservative, liberal or socialist, in political questions.

For instance, I have been trying to induce several members of different ambulance societies to subscribe to your and they happen to b.e. YOIl .can imagme the result. They say It IS like asking a man who IS a teetotaller to preside at a meeting of the Licensed Victuallers Association.

The best I can hope for you is that it was your youth and not your dotage that made you give vent to such a ridiculous outburst. -Yours, &c., G. BISHOP.

THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION.

DEAR SIR,-With reference to the letter of ,( Sister Mercy" in last month's FIRST AID, in which she says, "You must not overlook the fact that it was a woman-Miss Florence Nightingale-who was mainly responsible for the re-organisation of our army medical and nursing services. That when she arrived in the Crimea the mortality from disease was 42 per cent. per day, entirely due to the insanitary surroundings," "Sister Mercy " seems to be ignorant of the fact that at the time of the Crimea the army surgeon was not allowed to control. The command of the Army Hospital Corps was vested in !aymen. Hence the trouble.

Since the formatIOn of the R.A. M.C., when the medical officer was put in his proper position - that of command, sanitation has been properly carrieci out. In the county asylums and infectious hospitals, the superintendents are now medi cal men.

Some months ago, I read in the Medical Journal that the Admiralty of the United States of America had decided that the medical officer was to command the hospital ship, the navigating officer was to be subordinate to the medical.- Yours, &c., "SURGEON.'

GRATIFYING QUERIST.

DEAR SIR,-I was lent a copy of your valuable Journal

FIRST AID a few weeks ago - the first I have ever seen-I think it was for May, and am now taking it in regularly.

In that issue there was a quest ion partly answered, evidently something had been said about it i.n previous numbers. I t was for treatment of a person suffenng from a fracture of accompanied by severe injury to abdomen with bowels protruding. Would it be too much trouble to insert correct treatment for that case once more, as I and a lot of my ambulance friends are very interested and think yours would be expert advice ?-Yours faithfully, " SPLINTS."

[I am very pleased to repeat what in my opinion is the best treatment for these two injuries in the same individual.

According to our text-book (C antlie ) .the firs t aider has to be discriminating, so that he may deCide .whlch .of several injuries presses most for In thIS case the. fracture is simple and uncomphcated, then the abdommal mJury presses most for treatment, as the. in great dar:g er from shock (primarily ) and septic pOisoning (secondanly ). Then the treatment is as follows: The knees must be bent and the shoulders raised, which means, of course, that the ordinary treatment for fractured thigh cannot be carried out. The fractured bone can be carefully lifted and a large pillow placed beneath both knees, an.d the furt?er treatment of the abdominal wound proceeded WIth according to the .text-book. I do not think the fracture will be made worse by thIS method -anyway the risk must be run.

A 10.- 61

If the fracture be compound, with severe bleeding from some large vessel, then this must be arrested first, and the treatment as above mentioned can be carried out afterwards.HEATON C. HOWARD.]

THE CLINICAL THERMOMETER.

DEAR SIR,-Will you kindly tell me the definite rules which govern the use of the clinical thermometer? I am, of course, conversant with the marking and methods of taking temperatures, but there are one or two points upon which I am not quite clear, and I know other nursing sisters who, like myself, undertake district nursing the sick and poor, who experience a like difficulty.

Now my clinical is a rapid-30 seconds. In the case of some of my patients it will take as long as five minutes before the mercury reaches normal, and in some cases even longer, while in others it runs up rapidly, and if left longer soon runs past 98"4 ; indeed, in some cases, if left for five minutes, it has registered fully a degree or so more, and had it been left longer there is no doubt it would have mounted higher.

N ow, what I want to know is, " Must the clinical be arbitrarily removed at the time stated on it, no matter what it registers, and would that be regarded as the temperature of the patient, or should it be left longer?" And again, "in the case of a patient with a normal temperature, is it possible to get a higher record by retaining the thermometer in the mouth for a longer period ?"

I have been told there are some people whose temperature never reaches normal, whilst there are others whose temperature is always high, and yet both are in good health. Can this be so? If you would kindly get one of your medical contributors to give us a paper on the Clinical, it would I am sure be appreciated by those who, like myself, take a great interes t in all that appertains to the study of nursing, and desire to be proficient in even the minor details.

In the meanwhile perhaps you will kindly let me have a reply to the questions I have asked. Thanking you for same, -Yours, sincerely, " NURSI TG SISTER."

[Mr. G. H. Zeal, the Clinical Thermometer Manufacturer, has kindly supplied the reply to our correspod.ent's letter:In taking the temperature of the human body WIth 30.second Clinical Thermometer, it frequently happens that It will take longer to register if the Bulb of the Clinical is affected by atmosphere being low, i.e., below 60 Fahr., as the of calculation for a 30 or 60 second Clinical Thermometer IS made from a temperature of 60 degs., therefore, the temperature is below this, i.e., 60 degs. Fahr., according to the n urn ber of degrees, extra time must be added. to the 30 or 60 seconds as the case may be. This may explain the reason why it registers more rapidly at one time than another. Of course, when a patient has high fever, then the extra heat. from the body will cause the the:momete.r to reg Ister more q U1.ckly, but why the thermometer In. should .take 5 mmutes to register I can give no opmlOn wlthou.t seeing same. I .t may he that it is a little large m the bulb, In wJlI not register in 30 seconds correc.t ly. At the It IS always advisable to allow double time than that mcnbed upon the thermometer, for taking the of the patient.

Another reason for the different times taken to rec?rd the temperature of patients with the same be brought abollt by the imperfect breathing of the Some patients habitually breat.h e through the mouth, In c.onsequence inhaling the colder air from the atmosphere outSide, thus reducing the temperature of the :nouth, therefore the thermometer will take longer to regIster m

This also answers part of the second raIsed. It IS not possible to get a higher reading of a patient a n?rmal temperature, no matter how long the thermometer IS .left 1D the mouth, always providing that the thermon:eter used IS correct.

Variation in Normal T emjJeratures t1t Healtlty PeolJle.This is frequently the case, as a matter of fact the normal temperature is only a mean average temperature of patients, i.e., some. healthy peoples IS above, while others IS below the normal pomt, z.e., 98 4 degs., yet both are in good health.]

Reviews.

PRACTICAL NURSING FOR MALE NURSES IN ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS AND OTHER FORCES.

By Major E. M. Hassard and A. R. Hassard. London; H. Frowde and Hodder and Stoughton. Price, 35. 6d.

M ESSRS . H ASSARD have written this book primary for the nursing orderlies in the military service and it contains much useful more for the care and nursing of patIents In mIlItary hospItals abroad. It could be read with advantage by members of the M. H.H. Reserve for it deals with the work they will-in case of nat ional emergency-be called upon to perform. It shows the nurse, that beyond the fact of to rules and regulations of nursing, that tact and abilIty IS reqUIred to meet the case of each individual patient, and In the .treatment 0t diseases and injuiries enumerated In the book 'hints and tIpS " are given to add to the patients' comfort.

FIRST AID TO THE CHILD.

By D. Hastings Young, M.B., M.S.Edin., &c London; George Routledge and Sons, Ltd. Pn·ce,35• 6d.

The main causes of ill-health among infants and children to be prejudices, scanty and mdlfferent motherIng,)) and bad hygIene. The object of this book is intended to overcome these causes of maternal carelessness and neglect and to teach the mothers and nurses how to ma intain the of. inf:;tnts and young children, and also to serve.as a aId gUIde m the treatment of their diseases. adVIce ",:,hlch the author has given in the first section of thIS volume. IS of sound character giving full instructions as to the of Infants. :rhe remaining section treats with the v?-rIOUS WIth in infants, wh ic h are fully set forth In a conclsed and .slmple manner, defining the causes and sy mptoms so as to gUIde .mother or .nurse to a right conduslo!1 as to what the condItIOn really IS. The idea of the book IS w.ell it should prove of much value as a preventIve of SIckness m Infants and children.

A MANUAL FOR NURSES.

By Sydney Welham London;

Mills and Boon, Ltd. Price, 35. 6d.

:rhe author of this manual admits in his preface that nurSIng only be by actual experience in the wards. But of course, IS. bas.ed upon principles which are set .forth In thIS book, and It IS Intended that it should serve to assIst the to deal more. intellig-ently with the particular case. and to gIve here a clear Idea of the reasons for which any partIcular form of treatment is ordered. Mr. Sydney Welham has covered as completely as possible, for there are chapte.rs dealing. WIth anatomy, medical diseases, surgery and nursIng, and an appendIX relatlllg to diets and a useful glossary.

PYE S ELEMENTARY BANDAGING AND SURGICAL DRESSING.

ReVIsed by W. H. Clayton-Greene, B.A., M.B., B.C. ( Cantab ) F.R.C.S.Eng.

Assisted by V. Zachary Cope, B.A M.D., M.S.Lond., F.R.C.S.Eng. BrIStol; John Wright and Sons, Ltd. Price, 25.

The of .a proper knowledge of bandaging is w.ell recogmsed b y first for although the majority of first books deal WIth the subject, a book exclusively devoted to It should be found extremely useful by those ambulance studen.ts go into their studies. That the book IS ItS twelveth edItIon speaks well for itself. After some thIrty-two pages dealing with the various bandages,

splints and knots, the important methods of dressing wounds are set forth with the special points to be observed indicated. Finally corne some chapters on the treatment, in the first instance, of accidents and emerg-encies, then induding the making of improvised splinting.

JOURNAL OF THE BRITISH FIRE PREVENTION COMMITTEE.

The fifth journal of the Committee is a record of the visit of a special commission to several of the important German towns in order to seek information regarding the fire preventive measure and fire service arrangements in such cities as Berlin Hamburg and Hanover. That the commission have searched diligently is evidenced by the fact that they have produced a volume of some 100 pages profusely illustrated with the appliances in use in the various citi es visited. It must be acknowledged that reports of this kind are of eminent use to Fire Brigade author ities, although the Commission admits that it does not make unnecessary comparison, it is evident that we have much to learn from Germany in respect to fire protection and fire combating, and these records show us where we err. The editors are to be congratulated on a masterpiece of the practical.

The Inc!ependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

As it is the wi sh and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instruc tive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

our race as to inspire within the breast of every man and woman who comes under its sway, a sympathy with human suffering and a desire to mitigate its severity.

S J A B

Officers' Regulation Great Coats. Dark • • • • Grey beaver cloth. 39s. 6d.-Write for patterns and particulars, & Co., tailors, Brighouse.

Best Stretcher on the Market.

BEST QUALITY CANVAS. SPRING BEARING WHEELS.

Price 185. ad.

POAD, HELPS & co., St. Philips Bridge, BRISTOL. Makers of Ambulance Wagons and R.equisites.

All Electro"Plate LOOKS like Silver. ELKINCTON PLATE WEARS like Silver.

& co., LTD.

ORIGINATORS OF ELECTRO,PLATE. Per Doz. Table Spoons £.1 5 0

Table Forks LI 5 0

Dessert Spo ons LI 0 0

Dessert Forks LI 0 0

Tea Spoons 12 6

CHOICE OF TEN PATTERNS AT ABOVE PRICES. CATALOGUES ON APPLICATION.

LONDON SHOWROOMS: 73, Cbeapside, E.C., and 22, R.egent St., S W. (Below Piccadilly Circus)

BIR.MINGHAM: Newhall St.

Ll YE RPOO L: Lord Street.

MANCHESTER: St. Ann's Sq.

GLASGOW: Bucbanan Street. NEWCASTLE: Nortbumberland Street.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and no tices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the 5ame the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

L AST month in our Editorial we dealt Personal with the question of Service in its Service. National sense, this month we propose dealing with it in its personal sense.

How much brighter and happier this world of ours might be made if this subject was more fully taken to heart by all classes of the community. We say all classes, because the disregard of the Divine commandment, "To love thy neighbour as thyself," is not altogether confined to the idle rich, unfortunately the accounts of our Police-court proceedings give ample evidence of its eXistence even in the ranks of the very poor, or rather, we should say the idle poor. Among the really deserving poor, however, one does come across instances of an almost touching character, such as hungry "out of works" denying themselves that they may render assistance to some poor fellow sufferer who is, if possible, in a worse plight than they are themselves.

This is the spirit which should enter more fully into the programme of our daily life, the spirit which doubtless inspired the brave old Knights of St. John, and led to their adoption of that grand motto "Pro Utilitate Hominum," a motto which has taken so strong a hold on

We have alluded t'J the frequ ent instances of the sympathy of the poor with their poorer fellows, but sympathy with them in their struggle for existence, is equally as earnest. and fully as real on the part of those in high places. We could quote instances innumerable to prove this, but we think one or two will prove the truth of our assertion.

The late King Edward and his Consort, Queen Alexandra, were constantly devising schemes to improve the lot of the poorest of their subjects, and a perpetual reminder of His late Majesty's sympathy with suffering exists, if such were needed, in the Hospital Fund which bears his name. Our present Sovereign and Queen Mary are constantly giving proof of their intention to follow King Edward's Royal example. The labours of the late Prince Francis of Teck on behalf of the Middlesex Hospital, of which he was Chairman, are too well known to need recapit ulation here, but they are a noble instance of Personal Service, and, as a concrete proof of the force of example, it is gratifying to know that Prince Alexander of Teck has decided to take up his dead brother's self imposed task, where he laid it down, and endeavour to raise the requisite sum in order to free this noble Institution from any further anxiety on account of its funds.

It will be argued, perhaps, by some, that these people have special facilities and opportunities for indulging in good deeds, but opportunities are never lacking if one only desires to take advantage of them. We cannot all promote hospital funds or organise reli ef work, but none of us are so placed as to be unable to re nd er some little service on behalf of some poor suffering fellow creature.

At this season of the year it is customary on the part of philanthropic institutions and the charitably disposed to organise schemes for the purpose of relieving, if only temporarily, the acute distress which is so prevalent. One of the best of these schemes, because of its eminen tly practical character is " Th e Free F Lind," organised by the proprietors of the Daily Graphic. We recommtnded this scheme to the sympathies of our readers last year, when we pointed out that the outlay involved, and the personal service required to assist this good cause, was so slight that

-FIRST

some might be inclined to pass it over as hardly worth further consideration. If there are any who do hold such views let them at once dismiss them. Although the proprietors will be glad to receive substantial subscriptions in aid of the scheme they will gladly welcome the humble penny of those who cannot afford more, and all that they ask 10 return is that those who buy the paper, will see that the attached coupon is given to some poor deserving man, woman or child, who may stand in need of a good warm, nourishing meal.

In London it should surely not be a difficult task to make this a personal service, but readers of the paper resident in the provinces have only to place the coupons in an unsealed envelope addressed to the "Free Meal" Editor, and they may rely that it will be made to gladden the heart of some hungry fellow creature, and warm his starved body at the same time.

We have up to this point touched but lightly on the subject of our discourse, not that we cannot suggest other means whereby our rp.aders may renner personal service, for surely their name is legion. Boy Scouts make the doing of one good action during the day one of their most treasured observances, involving as it often does some little self-denial. This is the true spirit of personal service which Sir Robert Baden -Powell, and those who are working with him, have incorporated in the rules which govern that very excellent movement. Ask the Nursing Sisters of St. John if they believe in the principles of personal service, they will have no need to answer you, their clothing schemes for the children of the poor, their visits to, and their diets for the sick, all serve to show, not only that they believe in it, hut that they act up to its The Brigade man again, does he not sacrifice something when week after week he gives up his Saturday half-holiday to do duty on the football field? Yes, undoubtedly there is much personal service rendered in the world; but as we said at the start, it is not sufficient. There are many who would lead brighter and happier lives themselves if they would only try to bring some little brightness into the lives of others.

We cannot better conclude this article on Personal Service than by quoting those well known lines by Thomas Carlyle :-" I shall pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, to any fellow human being, let me do it now; let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Messrs. J. and A. Churchill, Great Marlborough-street, W., have recently published the 16th edition of "Chavasse's Advice to a Mother," and the 15th edition of "Chavasse's Advice to a Wife." Each of these books are well known and the new editions have been revised and brcught well up-to-date. They are each published at 2S. 6d. net.

Hremorrhage.

B\' "METACARPUS."

To the keen and enthusiastic first aider there are few more interesting or absorbing studies in connection w.ith bulance work than the subject of hcemorrhage, Its vanous kinds and the different methods of treatmp.nt. The majo;ity of readers of FIRST AlI? are, howe.ve.r, so thoroughly conversant with the of each kind that I do not propose In thiS article to enter 1Oto any detailed description of either, my object being rather to en :ieavour in the course of a few brief notes, to impress on my readers, the absolute necessity for mai.ntaining their efficiency in this most important subject, 10 order that should they at any time be called upon to treat a in which there was a great amount of hcemorrhage they might not fail in their treatment owing to the loss of nerve.

A well known authority on ambulance work says:" One of the chief obstacles to usefulness on the part of volunteers in first aid is the natural dread of blood. The sight of an injured artery spurting with blood is enough to appal the stoutest heart and unnerve the steadiest hand. Many a one who would face without flinching a case of fracture, or who is coolness itself when dealing with a severe fit, quails at the sight of a gushing wound, and turns away with blanched lips from a patient streaming with blood."

Many can doubtless recall their first course of lectures, the class as a whole went bravely through the ordeal uf the descriptive account of the skeleton, &c., but when at the second lecture, the lecturer commenced to describe the circulation of the blood, one or more of the students were soon visibly affected and found it necessary to quit the lecture room. This dread of blocd is, however, to a great extent a wise provision of Nature, as the sight of blood at once arouses us to a sense of danger, and prompts us to speedily adopt efficient treatment, with a view to minimising its effects. That is the effect that the sight of blood would have upon the resourceful and skilled first aider. Should, however, this dread of blood be allowed to gain too pronounced an influence over us it will eventually result in less nerve power, which may render the first aider so acutely nervous, as to render the assistance given, not only non-effective, but in the case of some injuries, may possibly increase the gravity of the danger. Continued practice, however, and a strong determination to overcome this failing, will, no doubt, in time enable these faint -hearted ones to acquire the habit of keeping a cool head and a steady hand, when they find themselves confronted with the sight of blood.

It is a somewhat common idea with many people that a case of bleeding left unattended must necessarily be fatal. This, however, is not always so. In the case of an injury to one of the largest blood vessels, such as the femoral or carotid arteries, there is little doubt that if skillt:d assistance were not properly administered the patient would undoubtedly bleed to death. But in some cases, where arteries are severed, Nature has the knack of assisting itself without artificial aid, and this she often does in the interests of those, who, in their hour of need, are deprived of human assistance. It is our duty, therefore, to study Nature's and while assisting her operations, remGving obstacles (rom her path, and regarding her, as we should, as a skillt>d and sagacious colleague; we shall in our subsequent treatment interfere as little as possible with her handiwork, when it bears the impress of efficienc),.

November, 19 [0. -FIRST

Now, what are the usual means whereby Nature usually brings about the spontaneous arrest of hcemorrhage? They are three in number, and may briefly be described as follows :-

1. By the contraction of the cut ends of the wounded vessel.

2. By the coagulation of the blood at the mouth of the injured vessel, the clotted blood thus forming a plug and thereby sealing up the vessel.

3. By the tendency of the patient to faint. This necessarily has the effect of slowing the heart's action, thereby retarding the flow of blood, and thus favouring coagulation. In a case of this kind, therefore, it will at once be seen that the act of fainting is really of benefit, and the common practice on the part of the ignorant, or untrained persons, to attempt to revive the patient by the administration of stimulants and other means is absolutely wrong, and may have a tendency to start afresh the bleeding, thereby frustrating the well-intentioned efforts which Nature had made to effect it's control.

Now in what way can artificial aias be given to the above? Well, put very briefly, they are as follows :-

I. Position.

2. Pressure.

3. Free circulation towards the heart.

4. By means of styptics.

5. The application of cold.

Now with all these you are thoroughly well acquaInted. I do not propose, therefore, to enter into any lengthy explanation, but shall briefly draw attention to one or two points which it is advisable you should impress on memories. In connection with position, never lose SIght of that most necessary precaution, the elevation of the lim b, for, as you are all aware, blood finds a greater difficulty in flowing upwards, and it's progress is therefore materially retarded. Nose bleeding is, as a rule, l!0t dangerous, but there is a right and a wrong way of gettIng to work in its treatment. For instance, although the following practice has been denounced over and over how often do you arrive on the scene to find the patIent comfortably ensconced in a chair, with his head over a lavatory basin, lest he should spoil his clothes or the carpet. See to it immediately that the patient is placed in a ing position, with the head thrown back, or should he InSISt on remaining seated, make him throw the head well back and raise his arms above it. At the Slme time apply cold to the bridge of the nose and the nape of tne. neck.

As regards pressure, well, as you are aware, thiS may be of two kinds, one digital (that is, by of. the fingers), the other by the means of tourniquets, ImprOVised or otherwise. The various points for the arrest of hcemorrhage, and the best methods to adopt in each case have been so fully dealt with in the various text books that I do not propose to more than mention in passing. One caution though, with regard to dIgital pressure. It has been said that so long as we can place a finger upon the bleeding point of an injured artery we need have no fear of hremorrhage. But there are certain rules to be followed in connection with the application of digital pressure, and in regard to these your careful first aider cannot exercise too much caution. First and foremost, always be thoroughly certain that your finger, or thumb, is scrupleously clean before placing it on the bleeding point. ..,

Another caution occurs to me, and thiS time It IS In connection with the application of the extemporised tourniquet. No matter whether in the room, the competition field, or in actual practlCt>, always sure your treatment is effectual btfOle gUlltl1 g tbe njury.

AID.-

In competition work I have seen a competitor extemporise an admirable tourniquet, and then proceed to apply it, but it has been done in so haphazard a fashion that it has not had the artery under control at all. Always make sure that your pad is on the right spot before you proceed to secure the windlass. This is easily done in the case of thE> arm by testi ng the pulse at the wrist; in the case of the leg by testing at the ankle. Having satisfied yourself of its efficiency you can slack off and await the inspection of the judges, to whom you would of course explain what you had done. They will soon determine whether your treatment is effective.

The necessity for loosening all restricting articles of clothing, such as co rsets, collars, be Its and garters, with a view to securing free circulation towards the heart is too well known to require further explanation.

With regard to the use of styptics, these are undoubtedly useful in many cases, as they will often stop bleeding by assisting in the coagulation of the blood. Their indescriminite use, however, is very undesirable, and as they at times interfere with the actual healing of the wound, their use should be avoided if the bleeding can possibly be controlled by other means. In the case of the face and other exposed parts of the body, where scarring is eminently undesirable, styptics should never be employed. Above all things, It>t me strongly exhort you to pay no attention to the individual who recommends cobwtb!:, or a plug of tobacco to staunch the flow of blood. Pure water with the addition of a little dilute carbolic acid, if you have it, will help you to thoroughly cleanse the wound and provide an effectual first aid dressing until you can obtain the services of a medical man.

It sometimes occurs after the extraction of a tooth, that the bleeding which ensues is most persistent, and difficult to stop. The best treatment is to plug the cavity with cotton wool which has been immersed in creosote or carbolic acid. It should be packed in very firmly, care being taken to more than fill the whole cavity; this is in order that when the jaws are closed the plug may be kept in position by the opposite tooth. A?ditional security will also be attained by means of a four-talled bandage.

In concluding this brief talk upon I would again impress upon the readers of thiS Journal .the far-reaching effects which may result from severe bleedIng. Young people of course recover from the of h cemo rrhage more quickly than do the aged; but lOfants and young children stand the loss of blood very badly. Bear in mind that should the hcemorrhage be very severe the constitution of your patient may be permanently injured. As a final .caution .order to keep efficient every first-alder, realrslOg the great responsl blhty which rests upon him, or her, for we can never tell when the call to save life may come, should of every opportunity to study and to practl.ce, so that 10 th.e hour emergency their nerve may not fall them or theIr hands forget their cunning.

Hon. Capt. Dyson of the Fire Brigades, Windsor, and Second Officer Dyson, of the Sanderstead Fire Brigade, were presented, on Novfmber 10lh, with an illuminated ceretificate and a silv er medal respectively on behalf d the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire for services rendered at the fire at Sanderstead last August. Three persons were rescued from a burning Louse by the two officers.

S.E. & C.R.-The classes :of this System are now in full swing and we are very pleased to learn there is - a distinct evidence of the present ranks of first being largely added to when this year's exam1OatlOns are concluded. Anum ber of new classes have been formed, and the old classes are showing largely increased mem bership and when it is borne in mind that each year since the 'formation of the Centre the previous year's figures have been passed. It speaks well for the enthusiasm with which the first aid work is taken up by the mem bers of the staff.

The good work of the on several occasions recently by their w10mng vanous shIelds, etc., which have been put up for open competition throughout the System.

The Ash and District Ambulance Challenge ShIeld, subscribed for by the inhabitants of Ash, has been won by the Ash Railway Team, and the "Colman" Cup Competition, at Redhill, for the magnificent Challenge Cup offered for competition in the Redhill District by Sir Jeremiah Colman has been secured by the Redhill

A shield presented to the Centre for competItIOn 10 No.8 District by Dr. W. W. Linington, of Folkestone, was competed for in that town on October 27th Iftst. Six teams entered, and Dover Priory Station Team had the honour of winning the shield for the first time. The winners of the shield each received in addition a silver inkstand, whilst the members of the second and third teams (Dover Harbour and Folkestone Harbour Station respectively) were presented with clocks and cruets.

The presentation of the trophy and the prizes by Mrs. Linington took place in the Congregational Hall in the evening, the event being made the occasion of an enjoyable concert.

Major A. R. Henchley, of Canterbury, has offered a cup for competition in NO.7 District for team work, and Dr. Archibald, of Ramsgate, has presented a similar trophy for individual work in the same district. In addition to all these Messrs. McCorquodale & Co., of the "Armoury," St. Thomas-street, have presented to the Centre a magnificent challenge cup to be competed for at the representative competition which will take place at the Crystal Palace early in April 19[1.

We congratulate the Centre on having so many kind friends who have shown their interest in the work by presenting these trophies for competition, and we are sure that the Railway Service men will show their appreciation of the encouragement given by their loyalty to the Centre and to the Cause, which we know they have so much at heart.

N.E.R.-The presentation of certificates and medallions to the successful candidates at the recent examination at Middlesbrough took place at the Ambulance Drill Hall, Department, on November 6th. The meeting, whIch was well attended, was presided over by Mr. J. New-

A ID.- November, 1910.

sam, and the awards were presented by Dr. J. W. Renson, the surgeon instructor to the class.

At the N.E.R. Police Superintendent's office, York, on October 14th, Mr. R. F. Dunnell (secretary and solicitor to the company) presented certificates and other awards to the men attached to the Southern Division Railway Police Department, and to the North Riding, West Riding, and York City Police forces..

Before making the presentatIOn Mr. Dunnell delIvered a short speech. When Mr. Dobie asked him to make presentation he confessed he was rather shy about It, because he had to admit that he was not an ambulance man and if he were in the unfortunate position of being calle'd upon in the case of an accident, he admitted he would not have the remotest idea what to do. However, he had a very warm feeling of sympathy for their work, and he should at all times do what he could to further its progress. He hoped their num bers would increase, the more members they got the better it would be for the Ambulance Association.

Mr. Dlmnell then presented the certificates, medallions and labels.

Mr. Penty, in proposing a vote of thanks to Mr. Dunnell for so kindly attending and making the presentation said that he (Mr. Dunnell) had complained that he had' had no am bulance training. Well, it was never too late to learn, and they would be pleased to see him at the next am bulance class.

The motion, which was seconded by Mr. Dobie, was carried with great heartiness.

Mr. Dunnel, having made a suitable reply, votes of thanks were proposed to the several instructors, and the proceedings closed.

MIDLAND.-An interesting ambulance competition took place recently at the Midland Railway passenger station, Sheffield, for medals kindly presented by Mr. H. L. Brown, of Sheffield. Three teams competed, and Dr. Sidney Barber acted as judge. A capital display of ambulance work was given, and after a close contest No. team, consisting of F. Clarke, A. Marshall, W. H. Williams and J. Hinde (patient) were declared the wmners. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Dr. Barber for his kind services.

DARWEN.-The Worshipful the Mayor, last month presented certificates and medallions to the railway men at the passenger station here. In the course of an eloquent address His Worship said they were assembled on the sabbath day, a day ordinarily set apart for rest and what were called religious purposes. In a town like Darwen, where so many public calls were made upon the time of the Mayor, he had found it necessary to make it a rule that he would accept no public duties outside his private sphere of influence, except uneler very special circumstances. When he received their invitation to come among them that morning he saw at once that the circumstances were exceptional, and warranted him breaking his rule. He had said that day was set apart for religious purposes-but what was religion? There were many creeds and many sects, all teaching their own tenets and dogmas, but all would subscribe to the definition that religion taught a man his duty towards his God, and his duty towards his neighbour. What was a man's duty towards his neighbour as part of his religious life? The Church of England Catechism told him: "My duty towards my neighbour is to love him as myself." How was this to be done? In some instances a man's duty to his neigh bour was filled by a pa ymen t of a

November\ 1910. -FIRST compulsory levy on his property for poor rate purposes; in other cases by giving of contributions towards funds organised to help his less fortunate fellows; in other cases by signing a big cheque to build or endow some hospital or other public institution for the benefit of one's fellows. Without intending any disparagement to any of these, might he say that the true religious essence in the performance of their duty to their neighbour lay in the spirit of " willing personal service." What was it they as ambulance men were doing in this direction? Their lot in life led them to work amongst moving wagons and machinery, in positions were it was extremely possible that without a word of warning somethmg might happen, and a fellow being be in great suffering, in danger of life or limb. The cry went round" a man is hurt, he wants help." A pocket full and the most absolute willingness to help was in that case of no avail. He knew of no more distressing circumstances in life than to be forced to stand idly by in a case of suffering and to realise that one could not fpo ssibly be of any help.

AID. - 69

was sure to be in evidence at some time. I t was not, perhaps, kno:vvn that on many occasions passengers travelhng on the railway had expressed their admiration at the way in which men in charge of the big main line trains had treated injuries sustained to persons en route. So imwas the Company with these expressions of appreCiatIOn, that a new rule was about to be enforced making it compulsory in the future for every man in charge of a passenger train to have a certificate of the St. John Ambulance Association. The speaker paid a high tribute to the excellent work performed by the district secretaries without any remuneration, and concluded his remarks with a few well timed hints on the methods to be adopted in in training for competitions.

Miss Findlay then presented the certificates, medallions and labels.

Mr. Morris, in a well turned speech, propos ed a vote of thanks to Dr. Brown for his services in connecti on with the classes, said the speaker, had always been given They (the railway THE AND URPETH Al\IBULANCE TEAM. freely. Allusion was also made to the valuable services rendered to the class by Mr. George Skinner and Inspect o r O 'Co nnor.

men) had sought to qualify themselves to do their duty unto their neigh bours in the state of life into which it had pleased God to call them, or if it pleased them better into which, at the present time, they found themselves. In so doing he would say they were doing a religious duty, and one that would bring its own reward. The knowledge they had acquired might, perhaps, who knows, prove the means of saving the life of some one very near and dear to them.

L. & N. W. R. -The presentation of certificates to

This colliery team has achieved much success in the competition field of the ]\'"0. VI. District. Among the trophies they have won is the" C. B. Palmer" Cup and the " Perkins" Cballenge Trophy.

the members of the Sirhowy railway class took place recently. Mr. J. A. Findlay, District Traffic Superinte ndent, presided, and was supported amongst others by Miss Findlay, Dr. H. G. Brown, and Inspector R. O'Connor.

In opening the proceedings, the Chairman said, that he always admired the way that ambulance work was taken up on the hills. Whether it was due to the more bracing climate or not he did not know, but the work was certainly taken up more enthusiastically than it was in the valleys. He wished that a little more enthusiasm for the work was shown in other districts. He had told them before how much the Company had the matter at heart. They fully realised its importance, in fact, the more they considered it, the greater its importance came to light. It did not matter in what sphere of life they might find themselves, they would at some time realise its value, on the railway, in the police force, in the engineering shop, in the colliery, even at home the advantage of being efficient in first aid

aid had been rendered.

Mr. Francis seconded and the vote was carried with acclamation.

Dr. Brown expressed the pleasure it had been to him to help the students to obtain their certificates, but said much of the credit of the success of the class was due to Messrs. O 'Co nnor and Skinner, as they had given the practical instruction. In conclusion, he referred to the growth of am bulanr.e work on the system, and said he knew of many instances when most valuable first

A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Mr. Findlay for presiding, and to Miss Findlay for so kindly attending and presenting the awards.

In acknowledging the vote, Mr. Findlay said he took it as part of the duty of the office he held to encourage them in their work, and it was a real pleasure to attend meetings of that kind. Referring to the competitions at Cardiff, he said he hoped that in future they would be arranged at convenient dates for district managers to attend. This year not one district manager in the kingdom was able to attend, because he was either away at headquarters or on other business. He would like to have seen the teams compete as it gave one a much better insight into the work. The headquarters secretary of the Am bula?ce Association had written him suggesting that the practical work in competitions should take concrete instead of training so much from the book. CompetltlOns were

Corp. W. S Jackson. H Hodgson. \V. 11. Johnson. Pte. T. Greener. \V. Adamson.

becoming more and the object being to make use of improvised matenal when there were no proper appliances to hand.

The proceedings then closed after hearty cheers had been given for Mr. and Miss FIndlay.

Death of Red the Founder of Cross Society. the

IT is with deep regret that we have learned of the death

M. Henri Dunant, to whom is due the promotion of the Geneva Convention which resulted in the founding of the International Red Cross Society.

M. Dunant. who was in his 8znd year, has not long survived" The Lady of the Lamp" to whose example he was wont to say he owed much of the whic.h resulted in the inception of the movement With whl.ch name will be for all time associated, although dunng hiS li fetim e he received but scanty recognition for the great work he had inaugurated.

Born in the city, with which his family had been associated for many years, on May 8th, I8z8, Henri Dunant was little more than a mere boy when anxiety to do something to brighten the lot of suffering humanity led him to join a society, the members of which devoted their leisure time to visiting the aged and infirm poor. He used to also make a practice of visiting local prisons where he read aloud to the prisoners books of an informative character.

M. Dunant's i mpulsi ve nature, however, could not for long be restrained within the limits of his native town, and at the age of 2 [ we find him engaged in an attempt to form an "Interm.tional Society of Samaritans," with the object of administering aid to the afflicted, no matter what their creed or nationality. Possessed at this time of ample means he made several tours in the South of Europe with the object of gaining experience.

On one of his journeyings, wandering across the plains of Lombardy in 1859, he came across a sight so awful that it shocked his sensitive nature. It was the frightful carnage which had resulted from the battle of Solfcrino. For fifteen hours the armies of France and Austria had fo ught in frenzied com bat, and when night at last hid the ghastly scene, the dead and wounded included three field -m arshals, nine generals, 1,566 officers of all ranks, and upwards of 40,000 non -commissioned officers and men.

It was days before many of the poor wretched sufferers were found and given even the shelter of a roof, and then a long interval ensued before much more could be done for them. Every church, every barn and outhouse for miles around had been turned into a temporary hospital, and was crowded with unfortunate beings perishing for that lack of attention which the overworked staff were quite unable to give them. The military surgeons had been to follow their respective armies, and the work of looking after the casualties which they were compelled to leave behind was left to a small force of volunteers. Alas, the number was quite inadequate, and although there was bread and water in abundance men died simply because there was no one to bring it 'where they lay helpless among the straw, and although there was no lack of bandages the number of amateur nurses left behind to cope with the casualties was not sufficiently large to allow of their dealing with all the casts which needed them.

AiD. -:;. Novembers 191&.

Dunant at once threw himself into the work of succouring the wounded sufferers.. Establis?ing himself in the principal church of CastiglIone, With. <l: hundred maimed and wounded stretched on the floor mSlde, and as many laid on the pavements of the public square outside, he promptly organised a band of helpers, who ably seconded his efforts in the good cause. He procured, entirely at his own expense, from a to.wn, a wagon-load of surgical dressings and some httle luxunes for the sufferers, and these he distributed among the grateful patients. Clad in white duck he .moved about among the stricken soldiers, WIth a coohng dnnk .for one and a soothing dressing for another, and a comfortmg word for all and as he moved about them "Ie monsieur blanc," as was called, was commended to Providence by men of many nationalities.

Having put the work in order here, Dunant next moved on to Brescia, where he found more than a thousand sick and wounded being left in the cathedral alone. Here he soon found himself fully occupied, but although his energy was great his resources were few, so he wrote describing the situation to the Countess Agenor de Gasparin, and this lady started a fund to help him in his work.

His mi 'ld was now occupied with a great idea which had corne to him on the stricken field of Solferino, and that was the neutralisation of the ambulance in war and at the close of the campaign he lost no in entering upon a vigorous campaign in favour of a special international flag, which on the field of battle should protect both the wounded and those i? succouring them. The first step was the pubhcatlOn of the "Souvenir de Solferino," in which described the horrors he had witnessed. This book was translated into many languages and converted thousands to his views, including the Sovereigns of the principal European States.

As a result of his efforts the first Geneva Convention WiiS held in 1863, when delegates were present from fourteen different countries, and at which it was agreed that voluntary organisations should be formed in time of peace to assist the military medical corps during the time of war, and that the common badge for all such organisations of whatever nationality, should be a red cross on a white ground.

This, briefly, was the history of the International Red Cross, and it is scarcely creditable to the nations which have adopted it that for many years Henri Dunant, owing to a reverse of fortune whereby he lost his all, lived in the g reatest poverty. The man who had lavished all his time and all his income on the realisation of this humanitarian scheme, was overtaken by financial disaster and reduced to poverty. It is said that he was often compelled to lunch off a halfpenny roll and stay in bed while his one set of linen was being washed. Fortunately his condition was brought to the notice of the Dowager Empress of Russia, the warm hearted sister of our own beloved Queen Alexandra, and her Imperial Majesty conferred a pension upon him for life, and a committee was formed to help him, and in 19 01 the award of the Noble prize justly recognised his claim to honour and lifted him out of the mire of destitution, and so the closing days of this grand old man were relieved from the anxieties of actual want.

We Britishers should lay to heart the story of Solferino, and see to it that while we have the opportunity we should make such preparation as will ensure that our gallant soldiers shall never be called upon to suffer the horrors of that terrible day, or rather days.

Novembet, 1910.

Colman Cup Competition.

THE ambulance competitions inaugurated at Redhill three years ago as the outcome of the generous action of Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bart., D.L, J.p., in providing a challenge cup for competition has stimulated a growing interest in this excellent work, and at the annual competition at the Colman Institute, Redhill, on Wednesday, November 2nd, thE. gratifying announcement was made that in all probability there would be a considerable accession in the number of teams taking part in competition next year. It is believed that this will be rendered possible largely as the result of the interest aroused by these competitions. It is rumoured that the Reigate Borough Fire Brigade will probably enter two teams next year, the Church Lads' Brigade (Reigate Company) will probably enter a team, and the Redhill Gas Company have made arrangements fur the whole of their men to attend classes and have undertaken to provide the necessary apparatus.

Four teams entered this year's competition, Dr. J. Maclean CarVell acted as judge, and the arrangements were admirably carried out by the Committee appointed. Medals were given to the winning team by Colonel R. H. Rawson, M.P., and clocks were presented to the members of the second team, these prizes being subscribed for by the public. In the competition the total possible points were 300, and the result was declared as fvl.lows :-Redhill Railway, Z42 ; Nutfield No. I, 191; Relgate Borough Police, 17 I ; and N utfield NO.2, 148.

THE DI STRIBUTION OF PRI ZES

At the distribution of prizes in the evening the May o r (Alderman T. Gregory), who was accompanied by the Mayoress, presided. There were present Colonel R. H. Rawson, M.P., and Lady BeatrIce Rawson, Mr. J. Metcalfe (Chief Constable), Capt. Rouse (Chief Officer of the Reigate Borough Fire Brigade), Messrs. G Swann, W. H. Fowler and Flavin.

The Mayor, in opening the proceedings, said that this was his first attendance at these competitions, and fro m what he had seen of them that day he had come to the co nclusion that they were most interesting and instructi ve. Ilaving introduced Colonel and Lady Beatrice Raws?n, l,i5 Worship called upon Mr. W. Fowler (Secretary) to glve some details of the competitions.

Mr Fowler, who mentioned that a letter had been received from Sir Jeremiah Colman, Bart., D L, J. P., the donor of their handsome cup, regretting his inability to be present, said that, as in the previ.ous they had rece!ved fLlur entries. It had been the mtentlOn of the committee to extend the radius in which teams were now able to enter for the competition, but in compliance with. a wish expressed by Sir Jeremiah Colman, they had deCided not to do so and he was plp-ased to say that at the next competition'it was that might have seven ?r eight teams competIng, mcludmg teams from the Redhlll Gas Company and the Borough Fire Brigade. He earnestly called attention to the importance of large employers of labour taking an i!1terest in the work and encouraging their employes to form teams.

The prizes were then presented by Lady Beatrice Rawson.

On the motion of Capt. Rouse, seconded by Mr. Swann, a hearty vote of thanks .was. accorded to CuI. and Lady Beatrice Rawson for then kmd attendance that evening Col. R. H. Rawson, M.P., in response, thanked those

At D.- 'jI

IJrcsent for the kind reception they had given Lady Beatric\; and himself. It was a great pleasure for them to come and do what they could to help such a cause. He was glad to know that on this occasion the marks were higher, and this pointed to an all-round improvement. He again assured them of the great plea'>ure it gave to Lady Beatrice and himself to have been present that evening. The test paper of the "Colman" cup comiJetition will be published next month.

Flame and Flanelette.

AT the same opportune moment as the issue of the flanelette report by the coroner's committee comes a booklet issued under the auspices of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, by Mr. Robert J. Parr, on the same subject.

Its object is to forcibly explain the enormOllS risks of burning accidents to young children through wearing flanelette, and nobody can realise until they examine the Registrar - General 's returns the terrible death roll that fire can claim. Since the introduction of the Children's Bill by Mr. H erbe rt Samuel, Under Secre-

BURN

ON THE BOD Y OF A Boy.

ONE OF THE CA [S WHICH CAr-IE UNDER THE NOTICE OF THE NATIONA L SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION Of CRUELTY TO CHILDRI£ .

tary of State for Home affairs, this evil has to a certain extent diminshed; but prevention is better cure,. for the Children's Act does not bearmg untl1 a child has been killed or suffered senous IOJury. The p,arents of the poorer classes must be educated to take measures to protect their children. from the rlsks of fi:e. This booklet endeavours to serve thiS purpOSE', and by ing illustrations of some of the terrible burning cases which have resulted from gross carelessness on the part of parents, and also suggests measures of precaution that should be

and Flannelette" is published fror,n the office of the N.S.P.C.c., 40, Leicester-square W c., pnce 3d net.

Brevities.

WE are glad to see that at last common sense is beginning to prevail, and that it is now being realised that it is a huge mistake for the British Red Cross Society to continue the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments. This has been our contention all the way along, and but for the artificial stimulus given to the movement by the patronage of D few titled people it would have fiuled out earlier. As it is, the abandoment of the scheme has already commenced in several counties, notably Kent, Northamptonshire and the West Riding of Yorkshire; in conjunction with the County Territorial Associations, the St. John Ambulance Association will at once proceed to form County Companies. After the plain speaking on the part of such prominent men as the Earl of Scarborough, among others, we hope that we shall hear less of the fiction with which the R ed Cross orators have flooded the country, to the effect that until the Red Cross Society came into existence this country possessed no Am bulance organisation worthy of the name. A baser lie was never nailed to the counter, for we say it without fear of contraciiction that this country possesses the finest ambulance organisation in the world, and the eminent surgeon and his Red Cross colleagues know it. Certainly it is capable of further development, and given time the Order of St. John will do this. It was a sorry trick to try and smash the oldest organisation in order to try and create a new one, and we are Elad to see that everything points to a speedy end of this silly opposition.

ADDRESSING a public meeting held at Cresswell, with a view to the formation of first aid classes for men and women, Mr. S. Evans, J.P., said he was very pleased to be associated with ambulance work. It was a knowledge which, in his opinion, would be of great advantage if taught in the day schools, and much more valuable than many of the subjects which were taught at the present day. So far as colliery work was concerned, it would in the future, be a rule that every workman down in the mine must have some knowledge of ambulance work, and he thought it was only right, too, considering the number of accidents that occur daily in the collieries in this country. It was also important that every woman, especially a mother, should have some knowledge of ambulance work. *

SPEAKING at Wakefield, Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell said there was a long felt need in England for women to take up nursing. A knowledge of nursing had been a common practice in the middle ages; in fact, a woman in a high position would have felt it a disgrace if she could not nurse, could not attend to wounds, and could not be of use when an accident or disaster occurred. They wanted to revive that spirit. They wanted every women to feel that, if there was an accident or disaster causing suffer-

AID. - November, 1910.

ing or sorrow, that they must come forward and be of use; and the best way to do that was to resolve to take up this work and join the classes. They wanted every woman to be able to be of use. If they were the world would be a better world. Everything possible ought to be done to make women more capable of taking their place in the Empire, and to fill some gap in our great Empire was what every man and every woman ought to wish for, and the best way of doing so was by proving themselves tenderhearted, kind, sympathetic, and of use in the hour of danger and in the hour of need. It was a great lesson inculcated by the redemption, and both men and women should have it more at heart than anything else.

* **

AFTER several weeks of exhaustive trials with all types of rescue apparatus, the Rescue Station Committee of the Nottingham and Derbyshire Coal owners' Association have decided upon the "Meco" rescue apparatus as used on the occasion of the Whitehaven disaster. The wearer carries the oxygen cylinders and regenerator on his back, and in front are the breathing bags, affixed either with the helmet or mouth mask. The oxygen cylinders are charged up to a pressure of 120 atmospheres, and the wearer has to turn only one valve to open both cylinders. After turning the valve the pressure is shown on the gauge, which is worn at either the back or front. The oxygen then flows through a valve, which reduces the flow to two litres per minute. The force of the gas passing through the injector draws the purified air from it, and the oxygen then flows through into the breathing bags, which act as reservoirs, to equalise the varying demands for air. From the breathing bags the oxygen goes to the helmet, and so supplies the wearer. The exhaled breath passes out through another tube in the helmet into the breathing bag, and thence to the regenerator, which contains layers of caustic potash and soda. This acts as a purifier, the carbonic acid gas being discharged from it. The purified air passes round the cooling tube at the top of the regenerator, mixes with the oxygen which is going through the injector, and then goes on its journey again. The working of this apparatus was explained to members of the Institute of Mining Engineers, who recently visited the rescue station at Mansfield Wood house.

ADDRESSING the annual meeting of the Ogmore Vale Ambulance Association, Mr. T. J. Hughes said he had been surprised to learn that members who were working underground and were summoned to render first aid at an accident, did so at the loss of their wages while engaged on their errand of mercy. He did not know whether this was the rule throughout Glamorgan, but he felt that he had only to refer to it to have the matter rectified by the owners. We can hardly credit that such inhumanity can exist, but if it does we should hope that the energetic honorary secretary of the Welsh Centre will use his best endeavours

November, 1910. -FIRST

to get it remedied. Ambulance work involves many sacrifices, but when it comes to taxing a man's weekly wage it is calculated to damp the ardour of the most enthusiastic first aider.

Do Nurses Become Hard?

IT is sometimes argued that there is a tendency in the hospital nurse to become indifferent to the sufferings of her " cases." The theory being that the constant sight of so much human suffering tends in time to make her callous.

The question has recently been discussed by " Matron" in the Nursing Mirror.

"The answer to the question whether a continuance of hospital work produces an indifferent or callous attitude towards suffering is really contained," she writes, "in the words, 'That depends upon the woman.' There certainly are some women (they are happily in the minority) who gain admission into the nursing profession who do d e ve lop hard, unfeeling manners, but one cannot say that hospital life produces them. The tendency was there, and the lack of sympathy not so apparent in the early days becomes more noticeable as the probationer gets through her training.

"The type of woman who may develop this callous manner is usua\\y clever; she probably possess e s rude health, and accomplishes a full share of hard work. She is likely to establish a reputation for keeping a ward 'smart' and dealing well with emergencies-excellent qualities, which win her good reports, only qualifi ed by remarks as to an abrupt manner with her patients, or a little wa nt of patience; and she is perhaps a certificated nurse, having reached a position of some authority, before any troubles are referred to the nurse's want of finer perceptions or a ck of true sympathy.

" Nursing is a vocation, and it is because the professional and the commercial element has crept in that we hear from time to time of unfeeling nurses and callous women in uniform. The responsibility of choosing 'fit persons' has undoubedly become greater of late years.

"Looking back over more than eighteen years of continuous hospital work, remembering the num bers of devoted lives that have in passing touched my own, and the example of those whose very presence radiated sympathy, I am convinced that the fault lies not with the work but in the worker. In the rush of hospital life there is little time for the sentimental expression of sympathy, but the probationer who commences her career with an earnest desire to help suffering humanity, who has been drawn to the noble work of nursing by thoughts of the Divine Master, will realise the privilege of her calling and will retain her womanly sympathies throughout the longest career."

We quite endorse "Matron's" views we have met the stern callous hearted member, but such are in the minority.' Their true avocation would be that of a prison wardress for which they are eminently fitted. Thank heaven though, nurses of the same stamp as Florence Nightingale are still with us, and we helieve that in time the c.allous, albeit clever, nurse, will be as extinct as Charles DIckens' "Sairey Gamp."

Mr. Haldane, in addressing the Scottish Branch of the British Red Cross Society recently, emphasised the importance of the Medical Service to. the Ar.my. "The wastage," he remarked, "is very great )f there )S no proper medical service."

ASSISTANT-COMMI SSIONER HERBER T D. W. LEWIS, No. VlI. DI STRICT, S.J,A.B., DONAT O F THE HO SPITAL OF ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM IN ENGLAND.

MR. HERBERT LEWIS who is the eldest son of the late Rev. David Lewis, V. D., M.A., R.D., who was for thirtynine years Vicar of Briton Ferry, was born at Briton Ferry,

in the County of Glamorgan, February 25 th , 18 7 2 • Educated first at Rossall College, Lancashire, and subsequently at the Finsbury Technical College under Professor Silvanus Thompson.

Leaving College, he served his time as a mechanical and electrical engineer, and subsequently held many important appointments. He is now a in th.e firm of Messrs. Herbert Lewis & Fletcher, consultmg engmeers, Prudential Buildings, Cardiff, and Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W.

About six years ago Mr. Lewis was approached by the Mayor of Cardiff and the Chief Constable, and asked whether he would undertake the task of reviving the Cardtff Centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, which was then in a more or less moribund condition. A public meeting was by the Mayor, the Chief Secretary of the ASSOCIatIOn attended. and dehv:red a most interesting address, and as a result It was to re-form the Centre, and Sir William Thomas LeWIS, is well known in the colliery world, accepted the pOSItIOn of President a'nd the Lord Mayor of Cardiff that of Chairman of the Committee of the Centre. So enthusiastically was the work taken up that in the following year it was

Photo by) [H. j. B. Vells, Ca rdiO".

decided to enlarge the Centre's sphere of optrations by including within its area Cardiff and the County of Glamorgan as far west as Bridgend. The following year the Centre was again enlarged and the whole County of Glamorgan was placed under its jurisdiction, and, on the invitation of the Committee of the Centre, the Marquis of Bute and the Earl of Plymouth accepted the position of patrons.

An event which, undoubtedly, gave additional impetus to am bulance work in the county was the presentation by Mr. Harry Webb of a handsome silver challenge cup for annual competition. On the first occasion it was competed for it was won by the Mardy Division, S.J.A.B., and they are the present holders.

In 1909 it was decided to place the whole of Wales and Monmouthshire (with the exception of Newport and the Railway Centres) under one jurisdiction, and Mr. Lewis was appoint ed Honorary Secretary of the Centre, which is, undoubtedly, the largest on the roll of the Association. To commemorate the event Sir William Lewis, who is a Knight of Grace of the Order, presented the Centre with the "Lady Lewis" Challenge Cup for annual competition amongst representative teams of Wales and Monmouthshire.

It will be well within the recollection of our readers that it was mainly through the exertions of Mr. Lewis that Cardiff now possesses one of the best motor am bulances in this country. He it was who collected the necessary funds - amounting to ,£800-to purchase the carriage. The service is worked by the Cardiff City Council and is daily giving fresh evidence of its utility. The town of Swansea is also in possession of a very fine motor ambulance.

Committee. of the Centre is a thoroughly representatlve one and lDcludes most of the principal coal owners and works owners, whilst its list of vice-presidents includes the various Lord Lieutenants and many of the Mayors.

In 1908, Mr. was appointed an AssistantCommissioner of the St. J obn Ambulance Brigade, the stre!lgth of wbich in the Principality has greatly increaSed dunng the last few years. evidence of this fact was given in Sept e mber last when 1,500 men and women paraded at Cardiff for inspection by the Chief Comm!ssioner. The Deputy-Chairman of the Association (Sir RIchard Temple ) was also present, and the Marchioness of Bute showed the warm interest she took in the movement by graciously. promising to present a challenge cup for annual competltlOn among the Nursin g Di\' isions of Wales and Monmouthshire.

On the of the. National Pageant of Waks, in 19 0 9, Mr. LeWIS was appOinted Chairman of the Grand Stand and Ground Committee. Under his supervision complete arrangements were made to cope with any aCCIdents ?r cases of sudden illness which might occur. Two hospItal tents fully equipped were pitched in the grounds, and a staff of 150 men and 50 nursing sisters were on ambulance duty.

Although largely occupied wi t h his ever increasing duties in conne c tion with the ambulance movement Mr yet finds time to dev o te to other public duties.'

IS. a memb er of. Territorial Association, County DIrector of th e Bntlsh Red Cross Society of which the Countess of Plymouth is president, the Earl of Plymouth treasurer, and :Mr. Lynn c.B., the honorary secretary. He IS also County DIrEctor of the Territorial Association. He takes an active interest in the Cardiff Infirmary and is on the Executive Committee, holding

AID.- November, 1910.

similar appointments also in connection with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and the Charity Organisation Society. Recognising the value of the Boy Scout Movement Mr. Lewis does all that he can to assist its progress in the Principality, and acts as chairman for the Boy Scout's Competition.

Like many other enthusiastic followers of the" Good Samaritan," the subject of our sketch is keenly interested in Freemasonry. At the present time he is Worshipful Master of the" Duke of York" Lodge, No. 2,453. he is also a mem ber of the Royal Arch, and an enthusiastic Mark Mason.

This notice would scarcely be complete without some reference to Mrs. Lewis. This lady who is the only daughter of the late Gom er Williams, of Aberlloch, Breconshire, and grand -daughter of David Williams (Alau Goch), Yniscynon, Aberdare, was married to Mr. Lewis on January loth, 1903, and they have two bonnie lads. Mrs. Lewis is a helpmate in the truest sense of the word, she is warmly interested in her husband's work, and is President of the Cardiff Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and a. member of the Executive of the Cardiff Infirmary and many other societies.

,Ve have on many occasions referred to the almost phenomenal growth of ambulance work in Wales durin g the last few years, and there is no doubt that much of the credit for its rapid spread is due to the subject of our sketch. Like all enthusiasts of the ambulance movement he never spares hi mself in his efforts to promote its extension, especially amongst those classes to whom a knowledge of first aid is of such priceless value. We wish him continued and increased success in his great undertaking, and may the Welsh Centre, of which he may justly be said to be the principal fo under, continue to have the advantage of his guiding hand for many years to come.

A me e ting of the Northamptonshire Territorial Force Association was held at the County Hall, Northampton, on October 28 th, under the presidency of Viscount Downe. A discussion took place regarding the formation of Voluntary Medical Aid Companies, when the secretary intimated that the Authorities had been asked to recognise the St. John Ambulance Brigade Companies already raised in the county instead of raising fresh detachments of untrained men. It was contended that ambulance arrangements in the county were exceptionally well organised under Asst.Commissioner Woolston. It was also reported that a communication had been received [rom the War Office, stating that St. John Am bulance Companies would be recognised, and pointing out that the appointment of County Director of Voluntary Aid Organisation rested with the County Association. The chairman suggested that Asst.-Commissioner Woolston should be appointed to the office. He had got the whole thing at his finger ends. On the proposition of Major Fisher, seconded by Mr. Ryland Adkins, it was decided to invite Assistant-Commissioner Woolston to take the offic e

'November, 1910. -FIRST a

No. I District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

ST. JOHN 'S GATE NUR SING DI VISlON.- The annual distribution of clothi(lg to the poor of Clerkenwell will be held at St. John's Gate on Wednesday evening, Dec. 21st, from 6 to 9 o'clock. All who are interested in th e scheme are invited to inspect the year's work between 5 and 6 o'clock.

Our readers well know the excellent work the nursing sisters of the No.2 Nursing Division undertake each year in the relief of poverty, and in order to deal with it effectually they have organised a Whist Drive-to provide funds to purchase material-which will take place at the "Baltic" (Slaters), Leadenhall-street, on Saturday, Nov. 26th, at 7 o'clock. Particulars can be obtained from the Lady Supt. of the Division, Mrs. J. Calvin Lines, 93, West End-lane, N.W.

The NO.9 Co. (comprising Nos. 27, 37,4 4,48,54 and 55 Divisions) held a church parade on Oct. 23rd. Mustering at their head::J.uarters, they marched to St. James's Church, Paddington, headed by the G.W R. and Paddington Borough Silver Prize Band. The following officers were on parade, the Deputy-Commissioner (Col. Lees Hall), the District Chief Surgeon (Col. James Cantlie), Hon. Surgeon Carvell, Hon. Surgeon and Supt. Deane (No. 54 Division), District Supt. Secretary W. J. Pontin, Supt. W. H. Maunder (Commanding NO.9 Co.), Supt. Knight (Ealing), 1St Officers A. E. Evans, Pullen and JOllrnett, Lady Supt. Miss J. J. Law, and 1St Nursing Officer Miss Edith Bourke, and several nursing sisters.

The Company presented a very smart appearance, and along the route their marching and steadiness in the ranks was frequently commented on. The playing of the celebrated prize band was also eulogised. A large congregation assem bled in the church, a token of the warm appreciation in which Division is held on account of its zealous and unpaid work on behalf of the public.

The Vicar, the Rev. Marcus Rainsford, preached an eloquent sermon from the text "Little children keep yourselves from idols. " In the course of his remarks the rev. gentleman pointed out that the present generation were at times only too prune to idolatry, the worship of " Egotism " being one of its worst forms. Referring to the visit of the Brigade, he extended to them a hearty welcome, and testified to the excellent work which was done on the occasion of the late King's funeral. The Brigade had lately had a high distinction conferred upon it, and fully deserved the honour.

On leaving the church the Company formed up outside, and again headed by the band, marched back to headquarters, where, after the National Anthem had been played, the men were dismissed.

No.2 District.

PORTHLEvEN.-In order to test the efficiency of the members of this division, their energetic honorary surgF:on

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75

and superintendent (Dr. Spaight) gave a surprise call tu headquarters at midnight on Thursday, November 3rd. The weather was very rough, the wind blowing a gale with heavy rain. At twelve o'clock Dr. Spaight accompanied Sergt. Bowden and Pte. Eddy started out, and summoned the nine members residing furthest from headquarters. In five minutes four had arrived, and in ten minutes the nine had reported themselves. The doctor highly complimented the men on their smart turn out. The annual Report of this division just to hand has been compiled in a most concise form. No useless verbiage has been employed in its pages, it is just a record of work done, and good work too. The division is small, and we can quite understand that the popular commanding officer has not had an easy task to keep it going, but he is .the right sort to do so, plenty of" grit" and a genuine love for the work.

FA U lO UTH - The annual county church parade for the Cornish divisions took place here on Sunday, October 16th, at 3 p.m. Unfortunately, owing to the inclement state of the weather the attendance was not so large as bad been anticipated. The following divisions were on parade, Redruth, 13; Porthleven, 19 ; Do1couth, 2 I ; Falmouth, 12 Pool, 10. Supt. R. J. Parsons (Redruth) was in command, and the other officers on parade were Hon. Surgeon and Supt. Spaight (Porthleven) Supt. W. James (Dolcouth), Hon. Surgeon C. R. Brown and Supt. R. H. Quick (Falmouth ) At the conclusion of the parade the members of the various divisions were entertained at tea by Mr. C. S. Goldman, M P. We are pleased to learn that the Falmouth Division, which was only registered in May last, has now an effective strength of 20 men, 16 of whon! are wearing the regulation uniform.

No. 4 District.

H ULL.-A combined church parade was held here on Hospital Sunday, October 30th. The following took part. Eleven divisions of the Hull Corps, St. John Ambulance Brigade, two companies of the Royal Army Medi.cal Corps (Territorials), and representatives of the Boys' Brigade ann Boy Scouts. Headed by the Station Band of the East Riding Territorial Association, and under the command. of Assistant-Commissioner A. Hammersley Johnston (Actmg Chief Supt., Hull Corps), marched to the Newland C?ngreO'ational Church, where an inspiring address was delIvered by the Rev. J. G. Patton, his subject being Mercy and Peace." The church was full and the servIce was much appreciated by all ranks. The Anthem was sung. by the choir in a faultless manner and was much apprecIated by all who heard it, as also was a selection of sacred music played by the band.

An interesting function took place on Saturday, November 5th, outside the Holborn Hall, the headquarters of the Eastern Division, when Supt. .Krause asked F. R. Ferens, Esq., M.P. for East Hull, to present to the officers and members of the Hull Corps a horse ambulance wagon, which had been su bscribed for by residents of the Eastern portion of the city.

Mr. Krause, who is the offic er in charge of th.e East ern Division, realising how many of the cases whIch were removed bv the old wagon, came from East Hull last year, out :Jf hundred removals, fully two-fifths came. fro?1 this district, determined to obtain a for m the East. In two months he succeed e d In obtalnmg the necessary amount to purchase an up -to-date wagon, and this was duly built in London.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention" First Aid."

-FIRST

The afternoon's proceedings were presided over by Sheriff of Hull (T. S. Taylor, Esq.). Mr. Ferens havll1g made the presentation, and the gift having been duly acknowledged on behalf of the corps by Assistant-Commissioner A. Hemmersley Johnson, a move was made for the hall, where several interesting speeches were made and refreshments were served to the assembled company by the Nursing Sisters. A large number of the corps were present, as were also many of lea.ding. medical m.en of the city. Although the wagon IS prImarily for service In the Eastern part of the city, it will be available for use In any other parts should it be needed.

No. 7 District.

BLAENAU FESTINIOG.-This division was inspected on Septem ber 29th at the Drill Hall, the inspecting being Supt. Richard Jones, M.D., J.P. The dlv1sIOn paraded under the command of 1St Officer W. M. Owen, and was subsequently exercised in company and stretcher drill by Sergt. Lloyd Jones. At the conclusion of the drills the inspecting officer addressed the division, expressing satisfaction at the way in which the various movements had been executed. Incidentally he mentioned that he was pleased to inform them that suitable headquarters would shortly be found for them in which to drill and hold their lectures. He urged them to try and persuade as many new members to join as possible, in order that their ranks might be strenghtened and .the knowledge of such useful work as first aid extended.

Nelson Corps and Centre.

THREE DAYS' BAZAAR-A DEBT OF £700 WIPED OFF.

On November 3rd, 4th and 5th a most successful bazaar was held in connection with the Nelson Corps of the S J.A.B. On each day there was a large attendance, with the result that when the doors were closed on Saturday night a debt of £700 on the Ambulance Hall had been wiped off.

The hand·book of the bazaar contained some interesting particulars of the progress of the corps, which was inaugurated in 1888. In October of that year the first male class was formed, and a month later a class for females was commenced. In 1892 an ambulance carriage was purchased at a cost of £94. On June 29th, 190 I, a hall, costing £2,000, was opened by Col. Sir Herbert C. Perrot, Bart., and Col. Bowdler, and the following year a bazaar was held at which £900 was raised towards the building fund. Since then money has been raised in various ways, until a debt of £700 only was left on the building. The present effort was inaugurated to clear off the debt, and the effort has been successful.

From the first the movement has been very successful, and the members have assiduously rendered good service both in thhl country and in South Africa. During the war the corps supplied 34 men for active service, and of these all returned safely with the :xception of Private W. Hugill, who succumbed to fever In South Africa. The present strength of the corps is 78.

On Thursday the bazaar was opened by Lady O'Hagan who, in an admirable speech, said that she held that such instruction as they received in their ambulance classes ought to be an integral part of the education of their young people. She could not consider that in their educational system they fulfilled their pledge to prepare their children

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November, 1910.

for the battle of life unless they gave them such instruction as would enable them to guard against so much usel ess and so much painful suffering. She hoped that that admirable institution, the St. John Am bulance Brigade, might make its claims so fully felt, and might make its value so much appreciated, that before long their masters in the regulation of the Government and education, would see their way to equip all their young people to become efficient, working, and intelligent members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

On Friday the Mayor of Nelson, Ald. A. Smith, J.p., performed the opening ceremony, and after congratulating the officials on th:: efficient way in which they had kept the corps one of the best in the country, said that the curriculum of their schools contained many admirable subjects, but he thought that there were items in the curriculum that might come out and in their place instruction given in ambulance work.

The opening ceremony, on Saturday, was performed by Colonel C. J. Trimble, Deputy Commissioner for NO.4 District, who delivered a characteristic speech and showed how the ambulance movement had progressed during the past twenty years. In NO.4 Division there were no less than 170 units of the Brigade with which about 5,000 men and women connected. There was no work so strenons as ambulance work, and the reason they did the work was because it was Christian. It created self-denial and unselfishness, and on these attributes it was based. Referring to the trouble that has existed between the War Office and the St. John Ambulance Association regarding Voluntary Aid Det3.chments, he said he was pleased to report that the matter had been amically settled.

Epileptic Seizures and the Pulse.

DR. A. E. RUSSELL, in his Goulstonian Lectures, supports the view that the existing cause of an epileptic fit is due to a sudden lack of arterial blood in the brain, and from certain observations which he has made he puts brward the that in some cases at least there is a cessation of the pulse prior to the fit. Drs. Gibson, Good and Penny have succeeded in obtaining from five epileptic subjects pulse tra.cings showing the transition from the normal to the epileptic stage, and these are published in the Qtlarterly Journal of Medicine. No cessation of the pulse is, however, visible on any of the tracings, although in one case the pulse at the wrist as palpated by the finger seemed to have disappeared; but the authors point out that in the spasms of epilepsy the anterior tendons of the wrist may become so tautened as to conceal the pulse-wave to the examining finger. They confirm the conclusion arrived at by Munson that there is a slight quickening of the pulse immediately preceding the seizure, but the records taken from the brachial artery show that there is no alteration of the pulse sufficient to affect the amplitude of the wave up to the point when clonic convulsions prevent its being properly recorded; in more than one record the fit was definitely in progress before the record was thus interfered with. They found no such lowering of general blood pressure as to suggest that cerebral anremia from any general cause can produce a convulsion. While not wishing to deny that stoppage of the pulse is a possible cause of epilepsy, they look for the mechanism of the fit rather to a local cause in the brain, such as a vaso-motor spasm, rather than to a general cause such as lowering of blood pressure from cardiac inhibition or splanchnic dilation.

We are in no way responsib,e lor the opinions or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

RULES OF THE S T.A.B.

DEAR SlR, - 1 would like to ask you, Mr. Editor, and many of your correspondent's who are members of the S.J.A.B. a few questions :-

Ist. - Is it prudent for any officer to hold more than one office in a corps or division?

2nd.-Sh0uld not a proper record be kept of all busmess done during the year? say in a 3rd .- 1s it a custom to appomt jUn10r members for pro motion over the heads of medallIon and bar members?

4th. - Has not the Brigade the sole power to nommate any one member for promotion?

sth.-Should not the rules and regulations be ac cess1ble to every member of the Brigade?

6th.-Has the superintendent unllm1ted power to d1ctate, control and promote whom h e chooses? Without the consent of the Brigade members. .,

7th.-ls it expedient for mdlv1duals are not qualified members to hold an official posit ion in the Bngade?

Why I ask the above recently attended the annual meeting (so called ) of our DIVISion.

The Hon. Surgeon who is also Supermtendent and Treasurer presided. There was no nor were any minutes read, all that was communIcated was a l1st of attendances and the names of those promoted, and the offices they held. If any desired t? say or to put a question in regard to the mner workmg of the he was promptly told by the Chairman to sit down, and so 1t .went on for an hour and a half, and at the finish we were no than we should have been if we had not attended, all gOing away saying" fooled " !

.,

I have been a member of the DIVISion SIX years a nd ha ve seen members who have been in the Brigade only twelve months made corporals, and sergeants with less than two ye;:us service simply because they are fancy men of the supenntendent, these men are not even efficient as regards etc. My contention is that when members m theIr full number of attendances and pass the re-exammatlon year no one man is better than anothe:, they are effi cient! Hence any promotion should be left 10. the hands of the members themselves, that is, their own. I believe this is in the General RegulatIOns therefore should not be departed from.

Our Brigade Secretary (not General Secretary ) IS also Storekeeper, Corporal of Stores, Inspect0r of Stores and also a sergeant. 11 ) 1 There are smart and intelligent men (commerCIa 10 t 1.e Brigade and every effort. be made to. retam thel: services' no they leave WIth d1sgust.-Yours faIthfully, , , "S USSEX."

[I n reply to the several queries of our Correspondent our views are as follows;-

Ist.-We see no objection tv an officer holdlOg .more than one appointment- such as Hon. Surgeon and Supenntendent.

2nd. -Yes; decidedly a minute-book be kept.

3rd .-The correct method o[ 12romotlOn IS. for thl.! candidate to pass a qualifying examlOatlon to show hiS .fitness to hold the position. The fact that he holds the or is in possession of one or more labels would certainly not

entitle him to promotion to h igher rank unless he passed the examination as laid down in General Regulations.

4th. -We presume our correspondent means by the term "Brigade," the Division. The Division has no such power. Supernumerary offi cers are promoted by the Deputy-Commissioner o! the D istrict on the recommendation of the superintendent or officer in charge, who must we believe certify that the member recommended has passed the qualifying examination.

sth. - Yes, a copy of General Regulations is supposed to be kept at Headquarters, and to be accessible to any member.

6th. - The Superintendent has certainly power to control the Division-otherwise what would be the use of his holding the appointment. He certainly could not be expected to ask the consent of the members of the Division before promoting a member. Such an idea is almost too frivolous to require an answer.

7th. - It is allowable for honorary members to hold the position of treasurer or act as a of. the Finance Committee, but they cannot hold any position 10 a Corps or Division of the Brigade which carries a rank. The replies given are not official and must not be taken as such by our correspondent, but they are based on our reading of the Brigade General Regulations.-ED. FIRST AID.]

THE CULT OF SOCIALISM.

D EAR SI R -I am afra id that you will regard my views on the policy of yo'ur ed itorial on the subj ect as of a somewhat contradictory character FIrstly, 1 am Incllned to agree with your W. W. H':lnt and G. Bishop, as to the wisdom of your devoting any portlOn of your valuable paper to a discussion on. the th.eories of Socialis.m, or any other "ism." Controversial subjects are at most tImes weansome and when we find them occupying a page of one of our favou'rite journals we resent intruslOn. So in future Editor leave so thorny a subject alone, and let us have d1scussed in your columns first aid and kindred subjects only. Lest it might be thought from the above that I disapproved of tbe opinions you expressed, I think 1t nght. to say that on the contrary I a';ll in with them, espe cially that to the of tender years in the of you. don t or conservat ives trammg babies In theIr politIcal faIth. Certa inly not they wait unt1l they arrive at an age when they are old enodo h to think and de cide for themselves. By all means train them to be useful citizens, and this is being done by Baden Powell s Scout movement, despite the s!leers?f W. W. Hunt. Personally, I cannot imagine 3: beIng a follower of "The Good Samar itan." TheIr prInc1ples, as I have heard them acclaimed in Hyde Park, and on Clerkenwell Green, always suggest to me that they are rather of the other g entlemen who had preceded the Samantan on the road to J eri cbo.

But I am afraid I am unduly trespassmg on your space so 1 will draw my remarks to a close, once more beseeching you to avoid discussions on the "isms" of the future.- Yours faithfully,

A {BROSE THIRKELL.

TREATMENT OF DEPRESSED SKULL.

D EAR SlR,- I am particularly in Dr. Muir's remarks on page 83 of the Text-Book In your September issue. 11 b 1 attended a competition at Swansea, Dr. Carve the examiner. 1 was asked to treat a depressed skull. I did not apply the ring- pad, but was told 1 should h!lve done st? N ow in view of Dr. Muir s remarks, I shall ?eem It a favour If you please inform me, through the medIUm of your valuable paper, which of gentlemen correct.

Thanking you in ant1clpatlOn.-Yours fa1thfully, F. J. REES.

P.S.-I understand the above test was given at all the sectional exams on the G. W. R.

[In this case the correspondent was asked to treat a "depressed skull." I do not think these were the words used

-FIRST

by Dr. Carvell. The test was probably a "depressed fracture of the skull, with some h<rmorrhage." This means (in my opinion ) a piece of bone driven in on to the brain-quite different to the" starred fracture" alluded to by Dr. Muir; and a nng pad ought to have been applied.

The first-aider must be observant in noting the details of the injury, and resourceful in judging as to the best method of treatment to be employed.- HEATON C. HOW \RD.]

THE NURSES GOSPEL LEAGUE.

DE \R SIR,-It is proposed to form a society which will be known "The. Nurses Gospel League," its object being the free of the and Gospel literature amongst the patients In the hospitals. The expenses will be by a weekly" penny" fund among nurses, and subSCriptIOns, &c.

Will those who may be interested kindly send on their opinion of the proposed league, with any suggestions which they can offer for the advancement of Christ's kingdom among the sick--Yours truly, HOWARD BAKER. 27, Northwood-street, Birmingham.

SCHAEFER'S METHOD OF RESUSCITATION.

SIR,-I have read ';'I'ith interest the papers sent to your Journal by Dr. R. D. MUIr, and would like to comment on his statement, on page 5 r of the October number referrin cy to Professor Schaefer's methods of artificial respiratiod page r 2 of Cantlies Handbook.

The worthy doctor states that the book means "the clothIng must not. be removed at all." No.w, surely, if clothing such a collar, tie, band or are tight, the passage of the air, to and fron: the lungs, will not be so free, as if the clothing was If the passage of the air is impeded, the result obtamed will not be so good. The time required to loosen art.icles of clothing is so small, that the few seconds lost In startmg the artificial respiration would be more than accounted for by the better results.

It me to be misleading a young first aider when you not to loosen any clothing at all. " I trust that Dr. Melr will excuse me for commenting on his papers which I am sure have been much appreciated by myself as 'well as many other readers of FIRST Am, but I would like some of y.om.readers to their opil1:ions. Thanking you in anticlpatlOn,-I remam, Sir, yours faithfully,

WILLIAM GOODLEY.

1St. Officer, G.E.R., Ambulance Brigade, :v1arch.

[Our is wrong in his contention. have Just referred to an ongmal article on the method WrItten Pro(essor Schaefer himself, and we haye much pleasure m the .information of our correspondent the Professor sown mstructlOns :efforts t.o breathing must be con:menced zlIlmedzately the patient IS removed from the water - no t' should lost in or loosening clothing-and seve.red In energetically for t';'l'o or three hours, or until a medical man has pronounced life to be extinct." -ED. "F.A. "]

TREATMENT OF FRACTURED KNEE - CAP.

DEAR SIR, - Would you kindly let me know how to treat a fractured knee-cap (compound ) single handed. There is a controversy amongst the. members of our corps as to how it should have been treated In recent competition; whether by 8 or by applYing bandages above and below <IS fractured thIgh. Should th.e feet be tied together and wo'uld It as well to apply tournIquet to the femoral artery. By lettmg. me know through your columns be much apprecIated by-Yours truly,

[ J. CHOPPING.

The treatment for compound fracture of knee-cap would be figure of. bandage and other bandages as on pages 59 and 60 of CantlIe s text-book. Dress the wCl1ncl Tou' t femor It" rnlql1e on a ar ery IS not requIred. The feet need not be tied together.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

AI D.- November, 1910.

COPENHAGEN.- On the morning of October 8th the guard of the new harbour here discovered that a small boy was lying, apparently dead, at the bottom of the canal and close up to the quay. Hastily fetching a boat-hook managed to bring the boy to the surface. By this time a crowd had assembled, and willing hands helped him land the body. Although it was taken for granted that the child was dead, artificial respiration was at once resorted to. In the meantime the fire brigade and the ambulance station had been communicated with by telephone, and the ambuJancp. wago?s from both institutions were promptly on the spo.t.. ASSistant Fulck at once got to work with the new revIving apparatus "Pulmotor," and after an interval of from. four to five r,ninutes, the people were astonished to see sIgns of returmng life, and after some little time tbe child opened his eyes. With returning life the child seemed to and appeared as though about to cry, whde lIttle form shivered. The boy was at on.ce wrapped In hot blankets, and placed in the fire bngade bulance and conveyed to the hospital, where he was detalne.d. Later. in the day it was reported that the chlld had qUIte recovered and it had been ?ecided to discharge him from the on the followIng dil.\'.

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The InGependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

recent events, such as the General Election and the lamentable industrial struggle in Wales, will have had a tendency to add to its severity.

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OR1GINATORS OF ELECTRO-PLATE.

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Dessert Forks £.1 0 0

Tea Spoons 12 6

CHOICE OF TEN PATTERNS AT ABOVE PR1CES.

CATAI,O G UES ON APPLICATION.

LONDON SHOWROOMS:

73, Cheapbide, E.C., and 22, Regent St., S W. (Bel ow Piccadilly Circus).

BIRMINGHAM: Newhall St.

LIVERPOOL: Lord Street.

MANCHESTER: St. Ann's Sq.

GLASGOW: Buchanan Street.

NEWCASTLE: Northumberland Street.

The Season's Greetings to all

ONCE more we are approaching that festive season which is reminiscent of the birth of the Christian era, but which IS regarded by the utterly thoughtless as a period to be solely Our Readers. devoted to the pursuit of their own selfish pleasures. We are afraid it is hopeless to appeal to the better nature of such a class and urge them to come forward and assist their less fortunate fellows at this season of the year. It is so easy to give voice to the good old English Christmas greeting, "A Merry Chri5tmas," but how many we wonder what a hideous mockery this same greeting seems to be to the weary, half-starved "out of work?" Since the days of Dicken's "Christmas Carol," the pen of many a powerful writer has pleaded the cause of Christian charity at Christmas time, but the results of these appeals are hardly creditable to the nation as a whole. One turns to the various su bscri ption lists only to find the same names invariably appearing year after year.

Everything seems to point to the present winter as likely to be both long and severe, which means that the distress will be more acute than in addition to which

" Peace on Earth, Good Will toward Men," that is the motto that we should like to see entwined around the heart of every man, woman and child at this season of the year, but political passions once aroused it will be some little time before the rival parties forget the bitter struggle in which they have so recently engaged. We have no political bias in the matter, but we do say speaking from a strictly humantarian point of view, and in the interests of the poorer section of the community, that we consider it was a cruel thing to fling the country into the turmoil of a General Election just before Christmas. With the pains and penalties of the Corrupt PractiCes Act constantly before him the aspirant for political honours will, we have no doubt, withhold his support from many a deserving charity, which in the past may have benefitted from his benevolence at this season of the year. Surely no great principle would have been sacrificed if the Elections had been deferred until the New Year. Why then this unseemly haste? It is all very well to say that the greater part of the Elections will be over well before Christmas, and will not, therefore, aversely affect the Christmas trade. Prominent shopkeepers argue to the contrary, but even presuming that it may not, that does not effect our contention that it will affect the flow of charity, both before and after the Election. Before, as we have already pointed out, in consequence of the Corrupt Practices Act, and, afterwards, it may safely be inferred that a candidate who has been called upon to pay heavy expenses in connection with his Election campaign, whether he win or lose, will not be so generously inclined as he might have been, but for the heavy call upon his purse which this Election has involved.

It has been our pleasure on more than one occaSIOn recently to refer to the splendid way in which the mining population in the Principality has taken up the am bulance cause, our contention being that its teaching must lead to a greater regard being shown for the safety and welfare of the toilers underground. The record of the last few weeks, however, must bring the flush of shame to the cheek of every self-respecting Welshman. As regards the rights and

wrongs of the quarrel, having no information, we cannot express an opinion even if we desired to, which we do not. The colliers may have a grievance or they may not, but no grievance, however great, would justify the wanton destruction of the machinery specially designed at great cost to safeguard the lives of those working in the mines. Nor is it any justification for the brutality and violence with which the miners carried on this savage campaign. We do not know whether any am bulance men were to be found in the ranks of these savage rioters, but we trust for the fair fame of the ambulance cause that they were not. We do not, however, think that the blame rests altogether wi th the miners, they are, we believe, easily swayed, whether for good or evil, the responsibility, therefore', of those who are acting as the mens' advisers in the conduct of the recent campaign a very heavy one, and should have taught them to well weigh their words and see to it that no ill advised action on their part should be taken as an incitement to robbery and violence.

The Christmas outlook for these poor misguided men is not a bright one, but we do hope that the. childen will not be called upon to suffer for the sins of their parents, for alas, if the reports which we read be true, the women have vied with the men in the brutal scenes which have been rightly condemned in every quarter.

" Peace and Good Will" does not loom large in the land this Christmas, but may we hope that with the dawn of another year the outlook may be bri g hter. It is with this feeling in our hearts that we should unite in wishing to one and all

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A BRIGHTER NEW YEAR.

Obituary.

IT is with sincere regret that we have learned of the death of Captain Victor Ranter, President of the Royal Federation of Belgium Firemen. The deceased Officer :-v ho passed away on October 27th, after a long and painfui lllness, was held in the highest esteem is this country. The funeral took place on Sunday, October 30th, and was of a public character.

One. who knew him well writes :-" Our comrades of the. Belglal1. Federation lose in Victor Rauter not only an actIve and intelligent President-but also a real workerone who si.nce the foundation of their F ederation in 188 9 hlmself whole heartedly to its development and

Those who h.ave the pleasure of meeting our lllustnous comrade m hospitable country will the courteous and gemal welcome which he at all times to his British confreres." In the name of the !3ntlsh FIre Service we offer our comrades of the Federation our sincere sympathy and condolences m the severe loss which their Service has sustained.

AID.- December, 1910.

The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

Clzancery of tlte Order, St. J olzn's Gate, Clerk enwell, L0 1tdon, E. c., Ist December, I9IO.

THE King has been graciously pleased to sanction the [dlowing promotions in and appointments to the Order of the Hospital of St. John of J erusalem in England :A s Kniglz ts ofJ u stice (from K n ights of Grace) : Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Richard Carnac Temple, Bt., c.I.E.

Sir Alfred Scott C.V.O. (Garter King of Arms).

As Knights of Grace:

Herbert Edward Gregory, Esq. (from Esquire).

David Don, Esq. (from Honorary Associate).

Sylvanus Glanville Morris, Esq , M.D.

William Molson MacPherson, Esq.

His Excellency Sir Henry Macleod Leslie Rundle, K.C.B., K.C.M.G D.S.O.

The Right Honourable Vicount Esh e r, G.c.B., G.C.V.O.

Tonman Mosley, Esq.

Herbert Lewis, Esq.

His Excellency th e Right Honourable Lord Hardinge of Penshurst, G.c.B., G.C.S.I., G.c.I.E., G.C.V.O.

As Lady of Grace : Miss Annie Evelyn Pelly.

Dr. Angus Macgillivray and Dr. Sydney Charles Hillyard Moberly were also enrolled Honorary Associ3.tes at the N ovem ber Chapter.

Methods of Detecting Fire Damp in Mines.

EVER since the Whitehaven disaster the Home Office has been engaged in devising ways and means to add to the safety of those who are engaged in the hazardous occupations connected with the mining industry. Among the foremost of the Home Office Officials who have taken an in. this all im portan t su bj ect we must especially mentIOn Sir Henry Cunynghame, K.C.B., who has been for some time past actively engaged in connection with experiments, and who read a paper of this important subject at a meeting of the Royal Society of Arts, held on Wednesday, N?vember 2Jrd, and which, by the courtesy of the Councd, we have the pleasure to give extracts in our columns.

The of my paper, said Sir Henry, is to give a bnef descnptLOn of the principal methods of detecting firedamp in mines.

You are no dou?t aware that in early mining fire-damp, or fire-vapour, constItuted a very dreaded danger and that the invention of Sir Humphry Davy first afforded a means of. ca:rying a with safety into a fiery atmosphere. The pnnclple of thiS lamp, as you know, is that copper-wire gauze acts as a sieve or filter to ignited gas, the heat being abstracted by the gauze and remaining in it and thus the flame is extinguished.

For many years explosions in mines were put down to fire-damp. Gradually, however, the idea stuted by Fara-

December, 1910. -FIRST day gained ground, that though an ignition of fire-damp might originate an explosion, yet the explosion itself was due to coal-dust. After the Tylorstown disaster it was shown that the majority of the men killed in these explosions do not perish from fire, but die from the effects of the poisonous after-damp. So that we now know that when there is a big explosion-as at Whitehaven-it is not an explosion of fire-damp killing men by its violence, but an explosion of coal-dust which destroys its victims by poison. Ninety per cent, of the men die in this manner fortunately the death is a painless one.

Although fire-damp does not play the part in mine explosLOns which was once supposed, yet it is still very important to keep it under. Small local explosions of firedamp are the only ones which now occur-for it would be impossible for a mine to get filled from end to end with fire-damp without discovery-yet tbese small local explosions injure and kill working parties, and they may originate formidable explosions by setting on fire the impalpable coal dust that is always floating about. Hence it is absolutel y necessary to keep mines clear of fire-damp. Most of the ventilating air sent into a colliery is directed to this aim, for though, of course, it is necessary that men should have pure air to work in, it is far more necessary still that the fire -damp should he cleared away and carried up the up-cast shaft, which is always more or less impregnated with fire-damp.

Fire-damp - or to use its chemical name, methaneis a compound of carbon and hydrogen. It is formed wherever vegetable fibre is decaying under water. It is given off from coal, which is only a fossil is also given off from marshy ponds, and bubbles of It ansmg from them can be set on fire.

In mines such as the hematite mines, where vast quanti ties of pit-wood are accumulated, often soaked in water, fire -damp has been found, although there is no trace of coal in the vicinity. Even small explosions have occurred in such mines.

The chief source of fire-damp is coal. When coal is heated in a retort, gases are driven off which consist principally of methane, and are used for burning in ordinary life. Coal-gas and methane are, therefore, very similar in composition and behaviour.

The amount of methane which, if present in air, will make it explosiv e varies from about 6t to 18 per cent. With less than 6t per cent. there is not enough methane to carryon the combustion. With more than 18 per cent. of methane there is not enough oxygen to carryon the combustion. The most explosive mixture is about halfway between these extremes- namely, about 10 per cent.

The dangers of methane render it very desirable that a means should be found of detecting its presence. This, of course, can only be done by taking some physical which dlffers from air so as to afford a gmde to ItS recogmtLOn.

We can detect coal-gas by reason of the smell, due to some volatile constituents which are released by the heat of the gas-retorts. But pure. has smell, this method - which would, If It were practicable, be the simplest- is not practicable. Methane, if heated, has no effect or practically no effect, on man. One can, therefore, breathe perfectly in an explosive atmo.sphere ar: d be quite unaware of its danger. But IS much lIghter than air. Here, then, we have a pOSSible means of tion. For instance, a very light balloon, aIr heavily contaminated would m ordmary air, but so feebly that thls method IS not applIcable to the

AID.-

detection of small quantities, which, as we have seen above are explosive.

One to detect fire damp is to use the pitch of an organ pipe. Of course, in contaminated air an organ pipe of a particular pitch will sound a different note from that it gives in pure air. Accordingly the difference of note may be observed and conclusions drawn.

We now pass to electrical methods, dependent on the effect of burning methane in contact with a red-hot wire. The proposal of this is due to Mr. Liveing, son of the wellknown chemist. If two platinum wires of equal length and size are both heated by the same current, and to the same degree, that one whi ch is in air will exhibit much less of a glow than that which is in the mixture of air and methane. The difference can be estimated by the eye and the methane judged. An improvement on this instrument has been made by :\ir. Arnold Philip for the Admiralty, or rather a modification. This consists in measuring the increased resistance of a heated platinum wire when immersed in an atmosphere containing methane. I am not in a position to say how this works. The criticism I should make upon it is that the platinum wire may become filled with occluded air, and hence vary in the degree of its resistance but I think this might probably be overcome.

The next instrument depends upon the refraction under air and methane. The velocity of light in the media will be different, and therefore by the proper arrangement of rays of light defraction bands may be introduced as shown in the diagram before you.

The above me thods have been briefly reviewed in order to make it clear that they afford a possible basis for future machines. None of them have been very successful hitherto, and hence in practical use it has been necessary to fall back on one of the oldest methods, namely, the behaviour of flame when subjected to the influence of methane in the atmosphere in which it is burned.

A candle or lamp flame consists of burning gas which is distilled from melted wax or from oil sucked up into the wick. The flame consists of two parts, the body and the mantle. The body is usually yellow, the mantle is a very pale ghost-like colour . When the flame is brought into air containing any combustible gas or vapour, such as methane, a cap appears over the mantle. This cap is usually very pale, so pale that it can be distinguished only with difficulty. Its exterior edge is near the mantle, and owing to the body it is generally impossible to see, unless the lamp is turned down so as to make the whole flame as small as possible. Thus, by turning the light very low, it is possible to see a cap wh en there is I t or 2 per cent. of methane in the air, and to see it clearly when the amount rises to 3, 4 or 5 per cent.

The more volatile the oil, the better the flame is seen. Thus naphtha or ben zine spirit shows the cap better than col za. And, again, the more pale and colourless the flame the better can the cap be recognised, hence flames of alcohol or gas are very suitable. With the "Clowes" lamp per cent. of methane can be d e tected.

The character and height of the cap are indicative of the amount of gas present. With I t per cent. the cap forms a truncated cone, with 2 per cent. it forms a pointed t:iangle, which becomes more acute as the percentage nses.

In order to facilitate the detection of fire-damp, the Home Department has issued cards containing coloured drawings ·of flames showing the caps them. .

It only remains for me to descnbe and show an Improvement introdl,lced into safety lamps by mysP.l( and

-FIRST

Professor Cadman of Birmingham, whereby the cap on flames is rendered more visible.

Everyone knows the effect produced by introduci.ng into a Bunsen gas flame, or into .an. a wire dipped in a salt of sodium. The InVISible flam.e.ls at once turned to a bright yellow colour and becomes vIsible.

The familiar snapdragon is an instance of a similar phenomenon. .,

Exactly the same thing can be done wIth a s lamp. By mounting a small piece of asbestos steeped In carbonate of soda so as to be capable of b eing introduced into the flame of a miner's lamp, a gas cap is rendered easy to see.

In addition, th e re is the great advantage that It IS not necessary to turn the light down, and so no danger that the light will go out is incurred.

It last remains only t o des cribe the most accurate method of detecting gas in mines, but one which takes a little time, and is not suited for use by miners. I mean the method of gas analysis.

The plan is to take a measured quantity of the suspected air, and to pass it into a chamber in which is a red-hot platinum wire. The methane is thus burned out of it. The air is then sent back into the original chamber, free of methane, but containing carbonic acid, and its volume is again measured.

The apparatus on the table is the des-ign of Dr. Haldane, and is being generally employed.

The value of this method is, of course, very great for checking results otherwise obtained.

These are the means at present in practical use for the detection and estimation of fire-damp. They are not yet perfect, but they are daily being improved, and with a very moderate degree of training ought to render the measurement of methane a simple and rapid matter.

[The paper was illustrated by numerous experiments which had been prepared by Professor John Cadman of Birmingham University.l

The South Metropolitan Gas Co.

ANNU AL C OMPETI TION FOR "THE GO OD S AMARITAN" TROPHY.

THE annual competition for "The Good Samaritan" trophy took place at the V a uxhall Works Institute between the employ e s from the various stations and departments of the Company, when a keen and interesting display was witnessed by a large audience. Mr. Doig Gibb (chief engineer) presided.

The judges were Dr. H. P. Potter, Dr. T. Massey, and Dr. W. K. Brewer, assisted by Assistant-Commissioner Morgan, S J.A.B., and Supt. Lines, No. 19 Division, S J.A.B.

TE STS FOR I NDI VID UAL BANDAG lN G- MAXIM Ui\ I roo PO[Wl' s

No. J. Treat fra cture of centre of shaft of left arm with arterial bleeding.

NO.2. Stop subclavian artery (indoors )

NO·3· Treat burst varicose vein four inches above right ankle, with persistant bleeding (outdoors )

NO.4. Treat fractured knee- cap (indoors).

T ESTS FOR "VIVA VO CE"- MAX Il\l UM 80 P OINT S

No. 1. How would you know a fracture was a greenstick fracture?

AID.- December, 1910.

NO.2. A child has fallen into a heap of quicklime some of which has entered the eyes, explain the treatment.

NO.3. State the various methods of getting rid of and neutral ising poisons.

NO.4. Describe the condition of the face, skin, pupils, breathing, pulse and temperature in apoplexy, compression, sunstroke, shock and collapse .

TEST FO R MAl CA SE ( TEAMS OF FOU R )-MAXIM Ui\l 160 POINTS

CARD No. I.

The supposed accident is to be considered as having occurred in these works The only ambulance appliances available are those provided (improvised ma terials; identical bundle for each team ) You all arrive on the scene at the same time; are all experienced first aiders ; you all know the works tboroughly and are acquainted with the immediate neighbourhood. . .

l17jury.- You hear an explOSIOn of gas and on rea chlllg the scene find an adult male who has lost half the right forearm and hand, it having been blown off with the clothing There is much la ceration of the stump, the wound is dirty, the bleeding has stopped. The injured man is conscious. You find him lying on his back on the fi'Jor of the building.

CARD NO.2.

You are aware a doctor lives close by, and of course you have sent for him You also know that St. Thumas s Hospital is within half-a-mile.

a more careful examination you find the injured man is mu ch collapsed. The exposed arteries are throbbing and the muscles jagged, and that there is a quantity of black dirt in the wound.

CAR D NO.3.

The messenger returns and informs you the doctor is out. These cards were presented to the teams by the judge, there being an interval of some minutes between ea ch card.

R ES

At the close great praise was awarded by the directors, many of whom are always present at such meetings. Among the speakers were Mr. Doig Gibb (Chief Engineer), Mr. McLeod (Secretary), Mr. Brown (Senior Engineer), Mr. Hunter (Engineer), Mr. Franks (Engineer), and Mr. Drumgold (Chief Storekeeper).

Unfortunately for Old Kent-road Works the trophy will find a new resting place at West Greenwich for the next twelve months. Kent-road Works have been the holders for the past tW0 years. The winning team including two reserves will be presented with medallions which are to be specially struck from the original design.

AMBULANCE AID FOR THE TERRITORIAL FORCES.--

The Leicestershire Territorial Association has recently decided to take full responsibility for raising Voluntary Aid Detachments in the County. They have appointed Mr. A. W. Faire, J. P., County Director and have Invited both the St. John Ambulance Brigade and the British Red Cross Society to raise detachments.

WHEN CORRERPONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION "FIRST AID."

December, 1910. -FIRST o ___

No.

I District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

ST. JOHN' S GATE NURSIN G DIVISION.--For sixteen years the nursing sisters of the No. 2 Prince of Wales's Corps Nursing Division have been quietly working for the children at the poor living adjacent to the historic headquarters in Clerkenwell, and practically upholding the golden motto of the Order in a manner that is but little known.

Each alternate Wednesday throughout the year is given up to a working party by these good sisters, and in addition a great deal is done privately, with the result that last year upwards of 800 garments were distri buted, in addition to piles of cake, toys, &c., that further gladdened the hearts of the little recipients.

The distribution this year takes place on Wednesday, D.=cember 21St, at St. John's Gate, from 6 to 9 p.m., and the sisters cordially invite any who may be interested to inspect the things prepared and provided from 5 to 6 p. m. on that evening.

Special thanks are offered to Nos. I, 44, 54, and the Wembley Nursing Divisions for kind donations which assisted in purchasing materials upon which the sisters have worked, and it was to replenish this fund that the Whist Drive was organised and so successfully carried lhrough a week or two since, when 325 attended.

We trust this worthy scheme may continue to receive the encouragement it deserves.

BRENTFORD No. 54 DlvisION.--The members of this newly formed division held a grand evening concert in aid of the funds on November 7th. There was a large and gratifying attendance, and we hope that the result will be a financial success.

The concert was of an exceedingly high-class character, most of the items being rapturously encored During the interval Honorary Surgeon Deane, who was warmly received, expressed his thanks to the audience for their attendance that evening. He briefly referred to the formation of the new division, and asked for the support of the people of Brentford.

Assistant - Commissioner Morgan, In an eloquent address, said, as representing the district staff, he would say that the Brentford Division was a sample of about 20,000 men, and the nursing sisters present were also a part of their brigade. They had branches in the Colonies. All the work was purely voluntary, for out of the 20,000 there was not one paid man. They had a reserve of 800 men for the Navy, 2,300 enrolled in the military Home Hospital Reserve, 8 Bearer Companys of 58 each, and they were now forming Companys in connection with the Territorial Force. In the late South African War some 2,000 men served, and the high character of their work would be recognised when he pointed out they were always placed in charge of the most dangerous enteric cases. He thanked them for their kind presence that night.

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The concert was then proceeded with, and at its close Dr. Deane proposed a vote of thanks to the artists and the National Anthem concluded a d e li g htful evening.'

No. 13 (KIN G'S CRO SS, G.N.R.) DI VISIO N.-The members of this Division held a Social and Musical evening at the Alexandra Palace on Saturday, November 26th.

The friends of members were admitted, and all spent a most enjoyable evening. Many well-known artists contributed numbers, but we must especially commend Messrs. Will Ballard, Wan f red Gobey, Arthur V erne, Winfield White, Madames Edith Mailer, Florence Painter, Lulu Picton and Winifred Mansfield for the items which they sontributed. The event of the evening, however, was a presentation to the Hon Secretary of the Division and his wife (Mr. & Mrs. Seabright). It consisted o f a very hand· some green onyx clock with a brass tablet, bearing an inscription that the timepiece was presented in recognition of the very valuable services rendered to the Division by Mr. and Mrs. Seabright in connection with the Divisional Concerts.

The honorary secretary has from time to time pro · mated, with the help of his wife, concerts which have been most successful both from the social and financial standpoint, nearly £ 150 having been placed to the credit of the Divisional Funds, whereby enabling uniforms, &c., to be purchased and increasing the capacity of the mem bers of the Division for public duty.

George Shaw, Esq., goods manager of the Great Northern Railway Co., who is a vice-President of the Division, made the presentation on behalf of the members in a very felicitious speech, and congratulated Mr. and Mrs. Seabright on their evident popularity with the members. Mr. Shaw stated that all the officers of the G.N.R. Co. took a keen interest in ambulance work, and greatly appreciated the efforts of the men who made themselves efficient.

Mr. Seabright, who was greatly moved by the warmth of the reception accorded to his wife and himself by the audience, and for the kind appreciative speech of Mr. Shaw suitably responded, and thanked the members for their 'very handsome present, stating that the clock would always have an honoured place in his home, and adding that he hoped that he would long be spared to act as Divisional Honorary Secretary.

Dr. and Mrs. Main, Dr. and Mrs. Mailer, T. Picton, Esq., A. Gostling, Esq., W. N. Pontin, Esq., and several otlier gentlemen connected with the ambulance movement were pre3ent. Mr. Seabright is the Chief Clerk of the G.N.R Co's Royal Mint-street Dep o t.

No. 2 District.

CHELTENHAl\I.--The first annual competitIOn for the handsome shield presented to this Corps by .the Chief Supt., Major Shewell, took place at the MontpelIer Baths, on Saturday October 29th, in the presence of a large num ber of In to the the winners received five handsome sIlver medals, the gift of Mr. Clark, and this gentleman has kin?ly prom ised to present similar medals each year. Major Shewell and several of the local officers were present, and the Mayor and Mayoress (Councillor and Mrs Margrett) also attended, the former having kindly undertaken to present the trophy to the winning team.

The judging was in capable hands of Chief Surgeon Hayman, of the Bnstol Corps, and the com-

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petltlOn was carried out on similar lines to those which govern the" Dewar."

Four teams entered and at the conclusion were placed as follows :-rst, Police (Sergeant Robinson), 75 points ; 2nd Corporation (H. W. Hill), 7 3rd, St. Peter's (W. Skinner), 65; 4th, Friendly Societies (E. Dancey), 53·

After the declaration of the result, which judging from the applause was very popular, Chief Surgeon Hayman gave a brief address, in which he spoke in terms of the way in which the various teams had gone about their work. It was most creditable, especially considering that they were only formed about a year ago. They would see by the number of the points that the teams were pretty evenly matched. The lowest team came to grief because they treated the wrong lim b, although he went almost out of his way to give them a hint, which however they did not take, other,vise their work was v:::.ry good.

Major Shewell (Chief Supt.) said, before asking the Mayor to present the shield and medals, he desired to thank those present for coming to witness the competition. He thought that they would agree with him that the work they had seen would be a credit to any town , and it was all the more creditable as the Corps had only been formed about a year. They already had about a 1 go men enrolled, and six divisions ir.cluding a nursing division. The competition had proved both interesting and instructive, and he heartily congratulated the police on th e ir success, for he was sure the best team had won. Their best thanks were due to the judge who had been most painstaking.

The Mayor having presented the shield and medals, said the competition had been most interesting, and no one could have witnessed it withuut realising the practical value of the work in these days of conge sted streets and rapid locomotion. In Cheltenham they were in having such a Chief Officer as Major Shewell.

Deputy-Commissioner Griffiths prop ose d a vote of thanks to his Worship the Mayor, and congratulated the Corps upon the h.ct that the movement had the sympathy of the Chief Magistrate. The work done that afternoon would compare very favourably with what he had seen done in other parts of the district. He huped soon to see them in the regulation uniform, and in possession of the transport the removal of the sick and injured to hospItal or to thelr own homes. Mr. W. J. T. Mullins seconded, and it was carried unanimouslv.

In responding, his Worshi p said that Major Shewell had suggested that the .Mayor and Corporation should form an ambulance division, and he personally would be very glad to take his place in it. He thought that they might be doing much less valuable work than that.

Cheers for the Mayor and Mayoress and for Major and Mrs. Shewell brought the proceedings to a close.

No. 4 District.

DIVISlON (LIVERPOOL CORPS).-

DlVlslOn held ltS fifth annual Social in aid of the eqUIpment fund on Thursday, November loth, in the S.tanley H.all, Bootle the proceedings throughout being of a most en)oyable character. The large hall was arranged as a which greatly added to the comfort of the VISItors. In the regretable absence of the Hon A Stanley, M.P., the chair was very ably filled by Small, Esq., B.Sc. The Mayor and Mayoress of BootIe were amongst the guests.

The first portion of the evening was devoted to an

AID.- December, 1910.

excellent cone programme, the several items of which were much Speeches were given which embodied the progr ess and growth of the Nursing Division (upon which the Mayor spoke feelingly, he having presided at the first annual meeting in 1906), the t' fficiency of its members, with a short resume of the public duties undertaken during the past twelve months, and the ever ready help which the nursing sisters gave to their enthusiastic Lady Supt. A vote of thanks to the artists, all of whom gave their services, was followed be the event of the evening, viz., the presentation by the Mayoress of the labels and medallions won during 1910. This lady was then the recipient of a lovely boquet of pink carnations, maiden hair fern, and smilax, presented on behalf of the division by a fairy-like little mite of tender years, Lolo McNaught, the youngest daughter of the Lady Supt. Refreshments were then handed round and enjoyed. Many willing helpers wearing the male uniform of the S.J.A.B., then cleared the room of the tables, &c., and dancing was indulged in until I a. m., which arrived all too quickly. Signalled by the rising strains of " Auld Lang Syne."

LEIGH (LANCASHIRE).-An interesting ambulance competition took place at the headquarters of this Division on October 29th, for the" Harrison " Shield, presented by Councillor W. Harrison, ex-Mayor of L eig h, for individual work. About twenty members entered for the competition, which was judged by Hon. Surgeon Lowe, of the Boothstown Division. After a close contest the shield was awarded to Private T. McS orley, and a hearty vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to Hon. Surgeon Lowe for his kind services.

On November 23rd the members and a large number of their friends assembled for the purpo :, e of a tea party and social in celebration of the presentation of the "Harrison" Shield and other priz es; also the vouchers, medallions and labels gamed at the recent Brigade Examination. At the conclusion of the tea the chair was taken by Hon. Surgeon Jones, who spoke in eulogistic terms of the good work in which the members were engaged. In the absence of Councillor Harrison the shield and other awards were then presented by Mrs. A. R. Jones. At the conclusion of the evening a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Chairman for presi-::.l.ing, to Mrs. A. R. Jones for kindly presenting the awards, and to Dr Joseph Jones for help rendered to the Di vision. Hon. Surgeon A. K Jon es ha ving replied, a very pleasant evening was brought to a close at ten o'clock.

On November 26th the members mustered at headquarters, and marched from thence to Butt's Bridge, to take part in the opening of a new stretcher station, the gift uf Alderman T. B. Greenough, J.P., c.c. In dedicating the station to the public service, Alderman Greenough said he hoped it would be of use to any unfortunate sufferer who might require assistance, but at the same time he hoped that it would be a long time before such aid was needed In presenting this station, said the Alderman, he was only doing his duty, as he fully recognised that everyone who could afford to do so, should assist this good work by every means in their power. He sincerely hoped it would continue to prosper. He understood that since the Division was formed the members had rendered assistance in about 3,000 cases of accident and sudden illness. This was a record of which they might justly be proud. He hoped that their membership would increase, and their opportunities for engaging in this good work would then increase also. .

December, 1910.

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A hearty vote of thanks was proposed to Alderman Greenough on the proposition of Hon. Surgeon Joseph Jones, who in the course of his remarks, said that they all desired to thank the alderman for his gift, and while they echoed his wish that it might be a long time before its services were requisitioned, they trusted that should it be required for any unfortunate sufferer it would prove of the greatest use. A large crowd assembled to witness the opening ceremony.

No. 7 District.

The members of the ambulance Class under the Glamorgan County Council held their social at the Co-

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time for the. ambulance men in attending to the lnJunes of the stnkers and the Metropolitan Police and Glamorgan Force.

<;:lydoch Vale and Llnymypia Divisions-which DIVISIons fO.rm part of the. Rhondda Fawr Corps-have for their smart work, considering the dlfficultles they had to contend with. Mr. Tom Davies the Officer. ?f. the paid many a visit during the nots to the DIVISions which were engaged in attending to the injured.

MAINDY AND EASTERN. These Divisions are making head WRy; they are preparing to build a large hall as headquarters. The Division sent a team to compete for

By courtesy]

[Iro" and Coal Trades Review.

THE ALLERTON BYWATER TEAM.

WINNERS OF THE YORKSHIRE MINES DISTRICT AMBULANCE LEA GU E COMPETITION.

Operative Hall, Ton Pentre, on Saturday, December 3rd

The chair was taken by Lieut. Tom Davies, Chief Supt. Rhondda Fawr Corps. Certificates, medallions and labels were presented to the successful students by Mr. E. Edwards, M.E., Agent Western and Go.rw Collieries (Ogmore). Addresses were subsequently delivered by Messrs. B. Rees, M.E., B. Devonald, M.E., and T. Williams.

The coal crisis in the Rhondda, where serious rioting has taken place among the strikers has proved a

for the "Sir Charles Warren" Shield and were successful in carrying away the valuable and pri ze ..

Some time ago a ?f CollIery Officers and Privates of the DlVlslOns, he3.ded by thelr Chief (Lieut. Tom upon Managing Director of the local Collienes (Mr. J enkms, J.P.) and explained fully the aims and scope of t.he Divis!on. were warmly received and were a sUltable site; Mr. Jenkins, at the same time, promlsmg £100 towards their building fund.

Brevities.

AN old saying runs to the effect "That the stomach should be able to digest whatever the teeth can masticate." There is much truth in this saying, hence too much attention cannot be bestowed to the teeth. For their preservation much care is necessary. Frequent cleansing and periodical inspection by a competent dentist are the best and only means of preventing the main dental disease improperly called caries.

*

It is not generally known that caries or decay is the outcome of germ life, and it is towards the destruction of these microscopic limits of life that the successful treatment of the teeth are directed. With this object antiseptic tooth-powders and antiseptic mouth washes should be used as frequently as possible. In addition to these, floss silk passed between the teeth after meals, or if impracticable, a quill toothpick-on no account use a metal one-will also be found serviceable.

IT is a curious fact that candidates at examinations or competitions do the wrong thing, at the wrong time, in the wrong place. We do not say that these instances are "exceptions which prove the rule," that would b'e severe, for a large percentage of candidates pass with credit. The papers are invariably better than the viva voce, and and there are many points which contribute to this result. For example, more time is permitted for thinking over the questions and answers; one is not confronted face to face with the examiner, which sometimes engenders nervousness. Probably the chief reason of failure is that the candidate has not habituated himself to answer questions. \lany a man knows what he wants to say, and, moreover, the correct answer, without being able to give it, in the same way that man! a scholar is no exponent of his knowledge. All candIdates, therefore, should practise among themselves the art of answering questions. This will accustom one to a detail of the ordeal and probably have the result of gaining success.

SPEAKING at a county meeting of the British Red held at Leeds, Col. Mends, the County DIrector, saId that when the County Association was asked raise voluntary aid detachments in 1909 the instructions by the War Office were that all persons wishing to Jom them must be in possession of both first aid and nursing certificates of the St. John Ambulance Association. The however (if so decided by the County ASSOCIatIOn), were to be raised by the British Red Cross provide for everything except train109 and exammatlOn for certificates. It was not however , ,

AID. - December, 1910.

laid down as to who would continue the periodical instruction after the granting of the first certificate, nor was there a.ny provision for it being undertaken by t:,e Red Cross Society, which had very little footing in the West Riding. The War Office had now decided to recognise the formation of brigade and county companies by the St. John Ambulance Association equally with the detachments formed by the Red Cross Society. The St. John Ambulance agreed, if the County Association desired, to do all in its power to raise county companies throughout the Riding, and furthermore would undertake the periodical instruction and examination, and would make to such companies a grant of material as soon as they were recognised by the County Association. From several sources he had been informed that the St. John Ambulance Association was very popular throughout the Riding, and there was a strong feeling in many parts that the Red Cross Society, being in its infancy was incapable of establishing voluntary aid detachments in a reasonable time, and he therefore proposed to recommend the County Association to avail themselves to the utmost of the St. John Ambulance Association, and form county companies under its auspices instead of voluntary aid detachments under the Red Cross. *

AN International Hygienic Exhibition is to take place in Dresden next year. It will cover, with other departments, Chemical Industry; Scientific Instruments ann apparatus; Settlements, Dwellings, Housing, 6lc.; Foodstuffs and Food Accevsories, Beverages; Clothing and the Care and Protection of the Body; Profession and Labour ; Provision and Care for Infants and the Young; Traffic Conditions on Land and Sea) Technics, Machinery; Watering Places, Health Resorts, Mineral Waters; Cosmetics and other Toilet .Preparations and Requisites; Hygiene in connection with the Army, Navy, Colonists, &c.; Care of the Sick, Ambulance Work, Hospitals, LifeSaving Service; PhYSIcal Exercise, Games and Sports; Hygiene in Literature and the Arts.

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The British Committee has Princess Christian as patroness, and includes St. Thomas Barlow, Sir William Bennett, Mr. Henry Butiin, Sir William Church, Mr. J. M. Cotterill, Mr. Andrew J. Horne, Mr. W. A. Jamieson, Surgeon-General Sir Alfred Keogh, Mr. D. N. Knox, Sir John Lentaigne, Sir Thomas Oliver, and Sir William Treloar as vice-president.

Owing to occurrance of plague in the Eastern Counties the Local Government Board have issued a dealing with the disease and the preventative measures to adopt.

When corresponding with Advertisers please tion First Aid."

December, 19[0. -FIRST

Our Portrait Gallery.

C. ALAN PALl\lER, ESQ HON. SF<: RVIN G BROTHER OF THE ORDER OF ST JOHN OF JER U SALEM IN EN G LAN D

MR. PAUIRR needs no introduction to our readers nor to ambulance workers, he having be en connected with the ambulance movement since 1871 At the close of that year a first aid class was projected at the" Brassey" Institute, Hastings, in the formation of which he took a promi-

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At this time he organised numerous classes in the metropolis, and many of the secretaries of the classes can recall his kindness to all who sought his aid and advice in the furtherance of am bulance work, and his individual personality and urbanity will live long in the memory of those who were brought into contact with him in the work of the Association.

In 1887 he intervif'wed directors and officials of various railway companies and initiated classes on several of the leading systems.

In 1897 he was busy in contributing letters to the Press, setting forth the importance of "first aid to the injured" to all the British seafaring centres, and also to the Nautical Maga z ine.

In order to bring the subject more before that community, he organised a public meeting at the Fishmongers Hall, and by this means brought about a strong ambulance movement in the Mercantile Marine. He also addressed large meetings of miners, ironworkers, &c., on the ambulance work in South Wales and other districts, besides organising many large public meetings in London, notably at the Mansion House, and the Queen's Hall of the People's Palace, at some of which members of the Royal family took part.

In March, 1891, he formed the first Cyclist Division of the Metropolitan Corps, of which he was appointed superintendent ; he also assisted in forming the first Nursing Division at the Children's Home, Bonner-road, E. On the 10th, Tune, 1893, her late Majesty Queen Victoria sanctioned his election as an Hon. Serving Brother of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England. He is the possessor of autograph portraits from H.R.H. Princess Henry of Battenberg a nd H.R.H. the Duk e of Connaught.

In he was elected a member (hon.) Soci e te des Secouristes

Thol2gh no longer on the active list of workers, he still takes great interest in the work of the St. John Ambulan ce Association - in the cau se o lwm anz"ty

The Post Office Ambulance Corps.

nent part; h e also helped forward the village classes in Sussex, which the late Lady Annie Brassey instituted. Coming to the metropolis, ambulance work always found in him a willing and enthusiastic worker.

Being always ready to give the benefit of. his experience for the furtherance of the movement there is no doubt he has done much, and has been instrumental in keeping ambulance work to the fore.

In August, 1885, he was a steward at the Guildhall meeting, when H. R. H. Princess Christian presented certificates to the successful pupils attending the city classes. About this time, when the serious rioting took place, he was on am bulance duty for several Sundays wi th the Metropolitan police at Scotland Yard.

He was the founder of No. X. District Metropolitan Centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, and was elected a member of the committee of Nos. II. and III. Districts of the Metropolitan Centre, which included the City and Port of London, and East and West London; in April, 1887, and in July, 1888, he was elected honorary district secretary for both these districts, which he filled for many years.

THE eighth annual competition for the London Postal Ambulance Challenge Shield, won last year by the North 'Western District Office, was held on November 30th ,. at Mount Pleasant, and, despite the wretched weather whIch prevailed, an audience of about 500, including some of the principal London postmasters and heads of departments, witnessed the proceedings.

Dr. J. Sinclair, president of the corps; Dr. H. Bashford, vice-president ; assisted by Drs. W. Cood.e-Adams, K. F. Lund, and \Y. E. Hill, were the examIners and judg!::s, and the general arrangements were in the capable hands of Mr. George Gerhold, hon. sec. ; Mr. J. .B. Candall, and a staff of stewards, to all of whom grea.t 'p ralse is due for the smooth working of the whole competItIOn. The programme was divided into four partsPart" A."-General treatment in first aid, including elementary anatomy and physiology, recogmtion of ailments;

Part" B."-Quick and ready treatment of 1l1Junes; Part « c."-Practical work for each member of the team to consist of the application of bandages and splints. Arrest of Part" D."-Practical combined work for the team to include stretcher work;

and it was the latter part which provided an interesting spectacle for the visitors.

The scene was intended to represent a vessel getting under weigh near a jetty. One of the crew, all of whom were acq uainted with first aid, whilst seeing to the .tackle on the bowsprit, slips, tries to save himself by clutching at a rope, is dashed against the bow of the boat, falls into the water and calls out" Help !"

At once the cry of " Man overboard" is raised by the skipper. The crew rush to the side of the boat, find the man in the water, hanging on to a rope. They get him aboard in an unconscious state and attrnd to his injuries. The skipper calls to men on the jetty for a gangway which is pushed out to the boat. The crew transport the injured man from the boat to the jetty on a stretcher.

Considering that the injured seaman was suffering from a dislocated shoulder, a severe wound on the forehead, and that three of his ribs were broken, one having penetrated the lung, it will be seen that the task of rendering first aid in the limited space afforded by the deck of a small yacht, and removing him to the hospital, was no easy one, but the general excellence of the competing teams was shown by the narrow margin between the marks awarded.

The N. W. D.O., leader Mr. R. W. Stone, again proved the winner, with a total of 197 marks. The Inland Section Half-day (No. I) team coming second with 189, closely followed by the 1.S. Midnight (No. I) with I88!, and the 1.S. Half-day 2) with 186.

The scenic effects were excellent, and the report would be incomplete did it not bear witness to the excellent acting of the" victim" and of Mr. "Jack" Stiles, who, as skipper of the Smack Lq, was like a character from the pages of W. W. Jacob's books, and recalled the historic triumphs of Cyril Maude in "Beauty and the Barge."

Moving a vote of thanks to the examiners and judges, Mr. W. Howson, assistant controller KC.D.O., expresserl the pleasure it gave him to be present, and regretted that the expansion of Post Office work made it unlikely that room would be found at the" Mount" for future competitions. The work of the corps was so valuable and was so highly appreciated by the staff, among whom it had rendered first aid during the year in no less than 1,692 cases, a room would be provided in some central place for them.

Mr. A. H. Norway, assistant secretary to the Postmaster General, said how pleased he had been with the display, and brought a message of regret from Sir Matthew Nathan for his unavoidable absence.

Dr. Sinclair in summing up the work of the mem bers and the competitors, congratulated the teams upon the excellence of their wurk, and hoped that the success for the second time of a District office team would do much to stimulate the movement in the outer branches.

The P.O.A.c., started in 1902 by a few enthusiastic first aid certificate holders, had already spread over almost the entire London Postal area, and was being eagerly taken up by the ladies of the Central Telegraph Office and the Telephonic branch of the Service. It had enabled 124 to obtain medallions, and 430 certificates and vouchers.

The comfort of the visitors was well looked after by the refreshment department, which, under the capable management of Miss Joiner, was much appreciated in the intervals between the displays.-T.e.e.

Midland Coal Owners Rescue Committee. Mine

EXPERIlIlENTAL MINE AT BIRilIINGHAill UNIVERSITY.

By the courtesy of Professor John Cadman, of the Mining Department of the Birmingham "Cniversity, we have much pleasure in prpsenting our readers with a description of the Experimental Mine which has been erected at the University for experimental purposes.

The South Midland Coal Owners Mine Rescue Committee, says Professor Cadman, was appointed to enquire into and examine the various makes of mine rescue apparatus, with a view to recommending to the Association an apparatus suitable to the varied requirements of the South !v[idland Coalfields, and to suggest for consideration a scheme for the efficient organisation and training of teams to carryon the rescue work in mines.

At the outset of the enquiry an exhibition was held at the University of Birmingham, at which all the leading European makers of self-contained breathing apparatus exhibited. The exhibition was open for six days, during which time the Committee had an opportunity of discussing very fully with the various makers the many points upon which they claim superiority for their apparatus.

The colliery owners and managers in the various districts were invited to visit the exhibition, of which invitation they freely availed themselves, and it was visited by upwards of 1,000 people.

The makers who attended the Exhibition left sets of apparatus for the experiments of the Committee, and in addition to these some other forms of apparatus which had not been placed on exhibit, were obtained at a later date. The Mining Department of the University also placed certain sets of apparatus at the disposal of the Committee.

The following sets of apparatus were included in the experimental tests ;-

Aerolith, two sets: Draeger, two sets; Fleuss, two sets; Meco, two sets; Weg, two sets; smoke helmets of of various makers; the Hall submarine apparatus.

At the outset the Committee realised the importance of fully familiarising themselves with the wearing of the various apparatus, before attempting to make any comparative tests. A scheme was therefore drawn up, laying out in detail the urder in which it was proposed to attack the subject.

After becoming thoroughly accustomed to the wearing of the apparatus the more searching and extended series of tests in the Experimental Mine were commenced.

In order to make it clear how these tests have been conducted it is necessary to describe briefly the workings, and the methods adopted to render the Experimental Mine suitable for the investigation. The mine consist of a series of roadways as seen on the attached plan, and is divided up into two districts, one representative of bored and pillar working, and the other of long-wall working. In all there are some 600 yards of roadways varying in dimensions from 6 ft. 6 in. by 4 ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. by 3 ft. The mine is ventilated by an electrically-driven "Capell" fan, capable of passing 35,000 cubic feet of air per minute through the it. In the early tests the whole of the roadways in the mine were used for purposes of travelling and carrying materials; in the later tests the longwall section only has been used. The longwall section

December, 1910. -FIRST has been arranged so that an underground fire can be employed to fill the workings with smoke and to generate an irrespirable atmosphere. A boiler has been fixed at the top of the upcast shaft, and steam-pipes have been laid along the return air-way to the longwall section, in order to enable the temperature of the working to be raised to any degree desired, and to enable varying percentages of humidity to be obtained. These provisions have proved entirely efficaciom, as will be seen from the records detailed at a later stage.

1 1

To guard against an accident during the investigation in irrespirable atmospheres the following precautions were adopted. A door was fixed at the junction of the main road and the road passing into the longwall workings (see X on plan), where a man was stationed. This door was hinged at the junction of the two roads, so that it can either be closed across the longwall road or across the main road. When closed across the longwall road, about

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rapidly was the district reventilated, that on one occasion when one of the Committee was rendered unconscious during a test, the medical adviser was able to run immediately to his assistance.

Very valuable results have been obtained, but as the Committee are just about to issue their report upon the subject, it is not possible here to discuss their conclusions.

The Clinical Thermometer.

By J. MACLEAN CARVELL, M.R.e.S ,Eng., L.S.A.

THE normal temperature of the adult human body is 98'4 degs. Fahr., but this is subject to variation during the twenty-four hours, from 97 degs. to 99'6 degs. Fahr. It is

BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY.-PLAN OF THE EXPERIl\IENTAL MINE. SCALE 42 ft. = ! in.

one-tenth of the ventilating current passed into the longwall workings over the fire (see F on plan), thus carrying the smoke and steam into the whole of the longwall workings, as indicated by the arrows, the remainder of the current was short circuited to the upcast shaft by means of the return airway. When the door was closed across the main road the whole of the ventilating current passed into the 10ngwall workings, as shown by the arrows. In this case the smoke was carried direct to the return, and by this means an immediate reversal could be obtained, so that in less than a quarter of a the entire section was eleared of smoke and thus reventIlated. The roadways were fitted with bare copper wires throughout their length, which were connected to an electric signal at the reversal point X. The signal was used elusively as a safety signal for purposes of reversal. ThIS system of reversal proved entirely efficient, indeed so

at its highest point between 4 and 6 p.m., and then gradually falls to its lowest between 2 and 4 a.m.

The temperature will vary slightly with the part of the body where it is taken. Thus the temperature of the mouth is slightly higher than that of the armpit and the groin, and the temperature of the bowel slightly higher than that of the mouth. The difference of the temperature of the bowel and armpit is than a degree.

The temperature is raised after taking food, during muscular exercise, and to a very small exten by the external temperature.

The temperature is lowered by rest, considerable loss of blood, starvation, wasting of some chronic disease, alcoholic poisoning, carbolic acid poisoning, and in melancholia. In the case of plump children and very fat adults, the surface temperature may be lower than the internal.

The temperature of the human body is taken by an

WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION" FIRST AlD."

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instrument called a clinical thermometer, which was introduced into use in the beginning of the sixteenth century.

A clinical thermomete r consists of a stem and bulb, running almost the entire length of the stem is a hair-like tube, which is connected with a little reservoir containing mercury situated in the bulb.

The tube of the thermometer generally used in England is g raduat ed from 95 degs. to II2 degs. or 15 degs. Fahr., each degree being subdivided into five subdivisions, each of which equals '2 degs.

At 9 8 '4 degs., the normal temperature, is an arrowhead.

AI D.- December, 1910.

When the armpit or groin is used the thermometer should be left in position for five minutes.

3. In the Moutlz.- The bulb of the thermometer must be laid under the tongue and the patient must be directed to keep the lips closed. Therefore the mouth should not be selected when the patient cannot breathe comfortably through the nose. Also ice and cold drinks must not be given for at least fifteen minutes before inserting the thermometer. The mouth should not be used if the patient is a chilrl or is delirious.

4. In the bowel (rectum).- The bowel must be empty of fceces, the thermometer must be oiled and introduced one-and-a-half inches. The bowel is the most reliable place, but should only be used by an experienced nurse.

When the mouth or bowel are used the thermometer should be left in position for three minutes.

December, 1910

Which fragment of kneecap gets out of place and why?

How is the kneecap broken?

By direct violence

By mus c ular action

INDIVID UAL 'l'E:::.T.

(No 2. ) -Fracture of lower rib s, ri g ht side (complicated )

Position of patient

Sling

Ice to suck Ice bag

Extra marks

Al D.Reviews.

PRELIMINARY

By William Narramore, F.L.S., :'v1.R.San.lnst. London :-M essrs. Methuen & Co., Ltd., Price J 5. 6d.

THE aim of the" P.reliminary Physiology," says the a uthor, is to afford a systematic study of the functions of the organs of tbe human body.

Viva I 'ua.

How do you know when the liver is injured?

Where do the ribs usually break ?

How is a simple fracture of the ribs usually caused?

I ND! ViDUAL T EST.

Thermometers are graduated according to three scales: Fahrenheit, Centigrade, and Reaumer. Fahrenheit is th e scale used in this country and in the United States of America; the Centigrade in most countries on the continent of Europe; the Reaumur is fast falling into disuse

The difference of the marking in the three scales is as follows :-

Freezing point 32 degs. F. a degs. C. a d egs R Boiling point 2 2 degs. F. 100 degs. C. 80 degs. R.

Normal temperature of human bodY-98'4 degs. F., 36'9 degs. c., 29'5 degs. R.

To convert degrees Fahrenheit into dep;rees Centigrade deduct 32, multiply by 5 and divide by 9.

To convert degrees Centigrade into degrees Fahrenheit multiply by 9, divide by 5, and add 32.

To convert degrees Fahrenr,eit into degrees Reaumur deduct 32, multiply by 4, divide by 9·

To convert Reaumur into degrees Fahrenheit multiply by 9, divide by 4, and add 3 2

Some thermometers are marked in both Fahrenheit and Centigrade scale thus :-

"One minute " and "half-minute" thermometers should be left in for twice the length of time stated. Immediately after removing the thermometer register the temperature on the temperature chart. Then dip the therm8meter in a cold antiseptic solution and dry it.

Patients should not be allowed to place the thermometer in position or remove it themselves. In all cases, if an unexpectedly high or low record is given, the temperature should be immediately taken again with another thermometer in case the first was faulty.

Caution.-If the nurse is suspicious that thp- patient is malingering, she should hold the thermometer in position herself, as a malingerer can raise the mercury by rubbing the bulb of the thermometer with the night dress.

" Colman" Cup Competition.

THE various tests set in connection with the above competition have been courteously placed at our disposal, and we have much pleasure in publishing them as we feel certain

they will be of great interest to am bulance competitors:-

STRETCHER WORK.- TE STS

Depressed fracture of skull.

Ring pad

It is advisab le to have clinical thermometers tested occasionally, as after being a long time in use they may ab:lOrmally high, owing to the bulb gradually contractmg a lIttle.

Time for taking tlze tempe7'atures.- The observations should be made a.t regular at least twice a day from 7 to 9 m the mornmg and from 5 to 7 in the evemng.

To take the temperature.-Having seen that the column of mercury is .down to at least two degrees bel?w normal, place It In eIther the armpit (axilla), the groIn, the mouth, or the bowel (rectum). The temperature should always be taken in the same place.

1. In tlze Armpit.-When the armpit is selected, it must. not have been exposed to the air, for washing or dressmg the least Any perspiration must be wIped away, as It wIll Interfere with the accurate registration. The bulb of the thermometer must be carefully placed high ,in the armpit, the arm brought across the chest and the patIent made to support the elbow with the other hand.

2. In the Groin.-The same precautions are to be taken. as to expos';!re and perspiration as in the case of the armpIt. The patient should be directed to cross the legs at the knees.

Dressing

Bandage

Position of head

Care and gen tleness

Covering patient

Bringing up and preparing stretcher

I nspection of stretcher

Loading

Lifting

Adjustin g slings

Marching

Lowering

Unloading

Closing stretcher

General smartness

I NDIVIDUAL WORK.- TE STS

(N o. r. )-Frac ture of right kneecap.

Position of head and shoulders

Position of legs

Splint ... ......

Bandages to secure fracture

Bandages to secure splint

Support to foot

Ice bag

Extra marks Viva Voce.

Why do you raise patient's head and shoulders?

(No. 3.)-Fracture of right arm close to elbow (o ut of doors )

Adapted to meet tbe requirements of the First Stage Examinations of tbe Board of Education, the Oxford and Cambridge Locals (Se nior ), the College of Preceptors, and all Preliminary Examinations in Physiology, students preparing for Second Stage Examinations will, we are sure, find this book distinc:tly helpful.

What do you do wben the patient reach es home?

( No. 4.)-Punctured wound palm of right band; arterial bleeding.

I n compIling it the author has followed tbe method ot teaching which during the many years he has be en engaged in tuition, he has found so successful in inculcating a practical knowledge of physiology to students in day and even ing classes, which comprised teachers in elementary and secondary schools, students in physical culture, nurses and others. I t must not be assumed, however, that the book will only appeal to the above classes. It is written in such simple language, and the autbor so fully explains and technicalities as they oc cur, that we are sure it will appeal to the studious first aiders who may be desirous of possessing a greater knowledge of physiology tban he ca n acquire from the average text book. Any Ambulance or ursing Di visio n possessing their own library should certainly add th is little volume to their bookshelves.

HOME NURSI TG WITH NOTES ON THE PRESERVATION OF HEALTH.

By Isabel Macdonald, Cert. Royal Inf. Edin., M.R.B.N.A, A.R.San I.

Wbat are tbe means of arresting arterial h ce morrhage from a

London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd. Prt'ce 25. 6d.

This is undoubtedly one of the most concise and practical text-books on Home Nursing whicb we have had the pleasure of reviewing. Miss Macd:mald, who is a lecturer on Nurslilg and Hygiene uncler several County Councils in Scotland, writes in a way whicb convinces one lh a t not only does she possess a thorough knowledge herself about the subject on wbich she writes, but she evidently possesses tbe gift of imparting that to others .and in language that is at once simple and practical. There IS no woman wortby of the name, says the author, who has not at one time or to care for tbe sick, and she goes on to say that although wntten as a supplement to her lectures, sbe would fain hope that. her little book may carry some help to man y an anxIous sister whom sbe cannot reach with her voice. 'vVe are thoroughly in accord with the wisb to which Miss Macdonald has given expression, and we should re commend tbose of. our reade:s who are interested in tbe study or practice of nurslilg to obtam a copy of this valuable and we feel certain th.at they will endorse the high opInion we bave formed of Its merits. I t contains some clear and explanatory illustratIOns, and is well printed.

FOOD AND HYGIENE.

BALHAM AND STREATHAIII NURSING DIVI SION .-

It is proposed to hold the annual Whist Drive on January 14th, at the Cabins Restaurant, Caxton House, Westminster. The profits will be given to the funds of the Division. Tickets (including refreshments), 3 S• each, for which application should be made before January 7th, to Miss Law (Lady Supt.), 21, Manville-road, Upper Tooting, S. W.

By William Tibbles, Esq ., LL.0., M.D., M.R.C.S., etc. London: Rebman, Ltd. Price 55.

At the present day the food reform faddist is so constantly in evidence It 1S refreshing to take up a volume dealing wilh such i.mporta!1t as "Food and Hygie.ne 11 which has been \\ ntten With an entire absence of that SpirIt of antagonism against any particular form of diet wbi c b so

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largely dominates the writi ngs of the so-called food ref?rmers. Dr. Tibbles has a good word to say most of the ar!lcles of food and drink which a kindly Providence has provided for our use. He deals in a most interesting manner with the quality and quantity of fo?d by healthy various ages, and under dIfferent cIrcumstances. dletlc and hygienic treatment of persons whose health IS broken down and whose constitution is undermined by disease is carefully considered, and useful is giv en to patient and medical man the author pOinting out that It IS absolutely essential tha; quite as much attention be to diet of the patient as is given.to the chOice and of the drugs suitable to hIS case. The compOSItIOn and character of the different kinds of food is gone carefully into as also are the relative properties of the various medicinal waters. The influence of air and climate, in their relation to the healthy and the invalid alike, are dealt with in a most interesting chapter, which gives a brief description of the principal British J:Iealtb Resorts, as well many of the Foreign and Colon.lal ones. In the the m!lk treatment is deSCribed, and an alphabetIcal list of dietaries useful for various diseases is also given. This latter will undoubtedly be of grea t va lue to the busy practitioner. The book has already reached a second edition.

THE "WELLCOME

" PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE RECORD AND DIARY, 1911.

I nformation about photography in order to be of real service to the practical worker must be quickly available and expressed in the simplest terms. The articles contained in the literary portion of the 191 Edition of "Wellcome" Record and Diary, which is just published, are all of a highly interesting and useful character and serve to help photographers over the technical difficulties of exposure, de\'elopment, etc. They include directions concerning negative making, factorial, time, machine, tank or stand development, bromide printing, toning ann intensification.

Such ample provision is made for memoranda, as to obviate the necessity for any other note book. It is neatly and strongly bound in green cloth boards and fitted with wallet, pencil and clasp.

For the convenien ce of its world-wide readers and users the "Wellcome" Exposure Record and Diary is published in three editions, namely The Northern Hemisphere and Tropics, The Southern Hemisphere and Tropics and The United States of America. When purchasing care should be taken to specify which edition is required.

I t may be obtained from all Photographic Dealers and Booksellers and at all Railway Bookstalls. Price in the British Isles- one shilling.

FOLKESTONE.-The high estimation in which Supt. Adams of the local division is held by the mem bers of the ambulance and nursing divisions was shown in a very pleasing and practical manner last month, when the Mayoress on their behalf presented Supt. Adams with a very handsome rose bowl. The gift came as a complete surprise to the recipient, who expressed his sincere thanks to all for their beautiful gift. It was most kind and thoughtful of them, but he thought that, as they were in want of a challenge cup for competition purposes, they had better allow him to present it to the division for that purpose. Dr. Dodd said he did not think it at all likely that the members of the division would permit Supt. Adams to mab girt of the for competition purposes, and His Wo:shlf. the said he would make no promise, but durmg the year he would see if something could not be done In the way of presenting a Subscription Challenge .Cup. During the. evening the Mayoress presented and and a capital programme of vocal and Instrumental mUSiC was much appreciated.

G. N. & MlDLAND.-An interesting ambulance competi tion took place on Nov. 19th in connection wi th the St. Mary's sixth annual tea and social. The competition was the outcome of a challenge issued by the St. Mary's class to the G. N. & L. N. & W. Railway at Derby, at their previous annual gathering.

The proceedings commenced with a very fine concerl, which was presided over by Mr. W. G. Haslam, who was supported by a large number of ladies and gentlemen. At the conclusion of the concert the competition took place. four teams entered, two from the G. N. and two from St. Mary's. Dr. Cassidi kindly officiated as judge and as a result of his decision, the first prize was awarded to the G. N. No team, who scored 25 points; the second going to St. Mary's No. I team, with 2 points; the third and fourth prizes respectively being awarded to the G. N. NO.2 team, with 18 points, and St. Mary's No.2 team, with 11 points. Then followed an individual competition. This was adjudicated upon by Dr. Moon.

The prizes in the individual competition were presented by Mrs. Burdett, and those in the stretcher competition by Mr. A. J. Grinling.

The chairman proposed a vote of t hanks to the judges, which was carried with acclamation, and both gentlemen suitably respond e d. Votes of thanks were also proposed to the chairman for presiding and to Mrs. Burdett and Mr. Grinling for presenting the prizes, this brought a very pleasant evening to a close.

L. & N.W.R.-The presentation of certificates, &c., gained by members of the Camden Class, took place at a concert held at Chalk Fa rm on N ovem ber 19th.

Mr. F. G. Welch occupied the chair, and was supported by Mr. C. J. Hart, Dr. C. J. R. MacFadden, and several other gentlemen

The artistes provided an excellent entertainment, the chief contributors being Messrs. Arthur Ling, H. Holliman, H. McDouffall, W. Bunker, W. E. Chalk, R. W. Judd, &c.

After pr esenting the certificates, the Chairman said he had still another pleasing duty to perform, and that was to ask Dr. MacFadden to accept from the members of the Camden Ambulance Class a Silver Cigarette Case as a small token of their esteem and regard for the very great energy and kindness he had displayed in connection with the recent class, and he hoped, said the speaker, that the doctor would accept it, not for its intrinsic value, but in the spirit in which it had been given.

Dr. MacFadden, acknowledging the gift, said: "I am delighted to see so many men here qualifying for first aid. You will agree with me that it is of great value to every member of society, and especially so to men engaged on the railway, where a knowledge of first aid often means saving of a life or limb.

"You have very great advantages in your study of first aid, as I have learned from experience; you are

December, 1910. - FIRST gra nted eve.ry for practlSlng your work, supplied with matenals, In fact the L. & N.W.R. Company do all what they can for you. Other men who are not so favourably placed have not the opportunity of really becoming as efficie nt as you have. With regard to your class, I was thoro ughly satisfied with the result.

CE"I am also very glad to see that so many of the men have joined the brigade, because that also keeps them in con stant touch with the work. Our division, thanks to the increased number of recruits since this class, has been considerab ly strengthened, and there should be an excellent future before us. We have the right sort of men, and with perseve rance the Hampstead Division should be one of the foremost in London.

" Now competitions are extremely useful to anybody engaged in first aid work, they tend to keep the men up to the mark. We recently had a competition for the' SleathGent' cup, which is to decide the best ambulance man in Londo n, and you will be very pleased to hear that of the three men chosen to compete as to who should represent our division, two were from the Camden class, and the man chosen was one of your mem bers.

"Well, gentlemen, I had intended springing a little surprise upon you this evening, but you have turned the tables However, I should like to read you the following letter received from headquarters :-' I have much pleasure in informing you the result of the 'Sleath Gent' competition-1St, No. 20 Division, R. W. Judd. I heartily congrat ulate your secretary, Mr. Judd.'

" I must close my remarks by again thanking you for this beautiful present. It will always remind me of a very pleasant time spent amongst you."

A most enjoyable evening was brought to a close with the National Anthem.

S.E. & c.R.-We are asked by the Centre Secretary tv specially point out to teams the necessity for getting together without delay, in view of the competition which will take place in the coming spring. Ninety-two teams competed in last year's competitions, and a special effort is being made to increase this number to 100 this season. The dates and places of the competition are shown below:

Group 4 .-Wednesday and Saturday, March 1st and 2nd, at Folkestone.

Beginner's Group -Friday, March 3rd, Hastings.

Group 3.-Monday and Tuesday, March 6th and 7th, Hastings.

Group 2.-Wednesday and Thursday, March 8th and 9t h, Ton bridge.

Group I.-Friday, March loth, Ashford.

Final and Representative Competition.- Wednesday, March 29th, Crystal Palace.

On the latter date the annual dinner will be held at the Crystal Palace. Over 1,000 members of the staff sat down to dinner on the last occasion, and the unqualified success of that meeting will dou btless result in an even larger attendance at the forthcoming meeting.

We have rec eived from Messrs. Newton, Chambers and Co., Ltd., of Thorncliffe, near Sheffield, a series of booklets dealing with the uses of their well-known disinfectant "lzal."

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

We are in no way responsib .e jor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

THE TREATMENT OF FRACTURE OF SINGLE FINGER OR THUMB.

DEAR SIR,-The treatment for crushed hand, according to Dr. Cantlie's "First Aid, " is a padded splint to front of hand, secured by narrow bandage crossed in manner of Fig. S (thumb is not secured by bandage )

Would you kindly let me know correct treatment for fracture of single finger or thumb. The small splint to finger or thumb has been accepted as treatment in this locality.Yours, &c., "A CREWE CONSTANT READER."

[For fractured thumb or finger, apply a small splint extendmg on to the palm, and secure it with a finger (roller ) bandage or tape. A sling would also be required.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

FRACTURE OF THE CLAVICLE AND HUMERUS.

GENTLEMEN,-May I ask your advice upon the following rather complicated case to which I was called the other day. A man working on a ladder lost his balan c e and fell backward; when I arrived he was lying on his back with h is right arm underneath him. On examination I found that the humerus also the clavicle were both injured. Both the injuries were on the right side.

Would you kindly tell me the right method of treating this case. The views of other readers of your paper would be much appreciated.-Yours, &c., "CLIFTON "

[These two injuries, if fractures, cannot be treated together, owing to the treatment of the one interfering with the treatment of the other. The first-aider should devote h is attention to the more serious one. In the above the humerus should be treated, the arm carefully put into a sling, taking care that the fracture of the clavicle is not made worse or complicated.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

BURNS.

DEAR SIR,-At our ambulance class the other evening we were discussing the treatment of burns. I t is mentioned in " First Aid to the Injured," by Tas. Cantlie, "Be very apprehensive of danger to even sligltt burns of the neck. The question was asked, " Why?" Several answers were given, all of which were quite reasonable.

'Wou ld you please, through the medium of your valuable paper, state the .corr.ec answer. that shoul? be given to an e xa miner or pOSSibly In competItIOn, and obhge- Yours &c., " ASPHYXIA."

[Burns of the neck, ch est and abdomen are more likely to produce shock and co llapse than burns in other parts of the body.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

PROVINCIALS A D THE COMING CORONATION PROCESSION.

DEAR SIR,-May I make an appeal to those in authority 1'e the treatment of provincial members of the S.J.A.B. who may be called up for duty next June? As one who did duty

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at the Royal Progress of our late King, and who has not yet forgotten the treatment we received, may I plead that at least an equal number of men from the provinces may be asked to take duty on the first day, as those from the metropolitan corps and the divisions.

We all know what happened last time. The men on duty on the first day got the Coronation Medal; we who spent two nights in the train did duty on the second got nothing. As no doubt this suggestion will not please our metropolitan brothers, may point out to them that here in the industrial north we sent the largest share of men to South Africa, and we are daily rendering service- hard, personal, self-sacrificing service -in the mills and workshops without the cha n ce of seeing some great pageant all the time. I see there are to be two processions on similar lines to the last, but venture to say that unless some assurance is given that things will be worked differently to the last time, provincials will think twice before losing work, paying their own expenses, spe nding two more nights in the train and then doing duty.

I enclose my card. Thanking YOLl in anticipation.Yo urs, &c., " PROVINCIAL."

A LETTER OF THANKS.

DEAR SlR,- WiIl you kindly grant me the privilege of your columns to thank an unknown donor who on the 25th of last month kindly sent me a brace of pheasants. I can assure my unknown friend that the gift was much appreciated, and I have only one regret, that being sent anonymously I am debarred the pleasure of writing to personally express my th anks for the gift.

I n the hope that he may be a reader of your little journal, I am adopting this, the only method open to me as far as I can see, of expressing my thanks.-Yours faithfully,

W. J. CHURCH BRASIER " Blenhei m," Lower N orthdown-road, CliftonviIle, Margate.

"OUR PORTRAIT GALLERY" FOR NOVEMBER.

SIR,-I have just read in FIRST AID your report on the efforts made by Assistant-Commissioner Herbert D. Lewis in reviving ambulance work in Wales during the past six years, and you very correctly speak of 1ts growth during that period as "phenomenal." I have no wish in any way to depreciate Mr. Lewis or detract from the merit of the work which you rightly laud, but I think when writing your report you have unwittingly forgotten to mention a man who, of my own knowledge and of many others, has for years worked untiringly to reV1ve mterest and mcrease the knowledge of ambulance work in Wales, and should in fairness share equal honours with Mr. Lewis fo r the" phenomenal growth " of which you speak -I refer to our Deputy-Commissioner Surgeon-Col. Cureton, Knight of Grace of the Order.

I have accompanied Col. Cureton to inspections in Wales and have often heard him say how keen he was set on ing th.e work there,. noted his capacity for organisation and of men, h1s complete tboroughness in detail, and tbe obv10us esteem and regard felt for him by all sorts and conditions of men.

I am sure Mr. Lewis would be the first to join me in wishing it should be widely known that the name of Col. Cureton must always be associated in pride of place with the revival and growth on proper lines of ambulance work in \Vale s.Yours, &c., J. WOODWARD RILl<:Y, Hon. Surgeon and Supt., S.J .A. B., Commandant No. I Shrewsbury V .A.D.

[We thank Riley for his kindly letter. We thmk, h1s cntlclsrr: 1S hardly justified. It must be borne mmd that the o?Ject of our Portrait Gallery is to rec.ogl11se the ach1evements of the person whose portra1t arpears ther.em. It would somewhat nullify the va lue of our art1cle as an mtended compliment if we were to devote a certain portion of it to praising the work of other individuals. Indeed, had we actecl uP.on tbose are many other gentlemen co nne ctecl WIth the bngade III Wales, who might

AI D.- Decem ber, 1910.

reasonably have felt slighted if we had made no mention of their unselfish labours on behalf of the cause Furthermore, we would draw Dr. Woodward Riley's attention to the fact that our article deals more particularly with Mr. Lewis's work in connection with the St. J o11n Ambulance Association, as distinct from that whicb he undertakes in connection witb the Brigade. This explanation must not be taken as implying that we underrate in the slightest degree the splendid work which has been done on behalf of the ambulance brigade by Col. Cureton. We are fully cogn izant of it, and we have on more than one occasion expressed the pleasure that it would have given us to recognise these efforts through the medium of Our Portrait Gallery.-En. "F. A. "]

SCHAEFERS' METHOD OF RESUSCITATION.

DEAR SIR, -If, as appears to be the case, the sentence in the First Aid Text Book :-" V\Taste no time in loo sening or in removing clothing, " means that time should not be lost by loosening or removing clothing, do you not consider the instructions should be made clearer? As it at present reads people might be apt to understand it as meaning that they should, at least, loosen clothing, but without delay, because I think it is generally understood that if one is told to waste no time in doing a thing it is expected that it should be done promptly. I n my opinion the instruction should read: "Don't lose valuable time by loosening or removing any clothing. "Yours, truly,

" WILNEW."

[We quite agree with our correspondent that the wording should be made more explicit on this particular point, as many students at first sight might interpret the meaning to be to loosen clothing as expedient as possible. - ED. " F.A. "

AH ENQUIRY.

Sm.,- \Vill you or some of your readers help me to settle a dispute by answering the following question?

"A man bas a comphcated fracture of the ribs, also a fractured thigh (s imple) on the same side, and a fractured pelvis. Explain fully what you would do as to first aid."

Thanking you in antiCIpation for a reply in your next issue.-Yours faithfully.

" VOUCHER."

[Subject to what the comlJlication is in the fracture of the ribs, the following seems to me to be the line of treatment.

The fractured pelvis is the most serious injury and can be treated in the manner mentioned in Cantlie s First Aid, pp. 56, 46. If it seems advisable to bend the thighs up, tben place a large pillow beneath them. It will help to steady the fractured thig h.

The treatment of the ribs on the complication and must not interfere with the treatment of the pel\'is unless there is some immediate danger to life.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

RULES OF THE S.J.A.B.

DEAR SlR,-Replying to the series of questions put by " Sussex" in your issue of last month. As an old member of the Brigade of I 5 years standing in three divisions, I am able to speak from practical knowledge.

First. question. Yes; as you state, Mr. Editor, there is no object10n to an officer holding the dual position of hon. surgeon and superintendent But even in this case it is not wise for various reasons. It is always best to appoint a superintendent quite apart (if possible) from the hon. surgeon and the men.

Second question. Most certainly a minute book should be kept and a record of all business done

Third qu("stion. It is not the custom to appoint junior members for promotion. Senior members are always called lip first for examination if necessary.

Fourth question. Yes, tbe Division has power to nominate for promotion where an examination is not necessary.

Fifth question. Most certa inly. Every member should be supplied with or have access to the general rules. Why withhold them?

December, 19 10 -FIRST

INVALUABLE IN FIRST AID. THE THERMOS FLASK.

ESSENTIAL TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD.

Any liquid poured into a Thermos Flask is absolutely unaffected by outside temperature. Boil. ing hot liquids remain steaming hot for 24 hours.

Icy cold liquids remain icy cold for several dayswith no artificial aid.

Another interesting Thermos speciality has recently been placed upon the market. It embodies all the genuine H The r m 0 s H heat'retaining qualities, yet is offered at the very moderate price of six'and, six. It is called the

THERMOS FLASK.

PINT SIZE ONLY. E"ery

-FIRST

Sixth question. The superintendent's power is certainly limited, and he should not make promotions indiscriminately. The true power is vested in the elected Committee of Management.

It is certainly inexpedient for the hon. surgeon to be superintendent and also treasurer. Surely it is possible to get some responsible citi zen to act as treasurer if there is no member of the Division trustworthy enoug h.

The Bri g ade secretary should certainly not hold the position of storekeeper with that of inspector of stores.

If there are suffi r: ient members in a Division no member should hold more than one office, the offices should be more equally divided.

It is quite evident by the tone of" Sussex's" remarks that his Division is badly managed. I would suggest that two or three superintendents of some of the well-conducted Divisions in the locality should be called in to put" Sussex s" Division on a proper business basis. --Yours faithfully, " BRISTOL."

COMPETITION TEST QUERY.

D EAR SlR, - Would you kindly oblige by answering, through your next issue of F1RST Am, the test which I received at a competition, which read :-" A man got out of the water apparently drowned and is found to have three ribs fractured on the right siJe. "

What I would like to know is what you think would be the best means to adopt to get the water out of the patient. An answer your Journal would be a great help to all readers of thiS valuable Journal, as it does not give it in Dr. Cantlie s" First Aid to the Injured. " - Yours truly.

R. M. BROWN, Junr.

[If our correspondent has quoted the test right it is an " I rishism "; for how could a man get out of the water apparently drowned !- ED., "F. A."]

INFORMATIO WANTED.

SlR,-It would be very convenient to members of the St. John Ambulan c e Asso c iation if particulars of competitions and meetIng were announced In FIR ST AID, so that those who wish, could be present. Doubtless many would be pleased to pay for the privilege . I frequently see of meetings having taken place which I should have liked to attend had I known beforehand.

A comprehensive list of fixtures showing places of meetIngs, dates a n? hour .would, I should think, be valued by many wh? cannot JOIn but who would be glad to improve their knowledge In first ald. -Yours faithfully,

F. H. HATC HMAN.

[In reply to our correspondent we might point out that our columns are at all times at the disposal of secretaries and others arranging If, however, they do not care to take advantage of thiS offer we cannot compel them to do so.-Ed. "F.A."J

COLCHESTER.-This division was to have been inspected by. Chief Commissioner (Inspector-General Belgrave NInOlS, R.N., M.D.) last month at the Territorial Drill Hall, but a. few before the time arranged, a telegram was receIved stating that the Chief was confined to his house :vith a severe cold, and unable, therefore, to carry out hIS engagement. Indisposition was also the cause of the absence of the "Mayor, who had promised to d.tter: d and present the certificates. This duty was kindly carned out by Mrs. A. V. Kernaghan. A capital address was given by Major Freeman, R.A.M.C., and the members of the gave an ambulance display. The work being much appreciated by the large audience present.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

December, 19 10

NOTES ON FII{ST AID SIMPLIFIED.

NOVV'" READY.

Price 6d. net. Post free 7d.

By SIDNEY H. LAMB.

(A/em ber of the St J ohn A mbulan ce B r igade , Roya Z N ava Z Sick Be r th R eserve .)

A Handbook in a tabulated and simplified form, giving the main points of first Aid, so arranged as to impress them on the memory of the student.

DALE, REYNOLDS & CO., Ltd., 46, Cannon St., LONDON, E.C.

Best Stretcher on the Market.

BEST QUALITY

The Inrlependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Prourietors to make this J oumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Jouma!.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

year. This, and the extension of the work on the railways, should give the movement a splendid impetus.

In reviewing the events of the past year that have been worthy of special record, the most striking perhaps is the deadlo ck which occurred between the War Office, the Red Cross Society, and the S.J A.A. From the very outset we looked askance at the position of the Association. To our mind it spelt nothing else but failure, and before many months had elapsed our contention proved correct. It has, however, happily terminated in a compromise, both bodies being now on a somewhat similar footing, and the authorities at St. John s Gate will organise, under the auspices of the Association, ambulance companies formed on exactly the same lines as those organised by the Red Cross Society.

Cases for Mines.

Fire and Life Saving Appliances of every description.

Tub Fire Engines. Pumps. Smoke Helmets and Scaling Ladders.

'Write for our 3lrice fists.

& CO.,

THE twelve months just closed have not Events of been epoch-making so far as the ambu19 10 lance movement is concerned; nevertheless, on the whole the year has been one of steady progress and advancement in ambulance work, and it is gratifying to record the support it has received at the hands of those who govern our large industrial concerns. No doubt in the near future it will receive the conSideration its importance warrants, and will be recognised as essential in connection with every calling in which is entailed ha zardous risks; for wherever humanity exists the means of·learning how to save life by the application of prompt first aid, and to afford relief in sickness and suffering, cannot fail to be of advantage to the community as a whole.

That this fact is being recognised is proved by the 50 ,000 certificates which have been issued during the past year by the S.J.A.A. We may hope to see this year an unprecedented extens-ion of the work. There are several signs which point to this, the most prominent being the Mines Rescue and Aid Bill, which is expected to be introduced into Parliament early in the

Many conspicuous cases of rendering first aid have been performed during the year, and perhaps the most notable is found in the Newport disaster. Public duty was undertaken on many occasions, the most prominent being on the occasion of the late King's funeral; the Brigade for this service receiving unstinted praise not only in the public press but from all quarters.

Among the year's list of losses by death our columns have recorded the decease of:-

Major Charley Fox.

Duke Fox, Esq (Knight of Grace of the Order), Dewsbury.

Chief Supt. J. Buckley, of Leicester.

Miss Florence Nightingale.

M. Henri Dunant, Founder of the Red Cross Society.

Asst.-Commissioner Donald Macken zie.

Capt. Victor Rauter, President of the Belgium Federation of Firemen.

Capt. Mignot, Ex-President of the French Federation of Firemen.

Our columns have been continuously occupied with matters connected with the promotion and welfare of the work, and we are gratified to be able to record that our efforts have met with appreciation in all quarters We look forward hopefully to seeing our influence still further extended in the year 191], No effort shall be

lacking on our part in continuing to brighten up our pages with articles likely to appeal to our readers. District matters shall receive special attention, in order that the Brigade as a whole may know what is going on in other parts.

If our readers will be good enough to second our efforts by offering us suggestions for the betterment of the Journal and the progress of the movement they shall receive our whole-hearted attention.

---._.--Wounds.

By "METACARPUS."

FROM a first aid point of view the treatment of wounds in their initial stage is of the utmost importance, because it will depend very largely on the skill and efficiency with which the wound is first dressed, and the care which is taken to prevent any subsequent ill-effects which might tend to retard the healing process, and unduly protract the recovery of the patient, whether the results turn out satisfactory.

The readers of FIRST AID, or the majority of them, are too fully acquainted with the different varieties of wounds to require any lengthy description of them here. I shall content myself therefore with a very brief definition of them.

It is customary to divide wounds under two headings - simple and poisoned. But, for the purpose of our paper, we will classify them under five headings, vi z.:(r) (2) Lacerated; (3) Punctured ; (4) Contused ; (5) POIsoned.

Before entering into any description of a particular kind of wound, it may not altogether be out of place to consider generally the features which are common to all. Wounds may vary in degree and importance from a simple scratch to a very serious mutilation of the tissues, but one feature must never be lost sight of, that is when the outer surface of the skin is in any way injured it at once provides an entry for germs which may be the means of setting up very serious mischief.

As an apt illustration of this we have only to mention that the much dreaded and often fatal disease known as or lock-ja:v which is invariably traceable to a simple wound havmg become infected, either prior to or perhaps, during treatment. It cannot therefore be 'too up?n all first that the' germ of this ternble dIsease IS to be found everywhere in the ground! hence the advisability of always wearing gloves when gardemng. Of course, so long as the skin is unbroken t?ese germs gain into the body, but a simple scratch IS qUIte sufficIent to enable them to infect one and directly they secure a lodgment in the tissues thei; fatal power is only too speedily made apparent.

!here of course, other germs besides those of lock-Jaw, whlc.h are capable of producing very serious results and which often caused by dirt or the uncleanly treatment of the Injury. To. take a case in point, if you should scratch your finger With a clean needle it would pro?ably heal promptly and cause you little or no inconhowever, the needle have been dirty, It Will a result, Innoculate the wound with microbes or germs, .I f then we do a.t once attend to the proper cleansmg of the wound, It w1l1 soon become inflamed and

AID. - January, 191 r.

swollen, throbbing and pulsating painfully, and finally we shall have pus or matter, forming, the result being that what was in the first only a .very trifling injury, may so develop as to reqUIre the attentIOn of a surgeon. When a wound has been inflicted then, the great aim and object of our first aid treatment should be to see to the immediate cleansing of it, in order to remove any dirt, the presence of which may be likely to set up inflammation and subsequent suppuration. If your hands are dirty avoid touching the wound until you have washed them well, if possible with some antisceptic soap. If, however, the means are not available to do this, it would be better that you should either leave the wound alone or simply cover it up with anti sceptic dressing, if this is obtainable, until you have the means available to properly cleanse the wound. It is hardly necessary for me to point out that although we are dealing with the c;1ressing of wounds, it may be necessary in the case of some injuries to first arrest hremorrhage.

In cleansing the wound do not do so with water obtained from any source, but preferably do it with some which has been boiled, and to which has been added an antisceptic solution, such as carbolic acid I in 40, or perchloride of mercury 1 in 2000- Should these, however, not be at hand or readily obtainable the following may be used :-Whiskey, or methylated spirits and water, vinegar and water, common salt in the proportion of one dessertspoonful dissolved in a large tumbler of water. In washing the wound try to avoid removing any blood-clots which may have formed, as they will help to prevent further bleeding and may tend to exclude any possible impurities.

Incised wounds which are caused by sharp-edged weapons invariably bleed pretty freely and our first care will be to arrest hre morrhage. After cleansing the wound, should the edges gape, it will be necessary to bring them together by means of sticking plaster. Two strips of plaster long enough to reach beyond the edges of the wound will be required. In the centre of one piece make a longitudinal slit; in the centre of the other, the edges should be cut away and shaped, so that it may fit into the slit in the first piece. One piece is now placed on one side of the wound, the other piece on the opposite side, the middle parts are then slipped one into the other and the ends drawn evenly together. Care must be taken to leave some little space between the strips of plaster in order to permit of any discharge escaping from the wound. A piece of clean lint which has been wrung out in a carbolic solution of I in 40 or carbolic oil I in 10, is now over the wound and retained in position by a firmly applIed bandage. Should the injury be in the hand Qr arm it would be advisable to support the limb in a sling.

Lacerated wounds are, as a rule, inflicted by some bl?nt or they may be caused by machinery, raIlway. tra.ms or other traction, bites by animals, etc. There IS lIttle or no bleeding, as the blood vessels being torn or twisted do not bleed freely as they do when cut across. The pain is of a dull aching character, and if the injury is of a very serious nature the patient will suffer from shock which must of course receive attention. The wou?d having carefully cleansed a dressing is next apphed, and here It IS as well to emphasise once more the possibility of blood poisoning in injuries of this nature. Unlike incised wounds which may heal by first intention, lacerated wounds eventually heal by the slower process of granulation, it is requisite, therefore, to keep the wound and if they can be obtained I prefer dry dressmgs to any other. Dry dressings are mostly represented by the different kinds of medicated gauze, and

January, 19 I1 -FIRST should be applied to the wound in. two or layers, after which a bandage should be applied and the lImb kept carefully at rest.

In the case of punctured wounds produced by sharp pointed instruments, first take steps to arrest the h re morrhage, which may be severe, then :arefully wash and cleanse the wound, and apply over It a firm pad soaked in carbolic oil. In this injury again we may have a great deal of shock which will reg.uire attention.. Do not fail therefore to cover up your patIent to keep hIm warm, and promptly summon medical aid.

Contused wounds are those whIch are accompamed by a bruise or contusion, and may be caused by a blow from a truncheon, or by an attack by a horned animal, the head of the animal causing the contusion, and the horns injuring the flesh.. a p.ad of lint has been steeped in an 3.ntIsceptIc solutIOn, cover thIS With cotton wool and fix with a narrow bandage, or fiigure of "8" roller. Should the skin not be broken apply to the injury a piece of which been in evaporating lotion conslstmg of spmts of wme one-thIrd and water two-thirds.

Poisoned wounds are those in which certain deleterious or virulent matters have been introduced the wound at the time at which the injury was sustamed. The treatment to be adopted is such as will tend to destroy the poison and prevent its absorption into the system. To extract the poison, sucking !he w?und. may be resorted to and if no scratch or abraSIOn eXIsts m the mouth of the' person undertaking this, and provided the mouth is subsequently by.the. use of some antisceptic wash or solutIon, no mJury IS .to ensue. Steps must also be taken to prevent any of the poison spreading through the system. To do thIS apply a ligature or bandage firmly between the wound and the heart. Prompt action must be to destroy the poison in the wound Itself WIth caustIC or a red-hot iron. f d Included in the commonest vanettes o. wounds are those causeu by insect bites and stmgs, whilst those accustomed to sea-bathing have doubtless at some period come into contact with the stinging jelly-fish. Although regarded as a very trivial matter by some people, a bee or a wasp sting may ext.remely should the injury have been mfhcted m the mouth, m consequence of the large amount of s:vvell.ing which may be set up in the throat. In a case of thIS kmd once apply a hot sponge to the of the throat, !akmg .care that the heat is well mamtamed, and send for medical aid. The insect's sting usually remams m the wound, this may be extracted by pressing over it. The wound should then be washed WIth a solutIOn of ammonia and water. Some persons recommen.d the application of a sliced onion to the injured part, whIlst. the old familiar blue-bag of the laundry is not to be despIsed as a means of alleviating the pain.

In the case of a person bitten by a presumedly mad dog, it is of the utmost importance that dog should not be at once destroyed, but should be chamed up and carefully watched, to ascertain if it any symptoms hydrophobia. The reason for thIS IS at once apparent If we reflect that should the dog later on be pr oved not to be mad the mind of the injured person wtll be greatly as the bite of a healthy dog has never yet been known to result in hydrophobia. Sh?u.ld the other hand, prove to be rabid, by It up .It WIll be prevented from doing any further mIschief-and It may be painlessly put to death.

AI D.-

The treatment for a dog bite is that which is as I pointed out applicable to all classes of poisoned wounds. The wound may be sucked, not forgetting my former caution, then apply a bandage or ligature between the wound and the heart. Then cauterise the wound with strong carbolic acid applied with caution or lunar caustic, or, failing these remedies being at hand, make use of the red-hot iron wir e-or even a live coal from the fire.

In this country only one poisonous snake is known to exist, viz., the common adder, the bite of which-although extremely painful and attended with nausea and collapseis seldom fatal. As in the previous case, prompt action is necessary to arrest and n eutralise the effect of the poison before it becomes absorbed into the system proceed, therefore, to treat as in dog bite. As a result of a snake bite there is generally great depression and collapse. It is advisable, therefore, to administer sti mulants freely. Although I am not an advocate for th e use of alcoholic stimulants in a general way in connection with first aid treatment, I do so in a case of this description, for, as a rule, the depressing effects of the poison are so great that it takes a great amount of alcohol to make any headway against its influence on the heart's action.

In the case of gun-shot wounds should there be much bremorrhage this must be first attended to, then apply a firm pad and bandage. Should a lim b have been by the bullet involving a fracture of the bone you wtll, of course, attend to this injury before allowing the patient to be moved. In no case should any attempt be made to locate or extract the bullet, this may be safely left pending the arrival of the surgeon, who will, of course, have been duly sent for.

Just a few words of caution before I conclude. Do not, as a rule, undertake the re-dressing of any wound which you or some other first aider may have treated. When you have rend ered first aid you have done you are called upon to. do. If further. treatment IS necessary that is the provl?ce of the man. Of course if he should sanctIOn your undertakmg the reof the injury that is a different but to do so on your own initiative you m?ght b e mcurrmg. a very grave responsibility, and one at a later penod y.ou might have cause to regret haVIng undertaken. Now With regard to cleansing a wound, although there can be no possible objection to the use of a sponge that IS clean-say a new one that has never been used-there IS a very grave objection to the use ?f one that has been used for domestic purposes. It WIll be found .much more cleanly to use pads of cotton wool enclosed m a piece of lint. These can afterwards be burnt.

SH EFF IE LD.- The eighth annual ball of this corps was held at the Corn Exchange on January r3th. About 200 guests were pres ent, including representatives the Sheffield Artillery, Sheffield Engineers, Hallamshlre Rifles, and the R.A.M.e. and the 5th York and Lancaster (Rotherham), representatives of t?e Denaby, Derby and Worksop Divisions. ChIef Supenntendent Else and Officer Stanley e. Else were present. Mr. T. Jones orchestral band played for dancing. The M e. was 1st Class Sergeant Buxton, and the stewards were Sergeant Fox and Corporal Watkinson. The arrangements -n: ere admirably carried out by the hon. secretary, Sergeant Firth and the following members :-ISt Class Sergeant Beasley, Sergeants Aimley, Blades, Forster, Growdon, Torry and Winyard, with the president, rst. Class Sergeant Browne.

-FIRST

AID.- January, 1911.

January, 19 1 t. -FIRST

His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught has appointed Colonel Sir James Richardson Andrew Clark, Baronet, C.B., F.RC.S.Edin., Chief Commissioner of the St. John Am bulance Brigade, in place of Inspector-General Belgrave Ninnis, RN., resigned.

Sir James Richardson Andrew Clark, Bt., C.B., the newly-el ec ted Chief Commissioner of the S.J.A.B., was educated at the London University, where he took his M.B. degree. He is a Lieut.-Col. and Hon. Col. R A.M.e. Territorial Force; F.RC.S., Edin., 1888 ; M.R.C.S. Eng., and L.S.A., 1878; D.P.H., Cantab, 1886; Knight of Grace of t?e Order; Fellow and Vice-President of the Royal of .Public Health; and a Fellow of the Royal Colomal Ins.Wute: The members of the S.J.A.B., we venture to predIct, wIll find in him a most capable and leader,. who will take a real interest in the Bngade work and mcrease its efficiency and popUlarity.

No. I Di5trict (Prince of Wales's Corps.) No. ? ) OHN'S GATE) NURSING DrvrSION.- The annual dlstnbutlOn of clothing took place on December

2 at John's It is now some years since the dl.stnbutlOn and each successive year has an mc:ease 10 the number of garments distributed until. thiS the high figures of 1,000. The clothmg which IS mRmly made by the Nursing Sisters throughout the year was of a substantial character suitable for hard wear, and to provide warmth to the poor children of Cl.erkenweU, who are the recipients. To provide funds for thiS. work the Nursing Sisters organise social functions dUrIng the year, and with the assistance of kind friends they are able to task. Supt. and Mrs. Morphet, of Settle, agam sent a large of clothing, and we are demed by Supt. Mrs. Lmes to cordially thank them and other friends who rendered assistance.

To ensu:e .the most deserving receiving ·the gifts tIckets were dlstnbuted through the Parish Nurse. These w.ere keenly after, and if the Nursing Sisters were given scope In .the nature of larger funds they would have ?een. able to dispense their charity to a far greater extent In this-one of the poorest districts of London. A number of visitors inspected the clothing during the evenmg.

No. 2 District.

EXETER.-The. City of Exeter Division was presented on January 14th With a new horse am bulance carriage. Am.ong those present at the ceremony were Supt. Cotton (Bnstol), 1st qfficer Trott (Bristol), and Sergt. Marsh.

The SherIff of Exeter (Mr. J. Owen) in handing the an:bulance to the Division on behalf of the subscribers, said they knew the enthusiasm Supt. Bowden and the whole.of hiS Pyt i?to this entirely honorary and very essent.lal w?rk 10 CIty ltfe. In that carriage they had the latest Idea 10. the way handling injured people and taking them to the m as speedy and as comfortable a ma?ner possl?le r::e .was sure the S.J.A.B. was a SOCIal s.ervlce, which.' If It did not exist in voluntary form, the SOCIal needs of city life would compel them to organise. Therefore Supt. Bowden .and those associated with him were performmg a municipal and civic service.

Hon. Surg. Pereira, 10 the course of his remarks said that the ceremony after.noon marked a further st;ge in progress of the brIgade 10 the city. They had been in eXIstence now ten years, and during that period had treated thousands of cases, and it was now felt that they were in need of such a conveyance for carrying injured people in safety and comfort from the scene of accident to their homes or hospital.

Supt. Bowden proposed a vote of thanks to the sheriff which was seconded by Sergt. Rivers.

No. 3 District.

of the first year's working of thiS DIVISIOn proves that It was a needed institution in the. town, for the members have treated a number of aCCident cases, and removed a number of patients from London to The Division preformed duty at the Essex AgrIcultural Show where some 50 cases were treated. The members have also been in attendance at local football matches and. other sport meetings. The ?alance-sh.eet shows a balance of .£ IS S. d.; this IS very considenng that the members have been supplIed WIth uOlforms and this item appears on the sheet. The does not show us how many members constitute the DIViSIOn, nor how many passed the re-examination.

WELLINGBOROUGH.-On December loth, twenty-five members of the Headquarters Division and the Rushden Division underwent an examination by Inspecting Medical Officer A. e. Bean, R.N., in connecton with the Royal Naval Sick Berth Reserve.

No. 5 District.

KEIGHLEY.-The annual meeting of the Corps was held on January 13th, Cbief-Supt. Clough presided. The printed report for the year ended September 30th last stated that the number of members during the year had been 178, as compared with 158 in 1909. This membership was made up of 3 corps officers, 3 2 members of Keighley A Division, 22 Keighley B Division, 27 Haworth, 16 Silsden and Steeton, 22 Bingley, 22 Skipton, 18 Keighley Nursing Division, and 16 Silsden and Steeton Nursing Division. Another Division was at present being formed at Glusburn with 30 members. There had been 12 5 members at the annual inspection and 126 at the reexamination. The number of cases in which first aid had been rendered was given as 272, and this was 69 more than in the previous year.

The report and statement of account" were formally approved, and the Chief Supt. thanked the officers, the superintendents, and the heads of the Nursing Divisions for the good work they had done. He thought the public might be reminded that the corps was costing very little considering the work it was doing. It cost about £40 a year to run it, and if they looked at the number of cases that had come in for attention they would see that it worked out to a very small sum per case. It had been the custom to invite the :Mayor to take the presidency, but as he was Mayor this year they had asked Mr. Richard Edmondson again to accept the position, 3.nd he had kindly consented.

Alderman Longsdon, Mr. J. W. Smith, Mr. R. Clough, and Mr. J. J. Brigg were re-elected honorary vice-presidents, Mr. H. M. Baggs, hon. auditor; Miss Whitaker, lady representative from the Nursing Division, on the committee, and Mr. R. W. Edwards, collector.

A vote of thanks was afterwards accorded to the medical gentlemen, on the motion of Supt. J. Harding, s"!conded by Supt. T. Noble; and Dr. Villy and Dr. Scatterty responded.

No. 6 District.

HULL AND BARNSLEY RAILWAY CORPs.-The annual members social of the Neptune-street Division was held on January 12th at the Beetonsville School, Newington, Hull. About 90 sat down to tea, after which the following contri buted to the evening's enjoyment: Songs by Miss A. Waine, Sergt. Nunns, and Mr. H. Harrison. Mr. E. Bates delighted the company with his concertina selections. ?vIr. S. TU8ker was M.e. for the games. A room was set apart for the children for games and their march past into the large room, each one having a fancy mask on, was very much enjoyed by all, both young and old. Mr. J. E. Wilson officiated at the piano, and Sergt. W. Brocklesby was the secretary, to whom, along with the ladies committee, the success of the evening was due.

Letters of apology for inability to attend were read from Councillor W. Stephenson and Sergt. Agar. Supt. F. Wilson was in the chair, supported by Assistant-Commissioner Dr. A. H. Johnston. All too soon the close came, and a most enjoyable evening concluded with the singing of Auld Lang Syne.

a recent meeting of the Workshop class the follOWing successes were obtained :-

Certificates: Messrs. Steele, Tansley, Maw, R. Salmon, A. Salmon, Wheat and Ward. Vouchers: Messrs. Rawlinscn, Webb, Flower and Gosling. Medallions: Messrs. Wainwri ght, Whitworth, Pettitt and Blackmore.

At a meeting of the class on December 1 rtn the hon. instructor, Dr. Kemp, was presented with a silver-mounted biscuit-barrel and butter-dish as a fitting expression of the appreciation of the members of the class of his services. The presentation was made by the hon. secretary (Mr. J. Blackmore), who said, in asking Dr. Kemp to accept the gift, he did so with the grateful thanks of all present for the trouble and untiring efforts on his part to give them a thorough knowledge of ambulance work.

Dr. Kemp suitably responded.

Mr. Blackmore was also the recipient of an oakframed clock 10 recog nition of his useful services as secretary.

L. & N.W.R.-Lord Stalybridge, the chairman of the company, has sent to all the stationmasters throughout the company s system the following letter :-

"Deplorable as was the accident which occurred at Willesden on December 5th, it is a very gratifying feature that the company's staff, especially those belonging to the ambulance corps, took such prompt and skilful action to rescue the injured passengers, and to mitigate their s ufferings as far as they possibly could. In such distressing circumstances the assistance of trained ambulance men-who voluntarily q ualify themselves to render first aid to the injured-cannot be overestimated. By theIr intelligent help lives are frequently saved, painful cases are relieved, and the conveyance of the suffering for surgical treatment is carried out with great care and gentleness. On behalf of the board of directors, and on my own behalf as president of the L o ndon and North-Western Railway Centre of the St. John Ambulance Association, I desire to express hearty appreciation of the services rendered by first aid members, and also by all the staff who assisted in any way at the scene of the disaster."

M.R-Mr. J. W. Jones, presiding at a meeting of the Engineers' Department (St. Alban's Section) of the ambulance centre, on Dec 30th, stated that in the 19 [0 examinations, 44 passed for certificates out of 48 students, 39 passed for vouchers out of 52 students, 110 passed for medallions out of I I 7 students, and 1 I for label, with no failures; making a total of 204 passes, and only 24 failures. The men had passed with an average of 98 and 96 marks out of a possible 100. Those figures, he said, were remarkable, and they showed conclusively to anyone who had any idea of ambulance matters that the members must have worked very hard, and that they must have paid great attention to the lectures given by Dr. Hobbs.

-FIRST

Mr. Woodman added that the object of the meeting that evening was to present to their lecturer (Dr. Hobbs) a ' a tantalus in recognition of his services, and as a tangible expression of their regard for him. It seemed a very little time back since they became acquainted with Dr. Hobbs, but during the four or five years they had known him they had become hard and fast friends, and he could mention scores of men in the district who had spoken of the kindness they had receiyed of him.

Dr. Hobbs expressed his sincere thanks for the gift, and said he should always remember the happy associations between the members and himself. He had always been able to say of his St. Alban's class that the men had acquitted themselves well. He further said he was indebted to Mr. Jones and Mr. Freestone for the assistance they had rendered him ill conducting the classes.

S. E. & C. R- The class examinations on this railway are in full swing, and we are pleased to learn that up to date every class examined has shown a substantial increase over the numbers of 1910.

Readers will be pleased to know that the Station Masters' Shilling Fund appeal for 1910 has again been responded to by the majority of the station masters, whereby the committee will again be in a position to award good money prizes for meritorious work perfurmed by the members.

A perusal of the last balance sheet of the Station Masters' Fund is indeed most interesting and satisfactory. It shows that the total amount of subscriptions received was£12I.Zs.6d.,ofthissum £II 12S . was awarded as seven prizes for meritorious first aid, 19S. 6d is shown as printing expenses, which leaves a balance of s. in hand.

GRANGE MOOR.- The ambulance competitions and sports will be held on June 17th, 191 r. SecrEtary, T. Westerby, Grange :\1oor, near Wakefield.

On going to press we learn of the death of Lady Beatrice Moncreiffe, who died of heart failure on January 12th. She was a Lady of Grace of the Order of St. John.

Mr. H. Lewis, the hon. secretary of the Wales and Monmouthshire District S.J.A.A., lectured on "First aid, its aims and objects," before the council and members of S. Wales District on the 29th November last.

Deputy-Commissioner J. c. Derham, held his distribution of clothing at Blackpool during the first week of January. The total number of garments distributed to the poor children was 16,400 compared with 14,45 0 last year.

It has been suggested that a space in tlzis Journal sllOuld be set apart for readers to contribute th eir experiences of curio us accident cases th ey have attended, and th e method of treatment which tIt er adopted. The realisation of this sut;gestion depends upon our readers, who are cordially invited to send such accozmts.-ED

AID.- January, 1911.

Obituary.

REV. T. W. WOOD.

IT is with deep regret we have to record the death, after a brief illness, of the Rev. Thomas William Wood, rector of St. John's Clerkenwell, who passed away on December 21St, at the age of 68. Born at Hythe, Kent, he was educated first at King's College, London, and afterwards at Keble College, Oxford) was ordained in 1868 by the Bishop of Rochester, and was fisrt licensed to the curacy of Brightlingsea in Essex. In 1870 he was appointed chaplain of Sir Edmund Lechmere's Hanley Castle Commandery at

January, 19 11. -FIRST

ley Castle, prior to which a service was held at St. John's Clerkenwell, and was largely attended. The clergy officiating were the Bishop of Stepney, the Rev. Prebendary G. H. Perry and the Rev. T. C. Elsdon. The Order of St. John was represented by Sir John Furley, Sir Charles and Lady Watson, Col. Holbeche and Messrs. W Edwards, W. Morgan and H. W. Fincham. The Order sent a beautiful wreath depicting the white eight pointed cross with the embellishments in yellow flowers.

AID. -

SOUTHAMPTON. - -Once more we have to congratulate the energetic honorary secretary of this flourishing centre on the very excellent report he has just issued on the working of both the association and the brigade in this town.

During the year 44 cla.sses were held, the number of pupils attending being 994, and of this number 830 presented themselves for examination, and 762 qualified for the certificate or the higher awards. The ambulance wagon, the acquisition of which was almost entirely due to the indefatigable efforts of Col. Twiss, continues to do good work, and we can quite realise that the worthy citizens of the town, seeing how it is appreciated, now wonder how they managed to do so long without it. Col. Twiss pays a hearty mede of praise to Snpt. Johnson and his "boys in blue" for the loyal and hearty support which they have have accorded him in turning out, no matter whether it has been in the day or at night time.

Rhydd Court and also private secretary to his patron. It may be within the recollection of many of our readers that Sir Edmund was then both Sec. -Gen. and Receiver of the Order of St. John, and Mr. Wood's sesretarial duties were mostly connected with the Order.

In 1880 Sir Edmund Lechmere nominated him to the adjoining vicarage of Eldersfield, in Worcestershire, and in recogn ition of his past services he was elected in 188 r a Chaplain of the Order of St. John. It was through the same patron he was appointed in 1893 to the living of St. John's, Clerkenwell, and while in his London parish he was able to do much to bring about a closer connection between the Order, the church and parish.

For many years Mr. Wood was a member of the Ambulance Committee of the S.J.A.B. He was an active n;ember of the Finsbury B.orough Council, Ruling CounCillor of the Local HabitatlOn of the Primrose League, and a member of the Central Finsbury Conservative and Unionist Association. He was the author of several works, among them "Ecclesiastical and Academical Colours," "De5rees, Gowns and Hoods of British Colonial, Indian and American Universities" and Lechmere Family."

, Mr. Wood was a thoroughly earnest worker, devoted to his parish and its people. His genial disposition and large heartedness made him beloved by all who came in contact with him.

The interment took place on December 26th at Han.

IpSWICH.-The 1909-1910 report of this centre is to hand and it again shows a good record of a busy and successful year. One hundred and fifty-eight certificates were issued against 101 last year, and more than 100 vouchers, :lnd labels have been gained This activity has been chiefly caused by the desire to join in Mr. Haldane's scheme for helping the Territorials. Voluntary Aid Detachments which were originally proposed under the Red Cross Society, but they did not meet with the reception necessary to justify their existence. Thc: S J.A.A. having such a good status in the town, Ambulance Brigade Companies were formed inst ead, and already about 70 namES have been sent to St. John's Gate.

Important work is one of the great features of the Ipswich Centre, and during the past year 193 cases were removed. The two carriages are kept in a thorough up-to-date condition and available for all accidents free. The cash balance although showing on the wrong side has been reduc.ed to a little over;; I, and given another good year the centre will turn the corner. The Hon. Secretary, Miss Coulcher, is to be congratulated for producing such an interesting report, which one can call a good epitome of the year's work, in place of the mass of statistics which comprise the majority of them.

NEW SOL'TH WALES CENTRE.-We have received the 20th annual report of this Centre. The year just closed has been a record one as regards the extension of first aid work throughout the State, no fewer than r07 classes have been formed and 1,161 members received a full course of instruction. The examinations at the conclusion of the lectures resulted in 876 members obtaining certificates and vouchers, and 97 medallions; this brings the total nUD?ber who have obtained certificates, vouchers and medallIOns since the centre has been established up to 15,960. The finances are in a sound state and the centre is supported by a strong committee and medical staff.

SHOTTON COLLIERY.-In connection with the txamin ation of the Ladies' Class 14 students, 9 for the first year and 5 for the second year, were in gaining certificates and vouchers. The exammer was Dr. H. Smith, Durham, and the instructor Dr. T. Vick, Shotton.

The reports of both the ambulance and nursing divisions are distinctly encouraging. The former has an enrolled strength of 41, of whom 20 are in possession of the prescribed uniform, while the strength of the latter is 69. The record of both divisions in regard to public duty is good. Detachments were on duty at Windsor on the occasion of the funeral of the late King; at Bournemouth on the occasion of the Centenary fetes and the aviation week, and at many local fetes and public gatherings.

There are some changes in the local executive, Major Darrell, who has rendered such yeoman service as treasurer during the past three years, has resigned owing to his leaving the district, and Col. Twiss, who is a perfect glutton for hard work, has consented to hold the dual office of treasurer and hon. secretary. Mr. W. Walton has kindly consented to act as honorary auditor.

When one realises how the work was languishing in the town prior to the arrival on the scene of Lieut. Col. Twiss, one can only regret that there a, e not a few more like him, who having the time and ability do not devote some of it to the service of their fellows. There are plenty of towns where the wurk is languishing for the lack of an unselfish organiser, like the man who having put Southampton on the" up-gnde " has kept it there.

L.B. & The annual general meeting of this centre was held on January 16th, over which Mr. B. Field (chief draughtsman of the and Wagon Dept.) presided. A representative gathenng of members attended, amongst them being Mr. T. R Jackson Dept.) and Mr. W. L. Girling (District Sec ). chairman, in submitting the report to meetlOg, stated that during the present seSSIOn 22 evenlOgs had devoted to lectures and practice, which had been ]0ll1tly conducted by Dr. J. Shard low and Mr. W. L. Girlir:g. The attendance had been very good, the class roll bell1g 140 members, of whom 124 had submitted themselves. for examination. Out of the 124, 1 2 had the vanou.s grade examinations. Mr. Girling then outlmed the condltions of the competitions for the "Directors" and the Marsh" Challenge Cups. The most important was that attaching to the final of the would be contested for by the winning team m SectIOn A and three selected teams. For instance, if New Cross won, two teams would be selected from the southern end of !he line and another from the northern end .. meetll1g concluded with the presentation of a testImollial to Dr. Shardlow in recognition of his services as lecturer.

Brevities.

THE subject of the am bulance and rescue arrangements existing in the colleries of this country will again be prominently brought before us by the Mines' Accident, Rescue and Aid Bill. Judging from the accounts received there seems to be a considerable increase of enthusiasm shown by the miners to take up first aid. The enthusiasm will spread ?nd every encouragement should be given to it by the colliery officials. Competitions stimulate interest, and whilst we thoroughly agree with the holding of them inasmuch as they tend to make the men smart and add to efficiency, it must be remembered they are not exactly the real thing! * * *

IF competitions are to be of practical use, as they are inclined to become at the present day, the result will be a greater knowledge of what to do in accidents underground such as have occurred recently, how to get the injured out of the wreckage, how to life :md carry them to the surface awaiting the available means of transport. A colliery accident is the real test, but we are not all called on to see one, or to judge the first aid assistance actually rendered.

IN order to obtain an ideal competition test a compet':!nt authority should be "told off" on the occasion of each accident whose duty it should be to make detailed notes of the conditions of the accident, the nature of the injuries, the treatment rendered and the equipment available. Of these notes a synopsis could be taken alid a comparison made of notes taken at other accidents occurring at collieries during the year. This should give us some valuable data upon which to frame further competitions upon really practical lines.

A \V AR OFFICE letter has recently been circulated to in England and Wales, clearly dtfining the posltlOn of the S.JA.A. in connection with the formation of voluntary aid detachments. It makes it clear that in all counties the Red Cross County Committees are to have the refusal of the task of raising the voluntary aid detachments required, and that it is only in the event of their inability fro.m local or other circumstances to carry out the undertakmg that the Territorial Force Association of the county can call upon the S.J.A.A to do the work. *

no doubt. solves. the problem of preventing the two bodies competmg With each other in a somewhat hostile spirit for carrying on of a popular and patriotic movement, and It IS a matter for congratulation that this now been but at the same time the position which the AssocIatlOn finds itself in, is not all that could be by its members. They most assuredly would have lIked the Association to have reigned paramount, which

AI D.- January, J 9 r. should have been the case but for the mistakes in early negotIatIOns. As it is, we fear the Association may now be said to be playing second fiddle.

AT the North-Western District meeting of the N.F.B. U. the question of the S.J.A.A. men in the Union was discussed. Why the Union will not recognise the qualification of the S.JA.A. for its Red Cross badge we cannot conceive, for it must be perfectly plain that men prefer to qualify for a certificate which is known and recugnised the world over, instead of for one which is only known in the Union. The Ambulance Department will not attain the desired popularity it should do until this concession is granted.

Hints and Tips.

By "UNO."

THE TRIANGULAR BANDAGE. EVERY first aider knows what this bandage, usually made of unbleached calico, is. Its first and most obvious use is to simply tie it round where it may be wanted, with a reef knot, after having previously folded it into a cravat. A cravat is made by bringing the point to the centre of the lower border, and folding once or twice again in the same direction to the width required. Improvised splints may be thus attached, or an emergency tourniquet made.

THE LARGER ARM SUNG.

Be sure you remember how to start. Place the " point" of the bandage in the axillary line on the affected side bene.ath the injured elbow. The proper place to tie the knot IS on the left side when it is the left arm that is being bandaged, and vice versa for the rifYht. That is to say, tie the knot on the same side as the injury and well down the front. The advantages of this situation are obvious. The banJage is smooth over the parts where the drag comes and the knot where its presence cannot be felt.

The hand must be on a slightly higher level than the elbow. The tip of the little finger should just appear over the applied the ends, of course, must be tucked neatly out of Sight. In a competition refuse to apply a bandage over a loosely fitting coat.

THE SHOULDER BANDAGE.

When you lay the trianglar bandage on the shoulder to be bandaged proceed to turn z'n the lower border of the bandage, and not out, as the majority of first aiders do. The knot by which you fasten off this bandage round the arm must be on the outer side not the inner side of the arm. A knot on the inner side of the limb would be inconvenient and rub against t?e side of the body. When you apply the arm sl10g to support the limb, which is second step 10 the treatment, see that it is the z'njured (zmb and not the one. This is a very common error mdeed and a very foolIsh one. Of course the shoulder is covered all the same, because you can fix the tip of the bandage that covers the shoulder, but the injured arm is not supported.

The knot is to be on the same side as the injury and come so that when the tip of the shoulder 1S folded over the knot is completely hidden.

January.

Our Portrait Gallery.

DISTRICT SUPT. SECRETARY HARRY C. CHAMBERS, No. 5 DISTRICT, ST. JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE.

THE District Supt. Secretary of NO.5 District, whose .portrait appears in our Gallery this month, has been ac.tlvel'y engaged in ambulance work for many years past,. taklOg It up first in connection with the S.heffield ': Ba.ttallOn, Boys Brigade, to which he was appo1Oted ChaIrman of the

AID.-

hind in deference to the special request of the then Chief Commissioner, Col. Bowdler, C.B. In recognition of the very valuable services he rendered in connection with the mobilisatiun of the brigade for South Africa Mr. Cham bers received the Bronze Medal granted by the Order of St. John, with the sanction and approval of the late King Edward.

In 1902 Chief Supt. Chambers resigned the appointment of the Sheffield Corps, and in 1905 he was appointed Superintendent of the newly-formed .l?ivision. He at once realised that there were great posslbtlltJes here, and setting to work with a will he succeeded in forming three new divisions, and the corps is now recognised as one of the best and smartest in NO.5 District.

In November, 1908, Supt. Chambers was promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent. At the NO·5 District Camps, held in 1906-7-9 he served as Quartermaster, and in the discharge of his duties gave the greatest possible satisfaction to all concerned..

On the promotion of Mr. Percy Ratcliff to the P?SltIOn of Assistant-Commissioner, the very valuable services of Chief Supt. Chambers were once more recognised, and he was promoted to the vacant appointment of District Superintendent Secretary.

As a proof that his knowledge matters is well known and appreciated by hiS fellow CitIzens, we may mention that he was elected a co-opted member of Fire Brigade Sub-Committee of the Sheffield CorporatIOn Watch Committee to advise on ambulance matters.

Mr. Chambers holds a testimonial for saving life from a river in flood, first rescuing and then his patient. He is the joint author of the "Boys' Bngade Am bulance Manual," and has gone through .an experience which we can quite re.alise. he would not Wish to repeat, having been struck by lIghtnmg and subsequently recovered.

The am bulance record of the subject of our sketch is one of which he may justly be proud, and we wish him many active years to foster and. encourage the progress. of the work in the "Cutler's Clty" and the surrounding districts.

Ambulance Committee. During the time he held this office he brought the battalion up to a very high state of efficiency. Training a team of the lads, he entered them for the" H. L. Brown Champion Challenge Shield," Sheffield's premier ambulance trophy, and. in 1897, he .s.ucceeded in carrying off the shield 10 open against eighteen teams of men, representmg varIOUS works, &c.

In April, 18 99, he took an exhlb.ltlOn team across to the Dublin Boys' Brigade DemonstratIOn, Lord on this occasion being chairman. Subsequently he tramed and commanded the teams which gave the first display in connection with the Boys' Brigade DemonstratIOn held in the Queen's Hall, London. .

In December, 1899, Mr. Chambers was appolOted the first Chief Superintendent of the Sheffield Corps, St. John Ambulance Brigade. During the of South African War he prepared SIX contIngents of men from this corps for service WIth the Army Medical Corps at the front. It is of speCIal note to mention that Chief Supt. Chambers hImself for service, but withdrew his application and remalOed be-

CRESSWELL.-A very successful whist drive in aid of the this division was held on Dec. 17th in the Colliery Workmf.ns' Institute, when no less than 156 players took part. During an interval, S. Evans, Esq .' JP., manager of. the Cresswell Colliery, presented certificates. and medallIons gained at the last examination and euloglsed the work of Hon. Surgeon and Supt. Dr. vV. T. and Sergt. D. J. Pettitt, Hon. Sec. to the DlVlSIOn. SIX certIficates, four vouchers, five medallions and fifteen labels we:e then distributed. In thanking Mr. Evans for presenting the certificates, Hon. Surgeon W. T. Wood stated that the certificates presented that night made. a .total of 97 for the year's working, which was very. gratlfpng. he received the praise, it would be ImpOSSible for him to do the work himself, great praise was to. 1St Sergt. D. J. Pettitt, whose efforts were untmng In trying to both the classes and the Brigade a success. Service badges were then presented to brigade members as follows :-Six years service, two ?adges, J st Class Sergt. D. J Pettitt· three years serVice, one badge, Sergt. W. 'Vaiden, Corpl. C. Storey, Ptes. S. Griffiths, W. Pool, G. J. Hancock and J. Wingfield.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

-FIRST

A Smart and Efficient Private Fire Brigade.

IT is only within recent years that the large m,anufacturin,g firms have learnt to realise the value of haVIng on theIr staff a number of employes trained in the principles of fighting and ready to cope a?y fire WhICh but for their prompt attentIon mIght speeOlly Involve the whole range of their premises.

It was largely due to the many serious conflagrations which occurred a few years back within the City of London, and other parts, which first led to attention being given to this most important question, hitherto the large manufacturers had contented themselves with making sure that, in the event of an outbreak of fire, they were adequately covered by insurance, losing sight of th e fact, that a serious fire inevitably meant a loss of business, consequent upon the suspension of work, When the futility of this reasoning

AID.- January, 19II.

is as thorough as it is possible for that a :v Fire Brigade to be; indeed, ma.ny a well envy this enterprising firm well fire .bnga?e, which safeguards the extenSIve range of bUIldings 10 whIch is carried on the large business which has made the name " Clarnico" veritably a household one wherever pure and wholesome confectionary is known and appreciated. We could, did our space fill descriptive of the firm's progressIve trading pohcy, and their employes clubs, and bonus schemes, but we are out to dis c uss the measures which they have adopted to protect their factory, and the valuable plant contained within it, so we must perforce leave the other for a more convenient season.

On a recent visit to the works, we were struck with the thoroughness with which the arrangements to cope with an outbreak, in any part of the factory, had been planned and carried out. All that it is humanly possible to do to minimise an outbreak has undoubtedly been done, and, we should

January, 19 1I -FIRST

certain number of the brigade are specially detailed for fire duty. , As we have already pointed out, the tra101Og.of the brigade is of the most thorough The drIlls are given under the direction o,f the ChIef qfficer or one of the principal officers of the brigade, of .are and in order to ensure accuracy and umformIty 10 dnll, a drill-book has been for all ranks.

, In addition to their drill training, the ChIef Officer makes l.t a practice during the year to give a ?f lectures, both with the theory, and the practical Side of fire bngade

AID.- III

various sections of the brigade, headed by its military band for we must not forget to mention that the brigade two very fine bands-the one a bugle and and drum band of twenty-five the ItS military band of fifty highly tramed .muslcIa,ns. The latter has on several occasions receIved high encomiums two or three of the occasions being on the continent 'at centres where the inhabitants know and good music when they hear it.. In order to prove that the efficiency of. the J?ngade has been maintained, it undergoes 1OspectlOn at

OFFICIiRS AND NO N-COMl\lISSIONED OFFICERS" CLARI\lCO" FIRE BRIGADE.

was fully realised, steps were at once taken by the large manufacturing firms, and other large trading concerns, to more adequately protect their premises, both in the method of building construction, by the use of fire resisting materials, and by the formation, within their works, of private fire brigades.

In the forefront of this valuable movement in this country, must be placed the well-known manufacturing confectioners of Hackney Wick, Messrs. Clarke, Nicholls & Co om bs. The Directors of this Company fully realising the truth of the old saying, "A little fire is quickly trodden out, which being suffered to continue, many rivers may not quench." have accordingly prepared for any emergency, by the provision of a fully equipped fire brigade, over 200 strong, including an :tmbulance section of 29 men and 20 nurses. The Chief Officer is Captain G. M. Horn-one of the Directors -who takes a keen and active interest in a.ll matters appertaining to fire extinction. It goes without saying, therefore, that the training of the "Clarnico" Fire Brigade

say, it would be well nigh impossible for a fire to - gain the upper hand once Capt. Horn, and the splendid force under his command, got to work with their up-to-date appliances. While on this topic it might not be out of place to give here a list of the appliances which have been provided by the firm. These consist of one fully equipped horsed steamer, one horsed escape, one porn pier cart and chemic, two fixed steamers, eleven steam hydrants, twenty-one main hydrants, 7,000 ft. of hose, 250 extincteurs, 300 fire pails, four fire escapes, one manual, fifteen porn pier ladders, twenty-four scaling ladders, six pole ladders, six smoke helmets, one cycle ambulance, one single horse ambulance, one pair-horse ambulance, and one four-horsed ambulance and twelve stretchers. Fire extinguishers, pails and ambulance boxes are in every room, and in different parts, of the extensive blocks of buildings are fitted automatic and "break glass" alarms. The whole of the fire plant is examined, at least, once daily, and a report as to its condition made to the Chief Officer. There is a watchman on duty each night, and during the day a

k These are much appreciated and are doubtless of ;rO:at' value, as by the lessons enab.le the men to attain a higher state of profiCIency 10 theu fire brigade dll;ties.

Once in each year a realistic display illustrative of "Fighting the Flames" is given in the grounds surrounding the works, by the whole Bngade, under the direction of the Chief Officer. On these a large and appreciative audience to the of the Directors to be present and WItness the dIsplay, which invariably concludes with a march-past of the

the hands of an officer high in the ranks of the Fire Service. 'd bl t d d did

This article might be very consl era y ex en e, s ace but permit, but alas, our columns not elastIC, we !ust therefore bring it to a close, before do1Og so, we desire to congratulate Capt. Horn on the e ver marked success, which has attended IS, a e He is an enthusiast in the ?Imsel,f, d he has that ready knack of commumcat1Og ::thusiasm to those who work with and h.ls command. The value of his brigade IS apprecIated 10

H THE "CLARNICO" FIRE BRIGADE, 19 08 CORPORATION OF LONDON CHALLENGE SHIELD- "Y ON BY

tr:2

-FIRST

other quarters outside the confines of the "Clarnico" Works, and we do not doubt that many of the inhabitants of this densely populated district sleep more soundly at night-time, owing to the knowledge that in the event of emergency, Capt. Horn and his smart brigade would promptly hasten to their rescue.

Reviews.

FIRST AID IN COLLIERIES.

By T. L. Llewellyn, M.D., B.S., Lond. London: Tlte Colliery Guardian. Price Id.

THI S phamplet is not quite what its title would lead one to suppose-a text-book on the subject especially applicable to collieries·-but it serves more as a guide to the formation of colliery ambulance corps. It contains information as to the equipment necessary in the pit and on the surface, suggesting the most satisfactory places where the equipment should be kept and of what it should consist, and 6 pages are devoted to the .general outline of first aid treatment, also pointing out the Importan ce of immediate care of minor accidents. In such a small phamplet, it is impossible to deal with the subject ex cept in a brief manner.

THE STORY OF BACTERIA AND THEIR RELATIONS TO HEALTH AND DISEASE.

By T. Mitchell Prudden, M.D, New York and London: G. P. Putman's Sons. Price J5. 6d.

aim ofth!s book is to present some' facts concerning bacteria and their Importance to the health and well-being of everybody inan unscientifi c manner in order that they may he both interesting and useful to the lay-reader. Bacteria, the tells us, a good.deal in shape, but in ffeneral they are either spherOidal or OVOidal, like a billiard-ball or an egg or like a. lead-pencil or corkscrew shape; thrlv e In warmth, mOisture, oxygen, and some organic matter

Increase IJ?- number to a .d egree which is limited only by their surroundings, rapl? IS that a single germ can produce 16 2 millions of slmJ!ar organisms within 24 hours.

Mr. Prudden us how the bacteri2 is studied, how it is to our eXistence, and how it is in certain forms an mVlslble foe. The bacteria which incite certain diseases and the to dispose of these poisonous are dealt with; .one the effective ways of fighting bacte ria and their pOisons IS fresh air. What in the ordinary course of would be a "dry" subject the author has made most interesting, a!1d he puts his information in such an explicit manner that It can be comprehended by everybody.

WAR, POLICE, AND WATCH-DOGS.

By Major E. H. Rishardson, late 45th (S herwood Foresters), Fellow of the ZoologICal Society. Edinburgh and London: Blackwood & Sons.

Price 55.

THI S is an. to bring before the public the value of certal.n services which .the dog is fitted to perform for These Include the tracking of criminals, in which service they h.a.ve been used on the Continent with success; dogs used for X:I1lhtary purposes on field of battle as sentries, for the of and In searching for the wounded and mlssmg. In thiS last category conclusive proof has been afforded that they <l:re of good serv,ice, for in the Russo-J apanese war they were parti c ularly useful III finding the wounded in the

AID.- ]anuaty,

1911.

millet fields.. carryon their backs a small parcel, marked on the outSide With a red cross and containing a length of bandage and small flasks of brandy and of water. On finding a wounded man the clog allows him, if he is able to unfasten the packet and make use of its contents; if he can then to the. dog leads him to where he field hospital IS at work, to give him proper medical dressmg; if not, the dog trots off to fetch the searchers, whom it guides to the man it has found. Major Richardson recommends the collie and retriever as the breed of dogs best suited to ambulance work in temperate climates; he also gives information on the method of training and equipment of them for this work.

A is devoted to the watch-dog for the home, and Major R.lchardson .recommends as the best position for the dog at night to be III the centre of the house, which in most houses means .the foot of the staircase in the hall, where it should be chailled up.

The book contains much interesting reading and it shows that with careful training the dog can be used by man to a far greater extent than it is at present.

Irish News.

THE CITY OF DUBLIN DrvlsoN.- The annual meeting of this di.vision took place on Wednesday, December 12th last, at ItS headquartels 26, Great Brunswick-street.

Dr. Andrew Charles (hon. surgeon to the division) ?ccupied the chair. There were also present Supermtendent and Hon. Secretary John Thompson jIst Officer and Hon. Treasurer S. Weinstock, L.D.S., and a very large number of members.

minutes of the previous annual meeting and the audItor s report were r.ead confirn:ed, the latter calling forth a good deal of dISCUSSIOn regardIng the financial side of the question as much more money would be needed than the balance already in hand to meet the additional expenses which will be incurred for the proper maintenance of the division during the coming year.

The Hon. Treasurer announced his intention of his position owing to increased professional work, whIch Involved a greater demand on his time. Mr. Wm. McMillan was unanimously elec:ted his successor.

The Superintendent also tendered his resignation as secretary, consi?ering it more to the advantage of the that no offiCial should hold a dual position. To discharge the secretarial duties Mr. James McDonald was finally selected, and Messrs. Oliver and Staveacre were appointed auditors for the ensujng year.

!he newly elected officers suitably acknowledged their electIOns and thanked the m em bers for the confidence they had placed in them

A very interesting discussion followed the election in which the majority of those present took part as to' the best means of bringing a knowledge of ambulan'ce work before .the Du.blin public. Ma?y suggestions having been It was. finally deCIded to draw up a circular settmg forth. alms. and objects of the St. John Ambulance ASSOCIatIOn, thIS when complete is to be distributed amongst the various workshops, factories and warehouses &c., of the city.

It was also proposed to hold a social evening at a near date, the ?etails of which left in the competent hands of OlIver, a past-master In the art of organising such functIOns.

The Chairman reviewed the work done during the past year and urged upon the members the necessity of regular attendance at the weekly classes, and also to a careful study of "Cantlie" during the intervals. He also announced that the handsome silver cup (carrying with it

January, 191 I. -FIRST

a silver medal) would be competed for during the first week of February.

This trophy has been presented by the Superintendent for individual excellence in practical and theoretical work, and will be held by the winner for one year only, when it again goes up for and Dr. Charles to this as a further proof (If one were needed) of the practlcal interest which the donor has always evinced in the welfare of the division in particular, and in ambulance work in general, and congratulated the members in possessing so zealous and efficient an officer.

A hearty vote of thanks passed to the Chairman brought a most successful evening's business to a close.

The class formed for the new session is more numerous than any proceeding one, the majority being drawn from the employes of the Dublin Dockyard Company. The pupils are earnest, and regular in attendance. The lectures are delivered each Wednesday evening by the hon. surgeo'n Dr. A. Charles, and prove hi.ghly and instructive, the subj e ct for each evenmg bemg preVIOusly announced in the local press of that day.

An accident occurred on the second day of the Leopardstown races, which called for service of Messrs. Doyle and Lister (members of the dlVIslOn), who were .on duty at the meeting, to render first aid. The horse drawmg the trap of a local porkbutcher took fright on the way home, and upset the vehicle, precipitating the including the ladies, on .the roadway The dnver ,,:as thrown on his head, resultIng m concussIOn of the braIn The above named first aiders were summoned to the spot, and having examined the injured man, rendered services were necessary; two doctors, soon after arnvlOg on the scene, congratulated them on their eff?rts.. The injured man was finally removed to the _hospItal In the Kingstown horse ambulance.

THE CITY OF DUBLIN NUR SI NG DIVISION:-This division, of only recent formation, is in full swing for winter session and can boast of about fifty members. Insh ladies are said to make fine nurses, and from the increasing numbers who flock to the very able and lectures delivered by the hon. surgeon (Dr. Charles), It IS quite evident that work of Dublin Ladies Nursing Division is being htghly appreciated. The present quarters are temporarily fixed at 40, Westland-row, untIl more central and more premises can be procured.

The greatest credit is due to the Lady Supt. and I:I?n.

Sec. (Mrs. K. E. Middleton Curtis) for untmng energies in keeping the mem ber.s and In procuring new ones as each succeedmg seSSlOn comes round. Before each weekly lecture she devotes half-an-hoUl: to practice in the of and and" taking one conslderatlOn WIth another, the. Dubhn Ladies Division is lucky in having such an active and enthusiastic head as Mrs. Curtis. It is rumoured that she has some big scheme on respecting fees, &c., but-more of that anon.

On the 5th inst., about 9 o'clock in the morning, a young man, apparently of the labouring class, jumped the Royal Canal, fully dressed, and swam. through the water to the opposite bank, where some friends were awaiting him. He immediately betook at a smart trot shivering from the effects of hiS dip. There was no to all appearances for first aid. ." A opportunity for practice," probably enthUSIasts Will say.

We are in no way responsib,e tor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDIToRs.

PROVINCIALS AND THE COMING CORO ATION PROCESSION.

D EAR SIR,-I note a letter in FIRST Am for December about Coronation duty. Being an old Metropolitan member, I think the wisest plan for the "Provincials" to follow is to demand, through the proper channels, a fair representation of " Provincials" to be on duty in London on the actual Coronation day and not what I call the" long route day. If they appeal the Chief Commissioner they will, I feel sure, get fairly treated.-Yours, &c., "OLD METROPOLITAN MEMBER."

SCHAFER'S METHOD OF RESUSCITATION.

DEAR SIR,-In the two letters on this s.ubject in November and December issues, referring to the wordlllg of the text book "Waste no time, &c.," and in Prof. Schafer's own words, as you kindly give them to us, " No time should be lost in loosening clothing, &c.," I am afraid I am among those. students who consider the meaning to be: that the clothlllg be loosened as quickly as possible; not only :rom the wor.dlllg of the instructions themselves, b ut also for the reasons gIVen by Mr. Wm. Goodley in his November letter, with which I must say I agree.

As it happens, the same arose th.e day this matter, and I gave my OPIlll0!1 to my dlvls.lOn as herem stated and should be very much obliged to you If you would kindly' point out wherein I was wrong in doing so, as surely a direct impediment to the ingress and egress of air IS more Important than the loss of a further few seconds.-Yours, &c., C. A. COVENTON, Hon. Surgeon and Supt. Oxford City Division.

[As there seems still to be element of doubt on the question as to whether the should be loosened .or not, we have consulted Prof. Schafer on the matte:, and he mforms us that it is not in the least for thiS to as with his method the clothing in no way mterferes With artificial respiration. Our other two correspondents contended that only a few seconds were lost in loosening clothing, but these may be easily prolonged to th trty or forty . seconds, which are of great importance In cases of drownlllg.-ED. "F. A."]

RULES OF THE S.J.A.B.

DEAR SIR - In reading your November issue. I find several asked by " "answered unof?Clally by you, and in the December Issue the y were replied to by " Bristol."

I should like if you will permit me to make a few extracts from the General Regulations of the Perhaps" Sussex's" division is not affiliated With the S.t. John Ambulance Brigade, if so, that would account for hiS division being more or less a one-man show. If It. was the annual meeting he writes about that h.e It have been more appropriate for the preSident or vice-president to have taken the chair, and supported by the. officers and subscribers (if a ny ), as he states no agenda, no ml .nutes, and.1 take it there could have been no finances . Mr. Editor, could It have been an annual meeting?

II4 -FIRST

Rule 20 of the General Regulations reads: cc Each division shall adopt the rules for the guidance of all ranks. The. rules shall be issued on sale, and each member shall provide himself with a copy thereof."

Rule 4 "The committee is intended to voice the opmlOn and wishes of all ranks, &c. As regards the nomination of officers and others, the superintendent, while being responsible for puttin g forward the names of qualified persons only, will naturally ascertain the opinion of the committee as to the acceptability of nominees."

Schedule 2, rule 12: "Hon. Secretaries will advise all members of drills, practices and meetings, keep the register sheet, brigade-record sheet, return of drills and duties, minute book and occurrence book, Hon. Treasurer will keep the call book and prepare the annual balance sheet and statement of accounts.

Schedule 4, rule 2: "That the affairs of a division shall be managed by a commi ttee consisting of medical and ambulance officers, sergeants, corporals, honorary secretaries, inspector of stores, and honorary treasurer or any enrolled members."

Perhaps the above may be of guidance to cc Sussex," but I would advise him to write to St. John's Gate for a copy of the General Regulations.-Yours, &c., W. F. M., S.J.A.B.

THE REGULATION OF THE S.J.A.B.

D EAR SI.R,-This.Division was first formed in June 1904, and at that time conSisted of an Honorary Surgeon, a Supt., an Honorary Secretary ( who also ranked as Corporal ) one Sergeant, two Corporals and fifteen Total effective, 20. From the commencement the DIV ISIOn was sadly mismanaged, with the result that no annllal reports were sent to the in charge. The annual inspections and re-exammatlons were never held, and by 1908 the Di vision had p.ractically ceased to exis t. Th e Hon. Surgeon died, the Supenntendent (w ho was also a polI ce sergeant ) retired and the rest of the Division, with the exception of the Secretary and one private, all resigned.

In 1908, a first aid course of lectures was held here, wh ich myself and others attended and passed the necessary qualifying examination for the certificate. As soon as the result of the examination was known, the Secretary of the late Division invited certificate holders to re-organise the Division wi th the result that twenty-five (myself included) consented'to do so.

The first time we met together for practise the Hon. Secretary that he was the Superintendent of the reformed DIVISion, and that our next duty was to appoint an Hon. Secretary, a Sergeant and a Storekeeper. It is sufficient to say, they were all duly appointed.

Since reading your reply to "Sussex," my eyes have been a little, I. wish to have them opened still wider!

So, With I take the liberty of asking you one or two questIOns relative to the above, viz.:-

Who appoints the Superintendent to the Ambulance DIvIsIOn?

(2 .) !'l0\Y are Superintendents appointed; by election, or by exammatlOn?

(3·) How a.m I, as Secretary, to obtain new register (the I now have has been in use since the DIVISIOn started In 1904)?

(4 ). How and where can I obtain a copy of the General RegulatIOns?

Hoping, Sir, to see a reply in your valuable Journal ( FIRST AID).-Yours respectfully,

[IN reply to our correspondent follows :-

" SULPHOCYANIDE." we beg to advise him as

(1.) of Ambulance Divisions are appointed by the Chief CommiSSioner of the Brigade, on the recommendatIOn of Deputy Commissioner of the District.

\2 ) Supen.ntendents should never be [appointed by electIOn, but to their. appointment they should pass the necessary qualIfYIng exam mation.

Get the Superintendent of your Di vis ion to write and ob.tam the necessary record forms. Your Division has eVidently been run on very slack lines.

AID. - January, I9I I.

(4.) Write to St. John's Gate asking for copy of Brigade Regulations.-ED. "F A."]

D EAR SIR,-As a constant reader of your interesting paper, I should be obliged if your expert would answer questions enclosed, and suggest names of books that might be used to get up answers to questions of a similar nature ;or. A man is found at the roadside unconscious; he has no marks of violence. State in their order of frequency the conditions from which he may be suffering.

2. What do you mean by an antiseptic lotion? Mention two; and give the strength in which you would apply each of them to a wound.

3· How would you treat a severe wound at the back of the knee-joint involving the mailJ artery?

4. By falling on the ice, a man fractured a bone in the neighbourhood of the elbow-joint. How would you treat him? -Yours, &c.,

T. E.

[1. Atmospheric conditions would alter very much the of frequency." Excluding the illnesses caused by excessive cold or heat, I do not know of any book giving the order of frequency of the illnesses, either natural or caused by external agency.

2. Any nursing text-book will answer this.

3· Treatment of this depends a good deal on the character of the wound. In any case immediate digital pressure is required until a tourniquet is improvised. Probably a graduated compress put into the wound right on to the artery and kept in position by a tight bandage round the knee would be best. I don't think that flexion of the knee would answer so well- it is required for arterial wounds below the knee.

4· The ,informati<;>ll given here is rather meagre If the patient IS stdl on the Ice, and the first aider is on the ice I presume they have skates on-if so, common sense says that the skates should be removed first. Then when you are on terra firma and can get your material, proceed as in the text-book. I confess I don't quite see the object of this question. Perhaps the bone does not belong to the man.

As this correspondent is evidently thirsting for some what is required for first aid, I should adVise him to lay m a stock of books on medicine surgery and nursing.-HEATON C. HOWARD.] ,

ALCOHOLIC POISONING WITH FRACTURED JAW.

D EAR S.IR,-In a recent competition the following label on. a pat.lent :-Man has become quite insensible through dnnk, fallIng he has fractured his jaw. Treat, and remove to hospital.

Would you be good to state through your columns the proper treatment of thiS case.-Yours, &c., J. J. ASCOTT.

[Taking the to be on the lower jaw, the following seems be the of treatITolent - Thoroughly examine the mouth, If thc:re IS any bleedmg stop it (if you can ) and treat the Ir:. the orthodox manner. But, owing to his alcoholIc care must be. taken that the bandaging does. not mterfere m any way With the breathing, if it does .It off In case 'you cannot stop the bleeding, and he is stdl msenslble, then It naturally follows that the fracture must be left alone. Keep the head low down and on one side so as to allow the blood to run down out of the mouth and not'down the throat. As he will be moved on a stretcher or ambulance he must be watched constantly. the first. aid point of and looking at the conditIon of the patient, I do not thmk It would be wrong if the bandage were omitted in any case.-ED. (( F. A."]

SIMPLE FRACTURE OF THE LEG. DEAR. SIR,-Will you oblige by settling through your n.ext Issue .of FIRST Am a dispute that has arisen on the followmg question :-

INVALUABLE IN FIRST AID. THE THERMOS

FLASK.

ESSENTIAL TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD.

Any liquid poured into a Thermos Flask is absolutely unaffected by outside temperature. Boiling hot liquids remain steaming hot for 24 hours. Icy cold liquids remain icy cold for several dayswith no artificial aid.

Another interesting Thermos speciality has recently been placed upon the market. It embodies all the genuine H The r m 0 s It heat-retaining qualities yet is offered at the very moderate price of six-andsix. It is called the

THERMOS FLASK.

PINT SIZE ONLY. Every "Simplex " Thermos Flask is thoroughly tested betore being out and is reliable. The Simplex" will keep hot liquids steamIng hot for 24-

A I D.- liS

( Treatment of a simple fracture of the leg, only one splint being available. An assistant is present to hold the ankle and foot in position."

The altercation is, how are the bandages to be applied? Should they be applied in the same manner as when two splints are available, or are all bandages to be passed round both limbs. -

Thanking you in anticipation,-Yours, &c., G. TR IM .

[T he bandages should be passed round both limbs. See pp. 61-62 Cantlie's (( First Aid.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

POLITICS AND FIRST AID.

DEAR SIR,-As FIRST Am is a journal set aside for am bulan ce instruction, I am surprised at the leading articles that appear from time to time, and think December number should not go by without a word of comment

I would like to remind you that « Peace on earth, good will to men" will never be attained by the flow of charity you seem to cherish, but by doing our best for one another, no matter what be our station in life, as long as it is honest. I would ike to advise you to keep politics out of FIRST Am entirel y, as you try to make its readers believe that you hold an independent view on that subject, yet you have attacked Socialism, now Liberalism. What is this but shooting from cover? But, sir, do not let FIRST AID be your base of political controversy, or we, its readers, will have to attack you through that same base.

Regarding the miners, you say that the record of the past few weeks should cause the flush of shame to rise to the cheek of every self-respecting Welshman, yet as regards the rights and wrongs of the struggle you have no in form ation to give. Should not the flush the shame rise also to the cheek of selfrespecting mine owners, who have made the working agreements of these men almost impracticable.

You speak about robbery and violence About robbery,

65. 6d. to £ 10 lOs.). together with name of nearest agent, free on request from A. E. GUTMANN & CO , 8, Long Lane, London, E.C.

Gen.. uin..e TherD10s Flasks have 'Ther:n:1os' on.. "the:n:1.

II6 -FIRST

please answer one question: Is it robbery for the miners to ask for ju s t return s for their labours, or is the robbery on the side of those who po c ket those returns of labour, re g ardless of tho s e that prod u c e them at su c h g r eat a c ost ? About violen c e, plea s e answer one more q uestion: Was the sava g e brutality you s pe a k a bout on the side of the men a lone, or was it irritated by the fo r ces th at were c alled to the si d e of the slaveg rinders?

Your a n xiet y th a t no ambul a n c e men were among hose savage rio te r s is un ca lled for. An ambul a n c e m a n ",ill bow and c rin g e t o s u fferin g humanit y , and do all in his power to alle v iate th a sufferin g , but never to those who g nnd the fa c es of the p oo r till not a likeness of humanity remains.-

Yours &c. , " B ERK SHI R K "

[We th a nk our c orrespondent for his letter criti c isin g our leader of De c em b er. He h a s taken prod gious pa ns to c hamp io n t he ca u s e of tlie Welsh miners and condemn our a c tion i n de a n g w ith w hat he is please d t o c all a pol ti c al co ntroversy, whi c h we s hould l ke to submit is not in any sense of the word a politi ca problem, but a so c ial one, and we m a ke no a p o logy for de a ling with a subje c t under this headin g

We d o not deny the g r ievances whi c h the miners have for as we fr a nkl y pointed out we had no information on subj e c whi c h ga ve us an opportunity to c riti c ise their fier c e a c ti o n s " Berkshire " must adm it that to re c tify their g rie va n c es no la w-a bi d in g citi zen would agree to su c h reckless an d vi o le n t t ac ic a s they aJopted. If the innumerable ?rg a nis a tions of the m iners re c ommend su c h a pol icy it IS a sorry day for the industry, and a pol ic y whi c h must be d e pre c a t e d b y the c ommunity as a whole. - E n " F . A. " ]

" Tabloid" First Aid Case.

J UNIOR first- aiders will hail with pl easure a very compact and ha.ndy. which has recently been introduced, and which IS speCially adapted to their ne eds. It is known as " T ab loid " First Aid NO.7 10, and consists of a handsome red metal box, measuring on ly 4 in X 3t in. X i in but nevertheless containing quite a remarkable assortment

URSES' CLOAKS.

special Wholesale ppices.

Catalogue post free on application.

WELLS

& co ., 68, Aldersgate Street, E.C.

H ow TO ACT IN CASES OF EMER(;ENCY. Aids to Memory for 'First Aid' Students.

By

L• M. FRANK CHRISTIAN, M,B., C.M. EDIN.

Ar ran.ged, and Ill ust ated by s pec a ll y taken, w ith the object of !!nabh ng worke rs o more readily g asp, and etain in m ind. the many Impor ta nt de ails necessary for efficiency i n " F irst Aid" work. Third Edition. Specially Revised. Additionally Illustrated.

" Comp il ed w ith the greates t ca re lays down some ve r y mportant po nts for the of s ude,:t ':N e certa nly believe that as a result the student Wi ll a m at a ll1 e hgent grasp of the practical s ide of the work as d stinct. from the mechanIcal m ethods so constantly seen both at exam Vide (lid," JWaYI I9 I O. (See alro Feb., I 9IO.) rh ls editIOn fu1Jy u p to ItS high reputatlOn, and wi ll be welcomed by a ll f'lmbu lance men and those Interested In he eth cs o f 'F irst Aid shou d be In t he hands of a ll Fi rst A id s uden s "-Tlu Ambulance.

Price: I n C loth , 6d. net- by p os t 7d I n Lea her, 2S net-by post 2S 2d Orders/or doz and ujwa r d s P ost Free.

STOCKPORT : C ONNELL & BA ILEY, L TD ) "E XPRESS" OFFI CE ST P ETER'S SQU ARE a nd The St. John Ambulance ASSOCiation, ST ] GATE L ONDON.

PROTECTION FOR THE HOUSEHOLDER.

II you would safeguard Jourself from Burglars, Tramps or vicious animals, you should procure

of useful it e ms. In to compr essed bandages, cotton wool and antIseptic gau ze the case contains " Vaporole " aromatic ammonia, for use as "smelling salts," strapping plaster in pieces mounted on tape court plast er, "Borofax" brand lJoric acid ointment safety pins and a camel s hair brush. "

It can be obtain ed from Messrs. Burroughs Well& Co., Holborn -viaduct, London. E.c. '

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

"THE DED-LES."

THE MOST WONDERFUL PISTOL OF THE AGE.

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors o make t his Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, corresponden ts in all parts of the country are asked to give it aU the help they can Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Joumal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to t he point in any communications they may send us for publicati o n.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested o state on the back of the the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing " First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

under no circumstances, except when duty is ordered from Brigade headquarters, shall members of the Brigade perform any public ambulance duty other than their own, without the consent of their own Deputy-Commissioner and of the Deputy-Commissioner of the district in which the duty is proposed to be undertaken."

From the above remarks it must not be assumed that we are not in sympathy with our provincial friends in their aspirations, but to solve the question is by no means as simple as it looks. In the first place, who would select the representative detachments, and what would be the method of their selecti o n? Here we can see much chance for heart burning Then, again, the fact must not be lost sight of that there are fresh organis a tions doing the same work as the Brigade, and whose services are now accepted by the auth o rities on public occasions. These would undoubtedly raise an outcry if, as a result of the introduction of the provincial units, they were elbowed out.

Coronation Ambulance Duty.

IT seems to be a long while from now to the Coronation, and yet the provincial units of the Brigade are already beginning to discuss the question of ambulance duty to be undertaken on that occasion. We have received several communications on the subject) which the writers do not wish published, as they have no desire to infringe Brigade Regulations. They have no hesitation, however, in soliciting our advocacy on behalf of the provincial units to the right to be represented along the line of route to be taken by the Royal procession to and from the Abbey. They go on to argue that the event is not like the Lord Mayor's Show, a purely London function, but a great national event and one which appeals to the Empire as a whole. Why not, therefore, include not only provincial units but representatives for our Colonial Corps and Divisions?

When our correspondents assert their right to be represented along the route they are very wide of the mark, for it is put down in Brigade Regulations "That

And, now, in summarising up the whole question we intend to be very cand id and we trust that we shall not hurt the feelings of any of our readers, and if we do we tender our expressions of regret in advance. Does not the whole question chiefly centre itself around a medal. On the occasion of the last Coronation large numbers of the prov incial units travelled many miles to undertake ambulance duty along the line of route taken by the Royal Progress They naturally expected that, as on the occasion of the Jubilee of the late Queen Victoria, if a medal was issued they would receive it as well as the members of the Metropolitan units. In this they were mistaken, the medal was given for Coronation duty only, so it was stated, but the subject has remained a sore point ever since. Many mem bers allude to the fact that they slept two nights in the train on a long railway j ourney, in addition to doing the heavy day s duty in London. Another correspondent points out that Headquarters should not lose sight of the fact that it was due to the action of a provincial officer (Asst.-Commissioner Derham) that they obtained the Jubilee medal in 18 97.

The new Chief Commissioner is a shrewd, levelheaded man, and, we feel sure, it may be safely left to him to see that both the Metropolis and the provinces are fairly dealt by.

Drill.*

As there is no specific manual applicable to civilian am bulance corps, it is th e purpos e of this se ri e s of articles -which are a compilation of e xtracts from the "Royal Army Medical Corps Trainin g" and "Infantry Training" manuals-to serve a s a dr ill man ual to these corps. It is hoped that they will be of assistan c e to standardise the drill and also to assist offi c ers to have uniformity in their words of command and the move m e nts of their men.

D EFIN ITIONS

Alig771JZent.-Any strai g ht line on which a body of men is formed, or is to form.

To D ress.- To take up the ali g nment co r re c tly.

F z'le - A front rank man and his rea r rank man.

A Sq u ad. - A small number of men formed up for drill.

Front.- The direction in which men face when first formed up.

WO RDS OF COMMAND

Every command must be distin ctly pronoun ced. Commands that consist of one word should be preceded by a cautionary wo r d, thus: Squad- Halt; the cautionary word to be given very deliberately; the last or executive word is to be g iven sharply.

When a command consi sts of two words, the first should be used as the caution, thus: E yes - Front.

POSITIO

N OF ATT ENT ION

Heels together and in line. Feet turned out at a right angle of about 45 degrees. Knees straight. Body erect, and carried evenly over the thighs with the shoulders (which should be level and square to the front ) down and moderately backthis should bring the chest into its natural position, without any straining or stiffen ing Arms han g in g easily from the shoulders as strai g ht as the natural bend of the arm when the muscles are relaxed will allow, but with the hands level with the centre of the th ighs Wrists stra ght. Palms of the hands turned towards the thi g hs, and the heel of the hand and the inside of the finger tips lightl y tou chin g them, fingers hanging naturally together and slight ly bent. Ne ck erect. Head balanced evenly on the neck, and not poked forward eyes looking their own height and strai g ht to the front.

The weight of the body should be balan ced on both feet and evenly distributed between the fore part of the feet and heels.

The breathing must not be in an y way restri cted and no part of the body should be either drawn in or pushe d dut.

The position is one of re a d iness but there should be no stIffness or forced unnatural st rainin g to maintain it.

STANDI NG AT E ASE

Stand at- E a se - Keeping the le g s straight, carr y the left foot about one foot length to the left so that the weight of the body rests. equally on both feet, at the same time carry the hands beh1l1d the back an d place the ba ck of one hand in the palm of the other,. graspin g it li g htly with the fingers and thumb, and allow1l1g the arm to han g easily at their full extent.

When men fall in for drill, they lVill place themselves in the position above described.

Squad- !i ttention.-:-On .the command "Attention," spring to the posItIon descnbed 111 paragraph" Position of Attention."

0 deviation from the position of" Stand at Ease" will be permItted the c<;>mmand "Stand Easy " is given, when wJ!! be permItted to move their limbs, but without theIr ground, so that on coming to "Attention " there w!ll be no loss of dressing

* We are indebted to th e Medica l Depar tment of th e War Office and H. M. StatlOn.ery Offi ce for permi ssio n to publi sh extrac ts fr om the "Army MedIcal Corps Training" and "Infantry Training " manuals.

AI D.- February, 191 I.

Although when standing easy the freedom of movement of the limbs should not be restricted, the men should never be allowed to adopt slouching attitudes.

When there is no special reason for ordering "Stand at Ease " befo[e "Stand Easy, " the order to "Stand Easy " will be given without it. On the caution "Squad" be ing given to men standin g easy , every man will at on ce assume the position of standing a t ea se.

D RESS IN G A S QUAD WITH INTE RVA LS

Rz'gh t-Dress - On the word" Dress," each man, except the right-hand man, will turn his he ad and eyes to the right and will extend his ri g ht arm, back of hand upwards, finger tips tou ching the shoulder of the man on h is right. At the same time he will take up his dress ing in line by moving, with short quick steps, till he is just able to distingu ish the lower part of the face of the man next but one from him. Care must be taken that he carries his bo dy bac kwards or forwards with the feet, keepin g the shoulders perfe c tly square in their original po s ition.

Eyes - Frollt - On the word "Front " the head and eyes will be turne d smartly to the front, the arm dropped and the position of attention assumed

TU RNIN GS

Tu r n £JZ{{ t o he R lgltt.- One - Keeping both knees straight and the body erect, turn to the right on the right heel and lefttoe, raisin g the left heel and r ight toe in doing so. On the completion of this prelimin a ry movement, the r ight foot must be flat on the ground and the left heel raised, both knees straight and the we ight of the body, which must be erect, on the right foot.

T wo . - Bring the left heel smartly up to the right without stamping the foot on the ground.

R z'gh t - Tzl1'n.- Turn smartly as above, observing the two distinct movements.

Turn i ng to tlze L eft. -On e.-Turn to the left, as described above, on the left heel and right toe, the wei g ht of the body bein g on the left foot on the completion of the movement.

T wo .-Bring the r ight heel smartly up to the left without stampin g the foot on the groun d

L eft- Tu r n. - Turn smartly to the left as above, obser ving the two d istin c movements

A bo u t- Tu rn. - Turn fully about to right, as des cribed for Right-Turn, by numbers or judging the time, as required.

T wo - On the word" Two " bring the left heel smartly up to the right.

COM PLIMENT S

Salute by num bers -O ne - On the word" One " bring the right (o r left) hand, with a circ ular motion, smartly to the head, palm to the front, fin gers extended, point of forefin g er one in ch above the right (or left ) eye, thumb close to the forefinger, elbow in line, and nearly square with the shoulders.

T wo .-On the word" Two " cut away the arm smartly to the side.

N.B.-Always salute with the hand further away from the person saluted.

Officers always salute with the right hand.

The salute will be commenced on the third pace before rea ching the offi cer, the head and eyes being turned towards him; the hand will b e brou g ht to the side on the third pace after leaving the officer.

When addressing an offi cer, halt two paces in front of him and salute with the right hand, and again before departing.

When no cap is being worn, head and eyes will be turned towards the offi cer, no salute being given.

When carry ing anything which prevents saluting, turn head and eyes towards officer.

In slow or qui ck time the length of pace is 30 inches.

In steppin g out 33

In double -time 40

In stepping- short 21

In " IS"

In mar chmg al ways step-off with left foot and keep the body erect, swin g in g the arms naturally from the shoulders head erect and eyes looking straight to the front.

February, 19II -FIRST

In double-mar ching all step -off with the left foot and double on the toes. The hands should be clenched and arms slightly bent ( 120 degrees ) movin g freely at the shoulders with the action of the legs.

( T o be contz'n ued.)

Irish News.

FROM OUR DUBLIN CORR ESPONDENT.

SINCE my last notes appeared in this column, Ambulance affairs in Dublin have been in evidence, and more life seems to exist amongst the various Divisions. Whether this is due to the fact of our having an Irish corner all to ourselves in FIR ST Am, by which we are reminded that we are really in existence, or is the result of some cast-iron, New Year resolutions more faithfully put in practice than such good intentions usually are-the fact remains.

The backwardness of the Irish Railway Companies in not providing some means of r e ndering first aid upon occasions of accidents occurring upon their respe c tive systems, was brought before the public in a letter to the Dublin Press upon the subject, wherein the excellent circular letter of Lord Stalybridge to the members of the St. John Ambu · lance Association anent the recent terrible disaster at Willesden, is fully quoted. Other correspondence followed, and in one particular, in developing the subject, called attention to the very small number of the men of the Dublin Metropolitan Police now wearing the arm badge of the Association, as contrasted with form e r years, clearly indicating that a kind of "dry rot " has set in, in this branch of the public service respecting a duty to their fellow citi zens.

The annual competition of the Dublin companies for the Boys' Brigade Ambulance Shield, was held at St. George's Hall on Thursday, February 2nd, ten teams competing. The 14th Company (St. George's), coached by (so I understand) a member of the City of Dublin Division, was adjudicated the winning team.

The test was for fractured leg , and treatment of scalp wound. Captain Douglas, R.A.M.C., judged the stretcher work, and Dr. Walter C. Stevenson, M.D., examined in oral and individual work.

CITY OF DUBLIN DIVISION.-The number of members present on practice nights is most encouraging, and it is quite a pleasure to feel squeezed .and elbowed owing to the large attendance, Instead of bemg a sort of Robinson Crusoe, apostropising solitude. The secretary hints that if things keep on progressing we must remove our headquarters to the Ph re nix Park, where there will be more room.

Messrs. W. and H. M. Goulding have sent a large contingent of their employ e s to this division for instructi?n, very generously paying the necessary fees, and supplymg each man with a text book free.

The Division sent two teams, on invitation, on the 25 th ult. to the club rooms of the A.O.H., to give a display for purpose of demonstrating what first aid really means. As a result a new class has been formed.

The teams were in charge of Corporal Doyle, and gave an exhibition of bandage drill; some evolutions in c?mpany drill; stretcher work, including bandaging a patIent

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for fractured femur and fractured jaw, and carrying him ovtr obstacles; hand-seat carrying, the fireman's lift and artificial respiration. This last item was much appreciated and evoked great applause. The" fir e man " was Mr. Thos. W. Gregor, of Dublin Dockyard Co . A hearty vote of thanks was passed, Corporal Doyle replying for the teams.

The Superintendent's Cup will be up for competItion on Monday, February 20th, and from wh a t is known of the intended examination, he who wins it w ll be a champion.

THE CITY OF D UBLIN NU RS ING DIVI SION. - The classes in connection with the ladi es' division have been holding their weekly meetin gs re gularly under the honsurgeon, Dr. Andrew Charles, wh o se le c tures delivered in that crisp, animated style, p eculiarly his own, invariably command the attention of his hearers.

Upwards of forty are now ready fo r presenting themselves for the various grades of e xa mination, and if punctual attendance plus hard work counts for anything, well, theEe ladies have it, and will get through with flying colours. Look to your laurels ye men of Dublin. They have g one cl ean through "Cantlie," including hand-seat drill, at which it is said they are very proficient, and not forgetting the firem a n s lift.

The Lady Supt. and H o n. Sec. (Mrs. K. Middleton Curtis) has her classes well in hand. It is really wonderful what a little syst e m and discipline can accomplish.

MESSR S. W. & R. JAC OB & C o .' s (DUBLIN) DIVISION.- This division was establish ed in January, ] 906, and has had during that time quite a sl'lccessful career, turning out a large num ber of certificated members, male and female. It is liberally su pported by the firm's directors, and is open to all the employ e s, the classes being held in the Recreation Hall, Bishop-street, portion of the premises of this truly enterprising firm.

On the 24th ult. a new session was began, over thirty mem bers answering to the roll, and the first of the series of lectures delivered by the energetic and painstaking hon. surgeon, Dr. C. P. Cope, was followed with close attention. The weekly practIces may be said to be held almost all the year round, by which a high st a ndard of efficiency maintained; and the mem bers are to be congra tulated In ha ving the services of so able an instructor.

The Admiralty have adopted a new life-saving apparatus for use in submarines. It has been adopted after the most thorough tests had been applied. The helmet, which is made large enough. to allow t.he head free movement within it, is continued mto a short Jacket of strong waterproof material. In f:ont of t?e jacket inside is a pocket containing a combmed punfier and ?xygen generator consisting of two small chambers formed m one case. These cham bers are charged with a patented su bstance which, when in contact with the water of breath, gives off pure oxygen gas and caustIc alkah. The alkali then takes up the carbomc aCId gas the respired air, and forms an alkaline carbon.ate. In thIS way the same air, purified and !'e-oxyg enated , IS used over over again. The jacket, which is by a cham bel' can be inflated on reachmg the surface, and l n this way'it forms a lifebelt, the window being opened, and the enclosed air permitted to escap.e. The qn be put on in 30 and WIthout assIstance. The inventors are Messrs. SIebe, Gorman and Co., of 'Vestminster Bridge-road, London, S.W.

THE DUCHESS OF CONNAUGHT has fixed May 12th for the presentation of the silver shields and I?rizes at the conclusion of the finals of the Inter-RaIlway and BrIgade Competitions at the Portman Rooms

Under our railway heading we propose to give from time to time a nsume of the first aid movement on the various Railway Systems with photographic plates of the Centre Secretaries. We now commence these articles with the Metropolitan Railway Centre, of which Mr. H. E. Percy is the Secretary, whose portrait we give below.

The teachin g of first aid was begun on the Metropolitan Railway in 1886, and up to the formation of the Centre in 19 0 4, classes had been arranged through one ot Metropolitan Centres of the S.J.A.A. This course, however, was not found Quite satisfactory, and at the instigation of Mr. Percy, the then General Manager, Mr. A. C Ellis, assented to the formation of a Centre which was inaugurated in 1904, and an annual grant was made by the Directors to meet expenses. In course of time a challenge shield was given by the Directors and Officers of the Company for annual competition, and other means adopted for encouraging the :staff to take up the work. A com-

AID.- February, 1911.

mittee of management consisting of men from the several departments of the Railway, with Mr. Stewart, as chairman, was formed and many improvement have taken place in the working of the Centre since the have controlled it. The Directors and Officers, especIal! y the General Manager (Mr. R. H. Selbie), who was formerly Centre Secretary of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, show a keen interest in the work, and last year the Director's spent a considerable sum of money in building a new hall at Edgware-road Station, specially for ambulance purposes. Mr. Percy takes an active interest in the welfare of the Centre, and its success has depended largely upon his ability to promote the formation of classes and organise competitions.

M. & G. N. J OINT.-A concert in aid of the Central Prize Fund was held at Melton Constable on Jan. 27th, under the patronage of Lord and Lady Hastings and the officers of the Railway Company. A very excellent programme was given to an appreciative audience, and it is expected that the Prize Fund will benefit considerably by this entertainment.

N. E. R-The half-yearly meeting of this Centre was held on Feb. 11th, in the North-Eastern Class-room, Leeds, when delegates from each District of the Centre were present. Mr. Penty presided. Mr. G. Jackson, the Centre secretary, presented his report, which showed that interest in ambulance work has been well maintained. During the last half-year 4 I classes had been formed, to these classes 68 5 books and bandages had been issued. Examinations have been held at Malton, Darlington and Hull, and the number of members who have passed the examinations since the formation of the Centre in 1895 to date is :Certificates, 6,434; vouchers, 3,56 I; medallions, 2,634; and labels, 853. Accident returns for the half-year are;Darlington District, 6,299; Hull District, 2,673; Leeds District, 1,22I; Middlesbrough District, 1,892; Newcastle District, 4,14 2 ; York District, 1,545; making a gland total of 198,338 since 1896.

Business relating to the forthcoming competitions was transacted and there is every prospect of good entries in each district.

THE NOTTINGHAM-MIDLAND RAILWAY AMBULANCE CORPS -Nottingham is to have a motor ambulance through the energy and enthusiasm of the members of this corps, and it is intended that this shal! be handed over to the Corporation before the date of the Coronation. In conj unction with the am bulance, a scheme is under consideration to have call boxes in every street.

This announcement was made at the first annual dinner of the corps, over which Mr. A. Atkey presided, held recently at the Arboretum Rooms, Nottingham. Mr. A. M. Williams, in proposing "Success to the Corps," said he rl.id so with all the more pleasure, because it appeared that Nottingham was at last to have what it had long wanted-a motor am bulance. The members of the corps had during the past six years attended 1,744 cases, and great credit was due to them for taking the initiative in securing a motor ambulance for the city.

Mr. G. Shrive (captain of the corps) replied to the toast, said that no one could fail to be struck with the work the corps was carrying on, for though it was done quietly it was none the less remarkable.

The toast "Success to the S.J.A.A. and the Red

February, 19II. -FIRST

Cross Society," was proposed by Mr. T. R Scott (secretary to the corps), who said that although he had been tutored through the whole his. exami.nations by the S)-A..A., he still felt he was justIfied In movmg the two organISatlOn together. Both bo.dies were d?ing; a .vast amount of good, one for amelioratIOn of sufferIng m tImes of peace and the other in times of war.

During the evening a musical programme was glven.

S.E. & CR-On Friday, the 20th ult., the railway men in No. 7 District were present in full force .at ambulance competition which took place at the VIctOrIa Hotel, Hardress-street, for cups and prizes most generously presented by Dr. Archibald, of Ramsgate and Dr. Henchley, of Canterbury, for competition in NO.7 District ?f .the S.E. & CR Centre of the St. John As.soclatIOn. This district extends from Ramsgate to Martm HIll, Ramsgate to Canterbury, and Ramsgate .to Faversham, representatives were present from practically. every statIOn.. .

The Cup presented by Dr. Archlbald was f9r vidual work, and was secured by Mr. Foreman, of Martm Hill The Cup presented by Dr. Henchley, was for team work and was won by the Deal Station team. The judges were 'Dr. R. D. Muir of New Cross, and Dr. Southey, of Maidstone. The tests were very comprehensive and the competition throughout was most keen.

In the evening an excellent concert was held, the ch.au being occupied by E. C Cox, Esq., Asst.-Supt. ?f the Lme and chairman of the S.E. & CR. Centre Commlttee. Mr. Cox in carrying out the duties of his office, reminded those of the benefit to be obtained from a kno:vledge of first aid, and expressed the hope that generosIty of the two medical gentleme? who so kInd,ly offered these Cups for competition In the dIStrIct, wouln be the means of stirring up the am bulance work throughout the system, and that next year a much larger number of teams would be found desirous of competing. He had much pleasure in asking Mrs. Cox, who was with him, to. prese.nt the Cups and prizes to the successful competitors In the absence of Mrs. Archibald, who was unavOIdably prevented from attending.

Mrs. Cox had a jolly word for all those who came before her, and very graciously said how much. appreciated the efforts of all those who gave.up their tIme attended classes for the purpose of learnIng how to alleViate the sufferings of their fellow creatures.

Drs Archibald and Henchley also spoke of the work and the great pleasure that it had given them to present these Cups for competition. They only hoped they would act as a stimulus to the the district, and that next year a general Improvement In the work all round would be found to have taken place.

Mr. G. W. Fearn, the local secretary, by generosity of a number of friends, to offer pnzes m addition to the Cups, and specially thanked all those who. shown their sympathy with movement by subscrIbmg to the fund which had been raIsed for the pu:pose.

All agreed that a very enjoyable evenmg had be.en spent, and the proceedings concluded at about 10 p.m. Wlth the National Anthem and Auld Lang Syne. Below is a fuHlist of the results of the competItIons and the prizes awarded. . Dr. Archibald s Cup and SIlver Cruet, Mr. Foreman, Martin Hill (individual w?rk); Dr. Cup an? Clocks, Deal team, 1st In work; MIlItary Hair Brushes, Broadstairs team, 2nd In team work. . We have received reports of other meetmgs held

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recently in connection with this Centre but have been obliged to hold them over owing to pressure of space. The Centre Secretary desires it to be made known that over I, roo tickets have been issued for the annual dinner which takes place on March 29th at the Crystal Palace, and that all unsold tickets have now been recalled.

---._.----

Experiences of Accident Cases.

AN engineer employed on one of the ships lying at the Liverpool Docks, by some means or other fell down the hold a distance ofabout 35 ft. He was found at the bottom seriously injured. Mr. F. Jones, of the Ambulance Centre of the Cheshire Lines Committee, who was employed at the docks, was called to the case, and immediately on receiving the intimation he telephoned for the Police ambulance. On arriving at the scene of the accident he proceeded to examine the patient who was found to be suffering from compound fracture of both femurs, fractured rib and a slight embrasure over the left eye. There was also a probable fracture of the base of the skull. Mr. Jones states that he did not notice any ,of the usual symptoms, such a bloodshot eyes and blood from ears and nose. The p'3.tient the whole time, and complained of pain in hiS rIght sIde. .. .

The' first aid m aterIal whIch he had at hIS disposal. was a trianguiar bandage, smelling bottle and a paIr of scissors, the rest was fr?m handkerchIefs, scarf, some tow, rope ends and varIOUS pIeces of wood.

The treatment he adopted was as follows :--Gently flexed the limb and with the pair of sci.ssors the outer seam of trousers. Placed. two with handkerchiefs and small pIeces of wood m pOSItIOn case bleeding came on. . He then placed the one trIangular bandage, folded WIde round th.e body over the fractured rib, and dressed the woun?s new t.ow ; the clothing was then adjusted and two Imp.rovlsed one about 4 ft. 6 in. long, was placed outSIde the lImb from armpit to heel, the other shorter one from fork to ankle. The bandages consIsted of rope ends and handkerh · f . the patient was then covered up for shock and c Ie s ) k some cold water was given hIm to dnn . . B this time the horse ambulance had arnved, the patient was placed on a stretcher, wa s placed on a hatch cover and lowered over the ShIp s SIde on to the ua and then transferred to the ambulance. He was t.hen to Unfortunately the patIent succumbed to hiS InJurIes.

It has been suggested tlta t a space i n tMs Jou r n al sh ou ld be set apart for readers t o contribu te thei r expe-r iences of cu rio us acciden t cases ltey h ave a ttended, and th e m eth od of t rea tm ent w idel they adopted . T he reaHsation of t his sUf{ge stion depends upon our r eaders, who ar e cordi ally i nvit ed to send such accozm ts - ED.

Obituary.

W. J. CHURCH-BRASIER.

MEMBERS of the S.J.A.B. throughout the British Empire w.ill learn with deep regret of the death of one of the l-'lOneers of the movement in the person of Mr. William Church-Brasier, who passed away on Feb. 4th. Although the late gentleman had been suffering for some years with a complaint which it was hardly expected he would shake

to who survived the campaign. At its conclusion he recel ved from the Order of St. John a special letter of than.ks and was awarded an honorarium, and subsequently at the hands of H.RH. the Prince of Wales the speCial medal awarded by the Order, with the sanction of the H.M. the King, for services in connection with the South African War.

I893, Mr. Brasier received the honour of being appo1Oted the first Hon. Serving Brother of the Order of St. J oh? of Jerusalem, and in the same year he was elected the. Chief Ambula?ce Officer of the National Fire Brigades Umon The servIces of the" Chief"-the favourite name by w.hlch he "Yas called by his friends-on behalf of humamty were recognised by countries other than ?wn, for he was a Mem ber of Honour of the Red Cross of France, Spain and Japan. He also was the reClI?Ient of the French Order of Merit for beneficent services and the Gland Prix Humanetaire from the same country.

.It is, however, in the work of the Brigade that Mr. stood out as a prominent figure. In 1887, the BrIgade was first started as the 1st St. John's Gate Division and he was appointed Superintendent. This however be insufficient for the of men' who WIshed to Jom, and in 1889 the various Divisions of the MetropolI.tan Corps were consolidated as the S.J.A.B., and Mr: BrasIer was made Chief Superintendent-a position which he for many years with dignity and honour.

Mr. Brasier was a C<?l1ncillor on the Margate CorporatlO.n he was a YI.ce-Presldent of the London Private Fire of which he was one of the founders and Its first i and also a Vice-Presicent of the Assoclatl.on, "The Men of Kent and Kentish Men, an? of the Boy's Life Brigade, SouthEastern Dlstnct.

February, 19 1 1. -FIRST

Among the wreaths we noticed one from the Prince of Wales's Corps, which was inscribed "The Prince of Wales's Corps mourns its First Chief," and from the St. John'S Gate Nursing Division" In affectionate and grateful remembrance from officers and nursing sisters of the St Jehn's Gate Nursing Division."

The St. John's Gate No. I Division, of which Mr. Brasier had been first Superintendent, and St. John's Gate No.2 Division, of which he had been Hon. Superintendent, escorted the body to the chapel.

The coffin was borne by staff sergeants of the corps,· and eight officers acted as pall bearers.

A guard was formed by members of the corps from the cemetery gates to the chapel, and from thence to the graveside. After the ceremony a detachment of buglers attached to the corps sounded the" Last Post." As a last tri bute of respect to their late Chief, the corps filed past the graveside at the conclusion of the ceremony.

The gnve was lined with flowers, the work of one of Mr. Brasier's oldest friends, Mrs. Barnes.

Sir H. Perrott was unable to attend the funeral, owing to his having to represent the Ordtr of St. John at Lord Cawdor's memorial service the same day.

PRIVATE PAVEY.

AID.- 12

3

grudgingly of their time and even their money to help the cause. Finally, sickness laid him low and when he was compelled to and go back to his own county-we felt that somethmg had gone from the Brigade which could never be replaced.

When we lately heard that our former chief had gone to hIS last home we knew there remained only one sad duty for us. Brasier was assembling his last parade, ann at Cemetery was gathered a notable assembly of hiS old comrades and others, and as the dead chief's remains were carried on the shoulders of some of his Brigade "boys," amongst those who followed him and his sorrowing wife and daughter through the lines of the men of the Brigade, were seen some who had not met for many years. So he was laid to rest on the sloping side of one of the most beautifully placed cemeteries we have, in full view of the heights of Hampstead Heath and Highgate. As the last words of the benediction died away, there was a momentary hush, and as we waited, not knowing quite why we waited, there rang out loud and clear from the bugles the sound of the last post. Then we reailsed that having done his work he had gone to his long rest.

W.H.W. Home Counties Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.

off, yet his end was not antici ated s scarcely realise that h h P 0 soon, and we can whence no travelle e t as now crossed that bourne from T r re urns. .,,'" he dec d r ov '" the eldest son of the late William of a bookseller' a d or .many years carried on the business n pnnter at M t S death of his father M B arga ?on after the A. T. Chexfield m conjUnctIon Mr. S J A A I'n whl'ch' h e. the Margate Centre of the ., e received th d' operation of the medic 1 Cor lal support and cogentleman was then .town.

am bulance corps and he . d e Idea of a CIVIlIan at Margate for ear carried on a corps

S.J.A.B. had its It may be said that the of Mr. Brasier. margate and was the creation

In 1883, Sir John Furle h of the Ambulance Depart y't w fO was then the Director was so impressed with the 0 f the .Order of St. John, Mr. BraSier a position th 0 the that he o[[ertd Association, with a view e Staff of the The offer was accepted an e extenslOn the movement. for the BraSier :vas. mainly hIS retirement, owing to the 19 0 5. During the South Af' own hiS health, In practically lived at the head ncan Campa1gn .Mr. Brasier mg at times both day and of the workdispatch of the several draft 0i 1ht t connectlOn with the The kindness and d:'o to front. fested to those volunteers will ISPOSItLOn. which he maniever make hIS memory green

space but permit, much more could be written concerOlng M.r. Brasier that would be of interest to our r.eaders. Dunng the course of his career he led an active life, and. the .loved ones that he has left behind can be assured 10 thIS :. tha.t many hearts have gone out to them in symI?athy, ar: d wlll always be remembered how great a portlon of lIfe was devoted to generous offices for the benefit of hIS fellow men.

There can .be no manner of doubt that the initial success of the was due to his individual personality. It wa.s not only hIS Intense love of hard work, but his indefatIgable and his kindness and urbanity to one whIch made hIm so highly respected and revered hIS and men. That he will be deeply missed IS and the work he loved so well will be the poorer by hIS death.

The funeral took place on Saturday, February I J th, at the Cen:etery, East Finchley, at which the chaplam officIated. The mourners included the Wife .and daughter of deceased the Order was represented by Sir J. Furley, C. R., the St. John Am bulance Association by Mr. W. R Edwards, A.C.A., and the Prince of Wales's Corps by 130 0!Ecers, men and nursing sisters. Amon personal fnends of deceased were: Messrs H Wg

W1Oney, S. B. Piers, P. Hayman, E. J. Kimber H L' Jones, C. Orchard, J. Calvin Lines, Mrs. Calvin' Mrs. Sleath Gent, and Mrs. Barnes, and representatives of the M.argate Town Council, Freemasons, and the Count of Men of Kent and Kentish Men, and followmg members of the fire brigades' CO's R he h H' " us lort I.tchcock, Br.itt?n and Sorrell (London Private Brigades ASSOCiatIOn). C.O.'s Brooker and Slater (N F B U ) Inspector W. Haughton (London Salvage Corps).

Amid manifestations of regret the mortal remains of the late Pte. Pavey, for 13 years a member of the S.J.A.B., No. 9 Division, were interred on Saturday, Jan. 28th , at Finchley Cemetery. The cortege was met at the cemetery gates by District Supt. Sec. Ponter and comrades of the deceased, who also acted as bearers. The coffin was draped with the Brigade flag, surmounted by the deceased's cap and belt. The funeral service was performed by the cemetery chaplain, and at the conclusion of the committal portion of the service the buglers of the Division sounded the" Last Post."

The widow wishes to tender her heartfelt thanks to all mem bers of the Brigade for the kindly sympathy extended to her in her sad bereavement.

The Passing of a Pioneer.

l CONTRIBUTED. ]

ON Saturday, February 4th, died at Margate, William John Church-Brasier. Only those who worked with him can realize what he did for the St. John Ambulance Brigade and the passing of this pioneer will, to some, seem like the termination of an epoch in the Brigade history. To those who have come more recently into the Brigade movement it is difficult to convey an adequate idea of how much the Brigade owes him. He was the founder of the Metropolitan Corps-now the Prince of Wales' Corps. He was its first Superintendent. It is not too much to say that without him the Brigade might never have taken shape. How well we remember his enthusiasm and his personal magnetism in those early days. The" Chief" as he was affectionately called was ubiquitous. Whether it was a parade or a march-out to be arranged; or he wanted volunteers for special duty or men to help at camp, he made an intimate personal appeal which it was hard indeed to refuse. So by his incessant endeavour and by the loyalty he inspired he gathered round him a band of men who were not merely interested in the work but felt that much depend ed on their individual efforts. They consequently gave un

THE many friends of Col. Henchley will unite with us in hearty congratulations upon his well-merited promotion, which was announced in the L ondon Gazette of Jan uary 3rd Col. Henchley has earned his promotion by the way in which he has worked to promote the proficiency of the men serving under him.

Upon the formation of the Territorial Force in April, 1908 , when the General Director asked Col. Henchley to raise a complete medical unit, with headquarters at Canterbury, and sections at Ashford and Whitstable, there were not a few croakers who prophesied failure but they had reckoned without their man. So heartily and systematically did Col. Henchley throw himself into the new movement that an even greater measure of success crowned his efforts, and the unit had the distinction of being the first to obtain full establishment within six month of its formation.

Incidentally, it may be mentioned that dur!ng Boer War Col. Henchley was for some months semor CIVil surgeon attached to the at the He.rbert Woolwich, and during hiS penod of service somethmg like 1,500 invalids passed through the war.ds there. We understand Col. Henchley has given up pnvate practice, and will therefore able to devote the greater portion of his time to carrymg out the work he has so much at heart.

CARDlFF.-The first annual dinner of this corps was held recently at Barry's Hotel, Cardiff, the chair being taken by Mr. Herbert Lewis He was supported by Col. William Taylor, J.p., Major Condon, ?f the RA.M C., Col. Downing, RA.M.C.(T.), Capt. Richardson WhIte, RA. M.C.(T.) (Merthyr Vale), Drs. Thomas G. R Sparrow, De Vere Hunt, Gillon Irving, W. G. WillIams and Thornley. About ISO attended.

When, corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

Brevities.

By a. curious omission motor ambulances have been omitted in the provision for the granting of rebate on the petrol tax. Cars used by doctors for professional purposes are granted the same rebate as industrial motor vehicles. It is to be presumed that the medical profession was granted this advantage on account of the desirability of the employment of a quick means of transport where the saving of time may mean the saving of life. If this is true in a doctor's case, it is all the more true in the case of a motor ambulance. We understand that Motor Tractz'on has taken this matter up, and has addressed a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer calling his attention to the omission, and we hope to hear that this oversight will be rectified in the near future.

* * *

GENERAL satisfaction has been expressed on all sides at the appointment by His Royal Highness the Grand Prior, of Sir James Clarke to the chief position in the St. John Am bulance Brigade, and it is generally felt that a new and brighter era now marks the future of the Brigade. * **

SIR JAMES has had a distinguished career, he has on more than occasion received high distinction at the hands of hIs Sovereign. His conduct of the affairs of th will, we believe, be marked by a spirit of D lsclplme he will certainly look for, but with his knowledge the volunteer forces, he is not likely to rely on the marl fist. We shall hope that under his regime, the ann ual conferences of the Brigade which were so successful in the past, and undoubtedly did so much to assist the progress of the movement in the early days, may be revived.

WE wish Sir James a very successful and pleasant tenor of office, and may we take the opportunity of saying that we trust that the relationship between ourse lves and may be placed on more satisfactory lines. Our one has always been to assist the movement in every poss:ble way, and it has at times raised heart-burning to find WIth what scant courtesy our efforts have been received.

THE. exponents of the Red Cross movement are still engaged k m :ndeavouring to prove that first aid or am bulance wor , IS now being introduced to the E l' h f h fi ng IS people or t erst tJ me. Some of their statements are beneath conter:npt, and scarcely worth contradiction. Take the foUowm.g, at a recent Red Cross meeting Sir Frederick Treves IS reported to have said "The E l' h 'd ng IS 1 ea of a stretcher, m an emergency, seems to be a cottage d 1 dd I . . oor or a a er- Imagme It must be a delightf 1 . u expenence to be

carried on a ladder-you r.an do so much better with a great coat slung between two rifles." It may be news to Sir Frederick Treves to learn that this method of transport has been taught in the St. John Ambulance classes for upwards of 30 years.

* * *

ApPARENTLY Sir Frederick finds that even his powerful advocacy is hardly sufficient to retain the interest of his audience, and he now has to adopt the role of the funny man. Here is one of the stories that he favoured a Brighton audience with the other day :-"A man was being brought down from Spion Kop, he was yelling with pain, you could hear him half-a-mile off-a fact. One imagined there could not be much the matter with a man whose lungs were in such splendid working order. 'I'm shot in the stomach,' were his words when attended to 'kill me put me out of my pain; give me morphia; 'shoot through the head.' The surgeon stripped off the temporary bandage, that a comrade had placed over the injured part they found not a wound of ghastly characted, but that comrade who put on the bandage had, in his unskilled method, pinned the bandage, with a big army safety pin to a tender place)n the man's stomach. To have a War Office safety pin in a tender spot," said Sir Frederick "is joke, no sooner had the matter been explained and the p:n than the man who wanted to be put out of hIS was off the stretcher, and dashing back up the fatal hIll. 'Where are you going?' was the call. 'To look for the man that put that pin in me l' was the answer"

Th.is,. Sir Frederick, proved the necessity for trammg In first aid.

As a barrack-room yarn this would stand pre-eminently front row, but as an argument in favour of the teachIng In first aid, it is absolutely second rate.

AT last the Government has made a move in the matter of rescue stations in our chief coalfields. Several have already been opened, and others are in course of formation. *

THE breathing helmets and reviving apparatu'l manu:acturers should be doing a large business. A large increase In the sale of first. aid appliances proves that the colliery are fully alIve to the responsibilities, and intend that rescue corps shall be adequately and comp!etel eqUIpped. y

The competition for the Cornwall Ambulance Sh' Id }present holders, Dolcoath Division) will be held at 2 I tho Entries close on February 28th rues WI e gIven to first three teams.

corresponding with Advertisers please mentIOn First Aid."

February, IgII. -FIRST

Our Portrait Gallery.

SUPT. J. THOMPSON, DUBLIN (ClTY' DIVISION).

THE subject of our sketch was first connected with the ambulance movement, in 1895 when he was appointed a Captain of the loth Company of the Dublin Battalion of the Boys' Brigade, which position he held for upwards of twelve years, being justly regarded by his comrades and superiors, as the "right man" in the right place. In

AID.-

own house, and from which the City of Dublin DlVls.lon was eventually formed. The Dublin NurSIng DlvlSlon was also organised and formed by him Messrs. W. & R .. Jac?b & Co., and the L. & N.-W.R. Co.: North Wall, havmg smce come into existence.

To make am ':'lork known still further, Supt. ThoD?psor: had a publIc dIsplay in the Mansion House, Dublm., kmdly lent by the Lord Mayor for the occasion, m the presence .of a representative gathering of the the first. were distributed and a presentatIOn of a solId SIlver mkstand, suitably inscribed made to him in recognition of his services. '

A meeting was also held in the Gresham Hotel in 1908, for a further distribution of certificates, &c., at which he was the recipient of a large aneroid barometer as an addltlOnal acknowledgment of his services.

The Cup," carrying with it a silver medal, whIch he has Just to the Division to be competed for for. Ir:dlvldual excellence in practical and theoretIcal wor.k IS Indeed but one further testimony of his whole-hearted mterest and untiring energy in the work of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

" Gent" Cup Competition.

WE give below the test set for the" Gent" Cup Competition, viz.:QUESTIONS.

I:-Enumerate and describe briefly the principles of first aId treatment to the sick and injured. are the various means of transporting the SIck and mJured, and state under what particular circumstances you would em ploy each?

3.-What are the various injuries which may take place at, or near to, the ankle joint :-How do you distinguish between these?

4.-What are the signs and treatment of venous hcemorrhage?

6.- What are the signs and treatment of sunstroke and heat stroke?

VIVA VOCE.

order to stimulate an interest in ambulance work in the Boys' Brigade, he secured, with the co-operation of others, a valuable ebony and silver shield, which is annually put up for competition between the various companies.

The first year the trophy was competed for, the team trained by him succeeded in capturing it; eighteen teams in all competing. The members of his compal1y presented him (as a recognition of his efforts to popularise first aid) with a handsome dressing case.

On May 6th, 1905, the ghastly sewer disaster occurred at Burgh Quay, Dublin, by which Constable Sheehan and John Fleming, fitter, lost their lives in that veritable deathtrap, and some eleven persons who volunteered to descend in order to carry out the work of rescue were, in their turn, struck down, overcome by the powerful gases, until at one time it was difficult to know how many were still below in the very jaws of death. Mr. Thompson, who happened to be in the neighbourhood at the time, hastened to the scene and performed artificial respiration on the unconscious victims, as they were hauled up through the narrow manhole, putting nine through his hands and giving instruction to the uninitiated of the modus ojerandz'to be adopted.

The necessity of starting classes of instruction on first aid being thus, alas, too vividly brought home, he, through the medium of the press, secured sufficient public interest to call a meeting, when a branch of the Association was established, the earlier meetings being held in Mr.

I.-State the various causes of blood issuing from the mouth and give your treatment for arresting same.

2.-A man has been bitten in the forefinger of the right hand by a rabid dog. How would you treat him? PRACTICAL.

I.-Fracture of the vault of the skull with arterial hcemorrhage.

2.-Fractured collar bone (right).

Dr. Tllrner has accepted the position of hon. surgeon of the Dawlish Division, .s.J.A.B., which was rendered vacant by the death of Dr. Coates, R.N.

We understand that arrangements are being made for a contingent of British firemen to attend the Turin Congress of the Italian Federation of Firemen in August next.

Dr. J. Pereira examined a class of fifteen members of the Torquay Division in military san itation on January 18th, out of which twelve passed. Hon. Snrgeon C. Ellis was the instructor' Sanitation is made such an important subject in the army that it is desirable that every corps should have some men holding sanitary certificates.

No. I District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

No. 13 DIVIsION.-On Saturday, January 28th, the mem bers of this Division held their annual evening concert in the Hall of the Northern Polytechnic Institute, Holloway-road, N. Despite the inclemency of the weather the Hall was filled, and everyone spent a most enjoyable time. A splendid "ariety entertainment had been arranged by the Honorary Secretary (Mr. Percy Sebright), and everything went with a swing throughout the whole of the evening.

The members of the Division are all in the employ of the Great Northern Railway Co. The President is Sir O. R. H. Barry, General Manager; W. J. Grmlmg, Chief Traffic Manager; and all the principal officers of the G.N.R. are Vice-Presidents.

The Honorary Surgeons are Messrs. R. Nain, M.D., L.R.c.P.; J. Brunton, M.D., M.R.C.S., D.P. H., and W. Mailer, M.B., L.R.c.P.

Mr. G. T. Cooper is the Superintendent of the Division, and Messrs. Hankin and Sebright are First and Second Officers respectively.

The Inspector and Assistant-Inspector of Stores are Sergt. Badcock and Pte. Cumber, and both have earned the gratitude of their fellow members by their assiduity to the duties of their position.

Mr. W. J. Gobey is the Assistant Honorary Secretary of the Division.

No. 24 DIVlsION -On January 11th the mem?ers of thiS dlvlslon,m charge of Sergt. F. W. Rittman, were mspected at St. Andrew's Hall, New Kent-road by the Belgrave Ninnis, M. D., R. N., was accompamed by Assistant-Commissioner W. H. and Lieut: (who has been 3.ppointed supermtendent of the dlVlslOn). The Rev. Mr. Payne, Vicar of St. Andrew's Church, was also present.

There were 4 I mem bers on parade. A short drill was performed by the right half company under Sergt. Grey, followed by the left half company under Sergt. Heather.

the conclusion of the drill, Inspector-General Nmms the .members. He expressed his pleasure at bemg able to Inspect the division and referred to the last occasion on which he had done now some ago, at poulton's works. He was pleased to notIce that the dlVlsIOn had grown since that time and that instead of only having one section it now had four He felt that great thanks were due to Messrs. Doulton &: Co., Ltd., and other large firms, and also to the vicars of in and elsewhere, by whose kmdness, m providIng dnll halls and accom modation the work of the brigade was materially assisted.

Inspecto.r - General Ninnis called attention to the v.anous Special Reserves connected with the brigade, particularly to the Voluntary Aid Detachments, the enrolment

AID.- February, 1911.

in which involved little or no extra work to those members who were also members of the brigade.

In conclusion, Dr. Ninnis expressed his sorrow at having to state that this would be his last inspection as Chief Commissioner. He was now advancing in years and he felt that the time had arrived when he should from that office, which he had held for the past eight years. He had therefore tendered his resignation as Chief Commissioner, and had since been notified that His Royal Highness the Grand Prior of the Order had accepted the same. He would, however, still continue to attend at the " Gate" in order to hand over charge. He had already thirteen years' service in the brigade, subsequent to hiS retirement from the Navy, after 36 years' service. It had been his am bition to earn the much-coveted Lon a Service Medal of the Order, a medal which he should be proud to wear with the others on his uniform; it was not a medal which could be gained by those who only worked by fits and starts; it was only awarded to those who showed their constancy in the work by fifteen years' efficient service, and he urged every mem ber to follow his own example and strive his utmost for that reward.

Th.e Assistant-Commissioner, Mr. W. H. in the members, said he was pleased to be at this and yet he was sorry. He was pleased because It was the occasion of the introduction to the members of Lieut: upon his appointment as Superintendent of the divIsIOn. He was sorry because it was the last inspec.be made. by Inspector-General Belgrave NInms In hiS offiCial capacity as Chief Commissioner. :Mr. referred with deep feeling to the many kindnesses not only he personally, but the w.hole district, had received at the hands of Dr. Ninnis.

With. regard to the Special Reserves, Mr. Morgan agreed WIth the remarks of Dr. Ninnis, and added that in .his opinion, one trained man was as good as three traIned men.

Mr also commented upon the self-sacrificing manne.r In which the members paraded for public duty, often In the face of many difficulties, in connection with which he mentioned some of his own personal experiences. In his opinion there was nothing better than am bulance work for the promotion of good feeling, or more calculated to humanise a man and bring out his love for his fellows.

No. 30 (EAST LONDON) DIVISION.-The second annual Social and Whist Drive and Dance was held on January 22nd at Mozart House, Albion-road.

:About 1.80 guests were present, including Messrs. PontIn and Vilven of the staff. Dr. Jones, of 7, Division, and Dr. Blake, of No. 30 Division.

Al! the arrangements were admirably carried out by the hon. secretary, Sergt. ]. Spanyer, who also acted as M.C., and was assisted by several members of the Division as stewards.

No. 2 District.

HASTINGS.-A smoking concert was held on February 1St, at the Queen's Head Assembly Rooms. The chair was taken by the Hon. Surgeon (Capt. Locke), who was supported by Mr. R. W. Locke, and Mr. C. B. Travers, Hon. Surgeon to the Fire Brigade. A special musical programme was carried out by the members and friends. All present spent a most enjoyable evening.

FebruarYI

19 1 1. -FIRST

No. 3 District.

LEICESTl£R.-On January 20th, in res pose to an invitation by Mr. J. W. Faire, the mem bers of the Park Vale Divisior. mustered at the Oriental Cafe, Leicester, to partake of a dinner, and subsequently listened to an address on the urgent necessity for promoting the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments.

In the course of an interesting address, Mr. Faire outlined the inception of the movement until the time when friction arose. The fact was, the War Office issued instructions one day and countermanded them the next; this was a most deplorable condition of affairs, which, he was glad to say, had now been remedied, and both organisations would work in their respective spheres, and no time ought to be lost in making adequate provision fo: the sick and wounded, should a national emergency anse.

He, the speaker, understood the movement was making progress in Northampton, and they must not be behindhand in Leicester. In movements of this kind Leicestershire generally took the lead, and she must act up to her old traditions.

Chief Supt. King said the enrolled strength of the brigade was now 18,340; they had eight bearer companies, a naval reserve of about 800 men, a strong and efficient military home hospitals reserve. They would do what they could to support the formation of these detachments.

No. 4 District.

LIVERPooL.-On Saturday, January 28th, at St. Luke's Schools, the annual competitions for the Challenge Cups open to members of the Liverpool Corps were held. The silver cups presented by W. Adamson, Esq., for competitt0n by Nursing Sisters being first dealt with. Three squads from Liverpool and two from BootIe entered. This was followed by the men's competition for the Silver Challenge Cup presented by J. Lister, Esq., J.P. Nine squads taking part, viz., six from Liverpool and three from BootIe.

The judges were Lieut.-Colonel T M. Dawson, R.A.M.C., and Dr. L. Morgan, who gave their awards as follows :-

.Nurse's Co7tzpetition :-J, No. 4 Squad, BootIe; 2, No. 3 Squad, Liverpool; 3, No. 2 Squad, BootIe; 4, No.1 Squad, Liverpool; 5, NO.5 Squad, Liverpool.

Men's Comjetitt'on.--r, No.1 Squad, Bootle; 2, NO·5 Squad, Bottle; 3, NO.3 Squad, Liverpool; 4, NO.2 Squad, Liverpool; 5, No. 4 Squad, BootIe; 6, No. 7 Squad, Liverpool; 7, No. 6 Squad, Liverpool ) 8, No. 8 Squad, Liverpool; 9, NO.9 Squad, Liverpool.

The squads were, Nursing Sisters :-\Iisses Chambers, Bloyd, Griffiths and Fowder.

Men's Competition :-Sergt. Pickering, _Corp!. Doyle, Ptes. Parkinson and Robinson.

At the close of the competition the Chief Supt. of the Corps (Mr. J. C. Ellison) introduced the Head Constable of Liverpool (Mr. Leonard Dunning) who, after handing the cups and prizes to the respective winning squads, said he had many opportunities of seeing how the mem bers of the Brigade worked in the streets, and he, personally, owed them a great debt of gratitude. Their presence amongst large crowds brought great comfort and assurance. He knew the members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade were to be relied upon and it relieved him of great anxiety, and in this respect he was very grateful for the help they rendered. Among those present who witnessed the competitions were Lady Supts. Miss Cattley, Liverpool, and

AI D.-

Mrs. McNaught, BootIe. Supts. Tucker and Pugh and First Ambulance Officer Roberts.

No. 5 District.

ROTHERHAM.-The annual meeting of this corps was at th.e Ship Hotel, Rotherham, of January 27th. Actmg Chief Supt. H. C. Chambers, occupied the chair, supported by a large number of members.

The b,:lance-sheet showed an income of £37 14S. 6d., and expenditure £30 12S. 9d., the balance being £7 IS. 9d., as compared with £13 lIS. lId. at the commencement of the year.

The Chairman said one pleasurable item was the increase of public subscriptions by about £4. He was pleased also to see that the members' subscriptions had increased by a few shillings. They must realise, however, that they were not yet fully equipped.

The balance-sheet was passed.

The Chairman, in giving a review of the work of the year, said the Rotherham Corps was undoubtedly passing through a stage of what he might term tiredness. In many organisations there was a time when there waf.; a certain amount of fatigue and lassitude, and he believed that Rotherham, during the past year, had been in a critical stage. He regretted his duties as district secretary prevented him fr om attending the Rotherham parades as he would like.

Recently he had been whether the time had come when he should stand aside and allow someone else more time at his disposal to attend to the work of the Rotherham corps. Nothing definite had been decided upon, and he had not fully made up his mind. During the past year the drill attendances had been very poor indeed, and many times there were more officers and sergeants than men in the ranks. Now was the time for them to consider what was the cause and what steps could be taken to remove the lassitude that had come over them this year. They at Rotherham had a very important year before them in view of the visit to th e Yorkshire Show for three days, where they would be called upon to maintain a permanent hospital. He hoped they would endeavour to maintain the high position that Division 5 had held in the past.

Chief Surgeon Dr. Riddle proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring committees. Private French seconded the motion, and it was carried.

The committees elected for the year were :-A Division, Hon Sergeant F. Hepworth, st Class Sergeant Burkett, Sergeants Darby and Gilling, and Privates Lloyd and Blow. B Division, Hon. Surgeon S. B. Wylie Moore, Sergeants Street and Allman, Corporal Doult, and Privates Ellis and Davies; Privates Ellis and Davies.

The final ambulance competition on the N.E. Ry. will be held at Darlington, on April 3rd. The local arrangements are being carried out by Mr. T. B. Curry, secretary of the Darlington Centre.

GATESHEAD FELL.-Dr. Anderson has resigned his position as hon. surg eon of this division in order to take up a post on the district staff. A meeting of the members was held on February 9th, in order to make a presentation to the doctor as a mark of appreciation of his services to the division

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

The Post Office and S.J.A.B.

AT a me etin g of the N.-W. D.O. Branch of the Post Office Ambulance Corps, held on February 7th, it was that the time had now arrived for the Post Office to fall In line with the large industries of the country and form a Division of the S.J.A.B. Dr. Coode Adams has consented to act as Hon. Surgeon and Supt. and Mr. A. F. Hall, Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. The Division, which will be open to all Post Office employes, will be known as the Postal Division S.J.A.B. Headquarters have been obtained at the Messengers' Institute, Gloucester-road, N. W., and all Post Office employes are invited to join. If there are sufficient members in anyone district arrangements will be made to hold instruction classes, &c., at some convenient place within such district. The subscription has been fixed at two shillings per annum, and it is hoped to supply uniforms free to all. Full particulars will be given to those interested on application to the Hon. Secretary, Parcel Office, N.-W.D.O., G.P.O.

ANew Type of Motor Ambulance for Pretoria.

ONE of the most remarkable signs of progress in civil and municipal life is exemplified in a comparison between the old methods of handling the iniured and the facilities that

AI D.- February, 19 II

and should demonstrate the progress which has been made in the construction of ambulance vehicles.

OLD TYPE.

S PEED (A MOST

At the best, a jog trot, often reduced to a walk, on account of the patient's suffering. Many an accident which might have been treated successfully has terminated fatally owing to the length of time occupied on the journey.

PRESENT DAY.

IMPORTANT POINT).

Anything up to 12 miles per hour by modern horsed ambulance or up to 40 miles per hour by motor ambulance.

COMFORT OF, AND ATTENTION TO, PATIENT.

In the old ambulance the Nowadays the motor or patient was placed upon a horsed ambulance has rubber rude litter, which rested upon tyres and the most elastic the floor of the vehicle, and and resilient spring suspenwas subject to all the violent sion, supplemented in the oscillation and vibration set motor ambulance with pneuup by the roughness of road, matic tyres if necessary. wheels with iron tyres, and The stretcher itself upon the rigid, inel a stic nature of which the patient is laid (well the conveyance. above the floor ) is of an elastic canvas foundation, and this stretcher in turn is mounted in some cases on special patent suspension springs effectually labsurbing any vibration which might be set up. Surgical requisites, oxygen, stimulants, and first aid appliances are always available.

INTERCHANGEABILITY.

The old ambulance was regarded as of no utility for any purpose except that for which it was purchased, i.e., the conveyance of a single patient or injured person.

The present car, horsed or motor, is invariably fitted with a cushioned seat, for or convalescents; in practically all cases accommodation is provided for two injured persons, and in many instances both stretchers are removable, so that the vehicle can be instantly converted into a passenger car in case of emergency.

February, 19 1 1. -FIRST

attachable, so that the car can be instantly a travelling conveyance for passengers or convalescents; the spring-stuffed

We a1'e in no way 1'esponsib e /01' the opinions or the statements made, by Corre spondents.-EDITORS.

CONCUSSION

OF THE BRAIN.

DEAR SIR,-Will you please answer in your next issue of FIRST AID, for the benefit of a few of your readers who are in doubt of the correct answer :-" What are the signs and symptoms of concussion of the brain?" No doubt you will think it an easy question, but I am asking it for competition purposes, as since the 1908 revision of the St. John Ambulance Book, certain doctors have altered the ir opinion as our co mpetition paper show, they want the same signs ani symptoms as compression of the brain and apoplexy. Now the 190r books are very definite with the signs and symptoms, but the 1908 books do no give any signs and symptoms at all, only that he ma y regain consciousn es s or insensibility more or less (pp' 131 ) complete may be prolonged.-Yours, &c., G. W. N ORr.lANTON.

cushioned seats and backrests, combined with the special resilience of the springs, eliminating all jar or vibration. The car is designed for a maximum load of thirteen persons.

Nursing Orders.

To soothe the body ere the spirit fiy This is 0 sister, nurse, thy mission high: Wherefore and whence Pain is we may not knowA bitter fruit primeval sin did sow.

Watch through the slow hours of the lengthy night.; Fight 'gainst King Death with all thy skilful might The King of Life in those last hours may yet, His seal of victory on that spirit set.

[I do not care about answering .questi? ns for purposes. Practically, the exact dIagnOSIs o.f or rom pression does not affect the whICh IS the same in both cases. This is what the first alder has to do at the moment-he has nothing to do with the after-treatment when the exact diagnosis becomes necessary. -HEATON C. HOWARD.]

CARRYING A PATIENT UPHILL.

DEAR SIR,-I should be much obliged if you will answer me the following question in your ne xt issue :_cc In what cases of illness or accident in Cantlie's first aid do you carry a person head first uphill who is suffering from a fracture of lower limbs. ·-Yours, &c., R. UNSWORTH.

P.S.·-Dr. Martin's book of questions says in all cases of fracture of lower limbs carry patient's feet first uphIll.

[Evidently both .books agree that cases of fracture of loyver limbs should be carned uphlll feet first.

are now available for the careful and prompt conveyance of victims of accident or disaster to doctor, hospital or infirmary.

Only a decade since any conveyance was regarded as suitable to carry an injured person, while the ambulance proper-presumably built for the specific purpose-was a ramshackle vehicle-often devoid of any but the most rudimentary type of springs, and from a "comfort" point of view, was little better than a farm wagon.

A years have sufficed to alter this system out of reco.gmtlOn, and the efforts of our big cities and municipal bodies have demonstrated the great superiority and advantag.es. of the motor ambulance for the prompt transference o.f Injured to a place where the necessary attention can be given.

,We append a few comparisons which, without technicalities, wIll probably be of special interest to our readers,

Our photographs illustrate the progressive policy adopted by the Fire Department of Pretoria, in purchasing what may be regarded as the most complete and comprehensive vehicle of this character which has ever been conceived, and we are indebted to the builders, Messrs. J. and A. Carter, of 2, 4, & 6, New Cavendish-street, W., for the followmg particulars :-

The chasis is of 191I pattern, fitted with "Silent Knight" 4 cylinder engine.; four speeds, specially geared for am bulance work and hill climbing, with a Colonial clearance of 9 in. from the ground. Solid tyres are fitted to this model for traversing rough roads in country districts, and three brakes. The body of the car affords unique accommodation the stretchers along each seat-line are drawn towards the centre door at the rear, and the loading of stretchers is facilitated by an extensive piece upon which the stretcher can rest, and this obviates the necessity for attendant clim bing into the car-a difficult and dangerous operation when carrying an injured person. The stretchers and swing frames upon which they rest, are collapsible, folding into small compass for packing, and both are easily

List to the babbling of a wand'ring mind Which needeth rest and rest doth hardly find.; N ear is the ending of a mortal lifeClose is the harbour from all storm and strife. Take the last message to those left behind, Pray the Good God that they may be resigned; Speak of Eternal Peace which One will send: Love is illlmortai: Pain hath mortal end.

HON. SURGEON.

If any of the old comrades of the late Mr. Church Brasier would like to have a photograph of him, Messrs. Weston, Poultry, London, E.c., are able to provide them.

EXETER.-About thirty members of the Division were entertained to supper on February st, by their hon. s.urgeon, Dr. Periera, and Supt. Bowden, occupied the chair. We understand that the City CounCIl has con· tri buted £25 towards the purchase of the horse am bulance wagon.

The only ex ception I can think of at the moment IS one 10 which some bleeding of the mouth, throat or nose cannot be ql1ite stopped, and there might be danger of suffocatIOn If the head be kept lower than the body.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

FRACTURE OF CRANIUM, CLAVICLES. RIBS A ID

DEAR SIR,-Will you please answer the following questions in FIRST AID:-

1 A man has sustained a fracture on the dome of the and is uncons cious. The rin g-pad and dressing. has been applied, but after being .placed upon a stretcher, the of compression appear. Is It adVIsable to remove the nngpad? d I I

2. A man is suffering from fractured rIbs an c aVlc e on both sides of the body; simple fr actures. Should the claVIcles in this case be treated as per text- book?

I shall esteem it a favour If you can oblige with an answer.-Yours faithfully, C. KNAPP.

[No. I. According to the first part of the query. there is no indication for the need of a rIng-pad. 0 details of the fracture are given. He is already unconscIOUS, and the first aider would have to be uncommonly smart to detect the other

I3°

-FIRST

signs of compression, especially after the patient was placed on the stretcher. As the signs of compression may be produced either by a piece of bone being forced down on the brain, or by the blood beIng extravasated within the cranium, it might be difficult to say which was the cause. If the ring-pad is pressing a piece of bone down on the brain, it should not have been put on, and must be removed. If the compression is produced by the second cause, then the ring-pad would not affect it. This pad seems to me entirely uncalled for.

NO.2. More details should be supplied in this case in . order to give a proper answer. The most serious injury should be primarily attended to 1f a man bas received tbese injuries he must have had a very severe accident and be in a very bad way, and in all probability the minor injuries of broken clavicles would be sufficiently treated by sling only. -HEATON

C. HOWARD.]

SCHAFER'S METHOD OF ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATIO

DEAR SIR,-Judging from my experience at ambulance examinations, uncertainty respecting Schafer s method of artificial respiration is by no means limited to correspondents in your recent issues. Tbe fact is, it has been, up to the present time, q'lite exceptional for me to see Schafer s method carried Ollt as it really should be done. Almost invariahly mention is made of loosening the clothing freely, but gently, before commencing. For this reasonable mistake, misconcepr ion of the instructions is no doubt accounted.

But other errors, I find, are very common, and for their misconception can be no excuse. These must be due ei ther to nervousness, or to real ignorance or neglect of the instructions clearly laid down in the official text book. I mention the most important in the hope that by attention thereto such errors in the future may be less frequent. The mistakes to which I refer are as follows :-

1. Pulling out the tongue is often mentioned as a preliminary.

2 Often important time is further wasted by special care in arranging the position of the hands and arms, so as to ensure that the head rests comfortly on the forearm.

3· The operator's hands are generally too high up the back.

4· The thumbs are almost always placed pointing across, and digging into the back in the middle line.

5· Pressure is then applied, not downwards upon the wrist, as should be (see Fig. 56, official book), but upon the proximal ends of the thumbs and fingers.

The following interesting criticism, by Professor Schafer the e.arly proof of the first edition of "Aids to Memory [0; F lrst A.ld bear definite}y upon the subject under diSCUSSion m your columns, and will, I hope, prove instructive to your readers :-

" There is just one criticism I have to make re Artificial put down three ?perations prior to beginning artiflclal ( r ) .Loose nm g of clothing; (2) removal of obstructIOns; (3 ) slappmg face and chest with wet towel (which might have to be fetched ) Now if you had, as I have fre9,uently, observed for yourselfin drowned animals, how short a time makes all the difference to the chance of resusci tation you would better appreciate the supreme importance of doing :zothing w,}zateve: as a prelimiinary (except, of course, removmg anythll1g which has been stuffed into the throat) but beginning. the ,artificial respiration instantly. In cases half-a-mmute s delay would make all the difference between recovery and death. The loosening of clothes is a of va luable time; the half-minute involved may make all the difference. The same may be said for stays."

More recently, the rough proof of the 3rd edition of "Aid to Memory" submitted to Professor Schafer for approval, the followmg Important comments were received :_

"I find that people always tend to exert the pressure too high up, and I now substitute (the loin' for 'the lower ribs .' Furth.er, the hands (thumbs ) should be parallel and nearly touchmg one another in the middle line." ,

,

Th;re are other most interesting comments in Professor Schafer s letter, but sufficient. has quoted to clear away any element of doubt that mIght anse regarding the correct

AI D.- February, I9 I 1.

manner of carrying out "SCHAFER'S Method" of Artificial Respiration.-Yours, faithfully,

L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.

DEAR SIR,- Your correspondents re Schafer's method of resuscitation are most interesting, but although the able explanation that (C no time should be lost in removing the clothes," I should be much obliged if you would say how a woman with stays on then should be treated, for it appears that no good results from th:lt method could follow unless the staybones were removed. Please say if this thou g ht necessary or not?-Yours, &c.,

K E. MIDDLELON CURTIS, Lady Supt. and Sec. of the Dublin Ladies Nursing Division.

[The able letter on this subject by Dr. Frank Christian explains away our correspondent's query on this particular point.-Ed. (C F.A."]

CARBON-MONOXIDE POISONING.

DEAR SIR,-I should feel obliged if you will answer me the following question :-1. Is it wise to put a tourniquet on the branchial artery before splints are applied in a compound fracture of the humerus, middle of shaft? 2. In a case of carbon-monoxide poisoning what effect has it on the scrotum to cause such terrible swelling, and to be a very shiny appearance when death has taken place ?-Yours faithfully, "ANXIOUS."

[1. If the beeding is severe a tourniquet must be applied with care, then treat the fracture in the usual manner.

2. We cannot say what effect carban-monoxide has upon ' the scrotum. A fa ct of very much gr eater importance to the first aid students in connection with carbon-monoxide is that in cases of poisoning by this gas, the blood does get da.rkened as it does in other cases of suffocation, but, if anythmg, of a redder calour than usual, giving to the suffocatmg patient an appearance of health. This condition of the blood may occasion some doubts of the cause of death in cases of suffocation by fire. - ED. "F.A. "]

OUR JOURNAL IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

DEAR SIR, -As one who is interested in ambulance work and .a of FI.RST Am, may be allowed to offer a sugwhich I thmk would materially stimulate the interest m such a nable i.e., that our little publication, "F.A." should find a place m our London and Provincial Libraries. I have looked for the J at sever.al, .and to. my disappointment have not found It. Every penodlcal which can claim a name as such is nobly allowed a place, but ours is left to the tender charity of its own supporters. I may say that in the town which until recently I resided and was reluctently compelled to resi g n my position in the Brigade by reason of removal, one of our members personally saw that" F.A." was placed in the Public Library, the effect of which has more than once been ably jllstified.-Yours faithfully, "G.C."

Late Sec. Eastbourne Div. S.J.A.B.

(If the.Lib.rarians of Pu!)lic. Libraries are asked for a publi ca tion which IS not on their list they generally obtain it.En. (C F.A."J

DRILL.

DEAR SIR,-Will you kindly allow me a space in your valuable J ou:nal to ask .the question how is !t .that the S.J.A.B. has not a prill book ?f ItS <?wn? In my opmlOn, a simplified book published. on t.hls subject would meet a long felt want. It must be borne Il1 mmd that we are not all soldiers and the element in the brigade must be brought to the mlDlmum, therefore tbe various formations should be simplified as much as possible, for I know that there are a lot of first aiders wha will not join the brigade because they say they resent the drill.

Of course I aware that drill is essential in moving body of men, but m the present condition of affairs it is worse

February, 19 II -FIRST than useless owing to the lack of ; for instal!ce, ,;vhen on duty you hear the word of comnla nd given to one UDlt: Odd numbers one pace forward, even numbers .one pace back, march ?" Another unit: « Odd numbers two. I could enumerate many other !nstan.ces, but It only takmg up your spac.e. .r hope w!ll be done m direction, for I thmk It would matenally be for the good of all.Yours faithfully, « A CONSTANT READER."

[We have for a long time past realised that a b?ok on applicable to the S.] .A.B is and by a CUriOUS comcldent we publish With .our correspondent's letter the first article of a senes on thiS subject. have. reason to believe that Headquarters have conSideratio n at. th e present time the subject of pubilshmg a book on drlll.ED. "F.A."]

We ha ve been compelled to hold over several c.ommunications owing to pressure on sl?ace. We will a.nswer the queries of" H. ]. S ." and" RoystoDlan " m our next Issue.

-----.--.-------

In a report of the inques.t on the VIctIms of the Pretoria Pit disaster the followmg passage appears :-A miner said that he remembered an occasion a man was "gassed" at his working place. "DId you use artificial respiration?" he was asked. "Yes!" the reply' "I hit him on the jaw, and as soon as I dId that , ,,, he shouted out (Hold on

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AID.- February, 19II.

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An Advanced Ambulance Handbook.

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• How TO ACT IN CASES OF EMERGENCY.

Aids to Memory for I First Aid' Students.

By L.I M, FRANK CHRISTIAN. M,B" C,M, EDIN, Arran.ged, and Illustrated by photographs specially taken with th b' workers to more readily grasp and in minJ Jeet ot Important detaIls necessary for efficiency in " First Aid" work. e many Ed!tlon.. SpeCially Revised. Additionally Illustrated. Compiled with the greatest care lays down some ver im ortant for the observance of student. We certainly that as a the '. WIll aIm at a intelligent grasp of the practical side of the .work as dlstmct f!om the mechamcal methods so constantly seen both at e a!,d Vide" May, I9 IO (See alro Feb. ThIS edItIOn fully comes up to Its blgh reputation and will be we1co:n b b ll !imbulance men and those interested in tbe etbics of l First Aid' b e In. the bands of all First Aid students,"-Tke Ambulance. s ou Pnce: In Cloth, 6d O dnet-by post 7d. In Leather, 2S. net-by post 2S 2d. " ers for doz. and ujwards Post Free

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To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, corresponden ts in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents [Q be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

to the risks they run, and unless strict regulations are enforced to prevent them taking these thoughtless risks, or that mines are constructed on such scientific principles that it will be impossible for explosions to occur, we shall have colliery disasters accompanied by their consequences, however effective rescue organisations may be.

The Departmental Committee, who were unammous in their conclusions, submitted a draft order which they recommended should be made under the Mines Accident Act.

Rescue and Aid

EAR LY in the month was issued from the Home Office, a report of the Departmental Committee on the Organisation. Organisation of Rescue and Aid in the case of Accidents In Mines. Recent colliery disasters have left us no longer in doubt of the necessity of a better system of rescue organisation, and the improvement in the management of mines in order to reduce to a minimum the possibility of fires and explosions occurring. Mine owners throughout the country have not been slow to recognise their obligations to provide stretchers and ambulance equipment for use in their mines and works, and in some instances steps have been taken to form trained rescue forces it is now required that the best organisation and best equipment shall be provided in all colliery centres. This is a step in the right direction, but it is futile passing Acts of Parliament making it compulsory on proprietors to provide equipment and rescue brigades if provisions are not made at the same time to minimise the risks of fires and explosions. Disasters in mines are not alone due to defective construction, but in many instances are caused by the carel essness on the part of miners they become indifferent

The Order provides among other things that no unauthorised person shall be allowed to enter a mine after an explosion of firedamp or coal-dust or after the occurrence of a fire for the purpose of engaging in rescue work. There shall be organised and maintained at every mine as soon as is reasom.bly practicable, rescue brigades on the following scale:- Where the number of underground employes is less than 250, one brigade; more than 2 SO and less than 500, two brigades; more than 500 and less than 800, three brigades; more than 800 employes, four brigades. A rescue brigade shall consist of not less than five persons employed at the mine, carefully selected on account of their underground knowledge, coolness, and power of endurance, and certified to be medically fit, a majority of whom shall hold first aid certificates. The members of each brigade shall have received instruction in the reading of mine plans, in the use and construction of breathing apparatus, in the properties and detection of poisonous or inflammable gases, and in the various appliances us ed in mine rescue and recovery work. The brigades shall undergo a systematic course of training approved by the Home Secretary. Arrangements shall be made at every mine for summoning members of rescue briaades immediately th eir services are required. tl

At every mine it is recommended that there shall be kept in readiness for immediate use sets of portable breathing apparatus capa.ble of enabling the wearer to remain for at least one hour in an irrespirable atmosphere; two or more small birds or mice shall be provided at each mine for testing for car bon monoxide and up-to-date tracings of the workings shall be kept for use by the brigades. At every central rescue station a motor-car must be kept in constant readiness, and specified life-saving apparatus be pro-

-FIRST

vided. A central rescue station means one so situated as to serve several collieries, and the uwner, agent, or manager of a mine at which the number of underground employes is less than 100 need not organise a separate rescue brigade if he has acquired the privilege of calling for a brigade from a central rescue station.

We have no doubt in the main these recommendations will be accepted throughout the mining centres. It is quite possible, however, that mine managers may suggest a few slight modifications on the minor points of the regulations which will be beneficial to the successful working of this Act.

Hints to Competitors.

By S. HAMILTON, B.A., M.D.

FROM an experience of several years gained in training ambulance teams for competitions and in judging at ambulance competitions in various parts of the country, I offer the following hints to those who think of entering for these contests.

When a team is formed great care should be taken in the choice of the captain (No. 4 in the Railway Competitions), as so much depends on his tact, good judgment and resourcefulness in emergency. Whilst the captain must possess the entire confidence of his men, yet each member ought to use his own brains and think out the symptoms that call for most urgent attention. Whilst every first aid student should be observant, tactful, resourceful, explicit and discriminating (see Cantlie, pages 17 and 18), the object of ambul:mce competitions is largely to d emo nstrate the exercise of these qualities, they must be a sine qua non in the captain of the team. Coolness and self-confidence is very necessary on the part of the officer who is to give the word of command and any nervousness on his part is sure to be communicated to the team and possibly to the patient.

TRAINING.

Those ambulance students who expect to emerge from a competition with any degree of success must be prepared to forego their amusements for a season and to keep up a steady course of training for five or six weeks. As Milton says, they must-" Scorn delights and live laborious days " They all will already have a groundwork of first aid to start with, and they will best employ their time by working out the treatment suitable for every possible case of emergency or accident. Their instructor will give them a supposed case of injury to treat, will superintend them and criticise their work at the end. If this method is pursued night after night, each member of the team will hecome accustomed to regard a supposed accident as having actually occurred and to treat it accordingly and will not be taken by surprise on the day of the competition. The remarks of the instructor too will be very helpful in showing the team points of treatment they have omitted, or wrong methods they have adopted.

A thorough knowledge of the book is, of course, essential, but it is much better for candidates to have a broad comprehensive grasp of the subject rather than attempt to learn the manual off by heart and repeat it " ,cashi on." I hav.e frequently found in judging competltlOns that a candldate when asked the signs of

Al D.- March, 191 I.

apoplexy will repeat word for word those signs given on page 132 of Cantlie's book, but will fO.rget to mention " insensibility" which occurs on an earlIer page. At a recent competition I asked "what circumstances would make you suspect poisoning by unsound meat?)) Many of the candidates repeat e d the signs and symptoms of this illness from page 153 of Cantlie's book, but omitted the most important point which will be found at page 148. These are the mistakes made by the man who trusts entirely to his memory, and there is no need to multiply examples When he comes to renner first aid to a case in the street he will find many injuries which do not fit in word for word with the description in his book, and if his knowledg e is not leavened by a grain of common sense h e will be h e lpless.

In treating individual injuries a mistake made by many competitors is to delay covering the pati ent for shock until he is ready to be removed on the stretcher. Th e parts of the body which are not being bandaged, etc., should be covered up much earlier.

Neatness is an excellent quality; but one sometimes sees a case where the patient's only chance of recovery lies in his q uick and careful removal to hospital, and that chance is thrown away by the team's anxiety to tuck in loose ends of bandages and otherwise waste time.

A display is often made of sending a written message for the doctor. That message would be more effective if the messenger on his return could state whether he found the doctor at home, and whether he was coming on to the scene of the accident, or going to the patient's housethere to await the arrival of the ambulance.

In competitions some part of the room is generally marked out as a "bed" in the patient's home, where the team are told to unload. Many marks are often lost by the captain failing to ascertain the position of the bed, whether the room is on the ground floor or upstairs, whether any narrow passages have to be traversed, etc. A knowledge of these local circumstances will greatly influence the method which he decides to employ in unloading.

Always read the label denoting the injuries carefully, forming a mental picture of the accident meanwhile, including the nature of the surroundings, and do not commence first aid until you have appreciated the full extent of the injuries and the most effectual means of giving help. The injuries indicated on the first card placed on the patient are generally those which are obvious to a bystander, or which can be made out by hasty superficial examination. Candidates should remember that other injuries may exist which can be ascertained by a further more careful examination, and they should accordingly try to avoid aggravating other possible injuries by careless handling of the patient.

Time is important, having proper regard to the treatment appropriate to the case. No examiner cares to see competitors take twenty minutes when ten minutes is ample.

Many teams fail to maintain sufficient watchful care over the patient during transport. In serious cases the patient might suddenly collapse or respiration might cease on the route to the hospital, and the team should be ready to deal with these emergencies.

Without wishing to condemn a proper amount of stretcher-drill, I think many teams devote too much attention to this, to the neglect of other more important matters. There is an idea abroad that it impresses the judge and appeals to the spectators.

Finally, ambulance students should remember that the

March, 191 I. -FIRST

object of these competitions is to test their tactfulness and resource in dealing with a sudden emergency rather than their ability to repeat pages of "First Aid to the Injured."

DriIl.*

(Continued from page II9)'

MARKING TIME.

Mark--Time .-On the word "Time," the foot then advancing will complet e its pace, after which the time will be co ntinued, without advancing, by raising each foot alternately abou t six inches, keeping the body steady. On the word "Forward," the pace at which the men were moving will be re sumed.

From the halt, the word of command will be: "Quick, Mark- Time." HALT.

Squad- Halt. --On the command" Halt" the advancing foot completes its pace forward and the other foot is bro 1ght smartly up to it, and the position of attention assumed as described in Position of Attention_ THE SIDE OR CLOSING STEP.

( Cautz'on .-Right close by Numbers. )

One.-On the word "One," the right foot will be carried 5 inches to the right, the shoulders and face being kept perfectly square to the front.

Two.-On the word "Two" the left foot will be closed smartly to the right foot, heels touching JUDGIN G TIME.

( Cautz'o n .-Right Close Judging Time.)

Right Close-March.- On the word" March," each man will carry his right foot direct to the right, and instantly close his left foot to it, thus completing the pace; he will proceed to take the next pace in the same manner, the shoulders to be kept square to the front.

Squad-Halt.-On the word" Halt," the men will complete the pace they are taking, and remain steady.

TURNINGS WHEN ON THE MARCH.

Right-Turn.- On the word "Turn" which should be given as the left foot is coming to the ground, each man will turn in the direction named, and move on at once, without checking the pace.

Left- Turn.-On the word "Turn» which should be giv en as the right foot is coming to the ground, each man will turn in the direction named, and move on at once without checking his pace.

Rzj;ltt or Lift-Incline.-Making a half-turn to the right or left ( without checking the pace ) in a diagonal direction, taking up fresh points at once, to march on, and turning in the required direction on the command" Right or Left Incline."

About-Turn.- Turning about on the march, on the command " About - Turn," which must be done by each man on his own ground in three paces, without losing time Having completed the turn about, he will at once move forward on the fourth pace.

CHANGIN G DIRECTION.

At the Halt. RigM (or H alfright )-ForllZ.- On the word" Form," the right hand man will make a full turn, and the remainder of the front rank will make a half-turn to the right, the rear rank will remain still.

Quick-Mareh.-On the word "March," all except the right hand man will step off, and glancing to the right, will move by the shortest line to their places on the new alignment, halt and take up their dressing independently.

The squad may be practised forming at any angle.

Right-Form_ -On the march.-On the command "Right -Form" the right hand man will turn in the required direction, and mark time; while the remainder will make a

* We are indebted to the Medical Department of the War Office and n. M. Stationerj Office for permission to publish extracts from the "Army Medical Corps Training" and "Infantry Training" manuals in compiling this article.

AID.-

135

partial and move by the shortest line to their pla ces on the ne,,:, alignment. As each man arrives in his place he will mark time and. take up his dressing independently. As soon as the squad IS formed the command « Forward" will be given.

SQ UAD DRILL r Two RANKS.

( Formation of a Squad in Two Ranks. )

The squad will now be formed for drill in two ranks. The men will take their pla ces in succession, commencing to form on the flank in which they were ordered to form, and ea ch occupying a space of 30 inches_ Each rear rank rrian will be placed at a di stance of 60 inches (two paces ) from his front rank man, measured from heel to heel, and will cov er him directly, the two men thus placed formin g a "File. " The squad will be numbered from right to left when the squad consists of an uneven number of men, the third man from the left of the front rank will be a "Blank (or incomplete ) Fil e. " When marching in line, the men of the rear rank must accurately preserve their covering and distance. A Blank File will always be with the leading rank. He will move up into his place on the word" About- Turn," at the Halt, or will step out to take his place in the lead ing ra nk when the squad is turned «About" on the march.

TH E FOR:lIATlO OF FOURS.

FOrJrt - Fours.-When in line at the Halt :-On the word "Fours," the left files will take a pace of 33 inches back and

then a side pace of 30 inches so as to cover the right files. In this formation the squad will stand in fours.

Fomz-Tw o-Deep.-On the word the I_eft files will move to their original position in line by takm g a Side pace of 30 inches, and a pace of 33 inches.

N.B. - Odd numbers are nght files, even numbers are left files.

I n order that the left four may always be complete, the file but one from the left al ways stands fast and the end file on the left always moves.

DISMISSING.

Dismiss.--On the command "Dismiss" everyone will turn smartly to the right, judge a short pause and then break off quietly.

(T() be continued).

-FIRST

AID.-

Remedies.

First Aid in Verse.

A FIRST-AIDER, with a poetical inspiration, has sent us the lines given below, mentioning that it is easier to learn anything which is put in rhythm.. He does not clain; any merit in the treatment suggested in the verses, but sImply gives the idea for what it is worth. No doubt it is a good method to commit things to memory, but a student must always beware not to learn his first aid parrot fashion.

A n A cid is said to "kill" an A lkali, and an A lkalz" to kill an Acid.

To "kill" an acid in quick time Use, soda, chalk or common lime, Or whiting, if you can procure it, If not, magnesia will ensure it.

For" killing" an alkali with great slaughter, Administer vinegar mixed with water, Some orange or some lemon juice, Or else tartaric acid use.

When opium's the poison great drowsiness sets in, And the pupils are small as the point of a pin, And purple are the lips and the face, Respiration proceeding at a very slow pace.

Other symptoms there are, as the pulse weak and slight, And the pupils (co ntracted ) respond not to light; Stertorous the breathing; the weakness increases, And respiration itself very soon ceases.

Remedies.

I n opium, etc., the utmost care you should take

To all in your power to keep the patient awake, Emelics at first-If he s able to swallow-

With a of coffee, strong and black, you will follow Tben flip with a towel his fa ce and bis chest, ' Keep him walking about, in fact" give him no rest. " these .succeed, and the breathing have stopped, Artificial respiration you promptly adopt, To be kept up by relays while coma may last, And untt! you have made certain beyond aid he has passed.

Th.ere's dryness and in the throat in ptomaine, Wtth purglDg and and co licky pains, Leg-cramps, and skln-ltchlDg may very soon come And strangest of all, the extremities are numb. Difficulty of breathing, and shivery, and thirst; And some of the symptoms experien ced at first Is that of uneasiness, and a feeling of weight

At the pit of the stomach, where the pain's very great. A t length the heart 's action com men ces to fail And final collapse completes the sad tale. '

Remedies.

In the poison called ptomaine, tbat frequen tly found I n the food -s uch as me at, or else fish-that's unsound

The stoma ch instanter you empty. Then oleum ricinus the bowels to clear And stimulants freely administer here. hot-water bottles apply to the feet, Which must not be too hot as that's indiscreet

But suffi ci ently less than seventy: And l':lstly of all a warm blanket prepare In which wrap the patient with tenderest care.

in carbolic acid, the breath will smell

The lips are stained white, and tbe as well.

Some nervous symptoms soon are seen And the urine that's voided is darkish green.

March 19 1 1.

I f carbolic poison be the case you have in hand, First wash the mouth with alkalies, which no doubt you understand

Of Epsom salts in water, warm, or else milk, you' I give Half-ounce to every fluid pint, if the patient is to live; Or white of egg, or oils, or fats, or else demulcent drink. These are the remedies you'll apply before the patient sinks.

With awful swiftness dread prussic acid

Insensibility doth smite;

Eyes fixed and glistening; the limbs quite flaccid, And dilated pupils won't respond to light. Now creeps upon the skin a clammy sweat, n hurried gasps there comes and goes the breath, Till slower and still slower is it met, And convulsive spasms close the scene in death.

Remedies.

In prussic acid without delay

Dash cold water on the face and chest. Administer stimulants ad lzb. you may, Artificial respiration does the rest. If for half an hour the patient's kept alive, It may safely be taken th;tt he will survive.

Irish News.

FROM OUR DUBLIN CORRESPONDENT.

THE report of the meeting of the Dublin Centre, which recently appeared .in public pres.s, announcing amongst other matters the mtentlOn of redUCIng the fees for examinations, been regarded as a step in the right direction; the fees hItherto charged were looked upon in some quarters as f'xcessive. With the introduction of new blood on the committee it is to be hoped that a fillip will be given to ambulance work in Dublin.

THE CITY OF DUBLIN DIVISION.-The Monday lind Wednesday weekly classes are maintaining a satisfactory attendance, some twenty candidates being now ready for examination for first aid certificates, vouchers, &c.

The first annual competition for the "Thompson" Cup and Silver Medal, for individual excellence, took place on Monday, 20th ult., Surgeon Captain J. H. W. Conway R.A. M.C., kindly acted as examiner.

The test consisted of oral work, embracing poisons and their immediate treatment treatment for electric shock; for the .apparently drowned; knowledge of frac tures of the CIrculatory and other systems, &c. The practical part included bandaging for fractured clavicle' crushed foot severe h ce morrhage from the palm of hand of femur; with splints; and lastly, test in stretche; work WIth the proper method of transporting the wounded' and squad drill. In announcing his decision, expressed his appr.eciation the knowledge displayed by the competItors m first aId work attained under the capable instruction of the hon. surgeon, Dr. Andrew Charles. The contest was very close, Mr. Thomas McGregor being finally declared the winner, amidst loud applause.

The first occasion of death amongst its mem bers since the formation of the division, occurred on Sunday 6th i.nst., in the person of Private J. H. Lang, from manta. A vote of condolence with his parents was passed

March, 1911. -FIRST

at the Council Meeting held the following evening, and transmitted to them by the hon. secretary. Many of his comrades, amongst whom he was very popular during his three years membership, attended the funeral.

THE CITY OF DUBLIN NURSIN G DIVISION.-The ladies' class is going strong, the Lady Supt. (Mrs. K. Middleton Curtis) having twenty-eight ready for first aid and two for nursing examinations, and there will likely be another batch ready in the course of some two months or so. There's grit here. For the purpose of helping the funds (the eternal question of funds is always with us), a Grand Concert was held in the Abbey Theatre recently, which proved a great success in every way. Miss E. Stanford-Campbell, who organised it, deserves lhe greatest praise for the very successful manner in which she carried the whole thing through ; no easy matter in a city which has concerts galore, and of the highest talent too

ST. JAMES'S GATE DIVISION (GUINNESS'S).-A very enjoyable" Smoker" in connection with this division was held on Saturday, 25th ult., in the Workmen's Recreation Hall in aid of the funds.

A capital programme was provided, together with a liberal supply of clay pipes and tobacco ; and for the more refined tastes, cigarettes; so he must indeed be a cynic who did not enjoy himself right royally

The St. James's Gate is one of the oldest and strongest di-.'isions in the city, and has the special privilege of basking in the sunshine of one of our largest commercial enterprises, which is both able and willing to help. John Lumsden, Esq., M.D., is the hon surgeon he also has a seat on the Committee of the Dublin Centre.

South .. Eastern and Chatham Railway Centre.

THE ambulance competitions of this System have just been concluded. No less than 97 teams competed-an increase of I teams over last year. The first six teams in Group I will compete again at the Crystal Palace on March 29th for the Directors' Challenge Shield and the "McCorquodale" Cup, the winning team thus securing the right to represent the Company in the Inter-Railway Competition. The popularity of Beginners' Group for teams who have not previously competed is evidenced by the large number of teams entering that Group. There is nothing like competition work to increase the efficiency of first aiders and we congratulate the Centre on the large number of teams it is able to produce.

GROUP I.-Held at Ashford, March Icth. Superintendent's Office 243i

Charing Cross Guards 1941

Sittingbourne 188

Victoria Cannon Street 17 2

Beckenbam 169

G ROUP 2.-Held at

Saw Mills Margate ...223 London Bridge, No. 222t Charing ...2 Westcombe Park... ...21 9t

Ashford Works, No. 2 Elham Valley... ...1 96i Tunbridge Wells, No.2 196 Tonbridge Platelayers 1 Faversham, NO.2 ... 1 Lorship Lane, NO.2 219 Sheerness Dockyard '" 7I

BEGINNERS' GROUP. - Held at Hastings, March 3rd and 4th.

B'Arms Clerks, No I 208 Slades Green Loco, NO.2 2001

Red Hill Platelayers B' Arms Loco Shed 1 Reigate 186New Brompton Loco 1841 Strood, No.2 182 Folkestone Junction Platelayers 178 Lydd, No. :2

Canterbury Platelayers 162 Ashford Fitters' Shop 160 Canterbury, No.2 159! London Bridge, NO.2 158

B'Arms Loco Shops I 54 B'Arms Goods Staff I 54 B'Arms Goods Staff,No·3 B Arm s Clerks, No.2 14 I Chatham... 37i Tunbridge Wells... 13 11

The Sittingbourne Division, S J.A.B , has won the East Kent Challenge Bowl with an aggregate of 22 points, Dover was second with 181 points. Dr. Heaton C. Howard acted as judge.

We have received a copy of Dr. Sutherland's Ambuluace Vade-Mecum, which has been revised, and brought thoro'ughly up to date. That this work is as pop?lar as ever is proved by the fact that thiS IS 36t.h e?ltlOn, 3 6,000. It is a handy little manual, easIly carned In the waistcoat pocket, and s?ould possess one. The price, 3d., bnngs It well WIthIn the reach of all

* Badges of Merit ha\'e been awarded by the Judges to the mem be rs of this Team.

No. District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

No. 55 (SOUTHALL) DIVIsION.-In aid of the funds of this division a successful whist drive and dance was held on February 22nd, at Holy Trinity Hall, Southall. There were about [50 present, and during the interval Lord Alwyne Compton presented the awards gained in the recent exa mination, and at the same time the opportunity was taken to present an illuminated address and fountain pen to Dr. E. J. Manning, hon. surgeon and Supt. of the Division.

Hon Surgeon Manning, on returning thanks, said that since the last occasion he had the pleasure of welcomi'lg them, they had develop e d from a section into a division. That was almost entirely due to the energy and enthusiasm of their hon. secretary, Sergt. J. E. Taylor, who had been ably seconded by Sergt. Hatches. Without those

AI D.- March, ]911.

We illustrate some of the members of the Southall Division at practice; the photograph was taken by the members of Southall Camera Club.

No. 44 (WEST LONDON) DrvIsION.-The third annual dinner of this division was held at the Bush Hotel, Shepherd's Bush, on Friday, 3rd inst. The gathering, which was attended by a large number of ladies, was most successful. The chair was taken by Hon. Surgeon and Supt. J. c. McCarroll, M.B., with 1st Class Sergt. R. W. Stone vice-chairman. Among those who attended were Dis.-Supt. W. J. H. Pontin, Dis.-Supt. Vilven, Supt. Goodman, 1st Officer Journet, J. P. Holm es, Esq., Dr. Coode Adams and several of the sergeants of the R.A.M.C.(T.).

At the conclusion of an excellent repast the chairman submitted the toast of the" King," also" H.R H. Duke of Connaught, Grand Prior," which were loyally received. The vice-chairman submitted the toast of the "District Officers," and stated that it was due to their valuable assistance that the division was such a success.

District Supt. Pontin, in reply, stated that he had been asked by the Asst.-Commissioner W. H. Morgan, to express regret that owing to pressure of business he was com pelled to absent himself from the gathering. He went on to state that by the splendid spirit and strict discipline

March, 19I1. -FIRST

to one member, rst Class Sergt. R. W. Stone, who founded the division. From its inception until now he had worked hard, with the result that it is one of the strongest divisions in the district, with a claim of two offsprings-N o. 54 (Brentford and No. 55 (Southall). He (the chairman) asked Sergt. Stone to accept on behalf of the officers and mem bers of the division, as a token of their appreciation of his services, and to mark the completion of his r 5 years efficient service, a handsome marble clock.

Sergt. Stone stepping forward, was received with loud applause and singing" For he's a jolly good fellow." In response, he said he had only done his duty for the cause of humanity and to further the cause of first aid work. He expressed his heart-fe lt thanks to the offic ers and members for their generous gift.

First Officf'r Journet, in proposing the toast of "The Visitors," sp =cially thanked the ladies for th e ir company, stating that this was one of the rare occasions when the ladies could accom pany their husbands and sweethearts when in uniform, and he desired to thank those whom it concerned for their indulgence in permitting their respective partners to do the duties that the division was constantly being called upon to undertake. In this way, the ladies had a great deal to do with the success of the division.

Dr. Coode Adams and Mr. Brown suitably responded on behalf of the visitors. An excellent musical programme interspersed the toasts.

No. 2 District.

FOLKESTONE.- The Chief Commissioner has sanctioned the formation of the Folkestone Corps, which will include Folkestone Division, Folkestone Nurs ing Division, and sections at Sandgate, Cheriton, S a ltwood and Hythe.

P. Vernon Dodd, M.A., M.D., has been appointed Chief Surgeon, and Supt. F. A. Adams Chief Supt. Up to the present 60 members have joined the Voluntary Aid Detachments, and there is a good number who belong to the Military Home Hospital R e serve.

No. 6 District.

An order from the Deputy-Co m missioner, Lieut. C. B. Palmer, has been issued to the officers and members of this district respecting Coronation duty, it is as follows:-

D.B.O. 41.-0n account of the shortness of the route on Coronation Day in London, only fifty men will be required from each Provincial District for duty.

SOUTHALL DIVISION

two gentlemen he hardly thought they would stand in the position they did to-day.

Lord Alwyne Compton, in the course of his remarks said that he considered first aid was a subject should know, and the sooner they did so the better. He was glad they had a body of men in Southall who knew how to deal with any case of emergency, that was very encouragi.ng, and it gave him much pleasure to be present that evenmg and support them.

Amongst those present were Hon. Surgeon and Supt

A. D. Deane (Brentford Division), rst. Officer J ournett Sergts. StOne, Panton and Fairman (R.A.M.C.), and Sergt: Thorne (Brentford Division).

AT PRACTICE.

adopted by the division he was not surprised at its great success.

District-Supt. Vilven, in proposing the toast of "The Division," stated that he endorsed the remarks of the last speaker. There was no division in the Prince of Wales's Corps which did more duty than the West London Division. The speaker then referred to the funeral of the late beloved King, and paid tribute to the splendid wurk performed by the division and the large number of members that paraded.

The chairman, in response, thanked the district officers for their kind remarks, and stated that the division was always anxious to do its duty. Its success was mainly due

The Deputy-Commissioner proposes to select these by drawing lots from members selected and nominated by the officer in charge of each ambulance division. Each o fficer commanding a corps will nominate one officer, and each officer commanding a division will nominate one officer, one sergeant, and a maximum of five other members (which may include corporals). These names must be sent to the Deputy-Commissioner on or before March 30th. It must be distinctly understood that any member selectf d to go to London will go at his own cost or that of his corps or division, and he must be pruvided with the full regulation brigade uniform (no other will be allowed). Not more than one member will be allowed to go from any division, unless it is found that there are divislOns which do not propose to nominate mem bers to go to Lomlon.

It is probable that additional mem bers may be asked to go to London for the Royal Progress on the day succeeding the Coronation. The number is not yet settled, but representatives will be drawn from those nominated for duty on the Coronation Day.

AID.- 139

The selection of members for Corenation Day should be made from those who are efficient and take an active interest in corps or division. They should be specially selected as beIng good" first aiders" and reliable men in every respect.

Hon. surgeons of divisions (whether ambulance or who wish to go to the Coronation should apply direct to the Deputy-Commissioner before March 30th From those who apply, five will be drawn by lot from those who are. efficient according to Brigade Regulations.

!hlrty:three Supts., Nursing Officers, and N urSlOg Sisters Will be allowed to attend for duty in London from No. 6 District on the Coronation Day, Jun e l.2nd. Each Nursing Division will please nominate one Lady Nursing Officer (where appo inted) , and five Nursing Sisters. These names must be sent to the Deputy-Commissioner on or before April 15th. Th e selection of those who go to London will be determ ined by drawings lots.

Members of Nursing Divisions selected for this duty Will go to London under the same conditions as mem bers of Am bulance Divisions, as set forth in D.B.O. 41.

The official route for the Royal Progress on June 23rd and 29th not having yet been fixed, it is impossible to yet state how many members of the Brigade will be required.

In the same order the Deputy-Commissioner records his approval of the generally excellent and improved manner in which Divisional records and forms have been kept and sent to District Headquarters at the appointed times.

The competitions (or the best kept records and forms was won by Corporal S. C. Donnelly (Addison Colliery Corps and Lady Supt. Mrs. Robson (Whit burn Colliery Nursing Division).

RAVENSWORTH DIVI SION.-The mem bers of the above Division held a grand social whist-drive and presentatioll of certLficates in the Kell's-lane Schools, Low Fell on Saturday, February rth, when members, their wives and friends, numbering neady 300, spent a pleasent evening. The first portion of the evening was devoted to whist conducted by Supt. Oliver, assisted by his staff. In the second part of the programme Mr. P. Kirkup, J.p., General Manager Birtley Iron Company, in some very apprOpriate remarks presented First Aid Certificates to 34 mem bers of the Brigade.

In connection with the Ravensworth Colliery, ambulance classes have been held for the past five years, during which time 120 members have obtained certificates, 37 have received medallions and J 7 are the possessors of labels. The Betty and Shop Pit Teams have also been fairly successful in competitions, having been holders of the "Charles Perkin's" Challenge Shield (1906-7); the Bronze Challenge Shield (first winners), and the "Palmer" Cup in addition to medals and prizes at local competitions. This newly formed Division of which E. H. Kirkup, Esq. (Lieut. of the 8th Battalion Durham 1.. 1.), is Chief Supt., has 89 mem bers enrolled and is therefore the largest in the district. On the conclusion of the presentation of certificates a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Kirkup for his kindness in presenting them.

During the evening an excellent musical programme was provided by Pte. Robbins and party, assisted by Sergt. YIulkerrin and Corporal Minto as M.C'S. Ddncing was indulged in until rO.30 -which arrived all to quickly- thus bringing a most enjoyable evening to a close.

WHEN COR.H.ESPONDING WITH ADVERT PLEASE MENTION • lRST AID."

-FIRST Brevities.

By some chance, small-pox has again broken out in London, and as the disease is not uncommon in the East and various foreign seaport towns, it is not unlikely that this time it has been brought from abroad. Fortunately, the outset of small-pox or, to give it a more technical name, variola, is heralded by certain fairly definite signs, the of which quickly settles the question as to whether or not the individual who has been exposed to infection has actually contracttd the disease. The chief signs are sudden illness, with headache, severe pains in the back and sickness. As the disease developes a characteristic and dis6guring rash appears, accompanied with fever and other indications of serious illness. Generally twelve days elapse between the time the infection is taken and the time in which the first symptoms appear.

THE great protection against small-pox is vaccination. Of course it cannot be claimed to be an absolute preventative, yet it is certain that small-pox rarely, if ever, attacks a vaccinated person with its customary severity, and consequently the chance of the disease ending fatally to a person who has been vaccinated are small as compared with its effects on the unprotected. No doubt the present outbreak is accounted for by the large number of unvaccinated persons in the districts in which it has occurred.

"*

AT the Jpening of the inquest in respect of the Hulton Pit explosi( Ll, Mr. S. F. Butcher, the county coroner, paid a high tribute to the heroism displayed by the medical staff and ambulance men who renuered assistance. The medical staff, he said, was assisted by a large number of persons who volunteered, and it was a great tribute to the care exercise that not a single case of blood poisoning had arisen among those who had worked at the recovery of the dead. In the course of the inquiry, Dr. T. B. Johnstone reported that at the shaft two squads of ambulance men were stationed to act as stretcher bearers, and between 4 00 and 500 of them rendered assistance. Dr. W. A. Hatton who was the first medical man to arrive at the pit, stated that 220 of the 341 bodies recovered, the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning, in 54 explosion, and in 67 instances death was caused by the com bined effects of carbon monoxide poisoning and explosion; in addition 94 died from shock and burns.

AT a recent meeting of the L.c.c., Mr. H. G. J ephson pointed out that although Parliament had constituted the Council as the am bulance authority for London it had failed to carry out its responsibilities. During 19 08 there were 27,000 accidents in London, of which 4 00 were fatal. This shows the urgent necessity which exists for proper ambulance provisions, and in spite of pressure

AI D.- March, 1911.

of the Press, and the excellent example set by the City, it is very surprising that the L.e.e. have taken no action in the matter. Fatalities are bound to increase in these days of rapid locomotion; it is incumbent, therefore, that something definite should be done to organise an ambulance service worthy of the first city of the Empire without further delay.

The British Red Cross Society and that of its Eastern Ally.

IT is hardly creditable to this country that while the War Office authorities, the Red Cross Society, and the St. John Ambulrtnce Association are engaged in what may be described as indulging in a campaign which has as its object the formation in this country of an association of men and women, ready trained, to cope with any national emergency which might accrue, to find that our Eastern Allies have already put the coping stone to what we will dare say is the finest Voluntary Red Cross Service in the world.

Japan, as our readers know, was one of the last nations to join the Geneva Convention, but ever since they entered into line they have striven to make their organisation the most perfect.

We have just received from the headquarters of the Japanese Red Cros!' Society a copy of their amended Constitution, which we think of such interest at the present time that we have decided to publish it in full, believing that it will be of intere<;t to County Directors and others, who are engaged in a very difficult task of straightening out the complex situation created at the initial stage, when the project of the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments was first moved by the authorities.

IMPERIA L ORDINANCE No. 228.

Article r.-The Red Cross Society of Japan is authorised to train a relief staff, to prepare relief stores and to assist the sanitary service of the army and navy in time of war, in conformity with the regulations issued from time to time by the ministers of the army and of the na'.'y.

Article 2.-The president and vice-presidents shall be commissioned by His Majesty the Emperor, on the recommendation of the ministers of the army and of the navy.

Article 3.-The of the army and of the navy control the Red Cross Society of Japan for the objects set forth in Article I.

In case the Red Cross Society of Japan shall find it necessary to establish, remove or close its hospitals, it shall first obtain the permission of the ministers of the army and of the navy.

Article 4.- The ministers of the army and of the navy may, on the application of Red Cross Society of Japan, officers of the medIcal department of the army or medical officers of the navy to the hospitals of the Red Cros.s Society. of. Japan for the purpose of assisting in medical exammatlOn and treatment of patients and also in training the relief staff.

Article 5.-The of army and of the navy are empowered to sanctIOn the Uniforms of the relief staff of the Red Cross Society of Japan and to allow the members of that staff to wear swords.

Article 6.-The ministers of th e army and of the navy may at any time despatch government officers to the

March 1911. -FIRST

Red Cross Society of Japan to examine its properties, books and other such documents.

Article 7.-The ministers of the army and of the navy may at any time order the Red Cross Society of Japan to report on all the conditions of the work done by it.

Article 8. - Members of the relief staff of the Red Cross Society of Japan shall, during the time they are engaged in the sanitary service of the army and the navy, be subject to the discipline of the army and the navy and be under obligation to obey the orders of the military and naval authorities.

Article 9.-1n time of war, members of the relief staff and supplies of the Red Cross Society of Japan shall be placed on the same footing as those of the army and navy with respect to transportation hy government railways.

Article lo.-When engaged in the sanitary service of the army and navy in the time of war, all administrators, physicians, pharmaceutists and the superintendent women nurses of the Red Cross Society of Japan shall be placed in the same rank with officers of the army and of the navy; clerks, assistant-pharmaceutists, head women nurses, head attendants and head stretcher-bearers, in the same rank with non-commissIoned officers; and women nurses, attendants and stretcher-bearers, in the same rank with privates.

Article 1 I.-Lodging, food, vessels, c3.rriages and horses for the use of the relief staff of the Red Cross Society of Japan, when engaged in the sanitary service of the army and navy shall always be supplied by the Government, at the seat of war, and also in other cases under certain circumstances.

THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION.

When the rebellion in the South-West provinces broke out in the loth year of Meiji (1877), an association was founded under the name of the Hakuaisha (Benevolence Society), for the purpose of caring for the sick and wounded at the seat of hostilities, without distinction as to the colours under which they served and with the permission of the Commander-in-Chief of the expeditionary forces, the association set itself to work and rendered actual assistance to the medical corps of the Imperial Army. When the insurrection had been brought to an end, it made itself a permanent organisation, commencing at the same time to take every possible step to make ready for the carrying out of relief measures in time of war. In the 19th year of Meiji (1886), when the Goverment of Japan acceded to the Geneva Convention, the association decided to strengthen its foundations with a view to enlarging it work; and in accordance with this resolution its name was changed to the "Red Cross Society of Japan" in the 20th year of Meiji (1887). At the same time various modifications in its regulations were introduced. The Society now entered into sisterly relations with similar societies throughout the world after consultation with the Geneva International Committee of the Red Cross. During the wars of 1894-189.1 and of 1904-1905, relief staffs were despatched to various places at home and abroad to help administering relief to the sick and wounded of both belligerents, for which services Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress were graciously pleased to send messages of appreciation to the Society.

The prosperity which has since come to the Society has induced it to alter its articles with a view to consolidating still further the foundations upon which it rests.

(To be conft'n?ted.)

Mr. J. Hope has been associated with the Furness Railway Ambulance Centre since it was inaugurated by Mr. Alfred Aslett, the present secretary and general manager of the Company, in 1902. From that year to

19 06 he assisted Mr. H. Curson, who was the first honorary secretary, and when that gentleman resigned the position owing to pressure of business, Mr. Hope was appointed honorary secretary in his place.

There are six classes in connection with the centre, viz., Barrow, Haverthwaite, Millom, Moor Row, Dlverston and Whitehaven, and these are duplicated to enable the men who work early and late sets to attend the lectures. Each class draws its members from the stations on either side within a g;ven radius, facilities being given to allow the members to travel by certain trains. Those who pass the third year examination are presented by the Company with a bronze medallion, and a silver label for the fourth and subsequent examinations. A specially designed silverplated badge to wear in the coat lapel is also presented to the members who obtain the medallion, or take part in the competitions.

MR. JOHN HOPE, HONORARY SECRb.TAl{Y, FURNESS RAILWAY AMBULANCE CEr-..TRE.

-FIRST

Since the Centre was formed 1,039 certificates, vouchers, medallions, and labels have b ee n issued.

The annual meeting is held in the beautiful grounds of Furness Abbey in the month of August, when the president, His Grace the Duke of Devonshire, who takes a very great interest in the ambulance movement, presides, and is supported by the dire.ctors and officers of the Company. Specia l trains are run from various parts of the line to enable as many of the staff as possible to be present. During the afternoon the certificates, medallions and labels a re presented to the members, and the competition for the Directors' cha llenge shield and prizes also takes place between teams representing the severa) classes.

The F urn ess Railway Centre has distinguished itself in the inter-railway competition, for in 1910 it secured the third positi o n in the fitlal. Al though the Furness Railway is comparatively small to o ur other railways, the percentage of qualified ambulance men compares favourably with them. Mr. Hope takes a keen intelest in all ambulance matters, and we trust to see the centre prosper still more und e r his careful guidance.

L. & N. W. RY.- The preliminary competitions of the Crewe dIstrict of this centre took place at the Town Hall, Crewe, o n March 7th. Twenty teams entered and a keen int erest was shown by all of them in the work. The judging was undertak e n by Drs. Gwynne and Okell. As in former years the arrangements were in the capable hands of Mr. A. Worrall, secretary of the Crewe district, assisted by the district committee, consisting of Messrs. G. R GIbson, J. Norman, Barre tt, L o w, Hallmark and Henson.

The results were made known in the evening at the distribution of prizes, when the various teams were placed as follows :-ISt, Electric shop loco. department, 287; 2nd, Permanent way d epa rtment, 277 ; 3rd, Goods department, 273, out I)f a possible 300 marks.

The ind ivid ual com p e tition was won by Mr. H. Thompson, of the Electric shop loco. department.

Mrs. Jones, wife of the running superintendent of the 30uthern District, presented the priz es, and Mr. Bowden Cooke, in proposing a vote of thanks to her, said that he hoped they would see the time when they brought the inter-railway shield to Crewe. He hoped next summer they would be able to arrange friendly competitions not only among th e works m e n, but local ambulance men generally, when they would be able to come to his garden and have a small competition for which pri ze s would be 12:1Ven.

Dr. Lawence seconded, and said he knew well that Mr. and Mrs. Jones had the interests of th e men and the ambulance men particularly, at heart. It was to see. such a large number of teams competing. The competItors were men who could be trusted with any cases with which they were called upon to deal.

L. & YR-From :March 1st to 3rd, the preliminary rounds of the final competition were held at the Victoria ?tation, Manchester. Thirty-four teams entered, and we re Judged by Dr. G. Ashton, who gave his award as follows' North Docks 287 points; Horwich Works: 283; North Mersey (LIverpool), 278; Gt. H o ward Station (Liv.erpool), 272; Aintree Sortin g Sidings (Liverpool), 27 2 ; Hahfax, 257; Newton Heat? (C. and W. Dept.), 257. These s(:'ven teams competed 10 the tinal, which was held at the Manchester Athenceum on the 16th inst.

M.R.- The annual awards of certificates, vouchers,

AI D.- March [91 l.

medallions and labels to the mem bers of the am bulance corps of the London district took place at the Stanley Hall, St. Pan eras, on February 24th, when the attendance of men qualified to receive awards was a record one numbering 544. '

Mr. J. Briggs (Superintendent of the London District Goods Dept.) occupied the chair, and Mr. J. W. Hills, M.P., presented the certificates, &c. There were also present Messrs. Hawksworth, Mason, Carn Rogerson. Irvin Wicks, H. E. Richardson, Powell-Mills, J. W. Jones and Dr. Hobbs.

Mr. Hills, in making the presentation, said that he thought they all ought to congratulate themselves that the last year had been a record one, because the ambulance centre had reached over 10,000 members, in spite of the fact that over 500 had left and gone to carry their knowledge to other parts. When one cast his eye back over the history of the centre, the first thing that struck one was its wonderful growth. He thought that ought to be attributed to Supt. Hawksworth. In the London district no less than 1,000 men were mem bers of the centre, which meant 90 per cent. of them. He saw that whilst ten years ago only 100 came up for e xamination, 544 had come up this year, and that was 100 more than last year. He desired also to say a few words of thanks to the doctors for the assistance and instruction the mem bers had received from them. There could be no two opinions as to the value of the work. It was extremely valuable, and he thought they owed a debt of gratitude to those who had given their time in order to learn how to h plp their fe llow men in case of accident. Ambulance work was especia lly valuable in railway work and to railway m en. He was was deputed to come there to express the sympathy and appreciation of the directors wi th their work.

All the arran ge ments of the gathering were made by Mr. J. W. Jones, Secretary of the L o ndon a nd Bedford District.

The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John

of Jerusalem in England.

Chancery of tlte Order, St. J olzn's Gate, Clerhenwell, London, E .G. , 3tlz Marcil, I9II.

H . M. THE KING has been graciously pleased to sanction the following selections and enrolments to the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England, on the recommendation of H. R. H. the Duke of Connaught Grand Prior of the Order :-

As Kniglzt ofJustice (from ICniglzt of Grace) "

Colonel Sir Herbert Jekyll, K.C. M.G.

As Clzaplain and Prela te of tlze Order,' His Grace the Arch bishop of York (in place of the late Arch bishop Maclagan).

As Knights of Grace,'

His Grace the Duke of Somerset. Esq., M.D. (from Honorary Associate). Gabriel, Esq., C.V.O. (from Esquire).

WillIam Rea Edwards, Esq., A.c.A. (from Esquire).

Sir William James Soulsby, c.B., C. I.E.

Sir Francis Ley, Baronet.

March, 191 I -FIRST

Major Francis Augustus Brooks, M. D. (from Honorary Associate).

Brigadier G e neral William Lewis White, C.B., R.A.

Major Osc ar Evan Boulton.

Major P e rcival Walker (from Honorary Associate).

Surgeon -Lieu tenant-Colonel Edwin Lee, M.R.C.S. (from Honorary Associate).

Sir Horace Brooks Marshall.

As Ladies of Grace,' Miss Beryl Carnegy Joseph.

.3ybil Frances Lady Eden.

As Esqu ires.

Captain Basil Wilfred Bowdler Bowdler, RE. William Henry Morgan, Esq. (from Honorary Associate).

Selected as Honorary Servz'ng Brothers,' Quartermaster-Sergeant Richard Clowes Done (Manchester Centre, S.J.A.A.).

William Minikin Bradley (Barrow-in-Furness Centre, S.J.A.A. )

Albert Firth (Leeds Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Th omas E. Fuort (Supt. Oxford Division, S.J.A.B.).

J oseph H. Widdop (Whaley Bridge Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Th omas W. Wilson (Gloucester Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Edgar George Palmer (Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Selected as Honorary Serving Sister,' Stella Heywood, Mrs. W. B. Fisher (Wellington, N.Z., Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Enrolled as Honorary Associates,' Robert David Cran, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Manchester Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Captain George Ashton, M. D. (Manchester Centre, S.J.A A.).

John Drought Kenny, M.D. (Treeton, near Rotherham, Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Harold Littlewood, M.RC.S. (Leeds Centre, S.J.A.A.)

Henry Mainwaring Holt, M.RC.S., D.P.M. (N.E. Railway Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Edward Willis Can Senden, J.P. (Adelaide Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Alfred F uller Simpson, J.P. (Adelaide Centre, S.J.A.A.)

Harry Dickson Gell, J.P. (Adelaide Centre, S .J ..A.A.).

Richard Clegg, M.R.C.S., L.RC.P. (Accnngton Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Leslie Winter Dryland, M.RC.S., L.R.C.P. (Kettenrg Centre, S.J.A.A.).

Arthur W. Faire (Leicester Centre, S.J.A.A.).

John Macaulay (Alexandra and Doc!ls and Railway Centre, S.J.A.A.)

Meredith Young, M. D. (Stockport Centre, S J.A.A.).

His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Grand Prior of the Order has made the following appointments on the of the Chapter-General :-Lieut.Col. Sir Richard Temple, Knight of Justice of the Order, to be Controller-i n-Chief of the Territorial Branch of the St. John Ambulance Association; Major-General J. c. Dalton, late Inspector of Garrison Artillery, Knight of Justice of the Order, to be Commissioner for the St. John Am bulance Brigade Overseas; and Perrott, .of Justice of the Order, to be Lady-Supenntendent-m-Chlef of Nursing Corps and Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

Reviews.

INDISCRIMINATE SPITTING AND THE PREVENTION OF CONSUMPTION.

By C. Conyers Morrell, M.R.C.S. (Edin. ) London: Speaight & Sons. Pr£ce 2d.

THE purpose of this pamphlet is to describe in nonlanguage the in which tubp.rculosis is spread by sp lttmg, and to pomt out the necessity for stringent measures to inhibit indiscriminate spitting, and also to show in what way it is advisable to deal with unavoidable expectoration with a view to public health.

It has been proved beyond doubt that spitting is a factor of immense importance in the spread of tuberculos is, and when it is realised that about five million people are suffering from it in one form or another in this country, the preventable causes of the disease should have the utmost attention in order to lessen the evil.

Dr. Morrell gives much useful advice to consumptives on their methods of living, and his pamphlet, iflargely distributed, would not only educate the public to the evil consequences of indiscriminate spitting, but also assist in preventing an objectionable hab it.

AMBULANCE EXAMINATION QUESTIO S.

By D. M. Macdonald, M.D.

Bristol: John Wright & Sons, Ltd. Prz'ce 6d.

THI S little book, as its title indicates, is a compilation of questions on first aid, classified under the ir correct headings, including both the theoretical and pra ctical. There is also a chapter on Sch a fer s method of artificial respiration.

I t should be found extre!!!ely useful to first aiders to giv e them a good id ea of the nature of the questions they are likely to have set both in examinations and competitions, and also to test their knowledge on the subject. To lecturers it should commend itself, as it gives them some useful questions to ask individual members of a class after the completion of each lecture.

That the book has received a good reception, and has met a long felt want, is indicated by the fac t that it is now in its fourth edition.

SICK NURSING EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

By D. M. Macdonald, M.D.

Bristol: John Wright & Sons, Ltd. Price 6d.

SERVIN G a similar purpose as "Ambulance Examination Questions, " only applying to home hygiene, this little book is now in its second repnnt. LIke Its co ntemporary, the questions have been well thought out, and if studied carefu ll y with their answers much useful knowledge be gained on these important subjects. In the second ed ItIOn no additions have been made to the text.

WITH THE RED CROSS I N THE FRANCOGERMAN WAR.

By Henry Rundle, F.R.C.S., Consulting Surgeon to the Royal Portsmouth Hospital.

London: Werner Laurie. Prz'ce 2S. 6d.

THE author of this book was one of the party of who was selected by the British Red Cross Society for in the Franco-German War, and he has In t.hls volume to give his reminiscences of that campaIgn. Begmnmg

-FIRST

with the causes which led to the war, Mr. Rundle goes on to recount the situation in Berlin, the city where he was first dispatched to, and the preparations which were made in order to render the most effectual assistance. He then tells us of his active service at the front, where he had ample evidence of the horrors of the conflict.

The author after being around Metz was then sent to Darmstadt to establish a reserve hospital. This was the only hospital in Germany under British. manageme!1t, and it was founded under the auspices of Pnncess LOUise of HesseDarmstadt ( Princess Alice of England !, and was know? as Alice Hospital. All the arrangements of we.re I?rals.ed, and it was pronounced the most perfect instItution of Its kmd in South Germany.

We cannot deal at length with this most readable book, but in a chapter of conclusions Mr Rundle sums up his reflections as follows ;-" So long as war is possible, so long should we be prepared, not only in the militant sense, but also to render aid to its victims. The organisation of our medical and nursing corps should be perfected in times of peace rather than under the stress of national emergency."

The book is written in an easy style, and Mr. Rundle dwells upon the events which chiefly interested himself, and he thus does not fail to interest his readers. The profits from the sale of the book will be given to the Building Fund of the Nurses Home at the Royal Portsmouth Hospital.

ATLAS OF FIRST AID

TREATME

T.

By Bernard Myers, M. D., C.M., M.R.C.S., late Lecturer and Surgeon S.J.A.A., Author of "Home Nursing" and "Care of Children."

London; Bailliere, Tindall & Cox.

Price IS. 6d.

THIS book, as its title denotes, is a series of some forty coloured plates showing at a glance the various methods of using the triangular and roller bandages, the treatment of wounds, dislocations, sprains, carrying the injured, the use of stretchers, and the methods of artificial respiration.

Dr. Bernard Myers has arranged with these plates a concised and simple text which can be readily comprehended, anel, in conjunction with the plates, given the student an opportunity of grasping the various methods of bandaging and treating injuries by reading short paragraphs and studying the plates, which in the ordinary book occupies lengthy chapters. There is also a useful appendix on the emergency treatment of various conditions.

We can say without hesitation that it is an original of teaching first aid, and should be appreciated by all first aid students. The text is well written and free from irrelevant matter, and the coloured plates are well executed.

The annual dinner and general meeting of the National Fire Brigades' Union was held at the Holborn Restaurant on the 15th inst. The new President of the Union the Ea:l of Londesborough, took the chair at both whIch were largely attended. We hope to give a report of these in our next issue.

, PRESENTATION.-Dr. S. of the Newport Corps S.J.AB., was presented wlth the "Arnott Memorial)) Gold Medal, on March 16th. This medal is awarded each year. to a doctor for an act of heroism or distinguished p.erform.ed in the discharge of medical elther 10 clVlI hfe or m one of the Naval or Military SerVIces at home or abroad. This medal has been awarded to Dr. Hamilton for the heroic conduct he displayed at the Newport Dock disaster last year. We congratulate the doctor on receiving the recognition which he justly deserves.

AID.- March, 1911.

Experiences of Accident Cases.

Mr. F. Bottomley, of Barnsley, has contributed the following case;-

On January 21st, an accident happened to a pony driver at the Wharncliffe Silkstone Collieries, near Barnsley, by his train corvus being caught by the engine load. In some way the driver received serious injuries, namely, compound fracture of tibia and fibula of the right-leg, with excessive and a simple fracture of the fibula of the left leg.

The haulage man and his braker (it is electric haulage in the mine) knew something was wrong, so the braker (Alvey Jones), who is a fully qualified first aided, went to render assistance. When the latter arrived at the scene of accident he was told by a boy that the driver (Tom Jowett) was at the other side of the corvus and could not move.

March, [911. -FIRST

easily have been made into compound fracture by the way the two men were holding her up by the arms). The right hand and right foot bruised the patient was conscious, but suffering from shock; there was no There was no first aid material to be had, and no chemist within reasonable distance. I found the old lady lived quite close to the spot where the accident occurred, so I got to work, and folded a large coloured handkerchief from my pocket into a broad bandage and with it secured the arm to the side of the body, and with a pin fastened the sleeve-cuff to breast to act as arm sling, put her in the pony-trap which had knocked her down - this vehicle had been detained-and conveyed to her home. Her daughter gave me some handkerchiefs and the draining-board trom a wringing-machine and an axe which 1 soon made into two favourable splints which 1 applied inside and outside of arm, from shoulder to elbow, secured by handkerchiefs made as triangular bandages (1 find an ordinary size handerchief makes a splendid bandage for keeping splints in position on the upper and lower lim bs) and supported the forearm in the first bandage I improvised, but as a small arm sling. 1 could do nothing with the bruises, but they were fortunately very slight. 1 again put the patient in the vehicle and removed her to the Southern Hospital, Liverpool, where the doctor redressed the injury. The patient was detained for about four weeks and was discharged on the right road to recovery. The doctor said the injury had been correctly treated.

At a meeting of the Committee of the Southampton Centre St. John Ambulance Association, held on February 14th, by kind invitation of the Mayor, in the Mayor's Parlour, his Worship presiding, Lieutenant-Colonel Twiss reported that in the quarter ending December 31St, 1910, 12 classes had been held, 2 7 certificates and other a wards being gained, and that the horsed ambulance had received 81 calls.

We are in no way responsib.e jor tne opinions or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EoITORS.

THE LARGER ARM SLING.

DEAR SIR,-In January FIR ST Am, on page J08, "Uno " states that the proper place to tie the knot in putting on the larger arm sling is on the same side as the injury! I have always understood that the knot should be tied on the sound side. When at the Prince of Wales' Corps Competitions at Hil5hbury, last June, in the Nurses' Challenge Bowl Class, one competitor had' to treat a boy for a wounded finger, and, of course, she put on a large arm sling.

I was standing with a few nurses at the time and heard the remark" Silly girl, she has tied the knot on the injured side' " As I was up for "H ints and Tips," being only a beginner, asked what difference it made? seeing that it was only a finger that was wounded, and the answer I got was, "You should always tie the knot on the sound s ide. " When the Examiner came round, he pointed to the knot and laughed. I made a note of this treatment and have been careful to state the same to other learners when helping at practice.

After a brief examination, Jones found excessive bleeding, so applied digital pressure on the femoral artery and maintained it until assistance arrived.

When the Deputy (who was first) arrived he relieved J ones, who then got a piece of coal and put it in his neckhandkerchief to make a tourniquet, and applied it on the femoral artery. Ambulance requisites were soon at hand, so Jones put a light dressing on the wound, placed both legs in splints and had him conveyed to the surface on a stretcher, after which he was taken to the Sheffield Infirmary.

The Yorkshire Mines' Inspection Ambulance League Committee have granted Jones their illuminated certificate for saving life. [Mr. A Jones's photograph appears above. -ED.

"F. A"]

Mr. F. Jones, of Liverpool, has contributed the following case to this column ;-

An old lady (Miss Nixon) age 64, of 50, Grey-street, Liverpool, while crossing Mill-street, was knocked down by a pony and trap. I was passing shortly after the accident and curiosity prompted me to go and see what the crowd was looking at, when 1 found two men holding the old lady up by the arms. The patient informed me that the trap shaft had caught her on the arm.

On examination 1 found the patient suffering from a fracture of the right arm, middle of shaft (which could

_ DENABY MAIN.-At the annual dinner of this corps, held on February 23rd, Chief Supt. W. H. Chambers in replying to the toast of the corps, proposed by Mr. Chrisp, said he was glad to think the mem bers of the Deuaby Corps were so enthusiastic in the great movement and were determined not to be behindhand; he was of opinion that the corps was one of the smartest and most efficient in the district. They had struggled against very many difficulties, but nevertheless had made rapid progress. The strength of the corps was now just over three hundred, and was made up of 7 divisions. No fewer than 157 members possessed medallions and 135 vouchers. There were nine medical officers attached to the corps and it had been increased by 50 members during the year, and a new division had been formed. Amongst those present were-Hon. Surgeons F. J. Burman (Wath), and J. J. Huey; Supts. A Barnard, H. S. Witty, D. Chambers and P. White.

It has been suggested tltat a space in IIzz's Journal should be set ajart for readers to contribute their experiences of curious accident· cases they have attended, and the metlwd of treatment which they adopted. The real/sation of tlzz's depends upon our r eaders, who are cordially invited to send sud accounts -ED.

When I read" Uno's" statement you may imagine my feelings as I have been trying to get some of this year s beginners to take up FIR ST Am. Since then I have looked up several different books, &c., on first aid with the result that the information is very contradictory. I shall be glad to hear yours, and also the opinion of any of your many readers, on the matter, if you would kindly spare us a little space for this purpose in FIRST Am. I further think there ought to be one rule-and stick to it-in all publications issued from St. John S Gate. - Believe me, Yours, &c., H. J. S.

[The disadvantage of bandaging on t.he side a way the injury is that the whole of the bandage IS (supposmg It IS a right arm sling ) on the left side. of the neck. If, a knot is placed in the cente of thiS part of the bandage It WIll press into and chafe the skin causing the patient no end of unnecessary inconvenience. The text-book says, bandage on the injured side. In our opinion this is the course to follow.

- EDITOR, "F. A. " J

DR[LL.

DEAR SIR, - "Vill YOLl kindly allow me.a space m your Journal re " Constant Reader' s" on " DnIL"

It is my opinion that a more Simple book on drill cannot be put together than that which is now in use by R.A.M.C. I cannot see why my friend should want the military element brought down in S.J.A. B. Why should they be as sma:t on parades and outs as any R.A.M.C., IS It n.ot a credlt to themselves? I thmk the reason why some first alders refuse to join the brigade on account of having to drill is a very poor excuse, and companies will be better WIthout them In brigade or company work how can they move from one alignment to another without drill?

If commanders or section sergeants will use the commands which are in the drill book there will be no lack of uniformity, and the men will know their own places on parade. " Constant Reader" gives two different commands which have been given on parade. The first one-" Odd one pace forward; even numbers one pace back; march -IS the proper order, and not the other command. I should like to know what the other 1I1stances are.

Hoping that I have not taken up too much of your valuable space.- Yours, &c., EX-SERGT. R.A.M.C.(T.). (8 years' service.)

BLEEDING FROM THE NOSE AND FRACTURED PATELLA.

DEAR SIR,-I should deem it a favour if you would answer the following- questions for me throug h your 'aluable iournal from which I have received much enlightenmer:t

Why, Sir, should we raise the arms above the head the text book tells us, in a case of hcemorrhage from tht What tendency has it to stop the bleeding-? and why sbc.uld we raise the head and shoulders and raise the limb In a fractured patella? The text-book states that such treatment is necessary, but it does not give the reasons.-I am, yours truly, "ROYSTONIAN."

[I n haemorrhage from the nose, raising the arms above the head lowers the tension of tbe blood pressure in the nose and so helps the bleeding to stop.

In a case of fractured patella, there is a quantity of effused blood and swelling of the tissue in and around the jointraising the limb helps the venous circulation, and prevents the swelling from becoming so great as it otherwise would.HEATON C. HOWARD.]

BANDAGING A BROKEN FEMUR.

DEAR SIR,-Will you please say in your next issue of FIRST Am the correct way for bandaging a broken femur. ]. Cantlie's book says "Apply a splint on the inner side from the top of the thigh (the fork ) to the knee," but the majority of first aiders in this district say" Apply a splint from the top of the thigh to the foot." Which way, in your opinion, is correct and would give most support and comfort to the patient?-¥ours, &c., E. BOURNE.

[Personally, I think the inside splint ought to reach to the foot. The longer splint would give more support and comfort than the shorter one.-HEATON C. HOWARD.]

PRUSSIC ACIu POISONING.

DEAR SIR,-Will you oblige by answering in your next issue of FIRST AID the following question :-In the text-book prussic acid is mentioned under the heading in which an emetic should be given; yet, in the particulars of the special treatment given for it, an emetic is not mentioned! I think it is misleading as to whether an emetic should be given-or not? -¥ours &c. , , A REGULAR READER.

[In our opinion in this case it is not necessary for a first aider to administer an emetic. I t is sometimes found necessary to give one in prussic acid poisoning but it is given by an enema. -EDITOR , "F.A."]

A SUGGESTION FOR SELECTING SQUADS FOR COMPETITIONS.

DEAR SIR,-I should like, with your permission to suggest a few alterations in the arrangements of competitions. I refer especially to those C0mpetitions in which takeyart. V!e .he!r of a corps boasting of being the best corps III the dlstnct, because a squad of five of its best members picked o.ut and especially drilled for the purpose has taken the first over other similar picked squads. One finds at the competItIOns at the Portman Rooms and elsewhere the same teams competing yearly, perhaps rarely with one or two exceptions, when there is a large percentage of the merrJbers of the corps ha\'e only an elementary knowledge of first aid.

What I would suggest to remedy this would be to give power to the ju?ge to pick each squad from the ranks. This would be a fair test and would stimulate each corps to get

A I D.·- March, ] 9] I. every man up to perfection in place of the five men forming the picked squad. - Yours faithfully. EX-SUPT.

In Dr. L. M. Frank Christian's letter on Schafer's of Artificial Respiration, in our last issue, we regret an error occurred. In the paragraph "Almost invariably mention is made of loosening the clothing freely and gently before commencing"; this should have read - freely and quickly.

Colonel Sir Richard Temple, who is at present in Bombay, has gone to India on a two-fold mission- to help forward the work of the St. ] ohn Ambulance Association in the Dependency, and to assist in the organisation of the Indian section of the coming Imperial Exhibition at the Crystal Palace.

L. Y. & RY.- The Liverpool District held a competition on March 11th for a silver challenge cup presented by the Athletic Festival Committee, also for a silver challenge cup prF:sented by Mr. W. ]. Carmichael, the late president of the centre. The judge was Surgeon-Major Darwin, M.D., and a representative gathering was present to witness the competition, including a number of the chief officials of the company. The arrangements were in the hands of Mr. Nutter (centre secretary) and Mr. Tu c ker (assistant secretary). The test was, "A passenger had fallen off the platform on to the line. with one leg underneath him. On examination he is found to have a bleeding wound on the back of the head, and his right thigh fractured." The results were declared as follows :-Aintree Sorting Sidings, 244; North Mersey, 2 16!; North Docks, 194i; Bankfield, 178; Gt. Howard Station, T77 !. There were prizes for individual work, and they were sec ur ed by the following men of the Aintree S.S. team, 1st, T. Hope; 2nd, J. Murphy; 3rd, W. Brown. After the competition Mr. P. Wharton (Liverpool District Goods man ager) expressed the directors' appreciation of the work of the men, and at the same time congratulated the mem bers of the winning team on their success.

PRESTON.-Members of this corps met on February 24th at the Empress Cafe, t0. recognise the services uf 3 rd Officer J. Durham, of the Frenchwood Division, who is retiring from the corps after fifteen years service in order to take up the position of Chief Officer of th e Hull Gaol. Chief Surgeon and Supt. W. H. Irwin Sellers made the presentation to Mr. Durham, which touk the form of a silver tea service, and in doing so paid a high tribute to his valuable services to the corps.

He had been a staff sergeant of the bearer company since its formation ten years ago, and his military experience had been exceedingly helpful in this department. He had taken cummand of the bearer company several times at camp with great success, and he had also been a most efficient instructor, for several years coaching the Leyland Division with much success.

Supt. Harrison presented an umbrella to Mr. Durham on behalf of the members of this year's police class, and expressed regret at his departure. He pointed out that there was not a single failure in the examinations.

Although Mr. Durham is leaving Preston we hope he will not sever his connection with am bulance work.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention '. ....__

FIRST AID

The Inc!ependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this J oumal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of th: St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do theIr best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the J oumaL

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be and to the point in any communications they may send us for pubhcatlOn.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the !>ame the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

First Aid" Is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

and now and then perhaps, on public duty, it is not unreasonable to suppose that it should become tedious. In order to retain interest in the work a new field of attraction must be found. In the case of our railways and workshops this does not so much apply, for there is sufficient inducement in the nature of extra passes and extra days' leave to encourage the men to interest themselves in the work, and give up their spare time in order to qualify. When it comes to the Brigade many more difficulties are encountered, for no inducement such as that which is given to railway men can be offered to its members. Some correspondents suggest that social entertainments should prevail more, maintaining that it would keep the members in closer touch with one another. We will admit that social functions are a considerable attraction, but it must be- remem bered that enterprising corps have several of these during the year, and also that the primary cause which led to the formation of the Brigade was "first aid." If we are going to ignore this and convert a corps in to a "social club," its merits are lost.

How Can Interest In

FROM reports which we continually receive, it appears that after an ambulance corps has been established for some years, interest in the work begins Ambulance

Work be to diminish, and, to use an expressive Maintained? phrase, a sort of "dry rot" sets in. The attendance at drills and practices become poorer, and in some instances the corps or divisions are only kept in existence by the strenuous efforts of a few enthusiastic officers and men.

In mentioning the above we are not taking an exaggerated view of the position of affairs, but recording facts as they exist, and which come under our notice. We naturally ask, "What is the cause of this lack of interest on the part of members of old-established corps or divisions, and how can it be remedied ?"

To the first question, the general opinion seems to be that after a member has been in a corps or division for several years, has assiduously done his "text-book" from end to end, and attended his lectures, practices and drills regularly; after repeatedly doing this course for several years, coverin£ the same ground of studies year after year

In our opinion it rests with the officers of the corps to remedy the present condition of lassitude, and in order to maintain interest in the movement, it should be their purpose to map out an attractive programme of work for the year. It is impossible for us to lay down any standard guide to work upon; for this, to a certain txtent, would be governed by local conditions; but with the allied factors to first aid, such as sanitation, home nursing and hygiene, there should be ample variation for the energy of ambulanCe corps.

The solving of a problt>m such as this is where scope could have been found for the annual conference of the S.J.A.R had it been continued, for with the opinion of officers from all parts of the country much light could have been brought to bear on stich a difficulty as the one referred to.

We hope in the near future that an annual conference will be re-instituted, as no doubt it would do much to popularise the Brigade.

The third annual competltIOn for the Colchester Borough Challenge Cup was held March 30th. The G.E.R. team being declared the wmners.. cup was raised by voluntary contributions and IS mtended to encourage ambulance work locally.

-FIRST DriIl.*

(Continued from paKe I35)· CEREMONIAL PARADE.

SIZING A COMPANY.

Tallest on the Shortest on the Left, in Single Rank -Siz e.- The men will arrange themselves according to their size in single rank, the tallest on the right and the shortest on the left, taking up their dressings by the right.

Nztmber.-Number from right to left.

Even Numbers, Two Paces Back-March.-The even numbers will step back two paces.

Number One Stand Fast, Ranks Rigltt and Left- TU1'n.The odd numbers with the exception of number one, will turn to the right, the even numbers to the left.

Form Company-Quick March.- The whole step off, the even numbers wheeling round to the right and following the left hand man of the odd numbers. NO.3 mIl form up two paces in rear of No. r ; NO.5 on left of No. r; NO.7 two paces in rear of N0.5, and so on. As the men arrive in places, they will turn to the left, and take up their dressing.

FORMATION OF A COMPANY FOR STRETCHER DRILL. FOUR BEARERS.

The company can be formed in two ways :-( r) The company can be sized, formed and numbered as in Infantry

Drill-Ceremonial; (2) as follows :

Shortest on the Right, Tallest on the Left J' in Single Rank-Siz e.-On this command the men will fall in single rank.

From the Rz',!{ht-Number.

E v en Numbers, Two Paces Step Back-March. N? Stand Fast, the Remainder on the Rzj;ht-Close.On thiS command the No. will stand fast, the remainder

AID. - April, 191I.

the No. I of each squad is taller than the NO.3 in the left-half of the company the No. I of each squad is shorter than the NO·3· But if formed by the second method; the No. r is shorter than the NO.3 in each squad, which is an advantage, as the taller man should always be at the head of the stretcher.

(Having formed the company by one of these methods.)

Company-Form Fours.-As in Infantry drill. Each section of fours forms a stretcher squad.

To PROVE THE BEARERS.

17. - First Rank, No. Bearers-Stand at Ease.

Second Rank, NO.2 Bearers-Stand at Ease.

Third Rank, NO.3 Bearers- Stand at Ease.

Fourth Rank, No. 4- Bearers- Stand at Ease. - The bearers will thus be proved.

Sqztads-A ttention. - As in Infantry drill.

Number the Squads. - On the word" Squads" the Nos. I number from right to left.

NO.3 Bea7' ers- Right (or Left) Turn-Supply Stretchers ---:Qztick March.-On the word" March" the NO.3 bearers will march to the stretchers where each bearer in turn will stoop, lay hold of a stretcher, and place it on his right shoulder at the slope, holding it by the lower racket, rollers to the front, and lead on, stepping short.

. soon as the last bearer is provided with a stretcher, he Will gIve the command "About Turn "-" Forward."

The party will turn about and rejoin their squads in quick time, halting as they arrive in their places.

Taking the time from the leading bearer, they turn to the front, and passing the lower ends forward, place the stretchers on the ground to the of squads, rollers to the right, front ends of the poles III lIne WIth the toes of Nos. I and rise together working by the right.

Stand to Stretchers.-On the word" Stretchers," the Nos. place themselves with their toes in line with the front end of the poles; Nos. 3 with their heels in line with the rear end of the poles; Nos. 2 placing themselves at the centres of the poles; all three touch the stretcher with the right foot. The Nos. 4 are one pace in rear of and covering off Nos. 3.

Lift Stretchers.-On the word Stretchers the Nos , and 3 stoop, grasp both handles of the poles with the right hand and rise smartly together, holding the stretcher at the furi extent of the arm, rollers to the right of squad.

The No. take up their own dressing by the right the other bearers will cover and correct their distance. '

Lower Stretchers.-On the word Stretchers, the Nos. I and 3 stoop, place the stretchers on the ground, and rise smartly together.

DISMISSING.

Lower Stretchers.-By the Rz',!{ht-Quick March.-The squads are marched clear of the stretchers.

Squads- Halt.

Dis111,.iSS.-As in infantry drill.

EXERCISES WITH CLOSED STRETCHERS. FOUR BEARERS.

MARCHING

Lift Stretchers. - As in previous section.

By the Right (or Left )-Quick March.- The squad will advance.

April, 191 I. -FIRST

to the right, th.e command" About Turn" is given, the Nos. and 3 Will Sleze the handles of the stretcher with the left hand and cut away the right while turning about resuming the grasp with the right hand after the turn has completed. CHANGING THE DIRECTlON.

At zlle Halt- Right (or Left )-For71z. - 0n the word " Form," the No. of the squad on the flank named will make a full turn in the required direction the remainder of the bearers a partial turn in the opposite direction.

Quick March. - On the word" March," the No. r of the squad on flank n<l:med stands fast, the remainder step off, and to !he nght (or left ) move by the shortest route to their places In the new alignment halt and take up their dressing independently. ", EXTENDING.

From the Right (Left or No. - Squad ) to Four Paces Extend.-" On the March."--On the word "Extend" the name.d will continue. to move on in quick the remaInder Will make a partial turn outwards double to their places, turning to their front, and breaking quick time. CLOSING.

On the Right (Left or No.- Squad) C/ose.-On the word the will continue to move on in quick time; the Will. make a. partial turn towards it, double to their places, turnlllg to their front and breaking into quick time as they arrive there. (To be continued).

South-Eastern and Chatham Railway.

ONCE more have we the pleasure of recording the work accomplished by the above-named railway centre of the St. John Ambulance Association during the past year, and to furnish readers of FIRST AID with the results of the final competition which took place at the Crystal Palace on Wednesday, 29th ult. This forms the eighth fixture of its kind, and the proceedings were witnessed by a large and interested audience. The test exhibitions numbered seven, supplemented by several questions viva voce, the judges on this occasion being Drs. Carvell and Freeborn (of Oxford), both of whom took considerable pains with their work. A word of praise is also due to the able management of affairs by Mr. A. E. Richards (centre secretary), this gentleman being untiring in his efforts and extremely courteous to everyone.

The following were tf,e tests :STRETCHER WORK.

AID.-

Bandage sprained ankle over boot

Obtain water from stream or cottage-to foot bandage

Examine for further injuries

Encouraging words

Avc;>idance

c'J 4-

FIG. I.-CEREMONIAL PARADE (SIZING COMPANY).

FIG. 2.-STAND TO STRETCHERS.

closing in on the right; the rear-rank covering off the frontrank.

From the Right- Number. form!ng a company for stretcher drill by the first method III the nght-half of the company, it will be found that

* We are to the Medical Department of the War Office and H.M. Office for permission to publish extracts from the "AJmy M.e?lcal .COII:S Tlaining" and "Infantry T 1 ainil1g" l'l'lanuals In compllmg thIS article.

Squads-About Turn.- The whole turn about the stretchers being passed from one hand to the other hy Nos. and 3.

Chanf[e Strefchers.-If the squads are advancing, the Nos. will pass the stretchers from one hand to the other behind them. The Nos. 3, seeing done, will pass the stretchers fr.om one hand to. the other In front of them, the Nos. 2 moving diagonally to their p!aces. If the squads are retiring, the Nos. I act above descn bed. for os. 3. and the Nos. 3 for No. I. Nos. 4 III each case contlllue In their respective positions.

Th.e must be in the right hand when "About Turn" IS given.

MOVING TO A FLANK.

When it is necessary to move to a flank the command " Rlg-ht (or Left) Turn" is given. When a squ;d is marching

ISt Card.-A man, returning from hunting, is thrown by his horse which shies across the road, on to the top of some sharp pOlllted iron railings, one point of which pierces his right cheek into his mouth-no serious bleeding. Another point enters the outside of his right thigh, in its upper third, diagonally up to, but not wounding, his femoral artery. A third point goes through his right top boot and causes severe hcemorrhage about the junction of the middle and lower third of the right leg. His left foot is caught in the stirrup, and as the horse runs away is badly sprained.

The nursing home is half a mile away.

Service of two bystanders allowed

Carefully lift from railings

Lay on back

Digital pressure on rig ht femoral

Tourniquet

Expose wound of thigh

Remove foreign bodies

Clean dressing on thigh wound

Remove right top boot and expose wound of leg

Remove foreign bodies and dress leg wound

Remove foreign bodies, dress cheek wound and bandage

patient, who was standing on some steps up curtains at the window of a room in his house, fell. fractured the lower end of his left radius, which pacted; and has also dislocated his ulna backwards elbow.

Veins get larger the nearer the heart

Veins are provided with valves at frequent intervals

Veins contain venous blood except the pulmonary veins

Blood from veins is dark red '"

Blood from pulmonary veins bright scarlet

Blood from veins in continuous stream

Blood issues from further side of wound

Blood from var ic ose veins issues from nearer side of wound

A varicose vein is dilated winding with beadrke projections

Causes of varicose veins: long standing; tight garters

General rules for treatment of bleeding veinsLay patient down

5.-A

Afford

April, 1911.

ciated with the greatest satisfaction the efforts of the stationmasters who had been good enough to raise funds for distribution that evening, also the kindness of those gentlemen who had presented Cups, The Board of Directors would always take the deepest interest in the Centre's Ambulance work.

AID.- 153

Neighbour, Loco Foreman Oxley (captain), Cleaner Stevenson.

BEGINNERS GROUP ( 19 teams entered )

First Prile, the "Henchley" Cup and 5s. per memberWon by Bricklayers Arms Clerks No. team: Clerk Woodward, Clerk Phillips, Clerk Walker, Clerk Poole (captain ), Clerk Sell ins.

The results were as follows :-Superintendent's Offic e, 4 I4 points; Victoria, 345t; Charing Cross Guards, 344 ; Cannon-street, 333; Sittingbourne, 322; Beckenham, 29 2. Consequently th e first-named team became the winners, for the third year in succession, of the Challenge Shield, and will again become the representative team in the InterRailway competition. The day's proceedings lasted abou t six hours, during which time visitors were afforded an opportunity for admiring the handsome trophies attractively arranged on a large stand.

In the evening, the annual dinner, followed by th e presentation of prizes, was held in the concert hall, und er the chairmanship of Mr. H. Cosmo Orme Bonsor, Chairman of the Company and President of the Centre. Last year we announced a record attendance, viz, 1,100, bu t this year enthusiasm has gone one betrer as considerably over I,200 were present. During dinner a pleasing programme of instrumental selections was discoursed by the S.E. & c. Ry. band under the direction of Sergt. Tolly, which elicited the warmest eulogy from the Chairman and endOl sed by all present.

The usual loyal toast having been enthusiastically honoured.

Mr. Richards (centre secretary) submitted the Committee's annual report, an account of which we are reluctantly compelled to hold over until the next issue owing to pressure on our columns. It is our intention then to insert same in full.

Following this came the toast of the "Chairman, Directors, and Officers of the S.E. & c. Ry.", submitted by Mr. Page, office porter, Hastings. In the course of his rtmarks the speaker referred to the general regret that would be experienced throughout the staff by the retirement of Mr. Vincent W. Hill as general manager. None could fail to appreciate the efforts of Mr. Hill on behalf of the staff, and he carried with him their best wishes. With reference to the ambulance work, the speaker highly eulogised the directors for the facilities they had gi ,'e n the mem bers to become proficient in this connection.

The Chairman, in rising to respond was warmly cheered. He thanked Mr, Page for the kindly remarks he had made, and the company present for the hearty reception given them. It was a source of much interest to his colleagues and himself to know that their efforts to promote the good work of the St. John Am bulance Association had been so genero usly appreciated. The report submitted by Mr. Richards was very gratifying, and he was only too pleased to endorse every recommendation made, especially their referring to the advisability of every member of the Company's staff being more and more qualified to render first aid. Both he and his colleagues appre-

The speaker referred to an incident which occurred during the year in connection with which officials has been wrongly blamed, and added that the Company were willing at all times to spare neither trouble or expense in the case of any unfortunat e victim. Mr. Page had been good enough to allude to the retirement of Mr. Vincent Hill as General Manager. To the speaker it was a matter of personal regret that after t e n years Mr. Hill had considered it necessary to seek retirement, though he would still have a voice in the conduct of affairs. He there was no ge neral manager in the country more popular than Mr. Hill, and no more zealous officer of the whole of the staff than that gentleman. Mr. Hill had steered the ship from troublous waters into the calm haven they would have it. He was sure all present would hope Mr. Hill might live many years as director of the Company to uphold the policy he had served so well. In Mr. Dent they would have a worthy successor, and the speaker was sure they would welcome him and give him the loyal support they had always given to Mr. Vincent Hill.

Mr. Smithers and Mr. Wainwright also responded to the toast, both referring in eulogistic terms to the effective work done by Mr. Hill, and assuring their hearers that the Company would at all tImes do everything in their power to help forward the work of the ambulance movement.

Mr. Vincent Hill next made a few observations. He tende red his sincere thanks to the Chairman, Mr. Smithers, Mr. Wainwright and Mr. Page, for the kindly remarks they had made concerning himself, and to the staff for the able assistance they had rendered him on all occasions. He had served the Company for a great many years, and had been connected with railway work for upwards of 50 years. He was not bidding them farewell, for, owing to the kindness of the Chairman and directors, he was to occupy a seat on the Board, so that it only meant au revoir.

Mr. Cosmo Bonsor next presented the shield to the Superintendent's Office team and other prizes as follows ;-

GROUP. ( 12 teams entered ),

F irst Pri ze, cup and £1 per member-Won. by Superintendent's Office team: OlIver Cromwell, Fred HIre, Joseph Flavin, William Bassam (c aptain ), William Wiessner.

Second Pri ze, 15s. per member.- Won by CharlngCross Guards team: Guard Cooper, SIgnalman Westbrook, Guard Dixon, Guard Monckton (ca ptain ), Signalman Oliver.

GROUP 2 (17 teams entered )

First Pri ze, cup and 12S. 6d. per member-Won by Deal team: T imekeeper Latham, Carpenter Hopper, Collector Kemp, Shullter Marsh (ca ptain ), 1>orter Guald Sabine, Second Prize, lOS. per member-Won by Hither Green Unitp.d team: Porter Botting, Inspector Douglas, Inspector Oxley, Signalman Matthews (captain ), Billposter Walker.

GROUP 3 (2 0 teams entered )

First Prize, cup and 8s. per member-Won by Lydd No.1 team: Clerk Ramsden, Platelayer Gorham, Flatelayer Wood, Signalman Clow (c aptain ), Signalman Standbridge.

Second Pri ze, 7S. 6d. per member-Won by Ashford Station NO.2 team: Guard Morley, Collector H adler, Shunter Ballard, Collector Stone (ca ptain ) Painter Nicholls

GROUP 4 (30 teams entered )

First Prize, cup and 6s. 6d. per member-Won by Victoria Guards team: Guard Hunt, Guard Jones, Guard Greenfield, Guard Flisher (captain ), Guard Prosser.

Second Prize, 6s per member.- Won by Slades Gr een Loco No. team; Dnver Armer, FIreman Tod, Spare DrIver

The undermentioned Certificate" were granted to various members of the staff as a recognition of their respective efforts in extending the "first aid" knowledge:-

Mr. Rowlands, foreman, Meopham.-Took first certificate April, 1896; secretary of the Meopham class for three years. Mr. Rowlands is in charge of Longfield Siding, and his duties as secretary of the class entail his walking a distance of five miles two or three nights a week throughout the whole of the winter months.

Mr. Newman, yard foreman, Orpington.-Took first certificate June, 1895; secretary of the Orpington Class since 190 5.

Mr. Stephens, fitter's mate, Bexhill.-Took first certificate July, 1895; a good worker and deserving of recognition; much respected by men of all grades in the Bexhill district-ambulance and otherwise.

Mr. 'Vhlttaker, stationmaster, Nutfield. --S ecretary of the Nutfield Class (8 0 members ;; a most earnest worker, and one actively interested in furthering the" first aid )l cause.

Mr. Wood, signalman, Ramsgate Town.-Took first certificate February, 1897; a genume worker, member of tht' Ramsgate team since 1897.

Mr. Edwards, carriage exarr.iner, Deal.- Took first certifI· cate January, 1904; secretary of the Deal Class since its formation ; a man looked up to by all ambulance men in the district, and one who has rendered yeoman service in an unassuming way for years past.

Mr. Nutley, signalman, Reigate.- Took first certificate July, 1893; committeeman for No.6 District, who sails f(lr Canada at the end of next month. Mr. utley was accorded a warm ovation, and the chairman expressed a hope that he would make good headway in the new world, and not forget those he was leaving behind.

There were also certificates awarded for Meritorious Service as under:-

To Guard Marshall (Charing Cross ), Carpenter Lovell (Westcombe Park ), and Platelayer Atrill \N ew Cross ) for prompt and effi cient arrest of hcenJ<?rrhage In the case of an attempted suicidp. of who .had off the platform at New Cross in front of an mcommg tram and had both legs cut off, on February 7th, 1910; also to Clelk :Wen band and Relieving S ig nalman Morley (N utfield ), for theIr resource. and efficient treatment of a case of pOlsonlDg by oxalJc aCld at South Nutfield, on January 25th, 19 10

The sum of £ 10 lOS. handed over to the Centre by the Stationmasters Fund, 'v\as di, Id td as under :-£5 5s for the best four indIV Id ual casts of "fil st aid" Itnoeltd; £1 to Polictman Banks (Victoria ), in rec ug nit ion of special services; £3 as an lTIcentlve to the te am juogtd to represent the Company m the Inter-Ratl'v\ay Can petltlen; 15s a second prize to the Beginners Group; lOS. as a thad prize to the Beginners' Group.

Particulars of those benefitting are g iv en below :£2 lOS., divided equally bet'v\fen DliHr McPherson (S trood ) Gasfitter Bax (Gravesend ) Carriage Cleaner Bunyard (Strood)' Office Porter Billing (Rochester C?mmon ), and Guard Richardson (Stl ood ) for eftective "first aid" treatment in the case of Guard Ransom, 'v\ho was run o\er at Strood on the 16th December last, and had cut off, and also sustained a fractured al m, with other IDJUrItS to the head and face.

£1, divided equally be t ween Collector and Parcels Porter Curtis ( Bec.kenham ] unctIOn ) for I endenng excellent "first aid" trealmtnt in the case of a 'v\ho thlew herself in front of a tram and sustained senous lTIJUl es at Beckenham Junction on ] uly Ith last.

£1, divided equally between Clerk ing Signalman Morley (Nu tfield), for effectIve first aId

=-'IRST

reatment in the case of a man who had taken oxalic aid in mistake for Epsom salts. .

ISS., divided equally between Clerk Bond and Examiner Wakeford (New Cross ), for successfully treatmg a case of a burst varicose vein at Wateringbury, on September 21st, 1910.

£1, to Policeman Banks (Vlctona), !n recogm tlOn of the number of" first aid" cases treated by him extendmg over a period of three years. .

£3, awarded to the Office team will represent the Company m the I nter- RaIlway CompetitIOn.

ISS., second prize for Beginners' Group, awarded to Slades Green Loco. No. 2 team.

lOS., third prize for Beginners' Group, awarded to Red Hill Platelayers NO.1 team.

£2 2S., Mr. prize, with 5s. fr?m anoth.er. welIwisher, awarded to the Slttmgbollrne m appreCIation of their success in winning the" Dewar" Shield.

Mr. C. Sheath next proposed "Our Doctors and Visitors," including medical instructors, examiners and officers of the St. John Ambulance Association, this being resp(;nded to by Dr. Freeborn. This gentleman, in thanking the proposer and the company present, expressed the pleasure it had given him that day in taking part in the judging arrangements, and congratulated the teams on the proficiency shown in their rendering of first aid.

Dr. Muir submitted the toast of "The WlOntng Team," which was replied to by Mr. W. Bassam; and Mr. W. Thomson toasted "The Committee," this being responded to by Mr. E. C. Cox.

A very enjoyable programme of vocal and instrumental selections was rendered during the evening, the proceedings being brought to a close with "Auld Lang Syne."

We propose to publish a short biography of Mr. E. A. Richards under our Railway heading next month.

Reviews.

MR. GEORGE JACKSON, GENERAL SI£CRETARY OF THE N.E. RAILWAY CENTRE.

ONE of the most noteworthy figures in lhe railway am bulance world is Mr. George Jackson, Gen. Ser.. N.E. Rly. Centre. It was in the early elghties that he first commenced his career on the N.E.R., and since the year 1890 he has been associated with the ambulance movement. In

April, 1911.

-FIRSt

the final. The Centre has a challenge shield for each of its six districts, and the "Wharton" shield for the final competition. Mr. Jackson has organised and conducted these competitions each year in conjunction with the dis· trict secretaries, and he has also attended competitions on other lines at nearly every point between Perth and London. He estimates he has travelled 125,000 miles on purely ambulance business.

C(By the strictest attention to every detail and his power of work, Mr. Jackson has succeeded, with the co-operation of his directors, in establishing a Railway Centre which holds a proud position to-day; few but those who have been behind the scenes realise the enormous amount of work which falls to the lot of a railway centre secretary in conducting its work in an efficient manner. Mr. Jackson was selected as an Honorary Serving Brother of the Order of St. John in recognition of the services he has rendered; he has also received several testimonials from the mem bers of the Centre in appreciation of his work.

CHESHIRE LINES RY.-The final competition was held at the Central Station, Liverpool, on Friday, 8th April. Ten teams entered and the judging was undertaken by Dr. F. E. de B. Pim, of Barrowford, who put the teams through the following tests :-" A man falls from a carriage a mile from this You receive a message that his leg and jaw are broken, and on arrival you also find he from the socket of one of his teeth. Attend to hIS 1OJunes.

" Whilst conveying him home patient is found to be suffering from a severe shock."

Individual injuries :-1, Transverse wound of abdomen 2 fractured ribs with injury to liver; 3, gunshot right knee joint; 4, depressed fracture on back of skull; 5, hremorrhage from a wound of left temporal artery.

A t D.-

The chall s nge cup and prizes were presented by Mr. George Shaw, Goods Manager of the Great Northern Railway Co., to the successful competitors whom he congratulated in felicitous terms. Mr. Shaw spoke very highly of th :::: first aid work in connection with the Great Northern Railway and in the course of a very interesting speech referred to a reminiscence in his own career when the knowledge proved most useful to him and he was able to mitigate the sufferings of a man who had met with a severe accident.

Mr. Ross, Chief Engineer of the Company moved a vote of thanks to the judges and Dr. Ingram briefly responded. Mr. P. J. Sebright requested that the audience

AIDS TO MEMORY FOR "FIRST AID

" STUDENTS.

By L. M. Frank Christian, M.B., C.M. (Edin .), Hon. Associate

of the Order of the Hospital of St. ] ohn, Hon. Life Member of, and Lecturer and Examiner for the 5 ] .A.A. Stockport: Connell & Bailey, Ltd., St. Peter's-square. Price 7d. p ost free.

Mr. Frank Christian is to be congratulated upon the appearance of a new edition of his useful little manual. That the issue of a fourth edition was already demanded was a better proof of the utility of the book than any comments written by a reviewer:

The many years experience of the author as a lecturer and examiner of the S.] .A.A. convinced him of the need that existed for a book on" first aid " to the sick and injured, so as to make it somewhat more easy to be thoroughly grasped and remembered, and he also possessed the ability to write the very book that met the need.

The new edition, like its predecessors, retains the system of tabulating the work under its various headings. I t is perfectly free from irrevelent matter and in the handiest form, both for revision for examination purposes and for reference in practice, and contains many additional hints, warnings and illustrations, which cannot fail to prove of the greatest assistance to those who would wish to acquire a sound knowledge in ambulance work, and as such specially capable of holding their own in competition.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

that year he organised and acted as secretary of the first railway class at Malton, from that time onward until the formation of the N.E.Ry. Centre in 189S, he took an active interest in ambulance work on the railway. Upon the formation of the centre he was appointed secretary of the York District, one of the larl.l;est of the rail way, and in 1896 he was appointed general secretary.

Since that date the Centre has made rapid progress, and up to the present time 12,8S2 mer1 have qualified in ambulance work, and some 190,000 cases of accident have been attended by them this simply proves the usefulness of ambulance training. But not only has the N.E. Centre shown its efficacy in a practical direction, but it has also distinguished itself in the competition arena, for in 1901 a team of this Centre gained the Inter-Railway Shield, and on several other occasions teams have been well placed in

The final result was :-ISt, Liverpool (Husklsson Goods), with 187 marks; 2nd, Manchester A), 182 3rd, Stockport 180! 4th, (Central), 172. The. team WIll compete 10 the Inter-Railway competItIOn.

G.E.R.-The final competition of this railway was held at Stratford, on Monday, the loth inst. Drs. Heaton C. Howard and W. A. Gibb acted as judges, and the final result was as follows :-ISt, Lynn, 200; 2nd, Stratford, 197' 3rd March, 193: 4th, Ipswich, 177 5th , Col173; 6th, Ely, 167; 16 4. In the evening a concert and dIstnbutIOn of pnzes took place, a report of which we are compelle.d to hold over on account of space. We hope 10 the next Issue to give this and the judges' marking sheet.

G.N.R.-The annual competition for the Cup presented by the Officials of the Great Northern RaIlway Company was held at Culrose Hall, King's Cross, on Friday, April 7th..

The winning team (Ktng's Cr.oss) consIsted of P. J. Sebright (Chief Clerk, Royal Mr. T. Nichols (Clerk, Office), Mr. J. G. Palmer (Driver, Electnc Light Works, Mr. J. Price (Hydraulic Fitter, Loco Department, S Cross), and Mr. W. Cumber (Clerk, Loco Stores, I'>..tng s Cross).

Drs. Ingram and Brewer acted as judges, awarded marks as follows :-King's Cross, 172-2-; Spaldtng, IS6}: Doncaster, [SIt; Hitchin, 147; Derby, 139; Ardsley, P2f,

should give a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Shaw for his kindness in presenting the pri zes and how pleased the competitors were to know that theIr Goods Manager possessed the certificate of the St. J ohn bulance Association. The vote of thanks met hearty appreciation. Mr. Shaw in reply thanked audIence for their kindness and stated that he In t?e future to still further his already keen interest 10 Fust AId work.

The Southampton team will represent No.2 District in the competition for the "Dewar" shield at the Rooms. This result was decided on March .z 5th , when the winning teams of the preliminary comp.etltIOns met at Southampton. The results out of a pOSSIble 200 being Southampton, 143 ; Bournemouth, 114; (1. ofW.), 99' Gloucester, Southampton Docks and S.IttIngbourn.e (the holder of the shield). Major Laune acted as.Judge. t t -Colonel Twiss has offered a to b leh u 'ld by the Ambulance Division In hIS sub-dIstrIct, e e f th "D a" which will represent it in the competitIOt;l or e ew r shield, it will this year be in the posseSSIon of the Southampton Division.

-FIRST Brevities.

A LETTER recently appeared in Tru tlt commenting upon the state of the finances of the Order of St. John, it says ;-

"The Annual Report of the Central Executive Committee, 1909, of the Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England, Am bulance Department. Chief Secretary, Colonel Sir H. C. Perrott, Bart., c.B. On pages 40 and 41 appear the income and expenditure account for the year ended Septem ber 30th, 19 0 9, which shows a balance ,£2,634 17s. 3d. of income over expenditure. Can you tell me what becomes of this surplus of income over expenditure? Is a balance-sheet published, if so, how can it be seen?

Two items are of interest to those who have contributed to the funds, viz. ;--( I) That the Association appears to receive from classes £5,139 1 IS. 7d., and pays instructors &c., £3,784 17S. 7·, making £1,354 14S. out of those they tea c h. (2) That the gross profi t on the sale of stores amounts to the decent figure of £5,653 9S. 5d " Have we here a 'hen-roost'?"

THERE is constantly appearing In the press so-called exposes of the methods adopted by the Institution in not disclosing as to what becomes of their surplus funds, if a ny, and no doubt they have done a va st amount of good in preventing corrupt practises; but when we have a letter such as above which has been composed without analysing the report of the Institution to which it refers, it is beyond our comprehension.

In criticisin g the accounts of any institution or undertaking it is not reasonable to take one section of the accounts without taking into consideration its other sections-for this is what is the case in this instance-for perhaps all the other sections may show a deficit. It is quite correct that in the income and expenditure account of the Ambulance Department a surplus of £2,634 of income over expenditure is shown, but if the ge neral income and expenditure of the Order is referred to, it will be seen that the balance is reduced to £2,105 3s. 7d .

The correspondent asks what becomes of the surplus income? In the Report a balance-sheet appears on pages 20-2 showing what becomes of this surplus. It is a wellknown fact, by the circulars one constantly receives that the incomes of beneficient institutions are precariou's and uncertain, and to insure against this, the primary object of executive committee is to endeavour to place it on a permanent basis, by investing their surplus funds. This is case with the Order of St. John. Taking the other Items of comment seriatim, the profit of £1,354 which the correspondent shows as b eing made out of the classes is quite correct, as is obvious, but before strik ng a balance on particular section there must be a deducted a proportIOnal share of the general administration expenses,

Al D.- April, 191 I

including both printing, stationery and other materials. This makes the profit which the correspondent alleges under this head rather an elusive quantity. With regard to the other item-stores-as everyone is aware, the Association has not the monoply to supply these, and class secretaries are under no obligation to purchase their equipments from the Association, and in open competition to show the large profit of £5,653 rather speaks of the business capacity of the management.

Quite the contrary to having a " hen-roost," the Order of St. John is to be congratulated on the way its funds are administered.

* * *

DR. LEONARD HILL, in a paper recently read before the Royal Sanitary Institute, demonstrated a self-contained diving dress for penetrating flooded mines, where the divers with pipes and life line were not able to go. He also considered the atmosphere of mines, the deoxidation of the atmosphere produced by the coal, the output of methane, and the effect of breathing air containing small partial pressures of oxygen and air containing excess of carbonic acid, "dead air "and choke damp. He then dealt with the temperature of the mine, and considered the very great hygienic importance of the coolneRs and movement of the air, and in this connection detailed various experiments he had conducted, contrasting the relative effects of an atmosphere which was hot, motionless and moist, and one which was cool and moving, but chemically impure, so far as regards the partial pressure of oxygen and carbonic acid. In discussing explosions he spoke of the importance of coal dust as a cause of great colliery disaster and the methods of lessening the danger due to this cause; he also dealt with "after damp" and the poisonous effect of carbon monoxide.

* **

A MEETING in support of a memorial to the late Miss Florence Nightingale was held at the Mansion House, London, on March 3 1st, presided over by the Lord Mayor. The proposals laid before the meeting by the Memorial Committee were two in number, namely, the erection of a statue of Miss Nightingale on a suitable site in London, and the providing of an annuity fund for trained nurses who, through no fault of their own" have been unable to make adequate provision for illness or old age. This is one of those memorials, the cost of which should be met by the spontaneous gifts of all interested in the nursing profession. Florence Nightingale revolutionised the provision for and the nursing of the sick. She spent her life in raising up and perfecting of the noble profession of nursing. Such a memorial as this would worthily perpetuate the influence for good which Florence Nightingale exercised all over the world.

* * * THE Am bulance Department of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem has placed the whole of the Prince of Wales' Corps, somt! 2,000 in number, at the disposal of the police

A pril, 19 I. -FIRST authorities during the Cononation festivities for day and night duty, and the Cuuncil of the Order has authorised any further number of drafts required being brought up from the Provinces, where there are nearly 20,000 ambulance men and nursing sisters available, without any expense to police funds. The Metropolitan Corps had 1,400 men and nursing sisters on duty on the day of King Edward's funeral, and attended to between 6,000 and 7,000 cases of accident and illness. Members of Brigade units overseas are even coming from India, South Africa, and Malta, to be ready for duty if ordered.

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

THE final stage in this year s competitions of this railway took place at the Manchester Athenceum on March 16th, and r esulted in a win for the Horwick Works team; they are therefore the winners of the Challenge Shield presented by the directors of the Company, and will represent the railway in the forthcoming Inter-Railway competition. The judge was Dr. L. M. Frank Christian, and the teams were put through a test which required skill and the exercise of the ment a l faculti e s.

The final results were given as under ;-lst, Horwick Works, 28S i; 2nd, North Mersey (last winners), 241 ; 3rd, Aintree, 240 i 4th, North D o ck (Liverpool), 196f; 5th, Halifax, 195 ; 6th, Gt. Howard Station (Liverpool), 179; 7th , Newton Heath (c. & W. Dept.), 168. Maximum number of marks, 360.

In past years only six teams have comr;eted in the final, but on this occasion owing to a tie between Halifax and Newton Heath in the preliminary contest, arrangements were made for the seven teams to compete.

The presentation of the challenge shield and prizes were made by Mrs. Tunstill at the conclusion of the contest. Mr. Tunstill, one of the directors of the Company, presided during the ceremony, and in the course of his remarks called attention to the growth of the Company's centre during the past year. During this period 34 classes were held, in conjunction with which 802 men successfully passed their examinations. During the year, in no fewer than 12, 122 cases first aid was rendered by the Lancashire and Yorkshire am bulance men. On behalf of the Company he took the opportunity of thanking. all the medical men who had rendered the classes assistance and the members of the Company's staff who had acted as instructors and secretaries.

Votes of thanks were accorded to the judges and Mrs. Tunstill at the close of the presentation. The tests set are given below.

STR ETC HER WO RK

In a railway goods-yard some men are at work u.nloading a lorry, when the horse is staTtled by the wh1stle of a passing train. One of 10 h1S endeavours to the horse is seen to tW1st h1S left ankle, and, 100sen1Og h1S hold, to strik ing his head on a projecting stone He li.es motionles;; where he fell. Act as you should under the Circumstances stated, explaining what you wish, Preliminary S teps.

18-2

18c 17ab

I7a 44 18-2

AID.- 157

I7b If consciou s enquire re seat of pa in or discomfort 3

135 If consci ous, en couragin g wo rd"

128 If un co ns cious, treat acc ord ing to gener a rules

130 If smell of drink, do not misjudge I

3

13[ If no injury found, remember possib ility of mischief, and therefore protect 3 Card A .-He is insensible. Breath ing (a t first shallow ) soon becomes sli g htly stertorous. Br ight blood spurts from a severe wound over right temple. There is a swelling ofa bruise on the left side of the head, but no wound The left foot is turned outwards in an unnatural position, and there is a feeling of irregularity, and of gra ting on ou ter side of le g , about 3 inches above the ankle jo int.

The pat ient lives a mile away. Stretcher kept at shunter s cabin not far away. No other ambulan ce materials. 3 miles to nearest doctor.

H CEmorrltage

Immed 1ate d igi ta l p ressure

Applied indire ctly Improvise pad

I m b a ndag e Se cure s uitabl y J nsensibility

On back, head to one si de Care in mo vin g , le st an y injur y Clothing freel y lo osened E xam ine a ir pa ssag e promptly

Head and shoulders r a ise cl and su ppo rted

Cover

Fan

Pre vent crowding, if ne ces sary

Give nothing, and prevent others F racture

Support carefully, preventin g an y mov ement at injury...

Ascerta in if simple or compound (2) (( If S, C, or Compl ica ted " (3) ". " Judge is to say" Compoun d bone protrudlll g. 34- 2 If t rea ted as if com pli cated as well a s

17a 18c 76II 18-7

18c

I8c 96-5

compound, dedu ct 3

Avoid extension

Prote ct promptly

Protect li g htly

Se cure suitably

If fro secured effi cientl y, with out delayi ng to impro vise spl ints

Gener al Precautions

Cold water to be ob tai ned

Messa ge left to get re ad y lint, ban dages , stret cher, ru g (and do ctor notified )

Return for these articles or hav e them sent H CElIl orrhage- con tinued

Wound

Lightly ret a ined 1n In sensibihty-c ont1nued.

Cold cloths to head

Chan ged from t1me to time

Preparat ion for Tramport.

Prompt preparat ion of, and testing stret cher

Stretcher prepared for pa tient

Liftin g on stret cher

Attention to detalls

Tran sport

Care (4) Promptne ss (4) care of pa t1ent, cha ngin g cloths, etc.

Warning others, ask bystander to control

horse

With others, hasten to patient-judic iously Observe promptly position and surroundings, for indications

I mmed iate attention to head and left leg

I f conscious, warn against any careless movement

Chang ing bearers (3) D 1scr eet messen ger forward (3) On arrival

Bed prepared suitably."

Passages cleared

Removal from stretcher

Head and shoulders raised

Head to one side

-F1RS'f

Cold renewed (I) Fresh air (I) Cage (I)

Watchful care till doctor arrives

Extra marks 10 PRACTICAL WORK.

2 3 3

I. -F racture of both bones of right leg. Act as you should.

18c 18-2 Caution against movement

41 Support carefully (both hands )

I7b Ascertain details of accident, surroundings and exact seat of pain 3

Card A.-(Middle of leg ). Putting up a picture, this patient has fallen from a stepladder. Has been assisted by a non-ambulance girl to present position.

You are now alone wIth patient, the girl having gone for the doctor-2 miles away.

I8c 62 With improvised bandages carefully secure

18d

18c

18d 18-6

18 -7 43

both ankles and knees

I nstruct patient as to intention

I mprovise couch

With co-operation of patient, place lying

Cover

Expose to ascertain character of fracture, and act accordingly

Judge informs "The fracture is simple."

I 7a 6 Enquire as to symptoms, lest further mischief

.p 62 Remove knee b - padding, secure appropriately...

r8-s 18c Remain where lying till doctor or further

help

Extra marks 2

2. - A has running from the chemist's carrying a bottle contalOIng SpIrIts of salt. When close to his home he falls upon the bottle, breaking it, causing a severe wobnd between thumb and forefinger of right hand, from which bright red blood spurts freely. You see the accident; act as you should.

17a 18-2

r8c 76 I

II 19-9 18-2

r3-5 18d 18c

Observing surroundings, carefully remove from can tact

Prompt digital pressure

Applied indirectly "

Carry or support inside

Ask fOl warm water, promptly Wash off chemical freely...

Place in warm water, with soda (magnesia or slaked lime)

Restful position

Instruct re dressings (oil, vaseline, cold cream, boracic )

I mprovise pad and bandage for compressIon and apply '" 2

Remove pieces of glass seen 1

Lightly protect (wound closed) 2

Sling 1

Extra marks 2

3·-Fracture of both bones of left leg. Act as you should.

18c 18-2 Caution against movement '"

41 Support carefully (both hands ) '"

I7b Ascertain details of accident, surroundings

a?d exact seat of pain 3

Card A.-( M.lddle of leg ) In a taproom fight, this patIent has. been kIcked on the left leg, fracturing both bones.

Has been lIfted from the floor and placed in present position. Full supply of ambulance materials in the house.

r8d 135 Warn bystanders for fresh air freely

18c

Ask for assistance '"

r8c Instruct re support of patient

AID. - April, 191 t.

Judge to say" The doctor is at home, close by."

Extra marks

2

4·-Riding a bicycle the machine skids. The rider tries to recover. .but is thrown to the ground. He says he cannot raIse hIs rIght arm and forearm, and complains of numbness of these parts.

You are with him and see the accident. Act as you should. The nearest house is too far away for any help.

18c 18-2 Caution against movement, lest fracture

18-2 Support carefully '"

19-9 Restraining movement, assist to side of road

18 Restful posi tion, on ground

r7b Enquire re exact seat of pain

17b Enquire whether he felt anything snap

r9 With care, remove coat, etc.

na Limb carefully supported, examine, comparing one side with other 4

2

Card A.-The unnatural movement and sensation of crepitus plainly felt at the upper part of the arm clearly indicates fracture of humerus near shoulder joint. Injury to nerve causing the temporary paralysis. [Pp. 34 and II8 Cantlie.]

r8c 52 r8c 52 Improvise bandage around arm and chest

I mprovise sling

Extra marks

5·-You are working at a circular saw. Your hand slips and in a moment your right hand is taken off. the saw entering between the thumb and forefinger, and through the middle of the metacarpal bones. Only a non-ambulance boy at hand to give any assistance. A mile to the nearest help. Act as would be best for yourself under the circumstances stated. r8c 76

I mmediate digital compression with left hand... '"

Applied indirectly and efficiently LIe down... '"

Elevate well ... .. . .. .

Instruct re improvising pads and bandage

Instruct re placi ng in posi tion

Instruct re tying securely

Test efficiency ...

Instruct re improvised protection

Instruct re improvised sling

Instruct re covering

Instruct re pad and improvised bandage over brachial with stick, lest h. tecur

Send for help (or support with care to shelter) '"

Extra marks QUESTIONS.

I.-What 'Yould Il}ake you suspect poisoning by bad fish?

J.e., those taklOg, suffer similarly 3

those not taking do not suffer

April, (911. -FIRST

the leg, indicating their points of similarity, and important points of difference.

Forearm.

Two bones, R. and U

Both reach from elbow to wrist...

Enter into formation of both joints

Change relative position with every turn of hand

Leg.

Two bones, T. and F.

Tibia from knee to ankle, entering into formation of both

Fibula not in knee joint, outer boundary of ankle

Fibula-slender, Tibia-strong and superficial

R. and D.-about same size. Not super-

ficial

4. - Compare the ankle joint with the shoulder jUlI1t, indicating the points of similarity, and important points of differenef'. With what varieties of joint are you acquainted?

Similarity. Both movable joints

Therefore with cartilage, synovia, a capsule and ligaments

Difference.

Ankle - Hinge Junction of 3 bones; tib., fib. and ankle bone

Shoulder- Ball and socket

Junction of 2 bones: hum. and sh. blade

Socket of scap. so shallow, dislocation frequent Varieties.

Movable -ball and socket ( I ), hinge ( I ),

side to side (i) , nodding CIT) ·.. 3 31 25

Slightly movable-between vertebrGe , etc. 2 23 Immovable-face, etc....

5.-0n a very wet day a football match is in progress. One of the players, slipping, falls to the ground, and is accidentally kicked in the region of the right loin.

(a).-What would make you suspect lI1Jury to the right kidney?

(b).-State how you would render" first aid" in this case.

History of direct violence 1

Localised Pain

Pallor

Cold clammy skin

Feeble pulse

Shallow breathing

If urine passed, blood also

Later, on careful examination, possibly swelling ...

Caution against movement

Cover patient promptly

Encouraging words

Prevent crowding

Tactfully instruct, and transport to temporary shelter

Recumbent, head low, to one side

AID.-

that, in ambulance work, one must adapt oneself to surrounding conditions.

The man who clearly recognises this elementary truth, and is prepared with promptness to accommodate himself to many varying conditions, he is the man who will be found the most useful "under conditions of emergency, " and therefore, by his resourcefulness of mind, the most deserving of marks in an am bulance competition.

The London and North Western Railway.

THE preliminary competitions in the eleven districts of this railway were held early last month and the winning teams of each division were sent to represent their district to compete in the final, which was held at the Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester, on the 29th March. The judges wer e Drs. L. M. Frank Christian and Meredith Young, and the final results were declared as follows :-Ist, Wolverhampton, 244!; 2nd, London Road (coaching), 21 Ii j 3rd, Buxton, 2OS ! ; 4th, Earlestown, 1771 ; 5th, Crewe (loco. electric shop), 16S!; 6th, Rugby, 159; 7th, Broad Street (goods), ISS!; 8th, Brunswick Docks (goods), 147!; 9th, Bagnor (permanent way), 131; loth, Shrewsbury, 130!; 11th, Kendal, 113 t. Maximum number of marks 35 0 Anybody with an ambulance knowledge who witnessed the competition, could see after the work of the Wolverhampton team, that the results were to be decided in their favour. The stretcher test set by Dr. Christian was evidently arranged with the intentlon of educating the competitors to depart from the automatic methods which have so long prevailed, and to intelligently exer.cise th.eir P?wers of observation and of resourcefulness 10 dealmg With cases of emergency. Dr. Young, in the viva voce, adopted the same procedure, with the result that the bulk of the teams were puzzled at the commencement.

The tests were as follows 'STRETCHER TEST.

A fast passenger train runs int.o a light travelling slowly on the same line. The eng1l1e IS deraIled, several carriages telescoped.

Four ambulance men-I, 2, 3 and 4-wlth stretcher and ambulance materials are travelling in the train, and are uninjured. Keenly alert, they very quickly find this patient amongst the wreckage..

He is moaning with pam, and brIght IS from a lacerated wound of right palm. HIS coat sleeve m front of right elbow is torn and saturated in blood.

Act as you should under the circumstances stated. No explanation to be made to the judge, other than when absolutely necessary.

What do you know about the involuntary muscles, and their action? 33 The fibrous cord that crosses a joint

Continuous at one end with

Fresh air freely

Warmth to body and extremities

Ask patient to pass water

Fomentation prepared and applied ( If possible ?)

Messenger for doctor

The nearest shelter is at some cottages i mIles away, to reach which the pat ient must be carried from scene of accident, down an embankment, and over a fence at the bottom.

General Precautz'ons.

lS-2 Danger warning not to be forgotten

17 a l8d 35 Warning not to nlove

hamper...

Secure both ankles and knees

With. help of otbers, transport to couch (1I1struct)

Lessen shock ( How ?)

20 I8c Instruct another re doctor and ambulance 135 18-7 43

18c 20

Ascertain character of fracture and act accordingly ,

Ascertain if doctor soon available if so, merely make provision ...'

Messenger for stretcher or ambulance

Extra marks

Extract from report made by Dr. Christian on the final competition in connection with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Centre of the St. John Ambulance Assosiation, held at Manchester, March 16th, 19 1 1.

Tests and 5 were specially arranged (as a sequal to important correspondence on the very subject in FIRST A m with the object of enforcing on the mind the facts

135 Encourage patient Special Precautions.

I mmediate digital pressure on right

2 3 brachial 4 ( If on R. and U. or Flexion or direct press, deduct 2) CautioLls elevation, if any, as pOSSIbly a fracture. (This to be sta.ted )

"5 I r8c Enquire as to exact seat of pam 3 .) Judge informs "Middle of R. forearm, and middle of L.

3 leg."

J28 102 131 129

-F1RST

AlD. - April, I9tt.

Head to one side

Cold renewed ( I) Fresh air (I) Cage (I)

Watchful care till doctor arrives

Extra marks PRACTICAL \-VORK.

2 3 3 10

I.-Fracture of both bones of right leg. Act as you should.

J8c 18-2 Caution against movement

Support carefully (both hands )

Ascertain details of aCCident, surroundIngs and exact seat of pain 3.

Card A.- ( Middle of leg ) Putting up a thiS patient has fallen from a Has been assIsted by a non-ambulance gIrl to present positIOn.

You are now alone with patient, the girl having gone for the doctor-2 miles away.

r8c 62 With improvised bandages carefully secure

18d

18c

18d 18- 6

J 8-7 43

both ankles and knees

Instruct patient as to intention

I mprovise couch

With co-operation of patient, place lying

Cover

Expose to ascertain character of fracture, and act accordingly

Judge informs" The fracture is simple. "

J7a 6 Enquire as to symptoms, lest further mIs-

42 62

18-5 18c

chief

Remove knee b- padding, secure appropriately

Remain where lying till doctor or further 2 help 2

Extra marks 2

2.-A youth has been running from the chemist's carrying a bottle containing spirits of salt. When close to his home he falls upon the bottle, breaking it, causing a severe wotmd between thumb and forefinger of right hand, from which bright red blood spurts freely. You see the accident; act as you should.

17a 18-2

r8c 76 I

76 II

19-9 18-2 104 18-2

18-5 18d

r8c

Observing surroundings, carefully remove from contact

Prompt digital pressure

Applied indirectly

Carry or support inside

Ask fO! warm water, promptly

Wash off chemical freely

Place in warm water, with soda (magnesia or slaked lime )

Restful posi tion

Instruct re dressings (oil, vaseline, cold cream, boracic )

Improvise pad and bandage for compression and apply

Remove pieces of glass seen

Lightly protect (wound closed) ". Sling

Extra marks 2

3.- Fracture of both bones of left leg. Act as you should.

IBc IB-2 Caution against movement I

41 Support carefully (both hands )

I7b Ascertain details of accident, surroundings and exact seat of pain 3

Card A.-( Middle of leg ) In a taproom fight, this patient has been kicked on the left leg, fracturing both bones. Has been lifted from the floor and placed in present position.

Full supply of ambulance materials in the house.

I8d 135 Warn bystanders for fresh air freely

r8c Ask for assistance

18c Instruct re support of patient

20 IBc Instruct another re doctor and ambulance

hamper

Secure both ankles and knees

\Vith help of others, transport to couch (instruct )

Lessen shock ( How? )

Ascertain character of fracture, and act accordingly

Ascertain if doctor soon available, if so, merely make provision

Judge to say" The doctor is at home, close by."

Extra marks 2

4.-Riding a bicycle the machine skids. The rider tries to recover himself, but is thrown to the ground. He says he cannot raise his right arm and forearm, and complains of numbness of these parts.

You are with him and see the accident. Act as you should. The nearest house is too far away for any help.

I8c 18-2 Caution against movement, lest fracture

18-2 Support carefully

19-9 Restraini ng movement, assist to side of road

18 Restful position, on ground

17b Enquire re exact seat of pain

17b Enquire whether he felt anything snap

19

17a

I

With care, remove coat, etc.

Limb carefully supported, examme, com-

2 paring one side with other ." 4

Card A.-The unnatural movement and sensation of crepitus plainly felt at the upper part of the arm clearly indicates fracture of humerus near shoulder joint. Injury to nerve causing the temporary paralysis. [Pp. 34 and 118 Cantlie.]

18c 52 TBc 52

I mprovise bandage around arm and chest 3

I mprovise sling

Extra marks 3

2

5.-You are working at a circular saw. Your hand slips and in a moment your right hand is taken off, the saw entering between the thumb and forefinger, and going th'rough the middle of the metacarpal bones. Only a non-ambulance boy at hand to give any assistance. A mile to the nearest help. Act as would be best for yourself under the circumstances stated.

I mmediate digital compression with left hand

Applied indirectly and efficiently

Lie down

Elevate well

Instruct re improvising pads and bandage

Instruct re placing in position ...

Instruct re tying securely

Test efficiency

Instruct re improvised protection

Instruct re improvised sling

Instruct re covering

Instruct re pad and improvised bandage over brachial with stick, lest h. recur

Send for help (or support with care to shelter) Extra marks QUESTIONS.

I.-What would make you suspect poisoning by bad fish?

History, i.e., those taking, suffer similarly 3 those not taking do not suffer

pulse 2. -What is a tendon?

What do you know about the Involuntary muscles, and their action?

fibrous cord that crosses a joint

Situated in walls of stomach and intestine Situated in air passages

Situated in most of internal organs and blood vessels

Situated in heart (special form) Act independently of will Act during sleep and otherwise

Regulated by sympathetic n. system

Controls the vital functions

J-Compare

1911.

the leg, indicating their points of similarity, and important points of difference.

Forearm.

Two bones, R. and U

Both reach from elbow to wrist

Eoter into formation of both joints

Change relative position w.ith every turn of hand Leg.

Two bones, T. and F

Tibia from knee to ankle, entering into formation of both

Fibula not in knee joint, outer boundary of ankle

Fibula-slender, Tibia- strong and superficial

R. and U.-about same size. Not super-

ficial

4. - Compare the ankle joint with the shoulder jumt, indicating the points of similarity, and important points of differencf'. With what varieties of joint are you acquainted?

Similarity. Both movable joints

Therefore with cartilage, synovia, a capsule and ligaments Diference.

Ankle-Hinge Junction of 3 bones; tib., fib. and ankle bone

Shoulder-Ball and socket

J unction of 2 bones: hum. and sh. blade -

Socket of scap. so shallow, dislocation frequent Varieties.

Movable -ball and socket ( I ) hinge ( I ),

side to side (t) , nodding (t) · 3 31 25 Slightly movable-between vertebr;e, etc. 2 23 Immovable-face, etc. ".

s.-On a very wet day a football match is in One of the players, slipping, falls to the ground, and IS accidentally kicked in the region of the right loin.

(a).-What would make you suspect Injury to the right kidney?

(b).-State how you would render" first aid" in this case.

History of direct violence

Localised Pain

Pallor

Cold clammy skin

Feeble pulse

Shallow breathing

I f urine passed, blood also

Later, on careful examination, possibly swelling

Caution against movement

Cover patient promptly

Encouraging words

Prevent crowding

Tactfully instruct, and transport to temporary shelter

Recumbent, head low, to one side

Fresh air freely

Warmth to body and extremities

Ask patient to pass water

Fomentation prepared and applied (,f possible ?)

Messenger for doctor

Messenger for stretcher or ambulance

Extra marks

AID.-

that, in ambulance work, one must adapt oneself to surrounding conditions.

The man who clearly recognises this elementary truth, and is prepared with promptness to accommodate himself to many varying conditions, he is the man who will be found the most useful "under conditions of emergency," and therefore, by his resourcefulness of mind, the most deserving of marks in an ambulance competition.

The London and North Western Railway.

THE preliminary competitions in the eleven districts of this railway were held early last month and the winning teams of each division were sent to represent their district to compete in the final, which was held at the Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester, on the 29th March. The judges were Drs. L. M. Frank Christian and Meredith Young, and the final results were declared as follows :-ISt, Wolverhampton, 244i 2nd, London Road (coaching), 2 I Ii 3rd, 20st 4th, Earlestown, I77-f; 5th, Crewe (loco. electnc shop), 16si; 6th, Rugby, 159 7th, Broad Street (goods), ISS! j 8th, Brunswick Docks (goods), 147i 9th1 Bagnor (permanent way), 131; loth, Shrewsbury, 1302; 11th, Kendal, 1I3-f' Maximum number of marks 350 AnybOdy with an ambulance knowledge who witnessed the competition, could see after the work of the Wolverhampton team that the results were to be decided in their favour. The stretcher test set by Dr. Christian was evidently arranged with the intentIOn of educating the competitors to depart from the automatic methods. which. have so long prevailed, and to intelligently exer.clse th.eu P?wers of observation and of resourcefulness In dealmg WIth cases of emergency. Dr. Young, in the vivt} voce, adopted the same procedure, with the result that the bulk of the teams were puzzled at the commencement.

The tests were as follows 'STRETCHER TEST.

A fast passenger train runs int,o a light travell ing slowly on the same line. The engme IS derailed, several carriages telescoped.

Four ambulance men-I, 2, 3 and 4-wlth and ambulance materials are travelling ill: the tram, and .are uninjured. Keenly alert, they very qUIckly find thiS patient amongst the wreckage:.

He is moaning With pam, and bnght ?lood is from a lacerated wound of right palm HIS coat sleeve III front of right elbow is torn and saturated In blood. Act as you should un.:le: the circumstances stated. No explanation to be made to the Judge, other than when absolutely necessary.

3 '1 The nearest shelter is at some 1" ml es away, to reach which the patient must be carned from scene of accident, down an embankment, and over a fence at the bottom.

Gn7eral Precautions.

18-2 Danger warning not to be forgotten I7a I8d 35 Warning not to move ...

I

Extract from report made by Dr. Christian .on the final competition in connection with the LancashIre and Yorkshire Railway Centre of the St. John Ambulance Assosiation held at Manchester, March 16th, 19 1 1.

Tests and 5 were specially arranged (as a sequal to important correspondence on very in FIRST A TD with the object of enforcmg on the mmd the facts

135 Encourage patient : Sp ecial Precautzons.

Immediate digit a pressure on right brachial ( If on R. and U. or Flexion or direct press, deduct 2) Cautious elevation, if any, as pOSSibly a fracture . (This to be sta.ted )

"'5 I 18c Enquire as to exact seat of paIn .J Judge informs" Middle of R. forearm, and middle leg."

3 4 3 3 of L.

We are in no wa'}l responsible jor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EoITORS.

STAB IN THE KNEE JOINT AHD ARTERIAL HJEMORRHAGE.

DEAR SIR,- -Having read with interest the instructive letters in FIRST AID, I thought you would be good enough to give me treatment the enquiry your next issue : -A man is suffering from a stab m the knee Jomt accompamed by severe arterial

Thanking you, in antICIpatIOn, and wlshmg your splendId Journal every success.-I Sir, yours faithfully, T. E. WATTS, Strood Ambulance Class S.E. & C.R.

DEAR SIR,-I shall feel glad if you will kindly explain more fully through the medium of your valuable Journal the correct treatment for above.

I see, according to page 60, of the October 1910 issue, Dr. Heaton Howard giv es the treatment "Flexion of limb with pad," as per page 92 of Official Text Book, whereas on page of the January 191 r issue, that gentleman considers a "graduated co mpress applied on the wound and kept in positio n by a tight bandage round the knee " and says "Flexion of the knu is only required for arterz"al wounds billow the knee."- Yours, &c., " MYSTIFIED."

[WOUNDS BEHIND THE KNEE JOINT EITHER PENETRATING OR NOT PENETRATING THE JOINT, AND WITH OR WITHOUT WOUND OF THE POPLITEAL ARTERY.

Various questions have been asked and answered by me on this subject in this Journal these last few months, and I have been accused of giving different answers. As this particular subject, althoug h at first sight it seems very simple, is rather complicated, and is not mentioned in any detail in Cantlie's text-book, I venture to give my opinion as to the treatment of the different injuries. I wish to say that I am answering on my own bebalf alone, and it is quite possible that my ideas may not coincide with those of other surgeons.

Cantlie says nothing about any wound of the popliteal artery itself; only how to apply pressure on the artery. The injury to the joint is only alluded to generally, on page 109, by "if in the lower limb, in a straight position by a splint."

As the questions that have been asked, although apparently similar, differ in some essential detail, I will deal with all the varieties seriatim.

I must say that in the October issue I was misled by "White Cross," who said that Cantlie gives two methods of treatment for stab behind the left knee with wound penetrating the artery. I was very busy at the time, and did not examine the reference. As a matter of fact, as stated above, this particular injury is not mentioned in Cantlie's book.

Let us now see what these injuries are and if they can be exactly defined :-

(I) Wound without penetrating the main artery or the joint; (2) wound penetrating the main artery and not the joint; (3 ) wound penetrating the joint and not the main artery; (4) wound penetrating the main artery and also the joint.

( I ) Wound without penetrating either the main artery or ioint. This can be dismissed n a few words, as the treatment comes under the general treatment of a wound at pages 76, 77,78.

(2) Wound penetrating the main artery, and not the joint. In this case it is quite possible to arrest the hremorrhage either (a) by direct pressure on the wound by digital pressure with the leg extended followed by a properly applIed pad and bandage round the joint, or (IJ) by flexion of the joint, or ( c) by direct pressure on the femoral artery Personally, I prefer the first method, because the wound can be attended to much better.

(3) Wound penetrating the Jomt and not the artery. In this case the wound requires treatment as above, and the joint as on page 109.

Connected with 2 ::Ind ) there is another point requiring consideration

It is probable, in fact more than probable, that there may be a wound with severe h re morrhage without the first aider being able to ascertain whether the main artery is wounded or not, nor does it much matter as regards treatment. H is duty is to stop the bleeding, and in order to do this he must carry out one of the first principles of the treatment of h re morrhage, i.e., apply digital pressure on the bleeding spot, if that stops it he knows that a properly applied pad and bandage will permanently arrest it. If digital pressure does not stop it, or cannot be applied, then pressure must be placed on the pressure point above. First aiders should remember that strangulation of a limb by a tourniquet ought not to be resorted to unless digital pressure fails.

Again, in another CC!.se you have an injury as described abo ve with a possibility of the joint being penetrated, or damaged, but you cannot at the moment find out, your obvious duty is to stop the bleeding by one of the methods mentioned, and then to apply a splint either at the back, or two side splints according to the natUI.e of the case.

(4) Wound penetrating the main artery and also a joint. The treatment for this is given in the paragraph above. Of course there may be other conditions or other complications that may render a variation of these methods of treatment necessary.

I t is just as well to note that there are no wounds of main arteries in the flexion of joints mentioned in Cantlie's book.C. HOWARD.]

ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION IN ELECTRIC SHOCK.

DEAR shall be pleased if you will answer the following in FIRST AID. I am a brand new reader of your interesting Journal, and was delighted to find some correspondence on artificial respiration in the first num ber (February) I had seen, as there were one or two points I had doubts on :-

Re the valuable correspondence on the proper way to perform Schafer's method of artificial respiration. Will any of your experts state if it is absolutely necessary to loosen clothing or slap face and chest in case of a person suffering from an electric shock? Only (in the official text book ) particular mention is made of flicking the face and chest with a wet towel, and, I thought, perhaps, it was of special benefit in cases of suffering from electric shock.

It means, in a number of cases, delay of several minutes in obtaining towel and water.

Thanking you, Sir, in anticipation for an answer.-Believe me, Yours, &c. AN ELECTRIC WORKER.

Norwich, March 20th, 1911.

[The immediate action to be taken (after removed from contract) in a case of electric shock, will depend entirely upon the condit£on of the patient requiring treatment.

Should l1e be unconscious, and breathing not interjerea wz"th, then artificial respiration would not be called for, and treatment should be, as indicated in the text book-pages 143, 144, 20 ( 18c and 18d).

Should, however, breathing be suspended, then the case calls for prompt and very decisive action. Under such conditions it would be highly improper to jeopardise the safety of the patient ( 18e, 18-4, 18c ) by waning tilT'e over any other than neeessary prel£millaries.

April, 191 I. -FIRST

Schafer's Artificial Respiration should be commenced instantly (always provided that danger with regard to surroundings is guarded against, e.;;. coiling live wire, and air passages unobstructed ) and proceeded with uninterruptedly, so long as may be necessary.

I f other help at hand, other methods of resusci tation could be used simultaneously provided there was no interference with the proper carrying out of Sch a fer 's method. - L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

DRILL.

DEAR SIR,-May I be allowed to call attention to what are obviously typographical errors in the March issue of your Journal (evidently due to proof not being revised ), occurring in article entitled" Drill"? Where (1) in forming-fours, the left files are told to take" a pace back 33 inches," etc. ; (2) and in reforming two-deep, they are told to wind up with" a pace forward of 33 inches."

In both cases 33 inches should be 30 inches, 'vide Infantry Training, sec. 40, par. 1.

Further, may I be allowed to say in answer to "Constant Reader," that the correct order entirely depends upon what drill is being performed, and by referring again to Infantry Training find in sec. 24 z/ squad drill in single rank is to be performed at "intervals," the order after squad is numbered is "Odd numbers, two paces forward-march," and to reform, " Reform ranks-march "

And in sec. 34 :-If squad drill in two ranks is to be performed at "intervals" the squad after numbering would receive the order, "Odd numbers of the front rank two paces forward, even numbers of the rear rank two paces step backmarch, " and to reform, "Reform ranks-march."

Again, in ceremonial drill in sec. 184 :-After company in single rank it is numbered, and then receIves order" Odd numbers, one pace forward; even numbers, one pace step back-march," &c.

Hoping this will help to solve some of "Constant Reader's" problems, and apologising for trespassing on your time and space.-I am, Sir, Yours truly, J. G. H., Sergt. S.J.A.B.

[Our correspondent is quite correct. In forming-fours it should be 30 inches instead of 33 inches. We regret this error. In ceremonial drill the present order is "Odd numbers, one pace forward even numbers, one pace step back." We understand a new edItion of the Infantry Manual is in course of preparation and this is to be modified in the new edition.ED. "F. A."]

No. 30 (EAST LONDON) DIVISION.-An appeal for funds has been issued by this Division. Since the formation of the Division in 1899 the members have undertaken public duty on 409 occasions, and have rendered first aid in 3,617 cases. "

" In view of the great number of Important duties III connection with the coming Coronation festivites," the appeal states, "it is for the success of. OU! that our equipment be entirely renovated. It IS lIkeWIse necessary to furnish ourselves with an ambulance litter, the lack of which will be detrimental to the efficient carrying on of our work. We estimate that a sum of £200 would meet all our needs, and would give us the means of reaching the requisite state of efficiency."

COTTACE BENEFIT NURSINC ASSOCIATION.

W ANTED, Strong, Healthy Women (country women and well-trained domestic servants preferred ) to train as Cottage Nurses; training permanent. Apply, Miss Broadwood, DenIson House, VIctOrIa, London, S.W. Stamp.

SIMPLIFIED.

By Sidney H. Lamb.

A Handbook in a tabulated and simplified form giviI1g the main points of first aid , so arranged as to impress them on the memory of the student.

DALE, REYNOLDS & CO., Ltd., 46, Cannon St., LONDON, E.e.

AID. - April, 19I1.

Now. Ready. _ Sixth 45th Thousand. and enlarged wIth n,:w Illustrations-S x In two colours. With 257 Onglnal Drawings. LImp Leather, 28. 6d. net; Paper, 18. net_ Post free IS. 3d. "FIRST AID" TO THE INJURED AND SICK.

An Advanced Ambulance Handbook.

By F. d. WARWICK, B.A., M.B., Cantab., and A. C. TUNSTALL M.D., F.R.C.S., Edin.

" Has already taken its place as a standard work. "-Brit Med. J ()ur. Fifth Edition. On Sheets 2 ft. 2 in. by 3 ft. 4 in. 28. each, or 32S.

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Joumal as instructive and entertaining as correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

NURSES' CLOAKS.

We

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. J ohn Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competiti ons and other ma tt ers which will advance the interest of the] oumal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" Is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

IT is superfluous for us to enlarge on Coronation the need of proper am bulance arrangeDuty. ments being made during the Coronation processions, for in the hands of the Military Authorities and Police everything will be well planned and effectually carried out. Owing to the long route the crowd will not be so concentrated, and consequently there will be less risk of accidents happening. Still, there is bound to be an enormous concourse of people drawn to London, and it is incumbent upon the two authorities named to see that sufficient ambulance men and material are in readin ess to cope with any accident which may occur.

Arrangements have been made between the British Red Cross Society and the Metropolitan Police for a contingent formed from the voluntary aid detachments to be on duty. Several other ambulance bodies have offered their services, and they have been accepted; and among the number, as we recorded in our last issue, is included the S.J.A.B. What part that body will exactly take we are not in a position to state, but it will be readily understood

[Entered at Stan()ners' Hall.]

PRICE TWOPENCE.

[2/6 PER ANNUM, POST FREE.

that owing to the many bodies who devote themselves to first aid and who glad ly proffer their services on such occasions as this, it is only reasonable to suppose that the St. John Ambulance Brigade will not enjoy the position it has formerly done. Howev er, we learn on good authority that th e Brigade will hav e priority in the selection of a certain number of positions, but with regard to the number of members who will be aUowed for duty we have no information to give In ord er to enlighten our readers on this subject we wrote to the Chief Commissioner for information, to which he replied, "All members of the Brigade can obtain all information they require through their officers from the Deputy-Commissioners of their Districts. While thankin g you for your offer of assistance, I do not propose to make use of the press, generally or individually, as a medium for the distribution of information on Brigade matters to its members."

It is a matter of considerable surprise to us to receive such a re ply as this to our letter requesting for information, and many other people have expressed surprise that the St. John Ambulance Authorities have not seen fit to give any support to this Journal, and we know this fact has been a matter of regret by many of the most ardent supporters of the St. John Ambulance cause. The reason for withholding such information as that referred to we are unable to conceive, for it need not in any way disclose the modus operandi of the authorities, · but would have had the effect of relieving the anxi ety of the provincial units, amongst whom speculation is rife regarding their claims to be represented, as will be plainly seen by our corre_ spondence columns.

-------.--.------

An examination of the G.E. Ambulance Class (Leytol!stone District) was held by Dr. Harris of Walthamstow, 28 candidates slttmg for examination-6 for certificates, 3 for vouchers, 8 for medallions, and I for labels.

The annual Nursing Competition of No.6 District was held at Blackburn on April 29th. The Preston Nursing Division again secur ed th e trophy, Astley 2nd, Southport 3rd ; 12 teams competed. The judges were Drs. A. Greenwood Jon es and Broomhead.

-FIRST

135 Treating shock by warmth externally and internally (3), and smelling salts, &c., (2), paying particular care to the danger of further h ce morrhage from the wound or of compression, and therefore avoiding undue stimulation of the heart s action (5) 10

If not satisfied with the explanation volunteered, judge will ask questions as to reasons for stimulants used and withheld. Burn o( Hand.

AID.- May, 1911.

17, 18 Instructing bystander to give notice when wound bleeds 3 Card 2-Breathing is restored and there is arterial bleeding from the wound.

4 77,92 Arrest h ce morrhage

77 Removal of broken glass seen in wound

78 Light dressing 2

wound is protected 6 Transport to shelter

After care

May, 1911. -FIRST

The maximum number of points obtainable was 327, and the following is the order in which the teams finished :-

I. - Midland and Gt. Northern Joint 22 6t

2.-London and North-Western 217§

3·-Lancashire and Yorkshre 205

4·-Furness 200

5·-London, Brighton and South-Coast 187

6. - Gt. Western I 8 S

7·-North-Eastern 178

AID.-

Adjusting

slings...

judge

ment room

18 Obtaining oil (e.g., from engine or refreshr03

Covering part with oily dressing without breaking blisters

Arm sling

Re1J'ZOval (rom Cab and Unloading" Stretcher.

Bringing up and preparing stretcher

Position of stretcher

Consideration of best time for removal from cab, having regard to the nature of injuries, and their immediate and subsequent treatment

Actual removal

Actual loading

Keeping back crowd while loading

Examination on journey with special refer-

ence to compression...

Ca1'd J.-To be given only if judge is satisfied with examination. The patient is suffering from compression of the brain. You have got half-way to the hospital, and are opposite a chemist's shop.

132,129 Altering position and re-adjusting slings

18 Rapid progress to hospital without jolting

18 Message to hospital

T 8 Reserving fresh bearers for further carrying

smartness Extra marks INJURI ES AND VIVA VOCE.

10 No. I.-On a hot summer day you find a man seated m the sun near a brewery and notice his face is flushed. As you approach he asks you to fetch him water to drink. Address questions to the judge as to other signs and symptoms and treat the case.

136 Questions: as to sickness (1), faintness (1), giddinesss (1), breathing (1), state of skin (I), pulse (I). Judge to indicate sun-stroke.

5, The accident occurs opposite the house of a friend of yours;

6, The pole is about 7 ft. long, and is strong; 7, The patient is conscious, and questions as to signs and symptoms may be addressed to the Judge.

35,39,37 Questions as to position of foot (2), pain (2), other signs (2) Judge will answer appropriately

6 When Judge has noted the examination and questions he will give

Card 2.-You have discovered a simple fracture at the neck of the left thigh.

lamp (2) , prote c t patient from traffic (2) pre vent movement on the part of patient (3)

57 18 57,5 8 58 166, &c. 18 135

With great care (4) turn patient on to his back (2)

Obtain appliances and comforts from house

Applying splints

Bandages

Improvising stretcher, using lamplighter'S pole, and things obtained from house

Testing stretcher

Lifting on to stretcher with the aid of bystanders

passmg traffic

Shock

7 6 10 4 6 6 5

3

8.-London and North-Western and Gt. Western Joint J67

BRIGADE COMPETITION.

Preliminary competitions were held in several of the Districts for the purpose of selecting a representative Corps or Division for the final contest, and the team chosen from each District met at the Portman Rooms. The Brigade Competition has excited the same amount of interest as the fight for the Railway Shield, why we cannot understand, for the work of the teams is just as interesting as that performed by the railway competitors, and furthermore, it is carried out with military precision. The following was the test :-

STRETCHER \iVORK.

Card I.-You are standing outside your ambulance station when a messenger runs up to you and says that a man has been knocked down by a motor a quarter of a mile away. There is a hospital in the town., 750 yards from the scene of the accident; on the way to the accIdent you pass the house of a doctor.

Approach (i ncluding rapid progress to accident by one or more, calling at doctor's house and bringing up gear) 10

If two men stop for gear they must not take part in treatment for three minutes; if three for two minutes.

Label.-A labourer in a field saw the accident from a distance, ran up and dragged the patient, then unconscious, to the side of the road. There is now a small crowd, none of whom were present at the time of the accident, round the patient. The patient has recovered consciousness, but is dazed. There is blood coming from the left side of scalp, and the mark of a wheel on right leg, as indicated by chalk, is seen. The motor has gone on. Your examination of the patient will be noted, and proper questions answered by the judge. Treat without assistance of doctor, who was not at home.

If

adjusting slings

[17 T7

Transport Extra marks 2 No. 2. I.-Along with others you are watching the apparently body of a bather brought ashore; being the only first man present, you examine the patient and find that breathlllg has ceased and there is a deep gash on the sale of the left foot wIth. broken glass in it, from which on account of the feeble actIOn of the heart h ce morrhage is hardly noticeable -act.

139 Artificial respiration

18,19

Explicit instructions (2) to b ys tanders as to

20,77 doctor (I) warm blankets ( I ) hot bottles

78 J 27 etc. (I) , dressings for foot ( I ) materials for arrest of ha:xnorrage (I) and means of transport

Its character may indicate nature of injury

For Example

Dislocation - severe sickening

Strain or rupture muscle or tendon-sudden sharp

Enables patient to denote same to helpers

Affords a warning of possible further danger

Causes the action of voluntary muscles to remove part

Seat (r) and nature ( [) of pain should be found out by tactful questions (2) H cemorrhage.

Calls attention to a wound

Forms clot (3), to seal wound (2)

Washes out poison (3), for example in bites snakes (I), and rabid animals (I), and wounds by poisoned weapons (I)

8 8

Should be encouraged for a time in such cases (3), by bathing part with warm (I),. keeping limb low (I), upper limb hangmg down (I), lower limb on ground with patient seated (r)

3 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 6 7 6 5

18 129 Loosen clothing... 2 77 Improve position 4 129 Keep back crowd 2

17

Avoid thoughtless questions

was

adjusting slings

to hospital, stating case... . ..

of NO.2 or 4 in preference to No. or

WORK.

above

case.

purging, colic

great weakness, raised temperature, quick pulse

lVo.

77 Head: digital pressure on temporal 2 77 Removing foreign bodies seen 2 78 Light dry dressing 2 83 Ring pad 4 78 Bandage 3 41 Leg: steady and support 3 78 Light dry dressing and bandage <+ 41 Straighten with great care <+ 41 Splints _ 5 42 Bandages for same 5 Preparing stretcher 2 Loading (no pillow) 5 Treat shock 4

clothing

If out of doors, transport to shelter

-FIRST

Question.-If after a case of accident you saw brandy or whIskey about to be given to the patient by anyone but a doctor, what would you feel inclined to suggest a s a substitute

AID.- May, 19II.

M . ('he cjudges in the compelltlOn were Major R. J. alt and offin and Drs. J. G. McLannahan and R. Anderson, and their a wards were given as follows :-

I.-No 2 District, Sittingbourne Division, winners of "Dewar" ShIeld.

F ROM OUR DU BLIN CORR ES PONDENT

AID.-

the "Iveagh" Cup in Dublin in competition with quite a number of teams, the universal verdict being that the best team won.

water bottles, &c Compression and apoplexy, hot wa ter bottles, &r to promote warmth m lower part of body

3.-No. 5 A ckton Hall Colliery Division.

4·-No. 4 Dlstnct, Howich Div ision.

5. - -No. I LB. &.S.C. Ry., Willow Walk Division.

6. - No. 3 Dlstn ct, Wellmgborough Headquarters Divi -

2.-N 0.7 District, Six Bells Division, winners of "SymondsEccles " Cup. sion.

7.-No. 6 Distri ct, Hylton Colliery Division.

At the conclusion of the two competitions the Duchess of Connaught, who was accompanied by the Duke of Connaught,. presented the trophies and prizes to the successful competItors, and handed to the Alexandra Docks and Railway team the ta?let awarded for their victory in 19 10

The Marq.Uls of Bre adalb a ne presided, and on the platform VIscount Knutsford, Sir Herbert and Lady Perrott, SIr J. and Lady Furley, Viscountess the Earl and of Bessborough, Lady Jephson, H. Jekyll,. C?1. SIr J. A. R. Clark, Inspector-General Belgrave Nmn:s, Col. Yates, Lieut.-Col. Twiss, Col. Elliston and Mr. W. R. Edwards.

Lord Kn,utsford, in prop osing a vote of thanks to Royal for so kindly attending and presentmg th.e prIzes, saId that ev e ry mem ber of the Order had been that the King had been graciously pleased to appomt HIS as Patron to the Order. He took a gn::at Interest In t.heir.work and the fight which engaged In-a fight agamst Ignorance-had his earnest Interest.

The Duke of Connaught, in returning thanks said that both the D.uchess himself had for many yea;s past taken a great Interest In everything connected with the Order of St. John and in ambulance work. Among the many people who could do ambulance work and could help to. save others, he could imagine none more useful raIlway Unfortunately, they had greater opportumtIes of dealmg with any other body of men. Everybody apprecIated theIr devotion to duty and lO hard wurk whIc? fell to lot, and he was pleased to have the opportumty of paymg this public tribute to them He was also glad to the progress made by the Brigade: It was only 24 years it was started, and when they thought of the small begmmngs they must rejoice to see pr?gress that had been made. He was not mistak e n In that some 14,000 or 15,000 men would be on In the streets. of London during the Coronation, and It was a great thmg to know that they had these men always ready to be of use to their fellow-countrymen.

PRESTON.- - The annual general meeting of the corps was held on April 11th, Chief Surgeon and Supt. IrvinSellers presented hIS annual .report which shows that the corps had the most actIve year in its history. The five DIvlSlons cOI?prising the Corps had a better average at dnll, and the Headq uarters Division had mcreased m st.rength. Certificates in military sanitation had been ob.tamed by 3 members, and two sections of Volu!1tary AI? Detachments had been formed. The Nursmg DIVISIOn had been actively engaged- no less than ro8 cases have been attended by its members during the year.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

SUG GESTION S WANT ED. - We had a general meeting of our division recently. Some of us, the fire-eating enthusiasts- went down to it eagerly, because the important question of how to treat tbe abs e ntees was on the "tapis." When it came up for discussion the armour -plated enthusiasts mentioned abov e were fur letting them off there and then, regarding the mere fulfilment of the letter of the law of twelve drills during the year as sufficient evidence of interest in the division's welfare.

In the midst of the fray on e quiet little man observed, in a sort of "'ce pt Mullin's m eadow" styl e, "make your classes more attractiv e ." Th e remark pass e d unnoticed, but after awhile, in the sa me un u btrusive manner, the little man popped up again, this time a little louder, with "You should try to make your class e s more attractive." There was som e thing in it. It app e ar e d to appeal to everyone ; the enthusiasts fell back. For the n ext thr e e or four days it haunted me day and night, and I fe lt that in this suggestion, so quietly offered, la y the whole key to the situation. Being mem bers of a purely voluntary organisation, we cannot be marched and counter marched at a bidding, as soldiers are, we require to have our interests aroused.

It has occurred to me that in order to make our classes more interesting, some very simple experiments in chemistry could be introduced, miscropic mounts shown, the e xhibition of a frog s leg, so often mention e d in text books, or the le cturer could possibly gain admission for those of his class who d esir e d it to the museum attached to the m ed ical sc ho nl ()f th e district. Althou g h not coming exactly under the hea ding of fi rst-aid instruction, th e y would prove highly inter estin g to m a ny.

P e rha p s vf the re aders of F IR ST AID, with the Editor' s p e rm issi o n, will offe r su gge stions on the subject. I feel sure they would be welcomed by all. (A contribution on the subj e ct appears in a nother column.)

BEL FAST C OMPETITIONS - Th e annual competitlOns in conn e ction with this centre was held on March 18 th, in the external d e partm e nt of the Royal Victoria Hospital, for th e Belfast Chall e nge Cup and the Lord May o r's Cup, which latt e r was pres e nt e d to the Association some years ago by the late Sir S a muel Dixon, Bart. Sih'er medals were offered in addition to the winners and the runners up. Besides the Belfast F ire Brigade, there were two teams from Dublin, vi z. , St. Jam e s's Gate and the Electrical D e partment of the L. & N.W.R. Co. at North Wall.

The arrangements for the competition, in the hands of Miss Gill, were most a dmirably carried out, in the presence of a large and fashionable audience. The following gentlemen undertook the task of judging, Dr. John Campbell, Dr. R. W. Leslie, Dr. W. Cal well, and Dr. H. Stevenson.

The tests were very thorou g h, covering a wide field of th e oretical and practical first aid. The Belfast Fire Brigade were declar e d the winning team of the Challenge Cup, St. James s G a te securin g the Lord Mayor s Cup, the team from the L. & N. W.R. Co., being runnersup on both occasions The r.ompetition was very close, only a few marks separating the teams.

Last September the Belfast Fire Brigade carried off

They are a smart, well set-up body of men, knowing theIr wo:k and trained to a nicety. Why even the manner 10 whlch they had the splints rigged up was a treat to gaze upon.

The second annual examination in connection with the City of Dublin Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in Advanced First Aid was held on the 26th ult., at 26, Gt. Brunswick-street. Dr. Mason and Dr. Trevor N. Smith, acted as examiners.

It was necessary to secure 80 per cent. of the marks to gain a medal, 75 per cent. to secure a 1st class certificate. and 60 per cent. for 2nd class certificate.

The examination covered a fairly wide ground of ambulance work, and speaks well for the amount of knowledge display e d by our Dublin branch of the St. John Ambulance Association. It is under the charge of Andrew Charles, Esq , F.R.C.S. (hon. f3urgeon to the division), and Dr. Walter Healy (assistant hon. surgeon), who delivered the lectures required by the syllabus and gave the necessary instruction in the practical work of bandaging, &c.

An Accident Emergency Case.

WE recently had the pleasure of inspecting at th e showrooms of Messrs. Toogood, Ltd., of 77, Southwark-street, London, S.E., a variety of First Aid C a ses, all designed to me et the requirements of di fferent specific purposes, from

th e large First Aid Chest carried on Lin e rs, to the Midget Scout Pocket Case. Amongst them was one which struck our attention as being a very suitabl e case for factories and small ambulance corps. It is maJe of " Durite " a strong waterproof material, similar in appearance to It ilther and lighter in weight. The accompanying illustration gives a very good idea of the contents of this case, and among the oth e r articles it contains is the official text-book of the S.J.A.A. We recommend it to 5rs t aiders, for it is comparatively small in si ze considering what it contains, the dimensions being 12 in. X 7 in. X 31in., and it is very handy to carry.

Brevities.

CONSIDERABLE dissatisfaction is feltby trained nurses , so the British JOllmal of Nursing tells us, at the adoption of the British Red Cross Society of a uniform for the Women's Detachments, which so closely approximates to that of the trained nurse. This applies especially to the indoor uniform, which is a blue grey dress of Oxford shirting with turn-over collars and cuffs, white linen apron, and Sister Dora cap. The outdoor uniform is a plain coat or cloak with sleeves, and a cap of blue serge of approved shape and the badge of the Society with a red cross in the centre it's estimated cost is between £3 and £4.

THE nurses' uniform in principal has been standardised in this country, and why the professional nurse should object to it being adopted by the British Red Cross Society we cannot see, for the members of the Women's Detachment are voluntary nurses, and should be entitled to wear a uniform which to the; layman is a distinctive mark of a nursing sister

THE formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments announces the War Office, have made considerable gress in Great Britain since the movement was first inaugurated in August, I909. Up to date there has been registered at the War Office 659 detachments (men and women), this is exclusive of others in process of formation. The total personnel is nearly 20,000, of whom the men form roughly one-third. In England the counties of Gloucester and Hampshire are first with 50 detachments each, whilst London, has 37, Devon 35, Essex 3 0 Glamorgan, 28, Sussex 27, and Nottingham 25.

O UR attention has been called to an article which appeared in the Sheffield referring to the fallure of the S.J.A.A. to recognise the services of Mr. W. E. Simpkins, who has acted as secretary and lay instructor to the Denaby Main classes since I902, and who previous to this acted as instructor of classes at Mexborough, Kilnhurst. and Rotherham. At the beginning of this year, at a meetlllg at Denaby, a resolution was passed with the object of bringing Mr. Simpkins' work before the notice of the of St.. John with the motive of securing some recognItIon of hiS services. To the representations then made, the chief secretary said in the course of his letter"But the honours of the Order of St. John are not conferred upon the personal application of individuals, and in no case would the central executive committee of the department make any recommendations and recogmtlOn of servic€'s by a so-called instructor who is a layman. The only instructors whom the ambulance recognises are duly qualfied and registered medical practitioners."

THE Sheffield Telegrapll goes on to comment that if this is the uniform attitude of the S.J.A.A. it is in need of reform, and this position it has taken up is entIrely opposed to the true spirit that should prevail in the granting of honours where deservedly earned. No doubt Mr. Simpkins has performed good work in connection with ambulance work at Denaby, and his fellow feel that his services are worthy of recognition, but It must be remembered that the S.J.A.A. has a graduated scale of awards and honours, and perhaps his services are not in conformity with the rules or he has not satisfied the committee in his detailed statement of services. On one or two occasions the S.J.A.A. has failed to give honour where it is due, but in rare instances. We frankly admit we never heard included in a record of service any mentIon of lay instruction, the recognition is conferred on the members of the medical profession for lecturiQg gratuitously or on laymen for the organisation and administration of classes.

WE think if Mr. Simpkins' case is put before the chief secretary of the S.J.A.A., accompanied by a detailed statement of his service in connection with the organisation of classes and secretarial work, it will receive every consideration of the committee.

Coming Events.

Pa1,ticulars or f01·thc01lting pvents will be inserted in tltis colU1II11 free oj charge, if received not later than the I4th of each month

The Polytechll1c Ambulance Competitions for the Wilham Heywood" Shield and "Grant" Medal will take phce on a Saturday afternoon at the end of October or the early part of November. For particulars &c. apply to the Secretary, Ambulance Competitions, Regentstreet, W. -

Bexlzill.-Ambulance competition for the shield presented to the S.E. & C.R. by Lord Brassey, K C.B. will take place on May 24th.

and Sick .Nu.rsing Competitions in connectIOn WIth the SkIpton and Dlstnct Hospital Gala will be held on July 15th. Schedules may be obtained after June 15 th from Mr. T. H. Hudson, 48, Russel-street, Ski pton. Grange Moor (Wakefield). - Ambulance Competition and Sports, Saturday June 17th. For Schedules &c app! t the Secretary, Mr. Thos. Westerby, Grange Moor Wakefield.

The annual camp of No 5 District will be held at Scarboroug? from June 4th to June nh, on the ground on the north of the town. The following camp staff has been. appOInted by the Deputy Commissioner :-CommandIng Officer, Surgeon-Capt. A. J. Helm Montague M.?; P.M.O., Surgeon-Major E. West Symes M D '. Adjutant, Supt.. H: S. Witty (Denaby Main' Dlstnct Supt.-Secretary H. C. Chambers' ASSIstant Quartermaster, Hon. Surgeon and Supt W S' Wood (Cresswell Division). The advance pa;ty 'wili assem on May 3 I st. It is anticipated that some 35 0 men Will be camp.

JOINED the service of the London, Chatham and Dover Company at Sheerness twenty years ago as a bookIng clerk. In 1896 he was transferred to the Electrical Department at Victoria, and after twelve months in the head office of that department secured an appointment in the Out-door Superintendent's Office at the same station.

In 1899, on the amalgamation of the London, Chatham

AI D.-

there were some very earnest workers on the com bIned hnes j and that the choice of Centre Secretary well made.is evidenced by the phenomenal progress which has mamfested itself since that date. comparing the reports which are before us, we find that III 1.9°5, 732 members of the staff successfully satisfied the of the Examiners. In 1910, 1,232 men qu.ahfied, these latter figures have already been passed thiS year. Since the formation of the Centre over 6 000 men tokens in evidence of their in first aid to the Injured. In 1905, 25 teams competed in the local competitions organised by the Company. This year no less than 97 teams competed

A:lthough the Inter-Railway Shield has not yet found a restlllg place on the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway, .that Company has been represented in the final year after year. The Sittingbourne Division of BrIgade was successful last year in winning the "Dewar" Shield for the best Brigade team in England and Wales' a success which was repeated at the Portman Rooms Friday the 12th inst. All the members of this team are railw.aymen and they secured their training under the auspIces of the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway Centre.

Mr. Richards is an Honorary Serving Brother of the Or?e! of John of Jerusalem in England, and was the reCIpient In 1908 of a handsome testimonial from the members of the Centre in recognition of his work. It is his desire that his "boys," as he calls them, shall be every ready to the. :ight thing at the right moment, 3.nd In proof of hIS untIrIng efforts to ensure this -if any proof be needed-it is only necessary to mention that there is not a station through out the system where there are not members of the staff fully qualified to render first aid.

Mr. Richards' genial personality has, without a doubt much to do with the success of the work throughout Centre. Modest-almost to a fault perhaps-yet perfectly frank and outspoken in his dealings with others, and keenly alert to the exacting requirements of his office, he at once gains the respect of all those with whom he comes into respect which may be said to quickly develop Into RffectlOn. Never tiring of expressing his appreciation of the support given him by the ambulance men on the railway, he is ever ready to assist those who have helped him to build up the organisation of which he may so justly be proud. In his efforts in this direction he is most ably supported by the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. E. C. Cox (the Assistant.Superintendent of the Line), the Directors and Officers of the Company, and a loyal and hardworking Committee.

and Dover Railway with the South-Eastern Railway, Mr. Richards was transferred to the office of the Superintendent of the Line at London Bridge Station.

It was in the year 1898 that Mr. Richards first became connected with ambulance work on the Lo'hdon, Chatham and Dover Railway, acting as secretary to the detached classes formed on that line in succession to Mr. Henry A. Sire, now Goods Manager of the London, Brighton and South-Coast Railway.

In those days ambulance men were few and far between, and Mr. Richards at once set to work to remedy this state of affairs. He soon found ample scope for his organising abilities, and immediately proceeded to arrange the formation of classes throughout the com bined systems. It was not, however, till the Centre was formed in 190 5 that really good results were obtained, although even in the

That he and they may long be spared to rule the destinies of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Centre of the St. John Am bulance Association is, we are sure, the heartiest wish of our readers.

S.E. &. C. Ry.-The Committee's Annual Report says :-During the year first aid has been rendereed in no less than 2,511 cases, making a total of 9,580 instances since the formation of the Centre. The Committee earnestly appeal to those members of the staff who have not yet qualified in first aid to take an early opportunity of joining one of the many classes formed.

With regard to the Competition, another record has been established. This year 97 teams competed, constituting, the Committee believe, a record for all railways. No less than 19 teams competed in the Beginner's Group, justifying in every way the formation of that group.

MR. E. A. RICHARDS, CENTRE SECRETARY S.E. & C.Ry.

-FIRST

The stationmasters (through Messrs. Harris, Wakeford, Capon and Payne) havf! again instituted a Shilling Fund, and have presented the Centre with a sum of ten guineas to be handed over co the ambulance men as priz es in connection with the past year s work.

Several Shields and Cups have been presented to the Centre during the year by gentlemen intere sted in the work of the railway men: the "McCorquodale" Cup, presented by Messrs. McCorquodale & Co.; the" Linnington" Shield, presented by Dr. Linnington for competition in No.6 District; the "Courthope" Cup, presented by G. Courthope, Esq., M.P., for the Rye Division; the" Archibald" Cup, pre sented by Dr. Archibald of Ramsgate, for individual competition in No. 7 District; a Cup by Mr. Laurence Hardy, M.P., (or competition in No. 9 District ; while our good friend Dr. Henchley has offered a second Cup for team competition in NO.7 district.

All will join, we are sure, in congratulating the members nf the Sittingbourne team on their achievement on again winning the "Dewar" Shield, offered for the best Brigade team in England and Wales, and the Three Counties Shield (Kent, Surrey and Sussex).

In addition to the prizes recently competed for in connection with the Centre the Committee have awarded seven of their Centre certificates to the staff and five certificates to men who, during the past year, have performed meritorious first aid work.

The "Cunynghame" First Aid Outfit.

MR. RIC£:I ARD J of 70, Shoe-lane, London, E.c., has submItted to our Inspection a first aid outfit, which has been constructed according to the d esign of Sir Henry .K..C.B., Chairman of the Royal Commission o f N11?es. It IS IOtend ed for use in mines, quarries and factones for the early antiseptic treatment of wounds. The

ing water into which one tablet is dissolved to make the antiseptic solution sufficient for one application, and a tube of permangamate of potash.

To much importance cannot be attached to the early simple wounds, not only by men engaged in the mmmg Industry but also any other calling, for it has been shown that great suffering, leading to incapacity and consequent economic loss, is caused by the neglect of the workers to take elementary precautions. The case is sold at 3s 6d., and we venture to think it will inter est many of our readers and supply a long-felt want for the treatment of simple wounds.

The Interest in Ambulance Work.

I.NTR.REST be maintained if a closer personal observatIOn .IS Into. the causes which allow this "dry rot" to set In, whIch anses from many causes, and vari e s with different divisions. The continual repetition of these things appertaining to the duties of an ambulance man such as practises, lectures, &c , do not affect this at alJ ;. but it is the under current which is at work creating dishke and almost hatred for the presence of certain officials in authority owing to their unsociable attitude towards the men.

It seems to me that they forget that work is not remunerated by a salary, but rather that the man has to make great sacrifices, because he is an ambulance man such as home comfort, loss of pay, giving of his voluntary and freel'y for this cause of st.Iffering humanity

Influence a power, bfting up or down, and nowhere IS thIS more apparent than in the drill room, or on public duty, the foundation upon which an ambulance man is built.

The me.n are not taken into confidence enough with th1t1gs touch1t1g the life of a division.

A is censured for things which he has done after time without reproof, although done openly, .thls "dry rot." Covering of public duties by a cbque, push1t1g aside those younger in the work whereas a little mixing with these aiders would create a solid foundation.

question of public duty is a vital point in the life of a diVISIOn, and something should be done to see that men do not have to pay fares, buy their own food for a. man's services are worth having, at the least some' proViSIon should be made for them in the way of light refreshment.

Railway divisions do not suffer so much because of their scope for work. But even here, considering the numJ:>er of men, how few there are who take up this work. Can It wondered at when there are still leading railway compames who do not give passes to their men who travel backwards. and forwards to their drill, but these men have to pay then own fares. No provision is made to relieve a man from duty even where it could be done with little or nJ trouble.

May, 1911. -FIRST

The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

THE Annual Festival of the Order will be celebrated this year on Thursday, July 6th, instead of on St. John Baptist Day, Saturday, June 24th The Annual Commemoration Service will take place at St. John's Parish Church, Clerkenwell, at 2.15 p.m and will be followed by the General Assembly at St. John's Gate at 3.30 p.m. Further particulars will be forwarded later. Holy Communion will be celebrated in the Chapel of St. John the Almoner, within the Crypt of St. John's Church, on Saturday, 8.30 a.m., June 24tll.

The Presentation by the Order and the Institution and Induction by the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of the Rev. Thomas Charles Elsdon, a Chaplin of the Order, as Rector of the Parish of St. John, Clerkenwell, E.C, will take place at 4 p.m., on Tuesday, May 30th. It will be remembered that the gift of the living-lost to the Order in the Sixteenth Century-has again passed into its hands, and as this is the first Presentation made by it since the re-acquisition of the patronage, it is hoped that as many members of the Order as can conveniently do so will attend Divine Service in St. John s Church.

Drill. *

(Continued from page I5I)

EX ERCISES Wl1'H P REP AR ED STRETCHERS (4 BEAR ERS)

P REPAR IN G AN D C LOS ING STRETC HERS

Prepare Stre clters - Nos. I and 3 turn to the right, kneel on the left knee, unbuckle the transverse straps, separate the poles and strai g hten the traverses.

T w o.-On the word" Two " ea ch takes a sling, doubles it on itself, dressed side of leather outwards, slips the loop thus formed on the near handle and places the free ends over the opposite handle, bu ckle of the sling They then rise and turn to the left together, workm g by the n g ht ; Close: Sb-etcJzer s.-Nos. and 3 turn to the ri g ht kneel on the left knee, remove the sl ings and pla ce them on the groun d , push in the traverses, raise the canvas, approximate the pole s.

Two - On the word "Two " they rise, lifting the stret che r ,

AID.- 175

of h<l:nds to they turn to the right in a slightly stoopmg pOSItIOn, nse, and turn to the left together.

LIl"TIN G AND L OW ERIN G ST RETC HER S

L tft Stret ch er s.-On the word" S tre t clters " Nos. rand 3 stoop, g rasp the doubled sling between' the poles with the forefin ger and thumb of the nght han d , sweep it off the handles, nse, holdmg the sling at the full extent of the arm bu ckle to the front, take a side pace to the right between handles, and place the slmg OVf!r the shoulders, divid ing it equally, bu ckle to the ri g ht.

The slings should be placed so that they lie well below the collar of the tuni c behind and in the hollow of the shoulders in front.

T wo - On the .word stoop, slip the loops over the handles, commencmg WIth the left, and grasp the handles firmly.

Three.-On the word "Three, " rise slowly to g ether, lIftmg the stretcher. NO 3 conforming closely to the movements of No.!.

Low er S retclt ers.-On the word (( S tre t chers " Nos. and 3 slowly stoop and pla ce the stretcher gentl y on the ground

box i:, made of metal and m easur es 5 in by 3l in b y I } 0

It well prot ects th e contents from dust or dirt. con:ams a supply of .wool made up in small packets, ach pa.ck e t being suffiCIent for one small dressing;

?OraCIC hnt,. box adhesive tape, roll of tape for bandag109, .safety pinS, of sissors, tube of tablets of corrosive subhmate for makmg antiseptic solution, a buttle contain-

. A little encouragement is an impetus, yet how lack1t1g encouragement is to those who take up this noble and humane work of ." helpi!lg others." Help us to help others by encourag1t1g us 1t1 th e se things which mean so much to many of us men.

J. J.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

FI

G 2.-" PR EPARE STRETC HER. "

slip the loops from the handles and stand up, remo ve the slings from the shoulders, holding them as before described.

T wo - On the word "Two," they stand t(1 stretchers, stoop, place the slings on the handles, as in prepared stretchers, and rise together.

ADJUSTING SLINGS

In the event of the slings requiring to b e adjusted, either a s regards length or for the greater comfort of the bearers, the I nstructor or bearer in charge of the sq uad will detail a bearer to carry this out, the length of the sling being adjusted, when necessary by means of the bu ckles.

CHAN GIN G N m .IBERS

When it becomes necessary to c han g e the numbers, either for the purposes of instruction or to relieve Nos. I and 3 from carriag e of the stretcher, the Instructor or Be a rer in cha rg e of the squad will give the command Nos. - and - "Change over." The numbers moving by the shortest route, will carry out the exchange of places, care being taken to move clear of the stretcher.

M O\,El\IE TTS

For instructional purposes only two bearers in turn will be prac tised in the method of carrying tl e prepared stret cher. The Nos 2 a nd 4 will stand at ease The remainder will be ordered to advance.

A dva n ce. -Nos. step off with the left foot, Nos 3 w th the right, stepping short, knees bent, feet raised as little as R et z're - Each No. r will mo ve round on the circ umferen ce t· 2.

F IG 1. - " COLLECT W OUN DE D- A o \, A CE " fa ce one another, place the handles of the poles bet", een the thighs, rollers to the right, and fold the canvas.

Three - On the word" Three," each takes up a sl in g , passes the buckle end to the other, threads the trans\'erse strap through the loop of the other slin g and bu ckles ti g htl y close to the racket. Grasping both bandIes in their right hands, back

* We are indebted to the Medical De partm ent of the Wa r Offic e and n. M. Stationery Officc for permi ssion to publi sh extracts [rom the "Army Medical Corps Training " and "Infantry Training " n1anultls in compiling this article.

,...,.. of a circle of which NO 3 is the centre. NO.3 will mark time, turn gradually in the dIrection named. The whole move forward when square.

Adv a?l ce - Ea cb squad will resume the or iginal d ire ction to the froot, by a movement similar to that detailed for retiring

On arriving at the position of the squads, the stretchers will be lowered and the be a re rs ch a nged

R ight (or Left) 1I7clz'71 e.- As detailed for "Retire," but only one-eighth to the ri g ht or left.

L O.\OlN G AND U LOA DIN G STRETCH ERS LOADlr-.' G

Collec J;Voltluled -Advcln ce - Ea ch squad doubles by the shortest route to its corresponding patient, and halts without

-FIRST AID.- May, I9II. further word of command, one pace from the head of and in line with the patient. "

The Nos 4 will then proceed to the and his injury and if his carriag-e on the stretcher IS ne cessary wIll give the c'ommand stre.tcher. " "Prepare Stretcher."

Whilst the stretcher IS beIng prepared by Nos. and 3, NO.2 will advan ce and assist NO 4 to render the patient such assistance as may be required.

The necessary assistanc e havin g been rendered, the Nos. 4 will give the command" Load stretcher. " When the 3 .. . ':", Y':. ,"

bearers disengage , rise; Nos. 1,2 and 3 t urn t? the left, NO.4 to th e right, and th e whol e step off to theIr places at the stretcher as in prepared stretcher. ( To be co ntinu ed.)

Jottings.

Hon. Surgeon and Supt. J. G. McLallnahan has pre-

We are in n o way responsib,e l or the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

AID - 177

do a certain amount of harm by interfering with the venous and lymphatic circulation of the limb, therefore I maintain that a figure of eight bandage will not tend in any way to bring the fragments together, or to improve the circulation of the limb. Many of these little surgi cal traditions have been copied out of old text-books and have ne ver been a c tually proved V eneration seems to be their only authority. It may be gathered from this by your readers, that I do not quite agree with all that is mentIone d in the offi c ial text-book on first aid, but I try to avoid all contro versy on these points, and only teach or carry out the treatment mentioned in the book.HEATON C. HOWARD

4

FI G. 3. -o s. 1,2 & 3 S UPPO RTl NG P AT IENT ON THEIR K NEE S, No 4 BR I NGING TH E STRETCHER bearers will place themselv es as follows. Nos. J, 2 and 3 on the left, NO.4 on the right of the patient; No. at the knees, Nos. 2 and 4 at the hips, and No 3 at the should ers, the whole kneeling on the left knee. No. passes his hands beneath the patient's knees, Nos. 2 and 4 beneath the hips and interlocking their fingers, NO.3 beneath the shoulders.

Lzft.-No. 4 will then give the command" Lift " when the whole will carefully lift the patient on to the knees of Nos. I, 2 ancl 3.

" T w o."- No. 4 then disengages, rises, and turns to his left, doubles to the stretcher, takes hold of and raises it, left hand across the near pole, resting on the left hip, carrying the stretcher, returns to his place, ancl places it ben eath th e patient.

"Three "-No. 4 kneels down on his left knee and rein terlocks his fingers wi th No. 2 and prepares to assist in lowering the patient.

Lower.-No. 4 giving the command" Lower," the patient is lowered slowly and gently on to the centre of the canvas.

sented the Stonehouse Division, S.J.A.B., with an Ashford litter. Lady Darrell made the presentation on May 6th.

Mr. R. D. Bain, Inspector of Mines for the Durham District and founder of the "Donald Bain)) shield competition, was presented on April 8th with the vellum vote of thanks of the Order of St. John.

The South Skelton Colliery team are this year's winners of the "Donald Bain" shield competition, which is organised in connection with the Durham Mines Inspection District Ambulance League.

Out of 42 members of the Irlam-O'-th '-Height Centre, S.J.A.A., who were examined 36 passed. Dr. H. Snape, the lecturer, was made the recipient of a presentation on the occasion of a concert held on April 29 th

The Worksop Division held their annual dinner early in the month. Surgeon-Capt. Helm Montague presided over the gathering.

The 1st Wakefield Patriotic County Company is at full strength having a complement of 56 officers and men.

Mr. J. E. Harris is in command.

_ The annual social and distribution of awards in connection with the Wemslow Branch of the S.J.A.A. was

FIG. 5.- UN LOADIN G-" LOWE R " " Ii t:--, held on April 26th. There were about 9 0 guests present, and Mr. T. Crewdson presented awards to 30 candidates.

"Two." - -The bearers disengage, rise :-Nos. 1,2 and 3 turn to the left; NO.4 to the right. No.2 collects the kit and arms of the patient.

UNLO ADIN G

Unload Stretch er.- The bearers place themselves in the same posit:on at the stretcher as described for loading.

Lzft. - As described for loading, except that the stretcher IS carned forward three paces clear of the patient's feet. The patient is gently lowered to the ground. The

The mem bers of the Association of Professional Fire Brigade Officers have received a special invitation from the French and Italian Federation to attend their gatherings at Paris and Turin on August 12th to 22nd. The invitation has been accepted, and Col. Fox will take charge of the party.

WHEN COR R E S POND I NG WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION Ie FIRST AID "

DEAR SIR - Your reference in last month's editorial of FIR ST AID s'uggesting the re-institution or Annual Conference amongst officers of the inspIred to write a few lines on this subject. Those intImately asso cIated with the Brigade know that it is not mak ing the pr?gress which it should do owing more or less to a general feelIng <;>f dissatisfaction on the part of both officers and men.. ThIS feeling, if it is not remedied, will erupt itself more readIly than we realise.

It would be, in my opinion .most t Ime hold a Conference to dis c uss the pOSItIOn of affaIrs, for dunng the Coronation period many provin c ial officers wIll be London. If Headquarters will not sanction it why the officer? amongst themselves could organise su ch - a WhICh. woul d have the effe c t of relieving the tensIOn whIch now eXIsts. I should like to have the view of some of your many readers on this subje c t.-Yours faithfully, A N O LD M EMBE R.

FRACTURED PATELLA AND PRUSSIC ACID POISONING.

D EAR SIR, - " Roystonian " v.:hy the head and shoulders and the injured lim b are .In fractured patella . In the reply given it is set forth that thIS IS the venous circulation and to disperse effused In and a round the joint. If this be so why IS the lImb ordered to be r a ised in fractures near the ankle JOint, and further, how does raising the head and shoulders remove venous blood from the legs ? Surely the object of raising the shoulders and 11mb IS to relax the larg e muscle (rectus ) on the front of the thIgh; th IS muscle pulls up the upper fragment of the broken knee cap and prevents approximat ion of upper t? the lower fra g ment. When the body and limb are raIsed the JOints of atta chment ?f this muscle are brought nearer together and the muscle IS relaxed thus permitting the coming together of the fragment s and useful application of the figure of- 8 bandage.

Again, in I?oisoning we are told that a n emeti c s required It IS gIven. by .an enema Surely, It IS usually given by a hyf;odermzc Z1ZJ ect zon. One?f the symptoms of a dose of prussic a c id is to cause rapId e::cpulslO.n of the rectal contents as anyone who has tned to pOlson hIS family cat will have discovered. An enema would not be retained.-Yours, &c., F.R.C.S.E.

[Fractured P atellc:.- raising of the leg will do good by helpinf; the cIrculatIOn tha!l by apy relaxation of the rectus muscle. I am quite to that the reasons mentioned by F.R.C.S.E. are gI ven In surgI cal textbooks, but let us see whether they are of real use. When a patella is fractured the upper segment IS drawn up two,.or three inches from the lower segment, from a first aId pomt of view, no amount .so-called relaxatIon of the muscle of the thigh, or of ra!slng the head and shoulders, wIll bnng down the upper . ., If it were pOSSIble to do thIS so eaSIly as ImplIed by F.R.C.S.E., we not h.ave had the cripples we have from this partIcular Injury before the days of antIseptIc surgery, and the possibility of wiring the fragments

Following naturally upon this. I think that any constnctlOn r o und the kn ee joint where there IS a fractured patella would

Prussz'c A d d P oz'sonz'ng - In this case the first aid hooks vary considerably. For instance, "Warwick and Tunstall " recommend an enema, and yet in "Cantlie " no mention is made of it. Perhaps in these circumstan ces first aiders would be better advised only to adopt the treatment whi c h is gi ven in "C antlie ."-E D., " F A. "]

SUCTiON PRODUCER GAS POISONI N G. D EAR SIR,-1 should deem it a fa vour if you would state, the best treatment for a patient suffering from the above through your valuable Joumal, from whIch I have received so much information. - Yours truly, A. LIN DLEY Retford Local Ambulan ce Brigade. [Suction gas like other "ases of a similar nature (Dowson g as, Mond gas) power gas, prodt,Icer and blast g as ) all g iv e poisonin g by carbOnI C The IS artifici a l respiration, supply fresh applIcatIOn of warmth, and when possible the admlOlstration of oxygen.E DITO R, "F. A. "]

TOURNIQUET IN COMPOUND FRACTURED THIGH.

D EAR SIR, - I should esteem it a great fav?u! YOll would obtain for me the treatment of the tollowlOg IDJunes ;Compound fra c tured th igh; compli cated fra ctured th igh; comminuted fr ac tured thIgh.

I am in doubt, should an examiner ask me to treat a compound fractured thigh, whether he would expect a tourniquet to be put on ; or onl y wben he stated the fracture to be accompanied with arterial Hop ing you will fin d space 10. the next Issue of your valuable journal for a reply.-Y ours faithfully, ,. BE GINN ER. "

[It all depends on the amount of hce morrhag e given in the test as to whether a tourniquet is required or not.HE ATO N C. H OWARD.]

DUTY AT THE CORONATION.

D EA R SIR,-The Coronation is fast approach n.g, and at the wish of many members of the Bngade, I should to say that arrangements for the above by no means meet wlth theIr approval. I t seems to those of us who do not lIve. 10 L01"l:don that the "Prin c e of Wales Corps " is to be 10 a matter of this kind before all the other members of the Bngade. The Coronation is a Nat ional affair and as such the men should not ha ve any preferential treatment. Yet, accordlOg to your issue of FIRST AID for April, the whole of the Corps has heen placed at the disposal of !he PolIce then we know that only a small proportIOn of the Pr?vlOcl a i members are being allowed to present themselves thIS dut Y and it appears that London men must con?ldered first Yet, as far as and sn:artness 10 Bngade work IS concemed LancashIre and YorkshIre-as well as many other not need. to be after London. We do not blame OlIr present ChIef CommISSIoner, on the other we have every confidence in him; but, it seems, that there IS some undue influence at work somewhere.

Then , as regards the method ?f ?elect.lOg those who are to be present from the Provinces, thIS .IS J:>elOg don.e by ballot but should 110t long and fai servIce 10 Bngade lon e Division owing to thIS, a squad conslstlOg of men WIth l:Ss than two service has been selected, yet there several others anxious to be present who have worked hard 10

FI G 4.-" LOAD STRETCHE R "

-FIRST

the Brigade for many years-including several members who served in South Africa. I think everyone of the latter who wishes to go should certainly be allowed to do so.

The last Coronation has not been forgottell, that is one reason why there should be no hitch on this occasion. As the feeling amongst the Brigade outside LOI1?on i.s and, if it is not too late, I hope that our Chief will Il1SISt on tbe Provincial members claim for recognition being allowed and that they shall be placed on an equal footing with their fellow workers of the London Divisions as regards representation in London for duty at the forthcoming Coronation. If this is done I am sure that it will be the means of creating a better throughout the Brigade.

.for letter, and thanking 'you .in anticipatIOn for Its pUbliCity 111 FIR ST Am.·-I remam, Sir, yours, &c., ,e F AIR PLAY TO ALL. "

DEAR SIR,-I shall be glad to know if any reader of FIRST AID can inform me if it is possible for a Provincial member of St. John s Brigade to be transferred to a London Division for the Coronation week, to assist in the duties?

Why I ask is that I shall l)e in the City that week, and it would, to my mind, be a oelightful way of spending it, if I was allowed to do so. Perhaps some reader will kindly oblige by answering my letter.-Yours faithfully, " FRACTURE. "

Bath, April, 191 I.

FRACTURE OF SPINE. - PATIENT PRONE.

SIR,-At our last Brigade meeting the following test was given, when considerable discussion arose as to the proper treatment of the patient. It was as follows :-

A man was found in a narrow cutting- 2t ft. wide, with a heavy stone on his back; he was face downwards and with his head towards the blind end of the cutting; he suffered from a fractured spine. Treat and convey home.

'We should be very thankful to you for your advice through the medium of your interesting J ouma!.

The chief difficulty with us was when, how and where we should turn the patient on his back?

Thanking you, Mr. Editor, in anticipation, I C'.m, yours truly, " ENQUIRER."

Aberbargoed, April, 191 I.

[This test, as worded, is not very definite. The statement cc he suffered from a fractured spine, " obviously implies that the stone has been removed, and that an examination of the patient has been made.

Assuming that this examination has been made "'With discrett'on "-a term that involves a great deal of detail-not the slightest attempt will have been made to move the patient from the prone position.

Assuming also that no further complications have been discovered, and that the condition of shock has been attended to, so far as is practicable, the object the first aider must have

in view is the arrangement for appropriate transport. In considering this subject, there must be borne in mind the supreme importance of preventing the patient" being made worse by improper movement, improper position, improper treatment."

How are these objects to be carried out?

In my opinion the wisest plan, in such a case (whether in a conjined space, or otherwise), would be to keep the patient absolutely at rest in the prone position, and promptly to secure assistance. I n the present case, explicit instructions having been gi\'en as to their duty, Bearer A goes to the head of the patient, facing B, who stands with feet apart over middle of patient, Bearer C similarly standing to look after the lower limbs.

All details being concluded ( their intricate nature being readily appreciated by the thoughtful and resourceful first aider ), the prone patient to be gently raised a few inches to allow a broad plank of wood to be pushed in position by a fourth helper. The patient now to be carefully lowered upon the plank, and, with every precaution, carried into the open.

I n the prone position-still resting on the plank- the patient should be transported to shelter, appropriate means being taken so that such transport shall be conducted with safety; e.g., placed on a shutter, or door-carefully padded where neces:,ary, etc. On arrival, not to be moved till examiner! by a doctor.

There is much to be said in fa vour of the retention of the prone position in cases of injury to the spine :-

( I ) The avoidance of the risk incurred by any unnecessary turning the patient over on his back.

(2) The position is such as to more freely allow surgical examination.

(3) There is an absence of any pressure on the injured and painful part.

(4) The injured part is elevated, and there is thereby less tendency to inflammatory mischief supervening.-L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

THE LARGE ARM SLING.

DEAR SIR,-A doctor's replies to the questions of your c orrespondents are very instructive and I, for one, am very thankful for them. May I put some questions?

( I ) Is the cc laying" of the arm sling for the seated patient in the illustration on page J 38 ( March issue ) correct?

On page 39, Cantlie 1 Ith Edition, it is laid differently. ( By "laying," I mean, on which shoulder should the bandage be first laid?)

(2) I am interested to know-an anxious -(a) What difference would be made in a competition according to which way the bandage laid? (b) What difference to the comfort of the patient?

(3) Is there any need to apply the large arm-sling in case of simple fracture of the ribs, when the patient is lying down?

( 4 ) Re knot tying. I prefer the knot on the sound shoulder. Standing there the operator can see better how the arm lies.

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My own opinion is that the pressure of the knot is infinitesimal.

I wish to point out a great difference in the application of the sling fo r injuries to the hand. The Hospital practice is universally to use the small arm-sling. Cantlie says the large arm-sling.

Trusting that my enquiries are not too long.-I am, yours truly, ENQUIRING SUPT.

[ ( I ) As far as can be seen the arm-sling in the illustration is put on correctly. The knot cannot be seen and v.e should think, as far as can be seen, it is too much over the spine.

(2) (a) Nothing lowers an examiner's opinion of one more than to make a muddle at the start. Some candidates hesitate before laying the bandage on the chest; others begin wrongly and correct themselves afterwards. It just depends upon the judge as to whether it made any difference to the one in competitions. (b) The correct way is evidently the most comfortable as proved by experience.

(3) Certainly, as the patient has to get up sometime.EDITOR, "F. A." ]

APPARENTLY DROWNED.-RIBS AND ARM FRACTURED.

DEAR SIR, -At a competition in which I took part recently, the following test was given to one of our men for individual work :-" A man has been taken out of water apparently drowned. He has fractured ribs on the left side and his right arm is broken."

I shall be pleased if you would tell me in your next issue of FIRST Am the correct way to proceed with this case.

Thanking you in anticipation.-I remain, Sir, yours, &c., N. H. G. Pontypool, April 25th, 1911.

[Your correspondent N. H. G. asks for" the correct way to proceed" with the above test, but fails to state whether, after removal from the water, the supposed patient was placed prone, on right or left side, or on his back. Obviously, this is a very important point, inasmuch as the first steps to be taken will depend entirely upon the actual position of the patient requiring treatment.

Much will also depend upon other conditions not stated in the test, hence detailed instructions regarding correct procedure are impossible.

I n genera l terms, however, the patient should be promptly turned over to the prone posi tion (so as to allow the free escape of fluid and secretion from the air passages ), the right arm being carefully controlled lest further complication should ensue. The injured arm being then placed in a position of safety, the mouth and nostrils should be promptly cleared from any obstruction, and Laborde's or Schafer's Artificial Respiration commenced without a moment's delay.

(Silvester's, Howard's, or Marshall Hall's method would, of course, be quite out of the question. ) Whether Laborde'S, or Schafer's method should be used, or both methods in conjunction will depend entirely upon circumstances not detailed.

In my opinion the presence of simple fracture of the ribs would not in the slightest degree contra indicate the use of Schafer's method in a case of urgency necessitating tre use of artificial respiration.

If your correspondent will refer to page 131 of the February number of FIRST Am, he will "observe" that Schafer's method no longer involves pressure on the lowest ribs. The pressure must be applied .straight over the loins. The effect of this pressure IS to cause the dIaphragm to rise, and, by diminishing the capacity of the chest. to mechanically bring about expiration j' by thiS means the vztal act of inspiration is induced.

On pages 47, 15 and 16, cc Aids. to Memory for First Students" will be found most forCIble reasons (quoted WIth slight from the Medical Journal ) why, in almost all cases, Schafer's should be adopted m preference to any other method.-L. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

M.D., F.R.C.S., Edin.

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How TO ACT IN CASES OF EMERGENCY, Aids to Memory for 'First Aid' Students.

L. M FRANK CH IlISTlAN, M.B., C,M, Edin.

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TOCKPORT: CONNELL & BAILEY, LTD., "EXPRESS" OFPICE, ST PETER'S SQUARE, and The St. John Ambulance Association,

The Independent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Servic es.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondent s in all parts of the country are a sked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it s hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggesions are invi ted for Prize Competitions and other matters which will adva nce the interest of the] ournal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in a ny communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sendi ng in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the 5ame the n ame of the individual or the Corps or B rigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

TH E officials at St. John's Gate have Coronation been working under high pressure Duty. during the last three weeks in completing the elaborate plans for Coronanation duty. The most minute details have had careful consideration, and it is to be hoped that the whole programme will be carried through with every satisfaction. The brigade will have its ambulance stations at all congested points on the route, not only on Coronation day but on the occasion of the Royal Progress through South London on the following day and the procession to the Guildhall on June 29th. Fo r the Coronation procession there will be 1,756 men a nd nurs ing sisters on duty, including 46 honorary surgeons posted at 64 stations, and at most of these stations 35 men and 6 nursin g sisters will on duty.

On the second day of the celebrations the services of 2,61 6 men and nursing sisters will be required, and there will be 123 stations ; for this day the men will be drawn from the provinces as well as London, and some of the Colonial corps, including those of India, Malta, New Zealand and South Africa, will also be represented, the men taking duty in the o["dinary way. The line of route

on this day will cover about seven miles, as compared with something like three miles on the previous day.

On June 29th the number of men on duty will not be so large, and these will be drawn solely from the Prince of Wales' Corps. There will be 7 stations, at which, as a rule, 10 men and nursing sisters will be posted.

The number of men on duty will be greater than that of recent public ceremonies. On the occasion of the Coronation of King Edward, 886 men were on duty, and some 1,324 casualties were treated, and at King Edward's funeral I, I48 were on duty and 6,149 cases were treated.

We understand that a special grant has been made by the Order of St. John to meet the expenses of providing food and accommodation [or the representatives of the provincial districts taking part, and an arrangement has been made between the Brigade authorities and the London County Council for accommodating between 800 and 900 men at the Hugh Myddleton School on the night of June nnd, and some ISO nursing sisters at an adjacent school. On the mornings of the 22nd and 23rd inst. the officers, men and nursing sisters will assemble at St. John's Gate at 3 o'clock in the morning, and after breakfasting will parade in force and will be at their respective stations by 6 o'clock.

We hope that some steps have been taken for providing food at the various am bulance stations in order to sustain the men who will be engaged for many hours in their arduous and exhausting tasks, so necessary to the success of the arrangements. We remember the occasion of the last Coronation when the men on duty had nothing but what they took with them, and after being crushed, jam bed and hustled by the crowd for many hours, the food they carried was quite uneatable, with the result that many were completely done up.

A certain enterprising daily paper is providing the Brigade with 50,000 collapsible paper cups, and each man on duty will be given a supply of these to give water to the people. As a new cup will be given to each person all fear of infection will be avoided, the Metropolitan Water Board having made adequate arrangements for a good supply of water to each ambulance station. These cups should be found extremely useful, and should prevent a vast number of fainting cases from occurring.

Drill. *

(Continued from page 776).

HAND SEATS.

( r) Four-handed; ( 2) two-handed; (3) three-handed. The squad will be drawn up in single rank and numbered from the right.

grasp the right forearm of the odd number with his right hand. The odd number grasp ing the right forearm of the even number. (Fig 3).

June, (9Il. -FIRST

the sling between the poles and stand to stretchers. While this is being done the Nos. 2 will fix the rifles and put away the patient's kit in the wagon, then rejoin their squads and take up their positions opposite NO.4. The bearers will then place themselve s as follows :-Nos. I and 3 on the left, and 2

A I D.-

Stand Easy. - As usual.

!he wagon orderlies will prepare the wagons as for loading. The lower compartments will be unloaded commencing first with the off compartment

Squads in Succession from th e R£ u/zt - Unload.- The Nos . 4 in succession from the ri ght charge of the ir squads as in loading and giv e the words of command as follows:

-

r ) Form Four-handed Seats.-On the word" Seats," the odd numbers or right files turn to the left and the even numbers

(

No. - Squad-Attention. For Unloading Take Post.The .squads mo ve off towards the wagons, Nos. I and 3 short, allow Nos. 2 and 4 to alig n themselves on their the whole then move forward in quick time halting WIthout further word of command opposite to and one pace from the off compartment.

R FIG. 3.

The even number will support the injured le g with his left hand.

Fzles Right and Left-Tztnz.-As before.

FIG. r. or .left !urn to the right. Each file grasping his o wn left Wrist wIth hIs own right hand-back of hands uppermost.

Two.-On the word "Two" they will engage hands ( Fig. r ), thus the odd numbers will grasp the right wrist of the even numbers and the even numbers will grasp the right wrists of the odd numbers.

N.B.-The patient will pass an arm round ea ch bearer s neck

Files RZ;E[h.t.and L eft-!ztm.-The files disengage hands; resume the POSltl,::m of attentIOn and turn to the right and left.

LOADING AND UNLOADING AMBULANCE

WAGONS WITH PATIENTS ON STRETCHERS.

LO ADING

For instructional purposes the squads will be numbered by fours. Wagon orderlies will be told off to each wagon. They will lower the seats and rails of the upper compartment and prepare them for the reception of the wOLlnded.

On vVagons-Retz're.- The line of stretcher squads retires t?wards line of wagon; the four squads on the left as the lme IS retmng, proceed to the wagon on the extreme left. The

and. 4 on the right. Nos. I and 2 will be at the foot end of the stretcher, and Nos. 3 and 4 at the head end.

Stand Easy.-As usual.

The upper compartments will be loaded first, commencing with the off-side.

(

2) Form Two-handed Seats.-On the word "Seats" the files turn to the left and right as in four-handed seats.

Two.- ,On the word "Two," the odd numbers lock the

2. fingers of their right hands. Their disengaged hands being placed round the back of patient and grasp the other's shoulder.

Files Rz"E[1tt and Lejt- Turn. -As before.

· (3) The seat is used, when it is necessary to g.lve .to an. leg. The bearer standing on the sIde of the mJured lImb wIll form the leg rest and will only use one hand in the formation of the seat.

For Rz";;/zt Leg Rest. Form Three-handed Seats.-On the word" Seats" the bearers will turn in wards as before.

!wo.-On the the even number will grasp hIS nght· forearm WIth hIS left hand. The odd number will gras p the. left forearm of the even number, and the even num ber wIll grasp the left forearm of the odd number. The odd number wIll support the injured leg with his rIght hand.

Fzles Rigltt and Left-Turn.-As before.

For Left Leg Rest. Form Three-han ded Seat.-As above.

· Two.-On the word "Two" the odd number will grasp hIS left forearm with his right hand. The even number will

* We a re to the Medical Department of the War Offi and H.M. Office [or permission to publish extracts f ce the "A:my .Cor ps Training" and "Infantry rpan\lals m compIlIng thIS

FIG. 4.-" ON W AGON-RETlRE."

Two SQUAD S HALTED FOUR PACES FROM TAIL-BOARD OF WAGON.

four. to the next wagon, and so on to the right of lIne, clOSIng III and haltin g without further word of command four paces from the tail-board of the wagon.

Lower Stretchers and Fix Slz'ngs.- The stretchers will be lowered to the grol;lnd and the slings fixed as follows :-N os. I and 3 turn to the rIght, kneel on the left knee, pass the loop of the bl;lckle end, buckle downwards, over the near handle carry the slIng under and round the opposite handle close up to the canvas, back to the near handle, round which two or three turns are made, pass the transverse strap round the pole rack et and traverse and fasten the buckle outside

Squads in Succession from the Rz'ght-Load.-Each NO.4 in succession from the right assumes charge of his squad and gives the words of command, as follows:-

No. - Squad-Attention. Load Wagons.-On the command by numbers" Load waggons," the bearers turn inwards, stoop and grasp the poles of the stretcher, hands wide apart, palms uppermost. Then acting together, slowly lift the stretcher and stand up holding it at full extent of the arms.

Two.-On the word "Two" they advance to the wagon by a side step, crossing the feet alternately, halting and liftin g the stretcher on a level with the floor of the upper compartment, place the front pair of rollers on it, at the same time Nos. 3 and 4 slightly raising the head of the stretcher. The stretcher is then gently pushed into its place, the bearers successively making way for each other.

When loading he upper compartments the stretcher is gently pushed into the wagon, until the handles at the head end are plumb with the tail-board. Nos 3 and 4 will then enter the wagon. NO.3 proceeding to the foot, NO.4 to the head end of the stretcher, gently push it into its place and secure it there.

Re-form Squad.-As soon as the stretcher is in its place and Nos. 3 and 4 have rejoined, the bearers break off and reform squad as in file, facing the field three paces behind and to the right of the remaining squads.

Stand Easy. - As usual.

As soon as the off upper compartment is loaded, the next squad will be ordered to load the near upper compartment. As soon as this is completed the lower compartments wIll be loaded in the same way. When loading the lower c omp:l.rtments, it will not be necessary for Nos. 3 and 4 to enter tile wagon.

When the wagon is fully loaded the upper back seats will be securely strapped to the side of the wagon by the wagon orderly, and the tail-board of the wagon lifted and secured in its place.

UNLOADING.

The requisite number of squads wilI be drawll up ten paces from and facing the tail-boards of the wagons. The squads will be numbered by fOllrs

Unload. Nos. 3 and 4 move up, the other bearers makmg way for then ) lay hold of the ha'1dles raising the head of the stretcher six inches, and g entl y withdraw It, \/0 0,; \' ! --' 0 ,/'1 \ cgJ" / '\ "

FI G. 6. UNLO ,\.DIN G WAGO N -SQUAD TAKI.t\G POST AND UNLOADI.t\G

the remaining bearers assist in taking the weight and withdrawing the stretcher, lower it to full extent of the arms Nos. rand 2 being careful to aVOId JarrIng the patIent, as the stretcher leaves the compartment.

Two.-The squads will retire and place the stretcher on the ground selected for this purpose, then stand to stretchers. Stand Easy.-As usual.

In unloading the upper compartment os. 3 and 4.enter the wagon as in loading, withdraw the stretcher untIl the handles at the head are plumb with the tail-board of wagon; they now fhei.r squad and the stretcher IS withdrawn as in prevIous detaIl.

When all compartments are unloaded, the Nos. 2 will return colIect and remove the kits and arms of the patients and their respective squads. (To be cOlltinNed.)

When corresponding with Advertisers please men: tion "First Aid."

FIG.

FIG. 5.-" LOWER STRETCHER AND FIX SLINGS."

MR. E. O. LLOYD, CENTRE SECRETARY, CHESHIRE LIN ES

OUT of 44 years of Mr. Lloyd's tenure of life 30 years have heen spent in railway service as an official of the Cheshire Lines Committee. In various capacities he has with distinction served his company under the regime of no fewer than four managers -Messrs . English, David Meldrum, Pinion and Charlton. It was while the late Mr. David

AID.-

June, 1911

year had the distinction of being represented at either the semi-final or final of the Inter-Railway competitions, and on several oc.caslOns they have been near securing the trophy. Dunng Mr. Lloyd's connectIOn with the work of the total number of servants on the Cheshire Lines fewer than 945 men have qualified in first aid. When it is remembered that the Cheshire Lines Railway staff in the aggregate is small, compared with the gigantic totals of such railways as the London & North Western, North Eastern Great Eastern, Great Western , Midland, and others which could be named, it will be readily appreciated that 945 certificated ambulance is a very large percentage of the servants on the salary hst of the Cheshire Lines Railway.

Mr. Lloyd's efforts to further the noble cause of " first " amongst railway me? been .nowhere more appreclRted than on the Lmes RaIlway, by employes in all grades of the serVIce. Tangible recognition of his zea lous work in this direction was forthcoming in 19 0 3, when he was by Mr. Meldrum, on behalf of the " first aid" men connected with the railway, with a diamond breast pin and stud as a token of acknowledgment of his kindly and unceasing efforts to promote the success of the classes.

Mr. Lloyd, in March, 1910, was made an Hon. Serving Brother of the Order of St. John as a mark of recognition. of his services. It only remams to add that the enthUSiasm which Mr. Lloyd has fostered-a love of ambulance work and the whole-hearted manner in which he has striven to further the cause entitles him to all thE: high regard in which he is held the members of the Cheshire Lines Centre, and we hope for many years yet the Centre may have the advantage of his valuable advice and assistance.

L.. & N.W.R.-We have a copy of the report of the Judges (Dr. L. M. Frank Chnshan and Dr. Meredith Young) upon the work dpne at the final competition at Manchester on March 29th. In the report the two doctors have gone to great pains to show to the competitors the general errors which they committed, and also to point out the right method of proc e dure relating to the various tests.

June, 19 1 1. -FIRST

instituted a Joint Ambulance Competition for the staff employed on the lines at the stations owned jointly by the them.

The first competition was held in the Victoria-hall Winter Gardens, on Friday, May 26th, teams from the dIfferent stations were judged by Dr. J. Mandell Coates, of Horwich, with the following result :rst, Leeds Goods (marks), 242 i; 2nd, Preston, 183; 3rd, Fleetwood, r68 ! 4th, Huddersfield, rso t j 5th, Blackpool T.R., 132 ; 6th, St. Annes, 124.

Three prizes were given for the best individual work. These were secured by the following, all from the Leeds Goods ·viz. :-ISt, T. R. Jackson, 34-t; 2nd, H. Smgleton, 33 j 3rd, V. S. Jackson, 32.

At the presentation, Mr. Wharton, the Chief Traffic Manager of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, presided and the prizes were handed to the successful competitors by Mrs. Wharton.

Mr. Wharton, in the course of his speech, mentioned that the competition was not organised for the purpose of attending their injured servants, for the ambulance men attended a great deal more people who wen; not customers than they did servants or passengers. The Directors delighted at the progress they had made, and he saw no reason why they should not go on and achieve what had been done on the parent lines.

M. & G.N. JOINT.-In Dr. Christian's report of the work done before him at Norwich on March 30th in the Challenge Cup competition connected with the joint railways, he points out that the treatm e nt in every case of emergency depends very materially indeed upon the surroundings of the patient at the time of the accident, this fact seems to have been lost sight of by the majority of the competitors. They understand the treatment of a specific injury well enough, but when dealt with with various contingencies, they seem to loose sight of the surrounding or other injuries which would somewhat modify the treatment. The great object, therefore, is to adapt oneself to the full, according to the many varying contingencies.

AID.- r85

The questions, we regret, we are unable to publish but they were of an up-to-date character based on model of the Inter-Raiiway Competition. The teams showed a considerable improvement in the work generally althoug.h .several identical mistakes were perpetuated b; the maJonty of the teams. For instance, in the stretcher test, "the railway worked by overhead electric cable" all teams mistook .the patient to be sufferinfS electnc shock, when nothmg was mentioned on the card about the wire falling down. Again, in the individual w<?rk.' men. did use suffic ient intelligence in discnmmatmg pOlson In fact, three teams could not discover what the poison was. With more attention given to details we hope to see better work performed in the future.

In the evening a largely attended social function wa.s held at the Victoria at which Councillor G. H. Gray preSIded. In handmg the prizes to the winners, he (Councillor Gray) said it was the first time Bexhill has won the shield, and it should be a red-letter day for them and encourage them to achieve further success. The arrangements were in the hands of Mr. G. Manser, Secretary of the District, who is to be congratulated on the manner in which he fulfilled his task.

On May 25th, the ambulance men at Deal and the surrounding districts gathered together for the annual concert and distribution of awards. The Mayor of Deal (Alderman J. Elgar, J.P.) presided and was supported by Doctor A. Hughes (Honorary Lecturer to the Classes) Alderman B. Wood, Councillor Redsull and various Officials of the Company.

Mr. Edwards, the Class Secretary, in making his report said that the Class had been most successful during the past year not only in the number of men passing examinations but in the comr;etitions. The Mayor expressed much gratification at the success of the Class and hoped that under the able direction and tuition of Dr. Hughes they would aspire to even higher honours. The presentation of the awards was made by Miss Elgar, followed by a presentation to Dr. Hughes by the members of the Class.

Meldrum was in office, just on two decades ago. that Mr. Lloyd b.rought to the notice of his colleagues in the department of the railway the great value of first .aId work, and the project for organising classes was cordIally supported by his principal.

Mr. Lloyd, enthusiastic in all he undertakes and ?acked by Mr. slowly but surely

In arousmg the practlcal mterest of officials in the several departments of the railway. Classes were formed at different parts of the line, men gratuitously the lectures, and withm a comparatively short from the date when the idea was first mooted the entlre system of the Cheshire Lines Railway could of a of" first-aid" men ready for all emergencies.

Smce 1898 teams from the Cheshire Lines have each

" Am bulance men, if they are to keep abreast of the times must get out of the bad groove in which they have runnmg so smoothly for so long a time. In cases of real accident or illness men have no convenient label stuck up o n them stating that they are suffering from this or that disability. Neither are the patients able to give an absolutely. correct statement of the trouble from which they are suffenng. Judgment on the part of the first aider must be exercised, otherwise much harm may result. It is the varying powers of observation and discrimination which makes one team diff':!r so much from another. These are.the points that are of such immense practical importance. m. cases of danger and emergency. The more these ,Pnncipies are developed by painstaking care and attentlon to detaIls so much the more valuable will be the help that is forthcoming when danger or disa'5ter threatens or overwhelms."

Such is the advice Dr. Christian gives to first aid students, advice which must be thoroughly observed by those who realise the aim of ambulance of a sU.fferi.ng and the prompt prevention of [u rther

It IS recommended that the competitors should cntically study the marking sheets with a view to more thoughtful action in the future.

L.Y. AND L. & N.-W.-These Companies have recently

Dr. Christian deprecates mechanical bandaging with all its details regarding the exact position of the knot, and the exact position in Which a pin is placed. He comes to the conclusion that infinitely better work would be seen at examinations and competitions if classes of instruction were held and not a single bandage or splint allowed to be used in practical work until students appreciate to the full their true splzere of usefulness. By this means students would be trained in a proper way how to render intelligent and practically useful first aid in emergency.

We are pleased to see that each competing team is to have its own marking sheet, for the men will derive much benefit from it, and it will show them where they failed.

S.E. & C.R.-At Bexhill, on May 24th, the third competition for the" Brassey" Shield took place at the local Drill Hall. This competition is opened to teams of the NO 5 District of the Centre and the winning team is to hold the shield for one year. Through the generosity of Mr. G. L. Courthope, M.P., last year a cup was added for competition to be held by the second best team. Eight teams competed and the jUdging was kindly undertaken by Colonel Lees Hall and Dr. Watts (Ton bridge). The former took the stretcher work and the latter the individual. The results were deciared as follows:Bexhill, 123 Tunbridge Wells, 122 Hastings, r02 Crowhurst, 102 Robertsbridge, 97 Ore, 85 Warrior Square, 85 : Rye, 79. Maximum number of marks, 18 5.

On May 30th, the awards gained at the recent examinations of the Abbey Wood, Dartford and Slades Green classes were presented by Miss Rowlands, daughter of J. Rowlands, Esq., M.P. for the Dartford Division.

Mr. E. A. Richards, the Centre Secretary, presided supported by other officials of the Company. Mr. Rowlands, in a very able speech, said it gave him much pleasure to be present, and he knew nothing that gave greater satisfaction than to be able to take a very small part in any good work that tended towards the bettering or refining of anything in connection with his fellows. Railwaymen took great risk in carrying out their duties, and he could conceive of no better work that a railwayman could take up than ambulance work-either as a recreation or pastime. He also hoped that the number of members would increase year by year. Mr. Bines (Station Master Woolwich Arsenal) proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. and Miss Rowlands, which was received with great applause.

An excellent musical programme was carried out by a number of willing helpers.

A very successful gathering was held at New Cross on the occasion of the distribution of awards to the members of the Clock House and New Cross Classes. Mrs. Thomson, wife of W. Thomson, Esq., M.V.O., the respected Superintendent of the Line, distributed the awards and had a gracious word for all the recipients. Presentations were made to Dr. R. Muir, Honorary Lecturer to the New Cross Class, and Mr. Taylor, the Class Secretary.

Schafer's Method of Artificial Respiration.

By the courtesy of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police we are enabled to publish the very explicit instructions on Schafer's method of artificial respiration which are issued to the police.

Immediately after removal from A. the water, lay the patient face downwards with the arms extended and the face turned to the side. Kneel astride or on one side of the patient. (Fig. 1. A, B).

Place the hands on the small of the patient's back, one on each side, with the thumbs parallel and nearly touching. (Fig. I).

Bend forward with the arms straight so as to allow the weight FIG. I. of the operator's b'Jdy to fall on the wrists and thus make a steady, firm, downward pressure on the lower part of the back (the loins), as shown in Fig. 2 (This part of the operation should occupy the time necessary to count-slowly-one, two, tlzree).

Immediately after making the downward pressure, swing the body B. backwards so as to relax the pressure, but without lifting the hands from the patient's bod y (Fig. I). (This part of the operation should occupy the time necessary to countslowly-one, tw o).

Repeat the forward and backward movements (that is, the pressure and the relaxation of pressure) without any marked pause between

the movements. The downward press ure forces the air out of the lungs and the relaxation of pressure causes the air to be drawn in Continue the movements at the rate of about 12 per minute until natural respiration has recommenced.

When natural respiration is fairly resumed cease the artificial movements. Watch patient closely, and, if natural respiration ceases, repeat the pressure and relaxation of pressure as before.

The movements of artificial respiration be commenced the moment the patient 1S removed from the water, and no time should be wasted in removing or loosening clothing. When natural respiration has FIG. 2. commenced, the patient should be allowed to lie in a natural position on one SIde, and treatment for the promotion warmth and circulation may be proceeded WIth.

The movements of artificial respiration are of the first consequence. If the operator is single-handed, he must attend to these alone until natural breathing is restored. If other assistance is at hand, warm wrung-out flannels hU.t bottles, &c., may be applied between th1ghs, and to the armpits and feet; but the movements of artificial respiration must not he interfered with.

After natural breathing is restored, the

June, 191 I. -FIRST

wet clothing may be removed and a dry covering substituted. This must be done without disturbing the patient, who should be allowed to lie quiet and watched for at least an hour and encouraged to sleep. The patient should not be allowed to go home until certified by the divisional surgeon or other medical man as being fit to be removed.

Colliery Ambulance Competitions.

THE annual competition promoted by the Cumberland Mines and Quarries Centre was held at Whitehaven on June 3rd. The preliminary competition of the various districts comprising the centre had been held during the latter part of May, and the winning teams met on June 3rd to decide which should hold the challenge shield. Dr. Morison, of Carlisle, acted as examiner, and the teams were placed - 1st, Mowbray Mine, Frizington; 2nd, Parkhouse Mine, Begrigg 3rd, Moss Bay. These mines belong to the Workington Iron and Steel Co., Ltd.

Sir J. Randles, who is chairman of the company, presented the prizes. He said II teams had entered for the competition this year and 10 han competed, and that the company would show its appreciation of their work by giving £8 to divide amongst the winning team and £4 the second team.

The final competition of the Yorkshire Mines Ambulance League was held at Town Hall, Leeds, on May 13th. Four teams representing Grimsthorpe, Woolley, Pope and Pearsons (Norman ton) and Hemsworth Collieries were competing in the final round as a result of victories in the semi-finals at Rotherham and Wakefield.

Mr. Wilson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, presided, and the judges were Dr. L. M. Frank Christian and Dr. Gray.

The results were given out-1st, Grimsthorpe, 425t marks; 2nd, Pope and Pearsons, 371; 3rd, Woolley, ; 4th, Hemsworth, 328 Maximum 559.

At the conclusion of the competition, the Lord Mayor (Mr. W. H. Middlebrook, M.P.) presented the shield and certificates to the winners. He said he was pleased to see so many men who were engaged in such a hazardous calling full of responsibility and hard work, and who yet could find time to study a subject which had for its objects the benefits of others.

Occasion was also taken to present to Mr. Hugh Ross the Life Saving certificate of the League for his rendering prompt and efficient first aid to a man who was bleeding freely from an artery in the leg.

The final competition for the Leicestershire and Derbyshire Collieries' Ambulance Shield took place at Leicester on May 27th.

The preliminary rounds were held a fortnight previous, when 16 teams competed in the Leicestershire district and 13 in the South Derbyshire district. Three from each district qualified for the final. The judges were Lieut.-Col. Peake, of the R.A.M.C., and ChIef Supt. King, of the Leicester Corps S.J.A.B. At the close of the competition, the secretary, Mr. J. G. German, announced the results as follows :-1, South Leicester (No.4), I39} marks; 2, South Leicester (No·3), 13 2 ; 3, Donisthorpe, 13 It; 4, Swadlincote (No. I), 13 o t; 5, Ellistown (No. 3), 6, SwadJincote (No. 2), Dr. Hamilton presented the Shield and medals to the members for the first four teams. Mr. George Glover had

AID.-

the distinction of being the instructor of the first two teams and he therefore received two medals.

Mr. P. Bowm'l.n proposed a vote of thanks to the judges and Dr. Hamilton.

Mr. T. Y. Hay, seconding, said that Leicestershire had won the Shield two years in succession, and he hoped that Derbysr.ire would win it next year, although he promised them that Leicestershire intended to have it again if they could.

Lieut:-Colonel Peake in acknowledging the vote of thanks, said he could congratulate them on the very high standard of work seen tbat day. There was so little between the teams that the judges had to be very careful in giving the half marks.

Chief-Supt. King expressed regret at the absence of Dr. Kelly, one of the appointed judges, through indisposition. He congratulated the teams on the speedy way way in which they got through their work. It was remarkable j he had had considerable experience, but had not seen anything like it.

Jottings.

A FUND has been started to raise money for a horse ambulance wagon for the Ravensthorpe Division. About £ ISO has been raised for this purpose during the last two months.

Col. H. R. Mends, secretary of the West Riding Territorial Association, has accepted the position of honorary organising secretary of the Territorial branch of the S.J.A.A. for the West Riding.

On the occasion of the marriage of Mr. J. L. Colburn, tbe members of the Burnley Division, of which he is 1st Officer, presented him with a handsome brass and burnished copper reading lamp. Sergt. F. Dixon made the presentation.

From Messrs. W. and G. Foyle, 135 Charing Crossroad, we have received a copy of their comprehensive catalogue of second-hand books, put under classified headings. This catalogue will be sent free on application.

The Dewsbury and District Corps were inspected on May 27th, by Dist.-Supt.-Sec. H. C. Chambers ; 85 men and 45 nursing sisters were on parade, and at the conclusion of the inspection the inspecting officer congratulated Mayor Walker, the chief supt. of the corps, on the efficiency of both men and nursing sisters.

The Order of St. John has betwowed the silver Life Saving medal of the Order on Mr. J. Tonge, and the bronze medal to Drs. W. H. Leigh and J. c. Russell, and Mr. J. Polley, in recognition brave conduct in connection with the Hulton Colliery dIsaster.

On Saturday, June 3rd, about 40 nurses and members of the 29th Division (Walthamstow) of Prince of Wales' Corps visited the London Hospltal. They were conducted over the institution by Mr. Harnack, and were shown the working of the Finsen light and X-Rays apparatus.

RON. Surgeon's Uniform, St. John full-dress; perfect order; only worn three cost £ take £ 5; chest 42 in.; approval.-H., "Pennth," Stanley Parkroad, Wallington.

Brevities.

A WHITE Paper issued last month shows that the total number of persons killed on the railways of the United Kingdom during 19IO was I,062 as compared with 97 in the previous year. Of this num ber 19 were passengers, as compared with 83 in I909, while 442 were certifi ed as trespassers, these include suicides. The total number of persons injured was 8,342, as compared with 7,592 the previous year, 3,32 I being passengers.

* * *

THE Home Secretary has decided to grant special medals in celebration of the Coronation to all London policemen who have served during the reign of three monarchs, but he has refused to extend this special recognition to mem bers of the force serving in the provinces. This remind.:; us something like the case of the provincial units of the brigade who did not receive recognition for their services at the last Coronation. We hope that no distinction will be made this time, for it will create a feeling of injustice.

* * *

A BILL has been introduced In the House of Commons to confirm a provisional order to authorise the St. Andrews Ambulance Association to transfer part of the Red Cross Fund, held by the Association, to the Scottish Branch of the British Red Cross Society. During the South African War, the Red Cross Branch of the Association collected a sum of £45,000 to establish a Scottish National Red Cross Hospital, this fund was administered with the exception of a small balance of £3,5°0, this amou::t, with slight deductions, will now be transferred to the Scottish Branch of the B,ritish Red Cross Society.

THE danger of fire in connection with the Coronation celebrations, as far as the public are concerned, is very great, largely on account of the growing habit of smoking, carelessness with matches, and the use of highly inflammable materials in garments. Thus the British Fire Prevention Committee have issued a notice regarding fire precautions to be observed, which also include some hints as to safeguards for stands, decorations, illuminations, and fireworks. It is recommended that smoking and lighting matches on stands should be prohibited, that the wearing of celluloid articles and garments of muslin, voile and flannelette be avoided. All exits of stands should be kept clear, and the use of highly inflammable decorative materials be avoided. If the; simple precautionary measures are observed it will mate rially reduce the risk of fire and perhaps loss of life.

* **

IN a leaflet explaining the organisation of the Territorial branch of the S.J.A.A., it shows that there is an army of 300 ,000 men, known as the Territorial Forces, liable to be called out for active se:vice in case of invasion or attack.

AID.- June, I911.

Experience shows that the average sick rate per diem of a force in an European country operating under the conditions of our Territorial Army is 2 per cent.; that is, there would b e 6,000 men a day who would have to be cared for, even if only temporarily. In case of a set battle, such as would be sure to occur a short time after invasion, any prudent and responsible military medical authority would prepare for at least 30,000 casualties. Adequate arrangements for the care of the sick and wounded when on active service are therefore essential part of the organisation of the Territorial Forces. * * *

SIR JOHN RANDLES, speaking at the Cumberland Mines and Quarries Centre shield competition to the members of the Centre, said that human sympathy went to the heart of every sufferer, and it was because they touched that side of life, the side which made for alleviation of sorrow and suffering, that they went to the hearts of fellow workmen. A man might get his leg broken in an accident but all the wealth in the world could not alleviate the by paying the man. The man who could alleviate pain and suffering was the man who attended the ambulance classes and made himself proficient in the work of first aid. Football, cricket, and other legitimate sport, were all right in a way, but they found in ambulance work a recreation which made them better men and fitted them to help their fellows in the way they did.

Coming Events.

Particulars or f01'thcoming events will be inserted in this column fru oj charge, if received not later than the I4th of ead month

Cleckheaton.-An Ambulance Competition and Gala will be. held on 29th, open to Corps and Division of the Bngade, coillenes and members of S.J.A.A. For particulars apply to Mr. B. Liley, 6, Exchange-street, Cleckheaton.

Hemsworth.- The Hemsworth and District Friendly Council intend holding their annual Ambulance CompetItIon on Saturday, July 22nd. Full particulars can be obtained from Mr. J. Wheatcroft, 14, Town-street, Hemsworth, near Wakefield.

fondo'!.- The PolytechOlc Ambulance Competitions for the WIlham Heywood" Shield and "Grant" Medal will take pl8ce on a Saturday afternoon at the end of October or the early part of N ovember. particulars, &c., apply to the Secretary, Ambulance CompetitIOns, Polytechnic, Regentstreet, W.

North .Featherstone.-The Ambulance Competition in co nnection with the North Featherstone Sports and Band Contest will take place on Saturday, July 22nd. For entry forms apply Mr. J. W. Brooke, 52, Green-lane, Featherstone. Ravenstlzorpe.-The annual Ambulance Competition will be held on September 9th. For further particulars apply Hon. Sec. W. Ledgard, Alma House, Ravensthorpe-road Thornhill Dewsbury.

and Sick Nursing Competitions in connectlOn With the Skipton and District Hospital Gala will be held on July 15th. Schedules may be obtained from Mr. T. H. Hudson, 48, Russel-street, Skipton.

June, I9 I 1. -FIRST

Our Portrait Gallery.

CORPS CHIEF 3UPT. J. CALVIN LINES.

THE portrait which appears in our gallery this month comes at an opportune moment; for it coincides with the sjtters appointment as Chief Supt. of the Prince of Wales' Corps, an appointment which we feel sure has been justly

AI D.-

ber the Players Orchestra with a seat on the commIttee, and IS thiS year the Worshipful Master of the Lodge of Freemasons to which he belongs. He has the distinction of having been appointed an Hon. Serving of the Order of St. John, he also holds the Long S;rvice .Medal of the in addition to the late Queen s Jubilee and the late Kmg's Coronation Medals.

On Mr. Lines' ret!rement from the superintendentship of.the South MetropolItan Gas Co.'s Division, the Board of Directors presented him with a handsome inscribed solid silver tray in recognition of his services.

In conclusion, we can only hope that he will have both health and strength to carry out the duties of his new office, and we feel sure he will use every effort in the fu.rtherance of ambulance work, which is so keenly kept alIve by mutual interest of his wife, who, as our readers are aware, IS the Lady Supt. of the St. John ' s Gate Nursing Division.

S1J OHN AMBUlA.NCE..

No. 3 District.

earned, and which will be welcomed by all members of the Brigade, and particularly those of the corps named for his genial personality and kindly disposition has made him popular with everyone with whom he has come in contact.

The subject of our sketch joined the brigade as a private in the year r89r, gradually working upwards until he attained the rank of superintendent, which position he has held in the South Metropolitan Gas Co.'s Division for the last 13 years. Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Lines is one of the busiest of commercial men, being the proprietor of a large business concern in Bond-street, he has yet found time to conduct a division which has not only been one of the most progressive, but which is one of the most efficient in the Prince of Wales' Corps. It speaks well of his organising capabilities, and in our opinion a more fitting man could not be found for the important position he has undertaken.

Mr. Lines can recall many happy reminiscences of the early days of the brigade. When he first joined it the membership was very small; his love of the work is exemplified in the fact that there has hardly been a conference or meeting of officers at which he has not been both seen or heard. By way of passing, it may not be out of place to mention that Mr. Lines is devotedly attached to music, and for the last 20 years he has been an active mem-

The East Anglian Challenge Cup Competition was held on May 20th, at the Drill Hall, Ipswich. The cup, which was presented by the Honorary Surgeons in East Anglia, was first competed for in 1901, and, with the exception of last year, the competition has been held annually. Six teams entered and were judged by Lieut.Colonel Hoyland, RA.M.C.(T.) and Capt. Woodside. The results were as follows :-ISt, Cromer (points), 138; 2nd, Ipswich (No.2), 128; 3rd, Gyppeswyk and Ipswich, (NO.1), II3; 4th, Felixstowe, III; 5th, St. John'S, 102. The cup was presented to the winning team by the Mayoress of Ipswich, and amongst those present were the Deputy-Commissioner, Colonel Elliston, Chief Surgeon S. O. Eades, Hon. Surgeons Hossack, Young and Hetherington, Lady-Supt. Miss CouIcher, Miss Hemsworth and Mrs. Hume.

Colonel Hoyland in announcing the result, said that some teams had more equipment than others, but in judging no notice was taken of that, the points being awarded for correctness, smartness, drill and time. The work had been done exceedingly well, and there was little difference between the competitors, as evidenced by the few points which separated them. It had been a difficult matter to judge, and he congratulated the winners upon their skill.

Colonel Elliston, in the course of his remarks, said that the members of the district had numerous functions to attend this year. There was first of all the Coronation Processions in London, for which he had to take a party of So. As his district was such a large one, this party necessarily consisted mostly of officers, but then there was the Royal Progress on the following day, for which he believed he would require IS0 men, and he hoped that each Division would be able to send representatives. In addition, he had to supply 17 Nursing Sisters, and he

-FiRST AID.-

hoped to be able to draw some from the Ipswich Division' On June 28th, when the King visited the Royal Show, their services had been accepted by the Watch Committee and Chief Constable of Norwich, as they were when the late King Edward YII. visited the city in October 1909. He had also an invitation to assist at Carnarvon on July 13th, the occasion of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales's Investiture, but he was afraid that would be too far away.

At the conclusion of the distribution Chief Surgeon Eades proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Mayoress for her presence.

NO.4-District.

The District Nursing Competition for the "Trimble" Shield was held at Port Sunlight, on May 27th. Nine teams entered from Kendal, Manchester, Preston, Bootie, Waterloo, Liverpool, Ashton-under-Lyne, Southport and Rochdale. The judges were Dr. W. E Jones (Blackburn) and Dr. J. Adams (Warrington) who gave their awards as follows :-ISt, Kendal, 320 marks out of a possible 400 ; 2nd, Preston, 314 3rd, Waterloo, 313!-

The judging of the individual competitions for the " Howard" Rosebowl was undertaken by Dr. J. Jones (Leigh), who gave his decision in favour of Liverpool with 79 marks out of 100; 2nd, Preston, 78t 3rd, Ashtonunder-Lyne, 78. The competitors were subsequently entertained in the Hulme Hall by Messrs. Lever Bros. Mr. H. Lever kindly distributing the prizes.

No. 5 District.

For some years past the members of this District have held a week's inslructional camp during the year, but never have they had one which was under happier or more charming conditions than the one arranged this year. The venue in former times had been Blackpool, but this year

A site was secured adjoining the Hohday Camp 10 BurDIston-road, and, by arrangement with Messrs. Francis Taylor & Sons, they had the use and advantages of the Holiday Camp. The bulk of the 3 60 odd men and 26 officers into camp on June 4th, a small advance. party proceed1Og them by a few days in order to get th10gs ready for the arrival of the main body. We have not yet been favoured with a report of the work undert aken, but the week's routine consisted of field work hospital training, stretcher drill, ceremonial drill, lectures: and first aid work. The brass band attached to the Tibshelf Corps and the bugle band of the Worksop Corps were under canvas.

No. 6 District.

The annual Inspection of this District was held on June 17 th ? the inspe.cti.ng officer being Col. Sir J. Andrew Clark, Chief Commissioner of the Brigade, we understaud that about 1,000 officers, men, and nursing sisters were on parade, furth e r particulars are not yet to hand.

The annual competition in connection with the District for. the Silver Challenge Shield, the Bronze Challenge Shield, the Staff Cups and the "c. B. Palm e r" Bowl, and the "Atkinson, Ritchie and Bevan" Cups to be for ?y Nursing Divisions, were held on May 27th, 10 the Schools, Gateshead, and on June 3rd I 10 the Westgate Hill Schools, Newcastle. The entnes thIS year show a considerable increase . f . , 14 compet1Og or the SlIver shield, for the bronze shield and 15 for the bowl. The were arranged heats, best two teams In each heat being eligibJe to compete In the final, which was to be held at Hull as , ,

June, 1911.

however, only one team entered in the Yorkshire District it was decided to bring the Hull team to Newcastle, and make the semi-final the final. As the Hull team did not arrived the competitions were carried on by teams from Northumberland and Durham, with the following results: Silver Shield.-Ravensworth, 264; Hylton, 262 Felling, 262; Murton, 25 8 Bronze Shield.-Hylton, ; Ouston, 273i; Ravensworth, 262; Murton, 252i"c. B. Bowl.-Dawdon, 277 Hylton, 26 9 Murton, 255; Butley, 251.

The two teams that tied in the Silver Shield Competition competed again, Hylton being placed second and Felling third.

Each of the members of the winning team in the "c. B. Palmer" Bowl Competition were presented by the Deputy-Colllmissioner with a silver match box.

In the nursing competition the teams were placed in the following order :-Felling (A), 282; Felling (B) 35 2 .1. Whitburn Colliery, 244. The first two meet H teams as a final on July 1St.

The Deputy-Commissioner (Lieut. C. B. Palmer), in absence of the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, presented the trophies to the winning teams, and on behalf of the District Staff and the CompetItion Committee, presented to 1St T. a massive marble time-piece, in appreCIatIOn of serVIces rendered as secretary of the competitions in Northumberland and Durham for the last three years.

The whole of the arrangements were carried out by a consisting of t.he District Staff, Hon. Surgeons J, WIshart and J. M. Millar, Supts Sec. W. Handyside (Felling Corps), with 1St Officer T. Wilkinson (Gateshead Borough), as secretary.

The Hull arrangements were carried out by a committee with Dist.-Supt. Treasurer J. O. Vaughan as secretary.

The British Red Cross Society and that of its Eastern Ally.

(Continu ed from page I4 I .)

CHAPTER I.-GENERAL PROV]SIONS.

(. The Red Cross Society of Japan is a legal founded permission of the competent authonty, In conformIty WIth the provisions of the Civil Code.

Article z. The Society is under the exalted patronage of T.heir Majesties the Emperor and Empress.

3. The Presidency of the Society shall De .offered to a of the Imperial Family.

Article 4. The SOCIety shall conform to the decisions of the International Conference held at Geneva in October, 1863, and also to the principles of the international treaties concluded between Japan and the various Powers concerning the Red Cross work.

Article 5· The badge of the Society shall be a red cross upon a white ground.

Article 6. The articles of Association can not be altered unless the Government authorities concerned approve of such alterations after they have been passed at a General Meeting of the Society.

The Society shall not dissolved except In cases specIfied by law. No resolutIOn for dissolution can be effective without the unanimous consent of the whole of the membership.

June, 19II.

CHAPTER n.-OBJECT AND FUNCTIONS.

Article 8. The object of the Society is to care for the sick and wounded in time of war. The Society may also undertake relief service for the injured and the sick in cases of public calamities or other disasters, and may collect relief funds when necessary.

Article 9. For the attainment of the objects mentioned in the preceding article, the Society shall undertake:-

1. In time of peace, to train a staff suitable for the carrying out of relief measures and to collect stores, so as to be sufficiently in readiness to meet any case of war or other emergency.

z. In time of war, to care for the wounded and sick in conformity with the instructions of the proper authorities.

3. In case of public calamities, to administer succour to the injured and sick either at the instance of, or with the permission of, the authorities concerned.

The Society shall establish hospitals as its organs necessary for the carrying out of such services.

CHAPTER Ill.-NAME AND HEADQUARTERS.

Article 10. This association shall be called the "Red Cross Society of Japan."

Article z. The property and funds of the Society shall consist of :-

I. Movable and immovable properties owned by the Society.

2. The Imperial allowances.

3. The annual subscriptions of the members and donations in cash or kind.

4. Special incomes derived from the work of the Society or from properties owned by it.

Article 13. Regulations relating to administration and appropriation of property and funds of the Society shall be drawn up by the Standing Council.

CHAPTER V.-MEMBERSHIP.

Article 14. The members of the Society shall be of three classes :-

1. Regular Members.-Those who make an annual subscription of over 3 yen for ten years, or one term. Those who have paid annual subscriptions for the said one term, and those who make a single subscription of not less than 25 yen are considered to be Life-members.

2. Special Members.-Those who have been recommended as such by decision of the Standing Council on account of the assistance rendered by them either to the work or to the funds of the Society.

3. Honorary Members.-Those to whom the honour of being such, is attributed by decision of the Standing Council.

Article IS. The Honorary, Special and Regular Members shall each receive a Shains/zo, or membership medal, indicating the class of membership to which they belong.

. Article 16. Cases of refusal of admission or expulsion from membership shall be ci.ecided on by the Standing Council. Reasons therefor shall never be given. (Ttl be contz'nued).

The "Argenta" Challenge Cup Competition.

THE 9th annual competition for the Cup presented by the Argenta Meat Co., was held at Blackpool on June 3rd. Seventeen teams entered, and the judges were Dr. A. Holden (Preston) Dr. F. de B. Pim (Barrowford), and Dr. E. Knight (St. Anne's). The competition lasted all day, and at its conclusion Deputy-Commissioner J. C.

AI D.-

Derham announced the results as appended to the schedule of marks. Dr. A. S. Holden, in responding to the vote of thanks to the judges, said that he acknowledg,=:d that the questions he had put were not easy, though he did not consider them exceptionally difficult. The men showed they had a good knowledge of the text book, and in this part of the examination only 15 marks separated the best team from the worst j though all were below the maximum. Taken all round these were the fi nest teams he had ever met. Schedule of marks :-

AI D.- June, 1911.

since March, 1905, up to 3, ISO. The horsed am bulance in the year. ending on above date attended 262 calls. .first aid classes, two home hygiene, and one men's sanitation are being examined this month.

It is interesting to n0te that Col. Twiss has formed three ambulance divisions and five nursing divisions St. John Ambulance Brigade from the pupils of the centre, and he hopes to add to that number. From these divisions two men's and five women's brigarle companies had been organised, and registereu at the War Office as Territorial Force Voluntary Aid Detachments.

AID.- 193

of l iftin g a patient wi th a fra ctured spin e Some lift With two bearers on either side, others, accordi n g to on page 174. I think the wording on page 46, par "b," IS somewhat vague. We have tned both ways in recent compet:tlOns and been penalised. Thanking you in anticipatlon. - I am SIT, yours truly, " F. W. D."

Cobham, Kent

SOUTHA]\[PTON.-The

competition for the "Twiss" rose bowl took place at the Royal Victoria Rooms, kindly lent by Col. Bance, on June 7th.

nursing divisions S.J.A.B. entered squads of five nursing Sisters, VIZ., Bournemouth, Lymington, P o rtsmouth and the jud.ges being Dr. Griffiths (DeputyCommissioner NO.2 Dlstnct) and Dr. Mary Morris (Hon. Surgeon Bath Nursing Div ision. Early in the afternoon th e former took the individual practical first aid work and the latt er oral. Later P:. Griffiths took the squad work.-makmg and llft!ng the patient into it after t e ndmg supposed mjunes.

The result was Lymington, 162; Portsmouth, 160; Southampton, 159; Bournemouth, 145.

Th e Hon. Mrs. Palk, who is a medallionist and a member of the Canute Nursing Division handed the rose bowl to the winning team and to the first and second t eams (this year Coronat ion spoons with the device of the Association and the Southampton arms added), and a lso handed to the squad of the Southampton Division, S.J.A.B., the shield presented by Lt.-Col. Twiss for the best squad in sub-d!strict in fur th e "Dewar" annually.

Dr. Gnffiths, m the absence of the Mayor (Col. Bance), t?ok .the chair, and gave the squads a brief summary of their mistakes, congratulating them on their excellent work, and hoping th at in time other sub-districts would follow the examp le of this one, so that there might be a ladi es "Dewar" at the Portman Rooms. He also condoled with t.he Southampton. squad in losing the ?f No. 2 DIstnct to Sittingbourne by half a mark. Sittingbourne subsequently winning the " Dewar."

Dr. Mary Morris gave the sisters an exhaustive account of the many which go to make a nurse's perfect. ThiS was most useful and instructive, and Will lead to less marks being lost for "turn-out" in future.

The Hon. Mrs. Palk, to whom, as well as the judges, a vote of thanks was proposed by Mrs. C hinery and by Dr Bond. said how pleased she was to aSSIst m way m thiS most useful work in which she was d eeply mterested.

Among th?se present was Dr. Griffiths (Knight of Grace), Mrs. Gnffiths (La.dy of Grace), Lady Supt. Bristol, M:s. SwaIm, Mr. Aldndge (Supt. Wools ton Division) the Bance, Cap.t. Miss Spranger, Miss MISS Smith, MISS Ca rte, Miss Jeans, and the follOWin g. lady supennt.endents of Nursing Divisions in Hampshne :-Mrs: Fil IJ ames (Portsmouth), Mrs. Chiner (Mayoress of Lymmgton), Mrs Locke (So uthampt o n) D; Eleanor l?ond (Bourne mouth), Mrs Metcalfe (Ne'tle )' Mrs. Aldn.dge (Woolston), Mrs. Westlake (Canute), Cross. (ShIrley), and Mrs. Horne, who will be the lad supenntendent the Ports wood Division now formin. y Lt.-Col. TWISS as usual acted as D.C. g

In the half-year. en dir:g March 31st, 19 1 I, 4 2 3 certificates, e tc ., were gamed m the centre, bringing the total

The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

C/zancery of th e Order, St. Jolzn's Gate, Clerkenwe!l, London, E. c., 8t/z Ju ne I9I I.

At the May meeting of the Chapter of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, the following selections and enrolI?ents, in recognition of long and valuable ambulance serVices, were passed, and having bee n approved by H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught, were sanctioned by His Majesty the King :-

As Knights of l ustice (from K1zights of Grace) : His Excellency the Lord Islington of Islington K.C.M.G., D.S.O. '

Colonel Sir James Richardson Andrew Clark, Bart., C.B.

As C /zaplain

The Rev. Henry Danvers Macnamara, M.A.

As Knight of Gra ce:

The Right Honourable the Earl of Arran, K.P.

As Ladies of Grace :

The Right Honourable the Lady Llangatt0ck. Her Grace the Duchess of Hamilton.

As H onorary Serving Brothers:

George Roge rs Edwards (Gosport, Alverstoke and Fareham Centre).

Joseph Williams (Maryport Branch).

As Honorary Serving Sister:

Ethel M.adeline Sprague (Soutbampton Centre).

Ethel RIdley, Mrs. Lane (Kettering Centre).

For E nrolment as Honorary Associates:

William McKinley Clay (Gosport, Alverstoke and Fareham Centre).

Walter Chaloner Rigby, M.B., D.P.H. (Adlington Branch).

Samuel Thomas Darby-Weston, M.R.C.S., L.R.c. p. (Handsworth Ctntre).

William Evelyn St. Lawrence Finney, M.B., L.R.c.P. (Kmgston-on-Thames Branch ).

Eustace Maclean Swan wick, M.R.C.S., L.R.c.P. (Hartlepools Centre).

Arthur William Scott, M.R.C.S. (Hull Centre).

Luke Gerald Dillon, M.D.

Frederick F. Maccabe, M.B.

William Allan Harmer, L.S.A.

Lieut. W. R. Gatt, Royal Maltese Artillery, Honorary Secretary of the Malta Centre, for which he has worked so hard, was selected as Esquire.

We are in no way responsibee jor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

INJURY TO THE CAROTID.

DEAR SIR,-I should like to ask you a question with regard to a cut throat as shown in Cantlie's book, Fig. 38. N ow, should it be that a m a n was to cut hi s throat on left side, and a first aider had no assistant, he would h av e to stand on the same side to apply pressure, and it would have to be with the right h a nd thumb. Now is it necessary tf) apply the other thumb, as it says in Cantlie's publication I should like it, Mr. Editor, e xplained to me how such could be done without an assistant, as I do not think anyone can use the left-hand thumb as the cas e may be i-Yours fai thfuIly, "A READER."

[In a case of injury to the left carotid there is not the slightest necessit y for the first aider to stand on the same side to apply pressure ; neither must it be considered absolutely essential that he should use his right thumb. ( If such were the case, a first aider who required the use of his right hand for other purposes would be helpless as regards practical

[In cases of emergency hard and fast rules regarding the of ( r, 2, 3 or 4 ) are hardly commendable, details dependIng upon varying circumstances For example, see letter re Fractured Spme, appearing in last month's FIRST AID . " F. W. D. " appears to find some difficulty with paragraph " b, " yet it is perfectly clear.. The accompanying photograph Will perhaps help. In thiS case the patient is being

assistance .) It is shown so in Cantlie's book, but this, as in many other in s tances, is given merely as a help to the student's imagin a tion, and is not intended to crip ple resourcefulness on the part of one giving help in emergen cy. If with injury to the left carotid, pressure were reqUIred above 'and below the wound, the first aider would perhaps be able to act more efficiently by first puttin g pressure with the right thumb below the wound, placin g the patient in a sem irecumbent position, and then-s tandin g or kneelin g at the side opposite to the injury - pressing also with the left thumb above the wound, the ba cks of the two hands being more or less in contact with one another.

Existing conditions may, however, call for of above, e.g. , the patient's struggles may be so .vlolent .as to necessitate forcible attentIOn, one hand alone beIng at liberty to control the h <e morrhage in such manner as may be most convenient till help arrives in response to calls for assistance.

- L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

FRACTURE OF SPINE (S USPECTED )

SIR,-Will you be good enough me through. medium of your valuable Journal, which IS the corre ct posltlOn

carried over the stretcher. (The pin securing the sleev e to the coat has been placed too low )

It is quite certain that the patient would be subjected to far less liability to danger wer e he not carried over the stretcher, but merely raised sufficiently to allow the board or stretcher to be pushed under by another.

To my mind the 3rd bearer would, in such a case, be able to act more efficiently, and with much greater safety were he to stand over the patient rather than to one side. For carrying over the stretcher, however, this position does not permit steady movement and the position on one side is distinctly to be preferred. - L. M FR \ NK CHRISTIAN.]

SEVERE H j EMORRHAGE AND BURNS.

DEAR SIR,-Would you kindly give us through the co lumns of your valuable and helpful Journal the correct treatment in the following case ;-

The patient is indoors and a varicose vein in his right leg burst s. There is severe venous h ce morrhage, and owing to the amount of blood lost the patient becomes faint and falls across a table. In doing so he upsets a paraffin-lamp, which breaks and sets the room on fire. He is severely burnt about the face and arms. When fonnd he is in a partially conscious condition and there is evicience that a large amount of blood has lost.

This case was given as a test in a competition held at I pswich a short time ago.

The question arose between some of the to whether it was necessary to commence artIfiCial respiratIon. Some think it unnecessary, as the man was not completely un co ns cious; others infer that as he had evidently been for some time in a room on fire, and was actually burnt about the face that the heat smoke and flames around his head must brouaht him 'so near to the state of suffocation that the of artificial respiration was an immediate necessity.

An answer, giving fullest details as to the treatment most su itab le for the above, wf)111d, I have no doubt, be of great interest to !!lany readers of FIRST AID. -Yours faithfully, "V. G. EMERY, Sergt., Felixstowe Division, S.J.A.B. [Artificial respiration is not in.c1icat.ed in cas.e. Assuming that the risk of furthe r intenSIficatIOn of mischIef th ro ugh

-FIRST AI D.- June, 191I.

fire and has been removed, there remains the l1lZ1JZedz"ate and pressing danger accompanying severe shock.

This would probably be of a formidable character, the large loss of blood considerably lessening the resisting powers of the patient.

The case must be treated according to genera l principles.

-L. M. FR K CHRIS'I IAN.]

TINCTURE OF I OD I NE AS AN ANTISEPTIC.

DEAR SIR,-I have been louking throu g h a copy of FIRS T Am, which you have kindly sent me, and am struck by the intricacy of some of the questions which have apparently been set in class examinations. I do not suppose that I could have scored half marks in attempting to answer them. It seems to me that they are quite beyond the scheme of our Association s work!

But this friendly criticism is not the object of my letterwhat I wish to do is to call attention to the value of tincture of iodine as an antiseptic dressing. Surgeons are generally using it now for preliminary painting over the skin in the area of all operation wounds, and experience shows that it is a most trustworthy germicide. 1t has displaced carbolic acid solutions and other antiseptics in the preparation of a patient for operatIOn.

A small bottle of tincture of io?ine ought to be in every emergency case, and WIth it a penny brush for paIntIng It on the surface or on the wound itself.

A man is thrown off a bicycle and cuts or grazes his hand on the road, so that, perchanc e, germs of lockjaw are left on the raw tissues: a prompt daubing with the t inct ure destroys them.

A boy is run over. in the street and sustains a compound fracture : the first aId man smothers the wound with the tin cture applies a pad soaked in the same fluid and gently bandages Iton.

Tincture of iodine is the most valuable local application that I know of. Its employment in an open wound cannot do harm, and it may do an enormous amount of good. The should keep a of it in his potting-shed; the cyc ltst should have some In hIS pouch, and the first aid man should certainly have some in his case. - f am, Yours faithfully, THE MEDICAL O FFICE R-IN-CHIEF OF THE S.J.A. BRIGADE.

FRACTURED BASE OF SKULL AND LOWER JAW.

D EAR SIR,-I .shall be much obliged, and think it will be ?f Interest to first alders gen erally, if you will give me some Ideaof the trea,tm.ent expected from 5 regarding the above te s m th.e prelIminary round of Inter-railway competition. on referrIng to the.test you will find the following points

:-:rrandlmg of Jaw (I ), bandage (4) nothing by mouth insenSible (I) , sh?uld co nsciousness return cold water ( I ) aVOId of stlmulant.s for fear of hce morrhage (2)

ThIS, to me, IS for it appears to mentIOn to mouth," while the patient has a ti g ht bandage ro.und hiS Jaw. On return to consciousness, how ",:,ould you give cold water to drink? I s it allowable (or a first alder to remove .the bandage and depress the lower J.aw for the purpose, and IS cold water a stimulant?_Yours faithfully,

" COMPETITOR."

[I tIS not to the bandage and depress lo.wer Jaw In order to administer a drink, as the act of drlnkmg can be ,done with the teeth clenched. Cold water is an undoubted stlmu lant. -ED. "F. A. "]

RE DRESSING A PATIENT'S INJURIES

?EAR SlR,-Hav!ng seen your replies to questions in FIR Sl AID, I should like to ask your opinion on the follow mg :- At the wl:ere I work we have a large staff of ambulan ce dl.stnbuted about the works, and, as often their ,serV ices are frequently required, and I am sure a re wlllmgly gwen. Well, when a patient is treated for his

injuries, he must go into the under-manager's office for reports &c . A man is kept there a s leading ambulance man of works, and III all cases he undoes the bandages and examines ,wound or fracture, as the case may be, and then re-dresses It himself.

I think, myself, when an ambulance man takes a case In hand and then has his work undone in this manner it not. only damps his ardour for ambulance work and puts patient to a large amount of risk, ill-convenience and discomfort, but tends to increase the shock. What is more I think it is greatly against the principle of the St. John Ambulance Association. Hoping you will insert your opinion in your valuable Journal, -I am, sir, yours truly, "

[It is quite contrary to first aid practice for an ambulance re-dress a !njuries, and in doing so he is !ncurnng a great upon himself. Although, if III the case that the Injuries have been treated radically wrong the patient is suffering pain, or is likely to suffer further from. wrong treatment, then it is a first aider's duty to mItigate thiS by re-dressing the injuries. - ED. " F. A."]

A Correspondent, writes :-" Re letter in the May issue of FIR.ST AID, from" Enquiring Supt." as to Large Arm Sling depicted on page 138 (Marc h issue), the illustration is wrong The slIng sh.ol!ld be .laid on the uninjured shoulder first and then on the. lllJure? SIde (for large and small arm slings ) The St. John bemg the only one tied on the uninjured side, see Cantlie, pages 39, 47, 53; Figs. 13, 14, 19, 25. For large and small, page 50 ; Figs. 21 and 22 for St. John's sling."

Fracture at the Wrist.

FRACTURE at the wrist, known as Colles's fracture, named after the surgeon who particularly investigated it, is invariably caus ed by indirect violence, as in a fall, when the hands are outstretched to break the fall or in attempting to push s.ome heavy mass, It is easily recognised by a d.eformlty at the back of the wrist, coupled with the usual sIgns of fracture; perhaps next to the fracture of the collar bone it is one of the most frequent of the body.

Dr. G. M. Dawkin, of Pontypridd, has designed a splInt for the treatment of Colles's fracture, which we illustrate.

hand-piece of the front splint is locked by the brass slide then the splints are padded and applied in the

June, 19 1 I.

to the ulner border; (4) by being bevelled it corrects the displacement of the radius forwards; (5) can be applied to either arm. The splints are made in three sizes by Messrs. Mayer and Meltzer, 7 I, Great Portland-street, London, W. -----. -. Irish

News.

FROM OUR DUBLIN CORRESPONDENT.

The "Iveagh" Cup competition, which is now regarded as the greatest event in ambulance circles in Dublin, will be held this year on Saturday, July 1st, instead of th e last week in August, as heretofore, in the exte nsive grounds attached to Lord I veagh's town residence.

It is a magnificent trophy, and was presented by his Lordship as an incentive to ambulance work in Ireland ; at present it is held by the Belfast Fire Brigade.

Great things are anticipated from the Dublin Centre, which has, I understand, been quite lately reconstructed, and new blood introduced. Under Judge Ross, th e recently-appointed President, it is expected that the work of the St. John Ambulance Association will be brought more prominently before the Irish public; he is said to be very enthusiastic in first aid matters.

The members of the City of Dublin and St. Jam es' Gate Division, have been d e tailed for duty on the streets during the forthcoming visit of their Majesties, and will act in concert with the R.A.M .C. at stated intervals along the line of route. The Ladies Nursing Division (City of Dublin) will also furnish a uniform contingent on the occasion ; it will be their first appearance as such at a public function.

CITY OF DUBLIN DIVISloN.--The nursing lectures in connection with this division-male and female-are now in progress, and it is hoped that those attending the lectures will be rea dy for examination soon. This division, at the " Drum" Ba zaar, held during the latter portion of th e month of May, supplied two men each evening, and for the "Ui Breasail" fe te, organised by Lady Aberdeen, held at Balls Br idge for a fortnight. Mem bers of the division were also in attendance, some few accidents havin g been r e ported.

The members of the class which has been attached to

Messrs. W. & R. Jacob & Co., are cont emplating forming themselv es into a division, and this is only as it should be, as th e formation of such should be encouraged. The class which began this year's session has recently finished; ten presented themselves for examination for first aid certificates, three for vouchers, and one for a medallion. All passed successfully, the examiner being Dr. Pagin Meldon. With an energetic secretary such as Mr. Smith, and a painstaking hon surgeon as Dr. Cope, whose lectures always prove int eres tin g, it would indeed be a surprise if the new division does not give a good account of itself.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

usual way, care being taken that the back splint does not .beY.ond the wrist-joint and that the hinge of the front splmt Just corresponds with the joint. The bandage must not go beyond the wrist joint, and when fixed, a second should put on, extending to the fingers. When It IS deemed deSIrable to move the wrist the second bandage should be removed and the brass slide pushed forward, which will allow the handpiece to be turned back and the joint manipulated as desired. The advantages claimed for the splint are: (I) It secures movement of the joint without interfering with the fracture; (2) leaves the fingers free for voluntary movement; (3) deviat(;!s the hand

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By L. M. FRANK C HRISTIAN, M.B , C M Edi n

"A fou th edition a lready demanded a better proof o he u lity o f h e book lhan any comments written by a re\' iewer." "Con tains many add i ona hin ts warn ngs, and wb ch cannot fai l to prove of the greatesl assista nce hose who wou d wish lO acquire a sound kn owledge of ambulance work. " " t s splendid, and clea rly sh ows the painstak ng care and sludy th e au th or h as devoted to his book. " "The advanced first-aider w ill find it a reasure " " One of the best things of the kind have eve r seen." " T o my mi nd it fi lls a long fe t wan t. " "Of remendous se rv ce for Police, Pos O ffice O ffic ials and such men a s T erritoria I nstructors. " " T he' u lt im a tha le of and sense in ambulance work "

Price In Cloth, 6d. n e - by p os 7d. In Lea ther 2S ne t- by p os 2S zd.

The Inc!ependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

As it is the wish and desire of the Promietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices Sugges· tions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender,

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" P irst Aid" is published on the 2 0 th o f th e m o nth.

ED IT OR IAL.

S u ggested Alteration in the In te r =Rail w ay Co mpetition.

ALTHOU GH the competition season is now practical over, this subject is taken for an editorial because we understand that a proposal is to be put before the committee of the competition to slightly modify the conditions by which it is governed.

Briefly, it is suggested that more satisfactory res ults might be achieved if the number of men comprising a team was reduced from five to four. The originator of the idea advances several good reasons why this should have a beneficial effect. One is that the fifth man, who acts as " patient" with the team, gets to know their methods, and he is able to assist them in the treatment in many ways Knowing the injuries from which be is supposed to be su ffering, the part of patient affo rds opportunity of thinkin g over the case, and with his own knowledge he is able, witho ut actually speaking, to p rompt the members of the team and generall y adapt hinself to their treatment in a way which could hardly be expected in an actual case. It is perfectly obvious that th iS sort of thing would not occur in a n ac t ual case, but t h e q u est io n arises as to whether or

not it would improve the of the competitors, for this is the only light to look upon the proposal, seeing that all teams have the same advantage.

Competitions of late years have undergone a complete revolution, the mechanical procedure giving place to really practical contests arranged on lines which insist on the competitors acting as they would do in ex isting circumstances. This proposal no doubt would have good effe ct ; but we think there is another improvement which would have better results in order to qualify the student to meet the various conditions which surround an accident. In many cases of emergency it happens that only one capable ambulance man is on the spot. In a difficult case he has to call to his assistance bystanders-generally untrained individuals - and instruct them how to render him aid m carrying out the treatment or in improvising material.

Now why should not a co mpetition be conducted on these lines? Two novices could be introduced into a team and carry out the instructions of th e q ualified me n It has been demonstrated times out of numb er that when a judge changes the numbers of a team it puts them in a hopeless quandary, and many crack teams have as a result fallen to pieces at once. This only goes to prove that the men get accustomed to work in one position, and in t hat position alone. It should not be so, for the many varying conditions cannot be so fitted in as to always place the men in the positions in which they have been accustomed to practice. Features of this kind introduced into the competition would not only develop first aid, but wou ld at the same time show the capabilities of the competitor.

One point in favour of the four-men competit ion which commends itself to us is that it would giv e lead to the possibility of more teams forthcoming, as on many of t h e smaller stations on the lines five men are not readily available.

During the past year 376 men and women were examined in connection with the Post Office Ambulance Corps out of thi s number 364 passed. The Post Office is making rapid progress in ambulance work, and we Sir Mat thew Nathan has offered a trophy for competitIOn a. mongst the members ,

The Royal Society of Arts Awards for Life Saving Apparatus.

IN 1907 the Royal Society of Arts decided to offer under the Fothergill Trust, a gold medal, or a prize of £20, for the best portable apparatus or appliance for enabling men to undertake rescue work in mines, the object being to encourage the production of a r escue apparatus which would enable a succouring party to reach men cut off in case of mining accident by irrespirable gases, or overcome by them.

In response to the offer a number of appliances were entered, and they were all submitted to a series of practical tests.

1. The "Draeger" compressed-oxygen apparatus, by Richard Jacobson, 70, Shoe-lane, E.c., British Agent of The Draegerwerk (Hienr. and Berhn. Draeger), Lubeck.

2. The" Aerolith " liquid-air apparatus, by Henry Simonis & Co., Pretoria Works, Walthamstow, E.

3. The" Meco" compressed-oxygen by the Mining Engineering Co., Ltd., Foster's BUIldmgs, High-street, Sheffield.

4. The" Weg " compressed-oxygen apparatus, with automatic supply, by W. E. Garforth, M.Inst.C.E., Snydale Hall, Pontefract.

5. Siebe, Gorman &Co.'s "Fleuss" compressed-oxygen apparatus (embodying improvements by Mr. H. A. Fleuss, Dr. Leonard Hill, F.R.S., and Mr. R. H. Davis), by Siebe, Gorman & Co., Ltd., 187, Westminster-bridge-road, S.E.

6. Apparatus for submarine work, using oxygen generated from a material termed" oxylith," by Captain S. S. Hall, R.N., H.M.S. " Mercury."

In addition to these, there were two apparatus which was sent in late, and containing less important devices, were eliminated by the committee after a preliminary examination. Of the above apparatus, four depend on the supply of compressed oxygen; one on the provision of air evaporated from liquid air; and onethat of Captain Hall and Rees-on the production of oxygen from" oxylith."

It must be borne in mind that the use of any apparatus of this sort must of necessity be limited by various considerations. The apparatus requires to be known by the person usir.g it, and it can only be usefully employed by a man having a certain amount of experience in its use and a certain amount of practical skill. The distance to which the wearer can travel is also limited. There is no doubt that the physical exertion involved in mg,king one's way through passages of a mine, probably blocked up by the fall of debris and other obstacles, in almost entire darkness, and under conditions involving very great mental strain, must of necessity be very considerable.

The five apparatus considered all vary in construction; each of them possesses details in which it is superior to the

It is probable that in the future some apparatus may be constructed embodying the advantageous points of all of them, and avoiding the defects. The principal points of difference, apart from the fundamental principles on which the apparatus are constructed, appear in the comparative lightness and convenience of carriage, and in the arrangements for enabling the wearer to breathe either by the use of a helmet, or by means of mouthpieces of various construction.

AID.- July, 191

The Committee of the Society found a difficulty in reaching the conclusion that any of the other four apparatus is so far superior to the rest as to justify the award of the prize to it, and it alone.

They are, however, of opmIOn that the apparat us originally invented by Mr. Henry A. Fleuss, and submitted in its improved condition by Messrs. Siebe, Gorman & Co, Ltd., has sufficient points of superiority to justify an award to the inventor. They, therefore, recommend the award of a gold medal to Mr. Henry A. Fleuss, who as long ago as 1883, received a gold medal from the Society of Arts, under the Shaw Trust, for this apparatus in its original form. The fact that Mr. Fleuss was certainly one of the first to propose, and the first to bring into practical form, an apparatus of this type, has had very great weight in the decision at which the committee have arrived.

They also recommended to the Council that they should award a second gold medal to Mr. William Edward Garforth, in recognition of his long-continued and public-spirited endeavours to perfect and to secure the adoption in this country of rescue apparatus in mines, and also as an acknowledgement of the merits of the principles which he has applied to the apparatus he has himself devised, but which are equally applicable to all similar forms of rescue apparatus.

In addition to these two gold medals, the committee recommend to the Council the award of a silver medal for the" Draeger" apparatus submitted by Mr. Jacobson, and for the "Meco" apparatus submitted by the Mining Engineering Company of Sheffield.

They believe that any of the four apparatus would be efficient, each of them having its own points of merit; and, as before observed, the perfect apparatus, if it is ever constructed, will probably include features derived from all of them.

The awards were made in accordance with the recommendations.

Coming Events.

Particulars o[ forth coming events will be inserted in this colum11 free 0/ charge, if re ceived not later than the I4th of each month

Cleckheaton. --An Ambulance Competition and Gala will be held on July 29th, open to Corps and Division of the Brigade, collieries and members of S_J.A.A. For particulars apply to Mr. B. Liley, 6, Exchange-street, Cleckheaton.

London.-The PolytechniC Ambulance Competitions for the "William Heywood" Shield and "Grant" Medal will take p1::tce on Saturday, October 21St. We would remind intending competitors that last year the number had to be limited. It is, therefore, very important that competitors should enter as early as possible to save disappointment. For further particulars, apply, William J. Fuller, The Polytechnic, Regent-street, W. Ravenstlwrpe. - The annual Ambulance Competition will be held on September 9th. For further particulars apply Hon. Sec. W. Ledgard, Alma House, Ravensthorpe-road, Thornhill, Dewsbury.

Trevarno - The comoetition for the "Bickford-Smith" Trophy, open to members of the S.J.A.B. in Cornwall, will take place here on July 28th. Hon. Surgeon Spaight of Porthleven, is Hon. Sec. of the competition.

Woodlands.- The secone.. annual competitIOn of the Brodsworth Main Ambulance B.-igade will be held on Saturday, August 12th. Prizes to the valu e of £10 will be given. Particulars of L. Nutton, 23, Coppice-roal, Highfields, near Doncaster.

JUly,I9 1 I. - FIRST DriIl.*

(Cont£nued from page IS3).

FOR DISMOUNTING WOUNDED SOLDIERS BY TWO, THREE FOUR BEARERS.

HORSEOR PRELIMINARY PRE CAU TlONS.

.(1 ) Holding th e Horse.- This can be done by a horsesoldier mounted or by a man on foot, holding the bridle close to the snaffle. When the horse is restive, the man on foot bends its off foreleg and holds it so bent with the left hand while with the right hand he holds the snaffle rein. '

A I D.- 3

the withers of the horse and to sit sideways on the saddle facing him_ He also support the wounded man as may be necessary by placi.ng his hand in the wounded soldier's armpits. No. Bearer contlllues to hold the horse in position.

Dismount W,ozmded.-On the word "Wounded," the wounded man glIdes slowly off the saddle to the ground.

o. 2 the chief weight of the man by passing in hiS armpIts dunng the descent to the ground. No. seeing this done, lets go the horse's leg and" stands to his horse " on the near-side, holdin g the snaffle reins short in the right hand.

N.B.- This method is only adopted where the patient is able to walk, therefore no stretcher is required.

SE COND METHOD.-By TH E BA CK

(

2) To Tie Up a .l-Iorse so th at £t Cannot Mo v e from th e Spot. - (a ) Pass the bit-rein under the sl'rcingle or girth on the near-side of the horse, taking care to bring the head round quietly, without jerking, so as to shorten the rein; then pass the stirrup-iron and leather through the loop thus formed and draw taut.

This is used when only two men are available, and when the injury is of a more serious c haracter, requirin g more assistance to be given It is usually used in cases of injury to one leg, severe scalp wound, &c.

Form Comp a ny Prove B ea rers iVum ber tlte Squads .As before.

(

b) another method is to unbu ckle the near stirrup-leather and pass one end of it through the ring of the bridoon on the near-side and rebu ckle. At the same time the stirrup -iron should be run up to the flap of the saddle.

To Couple Two Horses Tog ether.-Horses can be securely coupled by turning the head to tail and tying each with the bridoon-rein to the offback strap or arch of the saddle of the other, taking care that the reins when t ied are not more than 6 to 8 inches long.

(3 ) R emoval of Arms and Equijmzmt.-The horse being held, remove all arms-as sword, rifle, revolver and lance-whether attached to the saddle or not. The patient's spurs must also be removed, ammumition pouches and belt and any equipment likely to incommode the speedy dismounting of the wOllnded man should also be removed.

DI S MOUNTING WITH TwO BEARERS.

FIRST METHOD.-By HANDS IN THE A R MPITS. Used in cases of 'very slight wounds or fracture of the upper extremity below the elbow.

Form ComjJany.-Shortest ?n right J' tallest on left, in sing le rank- siz e.

From tlte Rig ht-Number.

Form Two -Deep. - As in Infantry drill. Prove B earers. -The bearers wi 11 be proved

in the usual way. The front-rank being Nos. I, the rear-rank being Nos. 2. Number th e Squads.-On the word (( Squads" the Nos. number from right to left.

Caution.-Near (or off) side injured.

NO.2 B ea re rs. R ig/zt ( or L eft) T ttr7l .-SujJjJly S tretclters -Quic!t lIfarc!z .-As in ordinary stret cher dr ill. Stand to St?-etc!zers. - On the word "Str etchers" the Nos. I place themselves with their toes in line with the front ends of the poles. Nos. 2 with their heels in line with the

DISMOUNTIN G WO U NDED MAN , INJ UR Y TO LE FT LEG- NOTE BE ARE R ON OFF SIDE HOLDING BRIDLE AND FOR E LE G O F H OR SE.

Take Post at the Horses.-If the near-side is the injured side NO.2 marches to that side and halts opposite the leg of the horseman one pace distant. No. marches round to the off-side of the horse's head and halts one pace distant. Both then make a right turn together, so as to face the horse. If the off-side is the injured side NO.2 marches to that side and No. to the near-side.

Caution by Arms in Ar11lpits.-PrejJare to DisllZozmt.- On the word "Dismount," No. 2 Bearer removes the arms and equipment of the wounded man and places them on the ground. In the case of a fracture, a splint will now be applied or a tourniquet in case of a wounded artery. No. Bearer holds the snaffle-reins short up, without unduly pressing on the horse's mouth, with the right hand, while with the left hand he holds up the off-foreleg of the horse, keeping it well bent at the knee.

"T7.Vo."-On the word" Two." NO.2 Bearer instructs the wounded man to throw the leg of the uninjured side over

* We are indebted to the Medical Department of the War Office and H. M. Stationery Office for permission to publish extracts from the "Army Medical Corps Training" and "Infantry Training ,. rnanuals in compiling this article.

rear ends of the poles; close to and touching the stretcher with their right foot.

Lzft StntcJzers.- On the word ,. Stretcher" the Bearers stoop, grasp both handles of the poles with right hand, and rise together. . '

Caution N ear (o r Ot! ) SIde InJured. - On the word "Horses. " I f the near-side is injured, the bearers double to that side, halt about six paces from the horse and lower the stretcher.

Tak e Post at th e Hors es.-N o. I marches round to the offside of the horse's head, halt one l?ace distant, turns to the right and takes hold of the snaffle rems.

( Caution by the Back. ) Prepare to pzsmozmt.-.N o. 2 having prepared the stretcher then places hImself opposIte the left leg of the horseman, one pace distant. Removes arms, &c. "Two."-On the word "Two," No. I bends up the horse's leg. NO.2 takes hold of the leg at the With the hand nearest and of the leg with the other hand below the knee backs of hands to the front and holds 1t motIOnless. The wou'nded man now throws the sound leg over the horse's withers, thus bringing himself sitting sideways on the saddle facing him. NO.2 Bearer now makes a half-turn and places

4

-FIRST

himself between the legs ot the wounded man. No. I continues to hold the horse in position.

Dismount Wounded. On the word "Wozmded," the wounded man places his arms round the neck of No.2, leans quickly forward and slips off the saddle. at the same time slips his hands .and arms as high up behind the thighs as possible and havmg secured takes two paces to his front and halts. No. I seemg thiS done, lets go of the horse's leg and" stancls to his horse," and then secures him so that he cannot move from the spot, by one of the methods previously described.

Take Post at Stretchers.- On the word "Stretchers," NO.2 Bearer moves to the stretcher with a slow, steady pace ancl halts at the middle of the stret cher: one pace from and facing the foot of the stretcher, the uninjured limb of the wounded man being next to the stretcher. No. Bearer having secured the horse comes to the stretcher.

Lower Wounded.-On the word "Wounded," No.2, assisted by No. I, lowers the wounded man to the ground gently, and instructs him to stand on the sound leg and to support himself by leaning on the bearers. No. 2 Bearer supports the injured leg.

"Two."-On the word "Two II the Bearers then assist the wounded man to lie down on the stretcher. The arms, &c., are collected and placed on the stretcher.

Stand to Stretcher - On the word" Stretcher," No. goes to the foot, and NO.2 to the head.

bft Stretcher. Retz'n Halt. Lo'wer Stretcher. - As in Stretcher drill.

THIRD METHOD.-Dy THE AR IIIS

Prelz'mina? z'es.-As in previous exercise.

Caution.-By the arms.

Prepare to Dismotmt.-As before.

"Two "-On the word "Two," No. bends up the horse's leg. NO.2 takes hold of the leg at the ankle with the hand nearest and of the leg with the other hand just below the knee, back of hand to front and holds it motionless. The wounded man throws the sound leg over the horse's withers, thus bringing himself sitting sideways on the saddle facing him. NO.2 Bearer now makes a half-turn towards the patient and remains in position reta ning hold of the limb.

Dismount Wounded. - On the word "TVounded," the wounded man places his arms round the NO.2 Bearer's neck, leans quickly forward, and slips off the saddle. NO.2 Bearer slips bis hands behind the thighs of the wounded man as high as possible and on the wounded man coming into his arms leans quickly back to preserve his bala-nce. He then two paces from the horse. No. Bearer falls in as before.

Take Post at the Stretcher Lower TVounded. Lzft Stretcher. Retz're. Halt. Lower Stretcher.-As before. (To be continued.)

The Grand Priory of the Order of th e Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

THE Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England held on July 9th its annual Commemoration Service, postponed from St. John Baptist Day, June 24th, at St. John's Parish Church, Clerkenwell, the preacher being the Rev. Canon Sheppard; and the Rev. Canon Duckworth, and the Rev. T. C. Elsdon took part in the service. All are Chaplains of the Order.

Subsequently the general assembly was held at St. John's Gate. In the unavoidable absence of H.RH., the Grand Prior, and of Viscount Knutsford, G.C.M.G., the Honorary Bailiff, Sir John Furley, c.B., preSided.

. Reports were read by the Secretary-General, Colonel Sir Herbert Perrott, and on the Order's Hospital at Jerusalem ?y .Colonel by the Honorary OrganisIng Commissioner for lndla Colonel A. C. Yate; by the

AID. - July, 1911.

Honorary Organising Commissioner for Canada, Mr. Boulton; by the Chief Commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Colonel Sir James Clark; and by the Commissioner for the Brigade Overseas, Major-General J. c. Dalton, on the work of the Order and its various departments, including the St. John Ambulance Association, the St. John Ambulance Brigade, the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve, the Brigade Bearer Companies, the Military Home Hospital Reserve, the County and Brigade Companies of the Territorial Branch, the British Opthalmic Hospital at Jerusalem, and the Almoner's Department. Interesting particulars were also furnished of the services of Ambulance and Nursing Corps and Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade during the Coronation Festivities, when it was sta.ted several thousand members were on duty, not only in London, but in many places in the provinces, and that members of the Brigade had attended from units in Malta, India, South Africa and New Zealand, travelling at their own expense and performing the duties allotted to them, as is always done in the Brigade, without payment.

The Duke of Connaught, Grand Prior of the Order, held an investiture of Junior Knigh ts of Justice in the Chapter Hall, St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, on July 5th, when the following Knights of Justice selected at the last installation by the King when Grand Prior were admitted :-

Sir Henry A. Blake, Mr. Edmund Fraser, Col. C. W. B. Bowdler, Lieut.-Col. A. C. Yate, Major-General Astley Terry, Lord Plymouth, Mr. Edwin Hanson Freshfield, Lieut.-Col. Sir Richard Temple, Sir Alfred Scott ScottGatty, Col. Sir Herbert Jekyll, and Col. Sir James R. A. Clark.

The following were to have been admitted, but were unable to be present :-

Prince Arthur of Connaught, Earl Roberts, the Earl of Sandwich, Lord Northcote, the Earl of Ellesmere, Viscount Brackley, Viscount Kitchener, and Lord Islington.

Following the investiture the Duke of Connaught presented the awards granted for saving or attempting to save life on land-Silver Medal to Alfred J. Tonge (General Manager of the Hulton Collieries), and Bronze Medals to William Hamer Leigh, M.R.C.S., John Cooper Russell, M.B., John Gerrard (H.M. Inspector of Mines), James Polley (electrician), James Moss (pitman), John Hilton (pitman), John Hardman (shot lighter), William Markland (shot lighter), James Hartley (fireman), Llewellyn E. Williams (under-manager), Benjamin Magnall (miner), Robert Greenhalgh (fireman), John Bullough (undermanager), William Marsh (under-manager), John Williams (under-manager), William Turton (fireman, killed by afterdamp), Abraham Stott (de taller), Harry Oliver Dixon (mining engineer), Edmund Bullough (under-manag er), John Herring (fireman), and Robert Roberts (fireman).

All the above recipients took a conspicuous part in rescue work at the Hulton Collieries after the terrible explosion on the 21st December, 1910. Through the exertion of the rescue parties nearly 500 lives were saved.

BRONZE MEDAL.

George E. Brereton (journeyman baker, Stockport).On N ovem ber 5th, 1910, Brereton snatched a little boy named Robert Brimelow, aged three, from in front of an approaching electric tram car in Castle-street Stockport. As he did so he slipped, and, with the child in his arms, just succeeded in rolling clear of the car.

Arthur Hughes (boatman, H.M. Coastguard, St. Mar-

July, {9 I1 •

-FIRST

garet's).-When the sailing vessel" Preussen " went ashore at Fan's Bay, between St. Margaret's and Dover, on November 6th, I9TO, Hughes volunteered and descended the face of the cliff by means of a rope ladder in order to get a line over the ship, incurring great danger to himself.

CERTIFICATE OF HONOUR.

William Parker (postman, Darwen).-On July 30th, 1910, Parker saved a boy, aged 6, from being run over by a motor-car in Duckworth-street, Darwen; in doing so he fell on his knees and narrowly escaped being himself run over.

AWARDS IN THE DOMINIONS.

The following awards have also been conferred and arrangements have been made for their presentation by the Governor of Western Australia, the Governor-General of the Union of South Africa, and the Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand respectively :BRONZE MEDALS.

Arthur Young (miner, Senate Gold Mine, Western Australia).-On November 14th, 1910, Young and another miner, Edward Brown, were firing a number of holes in the Senate Gold Mine, Edjudina, '¥estern Australia, below the 200 ft. level. Brown delayed ascending the ladder, and as he sprang for it a shot exploded, knocking him down and inflicting serious injuries, and also slightly cutting Young's left leg. The shot had extinguished the candles, but Young immediately jumped back, and while he was carrying up Brown, who was unconscious, the second shot exploded, a flying piece of rock inflicting a severe wound on Young's leg. In spite of this he got up the ladder. Brown has since made good progress towards recovery.

George Whiteside Robertson, M.B. (Cathcart, Province of the Cape of Good Hope).-On January 5th, 19II, a railway accident occurred at Gaika Loop, 22 passengers being killed. Dr. Robertson, in spite of having himself suffered severe injuries, including three broken ri bs, insisted on being carried from place to place directing the treatment of the injured, until he fainted from pain and exhaustion.

Certificates of Honour were also awarded to William Joseph Sleeth (police constable, Wellington, N.Z.), for saving a child from being run over by a tramcar.

John Crawford (miner, Hyman Gold Mine, Perth, W.A.) who rescued a fellow miner who had been overcome by poisonous fumes at the bottom of the shaft.

The Service medals, awarded for distinguished service to the Order and its Departments, were also presented to the following members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade :-

Colonel Cyril W. B. Bowdler, c.B., late Commissioner for Special Services.

Assistant Commissioner Joseph W. White, No. VII. District.

District Chief Superintendent Charles J. Tunks, Auckland, N.Z. District.

District Chief Superintendent Joseph Ernest Bone, Dunedin, N.Z. District.

District Superintendent Secretary Henry M. Doull, Auckland, N.Z. District.

Chief Surgeon Samuel O. Eades, L.RP.C., Ipswich Corps.

Chief Surgeon Leslie W. Dryland, M.RC.S., Kettering Corps.

Chief Surgeon Richard H. Grimbly, M.R.C.S., Newton Abbot Corps.

Chief Superintendent William Jewell, Newton Abbot Corps.

AID.-

5

Honorary Surgeon Leonard G. S. Molloy, M.D , Blackpool Nursing DiviSion.

Superintendent John Gardiner, Keswick Division.

Superintendent William G. Lam bert, Bacup Division.

Superintendent William R. Magnus, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Lady Superintendent (Mrs.) Annie V. M. Orme, Blackpool Nursing Division.

Lady Sperintendent (Mrs.) Minnie H. White, Ironbridge Corps.

First Ambulance Officer James Lowe, Prince of Wales's Corps.

First Ambulance Officer Arthur G. Pilkington, Auckland, N .Z. Division.

First Nursing Officer (Miss) Louisa A. Hemsworth, Ipswich Corps.

First Nursing Officer (Mrs.) Ellen R Andrews, Ironbridge Corps.

First Nursing Sister (Mrs.) Jane Jones, Ironbridge Corps.

Second Ambulance Officer Joseph M. Cutts, Keswick Division.

$econd Ambulance Officer Charles J. Fitch, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Second Nursing Officer (Mrs.) Amelia E. Hume, Ipswich Nursing Division.

First Class Sergeant Alfred W. Newton, Prince of Wales's Corps.

First Class Sergeant William J. Godden, Prince of Wales's Corps.

First Class Sergeant Adolphus C. Griesbach, Prince of 'Vales's Corps.

First Class Sergeant Joseph Shore, Market Harborough Division.

Sergeant James Wills, Prince of Wales's Corps. Sergeant Thomas W. Manley, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Sergeant Robert C. Smith, Market Harborough Division.

Sergeant and Honorary Secretary Percy S. Todd, Keswick Division.

Corporal Alfred N. Panter, Keswick Division.

Corporal Alfred H. Rose, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Corporal Leonard A. Evans, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Corporal William H. Stone, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Private Henry Holder, Chichester Division.

Private James F. Derrick, Auckland, N.Z. Division.

Private William Breen, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Private Harry Bishop, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Private William Gaulton, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Private James D. Staggers, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Private Charles W. Ward, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Private James Nightingale, Heywood Division

Private Henry T. Maclean, Auckland, N.Z. DlVlslOn.

Nursing Sister (Miss) Jessie Huggins, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Nursing Sister (Miss) Edith Barnard, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Nursing Sister (Mrs.) Elizabeth Attwell, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Nursing Sister (Mrs.) Harriett Down, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Nursing Sister (Miss) Emily Grace, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Nursing Sister (Mrs) Mary Hull Corps. .

Nursing Sister (MISS) Carolme Ryalls, Ironbndge Corps.

S.E. & c.R. - The certificates, &c., gained by the mem bers of the AshfJrd Classes were presented in the Ashford Co-Operative Hall on the 16th ultmo., by H. S. Wainwright, Esq., J.p., the Locomotive Supt. He expressed the great pleasure that it gave him to distribute the awards and took the opportunity of again assuring those present that the members of his staff would have every facility for qualifying in first aid work. Although the work in the district had made almost phenomenal progress, he could not but feel that there were still many men in the services who would be better for a knowledge of this important work. He congratulated Mr. Henneker, the Committeeman, on having organised such an excellent class and hoped that next season some of the trophies offered for competition by the Railway Company would find their way to Ashford Works. A very excellent musical programme was provided and altogether the meeting was a huge success.

On the 12th inst., Capt. Spender Clay, M.P., for the Tonbridge Division of Kent presented the awards to the successful candidates in No. 3 District; this includes Tonbridge, Paddock Wood and Maidstone Classes. The Captain expressed the great satisfaction it had given him to present the awards, more especially as on several occasions he had had practical proof of the value of a knowledge of first aid. He took a particular interest in the railway men and hoped that they would ali realise the necessily and worth of securing an education in this useful direction.

Twenty-five of the of the S.E. railway ambulance men were in attendance at Charing Cross on the day of the Coronation, and again on the day of the Royal Progress. On the occasion of the King's Fete to the children at the Crystal Palace fifteen men were on duty at the station.

THE CHESHIRE LINES COMMITTEE.- The Manchester Central Clerical Team were successful in obtaining the first prize consisting of a massive silver cup and a silverplated jelly dish for each member of the team in the open ambulance competition which took place at Grange Moor, near Wakefield, on Saturday, June 17th. The team was composed of Messrs. W. Bridgwood, J. Harrison, H. Widdowson, A. Etchells and A. Thornton.

M. R. -Certificates were distributed to the members of the White Goods Station Class, on July 7th , by Mr. R. J. Tomlinson (Goods Agent). In his address he stated that nineteen out cf twenty members of the Class were successful in obtaining certificates-a fact which spoke volumes for Dr. Roe's able tuition and for the attention of the stl1dents. In conclusion, 'the Chairman expressed the members' very hearty thanks to Dr. Roe for the he had and his skillful tuition, presenting him at the same tIme with an umbrella as a mark of their appreciation of his honorary services. Dr. Roe

AI D.- July, IgII.

expressed his hearty thanks for the gift, and spoke of the value of ambulance knowledge. Mr. P. H. Freeman, an advanced student, was subsequently thanked for the assistance he he had given to the Doctor and the members of the Class during the course of instruction. The work of organising the Class was undertaken by Mr. R. H. Smith, the Hon. Secretary.

The British Red Cross and that of its Eastern Ally.

(Concluded .from page I9I.)

CHAPTER VI.--THE STANDING COUNCIL.

Article 17. The Society shall have a Standing Council.

The Standing Council shall be composed of 3 0 Councillors.

The Councillors shall be elected at a General Meeting from among the members resident in Tokyo. The names of the elected shall be submitted to His Majesty the Emperor, through the Ministers of the Army and of the Navy.

In case the President and Vice-Presidents of the Society he nominated by His Majesty the Emperor, from outside of the membership of the Standing Council, these persons shall be made Councillors without resort to a regular election and the number of members of Council shall thereby be increased.

The office of a Councillor shall be honorary. The term of service is for three years. He may however be re-elected.

The term of office for a Councillor elected to fill a vacancy shall correspond to that of his predecessor.

In case of new elections, the out-going Councillors shall continue to exercise their functions until the newlyelected Councillors have been duly confirmed in their offices.

Article 18. The Standing Council shall meet at the call of the President and shall pass decisions on all the more important affairs of the Society.

Article g. Votes shall be taken in the Standing Council by absolute majority. In the case of a tie, the President shall have the casting vote.

Article 20. No resolutions can be passed by the Standing Council unl ess a quorum of more than one-third of the fixed number of Councillors is present.

In case the number present has been found less tban is prescribed in the preceding clause, :the President shall call a renewed meeting within a fortnight.

Article 2 I. When a deferred meeting is called in accordance with the second paragraph of the preceding article! or when a meeting is called in case of public calamIty the presence of a one-third quorum is not necessary.

22. .When, in the case of a public calamity, It IS ImpOSSI?le to convene a meeting of the Standing Councd, the PreSIdent shall take relief-measures on his own authority, subject to the posto facto approval of the Council.

CHAPTER VI I.-MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS

Article 23· There shall be ten managers t::> take charge of all the affairs of the Society. One of the managers shall be the President and two of the other managers shall be vice-presidents.

Article 24. Those made> president and vice-presidents

July, 19 11 • -FIRST

by the Imperial Commission are ipso factI) managers; the other managers shall be elected by the Standing Council from among its members.

The nominations of the managers shall be laid before His Majesty the Emperor, through the Ministers of the Army and of the Navy.

The s.crvices of the president, vice-presidents and managers shall be honorary, and their term of office shall correspond with that of the Councillors. They may, however, be re-elected.

Article 25. The President shall direct the general affairs of the Society, represent it towards outside, appoint commissioners and engage employes. He shall preside at the general meeting of the Society and at the meetings of its Standing Council. The vice-presidents shall assist the president and take his place in the event of his absence.

Article 26. The Society shall have three supervisors.

The supervisors shall be elected at a General Meeting from among the members of the Society. The names of

AID.-

7

together with the business to be transacted thereat, shall be notified in certain specified newspapers.

Article 3 I. No one but the members present shall vote at a general meeting.

Members who do not present themselves at a general meeting are not allowed to vote by proxy or send rt;presentatives thereto.

Article 32. Votes shall be taken at a general meeting by absolute majority and in the case of a tie, the President shall have the casting vote.

CHAPTER IX.- ·SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR TIME OF WAR.

Article 33. When a meeting of the Standing is called in connection with the carrying out of relIef measures in time of war, Article 20 shall not be applied.

Article 34. In time of war, the managers, councillors and supervisors shall continue to act as such, even after their term of office shall have expired, until the reestablishment of peace.

Article 35. The work executed in time of war shall be reported t) a general meeting.

KEN DAL NURSING DI VISION. This years winners" Trimble" Shield, NO 4 District. Lady Supt. B. Collinson, Nursing Sisters Livingtone, Jackson, Bond and Townley.

the persons elected shall be submitted to His Majesty the Emperor, through the Ministers of the Army and of the Navy.

Article 27. The office of the Supervisors shall be honorary. Their term of office is three years, subject to re-election.

The term of office of a supervisor appointed to fill a vacancy shall correspond with that of his predecessor.

CHAPTER VII I.-THE GENERAL MEETING.

Article 28. An ordinary general meeting shall be convened once every year.

Besides the ordinary general meeting mentioned in the preceding clause, an extraordinary general meeting may be called when the President deems it necessary.

Article 29. The President shall convene an extraordinary general meeting, whenever an application, stating the business on which action is demanded, is made by more than one-tenth of the members of the Society, within five weeks after such application shall have been made.

Article 30. The convoc.ltion of a general meeting

CHAPTER X.-LOCAL SECTIONS AND SPECIAL ORGANISATIONS.

Article .., 6. A local section shall be established in the Hokkaido, each Fu and Ken and in Taiwan : also special organisations shall be instituted In dIstncts where such shall be deeme>d necessary.

Article 37. Regulations relating to local sectIOns and special organisations shall be drawn up by the Standing Council.

CHAPTER XI.-YUKOSHO (ORDER OF Article 38 Yuk osho , or Order of Mer.lt, shall conferred subject to the decision of the Standmg on such persons as have rendered distinguished services In aiding the work or contributing to the funds of the Society. SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION. Those persons who have heretofore been Sanjoin without full membership) shall continue to be so deSignated, an.d the rate of their su bscription and the treatmen.t they receIve at the hands of the Society shall remain the same

-FIRST Brevities.

WHEN the gallant soldier Baden-Powell started the Boy Scout movement, five years ago, he little guessed how successful his attempt to keep the boys out of mischief by giving them something to do would prove. To-day you come across the familiar uniform-slouch hat, soft shirt, knickers and staff-everywhere. The scouting fever has spread like a fire in dry weather, and it is difficult to say where the movement will stop or how much benefit will result to the naticn and the empire from the turning of boyish energies and imagination into wholesome and useful channels. The rally before the King on July 4th, only shows the universal sympathy with the movement, and should be a great incentive to those who are working in it to try and do better in promoting character-training and good citizenship among the rising generation of all classes.

AT the International Conference of the Red Cross Society, which is to be held in Washington in May, 19 12 , the Marie Feodorovna prizes will be awarded, for the purpose of diminishing the sufferings of the sick and wounded in the time of war. The prizes for 19I2 will consist of one. of 6,000 roubles, two of 3,000 roubles each, and six of 1,000 roubles each. The subjects set for competition are: (I) Organisation of evacuation methods for wounded on the battlefield, involving RS much economy as possible in bearers. (2) Surgeon's portable lavatories for war. (3) Methods of applying dressings at aid stations and in ambulances. (4) Wheeled stretchers. (5) Support for a stretcher on the back of a mule. (6) Easily portable fvlding stretcher. (7) Transport of wounded between men-of-war and hospital vessels and the coast. (8) The best method of heating railroad cars by a system independent of steam from the locomotive. (9) The best model of a portable Rontgen-ray apparatus, permitting utilisation of X-rays on the battlefield and at first aid stations. The largest prize will be awarded for the best solution of any question irrespective of what the question may be. Information can be obtained from the Exhibition Committee, Red Cross Society, Washington, D.C.

THE Times on June 31st devoted a leading article on the splendid services rendered by the mem bers of the S.J.A.A. and S.J.A.B. It traced the history of the movement from the time of A.D. 1048, when the few merchants of Amalfi formed themselves for the relief and assistance of pilgrims proceeding to the Holy Land, down to the present day, pointing out the benefits which the purely voluntary institution confers upon the public. It is gratifying that such an article finds a place in our leading daily paper, but we regret to see that the name of Sir John Furley and others, the founders and pioneers of the Association, are not mentioned.

AI D.- July, 191 t.

IT is gratifying to see the progress which the S.J.A.A. is making in the Indian Empire. We have recently received a copy of the first number of the Indian Ambulance Gazette, the official organ of the Indian Branch of the S.J.A.A. In the prefatory note it says "For years the great bar to the extension of the courses of instruction was a lack of information on the subject, it was therefore decided to publish a quarterly journal, the Editor of which is Major Blackham." We wish our contemporary a successful and useful career.

* * *

THE Port of London Authority has decided to purchase four electric motor ambulances, and to improve the first aid arrangements at the docks. The Metropolitan Asylums Board have also ordered nine more Dennis motor ambulances, six with van bodies and three with brougham bodies; and when all the vehicles at present on order are delivered, the Board's am bulance service will be all motor.

SIR JAMES CLARK, speaking at a luncheon given by Mr. C. B. Palmer, Deputy-Commissioner of the No. 6 District, at Newcastle, to officers of the district, said, "There was no other organisation in the Empire which was so suitable for the work as the S.J.A.A. They had now been doing the work publicly for the past five and twenty years, and they had attained to such a degree of efficiency that they were sought for by the police and other authorities for help on special occasions. It was a work which was of the noblest kind possible, because it was all voluntary; there was no reward. It was being done simply for the love of their fellow men, and it was being done at great sacrifice of both time and money to the members of the association, and not only by those who did the work, but by those who employed those who did it."

*

SPEAKING in passing of the position of the Red Cross Society and the St. John Association, Sir James remarked that the former organisation was raised entirely to help the nation in time of war, and he foresaw the difficulty might arise that in order to justify its existence the Red Cross Society might have to step in Rnd say that it must also do something in time of peace. Then he was afraid would be an unfortunate clash between the two societies. The best way they could prevent that was by recruiting themselves for the peace work in every town and village in the Kingdom, for the S.J.A.A. must give place to nobody.

The Commissioner of Police gave high encomium to the S.J.A.B. for their valuable work during the Coronation.

Sir G. Henry said he desired to be one of the first to acknowledge the invaluable help received from the splendid organisation of the S.J.A.B.

No. 2 District.

For the Naval Review at Portsmouth, on June 24th, Lieut.-Colonel Twiss, Asst.-Commissioner for the district made very adequate ambulance arrangements. The various stations at Portsmouth were looked after by detachments from Chichester, Littlehampton, Bishop's Waltham, Netley, Woolston, Southampton and Bournmouth and Nursing Sisters of the Netley, Woolston, Southampton, Canute, Portsmouth and Lymington Nursing Division were in attendence. There were ten fully equipped ambulance stations distributed at important points of the town, and an ambulance tent was erected at Southsea Castle in charge of Supt. Street and Hon.

Atn.- 9

that the men were by no means novices, and understood their work thoroughly. Shelters were also made. Lieut.-Colonel Twiss, in commenting upon the afternoon's work, said he was sure they had all learnt valuable lessons from it. One great lesson they would learn was that of improvisation, and to do things that seemed impossible, and not give way to difficulties.

No. 3 District.

WELLINGBOROUGH.-The corps was inspected by Sir James Clark on July 1St. There were on parade I63 officers and men and 50 nursing sisters, the divisions represented being Wellingborough Headquarters, Rushden Higham Ferrers, Irthlingborough, Wollaston, Bogeat,' and the Welling borough Midland Railway SectlOn. The officers present Included Asst.-Commissioner T. H. Woolston, Dis.-Chief Surgeon W. Audland, Hon. Surgeon W. T. Watson, Chief Supt. Nicholson and Supt. Parker, Lady Supts. Smith, Pattenall, Margetts and Williams.

Upon the arrival of the inspecting officer a general salute was given, followed by an inspection of the ranks. Subsequently stretcher drill bandaging was performed, the corps then march ed pass In column and quarter column.

COVENTRY CENTRAL DIVISION.

Surgeon Richardson. Few senous cases were treated owing to the coolness of the weather. At Lfe-on-theSolent and Gosport the arrangements supervised by Supt. G. R. Edwards of the Alverstock Division, and those at Cowes and Ryde by Supts. Oatley and Matthews.

SOUTHAMPTON.-The monthly meeting of the Southampton Companies was held on July 12th. Representatives of the Canute, Portsmouth, Southampton, Shirley, Woolston, and Netley Divisions were present. Amongst those who attended were First Officer Houghton, Sergt. Parslowe and Lady Supts. Sprague and Cross and Mrs. Locke, Mrs. Horn and Mrs. Metcalfe. The operations, which were supervised by Lieut.-Colonel Twiss, consisted of gaining proficiency in the use of the various methods of cooking practised in the Army. Three methods were adopted, viz., the field oven, the trench kitchen, and the" Soyer " stove, and the mar:ner in which the two former were dug out and the fires lIghted proved

Sir J. Clark in commenting upon their work, said he was very pleased with what he had seen, the march ,Pass was very good. With regard to the ambulance work, It extremely good, and the improvised of the railway section was highly creditable. SpeakIng of the Voluntary Aid Detachment, which was represented (there that day, he said it was a class of work they had to devote themselves to over and above their ordinary work, it was a class of work which followed very closely that of the railway section. The nursing sisters, he proceeded, showed they had a thorough and c?mplete knowledge of bandaging, and they had done their tas.ks very neatly. He would have liked to see more long service badges. It was an honourable service, and every man and woman should be only too proud to show ".

Chief Supt. Nicholson spoke III appreclatlOn of ?Ir James' visit, and sai.d the corps would do Its best to mallltain its state of effiCiency. He called for three cheers for Sir James! which were heartily given.

-FIRST

Sir James suitably acknowledged, and the members were dismissed.

CO VE NTRY.-An interesting competition was recently held at Coventry for the Silver Cup presented by Supt. H ; M. Be thall. Six squads were judged by the Rev. W. Dore Rudgard. The winning tea m comprised members the Coventry C e ntral Div ision, vis , Sergt. <? Lamm, Pnvates Pittam, Paintrucy, Buckley and Pernn. Supt. H. M. Bethall pr esent ed the Cup and medals to the wmners and congratulated th e m on their smart appearance.

IpSWICH. - This Corps undertook t he duties of the Royal Show held this year at Norwich ; in of the arrangements was Major F. A. Brooks (Dlstnct Chief Supt.) assisted by Capt. W. A. Gibb Hon. Ead es and Fryer. In all 66 officers, pnvates and nursmg sisters att e nd ed C o lchest er and Cromer, also joined the oth ers at N orwi c h. Duty was arranged at eleven stations, which were roped off and had room for the litters, stretch e rs, and material for patients ; 118 cases .were trea ted, most of th e m were faints, and many were soldiers; nearly all seemed to co me from insufficient food and long standing. ,

The N orwi ch Watch CommIttee provIded light breakfast on a rrival, and luncheon when duty was over. The Show Au th orities had kindly granted a free pass, and when work wa s done, nearly all went there, and were most generously treat ed by th e m, free passes being given for the Horticultural Show, etc. Some of the Nursing Sisters had been too busy with pa ti e nts to see the King in Norwich, so they formed up a ll together for his M aj esty's departure. They all curts ie d low to the King, and h ad a gracious bow and smile in ackn owled gement.

No. 5 District.

Last month we gav e a brief report of the Scarborough Camp, since this was published we have been favoured with full e r partieD lars.

The adv a nc e party of 20 men, under District Supt.Secr et ary H C. C ha m bers and Quartermaster Hon. Surgeon and Supt. W. T W ood, L.R.c.P., accompanied by the Adjutant, Supt. H. S. Witty, arrived in camp on Thursday, June 1st, a t 4 p.m. Thanks to the e nergy of the " Advance >, and th eir leader, Quartermaster-S ergt. O. F. Buxton, all beddin g was plac ed in the tents and the only effort the n e w arriv als at :2 p. m. on Sunday we re called on to make, was to fil e in front of Stores and draw blanketsthen dine.

The Commanding Officer, Surgeon-Captain A. J. H elm Monta gue, M D of the Worksop Division, ex pressed his admira tion at the amount of work done in the time. The chief feature of the cooking quarter was a " Field Destructor '" all paper and refuse from the camp being consum ed there,

Hon. Surgeon W T. Wood, Cresswell Division, took over the duties of Quartermaster on arrival of the main body; First-class Ser gt. Birkett, of the Rotherham Corps, was Ser g t.-Major ; a nd First-class Sergt. O. F. Buxton, of the Sheffield Corps, Brigade Orderly-Sergt.

There were 23 officers and 349 men in the camp drawn from the following Divisions :- Worksop, Cresswell, Warsop Main, Pleasley, Mansfield Colliery, Crowle Farm, Heanor, Birchwood, Tibshelf, Hasland, Buxton, Sheffield, Rotherham, Treeton, Silverwood, Cadeley, Denaby, Castleford, Skipton, Silsden, Keighley, and Manningham.

Each morning at 6 a.m. the Sergt.-Major had his

AID. - July, 1911

parade, for com bined stretcher drill. At 6.45, the three Company Officers, ("A") Supt. F. F. Linley, Gainsborough; ("B " ) Supt. G. A. Londgen, Pleas ley ; and ("C") Supt. T. Noble, took their respective Companies for practice in Company formations. After breakfast, the feature of each day was the Com manding Officer's parade.

Under such able surgeons as Captain Montague, M.D., Surgeons W. T. Wood, L.R.c.P., J. J. Huey, L. M.S., S.A., and W. Scatterty, M.A., M.D. (Keighley), the duties of Orderly Medical Officers was divided and excellently done. These gentlemen took the part of judges and examiners in field work on Wednesday and Thursday. A field base hospital was established about a mile from camp, and a dressing tent under service conditions. Wounded (the band and buglers) being sought and found by "A" Co., treated on the spot and carried to the dressing tent by "B" Co., which was not allowed by "C" Co. to be con gested; this Co. keeping the line clear by transporting the wounded to the base hospital. The surgeons in charge examining the bearers on the work they had done , Captain Montague gave concise and interestin g accounts of the reasons for each part of the fi eld work, and explained in detail the work of each unit of the Bri g ade. After dinner the men were free to go where they pleased until I 1 p.m.

On Friday carne the sports, several beautiful pri zes, give n by the officers, were compet ed fo r, Sergt. -Major Birkett a nd Ord e rly-Serg t. Buxton being in charg e of the arran ge me nts.

The tug of war was well supported, nearly all divisions being represented. A donkey polo match was won by the sergeants, against the officers. This was a very exciting match and very fast. When the ball came n ear one of the steeds the player n earest sometimes hit it. The ground was kept clear by an officer on a stationary ass, and the commanding officer acted as referee, and afterwards at a smoking concert presented the prizes.

On Saturday the was great, for the Chief Commissioner, Sir James R. Andrew Clark, Bart., c.B., was to be the inspecting officer; at 10 a.m. he was received by the lin e with a g e neral salute, the brigade marched past in column and back in quarter-column, deployed and advanced in revi e w order.

" A" Company, under its commander, was then put through closed stretch er drill, and samples from "B" and " C " were taken for collecting wounded. The Chief Commissioner questioned each man of the sections, and on c.o mpletion of his inspection a hollow square was formed and he addressed Captain Montague thus: "I congratulate you on your command. I have no fault to find. Small details of dress require adjusting." He then inspected the tents. The pick of the tents was No. 18, Buglers from Warsop Main. All the week did this tent lead in the matter of neatness and cleanliness.

This camp will long be re mem bered for the beauty of its surroundings, the lovely bright but cool weather, and the excellent work done by all concerned. It was indeed a camp of instruction.

The NO.5 District camp is always a success and we are surprised that the other districts do not follow the example set, for the benefit of the instruction and the experience gained cannot be disputed.

No. 6 District.

The Deputy-Commissioner of the district gave a com plimentary luncheon to the officer of the district at Newcastle, on June 17th, to meet the Chief Commissioner, who later in the day, was to inspect the units of the

July, 19 11. -

Ar:nongst those present were Mrs. C. B. Palmer, Dlstnct ChIef J. R. Crease and Mrs. Crease, District Chief Supt. Dr. R. Anderson, Lieut.-Colonel Bowes District Supt. Treasurer J. O. Vaughan and Hon. J. An derson, W. Smith, Miller, J. Paterson, D. Wilson, A Smith Thompson and Wishart.

Colonel Sir James Clark, in responding to the toast of the S.J.A.A., said he was happy to say the Brigade was in a healthy position, its rate of growth was rapidly increasing. spoke at length of .the importance of maintaining the hIghest state of effiCIency. In connection with the Coronation duty he said that there had been a certain amount of feeling that more ambulance men should have been invited to London to do duty at the Coronation, but when they remembered that the Prince of Wales' Corps did the work in the London streets all the year round they could scarcely expect them to take a back seat on so important an occasion. In conclusion, he paid a high tribute to the No. 6 District, which he remarked was second to none.

The health of the Deputy-Commissioner was cordially toasted on the proposition of Dr. Smith of Ryton, and in reply,

The Deputy-Commissioner said that No. 6 District had progressed by leaps and bounds during the past few years. Its membership, in Septemb er, 1910, was 1,548 officers and men, 268 nursing sisters, a total of 1,8 16. The number of divisions was 3 corps and 60 divisi o ns. Since September, 1910, 10 divisions had been formed, comprising a total membership of 236, giving a gross total of 2,052. Brigade companies had been formed as follows:

- Durham, 12 male and 5 female, with a total membership of 644; East Yorkshire, 3 male and 5 femal e, a total mem bership of 22 S ; and Northum berland, 1 male company, total 49, giving a total membership of 9 I 8 Th e members of the Military Home Hospital R eserve numbered 149, giving a total membership in the R e serve of 1,0 6 7

The growth of the Brigade in Durham County, h e added, had been abnormal, especially among the colliery divisions. The Durham miner might be rough in appearance, but only those who had seen him at his first aid work could realise the genuine gentleness th a t was in his nature. With regard to the Coronation, he mention ed that the call had received a wonderful response. Everyon e seemed anxious to go, and he believed it was hardly fully realis ed by the general public that they were all g oing entirely at their own cost. In conclusion, he assured the Chief Commissioner that he could have no more loyal district than No.6.

At the conclusion of the luncheon the annual inspection took place. A number of e volutions were gon e through, and after the march past the Chief Commissioner briefly addressed the men and expressed his pleasure and satisfaction with all he had seen

In the evening there was a social gathering in the Connaught Hall, Blackett-street, Sir George Hare Philipson presiding over a large attendance.

The Chief Commissioner presented the certificates to the students who had passed the examinations during the year. In the N ewcastle-on-Tyne Centre the num bers were-? 13 certificates, 0 vouchers, 6 medallions, and 8 labels.

On June 18th a church parade was held at St. Thomas' Church. Deputy-Commissioner Palmer was in command, and he was accompanied by the Chief Commissioner, who read the lessons. The brigade band accompanied the h ymns, and the Rev. J. T. Inskip, the vicar of J esmond, preached an appropriate sermon. He said the brigade had

AI D .- I

an in.spi.ring record and, with credit, it could be said that 111 Its darkest days it had always remembered the high ldeal to be of service to the welfare and usefulness of human life

No. 7 District.

" SIR CHARLES WARREN" SHIELD COMPETITION.-

The 6th annual competition, which is confined to the Rhondda.Valley, for the shield and other prizes, was hela at on July 1st, Mr. William Jenkins, J.P., managmg director of the Ocean Coal Co., Ltd., presided. 'The trophy was won. by the Colliery team, captalDed by Mr. C. DaVies. ThiS IS the second occasion the Ferndale team have the premier place, for ID the first year of the competItion they were the winners. Dr. Thomas Thomas, the hon. surgeon of the Ferndale

DR. THO MAS TH OMAS, M.R.C.S., L.R.c.P., N on Su rgeo7t F er nda le D/v/sion , R hondda F ach Corps

Division Rhondda Fach Corps, whose portrait we give, was instructor and lecturer to the team. The five other teams competing were placed as follows: 2nd, Abergorchy No. (Capt. Mr. J. Jones), 17 6 marks; 3rd and 4th di vided between Tylorstown and Mardy teams (captained respectively by Mr. D. Robert and Mr. T. Evans), 170 ; 5th, Great Western Colliery, Pontypridd (Capt. Mr. D. Evans), 168; and 6th, Tynybedw Colliery, Pentre (Capt. Mr. J. Powell). 141. The judges were Deputy-Commissioner J T. Griffiths, No. 2 District, and Assistant-Commissioner F. Sprawson, No.2 District.

Dr. Griffiths in giving the decision, said that the idea was not to give a test that the competitors would not have to deal with in their daily work, and they wanted the competitors to exercise their wits as to the nature of the injury.

-FIRst

Five out of the six teams were correct in diagnosing the injury. The sixth team did well, but treated the wrong case. The average of the work was generally extremely good in fact, above the average of what one usually found. He was highly satisfied with the work, ar:d If he were injured he would not mind being treated by either of the teams competing that day. He found that the tendency of competitions and competitors was onward. One of the teams had treated the patient with a of bandaging which was little for. In marchmg, also, they interfered With the patient a good deal. They had but a little way to go, and there was no need to change bearers. One thing was remarkable-neither of the teams took the patient to the spot where they h.ad to take him. He had great pleasure 10 paymg a hIgh compliment to each of the teams.

Mr. William Jenkins, the president, remarked that It was more than he could explain why last year's victors (Maindy Colliery team) did compete that day to defend the shield. At the same time he supposed there were good reasons for their doing so, but he hoped the winning team that day would not give up the possession of the trophy next year uncontested.

Major-General Lee then presented the shIeld, a cheque and certificate to the Ferndale team, and also the money prizes to the other successful teams, after which, on the motion of Mr. W. Jenkins, a cordial vote of thanks was accorded the judges and Major-General Lee for their services that day.

At a complimentary luncheon which was given by the Ocean Coal Co , Ltd , Deputy Commissioner Griffiths, in responding to a toast of the S.J.A.A., said he believed with the appointment of Sir James Clark as Chief Commissioner of the S.J.A.B., a new era was in store for ambulance work. He (Sir James) was a man of fine soldierly instinct and high ideals, and under his leadership they could be certain that the brigade would be of still greater service to the world than it had been in the past. Continuing, he said that they owed a great deal to Mr. 3. E. Richards and Chief Supt. Davies for instituting the" Sir Charles Warren" competition. He regretted the absence of Col. Cureton, for his genial presence and kindly disposition had endeared him to every heart in that district.

The fourth annual contest for the handsome shield presented by Mr. David Davies, M.P., L1andinam, the chairman of the Ocean Coal Co., Ltd., took place on July 8th, at Ystradfechan Grounds, Treorchy, the competition being among the men employed under the Ocean Coal Co.

The seven teams competed-Maindy, Eastern, Gaud, Western, Park Dare, Lady Windsor. The winners being Maindy 2nd prize to Eastern 3rd, Gaud 4th, Lady Windsor.

Dr. T. H. Morris, M.B., Tylorstown, and Chief Supt. Capt. C. Richardson White, Merthyr Vale, acted as judges.

The officers of the competition being Mr. H. R. Jenkins, M. E., Ocean Collieries, Treaner Mr. E. Ed wards, M.E., Agent, Nantymoel and Secretary Chief Supt. Tom Davies, of the Rhondda Fawr Corps.

The judges spoke in eulogistic terms as to the efficiency of the whole of the teams. The competition, they said, had been an exceptionally good one, and it had been well worth the competitors' efforts in trying to win such a handsome shield.

Among the interested spectators at competition were Surgeon Capt. Morgan, Chief Surgeon Capt. J. R.

AID.-

Mr. E. Jones, M.E., and others.

Armstrong, H on. Surgeon Collingwood Barrett,

Irish News.

FROM OUR DUBLIN CORRESPONDENT.

THE great event of the year in Du blin ambulance circles is the annual competition for the challenge cup, presented by Lord I veagh, in whose magnificent grounds at Stephen's Green it was held on July 1St. Seventeen teams. comp'eted, including the holders of the cup-the Belfast FJre BrIgade team.

For s.tretcher work 100 marks were obtainable, 50 for oral and 100 for individual practical work. The Belfast Brigade came out in the result with 2 2t marks, St. James's Gate 2I0, and Messrs. W. and R. Jacob's Judge Ross, in the presence of a very fashi<:>na,hle gathering presented the cup and mf!dals to the wmmng team and medals to the second team.

Mr. Justice Ross, who is an ardent ent?usiast ambulance work has recently accepted the chaIrmanshIp of the re-organised centre, atJd under his guidance it is hoped that the aims and objects of the St: John Ambulance Association will be brought more prommently before the Dublin public. In a very speech he. made the presentation, and dwelt particularly on the .Importance of a knowledge of first aid being imparted In all large schools and colleges, so that everyone might know something of the subject. He also expressed hope that th.e National Board of Education would take It up and have It extended amongst the teachers. When speaking of how the English Railway Co.'s had their men taught first aid, he gave a sly dig at the railway systems of Ireland-but the Irish Companies seem utterly dead to the importance of their employes being able to succour the public in the case of disaster.

Dear old, easy-going, lovable Dublin had an unique experience during the Royal visit .in the presence .of .a suddenly inflated population-the ever WithIn its gates, and an abnormally hot sun .whlch blIstered the waiting crowds until the skin almost Sizzled. Under such conditions it was only to be expected that there was work in store for "St. John's men "-and so there was.

On the day of the state entry contingents from St. James's Gate, City of Dublin Division, and the newlyformed division attached to Messrs. W. & R. Jacobs & Co. were detailed for duty at fixed points along the line of route.

The Ladies' Nursing Division (City of Dublin) were also allotted a share of the work under the superintendence of Mrs. K. Middleton Curtis, and rendered excellent service among their own sex Miss J ones d!stinguished herself. It was their first .10 and they rapidly established themselves In the estImatIOn of the waiting thousands. At one of the most congested thoroughfares Dr. Charles (hon. surge0n, Ci!y of Division), stood with his men and worked like a trojan himself. Altogether, with the review and children's fetes, many hundreds of cases were treated.

Owing to the exceptionally hot summer weather, most of the classes are resting until a new session starts for the winter months.

1 I

We are in no war responsibte jor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-ED1TORS.

EXPOSING THE SEAT OF FRACTURE.

DEAR SIR,-I for one was very pleased to see the small photos, in addition to the reading, in last month's FIR ST Am queries column. How much better it conveys the correct idea than columns of reading. I trust the feature will be retained.

I am a young beginner in ambulance work, and there is a question I get mixed answers on when asking "old lads" at am bulance work. It is this: In treating an actual case of a fracture do you remove the clothing (or, to be more correct, split or cut it away ), to expose the seat of fracture. Of course I know it would be done if h c:e morrhage was present, but is it a general rule to expose the seat of fracture whatever kind it may be? Thanking you for your answer. - Yours, &c., A YOUNG BEGINNER.

[As a matter of fact, careful exposure of the injured part is, in very many cases, absolutely necessary to enable one to definitely state that a fracture really exists. This is an example of exposure for the purpose of diagnosis.

From a first aid point of view, the question of exposure or otherwise of the injured part is a very important one. For a proper understanding of the subject, however, it is absolutely essential that the first aider should, once and for all, clear his mind from the extremely common error of supposing that a compound fracture is necessarily associated with Compound fractures are very much more dangerous than simple fractures, their dangers, however, being due, not to h.:cmorrhage (of which there really may be none ), but to the access of septic germs to the wound connected with the fracture. The extent of this wound necessarily varies, and sometimes the smaller the wound the more treacherous the mischief.

It is the duty of the first aider to lessen those dangers, StJ far as may be possible, preventive measures being by far the most important. Rule 2, page 41, Cantlie. If unfortunately the fracture be compound, then the danger may be lessened by prompt" protection Jl of the wound from further contamination by the application of a suitable dressing. Page I8,?, Cantlie.

The existence of a wound can, in many cases, only be ascertained by exposure of the injured part.

As regards the question of exposure of the injured part in a case of fracture or suspected fracture, the points to be considered in every case are :-

( I) What are the risks associated with such a procedure? And (3 ) are the bp.nefits, to be obtained, of such a nature as will justify these steps being taken?

Much, therefore, will depend upon the conditioz: and surroundings of the patient, upon the help an.d. at t.he disposal of the first aider, ani upon or otherWise of prompt skilled attendance. "DlscnmmatlOn" must be exercised.

Should appropriate material be available, assistance be remote, then very careful exposure With a view to ascertain if "protective" measures are Il:eeded, would not only be perfectly justifiable, but the correct thmg to do. If appropriate matenals were not avadable, then such exposure would be of but Ii ttle service.

I f means of transport are at hand, and medical quickly obtainable, then, exposure for the purpose of diagnOSIs or treatment should be left for the su rg-eon. I n such a case, the possibility of injuries should be borne in mind by the

first aider, h,is energies should b.e directed to the prevention of further mIschIef, care for the patIent, and prompt transport.

- L. M. FRANK CHRI ST IAN, M.B.].

t is rumoured here that men holding Government pOSitIOns are to. be debarred from belonging to the St. John Brigade m accordance with the regulations governmg the Compulsory Training Act, about to be introduced.

Several members with whom I am personally acquainted bel?ng to the mili.tary forces, and will be called upon to resIgn from the Brigade after serving ten years or more.

It is to hoped that authorities of the St. John Ambulance Bngade will recognise the past services of these men who have faith,fully served so many years in the Brigade, and .have been lookIng forward to the time of receiving their servICe medal, but seemed doomed to disappointment through no fault of their own. - Yours, &c.,

S. WE STMAN.

75, Annandale-street, Annandale, Sydney, N.S.W. May 27th, 1911.

CORONATION DUTY.

SIR,-I have always held our Brigade officers up as stamps of what a true St. John man should be, but the Coronation duty in London has caused me to alter my opinion very much. I find that a large number of the corps and divisional officers are taking duty in London as sergeants and corporals on Coronation day. The result is that sergeants have to go as corporals and corporals as privates The privates, therefore, being pushed out. In one district alone the number of serg-eants and corporals (a good number of these being officers ) far exceed the number of privates. The selection (we are told ) hd5 been by ballot, yet we find that those selected (?) are chiefly those who do not take much public duty in their own district.

The same applies to the Royal Progress on June 2Jrd, officers doing duty as sergeants. I expect it is so as the officers can get a medal. I have heard them discuss what sort of a medal they would get for the duty this being done weeks before. There is not much of the spirit of the Knights of Old about this. They did not look to the medal before doing their duty. There is no wonder that there is great discontent in the Brigade when business is done in such a manner as this. There is no encouragement to us privates to volunteer for duty at home when, upon important occasions, the officers fill up the majority of places as sergeants and corporals.

I also find that some men who were returned non-efficient the past year are doing duty at the Coronation. I n several instances men who have only been in the Brigade a few months have been selected, and those who have served years are passed over. No allowance appears to have been made for service. Seeing that we have to pay a subscription to our division and do public duty, losing our wages and not receiving any allowance whatever, I think we are entitled to have matters carried out with justice to all. I hope that all those who are doing duty at the Coronation will come to the front when officers and men are required in their own district for duty. I have decided that the Brigade will not have my services after the end of this year.- Yours, &c.,

ONLY A PRI\TAT E.

[If the facts which our correspondent gives are correct we must say it is not" playing fair." We also understood that apart from the officers the selection of men to do duty at the Coronawas to be done by ballot.-ED. " F.A. 'J

TINCTURE OF IODINE.

DEAR SIR,-I was glad to see the letter in last month s number of FIRST Am from the Medical Officer-in-Chief of the St. John Ambulance Brigade re Tincture of Iodine as an antiseptic.

By applying- an iodine dressing to the wounds enorm?us good might be effected, and I feel sure that the hospital surgeon would be very pleased to find that the lacerated

-FIRST

wound over a broken bone had been so treated.-I am yours faithfully, J. M. CARVELL.

Hon. Surgeon Prince of Wales's Corps, S.J.A.B.

AMBULANCE MEN AT THE CORONATION.

DEAR SIR,-I tlnd it difficult to recall a similar occasion on which conditions ha ve have been so un formly favourable or on which the arrangements worked so smoothly. I may prove interesting to many who were unable to see the Coronation celebrations in London, as well as those who did, to know something in detail of the ambulan ce provisio ns.

The newspapers in general ha ve not thought fit to devote space conc ern ing the duty undertaken by volunteer ambu lance workers as they did on the occasion of King Edward's funeral. There was nothing "sensational" about it, but Tlte Times without reserve proved the exception, showing its appreciation of the treatment of over 2,000 cas es by the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and devoting more than a column of its va luable space to the work a nd origin of the Order of St. John.

The rise and development of the British Hospital and voluntary ambulance services is remarkable, especially in civil life, when it is to be remembered that at the Coronation of Queen Victoria in 1837 any kind of ambulance was entirely non.existent, and now the white cross badge of the S.J A.B. is pre-eminently tile ambulance badge 0f civil life throughout the British Empire.

We find at the Coronation of King George V. there has developed the ambulance resources of the Boy Scouts, the motor ambulances of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, the ambulances for horses of "Our Dumb Friends " League, in addition to the orderlies, and I believe for the first time on such an occasion the Army Hospital Nursing Sisters, wi th the ambulance wagons and water carts of the Royal Army Medical Corps- Regulars and Territorial, all on duty at the request of the Commissioner of Police, who, it is satisfactory to learn now fully realises their value, and th a t his men are thankful be relieved of accident cas es, ha vi ng quite enough to do in their own parti cular line of business.

If it has do ne nothing el se, the Coronation of King George V. has been an excellent example of what the practice of forethought and precaution can do, and how much it is needed to come anywhere near obtaining success, let alone apprec ia tion. -Yours, &c.,

E. J. RAC KW IT Z -------.--.-----

Jottings.

. !he Wigan Division was inspected on July Ist by Dlstnct Supt. Treasurer F. de B. Pim. Twenty members were on parade under the command of Supt. G. Peak.

The Chapter-General of the Order of St. John held a reception on July 7th of visitors from India and the Oversea Dominions who are connected with the ambulance department. Lord Knutsford received the visitors.

On July 8th the Dudley Colliery and District Division was inspected by Hon. Surgeon J. Anderson. Subsean ,interesting demonstration of rescue work in was given by the members of the Cowper Collieries DIVISIOn.

a meeting of the Bolton Infirmary Committee a was adopted expressing high appreciation of the by Supt. Jones and his men in connection WIth the fire statIOn ambulance.

The (( A" Bearer Company, S.J.A.B., went into camp at on July. 2nd a week. They had their trammg at the Cambndge Milltary Hospital.

AI

The S.J.A.B. and the Coronation.

IT was the largest force of ambulance men and nursing sisters ever employed in London-I,176 m e mbers on duty with 35 surgeons on the first day and 2,616 men with surgeons doing duty on the second day. The value of their services has been once again vividly illustrated, and they performed their duty with credit to themselves and everyone else concerne d. Themselves called upon to endure no little physical strain, they gave themselves freely to everyone's services. The casualties on both days of the procession were very slight, the control of the spectators by the police and the mod e rate temperature of the air combined to reduce these to a minimum, but, nevertheless, as neither of these favourab le co nditions could have been forseen it was necessary to provide against any possible emergency, and we say without hesitation that the arrangements were planned to the satisfaction of everybody.

Four hospitals were scheduled for serious cases. At Charing Cross Hospital 24 cases, mostly of fainting, were treated, but none of the detained. St. George's Hospital, at Hyde Park Corner, rep orted IS cases, of which two were detained. St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, was scheduled for the motor ambulances, but only one case was admitted, that of a boy who had fallen on to a spike in Kensington Gardens. The spike entered his leg. At Westminster Hospital one woman was admitted about 10.30 in the morning with a broken leg. Two soldiers who had fAinted were detained for a couple of hoUls. A child was admitted with a scalp wound, and the only other case was that of a woman who had fainted. At St. Thomas's Hospital IS cases were received Two were detained-a woman who h a d been run down by a taxi-cab and a small boy who was jammed in the crowd early in the day.

Q uite apart from the duty which was performed in London, it must be rem embered that the provincial corps and divisions had a busy time in their own districts, from th e reports which we have re ce ived in the majority of towns ambulance men were on duty at their local celebration fetes.

THE CORONATION.

Twas on the glorious 22nrl of J une-

The day will not be forgotten soon-

That the St. John Ambulance Brigade, In order to render first aid

To whoever their help was needed, Whether they were rich or poor-'twas not heededFell in at 5 p.m. on their stations, Each man bringing with him his own rations; No bugles were needed to wake them from sleep, As all St. John's men their time always keep.

" She s fainted!" was the cry, And all in the crowd near her turned an eye; But in a moment am bulance men were at work, Took her away gently without even a jerk, And on a stretcher carefully laid herLeaving her in charge of a lady first aider. She quickly came round, then some "OXD" she drank In order to sustain her on her road home via the Bank: More serious cases were taken to shelter tent, And after exam. by a doctor to hospital was sent, But of the latter- to tell you, I m gladThere were only a few reported to be bad.

For supplying water to people of all types, The Metrop?litan Water BOCl;rd had fixed up stand pipes; These were m charged of BrIgade men so gentle and meek Who served out the water in paper cups that didn't leak Or run at the bottom and make your clothes in a These were provided by the Daily Express.

July, I9IT. -FIRST A

The day wore on, the great cerem0ny over at last, The Bng:ade men in.to a hearty repast, After which they agaIn fellm for duty at night, There w':!s more work to be done, for illuminations were to be alIght; These turned off at 12.30, then home the men wended their way,

For a few hours sleep duty next day.

The next day arn ved a! course, was the Friday.

The men turned up agam all tidy and clean Ready for another day's duty all were keen.'

Th.e cases that were treated were l ike the day before, With the were.a good many more.

The day agaIn over, IllummatlOns lIt and out again, The Bngade men went home, some by tram some by train

Although very tired,·and sadly wanted a rest

Ea ch man could safely say he did his best ' In the the cause of humanity, a,:d to save anyone pain, And I everyone would do It all over again.

So here s good health to the Bngade men and its nurseswhatever their stationFor the glorious work they did at the King's Coronation.

By A SPECTATOR.

Pl'ice 6d.

SOME PRACTICAL HINTS ON HOME NURSINC fOR UNTRAINED FOLK.

By ESTHER H. YOUNG.

Published by Scientific Press, S outhampton Street, Strand. May also be obtaIned of Messrs. Spot iswoode, Ltd., o r of the Author at 46, Alma I{ oad, Windsor.

How TO ACT IN CASES 01' EMERGENCY Aids to Memory for 'First Aid' Students.

" ,?y L. 1\1. FRANK CHRISTIAN, M.B., C.1\L Edin.

A fourth edItIOn demanded a better proof of the ut lity of th book .than any WrItten by a re\·ie,,:er." "Contains many additional hints e wanllngs, and cannot fall to prove of the l;Iealest assistance thos7,who would WIsh to acqUIre a sound knowledge of ambu ance work " It IS splendId, and clearly shows the painstaking care and study

FIRST AID.

The InGependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Joumal as instructive and entertaining as corresponden ts in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps {Territorials}, the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the J ouma!.

the country in the 18,000 well-trained ambulance men and women enrolled within its ranks. Indeed, it is really surprising what a splendid record has b een accomplished, notwithstanding the many difficulties that have presented themselves from time to time in one direction or another. But these have been surmounted with credit, much of which is due to the enthusiasm and devotion to duty of the individual members of the Bri gade.

SPRING BEARING WHEELS.

THE GOLD MEDAL APPARATUS.

The "PROTO" Rescue Apparatus

was awarded the FIRST GOLD MEDAL (HIGHEST AWARD) by the Royal Society of Arts, London, June, 1911, after most exhaustive tests with all types of apparatus at the Mining Department, Birmingham University.

Adopted by the Lancashire and Cheshire Coalowners' Association for their Rescue Station at Howe Bridge and affiliated Collieries. ALSO BY The North Staffordshire Coalowners' Association for their district. This apparatus accomplished excellent work at the Pretoria Pit, Bolton.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the !'.ame the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for pho tographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" is published on the 20th of the month. A Great Asset to the Nation.

EDITORIAL.

TR ULY encouraging were the words spoken by the Grand Prior of the Order on the occasion of the a nnual inspection of the Prince of Wales's Corps, when he said the members of the Brigade were now "a great asset to the nation, and that the nation owed them a considerable debt of gratitud e for the work they had done and were doing." There are, perhaps, few who can establish a better right to speak on the usefulness of ambulance work than H.R.H . the Duke of Connaught, for, as is 'Nell known, he takes a great interest in this department of the Order of St. JOhn. For many years he occupied the position of President of the City and Port of London Centre of the Association, and during his tenure of office as Commander-in -Chief in India, he lent valuable assistance in the propa gation of the movement amongst the inhabitants of the dependenci es of the native princes. The Prince of Wales's Corps were therefore fortunate in securing such a distinguished Inspecting Officer on July 22nd.

There is now abundant evidence to show the superlative benefit the Brigade has been to the nation, for it made itself a name in the South African War that will last for all time, and proved what a valuable national reserve

WE have received a considerable Competitions. amount of correspondence on the subject of alterations in competitions. The majority of our correspodnents suggest modifi cations so as to make competitions more In accord a nce with accidents that are seen every day-what we may term realistic competitions- t he chief part of whi ch is improvising of splints, bandages and str etchers W e will admit this is being carried out in some co mp e titi ons, but we should like to see the idea extended further afi eld. In organising this kind of competition many valu a ble hint s can be gathered from railway accidents and, in fact, accidents of all kinds. Imagine some mishap in the stre et, where the ambulance man cannot avail hims elf of the orthodox splints and bandages or an occasion wher, a stretcher is not at hand or any other ca se of accid ent where no material can be obtained. Here is offered ampl e scope for the inventive powers of the competitors, and at the same time providing a demonstra t ion that should be extremely interesting.

Again, in these competitions should be o ffered a n opportunity for practical instruction without appli a nc es To exemplify the point, take, as an example, the application of what we will call natural splints for instance, th a t of tyin g firmly a fractured leg to a sound on e or binding a fractured arm to the chest, with the for earm across th e body, the hand higher than the elbow. This sort of thin g is of more use than the knowledge of the methods of applying splints in the ordinary way, for in 75 per cent. of the accident cases which are treated no appliances ar e available. There are many of our am bulance surgeons who have had experience in railway accidents, and it rests with these gentlemen to give the lead in organising such competitions.

-FIRST DriIl.*

(Continued from page 4)·

DISMOUNTING WITH THRltE BEARERS.

THIS method is employed when it is necessary to render more help to the wounded man to take him off his horse, or in any case when three bearers are available.

Shortest on tlte Right-Tallest 011 the L8ft-.bz Single Ra1Zk-Size.

By Tltrees-Nlt1ltber.- The section will number by threes from right to left (three bearers will form a stretcher squad).

Squads at tlte Halt Rigltt F07'1IZ-QuiC/;! Marclz-Left TU7'11-Riglzt Dress.-As in " Infantry training."

First Rank-No. Bea1'ers-Stand at Ease.

Second Rank-No.2 Bearers-Stand at Ease.

Tltird Rank-No J Bearers-Stand at Ease. Bearers will thus be proved.

Squads-Attention-1Vzt1Jzber tlt e Sqttads.- The No. bearers number from right to left.

No. J Bearers-Right (or left) Turn-Supply StretchersQuick Ma1-clz.-As in ordinary stretcher exercise.

Stand to Siretciters.-On the word Stretelters the Nos. I place themselves with their toes in line with the front ends of the poles. Nos. 3 with their heels in line with the rear ends of the poles, close to and touching the stretcher with their right foot. Nos. 2 being midway between Nos. 1 and 3.

Lz/t Stretelters.-As before.

Caution-Near (or Off) Side Injured-Tak e Post at the Horses.-On the word Horses the bearers double to the named side, halt about 6 paces from the horse and lower the stretcher. No. 2 marches to the near side and halts pace distant opposite the wounded man's leg.

N os. and 3 march round the horse's head to the

AID.- August, 191 I

and having done this he prepares the stretcher and then resumes his position at the patient's side.

Two.-On the word "Two" the No.2 bearer on the injured side retains hold of the injured leg. N? 3 .bearer on the uninjured side helps the wounded man to raIse hIS leg over the horsp.'s withers, and this being done, steady and supports the man's body as he is turning round in the saddle, keeping his hands on his back for !)upport.

Three -On the word (( Three" the No. 3 bearer passes round quietly by the head of the horse and places himself near the horse's head, facing the No.2, who has the injured limb

August, 19II.

-FIRST

On the word Horses, the squads double to the near side, halt, and lower stretcher about six paces distant.

No. T to the .off-sid e of the horse 's head, No.2 places hlmself opposIte the 1l1Jured leg, NO.3 opposite the horse's near shoulder, NO.4 opposite the right leg of the wounded man. All should halt one pace distant and turn inwards together.

Prepare to Dis7lZ0ttut.-On the word (( Dismount," No. I takes hold of the horse, as before described.

NO.2 takes hold of the injured leg and holds it motionless as before descri bed. '

NO·3 prepares the stretcher and returns to his position opposite the horse's shoulder.

Two.-On the word" Two," No. ] retains hold of the horse

No.2 retains hold of the injured leg.

NO·4 helps the wounded man to raise his sound leg over the withers and steadies his body, as he turns round, keep1l1g hIS hands pressed on his back.

NO·3 remains close to the horse's shoulder to take hold of the sound limb directly it is passed over the withers, and so

AI D.-

to his place on stretcher. The bearers rise together, Nos. 2 and 4 m.ake a nght NO.3 a left turn, and march to their places as 111 stretcher dnll.

Lxit Stretchers.-As before.

Retire.-As before, No. leading the horse. Halt-Lower Stretchers.-As before. (To be continued.)

Yorkshire Collieries Ambulance League.

THE third annual competition of the Rotherham branch took p.lace on July 22nd at Masborough.

SlX teams entered for the Challenge Cup, given by Mr. C. E. Rhodes, J.P., and the winners were the Rotherham Main team, who secured 18S points; the second place was to Aldwarke (Warren House) team with 180 pOInts; Aldwarke (Swallownest) were fourth, Roundwood fifth, and Treeton sixth.

In the competition for first teams the results were :-1, Silverwood; z, Carhouse; 3, Treeton.

The result of the League competition was :-1, Silverwood (first); z, Silverwood (second); 3, Aldwarke Main (second).

DISIIIOUNTING WITH THREE BEARERs--2nd Position.

The two bearers pass their upper hands and arms under the thighs as high as possible, and support the legs with the lower hands and arms from behind.

Dismount Wounded.-On the word " Wounded" the wounded man places an arm round the neck of each bearer (Nos. 2 and 3), leans quickly forward and slips off the saddle. The Nos. 2 and 3 bearers receive the wounded man in their arms passed under his seat and thighs, and take two paces to their front and halt.

No. I bearer having secured the horse, falls in to assist Nos. 2 and 3.

Take Post at th e Stretcher - On the word "Stretcher" No.2 steps off with the left foot, NO.3 with the right foot, and march to the head of the stretcher and pass along one on either side and halt opposite the middle, holding the patient over the stretcher.

Lower Wounded.-On the word" Wounded" the patient is slowly lowered on to the stretcher and placed in position with the help of No. I. The bearers then rise and turn to the left, No. :2 bearer steps between the handles at the foot of the stretcher, and NO.3 between the handles at the head.

No. I bearer replaces the arms, &c ., on the horse.

DISl\IOUNTING WITH THREE BEARERS - 1st Position. off-side and halt J pace distant from the head of the horse and the wounded man's leg respectively.

All turn inwards to the right together.

Prepare to Dismount.-O n the word "Dismount" No. bearer will hold the horse as previously described.

No. '!-. The bearer on the injured side takes hold of the 11mb as described in previous exercises and holds it motIOnless.

NO·3· The bearer on the uninjured side removes arms,

We are to the Medical Department of,the War Office and H. M. Stationery Office for permission to publish extracts from the M.e?ical Training " and "Infantry Training ,. manuals 111 compllmg thIS artIcle.

Lxft Stretcher - As before.

Retire.-As before, No. I leading the horse.

Lower Stretcllers.-As before.

DISMOUNTING WITH FOUR BEARERS. Is required in very severe wounds or fracture of a lower limb.

Fall In.-As in company drill.

Form Fours.-As in company drill.

Prove the Bearers.-As before.

Number the Squads.-As before.

Supply StretcJters.-As before.

Stand to Stretc/zers.-As before.

Lzjt Stretchers-As before.

A NEAR SIDE INJ URY (LEFT LEG).

Caution-Near Side Injured. Take Post at tlze H01'ses.-

DISMOUNTING WITH FOUR BEARERS.

NO.3 is assisting wounded man to lift his leg off the horse's withers on near side.

to help the wounded man seat himself across the saddle with both legs on one side.

Titree.-On the word (( Three," No. 4 passes quickly round by the horse's head and places himself on the side of No.2 and carefully takes hold of the two lower limbs, whilst Nos. 2 and 3 slip their hands under the thighs of the wounded man as high as possible.

Dismount T¥Olmded.-On the word TVozmded, the wounded man places an arm round the neck of Nos. 2 and 3 bearers, leans quickly forward and slips off the saddle.

The Nos. 2 and 3 bearers receive the wounded man in their arms, passed under his seat and thighs. NO.4 keeps the legs horizontal. They all take two side paces and halt.

No. J having secured the horse, replaces arms, &c.

Take Post at the Stretclters.- On the word Stretciter, the . patient is carried to the left of the stretcher, Nos. 2 and 4 stepping off with the left foot, NO.3 with the right; halting two paces from the stretcher.

Lower Wounded.-O n the word vVoxmded, the patient places both his arms round the neck of No.2 bearer; Nos. 2 and 4 kneel down on the left knee. NO.3 assisting also with the lowering of the patient. The patient is supported on the right knees of Nos. 2 and 4.

NO.3 bearer passes round the head of the stretcher, lifts it and places it under the patient in the manner prescribed in stretcher drill' He then kneels on the left knee, facing middle of the stretcher.

Two.-On the word "Two" the wounded man is lowered

The gold medal given by the divisional committee for best percentage gained by colliers and trammers presented for examination was secured by W. Martin (hon. secretary of the Cramley class), with fourteen out of twenty-four. The winners of gold medals given by the divi8ional committee to the best first-year man in each class were :E. Clarke, Bramley ; F. Hardy, Canklow; J. F. Moeris, Carhouse; E. Finney, Parkgate; D. Head, Roundwood; N. Robinson, Silverwood; F. Wroe, Low Stubbin; W. Nichols, Treeton; G. Kershaw, Woodhouse.

Certificates were presented to George Mayo for rendering first aid in the case of Henry Murray, who met with an accident at the Rotherham Main Colliery, and to Arthur Bird, who rendered valuable assistance to Isaac Lovatt, injured at the same colliery.

In the course 6f the proceedings, Mr. C. E. Rhodes, J.P., intimated his intention of giving each year a smaller cup, so that the successful team might permanently place it in their club-room.

Reviews.

SOME PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION NURSING FOR UNTRAINED

By Esther H. Young.

ON" HOME FOLK. London: The Scientific Press, Ltd., 18-21, Southamptonstreet, Strand. Prz'ce 6d.

MOST of the articles given in this book were formerly delivered as lectures, and their appreciation as such led the author to puhlish them in book form, in the hope that they would prove useful to many people. As its tit!e .it is in no way intended as a nurs1l1g manual, and objectIon to It may be urged on the ground that" a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, " but it is a applied intelligently and wlth1l1 lImItatIOn wIll much suffering. The author has endeavo,ured to gIve on the general principles of home nurS1l1g, such as hmts on preparing the sick room, how to take the ,how to wash a patient in bed, &c. Of course thIS. IS tained in every elementary book on but stIll It IS astonishing how many have but a of what to do in cases of illness. ThIS book commends Itself to us on account of the lucid way in which it is written and its price.

Obituary.

DR. JOHN BROWN, L.R.c.P., L.R.C.S., KNIGHT OF GRACE ORDER OP ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

I T is with deep regret that we have to record the of Dr. John Brown which took place at Lavender HIll, o.n July 25th. The deceased gentleman cor,nmenced hIS carf'er in the Royal Navy, subsequently. servl.ng on many Naval Stations with distinction. On hIS retirement from the Service he commenced private practice at Battersea: among the appointments he held were. Surgeo.n to the Bolinbroke Hospital, the Battersea PrOVident and the Battersea District of the Post Office. Hls connection with ambulance work started in 1892 when he took the position of Medical Officer of the Post Office Am bulance Corps. In 1897 he was appointed one of. the Honorary Surgeons to the Cyclist Division of the PrInce

August,

The Gra n d Priory of t he Ord er of the Hospital of S t. J oh n o f Jer us ale m in E ngl a n d .

AT a meeting of the Chapter-General of the Order he.ld. on July 25th, the Sub-Prior, Viscount Knutsford, presldmg. Col. Sir H. Perrott, Secretary-General of the Order, reported that the King had conferred 1 I silver upon the superior officers of the S.J.A.B. m !ecogmllOn of their valuable services on ambulance duty m the streets and elsewhere during the Coronation festivities. The recipients of the medals are :-

Col. Sir James Clark, Bart., C.B., Chlef CommlsslOner.

Mr. Edmund Owen, LL.D., F.R.C.S., Medical Officer in Chief.

Lady Perrott, Lady Supt. in Chief Nursing Corps and Divisions.

Col. C. J. Trimble, C.M.G . V.D. Deputy-Commissioner, No. 4 District.

Mr. S. C. Wardell, Deputy-Commissioner, No. 5 District.

Col. G. S. Elliston, V.D., Deputy-Commissioner, No. 3 District.

Mr. J. S. Griffiths, M.R.C.S., Deputy-Commissioner, No. 2 District.

Col. E. Cureton, V.D., Deputy-Commissioner, NO.7 District.

Lieut.-Col. Lees Hall, Deputy-Commissioner, Prince of Wales's Corps.

Lieut. C. B. Palmer, Deputy-Commissioner, No. 6 District.

Mr. W. H. Morgan, Assistant-Commissioner, Prince of Wales's Corps.

------.--.-----

Coming Events.

of Wales's Corps and was also Hon. Surgeon to the Causton Division. The deceased gentleman was a Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John, and ar: Honorary Life Member of the S.J.A.A., and as a proof of hIS unselfish devotion to ambulance work we may mention that he lectured gratuitously for many years to classes in connection with the Railway and Fire Services.

Failing health compelled him to resign his appointments some four years ago, and his severance from the work caused a vacancy that it was difficult to fill.

What endeared him to those with whom he was intimately lssociated was the fact that he was a good, sterling comrade in the highest sense of the term.

The interment took place at Wandsworth Cemetery, a service also being held at St. Barnabas Church, Clapham Common. The services at both places were conducted by the Vicar of St. Barnabas.

Princess Alexandra of Batten burg has accepted the presidency of the Portsmouth Centre, S.J.A.A. 3'

Particulars or forth coming events will be inserted in this colUllt11 free 0/ charg e, if received not later than the I4th of ea ch month

Brierfield.- The competition for the" Tunstill" Memorial Shield and other valuable pr iz es will be held in the Wesleyan School on Saturday, September 30th. Entries close on September r6th. Entry forms and particulars from Mr. A. G. Smith, Quaker s Bridge, Brierfield.

London. - The Polytechmc Ambulance Competitions for the "Will iam Heywood" Shield and "Grant" Medal will take pbce on Saturday, October 21st. We would remind intending competitors that last year the number had to be limited. It is, therefore, very important that competitors should enter as early as possible to save disappointment. For further particulars, apply, William J. Fuller, The Polytechnic Regent-street, W. Rave n sthorje. - The annual Ambulance Competition will be held on September 9th. For further particulars apply Hon. Sec. W. Ledgard, Alma House, Ravensthorpe-road, Thornhill, Dewsbury

Scunt/wrpe - The Ambulance competition for Sir Berksley Sheffield's Challenge Shield will be held on Saturday, September 2Jrd. The competition is open to corps and divisions in the NO.5 District. For particulars apply to Mr. J. H. Mason, 13, Sheffield-street, Crosby, Scunthorpe.

August, 1911. -FIRST C(

MR. J. WILLIAM S, ACCOUNTANT OF THE MARYPORT AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.

AID.- 21

tificates, of whom on re-examination 20 have since received vouchers, 14 medallions, and one a label. From these the Company was able to form a team which has taken part in the last two Inter-Railway Challenge Shield competitions. < This team, and indeed nearly all the ambulance men, are drawn from the various departments at Maryport, but it is expected that the staff at Carlisle, where a considerable number of men are employed, will take the matter up, as well as those at other stations on the line, and that in time other teams may be formed, so that practices may be encouraged by holding a local competition, and the best team selected to represent the Company at the Inter-Railway competitions.

In May of this year Mr. Williams was personally thanked by the general manager at the request and on behalf of the board of directors for the interest taken and assistance rendered by him in connection with ambulace work among the Company s staff.

He is an Hon Associate of the Order of St. John, and has rendered valuable service in connection with classes organised in Maryport.

L. & Y. R. -W e have received a copy of the report of the judges (Drs. L. M. Frank Christian and G. Ashton) on the work performed by the teams competing in the preliminary and final rounds of the annual competitions for 191 I.

In the prefatory by the centre secretary (Mr. Nutter) it is mentioned that a proposal will come up for discussion at the meeting of team secretaries to modify the competitions in order that the prizes other than those awarded to the teams competing in the final competition may cover a larger area.

We are glad to see that this proposal is to be brought forward for it shows that the tendency is to encourage all employJs to take up am bulance work. is it be for it is useless, as far as from an accldent pomt of VIew is to have a few highly qualified teams on a system the bulk of the employ es have not a rudimentary knowledge of first aid.

Reverting to the report, Dr. Ashton. remarks he found a marked all-round improvement 10 the preilmmary round.

The stretcher test was as follows :-" This man has been knocked down in the street. He complains of pains in his right side and is coughing up frothy and bright red blood. He has a superficial wound at the back of the head."

that year the Company's attention was drawn to this fact by the St. John Ambulance Association, who suggested that encouragement might be offered by the directors to the formation of detached classes for their staff. This not being considered practicable, Mr. Williams volunteered, and, with the consent of the general manager, arranged and conducted practice classes for those of the staff already qualified and for preparatory training of others.

This gave considerable impetus to the movement, and in 1908 the directors, on the recommendation of the general manager, agreed that in order to encourage the attendance of the staff at classes and lectures for instruction in first aid they would pay the fees and provide the necessary text-books for all of them joining ambulance classes under the control of any local technical education committee.

The result has been that 37 more have obtained cer-

The vital injury, viz., the broken ribs penetrating the lung, was correctly and treated by each team. The ice bag was in many 10stances so that the patient's shirt and waistcoat inte.rvened between It and the skin. The proper place for an bag so. as to the best effect is in direct contact wlth the skm of the Inj ured part. Several teams wished to the arms and legs, which showed they appreCIated the p.osslblhty of collapse from internal hcemorrhage. Ice was glven by the mouth, but very rarely was any mel!tion made as how and from where the ice would be obtamed. In for a doctor it is advisable to inform him where the aCCident has where the patient lives, and by what you intend to take the patient to his. home. It might easily happen that the doctor would arnve at the scene of the accident, find the patient had been moved, and not know in which direction he had been taken. The probabilities are that the patient would be a stranger, yet No. 4 invariably shouts out, "Sendmg word to the patient's home." How very seldom does No. 4 ask the

Previous to the year 1904 very little interest was taken in ambulance work by the staff of the Maryport and Carlisle Railway Co.; out of its 516 employ es only 14 held the necessary qualification to render first aid. In January of

patient, if sensible, "Who are you, and whe:e do live?" Scrupulous clealiness was generally used In treating the wound on the head. Very rarely was a possibly dirty finger brought into contact with the wound.

Dr. Ashton impresses upon ambulance workers their sale duty is to render first aid and to get the as quickly as possible to more skilled assistance. ThIS IS good advice, for it is the right principle of first aid ,:ork, and we are glad to see both judges, lecturers and e xammers are driving the fact home.

Dr. L. M. Frank Christian, in criticising the work of in the final round, gi ves a lot of useful information to the teams. He points out that the men would act wisely if they would (when such is possible) in their own words, rather than repeat the exact phraseology of the text book. It would be far better training for the men themselves. Sometimes he was afraid matters are learnt by heart, without the slightest appreciation of the real meaning conveyed in the words used. For example, in Question I, purging and diarrhcea were given as signs of poisoning by bad fish by all the teams. Now there is not the slightest difference between the two, one word being given in the text book merely as an explanation of the other. Why should two words be given to an examiner unless it be through real ignorance of what is meant? Whatever the reason be, this kind of answer should certainly be avoided. In only one c ase was Question I answered in a manner different to that actually given in the text book, and an extra two marks were awarded for the practical commonsense displayed in the answer given.

Question 5. On a very wet day a football match is in progress. One of the players slipping falls to the ground and is accidentally kicked in the region of the right loin. What would make you suspect injury to the right kidney?

Dr. Christian calls the attention of am bulance students generally to this type of test, for it calls into action the faculties of observation and of reasoning, i.e., those faculties that must be aroused in every case of emergency if anything approaching intelligent action is to be forthcoming. " What would make you suspect?" Your ambulance men would do well if, throughout their practices, they would exercise themselves, not with asking one another the signs and symptoms of this or that injury or disability, but "What (in such and such a case) would lead you to suspect the existence of this or that injury or disability?" Step by step, as this or that sign or symptom would be observable, should be stated the facts which would arouse suspicion; and, taken together, would convert suspicion into something more definite.

In such a manner should also the treatment be thought out and applied, i.e., step by step in the order as should actually be done.

Dr. Christian gives an important caution which we should like to see observed in all ambulance competitions. He points out that th ere was far too much talk about doing things that were not done and should have been done.

Some of the teams spoke of the necessity of being "o?servant, tactful, resourceful, explicit, and discriminatmg" (see text book), whilst their actions were betraying t?eir lack of the very principles they were recommending.

Orders should not be given as though to soldiers on f\.mbulance work involves details of far too great Importance to justify any introduction of the mIlitary elem.ent. be given quietly and in a manner conSIstent WIth senous nature of the task

AID.- August, 1911.

which they are supposed to be engaged, i.e., the transport of a human being in suffering or in danger.

Numbers 2 and 4 should not march by the side of the stretcher with eyes straight in front of them as though they were soldiers. a procedure is, in fact ridiculous. Constant observatIOn should be kept on the 'patient, &c., then to be ready at a moment's notice to stop "transport" and lower stretcher should circumstances arise to call for such.

The messenger sent in advance should really make proper preparation for the reception of the patient, and not say he would do so.

Dr. Christian's remarks should be borne in mind by all the teams, for it is sound advice, uttered with the object of making competitions of a practical and useful character, ann to educate the first aid student.

N.-KR. - We have received from the Centre Secretary an advanced copy of the 191 I Report of the work .out by the Centre during the year. It als? deals WIth .the competitions which have taken place dUrIng to which the directors gave over £50 In pnzes. In this section the results of the competition held in the six districts of the centre together with short reports of the judges of the work undertaken are In these latter much information can be found whIch WIll show the shortcomings of a lot of the teams. It is rather astonishing fact that the North-Eastern RaIlway Team, m preliminary round of the Inter-Railway Competition, should take the first place and yet fall to the seven.th place in the final; it simply exemplifies how uncertam are. During the year under review 290 gamed first year certificates, 142 second, 126 ar: d labels-making in all 793 students passIng the exammatIOn. This shows a slight increase over the previous year; but we should like to see-having in view the numb e r of employes on the System - these figures increased, for some of the smaller Railway Companies show better results, and, considering some 34,000 accidents were reported during the year, it proves the necessity of having a large number of first aiders distributed over the system. Two awards for meritorious first aid service were made during the year, one to Police-Sergeant l Allenson, of Hull, for effectually arresting hremorrhage, and the other to S. J. Tolliday, who rendered first aid to a man who hld been knocked down by a train.

Mr. G. Jackson, the Centre Secretary, is to be congratulated on the way he has produced the report, and also on the progress the Centre has made.

S.K&C.R.-On Saturday, July 22nd, the Annual Am bulance and Fire Demonstration was held by consent of the respected Loco. Supt. (Mr. H. S. Wainwright, lP., M.LC.K), at Longhedge Works, Battersea. Amongst others present were Mr. G. D. Faber, c.B., M.P., who was accompanied by Mrs. Faber, Sir Edward Pemberton Leach, V.c., K.c.B., K.C.V.O., and Lady Leach, Sir John and Lady Langham, Miss Maud Leigh Pemberton, Mr. J. Watkins Barber, M.LM.E. (Brigade Supt). A very interesting and instructive afternoon was spent by a large crowd which had gathered to witness the proceedings.

Mr. G. D. Faber, c.B., M.P., in a happy but vigorous speech, voiced the thanks and gratitude of the firemen to their lady president (Miss Maud Leigh Pemberton) for her continued interest in the Brigade and expressp-d his gratitude to the men for the splendid voluntary work they were carrying on. Sir Edward Pemberton Leach also ex-

August, 1911. -FIRST pressed in congratulatory terms his appreciation of the demonstration and complimented the men on their turn out and display.

The Silver Challenge Cup, presented by l K Nichols, Esq., for competition amongst Railway Ambulance Teams at the Catford Sports, was competed for on Saturday, July 29 th , and won by the Longhedge Works Team.

The Classes in connection with this Centre are now in course of formation, and from various reports received from the Class Secretaries it is apparent that there will be a large increase in the members during the coming season.

The election for the position of Committeemen for the various Districts will shortly be taking place, and we are asked to announce that voting papers will be sent to every am bulance man throughout the line in due course.

Mr. Laurence Hardy, M.P., has presented the Centre with a shield for competition by the members in Nv. 9 District, and this competition will take place at Lydd, on Saturday afternoon, September 9th. The event promises to be a very interesting one, and we hope to publish in our September issue a full account of the proceedings.

L. B. & S. C.-The final round of the 2nd annual competition for the "Earle Marsh" Challenge Cup and prizes offered by the heads of departments, was held on July 20th. The donors of pri ze s were: Mr. A. H. Panter (Carriage Supt.), 21S.; Mr. R. L. Whitworth (District Goods Supt.), 2IS.; Mr. King (Centre Secretary), 2IS.; Mr. B. K. Field (Chief Draughtsman, Loco. Department), 2 IS. Mr. T. R. Jackson (Stores Department), 2 IS. (which prize went with the cup); Mr. A. W. Austin (Continental Supt., Newhaven), 2 IS. (for Newhaven men only); Mr. l Petrie (late District Engineer), lOS. 6d.; Mr. S. B. Carmichael (Southern Outdoor Loco. Supt.), lOS. 6d.; and Mr. Sharlow (Brighton), two pri zes for the best pupils of the past year.

The qualifying round was judged in June by Mr. W. L. Girling, there being 65 com peti tors. Later in the rr:onth

Mr. Sharlow judged the second round, and the 10 pIcked men competed in the final held at Brighton. The judge was Dr. Dow, of Lewes, and the result was as follows, the highest possible points being 120 :Points.

I - co II. Puttick, Brighton Loco Dept. 88

2 - D. R. Grounds , Brighton Loco. Dept. 79

3- W. Townsend, Brighton Carriage Dept. 68

4 - W. Young, Br ighton Loco . Dept. ... 62

5- T. Tapner, Brighton Loco. Dept. 5 I

6-D. Meynell, Lewes 50

7--F. Ba iley, Have 48

8- H. Budgen, 13righton Goods Vept. 46

9- J. Hewlett, Brighton Carriage Dept 44 ro-H. Short, Kingston Wharf 33

The departmental winners were :-Mr. Painter's prize:

I, W. Townsend and l Hewlett (equal); 3, l Herrington.

Mr. Whitworth's prize: I, H. Budgen; 2, Short; 3, Allwright. Mr. Petrie's prize: F. Bailey. Mr. King's prize: I D. Meyell; 2, G. Smith (Shoreham) and F. Kennard c\Vorthing), (equal). Mr. Field's prize: I, T. Tapner and C. H. Puttick (equal); 3, D. R. Groundsj 4. W. Young.

Mr. Sharlow's prizes: P. Brown and F. Dewey.

L. & N. W.-A competition open to all employes in the London and Rugby districts for a beautiful Challen&e Cup, presented by Mr. C. ,V. Bartholmew was held at hIS residence, The Hall, Towcester, on July 22nd. Teams from Broad-street, Euston, Willesden, and Haydon-square competed. Amongst the offiCIals present were K R. Hobbs, G. Clarke, H. Mackintosh, W. Watts, C.

AID:-

Crane, Wilson, A. Briscoe, E. T. Milburn, Goodwin and Cook. Dr. Hoskyn, of Rugby, acted as judge, assisted by Sergt. Lloyd, of the Northampton Corps, S.J.A.B. The positions gained by the teams were as follows :-ISt, Rugby, 97 marks out of a possible 125; 2nd, Broad-street, 8r!; 3rd Bletchley, 742-; 4th, Nuneaton, 64; 5th, Euston, 59; 6th, Colwick, 53; 7th , Northampton, 492-; 8th, Castlethorpe, 472-; 9th , Willesden, 45t; loth, Peterborough, 45; rth, Haydon-square, 39. At the conclusion of the competition Mr. Hobbs proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Dr. Hoskyn and Sergt. Lloyd for the very painstaking manner in which they had conducted the examination. Mr. Goodwin seconded, rand said nothing could have been fairer and none could have taken greater pains than the examiners had done.

Dr. Hoskyn, in reply, mentioned a few points he

thought it desirable for the teams to remember. Some of them did not remove the patient from the permanent way, one team allowing him to remain there 25 minutes, and he was sure the L. & N.W. Railway Company would not stand that if it was allowed on other lines. The patient was obviously an epileptic, and the book told . them .such a patient must be removed from anything whIch he could hurt himself. Any of them who had slIpped d.own and fallen against a rail would know it was a most thing, and therefore they should have removed the from the rails, even though they had taken the precautIOn to stop the traffic. Dr. Hoskyn next commented on the folly of the captain leaving his team to attend to another case, when he could easily have sent another man; also upon the omission of some teams to sumI?on a doctor, and the neglect to get the trestle bed downstalTS.

When corresponding with Advertisers please men tion "First Aid."

-FIRST Brevities.

THE remarkable interest aroused during the last two or three years in the training of women to be of use in national emergency has resulted in many joining the various organisations established for the purpose. At the beginning of this month a party of 23 ladies belonging to the Winchester Division of the British Red Cross Society encamped on Salisbury Plain. We believe it is the first occasion that a women's corps has been present among the troops on the Plain. The possibilities of allowing women to take an active part in military service in connection with ambulance work in the field is gradually being demonstrated, and the progress of the movement will be watched with interest. As every statistician knows, the only reason why women have been prevented from engaging in active warfare from the earliest times has been at least three times the number of women to men is required to keep up a community's birth rate.

THERE is no great city in Europe so badly equipped In respect to an ambulance service as is Greater London to-day. The majority of the members of the L.e.e. are pledged to put the Ambulance Act into operation, but a plea of expense is being urged in excuse for breaking this pledge. A sum of £6,000 would supply 9 or 10 motor ambulances, and £15,000 would equip and maintain these ambulances and stations. Compared with the benefits that would result from this installation the price is insignificant. The yearly statistics of deaths and accidents in the streets of Greater London is sufficient evidence of the necessity of a properly organised am bulance service, and it is incumbent upon every member of the Council to remedy this state of affairs.

* * *

BOTH at home and on the Continent the holiday season has been responsible for an unusual loss of life due to boating and bathing accidents. In the daily press sad cases are recorded, and if only a greater number of people would take the trouble to go through a course of life-saving drill much might be done to prevent these fatalities. The S.J.A.B. ambulance divisions and corps established at our seaside resorts might give their attention to this important subject.

***

SIR FREDERICK TREAVES, speaking recently at Eastbourne in connection with the Red Cross movement, said that as a member of the Ladysmith relief column he could not say too much in favour of the first voluntary aid detachment that ever served with British troops. This detachment, which was formed by General Buller of refugees from up-country, was a curious collection of men, including solicitors, dentists, prison warders, asylum attendants, tram conductors, and railway workers. The worst wounds he ever saw in his life was after Spion Kop; they were nearly all shell wounds. What was astonishing

AID.-

August, 191 I.

about the movement was this-its promoters had actually raised a body of men and women numbering very nearly 25,000, well trained and well qualified, who would, if this country were invaded, take charge of the wounded and carry them to some place of safety.

***

THE voluntary aid work seems a tangle to most people, and there seems to be wanted a clear and concised explanation of its working. We hope to be able at a future date to give an article on the subject. In connection with this subject, a correspondent writes that he would like to see the S.J.A.A. allow fully trained nurses to train and examine classes in nursing. He points out that the plan works in the R.A.M.e., and if it were granted in the case of the S.J.A.A. some sort of amalgamation might be agreed to by the Red Cross people. As an officer in the War Office told him that the Army Medical Department could not be expected to maintain the S.J.A.A. method when the staff work differently.

***

We cannot see the necessity for this, for the S.J.A.A. and the Red Cross Society are supposed to be working in unison, and providing that the unit is regularly trained and efficient, it is immaterial whether a trained nurse or medical officer gives the training.

* * *

IT would appear from correspondence which we have received, that officers in at least one provincial district, did private s duty or non-commission officer's during the Coronation processions in London. We can hardly credit these statements without having undoubted proof that this was the case. It must not be assumed that we do not attach any faith in our correspondents' remarks-quite to the contrary-for having in view the letter which appeared in our last issue, and the one which appears in this, eminate from members of the same district; yet the corps to which they are each attached are miles apart. We cannot but think there must be some truth in their statement. Before we express an opinion we should like to have further amplification on the subject.

Mr. John Burns in opening the annual conference of National Association for the Prevention of ConsumptlOn, stated that there were 300,000 people in these kingdoms suffering from tuberculosis in one or other of its forms. The" man in the street" was now determined to co-operate with the medical officer of health, the town and council and th: private practitioner in combatting the dIsease. He pomted out that the decline in consumption with the increasing sobriety, better housmg, growmg education and social and moral elevation of the people. In 50 years tuberculosis had declined .5 0 per for all ages, while from birth up to 25 years It had declmed 70 per cent. He estimated that its annihilation ought to be effected in 25 to 30 years.

August, 191 I. -FIRST

No. J District Camp.

LOWESTOFT was the place for this year's August Camp, and however delighted we were with Cromer last year, yet greater satisfaction, if possible, was evinced when the men found not only a breezy situation on the hottest day (and we several very hot days), very suitable ground for searchmg for wounded almost equal to the Camp at Cromer, but many amusements to fill up evemng hours. The Borough Authorities did all in their power to ensure our comfort and afforded a hearty welcome. His Worship the Mayor, who honoured the Officers' Mess with his company (;me evening, said very nice things about the work of the Bngade and expressed a wish that we might come again to Lowestoft.

An advance party, under the Adjutant (Rev. W. Dore Ru.dgard), l?roceeded, on July 31st, to layout the camp, whIch was sItuated on the Denes, in close proximity to that of Watt's Brigade (Dr. Barnardo). The officers' tents were pItched at the end of their men's lines and separated from the District Staff by the mess and The sergeants ran their own mess and had a very pretty

AID.-

the foll0v.:ed by the adjutant's parade at 7 a. m., when the vanous umts soon began to pick up the art of working together, and made quite a smart appearance at churc h parade at 9 IS· The e.O. marched his men to the Parish C.hurch of St. Margaret, which the Rector of Lowestoft had kmdly placed at his disposal, and he and his churchwardens had further permitted a collection to be made for the British Ophthalmic Hospital at Jerusalem, the Hospital of the Order of St. John. The service was sung by the Rev. W. Dare Rudgard, who is also Chaplain to the 7th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and an address was by the sem.or curate, Rev. e. Harvey, to an appreCIatIve congregatlOn. The rest of the day was free for the men to do as they pleased, and most of them explored the town and neigh bourhood.

Monday brought real work with it, and an early breakfast was followed by a good morning's work. Marching along the road to Corton, a body of men were detailed as patients and placed in various positions on the hills above thp. sea-shore, and after a short halt the troops scattered to find the" wounded," and after treatment brought them to a dressing station on the beach, where the P.M.O. and other

ante-tent which must have greatly added to their comfort.

Sergt.-Major W. Mackness presided and was supported by Q.M.S Wilkins and First-Class Sergts. Edwards, Lloyd and Ollis.

The troops marched in on Saturday, August 5th , having travelled by special train from various parts of the Midlands, only a small number of men being able to attend camp from the Eastern Counties.

Assistant-Commissioner T. H. Woolston was in command, Dr. Audland was P.M.O., and the other members of the Staff present were Rev. W. Dore Rudgard and Dr. Nelson the Mess President. Chief-Supt. W. H. Reeves, of Northampton, was in command of the right-half battalion, and Chief-Supt. e. Nicholson, of Welling borough, of the left-half. Among the medical officers present were J. Henton White (Birmingham), H. G. Webster (North-East Warwickshire), and A. D. McQueen (Halesowen).

On arrival the men found their beds, ground sheets and blankets all served out, and a cold supper waiting for them, and very soon the camp settled down to rest.

On Sunday morning an early bathe was the order of

doctors inspected the cases and criticised the work done.

In the afternoon an alarm Gf fire was raised, and it was seen that the bracktn and furse near the boy's cam p was well alight. Very quickly a double chain of men was formed from a tap near the kitchens, and very soon all danger was over but the sparks had begun to fall on the tents, and had it not been for the prompt action of the boys and men the Boys Brigade would have been homeless that night.

Tuesday was devoted to practically the same kind of work as Monday, but in a different direction.

Wednesday there was an early parade, too, followed by the e.O.'s parade at 10 a.m., when a march past, &c., was put in practice for Thursday.

In the evening there was a concert in the Men's Canteen fairly well patronised by visitors, and, later on, came the feature of this year's camp. A convoy was supposed to have been attacked to the North-East of Lowestoft and at 10.30 the troops paraded and marched some two miles to the field of battle. Splendid order was preserved,

NO·3 DISTRICT CAMP, LOWESTOFT.-FIGHTING A GOR SE FIRE ON THE CLIFF SIDE.

-FIRST

and although some 400 men were on foot, the proverbial pin might have almost been heard to fall. Signallers accompanied us and some were also stationed at the place chosen for a collecting station. It was somewhat difficult to find the wounded, who instead of crying out for help had in many cases gone fast asleep, but all were eventually brought in and the P.M.O. expressed his satisfaction with the way the work had been carried out. The flash-light of the signallers was most useful, and both by day and night their section has proved a useful adjunct to camp exercises. Returning to camp about I a.m. or later, all soon were lost in slumber.

Thursday was the day of the inspection of the camp by the Chief Commissioner, Sir James Andrew Clark, Bart., CB., who arrived punctually at 3 p.m. He carefully inspected the men, asking them various questions and noting what service each man had seen. Then, returning to the saluting-base, the troops marched-past in good order. Two bell-tents had been pitched for a dressing station and a hospital marquee pitched nearer the camp for a collecting station. Both flew the Red Cross Flag, and an am bulance wagon kept up communication between the two stations. A large number of patients were sent out and reality was given by a battery of guns belonging to the Birmingham Corps keeping up fire while search was being made. The sufferers were distinguished by white and green tallies, these latter being at once taken, after inspection by a surgeon, to the hospital while the white tickets were deposited, in the first instance, at one of the bell-tents. The Chief Commissioner criticised most of the treatment himself, and appeared satisfied with the way in which the work was carried out.

Later in the afternoon he addressed the officers and men in the Canteen and gave them kindly words of advice, impressing upon them the necessity of smartness, not only in dress but personally, and the greater necessity for all members of the brigade to see that their uniforms and badges were in accordance with regulations, so that the public might at once recognise a " St. John man."

On Friday the early parade was given up to the sergeants to enable them to practice drilling larger bodies of men than they might have in their own di visions, and they had a further opportunity at the CO.'s parade, after which the men had a route march round the town and met with many admiring glances from the fair sex. In the evening the annual concert took place, when officers and visitors helped to make the time pass pleasantly, and Chief Supt. W. H. Reeves brought proceedings to a close with the ever popular "camp song," with Its many toptcal verses.

In fine weather camp was struck on Saturday morning, and the men marched off to the station under command of the adjutant, and entrained for their distant homes at I.45.

This has certainly been one of the most successful camps held in NO.3. District. The weather has been all one could wish, in fact a little too warm, or the hospital would not have found so many patients though only one case of sunstroke was severe.

The has expressed himself p.ntirely satisfied WIth the admIrable manner in which the cases we"e and the e.0. has added his approval. All ranks umted together as one brotherhood to do their best. The catering was highly appreciated, and the general result T?ust have most gratifying to the Assistant-CommisSlOner and staff, and especially the Adjutant.

Experience, too, teaches that the sea-side is both

AID.- August, 191 I.

attractive and beneficial to men living in the Midlands, and that a far larger proportion of men can put in a week's camp in August than at Whitsuntide.

August,

AID.-

made, and the Rev. gentleman, in a graceful speech, referred to the work done by Supt. Ninnis in the brigade, and. also the hard work he would be called upon to perform dUring the three years of the expedition to the far South.

In returning thanks, Supt. Ninnis stated that he was not severing his connection with the division j during his absence abr.oad he should still remain an honorary member, and. on hIS return he would hope to resume active serVIce.

GOSPORT, ALVERSTOKE AND FAREHAM CENTRE.-

H.H.R Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein made her first official acquaintance with the centre on July 29th. Last year she accepted the presidency in succession to . H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught. On arrival at Gosport she was received by Inspector General H. C Woods, R.N., secretary of the centre. The Princess inspected the Voluntary Aid Detachments and the members of the R.N.S.B. R. and the Alverstoke Nursing Division, and Gosport Division of the S.J.A.B. A demonstration of first aid was given by the men, which was witnessed by the Princess, the cases being various-fractures, resuscitation, &c., and nursing by the ladies in a hospital tent. Lieut.-Col. Twiss, Col. H. M. Matthews and Mrs. Garton were presented to H.RH.

Following tea Her Highness presented the certificates and badges gained during the year, but before this part of the proceedings, addressing the Princess, Inspector General Woods said it was now thirty years since they started their work in that district. Until ten years ago they were working under the Portsmouth Centre, and, during that time something like 2,800 of their pupils went through the classes, and qualified for examination. Then they formed the centre there, because it was a very large district, and they found it was alm03t impossible to work it in connection with Portsmouth. Since the centre had been established I22 classes had been held, 2,5I3 had attended those classes, and qualified for examination, and 1,722 certificates and badges had been taken. During the past year 225 awards had been gained.

Dr. Woods said he wished, on behalf of the staff, the members, the demonstrators, and their friends in the ambulance cause, to say how grateful they all were to Her Highness for attending that day, it showed how warmly she appreciated their work. They had much hoped that in the future, as in the past, they might keep up their reputation, and be able to return a large number of certificate holders to St. John's Gate. It was only by the influence of those that had gone through the work and of their staff that their good work was kept before the general public. He reminded them that in time of war there would be a good deal of am bulance and nursing work to be done, and they, therefore, appealed to the people to join the classes, and take up the work, so that they might help in time of need.

Price 6d. net. Post free 7d.

NOTES ON FIRST AID SIMPLIFIED.

By Sidney H. Lamb.

A Handbook in a tabulated and simplified (arm giving the main points of first aid, so arranged as to impress them on the memory of the student.

DALE, REYNOLDS & CO., Ltd., 46, Cannon St., LONDON, E.C.

No. District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

The a.nnual inspection of the Prince of Wales's Corps was held in Hyde Park on July 22nd. The inspecting officer being H.RH. the Duke of Connaught, who was received by Sir James A. Clark (Chief Commissioner), Lord Knutsford, Sir Herbert and Lady Perrott and Mr. W. R. Edwards. There were also present General Dalton (Chief Commissioner of the Overseas Brigade), Colonel von Liebmann, Sir Richard Temple (Asst.-Director of the Ambulance Department), Colonel Clifford Probyn, Lieut.Colonel Twiss (Asst.-Commissioner) Mr. A. W. Faire (County Director of the Leicester Territorial Association), and Mr. Darvil Smith (Secretary of the Territorial Branch, S.J.A.A.). The Corps mustered some I, I 36 strong, including I82 nursing sisters, representing 48 divisions and 14 nursing divisions

Upon His Highness's arrival on the parade ground a general sa]ute was at once given, he then proceeded to inspect the ranks, passing up and down the lines and noting with evident interest the various badges and medals worn by many of the men.

After the inspection there was a march -past, and then a square was formed, with the nursing sisters in the front ranks, to permit of an address by the Inspecting Officer.

The Duke of Connaught said that he could not leave without his great satisfaction with the inspection. It said a great deal for the Brigade that so large a number of its members should have turned out on a hot afternoon in July. The St. John Ambulance Brigade had increased in a marvellous way since it was first formed, and it had become a great asset to the nation, which owed the officers, men, and nursing sisters a great debt of gratitude for the splendid work which they were doing. He noticed a large number of South African medals, which showed that many of them answered to the call of their country in time of need. He was very proud to be the Grand Prior of the Order, and wherever the St. John Ambulance Brigade existed it would afford him great pleasure to do whatever he could to show his appreciation of its work and to give it every possible encouragement.

No. 24. DIVlsION.-On Saturday, July 15th, the members of the No. 24 (Doulton) Division met at St. Andrew's Hall, New Kent-road, to bid farewell to Supt. B. E. S. Ninnis, who is accompanying the Antartic Expedition on the" Aurora."

Sergt. Rittman said he was voicing the thoughts of all the mem bers in saying the very great regret that he felt at losing Supt. Ninnis, and that under his officers hip the division had fully maintained that high standard of efficiency for which it had long been known, and he had much pleasure in asking the Rev. Campbell T. Payne, Chaplain to the Division, to present, on behalf of the mem bers, a small momento which would serve to keep them in his memory.

The presentation, a silver cigarette case, was then

the evening the proceedings were varied by a o:ost enjoyable concert arranged by Miss Ella Thompson, SIster of one of the members, at which the following ladies an? gentlemen ;-Pianoforte solos by Miss Fnckleton. songs by MISS Dorothy Bramley and Miss Flora Mustard, recitations by Miss Gracie Mustard impersonations from Dickens by Mr. F. W. Lambe, songs by Mr. E. Evans and Mr. F. C. Clarke.

No. 2 District.

BouRNEMouTH.-A competition for the "Abel Smith" Challenge Cup, which is open to all comers, was held at the Drill Hall, on August 2nd. Four teams of this Division were the only competitors and the cup and first prize were awarded to Sergt. Cluett's team which was composed of Corp\. J. Lodge, Ptes. C. Stay, A. Mills and C E. Divann. The Mayor of Bournemouth distributed the prizes. He stated that he was glad the team from the ward he represented had won the third prize. Various medallions and labels were subsequntly distributed to the members who had succeeded in gaining them in their class work.

TREVARNO.- The annual competition for the "Bickford trophy was held on the occasion of the local Horticultural Show. The teams were Dolcoath (Supt. James), Pool (Supt. Hammill), Porthleven (Corpl. White), Falmouth (Pte. Wakeham). Major Webber, RA. M.C, of Plymouth acted as judge. The winners were 1st, Dolcoath, 87 marks 2nd, Pool, 82 marks 3rd, Porthleven, 7 marks. Mrs. Bickford Smith presented the trophy and medals to the winning teams. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Major Webber and Dr. Spaight. on the motion of Supt. James, seconded by Supt. Hammill. Supt. James regretted that a larger number of the division and corps were not represented.

WINDSOR.- The members of this division had an exceedingly busy time during the four days of the Coronation festivities, for, as is known, many important functions took place at Windsor, including the Boy Scout rally, on this day extra men came from Bristol, Oxford, Bath, Paddington, Twyford, Hendley and Guildford, to assist the Windsor men. Covering the four days some I,300 cases were treated, including some of a serious character which necessitated removal to hospital. We must not forget to mention the splendid assistance rendered by the Windsor Nursing Division on the day of the Scouts Review, Lady Supt. Mrs. S. G. Griffiths, wife of the Deputy-Commissioner of the District, was on duty. As arrangements for the various functions were made by Hon. Surgeon and Supt. S. Osborne and Sergts. R Copeland and Short. Several letters of thanks have been received from various sources, and we publish one from Lieut. Langham Browell, RN., a Staff Scoutmaster of Portishead, who writes ;-

To the Officer Commanding St John Ambulance Erigade, Windsor.

DEAR SIR,-l cannot allow the occasion of the King's

-FIRST

Rally of Boy Scouts at Windsor, last Tuesday, to pass without expressing my great admiration of the services rendered by the St. John Ambulance Corps, not only in the Park itself at the tIme of the Rally, but also outside, and dur ing the whole of the day. The admirable forethought of taking round firebuckets filled with fresh water, before the dep arture of the special trains during the night, from which the lads could replenish their water bottles, deserves special commendatIon and comment, and such kindness was, I can assure you, much appreciated. I am, sir, Yours faithfully, (S igned ) LANGHAM BROWELL.

July 7th, 191 I.

No. 3 District.

COVENTRY.-In our short report of a competItIOn for Supt. Bethall's Silver Cup, in the last issue we omitted to mention that Private M. A. Neville, of the Coventry Cooperative Division, won the medal presented for the best individual work. We congratulate Private Neville and apologise for the omission. We should also like to mention the 16 men of the Co-operative Division took part in the competition.

KETTERIN G.-The Corps had its annual inspection on July 22nd, and it proved a distinct success. It took place in Dr. Dryland's garden, and there was a record number on parade, I30 part and all ten Divisions being represented. ChIef Supt. Eustace R. Lane was in command, and other officers on parade were Supt. Raby, Supt. C. W. Jones, Chief Surgeon Dryland, and Hon. Surg. A. G. Tolputt. The Inspecting Officer was District Chief-Surgeon Audland of WelEngborough, who was accompanied by Poyender, of the Military Huspital, Bedford. After the inspection, the competition for the "Eustace R. Lane)) Cup was gone through, all the ten Divisions taking part. !he trophy was by Pytchley. Mrs. Dryland presenting It to Sergt. LeWIS. Dr. Audland complimented the men not only on the attendanc e, but also on the work done' and Lieut.-Colonel Poyender also expressed satisfaction af the work. A capital tea was provided by Dr. and Mrs. Dryland, who were accorded hearty cheers; and dancing wound up the day, the Kettering Rifle Band, under Bandmaster Preston, supplying the music.

LEIcEsTER.-Considerable interest was taken in the a.nnual inspection of corps and the 1st annual inspectl?n th e Voluntary AId Detachments, which was held at VIctOrIa Park, on July I5th. Twenty-eight nursing sisters in of L.ady Supt. Miss Noble, and 200 men under ChIef Supt. KlOg, were on parade. Surgeon General W. Kenney, of the Northern Command, inspected the Voluntary Aid Detachment, and Dr. Audland inspected the corps after. which both the detachments and corps gave a demonstration of am bulance work. Stretcher drill and the treat· ment of a variety of injuries were the chief items. The removal of the patients on improvised stretchers called forth a lot of originality, in one instance stretchers were made fro?1 a couple of bicycles, and another from rifles, were partIcularly smart.

Surgeon Gen. K e nny expressed the opinion that the LeIcester detachments were among the best he had insp.ected. He briefly outlined the duties of the Voluntary AId Detachm;::nts and,Pointed out that .they might be called upon to act In war or not, their traInIng in first

AI D.- August, 19II.

aid would always be useful. He also paid a well-deserved tribute to Mr. A. W. Faire, County Director of the Voluntary Aid Detachments, to whose efforts the success of the movement in the district is largely due.

NO.4-District.

The 15th annual inspection and competItIOn of the S.E. Lancashire Corps and Division was held at Prestwick, on July 15th. Some 500 ambulance men were present, and over 200 nurses. The former included contingents from Heywood, Rochdale, Castleton, N ardon, Prestwick, Ardwick, Haslingden, Great Central Railway, Walkden, Salford, Middleton, Radcliffe, Leigh, Whitefield, Bacup, Crompton, Whitworth, Barrow-in-Furness, Rawtenstall, Mossley, Little Hulton, Victoria Hall, Hulme, Gorton, Tottington, Oldham, Bury and Ashton. The nurses were from Ashton, Crompton, Castleton, Bury, Bacup, Manchester, Norden, Oldham, Prestwick, Rawtenstall, Rochdale, Barrow-in-Furness, ITottington, Victoria Hall, and Whitefield. Castleton, however, did not compete for the pri zes. The inspecting officers were the Chief Commissioner St. John Am bulance Brigade, Colonel Sir James R. Andrew Clark, and the Deputy Commissioner for the district, Colonel C. J. Trimble, C.M.G., V.D.

At the close of the inspection Colonel Trimble addressed the brigade, and warmly congratulated them on the success of the exercises. He said the inspectio!1 was the best in every way which he had attended in any part of the country, and it gave him very great pleasure to inform them that Colonel Sir James Clark had asked him to convey his thanks for the excellent manner in which the work had been done that day. He had been highly delighted in seeing how much interest was taken in their work, and he felt sure that the public generally would assist them in the public work they were doing by subscribing towards their upkeep.

Speaking for himself, Colonel Trimble said it also gave him very great pleasure indeed in seconding Colonel Sir J ames Clark's remarks, knowing as he did from practical experience the voluntary work done and the selfsacrifice shown by the members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, both men and nurses. He hoped that the public would in future come to their assistance, both by giving prizes and also by supplying the things necessary to do the work satisfactorily. The nurses and men had that day dpne work equal to anything done either in the Army or elsewhere.

To the officers he also expressed his thanks for their assistance, and likewise to the doctors, who gave their valuable time. He wished to thank one and all, especially the lady superintendent, Mrs. Tweedale, not only for her work there that day, but for the splendid shield which she and her husband had presented for competition.

The prizes, which were presented by Councillor J. Barcroft, chairman of the Prestwich Council, were won as follows :-

Ambulance Competition.- I, the South-East Lancashire Coronation Shield (presented by Mrs. Tweedale of Castleton), Bury; 2, (Wilson and Stockall Shield), Heywood; 3, (the South-East Lancashire Corps and Divisions Cup), Bacup; 4, Oldham.

Equipment Leigh; 2, Crompton.

NurSIng DlVlsIOns.-l (South-East Lancashire Nursing Shield), Crompton; 2 (the Lees Cup), Oldham; 3, Ashton 4, Norden.

Bed Competition.-I, Prestwich; 2, Oldham.

In callIng on Mr. Barcroft to present the prizes, Col.

August, 1911. -FIRST

Trimble said it had been no easy task to allot them, so close had been the competition.

Tea was provided in two large halls in Prestwich before the members returned home.

BARROW.-The annual inspection of this division was on Thursday.' July 2 Capt. E. B. Pooley, district chIef surgeon, beIng the Inspecting officer. The division paraded at headquarters in full dress with stretchers haversacs a.nd wat er bottles. One sergeant, one corporal: and 24 pnvates marched to the Queen's Hall under the com.mand of Supt. J. Craig. Uniform and equipment first received the attention of the. inspecting officer, and then the were put through exercises in foot drill, marchIng, etc. Afterwards they dId the stretcher exercises both with closed and open stretchers. The members also put through bandaging, hand-seat drill, &c.

At the conclusion of the various exercises, Chief SurP?oley the great pleasure he always felt In comIng to. Inspect division. He expressed the pleasure at seeIng the Auxllrary Naval Sick Berth Reserve on the members' arms, also to learn from Supt. CraIg the of the dIVISIOn who were enrolling in the Voluntary AId Detachment. He felt sure that if called ul?on in a. they would acquit themselves With credIt. The InspectIng officer counselled the division not to re.st on their but to still keep up their practices and effiCIency, and said It be his duty to send a very excellent report to Colonel Tnmble, the deputy-commissioner of the district.

J. Craig thanked the inspecting officer for the very kInd remarks he had addressed to the men and said it was very gratifying to hear their work praised by an officer of such high standing and experience and concluded by hoping that in the future the men earn the same high praise.

The various books and records of the division were then examined and passed as correct.

BRIERFIELD.-Owing to unforseen circumstances the Committee of the Brierfield Division have reluctantly been compelled to postpone the" Tunstill " Shield Competition from 12th to 30th, 1911. They regretted haVIng to take thIS step, but under the circumstances. other was open to them to bring the competrtIOn to a satISfactory conclusion to all concerned

PRESTON.- The annual inspection of the Corps took place on July 20th. The inspection officer was DeputyCommissioner Colonel Trimble, and there were also present Dr. R. C. Brown, who presided, Chief-Surgeon and Supt. W. H. Irvin Sellers, and Drs. Holden Stanwell Hadfield and Hon. Surgeon T. H. C. Supt: G. Harrison and Lady Supt. Mrs. Howard, Supt.-Secretary J. Howorth and Supt.-Treasurer G. F. Millington.

Colonel ble expressed his satisfaction at being agaIn there to Inspect the corps, remarking that he always went away with a high appreciation of their keenness for the work. He was also greatly impressed with their readiness at all times to place their services at the public need. In a Volunteer Organisation such as the St. John Brigade, efficiency could not be obtained unless the members had a real liking and enthusiasm for their work. It was interesting to note that most of the men belonging to the Preston Corps had been organised into a Bearer Company, and as such would, in the event of national emergency, place themselves at the disposal of the War Office, He believed that if necessity ever arose there

AID.-

be of their members ready to volunteer for foreIgn serVIce.. The S.J.A.B. was also attached to the Navy SIck Berth Reserve, as well as the Home Hospital Reserve. They were rendering a big national serVIce, and because of that they deserved the sympathy and help of the public.

Colonel Trimble .expressed himself highly pleased with the parade of PolIce Squad, remarking that he hoped they would contInue to keep up the state of efficiency that had always marked them. It was essential that policemen on account ?f the nature of their duties, should be able to render effiCIent first aid. Colonel Trimble also complimented Mrs. Howard and the nursing sisters, and Dr. Sellers and the men, on their turnout.

The o.f. Preston presented the prizes and awards, and In recogmtlOn of their services as lecturers Dr. C. O. Stan well was presented with a smoking cabinet from the members of the police class, Dr. A. S. Holden an umbrella from the Fishergate class, and Dr. Hadfield an u!llbrella from the park attendant's class, and a pipe was gIve? to 2nd Officer J. A. Lendrum by the headquarters men s class.

ROCHDALE. - At a meeting of the past and present members of the corps held at the Drill Hall, on July 29 th Dr. B. Sellers was presented with a handsorr,e silver and pair of candlesticks, the lamp bearing thIS Inscnptlon :-" Dr. R. Burdett Sellers, from past members of the Rochdale Ambulance Corps as a token of July 29th, 1911." In asking Dr. Sellers to accept thIS gIft, Mr. Catanach made appropriate reference to the untiring work on behalf of the corps, especially dUrIng ItS early years.

Dr.. Sellers has been for seventeen years Chief Supt. and ChIef Surgeon of the Rochdale Corps, but he was compelled. to resign. his position owing to his leaving the town. HIS connectIOn with ambulance work dates from 188 5, when, along with other medical men, he lectured to the Rochdale police. He also promoted the formation of the. Roc.hdale. Centre of the S.J.A.A., and in 1893, in conjunctIOn WIth others, formed the corps.

Alderman J. R. Heape made a second presentation which consisted of a pair of silver entr ee dishes. One of the dishes was :-" To Dr. R. Burdett Sellers as a token of esteem from the officers, members, and friends of the Rochdale Corps of the St. John Am bulance Brigade. July 29th, 1911."

In making the presentation the Alderman said that Dr. Sellers had done a great deal for the promotion and furtherence of ambulance work in Rochdate and the interest that he then aroused had never diminished. The number of those who had passed through the Corps was about 400, while the present membership stood at sixtyfive, with about fifty Nursing Sisters.

Dr. Sellers, in replying, said it was a very great trial for him to leave Rochdale. As regards his work in connection with the ambulance movement, he said he should like to thank all the secretaries and officers as well as the nursing sisters, for the way in which they had helped him to carryon the Corps. Mr. Catanach had been one of the promoters of the corps, and it was not fair that he should try to pile all the credit on someone else.

No. 5 District.

BRIGHOUSE CORPs.-Arrangement have been made for a ba zaar to be held in the Town Hall, Brighouse, on November 7th, 8th, 9th and IIth, I9II, in order to provide

-FIRST A I D.-

funds for the erection of ambulance headquarters and store rooms, and otherwise to promote the efficiency of ambulance work in the neighbourhood.

The promoters announce that the undertaking has received the authority of the Deputy-Commissioner, and that the opening ceremonies will be honoured by the patronage and presence of the Marquis of Breadalbane, the Right Hon. the Countess of Harewood, C. V. Trevelyan, Esq., M.P., and Mrs. Trevelyan, Sir James R. Andrew Clark, Bart, C.B., Colonel Sir Herbert C. Perrott, Bart., C. B., Sir Algernon F. Firth, Bart., Inspector General Belgrave Ninnis, M.D., R.N., Surgeon General Kenney, A.M.S., K.H.S., Colonel C. Bowdler, c.B., Colonel Trimble, CM.G., V.D., J. W. Clay, Esq., J.P., and Mrs. Clay, the Mayor of Brighouse, R. Thornton, Esq., J.P., and members of the Council.

Some "Dont's" for Beginners.

DON'T remove blood clot if wound is clean.

Don't try to reduce dislocation. Leave this for medical man.

Don't promote circulation, in case of drowning, until respiration has been restored.

Don't wait until you get patient indoors in drowning begin at once.

Don't look for crepitus in fracture. It is not first aid work.

Don't make extension in compound fracture, lest further injury be done.

Don't place bandage on top of seat of injury in fracture. Bandage above and below.

Don't attempt to remove patient with fracture until broken bone has been splintered up.

Don't give oils or fats in poison by phosphorous or cantharide. They dissolve out the poison and help to distribute it through the system.

Don't give the alkalies, ammonia, soda or potash in oxalic acid poisoning ; oxalates are formed which are themselves poisonous.

Don't give salt as an emetic after sulphate of zinc result is dangerous.

Don't give an emetic in corrosive poisoning.

Don't give alcoholic stimulants, unless under aavice of medical man, especially in brain trouble.

Don't assume the duties of the doctor. DUBLINENSIS.

We a1'e in no war responst'b,e for the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

DEAR SIR,-I should esteem it a favour if you would be so kind as to answer the following question-" Is a Brigade man entitled to undertake a private duty in the area of another division other than the one of which he is a member, the same duty being entirely unrecognised by his divisiun and performed in plain clothes." The circumstances are as follows: Being part proprietor of a theatre, I ask personal friends whose ability as ambulance men I already know, to undertake duty at this theatre. After twelve months, a new division is formed in the area in which the theatre is situated, whence they (the new division ) claim that I have not the power to place these men on private duty, owing to the fact that they are Brigade men. As I am also a Brigade man you will probably understand why I do not use a high hand in this matter, but refer it to you for decision.-I remain sincerely yours, ]AME S ETT ENFIELD.

[In the general regulations of the Brigade nothing is mentioned concerning a member of a corps or division doing duty other than the area of his own corps or division, but some make additional rules, approved by the Deputy Commissioner, making it contrary to rules. Apart from a matter of courtesy, the division making the claim has no locus standi, for a theatre is private property and the duty of the men is unrecognised.

It is contrary to regulations to perform duty in another district other than your own either in plain clothes or uniform, without consent of your Deputy Commissioner and of the Deputy Commissioner of the district in which the duty is proposed to be undertaken. - ED. "F. A. " ]

WEARING THE MEDALLION.

DEAR STR, - Can you kindly inform me through your columns of FlRST AID what is the recognised ribbon of the St. J oh11 medallion, as I wish to wear mine, and I shall be glad if you can tell me whether it can be purchased at St.] ohn s Gate. Thanking you for a reply, -I am, sir, yours, &c., FIREMAN.

[We presume our correspondent refers to the wearing of the medallion on a fireman s uniform, in any case it is not intended to be worn on the breast with a ribbon. The members of the National Fire Brigades Union who have qualified in the S.].A.A. wear a white metal badge or cloth badge above the elbow of the left arm. I n the case of the members of the S.J.A.B. who have obtained the medallion, a circular white lar

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August 191 I. -FIRST

badge, in cloth, in. in diameter, is worn on the front of the left sleeve of the uniform, about 8 in. above bottom of cuff. All badges can be purchased at S1. ] ohn's Gate.-ED. " F.A."

NARCOTIC POISONING AND BURNS.

DEAR SIR,-Will you kindly give us, through the columns of your valuable and helpful journal, the correct treatment in the following case :-

"Patient has taken a narcotic poison and falling asleep falls on the fire and is badly burnt about 'the arms and chest."

Thanking you in anticipation. - Yours truly, Blaina, Mon. S. O. EL SE.

[In this, in many other cases, insufficient data are given to permit definite treatmp.nt to be stated.

The fact that the patient has been badly burnt would sugge.st that he was not. "sleeping," but wa s really suffenng from narcotiC pOlsonmg.

Prompt from cont ac t with the fire, followed by prompt drenchmg with water to kill the smouldering clothes that otherwise would be doing g re a ter damage, are the first steps to take.

Further details will depend entirely upon circumstances not stated. (Vague tests of this type are excellent as a means of readily the quickness of perception and resourcefulness of the candidate ) The resourc eful candidate will make the the situation clear by a tactful enquiry from the examiner as to what is to be understood in su ch a c a s e.

Assum ng no help av ail a ble and the patient to be sttll unconsc IOUS, the condition of the patient will determine what next shoul d be done. Should he be breathing stertorously he should be pla ced lyin g on one side, clothes freely but carefully and mouth and air passages examined for obstru c tIOn. (The finger or a piece of twisted paper, et c. , might pOSSibly be a help. to promote vomiting, but it is d<;>ubtful It would have any effect, the nervous Impulses bell1g for the time deadened .) Steps should then be taken to promptly prepare and a pply suitable protection for the burns, after which efforts might well be renewed to make the patient vomit, and to arouse h im, e.g., by slapping his face with cold water cloths, et c Warmth of the body and extremities should be maintained, but fresh a r should be freely available.

Should the breathing appear to be fa iling altogether (as in very dangerous cases of narcoti c poisoning ), the patient should (as soon as the fire is "killed ") without a moment s hesitation, be placed in the prone posi tion and Sch a fer s method of artificial respiration adopted and persevered with. Should the breathing become more natural (a result not at all likely under such dangerous conditions ), then treatment as above should be resorted to.

If the help of another is at hand, then one person s duty would be to attend to the condit ion of the patient, whilst the other prepared the necessary first dressings, after which he should go promptly for the doctor, the other being left in charge.

If the patient is no longer" asleep, " or if the doctor-but sufficient has been stated to show that detatls of treatment can only be given when actual (supposed ) conditions are known. See above.-L. M. FRANK CHRI STIAN.]

CORONATION DUTY.

SIR,-With respect to officers taking duty at the Coronation as sergeants, as stated by "Only a Private" in last month s

FIRST AID, I know personally officers who did duty as sergeants, as I have in my possession a list of those who undertook duty on ]ulle Z2nd and 23rd out of that particular district of which I am a member.

One officer I know volunteered to do duty as a private jf only he could get to the Coronation. What a scramble for a medal! Some district and corps staff officers did duty as ambulance officers, and quite a number of sergeants are on the list as corporals, in which rank they did duty owing to officers acting as sergeants. A number of the officers received letters offering them the opportunity of going to the Coronation as sergeants if they wanted to go. I regret to say that some of them did go.

I trust that when the names of the officers are sent up to headquarters that they will receive a medal for the same rank as they did duty for in Londonj for if they get a medal

AI D.-

to their rank in the brigade, I contend that they are gettm g It under false pretences, and as such have no right to wear It.

I fully agree with all that "Only a Private" says in his letter, and words fail me in expressing my disgust and contempt for officers who would sell principle and honour for "a meda1."

I am waiting to see how they will turn out when wanted for duty in their own district. They will have to do my share. - Yours truly,

ANOTH ER P RIVATE.

DISCRIMINATION REGARDING USE OF SPLINTS.

DEAR S IR - I should feel obliged if you would answer the followin g question, which we had at a recent ambulance contest :-" A man has fallen out of a railway train. He has a scalp wound 6 in. long with a compound fracture of the right femur and a fracture of pelvis on right side. " Is it correct to use splints in this case or not? All the other teams used splints, but my men treated without them, lifting the man in the same way as for fractured spine. What I am at a loss to know is: why did the judge give a fracture of pelvis on the si?e if splints had to be used? Being a reader of your Il1structn e paper I shall be very pleased if you can enlighten me on thiS matter as we have different views on the case. -

Yours faithfulIy, CORPL. W. G UEST.

[It would be absolutely wron g for anyone to give a dogmatic reply (yes or no ) to the above query as it stands, more definite data being required to guide one to a decision. I n this, as in pra ctically all cases with whi ch first aid students have to deal, discriminat ion must be exerc ised.

A most important point to bear in mind is that when two or more injuries or complications are present, the more serious complication should receive prior consideration, due regard, of course, being taken to lessen other risks.

In the above emergency the e )( istence of a fractured pelvis, Garrould's

3 2 -FIRST

and the position of the !r:jured are l20ints upon which to base one's deCISIOn regardmg the appltcatlon or nonapplication of splints.

On page 56, Cantlie, the instructior:s. gi-:en are that patient should be placed in whatever posItion IS found to gIve the greatest ease , and .the limbs be flexed. or straightened as the patIent desIres. respectIng these points is absolutely essentIal, b.earm.g mInd that the position naturally assumed by the patIent IS lIkely to be that which he feels to be most comfortable.

If the limb is found in the flexe d position, and any attempt to bring it into a straight line causes increased suffering in the region of the pelvis - a point ascert aina!: le by the candidate m aking a direct enqu iry th ereo n - then no attempt whatever s hould be made to apply splints, but the case should be dealt with in such a way as will suggest itself to the resourceful first aider. ( For example, by keeping the fractured limb as near as possible in the or igin:l:l position, and securin g it from I"?0vement by tying both thIghs and legs tog ether. An approprIately placed cushion affording the re q uisite support for the flexed limb )

If on the other hand, the fractured limb was originally in a suitable position, or could, without an y increase of sufferingor risk, be placed to allow the application of splints, then such application would be permissible.

Equally permissible, however, would be to improvise the sound limb as a splint; in fact , with sud? a lzistory as here given impro v isatio n w ould p oint to th e grea ter inasmuch as the presen ce of splInts would be a dIstInctly strange coincidence, and in their absen c e valuable time should not be lost in searching for, and adapting, material suited to the case.-L. M. FRAN K CHRI ST IA N.]

DE AR SIR,-Mr. S. Westman s letter in your last issue, complaining that a rumour is current that under the Compulsory Training Act, members of the S J.A.B. who are also attached to the Military Forces will be called upon to resign from the S.J.A.B.

This is as it should be, whether at home or in the colonies, for if a person is really desirous of obtaining "first aid knowledge, " there is every opportunity given in the Military Forces to those who are anxious to obtain such.

The S.J A.B. is a c ivil institution, and would naturally object to any interference on the part of the military authorities, hence it must take se cond place to the Red Cross Society (in spite vf Sir James Cl a rk' s remarks in your last issue, the S.J A.B. must give place to nobody ! ! !) It is regrettable, as the S.J.A.A. and Brigade have done good and noble work in the past.

I have been informed that the badge worn by the members of the S J A B. M ilitary Home Hospi tal Reserve the word" military " will have to come away, as the Brigade is in no way attached to the Military or Territorial Forces. As I understand, the St. Andrew's Association is not permitted to use the wor d "military " in their Hospital Reserve. Mr. Editor, with your usual courtesy you may be able to inform us if the above is true.

As an old member of the Bri g ade it is to be hoped that the new Chief Commissioner will thorou g hly re-organise the Provincial sections or divisions of the Brigade, for there is much to be desired, especially in the clerical and financial sections, and new regulations should be framed so that no new officer will have more than one office, as in the town where I am now staying I have heard the local" Brigade Doctor" is hon. surgeon, superintendent, treasurer and se cretary. This ought not to be with a membership of 58. Surely some of the members could fill some of the offices, if not they must be an ignorant lot. I understand to this cause a good deal of dissatisfaction exists here among them.

Railway employ e s should have an org anisation or brigade of their own and not associate themselves with the town section of the Brigade. This is one of the bones of contention.Yours, &c., A. E. H.

[The question which our correspondent puts to us is one which has not hitherto been raised. We prefer not to express an opinion until we have further information on the subject.ED. "F.A."

AID.-

August, 1911.

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How TO ACT IN CASES OF EMERGENCY.

. Aids to Memory for 'First Aid' Students.

By L. M FRANK CH RISTIAN, M.B. C.M Edin.

"A fourth edition already dem and ed a bet ter proof of the utility of the book than any comments written by a reyi ewer." "Contains many additional hints, warn ings and illustrati ons, which cann o fail to prove of the ass istance to th ose who would wish to acquire a soun d kn owledge of amb ulan ce work. "

"It is splendid, and cl earl y shows th e pain staki ng care and stu dy the auth or has devoted o his book. " " The advan ced fir st-aider will find it a treasure. "

" One of the best things of'the kind I have ever seen. " " To my mind it fill s a long fel want. " "Of tremendous serv ce for Police, Post Offi ce Offi cials, and such men as Territorial Instruc ors. "

"The' ultima thale of suggestiveness and sense in ambul ance work ."

Price: In Cloth, 6d. net-by post 7d. In Leather, 2S. net- by post 2S. 2d. Orders lor doz. and ujwards Post Free.

STOCKPORT: CONNELL & BAILEY, LTD., "EXPRESS" OFFICE, ST. PETER'S SQUARE, and The 5t. John Ambulance Association, ST JOHN S GATE LONDON.

aI OKS

ti fic an d Lit erary subjects. Second· Hand at

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Pronrietors to make this J oumal as instructive and entertaining as correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the membe rs of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Joumal.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" Is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

that the greatest number of fatalities and serious injuries occur. The morning papers can hardly be scanned any day without coming across accounts of boating accidents cases of drowning, motor brake accidents and tramway' smashes. It is very sad indeed to observe how many people on pleasure bent thus come to an untimely end, meeting their death in a most unexpected and sudden m'lnner, many of whose lives might possibly have been saved if first aid remedies had been applied. Anyone who has the misfortune to witness or hears of an accident of the kind referred to must be impressed with the merits and advantages of a knowledge of first aid, and as the ambulance classes commence at the termination of the holiday season, it is then that the class secretary should be busy finding recruits.

While on the subject of classes-we mean those classes which are open to the public-we think that if these were advertised more in the towns where they are established, it would considerably increase the attendance.

First Aid and the Holiday Season.

IT is common knowledge that at this time of the year the newspapers are somewhat hard pressed to eke out their columns with copy that shall catch the eye and please the palate of the British holiday-maker. Genuine news is scarce, and the columns have to be filled somehow. In olden days sea-serpents and other phenomena were resuscitated year after year with punctilious regularity; now it is a food scare, or something of that character. We are not in a similar position to the daily papers, for the closing of Parliament does not in any way affect our columns; but, on the other hand, the weather which has been experienced during the last month or SO, coupled with an un usually extended holiday season, have caused first aid work to receive a minor degree of attention.

The connection between the annual holiday and first aid work may at a cursory glance seem somewhat remote, but upon investigation it is not difficult to arrive at the fact that there is a connection between the two It is at this season that one sees the benefit of a knowledge of first aid more than at any other period of the year, for it is now

In our experience we have known of instances where persons have written to us asking if we could give them a town nearest to their own where classes were held, all the time being unconscious of the fact that classes were actually established in their particular towns.

Some will say that this points to ignorance and disinterest, but it is nevertheless a fact-just in the same way as the Londoner always knows least of his London, and the provincial lacks knowledge of his own town.

Secretaries of classes would do well if they asked the editors of their local papers to a preliminary notice therein, notifying the commencement of all ambulance classes, for such publicity would we feel sure be the means of increasing membership. Apart from this, many other forms of inexpensive advertising could be resorted to with profit.

DEWSBURy -We regret to record d e ath of Mrs. Simpson, which occurred on S e ptemb e r 6th, after R brief illness of rheumatic fever. The deceased la dy W::lS an enthusiastIC member of the Dewsbury Nursing Division, and was also a prominent worker of the Wesleyan Sisterhood. The remains were interred on Scptem ber 8th at Dewsbury.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

Drill. *

(Concluded jrom page I9)·

GENERAL RULES FOR THE CARRIAGE OF STRETCHERS. Consideration of the lVature of the care should al ways be taken to notice .the. part IllJured and the nature of the injury, as these determille III a great measure the position in which the patient should be placed dUring transport. I n all cases the head should be kept low, and on no account forward on to the chest.

In wounds of the head care should be taken that the patient is so placed that the injured part does not press against

In wounds of the lower limb the patient should be laid upon his back inclining injured side; such posit!on being less liable to cause motion III the broken bone dunng transport in cases of fracture...

In wounds of the upper ltmb, If the patient reqUires to be placed in a lying-down position, he should be laid on his. back, or on the uninjured as in cases of fracture .IS. less liability in such a position of the broken bones bemg mJured during transport.

In wounds of the chest there is often difficulty of breathing. In such cases the patient should be placed with the chest well raised, his body at the same time being inclined towards the injured side.

I n transverse or punctured wounds of the abdomen, the patient should be laid on his back, with his legs drawn up, so as to bring the thighs as close to the belly as possible; something being placed under his hams to keep his knees bent. If the wound is vertical the legs should be extended.

Adjustment of Slz'ngs.-Care should be taken at starting that the slings are buckled so that the parts supporting the poles are all at equal distances from the surface of the ground.

Carriage of tIle Patz'ent.- The patient is usually carried feet first, but in going up hill the position is reversed, and the patient is carried head first. To do this the bearers will lower the stretcher and turn about. If the patient is suffering from a recent fracture of the lower extremity he will, in all cases, be carried with his head down hill. The stronger and taller bearer should be down hill.

Under all circumstances the stretcher should, as far as possible, be carried in the horizontal position, which may be maintained in passing over uneven ground by raising or lowering the ends of the stretcher.

Passing a Wall or Fence.-Ho attempt will be made to carry a helpless pat ient over a high wall or fence, if it can be possibly avoided, as such is always a dangerous proceeding. A portion of the wall should be thrown down, or a breach in the fence made, so that the patient may be carried through on the stretcher; or if this is not practicable the patient should be carried to a place where a gate or opening already exists. N otwithstanding the distance to be traversed may be increased by the proceeding. I is better to do this than to risk the safety of the patient.

Crossing a Ditch.-In crossing a ditch the stretcher should be laid on the ground near its edge. Nos. and 2 then descend. The stretcher, with the patient on it, is afterwards advanced, Nos. and 2 in the ditch supporting the front end of the stretcher, while its other end rests on the edge of the ground above. While thus supported Nos. 3 and 4 descend. All the Nos .. now carry the stretcher to the opposite side, and the forepart IS made to rest on the edge of the ground while the rear part is supported by Nos. 3 and 4 in the ditch and Nos. and 2 climb up. The stretcher is lifted forward the ground above, and rests there while Nos. 3 and 4 climb up. The bearers then resume the carriage of the stretcher.

,.. We are indebted to the Medical Departmen t of the War Office and H. M. Stationery Office for permission to publish extracts from the "Army Medical Corps Training" and "Infantry Training ,. manuals in compiling this article.

AID. - Septem ber, 191 I.

Stretcher not to be Carried on the Shoulder.- On no account will bearers carry a stretcher on their shoulders.

Necessity for Practice.-- It is important that bearers practise the carriage of stretchers on uneven ground.

Dimensions of a Stretclter.-Length of canvas, 6 ft.; length of pole, 7 ft. 9 in.; width, I ft. I in.; height,s 7 in.

Automobile Association Patrols and First Aid.

ALTHOUGH scarcely three months have elapsed since first aid outfits were issued to the patrols of the Automobile Association and Motor Union and the men were required to qualify for first aid certIficates, nearly one hundred cases have already been reported by the patrols of services rendered to all classes of road users.

Twelve cases of injuries by motor cars were dealt with. In one case a motorist's wrist was broken through a "backfire"; another motorist, whilst making adjustments on his car, received a nasty wound by driving a split pin into his finger, and in another case a chauffeur's face was cut owing to a tyre lever springing back. There were over forty cases of injuries to cyclists and motor cyclists. Five cases of fainting owing to the intense heat-two being cyclists, were attended to, also several cases of inj uries caused by traps, tramcars, wagons, etc.

At Thornhough, on the Great North Road recently, a patrol went down a well to rescue a child who had fallen in. Although overcome by the foul gases, he eventually recovered the child's body, and tried artificial respiration for nearly an hour-unfortunately without success. He was highly commended by the Coroner at the Inquest. The patrols have also relieved sufferers from wasp-stings, machinery accidents, gun and gunpowder explosions, and on August 19th a patrol who witnessed the fall of an aeroplane near the Coventry-road was fortunately able to render prompt assistance to the injured aviator. The remarkable diversity of the cases so far recorded shows that by inaugurating this scheme for rendering first aid services to all road users, the Automobile Association and Motor Union has undertaken work which will be a real boon to the community at large.

The latest addition to the list of Rescue Stations is that about to be opened at Swansea by the Swansea District Colleries Rescue Association. About two years ago extensive premises were secured on the Strand at Swansea, which have been so altered and adapted so as to make them not only one of the largest, but also one of the most complete Rescue Stations in the kingdom. Provisions have been made for thoroughly training men, and great credit is due to the committee for the arrangements made for dealing promptly and efficiently with any emergency which may arise. Great care has been taken in the selection of the breathing apparatus to be adopted at the station. The Committee availed itself of the experience of all other Rescue Committees, from each of whom reports were obtained, and many Rescue Stations were visited, where demonstrations by trained teams were witnessed. After carefully collating and comparing the results thus obtained, the Committee have decided to adopt the well-known " Draeger" apparatus. Thus Swansea comes into line with all other Rescue Stations in South Wales, namely, Crumlin, Aberaman and Rhymney Valley, all of which have adopted the" Draeger" apparatus.

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Challenge Shield offered by the directors was held on the lawn of the Furness Abbey Hotel, on August 23rd, in the presence of a large gathering of ladies and gentlemen. Major Darwin, M.D., was the judge, and the arrangements of the competition were directed by Mr. J. Hope, the Centre Secretary.

G.N. & L. & N.YV. - The annual contest for the Western Division Ambulance Shield took place in the grounds of Sir J. Turney at Nottingham recently. Five teams competed from Nottingham (Victoria) Colwick, L. & N.W.; Derby, G N.; Bingham and Colwick, G.N. Dr. Murray, of Gedling, acted as judge, and he gave the result as follows :-Derby 266, Colwick 255, Bingham 250, Nottingham 246, Colwick 244, out of a possible 350. The

The Challenge Shield was won by the Mlllom team, whIch secured 1621 marks; Moor Row, with 15 6 t, being placed second. Barrow was third with 145, Ulverston was fourth with II5, and Whitehaven fifth with 9 2 The members of the winning team were each presented with a silver tea service, and the runners up received silver cake baskets.

Lord Muncaster, who presided at the presentation, said he was pleased to say the ambulance classes in connection with the Furness Railway centre had been well attended this session. He understood that 245 cases of accident to the general public, and also to railway servants had been attended to by members of the Centre during the past 12 months. Two teams from the Barrow class took part in the competition for the "Heath" Challenge Cup on August 27th, No. I team winning the cup, and NO.2 winning second position. Two mem bers of No.1 team also won the individual prizes for the theory and practical tests respectively. Three teams had entered this year, and they would no doubt work hard to retain the cup. The Furness Railway team, which took part in the competition for the shield and prizes presented by the St. John Ambulance Association at the Portman-rooms, London, was again very successful, and secured fourth position out of a total of 25 teams representing the railways of the country.

Lady Randles having been called upon to present the prizes and certificates, &c., expressed her great pleasure to do so, and added that she was especially pleased to be able to say that the railway trouble which had caused so must anxiety and distress had given way to peace, which reflected credit upon both masters and men.

The members of the winning team were J. Lowery (capt.), J. Atkinson, T. G. Bethwaite, H. Oldfield, and T. Dyson.

M.R.- The successful candidates of the St. Pancras Goods Department were presented with their certificates, medallions, &c., last month. In all 24 awards were made, including two for the seventh label. A team from the department have been successful in winning the" Preston" Challenge Cup for the second time. The work. of organising the class was undertaken by Mr. G. G. LeWIS.

DERBY G.N. Rv. AM BULANCE TEAM.

Front row--A. Davis (Instructor), W. J. Nightingale, G. W. Selby. Back row-W. C. Shalders, S. Day, J. Speed.

competition was one the keenest ever .fought, and as will be seen only 22 pomts separated the wmners and th.e last team. The Derby men did excellently all round, theIr stretcher work calling for particular attention. Mr. A. Davis was the instructor of the winning team he has devoted over twenty years in training and instructing ambulance classes, and has been praise? on several occasions by doctors for the efficient way men. had 'passed their examinations. Winning the shIeld agam thIS year makes the second time the Derby team have been successful.

FURNESS Rv.-The annual competition for the

S.E. & c.R.-On September 9th, interesting scenes were witnessed in the Lydd Town Hall, when the first competition for the "Laurence Hardy" Shield, presented to the centre by the Rt. Hon. Laurence Hardy, M.P., for competition in NO.9 District, was held.

The competition was witnessed by a large gathenng, the Rt. Hon. Laurence Hardy and Mrs. Hardy, the Mayor of Lydd (Alderman Edwin Finn) and the Deputy-Mayor (Alderman Arthur Finn), Colonel de Dr. and Mrs. Oliver, the Rev. - Heel, Mr. D S. Fm.n! and others.

At the conclusion of the competltlOn the Mayor of Lydd was very pleased to inform all present that the Lydd team the present holders of Group 2 Challenge Cup, had out on top, with the Ashford Loco' the Ashford Saw Mill team running 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Dr. Watts, of Tonbridge, who judged the competltlOn, then passed a few remarks as to the way in whi.ch the had been carried out. He was very pleased llldeed With

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the way in which the men had carried out the various tests put before them.

Mr. E. A. Richards (centre secretary) called upon the Rt. Hon. Laurence Hardy to present the shield to the winners, and in doing so emphasised the need for a knowledge of ambulance work among railwaymen. He also asked Mr. Hardy to present to Dr. H. S. Oliver, of Lydd, a "vellum vote of thanks" which had been awarded to that gentleman by the Grand Prior and Chapter General of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, as a tangible recognition of his good services to the first aid cause extending over a long period of years.

The competitors and their friends were afterwards entertained to tea by the Mayor and Deputy-Mayor of Lydd, and a smoking concert in the evening brought the da}'s proceedings to a close.

We have received from the Centre Secretary an advance copy of the annual report for 1911. Space will not permit of our dealing with it in detail in this issue, but we propose to do so in the October number. Much useful work has been accomplished by the Centre during the year, and, as we anticipated, the number of certificates issued has incr ea sed Th e competitions held during the year also constitute a record. The Centre Secretary acknowledges in his prefatory note the assistance given to the Centre by the Directors and Officers of the Company, and also the whole-hearted manner in which the work has been taken up by the staff, he also anticipates further extension of the work in the comi ng season.

Irish News.

FROM OUR DUBLIN CORRESPONDENT.

WE are pleased to learn that a ce ntre of the Association is to be established at Limerick. In order to make the proposal known a meeting was held on Septem ber 9th , which was favoured with a large attendance, and resolutions re ferrin g to the constitution of the committee, to questions of finance, and to the immediate formation of classes, were passed with acclamation.

A committee has been formed em bracing representatives of the various institutions and societies of the town with Mr. McMahon as its hon. sec. Mr. McMahon connected with the Industrial Association of Limerick in the capacity of hon. sec. for many years, and he threw himself heart and soul into the work. The Limerick centre is fortunate in securing tbe hon. service of an enthusiast and so capable an organiser, and it bids well of meeting with success.

DUBLIN.-The annual inspections have just concluded amongst the Dublin Divisions, District Supt. F. de B. Pim having performed the duty of inspecting officer. As far as can be the results were satisfactory, some defects and ,,;hlch needed up were pointed out !n Dr. s own style, WhICh never wounds, but is always Instructive.

!he .James's Gate (Guiness's), the oldest of the DublIn DlVlslOns, held a very important meeting of officers and on September 12th, to consider the matter of gettIng the mem bers to take a greater interest in the work. is un fortunately the ever-recurring cry of almost .all d.vIslons. However, at this meeting some new regulatlOns wrre drawn up, and many practical suggestions

AID.- Septem ber, 191 I. thrown out on the subject, which it is anticipated will have the desired effect. A new course of lectures will shortly be held, under a carefully-arranged programme. Dr. Lumsden deli vers the class lectures.

CITV OF DUBLIN DIVISION.-A very special effort is to be made this winter for the development of evening classes, and besides the general public, it is expected that two of the railway companies are sending batches of men for instruction in first aid work to this division. October will be the month for opening the session, and it is anticipated that a greater interest will be awakened in Dublin in St. John Am bulance work than has hiterto existed.

W. & R J ACOBS'.- This newly-formed division is getting ready for a new course of lectures. In their recent parade at the annual inspection, out of 25 men present, 2 were in uniform, and were complimented by the inspecting officer for their smart appearance and general efficiency. With the exertions of the popular secretary, Mr. G. W. Symth, and the supervision of Dr. Cope, hon. surgeon, Jacobs' Division is bound to go ahead.

LADIE S NURSIN G DIVISION (CITY OF DUBLIN).-

The ladies went through the "annual" ordeal also, acquitting themselves to the satisfaction of Dr. Pim, and thus adding another point to the credit of Dr. Charles, hon. surgeon.

The Alexandra College (Principal, Miss H. Yf. White, LL.D.), founded in 1866 for the higher education of ladies, recently completed a course of study in first aid and home nursing.

In the former class, fifteen students entered for the examination and ol)tained certificates j in the latter thirteen presented themselves, and were equally successful.

It is extremely gratifying to witness a teaching institu· tion of such eminence as "The Alexandra" taking up the study of first aid, by which its students will become in after life more useful mem bers of society.

When distributing prizes at the" I veagh" Cup Competition, held in Dublin last July, Judge Ross, Chairman of the Dublin Centre, referred in a special manner to the importance of a knowledge of first aid being imparted in all large schools and colleges.

Coming Events.

Part iculars OT j01-thco1lting events will be inserted in this Colu?lt?? Iret! 0/ charge, if received not later than the I4th oj each month

Brierfield.- The competition for the" Tunstill " Memorial Shield and other valuable pri zes will be held in the Wesleyan School on Saturday, September 30th. Entries closed on September 16th. The Secretary of the Competition is Mr. A. G. Smith, Quaker'S Bridge, Brierfield.

London.- The PolytechnIc Ambulance Competitions for the "William Heywood JJ Shield and "Grant JJ Medal will take pl::\ce on Saturday, October 21St. We would remind intending competitors that last year the number had to be limited. It is, therefore, very important that competitors should enter as early as possible to save disappointment. For further particulars, apply, William J. Fuller, The Polytechni c Regent-street, W.

Scunthorpe - The Ambulance competition for Sir Berksley Sheffield's Challenge Shield will be held on Saturday, September 23rd. The competition is open to corps and divisions in the NO·5 District. For particulars apply to Mr. J. H. Mason, 13, Sheffield-street, Crosby, Scunthorpe.

September, I9I1. -FIRST

AID.- 37

we should see the number of casualties reduc ed in a proportional ratio

We notice that the certificates issued during the year total 20,905, consisting of 16,976 first aid, both men and women, 3,627 home nursing, 133 home hygiene, and 169 sanitation, showing an increase on the aggregate of 2,01 I over the previous year. The work goes on apace in the Colonies. There is a strong body in Australia, and it is likely we shall see great strides in Canada.

ANNUAL REPORT.

Much interesting reading is furnished in the annual report just to hand. It was somewhat late in making its appearance this year, but this is accounted for by the large amount of extra duties imposed upon the headquarters' staff during the Coronation. The report makes a sympa· thetic reference to the death of King Edward VI!., and shows the interest he took in the Order extending over a wide period, and also records the succession of His Majesty George V. as Patron of the Order, and the Duke of Connaught as Grand Prior. Mention is made of the honour which H.M. the King conferred on the No. District uy designating it the "Prince of Wales' Corps" in recognition of its long and valuable services since the initiation of the brigade, especially on so many occasions when there has been great crowds in the streets of London.

No doubt the feature of the year has been the revived interest now taken in what is called "Red Cross" work. The report gives a brief history of the Red Cross movement, it also shows the cause which led to the formation of the S.J.A.A. Following the Franco-German War a few enthusiastic members of the Order, whose experience of war and its horrors had taught them to see the necessity of proper organisation, which, whilst being of use in diminishing suffering in the daily accidents of civil life, might be mobilized in time of need as a supplement to the Medical Department of the British Army. The result now is quite apparent that in the Association and its offshoots-the Brigade, the RN.A.S.B.R, the Bearer Companies, and the M.H.H.R.-this country possesses an organised body of men ready to serve their country in time of emergency.

In connection with the Territorial branch of the Ambulance department at St. John's Gate, the Committee refer to the long negotiations between the War Office, the S.J.A.A. and the British Red Cross Society over the County and Brigade Companies. The Committee have accepted the arrangements by which the War Office recognise as equivalent to Voluntary Aid Detachment in any county, every unit, whether of the S.J.A.A. or of the British Red Cross Soci ety, which was approved by the County Territoral Association. No figures are given relating to this department, but the committee are doing all in their power to promote it, and we hope to see its rapid extension during the next year.

Some statistics are given concerning railway accidents. From 1905-1908 the average was 29 passengers killed and 461 injured in 1908 no passengers were killed; in I909 there was only one victim the number of pasf:engers journey s for that year having reached I, 264'8 millions. The report does not deal with accidents to the employes of the rail ways; the number of killed in this direction is enormously higher, it works out about one killed to every thousand men employed in I908.

We are pleased to see that ambulance work on railways is increasing yearly, and with its proportional increase

We commend the figures relating to accidents in mines to our readers, they total 1,769 killed, or 316 more than the previous year, an enormous increase. It simply shows the necessity-the absolute necessity- of am bulance work being taken up to a much greater extent than it has hitherto been. We observe that no figures are given to show the number of cases in which first aid was rendered; if they could be given they would be exceedingly interesting.

Accounts of interesting meetings organised to propagate the work in the Colonies are recorded, and generally speaking the report of each department shows that it has been actively engaged. The work is increasing, and although no striking fact is brought out, yet the increase is steady and shows every prospect of being maintained. The balance-sheet shows a surplus balance of £3,799 5s. 3d

TERRITORIAL COUNTY AMBULANCE COMPANIES.

The Ripon and Grewelthorpe sections of the county companies have been organised and the members, both men and women, assembled at the Ripon Grammar School on August 26th to give a demonstration of field ambulance work and treatment in hospital, and also to receive at the hands of Lady Ripon their certificates. The school sanatorium had been arranged as a hospital, with Mrs. Hey as lady superint endent, eighteen nurses, and Dr. C. H. Greenwood as medical officer and commandant. The theatre was arranged for an operation with all the necessary equipment. Sergeant Bullough was in charge of War Office exhibits kindly lent by Surgeon· General Kenny. The nurses in charge of the kitchens had prepared samples of invalid food for inspection, and in a small room on the ground floor the books belonging to the detachment and its working were on view.

Col. J. c. R. Husband explained that und er Lord Haldane's Territorial scheme provision was made for th e treatm ent of the sick and wounded on the battlefield and in the immediate neighbourhood, and also at general base hospitals in the large towns, but there was no provision for getting the sick and wounded from the field of battle to those base hospitals. Voluntary Aid Detachments in connection with the British Red Cross Society were instituted to fill the gap, and a branch was successfully. formed in Ripon. Since then, however, the Voluntary AId Detachments had been tmnsferred to the St. John Ambulance Association and the existing organisations had been extended and developed, but more monty and helpers were needed to carryon the work. Already a ladies' company had been formed, greatly through the help of l\Iiss Violet Oxley, with Dr. Greenwood as commandant and Mrs. Hey as lady superintendent. It was hoped that shortly a men's company would have been formed, with Dr. Hey as commandant and Mr. W. B. Smith as quartermaster. Not only had the movement taken on well at Ripon, but at thorpe, with a popUlation of 400, there were fiftY-SIX members.

Major-General J. c. Dalton stated that Col. H. R

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Mends, the hon, organising secretary for the St: ] ohn Ambulance Association in the West Riding, was working very hard to make the work in Yorkshire second to none in the kingdom.

General Dalton afterwards proposed a vote of thanks to Lady Ripon, which was seconded by Col. G. Kearsley, who stated that their object was to form ambulance sections in all the large villages in the Liberty of Ripon and the Kirkby Malzeard division of the West Riding.

The vote was carried with acclamation.

The demonstration of field ambulance work was then proceeded with. A detachment of the Church Lads' Brigade, under Capt. Hanley Hutchinson, located the sick and wounded in different parts of the field, first aid being rendered by the men, who carried the patients to hospital, where they were treated by the nurses.

Sunstroke.

WITH the hot weather which has been experienced during the last few months sunstroke and heatstroke are most common accidents in this comparatively cool latitude. In the Lancet, of July 15th, the subject is dealt with and it considers the various theories advanced in explanation of the deleterious action of the sun's rays on man as well as the methods of their prevention:-

"The sun may excite the forms of injurious effect known respectively as heat-collapse and heat-stroke. Heat-collapse is not usually a severe condition. The patient suddenly turns giddy and falls; his skin is moist and cool his breathing hurried but never stertorous; his pulse small and soft; his pupils dilated his temperature remains at, or falls below, the normal whilst there is no complete loss of consciousness as a rule. Recovery generally ensues when the patient is taken into the shade, his clothes are loosened, cold water is dashed on his head, and ammonia held to his nostrils. Far different, however, is it with heat-stroke. This may be either direct or indirect. In dt'rect heat-stroke, cr sunstroke, the attack may occur in more than one form. In one form the persons affected are mostly more or less untrained to as, for instance, young soldiers newly arrIved In a hot country and unaccustomed to the fatigues of marching, and it is especially likely to affect them when the air is moist, so that the skin action becomes diminished. Violent headache is first complained of; the march, however, is still continued, until the patient at length falls down in convulsions, with teeth firmly clenched, absolute insensibility, dyspncea, small and weak pulse, and often incontinence of urine.

In a second. form the subject, streaming with sweat, becomes progressIvely paler, with cyanosed lips, injected swollen veins, respiration shallow and quiet, until he sltps to the ground. Consciousness is not as a rule entirely lost, and revival occurs if the patient relieved of all impediments to free respiration.

, In a third form the subject becomes extremely thIrsty, Without any feeling of fatigue, and suddenly falls down The state of coma .may last from twentyfour to thIrtY-SIx hours and may end In death without any recovery of consciousness.

Lastly, in a fourth variety, the soldier, after a hot and wearying .march in the sun, is seized with a racking headache, whIch hourly becomes more and more intense so tllat within twenty-four hours he may be rolling about in from the, terrific in the head. Soon great lntolerance of lIght sets In and then unconsciousness.

AI D.- Septem ber, 1911

Should the patient not die, the intense pain in the head continues on return to consciousness and may last for six or eight weeks unrelieved by any drug, though showing slight evening remissions it then gradually abates.

In the indirect form of heat-stroke the individual is attacked indoors. He becomes pale and nauseated; has colic and incontinence of urine. Convulsions follow, to be succeeded by cyanosis, dyspncea, and insensibility, with stertor and contracted pupils. The temperature may run up to 110 degs. Fahr., remaining high for some time after death.

The view that in the Lancet's opinion nest accounts for heat stroke is the active theory of Col. F. Maude R.E. This distinquished officer had suffered from several ;ttacks of sunstroke, when he conceived the idea that the rays of the sun which caused such attacks were not the heat rays but the actinic rays situated at the other end of spectrum. It occurred to him that if he lined his helmet with red, to cut off these chemical or actinic rays (just as the photographer lines his dark room with red for the same reason in developing) he would obviate the disastrous effects of the sun. An officer who did not believe in this theory, however, one day abstracted the red lining from Col. Maude's helmet as he was about to expose himself to the sun, with the result that Colonel Maude again suffered from sunstroke, and experienced great chagin at the supposed failure of his theory until the repentant officer told h.im what he had done. Another officer, who had prethree occasions from sunstroke, causing hIm to invalIded for nearly five years, also lined his helmet With red, with the result that as each succeeding hot weather season came round he was enabled to live without any discomfort from the sun, although he had presuffered from headaches. The plan of hnmg the .head covenngs with red or orange flannel, therefore, certaInly seems to deserve a more extended trial. As regards diet , moderation must be practised both with meat and drink. ---._.----

To Remove Adhesive Plaster.

A USEFUL ?int is given by Dr. Beardsley in the Journal of the Amertcan j l![edical A fsodation on the removal of plaster. knows how painful this is to a patIent wh.o a stnp of surgeon's plaster applied to a part whIch IS Even when a preliminary shaving been done the haIrs have often grown again when the cemes for the plaster to be removed, and the process IS an unpleasant one for both doctor and patient. Dr. Beardsley thinks very little of the usual methods of facilit.ating ref!1oval; turpentine is messy and only partly effectIve, ?enZIrl:e, alcohol, ether, and peroxide of hydrogen a:e also l.nefficIent. puts. great reliance, however, in oIl of wIntergreen, ,WhICh dIssolves very rapidly and the resinOus adhesive ingredients of the ordInary is. advisable to use a small quantity of od, for It qUIckly soaks through the fabric and dIffuses Itself along the material. He also especially when very areas of plaster are being dealt With, c?ntalnIng 10 per cent. of oil of winterg:een m lard; thIS IS even more successful than the pure 011.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

September, 1911. -FIRST Capt. Braidwood.

IT will be of interest to our readers to know that the carved stone memorial, erected to the memory of him who was Chief of London's Fire Brigade for so many years, and who was killed in the great fire at Cotton's Wharf, Tooley-street,

Al D.- 39

What we are Taught at the Am bulance Class.

1. My opinion of the ambulance class is very good, I am sure while listening to what the doctor said I've passed many a pleasant hour.

2. He taught us how the human frame was made with two hundred bones or more, and in trying to remember all their names it made my poor head sore.

3. Now it's no small item, yet how important to know the part each bone plays in these two hundred or more.

4. Then if you will have patience an effort I'll make to mention some of these bones, ;ind other items relate.

5. There are eight bones in the cranium and fourteen in the face, the Nasal and Malar each occupy their place.

6. Thirty-three in the Vertebral Column, the Sternum and Ribs twenty-five more, and the two haunch bones comprising the Pel vis make total four score.

7. The Arms, the upper extremities with thirty bones in each, commencing at the Humerus, the Radius and Ulna so they teach.

8. The Carpuses, Metacarpuses and Phalanges all combined. Have you ever thought about being a doctor, it's enough to make you go wrong in your mind.

9. Then Legs, the lower extremities, very much like the arms you will see, except the seven bones at the Tarsus and the Patella at the knee.

10. The Femur, Tibia, and Fibula, Tarsus, Metatursus, Phalanges and so, if you add those together you will find that the total is two hundred or more,

11. We were also taught how each fracture to treat, commencing at the head right down to the feet.

12. And how to be quick if hcemorrhage to arrest, by means that are simplest and best.

13. First by digital pressure, then by bandage and pad, or an improvised tourniquet with such material as we had.

THE LATE

CAPT. BRAIDWOOD.

in 1861, has been, by the courtesy of the L.c.c., removed a few feet nearer the main thoroughfare. It is now readable and is one of the items of interest to American and other tourists doing London. We append the inscription now distinctly visible :In Memory of JAMES BRA InWOOD, Superintendent of the London Fire Brigade, who was killed near this spot, in the execution of his duty, at the great fire on 22nd June, 1861.

A just man, and one that feared God, And of good report among all the Nation.

Erected by the men of the Southwark Division of the Metropolitan Police.

HETTON-LE-RoLE.-This division held a garden party on August 19th, at the residence of ]. Adamson, occasion was taken to hold the competitIOn for the cup presented by Sir Lindsay Wood. The teams competing were Eppleton A, Ban? C. The. B team were declared the winners. Dr. Martm acted as Judge.

14. How to restore the apparent drowned, all tight clothing undo and keep life in if possible by a process you have got to put them through.

15. Free the patients from all water by plaCIng them on their face and using sufficient pressure just at the proper time and right place.

16. Then commence artificial respiration, Sylvester s or Howard's Method try, putting forth every effort, remembering that money life won't buy.

17. Then when assured breathing has been restored, for shock you have got to treat by wrapping up the patient and placing warm bottles to his feet.

18. If you find a man unconscious then careful to ascertain the nature of the injury without causmg unnecessary pam.

19. He may have taken poison, then good exercise to ascertain the nature of the poison, by stams or other symptoms that may arise.

20. In Scalds and Burns the principal thin,g. is I suppose in taking off the clothing-too much of the LnJured part not exposed.

21. Wrap up with oily dressings and when you have done your best but in all cases send for the doctor and leave to him the rest.

,

22. Then think how useful we may be by domg all we can to relieve the suffering of our fellow man.

23. For such deeds as these are amongst the noblest and the best, for remember in blessmg others thou thyself art blest.-WILLIAM SUTHERN, Dudley.

-FIRST Brevities.

IN last month's "Brevities" we briefly mentioned that by correspondence which we had received, we learnt that certain officers of the Brigade undertook duties below their rank at the Coronation Processions. By the courtesy of one of our readers we have been favoured with a perusal of the order of the particular district in which the feeling of unfair preference seems to be manifest. The order in question reads as follows :-" In consequence of the withdrawal of the British Red Cross Society from any Coronation duty, further demands are made on the S.J. A.B. The following officers will be selected for duty on the 23 rd June, if they consent to go in the rank of sergeant and wear that uniform." Following this the names of fourteen officers who were selected were enumerated.

* * *

IN the particular district in question 83 privates undertook duty, and, quite apart from the medical officers there were 66 officers and non-commi;;sion officers attendance, a proportion we should say altogether superflous to the privates. We do not learn whether or not if there any lack of volunteers on the part of the privates, but If there was not those who volunteered and were refused in our .o;>inion, were not fairly treated. The RegulatlOns do not mention anything about officers doing duty below their rank and none would repremand them from un?ertaking such duties if there was a necessity of the:n so.;. but, when they are preventing men taking their nght positIOn, and excluded others, it is in our opinion very unfair procedure.

* * *

IN our correspondence column a suggestion emanates from a camper of the NO.3 District, that a kharki uniform be subsituted for the existing one for camp purposes. \Vlth t.he summer which we have had, the black uniform, we qUIte agree, is most unsuitable for field work, and we know by experience, not calculated to brace one after standing many hours in a hot sun it is also not for the hard of a camp kharki, on the other hand, has .proved ItS merits and is eminently suited for all reqUIrements. The only ground we see why it cannot be adopted is a question of expense and on these grounds alone we are afraid any suggested alteration would be ab.3.ndoned.

* * *

THE report of the Indian Branch of the Association wh lch recently been issued possesses a good many pOints whIch are of interest. In the first instance we must the Indian Branch on the progress it is

The organiza tion of t he Association into India

to Lient.-Colonel A. C. Yate, who in 19 0 0 was Invited to accept the appointment of H 0 .. on. rgamzlOg C()m.mlssLOner for India, and he accepted the offer proVIded that he was allowed by the Government of India to undertake the work-which it did.

AID.- Septem ber, 191 I.

COLONEL Y ATE in a few years established some nine centres in various parts of India, but after his retirement in 19 0 5, these centres, with few exceptions, became dormant, and in 19::>8 only two were working. In 1909, by the great interest shown in the Association by Lord and Lady Minto, a new Committee was appointed and the Branch re-organized on a sound and permanent basis. At the present time the Branch has over sixty working centres, and to mark its appreciation of its development the GJvernment of India placed it on the list of institutions receiving an annual Government grant in 1910. The ambulance workers in India have a number of competitions for handsome trophies, and by the encouragement given in all directions the Indian Branch should make rapid progress.

***

IT must be admitted by everyone that the Irish Railway Companies, like their English confreres, do their ordinary work in a most admirable manner, yet we cannot say that they are as advanced in encouraging first aid or doing their best to provide measures by which pain can be alleviated and the severity of different injuries lessened. The Directors of the Irish Companies have had ample evidence of the results of the benefits that the English Comp.anies have derived from training their employes in first aid, and they know by sad experience the difference 0 cost .between a simple and compound fracture of the Jeg that It would be sufficient justification of them encouraging ambulance instruction without stint. The movement generally in Ireland is going ahead, and we should like to see it taken up on the Irish Railways.

* * *

THE electric motor am bulances for the Port of London Authority are almost ready, and will be put into active commission within a fortnight. There will be four one each the areas of Victoria and Albert, the Surrey CommerCial, the London and the West India Docks, while the of the service per year, according to the Port of will come to at least £4,000. The administratIOn of the new service has been placed in the of the Port Police Department. The Port Authority WIll keep a record during the six months following the inception of their reform of the number of cases the electric ambula?ces called in to convey to the hospitals. On the baSIS of thIS service they will ask the independent shipowners, w?ose men will benefit from the new enterprise equally WIth the employes of the to contribute towards the upkeep whatever they may consider a fair share.

the. num ber of accidents occurring almost dally at the variOus docks, it will be money well spent, and it is hoped that dock labourers in general will appreciate the efforts made to supplement the agencies of first aid at the various departments of the docks.

September, 191 I. -FIRST Apoplexy.

By AN L.R.P.c.

You may perhaps be somewhat surprised at my taking up this subject, since it is described in your text books, but it is for the reason that the descri ption is so brief that I address you upon it, as there are some varieties of it which you ought to know something about and which are not usually given in our text books.

I fancy I hear some of you say, "Oh yes, we know all about apoplexy) a person suddenly becomes insensible with laboured breathing and making a snorting noise, and one cheek is puffed out with each expiration." That is all very well in its way, but that only expresses one form of apoplexy and that is a very severe one.

Before going any further, I think I ought to give a definitiotl of the term apoplexy, and then we shall know exactly what we are dealing with. What I mean by apoplexy and what is generally meant as far as first aiders are concerned is the following :-

A sudden attack of paralysis) partial or complete and generally of one side, with or without insensibility. By this definition you will see that an attack of apoplexy is not necessarily accompa:-;ied by unconsciousness, and that is the point I wish to impress upon you.

I do not want you to trouble yourselves as to the cause of apoplexy, except in so far that it is caused by some mischief in the brain, whether it is a ruptured artery or a blocked artery or due to congestion or softening, it is not worth your while to enquire.

Having thus defined the meaning of the term let us consider the symptoms, and see if we can learn something more of them than what is generally given. In severe cases the chief feature is sudden loss of consciousness, while the heart's action remains fairly strong, the breathing is laboured and stertorous, that is, snorting, with the cheek on the paralysed side puffing out at each expiration-the limbs are motionless, and the face is flushed. The pupils of the eyes vary, and are generally slow in their reaction to light. When the unconsciousness is over, the time of which may vary in length according to the severity of the case, it will be noticed that there is paralysis of the lim bs on one side, and if on the right side there will also be some loss of speech. If the temperature can be noticed, it will be seen that at first it is lowered, but after a few hours it rises. In less severe cases, the unconsciousness does not last long and the paralysis is slight. With reference to the determination of the case whether it be recovery or death, everything depends upon the position of the lesion in the brain j if it occurs, roughly speaking, on the under side of the brain, the insensibility will be profound and there will be no recovery, but if it be in either hemisphere, recovery will take place in course of time.

In the slighter cases of apoplexy of which no mention is made it your text books, as far as I have seen, there is great difference in the symptoms, and that is there is no loss of consciousness. A person is sitting down, say at a meal, and he has a curious feeling come over him and he finds there is a loss of power in his arm or leg on one side -sometimes there is pain, but there is generally a feeling of numbness in the limbs, and if the right side be affected, there will be some difficulty in speaking, the cheek on the right side wilJ be flabby and he will be unable to screw his mouth up, as he would do in the act of whistling.

AI D.- 41

You may come across apoplexy of any degree of severity from the slight case to the fatal one, and it is important that you should be able to recognise it in any form, so that you may be able to apply the proper treatment. The primary cause of an apoplectic attack in some disease of the blood-vessels of the brain, but the immediate cause is generally excitement or exertion causing the action of the heart to be increased. It is more common in men than in women, and generally comes on after middle life. There are other kinds of unconsciousness which somewhat resemble that of apoplexy and it is important that you should have some idea of how tl) discriminate between them. In fainting the face is pale, the heart's action weak, and the breathing irregular, or almost stopped or sighing. Opium and alcohol may produce symptoms which are sometimes likely to be confounded with those of apoplexy. In forming a conclusion as to the nature of the case you must take into consideration not only the condition of the patient but also the surrounding circumstances, as the history of the case, whether the insensibility came on gradually or suddenly, whether there is any evidence in the shape of glasses or bottles of the patient having taken laudanum or spirits, and whether any person present can give any information. In examining the patient be careful to look at the eyes for any inequality, contraction, &c., of the pupils, smell rJ:5 breath, note the pulse and the colour of his face, and observe if there are any convulsions or if there have been any. As regards the eyes, inequality of the pupils undoubtedly points to apoplexy, and great contraction to poisoning by opium) although there is one kind of apoplexy in which both pupils are contracted, in which case you must look for some evidence of the onset of the attack-if sudden, it would be apoplexy, if gradual, opium poisoning. The smell of alcohol in the breath is not sufficient in itself to prove that the condition is due to drink, because a little drink will often bring an attack of apoplexy, and it is in this instance where your great difficulty will arise. You must watch the symptoms closely, see if there is any paralysis or inequality of the pupils, and if not certain treat for apoplexy, and be comforted by the reflection that mistakes have been made by better men perhaps than you. If the insensibility has been preceded by a convulsion it is probably epilepsy, and take care to look at the tongue for any marks of its having been bitten.

The above are the chief points for you to be acquainted with in order that you may make a proper diagnosis (as the doctors call it) of the case, for it is upon your diagnosis that treatment depends.

TREAT1lENT.

This does not require me to say much, for you are probably all aware of what ought to be done. In. severe case the patient must be kept in a recumbent pOSItIOn, and removed as carefully as possible to a place where he can be kept perfectly quiet. Hot applications or mustard plasters to the extremities will help to rest?re conSCIOusness, and no stimulants of any kind must be given except under the doctor's orders and I need hardly say get medical assistance as soon possi ble. I t is to the sligh t cases where there is no loss of consciousness that I want to draw your attention. These must be in the way, no matter what the patient says. It IS your duty t? Impr:ss on the patient the absolute of keepmg qUIet and avoiding stimulants, and that It. may out to be serious and that he ought to get medical adVice as soon as he gets home. These slight cases are to say the a warning, and if not treated properly may lead very qUIckly to a serious condition.

$!jOHN AMBUlANCf..

No. 3 District.

BIRMINGHAM.-A distressing accident occurred on the occasion of the Annual Inspection of this Corps, held at the County Cricket Ground, Edgbaston, on September 9th. At the conclusion of a most successful inspection a demonstration of a battlefield scene with the corps searching for and attending the wounded was to be held. In order to add reality to the proceeding a firing party was requisitioned. A volley was fired, and a score of men who had been disposed about the ground fell to represent the wounded. A bugle-call brought up the ambulance men who were to demonstrate how they would act. The firing had been proceeding from behind a screen at the far end of the ground Suddenly the attention of the spectators was distracted by shrieks and calls for "doctor" and" ambulance." The crowd thought it was all part of the "stage business," but members of the corps at once realised that something serious had happened.

Doctors and am bulance men rushed to the screen to find that one of the firing party, George Sorrell, had had his left hand shattered by an accidental explosion. He had reinforced the party told off for the work, and was assisting William Brophy to load the cartridges which were to be discharged in an electric battery. With a small mallet and plug he was ramming the wad over the gunpowder when an explosion occurred, and he fell with his hand gravely injured. Brophy had a remarkable escape. It is supposed sparks from another cartridge which was being discharged prematurely fired the gunpowder with which Sorrell was dealing. Medical and ambulance assistance was immediately forthcoming, and the injured man was taken in the motor ambulance to the Queen's Hospital. Here it was found necessary to amputate the portion of the hand that remained. Sorrell was also suffering from severe shock.

Sir James Clark was the Inspecting Officer, and 235 of all ranks paraded under Chief-Supt. Gilbert. The other officers present were Chief Surgeon T. Nelson, Corps Supt.-Secretary J. H. Hawkins, Hon. Surgeons J. Henton White and L. C. S. Broughton, and Supts. Williams, Nutt, Taylor, Parker and Simpson. Thirty Nursing Sisters were also on parade under Nursing Officers Miss Richardson and Miss Granger. The Inspecting Officer was accompanied by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham (Alderman W. H. Bowater), Assistant - Commissioner T. H. Woolston, of Northampton, and Colonel W. P. Whitcombe, of the R.A.M.C. The men were inspected in line by the Chief Commissioner, and afterwards" marched past" in column and quarter column.

They also gave a demonstration of ambulance work under war conditions, while the ladies did bandaging and other nursing duties. The whole of the work was very smartly done, and in a speech delivered to the massed c?mpanies in the presence of a large number of spectators Su James Clark referred in high praise to the skill and

AI D.- September, 191 I.

steadiness of the Brigade. He urged them to do all they could to extend the scope of their work, and by painstaking study and practise to keep themselves proficient.

DUDLEY.-On loth this division held their annual church parade. About 140 members and visitors mustered at headquarters, Stone-street. The officers present were Hon. Surgeons J. H. Wilkinson and Boughton (Langley), Supts. W. E. Hartland (in command), Hall (Smethwick), Parker (Halesowen), Williams (Coombes Wood), and 1St Officer M. Christopher (Wolverhampton).

Headed by the Cradley Heath Silver Band, the division marched by way of High-street to St. Luke's Church. The Rev. W. J. Down (vicar) officiated. In the course of an eloquent discourse, he recollected that during the dark days of the South African War the Dudley Division sent out a larger percentage of men than any other division in the country. He also noticed that a large number of the men present had undertaken, in the event of a serious emergency, to serve in the military hospitals.

North East Warwickshire Corps was inspected by Sir J. Clark on September 2nd, and accompanying him were Assistant-Commissioner T. H. Woolston and the Rev. W. D. Rudyard, District Supt. of Stores.

About 120 men paraded, and these came from Leamington, Coventry, Nuneaton, Bishops Itchington and Stratford-on-Avon. A number of the men were selected as patients, and the squads were ordered to different parts of the ground, and there they attended to the injured men. The sq:Jads were then inspected in turn by the Chief Commissioner, who questioned the men regarding the methods they em ployed.

Addressing them at the conclusion of the parade, Sir James expressed himself gratified at the appearance of the corps, and congratulated them upon their work. He expressed a hope that there would be more of them, and urged them to pay more attention to book work.

No. 4 District.

BARROW.-The annual competition for the "Heath" Challenge Cup took place on August 27th. For the third successive year the team from the Furness Railway were successful by a margin of 32i points in gaining the trophy. Dr. L. M. Frank Christian was the judge in the stretcher test, and Dr. Holmes took the individual work. The tests were of an up-to-date character, and the competitors showed a good standard in their work. The results were declared as follows by Supt. Craig, of the Barrow Division :-Ist, Furness Railway, 256 marks; 2nd, Furness Railway (No.2:' 223!; 3rd, Vickers (No. I), 184!; 4th, Furness Railway (No·3), 177 ; Vickers (No.2), 149.

The Mayor of Barrow, who presented the prizes, dealt with the progress ambulance work was making around Barrow and also the benefits which are derived by having a knowledge of it. Dr. Christian was compelled to make an early departure, and in consequence was unable to be present at the presentation of prizes, we are therefore deprived of having his criticism of the stretcher work.

Commenting on the way the men went through the individual tests, Dr. Holmes said that with the exception of about two answers, the questions were fairly well answered . There was one in particular which seemed to be a stumbl-

September, 191 I. -FIRST

ing-block, viz., "How would you proceed to release an individual who has become entang led in the broken overhead electric cable on a pouring wet day?" The reason they did not answer this question properly and fully was because they did not give themselves time to think. He encouraged them to persist in ambulance work, because it was a great service to render aid to their fellow-men when afflicted. It was possible they could save life; in fact, they saved many lives without knowing it by applying first aid in its proper way.

BOLTON.-The Annual Inspection of the Corps took place on August 26th. There was an excellent muster of men and Nursing Sisters, the following Divisions parading: -Headquarters, Horwich, Great Lever, Farnworth, Daubhill, Astley Bridge, Victoria Hall, Westhoughton; Nursing Divisions:-Headquarters, Horwich, Great Lever, Victoria Hall, Astley Bridge. The Inspecting Officer was Assistant-Commissioner J. c. Derham. The officers on

A I D.- 43

also well equipped. The occurrence books showed that the men and ladies had rendered first aid on a large number of occasions in mills, workshops, &c., and on public duty. The Bolton Corps has now 166 men attached to the Royal Naval Sick Berth Reserve. The" A" Bearer Company consisted of three medical officers and 58 N.C. officers and men. Thirty-five men and six medical officers are enrolled in the Military Home Hospitals Reserve, and the ladies' nursing divisions have already formed four brigade companies, which are attached to the Voluntary Aid Detachments.

No. 5 District.

The interesting annual review and inspection of the ambulance corps around Derby was held at the residence of the Deputy-Commissioner on .3aturday, August 12th, the inspecting officer being Sir J. Clark. We know of no part of the country where ambulance work is more enthusiastic::tlly taken up, and as was anticipated there was a large parade, some 277 officers and 31 nurses being present.

BY THE MEN AND NURSING SI STE RS OF THE GOSPORT AND ALVERSTOKE DI VISlON ON THE OCCASION OF THE INSPECTION BY H. R. H. PRINCESS VICTORIA OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN.

parade were Chief Supt. F. Lomax, in command; Hon. Surgeon J. Johnston, First Officers J. Heap, J. Hardy, J. Prescott, T. Henson, W. Farnworth, Sergts. W Rushton, T. Lee, J. Baron, T. S. Rouse and W. TomkIns; LadySupts. Mrs. W. L. Longworth, Mrs. J. Pend.lebury, Miss. E. Whittle, Mrs. W. Farnworth, Mrs. E. HIgham, NurSIng Officer Mrs. J. Hardy. The first an inspection of the books of each DIVISion, and certIfied them to be correctly kept and in good order.

Chief Supt. Lomax then the ladles bandaging drill and other first aid work, after whlch men were drilled in stretcher work, company dnll, bandaging, hand seat drill, fireman's lift, and practical work.

Addressing the parade at the close, the InspectIng Officer expressed his satisfaction with all he had and said his report to Headquarters would he a satisfactory one. It was gratifying to see such a .good par.ade of voluntary workers, and with !ew exceptIOns. the prescribed uniform of the Bngade. The DlVlsIOns were

There were 13 nurses from the Ti bshelf CorI?s, and six from Birchwood, both in charge of the Lady Supenntendent, Mrs. S. C. Wardell, while the 12 nurses from Cresswell were under the direction of Lady Superintendent Mrs. Wood. Attached to the Tibshelf Corps were 83 officers and men, while from Birchwood their came 53, Blackwell 36, Bolsover 33, Cresswell 47, and Pleasley 25·

The parade was under the command missioner Wardell, who was attended by sioner Ratcliff and Hon. SurgeoH Mamott. The followmg were in charge of the corps and :- Tibshelf, Supt. Lawton; Birchwood, Supt. POWIS; Cresswell, Supt. and Hon. Surgeon Wood; Blackwell, Supt. Stevens; Pleasley, Supt. Longden; Bolsover, Supt.. Collier.

The ambulance bands of Tlbshelf and BHchwood were also in attendance, under the batons of Messrs. Roughton and Burnham respectively.

Amongst the interested spectators at the inspectIOn were Sir John and Lady Furley.

After the inspection, Sir James Clark addressed the

THE GUARD OF HONOUR FORMED

-FIRST

nursing sisters and men. He said that he had witnessed an "extremely smart, well-turned-out parade." He had been highly pleased with the work that had been done by the men and the nurses. He was also gratifie? to fin? that they gave such answers to questIOns :vhlch he put at intervals ThiS was clear eVidence of general efficiency. If the display that afternoon was sufficient an? upon which lo base a then It appeared to him that the officers must be a little more careful and precise in giving their orders to the men. The men howeyer, knew their work, but the manner of it out" was not entirely satisfactory, and should be improved.

"I congratulate you on the parade to-day, which refiects great credit upon you and the officers, and at the same time it is creditable to the brigade."

Deputy-Com missioner Wardell, in express 109 the thanks of the men to Sir James Clark, said they appreciated the services of the latter, and they hoped he would inspect them another year. They considered his presence at that inspection an honour.

Hearty cheers were then accorded Sir J

During the afternoon Mrs. Wardell entertalOed a company of personal friends at Doe Hill House, and they followed the afternoon's programme with a good deal of interest.

Afterwards in a marquee in the grounds the men were entertained to tea by D e puty-Commissioner Wardell. This concluded the most successful inspection for many years at Tibshelf.

DENABY MAIN.-The annual inspection of the corps was held on Au g ust 12th at Denaby. The inspecting officer was the Chief Com missioner, Sir James Clark. The parade numbered over 200 strong, and included the Cadeby, Denaby, Mexborough, Wath, and Melton Divisions, and the Denaby Nursing Division.

The officers present were District Chief Supt. W. H. Chambers, hon. surgeons Huey, Forster, McClue and McArther ; SUi='t. H. S. Witty (Cadeby), D Chambers (Wath), P. White (Mexborough), 3rd Officer S. Ellis, Lady Supt. Twigg (Nursing Division) 4th Officer F. J. Bridges, W. H. Mills, N. Walker, and W. V. Simpkins.

The corps formed up in line, with the nursing sisters on the ldt, and with a general salute received the inspecting officer. Then company drill was go ne through, and afterwards the inspecting officer selected haph azard a section out of each division to treat a case, and also inspected cases treated by nurses. He subjected both nursing sisters and men to a searching oral examination.

Al the conclusion of the inspection a hollow square was formed, and Sir James Clark con g ratulated the officer commanding on the good work accomplished.

District Chief Supt. W. H. Chambers having returned thanks, the corps was marched to the Large Hall, Denaby Main, where, after the departure of the Chief Commissioner and the District Chief Superintendent, they were dismissed by Supt. H. S. Witty.

H UDDERSFIELD.-District Chief Supt. Else inspected the Corps on August 26th. There were present on parade 8 officers, 13 nursing sisters, 2 sergeants, corporal, and 24 men, a total of 48 of all ranks. The officers present were :-Chief Surgeon F W. Robinson, M.D.,,; Chief Supt. E. G. Coward, M.B.,; Supt. Sec. J. R. Cheetham' 1st Officers Crosland and Calam,; Lady Supt. Miss E:

AI D. - September, 1911.

Littlewood; 1st Nursing Officers, Miss Shaw and Miss A. Sutcliffe.

The men were put through squad, company and stretcher drill, and the orders were given by candidates for promotion. Afterwards the nursing sisters were tested in bandaging.

The inspecting officer, addressing the nursing sisters and men at the conclusion of the inspection, complimented all upon the work done, making special mention of the smart bandaging done by the nursing sisters, and of the great improvement shown in all departments over the work done by the men at the last inspection. He also gave hints that might be found useful for the improvement of the corps. Through the generosity of the president, tea was served to all at the Parish Rooms, Honley.

The annual church parade was held on August 27th at the Parish Church. By permission of the vicar and wardens, a collection was taken for the benefi t of the corps funds.

Chief Supt. E. G. Coward was in command of the parade, and the following officers were also present:District Chief Surgeon West-Syme (Halifax), AssistantCommissioner Else (Sheffield), Supt. S e c. J. R. Cheetham (Huddersfield), Supt. Sec. C. Thomes (Dewsbury), Supt. Whitehead (Ossett), Supt. Else (Sheffield), Lady Supt. MIss E. Littlewood, and Nursing Officers Miss Shaw and Miss A. Sutcliffe were in charge of fifteen nursing sisters.

ROTHERHAM.- The members of the corps in order to test their ability to deal with an actual railway accident, had an imaginary one on a branch line between Freston and Orgreave, on September 2nd. A railway carriage and anum ber of trucks disconnected, were arranged for the purpose, and about 30 boy scouts distributed in all positions and directions, acted as patients,; they each bore labels indicating the injuries, and the mem bers of the corps had to search for and attend to the assumed sufferers. The cases were treated in the order of their degree of seriousness.

In removing the patients from the difficult positions some of the members exercised much ingenuity, which showed they were competent to deal with a railway accident if one should occur.

The corps was in charge of Chief Supt. H. C. Chambers Amongst those present were-Supt. Wysehall, 1St Officer Crisp, 2nd Officer Tuke (Silverwood), Sergt.-Major Burkett (Rotherham), Sergts. Rodgers, Briggs, Parkinson and Green.

Supt. Chambers, before discharging the men, said he was not going to criticise, but to congratulate them upon their smart and effective work. The search, bandaging, removing some of the patients from peculiar positions on to the stre tchers, and getting into hospital, had only occupied 25 minutes. It was a very satisfactory performance. He hoped for some similar events in the future.

First Officer Crisp also complimented the corps on the admirable way they had done the work.

Tea was subsequently served in the Baptist Chapel, and Supt. Chambers presented service badges to the following-Sergts. T. Rodgers and G. Rodgers, Corporals S. Harvey and J. Haywood, Privates A. Eastwood, G. Irwin, D. Wright, G. Brooks, 1. Thornton, H. Perry, H. Rodgers, S. Daniels and John Rodgers.

No. 6 District.

HULL.-The St. John Ambulance Companies formed

Septem ber, t9I I. -FIRST of members of the Hull Corps were inspected at the Londesboro' Barracks, by Surgeon-General W. W. Kenny, of the Northern Command, on Saturday, September 2nd. Three Male Companies and five Female Companies paraded, and after receiving the Inspecting Officer with the general salute, and an inspection of the ranks, they were taken charge of by their respective officers, and treated cases of supposed injury. After the cases had been attended to the General examined their work and questioned the members of the variou.s squads. The patients were then removed on stretchers 10 two .ambulance wagons and a wheeled-litter to a temporary hospital, in the Rifle Barracks, and handed over to the N urStng Sisters who put them in beds and attended to their various needs. After the work was finished, General Kenny addressed some very encouraging words to the members, and spoke very highly of interest Dr. A. Ha:nmersly Johnston (A ssistant-CommlsslOner No 6 DIstrIct ) had taken in the formation of the Compames. He said he would be able to report very sGltisfac torily to the Council on all he had seen. The answers he had received had been correct and promptly given, the work had been well done, and altogether he was very pleased With, all he had seen. He was accompanied by the County Director, Colonel C. H. Milburn, M. D., and Major Grant, Secretary of the East Riding Territorial Force Association. At the conclusion of the parade the compames were dismissed for about IS minutes, and then paraded. again with all the other members of the Corps for InspectIOn by C. B. Palmer, Esq., J.p., Deputy-Commissioner No. 6 District (who .had with the Inspection). Eight First Aid and three N urS1l1g DlVlslOns were on parade, the Dr. A. Hammer sly Johnston, (Acting) Chief Supt., 10 command Surgeon A. W. Scott, Supt.-Secretary W. T. Atktnson, Supt. of Stores F. H. Vaughan, Supts. A. C. Carter, E. F. Krause, F. Wilson, N. Lord, A. Stead, T. Lam band H. Humphrey; First Officer Lady-Supts. Mrs. Krause, Mrs. Williams, and Nurs1l1g Officers Wheatley, Miss Hardy, Miss Baily, Miss Brown and J ?hnson

After the Inspection, the Deputy-CommissIOner said he was highly satisfied with all he also all ranks for their loyality to theIr DlVlslOns and the DistrICt. He referred to the Loncon duty-and thanked all who had done duty their. Later in the evening, he inspected the books and papers of the various Division and expressed great satisfaction.

A Company of Boy Scouts, command of Major E. Barrington Stephens, acted as patients.

This Inspection completes fifteen years effiCient service for seven or eight memb e rs of the Hull Corps who hope to receive the Long Service Medal next year.

NEWCASTLE. - We are pleased to lear? the members of this Division are taking up SWlmmlOg ar: d life-saving'. They have a most competent Instructor 10 the person of Mr. George Tinnon, who has been Instructor and Honorary Representative to the Royal Life Saving Society, in the North for a good. many years; he also holds the Award of Merit of the Society. We un.derstand thirteen members of the Division have already given in their names to go through the course,. an.d er.e long, we shall hear of them effecting rescues at thiS nverslde town.

The Lord Mayor (Sir Wm. Haswell Stephenson), President of the Newcastle-on-Tyne Centre of the S.J.A.A., has generously sent to SU.rgeon J. Wishart fifty-t.wo Coronation medals for dlstnbutlOn amongst the nursmg

AID.- 45 sisters and ambulance men who did duty at the Children's Fete in connection with the Coronation festivities on June 30th. The members of No.6 District will, we feel sure, highly appreciate this mark of recognition accorded them by the Lord Mayor.

WALKER COLLIF.RY - We understand that this division, which was established in 1904 and has been practically dormant ever since, is to be re-organised. On its new foundation we trust it will have a prosperous career.

.--.----

The Northampton Corps will hold its annual inspection on Sept. 30th, and the" Marquis of Northampton " Cup Competition will be held the same day.

The members of the Ley ton and Leytonstone Division had an outing on Sept. 9th, when they drove to Hainault Forest. A cricket match, followed by a concert, occupied the afternoon and evening, and a few complimentary speeches concluded an enjoyable day.

N.F.B.U.- The annual demonstration and gathering of the Central Council of the National Fire Brigades' Union will be held at Bath on October 5th and 6th. An attractive programme has been includes dri ves in the beautiful surroundmg dlstncts. Those who desire to attend must make application to the hon. general secretary not later than Monday, October 1St.

The a.nnual shield competition in connection with the Cannock Chase centre of the St. John Ambulance Association took place on September gth, at Walsall Arb.oretum. Nine colliery teams competed, namely, three from Cannock and Rugeley, two each from Littleton Collieries and Cannock and Leacroft, and one each from and Rugeley and the Coppice Colliery. The W1l1ners of the shield and medals were the Leacroft No. 2 team, and medals were also gained by the Brereton team, who placed second. The presentations were made at the. Lily Hall at the Council House, by Mr. H. C. Peake (preSident of the centre), who said he understood the competmg teams had shown such a general level of excellence that the points awar.ded all. came within lo.or 12 per cent. of the possible POlOtS which Perso?ally, he would like to see every collIery m the district sendmg tea:n s to take part in that competition, the success of whIch was largely due to the efforts ?f Mr Charlton, the hon. secretary, who had been identified With the for a period of eighteen years, . Charlton mentIOned that classes in ambulance tramIng had been held at various centres in Cannock Chase, and as a . t of the work of the past session. about 180 men would be certificated. ThiS would mean that In that particular coalfield they would have over goo men out of about 6,000 employed there qualified to render first aid.

Price 6d. net. Post free 7d.

NOTES ON FIRST AID SIMPLIFIED.

By Sidney H. Lamb.

A Handb ook in a tabul a ted and simplified lo rm gi vin g the main points or ·d ed as to impress them on the memory of the student. fir s t aJ , so allang

DALE, REYNOLDS & CO., Ltd., 46, Cannon St., LONDON, E.e.

Septem ber, 191 I. -FIRST

AI D.- 47

Jottings.

PRINCE ALEXANDER OF BATTENBERG has accepted the presidency of the Portsmouth Centre of the S1. John Am bulance Association. ***

The ambulance section of the Rushden Athletic Club held a competition on August 26th. The Rushden team proved the winners with a margin of I points. Dr. Baxter was the judge. * * *

The following is from the Times of September 14th :-" Perrott.-On the 12th September, at Onslowgardens, S W., Lady Perrott, of a son (stillborn)." * * *

The Astley Bridge Ambulance and Nursing Division of the Bolton Corps have secured new headquarters. The rent of the building is being defrayed by a weekly subscription from each member. * **

The Metropolitan Asylums Board has just issued its annual report of the year's work. The total number of cases removed by the Board's am bulances during the year was 37,240. The total number of ambulance journeys in the year amounted to 22,749, and the miles run by the vehicles to 283,074. * * *

The Hemsworth Hospital Committee and Friendly Societies Council held its annual competition on August 9th. The silver challenge cup was won by the Hickleton Main team.

Hurt His Thumb.

At Blaenan Festiniog, on September I4th, a quarryman, J ()hn R. Jones, was fined lOS. and costs for neglecting to report an accident he had met with on July 4th, and to have the injuries dressed by the ambulance man in his district in the L1echwedd Quarry, where he worked.

Mr. Adrian Stokes, for the Company, said that defendant worked with two others at their quarries on July 4to, when his thumb was injured by a piece of slate. He went on working having any dressing, and on July 6th he asked permISSIon to go home as he did not feel well. By then blood poisoning had set in, and the man had been unable ever since to resume work. Rule 60 of

the Special Rules of Mines had been published in English and Welsh all through the quarry.

Defendant said that the injury was so small-only a scratch on his thum b-that he did not think it worth while troubling to report it and have the injured thumb dressed.

The Clerk: That's no excuse at all. You know of the man who had a scratch on his hand like you had, and died of blood poisoning some twelve months ago. Nothing is too small to report.

The Chairman: We fine you lOS. and costs, and hope this will be a lesson to all of you quarrymen. If you had gone to have the wound dressed it would have saved you all the suffering you have gone through. It is beyond my comprehension how you quarrymen are so stupid.

This shows the pains the mining companies are exercising for the care of their employes, and it also shows that however slight a wound may be it should receive treatment immediately.

The judge appointed to examine and report on the exhibits at the Festival of Empire have now announced their awards. Messrs. Newton, Chambers & Co., Ltd., of Thorncliffe, near Sheffield, have secured a Grand Prix for their "Izal" disinfectant preparations, thus adding one more to the remarkable series of highest possible awards obtained by them at international exhibitions at home and abroad. Their exhibit at the Crystal Palace reveals the multifarious purposes -medical, surg:cal, veterinary, horticultural and domestic-for which "Izal" is offered to the public, and shows that in at least one department of applied science, British manufacturers have nothing to learn.

Colonel Yate asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the House of Commons, whether, in view of the fact that the am bulance arrangements at the Coronation were made by the police, he would state how many members of voluntary aid detachments of the Red Cross Society did duty at the Coronation and how many mem bers of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Me Churchill replied: 2,142 members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade did duty on June nnd. The Red Cross Society offered its services, but the offer was subsequently withdrawn, as it was found impossible to ensure the attendance of a sufficient number of detachments with the requisite uniform. In consequence no members of the voluntary aid detachments of the Red Cross Society did duty.

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SEVERE LACERATION OF FOREARM

DY MAD DOG.

DEAR SIR,-I should be glad if you would, through the columns of FIRST Am, give us the treatment for the following case :-A man has been badly bitten on the right forearm by a mad dog, and the wound is badly lacerated. Thanking you, Sir, in anticipation. - Yours, &c., " COMPETITOR."

Yorkshire, Sept. 5th, 1911.

[The student must always remember that in the presence of two or more injuries, the character of the first aid must be governed by a consideration of the more serious trouble. Discrimination must be exercised.

In the above case two important complications are supposed to exist: -

(

a) A badly lacerated wound of the forearm.

(b) A wound complicated by the introduction of the germs of rabies.

Which of these complications is the more serious, and therefore demanding chief attention? Undoubtedly, the latter; for, though the danger is of a latent character and unseen, it is of a most treacherous and fatal nature.

The needs of the case demand that this danger should be promptly and energetically "tackled," even at the risk ?f considerable further injury to the lacerated parts. IS required is (1 ) to prevent the germs of hydrophobia bemg carried through the veins to the body; (2 ) to free the wonnd from those treacherous influences.

The student must be resourceful, removing the cause of injury or danger whenever possible, and using "to the best advantage whatever is at hand to prevent further damage." Digital constriction should at once be applied between. the wound and the heart, keeping the limb low. I mpr.ovlsed ligatures (handkerchief, etc., ) should promptly be apphed on the heart side of the digital constriction, and another stIll nearer the heart, the object being-not to stop arterial blood entering the limb, but-merely to prevent a return of the venous blood into the general circulation. Measures then be taken to free (so far as is feasible ) the wound from Its inoculated germs. A certain amount of venous h;:emorrhage will be already encouraged by the low position and presence of the ligatures, thus, to some degree, removing the germs of trouble. As soon as possible the injured parts be freely bathed in fresh supplies of warm water, to whIch some antiseptic could, with very decided be added. Following tltOrough and prolonged cleansmg m sllch antiseptic, the wiser plan- in the writer's medical assistance, would then be to apply, to the parts, some lint or other clean dressing, freely soaked In a fresh supply of antiseptic lotion, covering the whole afterw.ards with mackintosh in order to keep the parts warm and mOlstin fact, to act as an antiseptic poultice. The limb should be placed at rest, ligatures still in position. The patient would probably be suffering from nervouS and he should be kept warm and at rest, until under medIcal care some hot milk or other suitable drink being prepared to the depres5ing effects of the accident.

Should medical assistance be "quite impossible," a preliminary thorouglz cleanshzg of the wound as above detaIled, the case should-unless the extent of the injury were great-

be treated as outlined on page 107, Official Text Book.L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

LIFE SAVING AND FIRST AID TRAINING.

D:E:AR SIR,-In the August issue of FIRST AID I observe a Life Saving paragraph amongst the" Brevitie s," whch I am proud to see. To me a S.J.A.B. member, either lady or gentleman ought to qualify for a Royal Life Society's Medallion during the time he or she IS going through the course of lectures for the S.J.A.A. Medallion. In a double sense they then '" ould be real first aiders. At the present it is left to those who take a keen interest in swimming and life saving, but it is a matter which the Executive of the Brigade should take in hand. Having put my shoulder to the wheel in this district, and in response to an article in the local press, a good number are learning life saving and how to swim. Some are travelling quite a distance to take the course. - Yours, &c. G. TIN "ION.

SUGGESTED WORKING UNIFORMS.

DEAR SIR,- At the Camp of the No. 3 District some opinion was expressed among the men about our uniform being too hot and heavy for work in the height of summer. I hope it will be possible through FIRST AID to get the idea of other units of the Brigade as to the necessity of having a uniform say in kharki, somewhat similar to that the Colonials had at the Coronation; retaining our present umform for parades, &c.-Yours truly,

" EA ST AN CLIA "

WILL A COMPLETE AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR LONDON EVER BECOME A REALITY ?

DEAR SIR -Remembering how persistantly F IRST AID single-handed, 'commenced and maintained an effective literary agitation on this importanl subject for years,

PRIZE CUPS A SPECIALITY.

-FIRST

ever since its first issue, and without a doubt its influence played a cogent part in bringing the .Metropolitan Ambulance Act into existance, yet a bitter expenence tells us that it is one thing to obtain and place the mea1ZS of carrying out this object of a supine L.C.C., and quite another thillg to induce them to use it ! Therefore, when r read on page 24 of FIRST AID, for August, under" Brevities": "There is no city in Europe so badly equipped in respect to an ambulance service as is Greater London to-d ay"; and, again on page 8, FIRST AID for July, that" the Port of London Authority has decided to purchase four electric motor ambulances, and the Metropolitan Asylums Board are increasing their motor ambu lan ce service," that from my own observation the Hospitals' Association litter stationed by the cab rank, Edgward-road (corner of St. John s 'Wood-road ), has been replaced by a Metropolitan Police litter, it looks to me as though the establishing of an ambulance service capable of treating such calamities as the overturning of the L.C.C. tram at Lewisham - a class of accident that is steadily increasing in London-is as far off from becoming a reality as ever it was !

I venture to think it has been a mistake all along in not adhering to one formula, and that is, London must have an ambulance service organised on the basis of the Salvage Corps or Fire Brigade that can co ncen trate not less than ten wagons in as many minutes on such occasions as overturned cars and buses, falling burst mains, fires, theatre panics, &c.

I should esteem it a favour if some of your correspondents could place before us evidence of hope in the future, near if possible, of a complete an,bulance service for London ever becoming a reality after seventeen years of publicity?Sincerely yours,

ERNEST JAMES RACKWITZ.

London, N., Sept. 3rd, I9I I. -----. --.

Reviews.

FIRST AID CHARTS.

By Edward C. Ibotson, M.B., D.S. ( Lond. )

Bristol: John Wright & Sons, Ltd.

London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Ltd.

Four Charts, Price 6d. each, 01' IS. 6d. tile set of four.

THE SE charts are intended to reduce in tabular form the essence of first aid, they cover respec tively:-

(

I ) Emergencies, Accidents, and Poisoning.

(2) Fractures, Dislocations, and Sprains.

(3) Wounds and H Ge morrhage.

(4) I nsensibility or Unconsciousness.

In each instance the injury is tabulated under the headings: Cause, Sympt.oms, Signs,. Complications, and Treatment, they are. ill their explanations and printed in a type which IS easily vlsable. We should say that they will be found ex.tremely useful if hung up in a pi'ominent position in factories, mllles, and schools, and they should prove of much service as a read y reference.

S J A B

Officers' Regulation Great Coats. Dark

• • • • Grey beaver cloth. 39s. 6d.-Write for patterns and particulars, Thornton & Co., tailors, Brighouse.

To Secretaries of Bazaars, &c.

F OR SALE, b.eautifully painted Scenes, by a celebrated London Artist, of places of great interest to members of S.J.A:A., the following: - The British Ophthalmi c Hospital ill Jerusalem, .Damascus Gate, St. Stephen 's Gate, Holy Sepulchre, Hezeklah's Pool, Mosque of Oma (Temple ), Bethlehem, Rhodes, Cyprus, Malta, St. ] ohn's Gate. These are sUitable for Bazaars, &c., and will be available after the. middle of ovember. All particulars as to sizes and Will be sent on applicatiou to Mr. A. Tbornton, 24, CommerCial-street, Bngbouse.

When corresponding with Advertisers please men= tion "First Aid."

AID.- September, 1911.

A New Machine for Promoting Artificial Respiration.

TH1S new machine is the invention of Dr. K. A. Fries of Stockho lm. The apparatus consists of a wooden shield with head-piece attached, to which is a light steel frame with a crossbar adjustable by means of automatic clamps for any length of arm.

A canvas band for compressing the chest is provided, with eyelets for regulating to any desired size.

When not in use the apparatus can be folded to occupy a space of 3 ft. by 2 ft. by 4 m., and can be hung on a wall.

When required for operation the apparatus is laid on a table, and the steel frame is extended.

The patient is placed on the shield, the wooden pillow automatically bringing the head and throat to the proper angle.

The band or girdle is then placed on the lower part of the chest and adj usted by means of a hook and co rd.

The patient's wrists are then closely strapped to the cross -bar at such a distance as not unduly to stretch the arms, and the hinged frame is then brought up almost at a right angle to the body of the patient.

This is done in 20 seconds. Two seconds more are required for adjusting the cords or chains to the proper tension, and the fram e is then moved upwards, thus accomplishing automatically the correct movement.

Every upward movement of th e frame compresses the chest and creates a vacuum; each downward movement draws breath into lungs, and in that way animation is gradually restored.

By this apparatus all movements synchronise, and the machine can be operated by one hand, leaving the other hand free to draw forward the tongue and perform any other necessary operation.

It has been successfully used in Sweden. At the Royal Hospital recently it was successful in restoring several cases of asphyxia where the ordinary manual treatment had failed.

It will be shown shortly at the Electrical Exhibition at Olympia.

We regret to learn that Mr. T. E. Foort has resigned the office of Chief Supt. of the Oxford Corps. His association with the Brigade dates from the year 1889, when there were about a dozen active members of the Corps, whilst now it comprises six Divisions with a membership of 134· Mr. Foort holds the service medal of the Brigade and last year he was made an Han. Serving Brother of the Order.

FIRST AID.

The Independent Journal for the

To

As it is the wish and desire of the Pronrietors to make this !oumal as instructive and entertaining as correspondents In all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorials), the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the J ouma!.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication.

Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the 5ame the name of the indi-vidual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" Is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

THE proposal which has been put forAlterations ward to amend the rules that govern in the the competition, so that teams will conInter=Railway ;;ist of four men instead of five, the Competition. amendment necessitating that a patient be found for each team, will be discussed at the autumn meeting of the Centre Secretaries to be held shortly.

In the meantime ,e have ascertained the opinions of some of the men with regard to the proposed alteration, and in analysing these opinions, the conclusion is that, generally, they are strongly in favour of a continuance of the present system of five men to a team. Some who hesitate in coming to a definite conclusion, are inclined to think that if there should be any change, instead of being a decrease in the number of men composing a team, tbere should be an increase to six, so as to give greater facilities for special messengers, &c.

When the originator framed this proposed amendment, he was prompted by the idea that it would lead to the possibility of more teams forthcoming, and this was how it appealed to us. But have since learned that there is

no restriction that the members of one team should come from one particular station j therefore, the proposal might act adversely on the movement, for the man who was excluded might lose interest in the work and resign. There is a sure certainty he would not act as patient on practice nights if he were debarred from taking any part in the competitions or sharing any honours that were to be had.

A strong argument against the proposal is that unless the St. John's Gate authorities are prepared to have a fresh patient for each team, and lock up those patients who had completed their tasks, it would place the teams on an unfair basis, for it is obvious that the team competing last would have the benefit of the knowledge the one patient had accumulated through acting for all the preceeding teams.

In the past the competition has been very popular, and it has every prospect of increasing in popularity j so that unless any alterations are in accord with the general opinion and approval, we are likely to have a reactive tendency. Of course, the competitions must be made up to date and practical, and any proposal in this connection should have the careful deliberation of the committee.

WITH the advent of the dark evenings, Copies of interest in ambulance work quickens " F. A." for and the classes for practice are resumed, New Members. and there is no doubt many new classes will be established and new members obtained for the old ones. Now we want our Journal known to these new members, and if our readers will just send us a postcard, giving us the names and addresses of any of their friends who are just t3.king up first aid work and do not know of the Journal, we shall be pleased to send them a specimen copy of FIRST AID free.

As our readers are aware, it is the circulation of a journal that tells with large advertisers who are seeking publicity, and it need hardly be pointed out that advertisements are the motive power that runs a journal. N ow we want to increase both. A larger circulation will mean additional advertisements, and therefore additional progress; and this will enable the proprietors of "F. A." to make many new departures in the interests of their readers.

First Aid on the Football Field.

IN spite of scientific play and stringent rules, the football field is notorious for the frequency of its casualties. Now that the season is once more in full swing, we may. that first-aiders will be afforded many opportumtles of putting their knowledge to use.

Large as the list of casualties IS, every footballer knows that there are some to which he is especially liable, and with these I propose to deal. I: Broken"

2. "Slipping the Knee." 5. Stunnmg. 4· Wmdmg. BROKEN COLLAR BOND.

A man is "coming down the field, carrying a ball, all he is worth," suddenly an opponent dashes across hiS path, and, stooping low, tackles hIm round the D.nfortunately the other brought forward wIth all ItS power and impetus,. strIkes full on the shoylder. The referee's whistle shnlls the signal that a player IS down, and the devoted ambulance men double out to a case of " collar bone broken by direct violence." Or, mayhap, the first man, abruptly checked in headlong career, forward on his outstretched palm. The .shock, up the bony column of the straight arm, IS transmItted .to the slender S shaped clavicle which goes at a bend. It .IS, you remem ber, the only bone joining the upper to the trunk. This is a case of fracture by mdIrect violence.

Now, in dealing with this conditi?n, bear three points in mind. (I) See that the pad m the aXIlla IS long and firm. It ought to be six inches by five broad an.d three thick. (2) See that the whole weIght of the arm IS borne by the sling, so as to raise the shoulder. (3) Never forget to feel the pulse and examine the fingers for coldness and blueness after you have finished bandaging to make sure that the brachial artery is not compressed.

An excellent alternative method of bandaging IS as follows :-

(I) Place a narrow bandage in axilla. Br.ing one end vertically over the shoulder. Tie the ends behmd over the scapula. Do this to both shoulders. (2) Tie the four ends together over the spine. (3) Place a pad under the knot. (4) Support the injurerl arm with a broad sling.

"SLIPPING THE KNEE."

When this occurs, the player suddenly stops. His knee is stiff and he is suffering severe pain. Around the ends of the bones, inside the joint, is a ring of cartilage. This is displaced and is being nipped between the ends of the bones. Notice that the joint is fixed, therefore it is not a fracture. There is no marked displacement, but the point of intense pain is between the ends.

Remove your patient to the pavilion, and ask him if this ever happened to him before. If he says no, it is not a case for your further interference. But if, as is usually the case, you are informed that it has occurred on several previous there is no reaso? why. not practice the followmg manceuvre, whIch wIll gIve hIm Immediate relief.

The patient is, of course, on his back. Place one hand underneath the leg just below the injured knee and grasp firmly. Take the foot in the other hand, and, keeping the leg horizontal, push the knee over the abdomen, so as to strongly flex the thigh. All the time bear up strongly with the hand under the leg. In this position rotate the

AID. - October, I91I

foot sharply to the right and left so as to turn the ti?ia. A slight snap tells you you have succeeded, and the patient will also do so.

Now you may be told that even this is. your scope. So it is-theoretically. In practIce IS th.e choice of the lesser of two eVIls for these patIents! If not so dealt with, invariable attempt to remedy thmgs themselves.

STUNNING.

A player "takes a kick and follows it up. hard." An opponent is waiting to catch, and comes VIOlently into collision with him. One goes down

Keep your man lying down ar:d qUIet. HIS cIrculation is depressed, therefore keep him warmly covered. If necessary apply covered hot water bottles. When he rouses, give h!m some hot coffee. . .. Not much treatment? Remember, JUdiCIOUS noninterference is usually the best criterion of good training. " WINDING."

A man" charges II a player who is " on the ball," an.d may receive his knee in the abdomen. In the graphIC language of the field, " he gets a nasty welt in the belly.and is stretched out." This man is gasping for breath, m a few seconds he gains a little wind and then retches pulse is small, so that it can hardly be The skm IS pale and cold. There is great prostratIOn. In about a quarter of an hour he is all right again.

Treat as for stunning, but add friction of the belly.. It relaxes the walls and relieves the cramp of the abdommal muscles.

Reviews.

HYGIENE FOR NURSES-THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL.

By Herbert W. G. Macleod, B.Sc., M. D., Edin., M.R.C.P.Lond., D.P.H.Lond. and Camb. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Price JS. 6d. net.

THE preservation of health .is of importance nO.t only every single person, to n.atlOn as a whole. pOint IS only just being realised for It IS of 0r:ly comparatively !ecent years the teaching of hygiene has received proper attentIOn. To. all persons who work among the s.ick this science and its practical application is of the greatest Importance. In under review the author has endeavoured to expll;lln, slmrly and concisely the most important facts in v:hICh. are essential to a nurse in her daily work. The Info.rmatlOn will be found extremely useful to .those wh? to obtam a certificate in hygiene from the vanous bodies that grant them. Attention is directed to the sanitary laws of the United Kingdom useful to nurses, and a summary Acts of Parliament of special importance to them. IS given In the appendix, and some of the most recent reg';1latlOns of the Local Government Board and the L.C.C. are Inserted. The information regarding the sick-room, lighting, water-supplies and and drainage IS given at length, and shou.ld be practical value to every nurse treating a case In a private house.. A table of chief infective fevers, giving useful has been Included. Food, milk, and personal hygiene are all carefully considered. The author has confined a wide subject into narrow hmlts, and the subject matter is of a most practical and useful character, written in an interesting style.

October, 191

AI D.-

MR.

J.

KING, CENTRE SECRETARY, L.B. & S.c. Ry.

MR. KING'S railway experience extends over a period of 37 years, the whole time having been spent with the L. B. & S. C. R y. HE:: entered the service as a booking and telegraph clerk, and after filling various positions, each of increasing importance and responsibility, he was appointed

advanced copy. In scrutmlSlng it more carefully it presents to us a splendid record of the work accomplished during the year. Several items are worthy of notice, perhaps the most important being the change which has taken place in the officers of the Centre. The election of Mr. Cox as a vice-president of the Centre means that it has lost that gentleman's controlling influence as chairman of the Centre however, the vacancy has been filled by Mr. E. A. Richard, who has had to relinguish the Centre secretaryship, a position he has held since the formation of the centre. Everyone knows the enthusiasm Mr. Richard's has thrown into the work, and we are bold enough to say that it has been through his organising capabilities and his keenness that it has progressed so remarkably on the S.E. & c. Ry. In making a comparison of the certificates issued, we find that in 1906 they totalled 732, while in the present year they numbered, 1,428. This gives one an idea of its growth. We are glad to learn that Mr. Richards will be associated with the Centre, and we hope it will have the benefit of his abilities for many years to come. Mr. R. Lane is the newly appointed secretary, and we give his portrait on another page.

During the year first aid has been rendered in 2,745 cases, making a grand total of 12,335 instances since the formation of the centre. With regard to the competitions, 97 teams competed. We believe this constitutes a record of any railway 50 classes were held in the various districts, and the centre was fortunate in having some of the finest lecturers at its disposal.

The directors have offered every inducement to the men to take up first aid work, and in this connection a new feature has been originated by the issue of a special bronze medal to be presented to those members who pass the annual examination for seven consecutive years, and a silver medal to those passing annually for fourteen years. Already 20 oronze medals have been awarded. The report records a list of recipients of certificates for meritorious first aid work the results of the competition and the test papers are also given. It contains many illustrations and general information with regard to the keeping of equipment and recording cases of first aid rendered &c. We should like to congratulate the Centre secretary' on the way the report is produced. The printing is excellent, and we candidly confess it is the finest thing of its kind we have ever seen.

Chief of the Staff Department of the Supts. of the Line, the position which he now holds; besides this he is Secretary of the Sectional Conciliation Board for the traffic goods, locomotives and engineering and the central board. In spite of these duties Mr. KIng finds time to devote himself to ambulance work, and he has held the position of Centre Secretary since 1907. Twentysix classes are held throughout the system annually, and since the formation of the Centre in 1906, 2,339 have gained certificates, &c. The still extension and we hope under Mr. Kmg s able gUIdance It will in a manner equal to the enthusiasm which is put into it by its genial Centre Secretary.

S.E. & C. RY.-We briefly outlined in our last issue details of the 1911 Report, of which we received an

Mr. Reginald Lane, the newly appointed Secretary of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway Centre, entered the railway service in February, 1901, in the Audit and Accountant's Department. In April, 1903, Mr. Lane was transferred to the office of the Superintendent of the Line, where he first became assuciateod with ambulance work, acting as assistant to Mr. Ernest A. Richards, the exCentre Secretary, when that gentleman had in hand the organisation of the Centre.

We are sure we shall be voicing the desires of all the members of this progressive Centre in Mr. Lane every success in his new office, and assunng him the same support that has always been extended to his predecessor in carrying on the good work he has undertaken.

BOLTON.-The Great Lever Nursing Division presented Dr. J. W. Johnstone on Oct. 9th with a walnut writing cabinet, in appreciation of his services in lecturing to a number of first aid and sick nursing classes. Lady Supt. Miss E. Whittle made the presentation on behalf of the Division.

No. 2 District.

EXETER.-The annual inspection of the City of Exeter Division took place on Sept. 28th at the Division's headquarters at the Court House, Exeter. There was a large muster, 34 out of a total force of 37 being on parade, and two were absent with leave. Chief Surgeon Grimbly, of Newton Abbot, made the inspection. The officers present were Supt. Bowden, Hon. Surgeon J. A. W. Pereira, Supt. Woods (Newton Abbot), First Class Sergt. Rivers (hon. secretary and treasurer), and Sergt. Marsh.

Various drill movements were executed, and then the following injuries were attended: Compound fracture of the leg, severe horizontal wound to the abdomen, and depression to the head causing concussion.

The inspecting officer addressing the officers and men at the conclusion of the inspection said he could congratulate them and compliment them upon their appearance and upon the way in which they did their work. Of course, he never expected first-aid men to be absolutely perfect; it would be very extraordinary if there were not a few slight mistakes. Everything might be remedied if only they had a little more time to devote to practice. He did not care so much about drill and smartnessthough, of course, they were both excellent in their wayas for the way in which men did their practical work. It went further with him to see an injury attended to in an intelligent manner. The way in which they had treated their cases was very good, especially as the teams were selected haphazard, and, he understood, contained several recruits. He advised the necessity of always finding out the reason for everything they did.

Hon. Surgeon Pereira, on behalf of the officers and men, thanked the inspecting officer most heartily for his kindness. They knew the excellent work he was doing in Newton. He congratulated him upon his recent appointment. He added that the words he had uttered would spur on to give more attention, more zeal, and greater effort 10 the future.

The books, papers, accounts, &c., were examined and were passed as being well kept. The inspecting officer was afterwards shown the new am bulance carriage.

SOUTHAMPTON.-The War Offiice inspection of the local divisions comprising Southampton and Woolston, and the Southampton, Canute, Woolston, Netley, Shirley and Portsmouth Nursing Divisions was held on October IIth at prill Hall, Southampton, a disgathenng of spectators were present. The officers were Surgeon-General Whitehead and Major Anderson, R.A.M.C., and the aggrel?;ate number on was 250. FO.r inspection purposes the men dealt wlth such cases as might occur during a military engagement and the nurses performed the work which would be necessary when wounded men were brought to the base hospital.

AID.- October, 191 I.

General Whitehead in commenting upon the work, said he was very much struck with the bandaging, which was much above the ordinary. He remarked that he was very much interested in these voluntary detachments, as he would have to use them in times of war, and they would occupy a very important place. Their duty would be with the Territorial Army, chiefly in transport work, from the fighting line to the hospital. He was very glad to see the St. John Ambulance taking part in the training of voluntary detachments. They were, he said, the pioneers of first aid, and were doing good work in this voluntary training. He appealed to them to treat the matter with the serious attention it demanded.

Col. Twiss then proposed a vote of thanks to SurgeonGeneral Whitehead, which was carried with acclamation.

After he had completed the inspection of the cases, Major Anderson, in a short address, commented favourably on what he had seen, and desired them to continue training for their serious and important duties. He also men\ioned that he would be taking divisions to the Docks when the" Plassy " came home, for the purpose of showing them how the wounded were landed.

No 4 District.

ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE.-The district is to be congratulated upon the record success of the conference which this year was held at Ashton Town Hall on Octobe: 7 th Some 320 delegates attended, being practically over 100 per cent. more than last year, and Supt. Hall was largely responsible for the arrangements, which passed off satisfactory under his supervision.

Nothing of a controversial character was discussed, the chief feature of the conference being an appeal for support of the St. John Companies. The delegates assembled in the Council Chamber, where a civic welcome was extended by the 1\1 ayor. Amongst those were Col. C J. Trimble, eM.G., V.D., the Deputy-Commissioner, who presided, Sir Richard Temple, Mr. P. G. Darvil-Smith, Mr. L. Whittaker (Assistant-Commissioner, District Chief Supt. A. L. Garnett, District Supt. Treasurer F. De B. Pim, Distr.ct Supt. of Stores A. V. Davies, District Supt. Secretary W. S. Woodcock, Lieut.-Col. C. R. Wainwright, J.P. (Ashton), Surgeon-Major Hilton and Hon. Surgeon J. W. Corns, of the Ashton Division, and Supt. Daniel Hall.

The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, returned thanks to the Mayor for the hearty and cordial welcome he had extended to the Conference. Such help as the chief magistrate for Ashton extended was the help the Brigade desired. It was badly wanted, because the St. John Am bulance Brigade as a general rule was organised from the middle and working-class community. When, therefore, those in higher ranks of society assisted by their support, the Brigade officials were very grateful to them. He paid a compliment to the workers who had supported him since he took office in 1895, and said that since that time the district had expanded each year in numbers and efficiency. As to the present strength of the District there were eight corps, comprising IS ambulance divisions, and 59 nursing divisions, or 174 units, with a total membership of 4,606. That day they were the strongest district of the Brigade. Amongst the list of new nursing divisions was one at Mossley. Col. Trimble added that although good progress had been made during the year he was not satisfied. He believed that with the teeming population in Lancashire ?ther districts should be opened out, and a large acceSSlOn of members brought about. Speaking of

October, t 9 I. -FIRST

the Voluntary Aid Detachments, he said such detachmen ts of am bulance workers we re required in case of national emergency in .England .alone. They were required to vperate and aSSIst the Untts of the Territorial force. The work of enrolment had not gone on with that heartiness that he would have expected in NO.4 District. In taking up the work it required little more to be done than was carried out at present in the Brigade. If the St. John Ambulance Association did not enter upon the work of forming Volunteer Aid Detachments they would be formed by another organisation, which would come into their midst, take its share of pcpularity, and perhaps some of the support the St. John Association now received. He (Col. Trimble) did not say the Red Cross Society should not because there was plenty of room for both but .he deprecated the spirit shown by one In trymg to force out another Christian organisatlOn !hat was not the proper spirit to approach work of that kInd. That has been done in certain instances. He, however, reminded the delegates that they were serving under the ancient principles of the Ordtr of St. John, and no man could wear a higher badge than the old cross. He hoped they would take his words to heart and proceed with the formation of the detachments.

Sir Richard Temple explained at some length the object of the Voluntary Aid Detachments he also dealt with the controversy between the S J.A.A. and the Red Cross Society, and in this connection he said the War Office had not given the recognition which the public services of the Association deserved.

By selecting the Red Cross to organise the scheme they had given the White Cross Order a douche of cold water. The St. John Association, however, was old enough and efficient enough to go their own way to success whatever the War office did. For. ei.ght uni1appy months he fought the battle of the AssocIatIon at the War Office until he forced upon it the recognition they had got. During that he corn pared the. Red Cross Society to a flashy girl who could only promise what she was going to do, and the St. John Ambulance to a steady, staid old man, who could point to endless service. He expressed the opinion that before long the splendid services of the old lady of the WhIte Cross would be fully recognised. Sir Richard regretted that in Lancashire and Cheshire-strong St. John centres - the Red Cross Society should be responsible to the County Territorial Association for the voluntary aid detachments. In such areas both societies should be used and to attain that end he urged them to kick up a row; make themselves unpleasant, and thus force the County Association to do what was right, and allow the St. John Companies to be registered direct at the War Office.

Assistant-Commissioner Whittaker said 80g members had been registered and signified their willingness to serve in the companies, but that was not good enough for the No. 4 District.

Supt. Daniel Hall said there seemed to be a feeling that the members of the St. John Am bulance Companies were being better treated and receiving more privileges than those in the military home hospital reserve.

Sir Richard Temple said he understood that some of the home hospital reserves were not being trained at all. He would undertake to look into the matter. He looked upon the military home hospital reserve as one of the most important things that a St. John Ambulance Brigade was He should to see anyone in the military hospital reserve leavmg It. They had undertaken that in three days they would have their hospital filled by their

A I D. - 53 people, .and it important that everyone connected With the mlhtary hospital should remain

Supt. Hall moved that a camp be formed in Blackpool 10 WhIt-week, 19l2. He thought it would have a tendency to popularise the movement and the members of the different units would get to know 'eaCh other.

District Chief Supt. Garnett seconded the motion which was carried.

A resolution was passed instructing the committee to secure clerical assistance, the cost to be met by a levy of 4d. per head upon each unit.

Macclesfield was fixed for the next annual meeting, and the meeting shortly afterwards ended. The delegates were entertained to tea by the Mayor.

No. 5 D istrict.

NORTH LIND SEY IRON DISTRI CT DI YISION.-The annual competition for the shield presented by Sir Bakeley Sheffield, Bart., was held at Scunthorpe, on 2,3rd. The competing teams were Silverwood Colliery, Hlckleton, Lincoln and Ackton Hall. Dr. Behrendt, Hon. Surgeon of the Division, and Dr. RObertson, of Althorpe, were the judges.

In announcing the result, Dr. Behrendt said, the work of the teams had been so very good that there was scarcely a point between them, and it was the individual work which made the difference finally. Lincoln was declared the ",:inners of the shield with 39 9 points; Ackton Hall, 382 ; Hlckleton, 370; Silverwood, 364.

In addition to the shield each mem ber of the winning team received a beautifully silver-plated shaving mirror and each mem ber of the second team a case of spoons and sugar tongs presented by supporters of the Division.

Mr. R. A. C. Symes, a loyal supporter of the movement, in handing the prizes to the winning teams, said he was very grateful for that opportunity of expressin g his very hearty appreciation of the work and congratulating those who in such a strenuous competition had won the beautiful shield and pri zes, and also the other teams present who had not been so fortunate. As one interested in sport he had again to pay tribute to the splendid work done on the football field and elsewhere, week by week; on every conceivable occasion when there was any likelihood of accidents occurring, giving up their time for no reward beyond trying to benefit humanity and feeling that they had done something to alleviate suffering. A man who in a time of great excitement rushed forward to save life was called a hero, and rightly so; but was there not something heroic in the men who year in and year out gave up their time to acquire knowledge for no greater reward than doing something to benefit mankind? Perhaps someday the reward would be that greatest corn mendation of all to hear it said: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren ye have done it unto Me" (St. Matt. xxv. 40.).

Supt. McIntosh returned cordial thanks to Mr. Symes for presenting the prizes and the trophy. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the judges on the motion Captain Fox, of Lincoln, seconded by Captain Brooke Ackton Hall, who sai.d although his team had not won the shield., they hoped to corne and do so on some future occaSlOn.

Whe ti co rre s po n din g with Advertisers please mention " Fi rs t Aid . "

A New Apparatus for Perforlning Artificial Respiration.

THIS apparatus has been patented by Dr. K. A. Fries, of Stockholm, and it is so wonderfully simple that there is no exaggeration in stating that a child can operate it, but everything is scientifically calculated, and its working is purely automatic, every part of the contrivance synchronising perfectly. Thus, when the frame is raised carrying the arms of the patient with it by an ingenious arrangement of wire ropes and pulleys, the broad band or belt exercises a gentle pressure on the diaphragm expelling the air from the lungs, and per contra, when the frame is depressed, the pressure on the diaphragm is released allowing the air to rush in.

In this way, Nature after a time resumes her suspended funct ions, the action of breatbing recommences and the patient revives. At any rate, this has been the invariable experience of all who have tried it so far without one single exception.

The work of producing artificial respiration by the manual method is most arduous and trying, and when the time taken to produce satisfactory results is taken into cons ideration, it will readily be seen that the operator must be possessed of great muscular strength.

The Dr. Fries' apparatus can be readily adjusted to any sized subject from a child to a full-e;rown man, and can be operated with one hand, leaving the other free to draw forward the tongue of the patient, &c., or any other necessary process.

The construction of the apparatus is shown in the

END VIEW OF ApPARATUS.

accompanying illustrations. It consists of a wooden shield with head-piece, attached to which a light steel frame with cross -bar adjustable by automatic clamps for any length of arm. A canvas girdle or band for com pressing the chest is provided with eyelets for regulating to any desired The apparatus when not in use can be folded to occupy a space of 3 ft. by 2 ft. by 4 in., and can be hung on the wall or kept in any handy position. To bring it into operation it is only necessary to lay it on a table and extend the steel frame. The patient is then placed on the shield, the wooden pillow automatically bringing the head and throat to the proper angle. The band or girdle is then placed on the lower part of the chest and adjusted by means of a hook and cord. The patient's are then loosely strapped to the cross-bar at such a distance so as not to unduly the arms, and the hinged frame IS then brought up almost at a right angle to the body of the patient. The whole of these operations can be easily and simply accomplished in 20 seconds. Two seconds more are occupied in adjusting the cords or chains to the proper tension, and the frame is then moved upwards and downwards and thus accomplishes automatically its life-sav ing work. The movements of the frame should be kept in time with the operator's own breathing, or

October, 191 I. -FIRST

sixten times per minute. Each upward movement of the frame compresses the chest and forces the air out of the lungs; each downward movement causes the air to be drawn in again.

The apparatus is self-contained and is a1ways ready for mstant use, there being no intricate parts to get out of order. It weighs on1y a few pounds, and can easily be carried from place to place.

It has been used most successfully in Sweden, and practically demonstrated in cases of asphyxia which have failed utterly to respond to ordinary methods. Experiments have recently been made at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and the Life Saving Company have unreservedly endorsed the great value of Dr. Fries invention. The beauty of the apparatus is that it synchronises the movements of the operator to a nicety, and there is no fear

L.B. & S.C. Railway.

PRESIDIN Gat the annual concert and distribution of awards in connection with the Brighton District of the Centre, he1d at the Queen's Memorial Hall, Brighton, on Septem ber 27th, Mr. William Furbes (General Manager) spoke of the ambulance work in the highest terms, and said the past year had been a very successful one for the centre. More men had joined it than for some considerable time. Their representatives made an excellent show this year in the interrailway competition He had no hesitation in saying that the percentage of men who went in for ambulance work on the Brighton railway was as high as on any railway in the

through excitement of the operator losing the rhythmical movement which is so essential to the success of artificial respiration. As the illustrations show, apparatus is simplicity itself, and it should be found extremely useful for the purpose in which it is intended.

The members of the newly-formed division of the Londonderry Collieries were inspected on Septem ber 23rd, by Lieut. C. B. Palmer at Seaham Hall. Divisions in uniform were present from Seaham, Dawdon and Silksworth, and there were 20 nursing sisters on the parade ground. Inter.e sting demonstrations of field ambulance work were given.

kingdom, and the great utility of the work was shown by the fact that over 3,000 accident cases had been attended by their own men during the year. In an illusion to the recent strike, Mr. Forbes said they had had enough of that kind of thing, and the way in which officers and men should meet together was, as they were doing that night, in the cause of humanity and with the desire each and all to do their best for the railway they all served, he hoped, to the best of their ability. :Mrs. Forbes presented the chief pri zes, and the Mayor of Brighton C. ThomasStandford, J.P.), who was accompaDied by the Mayoress, bore testimony to the great importance of railway ambulance work.

The concert was an excellent one, and the general arrangements had the supervision of l\IT. W. L. Girling, District Secretary.

THE ApPARATUS IN DETAIL.

THR OPERATOR IS SHOWN HOLDING THE TONGUE AND PERFORMING THE M OVEMENT.

Aids to Memory for Beginners.

THERE are about 200 bones in the human skeleton.

Bones consist of animal and earthy matter.

In children's bones animal matter predominates, so that they merely crack or bend; this is the fracture called " greenstick."

In elderly persons the proportion of earthy matter is greater, which causes them to snap easier, but retards progress of union.

The skeleton is a framework of bones. On it the body is built up of muscles, arteries, veins, nerves, &c. ; enclosing all is the skin.

The skeleton determines the size and shape of the body. In tall people the bones in the lim bs are larger than in those of smaller stature.

To the bones are attached the muscles which "pull" in various directions. In walking, for example, the leg is stepped forward chiefly by muscles from pelvi.s to of thigh' knee is bent by muscles of back of thIgh enabhng toes clear the ground. The body is raised on the toes, behind, and carried forward mainly by muscles at calf.

Of the eight bones in cranium, and 14 in face, only one is moveable, that is the lower jaw. The joint is mainly a hinge joint, but allows a good deal of side to side movement; some backward and forward, as well as the up and down movement.

The bones of the cranium are so closely interlocked that they are as one bone. The joints are saw-like, or have the appearance of stitching. They are called sutures.

Bones are called" long," "short," "flat," " irregular," according to their size and shape.

Long bor.es are long, narrow and hollow. They are found in the arms and legs, with the small long bones of the fingers and toes.

The short bones are those of wrist (carpal bones) and ankle (tarsal bones).

The flat bones are as the clavicle (shoulder blade), sternum (breast bone).

The irregular bones, as the vertebrce (bones of the spine).

Bones, like other parts of the body, receive nourishment from the blood, through the artery in the centre of bone, and by the smal1 blood vessels in the periosteum, i.e., the sheath which covers the bone.

Bones also form protection for important organs, as of the brain, spinal cord, organs of the chest and of the abdomen.

The bones of the spine are 7 cervical, 12 dorsal, 5 lumbar, and the pelvis, 4 bones, (2 ossa innominate, 1 sacrum, and coccyx).

The cervical (from cervex the neck) are uppermost; dorsal at the back; lumber, the loins; ossa innominate, haunch bones; sacrum, the rump; coccyx, the tail shape.

These vertebrce have each a projection, or "process" behind which can easily be felt under the skin running down the whole length of the back.

The vertebrce are piled up one on top of the other; between ea ch is a pad-like piece of gristle which serves the purpose of a buffer, thus helping to break the force of blow such as would be received in falling from a height on the feet.

AID.- October, 191 I

If the spine were a solid bone the force would be carried up to the skull without interruption and cause fracture there.

Through the vertebrce an opening runs the whole length, in which is protected the marrow or spinal cord.

The first, or uppermost vertebrce is called the atl;:Js; the head rests on it forming a joint, here the nodding motion takes place.

The second is the axis, which has a tooth-like projection on its upper surface acting as a pivot by which the head revolves from side to side.

The 12 pairs of ribs join the 12 dorsal vertebrce behind.

The upper 7 ribs join in front the sternum (breast bone); the next 3 in front are joined by cartilege (gristle) each to the one above; the remaining 2 of the 12 are short and unattached in front, they are in consequence called " free" or "floating."

The clavicle (collar-bone) joins the sternum on its inner end, and joins at its outer p.nd the scapula (shoulder blade). It does not form joint with humerus (upper arm bone).

The scapula joins with both clavicle and humerus.

The humerus has a round, smooth head on its upper end fitting into a cup-like hollow in the scapula. This cavity is large, and the joint very free.

When the arm is raised to the horizontal, the humerus is brought up to the part of the scapula projecting over shoulder joint; when raised higher, the scapula is carried with it.

In forearm the radius lies on thumb side, and the ulna lies on the little finger side.

The radius has a smooth disc-like edge on its upper end, which touches a smooth concave surface on the ulna.

The radius at its lower end is broad, and alone forms joint with the carpal (wrist) bones. In its lower end is a shallow hollow into which fits lower end of ulna.

When the palm of the hand is upwards (pronation), the two arm bones are parallel.

When the hand is turned so that the back part is uppermost (supination), the radius rotates lengthwise, its lower end moving across to other side of lower end of ulna.

In pronation, upper end of radius does not move its position, it merely turns on its axis; its lower end, as the bone rotates, travels round lower end of ulna, which remains fixed at its pivot.

The ulna does not form joint with carpal bones, It rests on radius at its lower end. " DunLINENslS."

NORTHAMPTON.-The annual compehtlOn for the Marquis of Northampton's cup, open to teams from Northampton and district, was held at the Am bulance-rooms on Sept. 30th. Two teams from Northampton headquarters, one from Towcester, and one from 'i\feedon competed.

The judges were District-Supt. of Stores, Rev. W. Dore Rudgard and Dr. Lloyd Evans. Supt. Adnitt was the judges' clerk. The results were :-

I, Towcester (Corp. B. A. Brown, Ptes. H. Newman, J. Billingham and A. Christian, under 1st Officer Percival), 19 8 ; 2, Northampton Headquarters (under Sergt-Bugler EI.liott), 197 ; 3, Northampton Headquarters (under Corp. Ricks), 179; 4, Weedon (under Sergt. Fabling), 148.

The prize for individual work was won by Pte. J. Billingham, with 38 out of a possible 40 points.

October, 1911. -FIRST

The "Graham" Pillow.

OUR illustration shows a new invalid pillow, manufactured by Messrs. Arnold and Sons, Giltspur-street, E.c. It is called the" Graham" pillow; the advantages claimed for it are that it can be filled with air or water for surgical cases, and it can be made with a specially large valve, in order that ice can be inserted, for head operations, &c. It will not sag or give in the middle, and being flat-bottomed and shaped, will not roll, while it can be turned and straps

A Hint or Two to First Aiders.

WITHOUT suggesting that anything that follows is new, we think that a remark may be made upon facts which pupils should always have at "their fingers' ends."

How often do we find in real life, when the breathing is mechanically or physiologically stopped, that various methods of resuscitation are used before the clothing is unloosened. A crowd of people surrounds a livid epileptic in a London street, and recourse is had to rubbing the wrists, administration of brandy, &c. All the time the sufferer is perhaps gasping for breath. A certificated pupil comes upon the scene who knows the very first thing to do, i. e., remove all constrictions round the neck, chest and waist.

replaced. In cases of deliriom, patients, when the pillow is put in place and the straps fixed, the pillow is immovable until the nurse or doctor alters the straps. The pillow can be used in every position, and if made small, it would be of use in throat operations. In medical wards, where sterilization is not necessary, the pillow can be made of cane, as a light framework, and covered over, and those suffering from heart and chronic abdominal trouble would not have the fear of slipping down in bed. This appliance adds to the patient's comfort, besides doing away with the danger resulting from his stretching to pull the old -fashioned pillow up, and the probable bursting of stitches and breaking down of wound. Straps being provided with swivels, the pillow can be adjusted to any distance.

North=Eastern Railway.

THE annual meeting of the Newcastle District was held on October 7th, at Carlisle, when delegates were present from all parts of the district. Mr. Whillis presided.

Mr. W. Hollings, in his report, congratulated the Council on the maintence of the interest in the work. During the last sessioil eighteen classes were formed, one of which fell through, leaving seventeen classes with 428 members to be examined, with the following results :-129 passed first and 23 failed; 79 passed second and four failed; 44 passed third and one failed; 74 passed for label and four failed; go failed to present themselves for examination. There are 100 ambulance stations in the district.

Mr. R. Elliott gave an excellent report of the proceedings of the General Council meeting held at Hull, in July last, for which he was accorded a vote of thanks. It was decided to ask Mr. E. H. Hiley (Divisional Goods Manager), Newcastle, to be President for next year. Mr. Whillis was re-elected Chairman and Mr. Hollings, Secretary; Messrs. R. Elliott and G. Murray delegates to the General Council, and Mr. Dickinson, Treasurer.

The General Secretary (Mr. G. Jackson) reported on the action taken in connection with the question of four men forming a team, instead of five, as hitherto, and it was decided to condemn it as not practicable.

Do not forgf!t direct pressure on a bleeding wound. It is astonishing what a wonderful effect gauze has in stopping bleeding; it has been said by an eminent surgeon that no hcemorrhage is uncontrolable, so long as gauze is at hand and rightly used. Butter cloth is good for this purpose, but better still is one of the antiseptic dressings such as cyanide gauge. A long slip is employed and packed bit by bit, into the wound, or if a surface wound, this is covered with several folds of gauge. The meshes of this material become soaked with blood by capillary attraction, coagulation is speedy and arrest ensues.

A middle-aged man apparently dies suddenly in the street, a medallion holder is near at hand, feels the man's pulse which is faintly flickering, the clothes are loosened and an inclined plane is improvised as an angle of 45 degs , thus the feet are raised some 40 in. from the ground, the heart's action returns and pallor disappears. When these alarming symptoms occur, the necessity of ralsmg the lim bs and trunk in syncopic attacks is demonstrated and justified by the salutary result.

The last point is in respect of "poisoned wounds," not such as we read of in our handbook, but those commonly constituting a poisoned finger, &c.-inflamed and painful wounds on the surface of the body. Now these, as a rule, are not poisoned at the time of the receipt of injury; they are n o thing more than scratches or slight excoriations which have been left untended. The skin when wounded -perhaps not even to the extent that blood is shed-is capable of absorbing organisms of the air or water; these underguing manipulation in the blood, may poison the system or set up inflammation in the part, and this process takes place in many so-called poisoned wounds. Hence, every abrasion, however insignificant, must be cleansed and covered as soon as possible. Use plenty of water which has been boiled, wash again and again and apply clean rag, cotton wool or gau ze.

Attention to detail is all important in rendering first aid, for" Life every man holds dear."

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The Treatment of Burns.

A SHORT time ago an American surgeon, Dr. J. F. Alexander, was called upon to treat twenty-seven ing from severe burns, sustained at the same time In a blazing house. All the burns were of the first,. and third degrees, and all were severe. Even the dlstnbutlO? of the burns was somewhat uniform, as in nearly every patient there were burns of the face, arms and chest. Wishing to test the relative values of some of the best known methods of treatment Dr. Alexander, who sums ur> his experiences in the Jo u rn al of Surge1Y, divi?ed into batches. Seven burns were treated wllh bonc aCId solution baths five with game kept constantly in picric acid solution five with carron oil with unguentine; and five with ichthyol. The bonc aCId uaths were used for three hours at a time, with six hours' interval at first ; but it was found necessary to adjust the to suit individuals, and in some cases the intervals were as little as two hours. In every case all lesions were thoroughly cleansed with soap and water before any dressing was applied. Peroxide of hydrogen was th e n applied ; and this is thoroughly recommended also for the painless removal of any dressing which becomes stuck and difficult to remove.

In burns of the first degree picric acid proved far the most satisfactory dressing, and in those of the second degree it did very well. The best results for the second st1.ge were got, however, from the boric baths; and for the third stage burns from the ichthyol ointment. There are certain other features of this series that are worth notice. Thus four patients developed duodenal ulceration, with severe hre morrhage; all four recovered without any other treatment than the most rigid attention to diet. Notwithstanding the frequency of face burns, there was no case of asphyxia. No case terminated fatally, though in some three-q uarte rs of the skin surface of the body was burnt, and even the slightest case had at least a fifth estimated to be burnt. In view of the extensive character of the burns and of the variety of local treatment employed, it may be conjectured that the nursing and ge neral treatment was of the highest class ; and the results obtained are most remarkable.

The St. Andrew's Ambulance Association.

THE St. Andrew's Association has now replaced all its horse-drawn ambulances by motor vehicles at Glasgow. The early experience of the Association with the motor ambulance, presented in 1906, was not entirely satisfactory, but proved of value in determining the requirements of a motor ambulance. Last year the Association bought a short-wheel Wolseley-Siddley chassis, and a wagon body was supplied by a local carriage builder. This ambulance has proved so satisfactory that the Association decided to acquire two more similar motor ambulances and dispense with their horse-draw!1 ambulances, with the exception of three, which are retained in case of emergencies. It is expected that the new motor service will very materially reduce the time hitherto required for removin g a case of accident to the hospital. Under the old arrangements, about half an hour was required, but with the motor ambulance it is expected that ten minutes will suffice.

AID.- October, 1911.

First Aid in Electric Accidents.

THE following rules should be observed in the case of electric accidents ;-

I.-Break the circuit at once if there be an interrupter close at hand and you know how to use it. If not, lose no time but proceed to Rule 2.

2.-Do not touch the man's body with your bare hands, but if indiarubber gloves are not at hand pull him off the cable by his coat tail, or fold your coat or some such dry article into two or three thicknesses, and, using this as a pad to take hold of the body, pull it away from the circuit and resort to Rule S.

3.-If unable to get him off, raise with covered hands that part of the body which is touching the earth, or one of the poles of the circuit. This will break the circuit, and it will usually be thus possible to get him away, and, if so, proceed to Rule 5.

4.-If still unsuccessful make another pad, and, plac · ing it between the ground and that part of the bod y in contact with the ground, continue your cfforts to detach him.

s.-Having pulled him away from the cable, free his neck from clothing, commence Schttfers method of respiration.

6.-Resist the efforts of the bystanders to pour stimulants down his throat until a medical man arrives and " takes over" the case.

Mr. R. Jacobson, of 70, Shoe-lane, has just received a testimonial of the efficiency of his Pulmotor apparatus in a case of gassing, which occurred at Brightside Works, Sheffield.

The Denaby Corps held its "Ambulance Sunday" at Wath on September 24th. Five of the divisions of the corps were on parade, under the command of Chief Superintendent W. H. Chambers. The service was held at Wath Church, and the Denaby Ambulance Band was in attendance.

Messrs. Timpson & Co., of Golden-lane have just placed on the market a new first aid case, ""\iVithu " NO.3. It is a most useful article containing requisites of a useful character and which can be replaced by any chemist. Brief instructions are printed inside the case, and it is sold complete for 3s. 6d.

Superintendent J. Ogden was presented with a drawing-room cabinet on the occasion of the 21St anniversary of the Accrington Corps of the S.J.A.B. by the members of the corps, as a token of appreciation of his 2 years' voluntary work. Mr. L. Whittaker, Assistant Commissioner of the district, made the presentation.

FROME.-Mr. H. J. Scammell, one of the oldest St. John Ambulance men of the town, and who was battalion shot of the 3rd Vol. Batt. Somerset Light Infantry, also one of Parish Church Change Ringers, has within the past few months given two daughters and his eldest son respectively in wedlock. The congratulations of a wide circle of friends in Frome and Wells demonstrate the popularity in which the family are held.

October, 1911. -FIRST Irish News.

FROM OUR DUBLIN CORRESPO NDENT.

DU BLIN .-A public meeting, inaugurated by the City of Dublin Division, was held on September 28th, for the purpose of forming a night class for the north side of the city during the coming winter. Dr. Andrew Charles, honsurgeon of the division, occupied the chair. On the platform were also Dr. Walter Healy, Bupt. John Thompson and First Ambulance Officer Weinstock. A contingent from Messrs. W. & R. Jacob's in uniform also kindly attended.

The chairman, ina very interesting address, explained th e objects of "first aid" and of the importance of such knowledge to everyone, male or female, strongly urging all over I yea rs of age to acquire that knowledge through the medium of th e division's classes.

A display of bandaging, stretcher work, and rescue from a burning building by the" fireman's lift" was given, followed by Sch a fer's and Sylvester's method of artificial respiration. This last item proved most interesting to the audience.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman, proposed in very happy terms by one of the visitors, seconded by the hon. secretary, and supported by Dr. Healy, brought the proceedings to a successful termination.

After the meeting a number of new members were secured.

This class began work on Tuesday evening, 17th inst., Dr. McDonnell having kindly consented to act as lecturer.

CITY OF DUBLIN DIVISION.-The winter session opened on Monday evening, 16th inst.; quite a large number having already signified their intention of joining, a very large class is anticipated.

The l:ommittee of this division, under the presidency of the hon. surgeon, has recently held special meetings in order to devise means whereby the work may be made more attractive so as to retain the interest of the members. A syllabus of lectures has been drawn up and posted in the rooms, by which the subject of instruction for each succeeding evening may be known, and prepared beforehand.

A special feature this season will be a contingent of railway men for instruction of "first aid" from the D. & S.E. Railway Co., whose expenses the Company have kindly undertaken to defray. This is only as it should be, as railway men are perhaps more called upon than others to deal with accidents of a serious nature.

LADIES' NUR SIN G DIVISION (CITY OF DUBLIN).-The new class in connection with this division, has already begun its course of instruction, with a large attendance on each Wednesday evening ; the lady superintendent, who has spared no pains to make it successful in way, succeeded in getting together over forty puplls for instruction.

It may be mentioned that efforts are being made to establish classes in several towns throughout the country.

Al D.A GREAT BOOK FOR AMBULANCE WORKERS.

By DR. ANDREW WILSON.

A WORK that justifies its claim tCi be an epitome of all that specialised medical and surgical knowled!!e necessary for First Aiders, as well as an authoritative manual of reference on all information relating to Health and Disease, is a work to be welcomed by all our readers who wish to study their subject mor e de e ply than is possible from superficial text books.

In "The Modern Physician," by Dr. Andrew Wilson, fullest space is devoted to "First Aid" and Ambulance Work. In respect of co mplete ness, accuracy of d escription, and wealth of illustration, "The Mod e rn Physician" stands without a rival amongst the works publish ed on this important subject in the United Kingdom. It is scientifically accurate and reliable without being dull ; the name of its editor, so long and popularly known as a n expositor of Health laws and a teacher of Hygi e ne, is a guarantee of this. This work is absolutely complet e as regards Health and Disease, and is thoroughly up -to- dat e

As a knowledge of the body in Health is necessary to the due understandin g of the body when its functions are deranged by diseas e, a description of every part of the frame will be found h ere. Th e skeleton, muscles, digestive system, heart and lun gs , brain a nd n ervo us system, organs of sense, skin, kidn eys and the body's microscopic structure are duly described. In this connection the illustrations are of Darticular value, the "mannikins " or dummies more in these the organs are made to overlap each other exactly as they do in the human body.

The section devoted to Hygiene includes the full exposition of the Laws of Health, and attention is devoted to Physical Culture. Such tOplCS as foods, bevera ges, air, exercise, clothing, sleep, baths, holidays, temperament, &c., are treated in this section.

The last volume is especially devo ted to the Health of Women, and Dr. Wilson has here been assisted by a nnmber of eminent women physicians. Midwifery and .the treatment and Diseases of Infants are here fully dealt With.

ONE OF MANY OPINIONS.

Mr. J. DANIEL, 23, Kent Avenue, Ashford, Kent, writes; -

" IL's a ll -round exce ll ence makes it a valuable acquisition Th e sect io n dealing with ambu lance work is especia ll y good. Th e book is written n s plend id sty le a nd the illustr:ltions are first rate. T he method of payment places it within the reach of a ll. "

A FREE BOOKLET.

TO THE CAXTON PUBLISHING COMPA TY, 156, Surrey S treet, London, 'V .e. Please semI me, FREE Or CIIARGE and without any obliga.'.ion on my parI :(1) lllu straled on "TilE I11(1)F.RN PHVSIC''''I () Partie-ulars of your offe(' to de li" er he complele work for a first payment of 2 S 60., the ba ance to be paid for by a few small monlhly payments.

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-FIRST

AI D.- October, 19II.

Instructor" accompanies them to the contest, leaving him to introduce himself in his own way to his" brother medicos."

If the trophy has not been won by them previously, success will certainly then be all the more sure.

I recently attended a competition without, I may add, any personal interest in, the competin!5 and a team which was actually behmd m marks for mdlvldual work and failed to treat the stretcher test correctly and had not been winners before, but wltz'ch observed the above requirement, secured first place,

We are in no way resjonsib,e for tke opinions expressed, or tke statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

FRACTURE OF THE FOREARM QUERY.

DEAR SIR,-I should esteem it a great favour if you would explain to us, through your, Journal, the cO,rrect treatment for the following case, which caused, ll,ttle questioning to take place at a recent competition III which It was set as an individual test :-" A fracture of the forearm, three inches below the elbow joint."

Thanking you, Sir, in anticipation. -Y ours, &c., " RADIUS. "

[Assuming the competition in question to have been one upon first aid, then for test (' the treatment " cannot consistantly be given tIll further details are made known, I t would be the duty of the discreet candidate to seek enlightenment upon such points as are The resourcefulness oj mt'nd and of action, the ,different competitors can, with such a test, be readJly estimated by the judge.

As regards the mechanical support to afforded, th,e candidate should in all cases of fracture, ask himself-what IS the object to effected? 1£ out of doors, and material available it will be readily seen that a carefully applied angular would be desirable, as it would act efficiently than splints to the forearm only. The first alder IS not to be crippled by rigid barriers, h is actions must be govp.rned by common sense, It is, his duty to be observant, discriminating and resourceful, Ztsmg to the best advantage whatever is at hand to prevent further damage, etc. -

L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

AMBULANCE COMPETITIONS,

D EAR SIR,-May I, through the medium of your valuable paper FIRST Am, be allowed to protest against the method at present adopted (and which I am sorry to say is becoming more and more general) by Examiners of ambulance competitions, in their selection of the winning team, &c.

I t seems to me the surest way in many competitions to-day of obtaining success, is for teams to let "efficiency" be a secondary matter, but mo;;t important, to see their "Medical

Second place went to previous year's winning team which was ahead of the above mentioned team in individual marks and which was the only team to give full and exact treatment of the stretcher test, but which unfortunately had its" rr.edical coach" absent.

It is not the first time this unsportsmanlike adjudication has been complained of in your columns, and it is about time our Examiners realised the farce they are making of the competitions and the injusti ce that is being done to the competitors.

" lIferit" alone must and will have to be recognised if ambulance work IS to forge ahead, otherwise the good which has been done in this direction in the past by our doctors, will assuredly be undone, and competitions instead of being a I'stimulus," will only exist to handicap its progress.Yours, &c., " FAIRPLAY. "

October 4th, 19l1.

[In previous issues of FIRST ATD we have had correspondence relating to the conduct of competitions, but not anything bearing on the points which are raised by our correspondent. The success of competitions depend very materially upon the way they are conducted, and if they are not carried out impartially and equal treatment given to each competing team they are bound to failure. This is the first occasion we have heard of the complaint which is mentioned.-ED. "F.A."J

SUN YAT SEN A ST. JOHN AMBULANCE PUPIL.

DEAR SIR,- I t may prove interesting to your readers to know that the original of the portrait to be seen recently in nearly every newspaper and described as the "power behind the revolution in China," was a pupil of James Cantlie, M,D., in the St. John Am bulance Classes at Hong Kong. He also passed his examination at the College of Medicine for Chinese, and in the opinion of Dr. Cantlie he is worthy of a speda l certificate See FIRST Am for N ovem ber 1896, page 133.-

Sincerely yours,

ERNE ST J A:\1ES RACKWITZ,

Mr. S. Osborn, F.R.C.S" late Chief Surgeon of the John Ambulance Brigade, has received from His Majesty the King, the silver medal in commemoration of the Coronation of Their Majesties.

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1911. -FIRST

BRIERFIELD.-The annual competition for the "Tunstill" Memorial Challenge Shield was held on Saturday, September 30th. Keen public interest was manifested in the competition, and the competing teams represented the following divisions :-Burnley, Nelson, Walkden, Preston, Ackton Hall, Lancaster, Warrington, Horwich and Kendal. The judges were Dr. Hoyle for individual work, Dr. Parkinson for stretcher test and drill, and Dr. Stuart viva voce. The doctors expressed satisfaction at the capable way the teams accomplished their work, and they awarded the shield and first prize-a gent's dressing case-to Ackton Hall, who had 26 [ marks to their credit. Warrington secured second prize, a pair of rose bowls, with 245, and Burnley the third pri.ze, a silver cake stand, with 23 6 .

At the distribution of the prizes the chair was taken by the president of the local centre, T. Veevers, Esq., supported by Col. Trimble, C.M.C.

Col. Trimble briefly addressed the men, complimenting them on their smart appearance, and congratulated the teams which had been successful in winning the prizes; to the others he gave words of encouragement, telling them to continue until they were successful. In the unavoidable absence of the Vicar, the Rev. T. Smith, the prizes were presented by Mrs. Veevers.

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" FIRST AID" TO THE INJURED

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The Inc!ependent Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Se rvices.

To Our R.eaders

As it is t he wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journa as instructive and entertaining as possible, correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can.

Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Amb ulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps (T erritorials), the Vol untee r Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire B rigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will a lso send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Journa!.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the same the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sen t , unless previously agreed upon in writing " First Aid " Is published o n t he 2 0th of the mon t h .

EDITORIAL .

IN the 19I1 Regulations of the S.J.AB.

Bri g ad e there is published an order which has Re g ula tio n s. not appeared in previous issues. It reads :- " No member of the Brigade is, under any circumstances to c ommunicate with the Press on matters concerning the Brigade." On the fa c e of it a very drastic order to issue to members of a voluntary institution, a nd one in which they spend both their time and money in p romoting the expansion of a good work, and in our op inion, a most unreasonable one to issu e to individuals in such a self-sacrificing position.

Quite apart from this, can the members of the Brigade realise what the co n seque n ces will be if they intend, and if t h e fr amers of the Reg ul ation in tend, that it should be fai th fu ll y carr ied out? It will mean that the Brigade will be deprived of the mani fest advantages which the Pre.ss h a s afforded to its progress in the past, for without its infl uen ce how would the public have known of the good wo rk that the membe rs of t h e Brigade have been and are doi n g? T h e P ress in th e pas t has stimulated and assisted t h e Br igade in ma n y d irect ions ; it has drawn atte n tion to

its a d vantages, reco rded its social functions, assisted it to raise funds, reported cases where its members have rendered conspicuous first aid, and ge nerally done much to promote its welfare But now "red-tape " promises to destroy this utility, and for what reason we cannot comprehend, unless it be the military ideas and training which promp t s such a Regulation. We all know that a similar or d er to t his f'xists in the Army Regulations, and which serves no useful purpose because it is violated every day. But why the Brigade authorities should adopt a similar c ourse we are at a loss to understand, for it must be apparent to everyone that it is against its own interests and is bo u nd to retard its progress.

Voluntary institutions as a rule endeavour to secure the co-operation and help of the Press, rightly realis ing t hat without its active sympathy and support their work would be dormant. But now that headquarters sees fit to dispense with this mighty agency for disseminating we conclude the organisation is to be worked in a semisecluded fashion, for no doubt jmt so much publicity as is desired by the authorities will be "communicated " to the Press.

We can quite understand tha t there should be some check on the distribution of unauthentic news, and to overcome this difficulty, one individual in the corps or division could have been appointed to' act in the capacity of a Press secretary and be the responsible party to communicate such information as representatives o f the Press desi re when attending gatherings, or to circulate any information of what is being done locally. In this respect the new Regulation will have detrimental effects, for many corps and divisions without their local Press will be most seriously handicapped.

Such a moderate course as the one suggested would have been much the wis er policy. It would have overcome the d ifficulty without creating that intense feelin g whic h regulations of this kind inflict upon those who are op p osed to the Brigade being r u n on military lines. That a lack of Press publicity will be a bar to the progress of the Brigade nobody for one moment will contradict, and, in co ns eq u ence, funds in many quarters may fall below their normal; for people can hardly be expected to cont rib u te to institutions of which they know nothing about.

NCE

G, W.R.-It is interesting to learn from a recent issue of the "Great Western Railway Magazine" that the first railway ambulance class formed was held at Paddington on April 30th , 18 78, the year following the institution of the St. Tohn Association as a department of the of the Hospital of John of Jerusalem in England. The ,Great Western RaIlway became a Centre of the Association In 1896.

The winter season has opened well and a number of new have already lectures, whilst many others III course of formatIOn, One hears also of new formed and of the older ones getting into train109 Ir: view of the annual competitions, which will take place In the early spring.

of the Paddington team who have on several represented the Great Western Railwav in the have of late been well to the fore III competitIOn work. On the 21St ult. in the contest fer the" Grant" Medal (awarded for Individual work) beld at the Polytechnic Institute, Regent-street the winner' J. J. Scaplehorn, and the "runner-up" G A' B ' b . . urgess were oth members ?f the Paddington team, A Great Western man also obtamed the fourth position, As hold of the "Sh,ield, the team were debarred the cor,npetltIon for thiS trophy, which took place at the same time and place. It may be mentioned that G A Burgess was the winner of the "Grant" Medal I'n ' , dId 19 0 9, an so was prec u ed from competing in 19 10

In the competition for the" Sleath Gent'" C to men of the. Prince ?f Wales's Corps of the open BrIgade, which was decided on the 4th the wmner of this handsome trophy, which was presented Perrott, was W, Gaffney, another member of the a Illgton team.

On October 25th the first competition for the C presented by. Dr. Hollist to the ambulance staff u;:, was declded. The Cup is offered for competItIOn between teams drawn from the various de artments, The result was as follows :-lst Parcels D p t ment' 2nd Sig I • d epar]) ) na men; 3r Engineering' 4th Goods epartment. ) ,

f I The trophy and prizes were presented to the successu teams by Dr. Macleod Munroe, who spoke in lowin terms of the work of the competitors generally. g g

At a concert held on the 2nd inst. in the Ro al Worcester, the awards recently gained by me:ambulance class were presented by ;s, ',' a ker. ,:Mr. Walker, Sheet Superintendent w 0 preSided, referred III eulogistic terms to the first aid movfElmentkand encouraged the men to follow up this most use u wor

I The members of the Gloucester Loco Department c ass met on November 7th to receive the bad es which Co: to their g employes d e rs al exammatlOn. Mrs St J ohnst mda e the and the members of class a vantage of the meetmg to prestnt Dr. St. J chnston with

a fra.med. ph?t? of the class in recognition of his valuable serVIces In gIVIng the course of lectures.

, ,L.E. & S.c. Ry.-Certificates and medallions were distrIbuted to the members of the East Grinstead classes successfully passed the recent examination by Dr. W. on October 21St. There were supporting the chaIrman, E. (Hon. Sec. of the Sussex Branch of the Red Cross SOCIety), Mr. J. King (Centre Secretary) and Mr: D. Butler Hon. Sec.). Dr. Hillyer, addreSSIng t?e meetmg, dealt at length with the benefits and the vanous .forms of ambulance training specially to particular trades, callings and conditions of 11fe and In the case. of railway employes, not only, dId they constantly come In contact with ordinary aCCidents of daily life,. but at any n:oment they might be calle? upon deal With the speCial conditions of a gre,at. aCCIdent,. and for this they required special whIch was gIven them by the centre. Dealing WIth the Voluntary Aid Dr. Hillyer said it must remembered that In tIme the railways would be entIrely taken by the mIhtary authorities and for mIlItary purposes, and one of their most Important functIOns would be the conveyance of sick and wounded from the front to the base hospitals. The jJ en Oll7lel of t.he trains used for this purpose would be entirely supplIed by the Voluntary Aid Detachments, a?d consequently the more railway men that In ,these detachments the more smoothly the service was lIkely to work.

Mr. J. King and Mr. Butler cordially supp t d D H 'jl' I or e r. I yer s remar {So

The then handed out the awards as :-Medalhon, Mr. L. P. Lusk; vouchers, Messrs

A. Wnght. S. Paul, C. Durrant, A. Court, T, Fuller p' CO,m ber, W, . Jenner, G. Burchfield, p, Dur-rant and F: Lalley. CertIficates: N. Philpot, A. Huggett and J Harden.

A given at Croydon in connection with the Cr.oydon dIStrICt for the of distributing the awards gamed by the members dUrIng the past session. The was taken by the members to pay a well deserved trIbute to Mr. Butler, the enthusiastic secretary The present took t?e ,form of a handsome clock. Mayor of distrIbuted 37 certificates, 20 vouchers 6 and 2 I labels" and added a few words of appreciatIOn of the efforts were being made to train such a large number of men III ambulance work.

. M. Rv. - The presentation of the certificates medal hons, and labels obtained ?y successful frol; the ambyla.nce held III connection with the Gloucester engmeers' department, took place at N orthgate ManSIOns, Gloucester, on Monday October 2 d when some 180 men received their awards' at the of Mr. H. W. L. Harford, one of the directors of the C Mr. Briggs, Derby (assistant engineer preSIded, and was supported by a numbe f offiCIals of the Company including Mr HER' h d r 0 S M ' '. \.Ie ar son eeretary Ry, Ambulance Department.

Mr. presented 87 first year certificates 12 second, 2 r;nedalhons and 7 labels, and in the course of his remarks saId he greatly appreciated the work of the railway ambulance men, for on one occasion he had e d f experI- nee aSSIstance rom one of them when he t 'h 'd D me WIt an aCCJ Ent at He was particular!) pleased to see such a large gathtImg that altElllccn, ar d he heaJtily congratu -

November, 191 T. -FIRST

lated all who were associated with those classes upon the success of their endeavours.

On the motion of Mr. Boardman, seconded by Mr. Reeve, Fishponds, a vote of thanks was passed to the secretaries of the Gloucester district for the work they had done in organising the classes, Mr. Wheeler responded, and said that if the men would only follow up their studies he saw no reason why in a year's time, the Gloucester district should have as good an ambulance centre as any other district on the Midland Railway, though now they were far behind some districts.

S.E. & c. R,- The first aid season has commenced on this Railway with the enthusiasm usually experienced by this go-ahead Centre. No less than 36 Classes are now in full swing on different parts of the System, and beginners in first aid work are attending in good numbers, so that there is every prospect of another record being created at the end of the season.

A pleasant afternoon was spent at the Colman Institute, Redhill, on Wednesday, 8th inst., when the competition for the "Colman" Cup was held. Six teams representing Nutfield (Railway), Redhill (Railway) Redhill Platelayers (Railway), Redhill Police, No. I, Redhill Police, No, 2, and Recthill Gas Company competed for the handsome cup presented by Sir J. Colman. Nutfield (Railway) team secured the trophy with 250 marks out of a possible 300 marks, being closely followed by Redhill Police, No.2, Team with 249 points. Redhill (Railway) taking third position. The cup and prizes were afterwards presented by Lady Cunnynghame, after Sir Henry Cunnynghame had testified to the smart work perfurmed by the different teams, and the usefulness of a first aid knowledge generally.

The "Four=Men Team" Suggestion.

THE proposal to reduce the number of members of railway ambulance teams from five to four has probably been freely discussed among ambulance workers, and something has already been said both for and against the suggested change in the columns of FIR ST AlD.

Our railways present a large field for ambulance work, and to no class of workers is a knowledge of first aid of more value than to railway employes. Nearly all the principal railways hold annual competitions among the members of their staff and this question of the right number of members for the formation of a team cannot be without interest to all railway ambulance men. The suggestion is understood to have emanated from one of the railway centre secretaries in connection with the competition for the Railway Challenge Shield and prizes presented by the St. John Ambulance Association, and the importance of the matter to railway ambulance men is emphasised when it is borne in mind that the competitions organised by the various railway companies among the staff are the selective process by which the teams representing the companies in the Inter-Railway Contest are chosen; any alteration therefore in the formation of teams for the Railway Competition will doubtless be generally adopted in ambulance contests among railway men, and it is not unreasonable to suppose that any change that may be decided will not be without effect upon other competitions. Further it is doubtless reassuring to the travelling public to know that there exists upon the railways a large body of men capable of acting promptly and intelligently to alleviate suffering in case of accident or sudden illness, and any suggestion the object of which is to increase the

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value of these contests cannot be lightly considered or dismissed, for the value of the practice which is mseparable from these competitions can hardly be overestimated.

Assuming the first object of an am bulance competition is to test the ability of the competitors to treat actual cases of injury, any change which tends to render the tests more realistic, and in which the conditions approximate more to those found in actNal cases, is a distinct move in the right direction.

The existing conditions of the Inter-railway Competition state that teams shall be composed of five mem bers, four of whom shall deal with a disability to the fifth, i.e., the fifth man shall act as "patient" and be treated by the fellow-members of his team. The suggestion proposed is that the" patient " should Ot be a member of the team, as having traintd with the other members who have to treat him he has become acquainted with their methods and it is thus possible from long association for the " patient" to assist in the treatment rendered, Being himself a trained am bulance man he is able to tell fairly accurately at any rate what his supposed injuries are. The very part of patient affords in itself an excellent opportunity to think over the c ase and it is contended that this may enable him, without actually speaking perhaps, to prompt his fellow members, who are more fully occupied , with regard to the treatment afforded. After a little thought on the matter it will be apparent to any ambulance man conversant with competition methods that the opportunities for assistance by the patient are many, under the most vigilant of judges, Points in regard to treatment overlooked by the team proper-little points which win marks-may occur to the patient. Again, what patient can adapt himself better to the treatment of his confreres than the fifth man who for many months possibly, years, has been assiduously training with them? It may be, of course, and it is hoped that such cases of assistance by the patient are few and far between, but are the conditions under which the patient is well verstd in first aid knowledge and thoroughly ac.quainted with those rendering first aid such as are found in an actua l case? In this connection it has been pointed out that undEr existing conditions, the "patients" of winning teams participate t.qually in any pri zes offered. Here, at any rate, is the incentive for an enthusiastic" patient " to assist, and it of course, within the realms of possibility that under such conditions he may do so unconsciously.

As is well known, it is usual in these competitions for each member of a team, in addition to the team test proper, to deal either by himself in conjunction another, with a supposed case of and to himself to a brief '{-, I'm '['oce exammatlOn. CompetitIOn judges will probably confirm the opinion that it is not unusual to find the "fifth man" of a team scores well in the oral test-he having apparently a particular ability for committing the teachings of the to memory. Without suggesting tha.t the P?ssessJon of faculty has any connection with hIS place m the te,am, It IS apparent that he is by no means the of patient that one might reasonably expect to meet WIth III an actual case of injury.

Another point claimed in favour of the amendment JS that with a uiven number of men, a greater number of should be forthcoming, and teams of four men could probably be formed at places, five good ambulance men are not available, ThiS, III Itself, appears to be a strong recommendation for proposal. Railway servants, particularly those employed III the movement of traffic are

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frequently not all available for ambulance practice between the same hours, and it may be that the adoption of the amendment will result in an increase in the number of teams formed and in the number of ambulance workers.

The main consideration in the proposal appears, however, to be that if an outsider-a man from the street, say, untrained in ambulance knowledge-is employed to take the part of" patient," the com petitions would afford a more valuable test of a team's ability. In the tests already referred to it is usual to provide s.uch patIents, and the arrangements in favour of this practIce would appear to apply with at least equal force in the team contest proper.

Several objections have, it is understood, been put forward to the suggested alteration. One being that if the man .has acted as patient for the team during their practIces, IS excluded from the competition he may lose Interest In the work, and it is further contended that he would act as. patient on practice nights if debarred from taking part In contests. and sharing in any honours that may be gained. ThIS may be so, but it is felt that any ambulance man who really has the interests of. first w.ork at heart would hardly adopt such an attItude, In whIch surely the spirit essential to first aid is absent.

IPSWICH CENTRE.-A record report of the work accomplished during the year was submitted at the annual meeting held on Nov. 4th. The Mayor of Ipswich occupied the chair, and he said that the mem bers of the Centre had attend.ed various shows, and had gone as far as Carnarvon m Wales. That showed the great interest, not only amongst the officers, but also amongst the rank and file. of the Centre. He was sorry to hear that, besides havmg a record year, they had also a record debt but that he supposed, was unavoidable, remembering the of they accomplished. Their efforts reflected great credIt upon the members, and they were of utility to the inhabitants.

November, 191 I. -FIRST member, so that the divisions are kept in touch with each other.

One thing has been found :New Zealand which mitigated against the usefulness of the work, and that was the ignorance of the general publ ic regarding its aims a.nd objects, and to overcome thIS dIfficulty a out this and other useful information has been Issued, whIch is distributed gratis throughout the district, it is now in its 3rd edition. An interesting feature is that the .railway divisions have begun to advance, and generally In the m'ljority of the divisions of the district efficiency has been maintained. It may be worthy to note that there are more ambulance men in New Zealand than any of the other oversea brigades. We understand an instructional camp and district competitions were held for three days last month, and two inter-district competitions, one for men and one for nursing sisters, were held, some 30 squRds competing.

SOUTHAMPTON CENTRE.-At a meeting of the Com-

AID.- 69

work, upon which Lieut. -Col. Twiss and those associated with him are to be c ongratulated

Inter = Railway Competition.

A MEETIN G of the Committee was held on Friday, 17th inst, when the conditions were discussed ; we have not yet been favoured with the results of the meeting. Altp.rations have been made in Clauses 3, 7 and 8, and Clause 9 of the former conditions has been deleted. The settlement of Clause 7 was partly contingent on the decis!on of the meeting with regard to the proposed alteratIOn of the number of men constituting a team.

DRAFT CONDITION S FOR 1912.

I. ) Any Railway Company, Joint <;ommittee, or Joint Railway, in England or W:a1es, send I.n one, but not more than one team, Each RaIlway WIll select ItS own team.

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fipart from this the fifth man would be in no worse a POSItIon than the reserve man who it is now usual to have attached to of the .teams. Perhaps the shortest way out of any ?Ifficulty of thIS kind would be for the man who acts as patltnt at the practices to become the reserve man of the team. He would then be able to attend the competitions with team,. and if called upon to act, would, of course, partIcIpate In any honours gained by the team to which he is attached.

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The. suggested alterations are of interest to all conn.ected ambulance competitions, and probably other WIll be from both sides when the subIS dIscussed by the representatives of the raIlway companies. On this occasion opportunity wIll dou btless be afforded. for ,a free expression of opinion upon matter, and whIlst It may be decided that no alteratIon In present is desirable for reasons which m.ay then be f?rt.hcomIng, .the proposal will not have been effect If It emphaSIses the importance of the conditIOns m other ambulance contests approximating as as It IS possIble to actual cases of accident or injury the ambulance man may be called upon to deal wIth.-" S.S."

The annual meeting of the Bromley Division was held 0!l October 25 th . First aid during the year had been gIven to which brought the total number of cases dealt WIth formation of the Division in 18 96 to 1,4 18 The DIVISIOn consisted of 47 membtrs the number as last year. Forty-six drills had been 'held WIth an average attendance of eleven. N early all members presented themselves for re-examination, and had carned out the regulations for IS years and were to the long service medal, among them' being Dr. '\: olland, who had been made an Esquire of the Order f St. .John. !hey owed both to him and to Mr. Heale0 thel.r. a great debt of gratitude for pOSItIOn the DIVISIOn has attained.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

The annual report states that the Centre had been represented at London, Norwich and Carnarvon Coronation Duty. In actual home work in Ipswich it had also been a record year, both as to classes, re-examination and transport work. In addition to the usual first aid classes for men and women, a ?ursing class fC?r men was arranged and well attended, and In all J 58 certIficates had been issued. In .the Section 244 cases had been moved, So of whIch were In connection with the Corps 16o members qualIfied for vouchers, medallions and labels.

NEW

ZEALAND, CANTERBURY AND WEST COAST

CENTRE. - We have received a copy of the 26th annual report of the for the twelve months ending February, I9 II During the year 26 classes of instruction in aid, home nursing and hygiene, followed by examinatIons, have been held. The number of those who attended the c?urses of not than four lectures was 5 8 4 as compared WIth 754 the prevIOus year; 406 are entitled to certIficates, and of these 62 qualified for the medallion and 27 the label, as against 570 certificates, including 68 medallIOns and 33 19°9. Several new depots of stretchers and first aId apphances have been established and old ones brought up to date. With regard to the transport service, during the year 464 cases have been conveyed as against 396 in 1909. It is satisfactory to note that the finances are in a healthy condition, a creditba.lance of £97 ISS. Iod. being shown, During the year HIS Excellency Lord Plunket vacated the position of New Zealand's President of the Association, due to his term of offi.ce as Governor having expired, His Excellency Lord Islmgton now hclds the position.

The ,report records that the Canterbury and West C.oas,t has been re-organised throughout the dIstnct. A found in efficiently administering a.rea? It was therefore found necessary to dIV!de It mto sub-dlstncts and sub-divide these into areas, ThIS plan work well; the officer in charge su b-dlstnct IS for supervising existing dIVISIons and the formatIOn of new ones in the sub-district. The supply a quarterly report to headquarters whIch a quarterly bulletin is compiled giving tIculars of all work done; this is circulated to every

mittee held on November 3rd, the report for the year ending September 30th, was unantmou?ly adopted, and the accounts confirmed. It states tha.t dunng the 3 6 classes have been held, and 641 certificates, &c., gamed. This shows a falling off on the year, wh.en 4+ classes were held and 762 certificates gamed ThIS brIngs the total number of classes held since the reVIval of the cen.tre in 1905 up to 202 the certificates gained 68 The horse ambulance has attended, and carned 3,3 d' h ak free of charge 337 cases of accldent unng t e miog a grand of 950 since it .purchased III 19 08 . The work of the centre in other other than those mentioned are dealt with in detaIl In the repor.t. The finances are in a strong condition, a cash balance m hand of £9 1 2S. being shown in the statement of accounts, and generally the centre has accomplished a year of useful

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2. ) Each competing team must of five men, ,all being bona /ide of RaIlway Company, J omt Committee, or Jomt Railway, m whose name they cor:npete, and holders of the first aid certificate o,f. the. ASSOCIatIOn. "Joint" servants are not eligible for competItIOn the of a parent company, but J.oint Committees or Jomt Railways may enter a team of theIr own,

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3. ) The competition shall be judged at St: J Gate, E.C., or elsewhere in London in the last fortnight m Apnl, 19[2. The position of the teams at the of each shall not be given, the announcement on thIS subject bemg made on the last day of judgi ng the groups. I n event of a tie for the eighth place in the group competItIons, all the teams tying for that place shall be a<;imitted to the In the event of a tie in the final, the. team the higher place in the Group CompetItIon shall take the hIgher place in the final.

(4. ) Each Railway wishing to enter a team must notIfy the

LVMINGTON NURSIN G DIVISION ARE THE PRESENT HOLDERS OF .ROSE BOWL. Best Squad of five in Nursing Division Hants and Isle of WIght (FIrst AId).

E. J ones i\lis R. Mi ss Philpo t t. i\Ii ss Workman (c3.ptatn). MISS W al d en. Lad y Supt. Mr s. Chinery (Lady of Grace).

-FIRST

same to the Cr. ief Secretary, St. John's Gate, not later than January 31St, 1912.

(5.) E::tch Railway entering a team for the competitIOn llny send a representative to serve on the for carryi ng out the arrangemer.ts of the competition.

(6) Each com peting team in the group and final competitions shall be distinguished by a nUf!1ber know!l <,>nly to Secretary of the Competition. No ul1lform or dlStll1gUlShll1g badge is to be worn by any member of the team.

(7·) The teams shall be judged throughout on. the of the ele\'enth or later edition-all these being practically ahkeof the official handbook of the Association "First Aid to the Injured," by James Cantlie, M.n., F.R.C.S., as follows; -

(a.) Four men shall deal with a suppo:5ed disability (accident, injury, or sudden illness) to the fifth, who shall giv e no hints to the other members of the team .. The patien t is to be placed on a stretcher (Furley ordmary pattern model 1899, or at the discretion of the judge, imprO\ ised ) and such transport effected as is consistent with the test given. The patient shall be selected and the number of each man determined by the railway. It is to be clearly understood that cas es of disability may be set in which it may be unnecessary for the whole of the four men to be engaged wi th the patien t, or to be present for loading, carr;ing, or unloading. The six man stretcher exercise shall not be used. Reasons may be stated for the treatment adopted, and explanations may be made to what would be done under the supposed circumstances jf it is not possible to show it by practical work.

(b.) Each man either by himself or in conjunction with another shall either -

(i. ) Treat at least one supposed case of disability.

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Aids to Memory for Beginners.

THE eight small carpal (wrist) bones, in two rows of four each, join in the first row, the end of the radius, and in the second row, the five metacarpal (//leta, beyond) bones.

Movement at wrist takes place between radius and first row, between the two rows themselves, and between second row and metacarpal bones, giving great freedom.

The joint at wrist acts as a double-hinge joint.

The five metacarpal bones form the palm, including, of course, that of the thumb.

The phalanges (finger bones), fourteen in number, three to each finger, and two to the thumb, sit one on top of the other.

The finger joints are hinge joints.

The pelvis (pelvis, a basin), shaped like a basin, is fvrmed by the two haunch bones, at the sides, into which is wedged at the back the sacrum, like the keystone of an arch;' in the front they meet at what is called the pubesthe middle.

The haunch bones arching round and outwards give the basin-like shape to the cavity. This is the pelvic cavity.

The pelvic cavity, containing the bladder and portion of the intestines, is very strongly guarded by the large bones forming it; these large bones direct the weight of the 1:>ody upon the lower limbs.

November, I9I [.

-FIRST

Humerus, one bone in Femur, one bone in thigh. upper arm. k Hinge joint at elbow. Hinge jOint at .nee. Ulna and Radius, two Fibia and Fibula, two bones in arm. bones in leg. Eight bones in wrist. Seven bones in ankle.

Five " beyond wrist " Five" beyond ankle ;' bones. bones.

AI D.-

First Aid. The address was followed with close attention. and proved most interesting. .'

An uniformed squad of the Clty of Dubl111 (of which Dr. Charles is hon. surgeon) gave a 111 bandaging, stretcher work, and in removing a patIent from a burning building.

(The fireman's lift shall not be used ,)

ii, ) Submit himself to a brief viva VOte examination, or

Iii. ) De judged partly by method i. and partly by method ii.

The object of this comp etition is to test the ability of the men to deal with cases under conditions of actual emergency, and this must be borne in mind and acted upon throughout the competi tion. The cas es to be dealt with shall be indicated by a card or cards handed to the appropriate competitor, and the description may in the first instance be incomplete. Comar e in every case allowed to ask any questions they mly thll1k proper to enable them to give intelligent treatment. It sha ll be competent for the judge to withhold further inf<,>rmation if in his opinion (based on the questions and actIons of the com petitors ) such information would, if the case were real, not have been acquired.

Arrest of Hleeding.-In cases of supposed bleeding, the course b1.ood be absolutely stopped when digital pressure bemg applied, but in the case of the application of the. pressure should only be indicated by the P)Sltlon of the pad. and bandage, unless the judge requires the tourniquet to be tightened .

(8. ) In the group co mpetitions the officer in charge of any team (not being a medical man), and the reserve man of the team, may witness the work of their team, but no one else ex cept the judges, competition secretary, patients, and, if "bystanders" may be present when a team is being Judged. .the competition, anyone, except members of teams. awaltll1g. turn to compete, may be present. A commlt.tee, consls tll1g of a representative of each of the teams shall check the competition secretary in the adding up of the marks.

(9) The Shield shall be held for one year by Railway wrnnll1g It, at the end of which time it shall be given up and a tablet given in exchange.

Prizes will be given to the members of all teams admitted to the final competition.

I I. ) the competition a copy of the papers telatll1g to Its team shall be sent to ea ch R'l.Ilway b)th in respect of the group and the final competitions.

Wilen corresp:>nding with Advertisers please lion "First Aid."

On outer side of each haunch bone is a deep cup-like socket (acetabulum, a cup, &c.) for forming ball-andsocket joint with fermur (thigh bone); the range is not so extensive as similar joint at shoulder, moreover hip-bone cannot move as scapula can.

The femur, the longest and strongest bone in the body, runs from hip to knee-joint j its upper end is rounded into smooth ball-like head, then comes the "neck" and next the "shaft."

The patella (knee-pan) a small somewhat triangular shape bone lies in front of the knee-joint, the broad end being uppermost.

The upper edge of patella is attached tendon which straightens leg, the lower, to the ligaments which bind it to tibia or shin bone.

The inner surface of patella is very smooth and covered by synovial membrane like rest of the joint. It plays on large surface of end of femur in front, when knee bent and straightened.

The two bones of leg are tibia in front and fibula (fibula, the calf of the leg), splint-bone or brooch-bone, on outer side.

The tibia lies very near the surface just below the skin its sharp ridge can easily be felt running down front of leg.

The fibula lying a little below knee at its upper end, has no share in formation of knee-joint its lower end forms outer ankle.

The tarsal (ankle) bones seven in number, small and irregular, are held together by ligaments. The largest is in the heel.

The metatarsal (me/a, beyond) bones form sole of foot; behind they join four tarsal bones and in front the first toe bones.

The phalanges of foot (toe bones), fourteen in number, same as in hand.

COMPARE:

UI'I'I<:n. E>nn.EMlT \ Shoulder joint (ball -anclsocket).

LOWER EXTREMITV. Hipjoint (ball -and -s ocket ).

Fourteen in fingers and Fourteen In toes and thumb. great toe. Patella at knee ]Olnt.

CITY OF DU13UN DrVISION.-The present is one of the fullest which has been experienced for some tIme upwards of 30 new members having joined class of instruction for the certificate. The attendance IS regularly maintained. The point where two or more bones meet is called a joint or articulation.

There are 1·mmovable or fixed J' oints and movable d t th th 'de of The class quite recently forme a e .nor S1 joints. .' the bones of the city is making great headway, and 1S pU,nctually As an example of immovable J0111tS, attended. It is largely made up employes fr?m skull are interlocked. M T C Martin The Dublin Dockyard Co., Movable J'oints are .as at should.er and Messrs. \V· H 'M Goulding the G.N.R. Co. of Ireland, d d rotatlon essrs. lX, hip; there is movement in every 1rectIOn an S(2UAD OF THE SOUTHAl\IJ:>TO.N DIV,I,SION. B. ., Rants and Isle of Wight. Winners of the" Twiss" Shield, which is held by the best Squad 111 the Dewar CompetItIOn 111

l <.:' rte. Dellas. Corp. Uccnche. leo ", Lms. Curp. Stubb s l'te. Abraham. 1 First Ollicer "\.. O. Fulfo ru.

Hinge joint allows blckward and foreward movement, as at knee, elbow. t

Gliding joint allows small amount of one bone merely sliding over surface of the other, as m the of the spine.. £l

Pivot joint allows rotatIOn only, as the atlas (thc lrst vertebra) on the axis.

Du IJLINl£NSlS.

Irish News.

k · the present winter has AMl:luLA CE wor 111 h h been taken up with great vigour, and It IS eV.Ident t t e I ublic are awakening to a greater mterest 111 the genera p subject. led C'hemists' Assistants' AssocIatlOn The new Y-lorme , . . f I t t their rooms on Friday cvcnmg, loth mst., or t 1e me a of hearin o a lecture from Dr. Andrew Charles on purpose 0

and the Burn s Line the men's fees, text-.books and b l' dly borne by the firms mentIOned. bandages emg un d h

There is an average attendance. of 4 0 t e ment of supplying typewritten questIons (glv)mg par:d . . here the answers may be found to cop for each succeeding Tuesday haJ o It helps to fix the attentIOn, an Proved a great success. d " I ly all through b' from wan enng aIm ess preventsk P McDonnell is the lecturer, and takes the boo '. r. ,... . a keen interest in his __

W R JACOB & CO.'s DI VISION. -q wing to IT 'ure of business experienced 111 connectlOn extreme press d't' found necessary to suspend 'th the Xmas tra e, 1 IS X WI .' f the year untIl after 1. mas, obliged to work late. - WHEN OORRESPONDING WITH TISERS PLEASE MENTION "FIRSr AID.

Brevities.

PUBLIC assistance is organised in Paris in the town halls, at temporary posts, and by movable am bulance stations on the occasion of pu blic displays, also in first aid stations established on the banks of the Seine and on the canals, to render service in of submersion violent death, death from natural causes, and in public places, as well as in cases of accident and illness. The director, M. Thoinot, a member of the Academy of Medicine, has published his report on the aid thus rendered during 1910-1 I. Aid was rendered in I 760 cases of which 32 were in cases of submersion, as aga'inst cases with 352 submersions in 1909. Out of this number in 232 cases the submersion was less than a minute in 22 , more than a minute, in 35 two minutes, and in 3 more than ten minutes. The last three persons could not be resuscitated. At the first aid stations in 30 town halls 268 cases of inj ury and 12 cases of illness recei ved attention. The station of the fifteenth arrondissement alone received 14 wounded. The stretchers of the different posts were used 66 times for transport to the morgue, the hospitals, or to homes, in cases of accident in the public thoroughfares.

WE have criticised, as much as our space will allow the new regulation which has been em bodied in year's Brigade Regulations. We have heard it said that are one or two officials who hold it practically treason for anyone to discuss the affairs of the Bngade at all. Why this feeling should prevail in certain. q uar.ters is difficult for us to understand, for Bngade IS a voluntary body doing public work, and It would seem to us that the more publicity it received the officials would delight. Just criticism no one IS afraid of, for it should not give offence to anyone.

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« TH.E of ambulance work by means of a first aid .rallway car)} has been proceeding during the past year m the United States of America. A . I

"P 11 " h specla u man car as been fitted up, one half being used as a lecture and demonstration room, while the others contains quarters of the staff. It is fully equipped with first ald boxes, stretchers, charts, &c., and, while these are used .for ins.tructional purposes, th-e car can be used with Its appltances in case of railway or other disaster. The lecture-room can be fitted as a hospital d b . . war, apparatus elOg carned for this purpose. The car travels place to. place, the staff giving demonstrations to stimulate the mterest in first aid work S"l k . Iml ar wor IS belOg carned on by means of Mine Rescue Car org d b h M' , aOlse y t e mmg Bureau, and it has been most successful so far.

AI D.- November, 19[1.

A DISCUSSION in the Brt'lt'slz lIt{edt'cal JOllrnal raises the question as to the advisability of alJowing children to eat sweets. Careful investigation of the effects of sweetmeats has led several specialists to believe that not only may the teeth be injured thereby, but that not infrequently the consumption of jujubes, chocolates, acid drops, comfits, and so forth, brings about stomach troubles that indirectly affect the whole system. On the other hand there are eminent medical authorities who deny the ful effects of sweet-eating. There is, however, no dou bt that the continued presence of sugar in the mouth is fa:ourable to the developmel'!t of microbes which produce aCid-substances very detrimental to the teeth. Further, any process of fermentation set up in this way may very well react unfavourably on the stomach. But it has yet to be proved that the proper care of the mouth, and due use of the tooth-brush, will not counteract such effects' if the hygiene of the teeth be neglected, they will certainly) decay, sweets or no sweets.

* * *

IN any case, this is a matter which merits the fullest investigation, for, considering how common dental disease and faulty digestion are at the present time, it has become of national im portance. Now that public institutions are making special endeavours to care for the teeth of school children in an efficient manner, everything that tends to forward their efforts in this direction is particularly urgent. Moreover, it must be remembered all sugary substances are energy-producing, and for thIS reason it is important that sweets should not be forbidden to children-who use up so much energy by their restless activities-unless really adequate reasons can be found for so doing.

* * *

As will seen the four men team railway competition :s discussed m the Railway column by a contributor who is m .favour the He no doubt advances many pomts whIch w:lgh to its advantage, but the question is whether the Rallway Centre Secretaries will take those into consideration in coming to their decision on this question. ':e not be too conservative in our methods, but conSider thiS question from an unbias point of view, and if it serves no other useful purpose it will open a train of on the Perhaps some of our readers wIll express their views on the suggestions.

IT has occurred to us why it is that the Metropolttan and City Police do not wear the badge of the S.J.A.A.? Many of them have secluded under their tunics the medalhon of the Association and yet th ,ey are not p:lvlleged to show their qualification. By doing so it would confidence to those who unfortunately meet with an aCCident.

When corresponding with Advertisers please mention "First Aid."

November,l9 1I -FIRST

Syncope, Shock and Collapse.

By L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN, M.B., C.M.EDIN.

ONE of our correspondents asked us to give a fuller description of what syncope, shock and collapse are and where they differ from each other. At our request Dr. has kindly. answered these questions. The reply IS given In such detaIl that we make no apology in giving them as a special article :-

Syncope, shock and collapse must be regarded as varyz'ng degrees of tlte same condition, the fact being that in each case the impaired vitality is due to the heart being unable to send a sufficient supply of blood to the brain, and as a consequence the brain is unable to discharge its all-important functions, and a condition of more or less apparent lifelessness, and real danger to life results.

The actual cause of the failure of the heart's action may in a few cases be due to direct inter(ermce wz'tlz its action, as in those cases of heart disease in which certain of its valves fail to act properly. Under these conditions, undue exertion or excitement may cause the heart to be physically unable to discharge its contents efficiently and dangerous syncope may result. Tight lacing, and over distension of the stomach are other examples of direct interference, through pressure, but these causes being 'emovaule are of a less serious character.

Far more frequently, however, the causes of trouble act indirectly through the i1ljlltence of tlu nervous system, a more or less profound impression being effected upon the brain and sympathetic nervous system, which for the time being cannot send sufficient impulses to the heart, and more or less deprivation of the life-stream to the central nervous system increasing this mischief, effects follow as above stated. Such causes may be of a physical or m ental nature, or more probably both combined, and according to their gravity, so in a great measure will vary the severity and danger of the effects produced.

But the effects-syncope, shock or collapse as the case may be, are by no means necessarily in proportion to the severity of the cause, a fact that must be clearly borne in mind by the resourceful first aider. Slight causes may produce disastrous effects. Very much depends upon the age, sex, and constitution of the patient, and very much, also, upon the condition of the brain 8.t and following the time the cause came into activity. For example, strong men have not infrequently been overcome by syncope, (i. e fainting) through dreaded anticipation of a slight operation, e.g. the lancing of an abscess, or even vaccination. Under different conditions of the mind, e g. if engaged in hard physical work, the same man might readily receive a severe injury and be hardly cognizant of the fact till it is actually brought to his notice. Other examples might readily be put forward. Thus the effects of a definite cause are by no means uniform. A cause that in one person may possibly be followed by a slight degree of faintness only, may in another (or even in the same person under different conditions) give rise to a condition of shock, which if neglected or treated improperly might even go on to collapse.

With the exception of that form of syncope in which the failure of the heart's action is absolute, and death correspondingly sudden, syncope may be looked upon as a transitory form of shock. Its signs and symptoms are well known to many from personal experience, faintness frequently occuring from comparatively slight causes. As may be readily understood its onset is more rapid if the

AID. - 73

patient is in the erect position and if exposed to a vitiated the. patient quickly losing all colour, face pale, hps ?loodles.s, and he is evidently in much distress. The mazmess and blurred vision of which he may complain is quickly followed by a failure of muscular power, and, not supported, he will fall to the ground to partially or completely unconscious, the breathing being shallow, pulse very weak, the skin cold and clammy_-The fisk of syncope should invariably be borne in m.ind by workers should they be called upon to give practical asslstance in case of accidental wounds fractured arms, etc. Such cases should never be dealt with unsupported they should always be placed slttmg or lymg as a precautionary measure. The reis one most suited to the fainting patient, as It does, the blood to more readily reach the bram. Very frequently the impetus thus given to the cerebral circulation may be sufficient to restore the brain to activity, and recovery may rapidly follow. On the other hand, even in spite of removal of all possible causes and in spite of active efforts towards restoration, this condition of syncope may be prolonged.

In this condition of prolonged syncope the patient is to all appearances the same as in many cases of shock. The term" shock," however, is usually applied to a condition brought about through a profound impression produced upon the nervouS system by some severe injury, or prolonged exposure, or as occurs after some cases of poisoning. Signs of injury are not necessarily present, a very important point to bear in mind.-Another most important point is that shock is not of necessity accom panied by unconciousness. Very much to the contrary.-In other cases, and this applies particularly to very serious injuries, e.g., severe crushes or extensive burns, the patient may be suffering from severe shock, which ultimately may go on to collapse, and yet such patient (despite the fact that he is concious to all around him), may be perfectly free from pain, due either to the destruction or temporary paralysis of the sensory nerves that convey impulses to the brain, or due to a benumbed condition of the brain itself, the brain being unable to duly receive the impression conveyed. If he speaks at all he will probably complain of chilliness, and if the tern perature is taken by the thermometer it will found to be below normal.-In other cases the patient suffering from shock may be delirious, the controlling power of the brain for the time being lost. How to lessen the dangers that accompany shock is a subject that should command the most earnest study of every ambulance student, and in actual cases of accident watchful care should be constantly exercised so that depressing influences of every kind should be removed. The duty of the first aider does not end with regard for the actual condition of shock. He must remember that temporary improvement involves certain reactionary dangers. Moreover, relapse is apt to follow, and watchful care is always necessary to minimise the risk of collapse.

Collapse may occur as an immediate effect of the cause, or it may be the result of a relapse from a condition less immediately dangerous. Those cases of syncope, and shock which are accompanied by much loss of blood are specially apt to terminate in collapse. So also are such injuries as extensive burns in which a large extent of m?jace (not necessarily deep) is cases, of collapse patient is all but lifeless, heart actIOn pernaps qUIte Imperceptible, breathing threatenmg to fall altogether, temperature (as ascertained by the thermometer) several dearees below normal, control of bladder and bowels probably entirely lost. A condition of the very gravest danger.

No. 2 District.

BRISToL.-The annual inspection of he Corps was held on Oct. 2 ISt. at the Bridewell police station yard. Officers, men, and nursing sisters to th e number of 170 were on parade, oth e rs bein g on duty a t football and elsewhere.

The .inspecting office r was Deputy-Commissioner Dr. J. S. Gnffiths (who was accompanied by the Chief Constable), and the other offi c ers present were the Chi e f Surgeon and Chief Surperintendent Dr. C. A. Hayman, Corps Supt. Maynard Froud Supt. of Stores A C otton, Supts. Bn c e, Tratt, Froude, C rewe, Maynard, and Pollock, Ambulance Officers WiggalI, Trott, Martin , Bicknel.', and J The nursing sisters comprised Lady-Supt. Gnffiths, N ursmg Officer Miss Cooke, and 2 1 others

At the con.elusion of the inspe c tion, Dr. Griffiths the bngade, expressin g satisfaction at th e turnout 111 numbers and app earance. He mentioned that all m e m bers of th e n:en l.l.nd nursin g si s te rs, who we nt to London at th e CoronatLOn would rec eive med a ls

Dr. Hayman ask e d th e Const a bl e t o accept a fram ed photog raph of the ope nm g ceremony o f th e mot o r am bulance at Eastville Park, which ]'dr. Cann had kindly undertake n ,Attached was the inscription :-" Pr ese nt e d to the Consta bl e, James Cann, Esq , on t h e occasion of the openmg ?f the motor ambulance for the St. John Ambulance Bngade, City of Bristol Corps, Aug us 9th 19 1 1."

Supt. Cotton, who had interest ed him self in th e presentatLOn, also added a few words.

C;:hief Constable suitably responded, and spok e m e ulogistic t erms of the self-sacrificin g work of the ambulance men and nursing sisters.

E XI£TER. - .!\.t annual meetin g of the I hvis ion b e ld on .oct. 25 th , at which Hon. Pereira presided, an ex c ellent rep,ort the year s work was submitted and approved. 1 he DlvlsLOn during the year had acquired a ?orse ambulance, and the report records the useful service It has already to the city. The financial statement a balance m hand of £3 13s. 6 d. The m ee tin g t.hat the Mayor for the year should b e President of the DlYls.lOn, and that the Vice-Presidents should include for the year, the e x- l\1 ayor and e x-Sheriffs th e Co.nstable al1:d W a y, for the Icnd e red m connectIon With the new bor se ambulan ce

No. 4 District.

, The annual competition for th e " Crosfield " Challenge S hiel?, open to members of NO. 4 District, took plac e at Warrmgton, on 14th, nine teams e ntered from all parts of Dlstnct. District Cbief Supt. Garnett (Burnley) Judged the stretcher work and District Chief Surgeon Pooley. took th e 'uIL'a 'l) Occ Th e a wards we re a s follows :-Horwlch, 173 points; Crompton, 157 points ;

Nelson, 155 ; Warrington, 146; Northwich, 142; Hindley, 12 5 ; Crewe, 108;. Burnley, 103, and Lancaster, 8 3. IIorwlch were the wm.ners of the Shield last year.

Mr. Haslam, a dIrector of Messrs. Crosfield & Sons presented the s.hield and pri zes, and in proposing a vote or to h1ln, Colonel Trimble said that the Improvem e nt that had taken place in discipline and appearance marked, and he expressed his joy at sm.art soldler-hke parade he had witnessed that day. }, efernng to the Voluntary Aid Detachments he remarked that they vnly done middling in the formation of Aid Detachments in NO.4 District. Had the Bngade consulted in the first instance they could have th.ese Detachments into effect, but the Red Cross were some places occupying the same ground as they, sappmg the support the Brigade ou g ht be re ceiving, so that as a matter of self-defence the should, wherever possible, be active in the formatIOn of Voluntary Aid Detachments.

Distr ict Cbief Supt. Garnett seconded the motion which was heartily carried, and three cheers were accorded to Mr. Haslam.

On .the motion of Captain Waring, Chief Supt. of th e ';Yarnngto.n Corps, seconded by Supt. Rose (Crosfield DIVISIOn ) the Judges were thanked for their services.

W the report of the corps for the SeSSLOl1 191 o- lIlt states that the work for the year has bee n o[ a strenuous nature and that it has been a successon e R e pr e sentativ e s of tbe corps were sent to the C oronatIOn a.nd the Carnarvon Investiture, and the J).c. ve ry of th e a m bulance duties they performed. h e II1spectlon was conducted last May by DIstrict Supt. !::le cretary Wood cock and an excellent report came [r01:n f.Ie.adquart e rs About 3 8 members h a ve expressed th e Ir wlllm g ness to join the V.A.D. but there is 20 short to make a full c ompany.

, At the a nnual meeting Messrs. Hankinson and CJl e nton were r e- elected as auditors. Messrs. Hampton a nd Glenton elected on the committee. Mr. A. E. Spann was for the appointment of Second Officer. SmIth, L e e and Hankinson wer e nominated ror promotIOn to corporals.

No. 5 District.

, , BIH GIT OUSE,: - Th ere was opened at the Brighouse 1 Hall on 7th, a four days ba zaar for the pUl pose of provldmg funds [or the erection of permanent headquarters for the corps.

The scenic decorations representations of places whIch are or have been prommently associated with the work ?f the Order of St. John, including the 0 thalmic Hospital at ] erusalem, Bethlehem, Rhodes Acre pCyprus !VIalta and Sl. John' s Gate, London. T'he stalI -holders' mcludmg of most influential ladies of the town: were all attired 111 Easte rn costumes.

The promoters also secured the support of a large o[ We should say the effort resulted m .the realtsatlOn of a handsome sum. The Mayor of Bng ?ouse the opening ceremony on the first day m the unaVOIdable absence of the Marquis of Breadlebane, and. Hon F. F. Bond presided. The officers the varIOUS diVISIons took an active part in the organisa- tion.

., At the.annual of.the corps, held on October the Fll1ance CommIttee 10 reporting 00 the current account, hoped that they would be assured an increased

N ovem ber, 1911. -FIRST income so that the work could be efficiently carried out without anxiety. The year was commenced with a credit balance of £9 9s. lId and by means of £35 7s. 3d. in donations, £7 15s. J od. as members' subscriptions, and other smaller items, the receipts had totalled "Co c l qs. Id Thc expenditure (which included £31 3s. Id. for uniforms) had amounted to £02 9S. 3ft, which left a balance owing to the bank of "C 17 J 2S. 2d. Ald. W. Smith, J.P., was again unanimously elected chairman of the Finance Committee, and Messrs. T. Barnett, J. Smith and J. Tbornton were appointed as co-opted members of the committee. Mrs. Bond, during the meeting, presented certificates, medallions and labels.

ROTllERHAM.-An effort is to be made to get the whole of the Silverwood Colliery Division to camp next summer,and with this end in view a camp fund is to be started immediately. By contributing a small weekly sum throughout the winter and spring, the members will be able to devote a healthy week to the cause with little or no inconvenience.

No. 6 District.

HULL.-A list of meetings for 191 I-I 2 has been issued to the members of the Hull Corps. This is a useful httle brochure containing details concerning the corps, and in which a complete list of fixtures of lectures, drills, practices, &c., are tabulated ; also ea c h division's fixtures [or the season. With this little book an enormous amount of clerical work is saved, for no further notice is necessary to be given to mem bers.

The annual officers conference of the district was held at the Mining Institute, Newcastle, on November 4th , Deputy-Commissioner Lieut. C. B. Palmer presiding.

It was decided that where small divisions existed in short proximity to each other, that they be formed into a corps, with a minimum of 100 mem bers. This, it was stated, would facilitate the annual inspection and re-examination, although each division would still retain its individualty. A vote of condolence was passed with the relative'S of Messrs. Pad bury and Robson, the victims of the Felling Colliery accident.

At the Turk's Head Hotel, Newcastle, in the evening, Mr. C. B. Palmer presided over the officers' annual dinner, and he was supported by Dr. Robert Anderson, district chief superintendent ; Dr. F. W. Burn, district chief secretary : Mr. J. O. Vaughan, district superintendent treasurer ; and Or. James Anderson, district superintendent of stores.

The toast of the" Order of St. John of Jerusalem" was proposed by Superintendent E. S. Wood.

Dr. James Anderson, in replying, spoke of the excellent work that was b:::ing done by the ambulance brigades at the present time for the benefit of surrering people. Th e diniculty they had in Northumberland, he said, was that they could not get the enthusiasm raised which they ought to have. Dealing with the necessity of miners understanding first aid work, he gave instances where suffering had been alleviated and life saved tbrough the miner's having that knowledge. He thought it was necessary that they should get proprietors, managers and other officials interested in the work in order that they might influence others to take part in that work .

Dr. Smith proposed the leSt. John Ambulance Brigade," and particularly directed attention to the great benefIts that had accrued from it.

AI D. - 7S

Mr. C. B. Palmer responded. Alluding to the Felling Colliery fatality, he said they had lost two very noble members of the brigade. He considered that Privates Padbury and Robson had laid down their lives in a noble cause, because nothing could be more noble than to risk life in research, which might be th e means or saving Itfe. Pad bury had spent his uttermost farthing in inculcating knowledge to other members of the brigade. The experience of the accident would be most valuable. One pleasing feature of the sad occurrence was that the third member of the detachment who went down to further his knowledge by research came out alive, and they were proud to know that he carried out the great traditions of

Th o m as. W a lte r Pri ce (ca ptai n) D. Willi a ms

A. C. J a me s Jo h n WIlkins

the Order of St. John in endeavouring to rescue a nd save the lives of his two companions.

Mr. Palmer went on to point out that the m embership of the brigade in that district was 2,Ol)4, and they had also 342 nursing sisters, making a total of 2,43 6 , an Increase during the past year of ()4I. He thought increase was a record for any district in England. DUring the past year the cases they had treated numbered 8,344. He also believed that there were many cases that had not been recorded. They had had I,413 members inspected, and 1,3 6 9 passed in re-examination. Only ten failed in whole of the district. The Government and War Oillce were realising more and more the work that might be done by these brigades in time of national emergency. He believed an important work would be asked of them next year. The time might come when they would be asked to make

Nl£w TREDEGAR WINNER S 0 1 THE MO NS C OU NTY SHIE LD

-FIRST

sacrifices in connection with the brigade, and when that time came, he hoped they would all join in the work. He was not In a position to say exactly what it was. It was not military work, but it was work that would bring the St. John Ambulance Brigade before the public in such a way that it had never been before.

FELLING COLI.IERY CORPs.-A very regretable accident occurred at the Felling Colliery on October 31st, which resulted in the death of two members of the corp a, George Pad bury and William Robson.

Some experiments were being carried out by a party of three with rescue apparatus, and the theory advanced as to the cause of the accident is that when Robson sat down his helmet might have been fitting rather too tightly, and it just possible that, with the object of getting relief, he mIght have released the air-valve. This would admit the "stythe," which was composed of carbonic acid gas. So far as Pad bury was concerned, the theory was that he would be hurrying out in an agitated condition, and possibly slipped, or tripped, and, in falling, might have disturbed the fit of the mask, with the same result as in Robson's case.

The survivor of the party, Mr. James Booth, rendered conspicuous services in the endeavour to rescue his and this was commented on by the coroner at the mquest. We offer our deep sympathy to the relatives of the two victims, who were such prominent mem bers of the corps.

HULL.-The report of the Hull Corps for the year endmg September, 191 I, shows the progressive character of work. undertaken. by its members. The strength ?f the .IS 363-an 10crease of 9 members-divided mto 8 dIVISIons 3 nursing divisions. In a city like Hull ample sc.ope IS to be found for the energies of members of actIve corps, and in this connection they have been bUSIly for public duty has been taken by them on 7 occasIons and 43 cases treated. In addition to these the bers have treated 2,7 12 cases when not on duty j whIle 23 members took duty in London on June nnd, and 63 on June 23rd, in connection with the Coronation festivities. These figures alone jU::itify the existence of but to these must be added the work of the nurs10g SIsters, who have visited the sick poor of the city on 3,357 occaSIOns, each of which means help and comfort to some poor sufferer.

Several changes taken place during the year. S.upt. Wingate has retired to the reserve list after complet1Og 20 years' service, and the vacancies thus have been filled by Mr. F. H. Vaughan taking the appomtment of Supt. Treasurer, and Mr. F. Wilson (Supt. of Neptune-street Division) taking Supt. of Stores.

Through the instrumentality of Supt. Krause sufficient money was collected from residents and employers of la?our to purchase an up-to-date ambulance wagon, and thIS was presented on behalf of the donors by Mr. T. R. Ferens,. M.P., on November 5th, 1910. No record is made 10 report of the services of the ambulance wagon, but It been available in all parts of the city in cases of necessity.

. The nursing divisions have been progressing satisfactonly, and they to be strong and healthy in the yea: MISS Lady Supt. of the Eastern Nursmg DIVISl?n, has reSIgned, and her position has been taken up by MISS Brown.

A I D.- November, 191 I.

Three male and five female S t. John Companies have been formed, and they were inspected early in September by S:.Hgeon-General Kenny, who spoke very highly of their work. Deputy-Commissioner C. B. Palmer on the same occasion inspected the corps, a.nd he congratulated it on its efficiency.

Generally speaking, the report gives one a concised idea of what the corps has been doing during the past year, and it is a record of splendid work accomplished, and all concerned are to be congratulated on the services tbey have renr1ered to the community.

No. 7 District.

CARDIFF NURSIN G DlvrsION.-At the opening of the sess.ion, held on October 24th, Asst.-CommISSIoner H. LeWIS gave an interesting lecture on the " Work and Discipline of the Brigade." The meeting was well attended by the mem bers of the division and class which number over forty. Dr. Thomas Wallace presided. A syllabus of special lectures-First aid invalid cookery, home nursing and hygiene classes has issued to They are fortunate in securing the services of promInent medical men of the town to lecture upon interesting subjects.

The inspection of the division by Lady Perrott will take place on Friday evening, December 1st at the Lecture Hall, Presbyterian Church, Windsor-place. 'The Rt. Hon. the !.ord Mayor of C:'lrdiff, will Preside. During the evenIng two addresses WIll be made, and occasion will be taken to distribute certificates and medallions gained by the members.

NEW TREDE GAR DIVlsION.-We reproduce a photograph of team of division, which has been very successful In the competltlOn field during the past year. It recently won the Monmouthshire County Shield and also a Cup given by the News of the JlVorld' and out of twelve competitions it has attended this year it has gained a prize at ten: . The members of the team are Messrs. A. C. James, J. Rees Thomas, Walter Price (Capt.) and B. WIllIams.

DARTFORD (KENT). - The competition for the "Cecil" and the" Florence" challenge cups and medals which is open to .all recognised corps, fire brigades, tions, raIlways, and to the Territorial Forces, will be held In May next. There will ?e two distinct competitions, and arr.angements now beIng made to make this meeting a one for. thIS part of England. As the entries for each wIll be restncted to a limited number and as certain teams. were. disappointed by entering last year, the organIser be prepared to receive early in the New applications for forms. Any information can be obtaIned from Mr. F. J. Pile, 26, Dartford-road, Dartford.

Price 6d. net. Post free 7d.

NOTES ON FIRST AID SIMPLIFIED.

By Sidney H. Lamb.

A in a tabulated and simplified form giving the main points 01 first aId, so arranged as to impress them on the memory of the student.

DALE, REYNOLDS & CO., Ltd., 46, Cannon St., LONDON, E.C.

November, 191 I. -FIRST

The H William Heywood" Shield and "Grant" Medal.

THE 3rd annual competitions for the above trophies was held on October 21St, in th e new Polytechnic Building, Regent-street, W. The contest was of a very practical character, and although it was considered 3. severe test, the competitors gave a very creditable performance.

Dr. Cantlie, after congratulating the men on their efficient work, presented the shield and 18 medals to the successful competitors. The judges were Drs. Carvell, J. Forbes, B. Kingsford, Col. Lees Hall, B. Potter, F. Shrubsall, E. Taylor and J. Williams.

The first 3 in the team contest were as follows :-

I, Great Northern Railway, King's Cross Branch, 520 marks i 2, London and North Western Railway, Euston Branch, S02t 3, Metropolitan Railway, Hammersmith Branch, 455iThe WInners In the " Grant" medal were as follows :-

I, J. Scaplehorn, 134t marks 2, G. A. Burgess, 134 3, A. G. Green, 121. TESTS. STRETCHER. Complicated fracture of ribs, right side. Fracture of spine. INDIVIDUAL.

( I ) A man falls forwards in the street in an epileptic fit , and also sustains a wound of the right temporal artery. Treat case; assistance of one bystander allowed.

(2) Compound fracture of left leg, with venous bleeding.

(3) Cut throat, with wound of right cartoid artery.

(4) The patient has been kicked by a horse on his right side, and has had his liver ruptured.

( 5) \Vhile opening a bottle of strong spirits of salts the bottle bursts, and he is severely cut in the palm of the hand by pie ces of the glass.

(6) Quicklime thrown in eye.

(7) Cut across back of left leg, half an inch above lower end uf fibula which divides the tendon of the muscles of the calf of the leg - free h::e morrhage.

(8) All the fingers cut off the right hand by a circular saw.

(9) Bullet wound through the left elbow joint, with arterial hrc morrhage.

( [0) In your duty as a lavatory attendant, when cleaning out the closets, you notice blood under a which you open and find a man WIth a burst vancose vem of the right leg, who has fainted.

( I I ) Fractured right knee-cap.

( 12 ) Crushed left hand.

(

13 ) Fractured left knee-cap.

( 14) Fractured left collar-bone.

,, 15 ) Frac tured left forearm.

( 16 ) Dislocated left elbow-indoors.

VIVA Voc

( ) What is "internal h<emorrhage, " and what could you do for its various forms?

(2) What would you examine for if you found a man unconscious at the foot of a ladder, and how?

(3) You see a lad's leg run over; how would you proceed to determine whether the leg be injured?

(4) You see a .man at a li!tle distance. fall into the what are all the thIngs you mIght be reql1lred to do for hIm ?

Al D.A GREAT BOOK FOR AMBULANCE WORKERS.

By DR. ANDREW WILSON.

A WORK that justifies its claim to be an epitome of all that specialised medical and surgical knowledge necessary for First Aiders, as well as an authoritative manual of reference on all information relating to Health and Disease, is a work to be welcomed by all our readers who wish to study their subject more deeply than is possible from superficial text books.

In "The Modern Physician," by Dr. Andrew Wilson, fullest space is devoted to "First Aid" and Ambulance Work. In respect of completeness, accuracy of description, and wealth of illustration, "The Modern Physician" stands without a rival amongst the works published on this important subject in the United Kingdom. It is scientifically accurate and reliable without being dull; the name of its editor, so long and popularly known as an expositor of Health laws and a teacher of Hygiene, is a guarantee of this. This work is absolutely complete as regards Health and Disease, and is thoroughly up-to-date.

As a knowledge of the body in Health is necessary to the due understanding of the body when its functions are deranged by disease, a description of every part of the frame will be found here. The skeleton, muscles, digestive system, heart and lungs, brain and nervous system, organs of sense, skin, kidneys and the body's microscopic structure are duly described. In this connection the illustrations are of particular value, the "mannikins" or dummies more especially; in these the organs are made to overlap each other exactly as they do in the human body.

The section devoted to Hygiene includes the full exposition of the Laws of Health, and special attention is devoted to Physical Culture. Such topics as foods, beverages, air, exercise, clothing, sleep, baths, holidays, temperament, &c., are treated in this section.

The last volume is especially devoted to the Health of Women, and Dr. Wilson has here been assisted by a nnmber of eminent women physicians. Midwifery and the treatment and Diseases of Infants are here fully dealt with.

ONE OF MANY OPINIONS.

Mr. J. DANIEL, 23, Kent Ashford, Kent, writes;" IL's all-round excellence makes it a "aluable acqn isition. The seclion dealing with ambulance work is especially good. The book is written in splendid sty le and the illustrations are first rate. The method of payment places it within the reach of all."

A FREE BOOKLET.

TO THE C\XTO:-< PUBLISHING COMP.\NY, 156 Surrey treet, London, 'V.C.

Please send me FREE OF CHARGF and without any obl gation on 111)" part:

(\) IlluslratetI' I: ookle on "THE MOIlEI,:" PHYSICI,\:".··.

(0) PartiC'ularsofYOllroffer Lode\tver thecomplele work fOI ahlstpa)lllenlOf IS 6d., he balance to be paid for by a few small Inlmlhly payments.

(

5) A person slips off the kerbs tone, a.nd. is ,:mable to rise or use his ankle. What are the pOSSIble InJunes m such a ca se, and what would you do for him ?

(6) If YOll had treat a case of by a c.orrosive, but were not certam whether the pOlson was an aCId or an alkali, what would you do?

AODRF.!;S .......•.. ·············-_·····················•.•....•.••..•......•.•..•.........

-FIRST

(7) YOll find woman fainted , in a where she had been standing IS a pool of blood. \Vhatls likely to I)e cause of the faint, and what would do? ,

(8 ) A boy is knocked clown whIlst plaYlllg Ill, the street and does not get up; on examining him you find he pale and cold, with contracted pupils. \-Vhat further exam illation would you adopt?

(9) How would you dlStlllgUiSh a fracture of the pelvis and one of the part of spine? "

(10) What are the different kinds. of Internal ha:: m.ollhage? \Vhat signs would make YOLl thmk the case a senous one?

(I [) \Vhat do you understand by the term shock? Give your reasons, with treatment.

Cleanliness.

HAVE we not heard that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness," and medical men of the present day tell us that this disregard of cleanliness is the cause of many ills to which the flesh is heir.

November, 1911. -FIRST

Points on Bandaging.

TIm art of using a bandage is not to be learnt without practice, to bandage neatly is to bandage well, and to b e able to bandage well is essential.

Avoid wrinkles and creases as much as possible.

Be careful that the bandage fit.s smoothly and snugly. Always bandage from below upwards toward the body and always have the upper part looser than the lower. Never bury the end of a bandage applied to the h ead , but leave it free, so that it may be tied to the other end.

(

12 ) For a man who has just taken a large dose of prussIc acid, what would you do ?

(

r 3) What bones form the shoulder? How are they arranged ?

Is not one of the aims of first aid treatment of the injured to prevent further injury being done by applying a dressing to the wound, so that dirt may be excluded, and that the injured person may be handed over to the doctor in the best possible state to receive surgical treatment. To carry out this object it is necessary that we recognise the im portance of asepsis-cleanliness.

(

f4 ) A man lies da zed after a fall; one I.eg IS fractured and blood is seen flowing from it ? \Vhat Will you proceed to do ?

(15 ) A man is found insensible after poisoning by laudanum. What will be your treatment ?

What is the first and most important virtue in asepsis?

What is the lise of employing antiseptic fluids and dressings if we forget that first and most important habitcleanliness?

A bandage that requires pins or adhesive plaste r t o maintain its position has not been applied properly. Rest of the injured area, for self-evident reasons, is of grea t importance since motion and friction disturb the apposition of the wound surfa ces.

Care as to the tightness of a bandage should be exercised, as if it is applied too tigh t the circulation of th e part is effected.

16) A ch ild is stung by a wasp on the tongue. What treatment will you carry out ?

(

(

17) General rules for treatment of insensibility.

IS) Signs and symptoms of internal

( r9 ) \Vhat treatment would you adopt for Internal h x morrhage ?

(:w) Si g ns and symptoms of fracture.

Reviews.

A CATECHISM OF IIYGIENE.

Compiled b y J. 1\1. C a rvell, L.S.A., Bon. Associate of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England , E xaminer and Le c tmer and Hon. Life I\lember S.J.A.A.

St. John Ambulan c e A ss ociat ion, St. John ' s C lerkenwell, E.C.

P ri ce 6d., p ost 711

C.\TEC[[I S \I S or aids to memory are no doubt of great assistan c e in prepar ing for examination, and the author has encleavoured to make this little book serve this purpose. It is arranged as questions and answers, and embraces all the most important quest ions which are likely to be asked of candidates entering for the Hygiene Certificate of the S J.A.A. Of course it must be understood that catechisms do not give one a general knowledge of the subject, but they do serve, after a knowledge has been acquired, to assist to commit t o memory the salient features of the subject which has been studied, and this little book fills this purpose admirably. It contains questions and answers on the Functions or the Human Body, Personal Habits, Surroundings, Air, Water, Food, Clothing, the Dwelling, and Prevention of Infectious Diseases.

The annual report of the St. Andrew's Am bulance Association showed that during the past year 8,917 calls were made on the wagons of the Association. In Glasgow alone the number of calls was 5,822. This represents an average of 15'95 turns out daily. Of these calls 2,69 8 were to accidents, while the remaining 3,044 were to cases of illness.

WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH ADVERTISERS PLEASE MENTION "FIRST AID."

What is the utility of applying antiseptic gauge if we touch the wound with septic hands.

It therefore behoves all first aiders to be particularly careful about the cleanliness of the hands, especially to see that their finger-nails are kept short and that dirt is not allowed to collect under them. Neglect of these precautions is one of the commonest causes of wounds becomi'ng septic.

Instructors of am bulance classes would do a great deal of good if they impressed this fact forcibly on the minds of their pupils when they are lecturing to thew, as neglect in this respect does harm and brings discredit on ambulance work.

The three Dews bury companies were inspected by Major M. Boyle on November 2nd, and they each passed the inspecting officer to his satisfaction.

It is estimated that during the year in the Burnley mills and workshovs 17 miles of roller bandaging was used, 5S7 packets of lint, 102 packets of cotton wool, 7 I 1 rolls of plaster and 38r bottles of Friar's balsam in rendering first aid.

The Chesterfield and District Ambulance Competition Association held its 5th annual competition on October 21st, for the Midland Railway Challenge Cup and the Sheepbridge Works Challenge Shield. The Cup was won by New Whittington, and the Shield by the Holmewood team.

The Bridgehouse Station class of the Great Central Railway held a tea and concert on November 8th, when 28 certifica tes, vouchers, medallions and labels were distributed to the members, and a gold mounted pen was sented to Dr. Lorley in appreciaticn of his services as lecturer.

The miners' rescue station of West Wales was formally opened on November 7th. The station consists of an experimental gallery 176 ft. long, with a large central hall, lavatories and dressing-rooms, heating apparatus workshops and apparatus room. The equipment consists of ten sets of " Draeger" Apparatus and a « Pulmotor/'

Pass the end of a bandag e obliquely across th e limb at the start, and fix it with one or two turns round the lim b so that it does not slip.

Before applyin g a bandage to any injury all blood and dirt must be removed and re me mber to put a pad of lint saturated in cold water or olive oil over the wound, unl ess pressure is required to restrain D? not tie a bandage in a "granny" knot b ecaus e It WIll slip, th e r eef knot is the correct one.

To Secretaries of Bazaars, &c.

F OR SALE beaut ifully pa inted b y a celebrat ed London Art ist, of pla c es of gr e a t to members ?f

S.J.A.A., th e follow in g: The O ph tha!ml c Hospital 111 Terll salem, Damas c u s (,ate St. S tephen s ( Ta te Holy Sepulchre , IIezekiah s Pool , Mo s Cjue of Om a Bethlehem A c re Rhodes, C yprus, ::'11 alta, St. John s (]ate These are suit'able for Baza a rs &c., and will be a va ilable after the middle of All parti c ulars as to s ize s and pri c es will be sent on appli c atiou to :'1 r. A. Thornton , Co mmerc al-street, Dri g house.

F OR SALE. - Offi c er 's U niform - tuni c and fa tig; le jacket, two pair trousers, two ca ps , belt and pou ch - J a rtl cula rs apply, Mrs , States , 39, Hythe -road Bri g hto n

S J A B

Offi c ers Regulation Great Coats. D ark • • • • Grey beaver cloth, 39s 6 d. to m easure. Superior quality Men s Great 6cl - yvnte for patterns and particulars, Thornton &: Co., tallors , Dnghouse.

We are tn no way responsib,e lor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

WOUNDS OF VEIr S.

DEAR SIR, - In Cantlie's book on "First Aid to the Injured" we are instructed to elevate the part in treatment of venous hccmorrhage. 'Will you kindly inform me through the medium of FIRST AID whether it would be advisable to do so in every case. When a vei n is severed or burst near to the trunk this treatment appears to be injurious, because the fact of raising the limb would tend to make the blood flow more freely, since venous blood is travelling to the heart.Yours truly, " REX."

[Should the wound be near the trunk, elevation of the limb without the simultaneous adoption of pressure would have the immediate effect of more rapidly emptying the injured vessel, but the supply of arterial blood entering the limb being lessened by the elevation, the venous supply would be correspondingly reduced.

But elevation alone is not sufficient. .indz"rect pressure upon the trunk of the vein on the further side of the wound should be promptly applied, and hcemorrhage will then be readily controlled. On the other hand, indirect pressure without elevation would in many cases be quite sufficient to stop venous hcemorrhage, and assuming the circumstances of the case to be such that only one method could be adopted, then preference undoubtedly should be given to indirect pressure. Hence it cannot be said that elevation is necessary in every case.

With regard to the advisability or otherwise, the following point will be of interest. In wo unds o/veins close to the upper part 0/ tlte trunk, e.g., in cases of cut throat, there is a possibility of the walls of the vein nearer the heart not collapsing-, Should this unfortunately occur, then there is great risk of air being sucked through the injured vein into the circulation, with considerable risk to the patient as a result. Elevation when the wound is in the situation mentioned, might possibly increase this risk. In cases of severe cut throat wounds, pressure on both sides of the wound is especially advisable, i.e., on proximal side; (a ) to prevent arterial hce morrhage, and (b) to prevent entrance of air to the veins: on distal side; ( a ) to prevent venous h ,e morrhage, and (b ) to prevent loss of arterial blood from communicating- branches, (Page 8 I Cantlie .) -L.

M. FRANK CHRI STIAN.]

CONGRATULATIONS.

DEAR SIR, - May I take the liberty of congratulating you ulJon the improvement in your journal, and more especially the October number, which deals with mishaps which are constantly occurring on the field of sport

Having been a" first aider" for over 25 years, I still find I have much to learn, and although the various text books deal with the chief accidents of daily life, there is still room for improvement in the direction I have named.

Those of us who form ourselves into ambulance divisions have supplementary teachings from our hon. surgeons, and are thereby benefitted by extra knowledge (without trespassing upon the doctor s work ), know there are thousands of ambulance men who are not organised and have little chance of improving their position, and in these cases especially your worthy Journal fills a gap. I have read it for over 16 years and still eagerly look for the next issue. '

Hoping few wO,rds stimulate you in your endeavour to gIve us from tIme to tIme those splendid articles,

A I D.- November, 19 [1.

which you can only do with the of those shining lights in the medical profession, who so kindly contribute to your paper.- Yours, &c.

J. H. ADKINSON, SUpl. Wolverton Div., S.J.A. B.

SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE AMBULANCE WORK INTERESTING.

DEAR SIR,-Suggestions that would make arr,bulance work more interesting and attractive are asked for frequently. I should much like to put the following suggestions forward through the medium of your valuable J ourna!. It is this :-

"That members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and others interested in first aid, should go in for 'life saving,'" and that special facilities should be given them as an encouragement to join The Royal Life Saving Society.

This Society issues a book of instructions and particulars of membership, which is very interesting. It also issues to its members badges suitable for uniforms, which, if allowed to be worn, would be a worthy addition to the brigade uniform. Apart from this, swimming is a very healthful and enjoyable exercise.-Yours, &c.,

L. GEAR.

BLEEDING FROM THE NOSE.

DEAR SIR,-Will you kindly answer the following question :-" Why are arms raised above the head in bleeding from the nose? " There bas been a great deal of controversy over the question at our class, so I should like your opinion on the point.- Yours, &c., GEO. O\VEN.

[The arms are raised well above and behind the head in bleeding from the nose because it has the effect of lessening the pressure within the thorax.- ED. "F. A."J

"WITHU" FIRST AID No.3.

A particularly strong case, handsomely enamelled, and containing a fine assortment of best quality dressings, etc., selected for practical use and which may be easily replaced.

5/6 POST PRICE FREE.

The Outfit containsBandages I" , I f' , 2" Absorben t Cotto n. Boracic Li nt. Absorbent Gauze. Triangular Bandage. Court Plaster. Z.O.

Journal for the Ambulance and Fire Services.

To Our Readers.

As it is the wish and desire of the Proorietors to make this Journal as instructive and entertaining as correspondents in all parts of the country are asked to give it all the help they can. Superintendents of Corps and Officers of Divisions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, Officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps {Territorials}, the Volunteer Ambulance School of Instruction, and Chief Officers of Fire Brigades will, it is hoped, do their best to make it known amongst the members of their respective organisations, and will also send for publication their official news and notices. Suggestions are invited for Prize Competitions and other matters which will advance the interest of the Jouma!.

We particularly desire to ask our correspondents to be brief and to the point in any communications they may send us for publication. Correspondents sending in photos are urgently requested to state on the back of the !'tame the name of the individual or the Corps or Brigade and give also the name and address of the sender.

We beg to advise our readers that we do not pay for photographs or copy sent, unless previously agreed upon in writing.

" First Aid" Is published on the 20th of the month.

EDITORIAL.

rescue work is to be carried out effectively. This is not what is complained of, for a more loyal body of men to the officers could not be found. The objection arises' however, not so much from the military training, but through the interference to which we have referred to above. The organisation of the Brigade was based on purely civilian lines for civilian work; its members are all volunteers; and if the Order of St. John is to continue the splendid work it has so far maintained, there is either one of either courses open to it, viz., to continue its work on the civilian basis of a voluntary organisation or run it on purely military lines. Whichever course is adopted let it be clearly laid down and distinctly understood, for the half measures which are now in operation militate against its progress, and by their operation cause the discontent and unrest of which Sir James Clarke is so cognisant.

The S.J.A.B. on

IN speaking at the opening ceremony of the Brighouse Corps Bazaar, Sir James Clarke said that some people raised the Military Lines. objection that the Ambulance Association was becoming too military j in fact, that it was rapidly becoming part of the regular army. This is no doubt the true aspect of the case so far as the former sentence is concerned, for there is constant evidence of the petty troubles and vexatious interference with the conduct of the various Corps and Divisions incorporated in the Brigade. It must not be forgotten that men and women who take up this work do so because they love it; and bearing in mind the time and money many of them sacrifice in the self-imposed duties, we think they are entitled to every consideration. If this consideration is not forthcoming, a spirit of unrest will spread, and no power will check it. We would not suggest in any sense that the work of the Brigade does not necessitate military training, for it would be unreasonable to assume that without drill an officer could be able to handle effectively a body of men in case of disaster, when one man must be in command and his direction and orders implicitly obeyed if the

WE shall be commencing in our January Home Nursing issue a series of articles on this subject and Hygiene. from the pen of Dr. H. M. Holt, which have been specially written for the readers of FIRST AID. The articles have been taken from lectures given by the author to his classes during the past two years, the subject has been simplified by emphasising " first principles" with reference to fresh air, pure food, pure water, cleanliness, and the like elementary facts, rather than entering upon elaborate detail which would tend to render the whole matter obscure and difficult for the average first aid student to grasp.

Dr. Holt fully admits that there is little scope for originality in such a subject; indeed, he has had recourse to the writings of many co-workers In the same field, and desires most cordially to express his obligations and thanks to all who have thus assisted him, especially to Messrs. T. C. and E. C. Jack, who have allowed him to make extracts from certain sections of their admirable " Reference Book" which relate to the subject. For our own part we frankly admit that the work has been done, not for the interests of the writer or for ourselves, but simply to further and help forward the cause of Home Nursing and Hygiene as taught by and for the St. John Ambulance Association.

In the November list of appointments as Honorary Serving Brothers of the Order of St. John appears the name of Second Officer A. C. Griesbach, who has for t?e last nineteen years been actively associated in the capacity of Honorary Secretary to the Old Kent-road Works Centre of the South Metropolitan Gas Company many Classes in connection with first aid work; In fact, all his spare time is taken up in its interest. In the employment of the South Metropolitan Gas Company at the present

Dr. King Houchin. The balance sheet and .statement of accounts were submitted showing a balance In .In connection with the local centre much u.seful :vork I.S belOg accomplished by teaching first aid, and military sanitation, classes belOg held tWice weekly.

A St. John Ambulance been formed frnm the Division to com bme With troops I.n event of war, and the work is in every way developlOg In its great usefulness.

LEYTON AND LEYTONSTONE. - This Division held a dance at the Stratford Town Hall on Nov. 25th. Nearly 200 were present, and much enjoyed the programme of dances, Mr. H. J. Sampson and Mr. B. Goodenough acted as M.C.'s. The committee consisted of Sergt. A. J. Allisone, Sergt.-Bugler H. J. Sampson, Bugler S. W. Goldsmith, Corp. A. G. Barker, Pte. P. C. Goodenough, and Pte. B. G. Goodenough.

Others present :. Chief .S,upt. W. J. H. Pontin, Supt. H. J. BmtclIffe (CyclIst DlvlSlon), Supt J. J. Olley, 1St Officer J. T. Olley, and 2nd Officer C. J. Fitch. Supt. J. J. Olley Beeton with a handsome marble clock SUitably Inscnbed as a mark of appreciation of the members of the Brigade for her many years services.

BRISTOL.-An inspection of the Nursing Divisions of Bristol and the surrounding districts took place on December 2nd, under Lady Perrott, Lady Supt. -in-Charge and Lady of Justice of the Order of St. John.. A large number of Nursing Sisters were present from Bnstol, Bath and Clp.vedon, under Lady Supts. Miss Farwell, Mrs. Griffiths (Lady of Grace of the Order) and Mrs. Wright.

Among those present were Sir Herbert Perrott, c.B., Secretary-General of the Order, Sir. George a.nd White. Lady Perrott was accompamed at the mspectlOn by the Deputy-Commissioner, Dr. J. S. Griffiths, and Chief Supt. of the Bristol Corps, Dr. C. A. Hayman.

After an elaborate test of the capabilities of the Sisters in bandaging, sections were taken to the model hospital, when several Boy Scouts (by the kind permission of ScoutMaster Mr. Castle) were treated, and the Sisters were examined in the making of beds, changing of sheets, &c.

December, 1911. -FIRST there. She was glad to be able to compliment them not only on their neat turn out but also on what was more important, the excellent quality of their work. She herself was very proud of belonging to the St. John Am bulance Brigade. It was unselfish work and one had only to look back and see the work of those who had borne the burden and heat of the day for so many years. It was not always pleasant when tired or in wet weather to turn out for drill or public duty or to give up perhaps a Bank Holiday for the purpose, but Lady Perrott said the members of the Brigade never failed in their duty. Much was said in these days regarding lack of patriotism, but looking at the S.J. A.B. no one could say there was no plttriotic feeling in England. The Brigade reached all over the world-Canada, Australia, New Zealand-and men and Nursing Sisters would be found in the streets in India during the Durbar. At the Inspection, by his Majesty the King, of the whole Brigade next year, contingents from all these countries would be seen. Lady Perrott explained she had

A I D. -

Committee of the Order with his own for the work they were doing in Bristol. He referred to the good works the S. J. A. B. was responsible for--such as the originating of Cottage Hospitals, and the establishment of a large Opthalmic Hospital at Jerusalem. Also the Territorial Branch for assisting the members of the Territorial Force was, he considered, doing a great service tor the country. He thought all those present fully deserved the praise Lady Perrott had given them. It had been a great pleasure to him and Lady Perrott to come to Bristol to meet their old friends--Dr. Griffiths and Dr. Hayman-and to see the excellent work of the Nursing Divisions. The proceedings concluded with tea kindly provided by Mrs. Griffiths.

ALv ItRSTOKE.-This division was formed on the 18th December, 1901, with sixteen men, and its present condition, both financially and in num bers and efficiency, is due to the untiring efforts of its founder, Supt. G. R.

time there are over 700 officers and men who hold certificates and medallions in first aid, and a strong Division of the Brigade exists of which the subject of our sketch is an active member. He joined in 1895, and at present holds the rank of Second Officer. Mr. Griesbach has laboured indefatigably in the cause of ambulance work both in promoting classes and demonstrating its practical utility. His continual support of doctors and instructors has stimulated its propagation, and we feel sure his services have been well worthy of the recognition which has been bestowed upon him.

No. District (Prince of Wales's Corps.)

ILFORD.--The 8th annual general meeting of the Division was held on Nov. 30th under the presidency of

At the close of the inspection, Dr. Griffiths expressed his pleasure in seeing so many Nursing Sisters present from such long distances at the inspection. He heartily welcumed Lady Perrott who was conducting her first inspection of the unit under his command, and he congratulated her ladyship upon the extreme thoroughness her inspection. He also very warmly welcomed Sir Herbert Perrott. He had often looked forward to seeing him in Bristol--and, at last, his wish was gratified. The Bristol Corps was now of twenty-one years' standing, and he regretted that time did not permit a parade of the whole corps on that occasion. He also welcomed Sir George and Lady White there that day; they were old and tried friends of the Brigade and he was very grateful to them for the way they supported ambulance work in Bristol. It was through their liberality they were able to work in such excellent headquarters the use of which had been of such great encouragement to ambulance work of all kinds, for nearly every day a meeting of some sort was held there. Sir George White was President of the Royal Infirmary and was able to help in that direction. He would ask Lady Pertott to speak to them.

Lady Perrott expressed her great pleasure in being

succeeded in arranging with the large London Hospitals to train certain numbers of her Nursing Sisters in their wards and Out-Patient Departments and also in various Dispensaries. She was sure that this would prove of great use and she hoped Provincial Medical Institutions would also help them. In conclusion she again thanked them for their attendance and for the work she had seen and expressed great satisfaction at her first visit to Bristol.

Dr. Hayman, in proposing a vote of thanks to Lady Perrott said she had given much encouragement and very little cr'lticism which seemed to tell him she was satisfied with what she had seen. He was very pleased indeed for he agreed with her that the work had been very good. They were all greatly indebted to her for her kind remarks and her presence there that day.

Sir Herbert Perrott said he was not prepared to make a speech as he had considered it essentially a ladies meeting, but he would like to offer the very best thanks. of the Marquis of Breadalbane and the Central Executive

Edwards, Hon. Serving Brother, and his able First Officer G. F. Salter, Hon. Serving Brother, who IS the hon. secretary of the division, and to both of whom great credit is due.

The division has unoergone many losses dU:IDg Its career, both by death and members joining the serVice, &c. Since its formation it has lost two very keen officers by death in Dr. Priestley and Lieut.-Col. E. J. Hunter, V.I? Members have attended at sports, football, and all public meetings where vast were. assembled, and have been instrumental in rendenng aSSIstance to hundreds of cases at such meetings, besides the to in the streets and workshops. The dIVISIOn did at the funeral of King Edward VII. and t?e CoronatIOn of King George V. It undertakes the workmg of the horse ambulance carriage, and its members have done good vice in this respect, both by day and night. Several of It)S members belong to the RN.A.S.B.R,and the RA.M.C.(T. and it is the hope of the present hon. surgeon, Dr. Warren

No. 2 District.

THE AL VE RSTO KE DI VISION (No. 2 DI STRI CT)

Front row: Corp. H. \tVelch, Sergt. H. Read, Supt. G. R. Edwards, Hon. Surg. \tv. Lamplough, M.D , 1st Officer and Hon. Sec. F. G. Salter, Corp. A. W. C. Blake, Corp. J. J. Saunders.

-FIRST

H. Lamplough and its officers that the number of the division, which is now 32, may, by the classes now being held, be increased to double that number by the new year, and so complete the Brigade County Company which is now being formed.

CHELTENHAM.- The competition for the shield presented by the Chief Superintendent, Major P. G. Shewell, who is also District Chief Superintendent, took place on Nov. 18th. Amongst those present were Sir Richard Temple, Bart., Lady Temple, the Mayor and Mayoress, the Borough Member (Mr. J. T. Agg-Gardner), Mrs. Shewell, and many prominent residents. Chief Surgeon Cardew and Hon. Surgeons H. Powell, Hutton, Longridge, Blakeney, Fisher and Hebblewhite were present, and the superintendents of the various divisions.

Five teams competed, one from each division, Dr. McLannahan, of Stonehouse, was the very able judge, and he placed the teams in the following order: the Police Division, the Corporation Division, Charlton King's Division, the Friendly Societies Division, St. Peter's Division.

On preseming the shield to the winners (the Police Division), Sir Richard Temple congratulated the town on the lead Major P. G. Shewell had given to ambulance work, not only in Cheltenham but also in the County of Gloucester. Major and Mrs. Shewell have, by means of a very generous special subscription, enabled over 40 members of the corps to be placed in uniform. He has throughout the year been constantly working for the corps and the brigade. He has made it possi ble for parties to attend on duty at the Coronation, at the Boy Scouts Rally, at the home-coming of the King to Windsor, and at Carnarvon at the Investiture of the Prince of Wales. He himself was on duty on all these occasions.

The Mayor moved a vote of thanks to Sir Richard Temple and to Dr. McLannahan, which was seconded by Mr. J. T. Agg-Gardner, M.P.

Cheers were given for Sir Richard Temple, Major and Mrs. Shewell, for the Mayor, and Dr. McLannahan and for the winners of the shield.

SOUTHAMPToN.-Representatives of eight St. John companies met Lieut.-Col. Twiss at 8,30 a.m. on November 30th to view the hospital ship" Plassy." They were shown the arrangements on board by Major Anderson saw the fittings, &c., on the hospital train, and witnessed the disembarkation and entraining of the sick. Fifty-nine ladies and .twenty. men were present, and the knowledge they acqUIred wlll stand them and the sick and wounded in good stead should necessity arise for their mobilisation. Sincere thanks were accorded both individally and collectively to Major Anderson before the party left. No. 3 District.

The annual general meeting of the Kettering Corps was held on November 18th. The chair was occupied by Mr. J. Elworthy.

Supt. Lane presented the statement of accounts, which showed on the general account there was a deficit of £ 17 17s. 2d. O.n camp account the receipts were 7S • 7d ., whlch mcluded an item of £67 IIS. 7d., the proceeds of a archery tournament and other receIpts. On the expenditure side the camp allowances to the men to £36 7s. 4d. This, with other expenses amountmg to lOS., left the balance on this account stand at £37 lOS. 3d This year they had paid £3 as an

AID.-

December, 191

insurance for the brigade men against accident while on duty. That was an extra item other than was paid last year. Then they had lost in subscriptions something like £4 this year. The police sports had not been held, and that together with the lost donation from the Football Club had meant a regrettable falling off in the receipts. Supt. Lane said that at least £20 more a year was rectuired to effectually carryon the work of the corps. Such a work as the am bulance men did ought to appeal more largely to the sympathies of the public, and should be carried on without a loss. The camp expenses were something like £ 13 to the good, and that had been transferred to the general account, and therefore the corps commence their new year with a deficit of 8d.

On the proposition of Mr. Baxter, seconded by Supt. Raby, the report and balance-sheet were unanimously passed.

KETTERING.-At the invitation of Supt. Raby about 80 members of the Corps, including a strong muster of Nursing Sisters, assembled at the Church Institute Hall on Nov. 13th for the annual social. The business of the evening was the presentation of the "Raby" Cup, this duty was kindly undertaken by Mrs. Tolputt. The winning squad was composed of Ptes. Starmer, Whitworth and Joyce and Bugler Dyson.

An excellent musical programme had been arranged under the chairmanship of Sergt. C. W. Curtis, and everyone agreed a most enjoyable evening had been spent.

No. 4 District.

RocHDALE.-The annual meeting of the Corps was held on Decem ber 4tb, at the Ambulance Drill Hall. The reports of both the Ambulance and Nursing Divisions were submitted and approved; from these reports we learn that the Corps is making steady progress. Four more members had qualified for the long service medal, vi z. , Sergts. R. Green and Rayner, Ptes. J. John and J. Stott. The financial statements showed a fair balance in hand.

No. 5 District.

BRIGHOUSE.-The four days bazaar which we briefly reported in our last issue was concluded on November IIth, has resulted in a splendid financial success, the sum of £800 being the net proceeds. For some years past the corps has been sharing its headquarters with another institution, and as numbers and duties have grown, in no small measure due to Hon. Surgeon F. Bond and Chief Supt. H. L. Thornton, it was thought that the movement had outgrown the limited accommodation available, and a desire had been felt for making provision for permanent headquarters.

During the year various efforts have been made to raise funds, and over £300 was obtained, but the desire of officers was that building operations should not commence until £1,000 had been raised. By the enterprise of the officers and members of the corps this object has now been attained. One of the features of the bazaar was the decorations, which were designed to represent scenes connected with the Order of St. John, and the stalls were named after the more important places, and some of the stallholders being tastefully attired in the costumes of the countries.

On the last day Sir James Clarke performed the opening ceremony, and in the course of his remarks he referred to the useful work which was being undertaken by the Association and Brigade, and he explained the difference between the Brigade and County Companies. The members of the Brighouse Corps are to be congratulated on the

December, 1911. -FIRST success which has attended their efforts, and the wholehearted enthusiasm which so characterised their work has been well rewarded.

We remember their enterprise in equipping an into an hospital some 18 months ago, nursIng SIck chIldren for over a week. Sir James Clarke remarked that a finer piece of work had not been done in the Brigade.

DENABY.- The annual prize distrihution was held on Nov. 25th in the Large Hall, Denaby. There was a large gathering of officers, men, and nursing sisters, and some 23 0 certificates, &c., were distributed by Capt. Temple. Supt. W. H. Chambers was unfortunately unable to be present, and Supt. Witty in reviewing the progress of the movement, said classes were first formed in 1883, and had continued ever since. It was questionable whether any other community had the same percentage of qualifications. The effect of the training received at Denaby was that when students left they took their knowledge with them and spread the good work, in forming other classes. Locally

AID.-

No.6 District.

I:!uLL.-Lady Perrott inspected the Nursing Divisions of thIS Corps, on November 20th, at the Drill Hall. A guard of honour composed of the Ambulance Divisions was drawn up inside the hall and her ladyship was received by - A. Hammersley Johnston. FollOWIng the mspectlOn came a demonstration in bandaging, stretcher and hospital work. Lady Perrott expressed her entire satisfaction at the way in which the work had been carried out.

NO.7 District.

ABERTILLERY.-When this Division was instituted in 19 06 there existed in the town of 40000 inhabitantsthe centre of a large mining area-no means of rendering succour to the injured, for the nearest Hospital is seventeen miles distant, it goes without saying that its existence has thoroughly justified itself. Besides being of much service to the community it has distinguished itself in the competition field. The members attribute its success to an

there were students in training for dealing with casualties, and the efficiency was maintained by frequent field days, sham railway accidents, &c., so as to accustom men to all probable conditions. There was also a corps qualified and ready to deal with any extensive pit catastrophe, over 60 men being trained in the use of the rescue appliances. No less than ISO men were scheduled to attend to injured persons who might be brought out by rescue men.

Supt. Witty referred to the good work accomplished by the Cadeby section at a resent explosion at a colliery eight miles away. In addition to eighty men under qualified officers detailed to attend to persons injured in the mine there were 20 uniform nurses and seven doctors to assist in the temporary hospital, and 50 other nurses to render aid at the men's homes.

The Secretary's report stated that there had been a considerable increase, both in numbers and efficiency. The total strength of the corps (including the nursing division), was 3 II, an increase of 27 on the previous year. Of these 191 were in possession of medallions and 62 service badges.

enegetic, hard-working committee and also to the medical gentleman attached to it. Too much cannot be said of the valuable help given by the Powell Tillery Steam Coal Company and their agent, Mr. W. E. John, who have kindly placed at the disposal of the Division a fullyequipped ambulance-van-which is in constant use in conveying injured and sick to the Hospital.

At a recent supper given in connection with this Division, Mr. W. E. Stewart, Managing Director of the Powell Tillery Coal Co., spoke highly of the work accomplished by the Division and trusted all would continue their good efforts and he of service to the citizens of an industrial centre like Abertillery.

CARDIFF NURSING DIVIsION.-In the course of her report, Miss J. McCallum, the secretary. of !he division, states that its total strength IS now 36, IncludIng hon. surgeon, hon. drill instructor, lady superintendent, 2 nursing officers, and 3 nursing sisters.

First aid and home nursing classes had been held

PltOto by CraJlc/lj

[Six Bells

TH E ABE RTlLLERY DlYI SION.

-FIRst

during the year, and at the first aid examination the 12 candidates who entered were successful, as also were the nine for home nursing, two for medallions, and the 18 for labels so that there had not been a failure since the began. Twenty-one mem bers had. passed their annual re-examination under Dr. W. G. Williams. The total number of cases registered as having received attention on public duties during the year was. 11 I. In addition to these, there were reports of 56 first aid and 14 cases which had been attended to privately, some being of a very serious nature. Classes, it was stat:::d, would be held during the present winter in the Y.M.C.A.

On Decem ber 1st Lady Perrott visited Cardiff to inspect the division. The inspecting officer was accompanied by Sir Herbert Perrott, Sir John and Lady Duncan, and Assistant-Commissioner and Mrs. Herbert L.:;wis. In commenting on the work of the members of the division, Lady Perrott said she was struck with the extreme neatness of the demonstration work-work upon which they were to be heartily congratulated. She had inspected a good many divisions in the North of England but found Cardiff was well to the fore. Her ladyship went on to refer to the necessity of hospital training, and said she had approached the largest London hospitals with a view of securing this experience for them.

La.dy Duncan presented the gold and silver medals won by members of the division at the Welsh national nursing competition.. The recipients were Miss ] ulie Stream and Mrs. M. Tyndall (gold medals), and Mrs. F. C. Woulf and Miss ]. McCallum (silver medals), and the medals were accompanied by money prizes amounting to six guineas, which the winners generously handed over to the funds of the division.

On behalf of the division, presentations of a silver cup and pair of candlesticks were made to Dr. W. G. Williams, the hon. surgeon and instructor to the division, and a gold medallion to the hon. drill instructor, Supt. D. J. Francis, of the City Police.

Mrs. Woolf made the presentation to Dr. Williams, and Miss Metcalfe to Supt. Francis, and both recipients were heartily thanked for the serviCeS they had rendered.

Sir Herbert Perrott gave an interesting account of the historic associations of the brigade, and he reminded them that they were engaged in a patriotic and unselfish cause.

NEW TREDEGAR.-The church parade was held on Nov. 26th. The members of the Division mustered in good numbers under the command of 1st Officer ]. Morgan and was accompanied by the Brithdir and Cwmsjoig Brass Band. The service was held at the Beulah Baptist Chapel, the Rev. H. West preached an appropriate sermon.

LEICESTER.-Satisfactory progress continues to be made by this Centre. The report presented at the annual held on 27th was encouraging, and gave eVidence of sustamed mterest in the work. During year .23 classes in first aid have been held, together With nursmg classes, and the result has been a satisfactorj percentage in the number gaining certificates. Mr. A. W. Faire, the Vice President of the Centre has taken the greatest interest in the work. His have not been confined to this one Branch, however, as he is also Honorary Organising Secretary of the Territorial Branch, and the complIment recently paid him of enrolment as an Of. the Order of St. ] ohn of ] erusalem IS a fittmg tnbute to hiS services.

Al n.- becember, 191 t. Post Office Ambulance Corps.

THE ninth annual competition for the London Postal Ambulance Challenge Shield and the first competition for the Women's Trophy in connection with the above corps took place on Wednesday, 29th November, in the old Inland Section G.P.O. East. A record audience attended the proceedings, there being present more than 600 people, among whom were a large num ber of distinguised officials of the Post Office, iocluding Alexander King, K.C.B., Secretary. The former secretary, Sir Matthew Nathan, G.C.M.G., the donor of the Women's Trophy, also testified to his continued interest in the ambulance movement by being present.

The old Inland Section in its dismantled condition was not altogether too comfortable for the display, but its austerity was greatly modified if not altogether subdued, by the interesting scenery so skilfully prepared by Mr. ]. B. Randall, the Superintendent of the Corps, who also supervised its erection.

There were 15 competing teams (eight men and seven women) consisting of four mem bers in each team, and it need hardly be stated that the contestants were in grim earnest to win the coveted honours.

The Llanelly riots formed the subject in which the first aiders were on this occasion to form so prominent a part. The prelude to their appearance being a wild rush of rioters armed with sticks and missiles, determined to inflict the maximum amount of damage on a squad of soldiers depicted in martial colours on the canvas. The supernumeraries played their part with dramatic intensity, and the apprehension of the audience was further stimulated by the sound of rifle shots. An explosion also occurred to represent the blowing up of a wagon containing dynamite. The rioters quickly dispersed, leaving two of their number apparently severely wounded on the railway lines. This scene was enacted for each team, who in turn set to work to assuage the injuries which had been sustained. After this treatment, the patients were conveyed to hospital, the route traversing all sorts of obstacles such as are to be found on and near a railway or embankment, presenting the greattst problem. On arrival at the temporary hospital, a picturesque cottage, the patients were taken in hand by each of the womens' teams, and their skill in the art of home preparation for the reception of the injured was there exhibited.

The work performed by the various teams is deserving of great praise, in view of the difficulty of the prohlems involved, which called for promptitude of treatment and correct method of transport. The winning team of the Challenge Shield, 1.S. Half-Day Nu. I, consisted of Messrs. W. J. Hughes (leader), P. Barber, H. A. C. Gooderham and T. Kidds. Their victory was well deserved and proved most popular, the shield now returning to the 1.S. after an a bsence of three years.

The work of the womens' teams was conducted with characteristic thoroughness, and notwithstanding the shortness of the period in which they have been members of the corps their work showed a good grasp of the principles underlying first aid. The opinion one formed of their efforts was contrary to that depicted in the columns of "Mr. Punch," and one need have no fear that they would fail in times of real need. The first winners of the trophy proved to be the G.P.O. West No.2 Team, Miss L. B. Flinn (leader), Miss A. Holland, Miss M. P. Read ing and Miss M. L. Toothill. Their performance was

December, 1:911. -FIRST most creditable, and their success was enthusiastically r eceived.

The winner of the Corps Trophy kindly presented by F. Bray, Esq., Assistant Comptroller E.c.D.0. and Col. ]. Greer, C.M. G., Assistant Comptroller 1.S., was won by Mr. A. F. Hall, N.W.D.O., who scored 83i marks out of a possible 90.

After the announcement of the successful competitors a vote of thanks to the President of the Corps, Dr. Sinwas prop.osed by Mr. W. ]. Hughes and seconded by MISS L. B. Flmn, the leaders of the winning teams and carried unanimously.

The success of the competition was due in no small measure to the enthusiasm of the President and vicePresident-Dr. Sinclair and Dr. Bashford, to the judges who gave ungrudgingly so much of their valuable time, and to the many workers who kindly assisted, including Mr. W. D. Porter, the storekeeper, and Messrs. Gerhold and Flatt, the Honorary and Competition Secretaries respectively.

A word of praise is also due to Miss Mears for the excellent arrangements for refreshments. The tables were beautifully prepared and great satisfaction was expressed by the visitors.

H. A. V.

Aids to Memory for Beginners.

THE muscles constitute the lean flesh, and give the nice round contour to the body they are of reddish colour, mainly due to the numerous blood vessels.

The muscles are arranged as layers of reddish fibres, endowed with the property of contracting; they can be more or less easily separated from one another.

There are two kinds of muscular tissue in the body; voluntary, capable of being put in motion, and controlled by the will; involuntary acting outside of the will.

The voluntary muscles are also called striped, from their appearance; being marked transversely by very fine light and dark bands alternately running across.

There are special faint.ry striped muscles in the heart, not under control of will.

Voluntary muscles are connected with bones directly, or indirectly by cords or bands, called tendons or sinews, which, contracting, pull the bones in various directions, thus giving movement to limbs.

When a muscle contracts it becomes shorter, and the middle portion, or " belly," thicker and firmer; the bulk is unchanged.

If the muscles found in the intestines, heart, &c., were under the will control, these organs would cease their functions during sleep.

Muscles do not contract of their own accord.

Owing to a change in the substance of muscle it becomes firm and fixed in the position it occupies at death; the body becoming quite stiff and rigid.

Fracture (frango to break). Beginners should remember that a fractured and a broken bone are one and the same.

Bones may be fractured in three ways: by Direct or Indirect violence, and by Muscular action.

Direct, when bone is broken at the spot where blow is delivered, as in lower jaw from blow on jaw, or in leg from a kick.

AID.-

Indirect, when break occurs at a distance from point of Impact, as fracture of base of skull in falling from a height on the feet.

Muscular, .when bone snaps by a very violent and sudden contractIOn of the muscles; this may occur at the knee-cap, say, in jumping. Fracture by muscular action is not so often met with as in other two causes.

Simple fracture is as its name indicates sim-IJZy a bone, there being no wound of the skin or injury to ad]ommg parts.

The great danger in compound fracture is the entrance aff?rded to disease germs of the air through opening in the skm.

fracture explains its meaning, there is complzeatlOn of some organ, soft tissue, artery, &c.

In children, bones contain more animal matter than in those of adults. There is consequently no com plete fracture, the bone bends or cracks like a " sally" rod.

Crepitus, or unnatural mobility (movement), must not be sought for by ambulance pupil, as by so doing he might rupture a blood vessel.

Impacted fracture does not present unnatural mobility or crepitus.

A bandage should not be applied on top of seat of injury. To maintain splints in position a bandage is first placed immediately above fracture, the other bandage immediately below the fracture.

The Sir ] oseph Lawrence Monmouthshire Challenge Cup was competed for at Newport, on November 18th. The Six Bells team were eventually declared the winners.

At the annual tea of the Castleford Division held on Decem ber 13th, certificates were distri buted to the members by the Chairman of the Urban District Council. It was announced during the proceedings that the horseambulance, recently purchased by the Council, would be handed over to the Division.

The fifth annual meeting of the Yorkshire Collieries Ambulance League was held at Leeds on November 25th. Mr. H. Peake, of Bawtry, presided. Mr. A. H. Barnard (secretary) submitted the report, which stated the executive committee had decided to institute a separate competition in each of the divisions of the league, to be restricted to the men who had recently obtained the St. John Ambulance certificate. These competitions were held in ] uly, and 47 teams of four men each, entered. Ninety-five teams competed for the" Wood" Shield this year, as compared with 96 last yea.r, and the number of collieries represented was 53, as compared with 54. The shield was won by the Grimethorpe Colliery. During the year II certificates had been granted to men who had saved the lives CJf their fellow workmen by rendering efficient first aid service. Xi was agreed to abolish the existing distinctions between the west and south sections, and to substitute north and south sections. The Hon. E. L. Wood, M.P., was elected president for the ensuing year, and the following were added to the list of vice-presidents :-Mr. H. R. Hewitt (H.M. inspector of mines, Sheffield), Mr.]. R. Wil.son (H.M. inspector of mines, Leeds), Professor HardWl':::lz (Sheffield), and Mr. D. Bowen (Leeds University). Mr. \Y. H. Pickering was re-elected chairman of the committee.

Brevities.

By the time that this issue reaches the hands of our readers Christmas will be close upon us, and ere we publish again the decrepit old "19 I I" will have been thrust into the eternal darkness along with some 6,000 of his fellows. The years come and the years go, and each of us speeds the parting guest, heedless apparently of the fact that our years are numbered. The birth of a New Year should be a cause of keen regret, but the hope that springs eternal in the human breast, seldom as it is realised, gushes out in a welcome of the new comer. The mistakes, the errors, the misfortunes of the year that has gone are to have no place in the year yet to run its course. Is it to be a year of prosperity? We cannot do more than wish that our readers may experience in truth a MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 1912.

THE Ambulance ServIce for London IS still in the distant future. In reply to questions the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of the L.CC said that considerable progress had been made in collecting information and other details in regard to the Service. When the details were all collected they would consider the whole question. He was not able to say at the moment when the report would be before the Council, but he would make every endeavour to hurry the completion of the collection of information so as to report in the New Year. We are not aware what information is being collected. No doubt it will be of a useful character, but we should have thought that the information which is already in hand-in the nature of accident statistics-would be of sufficient evidence to the Council of the urgent necessity of an adequate ambulance service for London.

THE Red Cross Society of Italy, we learn, has fourteen hospitals in Tripoli Cyrenaica, besides the hospital ship M emphis furthermore, there are ample supplies of every description. Ninety-eight of the Society's officers and 60S soldiers have been mobilised and are now in Africa. The Society has to provide for all expenses, as the Italian Government only transfers to the premises of the Red Cross the rations of provisions appointed for the soldiery. This means, of course, that the daily outlay tells heavily on the revenue of the Society, and once more raises the difficulties of combining voluntary work with Governmental control and regulation. It will be interesting to watch how the same problems, of which the British Red Cross Society were confronted with in the South African War will be solved in this instance.

* *

* AN interesting article on motor ambulances was contributed by Mr. Henry Sturmey in a recent number of the " Commercial Motor." Mr. Sturmey points out to meet the special requirements of the work to be done the construction has to be the result of some careful study. What has to be

kept in view, both in design and selection, is not only the quietness and smoothness of running of the engines, but of the car as a whole. A successful motor ambulance means something more than merely putting an ambulance on a touring-car chassis for instance, the springing of an ordinary chassis is too flexible for ambulance requirements, for the swaying of a car over rough roads rolls the patient bodily from side to side. Something in the nature of shock absorbers with stiffer springs are nececessary for they minimise the rebound and side rock, and at the same time do not interfere with the comfort of the patient. The car should be designed, as far as possible, as a "top-gear car," for the jar and shock of a gear change must be distressing to a patient. All other things being equal, of course comfort of travel is best secured by bringing so far a'S pO!5sible the whole of the body within the wheel base facility of handling is a point of moment, for some of the tight places where an ambulance has to go necessitates this.

THE Southern Pacific Railway, which has been carrying first aid kits on baggage cars, combination cars and "cabooses," is now putting on each car a number of small kits, each containing only such bandages, &c., as are likely to be needed for the treatment of a single injury, instead of the large kit containing a number of bandages and dressings, which were formerly carried. When one of these large kits is opened and a part of the contents used, the remaining material loses its aseptic qualilies.

***

THE inspection of the S.J.A.B. by H.M. the King next summer should be the largest gathering of am bulance men that this country has ever seen. Representatives from Brigade units of the Dominions overseas it is hoped will be present, and we should say it would be an opportune occasion for the interchange of ideas with regard to the extension of the work.

* * *

SPEAKING at an influential meeting, representative of the Counties of FlintsLire and Denbighshire, recently, Miss Haldane remarked that it was the duty of every man and woman to take their share in the responsibilities of caring for the wounded in time of war, and that as the railways would be required for purposes other than the transport of the sick and wounded should this country ever be invaded, it was necessary that every preparation should be made locally for their comfort. Throughout the address, which showed the remarkable grasp that Miss Haldane has acquired of the contingencies of warfare and military administration, there was continued applause, and altogether her remarks form an object lesson for, not only the ladies of Great Britain, but also for many of the sterner sex. The manner in which the Voluntary Aid organisation is being perfected, is largely due to Miss Haldane's untiring and skilful labours, and no one will deny to this lady some small tribute of praise for this patriotic work.

December, 1911. -FIRST

The Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

Chancery of tlte Order, St. John's Gate, Clerk enwell, London, E. C., 30th .NtJv., I9I I.

H.M. THE KING has been graciously pleased to sanction the fOllowing promotions in and appointments to the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem Ln England :-

As I(nig/zts of Justice (from I(niglzts of Grace)

Sir William Wyndham Portal, Bt.

The Earl of Minto, K.G., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.C.l.E.

The Duke of Somerset.

As Lady ofJustice (from Lady of Grafle) .-

The Countess of Minto, C.l.

As Knights of Grace:

Colonel Horatio Reg inald Mends

Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Dyke Ackland .

Sir William Mackenzie.

Sir Donald Dan iel Mann.

Lieutenant-Colonel George Barclay (from Honorary Associate )

Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Alexander Campbell (from Honorary Assoc iate )

Allan Elliott Randell, M B.

His Excellency Sir William Macgregor, C.C.M. G , C.B.

Colonel Edward Douglas Brown-Synge Hutchmson, V C. (from Esquire )

Surgeon-General Sir James Porter, R.N., K.C.B., M.D

Major the Honourable Edward Stuart St. Aubyn.

Sir John Stanley, K. C.

General Sir O'Moore Creagh, V.C., C C. B.

The Honourable Sir Arthur Milford Ker, C.LE.

His Excellency the Lord Chelmsford, K.C.M.G.

Francis Edwin Rosher.

As Ladies of Grace.-

Her Excellency the Lady Edeline Strickland.

Lilah, Lady Creagh.

Ethel Charlotte, Lady Hewett.

Agnes Murray, Mrs. Charles Ebden.

As Erquires .-

James McFarlane Lapsley (from Honorary Serving

Staff Surgeon Algernon Carter Bean, R.N., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.

Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Robert Tyrrell, R.A.M.C., M.R.C.S., L.S.A. As Honorary Serving .-

Herbert George Clark:

Oswyn St. Leger DaVIes.

Adolphus Charles Griesbach.

William Erskine.

Arthur Henry Twiselton As Honorary Serving Sister.-

The Lady Alice Maud Bootle Wilbraham.

Enrolled as Ho , ltorar)1 Associates:

William Trethowan, M.B., C.M.

Her Grace the :;)uchess of Wellington.

The Rev. Prebendary William Wheeler Aldridge, M.A.

Edward Albert Officer, M.B.

George Scarr, M.B., L.R.C.S I.

James Smith Mather, M.B., C. !vl.

At a meeting of the Chapter-General of the Order, held on November 28th, at St. John's-gate, Clerkenwell, the Sub-Prior, Viscount Knutsford presiding, it was announced that the King had been pleased to accede to a wish expressed by the Duke of Connaught, the Grand

AID. -

Prior of the Order, that His Majesty should inspect the St. John Ambulance Brigade during the forthcoming summer in Windsor Park. It is hoped that representatives from brigade units in India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Malta, and other Dominions overseas will be present at the inspection. It was also reported that the King had approved of the addition to the lists of Donats of the Order the Indian Rulers whose names appeared in the London Ga zette on November 28th, and that he would himself present the gold badge of the Order to them during the Durbar.

Work of the S.J.A.B.

By kind permlsslOn of Asst.-Commissioner Herbert Lewis, we are pleased to give a brief rt su rne of an address he delivered to the mem bers of the Cardiff Nursing Division. The subjeot you have chosen for me to-night is a difficult one, but I will do my best to tell you something, which I hope will interest you, about the Order of St. John and the Brigade to which you and I have the honour to belong. Most of you have heard of those few good men who in the early part of the 11th Century provided at their own expense, a little rest station just outside the walls of Jerusalem, where the weary pilgrim suffering acute pain from his eyes could obtain relief, and how from that little beginning the noble Order of St. John came into existence, and the rest station became of world-wide renown. It is to-day a huge institution known as the British Opthalmic Hospital of Jerusalem, supported by the Order of St. John, and of peculiar interest to us in Glamorgan, as the Chairman is our Lord Lieutenant, the Right Honourable the Earl of Plymouth, P.C, CB

In the early part of the reign of Queen Victoria, the Order of St. John decided to form an Ambulance Department for the purpose of teaching the public first aid and home nursing. From experience it was found that those people who obtained this knowle?ge forgot work, and when the time came for puttmg It mto operatIOn found they were unable to do so. The Order then form a Brigade consisting of men and women quahfied m first aid amenable to discipline, willing to be placed at the disp;sal of the civil and military authorities of this country, and thereby combini?g individual efforts for the public advantage, under the title of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

The Ambulance Department then appointed a Chief Commissioner, who divided England and Wales into seven districts with a Deputy-Commissioner in charge of each. These Deputy-Commissioners, with a Medical Officer-inChief form the staff of the Chief Commissioner. The Depu'ty-Commissioner appoi?ts his staff, prising a chief surgeon, dlstnct chief superintendent, dIstnct district superintendent treasurer, and dIstnct of stores, whose duty it is to help the in forming ambulance and nursmg dIvIsIOns. m of his district. Each ambulance and nursIng dIVISIOn IS in charge of an hon. surgeon, ambulance officer, sergeant and corporals, the division name of the place where it was formed. These dIVISIOns are then grouped together into corps, with corps' Theref?re. you have a complete organisation, with a ChIe.f in London, a Deputy-Commissioner ?f.a. dIstnct, a dIstnct staff, corps officers and officers of all of. whom obey the regula.tions, orders Issued from tIme to time by the ChIef

-FIRST

Now the keynote of the Brigade is efficiency. Each man and woman must each year attend twelve drills, and pass an examination in first aid, and parade for duty when ordered to do so. At the beginning of the South African War the Government asked the Order of St. John whether they could supply a number of hospital orderlies. Men were asked to volunteer, and within a very short period 2,000 men were at the disposal of the Government. They went to South Africa and did valuable service. Some of them lost their lives, and you will see on that beautiful War Memorial in Cathays Park, Cardiff, erected by the County of Glamorgan to the memory of those who lost their lives in that war, the names of several members of the St. John Am bulance Brigade in this district.

As no doubt you are aware, a sufficient number of men of the Brigade have volunteered for the Military Home Hospital Reserve, and we cannot help being proud to know that should our army be called upon to protect our interests in another country, the military hospitals in England, Ireland and Wales, will be manned by members of the Brigade.

In August, 1909, the Secretary of State for War issued a scheme for the formation of Voluntary Aid Detachments in England and Wales, and in response to this appeal we have to-day a number of detachments of men and women in the County of Glamorgan ready for duty should our Territorial Lrmy be mobolised.

I congratulate you as a Nursing Division on the splendid work you have done and are doing. You and the other nursing divisions in the district are of great value. We can always depend upon you at short notice to do your duty, and I am proud of your help and co-operation. I am glad to-night to obey the order of your secretary, Miss McCullum, who has done so much in arranging cooking lessons, lectures in first aid and home nursing, and special lectures during the winter session. I hope you will enter one or more team to compete for the very handsome Cup given by the Marchioness of Bute at the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales at Wrexham in September, 1911.

As a last word, let me impress upon you the importance of carrying out any order given by your officers at once and cheerfully. Obedience and cheerfulness combined makes wO.rk a pleasure and not a toil, and so much more effective.

It is with deep regret that we have to record the death of Dr. John W. Martin who was for many years Secretary to the Sheffield Centre of the S.J.A.A.

The third annual dinner of the 2nd London Sanitary Co , R.A.M.C.(T.), took place at the Birkbeck Restaurant on December 9th. A good company assembled with thei; respective la<;iies, and present being Major Caldwell SmIth, O.C:, 111 the chaIr, supported by Major Greer:\ London ScottIS?, and Captain, Miller, R.A.M.C.; VIsItors of the evemng being represented by the Hon. J ohn A musical programme was given by MISS HettIe Coppmg, Mr. Harrison Hill, Lance-Corporal Hardy, Mr. Egbert Rees, Mr. Walter Cox, Mr. Copping, Mr Hemmersley and Sergeant Gentry, under whom the mUSIcal arrangements were carried out. It was announced from the chair that the Company would take up their new headquarters at the Duke of York School on April 1st

I9 I2 Recruits are now welcomed at 'the temporar; orderly room, 200, Upper Richmond-road, Putney, on Mondays and Thursdays, 7 to 9.30. p.m.

At the meeting of the committee of the Inter-Railway competition, held on November 17th, the draft conditions of the competition were discussed and in principal passed, one or two minor alterations being made affecting the wording of the conditions.

In accordance with our expectations, the four -men team suggestion emanating from one of the centre secretaries- was unanimously defeated. In our last issue a contributor advanced some points in favour of this four-men competition which could not be lightly dismissed, but the view which the committee have taken is no doubt weighed by the fact that the competition has been so successful in the past, and that any change at this stage might interfere with its progress. For it must be borne in mind that there is much unrest in the railway world at this moment that perhaps ambulance work is only a secondary consideration, and a proposal, however desirable, if it has not the approval of those directly concerned-the competitors, might damage its progress.

In spite of the state of transition which exists, it is gratifying to learn that the classes on all the rail ways are up to the normal. This speaks well of the enthusiasm of the men in the work, and the competition in May next bids fair to show the highest state of efficiency to which teams have ever succeeded.

If the competition is altered, we should like to see the alteration made in the direction of improvised work, as was pointed out in our Editorial of August. Practical competitions to deal with cases as in actual emergencies is the desideratum, and it should be the purpose of the committee to frame its conditions so as to arrive, as near as it is practical in competitions, to this end.

G.W.R.-The annual distribution of certificates, etc., in connection with the Bristol class took place at Stuckey'S Restaurant, Wine-street, Bristol, on the 18th ult. The chair was occupied by Mr. W. Phillips (Divisional Locomotive Supt.), and among a large audience present were Messrs. George A. Wills (Director), C. Kislingbury (Passenger Supt.), G. H. Morris (Goods Agent), H. R. Griffiths (Assistant Supt.), G. A. Payne (Assistant District Goods Manager), Dr. C. A. Hayman (Chief Surgeon and Chief Supt. Bristol Corps, S.J.A.B.), Capt. Trezise (City and Marine Ambulance Corps), Mr. W. Ray (Canadian Pacific Railway), and Dr. Wallace.

The gathering took the form of a smoking concert, and a capital programme was provided.

The hon. secretary, Mr. W. R. Connelly, having presented the report, which showed that of 64 candidates for examination no less than 62 were successful, the chairman called upon Mr. G. A. Wills to distribute the awards.

Mr. Wills, who was greeted with acclamation, referred generally in the highest terms to ambulance work, and emphasised the value of a knowledge of how to efficiently render first aid to all railway men, who, from the nature of their calling, might find themselves called upon at any

becember, 19I1. - FIR moment to deal with the results of serious accidents. In tracing the growth of the ambulance movement on the Great Western Railway, Mr. Wills drew attention to the necessity of maintaining efficiency in their usef1Jl work. He urged the men not to be content with gaining a first year's certificate only, as there was a great deal more to be learned. He sincerely hoped that the success of four of their number who had recently f;ecured the "Novice" cup would be the forerunner of many prizes to be won by the men.

CEMr. Wills presented to Dr. Wallace a barometer subscribed for by members of the class as a mark of their appreciation of Dr. Wallace's instruction. To the honorary secretary he presented a smoker's cabinet.

Mr. Kislingbury, who was received with musical honours and cheers, mentioned that only recently the life of a poor old man had been saved by the first aid treatment rendered by one of the Company's employes. He moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Wills, which was seconded by Mr. G. H. Morris, and carried with acclamation.

Mr. Wills suitably responded.

On the 19th ult., 1st Officer Dale, of the Crewe Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, distributed the certificates, etc., gained by the successful members of the Crewe class. This occasion was taken to present to Mr. E. Tunstall, who has so ably filled the post of class secretary, with an umbrella in recognition of his services.

At a gathering which took place on November 19th, Dr. Hugh Smith kindly presented to the students of the Dudley class the awards gained in the recent examination, and in the course of an interesting address referred in the highest terms to the good work which was being done at these classes.

As a mark of their appreciation of the services of Dr. Smith as lecturer and Mr. G. T. Jones as class secretary, the former was presented with a silver-mounted walking stick and the latter with a silver medallion and set of silver labels, subscribed for by the members of the class.

Under the presidency of Mr. H. Simpson, Newport (Locomotive Supt.), a meeting was recently convened at the Wimborne Hall, Dowlais, for the purpose of distributing the certificates, etc., gained by members of the Dowlais class. Mr. J. W. U pstone made the presentation.

In opening the meeting, Mr. Simpson read a letter from Mr. 1\. E. Prosser, general manager of the Rhymney Company, who regretted that a prior engagement prevented him from being present.

In the course of his address, the chairman referred to the unfortunate accident which had recently occurred at Dowlais, and said that the benefits of a knowledge of first aid on this occasion had enabled the guard of the train, with the assistance of several colliery workmen, to render efficient help to the suffering. Mr. Simpson paid a warm tribute to members of the medical profession who did so much for ambulance work.

The class secretary, Mr. A. Lucas, stated that it was no less than nineteen years since the first railway ambulance class was held at Dowlais, conductf'd by Dr. H. L. Hughes, to whom they had recently said "Good-bye." There was every indication that his successor, Dr. Makins, would take the same keen interest in the ambulance movement. Reference was made to a case in which life had been saved by the prompt and efficient rendering of first aid by Engineman Hobbs. at Bargood Station. It was understood that the event would be marked by the Company awarding some special form of recognition in this case.

Before distributing the awards Mr. J. W. Upstone

AID.- 91

expressed his sympathy and that of the Great Western Railway Company with the injured and bereaved in the recent accident. He advised all members of the class to closely follow up the good work they had undertaken. The proceedings, which were brought to a close with the usual votes of thanks, were interspersed with musical items.

S.E. & C. RV.-The second annual competition for the "Linington" Shield took place at the Co-Operative Hall, Dover, on November 23rd. The competition resulted in the Dover Priory team again winning the shield with 22 points out of a possible 300. The members of the team were G. Norley, captain; M. Norley, H. M. Pluck, H. O'Connor and J. Hitchen. Second place was taken by Dover Harbour I87-?t points; Folkestone Junction Platelayers, 159 points, being third; and Folkestone Harbour, 157 points, fourth. The competition was judged by Dr. Linington.

In the evening a concert was held in the Co-Operative Hall, at which Mr. Linington presented the shield and prizes. Mr E. A. Richards (Chairman of tht' Centre Committee) presided, he being supported by Mr. R. Lane (Centre Secretary) and Mr. W. J. Lord (station-master, Dover). During the evening Dr. Linington was presented with a framed vellum certificate of thanks from the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in recognition of his services to the movement.

W. LONDON & W. LONDON EXTENSION.- The third annual concert was held at the Grove Hall, Hammersmith, an December 4th. An excellent musical programme wail provided, and the arrangements were ably carried out by Mr. J. Clarke, the hon. secretary.

M.R.-There was an interested audience at the Tynedale School, on December 7th, to witness the 7th annual shield competition in connection with the Gloucester Midland Railway combined Ambulance Corps, Mr. F. G. Bretherton presided. Five teams entered, and the proceedings were interspersed with a concert. The judges were Drs. J. G. McLannahan and St. Johnston.

At the close of the competition Dr. McLannahan announced the result, which was: First (winners of shield), A team, 169i points Messrs. C. Bradley, T. Clark, T. Sims, E. Jon e s (captain), and L. Robinson. Second: C team, 162. Third: D team, I47. Fourth: E team III. Dr. McLannahan expressed his pleasure at being present, and a few words explaning to the teams of where points had been lost.

The prizes were presented to the teams by Mrs. McVmnahan. The shield winners had each, in addition, a clock; the second team had gold centre medals; and the third team silver medals.

On November 21st about 80 members of the classes assembled at the Cross Key's Tavern, Kettering, to receive the awards gained in the recent examinations. Mr. J. Badwell, of Derby, made the presentation, and Mr. Ashfield, of Derby, presided A vote of thanks was accorded Dr. Dryland, the instructor, and Mr. Bevan the secretary.

Mr. G. Murray Smith, the newly ejected chairman of the Company, on November 21St, at Derby, presented the awards annually made to members of the staff for special skill displayed in rendring first aid, these totalled about 76 Mr. H. E. Richardson read the 17th annual report of the committee, and it announces that the number of ambulance men on the system now total 10,318, or about I-7 th of the staff. It was clear to the committee that progress

-FIRST

must in future take the form of a rising standard of efficiency rather than a numerical increase. They were glad in this connection to know that 1,042 men held labels, as against 837 last year, and they hoped that a steady advance would be made in this matter of re-examination, which, in their opinion, was not the least important feature of ambulance statistics.

Irish News.

By OUR DUBLIN CORRESPONDENT.

DUBLIN.-The classes of the City of Dublin Division show a record attendance this session, and the lectures of Dr. Charles being now nearly finished, the examination for the first aid certificates will be held early in the coming year.

The new class at Fairview, under Dr. R. P. McDonnell, is making headway. Being composed entirely of beginners, the Hon. Lecturer is moving slowly in the course, in order that a thorough grasp of the subject may be had. The examination will take place for the certificates within a short time, as the syllabus is nearly exhausted.

The Ladies' Nursing Division hopes also to have a class in first aid ready for examination very soon.

Altogether, in addition to the above and St. James' Gate, and Messrs. Jacob and Co. 's Division, am bulance work appears to be steadily spreading, many new classes being actually formed, or in course of formation for the work early in next year.

L[MERICK.-The citizens of Limerick have recently formed a Centre of St. John Ambulance Association, and a large number from the various industrial centres of the city have joined the classes formed for the course of instruction. Dr. C. McDonnell has been appointed hon. lecturer for th e class, which is very well attended, the movement haVing taken quite a hold amongst the people: Dr. to the men are proving most attractIve and InstructIve, and already the members are commencing to get a grip of the practical work. Much of the success of the undertaking is due to the energies of the hon. secretary, Mr. John MacMahon.

We h.ave received from Messrs. W. & G. Foyle, of 135, Channg Cross-road, a copy of the new edition of their Catalogue of Medical Books. It contains a large selection of and second-hand medical and ambulance books WhICh are sent on approval to prospective buyers.

3 • :c;;

Messrs. Newton, Chambers & Co., Ltd , Thorncliffe, nea.r ask us to state that they will gladly send senes of h.andbooks on disinfection to readers of this Jour?al on receIpt of a postcard. "Medical Izal" contains repn.nts the principal medical journals, of papers dealing WIth use ?f " Izal " in the treatmet of phthisis, puerp.eral sepSIS, tropIcal dysentery, enteric fever cholera tinea favosa capitis. "Practical Disinfecti;n" WIth the uses of "Izal." "The Veterinary Handbook" IS full of useful information for owners of horses,. dogs, cats, poultry, &c. The last of the series

In .the Dairy," apart from its purpose as an tIsement a really. useful handbook at a time when the C?ndltlOns of mIlk production are claiming so much attentIOn.

We are in no way responsib.e jor the opinions expressed, or the statements made, by Correspondents.-EDITORS.

TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF AMBULANCE WORK.

DEAR SIR,-I am glad to note a correspondent, Mr. L. Gear, has placed before your readers the important subject: "Suggestions to Make Ambulance Work Interesting," p. 80, FIR ST Am, for N ovem ber.

I hope you will permit me to draw the attention of yourself (M r. Editor ) and readers of you valuable Journal to the fact that the Ambulance Movement is, for some inexplicable reason not advertised

All the large Church Societies adopt methods of advertising thei: work or exte.nding connection; the organising se c retanes have dlstncts assIgned them over which they continually tra vel organising meetings, bazaars, sales of work, lantern lectures, &c., also finding voluntary 10cal helpers to assist them in keeping the work of their Society before the public n oti ce, and to collect funds for keeping that work afoot. Why cannot ambulance work so closely associated to and having its root in what was originally an essentially religious work do likew is e.-Sincerely yours.

ERNEST J AMES RACKWlTZ.

FRACTURED HUMERUS AND FOREARl\I.

DEAR S11<.,- I should esteem it a favour if you would expla in to me throu gh your Journal the treatment for a fra c tured humerus and forearm. - Yours in anticipation, A RE ADER

[A house and garden are to be sold. What amount of money should be paid for them ? What would be thought of anyone who named a definite sum in reply to such a question?

To such a question an answer in very general terms can only be given. The amount will depend upon very many circumstances, anyone of which may have a considerable bearing upon the price that should be paid. For example: their position with regard to surroundings, i.e., whether in the vicinity of slum dwellings, or in a rising neighbourhood, or far from civilisation; the size of the house and of the garden respectively; the quality of each; the means available for purchase, etc. Such are a few of the points that would, only naturally be considered before anyone would dream of putting out hard earned money in such a transaction. Apply these thoughts to the case in point. How should a fractured humerus and forearm be treated? The answer will depend upon very many circumstances, anyone of which may have a considerable bearing upon the details of first aid that are to be applied. In particular one may quote :-(a) What is the supposed scene of the emergency, i e. is it at home; in a crowded street; amongst moving- machinery, etc.? (b) In what position is the patient who is to be treated, i.e., standing, sitting, or lying? (c) What is the supposed nature of the fracture of the humerus and of the forearm respectively; i.e., simple or associated with a surface wound, or complicated by arterial h a: morrhage or by severe crushing of the limb? (d) Is any help available, or is the case to be "tackled" singlehanded, or is a doctor within easy reach? (e) What materials are suppo sed to be available? None of these points are known, and without knowledge respecting these essential details it is absolutely impossible, as in the previous query, to give an unqualified answer.

Ambulance students would do well to remember that a

Dec ember\ 191 I. -FIR S T

prompt recognition of the lack of essential detail indicates resourcefulness of mind regarding ambulance requirements, and in all properly conducted examinations, proof of such by an enquiry to the examiner the1'eon, will result not only in the gammg of marks, but more important still, will give proof of an intellectual training in ambulance work. For exampleassume that this is given as a practical test in examination the " patient" standing erect as is so constantly seen in examinations. If the student desires to give proof of proper training in ambulance work, his course of procedure should be as follows:- (a) In the first place let your examiner understand that you promptly recognise that his attitude is not quite as you would expect were he suffering from the injuries stated. (b) Prevent movement by words of caution and steady support. (c) WIth greatest care place in restful position, the injured part supported (d) Enquire from examiner re supposed surroundings, help and materials available, &c. By such means alone can intelligent ambulance treatment be forthcoming with such a type of test. In other words, the actual surroundings as they exist£n thepractice room or exam£nation room are in the Izighest degree artz/icial and, unless specially indicated they slzould be entirely ignored for they are such as can hardly be conceived to exist in the vast majority of cases requiring practical assistance. This most important fundamental point should be constantly borne in mind when studying and p ractising, and ones imagination must be brought into action in order to picture in the mind the emergen cy as it might reasonably be supposed to exist.

This subject is one of the utmost importance to all connected with classes oj instruction in /irst aid, for which reason an additional example is given to bring the point home to the minds of all readers of IIu's paper. Compare correspondence in FIRST Am, of dates March and July, 1910, under the heading " Gratifying Enquiry."

A postm an ltas been stabbed in tlze left elbow joint. The1'e is arterial lta!morrhage.

Any intelligently trained first aid student will readily see that with such a test discrimination must be exercised. In other words, such an analysis as this-

Digital pressure

Tourniquet \Vrap in cotron wool

F lexed portion in sling

Extra marks

would by no means cover the situation. Compare the following which has been hurriedly prepared.

Immediat e digital pressure

On brachial 2

Place in restful position 2

Ascertain surroundings, etc., with a view to resour ceful ness

Examiner.-State difinite!y the points you w£sh to k7l0W.

Is the case indoors or out?

Is help available?

What materials are available?

Is the Doctor near at hand?

E xaJll£ne?'.- You are in a quiet coltntry lane and see tlte asraila17t run away No all/blflance materials and ?to Itelp available. Doctor /talj-a-mile away.

Keeping up pressure, encourage patient 2

With the co-operation of patient if possible 2

Improvise pad, e.g., fold of pap er, knife, elc: 2

With handkerchief secure pad in position... 2

Carefully expose to test efficiency ." 2

Support limb by improvised sling, e.g., handkerchief, pins, or thumb 2

Cover patient...

Consider best means of transport to Doctor or sheller 2

Exlra mark s 3 30

To revert to the enquiry under consideration, your correspondent, however, is probably seeking information m erely with respect to the mechanical bandaging for

AID.A GREAT BOOK FOR AMBULANCE WORKERS.

By DR. ANDREW WILSON.

A WORK that justifies its claim to be an epitome of all that medical and surgical kn?wledge necessary for Fust Alders, as well as an authontative manual of :eference on all information relating to Health and Disease, IS a work to be welcomed by all our readers who wish to study their subject more deeply than is possible from superficial text books.

In "The Modern Physician," by Dr. Andrew Wilson, fullest space is devoted to "First Aid" and Ambulance Work. In respect of completeness, accuracy of description, and wealth of illustration, "The Modern Physician" stands without a rival amongst the works published on this important subject in the United Kingdom. It is scientifically accurate and reliable without being dull; the name of its editor, so long and popularly known as an expositor of Health laws and a teacher of Hygi ene, is a guarantee of this. This work is absolutely complete as regards Health and Disease, and is thoroughly up-to-date.

As a knowledge of the body in Health is necessary to the due understandin g of the body when its functions are deranged by disease, a description of every part of the frame will be found here. The skeleton, muscles, digestive system, heart and lungs, brain and nervous system, organs of sense, skin, kidneys and the body's microscopic structure are duly described. In this connection the illustrations are of particular value, the "mannikins" or dummies more especially in these the organs are made to overlap each other exactly as they do in the human body.

The section devoted to Hygiene includes the full exposition of the Laws of Health, and special attention is devoted to Physical Culture. Such topics as foods, beverages, air, exercise, clothing, sleep, baths, holidays, temperament, &c., are treated in this section.

The last volume is especially devoted to the Health of Women, and Dr. Wilson has here been assisted by a nnmber of eminent women physicians. Midwifery and the treatment and Diseases of Infants a!'e here fully dealt with.

ONE OF MANY OPINIONS.

Mr. J. DANIEL, 23, Kent Avenue, Ashford, Kent, writes:" It' s all·round excellence makes it a valuable acquisition. The section dealing with ambulance work is especially good Th e book is written in splendid style and the illustr:ttions are first rate. The method of payment places it within the reach of all."

A FREE BOOKLET.

NAME (Send this form or a postcard.)

ADDRESS · ··•· ••·•••· ·· ·•·••

-FIRST

such a case. No hard and fast lines can be laid down. Resourcefulness must be exerc is ed and such method of support must be adopted as will, under prevailing co nditions, best prevent any harmful movement at the injured parts. Details regarding th e nature of such support will depend entirely upon materials available. For example :-A well padded angular splint; or, possibly, the trunk Llsed as an improvised splint for the humerus, and safety pins as a suitable support for the forearm; or, poss ib ly, a carefully folded overcoat or pillow may, under certain conditions, be amply sufficient mechanical support for ambulance purposes.

The all important point to bear in mind is that, practising tlze applz'catz'on of suclz support, fttll consideration should be paid to the purpose for wlzich it is applied, i.e., the prevention of further injury to a suffering and severely injured patient. Under the circumstances the application of artificial support must be carried out in a consistent manner, the position of the patient being one of very great moment, and the help of another being in the highest degree advisable, one might almost say absolutely essmtial.-L.

M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

MULTIPLE INJTTRIES.

SIR,-Being a reader of your instructive paper I shall be very pleased if you would treat the following test case which was given to us, as we ha ve different views regarding the correct treatment.

Test.-Treat the patient for the following injuries, convey him home, ::tnd place him in bed ;- Fracture of the forehead, accompanied by a wound. Severe bruise on the back of the right haDd. Compound fracture of the left leg, also simple fracture of the left ankle.

The controversy arises on the following points ;-1s it right to use a ring pad for a fra c tured forehead, accompanied by a wound, when no bleeding is given. Some of our men say it right to use a ring pad, others say it is not right to use it when bleeding is not given.

Is it right to elevate the bruised hand and, after the usual treatment, place it in a St. John sling?

Is it right to pull upon the foot until the limb regains a more normal len gth in this case?- Yours, &c., J. JONES.

[The comments made with regard to the previous query also apply in great measure to this case. In order that ambulance men may be enabled to act intelligently in competition more details respecting the emergency to be dealt with should be forth co ming. It may be that this vagueness is intentional on the part of the judge, in which case marks should accrue to tlzose men who tulle steps to r emove that vaoueness

(I) In the ?pinio,: many, included, a ring pad has exceedll1gly little, If anythll1g, to recommend it. In the case at issue, the candidate should enquire from the judge as to whether hcc morrhage is supposed to be present or not. If none is supposed to exist then mechanical means for its arrestare clearly not necessary. If bleeding is supposed to be present, to secure its arrest indirect digital pressure must be the first taken, and by this means h a: morrhage would be very readIly controlled. The efficiency of digital pressure

AID.- December, 1911.

being proved, all that is required is a small pad properly placed and securely retained in position by a bandage to take the place of the indirect digital pressure.

(2) A patient suffering from such injuries as detailed would be in a condition of very grave danger, and the bruised hand under the circumstances stated should be left severely alone. Attention to such an injury would give proof of an extreme lack of appreciation of true first aid principles. Prompt transport in such a case is of vital moment.

(3) The question of extension in the case of compound fracture is one upon which varied opinions will be held. The danger consists in the drawing towards the deeper parts germs of mischief with which the wound may happen to be contaminated. The wiser plan appears to be to promptly cover the wound with a dry protective dressing, and then to safely secure the limb against harmful movement, leaving all manipUlations to be carried out later by the surgeon.-L.

M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

OFFICIAL TEXT - BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS.

DEAR SIR,-In Cantlie's book on First Aid to the Injured re Fractured Thigh, page 57, Fig. 29, New Edition, I should very much like you to give me information through the medium of your valuable Journal (FIR ST AID )

We, as ambulance students, in cases of fracture, are told to secure the fracture first. Now in Fig. 29 it shows bandages as follows ;- ( 1) Round the chest, (2) round the pelvis, then the fracture, 3rd and 4th bandages. Now, Mr. Editor, in your opinion which would you give as the first bandage to apply?

This poin seems to cause a very great deal of discussion and argument everywhere.- Yours, &c.

E. MORTON (C orporal ) Castleford, Yorks., Dec. lIth, I9II.

[The point at issue is not of much moment. Provided there is no reason to the contrary, the order as given in the official text book should be followed.

The method and efficiency of their application are points of much greater significance. For example, Fig. 30, page 58. Should the length of bandages A and B permit, it would be preferable not to apply them in the rr.anner shewn in the illustration. The student should" use to the best advantage)) whatever is at haud If a turn of each bandage were put around the broom-handle before tying the ends together, instead of passing the bandage merely to i nclose body and splint, the stability ar,d efficiency of the whole apparatus would be materially increased.

This introduces a subject of considerable moment, i.e., the c uriously mistaken notions that exist, so extensively, with regard to the illustrations given in the official text-book. It must he thoroughly understood that diagramatic illustrations are merely given to assist the student in his work. They are by no means intended to limit his sphere of action. Such a limitation would be distinctly out of place, interfering vitally with the very soul of ambulance work.

The following example, shewing misconceived notions, came before the writer's notice when judging in a competition. I t will serve to impress the pomt. The case being treated was

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one of supposed fracture of the leg, the first aider being alone with the patient under conditions that absolutely the improvisation of materials. He very properly took .hls handkerchief, and secured both ankles together, but changlOg his mind he removed the handkerchief, left the fracture quite ttnprotected, and proceeded to get one oj those much triangzt/ar bandages When asked the reason for so actmg, he explained that his "handkerchief" (although long enough to thoroughly secure the ankle ) "was not long e1?oZtfh to apply in tlte manner shown in the book," i.e., as a Fig. 8 bandage! Comments surely are needless.-L.

THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY.

DEAR SIR,-I shall be extremely obliged if you will kindly reply tu the following questions ;-

r. What amount of money did the British Red Cross Society subscribe for sending the St. John Ambulance men to the South African war, and for what purpose was the money subscribed?

2. What are the principle objects of the British Red Cross Society, now being so ext ens iv ely organised throughout the country.

3· Is the B.RC.S. governed by regulations laid down by the War Office, and is the Society subject to military inspection from time to time?

4· Is the Society a detachment of the Military Forces in any way?

5· What does the Military Home Hospital Reserve "badges" represent now being worn by the St. John's men?

6. Is the Military Home Hospital Reserve attached to, or a detachment of, the R.A.M.C., or only a representation of a voluntary reserve ?-Yours, &c., " IGNORANT. "

[(r) We canno t say what contribution ( if any) the Society made towards sending the 2,000 hospital orderlies of the St. John Ambulance Brigade to the war. The Society expended altogether £150,000 during the campaign.

(2) To furnish supplementary aid to the sick and wounded in war to that which is provided by the medical departments of the Army and Navy. To organise and co-ordinate all offers of assistance which may be made in the time of war; and to ascertain as far as possible in peace the nature and extent of such assistance which can be depended in time of war. To organise such additional medical aid as would be required in the case of invasion or great national emergency. To collect funds to carry out the above.

(3) The British Red Cross Society is not governed by regulations of the War Office, but the Voluntary Aid Detachments of the Society are ullder the administrative authority of the County Associations, which in their turn are governed by the War Office. Every recognised Voluntary Aid Detachment is inspected annually by officers of the RA.M.C., detailed by the co mmanding officer of the command in which the Detachments has its headquarters.

(4) No.

(s) The Military Horne Hospital Reserve is a reserve to supplement the RA.M .C. in the home hospitals in the time of war, and members of the S.J.A.B. who qualify are entitled to the" badge."

(6) The Military Horne Hospital Reserve is not attached to the RA.M.C., but in the event of war for home service would be.-ED. "F. A."]

BRIGADE REGULATIONS.

D EAR SIR, -I t is not one moment too soon that you have called attention to this subject in your November issue in fact it .is rather a matter of i.t .has been allowed' to pass Without comment at the vanous DIVISion meetings throughout the country. Petty squabbles and bickerings should un?oubtedly be kept. out of the and indeed no self-respectwould thmk of adoptmg such a course for remedying hiS gnev':l-nces, apparent real; but to forbid any" member of the BrIgade under any Clfcumstances to communicate with the. Press on matters the Brigade "is surely addmg the last straw." If It really means that we are to hide our work-great and humanitarian as it is-from the public

gaze, and to form ourselves into a kind of Dark Brotherhood whose doings must be kept secret, then indeed we in our town have sinned grievously, for in season and out of season we have proclaimed our existence.

The public (our particular public) were in sublime ignorance of the work which had been silently, should I say stealthily, carried on in their midst for upwards of six years.

This is doubtless what the red-tape gentry WQuld like, howev& the experiment was tried during the latter part of 1910 and 19 1 r session of advertising in our local papers the weekly lectures, giving the hon. surgeon's name, time and place of meeting, with the result that frequent enquiries were made both through the Press and direct to the hon. secretary respecting the working the St. John Ambulance Association.

As a further proof of the advantage of judiciously bringing the subject before the public, we have this year the gratifying result in the largest of our classes which has yet met for instruction in "first aid." Being without any assistance whatever from outside, having to bear all our expenses of rent, fuel, light and material, etc., we had the audacity quite recently of making an appeal through the local press (a nd the local press kindly published in extenso ) for funds to assist us in carrying on the work.

We are blessed (?) with a Centre which does nothing, as far as bringing the matter before the public is concerned, and any classes that are formed it simply takes them under its paternal care-after formation.

As far as our local press is concerned, I hold that the St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade is deeply indebted to them, as they most obligingly publish any matter sent them on the subject, and thus help to disseminate a knowledge of first aid whi ch individuals cannot possibly do.

After all, what is the use of platooning and parading men who are not soldiers? No matter how much we may be swathed and bound round by red tape, the process cannot make us any more than we are-civilian members of a voluntary organisation to which we give our time and money. Militarianism may suit the ex-army man, but elasticity of rules and regulations are the element of the civilian.Yours faithfully,

H. S.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ARTERIAL BLEEDING AND A BURST PJPE.-When, after a thaw, a pipe is found burst, one tries to stop it by plugging it with anything handy, or by binding cloths around it to stop the flow. If it is a large burst (artery) the main will be turned off in the street, or else the handy man of the house turns up, hammer in hand, and heats up the pipe, flattens it (pressure, digital or tourniquet), meanwhile sending for professional manplumber. Plumber arrives; knows all about it; applies his solder and promptly makes a little job of it. Medieal man arrives, knows professionally what to do, and applies ligatures or ties up artery. Man with hammer = ambulance man. Plumber = doctor.

We have received a copy of the "Welcome Record" for 19 12 ; it is packed full of photographic wisdom, and its directions and observations on such matters as exposure, development, intensification and all the other fascinating processes which go to the making of pictures, are so simple and concise that no one need go astray Three separate editions are published, specially adapted for the Northern Hemisphere and Tropics, the Southern Hemisphere and Tropics and the United States. When purchasing, care should be taken to specify which edition is required. The "Welcome)) Exposure Record may be obtained from all photographic dealers and booksellers, and at the railway bookstalls. Price in the British Isles, one shilling. Printed

96 -FIRST

one of supposed fracture of the leg, the first aider being alone with the patient under conditions that absolutely the improvisation of materials. He very properly took ,hiS handkerchief, and secured both ankles to g ether, but changing his mind he removed the handkerchief, left the fracture qude unprotected, and pro ce eded to get one oj those much abused triangular bandages. When asked the reason for so actmg, he explained that hz's "ltandlurclzz'ej" (althoug h long enough to thoroughly secure the ankle) "was not long enough to apply n the manner shown in tlte book," i.e., as a Fig. 8 bandage! Comments surely are needless.-L. M. FRANK CHRISTIAN.]

THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY.

DEAR SIR,-I shall be extremely obliged if you will kindly reply tv the following questions :-

I. 'W hat amount of money did the British Red Cross Society subscribe for sending the St. John Ambulance men to the South African war, and for what purpose was the money subscribed?

2. What are the princ iple objects of the British Red Cross Society, now being so extensiv ely organised throughout the country.

3. Is the B.R. C.S. governed by regulations laid down by the War Office, and is the Society subject to military inspection from time to time?

4. Is the Society a detachment of the Military Forces in any way?

5. What does the Military Home Hospital Reserve "badges" represent now being worn by the St. John's men?

6. Is the Military Home Hospital Reserve attached to, or a detachment of, the R.A.M.C., or only a representation of a voluntary reserve ?-Yours, &c., " I GNORANT."

[(I) We cannot say what contribution (i f any) the Society made towards sending the 2,000 hospital orderlies of the St. John Ambulance Brigade to the war. The Society expended altogether £r 50,000 during the campaign.

(2) To furnish supplementary aid to the sick and wounded in war to that which is provided by the medical departments of the Army and Navy. To organise and co-ordinate all offers of assistance which may be made in the time of war; and to ascertain as far as possible in peace the nature and ext ent of such assistance which can be depended in time of war. To organ ise such additional medical aid as would 1:"" ,..",,..,,;,..,,,rl ;,., the case of invasion or great national emergenc funds to carry out the above.

AI D.- December, I9II.

gaze, and to form ourselves into a kind of Dark Brotherhood whose doings must be kept secret, then indeed we in our town have sinned grievously, for in season and out of season we have proclaimed our existence.

The public (our particular public) in sublime ignorance of the work which had been silently, should I say stealthily, carried on in their midst for upwards of six years. This is doubtless what the red-tape gentry would like, howev& the experiment was tried during the latter part of 19IO and I9I I session of advertising in our local papers the weekly lectures, giving the hon. surgeon's name, time and place of meeting, with the result that frequent enquiries were made both through the Press and direct to the hon. secretary respecting the working the St. John Ambulance Association.

As a further proof of the advantage of judiciously bringing the subject before the public, we have this year the gratifying result in the largest of our classes which has yet met for instruction in "first aid." Being without any assistance whatever from outside, having to bear all our expenses of rent, fuel, light and material, etc., we had the audacity quite recently of making an appeal through the local press (and the local press kindly published it in extenso ) for funds to assist us in carrying on the work.

We are blessed (?) with a Centre which does nothing, as far as bringing the matter before the public is concerned, and any classes that are formed it simply takes them under its paternal care-after formatz'on.

As far as our local press is concerned, I hold that the St. John Ambulance Association and Brigade is deeply indebted to them, as they most obligingly publish any matter sent them on the subject, and thus help to disseminate a knowledge of first aid which individuals cannot possibly do.

After all, what is the use of platooning and parading men who are not soldiers? No matter how much we may be swathed and bound round by red tape, the process cannot make us any more than we are-civilian members of a voluntary organisation to which we give our time and money. Militarianism may suit the ex-army man, but elasticity of rules and regulations are the element of the civilian.-

Yours faithfully,

H. S.

XVi (

(3) The British Red Cross Society is not

miss i ll ; .

COMPARISON BETWEEN ARTERIAL BLEEDING AND A BURST PIPE.-When, after a thaw, a pipe IS found burst, regulations of the War Office, but the Voluntary ments of the Society are under the administrativ the County Associations, which in their turn areg( War Office. Every recognised Voluntary Aid I inspected annually by officers of the R.A.M.C the commanding officer of the command in whicl ments has its headquarters.

(4) No.

(

5) The M ilitary Home Hospital Reserve is supplement the R.A.M.C. in the home hospitals i war, and members of the S.J.A.B. who qualify a the" badge. "

(6) The Military Home Hospital Reserve is to the R.A.M.C., but in the event of war for home be. -ED "F. A."]

BRIGADE REGULATIONS.

0::::'./ u pine , oversev ,.' cali co

joint , ne\l l eat u er -LisGue

1 o:;,-:nam would think of adopting such a cours e for remedymg hIS apparent real; but to forbid any" member of the BrIgade under any cIrcumstances to communicate with the. Press on the Drigade "is surely addmg the last straw. ' If It really means that we are to hide our work-great and humanitarian as it is-from the public aealers ana oooKseuers, anu aL me rallway bookstalls. Price in the British Isles, one shilling. Printed and Published by Messrs. DALlIl, RlIlYNOLDS & Co., Ltd .• 46, Cannon St., London, E.C., to whom all communications should be addressed.

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