St John Review (1975)

AT RANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

ADVERTISEMENTS

THE GRAND PRIOR'S Trophy Competitions for 1974 have come and gone, and once again Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, honoured us by her welcome and inspiring presence to witness the latter part of the competitions and to present the trophies and meet judges , casualties , helpers and many of the competitors. It was unfortunate that faulty amplification made it difficult for some of the vast audience to hear her speech, for it yet again showed how accurately Her Royal Highness is aware of the latest doings of St John Ambulance and her own and her family's close interest in them; but no fault in transmission could possibly mask the warmth of our affection for her nor the closeness of her personal involvement in the event.

The men's trophy (full results on p.2) was won by the Police (Lancashire Constabulary) and the women's trophy by the Post Office Ambulance Centre (Brighton). The teams fielded by the St. John Ambulance Brigade (ie. the winners of the 1974 Brigade finals at Croydon) came equal 4th in the men's section and 5th in the women's; but it's worth remembering that the Grand Prior's Competition is essentially a family affair and that the winners , whoever they may be, are always members of St John Ambulance. The 1974 competitions produced two records. First , in these days when men and women are increasingly working together, it was the first time that two of the qualifying teams for the women's trophy included on e or more men (the SJ AB team from Preston , Lancs, and the Ministry of Defence team from Liverpool). Secondly , it was the first time that the leader of the team which won the Grand Prior ' s Trophy for male first-aiders was also the leader of the ' combined ' team which won the Nursing Divisions' trophy in the Brigade finals. Congratulations to Mr. M. Watson of the Lancashire Police and the Preston Combined Youth Division on pulling off this double event. It was a tremendous personal triumph, and yet a personal misfortune for him that , having reached the finals of both sections of the Grand Prior s Competitions, it was inadmissible for him to compete in both of them. The decision on which team he should represent was settled by friendly agreement , and at least he had the great satisfaction of leading his police team to victory.

co ntinued on page 11

Grand Prior's Trophy

A nevv St John organisation • IS born

OSCAR-ECHO-Lima-Delta-f'olCtrot waited in light raim at the end of Heathrow Airport's main rlllnway gently quivering with anticipation, as toough reflecting the feelings of thrge of its occupants Divisiol'1al Officer

(N/C) Mrs. Rosemary Phillippo, Ambulance Member Paul Herbage and I - we're all from I=Iertfordshire - were about to leave fOF a 3-day visit to Vienna, to attend on behalf of the Com.missioner-in-Chief the inauguration @f a new branGh of the Johanniter Unfall Hilfe in Austria. The inauguration ceremony was to be held at the Internatienal Press Vienna, on Saturday October 5.

The steady whine of the engin€s rose to a whistle and the plane's sensational acceleration betweelil he rows of runway lights confirmed that we were off at last into the nigh t - on an adventure which was to exceed even our wildest expectations and was to Ghange the dimensions of our SJA thinking

We flew at 25,000 feet, with a full moon in the east eerily illuminating the expanse of upper cloud layers which seemed but a short way below us.

Dl!le to noise regulatioNs at Vienna airport, our descent was rather rapid and more than a little painful for two of us who suffered decompression effects despite trying all the usual tricks advised by friends. So with partially-blocked hearing we went to the airport passPQrt control a md were rat hl er surprised to see an official spoFting a very effici€nt-looking automatic; m€ tlllFOecl. out to be an amti-hijack man, part of the airport's security system. Another ulilsmiling official asked us in German if we we re 'military' because of our uniforms. I replied, first in English then an attempt in German, 'No , St John Ambulance - Johanniter.' He just stared at me arod shrugged. I tried again: 'Krankwagelil' Ano t her shrug. 'You ronilitaire?' he asked again. 'What is der uniform?' We were bac\( to square one. In any case I decided, why should he know

reported by PHILIP J. PLAYER, Area Commissioner, Herts

about $t John? Wasn' t th 81t th,e I" eason for OUF trip, to melp present St Jlohn to the Austrian people? There were now signs of impatience in the queue behind us. But at last we were allowed into Austria in uniform , to hear over the airport tannoy that our escort was waiting at the information desk.

We were whisked away by car over the 11 kilometres to Vienna , to the house of Herr E. J. T honh, [P resident of the Johanmiter Unfall Hilfe Oestereico (Austria), the JUHO. After formal introductions we were smown into a magnificent room with beautiful murals and baroque furniture where for the next two hours we talked and drank wine.

Paul and I (Rosemary was to stay at Herr l' honke's house) were then driven to the H interbruhl (a suburb of Viem ma ) by the Chal'1cellor of the JUHO, Herr vom Sette , to stay at his home.

The next morning we rejoined Rosemary and Herr Thonke and then drove to the International Press Centre at Gunoldstrasse where we met a contingent of German JUH from Otterbrun, and others from Vienna itself and also f rom Lintz. The Germam JUH had given the JUHO tfu eir first ambulance complete wimh equipment and running costs for a year; later I learned that JUH was also to help with the purchase of uniforms.

After lunch we inspected the new ambulance and met other officials of the JUH, then set tJled down for a general meeting t o precede the iflaug l!l ratio ro this meeting the whole project was gxplained and some of the knottier problems discussed. Later, press and radio representatives were admitted, together with dignitaries representing the Sovereign Military Order (Malta), the International Red Cross (Austria), Protestant a md Ca holic church leaders, and many representatives of the Aust r iam nobility. During the visitors' speechgs I presented a plaque to the President JUHO, Herr Thonke, on behalf of the Commissioner - in - Chief, with the

followi mg: 'I bring greetings from our Commissiomer -in -Chief and the Order in England. We are very interested in your new venture. And we three members are thrilled to be here to share this occasion. We shall pray for your success , and carefully follow your progres s through our contacts. A s a token of our visit , I would like to present y ou with this plaque

Some 95 % of churc fu - going Austrians are Roman Catholic and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta is already well established in Austria in hospital service, as is the International Red Cross. These two organisations do not , however provide an accident help service'. The Austrian arm of the highly successful German JUH is designed to fill existing gaps (but not in a competitive situation) in the emergency services already provided by the various insurance schemes. This new JUHO service will be available to everyone and will be paid for by monies earned via the casualties per s onal insurance schemes

Expa msion of JUHO activities, however, will be largely depen d ent on charity and coopefaltion from the Sovereign M ilitary Order and the Red Cross. In view of the 'indentification of the JUH with the Protestant faith, it is particularly important to present the correct image of this new organisation to the Austrian people The presenoe of the Sovereign Military Order and represemtatives of the Austrian churches at the ililalJgur a tiom ceremony played an important part in achieving this image.

At the close of the proceedings the German JUH training film (seen at Nottingham 1973) was screened and prompted some vigorous discussion, in which SJA wa s much involved

Our party was wonderfl!llly entertained during ou r t h ree-day sta y- in Vienma, and progress of JUHO will be reported m the Review via the links we made with St. John in Austria

Flying High and Far

The Air Wing completes 100,000 mercy miles in less than three yealrs

THE ST JOHN Ambulance Air Wingwhich has added a new dimension to the work of SJ A - recently completed 100,000 miles of flying on mercy missions I€ss than three years after its formation.

The original concept of the Wing was the provision of an air set"vice, manned entirely by qualified volunteer pilots with access to suitable light aircraft, for the rapid and immediate movement of organic spare parts (mainly kidneys) urgently needed for transplant operations. It was also envisaged that the selivice could from time to time play a useful role in flyi wg rare drugs, blood, casualties and sick people when other means of transport are not available or are not fast enough.

The basic; functions of this unique voluntary service , therefore, fit perfec;tly into the overall philosophy of the Order of StJohn which is to serve mankind through the saving of life and the relief of suffering.

A vital factor in successful kidney transplants, of which the Department of Health and Social Security were acutely aware when the idea of an Air Wing was first mooted, is the limited life (about 10 hours) of

a human kidney outside the body if it is to function after transplantMion. Hundreds of miles may lie between the donating and receivimg hospitals , arnd road, rail, sea or scheduled air servi,ces do not always coincide with the time available, particularly at might. It became obvious that a special fast transport service would go a long way to ensuring minimum loss of time in such emergencies

On February 2 1972 the St. John Air Wing was officially inaugurated and a Control Centre , manned round the clock, was set up at St. Margaret's Hospital, Epping Here , requests for assistance are received from the Department of Health's computerised National Organ Matching Service at Bristol and the complex arrangements are made before a mercy mission can become operational.

The Airr Wing started volunteer pilots and the use of eleven ailic;raft. They flew 27 missions during the first year. Demands upon the Air Wing, however, began to grow fast and in 1973 the number of missions more than doubled . By midNovember 1974 the total missions flown

rose to close on 160. The Wing now has at its disposal nearly 100 aircraft and 155 pilots strategically disposed in groups throughout the country from Scotland to the Channel Islan!'ils. Most of the flights have been within the United Kingdom, but others, including some involving the transport of sick and injured people as well as kidneys, have been to points as far away as Agadir in Morocco, RimiI'li in Italy, Majorca , Odense (Denmark), Malmo (Sweden) and Dusseldorf (Germany). The longest flight was on November 5 this year whelil pilots Jack Hilton and Mike Abbott, of Manchester, took a kidney from Liverpool to Copenhagen involving a round trip of 1,450 miles in a flying time of eight hours

Air Wing pilots could not have achieved these results without the co -operation of airfield authorities and their air traffic controllers. The number of airfields available day and nigmt is limited, and often they have to be specially opened for the arrival or departure of Wing aircraft. The priority accorded to Wing planes on emergency missions by civil, RAF , Royal Navy, and U.S. Air Force fields in the UK has been very high Control tower supervisors at international airports have more than once 'stacked' jet ai rr liners so that a srnall St. John plane could make a quick landimg or scud across the oontrol zone before taking ofT on a mercy flight.

The readiness of the meteorological offices, too, to provide special and immediate weather forecasts is of immense importance to Wing pilots.

Most Air Wing flights are uneventfmlas they should be - every now and then difficulties and an element of drama crop up.

Air Wing p lot David Golder of Weybridge, Surrey, receives a human kidney at RAF Lyneharm, urge mtly required for tramsJ!llant in Newcas t le-ulDon - Tyne. The pilot was at n.1 5 am and landed a t N ewcastle an hour a/1ld half later. (Photo: Sunday Minrorl

The control room of the Air Wing at St. MarQlare s H0spital , Epp ng Wirng COl1il liTil ander I'l. H Dmmmonc;j, the Senior Controller, plots a flight for a mission t o the Continent

One night a pilot who was called from his bed dashed to h s airfield, found it in darkness and deserted with fog cJ1eeping in. Me pushed his aeroplane out of the hanger himself, taxied up and down the unlighted runway with his landing light on to make sure there were no obstructions Then , keeping his nosewheel on the centre whiteline, he took ofT for Belfast. Half way across the Irish sea , Belfast informed him that they weJ1e fog-bound and couldn't land. But a famous ship-building company with a private airfield a few miles to the east reported that they were still clear of fog and cheerfully turned out their stafT, opened up and saw to it that a safe landing concluded a very important mission.

On another occasion two Air Wing pilots landed at Paris-Orly at night just as fog closed in. A French hand grabbed the

precious package containing the kidney and then disappeared leaving the pilots alone and lost in the middle of a huge expanse of tarmac They crept around, found a parking space and then managed to locate a couple

FIRST AID FOR AN AUTHOR by Geoffrey Trease

I WONDER if any bright young cadet can help me? I am just starting an adventure story , to be published as a Puffin paperback, about the work of the Order of St. John in tlnJe late Middle Ages, in the year 1480 to be precise. I have an incident when some boys, playing football in the fields near the old St. John's Priory at Clerkenwell in London, get into a fight with some other boys. One is quite badly hurt -I have not yet decided just how he is injured - and as there was no organisation teaching first aid in those times his frrieflds do not how wllat to do. Their

problem is solved by the arrival of an elderly gentleman from the Priory, a Knight of St. John , who knows just the right treatment.

Any ideas about what the injury might be, and how the Knight treated it? Remember, it must be in line with what people knew in 1480. They had some very odd remedies in those bygone days, but the Knights of St. John were very experienced and sensible, and r imagine they had better first aid notions than most people, even if they did not use the modern phrase 'first aid'. But €v€n the Knights would not know many

of beds in town. But next morning when they returned to the airport they had a terrible job finding their plane!

Such can be flying with the St. John Air Wing thin g s that a cadet knows today, and c;ertainly they would not have all the readymade equipment of our first aid boxes, so we have got to think of what they could have done in 1480

Suggestions quickly please! A book takes a long time to write, and then a lot longer to print and put into the shops. Getting the fac;ts right, and the ideas, is just the start of the author's work

Send y our ideas to: Mr. Geoffrey Trease, St. John Review, St. John Ambulance HQ , 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London, SWIX 7EF.

Major Sir Harry Sinderson, KBE, CMG, MVO, Knight of Justice

Mr. Horace Parshall, former Director General, writes:

Our Confrere, the late Sir Harry Chapman Sinderson Pasha, led a life fulfilling the discharge of almost limitless responsibility. In addition to the high recognition awarded to him in our own country and in the Order, he was publicly monoured in Sweden, Jordan, Iraq, Hedjaz, Iran amd His association with Their Majesties Kings Faisal I and II is almost legendary.

Some twenty years or so ago, through the

kindness of Lady Bessborough (who knew I was seeking a County Director for Sussex in the newly conceived Association), he and I met. He showed me a formidable programme to which his retirement time was devoted He asked whether what was left could be of value to the Association. You will guess the answer. He immediately set to work planning the areas in Sussex for development into Centres. He appointed chairmen, suggested committees , insisted jjhat I be present at the dedication of each new Centre

In other hands the task would have been difficult. In his, no problem appeared. He

was successful from the start and brought encouragement and inspiration to the new concept of Association work in those early days, when confidence was most needed. His lucid explanations of the aims of the Association reinforced the help and support of the St. John Ambulance Brigade without which the Association could not be viable. He was a pioneer, nearly a quarter of a century ago and a beloved example to many counties who were attempting to introduce the new pattern and have since succeeded. I mourn him as a friend, an adviser and a Confrere devoted to the Order. He erected a monument more lasting than bronze.

BEM

Congratulations to 79-year-old Edward Barnes, of London, SWI3, a SJA member for 38 years, who was presented with the British Empire Medal by the Lord Lieutenant of London during November. Mr. Barnes became a Serving 13rother of the Order in 1968.

YOUR WAY?

Brian Johnston will be visiting St J@hn in one of the 'Down Your Way' BBC programmes on Sunday, January 19, with a repeat on January 21.

SPECTACLE

Just after 9am on Saturday, Novermber 9, beneath the towering skyscrapers of London Wall, the first units of St John were already assembled for that great annual London spectacle - the Lord Mayor's Show. There were about 25 members from each section - nursing, ambulance, and cadets - drawn from the five Areas of London District which has ] 0,000 members. They had a long wait, but eventually the procession moved ofT, to pass the Mansion House at about 12.20pm, where they were joined by the Lord Mayor, Sir Murray Fox, in his gilded coach and followed by a mounted escort of Household Cavalry. Then began the great processiom through 2 %-miles of the bleart of London. Although there was some variation of the ambulance cadet uniforms on parade -a mixture of old amd new - the St Jolm contingent looked very smart. They had with them the latest mobile unit from the London Transport Corps, together with four walkie-talkie radio operators, one of whom was in touch with operational control throughout the procession.

Normal SJ A coverage for the day in-

AROUND and ABDUl

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

volved 28 first aid posts, 12 mobile first aid units and 12 ambulances at strategic points, and about 400 uniformed nnl embeFs along the route.

SAILOHI

I hear that tentative plans are being made by SJA Sussex to arrange two crl!lises on the Sail Training Association's schooners 'Sir Winston Churchill and 'Malcolm Miller' in 1976 Oli '77 , each to be manned exclusively by young adult members of the Brigadeone for boys and one for girls , age 16 to 21.

In order to ge a first -hand impression and full report on the cruises, Sussex is proposing that two or three suitably qualified 13rigade officers should join cruises in 1975 as members of the afterguard, either as watch officers (experienced yachtsmen would be ideal), navigator , purser or supernumerary.

After fi he cruise, the County wa mts a full report on the expedition, its suitability for Brigade members of the 16 to 21 age group , amd ali relevant factors relating to the projected Brigade cruises in 1976.

The cost of the venture would be a minimurl'l of £2§ , and for the lad y members the SJA is anxious to have nurses , so SRNs are particularly suitable.

Sussex county secretary is handling enquiries.

LONDON CHANGES

Important changes in SJ A personnel in Soufih Lon don were announced by Col. H. A Lewis on November 23. Speaking at the S-W Area annual dinner , Col. Lewis said tmat Dr. C A . Osborn would be leav ing the Area on January 1 to become District Surgeon. Popular 'Doc' Osborn s pl a ce as S-W Area Commissioner will be t a ken by Mr. George Smith , training officer for the District. Another important change is that Mr. Fred W. Witch will be promoted from S- W Area superintendent to District public duty officer, a post which with so many public demonstrations in London carries great responsibility His place will be taken by Mr. John Kibble.

Another change announced from January 1 was that Dr. Colin E. Dawson , of South Eastern Area will be Deputy District Surgeon to Dr. Osborn

BACK AND FORWARD Sunday, October 20, was a day to look back and forward for Farnham Quadrilateral Division. At their headquarters

THE GREAT PROCESSION

BY

THE EDITOR

they made a presentation to their retired founder president and also formed a new cadet section.

Founder President Mr. Allan P Tice, who served the Division from 1935 to 1972, was presemted with a silveli salver from past and present members by Sergeant E. Bloxham , the last founder member still with the division. Mr. l'ice s successor as president is Mr. Maurice Elphick.

The new cadet section , named Farnham Bor d er Combined Cadets as it covers the border of Surrey and Hampshire , was formed because of 'so much interest shown by loc a l children in St John ,' said Surrey Count y Commander Lt. Col. R . B. Readh ead

Earlier in the day cadets and juniors of the new section marched with their acting Divisional Officer Mr. D. Wright to a local church for an enrolment ceremony at which Surrey County Commissioner D A Hicks enrolled 10 cadets. A parents' association has also been formed

FLYING SISTER CLAIRE

DSO Weston, organiser of a recent London District air attendants course which received flight experience at No.5 Flying Training School, RAF Oakington (article Will you fly with me? Sept. 1974 Review) , reoently presented the station commander Group Captain P B. MacCorkindale with a St John plaque for their help (photo above).

Next day Miss Bertschinger, a student nurse at Paddington s St Mary s Hospital with sights set on being a 'flying sister', obtained her private pilot's licence. (Photo left: at the controls).

Mr. Weston was accompanied by Miss Claire Bertschinger , nursing member of Halilow Division, who is learning to fly and was in fact about to take her pilot's licence the day after the visit to Oakington. Hearing this, the school's senior flying instructor took Miss Bertschinger for a flight after the presentation, handing the plane's controls over to her.

( Right) Retired "'resident of Farnham Quadrilateral Div ision Mr. Allen P Ti c e receives a silver salver

y

-o ld Mrs. Arm Cable , of London District s N.182 Bowes Park Division , went to Buckingham Palace at the end of October to collect her certificate for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award from HRH.

Her work for the award included gliding , boy , girl and marriage (being assessed by m a rriag e g uidanc e c ounsellor s), a study of the National He a lth Se livice fli om the family point of view , and the adventure section took her to the New Forest.

Ann , who holds the Grand Prior 's badge is on probation for officership with CN 207 Bowes Park division. (Photo above)

I bet she s a good cook , Mr. Cable.

MIND BENDERS (answers)

The Chief Commander Sir William Pike (below) opened Grays (Esse x) Ambulance Division s

ANOTHER NEW HQ

Bombs

The recent tragic wave of terrorist bombings in London and other cities has provide@ yet aan othe li test of the readiness of St John mem bers to act, both individually and collectively in any s l!l dden emergency.

I think it is fair to say that so automatic are the reactions of our members in a moment of cri sis if the y happen to be passers-by or within call , that on many occasions they give life -saving first aid and then disappear in the crowd with o ut being identified with the result that we ne ver hear about them and they do not receive the individual commendation that they deserve.

Consequentl y, the cases that have so far come to our notice at Headquarters are cerainl y not thou g ht to be the only ones nor necessarily the most outstanding ones ; but I think that one or two of them are wortln quoting as typical examples and as an e ncouragemelilt to others.

When the murderous bomb attacks were made on two bars in Birmingham on the evening of November 21 , the authorities did not officiall y call out St John Ambulance, but many members reported immediately either to the s cene of the incidents or to County HQ.

Wine latter were sen t on t o Birmingham General H o spital and gave valuable assistance in the overworked casualty department, where the County Nursing Ofti Ger was on duty in her professional capacity. In addition , eight Brigade ambulances were deployed among hospitals involved , and were used to convey to their homes ma rn y of t he casualties who were treated for milil @ r injurie s.

Four da ys later , when 21 persons were injured by time -bombs which exploded in three different pillarboxes in London during the r ush hour , N / M Miss Angela FitzWilliams of the Westminster Nursing Division was walking down Piccadilly on her way to her weekly divisiona l training evening when a pilla rr lDox bOliil1b exploded a few yards aw ay Helped hy two policemen and a bystander , she immediately went to the aid of the injured and personally treated seven casualties , one of whom had severe facial inuries with glass in the e yes , and the other six had injuries to the lower limbs she later escorted one of the injured to University College Hospital.

Bl!lt the li e is another side to tile coi n . On the same evening (November 25) Miss Lydia PriGe was walking past the Metropole Cinema in Victoria Street when the third of pillarbox bombs went off, injuring several passer s- by She had taken a first aid cour se when she was a scho Qlgirl five years previously, but to her horror she realised that she had no t kept her knowledge sufficiently \!I I:) to date to e mable her to act with confi dence in an emergency.

Fortunately there were others present who

quite out standin g quality of h is instruction

Charity stamps

IT RANDOM

(contd. from page 1)

were better qualified Her own sense of inadequac y shook her so much that she promptl y r a ng our Headquarters to ask where she could take a course. I think that everyone should learn first aid ,' she said to me on the phone ' and keep it up to date.'

T he happy ending to this story is that Lydia is now well on her way towards completing a first aid course which started in Battersea on December 12

Where's the Chief Commander?

Learn first aid and keep it up to date. was forcibly reminded of this a few weeks ago when 1 was looking for the Chief Commander and found he was taking a one -day revision course in first aid to 'brush h im up for hi s Brigade re -exam and I realised that it was time 1 did the same So I booked in for the ver y next revision course available

There were about 40 of us on the course, almost all of whom were re-examinees from industry, but also including (besides myself) my secretary and the HQ Staff Officer for Cadets.

We were put through our paces pretty inten sively , both in practical work and in th eor y, from just after 9am till about 3 30pm and then given a very thorough reexam in which we were by no means let off lightly - even if it was less searching than the divisional re-exam that 1 remember takilil g some 15 years ago , when the eKaminer said to me ' N ow 1 want y ou to treat this lady who has been bitten on the bottom b y a barracuda ' - and I'm thankful to sa y that we all passed

This was the first time that I'd e ver sat at the feet of Mr. Jimmy Newcombe our Headquarters Training Officer. Having myself beem a lay instructor fOli many years , and having seen and heard the instruction given by many others , I should like to pay a ve r y warm tribute of thank s to him for the

1 hear that the Post Office is issuing a charity' postage stamp this month for the first time ever in this country, though caritas' stamps have for many years been a very profitable means of raising money for charities on the continent.

The charities that will benefit from their sale here will be chosen from among those involved in the treatment of physical and mental disabilities addiction, and the welfare , rehabilitation and care of the sick and di s abled The date of first issue will be January 29 , and it will be an ordinary first clas s mail stamp costing 6p instead of 4Y2P, the additional 1Y2P being devoted to charity.

This is a venture which St John members will undoubtedly welcome and which I hope they will all support. There are many ways of doing this , varying with one's personal means and inclination , but one possible way would be to decide that for every (say) tweny 4 Y2P stamps bought by an individual or family fi ve 6p charity stamps should also be bought at the same time.

Those interested in ' first day covers' could go further than this by posting on January 29 envelopes bearing charity stamps and addressed to their friends (or even to themselves) and later selling them at enhanced value in the cause of charity.

So please watch out for the date , and for the stamps , and do your best to make this ventu r e a successful fund-raising effort in the service of mankind

SJ adventure story

Geoffre y Trease is writing an adventure story for y oung people , based on the history of the Order of St John in the days when its headquarters was in Rhodes 1 must confess that 1 only became of Geoffrey Trease s books about a year ago, and the fact that I've only read five of them since then is solely because 1 find that when 1 pick one of them up 1 can't put it down , and the result is somewhat disruptive to the carrying out of one s daily duties

He tells me that although he writes primarily for teenagers he has fans of all ages and that two of them were the 86-yearold Sir Charles Trevelyan and his 80 -yearold brother Professor G. M. Trevelyan (the historian of Garibaldi about whom two of Geoffrey Trease ' s best stories - Follow my Black Plume and A Thousand/or Sicilywere written ). So I' ve quite a long way to go yet before I can qual ify as his oldest known fan

As y ou ' ll see on page 7, he wants your help over a small problem of first aid which resourceful cadets might be able to solve. Do please help him quickly , for 1 guess it will be a t least another year before his book comes out , and 1 just can t wait to read it!

EVERY DAY FIRST AID

- an easy-to-understand series of advice that will help YOU to cope with FAM I LY ACCIDENTS

DIRECT VIOLENCE INJURIES part one

by Dennis Clark, M6E, FRC:S

Minor wounds

WE HAVE allieady Toloticed that when the body falls in uncontrolled movement, injury is often due to indirect violence and the damage due to direct violence depends on the irregularity, sharpftess or hardness of an object struck during the falL Now we must think of injuries due to direct violence when a moving object strikes a still body. Such objects can be sharp , blunt or fast moviNg and usually cause a wound if they are moving forcibly enough.

Sharp objects, carri€ld by everyone, are found in almost every wom and present in gardens, woods, fields and streets. In the pockets or <l:lothing of the average group of people there may be pocket knives, scissors, safety-pins, hat-pifts, ordinary pins, brooches , aIild many other objects that cut and scratch. In the kitchtm there are knives and forks, occasionally broken glass or china and jagged-edged tin cans. In the bathroom we can find razors and razorblades. ] n the living lioom scissors, needles, knitting-needles, sharp toys and 'home-work'

tools such as compasses and dividers. In the garden or shed there are spades, forks, sickles, bill-hooks, scythes, shears, ha t chets, axes, pruning-knives, mowers, broken glass near glass-houses or frames and a large variety of prickles, thorns and barbs (including barbed wilie). ]n the carpentry class workroom or in do-it-yourself kits are saws, nails, chisels aftd planes. Teeth , too, have to b€ remembered when dealing with animals,

In general the sharp€r the tool the cleaner the cut and the more jagged the edge the more ragged the wound. Pointed objects make small wounds bu n go in deeply, causing hidden damage.

Blunt objects that cause injury are often thrown or fall from a height (stones, rocks, cricket-balls) or are wielded (bats, clubs, bottles, sticks) Oli attached to a limb (boxinggloves, boots or horses hooves). They usually bruise soft tissues by crushing betweeIil the object aJIilQ tme deeper bones. ]f the skin lies close to bone, as in the scalp or over the shins, a blow with a blunt object can

cause a split almost as clean as a cut and a severe blow can proGllUlce am open fracture. Very large hard objects crush by their weight, producing harmful effects leading to shock and kidney failure , If these large objects are softer (vehicle tyres or rubber rollers) tlhey can strip the skin and underlying fat off the muscles like a sleeve, so harming the blood supply to the skin that it may die later even though the damage immediat@ly after the accident does not look severe.

Fast moving objects are usually the result of road traffic accidents, industrial accidents or explosions. These projectiles ca mse either large wounds or penetrating wounds with small entries but involving several deep structures.

There are so many objects causing wounds that no list can be complete and no attempt to learn them should be made. Only be aware that a careful history of an accident is important in indicating the possible complications of a wound from a particular

form of direct violence. What are these complications? They are quite simply remembelied: infection, bleeding and damage hi) structures under the skin. is a subtle risk. As first-aiders we never see its results for they do not develop until the germs, gaining entry through a wOUlmo , h av e h ad time to mulltiply and cause inflammation, Germs (bacteria), microscopic in size, are present in the air, in water, in clothing, in soil in manure and on the surface of the skin In their proper places amd doing their proper 'jobs' the great majority of bacteria are beneficial to man but several kinds can be deadly dangerous within the tissues of the body. They are exclud(lld by healthy skim They must be kept out of a wound - and that is part of the duty of a first-aider Cleansing the wound is only practical for small surface wounds, cuts and @! brasio ms which can be ]p ut under a tap or cleaned with sterile cotton wool (moistened with boiled water starting at the centre of the wound and working towards und a maged skim). In most emergencies the deeper wounds (those that go right through

Teddy finds a good home

the s kin into the under-lying fat) cannot be cleansed satisfactorily by first -aiders in the field. These wounds often need surgical cleansing, which may mean cutting away torn or infected tissue , This is a surgeon's job and not a first-aiders's. Generally first aid to the wound will consist of bleeding control wound dre ss ing and fixing the dressing. Control of bleeding will be later in this series but the treatment of a minor wound after cleansing can be mentioned now. However small the wound the dressing must be clean and, if possible , sterile.

Suitable individually wrapped sterile dressings mounted on adhesive plasters ean be obtained and, because they are so useful, should be a part of a first aid kit. If sterile dressings are not available smooth cloth , clean handkerchiefs , the inside folds of 'tissues' and even the inside of new plastic bags can be used. Always remember to keep the hands and dressings as clean as the emergenc y allows even though the wound be trivial and even though a surgeon is about to take over. Remember too that, once a dressing is opened and handled , it is no

longer sterile. This must mean the refusal of kind offers of shirts or dirty handkerchiefs as emergency dressings at all times.

To summarise the treatment of a minor wound using our full first aid procedure:

Assessment:

Minor violence causing minor Injury (but beware of hidden dangers).

Diagno sis

Small wound involving skin alone. Minor bleeding Main danger is infection.

Treatment:

Clean sing, under tap or with cotton wool moistened with boiled water. Dress with sterile dressing fixing the dre ss ing, usually with adhesive plaster.

Disposal:

Casualty can usually be allowed to walk home but the casualty must be s ent to hospital if there is any suspicion of infection caused by dirty objects (such as teeth or some insect stings) or contamination by dirt however small the wound or trivial the violence.

IT WAS a day to remember for members of SJA Hampshire's Eastleigh Divisions when re oe ntly the Duke of Gloucester visited the town to open a new block of flatlets for the e lderly provided by the Hampshire Voluntary Housing Society.

The warden of tme flatlets , Mrs, Eve le lile Mill s, who conducted the Duke on his tour of the building , has served St. John as a Cadet Divisional Supt Area Supt (N) and President , and mer husband, who has been iLl tile Brigade for 40 y€ars, is Deputy County Commissioner for Hampshire

After the formalities of opening the building the Duke asked to inspect the strong corn ti ngent o f St. JOAm personnel on duty. The nursing personnel were introduced by Lady M. Power County Supt. (N), and the ambulance members by the Deputy County Com m issioner Ca]pt. W. Mills

During his tour the Duke stopped to admire a stall of large teddy bears made by Mrs. Mills and to the delight of everyone accepted an oflier to take one home. A letter mas since bee m received expressing the thanks of the Duchess for the gift of the Teddy

(Below) Eastleigh members being in tr oduced to the Duke of Gl o ucester, and (right) ust what HRH had b een looking for

( Photo s: L. Harvell Eastleigh)

A 1930s ph Gtograph taken at the Feast 0f the Holy Fire. A man who has snatched the Holy fire in the courtyard of the Ho ly Sepu lc hre is 'c haired by hysterical crowds

FOLLOWING an army engagement with a horsed brigade of artillery in 1936 I joined the Palestine Police. At that time , Palestine was in a state of rebellion and the Palestine Police had a complex and dangerous situatioN on their hands A situation made all the more difficult by the fact t\;)a t gangster terrorists faded away tempOIiarily, burying their arms and joining the civilian population , only to deal out sudden deathoften at isolated Police Posts and Jewish settlements - in a grim startling fashion which not only shocked the country but provided a news spotlight for the world's press I embarked aboard the li nerr, 'Viceroy of IFldia' at Tilbury one blustery Mareh afternoon and found I was one of a contingent of 60 Palestine Police recruits, I am never unhappy at sea and everyone enjoyed the voyage. The sunshine and the good food combined to restore systems which had become jaded from an English winter Tli1e dawn of March 24 found us gliding ove l1 shimmering waterrs tow ards Port Said and as we approached the entrance to the Suez Canal we saw the outline of the prominent statue of Ferdinand De Lesseps,

John E. Dane's article The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Nov. 74 Review) prompted reader CLIFfORD R. STANLEY to tell us of his as a policeman in 1937, ail: the ...

Feast of the Holy Fire

Held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at Easter

the renowned French engineer who first projected the canal in 1852 and thus connected the Mediterranean with the Red Sea. Waiting to receive us at the landing s tage was a uniformed British Inspector of the Palest in e Police resplendent in a mighly polished Sam Browne belt , shining staFs on the lapels of his bl!lshshirt, amd wearing a black astrrakhan high-cFOwmed Kalpac laced with a silver flash denoting his rank - a relic of the former Turkish rule in Palestine. A check of documents, Customs formalities ensued. Later we entrained for Kantara , on the Palestine border, terminus of the railway to Palestine whlich was so frequently sabotaged by the lege mdary 1' E. Lawremce o f Arabia during World Wa F [. MeFe we were confronted with a phenomenal s pecta l1:1e of an ocean liner gliding so undlessly through sand. A closer view revealed the great vessel travelling through the sand-banked Suez Canal en rC)lJte to the Far East - a most curious sigmt. We were ferl1ied across the canal, boarded a J errusalenn traim and began a tedilol!.ls sixteen hour journey through! the endless and inhospitable Sinai Desert - an unforgettable journey when carriage windows were hurriedly

tend te develop the s lightest inci dent int o a catastrophe of unknown dimensions. Some idea of the politic a l ten s ion at thi s eventful period may be gathered he fact that Easter is ce lebrated on the differernt days of Easter week re s pectively by the Greek, Coptic and Russian sects apart from the Jewish Feast o f the Passover and Christian celebrations. The delicate situation is not made any easier when it will be remembered that three holy days exist in the Holy Land. Friday is revered by the Moslems the Jews hold sa cred Satl\1f@ay and the Christians observe Sunday. In consequence , exceptionally large numbers of Christians and Jews converge on Jerusalem , not only from the Levant but from all over the world. The presence of the large Jewish influx was a cause of a nxiety to the Moslem Elders during the period between the two wars, who were ClIpp rehensive of the Jews converging upon the Mosque of Omar the reputed site of the Temple of Solomon . To thwart any possible Jewi s h insurrection they ina ugurated the Feast of a hitherto obscure sa int - St. Moses - ('Nebi Musa' in Arabic.) It was ordained during this Feast which lasted throughout the whole of the Christian and Jewish Feast of Easter and Passever that large contingents of Moslem Arabs from the outlying townships of Hebron Gaza, Beersheba and from the 'Triangle of Terror ', Nablus , Tulkarem and Jenin should make pilgrimage processions to the Mo s que of Omar thus making available a force majeure able to resist any possible Jewish insurrection of the Mosque of Omar. The Mosque of Om.ar is believed

closed to escape the interminable fine sand sp ray which covered everyone and eve r y thing, only to be opened again as the temperature within became unbearable.

Outside Jerusalem Railway Station , behind a queue of glistening English and American limousines with Arab drivers in their r1ative FObes and picturesque head-gear, were parked several 15 and 30 cwt., sandcoloured police trucks all fitted with Lewis machine guns on quick-turning swivel stands manned by two British constables. Soon we were on the Scopus road en route to the modern Police Depot and Trainimg School. The next day we were squadded and the training programme explained to us. Squad and riot dispersal drill with batons and shields. general police duties, laws of evidence. criminal procedure, small arms trainin g and practice , unarmed combat and tuition in either Arabic or Hebrew languages was to be our lot for the next three months.

Easter time irn Palestine was not olilly a matter gf cornce m to the Police b l!l t one frau g ht with much diffic l!l lty. The varied nationalities. their contentious characters and frequent savage manners and customs

by the Moslems to be the place from where the Prophet Mohammed flew to heaven on a white stal lion , and is seoond only as a shrine to Mecc a Part of the outer w a ll of the famous mosque, internationally known as The Wailing Wall,' is undoubtedly the exterior wall of the Temple of Solomon, built of ma ssive boulders weighing anything up to 70 tons each. It is here that the Jews lam e nt the departed glories of Israel.

Feast of the Holy Fil'e

On Easter Saturday morning I was one of a large reserve of officers on duty at the Tower of David Citadel, which served as Jerusalem Central Police Barracks , when I was assigned for duty in connection with the centuries-old Greek Feast of the Hol y Fire.

Many of us were instructed to keep a clear path round the Tomb itself, while others

A uniq u e photograph of a deceased Patriarch s tting in state' p rior to burial n the Garden of Gethsemene

were required to guard restricted areas in the Basilica and e n s ure that one sect did not encroach upon t he sacre d ground of another - an eventuality which we were told might be re gar ded as sac rilege and lead to riot and bloodshed. Before moving off we were warned that each sect was intensely jealou s of each other's rights and privileges and the importance of combining vigilance with g reat forbearance, tact and reverence was made very clear.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre occupies a si te almost in the centre of the Old City of Jerusalem, reputedly on Mount Calvary which includes the 14th Station of the Cross - the si te of the Crucifixionand the Tomb of Christ. Erected by the Reman E mp e ror Constantine the Great in the year 335 AD -- it was all but destroyed by fire in October, 1808 Restored chiefly by

Church

The

of the Holy Sepulc;hre (left) ext-erlor, and (right) interior

the Greek Orthodox Church - work was finished and the restored chun:h dedicat ed anew by September , 1810 - it may account for the fact that neither the Anglican nor any of the Protestant fraternities enjoy any special privileges there.

1m J l!l ne, 1927 the church was severely shaken by an earthquake and since then the outer facade nas been corseted in steel and timber. The denominatioms which tenant some part of the Church of the Holy Se Ji> ulchre include three major communities: Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian Orthodox ; and three minor, Egyptian Copts, the Syrian Church and the AlDyssinian Church.

Outside the church the c rowds were so dense that we had to force a passageway through and one fellow officer waggishly remarked that 'progress was being made through heavy civilian opposition.' Inside , the meat was overpowering and we w@re soon reduced to a state of moral exhaustion. At last we reached our allotted positions round the Tomb under the great Rotunda.

Everywhere fanatical Greeks, Syrians, Copts and Armenians clutchirog bumdles of canales were shouting and waving their arms in great excitement. Beads of perspiration dripped from everyone's face and hamds. The galleries running round the Rotunda were packed to capacity with pilgrims and their families. In the Coptic sector hastily erected quarters perched om wooden scaffoldingsome of the flimsiest nature - had b@en occupied by whole families from the early hOl!lrs of Maundy 'fhwrsday

Suddenly a wave of excitement came over the vast polyglot thmng as His Beatitude, Trne Greek Patriarch, accompanied by mis bishops, resplendent in a dazzling jewelled mitre and vividly coloured episcopal robes, entered the Basilica at the head of a solemn procession of tn@ Greek Orthodox Church.

Escorted by a strong police escort the Greek Patriarch and his bishops dressed im black cassocks, efltered the Greek Church opposite the Tomb Re-appearing shortly afterwards toe aged man slowly aSQended th@ steps of the Tomb, where, within view of the vast congregation, he was divested of his holy rGlbes by his bishops. Finally, searched for means of igflition by the District Commissioner - a modern counterpart of the medieval provincial governor the Patriarch then entered the doors of the Tom1r>.

As he did so a dramatic hush and a feeling of te nseness came over the watcroing crowds. My eyes rested on the flameblackemed holes at the side of the cracked walls of the Tomb. Instinctively I reared back as spurts of flame suddenly belched from them. Pa lildemonium was let loose as a tumultuous flush of excitement bordering on madness swept over tlnem and I was face to

face with a shrieking mass of people who suddemly surged fO Ii war @ to liglnt theiIi candles.

Tn desperation my colleagues gripped hands in a vain effort to keep the rapidly diminishin g path round the Tomb clear. Then im the midst of the confusion, as we tried to collect our wit s and think straight, a team of half naked mem gmspililg flam,ing torches began the first lap of their journeys to their own chapels scattered far and wide over Palestine. This was a ceremony having its origin in Czarist days when relays of runners earrile@ a flaming torch to the Port of JatTa, where a Russian destroyer was coaled to full steam in immediate readiness to convey the Holy Flame to Petrograd. As the runners forced their way through the swirling crowds, rival sects tried to seiz e the torohes, which did not make our task any easier.

In the meantirome burning candles appeared everywhere. Even the occupants of the galleries were frantically hauling on string cllJsters of burning camdles which swayed dangerously over the heads of the great throng below. In a oomfrused medley of ringing and gong-clashing, priests began delivering exhortations and prayers were offered to many discordant sounds which grated on my ears.

As r gazed over the stramge scene I became fascinated at the unusual spectacle of men and women bathing their hands and faces im exposed flame which seemingly possessed the perculiarity of not burning them, for no one, as far as I could see, seemed in any way affected by burns. On the contrary, their faces displayed a look of fierce and ecstatic joy.

By this time , many had worked

themselve s up to frightful state of excitement. Overcome by heat and the stifling atmosphere, many fell down as if stricken with paralysis Everywhere was tine overpowering smell of tightly-pressed human bodies , burning wax and singeing clothes, all of which, combined with an outside temperature of 120 degrees, created an atmosphere which almost became impo ss ible. And then amongst this inconceivable pandemonium H is Beatitude, The Greek Patriarch, clad in his rich vestments, emerged from the Tomb grasping li g hted candles in each hamd As he descended he joined the head of a bannered procession of assembled clergy and choirs when, despite the police cordon, many overzealous votaries broke through to kiss the hem of his garments. Slowly this ritual procession in all its panoply made its solemn and cr a b-like progression round the Tomb, the first of three such perambulations. Similar ritual arrangements of the Armenians Syrians and Copts each led by their own Patriarchs , followed. As they each finally d sappeared withilil the privacy of their own chapels , the great throng gradually dispersed and stillness and tranquillity eventually supervened. Decorum and solemnity once more superseded chaos and disorder. Thoughtfully r went out into the sunshine to join my compatriots sickened with the forceful and striking cameo of envious competItIOn between the varied branches of the Christian faith, all so utterly devoid of the sombre dignity which we associate with Divine Service at home.

(First published in the Bermuda Police ma f; azil1e)

(Photo:

Where young people are anxious to join St. John

AFTltR two years of hard work, SJA's Queenborough and Sheppey Rural Divi s ion, Kent , has moved into its new £3,000 prefabricated headquarters at Sheerness. Formerly , the Division met in a Nissen hut at the rear of the new building , but with the expanding interest in the work of St John and more young people anxious to join, a new HQ was a 'must' for Queenborough and Sheppey.

With a grant from the Kent Education Committee and money raised by donations, jumble s ales, rames, dances and coffee mornings - professionals erected the main structure of the new building , while members then set to and did the wiring, plumbing , decoratin g and hundred -and-one other jobs.

This combined division has 15 ambulance and 13 nursing members, and 15 ambulance and 30 nursing cadets Why so many cadets to adult members?

Perhaps it's bec ;: use the division runs a yowth club , originally started by the parents' association. But now the cadets run the club themselves with their own committee under the chairmanship of their superintendent.

C a dets can invite two friends to come along to their youth club, which meets twice weekly at the new HQ Wednesday evening activities include physical recreation (to let off steam ?) , discussion groups and hamdicraft; on Saturday evenings there's a disco , games and refreshments for sale.

Sheerness sounds as though it's a lucky town. Isn 't this the sort of home-from-home atmosphere that St John should be creating in every town - as a focal point for young people who only too often 'need somewhere to go '? Somewhere where they want to go?

READERS VIEWS

SJ/RED CROSS MAGAZINE?

from John L. Springer, Divisional Superintendent

It was disturbing to read (Nov. AT RANDOM) that the Red Cross now has no organisational magazine.

Is any suggestion that there shoul@ be a joint St Johm and Red Cross publication? This would perform a number of very valuable fIJnctions:

(a) Sales would rise.

(b) People in what should logically be a single organisation would at least learn something about problerns and activities iN commON or unique to one another's grQUps.

(c) And this would eventually lead to a triumph of reason over pamchialism.

Huddersfield John L. Springer

HOMER'S FIRST A1D

from Jack Hewitt, Area Superintendent

The history of the ambulance movement is the history of the world, and studemts of thle classics wiU find a superb description of ambulance work at the end of the eleventh book of the Iliad of Homer, who flourisl1ed 1000 BC It reads 6n translatiofol from Greek): Patwclus was profoundly moved by Nestor's words and set off at the double along the line of ships to rejoin his royal master. He was still running when he teached the ships of King Odysseus, tme place where they held their assemblies and their legal sessions and had put up tioteir altars to the gods. There he was met by El!laemon's highborn son Eurypylus, limping back from the battle with a wound from an arrow in his thign. Sweat was poming from his head and shoulders, and the blood ran dark from his paimful wound, but his mind was not affected. The gallant Patroclus was moved to compassion at the sight , and in his distress Cor EurypyllJs me ]1>ictmed ali tm@ Danaan Captains

Readers' views alil€! opirllions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St. John and its Foundations. Although readers may sigrll published letters with a pen-name, writers must supply their name and address to the editor.

and Comnsellors, far from their dear ones and the land of their fathers, filling the nimble dogs of Troy with their white flesh.

He appealed to Eurypylus. 'My noble lord', he asked, 'is there any hope of holding the monstrous Hector in check, or will the Achaeans fall to his spear and be destroyed today?'

'My Lord Patroclus,' replied the wounded Eurypylus, 'there is no salvation for the Achaeans now; they will fall by their own black ships. All our former champions are lying there already, wounded by Trojan spears or arrows, and all the time the enemy grow stronger. But at least you can rescue me, and see me safe to my black ship. I want you to Cl!lt out this arrow from my thigh, wash off the blood with warm water and spread soothing ointment on the wound. They say you have some excellent prescriptions that you learnt from Achilles, who was taught by Cheiron, the civilized Centaur. I cannot appeal to our surgeons Podaleirius and Machaon, for [ near that one of them is lying wounded in camp, in need of a good physician himself, while the other is still hotly engaged with the Trojans in the field.'

'This is intolerable,' Menoetius' gallant son exclairned. 'What are we to do, my Lord Eurypylus? I am on my way to Achilles, my wise master, with a message from Gerenian Nestor, the Warden of Achaea. All the same I am not going to leave you in the lurch, exhausted as you are.'

As he spoke, he put his arm round the great captain's waist and supported him to his hut. When he saw him, Eurypylus' squire spread some hides on the floor, and there Patroclus laid him down, cut the sharp point of the arrow out of his thigh with a knife and washed away the dark blood from the wound with warm water. Then he teased out the foot of a bitter herb in his hands and applied it to the place. It was a sedative, which banished all his pain. The wound began to dry and blood ceased to flow.

Having read this, I thought it well worth passing on to Review readers

Doper

Jack Hewitt

ORDER INVESTITURE

November 281974

CHAPLAIN

The Rev. John Francis Morgan Llewellyn (London)

The Very Rev. John Chester Hughes (Leics)

COMMANDER (Brother)

Framk Ernest Colvin Barnes (Surrey)

Angus Everard , MB , ChB (Devon)

Ral'J;l h Hantley {Sussex)

Air Marshall Geoffrey Howard Dhenin AFC, GM, QPH , MA, MID, Ch.B, MRCS, LRCP, MFCM, DPH FRAeS (Surrey)

H€rlilert Frederick Klilott (Berks)

Air Vice Marshal Ronald James Arthur Morris, QHS, MB, O.Il, MFCM, DPH (Bucks)

COMMANDER (Sister)

Lady Alexandra Metcalfe (London)

Valerie Anne Mrs. Trebilcock (Devon)

Frances Hilda Mrs. Denning (Sussex)

Ivy Lilian, Miss Robinson (Sussex)

Sybil Laura Miss Luxton , SRN, SCM (Cornwall)

OFFICER (Brother)

John William Moody (Lancs)

Brigadier Neil Barclay (Salop)

Major Mervyn James Malcolm TD (Devon)

RogeF Fletcher (Essex) ,.

Major Thom,as Robert Turner TD (Notts)

George N0el Corbishley, MAJ!>HI (Lancs)

Herbert Edwin George Harold (London)

Alexander Harrow Aiken (Warwicks)

Charles Frederick William Kimmings (Bristol)

Walter James Wright (Cornwall)

Donald Oliver Booton (West Midlands)

James Chick, AIAO FICAP (Devon)

Major James Michael Catterall TD (Co. Durham)

Claude James Kenneth Lander (Essex)

Ronald Edwin Graham (North Humberside)

LeslIe John Rose (Birmingham)

Dennis Cecil Hellier (Devon)

Royce Arthur Sullivan (S. Humberside)

Owen Herbert Ashdown (Surrey)

Joseph Arthur Phillips (Birmingham)

William Her-bert Sheldon (Derbys)

Thomas Arthur James Keites Hatchett (Norfolk)

Cecil Morgan LMSSA MRCS, LRCP (Notts)

Lt. C @I. R0beFt Barmabas Readmead DSO (Surrey)

Percy English (Herts)

Edwim Richard Ball, SRN, RMN (Suffolk)

Charles Eric Power (Leics)

Robert Walton OBE, QPM. (Hull)

Hugh Alexander Evans, BM, B Ch, DRCOG M (Norfolk) A.

Ralph Anthony Lee BM, B.Ch, MRCGP D Obst RCOG. (N. Yorks)

WHAT

IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT?

Joseph Mansour MB, Ch.B (Liverpool)

Ronald Turner Butterworth (Lancs)

OFFICER (Sister)

AFine Louie Mrs. KeatiliJg (Berks)

Margaret Mrs. Freeman (Cornwall)

CalmeFine J0yce Mrs Glanvill MB, BS. (Devon)

Ruth Be s sie, Mrs. TarJing (Herts)

IreliJe Margaret Mrs. Dewhursu (Merseyside)

Mary Miss Young SRN (London)

CeC ilia. Mrs. Whi lt liJgton (Warwicks)

A study of expressions among the VIPsand others - at the march past of SJA personnel after the Order service at York Minster during October. Behind Princess Margaret and Lord Caccia, the Lord Prior, are (L to R) Marjorie Countess of Brecknock, Chief President Sir William Pike, Chief Commande r ; Lady Moyra Browne, Superintendent-in-Chief; and M ajor-Gene rr al Desmond S. Gordon, Commissioner-in-Chief. (Photo: Nortmern Echo)'

George E d ward Albert Carter (London)

E dgar Snowdon Hobkirk (Lanes)

Ronald W illiam Stone (Devon)

Robert Powlesland Selley VRD, DPA FIAO, FHA. (Devon)

Reginald Arthur Morgan JP (Glos)

John Slater (Lancs)

Douglas Cmarles Frederick .carter (S Humberside)

George Albert Dunkley ( Essex)

William John Morgan (Cleveland)

George Henry Robson (Northumberland)

The Rev. Colin David Elliott (Ast. Chap) (Kent)

The Rev. David Tizzard (Ast. Chap) (Cornwall)

Derek Sargeant (Warwicks)

John Charle s Wright (N. Humberside)

John Richard Shortland SSc , MB, ChB (S. Yorks)

Deny s William Turberville (Essex)

John Nicholson ( S Yorks)

Kenneth Davies (Cleveland)

William Dodds SEN. (Newcastle upon Tyne)

George Baxter Wales, JP (W Yorks)

Arthur Burton (N Humberside)

Ralph Fernie (Cleveland)

Cecil Horne (Hants)

John Keith Lorrimer (W. Yorks)

Edward Clasper BEM. (Newcastle upon Tyn€)

Hugh Conn Reid MB ChB, MRCGP (Yorks)

Patrick George Bowen (Essex)

Luther Eric Taylor (S. Yorks)

William Lind s ay Gordon MB , ChB. (Birmingham)

Robert Neville Leonard (Yorks)

ASSOCIATE SERVING BROTHER

Eric Stitcher MBE, JP. (London)

SERVING SISTER

Jane Miss Hayton (Westmorland

Joan M a rgaret Miss Cross (Hull)

Muriel Miss Meadows (Yorks)

Margaret Rose , Mrs Hellier (Devon

Mar y Annie , Mrs. Lander (Cornwall)

Isabel Maude , Mrs Ellis (Herts)

Ena, Mrs. Constable, JP. (London)

Daisy , Mrs. Dalton ( Surrey)

Edna Mr s Sproston (Cheshire)

Ethel May , Mis s Tarrant (Hants)

Dorothea Edna , Mrs. Bird (Liverpool)

Ca herine Jun e, Mrs Miller (Lanes)

Phoe be Mar y, Mrs. Stapleton (Middx)

Joan Mary Mrs Pike (Somerset)

Molly, Mrs. Bowler (Hants)

Ellen Mrs. Buckley (Manchester)

Ann Maud , Mrs Arber

Edith Mary Mr s Bielby SRN SCM RNT. (Cleveland)

Squadron Officer Grace Lorna Nawke (Lines)

Eileen Mildred , MI s. Jolly (Surrey)

Rita, Mrs Vere - Kennedy SRN. (LiliJcs)

Jean WInifred , Miss Adam s (Cleveland)

SERVING BROTHER

Ronald Armitage Carter (Derbys)

Thomnas William Hodges (London)

Enc Dennis Hanson (Staffs)

NEWS from SCOTLAND

WITH the rapid growth of the Order north of the border it will not be long befme some new local group gets together to decide what to do. And my regular readers will know that 1 am not averse from giving umcalled for advice! I am going to suggest' a field of enterprise for us which is not only worth while, in that it is not really to be found among the services of the Welfare State, !Dut is also in accord with the traditions of the Order.

The last few years have seen the emerrgence of a few devot€d and clever people wno specialise in c aring n@ ll for those who are likely to survive an illness , but for those who are dying or are near death. Their aim is to make death as painless and comfortable as possible , so that the dying in their hospices can depart this world with dignity and in peace.

In a world as chaotic and amoral as ours, in which families are so broken up that the very old cannot pass their last days with re latives, while even a concept as horrible and degrading as euthanasia cam be openly preached , it seems to me that the work of these devoted people shines like a beacon . The fact is that they face up to what we all too often shun. To them the death of a human being, which is, after all one of the most important moments in the lives of all of us, is a matter upon which it is worth spending time and money. I meed hardly add that Iilothing cOl!l ld be more Cnristiam than a concern to give peace, dignity and co nsc iousn ess to those last moments before one depart s from this life.

How many of us would welcome such a time to settle our affairs in this world and

prepare ourselves for the next? Death is important and the establishment of a hospice in which it is treated with the seriousness and revere mce it deserves ca n only be good. Wlrrat is more , this is a field in wluich the National He a lth Service with a natural emphasis on cure and with its facilities already extended, cannot hop e to get involved and it is th e refore one in which charitable organisations must operate, especially an Order like ours which claims to be Christian and cares for tine sick. The sick , we must remember, should be treate d as our Lo rd and those about to die SblOUld expect from us a very special respect and gentleness.

If some com mittee was thinking of e ntering into Hospitaller work it could surely find a no more rewarding activity than the establishment and maintenance of a hospice in which the paths of the dying to paradise would be eased in a cheerful , gentle and Christian atmosphere. It cannot be denied that a hospice of this kind would cost a good de a l to run , but so beneficial a project would surely attract support and funds from all over Scotland.

J.R-S

ambulance, that her Association appreciates the Council services as a national institution aCllively involved in training people in mrst aid, hom e ,,!Ursing, clnild care and for lay lecturer' s cou rse s, as well as supplying first aid services during festivals, sports events a nd public ga therin gs. 'These humanitarian services to the community at large,' s he added, ' require mobility as well as men and equipment.

In prai s img the CoulJlcil's efforts, she said Im a t, despite financ ia l shmtcomings, the worrk O,D the COl!lncil had not been at a standstill, and that its responsibilities to the nation are increasing from day -to-day as the population grows and more demands are made on its facilities and services.

Receiving the key of the ambulance from Mrs. Kam Selem, the Chairman of the Council iDr. J E. Adetoro thanked the Assoc:iation and said that the ambulance is the first of its kind donated towards the COl!lncil's proposed national ambulance service (a pilot scheme starts shortly in the municipality of Lagos). He then appealed to institutions , companies, members of the public and industrialists to assist the organisation in pursuit of its humanitarian services to the nation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

No recruiting problems here right) MEMBERS of Belfast's Ormeau Combined Division with trophies won this year at Belfast Area and Northern Ireland comp€titions. (Front row , L to R) N/M Carol Doherty, Cohen Shield for first aid and transport (Area); D / Supt. Mrs Joy Jacksom, Wg -Cdr Faulkner Mem0rial Cup for administration (District); N/M Margaret Little, President's Cup, novice first aid team test (Area); (Second [(')w) N M Frances Harvey. Allen Cup, nursing individuals (Area); O / Off. Margaret Rodgers Cohen Cup, first aid and transport (District); and D / Supt. (Cadets) Rosemary Walker. (Back tow) A/Ms Glen Little, Brian Connolly, Peter Faulkner and Cpl Philip Brooks. Wlnen this combined division was taken over by Mrrs. Joy Jackson in Jan\llary, 1973 it had five members. Today the Division has 24 members and eight recruits attending first aid lectures

OVERSEAS

Nigeria

THE N1GERIA Police Officers' Wives Association recently donated an ambulance in response to an appeal by the St. John Council of Nigeria for its proposed

am bulance service throughout Nigeria.

The Pliesident of the Association Mrs. Kam Selem , wife of the Inspector-General of Police , announced at a crowded press conference, during the presentation of the

Mauritius

SJA East Area recently received gifts from the British Government of a Resusci-Anne three first aid haversacks and nursing bags: and a stretcher.

The High Commissioner, HE Mr. Henry Brind inspected members of the Brigade, presented the equipment (below) and then tried the Resusci -Aro.ro. e (right), watched by Deputy Commissioner Mr. L. Tranquille, Commissioner Mr. Guy Ohis and Area Commissioner Mr A. S. Domah.

(Iilight) Mrs Kam Selem President of the Police Officers' W iv es Association, hands the key of a new ambulance to Dr J, E, Adetoro, Chairman of the St. John Council of N ge ria. And (below) the ambulance after the press conference

News from Divisions/Centres

KENT - On October 6 at the Casualties Unimil finals at Twickenhann, Chatham Ambulance Cadet Division's 'A' team won for the first time the Junior Buxton Trophy, and the Junior Diagnosis Cup for the second time.

Over 21 months of training this cadet team - comprising Cpl. Paul Webb, Sgt. Stephen Cook, Cpl. Garry Pritchard and Sgt. Kevin Stout - has won 15 trophies, includilflg firsts at Area, County and Regional competitions; at the National Finals they were fourth but won the Uniform Cup.

The Division also has a cadet second team, with three successes this year.

Both teams are trained by Div. Supt. Rodney Parr and Div, OfTs John Stout and Alan, Franks, SJ A Chatham has thrown down the gauntlet. They ask: Is there another ambulance cadet division in the country that has won 18 trophies in 21 months ? All takers are welcomed through the pages of the Review.

YORKS (S & W) - Last September Mrs, M a rgaret Cummins, 'Sutty to all her colleagues and friends, emigrated with heF husbafld and two small sons to Lusaka in Zambia.

Sutty was a member of the Hickleton Nursing Di vision , having enrolled as a cadet at eleven years of age, graduated to the adult divisions and eventually became cadet officer (nursing),

Always an enthusiastic member she was very interested in competition work, and helped to steer the cadets into winning many trophie s. Five of them received their Grand Prior Awards in the year before Sutty left to g o abro :'l d ,

I n a recent letter from Lusaka she tells us that the heat there is a bit trying, not being used to that kind of weather, but that the familv has settled down 3fld are getting a beautiful tan (she sympathises with our gloomy weather).

She also tells us that as there is no Brigade in Lus a ka she has joined the Red Cross and has been appointed training officer to elevenvear -ald s at the school. It seems all children ele v en must take basic first aid as part of their edu cation (a good thing, we think), Sutt y evi@ently intends to keep her lAl and in with the 'other side'.

We wi s h her and the famil y ·health and happin ess in th e ir new life.

OBITUARY

MilS. Alys Luttrell, Dame of Grace, of Mimehead Somerset. Jioined Brigade in 1925 as Vice-President, was President Minehead Divisions, until 1943, then CO Ul nty President until 1967, Member of St. John Council for Somerset. Mrs Luttrell was a great benefactress to St. John, including the gift of the 'Luttrell' room for training, Samuel F. Marshall, Divisional -Officer (R). Joined Nottingham City Division 1940. SeFv'i,ng Brother. Died November 17, [ 974.

Dr. R. M. E. Smith, Divisional Surgeon, HQ Nursing Division, Peterborough - to whom much of the success of the Division was due. Died September 29 , 1974,

Canon Francis Paton Williams, President Heywood Division, Lanes, from 1947 to 1970, Sub -Chaplain and Officer of the Orde rr .. At Sidmouth

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.1 (75) CompiledbvW.A. Potter

Across:

1. Treatment of disease by labor awry -produced drugs. (12) 8. Administer dru g to evacuate the inte stines. (S) 9. Dependence em alcohol or drugs. (9) 11. Be from East 11 street (S) 12. Made sedentary protest in fine fabric. (S) 13. Wild beast has degenerative condition of spinal cord in tertiary syphilis. (5) 16. Word comes back with directions for light sleep. (6) 17. Pituitary hormones controlling se cretions of Graafian follicles of trn.e ovaries (6) 19. Fluid infus®d into the rectum. (S) 20. Cartel produci ro g wine. (6) 21 Two-way ticket for Inspector of Taxes. (6) 22 Avoid a definite statement on a growimg fence. (5) 2S. Should have a sound value medicinally (5) 28 This foreign body in the skin is an occupational hazard for gardeners. (S) 29. Her basins conceal rickety deformity of the leg (5.4) 30. Fi s h on man -made fibre. ( S) 31. Male sex hormone. (12)

Down:

I. Malig mant growth of epithelial tisswe. (9) 2 Turn back the upper lid to seek a sub -t arsal foreig ro body. (S) 3. Unpleasant discha1 li ge due to ulc e ration of nasal tissues iro chf(i)ni € rhinitis. (6) 4. Gather together as a close-packed crowd. (6) S. Athletic events for ethnic groups. (S) 6. Quality t o show by the index finger. (S) 7. Surgical condition characterised by pain and tenderness in the right iliac fossa. (12) 10. Emergency call. (4.4.4) 13. Parts of the body filled with metal. (S ) 14 How our hearts show pity it is said. (S) IS Slender physique in excess of immediate requirements (5) 18. White blood corpuscle. (9) 23 To a point, crushed chest forms designs by chemical attack (6) 24. Look quickly at a note, then make the incision. (6) 26. Metals sl!l ch as gold and platililwl1I1l. (S) 27. Number ro@t right for congenit a l de f ect of tfue palate. (S) 28. Result of a limbless person losing h is head? (S)

Solution to crossword No. 12 (74)

Across:

I. Gathering ; 8. Areolar; 9. Swede; 10 Pus ; 11. Produce ; 13. Reaction ; 14. Ill IS. Erysipelas ; 19. OUa; 20. Tail ; 21. Attenuated ; 24 It s; 25 Bedsores 27 Immoral; 29. Ova; 30 A roma; 31. Ileitis ; 32. Saltpetre.

Down: I. Gastro -elilteritis; 2. Therapy; 3. Erect; 4. Improve ; S. G.as .p; 6. Condyloma; 7 Arterial disease; 12 Ra.is.in; 16. Silicosis ; 17 Pla s ma ; 18. Let ; 22. Eyeball; 23. Turn-out ; 26. Scalp 28 Loss.

St. John stories

Led astray

SOME years ago when the Brigade was responsible for the g reater part of invalid transport service, it was the usual practice for an y friend or relative who accompanied the patient to be taken home afterwards particularly if the journey was in the middle of the nig n t.

On on e occasion late at nigmt it was neces s ary for a removal from a village a couple of mile s ofT the main road a nd the journey was duly made to the hospital. Howe v er thick fog desc e nded and the journe y home was a tricky one On arrri v al at the patient s home with the relative the driver and attendant were surprised to find behind them a convoy of seven vehicles , including a lorry , whose drivers were equ a ll y astoni s hed to find where they were.

Tney had blindly followed the tail -light of the ambulance not reali sin g t hat it had turned ofT the main road The situat ion caused some amusem e nt and the matter was straightened ou t by the ambulance leadi mg the w a y back to the m ain road and directing its children on their rig m t roads - W. Gotch, N o rtha nts

Kissing - SJA style

TAKING the examination seems to be an anxious time for some of the candidates and find it a good idea, in order to put them at their ease , to ask them what they do all day and then ask a question relevant to their job

This lady said she was a housewife fl ave you ever had the opportuni t y of using your knowledge ?' I asked.

'Oh y es ,' she said , 'My little boy fell down and broke his collar bone .' Well now , tell me what you did about it .' Oh ,' s he s aid I kissed it better!'

- Dr R West , Wraxall, Bristol Ouch!

A MAN with a dislocated shoulder rushed to the local ca s ualty dep al1tJOTl €flt, sC li earmed and howled with pain when the Sis t er s tarted p l!lt ting his s n o l!l lder joint back in p lace. She said to hi m s (!)othingl y Now do tr y and bear the p a in; it's not so bad really; why ther e' s a wom a n in the ward above who s just had a baby , and she's bearing the pain without making a sound .'

To w hich he replied between gasps : All right , you go upstairs and see w hat s he d o e s when you try putting it back again.'

- W W , Epp i ng Cover-up

DURIN G a r e-e xa m ination on Ho m e N Uli sing for c a de t s I asked o me o explain h o w s h e wO l!lld fi ll a fuot water b o ttle t o give to tli!e patient. After giving the correct procedure she added , 'and if you are rich y ou w o uld put the bottle in a hot water bottle cover.'

- Mr s . M E. McCormick, Disley

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

A chalet in Switzerland

MOORFIELDS EYE HOSPITAL City Road, London, EC1 V 2PD

Candidates accepted at the age of 17 years as student nurses to undertake an 18 month course in opthalmic nursing.

On successful completion of the course awards of Moor f ields Certificate and Medal are made Comfortable residen t ial acco mm odation a vailable. Applica t ions t o the PriFicipal Nursing Officer.

'Its quicker by tube'

- a film demonstrating the application of all types of tubular bandages FREE to you - on loan.

Made rhe co-operaNon o t four ma jor London hospitals, Seton s new instrudional film justifies its name.

Valuable hints show how easy it is to apply tubular bandages to all parts of the body, saving precious time, effort and money.

An important feature of the film is that it clearly indicates the condifrions fO IT which . either the Tubular Bandage, Elastic Tubular Bandage or Elastic Net Bandage may be chosen.

The 16 mm film is available free on loan .

Just fill in the coupon and send it, but please give at least three weeks ' notice so that ymlr request- can be m et on. time.

§celtcD[Jl) PrOducts Limited

is available for St. Jobn units throughout Britain at 17p a copy, postage paid Minimum order 6 copies for three months Annual subscription £2.50 a copy, including postage FROM REVIEW SALES ST. JOHN AMBULANCE HQ 1 GROSVENOR CRESCENT LONDON, SW1X 7EF

JOHN AMBULANCE NATIONAL FIRST AID COMPETITIONS 1975

Wed. Feb. 19 Poliee (men, W0men & cadets)

Thur s. Mar. 20 Electricity Supply Ambulance Centre (men & women)

Thur s. Apr. 10 Di sti ller s Company, SoutherFl Area (men & women)

Sat. Apr. 19 National Dock Labour Board Ambulance Centre (men)

Sat. Apr. 1<9 Nationa Coal Board (Miners & Ancilliary Indu st ries )

Wed. Apr. 30 Briti s h Ports Association (men)

Wed. May 14 Fire Brigades (me n)

Sat. May 17 H. J. Heinz Co. Ltd. {men & women)

Thurs. June 12 B.P. Chemicals (Intermational) Ltd. (me n & women)

Seymou r Hall , Seymour Place, London, WI

Seymour H all, Seymour Place , London WI

Young Women's Christian Assoc., Great Ru ssell Street, London, WC1

Queen Mary College, Mile End, London, E I

T he Spa, Scarborough

The Winter Gardens, L1andudno

Fi.e Service HQ, The Old Hall. Burton Ro a d Littleover, Derby

Kitt Green Factory Wigan

The Tavistock Room s, Charing Cross Rd. London, WC2

Wed. June 25 Ministry of Defence Ambulance The Caxton HaU, Caxton Street Centre (men & women) London, SW I

Sat. July 5 St. John Ambulance Brigade (men, women &. cadets)

We€! Sept. 24 National Indu strial (men & women

Sun. Oct. 5 N atiomal Road Pas se nger Transport Ambulance Assn. (men & women)

Fairfield Halls , Croydon

Queen Mary College, Mile End, lL ondon, E I

The Guildhall, Presto n

Thur s Oct. I (i Gas Industr y (men & women) Seymour H a ll , Seymour Pl ace.

Tue s. Oct. 21 The Post Office Ambulance Centre (men & wOliTilen)

Wed. Nov. 5 British Railways, London l'rranspmt (I\ai lways) & Briti s h Transport Docks (mel'l & women)

Tues. Dec. 2 The Grand Prior 's Trophy Competi tioIils (men & wOlil'1en) London, WI

The Assembly Room s, Ecdinbl!lught

The City Hall, Perth

Seymour H a ll, Seymour Pl ace. LOIildofl, WI

51: JOH.N

REVIEW

JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

New life for the elderly - in Canada, by G. D Scott p.26

Dangerous chemicals in road accidents, by Bob Mann p.28

Awards, October to DeGember 30 p.30

Ski patrols p.31

Around and About , by the Editor p.32

St. John stories, p.37

[)irect Violence Injuries part 2, by Dennis Clark

p.38

60 years of service p.39

The chicken or the egg? by Realist p.40

Bangers and (S)mash, by R. E. Taylor p.4l

PR Chat p.42

Getting what you need p.43

Readers' Views p.44

Overseas News p .4S

How not to help th e handicapped p.45

News from the Divisions/ Centres p.46

Books p.48

EDITORIAL:

Edited and produced for the Order of St. John by Dnscoll Productions, Wood H iQJ h Corner, Butley , Nr. WOodbridge, Suffolk 11" 12 3QF. Phone: Orford (Std 039 45) 548 Edito r: Frank Glriscoll.

ADVERTISEMENTS : Dennis W Mayes Ltd 69 li"leet St ., London EC4 (01·3534447 and 4412) Price 20p monthly. £2.50 per annum including postage, from Review Sales, St. John Ambulance 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X niF.

AT RANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

THE LIST of New Year Honours conferred by Her Majesty included five awards granted for services to the Order of St. John and the St. John Ambulance Foundation , as well as several others granted to members of our 'family' honoured for their services in other spheres, a]] of whom we most heartily congratulate.

The CBE was awarded to Professor Harold Stewart, Deputy Director-General of the Association since 1973, whose outstanding contribution to the work of both branches of the Foundation has extended over a period of 32 years. Joining the Brigade as a Divisional Surgeon in 1942, he was a well-known, much respected and beloved Brigade Surgeon in London District for the next 22 years (the last nine of them as District Surgeon), and then became Chief Medical Officer of the Association from 1964 until he took up hi$ present appointment just over a year ago. Despite the time-consuming duties of a very busy and distinguished professional life and an active involvement in the work of several other charitable bodies connected with the relief of suffering , Professor Stewart has contrived to devote an almost incredible amount of time to his St. John work; nothing has ever been too much trouble for him. In recent years his most outstanding achievement has perhaps been his contribution, as vicechairman of the Joint Standing Committee of St. John Ambulance, St. Andrew's Ambulance Association and the British Red Cross Society, to the highly successful current edition of the First Aid Manual, and he was also primarily responsible for producing 'The Essentials of First Aid ' and 'The Digest of First Aid'. I can think of no honour that could be better deserved by any member of the St. John family.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

NEW LIFE FOR THE ELDERLY IN CANADA

A RECENT issue of the Review (May 74) carried a n informative article 011 Accident) to the Elderly, explaining how elderly peepl! are more subjeet to accidents because POOl diet and lack of exercise can result in gradu ru weakening of their bones.

Tn British Columbia, Canada, St. Ambulance has developed a new project thai is de si gned to prevent this type of accidenl by instructi ng se mior Gitizens in foliow nl more mutritio l!l s diets and reg l!l lar body exell cise s to keep them in better physical co mdi tion. It is based 011 the course in home nUl s ing and health care that St. John has bee teaching for several years , but adapted to special needs of the senior citizens. It is I first in Canada and has engendered a gr ea deal of interest among our other St. bra mehes across the country , as well as II uni versities doing research in geriatrics.

Funded b y a government grant to St. Ja m Ambulance in British Columbia , a pilot pro ject wa s carried out in the first year and augmented programme the second year , the following objectives :

(I) To tra in senior cItIzens i m the basi skills of home nursing , nutrition an first aid so that they would be bew able to take care of themselves. In add tion to the humanitarian benefits , thi s hould result in dollar savings to taxpayer , by ( a) keeping these peopl self-reliant for a longer period of timl i e. outof nursing homes and hospital! (h) allowing earlier ciischarge fF0n h ospital; (c) preventing accidenl through greater awareness of dange (d) giving them a better knowledge ( themselves , thus reducing fear an providing for faster rehabilitation; ( ensuring greater confidence wh e emergencies do arise; (0 giving them a awareness of resour c es availabl thro l!l gh the various c 0 mmun i y agel cies; and (g) giving them facts I replace long -held superstitions.

(

2) To train these citizens to prov io knowledge and skills in the communil when vi s iting others , through grealf awarenes s of ailing friends requiri n care, a J'\d thro ugh acting as communil visitimg volu mteers, thus givi mg them fe d in g of purpose and usefulness

A typical result of the course was when senior was able to recognise the of diabetic coma in a neighbour and was ab to get her friend to the hospital in time o em e r genc y treatment. Another result in lin with part 2 of the objectives listed abo v i w a s the formation im Vi e t0 r ia, B.C., of Volumteer Visito rs Gr0 up, co m posed ( several members of one of the classes

by G. D. Scott,

referral from a neig lil bour , a social worker, munity resources available, personal health public heal tJh Jiil urse , o r a req 1!l est from the and hygeine, your heart and heart disease, famil y of a shut -in senior citizen now results body mechanics and exercise, nutrition n a visit from a member of the group home nursing, home medications and safety

To set up the course contact was made for seniors, first aid an emergency with those agencies in the community that procedure. were involved in an y way with senior citizens The reaction of the participants was most a nd o ur programme was built to complement fa vour a ble Comments like these were often what they were doing rather than heard : duplicating heir efforts. Then classes were 'I will feei more confident If an emer gen cy o rga nised at cO FlilJmunity ce mtres and senior does arise.' citizelils' reside nce s The instructors were a 'So helpful to k n ow about the agencies we group of re gistered nurses connected with can call on for assistance.'

our Provincial headquarters They had Nutrition class is so u s eful ; will tr y to imorganised a ll the details of the course and pr o ve m y diet .' he ld many meetings prior to and during the T live in an old suite the fire s afety cl a ss was cour se, to irom out any difficulties and to im - very helpful.' prov e the method of teaching , based on their The related welfare agencies in the comCO/ilil bined experience in 00Jild l!letiIIOl g, the munit y g ave s trong endor s ement to the great c ou r se va lt!le of our course in helping elderly people , Briefly the subjects taught in the eight b y co mment s s uch as : le sso n s of the oourse were as follows : Com- The pr og r a mme is e xce llent and can provide

a valuable service to seniors themselves and to seniors as helping-persons to others their o w n age .' (Vancouver Health Department). ' Such a positive programme! It allowed an a ll -too - rare learnin g experience for seniors as w ell a s providing important information .' ( Briti s h Columbi a Department of Human R es ourc e s).

We a lso have had enthusiastic support from new s papers radio and television Our C a nadian Broadcasting Corporation for exa mple , h a s a rran ged to run a s eries of weekly pro g r a mme s during the autumn months ca rr y in g thi s instruction to senior citizen s thr o u g hout the entire pro v ince of British C o lumbi a and to our Northwest Territories. Our ex perience , g ained n two years of c a rr y in g on this course has clearly dem o nstr a t ed that there is a definite need to pro v ide thi s kind of information to senior ci ize n s a nd other members of the communit y in v olv ed with th e m.

(Left) Exercises that can be enjoyed (above) Keep ng an eye on someone else s pulse - might lead to any t h ng (Photos: Vancouver Pro vince)

A hazard the first-aider may have to face

DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IN ROAD ACCIDENTS

by Bob Mann (A ss istall Director. Essex Associatioll Brallch)

EVER Y MOTORIST is aware @f the increasing number of heavy vehicles using our roads flOwadays. Improvement in vehicle design, the formation of the Eurropean Free Trade Area and the demand for goods by industry both at home and abroad will mean more and more of these vehicles on our roads iN the future

The loads c:arried by tmese velilides include raw materials, finished articles and waste products, and it must be assumed that some of these loads will be of a hazardous nature. Dangerous chemicals, for instance.

No matter how effieiently legislati®n sets out standards forr labellimg and packaging dalilgerm:ls chemicals, or how it G@ntrols the design of vehicles used for their transport, accidents will happen The industries engaged in this trade have been quick to recognise their responsibilities and in co-operation with various governments, legislation is continually being introduced al1ld revised im order to miniTlilise the rrisk of accident and injury. It is important tmat intermational agreement is reached in standardising the way in which these items are carried and the way in which the loads are marked. Many advances have been made during the last few years, but many more agreements will be nec:essary in orderr to minimise confusion.

The emergency and supporting al!ltlnorities, i.e. ports, air)D@ris and the chemical industries, are given the JDrrimary resp0r;lsibility of dealing with any emergencies involving the carriage of dangerous chemicals. These services depend upon the 'voluntary organisations' to assist them in performing these duties. A member o f a voluntary organisation may fim€! himself 'Tine tlrst ]gerson at the scene' @r 'The fi rr st person trained in first aid at tme scene' or 'A member of a support unit first at the scene'. In each of these roles, they must know where

to get sufficient information to enable them to take the correct action efficiently and speedily.

Before any action at an incident is taken, all voluliltary workers are trained to assess the si uw ati'(j) n'. With dangermls cmemicals this assessmelilt c alls for a certain am(i)unt of expertise, followed by a code of action in which priorities are of the utmost importance. In assessing a situation where a chemical in transit is involved, the priority will always be to view the situation from a distance and if possible behimd some form of protection.

The vant <1l!g e I"oint should always be up - wind ar;ld up - hill!. This allows f,@<[ the possibility of the chemical being expl10sive or Gontageous, lighter than air or heavier than air. The next

stage is to answer the following question s 'What is the substance in-volved?' and the answer to thi s question will determine the se· cond que stion, ' Can I approach the scem amd assist?

The pm pose of article is to help you uo make these decisions , by knowim.g how he relevant information can be obtained However , it must be emphasised that if there is any doubt the principal safety factor wi ll always be self-preservation, so that you ma l be of assistance later rather then an im mediate casualty.

Wha t is the chemical involved? There t wo ways (i)f amswerring this Gjl!lestion: eit fuer find Ol!lt for ourselves or ask somebody fo r the information. It would certainly be easy to

identify a container or if it was clearly labelled with the name of the contents and whether it has any dangerol!ls properties. But until there is sl!lfficient legislati(\Hl to enforce this type of standardised marking, various types of coloured labels and signs, or perhaps just proprietary names, are displayed on Gontainers and packages.

If the driver of the vehicle is available he should be asked (from a as he may be contagious) what substance he is carrying ancd if it is safe to approach. If he is unable to supply this informat ion he should be asked to search his cab for relevant dOGuments and read the information over (from a distance). Some drivers receive training in the transport of dangerous chemicals and are able to give instructions and advice on action to be taken.

In tryililg to identify the involved, the voluliltary worker will have t @ know tfue meaning of Gertain lahels amd markimgs and where relevant information cam b@ obtained.

Variollls systems have beem devised and rules and regulations apply to marking certain vehicles. The following systems and markings are the more common ones being used in the United Kingdom at present.

1. Diamond shaped hazard labels (Diagram A) are affixecl to vehicles which are members of The European Agreement concerniFlg the International Carriage of Dangerous goods by Road (ADR) and in addition to these labels it has been agreed that a further label should be displayed (Diagram B) which is an orange rectangular plate bearing two sets of numbers This is known as the Kemle r S¥stem @f marki rn g. The two or three numbers in the l!lpF>er half of the plate are the 'hazard idtmtifiGation numbers'. The four figure number below is The United Nations number, which identimes tlile substance being carried.

The Kemler Code, the top figure: the first figure indicates the primary hazard as fo ll ows: 2. Gas; 3. lliquid; 4. Inflaronmable solid; 5. Oxydising suhstanGe or organic peroxide; 6. Toxic subs ance; and 8. Corrosive.

The second and third figures indicate secondary hazards: O. No meaning; 1. Explosion risk; 2. Gas may be given ofT; 3 Inflammable risk; 5. Oxydising risk; 6. Toxic risk; 8. Corrosion risk; and 9. Risk of violent rreaction from

When the first and secomd figures -are the same, am intensification ([)f the primary hazard is indicated. Where the hazard number is preGeded by the letter X tltere is an absolute prohibition on the application of water.

It is not expected that this code should be memorised in its entirety, but tlhe correct reporting of the leUers indicatecd wOlllld enable the emergency au tlhorities to aSGertain in advaIrlGe details of the hazards involved, and they would in turn be able to instruct the

person reporting as to what they should or should not do.

2. Another system of marking is termed 'The Hazehern Scheme'. This is sironHar to the Kemler System in that gwidance can quickly be obtained from the markings on the vehicle. The importance of this system is that the correct name of the substance being carried is marked on the container. This system is in operation in the London area and its emergency services carry Hazchern code books which indicate the hazard risks im relati@m to the slllhstance involved. The hazards are givel'l code letters wlMch indicate the appropriate action to be taken. By being supplied with code letters and numbers, members of an emergency service can refer to their Hazchem scale and take the necessary action (Diagram C).

3. An advanced system has J1ecemtly been introduced and adopted by members of the European Council of Chemical Manufacturers' Federation. In order to standardise emergency action, should they be involved in an accident, drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous chemicals are provided with encapsulated cards called, 'Tremcards' (Diagrram D). These cards are usually placed in the Gab of the lorry and afliixed to the container. They are in the of the COlllliltry thrrough which the substance is being transported and contain all relevant approved information. This system is of great assistanGe to the first person arriving at the scene, but Gare should be taken in ensuring all the priorities are taken before a search is made for th e card.

AWARDS

October 1 to December 31 1974

0RDER A W ARIDS

Life Saving Medal in Bronze

Divisional Officer James Raven, Littlehampton Ambulance Division, County of Sussex

In recognition of his gallant rescue of an elderly man from a s moke -filled , fiercel y burning secOl) d nCJ CJ nat in Littl e hampton on September 7 1974

Certificate of Heneur

Ambulance Cadet Darrell Wilkinson (aged II y ears).

Hanworth Colliery Ambulance Cadet Division County of Nottingham.

In reco g nition of his o utstaflding prompt and e fficient action in re sc uing a s mall boy from dr@wning in a de eJil pond e n May 30, 1974 and subserestori fl g the victim's b Feathing.

4. The Hazchem , Kemler and Tremcard are all voluntary adopted schemes, like the Chemsafe System which has been introduced lby The Chemical Industries Association Wit h this a black and white label (Diagram E) is affixed to the container and provides similar information as the Tremcard. The most valuable factor of this system is that the Chemical Industries Association provide a 24-hour cover where information can be obtained concerning any problem involving damgerous chemicals. Detail s of thi s service are pri rot ed o m the Chemsafe label.

5. A further form of marking is (Diagram F) the British Standard Markings, which self explanatory.

Mention has been made of only the more common forms of labels and markings . Th e International Maritime Dangerous Good s Code, which incorporates the United N ati O))ilS sys te m of markings, and labels and marks adop t ed by vari olll s airlines , can also be seen on containers. Most of them are self explanatory and easily understood.

Once an assessment has been made of th e situation, the necessary action taken and an approach to the scene is possible , the stag e will be reached where it has to be decided what first aid may be required. Certain label s and ma rr kings indicate to the first -aider tMe action he has to take.

The strict adherence to the instructions and the adoption of basic principals in ap · proaching the situation which involves dangerous chemicals, will ensure safety in accidents which are bound to become mor e prevalent

SJA Canada's

SKI PATROLS

ONE of the fastest growing participating sports in C a nada - as in maNY other parts of the werld - is ski -ing. And despite all the macabre jokes about accidents there aren't as many ski-ing injuries , in relation to the thousands who take part in the sport every year , as many people think.

Nevertheless , when a ski -ing injury does occur - often in a remote place - it is vital tlnat competent first aid is at hand. That is winy St Joh m Ambulance im Canada has played such a n important role in training and operating St. John ski patrols in various parts of Quebec, where there are now five Combined Ski Divisions with 257 members St. John ski-patrollers, men and women,

are members of the Brigade who are experienced skiers and first -aiders. They must pass an intensive specialised winter first aid course, plus training in administration and leadership, before being assigned to the hills.

Ski -patrollers operate in pairs on the ski s lope s and are on duty from early morning till sun-down At an accident, one will give first aid to the casualty while the other goes for the recovery toboggan. The casualty is then taken on the toboggan to the first aid s tation, where other members give further fir st aid as necessary.

Transporting a casualty on a toboggan down a steep hill requires strength and balance as well as a high degree of ski-ing

skill. One patroller at the front guides and controls the speed of the toboggan, while the other at the back provides additional braking power and ensures that the toboggan does not overturn.

The casualty is then transferred by ambulance to doctor or hospital of his choice, free of charge.

While sprains and fractures are the most common injuries faced by ski-patrollers, they also deal with puncture wounds caused by the ski pole, bruises, frost-bite, concussion, cuts and abrasions.

The SJA Ski Patrol Divisions of Canada are doing a fine job - in an exciting, fast growing sport.

St. John in the hills

(Left) Ski - patrollers with a recovery toboggan. (Below left) A first aid station on the ski-slepes. (Below) On-the-spot attention before getting the casualty down hill

KNIGHTS

At an Order investiture by Lord CozensHardy, Bail'i ff @f Egle, on behalf of the Lord Pri0r, at Hillsb0r0ugh Castl€, Northem Ireland o n IDecember 13, it was announced that Brigadi€r Sir Ian Fraser, DSO, OBE, DL, FRSE , FRCS, FRCSI, FACS, is to become a Bailiff Grand Cross in the Order and Mr. D. S. Stephens, BA, a Knight.

Sir Ian Fraser, distinguished surgeon and chairman of the PoliGe Authority, Royal Ulster Constabulary, was admit t ed to the Order in 1934 and created a Knight in the Order in 1940. He has been an active member of St. John for 50 years and is at present Lieutenant of The Commandery of Ards.

Mr. Denis Synge Stephens, B.A., Barrister at Law, is Registrar of the Supr€m€ Court and Court of Criminal Appeal. He was admitted to the Order in and has for many years been an active member of the Brigade, of which he is now Commander in Northern Ireland.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

In January 1950, 25 years ago last month, our magazi me (which was founded in 1927) changed its name from the St. John Gazette to The Review of the Order of St. Jll>hn, and with the @nltiing of wartime restriGtions on paper increased its page area to just under its present size.

We're still generally referred to as The Review, of course, although we've put the St. John back at the beginning of the offieial title since then.

]t's (')dd tme way styles of titLing <!lhange with the y@ars - but then I suppose it's

AROUND and ABDUl

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

BY

THE EDITOR

rather like the ups a nd dll>wns of women's dresses , to prevent the eye that they're meant to attract from taking it for granted.

How does everyone feel about the title St. John Review nowadays? Is it succinct and bright enough? Or have you any better ideas? We've often discussed this at Review board-meetings and would be to hear your views on the subject.

LOVE - HACKNEY STYLE

I hear that Hackney (London) Combined Division's ambulance was called out during the evening of December 23 to a patient they'd taken home the previous day from St. Joseph's Hospice for Christmas. The patient, Mrs. WiUiams, was staying wi tlil her sister , who pMoned to say she'd taken 'a turn for the worse - come quickly' D/O Miss. P. Micallef and Cpl. Trower collected the patient in the ambulance, using a carrying chair to remove her from the block of flats.

She was comfortably returned to St. Joseph's, where Mrs. William's sister sa,id: 'if1hank ym} very much. St. Josepm's and St. J0hn - saints w(')rking tGgether.' HaGkney's crew departed wi t h: 'Best of luck , Love -

APPOINTMENTS

Humberside: Mrs. Edwards to Comm North Area.

Kent: Dame Barbara Cozens to County V. P. (Nursing).

London: Mr. Guy Slatt er (on secondment fro m Naticmal Westminster Bank) t o fulltime Distriet Staff Officer.

Oxfordshire: Mrs. Healey to County

Supt. Vice Dr. Coles resigned.

Surrey: Miss Ashby to Assistant County Director.

Wiltshire: Lt. Col. Robinson to be Commissioner Vice Major Carr resigned.

Hong Kong: Mr. Gerald Choa to be Chairm an 0f CoU!ncil.

Malaysia: Puan Sri Haijah Sa'adiah Sardon resigned as Principal Superintendent (N) - no successor yet appointed. and a merry Christmas!'

NEW YEAR

Hackney Div ision's ambu lance was also one of the 12 London District ambulances on MBE Registrar at SJA's London HQ George WooeJhili has bee n awarded the MBE See AT RANDOM

duty frorm pm to 4.30 am at Trafalgar Square on N e w Year's eve , where about 17,000 people were living it up that night.

I hear that the London Ambulance Service encouraged the Brigade to deal with all ambulance calls within a radius of Y2 -mile of the sq uare -a compliment indeed for London Distric t' s efficien c y C a sualties included cardiac arrest collapse , knife wounds and hysteria. Otherwi se, everyone seems to have enjoyed the night.

THANKS, SASKIA

The letter below w as received in response to the HELP O U R. HOSP [T AL appeal by tme Secre t ary -General in the December Review UI.I C S, _i J.h1/ J i.... mdlt., oJT\ S"-0"'" Q.c.:r'6 C)" '<.Die..

TELLING

parked ambulanoe and caused so much dama ge that it wa s a write -off But there was a happy endin g t o the incident. The insurance compan y paid out £500 and with help from other source s the Division now ha s a new ambulance! There are man y wa ys t o the top of a mountain Mr Kingan went on to tell Farnham members how SJA in Northern Ireland is coping with the internal s ituation there.

JUST ENOUGH

I hear that some 80 people , from such org ani s ations as the Police , Fire Brigade , El ec tri c ity Board , London Transport and the Bri g ade , attended the first 2-day residential seminar for lay instructor s held at Putney on Dec ember 14 and IS by London s Association Branch under its Director , Lt. Col. J. Coates

GIVE US THE TOOLS

HAPPY ENDING

Fam lh ann Qwadrilateral Division recently learne d what happened to their old ambul a nce, which they refurbished equipped a nd g ave to SJA Belfast last summer after acquirin g a new v ehicle.

.'It was,' said Mr. D. Kingan, CommISSIoner , N. Ireland , while on a visit to F arnham , 'an embarrassing story .'

Tine ambulance mad been passed to 1'ortaGi ow l'l Divi sion who needed but couldn t a fford a vehicle. But soon after commissioning it, a stolen van crashed into the

The primar y o bject of this far-seeing venture w as to achieve

The A ss ociation s Assistant Director General F G Thomas said in opening the seminar The concept of first aid is changing rap id ly,' and there is now a mass demand fo r ju st enough knowledge to save life .' The Assoc iation regarded this as a challenge it s hould meet and the imparting of elementary kno w ledge in one 4 -hour or two 2-hour sess io n s would , it wa s thought , be sufficient to pre vent the pani c that could otherwise ens ue when faced with injuries as the result of an accident. Mr Thomas likened the posses ion of s uch knowledge to ' laying on of hand s', since the casualty would immediately s ense hand s which were backed by knowledge .

Barnsley Centre secretary CSO G H ardGaS le after being involved iA a car crash, managed to §et to the Centre s annual dinner. The Mayor and Mayoress

Belfast Commissioner D. Kingan telling Farnham Division about the ambulance they gave to Northern Ireland See story HAPPY ENDING

Room, which is rather tatty now, is to be replaced (as soon as transport can be fixed) witfl a secomcdfuand one in good conditioN promised by Mrs. Ma r galiet BOQ t mman from her home il'l Jersey.

The club's AGM, by the way, is to be held in the Priory Room on Wednesday, March 19, at 6 pm - all club members are welcome. Copies of the agenda and minutes of the last AGM will De available at the club after March 1, as the high cost of postage precludes semding them to members.

PILLARS

STAMPS

The course was designed to help lay instructors to relate to a wider baekground, and to keep them in touch with the latest techniques. An impressive panel of speakers was enlisted fer the seminar.

Tlnis large attendance of keen and enthusiastie lay instructors, from S(i) many organisatiems, iAdicates how seriously some sections of British industry are ct")I1lsideriNg the rok of first aid, and there is no d(i)ubt that this new-style venture by London's Association HQ will lead to other similar ideas designed to produce an integrated pool of first aid knowledge which can be spread by expert teaehers.

OUR CLUB

Now that I live in the country my weekly visits to London HQ mean that I eat and stay a great deal at St. John House Club -

Mariel Saunders receives the Order's Life Saving Medal in Silver from Major-General Desmond Gordon, Commissioner-in-Chief, for saving a 9-year-old boy from tMe River Mersey. With her is daughter Lynn, a cadet who raised the alarm. l3eoington News)

MIND BENDERS

Find the first aid word or words in the clue The number of let ers n th e answer is given. To get yo u use d to the idea , [ II give you the first answef.

CLUE: Two girls on your kmee (3,4). PAT -ELLA. O.K?

I. Not leeks (8)

2. Fine embroidery of good standard to go round (9.5)

3. Slip -up gives you a turn (6)

4. Return an A I bit (5)

Answers:- Upside down - are at bottom of page 35 .No cheating.

and very ml!lcfu am I life at warm, comfortable 50 Eaton Place.

With some SJ Coal Board chums, who're also in town on Wednesday nights, we've seen some fine football on telly (interspersed

London District Deputy Commissioner LI. Col. R. A. Payne presenting the SJA pi a· que to Dr. Graham Tayler, Director 01 British Airways Medical Services, fO their help. See story GREAT (Pllloto: British Airways)

with beer), and the other lunch time I had (for the first time) Quiche Lorrainne -I had to ask Richard, the club's cook, what it was exactly (ignoramous I) - which was such superb eating that I've now talked my wife into trying to prodl!lce it. I'll let you know how it turns Obit.

The club has a new warden, Mrs. G. A Clifford, and deputy, Miss J. G. Morton; and a great deal of redecorating has been done particularly on the upper floors, during the past year.

A gift fund, to which members generousl y make contributions from time to time, pay s for amemities the club's income doesn't run to. For instance, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Per· cival, of Kent, recently made a contribution to re-carpet the bar - probably with silicon· ed carpet -tiles when the fund finds anothe r 'angel' er two. The large carpet in the Prior y

SJA London's District Surgeon, Dr. William M. Whiteside (25 years in the Brigade), and District Treasurer Alfred Gilston (45 years) both retired at the end of 1974. At a small party at District H Q on December 16, Group Captain Gordon Pirie, Commander SJ London, who is also Lord Mayor of Westminster, presented farewell gifts to these two 'pillars of the District', as he referred to Dr. Whiteside and Mr. Gilston.

THANKS

I hear that a caravan was presented to the Peterhorol!lglni SJ A recently loy Perkins Engines, amd it is to be convert@d ·into a mobile unit.

The presentation was made by Mrs. Peggy Scotney, a member of the Perkins welfare department, to Mr. Dennis Bracey, Brigade Area Commissioner.

Mr. Terry Leavy, Brigade Area Superintendent, said it would have cost about £2,00(') to louy a caravan which was fl!llly fitted out as well. H would only cost about £20 to fit out the presentation one.

Work has now begun on the caravan and it is hoped it will be ready for use by Easter.

LONG SERVICE

In the Priory Church at Clerkenwell on November 29, Rear-Admiral Royer-Dick, Chairmam of the London Council of the Order, presented the Conspicuous Service Medal to 59 members of the Brigade.

WHAT A GIFT?

Kingstorn-u!'l®n-Thames Ambulance Division was recently presented with this fine ambu ance by Dennis Motors Ltd of Guildford It is one of three prototypes pr0duced by the company following recommendations of a working party report in 1968 The ambulance was fitted out by members (over 500 hours of work) with equipment donated by other rmanl!JfactlYrers The estimated

G. R. Francis and Div

Alde rman C. M. Judge

He also presented 5-year bars to over 50 other people ; some from 20 to 40 years of service; seven for 45 years; while two Div. Supts - Gertrude Hodson of Walthamstow Division and Cecelia Pearce BEM, of London iPool - together witm AIM Stanley Shannon of 1911 SE Gas Board, received their seventh bar to mark 50 years of service.

But there were two members with even more service: Mrs. Beatrice Wilson of Ilford Division, who joined the Brigade in 1917 and is still an active member, was congratulated and applauded on being awarded her 8tm bar for 55 years service; amd, topping everyome, was 84-year-old Edgar Ash whose 9th bar signified 60 years with the Brigade, which was greeted with prolonged applause.

St. John stamp mart st and at a recent sale in Lincoln. English and foreign stamps (on or oft paper). first day covers old albums or collections ar.e urgent- I Iy required for the continued success of th s venture - to Hon. Sec St. John Council 268 High St Lincoln LN2 1 JG

SAIL OHI

The tentative plans for two cruises during 1976 and '77 in the Sail Training Association's schooners, mentioned in January's Around and About, are a national SJA effort and not specifically for Sussex. My apologies.

Arrangements are now being finalised for sending two Brigade officers on cruises this year as members of the afterguard, and their report will help in planning the cruises in the 'Sir Winston Churchill' and 'Malcolm Miller' for 16 to 21-year-olds which it is hoped to organise for 1976 or '77

OBITUARY

Also in the January Review, obituary notices, Canon Francis Paton Williams was not President of Heywood Division. He was a Chaplain of the Order, and formerly of St. Ann's, Manchester, and Prestwick. He was also President of the Lancashire Cricket Club.

GREAT HELP

A SJA wall-plaque was presented to British Airways at London Heathrow on December 17 to mark the co-operation which has flourished since 1956 between the Airways' Medical Wing and the SJ A Air Attendants.

Making the presentation to Dr. Graham Taylor, Director of Medical Services, London District s Deputy Commissioner Lt. Col. R. A. Payne said: This token expresses the thanks of St. John for the special assistance given in the training courses for air attendants and the great help the volunteers get im their duties - which take them all over the world.' As examples, Dr. PefTers, Deputy Director of British Airways Medical Services, wrote the text-book for St. John Air Attendants and has also lectured on the subject since 1955; while Dr. Anthony Turner, Senior Medical Officer of British Airways Overseas, has spoken on the subjec t of tropical medicine at a number of St. John comferelilces.

NOW IS THE TIME

So Britain now (since January 29) has a

'charity' stamp, as my colleague Watkin Williams mentioned last month in AT RANDOM

This is a pilot scheme devised by the Post Office in collaboration with the National Council of Social Service to help charitable organisations working in different fields; if it is a success - and everyone must see that it is, for many charities rely on millions of people contributing regularly in a small waythe scheme will become an annual event and thereby benefit a wide range of charities over the years.

It's no good saying 'If I'd only known' when it's too late and such a scheme is abandoned through lack of support. Now is the time to support it.

REPORT

Proceedings of 'The Ealing Battered Baby Conference,' held in 1973 in the London Borough of Ealing, are now obtainable price 75p plus postage from B. Edsall and Co. 36 Eccleston Square, London, SWIV IPF. It contains reports of papers by: Nicholas Stracey, Director of Social Services, Ealing; Leo Goodman, Barrister at Law; Marjorie Turner Area Nursing Officer, Ealing; and Professor Keith Simpson, Professor of Forensic Medicine , Guy's Hospital.

From this month the Review s editorial pages are to be numbered consecutively throughout the year instead of being numbered by issues. This will simplify an index being prepared for each year's issues, to be sent to readers early in the following year. Also I hope to prepare and issue indexes for the years 1970 to 74 , and make available s pecial binders to hold a year's issues of the Review. Reference to back copies should then be simple.

MIND BENDERS (answers)

An OBE was awarded to Mr. F. G. Holmes, who joined the Brigade in Derbysnire in 1952 and im due course an Area Commissioner until his move to Helitfordshire in 1968, where he was appoimted Deputy Commissioner and promoted to Commissioner in 1972. Mr. Holmes's leadership in the Brigade has been all the more inspired and inspiring as a result of his keen interest in all forms of youth training, especially those stimulated by spirit of adventure and enriched by the of service to He regularly participates in the adventurous training programme at all St. John Cadet camps in Hertfordshire, and among many other schemes in which he has been actively involved are an adv€nture hut in Derbyshire, which is a base for industrial training for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, and an Adventure Training C€ntre near Betws-y-coed where St. J@hn m€mbers are trained in mountain work.

Two recipients of the MBE are Councillor

C. H. Rapport of the Priory for Wales and Mr. G. W. Woodhill, Registrar at our Headquarters in London Councillor Rapport is a member of the Chapter of the Priory for Wales and has for many years served on its council and as a member of its ffinance committee. He is also president of the very flourishing Rhiwbina C([)mbined Cadet Division and a patron of the St. John Beach Rescue Division, and as DeputyMayor of Cardiff four years ago he exerted all his influence to develop the work of St. John Ambulance and enhance its prestige in that citv.

Ge0rge Woodhill must surely t©day be the most widely kn(i)wn and affelCtionately respected member of the Brigade ttilfoughout the United Kingdom. Joining the Brigade in London District in 1941, he soon became superintendent of a Cadet Division and was then for several years District Staff Officer for Ambulance Cadets until his appointment. as Brigade Secre ary in 1957, f<;>lIcwed by his appointment as Registrar om the ereatioli1 of that more post in 1967. For the past 18 years he has been Headquarters Duty Officer. which involves l1im in roundthe -clock availability (whether at the office or at his home in Beckenham) to answer urgent demands for first aid in any emergency. including the provision of Air Attendants for tifle transport of sick ali1d injured pelisoms and tifle arrangement for a n ambulance vehicle to meet them at the airport, and in this he is most loyally and devotedly helped by Mrs. Woodhill. But he will perhaps be best known for his many visits to county conferences throughout the country, at which his wise advice on all forms of Brigade administration is mUGh in demand, and for the active JDart that has taken im the programme of many 'Nottinghams' and at King George VI Memorial Leadership Training Courses. His honour will indeed bring special pleasure to

AI RANDOM

(contd. from page 1 )

his many friends.

And finally, but no less richly deserved, a BEM was awarded to Mrs. Doris MacNeill, a recelRltly retired nursil'lg member of the Amersham Combined Division, Buds. Mrs. MacNeill joined the Calcutta Nursing Division in 1917 and after six years' voluntary hospital work there, she served successively in Guildford and London before moving to Amersham in 1946, where 8 years later she became an outstandingly successful divisional superintendent until ioo 1961 reverted to nursing member at mer own request in order to give younger members a chance of promotion and leadership. A founder member of the Amersham Samaritans and a very active member of the Casualties Union as well as a highly skilled lay demonstrator, there is virtually no aspect of St. J ohfl service in which sroe has not been actively iFlvolved and a great inspiration to others. Though now on the retired list she is still young in spirit and remarkably active in mind and body. and her help remains much in demand. not least among the younger members of the Brigade with whom she has a very close affinity.

Other St. Jomn members whose names have so far my eye in the HomolJlrs

List fOIi tmeir services in other fields are tNliee recipients of the CBE - Colonel J. Hughes (Deputy Commissioner. Commandery of Ards). for his services as chairman of the Royal British Legion, Mr. W. St. Clair Daniel (member of the St. John Council and chairman of Association. St. Ll!Icia), for public services in St. Lucia, aJnd Mf. G. E. Waddin.gton ( f0lfmer Chairman of the St. Jo h n Cou!'ilcil for !Jamaica), for public services in the Cayman Islands; and an OBE ha s been awarded to Dr. Donald Vaughan (for 25 years a Divisional Surgeon and now Area Surgeon. North-East Norfolk Area), for services to medicine in Norfolk.

Food for th(wgbt

I recently read witl1 great interrest nme a wnl!lai report of S t John Ambulance in the Province of Sind. Pakistan, which gave an inspiring account of the work being dOMe by

St. John members, not merely in routine public duties and training activities, but in emergency services during the terrible flood s o f 1973, in the two-way liepatri3Jti® 11l of the sick. injured and homeless refugees between Pakistan and Bangladesh, and in the development of community health projects in outlying rural areas. And at this time they will be very specially in our thoughts as they give help to the victims of the tragic earth · quake in the extreme north of their country.

T me report also meliilnioned several poimts which may well give us food fcr thought:

(I) Tn Pakistan, drivers and conductors of pu blic transport vehicles (buses , taxis and rickshaws) are required by law to receive training in first aid and to carry a first aid kit in their vehicles;

(2) Candidates for promotion to master or mate in the Merchant Navy are required to hold a first aid certiflicate before they for their qualifying examination;

(3) The Sind Government has issued a directive to its Education Department to arrange for St. John first aid and nursin g training in all schools and colleges

Neighb0urly

The SUjDerintendeli1t-in-Chief deserves our sympathy for the discomfort and in · convenience she suffered on December 22. Fortunately she and her household escaped injury when the windows of her house in Wilton Street were blown out by a bomb which had been thrown into the first floor drawingliOom of her neighbour's house Lady Moyra was out at dinner with her son and daughter -in -law at the time , but on receiving a 'phone call she put on her Brigade armlet and carrying (as always) her personal first aid pack, reached the hous e with her son Desmond within a few minutes and at the same moment as her neighbourMr. Heath, Leader of the Opposition.

Fimding debris and rubble scattered acro ss the street, she at once reported to the poli0e as a first-aider; they told her that there were fortunately no casualties and asked if sh € would mind keeping away from her house for another two hours in case there were any further explo s ions - a wise but, in the event mercifully unnecessary precaution.

If anything were needed to add a further personal touch to the excellemt article 'Lady Moyra Browne - Leading a Cmsade for Carin g' in the January 4 issue of My WeeM l', it would have been just this; but the article had already been written and probably set in print before the bomb went off. Those of yOU who didn't see this excellently written and well illustrated article will certainly find it well worth while trying to buy, beg or borrow a copy. for [ cam conceive 00 0 better portrayal of the aims and achievements of the Brigade and of the personality of our Su peri ntendent -in -Chief.

St. John stories

Funny - sad - but always human

Joint effort

THE class had stoically sat through seven weeks of lectures and practical work and now they were waiting their turn to go into the examination room to answer a few questions and to do a little practical.

Mrs. X entered and took a seat in front of the doctor.

Dr: Tell me what you know abowt sprains.'

Mrs. X: 'You use a cold compress.'

Dr: 'Yes, but where does a sprain occur?'

Mrs. X: 'Oh! In the foot.'

Dr: 'No , not quite.'

Mrs. X: 'In the leg?'

Dr: 'No, no.' The doctor bent his arm two or three times and repeated, 'Where does a sprai!'il occur?'

Mrs. X: (Hesitantly) 'In the arm?'

Dr: (Very patiently) No, no.' Lifting his leg, he waggled his foot a few times and repeated the original question, and then added 'What do you ask for when you go to your butchers?'

Mrs. X: 'I usually ask for a nice piece of ---' The doctor gently placed his hands on the table, but before he could say anything an exultant look came Mrs. face and she said, 'Oh, of course a Jomt!'

Dr: 'Yes! That's the answer I wanted.'

I do not think Mrs. X will ever forget where a sprain occurs! Incidentally, she had no trouble with the other questions and passed the practical with flying colours.

- W. R. D., Surrey

Keeping up appearances

YEARS AGO, when we did Sunday ambula nce work to relieve the nearby county serVices, we had occasion to bring into the o ld City Hospital an elderly lady for admission. After transferring her from the stretcher to the assigned bed my colleague arnd I were makililg Ol!lli way owt o f time ward walking (i)n tip-toe so as not to disturb the evening service, when we passed the sister who stood looking pensively at the rosy-

Sister - pretty, plump and blonde

faced parson singing lustily as he conducted the 'choir' of old ladies sitting up in bed with shawls around them. I whispered as I passed, 'They're enjoying themselves tonight, sister' and she muttered, 'Yes, but I wish he'd finish: four of 'em are on bed pans!'

E. J. B., Bath

Sister had her problems

I USED to help in Casualty in an old hospital in a town with an unusually large immigrant population. One of the hospital sisters was a pretty, little, plump blonde, with sparkling bll!le eyes and a milk-and-roses complexion and she was usually lively and friendly - and very capable. However, all the world knew she had 'given her heart' to a local dentist who was a well-known 'gay deceiver.' At last she found him out, and , in the short spells between ambulances bringing in their loads of trouble, she sat at the desk in CasUJalty quietly crying to herself.

Next day, at lunchtim€, I made a quick drawing which pretended to portray am incident of the previous night. I drew a backview of sister s shapely form at the desk eliciting the details of a 'customer' standing before her. I drew him , with a bright green turban over a woebegone face, rubbing his stomach and explaining in his fractl!lred English that he was a 'Velly Sick Sikh!'

That night (actually in the small mours of the morning) when I went away from Castlalty I slipped the drawing into the next page in the big casualty register.

In the €vening of that day, when I turned up, I was called aside by the night superintendent - a very dignified, withdrawn but utterly dedicated Florence Nightingale type. Wondering what was afoot I followed her into her office. As she closed the door she said softly 'Thank you very much for that prank you played on sister. It was the first time anyone had seen her even smile for the week, and she laughed long and loud - just like her old self.'

With such a relationship with the professional staff is it any wonder I found that period of my life an unforgettable experience despite the fact that it was often sordid, poignant and very strenuous?

E. J. B., Bath

EVERY DAY FIRST AID

- an easy-to-tunderstand series of advice will help YOU to cope wit h! FAMILY ACel DENTS

DIRECT VIOLENCE INJURIES part two

by Dennis Clark, MBE, Ff'lCS

WE HAVE already noticed that the risks of wounds are infeetitlm, bleeding amd injury t o body struetures under the skim We have considerecl how to lessen the risks of infection, now we must discuss the dangers of bleeding.

Take an example. Supposing a group of boys and girls (including yourself) are strolling and larking in the Corporation Gardens. Drawn hy curiosity to the greenhouses, even thoug fu th€ g€nerallPublic do not as 8! rule go there, Y(f)U find y(f)t!lrseives w.alking between the cold frarmes. Suddenly Matilda trips and falls head -long into a glass frame , putlting out her hands to save herself

There is a crash of breaking glass but Matilda is up in a flash, pulling a large piece of glass from her right arm. INstantly blood spurts from a gash, fOl!lr ililches o> r S(f) long, slanting clown the inner side of t h € el bow across th@ forearm. Matilda yells, as much from fright as pain. You , making an instant assessment of danger from arterial bleeding, grab her arm and squeeze the edges of the wound together, at the same time telling Matilda t@ lie down Your grip has to be far firmer to control the bleeding than you im-

Lie the easualty down, then use -

agine afld you have to use both hamds before you a r e sucGessful.

SO[ili\ehow you manage to get Matilda lyin g on the path away from the broken glass. Then, using your left hamd on the Brachial pres s ure f)oint , you are able to release the direct pressure on the wound and to see that there is no further glass in the wound. You have just sent someone off with 'Get heip from the gardener. Tell him: Cut arm, Arterial 1!> leeding, Ambulamce meeded' when Matilda faints. The arm you have held raised goes limp. For a second or two Matilda does not even breathe Her face quickly becomes so pale that you nearly give way to panic. Suddenly with a snore she begins to breathe again and as her eyes open and recollection returns she starts to struggle.

You ma ma ge to retain yom grip of the a r m a md somehow control Matilda wi t h simple but important r eassurance, All right, Matilda. You re all right. Just keep still. You've Gut your arm. We've sent for help. It won't be long now.'

It is, perhaps, j ust as well that the gardener arrives with a first aid kit. A good look at Matilda, the glass fralTnle and the wound,

CONTROL OF BLEEDING

to gether with a few terse questions , is enough for him t o make am assessmelilt all @ diagno s is He chooses and applies a large sterile wound dressing be fore asking you o rele as e y our pressure on the Brachial pressure point. After a minute or so the blood beg n s to come through the dressin g, so the gardener applies clean cotton-wool padding, quite an inch thick , over the dressin g and b nd s it in place with a crepe band age. He explains that the elasticity 0f crepe b a md ag e s produces an even pressure. He s takin g the pulse rate on the uninjured side wh e n the ambulance arrives and Matilda s whisked off to hospital.

In thi s example we have the essence of th e treatment for bleeding casualties

I. C Ci)J'1trol the bleeding. The key to this is pressure. First -aiders can use

(a) Direct pressure (b) I ndirect pressure

(c ) Pressure from dressings and bandages, adding more padding if necessar y bu t not replacing the first dressing.

2, Treat the effects of bleeding

(a ) Lie the patient down and if condition worselilS , lower head below level of feet.

( b) Ralise and s l!l pport t he part.

(c) Reassure the casualty.

3. Inspect and dress the wound with sterile dressing and maintain an even pressure on the wound with efficient fixation by strapping or by bandage.

4. Attend to other injuries , fractures and wound s .

5. Send to hospital urgently. Send also a history of the accident and a pulse record.

A wound, gushing blood is most alarming even to an experienced first-aider , but this alarm s hould be a stimulu s to thought and a ction and should give way to confidencebecause bleeding that can be seen can be controlled F a r more dangerous as it is not obvio l!!l s, is ht,iddem bleeding

Take another example: Adam s accident

60 years of . service by the sea

in a carpentry clas s when a chisel penetrated hi s lower abdomen and groin, On pulling out the chisel only a small wound less than a cen t imeter lon g is seen. A amount of blood escapes on the surface and the wound is easily sealed by an adhesive dressing.

Luckily s omeone knows their first aid and reco g nises the developing signs of shock in th e next half-an-hour. Adam begins to feel faint , goes pale and limp, a cold sweat breaking out on hi s brow, and begins to sigh and move restlessly after being persuaded to lie down. The pulse rate quickens and becomes 'soft' to feel , so a record is made of it.

Immediate transport to hospital is arranged.

It wa s later learned that Adam had internal bleeding into the abdomen that needed a surg ical operation to control and so save his life.

Remember that when bleeding is hidden, either in large dressings , under the patient, internally in the clnest , abdomen or between the muscles of the thigh the danger will

If need be maintain indirect pressure whi e applying , , Pr ess ure from d r

SCARBOROUGH Nursing Divi sion , the olde s t division (i) f the f(f)rmer N. Riding Yorkshire N o 1 Region , was fo wnded on Au g us t 14 , 1914 and for 60 years has played a n a ctive part in the voluntary work of the town.

The Divi sion s original document shows that the first Lady Superintendent was a Mi ss A. Woodall , Lady of Grace of the Order , who obtained her Home Nursing C eli tifkate in March 1883, and her Fi r st Aid t he following year. She was succe @ded by Mi ss A Jacklin , Servin g Si s ter , from 1918 to 1942, and on her promotion to County Staff, Mi ss M. Moorhouse , Serving Sister, took over the superintendent s hip ; she likewise gained promotion to County Staff in 1953 , a nd prior to the appointment of a new s uperi liil tendent, Miss E O Rollinson was offioeli -in -char ge. Ilil 1954, M iss N. Outhet Servin g Sister, became superintendent On re -or g anisation last April she was promoted to Area Superintendent (N) Coastal Area , North York s hire, and Mrs. B Linton , Serving Si s ter , who first joined the Brigade as a cadet in 1941 bec a me the present superintendent. -

The Division !l a s 43 members , six of whO m! are Serving Sisters , and the President Mr s . S. Hargraves, is an Officer of Order.

Teams from the Division have regularly competed in competitions and since 1955 have been five times in the National Final. In 1966 the Ellis Cup was won by the Divisional Superintendent, Miss N. Outhet, and in 1967 the team won the National Uniform Trophy, presented to them by Princess Margaret.

Until 1954 the Division held regular meetings in rented premises - then , to gether with the Ambulance Division they purcha sed their own joint headquarters , which were officially opened by Lady Mountbatten the following year. The HQ h a s two main rooms for lec t ures and social a ctivities , three storerooms , kitchen , committee room home nursing room for nursing c adet s, an ambulance cadet room and a ho me nur s ing room and annexe for the nurs in g members

In fact, hidden bleeding is more frequent than dangerous external bleeding, which is u s uall y limited to those parts of the body with big arteries the upper arm or thigh the neck and the body Wounds are more common around the hands and though bleeding ma y appear free it is not dangerous. What is dangerous is unchecked bleeding whether obviou s or hidden, and it shows firstl y, as the quantity of blood that can be s een and , secondly in the signs of increasing s hock. Look for bleeding in dressings, under the casualty behind the knees. estimate and r e port the amount of blood lost but above all remember the signs of increasing shock: faintness, pallor , limpness, weakness, cold sweat, sighing, restlessness thirst and, most important of all an increasing pulse rate with a failing strength to each beat.

The Division (not all present) today hospital team work. Prior to its abolition , several members worked in the local mobile fir s t aid uflit. In this busy seaside resort there are many dutie s to be undertaken, and an average of over 7,000 voluntary hours are (Slut in by the nursing member s These include tlIe Over 60 clu bs , outings theatres cricket conferences, escort duties , etc. Weekly Saturday night whi s t drives are held throughout the year.

To mark the Division's Diamond Jubilee in 1974 the Scarborough Council Parks Departm e nt laid out a flower bed in the form of the St. John cross and the Division's date s. A float was entered in the Eurofair Procession in June , and a window display was allowed by the Scarborough Building Societ y for two weeks in August.

A Commemerative Service was held in the Parish Church of St. Mary's on Sunday, September 29, attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Scarborough.

In the day s of NHSR training , 36 members wer e enrolled , and at one time the lie were II SEN members traimed from the Divi s ion, The Divisional Nursing Officer , Mi ss G. Halliday , Senior Sister ' Tutor (now r e tir e d), stimul a ted nurse training and s how in signs of increasing shock. These s ig ns should be a s obvious to a first-aider as a s pectacular gush of blood.

Scarborough Nursing Divisiom's 60 years of service to the town was rounded off with a diamond jubilee dinner. We wish them a nother s ixty years of success

Staging an incident can be exciting, but which comes first -

The chicken or the egg"

asks REA LIST

WHICH COMES FIRSl'? your guess is as good as any other! It's all part of the great pmilosophical question of cause and effect, afld logically the cause must corne before the effect. With the chicken and the egg one does not know which is which, for they are bO li h equal parts of the wonders of the eV01utionary pFocess o f li he cycle of selfperpetuating life. W\rJ.at I want to d' scuss is whether, iN tlrle planning pr@cess of casualty simulation, we should determime tAe staging before the injury or the injury before the staging. The one is cause and the other effect, equally important factors in our thinking, but sometimes we begin with one and sometirrnes the other. The one elem e nt is the relationship Thletween them. It depends to a great extel'lt 01'1 tliie pl!lrpose for whicm the imjury or incident is required, so we had better go through them in some sort of order There is hardly any need for me to emphasise that whichever comes first , the effect must be consistent with the cause , within reason and experience.

FirstJIy, lime imjure@i person who is acting for a demonstration tg a tirst aid class , fOF a diagnosis exercise or a casualty in a 'reception centre'. In these cases the injury comes first, aFld the staging is part of the imaginative presentation of the history related by the casualty or his companion. For example a case of imternal haemorrhage is required, so t he casualty is brought in lio the r oorm in a suita b le way, wifh a hist0fY of havi mg been blocked to the ground and kicked in the liver during a fight. The staging has been experienced, so it is now part of the history.

For the test at the terminatiofl of the C. U. basic course of trai ming candidates are required to be a ble to act nime oo mdi t io ms for whi <i: h make-up is moli needed. Ifl each instanoe tl'1e staging is agaim J!lresuJ!lposed or implied by the candidate during performance

"l'm. [ookln9 fer somc:whftT'1Z LO st''''9 1Z a. brok an (1lS "

as being part of the reason for the behaviour. The planning of a large-scale exercise for welfare services involves an inspired amount of imaginary staging Assume that the purpose of the exercise is to test the call -out s ystem of a voluntary service, bringing vo lunteers to a centre where they will find a few dozen casualties, survivors of a civi l @iisaster w fu o are awaiting care and sympathy, some first aid and refreshmemt. What a wealth of detail can go into the briefings for the casualties, covering their circumstances relationships, problems , anxieties , and not lea st the major or minor injury which was their share of the physical damage. The injury is there, it needs little or no imagination dl ag lilOse alfl o calli forth the correct treatment. b l!l t the cause, the staging , is again part of the history. The man who was burnt as he tried to rescue a child. The woman who may have broken her ankle when she jumped from a high window. In this instance the balance of cause and effect is about equal. You put into your briefings injl!lries yOl!l think could be <i:a lll sed b y t he s J"l ecific disaster (l:m t you select injUliies which are likely to cO li111 e through a reception centre rather than be taken im -

graze by a fall, the cut must fit the type and sharpness of the knife and direction of the li mnlst aftcl the graze must be on that bit of ana tomy t fuat stll.!lck the gr;e lm d.

Conversely, if your purpose is to give experience in the treatment of burns, you begin with the staging , which should include a nearby source of water (and suitable containers in which to put it). Then you make the injury fit the cause It could be an accident with a picnic stove near a lake or stream. Indoo r s it c a n be associated with a gas ring or ele <i: tric cooker, a bl0wlamp or a stearn -iron , somewhere near the sink.

Perhaps the purpose is to give experience in extrication of a casualty from a confined space (with an element of risk) , or an exercise in handlling a particular inJUliY in awkward circumstances. Obviously here you begin by selecting a suitable site and proceed to work out the injury that could be caused by the natural staging. One's mind ranges from a collapsed trench to the awkward angle a t the bottom of the basement stairs, taking in the overturned car and the deep pool in the river on the way.

Confessions of a Casualty

I didn't grow my hair long so that you could lift me by it.

I'm sorry I bit yoUr finger , but my mouth wa s no place for it while I was having a fit.

I wish first-aiders would listen carefully to what r tell them.

medi at ely to a hospital).

Now we come to the situations in whi d the ca s ualt y is to be found at the scene of thf incident, acting amongst or near to the cau Sf of the injur y We have to try and answer the question which comes first?' And we di s· cover that there is no simple answer. depends on the purpose of the exercise . Take an e a sy example. The test at the CG n elu sion of the c.u. basic traiPling course ne· quires the candidate to produce an inciclen l involving himself as the casualty It may that the candidate thinks his best chance s uccess is in producing a burn with charre skin and singed clothing. He hunts for a likely cause for the injury, then worRI out the exact details of the staging bef(i) r starting the make -up and burning the gall ment. The purpose was to show his ability tj make up a convincing burn and secondarill to produce the correct trimmings He will , 0 course, onl y get his full complement o mark s if the made -up injury is convincin gl! the result of that particular cause. tme injury s a Cl:lt caused by a knife , or I

An exercise in the handling and treatment of the victims of a traffic accident, willy-nilly begins with the staging, vehicles of some kind. When they have been put in their positions the consideration of what would happen to the victims can begin. Were they wear ing seat belts? What sort of damage is evident on the vehicles that would account for the injuries? A smashed windscreen has obvious advantages. Then you can allocate to this or that casualty a lacerated face, a broken kneecap, a ruptured intestinal wall, etc.

Staging can be an exciting study. It can produce a truly dramatic atmosphere. It is small-scale engineering at one end of the spectrum and an acute awareness of human failing and liability at the other. One needs to have a tidy mind to understand the untidiness that causes injury s ituations, and an intuitive sense of stresses and strains, momentum and direction, a hunch for the details that lend important evidence for the diagnosis of the injuries. Staging opens up the imagination and certainly makes one a dedicated accident preventer. I am surprised that members of C.U do not undertake it as a specialist subject for a qualification.

I had no idea debriefing was part of a first a id exercise . It s just as well I wear tights!

Perhap s I was wrong in thinking that Cat's Cradle was a game now I find it is another name for trying to put on a triangular sling.

You could have fooled me ; I thought there was water in that cup you gave me to drink.

, THINK I'LL ADD THE BUR.N MARKS Ef'/I MA !

BANGERS AND (S)MASH!

by R. E. Taylor ,

IN THIS quiet corner of North Devon events hav,e taken a more noisy turn over the pa st tw o summers. Local organisations raising money f@r chl ariti,es (St. J oh m iroeluded!) have inaugurated a West of E lOl gland Bangers and Smash League' We of I3i cl eford Ambulance Division come in a s the attendant first aid team complete WIth ambulance, without which the meeting cannot start.

To be at the side of lihe arena watching is a n eye -p opping eKperie moe. Massed starts of abo wt 2 (i) vehicles , souped-up old cars with all glass removed , welded on roll-bars , often WIngs removed, pig-wire grills instead of

windscreens and the cooling system enhanced by coupling a 5 or ten-galion oil-drum into it- usually the drum is on the back seat. The drivers wear crash helmets and thigh , waist and shoulder safety-belts.

One can guarantee at least a dozen collisions in the first 50 yards and in the usual afternoon session one can watch vehicles turn over , roll several times or even somersault end on. You make a heartpounding run to such a crash, with your haversack banging the daylights out of your kidneys to find the driver crawling out grinning and wanting you only as a pair of hands to help get the car back on its wheels again.

To see a Mini astride an old tractor tyre from the safety barrier trying to push itself and tyre around the track is one thing - to see the same Mini upside down and have visions of 10 gallons of boiling water emptying from the split oil drum over the driver is quite another.

The tracks are just fields laid out with suitable circuits , the safety fences - double ones - rough but adequate. But dry with cloud s of dust flying or wet with mud sprayin g everywhere , the procession of old bangers beating hell out of the track and e a ch other at as high a speed as possible certainly lends spice to the perpetual thought of What will I do if XYZ happens?'

There s only one way to find out - go to such events and wait for it!

RESULTS - in your local nevvspaper

Divisional Officer Victor Bodger, of Chester Division, handled public relations with the local press for a recent disaster exercise organised by the division. The resldts of his imaginative co -operation with the press-boys from two local papers is show1'l. below.

The press is always looking for good action pictures. But PROs must help themby making them feel at home with members , by laying on facilities, by suggesting ideas, by explaining what's happening, by getting the press involved and imterested in wmat St. John is doing.

Our-man-Bodger obviously went.to great l<mgths to make sure they got what they wanted at Chester.

Disaster exercise

ADEQUAT JE training of Brigade pelison1'l.el in dealil1lg with seriows a1'l.d large incidents is diffIGult. In Chester we are fortunate in beirog able to Gall upon the expertise of the Clwyd fire and ambulance services and also of the Central Electricity Generating Board. Ambulance Member Tony Roberts, of Chester, is a first aid attel'ldant at a local power station and once a year arraflges a training session for the d·visi0m.

watch was kept to see that the airways were umobstructed and haemorrhage was cont rolled. When the van had been opeFled up St. John pe r sonnel completed their firs t aid and with t he help of the fire service the patients were removed and placed into t he ambulance.

The St. John crew consisted of two ambulance members with five years in the Bri gade and two nursing members with two years experie l1l Ge.

The casualties came from the local ambula me e ser\"ice an d the power station first aid team, wmo were able to give constructive criticism at the conclusion to the exercise.

1974 - Operation Powerblast

The Chester divisional ambulance with a crew of ten , together with an ambulance

from Queensferry Division with a crew of two, w e re sent to stand -by at a local power station. While there , they received a radio call to go to a turbine house where an electrical explosion had occurred. o.n arrival at the s cene the fire service, with eight pumps manned by retained crews, was seen to be extin g uishing two fires and searching the s moke -filled turbine house for casualties. Liai son between the fire service and St. John established that there were approximately ten severely injured casualties in the building; some were trapped under machinery, others lying on cat -walks 20 feet above the floor and one was hanging over a girder 35 feet up

Towards the end of the incident the fire brigade reported they had found a casualty on the roof of the turbine house. A nursing

member , 18 years old , was taken up onto the roof on a fire brigade hydraulic platform and there dealt with a male patient with a fractured s pine.

The incident and first aid were assessed by the works' SRNs and ambulance service representative who also travelled in the ambulances to the casualty reception centre approximately 3/4 mile away.

At the conclusion of the excercise a discussion took place between first-aiders, fire service officers , patients, and assessors as to the effectiveness of the operation. It was established that the right priorities had been taken.

The exercises taught us a great deal both from the point of arranging another and, of course , in the event of the real thing.

1973 Session

Chester's divisional ambulance with a crew of four was sent to the power station , after nightfall on the training evening to deal with any incident which might arise.

The crew received a radio call to go to an im e ident at a level crossing. O m arrival they fCll!lncl a railway engine , emitting clo l!l ds of smoke, beneath which was pinned a van.

Two fire tenders arrived (manned by retained crews) and extinguished the fire. St. John members went to render first aid, but could not get into the van because the doors were jammed (they'd been welded shut). An assessme n t was made of the casualties and the following injl!lries diagnosed:

I. Concussion - fractured pelvistured right clavicle - unconsciQ (driver).

2. Bruising and lacerations - dislocal right shoulder (first passenger).

3 Fractured jaw - lacerationsconsGious ( r ear passenger).

4 Complicated fractured ribs passenger).

Airways were ensured haemorrh l s topped. by reaching through the smasl windows. After liai son with the fire sm '-----blankets were placed over the protect them while the fire brigade cut a\1 tme sides and li oof of the van. MealFlwl

Getting vvbat you need

The sort or results a PRO dreams ofone exercise produces whole pages of publicity in two newspapers.

* "11 ABINGDON, 7 miles south of Oxford, is a I.f I1 growing residential town of 20,000 people. Mo st of the public duties attended by its 40member SJA combined di vision are in the surrounding countryside - motor -cycle g ra ss track raci ng and scrambles , gy mk h anas. sports meetings, village fetes and Open Day a t RAF Ab im gdotl.

For most of the Division's twenty -one ye ar s (we came of age this year) , a framed tent served as a shelter and first - aid post , and ma ny uncomfortable hours were spent in or around it on cold wet duties. But apart from memb e rs di scomfort, the tent was just not good enough for serious first-aid work. Durin g nhes e duties , a more serv iceable first-ai"d unit was oftem discu ssed by the members and the cO l1l version of a caravan was contemplated. But the stumbling block was how

Action and concern How the publi c n Chester see SJA in the local newspaper ( Photo Chester Chronicle)

it could be towed to every duty. Fitting towb a r s to many members' cars was not practicable The solution, suggested in 1972 by our Divisional Superintendent David Hodson , was to convert a secondhand van of the ri g ht dimensions That is, high enough in the back to stand up in (excluding Mr. Hodson , who is 6ft 3ins) not so big as to require a heavy goods vehicle licensed driver. Such a van was found at a local garage, a se condhand BMC 440 petrol engined for e a se and cheapness of maintenance.

Abingdon Rotary Club generously donated £ 500 and the project was on A DIY conversion was considered but it. wa s decided to have a pmfessiolilal job made of it by a local c a ravan centre. There the van w a s insulated , lined and fitted with locker seat s down one side sink unit with hot and cold w a ter, writing top and medical stores unit. The unit was sprayed white inside and out, and fluores <\: ent tape and sign s were put on by ourselves.

Finally , it was fitted with a trolley stretcher which to facilitate treatment can be rai sed 4ft 6ins. Div. Officer 1. WagstafTe wired the fluorescent lights, socket outlets

tone horns and blue lights In charge of th e project w as Sgt. Ray Francis, who spent most of his free time during the summer of 1972 on it.

The final costs were: Van £425, stretcher £140, conversion £300, Misc. £45: Total £910.

The unit is now ready for immediate use, with a stock of blankets dressings Stephenson Minuteman, Entenox and pneumatic splints. The latter were donated by North Berks Motorcycle Club.

Future plans for the unit include a base radio and mobile sets , electronic pulse and temperature detectors and piped oxygen.

Public duties are now no longer an endurance test and casualties are treated in comfort and with efficiency. Considerable interest has been shown in the unit and members are proud to show the public over it. With our two Ford Transit ambulances it has certainly been an important factor in ensuring a steady flow of new recruits.

There is no doubt that the acquisitiol'l of a mobile first-aid unit has played an important part in the progress of Abingdon Division.

G. J. Richards

Victor Bodger

two

CARDIAC MASSAGE

from Wm. G. Anthony, Divisional Secretary

Recently, when reading up for a divisional training lecture on heart attacks and disease, I came acFOSS am item in a fairly recent copy of Reader's Digest om this subject. Among hints [0r dealing with a stoppage of the heart, the treatment was correctly given, as shown in our current manual, pages 75 to 78. H@wever, the article went on: 'Failure to apply it within two minutes can cause permanent brain damage or death. On no account apply it after two minutes; you may create a living vegetable. (My italics).

As nothing is stated in the manual about this two minute delay (in artificial yes, but not with cardiac massage), it wmdd be aflflFeciated the Chief $urgeGlm's department could COllilITnlent on this. Liverpool Wm. G. Anthony

Dr. P. A. B. Raffle, Chief Medical Officer, replies:

The joint of the First Aid Mamual clearly states on page 71: 'It is essential fQr the brain to be continuously supplied with oxygen aided blQod; if totally deprived of oxygen for more than about four minutes, the brain is likely to be permanently It is not possible im the first-aid situation to determine that point in time at wmieh such damage eccurs: this is the reaSGln fQf the instn!lction, 'Pirst-aid may have to be continued until the casualty reaches hospital.'

CONCERN FOR THE AGED from Dilys Leake, Pupil Nurse

In AT RANDOM (October) on age com cern, I would like to point out that this is a nation-wide problem because there are too few lilOmes for the ageCil, Ji>rivate OF c@l!lllcil, and the National Nealth Service has been in the 're(1.\' since goodness knews wmen.

I am doimg part of my training in a geriatric hospital where on the wards there is an average of three full-time nurses (1 SRN, 1 SEN, 1 pupil nurse) and 1 part-time auxiliary. On my ward of 20 beds only half of them can be used because two nurses cannot lift a heavy patient who is unable to help himself. This results in their general care not being up to standard, and the nurses being very tired.

Tmere are mQt el\lQugh (')ccupational QF physiotherapists t@ tiFY tio give these old dears something to o€:cupy their minds and se make their lives worth living.

It is horrible to have to say it, but some people are just not interested in their aged relatives.

Help is urgently needed in this field, in accommodation and staff, qualified Of as auxiliaries and volunteers.

READERS OVERSEAS VIEWS

Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endotsed by the Editor or the Order of St. John and its Foundations. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen-name, writers must supply their name and address to the editor.

When I finish my training I shall work in either mental or geriab

nursing, as they are both so badly under-manned.

Lady Moyra Browne, S uperintendent -in-C hief, made an extended tour of S1. John in Canada during the autumn, visiting Halifax, New Brunswick, Pri nee Edward Island, Ottawa, Winnipegand being a keen angler she spent a day fishing as guest of Mr. Burton Colter, President of the New Brunswick SJ Council. But the fish didn't rise for Lady Moyra - instead she was presented with an 181b. salmon landed by a member of the party.

Dilys Leal HOW NOT TO HELP THE HANDICAPPED

MANY participants 0/ the Duke of Edinburgh's OLD AMBULANCES WANTED Award Scheme help the handicapped from W. Parkin, PRO and the elderly in hospitals and at hCJme

During 1975, the 40th aniversary of the founding of Farnham Di through the Service Section. Those they help sion, we are planning a 'Gala Day' in the form of a football match cannot alwavs communicate their everyday static displays. Our committee thought it a good idea to have a displl needs and fears. of vintage and veteran ambulances, if we could find them. Divisi Oi Valerie MO rton, the writer of this article that have sl!lch vehicles, who would be interested in participatin - who has since died - was a Guide w0uld be very welcome by Farnham Divisi0n. The gala day is to b€ f al1d sL{ffered /mm Motor Neurone disease, May 25, 1975. Please contact me. and was helpless apart from move59, Dene Lane, Lower Bourne, Farnham, Surrey, GUIO 3RJ. ment of the eye,s. The article was dictated by morse movements of the eyelids. (In order to make this possi61e, members of the A ward Journal staff learnt morse).

W. Parkin All

FOR ALMOST a year I have been almost totally dependent on other people, both in hoslPilt al am@ at h<!)!Jil1le, and [ hope that wmat I

A N OT H E

have to say may be of help to anyone who ., has to care for a handicapped person. I think it is most important when one is

N EW H Q

going to care for the first time for someone who IS handicapped in any way, that one should find Ol!lt as much as possible about him. For example, if there are amy limbs that New vehicles, f,irrst aid ulilits and headquarters - that'sll alie painful when mo ved or ·r 'h S A " d , h u ere are any st@ry of J t€h"ay,. DIVISions, Wi l t a run- 0 special wa h Iii( h' <d building thrreatene€l wit,h rredevelopment, thrree years s M .ys e t • obtained planning permission to build a new HQ over y maIm frustration IS not bemg able to ambulance garage in another part of town. They have speak, and one of the worst aspects of this is ambulances and a first aid unit. because one can only make a funny Dances, raffles, sponsored wa.lks and even sell nOiSe, many people who do not k refreshments on the A30 - raised enough funds for treat 0 now tend to ne as a c/;l1ld Some I'ma main structure 0f the new HQ to be put up by local conti d . gIne one IS tors, wh(!)se worrks direct0r i,s secretary of tlile eaf, and. either talk IOl!ldly, or mouth words; ciliy,isiCilIil Meml:>ers tlile job. Ma lrvell@us - cO worse thinking (me canlilot hear, they talk openly about one. Lord Northbrook (ab@),1e, left). with Cdr E. A. MOHis(i)n Possifuly I am part' I I b I HO II ICU ar y sensitive ut (Rtd)' Commander SJA Halililpshlre, opened the new hate to b Ii' rl N .' year e leu. evertheless It makes an

enormous difference to one's enjoyment of a meal if the person helping takes a real interest in what she is doing. I know that it must require infinite patience, but there are some people who will go to endless trouble to keep the food hot, and make it as tasty as possible. They also give the impression that there is nothing they would rather be doing at that particular time. Others, however, will carryon an animated (l;onversation with another, whilst holding an appetising forkful - just out of reach! - or stare out of the window, in deep thought, while one watches the food getting cold.

The task of those 'who help me to move has inevitably been made more difficult by my inability to speak. So often I know what is going wrong but am quite unable to warn my helper. It is frightening to have to wait for it to happen, with the resultant pain. For example, bare or stockinged feed will slip on a polished floor. Therefore, if one is lifted from bed to chair, with feet and legs stretched out in front, they will almost tainly slide, and one is left being held, a dead weight, while one's feet get entangled with the legs of the chair, and one must either be allowed to slide to the flom, or be hauled back on the b€d. Both of these courses exert considerable strain on helper and patient alike. This could all have been avoided had the helper made sure that her patient had worn shoes, and his feet firmly planted, not only on the ground, but well under him. It is <llso important whelil one is transferring a patient from one chair to another, that helpers and patient should be close enough to enable the transfer to be one easy move-

The person in whom I have most confidence is the one who goes about her work slowly and deliberately, telling what she is about to do, giving me the opportunity te indicate if anything is wrong. She seems to get through her work just as quickly as the one who exercises a more forceful approach. Other hazards encountered as OI'le is moved are buttons, brooches and pins. So often, as one is being lowered in a chair, one's face slides duwn the front of a dress, with the result that one may end up with a button or brooch in the eye or up the nose!

Those who are helping handicapped patients should always try to remember, and this may not always be easy, as over a long period familiarity tends to make one forget - that the burden the handicapped person has to carry is at times very hard. There will be good days and bad days, and anything the helper can do to ease that burden means much. I do not necessarily mean any material way of easing the burden, but rather an attempt to surround him with love, compassion and understanding - not sympathy or pity, as these are bad for him.

I do not think one ever fully accepts being handicapped, but if one tries to put God in the centre of one's life, He will show one step by step, as He has shown me, how to overcome those handicaps and learn to live with them. Looking back, ways which seemed strange I now see were His methods of teaching me - not the least of them being people; It will never be easy, but nothing worth having ever is. I have learnt with God's help, that even though one is severely handicapped, one can still help others, by prayer, compassion and love.

ST JOHN

ment.

(Far left) Lady Moyra greets Honorary President of the SJ Council, John C. Day. (Below) Presenting third bar to LOflg Service Medal to Mrs. Lily Stevens, of George Seal Nursing Division

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.2 (75) CompiledbyW A.P otter

Across:

1. Failure of sphiNcter to ndax causing dilatation of the oesophagus. (9) 6. Obese with soft mass. (5) 9. Repeals arrangement for a set-back in convalescence. (7) 10. Apt ruse for a pioneer in bacteriology. (7) II. Before food he produces pain. (4) 12. Space between the tips of the extended thumb and little finger (4) 13. Instilling a feeling of dread (5) 16. Small cartilage of the external ear. (6) 17. Base diet is varied in hormone -deficiency disease. (8) 20. Blee<lling likely to be severe. (8) 21. Red back with male is true skin. (6) 23. After Sunday do right for perspiration. (5) 25. B0il ready for burstimg. (4) 26. Learner gets O.B.E. for part of ear, liver, or lung. (4) 29. Ra d ioactive metal extraGted from pitchblende. (7) 31. Best performer goes round on it to produce poisonous plant. (7) 32. Call up quite correct in the early part of the night. (5) 33. Painful muscular contractions commonly suffered by footballers. (3.6)

Down:

I. ThoraciG and abdominal artery. (5) 2. Not enthusiastic - having only one atrium and ve\iltricle? (4.7) 3. Use broke\il pole to swing along witfu long strid€ls. (4) 4. Ready for a nap. (6) 5. Supplement to a book in the abclominal (8) 6. Dad runs round tree t @obtain Turkish title. (5) 7 Point to United States custom. (3) Loss of power and sensation in a part. (9) 14. Serious complication of fracture in limbs of team (3.8) 15. Rough edge of metal for husk of chestnut. (4) 16 Give blood intravenously (9) 18 Blister. (4) 19. Two of the facial bones. (8) 22. Leaped suddenly from S.R.N. gap. (6) 24. Bring to upright posture. (5) 27. None of these are prime nlllmbers. (5) 28. Acidic taste. (4) 30. Fuss whelil nothing is added to the advertisement. (3)

Solution to Crossword No.1 (75)

Across: 1. Chemotherapy; 8. Purge; 9. Addiction; 11. E.xi.st; 12. Sat.in; 13. Tabes; 16. Drow.se; 17. Prolan; 19. Enema; 20. Claret; 21. Return; 22. Hedge; 25. Tonic; 28. Thorn; 29. Sabre shin; 30. Ray.on 31. Testosterone.

Down:

1. Carcinoma; 2. lEvert; 3. Ozaena; 4. Huddle; 5. Races; 6. Point; 7 Appemdicitis; 10. Nine-nine-nine; 13. Teeth; 14. Blee<d; 15. Spa r e; Leucocyte; 23. E.tches ; 24. G.lance; 26. Noble; 27. C.left; 2S. Torso .

BOOKS

BASIC MEDICAL & SURGICAL NlJRSING by

M. Mas()fl Collier Macmillian,

£2.75

This is the third edition of a textbook written b y a nurse and like all American books it is well set out and liberally illustrated. The oontent s of each chapter are given at the beginning , followed by the expect ed behavioural outcomes. This is designed to help students with their studies , and gives six or eigli!t points to test oomprehension of th a studied. Each chap ter centres around the patient: t he pat i(mt dis· ease s of the blood ; wilt h a neop la sm ; witli! an inflammatory di s ea se; and at tfue end of each chapter there is a s ummary followed by s uggestions for further study and additional readings

It is a useful book for motivating students to gain information for themselves, as in some areas the detail given is fairly sparse , but it does present its information in an interestin g way which should pro ve stimulating. It is not , however, a book that I would recommend to Brigade members as it wo uld not be particularly useful for their meed s, Anyone wish im g to study the in more detai l would be better to use a conventional English textbook R. E. B.

THE GOOD COOKS' GUIDE

Fawcett and Strong, £2.95

A most unusual a n d interesting cookery book put out by the Con · sumers Association.

As tm e F oreward rightly says , it puts back into oookery some o f th e magic that technology has taken out of it. It is a companion book to the Good Food Guide Dinner Party Book and the recipes have com e from some of the best restaurants in the British Isles

Instead of the usual idea of starters , entrees and s weet s, this book takes an ingredient - such as apples, cheese , chocolate, garlic , gr een pepp e r a nd tomatoes , lemons and oranges , nuts - and begin s the chapter by describing the origin of the substance, often with an rustoriGa[ note , the varieties that caN be fo u nd, if they are nutritious or not, how to buy in, how to store it , how to freeze and prepare it.

Th e n follows a number of recipes u si lil g t he ingredient. The di s hes themselves conjure up wonderful delights: Piccata AlfiFlO , chick en breasts in a herb and cheese sauce ; Turospalacsinta , pancakes fill ed with ch eese and brandy soaked fruit ; Rose Syllabub a confection of ro s e wine and cream ; Taramosalata a s moked cod mousse ; and oth er more easily recognised dishes such as carrot and orange soup , grapefruit mint wate r ice g r amary bread brussels grilled in garlic bl!l tt er, am@ so on

Each rec ipe has been tested by the autho r s and is clearly set out. The ingredients are s ufficient to serve four or six people. The in struc · tion s are clear and the dish or two I have made pro ved ea s y

The a ddition of a chefs note at the end of some recipes gives eith er a tip for makin g the di s h more easily or some slight variation

On the whole it is a ver y interesting book ; good value and fo r anyone who loves entertaining, something that would give them and t hl eir g Mesns pleasure for a long time to come.

OUTDOOR PURSUI T S FOR DISABLED PEOPLE by Norman Croucher R lE B,

Disabled Living Foundation, 346 Kensington High Street, London W 14 8NS, 75p.

A guide to e ncourage disabled people to enjo y the countryside and to learn nme s ki ll s of s a iling caving, ski - lil g and ma Fil Y other ac t ivitie s, with infor m ati o m a fu>o M t the ma my pastimes availa b le to disabled pe o pl e a nd t h e addre s ses of organisations , clubs and authorities able to g ve c o n s tructive advice.

MOORFIELDS EYE HOSPITAL City Road, Lmu lon, EC1 V 2PD

St. John will be at

CHIEF COMMANDER TO RETIRE

BIG GIN HILL this yea

Chief Commander to retire p.49

Duke of Gloucester is Grand Prior p50

Major Incidents , part 1 , by M V. Moring p.52

Brigade Training Get-together p 54

Changes in the Fjrst Aid Manual, by N F. Marsh p.54

Around and About, by the Editor p.56

At Random, by Watkin W. Williams p.60

New Equipment, by Dr. Roy Archibald p.62

What's so different about that, you may ask. Isn't St. John there every year?

Direct Violence Injuries , part 3, by Dennis Clark p.64

Books p 65

Readers Views p.66

News from Scotland p 68

This can make a difference to your holiday, says Denise Windsor p.68

News from the Divisions/ Centres p.70

Review Crossword p.72

On public duty, yes - but this year will be dif.ferent because St. John is the ADOPTED CHARITVof the INTERNATIONALAIR FAIR at Biggin Hill for 1975 (May 16 to 18)

Watch next month's R EVI EW for more details of St. John events and activities at the Fai r - and, i n particular, watch for details of special coach party arrangements.

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL Sir William Pike KCB CBE , DSO , has announced his retirement as mander of St. John Ambulance from June 24 1975. General Pike was appo.inted Deputy Commissioner -inChief of the Brigade in September 1966 after a distinguished career in t h e army. He succeeded Rear-Admiral Royer Dick , CB , CBE, DSC, as Commissioner -in-Chief in June 1967 and became Chief Commander in 1969. He will be succeeded as Chief Commander by Sir Maurice Dorman , GCMG , GCVO.

Sir Maurice has had a career in the public service both in this country and overseas. From 1962 to 1971 he was Governor General of Malta and , both in that appointment and elsewhere in the Commonwealth , he has h a d much experience of the wo r k of the Order of St. John. He was created a Knight of the Order in 1957 and has held the office of Almoner since 1971.

H f'Hni Th e Duke of Gloucester, GCVO, wearing th e u miform of St. Johm Ambulance in his capacity as Commandalnt- n-Chief, Ambulance Corps and Divisions

THEDUKE OF GLOUCESTER IS GRAND PRIOR

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOif-STEPS OF HIS FATHER

AT 3pm on Wednesday, February 26 1975 , the official announcement was made from Buckingham Palace that HeJi Majesty The Queen, Sovereign Head of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, had appointed HRH The Duke of Gloucester to be Grand Prior of the Order in succession to his father, the late Field-Marshal HRH The Duke of Gloucester , KG , Grand Prior from 1939 until his death on June ]0 1974.

Her Majesty invested her cousin as a Bailiff Grand Cross Df the Order and with the ]rns ignia of the Grand Prior a t a private ceremony at Buckingh a m Palace.

rn accordance with the provisions of the Statutes of the Order this appointment has been made by Her Maje s t y after consultation with the Great Officer s and the Priors of the Ord er of St. John 's Priories in Scotland , Wale s. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

T he Duke of Gloucester has played alil ac tive part in the aff2lirs of the Order since the tragic death of his brother.

Prince \Villiam , in 1972, in immediate succession to whom he was appointed Commandant-in-Cruef of St. John Ambulance Corps and Divisions. He and hi s wife, as Prince a nd Princess Richard of Gloucester , have attended numerous St. John occasions including St. John Amhulance first aid competitions and a first aid training

Cc)Urse at St. Jo hn Ambulance HQ in 1973 while the Pril'1cess was serving as Staff Officer to the St. John Am bulance Superintendent -in-Chief.

Th e ate Fi eld - Marshall HRH The Duke of Gloucester, KG, Grand Prior co Th e Order of St. John from 1939 tCD 1974 , weariFlg his mantle as Grand Prior of the Order

MAJOR INCIDENTS part one

The likelihood of such occurrences increases daily; so the more we know about the procedures laid down - the better tor everyone

by M. V. MORING, FICAP

IMAGINE you are the first trained person at the scene of a major incidemt. YID1llr instinctive reaction would be, probably, t o get stuck in am.d render first aid This may be fine for the OI'le or two patients who benefit from your assistance. But is this necessarily the best thing to do? Such instant action could be detrimental, perhaps even fatal, to those who you unable to help. For you can treat omly one patient at a time. Let's IIDok at the questi0Ill of priorities at major incidents. B1!lt nrst let's answer this questiom.

What is a major incident?

I choose the word 'incident' in preference to 'accident' Qr 'disaster' because 'accident' implies something that has happened accidentally, and only includes such happel'lings, while 'disasterr' is a very emoti<Dnal word and has varyimg degrees of meaning to each individual. 'Incident' conveys that something has happened, therefore a major incident is a major happening. Major 'emergency' would be an acceptable alternative.

From the medical/first aid point of view, a major inGi<li€:nt is an incidemt when live or trapJiled \\:asualties exceeds fifty·, <Dr wfuich is determined to be so by the senior police officer preseFlt. Note the word live casualties is used. An incident such as a jet airliner crash, where all on board are killed, with no involvemeFlt of the general public, should not be termed a major incident - this would be mO[ie a major disaster. In sucli! an evemt (e.g. the BIEA 'ifridemt crash, Heatm.rrow, October: '72), there is a pressimg meed t@ remove th€ bodies for aesthetic reasons, it is

• This number may vary slightly with local interpretation, but generally imdicates that all emergency, services would be stretched to their IDperational ]imits aFld troat the incident would involve considerably longer than two hours.

fairly quickly evident that there are few or no survivors - so time is not at a premium.

Many potential major incident situations exist today and with modern techn<Dlogy and political situations the dangers and likelihood of such occurrences increase daily.

Flixborough and recent bomb blasts in this country and Northern Ireland serve as examples of this. It has been estimated that if a !Boeing 747 los L an engine over London, ] 0,000 people could be involved in the resultant Grash. With bigger aircraft, faster trains and more crowded motorways, the threat of major incident situations arising is greater.

Some major incident situations can be foreseen, such as at pop festivals, Goncerts, poLit ical etc. However, under these circl!lmstanees time is not so vital because personnel and equipment are usually at the scene, ready and waiting. ForeplaFlning will have greatly eliminated difficulties in dealing with any sudden influx of casualties. Many St. John Ambulance members attend potential major incident situations every week at football grounds (although ac t ion after recent tragedies should lim..it the future likelihood of such occurrel'lces ).

Many places where major incidents could be anticipated, such as at airports, chemical works, oil refineries, etc., have their own incident procedures which must be followed, and should therefor;e have been circulated to all organisations in thle locallity whose help may be caMed on. Special instFUctions also apply to tfue handling of situations dealing with radio-active or dangerous substances (see Dangerous Chemicals in Road Accidents, Feb. 75 Review).

At any major incident the number of casualties involved must be quickly established aFld rap id diagnoses made of the main types of injuries sustaiFled (e.g. head, chest, burns, wounds, etc.) Initially, time is important to all concerned.

Organisati0n

To go back to our first question: Whlat then is the action to be taken by the first on the scene of an incident? The First Aid Manual states that the first-aider has a responsibility firstly to assess the situation and take charge until someone more experienced is available.

A quick surveyor reconnaissance of the scene is needed to find out:

(1) The type of incident (i.e. 'plane or train crash, explosion or fire, etc).

(2) The exact location and area involved.

(3) Estimated number of casualties.

(4) Estimated number of casualties trapped.

(5) Estimated number of apparently dead.

(6) Services required: Ambulance, Police Fire, Electricity Board, Gas Board Railway Staff.

(7) Best FOutes of access to/from th e incident.

(1) should be immediately apparent (although there may be a combination of types of incident , e.g. train crash with fire ).

(2) must be established by asking survivors , bystanders or looking for street/shop/ pub names if you are in doubt (the telephone box from where y,ou make your emergency call will have its location displayed inside it). (3 ) can quickly be assessed - a passenger train at peak times having many casualties lying about injured, would produce abou t 100 plus patients Ask survivors if the 'bus , train was full; (4) Severe entanglement of wreckage or debris is bound to have trapped some casualties - some may even be seen trapped; (5) must be estim.ated · on wha t is seen; (6) Ambulance and Police will automatically attend on receipt of an

emergerocy call, also the Fire Service if there is fire/explosion/chemical danger or trapped casualties. Other services by request; (7) is best decided with local knowledge of the area, but it may be obvious that certain routes are unsuitable because of wreckage or build up of traffic.

To delay sending for help by one or two while this information is being qUIck ly forml!llated will greatly assist the speed at whicn subsequent mobilisation of services can be made and also ensure that they arrive at the correct location without misunderstandings. But such a delay must never be prolonged.

Do not run to the telephone. Walk. When making the em.ergency call ask for the Police - tmey will pass on the information to other servi,ces, usually by direct telephone link. Speak clearly, giving information about the abo:e points in order, especially about hazards. If a bystander is sent With the message make sure he knows all the relevant information, written down if Possible. Should Police, Fire or Ambulamceman arrive before or while the message is heing sent , repmt the information known to him. He will, by virtue of being the (contined overleaf)

(Above) The Ealing (London) tra n disaster, December 19 1973, when seven passengers were killeEl and more than 50l injureGi after a PaddingtGln to Oxford train was deraileGf (Photo: The Times (Below) Eltham South London rail disaster on June 11 1972. Brigade members were on the scene within four minutes. Within seven minutes the Brigade strength on the scene was: 4 doctors , 2 SRNs, 40 members and 3 ambulances (Photo: Associated Newspapers Ltd)

first Police/Fire/.Ambulanceman on the scene, assume charge and become the Temporary Incident Officer until ndieved by a senior ofmcer. The Police, fr@m fhe time of their arriva!l, take ultimate Qllmtr@1 of tme inl1:ident but liaise closely with the senior officers of the other services (however, in some areas the senior Fire Officer on arrival will assume the duties of Incident Control Officer).

There will be established an Incident Control P@st (]CP), with a cornN'lunicaticms system, and tlle incident will] be fFom there. The ICP will he marked by a blue or red flashiflg beacon the only one to be used in the vicinity of the incident Additional Control Points (CP) and Rendezvous Points (R VP) may also be required. Known Rendezvous PoiNts lilsually exist wmere special in e ident pmcedures opefalte (i.e. airports, refineries, etc.) and tmey shol!lld be familiar to all offieers of orrganisatioms.

Duties of services

Generally speaking the duties of the Police at an incicleflt are to take charge, ecmtrol and protect er:e>wds, control t raffie, protect casualties belongings and )9lroperty, keep records @f patients' names ancl addresses (rnore about this later), guard afl d identify the dead, and inform relatives of those involved. Fire Services are foremost called to eliminate the risk/effect of fire/expl@sie>n/chemicals. Secondly, to rescue and release trapped casualties.

The Ambulance Service's (il uties are <1Iilillite clear - to remove the injuFed t@ hospital Note: there is no mention yet of performing first aid! Although many of the above services carry out treatment of casualties it is not a <designated part of their function at an incident. This is the responsibility of the medical team, which will arrive from the nearest Aeeident Centre; the medical team assumes ove r all responsi\§Jility fO F the treatmemt of all casualties. 1m JDFactice, of course, it is the voluntary aid societies (St. John Ambulance , British Red Cross Society and Civil Aid organisations) and bystanders who carry @ut most of this work, while the medical team concentrate on the medical or surgical aspects of treatment. It is especiaUy important to note that am@ulanee dFiveFs should rernaim with, and the atte mdant wi th,in sight of, theiF vehiele at all times, lilnless directed otherwise by their senior ambulance officer. All voluntary aid society vehicles will come under his direction upon arrival. He will appoint an ambulance l'oarling (!) fficer who decides whicm vehicles are to be loaded ami the ll@spital tlil ey aFe to attend. As s@@n as yom, as a first-aider, na ¥e reported and givelil any information to the Incident Offieer or to a Control Point, you

will be asked to assist with treating casualties,

The Incident Officer will arrange to set up, in additiolil to the Incident Contr:ol Post OCP), other posts o r areas, using tme smrounding facilities to the best advantage. Firstly, a Casualty Clearing Post (CCP), which is sometimes referred to as a Casualty Collecting Point, will be set up, usually with covered accommodation. The first doctor to arrive will be placed in charge of this post and designated Temporary Incident Medical Ofirieer. Mis job is to assess the o@)tInldition of patients and decide which go to hospital as primity , and which wait (a procedure sometimes called triage) Patients that can be treated at the scene and then sent home will be fmwarded to a dressing station as soon as one is made ready. Meanwhile covered accomm @@ atioIil must be arranged Cor those awaiting transport to lwspital or 'on the spot' treatment. Some patients req \ll iring hospital treatment will receive sustaining treatment while awaiting transport (i.e. intubation, intravenous infusion, etc).

It is very important that all casualties go through the CCP regardless of how slight their injury. If space and facilities permit, separate CCP's will operate for stFetcher and walking cases. will be reFerred to by sex and approximate age. Ofl'ly sent home will normally be documented at this stage As soon as an experienced Casualty Consultant/ Officer arrives he will assume the duties of Incident Medical Officer.

An Ambulance Loading Point (ALP) , under the directiON of the Ambulance LoadiNg O tificer, amd an Ambulance Waitimg/Parki mg A rr ea (APA) will be required. The APA could be in a field (provided the ground is firm), a car park or even a side road, while the ALP will be close to the aceommodation where the patients are awaiting transport to hospital. This point must have clear access to the route selected to tme hospital and preferably without crossing aJny otfu er rO l!l tes of vebi(l;mlar orr pedestrian traffic. This is not always practicable, of course, and if not, extra care must be taken by all concerned. No blue beacons / bells / sirens are used after arriving at the incident (save the light being used to mark the ICP). It should not be necessary for ambulances leaving the indolent to use s\!lch devioes welill elear of the area , routes heing kept open by police patliGls.

An area out of sight of the incident is selected to set up a temporary mortuary , when required - low temperature being of prime consideration. This will be attended by Police officers, who enlist local clergy to assist them. Personal effects are kept as close to the deceased as is practicable, so as to assist wil h indentifieatieHil A se j2)alrate a iii e81 nearby may IDe Needed for this purpQse.

(continued next month)

Brigade TraiRing Gigether

THE BRIGADE is currently organtsmg a t raining convention to be held at Shorncliffe, near Folkestone , Kent, from SUIilday, August 3 to Saturday August 16, along much the same lines as the very successful camp held at Mytchett in 1973 Attending will be about 250 young people of both sexes, some 100 being drawn from the Brigade in the United Kingdom, and 100 from European and Commonwealth countries. The remainder will be directing staff.

There wi\[ be a large contingemt from Canada , and acceptances have already been

received from New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Germany, Holland and Sweden. So it'll be a really international get -together. Places have been allocated to UK Counties relative to their membership strength, and nominations are coming in. Apart from regular training sessions , which should be of great value and interest , there will also be many recreational activities, plenty of sports - with a beach close at hand - as well as expeditions to places of interest, concerts, dancing and so on.

Changes First Aid Manual

MANY first - aiders must be aware that as! result of advances in medicine an i experience , medical opinions an i recommendations need revision from time l l time

At prese li1 t , the Cfuie f Medical Ofliicers Q St. John Ambulance , the British Red erO ! Society and St. Andrew's Association propose two such change s first aid practice. They concern thumping in the treatment of cardiac arre! and the production of vomiting in cases Q poisoning.

Chest thumping

Recent research has s hown that d ie!

thumping is only of value when carried out in hospital where the patient is under constant electronic monitoring , because chest thumping is of no value unless it procll!lces a denn,ite heart-beat ; naturally any such heart -beat is likely to be weak a n d diffic1!llt to determine unaided.

Time involved in chest thumping is better sJD ent performing external cardiac compression in the ambulance conveying the collapsed patient to hospital, where electrical s timulation of the heart and cardiac monitoring can be performed.

External €: ard,ia c c@ 'rm pression re ma ins the recommended emergen cy treatment in ca rdiac arrest.

by N. F. MARSH Director-General

Production of vomiting in cases of poisoning

Experience over the years has shown that the production of vomiting either by tickling the back of the throat or by the administration of a saline emetic (two tablespoo nsful of salt in a tumbler ef tepid water), is not effective in emptying the stomach.

I f the dose of saline is not strictly observed it may lead to wide -spread chemico-physical changes in muscle, lungs and elsewhere, which could be fatal; furthermore, these changes , involving a redistribution of body fluids , will be aggravated if the saline solution fails to empty the stomach.

Time is better spent in getting the patient to hospital where the stomach can be

emptied and washed out by safer methods.

In consequence the necessary alterations are being made in the text of the new impression of the 3rd edition of the Manual.

In order to update manuals which are at present in use, leaflets containing the revised material are available from the Supplies Department (price 5p). To ensure that all candidates for first aid certificates receive correct instruction in the new techniques, copies of the leaflet are being forwarded to all medical examiners conducting first aid cla ss es.

These recommendations are effective forthwith and will be taken into account for examination purposes from March 1 1975.

The only way to photograph everyone who attended the 1973 camp at My chett

RESCUERS

25 -year-old Ambulance Member David Bateman, of the Clutton Ambulance !Division, AvoID, has been presented with the l'estimol1liail of the Royal HUDilam€l Society for his part in saving the life of a man in Bath last August.

The marl, who had taken a drug overdose, was standing on a 9-inch wide parapet 50 feet above Pierrepoint Street, Bath, threatening to jump. Police Sergeant Bennison, climbing on to the parapet, grappled with him as he struggled violently.

David ]Bateman, a full-time ambulance wQrker, and another policemen went to the sergeant's help, risking their own lives.

The man was rescued, but unf©rtunately later committed suicide in hospital.

The citation states that the three men acted with complete disregard f@r their own safety. All three were plies(mted with testirnonia ls by tm e Mayoli of Batth.

SUNNY ROME

SJ A members will man first aid posts in Rome during Holy Year 1975 between June 19 and August 21. 150 members were required for this sunny duty, but over 500 have volunt€l€lred!

SETA PlACE

1 mear that the annual St. John Ambulance medical c@nfer€lnee is becoming so popular that this year attendance is to be restricted to 260 people, priority being given to members who are doctors or professional nurses.

The theme of this year's conference, which will be held at Nottimgham University from April ] 1 to 13 under the chairmansfuiip of Sir Hedley Atkins, is 'wrban violence'.

Conference application forms are available from county secretari€ls or the conference secretary, Philip Adams, at Headquarters, Grosvenor Crescent , London, $W I X 7EF.

AROUND and ABOUT

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF sr. JOHN

ABLY ASSIST

The following letter was received by the Surgeon-in-Chief from a doctor in the Bristol area: As I continue to both lecture and examine in first aid I have been most impressed by the high standard of the candidates in most cases. This must be in no small way due to the teaching and training provided by the instructors who so ably assist the doctor.

TORTUROUS

Readers may wonder who has tlile torturous mind to create 'Mind Benders', which now appear regularly in this column. He is Percy J. Webb, of Westbury, Wilts - an ex-Cadet Superintendent and Serving Brother now on County Pool who is also very active raising funds with mind -bending competitions.

Last year he compiled an 'at home' oompetition in aied of WestlOury Divisio[;J, and raised the magnificent surn of £90 for them.

At the well-supported competition, the joint winners got 49 correct answers out of 50, two entries got 48 correct, and there were many with 45 correct answers. This is just one of the fund raising

L eft) Ambulance Member David Bateman (centre) with the two policemen involved n the roofdra m a receiving testimon als frIDlTol the Mayor of Bath. See story RESCUERS

activities that Mr. Webb has organised over the years, as well as helping the Division as a lay instructor.

WestblJlry Division says: 'Thanks for your help, Percy!'

EX-CADET MD

25 - year - old Maureen Wright an exPortsmouth nursing cadet whose ambition was to become a nurse, has I hear gone one better - she recently qualified as a doctor!

'I decided,' she said, 'that there was no reason why I shouldn't try to become a doctor just because I was a woman.'

Maureen, whose parents live in Cosham - her mother is a nursing member of Portsmouth Division - is now a house physician at London's West Middlesex

RETIRED

Southe lil d s Divisional Superimtencilent Percy Holliday reti r ed recently after nearly 45 years in the Brigade Mr. Holl day who jo ned in March 1931 was mad e a Serving Brother in 1962. But the Ho id a y f amily is stil with SJA South end - 2 grand -d aughters and a niece are cadets another nie ce is a nurs i ng member

A NSWER: PAT E LLA O K

1.

WHO'S THAT MAN?

4. R<ssul ts are in Spain (5 ).

AmswOlrs : Upside cdown - are at bottom of page 59. No cheating

Hospital.

Between taking medicine at Oxford and pharmacology at Cambridge , Maureen visited f;riends working at the Tibetan refugee village of D haramsala in India.

As a 16-year -old cadet, she was leader of

the Portsmouth Nursing Cadet team at the London Finals in July 1965. Congratulations, Maureen.

FAREWELL

I'm s orry to have to report the death during December in Nottingham of Dennis Clark , the authQr of the Review series EVERY DA Y FIRST AID.

Mr. Clark an ear nose and throat specialist in the Weston -super-Mare area

from 1948 till his retirement in 1972, joined the Brigade in 1937. From 1954 to 1972 he was Area Commissioner for North Somerset. He became a Commander of the Order in 1961. He was awarded the MBE for gallantry in the blitz at Weston in 1942. A correspondent writes: 'His lay instructors courses were the envy of all. He was a very experienced competition judge and was very keen on the training of cadets. He was able , thorough and painstaking, and

nothing was too much trouble. '

Although I never met Dennis Clark we often talked on the telephone about his articles f@r the Review. One of t10le worries of a regular series of articles for a magazilile is the arrival of each article on time for publication. With Every Day First Aid I never had that worry. So thorough was its author Dennis that, now he is gone, there are still about six of his articles in my cupboard ready for publicatiolil.

We shall miss such thofOluglnmess.

ON THE BEACH

With summer just around tine eorner (I hope), Divisional Officer W. E. Street, of SJA Exmouth - that lovely Devon estuary dotted with sailing boats reminds me even more of summer - gives us his thoughts on 'Om geach First Aid Post':

We start eariy in the SUMmer season and

Last year the Northant s Rushden Ambulance Cadet Division held a proficiency course in boatwork led by Mr. R. Wilbm. a local fishmoJilger and keen sailor.

F'relimimary instruction om sailing w.as give!iil o\!ltside tRe Division's MQ. wlnich the open air swimming pool. People at the pool must have wondered if they were suffering effects from the sun when they suddenly saw a sail being hoisted the other side of the wall. for they flocked out to see what was going 01'1

The rest of the courrse was held at Thrrapston gravelptits. home of the mid -Nene Cruising Club. Club members loaned om cadets 4 GP sailing dinghies. The first week

ca ses are few, but we are there if required. Then, when the weather improves, we get the opp@rtunity to do for real what we have been practisimg thrm!lglnout the wilil t er JJil(')mtRs.

Our girl cadets can do beach ol!lty witlil illS, so gaining both experience and service shield hours. Cadets , on holiday from school where most of them are learning foreign languages, C:11l be a great help with non-English speaking patients This happened on at least two ol\:casions last summer while] was on du t y.

Most of (Our cases are of a minor nature, such as cut feet and fingers, or hands caught in deck-chairs, but we also get a few fractures and sprains. And occasionally a bather is rescued from the sea.

We man the post, with the help of the local Red Cross, every day from mid-May to mid-September, although sometimes of course Oillf staff is rather slnaU. But tine

thanks and compliments we receive fro m some patients makes it more than wor tn while.

Sometimes thle weatlne rr is atrocilOus and there seems point in a beacm duty but parties that have arranged day-trips to the sea arrive whatever the weather. If the weather doesn't improve they flock to the amusements under cover and cafes, and accidents can happen in such places. On e such I dealt with was the result of someone tripping over with a tray of hot tea, wmi on was thrown all over tlhe crnest of a srmall c\;]i ld in a swim-suit.

Every year hundreds of cases are give n first aid at our post, and even if, as often happens when the summer season slow! down , there are only a few cases, we are there. 'They also serve who only stand ano wait.'

And even waiting can nave its lightel

We're embarking on a 12month publicity drive

ready for th e season. (Lef ) Divisiona Office rs G. E and K C. Rob nson h elp t he lads finish off t he varmish work.

(Phot os:

Northamptonshire Newspapers)

GETTING AFLOAT IS FUN

the cadets watched and digested ; the second they were instructed; and the third they went afloat on their own.

All the cadets had previously beeJil on a swimming course. wore life-ja ckets while afiloat. and a rescue launch was at hand.

There was only one unintentional capsize during the course and then the cadet managed to right the boat himself. Later they all learned how to capsize and right the boat again themselves as part of the course.

Rowing was also included.

M a ny of the cadets later joined the sailing club an@ a pro\!ld moment ca!iili1,e whe n a club sailing team. short of a crew -member for a co mpetition on the Thames. asked for a

cadet to join them. Trev o r Goldsmith. who l11o\'Cd to Ru s hd e n from London recentl y. was chosen. The club team won the event. which was sponsored by a chewing-gum company. and returned with the cup , a set of sailing gear and 150 packets of chewing -gurm apiece!

At tme of the cadet c o urse Mrr. Wilbw r s ugges ted the cadets shoul@ nave a boat of their own. The cadets raised the £ 1\ 0 required for a Mirror dinghy in kit form , ana with Mr. Wilbur set about building the boa t. Hearing of the Division's boatin ! activities. local Round Table donat ea £50 a nd the Rotar y Club £25 to buy sailin! and ufilifCHlins - for maNY mere cadets have joined \!I S since we've afloat, report s the Divisional Officers.

enjoyed their week by the sea.

The Senior s said: 'Thanks, thank s, thank s.'

YOUR VIEWS

I'd just like to remind readers that the pages of the Review are always wide open for their contributions, whether they be letters expressing personal points of view, news item s, St. John stories, cuttings from other publications that you feel would interest our readers (but give the name and address of the publication), short articles (half a printed page) o n anything of general interest as well as specifically St. John subjects (especially those that pass on ideas that'll help other members), and long articles, 2 or 3 printed page s, on more specialised subjects. Humour and human interest stories of only a few lines are especially welcome; as are cartoons.

Is that a wide enough choice for you to break into print?

Photographs , black and white only , please - we cannot as yet use colour, because of the expense. Give ws a bigger circulation and we'll go colour. If a photograph is obtained from a new s paper get their permission to re produce it in the Rev iew stating that we ack now ledge the owner of the photograph's cop y ri g ht. And if yo u want photographs returned, write RETURN and your name and address on the back.

I have to edit much of the material used in the Review , primarily to achieve a unifo rmity of presentation , but I go to great len g ths to ensure that the writer 's meaning is in no way misinterpreted. So have no fears about editing!

And if you can, type your contribution, treble spacing,

GAINING MORE MEMBERS?

EDITOR: Bulk orders of the Review, minimum 6 copies a month, for St. John units in the UK at I7p a copy, postage flaicl. Just seNd your order to Review Sales, I Grosvenor Crescent, London, SW IX "lEF - with any changes each mQnth by the 20th - and we send you an account every 3 months. It's as easy as that.

moments, [ was standing at the dOOf of out beach post when a s mall boy in swimming trunks came up to me and said: 'Hullo. I've j us t had my first bathe in the sea.'

'That's nice , I replied, 'And did the water come up to your expectations?' 'Oh, no ,' he said quickly. 'Only up to my knees,'

HOLIDAY FOR

Last Shlmmer Corporal John Sleet , of Surrey's Weybridge Division , and his wife Nor a gave up a week of their annual holiday to look after 39 senior citizens from Addlestone who went on holiday to Southsea.

With the group's leader , John (he also dGles abQlJlfi hours Brigade duty a year) amd Nora arranged the hire of a minibus at low cost for the week, organised day outings and evenings shows, and generally looked after and made sure the older folk really

Mind Benders

A VERY IMPORTANT amendment to Ambulance Dre ss Regulati o ns is appearing in Brigade Orders for March to the effect that a ll Officers (A), when attending any form of public duty, will carr y th@ir perso na l first aid equipment and waterbottle in exactly the same white hav e rsack (wi th sling) as is worn b y other rank s. This amendment is in my view much overdue.

The uniform of male St. John personnel has become well klilown t o the community at lar ge: but the one item by which we can be st be picked o ut in any e mer ge ncy (particl!llarl y by ni g ht, when it has the extra advantage o f standing Gu t as a protecti o n to the wearer) and which di st inguish es us from th e po lice and o th e r uniformed o r ga nisation s, is the white ha ve rsack and s lin g. And ye t that is the vcry item which hitherto ha £ 110t been worn b y officers of the Brigade.

Following successful experiments at big public duties in London District (see photo below) when officers wore the white ha ve rsack and sling, the Bri ga de Committe e strongly supported the Commis s ion e r -inChiefs view that in future it s wear by officers should be obligatory. Thi s mean s that from now on A LL officers - from the Commis£ioner-in -Chief him self to t he mo st recently appointed Gr ade VI offi<\:er - wi/{ wear it (equipped with! its proper contents) whenever the y attend any form of public duty.

Encourage cadets

I hope that all officers responsible for cadets ha ve by now read , marked , learned and imwardl y digested' - and begun to act l!lpon - the advice given b y the Co mmissioner -in -Chief in para 2 of Bri g ad e G e neral Circular No . 1/75 about makin g the fullest poss ible use of the opportunities provided by Bri ga de General Regulation 9(B)(b)(i). as now revised, to encoura ge probationar y cadets to work with their Cadet Division as early as possible in their I I th y€a r - i.e. as SOO(ii) as th €y reach! the age of 10 years and 4 month s - so tha t the y really can get their teeth into an a d ve nturou s and challenging pro gramme and can be read y to pa ss their Essentials of First Aid and / or Preliminar y Hom e Nursing Certificate s as well as making a reall y effecti ve start o n on€ o r two profi c iefilcy subjects by the ti tnrle th ey qu a lify for enrolment on their II th birthday

There is much evidence that we lose po tential cadets to other yo uth organisations by waiting too lon g befor e we give them a satisfy ing objective in their programme of trainin g. The so lution doesn't lie 111 pr ogress ivel y reducing th e age at which young children may qualify for cadet nnembership. so much a£ in /11{iJ.A-ing the fulle s t possible lise of the OPfJo rrul1it ie s th a t ollr presell t reglilations p rol' ide.

AI RANDOM

by Wa ll ki m W. Williams

Deputy Commissiol'ler - in-Chief

When, as a Comm issioner, it was m y duty to conduct enro lm ent s a nd iss ue proficien cy ce rtifi cates, I so me time s use d to wonder we had any cadet£ left when I saw the tota ll y unnecessary delays between the date when a boy or girl qualified for enro lment or for a ce rtific a te or badge, and th e date when it was rropos eol th a these qualifications should be publicl y recog ni sed I suspec t that there are stil l so me Divisions whi c h h ave a n a nnua l 'do' a t whi c h cadet e nrolment s take place and a ll Proficiency Cer ti ficates and other awards ga in ed during the previous yea r a re

presented When I've a ttend ed s uch func t io ns in th e past, my heart ha s bled for th e c h ildr e n who have b ee n kept waitin g a n yt hin g up to eleven months before receiv · in g the tangible and visible rewar d fm their la bours What could be more daunting to t he ir e nthu s ia s m, or bette r calcula ted to in · du ce them to leave St. John in favour of so me ot he r o rga ni sation tha t pa ys it s dividends more promptly?

So, if yo u who r ea d thi s are inv o lved with caGle ts, do please try to make the fulle st po ss ibl e use of our existing regulation s in ge ttin g cadets in vo lv ed rea lly early in a pu r· poseful a nd adventurous programme , and g iv in g them their badges at the ea rli est possi· ble moment after they ha ve earned them , befor e yo u jump to the conc lusion that th e o nl y so luti o n is to reduc e the age at which the y can sta rt o n a programme wh ich ma y s till be fraught with frustrating d elay s. And as a foo tn o te to this irmp a ssiofiled ou t· bur s t. may r s u ggest that th e sa me prin ciple of prov id in g pro grammes with a challenge a nd givin g quick re cog niti o n of s ucc ess a ppli es to adu lt s too?

Surprises

One of the special joys of working at Headqua ters is th e way ifil which letters tur n u p, oftelil quite l!l nexpectedly , from St. Joh n fri e nd s a ll over the world , or - better still - the friends themselves give one the delightful sur pri se o f walking in at the door

Some thr ee weeks ago I had a s urpri se of

London D istrict officer wearing haversack and s ingpub li c duty d ress for all off cers from now o n

this kind when Mr. B B Gulabiwala , whom I'd la st see n when he drove me 3] 0 mi le s eac h way from Nairobi to an in s pection at MOl'l'lbasa im 1973 , walked into my offi oe 3Jild gave me new s of man y of the fli iends in Kenya wlilom I' d met om th at wonderful trip, a nd I was able to s how him on m y wall the frame d paintin g of Mount Kenya give n to me by Police Superintendent Sammy Kang'ara at Bun go ma , and on my ma ntelpieoe the soa psto ne carving of an African winnowing corn, presented to me by Divis ional O fficer M'C hede and N / M Mrs. M'Ched e o n beh a lf of the African Division s at Hi ghfield, nea r Salisbury , Rhodesia

And a fe w days later I r ece ive d , quite out of the bl ue, a letter from N / M Sara s Man elah , whom so me of you will remember as havi ng been awa rded the Life Saving Medal of the Order in Silver a coup!e of yea rs ago anol whom [ met when I visited the Indian Nur siliilg Divi s ion s art: Pieterma:it zbur g, giv in g me we lc o me news of the progress of her nur si ng training at the Groote Schuur Ho sp it a l in Cape Town. Before coming to see me Mr. Gulabiw a la had a lready paid a year's subscription to the R el'iew, and he to ld me that when he got back to Nairobi h e hoped to arrange for a b UJ lk orde r of 12 copies to be semt out there each mno nth for local redistributi o n Har d on hee ls of this goo d new s came a letter from Mal ays ia , enclosing a cheque for £72.50 for 29 annual s ubscript ions for se paratel y mailed copies of the Re view - an in crease of 25 on last year's order - the

fir s t fruit s of a sp le ndidly worded circular lette r se nt by t he Stores Manager in M a lays ia to pote ntial su b sc riber s. My warmest oo ngra tulation s to him, and I hop e that hi s initi a tive will be followed up with eq u a l s uccess, by members of the St. John family in other part s of the world! But thi s reminds me to express a sad word of caution; the drastic increases in postal ch arges with whi c h we are now threatened mu st inevitabl y result in an increa se in our postal s ub sc ripti o n rate s, which will mean more than ever before that bulk order s for loca l distribution by hand will be a wise eco nom y for R eview s ub sc ribers both at ho me a nd overseas.

Wot , no service to ?

I mu s t confe ss t hat r got rather a shock when T read the ot her day, in a list of price amendment s iss ued by our Supplies Department , that a n item referred to as Service to M a n kind was s how n as Discontinued '. But les t a nyo ne s h ou ld think t hat we're putting up our s hutter s, let me ha ste n to rea ss ure yo u that it refe rred to a P R recruitment brochure , now out of print, which is shortly to be r ep laced b y a n even better brochure entitled ' H ere, There and Everywhere'. So yo u ll be relie ve d to know that , far from s hutting up s hop , we shall be more open than eve r before!

Kick back

Following my s tor y in last December 's At Random about the divisional re-exam in

which r was as ked to treat a casualty who h a d b ee n bitt e n in the bottom by a b a rr acu d a, I rec eived a lett er (from the sa me Divi sio n) to say that at the ir divisional party las t Christmas they played a game in which s ma ll teams had to run round the house collecting hidd e n pieces of paper on which ilI ne sses o r accidents had been written, one for eac h lette r of the alphabet. When they d co llected all their bit s, the teams were given 15 minutes in which to write down a remedy , in not more than ten words, for each 'case'. The plann ers , hard put to find suitable ailments fo r the les s common letters of the alph a bet , ha d e nded up with Zebra: kick on t he bottom ', to which one team suggested the remed y' Kick zebra back and treat for contusion'. M y correspondent's comment was 'N ic e a nd li g ht - he a rted and it caused roars of la ughter; but we're not s ure we recommend it!'

Travels

By the time that yo u read this , and depending on t he exact date on which yo ur co py reac hes yo u, r ex pect to be in either India , Nepal or Paki s t a n. M y next At Random may well be dr a fted in an aeroplane , or possibl y eve n a rickshaw (complete with certificated driver and equipped with a first aid kit - see Februar y Review , page 36); and r shall look forward to pa ss ing on to y ou , during the next month or so, some first -hand impressions of St. John activ ities - and no do ubt other interesting experiences - that co me m y way durin g m y travels

Looking at nevv Equipment

And its evaluation by the Slirgeon-in-Chief's advisory committee, which was set up three years ago this spring. Our own members are particularly encouraged to submit their latest ideas fr:om working in the field.

UNTIL I 'volunteered' to chairman of the Surgeon-in - Chief's Advisory Committee on Equipment im the spring of 1972 I never realised what the expression 'Augeaf'J. Stables' really meant - now I do.

A wise cld man once said that of 20 new ideas Cf flew pieces of equipment, if one were successful it would be a high percentage. I am beginning to agree with him.

The purpose of this committee was to advise the Surgeon-in-Chief, and through him the Medical Board, of new equipment and of new train ng aids. I have always felt that small committees are the most effective , so ours was restricted to another doctor, a nursing officer a lay member with practical experienc@ in the field, and cur Headquarters Ambulance Liaison Officer. And I salute these committee members for since puttil'lg in some hard and very vall!lable work.

socm realised that in a vo h mtary organisation such as ours communication can be a very tenuous affair and we felt that all means of publicising decisions subsequently ratified by the Medical Board shol!lld be adopted - hence this article.

Over the last 3 years we have not confined solely to items of equipmemt on the wmmercial market but hIave also tried to encotlfage our own members and other interested parties in the production of material that we consider would be of benefit to the work of the Order.

It is always regrettable to have to say 'no', but Qur first refusal was made unanimously in the Gase of Aerosol sprays called Heal "n' Seal; this refusal was made on medical groumms. The next items we studied amd rather regretfully could not accept was the Short L ife Triangular Bandages; we felt that

although these triangular bandages had possible uses , the cost of these 'one -off jobs' was really beyond the purse of the majority of members.

OUF next 'no' was give m to tfue Trans -Sit Seat; here the expertise of our confreres in Guernsey was obtained im conducting suitabl e field trials , and as a result of these and of patient insecurity in the seat we did not feel we could commend this item.

A problem with first aid kits is the desirability of hav ing a really large dressing similar to the shell dressing t h.at 'old sweats' w.ill recall; for two years ,ve investigated various dressings until finally we found one which was closest to the ideal - the Steraid Ambulance Dressing Number Four

Incidentally , at the time our colleague Ken Easton in Yorkshire confirmed that his accideflt emergency squad was making its OWfl dressings, size 6 Nch by ] 8 inch, ou t of gaflgee. We tried the Vernon-C a ms Dressing 39 , but we were not entirely satisfied with its absorbent qualities.

During 1973 the committee was again asked to consider the medical doctrine in respect of the employment of airways

Finally the Medical Board laid down that it was unable to recommend the l!l se o f airways by St. J (t)fu n Ambulance personnel, who smould be instructed that priority in cases of emergency resuscitation was mouth -tomouth or where desirable mouth-to-nose

The Board took into account that valuable seconds could be lost searching for equipment that might not be immediately available - consideration was also given to complic a tions that might eNsue should airw a ys De e iOll1!p loyed by p ersomnel insl!lfficiently trai n ed

The subject of stretchers has been one of

expected to carry out these procedures.

B Static situations , such as crowd disasters , where resuscitation apparatus a cquired by St. Ji ohn for persons trained in its use was benh desirable and necessary.

C. Sit 1!l ations where the use of resuscitation equipment involving oxygen was necessary; here the committee felt fire and rescue services would be involved and procedures in training in the use of such equipment was beyond the scope of first aid persoooei.

by Dr. Roy Assist. Surgeon-in-Chiel

Afte F CO Nsideration the Medilcal Board advised 'St John Ambulanoe personnel thought likely to be engaged in a crowd disaster or similar situation should receive training in manually operated portable resuscitators such as the Ambu resuscitator.'

The Medical Board accepted the committee's recommendations that laryngeal imtubation was not a skill that could reasonably be expected of voluntary personnel.

our continuous tasks. It became appar enl that the good old standby Furley stretcher, because of manufacturing difficulties , wo ul be phased ou t and since 1972 many varieQ and inte r esting designs have been seen.

One of the first was the Duphar Life Lil Stretcher , an excellent idea from so m l viewpoints but the high cost of storage am maintenance problems put this out of co url Our friends in Sussex conducted field tria on this equipment.

The Scoop Stretcher Model 66 foldin ! with a weight of l7lbs , its easy portabilill and the adv a ntage of precipitating casua ! pick up, had been accepted by the Board ti mid '71.

The Utila (Gehr) stretcher also met criteria and was accepted by the Med ic! Board.

Following the appearamce of n : Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team at a 51 j ofum Ambulance Mecr,ical Conference, In' Bell Ligh t weight Stretcher was consid ere ; and put out on trial in Devon, conducted 0 Dr. Terr y Glanvill , and the results a expected shortly.

The latest type of stretcher to appe! before the committee is the Multi-Lift Li ft in. Frame , a rigid framework of welded stei tubes with plastic r1!lnners which is under the patient; this equipment is in use the Priory for A ustralia and field trials in n country are currently being initiated.

The committee considered the use I resuscitation equipment by St. Jon Ambulance personnel in various situatior and felt that resuscitation fell into cle arl divisible stages.

A. Mou nh - to - mcwtm or alte fr lilatil r esuscitation proce d 1!lre in situatio ms wnc : the first -aider with ba sic training only

possible to apply these bandages too tightly was emphasised.

Early in 1974 the committee arranged field trials of a Solid State Oxygen System , whereby oxygen is generated by thermal decomposition. Ala s, because of its present expense, this equipment is no longer imported.

An item of great interest that came before the committee in 1974 was the Ambulance and Mobile Aid Handbook, produced by Western Area London District. This reinforced the committee's belief that the publication of an official St. John handbook was desirable and it is hoped that the Association will publish this in 1975.

wheels, should be easy to repair - and the only addition suggested was a screw clamp to fa sten the stretcher to the trolley. Later this year the committee considered a new training mannikin distributed by GEC Medical called Med E.Train Mannikin. For medical reasons this equipment has not been accepted by St. John Ambulance.

Protective Headgear was an item that engaged the committee's attention in 1973 and the Istex cap , white 55 , was accepted

At the end of 1973 the committee exami med conforming bandages and felt that since they were in common use, simple in a]il plication amd easily applicable they could be recommended for acceptance However, the necessity for adequate and appropriate storage facilities and the fact that it is

A double for

Safety blankets or space rescue blankets are products commercially available from several organisations. One from Holland , the Veresol Rescue Cover , was put out for field trial with our confreres in the Priory for Wales and their excellent report indicated that this equipment had no advantages over that currently being distributed by the Supplies Department.

It is, of course, one of the more pleasant duties of the committee to receive its friends and co-workers from St. John Ambulance who have designed new equipment. In the middle of 1974 we were delighted to receive a prototype stretcher trolley from St. John (West Riding). This trolley is durable, light and , being manufactured of standard bicycle

Still in the field of training, the committee inspected some of the anatomical models put out by Educational and Scientific Plastics, and knowing that many of these models are currently in use by our members felt they were excellent training material. Incidentally the secretar y of Visual Aids is distributing publicit y brochure s giving the range and prices of these training aids to all secretaries, District and County.

Our current item of concern is first aid kits , and I have written to some Counties asking for advice If anyone has any thoughts on this subject I shall be happy to recei ve them.

I must conclude by expressing the committee's gratitude to all our friends in the Counties who have assisted us by undertaking field trials. And to pass on a remark from a Yorkshire member of long standin g 'All the time I've been in the Brigade, I've often wondered what on earth the people at Headquarters did. But after seeing how thoroughly this committee works , I've changed my mind.'

The Surgeon-in-Chief, Colonel Robert Olleren s haw , has been awarded a parchment by the Royal Humane Society for his part in the rescue of two young men trapped in a treacherous Lake District quarry last spring.

The men, both graduates in their 20s were testing water depths fro m a dinghy with an explosive device which exploded prematurely; one man had a hand blown off and was badly injured in the thigh.

Dr. Ollerenshaw , who was just arriving at hI S cottage with his wife at the time was lowered b y rope down the near-vertical sides of the quarry to a na rrow ledge where he treated the man.

An honorary represe lilta tive of t he Society s tated: 'I consider the action of Dr. Ollerenshaw in going down the quarry to

reach the bad ly injur e d man exemplary in the extreme , his exertions brought him almost to the limit of fiis physical capabilities .'

Two weeks after t he news of this award , it

w as announced that Col. Ollerenshaw's wife, Dame Kathleen , who is a member of the Order 's Chapter General, is to be the next Lord Mayor of Manchester. We're right proud of both of them

Al1d we're right proud ofi them

Co Rob e rt and Dame Kathleen Ol le renshaw. (Photo: The Guardian)

EVERY DAY FIRST AID

- can series of advice that will help YOU to cope with FAMILY ACCIDEN T S

DIRECT VIOLENCE INJURIES

part three

by Dennis Clark, MBE, FRCS

WE HA VB discussed minor wounds with the risk @f infection and larger w@ul'1ds with severe or hidden bleeding. Now Wg have to think about wounds with damage to structures of some impmtance under the skin or deep in the body.

Wounds need not be very deep to damage an important structure; a knife cutting a finger causing a wound less than a centimeter deep earn sever a tendon. Nor need thg wOl!lnd be large; a from a hatpin can reach the heart. Apart from the degree of violence, the severity of the injury depends 01'1 the part of the body affected. Consequently an examination of each part of the body is necessary to assess tIDe results of injury to that part. The 'widespread' deep organs, arteries and bones , frequently injured il'1 wounds have been discussed already. Iilleeding is so important a subject that it will be mentioned again but CDpenfracture omly requires the repetitio[i) of one rule , 'A wound with a fracture requires treatment for the wound first.'

To study the various parts of the body we need the assistance CDf a pin-man, with head, neck, arms, chest, abdomen and legs.

MR. PIN-MAN HAS ...

Head and 0

From a first aid point of view, in Mr. PinNol an's head and neck there are the brain, the airway and large arteries (the eyes and ears need special discussion later).

A wound in the head or neck with or without a fracture of the skull or facial bones can cause any of the Priority Conditions, thus:

If the brain is injured comsciousness can be affie ll: ted or unconsciousness be caused.

If the airway is obstructed freMin a wound of the mouth, severe jaw injury or windpipe damage, breathing is threatened.

If the great arteries are cut bleeding from the neck is extremely severe.

All these conditions have been mentioned before and may be discussed again because they are so im jjl®Ftant. Let us rep>eat:

1. Place anyome whCD is unconscious or even behaves in a disturbed manner (abnormal consciousr:ess) in the recovery position.

2. Recognise airway occlusion from noisy breathing , froth at the lips, or slight blueness of lips or nails. Remember that neck f

the airway c a n be blocked by the tongue in anyone who is I!lnconscious.

3. Bleeding, rapidly fatal , occurs if the large arteries of the neck are cut. The firstaider, though , needs to look at a cut throal carefully for often the airway and the veins are damaged while the arteries escape. Pressure on the veins an d transport of the casualty to hospital in the most comfortable position, probably n the reeovery position is the correct fir sl aid.

The arm

Wounds of the arm present rather different problems Lying along the inner side of the upper arm is a large artery , the brachial artery and priority bleedimg can occur from it aJm d its continuation up under the shoulder and collar-bone

Other arm injuries with deep structur cl damage are not so important. They should be diagnosed because patients so injured must be referred to hospital, as main ner ve damage means paralysis and tendon injur j results in permanent stiffness of the hand or fingers. So always ask your patient with an

arm or hand wound to move his fingers If the skin and underlying fat of the forearm is caught in rollers or run over by a vehicle tY J" e, a force mtlher like removing a glove results. This can damage the bloo d supply to the skin wNich may blacken over a wide area and later die.

Remember these conditions, even if the wound appears trivial, or the forearm and hand appear almost normal. For nerve or tendon injury the first aid is support to the limb after dressing the wound. For 'degloving' wcnUOl as, wlhicln can be very large , the problem will be to obtain a dressing big enough to cover the wound. The inside of cleanly laundered pillow-slips , or new plastic bags can be used as emergency dressings. Separated skin should be gently laid back in place , the dressing applied and the arm placed in a sling Send the casualty to hospital at once.

The ehest

In Mr. Pin-man's chest there are the heart and lungs Heart injuries seldom require first aid for they are so rapidly fatal , but a firstaider can do a lot by resuscitation (to be discussed later) should the heart stop.

Stove-in chest has been discussed with rib imjuri es Stab wounds (pemetrating) from any sharp or weapon, teol or fragment remain to be considered.

If the cht':st wall is punctured air enters between the lung and the inner side of the ribs causing the lung s to collapse. Greater efforts at taking a breath only result in

BOOKS

HANDLING THE HANDICAPPED Woodhead-Faulkner Ltd, 7, R0se Crescent, Cambridge, £1.95

This excellent hook, a guide to the lifting and movement of disabled people, will be a help to all those, whether relatives, friends, physiotherapists, nurses or members of voluntary organisations , who live or work with the handicapped.

Every type of lift is clearly described and ill l!l strated, with advice on oisltaining the trust Glf the patient and (very recognising one's own physical lImItations and so avoiding personal injury. are also chapters on the handling and malOt,enance of wheelchairs , and on the techmques of assisting the disabled swimmer and rider.

Finally , there is a useful list of organisations conceflii1ed with the and suppliers of hoists, special beds , wheelchairs and other equipment,

sucking in more air through the wound and thus increases the lung collapse. A sucking sound can be heard on brea: hing in , but even without it good first -aiders suspect lung collapse in any penetrating wound of the chest. You can confirm these suspicions by noticing breathing difficulty , blueness of lips and na ils coughed frothy blood-stained spit and shock. Control of Breathing is a Priority

The first-aider must close a 'sucking wound' at once, either by covering it with a clean dressing (preferably sterile) and strapping or plugging the wound if need be, not hesitating to close the wound with the flat of the hand if all else fails. Lie the patient down inclined toward the injured side or, if more comfortable, raise the head and s h o uld ers w ith p ill ows, Transport by st ret c he r to ho spita l as an ur ge ncy ,

together with a comprehensive index

This publication , which is published in association wi th the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, is recommended for purchase by St. John divisions as an invaluable training aid.

S. P.

THE HOPE OF GLORY by Peter Macdonald Robert Hale and Co., £2.00

If you have an idealised picture of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem during the 12th century, and wish to preserve that picture unsmirched , then don ' t read this book But Peter Macdonald, besides telling his tale in a manner which compels you to go on reading when once you have started, has proved himself a careful and aGcurate student of the historical background to his story. The Kingdom of Jerusalem fell because the potentially good King Baldwin IV died young, a tragic victim of leprosy ;

because his sister , Sybilla , who succeeded him , married a man who proved incapable of carrying the burdens of kingship; and because Agnes , the Queen Moth e r, was the most unscrupulous schemer unhung. Amid the confusion caused by these and man y other human weaknesses and failings, the Knights Hospitaller emerge with greater credit and honour than perhaps any other collective group; but it is one of the ironies of the tale that , among individuals, the most convincingly honourable of them all is almost certainl y Saladin himself.

It would have been easier to follow the rather disconnected episodes and flashbacks in the opening chapters of the novel if there had been a family tree or list of principal characters to refer to. But the pace of the story, which covers a mere 23 years from 1170 to 1193 sweeps the reader inexorably forward to its tragic climax.

W.W W.

Abdom,n /-'7 IN THE HEAD AND NECKARE

PlCiMTING 8ACK

from Wm. G. An,thony, Divisional Seeretary

During the past two years Garston Division has passed tbr@1dgh many difficult eX)1leriences. VaNdalism destroyed our headquarters and for eigHteen months we have been USiNg severa!l felil1porary meeting mone Glf whieh could possibly play dividends as far as membersmi)1l was cOlilcerned April 1974, with changes in IGlca!i auth@rity areas, to I!lS meamt the loss of (hmr Divisional Smp>erinte1ildent on prmm@tiom to Area Secretary. 'ffuis was aggravated by the retirement tmr@ugh ill health @f i1>eth ou r Presidel'lt and Divisional Surgeon, wh@ had by IilO means beeN mere t1i.gure heads. The departure of these tlmree yery valuabie servants and the resigNation o f three members sacdlly depleted our activities - but not ®l!1r energy. 1974 el@sed with the Division m.oving intID more suitable headquarters -a Baptist schoelroom, rent jr.ee, by tfue kiLld and gtmerIDUS interest @f the Rev. F. HMghes and his ehureh 6lfficers. ibis was foNowed by the ref@rming of a €ombi ned catdet sectiON, with six cadets, their successfl!ll completi@n Q)f the 'PreliminruIiY First Aid, and all the adu!1t members gaiNing an Industrial. First Aitd Certificate. We celebrrated tlle weatlnlering of our difficulties wiM'l. a Cliwistmas tiirmer fer m.emi1>ers and frieNds - wit};] a f@rThler Divisional Sl!lperimtendent, Mr. Wilf Laws@n aNd his wife, together with tlnle Area C@rnmissi@ner, Mr. J. amI fu is good lady, as our special guests - to cIDntillll!le our revival into t1te New Yew.

Those r€solutions ha'V€ already b0rne fruit, for I spent the holiday peri@d launefuing a recruitment calililplaiglll, which Divisional members fGlllowed up by pers@oal visits in the early weeks of Jaml!l!ary. 'F m€ results?

Strength (9f the Divisi t)fl IDe€emi1>er t 974: Amb. 9, Nt!lrsing 4, Ale 2, Nice 6. January 1975: Ami1>. 19, Nurrsimg to, Ale D, N/C 7. With tw@ mursing Gamets moviNg tGl adt!llts.

Two mQre rresoll!lti0ns remaim t(9 be f1ulfr1llled: to acquire Divisional lPrresident and Sl!Irgtw m. These are nmy vigomusly bein g sought, with 'faith, howe and char (sOFry - com£demGe'). We shaUl aecornJD.Iish this also. Garstem

TOO FORMAL?

from B. S. Maiden, C0rporal Novemher is tme time forr di .., isi«mal ins\ileGtions - and it is probably true that all ranks of many divisions view tflis event with mixed

READERS VIEWS

",i@ws and opinions, which s n ould be sent to EclitGr, altlilo lYl gh published are mo il! necessarily by the Editor or the Or@er of S 1\ John a l1i1 <d its Although rr e(1lcilHS may sig'" published letters with a pe lRl' name, wri t ers supply their name and address to the editoif.

feelimgs. For m.amy people it is associated with t60 mt!lch fG1 rr maii t y and 'standing-to, yes, sir - no, sir,' etc.

HalP)1lily fQr trois divisien, rut the end of the prooe€dings lasl N@vemoer it was agreed that we had struck 'the right no te' trus time, (See photo below).

O mrr iJD ivisiona[ $l!1perintemdent mad ar r anged a number of events to entertaiJm and inte I" @st our guests. A stretch er-bearing competition betweeN adults and (Cadets was well receiV'ed. A glass of coloured water was balanced Qin tme abd@minal regiON of our 'Gasllalty' and str€tcme r then manQ)euvred through a simulated hole iLl a wall , over a waUl, oyer rough gmund and fim.ahly across a narrow bridge. The res ul t was a wim for the cadets, which the adw.lts will never live down.

Nursing lliIembers ably demonstrated their skills in bed -makim.g and bandaging, and surprisingly a fl\llrther group of cadets vohmtaril t!lnderwent drill instmction. It is pleasing to Note that our young foi l appear tGl el'l.joy rauther than resent this activity.

Of t he actual impection we say mamy thanks te> our officers who made it short and pleasamtly informal and yet mai mtained the dignit) ufu€ evemt deserv€s.

Readers may say there is notfuing new here and perhaps they ari right. But to th ose who do nQt !like the f@rmal divisional inspectiON, tf) a mixed bag as we did. We emjoyed it.

SoUhuti Central Combined Division

They struck the right note

LINKING HANDS

(r@m AI van Uuizan, Divisi0fi'al Officer

As a C r usaderr Ambulance DivisionaH Officer would weleome an oPlfJooFt um,ity to €xchange letters a memher of similar liank and resp0[Olsibility in the Greater London area. I feel that t his may IDe a gct>GHil way to discuss arod compare notes on sueh matters as duty e® verage, training me tinods, competitions and awards, administrative fUFlctions, etc. I have been associated with t1t e Cr msader Ambulance !Ji)ivisiolil. for years, and eKpect to stay with the Brigade for a good many y,< ears to corne.

I sim oerely h@pe to hear fFOm shlch a meJililber in the very near future. 14-4'2@ St. Mary's Road, WiilVw&p eg, Manitoba, Canada, R2M 3K6 A van Huizen

AUt A 'FTENDAN'FS

from W. E. Street, iIDivisional Otlicer

MQ Staff Offieer D. H. Clark's letter on Air Attendants (December Revi@w) and the B!ssociruted rules and regulations made me think OFlce again 'Poor old St. John', where are we heading? I thoMght Mrs. War ra ©k's article (September Review) much nearer the real St. John aNd t hat it held <5lut a gl im mer of hope for oUlrr movement.

U.e first reg mlation im Mr. Clark's letter washes out any point of the majct>rity of SJ m.embers takimg the course aFld certificate, which is the main obj ect, st!lrely, t @get SJ members qualified and ready?

th€ age lil1li1it sadly disqyalifies numbers from our fast dirni,nisming divisiolils, as at this age most members are still seekrng or making uheir And mot to consider a member who is only availa@le at weekends, or outside working hours, is absolutely wwng. There will be plenty of cases during these hours as the Air Wing and Escort Service grows, and any member who passes the ce>urse would I am Sl1re be Gjuite J'wepared to leave within 24 hOl!lrs or much less , as members often did in the long-distance removals by ambulance years ago. Tmose few wh(9 Gan be off at 2 hours' notice will soon be 0verwmelme dl with the obvious increase in work that will arise , when sl!lf@ly members ONly available at weekemds would be useful?

The two phones and a car ruling would also exclude hundreds of will ing members from the rank and file Could not a call -out plan be

BUDIDING AUTHOR

IL ast November the Woodspring area of the (new) COt!lnty of Avon hel@ a Jumiof: Jamil>@ree at Weston-Super -Mare. This was a great smccess and attended by lilearly 70 St. J(9hn juniors from Weston, Cievedon, Pill, Pormishead and N ailsea divisions.

I asked my juniors to write about wfuat they did and their of the afternoon, and was plleased with the ex.cellent suandarrd of eliluries. Our Superintendent judged them and chose the em t ry Crom Lynda CQ)x, age lQ, as the winner. I am eflclosing a €: opy of h@rr elilury.

May r take this oPPQrtt!lnity of saying mow much I enjoy 'The Review' eaG:h mo nth amd find many (9f the articles useful and iI'lIEQrmative.

N(fJilseQ C@l?7'b in ed Cade t Dil'ision Mary Blake (Mrs.) Nursi ng Office r

arranged? After all, we have a SJ call-out plan for a major disaster , or at least most d.ivisioNs have.

The passport, vaccination and inoculation present no problems, and a refresher course every three years would be more than welcome.

In 1957 I started making contacts and arranging exercises with the RAF, RNAS and our local divisions, but after three open-air exercises with these services and three Viisits to airports, I was not allowed to continue as it was considered I was looking too far ahead.

We all knew then that the professional services would take over the roads, after we had shown tke way for S0 long, and they will of course eventually take over in the air. But we could have shown the way again, to the advantage of the patient and the increased knowledge to our selves , as well as keeping our mottoes and voluntary service as our prime objectives

Naturally, members would have to receive esc0rt return fares and out-of-pocket expenses, but we must be careful not to tie St. John with a price tag, or it won't be St. John.

Exwwuth

A REMINDER

from G. E. Robinson, Divisional Officer

WES1'ON .!JUNIOR .!JAM l\)y Lynda C(l)X; (aged 10)

I was tm e mrst tQ get to our meeti lilg place. I did not kon,ow where to stafoldl as @ur old meetimg place had beelil @emolished. When all of us were at @IJlF rneeting pl laJEe we waited a few minutes. !Fl1IeFl our !1iI}lini !bms came. T fu e mini bus welilt quite fast , and [ sat by Felieity IDodds. UQ) ok 1!lS about half alil hOllr t @get to Westom, where tke ] RmbQree was heing held.

WInem we g®t tm1ere we went to the c1oakFo(t) !iilil! and took our coats oliTt aJnd hung tmem I!lf) @lil some "'egs. 'ffuen we went imto the hall tllm' F' d)il,g. Tmere I found Q)ut abol!lt the grow.\ils we mad. There were 3

W. E. Street

The followililg letter, written by Mr. A. B. Jones, Ce>nsultant, Accident and Emergency Department, Kettering General Hospital, was published by Northamptonshire Newspapers Ltd, because recently people have been killed in North ants whil€ assisting at road accidents.

First Aid Priority

The road accid€nt rate always rises at this time of year (winter). May I make a plea to all those v@ry pt!lblic-spirited peopl€ who stop to help at road accidents?

I ask them to remember that one of the first priorities of first-aiders at the roadside accident is to ensure that they themselves do not become the next victims.

They must, if at all possibk, try to send someone to flag down the traffic at 200 to 400 yards on both sides of the accident, or even bett€r to put out reflective warning triangles if anyone is carrying them in their car.

Rushden, Northemts

G. E. Robinson

groups , I , 2, 3. I was in group I. We did some marching first. My group di,d some marching, then the second group did some marching. Then t he third group did some marching Then after we had had a few minutes rest we sat down. Then we weI'lt off with a man and learned about dates, which I can't remember any of the dates the man told l!.lS. Then Jill and r did some knitting. While Jeannette and Vickey had tel memorise a message. Then we had to go over to Mr. Knight. On the table there were about 20 things. We had to have a good look at all th@ iliings, then go away and write down all the thiflgs we cOl1ld remember. When all of us had finished th at we had to go over to another table wh€re a car crash was. W@ had to go away and draw or write about it.

When we had finished that we were told to go and get our t@a. (We was put ifloto threes for th€ memorising I was with Jeannette and Jill). The tea wasn't very thrilling. On my plate I had a carrot and cheese and tomato sandwich, and a chocolate bisGllit, cream cake.

Aft€r tea Mrs. Blake gave a talk about medicine. I had to help. Then we played a game. You had to sit in a roumd circle and have a triangle bandage and have a partner. On some of thing you had to do things like a reef knot with it and bandage other people up. I wom a bar of chocolate with it.

After that we wemt to> the eioakrGlom and got our coats. Then we went ol!ltside where the mini bus was waiting. It t<5lok us about haLf an 11I0ur to get baG:k. I sat by Jeannette on the way back. It was ql1ite a nice ride and I was the last to go home. It was quite a nice day Apart from tea.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

LAST MONTH was on ly the se w nd si nce J have been in char ge of the New s from Sc o tland column that nothin g appeared in th e R evi ew. The fir st time th is happ en ed was throu g h no fault o f min e but because of th e po stal s trik e. But la s t month the column did not appear because I had nothing to put in it. It was no t as thou g h nothin g had happened : there are always go ing s-o n in th @Pri o ry of Scotland and it would be ab s urd to suppo se that a month can go b y without a s in g le news worth y occurrence. The reason I had nothin g to s a y was that I had been gi ven no information. Thi s is not a new de velopment and I must therefore return to a s ubject wh ich I have often touched on befo re.

My reader s will ha ve noticed that fOIi perhaps ei g h month s out o f twelve I am forc e d, throu g h the lack of news , to di s c l!l ss in th e column so methin g of more general inter est. But th e re is a limit to t lfl e number of time s I can 'create s om ething intere stin g o r contro ver s ial to s a y I have o ften wondered

SUMMER IS A COMING" " " .

wh y I ge t se mt s o littl e info li mation The exis tenc e of th e R eview and this column is kn ow n t o eve ry co mmitt ee and as sociation in Scotl a nd. M y a ddre ss is known and it wo uld o nl y t a ke the pos tin g of a few lin es occ as ion a ll y to tr a n s form the column into the so rt o f di s pe nser of new s that it ought to be. M y o wn view is that the silence stem s partly

fr o m m o de sty a nd partly from indi fferenc e. Peo pl e do genuinely thi mk tha t! their acti vitie s a re no t import a nt e nou g h to justify publici sin g. I c a n o nl y rep ea t tha t n o thin g is too un -

imp o rt a nt to be se nt to me , that o ften t he

s m a ll e r happenin gs a re of more gener a l inte res t th a n the lar ger a nd that it is be tter to le t th e wo rl d know of tri vialiti es th a n to give th e impr essi o n th a t nothin g at a ll is h a pp enin g. But ov er -humilit y is only pa lit! ly to

bl a me Th ere is a lso, I a m s ure , indifferen ce - a nd t hi s is a n a tt itude WHICH MUST BE CHANGED There is the short -s ig ht ed vie w th a t it do es no t m a t t er what people kn ow tha t so lo n g a s we do our job it is o f no co n ce rn wh a t th e world thinks. I wo ula li ke t o point o ut - and not for the fir st til11e - th a t we a r e a charity which relie s on fine public fo r its s u r viv a l. We have a duty to br w hat we dlo as much as JDossible in to tne public eye . fo r we would hardly be a ble to al tr ac t much financial s upport if we did not co n vin ce tho se wh o provide us with OUI br ea d a nd butter th a t we were do ing wort hw hil e j

we fo und two o t her member s of our party Dr. Hu g h Reid , Ar ea Commis s ioner Yo rk shire W es t Riding , and Mr s Sheila Preliilde rgas t , mu r sing offi c er of a Lo n don eac hin g ho s pita l wer e al so to visi the Oph t halmic H os pit a l. We were welcomed at the hospita l by th e C hief Surg eon Dr. Batt en who found tim e to show us a round and ex pl a in ever y thin g. As this was Ramadan , the Mohammedan month of fasting by day , the hospital was not as busy as uSUlal , when about 100 pat ient s a da y lillu e seem withoUi E any appointment sys tem.

We were in vited by fri end s of Hu gh and Sh eil a wh o work ed at th e ho s pital , to a meal a t a n Ar a b hou se dee p in the Old Quarter of Jeru s alem Our ho st 's brother led us through na rr ow str eet s to th e hou se , where befor e dinner we had the traditional glas s of water a nd c r ysta lli s ed frui t. Only the male member s Gf th e family sat down with u s for dinn er , to be waited on by t he ladie s of the ho usehold. Our hos t s were either Coptic or Ro man Catholic so alcohol (arak) was served with dinner , which was a delicious meal follow ed by coffee and s weets. On the way bac k o our ho tel we called in at a ba ke hou se, where th e Arab baker s were hard a t wo rk. But we found , om ce the y knew we were from St. John England , we were

St. John stories

AWL RIGHT

A n eX - Gad e t, recentl y pr omoted t o an adult di vision sta rted her tr ainin g fo r State Regi str a tion At la st t he pr o ud d ay came when she wa s allow ed t o 'sc rub up and hand the instr ume nt s t!o the sUIi geon i-m th e he a tre Durin g the opera ti OJ1l he turned to her and sa id' Awl'. Momentarily fo rge ttin g that there wa s such a n in strument as a n a wI. s he said in s urpr is e ' All what? ' To which the yo ung su r g e o m meekl y repli e d ' Awl, ple ase

JOhl Ophth a lmi c H os pi ta l in J erusalem. As we as b e in g a me me nt o o f o ur vi s it, thi s pl aq u was o s ig nify a permanent assoc ial io be tweem uhe Milt o n N ur s in g Cadet Di visio: and! th e h Gs pit a L fiO wlh icln we mow reg ul a r co ntribution s. Soo n a ft e r OUli a r r iva l in the H oly Lan

we lc om e d ever ywhere by the Arab populatio n.

On our first Saturday in J.erusalem the siren s wailed to announce that war had been decl a red on the Egyp t ians along the Suez

Ca nal a nd the Sy rian s on the Golan Heights N a tur a lly. we exp ected our tour of the Copti c (E g yptian Orthodox) part of the Church

o f th e Holy Sepulchre to be abandoned, but no t a t a ll. Our s milin g Arab friend from St. J o hn, wh o wa s to show us around the c hur c h , wa s a mace bearer to the Archbi s ho p, Dr. Amba Bassullus, and he turn ed up to meet u s a little earlier than a rr a nge d because of the 'trouble . We went to th e church , were shown around the Coptic p a rt which is not u s ually open to tourists a nd th e n vi sited the Archbishop ' s Mona stry.

A pa rt of th is mona str y is th e home of the pr ese n t archbishop who seeing our party invited u s in for coffee. For two hours we fo rgo t the war going on so mearby

Before leaving Jerusalem we went to the Muristan , and ever y one thought that the re ce ntl y- erected St. John memorial was wond e rful.

Fr o m J eru s alem we went to Tiberias on th e Sea o f Galil ee , wh ere we could see fl as h es and hear gun fire from the distant Golan Height s It wa s a most unusual ho lida y e xperience - to be sitting on a

(Wh en s he told me thi s J sai d to her: ' Yo u watch if yo u can sq ua s h a li ke th at a t yo ur pr es ent stage of tr ainin g, y ou ll be in grave dan ger o f som e d ay one of th Gs e o ld ba ttl eax e s th a y ou 'r e a lw ays com pl a ining abouC).

- W. w. , Eppin g

balcony in the dark of an air -raid warning blackout drinking and enjoying ourselves

All ni g ht troops and armour rumbled past our hotel on their wa y to the front.

The next day we went to Acre, where the ruin s of the Crusader Hospice are very exte ns ive and well preserved. These ruins , only partly excavated , are worthy of another visit a few year s hence.

After visiting a kibbutz , we returned to J e ru sa lem and the anxieties of getting home We learned that only EI Al planes were flying out of Israel , and our party could not all ge t onto one plane , so we had to split up into s m a ller g roup s. Some groups got away on da y fli g ht s to Zurich , but with the threat of Jordon about to enter the war we were still in I s rael when n ight fell. But at 2 a m we were ca ll ed a t our hotel - we had a flight , to Paris.

We were soon all back in London after a holiday which , because of events, eould h a ve been di s astrous But it wasn't. It was a g rea t success , primarily because of the people we met ever y where through St. John connec tion s.

So if thi s year yo u re holida ying where th e re are any St. John associations - wear a n SJ badge , brooch or tie and make your self known It'll make the world of difference.

News from

Meet Jane Elizab et h Raw ingswhose eyes (to me) spell quiet suecess As well tRey might. Cadet Leader J a ne is only the se€ond €iilde of Romsey (H ants) Nursin £) Cadets to win he Grand Prior 's badge. Jane now takes the juni o rs for fir st a d, and plans a nu rsing career

(Below) The Mayor iilnd Mayoress of (Councillor Mrs. Wigan R Lyo ns) with Comma nol er St. John, Col. H. J. Da r lin @tG Im , and off ce rs and members after an enro lm e nt ce r emony at W gan to ce ebra te the Hindl ey Cadet Di v ision jubil ee. ( Photo Wigan Post)

LONDON - La st November Miss Amelil Andersen was prresented with Medal 0 th.e Order of St. John by Dr. Secom be Commissioner of Western Area. n presentation took place at the Ilche ste Home in Kensington where Miss Ander sel is now re sident , and was attended by Are: Supt. Miss F. M. Dean and Lt. Col. Jardi ne Pr es ident of Western Area , together wi t! representatives of N o.9 Kensin gton Nur sinl DivisioTil and other friends

Many members of the Brigade, especi alll those who knew 'A ndy during the man: yea rs she carried out duties at the Albert Hall , will be pleased to know that he wonderful service ha s been rewarded in thi way

NORFOLK - On the December 5 Maj o R. Stokes, Regional Organiser for the Britis Heart Foundation, presented Nur si ng Cadi Tracy Armes of the Gorleston Nursi n Cadet Divi sio n with her gold badge fo collecting enough Mind a Heart' stamps I fill six cards, also a one star gold badge fo filling her seventh card.

NORT MANTS - There are verry few cadf divisions in the country that have weathere SO ve ars . so th e award o f t he Commissio nel in -Ch ief's jubilee certificate was a pr oll mom ent for the members of Ketterin, H ea dquarters Nursing Cadet Division an all who had been associated with it over yea rs.

At a speeial ceremony attended by ma n , of the old girls' a nd parents , the certifical was presented to Divisional Mr s. Chri stine Chapman by the Are Commissioner John Chapman, who happe n to be her hu s band. During the County Officer for Nursing Cadets , Day , enrolled 13 girls, presented Gran [i'rr ior Badges to Carrol Matthews an Pattr i c i a Hiopson. a nd p re se nt ed 41 pr o fici e ncy cert ifi cates.

The dau g hter of Mr. and Mrs. Chapm al Karen. now a State Enrolled Nurse, wh serve d in the division until reachi n promotion age and won the Grand PriG

Bad ge, has bee n appointed Divi s ional Officer of the division.

When Hilary Richardson received her Gra fnl d Prior Badge recently , she was the 35 tlin member on Thrapston N ursi Mg Cadet Division to gain the award im the past ten yea rs Th ra pston , one of the smaller places in the county is a country town on a main Eas t/ We st traffic route and struggles to keep its adult combined divi si on going, so the enthusiasm of the girls reflect s great credit alii the community, and such a number of in this field co mld be we ll on tine way to OJ! record. Divisional Superintendent Miss Marjorie 'Finey hopes to add six more to the number this year.

OBITUARY

Harry Bearson, of Cheshire , formed Offerton and Great Moor Ambulance Division in ] 9 40. Finally Area S\!Iperintendent, Eastern Area , Cheshire. Officer Brother. Died November 5, 1974.

Derek Hills 42, Superintendent , Felixstowe Cadet D iv ision Joined as cadet in 1946. Serving Brother. Awarded commendation from the Chairman , Feli xs towe UDC and the SJ Commissioner, Suffolk , for reviving a casualty rescued from tine sea. His widow is a nursing mem be r, and son Mark a cadet.

Lt. C(l)1. I. Cross Pedley, TD, former Area Commissioner, Cheshire (East). Died on Januar y 4 , 1975.

T. Vale, Secretar y, Warrington Ambulance Di vision. 40 ye ar s in Brig a de

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.3 (75) CompiledbyW.APotter

Across:

1. Can the camiNe see what it bites? (3.5) 5. Conneetive tissue eovering muscles amd some tendons. (6) 10. !Elder M.D. is upset by person imterfering needlessly. (7) 11. Sec;;retion lubricating joints. (7) 12. Disguise worn in the (4) 13. Intervertebral pad of fibrocartilage. (4) 14. Taste of blood. (5) 16. Anatomical large box. (5) 17. Swelling due to bJeeding into the tissues. (9) 21. A defence against spread of infection to the blood stream. (5.4) 24. Went at high speed before food with warning of danger around (5) 25. More than fifty with the supple, graceful physique. (5) 28. Hounds used to control epistaxis? (4) 29. Potato for the @phtnalmie sUligeon. (4) 31. Musele extendiflg the elbow joint. 0) 32. Yellow Fibres of eonnec;;tive formed fmm mdxture of salt and ice. (7) 34. Stop a cardiae emergency. (6) 35. Tendon tapped to elicit the knee-jerk. (8)

Down:

I. Many after the Spanish tree (3) 2. Membrane lining the medullary cavity of bOFles. (9) 3. LubJjicants for artists. (4) 4. Stain from sailor with broken shin. (7) 6. Employees from the upper limhs. (5) 7. Auditory ossicle for the blacksmith. (5) 8. Using a big fist to exert auth@rity c;;rudely? (5.6) 9. the mymph. (6) n. Yell([)w spot wherre visi@n is (6.5) [5. Removing the stimg from stitchimg leaves a skin irritation. (4) 18. First given by the SJ.A.B. (3) 19. Epileptic premonition. (4) 20. Bone perforated by the foramen magnum. (9) 2.2 Out-patient attitude to resist. (6) 23. Waste products eliminated from the body. (7) 26. He strives hard for success on tfue Moselle. (5) 27. Numbers derived by operation on seven. (5) 30. Counterfeit part of the skull. (4) 33. Motoring organisation coming back f@r a vehicle. (3)

Solution to Crossword No.2 (75)

Across:

1. Achalasia ; 6. P.lump; 9. Relapse; 10. Pasteur; 11. Ac.he; 12. Span; 13. Awful; 16. Tragus; 17. Diabetes; 20 Arterial; 21. Der.m.is; 23. Su.do.r; 25 Ripe; 26. L.obe; 29. Uranium; 31. Ac.on.it.e; 32. Ev.ok.e ; 33. Leg cramps.

Down:

1. Aort a ; 2. Half- hearted; 3. Lope; 4. Sleepy; 5. AppendiX!; 6. P .ash. a; 7. Us.e; Pa rr alysis; 14. Fat em.bolism; Burr; Hi. Tramfuse; 18. Bleb; 19. Lacrimal; 22. Sprang; 24. R1liise; 27. Evens; 28. Sour; 30. Ad.o.

(Above) Rushden ( N orthants) cadets are th e firs t w inn ers of the Colby Shield, presented to th e best team in a field day competit ion of camping, h andyman , fire - fighting rst a id and ra @io n ne shie ld was presente oJ by the Colby family, of which Denis Colby is CSO , Ambula nc e Cadets, Northan s. (Right ) Rushden s cadet of the year - Leader Robert Cr is p with the O'Collr'10r Cup. Robert t ransfers soon to the Ambulan ce Div is ion and starts a career in nursing

What's in store, when you

JOIN THE CADETS

Why not come and join us

Jl!lst come along afld see ,

OFlce you pass a first aid test

The uniform is free.

At Royal events

Don't push and shove

You stand right up the front, People at the back of you

Daren't push you up the rump

We go to fetes a lil d dog shows

And get free cakes and teas

We even go to horse shows

With mud up to our knees.

We hope to see you on Monday night

At the clinic in Rye Road

Yow'lI find a friendly welcome

So come am@ j oi m omr

Sylv i a Oshorne

Anatomical models

EYE HOSPITAL City Road, London, EC1V 2PD

Candidates accepted at the age of 17 years as student nurses to undertake an 18 month course in opthalmic nursing.

On successful completion of the course awards of Moorfields Certificate and Medal are made. Comfortable residential accommodation available. Applications to the Principal Nursing Officer.

Minimum order 6 copies for three issues

* Reasonable rates.

*

AMBULANC;i

Whittingtorn

BIGGIN HILL ...

wi lli be i13 [ G indeed this }1ear. Because St. J0110 is the adopted c har ,ty 01 the International Air Fair for 1975 (May 16 to 18 inclusive) 1m addition t o the normal duties, St. John will be very much in th! public eye with an exhibition covering an facets of St John services, together with a variety of interesting and exciting activities.

YOI!l c am eXlPerience the laP SEAT BELT SLED (try this for ki c ks!), Have you he a rd of a SPACE POD? - It gives you all the thriJls of an aerobatics pilot without leaving the ground. The St. John Air Winl pilots will be tlyi fl g in Some rea ll y great jl> rizes are being collected for MAGNIFICENT RAFFLE.

REVIEW

AT RANDOM

Now for the news about special coach party rates. The minimu n n umber for the party rates is 12 The entrance price for an adult is 701 (standard charge is £ 1), for a child 3(i)JD (standard 50p) and you r co ad or mini-bus has FREE parking (against SOp standard car park ng)

You cafl see what savi mgs can ID e made.

Make up a St. John party ta supp0rt St. John at Biggin Hill thil year. Write now for booking deta ils to:

Biggin HiD, The Order of St. John, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, Londo n SWIX 7EF.

Biggi m Hill Airfield is on the A .233 road near Westerham Kent.

iDivisiofl , by Lilian Ri'ley p.79

and About, by the Editor p.80

in Schools, by W. A. Oliver p.84

TW e1 inciden s which made it worthwhile, by Mike Brace p 85

DireGt Violence InjlJries, part 4 by Dennis Clark p.86

Police Finals , results p.87

Major Imcidents , part 2, by M V Moring p.88 t hsppened in London Moorgate Tube disaster p.89

Anatomical models

News from Divisions Centres p.94

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

THE AIR-INDIA jumbo jet touched down at Delhi airport at 6.30 am local time (I am GMT) on Friday , February 20, fifteen hours after taking off from Heathrow. During flight I had met two former colleagues and two former pupils , and their wives , bound for the same destination as myself - the coronation of HM King Birendra of Nepal whom I had taught, some 12 years ago , during the last two of his five years at Eton. Many other Eton friends were to join us in Kathmandu, and it was a wonderful tribute to His Majesty ' s personality that , in addition to the vast number of his official guests from all over the world, he should have invited so many of his former teachers and fellow-students - from St. Joseph's School, Darjeeling , from Eton College and from the universities of Harvard and Tokyo - to share in the celebration of his crowning.

h was, incidentally , not due to any lack of interest in first aid that he did not take a St. John course while he was at school; he had indeed planned to do so, but when the time came it unfortunately clashed with on e of his other courses of training. But he did on one occasion take part in an a dven t ure training day which I was helping to organise in Bucks for about 40 young Brigade members of the 1521 age group, in an incident in which the casualty ' spoke a foreign language that no members of the course could understand; and I well remember his gleeful enjoyment of the situation when a group of first -aiders , finding 'H.R.H. The Crown Prince of Nepal' on a small slip which I'm afraid we had failed to remove from his spectacle-case , flatly refused to believe that this was not just part of the stage effects of the incident!

24-hour stop

During a 24 -hour stop in Delhi I met Major -General S. S. Maitra, MD, FRCP , Secretary -General of St. John Ambulance in India, and Mr. Ram Singh his Deputy , both of whom gave me an extremely warm welcome and discussed details of my St. John programme when I should return to India on March 6.

Britain is in the grip of leisure on or by the water. Reading SJA has caught the mood tao - but not only for remlering first aid

AFTER -VWO YEARS of research, fund raising. boat building and crew training. Reading Southern Combined Division started a water-borne first aid patrol on the River Thames in 1971.

Along many miles of the upper reac£hes of the river , which is non-tidal and a very popular r.ecreational area in both summer and wil1ter (fishing and hardy boaters), the tow -paths are very narrow or non -existent and access to these areas from roads can often mean a k mile trudge across fields. So an aecidel1t on or by the river at such spots cOIYI@ create problems, which was something tmat had been worryimg the Division, particula r ly in the Reading area. for some time.

\{iss ROII{/{/\l 'lI j) irisiollal Q(fiCf.' r (Trallsport), is ill charge of Readillg S Ol/lhern COll1bill f.' d DirisiOIl'S rir(' r flalml. Qf her IIIl - Ellglish lamifl' 11(111/(' she S (7l'S 'lI'e'\'e lrac ed il back 10 the 151h,'('nlIIIT ill a J'l,·or.' .4 10llch of h(e @II the fiords here. for aid Thames?

A weekend foot patrol covering even the most popular places would have demanded a large groUip of personnel, and communication would !be diffiG\Jllt without radio. requiriTilg evem more per SOlf\li1e I to man it. 1' Inere was OTile obviohls aTilsw€r: get afloan

A patrol boat to cover the 2lrea seemed ideal. as it could cope with accidents on both

between Caversham Lock alild Scours Lane, bl!1t this was extended [% miles west to the Roeb1!lck Inn at Tilehurst after seeing child rem playimg alone in a deserted area. But wihfu the two !boats in oper aJItiolil we again extiended Ol!l li patrol to tme 8 miles between Sonning aIild Mapledurham Lock. This is still our patch today.

It soon became obvious during training a,float tmat first aid was mot to be our only activity. Crews were soon involved in assistililg craft im trouble, such as a crlYiser gr0ulil(lkcd Of sailililg dililghies out Gf control near the top or a we ir on a flooded river.

Apart from the normal patrols, events attended during the first year were two canoe races (one when the river was flooded), three regattas, four demonstrations, two charity tow -path walks, and the first pop festival held during the 6-week Reading Festival. For the pGp Cestival the boats were manned 24hOl!llFS a may thtroughout the Bank Holiday weekend. Also both boats were on parade at the dedication of Southern Nursing Division's new duty hut in Christchurch Meadow.

At the request of Cleeve Women's Institute, a general St. John display was mounted over two weekends at Goring LCDck. While a collection of holiday boats were nicely 'trapped' in the lock , with their passengers having a good look round, we carried out a couple of demonstration rescues. One was of a girl who fell into the river while larking about with her boy-friend , and the other a rower who 'catches a crab' as a result of cramp A road bridge crosses the river nearby the lock, and soon a crowd hacl gathered there to watcro our demonstration. The collection quickly taken enabled us to improve the emergency eq uipment in the boats.

by VIVYENNE

banks and afloat. So the decision was ma de

We s tarted building a IO -foot marine -pi! dinghy in a garage, and with the help of local fi rm Popular Boats , then based a l Caversham Bridge. a 6 hp Evinru dl outboard eJilgine was lboughn. The fi I1 m alS( provided illS with a mooring place for thl dinghy and later gave us a 13 -foo polystyrene dory. complete with a rebuilt H hp Mercur y outboard.

Th e d o r y was altered and fitted out b crew - member s, and both boats we r dedicated Olil March 28, 1971. After 2 yea r : of prepa ration. we were mow gbvil@\Jls ly in ! hurr y. ror the boats were on dl,lty iw It was originally intended to patml tn: popular a rea or about 2'/4 miles of the ri ve"

The original St. John I, as the dinghy was named, had outgrown her useful life. She had been acq uired for transport not rescue work, so she was replaced by a lO -foot glass -fibre Trident, which was altered and fitted out duri mg the winter of 71 72.

In the sprring, our friends Popular Boats moved their premises, so we had to move too . We took up residence with the YMCA Sea Scouts - at a very convenient site opposite the grounds of the pop festival , which had now become an annual event. We them presented with a hut, to stGre e0jl!lipmelilt and provide shelter for to make their reports, by thle Reading alley Round Table. The hut, together with the new St. John 1, were dedicated on June I, 19 72. We were now really getting establiShed.

But within a week disaster struck. The hut was broken into and our two engines, tGgetlnl er with another lent by a crew -member as a Iies€live, were stolen, as in the ' St. JOhfol Review (August 1972). A tip-ofT to Radio Oxford's news editor resulted in an

A crew just back f rom pa rol. (L to R ) The author then nursing member ), Ambulance Member Underwood, and Sgt. Sutherlanr1

D edica tiol'l of one of the Reading boats and a base-hut (left) presented by Reading Valtey Round Table (Photo: Even ng Post , Reading)

By Caversham Bridge , Reading , S t. John left) and St. John lion trial before starting patrols. Photo: Walter Adams , Reading)

appeal over radio by our then superintendent Leo Smith for help from the publiG, and together with local newspaper reports this brought in over ) 8 offers of engines of all shapes and sizes, and messages of sympathy from far amd wide. We felt better, and chose an engil'le belonging to a police offiicer, who was late li involved im trrackimg down the widesprread gang of thieves rresponsible for our loss. The patrol continued without a break. By the beginning of August we had managed to replace the stolen equipment, with cash from additional fund-raising activities added to the insurance rolOney.

The Thames Conservancy, which controls the upper Thames, gave us permission to carrry Olil Ol!lr boats f1Iashimg oraliilge beacoms for use in emergem::y (in addition to the special St. John pennarilt), and by special

Leaving St. John 11 at the regatta, W e took off at speed, using emergency light ano hooter whew necessary. While taking care mot to hlpset otmer boats, we opened l!lj£) eflg ime, as we have spec ia[ permissiON to exc@ed tfue speed limit in an emergency. The crews of two cruisers gave us some verr angry looks as we approached at speed. We slowed down to pass them, then sped on again, searching the river. Approaching the Roebuck lnm we saw an ililfIatable of the right description at the landimg stage.

J ohnlUlY' ama mum, it seemed, Na o misumderstood their nmdezveus - he 'o been waiting at the Roebuck 'fOF ages'. him on board and the inflatable in tow, we returned more sedately. We repassed the cruisers whose crews had been so irate, but this time they gave us thumbs-up, cheers ano waves. ThIe penny had dropped.

During 1973 we were presented with another boat, a 3-foot glass -fibre hull, by tine [ndepende lil t Order of Foresters (Court G li eyfriars). To this hull , item by item, has since been added a foredeck, lockers and equipment. St. John IV, as we've named this boat, is now nearly complete. Her engine is being run-in and within a few weeks the official launching will take place. She has already been on some duties, standing -by in ca se of emergencies at the '74 pop festival anm ttendled various shows. We could not name mer St. Jomn III which was our inteliltion, as we found that this name had already been registered at Leigh , in Essex. Is there another SJ A boat patrol on that river? Good luck, if there is!

(Above) A St. John river patmlmal'l at work. This 10-foot glassfibre boat replaced the original plywood St. John I, which was built by members when it

was decided that the only way to effectively cover the river was by being afloat

When we got back , we found thai 'Chalky' had been read ilng the riot act to mum about the stupidity of letting a youngster, in a single-cell inflatable, ro w alone over such a long distance, with no l even a foot of rope or spare pullover. We added a few words and mum s partin! remark as she made off with Johnny was: 'Oh well, we'll have to wait till we go dow n to the sea.' No comment.

We again attended the R.eading festival in 1972 , reported in the Revie w (Nov. 1972) with details of our boats' acti vities.

LATEST CRAFT

(Left) The dory 5t. John II fully equipped and ready for action. St. JCDhl'l IV so®n to be cOlililmission ed, will carry the same eqwipmem

arraflgerme liil t with the Home Office radios working the Berkshire fire brigade frequency were also on trial on the boats. The radios meant that not only were our patrols in direct contact with the Emergency Services but also that we no longer had to mam our @wn radio/teleJ!!lhome stati())m - so saving on peliso[ij\l'Iel. Before using radios on the boats. crews often had to hunt down phone boxes way otT theirr beat and which were probably then found to be vandalised. ONe incident during ) 972 made our hair curl. We were on regatta duty at the time and 'Chalky' White, our local policeman, called us over to ask if we had seen a lad in am ifilf,i\atable wm@ was rowing fmm the Childe Beale Tmst. way l!lJiil river. His !iiI1€lt tl'err had beef} waiting on the promenade for over an hour to meet him.

Although launching was easy from our ) 972 site, our hut was very @xposed to break-ins both from the road and the rive So durimg thIe winter we moved again, thi s time to share a site with the Canoe Racin! Club, which has a high brick wall on the road side and trees and bushes by the rive r.

We are still at this site, but launching is a problem that cannot be eased witho u t massive digging out or buildililg.

The first task at the new site was to di! two holes, four feet deep , into wmich comld concrete O I!lIi new engiwe stand. engines are locked to this stand. The hole! were dug in what was obviously the site 01 an old green -house, for glass, bricks, wi re netting. enormous earthenware crock s, corrugated iron and a dustbin had to be prized out as we dug. Our hut, transported in eigmt sections to the site on my protesting l'liilini -van. was re-erected rOl!lmd the engi ne stand. Other equipment was brought in the boats, to be stowed in the hut again.

Duties, both routine and special, we re carried out during) 973 from this new site .A special visitor during this period was the SJ A Commissioner for Mauritius, Mr. Ohis, whO was in Britain for a university course. we lie very pleased to see him and wish hli J11 lots of lu€k and sl!lppGlr t fOIi the boat he is planning for nne coastal waters 01 Mauritius.

(Editor: St. John TTl is a cruiser owned until last summer by Ron Gleeson, an ambulance member Qf Grays (Essex) Division. There al7 SJA rescu e boat at S(Juthend, bu because their equipment was vandalised it is 110t 11000V operatin g).

One Sunday afternoon during the pop festival last year, with our boats all out and a stand -by crew at base, a cruiser was seen headin g rather unsteadily for our landing stage. The owner , we discovered when we had boarded and tied the cruiser up, had collapsed from a heart attack. 'It s only indigestion , he said. I've had it before , but never collapsed.' His family had got him into a bunk in the fore -cabin , and , inexperienced as they were, had managed to get to us. We hailed OJile of our boats , which was standingby a large number of swimmers in medst rr earm. asking them to call an ambulanoe over the radio and to stay around. Because of the festival, the local ambulance service wa s fully occupied , so one was sent from Wokingham with a police escort. Within 20 minutes of boarding the cruiser, the patient was in the intensive care unit at the Royal Berks. Hospital.

With that settled , we now had to cope witm the om the cruiser; two of our crew- mermbers took them back to her mooring up river. And one of our boats

COME TO SEE

returned our crew to base

This incident confirmed our decision that we s hould retain radios For it would have been impossible to get help so quickly had we not radios working on the Fire frequency. The nece ss ity to practi se getting patients out of unusual positions was also underlined.

During the very wet latter part of 1974 patrol s went on as l!lsl!lal with the exception of two da y s when there was a steady downpour and no river activity. In D ecember , however with continuous and he a vy rain the patrol was put on red alert stand -b y Flooding wa s imminent and had there been a call -out the boats would have gone. even if it meant taking them part of the way by road.

In order to increase local SJA interest in the river patrol and so attract more per s onnel , the patrol was opened to St. John me mber s in the whole of t he Reading area , in s tead of just the one division. Reading Combined Cadet Divi sion ha s a boat of its own. ' The Flying Crusader ', and we look forward to members joining the patrol as they gain their fi rst aid certificates

Our training programme for new members to the patrol is as follows During the first

three months of each year there is a 2-day training course for interested potential crewme m bers. The fi rst day covers lectures and demonstra tions at headquarters; the second , practical work at the river site. Members who pas s te st s for these 2 days are taken on a s assistant crew -members and after more on -t he -spot training and experience they gain their crew-member s certificate. After further training and practice they can qualify for their coxswain ' s certificate , whiGh is awarded b y the patrol as there are so many different s itua ti ons , methods and needs of our s peciali sed boat work.

In the four year s since the river patrol was s ta rted , our boat s have been on patrol 300 times , totallin g 2280 hours , travelled 5700 mile s and used 930 gallons of petrol. The patrol ha s attended 286 incidents, which ha ve included: 72 boats assisted (25 in immediate dan ger of severe damage) , one ass is tance to the police in recovering a body , o ne attempted s uicide talked down from C ave rs ham Bridge , one assistance to the police in tracing someone using an air-rifle to pot a t canoeists from an island , and one ass is ting a small boat which had been r a mmed and s unk. Bank -side fires and a

We st minster boat race , 24 -hour closed circuit canoe races, etc.

Set the tender trap - and become a

...

fe 1iewlmemever possii':J le

PR

WORK

factory finil were dealt with or reported by radio to the fire IDrigade. Other happenings have included children in trol!!lble in inflatables: dare-do child swimmers; out-ofcontrol boats; children with fishing lines caught up; adult swimmers, (even at 2 o'clock in the morning!); river traffie control because @f an unexploded bomb found; children climbing along the outside of bridges; and inflatables near weir heads.

The 100 first aid cases treated induded a dislocated ankle, fractured tibia, lDadly lacerated hand. miscarriage, rope burns, cuts to hands and knees, grazes from head to toe (results of diving in at the wrong plac@, the morning -a fter-the-night-before), heart attack, drug problems, and so on.

Throughout the season we also keep an eye on riverside life-belt stations. Wor lifebelts Ihave a habit of disaIJpearing, getting their lines emtangled, aFld being tossed into the river (IDres1!lmably for fun).

In generaL people on and by the river now accept us, not as river police , as they thought of us at first. but as a group which is there to

help and give advice. It has even been suggested that since we have been seen always w@aring buoyancy jackets, and continually talk to people on the advisahility of weaving them, the number of buoyancy jac kets and other safety equipment on all forms of craft on the river has increased If this is so, then we are playing a preventative role too.

A group of local cruiser ownerrs once asked for our help as they always seemed to lose at i mter - club competiti()ms on resuscitation. We arranged a special tuition evening for them , and the following weekend they came bouncing into our hut having come top of their class for the first time!

What sort of special events do we attend?

Regattas, sponsored canoe events , fetes (inland and riverside), local and national firemen's swims, boys clubs' swims, charity towpath walks, waner carnivals, crazy craft races, donke y derbys (at one there was a para-drop. and our boat stood-by in case anyone la nded in the river instead of the adjoining meadow) , part of the Devizes to

Our mos t display attendance was probably at t he Greenharn Comm @lma,ir display, when apart from meeting rnm an y people firom all over the country , we also met members of our own SJ Air Wing. As unit s within the same organisation, but a little different from all the others, we had a lot of fun comparing notes.

Over the last four years we 've bee n operating our rive r patrol, we have had wonderfUlI help ffrOm local and cOl!lnty councils, from the Water Safety Committee, the Thame s Water Authority (Thames Conservancy Division), the emergency services - a nd from many local, and not so local, people and companies. Recently , a donation from the St. John Council for Berk s hire paid for a 20 hp outboard for St. John IV. To all of them we'd like to say: 'T ha nk s !'

But I mu s t add that when 'patrols hour s are referred to, it means just that - time actually on patrol. It does not take into accou nt time spent by crews writing up log s, maintaining boats, eq uipment , site, tr a inin g, etc. For instance, each patrol involves every crew - member for a further three hours in additi'on to patrol hours. And as a combined division, men and women members carry an eq ual res ponsibility for crews, maintainanc e staff, etc. Our Division 's late st acquisition, by the way, to work in conjunction with the ri ve r pa trol, is an ambulance.

Once you start closing a gap in first -aid coverage - especially where water activities are concerned in Britain - there 's no end to it. I can teU you !

Edit: r often II 'onde r Ivhat cover there is /01' the No,:(o lk Broads's very popular 10 1110llth boating season. There's scope afloat /0 1' Crew training afloat off the Read ing pop fes ti val sit B

Combined Division

by Lilian Riley, DiI is ional Superintendent

PRESTON YOUTH COMBINED DIVISION: well that 's what we are today.

But in 1951 we started as a student division - hence the name - recruiting members from the cadets. Very soon student divisions were abolished and we became an adult nur sing division. And happy years they were. Approximately 50 members of the division left us to do general training, but the y stay ed with us in spirit and visited us whenever they could. Our nursing officer was one of our founder members back in 1951.

Time marched o n , and in 1972 one of our members , Mis s Margaret Crawford, became emgaged to a John Wareing. On meeting ni ghts he began to call to take her home and before we h ad inveigled him into beco ming a ' patient ' for our competition exe rcises. Poor John , how he mu s t have suffer ed! But soo n he became interested in what we were doing - then involved - and finally wanted to join our nursing division. There were frantic communications with OUIT Area Commissioner and we were qui€kly encouraged to open our division to MA LE S. But we had only one! However at a local competition night an observer showed int e rest in the potentialities of the team. This was Malcolm Watson a polic eman , so we invited him along to our next meeting night to give us some advice (E dit: See ho w th e t rap wo rks,fello ws?) We had a form requesting a ppl,ication to become a comhililed d ilV' is ion (Edit: Coincidence?)

We shGwed the form to Malcolm, who read it and tmen signed it. We had two males!Oh boy, were we go in g pl aces! (Edit: So was Malcolm, With forms signed, sea led and delivered we became , overnight as It were, a Combined Di vis ion.

Our first job of course was to ensure that Ol!lr ambulance mem bers (Edit: Here comes the crunch) obtained their nursing cer tifilca tes. Willing hand s from among the nu rs ing mem bers helped them with their

practice, which was often hilarious . (Edit: For John and Malcolm tOO?) But they both pa sse d the examination (Edit: It obviously was) - just twelve months before winning the Pe rrot Shield at the 1974 Brigade Finals; and Malcolm won the Ellis Trophy for the be s leader on the nursing side! (Edit: See, a lau g h and a g iggle pays off - evenfor men).

Sin ce then we have co-opted (Edit: another of their traps) Ian Clayton, a former leader of the Pre ston Ambulance Cadet team. Members of his erstwhile (Edit: deserted?) team, who are still too young to join us, have promi sed their allegiance (Edi t : yet another of their traps) before long , so we hope (Edit: intend?) soo n to in Grease our male membership.

W e are a 'competition' Division (Edit: local la sses confirm this) and hope to remain so (Edit: Crrr from local lasses), believing that in competition practice we achieve proficiency.

To give an example. Just after the 74 Finals Malcolm was called, in the course of hi s duty as a policeman , to an arthritic lady of 80 who had fallen out of bed and was ulilable to get up. It was in the early hours of the morning , and it had taken her two hours to crawl to the telephone and summon help. After breaking into the house , Malcolm with the help of an 'untrained' yo ung PC , had to bath a nd change the patient , see to her warmth and comfort, and re-make the bed (He would have changed the mattress , too if it had been po ss ible , as the patient had had 'an acc ident '). He in structed his 'untrained help er in the m ys teries of a draw-sheet ', 'hosp ital corner' and the correct 'Nay to mak e up a hospital bed

Having made hi s patient comfortable, with further instruction in executing an Australian-type lift , etc, he then proceeded to see hi s patient settled, providimg her with a cop (D f tea before reporting her situation to the appropriate authorities.

And last week he was almost late for the

annual inspection because he was called into a neighbour whose burst varicoes vein dressing had come adrift. Before joining the di vis ion while he was a first-rate first-aider , he was no nurse.

Meanwhile Margaret and John have married and are now the proud parents of a son, StlJart. This young man conveniently made his appearance between the County and Regional final competitions, thus allowing his mother , with full consent from her doctor (the Corps. Surgeon!) to enter all rounds of the Brigade competitions. Stuart is in line to become the first honorar y member at the age of one month , when he made his first appearance at a di visional meeting. (Is there a lower age limit for honorary members?)

Another member , Theresa , who is a re gis tered foster mother , offered to look after Stuart fo r the weekend of the Brigade Finals. We kno w Theresa 's worth and were happy to leave Stuart in her care. She says he slept practically all the weekend, anyway. But a division is not just a team. There are other members without whom the team could not flourish. The rank and file members who have the unsung, unenviable dutie s to perform These members work away, knowing that none of their efforts will brin g them personal acclaim. I welcome this opportunity to extend our thanks to them in th ei r unselfish work for the good name of the Division. We are proud of our team's achievements, but we are equally proud of tho se who remain in the background and without whom we could not survive.

One la st thought. Looking back , the se n si ble thin g would have been to build up s ub sta ntial financial reserves before embarkin g on the project of becoming 'co mbined But the opportunity arose and it had to be seized before it (E dit: they?) got away!

(Edit: They seem happy enough, after all. Apologies, Lilian, for the interruptions).

Success at 19 74 Brigade Finals - John and Margaret Wareing (left) , Jenn y Eaves and M a co lm Watson. John and Malcolm were Preston 's first male members

WHO'S FOR CAMP7

UK Brigade members have once again been invited by the Johanniter - Unfall - Hilfe in Germany to send contingents of our younger adult members to a training camp which they are organising in Hormum /Sy lt next August. The conditions will be the same as in previous years.

The invitation is for two fortnightly periods. The first group arriving at the camp on August 2, leaving on August 16, and the second group arriving on August 16 amd leaving om A lJl gust 30.

We are offered 20 places for each fortnight, and they would like each party to comprise 2 officers (I male and 1 female), 9 male members and 9 female members making a total of 20 for each party. The age group is between 17 and 25 years, and all must be adult members. There will be no charge to our liJ1le mbers for the camp. Fares would be the me mbers' responsibility The Brigade HQ is making enquiries as to the best and cheapest way of getting to Sylt, and it looks as though the fare would be approximate £ 15 each way. However, this is subjeGt to confirmation and a cheaper rate may be found

Sylt is a pleasamt seaside spot anal the accommodation is in 8-lbedded barrack rooms. There will be some 2 hours of training a day , against a holiday background, and excellent excursions arranged. Howe ve r. the very splendid beaches are the main attraction. Travel would be by train to Harwich , and we are hoping to arrange for the party to go from HarwiGh direct to Hamburg. which would Qut a long and tedious train journey through north Germany.

Applications. soon. through Counties plea se

AROUND an_ ABOUT

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN BOMBS

Mr s. S. M. Rushton, Corporal of SJA Ward End Combined Division , Birmingham , tells us what happened at a recent bomb incident in the city. Any of us may have to face a similar sitl!1atiolil:

On Nmvember 21, 1974, N/M Valerie Willis and I were on duty at the co-op rooms in the city centre. Half-way through the evening. at approximately 8.15, the lights went on and off and there was a loud rumblin g noise One of the organisers left the room. so I followed him out into the hallway w.here a man who said he was a policema lil told us uhat a bomb had gone off. He asked me how rmany SJ A members were there. I told him only two, but was there anything we could do to help? He told me to wait there and abo ut 5 minutes later he returned to ask us both to go with him. Collecting our coats a nd first -a id ba gs Valerie and I foHowed him. He said that another bomb had gone off and the r e wa s a lot of casualties im a hotel n earby.

At the Central Hotel we fou Jfl d injured p eop le lyi n g all over the place in the reception area and on the next floor. We immediately got to work, assessing the most

APPOINTMENTS

Canada: Dr. A. H. Harrop to be Chief

Commissioner vice Brigadier Snow Devon The County Surgeon (Dr. EveraJrd) has resigned W.E.F June I as he is emigratimg to New Zealand.

badly injured. Outside ambulances and taxis were ferrying backwards and forwards to hospital with the injured. Most of the injuries we dealt with were burns really bad burn s, n ot hing like I have ever seen, and the amount of first -a id equipment we had with us would not have covered 3 people - the burns were so vast. The hotel's assistant manager and staff s upplied us with blank ets and towel s, and we used these in most cases.

One by one we took the injured to the ambulances. When there were no availab le ambulances we u sed taxi s, and dealt with approximately 50 to 60 people in the hotel.

When the hotel was cleared of the injured I reported to the policeman ol!ltside, asking if there was anything else we could do. He asked us to go over to the entrance of the public house where the blast took place , in case a ny more injured were brought up We waited there about 45 minutes, but unfortunately only dead bodies were brough t up. These were put in canvas sheets and carri ed to special ambulances.

PUB BOMBS

BY THE EDITOR

H ome Secretary Roy Jenkins says Tharlks to Mrs. Rushton SJA s he p a t tilirmingham pub iDrDlUTilb in gs fl which 2 n peopl e d ied. See st liJ ry BOMBS. (Photo: g irmin gham Post)

While we wai ted we came across several pe<Dple wandering about in a state of shock and took them to taxis for hospita l. On e chap r asked how he was, replied 'I'm alright. but I can't hear anything'. He was obviously s uffe ring from blast. I tried to comfort him and put him into a taxi. Finall y th e area was cleared: there was flothimg else we could do: the floor o f the public )10US e h ad co llapsed.

We collected our things from the hotel and went back t o our duty at the Co-op room s, The s how was called off and everyone eft quietly.

We a lso had to deal with quite a lot of people who were tr yi ng to locate relatives and They were very upset. We told to g<D to the hospitaL where they W01!11d get all the information they required.

Early the foll ow ing week we receiv ed a

letter of thanks from the Co -op and a donation of £ 10 for our Divisional funds.

DIAMOND

r hear that early in 1974 the 9th Welwyn Garden City Brownies decided to raise m0ney to bLlY a resusci-doll for Welwyn Garden City SJA Divisions. By October they had raised £36 from coffee mornings sales of work etc , only to find they needed another £ I O. Undaunted they worked on to earn the extra, which they had by the end of the yea r.

In January the Brownies handed the doll t(1) ASO(C) C J Cobb to pass to the Divisions, asking that it should be named Diamond.

Why Diamond? 1974 was the Brownies diamofld jubilee - and this was their way of oe lebratiflg it.

Many thanks to the 9th W.G.C Brownies.

BECKY SURVIVES

linear t h a. SJA - mam Bill Tasker knew just what to do when his tiny Poodle Becky oo llapsed with fright as if she was dead. He gave her the kiss of life - and it worked. Bill of Wolverton , Northants , said: 'I had taken my three poodles , Tina and Katie , who are mother and daughter and Becky , a yo ung valuable bitch who is only five-and-ahalf months old, for their morning r un in the recreation ground. Katie is not scared of any dog, although she is not very big , and when a grea.t big dog suddenly jumped out of the hedge she soon saw if off.

MIND BENDERS

Find th e fi r st aid wo d or w0rds in the clue. The nU liIlbe r of etters in the answer is given. To get o u I!ls€d the idea. I'll g ve you the fir st answer.

CLUE: Two girl s on vour knee (3,4).

ANSWER: PAT · ELLA O.KO

I. Nurse on! (6).

2. Part o f the English co un trys ide (5).

3. Saintly conveya nce (2.4.9).

4. (5.4).

An swers :- Ups id e down - are at bottom of page 82. No cheating. -

FAREWELL

Sussex: SJA Chichester s newly-formed jun ior competition team - (L to R) RliJsemary Stanton 11, Debbie Timlick, 9, Caroline Bull 10 and Andrea Timli ck, 7really concentrating. This is the first junior team in Sussex - in fact it may be th e first in the country SJA Chichester'S Supt. E. G. Croucher. Barford House , The Ho r net , Chichester, wou ld like to hear if there are others, and now they get on. So would the Review

VISITING

The big dog then sheered off after the little one, Bec;:ky, who just ran round and round in circles screaming with fear. She then collapsed on the grass, her tongllle hung out and I thought that was the end.'

Then teenager Tommy Styles, of Wolverton, came on to the soene.

Mr. Tasker weI1lt on: 'Becky was still warm and suddenly I thought of the kiss of life resuscitation which I had learned during 40 years with St. John Ambulance. If humans could IDe saved by it why not animals? Meanwhile Tommy Inad come from the paviliom im the Rec and I tal€! him to mold her legs out straight so that I had both of my hafllds free, I wiped her mouth with a tissue, told Tommy to shout if he felt any

Dr. Peter Hood (right), Norton-on -Tees

Divisional Surgeon for 18 years , received mis award as Serving Brother of the Order at tjle mivision's HQ recently frGm Cleveland County Commissi0ner Major J. Catterall (left). (Photo: Evening Gazette, Cleveland)

movement and I began to breathe into her.

After about four minutes Tommy shouted "She's kicking" and I told him to feel for her heart and to !lell me if he felt it beating. After a few more deep breaths into her Tommy shouted that ner heart had started IDeating. I said to him, "I reckon we have saved her".'

Mr. Tasker then thoroughly massaged Becky, and soon her eyes opened and she lifted her head off the ground. 'She was all of a tremble but it was a miracle that she w.As still alive. I was afraid that her brain might have been damaged but she seems to be perfectly OK mow.'

Tommy Styles, who is 15, said: 'I was thrilled to bits when I felt the little heart starting to beat. It was great.'

Divisional Superintendent Mrs. Violet Hanby , of SJA Cobham , Surrey , receives a cheque for £600, part proceeds of a Oxshott ctnarity fair from Mrs. Doreen Knight. The money, presented at the Claygate home of Mr. (County Director) and Mrs. (President, C0bham Nursing iJivision) Arnold IRh@des, wi li help Cobham and nUfsim§ Alembers and <I:adens, (l"tnoto: Surrey Comet)

£1,000 profit from the St John Gift Shop in Norwich, which opened only last June, is handed to County Commander Brig F P. Barclay by Mrs. J Hyman and Mrs. Lawrence , who received a Coun ty CQmmissioner's ce u ficate for their and helpers work an the shQP. (Photo: Eastern Daily Press)

Mr. Tasker was recently retired as a storeKeeper in the Post Office supplie s department at Wolverton where for 17 year s he was also first-aid man,

HERE, TH ERE

...

HQ's PR department Inas produced a lively new leaflet entitled HERE , THERE", about SJ A's varied activities which include s a Let-us-know-when-we-can-help' form for local organisations to try to stretch your Division 's resources.

Copies available from the Supplies Department , price £ I per 100, incl. postage,

AGED

The International Centre of Social Gerontology is holding its annual conference from June 2 to 5 in Paris at the Palace of Congresses; the theme of the conference is The Social Medical and Economic aspects of Old Age Policy'.

Tme cost for a delegate to attend is approximately £50, Further information may be obtained from Dr. H. M , White Norm an hurst" Marl borough A venu e, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

LOST

All photographs which appeared in the October 1974 Review have been lost in the post on the way back from our printers, so I'm afraid I shall not be able to return readers' photographs for that issue, My apologies ,

The next day I went on to Kathmandu and was taken to the Shanker Hotel where !ililQ st of the King 's personal guests were beimg accomrililodated, and met many of His Majesty's tutors and oontemporaries, some of whom ['d last met at his wedding five years ago, Several of his contemporaries had also married during the interval, and it was an additional pleasure to meet their wives on this occasion,

On Su F1d@JY morning the British Ambassador held a reception for British guests and rresidents in Nepal, in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Here I met Lt. - Col. W Forsythe-Jauch , a Br igade surgeon who has for the past two years been in command of the British Military Hospital at Dharan, where he is conducting Association training ilil first aid as part of the Gurkha resettlemeNt scheme and has been responsible for arranging a Nepali translation of the joint First Aid Manual which I hope will very shortly be published. He was also in charge of all public first aid posts at the coronation, under the aegis of the Nepalese Red Cross , and he kindly invited me to visit these in action' 011 the following day,

Like a fantastic dream!

Monday, February 24 was a day of cloudless blue skies and brilliant sunshine. Kathmandu was a riot of colourful deco rations which added splendour to the red -roofed pagodas and a foil to the beauty of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks that cO\!J ld be glimpsed here and there on the skyline.

The Hindu religious ceremony of the co ronation was held in ::I small courtyard of the old Hanuman Dhaka Palace where there was only room for the most important of the official guests. But the re s t of us had the fabtllous experience of witnessing the coronatiom procession and Durbar in the afterrnoon f rom prrivilegedl positions within the vast Tundhikel arena near the centre of Kathmandu. The processional route co mpletely encircled the arena before entering it, and once we were inside , we had co nsiderable liberty in moving round to watch and take photograph s from various vantage points,

Firs t came a long column of infantry marching with band s (including a pipe band) pla ying at int e rvals; then 12 elephants with how dahs draped in crimson (the national colour of Nepal) carrying the Prime Min is ter and other Nepale se State Officials ; then more infantry and a troop of Royal preceding the Royal Tusker with its gIlded howdah in whlich sat His Majesty KIng l3iremdra wearing his plumed crown , With nis beautiful Queen Aishwarya sitting re splendent beside him; then another troop

AT RANDOM (in Asia)

cont. from page 73.

of Lancers followed by 12 more elephants bearing members of the Royal Family, among whom was Princess Princep Shah, the King 's aunt, who is President of the Nepalese Red Cross and Patron of the St. John Ambulance Association Centre at Dharan; and finally more infantry and bands - I can t adequately describe the splendour of the sce ne. I felt that at any moment I should wake up and find it has all been a fantastic dream!

When the Royal party had entered the arena and Their Majesties had taken their places on the throne set high on a canopied dai s, I thought the best time had come for me to vis it the first aid posts since I should be unable to understand the official speeches in Nepali, So I managed - with some difficulty! - to get outside the arena and make my way to the principal first aid post where I met Colonel Forsythe-Jauch and fir s t of all informed him that a member of the band s tationed inside the arena had co llap se d, which resulted in a jeep and st retcher -part y being sent to take him away. I was then introduced to all the first-aiders on duty at each of the three main posts , and returned to the arena just in time to see the 'final procession of the departure of Their Majes t ies in an open state landau drawn by nine horses gloriously caparisoned in crimson and again preceded and followed by detachments of infantry and Royal Lancers.

Fabulous evening

Among the many other resplendent events connected with the coronation, the most unforge table was the buffet dinner-dance held at the N arayanhity Ro y al Palace three da ys la ter, after most of the official guests had left, to which Their Majesties graciously invited all of their personal friends from a br oad who were still in Kathmandu , as well as a number of Nepalese guests.

On our arrival at 7 pm we were individuall y welcomed by the King and Queen accompani,ed b y the 3 V2-ye ar -old Crown Prince Dipendra who stayed for a bo ut the first hour of the party till it was no

doubt past his bed time! Traditional Nepali music from exotic-looking instruments and drums was played throughout the evening by mu s icians sitting cross -legged on the floor. Soon after 10 o clock, after a sumptuous buffet supper, a space was cleared as if by magic and the graceful rhythmic Nepali dancing began, Western guests were g radually prevailed upon to take the floor and as more and more joined in, the tempo of the dance increased, to the accompaniment not merely of the instruments and drums but of rhythmjc clapping and a quiet background of singing. Midnight came all too soon, and an absolutely fabulous evening ended with Their Maje s ties bidding farewell to their guests as they retired ,

SJ in Nepal

Two events unconnected with the coronation have also given me special pleasure during my stay in Nepal. The first was my meeting with Mrs. Margaret Collins , of the Maidstone Nursing Division and her hu s band Mr. Collins has a two years' job connected with the Water Board, and he came out here last summer with his wife and two children. I'm delighted to say that all the family are immensely happy and have made many friends , and Mrs. Collins has arranged to give basic training in first aid and home nursing to 12-year-old children as part of the extra-mural studies at the Mahendra Bh awan Schoo l in Kathmandu It was lovely t o meet them and also to be able to arrange for Mrs. Collins to take her annual Brigade re -exam at Dharan, This brings me to the second event, an overnight stay with Colonel and Mrs. Fors y the-Jauch at the HQ of the British Gurkhas at Dharan , where I was most ho s pitabl y enterta ned and was shown over the hospital where such splendid work is bei ng done for the local community as well as for present and past members of the Brigade of Gurkhas and their families, and where our Association Centre holds its first aid classes. On my way back I was able to meet the Administrator and one of the lady doctors working for the Britain-Nepal Medical Trust at Biratnagar, of which our Chief Commander is a patron, and heard detail s of their steadily developing projects for combating tuberculosis ,

Moving on to I m writing thi s on my last evening in Kathm a ndu , hoping to post it from Delhi airport tomorrow on my way to Karachi; but if all goes according to plan I shall be b a ck home lon g before you read it. During th e n ex t t en days I'm looking forward to an immen se ly intere s ting but all too short pro gra mme of visits to St. John Ambulance in P a ki stan and India about which I shall hope to give y ou some news next month.

-

Accidents

•

In Schools

NO-ONE KNOWS THE SIZE OF TH E PROBLEM

by W. A. OLIVER

ON A SUNNY day in August 1972 a party of LondG.m schoolchildren left by air for Stavanger on an official schal;)l journey. Two mours later they were all dead on a mistshrouded mountain in StavangeF, Norway; and the whlole school mourned with the f>arents.

One consequence was that such parties now travel by boat and train only. Another was a remarkable development of first aid in the school concerned, with a series of requests for talks during breaks between academic subjects to volunteers from. among the staff and children; but even with this awakening to first aid and safety, it was found necessary to borrow a first aid kit from a St. John officer to take with the party on thei r next trip to A ustria. This was to be used by the wife of one of the masters on the tour who happened to be a nurse, but the masters were not qualified. The ClOst to the schlDol for sl!lch a kit would have been £2.50, amd to train one of the masters sixteen hours: such a small amemnt of money and time.

Must one have a disaster to bring about reconsideration of accident prevention and first aid?

What ab(E)ut less dramatic events? For ex am plct, the accident that occmrred iF! a school jlllSt before the end of term -a child slipped on t he staircase and fell om the outstretched hand. The child held the obviously broken arm. The ambulance was called, the child placed in a chair and, apart from an eJccasional 'How are you?', was admired by fellow pupils and teachers alike; but no one attempted to make the ch ild comfortable, and someone gave a cup of tea, which delayed the treatment in h@spiltal.

Processed but ...

The ambulance arrived quickly, the attendants avoiding any embarrassing questions about delay and l&ck of treatment; the parents were advised by the school secretary and the details (i)f tbe accident written on an official form alild pFOcessed. 1m all, a smart piece of work; or was it?

Or what about the qualified teacher,

This article. by the Assistant Secrecary of [he Association Branch. was published recently in the Head Teachers Review

highly competent, who suddenly finds a child im class choking on an unofficial sweet which the teacher would love to confiscate if only it could be extracted from the back of the throat? OF! this occasion there is no time to wait for an ambulance.

The size of the problem

What is the extent of the risk to chlldren at school? l1i1 one rural county whiefu. l':arefully records accidents, some 2,500 tQ) 3,000 accidents were reported last year; but the officer concerned with processing the reports commented that there were many minor accidents which are never recorded. What is the overall size of the problem indicated by these figures from one rural c(1)unty? The Department of Ed l!l cation and Science does not collate slllch returns. In fact, no one knows.

That children are at risk is recognised by the Department of Education and Science as the following statement shows:

'That as schools are not subject to the FacteJries Acts they are therefore not inspected undeF those Acts; nevertmeless pupils ol!lght to have at least the protection afforded by measures which have proved satisfactory in the prevention of accidents in industry.'

Safe(y in Practical Departments, DES Safety Series No.3. HMSO, 32p. Furthermore, in the same safety palinphlets the Department not only stresses tme need for foirst aid 00xes, bl!lt adds that:

(a) 'It is desirable that teachers on the staff of eveFY school should have attended a course of training and taken a certificate in first aid issued by the St. John Ambulance Association or the British Red Cross;

(h) 'Boys and girls smol!ll@ be trained te recognise whether an injl!lry calls for attention; to render such

introduction of first aid in school - not from the Department of Education and Seiemce or from education officers of the lo c al authorities.

Tine r;eas@TilS for this r esist a nce are not unreasonable. No headmaster wants an additional 'subject' on the curriculum, already overcrowded. But first aid is not a subject: the academic content is minimal; it is not only an activity - it is the most potentially beneficial of all such activities.

All t he child needs to know is basic techmiques - how to stop bleeding; how to plaoe a person in the recovery position; and how to perform artificial respiration. This

immediate help as will prevent further injury.'

The Department emphasises safety factors - and quite properly. But what happens when safety devices are not used , when the 'guard' is down? FOl!lr minutes may mean the difference between life and death. First aid may help.

While every precaution is taken to avoid accidents by safety measures, and schoo l reports are examined to ensure that compensation liabilities are adequately covered, the hard fact remains that possibly only t hree per oemt of the incidents in school have to be referred to the doctor or the ambulance; that is, ninety-seven per cent may require first aid only.

Courses available

St. John Ambulance has evidence of many courses for training teachers and children spolilsored and trained by its members, and welcomed by teachers, children and parents, For example, three years ago a request was made to St. John Headquarters for someone to provide a series of lectures for the sixth form OR first aid, by the Head of a North London comprehensive school. It was fel t that as the form were taking driving lessons as part of their extra-curricular training, it was importamt that thle pupils sh cm ld kmow something of first 3Jid.

It so happened that, following a period on artificial resuscitation , two instructors were transporting the inflated Resusci-Annes to the room to deflate them. They went through the dining-hall and were seen by junior school members and the catering staff. The catering staff asked to be allowed to practise on the dolls, which they did.

The Head also received requests for instruction from the junior school.

Ultimately 1,400 children were given a short course in the subject including a film which did not disrupt the curriculum , since it was carried out before assembly and during breaks, over a period of three days by tW0 instrlllc ti ors.

Nevertheless, schoaDs are not adequately covered'. There is some resistance to the

training can be achieved within two hours. It is not necessary or desirable that every child should become a qualified certificated first aider.

Qualified insiders

There is an understandable reluctance to bring in 'outsiders ' to teach first aid. This is not necessary. A qualified teacher with a St. John or British Red Cross certificatewhich these organisations will providewould be recognised as qualified for this purpose.

Graded textbooks for the eight to eleven and eleven to fifteen age groups , and older

How I, being

blind, became a first-aider

Two in£idents which made it worthwhile

bV MIKE BRACE

IN November 1973 an office notice came round asking for names of people who were interested in attending a course in first aid la sting for some ten weeks.

As a blind person I wondered whether it w0uld possi ble for me to attend the course and wmether , in view of my disability, I would be able, at the end, to realistically call myself a first - aider. I was accepted and, with some misgiving, attended my first class. I found the talk easy to follow, interesting and certainly informative. The doctor went thmugh what exactly first aiders were and wfu at tmey were required to how. He did not use a blackboard; he merely explained in plain English the functions of the various parts of the body.

Then followed the practical session which involved learning various ways of bandaging and cleaning wounds. We were paired off for the practical work and I found after the initial elil'1barrassment of having to feel my mead, arm or whatever part of the IDody I was supposed to be treating, nobody else took any notioe of me, and I was able to ooncentrate on the job in hand

I learned not only how to dress wounds, b\!It also the correct recovery position in which to put accident victims who have become unconscious for OIDe reason or a1lil®tner. I also learned moutm-to-mouth reSl!Iscita tio n, artificial respiration, treatment for byrns, poisons, and much more. As the

seniors are now available and have been praised by educationists.

N or can a headmaster accept that because a teacher is qualified in first aid, the lesson must be interrupted every time an incident occurs if) some part of the school complex. A first aid room and a qualified attendant may help but they cannot solve all the problems. Time and place may both be important. The responsjbility should be spread so that throughout the whole staff, teachers, caretakers, ground staff, secretarial staff, catering staff there is an adequate number - varying with the size and layout of the school- of people trained in first aid.

instructor stressed, we were 'first-aiders' not doctors and therefore we would be required to know how to save life or stop further body damage until qualified help could be found

At the end of the course I took the reasonably simple test, passed and received a certificate.

Few difficulties

As a blind person I found relatively few difficulties involved with the course. I did of course, realise that certain things requiring sight would be impossible for me to do, but the doctor reassured me on most of these matters by saying that my knowledge and other people's application could save a life, and this I found very true.

Even if I could not see , for example, the colour of the skin (an important method in certain cases of assessing what might be wrong with an injured person) someone nearby cowld give me these details.

My main purpose originally for taking the oourse was that as the chairman and active member of a sports club for the visually handicapped , it would be very useful to have a basic knowledge of first aid. Since the course, while not having had to use my knowledge in the sporting field, I have had occasion to act once on the tube when someolile fainted, and once at home when a friend of mine crushed this thumb under a piece of concrete.

Brace

These two incidents may sound trivial but I can assure you that confident treatment by a bystander can help the injured person a great deal. My friend's thumb I was able to clean , dress and bandage while helping to ease the initial shock. I then arranged to get him to hospital.

The tube incident occurred in January when the train strikes were at their most enjoyable. The tube home was packed to the doors and people were being carried past their destinations because they couldn't get off. A young woman fainted and was so tightly jammed in she couldn't fall down. As she recovered , finding herself still jammed, she fainted again. After several faints, she became hysterical.

Out of all those people on the train it took a blind passenger to suggest a common sense action , that of trying to give her air and room to breathe I made a man who was sitting down reading a paper give up his seat and then two other passengers helped the victim to stand on the seat near a window.

After a few minutes she became calmer and was able to sit and recover until her destination.

I would strongly suggest to any disabled person, whether blind , confined to a wheelchair or what, to attempt a first aid course no matter how limited they feel their practical help could be. All this, of course, goes for sighted and able -bodied people too.

Mike

- an easy-to-lUnderstand series of advice t hat will hel p YOU to cope wit ln FAM I LY ACel DENTS

DIRECT VIOLENCE INJURIES part four

by Dennis Clark, MBE

The abdomen

IN MR. PINMAN'S abdomen are holl ow organs (the stormach and t he intestimes) a nd so lid organs (the liver , the sp le en, the kidneys and renal tract). Two types of wounds predominate , sma ll penetrating wounds and large wounds with bowel protrusion, a nd these present two main risks: hidden bleeding and infection

Hidden which! ha s alr eady been

IN THE ABDOMEN ARE :

considered, is the prime risk when solid organs or the s u pporting membranes t@ the intestine are injured. On a ll these occasions the casua lt y will complain of pain in the afTected part of the abdomen and will show the signs of increasing shock and increasing pulse rate If bleeding occurs into the hollow organs it can appear on ttie surface, vomited from the stomach (often brown in colo ur from partial digestion) or passed by the bowel (often black if arisi ng £rom the

sto mach or upper parts of the small imtest ilile). Injury to the kidney s a nd urina ry t ract may cause blood in tme urine. More useful signs are those already described in connection with fractured pelvis .

A first-aider presented with a wound of the abdomen should not wait to see blood from mouth, bowel or urinary tract but s hould apply the proper treatment to the wound and transport the casualty to hospital urge ntly.

Infection is a grave risk in abdominal wounds. Even small puncture wounds with imEestina l injury give rise to peritoni tis , which is all the mo re dangerous becaJUse it takes ui[iJi1<i: to develop The only mope of saving life when p e ritoniti s threatens is hospital treatment of which a surgical ope r ation is a part. The casualty mu st therefore be referred to hospital urgently however small an abdominal wound appears.

In the last few years a new manner of tearing the bowel has appeared, the seat-belt inj l!lFY. In cars with loosely a dj msted seatbel ts or those without chest restraint it is possible in severe road accidents to squeeze the abdominal wall back to the spine. Bruising of the front of the abdomen, often showing a pattern of clothing folds is the danger sign Any car passenger with this sig n and abdominal pain must be sent to hospi tal as an urgency by stretcher.

A large wound of the with gut protruding is not common. The condition occasionally results from a large operation sca r giving way. The risk is infection, which is increased if the extruded bowel is returned to the abdomen without careful surgical sup ervision. The first aid problem is to find a

clean soft dressing large enough to cover it.

A clea n towel or pillow slip may have to be used and pinned together like a broad belt. Support the patient, half sitting , and remove ur ge ntly to hospital.

The leg

In Mr. Pinman 's leg are large arteries, nerves, tendon s, thick muscles and the deep blood-supp ly to the skin. Severe priority bleed in g can o cc ur from wounds in the gm in thigh or betilind the knee and death can occur in a matter of minutes. Action mu st be s peedy and efficient and the femoral pressure point mu st be found witho u t hes it at ion This pressure point is not easy to use, for the artery must be pressed on to the brim of the pelvis at a point not more than two centimete r s wide. Pressure above means pressure into the soft abdomen , pressure below is into the muscles of the thigh. Choose the exact centre of the fold in the groin. Use both thumb s and put your full weight on to them Relie ve your pressure after fifteen minutes when an efficient firm dr essi ng should be app li ed Even then

RESULTS

Men I. Lancas hire Constab.

2. Ke nt No. I 3 StafTord sh ir e Poli ce 4 Me tr o po lit an Po li ce R Div

5. Dy fed Powys Constab.

6. Surfo lk Cons tab

IN THE LEG ARE

ORGANS

Lancashire can't be stopped

AT LONDON'S Seymour Hall on February 19, the 19 74 Grand Prior's 'fropmy winners , lLa ncashir e Constabu lary, were again victo rs In the Police Final s to take the Pim Troph y (p ho t o above). The policewomen of La ncas hir e a lso finished first to take the Ro se Bow l, which was presented by the City of London Polic e for the fir st policewomen 's compe tition in 1962

Dr Summerskill , Unde r Sec retary of State frorr Home Affairs , said during her award-p resentation speech: ' Even in these

maintain a constant watch on the casua lt y and dres s ing.

Nerve injury and tendon injury can occur as in the arm and need simi lar first aid; diagno s is (ask you r patient to move feet and toes), support and transport to hospital. De-g loving' accidents, from vehicle tyres, occur in the leg as in the arm and pose s imilar problems of diagnosis, dressings and reference to hospital.

Crushing accidents, in which a limb has been subjected to the pressure of beams , or other timber, masonry , or heavy machiner y, possibly for hours before release, occur more freq uently in the legs than in the arms. Due to the formation of toxic substances in the crushed muscles during the crushing and then the c irculation of these substances in the blood stream after release, a peculiar form of late s hock and ki dn

faillJre develops. At first there may be few signs of injur y and the first -a ider may have to be ext remely wa r y to insist on referring the casualty on a

retcher to hospital urgently. No dres s in g s hould be applied to the crushed limb If shock develops during transport, the head of the stretcher must be lo wer ed and its foot raised.

7. So uth Yo rk s hire Po li ce 8. La na rk shir e Cons ta b 9 Dor set Pol ice 10 Royal Ulster Co nstab. A Di v.

Wo men

I. La ncas hire Con stab.

2. Cit y o f London Po li ce 3 Sta fTo rd shire Po li ce

Cad ets

I. Ke nt C o nstab.

2. Ches hir e Con sta b.

3. We s Mi d la nd s 8 team

Max imum marks:

d ays of medlical advancement, there is sti ll a ve ry real need fOIf the first -ai der. Indeed , the rendering of expert aid in those first vita l minutes after an accide n t can make all the difTerence between life and death. I am su re the res pect a nd ad mir at ion the Police earn by their efAcient a nd compassionate atte ntion to th e victims of an accident is imme asu rable.

I am pleased that the Royal Ulster Co ns tabulary were again ab le to send a te a m in s pite of heav y dutie s at home ; and also

entries for the cadet

' Since 1928 when this competition began , much has been done to encourage the study of fi rst aid in the po li ce service and I speak for the Home Office and the police when I s ay how grate ful we are to the St. John Ambu lance Association and the Ord er of St. John who s e efficient and enthusiastic o rga nisation e n sures the success of these co mpetition s.'

MAJOR INCIDENTS

part two (finaU

The Moorgate tube disaster occurred just after part 1 (March Review) of this article was printed. It's not now a question of where and when will be the next - but ARE YOU READY for it?

by M. V. MORING, FICAP

AS SOON as possible, somewhere away from the immediate scene of a major incident is designated a rest area and when adequate personnel are available rescue workers should be made to take rest and refreshment.

Those first at tend to wOlik to the utmost of physical ability and, in retmspect, often sl!lrprise themselves with their efforts After first hour or so they can be completely exhausted, both physically and mentally, and are in grave danger of themselves becoming a casualty due to exhaustion. One cannot over emphasise the dangers of having physically and mentally exhausted rescuers at the scene of an incident. They may become demanding and difficult to contr61, and even unreasolnable and After a short rest they will probably have recovered sufficiently to continue rescye work, although they should be encouraged to slow down and be given less exacting tasks.

When incidemts are expected to be of long duration a Public Relations/Press Office and Casualty Bureau is set up for issuing press releases and information casualties and progress of rescue work. On no account should rescue workers at Ihe scene give statements to the press regarding the incident or casualties This Press/Casualty Bureal:l may be at the scene, but more likely at tme major poli0e station

Experience has showlil that victims may be asked their name, address and date of birth as many as six times before reaching hospital. This repetitive questioning can be exhausting and annoying, so it is now common practice to refer to patients by sex and approximate age only until they reach hosJ3ital, where full documentation can be carried out in comparative privacy. A police officer will be attached to a receiving hos(!lital

to take a copy of these details, which are then relayed to thle Casuailty Bureau.

Applicaticm ef procedures

The first assistance at the scene will come fmm sUfrvivors. Experience has shown that although initially stunned, survivors soon start assisting others. However, dwe to their shocked condition they cannot be expected to be 100% efficient. There is a general pattern in their behaviour: they assess their own injuries , and if not totally disabled they will turn to help relatives or friemds that may also be involved, spending much time and energy trying remove debris which is impossible to move with bare hands. They become obsessed in theiF efforts and can do much harm trampling over debris aNd wreckage under which someone may be trapped. (The prime example of this in recent times was at the Aberfan disaster , where it took considerable time to organise a systematic search operation).

But if control of the situation is firm authoritative and reassuring, such survivors will respond and become use6ul workers; but beware of a sudden collapse by any of these people, wino may have underestimated their own condition. For this reason, as soon as mme help arrives survivors Ii1ill!lst be reli eved of tasks and taken to the CCP for assessment.

For those first on the scene of a major incident, e(jjuipme\i1t will be scarce and improvisation will be needed Aircraft, trains ami buses all carry some form of first aid kit, however minimal. Do not use all this equilDment on one patient; use it as absolutely necessary.

Helpers shou ld be organised in groups to w@rk n particular areas. Searching for victims in 'contained' incidents should commence at the 6uter limit of the aJ1ea amd

perienced in this type of rescue. Form hUfililan-chains to clear debris well away from the scene. First aid treatment is kept to a minimum and equipment used sparingly. Casualties should be labelled with brief details of injuries: for instance , Head injury, found I!lJil00nscious; Severe haemorrhage, right leg; Abdominal crush injury, trapped 30 mi1lils, pulse 100. As more help and equipment arrives, snretcJijer parties , first aid and search and rescue relief parties can be formed. Rescue p rties work under the supervision of the Fire Brigade. Organised SJ A, BRCS and Civil Aid groups will be given specific tasks by their superior officers, but the Incident Medical Officer is ultimately in charge of the treatment of all casualties, so such groups

proceed methodically towards the centre , clearing sUliface casualties first, with care being taken not to trample on possible trapped casualties. At an incident coverimg a wide area the search should be made by an advancing liQle of workers, each searching a small area, and then advancing together. Silence, remember, is essential, so that distressed cries can be heard. A rapid assessment of a casualty s condition should be made as each is found and only the priorities treated at this stage (ie airway, unconsciousness , severe haemorrhage). Warn casualties to lie still, in case of possible bone injl!llliies, afnld reassure them by telling them help is at hand. Do not start moving patients until yow have the equipment to do so properly It is better to wait five or ten minutes to load straight on to a stretchler or stretcher canvas (carrying sheet) than to handle a patient two or three times. Equip· ment slrlOuld start arriving within fifteen minutes in most accessible areas.

Unfortunately there is little time fO Ii the resuscitation of the apparently dead, and unless the patient ceases to breath in 'Your presence your efforts are best r€served for the liviNg. Quick repositioning of the patient's airway may bring results.

When surface casualties have been cleared, the releasing of trapped casualties begins. This is fraught with danger. Debris and wreckage is often precariously balanced and suppo rt s further debris. Excessive efforts to ex ricate one casualty could result in several others being more inextricably buried Careful surveillanoe of the wh01e operation is needed, and expert guidanoe necessary in tfue more precarious sitl!latvioms Again , work must generally start from the outer edge, workil'lg inwards and @@wn, although burrowing may be the only solutiom; but th1ds liiIil ust be left to those

It happened

In London

(Above) Fir e me n at work in one of th e coaches on the first day of the rescue operation at Moorgat e station (Below) On oxyge n and a drip. one of the inju red is ca rr ie d on to an escalator en route to a waiting ambulance, (Photos: Press Association , Lond on)

THE Moorgate rush-hour Tube crash on February 28, in which 41 people died, tragically illustrates the problems and complexitie s faced by rescue workers in a major incident. It took five days to disentangle the impacted coaches piece by piece in the blind tl!lnnel, to remove the injured and recover the bodies.

We've heard that 9 London Eastern Area SJ A members, including two nursing members and two ambulance cadets (age IS) were on the scene. The first party of five were in the tunnel from 1 pm Friday (Feb. 28) till 7 am the next day; the other from 5 pm Frida y till 6 am Saturday. As well as assisting doctors and in the removal of casualties, they helped generally, including making tea.

We ve also heard that two S. W. London SJ A officers were in the Fire Brigade rescue team that first went into the tunnel.

Major Incidents (Contd.)

should have reported to him via a Control Point on arrival. As a member of one of these groups, you must stick to the job you're given until relieved or told to rest. Beware of injlJries to yourself. And do not overwork - there will be enough casualties already (27 rescue workers were admitted t Q lilOspital witHin 72 hOl!lrs at Aberfarn). ]f asked to leave the sceme, comply befor€ it becomes an order. ConsideratiQn can later be given as to whether the request was justified ; at the time there shGlUld be no insubordination. After a rest you will probably be given another job.

Many voluntary aid society members may find that tfueir services are not used immediately; they may be held in reserve or asked to man a reception fm the shocked or those made homeless. This work , though perhaps less 'glamorous , is still an integral part of any major incident organisation and contributes equally to the success of the operation

The apparently dead will be evacuated from the scene via a different route from the live casl!lalties , to the temporaJry mor t ldary, where death is confirmed by a doctor.

Are you prepared?

All voluntary aid societies should be ready for a call for assistance at a major incident, no matter wmat time of day, night or year. Requests for genera l assistance are uSldally made by the Ambulance Contnol, but specific requests may come from a hospital or the police. Offers of assistance by the Societies could disrupt planned procedures and overload communication systems, so unless prior arrangements exist for help to be offered, initially it is best to wait fm a request.

Officers in charge of lunits shol!lld ensl!lre that their immediate superiors know who to contact, with alternatives , in the case of an incident. Every SJA division should have an emergency call-out procedure' whereby members are contacted by telephone, and those members not on the phone are contacted by otner members. There snould also be a list of other divisions or sl!lperio Fs t@ notify. The 'call-out' must make it clear to members where the incident is ami where the members are to report: to the R VI' or CP at the incident, or to some other designated place , such as Divisional HQ Vehicles other than ambulances should not be taken right to the scene of the incident, but parked away tlle area, well clea F of any approach roads, even if this meams a quarter-mile walk.

Every Division should try to pre-plan

equipmeflt for an emergency, and where funds pe r mit prepare one or two major incident boxes. These should be cases or trunks packed with equipment likely to be needed at an incident, to be augmented by spare stretchers and blankets. Where possible , all equipment possible should be marked with the Division's name, and the Divisional storekeeper should have an inventory of equipment taken to an incident so that he can check that iii is retwfIiled. ( Losses can be claimed 01'1 Brigade inswrance , see Appendix A , Gen. Regs.)

In a d dition to the necessary bandages, dressings , etc the boxes should also contain casualty tie-on labels, splints and padding, duty sheets, note pads, pens and maps of the local area. Another box , corotaining tea, c o ffee sm gar powdered milk, !Daper cups, spoons kettle stove and water container, would help to refresh workers. These hoxes should be checked regularly the contents replaced with fresh stock, and kept readily available.

Special equipment such as ropes, stretcher manifold harness , Nei l Robertson stretch.er, lights (gas or electric) or a small gelilerauoli (reserve must also be ready for instant lUse and p r ovisiens made ilil a 'call-out' for their collection alild transport.

Every SJA Division should have one equipped squad -haversack for every six mem bers of Divisional strength (SJ A Brigade Order 1437, January 1968 gives further details of oontents , etc). Before including in your 'call-out' Divisional liiFl emhers ermployed by the ocal amb'lulance service or hospitals, check that they would be available, to attend. In such circumstances, they may

READERS VIEWS

DANGEROUS CHEMICALS

from J. S. Reeday, PRO

The subject of the article Dangerous Chemical s in Road Acciden ts , by Bob Mann (Re v iew , Feb. 75) and sub-titled A hazard the first - aider may have to face is certainly overdue and the article itself worthy of hi gh! praise.

1111 my opinion it should form part of the first aid training manual bein g a situation that all first - aiders could find them s elves in at an y tim e, in any place.

r would sugge s t that the illustrations of the hazard signs are worth a co loured chart for training , even a coloured s upplement to the manual. Or better s till to be included in the next reprint of the manual.

Thanks Bob Mann.

B/ackpool

be required to report to their employers

Members volun t arily attending an incident must be sent home with time for a meal and rest before their next work shift.

Above all every member of a Division must know what is expected of them on a 'call -out - and the answer here is an annual practice call -out. They can be organised in two way s : by calling out ever y one as though it is the real thing , and then on arrival tell them it is a prac t ice (an exeli ci se cOl!lld then be dealt with ; try this on a training night); or alternatively by contactin g members and asking them if they could attend if there is an incident , and what woul d be their estimated time of arrival.

Of these methods obviously the latter is the more convenient but it is also more unrelia @le for a ssessment pmposes. The fir st rmet lho d however , has the imp l'i ed risk of members assuming the real thing to be another practice So it is essential that al l practice call -outs are clearly pre -fixed as such so that no one is in doubt. Also , to pr event the slightest risk of misunderstandin gs with local emergency services , they too s hould be informed of any proposed practi oe ea ll -out s

La s tly , when answering any calli -out, remember to wear suitable clothes for w ea ther and time of yea r. Although full uniform is not necessary , your clothes shoul d immediately identify you as a member of SI. John Ambulance (or your organisation). Incidentally, Brigade insurance covers damage t CiJ cl o thing while giving emergency treatment.

Good luck on your call -out - w fu etroer real or otherwise!

James S. Reeday

Edit: As much a s we should have liked to print the hazard sign s in colm!l r il11 the Review unfortunately the cost precluded this.

from L. A vis, Area Staff Officer

Thank you , Mr. Mann , for a very enlightening a rticl e Dangerou s Chemic a ls in Road A cc idents (Review , Feb 75) , but I would ask your permission to give timely warnings to would - be rescuer s.

\. Accidents involving loaded tanks mean the hazard first - aider s fa oe is not one drum or one bottle , but usually upwards of 15 tons and some with! fumes y ou do no n have to fill the lungs to be affectedtheir presence cau s e s s ev e re spasms of the respiratory tract (of thi s I have had a ctual experience ) These fume s alone can provide a point of no return.

2. Sometimes information given b y the shipping agent is incorrect. Thi s was so on th e oc c asion at one East Coast port when a tank with 23 ton s of H igh flash - point chemical o v erturned A cautiou s Fire Bri ga de officer proved with a small quantity , that the flash point wa s very LOW indeed.

3. Fin a ll y, itt does not matter how many m istakes may ha v e cau sed the acciden t, one more by you could well be your last.

Harll ich

You

NAME IT L. 1. A vis

from D. J. Davey, Secretary/PRO

Wit h refe rence 'What 's in a Name (A & A , Re v iew , Jan 75) , I offer the fo llOwing for con s ideration.

THE FIRST A [ O E R: Official publication of St. John Ambulance IN TH E S E RVICE OF MANKI N ID

The name indicates w hat the magazine is all about. The rea ss urin g Wo rds that a ca s ualt y fir s t hear s is 'Lie still I am a fir st - aider Ha vi n g a til le fo r a ma g azine a s above ma y help the sal es to non -members bein g enl ightened in the man y way s St. John members h e l; se lil nee d would w a n t o become member s Warl?1in S fl r D J. Da vey

Miss Vivyenne R@naasen, D.O.(T), i/c River Patrol I ad b een On the verge of writing to you befor e we s ta r ted o n the a rte (.F IFs t Aod AOoa , thi s issue) to say how much I enj oy the new - look eV le w. It c ontains many articles of great use and now that we re ha v-

Brigade members from Britain with

arri ve in M a lt a ing an index and binders it'll be even greater - you've no idea how long I take trying t o find articles or pictures of the past. The cros s word - it just ha s to be completed! And the Air Wing, which the Review keeps us informed on , is doing wonderful work.

Let's nvite the BRCS to read our publication and contribute to it by all means. But let it remain St. John Review, please It is the right tie

And thanks for reprinting the Chicken or Egg? article from the Ca s ualties Union journal. Little do some first - aiders know what it is like to be treated by them, and some of the conversation s one overhears make it very difficult to remain totally unconscious! Alders hot Vi vyenne Ronaasen

from W. E. Street, Divisional Officer

If the Review is to change its name once again, I would like to suggest The St John Magazine.

M y dictionary tells me magazine means periodical , issued quarterl y or monthl y, with tales or articles by various writers. It also says ' store for explosives ' - and while we have not yet had any of them in the Rev e w, we have had distant rumbles from time to time through member s' differing opinions.

But when I read of the total strength of the Brigade and the comparati v e number who take the Review perhap s a little gun-pOWder would help to wake - up our members who , by not taking the Review don know what the y' re mis s ing.

Ex m o uth W. E S t ree t Edit: Any Gu ys - or dolls - volunteering to be Fawkes?

HOLIDAY

from B. W. J. Cutcliffe, County Staff Officer

La s t year you published a letter of mine concerning a holiday in Malta which I organised for members of the Brigade in the County of Avon and their friends. As a result of this , thi s y ear we included in our party members from Leicester , Leamington and Paignton , and I have alread y had correspondence with members in Orpington regarding next year s (1976) visit.

Members who have been to Malta will know of the wonderfu l ho s pitality of the Maltese people , and particularly that of Corps Superintendent Edward Tortell and Divisional Officer Vincent Bugeja , to whom nothin g is too much trouble.

If an y reader s wish to or ga nise a vi s it to the s land I s hould be v ery plea s ed to give them full details and to help in every possible way. For th e effort s of the organiser will be well rewarded , I can assure you in the delight of party members during and after the holiday If individual members or small parties would like to join u s in 1976 I s hall be only too happy to forward full details , without obligation. I can as s ure them of the holida y of a lifetime. As one of the members of our p a rty said this year - Membership of the Brigade is not complete without at least one visit to Malta '. (See photo).

6 2 Ch a rn w ood Road, Whitchurch, Bristo/ BS14 OJY B. W J. Cutc/ifJe

ocal members.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Two of the Queen 's Aides - de-Camp are members of the Scotti s h Priory. Capta in James A. Brown KStJ RD, RNR who has been a mgmber of the Scottish CQuncii for some time , has been appointed a naval ADC from March I , and Colonel M. A. Demetriadi TO, JP, a Serving Brother of the Order, was appoin t ed AOC on December 22. Stirlingshire

The Stirlingshire Branch of the Association held a most successful wine and cheese e vening io t he Tolbo o t fu of Stir lin g o m. D ecem b er 7 £ 250 was raised for the general funds of t he Order. In the 15th century the Tolbooth was on e of the three most important buil d ings in t he bur g h ranking after the Church of the Hol y Rood and the castle , and was known as the ' Praetoril!lm of the burgh Meetings o f the Scotti sh! Pa r liament during this period were h a ld y n at Strivilyn in the 1i'ollDo o th of th at ilk '.

IORDER INVESTITURE,

AS COMMANDER (Brother)

Lt. C o l. Desmond Gilbert Cromi € Wihy t e , DSO

MD. F RCP. FFR , JP {Londonderry)

Wi lliam Frank Gale (Jersey)

John Gabriel Ba rne s ( Brimingham)

Herbe rt Edward Chaplin (Kent)

Ra y mond Le o nard Osmont , MRCS LRCP

D Obst. R C OG (Jers ey)

W g Cdr. Thoma s Walter Cla y ton Fazan ( Middx )

Maj. -G e n Ern e st Lionel Ousle y Hood , QHP , MB. Ch B MFCM (Surre y)

AS COMMANDER (Sister)

Cynthia Feli c: ity Joan Miss Cook€ RR C, QWNS (London)

E d ith Moni c a , Mr s. L a tt o, LRCP&S D Obst. , RCOG ( Be rks.)

AS OFFICER (Brother)

Jam es Bernard Flanagan CBE (Belfast)

Robert Shackleton ( Norfolk )

Lt. Col. K e nneth Wilson MBE (Berks.)

Conrad Hilary Bria Jil Lawfield, MA , MRCS , LRCP (Norfolk)

Frederick Fraflcis Ch a pman ( H e rts.)

Stanley Ackers MPS (K e nt)

Sidne y John Newman ( Middx .)

Grodon Thom as Saund e r s MBE ( Lei Gs )

William Geo rge G o u g h (L o ndon)

S g n Cpt. Roger John William Lambert, MA , MRCS , LRCP (Hant s. )

Bri g. Richard Phillip Brad s haw MRCS LRCP MFCM ( Ha lil t s. )

Stanley Edgar Corn we ll JP (Cambs.)

William Arthur Oliver (Surrey )

J o hn Edward Thornhill ( Lan c s. )

Col. Patrick Arthu r Adam s ( London )

Micha e l Edward Glanvill MRCS LRCP (Som e r se t)

Arthur Geoffr e y Hick MB Ch.B DPH LMSSA (Cheshire)

S g n Comd r e John Stuart Pep ys Rawlins , OBE , MA. MRCGP (Ha mts .)

AS OFFICER (Sister)

Je a n Diana Mar y, Mr s M a rtin (C l.') rnwall )

Sqdn. Offlcer M a r y Mich a Shaw (Kent)

Patricia Mi ss Stokoe ( Middx )

Shirl ey, Mr s. Heale y ( Ox o n )

M o nica Mrs. Ward (Barrow in Furne s s)

P a tricia Mar g aret , M iss Wilk s ARRC (Hant s)

Deni se Mar y , Mi ss Magauran MB BS , FRCS

DO (Su rrey )

AS SERVING BROTHER

Sam l!lel William Robin s (Cornwall)

Edward Frank Marchant (Suss ex)

John William Daw s on (W York s .)

The Stirlingshire Branch will hold a St. John Ba ll in Stirlin g Ca s tle on April 18 and

February 27, 1975

Fr ed e ri ck Geor ge Ne a le (Surre y) J o hn Ge o r

lPa o n ( Lo nd o n ) Jo'mn L ee {Lan c s. )

Willi a m E dw a rd Webb (N o rth a nt s. ) Charle s Edwin C ut ler ( Lond o n)

Les li e Rob er t s (L o nd o n)

J ames Pi c k e rin g (N o tt s )

C h ar les Lee ch Bott , M S c, C.E n g, AI.Mech E

AM C T ( L a ncs.)

L ewi s W lli a m M ill e r (Surr ey ) Will iam GrifAth s ( St a ffs )

W a lte r William W o oln e r ( Y o rk s .) Win d h a m Li o n e l Gillbard MRCS L RCP (Lond o n)

Fr a nk Rob e rts (N o r t h a nt s.)

G eo r ge J o hn Tim so n ( L o nd o n )

Be rn a rd Stu a rt Kni g ht ( H a nt s.)

J o hn H aro ld J os lin ( K e nt )

J ose ph Wi lli a m Be n so n ( Staffs.)

R o be rt Willi a m E aso n , MD , MB , Ch.B MRCGP

(C h es hir e)

St a nl ey Co llin so n C. En g., FIME ( York s.)

D o n a ld H enry Bas il Lon g (Sur rr ey )

Sid ney E d wa rd Ta y @ r ( Lolild ®liI)

H a r o ld J o hn C oo k e ( N o rfo lk )

D av id William Th o m as B n ks ( Cumbria )

J ose ph Nod e n, BEM ( Lanc s .)

D er e k Charle s Ea g es t o n e ( Lond o n)

J o hn G e org e Emm e r o n ( L a nc s. )

G eo rge J o hfl van Kl ave re n , MRCS , LRCP ( O xon )

K e ith Wh te ACTS , ASCA ( Middx. )

Leo n a rd D o na ld C r o th all (C a mb s.)

Wi.lli a m D ye r (Middx. )

All e m E x ey OBE ( Lan es ) Al ex3>liI d e r J o hn H aw iso n Gr a nt MB , ChB (Cum bria)

D o n a l Hu g h J e ffr ey ( L o nd o n)

T h o m as A s tbur y (C he s hir e)

J ohn H a r ry Bay le y ( Midd x )

N o rm a n J o hn Mill e r ( L o ndo n)

J o hn G eor ge D o bb ( N o tt s.)

Nor m a n H er be rt Boy lin g (Nortmant s)

Rich a rd C har les N ev ill e, MB ChB ( Cumbri a)

Edwa rd P awl Ca db lllry, MB, BCh (S a lop)

N or m an Willi a m Smith (Sta ff s)

A la fl J oh n R ay ( Birmin g h a m )

Pe te r Br a dfo rd (C hes hire )

J o hn Eng li s h ( N a nd ) F re d e ri c k Cy ril G ou ld ( So mer set)

Alb e r t F ra nci s Go rd o n Mil es ( Lond o n)

J o hn Willi a m Ste ele (L a nes. )

J o hn Th o mp so n ( Ha n ts.)

G eo r g e Fr e d e ri c k Frank T ooke (C a mb s .)

J @hn !Ba rr y W a de , MB , BS (Y o rk s.)

K e ith G eo r ge J ac k sCiln ( Sur ey )

J o hn Wri g ht (L a n cs.)

Sc o tland will a ttend Th e re w i ll b e a reception a ri d dancin g in the Queen 's Gu aF d a nd Pre s ence H a ll s, with a ouffet supp er in th e C h a p e Roy a l. A d iscotheq me will b e in o ne o f the v a ult s a nd refr es hment b a r s in th e

Kin g's Guard and Pre s ence Halls. A limited numb e r of ticket s are available from Mr. A Ru sse ll Hon o rar y Secret a r y of the Bran ch , wh ose a ddr ess is Drumbo wie, Denn y.

In June a barn dan oe w ill again b e hel d at Drumb (') wie t o ra is

A good Opportunity to visit the St. John First Aid National Finals

zabe h, Mi ss H a ll ows (M a nc hes ter) M a r ga re t L o r e na, Mr s. E mbl e o n SR N (K ent) V ivie n ne E s ie, Mrs. P a r k in ( De vo n)

A udr ey May, M rs Ab solo m (O xo n)

M a ri o n A rn o ld, Mr s C r ocke r (C orn wa ll )

M a u d. M r s. W a re ( H a n ts)

Fr a nces Mr s. Dun ve b a nd ( L a n cs )

M o ll y. Mr s. S ow ( D o r se t) M ay Ed it h B ar r at Mr s. Tho m p son (Le ICs.)

S y lv ia. Mr s. A ll e n ( L a n cs ) J acq ueli ne Mary, M rs. Va rt y ( H a flts .)

K a th leen. Mr s S piers ( Dors et)

Ir e ne M ay, Mr s. B radd on ( D evo n) Ida. Mi ss R ob in so n (C h es hir e)

J ea n Mi ss Wilk s (M a nc hes e r)

D o ree n F lo r e nce P a ri s h , Mi ss R ans on (Essex)

G wen d o li ne Co n st a n ce, Mi ss S tagg ( K e n t)

M ary Be rn a d e te Mr s N ewton ( Lanc s.)

J ea n Eve y n. Mi ss T ay lo r ( Lei cs.)

Wi n ifir ed M a r y, Mr s. E lli son ( Birmingh a m ) A nn e, Mr s Ma d de ve r (C or Jil wall )

P a m ela. Mr s. Co bb ( A vo n)

I vy Eliza bet h M rs. D ea dm a n SRN ( H ert s.)

Do rot h y I re ne, Mr s. Lee - Ba rb er (D evo n)

F lo re n ce M a rj o ri e, Mi ss Phillip s (B e rk s )

J oa n M a rgaret Mr s. Sl ow ( H e rt s )

Ir ene Mi ss Atkin so n ( E ssex)

D o ri s Muri e l. M iss T ess ie r ( H a nt s.)

Eva Mr s. W a tt s ( K e nt )

Ed n a Mr s. Dr a pe r ( M e r seys id e)

Pame a Mr s Wa lli s (Beds.)

M ary. Mr s. M a ll o n , SRN S C M (!La ncs.)

D orot h y M a r y Mr s. Be nn e ( L omcio n)

Esquire

The Ea rl o f S t r a d b r oke p r ese nted hi s perso nal

Esq uir es to he Lo r d P r o r : Pat r ick M a r k Cob bo ld (a lso as S e r vin g Br other) (S

G eo r ge Willi am Be ntl ey (L ond o n ) John Edward E vans (Notts .) it is hop e d th a t m a n y member s from all ov er

Co.me to o.n a Stardust Summer Mini Holiday; watch the BrIgade Finals, enJoy a well-earned break, and see the sights of London - all for only £ 18.90 from Liverpool or £ 16.10 from Birmingham, for example. That gives you two nights' accommodation, with English breakfasts, in a good central hotel, and return rail-fare and all tips and VAT.

Just ring Anthea Kelsall on 01-629 6618 ext. 314 for full details and the cost from your local station, or post the coupon.

Please send me a Stardust Summer Mini Holiday brochure

News from Divisions/Centres

LONDON - At the recent area competitions held at St Bernards Hospital at Southall, WiHesden team led by H. W W lh it l()ck (c a ptain) , S. Halll' well , IL. Zoller and H. G. Newbury won the Massey Mainwaring trophy and the Uniform Cup.

H. W. Whitlock also won the Sleath Gent individual first aid competition and the cup for the hi g hest individual marks obtained in the Ma ssey competition. See photo overleaf.

On January 18 , Hanow NUlrsing Division members lm!et at their new HQ to say farewell to Area Superintendent Miss F M. Dean MBE who joined the division In March 1931 , on her retirement.

SURREY (EAST) - Epsom Nursing Cadets won the Mary Long area quiz during their first y ear in thle Surrey Area.

The County 's camping programme 1975 includes a trip to Adelboden, Swi t zerla md through Camptours.

OBITUARY

Mrs. Violet Bayne Cole, President West Dorset Brigade Committee, died aged 59 on February 20. Joined Brigade in 1937. Serving Sister.

J. W. Gibson, Superintendent Novocastrian Di v ision , Newcastle upon Tyne, died January 28. Brigade member for 35 years. Serving Brother.

A staged street accident in Mid d lesbrough to promote a new SJA first

(Below) Mr s. May D

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.4 (75) Co mpiledby W A P"tt er

AcrG8s:

1. organ fashioned from (;me gut. (6) 5. Toeth formee by 12 Down plus mine. (6) 8. Chef with very limited capabilities? (5) 9.

AIl€viation of pain for perS0n taking over ones duties. (6) 10. Queer nude going about in eye irrigator. (6) 11. The more elite set of teeth? (5) 14. Small holes in bone for a @rc>ken main. (8) 16. Knee with torn menisr.us may be. (6) 18. Part of the large intestine on the left side of the abdominal cavity. (10.5) 20. Spot typical of measles and rubella. (6) 22 31 Across made up of clavicles and scupula€. (8) 25. A pose arliange @ for story-teller. (5) 27. N@t conscious, yet iF! a quite norm a l state. ( 6) 28 Delica t e CQat of blood v essel. ( 6) 29. Seve li e form of nmts. (5) 30. Set the fraeture to lose weight. (6) 31. Belt around the waist for baking cakes (6)

Down:

1. Duty imposed by fat returning around site of appendicitis pain (6) 2. Having nG validity in law (4) 3. Outpouring of fluid from the vessels into a serous or synovial space (8) 4. Vessels and glands thromgl1 which tissue fluid is returned t o the circulation. (9 6) 5 N (i) te in the country with the thigh. (6) 6. Girl iIi! the aqueous Immou F (4) 7. Tarsal wlate. (6) 12. Us is controlled by the parathyroid hormone. (7) 13 Examinati0ns at Oxford for shoals of fish. (7) 15. Musical drama at start of surgical procedure. (5) 17 After hesitant smmd, a poem. to wear away. (5) 19. Categorising blood prior to cross-matching. (8) 20. Town's do ctor takes a gas for fine yarn (6) 21. Pass away as time from 27 Across . (6) 23. Turn as , for example , atlas on axis. (6) 24. Shed circulating fluid in Yugoslavia. (4 ) 26 I t s ah>normatities are treated by psychiatrists. (4)

Solution ta Crosswoli'd No. 3 (75)

Across:

1. £ye-to @th; 5. Sineath; 10. Meddler; 11. Synovia; 12 Mask ; 13 Disc; 14. Salty; 16. Chest; 17. Haematoma; 21. Lymph node ; 24. R ac.ed; 25. Li.the 28. Pack; 29. Spud; 31. Triceps; 32. Elastic; 34. Arrest; 35. Patellar.

Down:

1. Bl.m; 2. Encdosteu m ; 3. Oils; 4. Tar.rush; (ii. Hands; 7. Anv il ; 8. Heavy-bamded; 9. Psyche; 12. Mac u la lutea; 15. Iteln; Aid; ] 9. Aura; 20. Occipital; 22. Op.pose; 23. Excreta; 26 Tr ier; 27. Evens; 30. Base; 33. Car.

Candidates

* Additional gas bottles left

* Reasonable rates.

* No transportation problems.

All items subject to availability

'Its quicker by tube'

- a film demonstrating the application of all types of tubular bandages FREE to you - on loan.

Made with t h e co-operatio n of four major · London hospitals, Seton's new instrudional film justifies its name.

Valuable hints show how easy it is to apply tubular bandages to all parts of the body, saving precious time, effort and money.

An important feature of the film that it clearly t h e conditions for which either the l' ubular Bandage, Elastic Tubular Banda.ge or Elastic Net Bandage may be chosen

The 16 mm film is available free on loan

Just fill in the coupon and send it, but please give at least three weeks ' notice so that you r request t:an be met on time.

COME TO BIGGIN HILL THIS YEAR,

ENJOY A GOOD FAMILY DAY au,- and HELP ILlS IBANG T HE DRUM' FOR ST. JOH N

REVIEW

Tne BIGGIN HilL AIR FAIR will be big indeed t his year. Because St. John is the adopted charity of the event for 1975, runni rn g three days, from May 16 to 18.

In addition to the normal duties, St. John will be very much in the public eye with an exhibition covering all facets of St. John services, together with a variety of interesting and attractive activities, including the Seat Belt Sled and Space Pods! The S t John Air Wirng pilots will be flyi n g in. Some really great prizes are being collected for a magniiiicent ra ffi le. The flying programme promises a great deal o ft interest and excitement, with the famous Red Arrows and other celebrated aerobatics flying teams. There will be several air races, including the new B.B.C. Nationwide TV programme even1. Ground displays will include a pageant of ambulances through the ages presented by the London Ambulance Service.

By train There are two ststions at Bromley: Bromley North - served from London by Charing Cross , Waterloo , Cannon Street an €i London Bridge stat i ons Bromley North is on the lin e to Tonbridge , via New Cross , Chislehurst, Orpington and Sevenoaks

Bromley South - served from Victoria on the Orpington line , vis Penge and Herne Hill - also the Gillingham line via Swan ley

Also served from HolbJorn Viaduct and Blackfriars stations on the Sevenoaks li me vis Cstford and Swa n ley

By bUB For buses rrorn both stations o Biggin Hill, rr ead on T ine 410 Lon<don Coun try bus service normally runs from Reigate to Big!t]in Hill via Bromley For the 3 days of the Air Fair, the s ervice is if1creased to offer a shuttle service between the two main line stiiltions at Bromley and Biggin Hill Airfield

The 705 Green Line bus service runs from Windsor to Tunbridge Wells via Biggin Hill. The route across London takes in Slough, Ealing , Victoria, Catford, Bromley snd Sevenoaks

T lrl e 4"7 l ondon t§>l!J S service rw ns hGlf T iil S

ed itch , via Bridge, Dep tford a md Catfor<d 1i@ B rr o rTrl ley.

Contents

At Random (in Asia) by Watkin W Williams p.97

SJ A's new Aeromedical Service p.98

Harrow's new HQ p 102

Focus on Jun iors p 103

Around and About , by the Editor p 104

Operation Rescue p 110

Di'rect v iolen c e injuries, part 5, by Dennis Clark p.116

Moorgate Tube disaster p.117

Readers ' Views p. 118

Signs and symptoms at your finger-tips p 119

News from Scotland - Overse as p 120

Though t s on Moorgate p.121

News from Divisions/ Centres 1'.122

A'- RANDOM (in

Asia)

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Comm issioner-in-Chief

PAKISTAN has recently established a record of considerable moment with the appointment of Begum Nusrat Bhutto as Chairman of the St. John Ambulance Association and Chief Commissioner of the Brigade , and it is a great honour for us that the wife of the Prime Minister should have

accepted these two

appointments, not least

because this is the first time anywhere in the world that a lady has been appointed a Chief Commissioner. Begum Bhutto is a keen and active support er of both St. John Ambulance and the Red Crescent, and she fully appreciates the vital importance to her country of the separate yet inter-related functions of each . Unfortunately for myself personally, it was not possible for me to meet her during my brief visit to Pakistan , which coincided with the State visit of the Governor-General of Australia; but I should like to express to her through the pages of the Review, of which she has now become a regular reader, our greetings and very best wishes for a long and successful period of leadership in St. John Ambulance.

Karachi

I reached Karachi airport from Kathmandu at lO.30am on Sunday, March 2, not knowing anything about my programme for the next three days nor even where I should be stayi ng. Imagine my delight when I was greeted

AEROMEDICAL SERVICE

24 -hours-a-day, 7 -days-a-week patients can be flown anywhere by ambulance plane or schedule flights accompanied by air attendants

AS WITH many new ideas, airborne ambulances were first used under conditions of war, in this Il:ase by the French army in 1921 during military operations in Morocco, when some 80 cases were flown to hospital over a period of four months. The idea of flying ambulaIilces was first put forward in 1910 by a Dr. <lie Mooy, of the Dutch Medical Servill:e de Sante, which planned a service f0r use on the French front during 1918, but We>rld War One ended befme it became operational. Also in the American Army Air Service constructed its first workable aeroplane ambulance.

13ut the mrst recorded civilian use of an aeroplane as an ambulance was on April 6 1924, whem the Invalid Transport Corps of the Order of St. John undertook its first airescort duty. The attendant on the flight was Charles Green, who is now retired from the Brigade but is still very active and interested in all St. JG> fnm Ambulance activities. The pat i ent, a man suffering fmm heart cOlililplaint, was flown from Paris to London in an Air plane. The air tickets used by Charlie and the patient have been preserved, by the way, and can be seen in the Order's museum at St. John's Gate.

In 1953 the Association Branch produced the first authorised textbook for air attendants, and courses were organised for members to qualify for the air attendant 's certificate.

These trained personnel were very useful at true end of 1956 when Britain was suddenly faced with a problem of refugees , first fFom Hungary and then from Egypt, and St. John Ambulance was asked to help deal with the sick and injured. A group of Brigade air attendants escorted these incapacitated refugees by plane to the UK. This was the beginning of an organised

A pa t ient is prepared for loading aboard an executive jet

SJA Air Attendants Service, which has siJilce been us ed by the major air lines, travel agents , educational authorities (for school roolidays a bmad) shipping lines (s ick or illi1 jured J5lassengers or crew-members), embassies , the Foreign Office and the Association s Civil Aviation Centre.

Since its formation in 1972 the St. John Air Wing has used SJA air attendants when flying a patient. And the most exciting development involving the Air Wing and the Air Attendants service, is that St. John is n 0 W w @rking hand - in-glove with the Automobile Association , wmose 6 -million members can be covered by insurance to be flown home in tIre event of accident or illness by the St. John Air Ambulance Service.

During the s ummer , when many British motorists are holidaying on the Continent where high medical costs are not covered by t me National Health , such a faGility is of course in valuable - both financially and to a!ll evia e human suffering.

So here we have another 'first' in the Order of St. John's service to mankind

But what does such a 24-hour, 7 -day -aweek service involve for a voluntary organisation?

The duty can entail an ambulance to the ai r port, a Brigade member who is a trained air at endant to accompany the patient throughout the flight , and an ambulance to

meet the aircraft on landing. The service is available to patients, whether foreign or British , who have to be escorted after illness or accident to and from this country, or on journeys within tble United Kingdom. Language problems frequently have to be overcome , of course.

Here is a typical case:

Patient. A woman (schizophrenic) to be e s corted from the Continent to London Airport en route to a London hospital.

Embarkation. On arrival at the overseas airport the air attendant was met by the patient's husband and c mild, who were also to travel on the plane At first the patient refused to board the plane but finally the Air Attendant (perhaps because she was a stranger) was able to succeed on her own.

The Flight. Surprisingly, after the difficult s tart , the journey proved uneventful. The problems faced by an air attendant with a difficult patient in the confi ned space of an aircraft can be appreciated.

Disembarkation. On disembarkation it was learned that the hospital to which the patient was destined had no knowledge of her. The patient herself thought she was going home and as her sedation had now worn off became difficult to control.

Eventually the Airport Medical Authorities arranged for her to be admitted to a mental hospital.

This was a difficult case but by no means unusual of the many duties carried out over the years, most of which had to be arranged at short notice.

Some duties, however, can be planned over a long period. Following the Suez crisis in 1956, the Foreign Office approached

In flight - and the best attention

Two ambulan ce members help he air attendants get the patient aboard

Charles Green made the first St John air- escort fl ght in 1924

The Air Attendant. The Air Attendant had left London at 11.30 on Saturday night, arrived at her destination at 5 a.m. on Sunday, disembarked at London Airport at 8.30 am, and was back at her home Sunday afternoon On Monday she was back at her full-time employment.

Brigade Headquarters with a request for the help of air attendants to repatriate 18 British patients from mental hospitals in Egypt. Because of the difficult diplomatic situation at the time, Headquarters was not permitted to divulge tlile nature of the duty to the 12 air attendants aske@ to stand by for t ke Ifililissio l'l.

Nearly twelve months later, the nature of the duty was made known to them and a doctor and eight air attendants left Lyneham in Wiltshire in a chartered Dakota for Cairo. The team was not allowed to wear Brigade uniform, but were kitted out in white overalls, berets and armbands. On arrival in Cairo the party was well received by the Egyptian authorities, who even arranged a guided tour to the Pyramids fo r them! At tlile time there were no diplomatic relations between Britain and Egypt , and the repatriation of the patients was organised through tlile Swiss Government.

The patients, suffering from schizophrenia, were collected after being sedated fliOm various hospitals in Cairo and taken ab(:)ard the aircraft, which then took off for the United Kingdom. The plane's captain had intended to refuel at Rome, but with a good tail wind decided to make a nonstop flight. Throughout the flight the Brigade Secretary in London received hourly reports of the plane's progress. At 5 am he was able to rep(:)rt to the Commissioner-in-Chief its E.T.A. ©f 9.30 at Heatfurow. Tlile Commissi <tmer-in-Chief and the Brigade Secretary were at the airport to congratulate the party of air attendents on a diffkult but successful mission.

Dwring the Easter holidays St. John Ambulance HQ usually receives a request for an air attendant from the leader of a scmool partly. A typical telegram reads as follows:

'Arrange for air attendant for Kim Smith

13 years and 7 months wmo is suffering from an injury to the right knee. The examining doctor has advised immediate medical attention in England. We will be in transit to Luxembourg on April 14 The pati€nt will be arriving at L' Aubriarge De Geunesse Chateau Hollinfels, LUKem.b @urg. 'felepmone 30737 on AJDril ]4. Please reply t([) address in Luxembourg.

Roger Thornton, Party Leader.'

make flight arrangements for the air attendant to Luxembourg and the return flight with the patient. The party leader was the m advised by phone of the arrangem.ents

a n d tik e E 'f A of the air a tte lil dant in LUJl:embourg.

At the request of the party leader, the boy ' s parents were informed of the accident by phone and his ETA at a UK airport. The patient s doctor was contacted so that arrangements could be made for the patient s admission to hospital. And an ambulan oe w a s orga mised t ® take the patient from plane to hospital.

Finally, all flight details, with travel documents for the patient and himself to be collected at the airport were passed to the air attendant. If there are any hitches , the attendant phones back to the duty officer.

In 1971 the St. John Air Wing, with an operations celiltre at St. Margaret's Hospital , Epping, Essex, was es t ablished to fly transplant kidneys from donor to recipient. The service expanded rapidly and now frequently flies on these emergency missions, mostly at night, throughout Britain and Western Europe. Soon after its formation the Air Wing made arrangements with a private charter company , Thurston Aviation, for Iiliring am Islander or Navaj o aircraft equipped as an air ambulance for transporting patients

Towards the end of 1972 the Air Wing was asked if it could fly a severely injured

Th

SUEZ

With St. John Ambulance HQ closed during the Bank holiday, the telegram was passed by phone to the duty officer at his home. He first phoned the party leader in Ll!lxembowrg f([)r more details. Then selected an air attendant from the panel and alerted him for a duty. Next he contacted the duty officer of the travel agents at his home to

boy from Montpelier , in the South of F rance , to Stoke Mandeville hospital. An appeal was broadcast on Radio London for funds to cover the cost o f chartering a plane a md witlili m 15 minutes a phone ca l'\! was receivecd offering the mone y Rapid preparations wer e m a de and at 11 am an air attendant took off in the Islander bound for Montpelier

Arrangements were made for RA F Benson near Stoke Mandeville hospital , to open its runway during the night and the a ircraft la nded at lam. The patient wa s aken by a mbulanoe to Stoke M andevill e hospital a md admitted at 2am.

This was the beginning of the St. John Air Ambulance Servioe.

In preparation for expanding this ser vice talk s were gi ven to v arious organisations and with the help of local Rotary and Round Table cl \!l bs special medical equipment was p\!lrchased. A s the servioe has grown , a d ditional equipment has been obtaimed. At present a Blease Auto m an ventilator is on order.

A number of diverse organisations have shown interest in the uses of the Ai r Ambulance Service and followin g discussions with the Automobile Association in 1973 arrangements were made for St. John to transport AA members in need of this se r vice.

E arly in 1974 more air attendants were trained at two weekend courses held at St. Margaret's Ho s pital , Epping.

Engl and

During Jul y and August 1974 the demand for air ambulanoe flights exceeded all expectations In addition to frequent requests Crom the AA , the number of private reque sts increased Several air ambulance flights were made from France , Germany, Switzerland, Italy and North Africa A wider range of charter aircraft was needed , and following discus s ions with McAlpine Aviation reversal HS 125 executive jets became available to the service

In the autumn of 1974 it was decided to CGl mbin e the air ambulance clilarter, ope r ated by t ne Air Wing, with the schedule flight service operated from St. John Ambulance HQ. This meant re -organising the air attendant register , which had previously served both services independently The new register was completed in March 1975 and a mew control centre for all St. John air attendamts was set up at St. John Ambulance

H Q. Requests for air attendants, for ambulance flight s or schedule flights , are now handled by this control centre , which maintain s a 24 - hour ser v ice with an an swerphone givin g an alternative phone number for the dut y officer out of office hour s.

So the St. John Air Wing and the St. John Air Attendant Service are now integrated as t he aeromedical service of St. John Ambulance.

This aeromed ical service is now bein g offered to airline s, in t ernational companies , etc , at a reasonable cost. 1975 started with three air attendant flights : one from Norwich to South Wale s, using Thurston A v iation ; one from Du ss eld o rf, using British Airwa y s ;

August

AN A.A. CAll

and the third from Malta to Leeds , using a McAlpine Aviation HS 125 jet.

Mo s t charter flights involve patients who are seriously ill , so at least one attendant is preferabl y a doctor or a nurse The number of air attendants on the 1975 register is sufficient to meet the needs of the service at present , but the conditions of training are as follo ws:

The courses are open to Brigade members aged 21 to 50 years old, who produce a medical certificate showing that they have no di s abilities which might interfere with air a ttendant s duties Candidates have to have experienced se veral air trips without any ill effects and al so to hold valid certificates in first aid and nursing

Following the Air Attendants' course , s uccessful candidates are sent a questionaire

by St John Ambulance HQ enquiring as to whether the Brigade member wishes to be considered for inclusion on the Air A ttendants' Register.

The questionaire includes such questions as have you a valid passport, details of innoculations and injections. Can you be contacted by tefephone at home and at business? How much notice is required for availability for duty?

If these questions are answered satisfactorily the Brigade member is accepted on the panel of Air Attendants and authority is given for the Air Attendant badge to be worn on Brigade uniform.

And then of course comes the workprobably 20 hours of travelling (and waiting), much of it with a patient.

(Le ft) Nursing members fin d here are plenty of facilities in he HQ 's training ward. (Below) In the main lecture hall Sister Rowe, Di vi's i ana N u rsi ng Dfficer, takes a li1Gnne ml!Jrsimg €Iass

Harrow's new HO

Integrates SJA and local social activities

LAST year (!Detter late tman never , but we've only just received the pictures) this magnificent new headquarters for SJA Harrow, London District, was opened by the C-in-C, Major -Gene ral Desmond Gordon

The building , which cost £38 000 (original estimates were £ 16,000) , has two floors Olil t he groullild floor is a trainimg ward, lect Ulie room , mome oomforts room , social club , general office and a store. Upstairs is a main hall , which can be divided into two , and an office for the four divisional superintendents and secretaries.

There is garaging for the Division's two ambulances, mobile first aid unit aJild storage spa1ce fo r cadet €:ampin.g equipment.

li' he flat roofs of the functio na l building and adjoiming garages have been utilised for rescue trai ning.

Every room of the new HQ is now in use every night of the week, and bookings include bingo and wedding receptions in the ma in halL It se rves the local community as a social dub as well as SJA headquarters, in o l me r words,

Since it s opening, aW branches of SJA Harrow ha ve been getting new members.

JUNIORS

Is a more challelilging programme needed?

FOR YEARS I have thought that we pay far to@ little attention to our young@st branchthe St. John jl!lniors. Surely we could devise something to give them more I considered, when watching so many keen and intelligent youngsters bubbling over with enthusiasm but not always being fully

So when we planned our Western Area competitions for cadets this year, we ililcluded a special event for juniors. We asked Miss Verena Yandle , County Cadet Officer , to devise a test based on their tra ining syllabus, to be undertaken not by a team of 4 but by pairs , since this is their natural working unit within their divisions

The competitions took place at Taunton on Saturday , February 8, and the juniors sho le the show. Their set was the living room

GlD Mrs. Brown's hOl!lse. Mrs. Brown, having sp rained her wrist, had been to hospital for X·ray. An arm sling had been applied but during her journey home it had become loose and non-supportive. Enter two juniors!

Junior 1 was asked to re-apply the sling and number 2 to parcel up a book intended

as a birthday present for Mrs. Brown's daughter. Meanwhile a neighbour had offered to send in lunch, consisting of sausage and mash , and apple crumble, and number 1 was asked to set a tray for the meal , selecting suitable cutlery, etc, from the kitchen dresser. Mrs. Brown then asked number 2 to telephone her daughter and explain about her wrist, and to tell her that her birthday present would be sent round later ; she gave the junior a 2p piece, Miss Brown's telephone number , and directions to the phone kiosk. (We had a live telephone and coin-box across the hall).

Nine pairs , 12 girls and 6 boys, entered the competition and all of tmem showed, even at this early age, what St. John is all about - concern for and kindness to other people. Their gentle handling of the sore wrist was especially praised by the judge. They all managed to choose the right cutlery etc, for the meal , and although their use of paper

rLI. Col Jose,h Vincent Abela. OBE. KStJ

IT ]S with the deepest regret that we record the death at the age of 72 of Joe Abela, so well known by so many for so long as the leader and moving spirit of St. John activities in Malta.

Joe, as he was always known to everyb®dy, was a regular soldier, serving with tme Border Regiment in 1925 and transferring to the Royal Malta Artillery in the same year. For the next 25 years he served his Regiment well in a variety of actiVities, especially as Intelligence Officer at the Headquarters Fixed Defenoe in 1942.

On retiring from the Army he became COlil'illil'lissioner of tile Civil Defence Corps, a'lilci i,m the same period toek on the of a variety of charitable works IncluGi1ing the Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Scheme, the Boy Scouts and the Playing Fields Association.

He became Commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in 1945 and was appointed Commander St. John Ambulance on the merging of the Foundations in May 1970 - the first SUdil appoil'ltment to be made Overseas. In 1974 he was appointed chairman of the newly-constituted St. John Council for Malta.

Two Orders

He was promoted to OBE in 1954 after an initial award in 1940. In 1949 he was made K. S1. J. amd in 1957 a Knight of Malta. He was a keen believer in the sympathetic understanding between the two Orders and did much to ensure that both points of view

was in some insta nces a little prodigal, the parcel was generally well done. Where most of them lost marks was in the telephone message, when Mrs Brown was variously referrtld to as grandmother, sister and aunt. Sup€rintendents, take note, more practice in messages please!

At the presentation of awards it was a joy to see the smiling faces and shining eyes of the winning juniors. Silver cups and boxes of sweets were awarded to the two pairs who tied for 1st place among the girls, and similar prizes went to the top boys' pair. Talking afterwards to cadet superintendents, one gathered that this innovation met with wholehearted approval, and 'please, can we have it again next year?'

E. M. Morrison, (Mrs.) (N) Area Superintendent, Somerset

were I:lOiversally appreciated. For 25 years he was Chairman of the S1. John Ambulance Association and Red Cross Society of Malta, thus once again demonstrating his determination to prevent any semblance of rivalry between similar concerns.

On his many visits to England it was always a joy to meet him and hear his goodnatured criticism of our affairs. Not everybody realised that during these activities Joe had the responsibility of looking after his wife who for many years has suffered considerable ill-health. It is so greatly to his credit that the stress this must have caused him was never allowed to show. To his wife and children who survive him we offer our deepest sympathy.

Welcome to our new HQ (right) say two Harrow cadets

Photo : H arrow Obs erver

Winners all! Wellington juniors Paula Condick and Julie Clarke proudly show their trophy with their senior team. (Photo Beason News f"ix. Taunton)

Cadet CQrporal Sohal - was frightened at first

16-year-old Corporal Balbinder SOHal, of the Nelson Transport Ambulance Cadet Division, Birmingham, was born in Birmingham of Indian parents. He wrote the following report (reluctantly, but his Divisional Superintendent insisted) of his experiences at l3irrmingham City Centre on November 21 1974 - the eveFling of the pub bombings:

After hearing of the bombings on the radio and the number feared injured I felt that it was my duty as a member of the St. John Ambulance to see if I could help any of the victims.

I arrived at the City Centre sh@rtly after 9pm and made my way to the Flearest pl!lb that had been bomfued, the in the Town. I got there with some aifficl!llty because of the confused public that were screaming and rushing around.

I was frightened at first because I thought there might be another bomb

The first few casualties I had to treat on my own, with a little assistance from otheF helpers. These few casmalties were the seriously injured ones; my mrst casualty was a young man who was unconscious, and after my diagnosis I found that he was suffering from severe bleeding above one

AROUND and ABOUT

WHAT'S GOINIG ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

APPOI NTM ENTS

HQ: Mr. H. R. Phillips to be an Assistant Directm General.

Maj or Idrris Williams will be basirog himself om Jersey in the near future but rretaining his appointment of HQ S.O.

eye, a suspected Colles fracture and small cuts over his face where splinters had stuck.

I I\reated him withomt difficulty am€! had him transportecd to an ambulance.

The next casualty caused some problems. She was a young girl called Christine; she was in a great deal of pain because her arm was just about hanging on to the rest of the body. This caused severe bleeding so I applied pressure at the brachial pressure point, at the same time I did my best to reassUlie her. After smcceedimg in stopping tirle bleeding for a whik, I placed over the iI<1jury a sterile dressing which I had obtained from an ambulance and gently strapped the arm to her body. Then covering her back

with a blanket I walked her to an ambulance and left her in the capable hands of an ambulance-man.

MY' third casualty, Pete, suffered from severe head injuries. He also had a large Cl!l t on one arm, bis other arm was badly bruised , and he had a sprained ankle. I treated the bleeding first, then I padded the back of his head where he complained of severe pain. Then with the aid of a taxi driver I walked him to a taxi, which took him to hospital.

My fourth casualty was a guy called Alan. He was in bad shape , his faoe was covered with splinters; he had two of his fingers and fractured the lower part of the left leg After covering his hand I bandaged up his legs , then with an ambulance-man lifted him on to a stretcher, and loaded it into an ambulance.

By now most of the serious casualties had been treated, and those that had minor injuries were left. 'f lilere were quite a few of these, and tlile injl!lries varied all over the body. They were treated and eventually sent to hospital, mainly in taxis or cars.

I learnt that most of the injuries were easy to treat when the casualty was being reassured. I left the City Centre, cold and tired, close on 11.30pm. I am glad to report that I did not come across any dead victims , and with the aid of other peGpk I hald lnel.JIDed to treat about thirty casualties.

On Saturday November 23 I went to the Accident Hospital, where I was allowed to see some of the casualties I had treated. I got thanks, which made me happy, from a few of the victims, and the rest of them had been discharged earlier. I left with a few invitations for drimks whelil the casualties had been discharged.

After 10 years as Matron of the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, Miss Margaret Holloway, MBE, has resigned to retum to England. Miss Holloway, who has spent 20 years nursing in the Middle Eastshe was sister at the Ophthalmic Hospital from 19S0-52, then moved to a post in the Lebanon - was pnll moted to C0linrmander in tIDe O rt der in 1967 alilru was later awartdeld MBE for her wonlt durinl'j the Arab/Israeli 6day war. We wish her the best 0f Iuck for the future

Editor: What about a drink with me, Balbinder, for writing it down?

NEW GUIDE

I hear that the Visual Aids Section at HeadqlJarters has complel\ed the new issue Df its film catalogue. Called 'First Aid Media Guide; a catalogue of films, filmstrips

MIND BENDERS

Find

CLUE: T wo girl s o n y o ur knee (3 ,4).

ANSWER : PAT - E LLA O.K?

1. Piglet s, old form of transport 6)

2. Don choo se a centre forward! (4 - 1-4)

3 A club nam e o c han ge (9)

4 Mr. Ofinu s very backward (7)

Answer s:- Upside down - are at bottom of page 107. No cheating

and other audio-visual aids on first aid , nursing and allied subjects ' - and a 'must' for all training officers - it is available from the Supplies Dept, 75p plus VAT and postage.

HELP!

The St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem urgently needs nursing sisters, with some ophthalmic experience, to serve for one-year terms.

Excellent salary , facilities and accommodation - in the sun and away from tme present problems of life in the U.K.

IDo YOI!l know anyone who w®wld like a working in Jerusalem? Get in touch with the Secretary-General, Order of St. John , St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, London , EC1M 4DA , phone 01-253-6644.

Here s a chance to really get to know the fa scinating Middle East - and be well paid for it! Come on, girls ...

RIVER RACE

I hear that London District, using its appropriate official R / T call-sign 'Lima Delta', widened the horizons (j)f its publicduty coverage in London on Saturday March 22 when for the first time St. John perS @rnlmel were involved in a big alilJilual evemt @Iil the River Thames - the Head of the River race with 270 crews rowing from

LIFE-SAVERS

Chiswick to Putney.

The first crew was due to cross the starting line at 12.30pm - with the others following at 10-second intervals - but the St. John duty personnel were assembling at 9 30. They were to man first-aid stations at the start, the finish and on the Mall at Hammersmith; also on the three launches following the crews was to be a St. John member in constant contact with the shore stations by shortwave radio-telephone.

Fifteen SJ members covered the event from 9.30am to 4pm without having to deal with a casualty St. John coverage was

MIXING IT

however, a reasurrance to the organisers, who were not only grateful but also hopeful of coverage next year. The SJA personnel found the duty invaluable experience in the use of mobile R/T over land, water and builtup areas.

In charge of the sophisticated R/T control system - which included a complex datanetwork linked into a computer - was Col. H. A. Lewis, Commissioner of SJA's London District Radio-control was arranged by D/O A. F. Bareham, working to the Public Duty Officer F. Whych, who was also liaising with the River Thames Rescue

Association s Deputy Director General Professor Harold Stewart (2nd from right), presenting meritorious first aid certificates to Stewardess Lorraine Stanley-Ford and Sandra Shaw, and Steward Jack Elison (right) for their prompt action in saving the life of a passenger whose

to Sydney. (Photo: British Airways)

Service - another voluntary organisation of life-saving personnel.

YOUR ACTIONS

SJA members Mr. and Mrs. Brooks-Kibble, of Stroud, recently received the following letter from the Chief Inspector, Gloucestershire Constabulary:

I have been informed that dl!lri mg the evening of Sunday March 2 1975, you were good enough to assist the police in attending an address in Cricklade Street, Cirencester, where a Mr. Burley had collapsed. My officers speak very highly of your assistance that evening and, although Mr. Burley died, I would like to express my appreciation of your actions.

THANKS FOR THE ...

The following was received from the Assistant County Commissioner for Handicapped Scouts, G FeateF IL ondolil North

East , J im Green:

Each year we hold a special camp for the physically handicapped scouts of our area and once every five years we have an overseas exped ition. The of t h is camp is of some magnitude and although we are geNer ally well staffed, additional assistance is very often necessary at points of em barkatioD.

In [973, we camped at Westernohe, in West Germany, and through our contact we asked the St. John Ambulance Brigade for assistance in loadi Ng and unloading our lads, especially those in wheelchairs, at the various p@ints. Here is a brief outline of assistance given.

We met at Liverpool Street Station on a Sunday eveNing. The party comprised 100, 50 or so of whom were the physically handicapped , about 25 in wheelchaIrs. The Brigade had laid on a party to assist in the loading of the train.

OUR NEW CAR IS AN AMBULANCE!

Times are hard. A ll rigAt , you know that. We all do. But I thought this story of a young SJA couple was particularly relevant in these lean times.

Ronald Gee and his wife Joan are both 27. They're both SRNs amd work for the Hertfordshire Health Authority. When they married last October, they both owned a secondhand car and moved into a home supplied with their jobs. They didn't need two cars, so they seld them both, intending to buy one new small car and investing their spare cash. Then they decided 'No - let's use the money so that other pe(')ple will benefit from it.' Today, that is an idea.

So out they went and splashed £3000 on a new Morris Marina estate which converts into a high speed nursing lmit - the Gmly privately-owned specialist vehicle of its type in the country. So they now have a new car which can also be used to help others It was Joan's idea, but who has been il'lterested in first aid sinee he was 12, jumped at it - to ofTer a unique non-profit making ambulance service in their spare time. This eould mean transporting an old or sick person on holiday or collecting an injured or sick person and taking them home or to hospital.

With an 1800cc and speed of over 1{)Omph, the 10w-liAe ambulance carries resuscitators and drip equipment for intensive eare. 'We also have extra electrical poiNts fitted so that in the future we can install an electric cardiogram and (')ti'1er equipment,' said Ronald.

The Gees, who are both Brigade District

Oro arrival a t Harwich anottJer party of St. John met us and assisted in unloading the train and getting the boys aboard the ship.

The following morning we arrived at the iHl ook of Holland ar0hlnd 6alilfl where we were met by the Dutch branch of St. John who assisted in the wnloading of the boys from the sAip and putting them on the train which took us to Cologne.

At Cologne t he German branch of St. John met us , helped to unload the train, wheeled and helped us to the station restaurant and, after lunch, assisted us to load the lads into the coaches which were to take us to Westernohe for our ten-day camp.

After a wonderful holiday , at every point on the return journey we were again met and assisted by St. John m.embers.

Although letters of thanks were sent to the various heads of the St. John units concerned I would like to state generally that the assista mce was very much appreciated by

those rr esponsible for the running o f the camp. We hope to go overseas again in 1978 and I mave no doubt that the same welcome effort will \be supplied by St. JOID. N

HEALTH

From SJA Malta , I heard Loc al St. Ioh m members a rre requested to note that by a recent Anglo-Maltese Health Care agreement British tourists holidaying in Malta for not more than 30 days will b€ givelil imme d iate medical care UNder the same conditions as Maltese citizens. This agreement is in force for two years from April 1 1975. After this period the agreement wOl!lld remain in effect for further periods of two years unless repealed earlier by either government.

FACILITY

Also SJ A Malt a, I read:

Have you heard about the psychiatrist who kept his wife under the bed? He thought she was a little potty.

MY SIbIP'S SHOWING

Nursing Officers, moved from Warwickshire to hlertfordshire a md are transferring to the Bovingdon SJA Division. Their ambulance will be available for county duties and proceeds from their private seFv ice will go to SJ A. Charges are between lOp and 30p a mile, compared with similar but commercial services in Britain at between 50j1l to lOOp a mile.

The vehicle was supplied by and Arden, of North Harrow, who paid for a Furno -Washington trolley stretcher as part of its equipment.

Information on the service or the vehicle if any d ivisions are in teres ted in it, can be obtained from Mr. Gee, 58 Old Dean , Bovingdon Hemel Hempstead Herts , phone Hemel Hempstead (STD) 0442 833131.

Mr. and Mrs Ronald Gee had an idea here s the resu t. (Photo: Hemel Hemps t ead Gazette)

In March Around and About I inadvertently promoted Southend's Divisional Officer Percy Holliday to superintendent. My apologicts Percy

Also I described our Minder-Benders creator (another Percy, by the way) as a thug rather than just a twister (see Readers' Views).

MIND BENDERS (answers)

WJOjlUn po ;Jo uelnfjwv £ >peq - e- lj::>ld 'Z J;Jlllj .[

IRISH EVES

Of two Ruths , both 18-year- old ex - cadets , G rand Prior badge holders from Londonderry s Clooney Youth Division (L) Ruth Elde won he Area first aid and home nursing trophies in her first adult competition. And Ruth Boyd also in

first adult competition, won the N. Ire anel D istrict first aid individual trophy. BotM Ruths are also in the Clooney team coming to the National F nals - fellas Staff Of,ficer Cadets La GJ y Rosula Glyn (right) during a recent to SJA Guernsey meets girls of Northern Nursing Cadet DIV ISio n with their Superint end e n Mrs, S, Williams, (Below) Guernsey s irst ambulance cadet to gain the Grand Prior's badQe , C Leader Christopher Bichard (Photos : Guernsey Press)

Committee members of a Bristol fashion show which raised £300 for SJA. (L to R) Mrs Anne S enel Div/ Supt M ss Myra Meredith, Mrs Norma Lawson, CSO 63ernard Cutcliffe Sister Barbara Gan e, Mrs Joan Bourns and CSO Maurice Fox. Handsome lot, eh?

by Mr. Iqbal Quraishi (District Superintendent) and ten other officers, including three ladies, from the Provinee of Sind, all of them in uniform; and from then on ] had a dull moment. The next morning I called at National HQ and was received by Dr-. M. J alaluddin, joint Secretary-General of the Red Crescent and St. John, who welcomed me to Pakistan and entrusted me to the care of Mr. Quraishi and his st.aff in the Sind Provinee, of which Karachi is the principal city. I then attended a meeting of officers at Provincial HQ and was shown over their spaciol!ls buildimg which has ample provision for both training and social activities. Here, too, St. John has a printing press which not only does all their own printing but raises funds by taking outside contracts, and they have a fine fleet of ambulances which operate a 24-hour emergency service.

New SJ hospital

A few years ago St. John Ambulance in Sind embarked 0n an ambitiQus project to build a fully equipped 200-bed general hospital at Korangi, in a depressed suburban area of Karachi. The 1971 war and the devastating floods of 1973 brought their fund-raising efforts almost to a halt when they were still very far short of target; but a start has been made with buildimg the first wing of the hospital, of which the

Al RANDOM

(contd. from page 97)

ground floor is already in use for the treatment of some 40-50 out-patients a day, and tile upper fhoor is being as a 12-bed maternity ward (for which our Overseas department has promised £200worth of equipment), with resident accommodation for one doctor, one sister and 4 midwives.

I visited this project and was immensely impressed by the courage of those pressing on with it despite many setbacks, and by the dedieated servioe of Dr. Salim ami his dispenser who are already doililg such good work in the out-patients' department.

The first wing now functioning of the new St. John ho spital in the Karachi suburb of

Bingo

Two more VlSlts to Sind Provincial HQ were to attend (1) a parade of about 200 representatives of [6 A & AIC amd 16 N & N/C Divisions who gave me a veFY warm welcome and put on a splendid demonstration of bandaging, bed-making and methods of transport, and (2) one of the massive twice-weekly bingo sessions run by the St. John Ambulance Social Club as a main source of income for the Association and the Brigade.

Other hig llil ligJats of l1ily stay were visits to three divisions: (a) the newly formed Eurhani Ambulance Division which within a year has 20 full members and as many recruits in training, does an enormous number of public duties and hopes soon to attain Corps status; (b) the Rashid Minhas Shaheed Ambulance Division, formed 3 years ago in a slum area where, after meeting for two years in their Superintendent's house, they have mow acquired a smack which they have repaired and decorated as their diminutive HQ; last year they spent over a week doing duty as orderlies at an eye hospital camp clinic, where they were so useful that they've been asked to do it regularly each year; and (c) the large and flourishing Telegraph and Telephome Service Ambulance Division, the only 'closed' division in any GoverNment Department, which hopes soon to spread its wings by taking in nursing personnel and starting divisions in other branches of the Department.

I left Karachi with the happiest memories of the splendid work being done by St. John there, and of the generous hospitality and warm friendshlip of all whom I had l1ilet.

Delhi

Arriving in Delhi before breakfast on March 6, I was welcomed at the airport by Mr. S. Sarthy (Deputy Commissioner-inChief) and Mr. Ram Singh (Deputy Secretary), who took me to the YMCA Tomrist Hostel where I was staying, ancl who, together with Mr. S. A. Johns (PRO),

were most generous in the kindness with which they accompanied and entertained me @Ulring my week of St. John visits and sightseeing in India.

Of cOUifse i was only possible, in so short a time, to see a very tiny part of so vast a country; but from what I saw of St. John in 4 of its 25 Districts, and from the very interesting discussions that I had with members of the staff, I was filled with admiration for the magnificent work being done for the good of the community, often under the most difficult conditions, by the join t efforts of the Imdian Red Cross and St John. And I say 'joint efforts' deliberately , because by long tradition the work of the Red Cross and St. John in India has been so closely inter-related (though with very clearcut divisions of responsibility, to avoid overlapping) that it's impossible to consider thle one without the other.

On my second day I attended a meeting of National HQ staff officers under the chairmanship of Major-General S. S. Maitra (Secretary-General and Commissioner-inChief), and later visited Delhi District HQ where I saw an intensive first aid course for industrial workers in progress. That afternoon I was invited to inspect, at the Northern Railway Central Hospital, a parade of Brigade members from the Delhi and Northern Railway Districts, at which I was delighted to find at least a dozen Brigade surgeons present in uniform, and to help with the judging of an excellent competitive demonstration of first aid 'incidents' by 5 Divisions (4 ambulance and one nursing), I must confess to feeling some embarrassment on this occasion, sinee I had been assured in advance that I should be attending no functions for which uniform would be necessary; but I did my best to make up for this by wearing the insignia of the Order with civilian dress. One 'incident' involved rescuing a burnt casualty from the second floor of the hospital by lowering him roped to a stretcher, then lashing the streteher to three bicydes and taking him away on this 3-man-power improvised ambulanoe, Another involved giving first aid

to a casualty and then transporting him by stretcher across a monkey-bridge over a 'stream'.

Both these demonstrations were carried out with great skill and efficiency, and though neither would be relevant to normal conditions in Britain they struck me as providing ideas for an imaginative interpretation of BGR 119(b) as now revised!

Out and about

Clearly St. John wanted to test my toughness, for they sent me with their PRO Mr. Johns on a marathon trip by car covering 510 miles between Saturday morning and Sunday evening.

On the Saturday we first visited the Agricultural College at Etah in Uttar Pradesh , where my home parish of Epping had sponsored a Christian Aid project five years ago, and it was good to see the splendid progress that had resulted; then on to Agra and the breath-taking Taj Mahal; and finally to J aipur in Rajasthan, where we were most hospitably entertained by the St. John Commissioner, Mr. R. N. Kaul.

On the Sunday my programme included

Delhi: mprovised river crossings are an important part of rescue work in India

(Below) 3 - man-power improvised ambulance - at a demonstration in Delhi

giving an off-the-cuff address on the work of the Red Cross and St. John at the Eucharist in the local Church of North India, presenting medallions and certificates to adult and cadet nursing personnel at Jaipur HQ, visiting their most ambitious 'All Under One Roof Diagnostic Clinic, riding on an elephant up the steep cobbled lane that led to the Amber Palace, attending a sumptuous luncheon party, and spending the afternoon sightseeing before setting off on the 160-mile drive back to Delhi!

The next morning I was taken to see a splendid first aid demonstration by ambulance cadets in a village school at Gurgaon in Haryana State. Almost all the 500 boys in the school are taught first aid; their demonstration of bandaging and transport was faultless, and their imaginatively realistic 'incidents' were tackled most efficiently.

Space forbids more detail of all that I saw and did during that wonderful week, ending with a most charming farewell dinner-party at an hotel near Delhi airport, after which my friends on HQ staff sped me on my way, full of gratitude for their kindness and the glorious warmth of the east, back to the first cold spell of a belated English winter.

(Below) Part 0f the fleet of SJA ambulances at Sins Province HQ, Karachi

(Right) I'lashid Minhas Shaheed Ambulance Division s r-IQ, which they renovated themselves

Korangi

(Below) The Deputy C-in-C presenting certificates at Jaipur in the desert province of Rajasthan

OPERATION RESCUE

Medical care for sufferelis from illnesses and swift attention tor casualties at aceidents or wide-scale emergencies are provided by the Order of St. John, which is always on the alert throughout the world

AT FOOTBA.LL and ericket matches, in cinemas and theatres, at exhibitions, tattoos and country shows or wh@rever publie entertainment is staged , the black and white uniformed men, women and 'teenagers of the St. John Ambulance Brigade maintain their unobtrusiv@ watch, ready to comfort and treat the sudden accident victim.

The army that wears the eight-pointed white cross of rnnercy is just 0n@ branch of

At football matches , the St John Ambulance grigade is always there, ready to treat the sudden accident

the Order 0f St. ]iohn, the chivalrous crusade born Un the Middle Ages and today a vast international medical movement of 260,000 volunteers: a sobering thought in an age of increasing materialism.

St. John Ambulance, which celebrates its centenary in 1977, was set up by the Order to cope with the flood of accidents that came with the Industrial Revolution. Today, the value of their voluntary work is I!ulderlined

by the cmrent annual accident rate in Britaim: 20, 000 deaths, 300, 0 00 serious injuries and five million minor ones. The Brigade treats 400 000 accident victims a year , involving four million hours of voluntary public duty, It is a high-speed medical corps that operates on land, at sea and in the air

... The twin-engined Beechbaron roared d own the fog -blanketed runway of Manston

Aerodrome and took off into thick cloud, headil'lg for Cardiff and Belfast. On board were precious cargoes of transplant kidneys au eeeled urgemtl y for operations in the two cil ies. 'T ime was vital. ONce rell110ved Drom a donor patient the life of a kidney is limited to 10 hours

Noel Knight, the pilot, peered out from his cockpit at the enveloping cloud and decided he would have to fly on instruments all the way. New Year celebrations the day before suddenly seemed a very long way off! But the landing at Cardi hf offered no problems despite the poor visibility. It took only milill!ltes to hand over the transplant organs, which were immediately despatched through darkened city streets to surgeons waiting at an operating table

Knight took off again, headed out over the Irish Sea for Belfast where he arrived to deliver his second vital parcel. The operation Cp@m the momemt he received the emergency signal at his Berkshire home just before 1 am had taken less than four and a half hours

But on the flight back fog again blacked out his approach to h is home airport - and he was diverted to Birmingham!

Knight is one of 150 weekend pilots with

90 aircraft at their disposal all over Britain, ready to fly mercy missions over the whole of Europe. This is the St. John Ambulance Air Wing , which was formed in February 972, to provide a volunteer air service to fly transplant organs, drugs, blood supplies and even patients in emergencies when other means were not available.

The idea caught on quickly. It took only a year to build up the Air Wing from a few vol l!mteer pilots into a force of experienced airmen 'based' at major cities from Dundee to London.

In its first year of operations , the Air Wing carried out 27 successful missions over a total of 16,323 miles. And on 38 occasions pilots were at emergency stand-by stations before the request for help was cancelled.

But whether they are measured in terms of miles flown or successful missions undertaken and patients or drugs transported , the Wing's activities have doubled over the past year, a remarkable achievement masterminded by a team of only 20 controllers. No request went unanswered.

Closer co-operation and liaison with the Automobile Association brought calls for the repatriation of many of their members from abroad and there was a great increase in overseas missions.

In fact 15 of the flights were overseas to France , Denmark, Germany, Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland, and more than 40 were at night. Each one was an adventure and many a test Qf initia"tive and endurance

A night call to one pilot sent him dashing to his airfield , which he found, surprisingly, deserted. Fog was closing in. So he pushed his plane out of the hangar, taxied up and down the unlighted runway with his landing light on to make sure there were no obstructions and then set his nosewheel on the centre white line. With the engines at full pitch he raced down the darkened airstrip and took off for Belfast.

Halfway across the Irish Sea, Belfast Airport informed him that fog had forced flying operations to be cancelled. But a shipbuilding firm with a private airfield nearby turned out their staff to open up the aerodrome for t.he incoming St. John aircraft.

lihe men and women of the St. John Ambulance are always ready to carry out their missions of mercy - on land, at sea and in the air - in their fight to save lives

On another occasion, two pilots in alii aircraft landed at Paris Orly as fog yet again tried to upset an emergency operation. A hand appeared from the darkness, grabbed the parcel of medical supplies which vanished into the night , leaving t wo St. John fliers alone on a huge tarmac with huge jetliners about to be talked down through the inky blackness

The Air Wing has now become an accepted part of air traffic and control

towers a cross the Continent are familiar with their call -sign. A tower supervisor at one international airport has more than once 'stacked' jets amd kept them in the air to elll aole a St. ffi obn plan e to land to complete a mercy mission.

If the Air Wing provides the latest and, perhaps, the most adventurous branch of St. Joh m, other grou p s offer equ al excitement at sea and on land.

Throughout every summer, St. John mariners are on the alert arOlmd the coast ready to an y hazard at sea. In Guernsey, a first air-sea rescue launch is in service and off South Wales, teams from Cardiff use high -speed inflatable craft to keep watch on swimmers and yachtsmen cWl!l ght im the !tlieache li ous currents of the Bristol Channel.

St. John lifeguards saved 25 lives off Welsh beaches alone last year. Even on rivers, St. John cadets, trained in tlrle intricacies of canoeing and yachting, are on regular rescue duty

In Wales and Scotland, too St. John have spons o red a mountain rescue service equipped with a special £5,000 vehicle capable of providing tackle, winches, tents and medical aid for any climber trapped and ililjured on perilous peaks In emergencies, it teams up with the Aberd@en Mountain Rescue Association and the Glenshee Ski

Rescue Association, which often makes dangerous sorties through the winter snows for unwary victims of avalanches and unseen crevasses.

Bu t- if the Brigade has a full -time job in every field of human succour at home, then its overseas commitments are just as great. Its responsibilities embrace 47 nations, spanni n g the world from the Arctic to New Zealand ...

Amid the minarets and domes of Jeflusalem, the building stands out with the formidable lines of a Foreign Legion fort, sand-coloured, square amd challenging. Flag poles dominate a lofty tower block. From one a black and white banner flutters reluctantly in the hot sun. The military look, softened by a necklace of trees, is justified for this is the world-renowned St. John

Ophthalmic Hospital, the Qverseas pride of the British-based Order, the emblem of its international endeavour.

Although the Order of St. John medical corps abroad is spread over nearly 50 countries, with a membership around 180,000, the eye hospital in Jerusalem remains the principal source of pride of the movement.

It was founded in 1882 because of the prevalence of serious eye diseases in the Middle East. Jerusalem was chosen as the site since it was there that the Order was developed from a Pilgrim hospice established in AD 600. But through the centuries, the hospital had a turbulent existence.

It was destroyed in early years and rebuilt by Crusaders, who were ousted altogether by persecutors to Cyprus, Rhodes and

Treatment is given to all eye-sufferers regardless race. class 0 r Greed at the St. John Ophthalmi c Hospital in Jerusalem shown right

In nearly fifty cGluntries, St. John wo kers are available te help these in need @f tlileir trained services

finally Malta. Yet it was not until nearly 100 years ago that the hospital was completely restor€d on its original site in Jerusalem.

For the neJ\!t 66 years under Turkish and British domini0n, treatment was given free to all eye-sufferers regalidless of race, class or creed.

But in the fighting that followed the end of the- British mandate in 1948 and led to the establishment of the state of Israel, the hospital was severely damaged yet again and this time fcmnd itself just on the Israeli side 0f the a li mistice line. As a result it was inaccessible to Arabs who had always f,'0fmed t he bulk of its patients.

So a new start had to be made. The Order decided to build in the Arab part of Jerusalem a great hospital to serve as a consulting ophthalmic hospital for the entire Middle East. It was completed in 1960, fumishe@ with the latest equipment, 0perating theatres and staO'ed with skilled surgeons and nlllrses dedieated to the ideail of free treatment fer alIl patients.

Two years later an eye-bank was started,

enabling corneal grafting to be undertaken for the first time. It was opened by King Hussein of Jordan, who bequeathed his own eyes to tfue new bank.

War caJolrle yet again witNi the seven-day Arab-Israe l[ conflict im 1 and, miracul0lilsly, tllte hospital esca ped structural damage. And il'l 1973 the Arab-Israeli battlefields were too far away for high explosives to threaten it.

Today, the hospital's statistics are as impressiv€ as its history with about 5,000 operations perrformed yeady, some 67,000 patie mt s being treated, including thousands of new <t: ases One of its greatest ambitions lies within its drive, supported by the British Medical Rese-arch Council, to find an effective vaccine against trachoma, the blinding disease which affiicts 400 million people thwughout the world. Two million of them are totally blind.

Some sig n ificant progress has been made with dlfl!lgs but the final a lilsw;er still el mdes the hospitall's research scientists It is olile of the Order's two fOl!lndations.

oilmen and scientists aircraft are now taking partie s of tourists to see the development of the greatest oilfield on the North American oontinent.

The firs t of these survival posts was established at Port Leopold, 3J remote spot on Somerset Island , 500 miles above the Arctic Circle.

The survival kit was placed in a cairn by Mr. Nicholas McClintock , Secretary General of the Order and grandson of the Victorian explorer , Admiral Sir Leopold Mc C lintock. Mr McCl i ntock , who travelled ffG) !'liil IL ondo l1l to attend a special dedic a tion ceremony, also unveiled a commemorative plaque to Arctic explorers who lost their lives in the polar north.

More survival posts will be placed across the continent during the next 10 years as Prudhoe Bay develops. Future locations will worked out by the civil and military authorities after seeking advjce from remo t e settlements Aircraft pilots will have the posts pin -pointed on their maps so that if bad weather forces them down they will be able to land near one.

Throughout the world, St. John remains equally active and ready to tackle emergencies whether on a local or national scale. For example , members of the New Zealand Brigade were quick on the scene in the Parnell district of Auckland when poisonous fumes escaped from chemical drums. For six days the emergency lasted with St. John ambulance sirens wailing constantly as they rushed gassed residents and burned firemen to hospital.

The other is the St. John Ambulance which operates throughout the Commonwealth and in many other countries from the Arctic to the Pacific, staffing ambulance stations and fiFst aid centres for treatmen t and inst If uctiom.

The latest OVierseas opemtion saw the inauguration of a chain of survival kits placed in stone cairns across the Canadian Arctic bemeath the air routes leading to the Alaskan oilfields of Prudhoe Bay.

One hundred kits are to be strategically positioned to heLp any aircraft passengers forced down in bad weather. The kits include oomcemtrated food, first aid sl!lpplies, huntinlg and fishing equipment a tent and a thermal blanket like the ones used by spacemelil, flares, a location beacon and enough supplies to enable crash survivors to last out until rescue teams arrive. The idea was put forward by St. John experts to meet the growing concern of C aifol adij a n and U.S. al!lthorities a t the ris iiJil g air traffic on the routes to Prllldhoe Bay wit h its increasing accident risks. Apart from

In South Africa , St. John workers face a variety of dangers On resort beaches liliI enaced by sharks and whip tides, their I,ife -savers are on constant watch. In Cape Town one of eleven major centres in the republic , specialised trammg include s mountain and sea rescue. Hundreds of yacht smen taking part in the Cape-to -Rio race and round-the -world sailing voyages ha ve been thankful fO li the St. John rescue ol"eration from Cape T own

11'\ C entral Africa , too, the movement is also making its aims and ideal s known. Plans are going ahead to start a radio broadcast first aid course this year for people who are living in isolated communit es in the jungles ang b ushlands.

Indeed , the St. John presence seems to be everywhere. It is fo und in Nepal, Indonesia , the Persian Gulf kingdoms of Abu Dhabi and Dubai , Bangladesh , Rhodesia Kenya and Australia And it goes on growing. New headGjuarters have been set up in the past year in Nigeria Gibraltar - and even on the Pacific island of Tonga

- an easy-to-understand series of advice that will help YOU to cope with FAM I LY ACCI DENTS

DIRECT VIOLENCE INJURIES

part five

by Dennis Clark, MBE, FRCS

Wounds with foreign bodies IN DISCUSSING severe bleeding we considelied Matilda who had in her arm wound a large piece of glass which she snatched out at once. Was she right to do so? Supposing the wound had contained a small piece of glass or a fragment of fractured bene? Supposing the wound had been a minor abrasion with gravel in it?

What should have been done had the wound been in the scalp made by a fragment sent flying by an explosion? The hair Gould soon have been saturated with blood, effectively hiding the fragment or any injury to the skull or even the wound itself.

The rule

As first-aiders you all know the rule: remove fragments that can be handled without cONtaminating the wound But a little more discussion might be helpful.

Minor wounds: if these affect only the skin, or are surface abrasions contaminated by gravel, they can be cleansed by washing under a wid tap or with cotton wool moistened by boiled water, taking care to work from the centre of the wound out towards normal skin. Apply a ster ile (individually wrapped) adhesive dressing.

Minor Foreign Bodies: thorns , small slivers of glass, pins and needles should be removed if easily seen. If bleeding is caused, the risk of infection is increased and it is safer tc obtain medical adv ice rather than to 'dig' for a small foreign body. This is true, too, of fish-hooks that must be pushed on to be removed because of the barb. Other wounds: usually treatment depends on the size of the foreign body.

Large Foreign Bodies: remove those foreign bedies large enough to be handled without touching the open wound.

Visible Embedded Foreign Bodies: leave in the wound those foreign bodies that can be seen but cannot be removed without touchimg the wound surface either with fingers or with unsterilised implements. Apply a sterile or clean dressing , then build

up padding around the wound or use a ring pad. Apply a firm bandage, preferably a crepe bandage or elastic adhesive tape. Take care to ensure pressure around the wound rather than over the foreign body. Absorbent padding can be added and fixed over the first dressing if needed. This treatment can also be used for open fractures with free fragments of bone or for wounds of the scalp obscured by blood.

Hidden Foreign Bodies: these occur in penetrating wounds from severe direct violence in which small fragments are sent flying through the air; explosions, for example send fragments of glass, stone or metal in all directions and road traffic accidents shatter windscreens. Often the wounds are small and pellets or bits of glass come tc rest under the skin. Often they cause no trouble. On the other hand they can cause deep penetrating wounds into which infected clothing Gan be carried, or they can cause severe damage to the chest, abde>men, skull, face and neck as we have seen already. A good first-aider, let it be repeated, will insist on ser:ding anyone with a penetrating wound to hospital with a brief account of what happened and a recorded pulse rate.

Summary

Now let us summarise the subject of wounds in terms of the St. John text books but from a slightly different angle

DIAGNOSIS

Minor wounds - be sure that only the skin and underlying fatty tissue are injured.

Priorities - check, especially bleeding, suspect hidden bleeding and start a pulse record.

Structural Damage - look for bone, lIen e and te ndo n injury. Look for lung injury in che s t wounds. Suspect s olid and hal/all' org an injury in abdominal wound s Su s p e ct d eep blood SUPP(I damage o f the skin in all roller or v ehicl e t y re acc idents

Moorgate Tube disaster

TREATMENT

Minor wounds - cleanse, cover with sterile adhesive dressings

All other wounds - control visible ble eding. The pressure of a dressing suffices to control bleeding in most wounds Se vere bleeding may need: pressure on the wound , indirect pressure and the pressure of a wellpadded dres s ing firmly bandaged. Dress the wound. Cover with a sterile dressing at once if possible but a clean soft smooth cloth or the inside of a new plastic bag may have to do. No dressing at all is better than a dirty dressing.

Padding - If possible use clean cotton wool. The padding may already be attached to the dressing as in the B P C.

Sterilized Unmedicated Gauze Wound

Dressings No. 14 (4 x 6 im:h) and No. 15 (6 x 8 inch). U se ring pads for scalp wounds and wound s containing foreign bodies.

Dressing fi x ation - Be sure the fixation is firm but not constrictive.

Well padded crepe bandages and elast c a dhesive bandages are very useful. Support the injured part. Triangular bandages are the first choice

Tr eat th e casualty - Reassure and direct the patient , maintain confidence

Place the c a sualt y in the correct po sition. Protect against cold but do not overheat. Handle gently w ith a minimum of movement.

DISPOSAL

Send to hospital all wounded casual t ies except tho se with minor wounds without obvious risk of infection.

TRANSPORT

Arran ge the mode of tran s port to s uit the conditi o n s and watch the ca s ua lty on th e wa y.

An SJA rescue worker's experiences

THE first I knew of the Moorgate tube d saster was soon after lOam on Friday , February 28 , when my Divisional Officer, Mr. N. Goldstein phoned me at my office near Moorgate I told him I'd go along and see if I could help.

Having got permission to leave work, I collected a surgical haversack and went to the station , which took 5 minutes by bus. I found the police had cordoned off the road in front of the station , which was crowded with ambulances and fire tenders. I asked a policeman whether , as a member of St. John Ambulance (I was wearing a blazer badge of my drivin g jacket), I could be of any help ; he passed me to the Police PRO who said tha t there were sufficient helpers but referred me to the officer-in - charge of London Ambulance personnel.

On mentioning to thi s officer that I was a divisicnal superintendent of the Brigade, he immediately replied: 'Good. We can certainly do with your help Go down to the platform. '

Getting down to the platform was tricky as the escalator had been stopped and the emergenc y lighting was poor. Also the stairs were littered with tubes carrying air , etc , to the rescue operation.

My first impression of the scene was the crazy position of the three leading coaches , the darkness inside them the tangled mass of me t al and uph o lstery , and the frantic efforts of people trying to locate and free casualties. (I nearly fell on to the track through a hole in

the floor). It wa s very quiet with fa nt moan s from the injur ed I s tarted b y helping casualties out of the compartment s, but then ambulance personnel took them on stretchers to the next platform where London Hospital doctors had set up a casualt y clearance station whe re I went to help.

We worked under cramped and precari o us conditions close to the railway li ne ; but fortunately railway engineers had rigged a platform over a section of the line. When the casualties were brought to us the doctor s concentrated on resuscitation with hand bell o w s and oxygen masks , and in extreme cases external cardiac compress ion and injection ; the latter given into the arm and femoral vein.

Much of the time I was cutting pat ent s' clothing to locate injuries ; all the patients and their clothing were covered with what appeared to be soot. Injuries were noted on tag labels ; temporary dressing were applied ; fraGtured limbs were immobilised (once with inflatable splints ); drips were rigged and ox y gen c y linders and masks provided. When read y for removal ambulance personnel c a rried the patients up to waItIng a mbulance s. Here I supported drip bottle and carried the oxygen cylinder while keeping an eye on the mask, as some patients had a tendancy to remove it.

The case s were varied: from asphyxia , stove-in che s t multiple fractures , to eye injurie s, third degree burns and lacerations.

I a s si s ted an American Air Force doctor who had been seconded to the London Hospital prior to a tour of duty in the Middle E ast.

During a short break I rigged up a board with twelve nails in it to hold drip bottles; I a lso cut lengths of adhesive strapping and hung these on the board in readiness for applying to intravenous or for fixing recipient arms on wooden splints. Part of my dut y was to change flow meters and masks from s pent gas cylinders to full ones.

Assigned to us was a police despatch rider who carried messages to the hospital and brought back much needed supplies

After about an hour our team got into a ver y good routine , and later the doctors thanked me for the help; I thanked them for permitting me to help.

After working in the poor light of the platform it was disconcerting to be blinded b y press photographers' flash -lights when we came up to the sun - light with a casualty.

On the way back to my office I thought: Thank God for St. John Ambulance and the RAMC. ' The experience was invaluable , but I'd prefer not to have to face another such incident.

S. Cane D / Supt. No. 30 (E. Lendon) Ambulance Division

A Is o s ee article Thoughts on Moorgate, p.121, this issue.

SHOW THE FLAG

from E. J. Small, Divisional Superintendent

The article This can make the world of difference to your Holiday (March Review), particularly the last paragraph, was very interestiFlg to me. An experience I had in Spain shows how wseful it is to we a r a badge, in my case a blazer badge, to identify you as a member of St. John.

My wife and I were at a night club ome evening when a friemd who was with us came over and said I might be useful on the other side of the room where a young woman had been spiked in the foot by a stiletto heel (then popular). I had some dressings in my pocket so I went over, and as soon as my badge was seen someone said It's OK now , here's a St. John man.'

While I was dressing the wound a man watched me without saying anything until I had finished. He was a doctor who had been sent for by the club and he asked me if I was a doctor. I told him I was a member of St. Jomn Ambulance, not a doctor He was surprised and asked how I had the knowledge of what to do. This led to a very interesting conversation lasting over hal f an hour about the work of St. John - and he said he wished such an organisation existed in Spain (DTd my words fall on stoney ground? I hope not.)

I have often found that the showing of the badge, especially abmad is often the introduction to members from other areas , so the moral of my story is - always 'show the flag' if yow want to meet new friend s Ch eddar E. 1. Sm a ll

HELP WANTED

fr(!)m Rebert Harris, Deputy Commiuioner

Members of St. John Ambulance planning a caravan holiday in the SCluth who would like to spend a day or two performing a public duty at a large Scout camp at Tweseldown , near Alderslnot , Hampshire , between August 16 / 23 1975, are asked to communicate with Area Staff Officer (Operations) V. H. S. Robinson , 53 York Road , FambofClwgh, Hamts. (Tel : Warnborough who will be pleased to supply further information and make the necessary feeding and parking arrangements provided free in return for service s in uniform during the whole or any part of tlile camp.

Winchester R. W. Harris

FREE UNIFORMS

from Mrs. M. C. Bridson, Divisional Superintendent

Our division has recently been able to afford to s upply a ll our with new uniforms. so we now have 30 nursiflg cadet dresses. buttonthrough style, complete with white collars , in various sizes for which we have mo Ill se.

If an y division would like them. for the eost of postage. please get in tQuch with me

18 Port-e-Che e A l' e 17Ue, Dou g la s, 10M MQry Br idsoll

AIR ATTENDANTS

from ID. H. Clark. Staff Officer, Aeremedical Service

With reference to the letter from W E. Street (March Re v iew) I w ould like to make the following points. The Air Attendant Certificate is an Association certif.lcate aftd not a Bri gade certifica te: it is therefo re neces s ary for members who take this course to appl y for admission to the regis te r On receipt of the class results at HQ all members are sent afl application form for admission to tne regi s teF. but t h e maj ority never repl y. With the re -organisation of the service la st year I sent a questionaire to some 360 members throughJou t the countr y to obtai m up -to -date information 60 % did not reply, of the 40 % who took the trouble to complete the questionaire a considerable number had neither passp o rt mor vacci mation. T hese ron embers rece ved a second communication stating that. in the majority of cas es th e ir name would be added to the register when the y obtained a pas s port and vaccination. but less than IO have rep llied.

With regard to a ge limit. Association clas s regulations clearly state the age as 50. A considerable amount of m isunder standi ng h a s

READERS VIEWS

Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, a lthough published are not necessarily by the Editor or the O rr der of St . John and its Foundations . Although readers may sign published letters with a pen name, writers must supply their name and address to the editor

RECOVERING BANDAGES

filT(i)m Miss V. Ronaasen, Divisional Officer (T)

Re. Dr. Archibald's article Looking at new Equipment (March Review), since one rarely sees ones patient again to recover triangular bamdages 'short life' variety are cheaper, and pFo'>lide good support. When costing facilities for a new building which involved 80 first aid boxes I opted for tfuese on the grounds of economy and after trials at toe Healt h Centre. Obviously if YOl!l can recover your triangulars or if you are looking for practice equipment then use the calico variety.

Alder$h(Jl V Ronaasen

TORTUROUS OR from Watkin W. Williams, Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

Do you really mean that Mr. Percy J. Webb has a torturous mind (Around and About, March , p.56), a rare adjective which could only mea lil tltlat he has a mind specially desig med o torture us, or that his mind is tortuous, ie capable of twists and bends that make him particularly good at devising 'mind benders'?

Dare I suspect that a redundant 'r' has somehow insinuated itself at one of the U-turns? Not for nothing have we been warned that tormiquets can become a dangerous form of torture if improperly applied

Headquarters

occurred over this, mainly due to the fact that class secretaries have not brought the regulation to the attention of members.

If Mr. St li eet were aware of the amount of work involved (see artiel € Aeromedical Service, this issue) when a call is received he would understand why contact at work and home by telephone is so essential. It is necessary to notify an a ir attendant at an early stage in arrangements and sometimes this can involve one or two hours on the telephone We cannot be sure that a message left with a third person will ever reach the air attendant, neither can we be sure that the air attendant will reply We are a s flexible as we can be with this rule and frequently phonC' the pe r son several times hoping to make contact.

Concerning the non -acceptance of members who are only available at weekends and out of working hours , it must be appreciated that the majority of flights, particularly scheduled, are during the week for obviou s financial reasons. Extremely few flights commence after working hours as this would invo lve night flying , also the member s wOlll ld be unlikely to return in time for work next day. I did state in my ori ginal letter that in exceptional circumstances members would be considered who had limited availability ; in fact several have been accepted

Member s must appreciate that patients who have to be moved by air are frequently very ill or seriolJsly injured , particularly with charter fli gh ts. During 1974 we escort ed post operative cases patients with severe burn s, major injuries, pulmonary oedema recent coronarie s, te rminal carcin o ma, gastro enteritis aortic aneurysm and intracranial haemorrhage, in addition to the numerous multiple injl!lrie s, Several of the se patient s had intra venous drips , catheters or drainage tubes r equiring in -flight attention, oxygen therapy throughout the flight was a lso requ Lred o n a number of occasions The in-flight car e for mo st of the se patients requires the presence of a surgeon or nursing officer air attendant.

Mr Street can be assured that everything possible is being done to increa se the kn o wledge of the lay air attendant. All charter flight s have at least t wo, if no t three air attendants. In fact rnm ore air attendan ts undertook their first escort fljght last year than on any previous year sinc e th e service started in 1956.

Wi t h t me man o/ developme mts now taking pl a ce some of which are me ntioned in an article elsewhere in this issue, I am certain that St. John will show the way in the air ambulance Aeld in this country Let ill S Iilot fo r get t mat t mere is one tlilling more important t h an St. Jolnnthe patient.

Sf. John Ambulance HQ D. H. Clark

1973 I was told nothing else could be done; they had done all they could.

Then in January 1974, my employer, Bronx Engineering of Lye, Nr. Stourbridge, asked me if I would go to Lourdes and they would pay all expenses My wife was asked to go to help me. By now , the pain from my neck had affected my head so much that I was unsteady on my feet , my speech was affected, the pain was also in my shoulders, arms and hands. I had worn a surgical collar for 5 years.

We went to Lourdes on Friday March 15 1974. I went into the water by the grotto on the Saturday afternoon for the first time, and I felt a slight benefit the next day. I had the chance to go in again on the Sunday afternoon. It was this second immersion that actually did the cure. I am sure of this.

Watkin W Williams

Ed it: Take yom choice If Mr. Webb's mind benders do torture you , then torturous it is. If they just twist and bend your mind a little to fmd the answer, then the 'r' is redundant.

'( 0 LOURDES from F. Bloore, Divisional Superintendent (R)

In 1967 my illness started with headaches, for which the doctors could find no cause at the time. I was put on drugs and they eased off for two years then started again in 1969 with pains in my neck. I went to hospital again and my neck was X -rayed. They found that I had arthritis in the spine. I was put on continuous traction for a week; had manipulations - all to no avail Eighteen months passed , then it was decided to fuse the last two levels in my neck 5-6 and 6-7 cervicals. The operation was a complete success. But four months later the pains started again. Arthritis had spread further up my neck. In November

Signs and Symptoms at your finger-tips

About 3 t(') 4 minutes after joining my wife outside the bath, I felt a warm glow start at my feet which went straight up my legs, back and into my head. From that moment, I have had no pain from the spine. Two weeks later I started work again after 5 years; three weeks after our visit to Lourdes I left off my collar and have not worn it since. Six weeks after I was completely off drugs . Th e only time I feel anything from my neck now is when it is damp or if the cold gets to it. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the officers and members of the Brigade who were responsible for getting me the three grants from the Benevolent Fund during my illness. This was a great help in my time of need.

Brierley Hill Ambulance Division F. Bloore

CAMPING

from Miss M. E. White, CS 0

Not Cyprus, Rhodes or Malta but the Isle of Wight. Buckinghamshire cadets have for the past twelve years enjoyed camping at TotIand Bay , on a very pleasant site.

Bucks would now be interested to hear from any other county which might like to consider following them (')n this site in early August with a view to sharing tentage and equipment. The site is suitable for camps of up to 250 personnel.

F Qr further details please contact me.

Cleveland 37 Claremont Gardens, Marlo w, B u cks Miss M. E. Whit€?

AS PA R T of its fund ralsmg efforts , Hertfordshire St. John Ambulance Association has devised a unique first aid signs and symptoms aide-memoire which should prove popular with new and experienced first-aiders alike. Called the Sign & Symptomometer (left) it lists the signs and symptoms of 23 conditions itemised in the current first aid manual plus one make-weight from the previous manual. In addition to asphyxia, severe blood loss and shock, conditions such as concussion , hypothermia, blast injuries, and eight poisons are included.

Basically the sign & symptomometer is a slider card. On both sides of the outer sleeve is a drawing of the human form surrounded by a number of cut-outs headed breathing, consciousness, skin , eyes, etc When the slider is pulled from the sleeve so that the required condition appears in its window, the various signs and symptoms associated with it also appear.

During development of the Sign & Symptomometer care was taken to ensure that its overall size would not be greater than the first aid manual so that it can be slipped inside the cover and kept with it. To enable this to be done the slider is twice the depth of the sleeve , and folded to At it. The 24 conditions are printed as four charts , two of which are always visible. To obtain the other two , the slider is removed and imverted.

The price of the Sign & Symptomometer will be in the region of 25p including V AT but there are discounts to St. John divisions and other related bodies The minimum order quantity is 25 units. Enquiries to the County Secretary , Herts St. John Ambulance Assoc., 102 Ashley Rd, S1. Albans, Herts ALl 5DS.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

AN APPEAL has been made in an effort to perpetuate two of the ideals of the late Prior, the Marquess of Aberdeen and l'emair. A devout Christian, the Prior treasured the chapel, with its long ecumenical history, and the community centre, with its stress UpOIrl the young, at Haddo House. The David Gordon Memorial Fund will endow them and ensure that both will contim!le to be active centres in North-East Scotland for ecumenical religious services and music, the arts and service to you t h.

Fife

The youngest committee of the priory held its first function in March. Over 200 people attended a sherry party in the new town of Glenrothes. A rame was held with many valuable prizes. The proceeds of the evening are going towards a fund which is being collected by several local organisations in order to buy a minibus for the use of the mentally handkapped in the area.

Library

At an auction last autl!lmn the li brary acquired the following works. The first of them, the classic collection of Hospitaller documents 1100-1310 was a great prize, because several years ago many members of the Order contributed to a fund for its purchase.

J. Delaville Le Roulx, Cartulaire de l'ordre des Hospita liers.

F. Abela, Della Descrittione di Malta.

R. Carvana, Collezione di monumenti e lapidi sepolcrali di San Giovanni in Matta.

J.R-S

WATER SAFETY

RoSPA's publication 'On the Water, In the Water' is proving very popl!lla F and, it is hoped, will continue to be so since the safety advice it gives serves the needs of all who go in, on, and by water. The third editie>m, just published, includes the current addresses of those organisations and clubs which make their valuable contribution to the vanol!ls aquatic activities through the training facilities they provide.

Prices of the booklet are: 1 copy 12p, plus 6p post; 2 copies 24p; 10 copies £1; 50 copies £4.75; 100 copies £8.

Quote reference no WS/3 when ordering from RoSPA, Royal Oak Centre, Brighton Road, Purley, CR2 2UR.

Nevv Zealand

F(i)r the first time in 20 years the Brigade in Otago was represented in all New Zealand first aid championship competitions for 1974, and has probably set a record for the number of its Sl!Jccesses. The teams above with the Distri ct Commissioner Mr R. G Simpson , took 18 first places and eight second places. The girls will certa inly have plenty of silver to polish over the coming year!

National First Aid Competition

Electricity Supply Ambulance Centre

Held London, March 20

MEN

1. S. Western (Pool, W. Cornwall)

2. S. e>f Scotland (Bathgate)

3. London (Battersea)

4. N Eastern (Blyth)

5 Eastern (Cliff Quay)

6. S. Wales (Llynfi)

7. E. Midlands (Kettering)

8. N. Western (Mancrnester)

9. Midlands (Southern Area)

10 Yorkshire (Drax)

11 . S. Eastern (Brighton)

12. Merseyside & N. Wales (Capenhurst)

13. Southern (Fawley)

WOMEN

1. E. MidlaJilds (Cottam)

2. London (S.E. London)

3 Yorkshire (Sheffield)

4 N Eastern (East NQft mumb'd)

5. Merseysicle & N. Wales (Chester)

6 S. Wales (St. MeLions)

7 S Western (Bristol)

8. N. Western (Peak Area)

9. Midlands (Lyme Vale)

10. Eastern (Ipswich)

11. Southern (Marchwood)

Thoughts on Moorgate •••

And what can be learned from such an incident

I HAVE travelled on the London Underground many times , and have always been impressed by the ease and safety with which one can cross London. It has the reputation of being the safest underground syst€1il1 in the world, and in view of the fact that over 660 million passengers are carried every year may even be the safest way to travel anywhere. At the time of writing, however , rescue teams are spending their hUJiil dredtm hour extracting bodies from the wreckage of a tube train at Moorgate.

By the time you read this, the man in the strreet will have largely forgotten about it. The enquiries, repairing mourning, will be going on long after the public spotlight has directed its glare elsewhere The terrible circumstances of that crash should have prov ided more thought for us , however, as St. John members, since the last Bulletim contained reports of Exercise Silver,'" and there is an evident connection.

When the severity of the tube crash first modulated the air waves, our Transport lads were not envious of the task that the London services had to fac e. No doubt similar thoughts crossed the minds of voluntary members. How does one start organising a rescue like that? The pr @blems cannot be full y appreciated by those who were not at the scene, but three lessons can clearly be drawn from such an incident.

Firstly, preparedness is vital. Some people em Exercise Silver did not have a torch with them , yet we all knew when it was to take place - hence that it would be dark - and slnould have been ready for it. If a call-out came now, this minute , would you be hunting for uniform caps , torches , first aid kits, ' phone nlJlmbers to ring? For some years I carried a St. John fluorescent jacket in my car, and never met so much as a cut fimger whilst ofT dl!lty. Then after dining out wifih a St. John friend in Bath one evening, I was on my way into Bristol at midnight whefl 1 came across a head -o n collision between two cars - one with five occupants and the other with four - on a fast stretch of the London to Bristol road I looked ro und for my fluorescent jacket - of course it was hanging up in the Divisional HQ after a duty! My first aid kit and armband were still in the car, but the example shows that if a,m accident is going to happen, it will be

'" A recent exercise by SJA Guernsey. Review readers see Major Incidents, Review March and April 1975.

when one least expects it. We must be as ready as possible at all times London Transport had not had a passenger killed in an underground crash since 1953, and at 8.40 on February 28 1975 had no cause even to consider this statistic, yet ten roninutes later the biggest call-out in their history was under way.

The second point is merely an observation - that exercises and call-outs often involve air or train crashes and this is understandable We must not be lulled into thinking that these are the only causes of disasters though. Possibly it is a branch of the Law of Maximum Cussedness (see also Murphy's Law!) which states that no matter how much thought we put into disaster plans and exercises , there will still be some possibility we haven't considered. I can imagine aN exercise in a blind tunnel, in the dark 50ft underground, with an 18 inch space to work in being described as unrealistic, but there will always be incidents which are so remote as to merit no thought - until they happen.

The last point is the most important, since it applies to any disaster of any size. It is that a strictly disciplined organisation of the operation is essential. At Moorgate rescuers

Ouch!

had to be told to come to the surface for forty minutes after only twenty minutes uF1derground; no more than three rescuers could work at the scene together , the rest had to stand on the platform merely watching; under such conditions they had to accept instructions without question, even if the instructions were merely to stand and wait.

Any rescue operation must have a degree of order and some people are bound to feel they are being restricted and that more use could be made of them. In Exercise Silver some people said there was no time or need to report to anyone on the scene. That attitude is the start of a chaotic, every-manfor-himself, disorganised operation, which cannot be tolerated where lives are at stake. An overall view of the incident is maintained by the Incident Officer and other officialsa view which a single member arriving on the scene cannot possibly appreciate. If we are to fulm the second basic object of the Brigade, we should be a prepared, organised, disciplined force - and such a force is made up of individuals with the same attributes.

Reprinted from the St. John Ambulance Quarterly Bulletin, Guernsey. \10VloJ) You -rfU' 10 Youl( -rG -1\H S 'C't';J"eCflon

News from Divisions/Centres

6uernse¥ Gadet AGM, Ro ln ais Nursing Cadet Mrs , J, Pete r s receives the best division' trophy from Comm Harold Touzeau. (Pho o : Guernsey Press)

CLEVELAND - The Chief Com m ander Sir Willia m Pike attended the county amlbulance competitions at Middilesbrough on March lil and was guest of honour that evening at Middlesbrough Central Ambulance Division's 60-year jubilee dinner.

HANTS - During February the C -in -C ,

At Winchester SJA Div sions - the C-in - C with Supt , ( R) J Piper holdin€l award. See HANTS notes, (Photo : Hampshire Chro ni c le)

Mary JOfles. A mgela Hazell and Bremda Duguid of St. Michael s East Wickham Division recently re e e ved officers warrants for CN 37 Division. at which they were all cadets

Award winners (and officers) of the recent Westom-SuPJer - Mare C orps e0mpetitions Wes t0m Me rcury)

Major Ge neral Desmond Gordon , wa s we comed a t the Winchester SJ A Divisions' HQ by Depu t y County Commissioner R W. Harris and the hall packed with members , where later he presented the emblem of Officer of the Order of St. John to Superintendent (R) John Piper. (See photo). In 1925 'Jack Piper transferred to the Winchester Division from his home county of Dewm During the war he was kept fully occupied for when he finished work he took charge of a first aid post , taught first aid to the public and was standby relief driver of the ambulance. He was often called to Southampton during the blitz He was given commal'\d of the Cadet Division when its numbers were small and financ@s short. By his drive and person a lity he built UJO bot hl numbers and /iij, nances giving six eve Fl ings a week to the task. In 1956 he reluctantly accepted command of the Ambulance Division which was also at a low ebb. From almost nothing he built up the division to its present peak. Mainly due to his example , half of the members hold nursing certificates and are qualified lay-instructors. An official o f the M otor Cycle Club described the Winchester Division as 'The best First Aid Team in the South of England ' when it attended motor cycle events in all weathers. The results of his endeavours are shown in the present strong and efficient division, reflecting his forthright character, courage a nd devotion to duty. County records reveal that sinoe 1925 he has completed over 100,OO® hours of p ublic duties and attended a l'\ average of 43 weekly meetings a year.

OBITUARY

Dr. E. Winifred M. Shaw. Died February 4 1975 Joined Brigade in 1934 , subsequently Duke of Lancaster District Stafif Offioer im char ge of oo mpetitions Dame of Graoe o f the Order , 1970. Me m ber of St. John Council for Greater Manchester.

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.5 (75)

Compiled by W. A. Potter

Across:

1. Flat foot produced by sun apples. (3.6) 6. A sailor with tree is put to shame (5) 9. A long rest for a tired head. (7) 10. Organs in abmormal position. (7) II. Painful varidy of rose. (4) 12. The top of the head. (4) 13. Measure of the fineness of gold from a (5) 16. Friend consumed the roof of the mouth. (6) 17 Unappetising sensation is offensive and (3.5) 20. Virulence of drug to city after 11. (8) 21. A little spirit with dressing material to imrmobilise a fractlllr;e. (6) 23. Offspring put into circulation. (5) 25. Australian birds useful to crossword compilers. (4) 26. Note all bile. (4) 29. A modification of27 Down or ret urning to Be played briskly. (7) 3 L Satisfying dental procedure. (7) 32. Fungus cells producing fermentation of sugar. (5) 33. Cavity below the diaphragm. (9)

Down:

1. Inn is part of the innominate bone. (5) 2. Ganglion of sympathetic nerves behind the stCilmach. (5.6) 3. Deceased ending 16 Across. (4) 4. Showing no pathological changes. (6) 5. Concoction of leek and salt for voluntary muscles. (8) 0. Room with a temperature and spasnr1© €Hc twitching of facial muscles . (5) 7. R@sponsible for the death of Cleopatra. (3) 8. Most sincere sympatky in the left fifth intercostal space? (5.4) 14. One air-strip fm intercmange of gases lungs and tissues. (11) 15. Referring to vision with phosphorus deficiency concerns the ear, (4) 16. Endocrine gland in the sella turcica. (9) 18. The sort of parasitic worm whieh cam be produced by 12 AcliOss. (4) 19. Hero and mother follow at degenerative patches in walls of large arteries. (8) 22. Out of breath like the old steam engine? (6) 24. Work unit returtiling to haemostatic drug from. diseased rye. (5) 27. Leg with aluminium end is in accordance with law. (5) 28. Of slight physique. (4) 30. Meadow in whieh ale is upset. (3)

Solution to Crossword No.4 (75)

Across:

1. Tongue; 5. Ca.nine; 8. Fryer; 9. Relief; 10. Und.in.e; 11. Upper; 14 For a mina; 16. Locked; 18. Descending colon; 2@. Macule; 22. Shoulder; 25. Aes@}1>; 27. Asleep; 28. Intima; 29. Stem; 30. Reduce; 31. Girdle.

Down: 1. Ta.rif.f; 2. Null; 3. Effusion; 4. Lymphatic system; 5. C.rural; 6 Iris; 7. Eyelid; 12. Caleium; 13. Schools; 15. Opera; n. Er.ode; 19. Grct:mpimg; 20. Molil.air; 21. Elapse; 23. Rotate; 24. Shed; 26. Mind.

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AT RANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

ST. JOHN members are sometimes uncertain about what course of action they should take when they are present (but not on Public Duty) at the scene of a sudden accident or emergency , or when, though not actually present, they would be available to go and help if required. Such occasions inevitably differ so widely in the circumstances in which they occur that it's impossible to lay down hard and fast regulations governing our course of duty and action as first -aiders which could be rigidly applied to every imaginable case; but there is room for guidance on the general principles on which we should act in various broadly defined types of emergency, so I'm going to try and sort these out within certain limits, hoping that what follows may help to reassure any whose minds are in doubt about where their duty lies.

I. If we are present, or are summoned by a neighbour, or happen to be passing by, when someone suffers any kind of an accident or is suddenly taken ill (eg from the effects of a heart attack, epilepsy , diabetes or poisoning), then there is no question whatever that our first and most immediate duty is to use such skills as we possess to help the casualty - to save his life if it be in danger, to ensure that his condition is improved rather than worsened, to prevent other casualties from occurring, to summon whatever additional help is required, to arrange for the casualty to be brought under expert medical care as soon as may safely be done without risk of further injury, and finall y, to provide (as always) our superintendent or secretary with a brief 'case report' for divisional records.

This much , I hope , will be obvious; and it applies whether we are at home or at work or on holiday, whether we are in a cr.owded city street or on a lonely moor, whether we are In our own home neighbourhood or on the opposite side of the world. Our compassionate service to our neighbour in distress knows no distinctions of race class , creed or geographical boundaries. '

Countless lives are saved every year by St. John and other flrst -a iders who do just that, without any thought of r ecog nition or reward , and the world is enriched by the s plendid example of their selfless and devoted service.

Mobile radar to speed sea rescue

SJA Guernsey adds another 'first' to its already extensive coastal search and rescue services

ANOTHER 'first' has been notched up by the transport section of St. John Ambulance in Guernsey, with the launching recently of a mobile radar unit for. pinp(!)inting ships in distress.

Known as a radar and rescue coordination unit, it will be available for use at !lny time, on Guernsey's coastline. The unit will be of particular use in scanning immediate coastal waters of the island where existing static units cannot pernetrate.

Used in conjurnctiorn with othe F emergency equipment used by the lifeboat, the marine ambulance, etc., highlydeveloped unit should play an important part in effecting faster rescues at sea.

The subject of safety at sea and the associated problems of effective search and rescue have 10flg exercised the island Clmtherities. Their concern has been fully shared by the island's St. John Ambulance and Rescue Service, which,

through the operations of the Marine Ambulance Plying Christine II, the inshore lifeboats and the diving rescue service, is imtimately connected with maritime and closely aware of the ever-increasing demands on the services.

As far back as 1962 the idea of a mobile radar unit had been considered by the department. Trials at that time were made with a small radar set from the marine fitted to the station's Land Rover. idea, however, was shelved through lack of funds to the project and non -availability of suitable radar for this very specialised field.

In 1972 - 10 years later - discussions were taking place between senior transport staff in relation to the provision of a mobile rescue c0-ordination unit and control centre flitted w ith raGiie 1ltnd telephone eq la1ipmernt, which would serve at major incidents and disasters.

During the debate, Staff Officer Michael Dene asked Mr. R. H. Blanchford if this was no the time, once again, to investigat e the possibility o f the in troduction of radar to assist in sea searches.

The suggestion met with guarded approval but simultaneously presented greater financial and planning problems. It was obvious that this would be a massive undertaking requiring considerable financial backing and which could amount to a differen 0e between the two schemes of approximately £ 18,000 and, as Mr. Blanchford felt that as much of the responsibility and development of such a scheme would fall on his shoulders, he asked for time to consider the matter - the result of which can now be seen

Not first time

This is not the first time that St. John im Guernsey has been first in the field of rescue and ambulance aid. Other pioneering efforts have included the introduction of radiocontrolled ambulances - today there is hardly an ambulance in the world not fitted with radie , and it still remains the department's greatest achievement as it opened the way fOli other medical and life saving services, as well as the commercia l field

They were the first to introduce rubber in s hore lifeboats, 100 of which are today operated by the RNLI round the coasts of the British Isles The service also introduced the first fully-equipped civilian recompression centre in the UK and the world's first marine ambulance and automatic vehicle state indicator system. Unfortunately, pioneers are seldom popular people and these successful results ha ve only been achieved amid enormous opposition, which has only mellowed over the years as each project became accepted as an internationally recognised way of life.

In 1972 and 1973, several search-andreSCl'le o perations imposed severe demamds on the ability of the services to locate casualties, with the least possible delay.

Beginning

Because of these increasing demands an imquiry was made in the summer of 1973 by Area Commi ssioner Blanchford of Mr. W Welch , of T W Welch and Partners Ltd , Radar Consultants , 64 Ash Hill Road, Ash , nr Aldershot , as to the feasibility of employing a mobile radar system to assist in the solution of some of the ship-location and rescue -direction requirements.

Before supplying a detailed answer , Mr. Welch visited the island and studied in depth the operational needs, the possible alternatives, and the siting poss,ibilities for a mobile unit if such were to be provided.

The operational need was clear; a radar unit , to be of any real value , must have the capabilit y to detect a small target from almost zero range (very near the coast, or almost directly beneath a high clift) out to two and a half to three miles and larger targets, according to their reflective pmperties , from that raRge to many miles.

A maximum range of 15 to 20 miles would be useful, though ideally ranges greater than this would be desirable.

The unit must also be capable of ide fl tifying any of the rescue crafts among the many rocks islets and sea -clutter (unwanted echoes from t he waves of the sea) arOl!lnd tine island For t he maintenance of identity, an adequate plotting facility or Ghart s of a s u itable scale would be needed , and the communicat on circuits necessary to pass on the data derived from the radar equipment direct to the rescue services would h a ve to be provided.

Airport radar

It wa s already es t abli s hed , and reflected in Nl r. Welch s rep o rt , t hl i.J.t t lil e 10 centimetre radar at Guern sey Airport could provide valu a bl e aid in sea searches. However, trials

organised between the Airport radar and the Lifeboat indicated that the radar was 'blind ' in some important areas, particularly off the east and south coasts, where the land itself e ast radar 'shadows' to several miles seaward preventing the tracking of small targets close to the shore.

Alternative use of fixed station:

The solution of this problem by fixed shore stations would, Mr. WeIch reported, require the setting - up of at least six permanent land radar stations: even then, there would be important gaps in their total coverage , particularly close te the coastline, a large percentage of which \vould remain 'in shadow' Inq uiries of the local authorities indicated that there was no present intention to set up any shore radar stations.

On the other hand , an exploration of pos sible sites around the coasts indicated that , from 10 or a dozen different sites , a m o bile radar unit of suitable Giesign could provide about 90 per cent 95 per cent of the required coverage.

Radar beacon

Us e of radar beacons :

Following a question from Mr. Blanchford with reference to the possible use of transponders in rescue craft , Mr. Welch s tressed the potential value of a secondary radar , or radar beacon, system included as part of the mobile radar scheme.

Such beacon systems , under the name Racon s have been used for many years in a different wa y from that requested by Mr. Blanchford , to provide location and identification of navigational marks , such as lightships and buoys on ships ' radars

The kind of use proposed for the Guern sey Mobile Unit , however , though a pplied s uccessfull y for many years to air

traffic control radar systems, had never before been used in a maritime context. II used in the St. John Ambulance unit they would very greatly the detectability of the small rescue craft in heavy sea clutter, as well as providing positive identification.

Land Rover

The report concluded with an outline layout showing that it was just possible to get all the required equipment and facilities into a vehicle based upon a long-wheel-base Land Rover though such a fitting would be very cramped and far from ideal operationally Whilst consideration was being given to alternative vehicles offering more operational space, yet having the ruggedness necessary to gain access to the difficult cliff-top sites, the wreck of Prosperity and other major shipping incidents in the early months of 1974 gave a new sense of urgency and provided added impetus to the formulation of detailed plans for the design and construction of a suitable mobile radar unit, as well as to the schemes being formulated b y the States Board of Administration, with whom Area Commissioner R. H. Blanchford has maintained a very close liaison. Selected vehicle

Early in 1974 an almost ideal combination of Land -Rover prime mover and articulated trailer was located after considerable research in the hands of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunicatons in London. This combination vehicle, formerly used as a mobile x - ray unit for cable investigations, was surplus to the requirements of the Ministry and available for disposal at a very reasonable price.

Mr. Blanchford, a St. John staff engineer and Mr. Welch visited London and made an

Ir.si @l e the radar umit, there is als(!) equipmen t for radio reception and transmission. (Photo: Guernsey Press)

SJA Guernsey's impressive new mobile radar and rescue co-ordination unit (Photo Guernsey Press)

inspection of the vehicle, which was seen to be almost ideal for the task, providing, without major structural alteration, an operational area of 12ft. 9in. long by 6ft. wide by 6ft. 9in. high into which all the required equipment and facilities could be fitted.

A basic equipment layout was designed by Mr. Welch and has been modified aomd implemented almost entirely by the St. John Ambulance staff in Guernsey, with minimal (about 10 per cent only) assistance from eontractoFs elr supplieFs. This has required many huncdrecrs of man-hours of efTOFt by St. John Ambulance staff in the gutting, rebuilding, wiring and equipping of the unit.

The unit

The articulated trailer:

The body frame formed of light alloy tophat sectiolil has exterior panelling of light alloy sheet, swaged fOF stimuess. ]t is lined internally with faced hardboard, finished in blue. Varnished beading covers all joints.

Betweelil the inner and outer panelling

1Y4in. expanded polystyrene as botb temperature and sound iflsulation; it also helps to isolate the considerable noise of the radar scanner turning gear. Thick pile carpet fitted wall-t0-wall also assists in the deadening of noise.

Five 240v 60w strip lights provide the main source of interior lighting. A fanassisted Colt ventilatimil and heating unit is situated alilove the rear d00r.

On entering the unit, to the left is a cupboard containing battery charger and all the electrical fuses and switchgear. Built immediately alongside is a stainless steel sink unit with cupboard space beneath, part of which contains the main batteries for the 24 alild 12 volt systems. A foot operated pump supplies water to the tap.

Across the front of the control room, and to a depth of 33ins is the chart table, immediately in front of which and to the left lies tfue radar console. On trne right (offsicde) of tfue trailer is the radio console beneath which is a desk with cupboard and drawer space. A small emergency toilet is built between the radio desk and rear door. Telephone, which, by arrangement with the States Telecommunications Board, can be connected to the island telephone system. Crnarts and pl0tting equipment.

The Land Rover:

General description - Land Rover L WB pick-uf> 2286cc four cylinder engine.

Other equipment

Ancillary equipment:

A Stemlite is fitted to the roof of the cab; this consists of a blue rotating !Deacon and floodlamp assembly mounted eln top 0f an electrically-driven extending stainless steel mast, which, when raised to its full height (by

inspecting a transponder used i n the trials. (Photo Guernsey Press)

the press (')f a switch) is ten feet above the vehicle roof.

The flo(')dlamp assembly consists of 4 x 500w qmaFtz iodime lamps, which together provide an extremely high level of lighting to the area surrounding the vehicle, at a moment's notice.

flood and spot lamps on the roof and wing provide ancillary lighting of high quality.

A 110/240 Volt 6 KVA generator has been added to provide power fm the trailer's mass of electrical e<lJ.l!lipment. Burndept VHF/FM transceiver on the ambulance service frequency has also been installed.

A winch is yet to be fitted on the front of the vehicle.

Trailer equipment

Radio communication equipment: Four radio telephone transmitter-receivers are fitted as follows:

1. - Sailor Marine M/F SSB transceiver with f0u1' channels and high/low power switching. This equipment includes a portable direction finding unit equipped with a magnetic compass.

2. - Sailor Marine VHF FM transceiver with fomF chanlilels, i:ro.duding a facility for maintaining a listening watch on the safety and calling channel at the same time as watch is kept on the working channel. This is also frittecl with power switching to minimise interference with other services.

These marine equipments will be used for commumication with shilps, with the and the F lying Christine II as requi Fed in any emergency, under the overall control of St. Peter Port Harbour Radio Station.

3. - Bendix Aeronautical VHF transceiver with a simgle channel (air/sea rescue channel) for communication with searching helicopters or aircraft under the overall control 0f the Airport Rescue Coordimation Centre.

4. - Burn,dept private-band VHtransceiver with two channels, for

30 miles. Tb e UK mailboats have fu een tracked to ranges of 25-27 miles on their way to and from UK, while identified small island coasters have been followed from l,€aving port ilil Guernsey until their disappearance into the 'shadows' cast by Alderney and Jersey

The inshore lifeboat which, of course, has almost no radar reflective properties, has been deployed for exercise in heavy sea clutter conditions and was followed easily to about two and a half miles without a radar reflector and to three miles with a small yacht-type reflector about 2ft. 6in. above the waterline Trials with Flying Christine and the Guernsey lifeboat have been conducted with satisfactory results.

communication with St. John Ambulance Headquarters and other vehicles (including the inshore rescue boats) on the normal St. J omn Ambulance channels.

These four equipments are connected, via two push button selector units, to two headset/ microphone units , one for the radar operator and one for his supporting communications operator.

Radar unit

The radar is a special assembly of units of the Decca Marine range, which has resulted from continuous and detailed liaison between Mr. Welch and Mr. A. P. Tuthill, chief engineer of the Marine Division of Decca Radar Ltd.

The radar has been specially modified by Decca to meet Mr Welch's specification in two important ways - a facility to set the picture 'true north hlP', irrespective of the orientation of the trailer, has been added and special circuits and selector switches to permit the reception of the beacon signals have Deen provided.

The radar meets the U.K.-type-approva! specification for marine radar equipment, in addition to having the special features required for St. John Ambulance operations.

Trials

Commissioning trials and training:

Mr. Welch arrived in Guernsey on December 29, 1974, to observe the final commissioning of the equipment, to undertake acoeptance trials on the various radar and radio units and to initiate the training of St. John Ambulance staff in the setting-wp and operation of the unit.

Extensive coverage trials for the radar have been undertaken, with the following results:

Land is m0[imally seen to a range of up to 30 miles. A very high chimney at Cherbourg, in France, has been identified; other echoes from the French coast are seen at different intensities as radar propagation conditi(!)frls change.

Ships have been tracked at ranges up to

beacon units ultimately

The beacon system, which is as yet unique in the kind of operations envisaged by St. John Ambulance in Guernsey, has been made possible as a result of negotiations between Mr. Welch, on behalf of St. John Ambulance, and the UK Home Office (as licensing authority), the Marine Safety Division of the Department of Trade and Industry, the TX group of the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishments (technical advisers to the Department of Trade and Industry) and other UK bodies.

Successful tests of trne radar beacon system have been carried out with a beacon loaned by Marconi Limited, while St. John Ambulance 's own unit is being constructed. will be the intention to provide 3 of these

On the water-front

New SJA post for

Southend

St. John Ambulance has been granted an 'experimental' licence for this system for a period of five years, during which time the results of operations will be watched by Department of Trade and Industry and Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishments group with great interest to provide guidance for the development and use of similar systems in the future

All the trials and tracking exercises are being conducted by St. John Ambulance staff, under Mr. Welch's guidance, and have formed an important part of the training programme.

First and foremost, the St. John Ambulance, Guernsey, is deeply indebted to the generosity of the Hayward Foundation, who have provided the large capital necessary for the purchase and equipping of the unit and for personnel training. Without their help, the project would have been impossible.

They would also like to thank T. W. Welch and Partners Ltd, of which company Mr. Welch is director and chief consultant, who remitted fees of nearly £3,000 for work on the project; also Decca Radar Ltd, and Marconi Radar Ltd, and many other firms and people without whose help this project for saving life could never have been completed.

A NEW St. John Ambulance first aid post on Southend seafront was officially opened on April 27 by Sir John Ruggles - Brise, Lord Lieutenant of Essex and SJ County president.

The building and equipment cost about £5,000 - and the local council gave £4,500 towards it in recognition of services rendered over many years in the town by SJ A's Southend Division.

The new post, which is a portable building, replaces a caravan which previously covered the busy pier area of the seafront during the summer months.

The opening of the new post was followed by the declication of two new ambulances and the annual inspection of local ambulance, nursing and cadet divisions. This was the largest parade by St. John in Southend for many years, with about 200 personnel taking pa rt. The inspecting officers inclmded the D;puty C-in-C Watkin W. Williams Dr. Paros, County Surgeon, Mrs. E. Lytham, County Staff Officer , and Area Staff Officer Mrs. E. A. Harris.

St. John has four other seafront first aid posts in the town - at Shoe bury East Beach, Shoe bury Common, Eastern Esplanade and opposite the Cliffs Pavilion. On average some 1,500 people receive treatment at the five posts during the summer months and in addition an ambulance is kept on standby on the seafront during the summer weekends

A march-past, led by the Southend Salvation Army Citadel Band, took place after the inspection Among the V II's who attended the opening ceremony were the Mayor and Mayoress of Southend and local COuncillors.

Mr. T. W Welch , under whom all the trials are being G0nducted by SJA staff,

The new post, with Div Supt. Eric Whybrew of No. 75 Southend-onSea Division speaking at the opening ceremony. (Below) The post s treatment area , in which two casualties were treated shortly after th e opening! (Photos: Ri cky MacGregor PRO )

SPRING sunshine, cheering crowds and waving schoolchildren greeted Princess Margaret when she visited Portsmouth on April 30 to open the new £45 , 000 Portsmouth St. John Ambulance Headquarters at 406-414 Commercial Road - 19 years after she had performed the same ceremony for the former Portsmouth SJA HQ.

SO many people turned out for the occasion t hat Portsmouth's main thoroughfare , Commercial Road, was closed for over two hours for the Royal vis it Wearing bottle -green velvet, trimmed with emerald, and a close fitting hat in feathers of the same colours , Princess Margaret inspected the 600-strong Guard of Honour

in which all Hampshire Divisions, except those from the North East of the county, were represented.

After the dedication by the Bishop of Portsmouth ('FIn e Rt. Rev. J. H L. iP hillips, DD) and the Official Opening at which the Grand Prior was represented by Lord Cozens -Hardy, The Bailiff of Egle, Her Royal Highness addressed the assemhled guests in the main hall of the new building and referred to the generosity of the Portsmouth City Council in pre widing this attractiv€ new building; to the great work of St. John Ambulance and the need for recruits, and particularly to the cadets for whom she has a special place in her heart since being their Commandant-in-Chief, as

Princess Margaret returns after 19 years to open ...

Portsmouth

she was when she opened the original Headquarters in 1956.

When she had unveiled the commemorative plaque and heard messages of welcome and thanks from the Commander for Hampshire, Commander E. A. Morrison RN (Rt.) , and the Chairman of the Headquarters ' committee of Iililanagement, Mr. E G. Barnard OBE, Princess Margaret wished a happy birthday to Nursing Cadet Lucinda Belk, who presented the Princess with a posey of flowers - for this was also Lucinda's 13th Birthday.

Princess Margaret presented Grand Prior's badges to six nursing cadets. All the nursing cadets on parade wore new cloaks, thanks t o their County Superintendent Lady Power, who personally cut 170 grey flannel cloaks and distributed them , with one completed example, to all the divisions cONcerned for them to make Illp. Not only did this save £2 a cloak, but it also meant that they would be ready in time for the opening

The Georgillltl.- style HQ has a downstairs conference hall to hold 200 people, a smaller lecture hall upstairs with a training room adjacent, a board room, kitchen and lavatory facilities

A fine new HQ for SJA Portsmouth, which this year is celebrating its 80th anniversary.

At the entrance o the new b l!Jil d ng Pnim !l: ess Margaret and the Bailiff of Egle, Lord Cozens-Hardy holding the documents vesting the property to the Order (L to R Capt M P R Boyle County Commissioner

Mr E G. Barna d chairlilla m, HO s c ommittee of manag em ent ; Cdr E. A Morris o n Commander SJA Hampshire ; and Mr. I. G. Dunca n County Director

St. John 'concert at Eton

PRINCESS MARGARET was at the highly succes sful Beethoven concert given by Yehudi a nd (his sister) Hephzibah Menuhin at Eton College School Hall during April as a o mt fund raising effort for Berks and Bucks St. John.

The Princess , welcomed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Windsor and Maidenhead , and Lord Caccia, the Lord Prior of the Order , was handed a bouquet by Nursing Cadets Ni c ola Slater , of Datchet (SJ A Berks) , and Averil Lunn, of High Wycombe (Bucks).

Amon g the concert-goers was Princess Allee , Countess of Athlone , Mr. Edward Heath and his Conser v ative colleagues Lord Carrington and Michael Heseltine. l en mem hers from SJ A Berks and Bucks were presented to the Princess during the interval. The evening concluded with supper, with Lord and Lady Caccia, at the Provost s Lodge

But for Mr. Menuhin the evening had its problems Not once but twice a string of his violin broke and whizzed across the stage Things c an go wron g for even the bestSJA mu sic -m a kers ( see page 137) please note.

Pr i n ces s Ma rg aret, Gr and Presid ent D a me Gran d Cmss of th e Order o St J o hn , wi t h SJA m emb ers (Photo: B ar ry Swa e be)

Th e Lord Prior L or d C acc a. with M r. Edw a d H ea th wh o s a m us c an d y ac htin g ad d ct. (Ph o to: B a r r y Swa eb e)

The fine new HO

Fl ew ers for Princess Margaret from Nurs ing Cadet Lu cind a Belk 13 today

And a c hat with Mrs. Eileen Barnard (in wheelcha r), wi e of the c hairman of the HO s c ommittee of management Mr E G Barnard (right)

MAUNDY

Two Northants St. John veterans - Mrs. Lottie Speneer, who took her first examimatiom in 1938 and was D.O. Northampton Spencer Nursing Division when she retired, and W J. L. Gotch, for over 50 years (15 of them as Div. Supt) with Wellingborough HQ Ambulance Division and now Association Branch secretaryreceived Maundy gifts from the Queen at this year's ceremony at Peter1>orough Cathedral. (See photo below).

CUP FEVER

Sunday May 4 was a great day for East London, when West Ham's team br(')ught home the F.A. cup for the second time in 11 years. It was also a busy day for $t. John, Eastern Area.

n members from eighlt divisions (with. fOUF ambu l ances) were on duty from 1O.00am to 2.30pm, stationed at strategic points along the processional route between Stratford and East Ham town hall. A crowd

AROUND and ABDUl

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

of some 300,000 kept the police fairly busy but casualties were few About 35 people were treat ed at SJ posts , mainly for fainting or effects of the cold, but five were taken to hospital by Brigade or LAS ambulances for treatment for eollapse, foo t or ankle injuries Press and TV coverage showe d SJ members doimg great work ITolaimly extricating children from the crowd which threatened to crush them against the railings as they surged forward

The Queen and Prince Philip during their Ma wncty visit (March 27) to Peterboro l!Jg h , chat e SJA's Nursin§ Membe r Mrs. I. Hiles and Sgt Mrs P Cowlin. (Photo: Minster Studios, Peterborough)

A tribute to St. John came from a senior police officer: 'Thanks for your help I don't know what we'd have done without you.'

MIXED BAG

During a recent seminar for pilots, engineers alila other senior officials of desert locust control, organised by the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation in Nairobi, I hear that SJ A Kenya was asked to organise a course on first aid.

Nearly half of those who attended the course, which was limited to 8 hours were from the French-speaking countries of Africa. A senior SJA Kenya lay lecturer took the course at which a]l 30 candidates were successful. They came from 16 countries - Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia India, Iran Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal, Sudan , Tunisia, Tanzania, Tchad and Zambia.

Can an y SJ lecturer beat that representation on one course?

WOT, NO MUSIC

I hear that a last-minute rehearsal by Teversal Colliery Welfare Band saved 600 SJA nur sing cadets from having to sing unaccompanied at their summer-camp church service.

Teversal band played at the main service - one of three for the 1149 cadets and officers from N ottinghamshire and Derbyshire in their biggest-ever camp at Skegness in early May - but no music for any of the hymns selected could be found.

So the band's young musical director, Stephen Shinwell, a graduate of London's Guildhall School of Music, and a post graduate student at Clifton College, Nottingham , whistled a suitable tune them

BY THE EDITOR

MIND BENDERS

Find

Answers: - Upside down - are at bottom of page 135. No cheating

wrote down the melody. After checking it with a cleaner at the Skegness Derbyshire Miners' holiday centre who knew the hymn , he wrote the score helped by some of his play ers.

Stephen ha s been musical director for eight month s si nce when the band has won many awards. It goes to the all-England band finals held in London in October. Attending the service was the Notts

CADET CAMP

Deputy Commissioner E. R. F. Pogmore, Mr. O T. Storr s of the National Coal Board, Skegness Mayor Mrs. V. Elwis, and the officer commanding ASO Mrs. E M. Major of Work sop.

Teversal, C alverton and Langwith Colliery welfare bands played for the parade , which was led by ASO Mrs. K. M. Staniland (N. Derbyshire ), through Skegness after the services.

After the parade , four visitors called on Skegness' foreshore manager , Stan Webster, to enquire which SJA divisi(')ns were on parade, say ing: 'We come from London; and although we've seen many parades and

HOLDING THE BABY

As Vietnamese refugee chi dren arrived at London airpon ju st prior to the fall of Saigon, SJA and Red Cross members made for the receptio n ce ntre at H as emere Surrey. 18 membe rs rom Surrey s Ash Vale Division - including ASO J. J G. de Me squ it a (left) - a rrived at about 1 am t o feed wash and tend the si c k c hildren. Cadets under Supt. Rosemary Tyrall and Nurs ng Officer Betty Moore were a so there to help. By about 5.30am the children were all n bed with o nly the clear ng up to do. Ph otos Asso c ated Newspapers)

ceremonies there, we've never seen anything so dramatic and inspiring as this one.'

photo).

MALTA HOLIDAYS

I hear that a SJ A party of 42 peoplemembers relatives and friends from Hereford /Worc ester - left England in the late snow of March 27 for a week's holiday in sunny Malta.

As usual when I hear of these trips to Malta everyone seems to have had a wonderful time , with SJ A Malta really putting down the red carpet for the visiting UK members

Skegness cade t camp : Notts Deputy Commissioner E. R F P0gmore. with the Mayor Mrs V. Elwis , join officers and guests after the parade through the resort (See story WOT. NO MUSIC)

(See

Is there not an idea here for a permanent St. John club or hostel on this island which has such deep-rooted connections both with St. John and the UK? Couldn t we buy a building en the island that could be converted into a hostel with a simple catering system (self-catering if necessary - we've got ample nursing members!) and m alke a deal for all-the -y ear -round cheap flights? An inexpensive St. John famil y holiday base in the sun , in other words.

Perhaps such an idea could be tied administratively with our club St. John House in London where members and their families from all parts of the country could sta y the night for in and outgoing flights. Any takers for such a scheme?

GLOWING

The St. John Ambulance , Pakistan , received some glowing letters from thei r Government s Relief and Repatriation Department for their help at air and sea terminals , and at transit camps during the repa t riation programme of nationals from Bangia Desh.

To quote one letter: without the cooperation of the St. John volunteers, the work of repatriatiolil cOl!lld mot have been carried out so smoothly.'

Congratulations , SJ A Pakistan!

IT MAKE THE BABY LAUGH

SJ A's Civil Aviation Centre secretary Arthur Weston writes: Th rut w a s the r;eply t o my questio n 'Why do you do it ? ' as I gazed in amazement at the class of cabin staff from Somali Airlines , all of whom had flicked their eyelids back with no effort and sat tro. ere with big smiles OR their dark faGes enjoying my astonishment at such a sight. Anyone who has taught 'inverting of the eyelid' will understand my peaction.

Later in the course I was again at a loss for words after showing the film 'Emergency Childbirth' when a stewardess asked 'Why do your wornen require so much help? Our women lie d o wn with a b owl of water besi d e them , and holding a mirror between their knees have the baby thems@lves .' I stammered words to the effect that English women do not find it so e a sy and then handed her over to my wife, who is an SRN.

With a race who are so capable of doing things for themselves one may think there was little need for trainil'l.g but we were in Somalia for a week to leeture @n aviation medicine and first aid, as part of the St. John Civil Aviation programme.

To be asked to go to the SomaLi Republic in East Africa to undertake this t raining underlines the servic@that St. John offers to

the aviation industry , not only at home but abroad. Its co m mittee , m rude up of medical and training officers , together with St. John personnel , are constantl y looking at wa y s to improve the ser v ice offered.

Ov e rsea s trai lil ing presents various problems - the least of which is getting to th e country concerned Once there equipment and classroom facilities are often a major problem. Those who have passed through m y hands on instructors' courses will know that my policy is Don't tell them , s how them - which pays dividends abroad.

For the training ses sions in Somalia a combined effort by Tempair of Windsor , Berkshire , and the British and American embassies in Mogadishu produced 16mm film and an overhead projector I took with me t hl e fil m s Angels Can Do No More', 'Emergency Childbirth' Emergenc y Resuscitation ', Don't Let Him Die ', plus the transparencies for the OI H Projector and a Resl!lsci -A lil ne T he classroom allocated for the courses was not air -conditioned and relied on windo ws for ventilation. There were

no bl a ck @ut arrang e ments for showing films so we closed the windows and covered them wi t h blankets. We literally sweated our way tmfO l!1 gh each tUm.

'The eight -day trip provided plenty of s urpri ses The first occurred at St. Peter s, in Rome where I called on a Holy Year first a id post staffed by the Irish contingent of the Order of Malta. A man who introduced him self as a training officer looked at me closel y and said So y ou re the character who cau s ed all the trouble in Irel 8!JOuii .' I looked at hi m in amazement as he went on to explain: You were on television' (I was in the BBC 's Generation Game.) 'You put a jaw bandage on in seconds. And everyone in Ireland wanted to know why it takes me , their training officer minutes to do it.'

I explained to him how to do it in seconds amd he ble ss ed me. A few hours later I thankful for that blessin g, for a s our aircraf t wa s tak ing off from Rome that night there wa s a terrific bang and the cabin was lit up by a brilliant blue flash We ' d been struck by Iighteni ro g!

On arrival at Cairo at 1am the crew exa mined the aircraft by torch light and found that we had lost a piece of wing tip . 'fh e wing was patched, and the flight cOrl tinued.

A s we were going out to lecture on aviation medicine and emergencies I was ver y inter ested in the reaction of the passeng e r s and crew to this incident. In such situation s one per s on can cause or prevent panic We were fortunate: the senior steward , an Englishman , immediately set to work rea ssu ring the passengers that all was well.

Th e Somali are a proud and handsome dark -s kinned people who love to wear gay o(!) lours. The class was a pleasure to work with, and language was not a problem a s the y h a d all been selected for the new int ernational air services.

All visits abroad produce a story about f00d Ours was no exception. M y wife ordered a boiled eg g for break fast and reoeived three. She t old the waiter she only wa mtecl one He gave her a big smile and said: Keep the three. One of them s hould b e good

AND VET ANOTHER!

FIRST AID POST

2. A rather difTerent situation arises when we turn up by chance at the scene of an accident which occurred some little time previously, and the police and/or ambulance service - and maybe also a decto li or trained nurse who like ourselves happened to be passing - are already on the spot. We don't know whether more help is required or not; too many helpers may get in the way and cause confusion ; their presence may even increase the risk of further aecidents. The most important thing for us to realise is that someane is already in charge, and tihat if we were to barge in 'as of right' an d start giving first aid independently we should be making that person's task mOf(\\ difficult , quite apart from showing lack of courtesy and discipline.

If in such a case we think our help may be required, o mr first dlJIty is to identify the pelison in charge (usually a police officer), choose a moment to approach him when he is not urgently engaged , identify ourselves as St. John members, and ask if there is anything we can do to help. He may say 'Yes. please' and give us ajob, or he may say 'No. thank you'. If the answer is 'Yes', then our duty is to act under his orders as a member of his team; if the amswer is 'No', them owr duty is to accept it and go away It's just as simple as that.

It may be galling to be dismissed, but when this happens we mustn't int@rpret it as a slight, either to St. John Ambulance whom we represent, or to our personal capacity as first -aiders; we must just accept that the mali) in charge knows best.

I've had this expeni e mce myself en more than one occasion, the most recent being a few montlns ago when I arrived on a densely erowded platform at a tube station where some unfortunate person had fallen onto the line. And a friend of mine, a St. John firstaider of long years' experience and now an area commissioner, recently came upon a Scar pile-up on a motorway; he slowed down, drove past and then parhd tke motorway, put on his St. John fluorescent jacket, got out his first aid kit and reported to the police officer in charge - only to be told, with thanks, that the situation was well in hand and that the presence of any more hdpers on the site or of cars parked nearby 'Nould complicate the rescue opeliation and increase the risk of a further accident. In eitlner of these two cases the answer might Inave been 'Yes' (as indeed it often s); and in both cases we were absolutely right to report to the officer in charge as St. John first-aiders and ofTer our help, and, in the event , to accept the discipline of that ofTer being refused.

3. Wmen a major disaster Olccurs, there may som e times happen to be a few St. John members eitmer on the spot or so near that they can reach it with first aid material in a very few minutes If they arrive at an early

IT RANDOM

(contd. from page 125)

s tage in the emergency , the police officer in charge of the Control Post may possibly form them into a unit under their own officer or senior member an@ direct them to the Incident Medical Officer for further instructions; but , be that as it may , they must accept the fact that they are under orders and must not act independently.

4 If. however, we are not so near to the spot at the time when a disaster occurs as to be able t o ofTer immediate help in the very early stages , then we should n(!)t rush independently t o the scene fliom greater distances or at a later stage, but should act in accordance with the St. John Ambulance emergem:y call-out procedure as laid down in the county or area to which we belong.

Many counties - and I should like to hope that it will soon be all counties - have a well defined emergency call-out pla rn. which has been tested in practice and in some eases

ha s been put into actual operation , and of which the de t ail s are well known to all Brigade members in the oounty or area c oncerned 1m t his connectio m it is esse mtial th a t we should remember two important fa cts: (i) that the greater the extent of the di s a s ter , the more vital it is that the first aid and res cue operation should be carried out under a unified control and in an efficient , disciplined and orderly manner; (ii) that in such cases the re s pons ibility for incident oontrol lies with the police while the Incident Medic a l Officer is m charge of the FeatmeJilt of aliI c a sualties , and t hat the role of St. John Ambulance is that of a disciplined voluntary body of 'support troops ', ready to be called upon for help if required, but placing our selves entirely at t me disposal of, and under the command of, those in charge on the spot.

In Lon d on District, in particular there is a very cl o se liaisolil indeed between St. John Ambulance on the one hand and the M e tropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service on the other ; and a similarly close liai son exist s in at least some other parts of the country Readers of the Revie w will no doubt remember a number of occasions during the past few years when St. John Ambulalilce ha s been able to make a major contribution to the service of mankind as a result of our prompt and orderly response to an emergency call from the police or the ambulance service , and I hope it is unnecessary to stre s s that the reason why our contribution has been valuable on these occasiolils is that it was made in an orderly and well-planned manner and not in the chaotic atmosphere of 'every man fO F himself

Moorgate

In conclusion I must refer briefly to the somewhat disquieting publicity given in certain sections of the press to evelilts conlilected with alil ambulance member who was present at the Moorgate disaster on February 28.

The details which appeared in the press , though doubtless published in good faith, told only part of a long story of which the Moorgate incident was but the climax , and some of them were indeed inaccurate. The member c o ncerned was not in fact handly treated. and as one who spemt 4 ye ali s as an ambulalilce member and 19 as a divisional superintendent I can assure you that our dedication to the mottoes of the Order remains completely unchanged - a fact which no one can doubt who has read in the se pages the commendations and awards g rant ed to many of our members whos e selfless servi oe was made a ml,d will lo ng continue to make , so magnificent a contribution to the relief of suffer ing hum a nity.

SJA music-men play

Southport Corps silver band is even enjoyed by the swans

WHEN the Southport Special Constables Band was disbanded in 1951, the bandmaster Mr. Aspinwall suggested SJA Southport Corp s should take over the musicmakers.

Corps Supt. W. J Grace called a meeting of officers and asked for comments. The result was that the Corps took over the band and its new instruments, which still had to be paid for. Mr. Aspinwall became the bandmaster, uniforms were bought and the band was fitted out.

Corps Supt. Grace was in charge of the band and for a while everything went smoothly. Then discontent started to rear its ugly head. The bandmaster dismissed bandsmen without consulting Mr. Grace which caused a great deal of trouble , so the band was again disbanded.

Mr. Grace retired and Div. Supt. W. B. Rol1linson became Corps Supt. in 1957. Th.ree members of the old band sl!lggested the band should be reformed, which it was under a new bandmaster Mr. M. Davison.

Since, the band has had a varied career with ups and downs, but it has always been self-sl'lpporting with occasional help from the Ambulance Brigade. It comprises 32 play ing members, with a corps of drums - 4 side dr u mmers 1 b a ss drum an d a drum major. The bandsmen are all auxiliary members ®f the Brigade , although two or three members recently passed their St. John

Beethoven (or should they be the other way round?)

Last summer the band was in great demand from May to September, when it played every weekend , often on Saturday and Sunday. These concerts included playing from the grandstand at Chester , which is built out over the water of the River Dee. There was a large crowd and even the swans seemed to enjoy the music, for they crowded round the bandstand adding their muted chorus! This year the band is booked for the Botanical Gardens, Southport, on the afternoon and evening of July 13; for New Brighton, Chester (but don't tell the swans), Harrogate , Ainsdale Horticulture Show, and the parks in the metropolitan area of Sefton. It also plays at the annual church parades of the Southport Corps, the GOunty church parade in Liverpool, and the annual inspection of the Southport Corps.

The band recently acquired new dress uniform and on March 16 played at the Merseyside SJ A county conference, at Pontin's , Ainsdale, attended by the Commissioner -in - Chief, Major -General D. S. Gordon. During concerts the music features at least one of the band's younger players on this occasion Graham Townsend played the cornet solo Caprice Zelda. 15year-old Graham's cornet playing has won him a place at Huddersfield College of Music next year.

examinations at work A non-playing member of the Brigade attends all engagements

The olde s t bandsman is founder member Walter Briscoe who, at 84 plays the trombone at concerts. The youngest is Howard Sims 9 , who plays the cornet.

There are two girl members: 15-year-old Andrea Prescott is a trombonist, and Ann Townsend , 13 , plays tenor horn Ann comes from a family steeped in brass band playing, and we have high hopes of both our girls making a name for themselves as instrumenta Lists.

The band, which endeavours to rehearse twice a week in a room over the garage which houses the St. John ambulances, has had various competition successes.

It won a contest at Morecambe under Mr. M. Davison, who retired about three years ago when Mr. L. D. McLachlan took over as musical director. At N ew in 1971, with 20 bands competing, it took 2nd prize.

In the 1973 Preston and District Area silver jubilee contests, which 15 bands entered, it took first prize and the trophy. In 1974 it won 3rd prize in the Pontin's championship, and in the same contest this year at Ainsdale during March it finished 5th from 15 bands.

Since Mr. McLachlan took over the image of h e ban d has been transformed. Its programmes of good old-fashioned brass band music have now been given a new-look and it plays anything from the Beatles to

As mentioned, the band is self-supporting and will play anywhere providing the fee covers expenses and a bit over for the band fund. The fund's target at present is for two new double basses , at a cost of about £700.

Memorable pieces of music? The band was leading a Sunday School anniversary walk around the parish of Aintree recently when the church warden led the musicians into a cul-de-sac where they halted, playing Onward Christian Soldiers'. Meanwhile the vicar had changed his mind about the route and taken the procession straight on. Then he rushed back, stopped the band, and said: Gentlemen I'm afraid you've lost your Christian soldiers.'

On another occasion the band was playing to a big audience in a concert hall. To change the pieces of music the director said (sotto voce) to the band: 'Right ladstwo in the bar ' . A voice came from the audience: ' Sorry, mate - there're four in the bar so you can't play without 'em.'

Are there other St. John bands in this part of the country? - There is a pipe -band, I believe, in Oldham (Come in, Oldham, let s hear about you - editor).

Forming a band means plenty of hard work and practice, and a good musical director is needed ; but the result draws public attention to the Brigade and helps to enhance the image of St. John. So , musicmen - play.

W. B. Robinson, Corps Supt

A re Geli1t COflcert at the New Arts Cefltre (Photo : West Lancashire Vis tor) •

The great moment for the crowds in Kathmandu - the newly crowned King Birendra and his queen atop a royal elephant leave the palace area to see their people.

(Radiophoto: Associated Press)

Tvvice in a lifetime

A SJA member - at the court of lord Vishnu - sees the people of Nepal going to meet their King

AT 0837 o'clock precisely on 12 Phagun 203 I (February 24 1975) His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was crowned King of Nepal. The King, the 10th of the Shah Dynasty of Nepal, re-incarnation of tme HindU! God, the Lord Vishml, thU!s became olile of the yomngest cr@wliled monarclns and the only Hindu king in the world.

It was a day of brilliance in Nepal's capital. Kathmandu. Overnight rain had cleared the skies, the sun shone gaily all day. sparkling on the minarets, stu pas and pagodas of the city. Bunting, flags. and brightly coloured lanterms festoomed tme trees and buildings, and in the distance glittered the whi te Himalayan snows. The crowds cheered al'ld clapped as the King and Queen

138

rode by on an elephant, scarlet and gold caparisoned, bearing their dazzling gold howdah.

Good fortune

For me the @ay was dOl!lbly f©rtunate. Not only did I have the delight of beimg a lb le to witness such a grand, exotic occasion, but I also had the privilege and honour of having been asked to write and organise the medical plan for the event. Such good luck could come to a St. John man but once, so why the title (i)f the ffi.rticle? Some ten years ago when I was in Kenya. also as a member of Her Majesty's Forces and then of tine Kenya St. John Brigade. r was invited to plan the medical arrangements at the Kenyan

Planning

In July 1974 a small team from the British Military Hospital had completed a tliamslation of the St John First Aid Manual into colloquial Nepali in the Nagri script. It was the first time this had been done, and the work was carried out by Mr. Tekbahadur Gurung, Medical Assistant First Class in the I'Iospital's Casualty Department, Dr. Gyanbahadur Shrestha (both have subsequently been appointed Associate Serving Brothlers of the Order of St. John) and myself. When the manuscript was presented to the President of the Nepal Red Cross, HRH The Princess Princep Shah, the King's aunt, a tentative invitation was made to us to formulate the medical plan at the coronation some seven months ahead. When eventually the official invitation was made through the British Ambassador in Kathmandu, a great deal of preliminary plannimg had already beem completed Transport and drivers had been earmarked for the 300 mile, IS-hour journey from Oharan to Kathmandu. Petrol had been stockpiled in the city, as were drugs, dressings and resuscitation equipment. Names of volunteers from the hospital stafT had been collected, and refresher courses in first aid started. The Dharan Red Cross attended first aid classes and those successful were duly awarded their St. John First Aid Certificate.

Then followed a series of meetings at which casualty collection, stretcher bearer work, and casualty clearance procedures were discussed and studied. Instructions were issued, the medical plan was completed, al'ld eventually a twenty strong team set out for Kathmandu. They travelled in three different forms of transport, for the road is long, breakdowns not unknown, and it had to be taken into account that possibly some of the team might fail to arrive! Fortunately, no hitches occurred.

In Kathmandu

Independance celebrations. On that day it wa s the Brigade which issued the invitation and carried out the duty, with Red Cross assistance. This time it was the Nepal Red Cross which took the leading part, with a ssistance from the small St. John Association Centre at Dharan, im Eastern Nepal. where I al11 Commanding Officer of the British Military Hospital. Nepal is a Red Cross country. with a young but thriving st. John Association. and so it was considered wrong to try to introduce a SJ element and po ss ibly under-mine the local good efforts of the Red Cross I therefore joined the local Red Cross in Dmaran, as their committee s medical advisor, on detachment as it were from the Overseas Branch of St. John Headquarters. London.

in the interest of security, on vehicles moving about. So the plan was redrawn to comprise four posts at key positions, each provided with two ambulances, one in a static role acting as the post, the other poised for quick get-away if required.

The great day arrives

A final meeting on the evening before the day: We revised street first aid procedures, casualty collection and clearance, our contingency plans in case of a post becoming immobilised, or an ambulance being lost, and emergency plans in case of disaster, and then an early night at the British Gurkha Transit Camp, where we were all staying. Up well before dawn on the day, we drove carefully through the eady morning fog to the assembly area; the car park of the Royal Nepal Airways Corporation offices in the city centre. There we met our other vehicles and dispersed to our positions.

One post was outside the Hanuman Dhoka, the Palace of the Monkey God's Gate; the second remained at the Royal Nepal Airways Corporation Offices car park, with responsibility for the surrounding roads and the west side of the Tundikhel, the parade ground where the Great Durbar was to be held later in the day. The third post at the southern end of the Tundikhel took care of the populace on that part of the area, as well as the assembly area for the procession nearby. The fourth and biggest post was on the east side of the Tundikhel, with a large geographic area to cover including the whole length of the R{!)yal Mall.

districts, many in traditional costumes. The road was full of people going to meet their King.

While this was all going on the first aid post received a steady trickle of visitors. Blisters, headaches, sore eye, a few sprains - nothing serious, though we did give a precariously perched Lancer clinging to his bucking steed a few judicious glances.

The King!

Then suddenly everything changed. The populous was on its feet, cheering, clapping. The streets reverberated with drums and music There were bands in scarlet and silver, sousaphones bellowing, kilted Gurkhas skirled merrily, the Lancers fluttering scarlet gonfalons, then a great concourse from the Houses of Parliament, a band of traditional musicians with cymbals, more drums and temple horns sounding, followed by a double row of ineense bearers purifying the way. And behind all this glittering array came the elephant procession. First the princes and princesses the blood royal, then the high priests and dignitories and above all, following, towered the golden houdah, and sitting there, very visible to all of u s, seemingly almost within arm's length, their Majesties the King and Queen of Nepal. The King royal, indeed, both in bearing and appearance - in his robes, wearing the pearl and diamond crown with a flowing plume of bird of paradise feathers; the Queen beautiful, young, smiling and waving to the people, and the people cheering back!

For those in England, used to the Brigade coverage of State occasions, to sally forth to a coronation with no more than thirty people (first-aiders, drivers and doctors) to cover four miles of roads and a million spectators may sound audacious, if not downright stupid. Yet that was all we had. So to try to CCDve li the area as best we could devised a plan based upon two permanent posts, with a very small stafT, until the crowd had built up, and three mobile posts, each leapfrogging down back streets to keep ahead of the main procession. Finally the mobile posts were to have ended up with the two permanent posts sited at the large open area in the centre of the city, where the King was to mold his Grand Durbar. Unfortunately, a day or two before the coronation this plan was vetoed by the police who were not keen,

At 6am we were all in positior. shivering in the morning mist, for it is cold in Kathmandu, 4,500 feet above sea level, at that time of the day. The streets were almost empty and we passed the time by patrolling, getting ourselves known by the police and troops on duty and by the crowds as they increased. Then suddenly out of the mist came the muffied sound of a band, soldiers marching , lancers clattering by, and the King and Queen passed in their coach on the way to the Hanuman Dhoka, the ancient place of crowning.

By mid-morning the fog had cleared, the King had been crowned, 101 cannon had boomed in salute, and the pavements were packed with flag-waving people. Everywhere there was the spirit of carnival, the crowd enjoying themselves. And then came the elephants moving slowly from the processional assembly area to the south.

Each one a huge beast caparisoned in scarlet, with golden howdahs, twenty-three animals in all, and in their midst the mammoth tusker upon which the King was to ride; all the howdahs were empty at this stage, on the way to the Hamuman Dhoka. Other groups of men and bands appeared, girl guides, boy scouts, youth groups, and representatives from outlying zones and

Everything else seemed an anticlimax. One remembers a kaleidoscope of colours and flags, uniforms and dresses of women and children in their thousands walking in the procession. Then the Grand Durbar on the Tundikhel.

And finally - and most moving - the King and Queen in their open state coach returning to the palace along the Royal Mall, driving into the falling dusk, as the sinking sun set fire to the snows beyond.

No problems

What a glorious day it had been! The landscape, the very mountains and the sunshine had saluted the King and with them the people rejoiced. How fortunate we had been to have witnessed a spectacle so exotic and majestic. Fortunate too with our work; we had experienced no problems. Of a hundred or so casualties none had been serious. Some faints, a fracture or two, a few lacerations from the over enthusiastic trying to climb railings; nothing to cause sadness. And so tired but happy after almost 12 heurs of continuous duty, we made our way back to the transit camp. Tomorrow the long drive back home. We had experienced sights and sounds to last a lifetime, stories to tell our grandchildren!

BV Lt. Col. W. E. I. FORSYJIH-JAUCH

EVERY DAY FIRST AID

- an easy-to-understand series of advice that will help YOU to cope witlh FAMILY ACCIIDENTS

SHOCK

by Dennis Clark, Mf3IE, fRes

SHOCK, tli!€ conditi0n of a casualty apart from the itself, shows as a grCH!lJD of symptoms and signs varying from to most severe. The simplest of shock, contained in The Essentials of First Aid (1 is that it is due t@ a failure of the circulation of blood in brain and so embarrasses the vital fumctions (1)f the body, breatiiling, blood circulation aNd cOflsGiouSfless.

In faintimg (nervous shock) the brain circulation is by evel'lt; pain, wCilrry, bad mews, tme sight of blood, overheating, or one of many W € have all seen it. A lady tUIinS pale, complains of feeling faint, sighs or gliOans and subsides limply uncc)Flscious to the floor, or, if fortuflate, int(1) a chair. Sme may m())rmentarily stiffen, stop breathing, go slightly blue and twitch before she brealtiles again, then ope!il her eyes amd regain c(msciousl'less. The pulse might be found to disappear as she faints, tCJ r€turn weak at first but becoming st r onger and more rapid dlllliing recovery.

At the stage of feeling f aint, gU1ide your patient t@ a chair, reassure meF, Fe lease clothing around tme !ileck and waist, seat her and them bend her head forward between the knees. But - tli!ere are a few tricks to learn in d@img tli!is. Mah the c b: air cannot sLip backwards, Place y@lur hamd behind the patient's head to hold firmly Ibetween the knees. fut one of your own knees forward underr the patient's shoulder to tah the weight if she does lose consciol!lsness

Otherwise it is safer to lie ygur pati€n,t OM the flooli and be prepared to raise the feet.

Tme cause of fainting (nerve shock) is a single stress wmich may be repeated but mot necessarily associated with physi1cal damage.

Recovery is invariable in the absence of other illness or imjury though, as in accidemt , injury can not only cal!lse fainting but may add ano,uher source of shock such as bleed ing.

In bleeding tm@ sigms a!ild sYlililptoms of shock corme on more sl@wly.. such as simple fractures of arm orr lower parts of the l@g, or wounds with slight blood loss,

produce little slwck. Some pallOF, witm sweating of the Ibrow, faintness, mausea , limpm€ss and a te m porary increase in pulse rate , may result. The oondition iml"fOves wh€n the casualty lies d(')wn is protected with a blanket, is i1eassured and when the injury is treated. If bleeding is severe Oli

Gontinuous from a wound, or fracture in the uhigh or: pelvis, or is hlidden, shock increases with a rapidity that matches the blood loss.

T he patient's pallor becomes dusky, sighing develops into air humger, thirst becormes a complaJi mt, nausea progresses to vomiting, quietness is replaced by feeble and troubled Iiestlessness, a rising is fe>und (if rewrds are made) together with weakening of the b>eat, and consciousness passes througm abnormal stages to \!lnconsciousness.

Diagnosing severe shock a!ile obtaining imrrnediate aid are essentials in first aid, 1m the meamtime the aim is to prevent further deterioration through gentle handlililg , correct posture, carefl!ll protectioTrl and reassuramce. Lie the casualty down, if

need be im the Recovery Position and if possj@le on a bed or stretcher so that the foot

Call'l raised 50 oem imeter s (18 inches) fui gfueli troan the head. Cover the casualty wilfillJ one blaNket t Q) protect against cold, but do not overheat, for a flushed skin takes blood more usefully circu[ati!ilg in the brain. Keep mot bottles and too many blankets away Confidently reassure and comfort your casualty but refuse to give drinks that caTil be Handle gemtly; touch can speak louder tJhan your voice. Maintain a minim u m of ID'I ovement, for it is heartrending when bleeding has been contro ll ed to see bl(l)od seeping through the dn3ssings again beealUse of clumsy handling.

T here aFe more variations in the pattern of shock. The onset can be delayed. A casualty wlflose l[mb has been crushed, possibly for an hour or two, may not show damage in the li foFl b Plor symptoms of shock until after r€lease. A first -aider must be ready for this nd arrange transport urgently to hospital, watching for and treating shock if it develops. The same may be true of extensive burns where the casualty's general condition 1iFlay appear surprisingly good for a m hour or two. Make no mistake, brook flO delay, h ans port that casualty to hospital before shock develops.

Tmen there are the patients with shock liflked to severe illness. Serious shock can be associated with a heart attack and, to

complicate matters, the casualty may be unable to lie down without increasing distre s s. Like those with chest and abdominal injuries, he will have to be helped to find and be supported in the most comfortable position, often sitting up. Give the rest of the treatment for severe shock but be prep3lred to use cardiac resuscitation should the heart stop.

The pattern of shock accompanying acute

Makes

YOl!l feel doesn't -t? I

_ Tas t€ y 40th anniversary party of BJristol F i shponds Nursing D vision. (L to R) Miss J Stevefls , Mrs. E Biggs, 0 0 Mrs. E. Marti n (Div. found er), Miss 1". Nash and Mrs. J. Hi c ks

abdominal emergencies is linked with the pain of the cause or, like the shock attending severe diarrhoea and vomiting, may be due to loss of fluid.

Like a lot of other conditions, diagnosis is the most important first aid measure. Look for the symptoms and signs of shock in anyone with persistent abdominal pain, for by arranging early medical advice and supervision a life can be saved.

Take care a fainting

Gasualty cannot falloff the chair

READERS VIEWS

MOORGA "F E

from Miss I. D. Williams, Nursing MembelT

I was out rr aged to read in a dail y newspaper tllie story @ I a St. JoInn membe r (Mike W@06S, 13erl<shire) €Iis (l: iplined after mis seven h@u rs <o f frirst-ai@ performed at the M0@rgate 'ifuh>e disaster. 'J raveU,i Ng frem his home on his d ay off, paying his ®wn taxi fares, his <offerr of liIel p was re a(Ciily aGGewted at t he site ehh€ @isaster, y€t MiF. W C>00S has been se y,€ rely reprimand €di for wO Fkimg ®utsi <!l e fuis own St. J @m n area.

A S(tmthem area st aff oftker, Gomdemnimg mis a (l: tions, statect that members shol'lld aG U(i)nly ®n a 'ca ll -out plan'. How ridi Gll lous! Mamy me mbers, I aJilil sure, must ha ve sto p p€C2i and help€cl at RT A's amd Iil1wltiple pile -u JD aC(l:i C2i emts - withe>ut st @ppimg te think if they were im their ewn areas elr mot.

iFhl is imcid€flt has certainly dishearteN@Q me a nd mamy fell (;Jw, nnembers o f !'lily divisi (1)O. Let us re memhe r that nhe Su Jelhn is a voluntary organisation and unnelDessary tape and bureaucratic staff effkers do n@thing tID recruitment. What is our motto, by t he way?

'Fe F the Servie€ of Mankind' <OF 'for tfu e Servi(l:e ef eU F Staff OfrlliC€ FS'? Warrington 1. D. Wilson

Edit: A f\!l r t ner six lette r s, e*wrress ing similar views tOJ Miss Wi lSON have been on this subjeGt. 'J llis month's AT RANDOM (page 125) also deals with the qu est ion of JiTile m bers ' involvement at the sce roe @ f aocidents. incidents and majer incidents.

The fel1(i)wing letter on this appeared in t me LISlIil @o n Evening News ef May 12.

NO

As a m€mber of St. J0hFl Arn13>ulance 13rigacle for 4'0 yeaFs, I think }leur edi t erial 'Wmat a way to treat a hero' (May 5) was oFle-sided We in thle Brigade de> mot want to be trea ted as hem€s. We kn 0> w that <om t he eGcasion of any maj®r aeciC2iernt tee maIilY helpers are e ver y, bit as bad ·as tOJ O few. For t his reaso m there is a call-ohl li systelilil t o

"'And w/,q/s wt'ong

llJitn cRAil/NY KNOTS?

flo1iJI'Ig Nt'lmpudc"1':c!

views and IiJlplrnlOns, which should be sernt to tim e Editor, published ar e Flot rn ecessarily by the Edit@ r or the Order af St. John and its Foundations. Although readers \1l'i1a y pl!.lblished letters wi tm a pern-name, writers must supply their Iila me and to the editor.

ensure the adequate bm t orderly coverage of shlGh an event as Moergate.

There were !iFl amy \ililembers el f the Brigade standing by - m any of tm em ml!lc\rl c\ose F t o the sceFle t han MiGhael Woods

In an y organisatiom, but partic w-Iarly iN St. J oInn , me m bershi p calls for a high degree of discipline an d team w®rrk. If every me mber of the Brigade had acted as WISl@ds did it would have resulted in chaos.

New So u thga t e R C. Howard

APRIL REVIEW

from Major-Gen. Oesmond Gordon, Commissioner-in-Chief WInile lying in bed a bO l!l t o f bronchiti s, I have read the Apr il St. J ohn R evi ew wit fu more than passing interest.

A tm o lilg its contents tInere a re three o utstaNding eontributions of a widely d itferelilt nature. 'fh e firs t is a fascinatimg article entitled 'First Aid AtiI@at' by Miss Vivytmne Ronaasen of the Reading Southern Combined Division. T hI@ second is entitle d Com b ined Division by Miss Lilian Riley @f the PrestO N You th Cembined Division. The third is a bri @ f report headed Bomhs by Mrs S M. Rushton of Ward ENd! Combined D ivi sion, West Midlands.

All three oontributions iIlustrate in thei r ow n very different way the spirit of advent l!lr e, of eflt erprise and of imitiative which t oday is so t y pic a l of the sp irit shown by memhers of St. John Ambulance go in g about thlei li dut ies to the 00mmu nity up and down t he country.

Mrs. Rusht o n's commem t at the end of he r report 'F inally t her e was nothimg else wit cou ld do .. . we colilected our things from the hotel an @went bae k to our duty at the Co-op rooms .' Just what can one say after that !

r womld like to thin k tfuat every member of tIne Bri ga de would ha ve the oJl)JDortunity te read these contributioms. If SQ, li ke me , they would be filled with pride amd I mope a determ,ina t ion no follow suc h spl lt ndid examples.

r no te that all ttuee c o ntrib wtions came from Combined Divi sio ns. London HQ D. S Gordon a Lcosen all light dotAinfJ and treatfa,. shocK." St. J olln stories

(in pictures)

COMMANDER (B"other)

Kemmebhl Menberfi Walter, MRCS LRCP (Berks.)

William Harris (Hants.)

C lal1 d e Allam Osborne (Midldx.)

lDemn is Orlik (Bucks.)

C0MMANDER (Sister)

Ruth Mrs. Timmis (Cambs.)

OFFICER (BI' ether.)

C(!)L George F mtmam Appleton, aB E, TD , DL (M erseys ide)

GCDrdon Alexander Ogilvie Thoms®n, CB'E (Sussex)

Ter ence Leavy (Camos.)

Sidlmey William BroGm (Lolildon)

CG L Don a ld Normam Stewart, MRCS , LRCP, DLO (Londo n)

F r ederick Jone s, BiEM (Lo nd on)

iEGiWa rd St a nley Steele (C0rnwa ll

U. Col. Andrew Jardine, DL, JP (ILGndon)

Arbmur Oscar Smith (MeFseysi de )

Co l. T1 h @ma s Henry L ear mont Bryson, TD , ME, Chl. B, FFA RCS DA (Merseyside)

lIf heodo r e Thomas Durmaresq (Surrey)

[L t. Col. Geoffrey Nigel Hi g ham , AMBIM (S urr ey)

lEarnest R eg inald George Pearce (Avon)

Ea rn est George Ba rnard , OBE, MA (Hants.)

Do na ldl Bertram Pool, ESc., AIM (Halesowen)

Major Alan John Morris Reese, TD, MA, lMS SA , FRC.Path (London)

Ric,: h a rd Micmael BUFton , MA , MB, Ch.B, B.SG., FRCS, MRCOG (Bucks.)

les lie Eoynton Hartley (N. Yorks.)

OFFICER (Sister)

Dorotlly Annie, Mrs. Moss SRN, SCM (Berks.)

Col. K at h leen Grimshaw, ARRC, S RN (Ha n ts.)

Doris Hilda , Mrs. Rudd (Birmingham)

Lou ise, Mrs. R u s hton (Ca nno ck)

Gladys May, Mrs. Paver (Guernsey)

Dor is Dale, M r s. Cox (Humberside)

Margaret, Mr s. Crmlch (London)

Ele ano r , Mrs. Saflkey (C heshire)

Pearl Kay Dorothy, Mrs. H arris (S taffs .) Irene Joyce, Mrs. Wheatley (W. Micllands)

Clarice , Mrs Riddington (Leics.)

Clalir e Grace, Mrs. La mble y (Derbys.)

Major Mary Elizameth Hitcncock RR C, SRN (Han ts.)

Li lian K a e Mi ss Jefferso n (W. M idla fl d s)

Mari o n Dorothy , Miss T ickne r SRN SCM, OND (London)

15dl'la Wendy, Mrs. Jacobs SRN, SCM (Isle of Wi g ht )

SERVING BROTHER

Charles Warne (Corn wall)

Alfue rt Edwa rd S m ith (Devon)

J ohl m James Coba in (Essex)

Ha rrry D ow n FIAO

Pe err I a n Eva ns Greaves (Oerbys.)

Eric D igby /Bowd ( K e n n)

WiU,iam George Watts (Ha n ts.)

Regi lila id Phil ip Meredith (A vo n)

Frederick Tho mas T o mlin so n (London)

R (j) ber t C h a rle s Carney (LiVlerr p oo\)

H a rr y J a m es Parker Tu cker, JiIP (IDevon)

Te ren ce William Ha n cock (De f bys. )

SJIlencer Cmarles Bwm JDstea d (Kent)

Harold R oy Wills (LoflGlon)

Reg in a ld H obbs (Co rn wa ll)

ff omln P atr ick Collier (Manches ber)

Brian 6dwa rcl Jiarvis (Essex)

{,J,eo rge H enr §' Gregory (No tt s )

John S t l1art Brown (Kem )

h lill es William Carpen t er (Essex)

Harry Ga rn ett, SRN, RM'N (G tr. Manchester)

Kenne h Wilce Cam pbell (Hereford & Worc.)

Plnilip E dw ar d Webster Wray (Essex)

John Fifield, MRCS , IL RCP ( Kent )

Albert Edwa r d Michael Ralp m ( Derbys.)

Edga r George Bull (B ri sto l)

Ro berrn J ames Barrell (Kent)

Willi am Hemry Kay (Liverpool)

Arthur Leslie P icku p (Lancs.)

Geor ge Singleton (MidGlx.)

Frederick T y ler ( Kent)

P ete r Leedmam (S. Humberside)

Romald C lo se Hans H a m lton (Derbys.)

Arthur fvafl Durmam ( Devon)

Ro y Walter Les lie Scrih>bins ( London )

Cecil M a rk Lin g (Essex)

hck H a worth (Cornwall)

T hie R ev. Cano n Charles Howard Bo s tock , MA ( H ants.)

Raymond Fra nci s Giles (London)

Robert J o hn Penfold (Berks.)

Frederick George W lso n (Derbys.)

Geo rge William Levy (Hants.)

Denis William Brace y, Cm.M. FRCSE (Cambs.)

David J o hn Taylor JP (Humberside)

Henry Davidson (Surrey)

William John Newbury (Bristol)

David J a m es Po kin g horne (Cornwall)

Harr y M cCall um (Herts.)

Arthu r Henry Mile s (Middx.)

Charles Kenneth Makin-Taylor LDS FRSH (Cl!Imbria)

Warr. Off. Partick John Drur y (B ucks.)

J a m es Dowglas John Creecm (Berks.)

Anthony Be rtram Sayer (Mi ddx .)

Thom as William J oh n Chal'ley (Bucks.)

J oh n Allan M acLean Derb ys.)

Alfred David Henl ey, FICAP (Devon)

Harry Schofield (Essex)

Robin William Eve r sfield (Kent)

H arold Ed wi n Churchill (Somer set)

Kenneth Granville Black well (Glos.)

Alfred George Jewell (Hants.)

Wg Cd r. Henr y Howard Drummofld AFC

DFM (Essex)

Richard Woodls (Merseyside)

William Henry Dib d in (S. Humberside)

John Scrivener Birch MB, Ch.B, MRCGP

DR COG (S. Humberside)

Vi c tor Reginald Evans ( Hereford)

Poor old Fred

Victor Alfred Farmer (Kent)

William Leo na rd Davie s (Hereford & Worcs.)

Geo r ge E rne s t A t kinson , FIMTA , DPA (Humberside)

J ac k Wal s h (Lancs.)

Ernes t George ArtMur Wr ght ( London)

ASSOCIATE SERVING BROTHER

David Bre s h (London)

SERVING SISTER

Iren e, Mr s. Clarke ( Yorks.)

Mabel Florence, Miss Jenkinson (Cleveland)

Winifred Doroth y, Mi ss Taylor (London)

J oy Ol ive, M iss Napper: (Sussex)

Mar ga ret , Mrs Cordle (Wores.)

Gladys Mar y, Mr s. Cook (London)

Marg a ret , Mi ss Chandler (Middlesborough)

D o rothy Florence May Mrs Hunt (Sussex)

Mary Mi

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Torphichen

The committee and tme association held a very successful wine and cheese PMty in the St. John Hall on March 21, whem over £80 were raised and several new members were recruited for the association.

Throughout the year the Torphichen Youth Association, together with young mem bers of their concert group from Bathgate, have performed for old people in many hospitals and clubs, inchading iBangoUf, Gogarburn and, at Christmas, Tippethill hospitals. They entertain with singing, music and highland dancing, the last accompanied by a young piper from the Torphichen and Bathgate Pipe Band. Between June 29 and July 12 they will be visiting Kreis Arnsberg in West Germany, together with the Torphichen and Bathgate Juvenile Pipe Band. About 38 young people and eight adults will travel to Kreis Arnsberrg by coach and be accommodated in the homes of German families while they give concerts in several holiday resorts in the

Edinburgh

On April 4 tlile committee organised a coffee morning and sale of work at which nearly £60 were raised. On the following night a ball, attended by ahout 200 people, was held at Fettes College by kind permission of Mr. Chevenix -Trench; the proceeds are to be donated to the Cancer Research Fund and our Order. Meanwhile the boys of the Fettes Youth Association have been concentrating this winter on providing andrntting intereommunieation and electrical door-opening deviees for the elderly a md the handicapped.

At the reeelilt Cheshire county celiTlJ5letitions held at Crewe, tine local divisions s€orec;j S0me filile su€cesses. (gelow) Crewe Nursing (Division's team -1st. (Right) Crewe AmID l!J lal'1ce Cadet Divisiolil - 2nd (Below, right) Crewe NursilOlg Cadet Division -1 st and also winners of the unif0rliTl Trophy. Phew! - Alll'1ost too good (for some) to be true. Whotos: Crewe Chronicle, and Chester Chronicle)

News from Divisions/Centres

They're brainy, buglers and beaut Derbyshire's Bakewell Combined DivisiGln s Bi rr k ifil sfuaw, Bralimwell, Cadet Alison Jl!Jcditlil Carole Jackson and Gillian Nayl(;H won the county youth quiz, play bugles in the SJA High Peak Area band, and (Photo: Buxton Advertiser)

Heave! Nursing Cadet Ju ia Major is being stretchered up the c liff by Coastguarcd and SJA members from St Ives at a recent demonstratieJlOl wlnich also involvecl helicopter from Culrose. (Pheto : S Bennetts, St. Ives)

CHESHIRE Northwich Nursing

Member Katie Kyle, on a recent visit to Malta with her parents, called on the island's Brigade and presented them with a pamphlet about NQ rthwich SJA.

LONDON -A get-to-know-us evening organised by 346 Hatcham Combined Division , New Cross, for which 500 leaflets were distributed, resulted in 10 people who showed much interest in the Division attending a screening of the film The Order of St. 101m and demonstrations by members.

SUFFO LK - Prompt action by two SJA Ipswich members - Cpl. Pickless, Whitton Division, and AIM Lionel Green, Gippeswyk Division - probably saved the life of an Ipswich football supporter who collaps@d while returning on a special train from :Birmingham.

OBITUARY

Miss Joan Margaret Cross, 43, Divisional Superililtendent, Peel House Nl!lrsing Cadet Division, Hull, since 1961. Although abol.!lt to undergo a serious operation, Miss Cross attended her Division until Easter. Serving Sister.

ST JOHN REVIEW

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.6 (75) CompiladbyW.A.Pottar

Across:

I. Broken vails with a glandular secretion. (6) 5. A thousand differ€lnt clues fror this tissue. (6) 8. Pods infrused to produce laxative. (5) 9. It is following a reverse to infection in the ear. (6) 10. Reptile found in Cornwall. (6) 11. Not extraordinary. (5) 14. Hears a note at the funeral. (6) 16. Girdle composed of clavicles and scapulae. (8) 18. Dandy uses sea-air for vasomotor disorder oharacterised by 'dead fingers'. (8.7) 20. Stand with legs astride an object. (8) 21. Pain in the heart or throat. (6) 24. Language derived from local anaesthetic container. (5) 26. Part of eye which may be detached. (6) 27. Available for duty, if required. (2.4) 28. Ring for the hangman. (5) 29. Grieve a mental disturbance. (6) 30. Attacks of dyspnoea often a manifestation of 13 down. (6)

Down:

I Scab of necrotic tissue is a quagmir e. (6) 2. Cut lino in tlile small of the back. (4) 3. As certain to give confidence. (6) 4. Surgical condition of intestines characterised by red-currant jelly stool. (15) 5. Bony prominences of tibia and fibula at the ankle. (8) 6. Painful fissure of the skin for a man. (4) 7. The last sense organ to make lovable. (6) ]2. Twelv@ pairs of nerves from · the underside of the brain (7) 13 Hypersensitiveness to foreign proteins (7) 15. Absolutely correct from a part of the play. (5) 17. Ruhr city with seAse deviation. (5) 19 Fever caused by Brucellae and spread by infected milk. (8) 20. Type of fracture of tibia caused by, rotational injury. (6) 21. True breathlessness. (6) 22. A cricket team all b>ack in the armpit. (6) 23. Part of the brain including the pons and medulla. (4) 25. Foolhardy skin eruption. (4)

Solution to Crossword No.5 (75)

Across:

I. Pes planus; 6. Ab .as h; 9. Bolster; 10. Ectopia; 11. Sore; 12 Pate: 13. Carat: 16. PaLate; 17. Bad taste; 20. To.xi.city; 21. Sp.lin t: 23. Issue: 25. Emus: 26. G.all; 29. Alleg.lio; 31. Filling ; 32. Yeast; 33 Abdominal.

Down:

I. Pub.is: 2. Solar plexus; 3 Late; 4. Normal; 5 Skeletal: 6. A.t.tic: 7 Asp: 8. Heart -felt; 14. Respiration; 15. O(p)tic: 16 Pituitary: 18 Tape: 19. At.hero.ma: 22. Puffed ; 24. Erg.ot; 27. Leg.al: 28. Slim: 30. Lea.

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Tosaa or not tosaa

• . that • IS the quastion

TO SEE or not to see. That is the question today for hundreds (')f t.housands of men, WID Mol en and crulclreFl in the Miclclile Eas t who sl!lfTer from eye diseases and the threat of blindness. The hID ped fO F answer cam only be given provided the St. John OphthaLmIc MID spital in Jensalem is quickly a md generol!lsly assured emough money t(') enable it t(') keep open its doors - doors which have not !.dosed for nearly lOO years.

The c(')mpassionate we>rk of the Order of St. John is warmly acclaimed both in the United Kingdom and in many other parts of the world. This w0 rk, m(')wever, is mainly identifi ed im the m inds ID f most people with the first aid services to the community carried out by the thousands of uniformed volunteers, men , women and young cade t s, who are memb e rs of the St. John A lilil bulan c e and wh o umstintingly give their time to publi c duties at places (')f entertainment, at sports meetings of all kinds and , in fact, on all occasioms when Gf(')w,ds gather amd acci @ents could happen. But there is another faGet of the Order s chari t able work of a rather different nature which is not nearly so well known and which deser ves much wider recQgmi t i@m if omly because it is concem e@ with the preservation (')f sight and the prevemtion and cure of diseases of the eyes including one of the most widespread Gauses of human blindness.

This great wmk in the field e>f medicine is undertaken in the Middle E ast where the Order of St. John first p M t down its roots nearly a thousand years ago. T here, ilil t he ancient city of Jerusalem, one of the world's busiest ophthalmic hospitals , founded in 1882 and reb l!l!i lt ilil 19t!)0, is f,i ghting the battle against blindness right in t he heart of a part e>f the world where eye diseases are rife and where, had it not been fm the hos p ital and the skills of its d octors and nurses, Ii'll!l mdreds e>f thousands of people , including many children and the very poor would now be totally b lind

During the last five years alone nearly 136 ,000 new patients ha ve been treated and more th an 25,000 e y e o perations have been performed there; and in t hat relatively short time attendan ces at the hospital have exceeded 316 ,000.

REVIEW AT RANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Com missioner-in-Chief

Installation of the Grand Prior p.150

lF arewell - a nd Welcome p 153

The SJA - men of Filey , p.1 54

St. John and the Duke , by Bob Mann p 156

Arou lil d and About , by the Editor p.158

Aftermath of fun p 161

Missionaries wi t h wings p.162

Family Accident s : Poisoning , part 1 , by Dennis C ark p.164

No 7 Region competitions p.165

Readers Views p 166

News frollil Scotland - St. John stories p 16B

Order In v estiture , May22 , 1975 p.169

Field tr ials in Iran, under the direction of Professor Ba r rie Jone s of the Insti t ute of Ophthalmology are investigating the use of a drug which can be taken in tablet form and which appears to g ive s atisfactory protection from trachoma. Confirmat iQ lil , ho wever , is still awaited following further clinical trials and observation.

Now this great hospital is faced with a financial crisis brought about m ai nly by t h e e Iil0 rmOl!lS i nc rease im running and mainte mance costs. Price rises of basic commoditie s and ne w equipment due to inflation in Israel , amounting in some instances t o 200 % , have placed he hospit ali' s fiman oes in a p arlous state It is most grievous to the Order of St. John that it has recently become neces s ary for the first t ime, to introduce modest charges for p a tients - but not however for e rm ergency reat mle n ts Iil o r for children under the age of three , nor at the hospital s discretion , for anyone in financial need.

Bl!lt this add hi onal revenue will not be nearl y enough to overcome the crisis and the Order is currently appealing for £2 ,000 ,000 to ensure that the hospital's dedicated care of peopl e su ffering from ey e d isease and its fig lh t to combat blindnes s ma y long continue without distinction of race , class or creed

Anyone wishi mg to know more about this aspec t of the work o f the O rder of St. John is invited te> write to the Director of Public Relations, 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SWI X 7EF. (Telephone: 0 1- 235 523}).

In addition to the day-t o -day W0fk of Gar img f0 r t h0 se who tl!l m to it for treatment and care the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital ha s bee ro dl!lnng t me past twenty years in an iro tensive rese a rch programme into the causes and cure of trachoma. Prior to thi s @fTort relatively little was known about the disease which , even today is still the greatest single c a us @of lDlindness , affiicting some 400,000,000 people in many parts of the world Two decade s of unremitting wo rk, however , first in Jerusalem and later in Africa ; in the laboratories e>f the I nstitute 0f Op h thalmology in London and in Iran in conjunction with the Public Health Department in Teheran, has led to results of profound importance. It is a legitimate hope that 197€) will see the successful culmination of this pioneering research

Ne ws from Divisions/ Centres p.170 EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS

BY the time that you read this, His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester will have been installed as our new Grand Prior in succession to -his father, the late Duke, in a ceremony at the Grand Priory Church in Clerkenwell which is described and illustrated on page 150 It is a tremendous joy to all of us that through the appointment of our new Grand Prior the long-standing and very active involvement of his family in the work of the Order and its Foundat ions should be maintained and indeed given further strength; for in His Royal Highness we have one who has not merely been Commandant-in-Chief of Ambulance Corps and Divisions but who not long ago attended a first aid course and re-examination to keep his knowledge up to date and renew the validity of his certificate; while the Duchess of Gloucester was for a time a staff officer at Brigade Headquarters and holds valid certificates in both first aid and nursing. Their keen and active interest is a challenge and an inspration to us all.

Retired

I cannot let St. John's Day pass without expressing a brief but most sincere tribute in this column to Lt-General Sir William Pike, who retired at the end of June from his appointment as Chief Commander, and to Sir Hilton Poynton who has likewise retired from his appointment as Director Overseas. For the past ten years Sir William has devoted himself with the utmost dedication to the service of St. John - first as an additional Deputy Commissionerin-Chief for one year, then for seven years as Commissioner-in -Chief, during the course of whtch he became the first Chief Commander of the newly merged St. John Foundation, and for the last two years he has carried on as Chief Commander after handing over his appointment as Commissioner-in-Chief to General Gordon. The delicate task of drawing together the Association and Brigade branches of St. John Ambulance into a single Foundation, to the immense benefit of each, owes a very large measure of its success to his wise and firm yet tactful guidance and leadership, and his many friends in the worldwide family of St. John have more to thank him for than any mere words can adequately express.

.

Sir Hilton Poynton, after retiring from a distinguished career in the Colonial Office, was appointed in 1968 to take charge of the Overseas Department of St. John Ambulance and was the first head of that department to be designated Director Overseas. For the past seven years he has co-ordinated St. John activities in some 50 countries and territories overseas , helping contin ued on p 152

Installation of H R H li he Duke of Gloucester as

THE GRAND PRIOR

IT WAS the hottest day in London so far this year. There were pink, blue and yellow hats and dresses everywhere. The wailing of a siren in the street outside (an ambulance?) uneased the uniformed Brigade members among the packed rows of guests. This was the setting for the simple but moving Order service of installation of the new Grand Prior of the Order, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, in the Grand Priory Church of St. John at Oerkenwell on June 12.

In front of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, and the Duchess of Gloucester, the Lord Prior, Lord Caccia, quietly led the Duke with question and answer through The Oaths. After a fanfare of trumpets, the Order's Prelate, the Archbishop of

Canterbury, led the Grand Prior to the Chair of Dignity where, with all eyes on them, the simple statement of installation, sealed by the Duke's acceptance 'This will I do', was completed.

The Grand Prior then invested the Duchess of Gloucester, who walked with a stick due to a recent ski-ing accident, as Dame of Justice, kissing his wife's cheek. Also invested as Bailiffs Grand Cross were the Bailiff of Egle, Lord Cozens - H ardy; Major-General Sir Herbert Ralph Hone; Alpheus Gardner Williams, Prior for South Africa; Lord Aberdare, Prior for Wales; and Brigadier Sir Ian Fraser, Lieutenant of the Commandery of Ards. It was almost 36 years to the day that the Duke's father, the late Duke of Gloucester, was installed as Grand Prior on June 24 1939.

The Grand Prior, rising from the Chair of Dignity with the Swo rd in his hands, says This will do .'

The Grand Prior , having investe d his wi f,e he Dwcliless of Gloucester, adds a homely touch (Right) The Lord Prior, Lord Caccia

After the service the Grand Prior the Great Officers, the Bailiffs Grand Cross and the Priors left the church in procession for Chapter Hall

and guiding them with the wisdom of his experience yet leaving them with the greatest possible measure of autonomy appropriate to the situatiON of each. 1m pa rticular, he has guided and spons0red the development of St. John in a number of countries which have attained independent status during or shortly before his period of office. They will be the first to acknowledge how much they owe to him, and that no appeal that they have made to him for help and advice has ever been made in vain. And for those who have been privileged to work as his c0lleagl!les at Headquarters in London, no day has ever been so dark that it could not be brightened by the humour of his anecdotes and the radiant shafts of his epigrammatic wit.

To both Sir William and Sir Hilton we say a deeply sincere 'thank you', Wishing them many years of happy and fruitful retirement. Alild we warmly welcome Sir Mal!l rice

Dorman as our new Chief Commander aRd Sir Leslie Monson as our new Director Overseas, offering them a full measure of the same loyalty and support that their predecessors have received.

Travellers

1975 is proving to be an exceptionally busy year of overseas travel in comnectiolil with the Order and its FOl!lndations.

Overlapping my own visit to India, Nepal and Pakistan in February and March, our Chief President, Lady Brecknock, visited St. John Ambulance in Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. A few weeks later Lord Caccia, as Lord Prior, made an extensive tour of t he Priory in Australia, while at the moment of writing the CommissioNer-in-Chief is on his way back from a brief but very full programme of St. John visits across the whole breadth of the Priory of Canada, and the Chief Commander is spending part of his last month elf office in visiting the Priery for South Africa en route to attend the Jubilee of St. John Ambulance in the Commandery in Central Africa

Later in the year Mrs. Theo Ellert, a member of the Public Relations secretariat, will be visiting Jerusalem to gain first-hand information about the work of the OpAthahnic Hospital before she goes to visit the American Society of the Order of St. John, wAose members are very staulilch and generous supp®rters of tnat work. I'm SUl1e that it's of tremendol!ls value to the whole of St. John throughout the world - and not least to the ordinary members of local divisions and centres in distant places who may perhaps meet someone from LondoFl Headquarters once in a lifetime - that communications of this kind should be as well maintained as l1>0ssilble; and I h0pe we shall he able to publisA news and pictures of at least some (§)f these tours in forthcoming issues of the Review.

AT RANDOM

(contd. from page 149)

Knowing each other

It is equally iIJlportant to our communicati o)lls within the Uni,ted Kingdom th rut St. Jj OAIO members im aIllI parM @f the country should meet people from Headquarters often enough to feel that they know at least some of them as persons and not as remote figures whose names and appointments appear in the front pages of the St. John diary.

The Commissioner -in-Chief has given a splendi€i lead im this Fespect, amd all of us who serve umder hirn do our best to fellow his example. But, important though it is that we should attend official functiofls and large parades from time to time, these are not occasions when one really has a chance to meet people and get to know them. While holdiflg no one but myself responsible for the views that I'm expressing, my chief enjoyment whem visiting the i1Bri gade overseas has been going to ordinary divisioFlal training evenings and meeting the members and taking part in their activities; and this is something that I miss more than anything else in the programme of my duties in the home country.

The fact that I miss it wouldn t matter if it were not that believe tlhat this fG>rm of c®mmunicatiofl s of Feal valll!le to the Brigade: I'm absolutely certain that it's of immense value to me, by keeping me in touch with what goes on in the only unit of the Brigade which has a direct day-to-day contact with all sections of the community that we exist to serve - namely the DIVISION, whetroer adult or cadet.

Of cOl!u se I realise tha t e¥em if I managed t o visi,t two divisions in o rn e evening (say, a cadet division followed by an adult division), the total number that I could visit in one year would inevitably be very small; and that eveFl if others at HQ shared my views (as I'm sure they do, though YOl!l'll note that I haven't committed tihe m!), we could between us omly visit, in anyone year, aDmIt a couple of dozem of the 5,000 divisions (amult and cadet) in England alone, and if invitations started flooding in we

should regretfully be compelled to refuse a great many of them. But I still think it would be worth while.

Now please don t misumderstatld me. I'liJJ1. no t - ntpeat NOT - suggesting that individual divisions should write direct to HQ officials inviting them to drop in to their divisional training evening As a matter both of courtesy and of discipline, any such invitations should be conveyed through, and with the approval of, the Commissioner (and , where appropriate , the County Superimtendent am d /®r the CSO for Cadets).

Apart from anything else, a correct use of the proper ehannels would help to ensure that such occasions were geared to fit in with our overall programme and that not more than one or two were sent from anyone county in anyone year, which in turn would help to reduce the number of unavoidable refusals.

Welfare

The awards to the winners and runners-up in the first-ever Welfare Competition are to be presented at the Brigade Finals at Croydon on July 5. Welfare is not a subject that easily lends itself to assessment on a competitive basis , and when Sir Keith Joseph getlero msly prese nted I!lS with a Challenge cup for Welfare he also presented us with no small problem in devising a competition which would genuinely promote worth-while ongoing projects in community welfare.

The first year's competition has not merely produced some outstanding welfare projects which will undoubtedly be maintained and developed in future years, but has also made St. John members as a whole more fully alive to the need and the opportunities for them to become involved in the 'caring teams' for welfare in many sections of the community.

The conditions for the first year's competition were inevitably experimental, they will be very little changed for the coming year. Details are being published in the Brigade General Circular for July. I hope that many more divisions will plan to enter than on the first occasion, and if you are one of them please ask your county office to let you have a copy of July Brigade Orders and General Circ l!ll ar as soon as possible , so that yom plans can at once get off to a flying start.

You will notice that divisions which entered before (and that .includes the winners) are NOT being debarred from entering in two successive years; but that will not give them an unfair advantage over those en tering for the first time, for they will have tine harder task of showing the extent tCD which tJheir exis nililg projects have not merely comtililued bllt have developed and expanded during the year under review.

FAREWELL

AND WELCOME

Rescue-work is in their bloodwhether on land or the sea

THE SJA-MEN OF FILEV

SINCE Filey SJ A Division started life as a lusty infant in 1926 there has always been a close affinity between the Brigade and the other voluntary rescue and relief services in the town, In fact most of Filey's Brigade members, both past and present, have been closely, associated with at least one other voluntary organisation.

Being a seaside town with a thriving fishing and holiday industry, association with the sea has always been the primary local interest, so Brigade members have always had an inclination to favour the C0ast Life Saving Corps or the Lifeboat service as t h ei r other vocation.

Names from the past which most r eadily come to mind George Fairey , a founder member of the Brigade in Filey, who was superintendent in the '50s. George was alsQ leader of the Volunteer Rocket Brigade, a forerunner of the CLSC, a position he held for well over thirty years There was Torm WiUis, also superintendent, who was motor mechanic of the Filey lifeboat for many years. Bob Appleby, who followed Tom as mechanic, was also a Brigade member who

died from a heart attack while on lifeboat service last year. With these stalwarts the local SJ A tradition of service in sea rescue was born and still thrives

The arrival at Filey of an inshore rescue boat, p r ovided by the RNLI, s a w a res l!lf gence €)f interest in the Brigade for sea service and at present the crew members of the IRB, with one exception , are St. John members

During 1974 the Primrose Valiant, as the 3-man rescue boat is named, did not put to sea on service without at least two Brigade members as crew. W h. en there's a call the mrs t three t o a rrive go. Even the Division's President, Bob McKernal'l, manager of Barclays Bank and a land-lubber by birth who is not content to sit back and just be a President but takes his reexaminati o n in first aid every year, was bitten by the lifeboat bug. When the rescue rocke t s are fi r ed for a launch, more oft en than mot he 's the first man at the station.

Om IRE members co m e from at![ walk s of life. First and biggest is To n y Green all 6 feet 4 inches o f him, a joiner by trade and a

St. John member for 7 years ; he ha s a perpetual grumble - as the tallest member he s usuall y the one to get wet pushing the boat ofT! Bearded Graham Taylor , who la st year succeeded Bob Appleb y as mechanic , used o be an inshore fisherman an d joined Brig a de as an ll-year-old cadet ; he qualifies for his Service Medal next year

Two members of the teaching profession are John Ward and Chris Ware who are both comparative newcomers to St. John although John has taken on the job of officer-in-charge of t he Combined Cadet Divis ion which (with probationers ) ha s nearly gO members One-ti m e cade t Ri c ha rd Robinson, yet a nother 6-footer and an electrician b y trade has now re -joined the Brigade The rest of the crew are from the Police all st. John trained , with the exception of Peter Gra y - and the way the others are working on him it shouldn t be long before he too takes his first aid exam.

The File y IRS h a s olle g f t he fastes turnouts in t m.e co l!l ntry In 19 74 the shortes launch w as under four minutes , the quickest 90 seconds During 1974 the

Valiant wa s launched 16 times , and wa s re spo n sible fo r sav ing 26 li ves. T h e busiest 24 hours began on a Sunday in August , wfu elil 13 lives were saved - all from imfl atable s m all craft. Let us s ee what happened exactly at Filey on that Sunda y last August. The weather wa s lovel y du r ing the earl y part of the da y and St. John -trained Coastguard Harry G aze , who was on dut y, had nothing to do but watch the antic s of holidaymakers on the beach and in the sea. L ittle did he realise that this was to be o me o f the most m. ecti c after lil oon s he'd ever known in the service. At about 3pm the weather suddenly chan ged and an offs hore wind blew up At 3.Spm G aze received a di stress call ; three people in an inflatable dingh y were bein g blown out to sea At 3.7 the inshore re scue boat , m a nned by SJ A ' s Div. President Bob Me Kerlilan and A / Members Tay lor and Ward, PlU t t o se a By 3.12 it had r eached the dingh y and brought the three people to safet y A t 3 20 anoth er inflatable overturned and wa s s w ept awa y, leaving the g i rl occupant in the sea The ILB wen t to the scene and found that a s wimmer had reached th e girl a nd was keeping her afloat. The ILB to o k t he girl abo ard and landed her on the beach , from wher e she was brought to the Coa s tguard station suffering from severe exposure Au xiliar y Coastguards J Brown (File y SJ Supt. ) and SJ member John Thorpe -Willett , who had been called to the station in case of casualties treated the girl. At 3 36 the ILB was back on station. But at 3.40 an a irbed was se en being blown out to sea a t a r a te of knots The ILB was launched a t 3 .41 and reached the airbed at 3.48 , re s cuing t wo people from it. The I L B wa s th en redire cted after landing the se t wo to yet a no the r ov erturn ed dingh y, from which it rescued three people. A-t 3.50 the ILB also picked up an exhausted girl sw im mer from the sea.

The Grand Prior calls

On a Wes Cou ntry vi sit d t,J ring Ma y, the Gr an d Pri o r, th e D uke G GI Qt,J Ge s er , was w el co m ed at Exeter air p o rt b y a g u ard o f H onou r o 20 a mbu la n ce and 20 nurs in g cadets fr o

By 4 pm the ILB was back on station. At 4 10 it was launched again for another inflatable in trouble ; two people were picked up At 4 30 t he ILB was launched yet again , a nd picked up one person from a dinghy. The ex hausted ILB and crew were back o n st ation at 4.48pm - where the boat sta y ed for the rest of the day ( But at 4 50pm th e town s fire siren wailed and crew-member John Thorpe-Willett still on duty as a coastguard , hurried to the fire station - for he 's a volunteer fireman too!)

The offshore wind still blew strongly the next da y. At 12.33pm information was r ec ei ved at the Coastguard station that an inflatable (the y ju st won ' t learn) was drifting o ut to s ea , l lj2 mile s from th e beach , 3 mile s from the s tation The ILB was alerted at

12.34 and launched at 12.36 By 12.48 it had found the dinghy and rescued its three occupants and also a swimmer who was trying to push the dinghy shorewards The four youngsters were landed on the beach and taken by Coastguard Landrover to the station , where it was learned they were four brothers on holiday from Goole. The eldest, aged 19 was suffering from exposure So ended those hectic 24 hours

The first call of the 1974 season, however turned out to be a laugh. A distressed swimmer in a black bathing costume was found to be a seal disporting itself! And the last call proved to be the only casualty of the season. An angler fishing from rocks fell into deep water and despite all efforts of artificial respiration he did not respond

Other Divisional members who are in other rescue organisations include Tony Green (of IRB fame), who is a part-time fir e man and Jim Brown , Brigade superintendent, who is a Coast Life-Saving Corps member , an Auxiliary Coastguard , and a Special Constable!

With this wealth of Local SJ A experience and acti vit y , File y cadets get their full share of thrills and excitement from visits to lifeboat and coastguard stations and the fire service .

All of which , of course, helps to imbue them with the ideas behind ' Pro Utilitate Hominium ' A small scale cadet exercise involving all the re scue services held early this year was so successful that we are hoping there will be more - but on a larger scale. One cadet, Robert Appleby , who passed his senior exam this year , just can't wait till he s old enough to h@ an ILB crew-member.

1976 is Filey Division's jubilee year. We feel the Division can look back with prideand forward with confidence to plenty of acti vit y For activity we thrive on And enjoy

Tom Willi s, an SJA superintendent. was

J.R.B.

Why are many Duke oii Edinbl!lrgt:'i Award candidates

having problems in finding first-aid courses 7 asks BOB MAN N, Assist Director, As-sociation, Essex

WHEN an injured person is treated by a St. John Ambulance member he readily accepts that the treatment is efficient and correct.

But should someone ask a member for information about first aid courses outside the influence of his own division will the response be so satisfactory? Alas, not always. But with first aid now becoming a subject of general interest it is important that members kmow as much as possible, or where to mnd out, about what courses are available. There should never be an attitude of 'I don't know'.

A field in which some members seem to have particular difficulty in obtaining information is the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme for young people, a scheme which could and is being so valuable to St. John. The founders of the scheme certainly realised the importance of encouraging young people to acquire a knowledge of first aid when they included qualification in the subject in all three stamdards of the award.

So some general information on the workings of the scheme, particularly in relation to first aid, should interest members.

Of course many St. John members have tliained and examined candidates in first aid and kindred subjects for the award, but for those who haven't the following three points will be of interest:

(a) Many youngsters enter the Award Scheme through schools aflQ have no affiliation with youth organisations. The choice of first aid implies an interest in the subject, an interest which could be encouraged through service in St. John cadet divisions.

(b) Support to candidates is usually given by parents, so perhaps a note of encouragement to Mum and Dad after the course may assist recruitment to adult divisions.

(c) Knowledge of one particular area of the Award Scheme usually leads to knowledge of facilities available in other areas of the scheme. Cadet Divisions can and do take advantage of this.

A candidate is emtered for the A ward Scheme by either the Award's officer at school or the representative of the A ward from a youth organisation. The aim of every emtrant into tme scheme should be to obtain a 'Gold Award' but before this is accomplished they may have to obtain a 'Bronze' or 'Silver Award'. The various standards are closely supervised and a candidate's progt:ess is recorded, signed and supervised in his record book. The Award books indicate to the candidate a schedule of tests and accomplishments that have to be achieved. Some of these subjects are of the candidate's own choice, others are compulsory.

All candidates have to complete an eKpedition. But prior to the expeclitiolil they have to satisfy the adjl!ldicators that they have prepared and trained themselves to accomplish the task with necessary safety. A section of this prepaFa!tion for cycle and foot expeditions is entitled 'Casualty Code'.

Instruction for this training can be given by various qualified persons: (a) A qualified teacher or youth leader who holds a valid filist aid certificate; (b) a n®lder of a valid first aid certificate who is approved by one of the Voluntary Aid Societies; (c) a State Registered Nurse or Health Visitor; (d) or an ililstructor recoglilised by one of Voluntary Aid Societies. The instructor has to certify in the record books that the candidate has undergone training in the required subject and has achieved a standard of knowledge appropriate to the jomrney to be undertaken. It will be seen that many St. John members qualify as instructors for this

St. John and the Duke

section of the A ward programme.

Requests for courses could be made to any St. John member so it is important that they know exactly what is required of St. John Ambulance in order to provide this service. Delay in providing information may result in the candidate's interest turning to an alternative course. (see appendix).

First aid, child care and home nursing are choice subjects in the service section of the Scheme and a certain standard at each level of the Award has to be achieved. So far as St. John Ambulance is concerned these three levels are as follows:

First Aid: Bronze Award - Essentials of First Aid Certificate; Silver Award - Adult Certificate; Gold Award - Advanced Certificate.

Child Care: Bronze Award

Preliminary Child Care Certificate; Silver Award - Adult Child Welfare Certificate; Gold Award - No Syllabus.

Home Nursimg: Bronze AwardPreliminary Home Nursing Certificate; Silver Award - Adult Home Nursing Certificate; Gold Award - Advanced Certificate.

All these courses are run in accordance with 'Class Regulations' issued by St. John Ambulance Association.

Obviously certain St. John members are aware of this situation and devote considerable time and effort to meet these requirements. Courses should be efficiently organised, readily available and with maximum attendances. EnviFOnmental conditions and dispersed populations do not assist in efficiency and arrangements have to be made to suit particular problems, but there are certain areas where there is a concentration of youth. The following system, in operation in Essex, provides a service to the A ward Scheme as and when

required and with the minimum of time wasted for all concerned. The system has certain merits which may well set guide lines fOF similar areas.

The county is divided into areas which are controlled by local Duke of Edinburgh Award committees. Responsible to each local committee is a youth organiser to whom all applications for award courses have to be made. Appointed to each local committee is a St. John Association/Brigade member.

The advantages of this appointment are:

(a) The facilities available within the Association and Brigade at local level can be offered immediately as and when requ.ested.

(b) A close link between the two organisations is fostered by personal contact and an interchange in facilities and information must be of benefit to both.

(c) There is always representation of the Association/Brigade on the committee, ready to advise and provide information on first aid matters

(d) A representative will have local knowledge and probably know some of the candidates resulting in a better contact between them and the Association/ Brigade.

(e) When courses are requested the representative will be in a position to advise on their availability and/or organise courses as required.

(t) Co - operation and consultation between representatives will ensure that a suitable standard is adopted, both for instruction and finance.

The appointed officers are first aid lay instructors and are thus able to instruct or examine courses in' Essentials of F irst Aid' for the Bronze level of the Award. All applications for courses are made to the local youth office where the requests are wllated and the necessary oourses arranged at local committee level. Course details are circulated to all interested groups who are encouraged to support the arranged courses in preference to organising small courses of their own.

It will be seen from the terms of reference for these representatives that the possible 'feed back' to St. John can more than justify the appointment. And there is also satisfaction in knowing that any candidate in the scheme can take a St. John Association course should they want to.

It has been mentioned that time is an important factor in youth training, and Where youth are widely dispersed travelling can be an additionai problem. Weekend 001!lrses in otmeli sections of the Award are available , which must have been envisaged When The Essentials of First Aid was prepared, for mention of this type of course

Fi st aid in the Service

Section of the award scheme (right) is a very important aspect of the predominantly adventure activities (below)

is made It is proving very successful in Essex but it is also very demanding both for the candidates and the instructors. But it certainly provides a service to the A ward Scheme.

If it is considered that these policies could be developed in areas where improvements are necessary, I am sure that an approach to any member of a local Award committee, Awards officer or youth leaders would be readily appreciated, for these people, like St. John members, are doing excellent voluntary work in helping youngsters to participate in this very worthwhile scheme.

APPENDIX

Casualty Code

Bronze

1. Treatment for grazes and cuts, cleaning of affected parts application of simple dressings. Stopping of bleeding from wounds - by direct and indirect pressure.

2. Treatment of blisters, stings, burns and scalds.

3. Recognition of injury to joints or muscles and treatment for dislocations and sprains

4. Recognition of fractures and immediate treatment.

5. Treatment for shock.

6 Mouth to mouth artificial respiration.

Note:

Those holding a Junior or Essentials of First Aid certificate issued by one of the Voluntary Aid Societies within 12 months of undertaking this expedition are recognised as having qualified in this subject.

Silver

7 Dealing with foreign bodies in eye, nose or ear.

8. Immobilisation of fractures of ankle, leg and arm.

9. Emergency transport of casualties (girls should not be encouraged to lift casualties and their training should be geared to care of patients while help is being fetched).

Note:

Those holding a valid Adult or Senior First Aid certificate issued by one of the Voluntary Aid Societies are recognised as having qualified in this subj'ect.

Gold

10 Recognition and treatment of cramp, exhaustion and heatstroke, and for expeditions in wild country, exposure alild frostbite. The training for a 'Higher Award' must incorporate the syllabus for the 'Lower Awards'.

SJA REGATTA

Ule Jarigade im Warwiekshire is organising wroat is tholi ght to be tme mrst SJ.A saihlr.tg dingh y regatta @n Middlermore Reserv @ir, Daver.ttry, N orthants (home @f the R lll gb y Saibg Club), on Saturday, Septembe r fij It is hoped entri e s will C@Tlile fro m all neighbol!lring ®Ult of cou r se any Sf. JohN m.ember is welo @Ilile. There will be prizes fror winning b@ats and teams in t lnt e three races which will be sail ed on t f.i e Portsmouth yarcdstick handieap basis. Full d etai ls o f th e regatta should be available in next month's Re v-i ew.

WING FLIGHT

A liec en t fligrot by A ir Wing pilot Ro maM Wingmeld @f Cornwall b r @l!l gh t Mrs. At t rl!l p of St. Austell to roer dangerously ill fathe r 's bedside at L o nd <t> n's St. Georg@ s Wospitad in two moUlts

Mr. Wing fii @ld flew M r s. A Urup in mis single engine :P iper Arrow 6r @Iil'l Bod,mi n to Elstr ee, with special clearanc e t o fly a cross London, from where she was a riv'en b y a L @n <1i<9> n SJA MQ staff oftker t@ the hospi t al. This was HI e Wing's 1$2n d tlig fu.t im three y ears, wit fu a to t al of 1 ru 2,4 f7 miles flewn on merc y filights.

PLAY BACK

I mear that the tii rs c@mpetiti@n in first aid ever to be held in Pawua, New G u inea, took plac e last NtlVem ID ef was an op>e m competitien witlil fi ve c@mp@ting t eams a n@! the three $t. J ohn Amb wlamce t e ams toek the mrst th ree places: 1. St. J @hn at Lae; 2. St. Joh m at Port Mores my; 3. St. j ohn Bomana. The British High ComIlilissioner presented the trophies. Th@ real mo r.ro. en t of rechming Game afterwards, when th e co m pe t ition tests were sb o wn to tbe Gomp@ting teams on ¥ide@ -tap>e! N ew Gl!linea is setting the p ac e f@ r li unning competitions, obviously.

GOIINIG ON IN THE WORLD OF Sli. JOHN

TO Tr 'HE ISLANDS

$ J A. s No. 11 Region il'l th e U K co vers Kent , $ l!lr rey , Sussex , Guernsey a nd jf, ersey - an d t1te WO-od @i mile st f1 etcm of wa t ery Eft gHs1t C lnI annel between t he t wo islands and the rn ainland can problems fo r re gio rn al geH @gethers. this year tme p r@ bl@lim s we re O) !;! erGfM!il e f@ r the f1eg io fl al e @NoJ. petitions, in'Vtl lvi rnl g som e 4100 pe®ple, w fui em were held in G uerID se y Ma in laud m emo e rs went by e oach to Weyrn <i>ut1t, tlil en b y chaFter ed British Rail Fer r y to tfu. e Cha mm el 1s[es, wh ere most of them st a y ed the at Guernsey rn€ lTrl ber s' mOIines.

The Sff A fe rry w a s greeted @[iJ. a rr rival at §i t. :Peter Port by boats of SJ A G l!l e m sey's r@s <l:m e serv ic e a rnd a la r ge r e Gep t ion corm Wc)jttee on the doek. Whicm is p le asa n tly typical of sm ail l island life, where is an imp@Ftant eve m:t

A s well a s t me competitions , the week end incll!ld ed a d in liler/ disco for cadets at whi (C h abo mt 250 youngsters smoQche @i (or wha t@v.er the y 're doing th is and a dinner dance fmc mOf1 e t han 400 'olcle li folk'.

Tlrle competitio n res \ll},ts were:

Ambul am c e : W®r s ro a m ( $ hlssex) 247 Betteshalilg er (Kent) 24 6 W arn t Cim!Wey bridge (Surrey) 14 5.

Nms ing: St. H eli er Combined (Jersey) 2 96. St. iH elier N ursing (Jersey) 2 n.

Sittingbour n e and Milton (Kent) 2 6 8. A M1I. Dulance Cadets: G u ernsey 287. Chat lh am A (Kent) 269. Redhilll (Surrey) 252.

Nurs ing Cadets : Romais (G uernsey) 300. Guernsey 213 13. G l!lildford (Surrey) 2 74.

Indivi d ual prizes we n t mainly to members o f J ersey e r Guermsey, includi n g a new tro p hy presen ted by the BaiHff @fr Guerns ey. WHAT THEY SAY

At the Londo.n Distr ict ann u al Gompetitions held at Southall on May 10, and attended b y fi he L ®r d M a yor of Westmi nst er Group

C a pt ai lil G. Pirie (Commander , SJ A E..,® ndo m) and the Lady M a y ore ss , Mrs. L. Park , the Met ropo lit an Police Deput y Comrrnissi omer M r John Gerrard aw arded the Police T liQ ph y to Miss Clark, Superin t endent 122N Common DivisioIil , f or a year s work to the community o f t-ondon.

Mr. Gerrard , r eferri n g to h e WQfk ()f SJA , q uoted lawyers at the Red Lion en quiry : one body certai n to come out of t lh is enquiry (into tme d eath of a demonst rr a tor) shin ing is the St. J ohm Amb1.!1lance -a view wru ch was endorsed a 1\ the by tn e judges a n d the police. Mr Gerra li@i went on t o sa y the eom m l!l nity should be - t me !!,o1ice certai mly

that fi he pub hl c s pirit exemp lifi ed by s uc fu service still li ves on.

SIX MAYORS

I hear that six mayors or depol!l ties of the Area's boroughs were a t London District's Northern Area an n ual chmch parade, held this year at Gol d ers Green on May 11. T he y were the Deputy Mayor of Barnet, CIlr. Mrs. B. M Fran klin , who took the salute at the parade afte r the service , and the ma y ors and mayoresses of Hackney, Enfidd , H a rringa y, Camden and the deputy May or and May oress of Islingt on.

During t h e serv ice Mrs. Doris Hoadley, Superintendent (Nursing) presen t ed the Golden Jubilee certificate to Cricklewood N ursing Division (Supt. Miss L. Pothus), which was formed in 1925.

BEAT THIS

Can an yone beat this? asks SJA Derbyshire. Divisional Officer J A Rumsey, of Hope Va ll ey Combined Divis on, was bOfIrl August 6, 1894 and joined the Brigade in 1912 (he wa s also a o f the Home H ospital Rese r ve) while living in Folkestone. He stayed wilt h the Brigade un il l 1915, when he joiIiled the R AMC , seeing sef<Vice itt Malta, P ales tine aln Q France, to be de ron obili sed in 19] Cj) wmen me rejoined the Brigade. h i} 1924 he mo ve d to Derbyshire where he j oi med the Ho p e Valley ni vision, and was employ ed at t he E arles Cement Company as a first a id attenda nlt and canteen ass ista mt. He re t ir ed fro Wl work in 1960 but c@ntinued to b e very a Gtive wi t h the Brigade la s t yea li hI e and his wife w fu@ hIa lyl e fo ur so ro s, f0 ur d a Uig fu ters and 17 grand-children, ce lebrated t heir golden wedding Mr RUl tn\iil Sey has a large gar. de n an d gr ee n house an d sniH does part-time gardening and odd-

Div.

Oft. J. A. Rumsey - 80 years old, 63 years' service

jobs for (;)ther peof.)le. He's also an old-tirme dancer. He's now 80 yeaFs old - rides a bike and without glasses.

Th e record of his St. John service dates back to his first certificate on 22.6.1912, and includes the long service medal and nl:lmenms bars (the latest has been app>lied for). He was made a Serving Brother in

1964, still attends d.ivisional meetings and lectures, and is always on parade at the annual inspection. Mr. Rumsey went on to the reserve a short time ago at his own request to make room for a younger man, but he is still active raising funds for the division and never misses a rnn eeting.

80 years old - 63 years of service. Can anyone beat this?

CALM

Thanet East Young Conservatives have written te London HQ to thank lBrigade who manned the ambulance in Trafalgar Square for the recent Europe Yemth at which one of theilr members collapsed through an overdose of drugs. The team, the letter goes on, worked efficiently and speedily, especially the young nl!lrsing member, to whom the Young Conservatives are 'very grateful indeed for her calm attitude al'ld assurances'.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Whenever SJ A memIDers from Midland Colliery Divisions attend their annual camps

one man remains behind the scenes

- having made the arrange m ents.

He is Mr Ivan Bradley of Mansfield who has organised the camps at the IDerbyshhe Miners' Holiday centres at Skegness and Rhyl for the past 23 years.

Secretary 01 the NOB's North IDerbyshire Area's mining department, Mr Bradley this year is organising six camps, three at each ceIiltre for a total of 4250 J3rigade members from colliery divisions in North and South

SJA Kingston upo n Thames are involved again in fi ming of trne TV series Special Branch A cto r John T haw (foreground) and Div. Off Geoff Fra rlc is (backgnDu nd right). Note the ambu an c e 's false P number plate.

(Photo: D O M Newbold)

Behind-thescenes-man Iv an Bradley

N ottinghamshire, North Derbyshire and S0uth Midlands, including Warwickshire NCB Areas.

A few years ago he was made a Serving lBliOther of the Order.

LOUD AND CLEAR

Hackney Division, which recently acquired portable radios , was lectured early this year by London District and UK radio officer

M r. Bar;eham on the best way to receive good radio signals by bouncing or reflecting them off nearby objects, or by using high points i n the lalile!s cape.

One Hackney member says he's also managed to cure ghosting' on his telly since the lectme. Wish he'd cure mine. MIND BENDERS (answers)

AfTERMATH OF FUN

THE Bay City Rollers - a group of five I'm fio ld) young Scotsmen - have been causing havoc among youngsters, mainly girls, bitten with roller-man ia at the group ' s recent concerts throughout Britain. SJ A has been at most of the chaotic scenes. At Leicester 's Mallory Park SJA manned the medical centre , four ambulances, a mobile unit, first -aid room and tent , and a Land-Rover - with radios co-ordinating everything. There was a steady f10w of casualties by 9.45 am and yet the Rollers were not due to appear until 2 pm , When the group did appear they took to the lake in a launchbut fa n s swarmed after them! Members had to drag girls ashore from out of their depth, others had collapsed with hysteria The group was air-lifted out of the park leaving a chaotic swarm of youngsters , some of whom had come from Scotland. The 60 SJ A members treated 160 casualties , five being sent to hospital. Sheffield SJ A Corps also dealt with many casualties at the Rollers concert at Sheffield City Hall. Suppose the kid s must enjoy it Hope our do too.

(f"hotos aQGve) At Leicester s Mallory f"ark. Well - at least roll e r music makes you feel' something ,. (Photos: Leicester Mercury)

(Photos below ) Outside Sheffield City Hall. Marvellous I wasn t it 7 (Photos: Sheffield Newspapers Ltd .)

MAF - the Missionary Aviation Fellowshipoperates some 60 aircraft throughout the world

African centres All work together in close fellowship as dedicated people, one in principal and practice, with the support of their churches and fellowships behind them.

The British MAF began working for missionaries in Southern Sudan in 1950, helping to open up new areas as well as reinforcing existing work. They made flights into Ethiopia and in 1960 a new MAF was es tablished in Jimma in the south west part of t hat count li Y. From time to time their work was interrupted by difficulties and politic al stresses in the Sudan aIild other parts of Africa

In 1965 Dr. J. Carling of the Sudan United Mission s, who was the only doctor working among the thousands of people on the islands and shores of Lake Chad , whose homeland it had been for centuries, asked the MAF for help and, as a result, in 1966 a Cessna 185 amphibian arrived at Fort Lamy in Chad which became the centre of a new MAF service to provide badly needed air transport for Chad and the Central African Republic

MISSIONARIES WITH WINGS

DURING World War ]I a number of airm@n in different parts of the world had a vision C9f what the aeroplane celulcl dC9 to advance the work of missionaries, especially in Femelle areas which could only be reacliled on foot. The vision became a reality when tmey formed the Missionary A viati o)11J Fellowship MAF, a specialist oFganisation to provide air transport f(!)fr missionaries working in places where roads were poor or non-existent and where there were no railways or navigable rivers This splendid service was made possible by gifts and prayers of Christians everywhere and is supported internationally througtrJ. churches and group fellowships.

Today flying programmes serve the needs of approximately 70 missionary societies, and work is carried out in Ethiopia, TanzaIilia, The Congo. Central ana South America, Phillipines New Guinea and Papwa, using the type of light p laNe considered best suited to the service by experienced MAF eNgineers a liil d aviatofrs.

It was found that four to six seater planes which could lamd in a small clearing or on an airstrip were most suite-ble and economical

for this work. They cost .05 ,000 each. The capital cost of purchasiFlg planes and equipment and t he building of huts and hangars is met by the MAF and the running costs only are charged to the missionary societies. MAF personnel are supported by their ch u rches at hornne and no profit is made.

Today, two instruments, the aeroplane and the radio, widen the scope of their communications and link the scattered groups into a great family however solitary the outpost. A number of small transistorised two-way sets, in fact MAF has over WOO now in use throughout the world, are made by MAF radio engineers im Arrnerka.

Another important part of MAF work is air and gfClund survey im areas difficult to penetrate, which is oftel'l requested by mi ssjon3JFies on the s p ot to provide a seFies of airstrips and explore the possibility of rrnaking links between them by testiNg gradients, planning levels and selecting the best places for droppililg food, to o ls, mail and medicines - avoiding the tallest trees

The part played by the wives of the MAF pilots cannot be over -estimated; their

kitchen-timers are used al1iernately for the oven and for half- hourly contacts. They are home makers , schoo.! teachers ood essential ground crew. As one said, 'I guess the MAF is the only lime in the world that com hines co - pilot and hostess in one package .'

Cer lI ainly it is not unusual for a wife s day to start at 6 am and continue until after midnight , with school lessons to be checked , letters to be written , languages to study , long after the children are in bed. Often there are extra people for meals when aircraft are weatherbound.

Medical supplies for cholera epidemics, food and comforts for famine stricken areas are flown in by United N atiONS in an emergency, and dozens of flights in a recent c hlOlera epidemic were ililstrumemtal im bringing it under control. As a happy ou t come of ulil is partic hll ar task it is oftem found that the initial unfriendliness indifferem c e and suspicion of the p eople , give way to appreciation and trust, and an umderstanding o f what the MAF is all about.

It wa s in 1945 that the British and American MAF came into being followed by Au s tralian and New Zealand and South

One of the most interesting developments of the MAF work is taking place at Chad , which became an indepeNdent Republic in 1960. A vast , partially landlocked country lil emmed in by neighbours , not all of whom are friendl y all the time, Chad itself shares a va st desert lake the size of Wales, deep in the centre of Africa. Its fresh water has no outlet a nd when swollen with rain each year it can seriously flood Fort Lamy (Chad's capital) 30 miles away. It is a place of fierce storms, and navigation is often dangerous and difficult, owing to hundreds of floating islands with a quarter of a million people living on them and on the shore. The Eerritorie s of four different nations converge on Lake Chad , dividing the shore -line.

A vital piece of work is now partially covered by missionaries and the MAF in Ethiopia -a country of 20 million peo jD le nine times the size of England , which is developing at a n astonishing rate. Roads, bridge s, airfields, schools and hospitals and other modern buildings are multiplying rapidly, but there are tremendous barriers to progress - in great ranges of mountains , some over 14 ,000 feet , unbridged canyons, rushing rivers, vast areas of desert and savannah country large expanses of steaming jungle and a region of deseaseridden s wamp land all making travel and progress virtually impossible in man y parts.

Lost tribes are said to number millions in these cut-off areas: some of them live deep in rain forests 5 000 square miles in exteNt and sometimes seasonal rains make roads im passable fOir months.

The pioneer missionaries began their work bly se mding one m ission ar y family ta eacm 0f seven unreached or lost tribes in South West Ethi0pia ; today 800 missionaries are engaged in this work of Christian teaching ,

medical aid and education in many of these remote areas

Today MAP planes fly thousands of miles each year in all parts of Ethiopia and the leader of the MAF teams lives in Addis Ababa to be on the spot to conduct many vital negotiations with Government Departments and to attend to the visas and licence s essential to this service.

Tim Longley a MAF engineer in Chad , was asked to report on the difficulties in that country where many roads in the rain y season were impassable for Land-Rovers and he saw that Lake Chad itself presented many problems for a new MAF programme. It was here that the maze of more than a thousand islands - vast stretches of disease -ridden water - and the areas of marshlands , shallows and sandbanks placed limitations on the use of the missionary seagoing motor-launch and the MAF amphibian plane , which was often unable to la Rd close to shore -line villages owing to the ever-changing level of the lake. He realised that what was wanted was a reasonably cheap vehicle to be operated by the doctors themselves and the answer to these requirements and hazards was a hovercraft, to skim over land and water on a cushion o f air. But alas , there was nothing available commercially that could be operated at an acceptable cost.

Build it

At this stage a trul y remarkable stor y began which combined knowledge of the countr y, immense skill and a most generous g iving of time and energy often full-time over long periods and equally generous help from industr y, including the production of ce:1:ain components

The MAF assigned to Tim Longley the construction of a prototype hovercraft , knowing of his extensive experience in design and engineering.

About this time Tim Longle y met Ton y Bhlrgess , am experienced profes s ional hovercraft engineer long interested in the work of th e MAF , who gave his specialist g uidance to the planning of a sound basic

des ign and dev o ted much of his spare time to the project.

Then on the s cene came Mike I ve who had also a longstanding interest in the MAF and is Head of the Technical Department of Sir George Monoux Senior High School in Walthamstow where an excellent new workshop with good facilities and plenty of space was opened in 1970 The school authorities on hearing of the project were in full a greement with a proposal that fifth and sixth form boy s should help to produce the hovercraft thus fully recognising the value of the bo ys' participation in an educational and community service project. Tim Longley and Mike Ive undertook the work as joint leaders.

The project went ahead with great enth usiasm and interest but alas , half way through it is sad to report that vandals broke into the workshop and destroyed much of the work and equipment. The two engines for the hovercraft had every single wire cut and every instrument of the instrument panel s was smashed. This put back the project for a short time but the courage and determination of the dedicated team ensured the completion of the hovercraft, which has now undergone its final trials prior to its shipment to Lake Chad

All this must be a source of pride and h a ppiness to the little Monoux community of y oung people who , over a period of three y ears , developed their skills in the making of s om ething so worthwhile that r am sure it will always live in their memories. And to the expert s who trained them and at the same time guided them towards the attainment of that g reat satisfaction which comes from h elpin g courageous men and women who , in the ir own spiritual and practical way demonstrate that the highest ideal of life is to ser ve. The UK headquarters of MAF is at 3 Beechcroft Road , South Woodford, London , EI 8 IBJ.

( R eprinted from Th e Year Book, Council of th e Order for Somerset. Compiled and edited by Mrs. Dorothy Bingham-Hall)

EVERY DAY FIRST AID

- an sefies of advice that will help YOU ito cope wi it h FAMILY ACCIDENTS

POISONING

- milder incidents part one

by Dennis Clark, MBE, FRCS

WHEN we someone wh@ roas been pois@ned we gen.erally picture the vidirm im tine most violent of fattal agoNies or im the deep I.\:oma to 'the !1l1!l,iet sleep of d@ath'. Comceptions of this s()rt, culled from literature and the news media, lea<li to Of even harmful treatITnlelilt. Actually the large majority of p()isone<li people aJre not sever@ly imjured awd commonselilse first aid suffices. This is fOl!ll'lded, as we already know, on assessment or diagnosis, om treatment with speGial attention to the priorities (breathing , blood ciliculation and Gon.sGiousness) and on speedy transport.

The facts

Nearly all of ms have eaten som@tning that has mpset us but we mave mever eOI'lsidered ourselves Yet we wenel 50me of us have he en mme severely p0ison@d of eourse. In fact, over 105 ,000 people were admitted to A.ospital fOf poisol'ling in England amd Wales in 1972. Most of them spent only o me to thliee 0lays in hospital, and troan one in a hundred died ff@rn p@isoning. In rmmG numbers about 90 000 of these people were poisollled hy me@icines (I8,000 iw morne aecidents), 14,000 or so were poisoned by non-medil.\:al sol,ids and liql!lids (4,000 in the home) and about 1,700 were overcome by gases (possibly 900 im h@rne im:idemts). Taking the figl!lres fOF !'wme incidents a!lome, of those poisoned by medicines eme in fifty @ieei nom-medical substances orne in r. hUllldrre@ and gas pois@niFlg ome in five. These mgures (from Hospital In -Patient !Enquiry, D. ()f H. & s. S. 1912 and from the Regist r a r Gemeral Statistica1 Retmms, 1912) not omly show that the large maj orrity of poisoned casualties have a very good dlalilee ()f reeovery, amd many only sufifer mild sym10toms, but they also show the high rate o f poisonimg from medicines and the tragic risk gf death whern poisofled by gases. Anot lnl er point t@ be gleaned the statisti<es is the ease with which todd lers p ick up poisons. Some 5,600 e;milGlren (mainly

aged 1 t() 3 years) were admitted im 1972 for takimg medieimes (2,500 @f t iqlese had taken pain relievers such as aspiri m a nd phenacetim) and were admitted for the effec s of nOD-m@dicinal solids and liquiGis

Sixteen of tmese childrelil died.

Suicide

The incidence of attempted slllicidal poisoni lOl g is impossibk to estimate, on[y the deaths eafl be rec ©rded. In 1972 there were some 2,200 from suicidal ploisQning. The total numbers of all forms of suic id e @€crreasing in England and Wales year by year, und0lJbtJeQlly <liye to the telepl!oJ. one s@rvioe given hy the Samaritans. In countries with01!lt such a service the suicide rate is increasing. 1,800 (;)f these deaths res1!llted from the ingestiom of solids and l,iql!lids, 200 fr()m domestic gases and 250 fmflnl other g 8l! ses. Deaths from denm est c gases have diminished, from 3,000 im 1962 , since the

i mtroducti em of North Sea gas into the home. Now let us take a !few examples of poisoliling to illustralte the statistics amd to embellish Gl!lr first aid T0ddler was found sitting happily on the floo r with a brightly colol!lred capsule o D G r annie's sleeping medici n e in her mO l!l th amd another in her left hand The bottle, in the right hand, was witho m a l i@ and was being shaken v igorous ly so the contents were being scattered all over the room whi k Toddler cf() (;med what might have beem 'Sweeties, S weeties'. She was picked up at once, !C <ljpsules retrieved from hand and mouth, amd she was pl!lt in cbarge of a distracted Gramnie while Mother rushed next door for he r neigllhour, the first-aider.

Wmen they returned, Toddler was bellowimg lustily (immediate evidence of wellbeilllg as the first-aider pointed out). It was also noted that the <eapsl!lles had a Iilard gelatine cover and woul d take time to dissolve, so the only risk, the absorption of the dflllg wOl!lld not be immediate even if ToddleF had swallowed Gne or more It would therefore be wise to get the child to hospital before the drug could act. The car was started , as many capsules as possible swept up, rreplaced in the bottle and takeIil wilth Toddlerr to hospital. There slile was ",dmitted o the children's ward, remained under observation al'lQ was disc tnJ arged without Iilarm mext d8l! y for she had not a ctull y swallowed any of the drug.

tme I1'Joise of dis t ress, called the ambulance. By the time it had arrived was alIl)i) Ost comatos e, swe 3Jti ng 3Jnd bre3Jt h ing wi th difficulty. She was taken to hospital toge t her with the aspirin bottle and some vomitus. Treatment was successful and now she is ha p pily married to her boy-friend.

Typical

These two instances are typical of ninetynine mit of a hundred imcidents of poisoni a .g in Oili1 e , everybody is put into a palllioc by a poison tNat has not even been taken, and in the other most of the poison has been vo m ited without giving an emetic In both assessmelilt is easy, diagnosis errs on the side of safety, treatment is m inimal, transport to hospital is of paramou n. t importance and is a I that has to be done.

However there are tragedies (800 in 1972 im England and Wales) and because of them we must examine our first aid very carefully to ensure we act promptly and efficiently.

In s()nne ways first aid duties are simplified though the re s ponsibi[ity is not. The reason is obvi'Ol,lS when Ol'le learns that there are over 13 ,000 poisons listed in the American Toxic Substance List (1972) No -one can know all the antidotes or even the best line of t Ji1 eat ment for them all.

In British hospitals reference is constantly being made for guidance to one or other of six special P()isons Inf ormation Centres, which telephone instruction s on the request of doctors. Consequently it is a first-aider s dU i y in the British Isles to ensure that a poisoned casualty arrives in hospital for expert modern treatment in the best possible Gonditiom, the emphasis being placed on the state of the patient rather th3Jtl on the poison This can only be done by the first aid principles of assessment, diagn()sis, treatment and transport.

By assessment we test the histmy through noticing confirmatory evidence, we obs€rve the manner of absorption (ingested inhaled, injected or absorbed); we heed remaining

Tvvo counties dominate No.7 Region competitions

AT No. 7 Region's first aid amd home nursing competitions , held at Weston -Super-Mare on May 10 and entered by teams from six counties , the trophies were presented by Jane, Lady Wills , her first official engagement as County President of A von.

In front of a large crowd of well over 750 spectators, the fellowing winnimg teams will rep r esent the region in the national finals: Ambulance - Redruth, Cornwall; Nursing - Barnstaple, Devon ; Ambulance Cadet - Newton Abbott, Devon; Nursing CadetIL aunceston, Cornwall.

County Commissioner Major W. J. M. Greener paid tribute to the competition secretary, Corps. Supt. A. U. Pratlett, al'ld the marshall Area Supt. M r s. E. M Perr yman, who with Area Comm A. L. Robinson had mustered 150 helpers (net all SJ) t() run the oo m petitions.

Brislington, A\;Ion, nursing cadets really trying - but it wasfl t t heir day They inished 5th.

(Photos: C. W, Farley Bristol)

dangers especially gases; we attend to available equipment and tran,sport facilities. By diagnosis we arrive at an opinion of the patient's condition through paying attention first to the 'priorities' (breathing, blood circulation and consciousness) and deciding the special conditions to be treated, and then attending to special signs such as pain, cor rosive burns and vomiting.

Treatment

Treatment must be directed to maintain life until handing over and will include respiratory and cardiac resuscitation , the recovery position and the treatment of shock Special treatments such as the use of antidotes demulcents, diluents and emetics will be discussed in another article when writing on serious poisoning. Meanwhile remember that most incidents of p()isoning are not dangerous. However, act on the side of caution and refer all victims of poisoning to hospital.

To GJ€l ler was ®l!l nd si tting Ioiappily e n he flo e r wi 1m

Leve affair

Let l'IS t ake another more serious example. Amtoi wente's love affair was n(C)t going wel l. Some said her emgagement was abOlltl to be broken ofT amd her boy-friend attracted elsewhere. Whateve li was tme truth, Antoi lOl ette seemed in0Q lOl solable. One night, on ret irililg, she impulsively swallowed all tfu e aspi r ins remai Iilli1lilg in her bottle o f a fu undred' Withim fu alf- an -ho m.f g rr ip ing abdominal pains developed llJilQ vomi t im g started Her mo nroerr , awakened hy

Bams ap le Devon s nurs ng team receiving their winning Trophies from Lady Wills

CADET WASTAGE

from Eric M. Stitcher, Area President

Over many years it has been a source of pleasure for me to watch, and to read in the Review, how members of St. JohN both throl!lghe>1!It this country and in the Brigade overseas always co-opera t e in so many ways to further our work in the Service of Mankind.

In a time of selfish demands for more and more for less effort , without regard to the effect on others, it always makes me proud to be associated with men and women who, with no thought of reward , perform our voluntary work in their spare time after carrying out their everyday work.

There is and always has beelil a severe snortage of this type of person and it is clearly the duty of each one of \!IS to ensl!lre thaJt none of this endeavor is lost. To this end, we must continually and critically examine what we are doing and if we can improve it.

To me there is one part of our activities which warrants all the investigation and research we can bring to bear on it.

A clear weakness in our structure is the wastage' of the majority of our cadets , who after years of training never join the adult divisions

Even those few who do, remain for only a few mOlilths ami do not carryon to use their training withim t me Brigade.

We all know that one of the reasons is that at this critical period of transfer yc)Ungsters are faced with increased pressure on their spare time, not least of which are examinations and sustained study

Another cause is that after transfer they lose interest because of the dullness of adult drill nights. Cadets have a much more varied and interesting programme than adult divisions.

Worthy (1)f consideration is the fact that a cadet of 15 or 16possibly an NCO. - plays, and is kee m to I!lndertake, an importan t part in the training and efficiemcy 0f the cadet division , yet he immediately loses this responsibility when he transfers to adults

In my view an ex-cadet of 16 is unable to mix with members of the adult divisions on an equal basis, so then(l is a tendency for him to be treated as a cadet in adult uniform. Hard, unfortunate and wrong but surely a faGt. It is not unknown for some adult superintendents to take no part and, dare I say it, no interest in the cadets which should be thei F lifeblood. Hopefully this is exceptional , for we smould al l be aimiFlg to make this period of transition smooth and natural. There are methods to combat part of the problem - combined divisions being one of them - but I think we need a new grade in the Brigade to C0ver the 16 to 18 year old. This grade should wear adult uniform but with a distinguishing mark which can be removed after they finally settle in the adult division.

These senior youngsters, alth0ugh attached t o the adults. would still be availahle t o assist with the cadets and to take part in those cadet activities in wnich they are interested. TN.e adul t l.!lniform worn. say, at cadet drill nights would encourage other cadets to move in the same direction. The different training , hecause of the overlap, would not be so obvious and over th@ two years they would gradually get used to the adult division (and the adults in it)

In the broader sense it cannot be argued that training of any kind is ever wasted, for I am certain that every St. John cadet is a better person because of Brigade training Nevertheless we must find ways of carrying this t raining into trn,e wider framework of St. John work.

A p(1)int to bear in mind is tfuat the adu lt divisior;Js provide t he officers to train the cadet divisions so the wastage of losing the c: adets is double edged. These officers naturally have to neglect adult divisions but also many of them do n0t ensure that these divisions gain members frorm the cadets, which I would have thought was the object of the exercise.

I have 'trailed my coat' because I am convinced that we must do somethJing to help solve this serious problerm. It may well be that some parts of the Brigade have managed to overcome in so. tinley JiTol ust pass on their secret of success to those who are affected by this cadet 'wastage'.

London, N. W II

READERS VIEWS

Re@ders' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its Foundations. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen-name, writers must supply their name and address to the editor.

JUNIOR.S

from J. E. Smith, A/S/O

I was interested in the article (May Review) on St. John Juniors and endorse Mrs. Morrison's view that a more challenging programme is needed. At the same time we must watch that our officers are not putting more effort and interest into the juniors to the detriment of th e cadets. This is a real danger , as it can possibly be more fun manipulati ro g the 8 to 11 age group than dealing with older youngsters with over bois t erous ways.

It is essential that we have a balance , and keep in mind that one of our objects is to promote cadets to adults.

Having said that, I can report that in East Surrey we have made efforts to improve the juniors programme , without (we hope) breaking any Brigade regs.

We have had printed some certificates of our own design to supplement the juni(1)r 3 badge system and it works like this

After a bout 5 weeks ' regular membership the new junior is tested on knowledge o f du e St. John cross (ie , is it a white or black cross, how many points has it?); how to stand to attention and at ease; and apply a sling. If they pass we give them the official Junior certificate (from Supplies Dept) but no yellow badge.

They then have to gain two more (our brand) certifica es in different s ubjects before being presented with the yellow badge 3 more certificates for the red badge, and the same for the green. On passing into cadet service they should have 9 certificates and the green badge spaced ou t ove r their junior memberslilip. We find that spacing out 3 badges fO Ii juniors joining at 8 is just not enough return for the youngster for this period of membership.

Difficulties also arise with sticking to a syllabus specially for juniors. In a Division where juniors can meet in a separate room or at a different time, I think you can stick to a rigid syllabus. Many Divisions however , meet with a shortage of leaders and in the same hall so whatever the cadets do the juniors have to mix in. In these circumstances the jumiors test standard is lower tman for cadets. If the ca d e t s are doililg map reading, for instance, alild will be tested on the whole proficiency subject, perhaps the juniors could be tes!ed on conventional signs and the certificate signed to this effect First aid could be split up witrn separate tests on resuscitation. treatment of fractures. etc.

The main point is to see that the junior gets the chance of gaining a certificate at regular intervals.

We have also t ried a competition on the same lines as Somerset.

THAT NAME from Miss V. Ronaasen, Divisional Officer (T)

Con g ratulations to Mike Brace (April Review) on overcoming his ha Flciicap; he is a great example of what can be done if one is surfficiel11tly determined. Can this article be brought to the atten bion of the BBC 4 Sunday programme 'In Touch'?

Back to Mr. Street (April Readers Views) and the title of our magazine. Dictionaries and Roget in my opinion , make 'Review' and Re- view a more apt title; the contents are now very varied and while we do need ' a little gun -powder' to make more members aware of the existence of the Review, I must admit this must come from divisional level. I have met a large number of newsagents who have never heard of tWl e Review and need nagging to supply it. How ahout a campaigm on t hese lines ?

To Mr. Davey I would say - we do do other things than first aid , altho many of us, male or female , prefer this to other facets of our training Perhaps Mr. Davey belongs to an isolated ambulance -only division ?

A ldershot V. Ronaasen

AIR AtTENDANTS

fill6m W. E. Street, Divisional Officer

I was pleased to see a reply to my letter from D H Clark (May Review) and I appreciate he is an HQ staff officer of the Aeromedical Service and not responsible for drawing up the rules and regulations of that section of St. John. I hope he understands that I was trying to be con s tructi ve.

I am full y aware of the work and organisation that must be involved , but good organising , which I am sure the Aeromedical Service has , helps to spread the work load.

Walking off vvith a record

Regarding the questionaire Mr. Clark sent to 360 members , I was s hocked that he got such a poor response, as I can't see the point of anyone taking the exam if they don t intend to carry out its obligations and implications.

The Air Attendant certificate may come under the Association but the recipient wears the Brigade Air Attendant's badge. On the point of members being available only at weekends and holidays, I pointed out in my letter that they would be available for night flights during this period and as part of his reply Mr. Clark refers to the excellent article on the Aeromedical Service in the same Review. But' examples mentioned in the article involved a weekend and a night flight , and another when nearly 12 months' notice was given. I re ad this several times , thinking it must be a misprint, and again night flying was involved. (Editor: not a misprint, but the members were on stand-by for much of that period because of the delicate political situation between Britain and Egypt.)

Then the article mentioned that during the Easter holiday St. John Ambulance HQ usually receives a request for an air attendant from the leader of a school party, going on to mention a typical telegram received. Later the article mentions the case of a lad flown home from the South of France, which again was a night flight. These are the points my letter made I s till think the age limit of 50 is too low, as many of us have flown several years over that age. And if the loss of a few hours work and pay through arriving home late worries a member, he shouldn't volunteer to go This must be expected in a voluntary organisation. Finally , whether the important thing is St. John or the patient - to me both are united by the second part of our motto: For the Service of Mankind.

Exmouth W E Street The se four St. Albans ambulance c adets set up a record o r their division w h en the y walked off w th ALL the top awards in the county cadet first - aid a nd nursing competit ons Meld recently The four (L to R) Chris Welch , team lead e Chris Mullany Chr s Wade and Paul Skuce needed some support after their vict o ry - from the Division s nursing cadet team, The St John future of c adets such as these is the subjec o the firs letter on the opposite page. (Photo: H erts Advertiser)

Eric M. Stitch e r

Since we started this 'Boost the J lm ior' c amJDaign in OFle group of Divisions two years ago, we now have a good flow of juniors into cadet membership Bet c hll' o rth, Surrey.

J. E. Smith

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Torphichen

FOLLOWING the successful 'Order o f St. John' exhibitic)O held last summer in Terpmich€n Precept@rry ther€ have bee m s@veral interesting developments. A sectioI1 of the exhibiti@m dea1ing with the origiros of the Order and its work today was duplicated and sent out to th@ Bahamas, wher@ it is to be shown by Lady Mitcmell, a Dame of Orderr. Other panels have be€n shown at fund-raising events in East Kilbride and Glenf(othes. Even \ililore encouraging is that the AncieI'lt Monuments Branch of th€ Departmerot of the Enviromment has decided to put th@ information aNd phGltograophs on

St. John Stories

CAME A PURLER

ME had com.e a fearful purl€r off his motor-bike and lay om th€ tf(?) lIey in his Hell's Al'1gel uniform - all black leather, badges, studs, cmains arod mottoesawaitiflg the att€mtiom of th€ easl!laltiy officer in a very, busy mospital not twenty miles from London.

As a St. John volUomtary hlelper I started to undress l1im v@ry slowly and carefl!llly. Under his exhibitioflist 'gear' his 'personal linen' was very grubby and s@iled and, as peeled off his mol€y socks revealiflg filthy feet, me mumbled: 'If I'd known this was g@im' to happen I'd 'a,>,€ had a bath.'

] looked at him sadly, recalling my ow IiI. Fnotor-eyeli mg days forty years before and said, 'Son, had you knowFl this was going to happem you woul@ have stayed in the bath.'

E. J. B., Bath

permanent display at Torphidilelil itself. This will help visitors to appreciate the historical significamce off the Orcler in ScotlaNd aliJ!(ii the imporrtance of Torphicfl€1il as it s headquarters up to the time of the Refo rr mation.

Stirling Tile Stirlingslilire Branch of the AssociatioI'l held a most successful John :gall iI'l Stirli Ng Castle on iFFiday April l!il. The Earl @f Mar and Kellie, as Keeper of the Castle an d a Knight or the Order attended as d id the Honorary President of the Ass@ciation, Colonel lime JR.t. Hon. Viscourot

Younger of Leckie. The ClnIaiFman of the Association, Mrr. W. A. P .lJ! ack, welcomed the guests and iNtroduced Col ®nel J. Calder MacLeod wm@, as Hospitaller 8Jmd AlmoNer of the iPriory, addressed the company The pl!l rpose off the Ball was to raise m.oney for tme bloiIild. A site has alrready beeN acquired for a holiday mome

A barm dance will be held at Dr l!l mbowie Falflila on Jl!lne 6 and already some 950 tickets fo r it have been sold.

Fif@

The inaugl!lrral meeting of the Ki Fkcaldy sub-committee of the Fife St. John Association took plaoe on May 1. The cmair was tahm by Brigadier Doyle, Chairman of the Fife committee, and Dr. [van Tait, a member of Priory Cmapter, gave am illustrated lecture on the Order's history. J.R-S

I.

2.

BRITISH PORTS ASSOCIAtiON

fiRE BRIGADES

I. No 6 Dist, AVON 323

2, N o ] Dist, West Yorksmire 320

3. No.2 Dist, Greater Mamchester 319

4. No. 3 Dist , Staffords lot ire 319

5. No. 5 Dist ,

rORDER INVESTITURE, May 22,1975

COMMANDER (Brother)

$ir Derrick CalDper, QPM. (Birmingham)

[R alIDh Davison, OBE, QPM. (Cleveland)

IOF. John Ian Tanner (London) ,

1F homas Owen Stanley Sivell (Cornwal \) Sy;eney Walker (London)

Sa frlil uel Joseph Weir (Birmingham)

'ifhO!ilillliS Charles Stanley Haywood (Rutland)

Wg.Cdt Morris Michael Kane, MBE. (G:x:ford)

OFFICER (Brother)

Lt. Col. Richard Kenneth Denby (W. Yorks.)

Hrurold Fre<llerick James HflIrris (Wirral)

James Joseph McGliath LRC ¥' & S1. (CleveJand)

Hawld Douglas Eddy, MC, 1lM, B.Ch, MRCS, LCP, (Cornwall)

George Stephen Howard (Suffolk)

Col. Ronald Herbert Jones, TD, MB, Ch.1l. (Wirral)

Frederick John Thorne Tuckfield (York)

Gi llbert Kenneth Cockayne (W. Midlands)

Geoffrey William Edwards (Sl!lrrey)

Alfred Young (Berks)

Henry Ji ames Ellis Hllnt, (Essex)

William Crawford Hodgson Bell (London)

Reginald Richards (Cornwall)

OFFICER (Sister)

Kathleen Mary, Mrs. Staniland (Chesterfield)

Daphne Isla, Mrs, Rowlan<lls (Somerset)

Shirley CamerGn, Mrs. Becke OIBE, QPM. (London)

SERVING BROTHER

Joron Scott Ferrier, CBE. (Surrey)

Frank Walker (Worcs.)

Richard John Clifford (Cornwall)

Eric Ashman, MRCS , LRCP (Cornwall)

Philip Lionel Adams (London)

Griffith John Harry (Wores.)

Col n Ch ruFlpell (Yorks.)

Joseph Alexander Edgley (W. Midlands)

Ernest Cornwell (Lancs )

Horace Leonard Victor Bodsworth (Staffs.)

David John Light (S\LIssex)

Surg. Lt. Thomas Pace M19 Ch.B RN. (D\LII1ilIDartenshire)

Legnard Carbine (Yorks.)

BernaFd John Mann (Norfolk)

Arthur Abraham Vesselo, MA (Sl!lrrey)

William Allen Benkel (Sussex)

Alfred Bertrand Wiggins (Staffs)

Lt. Gordon JosliA (Hants)

Frank Antony Riley-Smith (N. YQFks )

Joseph Ho€king (N(l) tt s.)

R onald :Edney Powell GSomerset)

Henry Gerrard, GIBE, Me. (Surrey)

Frank (W, MidlaAds)

lQhn Hay Cowie, MB, Ch.B., RCOG. (l'orks.)

Malcolm JO f,m Davies (Staffs.)

Eric Richard Strange (Sl!lssex)

GID, Cpt. Roy Sydney Perry, DFC. (Somerset}

JGlhn Maxwell (Northants)

Leslie James Pratt (Cornwall)

Jolm Parkes (W. Midlands)

FIt. Chf. Med. Asst. Donald Bird (Dev ltm)

Bob Charles l3eard (Sussex)

Keidl1 Castleton Eurgin (Yorks.)

James Trornmans (W. Midlands)

Alexander Horace Dunbar (London)

Robert Stanley Edwards (Staffs )

Henry Farr (North ants)

William MauriGe James Harris (Avon)

Samuel Derek Alfred Howard (A vGn)

Thomas Arthur Copp MRCS, LRCP, FARCS. (Sussex)

Frederick Arthur Butterworth (W. Micllands)

Thomas Stanley Blllllimore (N. YCDrks)

Kenneth Rogers (Cheshire)

John Barber (TYfle & Weir)

James Arthl!lr Brown (Manchester)

Peter George Cull FMAA, AIMBI. (London)

James Norman (North umbria)

Wilfred Spray (Ne>tts )

Harold Hallum Gregory (Staffs.)

Kenneth Burrow (Hants.)

Thomas He nr y Buxton (Cleveland)

Arthur Porter (W Midlands)

Thomas Cater (Lancs.)

J ames Alban Davies (Manchester)

Charles Edward Engel FRP$ , FBPA. (London) John Graves (Suffolk)

Alexander Lubke (W. Midlands)

Wilfred Thomps(i)n (York)

Robert Daniel Hutton (Surrey)

Ralph Rowlinson BSc. (Staffs.)

Edward Berry (W, Midlands)

Ji Clhn Barry Florentine (Worcs)

SERVING SISTER

Joan Olive, Mrs. Wood (Smrey)

Clarice Kathleen, Miss Woodgate (Cornwall)

Frances Irene, Mrs. Miles (GIGS.)

Margaret CherFY, Mrs. Dodd (Warwicks.)

Doreen Margaret, Miss Cowdrey SRN. (Kinca Fdineshire)

Emilie, Mrs Roberts (Beds.)

Pauline, Mrs. R(i)we (Berks)

Nancy , Mrs. Bawdefl (Cornwall)

Dorothy Mair, Miss Garston (Hants.)

Eulie, Miss Bursby (London)

Olive Ethel, Mrs. Sly (COrFlwall)

Violet Doris , Mrs Clarke SRN (Cheshire)

Kathleen Iris, Mrs. Owens (Worcs.)

Pauline Mary, Mrs. Davis (Glos.)

Eileen Beatrice d'Esterre, Mrs. Eames (Cornwall)

Elsie Mrs. Stevenson (Cheshire)

Jeanne Celia, Miss do Lotz (13M Hosp.)

Olive Alice, Mrs. N anson (Derbys)

Daisy Minnie, Mrs. Head (Berks.)

Eileen Mary, Miss Nimmo (L,(jJndon)

Charity Louise, Mrs. Rosenburgh SRN (Devon)

Jean Mary, Mrs. Davey (Cornwall)

Lillah Mary, Mrs. Fields (Dorset)

Ann Patricia, Miss de Jersey SRN, SCM, RSCN. (Guernsey)

Ivy Mrs. Watson (Bucks)

Ann Vera, Mrs. Hemming BA. Econ (ManGhester)

Hilda, Miss Wakefield (Derbys.)

Ethel , Miss 130ardman (Merseyside)

Jean Miriam, Mrs. Swaffield (Dorset)

ESQUIRE

John Sedgwick, personal Esquire to Mr. T. Keith Lyle, Hospitaller of the Order and Knight of Justice.

MalGom FranGis Scott, MB,BS,MRCS,LRCP, personal Esquire to Dr. M. M. Scott, Knight of Grace.

Confident Leicester award winners. (L to R) Debbie Jones, 12 , 200 hours service badge; Raksha Modi, 17, 600 hours badQle; and Helen Elkington, 13 400 hours badge. Well done, girls! (Photo: f"eter Jackson)

News from Divisions/Centres

The Mayor and Mayoress of Weston-super-Mareand plel'lty of smiles - at the SJA regional finals held recer'ltly in the town. (Photo: West0n Mercury)

LONDON - At the annual inspection of the London Transport Corps, held at Chiswick Works on June 1, about 100 ambulance and nursing officers and other ranks from the Corps' 20 divisions were on parade. Many of them were new members.

The officer, Col. H. A. Lewis , Dis tr ict Commissioner, was accompanied by District Staff Officers F. W. Witch and A. F. Bareham, and following the inspection the Corps marched past the saluting base.

The Corps Surgeon, Dr. P. A. B. Raffle, welcomed the District Commissioner and many visitors and thanked everyone for organising the excellent parade.

342 Hackney Combined Division was honoured recently by a visit froJjfl the VicePresident of London District, Mrs. M. B. Carmichael, who is Matron-in-Chief of the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem. Mrs. Carmichael gave an illustrated lecture on the Middle East and the history of St. John in Jerusalem.

No.4 Leyton & Leytonstone Division's first aid team entered the Area heats of London District's Massey competitionthe first the Division had entered for 47 years - and won the runners-up trophy

NOTTS - Unexpected spectators arrived for the annl!lal inspection of more than 400 members of divisions of No. 1 Corps at Edwinstowe recently.

Touring the Dukeries, a coach-load of Australians stopped to see the parade as nine of them were members of SJ A in Australia.

Area Commissioner R. Scott presented warrants of appointment to Dr. R. N. Sethh, Corps Surgeon; Mr. M. Goodman, Divisional Supt, Thoresby; Mr. K. Boundary, Divisional Officer, Ollerton; Mr. T. E. Wheatley, Divisional President, Thoresby; Mrs, Joan Wheatley, Divisional President, Thoresby Nursing; and Mr. H. Randall, Vice-president, Thoresby.

Grand Prior badges went to Cadets Dawn Briggs, Creswell; Judy Appleton, Kim Parker, Julie Searson, Jayne Lee and Jayne Woolley , Thoresby.

Gl!lests irncluded Cllr. R. Webster, the!il Chairman of Iaassetlaw District Council, and Mr. E. Bishop, MP for Newark.

Meet Nuneaton s Miss Alice Andrews, with the 45 years' service certificate presented to her recently by the County C0ni1missioner Major R C Warlow-Harry. (Photo: F. Goodall, Nuneaton)

Here - this is a bit much! These girls of Stainforth and Hatfield Nursing and Hatfield

Retirement presentation for Area Superintendent Mrs. Laura Peace (left) from Dr V Altman at Huddersfield s Saddleworth Nursing DiVision Mrs. Peace joined as a cadet in 1916. (Photo: W. T. R0IDfuins)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.7 (75) CompUedbyW.A.Potter

Across:

1. Used to produce active immunity against tubercul0sis. (1.1.1. 7) 6. Makes a saint light-headed? (4) 10. Becomes painful again when one gets there? (7) 11. Poison<\)Us metal containing copper in jovial surroundings. (7) 12. A fruit for a large joint. (3) 13. Draws closer with ear b@tw@en poles. (S) 14. Ether upsd - but not here. (5) IS. Repel backwards a diseased person formerly cast out by society. (S) 17 Untidyness of illness (8) 21. Baldn@ss of hidden police in motoring organisation. (8) 24 His patches of lymphoid tissue are in the small intestine (S) 26. Artery has a rota changed. (S) 28. A vein producing pigmented birthtmarks. (5) 29. Laceration to hurt the feelings. {3) 30. Possibl@ SOUlfce of infection is a breed of pidgeons (7) 31 Trial devoured with a will. (7) 3:2. Mineral not likely to quench one's thirst. (4) 33 Occurs when the blood sugar level exceeds the renal threshold. (10)

Down:

1. Baltic island for infectious disease characterised by severe spasmodic pains. (8) 2. Take firmly in the hand to comprehend fmlly. (5) 3. Btme CONdition of many circus dwarfs. (1 4J ) 4. Prepar atiofl of milk and eggs for (7) S. Vomiting after direction for Goddess of Retribution. (7) 7. Quick to perceive illness rmming a sharp, severe course. (S) 8. Gas required by cyanosed patient. (6) 9. Manufacture of red blood cells ifl the bone marrow. (14) 16. Soft alumiflium friend. (3) 18. Here in France is a large British company. (3) 19. Isle of East Anglia. (3) 20. Three may change redness of the skin. (8) 22. The nervous system in the middle? (7) 23. Surgical technique aiming at exclusiofl of all micro-organisms. (7) 2S. Waste excreted by the imtestines. (6) 27. Out of town. (S) 29. Seat for Professor. (S)

Solution to Crossword No.6 (75)

Across:

1. Saliv.a; S. M.uscle; 8. Senna; 9. Ot.it.is; 10. Lizard; 11. Usual; 14. Hears.e; 16. Shoulder; 18. Raynaud's disease; 20. Straddle; 21. Angina; 24. La.tin; 26. Retina; 27. On call; 28. Noose; 29. Lament; 30. Asthma.

CLASSIFIED ADVERl"ISEMENiTS

ADVERTISEMENTS

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Agency co mmi ssio n : 15 %.

MOORFIELIDS EYE HOSPITAL City RmJd, London, EC1V 2PD

Candidates accepted at the age of 17 years as student nurses to undertake an 18 month course in ophthalmic nwrsing

On successful completion of the course awards of Moorfields Certificate and Medal are made Comfortable residential accommodation available. Applications to the Principal Nursing Officer.

Down: 1. Slough; 2 Le>in; 3. As.sure; 4. INtussusception; S. Malleoli ; 6. Chap; 7. End.ear; 12 Cranial; 13. Allergy; IS. Ex.act; 17 Essen; 19. Undulant; 20. Spiral ; 21. Apnoea; 22 A.xi.lla

Stem; 2S. Rash.

Ideal for SPLINTS TOURNIQUETS STRETCHERS

CHRISfMAS CARDS!

We

The 1975 O rder of St. John Christmas card, which inside carries a photo9raph of SJA's Grand Presidern:II Princess Margaret and the Prelate of the Order the Archbishop of Canterbury, is now available from:

REVIEW

AT RANDOM

and any appliance requiring a quick, Jilositiv9 G1osl!!Ire coupled with easy release

reliiilbl:y iil rn d fast. 3. Big J!>r0fits. ir1 f3ritain whic i1l post th@coupon below det@il§.CSPhasbeenDlegesthaveraisedfundswith tme

s@rrvice is available in England. can rang e from 25% to 35% of the se ll ing price These are the advantages of CSP: 4. duality Products. All merchand se featu red in our programme is of high quality. The choice spans a wide range of pri ces - from 1. Personal Service. At your reque $t an experienced CSP Fi@ld attractive, hand made , perfumed decorative ca ndl es to best -selling Manager will advise you how to rais® the funds , help you to set Reader 's Digest record collections up your programme, and give YBU per so nal assistance in 5. No high pressure selling. Your own "circle of influence" will canying it out. He will provide all the s@les a ids and litera tu re provide enough willing buyers to carry the progra mme to sucoess. rr eQl!lire0.l to make )lour programme a sUlCcess. Fund raising IS e@sier, a rn<i:l more enj©yable w th help fro rrT'il CSP. CSP carn help yom

At Random, by Watkin W. Williams p.173

St. John's Day p.174

Foundation conference p.l 75

Brigade Finals p.176

Welfa re competition p.178

A r ound and About, by the Editor p.180

Family Accidents: Poisoning, part 2, Dennis Clark p.184

Awards, January 1 to June 30 1975 p.185

Jump into danger - if you dare! by Pat Cole p 186

PR-Chat p.187

Simple first aid for everyone , by Dr. A J. R. Anderson p.188

One-man stretcher trolley p.189

Readers Views p.190

News from Scotland - Overseas p 193

News from the Divisions/c entres p.194

EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Com missioner-in-Chief

I MUST FIRST express the most sincere congratulations of all our readers to those who received honours on Her Majesty's Official Birthday in recognition of their services to St. John Ambulance - Mr. M. A. Simmons (OBE), Commissioner for Staffordshire, Mr. F. H. House (MBE), Area Commissioner for the Western Area of Dorset, and Mr. Stanley Norris (BEM), an Ambulance Member in the SEG B (East Greenwich) Division, London District. Mr. Simmons became interested in first aid in 1940 when a member of the Wolverhampton Special Constabulary and was appointed Superintendent of the Wolverhampton (Goodyear) Ambulance Division in 1943. Since then he has held various Brigade appointments in Staffordshire, culminating in that of Commissioner in 1970. His record of service provides an outstanding example of close and effective co-operation between the Association and the Brigade branches of the Foundation, for he has for more than 15 years been very actively involved in St. John training throughout his county: he organised and ran first aid and nursing classes at Bilston College of Further Education; he was one of the pioneers in developing Industrial First Aid Courses; he has introduced management training for officers of the Brigade and instructed them in the use of modern business techniques for running Divisions; and he is currently very closely associated with the development of the First Aid Community Training (FACT) project in the Staffordshire area. His outstanding compassion in the discharge of his duties resulted in his taking the lead in organising St. John welfare and other duties at the Hungarian Refugee Camp at Hednesford in 1956 and again at the Ugandan Asian Resettlement Camp at Eccleshall in 1972. During his five years as Commissioner his enthusiastic leadership has led to an increase of 5% in Brigade strength, of more than 6% in the hours of public duty performed, and of 42% in the items loaned to the public from his St. Juhn Medical Comforts Depots.

St. John's Day

Annual General Assembly

FOUNDATION CONFERENCE

Conferenee (contd.)

with

Commande

BESWLTS

WELFARE COMPETITION

Report by the judges: J. Claverho.use Graham, Surgeon-in-Chief

Watkin W. Williams, Deputy C-in-C

Rosemary Bailey, Chief Nursing Officer

AFTER MAKING a careful study of the reports submitted, we short-listed three entries which were in a Glass by themselves and which we considered worthy of a visit by the panel of judges in accordance with the published conditions for the competition. This indicates the essential importance of the details contained in these reports, thcJUgh we would stress that their actual 'presentation' accounted for only a small percentage of the points awarded.

The three short-listed projects were very different in character, but each in turn complied with our conc@pt of the welfare role which can be performed by a voluntary organisation within t!rJ.e 'Garing team' in a local community. This wide divergence in character between the projects added to our difficulties iF] judging, ne>t least because we regarded each of the tbree to be of the quality of a potential winner. But having visited all three projects and agreed on our basis for marking and assessment, we each carried out the assessment independently and without further consultation, and it was reassuring to find that we had each arrived at identical conclusions about the overall result, which was as follows:

I. BERE ALSTON COMBINED DIVISION (Devon).

Awarded the Keith Joseph CLIP for the winners.

2. CLAPHAM COMMON NURSING & NURSING CADET DIVISIONS (London). Awarded the Thwaites Cup for the runners-up.

3 BIRMINGHAM POST OFFICE AMBULANCE DIVISION (West Midlands). Highly commended.

While recognising the inadequacy of any brief summary of the projects, we feel that the following details may be usefully

informative:

1. The Here Alston project resulted from a public meeting held in the Parish Hall at which the County Social Welfare Officer stressed the need for far greater social welfare facilities in the village, in ',riew of the il'lflux of elderly retired people since the village had become a local development area for housing and about 20% of its 3,000 inhabitants were over the age of 65. Three times within a month during the winter of 1973-74 the village had suffered electric power failure through various accidental causes, with resultant discomfort and danger to elderly residents. The Bere Alston Combined Division had helped on these occasions and discovered many other needs (not restricted to the elderly) which had been overlooked simply because no one knew about them The Divisional Advisory Committee held a meeting with the Area Welfare Officer of th@ Local Authority and two Parish Councillors to discuss the matter. Arising from this , the Division undertook a S0cial survey which involved preparing, distributing and colkcting 500 copies of a questionnaire, the results of which were tabulated (and are beimg kept hlp to date) in a co m prehensive card-index. A Community Services Committee was formed, with a retired local GP as its President, the Divisional Superintelildent as its Hon. Sec., and with reFlfesentatives from the three local churches (including their youth groups) and two Women's Institutes. Almost all members of the Division are also members of one or more of these supporting organisations. Twe Division also receives much helpful advice from its Divisional Nursing Officer who has recently been appointed District Nurse. The whole village mas been geographically divided between members of the Division as 'street wardens' with supporting help from members ef other organisations. Several of the elderly receive a daily or even twice-daily visit. and all are provided with means of summoning help in emergency. It! cooperation with the Parish Council and the -

WR VS, arrangements have been made to provide hot meals to the elderly in case of a power failmre. A social gathering for the elderly is held one afternoon a week and those unable to attend are visited; occasional coach trips and other special events are also arranged. The pFoject is still develpping and expanding and from what we saw on our visit to Bere Alston we were convinced that it has already contributed immeasurably t'o the quality of l,ife of the whole community.

2 The Clapham Common project was centred on two hospitals - St. John's Hospital, St. John ' s Hill, SW 11, and the Springfield Psychiatric Hospital, Tooting , SW17. The Nursing Division had for some 20 years taken geriatric patients from St. John's Hospital in wheel-chairs to Wand sw orth Common on fine Saturday afternoons and provided picnic teas. They now planned to extend thi s by doing nursing aid in the wards and involving members of their associated Nursing Cadet Division and to establish a bond of frielildship between members of both the Adult and the Cadet Division and some of the long-stay patients who had no visitors. This they achieved most effectively, with the active help of two cadets in particular.

Their connection with Springfield Hospital, though not new, was much more recent. Three members of the Adult Division had for a Gouple of years been visiting elderly long -term schizophrenic patients in one 'closed' ward. The patients were most withdrawn and uncommunicative, but gradually tmey begam to respond. During the past winter other members of the Division have become involved in visiting and, more important. in holding fortnightly tea parties for small groups of patients in the homes o f three of their members in Clapham Common. They have made considerable progress in breaking down a tragic reserve which in some cases had amounted to total. non -communication, renewing in them some interest in the outside world and evoking a warmth of genuine affection. The fact that

on June 1 1975 the ward in which they have been working was declared an 'open' ward is some measure of the successful progress of their endeavours.

3. The Birmingham project involved a wide variety of efforts to improve the quality of life among members of (a) the Birmingham Post Office Veterans, (b) the Birmingham & District Multiple Sclerosis Society and (c) the Birmingham Fellowship of the Handicapped. They have also given active help to patients in the Burns Unit and the Children's Wards at Birmingham Accident Hospital.

Every member of the Division has been involved in this work and, since they are shift workers there is no time of any day or night when there is not someone available to help It must be comceded that they could have achieved even more if they had involved the nursing members from another Division in the Birmingham Post Office complex. Even so, their achievement has been quite outstanding, including (a) a coach €luting and dinner at Weston-super-Mare for 335 pensioners and handicapped people , as well as numerous other special outings and social gatherililgs (b) helping to put some 700 handicapped people on the train and accompanying them on their journey from Birmingham to Ladbrook Holiday Camp at Caister, fOUF members of the Division spending a week of their own holiday at the camp, working 16 hours a day to care for the handicapped campers; (c) providing

- which came third

The Thwaites Cup for runners - up went to the team from London 's Clapham Common Nursing and Nursi n g Cadet Division

second - hand clothing and gifts for patients in the Burns Unit, gifts and toys for the children s wards and a colour TV set for the geriatric ward at Birmingham Hospital; and (d) massive fund-raising efforts to finance these activities and to provide their Division with an additional ambulance to enable them to carry out their work more effectively

Judging

In judging the competition, the following were the main points included in our evaluation: (a) the assessment of the need for welfare within the local community and the consequent action proposed , as shown im the initial statement (b) the progress made during the period of the competition, as shown in the final report; (c) a clear statement of the way in which the expenses of the project were met; (d) the degree to which available man/woman power among St. John members, auxiliaries etc. (including surgeons , nursing officers and lay persons designated to assist and advise with welfare) was utilised; (e) a knowledge of the statutory and voluntary organisations available to help, and the degree to which this help was utilised; (f) tfue development of the project in unforeseen direetions as opportunities arose; (g) the improvement of the quality of the life of the community brought about by the group as a whole and by individuals within it; (h) the clear and detailed presentation of the final report, and the extent to which this _ was further implemented in various ways on

the occasion of the judges' visit; and (i) our assessment of the degree to which the stated aim had been attained.

Conclusion

In general, we felt that the points which needed to be more fully developed in future years were a greater knowledge of the voluntary and statutory agencies available to help , a more imaginative use of human resources , and greater consultation with the Divisional Surgeon and Nursing Officer and the County Staff Officer for Welfare. While talking to some of the individual team members we detected what amounted almost to a sense of pride in having carried out their project with but minimal use of any such consultations, almost implying that to do so would have been 'cheating'; but this was due to a misinterpretation of the published conditions for the competition.

The real strength of these welfare projects lay, in our view , in the extent to which they improved the quality of life of the community and integrated St. John Ambulance members and supporters as full partners in the community caring team'. The winning team was the one which involved the whole spectrum of community activity in improving the quality of life of the members of that community.

The wide variety of projects tackled by the competing teams , coupled with their degree of success in achieving their objectives, seemed to us to indicate that St. John Ambulance has substantially untapped resources available - without any diminution in the performance of our more traditional functions of first aid and nursing duties - to respond to the ever-increasing demands from the community for social service which can never be fully met by the statutory bodies available for the purpose. We would strongly recommend that quite apart from encouraging the extension and development of this competitio'n in future years, St. John Ambulance should examine in far greater depth the ways in which we can contribute towards satisfying these demands.

Deputy C - in-C discussing their welfare project with officers of the Birmingham Post Offi ce Ambulance Divis io n

SURGEON-IN-CHIEF

Dr. James C. Graham has been appointed SJA's Surgeon-in-Chief from hne 24 in suecessioFl to ColoRel R. OUerenshaw, who the appointment of Commander SJ A, Greater

MARVELLOUS

I hear that more than £5,500 was raised within a week of launching a £30,000 appeal for the new SJA HQ at Thirsk, N. Yerkshire. The appeaiJ. was announced when PriFlcess Margaret visitetd the HQ in June.

£5,000 came from an anonymous donorthanks; £100 from Scarborough Nursing Division - thanks again.

As well as paying ofT the deficit on the new HQ, the money will buy an ambulance, a towing vehicle for a first-aid unit and a short-wave radio system.

Marvelilous, SJA N. Yorks!

SJA REGATTA

The Warwickshire SJ A regatta, announced last month in this column, is open to all St. John members (Order, Association and

ARaUND and ABOUT

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

Brigade), their families and friends. It's for centreboard dinghies within range PY numbers 91 to 129, racing on the PY handicap basis, with two races counting out of three.

It will be held on Middlemore (Drayton) Reservoir, Daventry, on September 6, 1975, the tarst race starti1n g at 11.30 am. (By the time this Review reaches you it'll prolDably be over, but I'm giving all the facts to help others planning such events. But let the Review have facts early, please).

OUR COVER-GIRLS UNCOVERED

The first correct answer received for our what -are-OUf-cover -girls-doing competition (June Review cover) came from a girl- or should I say a woman, Barbara? - 20-yearold Mrs. Barbara Beeston, nursing member of Thurmanston Combined Division, Leicestershire, who is a student nurse.

Barbara's correct guess (her phot@ is below) was 'I think they're polishing shoes with dusters???' I assume the three question

marks were because our printer inadvertently showed too much of the photograph (a tip of a duster is visible) on the inside page of that issue. Not to worry. Barbara's was the first correct answer.

We had a large post over this questionmany more from ambulance members tli1an nursing, if that means anything - arod one reader from Northants sent 101 suggestions, all neatly typed! Apparently, our SJA cover-

(Left) The complete picture of our Ju ne issue cover-girls , and (below) Mrs, Barbara Bees to n third from left , w h o sent in the first correct answer, This photo was taken while on duty at SJ

Lei G: s' an ml'J al dance, with (L to R) M rs, Lewis, D O Iilirstall Comb, Div; Miss Margaret Simms N/ M Birstal l; Cty, Sgt. Mjr, Lee ; N M Beverley Holt , Thu r manston ; and N M Sa n dra Rob nson Birstall (Photo Leicester Graphic)

Prizes will be for best helmsman and crew, a team prize for the highest placed three boats from any county or division, and for the best helmsman and crew of each class provided there are at least 5 starters in the class.

Refreshments and a baF will @e available, with a social evening held at the clubhouse of the Rugby Sailing Club. Entrance fee is, £1.00 per boat, entry forms from ASO D. Hopkins, 23 Stonewell Crescent, Nuneaton, (phone) 327971.

BY THE EDITOR

MIND BENDERS

Find

CLUE: T wo g rls

STEPPING OUT

Answers: Upside

girls caused quite a stir in the Work Study Dept. of Corby Iron and Steel Works (hope the manager doesn't have to report a temporary in production there), for the Review cover was used for what is known as a 'brain-storming' session. Ideas producing, in other words. Five work study officers (all male) rattled off the 10 I suggestions in 45 minutes . They ranged from cutting toenails, stroking cats, holding down patient, weeding carpet , sharing typewriter , entering glamorous knee competition - to demonstrating acupuncture by the trial and error method!

A good try, fellows - better luck next time! (PS: Their 31st suggestion was correct; but they spent tOG much time on all those others to wim),

LONDON'S FAREWELLS

Staff of London District HQ said farewell to their Commander, Group Captain G. H. Pirie, at a party on June 30, before he took up his new appointment as chairman of the St. John Council for London. The new Commander, Col. H. A. Lewis, presented the Service Medal of the Order to Gp. Capt. Pirie, who has been guide, friend and philosopher to London District, making it a really potent organisation in the capital.

In reply, Gp. Capt. Pirie said that in his new job he would still keep a watchful eye on all that happened to SJ A London.

On behalf of District staff', the secretary presemted Gp. Capt. Pirie with a silver plated salver and two tankards.

The appointments resulted from the retirement of Rear Admiral Royer Dick as chairman of the Council, which he has been since its inception four years ago; he continues as a member of Chapter General.

CAll) ET 1'0

London District's new Commissioner, Derek R. Fenton MBE, joined the Brigade as a cadet (in Ealing) in 1937 and has been promoted through every rank to now control five Areas with a total of some 10,000 members.

He replaces Col. H. A. Lewis MBE, TD, who is now SJA Commander, London, with c@mtrol of the Association and Brigade.

Derek's wife is President of Southal!l Nursing Cadet Division; his daughter Sheila

- an ex -cadet, SRN and midwife - is a Divisional Nursing Officer; his son David is on Area Staff, SJA Herts; and his daughterin-law Maureen is Divisional Officer, Welwyn Garden City Nursing Cadet Division.

Derek, who is a company sales director, is SJA's first commissioner who joined as a cadet and has served in every Brigade rank.

AN ILL WIND

...

The gala day went with a swing, with two bands (one, the Surrey SJ trumpet and drum band), Miss Farnham swinging a leg to start two soccer matches (one local housewives versus the TV Toppers - no picture, sorry), and plenty of side stalls which drew the crowds.

The gala day venue had to be changed a week before the event due to bad weather and the state of the Council-owned ground on which it was originally to be held. The condition of the ground became a front-page issue in local newspapers for some time, with SJA continually being mentioned. An ill-wind blew SJA Farnham some good

Publicity for SJA Farnham's 40th anniversary celebrations -a gala daycovered local radio, TV, newspapers, posters were displayed, and all members and cadets were encouraged to spread the words 'SJ A gala day' well before And now this quadrilateral division is trying to find even more ways to pUblicise future activities. That's PR for you. Never stop.

LONDON

Surrey SJA's trumpet and drum band stepping out at Farnham s gala day. See story An ill wind, (Photo:

Farnham Herald)

A new watchroom, dedicated to the memory of Bob Appleby, Filey lifeboat mechanic and member of the Filey SJA Combined Division (see the SJA-men of Filey, Review July '75), was dedicated at the Filey Lifeboat House and a memorial plaque unveiled by the RNLI Deputy Chairman Cdr. P. Pickles on July 2, just a year to the week after the death of Bob Appleby on lifeboat service. The watchroom was built entirely by voluntary labour, a large part of which were S1. John members in their dual role as members _ of the crew of the Filey lifeboat.

The President of the Filey Division, Mr. Bob McKernan (he is also deputy hon. secretary of the Filey lifeboat), and seven Divisional members including Bob Appleby, junior, were present at the ceremony.

SJA's Bob Appleby at the engines of the Filey lifeboat. $ee story FOR LlFEBOATMEN

HOT WORK

One of the hottest weekends of the year at Southport, Lanes, during June resulted in SJ A first aid posts treating 221 people, mostly from heat exhaustion and cuts. 15 of them had to be taken to hospita.!l.

MALTrA

My paragraph in the May Review on the recent Anglo-Maltese Health Care agreement may have been misconstrued. For those who may have taken the Health Care paragraph to be anything but factual - it was factual. It should interest alIl U.K.

SJA Kingston upon Thames visit local schools to show their ambulances and eqlJipment, ta k on road and home safety, anci recruit cadets Here, D O (T) M. J. Newbold shows youngsters the advantages of a Ferno -Washington SCO Q P stretcher. (P ho to: AIM T. Seakins)

persons visiting Malta for 30 days or less, because they will get medical or hospital treatment under the same conditions as Maltese citizens.

COME IN, MILD . ..

Welcome to the 16 members of the new Brigade division at Mildenhall, Cambridgeshire. Meeting every Monday at the Mildenhall Clinic, the new division's treasurer is David Palmer , divisional officer Rupert Mace. Let's hear from you soon. MIND BENDERS (answers)

Mr. House joined the Weymouth Ambulance Division in 1939 and for the past 36 years has devoted all his leisure hours to Dmrther in g the cause of St. John. He is widely klil@wn as a highly efficient first aid instructor, both within the Brigade and to statutory services, industry and the public, and has for many years been responsible for the organisation of county and regional competitions , not only for the Brigade but also for the Police, the Fire Brigade and the nationalised industries. But it is above all his large-hearted sympathy for individual sufferers that has endeared him to all who have had the good fortune to work with him or to receive his help. No task that came his way has ever been too difficult or too dangerous for him to attempt in the service of mankind. Outstanding in this respect have been the many occasions when he has volunteered to help sick or injured persons at sea , often pl!ltting out in the lifeboat as a voluntary first aid attendant, with severe gales blowing and with no thought for his personal safety or comfort.

Mr. Norris has a record of 50 years' unbroken efficient service in the Brigade , and since he retired from employment he has givefl the whole of his available time to voluntary unpaid Brigade duties, more especially with the Dennison Club for the Deaf-Blind and Deaf-Dumb in south-east London and at holiday camps for elderly handicapped people organised by the Welfare Departments of the Boroughs of Lewisham and Camden. Throughout the past seven years he has performed the remarkable average of nearly 20 hours a week on these various duties.

We must also congratulate three other members of the St. John family whose names appeared in the Honours List for their services in other fields The Bailiff of Guernsey formerly Mr . J. H . Loveridge , who is also Chairman of the St. John Council for Guernsey , has been created a Knight Bachelor and has become Sir Johlil Loveridge ; Lt -Col. W. E. I. Forsythe-Jauch, who initiated the Association Centre in Nepal and whose description of the King of Nepal's Coronation Day last February (on which he had entire responsibility for arranging the first aid cover) appeared in the June Review, has been awarded an OBE for his servioes in the RAMC; and Dr. J. P. C lay ton , for 19 years IDivisiomal Surgeon of the Royal Windsor Nursing Division, has been awarded an MVO for his services as Surgeon Apothecary to the Queen's Household at Windsor.

Three firsts

The Brigade Finals at Croydon on July 5 produced thfee 'firsts' this year. Sir Maurice Dorman made his first public appearance as Chief Commander when he presented the trophies to the winners, and in an inspiring

AT RANDOM

(eontd. from page 173)

speech he made it clear that he looks forward to travelling aroulld to see and be seen by as many St. John members as po ss ible and to get to know them personally. Though he appeared at Croydon in civilian dress, he assured us that in the near future he would be wearing uniform on all appropriate occasions, and stressed the value and importance of uniform as a ready means of recogmtlOn and of strengthening the solidarity of the uniformed branch of the Foundation. I understand that he and Lady Dorman will shortly be taking a first aid course to qualify for their first aid certificates -a splendid example to us all and a sa lutary reminder of the responsibility that our uniform imposes upon us, for when members of the public see a St. John uniform in the streets they rely on its wearer being qualified to render first aid

Dr. J. C. Graham also made his debut at Croydon as Surgeon-in-Chief in succession to Col. R. Ollerenshaw who has now become Commander St. John Ambulance for Greater Manchester, of whose principal city his wife, Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, has recently become Lord Mayor. And finally the winners and runners-up in the Welfare Competition , of which Dr. Graham was one of the judges (see report on page 178) appeared for the first time to receive their trophies, thus bringing to fruition a seed sown by Sir Keith Joseph when he presented the trop hies at Croydon in 1972 and generous ly offered to give St. John Ambulance a cup for Welfare.

The Croydon road

There were 225 competitors , including reserves, in the 45 teams that took part in the Arst aid and nursing finals at Croydon. Assuming that each of those 45 teams had defeated , on average, three other teams in regional competitions, and that each of those regional finalists had defeated an average of three other teams in county competitions , that would give an estimated total of 3, 600

Brigade members who took part in county competitions - and that's without counting the numbers of those eliminated in the area competitions that are held in many counties.

I should put 6,000 as a very conserV'ative estimate of the total number of first - aiders - men , women , boys and girls - who set foot upon the Croydon road last autumn and of whom 225 reached their destination last month.

Even if it were no more than that, it's a fine crusading army, provided that they never lose sight of their goal which is to improve the quality of their compassionate service to sick and injured persons whenever and wherever they may meet them, and to improve the quality of first aid and nursing among all the other members of the Brigade who didn't have the luck to be selected for the competition teams.

The Commissioner-in-Chief brought out this point very forcibly in his speech at Croydon when he expressed the hope that those who had reached their destination would be used as 'mobile training teams' in their own counties and areas to improve the quality of first aid and nursing throughout the Brigade as a whole '

Welfare

May again remind you that the conditions for the 1975 - 76 Welfare Competition were published in the Brigade General Circular for July, and I hope that all Divisions that are already involved in welfare projects or are thinking of becoming involved have by now had time to study them carefully. If you haven't already started to plan your project it s not too late to do so now, or as soon as you get back from your holiday; but please don't leave it any longer. I hope that the judges report on the first year's competition will help to give you some ideas about the wide variety of opportunities for welfare that are open to us if we have but the eyes to see, the various kinds of people you should consult when you plan your project , the sort of information that is helpful to judges (at both county and national levels) when you send in your report , and the points that the judges will look for when assessing the extent to which you have genuinely and lastingly enriched the quality of life in your local community.

As in Arst aid and nursing competitions, so also in welfare - and perhaps even more so - it 's true to say that what matters most is not which team wins but how many teams throughout the whole country have become involved through the medium of the competitions in improving the high quality and increasing the wide range of their compassionate service to mankind. That is the true 'end', and cups and competitions provide a stimulating challenge to us to attain that end and must never be allowed to become an end in themselves.

A new ambulanc,;e for SJA Bideford (D/Supt. J Elrown) from B ideford IllCltary Club, Presil1ient Mr. R. Smith. Among the 200 peoplle at the presentati0n were 20 German

16-year-old Philip Garner, a B abbington (Notts) cadet fer 7 years, is congratulated by his employer's chief executive officer, Mr. tl.Ic:>yd Harriso n, for attempting to save the life of a young mal11 by ightning. (Photo : Grea ,ter Nottingham Co-operative Society)

EVERY DAY FIRST AID

- an easy-to-understand series of advice that will help YOU to cope with FAMILY ACCI DENTS

POISONING severe incidents, part

2

by Dennis Clark, MBE FRCS

TME flirst aid for minor incidents of poisoning has already been considered under the headings Assessment, Diagnosis, Treatment and Disposal. Now we have to elaborate our service under the same headings to deal with the more severe incident.

Assessment

When Y0U are called to someone alilegedly poisoned, be slightly critical of your information and test the 'history' by looking for confirmation. Seek the presence or remains of harmful substances: gases, liquids or solids, medicines, chemicals or berries. Remember that the victim may have hidden

or disposed elf confiffiil8itory evidence. Look for receptacles, b0tt1es, cartons or apparatus such as syringes and needles, or sources of fumes such as stoves or car exhausts. Go through the victim's pockets for messages, cards and records and examine for MedicAlert bracelets or necklets. Take note of labels on containers but beware of false informaticm; a pesticide, for instance, uPlay be in a lemonade bottle. Notice special diagnostic signs such as puncture marks in the skin of the drug-taker or the pink complexion of carbon monoxide or cyanide poisoning. Collect any vomitus to take to hospital, for in it will be the poison. Try to assess time factors. Poisons acting

POISONS - MODES OF ABSORPTION

at once are:

1. Gases and fumes. These may also present serious risks to the rescuer.

2. Liquids with contact effects. Corrosives and antiseptics cause burns.

3. Injected poisons and some swallowed poisons (cyanides) have special effects on consciousness.

All these require immediate attention to maintain life. This is also true of the victim of swallowed or absorbed poison to whom you have been called late because there has been time for the full etTects to develop. Strangely, in these circumstances, it is easy to overlook poisoning. An unconscious old lady, deadly cold, may be taken to hospital for

'hypothermia' unless an observant first-aider notices a bottle of sleeping pills thus giving t1Ie true diagnosis of poisoning to explain the stiliiness and inactivity of the victim.

!First aid for aDI these people means the maintenance of life and speedy disposal to hospital. Far more frequently, though, assessment will show that the poison has not had time for the full effects to develop and in these cases speed is even more important. First aid must be the minimum to make sure that the victim arrives in the best possible condition.

Diagnosis

During assessment the 'history of the case' is tested, the 'mode of absorption' is recognised and 'time factors' considered. In diagno sis the 'patient's condition' receives attention. As they are so important, the 'priorities' together with the essential observations concerning them will be listed again:

1. Breathing. Is it normal, noisy or obstructed, or absent?

2. Blood circulation. Does the heart beat? Is the pulse present or absent? What is its rate, strength (bounding, normal or weak) and its rhythm (even or irregular)?

3. Consciousness. Is the victim alert and normal? Are there signs of abnormal consciousness such as drowsiness, confusion, delirium, hallucinations or convulsions? Is he unconscious?

The results of these observations, speedily performed, determine the essential first aid to maintain life by the use of cardiac or respiratory resuscitation or the recovery position.

Corrosive poisons

Other diagnostic points are most conveniently considered with the special etTects of ditTerent groups of poisons. The most important of these etTects are the chemical burns produced by corrosive poisons. The 'corrosives' are the strong acids and a.]kalis we cOlilsidered in the articles on burns, but in poisoning the burns are not on the surface; they are in the mouth, the digestive tract and even the airway. It is also wise to include the 'aromatic' poisons (smelly ones) such as petrol, kerosene and some dry cleaning fluids that if vomited and thel'l inhaled cause lung damage. Luckily poisons are so ulilpleasant that most accidental drinkers soon spit them out and only sutTer burns of the lips, tongue and palate. In such incidents freely washing the lips and mouth from a large cup or bowl of water or milk and spitting it out into a basin, thus diluting the corrosive and soothing the burns, is good first aid while waiting to go to hospital.

Look carefuilly for burns that may not be easily seen. You may only see small white pat ches on the edges of the lips or thin

AWARDS

January 1 to June 3@, 1975

ASSOCIA TlON

Meritorious First Aid Certificate

Stewardess Sandra Shaw

Stewardess Lorraine Stanley-Ford

Chief Steward Jack Ellson

Civil Aviation Special Centre

Sub Officer C. D"avies

'folded pieces of dead skin', like an open blister, on swollen areas of lips, tongue and palate. If still conscious, the seriously injured victim will be fearfully distressed, speech will be agony saliva will drool from the lips because throat clearance and swallowing will be so painful. Pain may extend to the chest and breathing can become noisily obstructed. Unconsciousness can give relief but death is almost certain without expert medical attention.

Rapid transport to hospital is essential but, while waiting, try to wash away the poison. Turn the victim into the recovery position. Wash the lips, teeth and tongue-

and even the throat - with a stream of cold water or milk into a basin. Use a teapot or jug with a spout to direct or confine the stream. If breathing ceases use the HolgerNeilsen method of resuscitation (NOT the mouth -to -mouth method) unless a respirator is available.

These victims sutTer abominably but statistics show that of 1500 people admitted to hospital in 1972 (England and Wales) for acGidental corrosive poisoning only three died. The severe incident is very rare. Next month we will discuss some special points of diagnosis, the first aid treatment and the disposal of those seriously affected.

Jump into danger

if you dare! I

)

THE TITLE to this article was not the actual invitation extended by Supt. Steve Smith of the Weybridge SJA Division - it was 'jump> on the ambulance for the Bay City Rollers concert at the OCieon Hammersmith, to see our local team at work' - but it proved to be a hair -raising experience!

As Steve drove ofT from Weybridge in the 30-foot long mobile unit, witinl three o t her SJA members, the smaller ambulance followed with driver, another member and myself (a local reporter) on board.

Some of the crew-members wer e adorned with bandages and sticking plaster, the result, I learned, of minor injuries sustained at the previous night's Bay City Rollers concert. It has never occurred to me that although St. John person rn el were at many of our local functions to render first aid, they might also encounter physical violence in their duties. I was soon to be enlightened!

Three thousamd youngsters with tickets for the first performance jammed the streets outside the Odeon, Hammersmith, while Pat Cole s camera survived

Reporter PAT COLE was invited by Weybridge

SJA to join them on just another duty

hundreds more thronged around in the hope that they might 'see something'. Do zens of police some mounted, kept order outside, but once the cinema doors were opened it was any body's guess what might happen inside. I went inside to see for myself, with two SJ A officers, and watched the hysteria build up.

Delay The y mmgste r s, some onl y te N years old, had corne te see the Bay City Ro ll er sbut they had to wait for that, and had they seen them a,t the commencement of the performance, perhaps some of the hysteria would have been avoided. But no - first a supporting group performed , followed b y an imterval, and then , utterly incongruous to the pop wo rld of fantasy in which these kids live , a piped band attempte d t o play Amazi mg Grace'!

Keyed up with anticipation, restlessness and frustration the youngsters resisted all attempts by the St. John personnel and security patrolmen to persuade them to

remain seated. And when the Bay City Ro ll ers did finally show themselves on stage , all hel!l broke loose!

Casualties from the first perfermance were numerous enough, but the sight of a security patrolman being carried out unconscious and with a suspected fracture of the leg was to prove a comparatively minor event compared with the aftermath of the second house!

Weybridge's mobile unit resembled scenes from the London blitz! Youngster after youngster was carried in , screaming, sobbing unable to breathe properly. Many times I heard a girl scream 'He put out his hand from the stage - I nearly touched him! - or 'They all surged forward and trod on me -I couldn t breathe!'

Hysterically lashing out with t h eir six inch platform-soled shoes, I saw many an unwary SJ A man catch a piledriver from one of the frenzied, sobbing girls. Were these children in this state? Yes - but children badly in need of medical aid which fortunately was there ; thanks to St. John Ambulance and the

London Ambulance Service.

Toward s the end of the second performance, two Weybridge SJA men were pi!lilned u n der what was the Odeon orchestra pit, dodging am av alanche of broken , flying seats! This second performanoe had to be temporarily halted to allow the injured to be removed on stretchers and to restore s ome semblance of order.

At this point I knew that I would never possess half the courage of the St. John personnel who regardless of personal safety just stayed in the chaos to help those who were beyond helping fu emselves.

What would have happened if St. John Ambulance had not been on duty at Hammersmith? The thought is sobering , because some cases had to be rushed to Charing Cross Hospital , while hundreds of others needed urgent medical aid on the spot.

I spoke to many girls of varying ages

One, who would have undoubtedly gone into t raumatic shock had she not been treated in the mobile unit, talked to me as she lay tucked up in a blanket 'I wa s scared' she admitted , but I couldn ' t help myself. I j ust had to touch the Bay City ,Rollers as they reached out a hand or a foot. When I went down underneath all those fans I didn't even know where I was.' I asked if her parents knew where she was - but she did not answer.

Did the parents of those three thousand youngsters willingly allow their children to attend this pop concert? I wonder , since so many children refused to give their name or town from which they came. One father , still seeking his 13 -year -old daughter at 11.30 pm, must have given his permission and the mone y needed for admittance

Was I hurt in the chaos? Yes, I was . Five feet tall and weighing eight stones I was manhandled by two of the Bay City Rollers management team for photographing St. John p ersonnel carr y ing casualties to the ambulances. We don't want that kind of they said. I didn ' t want to lose the use of m y arm for two months , either.

It had been a privilege to watch the We y bridge SJA crew at work. As the last casualty w as discharged and we started ' mopping up operations in the mobile unit the noise of the screaming fans still rang in my ears

It had been just another duty' to Supt. Smith and his crew To me as a member of the public, it had been an invaluable experience of the work carried on by St. John Ambulance

Fortunately, I retained my camera and film intact so we have pictures (shown here) which might well be exhibited on St. John s flag day - so that the public can see for t memselves the dangerous nature of some of Wwe ml!l ties performed by SJA. Next time I see t hem on duty at a peaceful, local functionI'll remember!

which you should have - but haven't always got

PAPER WORK and the keeping of records

ma y seem secondary in the work of St. John member s, and when annual return s have to be compiled much searching and hard thinking u s uall y takes place to complete duty hour s and number of casualties treated .

But the accurate recording of facts is important for the compilation of r ecord s to put before the public, such a s Count y Year Book , nation al a nd local publicity handouts.

The member 's record sheet, (shown below)

wh ic h I de signed for Westbury Di v sion , helps member s to li st their duties completed , meetings attended and , more important, gives an accurate re cord of injuri es treated when no t on dut y

Div is ion s rec o rd treatment given on public dutie s and industrial first-aiders record ca s ualtie s treated in the accident book , but many members who treat injuries ofT duty do

not a lway s record details. With this record s heet kept a t home , a much more accurate return can be made by each member and later recorded in the Divisi onal first aid regi s ter. The record sheet can be produced either by duplicatin g, or by typing or simply writing copi es If members complete the s hee t monthl y , the information can then be c ollat ed and entered in the Division's register a nd the sheets filed for reference. Some divi sions probably have a similar method of keepin g records , but for those wh o h a ven t, tr y this You'll be surprised how u se ful all the information can be for keeping St. J o hn in the public eye - both locally and nationally.

J. Davey, Sgt (Secretary and PRO)

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE WESTBURY COMBINED DIVISION

D.

Simple first aid for everyone

Dr. A. J. R. ANDERSONr s personal view of a goal everyone wants but which is not so easy to achieve

ARE WE MISSING the b\!ls? Or to be more precise, are we chasing the wrong bus?

Every time I lecture it seems to be to a much audience. Many years ago, thirty to forty was a large group, but now to my horror, I find that I am being asked to talk to 100 to 120, if not more.

Perhaps this reflects rising costs as groups now tend to club together to cut the cost of hall hire , heat, light, etc. And many doctors, alas including nearly all the younger generation, charge the full going rate for the lectures.

But I prefer teaching, not lecturing, aNd I find the direct personal individual approach in a relatively small group much more effective and satisfying. Increasingly, this ilildividual personal contact is lost with the larger I feel so strongly about this aspect of teaching that I will rarely agree to lecture to large audiences. I want to talk to, alild I hope teach, a relatively small group of not more than twenty at a time.

But is this enough? Even if every doctor would undertake such work, and most either will not or would require payment to the extent of outreaching the funds available, we are still only reaching a tiny, self selected minority of tme population, certainly under 1% aFld pmbably under 1(2%' After any injury, survival and speed of recovery depends primarily on the reaction of the first arrival, not on the speed and cor:mpeteNce of the AIillIDulamce Serviee and certainly not in the ability of any doctor that might be concerned. They arrive, or are concerned, at a much later stage - almost inevitably far too late to iFlfll!lence events to any great extent. If the first arrival comes within seconds and is a competent doctor or trained first-aider than the chances of the victim are much Detter. But doctors and firstaicders form only a tiny proportion of the whole population. Surely, we must attempt to extend the knowledge of basic first aid much more widely, ideally to more than 50% and possibly neareli 1O@% of the cQm.mynity. This is certainly not going to be easy. Other countries are attempting this with

considerable success. Their approach is based on two simple facts. Young children are used to learning. They are better at it than adults and are uSl:lally less affected by the emotional of this pmicl!llar subject. Secondly, all ch:Idren have to go to school. Join these two simple facts to a very simple basic first aid without much detailconfined ilil fact to simple life saving measures and we could attempt to cover the whole school population. In parts of Scandinavia they have had school courses for some years.

My OWfl feelimg is that for this type of schooling to be successful it would have to be a statutory requirement in education. And with the increasing suggestion that the acquisition of social skills should be pa,rt of the school syllabus the time would seem to be apt for the introduction of first aid now. I must repeat and emphasise that it would have to be a simple, basic and life saving first aid with a heavy bias towards my practical approach. Such a form - the A-B-C already exists. My own children from the age of eight have learnt wi tlNin minutes the technique of mouth-to-mol!ltn or mouth-tonose artificial resuscitation, the turning of a fully grown adult to the recovery position, corrrect positionimg of the head and control of the bleeding. More important, they mave retained these skills without further coaching. Initially, it was a game they could play with their parents. Much later my elder son controllleGi the bleedililg from a split scalp most competently - in spite of his dislike of blood.

The medical, para-medical and voluntary forces are imsufficient to undertake sl!lch teaching. They would be hard pushed to teach the teachers. Bl:lt given a statutory requirement this could be done. Whether it would be better for an aFea educational authority to employ a suitable number of peripatetic full time first aid teachers to move from school to school, or for a teacher in each scll100l to be designated, I am uncertaim. Teacher trainimg colleges are am obvious place to start such courses and through our personal contacts we have already taken

then we can only, and must, teach them to care for themselves. The measure I have suggested would go a long way towards this ideal.

...

The Chief Medical Officer comments:

Most of us would agree with Dr. Anderson's main proposition, that basic first aid procedures should be conveyed to as large a of the population as possible. The same point was made with great force and cogency by the Dean of Postgraduate Medical Studies, Manchester University, and Vice-Chairman of the Medical Commission

several sl!lch.

This kind of action will go a long way towards producing a population which would be capable of undertaking instant selfhelp first aid. For tmose who say that t his is far too complicated a skill for all to learn I would reply that nearly everyone can write, a much more complicated process.

But this in itself must not be the only kind of first aid ta\;lght. There is a very definite place for those who will, inevitably, become interested and want to learn more and understand more. I would hope, too, that this 'olanket' dissemination of simple first aid knowledge would go some way towards overcoming an unfortunate tendency that seems to be on the increase. I refer to the 'It's much too complicated for the likes of you. Leave it to me, I have been doing first aid for twenty years, man and boy and I am just beginning to know something about it , rnystique that puts a lot of people off. Not everyone wants to go into fine detail and the basics are simple. But even a basic knowledge gives confidence. I would like to see advanced first-aiders encouraging more to join them rather than trying to discourage others for the sake of status or elitism.

I would have thought the existing structure would be quite sufficient for this second tier kind of first-aider, always provided they are examined properly and those that do not reach a reasonable standard are 'deferred for re-examination'a much. liliJ.ore tactful expliession then 'failure'.

I would like to see instructors who are required to instruct rather than use their q ual,ifications for status purposes only. Certainly, my educational suggestions would require aliI the instrl!lctors we have - and many more! But the instructor who does not instruct rapidly loses confidence which cammot be replaced in academic courses. I would like to see one condition of an instructor's certificate being a compulsory number of courses undertaken annually.

But I am straying fliom my main and most important theme. Quite simply, we are mot reaching a large enough section of the population. If we are to care for the injured

on Accident Prevention - Surgeon Rear Admiral Stanley Miles, in his article First-aid Training which appeared in the British Medical Journal on November, 22, 1969; which carried such conviction as to influence radically the pattern of first aid training offered by St. John Ambulance

As a direct consequence the 'Digest of First Aid' 4-hour uncertificated course was devised - originally to meet the motoring public. The manual 'First Steps in First Aid' was designed for exactly the school population refelired to by Dr. Anderson; and, finally, the 'Emergency Aid Session' lasting for 2-hours has been put together. What we cannot do is dictate to headmasters what should appear in the

school curriculum; but encouraging progress has been made by patient work over the years with sympathetic Ministers and Civil Servants, which has yielded fruit. Some authorities would not agree with Dr. Anderson concerning sizes of audienceincidentally, the choice of this word is interesting. Professor J Lloyd Trump, Professor of Education at New York University, holds that - given the right sort of equipment - the same facts can be communicated to an audience filling the Albert Hall as to ten in the Village Hall. Finally, we see nothing opprobrious in lecturers, medical or otherwise, receiving the rates prescribed in St. John Ambulance regulations.

The lightweight twowheel trolley, with (right) stretcher fitted

THE Sheffield stretcher trolley was born out of necessity , like so many new ideas. For a number of years I was inspector of stores for the Sheffield Corps amd was often in charge of large duties such as sports events, motorcycle racing and other outdoor activities. For some time our duty officer had been asking me for some sort of stretcher trolley that would be particularly suitable for football match duties. I looked at a number used by large hospitals in Sheffield. I watched TV's Sports Night in the hope of seeing trolley stretchers used by the Brigade in other parts of the country. But I didn t see what we wanted.

We needed something light in weight yet strong enough for the job. It had to be transportable by large or small ambulance. It had to be weather-proof - which meant stainless steel - be manageable by one man after loading, and be able to turn on its own axis. Quite a tall order! The last was most important as at one Sheffield football ground casualties have to be brought from the field

ONE MAN

STRETCHER TROLLEY

via a tlmnel, 3 to 4 feet wide, by which the players leave the ground. One had to be able to wheel the stretcher into the tunnel quickly and without fuss; which meant a two-wheel trolley. I could not find a trolley to fill these requirements so decided to design one.

Some time elapsed before I could push on with the idea , when I went to see Mr. J. G Buxton, then Area Commissioner of West Yorkshire's Hallamshire Area, who is managing director of Brass Founders (Sheffield) Ltd.

Mr. Buxton asked for drawings, with details and specifications, and when I produced them they were sent, after minor modifications, to the company's pattern shop to produce a wooden mock-up.

We then approached Sheffield businessmen to contribute towards making the trolley I went after wheels , which had to be of special size, not full-size bicycle wheels yet large enough to carry the weight and still be easy to push. They were donated by W. H. Wigfall Ltd of Sheffield.

With the mock-up ready, Mr. Buxton

asked me to bring a stretcher to the works to test the prototype trolley. The sag in the middle of a loaded stretcher meant changing the position of the support bars in the middle of the trolley, but soon we were satisfied and Mr. Buxton set about finding someone to produce the finished article.

When I received the call from Mr. Buxton he said that TWO trollies were to be presented to the Sheffield Corps by Sheffield's Rotary Club, who met all manufacturing expenses.

So by the kindness, patience and enthusiasm of a number of people the Sheffield stretcher trolley, which has since proved so invaluable, went into service.

Today, our members on large duties would not be without it. It now needs only one man, two at most, to convey a casualty to ambulance or restroom. Provided he can get someone to help lift at the end of the journey, one man can manage the loaded stretcher. So for us, the days of four-man carrying are past.

E. Hukin, Area Supt, (A)

MAL T A SJ HOSTEL

from P. S. Field

Owing to ill health I have had to retire from active duty with the Brigade, but still retain a great interest and desire to be of service when 1 can

Having many friends in the Brigade in Malta, I have just come back from a holiday there and have been asked to write to the Review on behalf of the Malta Brigade in the hope of raising funds for the acquisition of a St. John hostel in Malta (either irn Sliema or Mosta) which could be vested in the St. John Council in Malta and managed and operated by the Brigade as holiday accomm@dation for members of the Brigade and Order. Such a hostel would provide cheap holiday accommodation for members in the UK and overseas and at the same time provide employment for a number of Maltese Brigade members and so help to reduce the chronic state of unemployment in the island.

Any building acquired would have to be vested in the St. John Council in Malta, since non-residents cannot own properties for business purposes under the present laws of the island.

Cheap air fares could be obtained for members of the Brigade (and their families) by them becoming members of the organisation known as 'The Friends of Malta' and with the low rates which would be charged f@r the aCGommodatioro, moJidays fror members could be quite inexpensive.

I know that any appeal of this nature w@l!lld have to be acceptalbl,e to the Inland Revenue as monies raised by a charitable body for charitable purposes, but, since we would be subscribing to the St. John Council in Malta, I believe this would prove acceptable.

If you think there is any substance or possibility of creating such a fund by making an appeal through the Review and , provided the Order and Council approve of the scheme, I would be more than willing not only to subscribe to the appeal but also to administer it until the necessary funds had been raised.

The approximate cost of the building would be M£20,OOO, plus a further M£3,OOO for furnishing and equipment and, say, an initial w@rking capital of M£l,OOO, making a total of M£25,000. This may seem a large sum but, taking the overall numbers of Association and Brigade members, plus members gf the Order, it would work out at a fairly small donation by individuals, to whom membership of tme hostel would be restrieted.

Broadway, Wares. P S. Field

from P. Cotton, Hon. Sec. Weymouth Combined Division

]n Around and About (June) you mention the possibility of club holidays in Malta with St. John operating a package scheme. I was in Malta earlier this year at the same time as the party from A von, and like them fell in love with the island, its people and its history . I hope to go again soon and meet the many friends made during that holiday. Weymouth P. Cotton

NEW LOOK SJA

from W. E. Street, Divisional Officer

With the rapid expansion of the area ambulance services I!lnder the National Health Service is not this the time for us to drop the word ambl!llaroce from our title? Our headquarters, for instance, could be called St. John Brigade Headquarters, and each division, St. John Division.

The word ambulance on our vehicles and property should be replaced by the word Division. Althouglil OUir o ftten carry a stretcher, it will usually be in the stretcher rack folded against the vehicle's side-wall to make room for more seats or invalid chairs, etc, which will be more the type of work expected from St. John in the future. When on duty, especially with vehicles, personnel should wear berets, which are much more convenient for the job, but revert to caps for parades and ceremonial occasions.

All divisions (as we know them now) which use the same headquarters should be united, and the titles ambulance, nursing, ambl!llance cadet, nursing cadet , mixed, and quadrilateral shol!lld be

READERS VIEWS

Readers' views and opinions , which should be sent to th e Editor, al t hough published are not nec essarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St. John and its Foundation s. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen-name, writers must supply their name and address to the editor

replaced by platoons. A platoon being men, B platoon women , training together on the same evening; C platoon boys and D platoon girls , training togetroer, possibly earlier but on the same evening as the adults. We would then be l!lnited in one movement known as St. John and all in the same named division.

When several divisions meet at county parades or larger events, platoons would then of course become A, B, C, and D companies. Exmouth W. E. Street

CLARIFY, PLEASE from Ben Jarman, County Staff Officer (Cadets)

The photograph ,

whi c h appeared in } th e May 75 Review referred to by Ben Jarman; \\ it was taken at the opening o Harrow s new HQ and we think it's a

splendid' picture of a nursin§ cade too

What a splendid photo of the Harrow ambulance cadet appears on page 102 of the May 75 Review (above). The uniform looks smart and it does credit to our o rganisation. If the beret badge had been correctly positioned above the left eye, he would have got 100% marks from me!

But I have one big query and that is regard1ing badge No 3654 which appears on the left breast pocket of our ambulance cadet. As it sro o uld, accordi11lg to Brigade Order 1592 (May 1974). However, Minute 79 (c) of the Cadet Advisory Committee meeting held in London on Malicro 13 1975, sta tes categorically that badge 3654 is to be worn on the right breast pocket of the ambulance cadet uniform. I always that blazer-style badges were positiomed on the left. Why then this sudden change from the norm and have I missed an amendment to Regulations (dress, ambulance cadet) recently? If this badge is going over to the other side, the right breast area is going to be rather cluttered up , for a boy could have the MSC, the SS shield the Duke of Edinburgh's Award , plus the St. John cross, badge 3654

While on the subject of cadet uniform , will the powers decide definitely whether it's to be a beret or a ski -type cap for boys. Surely

IT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING ...

we cannot continue with two different kinds of headgear fot the one organisation? And what about the lanyard, why should this have been taken away? Let's add , rather than take away from the richness of our uniforms for the sake of saving a few pence. I notice that the lanyard was deleted in March 1973 and does not now appear in the Supplies list.

On the subject of gloves I find that the only authorised wear for male officers is white simplex nylon. Up to recently an officer could wear brown leather gloves for occasions other than reviews , church parades or public duty. But now it seems that no provision is made for very cold weather or for driving. Would it not be sensible to bring back leather gloves sa y for travelling?

Referring again to badge 3654, above. How are the uninitiated to find out exactly what this badge looks like , without first sending away to the Supplies Dept for one? The same applies to any cadet badge There are so few illustrations of badges gi vi ng the code reference. I wonder if some bright Brigade member could design a poster -size picture of a boy cadet in full uniform (the new black one of course) with every badge illustrated and reference coded , and with the correct positions clearly indicated on the model of every badge and each item of uniform and equipment. Nobody will then be in doubt as to the appearance, correct positioning and code number of an y single badge a boy is likely to wear. If this job could be well done and sold at a reasonable price, there will be a terrific rush for them.

Fina ll y , I refer to the Spring 1975 copy of Dr ive , the AA magazine I fail to understand how it got into print that our Deput y Commissioner -in-Chief, Watkin Williams , is deputy commissioner of the St. John Ambulance Association , as stated on page 109 of that magazine So often one sees in print reports , etc from all levels of the Brigade , where the press make reference to the Association when speaking of activities of the Brigade. Sometimes I feel that PROs , staff officers and di visional officers fail to put the correct information over

(centre ) The un iforms? - Well, judge for youself. (Photo Reading Evening Post) either to their presidents or the members of their divisions. We still hear the terms , 'Cadet Officers' , 'Area Cadet Officers' and 'County Cadet Officers ', when in fact these terms went out ages ago, to be renamed 'Divisional Officers ' , 'Area Staff Officers (Cadets) ' and 'County Staff Officers (Cadets)', etc, in the 1950s I think it was.

Harrogate Ben R. Jarman

Chief Officer Cadets replies: Badge 3654

This badge should be worn on the right breast, as appears in the new Dress Regulations , Ambulance Cadets. (This book has just been published , and is now available from the Supplies Department).

The position was changed to the right breast as it was found that the haversack sling tended to obscure it when worn on the left.

The badge is worn on the pocket whereas other medals, etc. such as the MSC are worn above the pocket.

To find out what the badge looks like, the uninitiated should enquire at their County Headquarters where no doubt they will be referred to Page 37 Dress Regulations Nursing , which contains an excellent illustration

Caps or berets?

Th ere are some who dislike the new ski-type cap immensely; there are other s who think it excellent.

When the c ap was first introduced we received a great many adverse criticisms , so much so that i was unofficially mooted that we might re vert to the beret. We were then inundated with pleas to keep the cap which the cadets liked so much , and was considered oy many adults as just the thing !

T o tr y to please every one , it was decided to allow either (cap or

beret) to be worn, provided all cadets in one division were dressed alike. (After all, there are units in the Arm.y who wear the cap; others who wear the beret).

It seems that we cannot, after all, satisfy Lanyard

The lanyard was discontinued as it served no useful purpose; there was nothing on the end of it. It was felt that it involved I!Innecessary cost, particularly as to retain it would probably entail some modification of the jacket by adding shoulder straps in order to retain the lanyar.d in position.

Mr. Jarman advocates not omitting items of dress 'for the sake of a few pence', but I regret that there are many members who might not share this view.

Poster-size picture of cadet

This is a good suggestion and I will see what can be done; (but let us please refer to 'ambulance' cadets and not 'boy' cadets any more ttolan we would refer to to 'cadet officers'!)

Finally I would like to point out that the 'powers' who recommend croanges are the regi@nal rel\'resentatives @n the various committees who, in turn, voice the views of their Counties. It is they who decide our destinies!

The Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief replies: Gloves

The following announcement aF>peared para 6) of BFigade General Circular No. 1/70:

'With effect from 1st May, 1970 Ambulance Officers will wear white Nylon Simplex Gloves in Review Order and Churcm Parade Order. On other occasions the wearing of gloves and type of gloves worn will be optional'

Mr Jarman is mistaken in thinking that that option has been withdrawn. It has never in fact been published in Ambulance Regulations because it was felt that so long as the wmite gloves were WOFn in Review Order and Church Parade Order it could be left to the discretion of officers to decide what gloves (if any) they should wear on other occasions.

Drive magazine

It is very easy to explain how came to be described in the Spring 1975 copy of Drive as 'deputy commissioner of the St. Jouhm Ambulance Association'. They were not misinformed; they merely failed to interpret the infmmation that they received. What really matters is that they correetly quoted the information I gave them. So long as they do that they can call me what they like.

SAR TORIAL SNIPING

fram G. F. Brawn, Divisional Superintendent (C)

There appeflrs to be less and less need for SJA uniforms in the light of continual cmanges, some of the more recent definitely being for the worse. The new ambulance cadet uniform may be more suitable in bad weather than the previous one, but have you seen a plump boy wearing it? The new cap may be more' adult' (railway workers we ali similar) but I think it is ghastly.

I see that, after adding a white duty bag for officers (which includes a bottle designed to leak afteli its first use), we now take away NCO and AM trouser stripes. Can we expect the white cap band to disappear soon?

May suggest, in the interest of paliade officelis who still reJililember what 'correct uniform' is, that uniforms be discontinued or left to individual divisions, as a St. John parade nowadays puts a new definition imto the dictionary for 'uniformity'.

Alternatively, could Supplies Dept supply us with economical, disposable uniforms?

Huntingdon G. F. Brown

AGE LIMIT? from M. Bliss

On looking into Brigade Regulations regarding appointment of transport officers I find no mention of them having to be below/over a certain age in order to hold the position, although I am informed there is an age barrier.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Annual commemoration and investiture

David Blackstock McNee

John Henry Orr

Gavin

M. Bliss

Whilst the regulations mention the minimum and maximum age at which Brigade membelis can become officers, they do not give any specific instructions regarding transport officers. London, E17

Chairman of Regulations and Dress Revision Committee Writes:

While BGR 24 lays down minimum and maximum ages for the appointment of officers in general, the maximum age on first appointment of officers in charge of cadets being ten years younger than that of officers in charge of adults, there is no further restriction in respect of specific appointments such as staff officers or transport officers, the decision whether or not to recommend an appointment being left to the discretion of the District/County commissioner.

Maturity of jl!ldgment and experience (and, in the case of transport officers, technical ability) are factors that a commissioner will take into consideration when making these appointments, which he may in certain cases consider t@ be unsuitable for persons above or below a particular age.

THE ORDER in Scotland gathered for its annual festival on June 28, joined, as always, by the indefatigable Sir Hannibal Scicluna. In the morning Chapter processed from the Assembly Rooms to St. Andrew's and St. George's Parish Church for the commemoration service , at which the sermon was preached by the Revd. P. H R. Mackay. In the afternoon the Earl of Lindsay , who was Prior from 1946 to 1950, invested the following in the Assembly Rooms.

Commander (Brother)

Eric Arthur Smith

Martin Melvin Cruickshank

Alexander James Watt

Sir Robert Alexander MacLean

Commander (Sister)

Evelyn Jean Louisa, Mrs Nicol

Elizabeth Stella, Mrs. Phillipps

Officer (Brother)

Captain A. A. C. Farquharson

John Emslie Arnott

SITTING PRETTY

And why not? They're the finalists of the 1975 Nat onal Nursing Awards in lL ondon for the big decision L to R front row ): Miss Freda Haselup , District Nurse, Aberdeenshire; Mrs Jacqueline Bough, District N Hse , D0rset; Miss Mary r-:Jugent, (2nd prize - (750), Cambridge; Col. D. de Cent, Royal College of Nursing; Mrs Alison Cumming (1974 winner), Glasgow; Miss Barbara Loan Newcastle. (Back row) Miss Mary Fearon (winner - £ 1200) Belfast; Mr Harold Stanhope Laporte

Industries Ltd; Miss Hilary Bolitho, Penzance; Mr. Emlyn Whiteaker, S Glamorgan Health Miss Jane Lockhart, (3rd prize - (500), Oxford Mr. Terence Connolly The London Hospital Mrs. Christi fl e Tew, Swindon. Eacln finalist alsQJ received £ 100. The award scheme is sponsored by Reckitt & Coleman Pharmaceutical Division

Robert Barr

George Forsyth Bruce

Charles J olan Burnett

David Ogilvy Douglas

William Gordon

William Newlands Gordon

James Firth Hall

Ian Bruce Lang

Major Peter Stewart MacCallum

William Alexander Marshall

William Alexander Pyper Milne

Richard Rolls Murray

James SGott Riddell

Surg Capt. John Francis Fergusolil Smith

Nigel Scott Thornton -Kemsley

Archibald Tunnock

Hon. Slmeriff Thomas Muir Wilson

John David Lumsden Boyle

Alexander Urquhart Cross

Richard Stanis laus Doyle

Alister Charles William Forsyth

Alexander Drummond Gibson

John Russell Lang

David Maitland Maitland -Titterton

OVERSEAS

News from Divisions/Centres

Cpl. Trower of 342

Lan es: SJA Hindley receives its 50th anniversary c er ificates rom North West Area Commissioner Dr. R D Ch o udhury. (Photo: W

Retir e d re c ently: Mrs D A MacNeill who oined Brigade-i n 1917, was Div Supt Amersham (Bucks) Nursing Division, then reverted at her own request to member , beil'lg wi th BEM by Major J. D , Young , Lord Lieutenant of Bucks (Photo: J, F Kenward, S.J A Amersham)

NORT H ANTS - Round Tables at Corby, Ketterimg , Rushden, Tfurapstolil and Welling borough combined to raise funds to provide the iBrigade in the Northern and Central areas with a caravan to be used as a mobile casualty treatment station. The caravan, for which the Round Tablers collected £770 and which was made to specifications by a local firm , was handed over to the Brigade at the annual inspection of the Central area by the president of the Welling borough Table Mr. Michael Webb and was received on behalf of the joint areas by Central Area Commissioner W. E Webb. Equipment for the station, costing a further £300, has been provided by fund raising efforts o f the divisions in the area. Two days after the presentation the caravan was ' in a ction' when Wellingboroygh Round Table presented 'It's a Knock Out' for other charitable funds It was also christened ', as the secOI'Id day 's prooeedings were brought to a end by heavy rain. During the annual inspection service awards totall ing 715 years were presented, which included a sixth bar to the Service Medal two fifth bar s; eight fourth bars ; four bars ; four second bars and six medals. A feature was the long s e rvice record of members of Victoria Nursing Division , five of whom gained fourth bars for 35 years, which is very rare for one division. County Staff Officer Mrs. I. Rawlings, who still cla ss es herself as a member of the division in which she served for many y ears , received a sixth bar, while two other members were recipients of Servioe Medals.

NORTHUMBRIA - The Friends of St. John Ambulance Northumbria, a small committee of ladies devoted to helping SJA bought a purpose - built cara va n as a first aid unit and handed it over to the County Commissioner Mr. J. C. Smith last February 21 at the No rthern Boat and Caravan Display in Go s forth Park , Newcastle upon Tyne.

The presentation was made on behalf of the Friends by Mrs. C. H. Cooksley , chairman of the group, and the caravan was dedicated by the Provost of Newcastle Cathedral , the Very Reverend C. C. Wolters T he caravan whicIn will be to wed to wherever it is need ed for public duties in Northumbr ia gives excellent protection for both casualties and St. John personnel.

Final annua inspe cti on of Westbury COflilbined Divisions Wilts for Div Supt. D. G. Palmer (2n d from rig ht), who is now Area Supt West Area and is suc ceded by Div Supt

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.8 (75) (';ompiladbyW.A.Pottar

Across:

1. A. test involvimg the upper chambers of the heart. (6) 4. [njure with a little science and two (6) 10 There is no sting in stretching spasmodic attempt to vomit. (5) 11. Long muscle of the thigh (9) 12. Inactive medicine given to humour patient fmm place with unpleasant smell. (7) 13. Small, sharp peint for cells of deepest layer of the epidermis. (7) 14. Saltpetre in am inert for m. (5) ] 5. Cold part ef biceps. (3) 16 Strange moan in severe ulceration of ti1le mouth (4) 19. Three breaking up riot. (4) 21. Decoction welcomed by patients and staff. (3) 22. Nip a small amount. (5) 24. Treatment from a lot of people for a long time. (7) 26. A hlllndred girls in educational groups . (7) 27. Heavy garment wom in the X-ray deji>artment. (4.5) 28. Hot mixture with service in the bush. (5) 29. An offer painful to the touch (6) 30. Believe the account is not in the red. (6)

Down:

1. Pre-operative drug dilating the pupil. (8) 2. Surgical instrument concerned with a powerful vehicle. (9) 3. The tale fer a competitor in the field eve fnl ts. (7) 5. Outermost fo etal memb Fa ne (7) 6. Skin of insensitive to criticism. (5) 7. Teaser for spring festival. (6) 8. Revitali sing injection from a bullet in the upper limb . (1.4.2.3.3) 9. Prophylactic against whooping cough, diphtheria , and tetanus. (6.7) 17 Part of habit for plant pmducing aconite. (9) 18. Thorax and fruit featuring in a stale , old joke. 20. Poiso mo us organic salt frorm animal with a strange tale. (7) 22. Stapler for cast to immobilise a limb. (7) 23. Mule is at c:entre of talisman preventing illness. (6) 25 Discolouration from torn satin.

Solution to Crossword No. 7 (75)

Across:

1. B.c.G Vaccine; 6. Halo; 10 Re.aches; 11. Mer.cu.ry; 12. Hip; 13. N.ear.s; 14. There; 15. Leper; 17. Disorder; 2 ] A.lopeci.a; 24. Peyer ; 26. Aorta; 28. Naevi; 29. Cut; 30. Carrier; 31. Test.ate ; 32. Salt; 33. Glycosuria.

Down: 1. Bornholm; 2. Grasp; 3. Achondroplasia; 4. Custard; 5. N.emesis ; 7. Acute; 8 Oxygen; 9. Erythropoiesis; 16 P.al; 18. Ici; 19. Ely; 20. Erythema; 22. Central; 23. Aseptic; 25. Faeces; 27. Rural; 29. Chair.

includes Jersey Kent, Surrey and Sussex See A & A, July fro" repGrt.). (Above) Jersey 's St. Helier Combined Div sion team

(Photo: L. A. Grihaul t, Jersey) (right) Horsham Sussex , winners of the Three -Coun ty S hi eld; (below)

Rohais nursing cadets - both winners (Photos : Guernsey Press)

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IN future Reviews we're going to break a rule that's brok en - but never admitted - every day It concerns our advertisers. A publication needs advertising as much as it need s readers to help cover costs. No one will advertise anything unless they feel it is of use to OUl readers. In other words , they're offering a service. The reader decides whether a service is of va lue to him or not. But a publication 's duty, we fee l, is to draw readers attention to services offered. Which is what the Review will do.

In this issue. welcome to: Reader's Digest's Community Service Programme which ma y be ve ry useful to your divisiona fund -raising programme Selectus Ltd, of Stoke -on -Trent , manufacturers of a first aid fastener.

The Clear Vue Projection Co , a visual aids producer ne w to the Review (classified ad verts).

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AT RANDOM

by Watkin W , Williams

Deputy Com missioner-in-Chief

DURING THE past quarter of a centur y an increasingly clo se and friendly relationship has developed between the So vereign Military Order of Malta (the direct descendant of the Knights of Malta who were driven from the island by Napoleon in 1798 and , after briefly taking refuge in Ru s sia and then in various Italian cities , established a permanent headquarters in Rome in 1834), the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (the direct descendant of the English Tongue of the original Order , revived in 1831 and now having its headquarters at the Grand Pr iory in Clerkenwell) and the three Hospitaller Orders in the Netherlands , Sweden and We st Germany. Our former Lord Prior, the late Lord Wakehurst, played a vitally important part in cementing thi s relationship between the five great Orders whose members are the successors of the medieval Knights of St. John , and the summer of 1975 has provid ed an outstanding ex ample of the way in which his labours have borne fruit.

The Sovereign Militar y Order decided to set up a first aid post in St. Peter s Square , Rome , during the Holy Year 1975 a nd , wi t h the help of its Ambulance Corps in Germany , Austria , Ireland , France , Switzerland and Italy , to man the post throughout the whole of the 52 weeks of the year As a mark of the international , ecumenical and brotherl y spirit existing between the Sovereign Military Order and the Most Venerable Order , the S.M.O generousl y invited the St. John Ambulance Brigade to take a share in these duties by manning the first aid post during part of the summer. The original suggestion was for a perio d of a bout a month , but so great was the response m a d e by Brigade members to the call for volunteers that the Ambulance Corps of the S.M.O. agreed among

THE HIGHLIGHT (;) f my recent 2-week visit tv St. johlil Amb 1!l lanoe in Canada was a tour of the North West Territories, during which I was accompanied by Canada s new Chief Commissioner Dr Al Harrop. The visi t was based on t m@ rapidly expanding town of Yellowknife , wl1ich is at the head of the Great Slave Lake, some 800 miles north of Edmonton, and has a present population of some 8 ,500. Main activities of t he area are gold, silver and copper mining and the fur trade The SJ A Provincial Commissioner is Brigadier General Andy Fulton, who is the C (ii) mmander of tme Defenoe Forces im the Territories. ·Due largely to l1is tremendous personal interest in St. John a flourishing Combined Division of'Some 32 members has been formed in. Yellowknife with its own headquarters. Two vf its members I arm delighted to say, will attend our training convention at Canterbury this summer.

Adventure

• In the Arctic

The C-im-C Major-Gen. DESMOND GORDON tells us about his trip to SJA Yellowknife and the Far North of Canada

wa s a follow -up to the visit last year by Mr McClintock , the Secretary General, when he dedi c ated the first of these s urvival cairns at Port Le o po ld , a remote spot on Somerset ] sland so me 500 miles in s ide the Arctic Circle

Yellowknife also has a very active branch of the Association, w [;)i e m last year issued certificat es, e overing the various courses from the two-hour Save-a - Life course to the advanced 40 -hour oourse totalling 1 778. This s a mne efTort. c onsiderililg the size and sc attered nature of the seHlemelilts of this enormous territory, which covers one - and -ahalf million square miles with a total population a pproachimg 40,000 General Fulton is hoping to set up Brigade detachments in other small towns during the nex t twelve momths

The St. John head q1!l arters is a s!ili1 all bl!l well appointed buil d in g rented at the enormous cost of 10,000 dollars a year. I was espec ially impressed with the stores departmefl t, whic h holds a large s lJ Pply of first aid and survival kits so meeded in the Arcti e. Sales of this equipment and material in 1975 are expected to reach 20,000 dollars.

But I wa s s orry to find that members of the Brigade were still a w aiting their uniform s; a s ituation we sometimes find among our Divisions in England too!

The Executive Director is Mr. Don Johnson -a young man of boundless energy and enthusiasm and a very definite personality in Yellowknife. Members of the Brigade pla y ed a very active part during the recent highly successful visit by the Prince o f Wales t o the area

My first day in Yellowknife was spent getting to know people and included a ver y full briefing on the overall situation in the Territories , given by Gelileral F ulton at h is operational headquarters. The following day an earl y start was macle for Cambridge Bay lying some 800 miles to the north. Our party cons sted of General Fulton Dr. Al Harrop, the Chief Commissioner , Don Johnson and myself, with three air crew. Our aircraft was a twin Otter , the personal aircraft of General F u lton.

The fl ight took 4 h01!lrs , during which we crossed from the tree line into the Arctic Circle. Cambridge Bay is a radar station on the 'IDEW Line and in addition to the milit a r y/civil an insta lla ti o n , t here is a village a mile away in which some 400 Eskimos live in what I would describe as utter squalor but which, I was assured, is a vast improvement to some 15 years ago. Incidentally, I learned that igloos' are virtually no longer used except occasionally on hunting expeditions

We re -fuelled immediately on landing amd after stre t ching our legs and savouring the arctic ai F in our arctic clothing , we took ofT again for Richardson Point , some 200 miles to the east. It was here that I was to unveil the plaque to c o mmemorate t me p Fesentation of the firs n aid and surviva l k it buried at nfu e cairn which had been donated by the Order on behalf of the Brigade in the U K. This

We flew at 100 feet , hoping to see a polar bear but without success We did, however , see many seals a nd walrusses lying on the ioe beside their holes into which some of them popped when we passed close overhead. Richardson Po int showed as a spit of land, a bout two miles ong, jutting out into the frozen sea. There is no landing place althou g h an aircraft had landed there sometime last year. The terrain is very rough and ro c k strewn and after a careful inspecti o n and a dummy rum the pilot decided to land on the ice some two or three hundred yards otT-shore. What we had not appreciated was that t here was about a foot of water (very d ifficult to see from the air) lying o n top of the ice! As we touched down the whol e aircraft w as covered in a sheet of water and momentarily I thought we were goi n g t o the bottom. However , all was well , a nd with some relief we pulled up and stepped out. The pilot remarked when I congratulated him on the control of his a rcraft: ' Well we don't usually land on wat er

The s ledge was disembarked and into it wa s put cement sand and tools to fix the plaque onto the cairn. We then had a fairly hea vy trudge of about a mile, carrying our stores up to the cairn. A bag of cement on one 's s houlder w hen wearing arctic clothing and s tumbling over rock strewn ground is splendid for rapid weight reduction.

On arrival at the s pot , there was much clicking of cameras w hile the plaque was cemented onto the stones and rocks forming the caim I also left a Brigade pennant as a souvenir for the first survivor. And I have to admit that the thought did pass through my mind that it might be us! However, our aircrew was probably the most experienced in arctic flying of the entire Canadian Forces . After about an hour at the cairn we returned to the aircraft which had looked very small and lonely sitting on the frozen sea If anyone had been watching , our take-ofT must have been as spectacular as our landing. Using the STOL (short take-ofT and landing) technique we were airborne in 10 sec:onds - very long seconds indeed to us.

Back at Cambridge Bay we were allocated our quarters then drinks were followed by an excellent meal in the mess from our ho s p itable £ri e rnds. Night in the Arctic during s ummer is of course a figure of speech , as there are no more than about 3 hours of halfli g ht. When we fir s t landed I had arranged to be taken fishing during the 'night ', so after supper we collected fishing gear donned warm clothing and set ofT in the truck for a nearby lake. Our guide had been fishing the

previo 1!l s night so I was able after a few prods at the thin ice that had formed to use his fishing hole. My fellow anglers were not so lucky It took them nearly three-quarters of an hour to bo rr e a hole through ice some 12 feet thick with an instrument like a giant corkscrew.

I will not s ay too much about our fishing, except that Arc t ic char (of the trout famil y ) enjoy sweet corn, of which we fed them g enerous helpings from tins we took with us - tipping it down the hole. We then bait e d our lines with the same delicacy and hoped But I feel we overfed those char. By midnight with the sun still well above the horizon we decided sleep was necessar y and gave up fishing The catch a 1%Ib char , which was full of sweet corn! (Char can run up to 30 to 40lbs ).

Living conditions at the radar station were an experience in themsel ves . Most of the per s onnel spend at least two y ears at the station with a short break in the middle. A few of them had their wives with them.

Everything that can reasonably be provided for the comfort of the personnel is done but the temperature maintained within these quarters I found overwhelming And it was not possible to open the windows! The following clay , after a look round the village , we took ofT and flew to an Eskimo village named Coppermine (there is no mine there).

We landed after a flight of some 1Y2 hours and were met on the strip by a RCMP , one of the two white men on the settlement. This village had been visited by a St. John Association instructor who had run a successful series of first aid classes. The general standard of housing was slightly better than at Cambridge Bay , but there was still much clutter and mess ly ing around outside , such as skidoos , sledges , skis , skeletons, oil drums, etc. There is a cottage industr y here which contributes to the many fur items and skins which are sold throughout Canada.

From Coppermine we headed in a southwesterly direction for Port Radium, where we were due to vefuel and have lunch at the copper and silver mine We were now back inside the tree line Port Radium , which

consi s t s merely of the mine , its workings and accommodation for 200-odd employees , lies at th e south-east end of the Great Bear Lake There are no indigenous inhabitants and all wo rking per s onnel are flown in from Edmonton via Yellowknife. It was here that we saw a ver y fine specimen of a timber wolf, whi ch c ame as close as twenty yards to th e t ruck in whi c h we were travelling back to the air strip.

Thi s airstrip , which was very rough and u nd e r r e pa ir , la y in a comparitively deep v alle y and could p r esent problems for an inexperienced pilot. So again using the STO L technique , we were soon airborne and heading back for Yellowknife.

In t w o da ys we had co vered over 2 000 mile s in si x teen hours of flying and had probabl y seen more of the Arctic than many of the inhabitants o f Yellowknife.

I was not du e to fly back to Edmonton until the follo wing even ng so arrangements were made for me to complete a number of engageme n t s in Yellowknife ; these included meetin g members of the recently-formed Di vision and to hear about their work and activities I was delighted to learn that they had played a prominent part during the recent visit of the Prince of Wales , which wa s such a tremendous success I also called on the Commissioner for the North West Territ o ries , Mr. Stuart Hodgson The call which I had assumed would be a courtesy one of a few minutes developed into a most interesting and faSCinating discussion regarding the future of this territory , which has man y problems ahead but an enormous potential.

I sa w this fascinating part of the world at the ideal time of year : although still cold , in the Arctic Circle within the tree -line it was sp ring time - the sun was high in a deep blue sk y, the lakes glistened invitingly (they we re full of fish) , stunted trees and shrubs were in their best green livery , and flowers wer e appearing. Perhaps my 'imagination got the better of me in thi s wild virgin land , for I felt if any of our divi sions would like a bit of adventure training the North West Territories is the place! The only problem: getting there and back

'We'lI try,' says clinic orderly Abu Ahmed, who has beem at the hospital for 46 years af'uD is an Officer of the OfideL (Above, For these a cure is 10n!1l im the 8hildren's warfiJ, which is mainMined by the Ameri 8a n Society of the Order of St John

While his wife waits, a blind shepherd is examined by Dr. Humphrey Hahn the Royal Navy. The mospital's eye bank (to which King Hussein of JO fi d l'Jn has bequeatmed his eyes), established by AFmerica m 5e eiety OrGle r. fl'leams a (;;Qrneal gra fit operation coul@ restore this shepherd s siglnt

Thousands ask that question every year at the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital, Jerusalem

by THEO ELLERT, PR and Appeals Depl

EVER YONE had said tnat a first sight of Jerusalem is memorable. It certainly was in m y case and I s hall never forget it. But m y first sight of our St. John Ophthalm ic Hospital in the Holy City made an even g reater ill1pression on me when I arrived nmere om tine eve of Joron's Day 1975. l!J nder a full moon and stars that seemed almost within arm's length , the hospital building looked magnificent - far more magnifi cen t than any photograph can convey.

As I made m y way across the main courtyard. I felt an atmosphere of peace, se renity 3nd we ll-being which seemed to emanate frorp the walls of nhe building. from the lemon trees and rosemary of the ad jo ining gardens. An atmosphere heightened perhaps by t he contrast with London. from where r had just flown.

The hospital matron. Miss Jennifer Clair. was there to meet me and ta ke me through to the s isters' house. where there was comfort. plenty a f i€ed wa ter. and the promise o f a good s leep l OF an early rJi10rmili11S start.

It was early. ve r y early when r awoke for th e fi rst time in Jerusalem - and it wasn

quite as I'd expected. I was awakened at the crack of dawn by a haunting, wailing chant from nearby, which I later discovered to be the Moslem caU to dawn prayer broadcast from the tower of a nearby mosque. This mosque is dedicated to a famous Moslem warrior and surgeon, Sheihk Jarrah, who tended the wounds of England's crusader King Richard Coeur de Lion in the 12thcentury.

My first impression of Jerusalem and the hospital in daylight was the profusion of colOlH - masses of flowers in full bloom, many I had never seen before, mixed with roses , daisies , exotic shrubs - and the brilliant blue sky highlighting the stone of the hospital building , its 8-pointed white crosses in the iron-work of its windows shimmering.

This was St. John's Day, so for communion I was taken to the Chapel of St. John the Baptist in St. George's Cathedral.

In this small chapel, which has been supported by the Order and its members since early this century, the 8-pointed white cross is seen everywhere - embroidered on the kneelers, carved in wood , adorning the altar cross, the candlesticks and vases which were a gift from Queen Alexandra , wife of our first Royal Grand Prior who became King Edward VII.

When we returned to the hospital soon after 8am, the routine working day was in full swing. The new hospital building opened in 1960 has 80 beds in three wards - for men, women and children. Each ward also has a small isolation ward attached to it.

There are two main operating theatres , and one for minor surgery known as the Ha ywar d Theatre , established by the Hayward Foundation of Britain. And then there is the hustle and the bustle of the outpatient s department which is open daily from 7.30 am to which people suffering from eye complaints, from a squint to total blindness flock from a vast area of the Middle East.

In the waiting-room there are always hoards of grimy, pathetic children ; grandmothers with tattoo-marks on their anguished faces; young veiled wives in faded embroidered robes ; Bedouin tribesmen with their families; gnarled shepherds from the mountains; poverty-stricken refugees from camps near and far. On foot, bicycles , by donkey and country buses , they make their way to the clinic in their hundreds - for relief arid perhaps as a last hope from total blindness.

All races and beliefs are treated with equal care by the hospital staff and their supporters, who include Moslems and Jews and many other denominations of the Christian church, from the Anglican warden to Greek Oli1:hodox orderly , from Assyrian superintendent to Roman Catholic seamstress. A unique situation in an area fraught with raciai and religious problems

Yo ung out - patients are looked after by a Unite d Nations orde rl y from Gaza for so long.

This universality is the essence of the hospital , which was again vividly brought home to me at the St. John's Day tea - party in the cloister gardens that afternoon. There were Moslems and Jews, Anglican monks, bearded Patriarchial clergy, robed bishops , white habited fathers , bemantelled Order members, hospital staff from all parts of the world patients past and present - some seeing, some sightless: all friends of the Order's great hospital.

My guide in Jerusalem was Nabil Toubasi , an orderly at the hospital and brother of the Moorfields-trained sister of the

out-patients department. As well as meeting patients , staff, and visiting other hospitals and the UN refugee camps , N abil showed me around the Holy City. The colourful markets of the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , the Dome of the Rock, the underground chapel of St. John the Baptist Convent Church in the Muristan (where there is a plaque commemorating the 1926 St. John pilgrimage to this place of the Order's origin) - and wandering in the atmosphere of timeless holiness of the tiny terraced streets of the Old City ... But back to our hospital. Next month we'll meet the stafT.

The ne w S1. John Ophthalmic H ospital in Jerusalem was opened in 1960

Preparing the irisHore rescue boats for launching

ON May 16 we set off from Clacton for Port Talbot to spend a weekend at The National Coastal Rescue Training Centre. We collect@d % Philip Watts from Maldon en route, and met the other 9 members on the c;:ourse when we arrived at the Centre at 5pm. We spent the first hour settling in and taking over our cern@r of the main dormitory.

Our introduction to the course was a film about 'Atlantic College' and the rescue service whicfu is run by the students. We then transferred to the Olympic size swimming pool where Commander Thomson set out to assess our swimming abilities. Even those who had thought that they were reasonably good swimmers soon found that he could suggest improvements to their style. 8am S3tmday found us back in the pool where we continued swimming practice to improve our efficiency and stamin3. We were taught to relax in the water and to vary our swimming styles when setting out on a swim of leng duration. We could already notice a marked improvement in our ability as swimmers even after such a smort period of instruction from Commander Thomson. We then had breakfast before going to our first b03t session. We were sm own the working of the inshore rescue boats which are of a special design to make them capable of high speeds and stable when picking people up from the water. We launched the three boats and were taught how to handle them by the instructors who ac;:companied us. We practised depositi ng rnnembers of the crew on ! he chanl1el buoys and them returning later to collect them. It is a strange sensation to be left alone on a buoy with the coast over two miles away and the boat a receding dot on the horizon. (And no choice

Rescue

of eight gramophone records!) One marooned St. John member was cautiously 3pproaem@@ and scrutinised by a passing yachtsma,ro who eventually asked if me required assistance. The yachtsman no doubt went away somewhat puzzled when he was told that the member was just waiting to be picked up by a colleague. After lunc;:h the boats were cleaned down and the equipment was inspected and stowed correctly in the store. Since perrsonal fitness is a majef fa cto r in carryimg mIt sucGessful lifesaving we then continued tminimg with a very enerrgetict: tive-a-side football match in the gym. This was followed by a lecture and films. including Cold can Kill about survival and exposure. After tea we were back in the pool until 9.30pm. We were taught to use torpedo buoys for and person3l survival. We were impressed by the usefulness and simplicity of tlil ese buoys which east only about £5 each.

These SJA Essex m 'embers went to the national training centre to see for themselves

On Sunday morning we had oUF last session in the pool where we were taught drowning prevention and personal survival in the water. We also practised surface diving for the recovery of drowning persons and finished off with orders to swim eight lengths of the 50 metre pool. After breakfast we re - rigged the rescue bo a ts and set out for a high speed trip to the Mumbles and back, which was most exhilarating and greatly enjoyed. Our final sess ion after lunch was a discussion led by Commander Thomson about the feasibility of setting up rescue services in both coastal and inland localities

This discussion showed us the very real problems which must be faced in setting up aliild maintaining a proper rescue service. The crew members must be prepared to spend many hours in training as well as running the se rvice , and of course the financial side mu s not be overlooked.

To s um up, we both enjoyed the course and felt a real gain from it and would welcome the opportunity to attend one of the two -w eek oourses at Afon Lido It did brin'g home to us our own limitations and will encourage us to continue our personal training. We also recognise that a coastal rescue service. like a marriage service, ' is not b y any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, un adv isedl y. lightly or wantonly, bu so berly' re alis ing the problems which may be inv o lved. as well as the great benefi ts. We are sure that anyone co ntemplating such a service could have no better training than h a t offered at Afon Lido

Application for these courses should be made to the Director, National Coastal Re scue Training Centre, Aberavon, Port Talbot. Glamorgan: he price for the wee kend course is £3.20 a day inclusive for 1976 it will probably be n.50 a day.

- Di)' Supt. R G. Fuller, Cla cton -o n-Sea A mbu/ance Cadet Dil'isiOIl, and A / M M. Sage.

Beat inflation and get a new HQ

SJA Isle of Wight show how to cut costs

EARL MOUNTBATTEN of Burma, Governor and Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight recently re-o pened the island's St. John Ambulance HQ at Wootton, which has been completely restored and refurbi she d , with offices, stores, toilets and kitchen, at a fraction of the original estimated cost.

The building , an old Methodist chapel acquired by SJA in 1952 for £300 had been used for some years as a store. The Commiss ioner for the Isle of Wight, Lt. Col. G. W Webber prepared plan s for the conversion and with vo!mnteers and a retired carpenter/plumber work was completed last autumn.

The original costing for the project by an architect was £ 12 000. The SJ A -team putting in 1200 hours, did the job for about £2,000. That's how to beat inflation!

The building, typical of many throughout the country which are now coming onto the market , was a hall approximately 40ft. long , 20ft. wide and 19ft. high. SJ A Isle of Wight wasn't put off by the height they used it , with a simple, economical idea which could be applied to any building which has at least 17ft. headroom.

They built a gallery, about 9ft. 6ins. above the ground floor , by spanning one half of the hall with wall-to-wall joists To save expense on heavy joists ( timber prices have rocketed over the last year) this gallery is supported by two load - bearing timber-frame walls placed immediately over the original sleeper walls supporting the ground floor of the chapel. These walls run down the hall from the central front door forming a passage where the central aisle would have been. The areas to left 3nd right of this passage have been partitioned off for toilets, stores, etc. The gallery can also be partitioned off as required for offices. So the load - bearing walls are doing two jobs instead of one: economy.

The other half of the building was left untouched except for a staircase placed along one wall to give access to the offices. This area will be used for lectures , training , social events, etc

The original plan discussed with the architect included the addition of 3 hoi let and k itchen block outside the build ing, but this has now been incorporated inside the building

A substantial saving on material was made by buying a large staircase , which would have cost £200 new , from a demolished hotel for £ 12. Shop around, in other words.

Although most of the labour used was voluntary, it is estimated that for about 60% additional cost the work could be done by a jobbingbuilder. The only work SJ A Isle of Wight sub -contracted was for new wimdows and the drains.

SJA Is ),e of Wight (County HQ, Mill Square Wootton Bridge , LO.W. Phone: Wootton Bridge 882586) would be only too happy to advise anyone considering such a conversion.

UK STRENGTH

UK Brigade statistics for 1974, prepared at London headq uarters, show for the first time for many years an overall gain in nursing members ancd nursing cadets. Ambulance members and cadets overall strengths have again fallen. But the total number of Brigade members in the UK has increased by 1%, which is indeed encouraging.

Nursing cadet strength is top of the UK league (32,977), ambulance members are second 09,769), ambulance cadets, third (18,352) and nursing members , fourth (i 5 ,605).

UNIQUE

Rear-Admiral Royer Dick , CB , CBE ,DSC , who was of the St. JoMn Council , London, from January 1971 to June 1975, Commissioner-in-Chief from 1962 to 1967, and before that Deputy C -in-C from 1957, has jl!lst been awarded the Service Medal of the Order. After holdin& three such appointments, this award must be unique.

His other Order awards are CstJ (1957) , KStJ (I960) and GCStJ (1967).

GOOD DAY

SJA Isle of Wight's new Peugeot ambulance

(See photo Beat Inflation, page 203) went on a normal duty at the Sandown carnival on July 23 and was invited to join the procession Without any procession preparation, it won the trade vehicles challenge cup, and £ 14 prize money

The loeal Young Farmers Club we understand, spent £350 and a lot of effort on their float.

The j udges' reasons for awarding thne 1st prize to SJ A 's ambulance were:

I. Appreeiation of the effort that had gone into raising money for the ambulance.

2. That the ambulance would be in use long after the other floats had been dismantled.

3. Th@ smartfless of the crew: eso c. R. !Davis and CSO P. A Thomas.

4. The prize money would be better spent

AROUND and ABOUT

BY

THE EDITOR

by SJ A than the Young Farmers celebrating victory! Hence, no free booze for the lads from down on the farms.

IDEAS PLEASE

Eston Division , Cleveland is being presented with a e ompleted mobile mrst aid unit by South Ba!'ilk and Eston Rotary Club.

Thanks. Rotarians! And the division would very mueh like to hear from anyone who could advise on suitable interior design of the caravan. which is to be converted for them by the manufacturer. Sketch plans of proven la you ts would be a great help and any ideas of practical value.

Eston has to supply their re01uirement s

fairly quickl y, so let them have the fruits of y our experience as soon as possible

Write or phone to Mr. K Davies , 35 Firtree Avenue , Normanby , Middlesbrough , Cleveland, TS6 OPQ, phone Eston Grange 3902

WELFARE

r hear that two Ware (Herts) cadets came to th e re sc ue of a n elderly woman after she had fallen on stairs at her home recently.

They are Angela Smith and Ro semary Jone s , both 14, who visit Mrs Moore at her Ware home twice a week. But one afternoon they arrived to hear her call , and when they we nt in they found her lying on the floor.

The two Jg irl s put into practice their three

years' training as cadets. Angela said: 'We made her as comfortable as we cOl!lld. But we were afraid to move her as she said her back hurt and she couldn't move.'

Angela tel phoned for an ambulance and when it arrived both girls accompanied Mrs. Moore to hospital in Harlow suffering from a fractured spine.

Divisional Officer Mrs. Audrey Prior, of SJJ A Ware, said sne was very proud of the way the girls had coped with the situation, especially in not moving her, which would have been most people's first reaction. We're proud of them too.

APT

From the Sunday Express's Names that make you Chuckle : County Staff Officers in charge of St. John Ambulance cadets in the Isle of Wight are Mr. and Mrs. HEALING.

LIFE-SAVER

Last year , SJA's Mrs. Nancy Turver was at the scene of a car accident near Bodmin Cornwall. Finding in one of the cars a boy who had stopped breathing , she cleared a blockage in his windpipe and started artificial respiration, which proved sUGcessful. Chewing gum, knocked back in the boy's throat, together with blood had stopped the breathing.

Mrs Turver's prompt action undoubtedly saved the boy's life, which was later recognised by the Royal Humane Society.

Recently the chairman of Newquay

( Left) Weymouth Combined Division's beach hut after a severe storm ast September The Weymouth and Portland Council, who own the hut and twCD others for los t children amd ca we life-guards which were also severely damaged has now built a new beach complex in concrete to house the three services (below) Weymouth St John with much local support equipped tm e new post

Magistrates presented Mrs. Turver with the Royal Humane Soci@ty's Resuscitation Certificate.

Mrs. Turver , who lives in Newquay, is Superintendent of St. Columb Minor & Newquay Nursing Cadet Division.

15 -yea r-old Weymo u th Cadet Stella Stroud i!1 her new SJA teeshirt, with a resuscitator given by the Ladies Round Table

LESS BLASE

One of Bristol's top surge@ns - tongue in cheek W€! s ill spect - confessed the other day, Iieports the Bristol Evening Post: 'I know nothing at all about first aid - when that's needed I call a policeman.'

But the current crop of medical students at Bristol University have a less blase attitude towarcls the treatment of fractures and the standard methods of resusGitation - for 70 of them have asked SJ A to train t hem.

They are in the second or third year of their studies and gave up two - and -a-half days to go 01'1 the course condlJcted by another Bristel surgeon , Mr. Herbert Bourns. and Mr. Alan Moir , SJA s development officer for A von,

NEWGUIOE

The new visual aids First Aid Multi-Media Guide of films, filmstrips and other audio-visual aids in first aid nursing

IAT RANDOM

and allied subjects - which is an excellent reference book , by the way - is available from the Sl!Ipplies Dept p r ice £ L O@) (Iilot 75p as mentioned in May Review) , plus postage (20p for one copy) Quote code number P02400 when ordering.

AWARDS

The Commonwealth Council of the Royal Life Saving Society has awarded the Service Cross to SJA Deputy Commissioner R. W. Harris. Hampshire, for his valuable selivice rendered te the society over the past 28 years. Mr. Harris is the South Regional secretary, a Grade I examiner, and a past president and chairman of the Wessex Br a nch.

FILM

A new film First Aid: Procedure att Road Accidents is available from British 'iframsport Films. Melbury House. Melbury Terrace, London. NW I 6LP. price (plus V AT) filmstrip £2.25. slide set £3.50.

Ha mps hire s Deputy Commissioner R W Harris receives Life Saving Society's awa rd. See sto ry ,Q,WARD MIND IlENDERS (answers) ;)P EllIJ 8 'j;> swn!)

The ca ll fro m Rome (Above) Nai sea, Avon, Di v sional Officer Colin Kn ght t ea m ed up with a vo luntary helper provided by the Sovereign Military Orde r, wit h alongside , Miss Aline G a vi n, daughter of th e Grand H Gspitaller of th e SMO , Sir John Galv n w ho s Iri s h. (Right) Two of o ur members ooking ve y much at hom e in St. Pe ter's Square

teams, and oftem hav ing to work very hard ind ee d , with that magnificent spirit of ded icatio n and unity characteristic of those who wear the eight-pointed white cross as a symbo l that they live for the se rvice of the poor and suffe ring

Wales , Northern Ireland and 18 English counties.

never ha ve taken place if I hadn't put the idea into their heads .

(contd. from page 197)

themselves to give up some of their d uties so as to incr€!ase the Brigade's share, a!1ld we were eventually invited to be responsible for the 9 -week period from June 19 to August 21 The timing was in itself an additional hOlilour and privilege to our memb€rs. for this period Mt merely covered the height of the summ@r season but imclu@ied two ve r y important f€!stivals - the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on June 24 and tme Feast of SS Peter afld Paul en June 29 - when the number of pilgrims was expected to be at Its peak

Each team undertaking a week's duty comprised 14 members - two doctors. four nurses (SRN) and eight adult Eriga Gi e i1rstai@ers of aJny rank - amd was divi cl€!d into two sections which went on duty so that at aMY one time there were always a

doctor. two nurse s and four first-aiders on duty simultaneously. assisted by a small number of young people provided by the S.M.O who had sufficient first aid knowledge to act as messengers, orderlies, s tretcher - bearers. interpreters. etc The mornin jg shift lasted fliom 7.30 am to 1.30 was officially dosed during the .si€!s t a amcl re-opened at 3.3CJ pm for tme afterr1eon shift. w m,ich lasted till 9 pm oJ; later. A.-il locaL arrangements were most bmci"e ntly ri),rde by the S.M.O., who iM their turn highly appreciative of the work don@ by'. our Bri gade members - one of t hem is quoted as having said 'T hese peopl.e ar€ the salt of the Throujgho\!1t t hes e nine weeks (at the moment o f writing there's still one more week to go) a total of 126 Brigade members

from 36 Emglish counties had the pr ivi lege of s harin g with our confreres of the S.M.O. the marvellous experience of doing a public dut y o ut si de St. Peter 's dur ing the Holy Year in R ome. In addition to these, there were a further 24 reserves standing by at home to fi ll a ny la s t-minute vacancy that might occur in a team: but so far as I klil 0w, only o ne or two of them .had the personal good fortune to be ca lled upon. The 18 doctors attending in cluded three county commissioners as well as those holding Brigade appointments ranging from cou nt y to di v isional surgeon ; the 36 nur s es included executive officers hold ing SR N qualification as well as a wide range of Brigade offi cers: amd the 72 nrst-aiders irlcl uded holders of e ver }' Brig ade rra nk co mmissioner to ambl!llance and nur sing member - all workin,g in

Next month's Revie w will include many more pictures showing scenes during the Rome duty, and extracts from accounts written by some of those who took part. Meanwhile I must express two ve r y sincere thank -y ous which all our readers will endorse: fir s t and foremost to the Sovereign Militar y Order for its generous kindness in inviting u s to s hare in its work; and second to those of our members who were able to ac cept t hat invitation , for the magnificent way in which they maintained the hligh traditions of the English Tongue of the Order.

SJ international

I've ju s t got back from an all too brief 24hour visit to the Brigade 's International Training Convention held dur ing the first fortnight in August at Howe Barracks , Canterbury. I found it very inspi li img no liOe€!t S@Oi1€! 150 St. Joh n delegates five c ontinents all working, playing , sight-seeing and living together in a happy , friendly and relaxed atmosphere somewhat reminiscent of a Scout jamboree, though of course on a mu c h smaller scale and minus the camping e lem ent.

The overseas delegates came from Canada, Giblialtar, Homg Kong, Malaysia, Ma uritius the Netherlands, New Zeal a nd, Pa kistan , South Africa and West Germany and there were UK representatives from

The programme included training sessions (for which the delegates were divided into ten small groups) for 2 hours on most mornings and the rest of each day was spent in excursions to places of interest such as Dover Castle, Hever Castle and of course Canterbury Cathedral , trips to the local beache s and - perhaps most important of all - the free time so essential to all such ga therin gs because that is when people from different countries and culture s really get to know each other as friends and often learn far more about their common interests and ex peri ences in St. John work than they can learn from even the best of organised sess ion s. Evenings were mostly spent in social activities and entertainments, in many cases presented b y representatives of indi v idual countries; but on two of the evenings there were plenar y training sessions ', the one that I attended being a talk w ith slides and a film on 'Motor RacingCare of Casualties' by Dr. J. W Prout (Deputy County Surgeon for Kent) who is largel y responsible for the Brigade duties at Brands Hatch and this was to be followed by a trip to see the racing at Brands Hatch on the nex Sunday afternoon. One whole da y was s pent on a trip to London (primarily for overseas delegates with an alternative trip b y hovercraft to Boulogne for most of the UK delegates) which included a v isit to the Tower and a lunch at St. John's Gate as g u es ts of the Order.

I s p ec a iiy enjo ye d welcoming the six dele gates from Pakistan , three of whom had been among those who had given me such a wa rm we lcome when I was in Karachi last March : they had already spent a happy fortnight at the Devon and Somerset St. John camps near Exmouth and I was delighted to be told how pleased they were with their visit to England and that it would

Altogether I felt that Canterbury provided something immensel y worthwhile which has hitherto been sadly missing from our St. John international activities. My colleagues at HQ will be the first to agree that the program,me was experimental: but it wasn't, bad for a start - or, rather , as a follow-on from Mytchett in '73. We're learning b y experience, and we shall do even better next time! But there must be a next time.

Welfare

It was goo d to hear that the judges' report 01'1 the first -ever Welfare Competition (duplicated and sent to all counties, and also published in the August Re vie w) has been so well received and I hope it will stimulate a greatly increased involvement in welfare activities throughout the Brigade as well as increasing the number of entries for the 1975 -6 competition. I sheuld like to re -quote and st ress the passage in which the judges state their conviction that 'St. John Ambuiance has substantially untapped r eso urce s available - without any diminution in the performance of our more traditional functions of first aid and nursing duties - to respond to the ever -increasing demands from the community for social service which can never be fully met b y the statutory bodies available for the purpose. In this connection I studied with great intere s t the form (August Review) that Mr. Da vey ss ues to members of the Westbury Combined Division for recording their Brigade service each month, and should like to congratulate him on it. But I hope that i n his next reprint he will add Welfare Duties to the types of duty classified , and I would further suggest that th€! order of priority for classify ing these duties s hould be (a) Public Dut y, (b) Nursing Duty, ( c) Welfare Duty , (d) Other Duty.

- an easy-to-unel<Hstand series @W a,dv.ice that will fnl elp YOU witliil FAMILY ACCIDENTS

POISONING serious im,cidents, part three Ifrinal)

by Dennis Clark, MElE, 1"f.lG':S

WROM th e corr.osive poisom.s oti1ler f@IiOils (i) f poisQmil'l,g I\awe t@ be <s:em siclerecl fr@1illI a diagnosti(\! t\l@int Qft view. As a rule the first signs and sy rmwtoliOs @f Jlloisoliimlg depen@ o n the m0d e of alb s@rpt,iom; tmey Qc<s:urr ir.J t he res J)'l ifat@ r y, sys te m if Jil@isoms are imhaled, im the digestive system if are swalleJ)\v,eed, and iA thle systerrn and c:irwlat®fY system if they 89F e inje €ted ef abso rrb ecl tme skin. Th e peis @1il either irritates @r inhibits the system and after a time , j,f taken in sufffic iellt quantities, wi]} affeGt all t he vital functions of tme body. T his neIl'S in diagnosis becamse the TIm@ de ®f a!Pls®rJ1lti@n has already beem moted ilil !ililaki'lilg allil as seSSfm(m t. Inhalet4 poisons, if irritan t s I,ike s moke Q,f fumes cause coughing amd Gh@st diSG@!iil11f@rt follo wed by n©isy obstFU Gted bl'eathimg. Om the other ham,d , carlilo n-mGl A@ oc ide im coal gas @ f in t hle fumes of a heating deviGe Oli car eoc hal!ls does not irritate t fu e breathilng tract but corn.l1>ines -with the haemoglGbim o f the bl( )O@ ana ililln ,ibits cot1sG io l!lsme ss al !iil11 os t as Gjmi<s:kly as an pois @n.

Swallowed J1>oisons, if irritant (li \Ce

p@isonol!ls be lili i€s , househ(')ld cleanelis, @IeGOliTrl)1)elsed fiO(i) ds and ma:ny clliUgSJ, at first GCl USe stomaGh @isc@l1ilf@ lit amd p>alilll, mal!ls ea fQ \IIow ect by vom iti mg amm , Ialt er dialirmo@a. Sedative drugs @pi ates, t r aflqu ilisers 1ilIfil.d sedativ.es, takem loJy mOlll t h fm their effect Olil the etilm tral mervo us system have am initial effect on tme digestiv€ systeliliJ., inhibiting m@vememM ©f tme st@Imlaem a!Fld bowel, t he fwnd ioro @ f vomiti mg. This m:1e ans tmat e me tics rom ay fail to fuav e their effe<!::t and cam aJe t u lly eaUlse fuarrm. I mjeGted pois@ms, cQmm0> nly l!Ised l0y @iF ug addij cts, usua In¥ act Quickl y on the system Tine WClisons abs(j)rbed thr©ugh the skiN or the eyes cam be consi<il@r@d with those injeet€d becal!lse to ®. frl rst act @m tRe central nerVGUS system. Ear:\y indic atiQ ns are pinp@im t Oli wid@ly dilated pWJPils, weakness of Iin uscles , dizzim ress aned I@ss of bala nGe or imcoo rdi flauion of mo vement. L fllteli iil'fita tive signs such as eomiw siolil, delirium, hallucimations amcl c0lllilvulsi0lms, or sigms of de wress i®m sl!.lch as drG)wsiness orr G0>ma. are all too obvio us.

The rre is no meed fOF a first-a,ider to all these siglils and sympt©rm.s. Be awalie of them almd ilil !ililabmg a d iag nosis obset've qm ickly the i1)1liiOFities, eOFrosive ililjl!lrries and gastric )pain and vGmitil'lg

Trea timent

As previously st a ted , t me first-aider ml!ls t get a poise med victim to hospital qmkkly. O mly essenti a l fi reat Mrle nt srooulcl be First, mai,mtain t me viltal fwnGtiolils by Rliea ting the priorities. Tm e I!l nconscioUls p>at iem t mIDst me pla<!::ed illil tm e recovery p@sition. I3reathing, if abse nt, Iin ust be reestablisfue@l b y respiratory liesusG illatiom. 13looc.1l ei.rculati em, if failed, with FlO heartbeat FlOF pulse, must be restart€d \by cardiac rres usci ta tion.

Sec;cmd, deal with corrosive bl!lms in the mo uth OF throat b y the victim in the FeC\:o ver y !,)osit9ion, dilutimg the poison illil accessifule areas, alild b y @} uick disposal t@ llio spit al.

Tmird , consider em,esis. T @cause v@Mi1iting may Iilot be wise. If vomitimg has taken pla c; e, t h@ I'e is usua lly mo need for more t ha n the sto!iinach wash tba t bas to be d ofle im hospital. Amy vietim of c;;orros ive po iso ning must never be made to vomit. i(lJ nGonsci ©ms victims, those with C1: o Jiilv mlsions or, indeed , amy with abnormal conscious mess must mot be cal!lsed to vOJffii t beeause of Fisk of inhaling the vomitws. Victims of sedative drugs. Of witM imfuibitioro of t fule vomitiJilg reflle *, wilJ mot nO lf!iil11 aHy react t@ emeti,bs Salilile emet ic;s , if n@ t eITeGtive, then become a®s orbed :ir!ilod upse t t me chemistry trom saline emetics have been repor ted). fin gers il'l tme threat easily Gause bJmising and swelling. T h ere of swallowed ID0isons, atteFlded before abs orp tio n takes place, wlil® arre still fmlly conscioms, witlfl.oruE bwrns. wmlelie emesis tfu@ thr @at c@l!lld be helpful - Ibl!l t only if disposal no mospital is not Special treat liilillemts a lil@ ant ido tes must be lJsed wmerre th ey are k mo wn and tme @ilie(\;tiloIFls felr their wse are available. 1m ind wst ry. preventiv.e aJiild curati 'VIe

Iilil easures are I1Jftem published OFI label s Glli m@tiees for aplDropriate cifrcl!l!ililstali1<i:es and t ® IP' rotect em.pl oyees wm® might be exposed to kmown WOiSOFlS. iF hese dilreetions must be fo\J\owed. [Fl the horne there afre fe w poiso(;ls rre qhli rilil[g speeial wm.t ido tes as mfrst llJild meaSl!llies. ]n f' ilfSt Aid (3rrd editiom) only two p@i.solils have bee lil singled out f@rr specia l tI"eatmelil,t: 'Pesticides' in wNich tm@ victim nmst be pmt at rest am@, if flecessary, sponged; and 'Rat poisoI'l' in which the vllctim ml!lst be made to vomit. [ w@ l!lld add vi,ctims rnfliec ted lP>y sl1iloke furmes, wmo must be laid dow n f,O fr an mour at least to prevent a poss ible late Ne art failure.

Disposal

Assessm ent will ha ve inclucled a survey of the methods of traJiilsport aV8!ilable, distances and time faG tors involved, and the patiemt's conditiom. l'fuose victims in good condition ca m be taken to fuospital !by Those with corrosive moutm burns , exposed to fm mes or pestici cles, with gastric irritation, difficulties Oli abnormal consc iousness should be mOVled in the Ii ecovery positiO N.

During transport t fu e resJDo Nsi bility , as in amy other serious irij l!lry, wi['! be to:

(I ) Maintain the vital functio ms by positi@n, res l!.ls citati@n me th ods amd attention to the airway;

(2) AtteFld to the victim's comfort, judging

A MAN was nearly blinded when Nis car battery blew up in his face on a r;e€lent Satmday night.

f'o r 20 minutes the explosion, 2$ye8!f-oIGl Mr. BaIifY Rose of Clayhall, was deafened al'ld blinded, and if it madm't bee n for the quick action of mysterry man he ccmld have lost his sight.

The explosion occurred at the Bald Hind Garage in Chig we ll , Essex , as Mli. was preparin g to gG away with his wife, to Brighton.

He operoed the compartment in the ili1 te rrio r of his Corrvette Stingray to check the battery - and j wst a spa lik from his eigare tte lighlter set off ilil his £aGe. 'He jl!l st thowg ht he 'd top I!.lJil the battery,' siilid MFS. Rose , 'a nd when it exploded he thought nhere was a bomb .' The of the eXJ1>losion knocked Mr. l0ac;;k against tl\nt,e side of t he car iilmd he tu mbled OHt with bl @@@ streaming dGwn fui s face and pie oe s @f t he batte ry lo dged in wis fGrehead.

TIme pwmp attendant s i@ he 'just didn't kne W' w.hat t@ d o'. It was t OO,en tro at the mystery doctor, wlolGl'd just to' ask his way, stepped im t® Jiiliil Op ur> the bleeding arne;:! wash the blood arne a €: id from M r. Rose's eyes. Mr. Rose was takem to King Ge(9rge H o spital ali1d later transferred to Oldclnurrch Hospital , R@"'lPI fo rd , where lat er i,t was said t mat his sigfut ha@ im prowed 'He I@@ks like he 's done a hundred fOlJl1@S witm

SUMMARY of FIRST AID in POISONING

ASSESSMEN'f

Take histery

Cenfiirm: frGlm poison emains, reeeptades, vomitus.

Note: Mianr;}er of Absorption - swallowed, inhaled , injected absorbecl AvailaiDl e HeLJll - e<q l!l ipment, assista lilG€S, mea ns of c CDm mulilicati )O, trans po rt.

DIAGNOS[S

Prieri ties (BHe): COF]seiGllsness - mor mal, abm)[mal u rlGo nsci Gl l!Is.

Breathing - Normal, flG isy , a bs ent. Blo0d CirC1:ilation - pulse m>rmal, abnormal, absent.

Special Si gns: (0)rrosiv€ m(j)l!Ith bl!lms

Gastr ic Sym ptoms - vomiting arld pain.

TREATMENT

Priarities: Car@iac and Respiratory resuscitatiGn Re Qovery position Ai rway attention.

Shock: ltec;:u mbenc e Warmth without overheating Reassuranc;:e. Corrosive burns: Diluents and demuleents Other J)oisons: Special under special direGtion. Emetics, occ;:asiona'l us€ in early, c;:onsGious and unburn ed victims.

DISPOSAL

Transport all peisoned people to hospital urgently.

During Transport: CONtinue attention to priorities attemd tel comforts and wants prCDvide r€ports ma intain observation.

t \nt e amount of blanket cover needed and tme necessity for bed-pans, urinals , and vomit bowls. Reassure the conscious victim;

(3) Take all records, history , al'1d confirmatory evid ence SUGh as remaining poison receptacles and vomitus to hospital ;

'Mystery doctor' saves man's sight

Cas:;;ius , 0r as if Me'd b@en mugged ,' said Mrs. Rose. Sequel

Th liO' ugh the Redbridge Guardian and Independent, Barry Rose was able te meet t me myst ery man who saved hlis sight when the car battery eX I' lo Gie d in his fac ct.

Staff at the BaId Hind Garage , wlolere the exp\oosion occurred, thougmt he was a doctQJr because of t he speed and effiGiency with which he dealt with the situation.

In the man was mrst-aider Mr. David Fettimgale , 27, fiuo m P'orest Gate , and the t wo mel'l met again at Mr. he me.

'I'm really pleased to see and thank him per£(C)nally forr his help, said Mr Rose.

Mr. Pettingale, whQ works at the Meter and Test of the London Electricity Boa rd il'l Forest Gate , started first aid five yea rs ago. He believes: 'You've got to leam it p>fG perl y otherwise IilOt worth doing a t all.'

It was omly by c);}alilce me was at the Bald Hind Olil the night of tme explosiml: his car had @@e n off the road for four months and on

(4) Watch the patient, record chamges and hand O'n th @information to hospital.

Editor: This article on was the lost to be written for his Re view series. Every Day First A id by Dennis Clark, an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist whCJ joined the Brigade in 1937, before he died last De cem ber.

that night he deGided to take it for a run. 'I thought I'd go to the Retreat J1lhlb in ChigwelI ,' he said. 'I couldn't find it. I knew it was near the Bald Hind so I decided to go in there, and as I was driving UJ1l to the garage I heard the explosion. I walk€d into the garage and saw Barry with his faee all bleeding. I lo o ked at him and saw he had heat burns on the lids of his eyes and h@at burns on the whites of his eyes , so I opened up a sterile dressing, got some water and washed his ey€s. Usually with heat burns on the eye you are meant to Gover them, but I decicted it was not to in cas e he panicked.'

David, an Ambulance Centre member sinee March 1970, is enrolled with London Distric;t Ambulance Branch , is captaifl of the LEB Riverside District competition team and a newly enrolled member of the 210 (London Electricity) Combined Division St. John Ambulance. He has made two attempts t@ train and enter teams for first aid competitions and is still tr yi ng Inard pr€paring another team. He encouraged his last team te enter the friendly competition between LOfldon based teams in the Barking Area against London Transport team from BarIqng Area , and Gontributed a small cup for presentation to the winning team

R eprin ted from The Electridty Cou ncil 's Ambulance Bulletin.

The I ,olden nde torr poisoning

AMBULANCES

Recent development of vehicles and patient-care skills has made additional training essential

THE NEED for specialised ambulance training has increased so much over the last few years as equipment and patient-skills have become more sophisticated and involved (see article Ambulances and their Equipment, Review , June & July 1974) that today the sole possession of first aid and / or nursing certificates are insufficient qualification for proficient ambulance crews. These certific:ates are now considered to be the minimum standard for ambulance drivers and attendants to start their training.

The local authority ambulance services (now operated by the Regional Health Authorities) recognition of this fleed for more advaflced training has been ful f1 lled by a government working party's recommendation which brought about the introduction throughout Britain of regional training schools for ambulance personnel.

Successful completion of a 6-week residential course at these schools is recognised by the Ambulance Service Proficiency Certificate (known as the Millar certificate). But even this intensive

introductory training is not considered sufficient, for it is followed by residential refresher courses So the trend for professional ambulance crews, as with so many other 'humane' services in a Britain which is becoming more and more sociallyconscious, is expertise.

St. John members involved in the routine operation of our own ambulance vehicles naturally have neither the time nor the need to undertake such intensive training but the necessity for some form of additional training is emphasised by these very extensive requirements of the Regional Au thori ties.

Over the past few years our vehicles , in common with those of professional services, have increased in complexity and the basic sk ills that would have been considered proficient ten years ago are no longer acceptable. Duriflg the past decade both the range of equipment carried and the standard of patient c: are have increased considerably and we may have to deal with some if not all of the following subjects, most of which were in their infancy ten years ago:

Oxygen apparatus

Entonox apparatus.

Resuscitation equipment. Trolley stretchers.

Radio communications

Major inci dent procedure s. Motorway Cl:ccidents.

The list could be extended but all of these subjects have one thing in common: there is no one textbook that deals with them in sufficient detail and t he First .Aiid Manual (from whicn we all learn our first aid) does not include any of the above subjects. Naturally the manual itself is a starting point

but it cannot be all-embracing for the relatively small number who eventually become skilled driver s and atte!ildants. It can be seen, however, that a need exists for training our own ambulance crews in these 'advance d subjects and in basic ambulance operation.

Having acknowledged the need for additional training of SJA ambulance crews so me three years ago, it remained for the programme to be put into practice. SJA Berkshire Eastern Area (formerly Buckingham Southern Area) was well suited for a training programme to encompass all of these objectives. Its ambulances are owned by the Area and operated under the control of a transport officer. The vehicles are loaned to divisions for duties, and the drivers and attendants within each divis ion also undertake duties for the Area in connection w ith the s ucce ssful priv ate ambulance service which it operates. We therefore have a high standard of veh icl e on which to train, and the poolin g of r eso urces on an Area basis allows u s to use

the skills and facilities which are available by involving all of the divisions. Conveniently the Area is geographically very small (180 square miles) so there is little difficulty in noldi!ilg frequent training sessions at a central location. Many of tmose who wished to qualify already had considerable experience in local authority ambulance services and, in addition, two of them were already 'Mi llar tr ainees' working for the local authority. Many of the members had also worked for many years as voluntary attendants with the local authority service until the cessation of these duties in 1972. We therefore had first hand knowledge of the ways of training and the type of equipment ca rried. Rapport was very successfull y established with the ambulance serv ice when after the termination of the vo luntary attendant duties , we began to transport patients, on their behalf, in our vehicles. We also worked very closely with the service on the establishment of major incident planning (a need which was forcibly brought to mind after the tragic Trident crash in Staines when all of our services were utilised). We also trained with the se rvice in the use of equipment at a major incident, as it was essential that our members knew how to wse all of the a mbulance service equipment.

All of the se favourable factors helped us to establish o ur training programme which, a ft e r basic tr aining on vehicle equipment , was expanded to driving procedure and legal aspects, and then to oxygen procedure and radio-telephone apparatus.

After the initial training all those involved we lie anxious to leam more and the meed for fur ther trainin g became apparent as other types of incidents was encountered in the day -to-day running of the service. The training will never be finished; its details , which will be give n in subsequent sect ions of this se rie s of articles, are not conclusive; but from it a broad outline for thle standard of olllr se rvice aJiild training ha s emerged.

Qualities of crews

a nd they have to re ly on the physical capabi ities of the other

H av in g said that the first aid and nursing

spot needs choosing with care.

ce rtificate s are a basic starting point , one must then consider other factors which make the ideal ambulance driver / attendant. The required physical qualities are the same for driver and attendant.

This ideal person should be physically fit and not suffer from any ailment which predispo ses him to back injury, for the usual crew of driver and attendant may have to lift h eavy weights. Each relies on the physical capabilit ie s of the other, as one member of the crew cannot do the job alone and there is unlikely to be other skilled assistance ava ilable.

Ambulance personnel are called on (as are first - aiders) to give service in a very personal way to people who are suffering. Th e person being helped will probably appreciate this fact, but on occasions a patient can be difficult , even abusive or violent when the crew must have the strength of character to be polite, patient and cheerful. We all know how difficult it is to be polite to anyone who is being the exact opposite, but this is one of}he qualities of the ide a l ambulance crew

Per so nal hygiene is of tremendous importance. While the standard of hygiene s hould be that reasonably expected of any first -aider the handling of ambulance equip ment a!ild apparatus can produce dirty h a nd s and fi wge rnails. So it is always advisable to slip on a pair of overalls before checking oil, tyre pressures , etc, preparatory

to a journey Uniform is then kept clean and only a good 'scrub' will be needed after these checks.

Attention to personal cleanliness means little, of course, if the vehicle itself is scruffy and caked in mud. So make sure the ambulance has a regular scrubbing too. But all the scrubbing in the world will not make up for an inadequately trained crew-member, or one who lacks confidence It may therefore be important for parts of the training courses to be repeated at regular intervals, especially for members who only carry out ambulance duties at infrequent interval s.

Much ambulance work involves sheer physical effort. So fitness is important, and the transport officer should make sure that he is not asking too much of the crew in physical strength when sending them on a specific journey.

Routine journeys

N.o two journeys are ever alike, but we can call the majority 'routine' as distinct from emergency journeys.

We can assume that full details of the journe y are known and that there is sufficient time to prepare for it. Ideally, fulJ details of the journey should be included on a patient detail sheet (see Fig. I) which has been used successfully in Berkshire. The crew normally consists of a driver and one attendant - preferably an of

part one by BRIAN ROCKEl!.l

(Above) The range of equipment carried has increased considerab y.

(Above, rig ht) check the oil level - in overa lls

The ideal reversing

5ft (R 524rml'ilill, is one ef tllIe fTrlany ambulalilces proGlueed by Herbert L ©mas LtGl, Handford, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 :3 EIll, hom wMom a catalogue ,s available.

lightweight patient waiting at the roadside. Great care should be exercised if the sole atterndamm is a nursiFlg memberr as only the lighter patients can be lifte@ OJ1lIUO a stretcher l\>y a nursirng member. It would be unreasonable (and dangerous) to ask a nursing member to lift tht'l end of a heavy stretcher on her own - much depeJ1lds on the weight of the patient and streJ1lgth of the attendant.

The crew shol!lld be at the am.bulance garage at least half am hour before departUlie to cClirry lOut tme lOleGessary liOutille checks. All ambularnce equipment should be checked to ern sure it is oomp lete The watt'lr flask should be refilled with fresh water; clean and well bedding and linen placed on the stretcher. This can be done by the attendant whnle the driver checks the vehicle, which includes: lights, including brake ligmts; cleam wilildscreen and w.indscreen washer toppedup; oil, braICe fluid, radiator e'Vt'lI, and of course tyre pressures remembering that tyres should always be checked when they are cool. Also the driver's responsibility is to make sure he knows the best route for the journey.

The driver is responsible for the vehicle and its IiOwte. The attendant for the care of patients during the journey, so the attemdarot always travels in the rear with the patiemt. It is of utmost importance that the crew work together as a team, anticipating each other ' s action as much as possible. For instance, the driver will warn the attendant of any approaching potholes in the road ahead, while the attendant should keep the driver informed of the patiemt's condition so that he can drive accordingly. In cold weather, keep an eye on the interior temperature gauge - for a patient will probably feel cold sooner than the healthy crew.

Approach the patient's address quietly and steadily. It may be necessary to ask

directions, but rather than stopping to ask a passer-by - who more often than not turns out to be a stranger to the district - more accurate information is usually obtained by en(gJuilfing at a house.

When the address is found the ambulance should be parked safely and, if necessary, the hazard warning lights switched on. Park the vehicle ready for departure, with the back doors nearest the loading point, even if this means driving some distance to find a safe turning point. It is better not to try to turn in thcs road as an ambulance usually has a large turning circle and requires much manoeuvring in a confined space. But always try to avoid parking so that you have to cross the road when loading the patient.

Once parked the attendant should go to the house/ flat front door while the driver, first switching off the motor, opens the ambulanoe rear doors, being careful of passing traffic, and pulls down the rear step.

The attendant should first check that this is the correct address and then ask to see the patient. (Do you take your hat off when entering God's house?) While being shown to the patient's bedroom the attendant should watch out for any likely obstacles to removal - loose rugs or door mat, hallstand or other furniture. Any items on which one may slip, trip, or which may topple if grabbed. After assessing the patient's condition, all such obstacles must be moved out of the way. An unconscious patient who has to be taken on a carrying sheet will need more removal space than a patient who can make his own way down stairs.

The attendant must approach the patient calmly and sympathetically, bearing in mind that some people just cannot help being apprehensive at the sight of a uniform. Ask if the doctor has left any specific instructions - sometimes there is a letter to accompany the patient being admitted to hospital. There

Conversions from Rootes

THIS is the Com mer 2000 or 2500 series hlimged or s lidin g door van converted to an ambu lan ce, with sitting case and/or two stretcher cases, as supplied to Rochester Division by Rootes Maidstone Ltd The company supplies ambulance vehicles ranging from an estate conversion to a wa lkthru ambulance which will carry 7 wheelchairs and 16 passengers or 16 wheelchairs with a ll seats removed. [ nquiries to Ro© tes Maidstone Ltd, Mill St, Miaidstone Kent, for a catalogue of their ambulance conversions.

may also be instructions concerning tablets to be taken with the patiel'lt. The attendant should also enquire whether there are any specific injuries, etc, which need to be considered for lifting and removal. Having assessed the relevant facts, the attendant decides on the lift. Usually it is not possible to get the stretcher near enough to the patient, so four alternatives should be considered (although other methods may be used):

a) the patient walks, aided or unaided;

b) sits in a carrying chair and is carried; c) is carried on a carrying sheet;

d) is lifted to the stretcher by a hand seat, etc.

Obviously the major consideration is the patient's condition. The patient with a- heart complaint will often state: 'Yes, of course I can walk,' but he should not be allowed to do so It is sometimes difficult to convince a patient that the method of lift is in his own interest; he may want to feel independent and not rely on others to carry him. The attendant must then be firm but sympathetic. Much of this difficulty can be avoided; however, if every move is clearly explained to him in advance. It's amazing how cooperative the most intractable people become if they understand.

(continued next month.)

Bediford 25cwt van conversion

READERS VIEWS

Readers' views and opinions, whi c;; h should be sent to the Editor, published are not necessarily endorsed by the Edi1ior or the Order of St John and its FounGlatiorns Although readers may sign published letters with a pen-name, writers must supply their name and addres s to the editor

DUKE'S AWARD SCHEME

from Mrs. Margaret James, Divi sional

It was of great interest to react Mr. Bob Mann's article on The Duke of Edinburgh s Award Scheme (July Review) and his thoughts on how contact could be made with the young people participating in the scheme and wanting to learn first aid.

May I €xplain the running of a pilot scheme in this county? The Buckinghamshire Housewives Project was formed some five years ago as an €xperiment and has prov€d so successful tha t similar groups are now being formed tmrougholllt the count r y. This gli oup consis t s of a large number of ladies (amd male supporters) fr o m various part s of the county and the adjoining counties, several of us with young familie s, who are willing to spare a few hours to help those wanting to take part in the scn gm@. It endeavours to guide participants through the scheme from Bronze to Gold level and each member maintains a personal contact with a small number of young people. Some of us are able to pffer help in a particular way , eg: first aid , cookery, handicrafts , etc.

I am sure many of our amb l!l la l'l. ee and nursing members would be willimg t6> help personally at the Bronze stage with the first aid possibly by rurmililg a small course in their homes. (Participants able to atten d a divisiolilal course have made contact and should be able to obtain further information from the Division conce ned).

I have sUGcessfully helped a small group of boys in the village where I live who cam€ to my house to do first aid. T he y have now successfully completed their Bronz€ awards and one has already taken

and passed his first aid exam with the Ambulance Division.

I am sure tho se running the sGheme would welcome any h elp St. John members can gi ve particul a rly in rural areas , and sugge s t that c ont a ct be made with the Local YGluth Office Further in formation of g ml!lps , such as The Buckinglnamshire H o u sewives Project that ma ve recently been Donned or will shortly be in exi s ten c e can be obt a ined from Mrs. G. Pocock , 43 Berkeley Avenue Cne sham , Buck s Hi gh Wy combe M a rg aret James, D. of E Gold Award holder

ST. JOHN'S DAY

from D. L. Young, Ambulance Member

St. John the E a ptis t Day has passed again (J llI ne 24) a nd I wonder how many division s kmow or care a my thing about John the B a ptist ?

He came to warn people of the coming of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world whose mes s age to men was to follow His teaching of love and service to their fellows, coupled with the spiritual ministr y of showing Christ the onl y true way

As I understand the objects of St. John Ambulance are clo sely a lik e to the teaching of Chri s t, I am disturbed and ra t her sad that while much good work is being done by St. John i is not being done to th e glory of God

I visite@ ] m ileI t wo mondil s ago (in d uding the SL Joh n Hospit a l) and there is much evidence ofthe Biblical prophesie s coming about. Indeed so m e ha ve already come true.

While we are to teach and minister , spirituall y and materiall y t o a ll race s, colour s a nd creeds , we must be Chri s t cen red. Hi s tor y ha s alw a y s shown the fall of great nation s ( a nd even now to our o wn) where He ha s been ignored , and there is no other way. We mu s t giv e God the glor y , for we are engaged in His work.

E ton Combi ne d Divis io n D L. Yo ung

THANKS, CANADA BUT from Margaret Macdonald, Provincial Nursing Consultant

With reference to y our attractive but puzzling cover on th e St. John Review , June , 1975 , I wish to submit my answer with the gue s s that these lovely nursing cadets are placing a piece of puzzle for th e Malvern Nursing Cadet Division regarding the National Children ' s Home £1 m appeal.

You fl j Ql[ rmal s greatly enjoyed by the members in our group Halijalt No va Sco tia Marg are t M acdo nald

Edit: Our June cover caused quite a stir and we ' re still getting letter s about it - although our lovely cover girls are remaining demure ly silent. But then , perhaps their picture spoke loudly enough. Let 's ju st say thanks girl s, from all Review reader s, for making June a particularly sunny issue

Major- Ge m Desmon d Gordon, t he C(!)m missio me r-in - Chief, on a recent v sit to SJA Guernsey Left) Getting to know ea c h other and (beICllw) getting to know th e island s impressive SJA land and sea emergency equipment (Photos Guernsey Press )

CADET WASTAGE from W. J. Day, Divisional Officer officer w ould be loath to be seen around in ambulance member s uniform.

IR e Eric Sti t c h er s letter (July Revie w) , since 1945 I mave alway s b een convinced th a t th e actual change -over figure from c a det s to adult s is never above 5 % , on avera g e.

Many adult member s are lost and fail to do duties because they are res e ntful of young member s being on adult duties in officers uniform. Brigade HQ should think again about cadet officers' rank marking. To br ing ba ck the white piping would be too expensjve, but a shoulder flash 'Cadet Officer for all rank s wou ld sol ve this vexing problem

ORDER INVESTITURE

COMMANDER (Brother)

Jo se p h Stewart H a milton MB, ChB DPH (Staffs .) Lord Abinger (Suffo lk )

Arthur G e org e Richard Bone , SEN (Essex)

Rob ert W a lter H o uchin (Kent)

Col. D on ald M a cmill a n TD MB , ChB (Leeds )

OFFICER (Brother)

G eor ge E d wa rd F o ley ( Lon d on )

Cliffo r d To w ne nd Mill s, MB ( Worc ester )

Leo nard S am ue l Brown (Co vent r y)

Major S ta nle y Erwin Fairclough , TD (Berk s )

G eorge Henr y Gand y (Cheshire)

A lexa nder Allan Re fmie, QPM (Worc s .)

Earn es Arth ur Day (Wind sor)

D e nni s Bas on e L a wrence , LMSA LRCS (C o rn wall)

Willi am H e nr y P e rri s ( Berk s.)

K e nn eth J oh n Pow ell MB BS MRCS LRCP (Essex )

J a me s Patrick Clifford (E ss ex)

Geor ge Willi am Beni ston (Derb ys .)

OFFICER (Sister)

Ir is Gl y nn e, Mr s. Hou c hin (Kent)

Es me Lou ise, Mr s Perr y m a n ( A von)

Ol ive M a rg ar et Edi t h Mrs. P erri s ( Berk s )

R o se m a r y , Mr s. All a n , SRN SCM (Che shire )

Emil y Vi c o ria Ma y , Mr s Hand ys ide (Cle ve and )

Mab y n E li z abe t h Mar y, Mis s Sandy s (Cornwall)

SERVING BROTHER

J o hn N o bl e , SRN (Surre y)

J a me s Fran c is De a n, FCIS MBIM (B r s tol)

G il be rt Jack so n (Leics.)

R ay m o nd David Veil am , S E N ( Li nc s.)

St a nl ey Ch a rl es Bo sl ey (K e nt )

J ame s P a tri c k Mul ca h y ( Cumbria)

Ri c h a rd Rober t Oliver (C o rnwall)

Fr ed er c k Charle s Le vitt ( Bed s .)

Arthur P e ar ce ( B u ck s )

Fr ed er c k J o hn L e ah ( Hert s. )

Jo hn Ch a rl es Gr een (Derb y s .)

Edg a r Wilfrre d God sa ve ( Berks. )

F ra nk Riley Bart o n ( Leic s.)

Ge €l r ge Smi,t m ( Bo urn e m Guth)

W inia m Alb ern Smith ( L o ndon)

Cyr il Dun ha m ( Lin cs )

R a lph Jame s Willi s ( Gl os .)

Harold Wilk inso n ( L ancs )

Fr ed Hickin g ( D e rb y s. )

Row an d H ar ri so n (S H umber sid e)

Ar c h ba ld Lesl ie Go ldi e (C hes hire)

J oh n K enn eth H o u nse ll ( L iverpo o )

R €l n a ld Ho d g so n (W Lo th ia n)

Bri a n Ro ber t Hi llen ( W a rk s .)

Eri c Full er ( L a nc s. }

Roy M axwe ll Ru n dl e , QPM ( Devon)

J a mes H ogg :,tev e n so n l N or folk)

G eo ffr e y N o r c r o ss ( L a ncs.)

J ame s Stuart Reeda y ( Lanc s. )

Willi a m Frederi c Seed (We s York s)

John Derek T ho ma s, OBE MB , BS , MRCS

LRCP (Lincol n)

J o hn Bamfo rd , IPFA FR V A ( Middx .)

Bartram ( Kempston )

No r man Live s ey (Lanc s )

Ro y John M eller (W Mid land s)

W a lt e r Bri a n Ch ee s man (S. Humber side)

E d wa rd Winter R o bin s (Wark s. )

J o hn Wat so n McPher son (Perth )

- R-on ald - Hopki ns- ( Lane s )

Thoma s Ri cha r d Short (Cheshire)

H enr y Met c alfe (C o Durham)

Thoma s Wil son (W. York s )

Hu bert Grim es (Li nc s.)

N elso n W e lch G ilbert Browne SEN (Berk s. )

G eor ge Lak e ( Wor cs. )

Tom Goodin g (Suffolk)

John M a xw ell S u rman (Oxon. )

A rthur Fran k Spittl es ( Bu c ks .)

Len n ard Wri g ht ( Middle s brough )

Fran c s William Barton MBE (Cheshire)

J o hn Jame s Sw ift (Nr. C he sterfield)

Willi am Harr y Wallace (Glos )

R o nald Frederick Clark (Essex)

Jo se ph Will ia m Whitehead (Lei c s )

D av id Gr a ham Wh eadon (Bridp o rt)

Ro ger Guill au me Tadier (Jersey)

Albert Ch a rle s Beckenham , SRN , RMN (De von )

Willi am Gorringe (Kent )

Willi am Ha rvey ( W Midland s)

Jame s Le o nard Knott (Man c he ster )

G eo rg e S y dn ey Cl a re (Dev o n)

NEWS from SCOTLAND

WALES (Contd.)

'i]j' lne young superintendent of the qu acl ril ruter aJI Cardiff Castle Divisioli1, which has 18 young adults and 4(1) recently organised a disaster situation exercise which not only proved suocessful training but also highly interesting as these photographs show. Where's

St. Andrews

ON June 26 in glorious weather the Hospitaller, Col. J. H. Calder McLeod, representing Sir Andrew Murray , and the Priory Secretary, Mr. E. F. Fortune, attended the official opening by Sir Henry Fisher of 'St. Johns' This building in St. Andrews , one of the oldest town houses in Sco t land, belo):lgeq to the Knights of St. Jghn in the Middle Ages. As rep@rted some years ago, it was acquired by the University of St. Andrews in 1970 and its restoration was made possible by a grant from the Pilgrim Trust. Grand Priory and the Priory of Scotland also contributed to the fund. St. John's has now become a

postgrraduate historical stu'dies at the university.

Torphichen

for

On June 29 the Torphichen committee of the Order held its annual service in the ancient preceptory. Twenty members of chapter led by the Chancellor , also attended The service was condwcted by the Rev, Tom Crichton, Minister of the Parish and a member of the Order. The se r mon was preached by the Prelate , the Very Rev A. Neville Davidson and Mr. Neil Mackie sang a very beautiful unaccompanied version of The Lord is my Shepherd. The banner that had been used by the Priors of Scotland when at chapter meetings at Clerk en well was

WALES

A party of cadets from the Celynen Division spent a weekend at the Brigade's Outdoor Pursuit Centre, Dynyn, Nr. Machynlleth, recently.

The cadets, led by Div. Officer Robert Bushell who was assisted by Afr\i1bulance Member Arthur Parker and Mrs. Parker as

'laid up'. It was borne into the Preceptory and delivered by the Chancellor, who said : 'Chapter and Council of the Scottish Priory have decreed that this standard should now rest within the sacred precincts of Torphichen - the cradle of the Order in Scotland. Reverend Sir I would ask you and your Kirk Session to accept this standard into your care and custody.'

The banner was then received by the minister and laid on the Holy Table. After the service the ladies of the Torphichen committee entertained the congregation to tea in the St. John 's Hall. J. R -S

reading , hill climbing and swimming. The party hope to return next year for a week 's training course.

Cadets of Newport and East Mon Hospitals Division receivirilg enrolment books Mom Mr J P.

News from Divisions/Centres

GREATER MANCHESTER

cadets of Heywood Division

Two

A Rabbi assisted at the blessing of a cadet flag at Whitefidd, Manchester, recently, the flag havi \iilg being presented by President Mr. H. Donn, who is a Jew.

OBITUARY

A. Waterworth, Sgt. Major, Spalding Ambulance Division. Born l888. Died NoV€mber 29 1974. Joined Keighley Ambmlance Division , Yorks, 1917 , and formed Keighley Ambulance Cadet Division, Transferred to Spalding in 1941. Serving Brother of the Order.

Mrs. Mary Lyons, 57, D/Supt. Crewe Nursing Division died after a short illness on May 18, the day after her Division's team finished 3rd in the regional competitions at Bury, lLa nes ServilPlg Sister.

me r>Til®e rs on Pla rade anal mhe bali1d of tine Blues and R0)),als, Div. T Hia WlOr.l is presen ed his bar fe " 20 years service b y lri e Jiliil iliff

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Pub lic at ion: 1

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.9 (75)

Compiled bV W A. Potter

Acress:

1. Differenee betwetm the amounts of protein symth es ised and bmkem Q(l)wn by the bQdy. (8.7) 9. Re@lJ(\;es the [Factures in wmpiene grol!lps. (4) I. Part of tooth witro. depressi«)ft im one dire€tio'l'l. (7) 12. fifty-mrst schedule of cases f@r (4) 13. IDepemcl upou brokelil ly re. (4) 14. In an uJOFight p>(;)sition fFQOOl (S) i 5. far t of tMe breast perforatetU by the lalCtife rohls tUlilctS. (6) 17. R @cs: ky t@JD @graph ical feature. (4) 19. The tem.Qlmcs:y @f a b(;)@y lIe persist in a state ofn'est or of uniform mo t ion. (7) :no Fermale gamete om tne breakfast table. (3) 23. The sort olf rnt!lscie spasms oceurring in stry dnn im: poisoning. (7) 24. Readily feeling weak alild giddy but Iilot mav ililg teml!l1 erature. (41) 26. Tempt with ear, nose , amd tlhroat ice. (6) 22. V@rtical and correct. (5) 30. Holl(;)'W, elongated ana 1i@ rnieal strweture is urnde Fg ro hl od. (4) 32. iEilo retmn t(l) tdoct@r in a state (i)f min d. (4) 33. Widely-dist Ii ilb uted type (l)fr eOlilneICtive tissue. (7) 34. U nwsual male am amicti@,mof a lower limw. (41) 3S. Work for the cilelctor wh@ neCil@s experienc€? (7.fB).

Dewn: 2. Toeth balby cuts ffirst. (7 ) ]. Relaxi m.g after e*@rtioDl. (7) 4. :m.elieve pain and diseemfoIit. (4) S. Paramet€!Ii determining dosage of drugs a@rministered to children. (4 .6) o. Was in no hurry nC0 proceed in red mamij!lulani @l'1. 7. Irrita t ing sG)ulild. (5) 8. Yes, ret aJim fm a freQuent cause of headaehe. (3.6) 10. ltxclllrsi<lln for drmg addicts? (4!p Hi. ef frontal lobe cortex eonc@med with Iililtil seular action (]0) 1 if. SUIDstanee surrounding the OIID.cleus of the livilIrlg cel l. (9) ] g. Part of play in 35 across. (3 ) 20. Refreslili1ng beverage f[)lund irn stearra1!es. (3) 21. Concerliled wit Fi bl1ilding-I!l W of body. cells from protUucts @ f digestiolil. (!3) 24. Agillate an elilzyFli\e. (7) 2S ¥oolijs h imt);}e extrelilile. (7) H. A prodl!let Crom the associatio'Dl areas of the lPlrailil. (4) Tun;) over cs:ormple1iely. 31. Make iFl@istirnct. (4) SelutioA te Cresswerd Ne. S

Acl'oss:

1. A 1Yrial; 4. $c.a.the; 10. Retdil; 1 t Sartorius; n. I?lace.bo; 13. Pridle ; 14. Nitre; IS. Ie€!; ]6. N@ma ; 19. Tri@; 2[, Tea; 22. Finelli; 24 Mass.ag@; 26. C.lasses; 27 Lead aJDlIiOm; :2$. 'ilf1ro.o.m; Tender; 3([). Credit. Dewn:

1. A tF0 phine; 2. Re.traet@f; 3. Ath[ete; 5. Crnofi,oFl; 6. T hick; i 8. A s);}ot in tJhe ann; 9. Triple vaccine; 17. M@1il.ksh@@d; 1$. Cfuest.nu t; 2<il. Ox.adate; 22. Flaster; 23. A.!ilfHlle.t; 2:5. Sii aiIil. 220

MOORFIELDS EYE HOSPITAL City ROad, London, EC1 V 2PD

Candidates accepted €It the age of 17 years as student nl!Hses to ufldertake an 18 month in ophthalmic rnursil1lg.

On successf liJ l co mp letion of the course awards of Moorfields Certificate and Medal €Ire made. Comfortable rr esidential a e:c(i) mmodation ava il able. the Nursing Officer.

Our advertisers want to know whether readers are interested in their products

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AT RANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

I' M WRITING in Nairobi where I'm undergoing a gradual process of rehabilitation to normal existence after a week ' s blissfully idyllic sojourn in the land of the lotuseaters - or , to be more precise, on an almost deserted tropical beach some 20 miles south of Mombasa on the shores of the Indian Ocean. During the weeks of July and early August I'd been recognising (probably long after my coll eagues had done so , though they'd been too polite to tell me) the signs and symptoms of staleness and fatigue that can only be cured by a short spell ' right away from it all . So when I got home from a visit to the Berkshire cadet camp and found a letter awaiting me from friends in Nairobi , inviting me to join them for the last week of their famil y holiday in a beach-hut on the south Kenya coast and then return to Nairobi , I wired acceptance , booked a flight , got a jab to renew my nearly expired cholera immun isation , and was off within ten days.

A week of total lassitude was just right - long enough to unwind and enjoy complete relaxation , yet not so long as to run the risk of becoming completely hooked on a lo t us-eating existence. For seven whole days I was transport ed to another world where official responsibilities could not follow me and , if not totally forgotten, were at least banished from the conscious mind We looked out from the verandah of our palm-thatched hut to an unbroken line of surf where the coral reef made inshore bathing safe from maurauding sharks; the beach was a mere 50 yards away , across a grass clearing studded with flowering shrubs - crimson hibiscus, yellow alamander , pink coral -creeper , glorious bougainvillea in every . combination of orange , red , mauve and white - and the air was laAen with the almost intoxicating scent of the white flowers of the frangipani tree con t inued on p.227

Bailiff of Egle

It is with sadness that we have to report the death on September 11 of the Bailiff of Egle , Lord Cozens-Hardy, OBE.

THE LONG ROAD TO

Lt. Cdr. P. J. J. Wren, County Surgeon for Lancashire, a member of the Sovereign Military Order and of the Most Venerable Order, was leader of the Brigade party @n duty in Rome during the first week from June 19 to 26. He writes:

The Brigade doctors nurses and ambulance and nursing members worked as a team with the staff allocated to us by the

Hospitaller of the SMOM, a happy and I am certain alii efficient team. Their willingness, friendliness and companionship were excellent. Without exception everyone gave of their best; not one member of the team ever showed any sign of not wanting to do more, and on several occasions I had to order members to go off duty and not to work too hard (something rarely encountered these days).

Rome

1975

Background to this historic event

The world needs unity - is this the first major step towards the uniting of all St. John?

Duty

A routine had been drawn up by Messrs. Humphery-Smith and Jonathan Monckton, of the SMOM, and myself before the main party arrived. This duty rota included the composition of teams , work, off-duty , cleanliness , punctuality and above all , unity. A copy of the rota was given to all members at supper on the first-evening. I pointed out that as we were the first St. John team in Rome what we did or didn't do would reflect on our confreres who followed. It was also pointed out that the SMOM attached great importance to the spiritual side of their work and that it was our wish that the day should start and finish with prayers , the SMOM prayer said by a Knight of Malta and the Lord's prayer by a member of St. John

Work

70 cases , mainly faintings minor accidents and sprains , were treated during our week which according to records was slightly above the weekly average.

Much of the success of our work can be attributed to our nurses ; they provided a wealth of practical nursing and medical knowledge. complete with commonsense , as we ll as their excellent lililguistic abilities which made our job easier and at times amusing.

Without the hard work carried out with a s mile and unselfishness by every single one

The Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order o f Ma ta meeting Kent mem b ers during a vis to the post

Some years after the Order of St John had been driven from Malta by Napoleon in 1798, the Grand Master and his staff were given sanctuary in the Vatican, where the headquarters of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta remains to this day. In 1831 the English Tongue of the original Order was revived in Britain ami is new known as the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. Other parts of Europe - the Netherlands , Sweden and West Germany - which had been connected with Tongues of the original Order have also re-established their own national branches.

Today there is a great movement among all these branches of the Order to draw more closely together in carrying out their common task of service to mankind.

An outstanding example of this new spirit of unity was seen this year when the Sovereign Military Order invited St John Ambulance, as a feundation of the Most Venerable Order, to work alongside SMOM members in supplying first aid cover for the 9 peak weeks of the Vatican's Holy Year in Rome.

of the ambulance and nursing personnel, the first aid post could not have functioned. Everyone depended primarily on them and if they had fallen short in their standards then it would have been reflected right down the line . To their leaders I would like to offer my sincere thanks for being so willing and helpful throughout this tour of duty ; nothing was too much to ask of them I am unable to single out anyone member of the team because they were a team.

One couldn't find a more agreeable, helpful and friendly colleague than Dr. a' Abreu, a London surgeon and Knight of the SMOM, who worked with us, and I deeply appreciate everything he did. Mr. Humphery-Smith and Mr. Monckton , representatives of the SMOM Hospitaller , Sir John Galvin completely understood our work, went out of their way to help us and without their guidance and practical help we would have been lost. They acted as a bridge between us at the first aid post and the Condotti. Sir John took pride in telling all visitors to the post that we were members of St. John Ambulance and it was his proud boast that he got his medallion in Australia over 50 years ago. It was very fortunate we mad English colleagues with so much knowledge of the Vatican , the Condotti and Rome itself.

On the morning of June 20 I met the Hospitaller at the Condotti, where he had arranged for me to meet H E. the Grand Chancellor of the SMOM Q.T. Gwyn. After formal introductions I spent 15 minutes talking with him and Sir J obn about our work in England and especiall y in Lancashire , which H.E. Quentin Gwyn knows very" well , as he was at school in the county. At 11.30 I was granted an audience with H.M.E.H. the Grand Master. After proceeding in accordance with protocol , I was ushered into the Grand Master s study ; he showed great warmth in welcoming me to Rome , expressing his gratitude to the Most Venerable Order for the help we had offered in manning the first aid post. He spoke of our work for Our Lords the sick and asked me to conve y to all St. John Ambulance personnel his confraternal feelings and said that he was looking forward to October when he would be in England and would meet man y friends

St. John's Day

June 24 1975 was a day when history was made for our two Orders. I was accepted as the official delegate of the Most Venerable Order , be ing placed immediately after the Ambassador accredited to the SMOM I wore uniform as a Count y Surgeon with the

added) was seen for 9 weeks in Rome s St. Peter s Square th s summer

mantle of the Most Venerable Order over it. After Mass I was officially introduced as our confrere from the Venerable Order' to H M E.H the Grand Master, and in a speech specially learnt in Italian I tendered to the Grand Master the fraternal good wishes of the Venerable Order I then had breakfast in the grounds of the Aventine with the Hospitaller and Lady Galvin. Following breakfast I accompanied the Hospitaller to the Rodi for a second Mass and reception, where six members of the team were already present. This Mass and reception was given by the Grand Prior of Rome for the Grand Master. Here I was accorded the honour of being seated behind the Grand Chancellor, the Master of Ceremonies and the Grand Prior of Rome and alongside the Hospitaller. I was told that the simple black of my uniform and mantle stood out very effectively against the brilliant red of the uniforms of the SMOM.

The Mass was said in the German College Chapel inside the Vatican City and was celebrated by Dom. D. Brooks Abbot of Sherbourne. The lady members of the party took their seats in the church, while the men formed up at the first aid post and proceeded to the church. The procession was led by H E the Grand Chancellor, accompanied by confreres of the SMOM and St. John

The Pope made a detour to the SJA post to give his blessing

Ambulance Brigade.

Mr. Humphery-Smith and Nursing Officer

J. de Gruiter read the Epistles and the Catholic members received Communion.

After Mass, the Hospitaller and Lady Galvin gave a dinner at the Plaza Hotel on our behalf, which was a most enjoyable evening. At the end of the meal I spoke on behalf of the Most Venerable Order and offered our thanks to the Hospitaller and the SMOM

Visit to fifst aid post

H.M.E.H. The Grand Master arrived at 4 pm for a visit to the first aid post on Wednesday, June 25, accompanied by Prince Pallavincini, and was introduced to each member of the team. When he spoke to us inside the post, he thanked each one for the good work he had done and said how mucin everybody appreciated our h@lp. He sent to all members of the Venerable Order his personal good wishes and hoped that this small beginning in Rome would grow and lead to even greater co-operation between our two Orders, for the good of mankind and especially the poor, the sick and the homeless. H.M.E.H. stayed for tea with the team, the first time he had done so since the post had been opened. Before leavimg he again went round and personally thanked each member of the team. After the Grand Master had left, H.E. the Grand Chancellor presented @ach member of the team with the Medal of Merit for their work in Rome, and on behalf of the SMOM he thanked us for our help.

June 26 to July 10

Commissioner for Kent Mr. Robert Percival, who was on duty in Rome with his wife for the 2nd and 3rd weeks of SJ A coverage from June 26 to July 10, writes:

Our days at the first aid post started with the daily prayer of the SMOM followed by the Lord's Prayer, and at my instigation the prayer Pro Fide was added (as remembered by me). Copies of the prayers were duplicated and all members joined in. When no SMOM member was present, the Brigade team said the SMOM prayer

During our first week the team included two nuns, blood-sisters, called Duffy; one was an SEN from London District who wore charming uniforms of white nun's habit with Brigade pips and badges. The Dmffy sisters were marvellous to work with, and they had much to do with the maintenance of a routine suitable for a medical post in which the midday meal was taken. Each member collected his own food and washed his cutlery before the next course - so the post was always ready for action.

The post's forecourt, enclosed by a\i1 elegant banier of spliced and twisted rope sent by London HQ, was in shade most of the day, Members spent much of their time

in this forecourt when things were quiet, and the women's county flashes provoked many questions and some favourable public relations.

Thle ordination of about 350 p>Fiests on the patronal Festival of St. Peter and St. Paul on June 29 lasted 3 Y2 hours, and for this a tent , put up near the South Colonnade, was used as an auxiliary first aid post in radio contact with the main post. It gave fairly good access round the back of the colonnade and south wing. During the beautiful ceremony usuah ies we r e f airly heavy, although n0t severe. Faints, we found , seemed to take longer to recover from than in the UK , but perhaps this was due to longer periods of thirst in the hotter sun. Headaches and sore feet were common.

On Wednesday, July 2, the Grand Master visited the post and addressed us in Italian , which Dr. Taylor interpreted. Then speaking F!1ench, he Grand Master showed an interest in our uniforms and was interested to learn what our insignia conveyed.

Later, the Chancellor invested us with the Holy Year First Aid Merit Medal and presented the accompanying certificates By coincidence, both week's investitures were marked by the arrival and imI 1ed,iate care of casualties. Members were able o detach themselves unobtrusively to see to the work as the care of patients before ceremony is very much a principle of the SMOM as well as the Brigade.

During the evening of July 2 the Pope made a special detour in his 'review vehicle' to pass dose to the post and to give his blessing. Most of the team were lined up in t fu e foreeourt , although some were tending patients

On Monday July 7 my wife and I were told that the Grand Master wished to receive us in private audience, a signal honour conferred , we gathered because of volunteering for a second week , and because my wife frequently does duties at the Carmelite Friars, at Ayles f ord near Maidstone. We had a plate made by the potter at the Aylesford Friars and learning that this gift would be acceptable (it has a plain eight-pointed cross and 1975' on it ), I wrote a suitable dedication on the back and later presented it to H.M.E.H. from the Brigade in Kent. (Seven Kent Brigade members attended the Rome duty).

On Ji uly 8, th e team was invited to join the pilgrimage and mass of the SMOM at which we were told our members could received Communion if they wished. It was a quiet spell at the post so nearly all of us attended in working uniform wearing ties, and sleeves down. Following a simple wooden cross a\i1d the Grand Master and Knights in plain cl othes. we processed t mromgh the South Wing. across a bridge to the porch , 8!IiId then into the Ba :!i ilica to the chapel. It was very moving to see the row of St. John nursing

Rom e-

members in t11is assembly . L ater , the procession continued to complete a circuit within the church.

During the Grand Master s visit on July 9 he spoke in French, which I interpreted nearly losing my cool when a kettle behind me boiled over! The Grand Master made it clear that he was impressed not only by our skill but also by our warmth of spirit. He seemed much gratified by tine Brigade's presence

The conduct of our teams , following the highest traditions of the Order , was beyond praise. The work itself was much as we are used to , although intense at times - 41 patients mostly stretcher-case faints , in just over an hour on one occasion

Although the high standards of the Brigade in action no longer surprise me, they still impress me. On our first Sunday , June 29 we finished at nearly 11 pm and were transported with our gear to the Spani sh Steps , from where we walked some %- mile under the Quirinale tunnel to the restaurant where we were booked for dinner. But when the restaurant refused to let us in , t here was not a mutter or murmur of disconten t We found another restaurant just around the corner.

July 17 to 24

Miss Sheila Puckle , Principal Admin istr ation Officer (N), London headquarters , who was on duty in Rome during the 5th week of SJA c@verage, July 17 to 24, writes:

We spent alternate days on and off duty with both teams on duty for the Papal audience on Sunday and Wedne s da y . I found it more restful to be on than off duty! I was on duty on the fir st Thursday and s o o ff on the Friday , when Baron von Kotze (in charge of the Grand Magistracy in the absence of the Grand Master) visited the post.

On Monda y, July 21 , the Vatican representative for v arious Australian and Canadian newspaper s, M iss Molly McGee came to the post in search of a story H er first question was: Has anyone died yet? Rome was hotter than anything I had known even in the F ar E ast. And it did not get cool at night. In these conditions we found our uniform perfectly suitable The men looked ver y smart in short -slee ved s hirt s with belts and shoulder -s traps and the w o men all agreed that the nursing dre ss material ab s orbs heat well. The sleeve s, however look hideou s w hen rolled up a s th e s eams are raw -edged and v isible. All th e nur s ing members longed to wear sleeve 'fri ll ies '.

O v er the week we had 134 ca s ualties, c o mpared wit h III the pre vious week. A

1975 (contd.)

third of t 11is total came during two hours of Papal audience in the square on the Wednesday The Pope did not appear in public on the Sunday as he was ill. Casualties were mainly faints, blistered and lacerated feet , stomach upset and diarrhoea , mosquito and other insect bites , general debility (as many young people as elderly) , otitis media, and two dog bites

I umderstand we had no hospital admissions. The drugs available to us were often strange. One, given in water and resembling oily orangeade, was stated to cure almost anything , including retarded growth ! Dr. Pepper refused to give tetanus vaccine to a dog-bite patient, as it was a bovine vaccine with he said a 1: 100 ,000 mortality rate and more dangerous than the risk of rabies! However the medical supplies available from the Vatican pharmacy were more than adequate , and there was no need to take an y per s onal first aid kit. Except perhaps smelling salts and a fan - for mine was a great success!

On Wednesday , July 23 , as the Pope arrived at the Vatican from Castel Gandolfo by helicopter Baron von Kotze presented each of us with our medal and impressive warrant signed by the Grand Chancellor Baron von Kotze thanked us and stressed the v alue the Grand Master puts on this joint operation w hich he hopes will be the first of man y more. Throughout this audience our four stretcher -couches were permanently occupied , with two or three other stretcher cases on the floor , and numerous sitting c asualties inside and outside the post.

Throughout the week , apart from c a s ualties we also provided rest and water for e x hau s ted pilgrims To me , the Rome duty w as a n unforgetable experience of working alon gside confreres from other Tongues.

(Above) The Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order with Lt Cdr Peter Wren County Surgeon fgr Lancashire with m e mbers of the team he led from that county. (Below) In the first aid post

Faces at Canterbury

150 St. John delegates from five continents attended the 2nd Brigade International Training Convention held during August at Canterbury. For details, see AT RANDOM, September Review

Life's pleasures, apart from eating and sleeping, were simple and sufficientbathing, beachcombing for cowrie shells and scraps of coral, watching tiny brilliantlycoloured tropical fish darting about in the rock pools, or sailing a little home-made dinghy which looked like a cross between a coffin and half a wardrobe , using a golfing umbrella as a sail! Fish and fruit were plentiful , bought by barter from Africans who brought them to the doorstep, and it was a short trip by car to the village store where other simple food -stocks were available.

But there were excitements too. One day one of the children while bathing in a large rock -pool, narrowly avoided colliding with a monster jellyfish nearly 2ft. in diameter we emptied our rubbish-bin and managed to scoop the jellyfish into it and transport it to a much smaller pool where we could admire its pale purple dome and even try to photograph it in the shallow water. Another day , during lunch , we saw eight monkeys scurrying along the branches of a palm tree and then leaping from branch to branch before they disappeared into the bundu Yet another lunch was interrupted by a rustle in the palm-thatched roof, and our nine pairs of eyes were riveted on the pale underbelly of a reptile partly visible on one of the poles supporting the roof, until we had satisfied ourselves that it belonged to an outsized lizard and not to the unidentified snake (which from description the Africans declared to be harmless) that had been spotted escaping from the wash-house the morning before.

SJ Kenya

Here in Nairobi , though only 87 miles south of the equator , we re nearl y 6 ,000 feet above sea level and it s far cooler than it was on the coast 330 miles further southaltogether a much more temperate climate with little seasonal variation except for rainfall. In early September we ' re nearing the end of the dry season between the ' long rains which ended in May and the 'short rains which are due to st a rt in October. Midday temperatures seldom reach 80°F on the finest of days and the sky is often overcast with morning mists and evening showers or drizzle.

Having come to Kenya solely for the purpose of a holiday , and a suddenly planned one at that, I had given no advance warning to St. John national HQ in Nairobi. But a holiday in the neighbourhood of friends is incomplete if one fai ls to make contact with them , so on my firs t morning here I called at HQ and was sorry to find that I' d just missed Mr. James F oster (Deputy Commissioner) who took me for a wonderful safari through central and northwestern Kenya two years ago and whom I'm hoping to see before I leave and Mrs. Anne

AT RANDOM

(contd. from p.221)

Mr Humphrey Slade, EBS ,

Everard (Executive Officer and District Superintendent). But I was most warmly welcomed by Mrs. Pauline Mbugwa (HQ Secretary and the Superintendent of a Nursing Division ) and Mr Javan Mavisi (Training Officer) , from both of whom I heard a lot of St. John news.

A phone call from Mrs Everard resulted in my spending a full morning at HQ two days later, when Mr. Humphrey Slade (Chairman of St. John Council and formerly Speaker of t he Kenya House of Representatives) and Sir Charles Markham (C ommander SUA and Commissioner) were there to greet me and we spent a most e nj o y able hour d iscussing St. John affairs.

From them , and from Mrs. Everard during the rest of the morning I was delighted to hear news of developments in the many parts of the country that I visited in 1973 , as well as of the individuals who welcomed and entertained me so generously on that occa si on. I was particularly glad to hear of the increasingl y high standard of training and efficiency in the Police Divisions ; of the e xtent to which imaginative competitions at Area and national levels are raising the quality of first aid; of the slow but steady development of 'open divisions and cadet divisions and in the recruitment of nursing personnel (though they are still in a small minority among adult membership) ; and of the succes s ful introduction of As sociation first aid courses for industry despite the fact that there are as yet no statutory requirements in the matter of indu strial fir st aid.

Perhaps the best news of all, told me by Mrs. Everard after the others had gone , was that Mr Slade had recently decided that as Chairman of Council he ought to be a qualified fir st -aider because he might be the first to arrive at an accident and wouldn ' t know what to do So an Association course was arranged on a series of Saturday mornings for about a dozen people including Mr. and Mrs. Slade , Lady Markham and various other Council members , treasurers

and auxil aries . They were given a very searching exam and all passed with flying colours. The presentation of certificates by the Commander was the first item of news on Kenya television that night, while the following day s papers had a photograph of Sir Charles presenting Mr. Slade with his certificate. How's that for good St. John publicity?

Don t sit

A story from Nairobi game park. We were photographing a couple of hyrax which the children had enticed out of the rocks to come and feed on the remains of our picnic tea. If you've never been introduced to a hyrax , it s about the size of a rabbit but looks more like a guineapig and is said to be a distant cousin of the elephant. I felt that m y hostess s warning to her small daughter Come away now because the time when the y 'll bite you is when the food's gone and y our hands smell of marrnite' deserved a place beside Col. Don Grainger s advice (I quote from memory) 'Never sit on the ground if you think there are snakes around, because the bottom is the one part of the anatomy to which it's quite impossible to apply a tourniquet '

Boy cooks, girl

In the first paragraph I referred to my brief visit to the Berkshire cadet camp near Corfe Castle during the second week in August. It was not only a model of good camp organisation but also an outstanding proof that a really happy holiday camp (includi ng daily swimming parties, excur s ions and exploration, pony trekking, etc.) can also include opportunities, very obviously enjoyed by the cadets of getting further training in campcraft and other proficiency subjects ; and it was amusing to note that the cookery group contained a majority of boys , while those who chose motor repairs included a majority of girls! Thank you, Berkshire -I only wish could have stayed with you for longer.

REVIEW PRICE

We regret that the price of the Review must be increased from November I. Details are given on the inside front cover of this issue.

ST. JOHN ON TV

Although 2-hour Emergency Aid training sessions have been available to the public for about a year, so far relatively few members of the public have attended, largely it is thought because there is no widespread awareness of the training sesions.

The June 27 Annual Conference of St John Ambulance decided to launch a considerable publicity effort, and to give time for the organisation to prepare itself for the large numbers expected, the publicity will take place during the spring of 1976.

A TV 'commercial' advertising the training will appear on all lTV stations and will include reference to announcements ilil local of time, place and dates of training facilities.

All the training facilities and th@ press advertising will be organised by Counties, each of which is appointing a senior Association officer in charge of Emergency Aid, and a Brigade liaison officer, in view of the fact that most of the instruction will be given by Brigade members.

AROUND ·Ind ABDUl

WHAT'S GOIING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

In order to supplement attendance by the public at selected premises, it is hoped that organised groups, clubs, societies and businesses wi[l provide facilities and ready made audiences for which St. John Ambulance will provide instructors. Many organisations are being contacted on this basis.

Although iflstructors must be able to put over their subject in clear and convincing terms , a high technical knowledge such as lay instruc t ors possess is not really

1 !97 5 was London 0 is ric t' s last camp at Totland Bay, Isle of WiQlhtnext year it will be at Bexhill. (Left) When Supt(N) Mrs. Doris Hoadley amd HQ Registrar Ge o rge Woodhill visited th s year s Gamp hey dis eovered a honeym00nimg couple under canvas, Hazel (nee Sla er) , 0 / 0 Malden Nurs ing Cadet Division, and Michael Shirley AIM Malden and Coombe Div, (Below) Joining in the camp fun (L o R) Dr. Molloy George Woodhill Lt Col. Bob Pa y ne Miss Doro t hy Wa tt s (camp commandant ) and Mrs H oa dley

necessary for Emergency Aid Training.

A new and revised edition of The Digest of First Aid is in hand and each member of the public attending a 2- hour session will be given a copy free , in addition to a ' Certific ate of Attendance '.

The fee for the session will be 75p A leaflet has been prepared which will be given a wide distribution It is emphasised that Emergenc y Aid training is an absolute minimum which eventually every member of the public should have , and in no way lessens the need for all other training offered by St. John Ambulance; it is t raining which St. John Ambui ance is dedic a ted to pro vide and as such deserves the same enthusiastic support from all members , The public , having attended this basic training will realise how valuable it is , and having had their imagination fired by an enthusiastic instructor it is hoped that many will seek active membership of St. John Ambulance , as h a s already happened in some Countie s. The w hole campaign , as well as providing public benefit , should als o provide many recruits for St. John Ambulance.

FIRE ESCAPE

Ripon Division members , on duty with their mobile unit and ambulance at the Masham traction -engine rally stood by while local escapologist Shahid Malik diced with death.

After the stunt , which involved escaping from locked chains amon g bales of burning hay, Shahid ' s bu rning c lothes were dOlJlse d with water to reveal his back , arms hands and face were badly burned.

Members Di v Supt. Bruce Boddy , Area Nurs ing Officer Ian Wilson and A I M George Kirk treated him in the mobile un it with non -stick dry dre ss ing s and then took him with a police escort , in th e divi sion 's new ambulance 20 miles to Harrogate District Miospital.

Later the hospital reported Shahid wa s s atisfactory , with moderately severe burn s

MIND BENDERS

Fin

C LU E Tw o girls on yo ur knee (3,4). ANSW

I.

WERE YOU THERE?

Did you join the Brigade at Eastcroft on London Road , Nottingham, 30 years ago? If so , Mrs Betty Copping of Stowe Avenue, West Bridgford Nottingham, would like to hear from you , according to the Nottingham Evening Post.

Her motives goes on the report, are

- but she wants to keep the reason for her request secret for the time

Hope to reveal all later

SJA FAMILY

Meet the Creech SJA family - Mum , Dad and two sons who between them total 125 years service - alild all are still serving!

Three of them are mem bers of the Order.

Mr. G. J. Creech (45 years' service), Commander Brother has been the Assistant Commissioner and County Secretary of the County of Bristol now the County of Avon, for 35 years. Mrs. M. C. Creech (42 years' service), Officer Sister, is Deputy County Superintendent of Avon. Mr. J. D. J. Creech, with 21 years service (including Cadet) is a Serving Brother and Area Superintendent (A) for Mid - Berkshire Mr. J. W. G. Creech, with 17 years' service (including Cadet) is Area Staff Officer for Ambulance Cadets for

Mr. G. J. Creech joined as what was known as a private', and Mrs. Creech as a 'nursing sister' Both sons became cadets at the age of 11.

During the war Mr. Creech was awarded the Meritorious Service Certificate for rescue work and in the 1964 Birthday Honours he was awarded the MBE. Their photo is above.

MEET SUE

Greater Manchester County Office has a new junior on its staff who's obviously an old hand at first aid.

Susan Widdowson 16, a member of Heaton Park Combined Cadet Division since 1973 , was working in her second-floor office in busy Jackson's Row when she heard a crash and a woman scream. From the window Susan saw there had been an accident and hurried down to the street to learn that a parked van had run away,

SURREY'S NEWHQ

the Bristol & North Avon Area Both sons hold the Grand Prior's Badge.

Cadet Sue Widdowson 16 , comes througm with flying colours. See MEET SUE

mounted the pavement and hit a woman.

Telling the police that she was a St. John first-aider, Susan was allowed to tend the casualty; she diagnosed a leg broken in one place and two suspected fractures. There was no outward sign of bleeding.

While waiting for the ambulance Susan kept the casualty's leg immobilised without any equipment, comforted her and kept her warm, with no nourishment or sedative given. She then helped lift tme casualty onto a stretcher and into the ambulance, still keeping the leg immobilised.

This was Susan's first experience of an accident. Her County Commissioner, colleagues at County Office and particularly her divisional officer, Miss Susan Pimblott, are very proud of her action. (Photo above)

SURREY'S BEST

Andrew Paul Langridge joined the Fairland's Ambulance Cadet Division (now a Combined Division) attached to Surrey's Guildford Corps at the ripe old age of 8 years, taking his Basic First Aid examination \0 1970 - just for something to do! Andrew

was promoted in 1974 to corporal and then to sergeant, and in 1975 to cadet leader. At a presentation meld in Guildford during July, he was awalided his Grand Prior Badge and at the same time 'hailed' as the best Surrey Ambulance-Cadet of the Year. (Photo below)

For the past year he has been studying for his '0' levels, but during this time he has managed to complete the 200 hours required for his Special Service Shield, and has also led the Fairland's ambulance team through to the Regional competitions, inclwding this year at Guernsey.

Although he has no desire to make the medical profession his career, he feels the ability to administer first aid is of utmost imp.ortance and has been reported saying 'Being a cadet is a duty to the public, knowing that when there is an accident you are trained to help and preserve life. As a cadet you're dealing with people's lives. A person could die or recover depending on what you do.'

His aim in the Brigade is to carryon training the younger cadets, and to take part in the Adult Division, continuing his duties

Andrew Langridge. See SURREY S BEST.

(Ph o"o: J. Malecki. Gui ldford)

and doing competitions, and to be in a winning team

FIRE!

Early in the morning of August 13 (of all days) fire gutted Bexleyheath Sports Club's pavillion, where Bexleyheath Combined Cadet Division (C 601) meets every Friday.

The 80 cadets not only lost their meeting place but also all their equipment - and then discovered that it was not covered by insurance!

But Miss P. Moore, superintendent of C 601, is fighting back. She's appealing locally for somewhere to meet and to divisions for any spare equipment they can part with. Ring Miss Moore on 01-304 4471 if you can help.

To all divisions: check your insurance.

NEW DIVISION

Within the new County of Avon, largely by the efforts of two enthusiastic members who used to belong to Bath City Divisionwhere they are sadly missed (since the husband was treasurer of Ambulance

Division and the wife secretary, Nursing Division) - an entirely new division has been formed and registered early this year. With their great organising ability and unrelenting persistence this enthusiastic pair has collected an impressive group of officers, including, as President elect, The Hon. Mrs. Neville, as Vice-Presidents elect Lt. P. R. Prynne, RN, and Rev. A. S. J. Phippen. The nursing member-in-charge is Mrs. D. Burden, and two auxiliary members, Mrs. M. Ollenbuttel and Mrs. A. H. Jefferies, have undertaken secretary's and treasurer's roles.

This new division has been started completely from scratch - an extremely difficult task in present-day circumstances - and meets in the United Reformed Church Hall, Oldland Common, where an initial enrolment ceremony was held on June 24 (Photo right)

We wish the best of luck to Oldland Common Combined Cadet Division.

IDEAS?

I hear that Devizes cadets held a sponsored bed-push around the parade ground of the local recently. Not an empty bed, but with someone lying on it.

Heard of any good ideas lately?

A LETTER

The following letter, with a SOp cheque, was received at St. John's Gate recently: Dear St. John,

I would like to have a book for eight to ten year olds on the First Steps of First Aid. My aim is to become a doctor if I am clever enough. My father was going to become one, he tells me about the alimentary canal down the throat and I am not afraid of blood, when my sister had acid in her eye My address is on the other side. Thank you.

Yours faithfully, Suzanne L. Chapman.

P.S. It is my father's cheque not mine!

The following reply was sent by the Director of Supplies:

Dear Suzanne,

I was so pleased to have your letter , and I think it is quite wonderful of you to write to me.

From your letter I see that you are ambitious and wish to become a doctor. You will need to work very hard and always make certain that you are top of the class in school.

My son is a doctor and he had to work very hard, but now he has passed his examinations and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. He is still very young , only twenty nine, and I must tell you that he started in just the same way

SJA Warrington members treating three cases, one casualty was driving an invalid car, in a 3-car pile up.

New faces - new members Here's Oldland Common Combined Cadet Division.

See NEW DIVISION. (Photo: County Studios, Bristol)

This photograph. together with leaflets and adhesive lapel badge , launched a recruiting campa gn in South East London during August. The Mayor of Bromley is giving the campaign his full support because such a large area has too few SJA members'

as you are, by making up his mind that he was going to become a doctor.

So I have asked my Department to send to you also a Short History of the Order of St. John.

Will you thank your daddy for sending me his cheque, and do write again when you have time.

Kindest regards Yours sincerely, John Webb.

GREAT COVER

I hear that SJA North Yorkshire's Dales and Ouse Areas co-operated in covering the 3day Great Yorkshire Show during July. For the 150,000 people who attended the show,

SJA set up a 3-bed field hospital manned day and night for a week by a team of surgeons, nursing officers and members. On show days 24 personnel and 3 ambulances were available. 312 patients were treated, only 9 removed to hospital. One man died, from a massive heart attack, shortly after admission. The duty was undertaken by members from a wide area

MIND BENDERS (answers)

Hot dusty conditions brought many spills at the Pend ennis Motor Cycle Club s grass track meeting near Newquay during June. covered by Cornwall's Wadebridge Ambu

SJA St. Helens' sponsored walkers recently raised £575 TV comedian T. O'Connor (kneeling in foreground), from Liverpool is to be St. Helens Town Ambulance Cadet Divisional President

at the Nationals.

holidays For the first - hand hospital experience of various eye diseases found in the Middle East can be invaluable to their work elsewhere. In any week there may be 6 to 7 doctors working and living at the hospital - an international team devoted to saving or restoring man's sight.

In charge of the nursing staff is the matron Miss Jennifer Clair - 'Jen' to nearly everyone - who was trained at St. Bartholemew's Hospital Uust down the road from the Order's headquarters st. John's Gate, London). She joined the Ophthalmic Hospital as a nursing sister in 1973 - just before Israel's October War. She took over as matron last March, when Miss Margaret Holloway MBE , who had been matron for 10 years , returned to England.

Can anyone save my sight? Final part

THEO ELLERT (Appeals & PR Dept.) meets the staff of our Ophthalmic Hospital

THE international medical team of the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem is headed by Dr. Keith Batten, wilo has been the warden and chief surgeon for seven years. When I arrived at the hospital last June Dr. Batten was about to go on leave with Mrs. Batten to visit their daughter in the USA, but we met to talk about the work of the hospital just before his departure.

Apart from two Palestinian doctorsDr. Khdd Tuck-Tuck (knowlll as 'Tueky' or 'Double Tuck'), who was trained in England and Germany , and Dr. Ziad Jaouni, both of whom attend the hospital most dayssurgeons from all over the world come to

l'J rse Noha David froAl Bethlehem

work at the hospital for varying periods. For instance, Dr. David Hunter is on a fellowship from the Hayward Foundation and returns to Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, next December. With him is his wife Jan and their four children. From Australia for a month were two ophthalmologists. On loan from the Royal Navy for a year is Surgeon Commander Dr. Humphrey Hahn, with his wife and three children Due to arrive soon after my visit was Dr. Eichner and his family from the American Society of the Order of St. John Other doctors come to work at the hospital , giving their services free, during their

Jen's great strength is her sense of humour, which is so essential to cope with the long hours , staff problems and alarming situations which develop - and yet seem to be taken so much for granted - in the Middle East.

Sharing the hospital sisters' house with Jen were two nursing sisters, Joan Harker and Judith Stewart, and orthoptist Shirley Osborne

Joan, who is in charge of the women and children's wards, is a Brigade member from Northumbria No. 1 Area's Transport Division and came to the hospital after meeting and chatting with the Hospitaller , Mr. Keith Lyle, at the 1973 St. John Ambulance medical conference.

Judith Stewart came to the hospital from the Wolverhampton Eye Infirmary but before that she was a nun. In Jerusalem she was in charge of the men's ward, but she's now back in E ngland and about to join the Brigade in Devon.

Shirley Osborne , one of the hospital's voluntary workers is an orthoptist (specialis ing in the treatment of squints, etc), who also qualified at Moorfields. Originally from Gillingham in Kent, Shirley was put in touch with the Hospitaller by the Church Missionary Society and has gained invaluable experience of unusual eye complaints during the year she has been at the ho spital. Unfortunately she cannot afford to continue as a volunteer much longer , but hopes to return whenever she can.

Another sister is Madli Brekke , from Oslo who learned about the St. John Hospital wmile working with the Norwegian Refugee Council in Amman Moorfields trained, Madli first came to the hospital as a theatre sister and then after a short spell in Norway she returned to Jerusalem to establish the hospital's Central Sterile Supply department, which is financed by The Rayne Foundation. Madli will be responsible for training the staff and running this essential new department as soon as it is completed.

Most of the male and female nursing staff live in the nurs es' wing of the main hospital

ard George Khoury with laundry staff

building, while in the gardens are three houses - one for the sisters, one for the warden Dr. Batten, and the other for the doctors.

Responsible for hospital administration are two key people well known in St. John Mr. Issa Marogi OBE the superinte ndent and his deputy, Mr. Nassa Banayan. Both have been at the hospital for man y years and are members of the Order : Mr. Marogi is a Commander and Mr Banayan an Officer. Mr. Marogi - awarded the OBE in 1974 - is also a Deacon of the Syriac Church, a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and an Officer in the Order ofIndependence of the Kingdom of Jordon. The medical achievements of any hospital rely on the smooth running of the organisation as a whole, which becomes instantly apparent if there is a break -down of the day-to-day services. Under the direction of the warden and the superintendent, these

services are maintained at our ophthalmic hospital by the accounts staff, secretary, telephonists, technicians, maintenance staff, gardeners, cleaners, Chief Steward George Khoury (overseeing the kitchens), the laundry staff - and finally Rasem, the hospital's driver. The backroom boys and girls - who all contribute so much to the fine work carried out at the hospital.

Often , during my week's stay, I felt that the stafT occasionally felt lonely and cut-ofT from the rest of the world of St. John. A world in which they play such a vital role. And this feeling was epitomised by Rasem after he had driven me to the airport for departure. 'Give our thoughts to all in St. John,' he said quietly in broken English. 'Give bur thoughts .'

The St. John Ophthalmic Hospital and all who run it must be in our thoughts too. Always

(Above right) Dr Keith warden and chief surgeon and Miss Jennifer Clair the matron.

(Above) Seni@r NYrse Alice Sayegh, who has been at the hospital for 20 years and specialises il'l nursin'g children with Nurse Hmeidan (right)

Sister from Norway, preparing a platient f@r an operatiol'l

Sister dGan Harker, a Bri2Jade l1Tnle mi1Je, from Northumbriil, and N

Volunteer Orthoptist Shirley Osborne from Kent studies a case of bad squint

Rasem. the hosp tal s driver , and the ambulance

Essentia hospita services.

Chief

St ew

AMBULANCES

part two

Routine journeys: pitfalls to be avoided when getting the patient down stairs

HAVING seen the patient and decided the best method of removal, the attendant should cheGk the removal route on his way back to the ambulance and ask the relative's permission to move any furniture. The attendant then thoroughly briefs the driver on the patient's condition and likely hazards.

(Ambulance crews often have to face the postman's problem - dogs, particularly if it is the dog's owner they're taking away!)

The crew should take with them all the necessary equipment when they return together to the house If the patient is to be brought down stairs on a carrying sheet, the stretcher can be left in the house hallway; do not leave it outside, especially if it is raining. Sometimes relatives try..!o help or supervise removal but this should be discouraged;

suggest some task to them occupied , such as bringing the patient's luggage, holding doors open or checking that windows and doors are locked before leaving.

Ideally, the patient · should be moved in one steady lift from the bedT00m to the ambulance, with as little risk Qf pain or discomfort as possible

Walking

The patient should be allowed to walk only if he is fit enough to do so. If there is any doubt , the carrying chair should be used

The patient who walks wi llI 110t be so confident as when perfectly fit, so remove from his path loose mats or anything he can trip over; and if he walks downstairs one of the crew should go close ahead in case of a stumble. A guiding / supporting hand is always neGessary for a walking patient.

Carrying chair

Every ambulance worth its name should carry this piece of equipment , which is universally accepted as the best method of carrying a patient who is able to be in the sitting position. A blanket should always be used on the chair , as the patient can then be wrapped in it with his arms secured inside it. The blanket should be positioned lengthwise o n the chair bl!lt not too near the wheels. A restrraining strap should also be used not only to keep the patient's arms inside the blanket but also to prevent him from moving forward and affecting the balance Some patients are tempted to try to help the crew by holding the stair -rails , but warn against this as it can throw the crew off-balance and could result in a nasty fall for everyone.

The chair s mould be placed near tine head of the bed and, if the patient can , he should be allowed to get out of bed on his own If

by BRIAN ROCKELL

not , the crew will have to lift him out , one taking the upper half of the body, the other the lower half (or alternatively a conventional hand -seat can be used) Let the patient know when y ou're going to lift him into the chair and also when you re going to strap him in position. For remember a patient's confidence can make your job easier - and less painful for him It is also important to show the patient where his feet a re to be placed - usually on the bar at the base of the chair - and to reassure him before the chair is tipped back. The cre w stand either side of the chair facing each other , and , lifting oorrectly , elevate the patient to the correct position. It is at this point that the patient may feel he is about to fall, so continual reassurance is needed

If the floor is level and even the chair may be tilted back and wheeled to the head of the stairs. But do not attempt to make the lift from the top step , for the chair can easily overbalance particularl y with a heavy patient. Make the lift a yard or s6 back from the stairs , and then carry the patient feet first down stairs. Ask the patient to try to keep absolutely still during the lift and not to reach out or lean in either direction. But if the blanket and strap are correctly applied he ll find it very difficult to do either.

With a hea vy-w eight' , the crew ma y find it necessary to take 'a breather b y resting thle chair on a wider corner step , or even on the straight stairs provided the treads are wide enough

From the bottom of the stairs the patient

is placed either onto the stretcher bed or wheeled to the vehicle When loading in the chair , the patient should enter the ambulance head foremo st.

Carrying sheet

The sheet should always be used if the patient is unable to support himself in a chair or must be kept flat. This lift is the most uncomfortable for the patient and not particularl y eas y for a two-man (or woman) crew. With the carrying sheet it is not possible to stop halfway down the stairs to rest and the head of the patient is by far the heav ier lift.

To get a pat ient onto a carrying sheet first cover him with a blanket before removing the top bed sheet. Then roll the patient onto his side and s upport him in this pos ition ; the rolled sheet is placed alongside his back and opened. Then very gently roll the patient onto his back on the carrying sheet. The person taking the head threads his arms through the strap s, and with the other crewmember gra s ping the straps at hip and leg level , a stead y lift can be achieved

It is often ver y difficult with a carry ing sheet to negotiate sharp turns on a staircase when the patient has to be tilted or bent around the corner. For this reason the sheet is unsuitable for patients with spinal injuries a s some degree of body flexing is unavoidabl e. An alternative for spinal cases is the Neil - Robertson stretcher , which remains absolutel y r igid.

It is advisable to leave the patient on the carr ying sheet when placed on the stretcher at hospital the transfer can then be made with pole and canvas.

Once the patient is safely and comfortably in the ambulance the attendant stays with

CARRY I NG CHAIR

him while the dr iver closes the rear doors, the attendant checking them from the inside Before starting the journey the driver must check again with t he attendant that both he and the patient are ready for departure

Throughout the journey the attendant must monitor the patient's condition to ensure that he is warm and comfortable. If the ambulance's interior heaters have been used on the outward journey , some warmth will be retained even after having the doors open. But in very cold weather it may be necessary to use the heater, together with additional blankets But beware of overheating the patient particularly during the summer, when the inside of an ambu lance can become very warm. Any additional equipment needed during the journey - bed-pan , vomit bowl, etcshould be at hand but out of the patient's sight. For such utensils can be autosuggestive

Although most non-emergency patients r equire no treatment en route this does not mean the attendant can gaze out of the window or , worse still distract the driver by chatting t o him. He must give his full attention to the patient, whose condition might worsen while in the ambulance, a situation which should be sensed by the attendant through constant observation But beware night conditions: interior lighting can play tricks with the apparent colour of skin. Ord inary filament bulbs of insufficient power give the impression of yellow complexion while faulty fluorescent tubes can create a ver y accurate s imulation of c y anosis. The attendant should also keep very alert to the vehicle ' s movements , especially when cornering for an unconscious patient can easily roll off a stretcher , and a restraining

ESTATE CAR CONVERSION

Ambulances (contd.)

hand is sometimes necessary even when the patient is sitting unaided.

Most patients who can sit up will probably prefer to, with the backrest elevated and providing this is in no way harmful to their co n dition it should be encouraged. Interest in h is swrroundings , or maybe a relative following by car, will help to divert attention from his condition and so allow the attendant to monitor his progress through conversation - which is far more satisfactory then constantly asking: 'Are you all right?' Do not, however, overtax the patient; if he feels tired and wants to rest let him. You won't be the first attendant who's thought his charge has rapidly deteriorated when in fact he's just having a nap!

Re latives accompanying a patient will naturally be anxious and inclined to fuss over him This is harmless - provided the attendant can still fully observe the patient and give treatment. In fact, a relative can be (1)f he p by holding the patient's hand or

wi pirog his bmw. A patient will draw more comfort ffOm a relative than from an attendant.

The attendant ' s role throughout the journey should be one of vigilance and sympathy, not forgetting to advise the patient when the journey is nearing its end Hospital layouts all differ, so only a general guidance to their approach can be given But approach slowly a@0 park in the correct bay (parking at hospitals is usually very clearly indicated). Do not straddle other parking bays or leave your vehicle in a bay while a 'cuppa is soughtother patients may be arriving. Having parked, the driver shou ld report and the attendant rremain with the patient.

At a hospital or nursimg home the driver sholllld ascertain from the sister or porter that the patient has been brought to the correct address and get removal instructions . Returning to the vehicle and opening the rear doors. the driver then briefs the attendant. A relative travelling in the ambulance should be asked to wait outside the vehicle while the

patient is unloaded and perhaps help with the patient's luggage. Equipment needed to remove the patient - trolley for the stretcher or a wheelchair - should be placed in a convenient position by the vehicle so that the patient does not have to walk or be carried further than is necessary.

Before leaving the delivery point ensure that the patient has been left with someone who is responsible (a ward sister in a hospital) and that any tablets , doctor s letter and patient's personal effects are left with the person in charge. Any particular points about the patient s condition noted by the attendant should also be explained. Retrieve all your equipment and put it back in the ambulance. And before departing , alwa y s tidy the ambulance - fold blankets, bed linen , etc, and dispose of soiled items.

The ambulance is then not only in a state of readiness for the return journey but if any of the patient s belongings have been overlooked they will be found And this also ensures that all equipment has been replaced.

(c ontinued next month )

SURVIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

by Anthony Greenbank Harrap. £2.00

This is an excellently written and illustrated book covering a tremendous number of aspects of survival. It should be of particular interest to cadets and their officers.

It is, however , more a collection of 'hints on survival and should not be used in place of any official manual produced by organisations dealing with specialised subjects - ego the RLSS, RoSPA, etc I recommend this book to cadets and young adults as a most useful supplement to the official handbooks. It could greatly help officers in cadet divisions in their training programmes.

P.A.A.

HUMAN REPRODUCTION AND SOCIETY

by Derek Llewellyn-Jones Faber and Faber £5.25

This is yet another book from a very well known Australian obstetrician and gynaecologist.

Technic a l a dvances in sanitar y en g ineerin g and medicine have h a d the effect of prolonging life in adults and enabling an increasing number of infants and children to ex cape infectious diseases and reach maturity These factors have caused the population explosion and are posing a major threat to mankind s survival in the next half century . This book seeks to examine first the population dynamics, wh ich is the change in human population then the technology of population control.

The author, for the past six years associated w i th a World Health Organ is ation team inve stigating human reproducti o n and population dynamic s, h as a wealth of statis t ical material to draw on . He discusses the collection of demograph ic data construction of population profiles and what may be drawn from these facts and figUlies The age composition of society and its effets on marital status , divorce and remarriage on the size of the population.

Section two is concerned with the techn o logy o f birth co ntrol ; it is simpler a nd more e as il y under sto od The hi s tor y of contracepti o n is exa min e d and th e v ariou s methods looked at in detail. Abortion is reviewed in its medical and legal comnotations The final chapter of the section is The Campaign for Fertility Control and Family Welfare. A recent argumen t is put forward - for the necessity of fertility control if society is to survive and fa mil y we lfa re b e improved

Section 3 rel a te s to s ocial ob stetric s . Thi s deals with the social and economic factors associated with reproduction, babies of low birth rate perinatal and maternal mortality. His various findings are set out with clear and reasoned arguments to support his

recommended, not just for the intending traveller, but as extra curricula reading for the first -aid worker who wishes to enhance his knowledge in this important topic.

R. 1. Donaldson, Assist., Surgeon-in-Chief.

SEX AND DRUGS by Robert

BOOKS

figures The 15 page bibliography is most comprehensive and valuable.

This is a specialist volume of immense interest to the midwife, doctor and sociologist. It requires a certain amount of background knowledge to enable one to appreciate it to the full , but I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who wishes to make a serious study of the fundamental problems of our time and any Brigade mem ber could indeed gather a great deal of interesting information from it and would be well worth borrowing from a library To the professional worker it could prove indispensable.

Rosemary Bailey, CNO

GOOD HEALTH ABROAD

by Dr. W. H. Jopling, of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London. Bristol: Wright. £1.75

In 112 pages , this pocket-size handbook gives a comprehensive account of the measures necessary to maintain the good health of the traveller , whether holidaymaker , businessman or adventurer.

The material is well organised and the factual information is supported by accounts of episodes drawn from recent events and the author's own experience, which makes fascinating reading as well as providing references for those who wish to acquire more detailed information.

The subjects include effects of heat and cold , travel sickness, immunisation , Circadian Rhythm , as well as other matters not so closely related to medicine such as currency requirements, clothing, etc. Easy to follow procedure is given to deal with emergencies that may arise, such as snake bites and sur v ival at sea.

There is always the risk in writing a book for the lay public on any aspect of medicine of creating fear in the mind of the nervous reader. This handbook is no exception, and perhaps more reassurance is needed to avoid the timorous traveller deciding to stay at home.

However , this booklet can be highly

Anton Wilson Mayflower

Books Ltd.

The author is very concerned with sexual behaviour. In addition to articles he has published a 'Playboy' book of forbidden words.

In Sex and Drugs he jumps from point to point, spends time in discussing what happened to some friends of his , and also some time in quoting serious writers on the subject. He is totally mixed up in his chapters on non-sexual mysticism; his glossary on drugs is to a very large extent inaccurate and he is very lIninhibited in his accounts. One does not have to be a 'square' to disagree with Mr. Wilson when he regards the distaste for incest as a middle-class hangup.

With the best will in the world I could not find this book informative, amusing or even well written. It is certainly not suitable for the family Library, and its reading will, in my opinion, lead to experimentation with drugs and sex, to widespread abuse and possibly to disaster.

G. C. Heller, MD, FRCPsych.

SEX WITH HEALTH, a Which Publication Consumers' Assoc, 14 Buckingham St, London, WC2N 60S. £1.75

This is the 4th edition of what originally started as a Contraceptive Supplement. It is concise, easy to read and the type of publication we have come to expect from the Consumers' Association It begins with a short explanation and two clear diagrams of the male and female reproductive system. It explains clearly how pregnancy may occur and how this may be prevented. There is a good table which shows the type of contraceptive , what it is and what it does. It then goes on to examine each method of contraception in detail, explaining how it works, its effectiveness and the health risks, if any The book concludes with a section on sex related diseases. This includes the venereal diseases and one or two other conditions such as thrush caused by a fungus , genital warts, scabies and pubic lice. There is an explanation of these various conditions and how to get help with the sexrelated diseases from special clinics or the general practitioner.

There is also a list of helpful addresses such as Family Planning branches, Pregnancy Advisory Service and others. It is a useful book for any teenager , especially those about to be married.

Rosemary Bailey , CNO

CADET WASTAGE

from Ian Buckmaster, Divisional Officer

In reply to letter Cadet Wastage July), loath as I am to argue with my Area President, and while I agree with the sentiments 0f his letter, I do not think a reversion to 'student divisions', which he effectively advocates, will solve the problem.

Rather I feel that the solution rests with Divisions, for with even a new grade of Brigade membership (of which there are already too many!) the essential contact between adults and cadets will not necessarily be achieved.

The answer, I submit, is for adults and cadets to work as closely as possible together on all occasions. That this works I know from experience.

I joined the Brigade as a junior in 1961, was promoted from cadet to adult in 1969 and am now divisional officer of the adult division. Throughout my Brigade 'career' so far, I have been with the same division, East Ham , and have trained, cadet and adult, with virtually the same people all that time. My experience has been repeated by a number of other members of this division, including the present officerin -charge of the ambulance cadets (who was a cadet corporal when I was cadet leader!) During this time, all of us ex-cadets have been encouraged and guided in Brigade work by adult members of senior years.

I am convinced that it is personal contact of this nature alone which will encourage cadets to seek promotion to the adult division, and they will be accepted into the adult division as equals, just as Mr. Stitcher wants. The need for student membership is thus avoided.

I feel that if more divisions adopted the approach from which I personally have benefited, there would be no cadet wastage.

Accordingly, I would urge all divisions (and all members and officers) to:

1. get to know your cadets individually, by first names.

2 let them train with you on adult meeting nights.

3. let them do actual first aid work (closely supervised, of course) when on duty - and dem't treat them as tea boys or girls.

4. encourage them as future members of the Brigade to take an interest in Brigade affairs, and,

5. listen to their ideas for training programmes, exercises, etc - YOI!l'll be surprised what they might come up with!

Finally, may I urge all officers and memfuers to realise that the cadet

READERS VIEWS

Readers' views and opi nions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are 1110t nec essarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St. John and its Foundations Although readers may sign published letters with a pen -name, writer s must supply their name and address to the editor

movement is not a separate organisation: cadets and adults belong to one Brigade. If more people realised this , our problems would be over.

Brentwood

IT'S THAT NAME AGAIN from D. J. Davey, Sgt (Sec and PRO)

Ian Buckmaster

With reference to Miss Ronaasen's letter (July Review) : No , I do not belong to an ' isolated ambulance division' but to an active Combined Division which covers a variety of duties (nursing help at hospitals and fund raising activities) and 15 out of 28 members take the Review.

Although my suggested title 'The First Aider might imply that the magazine is only about first aid , this was not the intention. The idea was fOF a more eye catching title. As Miss Ronaasen says many news agents have not heard of our magazine

With the many magazines that are on display the general public may only see the heading and not the full cover and so pass by whereas the words First Aider might tempt the customer to take a further look, see the variety of items published and purchase a copy.

To all who run Association classes in divisions , evening classes factories, etc, why not have a few copies of the Review on hand plus copies of the order form, locally produced by typewriter or hand , so that the potential first aid nursing candidates might consider a SUbscription or ask their newsagent to order a copy?

I hope by now more divisions have increased their orders of the Review and sales will continue to rise. Westbury Combined D ivision D. J. Davey

Editor: Newsagents will not put on display a specialised magazine such as the Review , and even if they would we could not afford the very high discount on sales plus the sale-or-return basis on which this would onl y be agreed. Of course few news agents will have heard of the Review among the hundreds of magazine titles but they can always look up its address in the press guides to order it.

A specialised magazine such as the Review must derive the bulk of its sales from the reason for its existence, i.e. St. John and its foundations, the Association and the Brigade If an organisation s own magazine cannot be successfully publicised throughout its membership , what are the chances of publicising it with the same resources to the general public? Obviously nil.

This is not saying the content of the magazine could not be aimed at the general public but to have any chance of success vast financial resources would be involved, And today is hardly the time for such a proposal.

No the Review must gain circulation through the Association , as Mr. Davey suggests , and the Brigade (thanks , Westbury for your support).

ECONOMI

E S

from D. G. Watson , Divisional Superintendent

I have recently received from the Supplies Department a statement of account for goods supplied to my Division (or should I say former Division, as I am in the process of transferring), together with a copy of Supplies Newsletter No.6, dated May 1975.

Under item 2 in the Newsletter great emphasis is made on the increased postal charges recently imposed (last March) and the fact that all orders irrespective of value will now be subject to charges for postage and packing.

It is also interesting to note that item 11 of the Newsletter (Computer Accounting) makes reference to the fact that the Supplies Department has recently changed the computer firm with whom they have been working It is to be hoped that they now have the right computer package , and that it contains all the facilities necessary for economic accounting and stores procedures including the issuing of statements of account.

In these inflationary times we are all looking for economies , particularly at divisional level where funds have to be raised from the public. Ma y I therefore suggest that the Supplies Dept. , take a hard look at the way in which its accounts are produced and in order to save posta ge the question of despatch of accounts and statements. You see, the statement which I recently received shows a NIL BALANCE! Is it reall y neces s ary to waste postage , stationery and computer time in preparing and despatchin g nil balance statements of account? One hope s that the new computer firm s package has a fac ility to take care of this.

If everyone of the 99% of the account holders referred to in Newsletter who pay a c counts promptly, received only one (and I am sure it is more - I know this to be so from personal experience) nil balance statements during the course of the year this obviously must represent a considerable sum of money each year (dare I hazard a guess that it might reach four figures ?) - money which could either help hold prices stable at Supplies for just a little longer , or produce an increa sed amount for the support of the Ophthalmic Hospital. So come on, Director of Supplies , stop wasting money on a very obvious item which must be number one priority for an economy

A furth er po in t o n Supplies Newsletter. I find this a very intere sting piece of literature - when I get it! It would seem that unless one has some communication with the Supplies Dept. , about the time an issue of Newsletter appears it is not seen as a regular feature. Ma y I suggest that it could ei t her appe a r in the Review or alternatively be published

as part of, or issued in conjunction with, Brigade Orders?

Formerly Eastern Enfield Amb. Cadet Div . D. G, Watson

Director of Supplies John Webb replies:

We in Supplies Department welcome constructive letters like Mr. Watson's because they are the outcome of much thought and practical divisional experience. May I thank him and comment briefly on the various points that he raises.

I agree with Mr. Watson about the cost of statements and we have for some time been encouraging people to pay against invoice rather than against statement. Thanks to the co -operation of so many unit treasurers we recently reached the stage where we felt we could ask the remaining units to fall in line. Accordingly we now only need to issue statements half-yearly or if units find this too long a period, quarterly. We know that some units like nil statements, particularly at the end of the year, as they show positively that there are no outstandings either way. However, we will sound out opinion further on this point. We have had, and continue to have , more perhaps than our fair share of problems with our old and much patched computer programme. If money were nQ object we should certainly have it rewritten completely at once. This is very costly and in these difficult times we feel that we should make do and mend wherever possible , I am glad that Mr. Watson likes the Supplies Newsletter. Balancing cost and circulation is always difficult. Our aim is to ensure that those responsible for the buying operation get it without fail but we circulate a limited number of additional copies on a wider basis. We have considered issuing the Newsletter with Brigade Orders and also with the Review. This would add considerably to our costs and we suspect would not generate much extra business but perhaps we should try it experimentally for one issue.

NEWS from

SCOTLAND

Duke

the

David Gordon-Marquess of Aberdeen Memorial Fund

We have had the follewing letter of appreciation of the response to the fund set up in memory of the late Prior of Scotland from the Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair:

May please express through this magazine my deep appreciation of the most generous gifts to my husband's Memorial Fund. The generosity of so many members of the Order has touch€d me very much, and I would have liked to have been able to say thank you to each and everyone personally. As you know, David my husband loved the Order and worked constantly for it, and he was immensely

proud of being the Prior of Scotland and of the Priory's development and rapid growth. Thank you so much, June Aberdeen and Temair.

St. John's House, Edinburgh

On August 23 a party from the Greater Manchester and North West Area of St. John Ambulance, organised by Miss Redford the Area Secretary, visiting Edinburgh to see the Festival Tatteo, paid a courtesy call on the Priory Headquarters. The p arty was greeted by the Chancellor, Sir Andrew Murray, who showed them round the Chancery and explained the work of the Order in Scotland, and by the Priory Secretary. Before leaving the party was entertained to tea and kindly made a

collection as a gjft towards the residential homes in the Edinburgh district.

Torphichen

On August 16 a garden fete was held in the grounds of the home of Dr. 1. H. Thomson, the Association's chairman. Among other attractions, a small exhibition on the Order of St. John in its earlier days was laid on. During the afternoon over £300 was raised for the Association.

Cumbria Cadets at Pees weep Camp

On August 20 the Chancellor , accompanied by the Receiver-General, Mr. Andrew Lawson, and Lord Wallace of Campsie paid an official visit to the camp, which is owned by the Boy Scouts' Association, to meet the forty or so St. John Cadets who were camping there. Also visiting at the time was the Commissioner , Cumbria St. John Ambulance.

After an inspection, the Chancellor addressed the cadets and presented them with a large cake which incorporated the badge of the Order.

J.R-S

THE annual summer camp of the Merthyr District SJA Cadets on the Gower Coast recently proved a great success in glorious weather.

The cadets visited places of interest along the Gower, and they made a special point of compiling a log of all the churches and buildililgs in the area which had once belonged to the Knights of St. John. The churches proved to be specially interesting and included ones dating back to the 12 century.

There was plenty of fun and sport for the cadets. tempered with the rigours and hard work of camp life. The camp was inspected by both Mr. J. P. Harries, the Chief Training Officer for Wales. and Mr. L. R. Harris, the Commissioner for West Glamorgan.

As well as the usual summer pursuits at the seaside. the cadets organised their own summer camp sports tournament. Competition was tough but in the badminton section. it was , Allison Roberts , of the Merthyr Cadets. who emerged as champion

The Merthyr Cadets were deprived of gaining a district double when Divisional Officer V. Hawkins stepped in to pinch the table tennis title in the finals

OVERSEAS

New Zealand

Two St. John stories come from very rugged parts of New Zealand. The first about an air ambulance service is from Turangi, which is in the centre of North Island, on the southern tip of Lake Taupo. The second, a rescue , is from Nelson in the northern region of South Island.

Nerth Island

Turangi residents have been running a flying ambulance service under very daring conditions. For several years, members of the Tuwharetoa St. John Ambulance Brigade have found it easier for a light plane to take urgent cases to hospital.

The plane most often used is a Cessna 206 owned by Lakeland Aviation, of Taupo, and piloted by Mr. Ron Fincham. The landing strip used is a flat paddock about a mile out of Turangi, and the pilot has to buzz stock off the strip before he can land.

More recently, members of the Brigade have found.it possible to bring a plane down at night.

Dr B. A. J. Dewe said that the best system used so far to light up the 'airstrip' was to have a fire engine at one end of the strip , a Ministry of Works vehicle at the other , orange road markers on the left and tail-lights from parked vehicles on the right.

'The Cessna 206 is fully instrumented and we have had little trouble so far,' he said.

The president of the ambulance society Mr. F. J. Patrick, said that the service had proved cheap and effective.

Sensible Sue

'We can get a patient to Auckland in under an hour, and it takes at least six b)' road. Weare hoping to get a decent landing strip some day as we have had a few dramas,' he said 'The pilot has to buzz the stock on the paddock before he can land, so the system is pretty hairy.'

Last year 29 urgent cases were flown out of Turangi. This figure could easily be broken this year.

Recently a I3-year-old boy who was badly burnt after touching an II,OOO-volt power line was successfully flown to hospital.

'Although the facilities are rough, the system is fast and saves lives,' added Mr Patrick.

South Island

24-year-old David McMillan was riding his motorbike in the Mount Arthur region on a deer-stalking expedition when he somersaulted from the machine to fall 60ft. down a bank into a stream.

Hikers, who Mr. McMillan had just passed on the road, came across the machine and saw Mr. McMillan lying face down in the water. While some went down and carried him to the bank, one raised the alarm at a local farm.

At nearby Motueke, St. John Ambulance rescue parties were organised and with a Transport Ministry officer reached Mr. McMillan and took him 4 miles to a rescue hut. There - it was dark now -a helicopter was waiting with a doctor and with the aid of flares took off with the patient for the nearest hospital.

, Drovvned' boy revived

STRIK ING evidence that resuscitation should always be attempted when a body is recovered from cold water is given in a report from Norway of a boy aged five whose life was saved after he had been submerged for 40 minutes in an ice-cold river

He was seen to fall through the surface ice by several people, one of whom called the police at I 1 30 am. Attempts to recover him were unsuccessful until frogmen from a fire station nearly 15 miles away found the body and brought it a s hore at 12. 10 pm.

Mouth-to-mouth respiration and cardiac massage were started at once, and in hospital his temperature was found to be 24°C, that is, 13°C below normal. His heart resumed normal beating after an hour's intensive treatment, including electric shock, but he needed assistance from a mechanical respirator for two days.

On the morning of the second day he recovered consciousness but his co-ordination was poor. He needed w ith eating and drinking, and showej;l some impairment of brain function in 6}/ conversation, and his memory was poo r. However, within a few days ,.of returning home he became physically and mentally normal. Full psychological testing six weeks after the accident s howed no s ign of any abnormality.

The boy's recovery in hospital was slowed by damage to the lungs from inhaled water, but the result of treatment was nevertheless spectacular. The Norwegian doctors suggest that the succ e ssful outcome was almost certainly due to the rapid cooling of the boy's body in the very cold water.

Profound cooling is known to reduce the brain's ox y gen requirements, and for that reason a patient whose heart has to he stopped so that defects can be repaired are cooled in the operating theatre togive the surgeon more time. Another factor ma y have been the diving reflex by which any a nimal submerged in water diverts most of its blood supply to the brain until hreathin g can be resumed.

R eprint ed/rom Th e Times, London, June 12 1975. Source: The Lancet.

The

Gloucester,

Grana Prior, with Sir Andrew Murray in the Chapter Room of the Priory of Scotland dur ng a visit to the Priory last July.

(Photo: Murray Donald, Edinburgh)

Lord Aberdare, Prior for Wales, and Sir Gilbert Inglefield, Chancellor of the Order of St. John, arriving at S1. John Church , Cardiff to attend the Commemoration Service

News from Divisions/Centres

REVIEW CROSSWORD No. 10 (75)

(CompU.d by W A. Pon.,)

ACROSS:

1. The art and science of healing without surgery. (8). 5. FroIil'l a little science, Arab prodtlces a beetle. (6). 10. Fall behind with hesitation for a beer. (5). I I. It will be red or white. (5.4). 12. Fruit useful for the history examination. (5). 13. Spleen has direction to lie. (4). 14. Has had previous owner sued wrongly. (4). 16. Pestilence to annoy. (6) . 18. Nerves controlling nutrition of an organ. (7). 21. Defective or decayed (7). 23. Summary to begin again. (6) 25. Foundation of lungs and brain. (4).27. Omit a large basket. (4).28. The girl holding it is essential to life. (5). 30. Cavity below the diaphragm. (9). 31. Lumba r regions. (5). 32. Iflsect JOrovirling a hairy covering for the pinna. (6). 33 S:i1mge men for three membranes. (8).

DOWN:

I. Mother afld lady come together in disease. (6). 2. Drug strengthening the heart-beat. (9). 3. remedies. (5). 4. Corneal opacities studied by astronomers. (7). The accepted rules for secret transmission. (4). 7. Behaves dizzily in dances. (5). 8. Efferent v@ssel of the liver. (4.4). 9. Malignant ulcer has mot red parts (6) 15. Maste r protuberance. (4). 17. Painfl!d amiction resultimg fr 0m havimg nothing in gut. (4). 19. W li ongly grants him a thigh muscle. (9). 20. Barium salt given for X-ray examination of the gastro -intestinal tract. (8). 22. Solution for irrigation of septic wounds from many with a broken skin. (6). 23. Concerning an indication of the heart -rate in defeat. (7). 24. Embraces 150 reptiles. (6). 26. Perspiration. (5). 28. Six return ill in structures of the small intestine., (5).29. One on each side of politician in band of African warriors. (4).

VISUAL AIDS

SOLUTION "'frO CROSSWORD No. 9(75).

ACROSS:

I. Nitrogen balance; 9. Sets; 11. Dent in.e; 12 Li.st 13. 14. Erect; 15. Nipple; 17. Crag; 19. Inertia; 22. Egg ; 23. Tetamc; 24. Fain(t); 26. Ent.ice; 28. Plumb; 30 Tube; 32. Mo.od; 33 Areolar; 34. Lame; 35. Medical practice.

DOWN: 2. Incisor; 3. Resting; 4. Ease; 5. Body weight; 6. Lingered; 7. Noise; 8. Eye-strain; 10. Trip; 16. Precentral; 17. Cytoplasm; 18. Act 20. Tea; 21. Anabolic; 24. Ferment; 25. Idiotic; 27. Idea; 29. Up-end ; 31. Blur.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMIENl!S

are also published in the

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Appraisal: To adult audiences this film ma y well appear disjo inted and overlong ; however , to juvenile audiences about to join the Briti s h

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Content: Involvement of the medical profess io n , the general publi c and the horse world all emphasise how teachin g riding to b o th physically and mentally handicapped aid rehabilitation.

Appraisal: This excellent film shows how rid ing assists the mentall y and physica ll y handicapped to realise their own potential and that the y can achieve happiness in partaking im. a leisure act iv ity which might appear beyond their capabilities. This heartwarming producti o n a Silver Award winner at a recent festival is strongly recommended to all.

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Cental Film Library, Government Buildings, Bromyard Avenue, Acton, London W3.

Content: This film shows opportunities for qualified nurses to re turn t o part time work and for mature women to take up training as SR or SE nurses.

Appraisal: The desirability of a film to be addressed to ladies who have left the nursing profession and who may be

Gonsidering returning eit ln er on a full time or part time ba sis is very higJn; it is a pity the ref0 re that the film made for this purpos e is sormewhat ul'limaginative and disappointing. Used as a basis for an instructional evening it may have value but a good speaker both before and after is very necessary ; the film by itself has no great compulsion.

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Appraisal: This film from the visual aid view-point is a model: it employs the medium to its capacity, has an objective , reaches it , s um s up, teaches a lesson and is of ideal length.

From the view -point of material the film is faultless - it shows ho w devoted workers can and do help handicapped c hildren , instruc ts parents of such unfortunate children and help in running club s for thermo

Strongly re oOliTilm ended.

Audience: Primarily addressed to parents of handicapp ed children and to those working in this field but would be of great v alue when s creened to St. John Nursing and Nursing Cadet Divisions

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Lord Cozens - Hardy, OBE, DL, JP p.245

Canterbury Service p.246

Grand Prior greets Grand Master p.247

At Random by Watkin W. Williams p.248

Skate Patrol p.249

The art of the Trained Casualty by Helen M. Nicholson p 250

My reason for joining - what's yours? p.251

Around and About by the Editor p.252

A Unique College by Baroness Elliot of Harwood p.256

Coach Crashes p.258

Ambulances, part 3, by Brian Rockell p.260

Readers' Views p.262

St. John Ophthalmic Hospital calling. p 263

News from Scotland - Wales p.264

N. Ireland - Overseas - National Competition for Industry p.265

News from Divisions/Centres p.266

Order Investiture, Oct 2 p.267

EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMEN',S

or the O

ar>d

of St. Joh n by Drisco!1 Pr oductions. Wood Cottage. Hi gh Co rner Butle y. Nr. Woodbridge Suffo k IP1 2 3Q F Orford (S td 039 45 548. Editor : Frank Driscoll Advertising disp ay and c lassi

LORD COZENS-HARDY, OBE,DL,JP

LORD COZENSHARDY who died suddenly on September 11 at the age of 68 will be remembered with very great affection and gratitude by all who knew him and particularly by those who worked with him in St. John. All have been deeply saddened by his death. We have lost a greatly respected and much loved confrere, a wise counsellor whom all were proud to call their friend.

In public life in Lancashire he will be particularly remembered for his work as a Deputy Lieutenant as a Magistrate, and as the President and Chairman since 1959 of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Societ y. But in all his wide range of public interests and activities none was dearer to his heart than St. John. For many years he was the Commissioner of the Brigade in Lancashire. He became the founder Chairman of the St. John Council there in 1947 and the first Commander St. John Ambulance for the County when this post was established in 1968.

As though this was not enough he volunteered in 1971 to do more. He became the Bailiff of Egle and gladly shouldered the heavy task of touring England to help and advise the St John Councils in every County in turn. Wherever problems arose, no appeal for his help went unanswered; and scarcely a County since then has not had the benefit of his friendly and knowledgeable advice.

At the same time he took control of the Order's Public Relations. In the last five years no one has done more than he to inspire us all with new ideas. With his many sided experience of life he had a ready grasp of the many fields of usefulness which St. John may fulfil in this modern age. Always young at heart himself he passed on his enthusiasm to others and the Order and our two Foundations owe much to his faith and to his sound and solid common sense. All this is well known, but what could not be told before is the degree of his personal generosity to St. John. Many of us will remember the princely donation, amounting to more than £50,000 , which was given in response to the Lord Prior s Christmas Appeal in 1971. But at his special insistence even those closest to him have not known until now that Lord Cozens-Hardy was the donor of it. It is hard to realise that he has gone He will be deeply missed by us all.

Canterbury Service

A fine photograph of the great cathedral -

when the Archbishop was giving the ser-

Attended by European guests of the Order

THERE was a very European flavour to the Order's service of commemoration and re-dedication at Canterbury Cathedral on October II. The Order's Chapter General, with the Lord Prior, Lord Caccia, and the Great Officers, were joined by members of the Alliance of North European Orders of St. John and members of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, headed by the Grand Master. The Apostolic Delegate, the Most Rev. Bruno Heim, also attended the service, at which the preacher was The Prelate of the Order of St. John, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lor d Lieutenant of Kent , Lord Astor leading the procession to the Cathedral

GRAND PRIOR greets GRAND MASTER

At the Order's London headquarters

FOLLOWING the 9-week SJA duty in Rome during the summer, at the invitation of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, on October 9 the Grand Master of the SMOM came to London and visited S1. John's Gate, where he was welcomed by the Duke of Gloucester, the Grand Prior of the Order of S1. John.

His Most Eminent Highness Fra Angelo de Mojana di Cologna, the 77th Grand Master of the SMOM , is the first Grand Master to visit S1. John's Gate since the Reformation , when this ancient priory was disbanded by Henry VIII. The last visit by a Grand Master was in 1528 - 447 years ago!

While being shown over S1. John's Gate the Grand Master signed the visitors' book in which a special page had been illuminated for the occasion , met S1. John Ambulance members , and as a keen numismatist studied the rare collection of Order and Crusader coins

Later he was entertained in the Chapter Hall with delegates of the International Alliance of the North European Orders of S1. John, whose annual meetin g took place at the Gate the next day.

Photos: Peter Wiggi n s 3 Godinton Rd Ashford Kent

The historic greeting - the Duke of Gloucester welcomes the Grand Master o St John s Gate

ATRANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams

Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

THE 26th ANNUAL Visitation of the Order of St. John, held each year in one of the cathedral cities of England, took place at Canterbury on October 11 for the first time since the original Visitation was held there in 1950. The religious and historic atmosph€re of the Metropolitical Cathedral of the Anglican Commumion cannot fail to make any service held there both inspiring and memorable to those privileged to take part in it: but this was an occasion of very special historical significance, for it was attended by His" Most Eminent Highness Fra Angelo de Mojana, Prince and Grand Master of the Sover€ign Military Order of Malta, during the course of the first visit that th€ Grand Master of that Order had ever made to England since the IR.eformation; and not only was he accompanied by the Apostolic Delegate, the Most Revd. Bruno Heim, but there were also present r€presentatives of the Alliance Orders of St. John in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, France and Hungary -a truly ecumenical occasion, showing that the various bramches of the ancient Order tmat survive today are prepared, whatever their denominatiol'l, to join together in work aIild worship. and to bear witness to the solidarity of their allegiance to the Faith as well as to the Service of Mankind.

The Archbishop of Canterbury , Prelate of the Most Venerable Order. drew attel'ltion in his challenging address to the apparent contradiction between the two maim themes of the service. battle and compassionbattle against the moral. social. segregational and environmental evils of the world in which we live. and a compassion inspired by the example of Christ who. having washed his disciples' feet. said: 'I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you .' Whether it be to do spiritUlal battle for the Faith! and all that it stands fOf, or to show compassion in peFforming the most meflial tasks in the Service of Mankind. our Prelate challenged us to be always ready to respond to the call described in Charles Sorley's poem which the choir sang as an anthem at the conclusion of the service: 'With parted lips and outstretched hands.

And listening ears thy servant stands. Call thou early. call- thou late, To thy great service dedicate.'

At Skegness (L to R) Watkin W. Williams ; Area Comm. D E Jenkins N Derbyshire ; Staff Sgt J. Hallford, Ireland Colliery Amb Div. 40 years service; Sg!. D. Dodd Holbrook and Westthorpe Colliery Amb Div ; Div. Sup J. Hall (colour bearer) Arkwr ght Colliery Amb. Div ; Sgt. L. Birkett Whitewell Colliery Amb. Div; Sgt. D Haywood , Donisthorpe Amb. Div, 40 years service; and ASO G. E Poulter , off ice r commanding camp

Nothing bleak

Skegness was a pretty bleak spot during the first weekend in October, the fitful sunshine doing little to temper the blast that seemed to blow straight from the North Pole, But there was nothing bleak about the welcome that I received from the 842 officers alild members of colliery ambulamce divisions from the cOhlnti,es of Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Warwick, assembled for their annual 'camp' at the Derbyshire Miners' Holiday Centre, nor about the generous hospitality of the representatives of the National Coal Board.

The NCB is well known for the generosity of its support to Brigade divisions in the colliery areas - cadet as well as adult divisions. and not merely those attached to the sadly dwindling number of collieries that still remain open The members of the Board assure us that their support is but a just recognition of the contribution maqe by St. John Ambulance to the well -being and safety of the mining industry. Be that as it may. I should like to pay trib\'.lte no the Board for giving us that support which has resulted in the high quality and efficiency of the training and the public service of divisions in the colliery areas. Making their two holiday centres at Skegness and Rhyl available for weekend 'get-togethers' of anything up to a thousand St. John members at a time from each of the four sections of the Brigade is but one example of the NCB's generous help which I hope we shall always continue to deserve.

I was greatly impressed by the facilities

provided by the holiday centre for the comfort and enjoyment of miners' families, and especially by the provision made for con valescent people , which included one wing specially designed to accommodate paraplegic guests. During the course of the weekend , apart from having to 'sing for my supp er' by making four more or less off-thecuff speecnes, I heard a very interesting lecture on eye injuries by a Brigade Surgeon, spent several hours wandering round informally and chatting to individuals and small groups, attended a Service of Rededication at Skegness parish church on the Sunday morning (one of three services held concurIiently in three different churches so as to accommodate all those present), and afterwards took the salute at a march past which was as smart as any that I've ever seen in the Brigade. for which some credit must go to three of the famous colliery bands. one of which led the procession and a second brought up the rear, while a third play e d at the saluting base.

The whole programme of the weekend was most efficiently organised and a great credit to all concerned.

Cadets and their officers

Mr. W. J. Day's letter on Cadet Wastage in the September Review made me alternately burn with indignation and shiver with gloom. I hope that by now my t e mperature has become sufficiel1tly stabili se d for it to be safe for me to attempt a r e pl y'

DURING winter weekends Ottawa's city -centre Rideau Canal becomes the world's largest skating rink, with as many as 60,000 skaters dail y gliding across and occasionaly falling on the five mile s tretch of ice.

To cope with the falls two first aid posts staffed by Brigade members have been set up along this play-way and the authority that oversees the canal has formed a 24-member skate patrol, who although not SJ A members , have taken the standard first aid course.

Patrol supervisor Mike Francis says broken bones aren't uncommon ; seven were reported one recent busy week-end day.

1 Granted that the leakage between ca dets and adults is greater than it ought to be I reject the contention that it's as great as 95%. Even if that were so, I would not agree that all that had been achieved by that 95% while they were cadets was 'lost' or 'w asted' as a contribution to good citizenship. Nor should we forget the cadets who undergo training for nursing, medical or para-medical profession s and later come back and give us the immense benefit of their professional expertise. Others again , have a first duty to thei r families and careers which necessitates their giving up active membership for a while, but return to the fold when they ' ve become established in life.

2. Many more cadets would accept promotion to adult divisions if (a) full use were made of the opportunities provided by the Grand Prior's Badge and the Special Service Shield for a more challenging , imaginative and adventurous programme, and (b) the cadet and adult divisions worked so closely together that the cadets knew that they would find among the adults a progre ss ive development of challenging opportunities for service, and that they'd be joining fri e nds who genuinely welcomed them to their ranks By and large it is true to say that ilil divisions where this happens, wastage doe s not occur.

3. Ma ybe there are some officers who , if their division s folded up would be loth to be

Some of the more serious and painful fates to befall canal skaters last winter were a heart attack, concussion, broken hip and cracked kneecap.

The patrollers, armed with walkie-talkies, skate an average of 3040 miles per four hour shift. Dressed in red jackets with a white armband, St. John crest and first aid bag, they are easily recognisable to those in need.

The two St. John first aid posts are staffed by the Brigade from lOam to 6 pm each weekend day, while the patrollers are on duty from 3 pm to midnight on weekdays and 9 am to midnight on weekends.

seen around in ambulance members' uniform'; but that 's because we still suffer from being excessively rank-conscious, regarding Brigade rank as a vertical ladder to be climbed rung by rung and imagining that to step down a rung or two involves loss of face. If we must have a ladder, then for heaven 's sake let 's put it horizontal so that it becomes natural to step right or left onto any rung where we happen to be able to do a useful job. Those who can happily do this don t lose face ; they gain in stature.

4. I cannot accept that 'many adult members are lost and fail to do duties because they are resentful of young members being on adult duties in officers' uniform', The few who adopt so mean-spirited a view would do well to take a fresh look at what is meant b y Service to Mankind and seriously consider the implications of the bowl of water and the soiled towel that stood at the entrance to the Upper Room.

5. Officers of cadets (not 'c adet officers ', please) are not - repeat NOT -a sort of Grade B caste of officers to be designated by white piping or special cadet shoulderflashes. They have a highly responsible task which is often more exacting than that of officers of adult divisions ; and when they succeed in it (as they frequently do) they are providing our adult membership with the most valuable source of recruitment that we pos sess. The climax of their achievement is

the existence of a closely associated adult division full of ex -cadets, most of them wearing Grand Prior's Badges; but we must also remember that the adult division has an essential part to play in ensuring that this achievement is attained,

Our club

I am happy to announce that Professor Harold Stewart, Deputy Director-General has succeeded me as chairman of the St. John House Club with effect from the beginning of October. My own personal interest in the club will remain unabated and I'm continuing as a member of the committee - indeed , he and I have changed places! I hope I needn't assure you what an excellent chairman I know he will be , and I'm more than grateful to him for his readiness to relieve me of at least part of a responsibility which was proving just one thing too many for me to cope with effecti vely.

The club rules have been under revision by the committee for the past two years and the final draft was adopted by the AGM last M arch and has since received the approval of the Order. A duplicated copy of th e revised rules will be given to each new member on election; existing members ma y obtain a copy on personal application to the Warden , or by post if they send a stamped and addressed foolscap envelope,

'I'LL BE the unconscious one, that's easy, I'm uneonsc;:ious to start with!' An often heard remark at the average first aid class, always accompanied by laughs and ribald remarks Like having one's head bandaged, 'being unconscious' seems to be the funniest tlning that can happen to one. Yet it can be one of the most serious conditions any accident casualty can suffer from This leads me to ask you to consider some very important aspects of the whole question of trained casualties, and why they are necessary. I am guite sure that lilot nearly enough people realise the value of trained casualties, the responsibility that they carry, how to make the best use of them, and the advantages of actually training as a casualty.

If you've read as far as this, may I explain?

The value of training as a casualty can be compared to having a third eye of wisdom and experieNce that bridges the gap between knowledge and the practical application of emergency help. It adds a third dimension to first aid training, because the student develops a high sensitivity to what helps and what hinders recovery and he automatically becomes a better first-aider, thus benefiting the real casualty of the future.

The use and scope of the trained casualty is a whole field of study in itself. With a proper understanding of the subject no firstaider need still be only practising when he comes upon a real casualty, he will have experienced similar 'situations' many times before. For first aid can never be regarded as only the treatment of injuries, but of injured

Trained Casualty

by HELEN M. NICHOLSON, editor of Casualty Simulation

people involved in situations. The use of the trained casualty allows for the experience of controlling situations , often more compelling than the injuries, and for training the reactions of the helper It enables graded instruction to tR ke place , not only in the classroom, but in actual situations made easy or difficult by manipulation of the staging. The first a id instructor , making full use of this living equipment , is more than twice the instructor without it.

The responsibility of the trained casualty is to tine real casualty of the fl1tmre. Tlnis teaching aid is so vivid and memorable so audible and tangible, that the portrayal must be authentic so a s to avoid leaving a wrong impression in the mind of the first -aider, thus endangering the actual casualties in real -life situations. Therefore the guidance of the

medical profession is essential, so that the benefit of their knowledge and experience may give the guidance between the text book case and the non -typical. Staging is smallscale engineering and justifies the engagement of the help of our friends in the engineering profession. As the stand-ins for the casualties of the future the trained casualt y is in a privileged and responsible position , What is involved. He or she has to reproduce an authentic simulation of actual injury conditions, the behaviol!lr o f people in distre ss and their reactions to beneficial or inept and clum sy handling. In order to act any particular injury or condition t he trained casualty must study it in depth not just take a superficial kno w ledge of the symptoms and s igns from a fir st aid man l!l al.

Ideally a briefin g is issued describing all the aspects of the condition the history the behaviour pattern and the most likely reaction s to varying t y pe s of handling to be anticipated. The appeara nce of any visible signs is des c rib ed and a detailed plan of the s urroundin g causa( evidence ( the stagi n g) is given Background knowledge is gained b y readin g up the details of the injury in the Casualties Union publication , the 'A tlas of Injury'.

The advantages. It should naturally follow th a t the train ed casualty become s an alert and observant pers o n concerned with the feelin gs of other people in distress and able

to diagno se the t rouble more easily. Automatically one de velops a high sense of the cause of accidents and so accident pr eve n t ion becomes a built -in characteristic of the trained casualty, If one is self-conscious or shy by nature , th e training he lps to overcome this. Rel axa ti o n as taught by qualified instructors often u n ies the awkwa rd knots of inner ten sio n s. Squeamishness is impossible when blood become s a subject for stud y in colour , quantit y , sp read and direction of flow So yo u see there is a vast deal more to casualty simulation than meets the eye , which, alas is as far as some practitioners

MY REASON FOR JOINING - WHAT'S YOURS?

1 WAS doing m y washing one Monday m o rnin g so m e yea r s ago when a nei ghbo ur 's dau g ht e r ca ll e d t o say pre g nant ' Mrs T hlingy' from No. 15 had ' started '. Did I know w hat t o do ? My nei ghbour was busy o n the phone tr yin g to t rack down the lo ca mi dw ife - and not havin g much s ucce ss. With o ut thinkin g I g rabbed m y four year old dau g ht e r a nd dashed ove r to No 15 The do o r was open so I went ins ide You won't beli eve thi s , but there was the eld e rl y lad y from N o. 13 boilin g wa ter ' Read y for the Emergency'.

'I s eve r yt hin g OK ') Ca n yo u manage? I aske d hopefu ll y. Yo u ll ha ve to go up t o her m 'dear. I d a ren ' t ,' she replied. Leaving m y four -yea r -o ld w ith h e r I dashed up s tair s , thre e at a time . D o n 't panic!' r yelled inwardl y. Don t panic!! Th e mum to be. natur a ll y enough I s upp ose, was in h e m ain bedroom in the m ai n b ed I went

st rai g ht i n , st ill tellin g m yse lf things like Don t panic' and K ee p calm '. As soo n as I saw pre g n ant Mrs Thingy I knew bab y Th ingy mi g ht arrive so on I t 's a ll right , lo ve, don t worry,' I sai d , trying to so und reass urin g. ' Do you know w hat to do if the bab y arrives before the Nurse does? I'm sca r ed s tifT,' she said. It 's a ll right. D o n 't worry. I know w hat to do.'

Was that vo ic e reall y mine ? I looked ro un d , but he re was no -one else th ere. It mu st have be en m y vo ice The look of relief on her face was be yo nd description. I couldn't go back o n what r had said

Th e n thing s reall y s tar te d to happen and a ft e r w hat see m e d ages the most be a utiful baby boy r h a ve ever se en made a somewhat bumpy e nt ra n ce int o the world and s lithered int o my so m ewhat clumsy hand s. It 's a boy , love, a nd he' s truly be a uti ful ,' I w hi s pered tear full y. 'T h a nk God,' s he s aid . Tha n k

ever reach

Some of the most lethal injuries can be portra y ed by acting only , for example internal haemorrhage, cranial injury spinal f ractures , medical conditions , if combined with the hi s tor y and staging of the situation. Yet there are still pockets of resistance to full training on Casualties Union principles, and large geog raphical areas where staging the fu ll dress rehearsal for the calamities of the future take s only s econd place to the dubious daub of putt y and dab of tomato sauce. A whole exciting new field of knowledge, experience and activity awaits you through the training available from Casualties Union , I Grosvenor Crescent , London SW 1X 7EF.

God ,' I echoed Then we both cried. Bet w een us we la id the little chap on his s ide on his Mum's legs and wrapped his Dad 's p yjamas round and round him The bab y was pulling face s and making squeaky noi se s It was obvious he was coping well with the situation. A couple of minutes later the midwife a rrived and I wasn't needed any more Turnin g to go I puffed out my little chest and collecting my own ofTspring , I went home Did I feel pleased with myself? Y o u 'd have thought I'd had that baby m yse lf It w a s only then that I began to realise what had happened and what could have go n e wrong. I felt terrible , but also thankful that everything had turned out so well. Then I made a vow. What was the vow? I made a vow to join St. John Ambulance as soon as possible. And r did - just in case. Audrey Allen S y ston (Leics) Combined Div.

Make-up used to effect. Fractures to malar, nose and mandible. (Photo: Casualties Union)

(Photo: The Advertiser , S. Croydon

Oxfordshi re f i remen and police in action at a three-coach ho li day train disa ster incident. A c arriage seat is being used as an improvised stre t c he r Smoke bombs were ignited at t he scene f or reality (Photo: David G u lly Abingdon ) Rob ert Goddard, o f Slough, s mul ating ac a a nd hand injuries. Realism is their aim

DEPUTY SURGEON-IN-CHIEF

With Dr. James C. Graham's appointment as Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. R. McL AFchibald becomes his deplllty, from Assistant S-in-C.

CH RISTMAS CARDS

The exchange of Christmas cards, which has been an agreeable custom within St. John Ambulance for so long, has now become very expensive, particularly after the latest increase in postal charges.

After reviewing this questiolil at headquarters, the Chief Commander has decided that IilO official cards will be sent out from HQ this year. The money saved in this way is needed for more essential SJ A services. A regrettable fact of the times. But our magazine links us all togetherin hundreds of essential ways - so why not also for Christmas greetings? Countries. counties. areas, corps and divisions - if you have one short Christmas message (maximum 10 words) you'd like published, send it to the Review editorial office as soon as possible.

Then everyone will save on costs.

BOMB

Three London SJ A members were on the scene soon afteli a bomb exploded in Church Street. Kensington. on August 29. Div Supt. L. Davidge and AIM Garry Munday. both of Paddington Division. and Nursing

AROUND and ABOUT

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

Member Joan Copeman of Willesden Division. were leaving an ice-rink duty with a casualty for hospital when they heard of the bomb inGident. AIM MUrlday went to the bomb scene. to be rejoined by the other two members after taking the casualty to hospital.

The bomb had killed a bomb-disposal officer and the police. fearing there may be other bombs in the area. asked our member s to s ta y on. Two people one with glass in his foot. the other with a gashed head, were treated. No other bombs were found and our '-0 members Lefit tme scene at about I am.

BAPTISED

The new Peugeot 504 ambulance, recen ly

acquired by SJ A Isle of Wight, had it s continental bapti sm early in August. With a voluntary crew of two co-drivers (one a trained nurse), it went via the CowesSouthampton ferry to the Connaught Hotel , London. where it picked up an elderl y woman and her nurse to be taken back to France.

At Folkestone, due to hot weather the ambula nce was allowed to wait in the s h ade o f the Customs building, and once aboard the ferry Sealink loaders directed it to the doors of the ship's lift so that the patient and nurse could be taken direct to a private cabin for the voyage.

At Boulogne. the AA arranged special customs clearance for the ve hicle , and the

BY THE EDITOR

YACHT RESCUE

nets t, to win prizes (12).

2. Na y o Ma' A fir st - aider 's study (7),

3. n between o s (6).

4. Move a pin for a symptom (4)

Answer s:- Upside down - are at bottom of page 255. No cheatimg.

patient wa s delivered to her home 25 miles south of Boulogne within 8 hours of the a mbulan ce lea vi ng Cowes.

The ambulance then we nt to Paris, where there was the po ssibility of a return journey with a patient, but on arrival the patient was too ill to travel. The ambulance then returned to the Isle of Wight.

The ambulance is available for hir e to take patients to a nd from the continent or for long trips within the UK

STARTING A DIVISION

What are the prospects of starting a new division nowadays? Mr. D. L. Pa rker, Divi s ion a l Officer-in-charge of Chard (Somerset) Ambulance Cadet Divi s ion was

PRESIDENTS

ENJOY FIRST AID

Th e new President of SJA London is Lord Na p ie r {ce n re wit h Lady Brecknockl. who is a major in the Sc ots Guards and Pri vate Secretary and Equerr y to Princess Margaret. Afte receiving h is warrant of appoi ntm ent fr om the Countess of Bre cknock, he presented Warrants to th re e new a rea an d corps presidents : (2nd fr om left) Dr Kenneth Rawl ngs S E Area (2nd from right ) Prin c ess H e ena Moutafia n, No, 5 Corps (Ca m de n and slington), an d (r g ht ) Mr Arthur Green r'Jo , 7 Corps (C it y and H ackney ). Co l. H A. Lewis Commander Londo n (left). (Ph Oto: R oy Kerr)

The Ch ef Commander Sir Mauri ce Dorman obviously enjoy in g a first aid course he attended ecently at Bristol So is the patient'

doubtful whether he d get enough interest from local boys when he started the division on June 25 1974. He tells us what has happened s ince:

During 1975 our Division (it has 25 members) has, I think, achieved a great deal for its size. First our cadets won the Novice and Junior cups at the area competitions at the beginning of 1975; then the division was awarded the Husbands Cup for being the most efficient ambulance cadet division in Somerset; and then our cadets also won the runners - up shield at the county competitions. Not a bad first year, eh?

We are alread y preparing next year s training programme, which will include p rofi cie n cy cou rse s in map reading, casualty simu lation and s ignal ling; and we'll enter the a r ea and coun t y com petitions

All of w h ic h doesn't mean we re neg lectin g public duties e ither. During 1974 our cadets did over 465 hours at fetes, gymkhanas, grass track mee tings, sc r a mbles , etc, which they t horoughl y enjoy and find

mo st interesting.

My doubts when the division was started 18 months ago have now turned to surprise at the support the local lads give the division Towards the end of 1974 we managed to form a parents committee to help with raising funds - for this is our one real problem.

Finally, I have 30 old-style ambulance cadet uniforms for sale. If anyone is interested , contact me: D. L. Parker Chard Ambulance Cadet Division, Millfield, Chard, Somerset.

HELPE RS HELPED

One might have thought that it was just another outing when the Jewish Association of ex-Se rvicemen and women recently held their annual event for disabled people at Kempton Park racecourse. But this day - trip sponsored by the North East Region Social Services Committee (NERSCO), has now been running for some fifteen years. Since its inception the success of this outing, and the

happiness ana welfare of the disabled guests, has been in great measure due to the cooperation of London District's No. 342 Hackney Division.

In appreciation of this, and after hearing that Hackney Division had launched an appeal for funds for a new ambulance , the Association decided, despite urgent calls on funds for their own work, that they would make a reciprocal gesture. Mr. Harry Santaub, of NERSCO, has presented to Hackney's Divisional Superintendent D. Bouchard a cheque for £225 towards the

Grand Prior awards for two Bristol South n ursing cadets (top ) Teresa Wilson 17 and Gillia n Griffin 15 at a ceremony attended by Major John Greener,Co m mander for Avon During the same week T eresa had her 17th birthday an d anl'lounced her engagement. (Photo: Bristol Evening I"ost)

new ambulance , with grateful thanks for 15 years of mutual co -operation.

IDEAS

Talking Point, from which I quote at length below , is a reg l!.l lar column written by Staff Officer N. R. Tucker in SJ A Guernsey's quarterly bulletin. Such ideas of overall world-wide policy are invaluable , I believe, for St. John

Glancing through the pages of the latest Review I could tell there was something unusual about it. It was difficult to define at

Guernsey: a memorial to the crew of the sh p Prosperity all lost whe m the ship was wrecked off the coast last year (full report , Review, May 74). The centre p laqu e is flanked by badges of the RNLI and SJA , in recognition o their services dur ng this tragi c event. Pho t o Guernsey Press)

first, but whilst working on material for this Talking Point it suddenly became clear. That one issue encompasses almost all the activities of the Order of St. John today, and also manages to mention four of the five Orders of St. John into the bargain. That may not sound particularly worthy of note but it means that anyone picking up the magazine could in a few pages , gain a comprehensive, overall picture of what St. John is all about - worldwide - and that is unusual.

It is also very useful , because this overall comprehension seems to be lacking in many St. John members , through lack of information as much as anything else. Little, if any, time at Divisional meetings is concerned with knowledge of the activities of other branches of St. John. I always take care, when teaching knowledge of the Order to cadets, t o stress the present -day work of the Order , and the other Orders of St. John as weli, for I believe that often too much emphasis is plac ed on the history and not enough on knowledge o/what the Order do es today (Editor: my italics). Is this because the adult members themselves are unaware of the scope of their organisation?

The May issue of the Review illustrates the many ditfelient aspects of the Order 's work - frorn the mountains of Scotland , through our hospital in Jerusalem , to the is lands of New Zealand. It mentions the new Northumbria: a safe y ex hib t on at B ed lingt on inc l uded a SJA stand showing home safety film s and exp ain ing the new emerge ncy aid courses. Photo show s Mr W. Simmons Div Sup t. Bed in gto n Annblilance [)ivisicJn, demonstrating u se of t ube gauze bandage on Cllr R Sanderson with Cll s. A. Cleough and Mrs. E Ea st lak e. ( Photo : G. B Wade)

Aeromedical Service which combines the operations of the Air Wing and the Air Attendants Service ; it relates an incident involving co - operation betweelil the Vener a ble Order , the Netherlands Order , and the German Order; and illustrates the intended use of the survival cairns in the Arctic. Al so given space are the marine activities of the St. John Ambulance in Guernsey, Wales and South Africa, first aid courses in the jungle, the Moorgate Tube disaster , and the St. John Ambulance Service in Pakist a n.

The regular column written by Mr. Watkin Williams , the Deputy C -in -C , is extremel y readable and informative and illu s trate s well how the overseas branche s of St. John live and work , and how a welcome can be found anywhere there is a St. John Division. This latter point is one which I believe should be projected far more than it is a t present ; there is an inherent tendenc y for division s and areas to become too local ise d and insular in their thinking.

The St. John family' w as not an image which appealed to me at first perhaps becau se of the paternal 'cosiness' it implied, but on reflection it is not so far from the truth. A few years ago I was invited to help in duty coverage of the Wimbledon T e nnis Champion s hip s - simply becau s e I found mys e lf in the sa me, Underground carri age as a superintendent o n hi s way home from the dut y. M y 'mu fti b a dge le d to a ver y intere s ting conversat ion about life in the quiet Di v s ion s compared with li fe in the busy Prince of Wales District. I al so met a staff officer whilst hitch - hiking near the M 1 motorwa y, w ho a part from going out of his w a y to put me on th e right road , gave me hi s telep ho ne number to ring if I didn t make my destination that ni ght. If I got st randed he wo uld contac t he Division near es t to me and arrange accommodation. In a similar way I have h ad offers of hospitality all over England. in South Africa, Germany, and eve n in Am e rica. Th e r e have be e n other occasions wh e n friend s have been made throu g h St. John and in deferen ce to m y kidneys r dare not count the n umber of drinks I have bee n bou ght b y St. John members previously unk now n t o me, ju s t hro u g h th e wearing o f an eight - point ed cross!

I am n ow corilV inc ed t ha t the St. John f ami l y' s a n im age which s hould b e promoted thr o ug h o ut t h e Brig a d e. and particularly a m o n g s t cade s The y are the o ne s w ho w ill be le av in g their h o me s for co ll eges. o n tr ain in g co ur ses on exchange vis its and so o n. a nd the y ca n learn so much MIND BEND E RS (an swers)

MOBILITY

MY SLIP'S SHOWING

OVER the past decade tne British people have become increasingly aware of the needs of our physically handicapped members of society. Many ways have sought, practically and sensitively, by both statutory and volun tary provision to meet the needs of these people more imaginatively and adequately. With the coming into being of the Chronically Sick and Disabled PeFsons Act and tme appointment of a Minister for the Disabled progress has been made to hasten the integration of physically handicapped people into the pattern of our social life. Indeed members of voluntary organisations will know much about this progress, for they have been increasingly involved with demands to melp improve the quality of life for those who are disabled and f0r their family units. It is towards one new area of meeting these needs that I would like to draw attention in seeking co -operation and interest.

Although Britain has always been among the world's leading countries in the provision of non-vocational residential adulteducation, participation by the pfuysically handicapped has meant, all too often, eoping with unsuitable buildings, with poor access, narrow doorways, inadequate baths and lavatories and, sometimes, several flights of stairs. Because I have always placed a high value on the adult-education provision for the able-bodied, I felt very strongly that I wanted to see such provision equally available to the physically malildicapped, but carried out within attractive surroundings.

And so I gathered around me a handful of dedicated people who shared my thinking

A UNIQUE COLLEGE

which opened in Birmingham recently to integrate the physically handicapped and able-bodied people by Baroness EUiot of Harwood, DBE, JP and were prepared to find a way to bring together in one college physically hiandical'lped and able-bodied people to enjoy together short non-vocational courses.

Our plans were laid some seven years ago - we were to build the first purpose-built college designed to fulfil our aim. This kind of work was started about twenty years ago - Physically Handicapped Able Bodied (PHAB) - by the National Association of Youth Clubs, but a youth service age restriction soon made many enthusiasts 'too old at twemty five'! It was at this point that the Essex Physically Handicapped Association (EPHA) began running courses for the older age group. All through the development of PHAB there has remained one unsolved problem - where was there a building that offered maxillilUlilil independence of access?

Our purpose-built college was to be tile answer. Through the generosity of the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, which

provided the initial grant to cover almost half the building costs , and through many other generoms be nefactors , our planned lmilding is now in being. It is known as Prospect Hall and is set in the delightful grounds of the Selly Oak Campus near Birmingham. A maximum of 38 students can take part in anyone course and each course offers opportunities for the physically handicapped and able-bodied students to work together in the excellent facilities of the co ll ege. Prospect Hall provides cOlluses on art , drama , gardening, photography , public speaking , current affairs, music, comparative religions, design and interior decoratingand others as they are demanded. There are opportunities too for visits to concerts , theatres , museums and other neighbourhood amenities. Above all there is the chance for students not only to lea Fn more a bou a smbject, but also to learn about each other so that their lives may be enriched and new understanding created. The experiences

gained in the PHAB and EPHA show this to be of lasting value. And on September 18 1975 with the opening of Prospect Hall , there began a new chapter in integrated opportunities for the disabled.

Prospect Hall has received warm support from Local Education Authorities, Department s of Social Service and Voluntary Organisations , whether they are specialising in the needs of the disabled or responding to some area of those needs.

However as the original planning was done nearly seven years ago, so was the budgetting for the building and for the running of the college. Like everyone else we now face the v ast problems of inflation , and it is obvious to us that the first two or three years of running the college will be immensely difficult , especially in the field of expected statutory support, where, although there is tremendous goodwill, there will not be as many grants for individual students as we had hoped.

As always at times of stress, it is to the voluntary organisations that we turn for the understanding and help that has always made experimental work - to meet human need - possible. In asking for support , I suggest the following ways in which people might consider helping:

I) By ensuring that Prospect Hall is widely publicised throughout the local branches of voluntary organisations.

2) By encouraging local branches of voluntary organisations to look at their own community and see whether there are physically handicapped people who would benefit from a visit to Prospect Hall - and families who would welcome such a chance for their disabled member.

3) By encouraging able-bodied people to consider using one - or more - weeks of their time to enrol for a course at Prospect Hall.

4) By ensuring that any pl.!-blicity you may be kind enough to give Prospect Hall , emphasises that it exists to serve both physically handicapped and able-bodied people. It is concerned with integration. The courses are of eight or eleven days' duration. The cost is £10 per day. Could one of the efforts of local branches of voluntary organisations be, during 1975/76, at least one person per community? Or so many day s towards a full course for several students?

I am now establishing a Bursary Fund so that any gift of £ 10 upwards made to me will be used either to help a physically handicapped or able-bodied student attend

These pictures taken at Prospect Hall , Bri tain's first short-term res i dential a d ult college which integr at es the physically handi capped a nd the ab e-bodiedtel l th ei r own s tory of fil elp ng ea c h other

are

and

need

donor can choose. Already money is being generously given as I turn for help to individuals, firms, trade un ions, churches, and all voluntary organisations Here is an opportunity to help someone y ou know in your own community. You can select people whom you know would not only benefit from what Prospect Hall can offer, but will also bring to their family and community something that will affect the total quality of life.

I am grateful for having been given space in this publication and I shall be delighted to give further information if my story of our project has caught your imagination. Please write to me:

Elliot

Prospect Hall. Both groups

important

both may

help. The

Baroness

of Harwood, DBE, JP, (Bursary Fund), Prospect Hall, Selly Oak Colleges Birmingham B29 6LE.

Coach Crashes

There's been a spate of them in Britain this year. Is this a road accident trend for which SJA must be prepared?

Here, a member recalls his involvement in such an accident a few years ago

AS coach tours become more popular so must the risk of coach accidents, as 1975 has shown so far. During the three peak holiday months - June, July and August55 people were killed in coach crashes in Britain. By virtue of the fact that passengers in coaches are neatly packed like so many sardines in one small compartment with very little protection, the danger of a major disaster when a coach is involved in an accident is painfully obvious.

The degree of injuries sustained in such an accident depends on the speed at which the coach is travelling, and whether it is in collision with a light, heavy, movable or immovable object. The common factor is tIn at the passengers are flung about with considerable force im a very small space, space which might well become even smaller due to impact. as in the Devil's Bridge crash, Yorkshire, when the coach overturned and landed on its roof. the weight of the chassis crushing the roof and resulting in a high death rate and severe injuries.

I am not an expert in coach accidents but a member of St. John who was one of t he first on the scene of a coach disaster (Hemsley, N. Riding, 1971) and as such my experiences might be of interest.

A writer on the handling of a disaster situation has emphasised the cardinal ruleGet Help! Call the Police. Ambulanc€ and Fire Services: no one person can cope with a major incident. In the North Riding at that time Dr. Easton's G P Accident Service was in full swing. lIhe GPs involved can often be fi rst on the scene. as the Police and the members are in radio communication with each other.

In this accident a coach-load of women old-age pensioners had run out of control down a steep hill, over a hump-backed bridge and into the side of a house.

The accidem had some macabFe features which are worth mentioning:

a) A baby was found uninjured close to the crashed coach.

b) A man lay in his coffin in the room above tnat into which the coach became embedded.

c) Although there was no sign of it , the coach had hit a car towing a caravan just before it hit the house.

It was a beautiful sunny August Sunday. I was on holiday and had booked to go on a coach tour of the North Riding of Yorkshire with my wife, her semi-invalid mother, and our two sons, who were looking forward to visiting one of our favourite areas of Yorkshire Keith, my younger son, was at the time a keen St. John cadet. My elder son is handicapped and loves bus tours I was delighted to see the Blackhall Divisional Nursing Officer queuing to go on the same tour. although im another coach. And so ofT we wut: first stop Hemsley. Hemsley is a lovely little market town and a favourite stopping place for coaches. It is si tuated on a hillside and stretches downhill to a little rivulet spanned by a small humpbacked bridge. We were having a cup of tea and stretching our legs when I saw my handicapped son William hurrying. as best he could. to me 'Dad: he said. there's been a bad acciderqt. The lady sitting on the steps of the market cross is in hysterics and her husband told me about it.'

I hurried over and asked the husband what had happened and where the accident was. He pointed down the hill and said 'Down there!' I ran down the hill dressed only. in grey slacks and shirt. completely fo rget t ing to tell my wife where I was going. The sight which met my eyes I can only describe as horrifiic. A coach. completel y wind ow less with its roof torn ofT. was embedded into the side of a house at the foot of the hill. The front of the bus was piled high w it h the bodies of elderly ladies interlocked in a tangled mass o f arms and le gs. SQl me looked obvio l!1 sly dead: tlhe rest wer e screaming for me lp.

[ asked a byst ande r if the Poli ce mad been informed. and he told me that a shopkeeper

supported, I then did first aid, using scarves as bandages and fibre-glass from the coach roof as splints. i used one large section as a stretcher for a lady whose back was injured. We kept the coach clear by pa ssing each casualty through the window.

had already done this.

I quickly assessed the situat ion as one in which, as the only medical person present, I must take charge and prevent well-meaning helpers from dragging people out and making injuries worse.

With help I climbed through a broken window, gashing my leg (which I didn ' t feel) and ruining my new slacks. Many of the ladies buried deepest were already cyanosed and blue. I was able to reach three of them and give mouth to mouth resuscitation. To my delight they began to turn pink.

I informed the other men (there were two at the time) that I was a State Registered Nurse and an officer in St. John and would take charge. I instructed them not to move anyone until I could ascertain their injuries, First we had to move broken seats and hurl them out of the windows. It is interestin g to note that every seat had snapped its holding bolts and catapulted to the front of the bus , Only the back seat remained fixed. I kept going back to the ladies who needed air and did more mou t h to mouth ventilation.

At thi s juncture I found my nur se co llea gue at m y elbow aski ng how she could help. I handed over the resuscitation to her and co ncentrated on freeing people from the top of the pile. It was tempting to stop and help those making the most noise but ba se d o n the principle that if they can make a lot of noise they can't be too bad. I resisted the temp tation

By this time we had been jo ined by an ofTduty Ambulance Controller and t he so n of the poo r man who lay in his coffin above us. We h ad an anxious moment when part of the h ouse collapsed. brin ging rubble and lime on top of the casualties , We had to quickly wipe this from no ses and mouths so that they could at lea st breathe.

As each casualty was carefully lifted clear. making sure injured limb s etc. we re well

Meanwhile my colleague was doing fine with her resuscitation and one of the ladies was breathing again. We kept blowing air into two others. I noticed with satisfaction that my cadet son was doing first aid outside the coach and that a white-coated doctor from the North Riding G P Emergency Service was using inflatable splints and putting up drips. Meanwhile, our pile of bodies was much smaller and the trapped ladies were now able to breathe on their own with occasional help. We reached the driver last. Miraculously he was still alive and able to breathe , but hardly conscious.

As we were lifting the last person out of the coach the Nursing Sister said to me 'There is someone lying in the middle of the

room in which the bus crashed.' I climbed out of the bus and wriggled my way into the room. Sure enough a young woman lay sprawled and dead in what must have once been a lovely room. Now broken furniture and crockery were everywhere, bits of the wall kept falling and the whole building looked in danger of collapsing.

Turning round I was horrified to find a car crushed to about eighteen inches wide with the driver still trapped in his seat. He, too, was dead I learned later that there were a man and his wife in the car, parents of the baby found uninjured. How on earth the child escaped, no-one will ever know.

Seeing there was nothing further I could do at the coach I helped with more first aid.

The Fire Service and the Police had been on the scene for some time but had obviously left us alone to get on with first aid.

I understood that one of the three ladies we resuscitated died later, but two survived.

Eight people died in the crash

In retrospect there are a number of things

TERRIBLE INJURIES IN BUS CRASH

TWO Emsworth (Hants) Nursing Division members Sgt. Mrs, Elizabeth Evans and Nursing Member Mrs. Joyce Elliot, had to deal with terrible injuries to a passenger while they were travelling in a bus that crashed into metal railings at Langstone during August. A 60-year-old woman passenger sitting in front of them was impaled to her seat by one of the railings which slammed through the side of the vehicle.

Our members gave the casualty first aid and called the ambulance and firemen , who had to cut through the railing.

'I've never seen such a brave woman,' said Mrs. Evans. 'S he remained conscious throughout the cutting operation, although she was obviously in terrible pain .'

With the spike still through her, the casualty was taken to hospital in Portsmouth, where it was removed and she was reported as being 'quite comfortable'

No other passengers were injured but one was treated for shock.

Photo s: Portsmouth & Sunderland Newspapers Ltd

I wish I had done, the two most important being I) that I had carried a SJ armband to wear for such an incident, and 2) that , even though we improvised, I had asked bystanders to find us first aid material. Both I think would have appreciatively helped the situation.

My decision to take the role of supervisor to prevent further injuries and to resuscitate the asphyxiated was, I think right. I only wish I could have done more

My son, the SJ nursing colleague and I were asked to give statements and the police took us home , which must have caused some raised eyebrows as we stepped, bloodstained and bedraggled, from a smart patrol car. But we were happy to know we had been of service.

When not in uniform all St. John members should carry an armband to wear for such an emergency. Then our organisation would get more credit for its work, which would boost recruitment.

Right) SJA's Mrs, Elizabeth Evans and Mrs. Joyce Elliott at the scene of t he accident Left) The nterior of the bus where the railing slammed through - and our two members who were on the bus

T. H. , Durham

AMBULANCES

part three

I n an emergency speed is not always the answer; and points to watch at public duties

by BRIAN ROCKELL

Emergency journeys

THE overriding consideration for any ambulance journey is of course the safe removal and personal comfort of the patient. But on occasions the situation will arise when the patient urgently needs medical aid. Should this occur the attendant must advise the driver immediately. The driver's instinctive reaction is to increase speed, but this is often unwise as 1) a vehicle cannot be controlled with the same degree of skill at high speed and puts the patient at extra risk, and 2) the inherent design of an ambulance s chassis limits at speed, when the vehicle may lurch and sway, preventing the attendent from effectively tending the patient. No, the driver can hurry the journey in an emergency by carefully bypassing traffic jams or hold-ups. but sheer speed in itself cannot help the patient in need of medical aid.

The crew's pri me responsibility is to reach their destination. having regard to the urgency of the patient's condition , as safely as possible.

The ambulance's warning devices should be used prudently, especially when a patient is being carried. Audible warning devices can cause deterioration in a patient suffering from shock. In an emergency situation it is usually wiser to combine the use of headlights with the beacon. Most road -users readily accept a visual request for right of way and audible warnings are often unnecessary. The audible devices can , however. be used effectively on the journey to collect a casualty, when life -s aving first aid cannot begin until the crew arrives (assuming there is no first -aider at the scene). Evem then caution should be exercised by the driver. who should drive within the law and at a safe speed. If the patient's condition is known the attendant should prepare any equipment that may be needed on arrival. The same procedure and approach should be adopted as given for routine journeys (see part I). A rushed or ill -prepared approach to a patient 's bedroom can easily result in forgotten equipment or a slip which may turn an

ambulanceman into another patient.

For the return journey to hospital with a seriously ill patient it may pay dividends to reconsider the destination. En route you may have passed other hospitals with medical facilitie s to which the patient can be taken more quickly But this would not apply particularly at night. to the very small cottage hospital s, which would only be visited by GP s or consultants. It is very unlikely that a doctor would be immediately available in such hospitals so it would be wiser to proceed to the next major hospital. Such a decision will of course be taken by the driver and attendant together, the attendant assessing the patient's condition, the driver knowin g the distance to be travelled.

Before entering the grounds of the hospital sw itch off the ambulance 's beacon , and after parking. the driver reports to the casualty officer or sister. who may want to examine the patient in the ambulance before moving him into the hospital.

Public duties

The divisional ambulance will be called on to assist at public duties, when there is a temptation to use it as a mobile first-aid post, particularly where inadequate first-aid accommodation is provided. But this should be avoided, for if the ambulance has to be mobile quickly it will depart with spilt and broken bottles. Also the ambulance should not be used as a canteen or a store for personal equipment In short, on duty an ambulance should be available for immediate mobile use.

If the duty is of some duration, arrangements should be made for either a relief crew, or the crew should not go too far away from their vehicle for a meal break. The officer-in-charge of the duty should always know the whereabouts of the ambulance crew.

At large public events there is the risk of the parked ambulance becoming 'hemmedin by other vehicles. Its parking spot, usually selected long before the mass of spectators arrive, should be chosen with care. Naturally the ambulance should be parked convenient to the first aid post, but this is not always practical at outdoor events , when a tent may be pitched on a wet field but an ambulance will sink to its axles. When in doubt about the ground, pitch the tent near a solid roadway.

Always park the ambulance ready for departure, as reversing and turning may prove difficult or even impossible after the crowds have built -up. Whenever possible one member on the duty (but not one of the crew who should remain with the vehicle) should be delegated to regularly check that the route is kept open for the ambulance's departure.

A supply of road cones (local council s use hem to mark road works) can be very useful to cordon off the vehicle and to mark an exit roadway.

A small duty covered solely by an ambulance and its c rew can be very unsatisfactory. If the ambulance has to take so meone to ho spita first aid cover of the eve nt ceases until the ambulance returns.

When a patient has to be taken to hospital the crew should not await the result of the doctor 's examination but return to the event as soon as the patient has been safely handed over to the medical staff. For a duty held on a circuit, s uch as most motor sports, the ideal positioning of an ambulance is in the middle of the circuit. It is then nearly equidistant all parts of the circuit , which can also be reached without ha v ing to cross the track Billt at improvised circuits , which are u sually just fe nced off on a field for the day, be wa re of taking an ambulance onto so ft ground. Ground that seems firm often y ield s under the weight of 2 tons or more. And most ambulances are not built for cross-country conditions - it is easy to foul their ex hau s t pipes and axles. The Land -

A Lan d-Rover Brigade ambulance will cope with very t rying conditions

Rover ambulance, of which the Brigade owns a few are of course the exception and will cope with very trying conditions, A division may be asked to assist at a duty , usually large events which the local divisions cannot adequately cope, outside its area. Important information for the visiting ambulance crew is then the location of the nearest accident and emergency hospital, which in country districts can be many miles from the duty. The driver should ensure that he knows the route to this hospital , bearing in mind that the availability of these hospitals often varies -a local accident and emergency hospital may have to close its A & E department because of staffing difficulties , referring all emergencies to a regional accident centre. The crew should therefore check in advance that the hospital they anticipate using will be available that day. It is also useful to know the entrances to the hospital and the method of parking ambulances at the A & E department. Arrival should never be delayed by the crew not knowing the right entrance or the correct door to use.

FOR WHEN THE GOING IS TOUGH ...

This tough, versatile Land-Rover ambulance, based on the 109 inch chassis, is a speciality of Pilcher-Greene Ltd, whose range of these Land-Rover conversions varies from the twinstretcher ambulance to mobile clinics and di spe n sa ries,

The company, which recently ce leb rated 50 years' of producing specialised medical vehicles, exports 90% of its output - from Range Rover ambulances to mobile blood collection units and 38 seat or 19 wheelchair coaches,

For details of these vehicles write to Pil cher-Greene Ltd Victoria Rd, Burgess H ill, Sussex

CO-OPERATION

from Charles G. Gaggero, Chairman, St. John Council for Gibraltar

I read with much interest (Review, September) the Deputy Commissioner-in-Chiefs account of the manning of the first aid post in St. Peter's Square, Rome, and of the spirit of ecumenical cooperation prevailing between the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in the joint pursuance of their common objectives.

It may interest readers to know that this same relationship exists in Gibraltar where a joint project of the two Orders has been in operation for the last two years. The scheme consists of providing qualified attendants to accompany the sick on the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes from Gibraltar , with the Sovereign Military Order defraying the costs and St. John Ambulance providing the trained personnel and equipment. The exercise has proved highly successful from every point of view, but most especially from that of service to the sick, as there is abundant evidence that a very genuine need is being filled -a service which might not have been available were it not for the brotherly spirit of co-operation between both Orders and in their highest common tradition.

Co

, Furness. Sec.-Gen. Br itish Association, Sovereign Mili tary Order of Malta and Knight of SI. John ; Mr C. G. Gaggero Chairman SI. John Council for Gibraltar and Knight of Malta

In this connection we were recently honoured by a visit to Gibraltar of Viscount Furness. Secretary-General of the British Association of the SMO who is also a Knight of S1. John In my dual capacity as a Knight of Malta as well as that of Chairman of the St. John Council for Gibraltar. it was m y privilege and pleasure to entertain Lord Furness during his visit. He showed great interest in all aspects of our work in Gibraltar and was afforded ample opportunity of meetin g members of St. John at all levels. including the attendant selected for the joint Lourdes project in 1974. Amongst numerous function s attended by Viscount Furness was a reception given in his honour at S1. John House by the Commissioner and officers of St. John Ambulance. A photograph taken at this function is enclosed. Gibraltar Charles G. Gaggero

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

from C. L. G. Parkin, Divisional Superintendent I wonder what other cadet superintendents thought on receip of the latest BFC6 Cadet Proficiency Certificate? I can onlv sav that I was ashamed of the quality and style of these forms which as proficiency certificates,

Surely if cadets are prepared to put time and effort into s t udv for their subject. they are entitled to a certificate of better quality 'than this? I know costs count. but surely we can afford a few more pence in order to provide a more worthwhile reward ?

Whilst talking of proficienc y certificates. whv is the mu sic ian' s badge not counted towards the Grand Prior' s Badge? Other s ubject s require only 12 or so hours study in order to count. The mu s ician' s badge can take up to three years s tudy before the required standa rd s reached and then there is a hard examination to qualify. Malt'ern C. L. C. Parkin

READERS VIEWS

Readers' views an d opinions, which should be sent to the Editor although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St. John an d its Foundations. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen · name, writers must supply their name and addr ess to the editor.

Chief Officer Cadets writes:

When the BFC6 was last due for re-printing it was felt that the old form was somewhat antiquated in design. At the same time it incorporated a number of colours which would put up the cost un necessaril y,

A number of designs were prepared and the one finally chosen was approved b y the Cadet Advisory Committee representing all regions, It was felt that the new form was not only more contemporary but far more dignified in appearance.

It has obviously not met with everyone's approval and whilst I cannot accept the comment that the form is a 'mas querade ', nor is it something of which to be ashamed ', it is nevertheless difficult to sa tisfy all tastes.

Si nce the form ha s been issued we have received one or two adverse com ments and this fact has been brought to the notice of the Cadet Advisory Committee. The question of re -designing it further will be taken up with the Director of Supplies but when this will be possible must obviously depend on stocks of the existing form.

As regards the Musician's Badge I feel that this is a sensible suggestion and that there are sound reasons why it should count as a qualification for the Grand Prior's Certificate and Badge, This matter will be placed before the Cadet Advisory Committee at their next meeting on October 16th,

CADET WASTAGE

from S. F. Antoniuk, Corps Staff Officer (Cadets)

The letter on this subject from Div. Off. W, J. Day (September Review ) reall y illustrates the whole question not only of cadet wastage but of wastage in ge ne ra l. It is not necessarily what Mr. Day says, but rather what he implie s which holds the key

The assumption is made that young officers work only with cadets.

M any rea der s of the R eview will know that there are excellent adult divisions staffed by young officers, and equally cadet divisions staffe d by older officers. Tn neither case is the officer a 'seco nd class citizen' and hopefully h e or s he discharges all duties as required b y General Regul at ions and as stated on warrants of appointment. I mu st also ack nowledge. howe ve r. that mistakes can occ ur.

We all know that there are tho se who attempt to u se the cadet side as a stepping s tone to the promotion ladder. but the se people are not necessarily the young ones: and although such an attempt is wrong. it is a lso w r ong to imply that a young member does not have the necessary qualities to make him a good officer / leader

Am person appo inted as an officer to a cadet division (and I will 1101 call them 'Cadet Officers'). s hould. in view of the s pe cial s kill s required to deal effectively with a mixed bag of8 to 16 or 18 -vear-o ld s. be fully capable o f lea din g a group on dut y where he ma y required to taKe charge of a group o f adults, I too a m resentful of vo u ng meillbers parading in uniform on an adult duty. to the words in Mr. Day's letter. but let us consider what is really behind thi s

comment. It is an attitude of divisiveness which is still all too common. The young officer, whether his appointment is to an adult or cadet division, is still a Brigade officer, of the one organisation.

I agree with one point in Mr. Day's letter when he says that all this is a 'vexing problem.' I do not agree that it need be , and r do not agree that the answer is to mark out young officers seconded to cadet activities at Divisional, Corps, Area or District/County levels as being 'different' unless the cadet side of the Brigade is made a completely separate entity having no contact at all with the adult side. What a loss to the Brigade that would be in my view. We can all learn from each other, and should not be resentful or envious of our respective pGlsitions - we all receive the same pay , and one hopes that we all have the same broad objectives in mind. We should break down the barriers rather than reinforce them. I am prepared to admit that the cadets can learn a lot from the adults; how many people agree and are prepared to accept that the opposite can also be true? I would like to suggest that Mr. Day and others of a similar mind try a little co-operation for the mutual benefit of all concerned and the good of the Brigade as a whole, It costs nothing. Sutton, Surrey S. F. Anloniuk

from Mrs. I. Bundle, Divisional Superintendent I feel I must protest at W. J. Day 's comments on Cadet Wastage (Review, Sept. 75). No efficient member should be lost from adult divisions if cadets and adults work together. I run a cadet div is ion with 50 members and still attend nearly all adult meetings and help when possible with adult duties.

I have just attended Nottingham where there were many keen young officers who work mainly with cadets. These young officers have often given 6 to 8 years service as a cadet , and know far more about running divisions, Brigade regulations, and even the history and traditions of the Brigade and Order.

I know of officers who have joined as adults, then became officers with hardly any understanding of these matters and even consider their warrants to be worthless pieces of paper. I'd rather serve under a keen young officer then one of the above mentioned types If adults leave only because officers are younger than they are , I do not consider they are the right material for the Brigade. The best suited persons only , irrespective of age, should be promoted as officers.

St. John Ophthalmic Hospital calling .

Dick, Liz and ping-pong

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, visiting Jerusalem during September, attended a reception given by the city s Mayor Teddy Kollek. Also there was our hospital 's warden Keith Batten who thanked the stars for their support of S1. John and told them about the hospital in which they showed great interest.

*

Two senior graduate nurses from Swaziland and Lesotho , Sara Delanini and Tsufi Valleri, came to the hospital recently for a week's train ing during their year's course in the Eye Department of the Hadassah Medical Centre.

*

The hospital's table tennis team beat a local church team - and now the warden is und er pressure from all quarters to engage new staff who are experts at playing

The majority of officers running cadet divisions work harder than officers running adult divisions. I often spend 5 nights a week on divisional work as well as running camps, canoeing and map reading courses at weekends. My first aid and home nursing knowledge must be kept to a high standard to teach the endless stream of girls - future adults - who pass through my hands as divisional superintendent. Without these cadets, there will be no Brigade of the future. Officers examinations should be set to a high standard and then all members would respect their officers whatever their age. The trouble with the Brigade is that there is often too much bending of rules, even by staff officers, over these matters, so causing bad feeling among members

East Barnet, Herts. Iris Bundle

PROUD MUM ..• from Mrs. Spooner

I read the Review with great interest as I have twin boys - Graham and Brian - in St. John Ambulance. Something which happened to them recently at an Army Cadet camp should be read by all cadets so that they take even more notice of what they are being taught in St. John.

Graham was hit on the temple with a broom handle so he went to lie down for a few minutes. After a while another boy, seeing Graham's eyes looked odd, called for Brian. When Brian arrived he tried Graham's pulse but found he had none. Brian immediately sent the boy to fetch an adult while he set about resuscitation on Graham. When the adult arrived Graham was all right again. So to every cadet this proud mum says: learn and remember all you're taught. If Brian hadn't done that, today I might have only one so n instead of two.

Romford Mrs. Spooner

AND DAD?

from R. Griffin, Divisional Superintendent

Many thanks from all of the nursing division at Whaley Bridge for the way yo u reproduced the photograph in the Review, September 1975. You did a grand job.

Whaley Bridge R. Griffin

Editor: This is the first time we've been thanked by galls for reproducing some thing. Thank you, ladies.

At SI. John House Gibraltar. (L to R) Col. C. A. Norton

mmissi oner, SI. John Ambulance Gi bra lt ar; Viscoun;

Warden Keith B atten (right) meets Richard Burton. Mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek (left) and (centre) Britain 's Ambassador Sir Bernard and Lady Ledwidge (Photo: Ross)

NEWS from SCOTLAND

The last 12 months have been excIting for the library of the Priory of Scotland. We were able to acquire some important books at auction last autumn al'ld sinee we have bought a magnificent collection of books, mostly dating from the sixteetlth to eighteenth centuries, from the British Association of the Order of Malta, which was disposing of duplicate copies in its possession. We could never have bought this collection without the great generosity of members of the Order in Scotland.

At the General Assembly in late June I announced that thes@ books were available for purchase, but p(1)inted out that we had not enough money in the library fund to buy them all. Withim forty-eight hours the t otal sum had been guaranteed, and since then mernbeFs of the Order have contributed well over £800 and a generous grant has been made by the National Library of Scotland. This is really quite overwhelming and I do not believe that such a response would be found anywhere but in Scotland. The Scots do really care about learning and histery, and the building up of a good library in Edinburgh matters to them. It is h@artwarming to know that in Scotland involvement in the Order is not only reflected in the practical IDusiness of works of charity, but also manifests its@lf in a concern for the past. For it is our stressing the long traditions of service in the Order which makes us almost unique among charitable institutions and provides our activities with firm foundatiONS.

J. R-S.

WALES

THE theme of this year's Brigade North Wales training course, held at Llandudno on Septemb@r 27 and 28 , was public relations and recruiting Which was appropriate, as the Brigade in Wales has no national public relations officer and very few if any local ones. We understand the situation is to be remedied - rapidly (we hope at tine Review office)_

To put over the theme, the retiring Chief Commissioner for Wales Lt. Col. John Traherne (he retired on October 1) introduced from the Order's HQ in London: Director of Public Relati(1)ns, Sqn. Ldr. Geoffrey Meek, who spoke on Public

Relations in Hard Times Pays Off and Planning Recruiting Campaigns; Appeals Secretary Mrs. TheQ Ellert, on Finding a Celebrity and A Visit to the St. lohn Ophthalmic Hospital ; and Review editor Frank Driscoll , who posed the question Why a St. John magazine? London SJA HQ Staff Officer Alan McKay also spoke on the Brigade manning first aid posts in the Vatican duriNg last summer.

The course, organised by Chief Training Offioer for Wales Peter Harries and attended by about L20 member s, was bright, lively, informative - and fun (dancing went on until about 3 am).

N.IRELAND

OVERSEAS

Team Tests (15 mins.)

o ugh a sh o p blind o nto the pavement. On e, w ho s un c on sc iou s for the first two minutes of th e te s t. w ill be found to Rave a gaping facial wound of the ri g ht cheek a pe n et atin g wound of his back and an o pen fr a cture of hi s le ft leg

Th e oth e r w ho rema ins c o matose has signs and sy m p to m s o f a fra c tur ed skull and a closed fracture of th e rig h t c oll a r -bone

T he o wn e r o f the s hop c an supply a first aid kit bl a nk e s w a te r. et c a nd telephone f o m the premise s o an am bul a nce which will a rrive n

D e r ek R ice (Warks.) Ceci Robert Costeker Turn er (Dorset)

Sal s bur y Tay lo r MB , BS , MRCS , LRCP (S urr ey)

osep h Brian R igby (Gtr. Manche s ter

Cec il Bardill (Notts )

Albert John Emmanuel Selway QPM. ( Kent)

T homas H e nr y Prince (Wir ral) J ohn Be nj am in F a ulkner (Wa rk s.)

S idn ey Wragg (S. Yo rk s.) Re gi n a Frederick Wh e nt (Essex)

Fran cis J ames Freeth Hert s.) L o ui s R oss i (Cornwall)

Erne s Ed wa rd Sw a in (Norfo lk )

Charles A be r t Son g hur s t ( Y o rk .) Ri c hard Whitb y ( H e rt s.)

L t.- Col. G eo r ge Frederick Woolnough , MC. (Wilts.)

Georg e William Allen (Walton on Thame s)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No. 11 (75)

(Compiled by W A Potter)

Across:

1. Resolute with a mind as tough as nails, perhaps. (4-6) 6 Cease to fill a dental cavity. (4) 10. Fund I.C.!. used for antibiotic. (7). 11. Party he breaks up for treatment. (7). 12. Mature note added to epitaph (4). 13. He takes politician for drug of addiction. (4) 14. Old physician and his blood -s ucking worm. (5), 16. Change from medical

terminology. (5). 17. Shaft of a long bone. (9). 21. From ring of light a freeman makes anaesthetic. (9). 24. Region between the false ribs and the pelvic rim. (5) 25, The kind of muscle spasm to do one good (5). 28. Domed recess containing split peas, (4). 29. Sticky exudates in the mouth, (4) 32. Bone of the thoracic cage. (7). 33. Give spirit to a name it changes. (7). 34 Plea for silence in a bone of the leg. (4). 35. Respiratory tract infection is a tiny girl s disorder. (10), Down

1. Imply a finer variation. (5) 2. Bone at the back of the head. (9). 3. Provide s an extra at cricket. (4). 4. Material for a demulcent poultice. (7). 5. Abnormal position of an organ. (7). 7 Comb to irritate. (5). 8, Lost spy choses severe mental disorders. (9). 9. Part of the foot to tilt to one side, (4). 15. Do this to one s teeth when courage is required. (4) 16. Hot seat is for abnormal limb movements in children with cerebral lesions. (9). 18 Nothing inside in electrically-charged atom (3).19. Traffic directive for the lame, (4). 20. Bits of Latin must make drug temporarily improving the function of an organ. (9). 22. Disorder in which red blood cells are deficient in quantity or quality. (7). 23. State of rapture. (7) 26. Birthmarks from a vein. (4) 27. Unable to do 9 down. (4). 30 Throws off simple buildings. (5). 31. Encircle a finger. (4).

Solution to Crossword No. 10 (75)

Across

1. Medicine ; 5 Sc.arab; 10. Lag.er ; 11. Blood cell; 12. Dates; 13 Lie.n 14. Used; 16. Plague; 18. Trophic; 21. Unsound; 23 Resume ; 25. Base ; 27. Skip; 28. V.it.al; 30. Abdominal; 31. Loins; 32 Earwig; 33. Meninges.

Down

I. Ma.lady ; 2 Digitalis; 3. Cures; 4. Nebulae; 6 Code ; 7. Reels ; 8. Bile duct ; 9. Rodent ; 15. Boss ; 17. G.o.ut; 19 . Hamstring ; 20. Sulphate; 22. D.a.kins ; 23. Re.pulse; 24, Cl.asps; 26. Sudor; 28. Vi.lli; 29 Lmp.i.

AN OPEN LETTER OF APPEAL

From: Major G. A. Steel, OStJ, TD, RAMC(V), "Westwood," Guard Hill, Sandside, Milnthorpe Cumbria LA7 7JU. (formerly District Training Officer, Duke of Lancaster's District, St. John Ambulance Brigade'

Dear Reader,

I have just returned from the St. John Ambulanoe Brigade Training COllvention where Brigade members from all over the wQrld met in Howe Barracks, Canterbury, for a fortnight's programme of training and social events. I think it was the most impressive Brigade event in which I have taken part. In addition to myself, two other instructors were members of the Territorial Army as well as being members of the Brigade and it was very obvious that many other of our Brigade members could benefit by being members of both organisations.

- The sponsored units of the Army Medieal Services of the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve are under-recruited and urgently require part-time soldiers and servicewomtm of the type and Galibre to be found in the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Basically , the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve is looking for nursing skills and a willingness to serve in a disciplined and uniformed organisation. One of the objects of the Brigade is to provide reserves for the medical services of Her Majesty's Armed Forces and it is this which has prompted me to write this epen letter of appeal

I realise that one of the main obstacles which might otherwise deter a member ef the Brigade from joining the TeFritorial Army Volunteer Reserve would be the commitment for weekend duty and evening duty. This is net an obstacle with service in what is known as a sponsored unit of the Reserve Army inasmuch that the total training commitment each year is only 15 days summer camp plus just two weekendsone in the spring, the other in the autumn Therefore, it is considered that a good recruiting potential exists in the St. John Ambulance Brigade for sponsored Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve units of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

I have been in the Brigade for nearly 20 years and I know the problems that Divisional Superintendents face in providing a service to the public and can understand the concern they may be feeiing, having read this letter so far, that they may risk losing the service of some of their reliable members , and must emphasise again that the training commitment with a sponsored unit of the Reserve Army should not affect their members' availability for public duty, (except on two weekends in a whole year), and OU I' service to the public will benefit from the wider range of training that their members will receive. The Brigade is, of course, anxious to improve the training of its members and it is a fact that the quality of training given to recruits for

the sponsored medical units of the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve is of a high standard and it is felt that this should encourage the adminis tI' ative element of our Brigade to support this effort to rec r uit members of the Brigade to sponsored medical units of the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve

The link between service with the Brigade and service with the Reserve Army is emphasized by the point that members of th e Brigade on a reserve (such as the Territorial Army Volunteer Reser ve) have a reduced annual efficiency requirement with the Brigade.

Whilst the sponsored medical Territorial Arm y Volunteer Reserve units are not setting out to ' poach' members of the Brigade, it is rep eated that the services of its members are also urgently needed by the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve. To this end , a fe w facts :

a. £180 gross pay and bounties in t he first year Can dm ore thereafter) , for only 15 days summer camp and 2 weekend s annuall y.

b. Age 17Y2 to 40 years and medically fit.

c. Free uniform and travel to training.

d. Volunteers are required for service in a variet y of medical units , for example , General Hospitals a F ield Ambulance , Blood Supply Units, Field Hygiene Platoons Field Surgical Teams , etc.

e. Men for the Royal Army Medical Corps and women for the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps CQARANC ) are wanted.

f. The Territorial Army Volunteer Reser ve is normall y liable for full-time service only in the event of National emergenc y. would ask that you give this urgent appeal your greatest consideration and complete this cut out reply slip and post it to: Lieutenant Colonel B. L. Francis, Central Volunteer HQ Army Medical Services , Keogh Barracks Ash Vale , Nr. Aldershot , Hants.

Colonel Francis will be please to send you all the details appropriate to service in a medical unit of our own National and worthwhile Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve

With best wishes , Yours sincerel y, George A. Steele. Name

FIELDS EYE HOSPITAL City Road, London, EC1V 2PD

Candidates accepted at the age of 17 years as student nurses to undertake an 18 month course in ophthalmic nu r sing.

On successful completion of the course awards of Moorfi e lds Certificate and Medal are made Comfortable res i dential accommodation available Applications t o the Principal Nursing OfficeL

Name

Address

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volw

Contents by Watkin W. Williams

At Random, by Watkin W Williams p.269

Nottingham '75 p 270

Presidents' conference p.271

When the Brigade first went to war , by Lt. Col. R E. ColeMackintosh p 272

Mobile cardiac unit for SJA p.276

Around and About , by the editor p 278

Ca mping 75 : What a summer! -for some... p.283

Ambulances , part 4, by Brian Rockell p.284

Readers'Views p.286

Books p 287

News from S c otland - Wales p.288

N. Ireland - National first aid competitions p.289

News from D v i sions / Centres p.290

Visual Aids p 292

EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS

Edit ed and prod uced for the Order of S1. J o hn by Driscol Product io ns. Woo d Cottage, H igh Corn er. 8ut ey, Nr Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 30F Phon e Orford (Std 039 45) 548 Edit or Frank Driscoll.

Advertising, d sp ay and classif

rate s o n request from Orisco l'! Productions

Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief

I HAVE just returned from spending a few hours with General and Mrs. Desmond Gordon at their country home in HampshiTe, where the Commissioner-in-Chief is convalescing after a long period of illness which started in early September with a severe attack of bronchitis contracted while fishing during his summer holiday and developed abdominal complications which made an operation necessary. For some time he was in the Cambridge Military Hospital at Aldershot, and he was most enthusiastic in his praise of the medical , nursing and other staff there and of the wonderful kindness and care with which they looked after him. We have sadly missed him at headquarters , and I know that many of you have been disappointed at the cancellation or postponement of the visits that you had hoped to receive from him on a number of recent occasions. His recovery was at first slow, but I'm now confidently assured that the trouble has been cleared up and that he's making steady progress and getting stronger every day It was good to see him looking so much better , and he specially asked me to tell you how tremendously he ' s looking forward to being back in action again. And so say all of us!

The

new AIM ...

Some years ago , when Sir William Pike invited me to become Commander St. John Ambulance for Buckinghamshire , I told him that some of my views were rather uncon ventional and that perhaps , before going firm on hi s invitation , he ought to read the script of a talk which , speaking as a Grade II County Staff Officer for Training , I'd given at a recent conference of county and continued on p.282

GREETINGS FR O M

ST JO H N GUERNSEY - Christmas greetings to all ou r mainla nd friends.

Sends g r eetings t o ou r friends at home and abroad.

Nottingham '75

THE 14TH 'Nottingham', held at tht:: university from September 19 to 21, was attended by some 450 members, including two from Pakistan and two from Uganda. Unfortunately, three delegates from Canada were unable to attend owing to difficulties with their travel arrangements.

We were delighted to have Dr. Tudor Jones from Wales as a guest and are pleased to know that he hopes to be one of the speakers Flext year.

We were also del1ighted to again welcome Herr Peltz ('Wulf), who brought with him

A snap of Mr and Mrs Minwalla, from Pakistan by Werner V. D. BusscheHaddenhausen, of Johanniter-UnfallHilfe, during a conference break.

Hans W. Freiherr v.d. Haddenhausen , also from J ohanniter- U nfall- Hilfe.

BmsscheGermany's

Guest speakers included Lt. Cdr. Brian Miles, of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Christopher Davidge, vice chairman of the British Olympic Association, and John Fry, deputy chairman and joint managing director of Corah Ltd and chairman of the Peter Fry Trust.

The theme of this year's conferemce was 'Teamwork', which covered all walks of life sport, industry and voluntary

Chat-time and fun for 450 members organisations. John Fry's talk 'The Philosophy of Leadership' was an inspiration, and the essence of the talk will be published in a future Review.

The programme on both days included discussions , one of whicm dealt with tine fiuture of cadet rallies. The main point which emerged from. this discussion was that of eighteen papers received, sixteen were against the type of rally held in the past. The majority felt that such rallies should be smaller and limited to either a County or a Region. Most suggested some form of demonstration based on Proficiency Sl!lbjects, and m.any included sporting activities smch as football and obstacle races. One syndicate even introduced a pop group, choir and a band display.

Brigade Headquarters would welcome further suggestions on cadet rallies, based on the possibility of a member of Royalty being present. Suggestions should involve as many cadets as possible.

Now that delegates have had more time to think about this subject, they - or any of our readers - might like to forward further

constructive ideas on the form of a cadet rally to the Chief Officer Cadets at Brigade Headquarters. Administrative details are not required, but we would like as much detail as possible of actua,j or performances. It should be based on a Regional function.

The usual dance was held at Nottingham on Saturday evening, during which Jimmy

Olea from Uganda presented two Ugandan musical instruments to the Chief Officer Brigade Training.

The course wound up with an Open Forum, and if any delegate wishes to reoeive a copy of the questions and answers given during this forum they should write to the Chief Officer Brigade Training

PRESIDENTS' CONFERENCE

One of the main benefits of 'Nottingham', which we hope everyone enjoyed, is that it provides opportunities for members to meet colleagues from various parts of the country and overseas, and so becomes a platform for exchanging ideas and widening their outlook. 'Nottingham 1976' will be September 24 to 26.

COMMUNICATIONS was the theme of this year's Presidents' Conference, which was attended by Princess Margaret, the Grand President, at London's Royal College of Surgeons on October 18. Talks were given by ViceAdmiral Sir Ronald Brockman and Baron Willis of Chislehurst (scriptwriter Ted Willis of Dixon of Dock Green fame) who emphasised that simple English is the most effective.

BOMBS!

(Left) The Chief President, Marjorie, Countess of Brecknock , with ViceAdmira S r Rona d Brockman, County Presi d ent, Devon , and Mr Neville Marsh Director General.

Baron Willis of Chislehurst.

Can y'ou help with the recording of this part of SJ history?

WHEN THE BRIGADE FIRST WENT TO WAR

by Lt. Col. R,. E. Cole-Mackintosh

SEVENTY FIVE years ago the St. John Ambulance Brigade went to war for the very first time - to South Africa. Over one thousand nine hundred men, most of whom were already serving in a civilian capacity as first-aiders, came forward and volunteered to exchange their traditional St. John uniform for a soldier's khaki. Some had alreaGiy proved their value to thle community, having served at first aid statioNs along the route of Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee procession. Others had earned well deserved praise under much less pleasant circumstances when they turned out to help the injured at the Welling borough and Leyland rail disasters in 1898. Now they were to witness the tragedy of sickness on a large scale and under most adverse circumstances; to see for the first time the effects of bullet and shell and to provide help, comfort and hope to both sick and wounded. Sonne would return to continue their voluntary work in peace and serve in future wars. Some would not return; over sixty of them gave their lives in the war. That all these men acquitted themselves remarkably well under very difficult circumstances has already been acknowledged and is an honourable part of the history of both the Brigade and the Order ofSt. John.

Tension in South Africa had been increasing during the early months of 1899. The two Boer republics, Transvaal and Orange Free State, were steadfastly opposed to a British dominion over troe whole of South Africa and insisted l!lpon becoming independent, denying thie uitlanders, who were mainly of British stock, any political rights. The strength of the British Army in South Africa, though small. was expected to be able to deal effectively with the Boer farmers. In the event this proved to be an over-optimistic assessment. In September the Boers mobilised their commandos and in October President Kruger issued an ultimatum to Britain demanding the withdrawal of her troops firom posts near the Boer frontiers. On October 11 1899 the ultimatum expired .md the c(:])\JIJ"lJtry was at war. The Dverall natiomal mood was one of intense patriotism and belief in the just ca use of

empire. Volunteers from all walks oflifejoimed the colours

The creation of the Central British Red Cross Committee in November 1898 enabled the three most important voluntary organisations to co-operate and, under central control, to provide an officially recognised channel through which to aid the sick and wounded and supplement the Army's medical services. In September 1899 the Committee, in anticipation of the war, appointed Colonel J. S. Young to be its Chief Commissioner in South Africa. Later, when Colonel Young returned home, Sir John Furley took his place.

Within this concept the Chapter of the Order of St. John agreed that the central executive of the Ambulance Department should be entrusted with the receipt and despatch of ambulance material to South Africa and the organisation of personnel.

The arrangements for the provision of material and comforts were particularly effective. 3,550 cases or bales of clothing, wines and comforts contributed by the public, plus 4 , 350 cases of stores purchased by the Central Committee were sent to the war zone. Much of the hard work involved in this enterprise was done by lady members of the Order of St. John and the nursing staff of the Brigade. The Norwood centre of the Brigade, whose president was HRH The Princess Christian, was selected as the coordinating centre and th€ city of London warehouse of Messrs Barnes and Company became the Red Cross depot. Stores were sent from here to the Red Cross depot at Cape Town, where the Order was represented by an official of the local St. John Ambulance Association.

The St. John Ambulance Brigade was the agency through which men were selected and mobilised for the war. Colonel C. W B, Bowdler, Commissioner of the Brigade, was responsible for mobilisation , together with William Church Brasier, the Brigade Chief Superintendent. On average, about one fifth of the Brigade strength served in South Africa, though in some districts and corps the proportion was higher. The Brigade's report dated March 19 1901 records that Oldham sent 128 men from a strength of 226 and that in number 4 District no less than 785 men had been accepted for service by that date. The smaller corps and divisions could also be proud of their contributionManchester Post Office sent 12 men out of 26; Kendal, 16 men out of 40; Millbay, Plymouth, 8 out of 40; and Hampstead, 7 from a strength of 31 Apart from the normal administrative procedures of

HOSPITAL SHIP

mobilisation, special trammg was given to the volunteers when they arrived at St. John's Gate.

The men served in hospital ships, trains, and in many of the general, stationary and field hospitals deployed in South Africa, including private hospitals. Some were employed as stretcher bearers, many were nursing orderlies whilst some accepted such responsibilities as wardmasters, dispensers and clerks. A large contingent was attached to the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital and some men, having completed their normal tour of duty, returned to serve with The South African Constabulary.

The contribution of the men of St. John during the war was of great importance and called forth praise from senior officers of the service, from the organisers of private hospitals and from the patients.

'The St. John men are very good for a similar purpose........ they are chosen and after a very short time fall into the routine of a hospital: some of them with little additional training in peace in such duties as pack store and linen store would take {he place of many RA MC NC Officers who are a Iway s in demand '

Surgeon General Sir W. D. Wilson KCMG

'Report on The Medical Arrangements in The South African War '

'From all ranks I received most loyal support and help and the behaviour of the orderlies (the majority of whom belonged to The St. John Ambulance Brigade) was exemplary'

Colonel A. T. Sloggett RAMC, Commanding Imperial Yeomanry Hospital.

'J am at present in Kimberley Hospital convalescent after an attack of enteric fever, but with good nursing and attendance by a St. John's man, I have managed to pull through. When they are on duty they are always ready to do anything for our comfort. It does not matter what ward you go into, you hear the patients speak well of the Brigade and their nursing'

Private Soldier, 1 st Border Regiment, Kimberley June 18 1900 (published in First A id, September 1900)

The first call for men came from the War Office on November 3 1899 and by the 13th the first twenty three were at St. John's Gate. On November 21 they embarked on the hospital ship 'Princess of Wales' and on the following day HRH the Princess inspected the ship and its staff. It must have been a very proud moment when the Princess personally presented to each of them a special arm badge bearing her monogram and coronet on the cross of St. John and a

Just over 75 years ago, 1900 St. John men volunteered to go to the Boer War asfirst-aiders. More than 60 a/them never came back

At the Imper al Yeomanry Hospital 1900. (2nd from left) The St John Ambulan ce orderly wears the St. John badge o ver his NCO's stripes. (lPhot0: Natiomal Arnily Museum)

The hospita ship Maine after conversion from a transport vessel presented to the British Gov ernme n t by an American company. (Photo: National Maritime Museum)

The memorial tablet, to St John members who ost their lives in the !'loer War unveiled in St. John s Church Clerkenwell n 1902, It was destroyed by enemy bombin g in May 1941

red cross upon a white backgroumd. The ship sailed on November 25; like the orderlies who sailed in her, she was going to war for the first time. having previously been the pleasure yacht 'Midnight Sun'. Now, chartered by the Central British Red Cross Committee, she had been renamed and extensively mo€lified to cater for 200 patients.

On November 20 the War Office made a further request and within three days an additional 55 men had arrived at St. John's Gate. Some who had hoped to sail in the Princess of Wales were mobilised with this group. and by November 25 they had embarked on the Simca Those who eould not be accommodated in the HQ were put up either in the billiard room of Tille Three Compasses. near Faringdon Station. or in The Coach and Horses near to 'The Gate'.

Inevitably extra beds were needed and these were lent to the Brigade by Maples & Company; subsequently when it was realised that full mobilisation would continue for some time. the beds were purchased. On November 29 the Portland Hospital. raised by The Duke of Portland. asked for 28 men and these were at St. John's Gate on December 4, The demands for manpower increased during December and into the new year, the twentieth century. On December 29. 50 men sailed in the transport Orient. In January 1900. a group of 100 men was sent to Aldershot and a furtiner 22 wemt to the military hospital at Netley in order to gain experience before embarkation, Such swift

When

the Brigade first went

to War (contd.)

held at St. J ohn's Church , Clerkemwelli. h l the congregation were 75 men of the St. John Ambulance Brigade including some from the National Fire Brigades Union who had been enrolled for mobilisation. This large contingent was to do duty with the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital. The men were inspected by HRH The Prince ofWales at Devonshire House an.d on Feb rr uary 10 they left London for Sout h ampton amd the Cape. Their transport, the Union steamship Norman, passed the 'Princess of Wales on her homeward voyage with wounded before arriving at Cape Town on February 28.

Early in March a further twelve men were allocated to The Imperial Yeomanry this time to do duty as waggon orderlies and stretcher bearers in the Field Hospital and Bearer Company. Their work was very much appreciated, as the following quotation shows :

and efficient mobilisation is a trememdous achievement by any standards and when we realise that these men were all volunteers from all parts of the country, we cannot but admire the efficiency, spirit and sense of duty which made it possible, A special report on the mobilisation of the Brigade was prepared by Colonel E @wdler in May 1900. Amongst tlilOse who went to AldershQt were 12 men who would subsequem tly serve on The Princess Christian Hospital Trainthe first hospital train specifically designed for service with the British Army. HRH The Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein took a personal interest in everything connected with this , the second major project of the Red Cross Committee. Sir John Furley supervised the detailed fitting out of the train through the agency of the Military Equipment Company and the work was done within three months by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Waggon Company, The train consisted of seven coaches. four of which provided accommodation for wounded , and was completed at a cost of £ 10.650 late in December 1899. On December 20 thle Princess inspected tne train at Smethwick after which it was dismantled, packed in sections and despatched to South Africa. where it was reassembled. This was the first train to arrive in Ladysmith after the seige and not only did it do duty as a transport, it also provided a fully e@juipped stationary inospital. It was to carryover 7,000 invalids during the war.

On January 28 1900 morming service was

'Tn the erection of the hospital they worked with the greatest energy, It may seem invidious perhaps, to select memb ers of one brigade for special praise where all have worked so willingly; still it is only rig ht to mention that , no matter what t he work was that had to be done these m en were from alf accounts al way s ready and able to d o it well'.

Lady Georgina Curzon, Chairman , Imperial Yeomanry Hospital Committe e

Two more private hospitals were manned in February and March The Brigade provided 14 men for the Langman Hospital and 30 for a hospital provided by Mr Moseley which subsequently became known as The Princes s Christian- Two superintendents of the Brigade reverted to the rank of supernumerary officer in order to join trhese two detaehments.

The trams port Maine was presented to the Government b y the American Transport Company and converted into a hospital ship by subscription from a committee of American ladies under the presidency of Lady Randolph Churchill. The conversion was completed in the Thames and was inspected b y the D u ke and Duchess of Conn aught on December 15 1899 at West rndia Docks , Some members of the ship s medical staff were provided by the Brigade. Later. when the Maine sailed for Chin a, 14 member s of the Brigade went with her. Further American help took the form of a section of a field hospital, presented by a Mr. Van Alen Mr. Sam Osborne , Chief Surgeon of the Metropoli t a m Corps of t ine Brigade wa s appointed Chief Civil Medical Officer o f the hospital and he was s upported b y 9

orderlies of the Brigade. It is interesting to note that Mr Osborne volunteered for service before war was declared and that he was mentioned in despatches by Lord Roberts in February 1901. They sailed @n February lOin the transport 'Narrung ' The terms of servioe under which the St. John men enlisted are not fully documented It would appear that in order to qualify for selection a man was required to be unmarried ; aged 2 I to 35 years; height over 5ft 6ins of good physique ; in perfect health with fair eye sight and serviceable teeth, He was to be of certified exemplary character and of temperate habits. field uniform was provided free and this consisted of two khaki suits one serge suit , one greatcoat one worsted cap , two towels, eating and toilet equipment and the inevitable kit bag. Under the terms of Brigade Order number 16 , each volunteer for South Africa was expected to provi d e his own woollen or flannel underclothing (two sets) , two flannel shirts four pairs of socks , one pair of strong laced boots (with spare laces) , canvas shoes, slippers and Brigade uniform, In some cases the local centres accepted this expense so that the se men would no be out of pocket as a result of their patriotism,

The scales of pa y were expected to conform to those of the RAMC. Pay scales in the Portl a nd Hospital and the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital were similar and probably reflect the general rates of pay given to the St. John men in South A f rica. Three g rades of pa y were established. Supernumerary officers ranked as sergeants in the RAMC and received 38s 6d per week. First Grade orderlies (those who had obtained the St. John nursing certificate) were p a id 23 s 4d per week , whilst Second Gr a de ord e rlie s recei ved 21 s hillings per week. Extra dut y pay of 4d per da y was paid to certain o f the men , whilst all who served in hospital s received 4d per da y extra messing allowance At the e nd of the period of service

Th e Queen s Sou h A f r ca M eda

they received a gratuity of two month's pay, They would qualify for a gratuity of £5 after their service and would also be able to claim disability pensions if they were wounded. In the event of a married man being enlisted, separation allowance would be paid. Under the terms of a special Army order dated February 5 1900, volunteers would henceforth be enlisted into the RAMC.

The men signed on initially for a period of six months in South Africa, but later the minimum period of service appears to have been extended. Some men volunteered to do a second tom whilst some elected to remain in South Africa after completing their contract. Mobilisation for these second tours took place at St. John's Gate and at Aldershot. One administrative matter which complicates research, particularly at this distance from the events, was the decision to allocate new numbers to personnel who umdertook a second tour. Thus W S , Inder, author of 'On Active Service with St. John Ambulance Brigade in South Africa' sailed in November 1899 as number 38 but when he returned to Africa in June 1900 for a second tour his new number was 132 I.

When No. 13 General Hospital was formed at Aldershot a number of second-tour men joined the staff and these sailed on ss Saxon in June 1900

Those who had enlisted early in the war did so under the personal contra .:.t system , Later , direct enlistment into the RAMC was introduced but those who did so would retain their identity by wearing the St. John badge above their rank badges on the sleeve Enlistment under this revised system gave increased benefits during service and avoided administrative difficulty on demobilisation, particularl y over the settlement of pay accounts.

In March 190 I the Colonial Office requ ired 50 NCOs and men for duty with the South African Constabulary for 3 years, Special rates of pay were issued to these T he Q u een s Sou h Africa Medal - reverse s id e

men, including a form of local overseas allowance . The men assembled at St. John s Gate on March 25 190 I. Service in the war would count as efficient and would therefore qualify for the St. John Service Medal. As the war progressed and further volunteers were needed , the Brigade Orders showed that preference would be given to those who had already served in the theatre.

The pressure on the medical system is indicated by the following facts: In Kimberley on March 27 1900 there were 597 patients of whom 234 were enteric cases. Within one week during 1900 over one thousand patients came into 13 General Hospital : on May 4 1900 the total number of patients in hospitals in South Africa was 15 ,000 a significant proportion of which were suffering from enteric fever. A further example is found in the Langman Hospital which was dealing with 69 enteric cases , having only two orderlies on duty by day and a further two by night. This was a particularly virulent epidemic and inevitably the St. John men took some time to adjust to such conditions. Despite some initial criticism however their sense of purpose , their training and their belief in the Order which supported them enabled them to play a very valuable part in the war. Naturally , many men were transferred between hospitals in response to changed priorities or new requirement s and some men served in several medical units during the war. Most of the men who volunteered for a second tour of dut y were posted to a different hospital. A further reason for the transfer of men during the war was the effect of sickness on members of the Brigade, Most of the St. John men who worked on the enteric wards during the epidemic of 1900 themselves suffered from the disease. Many were in v alided to the Cape or to the UK and a large number of tho se who died in the war were victims of enteric, The St. J

When the Brigade first went to War (contd.)

It is only to be expected that these men should have been awarded the Campaign medals for South Africa. In addition they were all awarded the special bronze medal presented by the Order of St. John to those who served in the war or who assisted in mobilisation of the provision of ambulance equipment to the war zone.

The two campaign medals awarded for service in South Africa were both designed by G. W. de Saulles. The first was struck during the reign of Queen Victoria and its obverse shows a bust of the Queen crowned and veiled. After Queen Victoria's death in January 1901 a second obverse was struck, depicting King Edward VII. These medals are generally known as:

a. The Queen's South Africa Medal QSA.

b. The King's South Africa Medal KSA.

The reverse of both medals shows a figure of Britannia holding a wreath in her riglnt hand and a large banner in her left. Warships rest at anchor whilst troops advance over a beach. Above this scene and following the line of the circumference are the words SOUTH AFRICA.

The Queen's South Africa Medal covered most of the service in the war and all the battles. Two strikings were made of the reverse: in the first strikililg Britannia's wreath points to the letter 'R' of AFRICA, whilst in the second it points to 'F'. The very first issue of the medal contained the dates 1899 - 1900 in raised numerals below the wreath but these were removed when it became clear that the war would be prolonged. Some medals will show traces of these dates, known as 'Ghost dates', particularly if the medal is toned. Most of these medals were struck in silver but some

MOBILE CARDIAC

THE FIRST SJ A ambulance fitted with a portable electronic cardiac unit has been given by Midland Bank to London District's Northern Area. It is also believed to be the first unit of its kino! run by a voluntary organisation.

The new ambulance, which cost more than £6 500 , was formally presented by Sir Archibald Forbes GBE, President of Midland Bank and President of No. 170 Midland Bank Division, to the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Murray Fox who is President of the St. John AmbLilance Association, City of LOlildon Centre, on October 7.

The purpose of the unit is to enaIDle modern techniques of cardiac resuscitation to be applied immediately to patients who suffer coronary thrombosis. It has for long been recognised that many people

Sir Murray Fox, Lord Mayor of London at the wheel of the new ambulance; with Sir Archibald Forbes

bronze pieces were awarded.

A total of 26 clasps was authorised for issue with the Queen's South Africa medal, though the maximum number awarded to anyone person was 9, Certain clasps were issued for general service in the principal states and covered a number of actions for which no separate clasps were issued. These are sometimes referred to as 'Colony Clasps': they are 'Cape Colony', 'Natal', 'Orange Free State', 'Transvaal' and 'Rhodesia The clasps for 'Cape Colony' and 'Natal' could not both be awarded to the same individual. Most of the remaining clasps commemorated sieges, reliefs or battles but two dated clasps 'South Africa 190 I' and 'South Africa 1902' were awarded to some pe rr sonnel who served im South Africa after the Queen s death, bl!lt who did not qualify for The King's South Africa Medal.

The ribbon for the Queen's South Africa Medal is red. having two blue stripes near the edges and a broad orange stripe in the centre.

Since the war continued after Queen Victoria's King Edward VII authorised the issue of a medal bearing his own likeness on the obverse but with the same reverse as the second striking of the Queen's South Africa Medal. The King's Medal was awarded to those persons who were serving in South Africa on January I 1902 and who would have completed 18 llilonths' service in the theatre of operations by June I 1902. The war ended om May 3 1902

The medal could only be awarded together with the Queen's Medal. Two clasps were authorised for issue: 'South Africa 190 I' and 'South Africa 1902'. Some members of St. John's Ambulance Brigade received tlnis medal. The ribbon has equal stripes of green. white and orange alild is worn with the green stripe to the wearer's right.

UNIT FOR SJA

These were the first campaign medals awarded to the Brigade, but of greater interest is the fact that these are the first to carry the Brigade title impressed on the rim ST. JOHN AMB BDE.

The bronze medal awarded by the Order of St. John was designed by E. Fuchs and was authorised by a decision of the Chapter General of The Order of St. J ohm dated June 24 1900. The medal, which is slightly larger than normal campaign medals, has the bust of King Edward VII on the obverse, whilst the reverse consists of a complex design , incorporating the Coat of Arms superimposed upon the eight pointed cross and mottoes of the Order. The ribbon is black with a thin white stripe close to each edge. The medal was awarded to those who served in South Africa and to the next of kin of those who died on war service. It was also given to those persons who provided help in the collection and despatch of clothing and comforts. Official presentation ceremonies were held, the most important of which was at St. James' Palace on July 14 1902, when HRH The Prince of Wales presented medals to a number of London members. At a parade in Birmingham on August 30 1902

Mr. Joseph Chamberlain presented the medals to local members. An index of names of those who qualified for this medal has recently been traced at St. John's Gate and is a valuable contemporary record.

Two members of the Brigade were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal:

555 Supernumerary Officer C. W. BAK ER: mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch June 23 1902: DCM awarded in London Gazette October 3 I 1902.

498 Orderly E. H. G. WINYARD: mentioned in Lord Roberts despatch September 4 190 I: DCM awarded in London Gazette September 27 190 I.

A number of tme Brigade members were m e ntioned im despatches dUlring the war.

Ap a rt from Mr. Sam Osborne, who has been

who have died following only small heart attacks might have been saved if modern cardiac resuscitation procedures could have been applied quickly.

The new ambulance will be staffed by two experienced surgeons and a nursing officer supported by specially trained volunteer ambulance and nursing personnel. It is intended mainly for major Brigade duties in London to provide immediate management of all cardiac emergencies and a standard of care that normally only a hospital could give.

Dr. T. Evans, Corps Surgeon who advised in the design of the unit, will be in full control both while the ambulance is operating its cardiac equipment and while it is being u s ed for training Brigade personnel.

mention e d earli e r , Sir John Furley wa s m e ntioned in Sir Redvers Buller ' s despatch of September 13 1900 for work in conne c tion with the Red Cross , and later in th e wa r Lad y Furley was mentioned

Amon gs t the u niform e d member s of the Bri g ad e I h av e tr a ced four m e n in the official re cord s, though Brig a de Order 43 d a te d A pril 22 190 I lists a further four who wer e brou g ht to notice in RAMC Orders.

The ei g ht men are li s ted below :

13 8 Sg t. W FOULKES - Lord Roberts

Se pt e m ber 4 1901

fi fi4 Sg t. F H OLDHAM - Lord

R o be rt s September 4 1901.

15 fi Ordl y A KEW - Lord Roberts

Se p te mb e r 4 190 I.

fi lOrdl y C. PYEWELL - Lord Kitch e ner Jun e 23 1902

107 5 S g t C. E CCLES - Brigad e Order 43

335 Ordl y B. B BANKS - Brigade Orde r 43.

5 33 Ordl y W ROGERSON - Brigade Ord e r 4 3

4 8 4 Ordl y A. E NGLAND - Brigade Ord e r 43.

(Not e the r a nk 'Sgt equates to Sup e r n um er ar y OfAcer the rank s having be e n chan ged during the war).

Fi ve la d ie s o f the nursin g servic e who w e r e m e ntioned in d es patche s were sub s equ en tly a ppointed to be a s sociate s of t he Ord e r o f St. John in June 1902. The y were:

Supt - Mi ss C. K F. COLE.

Supt - Mi ss M. THOMAS.

Supt - Miss S. E. WEBB.

Supt - Miss S. E. ORAM.

Sister-Miss L. W , TULLOH.

Th e la tt e r four ladies had be e n ga z etted fo r th e aw a rd of t he Royal Red Cross in September 190 I Appointment to the Order of St. John was publi s hed as an amendment in Jun e 19 02.

It is both int e r es tin g a nd gratify ing that

Sir Redvers Buller in his despatch of September 13 1900, draws attention to the gift of the Prince ss Christian hospital train and al so mentions that the number of warr a nt ofAcers and NCOs of the medical servi c e s worth y of being brought to notice wa s very large: he records that 'this same remark applie s to the Militia and Volunteer Medical St a ff Corps, St. John Ambulance Brig a de ..... .'. In a way , therefore, the Brigade wa s mentioned in Despatches'.

In Januar y 1901, not long before Queen Vi c toria' s death , the Brigade received me ss a g e s from Her Majesty s Private Se cr e tar y and a personal message from the Prince of Wale s They were published in Bri g ade Order Number 40.

'Th e Que e n has heard with much satisfaction of th e excellent work done in S Ollth Africa by m emb e rs of the St. John A II1hulanc e Brir.;ade'.

January 6 1901

'Prot ' COl1l'el' to th e men of the St. John A II1hlllal7ce Brir.;ade m y w arm con g ratula tions on their return and above a ll 017 th e splendid work which they jJ erforll1 ed in S o uth Africa I feel proud to he at th e he ad qf so distinguished a body of m el1'

Signed A Ibert Ed ward January 12 1901

In June 1902 HRH The Prince of Wales un veil ed a memorial tablet in St. John s Church Clerkenwell, which commemorated thos e w ho gave their lives in the war. This be au tiful memorial was itself a victim of war wh e n St. John 's Chur c h was badly damaged by b o mbin g in May 1941. It has been po ss ibl e to discover the names on the monum e nt from enlarged photographs; there a re. however. s ome c asualties whose names a re not listed. Since the memorial tablet no lon g er e xists it will perhaps be useful and

appropriate to record the names of those who gave their lives in the pages of the medal roll, together with those additional names which have so far been traced. One name on the memorial shows how keen the men were to serve in the war - young Wallace Richard s on s death was reported in 'First Aid of May 1900; he was 19 years old and died in March 1900 at Wynberg. Clearly there is more to learn about the part played by the St. John Ambulance Brigade in the South African War. It may be that new facts and new names will come to light: perhaps more anecdotes will add interest to the rather bare facts outlined here. It is to be hoped , however, that this account will serve to bridge a gap in our knowledge and perhaps encourage correspondence, discussion or further research. Of one thing we can be absolutely certain , the men of St. John , going to war Tor the first time, upheld the standards and traditions of their Order and full y lived up to their ancient motto 'Pro U t ilitate Hominum'

F:ditor: The author, who is continuing his resear ch qf this subject, is attempting to jJr e par e a roll, with an y relevant ph o to r.; raphs or notes, of all Brigade memhers Il'ho se n led in the Boer War, which he int ends to pres ent to the Order's museum. But further il1formation is required, and h e ask s i an y readers, or units, could help lI 'irh rh e f o llowinr.; information (direct to him at 2 Town/and Clos e, Biddenden, Kent): a anI' lis t s , reports or registers of men from a g iven district, di vis ion or lown.

h jJhoro g raphs, preferably indexed as to the n a m es qf SJA B in South Africa.

c. ph o og raphs qf the hospitals, hospital s hip s o r trains.

d a n l' rec ords , including photog raphs of pres entation parades.

e. !is ts qf any medals , with edge details, in the possession of Corps or Districts (or indeed private possession).

HOLIDAY HELP

Bath City Division, which is closely associated with the local Cheshire Foundation Home, having provided transport for bringing residents into town for evenings since the dispersal of Civil Defence, was called in for a more ambitious project during the summer. The newly-appointed Home warden arranged an exchange visit between a grour of his charges and a group of French disabled. Bath SJ A, despite difficulties in finding drivers available from work, handled the transport arrangemeNts this end.

On a Friday in July, the members were at the Home very early to help dress, breakfast and load-up the nine disabled travellers, with two nursing staff, into their two ambulances and another from neighbouring Midsomer Norton Division. They took them to Bristol airport where the group, with their suitcases, wheelchairs and parcels (nursing aids, etc), were loaded onto a plane which left in bright

AROUND alidABoUI

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST. JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

Helping those who can't help themselves go on holiday

sunshine to take them to Bordeaux for a fortnight.

At 2am next morning the SJ A arnoulances then set @ff for SOl!lthampton to meet the 7am ferry bringing the French party. The

APPOINTMENTS

Associati0n Committee: Mr. Marshall R idell, Di r ector Industrial Training to be NCB Rep.

Australia: Mr. Charles Campbeil has sucoeeded Col. S. T Bendell (retired due to ill health) as Priory Secretary.

Casualties Union: C -in -C to be a VicePresident.

S.M.O.: Mr. McKay appointed a Commander of Merit.

E.W.D.H.: Dr. J. S , Binning (Dep, CMO) appointed to the sub -oommittee vice Major Idris Williams.

Lincolnshire: Mrs. M. J Arden is the new Association and County Secretary,

vehicles were allowed onto tine ship and the 9 disabled French youngsters and two helpers, complete with their gear and wheelchairs, were loaded and brought to the Cheshire Home near Bath.

After a busy 24 -hours our members had to move on to other duties - the Summer Fair at a local school, for instance - but later when they took the French youngsters back to SelJthamp uon for the night ferry, they heard the visitors had had a great fortnight in Somerset. Bath's ambulance crews dozed the night in their vehicles to load up the returning English party from the 7am ferry next morning.

Report on duty: unusual - ver y rewarding.

SJA Bath helped some who couldn't help themselves have a hloliday.

OLYMPIC DUTY

I hear that Mrs. Maureen Lewsey , 0 / 0 Folke s tone Nursing Cadet Division, will be on duty with the Sovereign Military Order members during the Winter Olympics at Innsbruck from January 20 to February 15 , Mrs Lewsey, w ho speaks German and stays regularly in Austria, will be on holid a y in Alpbachl prior to the Games,

Answers: - Upside

FOOTBALL

Airport one lunchtime, prov.i de food and drink , and invite those concerned with first aid and safety to join us and meet our training staff and see the training equipment.

SELLING FIRST AID

It is interesting to read, writes the Civil Aviation Centre secretary , that St. John is planniJilg a TV commercial in an attempt to sell 'Emergency Aid'

In the Civil Aviation Centre we have always worked on the principal that if the product (training) is good enough it will sell itself. In our case this has proved to be true although we are aware that there are certain areas which we have failed to reach.

At a Centre committee meeting a member from the aviation side suggested that we should hold a social gathering at Heathrow

The thought of wooing customers with food and alcohol astounded the St. John representatives ; it sounded slightly indecent, but the suggestion had something worth looking into , We soon realised that this would be a way of saying 'thank you ' to those who had supported us from the beginning , people who were but names on letters or voices on the phone. And with luck we might also meet representatives from (Right) Civil Aviation Centre s secretary A. A W. Wes ton (centre) demonstrating the re c ording Resus c - Anne du r n g a buffet lu n c h See story SELLING FIRST AID. (Phot o: Middlesex Chronicle) (Below ) Di v, Sup!. Ray Lawrence ESher and Ditton Div sion lecturing on first aid at a Duke o Edinburgh Award Scheme s

through

organisatio n Mr. Lawrence was assis ed b y Mr S. Impett. (Pho t o Surrey Advertiser those companies which for one reason or another had not used our services.

The die was cast. The lecture room in Queen's Building was booked, a buffet luncheon was laid on, the invitations printed and sent out. To say that we were worried and wondered whether we had done the right thing was putting it mildly. Would they come for the food and drink - or would they be interested in the purpose of the get-together, to see what we had to offer? By return of post came the surprises Requests to bring along more influential members of their companies ; company doctors requesting invitations for company nursing sisters This was too good to be true, for we would be demonstrating the new Recording Resusci-

Anne, which, costing £416, is the ultimate for teaching emergency resuscitation.

Within minutes we had answers to our earlier doubts. Such was the interest shown that new bookings soon covered the cost of the luncheon, and before it was over the Centre's chairman, Dr. Melotte, announced that as a result of the get-together we would be placing an order for a £416 Recording Resusci-Anne.

Not bad for a lunchtime effort.

I am writing this because it proves that St. John must be forward thinking. This idea came not from St. John but from the aviation side of the Centre. Airlines have to sell a service to keep in business, whereas St. John gets its strength from its I'ast history.

The second point that emerged was that many people who are responsible for staff to be trained in first aid, still remember their own sufferings at first aid classes because of inadequate equipment. It is up to St. John to show that we have a modern approach to teaching.

We know that 'Emergency Aid' is really worth while but members of the aviation

750 people were treated by 54 SJA members (exclud ng doctors) on duty for the last two days of 1975 s Royal Show, at Stone leigh, Coventry. Three JUH members were also with SJA; the duty offic e was CSO H Earle. Among visitors to the SJA pavillion was Mr. J. I. Osawe , Sec-Gen Farmers Union, Mid-Western State, Nigeria , seen left with (L to R) Warwickshire's Cty. Comm. Mjr R. C. WarlowHarry, CSO Noel Leaf , PRO , and Mrs Patricia Leaf, President Kenilworth Division

industry feel that if they are going to be involved in first aid, they want the real thing ', the 4 -day intensive course.

NOTABLE

I hear that Guernsey Staff Officer Walter G. Baker, OStJ, has retired after 33 years in the Brigade. Joining SJ A in 1942, after the Civil Defence of which he was a member was disbanded by the Germans during the occupation of the island, his wartime duties included guarding and distributing Red Cross parcels, potentially a very clangerous job in those days of near starvation. After serving as a private sargeant divisional officer and staff officer , he became Bailiwick secretary of the SJ Association in Guernsey and was appointed lay instructor to the College of Further Education when the Education Department sponsored Association classes as part of their syllabus. Throughou t the years Mr. Baker was also competitions secretary as well as lecturing and instructing various organisation in first aid. 2364 Association certificates were issued between 1963 and \;;J.is retirement this year. But his SJ work was not confined to Guernsey. In 1972 he was made honorary (Right) Great aunt Ev elyn - Miss Newby 64 and for the last 40 years in hospital with rheumatoid arthritis - just had to be at Mar i an s (Nurse Marian Crawford) wedding at Morton , Cleveland recen tl y So the men of Middlesbrough C entral Ambulance Division tipped off by SJA's

Walter G. Bake after 33 years in il e Brigade See story NOTABLE. (Photo : Guernsey Press)

presented by Opty Co mm J Webb (above) The c o lour p

y - Sgt. K. Spen ce r, % D Claydon an d Sgt C Tib b les

member of the SJ A Divi sion of another s land - Montserrat in the West Indiesfor his help in developing the unit. He also had considerable succes s in competition s, winning the t rophy for the most efficient member of his division five times and the Attendance Cup four times. His duties included attending the coronation of the Queen when he was on dut y a t H yde Park Corner. A notable record indeed!

RED SALMON

I heard a lo vely story from CSO H Earle , which occurred w hile he was duty officer of SJ A co verage of the Royal Show last summer at Stoneleigh, nr. Coventry. (See pic above )

Of the 750 people treated o ver the 2 da ys , one wa s a ca se of salmon bi te Yes salmon - the fish (I thought human s onl y bit s almon , but then I'm still learning. ) A n y wa y, it seem s t hat a c hef of one of t he sho w s c a terin g establ is hments per s uaded a young

as cas u alti es. (Photo: East e rn Daily Pr ess) waitre ss (sounds like an Upstairs Downstairs epi s ode , doe s n't it? ) to put her finger in the dead sa lmon 's mouth, and then for a giggle s macked the s almon on the he a d. Naturally , it did bite , slightly injuring the girl s finger! W as her fac e - and th e chefs , no doubt - red

OUR REVIEW

We continually get complaints from readers who buy their Review through news agents of uncertainty of obtaining current or back copies The newsagents invariably report that the wholesaler cannot , or is having difficulty , in obtaining copies.

Can we a s the publisher of the Review categorically st a te that there is never an y s hortage of ordered copies of the Review. Also back copies, with a few rare exceptions are a lso available from Review Sales the addre s s of which is on the first page of ever y is s ue of our magazine

We are always wanting - striving is perhap s a better word - to print and sell more copies of the Re vie w If anyone s a ys t he y are not available THEY ARE T ALKI N G NONSENSE. Put them in touch wi h ei t her Re vie w Sale s or me

Paddington

A

(Left) Retir ng Guernse y' s Staff Off icer

area stafT. He asked me to send it to him, and when I saw him a few days later he said: 'If only more people in the Brigade held these views my problems as Commissioner-inChief would be halved; send tt to the Review.' So I did, and it was published six months later in the March 1970 issue, under the title 'Is Your Dignity Really Necessary?'

From this talk developed the idea of the 'horizontal ladder' to which I referred last month.

And now I'm delighted to be able to tell you the sequel. Sir William, who retired from being our Chief Commander last June (his 70th birthday was on St. John's Day), having first applied for extension of service on the Active List in accordance with Brigade Regulation 1O(i), has reverted to the rank of ambulance member and (being already in possession of valid first aid and nursing certificates) transferred to a local division near his home, on the strict understanding that he will in no circumstances accept promotion. I need hardly say that the officers and members of the division are delighted

I had a n0te from him last week in which he said: 'I have cut ofT my badges of rank, been given a white-banded cap and am due for my first public duty on Guy Fawkes' night!' After so magnificent an example of the true interpretation and meaning of our Service to Mankind I find it hard to believe that there could remain any officers who if their divisions folded up or when at the age of 65 they are required to hand over the divisional leadership to a younger man or woman, 'would be loth to be seen around in ambulance (or nwrsing) members' uniform'.

That boy next door

The Superintendent-in-Chief seems to have been more in the firing line lately than &ny of the of us at headquarterspartly because she happens to live next door to Mr. Heath. 'But he's only been there for two years , she said, 'and I've been th€re for over twenty!'

Last Saturday night, on returning with her from the unforgetable experience of attending the Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall, I parked my car for a while outside her house only a couple of cars away fmm one under whieh a ten pound bomb was sitting. The bomb was discovered two hoUlis after I'd left; and some time later. when the police has assured themselves that it was 'the real thing', Lady Moyra and her household and neighbours were evacuated from 1.30 to 3.30am while it was being defused.

You may remember that it was almost exactly a year ago that all her windows were blowFl in by another bomb. And a few weeks ago a bomb went (i)fT outside a restaurant in South Audley Street , only a few yards from where she was dining She took her personal

AT RANDOM

(contd. from page 269)

first aid kit and put on her armband, and ofTered her services to the police who let her through , and, together with a doctor, she rendered immediate first aid to some of the casualties before any of the ambulance teams had arrived.

Simple and clear, we hope

The biennial Presidents Conference held at the Royal College of Surgeons on October 18 was well attended by about 200 representatives from 40 English counties and had as its two principal speakers Lord Willis of Chislehurst (perhaps m0st widely known as the creator ofTV's Dixon of Dock Green) and Vice-Admiral Sir Ronald Brockman (County President of Devonshire).

The main theme of the conference was Communications , and Sir Ronald gave us a vivid and challenging picture of the ways in which presidents and vice-presidents of St. John Ambulance at all levels in a county can maintain close communication with the leaders and members of their centres , divisions or other units, and thus give immeasurable support and encouragement to both the Association and the Brigade without encroaching on the duties of officers But communication is a two-way process , and if we want to get the best out of our presidents we mus t keep therm fully informed about wAat is going on, give them personal invitations to be present on all special occasions. and encourage their help and support in every way possible.

Lord Willis gave a brilliantly entertaining object -lesson on how best to communicate by choosing and using the right words, and not too many of them, whether in speaking or im writi mg. This is a lesson whiclil none of us can atTord to miss. though in a St. John context it's perhaps needed more by executive officers and secretaries than by pre s idents.

Our national. county and area statTs are sometimes blamed for sending out too much information and sometimes for not sending emougm. so that one is termptecl to sit back with a sigh and say 'YOy just ean't win" especially when - and this is no imaginary

situation - one receives a letter which makes it clear that the writer hasn't read any of the last three communications issued on the swoject - maybe because they've never been passed Olil t o him.

But I don't believe that our officers and members are really unable or unwilling to read. Apart from frequent failure to pass on information promptly to those to whom it applies, I think that our lack of communication is largely due to our living in an age in which those who issue information have made a habit of wrapping up their meaning in circumlocutory phraseology instead of using short, straight speech, and we ve become so battered by this torrent of verbiage that we tend to close our minds whenever we receive any communication in writing.

The only cure for this perhaps, is for us all to per severe in writing so simply and clearly that we at last conv ince each o her that St. John correspondence is easy to understand and worth reading and passing on. The mind boggles when one receives a letter such as this: 'I write to acknowledge with thanks your communication of the 12th inst., together with a draft memorandum incorporating the proposals that you envisage. I am in entire agreement with the suggestions that you put forward therein and shall be happy for you to promulgate them on the lines indicated. I have pleasure in returnin g the draft memorandum herewith. All that the writer need have written was: Thank you for your letter of 12 November , enclosing a draft memorandum which I return. I entirely agree with what you say in it: please go ahead.'

An imaginary and exaggerated example , you may say. Imaginary it certainly is but it s no exaggeration of the way in which far too many people write ; and if it s typical of even a few of the communications that we send each other it becomes easy to see why some of us give up wanting - or tryingto read any of them

For me. the high-light of the conference was when our Chief Commander , in summing up, read with a deadpan face an extremel y funny composition by a child of ten who was asked to write about a bird and a beast. I won t spoil it for you by quotation , but you'll find it in The Complete Plain Words by Sir Ernest Gowers (Pelican Books. 75p) which Lord Willis had comme mded to us during his ta lk. I Iilope you'll buy it as a Christmas present, either for yourself or for someone else , for no one could possibly read it without learning a great deal. laughing a great deal , and ' communicating a great deal better th a n he had ever done before.

Having s aid all this I ll resist the temptatiom o 'extend to all yom goodselves the compliments of the festive season, and simply wish you a very happy Christmas!

Camping '75

What a summer! For some •

Sylt

During early August 20 SJA members from Britain aged from 16 to 30 went to Germany for a two -week stay at the Johanniter-UnfallHilfe training camp on the island of Sylt.

The party comprised the following members: Belfast I , Londonderry 6 Maidsto n e 2 Swindon 1, Cornwall I Colchester 1 Sheffield 8. They met up in London and travelled by train and ferry to H a mburg , where they were met by members of the JUH Hamburg. After a meal and a tour of the city , the party went onto Sylt by train and coach.

At the camp it was agreed that the British p a rty s training would be separate from JUH members fOIi lectures because of lengthy interpreting (lectures for the British party were given by SJ A members and a German doctor) but together for practical work Training occupied mornings only. Camp rule s w e re : under 18 -year-olds in bed b y midnight ; other s by 1.30a m

The weather during the fortnight was ver y hot and there were more than enough outdoor activities to satisfy everyone 's ta s tes.

On Au g u s t 15 a second group of UK SJA members - six girls and thirteen bo y salso went to the S y lt camp.

Comments afterwards : Fantastic , s uperb , let' s go again, etc

Oxfordshire

At the Oxfordshire count y c a mp , held at Higher Bu s he y Farm Corfe Castle , Augu s t 16 to 2 3 there were 67 cadet s and 19 offic e r s the camp commandant bein g R ay En g land.

W ith the breaking of the lovel y Engli s h summer. th e weather during the fortni g ht wa s to quote a camper 's omewh a t atrocious ' althohlglil the programme , which! included a night w a lk (on a mild , starr y evening. th a nk goodnes s), a concert , c a mp fire. beach par t ie s s port s da y, and a trip to Corfe C as tle. se emed to have been enjoyed b y e ver y on e

Lau g ht er la ug hter and laughter wa s how a gue s camper su mmed it up.

London/H ants

For he third year running , 44 ambulance

and nur s ing cadets from London and H a mpshire divi sions joined force s for a camp at the Boy s' Clubs Training Centre , For es Row E ast Sussex, from August 2 to 9 Th e y ju s t managed to catch the end of the summer weather, with temp eratures in the 90s! Ev e ryone had a great time , was report ed

The divisions concerned were: London , Park s ide CI58 and CN167; Hampshire , Co s h a m Waterlooville and Emsworth nur s ing cadets

Surrey

This year Surrey cadets had the choice of

two count y camp s : in Dor s et and in Adelboden, Switzerland. The trip to Switzerland was arranged through Camptours a Cranleigh , Surrey , ba sed company that specialises in camping holiday s They a dvertise in the Review. The party met at London s Victoria Station , then went by train to Dover, to O s tend b y ferry , and overnight by train to Switzerland , finishing with a lj2-hour coach ride to the mountains and their chalet at Adelboden. The chalet , a converted farmhou se equipped with every facility , was in a superb setting - with a large waterfall nearby and fine views of snow-capped mountain s. Postcards in local shop s didn do the s cene ju s tice , it was decided Camptours on -the -spot representatives (student s doing v a cation jobs) made the stay so ea sy, helping and advising on outings. Engli s h mone y, as so many who holidayed abr o ad this year found, didn't go far in Switzerland. SJA Surrey originall y charged £50 for cadets and £55 for adults for the 12da ys, but st ill thi s only had to be increased b y £2.

The c a mp organiser could not speak too highly of Camptour s - who also arrange camping and chalet holidays in Holland

AMBULANCES

Your role at a road accident; and the special problems involved in long journeys

Road accidents

BRIGADE ambulances are unlikely to be called to assist at road accidents, which are covered by the Area Health Authority ambulance services. But occasionally they may come across such an accident, or be called to one in the vicinity of a public duty. While it is important for a Brigade ambulance crew to take first aid measures at a road accident, it is usually unwise (especially in an unfamiliar area) to transport casualties to hospital. Whether you are transporting a patient to whom delay is unimportant or the ambulance is empty. stop and ask bystanders if an ambulance has been called. Only transport casualties to hospital if you have not already got a patient anc! if an ambulance has not already called. making absolutely sure you know the route to the local A & E hospital. In the heat of the moment it is very easy to take the wrong turning. If in any doubt about the route, make sure an ambulance has been called and await its arrival.

The first consideration at a road accident is of course safety. The crew should don fluorescent jackets and the scene should be protected by all available visual warning aids. The ambulance's headlights beacon and hazard warning lights should be switched on and the area screened by traffic cones. with a reflective triangle placed several hundred yards in both directions from the accident. A warning triangle is particularly essential if the accident is near a bend in the road.

The ambulance should be parked with its rear doors as near to the accident as possible (but bearing in mind the risk of fir€!) and preferably facing the direction to reach hospitaL so that a U -turn doesn't have to be made. The crew should not walk into the now of traffic. and should use the parked/crashed vehicles to separate themselves from the traffic.

At motorway accidents park on the hard shoulder. If the accident is on the other caniageway. do not cross the central

part four

by BRIAN ROCKEtl!.

reservation with an ambulance; not only is this illegal but the vehicle may sink in soft ground and become immovable with its front or rear obstructing either fast lane. If it appears prudent to await the ambulance service to transport casualties, treatment is best given where the casualties are; then they are moved only once when loaded into the ambulance.

Long journeys

More and more journeys are being undertaken by Brigade ambulances which involve transferring patients several hundred miles. journeys which have their own special problems:

I. The patient may experience travel sickness.

2 The patient often becomes bored irritable and restless, calling for frequent breaks in the journey.

3. The longer the journey , the greater the problem of breaks for refreshment and toilet facilities.

Ambulance checks for these long journeys should be made the day before - so that there's plenty of time to rectify anything that may be amiss.

All the linen in the ambulance should be changed. and there must be an adequate reserve of tissues. etc. If oxygen may be needed on the journey. carry a spare cylinder. The patient will also a face flannel and towel. The vehicles mechanical equipment must be more thoroughly checked than for a routine journey, and a vehicle which is long overdue for servicing or has any defect that could worsen should not go on a long journey. Leaking cooling s ystems and exhaust silencers are prone to rapid deterioration on a long drive. The vehicle's tools should also be checked, and a basic kit of sparmers, screwdrivers, plier s spare fan belt and hoses should be on board.

For food on the journey it is better to take s andwiches and vacuum flask. with similar arrangements for the patient.

[t can be embarrassing to produce a sandwich and a pork pie at a stopover to find the patient expects three courses! En route the patient must never be left unattended -

whatever the circumstances.

As with all ambulance journeys, the planning of a long journey is important and the route should be studied thoroughly in advance, with a list of salient directions prepared. The motoring organisations will provide suggested routes for their members, which should be studied with relevant road maps. If a choice of routes is given, the direct rather than the tourist route of interest is preferable.

A relief driver is of course needed for a long journey The simple answer is for both crew-members to be drivers, changing places about every hour. On motorways, this change should be made at service areas not on the hard shoulder. It also helps if the driver can 'stretch his legs' for a few yards before taking over attendant's duties - as it is surprising how tiring continual sessions of driving and then acting as attendant can become. Overtired drivers must always rest. For a very long journey an over -night stay en route must be planned for.

Adequate ventilation of the ambulance on such journeys is also important, for a stiflingly hot atmosphere will rapidly tire the crew and patient. The interior of the

ambulance should be warm enough for the patient to be comfortable under a single blanket.

A journey in conditions of darkness, rain, ice , fog or strong winds wiJI be considerably more tiring than on a clear, mild day. Hot days can also be very tiring for driving, especially when driving into the sun's glare, when polarised sunglasses are needed.

Variations on the nevv FORD TRANSIT

FORD'S revamped Transit ambulance chassis available this year , includes:

135 5 inch (extended) wheelbase - enabling stretchers to be carried between the axles thereby improving the ride with minimum efTect on manoeuvrability.

Single rear wheels - allowing the use of narrower wheel boxe s, so increasing the width at floor level, giving greater mobility and ease of movement to those working in the ambulance 3 0 litre low compression engine - provides rapid acceleration and high top speed with good fuel consumption on two-star petrol

Thermostatically controlled viscous engine fan - provide s improved fuel consumption and reduced noise level.

Automatic transmission - this special development of the Borg Warner 35 automatic plus the 4 625: I rear axle ratio provides an extremely smooth and quiet'transmission.

Heavy duty alternator with two 68 A H. batteries - provide s sufficient and constant current for emergency equipment as well as normal electrical req uirements.

Photo r ight shows the vehicle ; while above are two versions of Transit conversions by Reeve Burgess Ltd , Bridge St Pil s ley, Chesterfield.

EXTERNAL HEART COMPRESSION

from D. Lambley, ASO

I see from the latest circular from the Chief Medical Officer, Association, that the British Red Cross Society have issued a memoramdum to all their branches expressing concern 0ver tlile injudicious use of emergency resuscitation techniques and give advice on the application of external heart compression. The St. John Ambulance Association concurs with this advice and asks that it be drawn to the attention gf medical and lay members of tlile instructional and examination panels.

The circular refers to a patient who had merely fainted and sustained several fractured ribs as a result of first aid treatment. I quote from the circular, 'The only additional suggestion made is that if there is doubt regarding the presence of a carotid pulse, the first-aider should also feel the femoral artery.'

This advice is fraught with danger for our St. John members. I can imagine the scene our first-aider comes across a young lady collapsed in a busy street, apparently dead. There is no sign of the carotid pulse so - down to the femoral. Again no sign of any pulse. By this time there are quite a few bystanders, including the young lady's boy-friend. Not to be put off, our first-aider commences external heart compression and then a quick burst of mouth-to-moutlil.

The girl comes out of the faint and is not at all happy with her woyldbe champion - not to mention the boy friend.

No doubt the Chief Medical Officer will bailout our well meaning first-aider when he is charged with indecent assault and let us hope that he will give evidence for him when he appears at the Crown Court.

In all seriousness, I am sure the Chief Medical Officer realises that our members should be most careful when dealing with a situation of this kind and that a fresh Ie>ok should be takeli1 at the advice givell in the circular.

Matlock D. Lambley

The Chief Medical Officer replies: We still feel that the most important peint is that the first-aider must IDe certain that the heart is not beating before commencing external cardiae massage. This must take priority over any feeling of embarrassment. In any case this embarrassment seems unlikely because young ladies are unlikely to collapse , apparently dead, in the street!

ONE-MAN STRETCHER

from William Herring, Nursing Officer

Re. the illustration of the one-man stretcher in August Review, readers should remember who really invented it. Too bad I didn't patent it when the Review featured it some years ago!

READERS VIEWS

Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, althClugh published are n0t necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St, John and its Foundations, Although readers may sign published letters with a pen-name, writers musli supply their name and address to the editor. OUR REVIEW from W. E. Strreet, Divisianal Officer

The inevitable has happened and the Review has once again gone up in price. What surprises me is that it has been kept down for so long but what worries me more is how many readers will we lose as a result?

I hope Brigade members will not let our most valuable magaz ine grradua\ly price itself out of existence as so many books and papers have dO.[le recently through lack of support.

I think headquarters should introduce a rule whereby all divisions should be responsible for its sale, and be required to buy copies for 75% of its strength as a minimum. Numbers could be checked by division's BF 1 annual returns for 1975 due at headquarters in the very near future. And , as Heaven helps those who help themselves , it would then be up to our members to give our magazine the support it deserves. I am sure the price could then at least be held steady.

The Review is our journal and our only means of knowing what other divisions are doing, both in this country and practically throughout the world, and surely that's what we want to know if we are to remain a progressive orgarlisation?

Exmouth

W. E. Street

Editor: I suppose I shouldn't comment on Mr. Street ' s letter , but I will just say that the Review is indeed very worrying - which doesn t help the editing - and also thank a few people around the country who try to ease the burden of its future by occasionally speaking out and helping in practical ways.

SW ALLOWED POISONS

from Dr. P. A. B. Rame. Chief Medical Officer, Association Review readers will have enjoyed the series of articles Everyda y First Aid by the late Mr. Dennis Clark. We shall miss his breezy approach to the topic.

Unfortunately his last article was completed before the amendments to the third edition of the First Aid Manual were agreed.

Your readers will know from these amendments that it is the policy of St. John Arnbulance, British Red Cross and the St. Andrew Ambulance Association that the production of vomiting in the treatment of swallo wed poisons is no longer recommended. All the experts who have been consulted on this are now agreed that the production of vomi1ting is contra-indicated.

Headquarters

feasibility of purchasing a portable walkie -talkie system for use on public duties.

J have made certain enquiries and found that a pair of new tranceivers would cost at least £200, which is beyond the means of this Area. Knowing other Counties and Areas have radio systems, would be grateful for any advice as to cost of such equipment, and where to purchase either new or secondhand.

Hull D. A. Schulman

Editor: This information would probalbly interest other readers, so if it is sent to the Review it will be published.

ROME 1975

from Dr. Norman L. Paros, County Surgeon

P. A. E, Raflle

WALKIE-TALKIES

from D. A. Schulman, Area Secretary

At a recent Area Staff Officers' meeting I was asked to investigate the

that a team of workers from all ranks of St. John and from different professional and social backgrounds, could find themselves working together efficiently and happily within minutes of arriving in Rome and being on duty.

I was a member of the last St. John team in Rome in mid -August. It was so hot that it was almost impossible to sleep at night and there were extra duties occasioned by unscheduled audiences by the Pope Members of the team were asked to climb the Spanish Steps and then undertake a long walk before getting back to the hotel, often after 7 pm, following a long working day. Never once did members of the team I was associated with complain, though some of them were in their middle 50s and into their 60s.

Though found the three articles on Rome 1975 in the October Review very interesting, especially some of the details of cases seen , I felt that too much emphasis was placed, in all the articles , on recording the names of visiting members of the hierarchy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and ofSt. John Ambulance. One could record that the team saw 150 casualties and break them down to this, that and the other; one could say how nice it was to see Baron this and Hospitaller that; but one would miss what I consider was the main emphasis: that St. John training brought together this disparate group who could work, live and eat together for a whole week This, I thought, was the crowning achievement and more worthwhile recording than the award of medals and certificates.

What I felt was missing was the emphasis I found most rewarding ; Essex

BOOKS

A Guide to Disaster Management

Edited by W. SilJar Action for Disaster (Glasgow), £2.00

THIS very interesting symposium, based on the proceedings of an inter-service conference on Disaster Management held in Glasgow in 1973, together with a report on the organisation of disaster services in Canada and the United States at the time of the tornadoes in April 1974 might well provide the basis for a future text book for those involved in emergency situations if it had more information to give, and advice to offer. about the effective integration of the help available from trained voluntary organisations such as S1. John Ambulance when sudden major disasters occur.

But by its very terms of reference (the prooeedings of an inter-se rvice conference) the book virtually excludes all but one or two brief passing references to the contribution of voluntary organisations. Its 17 contributors are all experts in their respective spheres of involvement in statutory and other full -time emergency services at a major disaster: the police, fire ambulance and mines rescue services; hospitals and medical services: airports and railways ; a colonel of the Royal Engineers writing on military aid available to civil authorities in the event of civil disasters; and two medical offi cers co ncerned wit h the Swed is h Organising Committee for Disaster Medicine.

We in St. John Ambulance share with other voluntary organisations, such as the Red Cross in particular, a reserve of manpower and expertise available to

contribute at short notice to the help required in times of sudden disaster, and of effectively integrating that help with the work of the statutory services; and in recent years there have been, in England in particular, numerous occasions on which the effectiveness of that integration has been proved beyond question. It is to b<;: hoped that whatever textbook may eventually be provided for those involved emergency situations, the role of the voluntary services will neither be under -estimated nor ignored.

WWW

Talking Books for the Handicapped

The National Listening Library, 49 Great Cumberland Place, London WI H 7LH. Phone 01-262 1966.

This library is a registered charity that

distributes to handicapped people about 500 talking books; these books, fiction and history, are cassettes read by professional actors and the like. The library has 12 copies of each book thus totalling about 6,000 cassettes

Applications for membership from the address above must be completed by a medical practitioner certifying that the applicant is unable to read in the normal manner and to a disability.

It is usual for the cost of the library service to be borne by the Social Service Department of the Local Authority. Cost: reproducer , about £40.00 each; cassettes annual subscription £ 12.00; postage both ways, paid by library. A catalogue on the service is available from the National Listening Library.

Norman L. Paras

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Priory

It has announced that the next Prior of Scotl a nd will be the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon. will be installed in Edinburgh on December 17

Torphichen

In July, 35 members of the Torphichen and Bathgate Youth Group visited Germany under the leadership of Serving Brother John Smit h , who was assisted by 10 adults. The Youth Group consisted of 5 Highlamd dancers, an accordianist, a pianist, a singer and 27 members of the Juvenile Pipe Band. The towns visited included Arnsberg, which is 'twinned' with Bathgate, Essen, Meschede, Ramsbeck and Olsberg. Shows were put on everywhere the Youth Group went and proved to be a great attraction, while members of the group were looked after by the local people, who took them into their homes and entertained them

Glasgow

On October 11, H R H, the Grand Prior came to Glasgow to declare open St. John

WALES

Fighting words - and deeds

MILFORD HAVEN Division recently opened its new headquarters, the first floor of the town's drill hall, after 6-monthsof doit-yourself determination by its members. Present costs had made the building of a new HQ impossible and when Divisional President Eddie Gough went to see the room offered them by the local council he recal led at the opening ceremony: 'It was in a deplorable state. The roof was open - and as we entered pigeons dive-bombed us.' But the division's Superintendent Ron King and D/O Mrs Mavis Ventin assured him: 'We can put it right.' And they did too.

Within six months, with the help of a few friends, members had completed operation rebuild on the room. £500 was spent on materials. Not a penny on labour.

The result? At the opening, Pembrokeshire's St. John Council Chairman Dick Hayes said: 'What a better place this country would be if only more people adopted this attitude!'

Not only has Milford SJA made that dream come true, but with the remainder of the £ 1500 they raised in a year they also bought a mobile first aid unit, which was

Glasgow

Court. After he has unveiled a plaque he was invited to tour the building and meet the residents. Then he was entertained to lunch by the Glasgow committee of the Order in the Trades House, Glassford Street. St. John Court is a block of 28 flatlets for the elderly, It stands on open ground of over half an acre in a quiet area. The residents have their own furniture and kitchen in flatlets, although is also a communal dining room and s,itting room. There is a resident warden who keeps in constant touch with each flat let. The cost of building and setting up St. John Court was over £143,000, raised by members of the Glasgow St. John

Association and the Glasgow St. John (Housing) Association. Loans and grants have been received from Glasgow Corporation and most generous donations have been made by the Merchants House and Trades House of Glasgow. But the coordination of appeals to the public and to various other bodies has entailed an immense amount of work.

Miss Helen Marion Cumming a Serving Sister and matron of the Langside Home in Glasgow , died recently Her service and companionship will be greatly missed.

J.R-C.

N. IRELAND

A l smiles at the opening of SJA Milford s new HQ (L to R) Div. Supt Ron King, Div. Pres. Eddie Gough Cty Chairman Dick Hayes, Mrs Cecilia Morris, Rev John Morgan Davies, and Div Off. Mrs Mavis (Photo: Malcolm HaverfGrdwest Ri8haras,

mainly why the national powerboat championships were held at Milford rather than elsewhere in South Wales. The organisers considered an SJ mobile unit essential for the event.

Supt. King, sumrmililg l!lp the progress made by the division recently, said: 'This is not just a game. This is for real.' Fighting words, those.

During the ceremony there was a special word for 86-year-old Mrs Cecilia Morris, who was there. A former Milford Haven superintendent, Mrs Morris had given 60 years of devoted service to St John.

Gwynedd

98 members of a new branch of the

Hospitallers' Club of Wales - Gwyneddwere at the inaugural dinner at Betws-yCoed on October 10. when Lord Aberdare, Prior and President of the Club, presented the branch's chairman, Dr J. Noel Roberts, with his chain of office. 22 members of the club from Cardiff were also present. During the evening Lord Aberdare presented awards to three Brigade members: Dpty. Comm. Dr. I. W. Hughes - Officer Brother; CSO A. M, Gannon - Officer Brother; Mr R A. Owen - Serving Brother. Review readers in Gwynedd who would like to join the new Hospitaller Club branch should connact the secretary - Ernest Williams. 13 Maenofferen St, BI. Ffestiniog , Gwynedd.

Gwent

Members of Gwent Area Health Authority Hospitals Division recently held a sponsored walk at the Glebelands sports track at Newport. Parents Association members also walked.

National First Aid Competitions

National Road Passenger Transport

Gas Industry

4.

The £ 143 ,000 St John Court, 28 flatlets for the elderly, opened in

Lord Aberdare (left) congratulates Dr J. Noel Roberts, chairman of

New president of London's 58 / 12 GPO (KEB! Combined Division

Mr. K. L. Williams (left), hands warrant of appointment to Div. Surg.

Dr. J. A. D. Vanhegan

First Gral1d Prio badges for Beccles Nursing Cadet Division - nine of tlo1em!

- presented recently by Commissioner for Suffolk

Dr. S. Gray. One of the g rls, Rosemary Sanford, is now n nursing training; UCadet Janice Lewis was promoted to adults.

(Photo Eastern Counties Newspapers)

Divisions/Centres

CAMBRIDGESHIRE - Ely Cadet

Division, after enrolling 11 cadets and 4 juniors on October 8, now has 21 cadets, who are trained by Div. Supt. Miss P. M. Pamment, assisted by AIM R. Home.

LINCS - October 6 was a nQstalgic evening for members of Louth Combined Division when Div. Supt. Charles Cummings handed over the division to the new Superintendent Lew Borman, and Div. Supt. (A/C) C. (Tilly) Fields handed over the ambulance cadets to the new Superintendent T. Tilling for both retiring superintendents had neld the posts since 1938 In fact, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Fields had been chums as boys and joined Louth cadets together in 1923 - so between them they've been in St. John for over a hundred years!

At the get -together Louth members presented Mr. Cummings with a silver tankard, and Mr. Fields, a keen photographer , with a slide box and pointer torch. Both men are now on the reserve.

NORTHUMBRIA Novocastrian

Division No. I Area Newcastle upon Tyne, held their annual dinner of reunion with retired and ex -members on November 1. Trophies were presented to AIMs F. Smith , A. Carr, W Webb and J. Sowerby.

Nostalgia at L(i)uth, Lines (See report). (L to R) New Div. Supt. (A/C) T. Till ng, takes over from Div. Supt. C. Fields; new Div. Supt.

A. L Borman, takes over from Div. Supt. C. Cummings. (Photo: Northgate Studio, Louth)

SURREY - In East Surrey, each year a different cadet division acts as host for the area church parade. This year 180 cadets paraded at South Park, Reigate, on September 29, and led by the Dorking-based Surrey cadet drum and trumpet band they marched to Sandcross Lane Church , where the service was held. The cadet flag was transferred from Lingfield Division to South Park and 20 cadets were enrolled. Later, awards were presented at the divisional HQ in front of many parents.

300 people attended the recent county enrolment service, when 40 cadets were enrol ed , at Weymouth in October (Left) The colour party. (Below) Before the service (L to R) Kenneth Mooring Aldridge, CSO; John Holcombe , Div. Supt; Fred House, Assist. C0mmissioner; Sir David Trench, County President and enwlling Knight; and Gen. R. Moberley Dorset Commissioner. (Photo: Reg. Vince n t Portland)

OBITUARY

Mrs. Ada Harvey, BEM, Vice-President , Grays Nursing Division, which she founded in 1920 and was superintendent until 1966. Officer of the Order, and awarded the BEM for voluntary services in Thurrock. Died October 3.

Shrewsbury: (right) 102 Salop members were on the 2-day Flower Show duty in August. (Below) Shrewsbury ambulance cadets n Rh yl for the day with Div. Supt. K Chow D v Off. H. Newell (2nd & 3rd from left ), parents and friends

(Left and below) For 17 years Hackney Combined Division

REVIEW CROSSWORD NQ. 12 (75)

(Compiled by W A Potter)

Across:

1. Child sl:ltTering from rigid paralysis of the muscles. (7). 5 Produced by placing an old penny iN cmt eyelid. (7). 9. BeeF consists English and French articles. (3) 10. Chief bony protuberance. (4). 12 Allowing variation in leg tint. (7). 13. TIl after phosphorus in medicinal preparation. (4). 14. How one feels when the treatment is successful. (4). 15. All return to distribute shares (5). 16 Small fish. (6). 19. Send the patient for another opinion. (5). 20. Lads can turn to malicious gossip. (7). 22. Epitaph for a scamp. (3) 23 Flexure of the large intestine. (7). 25. Urticarial rash for bees. (5). 28. Start a change to suet. (6). 30 An unusual route further from the centre. (5). 32. Relax one's etTorts to relieve pain. (4). 34. Teases bones. (4). 35. Cam keep dislocated sesamoid bone. (7). 36. Nitrogenous constituent of urine. (4). 37. Title desired without the deed. (3). 38. Try dose variation to extirpate. (7). 39. Marvellous girl for a sesamoid bone sometimes found behind the knee. (7).

Down: 2. Type of graft for the stem of a tumour. (7). 3. Most praiseworthy substitute fruit. (7). 4. Container for the doctor. (4). 5. Pustule on the retina? (6.4). 6. Additional rate change about ten. (5). 7. Sick editor follows doctor trained in the army fashion. (7). 8. Cardiac drug from the foxglove. (9). 11. Royal bird. (4). 17. Metal in haemoglobiN. (4). 18. <;::ondition characterised by uncontrollable desire to sleep (10). 19. Prepared for further business after the sale. (9). 21. Before food he has pain. (4). 24. Spoils the to transport the injured. (7). 26. Repeat again and again (7). 27. Structure containing the aqueous humour and vitreous body. (7). 29. He claims to foretell the future. (4). 31. What the signs and symptoms do when the patient has a relapse (5).33. Broken waves. (4).

Solution to Crossword No. 11 (75)

Across 1. Iron-willed; 6. Stop; 10. Fucidin; 11. Therapy; 12. Rip e ; 13 He.mp; 14. Leech; 16. A1.ter; 17 Diaphysis; 21. Halo thane; 24. Loins; 25. Tonic; 28. Apse; 29. Gums; 32 Sternum; 33. Animate ; 34. Sh.in; 35. Laryngitis.

Down: 1. I nfer; 2. OcciJ!lital; 3. Wide; 4. Linseed; 5. Ectopia; 71 Tease; 8 Psy.choses; 9. Heel; 15. Grit; 16. Athetosis; 18. I.o n; 19. Hall! ; 20 StimulaFlt; 22. Anaemia; 23 . Ecstasy; 26. Naevi; 27. Cant ; 30. 31. Ring.

VISUAL AIDS

The SJA Multi M edi a Appraisal which comprise s doctors, nu rses ,jirsaiders and visu al aid exper s, is one oj th e offici a lly appoin ted p anels oj th e British M ed cal Asso ciation. Its reviews are also published in the BMA 'Injormation'

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT

1974

16mm Col. 28mins. Hire : £3.00

Central Film Library, Government Building, Bramyard A venue, Acton, London W3 7JB.

Content: This film studies the concept of the new Act, giving responsibilities of employers , employees, landlords and details penalties now applicable It shows all who concerned in industrial safety.

Appriasal: This is an excellent and important film; it details the history of industrial safety amd gives a comprehensive rundown of the significance and provisions of the Act in clear an d concise terms.

Although the format of the film is of a television report with attendant 'talking head ' risks, the experts taking part are of such quality as to make the film an outstanding example of how to introduce an Act by means of film medium.

Apart from well-known T.V. reporters the following contribute: Lord Kearton Chairman of Courtaulds ; Bill Simpson, Chairman of thr Health & Safety Commission; Bryan Harvey, Deputy Directing Health & Safety Executive; Norman Willis, Assistant Secretary T U C.

This film is of great importance to all engaged in industrial safety and demands a universal audience. It should be screened at all SJ A classes where industrial first--aiders are present.

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO

16 mm 22 mins. Hire: £15.00. Purchase: £130.00

Millbank Films, Thames House, Londen S.W.I.

Content: This film shows correct working practice for the erection of scatTolds and platfGrms and points that falls and falling objects are the prime cal!lse of fatalities in indl!lstry.

Appraisal: This well-made accident prevention film will have great value within industrial fields for which it is made. The stor y -line is interesting enough for the presentation to be screened as a general interest film.

Audience: Of specific value to industrial first-aiders.

GERMS AND YOUR BODY

16mm COl. Hi) mins. Hi r e: £2.75

Gateway Educational Films Ltd., St. Laurence House , 29/31 Broad Street, Bristol BS 1 2HE.

Content: This film outlines the relationship between germ s and disease

Appraisal: This well -made film is most suitable for exhibition on hygiene courses - it develops logically and holds the interest.

Audience: Cadets and hygiene classes.

PERSONA L H E ALTH FOR GI RL S 16mm 12 mins. Hire: £1.00

Gateway Educational Films Ltd., St. Laurance House 29/31 Broad Street, Bristol BS 1 2HE.

Content: This film shows young girls the importance of grooming and hygiene

Appraisal: This excellent film touches upon all aspects of personal hygiene for young girls and emphasises the value of soap and water

ThJe American commentary is not stridelillt. Strongly Rec@mmended specifically for Hygiene Courses.

CLASSIFI.ED ADVERTISEMENTS

Audience: Nursing cadets , teenage girls and even tmeir parent s will find this of interest.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Driscoll Productions, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Nr. Woodbridge, Suffolk, I P12 3QF

Phone: ORFORD (STD 039 45) 548

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