St John Review (1979)

AT RANDOM

by Watkin W. Williams

THE CATASTROPHIC floods that swept through the plains of central India last August and September have long ceased to make headlines in our papers, but it will take years to restore the productivity of the soil and the normality of daily life in the waterlogged and devastated areas. Statistics in a country of the size and population o f India are apt to make the imagination boggle, but it is known that even in the upper reaches of the Ganges and J amuna rivers over a million people were flooded out of their homes, and the death-toll cannot yet be reliably estimated. And the whole of the accumulated flood water swept down from the junction of the rivers at Allahab a d and converged on the State of West Bengal and the city o f Calcutta, leaving devastation in its train and, w o rst of all, the lingering threat of cholera.

It is good to know that St. John Ambulance in India was ready to mobilise all its resources to provide instant relief in an emergency of such vast proportions that it's hard for our western minds to take it in. A few isolated examples taken from the October newsletter of the St. John Association chairman for West Bengal may hel p us to see the picture more clearly.

The small village of Sabujnagar was completely c u t o ff from the rest of the world, and its 51 families were desperately clinging to a little plot of land surrounded by a swiftly swirling flood. So two St. John volunteers from further upstream filled large pots with food and clothing, tied themselves to the pots and drifted with the current t o reach the 'island'; but they got stuck at Sabujna g ar because the current was too strong for them to swim against, or even for a boat if they had had one. Two days later, 20 more volunteers improvised a bamboo raft, fixed it on floating drums and drifted down with further supplies. As soon as they had disentangled themselves from the embraces of the marooned people they took out milk powder and prepared milk for the hungry children. A mother asked if it was safe to give such milk to her breastfed child. 'We shall give our children even poison if they

5.

4.

Grand Prior's Trophy

with a little more decorum.

then each group presented itself to the others.

SJA members and coastguards bring a stretchered ca sualt y up the cliffs at Whitby while (right) our author s thoughts on her role (Photo: John Tindale Whitby)

LIZ RIVIS, Assist. Sec. York Association Centre, took wellies and woollies for:

My very first training weekend

I WAS LATE, so with wellies in one hand and suitcase bulging with winter woollies in the other (which incidentally concealed a comparatively new and not well used Adult First Aid textbook), I hurried towards a large white vehicle with tinted windows and blue light on its top.

4 Yes, it was a St. John ambulance, and it was waiting for me. Two immaculately dressed Brigade officers stood beside the ambulance and I thought despairingly of the weekend ahead at the North Yorkshire Residential Field Training Centre, East Barnby. What was it going to be like?

By now it was 1O.30pm and tea and biscuits were a welcome sight It was about 11 0' clock when the washing-up was finally done and we went off to our billets. Each room contained four or five beds and we were told which room to go to. And of course we were with a different set of people but conversation was kept short and it was not long before we were asleep.

The splendour of the sun rising over this remote corner of the North Yorkshire moors, where there is nothing to be seen but moor and more moor was the st art to an unforgettable Saturday.

CAN BE HALF A MILE DOWN 1/ DIRECTING TRAFFIC (PAST AID DEMMO?) (E RIVIS 1978)

"WHO WANTS TO SPENO A WEEKEND LISTENING TO LECTURES ON FIRST AID . ... .... AND AT ALL TIMES KEEP CALM AND IN CONTROL WHEN ONE THE ROAD A FIRST

Well let's face it who wants to spend a weekend listening to lectures on first aid the need for strict self-discipline, the necessity of immediate communication with complete strangers, the ability to take and to give orders, and at all times to keep calm and in control?

I had never been on a training course. In fact the weekend was to be my introduction to members of the Brigade, having joined the Association only a matter of weeks before, and I did not really know what to expect. I certainly was not prepared for the weekend that followed.

The programme, I was told, would be full. It certainly was On the Friday evening Mr. J. D. Morley , Area Commissioner, arranged a showing of films, with subjects ranging from blood donors to IBM computers.

We were then put to work, the objective being communication - to get to know as much as possible about the 37 people on the course. A number of people obviously knew each other and small groups began to assemble around the room; but as I said, this was work, and we were quickly placed with people we did not know. Initially we introduced ourselves within the group and

The video-camera started rolling and the editors and producers faded into the background as the newsreader faced the camera. But then our friends, Executive Producers Dobson and Greear, proceeded to interrupt the programme with a news flash, to the absolute horror of newsreader and floormanager, for the programme was timed to exactly 10 minutes.

Later we played back the tapes , criticised and praised, and then laughed until we could laugh no more

No danger

Mr. M. Dobson and Mr. R. Greear, senior youth officers from North Yorkshire Education Authority, arrived at the centre without the expected briefcases laden with notes. Video -ca mera , recording equipment, lights and television sets unexpectedly took their place!

St. John Ambulance, it seemed, was to make the news -literally!

We were divided into three production teams , and each had to choose a producer director , floor manager and newsca ster. By 9 30am our programme 'T hirsk Today' was on its way to putting Yorkshire TV out of busine ss !

News items

During the morning news items flowed into our three make-shift studios: £'100,000 art theft from Thirsk Art Gallery, local girl returns after 10 years in Australia. The National Dailies arrived to be screened for anything interesting, letters from viewers complaining about the lack of gardening items the n ee d for advice on first aid in the home. There were reports from the County Council planning committee, reports on education and attitudes towards local comprehensive schools, and still the news kept pouring in.

We were to be on the air at 2pm , so no time was lost. Each item was scrutinised by a 'team of experts, who had to decide importance and interest value, how much time to be allotted for each piece should the item be at the beginning or at the end, or should it be mentioned at all?

By now things were quite hectic , with editors editing, newsreader rehearsing, producer timing each item , and dialogue being composed for interviews with local pop stars youth action workers , and special guest Annie, the girl just returned from 'Down Under '. Suddenly in the midst of all this each team was interrupted, to add a little extra tension. One team was told to stop production and go and wash the coffee cups. This was too much Self-co ntrol gone, John Coward the course director , was told to wash the pots himself! But the evacuation of Studio 3 due to a bomb scare was handled

at St. John Ambulance HQ, Whitby, for the dreaded emergency call-out: Then it camethe lifeboat had already been launchedand everyone was running We were on our way! - No time to worry now

We arrived at the scene of the accident on the cliff tops south of Whitby. The casualties provided by the Whitby Casualties Union had been carefully placed on the cliff side and the beach with the help of coastguards and Dr. Lesley Cooper. They were a party of deaf and dumb youngsters who, while out for a walk , had come across a device which had exploded, scattering them over the area.

After tea came the briefing for the Sunday afternoon practical outdoor exercise. We were told there would be no danger to casualties or ourselves, provided we kept calm and thought before we acted Other services would also be involved in the exercise, which would begin at 2pm.

My s pirit s had been lifted by such an enjoyable first· day on my first training weekend, but what about tomorrow? My fears raced back. But fortunately the others were just as anxious about the prospects of this practical outdoor' as I was.

Next morning at the breakfast table, two York City ambulance members , Bob Higgins and John Hall were in a playful moodthank goodness - and soon had everyone at our table laughing their heads off.

After the morning service we went back to work - to lectures. It seemed unfair to ask anyone to follow the witty and informative lecture given by County Treasurer John Pinch on How to give a Talk, but ex-cadet

David Popplewell who is currently working for his Ph D at Sussex University succeeded with a brief history on how man ' s theories on the function of the brain had progressed and influenced the treatment of psychological disorders.

After a hurried lunch and having donned wellies and woollies, I waited with the others

It was a very realistic scene and Whitby Division's Supt. A D. Hodgson, who had devised the exercise, had had the casualties placed so that both the Whitby lifeboat and a RAF helicopter were needed to rescue them. The lifeboat took some of the casualties to Scotch Head , where a St. John ambulance was waiting for them, others were lifted from the cliff by helicopter, while the ' remainder were carried up the cliff on stretchers by coastguards

Liaised Div. Off. John Ward , from Filey, who was in charge of the operation for St. John Ambulance , liaised with the other services to ensure the success of the operation.

You may be wondering what had happened to me at the scene?

Well soon after I arrived, all eager and raring to go , John Ward sent me a quarter of a mile back down the road to - direct the traffic! Being a Sunday afternoon hundreds of people made for the cliff-top to see what was happening so my job was really necessary.

And so ended my first training weekend, a weekend that had been valuable in developing communication with strangers , in keeping one's self-control and also in thoroughly enjoying ourselves.

Commonwealth Games

TWENTY St. John Ambulance members , ten men and ten women , aged between 18 and 25 years, had been selected from allover Britain, including Wales, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands to help as firstaiders in the XIth Commonwealth Games to be held in Edmonton , Alberta, Canada. I was very fortunate to be chosen to represent Guernsey for this three-week stay in Canada.

I left Guernsey on Sunday July 30 to spend the night along with - twelve others of the party at St. John House Club in London.

On Monday morning the rest of the party was met at St. John Ambulance HQ by Mr Alan McKay , who was to be in charge of the party. After a light lunch and a brief talk with Supt -in -Chief Lady Moyra Browne about Canada. we left by coach for Heathrow Airport.

We arrived in Edmonton , via Toronto. at about twelve 0 clock (Edmonton time) after 5

2nd prize winning essay by AMANDA ROWE, % Guernsey Nursing Cadet Division

a shattering seventeen hour journey. All twenty-one of us were to be the guests of Roman Catholic Brothers in their seminary; we were later to find what wonderful, people they were.

The first two days were spent getting over the effects of jet lag, getting to know the people we would be working with and generally finding out what we had to do. We were assigned purely for first aid to the spectators, the athletes having their own medical teams. We were allocated to three of venues of the games and were to work only at these sports. I had been allocated to boxing, the aquatic centre and to the stadium. There was to be a supervisor in charge, and he was to instruct in which areas we were to work; he also responsible for getting emergency help if required. We were to work mainly in pairs, walking around the areas allocated, looldng for any possible casualties and making ourselves clearly visible to the public. The stadium, being the biggest venue, was to be manned by approximately forty first-aiders, one to every thousand spectators. Twenty were to work on the east side of the stadium and twenty on the west (this number proved too few on the opening day as over a hundred casualties were reported on the east side owing to the intense heat of the sun). Each venue had at least one first-aid post, the stadium having two on either side, around which we were based. Each first-aider carried a St. John kit, which included a yellow flag to be waved if assistance was required.

Opening day

On Thursday, August 3, the opening day of the Games, I had unfortunately been allocated to work at Sir Winston Churchill Square, where the Queen was to have a walk around. Although there was a large number of people I had only one casualty.

A visit to a celanese factor y on Friday had been organised for us by the Chief Commissioner of Canada, which gave us an impression of the industrial area of Edmonton, and the evening was spent at a specially organised Commonwealth Games dance. I was given the Commonwealth Games mascot, a teddy bear called Keyano. One of our party, Don, won a 'Texan mickey', a 3.79 litre bottle of whisky (which was consumed in a week), and a number of free tickets to the Games \\fere won, which we gave to the Brothers.

My next duty was at the boxing on the Sunday. 1 didn't really enjoy this as 1 don t see much sense in the sport. But my duty at the aquatic centre proved to be really exciting. Close races were being swum that night , with Canada winning a lot of medals, so the crowd's response was tremendous. First-aid-wise the duty was very quiet.

My duty on the Tuesday was at the 6

stadium on the north-east side. Here we worked in rotation on the lower stands, the first -aid post and the upper stands. The steps on the upper stands were very steep and it was quiet frightening standing at the top (I can't bear heights); they were also very tiring That particular day was extremely hot. I discovered that the St. John jackets weren't as cool as they were meant to be, and 1 began to wonder if it was me who would be needing first aid!

Legislative Building

On Wednesday we made an official visit to the Legislative Building to meet the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta, who thanked us for our help in the Commonwealth Games, and Mr. McKay presented him with a St. John plaque. After a tour of the buildings, the Press took photographs of us with the LieutenantGovernor in our formal uniforms.

The Alberta Commissioner and his wife and other St. John members had been invited to a buffet lunch, which we had prepared at the seminary. This proved to be a very enjoyable occasion and the LieutenantGovernor's bodyguard presented us with a pin of the Alberta flag. That afternoon 1 had the opportunity to look around the pathology department at the Misericordia Hospital. The evening was spent at the Commissioner's home where we were· presented with Commonwealth Games shirts from the St. John members.

We were very fortunate to be able to visit the Athletes' village. On Thursday we were introduced to the English team manager, so were able to see a lot of the athletes. I also went to see some of the Guernsey team.

One of the best experiences of my threeweek stay was the night I spent as a third person working with Smith's Ambulances. This is a private ambulance service in Edmonton - in fact, the only ambulance service. I worked with the crew , Ken and Randy, who showed me all of Edmontonincluding the down and out places where the drunks, drug addicts and prostitutes hang out. I discovered that I was to have more than a glance of these places from an ambulance later that evening, which proved to be a fantastic experience and really opened my eyes to the reality of fast-moving city life.

Friday at the stadium proved to be my busiest day at the Games. I treated a cut finger, attended to a woman who had collapsed in the women's washroom and transported a young girl in a wheelchair to the station.

The closing ceremony of the Games on the Saturday began by absolutely bucketing down with rain. This enabled us to discover that the St. John jackets were also not waterproof, so after getting soaked, and when attempts to get official wet weather

gear had failed, we degradingly wore - wait for it! - 'garbage bags' with holes cut for our head and arms in order to keep dry. After controlling our fits of laughter we were able to go on duty. I froze that day. I was wet and cold , but the atmosphere of the stadium soon made me forget. England had done superbly, taking nearly every Gold Medal that day, so the mood was set for a carnival atmosphere as the Games came to a close. There was singing and dancing from several Commonwealth countries before representatives of each team marched into the arena. The ceremony was completed by all the athletes joining their teams , every nationality holding hands and celebrating together. This was the friendly atmosphere of the Commonwealth Games.

Sunday was for us a fairly sad night as we had to say good-bye to the Brothers and the friends we had made in Edmonton We did this in style by having a party at the seminary We gave the Brothers some gifts as a thank -you and I presented them with a Guernsey Can.

The next day we set off for Calgary where we were billeted out. Carole and I were very fortunate to stay with Cathy Jenzen. Our week in Calgary was completely different from the time spent in Edmonton. It was a lot quieter because we were billeted in the homes of individual families, so we managed to get a bit more sleep. The people in Calgary were extremely nice to us , but had been under the impression that they would be entertaining cadets!

Rocky mountains

The tour of Banff on the Wednesday was the highlight of our Calgary trip, despite the torrential rain. The scenery of the lakes in the Rocky mountains was absolutely breathtaking. I will make no attempt to describe it. Our day included a swim in the mineral waters of the hot spring and a ride to the top of Sulphur mountain in a cab le car, where it was snowing and surrounded by low cloud.

Our trips in Calgary included Heritage Park and horse -riding. I had never ridden a horse before and felt sure I was given the biggest animal. I was absolutely horrorstricken. On ce I had learnt how to stop the horse , who at every opportune moment would gallop off, and how to stop my bottom becoming raw, I quite enjoyed it.

On Sunday again we had the sad task of saying farewell to everybody especially Cathy who had been so good to Carole and me. The night was spent in Edmonton at Mrs. Chalmers', as we had to start our journey home very early the next day.

We arrived in London at 8 30am Tuesday morning after a complete day of travelling. After saying farewell to everybody I left London for Guernsey, feeling lonely , sad and tired but so thankful to St. John for letting me have the experience of a lifetime.

First-hand report of a funfair tragedy when part of the whirling chair planes crashed into the bonfire crowd, killing a teenager, and injuring 13 revellers

by Sgt. (Acting) P. A. FLINT, Portsmouth Ambulance Division

We

tried, but

JUST AFTER 6pm on Sunday , November

5 two ambulance members and I arrived at the car compound at Hilsea , Portsmouth , to pick up the ambulance and take it on duty at the public firework display in a nearby sportsfield.

After negotiating heavy traffic we arrived to find the Red Cross were also attending the duty. To cover the event, which attracted an estimated 35,000 people , we had the Portsmouth St. John ambulance, a Red Cross ambulance and a Red Cross mobile unit , together with 12 personnel.

As an added attraction to the fireworks, the organisers had provided a fair with all kinds of 'rides' We were standing by the ambulance when a member of the public approached and said that there had been an accident among the fairground stalls. I got into the ambulance, with my attendant, while another ambulance member ran across to assess the situation. Crowds were converging towards one of the 'rides' where the accident had occurred.

Young girls were screaming and running about, and with difficulty we made our way to a small clearing where the police and Corporation employees were trying to keep the crowds back.

'Trolley over here, please - quickly, came a voice from the other side of the railings A stretcher-trolley from the

ambulance was passed across and the severely injured patient put on it. Several other casualties were lying about and some lesser injured were walking about in a daze.

The stretcher was transferred to the ambulance as quickly as possible, while other St John and Red Cross members tended the other casualties.

We left in the ambulance picking up a police escort at the entrance to the field , and were then escorted through heavy traffic to the Royal Portsmouth Hospital about 4 miles away. Soon we were clear of the heavy traffic and were able to travel at speed. Our patient had now gone into cardiac arrest, and, having a County Service ambulanceman with us , cardiac compression and oxygen were administered

At the hospital we found a medical team waiting for us. We were told that another 10 or so casualties were being brought in by the county ambulances and the Red Cross. Despite our efforts , we later learned that our patient died during the night. She ,¥as 18 years old. On our way back to the fair, my thoughts were that the Red Cross, St. John Ambulance and all the professional services had worked as one big team. Worked for the service of mankind.

The newspapers, reporting the tragedy, stressed the importance of the part played by members of St. John Ambulance and the

Red Cross. Such was the impact on tht! public, that some of our members have been approached by complete strangers. commenting on the marvellous work carried out that night, November 5 1978.

SAIL CRUISES 1979

Places have been reserved for Brigade members in the S.T.A. schooners 'Sir Winston Churchill' and 'Malcolm Miller' for 13 young men and 13 girls, who must have reached their 16th birthday on the first day of the cruise, but NOT have reached their 24th birthday on May 1 1979.

The young men will sail in Cruise No 219 in the Sir Winston Churchill from June 1023, sailing from Teeside and returning to Newcastle.

Girls will sail in Cruise No. 203 in the Malcolm Miller from Oct. 28-Nov. 10, leaving from Southampton and returning to Dartmouth, Devon.

Counties are invited to nominate members for these places, supplying brief background information about each candidate, including dates of birth, home addresses and Divisions. Members who are interested should therefore apply to their Commissioners for consideration as soon as possible.

LOURDES 1979

The annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, arranged by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, will leave London by air on Friday, May 4 returning on Friday, May 11.

The Brigade have been asked to send a small party to assist with the care of the sick,

AROUND and ABOUT

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

BY THE EDITOR

Life saving

both en route, and at Lourdes, so would any Brigade members who would like to volunteer for this duty please apply to Mr. McKay at Brigade Headquarters, No. 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London, SWIX 7EF.

The Brigade party will again be led by Colonel Long , Commissioner for Lancashire, and the overall cost will be in the region of £ 125. Main requirement is for nurses, qualified if possible, and stretcher bearers.

A BLESSING TO COUNT

Playwright Constance Cox, who happened to see a copy of the St. John Review, writes: Were we always a nation of grumblers , I wonder? If not we certainly seem to have become one. And yet, if one stops and thinks we've still a good many things that other countries lack

Afloat

The St. John float. complete with an inflatable rescue boat. in the Lord Mayo r's Show Lond o n during November.

(Photo: Norman Coomber)

I'm really thinking of the little thingsthe kind that help to make life pleasant. Our daily pinta,

Thanks

both S1. John Ambulance and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. Some years ago, before he reitred from business, he was rescued by the lifeboat-men while on a fishing trip and while in Australia , after being mugged a nd knocked unconscious at a race - meeting , St. John Ambulance members came to his rescue. Mr. Young hasn t forgo,tten these experiences.

As a thank you to SJ A he has decided that certain monies accruing from stock he owns in America will be passed to White Horse Distillery, Elgin for

Mr. Ma cint osh, of Whit e Horse Distillery hands the firs instalment - 1000 dollars - of whisky-for-SJA-fun.d to HQ staff Officer Alan McKay

supplying whisky to our members! Now don 't au rush, everyone! We've been asked by Mr. Gordon MacIntosh, White Horse s Director of Publicity , to find the best way of handing out Mr. Young 's 'thank you' drams.

So we've decided to hold a 'Whisky' competition, to find the most ingenious or humorous way of distributing some of the real stuff' to our members. For instance, it could be to every member on completion of so many years Brigade service; or it could be (but I doubt it) for the man who edits their magazine

But send your suggestion, limited to 50 words, to Whisky Competition, PR Dept, St. John Ambulance, 1 Gro"svenor Crescent , London , SWIX 7EF, by the end of May , please.

Incidentally there s a Y2-gallon of White Horse whisky waiting for the winning entry. So get thinking.

serve it,' her husband retorted, 'because these men came to our rescue when no one else dared. They saved our lives at the risk of their own. To us they are holy men. Come, let us partake of what they have brought, for in their act of love I see the hand of God.'

On another occasion, Dr. Satya Paul (District Secretary, Midnapore Centre) heard than an outlying hospital was completely cut ofT and its doctors, nursing staff and patients were without food. So he filled his car with loaves of bread and drove 50km to a point where, still 3km short of his destination, the depth of flood-water impeded further progress. Here he managed to get a boat for a further 2km, and waded the last kilometre through knee-deep water to reach the hospital, where he was greeted by the staff and patients with tears of gratitude and joy. 'It was a sight worth a thousand hazards to brave,' he said.

In Midnapore city there are more than 15,000 wells which supply drinking water to the whole population and which had become contaminated by flood water, causing grave risk of a cholera epidemic. So a team of 40 St. John-trained college girls volunteered to undertake the task of disinfecting all these wells. And there the writer of the newsletter found them, 'going from street to street and well to well, bucket in hand and determination writ large on their gentle

HEREFORD and WORCESTER: (Above)

The Bishop of Worcester the Rt. Rev Robin Wood , who is a Sub-Prelate of the Order dedicated a new joint St John Ambulance and Br tish Red Cross Society headquarters at Bromsgrove during October Neither organ sation , who have both been very ac tive i n the town for many years , had a meeting place of their own Thanks to Mrs Friel , President , Bromsgrove Nursing Division , and her husband Dr Friel it was possible to lease ground at a peppercorn rent from the Regional Health Authority (Pho t o: Berrows Newspapers Ltd)

( Left) Staffordshire Burslem Combined Div sion members Mr. J Kelly and % Sylvia Heath who were marr i ed in the autumn

purely voluntary basis like every other member. He sent me the St. John Review, and this set me thinking. J myself, am a writer for the theatre, radio and television, and on my many visits to the theatre I've vaguely noticed the uniformed figures who sit unobtrusively in the auditorium, yet previously have never given a thought as to the reason for their being there. Again, watching a T.V. programme of a sports event such as Wimbledon, or wherever great crowds assemble I've noticed them amongst the spectators but if I've thought anything at all about them, it was only to envy them getting a grandstand view.

Now I know better, and I realise what a wonderful organization St. John Ambulance is. If I should be taken ill at the theatre one of these people will immediately come to my aid. If, in the press of a football crowd, someone should be trampled on , knifed or sustain a broken limb (only this time it wouldn't be me) he or she will at once be treated by trained staff - none of your clumsy help by well -meaning strangersand , if necessary, conveyed by ambulance to hospital. And these people do it all for nothing!

This brings me back to what I said at the beginning If we ve a lot to grumble about , surely we ve even more for which we ought

AT RANDOM

(Cont. from p.1) faces', untit their task was completed and the city saved.

These are but a handful of the many stories that could be told, and of the far greater number of which the full details may never be known, showing how our feJlowmembers of St. John in India coped with the desperate situation that overwhelmed their land and people. We salute them, as glorious examples to us all, for the indomitable courage, skill and perserverance with which they responded so superbly to the call to serve mankind.

21,000 competitors

At the final competitions for the Grand Prior's Trophies, held at Seymour Hall on November 30, Sir David McNee began his speech as our guest of honour by saying that he had intended to apologise for his Scots accent, but that after hearing the comments of the two principal judges (Dr. A. L. Cairns and Dr. Sandy Burns) he realised that he was on home ground!

He then paid a most generous tribute to the work carried out by St. John Ambulance in the very highest traditions of voluntary service. Time and again, he said, whenever

to be thankful. St. John Ambulance is as much taken for granted as our daily pinta, our mail and our newspapers. Like them, they're always on our doorstep when wanted. And do we appreciate them? Not us! But it's time we started to, because we'd miss them badly if they weren't there.

CONFERENCES

I hear that two conferences held in S & W Yorkshire during the autumn were very well attended.

70 Presidents and Vice-Presidents were at the conference organ i sed by County President Mrs. E. M. Ingham ; and some 270 delegates attended the biennial nursing conference at Harrogate.

TRIO'S 135 YEARS

Ceremonial parades will have an additional fee ling of pride for the three Bristol SJA men above.

MIND BENDERS (answers)

TRIO's 135 YEARS

For Mr Maurice Flook , 64 , of Brislington Mr. Reginald Meredith 66 of Southville and Mr. Williams Newbury , 67 , of Brislington will be sporting the sixth bar to the ir long -serv ice medals , denoting they have now served 45 years as first -aiders.

On Friday October 27 , at Knowle , the three men received their 45 year certificates from Area Commissioner Mr. Dacre Lennard at the annual inspection of

the need arose , the men and women of the St. John Ambulance Brigade stood shoulder to shoulder with the Metropolitan Police , the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service in carrying out with the greatest efficiency and compassion their task of rendering first aid; and he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to St. John Ambulance for providing so reliable a reservoir of expertise in both the training and the operational field

The competition for the men s trophy has probably never produced a closer or more sensational result, when the teams representing British Railways (Crewe) and the Sussex Police tied with equal marks in the aggregate. The rules of the competition provide that in such an event the trophy must be awarded to the team gaining the higher marks in the individual tests , which meant that British Railways emerged the winners - by half a mark! Having in mind that all the competing teams for the Grand Prior's Trophy are winners of the national finals of the first aid competitions within their own service or industry, and that the Grand Prior's Trophy is without question the premier award for competitive first aid in the United Kingdom and perhaps unequalled for its prestige in the first aid field throughout the world, both these teams deserve our warmest congratulations for the very high standard that they attained; and

while we offer added congratulations to Briti s h Railways for having just that fractional edge over their closest rivals we must also express deep sympathy with the Sussex Police for missing the highest award by so narrow a margin , and wish them a more triumphant success on some future occasion

The women s trophy went to the Metropolitan Police team by a much more comfortable margin - and what a tremendous pride and joy it must have been to Sir David when the moment came for him to present it to his own girls! In thanking him for giving us a whole afternoon of his very busy life to witness part of the competitions and present the trophies, we can only hope that this happy climax made him feel that it was all worth while - not least upon St. Andrew's Day!

But when the tumult and the shouting has died, what matters most about the Grand Prior's competitions is that at least 21,000 first -aiders took part in the preliminary and eliminating rounds, that 21,000 people are better first - aiders as a result of that experience, and that no matter at what stage a team was eliminated , its individual members can pass on the benefit of their experience - including what they learnt from. their mistakes - to countless other members of their local units, thus improving

beyond measure the quality of flrst aid in the whole community.

Lecturers

We sometimes hear complaints about doctors and nurses who don t stick to the manual when lecturing to first aid and nursing course s, or who use professional terms which are so familiar to themselves that they don t realise th a t the candidates can t understand them.

This can be ver y confusing and frustrating when it occurs , but the weight of evidence indicates that it s mercifully rare.

Professional lecturers who are new to the task can often be helped in a tactful way by giving them well in ad vance a copy of the manual and explaining that their class will consist of beginners who will be examined strictly on the procedures described in the manual. If this is done in a genuinely tactful and friendly way the lecturer is almost certain to be very grateful and all will be well.

We owe an immense debt of gratitude to our professional lecturers who , by and large, contribute far more to the interest of candidates than perhaps even the most experienced of lay instructors can hope to do Much more difficult to handle, in my view , is the lay instructor who unconsciously tends to show off his expertise in matters

Totterdo w n Combined Di vision , the oldest division in the Bristol area. It is the first time for the division that three 45 year certificates have been presented on the same occasion.

The three men joined SJ A in the early '30s - Mr. Flook as a cadet, Mr. Meredith as an ambulance member and Mr. Newbury in South Africa.

Congratulations , gentlemen! that are well beyond the scope of the syllabus, or who feels that he will ' lose face' if during question time he occasionally says I don ' t know ', or 'That is a question which I think only a doctor should answer and in either case adds ' But I'll flnd out and let you know next week Far from losing face, a lay lecturer who ha s the courage to take that line gain s immensely in stature in the estimation of his class.

A few days ago I happened to hear a ftrstaider of long experience remark that he almost always found doctors more interesting than lay instructors because they can quote incidents from their professional experience, and this embroidery' gives added interest. And a doctor who was present said What you want is anecdotal reinforcement of ftrst aid teaching '. Very true; but first and foremost what we need is t o be taught really sound basic first aid with just the occasional anecdote to embroider or reinforce it.

Be that as it may, we need all the help we can possibly get from both our professional lecturers and our lay instructors . We couldn t possibly surv ive without that help , and, rather than ' slamming' them on the very rare occasions when we feel they've let us down we must tr y to help them to make the help they give us even more effective than it is already.

Our HAT and your HAl R

LET'S TRY, TRY AND TRY AGAIN - TO GET THEM TOGETHER AS THEY SHOULD BE

From the SUPERINTENDENT-IN-CHIEF

to all Officers, NCOs, and Nursing Members:

This time not cartoons but photographs of How Not to wear Our Hat and Your Hair. Everyone taking part had a lot of fun, but it was fun with a purpose.

'f continue to be very concerned at the way I see the tricorne hat being worn as f go round the country and in photographs in the Review.

So many admire our nursing dress, but so many criticise the way the hat is worn. I cannot/orget the comment of a senior overseas officer standing on the steps 0/ St. Paul's watching our girls coming up Ludgate Hill: she said, "What a pity so many insist on wearing their hats on the back of their heads".

The January 78 Review had a two page spread showing the right and wrong ways of wearing our hat. I kno w different hair-dos create problems, but I thought we covered this in the photographs which we are now re-printing in this issue. However, people do not seem to have got the message!

To wear one's headgear like Yankie Doodle does not add to one's dignity and give confidence LO one 's patie11ls.

PLEASE DO TRY. Ifeel so proud of you when you are correctly and smartly dressed , but the way som2 of y ou wear your hat is neither correct nor becoming. To wear the hat properly costs nothing!

If at once you don't succeed, try, try and try again! So we repeat: The same basic tricorne hat is worn by SJA presidents, officers and members. Appropriate ribbons and badges are added to denote appointment and rank The hat is designed to be worn with the point to thefront, straight or very slightly tilted to the right , andfirmly on the h ead so as not to blow offin the wind or need visible anchorage by hat-pins.

If YOU think by wearing Our Hatfirmly on the head it will make you look stern andfrumpish, and that an y ho w YOUR hairstyle is difficult to adapt, don't you think the photographs below prove that solar as Our Hat and Your Hair is concerned nothing is impossible?'

Vicki (above) deliberately made her hair untidy - just to emphasise the way NOT TO DO IT - and put on Our Hat (old and new) in the most often seen incorrect combination.

One version or another of this too -much - hair -showing and hat -too -far - back is seen all the time - everywhere - on public duty at inspections , parades , conferences , training days and in just about ev ery issue of the Review. If you don ' t believe us, what about the photograph right! Even when the hair is neat and becoming , too much of it showing and the hat on the back of the head is INCORRECT!

Like many a member in haste and who out of uniform ne ver wear s a hat , Ursula and Wendy just planked on Our Hat - they neither arranged nor disarranged their hair , gave not a thought to Dress Regulations and here is what they looked like (right and below) : First , Ursula has the point of OUf Hat over her right eye instead of to the front , and then on the back of her head. Imagine trying to attend to a patient like that - indoors or out!

Wendy ' s Afro hairstyle (right) is popular with the young and here is the full face and profile result of her just planking ' on Our Hat. Hardly what would delight the Inspecting Officer's heart is it?

But just look at Ursula and Wendy on the previous page. Ursula s hair is neatly dressed in a French pleat and Wendy s is brushed back and down with a few out -of- sight grips and a spray of lacquer applied , and Our Hat is worn correctl y . The result? - Their appearance in uniform is all that one could wish for. And it didn't ruin their hairstyles for the rest oftheday!

Jessie Dawn Ursula Wendy Barbara

Hat correctly worn with hair suitably styled

ORDER

INVESTITURE

by the Lord Prior, Lord Caccia

London, Nov. 23

Vice Admiral S i r Ronald Brockman of Devon becomes a Commander of the O rder

Winston S Churchill MP who has been a pilot member of the SJA Air Wing since 1974 becomes an Officer of h e Order Sir Peter Hunt, who is chairman of the St. John Council in Cornwall is invested as an Officer of the Order

Commander (Brother)

Frank Weedon. QPM (Isle of Man).

Vice Admiral Sir Ronald Brockman KCB. CSl, ClE, CBE, DL (Devon).

George James Bla ckbo row OBE, QPM ( Birmingham)

Lieu!. Col. William Howat Leslie Gordon. CBE, MC (Bucks).

Joseph William Limb (Derbys).

Hamilton Melville Weaver, MB ChB Peterborough).

Henr y William Kemp. BEM (Essex).

Ronald J ohn Bra y (Cornwall).

Michael Wickham. MB. BS (W. Midlands).

Commander (Sister)

Florence. Miss Anderson, SRN. SCM, RFN ( Humb erside).

Margaret Joan Miss Downing. MBE ( Berkhamsted ),

Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw. DBE MA, D Phil. D.Phil, DSc FIMA (Manchester).

Ivy. Miss North. MBE (Lo ndon)

Officer (Brother)

Sir Kenneth Newman. LLb (Belfast).

Samuel Leckey Herts),

Norman James Cole (Gloucester),

Arthur Ronald Jones, MIST. FRSM (Birkenhead).

Charles Guy Pantin, MD, FCPath, BCh (Isle of Man).

Winston Spencer Churchill. MA, MP (Sussex).

General Sir Peter Mervyn Hunt GCB. DSO, OBE (Cornwa ll)

Surg. Capt. John Duncan Walters, MB , BS. MFCM, D[H, DPH ( Hants)

Vivian Michael Leveaux. MD FRCP. JP (Derby).

Kenneth Francis Manly Loughnan (Su ssex).

Col. Peter Harrison Swinhoe, OBE, MB BChir. MRCS LRCP, DOb st (He reford / Worcs).

Kenneth Wilce Campbell. BEM ( Hereford /Worcs).

Stephen John Potter (Wa rwi ck).

Eric Dennis Hanson (Staffs).

Thomas Smeetham Woodhouse (Newcastle upon Tyne).

Donald Edward Gautrey (Hants).

Kenneth J ames Foster (Wirral).

Frederick George Warren Boyles (Wilts).

Kenneth Charles Aldred (Norfolk),

Major Dominic Diamund Campbell (Wilts).

Officer (Sister)

Elizabeth Maeve, Mrs Young (Cheshire).

Freda Mary Mrs. Gray (Essex).

Eileen, Miss Gleadle-Richards, BA (Glos)

Olive Rita, Mrs. Davies, SRN (Hants).

Margaret Denholm, Mr s. Leith (Northumbria).

Amy Georgina Mrs Taylor (Hounslow).

Jean Valerie, Mrs. Williams (Hereford/Worcs).

Serving Brother

Peter Robert Rate (Kent).

Cyril Robertshaw Eyre (Halifax, Yorks).

Major Walter Frederick Barrow (Surrey).

Francis Edward Harling (London SE).

Harold William Lees , MRCS LRCP Lanes).

Thomas Jackson (Sth Yorks).

John Robert Brown (Notts).

Alexa nder Leonard Page (Herts).

Charles G Strasser (Staffs)

Lo n don DSO Peter Rate an ex-ca d et from Sidcup Ken t. who is the E;l rigade's Assistant Radio Communications Officer, becomes a Serv ing Brother

Richard Ian Smith MB ChB, DObst (Lanes).

John Bag nal Harvey (London E).

Clifford Gaunt Oddy, MB. ChB, DPH , MFCM ( Sth Yorks).

John Jones (Oxon).

Arthur Stanley Glanville (Surrey).

Dr. John Warren, of Stone , Staffs, who joined the Brigade as a ca det in 1937 and is now Stone

Nursing Cadet Divisional Surgeon becomes a

Serving Brother

James Slator BM BCh, MRCPE (No rfolk).

Stanley Charles John Harvey (Devon).

John Barrett Turner, JP, DL (London N).

Cecil James Babcock (Staffs).

Norris Wilkinson (Lanes).

Ronald Meade Grant (Bournemouth).

Michael Sidney Heath (London E4).

Lionel Percy Marris (North ants)

Albert Sidney White (Somerset).

David George Spracklan (London EC ).

Frederick Arnold Jones (Liverpool).

John Lewis Warren , MB. BS DRCOG (Staffs).

James Mowbray Stewart (Middx).

Timothy Charles Doyland (Norfolk).

Charles Herbert Major (Whitby).

John Frederick Newman (London E4)

Philip Francis Drake (Hants).

Arthur Revitt (Sth Yorks).

Victor William Phillips (London SW)

Thomas Richardson (Tyne & Wear).

Alfred Gordon Geard (Somerset).

John Percival Coleman (Middx).

Harold Walter Skinner (No ttingham ).

William Henry Tombs (Bucks).

James Albert Adams (H erts).

Albert Victor Kimber (Londo n SW 16).

John Howard [nskip, MA, MB, BChir (Somerset).

Serving Sister Elizabeth, Lady Grimthorpe (Nth Yorks).

Iris Mae, Mrs. Lee Fowler ( De von).

Brenda Jean Mrs Boyce (Avo n).

Agnes Ethel, Miss Bing (K ent).

Judith Adeline Mrs. Le Tessier (Guernsey).

Hazek Lilian , Mrs. Ward (Devon).

Kathleen Mary, Miss Wilson (Kent).

Gwendoline Ruby Hilda Mrs. Stone (Kent).

Jacqueline Mary, Mrs. Long ( Bristol).

Annie Elizabeth , Mrs. French ( Essex )

Dinah Grafton, Mrs Moore (Guernsey).

Alice Edna. Mrs. Maddrell (Isle of Man).

Dily s, Mrs. Smith lP Kent ).

Phyllis Mary, Mrs. Tozer Devon)

Kathleen, Mrs. Knox Dick (Humberside).

Gillian. Mrs. Mann, SRN (Essex).

First aid story wins John a dream holiday

THE FUNNIEST first aid story of the year recently won a £500 Mediterranean holiday for Weymouth Div. Supt. John Holcombe and his wife, Joyce, seen here at London Airport. And not only that , the tale of an injured boxer and the choc-ice treatment has given Mr. Holcombe the chance to enter the second part of the competition with a £ 1,000 cash prize.

The national Sunday People/ Band Aid competition was for the most hilarious firstaid experience.

Mr. Holcombe won with the tale of a boxing contest that took place in Weymouth just after World War 2. A Royal Navy stoker was fighting when he received a blow betweeI1 the legs, and a doctor asked for ice to use as a cold compress_

'All we had available were choc-ices, and we packed eight of them with a nappy on to

Ann

the stoker! recalled Mr. Holcombe. Needless to say, with such inventive treatment the patient made a full recovery. When it came to choosing his story, Mr. Holcombe had to decide between his winning one and another Weymouth incident which happened last year.

An elderly couple were setting up their wind-break on the beach, the wife using a mallet to knock the stakes into -the ground. Unfortunately the canvas was over her husband's head - which she mistook for a stake, and knocked him out cold!

Mr. Holcombe has been in the Brigade for 30 years, his wife is a nursing member, and so are their two daughters. Mr. Holcombe's wealth of first ajd experience should also stand him in good stead for the second part of the competition, which entails completing a serious questionnaire about first aid.

Mrs Winifred Siggers, Superintendent of Gravesend Nursing Di vision with 32 yea rs in the Br igade nvested as Serving Sister

Susan Mary. Miss Green (Glos).

Daisy Irene , Mrs. Harding (Avon).

Joyce, Mrs. Gorin SEN ( Devon)

Janet Matilda, Mrs. Mash (Bucks).

Irene Flora, Miss Bishop (Wares).

Patric a

Mrs. Dawe, JP (Cornwall).

Shirley Joan Mrs. Somerton SRN ( Hants).

Rachel Ann, Miss Hickman Dorset

Elizabeth Amanda Mrs. Spence (Cleveland).

Edith Frances Mrs. Smith (Glos).

Isabel Enid, Miss Suddaby ( Humberside).

Winifred Mary, Mrs. Siggers ( Kent ). loan , Mrs. Qi,Jine (Isle of Man).

Margaret. Mrs. Stackhouse (Manch ester ).

Kathleen Elizabeth, Mrs. Sims (Cu mbria).

Anne Frances. Mrs. Harvey ( Guernsey)

Mrs. Durham received the insignia of Serving Brother on behalf of her late husband Frank Durham ( Goole).

Mrs. Burton received the insignia of Servi ng Brother on behalf of her late husband , Edward Page Burton (Norfolk).

FIRST AID IN SCHOOLS

from John Springer, Divisional Superintendent

May I please reply to some of Watkin W. Williams's (Nov. 78) deeply wounding attacks on my original letter?

In view of the fact that to cover the philosophy behind anyone of the points I was trying to make would occupy whole editions of the Review I feel he was less than fair to allow himself to descend to personal abuse rather than looking behind the necessarily terse format of the letter.

Initially I was replying to the criticism that Mr. B. J. Williams made - namely that a teacher left a patient and returned to his class. If a trained person, non-teaching, had been available, both groups would have received adequate attention after the first necessary action.

My division was without a surgeon for five years because of deaths , retirements, moves of doctors in the local practices. I asked permission to lecture under special circumstances. I still have a file of dismissive and sometimes vituperative refusals.

We had to pay doctors thirty / forty miles a night travelling expenses on top of their fees. (Materialistic again!)

For this remuneration we were rewarded with lectures on how to treat burns by covering them with grease and on another occasion, how to deal with an apparently drowned man by placing him , facedown, on your head and bouncing him to drive water out of stomach and lungs.

I, a professionally qualified teacher with valid FA certificate, had to listen to farragos of this nonsense and pick up the pieces.

Train teachers: Yes. Help them maintain valid qualifications : Yes. But in school make sure other people can continue treatment before there are more casualties in unsupervised laboratories wood -work rooms, or even playgrounds.

Huddersfield John Springer

Reply from Mr. Watkin W. Williams: Many thanks for showing me Mr. Springer 's second letter and thus enabling me to reply without delay

While I most sincerely regret having deeply wounded him by my reactions to his first letter, I should like him to know that I did not write in hot haste, but only after several days' careful deliberation so as

READERS VIEWS

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

to ensure that I wrote nothing but what was fair comment. In his second letter he explains, quite clearly and tersely , what he intended to say in his first letter though in fact he said something totally different. I feel bound to maintain that I consider that my reactions to that letter were completely justified , and am very thankful that they should have elicited a clear statement of his real opinions , which I accept without question.

Many of us have at some time met professional lecturers who have alas strayed far from the teaching in the FA manual and cause confusion to their classes, and this is to be deplored . Bul they are a very small proportion of the large number of doctors whose sound and dedicated help we greatly, and gratefully value. Epping Watkin W. Williams

from B J. Williams, Divisional Officer

May I thank those who replied to my letter referring to first aid in schools (July Review) for their opinions.

D /Supt. Springer refers (Oct. Review) to a letter published in a ROSPA magazine, which unfortunately our school, although subscribing to ROSPA , does not receive May I suggest that Mr

Springer advises the St. John Review of the contents of this ROSPA letter so that we may benefit from his opinions?

Meanwhile, I would however like to reply to some points raised so far on this subject.

Mr. Springer writes 'A teacher is professionally committed to his class of pupils.' This is quite correct. However, in the examples I quoted the teachers concerned took upon themselves to render first aid and in both cases I believe it to have been bad first aid.

A boy involved in an accident in a school gym at 9.40am received injuries to his rib cage. A large swelling formed and he was unable to

allow his arm to touch his side. He was not, however, allowed to receive first aid and it was not until he went home for his lunch at midday that hi s mother took him to hospital where he was found, I understand, to have a fractured rib.

In this instance, as with the previous cases, had the teachers concerned received any first aid training, I am sure none of these situations would have occurred.

Re. additional payments for first aid qualifications: Should such qualifications be insisted upon the teachers unions should, and I feel would, insist on suitable remuneration.

REALISTIC FEES FOR FIRST AID COURSES

from Thos H. Hollingworth, Auxiliary Member

In his splendid article in the September Review, the DirectorGeneral stresses the importance of the Voluntary Societies in first aid training and warns us of the possibility of competition from Further Education Authorities. He rightly says that we must keep St. John in the forefront as the natural organisation to be entrusted with first aid training. And why not? We have been dOlng it so well for so long a time. He also stresses that the Association needs help in extending first aid training for industry, commerce, statutory bodies and the public, at unsubsidisedfees

In the October Rev ie w, Watkin Williams also encourages us to maintain the high standard of our training, and again there is the comment about competition with others in this field and about the need to charge realistic fees.

I am in agreement with these gentlemen in many respect s, for they are in a position to see the thing nationally, whilst I see it as it appears locally I would therefore like to make some comments.

We have charges laid down by HQ for lecturer's fees, examination fees and certificates, and we accept these without question ; and yet there is no nationally agreed fee to be charged to class members. We find locally that we lose potential trainees to other organisations, not because their standard of training is better , but because their charges are lower,

Already, however, in February 1879, the Association had opened a stores at St. John's Gate for the sale of handbooks, d iagrams, bandages and stretchers

It is also reported that from the earliest days the sylJabus required 'inst ruction and examination in the use of the stretcher' which had to be 'purchased outright for each class'. On July 25 in the same year the Central Executive Committee published requirements for certificate registration, including the cost of certificates and fees. So from the earliest days it is apparent that courses of instruction were organised by Centres and that the cost was defrayed by fees charged to the individual members.

At much later dates Centre fees and National Registration fees were also levied.

It has always been possible to communicate standard charges to organisers where these are known or controlled nationally, eg fees for lectures and examiners, cost of manuals , mileage allowances and the like. There remain , however, other charges which can only be known locally, for instance, hire of accommodation, heating , -lighting, hire of equipment clerical expenses in connection with the organisation of the course and other factors and for these reasons it is impossible to flX a standard fee.

Thos. H. Hollingworth

The cost of attending a FA course at evening classes held in a Technical College within reasonable travelling distance is less than 25% of our charges. And members of the public are prepared to travel to another town not many miles from here, to attend a FA course organised by a St. John division there. Even with travelling expenses, the cost for two persons attending that course is little more than the cost for one person attending ours Economics! Are we getting so money-conscious that we are in danger of forgetting what we are here for - to help others? I remember a well-known lo cal man who devoted his life to public service in many spheres. His motto was 'It's not what you take out that counts, it's what you put in'; his epitaph was Service, not Self. I wish that I could live up to his reputation. Newark , Nolls.

Reply from the Director-General:

I was interested to read the thoughtful letter of Mr. Thomas H . Hollingworth, who is worried that we may perhaps be getting too money conscious in respect of our charges for various courses of In fact, it is the marriage of voluntary administration With professional standards of instruction which is one of the chief glories of St. John Ambulance and which enables it to offer its services to the public at reduced and, in some cases , subsidised rates.

There is nothing new in all this. The annals of the Association ·tell us that in July 1880 an extensive ambulance 'Crusade' in the Midlands and mining districts was undertaken by Surgeon-Major G. A. Hatton, commencing at Whitehaven in Cumberland. From th 1 h" en IS retirement 10 1906 Dr. Hatton was reported as being an active, zealous, and successful 'Missioner' of the Association.

Discretion , however, has always been allowed to County Directors to remit or reduce charges in the case of other voluntary and charitable organisations and it is well known that many lecturers and examiners waive their charges to the benefit of the organisers of such classes.

What is unacceptable, however, is the subsidisation of instruction where the qualification is required for statutory purposes by candidates put forward by industrial or commercial interests; much damage is done to the interests of St John by the accommodation of such students on conventional courses. Further difficulty arises where courses are organised by Local Education Authorities at evening classes and in Further Education programmes. It has to be recognised that such courses are provided as a rate-supported amenity for the general public and it is, therefore possible to charge such students at a much lower rate. Again, many students on such courses do not seek a formal certificate but are content to study the subject from general interest; there is thus no reason why they should pay the registration element for a qualification they do not require

Fortunately the difficulties to which I have referred above may almost always be resolved by strict adherence to the principles laid down by Mr. Watkin Williams, the former Deputy C-in-C, in his most valuable publication 'The Class Secretary's Handbook, published by St. John Ambulance as a guide to Brigade personnel concerned with the organisation of Association courses. Where this admirable guide is followed there can be no clash of interest between anyone connected with such a course, and the duty of the Association to teach and that of the Brigade to practise the art of first aid receives its happiest expression.

Headquarters P A. Lingard

At

Re. no professional value: I suggest that any qualified teacher who is a member of St. John approach his Association County Director and should he be satisfied with both his teaching qualifications and knowledge of first aid , a lay instructor's certificate could be grantedholders of which are entitled to receive a payment of £4.50 per hourly lecture, plus expenses.

I agree that the school's ancillary staff are in a far better position to deal with emergencies and am pleased to say that since informing the local authorities in Suffolk of my intention to write my original letter to the St. John Review, and the discussion I had with them as a result, advertisements for school ancillary staff now state that 'first aid qualifications would be an advantage'.

Re. Mr. Jones' letter (Sept.) I must admit that I was under an illusion with regard to police and fire service first aid qualifications Nevertheless, had those teachers mentioned earlier had any first aid training, be it 30 years ago , I am sure they would never have treated the casualties in such a way.

I believe, therefore, in the interest of both injured or sick children who have to accept their teachers' assessment of their condition , and the teachers who have the unenviable burden of responsibility of the children that they may recognise the genuine casualty and arrange for the necessary treatment, the Education Authorities should provide the teachers with first aid training.

Ipswich B. J. Williams

ALL-WEATHER UNIFORM

from M Priscott, Divisional Secretary

In response to K. P. H.'s letter about wearing uniform (Nov. Review) I would like to make the following points.

Our uniform is supposed to be worn when we are on duty , but it doesn't change for the different duties we undertake. I have been roasted during summer duties even in shirt sleeve detail and frozen stiff more times than I care to remember. If the Brigade can come up with an all-weather uniform, fine; but until then K. P. H. is going to have to put up with a variation in our uniforms.

My division is regularly on duty at the Silverstone racing circuit and has had members seen on TV. We all know that the correct uniform is just not suitable for such duties. The last time I was there I wore a vest, teeshirt, uniform shirt, pullover, tunic, two pairs of socks and a black leather jacket and was still frozen. With the reflective jackets insisted on by the circuit, I felt like the Michelin man. When the powers-that-be come up with a warm waterproof coat that can be worn as part of the uniform, I for one will be pleased.

Lastly, when are we going to move into the present day and get rid of those terrible haversacks? They get in the way, are not liked by younger members due to the comic remarks they cause, and could even melt if a member tried to go too near, say, a burning racing car. If we must have a bright strip across our tunics why not a reflective Sam Brown type belt, as worn by some motorcycle police?

I say give a uniform that is suitable and that we like and we'll wear it. Till then it will be each to his own.

Wellingborough M. Priscott

PUBLICITY

from G. T. Sax. Deputy County Director

I was interested to read Corps Superintendent J. J. Benson's letter (Oct. Review) about a slide lecture on the Order and St. John Ambulance.

Feeling that it would be useful to have a standard set of slides and a commentary (very much on Mr. Benson's lines) I wrote to Headquarters, but was told that this material was not available. However, I was given a dozen associated slides and a set of notes ' and told that no doubt there was plenty of material allover the UK! I'm sure they are right.

I came to the conclusion that there was nothing for it but to compile my own talk, and get my own slides. This was fine as far as it went, but

18

I soon found that a standard talk was a snare and delusion. So far I have never given my talk as written, nor shown the slides in the original order of compilation. As Mr. Benson states, a flexible format is required, the difficulty being that audiences are so different - from cadets and schools to adult Brigade members, from historical societies to OAPs , Mothers' Unions, etc.

While I would like to support Mr. Benson as regards the availability of a set of slides from Headquarters, with notes on each, in my experience the lecturer should make up each talk to suit each audi.ence; but I would suggest that from a standard set of slides a most important element would be lacking, namely, local county colour, eg a pre-war Brigade unit, a colour-party, the annual county inspection, an Association class, competitions, ambulances, a team in action at the local agricultural show, a Royal visit, to mention only a few.

For Gloucestershire I have a total of 75 slides, including 7 picked up in Malta and 6 from a friend who visited Rhodes. My local slides total 12, including one from a book illustration of the execution of Sir John Langstrother, after the battle of Tewkesbury in 1471. This goes down well with local audiences, especially the young ones! The remaining slides were made from book illustrations, photographs (some from the Review) and maps. I have never been able to use all 75 slides in one talk, but all have been used at one time or another. Incidentally it would seem sensible to discard a few local slides each year, as new opportunities arise

One final word. I always used to start at the beginning of our history, working up to the present day. I now find that in most cases interest is better held by starting with the position today and ending with a final section under the heading 'You may be interested to know how it all began '. Those who are bored by history can then go to sleep , but at least the main message has been got across while they are all fresh!

No, I am not prepared to lend my slides , or my notes. It is more rewarding and great fun to do it yourself; with a lot of reading and , of course, assistance from Headquarters. Cheltenham Gordon Bax

CADET

LOWER AGE LIMIT

from David S. Gee. Divisional Superintendent I would be most interested to hear any views regarding the lower age limit of ambulance and nursing cadets.

ASSESS!

And get your priorities right by NAN of Prestan, Lanes

Sorrywe're closed except for emergencies

I find, as I am sure many other officers of cadets do, that if an 8year-old joins us as a junior it is very frustrating for him (not to mention the officer in charge) to have to wait until the age of 11 before being able to take his Essentials of First Aid examination The three grade tests are all very well, but not the same as gaining the FA certificate, or so the juniors in my Division tell me.

I would suggest that a drop out of up to 15% can be found in some divisions by juniors between 9 and 11 years old, due mainly to loss of interest, no matter how hard the officers work to retain this.

I would suggest that if a junior has been on the register for 12 months he should be allowed to take the EF A certificate on reaching his 10th birthday.

Ten-year-olds of today are surely capable of achieving and practising what an II-year-old could 20 years ago?

ON CAMERA OR NOT

from Peter Wilson. Ambulance Member

never cause it to be disgraced or fall into disrepute. And B) that if I ever broke or bent the rules (which I do not ) I would take jolly good care not to be caught or seen by Brigade personnel let alone the general pUblic.

Everyone in the Brigade should have made some commitment on joining an organisation where self-discipline is of paramount importance, as we are all volunteers.

In the first analysis, responsibility for breach of regulations must be with officers and NCOs who observe the regulations being broken but decide to turn a Nelsonian eye These people are given rank and status and they should use their position to ensure , firstly, that they set an immaculate example to subordinates, and , secondly, to ensure that subordinates follow their example. If they are incapable of doing so, they should not hold rank.

Sowerby Bridge, S & W Yorks David S. Gee In the final analysis it is up to the rule-breakers to look hard at themselves (or perhaps for others to look very hard at them) and decide whether they have the self-discipline to carry out their obligations under BGR 76 '(b) Loyalty: To recognise as part of their duty and privilege to assist in maintaining the loyalty, goodwill and discipline essential to the good order of the Brigade and to carry out their duties with zeal and efficiency to the best of their ability .'

I was horrified to read K. P. H.'s letter (Nov. Review) and appalled by the final line .' Please , can we all make a big effort, if only when the cameras are present.'

I made my 'big effort' when on joining the Brigade I made the personal commitment that:

A) I would obey the rules and regulations of the Brigade and so conduct myself in and wear the uniform of the Brigade so that I would

Palace Duty:

ON A COOL cloudy morning last June, District Supt Miss Neville-Kay and I drove to London for what was to be the duty of a lifetime.

The State Apartments at Buckingham Palace were to be opened to 1,000 members of the National Art Collection Fund. 1978 was the 75th anniversary of the Association and, as the Queen is its patron, the apartments were to be opened to honour the occasion We felt very excited at having been selected to provide first aid facilities.

We parked the car as directed at the tradesmen's entrance, popped across the road for a cup of coffee, and at a quarter to ten were met at the Palace Gate by a member of the household s1aff who directed us to our first aid posts inside. One was in the state glass pantry, another in the cinema , and a third in the Grand Entrance Hall , which is known as The Well. Two ambulance members from East Molesley were also on the duty and we alternated posts throughout the day.

The morning passed quite slowly , but this gave us an opportunity to absorb our surroundings. The glassware in the state glass pantry was beautiful, of many different types and sizes, and all engraved with the ' Royal cypher. It was stored in mahogany cupboards dated 1861. In the cinema it was

Incorrect dress and smoking openly, in my opinion, undermines the loyalty , goodwill and discipline and those members who are unable to fulfil their Brigade obligations should no longer be members

In other words, if you cannot keep the rules and others know you are breaking them , get out of the Brigade! We don't need you.

London S W4

magical memories forever engraved on my heart

easy to imagine the Royal Family watching films. The Grand Entrance Hall is magnificent and is known as The Well because steps lead up from it on three sides to the Marble Hall. The furnishings were enhanced by huge standard fuchsias. It didn t take much to visualise coaches pulling up at the main door - the red cinder courtyard echoing to the horses' hooves.

At lunchtime we were escorted to the staff dining room where we had a pleasant meal of fish and chips (much to my friends' amusement) followed by treacle tart and custard.

After lunch we were able to tour the State Apartments at leisure The Grand Staircase is a marvel in itself -:- the gilt bronze balustrading , so ornate, is set off by red carpets and bronze stair-rods. We walked through the various drawing-rooms, each with its own colour scheme and named respectively with so many treasures and antique furniture to see

The picture galleries too are full of the most beautiful paintings - even the Rembrandt is an original! The picture frames themselves are very elaboratemostly gold and cream, and very heavy

The State dining -room's highly polished mahogany table, which seats 60 guests, had on it a special display of a Sevres dessert

Peter Wilson

service in the flIlest porcelain. Here, and in most of the apartments, mirrored doors cleverly conceal entrances and exits.

The Ballroom, where state balls, banquets and investitures are held, is a lovely shade of deep pink. The two throne chairs form a focal point of the room.

We also saw the domed music room and bar reception room which guests at the garden parties pass through. The pink carpet in this room is apparently hoovered and then swept to remove the hoover marks!

We were on duty again in the afternoon, when the only casualty was a housemaid with a splinter in her thumb , apparently a frequent occurrence at the Palace as much of the woodwork is very old.

At 4.30 the last of the visito rs had passed through the apartments and we were thanked by the head of the household staff. We went back to the staff dining-room for a much needed cup of tea and strawberry jam sandwiches

I have treasured memories of magnificent chandeliers, red carpets, ornate gold furnishings, antique treasures, ticking clocks in every room - all enhanced by beautiful floral displays. Magical memories forever engraved in my heart.

Jean Lover District Nursing Officer

NEWS from WALES

, Success for Mary Thomas (above) came afte r only two attempts when she won the cup for the best individual first-aider at British Rail's competitions held recently in Cardiff. Having joined the Brigade 10 years ago as a cadet, Mary is captain of Cardiff s Brunei House ladies first aid team, which came 2nd in the 1978 Western Region's finals. Bri t ish Rail in South Wales has a very ac t ive first aid section many of whom are SJA members (Photo: S. Wales Argus)

The Welsh soccer team's MO, Dr. Graham Jones, presents a football (right) autographed by the squad, to Supt

Hospitals Division , which is to raffle the ball. (Photo: S Wales Argus

Gwent Health Authority Hospitals Division (right) (members do Sunday duties at Newport s Allt-yr-Yn Hospital) presents a wheelchair, here with N C Sgt Dawn Hamer and Alc Neil Madden to Mrs Vera Moss Nursing Officer of the hospital. with Mr. Ron Evans Chairman Gwent Health Authori ty, and Sqd Ldr. E F. Oldland, Gwent Commissioner. (Photo: S Wales Argus )

South Africa

OVERSEAS

New Zealand

THIS splendid new headquarters (above) of St. John Ambulance Whangarei , which supplies 70 per cent of the town's ambulance services, was opened recently by the Chancellor of the Priory of New Zealand, Sir Alan Gandell. In his speech at the opening ceremony, Sir Alan reflected on SJA's past in Whangarei - from the day in 1926 when eight young men trained under the late Dr. S, H. Ward until the present day. 'Today,' he said, 'we open this splendid new headquarters proudly displaying the eight-pointed white cross the distinguished mark of a live, dynamic, caring organisation.' 20

The attractive and functional building, with its badge , forms a part of the community, he went on.

This is most important, for St. John is simply nothing more than people train ed and anxious to work for and with other people in the community. St. John needs the community - the community in this age needs St. John.'

SCOTLAND

The new Librarian, Rev Dr. Duncan Shaw, has been awarded the Roumanian Patriarchal Cross during a' recent visit to the Balkans. This honour has been bestowed on him in recognition of the fact that he is the

The Prior of South Africa, Mr. Alpheus Gardner Williams, died in Cape Town on November 13. A deeply respected member of the Order and much loved by all who knew him, Mr. Williams and other members of his family have been devoted members of the Order for very many years and he himself was an outstanding Prior of South Africa. Under his wise guidance and leadership the Priory there has been able to make steady and substantial progress in full conformity with the spirit and traditions of our Order. His death is a grievous blow to us all.

N.C.M.

first Minister of the Church of Scotland to visit the Roumanian Orthodox Church.

Mrs. Boyd Anderson has generously agreed to apply the proceeds from the sale of her former home , Skerrybrae, together with the interest that has accrued , to the creation of a fund to be known as the Boyd Anderson Fund, in memory of her husband. The interest from this fund will provide a stable income of approximately £3,500 a year for the administration of the Priory headquarter s. J. R -S

Everyone in Humbersid e Northern Area - divisions, friends , Auxiliaries and the Association Bran ch - has made a great effort in raising funds to acquire this new ambulance a long wheelbase Ford Transit fitted with two wheeled stretchers

More Mobility

ACCIDENT ACTION

Dr. Tony Smith and Bill Breckon

Published by MacMillan London, £3.95

This book presents an interesting method of teaching the untrained in first aid by initially teaching accident prevention in the home followed by instruction in the basic art of first aid The first half goes into great detail of how the common accidents in the home OCcur and which member of the family is most vulnerable. The second half is taken up by step by step instruction in the first aid treatment of the common injuries sustained by the family.

The illustrations are excellent and tie in with the text perfectly. It is good to have in the first aid section illustrations that demonstrate so well the methods of application of dressings and bandages Inserts printed on a red background tell the reader what not to do when treating a number of different injuries - a useful guide to the uninitiated.

The book is intended for untrained housewives and it should be of great help to them provided they keep it near their first aid box.

E. C. Dawson, MB, BS

BOOKS

QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL EDUCATION

A personal survey by Sir George Pickering. Oxford University Press, £4.50.

In [973 the author was asked by the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust to undertake a survey of medical teaching to include undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education within the framework of the National Health Service. The net for information was widely spread over 13 medical schools and the Royal Colleges and Faculties in London.

It woul.d be hard to find anyone better equipped or mentally adjusted to undertake such a survey and it is evident from the outset that he fulfilled his terms of reference with dedicated vigour.

It does of course make extremely in te resting reading and his conclusions, which are entirely personal , are of inestimable value. He is convinced that the medical student is among the ablest of his

generation. During his undergraduate education he is liable to be exposed to thirty disciplines emanating from professoral departments. He is over exposed to bureaucratic efficiency in so much that he tends to be regimented into a straight jacket that is too tight. It is obvious that the author favours intellectual freedom for the most intelligent, of which category he is an undoubted leader. Philip Newman

HUMAN BIOLOGY

By John Gibson. £2.50. FABER

John Gibson 's Human Biology has been a popular textbook used by student nurses for about 20 years.

This new edition is to be welcomed as it gives a lucid account of elementary anatomy and physiology in a compact and relatively inexpensive volume.

The headings are well set out and the diagrams simple and uncluttered, and so helpful to nursing students who often find the study of human biology difficult.

I feel sure this textbook will continue to serve a very useful purpose.

K. Pfister, SRN, SCM. RNT

News from Divisions/Centres

CORNWALL - The 13th Annual First Aid Competition staged by St. Blazey Ambulance and Par Nursing Divisions was held at St. Austell on Saturday November 18. 11 teams from as far afield as County Durham and Avon competed with Devon and Cornish teams.

E.C.L.P., Devon, were overall winners by half a mark from Redruth SJA No.1, with British Industrial Plastics, from Durham, third. The first ladies team was E.C.L.P. Ladies, who had a 312 points lead over St. Marychurch No, 1. Redruth SJA No.1 also won the trophies for highest total marks in the Individual tests, best bandaging and best team leader.

OBITUARY

SURREY:

Mrs. Judy Berryman, 36, Superintendent Billingham Nursing Cadet Division, Cleveland, which she formed at Wolviston in 1972. Joined Norton Cadet Division when she was 11. Died of cancer on October 22. Dr. James Carson, MD, MRCP, DPH, exCentral Area Surgeon, Cheshire. Div. Surgeon Crewe Ambulance Div. '52-'53, Crewe Corps Surgeon '53-'70. Serving Brother. Died November 9 1978.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

8p a word (min. £2.00); semi display £5 single column inch £2.50). Send to Driscoll Productions, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP 12 3QF.

1.

Mechanism by

body can generate heat. (9). II. Act speechlessly. (4). 12. This is it. (4). 13. Perspiration from waste. (5). IS. Composed of 27 Down. (7). 16. Arteries and nerves indicated by Figures, (7). 18. Cold part of biceps. (3). 19. Feverishness. (7). 21. Carcinoma, mark of wound, and 24

a laxative. (7). 23. Second cranial nerve. (5). 25. Abscess of lymphatic gland characteristic of plague. (4). 26. Nutritive tea provided by fellow following insect. (4). 28 By disposition he is a genial, sociable fellow. (9). 29. On active service and is in a fertile spot. (5). 30. Preparation suitable for administration of drugs to children. (5). 31. Indigestion , said Pepys enigmatically. (9).

Down:

1. Part of scapula forming the point of the shoulder. (8.7). 2. Tonic spasm of facial muscles producing lock -j aw. (7). 3. A baker 's shovel to tear ofT the skin. (4). 4. Palsy aids in faulty tissue development. (9). 5. Feature of ischium, scapula, and tibia. (5). 6. Edible plant with pungent taste. (5). 7. Food from insect with ingested lime. (7). 8. Usual site of pain and tenderness in appendicitis. (5.5.5). 14. False call to emergency services. (4). 16. Ulcer caused by lying recumbent for long periods. (9). 17. Spare a long, deep laceration. (4). 20. Palindromic type of muscle. (7). 22 Freedom from micro-organisms. (7). 24. Spasmodic dyspnoea, cough , and stridor indicative of laryngeal infection in children (5). 25. Draw blood from the French in bed. (5). 27. Hard connective tissue. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 12 (78)

Across:

1. Arthritis; 6 Lit - up; 9. Lance; 10. Obturator; 11. Waif; 12. Slur; ) 2. Dr.ill; 16 Obesity; 17. Dresses; 19. E.mbowel; 21. Sa.mp.les; 22. Rowan; 24. Pulp; 25. Inch; 28. Nutrition; 30. Psoas; 31. Nerve; 32. Secondary.

Down:

1. All.ow; 2. Tennis elbow; 3. Reed; 4. Trolley; 5. Sutured; 6. Lurid; 7. Tot; 8. Para.lysis; 14. Insulin coma; 15 View ; 16. Olecranon; 18 El.ms; 20. Lipoids; 21. Splenic; 23. Noise; 26. Hasty; 27. Spin; 29. Tar.(tar).

Crossword No. 11 (78): The first correct solution opened was from D/Supt. D. R. A. Royle, 8 St. Andrew's Rd., Stretford, lancs. M32 9JE

35mm COLOUR SLIDE SETS by Dr. K Leese (GMC Brigade of SJA): Introduction to First Aid ; str u cture of the Body ; Respiration & Asphyxia; Circulation & Wounds - slide sets £4 .00 each, cassette tapes £2 .00 each, plus post and V AT. Send for FREE catalogue of teac hin g aids on HOME and ROAD SAFETY. F. C. CURTIS LTD, 6 Miletas Place, Lytham St. Annes, Lancs FY8 IBQ.

Experienced Nanny required for twins due April. Own room in Chelsea hou se. References required and non -s moker preferred. Daily help kept. Permanent position and good sa la ry. Applications to

2404.

UNDER £10 Bring-and-Buy

A Review service which we feel might be of value to readers and divisions is a co lum n for the s ale or exchange of items of equipment , uniforms. book s etc.

.Wanted lady officer's suits. Size 12 / 14, 14/ 16. E. Ruff, 9 Eastville Rd, Bedford. Phone Bedford 45998. .Wanted mercurial sphygmomanometer. Price and details to A. J. Higbed, 66 Albemarle Gate, Pittville Cheltenham Glos GL50 4PJ.

(Above)

Lt. Col. Beard, County Commissioner, presents Susan Gilchrist SRN, former cadet and Grand Prior's Badge holder, with

to Cheltenham

(Photo : Gloucestershire Echo)

NEW VISUAL AIDS

WATER FREE (l6mm film , 35 mins)

Town & Country Productions 21 Cheyne Row London SW3 5HP Hire fee £5.40.

Content: The therapeutic possibilities of s w imming for disabled people

Appraisal: This is an inspiring film that portrays hydrotherap y and how it helps the disabled t o obtain confidence in their own disabilities. The film would be of value to the handicapped themselves and to their tutors in a water context - it is , however , a little on the long side for the general public.

Audience: The physicall y han dicapped and volunta ry personnel.

Appraisal:

Recommended.

Audience: Safet y representati ves, ma n age m ent t r a in ees an d in du stria l fir s t-aiders. Could be screened to the general public.

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE OFFICE

Casette tape and slides.

Camera Talks Ltd , 31 North Ro w, L ondon W lR 2EN

P a rt 1. The Emplo y ee ( 5 4 transparencies ). Price £8.95 eac h of 2 bo xes

P a r t 2 The Emplo y er ( 3 8 transparencies ). Ca ss ett e t ap e £4.95 eac h of 2 boxes Tutor notes 50 pence

Content: Part 1 T he emplo y er :s i abili ty toward s his staff in res p ec t of s a fet y Part 2. The liabilit y of staff to w ard s the

mplo y ee s in

t of s afet y Apraisal: The 1974 Health and S a fet y A t Wo r k Ac t (1974) states it is the emplo y er s dut y to safeguard the h e a lth

HEARING LOSS ( N o 3 45 ) T a p e / s l i d e pr ese n ta ti o n ( 4! tran s parenci es )

Price:

Content:

ST. JOHN

REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

WHAT DO YOU GET BY BEING A MEMBER OF SJA?

The

June 13, 1978

Dear Sir, Many people have asked me, "What do you get b y being a member of St. John Ambulance Brigade? "

There are a few negative "gets" which we as a group can receive, such as no recognition when we arrive at places of duty, and little or no thought where we should be stationed. To counteract, there are some clubs and organisations who really welcome us. Power Boat Racing, Go Kart Racing and Harness Races to name a few.

Bu t what do I personally get, besides the opportunities to attend many functions? The "gets" are many, These are some:

(a) Being able to meet, work or just speak with a great variety of people,

(b) Ever increasing knowledge in being able to recognise and treat injuries or illnesses which I can use at home and on dut ies.

(c) The time spent with my teammates when we can talk over and share experiences.

Cd ) Having to remember that even though I am an adult I must be ready to obey orders from my officers (as some are younger than I am, it helps to keep my humility in good health).

(e) The satisfaction of training classes in first aid and knowing of their pride in receiving their certificates,

(f) Knowing I can help and comfort the injured,

(g) Being taught lessons in courage and self-control. Some of my junior casualties have been very good teachers.

(h) The help given by bystanders. Again some junior citizens have stood out.

(i) The unexplainable feeling within me when previous very, very young casualties run up to me; sometimes jumping into my arms That Sir, is a special "GET "

A complete list of all I "g et" would take up too much space in your fine paper.

What do I give? Not much in c omparison.

(a) Help to a casualty.

(b) Service to St. John Ambulance Brigade.

(c) A small service to my country.

(d) A small act of thanks to God.

Nowadays there seems to be a tendency to confuse rights and privileges. A right is something to w hich we are legally entitled. A privilege is something which we have earned by effort , or been granted. It's not my right to be allowed to be a member of St. John Ambulance Brigade. I have been granted that privilege, With the help of my teammates and by the grace of God I will try to live up to that privilege.

Mrs. Dorothy Mae Shirley, Member, St. John Ambulance Brigade.

IN the first nine month s of 1975 , 3,847 road accidents with 1,487 casualties were reported in the Gwent area. Although this is a 10 % drop compared wit h the corresponding period of 1974 , why are the figures still so high ?

In 1974 , 62 % of road accidents wer e generated by the road user , not only as a driver but also as a pedestrian. The remaining 38 % were attributed t o the environment. This means the topography of t he site , road la y out , the type of vehicle, the disposition of other traffic , in fact everything which impinge s on the road user 's consciousness.

Accidents occur when the road use r fa ils to cope with his environment.

The driver

Some people are more susceptible to accidents than others, and all road users differ in knowledge and skill. Other factors affecting the driver are age , sex and experience.

It has been found that younger driver s between the age s of 16-19 are much more likel y to be in volved in accident s. Dri ve r s aged from 16-19 years form one -fift h of all those involved in accidents.

It seems that the impetuosity and inexperience of yo uth is often carried on to the road but there appear s to be no significant difference in driving ab il it y between and females. Table 1 s how s the age of per so ns killed and injured durin g 1974.

Driving

To find part exper ien ce played in 26

by PRISCILLA HOPKINS, SRN

accidents, a survey examined t he liab il it y of driver s of varying deg rees of experience in connection with one vehicle accidents,

Those who drove only one day a week accounted for 24.2% of one vehicle accidents, while tho se driving seven days a week accou n ted for 9.7%. These figures indicate quite clearly that the more the experience of driving, t he ess likelihood there is of being in vo lved in an accident.

Those with under six months' driving experience were three times more likely to have an accident than those with over five years' experience.

Physical and mental well-being

Driving a car makes ph ysical and mental dema nds which are stressful when

Table 1. The age of people killed and injured in 1974

compounded by fatigue discomfor emotiona l upset, headaches or a heavy cold or when taking some drugs Motorists orten take to the road apparently unaware tha i even minor ailments can lead to misjudgement, reduced concentration and erratic performance and possible tragedy. In women, judgement is often affected durin1 menstruation.

Medical studies have demon trated th ai the tired driver works harder than the normal driver, but achieves a poorer level of performance. He tends to overmanipulate the steering wheel, maintaining a course bya series of constant corrections.

Fig. 1 shows the effects of a traffic jam on a driver in a hurry. The driver is a 34-year old man, sitting for 16 minutes in a mai n road hold up.

Blood pr ess ur e and heart rate can be seen to fluctu ate s harpl y, as events influ ence his behaviour and attitudes. Stop/start motoring in the traffi c jam causes t he blood pressure to rise by 30%, and hi s pul se rate by as much as 50%. T he se fluctuations prove to more exhausting than high speed motoring.

Drinking and drugs

The Road Traffic Act, 1962 states that drivin g under the infl uence of drink or some drug s is an offence. The Road Safety Act, 1967, introd uced the breathalyser test and a ny driver found to have a blood alcohol evel of more than 80mg/ 100ml faces prosecution , a heavy fine and the lo ss of his licen

The initial imp act of the breathalyser has now bee n reduced, as t he motoring public appear no longer to respect the laws on drinking and driving. A review of this law is currently being carried out , and new equipment for analysing blood or urine has been intr oduced.

The law is not so exp licit where drugs are concerned. The average British motorist taking medicine or pills each day would never co ns id er that he could be breaking the la w. But in fact, many drugs besides powe rful narcotics can have an affect on dri vi ng ab ili ty.

These include cough syrups, anti -

rheumatic preparations, insulin and anti h ypertensi ves.

The effect of drugs in this context can be divided into those that st imulate the nervou s system and t ho se that depress it.

Momentary distractions

The following statements from witnesses help to show how distraction has featured in accidents.

On e driver, looking at so me note s, drove into a statio nar y car. Another driver opened hi s door suddenly to call two girls causing the car behind to swerve to avo id the door.

A front passenger had a girl on his knee and children clambering from the rear seat to the front seat distracted the driver.

A pedestrian looking at photographs walked straight in to the path of a car.

Another pedestrian shouted abuse at a motorcyclist , who turned his head and collided with an oncoming car.

And one mother , preoccupied with teaching a child road safety stepped into the road into the path of a van.

The pedestrian A comparison of accidents in vo lving adults and children pedestrians shows marked differences.

The highest concentration of adult accidents occurred on arterial and major roads, while child accidents were mainly

confined to the areas in which they live.

Lower income areas showed th€! highest number of accidents.

The high concentration of child accidents may be attributed to the density of overcrowded housing, less parental authority and control, more traffic and fewer play facilities away from the st reet s.

A special questionnaire was sent to injured adult pedestrians and to the parent s of injured child pedestrians. For children, most accidents had occurred going to and from shops (28%), going to and from school (27%) and at bus stops (12%).

For adults, most accidents had happened at bus stops (3 1%) and going to and from shops (26%).

The majority of accidents to children (53%) and adults (64%) had occurred where they crossed the road several times or once daily , rather than at places where they had not crossed previously.

Ice cream vehicles

In child pedestrian accidents, two out of every three children were unaccompanied, especially in casualties involving ice cream ve hicle s, where nearly nine out of eve ry 10 cases were unaccompanied.

These ice cream van accidents occur most frequently on housing estates and in densely populated streets (not on trunk or principal roads) whe re there are a lot of children and

few shops. Nearly 90% of the accidents occur after the child leaves the van with the ice cream. The children tend to be from working class homes and most accidents occur outside their own home.

Appeals have been made to parents of young children wishing to buy ice cream either to buy the ice cream and take it to the child at home, or to take the child to and from the van.

Zebra crossings

Nearly a quarter of accidents at zebra crossings are caused by vehicles overtaking others which have stopped or slowed down to allow pedestrians to cross. In spite of publicity, some drivers are still ignorant of, or choose to ignore, the law designed to protect pedestrians on crossings.

In 1974, a campaign was launched to remind drivers of the law relating to the zigzag markings at zebra crossings. This prohibits parking or overtaking within the markings near the crossing.

OTHER FACTORS

Ownership of the vehicle

In a study between 1964-1967, 66.3 % of vehicles involved in accidents were owned by the drivers, 23.8% were owned by firms and 0.71% were on hire. The remaining 9.19 % were drivers using a car belonging to a member of their family or to a friend.

Unfamiliarity with the roads

Studies assessing the effect on accidents of unfamiliarity with the roads show that drivers who know the road are less likely to have an accident than those who do not.

Proof of this is further demonstrated by single vehicle accidents. Analysis has shown that where the driver knew the road , one vehicle ac cidents totalled 8.8 % of all the accidents, but when he was unfamiliar with the road the percentage increased to 21.7%.

The driver is therefore two-and-a-half times more vulnerable on strange roads.

The type of journey

24.6% of drivers having accidents were in the course of employment, 19.9% were going to or from work and 55.4% were driving in their leisure time.

The number of pleasure drivers involved in accidents rose on one bank holiday while the number of accidents remained almost the same as for a normal weekend. As the roads at bank holidays are not cluttered with heavy goods vehicles, private cars for commuting, pedestrians shopping or going to and from work at peak periods, the large number of pleasure drivers in the statistics appears to confirm that the driver engaged on pleasure is inclined to be much more prone to accidents than when on business or commuting.

Seat belt use

On June 25 1974 a major publicity campaign was launched to persuade driver s and front seat passengers to wear safety belts. Although a recent survey has indicated that 90 % of motorists were in fa vour of wearing seat belts, controversy still rages. It is estimated that the risk of death or injur y is reduced by as much as 50 % if seat belts are worn and properly adjusted , and the chance of being killed or seriously injured is four times greater for a person thrown out of the vehicle than fOr one who is held by his seat belt.

The law making the use of se a t belt s compulsory in Australia reduced facial injuries by 50 % and the Australian death rate is now one of the lowest in the world

Lighting

In October 1974 a local authorit y campaign was conducted to publici s e the la w on vehicle lightin g, and the necessit y for drivers to maintain lights in good w orkin g order. The campai g n was only suc cess ful for a time.

It was ' noted that man y driver s did n o t turn on their lights particularl y dipped headlamp s, in fog or poor vi s ibilit y T he y were also neglectful i n the use o f their headlight s in area s where unlit ve hicle s a r e parked.

Prevention of accidents

The Royal Societ y fo r th e Pr eve nt io n o f Acc ident s (RoSPA ) wa s founded in 19 16 and published a safety code for ro ad use r s, the forerunner of the High w a y C o d e. RoSPA committees a r e drawn f ro m organisations such as h gh way, ed u ca t on , health and police authoritie s, ro a d u s er s' and transport a s sociations and som e gove rnmen t departments.

RoSPA r e lie s on subscrip ion s and o n sales of publication s for its main inc o me , b ut for s ome acti v itie s grant s are recei ve d fr o m central go vernmen t.

The road s afe ty divi s o n o f R o SPA cons ider s all road safet y matters in gen e ra l and repor ts to a national ex ecuti ve committee. It promot e s loc a l road s afe t y activities and co -operate s w ith the national safety education committee on road s afet y training

One of RoSPA 's greatest s ucce ss es (ap a rt from the Green Code) is a campa ign o preven t the loss of young live s: The Tu fty Club It was formed in 1961 to te a ch s mal l children road behaviour and the popularit y of the club continues.

Time is also s et as ide in s chool s for road safety education Road safety officer s and the police contribute to these s e ssion s, making the subject as enjo y able a s po s sib le to the pupils, with practical demonstration s and pupil participation.

E ducation fo r th e s enior citi ze n s a ls o an important aspect of road s afety , as the number of elderly c as ualties are second to t ho se of childr e n . E du c ation c om es in the form of pos ter s le a flets v s it s o e lderl j per so n s' club s and home s and use o f film s and film strips.

The role of the police (Gwent Constabulary) Polic e ro a d sa fet y ac ti v t ies in c lud e the national profici e

The

D oE r oad safety u nit s work w it h RoS PA It is also r espo n sib le for p ub ic ity, t r affic s ig n s, speed li m it s, p e d est r ian crossi ngs. ra inin g o f d riv in g exa m i n e r s, li ce nces and research and developme n of ve h icle safe y featu r es.

Conclusion

A ro a d acc ident is a ra n dom, m ul ifacto r e ven t w hi c h ca n r a r e ly be ass ign ed to a s in g le c a u se.

Acc id e n ts o c cur w h en t h e r oa d u se r fail! to co pe wi th h.i s enviro nm e nt, so preve ntior re quir es a r e d uc ti on of t h e pro bl em! pr ese n te d b y the e n vi r o n men t a nd an impr ove m ent of t h e roa d

NORFOLK

At Cley-next-the-Sea

ONE very wintry Sunday early last February, our County Commissioner drove us up onto The Hangs at Cley , and as we came to the crest of the hill we had our first glimpse of the site of our 1978 County Cadet camp. Even under a foot of snow the view was breathtaking; it lay below us, surrounded by woods and undulating fields sloping down to the Norfolk Naturalists Trust marshes and the sea while behind us the beautiful North Norfolk countryside and local heathland could be seen for miles.

Our usual site at Holkham was not available owing to the devastating sea floods in January, and the Commissioner at short notice, had offered us a hay field on his farm which would be cleared by August.

After much plotting and planning during the next six months we found ourselves back there on a gorgeously hot summer day with a view of yellow corn fields and bright blue sea this time, to put up the first tent. Within two days over seventy tents had been erected and more than two hundred cadets and staff installed Among our very enthusiastic and experienced staff we included eleven who had previously attended our County Camps as cadets themselves, some as many as eight times. The 155 cadets came from 22 divisions from all parts of Norfolk. We nominated the older and more experienced cadets the Holkham Group and those who had not attended camp before, the Cley Group.

Our week started on Sunday morning with a uniformed parade to Cley Church where a special service had been arranged by The Rt. Rev. C. L. P. Bishop who gave a most inspiring address. Members of the newly formed Fakenham Division presented their colours in faultless style and Cadet Jonathan Hustler of Thorpe Division read the lesson extremely well. · We were joined in church by the County President, the County Cadet President, the Commissioner and other officers from County HQ

For their week's programme the cadets could choose from camping, map-reading , and natural history proficiency groups. Those in the Holkham Group spent the week cooking their own meals, going out on expeditions, orienteering, building an assault course, and being taken blindfold to suitable areas outside camp to spend the night in bivouacs, with other varied activities. The Cley Group were fed centrally and the Camp Quartermaster and our staff cooks seemed to be highly popular throughout the week. This group enjoyed a varied programme of creative arts such as brass-rubbing collage, wood-carving, whittling, string-work, etc.

Some took part in a beach survey run by the Sunday Times Watch Group, gathering

information about contamers and other litter washed up by the sea. Others visited the Trust bird sanctuary. In addition to this group work, the whole camp took part in other events - a cross-country race (on our only rainy afternoon) , an expedition to Sheringham open air disco & barbecue a wide-game by night and talks by different people on local matters of interest, in cludin g a special account by James Warlow of Hunstanton about his experiences in Canada as a St. John representative at the recent Commonwealth Games.

On the Friday we had our official inspection by the County Commander and VIPs, followed by an open afternoon for parents and friends at which the cadets work was on show and games were played

The day ended with a grand concert in which both cadets and staff took part in splendid style and voice. The trophy for best Division in camp was presented to Great Yarmouth.

The cadets left next day after a busy morning clearing up and only the gallant staff remained to carry out the final chores and pack up equipment. I was glad that some of them, in spite of their hard week, were seen to have sufficient energy left to play volley-ball by gaz-light in the early hours of Monday morning!

We owe the most heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us at Cley Camp 1978 , and to all who helped in so many ways with equipment supplies and all the very hard but rewarding work which made this camp generally voted 'one of the best ever'.

Gwen Digby Camp Commandant

SURREY To Luxembourg

54 Surrey members (with six from Patcham, Sussex) went to Luxembourg for their 1978 annual summer camp - probably the first

time that SJA's flag has been flown in that country. We camped in a scout c halet at Diekirch, the arrangements being made through Cranleigh, Surrey.

The camp did its own catering and almost the sa me system of squads as used at a camp under canvas was carried out.

Coach trips were made to most parts of th e country, visiting Luxembourg City, a wine cellar , iron ore mine, power station, a river trip and sites of interest in Germany. So that the ma ximum time could be devoted to outings, we took a picnic lunch and then had our main meal in the evening. A cabin nearb y the chalet proved very useful for evening entertainment around a large open wood fire.

Before leaving we had asked Headquarters for any St. John contacts in Luxembourg and we were given the name and address of the Hospitaller of the Luxembourg Military order of Malta (Croix

Malte), to whom we wrote saying that a visit to our camp would be welcomed. On arrival we received a telephone message saying a delegation would call on us on a certain evening. We had no idea who to expect or how to entertain them, but thought they may be ageing gentlemen complete with cloaks and swords.

With a few of us in uniform we waited at the gate for our visito r s and were surprised when a convoy of three cars and a new ambulance (all bearing the St. John Cross on a red background) arrived, and out poured 12 mem bers and Mr. Tom van Risckevorsel , the Hospitaller. He spoke perfect English and some of the others had no difficulty in understanding us. The whole party was wearing uniform. The organisation has only about 43 uniformed members, plus the Council of the Order. The Red Cross is very active in Luxembourg and the St. John uniformed branch , which was only recently

formed, now carries out first

duties and helps with meal s -on-wheels. Two of their female members had attended la st year's SJA convention at Mytchett, Surrey, so we had much to chat about. After coffee, we all got together in a very rousing and enjoyable

-song, and before their departure they presented us with a gift of local interest and a set of their badges in a frame.

Camptours of Cranleigh has organised trips for uniformed youth groups for some years and previously we had been to Switzerland through them. They arrange coach transport to and from the chalets, book the chalet, pass on orders for provisions and provide an on-site courier to arrange coach outings and to offer advice. We are sure that other St. John groups wou ld benefit from s uch an annual camp and we would be happy to offer any advice from Mrs. 1. M. Smith 104 Middle St , Brockham , Betchworth , Surrey.

£1,000 WINNER

The Order's Christmas rame, for which tickets were sold throughout the country, gave 101 prizes (marking our 101 years of service) , the top prize of £ 1,000 being won by ticket 35753, held by Mr. Fred Warren, 25 Mount Pleasant, Stoke Goldington, Newport Pagnell , Bucks

A delighted Mr. Warren wrote to Headquarters:

'What a lovely surprise! When we buy things in aid of St. John we never think of the end product only the good cause. My son Keith Warren is Area Commissioner for Wellingboro' and we always support St. John whenever we can.

'Recently, when he had to leave his division owing to promotion, the branch arranged a 'This is your life' evening which we all attended, and it was a wonderfully happy occasion with all the family and his officers, etc, dating from the time when he was an ll-year-old cadet right up to the present.

'He will be thrilled to have sold us the winning ticket and you will realise how much it is appreciated when I tell you we are O.A.Ps.

'Thank you to the person who drew out our ticket.'

PIGEON SERVICE

Carrier pigeons, I'm told, may be the quickest and cheapest form of delivery for blood samples. The possibility is being put to the test by Devonport Hospital, Plymouth, in the hope that they may be able to save a quarter of the present cost of delivery from the hospital to the central pathology and haematology departments in Greenbank, and cut down the time taken from 22 minutes to four or five.

The idea was a result of the practice flight that Harry Walsh, a driver for the blood transfusion service, used to give his own birds. He would take them to the hospital in

AROUND and ABOUT

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

his van and release them to train for his racing team The hospital's work study group carried out a feasibility study on running the delivery service based on a team of twelve pairs of pigeons. Even allowing for bad weather , poor visibility and darkness when the birds could not work, the savings could be well worth while.

The hospital now has its own loft stocked with fine birds. A harness has been devised to hold the sample phials during flight , made of soft leather with a pouch on the pigeon s back. It is held in place by soft leather loops which go over the bird s head and tail joined together along the bird's keel by Velcro touch and close fastener.

The pigeon service may be extended to other hospitals in the area which could also benefit greatly in the holiday season when traffic is heavy. It is an idea that may work for hospitals and services in other parts of the country too.

WATER

RESCUERS

I hear that the newly -formed Rutland Water Rescue Division , which mans five rescue craft every weekend from March to November at Rutland Water leisure centre , dealt with 92 rescues and 18 casualties during the 1978 season.

FRIENDS

When Jonathan Hall retired during the autumn as Lancashire's Deputy Count y Commissioner - he joined the Brigade as

an ambulan c

mber with Blackpoo l Division in 1931 -a

the C

unt y Commissioner Col. D. B Long presented him with a set of hock and brand y glasses , ¥r. Hall s aid that the many SJA friends he had made in Lancashire and throughout th e country were s ufficient reward for hi s 47 y ears service They - and SJ A - obviously have a valuable friend here too. Friends make life.

SMASHING TOM

78-year -old Tom Sharwood , of Cove near Farnborough, has a smashing time helping local divisions I hear. Disabled and unable to walk very far , Tom has been encouraged by his doctor to exercise by swinging a sledge-hammer. An exercise he then put to good use by flattening old tins which people from all over the area bring him. Having flattened enough tins Tom then calls in the local scrap merchant and receives about £14 a ton for his efforts and exercise,

A

bOllom of page 35.

From the proceeds of se lling hi s s crap over the last t wo y ear s Tom recentl y presented a carr y in g- chair to F o x Lan e Division , and he s about to s uppl y an aspirator to Cove Di v s ion

Tom who took his tir s t a id cour s e w t h SJA in 1928 as a volunt eer fireman , is regularl y visited by Fo x La ne D iv isio n 's nursing officer and hi s twin gr a nd -daught e r s from Cove. And he ju s t can 't fo rg et SJ A. He s a regular reader of the Revie w, b y the way, Thanks for the help , Tom - from everyone.

WEEKENDERS

I hear that Preston Corps Fulwood and Broughton Combined Nursin g Division holds a weekend cour se for it s nursin g cadets in instruction towards their Grand Prior Award The girls spend the two da ys at th e Corps' Edward Street HQ with meal s provided - but they do the wa s hing -upand using stretchers and sleepin g bags for the overnight stay. It ob viousl y mean s so me hard work for the officer s and nursing members who organise the weekend. But the cadets study hard too. Last year there was a 100% pass rate in subjects taken, And they really enjoy the weekend together,

CARD SCHOOL

Last year a group of first - aiders attend e d the Pendrell Hall training weekend. After a

Everyone seemed to e n oy th e msel ves a the two weekend courses on T ec hniques of Instr uc tion he ld for Brigade memb er

leisurely 12-mile unsponsored walk and an afternoon picnic with a dozen firemen and 15 casualties in a delightful quarry, they all retired, worn and weary.

The next day, being Sunday, a 30 minute lie-in was allowed. Then during a lecture on spinal injuries, one first-aider was seen playing with a deck of cards. He was taken from the room and chastised by his superintendent.

North Derb yshire nursing members taking a break at last year's annual Midlands (NCB) Colliery Nursing Divisions camp at Rhyl

They are (front row) : N/M Miss B. T ipple ( Langwith), Sgt Mrs. D. Morley (Williamthorpe), N/M Miss J. Baker (Whitwell), % Mrs O Hayes (Markham), N/M Mrs. E. Winter (Shirebro,ok). (Back row ): N/M Mrs. M. Pepper (B. Winning), CSO Mrs. B. Marshall (C Corp), % Miss P Brunt Glapwell ), N/M Miss J. Marshall (Hasland),

N M Miss P. Russ (Ireland) and N/M Miss L. Marples (Bolsover). Taking the salute at the last camp parade before he retired was Notts. Deputy Comm Dick Pogmore

'If you can't give me a good reason for playing cards during a lecture , I shall punish you mOie than any first-aider has ever been punished. Have you anything to say?'

'Oh yes, Elsie,' came the reply. You see, I forgot my first aid and nursing manuals, even my Stafford County diary , so I was using the cards to remember.

'When I see the ACE , it reminds me there is only one real First Aid Organisation , St. John Ambulance. There is also only one college, Pendrell Hall, a mecca for all firstaiders.

'When I see the TWO , it reminds me of the two-handed seat, our two annual exams, first aid and nursing , and the two entrances to Pendrell Hall. One on the straight, one round the bend. (Much like its students),

'The THREE reminds me of the thr ee corners of a triangular bandage. One head - two tails the three bandages for a fractured knee cap, and the three square

NORTHERN IRELAND t was SJA's flag day in Be lfas t when this man became ill and collapsed in the s tr ee Thr ee members who had been selling flags nearby, came to his aid. The m a n was not in a serious cond ition. T he Belf ast Telegraph's photog apher Peter Woodward was on the scene too

meals we get at Pendrell Hall.

'T he FOUR tells me that there are four main pre ss ure points. Brachial , Femora l Subclavian and Carotid. The four weeks it takes to get over a Pendrell weekend, and those four outdoor features which are s uch a part of Pendr ell. The orchard, the putting green, the crocket (cro qu et) and the ha -ha.

The FIVE always make s me think of the number of bandages needed for a fracture of the lower leg , The five syndicates of Pendr ell and the number of times Red syndicate hav e won in the last five years.

'W hen I see the SIX it also reminds me of the number of bandages needed for a fracture of the lower leg (keeping one in your pocket), the number of fire escapes at Pendrell Hall and th e number of times Red will have won this time next year.

'T he SEVEN tells me how many bandages I'll need for the fracture of my Femur, when Ro y Mellor read s th is It also makes me dream of seventh heaven, that s where we all are when we leave Pendrell.

'The EIGHT reminds me of the eight · po in ted cross the figure of eight bandage and the number of people in a synd icate at Pendrell Hall.

'The NINE se rves as a reminder of Chapter Nine, 'Injuries to mu scles, ligaments and jo int s'. Essential knowledge to survive a Pendrell weekend.

HEREFORD AND WORC ESTE R: Upton-on - Severn Comb ned Cadet Division (Supt. C. D empsey) hired a river launch during the au tumn and invited senior citizens and the handicapped from local hospitals to come for a trip down the River Severn. The cadets collected the disabled , got them on board and looked after everyone during the trip A good day out was had by al

'The TEN reminds me of the coffee break we get at 11.00, and the number of duties so far won this year from the Red Cross.

'When I turn over the JACK , it reminds me of the knaves of Pendrell, Joe Gordon, and Pete , who spend 12 month s working out what 'we have to work out in two days. God bless 'em.

'W hen I see the QUEEN , it tells me there is but one Queen at Pendrell: Kay. How she puts us through such agony, still looks us squarely in the face and gives us that lovely smile, I'll never know.

When I see the KING it tells me there is only one king at Pendrell, or so he tells u s , and his word is final : Roy, otherwise Known locally as the Laughing Policeman.

'That brings me to the JOKER and the driest sense of humour in any brigade. Come back ' Caddy all is forgiven.

There are FOUR SUITS in a pack, which remind s me there are four sections in St. John: Ambulance, Nursing, Ambulance Cadets and Nursing Cadets. And that it was four o'clock when most of us finally went to bed at Pendrell.

'T he FIFTY-TWO CARDS remind me of the number of points gained by Red syndicate (not bad out of a possible fifty) and the number of friends made in this one weekend.

'There are TWELVE PICTURE CARDS , the minimum attendances for efficiency and the distance walked before lunch at Pendrell.

'There are THIRTEEN TRICKS the number of division s represented at Pendrell.

'If I count the number of spots they total 324 (approx.) the number of duties covered this year so far by Penkridge Quad Division.

'So you see, Elsie, my pack of cards are my first aid and nursing manuals , my almanac and my diary. It reminds me of dates, courses friends and mentors, who I'll not meet again until next year's Pendrell weekend.'

MIND BENDERS (answers)

'4:l EW01S'j7 ) E<lMS '£ 'alEAdEr ·z 'WJV'!

Fellow first - aiders, this

an

Tho

FILMS

I

I

3-D POSTERS

Headquarters medical secretary tells me that three-dimensional posters, for which he often gets enqui ries, may be obtained from Batiste 3- D , Pembroke House, Campsbourne Road , Homsey, London N8.

(Left) CLEVELAND: President of Stockton and Thornaby Nursing Divi sion M rs. Emily H andyside (ce ntr.e), who joined the Brigade in 19 39, en joying the sunshine with two friends while on a recent visit to Australia

(Right) PRO of London's St. Pan cras Combined Division, Donald

AT RANDOM

New Year Honours

by Watkin W. Williams

MEMBERS of the Order and its Foundations will ha ve been deli g hted to see in the New Year Honours that Her Majesty has conferred the CBE on Mr. Nicholas C. McClintock, Secretar y -General of the Orde r of St. John. Mr. McClintock is perhaps best known to man y of our readers fo r his

SecretaryGene al of the Order Mr. Nicholas C. M cCli ntock. s awarded the CBE

announcing of the names of po st ulant s as they come forward at Investiture s o f the Order , but relati v ely few can be aware of all the hard work and w eight of re s pon s ibilit y involved in hi s da y to da y duties as Secretary -General , while s till fewer ma y know that he had pre v iousl y had a distinguished career in the Colonial Service.

In the early months of the 1939 -45 war he served in the Army in northern France up to and including the evacuation of Dunkirk and he later served as a Major with the 5th Indian Division in Burma. After the war he spent 15 years in government service in Nigeria, starting as an Assistant District Officer and in due course becoming Private Secretary to the Governor, and eventually Resident (an office equivalent to that of Provincial Governor) in Bornu, a pro v ince in north -eastern Nigeria larger in area than the whole of Ireland He was also Clerk to the Executive Council of Nigeria during the period leading up to independence. In 1963 , soon after his retirement from the Colonial Service, he was appointed Deputy Secretar yGeneral of the Order of St. John , and at once became closely involved in preparations for an historic event which was particularly dear to his heart - the signing of the Joint Declaration between the Most Venerable Order and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta which took place in London later that year. In 1968 he succeeded Mr. C. T. Evans

as Secretary-General and was promoted to the Grade of Knight of Justice During his IO V2 years' service in that capacity he has been active in fostering fri endly ecumenical r ela tion s between t h e Most Venerab le Order , the Sovereign Milita r y Order and the 'A lliance Orders in West Germany, Sweden and th e Netherlands; h e has been r esponsible for the arrangements for the Installation of our p r ese n t Grand Prior in June 1975 and for the visit of the Grand Master of the SMOM in October of the same year, and has regularly paid yearly visits to the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem. In June 1974 he visited th e Prior y of Canada to take part in the inaugurat ion of the first of the c ha in of St. John survival cairns' at Port Leopold on the barren tip of Somerset Island at latitude in the arctic circle. His grandfather, Captain (later Admiral Sir Leopold) McClintock, whose name is commemorated by the McClintock Channel between Victoria Island and Prince of Wales Island , had in 1851 commanded an expedition i n search for the remains of Sir John F ran k lin a nd his s hipm ates who died in this region wh ile completing the exploration of the North-West Passage. It was therefore eminently appropriate that Sir Leopold's grandson should h ave been personall y involved in providing the means of survival for tra ve ller s overtaken by misfortune in the arctic wastes.

Three MBEs

Thr ee awards of the MBE have been made to Miss Gwenfra M. Amor (Divisional Superintendent (R), Bletchley Nursing Di vis ion Bucks) Mrs. Ruth E. Parks (Ma tron of the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem ) and Mr. Edward F. Somers (Assista nt County Director, Bucks).

Miss Amor joined t he Bletchle y Nursing Divi sion in 1941 and was promoted to Div is ion a Officer in 1951 and to Superintendent in 1959 , and for the next 17 y ear s s he was in charge of an outstandingly keen and acti ve division until she transferred to the Brigade Reserve in 1976. She also established , and with the help of the division still IO,oks after , a very well stocked and much so ught - after Medical Comforts Depot. In th e course of 30 years' pro fessio nal work at a local Physiotherapy Clinic she realised

the need to provide socia l activ iti es and contacts for disabled persons , and she became joint founder of the Bletchley Disabled Social Club w hich n ow h as well over 100 mem bers and in which she conti nu es to be responsible for arra nging al l t he transport to meetings and for lon ger o utin gs, and personally car ri es out an enormo u s number of escort duti es annuall y When a public hall vyas built in Bletchley Miss Amor success full y campaigned to ensu r e t h at it was designed to provide facilities for t h e disabled , and then arranged for t he club to have its ' home in the building. She has also been actively involved in raising money and making plans fo r the proposed Hospice of St. John for cases in the Milton Keynes area.

Ophthalmic Hospita l

Mrs. Parks became Matron of the Ophthalmi c Hospital two yea rs ago after a lifetime of distinguished serv ice in the nursing profession Her appointmen ts included 6 yea r s as Si ster-in-Charge of the Somerset and Bristol coalfields , durin! which s he opened a Medical Centre fo r the miners and trained first aid teams to Wall both above and below ground at each of the five pits. She ha s had experience in industr ia nursing in tuberculosis research , i:1 teachi n! pupil nurse s and finally as Matron of the Winsley Chest Hospital Bath until 1976. Readil y accepting the challenge to emerge from her r etire m e nt almost before it hac started, she accepted the exacting post o! Matron of the Ophthalmic Hospital and quickly endeared herself to both staff and patient s t hrough her caring concern for the personal needs of each individual. In tile wards when nursing staff is sho rt she w it turn her hands to any job that needs to be done. One of her first tasks was to impro w the living conditions for the hospital staff and s h e has already made her mark ir improving the nursing and welfare faciliti e in ways that have enriched the quality oflif! both in the hospital and in the loca community

Buckinghamshire

Mr. Somers joined the Brigade in 1934 al a member of t he Aylesbury Ambulanci Division wh ich at that time was responsiblr for the entire running of the loc a l amb ulan ci service on a vol untar y basis. He wa! appointed Transport Officer in 1940 (apart fro m 5 years' abse nce on Arrn ) service) continued in that appointment the ambulance serv ice was taken over by thl Health Authority in 1952 He was promotd to Divisional Superintendent in 1953 and H Area Superintendent in 1957.

A s a Brigade Instructor and Association Lay Instructor he was for

years a member of th e county training team which toured the county giving expert first aid training to divisions In 1969 he was appointed Assistant Co unty Director with special responsibility for the area whic h included the new town of Milton Keynes with its continuing influx of population and industr y, where h e has been indefatigable in organising and visiting courses. As a founder member of t he Casualties Union he has outstanding skill a nd experience in casualty simulation and is responsible for providing casualt ies' a t numerous competitions at both local and na tional levels , but always manages to make his expertise availab e for the first aid training of Brigade divisions in hi s own cou n ty

TwoBEMs

And finally, two awards of the BEM h ave been made to Mr. Peter V. Brown (Area Staff Officer , South -Eas tern Area , London (P rince of Wales 's District ) and Mr. Idris Ivor Parfitt (County Staff Officer for Cadets , Gwent , Prior y for Wales)

Mr. Brown joined the Brigade as a Cadet in 1958 a nd was promoted to the New Cross Amb ulan ce Division in 1962. In 1966 he became Superintendent of the New Cross A I C Division , and 3 years later he was se lec ted to form an experimental 'q uadrilat eral' division at New Cross , which proved to be a great success and man y va luabl e essons were learned from Mr. Bro wn's experience and advice. For the past 4 yea r s he has been Area Staff Officer responsible for co -ordinating public duties in S.E. London a task which he fulfils with g r eat efficiency and good humour and in w hich he personally contributed more than 900 hours of public duty during the disturbances at Lewisham and Notting Hill , as well as many hours transporting patients by ambulance on behalf of the St. John Aeromedical Service. It is worth adding that he somehow finds time to do all thi s splendid wo rk of service to the community as well as being the hi gh ly efficient headmaster of the Brunswick Park Comprehensive School in Camberwell.

Priory for Wales

Mr. Parfitt also joined the Brigade as a Cadet and for the past 44 years has been a totally involved and enthu siastic St. John member the only break in his Brigade s ervice having been 6 years as a Medical Orderly in the RAF during the 1939 -45 war. He has also qualified as a State Enrolled Nurse and h as been active y involved as an official in st ructor in Civil Defence. During the past 12 years as Cou nt y Cadet Officer for Gwent he ha s led and instru cted young people in the service of mankind with o utstanding ski ll and enthu siasm and what might well be described as evangelistic zea l

for the cause of St. John Despite all the time and energy that he devotes to his work wit h cadets he stil l retains an active interest in the Waunllwyd Ambulance Division of which he was formerly a member , and his example of se rvice continues to be an inspiration to both yo ung and adult members of the community.

Services in other fields

Other members of the Order and its Fo und ations w ho have been honoured for their services in other fields include the fo ll owing:

Sir John Richardson (member of th e Ophthalmic Hospital Committee) has been created a Life Peer in recognition of his s ervices as President of the General Medical Council; the Revd. Canon J. S. D. Mansel (a Chaplain of the Order) has been created a KCVOj Vice-Admiral Sir Ronald Brockman (Cou nt y Presid e nt and member of the St. John Council for Devon) has received the

CVO, and Mr. C. G. L. Cory (member of t he P ri ory Chapte r, Pr iory for Wale s, and Chief Commissioner of the Welsh Scout Association) the MVO; Mr. Dayendranath Burrenchobay (Acting Governor-General of Mauritius and Pre si dent of the St. J ohn Council) has been created a KBEj a eBE has been awarded to Col. J. Connell (a member of the St. J ohn Council for Barbados) and also to Dr. John Tanner (a member of Chapter -General) in re cognition of h is services as D rector of the RAF Museum; while Mrs. M. H. Handyside (County Superinte nd ent for No r thumb ri a) ha s received the OBE in recognition of her se rvice s as National Chairman of the Women's Section of the Royal B ritish Legion.

To all these members Clf the St. John family whom Her Majesty has been pleased to honour we offer the most since r e congratulations of all our readers.

SJA shows the way ... in Bucks

Bucks Bletchley Division has operated a visiti n g service from Milton Keynes to the five Aylesbury ho spitals during the past 21/2 years. Apart from Mr. P. Kirkham, Transport Officer of the Bletchley Ambulance Division and organiser of the project, all the drivers have been auxiliary members of St. John Ambulance. Starting with an old -style London taxi making the rou nd trip two nights a week, the service developed into a fully-occupied minibus running five nights a week. Set up in co njun ct ion with the Bucks County Council, it was agreed that when the service became well used and profitable the St. John participation would end and a

regular bus service would take over St. John's role was to show that people wo uld use such a service. This has p r oved so successful that a regular bus service is due to take over at the end of January. H owever, with the continued backing of the Buck s County Council a new visiting service to the Northampton hospitals will be started at the end of Januar y by the Bletchley Di vision and run on the same li nes as the Aylesbury service.

A spokesma n for the Bu cks Count y Council said: St. John Amb u lance has done a magnificent job. We are extremely grateful for all their etTorts.'

37

READING the June 78 St. John Review , four articles were found to have striking to recent expansion of the work of St. John Ambulance in Cape Town. The articles were those on Sir Stewart DukeElder; future aims suggested by Dr. Peter von Braun (At Random) ; Working Together and Audio Visual Aids.

In 1977, with the help of the St. John Ophthalmic Foundation, we established seven St. John Eye Clinics for testing adults for refractive errors at local health centres (Day Hospital Organisations) This organisation provides primary health care for approximately half a million people in the lower income group at sixteen centres in the Cape area. These peripheral eye units in the communities have greatly relieved the busy out-patient departments of the general hospitals - they are manned by nursing staff trained on principals laid down by Sir Stewart Duke-Elder and developed in this part of the world by Dr. and Mrs. A. C. B. Molteno. Besides refraction certain medical tests are done to establish any disease which could affect eyesight. The whole report is subject to supervision by an ophthalmologist and general practitioner. An additional three units are planned for the near future , so that there will be easy access to such services throughout the greater Cape Town area.

The aims for St. John Ambulance in the Cape have a similar theme to that put out by the World Health Organisation, which is summed -up in the 'slogan: HEALTH FOR ALL BY THE YEAR 2000.

First step.

The conclusion drawn from a reassessment of medical care by W.H.O. in May 1977 was that the first step to achieving a healthy community is to discover and meet the actual needs of the community. The assumption until very recently, has been that essential services are t:Jrovided for people only by official bodies. Obviously 'Health for All by the Year 2000' would be impossible if we only thought in these terms. The involvement of the people themselves has been the missing factor in planning. It is essential to do things with people rather than for people. The best known and most quoted example of this is the 'Barefoot Doctor' , though he is neither a doctor nor necessarily barefoot. W.H O. calls him or her a primary health worker '; we prefer to use 'health firstaider'. They are chosen by and from the community itself and are therefore known and trusted. Here is the link at grass roots with the community.

Over the last year, working with the staff of the Day Hospital Organisation, St. John Ambulance has been training auxiliaries as health first-aiders' and aims to have one for at least every thousand of the population.

Through these auxiliaries and utilising the new safety orientated first aid training

Community health education and training in Cape Town

by

Dr. JOHN SMITH, Senior Medical Supt. of the Day Hospital Organisation, and Deputy Surgeon-in-Chief SJA South Africa; and MICHAEL DAWES, Chairman Cape Town Centre

system 'How to Save a Life' , our aim is to have one member in every household who has a basic knowledge of first aid home nursing, basic health problems and protection as well as some knowledge of sound buying and nutrition. It sounds an ambitious project , but all aims should be hard if not impossible to achieve; they are goals not platitudes. The subjects we are covering by talks, pamphlets and audio visual aids are:

Present available healt h and social services

Hygiene and dental hygiene

Nutrition

Road safety

Prevention of burns

Accident prevention in the house and at work

Plannin g for reti rement

Care of the elderl y

Care of th e sick child

Caring for the pre -s chool child

Available fami ly planning methods

Immuni sation

Alcoholism

Bud geting

Rheumatism

H ypertens ion

Epilepsy

Asthma

Ante nat al care

To mention only a cross section of what is available at the Cape Town Centre for loan or distribution by the Auxiliaries.

Working on the premise that optimal learning and benefits are only realised in any health service by community involvement, the Day Hospitals and St. John Ambulance were responsible for setting up the first Community Health Commitee in a selected area, as a pilot project , in September 1978.

The people who attended the meeting were health professionals from the community, members of the community itself St. John Ambulance , Red Cross and representatives of all the service clubs near the area, ie, Rotary, Lions, Round Table, etc. We met to initiate planning of the future needs of the community, and to study the existing health services so that where governmental funds

ST. JOHN STORIES

Staging tests -' under a salty Scot who liked a laugh

DURING a most interesting phase, 25 years or so ago, I was involved very deeply in casualty make-up , for Bath Association firstaiders competitions (still going strong and attracting teams from as far as 25 mile s radius), Civil Defence exercises, Police and Fire Brigad e regional competitions, as well as St. John county competitions.

are not ava il able attempts can be made to bridge the gap t hrou gh the voluntar y organisations. We in St. John are proud or our links with lo cal communities and official health services, and plan to spend at least R 100000 over the next 10 years in expanding this involvement.

While Cape Town is justly farnam internationally in the medical field fo r carrying out the 'impossible in regard to heart transplants we also believe it has achieved in the community health field ju sl as spectacular re su lts, in that the infa nt mortality is now the lowest in Africa, 22 per 1000 among the white and coloured communities. In fact that in the coloured community (25 per 1000) is lower than in the equivalent group in the USA (27 per 1000 m 1975).

We expect

By our involvement with the loc a community health services of the Da) Hospitals Organisation we expect the hea lt n of the community to equate with UK standards within fi ve years.

It has been sa id that historians of 20th· c e n t u r y m e d i c i n e mig h tea s IY be overwhelmed by the spectacula r breakthrough s and technical wonde rs wrought by the fruitful marriage of medicin e and the scientific method , and overlook some of our more human and equally difficult accomplishments in the organisation and delivery of health care. The use of heal th teams may well come to rival our brightesl technological triumphs by the way they ha ve gone about changing attitudes to health , by mobilising communities at the grass roolS and activating them in se lf care

The late Lord Rosenheim, President of th e Royal College of Physicians , once sa id thai there are no new discoveries needed to r ed uce death - rates and disease-rates in the community to a fraction of what they are toda y.

We believe St. John Ambulance in the Cape is already a leader in health education here by doing things wit h people and notfor people.

I can reco mmend this as a means of getting familiar with the appearance of such injuries as Colles fracture, open fracture of shin bone, etc. The leading spirit was our Divisional Surgeon of the time - a salty Scot with a great sense of humour - and the team arranging the set piece for the team test was a group of railway workers led by a pensioned -off arthritic who hobbled around on two sticks making everyone work out the we ll -conceived plans he devised

One memorable team test was a woo dworkin g shop , ankle -deep in shavings and bit s of wood with a saw bench - with a real (worn out) circular saw, against the teeth of wh ich a strip of tin trailed giving a realistic sound as the axle - a broomhandle passing through the hessian screen - was turned by a crank - handle manipulated in the wings'.

The sawyer had tripped on a block of wood hidd en in the shavings and fallen s lantwise across the saw. When the team dashed on to the scene, unless one of them pulled the big switch handle to OFF ( thus working a light visible to the 'crank -handle operator') the saw kept on turning and producing its teeth on edge' noise.

The member of the first team who lifted t he sawyer and turned him about took one glance at the diagonal slash across cheekbone, collar - bon e and chest, dripping with (artific ial) gore and fainted!

A bit too realistic, that one.

The by JAK burly sargeant copped a jet of re d fluid

On another occasion the Divisional Surgeon arranged for a tree to be set up in the Fire Brigade exercise yard; caught up in its upper branches, by hi s parachute, ropes and harness, was an airman (in flying overalls) whose fractures had to be immobilised and haemorrhage staunched by first-aiderswho had to climb the tree and sit out on the branch to do first aid and THEN lower the casualty by his own harness and parachute ropes. We were younger in those days.

* For a regional police competition the Divisional· Surgeon devised a casualty who, besides other injuries, had an open fracture of both bone s of the lower leg A rr angements had to be such that if anyone handled the broken leg awkwardly the casualty would let out a yell of agony and the wound would sudden ly spurt arterial haemorrhage. This was easily arranged in the usual Casualties

Union way ; a small flat plastic oil -can, hidden in the casualty's palm, had a length of fine rubber tubing (cycle valve rubber) pushed on to the spout and carried up the sleeve and down the trunk and thigh inside the clothing with its open end covered by the plasticine, etc simulating the

SJA National First Aid Competitions 1979

The burly police sergeant leader of the first team came charging on to the stage, grasped the everted foot clumsily, evoked the y ell and the pre-arranged response - and copped a jet of red fluid fair on to his shirt front!

He swore fiercely, and turning to me (purporting to be 't he bystander who could be made u se of) s narled: 'Who thought up that b y fool trick?' I pointed to the 'i nvigilating medical examiner' who said, laconically: 'Man it could easily have been real blood the way you handled the sit ua tion! Well yes - f reedom of speech is part of our Law.

* The scene was realist ic ally prepared. A dry stone wall (wall-paper on cardboard) with a motorcycle crashed against it, the motorcyclist with a leg trapped under the machine , unconscious from headlong collision with the wall. Not one of the competing teams found the unconscious pillion passenger on the other side of the wall. The only clue was a lady's shoe under the motorcyclist. Of course , he could have been en route to the cobbler - his wife (o r g irl -friend) having lost a heel.

s

SJA EXPANSION IN MILTON KEYNES

from Lt. Col. R. J. Payne, Commander SJA Bucks

I have recently set up a working group under the able chairmanship of Mrs. G. Weatherhead a prominent member of the Milton K ey n es community and Vice-President o f one of our St. John division s in th e area.

O ur aim is to greatly expand our work in this rapidl y developing complex and an Ambulance and Nursing Di v ision will be formed in Central Milton Keynes by the late Spring of 1979.

The object of this letter is to appeal for volunteers who ma y now b e living in or around Milton Keynes to come for w ard and offe r to help as uniformed members , lay instructors or St. John Auxiliaries.

- I should also be very pleased to recei v e names and addresse s of an y ex-members or Auxiliaries who may be known to those r eadin g this letter so that I can make contact with them

We already have a number of officers and member s who used to be in London District and Home Counties other than our own bu t we now urgently need the help of many more of these "invaluable and experienced members.

St. John Ambulance HQ, 13 Walton Terrace, A y lesbury (phone 23886) Bucks R A. P ayne

COMPETITION EXPENSES

from W. E. Street, Divisional Officer

When searching for the answer to the falling off in S t. John fi rst ai d competition entries in recent years, one comes to th e conclu s ion t ha t it is the same old answer: finances. The further your di v isio n ad va n c es towards the final , the bigger the problem.

Take our ambulance cadet team for example. They were th e winn e rs of their section in the National Finals ' 19 7 8 , but expen s es ju s t to get them to London for the final were quite hea vy For the adult fin ali s s I t could be even heavier if they have in a ddition t o lo se wo d ays' wo r k pay. Now I am sure there are many di visions in our coun ty alon e, a nd hundreds throughout the country , who could not afford th es e s um s, so even if they have a brilliant team , expense prevents their en t erin g. Possibly they could manage area , county and ev en reg iona l final s, but b.y then their competition finances would be totally exhausted

Would it not be possible for each county to con tribute £2 0 , for eac h team representing them in the regional finals into a reg ion al pool a nd the money be divided equally between each of the four sect ion winne rs to be used towaFds their London F inal ex pense s?

As there are usually eight teams in each section of th e reg io nal finals, the money would provide a nice incenti ve fo r th e teams w hen they could see their biggest financial hurdle taken care of, and ev en th e smallest division would know the y had a chance to get in the finalprovided they had the ability.

Exmouth, Devon W E. St reet

lARGE PRINT BOOKS

from E. J. Small, Divisional Superintendent

I should like to draw attention to a way we , as members of St. John can help to give a little to those in our hosp itals who are s hort sighted and therefore unable to pass the time in reading , as normal patients can I am referring to the provision of large print boo ks T he s e are often available in the local libraries but it is often impo ss ible to obtain them in hospitals.

I have found these books sometimes available at a ver y lo w co st at .the library, having been withdrawn from circulation. For a mat t er of lap each have recently bought s everal and forwarded them to o ur County HQ for transmission to one of the local hospitals. Such a pmject may run to a little expense but when one c onsiders the pleasure books can give to those who are less fortunate th a n ourselves, I think it well worth it. It only works out at a few penc e p e r week which can easily be afforded even by an

like myself.

READERS VIEWS

PEN FRIENDS

from

be in te r es ed in correspo nd ing w it h other St. J ohn members - es pec al ly t hose ab r oad - wit h simi ar in terests to mY'lelf, and exc h a nge SJ news and ex-per iences. I am 38 and my mai n in t erests are a n imals a n d the countryside . riding, photography, astronomy , and seve r a l ot her s I've 'dabbled' in 3 5 Cas tle S t , Staffo rd Sheila J Moss

WHO ' LL CALL?

from Miss J R. Emerson. Officer Sister

As I a m d isable d a nd h o u se bound, I wou ld very much app r eciate it if a n y member of S t. J o h n in t h is a rea wou ld like to ca ll on me so t hat I c an keep in touch with St. J ohn A m bulance. As matte rs now stand, I feel a comp lete outsider. Pl ease te lephone first, as it takes me so long to a n swer the d oo r du e to a r t h r tis.

8 1 K natchbull R d, Cambe r well, Lon don S E5, Ph on e 2743168 Jessie R Eme rson

SELF-LOCKING AMBULANCES

from E J Baker Member

W h at blasts of ice-cold logic fr o m Eas t Be r ks h ire (Nov. R eview) ! But were th e y so very log cal w h en carefu ll y conside re d ? Eac h seemed to m e t o be a collec t ion o f a n a go ni s ti c post ul at es fa r mo re far-fet ch ed than the 'i dea ' that unlocked ser v ce ve hicl es c an be s t o len (t h at'S

W rite r Brian says 'it

Doub le for Maldon

SUN D A Y December 10 1978 was a doubly s pec ial day fo r Maldon Combined Division Fo r no t on ly were they presented with their new am bu lance, bu t their Superintendent P Watts (above) r eceived h is meda l for 15 years se r vice.

TH E HOME ACCIDENT SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

T he Fir st Twlve Month s Dat a Pu bli sh ed by the Department of Prices and Con s u m er Pr o tection. Consumer Safety U ni t, M illban k Tower, Millbank, London. Fr ee.

I h av e bee n asked to review this p u blication a nd whil e a t first it see m s hard going it reinfo r ces, I would t h ink, most doctors exper iences hat steps and sta irs in and out o f th e k it c hen cause th e highest proport ion o f frac tur es, pr esumab ly in the e lderly. Steps a nd s a ir s ca use the h ighest proportion of ac c id e nt s in the home a nd w hil e too ls for c uttin g ca use th e h ig hes t pr opo r tio n of DIY injurie s, la dd e r s a n d step -la d ders are a close second , also pr es u mab ly in he experience of mos t d o ct o r s, t he fa ll s from ladde r s and stepla dder s c au se mo r e serio us. inj uries and co nsequ e ntl y m ore h os pi tal t ime than do the wo und s re ce ive d fro m tools or c u tting tools.

Stati s ti cs of fa t a l home accide nt s are not as yet avail a bl e but it s note d h at th e EEC C ommi ss ib n h as set u p a gr o u p of experts

(W ho a re th e ex pe r ts?) t o st ud y t h e feas ibi lity an d me th o dol ogy( !) for co ll ecting mo re data

In t h e mn e me mb er co u ntr ies. Bur ea uc r acy

lock)

ler spring latch (Yale Bath J ack Baker

The ambulance (above) was presented outside All Saints Church, Maldon, by President of the Carnival Association the Mayor of Maldon, Councillor W. Hutchinson , as the Carnival Committee has

generously donated £ 1,0 00 towards its cost. It was then ded ica ted by the Rev. Arthur Dunlop. It was received for St. John by Commander Dr. Nicholls-Palmer. who also presented Mr. Watts with his Service Medal.

INJURIES

IN SPORT by David Sutherland Muckle, M BB S, M S (N'cle), FRCS

where do you end!

I am sorry to inflict my own 'hobby horse' but in my experience to stop wearing s lipper s in the home or only wearing slippers with non-slip soles would result in far fewer accidents to the elderly.

T J.W .C.

WOMEN'S BODY WOMEN'S RIGHTS by Lind Gordon

Penguin Books Ltd. £1.50

A well reasearched history of birth control in Amer ica and its association with politics and socia l circumstances from the 1870s to the pre se nt d ay.

The author, Professor Gordon who is an active feminist , is somewhat biased in her presentation of the information. She describes the book as a documented plea for the importance of a total programme of female liberation,

It is an extremely interesting book well worth reading by workers in the medical and social field.

John Wright and Sons Ltd., St o nebri dg e Press, Bristol. £6.50

The author indicates that the object of writing this book is that it should be a g u id e to the accident department an d to gen er al practice in treating the injured athlete, The injuries selected are in particular those associated with sport. After two preliminary chapters giving appropriate statistics about spo rting injuries the text is divided into chapters dealing w ith anatomical structure or regions. These provide some good adviCe about conditions common to athletes, for example, pulled hamstrings, compartment leg s y ndromes, bruised heel and rehabilitation problems of the convalescent knee, but most of it is a brief survey of orthopaedic surgery with too much accent on surgical technique. Advice to open a knee in an adolescent female for chond r omalacia of the patella is very controversial.

It is a book providing considerable interest to those treating injured athletes but should not be taken seriously as a book of reference.

Philip Newman

Mr, Meurig Williams shows how the fixation plates are attached to a section of human spine

THE DAY his father was brought home with a fractured spine, a six-year-old boy from Mountain Ash, Mid Glamorgan, made a life-long pledge.

The father was William John Williams, a miner whose spine was crushed in a roof fall at the Dyffryn Colliery, Mountain Ash, in 1914. He was only aged 38.

His son recalls: 'I will never forget the impact the accident had on our family. I made up my mind in that moment that I must devote the rest of my life to helping people with spinal injuries, especially miners. When my father came home from hospital he had a bedsore the size of a dinner plate on his back and his heel bones were showing through the skin. I'll never, never forget it.'

The boy was Evan William Meurig Williams now aged 71, who' became one of the world's great authorities on spinal injuries. That decision he made as a six-yearold, standing in the doorway of his home as his crippled father was carried up to bed, has made the lives of countless spinal injury victims more bearable and happier than they might otherwise have been.

On November 29 1978 at Buckingham Palace Mr. Williams, Meurig - the Christian name he is known by - received the O.B.E. from the Queen for his work as a surgeon and also for his services over 46 years to the Order of St. John in Wales.

The Williams family had its fill of mining. Not only Meurig's father, but his grandfather and great-grandfather had worked underground. His great-grandfather was a close friend of composer, Dr. Joseph Parry, and his great uncle was Dai-O'rNant, the famed leader of the miners of Aberdare.

FROM WALES

Howa pit accident gave hope to thousands

In Fife twelve boys and girls have been

meeting under the leadership of Mrs. White with a view to forming a group of St. John cadets, and the committee of the Association is considering bringing comfort and help to the victims of mugging The AGM on November 22 heard an inspiring talk by Lady Mar and Kellie on '1979 - the International Year of the Child'. A new Snowtrek vehicle has been bought A master of surgery of the Univ e rsity 01 and radio equipment has been renewed and Wales and a fellow of the Royal College 01

repaired on behalf of the Glenshee Ski Rescue Service, using funds originally raised by East Kilbride Association for the Glenshee Village Project. The Order in the Highland Area has handed over £70 to the RSPCC and £200 to the Search and Rescue Dog Association, which makes an important contribution to mountain rescue work.

New publication

The West Lothian History and Amenity

Society has recently published (at SOp) a pamphlet entitled Sanctuary and the Privilege 0/ St. John, written by the Rev P H. R. Mackay, who knows more about the history of the Order in medieval Scotland than anyone else alive. Mr. Mackay gives in most intere s ting detail the history of the Great Right, the privilege of Sanctuary , at Torphichen , the headquarters of the Order in Scotland in the Middle Ages

J. R -S 'I helped my mother nurse father', he racalls. He was a paraplegic and was confined to a wheelchair. But he was a very courageous man. He levered himself up the stairs to bed each night.

In the end he accepted his fate. He became fond of music, theology and reading.

In fact, he read the entire works of Dickens and Scott. He was a great inspiration to me personally ,' says Meurig.

The young Meurig was educated at Mountain Ash Grammar School and in 1925 began studies at the Welsh School of Medicine Cardiff, where he won the Alfred Sheen prize for physiology and anatomy.

Then in 1931 while at Guy 's Hospital

London, he was awarded the gold medal for surgery - but still found time to take the tenor lead in HMS Pinafore, performed by the hospital's music and operatic society.

World War II saw him in general practice in London , running a mobile first-aid post during the Blitz , and operating on RAF personnel with spinal injuries.

'Orthopaedics has one major consolation', he says. 'There ' s a low mortality rate. But I remember, during my stint with the RAF , a bomber crashed with 14 men aboard and we spent three days putting the bits together again so that we could identify the victims,' recalls Meurig , who now lives with his second wife in Llandaff, Cardiff. They have a 16-year old son , and he has two daughters, both married , from his earlier marriqge, He returned to Wales in 1946 as a registrar at the old Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital in Cardiff, and fast gain ed a reputation as a specialist in spinal injuries. He pioneered the establishment of the Welsh Spinal Injuries Unit after Rhydlafar Hospital was opened in 1953.

At that time he was perfecting the operation which has become his trade-mark - the spinal fusion. Special stainless steel plates are fixed and screwed to the spine so that fractures do not deteriorate , causing deformities and acute pain.

'It doesn't cure,' he says, 'but it can make life so much more bearable for the victims.

Many patients, though confined to wheelchairs, have been able to work again.'

The plates he invented - 'The idea came to me in the middle of the night' - have been used all over the world and Mr. Williams has lectured in Europe, the United States and Canada on his speciality.

Surgeons Mr. WilUams is also the Priory for Wales of the Order of St. Joh and a druid in the Gorsedd of the

National Eisteddfod.

Mr. Williams retired from his post as consultant orthopaedic su rgeon in 1972 bu st ill retain s links with colleagues a Rhydlafar and joined the fight to save thl hospital from closure.

He was made a freeman of Mountain AS I in 1962 a nd was the Welsh radio doctor r po st-war yea rs

' I always thought what a good idea it wa that doctors giving advice to thousand s 0 people over the radio remain anonymou s,' II says with a wry smi le.

But a lot of peopl e have reason to tha m him. And night staff at Rhydlafar ca remember many midnights when a he icopte would touch down in the ho s pital gro un d carrying a spinal emergency.

And Meurig would be wa iting in n operating theatre hoping to stitch a !if back together.

R eprintedjrom the South Wales Echo.

SCOTLAND

Priory

The Prelate the Rev. Professor R A. l Barbour , has been nominated Moderator c the General Assembly of the Church c Scotland. The Priory hopes to present tt prelate with a preaching scarf embroidere with the emblems of the Order at the time r his installation in May.

At the end of 1978 the Roll of the Priar of Scotland stood at 706 compared with at the end of 1977 The greetings of ttl Priory are being conveyed to the Priories o South Africa and New Zealand and to to St. John Council in St. Lucia by Messrl Andrew Lawson, KStJ (Preceptor 0 Torphichen), Archibald Russell CStJ an Ian Laird, OStJ , who are visiting those pa rt of the world.

Regions

Perth Association continues to support Upper Springland project administered b the Scottish Council for Spastics , whic provides flatlets and a work centre for severely handicapped

THE PRIOR for South Africa died at Muizenberg on Monday, 13 November.

His death marks the end of an era in the almost century old history of the Order of St. John in thi s country , the passing of an eminent South African and a devoted servant of St. John and , by a criterion one might wish to apply , a man with the background, culture and outlook of a period more lo yal, more chivalrou s and more dedicated to the ideal of service than we shall probably ever see again.

In his bearing and philosophy the Prior epitomised the best qualities of the age int o which he was born. His passing is a loss not only to St. John and his numerous friends of every colour and creed in al l walks of life but also to our countr y.

Alpheus Gardner Williams was born in Kimberley on February 28 , 1905 His grandfather Gardner Fred Williams a distinguished American mining engineer, was appointed by Cecil Rhodes a s the fir s General Manager of De Beers Consolidated Mines his son Alpheus Fuller Williams afterwards succeeded him as General Manager.

As General Manager of a great mining undertaking Alpheus Williams rea lised the importance of t he work of St. John Ambulance and was responsible in those early days for the development which has led S1. John to its present position of eminence in South Africa.

Mr. Alpheus Williams subsequently became Director of Ambulance and Chief Commissioner and then Sub-Prior , as the office of Chancellor was then known.

His wife Mrs. Constance Williams was a very active worker in the Brigade throughout her married life and at the time of her death was Priory Lady Superintendent-in -C hief.

The Prior was the eldest of the four sons of Mr. Alpheus Williams, the second of whom, Colonel James Williams is the Director of Ambulance and Chief Commissioner. His younger brother Mr. R. D. Williams is President of the East London Centre.

Gardner Williams was educated at

PRIORY FOR SOUTH AFRICA

ALPHEUS GARDNER WILLIAMS

Christian Brothers College, Kimberley and went on to Caius College Cambridge to graduate in Engineering.

He was a Cambridge rugby blue and captain of the University side at the same time as the Lord Prior, Lord Caccia was playing for Oxford University. Thus started a lifelong friendship and a shared devotion to rugby football and the work of S1. John,

After leaving Cambridge , where he was a member of the illustrious Hawks Club he played provincial rugby as captain of Griqualand West and was selected for the final Springbok trial in 1931.

In 1932 Gardner Williams married Constance Maureen, ' Mollie Orr a daughter of the late John Orr of Kimberley.

The Prior 's achievements will serve to inspire younger members of S1. John wherever they ma y be and to confirm

Napoleon 's maxim t hat Ever y soldier carries a field marshall 's baton in his knapsack which might be re-phrased in St. John idiom to 'Every cadet carries in his satc hel the star of a Bailiff Grand Cross

His record of service as a member of the Order of St. John shows that he joined the Brigade in 1942 , was awarded his Service Medal in 1954 and his fourth bar to it in 1974.

He was admitted to the Order in the grade of Officer Brother in 1936 , promoted to Commander in 1948 and became a Knight of Justice in 1956.

He was installed as Prior for So.uth Africa in 1970 and invested as a Sailiff Grand Cross by the Lord Prior , His Royal Highness the Duke of at a

ceremony in London in 1974.

This was a well deserved tribute to his long and devoted service to the cause of St. John and to the Priory for South Africa.

It is interesting to think that Her Royal Highness Princess Alice Countess of Athlone , formed a close link with the Williams family when her husband the Earl of Athlone , became Governor-General of the Union of South Africa in 1927.

For the la st few years Her Royal Highness , who is the only living grandchild of Queen Victoria, has celebrated her birthday at the Prior 's home 'Vergenoeg' at Muizenberg - this year that happy occasion marked her 95th year.

Gardner Williams had many and varied interests in the business life of South Africa. He had been Chairman of A pheus Williams and Dowse , a firm of structural engineers that contributed significantly to building up the mining and structural steel industries in South Africa.

At the time of the amalgamation of his company with Dorman Long Ltd he became Deput y Chairman of that company. He was Chairman of the Johannesburg Board of the South African Permanent Building Society and Director of John Orr Ltd. , at one time being its Chairman

The Prior wa s keenly interested in the breeding of Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs.

At our meetings of Chapter and Council at our investitures, conferences and in our daily avocations, we here at Prior y will cherish the memory of a distinguished and honoured man an d a wise and kindly Prior. His considered counsel and praise for any task large or small well done , or done with good intent, will be remembered by us all. He was incapable of recrimination and his ready optimism was , one feels sure. the outward and visible manifestation of a gene rous and humane spirit which found its truest fulfillment in service to others in consonance with the second motto of our Order Pro Utilitate Hominum' Death hath no more dominion over him. Romans 6-9

Reprinted/rom The Call, South A/rica.

News from

ISLE OF WIGHT - A residential tra in in , weekend for 30 cadet NCOs was held a Freshwater at the end of Organised b CSOs Mr. & M rs. M. Healmg, the

LONDON - At Northern Area's a nn ul pres idents' co nference (about 40 presidenl attended), Area Comm. Haro ld Mu ll igru reported there had been an increase in th Area of 134 members, bringing the total 1,439, of whom 118 adult members the Brigade as cadets. The Area operated I mobile first aid units and 10 ambulance (including a cardiac unit) . David Carbonne an ex -cadet now with Southgate Divis ior received hi s Grand Prior's Badge.

The annual Mitcham Open PI Competition for London District teams wa won on Nov. 18 by C28 SouthgateC/Sgt. Joe Lennon, and Cadets Ian Cattel Mark Sweeney and Tim Hyman.

The annual London District nursing cadi drill competition's Pryor Trophy was won b CN 25 Southgate , of Northern Area.

S-W Area's annual dinner / dance, held ! Croydon's Fairfield Hall on Nov, 25, W! attended by over 200 member s and guesf who included the Mayor and Mayoress ( Croydon, and the Chief Commander S Maurice and Lady Dorman.

Ealing Nursing Division, celebrating [ 50th year during 1978 , entertained a grOt of members of the Malte se r Hildien st fr o: Kreis Steinfurt, the We st German to\l twinned with Ealing, during the autumn , NORTHUMBRIA - At the Novocastri!

Ambulance Division ' s annual dinner r Nov. 25, divisional trophies were presenu to A IMs T. Chatt, C. Hall , D. Kershawar F. Smith. Div. Sur g. P. Brantingham. just been made a Serving Brother, W! presented with a book and tie of the Supt. W . Dodds , after 41 years se rvia retired to the reserve.

(Below) MERSEYSIDE LiverpoO North Nursing Di v isi on's longe, se rving member D/ Supt. Sara Brown Serving Sister retired at thl end of 1978 after 45 years with same Division (Photo: Gordor Whiting )

(Above) STAFFORD: 16-year - old Sandra Green , of Cheadle N C Divis ion and 1978 Cheadle Festival Queen received the Maureen Upto n awar d as the division 's Cadet of the Year. (Photo: Leek Post & Tim es)

(Above) DEVON : Chard Junction Ambulance Class (Association). which h as about 40 members. having a good time at their recent social evening and presentation of trophies. (Photo Dr Terry Glanvill)

VISUAL AIDS

LOOK

Pri

£5.95; Cassetted tape £3.50; Printed commentary SO p ; Total £9.95.

Ca mer a Talks Ltd. , 31 North Row , London W J R 2EN.

Content: Foot care from the child to the adult.

Appraisal: This is a good, clear presentation that shows the dangers of foot neglect; it shows the impOrLance of prevention in footwear. It does not take in to account the price of good shoes or the effect of fashion o n ladies.

Audience: Universal.

ABLE TO FISH (l6mm film series)

Town & Country Productions, 21, Cheyne Row London, SW3 5HP.

Hire fee: £5.40 each part.

Thi s series consists of the following three films: (a) Course Angling (34 min s.); (b) Game Fishing (32 mins.); (c) Sea Angling (23 mins.).

Content: These films show how the sport of angling could and should be more safe for the disabled to enjoy and how specific equipment to suit their seve ral needs has been designed.

Appraisal: This film series is first class. It shows viv idl y how angling in all of its aspects is a sport that the disabled may enjoy; it breaks new ground in that it shows specific items of equipment designed so that even severe ly handicapp ed personnel are not prevented from enjoying this popular activity. Sea Angling is the best of the three parts - the others are a shade rep etit ive and too long.

Recommended.

Audience: The audience is universal but all physically handicapped personnel, their friends and relations. Local Authority personnel, voluntary societies. occupational therapists. etc. will learn someth in g from thi s series.

BURN EMERGENCY (1977 U.S.A ) 16mm film Price: About £190. Di stribut ed by: Pyramid Films. Box 1048, Santa Monica. California 90406.

Content: This film introduces the newest methods of caring for burn victims until they reach hospitaL it shows how to render first aid for thermal, inhalation, electrical and chemical burns. It also shows how to estimate burn damage.

(A copy is available on hire to S.l.A. members at £5 from Visual Aids Section , H.Q St. John Ambulance. 1 Grosvenor Crescent. London SWIX 7EF).

Appraisal: This is an excellent it is clear, concise and presents all of its points in a simple, easy to understand manner. The technical qualities are high - the camera work is notably good and all-in-all it is filled with a commonsensical attitude towards its important subject. The protrayal of electrical burns is excellent and the efficiency of the rescue serv ic es sk illfully portra yed.

.It is unfortunate that differences in treatment exist between the first ai d taught within the UK and that portrayed in the fi lm - these differences a r e minor but do preclude use of the film as an adjunct to the statutory first aid course. Nonetheless, providing an instructor is present to highlight differences in technique the film would be of great value at training days and similar occasions.

Audience: General public.

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.2 (79) byW.A.Potter

A prize oj 2 packs oj St. John playing cards will be awarded to the sende r oj Ihe first con'ecl(v completed Crossll'ord No.2 (79) opened on March 1 Send 10 SI. John Review, Wood COllage, High Corner, Butle)', Woodbridge, Suffolk IPl2 3QF.

Across: 1. Ascorbic acid. (7. 1). 5. Group of muscians requires it for a brigand (6). 10. Twisting of an artery to arrest haemorrhage during surgery. (7). II. A little devil and an animal take a point in deadlock situation (7) 12. Metal used to protect from x-radiation. (4). 13. Wound likely to involve deep vessels and internal organ.s. (4). 14. None with temperature in a group of nine. (5). 16. Gasp in excitement holding a group of bones. (5). 17. Give directions for supply of drugs. (9). 20. Heart failure characterised by pulmonary congestion and dyspnoea. (4.5).23. Contaminate but only slightly. (5). 24. Went swiftly before food in red environment (5). 26. Seba ceous gland infection commonly affecting face and torso during puberty. (4) 27 A girl has a silly fellow after 50 (4). 30. Deliberate taking of one's life with part of police force involved (7). 3 I. Encourage to breathe in. (7). 32. They provide one's knowledge of the environment. (6). 33. Condition becomjng prevalent. at certain times of the year (8).

Down: l. Five with a variety of tail essential to life. (5). 2. It could be a common cold. tonsillitis. laryngitis. or diphtheria. (6 .9 ). 3. Many with intention to cause injury. (4) 4. Proceeding continuously. (3.4). 6. Like a small enclosure for a tree. (5). 7 8 Down for allergy when the cause is known. (15). 8. Regime directed to restoration of health and well-being. (9). 9. Can live. (6). IS. Principal organ of focus . (4). 16. Hardening of arteries from taking mixture of cress and soil. (9). 18. Cereal from country estates. (3). 19. Reduces injuries. (4) 2 L Trader in red ale. (6). 22. Tissue forming bulk of a tooth. (7). 25. Forcefulness of character. (5).28. Least upset is to acquire feloniously. (5).29. Employs customary practices. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.1 (79)

Across: l. Antipodes; 6. Chair: 9. Raise; 10. Shivering: 11. Mime; 12 Clue: 13. S\\eat: 15. 0 seou : 16. Digital; 18. Ice; 19. Pyrex.ia: 21. Ca.scaLa: 23. Optic: 25. Bubo: 26. Bed: 28. Extrovert: 29. Oas.is: 30. Syrup: 31. Dyspep ia.

Down: I. Acromion process: 2. Trismus: 3. Peel: 4. Dysplasia; 5. Spine; 6. Cress: 7. A.lime.nt; 8. Ri ght. iliac fossa: 14. Hoax: 16. Decubitus: 17. Gash: 20. Rotator: 22. A epsis; 24. Croup: 25. B.le.ed: 27. Bone.

No .1 2 (78). The

Crossword

first correct solution opened was from Miss Mary Laine, Staff Hostel, West Cumberland Hospital, Hensingham, Whitehaven, Cumbria.

PHILIP HARRIS MEDICAL HAS IT ALL WRAPPED UP!

A total service for industrial su rgery requirements .

Philip Harris Medical Ltd are the specialists in supplying i ndustrial su rger ies with all modern medical requirements

We take great professional p r ide in keeping up with cu r rent developmen t s a nd you can be assured that our p r oducts represent the latest and bes t av ai la b le.

We offer prompt delivery of eth ic a l proprietaries , drugs , dressings and instruments Also essential industrial surgery f u

ur echairs , cabinets , dressing trolleys etc.

REVIEW

AT RANDOM

by Watkin W Williams

A CORRESPONDENT asked recently how many universltles or university colleges have St. John Ambulance units, adding that 'with all the dangerous research laboratories and games and expeditions that students take part in, units of this type could be of enormous use' I wasn't sure whether by 'St. John Ambulance units the writer meant 'Brigade Drvisions'; if so, then I'm afraid the answer is very probably ' none'. But if my guess is wrong and some do exist, I hope they'll show their forgiveness of my ignorance by writing to the Review and telling us all about themselves and what they do. On the other hand , at least some training colleges for teachers in physical education require their students to obtain an adult FA certificate as an essential part of their course of training , while Association FA courses ,- are made optionally available to students in a few - but not nearly enough - colleges of adult education.

I entirely agree that the various activities that take place in the vast majority of colleges today, as well as in a great many schools , make them at least as potentially dangerous places to live and work in as a great many factories and large trading establishments; yet, unlike the factories , they do not have to meet any statutory requirements about safety officers, first aid parties or even the provision of first aid materials. Some, of course, do make suitable provision, but the matter is left entirely to individual initiative.

Personally, I doubt if the formation of Brigade Divisions in universities, etc, would really be the right answer, though it would be splendid if this did occasionally happen. It is 1Jrimarily a matter for FA training by the Association branch - training not merely of the students, nor merely of the teaching staff, but of representatives of all the various sections of the college community, among whom I would very much include what might be described as 'ancillary workers' - secretarial and domestic staff, laboratory assistants , porters, groundsmen, continued on p.59

Va e, as there is no town or larg e sca le ind ustry to support us. We are grateful to t he ind ividua l shop keepers, publican s and the pub lic for the support they give us for our various projects We certainly work for our money and hav e planned a number of events for t h is year to raise cash - j um ble sa es, barn dance and a Donkey Derby (Saturday A ugust 18). As usua , you see, we h ave decided to do something a nd worry about t he money afterwards, but I am su r e it will come in. We have been luck y to recei ve two

WE NOW GET ON WITH DOING SOMETHINGAND WORRY ABOUT THE MONEY AFTERWARDS AT THE END o f 19 74, w hen As h D a le Division Surr ey, was r es tructur e d and t h e present officer s t oo k charge i was decid e d that a ne w image w ould need to be created.

The member s hip o ta l w a s lo w a n d t h e amount of public duty w ork wa s in s ignifican t. We had in mind a fi v e -y e a r period ( which is due to end in December 1979) to achie v e our aims but we n ev er imagined that s o much w ould happen in s u c h a short i me Ha v in g reno

ambulance in 1975 , w

coac h and converted it into

n 1976, extended our he a dquarter s and g r o und s in 19 7 7 and installed central he at ing throughout the HQ in 1978 Keepin g p a ce with these developments was the num b er of members and dutie s. We no w ha ve 5 1 ac ive members and c o v er a v ariet y of p u bl ic duties , ph y sicall y handi c app e d r u ns, h os p ital dutie s, etc Usuall y w e can m us te r 2 0 'at a drop of a hat ' if needed!

Ambulances

It was dur ng 1978 that w e realised t ha we must improve our ambulanc e fleet , as often w e needed w o ambulance s m os t weekends in add ition to the mobile un it. Ou r existing two vehicle s were v er y di ffer e nt - a fully-equipped , t w o - r olle y ambulan ce and a Tran s it minibu s w ith a ort e st r e t c h er conversion. Although the second v eh cle has a low mileage , we found t ha t i canno c o pe with larger duties , although it is ideal for cross countr y work at scrambles and t h e like. It wa s at this time that we reall y though t that the ans w er w ould be to ha v e t w o identical ve hi cle s a s the crew s w ould the n know where everything w as l oca t ed regardles s of the vehicle allo c ated. We investigated the price of new vehicle s and realised that we would not be able to afford these unless a fairy godmother ' came along The only alternative seemed to be he Ar e a Health Authorities , and so the length y process of w riting to all AHA s began.

50

The two new vehicles. (Above) At a service area on the M 5 on their way south from Salop, where they were bought from the Area Health Authority. (Right) In Ash Vale D ivision 's garage. Identical vehicles and equipment should make members feel at home which ever vehicle they re using

A t first this ooked most unpromising , as with the economic problems of the past few y ear s the A m bu lances Services seem to be r u nn in g a lot of their vehicles into the g r o und , a n d m any warned us that they wou ld n ot be s ui ta b le. Still we pushed on and fort u nately obtained a te lephone call in D ecember to inform u s that there would be f ive ve h icles for sale in Salop. The a m bulances were of varying types, but two were do ubl e trolley vehicles. Two members lite rall y zoo m ed up to S h rewsbury on their m o o r cyc e, fo ll owed a coup le of days later b y h e S up er inten dent and Treasurer at a 'm ore le isurely pace. We we r e all very impr essed with the vehicles and at 6pm that e ven ing a ty p ewriter was poised on the legs o f the S u p er in te n dent (in the front of a car) w h ilst t h e tender letter was written. The comp etitio n seeme d fi erce, with other St. John and R e d Cross u ni t s in terested, so we w ere n ot ve r y h o p eful.

Ha ven 't y ou he a rd?

A t h e b egi n n in g of Jan ua r y we decided to rin g th e AHA to en q ui re about our tender , o nl y to b e to ld 'Haven't yo u h eard you have heen su c cessful in obtai n ing YAW 957 / 958 K W e we r e a ll d elig h ted and so t h e pl a n s for c oll ec tion to ok pl ace in freezing cond it io n s, r ail s t rik e s, etc In t he end we de ci d e d co m e w h at may we wo u ld collect the v eh icl es o n Sat urd ay, Ja nu ary 27. Five of us left As h Vale at 7.30am, with forecasts of

freezing fog, an impassable M6, black ice. etc. We arr iv ed after an easy journey at 11.15am. Our car was equipped with tOll' rope s, jump le ads, etc, but surprise, surprise - with a little encouragement both vehicles started. No mean feat really, as one had been off the road for nearly a yea r

We se t off for Ash Vale at midda y and arrived home at 5pm. very pleased with our purchase Already we have one vehicle sounding very sweet, thanks to the excellent work of our transport section. I don't think I have ever seen a vehicle in such good condition, internally and externally, for its age. After an 'assault' one evening by ten members our first vehicle looks as good as new although the other looks a bit threadbare, having borrowed some of its parts

By April we hope to have both ambulances in service, resplendent in brilliant white, and fully equipped with Automan oxygen equipment , orthopaedic scoop stretchers, Entonox, carrying chai rs, radios and points for the suction unit.

Our other two - trolley vehicle will be sold, but we will keep the small transit for those jobs where on ly a small vehicle can go. It will also be useful to have a spare vehicle, as no doubt we will need one from time to t im e and may even be able to assist another Division should they wish to borrow one. Obviously, all of this is costing money. And money has to be hard fought for in As h

donation s recently for this project, and J am grateful for t he s upport of the local Lions Club (Frimley & Camberley) and our Vice President.

We consider ourselves very fortunate with this atest purchase, and are very appreciative for the assistance of the AHA in Salop , who hav e been mo s t helpful. Also we are luck y to have a good team at Ash Vale - mechanics, vehicle cleaners, fund raisers, etc. And that 's what counts.

J B. Gaff, Di v. Supt.

BUTLIN'S CAMP VENTURE

by Tony Bland Deputy Secretary, Association

5gt. Jack Edwards of St. Blaley Cornwall at last year's Minehead Butlin 's camp

THE FINISHING touches are now being made by our training manager. Bill Oliver. to the plans for our seco nd foray into the world of teaching first aid to schoolchildren at the Butlin' s School Venture Weeks. Despite man y circu lars on this SUbject, I constantly m eet St. John members who h ave ne ver heard of them and are very interested to hear more, so this seem an appropriate moment to write about this exciting experiment.

I employ the word 'exciting' unreservedly, for two reasons. Fi r st y, because it is a mar vello u s chance for the two branches of our great Foundation. the Association and the Brigade, to work together for the common good; and secondly, becau se anyone with any desire to teach the young something useful and practical could not fail to be in spired by the h appy and uplifting experience of playing the ir part in the running of the s e highl y s uccessfu l Butlin 's Camps. Last year, they were held at Minehead, Barry Island, Bognor Regis and Duporth. This yea r. C lacton is to be added to the list and for the second year, St. John Ambulance have been encouraged to do their own thing. But to go back to the beginning. It all started in ate 1977 with a visit to Headq u arters by Butlin 's Senior Executive of Soc ia l Services, the electrically -charged Mr. Pau l Winterforde -Yo ung, to drum up St. Jo hn Ambulance co-operation; could

we help at their School Venture Weeks? It was intere sting to meet an influential chap in a highly commercial and competitive activity who had a social conscience: in fact, he had come to Butlins from wartime service in the Ro ya l Navy via being responsible for the run ning of all the Youth Clubs in London He cheerfully admitted that Butlin's school activities could not be entirely philanthropic, but only to the extent of helping towards the overheads of open in g up the camps before the public summer season started. It could scarcely be profitable as the kids, who come mainl y from the poorer areas of England and Wales, are charged very low fees for their week's stay; for instance at Minehead, which T visited. the mind-boggling figure of a 2.000 weekly through-put turned out to be peanuts for an enormous complex of 17,OPO capacity in the season'.

We readily accepted Pa ul's proposals. which were to find weekly instructors to teach first aid (up to Emergency Aid sta ndard ) to sc hoolchildren , who normally opt to learn and acquire basic standards in 3 or 4 out of some 50 activities offered. These have to be seen to be believed and the counter-attractions of such pursuits as fencing, swimming, abseiling, bird watching (educative), drama. art, disco and folk d ancing have strong pulling powers. Clearly, first aid would need to be taught well and by instructors with the ability to

inspire the young by entering into the spirit of things - not so difficult as migh be imagined , as I know from personal experience. The atmosphere of these camps is infectiously enthusiastic.

In the event, St. John Ambulance emerged wi th colours flying and some 6,000 schoolchildren attended first aid instruction. a good 25% of the total potential; an e ncouraging start. Our only real disappointment was the re su lting lack of applicants to join our Cadet movement, but I am convinced that this was due more to our failure to se ll this aspect of our ideas r athe r than through an y lack of youthful enthusiasm. We must improve on this next time.

It is always of interest to know what motivates the young to learn first aid. Most I talked to at these camps had a vague idea of wanting to be able to help people who were injured. but I will end wit h this eloquent quote from one of the (v ery young) girls who learned her basic principles at Minehead from one of our doughty Cornish instructors. (Cornwall seems to make a take-over bid at Minehead in the absence of local vo lunteersSomerset please note!) the girl subsequently wrote to A I M Bill Dyer of S t. Austell: Dear Bill.

I still practise first aid and one day I used it for real. Four boys, Angela and me went to a hand-swing and one boy lost his grip and cut his head open badly. I looked at him, we did not mo v e him. a nd I rushed quickly to a boy who was passing on his bike to tell his Mum. Then I go a hanky and put it on the cut until his Mum came and collected him. That's how I remember it and it was true.

Love Jackie House

(The one who came to First Aid lessons) Bill Oliver tells me he has now managed to fill the vacanc ies for 1979 but. if you are interested, please let him know you are a volunteer: then you can be put down for next year a nd also be placed on the reserve for this year. You are given your travel expenses and a small fee (£17.50); and this year, if you are married your wife can live at the camp in chalet accommodation for the week. all found - only children have to be paid for. But you need to be a keen instructor and ready to enter into the life, which is an inspiring experience.

Last year one lot of instructors also taught hundreds of kids the Floral Dance - you can guess, it was our Cornish instructors at Minehead aga in! Remember , too, this is supposed to be the International Year of the Child.

THEY DO IT FOR LOVE?

The problems of a Division and its modern headquarters

THIS STORY commenced about 6 years ago. One of our characters was appointed Divisional Officer to an Ambulance Cadet Division situated in a reasonably quiet suburb of one of our larger cities On taking up his appointment much emphasis was made of the fact that this particular A/Cadet Division (in conj un ction with it s sisler Nursing Cadet Division) owned..,a splendid modern headquarters building.

Everything well

For the next 2 years everything went well, the Division prospered , and the DO 's e nthusiasm supported by his cadets carried the day. It was during this time that the DO became aware of a mysterious body,called ' The Management Committee', and for two years the lion 's share of the result of har d earned fund raising was passed to th is committee.

Time flies and we must now move on to that day of reckoning - April 4 1974Local Government reorganisation

Overnight the Division s changed counties

With this the committee as a man (or were there women on it? - How were we to know?) resigned. Some months later the record books of the old committee were handed to the DO. What was found? £35 in th e bank , £75's worth of unpaid bills, and more coming in every d ay (b ill s not money ). Panic!

New committee

A meeting was held a new Management Committee formed, with the DO as chairman. It was resolved that two things must be done without dela y:

1. Raise funds to pay outstanding bills

2. Attempt to sell the building

The former proved easier than t he latter. With sponsored silences, j umble sa les and autumn fairs the bills were paid with a littl e left over to cover future commitments.

Attempts at selling the building proved fruitless; no -o ne wants a g lass and brick building surrounded by houses. It was therefore resolved to make the best of a bad job and continue with the building. The Local Authority proved to be rea so nabl y helpful with a small grant towards the running cost s.

Roof fell in

In 1975 the roof fell in (literally), and at the slightest sign of rain the building could be used for teaching life -sav ing The presence of buckets spread strategically around the building became the norm.

It is at about this time that we meet a ne W character to the sto r y The DO wa s promoted to Divisional Superintendent and an ex -cadet of the Division became DO and together they now form our Dedicated Duo.

Despite the leaking roof, the Division noW

combined with the N /Cs, kept its he ad above water (sorry about that one) and a ll went on sw immingly

However, dear reader, our s tory ha s not yet reached it s climax ; 1976 proved to be t he wa ter shed. You must be thinking the writer is a bit of a drip by now ? You may be right. Our Duo were hit by those two evils of the '70s: vandalism and inflation. 1n one sc hool holiday period 38 windows were broken and replaced at great expense. One parti cu lar incident that year should be chronicled.

Hospice for

A number of youths br oke into the building and slept there for several nights.

Ah! you may say, we were following on the Blessed Gerard 's example of pro vid ing a ho spice for travellers . May be, but did his travellers on their departure demolish al l th e fittings, place uniforms and equipment in the middle of the hall , cover them with instant co ffee and cream, then urinate over the pile?

In addition the visitors got their priorities wrong. They smashed the toilets and then realised the y were n eeded. The Superintendent 's office provided the privacy that such people require for th e other bodily functions But let us get away from such sordid happenings a nd return to our story Rate s doubled , power costs trebled and insurance increased from £25 p.a. to £81. Panic!

Letting

Enquiries were mad e to raise a regular income by letting the building. After a s hort period during which a religiou s group used the building for prayer meetings, contact was made with two ladies running a homeless playgroup. Success! A regular income and the building was used every day of the week. There is now even a ladies keep fit group meeting once a week. The Duo s s uggestion that they shou ld be presen t at this was turned down.

No the leaking roof ha s not been forgotten. The general state of repair was also poor. How to raise the capital for suc h work?

1977 - Prince Charles on TV telling us about the Silver Jubilee Fund! Yes, this was th e solution to the Duo 's problems A grant of £ I ,000 was obtained to be used for the renovation of the building. You may say that is n t going to go very far. But it has. By the Duo doing all the labouring themsel ves and paying only for materials and techni ca l assista nce, the grant has proved sufficient.

Weeds and grass

The land around the building would have Interested David Attenborough - weeds and grass head high. But with a large scythe. heavy duty rotovator and the sweat and blood of t he Duo. the area is now level and

laid down to grass.

The roof proved more difficult. A roofing contractor was approached who willingly en agreed to reduce the cost. But only if the Duo laboured After some 18 hours of hard work the old roof was replaced by a st ronger and more se rviceable one. However during the course of thi s work, our Duo s uffered s uch agonies of the body as no one shoul d s uffer. You see, the Divi sio nal Superintendent is a chubby - nay , fatLegal Executive who gets dizzy if hi s office chair is turned up too high, and the DO although younger and slimmer normally limit s hi s labour to pressing buttons on the computer he programmes. However, s ucces s! The roof should now la st 20 years.

The outside painting is being done next week after many of the vulnerable windows have been bricked - up. But that should prove to be chicke n feed to our Dedicated Duo - after carrying out the glazing. gardening.

Clare and

John won't see this photograph of themselves

plumbing , fund rai sing and roofing over the la st 4 years

What ha s happened to the Combined Division during these trial s and tribulations? Well, the has gone from strength to strength, despite a hiccup when the Divisions we re combined (the stre ngth went down to two at that time). It is now 40 plu s and if all goes we ll a number of Grand Prior Badge s s hould be awarded in 1979

You to assess

In conclusion, it is left for you to assess whether having a Splendid -ModernHeadquarter s -Building is necessarily an asset unless its site and construction are very carefully selected with regard to vandalism and its futur e upkeep is financially assured. Especially when it requires members like our Dedicated Duo to do what they have done For Love.

CLARE PAGE and lohn Weisman recentl y made hi sto r y by becoming the first blind children to be enrolled as St. lohn Cadets. The yo ung ste rs made their promise to be loyal to their Sovereign. true to their honour and faithful to the Order' at a service in the Garr ison Church, Aldershot, along with 13 other Ambulance and Nursing Cadet.

Clare ( II) and lohn (15), both of Farnborough, were g iven the chance to become Cadets after passing practical and oral tests Mrs. Anna Hu g he s, Divisional Officer. said s he hoped more blind children would now be allowed into the Bri gade. Mrs. Hughe s said it had been a bit of a battle to get the children into the Bri gade and now she is excited about them starting their duties.

The presentation of certificates was made by Major-Gen. Desmond Gord on former Commissioner-in-Chief of the Brigade. He said ' One would welcome any children who want to come into the Bri ga de. This will be a help to them , and St. lohn is there to give help.' But added: 'We welcome them purely as Cadets. The y cannot be accep ted into the adult company'. Becau se of their blindness they will be allowed to se rve only as Cadets.

Clare and J ohn were enrolled into the Ro yal R egi ment of Wale Di vision. of the Prior y for Wales. which is based a t the Duke of Connaught Barracks, Aldershot. Most or its members are from Army families and their duties are often con nected with the Army

Pholo. Farnborougn I\ews

I AM AN Ambulance Cadet Ser gea nt attached to Upton upon S e vern Quadrilateral Div ision. I am 17 yea r s of age. Last y ear I was selected to attend the Outward Bound Mountain School a t Eskdale on a warrant from St John The course I attended was f or one week 's duration and commenced on Saturday July 22, ending on Frida y July 28 The programme was as follows.

Saturday

I left Birmingham Central station at 12.05 hrs. in compan y with two other Cadets one from Mal ve rn and one from Ross on Wye. We tra velled together , none of us really knowing what was in store for us. We were obliged to change trains twice during th e journey, and e ventually arrived at our destination , Eskdale Green , a little more subdued that when we started. We were met at the station by one of the instructors and directed to the school.

The school we found was an old countr y house , which had been con ve rted for t he purpose. The boys bedrooms were in a new building , which also _ contained the school hall and the stores The stables attached to the old building had been converted to bedrooms which were used b y girls. The grounds around the school w ere v ery extensive , with a large man - made lake situated in front of the Old House. When we arrived at the school the course was assembled in the hall where we were given an introductory talk b y the warden. We were then divided into groups , told who our group instructor would be and then shown to our rooms. Shortly after , we were again assembled for a meal , and later s ho w n a film called 'Outward Bound in Canda and a set of slides showing views of mountain faces. We then met our companions for the week. Lights Out being at 10 pm

Sunday

The day started with an earl y call at 6 .3 0 am and to be read y dressed in half an hour for a run around the lake ( which suddenly didn 't look so beautiful) before breakfast. After breakfast the school assembled in the main hall for a course meeting and we were told of the day's routine

For the first session of the day we were taken to a 40ft high rock face It looked more like 400 foot! The instructor then introduced us to abseiling - lowering oneself down a vertical rock face on the end of a rope My first fears were quickly dispelled and I soon came to thoroughly enjoy the experience.

The second session of the morning reversed the situation. Instead of being taken to the top of a face and sliding down, we were taken to the bottom of another face this time 45 to 50 feet high and taught to climb up.

Afte r lun ch m y group was taken to th lak e and int rod uced to canoeing We Well taught h ow to recover after capsizing th ca n oes, and different manoeuvres suc h canoe in g backwards or sideways.

The second session in the afternoo involved us in learning abo ut ropes an getti n g our trust in them. This, among otht things , enta iled negotiating a rope bridi str un g between two trees 25 feet above th gro und. All of which was inten d ed to give u confidenc e at heights.

The day concluded, after the evenin meal with a knock out competitio n betwe: the different groups. This included even! s u ch as - putting up a tent blindfoldel trying to complete the ropes course, racing piggy -back, carrying a b ill yca n 0 wate r , in an attempt to fill a bucket with water at the far end of the course. All 0 which eft everyone exhausted and mO than read y for bed.

Monday

What exactly does an

Outward Bound Course

involve? NIGEL SIMMONS, now a Cadet Leader, went on one last year

We were called at 6.40 am and set abO doing cho re s delegated to the various before breakfast. By 9 am we ha: breakfasted and were getti ng togethe equipment needed for a morning hike. \\ made our way out of the grounds arK headed towards some stone circles indicate , on a map which we reached by going r, Blea Tarn. When we arrived at the stones " went to a place known as Bo ot, where "I rested for a while by the river and ate snack before returning to the school alor.: the riverbank We arrived back in time the evening meal.

After the evening meal we packed our l for our 'bivo uac - we had to build a shel tr for ourselves for the night, using only a she( of plastic, a few sticks and any olD r material we might be able to find, We th set off to a beach near a place called 'Dri! w hi ch is quite close the Windsca e Power Station , which we cou ld see from Dill camp, After setting up our shelters, II I played football against another bivouaced just along the beach. At 10030 P [ we lit a fire , and sat around enjoying l'l freedom, finally to turn in at 11.30 pm ,

Tuesday

We were up by 6 am and after packin! our equipment and clearing up, returned to the school for breakfast.

At 9 am we all met in the common ro om where we were shown s lid es and given on the examination of patients while on 8 mountain face We then did a exercise on a patient on a hillside, aner which we had to stretcher and carry patient back down.

After lunch we practised a mountai n resc ue , using absei ing techniques sheer faces, and a search and rescue for girl on a hi ll side

In the evening we we r e each given a service task , which s expected of everyone who goes through the sc ho o l. My task was helping to clear wood and shrubland near an abseiling face.

Wednesday

6.45 am saw us again dragging ourselves wea rily from our beds for our morning gallop around that lake. After breakfast we went on an agility co ur se, which involved crossing water co u rses by using logs, plank s o f wood, etc.

After lunch we were instructed in orienteering' and were afterwards given a map and sent around a course in the school grou nd s It took me 32 minutes to finish the co ur se, but I co uldn 't beat the record, w hich sta nd s at 27Y2 minutes.

T hat evening there was a disco in the common room, which everyone enjoyed immensely ,

Thursday

At 6.45 am we were up again for our chores a nd constitutional. After breakfast, we were off abseiling down a 75-foot rock face. Our confidence was soaring, but at this point our day 's schedule was altered, as a gir l in a group climbing near us fell and bad l y bruised her leg Six of us fetched her down the mountainside on a stretcher. (T uesday wasn't wasted.) Then with two others I took her back to the school. Afte r lunch, we packed our equipment for a l'k da y expedition up a mountain known as Grea Gable '. At 6.30 pm amid great excitement, we eft the school for the sit e, where we arrived at 8.30 and imm ediate ly pitched our tents and set up our base camp.

Friday

Nobody stayed in their sleeping bags a te this morning We were all up at 6 am and by 8.30 had breakfasted and cleared awa y, We started walking to the top of the Great Gable, 3,000 feet above sea level, where it was ext remel y cold, so we didn't wait around' We descended through a trail known locally as Death 's Hell Gate', This was all slurry like a grave l path , and once you started to slid e it was diffi cult to stop We reached base camp at I pm and we re back at the school by 3.45 pm, Later that evening we spent an hour ca noeing

Thi s concluded our course , The next day we would all be returning home.

Conclusions

Despite my nitial fears, I thoroughly e njoyed the course and would not have missed it for the world. The instructors were very inform a l and pleasant. They would drive us very h ard during the day, but they were very nice as well.

T he food was very good and plentiful. We were given a li g h t lunch and a hot meal in the evening.

My only slight regret is that on the

PATIENCE is a .

The following article by Margaret McIntosh, St Lawrence Corps Nursing Officer appeared the SJA newsletter Eastern Ontario Speaks:

ILLNESS s lows everyone! The frustration the pati ent feels in his fa ilure to be in contro of meeting daily living needs is only matched by the frustration felt by the person attempting to help him to meet the same need s.

How often do we in our attempts to provide efficient care as quickly as possible fail to recognise the patient's helplessness to deal with the obstacles placed in his way as he tries to help himself?

The patient who insists on feeding himself takes up too much time when there is need to 'clear away the dishes' and 'clean up'.

His movements may be PAINFUL and SLOW, but to you they are painfully slow.

There is a tendency on our part to take over and spoon feed at a rate that seems normal to us. However the patient cannot, for a number of reasons, chew or swallow as quickly as he once did.

If we insist on 'pushing' the food in the patient'S mouth , the result will be a restless patient , because he cannot eat as fast as you wish him to. Further, you may have a patient choking because he has a mouthful of food that he tries to swallow too fast, or the patient, knowing he cannot eat as you wish him to, will simply refuse the food offe r ed.

Mealtime should be a pleasant interlude in the patient's otherwise long dull day.

Another example of our lack of patience

Tuesday afternoon, instead of doing a parachute jump we went down a zip wire.

This is a wire cable, fixed at an angle from the top of a building or rock face and anchored at the bottom, down which one s lide s at speed, hanging on to a pair of grips.

REASSURE THE CASUALTY

'Hang

on, Bentley, won't be long 11011'. We re next.'

• •

can be evidenced with the patient who insists on dress ing him self. He ' hold s everyone up becau se he is hardly able to find the sleeve or manage the buttons or zippers on the garment.

Again, we tend to push the arm into the right sleeve opening, frequently causing discomfort to an arm or limb that is pa inful to move quickly or suddenly due to arthritis or a healing fracture.

We ask a patient how he is feeling, yet do we really li sten to the patient's slow and sometimes inarticulate response?

Too litte time! Too little time for what?

Do we not realise that rehabilitating a patient takes time and patience,

Yes! P ATIENCE, a word we tend to forget in this every-day world of trying to get the most accomplished in as little time as possible. In caring for the sick, this word is one of which we should be ver y mindful. The best way to develop patience is to see yourself in the patient's place. Try it! You will soon reconsider that the 'q uick way' of providing nursing care is not always the best way for the patient.

You will not complete the care you are providing for the patient until he is resting and as comfortable as his condition permits.

Yes, this may take a few minutes, a few hours or da ys , but if you through patience , have helped the patient regain confidence in his ability to cope with daily living. a tremendous feeling of satisfaction will be your re wa rd

This to me is the goal we in St John Ambulance should strive to attain. Volunteer service and the satisfaction of helping others a just reward.

The reasons given for this change in plan was that we spent more time that morning on mountain rescue. I don't regret this extra instruction , though.

I a m very grateful indeed for the opportunity to have been able to go.

Nigel Simmons. His delighted mother said about the course: 'He leh home a boy. but returned as a man'

THE YEAR OF NURSING

1980 - which begins nine month s henceis 'The Year of Nur s ing', a theme which St John Ambulance intends to promote wo rldwide to develop a nd expand its nursing training.

Appropriately, the new Nursing Manual is due for publication in 1980 Also in that yea r the Superintendent-in-Chief, Lady Moyra Browne, will be making an overseas tour to promote nursing.

There are lots of exciting plans afoot for nursing in 1980. And they ll appear in the Review as they are finalised

TO SABAH

Div. Supt Charles Dempsey (above), of Upton on Severn Division left England (and its cold winter) early February to spend six weeks with SJ A Sabah East Malaysia - in answer to their request to Headquarters for someone to advise on running first aid courses and structuring divisions in the country's outlying districts.

A full -time police officer, 44-year -old Mr. Dempsey is a lay instructor with a Ro yal Navy and Metropolitan Police background.

His wife Elizabeth is a nursing officer and their two children are cadets. We hope to publish an article by Mr. Dempsey after his return

AROUND and ABOUT

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

5 Y2 DAY MARATHON

A new wo rld re co rd it seems , h as been es t a bli s hed for mouth -to-mout h resuscit at ion. The news comes from Clifton Combined Division , York - what's happening in the South? - five of whose members resuscitated a dummy for 132 hour s, with a total of - wait for it140 , 742 nflation s! (A record for who ever counted them too , I sho uld imagine.) Th e Guinness Book of R ecords, I'm told, gives the record as 60 hours - so it's been smashe d by 72 hours'

The five - Kevin Harper , 23, Deborah Shepherd , 19 June Thynne 16, Chris Ruddock 20 and Ian Jack son, 17worked in Ikho ur shift s during the day one hour shifts at night. The marathon which lasted 5 1 / 2 days, ended on the last da y of 1978.

CHRISTMAS STORY I hear that a duty arranged at short notice took Epping Division Ambulance Members

Stan S wann and Andy Furlong and Nur s ing Sargeant Eileen Tyrrell to St Anne's Hospital , Tottenham on Chri st mas Day , where in the grounds the y surprised Father Xmas (Dr.) and his Fairy (N ur se) lea ving a ward.

The Epping tri o had brought their ambulance to collect a mother , who was slowly recovering from a stroke suffered s ix month s earlier , to tak e her home to her yo ung fa mil y for Xmas dinner. Her 13 -y earold daughter had cooked he turkey. So all

was ready for a warm few hours fun a home - a nd what wou ld be Christmas without that, if somehow yo u can manage to get th ere? That's whe r e Epping's SJ A trio came in , disrupting their own day-at-home. They returned later to collect the mother and take her back to hospital , as she was allowed up in a wheelchair for only four hour s.

Not on ly was the job done, but it was done wit h good chee r too. Andy, who recently tranferred from cadets to the adults, had made sure the inside of the ambulance was decorated for t he journey, an important 70 - mile journey for one Mum

AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

r hear that Ambulance Member Ian Dunn, of London SE Area's 363 Welling Combined Division, went to Buckingham Palace last November to receive the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award from Prince Philip. I an, who became a cadet in 1967 , obtained hi s Grand Prior 's Bad ge and was a Cadet Leader before transferring to the adults in 1977. He 's since gained his Advanced Home Nur si ng ce r tificate and visited many di vis ions at home and abroad while in the Forces.

Well done, Ian.

LOVE FROM

Two letters and postal orders totalling £4.10 were rece ive d at Headquarters recent y from Teresa and Marika Huins of Twickenham Teresa's letter reads:

WEST AFRICA

BYTHE EDITOR

MIND BENDERS

Find the fir st aid word o r words in the clue. The number of lell e s ill the an swe is given.

J. A severe hesitalion. (7).

2. A X ind icales thi s. (5.2.5).

3. A tune before falher's wisemen. (3 8). 4. Wilhoulth e vowe it's good in France. (4)

An swe r s: Upside down - are a the botlo m of page 58.

APPEARANCE ON DUTY

The SJA Coventry Area News, which under he editorship of PRO S. C. Bishop always bristles with interesting news and comment, begins it s D ec' 78 issue with 'Maya ll your roubles during the coming yea r be as short lived as your New Year resolutions - then further on contains the following comment: Having recently received a' complaint from a se nior member of the nursing profession (not a Brigade member) on the very untidy appearance of a Bri gade member on a pub lic duty , it was found to our relief t hat t he member was not from the West Midland s. This does bring to mind something which has been said many times: when on duty don't forge t yo u are, in the eyes of the general public, the representative of St John Ambulance. In fact you are our public image or P.R.O. So make su re your uniform and yo ur se lf are correct in a ll ways smart, id y and clean.

ATSEA

Corps Supt Je ffr ey B enson with membe r s of Moor Pa rk Homing Soc ety (and their pigeons ) afte they had he d a very s u ccess fu sponsored pigeon race (420 bird s) from Cheltenham to home, £ 12 5 was presented to Pr eston Corps

Dear Sir, I hope yo u are well. My name is Teresa. I and my sisters have been going out carol singing. We wanted to have some money for St. John Ambu l ance Brigade The first hou se we went to, we all started aug hin g. Luckily our friend came out and we asked her if s he could co m e wit h us. She gave us 30p and came. We were going to sing Ca rol o f the Drum wit h my e lde st sister playing the recorder. But it was too difficult so we sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas. If nobody o pened h e door till we h ad finished, we would sing Away in a Manger H ark t he Hera ld Angels Sing or The First Noe l. In the end we got four pounds We co uld of got more but half way my sis ter and the friend went away. We were only three Love Teresa. Have a Happy Ch ristm as and make the patients happ y.

Attention is drawn to BGR No. 94 and 106. Th e last sentence of BGR 106 reads: ' In allott in g public du t ie s to members he Di visional Superintendent is t hat eac h member detailed is su itable for the

IN BEDFORDSHIRE

duty allotted.' This can mean appearance as well as being a suitable first -aider. BGR 94 ( A) says that a requirement of members to maintain efficienc y is to 'Carr y out their Bri g ade'" duties to the satisfaction o f their Senior Officer.

Officers there fore have the remedy at their disposal to ensure that members are a credit to their Divi sion , but most of all to the Brigade. Just a point , when d id y our Division la st ha ve a divisional meeting in uniform ?

It has been said that a slopp y membe r is a sign of a slopp y officer charge of a s lo pp y

the

invo lved just s uch happ e nings - an exp los ion' in a boat, Arm y c a d ets injur ed b y a fau lty flare an ' injure d' s hip 's cr ewma n br o u gh t asho r e. 36 c adets we re

Which was fine for everyone. An excape from telly, trainin[($r the cadets, and SJ A's name spread abroad. And fi ne fo r a crewman (although he didn't know it) of a salvage ship operating somewhere around the coast of Britain. For 5 days later that ship was in the Channel. off Littlehampton, and something went wrong. The crewman dislocated his shoulder. The ship radioed Littlehampton for help. The inshore li feboat was readied - but its doctor was un availab le. W h at to do? Then Littlehampton's Cadet Ian Kemp stepped forward - and put to sea. (Ian s photograph is on the previous page.) So la st yea r 's cadet

be eft to the discretion of t he indi vid ua l co ll ege o r schoo l authorities; but in pl aces wher e any members of the staff ( bo t h teac hin g a n d non-teac hi ng) and s tud ent s a r e a lso mem b ers of eit her St. John or th e R ed Cross and are wil ling a nd ab le to offe r t h eir perso n a l he l p, t h ei r tactful e n co u rage m ent to those au t hor ties to pro vid e an o r ga n ised system fo r making that help ava il ab e in eme r gencies can be of im me n se value both in improving the safety co nd itions and in educating public opinion a bou t th e need to do so. Quite a number are a lr eady doing this, with undoubtedly beneficia l results, and I most sincerely hope th at mor e will fo ll ow t heir example.

Ho w it could be done W hen I expressed doubt about the formation of Brigade Divisions in universities and colleges really being the right answer, what I had in mind was that the effic iency requirements of full Brigade me m be rs hi p a re likely to be more tha n it wo ul d be ri ght to expect more than a ve r y tin y mino ri ty of students to fulfil without pre udice to all the other - and many of them more important - ingredients of their programme of higher education. These students are in more ways than one passing thro ugh a critically important period in their l ives. The main purpose of their atte nd in g college must be to attain the best poss ible q ua lificat io ns for their chosen ca ree r ; but another tremendo usly important purpose of un iversity life is that it should provide a microcosm of the life into which its members are shortly going to emerge: the mak in g of fr iendships, many of which will last thr o ughout their lives, and the sharing wit h t hose frie nds in as wide as possib le a va ri ety of c ul t ur a l and rec r eational activit ies, an d lea rni ng with t hem how to become wellba la nc ed a nd responsib le cit izens both of t heir co untry and of the world, is a matter of wh ich the importance goes hand in hand wi t h th at of academ ic p reparat ion for their ca r eer. In t his wide spectrum of experience, I beli eve th at a ll that St. Jo h n Ambulance s ta nds for a n d ach ieves in th e service of mankind h as a ve r y rig htful p lace - a place which is fa r too often denied to us through shee r ig nor a nce on the part of those who jo stl e fo r elb ow-roo m a mo ng the wea lth of spare tim e activ it es that university l fe affor ds.

Wh a t I wou l d lik e to see is t h e introd uc ti on, a mo ng th e wid e r a nge of societi es th at uni vers ity a nd coll ege st udent s giv en th e o pportunit y to join, of some kmd of St. John S ociety' or 'Hosp it a Jl ers ClUb ' - call it wh a t yo u will -w t h meetin gs, say, 3 or 4 tim es a term to hear a

AT RANDOM

C a nt fr a m p.49

really inte resting speaker or see a good film or take part in some perhaps rathe r out -ofthe-ordinary practical work, and if possible at least one or two weekend (whole day) activities of an adventurous nature during the year. The chairman , secretary, treasurer and committee would all be students, but a senior member of the university would serve as president or patron, to help maintain continuity and to act as liaison with the university authorities. If it became a joint society or club for both the R ed Cross and the White, so much the better! But if in any university or college two separate clubs were formed, I hope that they would work together in the closest and most friendly cooperation. Conditions of membership and a programme of the te r m's activities would be posted on the notice boards of the colleges or halls of residence, and the name and address of the secretary for the following term could be sent in advance for insertion)n the Review, so that divisions could send them the names of any members going up to the university who might be encouraged to join, Societies of this kind would thus perform an immensely worth-while role in holding together young Br igade members who are university students, introducing them to each other and maintaining their common interests without making too great demands on their limited time , and encouraging them to retain during university residence their membership of their 'home' divisions from which t hey might otherwise have felt bound to res ign or even have been st r uck off the roll through a per h aps too hasty app li cation of BGR.IO I.

But membership need not be restricted to those already in he Brigade; if the society was well run, others would soon be enco u raged to join, a n d this might somet imes lead to the society sponsoring a first aid or nursing course ( per h aps spread ove r t wo te r ms) at w hich its members cou d o bt a in a cert ificate or be r e-examine d. And, wit h proper co-ope r atio n between the society an d t he 'ho me' d ivisions, i should not be beyond the wit of ma n to devise ways in

which taking part in some of the society's activities could he lp its members to maintain their a nnual efficiency while at university, under va r ious of the special concessions permitted by BGR.9S(A)

I have no doubt that we lose a significant number of Brigade members while they are undergoing hig h er education and estab lish ing themselves in life, through our failure to show a genuine inte r est in them by 'nu rs ing' them t hr ough this critical period, a nd by failing to take advantage of the many concessions that are gr anted in Brigade R egulations if we do but look for them

Only fairly recently I came across two keen young adults whose Brigade membership had lapsed because no one had so much as told them that they could remain members of the Brigade with complete exemption from efficiency requirements during their period of training for State Registration or State Enrolment. So often. alas, we throwaway our hand and then bemoan the fact that we have no cards left! Now who is going to get rogether a few kindred spirits among their friends and start a university St. John club? It only takes a few sparks of interest and initiative to kindle the fire of enthusiasm!

Rememb r a n ce D ay p opp ies

I gather that in some places Brigade members have with the best of intentions been discouraged from wearing , or even forbidden to wear. Earl Ha ig poppies when present in unifor,n at Remembrance D ay services and parades. Feeling surprised at this. for it is nowhere forbidden in our Brigade Regulations and is a common and very worthy custom among most uniformed organisations. I consulted the Commissioner-in-Chief, who confirmed that the wearing of poppies on Remembrance Day parades is not forbidden by BGR and said that he personally was very keen indeed that our members should be encouraged to wear them.

Of course, since uniform should be truly uniform, it's important that when poppies are worn they should be worn (a) by el eryone on parade and no t just by a few, a nd (b) in the same position by all. The C -inC suggested t hat probab ly the best place to wea r them was in the cap, hat or beretcertainly for outdoo r para d es. Some may perhaps feel that this would be less appropriate for ou r male members when attending a Remembrance D ay service in a church or other building, since they would remove their caps or berets an d the poppies would not be seen. What ma t ters most is that they should be worn with uniformity and smart ness, for our smart and uniform appearance on s uch occasions is an important visible token of our respect for those whose memory we honour.

5 9

Report on action taken by t he Coventry Area, St. John Ambulance, during the Ambulance Dispute which resulted in a ll ambulance s of t he West Midlands Ambulance Service being off the road from approximately 17.00 hou rs on Saturday November 18, 19 78, until t h ey returned on T ue sday, D ecembe r 5,1978.

THE FIRST request for assistance was received by telephone from the West Midlands Ambulance Service central control at H arbourne in Birmingham at approximately 15 .3 0 hours on Saturday, 18 Nov., advising us that they expected to lose all ambulance service in Coventr y, includin g the emergenc y (ie 999 ') at about 17 .0 0 They asked if it was possible for St. John Ambulance to provide a ser vice for the Coventry area. The Area Tran spo rt Officer ASO George Bradley was contacted.

It was fortunate that on this Saturday the City of Coventry Combined Division was holding one of their afternoon partie s for local disabled and elderly people at the ir divisional headquarters These p a rtie s always involve all the St. John ambulance s of the Coventry Area , when Di visi on s collect people for the party. This meant that all our ambulances were already assembled at one place. ASO G. Bradley was able to retain all these ambulances and crews , and we were able to provide cover for the 999 emergency service right from the start of the emergency. Area Staff Officers were manning the telephone during the weekend and it was arranged for cover to be given during the week days.

It was arranged that ASO Ted Cros s would be the officer -in-charge with ASOs George Bradley and Chris Poole assisting. It now became evident that the emergency was going to be longer than at first thought. During this time we had been able to maintain a 24 -hour service. At times we had

Emergency Ambulance

Service

11 5 members of Coventry Area run the local ambulance service for 17 days

four ambulances fully manned and available for use

Du e to this heavy commitment our vehicle r ad ios we r e beginning to fail and we were ha vi ng problems in keeping in touch with our ambulances. 'Ray ne r' came to our rescue and offered their serv ic es. They installed a radio in our 'Co ntrol R oom' and working late into the night' got a station functioning and contacted thei r members over the air and set up an organised rota. Some who were mobile fo ll owed the ambulances to the incident and were able to keep 'Co ntrol fu lly informed

By Tu esday even ing we we r e fu ll y ope r a ti onal with a 24-ho ur rota organised and had estab li s hed a r adio link with their fe llo w Raynet operators at County headquarter s in Lional Street , Birmingham. Thi s link was to prove most useful when the telephone line s between Coventry and Birmin gham we re engaged and some calls were referred to us in Coventry over the Ra ynet link

Another telepho ne had been requested but was not installed until t he second week. T hi s was then used for all incomi ng calls from Ambulance Control , lea ving our li sted phone to deal wi th other matter s.

We were fortunate in havi n g seve r al of our re t ired (from work) me mb er s a bl e to g ve da y time cove r on cont rol work and to man the am bulance s Other members gave up holida ys a nd in so me cases we re able to arrange to ha ve tim e off work to enable us to maintain complete cover.

Some member s were comin g on duty almost straight from work in the early evening and stay ing to midnight. Then we had a night shift who were s leep ing at the hea dquarter s. The nursing training ro o m was turned into a dormitory.

Many of our 'o lder member s remarked how it was like old times h avi ng nur ses' on

co mmuni cation fac ili ties during e mergencie s fo r fo ur named use r serv ices. Under t he ter ms of the Amateur (Sound) Licence radio a mat eurs are permitted to handle 'th ir d party messages for the Police County Emergency Offic e r s or thei r dep u ties, S t. J oh n Ambulance and British Red Cross Society in th e United Kingdom or Northern Ireland, du rin g an emergency or properly constituted exe rcise.

RA YNET h as a country wide membership and s sponsored by the Radio Society of Great Britain. This is the national society of the British Amateur Radio Movement.

Going ... Going ..

Gone for St. John

the ambu lanc es again. a sentiment also expressed by some of the public. For during the emergency every ambulance went out with a nur si ng member (or one of our nurs in g officers) on board. Th ey hadn't been seen on ambulance s in our area since the Ho sp ita l Saturday Fund ambulances were manned by SJA Coventry before World War 2.

During the emergency a member of the public left a Teddy Bear at the headqu a rter s asking us to give it to a child we moved. It was suggested that it might be give n to he fir st baby born in one of our ambulances. We moved several ma tern it y cases but were able to get th em all to hospital before babies were born. We sti ll had he 'Teddy' when we were stood down a t the end of the emergency. so it was decided to give him to the children's ward at Gulson Ho spital. It was given to a ch ild at Christmas.

In clos in g, we would like to say a big Th a nk You to a ll who helped in any way. A very special thanks must go to t he families of our member s whose routin e must have been upset by the unusual hours undertaken during this emergency.

For the record, St. John Ambulance responded to every call - 316 of them liS members were involv ed, do ing 4,600 d ut y hours. We used four ambula nces, with driver, ambu lance a nd nur sing member , a nd depending on the case we sent an SRN or SEN as we ll. Dur ing t he 406 ho ur s of t he e mer gency , o ur ambula n ces covered 3,306 mile s.

T. E. Cross

A rea Staff Officer

What is Raynet?

The Radio Amateurs Emerge ncy Netwo rk , know n as RA YNET is a national body of radio amateurs organised o n a county or a re a b asis to provide

THE AUCTION of Sil ve r Jub ilee item s, arranged by The Ladie s Guild of the St. J ohn Ophthalmic Ho s pital in Jeru sa lem under the chairmanship of Lad y Caccia. and held in London on December 4 1978 was the first of it s kind to ever take place at the world -famou s auction rooms of Soth e b y's in New Bond Stre e t - thank s to the Directors of So theby's.

It was a well-attended social evening as we ll as an auction, commencing with a recept ion, with a programme of Tudor mu s ic played by the Kingly Consort , and a buffet s upper in a room with a magnificent co llection of impressionist painting s (sent for auction) on display. Two of Sotheby's dIr ectors, the Hon. Angus Ogilvy and the Earl of Westmorland, were pre s ent. The auction was conducted b y Mr. Phillip Wadsworth , who together with So t heby's had given much help to Sy lvia Lady WIIkInson, of the Ladies Guild. during the months of collecting and c a taloging the Items to be so ld

Three of t he big attractions of the evening were t he magnificent gift s from the Queen Mothe r - a SI'I J b'l . ver u I ee porcelaIn commemor at ive plate from the Royal Yacht· from PrO AI ' Ince ss Ice, Duchess of GloLlcester -. an un usua l profusely decorated Bible whIch had b .' een pre sented to PrInce Henry Du ke of Gl b ' oucester, our late Grand Prior, y KIng HusseIn of Jordan in 196 3 and was auctIoned 'th h' WI IS concurrence; and from OUr Grand P h D fl or, t e uke of Gloucestera paIr of lovely 19th-century g ass hone y Jars.

Some of the other marv ello us 'lo ts w teh were g' C • Iven lor thIS evenIng of goodwill -t h at which over £9,000 was raised - were ree st udi es b D' In crayon, drawn and donated y avtd Poole, of the Prince of Wales, Dr.

(Above) The auction in progress. (Right) the buffet supper among a magnificent colle c tion of impressionist paintings

Coggan. the Ar c hbishop of Canterbury. and Lord Louis Mountbatten - which fetched the highest price of £2,200. Gifts from art ists included Sir Hugh Ca ss on PRA, Sir Cecil Beaton. Sir O s bert Lancaster. John Ward RA, William Dring RA. Molly Bishop. lohn Piper. Fel ix Kelly and Giles of Express Newspaper s

Authores s Barbara Cartland sent a b e autiful table de toilet in mahogany satInwood. Book s included a vo lume of The Madresfield Hour s. a 14-century manuscript fr.om the library of the late Earl Beauchamp, g Iven by Guild - member Countess Bea uchamp ; and among many signed by the a uthors were six volumes of Harold Macmi ll an's Memoirs.

Si lver and other items , collected for the by Guild -member Lady Barnes , ll1cluded a Silver Jubilee hallmarked cream jug from Jame s Wal ker Ltd, (who donated many items) and a 900th anniversary Tower of London silver plate fro m C. T. Bowr ing & Co. Ltd.

There were 26 different Si lver Jubi lee tapestries - on chairs, stools, pictures and spectacle cases - all co ll ected by GuIld-member Mrs. Stephen Miller and worked by a team of sewing friends. A pair of Hepplewhite chairs, donated by Wedd.

Durlacher and Mordaunt & Co had one seat cover made by Mrs. Durlacher, the other by Mrs. UHman.

The large number of 'Iots ' sent in by firms and individuals. that made the evening such a success included: Poole Pottery. Stuart Cr ystal, Dartington Glass, R oyal Worcester Spade. Strathearn Glass. Hereford Fine China, Waterford Glass. Whitefriar Glass Wedgwood , Ro yal Daulton, Boehm of Malvern, Royal Brierley Crystal. and from Thomas Goode & Co. Wines and spirits for the auction came from Prince Guy de Polignac. Buchanan Booth's Agencies Ltd, Moet et Chandan. he Hilton Hotel, Mr Peter & Lady Mary Whitley, Mr. & Mrs . R oger Brooke, Mr. & Mrs. Maxwell Joseph. Mr. Anthony Berr y, Mr. Evelyn de Rothschild. Mr. Colin Matheson and Abercrombie & Kent Safaris Ltd .

To gethe r with many donations from the committee and their supporters.

The final item to be sold durin a the b evenlOg was appropriately a Christmas hamper (£lS0-worth of fare) sent in by Palmer H arvey & Co. Ltd.

It wa a fine evening. A fine contribution to the Ophthalmic Hospital. Thank you _ to everyone invol ved

The St. John Ambulance Control in Coventry - D/ Supt. Ed win Briggs and a Raynet radio operator

AUDIO VISUAL AIDS

IT IS a truth, universally acknowledged, that I am the most modest of men - and it is a ways a great surprise to me that people bother to read what I write. Recently , when I have been going out giving my visual aid 'workshop' one or two people have said that they find the information in this Review series of value I was however more than somewhat disappointed when one such customer added: 'It is no use sending visual aid circulars to our County Secretary - he only files them!'

When I see the magic words 'free loan' 16mm films sometimes appear a little rosy The Multi-Media Appraisal Panel , early in January saw a film available on free loan from the Central Film Library , Government Building , Bromyard Avenue , London WC 7JB, tel (Ol) 743-5555, entitled 'Hello Baby'; it runs for 25 minutes , is in colour and deals with communication between parents and infants. Six families are shown in the film and children's ages range from newborn to 15 months This film is excellent and strongly recommended for maternal and child health courses.

With inflation, the cost of equipment and fllm stock just seems to to up and up and up. It is always advisable therefore to make sure that equipment is purchased at concessional rates; 'less educational discount' is always a magic phrase to use in correspondence.

Messrs. Kodak are offering Carousel projectors at discount prices direct from the factory The address to which to write, if possible from County Headquarters, is: B. D. Eason, Esq, Kodak Limited, P O. Box 66 , Heme! Hempstead , Herts.

It is always difficult to be quoted on prices these days, but give or take a few bob you can take it that the cost of a Carousel complete would be about £200.

Myoid mate Jim Sinnott, the Sales Director of ELF - whose 16mm cinema equipment is recommended - always offers ELF projectors to St. John Ambulance at 20% discount; now and again he also has a demonstration model going cheap. The address to which to write is: J. Sinnott, Esq, ELF Audio Visual Ltd, 836 Yeovil Road, Trading Estate, Slough, Berks SLl 4JG. 62

by Philip Adams

Once again it is difficult to quote the price of an ELF, but if you think of round about £560 you cannot be far off.

I have just done a stint as a member of The British Medical Association film jury, which assists the Br itish Life Assurance Trust with it s awards and the B .L.A.T. Trophy. Medical films are usually pretty ghastly, but this year I had the feeling that the general standard was higher than usual.

Incidentally I have certainly seen some excellent British instructional films over recent years dealing with the topic of industrial safety.

I was chatting on the phone the other day with Hugh Marsh of Stewart Films and he tells me that the three splendid Naval films Don 't Let Him D ie', 'Give Him Air ', and Handle Him with Care have all now been dubbed into Arabic. No doubt these will be useful in Middle-Eastern territories. He also tells me, with the greatest possible re gret, that price s in the UK are due for their customary annual 10% increase.

At long last I have put together a little schedule of pre view loan films available for hire from the Visual Aid Sections at Headquarters. I have sent a copy to each District/County Secretary, but there are planty of spare copies available b y writing to me at Headquarters.

The Multi - Media Appraisal Panel at Headquarters has taken on a new look with one or two younger members. It meet s Tuesday evenings from 4.30 to 6.30, fortnightly , and I am st ill lo oking for yo un gste r s (senior cadet vintage) to come and put their e lder s to rights. Volunteers wr ite to me at Headquarters, please.

The Medical Conference takes plac e at Nottingham Un versity April 6 to 8 this year, a nd one of the guest lecturer s is Gerry Marchant , Director of The National Audio Visual Aids Committee for Education , and I am looking forward very much to hearing what he has to say. I am also glad to say that Navex are also arranging a demon tration of audio visual equipment in the university over the co nference period

As I write [ have had the ofTer of four newish second-hand 3M projectors OHPa special offer at £50 each. Anybody who wants a bargain and can collect them from Headquarters write to me. come fir st served. Paddy Donaldson, the Assi sta nt Surgeon - in - Chief, who is an expert on communication, etc, is a strong believer in the OHP. He always likes to have one read y for County Surgeons at their conference at Headquarters. As for me, I strongly recommend this as a versati le instrument.

For once I have been practising what I preach and have recently sent all the films at Headquarters to Messrs. Gordon Audio Visual for refurbishing. This is always a good idea and in the long run saves a lot of money. If anybody is interested their addres s is: Gordon Audio Visual Services Ltd, 37 Camden High Street, (Symes Mews) , London NW I 7]E.

Pat Adams of Headquarters has asked me to do my party piece at The Leadership Conference in Nottingham in September. I have accepted but in g r eat trepidation. [ hope all youngsters will recall what happened to that chap who said 'Go Up Thou Baldhead !

BLACKBUSHE POP FESTIVAL '78

SJA cover for 200,000 people - twice as many as expected

THE 1978 Blackbushe Picnic was the first large pop festival the North-East Area of Hampshire had seen. The numbers expected by the festival organisers to attend the oneday concert on Saturday, July 15, were about 100,000, but in fact a crowd of between 200,000 and 250,000 arrived. This caused many problems, not just for St. John , but for the Police , Ambulance Service and other organisations such as the Samaritans. Fears of drug-taking violence and damage to property were expressed by the local Borough Council and residents.

interested parties for the planning of t he show.

For medical cover it was agreed that Harvey Goldsmith Entertainments would provide doctors and SRNs. One tent, 27ft. x 15ft., would be provided for a field hospital and another 15ft. x 15ft., would be provided with each mobile unit. A tent plus a n outside telephone link , would be provided for the St. John Ambulance control adjacent to the field hospital.

St. John Ambulance would provide 75 mixed ambulance a nd nur s ing personnel, five mobile unit s, ten ambulances and all the radio equipment for the medical se r vices. A week before the festival, the organisers asked for a nother mobile unit for the camping area.

Hamp shi re St. John Ambulance, ha ving only two mobile units in the area, invited three units from Surrey - two coaches, from Ash Vale and Weybridge plu s the large mobile unit from Caterham.

On Thursday evening, the Control Centre was set up, with all the documentation and equipment.

Friday evening was the start of the duty

The Control was made operational at 1900 hours and the County Ambulance Service and Police controls were informed of the contact numbe r. A mobile unit and ambulance were operational at 1900 hours in the camping area. Three of the mobile units arrived during the evening and were placed in the empty arena ready for the morning Fans for the concert were arriving throughout Friday night and Saturday morning.

A marquee was provided for catering for the medical sefvices, which was undertaken by the Scout Association, providing hot meals for all.

Types of casualties as follows: Faints headache stomach upsets, burns, cut fingers, toothache, foreign body in the eye, nose bleeds and very few drug cases , with one person who died after being in hospital one day. Only 20 people went to hospital out of 1,550 treated.

One of our Divisions covered the crowds at Fleet station after the concert. They were usmg a room in the station for a first-aid room and the ambulance on duty there had one run to hospital.

Enterta inment s, unfortunately fell short of what had originally been decided. Three doctors and two SRN's were their eventual team. Certain items of equipment for the field hospital were also lack ing. Due to these various deficiencies , it meant there would not be a doctor with each mobile unit and that some St. J ohn Ambulance supplies were reallocated to the field hospital.

Each mobile unit was in charge of an officer, who came under the control of an Area StafT Officer. These staff officers were

then under the direct control of the Area StafT Officer for duties for the North Eastern Area of Hampshire. All mobile units and ambulances had a radio link to control. Radios were allocated to the Area Staff Officers who were responsible for mobile unit s, and of course the Duty Officer had one The radio network again proved invaluable to the organisation of St. John Ambulance on large public duties. V. H. S. Robinson, ASO

The first of the fans started to arrive on Thursday evening. St. John members were expected to take up their first stations on Friday evening and continue their build - up to the concert on Saturday afternoon. The weather during this period was dry, warm during the day and cold at ni g ht.

St. John organisation

Many weeks prior to the event, the Area Duty Officer attended a number of meetings with the organisers of the fe stiva l (Harvey Goldsmith Entertainments) and all other

D uring Saturday morning, the fans to arrive in their thousands. St. ohn Ambulance personnel on the duty also mcreased until midday , when over 100 members and 12 ambulances were in attendance. The mobile units not in place by FrIday n ht Ig arrtved early Saturday mornmg The St. John Ambulance personnel and ambulances were all allocated to their Altogether, 664 miles were travelled y ambulances for the whole of the duty. The medical team, which was being supplied by Harvey Goldsmith

SNOW AMBULANCE

THE FUTURE OF ST. JOHN

from P. G. Bowen, Area Commissioner

The future of our great organisation is in danger unle ss so lutions are found soon to overcome the eve r incre asi ng finan cia l problems which will affect recruitment , morale and standards of service. Many of the most serious problems stem from our past history and activities, when our country held a most prominent position as world le ade rs , with vast financial resources both at home at worldwide.

The ravages of the Second World War, fo llowed by the years of frightening inflation, ha ve had their effects upon the Order of St. John, but none probably as great as the escalating cost of maintaining our wonderful hospital in Jerusalem, which is a constant reminder of our historical background. We all know that the cost of ma in taining our National Health Ser vice hospitals is so colossal that the service is in grave danger of suffering falling standards without mor e financial input; at least the State has sources whereby mone y can be raised through contributions and taxation. The Order is less fortunate, however, but it is still faced with the almost insurmountable task of continuing to raise an ever increasing (and often unknown) sum just to maintain the Hospital. Failure to achieve this target income must result eventually in the gradual erosion of the efficiency and standards of our work in our own country, where almost every level of our organisation is finding it increasingly difficult to meet financial commitments. Without subsidy, can we expect a young married member to find £SO plus for the uniform which he or she must maintain? These are our future leaders. Can divisions continue to use vintage or ve teran vehicles which cost the earth to keep on the road?

Admittedly, financial support varies considerably over Great Bri tain as a whole, and the sources from which the operational divisions obtain their income depend, in no small way, upon the extent and success of the activities of the Association a nd the Councils. where again there are marked differences. In short, it must be asked if we have our priorities right. Should not the major users of our hospital, now among the richest nations in the world, be prepared to help financially to maintain the excellence of care and treatment given to their nationals in the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem? The oil rich countries of the Middle East are presently spe nding thousands of millions upon introducing health services in their own countries, building scores (possibly hundreds ) of sophisticated modern hospitals and clinics. Surely they should be encouraged to see the wisdom of helping St. John to maintain the standards for which the Oph t halm ic Hospital has always been renowned? Without the burden of the whole of the cost of the hospital , the Order would be better s ituated to give greater support to our officers and members working within our own communities. to assist and care for those needing our help. Then it might not be necessary for national appeals to be laun c hed , as these do adversely affect the extent of local support to our operational divisions (whatever is said to the contrary).

In concluding , it must be asked if the time has arrived when a study in depth , involving members with experience at all level s, into the whole question of financing the work of the Order is carried out') If this letter does no more than stimulate thought and di scuss ion , and even argument, my ideas will not have been in vain.

Epping, Essex P. G. Bo wen

PROFICIENCY SUBJECTS

from Nicholas H. Attoe, Divisional Officer

I am writing regarding the recent .adoption of the new Cadet Proficiency subjects. Firstly, 1 would like to say that I am very pleased that there are many new and varied subjects available. It is regrettable , however, that many of the new syllabi have either not been written or are not yet available on the cards.

With reference to the cards, it seems extremely bad planning that so few sets of cards were printed, and the price (wow!) £2.60 per set, and even then the sets are not complete. The extra cards are in addition to the £2.60, and make the sets outrageously expensive. At present the 64

extra sets and cards are not available. but may be by the tim e this lett er is published.

My second point concerns the subjects and the limitations imp osed thereon.

I. Why is there an age limit on t he su bject s? We ha ve m a naged without o ne on th e existing syllabi for man y years. The limit is on I)' necessary on such subjects as Radio Communications a nd In hore Re scue. where the minimum age limit s in law a r e 16 and 18 respectively.

2. The obvious obj ec tive of these new regulations is to reduce th e number of Grand Pri or badges. This I completely agree with. but why put such tight limitations on the categories? For example. why put a limit of a maximum of two subjects on the hobbies / crafts section? Surely. if this was combined with the general sectio n it would open up the range of choices and make Grand Prior badges more possible whilst sti ll imposing restrictions.

3. As [ under stand it the Physical Recreation section has now been amalgamated with the Adventure section. This I wholeheartedly agree with. At least it is better than demanding that the candidates take one subject in each section. which was far too demanding. especially a our main purpose is welfare; i.e., first aid and nursing and not adventure / physical recreation, for which the Scout s and Guide are more appropriate organisations.

While I agree that the reduction in the number of Grand Pri or badges is desirable. I also feel that ma ybe the restrictions are too rigid and. as I have sa id above. that limit s on the crafts / hobbies ection hou ld be dropped a nd the who le section ama lgamated with th e General section.

[ will be int erested to know if any other Cadet Divi ion officers have a n y comments on these cards.

Wehl 'y n Garden Cily

CADET LOWER AGE LIMIT

from Col. P A Adams, Chief Officer Cadets

N ich olas H. A floe

I was intere sted to read Divisional Superintendent Gee's lett er (January Revi ew) and I am su re many share the views expressed in hi s last paragraph

The matter of lo wering the age for Cadets from 11 to 10 was considered a year or two ago, at which time we exam in ed it ve ry carefully.

The age for taking the Essentials of First Aid examination is, of course, decided by the Association. In doing so , they are to some extent advised by the Department of Ed ucation and Science, and it was agreed that our ages for taking the EFA and Adult First Aid examinations should conform to the steps accepted in Primary a nd Elementary education - ie , II years and 16 years of age.

Nevertheles s, pro spective Cadets may take t he EF A examination after reaching the age of lO lj2 years (BGR Appx S, para 4). This is a special concession for those joinin g the Brigade in order to ena bl e

them to be enrolled as soo n as possible after reaching the age of 11. (Likewise, the age for Cadets taking the Adult examination has been red uced from 16 to IS years).

As regards keeping Juniors interested, a start has been made by introducing into the Proficiency scheme a number of subjects which they can take.

Headquart e r s P. A. Adams, Chief Officer Cadets

from Mrs. S. Giles, Divisional Officer

I fully agree with D/Supt. D. Gee that juniors are frustrated and held back. They are quite capab le of doing their E.F.A. at 10 years, as many of my juniors are taught from the Manual. They are all too often treated as non -important members of St. John Ambulance.

Personall y, my Division consists more of juniors than cadets. I feel they are important, mainly because without them there would be no cadet division

I think juniors should have their own first aid examination that is recognised by the Brigade. Nursing Cadet juniors wear only grade badges on their uniforms. Why not design a badge for them for first aid, home nursing and other badge subjects? What is the point of passing an exam when there is nothing recognisable on their uniforms? They are all too often over -shadowed by the cadets.

[ must emphasise though that I know the importance of running division s for cadet training and academic progress , but surely a little bit more concern should be given to unior s. as they are the nex t generation of cadets?

Hi/her Green, London

from Mrs M. Smailes. Divisional Superintendent (C)

S. Giles

In reply to D / Supt. D. Gee 's letter, we find in Folkestone that the juniors are well satisfied with their three g rade tests, which if worked in with various other activities usually take them until they are about 1012 to complete. They can also tud y the First Steps in Home Nursing and First Steps in First Aid. We do not lose juniors.

With regard to them taking the E.F.A. exam at 10 , we find a lot of our I I-year-o lds find it very difficult, and in some cases we do not put girls in for the exam uncil th ey are almost 12. We have a high proportion of girls in selective education and these too are quite often well over II before they are ready for t he exam.

I would not wish to see the age dropped.

Folkesrone M. Smailes

REVI EW PUZZLES

from Ernest Hamley

What a splendid innovation to introduce the 'Hidden Word' puzzle competition in the Review I congratulate you on finding something quite different to test your readers' skills in an amusing and entertaining manner. Thanks are also due to your puzzle compiler, Mr. W. A. Pott er, for his clever adaptation of his popular crossword themes.

The competitive element is good, too. as it provides an incentive encouragement - and not a little thinking exercise for slightly rusty first -aider reader s, like this one!

. May we have more of these features in the future, as ] am sure they wlll help to maintain and increase readership in te rest in the St. John Review?

West Norwood, London Ernest Haml ey

WHO WANTS A MOBILE UNIT?

from H. W. Basford, Corps Superintendent

Transport Corps has a mobile first aid unit that is no longer reqUIred. The vehicle , originally a 1947 Guy ingle-deck bus. was converted by London Transport engineers to a mobile first aid unit in the early 1960s

1974 the Corps obtained a new mobile unit and the previous vehicle ' was given to the London Bus Preservation Society who,

because of storage problems , returned the vehicle to the Corps in the latter part of 1978

Naturally. because the vehicle has been standing for some time without use, it will want minor servicing, but if any St. John Ambulance unit require s a mobile first aid post they can have it, there is no charge. The only stipulation is that it is retained as a first aid post. As you can imagine, we have had offers from people wishing to convert it to a caravan for holidays. mobile shop etc.

If any readers are interested. please contact me and I will arrange fo r them to view the vehicle at the London Transport Chiswick Works. 566 Chiswick High Road, London W4 SRR. 80 Southfield Rd, Chiswick. London. W41AZ Phone (Home) 01-994

ON CAMERA OR NOT

from Glynn Reeve, Divisional Superintendent

In response to Peter Wilson's letter (January Review) while I have every admiration for a member who can make 'the big effort'. as he has done I do not feel it is always practical. I am sure that aJl members. when they join. will try to obey the rules and regulations. But I am sure that many people interpret the regulations in a slightly different way, so that it may seem to others that regulations are being broken. As for his statement that he has never broken or bent a rule in the Brigade. I feel he must be a remarkable man.

On his comments on NCOs and officers. I note he is an ambulance member. I am sure to turn a Nelsonian eye is at times necessary and desirable. as he says. But surely in most cases. in our type of organisation, people must look at themselves, as I am sure everyone in theBrigade works 'to the best of their ability" to quote BGR 76.

As for his final comment, does he want a Brigade or do we all goNOW ?

Finally. thank you, Peter Wilson. I hope your letter will make many people think and possibly improve.

SalisbUlY. Wilts G(vnn Reeve

ABSURD POSES?

from Lt. Col. R E. Robinson, Commissioner

I wonder how many share my dislike of the practice of photographers in makin'g the people concerned .face the camera when prizes. awards. etc, are being presented - or rather, after th ey have been When r (or anyone else) present an award to a member. we face each other I give it into his hands or pin it on his coat. for which purpose I have to look at his hands or his coat , and we shake hands w hile I congratulate him and he says thank ·you. again facing each

other. But often we are then made to adopt a pose, carrying out one of these actions again bu t with our head s turn e d away from each other and looking into the camera

I know that the photo gra phe r's purpo se is to produce a recognisable photo of each of us but surel y he is completely wrong in s upposin g that people are only recognisable full face? Moreover, the rec og ni sab le photo he produces is of each of us , separately, not of the two of us doing something together. The result is , almost invar ab y, very artificial and unconvincing.

Photographers are surely, foolish if the y think that a profil e pictur e is unrecognisable or unbecoming We ha v e only to look through the Jafluary Review to confirm this. The pictures of Mr. Young handin g the White Horse cheque to Mr. McKa y, of the Order Investiture and of the presentation of the wheelchair to Newport Hospital are all profile , with the participants looking at each other , a nd are exce llen t illustrations. B y contrast, among a number of b a d examples of the photographer 's art are the pictures of our C -in -C present ing a Service Medal (with not e v en the hand s hake vis ible ) and Dr. Graham Jone s presenting a football. I give three m a rks out of 10 for the pic t ur es of Sir David McNee a nd t he Grand Prior Troph y w inner s, wi th the donor half face and two of t he 29 recipi e nts c a n be sa id to be lo ok in g at him. Should we be blacked by the photographers union if we joined in a pact to refuse to comply with their absurd poses ?

Wiltshire R. E. Robinson

KNEELERS

from Mrs. M. Hayward, Serving Sister

The St. John kneelers

For some months members of our Church have been makin g kneelers , and my hu s band thought we should m ake one showing the Order cross and mottoes We bought the materials but wo rk ed out the design ourselves and in the end made two, not being sat isfied with the first. The kits for kneelers can be obtained f rom: Jack so n 's Ru g Craft Ltd , Croft Hill , Hebden Bridge W. Yorks HX7 8AP. Bl ack ca n vas is available.

The first kneeler we made is dedicated to all dece ase d members of the Order and the second to the late Ch ar les La wre n ce - a great friend of ours who died suddenly in Jul y 197 6, h aving been appointed Deputy Commissioner for Oxfordshire o n June 24 1976.

My husband , Albert E. Ha ywa rd , Officer Broth e r , w ith over 40 years as an active Brigade member but now retired - did m ost of the work on the kneelers.

Oxford P eggy Ha ywa rd

NEW NZ ST. JOHN HU

from Miss Kathleen Jaques, Retired Member

I first became interested in St. John in 1937 when I attended fi r st aid classes in Ewell and met a girl considerably y ounger than m yself. We have been friends ever since, although s he no w lives in New Zealand, and we correspond every Christmas. She is Anne Sa wy er , who joined Epsom Division in 1938, and I thought readers might be inter est ed in part of her latest letter.

Anne writes: 'Our local St. John has built a new ambulance st ation at 22 Kauika Road , Whangarei , which was opened this year (1978). Our neighbour who is the superintendent took us over the building an d it is really fantastic! It has garage space for 10 ambulances (at a pinch), a huge training hall , reception hall , cas ualty room, dut y office

66

and a maintenance room for washi ng lin en,

Editor: A report of St. John Whangarei's new HQ appeared in the Januar y 1979 R eview.

BLANKETS FOR OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL

from Caroline A. Ingle

When plannin g their Ce nten ary ce ebrations in 1977, the St. John Ambu lance divisions at Olney, Newport Pagnell, Wolverton, New Bradwell, Bletchley , Steeple Claydon and Buckin g ham decided on a sponsored knit to raise funds for their divisions. So that all the effort of knitting was not wasted, the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jeru sa lem was asked if blanket s wou ld be of any use to them. The y replied that cot blankets wou d be most welcome. Mrs. Joan Ran some, Area Staff Officer co -ordinated t h e programme. R ed, black and white wool was donated and after each sponsored knitting event, a friend of St. John got busy sewi n g the st rips together and finishing the edges with b l anket stitch.

In all around £800 was raised for the seven divisions and six blankets completed. As a result of the news about these blanket s getting arou nd , friends of St. John came forward with an additional 10 b la n kets fo r the hospital. The blankets hav e now been comp leted and with the help of Sir Philip Duncombe Pre s ident of St. J ohn Ambulance, Bucks, Northern Area, they have been flown out to the hospital.

Never wasting anyt hin g, the membe r s are now busy knitting the remaining wool into mittens and soft toys for their bazaars B eaconsfield Caroline Ingle

PEN FRIENDS

from A. J Glover, Divisional Officer

The Desborough Ambulance Cadet Divi s ion wou ld lik e to hear from cadets w h o wou ld like pen f r iends. Letter s w rit ten to me at the address below wi ll be passed to the cadets.

13 Tennyson Rd, Rothwell, Northants, NN14 2JH A J. Glo ver

ALWAYS SEND A TACTFUL MESSAGE TO THE NEXT-OF-KIN

Kol oss Castle near Lim asso l. bu il by the Ord er of St John in 1454 is now being r es tor ed

On a recent vis it to Cyprus, Shrop shire CSO Mrs. THELMA ED WARDS, who is also the count ry's cas u a lt y mak e-up unit leader, met Mrs. Joan Har wood, a member li ving in Kolossi, who intr oduced her /0 SJA 011 the island.

Th ey set ojJ tog e th e r 10 d ri ve 10 Nicosia:

ON THE WAY we stopped in Limas so l, where J oa n int roduced me to the S1. J o hn Di s tric t Commi ssio n er for that a rea. He is Greek. ve r y kind and pro vided coffee for u s and asked man y questions about St. John in the UK and also about my own work running a St. J o hn casualty make - up unit in Shropshire. H e was mo st interested in casualty sim ul ation for teaching first aid After halfa n-hour we left his office a n d proceeded on ou r way to Nico s ia. On arrival Joan parked the car and took me on a quick tour of Nicosia, where we a lso had lunch. We then went to the St. John HQ - a beautiful, large wh ite bu il ding tanding on a hillside with fa nt astic view s all around. The building was new, h av ng been built only s ix month s befo re (as the old headquarter s we r e in the Turki s h zone) and cost about £ 15,000 to bui ld.

I was introduced to Miss Sonia Ye - Ye - Yjn (phonetically s pe Ir), who is Armenian. and muc h lov ed and admired for her work with St. John by everyone who knows her. I believe s he is completel y devoted to th e Ord er, and I fe lt it was an honour to be pr ese nt ed to her.

To Cyprus

And meeting a St. John member who showed me around SJA on the island

by THELMA EDWARDS

'Wail

After we h ad had some refreshment with Miss Sonia , I was invited to visit The American Academy for Young Ladies, where there was to be a presentation. I was informed tha t in t h e Cypriot schoo ls first aid, home nur s ing and chi ld welfare a re compulsory s ubj ects and are taug ht by the St. lohn HQ stafT in Nicosia a nd by St. J ohn instructors in other places. Numerous certificates for first aid some initial, some for re -exams were pres e nted , also 15 nur sing medallions Ne ver will I forget the faces of the girls when their names we r e called I am Sure by their expressions it was their greatest achievement. After a demonstra tio n of first aid and home nursin g, refre s hmen ts were served by the girls to their visitors. I was introduc ed to the direct ors of the schoo l also to their head , Miss Ruth Reade, gave me a most s incere welcome One of the

gir ls asked to be r emembered to Miss No rth .at HQ London whom she had met whilst at camp in the UK. Her name was Maroula, though she called herself Mara. While there I also met the District Officers from Akroteri , and the Commissioner for St. John, who made the presentations Miss Sonia mentio ned a visit they h ad had from the Londo n D istrict Commissioner , Mr. Derek Fenton, an d how grateful they were for all the help he had given them. One t hin g she said was they were rather disappointed that news from Cyprus did not often appear in The Review. I promised I wo ul d pass on th eir news to London HQthat they are now settling down in their new HQ and are all work in g hard for the service of mankind.

At the Academy I was shown the classroom where the girls learn and practise first a id , home nur sing and child welfare. The room is divided nto three sections, with

the equipment for each subject in each section. The girls are very proud of this room and obviously enjoy the worK they do there Shortl y afterwards we said goodbye to Miss Sonia and her stafT. also the stafT at the Academy, and returned to Episcopi. J oan then took me to the St. John HQ there w h ere I was invited to look around. It was most interesting. Their equipm ent was very up-to-date.

Joan herself lives in Kolossi. where there is a castle which was built by the Knights of St. John in 1454. The Order of St. John of Jerusalem (The Knight Hospitaller) were granted Kolossi by King Hugh I in 1210. One Grand Commander who lived there in 1468 was an Englishman, John Langstrother.

The castle is now being r estored. Miss Sonia told us that not long ago St. John held a review in the grounds. It must have been a wonderful sight.

Miss S onia and the author

Professor J. D. Mackie

JOHN DUNCAN MACKIE , who died at Haslemere in September 1978 at the age of 91 , was Emeritus Professor of Scottish .History and Literature at Gla sgow University and Historiographer Ro yal in Scotland. He was the first librarian of the newly founded Priory of Scotland and in the late 1940s acquired some very important

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Every Monda y and Friday a team of 36 drivers organised by the Dumfr ies and Galloway Association transport elderly people to hospital for treatm ent. St ranrae Round Table are planning to giv e the Asso c iation a 12seater minibus to help w ith th is work. Standing is Mr B ll M cWilli am, a member of the Association

(Photo: F H McCarlie, Stranraer ) manuscripts and books for the priory , many of them donated by Lord Bute

The Prior y was exceptionally lucky to have engaged the interest and suppo rt of one of the most formidable scho lars in Scotland and the gain for the Priory in a countr y which has always re spected and enjoyed the fruits of learning was enormous It is not generally known , and would ne ve r have been

guessed by those who met him, t ha t for mo s t of his life Duncan Mackie suffered some pain as a re su lt of a wound inflicted on him during the First World War Indeed , what all of us who knew him wil l remember most wa s hi s ge nuine kindness hi s interest in others and hi s light -hearted ness. To t he end he was a most amusing conversationalist , with a fund of ex traordin ary anecdotes especia ll y about academ ic life in Scotland He re tir ed from the librarian s hip in 1966, but was a lways ready to help a nd advise his successor. A great sc holar a nd a Christian ge ntleman may he re st in peace

Annual festival

The Priory's a nnual Festival in 1979 will be hel d on Wedne sda y June 20 at Gl asgow Cathedral.

The Perth and Kinro ss Association a re now helpin g to build a workshop a nd storage hut at Upper Sprin gland , where spast ic s a re looked after.

The Aberdeen A oc iation' s Sitler Service h as a ttr ac ted t he at ten tion of the Regi o nal Health Boa rd : it is a lo w cost but very h elp ful ve nture, releasing relat ives who are normally ti ed to the aged they ca re for.

OVERSEAS

Rhodesia

(Left) Commissioner of The Commandery in Central Africa Col. D. H. Grainger receiving a new ambulance presented by Mr & Mrs R.

C. D

(Below) The Mayor of Salisbury

A J. Wilkins ,

to Caro e Jackson of Salisbury , and Michael Bou lding, of Bulawayo about to leave for VVest Germany for a 2 - week exchange holiday for two West German cadets

WELFARE RIGHTS by Anne Howard

Bedford Square Press. By post from \ Bookpoint Ltd, 78 Milton Trading Estate, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 41D. Price £1.75; by post £1.95

Miss Howard sets out to prove that a substantial number of people who qualify for national benefi ts do not get them, Thi s she achieves by her personal inve stigation also using other groups' work and information from a detailed s urvey of old people in Norwich

The book co ntain s a comprehen sive bibliography. Miss Howard's conclusions are that specialist staff should be employed by local authorities to ensure that the individuals who qualify for ben efit s actually get them.

The book is of mo st intere st to those workers who are involved in th e welfare of people, Barbara Farnell

FIRST AID STEP BY STEP by John Camm and Tim McCarthy

William Heinemann. Medical Books Ltd.

This is an excellent book let and of quite an advanced s tand ard, I liked the quiz at the end of each section and the multiple choice quiz at the end. h ave to admit that I did not score 100% and I am medically qualified, so I cannot help feeling that the beginn er in first aid would not fare to o well.

My main criticism is the old teaching of mak ing the conscious patient , who has swa llowed a non -co rro s ive poison, vo mit. Others are: Sticking fin ge rs down the throat. Would the patient allow you, a nd is there not a danger of inhalation of the vomit?

'. -BOOKS · .

Inducing vo miting by making the patient swa llo w sa lt or mu st ard solutions. There is no mention of the s trength of the so lu t ion s I think it is now an accepted fact that too st rong a salt a nd water so lu tion can lea d to death. The authors are like the rest of us, I presume, in not know ing the correct strength of th e so lutions. Personally I cannot help fee lin g that this old chestnut of the teaching of inducing vomiting shou ld be dropped from all first aid manuals The so und pr ac tice of maintaining an ai rway and gett ing the p a tient to a casualty department of a ho sp ital without delay should be s ub st ituted

In conclusion I can on ly repe at that this manual is of a high standard and a welcome addition to first aid literature

T.J.C. W,

SPORTSMEN AND THEIR INJURIES

Fitness, First Aid, Treatment and Rehabilitation

by W. E. Tucker and Molly Castle Pelham Books Ltd

Th is new publicatio n on sporting injur ies is wr itten by two well known personalities, both experts in their own field; Bill Tucker, a cele brate d orthopaedic surgeon and a former at hlet e of great distinction who has made the care of sportsmen a nd the ir injuries a special interest during his profe ssional career, and Molly Castle , his wife, who ha s wr itten extens ivel y on fitness and healt h and was formerly a H ealth Editor for the New York Times.

Little wonder that they have together c r eated a book of outstanding value.

Solution

HIDDEN DIAGNOSES

It is divided into five main sections, the first on fitness training and preparation , the second on injurie s common to sport, the third on fir s t aid in specific sports, and the last two on recove ry and rehabilitation.

The unique clinical and technical knowlec!ge of one author has been written in a medium understandable to all by the other. It is specially planned for sportsmen of all kinds, trainers, coaches, school-maste rs, in fac t anyone who has an interest in fitness and s port and it s associated injuries.

In professional application, dedication and personal generosity no -one has done more for the spo rtsman than Bill Tucker and there is no doub t that this book will be extensively read

PSYCHOLOGY AND MEDICINE by S.

J. Rachman

and Clare Phj]jps Pelican Penguin book. 90p

A handy little book which co ve rs a great deal of grou nd. It is obviously meant for the intelligent layman.

Th e only criticism I have of this book is that it sw ings between simplicity and com pl ex ps yc hological concepts Although in parts difficult to read, it is refreshingly free from pseudo-scientific arrogance.

Another p leasant impress io n is its frankness and honesty. Perhap s one would like to ha ve seen an explanation of the imbalance bet ween positive and negative emotions , about the interference of personal values - for better or worse - in conditiont<d directional attitudes. In many instances a psychiatrist's point of view will differ from that of the authors. In all humility, either could be right or wrong.

P. H. Newman

G.C.H.

News from Divisions/Centres

40th year in 1978 with th e presentation of its 40th Grand Prior Award The last two were to Cadet Claire Wynnick (which included canoeing) and C Sgt. Susan Roberts

(7). 19 Hint to actors is left out of clue. (3). 20. Decubitus ulcer. (7). 22. Explanatory drawing from rig Adam destroyed. (7). 24. Diagnost ic sign in many fevers. (4),25. Incentive for a horseman. (4). 27. Assists, it is said wrongly. (4), 30. Executed in the old Spanish way. (9). 31. Joint invo lving talus, tibia and fibula. (5). 32, Senseless in a direction. (5). 33. Acute inflammation of the lungs. (9)

Down:

1. Inserted to control bleeding from an orifice of the body (4). 2. Disease produced by hole in wrecked car. (7), 3. Watchful and ready for an emergency. (5). 4. A resuscitation bag and surgical instrument in an emergency vehicle. (9). 5. First instrument used in surgery. (5). 6, Butter? (4). 7. Ghosts humours, (7). 8. Amazed at being speechless after receiving a blow? (6.4). 14. Abdominal rumblings (10). 15, Young dog with a chrysa lis form of an insect. (4) 17. Metal or haemoglobin. (4). 18. Protection for injured limb whilst lying recumbent. (3.6). 21. Difficulty in passing urine from U.S. dairy. (7), 23. Erythema of North American Indian. (3.4). 26. Lodge a palindrome. (3.2). 27 Warning of danger given by a left upper limb, (5). 28. Be about on a skeletal tissue. (4). 29. Antitoxic preparations from blood (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.2 (79)

Across:

1. Vitamin C; 5. Band.it; 10 Torsion; 11. Imp ass.e; 12. Lead II Stab; 14 None t; 16. Sp.in.e; 17. Prescribe ; 20. Left-sided; 23. Taint ; 24. R,ac.ed; 26. Acne; 27. L.ass; 30. Sui.cid,e; 31. Inspire; 32. Senses 33. Seasonal.

Down: l. V.ital; 2. Throat infection; 3. M.aim; 4, Non - stop; 6. As.pen; 7, Desensitisation; 8. Treatment; 9. Viable; 15 , Lens; 16. Sc erosis; J8 , Ry e; 19. Cuts; 21. Dea ler; 22. Dentine; 25. Drive; 28. Steal; 29. Uses,

CLASSIFIED ADVERTI$EMENTS

COLLECTION

STAFFORD : Stone Nursing Cadet Division members lead Father Christmas to their Christmas Fayre

51: JOHN REVIEW

The

FIRST AID DRESSING CASE

• MANUFACTURED FROM HIGH VISIBILITY INTERNATIONAL ORANGE COLOUR PLASTIC

• STRONG AND DURABLE

• WIPE CLEAN

• COMPLIrTE WITH 'SNAP IN STOR A GE BRACKET FOR FIXING TO THE WALL OR VEHICLE SIDE

• CLEAR PLASTIC INTERIOR COVERS WITH MAGNETIC FASTENERS TO PROVI DE PROTECTION FROM RAIN AND DUST

Order

News

HA VING spent 19 years learning, often by trial and error, all the things that a Superintendent must try and do to keep his division healthily 'ticking', then a further 10 years in various Area and County appointments, trying to train and encourage others to make their divisions 'tick' even better by avoiding some of the mistakes that I'd made myself, and finally a further 6 years as Chairman of the Regulations Revision Committee at HQ, perhaps I was almost a 'natural' to be invited to re-write new and completely updated editions of the two Brigade booklets The Divisional Superintendent and The Divisional Secretary when stocks of the old editions ran out. That was rather longer ago than I can contemplate without shame, for they are out of print still. But I found it a quite impossible task to undertake with any hope of success while I was working virtually full-time as Deputy C-in-C , and regretfully decided that I must either hand over to someone else (but there was no ugly rush of volunteers!) or put it on one side till I transferred to the Retired List at the end of 1977.

I hadn't reckoned that another year would pass before I was ready to tackle the job -a year in which my continued involvement with the Review and the Welfare Competition gave me immense happiness but took up much more time than I'd anticipated, a year in which I was learning to relax and to adjust my sense of vision and perspective (literally as well as metaphorically, for I've recently undergone what I can only regard as two miraculous operations to my eye-muscles, which for some years had been functioning with steadily decreasing efficiency but are now working as well as ever). And now at last I have returned to the fray with renewed energy and enthusiasm: the final script of The Divisional Secretary is at the moment with the Registrar, who is going through it with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that I haven't made any ghastly ' howlers', and I hope that by the time

The Chief Commander with Mr. Omo Ekunwe, Commissioner, inspecting the Lagos Divisions of the Nigerian Ports Authority. The Port Manager, Mr. Eze Adikea, is chairman of the Division and a great supporter of SJA

ON January 10 the Chief Commander, accompanied by Lady Dorman and the Secretary Overseas Relations, left the UK, where everyone was battling a combination of strikes and Siberian weather, for a 3-week tour of Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone, On arrival at Lagos Airport they were greeted by an imposing reception committee headed by the Chairman of Council, Mr. Justice Mohammed Bello and the Chief Commissioner Mr. David Le Clair. After inspecting a smartly turned out guard of honour the party sped ofT to the Ikoyi Hotel on Ikoyi Island, via the spectacular network of flyovers and expressways that now connect Ikeja Airport with downtown Lagos, where they were extremely comfortably housed during the following 9 days.

Importance of visit

From the word go, the grass was never given a chance to grow under their feet. The importance attributed to the visit may be gauged by the fact that Sir Maurice was received not only by the Federal Commissioner of Health, the Chief Justice and the Oba of Lagos, but that he was accorded a long interview with the Head of State. His Excellency General Obasanjo was keenly interested in all Sir Maurice had to say, and ended up by saying, 'You can't miss St. John here. I see the Headquarters every time I move'. A complete and most absorbing day was spent inspecting the Brigade and associated services at Apapa Quays (the Lagos Docks) and the brand new dock facility at Tin Can Island.

Flying visits were made to Kano, where the party was received in majestic splendour by the Emir, and to Calabar and Port 74

Harcourt where Brigade units convincingly demonstrated their enthusiasm and proficiency , The visit to Nigeria culminated in the Chief Commander attending a full of Council at the very well appointed SJ A Lagos HQ, during which he was presented with a hand so me album of photographs covering his activities around Lagos, Altogether it was a thoroughly rewarding stay, in conditions of temperature and humidity both hovering around the 90 mark when walking out of an airconditioned hotel into the open air was like stepping into a sauna bath turned up to full heat. The publicity accompanying the visit must have done much for St. John Ambulance in Nigeria. When about to leave from the Airport two young Nigerians separately recognised Sir Maurice and said, 'Are you St. John? I saw you on the teLly.'

On to Accra where the party was met and looked after during the following week by the SJA Training Officer, Mr. S. C. AddoAbedi, and a newly appointed member of Council, Mr. Aye Darku, a one -t ime Commissioner of Police. A courtesy call on the Chairman of Council, Dr. Beausoleil, who is kept very fully occupied by his duties as Director of Medical Services in the Ghana Government, was followed by a visit to the SJ A HQ, a former police station well situated near the business centre of Accra.

The following day an early start by road for Kumasi, about 160 miles north of Accra, expertly driven with great panache in a police BMW most generously lent for the period of the visit by the Commissioner of Police. A broken fan belt in the accompanying estate car (of French origin) provided a delaying but entertaining diversion while it was replaced in a roadside workshop consisting of two wooden shacks and an inspection pit dug in the sand - but stafTed by highly competent mechanics.

Kumasi was full of interest and turned out

a very enthusiastic Brigade unit for an inspection; as band and choir at an evening cocktail party where they performed with tremendous s pirit; and on duty at a Sunday afternoon football match in a huge stadium of which Wembley would be green with envy. One highlight of the Kumasi visit was a ca ll on the Asantahene, the titular head or the Ashanti, in his palace outside the town, An earlier visitor here had been HRH The Prince of Wales whose picture was proudly displayed on t he wall.

After the long and hot drive back to Accra the programme included an informative meeting with the Board or Trustees of the Ghana National Trust Fund, who make an annual grant to St. John; some calls on a few long-standing acquaintances of the Chief Commander dating back to his time spent in Accra during the 1950s ; and a ceremonial guest-night dinner in the Police College mess , well attended by Dr, Beausoleil , the Commissioner of Polic e and many other senior officals.

Other visits

Among the odd extra-curricular activity squeezed into the programme was a visit to the Akosombo Dam built across the Volta River some 50 miles NE of Accra. The resulting artificial lake covers an area or 3,270 square miles and stretches 250 miles end to end, completely changing the face or any map of Ghana.

The flight on to Sierra Leone stopped ofT at Abijan and Monrovia on the way, Arrival at Freetown then marked the start of a week's red carpet treatment 'pa r excellence', Sir Maurice having been Governor and Governor -Ge neral there from 1956 to 1962. Sumptuously accommodated in the President's Guest House overlooking Atlantic beaches, the party's progresS around Freetown was marked by flashing lights, sirens and police outriders to the

evident delight of the local populace who clearly remembered Sir Maurice and Lady Dorman since their departure 17 years before, to judge from their waving and cries of greeting from the roadside.

An audience with the Head of State, Dr. Siaka Stevens, evinced his wish to see St. John activities and its general standing in Sierra Leone show some expansion, and he assured Sir Maurice of his continued Support. An extremely smart contingent of St. John trained police, firemen and prison officers paraded for the Chief Comman der 's in spection but unfortunately it is not possible at present to raise a uniformed Brigade unit for such an occasion,

One memorable day consisted of flying visits in the President's personal helicopter up-country to Kenema and Bo where the Dormans were accorded a spectacular welcome. Visits were made to the Sierra Leone Diamond Corporation HQ in Kenema, which displayed a sizeable fortune in diamonds lying around on blotters; the Home in Bo, doing a magnificent Job In difficult conditions; and the Forestry Industries - a unique installation where trees go in at one end and completed furniture ready for use emerges at the other.

the Police Mess Kumasi

(Left) Sir Maurice being received by HE The President of S erra Leone, Dr Siaka Stevens with the greeting 'The Dormans have come home (Right) Lady Dorman and Sir Maurice with the Second Vice President of Sierra Leone Mr Senussi Mustapha another old friend , outside State House after being received by HE The President

Other calls we re made on the Mayor of Freetown, the Commissioner of Police, the Minister of Health, and Sir Maurice laid a wreath on the grave of Sir Milton Margai, a close former friend and associate who had been Prime Minister during his Governorship.

Caribbean-style beaches

By contrast with Lagos the prevailing weather in Freetown was more than pleasant; a dry but not excessive heat, and it was interesting to note some highly in v iting Caribbean-style beaches with clear blue sea, and one or two opulent looking hotels, the combination of which suggests it might be an up and coming area for package tourists seeking respite from European winters. The SJA HQ Officer in Freetown, Mr. J A. Finney, escorted the party during their stay and ass iduously attended to their every need, Mr. Finney undertakes first aid instruction for all public services there, almost completely on his own and deserves great credit for it.

In sum, the tour was va luable and highly instructive The twofold aim was to see at first hand exactly what St. John was doing in the three countries visited - and to

determine in what way SJA HQ in the UK could help, As Sir Maurice said on many occasions, there was no doubt that St. John Ambulance had a role to pla y in West Africa similar to that in Britain and in other developed countries, There were the same risks on the new highways, in factories, plants and industry; at football matches. parades and wherever crowds gather' and in the villages or at home - except for this, that they were much further from medical help both in time and in cost. In these countries the St. John organisation had an independent status, but independence should not mean isolation, and they had been isolated too long, Each country needed help in different ways - in some, exchange controls prevented importation of manuals, copies of the St. John Review or even buttons and badges of rank: in others the national HQ organisation was inadequate for a county in Britain' in one the Council had ceased to exist. Each will need help designed to meet its own needs and problems whether of training and transport, of leadership or of financial support. This we are now examining and hope to be able to meet at least in part. Their enthusiasm deserves our understanding and support.

o (Left) Chief Commander with one of the vehicles belonging to the Brigade in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

(Right) Mr. Aye Darku , Treasurer of the Council and an early member of St John Ambulance in Ghana , and Lady Dorman wearing a Kente cloth stole at a reception in

OUR Division wanted to be the flrst to obtain' proficiency certiflcates in this new subject, and our visit to an adventure centre in the West Midlands seemed to be the ideal opportunity.

Following consultation with the permanent site staff, it was decided to split " the survival and rescue aspects into two entities. Therefore, this article deals with each aspect separately.

Survival

On Sunday July 30, 1978 all members attended a preliminary talk on survival under all conditions , ranging from the 'lost in the desert' to the 'hostage' situations. Emphasis was put on the need to have a will to live in order to survive such crises. Explanations followed about the various types of food to be found growing wilc1

This was followed by a two-hour practical session in the nearby forest , where many samples of grasses, fungi, berries, nuts, etc, were collected. Cadets were shown how to look for animals they might catch , how to collect water, and places to seek shelter.

On return from this exercise, there was a discussion session on what had been learnt , and later an exhibition was mounted, in preparation for the County Inspection , of the various items.

On Monday, July 31 , 19 people assembled and were divided into three groups. This was to be a 24-hour test of their skills of survival. These groups were introduced into a small forest that they had not entered before. Each

SURVIVAL and RESCUE for CADETS

D/Supt. RICHARD FARREl. of Upminster and Hornchurch AlC Division. last year took a party of 20 cadets to the 20-acre Woodlands " Camp. 10 miles from the centre of Birmingham II

was a separate entity representing the sole survivors of a plane crash. They had to prepare for an indefinite stay in their chosen location although it was impressed upon them that in mos t cases survival depends upon movement towards where civilisation is thought to be.

Into this forest had been introduced items of 'Utter' that could conceivably be the remains of a plane crash; sheets of fabric and metal, bottles, wood and other miscellany. Staff had previously taken 36 fresh and six bad pheasants eggs , and rigged up dummy pheasants' nests. Unfortunately , the only thing that could not be introduced was the sheer mental condition of a desperate situation

The groups were to build shelters and coHect food and water, light fires and generally prepare for a stay. They were allowed no special clothing or coats , although light jackets were permitted, and they were not allowed to take food or special equipment. Food collected would be assessed by site staff for its nutritional content , and be exchanged for sausages and bacon at an a ppropriate rate. The groups could split up and reform themselves if they wished, but the three distinct groups that started were not allowed to mingle (a lthough this rule was later relaxed in view of developments)

Weather conditions that previous week had not been kind, with above average rainfall. However, the parties were in good spirits and quickly set themsel ves to building

their shelters , using fallen trees, etc, as a basis. They were spurred on by the drizz le that had started. At this stage they received advice and some help from the site staff, but as things got under way the staff withdrew so that the cadets continued alone.

After the first five hour s, the first food exchange took place. By now , the drizzle had given way to to rrential rain. Unbeknown to us , many roads in England were flooding by now , and parts of our own home towns were under three feet of water! Temperatures had dropped to the low fift ies, and at this stage it was decided to allow one member of each gro up to go back to camp to collect a coat for each. So the conditions the cadets were enduring can be imagined.

At this first food exchange, it became apparent that all groups had seriously underestimated the quantity of food needed , although the quality was generally good.

One group had only three sausages between four of them though. Some groups (we noW had five) had also collected large amounts of water of good quality (nearly a gallon in one case). The eggs they had collected they could cook , and one group who had located birds nests were allowed to exchange them for hens ' eggs after the nests had been inspected. The groups returned to their camps to cook their food; most of them managed a good fire, despite the rain, and they were prompted by the fact that they hadn't eaten for seven hours They then set about collecting more food, and when the second exchange took place three hours later , they

had collected considerably more than the first time.

By mid -afternoon , after enduring four hours of this driving rain , about half the cadets , most of whom had been out for seven hours , asked to return. However, the rest were determin e d to see it through the night until they were re sc ued the next morning.

After a discussion between the staff and the Camp Commandant , it was decided to call in the remaining members because of the appalling conditions, which were still deteriorating Although the shelters of the remaining groups were good, and they had been allowed to re -group, and food and water supplies were good , there were fears of expOsure because of the cold and wet. The Deputy Warden tried to persuade those left to return. Some took his advice, but some still refused. The Commandant again visited the sites, and all member s were subsequently recalled, despite their wishes to see it out. The boys had now been out for nine hours When the County inspection took place two days later , three of the shelters were found to be still in condition. One Was very dry , and the other two were just damp One of these latter two had been built

Fig. 3 The crawle

Fig 4 The lake and its island with details of Phase 2

by the juniors, and some thought had obviously gone into its construction, as it had an internal wind -break.

Whatever the end result of the Proficiency all members learnt something from this both for their own sakes and those of patients in the future.

Rescue

The central object at the site we used was a purpose-built army assault course, with different obstacles from the very simple to the very difficult. The most imposing item has to be the aerial runway, which runs from one end of the lake to the other , crossing a central island. Its commencing height is about 50-60 feet (see Fig. 4). The rescue work was divided into two main phases.

In phase 1 which took place at dusk , the staff, in consultation with the site staff, engineered three incidents On the most complicated (a) an AIC Sgt. and a N/ c Sgt. were left in charge; on the either two, an AIC CpJ. was in charge. They had to make up the casualty (most of our cadets are qualified in casualty faking and simulation), brief him, and set the scene within the guidlines given

by the staff. Groups of cadets and juniors (without NCOs) would do the test, and would be given help and advice by the NCO-incharge, who in turn would be given advice by the staff. In each instance, the team was given six triangular bandages and a No.8 & 9 dressing , and told that any further needs should be collected from the divisional ambulance. On this vehicle, besides more basic equipment , were two Furley stretchers, two Neil-Robertson stretchers, a scoop stretcher, carrying chair , poles and canvas, blankets , lights etc

The three incidents were as follows:

(a) A climbing net about 7-feet high. Users climb the net, sp read arms and do a forward roll over a small ditch onto dr y land. In this incident, the user had rolled, but got a foot trapped in the netting, resulting in an open fracture of tibia and fibula; on arrival, the patient is hanging upside down with the weight on the injured leg, obviously very shocked.

(b) Access to the island is by a rope to swing across between two jetties; it is anchored at the land-side by cord. A swimmer traps his leg in the cord, and when the team arrives is floundering face -down in

51A-Nj)j

the water about eight feet out.

(c) A child is climbing a dead tree, which uproots and traps him. It is very heavy, pressing on his chest which has several broken ribs and punctured lung.

All patients had to be removed over difficult streams, etc, to the ambulance.

The squads were each to do two of the tests, and lots were drawn accordingly. The main points worth noting after they had completed the tests were as follows:

Test A. Both teams were quick to assess the need to remove the patient from his situation, and relieve the weight from the fracture; however, both teams, having 'righted' the patient onto the net, tried to follow 'book procedure' and immobilise the fracture whilst the patient was balanced on the net, and they ran into the obvious problems. Both teams cleared the patient, although taking some time to do so.

Test B. It was pleasing to see that although knowing it was a test, both teams had someone dive in fully-clothed to rescue the swimmer. One team were slow to the dangers of possible exposure following rescue.

Test C. This patient was lying on his back, and drowning in his own blood when found, and both teams were quick to realise this. One team sent two of its four for stretcher and blankets immediately, and then the team Leader found that the tree was too heavy for him and the junior left to lift, to put the patient in the recovery position. He then had to find something to lever it up with, thus wasting precious time. Although simple to treat once clear, this test was primarily designed to test patient-care over difficult obstacles with a longish journey (almost %mile) to carry the patient. Both teams selected a Neil-Robertson stretcher, and afterwards regretted it, and with hindsight would have used a standard Furley, with ropes.

Phase 2 was set up while the teams were returning from the second incidents, and was for the four NCOs only. It was set by the staff and will be dealt with at the end, so as not to detract from Phase 3.

Phase 3 was set on the last night. In this phase, the cadets worked in the standard groups they had been in for the whole week (except for any special events needing alteration). The groups were called together and told that they had to set up a test situation; they could use any of the facilities on the site. They had one hour before dinner to think up and plan their set, and were to report to the Camp Commandant their intended location. (This was to prevent duplication). The teams could use as many patients as they wanted, but should remember that after setting up the test they would be moved onto another team's set, leaving behind their patients, and would have to effect the rescue Thus if they used too

many of their group as patients , they wouldn't have enough people left for the rescue.

The staff decided to judge both the settings and the rescues as part of the week's inter -group competition, which was very closely placed at the time. Three staff each awarded marks as follows:

Originality of site and situation 10 marks.

Quality of causalty faking & set-up 10 marks.

Overall effect and impact 10 marks

For the rescue attempt , one member of staff would judge each set , and give the team their points out of 30 based on speed, care, efficiency, initiative and general teamwork , removal, and care at base station whilst awaiting an ambulance. At the base station, the other two judges would move round and chat with the te8;ms about diagnoses, and their subsequent actions and results as seen by the teams, and then award further marks out of ten, giving each team a possible 50.

Team B to wash upl

After dinner, each team went and set its scene, and then the judges went round. Team B were at a disadvantage - first they had to wash-up!

Team C were judged first. They had selected the finish-point of the aerial runway.

A user had broken through both the brake

had used a commando bridge (Fig. 2). On arrival, a user is on the bridge, halfway across between two trees, at a height of about 25 feet. He is paralysed with fear, and cannot return , or do anything. The rescue team have to get him down. When this has been achieved, with correct treatment the hysteria will reduce, and when he is near-normal will ask the whereabouts of his friend. What friend, do I hear you ask? Well, he's the one that fell off in the first place, inducing the hysteria. If you look , he will be found in some nearby bushes, with head injuries and a lower limb fracture! The judges were impressed by the originality of this scheme. The siting was ideally chosen, and the second person correctly positioned, but neatly hidden. The bush chosen was good too; several had grown to form a small space accessible from one side only. The make - up was good, the casualties wellbriefed, and well-chosen for their parts, The judges felt the impact of the test was good, and if you haven't guessed, this team won.

about two feet in twelve hours, all the tiny streams were now flowing well. It was still drizzling off and on, and the cloud was very low

(3) There was no moon to give any real light the area was surrounded by high trees, and no-one, except the staff, had explored the island.

(4) The island was accessible in three ways; firstly, by boat; secondly, by a Burma bridge (Fig. 1); thirdly, by swinging across the water on a rope.

The sWing- r ope t o Is and and the safety -brake. The member of stafT had tried to catch him off the end but failed and collected a fractured jaw for his trouble,

The user had collided with, and was entangled in, the scaffolding that formed the end of the runway; he had succeeded in freeing one hand from the safety strap. but this had only resulted in him hanging by one arm, which had become dislocated. He had a fractured tibia and fibula (open). The judges agreed that the setting was good, and the casualties h ad been properly briefed. They felt that the incident was unlikely, although possible, and made a good general impact.

Team A were, next to be judged. Their set involved a piece of apparatus for climbing a long (Fig, 3). The user had fallen off, and hit his head on a projecting tree- stump. The judges felt that this lacked originality, and that there were other facilities that could have made a more interesting incident; nonetheless it was credible, and the judges were already aware that the tree stump was included in the original plans before going on site, demonstrating the observation and memory of the team. Injuries were simple, and the patient unconscious, which meant that there was less opportunity to gain marks here.

Team B were at a disadvantage. Their planning time was reduced because they had to prepare a meal, and their set-up time was reduced as they had to c lear up after it. They

After the judging, the teams were all moved round one set, so that A did B's set, B did C, and C did A, There is little to comment upon except that all of the teams had learnt their lesson of the previous time, and took more care not to split their teams up too soon, and to more thoroughly evaluate the problems of removal before sending for their equipment. All teams rescued their patients and got them to shelter. Yes, A team did drop the cianger on B's set and not ask if there were any more patients, thus not finding the serious one until the first was recovered. Some might also consider incorrect their decision to send one member of the team back to base with the now -calmed hysterical patient , as this left them a person short.

Certainly the most difficult, and the most interesting case was that used in phase 2 of the training. The idea was to get four NCOs to work together in unusual circumstances with a lot of disadvantages. At 10.45 pm, the NCOs were called to the dining -hall, and advised that they had a patient to rescue from the island in the middJe of the lake (Fig. 4). The person had fallen from the aerial runway and was somewhere on the island. The team could use anything they wanted on the site, and the Commandant would drive the ambulance if they required it.

Perhaps this doesn 't sound too bad as it stands, but the following points must be remembered:

(1) It was very late, and the team were very tired. They had been doing the survival bit all day , and this had exhausted them. They had then set the phase 1 tests, and supervised them twice

(2) It had been raining continuously, ground was flooded, the lake had risen

direction, and a further aid was the flashing beacon of the ambulance.

While all this was under way, a member of the site staff was 'found', who 'volunteered' to give assistance, which the team gratefully accepted. The patient was treated (very well under the circumstances), loaded onto the Neil-Robertson, taken to the water's edge, and loaded onto the punt. The team also got in, so did the site staff man, and so did our staff man supervising the set, and they all headed for the bank.

The team requested the ambulance to take them to the point indicated. (With hindsight, the team feel they would have chosen the boathouse instead of the point nearest the Burma bridge). The A/C Sgt. and a Cpl. crossed the bridge, taking with them a torch, a couple of dressings, and a couple triangulars. The N/C Sgt. and other Cpl. took a Neil-Robertson stretcher, blankets, and some more kit to the boathouse, because they recalled that a punt was moored outside at nights. The two on the island quickly found the patient, who had a Colles fracture, fractured clavicle, and head injury. Treatment was commenced, despite the inabilit y to see what was being done!

The pair at the boathouse were not faring so well. They discovered that some nasty person had arranged for the paddles to be locked away. If they had looked around, they would have found some strategically dropped planks that could have been used. However, they did not. Instead, they recalled that their ambulance carried a spade, and so whilst one was loading the punt, the other ran back for it. When they got under way, they found other problems. It was difficult to steer, and the y couldn't see the island anyway once they had pushed off into the lake. A lot of shouting ensued to determine

This caused some difficulty, because the punt was now low in the water, was shipping water occasionally, and was even more unsteerable. Although the team had intended to go back to the jetty at th e boathouse, they quickly abandoned this idea because they couldn't see where it was! Instead, they headed towards the flashing of the beacon, and suddenly bumped into the land

The patient was off-loaded, carried up to the top of the bank, and a Furley stretcher was brought round to carry the patient to the ambulance. On the return journey, the patient was unstrapped, and dressings and bandages adjusted.

After the exercise, which was completed at about 11.55pm , there followed an inquest for about two hours. Everyone was most impressed at the efforts of the team. The site staff man said that at first glance he had thought how easy it was. After helping with the removal, he had quickly changed his mind!

Sur v ival and rescue had been an eyeopener - for everyone.

For further information about Woodlands Camp, write to the Warden, Woodlands Camp, Bourne Vale, Aldridge, Walsall WS9 OSH. Full camp facilities cost £10.50 a week each.

The camp s resident warden. Ralph Mason with keen youngsters

AMBULANCE SERVICES CUT

On January 22/23, when the London Ambulance Service suspended duty , London District assisted by St. John detachments from the Home Counties provided 51 ambulances and 1,100 members to serve the needs of the public in the Metropolitan area. 750 members were detailed to accompany police vehicles, while members of the police were allocated to Brigade ambulances in case of trouble with pickets. The strike was of very short duration, but 63 cases were handled.

On February 21, when there was a partial withdrawal of labour by the London Ambulance Service, London District provided 23 SJA ambulances for duty at police stations to answer emergency calls (they answered 36 calls in 24 hours). S.W. Area Commissioner G. L. Smith' was on duty at New Scotland Yard controlling SJA operations for 27 hours continuously.

In a similar situation in Northumbria, it was reported that SJ A provided five ambulances for emergency duties within an hour.

WHO WAS IT?

Mr. J. Oyston, Sunderland Centre Area Secretary, received the following letter from a friend who was helped by a SJA member while on a recent visit to London. If the member recalls the incident, or the duty officer reads this, Sunderland sends a Thank You.

The letter reads: 'Last Sunday evening (February 18) a friend and I (in my wheelchair) went to a concert at the Albert Hall while on a mini holiday in London. As soon as we arrived a St. John Ambulance man came and pulled me up the stairs and wheeled me to my 'reserved spot'. He came to chat with us during the interval and at the end of the concert took me safely down the stairs again. As if this was not enough he told us to wait and went across the road to

AROUND and ABOUT

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

BYTHE EDITOR

try and get us a taxi. He stood easily 30 minutes before a taxi stopped and he helped us in. I offered him money either to buy something for himself or as a donation for the Brigade, but he would not accept it, saying if I wanted to give something to send it to my local branch. So I am enclosing this cheque as a thank you. If by any chance his officer could be informed of his wonderful help I'd be most grateful, as he was a truly marvellous representative of your organisation. - Audrey Jordan. There you are, gentlemen.

SUPER SYMPO

It was called Sympo 79 and almost 400 people in uniform attended the Police Cadet School at Hendon on Saturday, February 3 to find out what it was all about.

It was specially arranged, under the direction of Assistant Commissioner of Police John Gerrard, for members of St. John Ambulance and the Metropolitan Special Constabulary. The St. John members - with their District Commissioner Derek Fenton - were mostly from London but others came from Kent, Bucks, Surrey Dorset, Herts and Hants John Gerrard (who is President of SJA London's SW Area) opened Sympo '79 by first conveying to everyone Sir David

McNee's personal appreciation of the great amount of work which had been done during the industrial dispute by the London Ambulance Service. Among other things this involved organising the services of over a thousand first -a iders cancelling the operation when it was thought that normal working would be resumed, and then reo activating the plan so that it began from 10 a.m on Monday.

The object of Sympo '79 was not to teach the audience how to do their job but to enable them to do it bette r , and Joh n Gerrard thanked 'the very inventive mind of Derek Fenton who had helped to devise the programme '. If it is true that an army marches on it s stomach , it is equally true of the Police and first -aiders. They do a better job if the y are adequately fed during their period of dut y. A specially -made film introduced by the Director of Catering for the Metropolitan Police , showed the modernised methods which have been achieved in police catering since he took over the job in 1961 No longer does the 'Bobby have to rel y on subsistence and inadequate feeding arrangements. Today up-to - date blast-freezing techniques enable him to enjoy 'coo k -freeze' meals to such an extent that it is now possible to produce some 4 000 meals a

consistently

standard. Later in the day the assembl y was given proof of the caterers ability when the 400 people present were served with a hot metal in just twent y minutes!

A more gruesome s ubject was next dealt with by Mr. Nicholls of Kenyons. The identification and recovery of victims from air accidents could only be dealt with by introducing touches of humour to prevent any of the audience from becoming too queasy The slides shown of the many air disasters he has attended throughout the world emphasised the importance of the great care needed so as not to separate any bits or items that would later make the task of identification impossible

A current problem Football Hooliganism - was the subject of Chief Supt. D. Robinson and Inspector M. Lee , who made good use of film taken at Millwall Football Club It was revealing to learn that hooliganism is not confined to teenagers , but that grown men are similarly stimulated by the chants and jeers which lead to the violence. The incredulous beliefs of this subculture of what constitutes a 'good afternoon' have to 'be heard to be believedand still not understood While perimeter fencing might be a much impro ved method of easing the position of the police, it was admitted that it could also create problem s

STAFFORD : A fine bag of awards for Blythe B ridge Quadlilateral Division at their annual prese nt at on evening. They includ ed the coun ty trophy for ambulance cadet recruitment, and the Division s rst Grand Prior Award for an amb ulan ce member which was presented to John Graham (3rd from back) by Area Commissio ner B M Byrn e.

(Above) Snakes alive - What's this) It's animal care for Yo kshire s Selby AlC Div D/ Supt S Bur ke (centre, with a 5ft. python) invited Mr. S J ones (right, with a 12-footerl. a vet who keeps pythons as pets, o come along and show the cadets how he cares for them. Stimulating eveni n g for the lads (Photo : Selby T imes)

(Rig ht ) STAFFORD : Northern Area staff and members of Blythe Bridge Quadrilateral Division were there to see N M Ma ry Berrisfo rd become Mrs. Paul Elkin at Norma cot earl y February. Hats off fo r ( Pho to : Staffs Sen tinel)

N, YORKS: In appreciation of SJA cover at the county's race courses, the Horserace Writers and Reporters Association recently presented The Marchioness of Zetland , County President, with a cheque for SJA

In January Hadleigh Round Tablers presented the Division with a fully restored ambulance bought from the Ipswich Area Health District with money raised following the death of their member and his wife. The vehicle will be in service most weekends - there to help the citizens of Hadleigh should they need it.

VISUAL AIDS

for St. John personnel who have to deal with casualties from the terraces.

Mr. Gerrard himself introduced two new and - until then - unseen films on terrorism and the problem it causes. With graphic detail, the ftlms portrayed the full horror of bomb outrages and emphasised the role that the public can play in assisting the police in detecting the bombs and the bombers, that if only part of the afternoon was helpful then the symposium had achieved its objective.

Lady Moyra Browne, the Superintendentin -Chief, voiced the feelings of the large audience when to John Gerrard and the police she said: 'We can't thank you enough and we congratulate you over and over again.'

W.A.H.

FURTHER AWARD

I hear that 12-year -old Cadet Anthony Hutson, of London's Sutton A I C Division, who was recently awarded the Brigade's Meritorious Service Certificate for administering first aid, with another school

boy , to a street fight victim, has since received a cash award of £15 from the High Sheriff of Greater London, Commodore Charles Noble. The other boy, lO- year-old Richard Jones, received a £10 award, Well done, fellows,

CLOCKED

I hear that Ramsgate Division's Supt. George Packman, who joined the Brigade when he was 18, retired in January after 50 years' service At a divisional get-together, attended by County Commissioner R. H. Percival and Mrs. Percival, and the Mayor of Ramsgate, Mr. Packman was presented with a handsome carriage clock by Sgt. Henry Pointer on behalf of members and friends. Well done, George!

SJA IS IN HADLEIGH

Three years ago in Hadleigh Suffolk, there was a double tragedy when Round Tabler Nick Lapwood and his wife both died in a car accident. 18 months ago a new SJ A division was formed in the town and now it has 26 adult members and ten cadets.

British Transport Films inform us that inflation being what it is, regrettably they have had to increase the prices for their series of first aid film strips and slides, However, new prices for slide sets are still a bargain buy. For example, BT 1116 Procedure at Road Accidents is sold with 51 transparencies for £4.95 only, Should any reader desire to obtain schedule of material available they can write to Melbury House, Melbury Terrace London NW I 6JU for the attention of H, G, Saers.

FROM THE HORSE'S

Authoress Barbara Cartland, who apart from her prolific writing seems to be fully committed to work for St. John , has] hear bought a race-horse which she's named Amber Lance. Amber Lance's winnings during the coming flat -racing season will be devoted to SJ A. Best of luck, Amber, And Barbara,

MIND BENDERS (answers)

you read this it may have reached the printers I've already made a start with The Divisional Superintendent, which may take rather longer, for in my view it 's far the more difficult of the two, but I certainly intend to go ahead without any more long delays. To all those who for at least 3 or 4 years have felt frustrated because neither of these booklets has been available I can but offer my most sincere apologies and accept entire responsibility for the delay. My one hope is that their eventual publication may not prove to be an anti-climax, but that you may find them to be , even in a very small measure, something that was worth waiting for.

Games galore

I shall hope to finish in time to give a perhaps belated spri ng cleaning to my garden which has suffered rather baply from neglect in recent years - so much so that the collection of old French and English roses which are my special joy have begun to remind me of two lovely passages from Goldsmith 's Deserted Village':

'Near yonder copse, where once the garden smil'd, And still where many a garden nower grows wild, There, where a few torn shrubs the place disclose, The village preacher's modest mansion rose.'

And again:

Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the way, With blossomed furze unprofitably gay, There, in his noisy mansion. skilled to rule , The village master taught his little schoo!.'

And there is a junior school beyond the fence at the bottom of my garden, though I've never actually taught in it. But I had to pull up the furze which became too rampant a few years ago, and it's now replaced by very strong-growing specimens of Albertine, Zephyrine Drouhin (the only ro se that is completely thornless), Friihlingsgold and Friihlingsmorgen (which, by contrast, are very prickly hybrids of the wild rosa spinosissima) and a profusion of St. John's Wort.

CLEANER FOOD IN GT. MANCHESTER

GREATER MANCHESTER 15 delighted catering staff of an

Then, in the autumn I hope to concentrate on making a pipe dream come true. For many years I've felt that there's one gaping void in our Brigade literature, for we have nothing that might be described as a 'St. John Book of Games', and it has long been my ambition to plug that gap, I hope --:- for your own sake! - that you don't think that too frivolous an ambition because I' . m totally convinced that an element of competitive fun is an essential Ingredient in the training programme for of all ages. and in any subject - yes, ages, not just cadets. Of course I'm glvmg a pretty broad interpretation to the Word 'games' 'f , , ,ranging rom games for the diVISional Ch' , flS mas party With Just a flavour of first aid or nursing in them to outdoor activities of a kind nown to members of the Scout Movement by the name of' 'd f ' WI e games (which a friend o mme unfa 1' , h , ml lar WIt the term, always

AT RANDOM

continued from p.73

insisted - and sometimes with justification - on referring to as 'w ild games'). And somewhere between those two extremes would be relay games, s ense-t raining games, memory -test ing games, bl indfold games, diagnosis games, and 'surp rise items' suddenly laid on in the middle of a divi siona l training evening to test the quick reactions, good leadership and efficient first aid of those present.

] have already collected, over the years, quite a nice little store of different types of game that wo uld be suitable to include; but I haven't yet got nearly enough, especially if yo u remember that to compile a really good book of games one must start by having more than enough, so as to be able to se lect only the best. So please will you help me to increase my store by sending me full and clear de sc riptions (and note that 'clear' means leg ible as well as intelligible) of any games, in the very broad sense in which I have used the word, that you think I might find useful? There's only one condition that I must ask you to accept: please send only those games that you've actually tried out, either as organiser or participant, andJound lO be a success. And if that condition stimulates some of you to invent games and then try them out, so much the better. It's not a bad idea to tell your division that you've just invented a game and are using them as guinea-pigs to try it out on, to see whether they think it would be worth sending up for publication in a book of St. John they ll gain a sense of pride in being involved, even if it turns out a bit of a flop, and they may even be able to help you improve it before you try it out a second time.

If any of the games that you send me were not invented by you or your friends but were taken from a published source, please tell me the name of the publication in which each appeared, so that if I want to select them I can make suitable acknowledgment. Other helpful information would be (a) the agerange of those for whom the game was designed , or with whom it proved most successful, (b) the ideal number of pla ye rs , and (c) an estimate of the total time taken in explaining, playing and announcing the results of the game. Please send your games in NOW, or as soon as you can; don't wait till you think I've had time to finish my

garden, for that will be never! And please address them to me personally at St. John Ambulance, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SWIX 7EF, All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged, but for obvious reasons I can't promise that they will all be selected.

How would you kill the Brigade?

Weeding out old files is always timeconsuming, often fascinating and sometimes rewarding. The other day, when sorting through notes of talks that I'd given to St. John audiences in past years, I came upon a talk on 'Programme planning', given at a King George VI Brigade Leadership Training course at Leamington in January 1971. I was standing in for Miss Nancy Sale, who normally gave this talk at K.G. VI courses but had gone down with 'flu, and I suspect that I got the idea for my opening remarks by 'cribbing' from her notes for I certainly can't remember inventing it myself:

If you were an anarchist and wanted to kill the Brigade stone dead, how would you set about it? A bomb in Grosvenor Crescent? - tiresome and very sad, but quite ineffective, Sabotage an County Headquarters? - even more tiresome, but still ineffective, Immobilise all Brigade ambulances? - no use, Indefinite strike of all uniform manufacturers? - still no use. 'The only effective way would be somehow to get rid oj all ordinary members oj ordinary divisions. And the best way to ensure doing that would be to make them so utterly frustrated and bored that they gradually resigned and no new ones joined' to make quite certain that they did not enjoy St. John did not think it purposeful, fulfilling, geared to the needs of today. but became convinced that their membership and all the things that they did together as a di vision were a sheer waste of time.' I only wish the anarchists in our ranks were likely to be readers of the R eview, because otherwise they may never discover that we ve blown their gaff!

How NOT to kill SJA

Two kinds of seating arrang ement : The cen1re table set up is sui ta bl e for less t han 20 people and promotes discuss on It is particu ar l y good for long meet ng s. The more usual classroom - style arrangement is suitable for almost any siz e of audi e nce

Getting the best from overhead projection

by CHRIS WALLER

The overhead projector is one of the most common, and among the most effective, audiovisual aids. In this, the first of a series of articles, Chris Waller covers the how and why of using OHP, simple maintenance, setting up of the equipment, checking acoustics and screens before going on to the creation of effective visuals and presenting statistics.

THE overhead projector is a simple to operate, cheap to run, effective aid to communication widely used in industry and education. Compared with many other aids, both the hardware and software are reasonably priced and readily available. To its user, the OHP offers many advantages:

1. It may be used in normal daylight or artificial light conditions without impairing the quality of the projected image.

2. The OHP is positioned at ilie front of the room with the presenter facing the audience; apart from the obvious benefit, this allows him to watch and assess the audience reaction and, if necessary, diversify or go into further detail.

3. Special presentation techniques, peculiar to the OHP, can add not only interest to a presentation but help the presenter to focus the attention of the audience onto a specific point; to break down or build up a complicated subject; to provide a certain amount of simple animation.

4. Transparencies for use on the OHP (also known as visuals or vu-foils) can easily be prepared by the presenter or commissioned from a commercial producer.

5. Transparencies can be prepared in advance, or during the presentation if the lecturer needs to ad-lib; can be updated if and when necessary; are portable and easily stored. Establishing an efficient filing and retrieval system will permit more than one person to use the transparencies, thereby cutting costs.

6. Other transparent or translucent objects may also be projected. This is of value in the technical field where working models and science experiments can be shown to a larger audience than might otherwise be possible.

II) Germany the Chess Olympics were played on the OHP and, at the same time , observed by crowds of spectators.

There are overhead projectors to suit most situations and budgets. From the basic , sturdy, childproof machines used in schools ; projectors with 35mm attachments or an epidiascope facility; the lightweight models which fold down and fit into their own carrying cases and right at the top end of the scale, the specialist projectors used in hospitals and universities to project X - rays and even a 3D projector.

On occasions it can be an advantage to use two projectors, projecting onto separate screens, one on a remote control lead showing the main point of the programme, perhaps a new product or a transparency which has to be constantly referred to the other close to and operated by the presenter who uses this machine for the breakdown of the information. Needless to say only one OHP is used at a time.

Operating the OHP is child's play. As each projector varies in construction and the position of switches and lamps precise instructions are impossible, but here are some general guidelines to efficient use and maintenance:

1. After plugging in the OHP take care to arrange the lead so that nobody can trip over it (a piece of advice common to all a-v equipment).

2. Focus the machine before you start your presentation; this is done by altering the position of the projector head.

3. To avoid the picture distortion known as 'keystoning' the projector head and the screen should be parallel, such that the screen surface is at right-angles to the axis of

the prpjected beam

4 The projected image size is governed by the focal length of the objective lens and the distance between the projector and screen. If you are obliged to work in either a small room or large hall, take this into consideration when choosing a projector

5. When necessary the outside lenses of the projector head and the top surface of the optical stage can be cleaned with an OHP lens cleaner or a mild detergent solution and a clean soft , lint -free cloth It is often sufficient to remove light dust with an antistatic cloth. It is essential that these surfaces should not become scratched as the marks may project.

6. The Fresnel lens is the flat , acrylic condenser lens and during use the build -up of static electricity attracts dust onto this and must be removed regularly to ensure good picture reproduction. Follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions taking care not to scratch or in any way damage this surface. If you are worried, this task can be left to a quaJified technician. On some OHPs this lens and the top plate are sealed to prevent dust from entering, therefore no cleaning is required.

7. The Fresnel lens can aJso be damaged by overheating, so keep the fan running until the machine has cooled. The fan and lamp controls may be independent from one another and most OHP fans are thermostatically controlled and need only be turned on at the beginning and off at the end of the lecture.

8. Do not keep the projector lamp on throughout the entire session, if there is no transparency on the optical stage, as the brilliant, blank screen will, act as a distraction for the audience.

The correct procedure for projecting a transparency is simple to rememberTURN ON/TALK ON/TURN OFF

9 It is a good idea to keep a spare bulb to hand if your OHP does not contain a secondary lamp. Changing the lamp is probably one of the most difficult pieces of maintenance that you will have to perform; the siting and the types of lamp vary, so for exact details refer to your manual , but if you can change a light bulb you should have no problems.

The most expensive machinery and carefully produced visuals are wasted if even one person in the audience cannot see or hear the information that you are trying to convey. There are various ways of arranging the room so that every member of the audience can see and the lecturer can work in comfort. If you intend to use other aids during your presentation , bear these in mind when planning the room layout. To avoid distraction (and accident s) it is vital to be able to move freely between pieces of equipment.

One of the most simple w a y s to ensure an unobstructed view of the screen is to mount it on the wall, five or six feet above ground level. If the speaker sits whilst giving the lecture the problem of shadows on the screen created by himself or the projector head post will be avoided. There are conflicting opinions as to whether one sits or stands to give a presentation Sitting is far more comfortable and helps to put the audience at ease. Stand when you have a large audience and when you are on the same eye level as they, or if it is essential to be on show as in a selling situation; it is difficult to impress the boss with your style if he cannot see you clearly.

If you are working in a large haJJ check the acoustics personally. If your voice does not project to the back row of the audience then it is worthwhile hiring a PA system but do not use a microphone just because it is there as it may restrict you if you need to move around during your presentation. There is a variety of sound equipment available, so seek professional advice on this subject.

A screen is not an essential accessory for the OHP, which will project a reasonable image onto any smooth, light surface, Conference room arrangements Two objectives should be borne in mindproviding an unobstructed vi ew for the audience and conveninece and comfort for the lecturer The surface of the screen should always be parallel to the projection surface and incorrect hor zontal angles or vertical angles result in the keystoning shown right

however a far better reproduction is obtained by using a screen and the be st , all round surface for OHP is matt white fini shed which reflects light over a wider area than directional screens

Board-mounted screens ha v e the advantage in that variations in focus , due to wrinkles on the surface , are elim ina ed and they are far easier to angle correctl y. Roller screens may also be wall-mounted or stand on their own tripods and can be quickly put away after use. The minimum screen size for a normal room is 5 x 5 feet with the OHP eight feet away to project an image to fill the screen To obtain an 8 x 8 feet image the projector needs to be 12 feet away from the screen surface

It is worth considering seriously the size of the projected image , because the easier it is for the audience to see the more likely the y are to look And that is just what this form of communication is all about.

Creating effective transparencies is not a matter of artistic expertise. This is secondary to the main objective which is to communicate the message as quickly and with a s much impact as possible. To achieve this first analyse the information before going on to transparency making. If your time is limited rather spend it on the preparatory work than on production , for a roughly drawn transparency which gets the message across is far preferable to a visual masterpiece, which does not. Producing visual communications from written information is not always easy. There are various ways of tackling this problem and I fmd the following method simple and 1 Read script and select the points which need visuaJ reinforcement or explanation.

2. Decide whether to use text or illustration for each visual. Often, a few well c,:hosen words are worth 1,000 inappropriate

drawings; 'Blood, toil , tears and sweat create their own pictures and impressions and lettering these words takes considerably less time and errort than producing suitabl,e graphics.

3. If using text precis it. Transparencies are for summaries or explanations ; a complicated point can alwa y s be supplemented by handouts which the audience can retain for future reference Too much information on a visual can be confusing and any form of distraction can lose the audience s attention which will take time to regain. A maximum of 40 words per visual is recommended and if possible , these should be laid out so that each line makes sense. Once more , the fewer the words the faster the final transparency production will be, also you will be abl e to use a larger type size which will have more impact and be easier to see.

4. Keep illustrations bold and simple If utilising an existing drawing eleminate all superfluous line work and information before transferring the drawing on to film.

5 Select the most suitable pre sentation technique for each transparency and if you choose masks or overlays, decide where to break down the information.

a) REVEALS - for text or lists. Place a sheet of paper under the transparency and reveal one line at a time. This method allows the presenter to control the rate at which the information is shown and prevents the audience from reading ahead and possibly not listening to what is being said. With this technique it is preferable that each line makes sense.

b) MASKS - this method allows individual sections of the information to be revealed separately. The 'windows can be opened in any sequence and are made from card taped to the frame ; it is a good idea to note on the mask what is underneath.

c) OVERLAYS - thi s method is ideal for breaking down / building up a complicated point ; the individual sheets can be shown independently and in any order.

d) EMPHASIS - selected points can be high lighted by adding them to the visual during the presentation obviously the relevent blanks must be left on t he base acetate. If you prefer not to mark directly onto your work then slip the transparency under the acetate roll and write on this.

e) ANIMA nON - in som e situation s this can be used to great advantage and the extra cost and effort involved is offset by the re s ult s.

6. If you intend to reproduce a tran s parency directly from a book or other printed source first check whether or not c opyright a pplies and how it relates to y our teaching situation.

7 If briefing another person to produ ce tr a nsparencie s, en s ur e tha t they fully understand the points you need s tressed. It is e as y for an outsider to be sidetracked by what , on he s urface , seems a brilliant idea but which either fails to communicate the point suffici e ntl y or detr a cts from it.

8. Check your id e as and if y ou ar e not s ure that they will do t he job effectivel y te st them on a collea g u e, prefe rabl y one with le ss knowl e dge of th e s ubject , and if nece ssa ry think again

9. Finall y, do not utili se existin g vis ual s ust bec a u s e they are readil y a vailable Onl y use w hat is e s sential and co mplimentar y to yo ur lecture

For th os e wh o ple a d la c k o f time/ ca s h , a rou g hl y dr aw n , quickl y p ro du ced v is ual th at works

Police Comps

FOLLOWING re g ional eliminating e vent s in which o ver 650 contestant s comp e ted 80 finalists in 16 t ea m s repr es enting c ount y and city con s tabul a rie s throu g ho u t h e UK participated in the P o lice N a t ion a l F rs Aid comp e titi o n s

RESULTS

Analyse information

Formulate ideas

Check their effectiveness

Produce transparency

DROWNING - there is always hope

QUESTION: Is it true that a person who appears to have drowned in cold water may not actually be dead?

D P., Pottstown , Pennsylvania

ANSWER: The results of a Sea Grant project carried out by Dr. Martin J Nemiroff at the University of Michigan showed that people who have "drowned" in cold water (70°F or below) are not necessarily dead, even if they have been underwater for as long as 30 minutes. A number of such viCtims have lived , and Nemiroff believes that what saved them was the activation, after their faces were submerged, of an automatic response in mammals called the mammalian diving reflex, combined with_the coldness of the water. The reflex allows sea-going mammals to exist and function underwater without breathing for up to 30 minute s. It reduces the blood supply to the skin, muscles, and other tissues which are resistant to oxygen -loss damage , and reserves the remaining blood oxygen for the brain. Cold water also reduces the oxygen need of tissues , further lengthening survival time without external oxygen.

should not automaticall y_. be presumed dead. He recommend s the f o llowing procedures Resuscitation should be started immediately. Ex t ernal h e art massag e and ventilation with as near 100- per cent oxygen as is available should be given The body should be warmed gradually from the inside by rai si ng the temperature of the oxygen to 1l0 ° F with a humidifier Resuscitation should be maintained at least until the body temperature reache s normal.

Rescue workers and doctors are advised not to give up easily on cold -water drowning victims. According to Nemiroff, he or she may be cold, blue, not breathing, have no detectable pulse or heartbeat and fixed and dilated pupils, but the victim

Defibrillations (shocking the heart into action) may not be successful until the normal bod y temperature is reached

Reprinted Jrom SEA SECRETS, Miami, Florida

ROAD ACCIDENTS

from Lt. Col. R. B. Robinson, Commissioner

There is one substantial aspect of Ms. Priscilla Hopkins' interesting article (Feb Review) which I feel should not pass without comment.

There are many instances of causes of accidents being attributed, by implication if not explicitly, to circumstances suggested by the statistics of frequency of accidents. According to Disraeli (was it?), there are lies, dam d lies and statistics, and wrongly interpreted statistics merit that condemnation. But properly interpreted they do not, since they are the foundation of every single item of knowledge.

To take one example, it is stated that 66.3% of vehicles involved in accidents were owned by the drivers , 23.8% by firms, 0.71 % on hire and 9.19% owned by a member of the family or a friend. Unless this statistic is qualified, the conclusion on the face of it would be that the best way of avoiding an accident is to hire a car and not drive your own. But what are the percentages of vehicle miles travelled in those four categories?

If 90% of vehicle miles are covered with the owner driving, then the indication of the statistics of acciden t occurrence is just the opposite, ie, it is safest to drive your own car! Similarl y, the high concentration of adult pedestrian accidents on major roads and of child accidents on local roads, probably merely stems from the fact that adults go out on main roads and children only u se minor roads, on foot. And the preponderance of pedestrian accidents on road crossings used frequently must reflect the fact that, by definition , it is OIl these crossings that most of their crossings are made; the same applies to journeys to and from shops, school and at bus stops.

Perhaps the most notable false conclusion which might be drawn is the one about driving in leisure time. Not only may it be that more than 55.4% of driving miles are done in le isure time, but surely the increase in such accidents at bank holiday, when, as the article admits, more people drive as a leisure activity and there are hardly any goods vehicles or commuter or shopping cars on the roads, must be attributable largely to that fact and not necessarily to a deterioration in driving standards.

On a quite different aspect, I would comment that the two campaigns mentioned as having been run in order to educate drivers in the law must have been very ineffective. I am a dedicated user of headlights in poor visibility, ever since in Germany in 1952-55 I came to realise how right this is, but I have never yet seen in any public communication a single word to the effect that the law requires them to be used. I only learned of this myself by happening to see, in the foyer of a company's offices, a notice to their drivers. True, the BBC giving fog warnings sometimes say 'please use headlights ', but they never seem to add 'as the law requires you to do'.

And the ban on overtaking at a zebra crossing is similarly neglected in this respect. Incidentally, it is small wonder that so many accidents at crossings occur when vehicles overtake: the pedestrian normally looks before crossing and waits for a vehicle that does not stop for him, but he and an overtaking vehicle cannot see each other.

Salisbury R. B. Robinson

ALL-WEATHER UNIFORM

from David Williams, Divisional Superintendent

In reply to M. Priscott's letter (Review Jan.), I would agree with the first two paragraphs. But the last two I cannot possibly agree with. Once again someone wants to get rid of the white haversack. I agree that they would be a little impracticable to wear at a race circui t duty such as Silverstone. But when it comes to large first aid duties, where our members need to be clearly visible, then you cannot better the white haversack. Over the many years of service by the St. John, people have come to recognise us by the white haversack and the white band to the ambulance member's cap. I agree that a white reflective Sam Brown type belt would possibly have the same effect - in time. But if the haversack is done away with what is the alternative?

Would it be a case , which would be knocked over in a crowd the

minute you put it down to treat a casualty? Or even stolen if left unattended for a minute or your back is turned? The haversack is with you at all times, and leaves your hands free, eg, to carry a stretcher.

My division, of some 20 young adult members between the ages of 16 and 21, does not seem to have any objections to wearing the haversack , even when comic remarks are made Nor do the cadets.

The only times my members are excused from wearing ha ve rsacks are when they are on a transport duty, working in a first aid station or are in the control - room operating communication equipment.

As far as the last paragraph is concerned, it is virtually impossible to have a uniform which would suit all needs. I hope also that the general attitude is not that 'of each to his own Cardiff David Williams

REAL OR SIMULATED?

from Ted Hodby, Divisional Secretary

I read with interest the letter from Area Commissioner Dr. K. N, 1. Pocock (Nov. Review). A similar exercise, a simulated train crash, was held recently at Crystal Palace to test the ability of the emergency services to cope with a major incident. Of particular interest s the following observation taken from the report by Chief Inspector Tony Norris of the MetropoHtan Police , who planned the exercise:

'The Casualties Union provided 50 victims whose injuries ranged from major to serious. Indeed they were so realistic that a photographer from The Times, who was covering the exerci s e , fainted at the sight of one victim and fell on to the track. There was no way of telling whether he was a real casualty or one of the actors overdoing his part. This is a point to be borne in mind by anyone planning a major incident exercise: THERE SHOULD BE SOME WAY OF DISTINGUISHING A REAL CASUALTY FROM A SIMULATED ONE .'

Wokingham , Berks Ted Hodby

SELF-LOCKING AMBULANCES

from Brian Rockell. Area Superintendent Jack Baker (Feb. Review) feels that I am inventing my seriously injured patient to s upport my arguments about self- locking ambulances (although with thousands of seriously ill patients being transported by ambulances every day I do not have to be very inventive). Jack then invents a bank robbery to support his argument!

Jack's idea of hi -jackers about to drive away the nation's ambulance fleet is pure fiction. As Jack points out an ambulance could facilitate a getaway from a bank robbery (this is featured in many TV films) but how often has this happened in real life ? We must separate fact from fiction. The number-of incidents of stolen ambulances must surely be very, very few; except for the thrill seeking joy rider, an amb ulance is far too easily recognised and is of little value to the professional thief.

To fit a security device to every ambulance to overcome a problem which occurs so rarely or to expect ambulance crews to carry keys to the numerous vehicles they may drive on a turn of duty , is carrying the measures to an even greater extreme. I view with some amusement the thought of an ambulance crew scrambling under the vehicle to retrieve their spare key from the magnetic holder which can, and often does, become dislodged.

Ambulances do overturn from time to time. If the crew is unable to assist, rescue must surely be impeded if the doors are se lf-locking? Even if these locks were fitted, their value would be swiftly negated. Sensibly, most ambulances are fitted with sliding doors. The crew slide the door open and alight and, for the locks to be of value, the door would need to be closed each time they alight. I suspect that, as at present , the doors would continue to be left fully open while the crew tends the patient at the scene, away from the vehicle

My comment concerning in s urance policies was a separate issue to the question of self-locking vehic le s. A vehicle close to the scene of an incident with the crew clambering in and out to collect equipment is totally different from a vehicle parked at a hospital while the crew carry the patient to the ward and seek personal refreshment.

In the former , to lock the vehicle would be (for the arguments I have already given) a totally and unnecessary measure but for the latter it is clearly desirable to lock the vehicle, although not always possible.

Perhaps it might be better for our attention to be directed to our garages and headquarters buildings where the need for adequate security is of great impor t ance. A very real problem does exist as our vehicles and equipment are susceptible to the growing problem of vandalism. I venture to suggest that far more of our buildings and garages are broken into than ambulances hi -jacked.

East Berkshire Area

from C. Keeble, Ambulance Member

Brian Rockel!

While in no way wish ng to become involved in the argument over selflocking ambulances I feel I must comment on Mr. E. J. Baker ' s letter (Feb, ReView) He s tate s that he cannot bel ieve that a few moments delay can be vital to a patient. I beg to differ. A s a Royal Navy medic with experience in an accident and emergency department I can assure him that lives have been lost becau se of a 'few moments' delay ie a patient suffering a cardiac arrest must reach hospital as soon as possible.

Admittedly , patients have arrived in casualty departments after a 'few moments delay but in t he case of cardiac arrest brain damage has occurred and the quality of life severely impaired.

No, I do not agree with Mr Baker and neither do patients relatives whose loved ones suffered a few moments delay - and died Also those few moments delay to patients living in rural areas are sometimes more vital than to patients in cities and towns with a hospital very close

Haslar

CADET LOWER AGE LIMIT

from John Alderson, Divisional Superintendent

Carl Keeble

I am with Mr. Gee (Jan. Review) all the way. I would also like to see the age for taking the E.F.A. examination brought down to 10 years. In division we have 10 cadets all about 10 years old who keep askmg me why they have to wait until they re 11 years old. The three grades are d , very nice an InterestIng. But I know for a fact that many of my cadets have dropped out because of the waiting h With regard to making up slide sets, etc , make up slide sets and ave 21 sets from Camera Talks Ltd. The cadets find these most mteresting. But like Mr. Gordon Bax (Jan. Review) I never lend anyone my sets. I did once - one set came back damaged another I never sa A ' w agaIn. nd these sets cost about £ 10 each I also have three sets on cas It l ua y slmu atlOn, as I am a member of Casualties Union. Hower' ver, gettIng back to Mr. Gee s letter: What about a lower age Imlt for the E.F.A. examination '} Reigate

John A. Alderson

GREATER MANCHESTER

WEST BENGAL FLOODS

The following tetter from Mr. Rusi B. Gimi, chairman St. John Ambulance Association, West Bengat" Slate Centre , was sent to Sir Leslie Monson Director Overseas Relations :

I thank you for a copy of the St. John Review , January 1979 which , in its leading article, carried a story of St. JAA s service during the West Bengal floods.

I have shown this to my colleagues who are immensely pleased and deeply impressed with your interest in our work and your concern for the cause of the distressed people thousands of miles away from your own country.

I take this oppurtunity to send greetings from the members of StJAA in West Bengal to our fellow members of

WHAT'S A TEAM WITHOUT A TRAINER?

from L. A. Howell

As a new reader of the St. John Review, may I say how much I enjoyed the photographs and report of the Grand Prior s Trophy competition (Jan. Review), although the report was a little short for such an important event and there was no mention of what the tests consisted.

So

and

Sterling.

The one big criticism I have is that the most important person in any team - the trainer - is left out of the photographs. No matter how good are first-aiders, without a first class trainer they will never be welded into a trophy winning team. Each envelope

Order, Assoc iation , Hospital and

THE FIRST-AIDER

WHILST you are all first-aiders, not many of you are motor cyclists. So I am going to w r ite about how to handle a motor cycle in an a ccident situation.

If a rider cannot assist, we need to know:

(a) How to stop the engine

(b) How to move and control the machine without it starting again whilst it is moved away from the casualty, and (c) How to dispose of it safely so one may render first aid.

In all the diversity of motor cycles available today there are some standard features which we can learn and which will serve our purpose All motor cycles built now and for many years past use a 'twist grip' throttle control on the right handlebar.

By turning this grip towards himself the driver can increase engine power and speed - turning it forward reduces power and speed of the engine.

In front of the twist grip for the fingers of the right hand is a large front brake lever.

This may be hydraulic, more usually cable, connected to the front brakes whether' they are drum or disc.

Matching the front brake lever on the opposite side of the handlebars is the clutch lever. This is important to us as it is used to free the engine from the drive system and will allow us to move the machine even in gear.

The only other item we need is the rear brake pedal. Nowadays this is standardised in front of the right footrest, though on many

AND ... . THE MOTOR CYCLE

older machines it was on the other side

Opposite the foot brake is the foot gear lever.

We can easily tell the difference as the brake is only for pressing down with the foot , and is connected to the rear brake by rod , cable or hydraulics , whilst the gear lever ha s a rounded end to be pressed or lifted with the toe, or is a rocking pedal (heel and toe ) and connects to the internal mechanism.

So now we have defined four standard features we can use: the throttle front br a ke , clutch and rear brake. A modern development is a 'safety switch near the twist grip , the central position of which allows the engine to run, but it is onl y fitted on some of the latest machines.

The procedure is then, if the machine is on its side , still running and in gear, w e must first slow down the engine by turning the twist grip forward. Sometimes thi s will cau se the engine to stop. Even if it keeps going it will slow and not be very powerful. If we now apply the rear brake, this will stall the engine If the rear brake is on the lower side, it from underneath and pull it down.

Before attempting to lift the machine we can prevent a chance re -start by pulling the plug connection off each of the sparking plugs. On a single cylinder there is only one wire going to a metal or plastic fitting that snaps onto the plug which will be on top or one side of the engine. If there is more than one cylinder - each has a plug Most engines are 'vertical' , some slope forwards some are horizontal forward. Then there are

THE FIRST - AIDER .... AND

V t w in s and fl at tw ins' - even flat fours, ea ch c y li nd er h aving a plug wit h a lead. I f at a ll po ss ibl e a s ur e way of preventing a n a cciden tal r e -s t a rt is to r emove the p lu g cap s, letti ng h em h a ng free. You may not kn ow how to swi tc h off t h e ig n it ion and doin g th is saves time. Also some mac hines d o n o t h ave a n ignition switch. If we can n ot quick ly r e m ove he connector fr om the p ug, a firm pull w ill remove the wi re fr om t he co nn ec tor. No w we c a n lift a nd move the mac hi neif we n eed to W ith du e cons id eratio n for the p a tien t r a ise th e m ac hi ne to it s w hee ls m aki ng c ert a in it is lifte d in o ne atte mp t, a n d n ot dr op p e d ca using further injuries. W ith the m a chin e o n ts w h ee ls and t he p ug leads 01T, lif in g th e clut c h will a ll ow it to be p us h ed s hould it b e on a g r a di e n t use of t h e fron brake w ill co ntr o l it. When it is o ut of the way carefull

At

ORDER INVESTITURE

Commander (Brother)

Frank Ereaut, M A (Jersey). Ernest Alrred Harris, MBE DPA (Essex).

Sidne y John George Webb ( Hererord & Worcester).

Officer (Brother)

William Kelsall, OBE, QPM (Cheshire).

Frederick Charles Percy Baines (Post Office Ambulance Centre

Philip Li o nel Adams London).

Noel Scott Kenchington , MA, MRCS, LRCP. JP Hererord & Worcester).

Joh n Hu gh Lockett (London).

GeofTrey Leslie Way, MRCS, LRCP FFARCS sleof Wight).

Thomas Yarrow (British Rail).

Harold Bridges, OBE (Lancashire).

Gordon Walter Stewart Munro (London).

Archibald David Mant Greenfield, CBE. DSc MB, BS , FRCP (NallS).

Maxwell Hamilton Summers. DSO, OBE. TO. MRCS LRCP (Bucks).

William Thomas Cook (Isle or Man).

Richard John Davies (Hampshire).

Frederick William Adams (British Rail).

Richard Handson Carey (Bucks).

Associate Officer (Sister) Nina, Mrs. Marcel Wallace (American Society).

Serving Brother Alan John Petherick (Cornwall).

William Cyril Burt (British Rail).

John Archibald Henry Bing (London).

Thomas H en r y Carter QPM (Ches hire)

Idri s Lloyd Foulkes (British Rail)

Fred Roberts (Greater Manchester)

Walter Eric Charles Real (Lancashire Police).

Alan Key (StafTordshire).

William Frederick Palmer (London Tran sport).

ClifTord Ernest Pitt (West Midlands).

Leslie Robert Beckett (Surrey).

Frederick Nicholas White (British Rail)

David Vivian Lawrence (London).

William Arthur Neal (West Midlands).

George Frank Shaw (Warwickshire).

David Roy Henry Courtnell British Gas).

John Houston, MB, ChB, DPH (British Rail).

James William Norris (Specia Cons tab. Metro. Police).

William John Seager, BEM (Berkshire).

Harry Jack son (West Midlands).

David Charles Townsend (British Rail).

Ralph Bi shop (Surrey).

Sidney Clarence Todd (Br itish Rail).

Philip Henry Taylor (StafTordshire).

Albert W ill iam Baker (West Midlands)

John Michael Ferrar, LMSSA, DObst , RCOG (Her trordshire)

William Firth (London Transport).

Neville Walter Stanley (British Rail ),

Michael Harrison, MB, BS, BA MRCS LRCP DPH , MFCM (West Midlands)

John Robert Nolan (Lancashire Police).

Harold Shenton McCudden (S. & W. Yorkshire)

Francis Georg e Henr y Jones (London)

Frank Ho us le y (Greater Manchester).

George Joseph LeCornu (Jer sey).

Richard Pepper, BM , BCh, Mrsc, LRCP (Sussex).

John Hornbuckle (Cheshire).

Edwin Walter Bromwich (Warwickshire).

John Leona rd Richard s (Surrey). Brian Salter (Metropolitan Police).

Serving Sister Christine, Mrs. Gilrrin (London).

Constance Irene , Miss Worrall (West Midlands).

Clare, Miss Chandler ( Northumbria).

Margaret, Mrs. Cox London)

Iris Gwendoline, Mrs. Bowron West Midlands).

Margaret Ann, Mrs. Skinner (London).

Maureen Ann, Mrs. Upton (StafTordshire).

Elsa Gertrude, MIss Duffield ( West Midlands).

You have two minutes to answer:

[rene Jean, Miss Thomas (London). Maureen Ann, Miss Harris (West Midlands).

Pamela Gladys Mrs. Bennett (London) Diana Mrs Lewis (Hampshire).

Leila Margaret. Miss Harris (West Midlands).

Kathleen Alice Ann, Mrs. Little ( Lond on).

Florence Lavinia, Miss Wharton (Merseyside).

Margaret Mrs. Tattum (London).

Joan , Mrs. Miller (West Midlands).

I vy May, Mrs Holling worth (Notts).

Paula Rosemary Mrs. Bugg (London).

Margaret Ellen, Mrs. Gimbert (Wiltshire).

J oyce Gertrude , Mrs. Winkle (Staffordshire).

Sylvia Mary Peregrine, Mrs Coigley , SRN (Warwickshire)

Prudence Veronica Adelaide, Mrs. In gham Clark (London).

Edna Ann , Mr s. Young (Surrey).

Audrey. Miss Downs, BA (N. Yorkshire). S y lvia, Mrs Evans (London).

Rosemary Eva Gorell. The Han. Mrs. Gill (S. & W. Yorkshire).

Esquire

The Genealogist or the Order , Dr. Conrad Swan, presented h is personal Esquires. Marcus Ernest Bishop. MVO. and Michael George Paul Kelly MVO. to the Lord Prior.

TWENTY QUESTIONS

Here is a test of your first aid knowledge. See how many questions you can answer in not more than two minutes.

1. The body is built on a framework of bones caJled

What width of bandage is recommended for the arm? 2. The spine is formed of how many bones ?

of

3. How many vertebrae are in the neck?

How many litres of blood in an average adult? 4. How many phlanges in the finger?

5. How many types of movable joint are there?

6. Name one type of movable joint

7 What percentage of oxygen is in the air we breathe?

8 What percentage of oxygen is in the air we breathe out?

How many parts does the ear consist of?

What is the transparent part of the eye called?

Do all arteries carry pure blood?

What is the length of the short side of a triangular bandage?

Name the muscular organ which lies on floor of the mouth?

9. How many red cells are there in a cubic millimetre of 19 How many methods of moving a patient to shelter? blood?

How many ways can a poison enter the body?

10. How many white cells are there in a cubic millimetre of b ood?

The answers to these questions are to be found in your First Aid Manual , so now check your answers against the book. Have you answered them all correctly?

(Re pri nt ed from Cove nt ry Area News)

Twin sisters Mau reen (left) and Leila (right) Harris Area Staff Officer N / C and Div Supt. respectively. of B irmingha

Pamela Margaret, Miss Brown, SRN (B riti sh Gypsum).

Edith Margaret, Miss McCarthy (London).

Winirred Emily Edith Mrs. Parkin so n (Noninghamshire).

Sheila, Mrs. Frogson (Derbyshire). Hilda May Mrs. Sharp (Sussex). Ivy, Mrs. Crossley (Lancashire).

Phyllis Joan, Mrs. Morris (London).

Eva Marion, Mrs. Stancomb (Somerset).

Mrs. Harmer (Northumbria).

Sheila Mrs. Thornton (N. Yorkshire).

, Mrs. Packman (London).

News from Divisions/Centres

Spring is here

This time last year, after the indoor theory of care of animals, Weymouth cade ts and young adults went down to the farm of their Div Off Dave McSeveney to see the practical side of husbandry.

This in cluded one-day-old lambs , ca lves a nd sheep-shea ring specia lly lai d on by the shepherd Here, cadets examine a freshlyshorn fleece while Mrs. Sheep departs - slig ht ly crestfallenw ith short back and sides.

BOOKS

HOLES IN THE WELFARE NET by Maureen Oswln

Bedford Square Press, £5.50. Paperback £2.95

Distributor: Macdonald and Evans Services Ltd, Estover Rd, Plymouth

THIS IS Maureen's fourth book expressing her concern for the handi capped people she has worked with for over twenty years. She trained as a teacher with additional qualifications in social studies and specia ed uc ation

The book draws attent io n to many problems of the handicapped and their parents. It hi gh li ghts the difficulties experienced by pare nts and rel atives from the onset of the inevitable need for help with" care and training of the handicapped person. Unfortunately I must agree with Maureen Oswin when s he points out the rather unhelpful ways in which some professionals deal with the parents or guardians when an exp anation is requested regarding a defect or deformity, thus leaving them unaware of the tr u t h and expectations of the handicap.

Th e first three chapters deal with infants to adolescents. The fourth chapter exposes some of the obstacles pre sented to the person li ving at home, trying to fo ll ow gainful enjoyment or bring up a fami ly. It points out shortcomings of some of the local services. The fifth and sixt h chapters describe life in hospital s and home s for the handicapped The final chapter gives helpful summaries and suggestions for the handica pped.

Maureen makes her point throughout the book by using short case stories, which help to make it very readable and interesting.

Although there has been a vast improvement in help and und erstanding of the handicapped this book helps as a reminder that we still have a long way to go.

I s uggest this is a useful and interesting book fo r anyone in the car in g professions and St. John members. Barbara Farnell

from the chocolate factor y. (9). 24. Sudden, sho rt period of activity. (5). 26. Innermost layer of meninges. (3). 27. Ornamental band from Pisa shop. (4). 28. Vessel painful on palpation. (6). 30. Veins carrying oxyge nated blood. (9). 31. Perspiration co ntaining waste elements. (5). 32. The lean make preparation for eradication of head lice. (7) 33. Blood clot or fat globule obstructing an artery. (7).

Down:

1 Inspiring muscle (9). 2 Type of drug used to suppress allergic and inflammatory reactions. (7). 3 Irritating insect. (3). 4. Woman taking a point is not odd. (4). 5 Apathetic due to absence of strong liquor? (10) 6. Change temperature in real disorder. (5). 7. Many with armpit in a jaw-bone. (7). 8. Describes sputum in acute lobar pneumonia. (5). 12. Planet from parts of heart. (5).15. Flight fo r trachea, for example. (3.7). 18 Alkaline solution prepared from vegetab le ashes. (3). 19. Order of merit for operating theatre furniture. (5). 20. Typhoid fever. (9) 23. Mark of wo und to prevent a streptococcal fever (7). 25. Oxygen carrier of the blood. (3.4). 26. Student examined frequently in course of head injury observations (5). 27. Transmutation of atoms in anatomical orifice. (5). 29. Fire for disposal of the dead. (4). 31. One of a group having a common parent. (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.3 (79)

Across:

CROSSWORD No.4 (79)

Across:

1. A seed is producing illness. (7). 5. Repetitive speech defect. (7). 9. A small department is s killed. ( 5). 10. Nose bleed re s ulting from bad pi es and manipulative treatment. (9). 11. Bent and addicted to drugs. (6). l3. River feature engineered from wire. (4). 14. Lyric de scribi ng those who are not members of the profession. (3). 16. Venomous snake indigenous to Britain. (5). 17. Somewhat troubled, but comfortable in sickness ? (3.2.4). 21. Cereal found in every eye (3). 22. Deformities

1. Pick -a-back; 6. Gases 9. Clove; to. Brigadier ; 11. Rest ; 12. Lief; 13. D isc; 16. Ovarian; 18. Bruised ; 19 Cue; 20. Bedsore; 22. Diagram; 24. Rash; 25. Spur ; 27. Aids; 30. Garrotted; 31. Ankle; 32. In.a ne ; 33. Pneumonia.

Down:

1. Pack; 2. C.hole.ra; 3. Alert; 4. Ambu. lance; 5 Knife; 6. Goat; 7. Spirits ; 8. Struck dumb; 14. Borborygmi; 15 Pup .a ; 17. Iron; 18. Bedcradle; 21. Dysuria; 23 Red skin; 26. Put -up; 27. A.l.arm; 28. B.on.e ; 29. Sera.

Crossword No.2 (79): The first correct solution opened W8S from Miss B. B08st, 23 Sunningdale, Bradford, W. Yorks.

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Anatomical models

THE ARTICLE on Survival and Res c ue fo r Cadets ' in lc;tst month s Review (pp.76-79) describe d one of the most encouraging d evelopments in the training o f older c a dets that I' ve ever come across. Coinc identally , it h ad much in common with the wide games to which I referred ih the same issue (p.83) and which I was actively invo l ved in organising for Senior Sc o uts (as the 15-to-18 -year-old branch of Scouting was th en called) some 30 years ago, except that it had a mu c h greater emph a sis on first aid in the vario u s a dv enturous acti v ities designed to develop leadership and res ou rcefulness in its ' players ' To those inexperienced in escap a des of this kind (and you can ' t embark on them without a great deal o f preliminary training of those taking part) it may have sounded rather hair -raising , but it was probably less so than the 3-day adventure that we had in the Kerry mountains while camping on Whiddy Island in Bantry Bay (the ' Mundy Island of Daphne du M a urier s Hungry Hill) in wh a t turned out to be pretty atr o ci o us weather in August 1949!

I'm a very firm believer in the value of training a n d encouraging y oung peop le to take part in ad v entures of this kind , at the same time realising the truth of the lines written by the Australian poet Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833-1870 ) :

No game was e ver yet worth a rap

For a rational man to play , Into which no accident , no mishap Could possibly find its way.'

And of course it ' s the responsibilit y of the leader to be aware of these risks , to calculate them accurately , and then to use all his wisdom and expertise in reducing them to the very barest minimum (cf B.GR Appendix 0 , para . 4) . This will not merely involve the most careful preliminary training of those taking part , and equally careful testing of all equipment used (ropes , spars , holdfasts , aerial runways , boats , etc .), but will also involve his obtaining proper confirmation of the ph y sical fitness

continued on p.107

The C-in-C in Southern Africa

Major-Gen. PETER LEUCHARS tells us how

the Brigade is faring in Rhodesia, South Africa, Malawi

and Mauritius

The C-in-C reviewing the Brigade in Curepipe. Mauritius. (Above) with the Com\1 missioner Mr. M. l" Ohis and talking to Area Commissioner Mr. J. E. Brasse. (Left) Meeting Principal Cadet Officer (N) Mrs. E. Marechal. (Be low ) And Mrs. Sybille Julie Div. Supt. B eau Bassin Division

ONE of the most important and pleasant tasks I have as Commissioner -in-Chief is to visit our lar ge family overseas, and this year I decided to visit Southern Africa. Accordingly, bidding anything but a sad farewell to the ice and snow of England, I left for Rhodesia, my first stop, on the evening of January 30, This article will give you some idea of how the Brigade is faring in the four countries I visited. It is sometimes forgotten by us in England that Rhodesia has been operating under sanctions for fourteen years and under terrorism for the last five, and I wondered as my plane landed in Salisbury what sort of state I would find the country in. The first surprise I encountered was an almost total lack of security. I was asked politely at the airport whether I was carrying any firearms, and, when I replied 'no', I was waved through! And this was the same throughout my stay: I was never stopped or searched once during the several hundred miles I travelled. My next surprise was in Salisbury , where the pavements were crowded with carefree shoppers, the streets were busy with traffic, the shops were full of goods and where I was given a delicious lunch. This all seemed a far cry from the impression of austerity I had expected to find. But I soon learned that this 'window -dressing hid the reality: a life in which petrol is scarce, it is unwise to walk after dark or to drive outside the major towns, where farmers live as they did in Kenya during the 'Mau Mau' days, and where every man under the age of fifty does a varying number of weeks of national service a year. The truth is that sanctions have made Rhodesia into a self-supporting country and these, together with the terrorist threat, ha ve made its people more determined than evcr to resist their effects on normal life.

VirtuaIly no young men

The Brigade has not gone unscathed by these events. It is entirely confined now to the four large towns of Salisbury, Gwelo, Bulawayo and Umtali, and because of national service has virtually no young men in it. I visited the Divisions in the first three towns and found them in exce llent spirits, determined to keep going until better times arrive in spite of the problems. Their standard of first aid ha s to be, and is , extremely high and the percentage of the

po pul ation taught it is possibly higher than most co u ntries in the wor ld. What the future hold s in store is anyone's guess, but so far as the Brigade is concerned, I felt confident that thei r spirit and determination will see them th rough this sad period in their co untry 's history. On my last day there I flew up to the Victoria Falls which , in flood as they were, must be one of the most majestic and awe inspiring sights in the world. Gazing at that stupendous wall of water thundering down into the chasm far below, as it has been doing for several million years, helped to put into perspective, for me anyway, the fleeting and puny nature of the problems we human beings create for ourselves. Perhaps one day common sense will prevail and allow this great country to develop it s riches and potential in pea ce

City of skyscrapers

The next day I fl ew to Johannesburg, that teeming city of skyscrapers surrounded by the richest gold mines in the world. My twoweek visit to the Brigade was to take me to Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town and everywhere I was given the most wonderful hospitality and welcome. The political and military situation in South Africa at present is not unlike what it was in Rhodesia some six or seven years ago, and all young men have to do two years national service, Like Rhode sia therefore, there are few young men in the Brig ade, but the nursing side is everywhere strong, Both in Rhodesia and South Africa senior officers are fully aware that africanisation' is the key to the future, and many African Divisions already exist, as well as quite a number of Indian and Coloured Divisions. But well trained officers for these Divisions are scarce, both countries taking the very reasonable view that leaders should be appointed on merit rather than on race or co lour. Happily I found in both countries a rea l" desire to train , as a high priority, Afr ican, Indian and Co loured members as officers, and thus ensure that St John Ambulance maintains the true traditions of the Order and does not present the image of a " white man's club." Happily, too, I met some splendid examples of the fruits of this training.

Great work

I wish I had more space to describe some of the great work the Order and the Brigade are do ing in South Africa; the eye testing clinics operating in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and the splendid new scheme for teac hi ng First Aid and Health Care to the Cape Co loured communities to mention just two I wish, too, I had space to describe So me of the more unforgettable sights I saw dur ing my travels: dawn over the Mountains, Cape Town by I1Ig ht fro m Signal Hill, or the room I went

into in the Rand Refinery where, lying on the floor or on tables waiting to be stamped, I counted somewhere round £ 116,000,000 worth of gold bars! But my lasting impression will be the friends I made and the hospitality I received in a great country where the Brigade everywhere is doing a really splendid job.

The Zambezi

I remember well a particular moment during my flight to Malawi when I looked down and saw the Zambezi; I suddenly realised I was going to one of the very few countries in Africa which is happy and completely at peace. And what is perhaps more surprising, this tiny land, much of which is taken up by its huge lake, and unlike its neighbour Zambia has no mineral resources at all, is undergoing a boom. This is entirely due to the wise leadership and firm guidance of its President, Dr. Banda, who has exploited to the full its agricultural potential Unfortunately I was not able to meet him while I was there, but he is a keen supporter of the St. John Ambulance. Everywhere I saw evidence of what he has done for his country. I wish I could say that the Brigade here was ' booming' as well , but that is not the case. However whilst their strength is now reduced to only forty four ambulance members, there were two factors which give hope for the future. The first is that everyone of these forty four wants to build up the Brigade again' the second is that I believe there are many other people in the country who would help them They need all the help we can give , but as I said j ust before

GOING UP

I left: 'Fi rst you must prove that you are able and willing to help yourselves.' I am sure they will accept this Challenge.

One thousand five hundred miles to the east, off the coast of Mozambique, lies the tiny crowded island of Mauritius This was my last port of call and what a stimulating visit it was. The Brigade there is some sevefl hundred strong and carries out first aid duties at every major function in the island. Last year it put in over ten thousand hours and, at a Hindu Festival I visited on my first day there , the one post had treated over six hundred casualties during the four days of the ceremonies. It is in every sense the foremost authority on rust aid in the island and is greatly respected by all sections of the community. It does, however , have two characteristics which are unlike any other Brigade units I have seen: all its members are under forty, and the women are markedly outnumbered by the men! Time will no doubt change the first. I did my best to encourage the Mauritians to change the second!

During the two weeks I was there I travelled extensively over this rugged volcanic island with its warm, friendly people, The ever changing colours. of the sea lapping against the white sand of the beaches , the endless green fields of sugar cane waving in the wind, the bustle, heat and myriad smells of Port Louis, the flash of colour across the sky from some rare and beautiful bird; all these and many other memories will remind me of this delightful land. One day I hope I shall return to see the many friends I left there.

AIM Brian Bougourd of Guernsey s St John Ambulance and Rescue Service being winched from the r ambulance launch

Flying Christine II to a helicopter during a recent exercise with RN Wessex helicopters from Culdrose. (Photo: Guernsey Press )

The Royal Navy Inter-Port Field Gun Competition

The world's toughest trial of strength skill and split-second timing. Two teams race against the clock to manhandle two field guns over walls and across ravines. A real show-stopper to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Massed Bands of the Royal Air Force

The superb precision marching together with music and colour combine to present a truly memorable spectacular.

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery

Thrill to this ever popular event and see the split-second timin g of their spectacular musical drive.

Unarmed Combat - The Royal Marines

Superb physical fitness and tough training present for your entertainment a unique demonstration of unarmed c ombat.

The Royal Military Police Horse and Motor Cycle Display

Skill, precision and split-second timing together wi th expert horsemanship combine to present a most immaculate displa y.

The Metropolitan Police Dogs

These highly trained dogs work in co-operation with their handlers to give an impressive display of obedience, enthusiasm and agility

The Inter Service Motor Cycle Competition

A competition between the services. An indoor motor cycle tri a l demanding expert riding, courage and determination .

Mounted Competitions

Another act that's as traditional as the Tournament itself Members of the Services and their horses match their skills in a series of competitions.

The Royal Air Force Action Display

A most unusual and topical display showing an Air Sea Rescue operation.

The Queens Colour Squadron

The elite Queens Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force will demonstrate their intricate and precise ceremonial drill

Finale

A musical representation of the history of flight up to the space age .

For the benefit of Service Charities.

The Royal Tournament is one of London's longest-running shows. For nearly one hundred years this famous military tattoo has been thrilling the public with its special blend of colour, pageantry and seat-edge excitment.

The Massed Bands of the Royal Air Force will be there and so will all the popular family favourites The Royal Navy Field Gun Competition

A display of unarmed combat by the Royal Marines The Royal Air Force with their action display .. . and many other spectacular acts.

PERFORMANCES

Opening performance 7 30 p.m. July 11 tho Two performances daily 2.30 p m. and 7.30 p.m. There are no matinees on Monday and no performances on Sundays . Access to seats 1.45 p.m. and 6.00 p.m.

Rigging the Inter-Port Field Gun Competition starts 15 minutes before the start of each performance. Make a point of coming early to see this interesting prelude to this world famous annual event. Performances end 5.00 p.m. and 10 00 p m.

SEAT PRICES

There is a concessional rate for party bookings of 10 or more. Party rate bookings should be made before July 5th. No special reduction for children . There are no party rates for the £5.00 seats . NORMAL RATES

£5.00 £4.00 £3.00 £2.20 £1.50

*CONCESSIONAL RATES PARTIES OF 10 OR MORE

£5.00 £3.60 £2.70 £2.00 £1.30

*(There are no concessions on Friday evenings or Saturday performances) Unreserved seats on sale at Warwick Road entrance , 3 hours before the performance , price 80p .

BOX OFFICE

Until 7th March, The Royal Tournament, Horse Guards, Whitehall SW1. Telephone: 01-930 7148.

March 8th onwards - Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London SW5 9TA. Telephone: 01-371 8141 (4 lines). 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

The Box Office will be closed on July 5th and 6th From July 7th telephone 01-371 8141 (8 lines) 10 .00 a.m. to 8 p.m. Seats may be booked at all the principal Booking Agencies.

TRAVEL

Coach: Coach drivers, on arrival at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, will receive instructions from the Police regarding the parking of Coaches

Car: National Car Parks Ltd provide ample accommodation for cars on the premises in the Earls Court Car Park.

Train: To Earls Court Station by District and Piccadilly lines . Bus: Bus Services Nos. 30 , 31 and 74.

DISPLAY STANDS

The display stands showing present day equipment and life in the Armed Forces will be open to the public from 12 Noon daily (except Mondays) and from 6.00 p.m. for the evening performance.

The Royal Tournament is most grateful to all its supporters and sponsors who include, Britvic , Dewhurst - The Master Butcher, Kiwi , National Westminster Bank , Plymouth Gin , Shell UK Oil , Taylor Woodrow, Wilkinson Sword.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND THIS FORM IF YOU HAVE ALREADY BOOKED To The Box Office Manager, The Royal Tournament, Earls Court Exhibition Building, London SW5 9TA

Please indicate with an X on the plan the preferred area for your seats Indicate number of tickets required

1st Choice 2nd Choice Day/ Date Month Matinee/Eve

July July

Number of Tickets booked at full price ________

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ALLISTER VALE . MB, MRCP, Senior Registrar, and TIM MEREDITH, MA, MRCP, Registrar , both of the Poisons Unit, Guy's Hospital, London, answer the questions:

How po9Jnous are 'poisonous plan1s'?

IT IS popularly that poisonous plants, if not abounding, certainly exist in Great Britain to a significant extent. The walls of many casualty departments and doctors' waiting rooms are covered by coloured posters ominously depicting a variety of poisonous plants. The impression is given that any child simply touching, let alone chewing , some plant or other would be in immediate peril.

Yet experience suggests otherwise. During the 15 years that the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) has been in existence, some 20,000 inquiries have been received about "poisonous plants" at five centres (London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast and Dublin).

However, only one person in the United Kingdom is known to have died from plant poisoning in the past 15 years and that was due to amanita phalloides. Most inquiries concern inquisitive children, although adults are occasionally poisoned when, for example, they ingest daffodil bulbs in mistake for onions and deadly nightshade berries instead of blueberries.

The plants which most frequently give cause for concern are either those which are widely distributed or those with a reputation for being "poisonous" (Table 1).

Several plants on this list - cotoneaster, mountain ash, honeysuckle, firethorn, hawthorn and berberis - are of low or doubtful toxicity and may be regarded as non-poisonous in the quantitIes eaten by children, and, following ingestion , no treatment need be given. The other plants in the List, which is arranged

alphabetically rather than in order of tOXICIty, are possibly more dangerous and merit more detailed consideration

Black bryony (tamous communis)

The bright scarlet berries of the black bryony (Figure 1) contain an unidentified irritant which causes blistering of the skin When ingested there may be burning and blistering in the mouth followed by vomiting and diarrhoea. It has been asserted that death may be rapid but, in Britain, no serious cases have been encountered in recent years and treatment can usually be restricted to simple s y mptomat ic measures.

Broom (cytisus spp)

Although the various species of broom are related to the laburnum and contain toxic alkaloids , the latter are present only in small quantities, and symptoms other than vomiting are seldom reported The ingestion of this plant should give cause neither for anxiet y nor for energetic therapy

Bulbs

Bulbs from the daffodil , narcissus and related plants ma y be t ox ic to man and cause gastrointestinal disturbance with vomiting , colic and diarrhoea. Rarely , the ingestion of large numbers of bulb s for example , in mistake for onions , has caused collapse and convulsions. Treatment is symptomatic unless a dozen or more bulbs have been ingested , when a gastric lavage s hould be undertaken and supportive measures adopted

Hemlock (conium maculatum)

Hemlock (Figure 2) is found throughout Britain it grow s on wasteland, hedgebanks , road verges and near s treams It may hi distinguished from other members of the umbelliferae famil y by the smooth, spotted stem and the distinct odour of mice which each part of the plant emits when bruised or crushed All part s of the pl a nt are poisonous due to the presence of coniin e, conh y drin e, N - meth ylconiine and con iceine. In the you n g p I an t. the lea v e s a r e th e most poisonous part , but the toxic alkaloids pass to the fruits o r seeds as they form and these are in their most dangerou s state when st ill green but fully formed - that is about three-quarters ripe

Fatal cases of accidental hemlock poisoning in humans may be due to a failure to distinguish the leaves from tho se of par sle y, a nd the fruits from those of anise. Poisoning from he mlock c a u ses vomiting diarrhoea tachycardia, depressed respiration , dilata t ion of the pupils, muscular weakness (particularly of the limbs) hypothermia , mental confusion , coma, convulsions and death from respiratory paraly s is.

Syrup of ipecacuanha, 10- 15ml, should be given or a stomach washout performed. As no specific antidote is available appropriat e supportive measures should be instituted

Holly (ilex aquifolium)

Like mistletoe , holly is s o f a miliar that a detail e d de s cription is unnecessary Although the berrie s can ha ve an em etic and pur gative effect if eaten in quantities of more than about 20 children seldom complain of symptoms and , therefore, usually need no treatment.

Laburnum (laburnum anagyroides)

This attractive ornamental tree is seldom found growing wild. All parts of the tree contain the toxic alkaloid cytisine: In summer and autumn, the miniature "pea-pods" containing the small kidney -shaped seeds are often eaten by children at play and are the most common cause of plant poisoning in this country.

A child who has eaten less than 10 seeds should be given plenty to drink and kept under observation for 24 hours If more than 10

seeds have been ingested burning in the mouth and throat, nausea, abdominal pain vomiting, diarrhoea, drowsiness, inco -ordination, delirium , twitching and coma may occur. In this case a stomach washout should be performed and appropriate supportive measures should be instituted No fatalities have been recorded in the past 15 years.

One recent adult case is worth noting: a 23 -year-old male claimed to have ingested 300 laburnum seed s three -and -a -quarter hours before attending a casualt y d e partment. He had already vomited was drowsy

and complained of abdominal pain Stomach washout returned about 60 s eed s He vomited once more some hours later but otherwi se s uffered no further symptom s and made a complete recovery

Lupins (lupinus spp)

Lupins are common garden perennials related to laburnum and the fruits are also ike tiny pea-pods and contain the same ty pe of poisonous alkaloid. When eaten in quantity , the seed s can rarely cause respiratory depression , bradycardia paralysis and con vuls ions. The

1;)

Table 1: Plants commonly ingested.

POI SON 0 US

toxicity of this plant seems to vary considerably under different conditions and in different seasons. As a precaution, syrup of ipecacuanha, lO - lSml, should be given or gastric lavage performed in those who have eaten a considerable number of seeds.

Mistletoe (phoradendronflavescens; viscum album)

Inquiries about poisoning by mistletoe berries occur almost exclusively in December and January, since the plant grows wild as a parasite high up in trees but is brought within easy reach of children during the festive season , just when the shiny pearly berries are ripe and most desirable. The berries contain tyramine and betaphenylethylamine, which cause gastroenteritis and bradycardia The reported cases of poisoning have usually involved no more than three or four berries and have resulted in very mild symptoms. The only treatment usually required is to give plenty to drink. A stomach washout is only necessary if very large numbers of berries have been swallowed.

Monkshood (aconitum napellus)

The popular name for this plant (Figure 3) is taken from the dark blue, helmet-s haped flowers. The native British species is found growing wild on river. banks and in most shady places in western counties of England and in South Wales. The cultivated forms are to be found throughout the British Isles and are as toxic as the wild plant. The toxicity is chiefly due to aconitine one of the narcotic alkaloids.

The tuberous "roots" have sometimes been mistaken for horseradish or celery and the leaves for parsley.

Symptom occur within a few minutes of ingestion and including tingling of the mouth , stomach and skin, restlessness, bradycardia, respiratory distress, muscular inco-ordination and weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea. Convulsions and death from cardiorespiratory failure could occur within a few hours. Treatment may include gastric lavage (or syrup of ipecacuanha, 1O-1Sml , if more appropriate), symptomatic and supportive measures.

Mushroom poisoning

Many poisonous mushrooms can be confused with edible species and eaten by mistake. Serious poisoning is fortunately rare in Britain

The best- known poisonous mushroom is the Death Cap (amanita phalloides), but other mushrooms more commonly cause poisoning. Many mushroom toxins ' are unidentified, heat-labile substances that cause gastrointestinal upset or excoriation of the lips and tongue when the mushrooms are eaten raw. Some fungi contain alkaloids resembling muscarine , atropine or ergot; others contain psychoactive substances such as bufotoxin, psilocin and mescaline.

Fly Agaric (amanita muscaria) is now known to contain little or no muscarine but does contain hallucinogenic substances, and the Liberty Cap (psilocybe semilanceata) contains psilocybin which ha s been taken deliberately for its hallucinogenic effects The Ink Cap (coprinus astramentarius) contains a dehydrogenase inhibitor with a disulfiram (antabuse)-like effect - that is, vomiting will occur if alcohol is also ingested.

Patients suspected of having eaten poisonous mushrooms other than amanita phalloides should either be given syrup of ipecacuanha, 10lSml, to induce vomiting or gastric lavage may be performed. Most patients have Ii violent but self-limiting attack of abdominal colic, diarrhoea , thirst, nausea and vomiting which occurs about two hours after eating the fungus. The main danger is fluid and electrolyte loss, which should be corrected.

A delayed onset of the symptoms (six to eight hours) usually indicates much more serious poisoning. Rarely, the symptoms and

shiny green or red berries which children often eat as "currants". The toxic alkaloid solanine is found in all parts of the plant. The symptoms and treatment are as for black nightshade.

Oak tree - acorns (quercus)

signs are those of excessive cholinergic stimulation (bronchospasm, bradycardia, constricted pupils , sweating and collapse) and these should be treated with atropine sulphate, 0.6-2mg, parenterally in an adult. Atropine should be avoided, however , if the patient is excited, disorientated or hallucinated; chlorpromazine should then be given.

Amanita phalloids (Figure 4) contains two types of toxin: the phallotoxins (phalloidin, phalloinand phallolysin) which act rapidly and cause violent gastroenteritis four to eight hours after ingestion, and the amatoxins (a, and y amanitin) which have a delayed effect and destroy cells, primarily in the renal tubules and in the liver. Both types of toxin are strongly bound to plasma albumin and are extremely active in this state. Their toxicity can be reduced by displacing them from albumin, probably because more unbound toxin is then excre ted by the kidneys.

Amanita phalloides poisoning is characterised by severe vomiting and diarrhoea four to eight hours after the ingestion of the fungus. Gastric aspiration and lavage should be performed and intravenous fluids given. Renal impairment and liver damage follow a few day s later The use of penicillin or sulphamethoxazole to displace the toxin from plasma albumin, together with early haemodialysis, is a logical treatment , and even haemodialysis alone seems to have improved mortality. Haemodialysis may also be required for renal failure.

Nightshades

Three wild plants are commonly known as nightshade in this country. They are often inaccurately named by those inquiring about possible causes of poisoning, although they are in fact relatively easy to identify.

Black nightshade (solanum nigrum) is a common garden weed, with white flowers (not purple, as in woody nightshade) and the berries are black when ripe They are quite attractive to children because they look like black currants. The berries contain an alkaloid, solanine, the amount of which varies with soil, season and district. Symptoms include nausea vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, trembling , paralysis , coma and, very rarely, death. Treatment consists of symptomatic and supportive measures following gastric lavage or after emesis has been induced with lO-l Sml syr up of ipecacuanha.

Deadly nightshade (atropa belladonna) (Figures S and Sa) is found mainly in the South of England. It has erect stems , large oval leaves and single, drooping flowers of a dull , faded purple which give rise o single black, cherry-sized berries. These contain the alkaloids hyoscyamine , atropine and hyoscine, which are all potentially extremely toxic. A single berry may give rise to symptoms and , according to some reports, children have rued from as few as three berries, though no fatalities have been recorded in the last decade. The symptoms are due to the anticholinergic effects of the alkaloids and include dry mouth, dry, hot skin, dilated pupils, blurred vision, tachycardia, excitement and delirium followed by drowsiness hallucinations , and coma. All patients should be referred to hospital where the treatment should include immediate stomach washout and symptomatic measures. In very severe cases, it may be necessary to use anticonvulsants, sedatives or occasionally neostigmine to counteract the anticholinergic effects. Children generally show a remarkable resilience to the effects of ingested belladonna alkaloids.

Woody nightshade (solanum dulcamara) or bittersweet (Figures 6 and 6a) is a common, climbing , trailing plant found on damp wasteland and in shady hedges. In late summer and autumn, the plant bears

Both the leaves and the acorns contain tannic acid which is thought to be responsibl e for their ill effects. The toxicity varies from species to species. Usually, if only two or three acorns are eaten, the symptoms are limited to abdomina l pain and no treatment, therefore, is necessary

Spurge laurel and olive (daphne laureola and mezereum)

Spurge olive (Figure 7), a shrub cultivated for its attractive sweetsmelling purple flowers, and its relative spurge laurel, which has sweetsmelling greenish flowers, grow wild only in chalky woodland in the South of Eng and. In summer, spurge olive has small, red berries whereas spurge laurel has blue-black, egg-shaped berries , both of which contain the toxic glycoside aglycone dihydroxycoumarin. Children usually only eat two or three of the berries, often in mistake for currants

If more than 10 berries are ingested, burning and swelling of the lips, mouth and tongue, abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhoea and muscular twitching may occur. Treatment includes the induction of vomiting by giving syrup of ipecacuanha, 10-1Sml, or stomach washout followed by appropriate supportive measures.

Thorn-apple (datura stromonium)

This herb (Figure 8) grows up to 1m high in Southern England on cu lt ivated ground and rubbish heaps. The flowers are white or purple in colour and are usually seen during July and August. The fruit is covered with long, sharp spi.nes and contains many dark-coloured seeds.

All parts of the plant, particularly the seeds, are poisonous and contain a number of alkaloids including atropine, hyoscine and hyoscyamine. If a patient is severely poisoned, symptoms may include headache , nausea, vomiting, dizziness, thirst , dry and burning sensations on the skin, visual disturbances, flushing, nervous twitching, delirium and tachycardia Rarely, these may be followeg by convulsions, coma and death. In non-fatal cases, some symptoms may continue for several days. The tre atment is as for deadly nightshade.

Wild arum (arum maculatum)

Wild arum (Figures 9 and 9a), a plant commonly found in hedges, banks and ditches, has shiny, spotted, arrow-shaped leaves and a bunch of shiny, red or green berries on a leafless stem from July

FIRST FENCE FALL

and mother

-

onwards. Children tind these berries very attractive but rarely eat many of them because of the acrid irritant juice which they contain. Symptoms include a burning sensation in the mouth , vomiting and diarrhoea. Syrup of ipecacuanha, 10-15ml, should be given or a stomach washout should be performed if more than 10 berries have been eaten. Otherwise, liberal fluids should be given.

Winter cherry (solanum pseudocapsicum)

Winter or Jerusalem cherry is a common pot-plant prized for its bright-red berries which are probably toxic and are seen particularly at Christmas time. Several alkaloids have been isolated from the plant but there is no record of fatalities and, therefore, no treatment is required.

White bryony (bryonia dioica)

This is one of the best-known hedge-climbers of the English countryside (Figure 10). Its red berries are up to 8mm in diameter and contain several large , yellow/black mottled flattened seeds. The berries are attractive to children and the roots have been eaten in mistake for parsnips. The toxic substance is probably a glycoside and it has been suggested that about 15 berries might be fatal in a child. Symptoms include vomit ing, abdominal pain and severe diarrhoea. Treatment consists of symptomatic and supportive measures.

Yew (laxus baccata)

The leaves and seeds of the yew tree are poisonous due to the presence of an alkaloid which is not destroyed by drying or storage. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea , abdominal pain, delirium , convulsions, bradycardia and coma. Although the ripe berry is attractive to children and the seed itself is highly toxic, poisoning is rare, possibly due to the fact that the toxicity is well known and parents warn their children of the danger. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. In severe cases, gastric lavage or emesis needs to be performed soon after ingestion to be effective , as the alkaloid is rapidly absorbed from the intestine.

Seldom a cause for alarm

The fears of poisoning from plants and fungi in Britain are more imagined than real , often due to disproportionate and sensational reporting. There is seldom occasion for alarm or, medically, for more than mild symptomatic and reassuring measures.

(Reprinted/rom the Nursing Mirror)

Photo: Frank Loughlin liverpool Oaily Post)

THANKS 52 TIMES A YEAR

The following letter was received at Headquarters:

Dear Sir -I have for a second time passed a first aid course. This last one was at the Rudyard Hotel , Stockport , Manche ster

The three instructors there were fantas t icnever before in my life have I seen three people more dedicated I can t join one of your units as I work full time and ha ve a family. But I would like to help in a small way. Since passing this course two or weeks ago I have been informed that 1 will receive an extra £1 a week for my first aid qualification. 1 feel that the knowledge I have gained is more than enough. So 1 would like to donate my £1 a week to St. John Ambulance, where 1 know it will help in some small way.

'Once again I must sa y what a wonderful job y ou people are doing especially my three instructors at Stockport. I can't thank you enough. (Mrs) Stella Dudley.' Quality IS appreciated.

FROM MINISTER

The C- in-C received the following letter from the Right Hon David Ennals , Secretary of State for Social Services:

As y ou are probably aware the Ambulancemen's Whitley Council decided at their meeting on 29 March to accept the Government s pay offer. On 26 March the Ancillary Staffs Whitley Council had accepted their pay offer. I trust that NHS staff will follow their unions' advice to bring an , end to the disruptive industrial action which we have experienced in the NHS over the last two months and that ser vices will quickly return to normal.

In the early days of the Ambulancemen s dispute , health authorities throughout the country drew up plans with St. John Ambulance Brigade, British Red Cros s Society , the Police and the Ser vices , to ensure that emergency ambulance serv ices would be maintained in any eventuality I

AROUND and AB OUT

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD O F ST JOHN

should like t o expre s s m y gratitude for the wholehearted a nd busine ss-like way in which the St. John Ambu lance Brigade participated in dr a wing up the se pl a n s. In se ver al pl a ce s ambulancemen actuall y withdrew t he ir ser vice s, and it was necessar y to bring t he plans in to a c ti on. In e very such pla c e a full em ergenc y s ervice was maint a ined a nd at no time wer e the public left withou t es sen t ial s ervices. I want you to know tha t I a m deeply appreciative of the outstanding ser vi ces given by member s of your Bri g ade often at very short notice indeed , and in som e places despite the worst weath e r co nditi o ns we ha v e experien ced for man y years. 1 s hould like t o pay tribute to he way in wh ic h the emergenc y ser vice s were organ ised , and to the devotion and skill exhibited by a ll in vol ved. Their efforts were in ever y r es pe c t completely in accordance with the high radit ions of the Brigade.

'I am als o c on s cious that members o f the Brigad e h el ped in ho s pitals where industrial a c ti o n th r e atened essential services Again 1 am m os t g ra te ful for the sterling work the y did .'

ROYAL TOURNAMENT

The St. John Ambulance performance at the Ro y al Tournament will take place in the presence of HRH The Grand Prior during

Th e m

s g vi ng d etail s of t h e booking procedure are enclos e d w h this issue and there is a r edu c io n Fo r parties of 10 or mor e

MRS CICELY FA RM E R, SEN

A ver y s pecial meeti ng of th e E p ping combin ed ca d et divi s ion was held recen tl y, at whi c h ca d ets parent s and man y ot her friend s a nd s upp orters , inc udi ng me m bers of the E ppin g c omb ined a du lt divi s ion and of A rea Staff, we re also pre sent. Th e oc casion wa s for t h e p resent a tion by Mr. Jack Farmer of a troph y and several items of tr ai ning equipm ent in memory of his wi fe, Mr s. C ice ly Far m e r , SEN , Divisional Officer o f the c adet di visio n , who died last A ugust after a long , bra ve a nd c h eer ful fi gh t aga in st term n a l c a nc e r.

C ic e ly Fa rm er , who li ved in They don Boi s w as well k n ow n throug h out t he neighbourh oo d Fo r her nur si ng sk ill and for the dedi c ation wit h whi c h s he freely use d it in c aring for a ll who were s ick, inju red, aged or lonely, Wh e n s h e k new t h a t s he h a d not many month s to li ve s he we nt o n to wit hi n a few da ys of he r d eath g ivin g eve r y m o ment of her time and every o un ce of her stre ngth to caring for he r hu s b a nd a nd thre e daughter s (one o f w ho m M r s. Sa ll y McDermott , is D ivisio n a Nu rsi n g Officer of

BYTHE EDITOR

MIN D BENDERS

Find the fir s aid wor d or wo rd s n he c ue. Th e numb er o letters n th e answ er i s given.

I. Beginni ng of Bibl e comes after an ox, why. (6)

2 D iscov er what's in a e m scent? (9)

3 Obese heavyweight boxe draws (10)

4. TV a gr ee n vegetable and sharpen, (9)

An swer s U psi de dow n - are at th e bottom o page 106

th e E ppi ng ad ult d vision ) and her extended famil y' of t.he St. John Cadets.

Wh e n she died , ther e was b y her request neither mourning nor flower s at her funeral and a Fun d was set up in her memor y, pro vi de someth i ng that would benefit cadet s a nd ex -cadets of the division of w hich she had b een Divisional Officer s ince i ts forma tio n about 7 years previously So great wa s t he affection in which she w as held that the Fun d reached a otal of j ust o ver £520.

Wit h this mone y Mr. Farm e r bought a sli d e/fi lmstrip projector , a n o v erhead pro j e ctor a re s u s ci - anne t rain ng mann eki n and a Cicel y F a rmer Memorial Cup , on he p linth of wh ich are to be inscrib ed th e name s of aU cadet s and excad ets o f th e division who gain the Grand Bad ge Th is sti ll leFt a balance , part of whi c h h e spent on reFurb is hing and equ ipp ing a cabinet for fir s t aid store s' the rema ind er has been placed on depo sit ,' and fo r at leas t a few years it will provide For engra vin g t he names on the plinth and Fo r any min or r e p a ir s an d re newa ls to t he equipmen t. Mr. Farmer specially requested that althou gh th e equipment was presen t ed to the c ad et divis on, its use in trai ning was to be shared wit h t h e adults

Mr. Bo wen a so presen ed the Service Meda l of th e Order to Mrs Ma ureen

HEY PRESTO!

G.OING WELL.

We wonder what story authoress B arbara Cartland is telling her horse A mber La nce w hose wi nnings sh e is handi n g over to St John? Probably something like 'Keep at it , my boy - keep at it You re doing all right : For n his f irst three aces d u r ng April under Barbara s colour s he f nished 3rd 2nd and 2nd, Barbara who is now SJ A Depu t y P esident fo r H ert o dshi re has al s o be e n joi ned in her supportSt - J o h n gesture by b o okmakers shops director William Ward H ill who is to chip

Boy ton, who has recently moved from London District and is now Mrs. Cicely Farmer's successor as Divisional Officer of the cadets.

PENNIES FROM ... London 329 st. Pancras Division's PRO Don Boizoni sent a congratulatory letter from the division to the Pope on his accession. and received a reply from Rome which read: 'His Holiness the Pope has received your kind message he sends his greetings of joy and peace and also the assurance of his prayers and apostolic blessings.'

Almost simultaneously the Division, which covers the Camden area, heard that their local council will match them £ 1 for £ 1 up to £5,000 in their efforts to raise cash for a new ambulance. Papal influence here?

The go-ahead Division is also just completing the equipping of their mobile unit (a converted bus).

WELFARE RIGHTS

The book ,Welfare Rights by Anne Howard, published by Bedford Square Press, is now available price £1.75, by post £1.95, from Macdonald & Evans Distribution Services Ltd, Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PZ, and not as stated in the March Review.

Ryan (right) and

FIRST-AIDER No.2

I hear that 2nd place (£250) in the Sunday People's national family first-aider of the year competition went to the youngest competitor in the finals - 19-year-old Paul Adams of London's 99A Lambeth Division. First place went to a SRN. Well done, Paul.

HQ FIRE

Tragedy struck Hants' Alverstoke AIN Division early March when their headquarters at Gosport, together with all their equipment, was destroyed by fire, one of a series of outbreaks in the area that afternoon.

An Alverstoke member, AIM Carl Keeble, who is a probationary medical technician with the Royal Navy, was passing by one of the biggest of the other fires and stopped to offer his help

A man later appeared at the magistrates court on charges concerning the fires.

TOOTH TROUBLE?

A private radio emergency dental service called REDS 555, launched in London last October, is now to be extended to cover

NORFOLK: Hel les don Combined Div ision members dealing with a fractured patella injury at a stock ca r meeting.

Nursing Officer Mrs. C Ba ile y SRN is at rear of stretcher

(Photo: K e n Yerrill)

some 5,000 dentists in Greater London and the Home Counties, I hear Quite simply, it is a 24-hour, 7 days a week emergency and accident dental service - to cover that tooth that breaks on a nut or that sudden excrutiating pain. Patients requiring treatment phone AIR CALL on 828 5621 and request paging code number 5555 and then give their name and phone number. The duty practitioner is paged and returns the call advising the patient of the surgery to attend. All within 60 seconds, it is claimed - for a small fee.

UP SLIGHTLY

Fact and Faith Films Ltd 37 Coton Rd, Nuneaton, Warwicks, inform us that the hire prices for their splendid films have been increased slightly. Red River of Life', 'Windows of the Soul', etc, are still available for only £5.24

DRUMHEAD SERVICE

London Northern Area's annual church parade on Sunday May 20 will terminate at 11 a.m. at the Honourable Artillery Company's HQ in City Road for a drumhead serv ice on the parade ground, during which a new mobile unit will be dedicated. The HAC's band will lead the parade

of his trainees. That doesn 't mean that those suffering from any kind of handicap must be totally excluded from adventurous activities; far from it; but it does mean that the role they are give!} to pl ay must be well within their physical capacity, so that they are not put at risk by their limitations. Having done all this, the leader must watch in the wings while his trainees get on with the job. He will certainly be shown exactly what their previou s training has been worth; and if he has built well he will discover unexpected gifts of leadership and se lf-reliance, perhaps even of wisdom and charity, that may astoni sh and humble him. So I hope that many more cadets and young adult members will respond to the challenge presented b y the new subjects available in th e adventure' section of the revised proficiency syllabus. As Mr. Farrel says at the conclusion of his article, they will find it 'an eye -opener - for everyone'.

Cadet column

Talkin g of cadets, we are hoping very soon to start a special 'cadet column ' in the Re view - every month if possible, but no rash prom ises! And if it gradually extends from a column to a full page, so much the better ; but that will depend on what you contribute, because without your help our resources are limited.

Its main purpose will be to provide new and sti mulatin g ideas to help officers of cadet divi sions (including those in charge of 'juniors ') in planning their programmes - a sort of recharging of their batteries, and don 't I know from long experience how terribly flat one's batteries can get sometime s! Maybe, too, it ll contain items of direct interest to cadets themselves: but I'm not going to prophesy, for I suspect that like Topsy in Uncle Tom's Cabin it won't be born according to any preconceived plan - it ll just 'grow So please keep a sharp look -out in these pages and in another month or so you should see something that I know many of you have been longing for , and you'll be told how you can contribute to its development.

Air Wing get-t ogether

About 100 St. John Air Wing pilots, flight controllers and other invited guests, many accompanied by their wife or husband, we re present at the Air Wing's 7th birthday party held in the Chapter Hall at St. John's Gate on March 23. They were received on arrival by Major -Gen. Peter Leuchars (C -in-C), supported by Squadron-Leader Pat Pattison (Senior Pilot & Air Operations Controller). The special guests included Dr. Geoffrey Tovey (Director, UK Transplant Service Bristol), Professor Roy Caine (pioneer of liver transplant surgery, Addenbrooke s Hospital, Cambridge), Mr. C J. Burnley

(F inancial Director , British Airports Authority), Mr. P. A. Rob inso n (Commercial Manager, Civil Aviation Authority), Detective Sergeant s B. J Readwin and K. Hassum (Metropolitan Police, Heathrow), Dr. K. W. Nicholls Palmer (CStJA, Essex) and Mr. Clive Uren (Secretary, St. Margaret's Hospital, Epping, whe re the Air Wing Control Room is situated).

After an excellent sit-down buffet su pper the C-in-C ros e to 'say a few words', explaining that since taking up his appointment last year in succession to Major-Gen Desmond Gordon (whom everyone was delighted to meet again at the party) he had learnt that in st. John there is a subt le difference between 'saying a few words' and 'making a speech'! After welcoming individually some of the Air Wing s guests whose help a nd support had particularly contributed to its well-being, he gave a brief report on its activities. Though the total number of mercy missions undertaken in 1978 was very s ligh tly less than in 1977, no call for help had been refused and all missions had been successfully accomplished during yet another year f ree from mishap, thus maintaining t he Air Wing s enviable safety record in spite of the difficult ci rcumstance s in which it operates - nearly always at night and often in bad flying weather.

The voluntary service that it provides, and the efficient co-operat ion of controllers and pilots in carrying out their respective tasks at times when no other means of transport is availab le to make life -sav ing operations possible, had to be greatly apreciated by the UK Transplant Service and its duty officers. The total number of missions flown during the Air Wing's first 7 years was 371, averaging a minute fraction above one a wee k and covering a total distance of miles in 1,479 flying hours.

When one considers th a t these flights are carried out by pilots and monitored by controllers , ' who a lmost invariably lose a complete night's sleep, with no material

return but their out -of-pocket expenses, and then have to go straight off to do their next day 's normal work, one can appreciate what an outstanding contribution to the Service of Mankind is performed by this small but highly dedicated branch of St. John Ambulance. And the same is of course true of the Air Attendants whose superbly efficient serv ice makes the wo r k of the se parately controlled but closely rel ated St. John Aeromedical Service po ssib le. Now came the su rprise of t he evening. On 5 June, 1977 , the pupils of Ho ward House, Thurstable School, Tiptree, Esse x, wishing to do something to help the Air Wing had taken part in a 3%-mile marathon on their school running track, sponsored by parents and local well-wishers , and had raised enough mone y to buy a beautiful silver tray and sti11 leave a balance of nearl y £400 to provide radio equipment for the Control Room. Six we ek s later Wing-Commander Drummond and Mr. Bill Ba iley (repre senting the pilots) had landed on the school playing fields and received these magnificent gifts on behalf of the Air Wing. It was later dec ided that the tray should be presented annually to the pilot or controller w ho in the previous ye ar had made the greatest contribution to the wo rk of the Air Wing Many of those present at the party knew that much ; but the surprise came when the C-in-C announced that for 1978 the trophy had been awarded jointly to Mrs. Betty Bowman (a controller w ho regularly does a 24-hour tour of duty each week and helps out on many other occasions) and Mr. Keith Ewart (an owner-pilot who has now completed 14 missions and is a member of the pilots' transport committee whose members he entertains at his studio for their meetings). He then - to her utter amazement! - presented the trophy to Mrs. Bowman , to retain for 6 months before passing it on to Mr. Ewart, who was unfortunately unable to be present. I'm sure the y would be the first to wish us to express heartfelt tha nks to the staff and pupils of Howard House for their most generous gifts.

The last event of a delightful evening's programme was the showing of the excellent 40-minute film Knights of Malta' , which some of y ou may ha ve seen on BBC 2 just over a y ear ago. This splendid new fUm on the history of the Order can be hired for £10 from the Visual Aids department at Grosvenor Crescent and is well worth showing at St. John functions.

Perhaps the most enjoyable part of this annual birthda y party is the pleasure that it gives to the pilots a nd controllers in meeting each other; for although t he y work in the closest co-operation throughout the year and know each others voices well on the phone a nd the radio for many of them the party pro v ides their only opportunity of ever meeting face to face

OVERHEAD PROJECTION 2

Producing

the material

MAKING OHP transparencies needs skill and technique, both of which can be acquired with patience and practice. One point to bear in mind is that the visual may only be projected for a short time, therefore it will be the overall impression that registers and not the fine detail, so you can save time and effort by omitting this initially. A good, general guideline to follow is the one frequently given by a-v instructors - 'A good visual is big :. and bold , clear and concise, stimulates interest, is easier to read than ignore

This article covers problems brought to my attention by those whom I teach. The step-by-step methods of applying the various mms, dry transfer letters etc., are more than adequately covered by the manufacturers' instruction leaflets. Neither are operating instructions for the transparency makers included, as these techniques vary and are best learnt from demonstration. However, the comparative standard of result films available and artwork requirements are covered on the chart. This should provide a guide to machine capabilities and limitations and, after consulting it, you may find that you own a transparency maker which, at present, is used for paper copies only.

a. Select Information - this section was covered in the April Review.

b. Do 'rough' on graph paper - the advantage of doing a 'ro ugh first is to help eliminate errors, superfluous information and to allow you to consider several ways of presenting the information before going into the more costly business of production. If you have the time available to put the rough to one side for a day or so, you will then be able to reconsider, re-evaluate and alter if necessary

Use a %-inch grid to provide the guidelines for a tidy layout and lettering and work within %-inch all round the frame area to avoid the picture fade-out that occurs within this border on some projectors. A black ruling is suitable for most applications but if you are to use a thermal copier for mming, try to obtain a paper with light blue rulings as this colour is not picked up by the machine; this also allows you to do the rough markings in a light blue pencil, ink

directly over these and mm from the 'rough'.

Correct alignment of transparencies with overlay sheets is important, as inaccuracies can confuse the audience. All you need to do here is to draw and letter the complete visual onto the graph paper and, using different coloured pens or pencils, separate and markup the information for each sheet. If you wish, you can put small registration marks (a small + mark will suffice) in each corner, but this is not essential as the rough can be used for alignment when framing.

c. Transfer to acetate by hand-tracing is the easiest way to do this, and if you fix the film in the corners with tape you will have both hands free. These films are available in several sizes and it is worth checking the OHP base plate size as you may be able to use a larger than standard 10 x 8 inch mm.

You will need to use OHP pens on acetate: these are available with either nonpermanent, water-soluble or permanent ink. As its name implies , water-soluble ink is easily removed with a clean, damp cloth. It is suitable for impromptu notes on the acetate roll , highlighting or adding information which will be removed later leaving the base visual ready for re- use, or wherever the work is not required to be permanent. The permanent pens contain an ink which needs a spirit solvent or one of the OHP erasers to remove it without damaging the film: any scratches on the film may project and can confuse the viewer. These pens are for use on visuals which are to be used often or for the base of a transparency where the 'highlighted' information is to be added during the lecture with a water-soluble pen. There are fine line and technical pens for technical work and stencilling

d. Transfer to correct base for transparency maker - if the transparency maker requires a transparent film base then just trace using a suitable pen and ink; these may vary according to the film. If a paper base is necessary, use a matt tracing paper or thin layout paper as these will enable you to see through sufficient ly to trace. -To provide stability for filing or handling this paper can always be mounted onto a thin card. For photographic or printed transparencies the artwork standard will need to be high to

by CHRIS WALLER

A good visual is big and bold. dear and concise. stimulates interest is easier to read than ignore

justify the cost of reproduction and, as this will probably be undertaken by the artist, no details should be necessary.

e. Make transparency - once you have prepared the original it can be transferred onto mm by one of the many transparency making machines. I do not give details for operating these machines as the technique for each one varies and the best form of instruction is demonstration, which is readily available from the suppliers should you require. Much of the maintenance and repair work needs a skilled technician; a good servicing contract should help keep the machine in continuous working order. When testing the machine for the correct setting, it is cheaper to cut one sheet of film into 2-inch strips and use these rather than waste a complete sheet each time.

r. Check on OHP - this check takes little time and eliminates the possibility of colouring and framing a visual on which the linework or background are of poor quality

g. Add colour - opinions vary as to whether or not it is worth spending the extra time effort and cash involved in colouring transparencies. Correctly used , colour can be of benefit to both viewer and presenter A coloured background will cut down the glare from the OHP making viewing over long periods more comfortable for the audience; colour can be used to highlight specific points and a system of colour coding can be used to clarify flow paths

Wherever possible use strong colours, which will have far more visual impact in a brightly lit room or over a long viewing distance, and keep the pale colours for backgrounds.

There are serveral ways of applying colour to transparencies:

a) OHP pen or inks - do not colour large, solid areas with either of these as the results are not satisfactory, rather cross hatch or use symbo ls.

b) Non -adhesive acetate - this provides background colour for black on clear visuals and for economy one loose sheet may be used with all the visuals.

c) Self-adhesive projection film - the easiest of these to handle works on a low tack adhesive combined with a build up of static

from the heat from the OHP and is best stored in a coo , dry place Th is can be satisfactorily applied to both s mall and large areas.

d) Coloured linework background s can be achieved from black -an-wh ite originals with the correct film and a transparency maker.

e) Colour copies can be made from coloured artwork on a colour copying machine.

f) Colour photography provides a professional result but is expensive, especially if you are buying in. Again the original would be in full colour.

g) Colour pr inting from black/white artwork gives a good result and is economical for a large run For this work the inks must be projectable and there are not many printers that are experienced in this work.

Add Projection Letters - the method of application is the same for normal dry transfer letters , the difference being that these ones are easier to apply to film and project in colour; the normal type project in black whatever their colour. As these letters can be lifted with sellotape it is advisable to apply them after the self adhesive film which will have the same effect when they come into contact: this lettering is also dissolved by spirit.

Add Animation film - this is dealt with further on and application requires practice but the results are very effective a nd well worth the effort for the right situation.

Check on OHP - these checks are best made both from the back of the room for legibility and the front, for the less obvious errors which may be seen more easily by those who are nearer to the screen.

h. Frame transparency - framing a visual in a cardboard mount makes it easier to handle, carry and store as well as providing a useful surface for notes and cues. Frames also provide a more substantial surface than film to which overlays amd masks can be attached.

If you do not have a drawing board and tee square you can use the graph paper rough to align the transparency and frame squarely. A small piece of tape in each corner is usually sufficient for most work, but if the visual is to be used a lot it should be taped all round.

Strips of masking tape or paper fixed along the inside edge of the frame will cut down a blank background area on a visual which has only a few words or small picture in the centre. Blacking this out eliminates the distraction caused by the glare and focuses the attention of the viewer onto the message and away from the space surrounding the mes sage This is one time when the white space does not sell.

i. Check entire presentation on OHP _ when your presentation is complete give it a :un through to make sure that you have mcluded all you need and are familiar with the pre sentation technique for each visual.

Number each visual and write the title of the sessio n a long the top of the frame. You can le ave this until last as the transparencies may not have been produced in sequence or may come from more than one source.

j. Store in a cool dry place - there are various filing systems available; ring binders, plastic wallets which can be sus pended in the drawer of a filing cabinet or placed in their own box file for carrying and, of course, the frame boxes make cheap, convenient storage files. If you run several courses or if several people use one set of transparencies, it is a sensible precaution to implement an efficient filing/retrieval system.

CONTENT - once you have decided upon the form the message will take you will be faced with the problems of artwork (original) production. I have divided this into words and pictures and under each section have included easy -to - use software which will help give your visuals a more professional finish.

DRAWING THE PICTURES - the main drawback in this area seems to be the mistaken belief that an inability to draw like Leonardo da Vinci prevents one from producing effective visuals. This is not so, there are several ways around this so -called problem and , let me stress that the objective is to communicate the message - the

graphics are merely a means to this end. If a professional presentation is required then brief an artist, otherwise trace, copy, use stick people and try clip-art if you cannot draw.

Clip - art consists of clipping cuttings from other sources (copyright can apply) and piecing these together to make up the required picture. The cuttings are gummed into position on paper and then transferred onto film either by tracing, aT by using a transparency maker. A cuttings me is useful, as are the special books printed for this purpose and where no copyright applies.

WRITING THE WORDS - most visuals contain n umbers or words, and it is an advantage if these are legible , BOLD and in a straight line!

The following rules also apply : a) Letter height - Y4 -inch minimum for projection in an average size room. In a lecture theatre the letters will need to be considerably larger and the correct height can be best assessed b y writing on the acetate roll, projecting this and viewing from the back of the room.

b) Letter style - this should be easy to read without any confusion leading to misinterpretation or mis-spelling. These misunderstandings usually occur over the

THE PROGRAMME ROUTE

vowels and can be avoided - by sticking to Univers or Helvetica in dry transfer lettering and by checking for legibility if hand lettering; this confusion is unlikely to occur with stencilling or typing.

c) Check spelling - a wrongly spelt word is almost guaranteed to instantly arouse guffaws of laughter from the class joker or the person who appeared to be asleep; on occasion this can be used to advantage.

d) Do not use ukn. abbr. (unknown abbreviations) - it is very easy to fall into this trap if you run out of space because you

did not rough out the visual first and you may find that, at a later date , you cannot recall your original words. There are four types of lettering used on OHP transparencies, the cheapest being handlettering. Reasonable lettering is not difficult to achieve if the grid guide is used: when working on an acetate roll a printed , ruled acetate may be slipped underneath to provide the required lines. Stencilling is another fast , cheap method of lettering and can be applied directly to acetate if the correct ink is used, or done onto paper and

passed through a transparency maker.

Typing is widely used but it is not the most effective form of lettering for visuals. Often the type size is too small to be read easily when projected and there is the temptation to put too much information onto one visual. There are typewriters on the market with Y4-inch high typefaces, this being the minimum size you should use.

Dry transfer letters give a professional look to a visual and, with practice, are not difficult to use There are coloured projection letters which are applied directly to acetate

oHP transparency production processes

a thermal dry transfer letter for use on paper and this , if correctly burnished, should give several copies before the heat from the thermal copies causes it to crack; ordinary dry transfer letters may be used with some transparency makers , but it is safer to make a paper copy and pass this intermediate through the machine - this is essential if using a thermal copkr. It can be advantageous to highlight certain words or phrases and this is easily done by: altering SIZE altering style altering colour underlining

ANIMATION - on the OHP which projects stills and not the continually moving pictures associated with the word animation, movement is sometimes a matter of optical illusion. Simple movement can be obtained manually and this is often sufficient for basic

en'gine movement s, clocks, wheels and figures, but for more sophisticated gas flows, turbulences, etc, one of the two special animation films needs to be used. Both methods comprise applying a film, preprinted with the appropriate movement, onto the transparency and then, either spinning a polarised disc in front of the projector head whilst projecting the transparency or winding a special printed acetate roll underneath the projected visual. This equipment is not interchangeable. Both methods are time consuming but the finished results are effective and , in the right training situation, cost effective.

Updating the information

Somet imes you may have a visual which does not do the job as well as you originally thought it would and if, after several presentations, the reaction is the same, it is advisable to reconsider and redesign the

Association Secretary retires

JOHN COLES' interest in St. John Ambulance began in 1936 , when he took a St. John first aid course in Palestine, where he served for the next 12 years in the Colonial Police Service He maintained the qualification and in 1948 on transfer to the Gold Coast Police Service , he became the Deputy Commissioner of the Brigade in that country, and continued to serve for a further 3 years after it became Ghana following independence.

On his return to the UK in 1960 , he immediately offered his services to St. John in Oxfordshire where he became a County Staff Officer.

In 1961, he was invited to join the permanent staff of the Association Branch as Assistant Secretary; he was promoted to Secretary in 1969. During this period he took an immense interest in visua l aids for teaching first aid and laid the foundation of the flourishing Visual Aids Section we know today. He also devoted much of his spare time to the voluntary work of the Brigade in Oxfordshire, where he served as Deputy Commissioner until going on to the Reserve in 1974.

As Secretary of the Association John has made a tremendous contribution to Association training manuals He served as the lay representative on the Joint Revision Committee for producing the 3rd edition of the Joint First Aid Manual. He also made major Contributions to the production of the very successful edition of Essentials of First Aid' and was the instigator of the Emergency Aid Programme and produced the Digest of First Aid.

In the difficult period of transition from colonial rule to independence in Cyprus,

transparency Generally, transparencies should be periodically reconsidered and updated as new information becomes available.

This is a rapidly changing market, new machines and software are becoming available all the ime. One of the easiest ways to see these products in action, side-by-side, is to visit one of the audio-visual centres or exhibitions where you can compare and select the best equipment for your particular application

The range of audio-visual equipment is wide and growing rapidly, and the OHP is often underrated and under used. In the hands of a skilled presenter it is an extremely effective aid to communication on the more personal level which is so necessary in many training or teaching situations. Its skills are not difficult to acquire.

Reprinted/rom Audio Visual.

John Coles was selected to command the St. John Ambulance/British Red Cross unit in C)(prus in 1963 / 64. This mission was accomplished with outstanding ability and was officially' recognised by his appointment as a Member of the British Empire.

During his 10 years as Secretary of the Association, John Coles has been a great suppo rt to successive Directors General and County Directors , and has been responsible for advising many of the initiatives which have been taken. His energy has been largely responsible for the expansion of the Association activities over the past decade.

In recognition of his services, it was recently announced that John has been made a Knight of the Order. He will be greatly missed by his many friends and admirers both at HQ and throughout the Counties.

No tribute to John Coles can be complete without recognition of the valuable support he has received from and the contribution made to St. John by his wife Dr. Dorothea Coles. Dorothea Coles has been a member of the Brigade and a Commander of the Order si nce their days in the Gold

From JOHN COLES

have greatly contributed to the high standard of training achieved. The Secretary of the Association is now

I would like to thank the very wide circle of friends who have been kind enough to write to me on the occasion of my retirement from the post of Secretary of the Association.

I was particularly gratified to receive so many messages and other communications from Priories, Commanderies and independent establishments overseas; and also for the many handsome County memontos , which serve to reflect m y St John career both at home and abroad. It wou ld be next to impossible to acknowledge them all individuall y and I hope everyone will take this as an expression of my thanks.

J. F. G. Coles

J ohn Frederick George Co e s, MBE QPM CPM Coast Ghana. In recent yea rs , she has been a regular member of the panel of doctors instructing the Intensive 4-day Industrial Courses run 'at the HQ School, where her all round ability and enthusiasm

Captain F. A. Bland , RN.

OUR HOSPITAL

from N. C. McClintock, Secretary of the Hospital

The thoughtful letter from Mr. P. G. Bowen (March Review) raises a matter of importance to every member of St. John. For nearly one hundred years we have maintained this hospital in Jerusalem, the Holy City in which the Order was born and from which it takes its name It is a credit to us, and all concerned with it are anxious that the hospital should survive and flourish.

But nobody will pretend it is easy to raise the funds. In the last ten years, and despite every economy, the costs have multiplied about six times. We are very grateful for the contributions we receive every year from individual members of St. John Ambulance, from St John Councils, and from units throughout the country. Because of the proof these contributions give to the patients and the staff that the hospital is constantly in our thoughts, they have a value out of all proportion to the money alone.

Of course we have to be careful that the hospital is not financed at the expense of St John Ambulance. That would not do at all. But in fact and until very recently we have been able to maintain it from contributions given to us specifically for that purpose by many different groups; by people interested in the welfare of the blind; by our friends in the European Orders of St. John , by the American Society of the Order, and perhaps above all by individual Arabs and by the Arab States themselves. It should not be thought that they are not helping; indeed, if it had not been for them the hospital would have had to close its doors before now. We know that they are concerned and are watching closely to ensure that all is well.

But, when all is said and done, this is our Hospital , our charity and it is up to us to fmd the money Happily, as I have said , until very recently we have been able to do so without calling on the general reserves of the Order.

St John's Gate N. C. McClintock

PROFICIENCY SUBJECTS

from Col. P A. Adams, Chief Officer Cadets

In reply to Divisional Officer Attoe's letter (March Review) readers will be glad to know that syllabus cards for most of the remaining subjects are now available. These were unfortunately delayed due to industrial action in the printing trade.

Preparing and writing more than eighty syllabi is not easy and involves a tremendous amount of work - including a very great deal of research. At whatever time we introduced the new scheme there would inevitably have been an 'overlap' period during which both schemes would operate. It was decided therefore to phase in the new scheme gradually and this has proved reasonably successful. (Readers are no doubt aware that participants can work from either the old or new syllabi until May 31 1979).

I am always sorry to see the 'them' and 'us' complex raising its ugly head and I detect something of the sort in Nicholas' letter. I must point out that new policies in the Brigade are seldom, if ever , introduced without full consultation with Districts and Counties (and, through them, Areas and Divisions). In the case of the Proficiency scheme it has been discussed thoroughly by the Cadet Advisory Committee (which consists of representatives of every Region) for nearly eight years and the final product is the result of a team effort, based on \Ciews expressed by officers and members in every part of the country.

The new scheme has, I think, been generally accepted as an improvement. Whilst there are considerably more subjects from which to choose, it is on the - other hand more challenging and more interesting.

As regards the cost of the syllabi, the cost is now about 3p per card compared with anything up to 1/6d (7Y2P) for the old syllabi at 1955 prices! Apart from an initial purchase of a complete set of cards, it will be possible in future to purchase only those cards which are required for a particular syllabus (subject to an order being placed for a minimum of 10 cards).

READERS VIEWS

which should be sent to the Editor. although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its Foundation. Although readers may sign published letters with a pen-name. writers must supoly their name and address to Hie editor.

In answer to Mr. Attoe's other comments:

1. The age limits are imposed not so much as to prevent cadets taking a subject in a senior age group (though it is hoped that they will be discouraged from doing so) as to bar easier subjects to the older participant to whom they would present little or no challenge.

2. There is no intention of trying to reduce the number of Gr a nd Prior's badges, On the contrary , evidence shows that the more interesting and challenging aspect of the new scheme , as well as the wider choice of subjects , has increased the number of members participating. The requirement for members to take subjects in certain 'activity' groups is an endeavour to ensure that they spread their interests over a wider range than might otherwise occur,

3. Finally, the 'role' of the St John Cadets is clearly defined in BGR 7(iv) and BGR 8(a). It is not just to train in first aid and nursing it is very much to instruct cadets in 'subjects conducive to the education of good citizens', The Proficiency is designed to do just this.

hope that readers will agree that the committee have produced a scheme which is an improvement on the past. Experience over the next few months or years will undoubtedly show up some anomalies and there will have to be some adjustments. The Cadet Advisory Committee are always open to constructive suggestions and will consider them, I shall be interested to read the views of others who are involved in the scheme.

Brigade Headquarters Pat Adams

from Mrs. M, Smailes, Divisional Superintendent (C)

With regard to Divisional Officer Attoe's letter (March Review) about proficiency subjects I wholeheartedly agree that the cost of the cards is far too high. At the time of writing (mid-March) the next set of cards are still not available. I feel that the whole scheme should have been shelved until all the syllabi were ready.

I am quite happy with the two sections for crafts hobbies and general, but do feel that camping should be in the adventure section and swimming and personal survival should be in the physical recreation section.

I had not heard that the physical recreation and adventure sections had been amalgamated, but agree that this is better. As there are as yet no syllabi out for the physical recreation section at aliI was wondering what to do about covering this section.

I am wondering whether by introducing so many badge subjects we are now too much like the Scouts and Guides. Almost two thirds of our Cadets are also Guides and if things become too similar there will be little variation between the two meetings apart from the first aid and nursing.

One thing I would like to see is the lowering of age for obtaining the Grand Prior's badge to 18. It is supposed to be a cadet achievement and to allow a member to continue working for it until 21 doesn't seem right. A Guide has to obtain a Queen's Guide badge before her 16th birthday, so we would still have a further two years in hand.

Folkestone M. Smailes

SUPPLIES SERVICE

from D. F, Keating, Divisional Superintendent

I would like to congratulate the Supplies Dept. on the excellent service during the Christmas period. We rang them on the morning of December 27 not knowing that they were still officially 'closed' for the holiday and by some stroke of luck Mr. Webb answered the ,Phone, We desperately needed a new pair of lungs for our Resusci-Anne, as we were attempting to beat the world record for mouth -to - mouth resuscitation

Mr. Webb kindly offered to put them on British Rail (Red Star parcel), He caught the train from London at 14.15 and we met the train at York at 17.25 - truly excellent service.

I am glad to say we of Clifton Combined Division were successful with our record and actually the new lungs were not required during our attempt, but at the time we were very worried that Resusci -Anne would let us down

Many thanks again, Mr. Webb, for the excellent service.

York D. F. Keating

BREAKING BAD NEWS

from Lay Instructor

1 was interested in the cartoon (March Review) Always Send a Tactful Message to the Next-of-Kin. Recently I was awoken by the telephone (not unusual as I am on 24 hours call) and a voice said 'Mr. - ?' I replied yes to which the voice said: 'Royal - Hospital here. Sorry to tell you that your mother has passed away .' This is an example of how the so-called experts send a tactful message. It is a good thing there are amateurs, as we are called, who are more human than the experts.

I mentioned this to a SRN friend who said that is the correct wayhow else would I expect it to be done? Having served ten years in HM Special Constabulary, we were always taught that such a message must never be delivered by phone, but that you check with a neighbour to find out the type of person you are breaking the news to and if needs be take a neighbour or a friend with you. My SRN friend told me that if the hospital got the police to deliver such messages it would waste police time. But has it ever be considered that if the person on the receiving end of the phone collapsed and died from shock, the police and coroner's time involved would be more than that needed for delivering a hundred messages.

Hants

100 YEAR OLD PHOTOGRAPH

from Mrs. E, H. Gardner, Secretary Colne Centre

Personalities Greater Manchester

James McNamara

Mac made a promise

DURING the First World War 'Mac', as he is known, promised himself that if he came through it alive he would do some work to benefit the community. Now at the age of 78 he can look back knowing that he kept his word. And we of St John Ambulance can be proud that it was our organisation that he chose, Mr. McNamara joined St John in 1935 in the Manchester Post Office Division and in 1937 he also joined the Royal Navy Probationary Service, so with the outbreak of war in 1939 he joined the Navy, where he stayed until his demob in 1946. Mac then rejoined the Post Office as a postman and continued his interest with St John, transferring to Stretford Division, until his retirement; his shift work enabled him to carry out many public duties during the day time.

One public duty he enjoyed - it lasted 30 years - was at Manchester United's Old Trafford football ground, although he was a self-confessed Manchester City supporter. One of his most treasured mementos is a Manchester City programme in which he and St John get an honourable mention.

Other proud memories are being at two Royal Reviews of the Brigade in Hyde Park in the presence of the Queen Mother (when she was Queen) and the present Queen.

Although now on the retired list, Mac still does public duties which are less demanding, and visits local hospital patients on behalf of the British Legion, of which he has been a life-long supporter, Well done, Mac!

follow the procession and the order of programme will be as per General Instructions issued to all Divisions taking part.'

Lay Instructor

If you require any further details of the cup I suggest you contact the Nursing Superintendent, Miss P. Green 66 Kyan Street , Burnley BBlO IHL.

CaIne Edith H. Gardner

With reference to the 100 year old photograph (Feb. Review), the Devon County Director is a little out in his calculations. Barrowford and Colne Divisions, both 93 years old, are two of the oldest divisions in existence, especially in Lancashire. Burnley Division is still in existence, but it is not as old as the other two divisions. The cup in question is held at their headquarters.

The occasion of the photograph could have been the annual review at Turf Moor (now the home of Burnley Football Club) held on Saturday, July 2, 1892. We at Colne have in our possession a window bill stating:

'A procession of SJAB members will form up at the Cattle Market 3 p.m. and march to the field with brass bands playing. Litters will ,

ABSURD POSES

from R. C. Jerram, ex-Commissioner for Cornwall

How entirely I agree with the Commissioner for Wiltshire in his plea (March Review) that when presentations are being made the people concerned should look at each other and not turn round to face the camera. The latter is a growing practice and makes what should be a dignified and important ceremony ridiculous. There are several examples in the St John Review for March.

If a full-face photograph is required it can be taken after the presentation has been made.

Surrey

R. C. Jerram

I DOUBT if many of us sing the praises of Income Tax inspectors - except on those rare occasions when we receive the odd rebate - as they take about 38 pence from every pound we earn. And I gather they take more from our senior officers in the form of involuntary donations.

In March 1978, I received a letter from my Tax Inspector informing me that in my capacity as a lay instructor with our County Centre of St. John Ambulance Association had earned Xis in the financial year 1976/77. The figure had been extracted from the Centre accounts and the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be very pleased to receive Y £s from me in the near future. OR I could appeal against assessment.

Having been rapidly treated for shock (my wife could never have picked me up if I had fainted), I was furious and was all for writing my Tax Inspector a withering letter and blowing off steam. But then I wondered about this appeal business. I know that when my clientele appeal against judgements passed down to them by due process of law, the sentence is usually reduced if not quashed.

So why not prepare a good case for appeal and have a go? After all the Inland Revenue had even supplied a postage paid label for the purpose.

I sat down with pen and paper and set out my St John activities. On certain nights or afternoons during the week, I gave instruction on behalf of our local Centre, for which I received fees at the rates mentioned in Association circular 11.7.78 and earlier.

On the remaining days when not occupied in my own profession, I carried out my duties as a very active Area Secretary. Both duties require me to have a certain amount of facilities which are not always available from St John sources.

The local authority in whose area I reside does not give grants for training courses which are of limited use to a narrow section of society, so expenditure for these was listed as well.

Then there was the usage, wear and tear, of my car That had to be paid for from somewhere. So after making a reasonable assessment on the percentage of use which was St John orientated, this was also put on my list.

Then I came to the knotty problem of uniform. How much do they cost new? How often is it used? How long will the uniform last? Having worked this out in a very generous manner, I decided that with plenty of use my uniform should last 6 years, and thus would depreciate at a regular amount over that time.

Shirts are a vulnerable piece of uniform, and without too much effort it is quite easy to get through two or three in a year, especially if the sun shines and you have lots of outdoor duties.

LAY INSTRUCTORS and the INLAND REVENUE

BRUCE COLlMAN found that tax inspectors have to be suspicious, but they are also humane

Of course the biggest problem is the telephone account. The bills of a busy member can be quite alarming. Mine were - even to the Tax Inspector.

Last of all came those pieces of training equipment which neither the Centre nor Area are able to supply. Then there are mms for cameras for special projects, art card and paints; they all add up.

Until then I had quite honestly never taken a mercenary look at what my St John hobby cost per annum. The final figure, although only producing an approximation was frightening. If you decide to do the same I suggest you take a deep breath before you add up the total.

Still suffering from the shock of two alarming experiences, I then wondered how to set about the appeal. Did I go in with great vigour or clid go in begging for mercy?

In the end I decided upon a third course. I would set down the facts in a polite and absolutely truthful manner and then fling myself on their mercy, but without chaffing my knees.

The fateful letter was sent off and all was silent for about fourteen days, Then I received a letter telling me that my appeaJ had been allowed. Not only that but I had also been given a very generous tax allowance against which to claim legitimate St John incurred expenses, My wife quickly placed an armchair behind me.

I thought that this was surely a piece of mistaken good fortune, and I thought no more of it until I was approached by a senior

St John colleague who was having the same problem with the Tax Inspectors. Could I help him and did I mind if he quoted my example? We adopted the same tacticsand with hindsight I must now be pleasantly envious - HE received a rebate for several years past

The rules of the game are quite simple:

1) Absolute honesty with the Tax Inspector.

2) Be prepared to keep records; this may be tedious but in the long run it pays,

3) Get a receipt for all expenditure.

4) Be diplomatic and PATIENT.

The things which you can claim for against tax are:

A) Telephone expenses, being the estimated proportion of your annual account which you use for St John business.

B) Car costs for St John purposes

C) Uniform costs spread over a period of 6 years or more.

D) Annual uniform replacements, ie shirts and shoes, and in the case of ladies black nylon stockings or tights.

E) Training courses for which there is no Local Authority grant available.

F) Typewriter and other equipment required for administration.

G) Training materials which have to be purchased privately.

Having had two successful encounters with the Tax Inspectors, I could hardly have hoped or expected more, yet as I write a third case has resulted in the Inspector of Taxes accepting the explanation of another of my associates in the same situation.

To anyone who finds himself in a similar situation, if you follow points 1 to 4 above you should find your problems diminishing. Other pointers to follow are:

Accept the figure quoted to you by the Tax Inspector; you can check this with your local Centre treasurer.

Purchase a St John cash book and keep records. Even if you have never done this before, the book is so simple to follow that your affairs are easily sorted out. If you have any queries call on your Divisional/Corps/ Area/County treasurer, who will explain the simple system to you, Settle down and write a very polite letter to your Tax Inspector, telling him all about · your St. John activities, including name, rank unit and serial number. Have your letter typed and keep a copy. Explain that St John Ambulance is your hobby <l:nd that everything received is ploughed back into the business so that it is a far better organisation that we belong to.

Keep your records strictly up to date and be completely hone st. The Tax Inspector will then give you a good credibility rating. They have to be suspicious, but they are also humane.

This is an annual exercise and nearly always in arrears. But forewarned is forearmed - so why not spend a few pence now and save yourself a lot of bother later on?

Every case is judged on its individual merits and I may have been lucky. But if you have this problem I suggest you try this method for dealing with it. I would be intere sted to hear how you get on: A/S/O Bruce Coltman, 141 Kenton Lane, Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 3QB.

National First Aid Competition

RESULTS

Electricity Supply

Centre

The ElectriCity Supply Ambulance Centre's 1979 national ftrst aid com petitions, held at Alexandra Palace, London, on March 21, resulted in The Blessed Gerard Statuette going to the South of Scotland (Bathgate) men's team and the Florence Nightingale Statuette to South East London women's team

The Director-General of St John Ambulance, Mr. p, A. Lingard, presided at the presentation ceremony and the awards were presented by Mr. Austin Bunch, Deputy Chairman, The Electricity Council.

2nd (Above) The lads of Yorkshire's Thorpe Marsh were runners-up and (right) the girls team from Sheffield also included two lads

MANY MEMBERS who attended the Leadership weekend at Nottingham last September will remember the talk given by Jim Hogan on City Challenge - courses which many young people throughout the country have found both eye-opening and challenging. And apart from meeting many new friends on these courses, they have discovered a great deal not only about others but also about themselves.

Although the three -week course costs £175, it is often possible to obtain financial assistance from local Rotary and Lions Clubs , the Queen's Silver Jubilee Trust or from Outward Bound Associations.

Here are details of what 'City Challenge' is about and how it operates:

City Challenge gives young people experience of a variety of challenging situations which exist within the urban environment.

About 50 students (men and women, aged between 17 and 25 years) from throughout the British Isles and from all kinds of backgrounds (eg full-time education, management trainess apprentices) live together with nine members of staff for three weeks The course base is usually a day school specially adapted for the course or a residential school.

The projects give the students an insight

Outvvard Bound

CITY CHALLENGE

into the soCial problems of our times, and some of the ways in which they may help to alleviate them. The aim is not to produce do -goo ders or social workers.

The students, divided into groups of six or seven and with a group tutor, work in the following situat ions: 4 days psychiatric /g eriatric hospitals; 4 days community service; 2 days playgroup / playscheme; 2 days hostel for the homeless; 4 days hospital for the mentally handicapped . Transport is provided and the work schedules follow the requirements of the pl acements. The work often involves long hours but offers a variety of experience.

Course members also attend a discussion every evening with the rest of their group.

As the course develops the groups, through regular discussions , are able to share their own reactions to the new experiences. Consequently many new friendships develop as the students learn more about themselves and their fellows.

After the discussions, there is the

opportunity for the whole course (staff included) to meet in an informal atmosphere, chatting and drinking coffee, organising and participating in a range of activities such as discos , competitions, badminton and table tennis.

The community aspect of the course is the most demanding part of the three-week experience. Course members are asked to commit themselves fully to the arranged programme and to put all their energies into meeting the needs of the placements and t he course community. It is expected that course members will not drink alcohol during the course, since it may not only prove divisive among the mem bers but could well undermine the sensitivity required in serving the needs of the placements.

The courses for 1979 are to be based in York, Hull and the London Borough of Haringey. Reader s who would like further information should contact: The Director, City Draper 's Fields, Coventry CV I 4LG (phone Coventry (0203) 26284) .'

News from Wales

A JOINT Medical and Nursing Officers conference , of the Association and the Brigade , was held at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells during February under the chairmanship of Dr E. W. M. Williams, Chancellor of the Priory for Wales. The subject discussed at the conference was 'mountaineering injuries'.

The chief guest was Mr. P Newman, Chairman of the SJA Medical Board, London A display of equipment from various medical firms was arranged by Mr. D. P. Howells, a member of the medical board of Wales.

At the conference dinner a cut glass bowl was presented to Mrs. S. E. Mathias who recently retired as the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales by her successor Mrs. M. John.

To the Chief Surgeon for Wales, Dr I. R S. Robertson who after 45 years of service to the Brigade in Wales is retiring on St. John 's Day , a silver tankard was presented by his successor Dr. D. W. Williamson.

Running parallel to the Medical Conference was the Senior Cadet Officers Conference under the chairmanship of Mrs. H, G. Lewis, the Chief Cadet Officer for Wales. Both conferences were well attended. Also present was the Chief Commissioner for Wales , Lt. Col. D , L. Rhys, the Chief Superintendent for Wales, Lady Crawshay, and the Chief Staff Officer for Wales, Mr. C. J. Parry

Both conferences were administered by the Brigade Training Officer , Mr. J. p , Harries ,

Hospital duty

VEOVIL TAKES STOCK .

Yeovil Combined Division recently held an evening of taking stock.

First, their three vehicles, acquired over the last 2Y2 years, were dedicated. They are: a 1962 Morris ambulance donated by the Westland Aircraft Ltd; a 1972 Bedford J1 ambulance, bought for £1,150 raised from a sponsored walk and local businessmen; and an ex-Army Landrover ambulance, which cost £2,750 - again raised by the Division.

Second, 81 first aid certificates, 6 occupational first aid certificates and 9 nursing certificates were presented to 116

. .

members of the Division and other local organ isations by Harlech TV personality Alan Taylor.

Third the President of the Yeovil Lions Club presented the Divi'sion with a new £138 telescopic stretcher for the Landrover ambulance - and within 15 minutes the stretcher was christened: a guest of the evening, Mrs. Collins, fainted and was promptly dealt with by members.

Fourth, the Division's three ambulances have also been equipped with Sabre resuscitators Entonox and aspirators by

Yeovil s delighted members and (above) TV's Alan Taylor shows Mrs. Collins after she'd recovered from fainting that he 's a first-aider too

Yeovil's Round Table and the Lions Club.

A busy, fruitful evening of assessment. Yeovi l obviously appreciates and looks after its SJA Division. No doubt the Division keeps Yeovil informed of what they re doing - or trying to do, As every division should, of course

EVER Y Sunday afternoon for the last year, ambulance and nursing cadets from the Gwent Health Authority Hospitals Division in Newport , Gwent, have been attending

The County Cadet Officer for South Glamorgan, Mr J V. Hacke tt (right) presents a £250 cheque from the Queen s Jubilee fund to Div Supt. M Flynn of Llandaff Division

(L to R) The Lady Mayoress of Cardiff Mrs. B Carling The Lord Mayor of Cardiff. Mr. B. Ca rling Div. Officer Miss E. Howells, of Llandaff. (Photo:

Northern Ireland

HIS Grace the Duke of Westminster, TD, JP , KStJ, Knight Commander of the Commandery of Ards, died at the age of 68 on February 19 1979 - a loss which his many friends and admirers in St. John share with his family. He and his widow Viola, Duchess of Westminster , who is our District President, have been particularly distinguished for their loyal service to the Order for many years.

The new edition of the St John Handbook for Northern Ireland, which included a foreword by the Knight Commander, was almost ready for printing when the Duke died, The foreword remains in the handbook, with the addition of a note from his Deputy, Mr, Mervyn Dennison, CBE, MC, DL , Lieutenant of the Commandery, on the loss of their leader and great friend.

Retired

duties at the towns Allt-yr-Yn Hospital. (cove r photo ,)

The Division, which has over fifty members is the only one of its kind in Wales to be attached to a hospital; its headquarters is at the Gwent School of Nursing, Royal Gwent Hospital, and it carries the name of the Health Authority,

The members draw up a rota for hospital duty which is published monthly in the division 's news sheet. Two ambulance and two nursing cadets, together with an adult member visit all the wards, reading and talking to the patients. The cadets also have the opportunity of putting their home nursing skills into practice.

The hospital was recently presented with a wheelchair by the cadets as part of the diamond jubilee celebrations in Wales. Mrs. Vera Moss, Nursing Officer of the hospital, was recently appointed the Division's VicePresident (Nursing Cadets).

Brigadier Sir Ian Fraser , DSO, OBE, MD, FRCS, DL, Bailiff Grand Cross, retired recently as Lieutenant of the Commandery of Ards after 52 years' service to St. John. The Grand Prior has appointed as his successor Mr. Mervyn Dennison , who said of Sir Ian at a meeting of the Commandery Chapter last month:

Studio J Cardiff)

(Above) Retiring Chief Nursing Officer Mrs. S. E Mathias

News f"om Divisions/Centres

BERKS

Mrs. Elizabeth Rose, with ANO Len Doran (Mid Berks) and ASO (C) Miss Ruth Orme (East Berks) as judges it is hoped to make this an annual event.

CORNW ALL - The results of the Eastern Area Cadet competitions were : A C, 1st Wadebridge 268 pts; 2nd Torpoint 246 pts. N / C 1st Launceston 305 pts; 2nd Par B' 262 pts ; 3rd Saltash 257 pts ; 4th Par 'A' 250 pts ; 5th Bodmin A ' 239 pts; 6th Bodmin "B' lSI pts

SURREY - Dorking Combined Division 's strength shows that of 43 members and officers, 17 (including the Supt.) are excadets. Getting cadets integrated with the adults at an ear ly age is sure ly the answer to the recruiting problem, says the officer i/c cadets.

OBITUARY

Mrs. Alice Hulse, of Greater Manchester , who served with the Bury Division for more than 50 years. Appointed Superintendent of Bury N / C Division in 1956. Serving Sister. Died March 17.

William Henry Wood, 71 chairman and founder member of Saddleworth Centre Greater Manchester , in 1935 , and member of Saddleworth Division. Serving Brother.

William Frederick Warren, 83, retired Divisional Officer (Cadets) Irchester Divi s ion Northants. Joined Irchester Division in 1937 Serving Brother.

CUMBRIA: Workington 's

Do you know these rank markings?

DURING the recent emergency when all ranks were working together as a team, it was clear that some members were not at all clear as to what so me shou lder mark ngs meant , other than the usual pips crowns etc.

All State R egiste red N urses wear a RED bar on their shoulder strap

State E nr o ll ed Nurses all wear a GREEN bar on t heir shoulder strap.

State Cert ified Midwives all wear a PURPLE bar on their shoulder strap.

All these bar s are wo rn irrespective of rank. All member s should be made aware of these markings and what they mean , then we shall avoid some of our members trying to tell SRN s and other nur ses what to do

Member s wearing the National Hospital Service Reserve badge have had hospital experience; several in this Area do regular service in the casualty department of the Coventry

D Supt. Br ian McC ullough and Sgt. Allan Beeby attend young patients during the Are a No. 1 compe ition Workington 's team went on It> win the County competition. (Photo: Cum brian N ewspapers)

.

l. (3). 14. I n a state o f fatigue w hen it turn s red . ( 5) . 15. Ai d to re s u scitat o n pre ve n ts 120

inhalatio n of p oisonous gases. (10). 18. Indistinctly pronounce a s lig hti ng r e m ark. (4). 20. A large amount coming under the a u ctio nee r 's h am m er. (3). 22. Plaster splint. (4) 23. Dog trained to find donors for t he transfu s io n ser vice? (10). 26. Lose the foetus early in pr eg n ancy. (5). 28. We rd art for a sailor. (3). 29. Innermost of me ninges back on a m usical instrument. (5). 30. Strangely it cures ja un dice. (7). 31. Emp loy more than are necessary for the task (7). 33. Pre se nce of air in the su bcutaneous tissues. (9). 34. Secretory organ. (5).

Down : 1. Ma n y inco rr ectly assure a member of the physiotherapy d ep a rtm e n t. (7). 2. E lu ci d atio n of t he nature of the ll ness. (9), 3. Unit us ed in m eas u r emen of d ose of drugs in liq u id form. (3). 4. Telephone requ est fo r the d octo r made a t t he cheap rate? (5-4). 5 Fatty secretion from gland s in t he sk in. (5). 6. A half mixed set is one 's total po ss es sions. (6). 7 A to o t h for the chemical analyst's standard so lut io n ( 5). 8 Ha r s h ,res p irato r y sound indicative of laryngeal ob st ru ctio n (7). 12. Gi rl of t h e eye. (4). 16. In addition to nothing. (3). 17 Dis ch a r ge fro m t he m iddl e e a r. (9) 19. Blood d sease characterised b y a large in c r e a s e in n um be r of w h ite ce ll s. (9). 21. T h e fellow has a s ig ht s kin lesi o n c a used b y co ld (4). 22 Nice day for a very poiso n o us salt. (7) 24. D oc to r a dm itted n an asphyx iated state due to imm er sio n in water. ( 7). 2 5. O f rob u st, h ardy physique (6).27. Feeling in exc ellen t he a lt h and s p ir it s. (2.3). 28. Sense in disordered state. (5).

3 2. Begg in g ce n tre for a no u ris h in g foodstuff. (3).

SOLUTION TO C R O S SWOR D No 4 (79)

A c r os s : I. Disease 5 Stammer 9. A.dept; 10. Ep is.taxis; II. Hooked; 13 Weir ; 14, Lay; 16. Adder; 17. III ·at-ease; 21. Ry.e; 22. M ss h apes; 24. Burst 26, Pia; 27. Sa .sh; 2 8. T e nd er; 30. Pulm onary; 31. Sweat; 32 Lethane; 33, Embo lu s , Down I. Di a ph rag m 2. Ster o id ; 3. A n t; 4, Eve.n; 5. Spiritless; 6. A I. Ler; 7 , Ma.xi ll a; 8, R us y; "-2. Ea r t h ; 15: A ir p assage; 18, L ye; 19. Tab e; 20, Enteritis; 23, Scar.let ; 25 R ed cell; 26. Pu pil 27 Sto m a; 29. Py re; 31. Sib.

Crossword No 3 (79): The st co rre c solution opened was from K L. & 1Vi

ctASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

BALL PENS

AUDIO VISUAL AIDS

ALL THOSE who attended 'N ottingham in 197 6 will be sure to remember John Kintu, the smart, smili n g, frie n dly and efficient Organising Secretary and Training O ffice r o f St. John Ambulance in Uganda who, wit h h is co ll eagu e Jimmy Olea, turned up at the conference at the la s t moment. John and Jimmy will no do u bt have rece n t ly been very much in the thoughts of all of us wh o met a nd ma d e friends with them at Nottingham and elsewhere; but a t th e time at which I am writing (early May) we ha ve n o n ews o f John Kintu or of his fellow-members of St. John in Uganda. Our friends in Kenya are doing their best t o ge t news of them and will let us .know as soon as th ey hear : meanwhile we must go on praying that they have survive d the horror s of Amin's regime and the hazar d s of the war of liberation.

I had intended to spend a few days in Kampala in mi dSeptember 1976, on my way home from St. J o hn visits t o three other African countries. John Kintu had for som e ye ars been our only StJ A contact in Uganda , an d it w as then well over a year since we had received our last n ews of him. Our Overseas Department had written to Kam p ala suggesting my visit and giving the prop os ed d ates, and asking if my accommodation could be arranged. Many weeks passed and no reply came , but I booked my flig hts and kept my options open till the la st po ssi ble m o me n t, ready, if necessary , simply to turn up in Kampala on the proposed date unless I was forbidden to do so. At last th e day came when Sir Leslie Monson (Director O ve r se a s Relations) told me not to go; it was not long after t h e Entebbe raid , and he felt it unlikely that I sh ou ld be persona grata there. I was sad and dis a pp o inted, b ut accepted the wisdom of the decisio n and switc hed my flight from Entebbe to Nairobi. St. John HQ in Kenya promised to try and get in touch with John Kintu and ask him to come to Nairobi to meet me , his travelling expenses and overnight accommodation being paid for by our Overseas Department.

EVER Y YEAR I look forward to the Medical Conference, as I know from experience that I shall enjoy and profit from the weekend.

But this year I was not very excited by the projected programme; it sounded rather dull. But I could not have been more wrong. 1979 proved to be an exceptionally interesting and worthwhile conference.

Mr. P. H. Newman, the conference chairman, welcomed the delegates on the morning of Saturday, April 7, at Nottingham University, and asked us to consider the Heimlich manoeuvre, as he wished us to discuss it with him at the end of the conference dinner. Hopefully no one would get a piece of T-bone steak stuck in their airway

The first session was ably chaired by Dr. W. B. Handyside, County Surgeon for Northumbria, who introduced the first speaker, Professor D. Hawkridge, of the Open University. His stimulating talk was called First Aid for Education and Training. He was convinced that training must be updated and the subject matter analysed, that questions asked must be revised and that much research was still necessary.

Professor Hawkridge's talk was reinforced by the next speaker, Mr. P. Cull , a medical artist of outstanding talent and an excellent speaker. He warned us that though audiovisual aids are useful as props to learning , they can be devalued if used to paper over cracks in teaching. Teaching first aid to people of different education, age , background, etc, is a marathon task and needed much experience. Visua l aids must be used with care or they can be completely misunderstood by the class; for example, the classical diagram of the circulation of the blood made one member of a class think that all arteries were on the left side of the body Mr. Cull's own visual aids were admirable and added greatly to the success of his lecture.

During coffee and later tea breaks we visited the first-class exhibition of visual aids in nearby classrooms, and I for one was amazed at the number and variety available.

The next lecture was by Dr. A. 1. Glendon on First Aid Community Training, a scheme which originated in Canada. It aims at proving that first aid training not only reduces accidents at work but makes the trainees more safety conscious and therefore also reduces home and road accidents.

Dr. Glendon's carefully researched conclusions were supplemented by the last speaker of the morning session, Dr. I. Mackay, of the Priory of Canada, who spoke on Safety Oriented First Aid Training. I was especially interested to hear that SJA Canada are planning a Home Nursing Programme with the emphasis on safety, as I believe this is something we could fruitfully copy in the UK.

122

Medical Conference'79

The programme sounded rather dull - but I couldn't have been more wrong

by KATIE PFISTER, SRN, London District Nursing Officer (Pool)

Although I enjoyed the morning session very much I personally found it a little long and slightly repetitive , and I would have preferred three lectures instead of four and more time allowed for discussion.

The afternoon session was chaired by Surgeon Captain Walters, County Surgeon for Hampshire, and the first speaker was Mr. G. C. Marchant, whose talk Seeing is Believing introduced us to the National Committee for Audio-Visual Aids in Education and what it does to encourage the use of these aids to the best advantage. He stressed that when using films as a teaching aid, they must be introduced and supplemented by human teaching, a conclusion with which I wholeheartedly agree.

After tea Dr. P. Roylance spoke on the value of competitions and he had us all sitting up and wondering whether we had heard correctly when he began by saying 'Competitions are of no value'. As one who has entered many competitions and for more years than I care to remember acted as a judge, I was most interested in this talk. And I also think that a better name for competitions as s uggested would be Training Exercises, where those taking part gain experience in management, leadership, acceptance of responsibility, the ability to take charge and control a given situation, besides the all-important assessment of priorities and the art of delegation. By entering competitions members develop competence , confidence and how to manage cases in stress circumstances.

An animated discussion then took place regarding the so-called 'professional' teams compared with the truly amateur teams.

Lady Moyra Browne, the Supt.-in-Chief, had the final word when she said that one shouldn't feebly give up when confronted with a more experienced team, but do the best one can in such a situation.

The final item on the day 's programme was called simply 'Prepare for Shock'and those who had not previously heard

Doctors Handley and Lund do their famous pas de deux were completely fooled and expected a serious talk on how to deal with shock. The perfect timing and deadpan expression of these two experts is a joy to behold and the digs at Brigade training are cleverly contrived to make us sit up and take notice as we follow Len s progress in a series of delightful slides. (Incidentally, Len appeared on the top table at the Conference dinner and was much admired) May we look forward to more entertainment and instruction from these brilliant observers?

Saturday evening at the Medical Conference always concludes with a splendid dinner. The University caterers really did us proud. After a long day of concentration it is so nice to relax in a hot bath , change out of uniform into evening dress sit and enjoy a drink in the bar , and chat with friends and colleagues while looking forward to the grand spread This year was no exception and we thoroughly enjoyed a superb dinner. The final touch was the brilliant and witty speech by Dr Lewis when he proposed the toast of the Order of St. John in a manner which left us literally 's peechless'.

By the way , we never did get round to discussing the Heimlich manoeuvre after dinner and I for one was not sorry!

After Divine Service, conducted by the Methodist Chaplain, and I was tremendously impressed by his address , the final session of the weekend began. It was chaired by a Nursing Officer, Mr. A. Parker, Assistant County Nursing Officer, Isle of Wight, and the first talk was given by Mr. 1. David, Deputy Headmaster of Atlantic College, South Wales.

I have to admit I had never heard of Atlantic College and I was fascinated by the description of this 6th - form school whic h aims to make education a force which unites rather than divides the nations and where they try to present a form of education suited to our times.

Two of the compulsory subjects at the

Dr. A. I.

Dr Ian Glendon who MacKay, from spoke on First Canada. spoke Aid on Safety Community Oriented First Tra ining Aid Training

College are swimming and first aid. Mr. David believes that first aid should be a compulsory subject in all secondary schools and I'm sure most of the delegates would agree with him. He ended by showing us a splendid film of a clifT rescue carried out by students at the College which had all the excitement of a thriller, or should I say a clitT-hanget.

The next talk was by Mrs E. Nicholas, Education Officer at the General Nursing Council. I had not read the Jay Report and after hearing Mrs Nicholas I feel this is my lo'ss, and on such an important subject as the future care of the mentally handicapped it was a great help to have such a balanced view of the problem presented to us. Mrs. Nicholas gave us the historical setting, explained the complex legislation and put forward the conclusions the Committee reached. We must wait and see what the final outcome will be. I felt that the qualities required to deal with the mentally handicapped are those which aU involved in the care of patients should take to heart: naturalness and spontaneity, the importance of the patient as an individual , the need to work as part of an interdisciplinary team and the need to involve the patient's family.

As Dr. G. Vaughan, MP was not able -to be with us due to the forthcoming elections,

Mrs Elizabeth Nicholas of the General Nursing Counc spoke on the future care of the mentally handicapped

Sir Maurice Dorman , the Chief Commander, stepped into the breach and gave us some of his reflections on West Africa, describing his recent visits to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone and how St. John is faring in. these countries.

And so this year s Medical Conference came to an end. I'm sure all of us came away

Dr. P. Roylance shook the conference by beginning his talk on competitions with Competitions are of no v alue Sir Maurice Dorman the Chief Commander spoke about his recent v sit to West Africa

feeling we had not only learnt allot but als; had a truly enjoya'ble time. Dr. Molloy and his team deserve our sincere thanks for the hard work they must have put into preparing this weekend. We are all keenly looking forward to the Medical Conference 1980 - which, don't forget Ladies, is Leap Year.

Drs Handley (left) and Lund (right) did their famous pas de deux

(Above ) C/ Sgt. Michael Powell (S t anton Al e Div.l. wea ring SJ Adventurer sweatshirt preparing a canoe. (Below) On a n ght ex ercise at Whitehall

Outdoor Pursuits Centre - C Leader David Cox and C Sgts. Vince and Mic h ael Powell

IN ' DECEMBER 1977 all Courrties were circulated with a Headquarters ' directive on 'Adventurous Training Activities'. This circular emphasised the importance of adventure within St. John at a local level. Of particular note was the loss of the 14 to 25 age range and the need to 'dangle a further carrot' in order to keep these valuable people

Derbyshire eso Adventure ANDREW eOLLINGTON looks back at ,

A year of St. John Adventure

in the organisation. This problem had been an oft-quoted theme at Nottingham's, King George · VI courses and at many sundry 60 n ferences - HQ was now doing something about the problem.

Our Commissioner at that time, Col. P. Hilton , Lord Lieutenant of the County invited me to join the County Staff to organise adventure within the county along the lines outlined in the directive. I gave up my post as Divisional Superintendent of the Stanton Ambulance Cadet Division in January of 1978 and began work - with some trepid ation!

Prior to 1978, as avid readers of the Review wi ll know, we in Derb yshire had pioneered an 'a dventure/keep them in the Brig ade' system which had been termed Interlink Unfortunately this had met with little success, largely because of a lack of co ntinuit y of activity The scheme was abandoned in lat e December 1977. The continuity aspect was the main theme of the HQ directi ve. What was suggested was the establishment throughout counties of Adventure Clubs which would meet on a regular basis to do such things as rock climbing canoeing, camping, etc. Even after what we regard as a hectic year of adventure activity, we ha ve not been able to establish one of what we shall ca ll 'Adventure Units'. Why? There are many and varied reasons, but it is mainly because of a lack of qualified people who are willing and able to devote both time a nd extra effort to this new idea.

with a duty. Let us be POSItIve A person who enjoys adventure and first aid can now find both in o ur organisation. A member of our organisa tion now finds that as well as first aid and kindred subjects he/s he is able to take part in adve n ture- sty le activities as a membe r of S1. John. The Divisional Superintend ent can now send his members on local courses designed specifically for St. John , to train them in leadership ski ll s in practical situations. All the positive aspects, we hop e, lead to that member remaining in St. John n ot just because of the adventure provision but because his / her horizons ha ve been widened and more is available to them as memb ers of S1. John.

First aid

All of our act IvIties in 1978 (a nd those planned for 1979) have contained an element of first aid training - and strenuous, both mentall y and physically, that first aid has been.

I quote, as an example, two night exercises of a search and rescue nature. The first of t hese took place at the Advent'ure Camp and was fully reported by Mr. Travis. The second in late November, was at a weekend 'Leadership through Adventure' course. Six casualties had to be found assessed, treated and rescued in the pitch dark on a ve ry frosty night.

Obviously members cannot be allowed to canoe, rock climb, pot -hole, etc, witho ut qualified and expert guidance - so no luck there - yet. I am sure that we have many qualified, wi ll ing and able St John members who have just not come forward to offer us their services. Please don ' t wait to be asked.

I have, I note. lapsed into the terminology 'we' in my discourse; this is because I have not worked a lone during the year. Close contact has been maintained with my co lleagues on the County Staff and in particular with the CSO of both ambulance and nursing cadets. Readers will remember Mr. Travis's Adventure Camp report in the November 1978 Review. Much help with the work of planning, staffing and running of events has been given by these people, as it has by members of Area Staff and by members of divisions I would go so far as to say that here in Derbysh ire we have a ve ry high powered team of expert adven ture activity organisers.

Currently each of our four Areas is appointing adventure representatives an d t h is will greatly ease the work load and also increase the amount of adventure offered

Many people have said, and are still saying, that adventure is not a St. John fu ncti on, and by providing weekends, days, nights, and even weeks of adventure we are depriving divisions of members for duties, etc. To some extent this is inevitable; obviously we cannot organise an activi ty which does not clas h in some way or other

that such activities are being organised should they wish to take part.

Our first event, a residential weekend, was under - subscribed by thirty one week before the event - but, true to form, a mad rush for places ensued. Cadets and adult member s enjoyed a tiring weekend of rock climbing canoeing, map reading , camp craft sports and social activities.

In May, a search and rescue with an overnight camp and camp fire took place in a lo ca l country park. The Ranger s acted as search leaders, we as first-aiders and patients. A lot was learnt - on both sides. Mines rescue station visits with first aid in the dark and the dirty and confined spaces of the training galleries have proved very popular as well as totally exhausting

The adventure camp for the 16 - plus age g roup was followed by a cadet adventure camp over the August Bank Holiday. This involved acti vities such as canoeing, horse riding , ghost chasing, ten - pin bowling , swimming and walking. The experts of the Derby Mountain Re s cue team provided us with two days of practical climbing and rock rescue in what turned out to be very snowy conditions in November.

Visiting card

Perhaps the main problem during 1978 has been that of advertisement. I note that since the initial directive, HQ has been except ionally silent on the plans contained in it. How many 'g rass roots' members know that there exists in many Counties provision for adventurous training as I am detailing here? Consequently much of the year has been taken up with informing our members

Our visiting card was admired -I am told - at Nottingham '78 and consists of a yellow sweatshirt with a St. John cross in black , the points of the compass and , in red the wo rd s St. John Ad venturer'. Only those people who have been on an adventure activity are allowed by buy them and they are now eagerly sought.

Another 'plus' to the scheme is the fact that we have been brought into close contact wi th other counties notably

AT SOUTHA LL

Warwickshire, Yorkshire and Suffolk - all of whom have sent along members to ou r events and courses. This to us is most important (pe rhap s we like showing off) and so in October of this yea r we are holding an adventure weekend for the sole benefit of other counties as an introduction to Derbyshire. This will take place at the Wharf Shed residential centre near Matlock during the weekend October 26/27/28. Further d etails will be sent to those who express interest. Also ou r adve nture camp is fillingup and applications from members of other counties are welcomed. Please apply to CSO D Travis , 12 Silk Street G lossop

Outside contacts

Another important aspect of our adventure has been the increased contact we have with 'o utside bodies ' such as the Scouts , Army, Mountain Rescue: Country Park Ranger Service and people with particular skills related to adventure. This contact, and indeed the growth of a mutual respect, can only be a good thing. The County Youth Service is also in regular contact. Recently three of our cadets made their second visit to a Youth Service Adventure weekend at a snow-bound Whitehall Outdoor Pur suits Centre near Bu xton

So our year in Derbyshire has certainly been very busy Finally , I leave you with a point to ponder. The aim of adventure is to assist in keeping the 14-to-25 age range as members of the Brigade; but if the numbers in this age range increase in the next few years will we need to prove it is because of the provision of adventure or can we be happy to accept this provision as an additional part of being a member of the St. John Ambulance?

1980 Year of Nursing

New nursing bursaries for SJA members

1980 is to be designated 'The Year of Nursing' in S1. John Ambulance. Among the activities and projects planned to improve the quality of nursing training and make it more attractive is the inauguration of annual Nursing Bursaries, made possible by a generous donation.

Two Bursaries will be awarded for the first time in 1980. The value of each will be £250 , which will be granted to one applicant in each of the following groups annually:

Group I. Professional Nurses (Registered or Enrolled) serving in the Brigade; Group II. Other adult Brigade Officers or Members, male and female , who hold a valid Nursing Certificate; to enable them to broaden their experience and thereby directly or indirectly benefit their Division Area or County.

Conditions

1. Group I - Professional Nurses should be prepared to undertake a visit in the United Kingdom or abroad to study any aspect of nursing. This might include the use of volunteers in the hospital and community.

Group II - Other Officers and Members should be prepared to undertake a visit in the United Kingdom or abroad to study any aspect of:

a The Brigade in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Overseas.

b. The Nursing content of Occupational First Aid.

c. Schemes in existence for the Elderly or Handicapped which might provide ideas

Th e fo ll owing personal details are

e Nur si n g in ho s pit a ls s ponsored b y t h e Sovereign Mi litar y Order of M al t a (SMOM).

f. The Ophthalmi c Ho s p ita l in Jerusalem. Visi ts t o the se hospitals made under other Yea r of Nursin g' projects in 19 80 will not b e a c ce ptable for consider a tion fo r a Bursary.

2. T he winner s in both groups mu st be prepared at the end of their visit to write an account of it for possible publication in the St. John Review , and al s o to talk to members throughout their County, should the Count y Staff so desire.

3. In 1980 both winners should be available to a ttend t he Presentation o f A wards in London in March.

4. BURSARIES MUST BE TAKEN UP AND SPENT WITHIN TW E LVE MONTHS OF TH E A WARD.

Applications

Candidates in each group should apply in writing NOT LATE R THAN 31 O c tober 1979 direct to The Chief Nursing Officer , St. John Ambulance Brigade Headquarters , 1 Grosvenor Crescent LONDON SW IX 7EF.

Envelopes should be mar ked Nursing Bursary in the top left - hand corner.

126 for broadening the w o r k o f Di v sio n s. d. Th e a c ivi ties of v oluntar y You t h Organisa t ions

occupation

Group onl y R egistration or Enrolment Number

Brief details of professional training and experience

Group II only

Date of last Nursing Examination or Re· examination

Brief details of Brigade experience

Note: There is no age limit for entry, but attention IS d rawn to Brigade General Regulation I07a in the event of an y applicant under age 18 wishing to undertake a st ud y in a hospital.

Subjec t fo r study

A ppli cants should state why they wou ld like t o appl y for such a Bursary; what their ex perie nce has been to date; how they wou ld propose to use the money; and how they think t he ir p roject wou ld b roa d en thei r experience a nd e ther direct ly or indirect y benefit D iv is io n s.

Applic a n ts sh ould forwa r d the names an d addresses of two pe r sons prepared to s upport t heir a p plication, one of who m s hould be a Br igade officer senior to the applican t.

Notifica t ion of winners in 1980

The s ucc essful app li ca nt in each Gro up will be n oti fi ed b y 1 February 1980

Both winn e r s will be invited to receive their aw ard at a reception to be held in London in March 1980

I F YOU have been in London recently and kee p ing your eyes open, you may have no ticed attractive posters announcing the R oyal Academy's Derby Day 200 Ex hibition. The exhibition, which opened on Ap r i 5 and r uns ti ll July I, is to celebrate Th e D erby - the most fa mous of a ll horse r aces, 'The B ue Riband of the Turf, as Di sr ae li dubbed it.

O n t he evening of April 18 the Order of St. Joh n held its own private view of the ex hibition - as a fund-raising eventwhi c h was attended by over tOO peop le, inclu di n g the Grand Prior The Duke of Gl o uces t er, the Lord Prior, Lord Caccia, a nd Lady Caccia, the Earl of Westmor la nd, A u t h o r ess Barbara Cartland and TVnew scaste r Ken neth Kendall.

Th e thrill of Epsom on Derby Day is

ca p tured at t he exhibition in paintings, prints, drawings, cartoons, photographs and souve nirs. Even the darker side of English horse racing, a period d u bbed the Fi lt hy Forties when mo unts we r e switched o r nobb led to suit an ow ner's or punter's conven ience, is colo ur fu lly hig h lighted. And for those who p refer horses in action, t here are televised replays of the most exciting recent Derby Day finishes.

Last year members of the Jockey Club, the Turfs ruling authority, presented a

pai n ting b y Ma de la in e S elfe of the 200th r unning of the O aks to t he Ord er of St. John. A special collecto r 's edition of 850 prints, sig n ed b y t he artist and L or d D erby, were sol d in aid of S t. J o h n.

This year Miss S elfe has been commissioned to pa in t a picture to commem o r ate h e 1979 D erby's 200th run

So a pri n t of the O aks a nd the D erby will soon be available to make a unique pair of pictures - and a further contribution to the fu nds of the O rde r.

The Duke of Gloucester (left) is met by Lord Caccia and (above) is welcomed by Lord Westbury. Secretary- General N. C McClintock. the Countess of Brecknock Chief President and Lady Caccia

Below) Barbara Cartland Maj-Gen. Desmond Gordon ex-C-in-C, and Com m ander SJA Herts Nigel Longmore. (Right) The Duke of Gloucester chatting to Mr Savory from the Star and Garter Home for Disa bl ed Servicemen

GONE TO SEA

Two lucky nursing members sailed for New York on the QE2 on May 26 - completing the round-trip to Southampton on June 5.

They are Corporal Mrs. M. Taylor, of Cheltenham Central Nursing Division , and D / Supt. Mrs. M. E. Johnson of Stockton and Thornaby Division , Cleveland.

How come they've gone cruising?

Cunard the QE2's owners, generously asked Headquarters earlier in the year if two nursing members would like to join the super-liner to assist the nursing staff on board. They ll be working as volunteers in uniform , from 9am to 5pm. We hope to tell you more about their experiences in the Review.

JUBILEE AMBULANCE

At a recent ceremony in St. Helens, Merseyside, the Area Commissioner Mr. N. Pimblett received on behalf of the St. Helens Divisions a new ambulance purchased b y a grant from the Queen's Silver Jubilee Appeal Fund. So far as is known, this is the only ambulance received by the Brigade from the fund.

The presentation was made on behalf of the Fund by Wing Commander Kenneth M. Stoddart, (who has since been appointed Lord Lieuteoant of Merseyside), and t he Dedication was by the Vicar of St. Helens, the Rev. Canon K. Coates.

Present at the ceremony were the Mayor and Mayoress of St. Helens, Cllr. and Mrs. R. Halsall, County Commissioner Capt. H. T. Duffy, Mr. K. Clifford Cook , Chairman St. John Council for Merseyside , and Mr. P. Gill , Chairman of the St. Helens & Knowlsley Area Health Authority.

The vehicle, a Dodge PB van conversion, was supplied by Rootes (Maidstone) Ltd, and was purchased through Road Vehicles (St. Helens) Ltd at a cost of £5,700. (See photo below).

INSHORE RESCUE FOR MALTA

The following letter was received from the Commissioner Malta Mr. E. H. W. Borg :

AROUND and ABOUT

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

BYTHE EDITOR

This summer St. John Ambulance in Malta will be embarking on a new venture; one that already exists in the UK and which is long overdue in Malta. This is an inshorerescue service covering the main beaches of the island. We have already received two fibre-glass boats fitted with outboard motors to be used from our beaches.

St. John members who may at one time or another have served in the Royal Air Force will be glad to know that one of the boats aptly named Per Ardua was presented to the Brigade by the Air Commander and RAF Malta, as a parting gift to commemorate the many years of co-operation between us (Photo: on p.123). The other boat was presented to us by the St. John Council , while a canoe was donated by the Leo Club

These boats will cover the two more popular of our sandy beaches. However, we intended to extend this service to one of our more populou s summer resorts, that of Birzebbugia where the type of craft most suitable to use would be an inOatable rubber dinghy rather than a fibre-glass boat. A suitable dinghy with appropriate outboard motor and o ther necessary fittings would cost us at le ast £ 1000.

A sum like this is entirely beyond our limited means, but St. John visitors to Malta, aware of our scheme, have suggested that an appeal to the Brigade in the UK for financial help would attract a good respon se and Mr. Bernard Cutcliffe, County Secretary of A von County, has very generously offered to act as our Hon. Treasurer in the UK if

MIND BENDERS

Find the firsl aid word or words in the clue. The number of letters in th e answer is given

I. Longing for a tune. (3.6).

2. D oub l e pump' slrik es oul. (5.7).

3. To do thi s wou ld please pussy. (6). 4. 500 noor coverings. (5).

An swers: Upside down - are al the bOllom of page 130

this were done Be ca use of the encouragement which we ha ve received I therefore appeal to all member s of St. John , especially to those who have vis ited Malta and who can appreciate the need for this service, to contribute towards our Boat Fund in the spirit of our motto Pro utilitate hominum.

Contributions should be sent to Mr. Cutcliffe at the following address: 10 , Wood borough Street , Easton, Bristol. A Roll of Donor s will be disp layed in our hall to commemorate the event.

PHOTO COMP ] hear that a photographic competition is to be launched by Derbyshire St. John.

Members ha ve been in vi ted to submit colour s lides or pho tog raphs showing the work and activities of SJA in a 'St. John in Action' competition

AMERICAN POOL

DANCER HE

After the judging in November , the entrie s will be selected for exhibition throughout the county.

The competition will be in two sections: one for adult members and the other for cadets, with a £ 10 first prize in each section together with £5 and £3 second and third prizes , and seven consolation awards.

A similar competition is also being launched in Nottinghamshire with £50 prize money

Says Derbyshire St. John PRO Peter Green: 'Apart from the competitive aspect of the competition, it should provide us with some excellent exhibition photographs. The exhibition will be offered to banks , libraries and stores throughout the county '.

PROFILE

JuLian Chow, 24 years old, was born in Malaysia in a town called Telok Anson, where

of their Cadet Di visi on. H e and hi s family came to England in 1973 , fi r st l y to Shrewsbury , where he immediately made contact with St. John and joined the Ambulance Cadet Di vision. He was awarded hi s Grand Prior 's Badge in 1974 and in 1977 moved to Stockp ort, where again contact was made with the local Division.

Julian i s at present Divisional Superintendent of Amb ulance Cadets of Stockport and Chead le Quadrilateral Division, Greater Manchester , and takes a keen interest in all cadet matters. The photograph shows him at a recent weekend camp organised for junio r leaders. He is a SRN and works full time at St. Thomas's Hospital Shaw, near Oldham.

HAVE YOUR SAY

The Review always welcomes articles, black and white photographs, short news items and anything unusual or funny about St. John, its members and their activities - but please pr int clearly all names of people and p laces. Send them to me, the editor, at the address given on our first page

MIND BENDERS (answers)

I a lw ays enjoy vIsiting my friends in Nairobi , but it seemed that on this occasion my main object was to be defeated, for on the day before I ar r ived a curt phone me ssage had been received to say that John Kintu wasn't coming. There was something about that mes sage which aroused my suspicion s, especia lly when we discovered that te lephone communication with St. John HQ in Kampala had been withdrawn, and I began to be seriously anxious about John's safety. So I went to call o n the British High Commissioner and asked if he would enlist the kind offices of the French Embassy (who were looking after British interests in Kamp ala) to find out if John Kintu was alive and well. and indeed whether St. John Ambulance in Kampala was still fun ctioning. This he kindly agreed to do, but wa rn ed me t hat it might take quite a long tim e to get an answer.

Later in the day. while I was talking to Mrs. Anne Everard (Principal Superintendent and Executive Officer) in her office at St. John HQ, the secretary ran in and said 'Kampala is on the line. I was put through, and spoke to a St. John staff officer who told me that John Kintu was coming overnight by bus and would be in Nairobi in the mornin g. This stuck me as very risky, for I knew that it would mean his jumping the frontier at Busia Market and coming on by bus from there. It was well known that lots of people were doing this and the Ugandan frontier guards taking no official notice , but it would go ill with John (and probably with SUA in Uganda) if the y sudde ntly decided to arrest him. There was nothing for it but to tell the British High Commission of this development and then wait and see. The next morning came, but by midday no John Kintu had arrived and I now became still more anxious for his safety. Meanwhile, I was due to leave Nairobi airport for London at 2230 hours that night.

Dur ing the afternoon a third message was received, to say that John was flying to Nairobi and giving his night number and the hour of his arrival. This sounded more hop eful, but presented the problem that hi s scheduled time of arrival was precisely 45 minut es before I was due to take off for London. So Mrs. Everard took me straight to the head office of t he (t hen) East Afr ican Airways, where a most helpful official, after first confirming that John was actually booked on the flight from Entebbe, tran sfe rr ed me to a London flight 24 hour s lat er

The next morning

Th e relief and joy that I felt on meeting John K in tu at St. John HQ the next morn in g can well be im agined! The letter inviting him to meet me had been so long delayed that it only left him two days to make his plans, and he decided that it was hopeless even to try

AT RANDOM

cont. from p.121

hence his first message. Then he thought he really must try, and decided to jump the frontier, but afterwards rightly concluded that if he were caught it would endanger the whole of St. John Ambulance in Uganda; so he went straight to the Minister of Health and sought official permission to fly to Nairob i to meet me on St. John business.

The Minister (Mf. Henry Kyemba, who in 1977 fled from Uganda short ly after Archbishop Luwuum's assassination in order to escape sharing his fate, and afterwards wrote the most scath ing indictment of Amin's regime, entitled Slate oj Blood) not merely gave him immediate authority to come to Nairobi but later arranged for him and Jimmy Olea to come to London at the end of the month.

] spent most of the day with John, who gave me all the news of the past two years that he had been unable to put in writing and entrust to the post, as he knew that all his mail was opened. At that time there were 12 active adult divisions of the Brigade in Uganda (II ambulance, totalling about SOO mem bers and one nursing division with 16 members), also one combined cadet division of about 20 ambulance a nd 20 nursing cadets. All these were quietly but actively functioning, gaining recruits and doing a number of public duties, but their only transport was one antiquated ambulance. Association training courses were being regularl y held and a Lay Lecturers' course had recently taken place. But the real triumph had been an intensive course for air hostesses. lasting for Jour weeks - ie. 20 days training! This had been laid on in response to a sudden order from the President to the Minister of Health. John hadn 't even a copy of the syllabus of the Air Attendant's course, and was now faced with devising at short notice a syllabus for a course of far greater dimensions.

The first fortnight was spent in ve ry thorough instruction and practical work in first aid and nursing procedures; the third week consisted mainly of lectures by some of the top-ranking doctors and nurses in the country (remember. this was under the direct orders of Amin!) on every conceivable condition from which passengers might suffer while in flight, including the effects of altitude on the human body, the selection of suitab le patients for air travel, the physiology of night , emergency childbirth, surgical and medical emergencies, the use of oxygen ap paratus, child care in flight. and international sanitary regulations; the fourth week was devoted to revision culminating in a very searching examination in which all candidates passed.

For a while after that, Entebbe-based flights of EAA must ha ve been the safest in t he wor ld for s ick or injured passengers! Not even when talking to me in complete privacy did John breathe a word which, if quoted, could be taken as criticism of the Amin regime, but his frequent references to 'the present climate' gave very clear indications of the difficulties under which he was working. He told me that the St. John Council, shorn of its expelled Asian members, still existed on paper but had not met for a long time; its remaining members, among whom was the Anglican Bishop of Namirembe, were predominantly Christian and were individually most supportive when consulted in all cases of difficulty. No Brigade officers' warrants had been issued for several years, but records of all appointments had been carefully preserved on BFTs He expressed particular anxiety about the Brigade records of Asian exiles which had been compulsorily destroyed. and I was able to suggest a means by which the past service of those who rejoined the Brigade in England could count towards their eventual qualification for the Service Medal.

The overwhelming impression that I gained from these conversations was that St. John Ambulance in Uganda was faithfully carrying out its duties in the service of mankind in the very best traditions of the Order and the Foundation, though in conditions of extreme difficulty and indeed danger. And it must be our most earnest prayer that it survives today to take its share in the rebuilding of that lovely country which has now at last been set free from the tyrant's power.

BwamiAllen

John Allen, whose funeral I recentJy attended, was a friend whom I first remember when I was three and he was five It was a friendship that has spanned four generations, for his mother and mine were friends from their teens. and it has been one of the greatest joys of my life to maintain a close friendship with him, his children and his gr'andchildren right up to the present day. Many years ago. when he was a District Officer in Tanganyika. one of the senior Chiefs presented a petition with many hundreds of signatures on it, requesting that Bwana Allen should remain with them rather than be promoted and moved away. When asked why so many had signed it, the Chief replied: 'He has worked among us for twenty years, and we know two things about him: first, we know that he fears no one but God alone: second, we know that he wants nothing for him elr.

I was reminded of this story in the addre s at his fu neral, and felt that there could be no finer epitaph and no more pertinent message for the world that he has left behind him.

Hannah aged 3 months Platypus youngest member takes to the water

CAN AN amputee swim? Should an epileptic be allowed in the water? Is swimming a safe media for the constructive development of the mentally handicapped?

These are some of the questions that are asked by concerned parents , people wishing to volunteer as helpers and indeed, by some of the handicapped themselves when enquiring about swimming sessions for the handicapped. Their first attendance at a session as a helper or a club member , demonstrates unequivocally that the answer to these questions is - 'yes'.

The recognition of handicaps in human beings and their portrayal in contemporary literature and art is not a perogativ e restricted to today 's modern society, as can be seen from Figure 1, which is a copy of a detail from a tomb painting circa 2700BC found in the Valley of the Kings of ancient Egypt. It depicts a High Priest son of Merit Ptah (who was the first recorded female medical practitioner) , with a withered leg .

Fig. 1 An Egyptian high priest of 2700BC depicted with muscular distrophy

Going swimming this summer?

But what if you were handicappedcould you still take that refreshing dip?

SWIMMING with the HANDICAPPED

AIM DAN LlTILE tells us about a club in Hertfordshire that unequivocally answers - YES!

Could he have suffered from poliomyelitis or muscular atrophy?

Attempts at alleviating the effects of a physical handicap are almost as ancient as the recognition of handicaps The first implements must have been staves s imil ar to that depicted in Figure 1, so that the weig ht of the bod y could be kept off the affected limb An improvement to the staff was the crutch which has been recorded in many ancient manuscripts. One of the first recorded artificial limbs (prosthesis) was that of Hegestrates who, at the beginning of the 5th Century BC, after cutting off one of his own feet in order to escape incarceration in a Spartan prison, fashioned an artificial foot. Unfortunately he was later recaptured by the Spartans complete with his newly acquire.d foot. The earliest example of a prostheSIS surviving today is that of an artificial leg, found in a Roman tomb at Capua on the fertile plain of Campania, which has been dated at circa 300BC.

Reference to the application of prosthesis in contemporary literature , after the above commentaries, seems to hav e become moribund and does not reappear until Gatz

Von Berlichingen had a metal arm manufactured for himself in 1509. Later in the 16th Century Ambroise Par e ( 151 71590), a barber /s urgeon who, from his experiences with the French Army in battlefield, provided the innovation of tYlOg off arteries after an amputation in order to staunch t he now of blood. As well as amputating the shattered limb s of soldiers his compassion led him to make an attempt at restoration of the lost prehensile actions by designing a mechanical hand articulated by gear wheels.

From the 16th Century until the present time , a more or less co ntinuous record of

prosthes is design is evident. Today we find that artificial limbs are no longer cosmetic and are being manufactured in such a way that they ca n be 'wired' into the nerves of the affected limb and be activated by these ner ves so th at the person regains some mea s ure of the articulation that they have lost.

Water therapy. genera lised in the following text as swimming, has also been recognised to be a fillip to the jaded body since time immemorial. The practice of bathing for recreational and therapeutic rea so ns reached it s zenith in Ancient Rome , and the furthermost extremities of its Empire. where a citizen could choose to bathe in one (or more!) of the four types of bath available to him. He could have a fast re creational swim in the co ld bath of the Frigid arium. become more leisurely in the lukewarm bath of the Tepidarium. relax completely in the hot bath of the Caldarium or sweat it o ut in the humid atmos phere of the Sudatonium. This availability ma y have caused problems, see Figure 2. similar to those that arise in today's society.

The Romans also recognised the medicin al properties of spas and set up baths at them, the most renowned in England (Britannia) was that at Bath (Aquae Sulis) shown in Figure 3, which was utilised more or less continuously from the time of Gnaeus Juliu s Agricola (AD37-93), until it reached the zenith of its popularity in the eighteenth century when it was frequented by fashion able ociety.

Almost a millennia after the introduction of bathing to Rome , swimming is still a leisure activity that is enjoyed by most people in our community at some time during their life, either to forget the worries of the world in a relaxing atmosphere or to experience the elation of sw immin g in the tough competitive environment of water Sports.

The advantages of swimming, in comparison with other sports, can be summarised in general terms as follows:

(a) becau se of the large number of swimming pools available to the public one doesn't need to travel long distances in oraer to participate;

(b) the amount of equipment required is minimal, ie towel and costume;

(c) participation can be as an individual family group or as a member ofa team;

(d) the body can be exercised r eg ularly at the level which provide s most satisfaction to the participant.

In spite of the boom in providing the public with recreational fac ilit ies since World War 2, the utilisation of these facilities by the handicapped in large number s is only a very recent phenomenon , histo rically speaking, with ever broadening horizon s. Eventually most leisure time activities will be accessible to handicapped people.

Thus in the growing general awareness that all individuals, whether handicapp ed or not , enjoy the same pleasures of life the Platypus Swimming Club, whose badge appears in Figure 4, was formed in 1966 in order that the handicapped of H atfield (Herts) and its environs had access to the newly built swimming pool. It should be noted, however, that many clubs were founded before this and that a central association was instituted in 1950 to provide guidelines for the future development of swimming for the handicapped

The members, helpers and instructors of Platypus are drawn from all age groups and walks of life a fact that enriches one's perspective as the water acts as a great leveller of secular attitudes. Many of our helpers are teenagers and one realise s. after working with them , tha t all the adverse publicity given to this age group in the mass media due to the actions of a few miscreants is not applicable to the majority of them.

Tran s port to and from the weekly twohour swimming session is arranged by one of the Club's handicapped member s and is provided by such bodies as R otary, Round Table, The Lions Club and the Local Authority, in order that the maximum number of members may attend.

Swimming however is not the only aspect of Platypus , as considerable emphasis is placed in promoting a friendly atmosphere amongst everybody associated with the Club. This is achieved by providing a coffee bar at its sessions so that members may enjoy an after -swim drink and a chat. The Club s publicity officer produces a magazine containing news and views of t he Club and its members. Outings are also arranged and in the summer of 1978 a large party of members enjoyed themselves at Woburn Safari Park.

How does one begin to teach a handicapped person to swim ? This is not as difficult a proposition as it may at first seem.

With a novice pupil one starts at the very beginning and produces within the pupil a relaxed frame of mind by reducing, and over a period of time eliminating, their fear of the water.

The manner in which instruction is given to the handicapped is, by necessity, different from the way in which most able bod ied

pupils are taught when they learn to sw im. ie a class of six to twelve pupils are instructed in the techniques of swimming by a teacher who stands on the pool side. The two disadvantages of this method are that, firstly. both the fast and the slow learner are expected to keep pace with the 'average' class member. and, secondly, there is a lack of individual instruction.

A handicapped swimming club attracts a membership with widely varying handicaps, which produce their own indi v idual problems, even in pupils of different stature suffering with the same handicap This requires that each pupil be taught initially on a one-to-one basis. This individual approach to instruction means that when a problem is encountered it can be dealt with immediately and most importantly at the pupil's own level.

All pupils who visit a swimming pool (or the sea) for the first time recognise that they can draw a 's urvival line' level with the surface of the water. as shown in Figure 5. This instantly percei able and dangerous aspect of swimming create a 133

Fig. 3 The Roman baths at Aquae Sulis (Bath)

Fig 2. A modern syndrome in ancient times

Fig 4 The c lub badge

Fig. 6. Distribution of body weight due

Shou ders

Breast Bone

(Centre of Gravity)

Hips

Knees

Fig 7. Water rising up the body induces panic in Water Depth In creasing pupil

Fig 8. The position of the pup il's head can be used to control the position of his body in deep water

tenseness in the pupil that sometimes requires a great deal of skill and compassion from the instructor in order that the pupil may gain the confidence to relax. A further contributory cause to this tenseness is the fact that a handicapped person knows that they are at a greater disadvantage to begin with in comparison with their able bodied colleagues

While living our lives on land we get accustomed to our body weight being supported wholly on our legs (or wheelchair), see Figure 6, and thus locomotion and control of balance are achieved mainly by the use of the legs (or

arms). This situation alters radically, ho wever, when one enters the water. One finds that as the water depth increases the corresponding increase in the buoyancy forces has an effect that upsets the body's balance, causing an increasing degree of panic, depicted in Figure 7. While the water depth is below or le ve l with the body's centre of gravity, approximately level with the bottom of the sternum, the pupil can control his balance to some degree with his feet. When the water level rises above the centre of gravity, control of balance by the feet is lost and panic can result. However the pupil s hould be to his discovering

this fact for himself, that head movements can control the body's position in deep water, as shown in Figure 8.

Another factor to be considered is that gravity allows us to differentiate which direction is up and which is down, as shown in Figure 9(a). However when a pupil floats in water for the first time he must feel as many astronauts do when they experience weightlessness for the first time, ie very confused, as can be seen in Figure 9(b).

The psychological effects of the 'survival line' and panic curve' on the position a pupil adopts in the water are considerable. Firstly, the pupil will hold his head above the surface of the water in order to breathe freely, a reaction that makes his feet sink, and secondly he will in stinctively keep his leg s down in order to restore control of hi s body 's balance to his legs. Thu s he wi ll adopt the position depicted in Figure 10 , which is not a good swimming position as the amount of water resistance is considerable in comparison with the ideal horizontal position, which reduces the water resistance to a minimum.

The art of swimming, or indeed just relaxation, in water requires the control of three factors, ie breathing, balance of the body and the tension in mind and muscle. As each of these factors is mutually interdependent on the other two, the mastering of them builds within the pupil a r ing of confidence'. However. if control of one factor is lost or does not exist a lack of confidence will occur and fear will re ult.

In order that a pupil will feel relaxed in the water he must be confident that he is able to master the environment to which he is committing himself. Thus the instructor mu st ensure, via the medium of his teaching, that the pupil is able to perform the following manoeuvres safely and with the minimum of assistance:

1. entry into the water;

2. floating on front and /o r back ;

3. recovery of feet on pool bottom from either floating position;

4. immerse face in water and blow bubbles;

5. leave the water.

{bl

9. Gravitational orientation and the resu ltant confusion when the pupil enters the water

I HAVE been a member of the London branch of Casualties Union for some years and often wonder if anyone else notices the little habits that most first-aiders have such as taking great care to place a dressing in exactly the right place and tied with the correct knot, then giving it a couple of hefty taps, presumably to flatten the whole thing so that it does not fall off? Or when turning a casualty into the recovery position, they let go when he is about half way over so that he just flops down, which is not only rather untidy but can also be rather painful.

On the subject of turning casualties into the recovery position there are two things to bear in mind, and one of them hurts. Firstly, when turning your casualty make sure that the arm that goes under the body is turned palm up so that the arm can bend; if the hand .is palm down you are pulling the body over the elbow joint, and that hurts. Just try lying on your own arm against the joint and you'll find out what I mean

Secondly, when you turn a casualty mal<e sure the arm is removed from under the body before you try taking the pulse. There is no point in trying to take anyone's pulse with the weight of their body resting on the brachial artery. You ' ll be wasting your time and the casualty will be getting pins and needles. And you cannot always use the other arm it may have a dressing on it. It's surprising how many first -aiders forget that casualties usually have two arms with a pul se in each.

I know these sort of things only happen in practice , but one must assume that what happen s in practice can be carried over into a real situation

In practice, or anywhere else for that you will impress the casualty no end If you do not shake dusty blankets over him, drop your first aid kit on to him and , especially, do not stand on him while you a re deciding what action to take. (1 carried a rather arge bruise on my arm for several days after one com petition , through someone not watching where he put his feet.)

When the pupil is able to master the above points he will be able to cope with the common emergencies experienced in the water (eg, such as being knocked off balance and his face being submerged momentarily), and the instructor can then begin to teach the pupil the locomotive techniques most adaptable to his handicap. Continued next month.

There is also a distressing tendency for first-aiders to talk about the casualty among themselves as though he isn't there. This be all right in competitions and practice, 10 a real incident it would probably cause him a lot of distress. Especially when one considers that most first -aiders do not talk to the casualty except to enquire 'where does it hurt?' When they have found that out the casualty might just as well be dead for all the notice that anyone takes of him.

If your casualty suddenly gives a high pitched scream and leaps into the air, he is not having a fit or anything like that. You probably just gone in a little too deep With the safety pin.

It is worth noting that you should always ask your questions first, for this can save

considerable embarrassment all round. At one competition I attended a first-aider used a casualty s jacket as padding on another person's fractured leg. Very resourceful, you

Illustrated by JACK may think. But when the casualty was asked if he was recei vi ng any treatment for his condition, he replied that his tablets were in his jacket pocket , which by now was tied around someone else 's leg and was going out of the room on a stretcher! I do not know if that team lost marks for that, but there were some red faces as well as a lot of laughter from the other teams.

I know this may appear to be nothing but criticism, but I intend it to be constructive and I hope that it is accepted as such.

At your next practice just watch your colleagues working. You will probably see quite a number of the points I've mentioned, and possibly a few more that I have not written about. But as I've already said, if these sort of things are done in practice, it is reasonable to assume that they will be carried over into a real situation

Reginald A. Geary

Fig. 10. The resultan t position of the pupil in the water caused by 'survival line and the 'panic curve' conside rati ons

THE common liquefiable gases are oxygen , nitrogen, ethylene, ethane butane, hydrogen , argon, helium, and the freons. Of these , only oxygen can support life; the others cannot. Ethylene, ethane, butane and the freons are narcotics, the rest are non-toxie.

The temperatures of these liquefied gases vary. The boiling points, ie, the temperatures at which the liquid gas vapourises, are as follows:

Helium: -268°C

Nitrogen: - 195°C

Argon: -185°C

General effect on tissue

Oxygen: -183°C

Ethylene: -103 ° C

Propane: --42°C

The effect of extreme cold on tissue is to destroy it , a similar end result to that of heat exposure, and in like fashion the amount of cold and the duration of contact is crucial.

(The destructive effect of cold is utilised in various surgical procedures as an alternative to the classical heat process of diathermy).

The destruction of tissue is not so immediately obvious as in the case of burns since pain is absent in the frozen stage , and the tissue, although rigid, keeps its normal shape and is not obviously destroyed. Pain and destruction become more apparent as thawing occurs. Those who have had mild frostbite of fingers or toes will have some idea of the pain on re-warming.

Prevention of contact with very cold liquids is quite vital, and those who work in this field must be aware of the hazard.

Skin effects

Liquid, vapour, or low-temperature gas can produce effects on the skin, which will vary in severity with temperature and the length of exposure. Naked or insufficiently protected parts of the body coming into contact with uninsulated pipes or vessels may stick fast by virtue of the freezing of moisture and flesh may be torn in removal. The wearing of wet clothing should be avoided.

Continued exposure of naked flesh to cold atmospheres can result in frostbite. There usually is sufficient warning by local pain whilst the freezing action is taking place. Rewarming at 42-44°C (107-llOoF = lukewarm water) is generally sufficient safeguard against injury.

Effects of cold on lungs

Whilst transient and short exposure produces discomfort in breathing, prolonged inhalation of vapour or cold gas , whether respirable or not, can produce serious effects on the lungs.

General cold exposure

Individuals not suitably protected against low ambient temperatures may be adversely affected. The dangers of hypothermia may be present at temperatures as high as lO o C (50°F).

Persons apparently suffering from the effects of hypothermia should be removed

'BURNS' due to cold liquefied gases

by G. MATTHEWS, MB, MRCP, Group Medical Adviser, BOC ltd

from the cold area and rapidly re-warmed, preferably in a warm bath This r isk is confined to old folk in poorly heated situations in the winter, and those confronted by the elements in prolonged exposed conditions.

First aid treatment of cold contact burns

I. If the area is large send for an ambulance. Continue treatment while waiting.

2. Remo ve any clothing that may constrict the circulation to the frozen area.

3. As soon as possible place the part of the body exposed to the cryogenic (cold) material in a water bath which has a temperature of 42-4SoC (l07-11S0F).

Never use dry hea t. The latter, and temperatures higher than 115 OF, may superimpose a burn upon the frozen tissue.

This is because blood is not flowing through the frozen part and so the capability of conducting heat a way from the warm part does not exist. The essence of the procedure is simply to allow slow warmth to penetrate from the outside.

A guide to water temperature is that the mouth temperature is just under lOO °F; a finger in the mouth dipped quickly into the warm water affords a reasonable guide. The water should be a little wa rmer than body temperature.

4. If there has been massive exposure to the super-cooled material so that the general body temperature is depressed (which is a highly unlikel y possib ility), the patient should be re-warmed by total immersio n into a warm bath. Shock may occur during rewarming.

5. Frozen tissues are painless and appear waxy with a pallid, yellowish colour. They become painful, swollen and prone to infection once thawed. Thawing may take from 15 to 60 minutes and sho uld be continued until the colour of the skin turns from pallor to blue , and then to pink or red.

6. When the frozen part of the body has thawed, cover the area with dry sterile dressings with a large protective covering.

7. Alcoholic beverages and smok ing decrease blood flow to the frozen tissue, and are contra-indicated.

8. Medical help will be needed to combat pain, and to pre vent infection.

Asphyxiation

1. Sudden asphyxia: In sudden and acute asphyxia, such as that from inhalation of

UNIQUE?

pure nitrogen unconsciousness is immediate. The person falls as if st ru ck by a b ow on the he ad and may die in a few minutes.

2. Gradual asphyxia: When asphyxia develops slowly by gradual reduction of the oxygen content in the air, the victim has little warning. Henderson and Haggard recognise fou r stages:

1 st Stage-Oxygen reduced from 21% to 14% by volume: The first perceptible signs of anoxemia develop. The volume of br eat hing increases and the pulse rate is accelerated. The ability to maintain attention and think clearly is diminished. Muscular coordination is so mewhat disturbed ; the picture is like the early stages of intoxication.

2nd Stage-Oxygen reduced to between 14% to 10% by volume: Consciousness continues, but judgement becomes fau lty. Severe injuries may cause no pain. Mu scu lar efforts lead to rapid fatigue. Emotions, particularly ill temper, are easily aroused as in severe intoxication.

3rd Stage-Oxygen reduced to befll'een 10% to 6 % by volume: Nausea and vomiting may appear. There is the loss of ability to perform any vigorous muscular movements or even to move at all. Up to this stage, or even in it, there m ay be unawareness of anything wrong. Then legs give way. resulting in inability to sta nd , walk, or even crawl. This is often the first and only realisation that something serio us is going on. Further deterioration in functions occurs. Even if resuscitation is possible, perma nent damage to the brain may result.

4th Stage-Oxygen reduced below 6%: Unconsciousne ss occurs; respiration consists of gasps , separated by periods of increasing duration. Convulsive movements may occur. Breathing then stops but the heart may continue to beat for a few minutes.

Explosions and Fire Hazards

Special attention must be paid to the fact that although oxygen is not combustible, it promotes very rapid combustion of flammable materials, and will allow combustion of materials which are norm a lly regarded as being relatively non -flammable. Although a source of ignition is always necessary the hazard is '--s uch that defined ' unsafe materials should not be permitted in the presence of oxygen. (Common examples are grease and lubri cating oils).

Reprinted from the Electricity Council's Ambulance Bulletin.

s the Player family of Hit chin, Herts , unique in SJA? For all four of them - Mum Dad and daught ers Christine and Debor a h - now hold the Grand Prior's Award

Phi lip Player who is the Area Commissioner for North Herts and his wife Barbara have been in the Brigade for about 30 years, though she gave up for a period while the children were young.

Christine 1 B who won her award 2 years ago and Deborah , 16 (right) who was awarded hers last month both joined at the age of eight.

Christine is now training for her SRN Deborah has just been promoted to the adult division

The Player SJA family -a re they unique? (Photo N Hens Gaz e tte)

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUE. 4 x 16mm films. Hire: £8.00. Purchase: £90.00

Stewart Film Distributors Ltd, 107/115, Long Acre, London, WC2E 9NU.

Introduction ( 13 mins): This film is designed to prepare the audience for the films on specific techniques which will form the rest of the series.

Five good in structors are working at classroom lessons using model -and-chalkboar d and over head projector; workshop demon st ration ; workshop practice; rule-playing exercises using video equipment.

Planning (9 mins): This film helps to define the strategy to use according to subject, learner and objective. Good plans are best grown on a firm bed of knowledge. Know yo ur subject. Know your learners. Know your objective.

Preparation (9 mins): This film s how s-

Organising your lesson logically into those topics which are MAIN POINTS and those which support the main points.

Deciding how to put over each point: explanation, demonstration practice or discussion?

De0ning and obtaining the aids and facilities required. Making the lesso n plan.

Presentation (10 mins): This film shows-

Points of Style: Personal appearance and bearing , good manners answering questions

Points of Technique: Proper introduction: LN.T.R.O. Using the aids properly. Question-and-answer technique. Timing. Summary. Appraisal. The Foundation is concerned with training and this sequence of films has arrived at a time that is opportune; these four

films are well produced and present the techniques of teaching and technique in a comprehensive and up -t o-date manner. It should be obligatory for all SJ A instructional personnel to view this excellent series.

Strongly recommended.

NEW BREATH OF

Distributed by: Pyramid Films. Price: About £190.00. (A copy is available on hire to SJA members at £5.00 from Visual Aids Section at Headquarters)

Content: An up-dated version of an old mm, 'Breath of Life '. This new version includes the latest principles of opening the airway, relieving obstruction by choking on a foreign body and emergency resuscitation

Appraisal: The original 'Breath of Life' was a very good film and this rev ised version is still of value. As a visual aid it is good, comprehensive, straight-forward stuff but misses that spark that would make it an outstanding production

St. John Ambulance, at the moment, restricts the use of the Heimlich Manoeuvre to professional personnel and since this film extols these new methods of resuscitation in cases of choking it cannot be used as an adjunct to the statutory first aid course. However. if the invaluable instructor is present to highlight differences between techniques shown in the film and those taught on the statutory first aid course, there is no reason why this production should not be' screened at training days or similar occasions.

Audience: General public.

FIRST AID AT COLLEGE

from Peter Morris

I w a s pleased to see Watkin Williams comments about first aid in uni ve rsities and colleges (March Review) as I have been involved in first aid work here at Reading for about six years, four as a full -time student and two as a part -time postgrad. I wholeheartedly agree that it is time that more was done for those in higher education, both to help existing St. John members and to promote the work ofSt. John to nonmembers. From my own experience , however, a club is not the be st starting point.

Firstly , clubs take a lot of organising and hard work often to no avail, against established adventure and social action clubs This would lead to members being drawn away from divisions , rather than being integrated into them. Secondly , such a club would , I bel ieve, suffer from the same problems as those experienced by groups such as Scout and Guide clubs ; namely that there is often little if an y involvement with the local town organisation they claim to represent , and the image promoted by the name often keeps prospective members away ( it's all shorts and funny hats in the case of Scouts and Guides).

Finally clubs cannot work where there are only one or two active St. John members and from my experience , that is more likely the case in most colleges.

No what is needed is something which will cater for the individual student , and which will provide a link with both home and away divisions , but at the same time generate a St. John student identity.

SJA displa y at the en rance to the Students Un io n during Read in g University s Freshers Fa

Something which will enable the student to maintain her or h is efficiency and give them the time to organise activities to bring in nonSt. John students. Admittedly this can be done on a local level , as I found for myself, but to avoid unnecessary duplication of work, it would be far better if it were done on a national basis (Yes I do know that our HQ staff are grossly overworked but it needn t ha ve to end up with one of them). This would not only provide a link , but would also help keep track of our students, and could also provide a national identity group, which could get together every so often perhaps as part of the Nottingham Conference. These students, linked at home and away, could then reach other students by a variety of means , suc h as a display at the Freshers Fair or by running first aid or Emergency Aid courses through the local Association. These are things we have done at Reading in conjunction with local and nation a HQ, and we hope to be able to send an article to the Review after this year's main push in October

As a last point it is not difficult for a student to maintain efficiency if he has a helpful division. Re-exams can always be found , as can inspections. Twelve divisional meetings is not really a problem (the summer break on its own is usually thirteen weeks), and with a flexible timetable, I found that I was able to do more duties than I can now as a 'working man'.

So let's make the most of the students we have and use them effectively instead of tying them up with clubs. And let ' s do something NOW to make it easier for those of our members who are s plit 138

between two divisions to feel at home in both. I'm not trying to oppose William Watkins, but to propose a feasible alternative, which may , in time give us enough members to form clubs. Time and energy need to b e s p ent on this subject sooner not later , and I for one am willing to offer what help and ex p erience I can.

4 Somerstown Court, Reading Peter Morris

REAL OR SIMULATED?

from Edward Goodman Hon Sec, Casualties Union, E. Devon

I read Ted Hodby's letter (Apri l Review ) regarding the problem of identifyi n g the real casualty from the simulated during an exercise with interest.

First, the object of having trained, made-up 'casualties is for them to appear rea l in all respects, so for them to be easily distinguishable is not de si rable.

Second, w h ere were the exercise safety officers? The Casualties Union is as a n xio u s for the welfare of its members as any in industry, as we deliberately go into dangerous situations. Our literature d escribes u s as 'the only union whose members are encouraged to ie do w n and be trodden on'. The safety officer should have noticed the effect on a pre ss photographer of his team's good work.

Third members on dut y are supposed to wear their membership badge, wh ich a press photographer would not have. This does not conflict with my first point as we wear them inside our lapels or otherwise not too obviously.

In view of this , I feel that the police remarks on the incident were not intended to be critical but to be high praise indeed.

Exeter Edward Goodman

ABSURD POSES?

from S C Bishop, PRO Coventry Area

With reference to the letter from Lt. Col. R. E. Robinson, Commi ssio ner for Wiltshire (March Review), on the practice of photographers making people face the camera when mak ing pre se ntation s.

This is not a l ways the case so far as Coventry is concerned, unless the party concerned turns hi s back on the camera, as so metimes

Snap! - and the unusual is ecorded at SJA Coventry

happ ens. We try to take the photograph at the time of the pr esentation just in case something unusu"a l happens, as you will see from t he encl osed photograph s.

Col. P. A. Adams, Chief Officer Cadets was presenting the D of E Silver Award to N!Cadet Barbara Ellis, of Potters Green Comb ined Cadet Division, in Coventry recently when - hey presto! - Gall ic affection flowed , strange ly the on ly time during the evening. Coventry

CADET LOWER AGE LIMIT

from Mrs Maureen Upton, Area Staff Officer (e) (N)

S. C. Bishop

I would like to endorse the feelings of D !S upt. John Alderson (April Rev iew) on the lower age limit for Cadets. Surely to allow lO -yea r-olds to join is of the utmost importance ? Many youngsters do in fact leave and pursue other interests, and how sad for them to take away memories of SJ A such as 't hey did not want us ' or 'we were too young'.

All of us repeatedly state 'You're never too young to learn when giving lectures or talking to various groups who ask us along.

To belong to the Family of St. John is a feeling of doing something And after all, isn't this what young people need ?

Should the ruling be changed this would automatically lower the age for E.F.A. examinat ions

Stoke-on-Trent Maureen Upton

Editor: See letter on this subject in March 1979 Review from Col. P A. Adams, Chief Officer Cadets.

FRIENDSHIP IN AUSTRALIA

from Joan Rohan Jarrett

On a recent visit to Australia, I called on the St. John Headquarters in Sydney and delivered a specially prepared 'Loya l Greeting from my division. As always happens in the St. John family, I was greeted warmly and immediately arrangements were made for me to attend a Corps meeting.

Corps Officer Mrs E. Antees arranged transport from Sydney to Glade sville, where the meeting of No.5 Corps, North Sydney was held Nine divisions attended and the meeting was addressed by District S u peri n ten dent (A) Mr. McMillan, and District Superintendent (N) Mrs. B. Stirton. District Staff Officers Mr. T. Phillips and Mrs. Ruth Bray also visited.

After formal addresses, the floor was open to questions from members , and I found it fascinating to hear the replies from the doctors I was very taken with the smart uniform worn Down Under', and for my next visit I've promised to try to obtain permission to wear my UK S1. John uniform. Another point of interest was the excellent new text book covering not only the first aid syllabus, as known in this country , but so many other things such as snake and spider bite s, survival in the desert, and a special section on injuries in spo rt. All this has to be covered for the Australian First Aid Certificate Wherever you travel , find your nearest S1. John Headquarters. They will be delighted to see you and will no doubt arrange for you to attend me etings, go out on duties and, generally, you will make a lot of new friends.

399 Biggin Hill Division Joan Rohan Jarrett

EX-CADETS from a G.P Holder

Maybe the Uniform Advisory Committee could look into the of ex-cadets who do not hold the Grand Pr io r 's badge , or lOdeed are still working towards it of wearing a small badge on their left arm where the Grand Prior's is worn.

Po ssib ly the current proficiency badge could be used. This would give those members something to show for their cadet service and would help officers on large duties when dealing with a group of memb ers he has never met before.

London A G.P. Holder

LISA PRINCE-ess

12-year-old N/ C Lisa Pr ince (right) of Kirkby Division , Notts became Miss Camp (above) at the 1979 annual camp at Skegness for NCB divisions from Notts Derbys Leics and Warwicks 2nd was Jacqueline Broughton 12 , of Re tford , and 3rd Janet Downend 14 , of Wingerworth. Lisa , who was also the first Miss Camp at S kegness in 1975 had a place of honour with the inspecting officer. Notts CNO Miss N. Granger, at the march-past (below) of the B82 oHicers and nursing cadets in camp. North Nons ASO Pa Ba iley was oHicer commanding

NEWS from SCOTLAND

Dumbartonshire

A HELENSBURGH committee of the Association has been formed under the chairmanship of Mr. Robert Moyes. It will raise funds to help the sick and aged and also the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem; and it will encourage young people to train and work for the good of the community.

Central Region

The Prior will open the Sir Andrew Murray House in Strathyre, the Holiday Home for the Blind, on May 26 and Miss Rodney Murray, the late Chancellor's sister, will unveil a portrait of him which will hang in the house.

St. John Cadets

The cadets are being remarkably successful. At Denny the movement is growing stronger every year and it has been necessary to recruit more leaders. Other youth clubs have asked to see the cadet programmes, and complimentary remarks have been made about the activities ; indeed one well-known leader has said that the St. John Cadet programme was ' in the superclass The function of the cadets as a group of caring Christians has been recognised many times by 'Womens Aid' and children looked after

by this organisation have been participating in the programmes. Some of the senior cadets have taken on responsibilities as Junior Leaders and others have become Sunday School teachers; and the Senior Cadet, Robert McAlpine, has won the McKee Trophy, the highest award in the area. In Dundee the cadets have achieved great success in their work in the Girls Listo School; in Fife the group are growing in

WALES

strength and popularity; and from Torphichen the Junior Pipe Band will be visiting Germany in late May.

Dumfries and Galloway

The Association recently received £500 from the Stranraer Round Table to help buy a min ibus for taking patients to Dalrymple Hospital.

The colour of your sun glasses

The colour of the lenses in sun glasses is an important factor in the protection (or lack of!) which they offer against ultra- violet and infra -red radiation.

It is believed that sun glasses which are tinted grey afford the greatest protection and that those which are tinted yellow or green are nearly as good But those tinted blue or purple can be dangerous

'Science Digest' says: The sun g la sses coloured blue or purple can expose the wearer to more ultra-violet radiation than that to which he would have been exposed if he had worn no sun glasses at all! This happens because the dark len ses cause the pupils to dilate, a llowing the blue or purple sun glasses to inflict ultra -v iolet radiation upon eyes which have been deceived into lowerin g their natural defenses against solar light.

For broken bones

In St. Barbara's Hospital in Gladbeck , Federal Republic of Germany, the treatment of broken legs by encasing them in plaster (which has been the method used for so many years) is being replaced by wrappings of sponge rubber which are then stiffened with a metal mesh. Although these

DIAGNOSIS BEFORE AID

IN TH E CANAD IAN AR CTI C by N. C. McClintock, Secretary General

'Building at 65 degrees below', That was the headline of a recent article in the Ottawa Citizen; for that was the temperature in the Bellot Straits when earlier this year I went up there to establish another survival cairn to those already set up by St. John across the Canadian Arctic.

The Bellot Strait marks the northernmost tip of the American mainland, and as my grandfather was the first man to sail its waters this cairn has been designed to serve as a memorial to him. It is a substantial pillar, a number of concrete blocks bolted solidly together and faced with a commemorative plaque in bronze. And beside it is our St. John Ambulance box of survival equipment; food, tents and blankets; cooking equipment, and hunting and fishing gear; a first aid kit and signal flares.

Everything that a small party will need to keep alive for a few days has been remembered. For already two of these cairns have saved the life of men who have come to grief in the unrelenting Arctic weather.

The St. John people of the Priory of

Canada have done a great job here. And now the idea has taken on, for the Canadian Armed Forces have see n the value of these survival cairns and are starting to establish their own across the North West Territories. They hope to put in one hundred and fifty before the autumn.

Spring came late to Canada this year, as it did in England. As we flew north from Yellowknife, nine hundred miles to Resolute on Cornwallis Island, there was no sign of it whatever. There was nothing to see below us but snow and ice, and it was difficult to know what was land and what was water.

At Resolute a s ubstanti a l base with a good airfield , the sun was shining; but the temperature was bitter with a strong wind blowing off the Pole Quickly we transferred OUf gear into another and smaller aircraft, a Twin Otter equipped with wheels and skis, and took off the for Bellot Straits.

Here at the eastern end of the Straits we landed on the ice in Depot Bay, and looked with horror at the weather outside. The sun

had given up ; there was low, scudding cloud, and a driving wind was funnelled directly at us through the Straits. The temperature inside the aircraft on the ground was minus 35 and in that wind outside it was a great deal lower.

Will there be any photographs? I do not know; for despite all his precautions, born of experience of many Canadian winters, John Evans our photographer heard his rangefinder crack in the cold , and fears his lens is damaged too.

By comparison, when the Prince of Wales flew into Yellowknife a day or two later, and attended an open air ceremony in a temperature of only minu s 24 0 we felt almost cosy. From Stuart Hodgson , the Commissioner of the North West Territories , and from General Ray Beattie the Brigade Commissioner, His Royal Highness heard the story of the survival cairns, and of all the other work St. John is doing in opening up this country. It is a story worth hearing and it reflect s the greatest credit on the Priory of Cal'lada.

wrappings are very much lighter in weight, in actual fact they are harder than gypsum plaster and moreover they are far easier to remove.

Take care with that hammer

In one year more than 30,000 individuals had to go to the Accident and Emergency Departments of United State s hospital s for treatment to wounds associated with hammers. The most frequent cause of injury was a thumb or finger struck by the hammer, resulting in contusions or broken bones

Wounds were also caused by the heads flying ofT the hammer shafts and by chips and splinters of metal from the hammer

the face of the hammer should be not less than 2.5cm diameter.

Do not mix drinking with swimming

The Water Safety Council of New South Wales, Australia , warns that the saying Don't drink and drive ' should be amplified to include or swim'. In an article the Council contributed to the Medical Journal of Australia it is stated that excluding

heads. Safety experts suggest that, for a hammer to be correctl y used the striki ngface should always be greater than the head of the object to be struck. For example, if a metal chisel of 1.3cm diame ter is being used

A manual for Emergency Care Workers by Neville Marsden Churchill Livingstone. 1978. Price £2.00 This is an excellent and unique book for more advanced first aid and emergency care workers and also, dare I say it, could well be used by doctors and nurses who want to brush up their knowledge of emergency first aid.

The contents are based on a series of lectures given by Dr. Marsden to the Rossendale Fell Rescue Team and, as such, is both thorough and concise and makes enjoyable reading , as one feels Dr Marsden is actuall y talking to you I particularly enjoyed the section on elementary physiology which could not fail to help in the rational approach to first aid of the injured or sick.

The book also rightly emphasises the importance of history taking and examination of the injured and, needless to say, does not omit instruction on the correct treatment.

In fact this little book is a gem

T. J. C. W.

THE MOVING BODY by Pat Kennedy, MCSPDip, TPDip, PE Faber Paperbacks. £2.50 net.

Pat Kennedy is a physiotherapist and physical educationalist. She has obviously

used her personal experience of teaching and learning to produce a book that is easy to follow and understand.

The first three chapters deal very adequately but simply with tissues of the bod y, joints and the mechanics of movement , and the latter is particularly well explained. Chapters 4 to 8 deal with the

minors under the age of 1 years, of those who died by suffocation 39% of the remainder had significant levels of alcohol in the blood.

basics of the respiratory , circulatory digestive and nervous systems These are clearly described with adequate illustrations. The final chapter demonstrates Pat Kennedy s experience and understanding of human physical disability. It contains very useful and interesting information.

A well written book suitable for teachers of physical education, health education, keep fit , diet and slimming groups, nurses physiotherapy, students and anyone interested in the working of the human body.

Barbara Farnell

News from

Divisions/Centres

CORNWALL - The winning teams in the County Finals, held at Truro on March 3 I, were: Ambulance, 1st Redruth 2nd St. Blazey , 3rd Wadebridge; Nursing, 1st Par, 2nd Bodmin; A/Cadet, 1st Wadebridge, 2nd Torpoint, 3rd Redruth; N/cadet, 1st Redruth 2nd Launceston, 3rd Par.

Individual test winners: Adult, 1st Redruth; Nursing , 1st Par ; A/Cadet, 1st Wadebridge; N /Ca det , 1st (joint) Launceston and Redruth.

Eastern Area held its first study day for cadets at Bodmin HQ on April 28,

(Below) At the Cornwall Finals (results above)Torpoint AlC team who finished 2nd, Judges (left) Dr G, F, Barnes and CSO C. G Lan g. (Photo: W. A Cogan) (Above) CORNWALL: D Supt Richard Olliver of Wadebridge Ambulance Division for the last 10 years retired recently and goes onto the Reserve but is to keep contact with SJA. (Photo: W A Cogan) S & W YORKS: Some of the smiling members of Worsbrough Combined Cadet Division with their Supt. and D O (Mr. and Mrs. Freeman) after their 2nd presentation ceremony. Chief guest was Mr Stanley Hugh es (right), headmaster of Worsbrough High School which mo st of the cadets attend, Cad et of the Year was won by C/Leader Pat McDonald.

1 Trolley Stre tcher £60 (new £200)

2 Pairs Mounting Brackets for Trolley Stretcher (to mount in ambulance) £8 pr o (new £25).

2 Uphol ste red Backrests with Armrests £ 15 ea. (new (60). or the Lot for £90.

All Secondhand but in good condition. suitable for ambulance conversion , training etc.

Telephone: eLi FF PEnl FER Slough 73500 or write to h im at St. John Ambulance Burlington Ro ad, Slough SL 1 2JT.

animal. (3). 22. Able to add to a part of a poem (5). 23. Shaft of a wheeL (4). 25. Rot occurring in sc um in pou c h containing testes. (7). 27. Volcano in Somerset National Park (4). 29. Exhausts the strength and vitality. (4). 30. Patches of lymphoid tissue in small intestine h ave eye in centre. (6). 32. Doctor with fractur e d rib returnin g ill develops measles. (8). 34. The sort of pain unlikely to arouse the doctor 's interest? (4.4).35. Tumour formed by no se and palm. (8).

Down:

1. Highly amused because the wound has been closed? (2.8). 2. One change in a very long period (3). 3. Be quite inappropriate attire for one who is unwell? (3.4). 4. How notes are written in beginning of an infectious disease. (5). 5 Disorderl y state of a group eating together. (4). 6. Unable to read in poor health , it is said repeatedly. (10). 7. Last sense organ to make lovable (6). 10. Boy follow s one for essential metal. (4). 14 Foo d poisoning organism from fish girl. (10). 15. Use the sense of touch. (4). 16 Heart muscle (i 0 ) 18. A mother to the first man (4). 19 Post Office number for disease characterised by pustular rash (3). 24. Undergoes part operation concealing a coarse grass. (7). 26. D ilated beginning of the large intestine (6). 28. The coccyx is the vestigial remnant in man. (4). 29. Secretion of testes from men from south -east. (5).31. Suffer ing from a disorder of the bod y. (4).33.31 Down beginnin g 3 Down , and 6 Down. (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.5 (79)

Across:

1. Mad.am; 4 Nystagmus ; 9. St.aILag; 10. Basil.a.r ; 11. Ennui; 13. Tom; 14. Ti.red ; 15 Re s pirator; 18. Slur ; 20. Lot; 22. Cast; 23. Bloodhound ; 26. Abort; 28. Tar; 29. Pia.no; 30. Icterus; 31. Overman ; 33. Emphysema ; 34 Gland.

Down: M .a sseur ; 2. Diagnosis; 3. Mil; 4. Night-call ; 5. Sebum 6. A.ss.ets; 7. Molar; 8. Stridor; 12. Iris; 16. To .o ; 17. Otorrhoea ; 19 Leukaemia; 21. Chap; 22. Cyanide; 24. Dr.owned 25. St urd y; 27. On top; 28. Taste; 32. Egg.

Crossword No.4 (79): The first correct solution opened was from Miss G. Payton, 90 White Rd, Quinton, Birmingham

Lifting

the injured •

IS now an open and shut case

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We take great professional pride in keeping up with current developments and you can be assured that our prod ucts represent the latest and best ava i lable

We offer prompt delivery of ethical proprietaries , drugs , dressings and instruments . Also essential industrial surgery furniturechairs , cabinets , dressing trolleys etc.

ST. JOHN # REVIEW

p 152

Swim ming with the H andicapped, r?art 2 , by A M Dan Little p 156

Visual Aids p.161

Readers ' Views p.l 62

What is the Netelast bandaging system? p.163

News from Scotland - Wales p.164

Su mmer Quiz - Solution to los Organs and St ructures p.165

News from Di vision / Centres p.166

Books p.168

EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS

Ad vertiSing, display and classified. rates on request f rom Dris co ll Pr oductions. Pri ce 3 6p

WHEN SHOULD decorations and medals be worn by Brigade members in uniform? One often hears this question asked on occasions when no definite instruction has been given on the notice summoning us to attend some particular function , for it can be very embarrassing to turn up bemedalled when one should not be , or vice versa. Some of our officers maintain that in St. John we wear medals with far greater frequency than do the Armed Forces. But I think that in so far as that is true it applies more to holders of senior appointments than to officers and members of a division , for whom there is only one regular annual occasion when the of an y medals to which they are entitled is essential - namely at their annual Divisional Inspection (or at any Review which may , once in three years , take its place ) For example , an officer on county or area staff, whose duties may involve his official attendance at , say , 10 Divisional Inspections , will wea r his medals 10 times while the indi vi dual members of the divisions being inspected will wear theirs once only. There may of course be other times, such as Church Parade s, when the wearing of medals by divisional members is required, but it would be rare indeed for the total number of occasions during the year on which they should wear medals to exceed three at the very most ; this was certainly my own experience during the 17 years that I served in a division after I first became entitled to wear a medal.

Though it s impossible to lay down absolutely hard and fast rules on this matter which will cover ever y conceivable contingency, the following guide -lines are basically correct and should help to provide an answer to the question at the head of this column, Brigade members entitled to wear decorations and medals should wear them on these occasions only:

continued on p.155

REVIEW PRICE

SJA BOATS

Rescue and first aid afloat on our rivers, lakes and the sea - as more and more people take to boating

BETWEEN blustery rain showers on Sunday, May 20, Viscountess Monckton of Brenchley (Count y President of Kent) officially launched Kent s first Water Safety Unit. The unit was formed after a conversation between the Commissioner of Kent, Mr. R. Percival, and Tonbridge Combined Division s Superintendent Eric Knight concerning the increased use of Kent s waterways and gravel pits for leisure and the need for the Brigade to provide first aid cover afloat.

With £800 donated from County funds, Tonbridge Division purchased an ex-RNLI 16 - foot boat and engine from the RNLI depot at Poole, Dorset. A local company, Otford Paper Sacks, sponsored the Division with a purpose - built trailer costing £260 and the Division itself raised the remaining money needed for the special suits required for the three crew and standby crew. The

(Top)

Chairman of the Tonbridge and Mailing District Council, Mr. D. Davis, chose the Unit for a half share of the proceeds from his charity ball held in March this year. A small van, to tow the boat and carry the unit's equipment, was purchased with this money. As more money becomes available, the unit hopes to be able to buy a two-way radio.

The unit commenced training on the River Medway in Tonbridge at the beginning of the year and has been helped by the local Venture Scouts group. It is hoped that all the crew will reach the required R Y A standard during the summer months.

Diane Killick, Div. Secretary Lancashire

At Blackpool a new SJ A inshore rescue boat was launched during May for operating along the Lancashire coast (photo below).

Capable of 34 knots and with an operational range of 6 hours, the boat will be crewed by members of the Arnold School Division Blackpool.

The former Commissioner - in - Chief Major -Gen. Desmond Gordon cracked - abottle at the launching ceremony, together with Col. D. B. Long, Commander Lanc a shire, Col. H. J. Darlington, Chairman of St. John Council , Mrs. 1. Haigh, County Supt, and Deputy Commissioner N G Crossley.

The craft was provided by a St. John benefactor and the outboard motor with cash from the Queen's Silver Jubilee Fund. Jim Reeday, PRO

)

LESS than four weeks after I joined th e NCB Medical Service in 1953 m y telephone rang at 2 o'clock on a Sunda y morning.

There was an underground fire at a coll iery twelve miles from my home The fire was two miles inbye (ie, two mile s from the bottom of a shaft) It was seven da y s before it was satisfactorily contained during which time my colleagues and I did twelve -hour shifts in the medical centre examining the mines rescue men from collieries all over Yorkshire who went underground in rela ys to build stoppings to seal off the fire zone.

After all these years I can st ill tas te the innumerable ham sandwiches which the canteen ladies provided for hungr y and tired rescue workers 24-hours a da y.

Since 1913 the law has demanded the establishment and maintenance of rescue stations not more than fifteen miles from any colliery. At these rescue stations there are permanent staff who are supported in turn by teams of voluntary rescue workers for each colliery served by a rescue station.

Today there are 24 rescue stations and 170 full-time and 2480 part-time rescue men in the service of the NCB. But I should emphasise that the regulations appl y to a ll mines and not just mines of coal.

The part -time re scu e workers are a ll volunteer full -time mine-workers and it is to the credit of the mining community that there is never a shortage of them. There are three criteria for acceptance: each volunteer must (a) be medically fit ; (b) have at least two years practical experience underground ; (c) have a current First Aid certificate

The medical examination is normally carried out by a NCB doctor and is searching. It concludes with a test of physical fitness which would daunt the faint hearted. This examination is repeated annually until the compulsory retirement age of 45. It goes without saying that the same standards apply to the permanent corps who staff the rescue stations

Having satisfied these three criteria the volunteer undergoes systematic training in all aspects of rescue operations, including the wearing of breathing apparatus. Since the tragic in-rush of water at Lofthouse Collier y some years ago killed seven men , sub-aqua training has been adde9 to the syllabus.

Because these men are examined annuall y the relationship with the doctor is a close one and young doctors are encoura ged to participate in training , t.o wear breathing apparatus and generally identify with the volunteers.

When an incident occurs the speedy response of the permanent corps is in every respect similar to the response of a fire brigade. The permanent corps men on standby duty tumble into the rescue v an which waits, full packed, in a con stant st ate of preparedness at each rescue station. Almost simultaneously the NCB doctor and

Medical aspects of mines rescues

by Dr. R. Mel. ARCH I BALD, Depuly ChieJMedica/ Officer NCB. Deputy Surgeon - ill-Chief, SJA

adjacent rescue stations wi ll be a lerted and the well rehearsed drill to callout teams of volunteers, first from the colliery involved and next for adjacent collieries, will be brought lnto act ion.

Each colliery maintains a rescue room in a constant state of readiness and it is there that the rescue station superinte nd ent, or his deputy , will b ase himself to contro l the flow of rescue teams proceeding underground In the meantime the doctor will have arrived and set up his base in the medical centre By law the first team is allowed to go underground withou t a medical examination, a commonsense ruling which obviates unnecessary delay in the extent of the emergency. But from then o n , each new res cue team must attend the medical centre to be medically examined before going underground. The doctor will then ha ve t he details of each man's annua l examination before him beca use t he se will either have been carrie d in a locked cabinet on the rescue van or the doctor will h ave co llected them on his way to the emergency. His duty is then to check that each vo lunteer h as maintained his fitness since his last annual

involved. It shou ld perhaps be emphasised at thi s point that the incident may involve a fire und ergro und wit h no li ves at ri sk, an inrush of water, a massive fall of roof, o r unfortunately, an explosion, derailment or a s haft acci d ent in which men are involved and perhaps a lre ady d ead.

Meanwhile , what s h appening medically?

The first doctor to arrive normally the area Medical Officer or his deputy from the Area in which the eme rgency has a risen , wi ll telephone hi s surround ing colleagues and will then notify the Ch ief Medical Officer or myself at Headquarters or at home if the ncident occurs at night or at a weekend, as is often t he case. T he Area Medical Officer will then draw up a rota, based on eight or twelve hour shifts, of his own staff and his colleagues to cover the next two to four d ays. Meanwhile, I wi l assess the availability of medical manpower in the area and if it is relatively isolated, as is the case in Scotland or South Wales , arrange to transfer doctors from Yorkshire or the Midlands to help out for the duration of the emergency. When an incident such as a fire is prolonged , I have a standby list of retired d octors who are willin g to travel to and stay in the vici nity for the duration of the emergency. And this may be necessary ; in 1967 a disastrous fire at a large colliery o n the Fife coast called for six weeks of continuous medical cover before we had to reluctantly abandon the colliery as a total loss

Above) Sub-aqua training is now part of the rescue men s course as the result of an inrush of water at a colliery some years ago wh ic h killed seven men (Right) Removing dummy casualty n a restricted a rea

exami n ation, and that there is no co nd ition which might preclude his wearing breathing apparatus and taking part in the h arsh phys i cal tasks often in a very hot irre sp ir able atmosp here, which ma y fall to hi s lot.

For example, a recent heavy cold or extensive dental extractions which may m ake it difficult to grip the mouthpiece would be grou nd s for rej ection. A rescue team consists of a captain and four men and such is their dedication that no man like s to be left o ut , but the doctor will take no chances a nd will exp lain gently and sympathetically why he must regretfully say no on this occasion.

Many other things are happening almost simu ltaneou sly. A se nior minin g engineer will have arrived to take overall charge of the rescue operation and will have set up an operation room for that purpose. HM Inspectorate of Mines will have been informed and an Inspector will be in consultation on the technical details. Canteen staff will ha ve been asked to provide a continuous s uppl y of tea, sandwiches and" later , hot m eals for all

Meanwhile the Nursing Service has not been inactive The Colliery Nursing Officer of the affected colliery will have been summoned and will, in turn, inform the Senior Nurse for the Area, who will prob abJy go to the colliery and set up a rota of nurses to work in parallel with the doctors.

Where there a r e casualties, further emergency procedures come into ope rat ion almost automatically. Many NCB Areas maintain their own ambulance vehicles and the se will be summoned as necessary In other Areas local amb ulan ce depots will be alerted Reserve supplies of stretchers, bl ankets, dressings, etc, are maintained at control stores, which are obtainable three hundred and sixty five days a year and will be sent for if required. Extra supplies of morph ia will be avai lable to supp lement that stored in underground safes and in the medical centre.

Where casualties a re involved ar r a ngement s have to be made for relatives to wait and the nurse can be invaluable in helping during this anxious period. News spreads rapidly and it is not uncomm on for pres sme n to seek out the doctor or nurse for information. The NCB has a more than adequate public relations department and all information will be channelled through them. This avoids the danger of conflicting reports

Ph otos Natio nal Coa Bo ard and allows the doctors and nurses to get on with their essential job of succouring the injured.

I well remember a 6 o'clock call one spring morning to say that a cage had failed to decelerate on descending the shaft and some forty-four men were, almost literally, in a heap at pit bottom. Access to them had to be by another shaft, as the accident had rendered the shaft unusable. By the time I got there my assistant and the male nurse at the colliery were already underground and, supported by some dedicated first-aiders who had descended the shaft earlier , were carrying out the preliminary assessment and immobilising fractured legs and spines. I, in turn, summoned three experienced nurses and operated in the medical centre.

I then notified the infirmary ten miles away where the orthopaedic consultants virtually cleared one ward to receive the casualties. The injured came out after a stretcher-carry of a mile one by one, until shortly before noon the last of the forty-four was ferried to the medical centre. The four ambulances I had called had done a complex

and highly efficient double shuttle service from shaft top to medical centre to hospital. At one time all the available floor s pace in the medical centre seemed to be covered with stretchers. On the one hand , I assessed the injuries and decided priontles for evacuation; on the other I firmly kept management, unions and press out of the medical centre while my staff _ and I concentrated on our task. After the last casualty had departed and we had checked the documentation of each man and started to clear up the centre we wearily repaired to the canteen for the first meal of the daysometime after noon.

D4sasters of all kinds are becoming more and more uncommon as Britain continues to lead the world in mine safety. But plarining for disaster must always go on.

In this planning , as in the real thing, rescue and medical services are inextricably united and the complete harmony with which they work together is a tribute to bothand to the industry of which they are essential parts.

Rescue men in training going underground

ORDER

INVESTITURE

by the Chancellor, Earl St. Aldwyn

london, May 10 Commander (Brother) Peter Ewen Brodie. OBE. QPM (Northants)

H a rold Ostler Vaux. MIM ech E JP (Avon ). J ohn Bonham -Ca rt er, CVO. DSO. aBE, ERD ( Dor set ).

s H uk in (South York s). Fr a nk William Murkin, MBE. SRN, RCNT (Somerset).

Li e ut -Col. Rob ert Ba rnes R obinson (Wilt s).

H ecto r R ober F e rg uso n, MacDonald MD, MB,ChB, FRCP (Scotland).

Com mander (Sister)

Mar ga ret. Mr s. S winnerton (Manchester).

Ivy Lillian Mrs. Wilkin s (Wilts).

Davina. T he Lad y Barnard (Co Durham ).

Officer Brother)

D esmo nd Arthur Kenn eth W es (Guernsey).

William Lloyd (St atTs).

Deni s William R obinson ( Hum bers ide).

Li eut-Col. Jame s Thoma s Amcotls Wil so n ( D o rse ).

Arthur A bra ham Vesset'o (Surrey).

R o dney Le onard Cox (Avon).

Leslie Fr an k Stebbin gs ( Der by)

Henr y J oseph Wall (S atTs).

Arthur Hudson (Dor se t ).

Th o ma s Cec il Crey CBE, MD. FRCS. FFARCS (Merseyside).

Edward Henry W ill iams ( Kent ).

Li o nel Gordon R obert s or th a ms ).

Arthur Stuart Th acke ry (Sheffield ).

Li eut-Co l. H a ro ld George Daniels. J P DL (Surre y).

Geor ge Leonard Andrews ( Bri slO\)

John Patrick Candler (Essex).

Denni s Gordon Sm it h (Wes t Midl ands).

Thoma s C litTord (Nons).

J ohn Robert Brookm an Buck s).

William Da vid G r ay, MB ChB ( Mer seys ide).

J a mes Mackaness (Nort ha nts).

H enry Claude Cottrell ( Kent ).

Colin W ill iam Andrew M c Leoad (Wilts).

George D y ke (Su ssex).

Ronald H erbert Butler. MM (Norfolk)

J ohn Alfred Bell (Humberside).

Philip Sidney Field BA TD (Wor ces ter ).

C ha rles Lane Dorset)

Willi am David McCurd y (Cambridge).

Frederi c k Arth ur Farey (Northa nl s).

Alasta ir Willi am Smith , MBE , LRCP , LRCS, LRFPD (C eve land).

Robert Glenn , MB BCh , BAa DPH FRCH ( Hum bers de).

Norman Uren (Co rn wall).

J ohn W oo dr ow. MBE , MA, MB. B.Chir (Derby s

David Stark Binni e. aBE ( Kent)

J ames Gardiner Nash (Kent).

P et er R odney J ames H o ll and (Hants).

Officer (Sister)

Greta Mi ss Whitt ake r MBE (La nes).

Shei a Mr s. Halbard. SRN (N o rth ants).

Prud e nce Patti son, Mi ss J etT (London).

Lilliam Harriet Mrs. Sh eppa rd (C ambs).

Edith Mary Mrs. Collis er Hert s).

Sy via Ma y, Mrs. Wicks (H an t s).

Cons t ance Fr a nces, Mrs. J ewiss (Ke nt ).

Pa tri cia Doreen. Mrs. Purdue SRN, SCM (Berks).

Edith. Miss Ell y. SEN (Cheshire).

M a ri on Miss Winn, BA (Some r set ).

Pe rl J oyce, Miss Maltby H an t s)

Clarice Kate. Mrs. Rumble ( Bu cks).

Catherine Mary. Mrs. Stretton. SRN (Kent).

R ubie May, Mrs. Yates (Wilts).

Audrey. Mrs. Myer cough. SR (West Midlands).

K athleen Lillian. Mrs. Deuchar (Berks).

R ita R osina. Mrs. Carr (Hants).

Serving (Brother)

D avid Compston Shields. MB. BS. DRCOG (Devo n ).

GeotTrcy Howard Butler (Tyne a nd Wear).

Be rn a rd J oseph Clapham (Lo nd on).

F rancis William A bbotts (Cornwall).

Noel L eigh Stuart King (Beds).

John P ugh Owen (Derbys).

William Craig. Mclntosh. MB. ChB (Devon).

D ouglas William Home(A\on).

Albert Walter Herbert Clements (SutTolk).

Edward Burton wood (Cheshire).

R eginald Gordon Spurway (Devon).

Jame Addicotl (Derby).

Willi am J ohn Ninnis (Cornwall).

David Edwin Green (Avon).

LONDON DISTRICT FINALS

TH E hu ge w a rehouses of the Allied Brewe ries, in St. John Street EC I , were the scene of the 1979 London District annual final s on M ay 12 - with bloody 'cas ualtie s' a nd first -a iders everywhere.

Mr. Hugh Campbell , Managing Director of lnde Coope , sa id that although perhaps not m a ny C it y-base d co ncerns wo uld wish to see the ir premises overtaken by s uch apparent disaster, Allied Br ewer es were re ally delighted to help St. John in this way , especially as the g r ound on wh ich their premise s s ood was once part of the ancient Priory of the Order of St. John, as the present pub The Jerusalem Tavern testified. Nursing and first aid teams , adu l a nd cade t, from throu g hout the 800 s qu a re mile s Covered by London District, were there to comp ete for various trophies. The 'cas u alt ies' were expertly made -up with all sorts of injuri es' by Casualties Union.

(Left) Mr. Geoffrey Bu tle r from Washington, Tyn e and Wear. a lec tur e r with Br itish Rai lways, Association Bran ch, with 38 years in S t. John. .& becomes a S erv ing Brother. :II

(Right) Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Clark. of Amphill. B ed fo rd, after the inve stitu e at which Mr. Clark became a Se rving

Graham Pond K ent).

Richard Frederick P awley. CEng (Sa lop).

Keith Ward (Sth. Yorks).

GeotTrey R oy Selway (Devon).

Derrick Medwin Hu ghes (Essex).

Terence H e rbert Munday (Co rn wall).

Ernest Arthur C lar k (Beds).

John Lishman ( otts).

Paul Arthur Roe (SutTo lk ).

Keith Alfred Cokayne (Derby).

Jonathan Bigrigg (Cumbria).

Bryan Cyri J elfs (Devon).

H erbert Ronald Robson (Cambs).

William George Mayhew (Essex).

J oh n L eslie Yates (Wi lt s).

J o hn Young (Nth. Yorks).

Ary Theodorus H oogendam (C lev eland).

Michael GeotTrey Corcos MRCS, LR C P (Avo n).

Thomas Taylor. JP ( Derb y).

J ohn Alan Watmough (C umbri a).

J ohn Derke Eley D erby).

R oger Francis Da v s ( Berk s)

H arry Allen (Cheshi re ).

J ohn Char es Edwards (Co rnwall )

Frederick Charles Ba rt o n (Derbys).

Frederick William F ou racre ( Dev on).

Two trophie s deserve spec ial mention The Silver Bobby as it has come to be known, pr esented by the Metropolitan Police to the Division they consider h as been of most help to them during the year. This was won by the Ley ton and Leytonstone Ambulance Division, who, said Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis John Gerrard, h ad been ' most val iant when a retaining wall at Ley ton Orient footba ll ground collapsed in February 1978.34 people were injured, 14 of them being sent to hospital'. Mr. Gerrard a so mentioned the St. John 'versa tility in

GRAND PRIOR'S COMPETITION

Please note that the Westminster Council has cancelled the booking made for the Grand Prior's Competition which was to be held at the Seymour Hall, London, WI, on Nov. 29 1979, as the building is to be used exclusively as a sports centre.

Instead, arrangements have been made for the competition to be held in the Exhibition Suite of the West Centre Hotel, Lillie Rd, Fulham, London SW6, on Tuesday Dec. 11 1979. Tests are, as usual, expected to take place at 9.15am and 3.30pm.

SJ BANDS

Following a SJA Band Conference held last December and a headquarters working party s recommendations, it has been decided to form a St. John Ambulance Band Federation, the Deputy C-in-C tells me, r was surprised to learn from him that there are at least 28 SJ bands in England and Wales - 10 in the north 9 in the centre of the country , and 9 in the south, the suggested administrative areas the Federation should be divided into, This and many other suggestions to strengthen the etTectiveness and help our bands will be discussed at a band conference proposed for October 27 at the West Midland's HQ.

SJ IN THE SWIM

Blackpool Ambulance Cadet Karl Beniston , who last year became the youngest at 13 Yz to swim the English Channel, will be carrying Britain's hopes in the Saudi Arabian international swimming championships next month, He is the sole British entry invited and will compete against champions from America , Australia, Canada, Germany, France, and several Asian countries The 30-

AROUND and I ABOUT

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

mile non-stop swim was won in 1978 by Britain's Ray Dixon, This month (July) Karl hopes to break t he Morecambe Bay record of 2hrs 20 min s, and also take part for the junio r title in the Capri to Naple World Championship, Next October he is also expected to compete in the Suez Canal swim, at the

GREAT PARTY

BY THE EDITOR

Princess Anne calls at the cadet display at the greatest-child ren s-pa nyever , which was held over two days for over 100 ,000 children in London's Hyde Park at the end of May to

ARSENAL COME HOME

When Arsenal, the FA Cup winners, return e d to North London o n May 3 , a hundred SJ A members, with 5 mobile units and 8 ambulances, were o n duty among the crowds that welcomed home their victo riou s team, Memb ers dealt w ith 146 cas ual tiesm ai nly faintings - but one yo ung mum -tobe had to be taken to ho s pi tal after being crushed by elated crow ds

THE REVIEW OVERSEAS

Ther e are several St. John organisations in the developin g cou ntrie s w ho are unable to order - and so read - the St. John Review because of exchange control regulations which prohibit the of local fund s to the UK, And he y find that they are mi ss ing out in not keepin g in to uch with what is going on in our wo rld of St. John ; missing out in ideas , information and discussion s which their organisations sorely need to keep abreast of the times , So in an etTort to remedy this situat ion for our confrere it has been suggested that some

LONDON

UK readers might consider sending on their copy on a regular basis to a division or an individual overseas who has this problem, Anyone who would like to participate in this scheme, please write to the Secretary Overseas Relations St : John Ambulance HQ, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW IX 7EF, who will co-ordinate your overseas shared-reader with you,

was also a regimental sargeant major in attendance to kick -off each morning with drill sessions! Which obviously woke everybody up, The County Commander, Commissioner and Nursing Officer were at the open forum on the last day - when it was decided that there will be another such course on Nov, 16 to 18. South Wilts are happy ,

FIRST - NOT LAST South Area Wiltshire held its first residential training weekend for prospective officers on March 30 / April 1 at the Salisbury County HQ - as the result of newly-appointed ASO David Nobbs being asked at the autumn 1978 S. Wilts Area conference to organise such a course. Some 35 members slept (on mattresses on the floor) and were fed at the HQ, which also has a bar (what more could you want?). As well as talks - by such people as Registrar Laurie Hawes, on administration and legal aspects, Dr. Tudor Powell Jones, on instruction, and Miss Broughton, of Salisbury College of Technology - there

NEW NAME

Since June 1, the Institute of Mental Subnormality has changed its name to th e British Institute of Mental Handicap Wo1verhampton Rd Kidderminster, Worcs, and an expansion of activities is envisaged,

I. When attending an annual Divisional Inspection or a National , County or Area Review.

2. When attending a Church Parade, Remembrance Sunday Parade or other similar Parade Service (but not when attending public worship on other occasions when, for a variety of reasons, they may happen to be in uniform).

3. When pres e nt in uniform at any function attended by a member of the Royal Family (unless instructions clearly state otherwise); but this does not normally apply to those attending as first-aiders on publi c duty, when decorations and medals might obstruct and perhaps even endanger the proper treatment of a patient or casualty.

4. When attending an In ves titure of the Order, either as a postulant for admission to or promotion in the Order or as an offic ial steward; but not when attending as a guest.

5, On rare occasions when attending an evening reception or dinner, if the in vi tation spec ifie s evening dress 'wit h decorations'. On such occasions the guide-lines given at the end of Dress Regul a tions s hould be followed, noting that any decorations and medals suspended from a bar should be miniatures.

And uniform?

And what about the wearing of uniform?

[f we somet imes err on the side of wearing decoration s and medal s more often than is strictly correct, do we not much more frequently err on the si de of not wearing uniform at times when we could increase our publi city and enhance our public image by doing so?

Members of the publi c are very familiar with our uniform ( both ambulance and nursin g) when they see u s on public duty on great national occasions, at sporting events, in theatre s, cine ma s and concert halls , and at demon st rations marches and the like, Yet how rare it is to see a Brigade member in uniform walking down the pavement of any ordinary street in a city, town or village or travelling in a bus or tube! No wonger the public know so little about us if their only chance of identifying us is when we're 'o n the stage', as it were!

Recently I read in a St. J county magazine an impassioned plea to members to be less bashful about being seen around in uniform ', And the suggestion was made - which incidentally I strongly supportthat we should more often wear uniform at Our ordinary weekly training meetings, and trave/to andfro in if instead of travelling in disguise until we safely reach the security of Our HQ, Ordinary members of the public will never get the right ideas about what we are and what we do unless and until we

Brigade whose uniform we are proud to be wearing - in other words, we mustn't go around looking or behaving like Ruritanian ratings on shore leave!

Sid retires

become more recognisabl y familiar figures in their daily lives and they have a chance of meeting and chatting with u s in a casual and friendly way when we are not on duty, One Sunday afternoon last s ummer I had no option but to travel in uniform all the way from No(th Acton to Epping on the Central lin e (29 s tations), and I fell in with a party of young teenagers of both sexes who were on the spree. Clearly the y had never seen one of these strange animals before, and presently they began asking it questions - with barely disguised amusement at first, but w ith increasing signs of sincerity and interest.

Conversation was intermittent but by the time they got out at Leytonstone they knew quite a bit about St. John that they certainly hadn 't known before. It may have done no good, but it can't po ssibly have done any harm, And I didn 't force it on them, for it was they who took the initiative.

And on May 12 this year a part y of 10 smartly uniform'ed Brigade members (5 Ambulance and 5 Nursing) were travelling home from their Regional competitions and stopped at a wayside pub for some light refreshment. On entering the saloon bar they found themselves surrounded by a crowd of jubilant Arsenal fans who greeted them with a cheery 'We' re all quite well. thank-you' and Lovel y to see you. but we don't need yo ur help just yet'.

I reckon that never in their lives had they seen a uniformed St. John member 'off stage', and it had probably never entered their heads that they were ordinary human beings who occasi0nally needed to call in at a pub like anyone else, Though obviously celebrating and in merry vein, they were perfectly well beha ve d, and after a little exchange of friendly conversation they paid no further attention to the St. John party. And it struck me that this unplanned encounter was a very worth-while and all too rare publicity exercise for St. John,

But if we're going to behave more naturally a nd less bashfully about letting ourselves be seen in uniform as we go about our business , we must be very careful indeed to keep two golden rules: (1) we must always have our personal first aid pack with us, for at any moment we might need to use it; and (2) without being at all stand -offish or smug, the smartness of our turnout and our general attitude must be a good advertisement of the

Mr. Sidney Fordham retired on May 31 after six years in charge of Review Sales at Headq u arter s, during which time he ve r y greatly improved its administration and left it in apple-pie order to be taken over by Mrs. Mary N arain who had understudied him during his last month in the office,

Sid Fordham joined the Newington St. Andrew's Ambulance Division. London Di strict, in May 1931. In 1934 he moved to Hampshire and transferred to the Alverstoke Di vision, near Gosport , and three years lat er to a divisiDn in Southampton, Returning to London in 1940 he transferred to the Bermondsey Division , of which he remained a member for 18 years, being in due course promoted to Corporal. In 1958 he was appointed District Treasurer at London Di strict HQ, and 3 years later he was promoted to District Staff Officer Grade IV, an appointment which he held for 14 years until his retirement from the Active List at the end of 1975, ha vi ng been awarded the Service Medal of the Order with six Bars in recognition of his 45 years ' very dedicated service in the Brigade. He was admitted to the Order as a Serving Brother in 1966. and promoted to the Grade of Officer in 1971. These are but the bare bones of Sid's long record of devoted service. and I wish I had the skill to clothe them with flesh. Those of us who came to know him during his time with Review Sales learned to val ue and admire his total unflappability. his meticulous accuracy and patient attention to detail, and above aU his gentle and kindly nature. He was never heard to complain of his arthritis, for which some 3 years ago he underwent a s ucces sful hip operation. so that now he and his wife are again able to enjoy together their love for old time dancing, to which they frequently take elderly blind people as their partners.

The Re v iew Management Board gave Sid a fa rewell luncheon party in the Priory Room at St. John House on his last day at the office, and presented him with a small memento in g ratitude from the R eview. We shall miss him very much. but shall hope to see him sometimes, and on behalf of all our readers we wish him and Mrs. Fordham great happine ss through many years of a peaceful but certainly far from passive retirement.

(Below) ESSEX: West Mersea A!N Division (100 members) received its first ambulance in March after nine months of hard work and marvel lous support by the Mersea branch of the Lions Club

Roy Farthing Mersea)

SOME PLATYPUS members' children start swimming at a very early age, as can be seen in the photograph above. With pupils in this age group many complex swimming movements can be observed when the baby is placed in the water. These movements appear to be generated from instinct which was probably acquired w hile the baby was immersed in the fluidic environment of his mother s amniotic cavity.

Swimming is not, however , the sole perogative of the young. One of our female members first learnt at the age of 75 years and another lady of 85 y ears completes at least 10 length s (333 yards) of the pool every Sunda y! The instructor has to bear in mind that when he is teaching an elderly pupil to swim he is reversing the normal pattern of human development (Fig. 11) , which encourages us to lift ourselves from the horizontal to the vertical as quickly as possible

Knowing the manner in which a handicap occurred is of great importance when starting to teach a pupil. If the pupil has an acquired handicap (ie, as the result of an accident or illness), it is generally more difficult to teach him as he can remember clearly the skill with which he controlled his bodily movements before the accident/illness and therefore becomes very frustrated when he experiences difficulty in mastering once familiar movements. An example of an acquired handicap is a middle-aged club member who is to a large extent paralysed down one side of his body as the result of

To bring pleasure and a sense of achievement into its members' lives via the medium of swimming - that is the aim of this club for the handicapped

SWIMMING with the HANDICAPPED

Part 2 by AIM DAN . UTILE, Chief Instructor

being mugged and thus has not been able to walk for six years. His wheelchair has been his sole means of personal mobility during this period and one can imagine the desire that must exist to regain a level of mobility that is independent of all aids. This pupil, after having been familiarised with the water during his first session at t he clui:J , was encouraged by his instructors to walk with their assistance - and thus took his first steps for six years. The sense of achievement that this event produced was as clearl y w ritten on the faces of the instructors as that of the pupil.

- The pupil who has a congential handicap (ie from birth) will, by the time he wishes to learn to swim, recognise the limitations produced by his handicap and will have developed the drive to overcome these limitations.

The former pupil will require all the tact and understanding that an instructor can

provide , whereas the latter will generally accept a hi g h level of astutely directed le gpulling about his h a ndic ap in orde r to provide a spur to action.

It can be seen from T able 1 that some handicaps can appear unde r either the congenital or the acquired heading For example epilepsy, where after mild he ad injuries there s a 2 % acquisition risk and where a critical brain lace ration has tak e n place the acquisition probability leaps to 50 %. Muscles - in all people, handicapp ed or not - are located a bout a joint in antagonistic groups. This is to provide movement, in at least two dir ect ions , of the bones articulated at that j oint. A familia r example is the bi ceps and triceps moving the lower arm about the elbow joint as depicte d in Fig. 12

Antagonistic muscle groups function by co-operation. When one muscle of the group contracts to mo ve the limb in the de s ired

direction the opposing (antagonistic) mu scle relaxe s. In the initial stages of learnin g to swim , and indeed any other sporting activ it y, this co -operati o n in muscle activity doe s not exist and the mu scles work against each other. Thu s the pupil becomes tired very quickl y and is s tiff and sore the following day Thi s muscular co -o rdination of the antagonistic mu scle groups s a process that is onl y learnt by experience and regular traini ng. Thu s many pupils on the one swimming session they have a week can feel ve r y frustrated with the len gth of time it takes their body to produce the muscular coordination required by swimming.

In order to protect the body from injury , one can trace in general term s, by applying the Bell Magendie Law of reflexes, the afferent (inward) pathway through the nerv ous system that a stimulus signal traver ses, and also the efferent (outward) pathwa y th a t the subsequent respon sive signal traverses Fig 13(a). The manner in which in j urie s to the body may occur are num erous and va ried and thus , as Sir Charles Sherrington demonstrated , any part

or even the whole of the pathway (Fig 13a) may be rendered inoperative , as shown in Fig. 13b. Therefore the sense organ may not be able to register stimulii , or the sensory nerve may not be able to transmit the stimulii to the central nervous system , and even if the afferent section of the system is working, the motor nerve may not be able to carry the signal to the muscles that will initiate an evasive movement. Thus the in st ructor must take extra care with a pup il who has damage to the responsive mechanism s of the nervous system , to ensure that inad vertent injury does not occur to the pupil 's body

There is a great deal more that can be s aid about the various types of handicap that an in structo r ma y encounter and the problems they generate. However , the line diagram n Fig. 14 the discussion above.

Every action must have, as I s aac Ben Solomon Lauria propounded in the 16th century a goal. This applies not only to the pupil who places himself in the care of an nstructor to learn a water skill or a swi mming st roke but also to the instructor who must incorporate a series of intermediate achievement levels into his teaching programme in order to achieve the pupil's goal.

Once the pupil has become safe and mobile in the water various organisations ha ve awards that a pupil can aspire to and obtain by reaching the required standa rd It should be noted, however that while these various organisations have these award schemes there is no co-ordination of effort between them and it is up to the individual clubs to devise a training programme to suit their individual needs and conditions. A simplified schematic diagram of the achievement programme devised by Plat ypus is shown in Fig 15. The incentive produced by the increasing difficulty of the awards within the scheme is common to both members and instructors of all age groups , as can be seen in Fig. 16.

Fig. 14. The basic causes and r esu lt an signs and symptoms of handicaps

Fig.

TO HELP. itt

Fig 15. A programme of progress

Platypus members also participate in galas between local clubs on a regional basis and have produced nine regional champions who have represented their region in the national championships. To date Platypus has produced four national champions. One of our active gala representatives has accumulated 42 place medals for events such as the ladies individual 3 lengths, 4 x 100 yd. relay and diving.

As regards the teaching of swimming one can generalise and put pupils into two Fig. 1 7. The physics of buoyancy

(a)

categories, ie those with physical and those with mental handicaps.

With the physically handicapped pupils, once they have overcome their fear and become relaxed in the water, the instructor's task is resolved into a process of determining the effects that the physical properties of water have on the pupil 's body and then teaching the pupil how to master them.

An example of this can be demonstrated as follows : when an object is partially immersed in water the pressure (P) applied

Fig. 18. Water forces on a symmetric body

by the water is equally distributed (Pascal's principle) over the submerged area of the object , Fig. 17. The force (F) resultmg from this pressure exe rt ed on the swimmer's body depends upon the amount of skin, ie surface area (SA), on which it is acting , thus F = P x SA = lbs x Ins 2 = lbs Ins 2

Thus is can be concluded that provided the pressure acting on an object is constan t , a large surface area will experience a force of greater magnitude than a small s urface area.

Now if we consider an able - bodied swimmer whose volume is distributed equally about their longitudinal (ie, head to feet) axis, on which incidentally their centre of gravity is acting we find (Fig. 18) that the forces acting on either side of the body are equal and therefore the pupil will be balanced in the water.

However if we compare the above situation with that of an amputee, for simplicity, we can see from the plan form in Fig. 19. Water for c es on a bod y deprived of symmetry

Fig. 19 that the surface areas on either side of the pupil's longitudinal axis are no long er equal , thus creating unequal forces that cause the pupil to rotate towards the affected side.

When tcaching the mentally handicapped, most of whom are able - bodied and therefore experience balanced water forces the instructor experiences an entirely different set of req uirements brought about by the pupil s inabili ty to retain what has been taught. Because the degree of retention varie s widely between indi v idual pupils , teaching on a one -to -one basi s is an absolute necessity in the initial stage s of learning. One may spend the major part of a weekly swimming session teaching a skill and reaching a stage where the pupil can perform the s kill with a moderate degree of proficiency , only to find on the following session that the intervening week has blotted out all memor y of the s kill. This situation may continue for several months , or even years , before the skill become s second nature to the pupil.

Thus it can be seen from the examples above that an instructor req uires a thorough knowledge of the ph y sics of swimming as well as a capacity for empathy and a patient disposition. It must be noted , however that

two common modes of expression used in relation to handicapped people have no place in the techniques used by an instructor, ie sympathy (equiva lent to pity) for the physically handicapped or patronisation (really an expression of superiority) of the mentally handicapped. An instructor will note that if either of these attitudes are practised rapport with the pupil will vanish rapidly as the pupil acutely feels the underlying implications.

While Platypus can teach the art of instruction and the physics of swimming to new instructors, an exercise which is carried out annually through an instructors' course, for which the club has published a booklet is the ability to cope with teaching situations that stretch an instructor's pat ience to the limit, while endeavouring to maintain a harmonious relationship with the pupil which is a skill that can only be acquired by the individual instructor through experience.

The founding aim of Platypus is to bring pleasure and a sense of achievement into its members ' lives via the medium of swimming.

Platypus is supported by many people, all volunteers, who give up a great deal of their time in order that the club can function efficiently and achieve its objectives. The number of helpers required to ensure that

three members enjoy their two-hourly swim once a week is illustrated graphically

The majority of these supporters come as private individuals. However for the more specialised assistance we are indebted to other voluntary bodies in the area.

Lifeguard patrols in the pool area are provided by vol un teers (Fig. 2 I) who have joined Platypus and hold as a minimum qualification the Royal Life Saving Bronze Medallion.

The Bro wnjes of the 4th Hatfield Pack (Fig. 22) provide a wheelchair shuttle service to and from the pools ide and they also participate in a cup washing service in order that club members ma y enjoy an after-swim coffee.

Pool side

The remainder of the safety cover necessary for the club to cope with an emergency incident is provided by ambulance and nursing members of the Hatfield St. John Ambulance Division, some of whom can be seen in action in Fig 23 and 24. Although we rar ely have to initiate emergency procedures where a rescue has to be performed and subsequent after-care applied I am sure that both pupils and instructors feel much safer for this service.

Fig. 22 Eager - and delightful - poolside helpers from the 4th Hatfield Brownies They provide a wheelchair shutt le service and help in washing-up so that an after-swim cup of coffee is at hand for members

Although this exposition gives an appreciation, albeit a brief one, of the various aspects of a swimming club for the handicapped, the hard work of the Platypus committee organising the club and the more complex teaching problems experienced have not been included , as these topics would fill volumes.

The formation of a swimming club , or indeed any organisation for the disabled.

Fig 21 Lifeguard Da vi d Cunningham prepared for action during a Pl atypus swimm ng sess on

in Fig. 20

must be examined thoroughly in depth in order to determine the problems that may be encountered and to establish the priorities of action Useful information on this subject is contained in Pamphlet No. 1 entitled Forming a Club , published by The Coordinating Committee on Swimming for the Disabled. This organisation will answer any

Pool side coverage

ON a visit to Manchester in early May, the Duke of Edinburgh called at the SJA exhibition at the get-together of groups and organisations who participate in the D of E Award Scheme. At the exhibition were County and Area staff, nursing cadets from nearby divisions, and members who hold D ofE awards, including one Gold Medal.

Above, Prince Philip chats to County Supt. Lady Armitage, County Cadet Officer (N) Gwen Owen and ASO Ian Tootell; also with Cadet Sargeant Brian Hildred, of Bury Ambulance Cadet Division, at a small casualty simulation display.

For many years the town of Bury has had long and honourable associations with The

queries that potential club makers ma y have and can be contacted at : c/o The Sports Council, 70 Brompton Road, London SW3 lEX, I would like to conclude b y mentioning the rewards for both the members and vo lunteer supporters of Plat ypus. Firstly, there is a sense of achievement, whether it be that pupils have either walked their first steps in the water or have swum 1000 metre s for the first time. This sense of achievement is not reslricted to pupils , as I have heard many an instructor wax estatic over the latest skill

acquired by his pupil. Secondly a widening of one's horizons occurs by the persona l experience of meeting people from all walks of life , helping w ith their problems and sharing their joys , It should be noted that this problem -solving -aspect is not necessarily a one way affair, as many helpers are brought a sense of reality by the resilience and courage of the handicapped members.

At Platypus we believe that this fundamental relationship between people must help to make the world a better place in which to live,

GREATER MANCHESTER

(where the Fusiliers won 6 Victoria Crosses before breakfast) - the Army holds an annual parade in the town.

FIRST AID IN INDUSTRY Parts] to 8 Cassette tape/filmstrip/s lid e series

Camera Talks Ltd, 31 North Row W I R 2EN

Treatm ent or minor wo und s and ailments and userul medicines 33 tran s

2. Haem or rha ge 30 tran s. 3 Common Injuries, 28 trans.

4. Burns , 25 trans.

5. Fractures. Strains and Sprains, 62 trans.

6. The Unconscious Patient and Concussion, 48 trans.

7. Artificial Respiration, 22 trans.

8. Eye Injuri es and Chemica Hazard s, 3 1 r ans. Content

The situations shown in this series are intended to help those who are teaching ftrst aid in industry. Greater emphasis is therefore placed on minor injuries and ailments commonly occurring every day. In many firms the fir st-a ider wi ll be the only individual available to g ive immediate treatment or advice. Even in those firms pos sessing a nurse or a doctor, or both, the first-aider may well be the fir st person consulted.

More serious accidents and emergencies (such as gassing) have been included. Much importance is attached to the correct procedures for dealing with a s udden collapse in an indu strial situation where the causes of th is co ll apse may well be obscured b y the presence of chemicals that could be respon s ible for ca using sudden unconsciou sness. It is assumed that, in general, hospital facilities (o r in the case of large factories a well equipped s urger y) are easily accessible No attempt is made therefore to deal with problems of transport, or long te rm treatment when accident cases may have to wait some time before getting attention.

The script is written in the form of a lecture but the main intent io n is to explain the purpose of the particular picture being shown. It is open to those teaching first aid to utili se their own lecture material , and to use the picture s simpl y as an aid to their talk. All the pictures were taken within a factory or office se tting. or in an industrial clinic or factory surgery. The equipment used has been re s tricted to what might be available in any such situation, is- reasonabl y economical to purcha se and could be used by any qualified first - aider. Appraisal

The sad thing is that so me of the first aid procedure s contained in this se rie s do not align with the Joint Manual of First Aid. Manifestly some of the visua material (transparencies) in an industrial setting wi ll be of great value to our instructors. On the other hand some of the tapes (cassettes) will be at variance with our teaching.

It is recommended that all St. John instructor s take ad vantage of Messrs Camera Talks 'sale or return' procedure and con sider all transparencies so that those of value may be purchased.

BIRTH: A SHARED EXPERIENCE

Casetted tape £6.9S. Film strip or slides £3.9S. Script SOp. Camera Talks Ltd, 31 North Row, London WIR 2EN.

Part 1, trans Part II 42 trans.

Content

Thi s presentation is intended for showing to parents , particularly to fathers, to show them so mething of what labour mean s and how they can play their part in the birth of their baby. Appraisal

This is a very good programme that speaks to expectant fathers, in clear, easy to under s tand terms.

Both visuals and commentary are first class.

Recommended. Will be of great value to the Maternal and Child Care Course - also could be of use under the heading of Emergency Midwifery.

TRANQUIL DELIVERY

Casetted tape £6.9S. Filmstrip £3.9S. Script SOp. Camera Talks Ltd.

57 trans.

Content

Thi s programme shows modification to the second stage of labour recently introduced by Le Boyer. The concept of tranquil delivery is that the child is born in quiet and calm surroundings and the contact between father, mother and child is immediately established at birth Appraisal

An excellent presentation that will be of great interest to all concerned with childbirth. Recommended.

THE FORK LIFT TRUCK

Cassette/tape/filmstrip/slide presentation.

Camera Talks Ltd.

Content

and

moments of their history

at Gallipoli in World War 1 SJA contingent in the Army's annual parade at Burypassing the saluting base

But with the Army contingent dwindling over the years, voluntary organisations have been invited to join the parade, and th.is year about 80 SJA members were included On the saluting base was SJ A County Commander Col. R. Ollerenshaw and former Commissioner Major Ralph Rames in his new capacity as High Sherrif. R.P.

All St. John in structo rs welcome new first aid audio visual material whatever the source. This presentation produced in co-operation with the Harlow Industrial Health Service and with the advice of our own Dr. Peter Roylance , will be in some respect a valuable addition to material available.

From the new Camera Talks series Firs Aid in Ind ustry. ( Below) Part 4 - Burns. (Right) Part B - Eye In uries and Ch e mi ca Hazards

This presentation shows the hazards of the fork lift truck and how accidents may easily be caused, Appraisal

This programme shows clearly how a good presentation may be made of material that is ostensibly unexciting. It vividly shows accident prevention in factories where such trucks are employed. Strongly recommended.

DAVID'S HAPPY SECRET

from Mrs J E Halford, County Superintendent

I ha v e just read with interest the letter from David William s of Cardiff re All weather uniform (Apri l Review ). The part o f the lette r which interests me is that he states he has a division of 20 y oung adul ts between the ages of 16 to 21 year s Man y Counties , includin g m y own , are concerned about the loss of so many excellent cadet s w ho lea ve the Brigade inste a d of goin g into adult di vi sions

Could Dav id Williams give us the hapy secret as to how he has the s e 2 0 y oun g a dults? I s it a combined di v ision? Or m en onl y? A r e the y ex -cadets ? Does he retain them when they reach his upper age range of 21 y e a rs ? If not , what happens to them?

The future of St. John depends on young adults , and an yon e w ho has the secret of encouraging them as David Williams obviou s y has , would do a great service to the Brigade if he would write another letter to The Review telling us all how he doe s it. Northamptonshire E li za beth H a lford

EDITOR: Da v id , there is space available for an article on th is subj e ct , and photographs - if you ll j u s t tell all

BREAKING BAD NEWS

from Mrs Georgina Moore, SRN

I was v ery sorr y to read of the unfortunate experience o f L ay Instructor following the death of his mother , Breaking bad news (M ay Review).

However , I feel that I must say that the attitude of hi s SRN friend and the member of staff at the hospital concerned a re not representative of the nursing profession in general. During my tr a ining I was taught to ascertain the following before decidin g how to n otify a relative of a patient's death.

1. Was the death sudden or expected?

2. How old is the relative or friend who is to be not ified o f h e death?

3. Is there a member of the fam i y (eg , a son or daughter ) who m ay be contacted to be with the bereaved person? If not , the help of the family's GP or clergyman may be enlisted.

It is not the usual practice to send a police message to relativ es except in cases where they may not be contacted by phone or where it is considered that the person to be notified has a phone but is frail or elderly or liable to collapse on receipt of bad news.

As a night sister the task of notifying relatives of a death frequentl y befalls me. This is not something which becomes significantly eas ier with increasing experience , but 1 know that m y colleague s put mu c h thought and consideration into this duty , and I would not wish it to be thought that we are as callous and thoughtless as ' Lay Ins ructor implies

Exeter Georg ina Mo o re

SELF-LOCKING DOORS

OR

from E J Baker, Ambulance Member

NOT

I am sorry I started the debate about self-locking door s on service vehicles , since several young motor -wise friends have t old me tha t all current models of foreign and several British makes have doors which can be made self-locking if and as the motorist de s ires A s it wa s, I and several good friends and associates have harangued each other for no real reason it seems.

Out of the debate , however , comes a useful point raised by Carl Keeble (April Review) who stretches a little farther than seemed justifiable a po.int I made. I suggest that it is not axiomatic that all cases of cardiac arrest must be rushed to hospital without delay o f even a few moments; I too d d a stint in accident and departments from which I recall cases where death or brain damage occurred because they were rushed to hospital.

I think we are all aware that such cases require medical aid at the earliest and I am prepared to concede that, in many instances , hospital is likely to be the best and most-easily -reached medical aid But this

a nd pu rp le bars mea n abso l ute ly no thi ng to t h e p ubli c, hosp ita l staff or d oc t ors. Th e artic e m e n tio n s th e r ecen t eme rge ncy. We a lso sup p lied a m b

What is the

A dr a m a t ic m e r cy das h w it h blu e lig hts flashing and air - horns wail ing may well prevent the ca l m reassuring s upport and specific mani pul a t ion suc h cases need (Yea r s ago I ran, in pyjamas and ove r coa to fet c h the doctor to a next -doo r ne ghbour and. when the d oc o r ra n b ack wit h me he d ictated that the patient should not leave hi s b e d o n any account).

Wha t Ca r l m ea n t is t h a t im m ed iate aid m u st be forthcoming in all s uc h cases - an d the fac t that th e amb u lance is there means that aid h as co m e - w hether the doors a r e se lf-locking or not

H owev er mu c h we m ay cr it icise the First Aid Manual on many as p ects t h e t r eatment of acute heart attacks (Chapter s ix ) is un equ ivoca ll y o u tlin ed; h e treat ment of apoplexy is not so admirably ex pli c it. H owever we wou ld be fa iling in our se lf- impo se d service to th e s tr c ke n o nes if we di sco u nte d first a id on the spot in favour of a pell - m ell ru s h to h osp ital in all cases. T h is is not to extol elaborate and tim e-was tin g procedu r es in stead of ca ll ing an ambulance, but to s ugges th a t a n y membe r o f the public can call an ambulance. whereas w e c a n, ofte n fi ll in the pr ecious moments of wait i ng with life -savi ng pr oced ur es.

B a t h E.1. Bak er

AUSTRALIAN ROAD DEATH RATE

from Tony Harrison SRN RNT. Corps Nursing Officer

A s a form er n ational cycli n g profic e n cy in structo r in Devon I was ve r y in teres t e d in t he art icle Ca u ses and P revention of Road Accidents b y Pr isc illa Hopkins (Feb. Rev ew). In thi s s h e refers to the co mpul so r y u se of sea t be lt s in A us ral ia a n d h at t h e Australian road de at h rate is now o n e of h e lowest in the world.

Yo ur r ea d e r s m ay fin d t h e fo ll owing figures of interest: UK 1974 , po pula tio n 56 m ill ion (a pp rox) - 6,900 k ill ed.

A u s t ra li a n po p ula t ion 14 millio n (approx) - 3 694

Or a t a more loc a leve l : Gw e nt 19 74 p o pul a t ion Y2 m illi o n (approx) - 2 1 ki ll ed.

Qu een s la nd 19 7 6, p op u la t on 2 mill ion (app r ox) - 587 killed. F igure s w hich s ho w h at the A u s tr a lia n r o ad d eat h ra t e per head of popul a tion is mor e han w ice h at of h e UK Har dl y o n e of t h e lowes t n the world

Bris ba ne M etrop o li t a n Co rp s, Queens land Tony Ha rr iso n

NURSING OFFICERS ' MARKING from D. Haselgrove, Divisional Officer

Ref. th e article ' Do you kno w the se ran k m ar kings?' (May Review), may [ fir s t say th a I agree with th e w rit er t h at all members sho uld know the various r a nk markings of o ur nur s in g o ffi cers and the Brig a d e in general. T h e p o in t I wo ul d li ke t o r a ise is tha t the red, g ree n

162 pre s upp oses t h a th e so un d fir st-a id measures we a re taught are begun b ef ore, and cont nued dur ing, transport there to.

Netelast bandaging system?

NETELAST the high q u ality bandag ing system from Roussel Medical Ltd, is now available in packs specially designed for St. J ohn personnel - an approp r iate time, t herefore , to renect on the product's main advantages and uses.

Availab e in a number of sizes, it can be cut and shaped to fit aU parts of the body. It is comfortable to wear yet because it is extremely elastic holds dressi n gs firmly. Additional ly, it is faster and easier to apply than conventional bandages

Netelast can save time on any dressing, particularly awkward body sites. For the pat ient, mobility of joints is not impaired a n d it is pain less to remove It is light and a iry with a minumum of constriction.

Netelast has been avai lable for several years and is currently in use n many hospitals in the United Kingdom a n d t h roughout the wor ld

St. John members find Nete ast to be of g reat value in the ir work, and R o u ssel Med ica l h as received m any requests from St. Jo h n personne fo r details of the pr odu ct. We should also fike to h ear from St. Jo hn m embers of their ex perie n ces wit h N ete last, as new bandaging ec h niques are co n s t ant ly being sought. (Wri e o John H arkness.

Rous se Medic a Ltd Delves Rd Hean or Gate. He a n o Der bys.).

T h e p rob lem for St. Jo hn members in the p ast h as been that Ne e last was o nly ava il a bl e in large , bulky rolls u n s uit a bl e in s ize a nd cost for ndivid u al u sage.

Ea rl y in 1977 , Roussel Me d ica l was asked to produce a pack of Nete ast for St. John Several m po rt a n t cnt en a fo r t h e specia l packs h a d to be fulfill ed

1 It s h ou ld be for individ u a l u sage a n d no t o nl y in large ro ll s.

2. It s hou d be easy to carry.

3. It sho uld be in a sac h et.

4. Instr u c ti ons and d iagrams s h o u ld be pr int ed o n the sachet in di cati n g how to use N etel ast.

5. It s h o u ld no t b e e xpensive R oussel met th ese c rit er ia and the product was pr ese n te d to the Su r geo n -inChi e f's Med i cal Co mm i t te e an d s u bseq u en ly acc ept ed . A n or der was placed for s up plies to be sen t to the Supplies De p a r m e n t of the O rde r of St. Jo hn

Since t h e n o rders h ave be e n pl ac ed by ma ny St. J o hn r egions in the U K a nd Nete last has be co m e sta nd a rd iss u e for t he St. J oh n fi r st ai d bag. R oussel Medical has a staff of hig h ly trai n e d pe rson nel who have at te nd e d stu d y d ays, s howin g films and teaching mem b ers ho w to a pp ly Netelast. M emb e rs w ho h ave atten de d th ese tr ai nin g sess ions h ave fo un d th e m to be most in fo r mative.

T h e r e is n o do ubt t h at N etelas s a n ex treme l y useful fir st ai d pr o duct a nd now it is s u p plied in a s p ec ial S t. J o h n pack b oth econom ical and co n ve n ien t to u se. It c an be o rd e r ed fr o m Su ppl ies D ept. , T h e

Ord e r of St. J oh n St. J o hn's G a e, C lerk enwell , Lo nd o n E C 1M 4 D A N ete l as t p acke d n cartons of 25 sac he t s, is availa bl e n 4 s iz es : S ize 1 (C o d e No. F 0 794 0 ) fo r hand , w ri st, ankle and fi n ge r ; S ize 2 (Co d e No. F 07 9 50) fo r arm, elbo w , kne e and leg ; S iz e 3 ( C o de N o. F 0 7 9 6 0) fo r h ea d a n d thi g h ; S ize 4 (Cod e No. F07970) fo r c he s a xi lla a nd b ack.

Thi s a rti cle wa s supp l ied by R oussel Medica ! Ltd.

Lifting the injured is now an open and shut case

F. W. Equipment's unique orthopaedic scoop stretcher -a far reaching advance in emergency patient handling. Designed to help cop e wi th a large variety of difficult emergency situations. Pat ients may be x- rayed while on the stretcher.

Available in model numbers 65 and 66. Both adjustable in length. Per-mits the patient to be picked up and moved in the position found. In addition model 66 folds for compact stowage. "Truly professional equipment."

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51: JOHN REVIEW

Contents

A Random, by Watkin W. Williams p.169

Princess Anne at Cade t Ral y p.170

A nn u al Se rvice at St. Pau l s p.l 72

G eneral Assembly of the O rder p. 17 3

Foundation Conference p.174

Ar ound a n d About. by the Editor p.1 76

Br igade Fi nals p 1 80

A ccident Surgery by P. S. London p 1 8 2

SJA Derbyshire visit Johanniter Darmstadt, by D Lambley p.184

Reade rs' Views p.186

1 9 8 0-Yea r o f Nursing p .l 87

N ews from Wales p.188

A ud o Visual Aids , by Philip Adams p. 1 89

News from Divisions/ Centres p. 1 90 N a ional Fi r st Aid Compe t itions p.192

EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS Edited and produced for the Order of St. John by Driscoll Productions Wood Cottage High Corner Sut ey Nr. Woodbridge , Suffolk I P 12 3QF Phone: Orford ( Std 03945) 548 Ed tor: Frank Driscoll.

AdvertiSing di splay and classified a es on request from Driscoll Pr oductions.

Pr ce 36p monthly £5.00 per annum including postage om Review Sales

O U R MOS T s incere con g ratulations to the follo w ing three B: igade membe rs w ho s e names appeared in The Queen 's BIrthd ay H o nour s Li st in recognition of their outstanding

j oined the NorthWest M a nche s ter Nursing Di v ision in 1933 , has since then h el d al most e ver y possible Brigade appointment in L anc a s h ire and Cheshire , including tho s e of Di v isional Offi ce r , A rea Super intendent , Competitions Secretar y, Count y Staff Officer , and finall y Count y Superintendent fo r the pa s t 5 years. She is also a member of the St. John Cheshire , and her man y other v oluntar y ac tI vItI e s m cl u d e membership of the Regional Board of the Manc h es ter H o spitals ; the Board of Go vernor s of the Ly m e Gr ee n Parap l egic Settlement and the Executi ve C o m mi ttee of the Barro wmore Village Settlement. She w as admit te d to the Order as a Serving Sister in 1953 and prom o ted to Officer in 1966 and to Commander in 19 7 5. Th ro ug h o u t these y ears t he example of her untiring d ev o ti on and leadership has been an insp iration to co untless St. John members , all of whom will be delighted to hear of thi s well deser v ed award.

A n MBE ha s been a w arded to Miss M. D. Groom (District Secretar y, London (Prince of Wales s) Di s tr ict), who began her Brigade ser v ice 35 y e a r s ago as a member of the Ip s wich Ai r Duties Di vis ion and shortl y a ft erwards became Superintendent o f the Ips w ic h Student Di v ision , until in 1948 she con inued on p.179

YOUR JUNE REVIEW

Unfo r/ unate (1' delive ry of m a ny cop ies of [he J une R el'iell' were delayed by p r ob lems w ith in t he P o s t Office. B y ea r ly J U(l' some copies (i n c lu d ing th e e di to r 's) h a d s ri ll n o b ee n de livered . I anyo n e h as no yet received the J une issue please inform R el' iell' S ales ar H eadquarters. We may have ro print additional copies, so please be pal ienl. We hope Ih e J uly issue will nol be affecled. B u r aga in, inform R ev iell' S ales oj non-defil'ery afler Ihe end oj rhe 1I10nlh.

Princess Anne at cadet rally

Princess Anne accompanied by West Midlands Commissioner John Sunderland making one of her frequen stopS labovel to chat to cadets. And Ileftl having a ew words with the West Midlands Cadet Band members

A POLICE Training Ground is not perhaps a lo cation that immediately springs to mind for a Cadet Rally But on the morning of June 9, when the rest of the country heard the news of letter bombs in Birmingham , the green open space of the Police Training Ground, Tally Ho, Birmingham, made an admirab le choice for this particular gathering. First, it was an ideal spot for a helicopter of the Queen's Flight carrying HRH Princess Ann, Commandant-in-chief, Sl. J ohn Cadets, to land and take off. Second, it provided enough space for displays and demonstrations as diverse as canoeing and fire-fighting. And, finally, the connotation of the name 'Tally Ho' and the presence of three good-looking police horses could hardly fail to have an agreeable effect on the Princess. Despite a rather heavy and overcast day, preparations for the Royal visit had begun encouragingly early. Cadets, about 2,000 of them from the West Midlands, Hereford & Worcester , Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Shropshire. began pouring onto the training ground from 10.30am - with everyone anxious to set up their displays and perhaps even fit in a quick sandwich before enthusiasm gave way to formali ty.

Pre-occupied

In fact, cadets and officers alike were so pre -occup ied with their preparations that the unmi s takable burr of the royal helicopter ri g ht overhead was the only sound unusual enough to divert their attention.

Her Royal Highness was met on the parade ground by t he Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands Lord Ay lesford, and was then whisked off to lunch at the Staff House of the University of Birmingham, where Univer ity staff, SJ A officers and other guests were presented to her.

IAbovel Cad e t S ergeant Rosemary Appelbee, of Hereford and Worcester s SI. Martin's Combined Divis ion. receiving her Grand Prior Award from the Princess

An unofficial stop for Princess Anne to say hello to Han Han and Thi My 8-year-old Vietnamese girls who are now Juniors with Handsworth Nursing Division

Exactly seven minutes behind schedule, the Princess and her party arrived back at the Parade Ground for the afternoon's activities. Together with Major General Peter Leuchars, Commissioner -in-Chief.

Lady Moyra Br owne, Superintendent-inChief, Colonel P. Adams, Chief Officer Cadets and Mr. J. Sunderland. Commissioner, West Midlands. Princess Anne sa luted, after music by the West Midlands Cadet Band, and then inspected the Guard of Honour. For two members of the Guard of Honour, a nursing and an ambulance cadet, the occasion was just too much; a nd within seconds these two fainting casualties were helped off the parade ground and the programme continued with a presentation of the Grand Prior Awards.

While handing out the certificates to twentythree award winners, Princess Anne had a few words with each one of them.

The re s t of the afternoon was taken up wit h an extensive tour of the cadet displays and demonstrations.

Princess Anne asked numerous questions, joked. spoke to as many cadets as possible and didn't mind in the least when he was

covered in clouds of smoke while passing through an over-zealous fire-fighting display given by Warwickshire cadets.

Two little girls

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the day came towards the end of the afternoon. when there was an unofficial break in the royal procession and two eight-year-old Vietnamese girls. Han Han and Thi My, were presented to the Princess. Having been a part of that great mass of human t ragedy known as the Boat Pe ople. these two little girls were almost equal news value to the Princess herself. They arrived in Britain from Saigon just over a year ago to be reunited with relatives in Birmingham. and are now juniors with the Handsworth Nursing Division.

Having seen everything. Princess Anne stayed for tea and then returned to her helicopter on the parade ground. Before the plane lifted off. the Lord Lieutenant saluted. the Princess waved. and for us on the ground there was a feeling that if hard work brings it rewards. then the reward had been shared by all of us that day.

June 23

ANNUAL SERVICE AT ST. PAUL'S

June 23

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Chief Commander's report to the General Assembly of the Order of St. John at the Mansion House.

My Lord Prior, My Lord MayorConfreres.

THE ANNUAL Report of the Order has been published today and you will not expect me to give a detailed account of the activities of St. John Ambulance during the short time I have this morning.

But let me turn straight away to the work of the Association. The Intensive Courses of First Aid Training for Industry are still one of the most important and significant elements in the whole of our activitie s but in laying emphasis on this we do not wish the regular standard courses for the general public to be allowed to drop away. You will see from the statistics enclosed with the Annual Report that the Association activities are being well maintained.

In passing I would like to mention that over 12.000 school children undertook some form of first aid training at Butlin's Camps during the Easter holidays. and of these some 1500 enquiries about further interest in St. John Ambulance are being followed up by the Divisions in Counties concerned.

I must also mention the retirement of John Coles after thirty years service to the Association and the Brigade. First as Commissioner in Ghana from 1948 - 1960 where he is still remembered , then later in command of a joint St. John Ambulance British Red Cross Unit in Cyprus, and of course in his own home county of Oxfordshire. But he will be known by most for his work as Secretary of the Association at Headquarters. His experience, devotion and vision have been a Source of strength to successi ve Directors General and the enormous expansion of the

Association's activities over the past decade is a tribute to his unique work for the Foundation

Let me now turn to the work of the Brigade. During the past winter of unrest and industr ial action in the Health Services the most important function of St. John Ambulance has been the provision of emergency services at the request of the authorities.

In January, when the London Ambulance Service suspended duty the Prince of Wales 's District, covering Greater London, assisted by detachments from the Home Counties, provided 51 ambulances and over 1,250 members to serve the needs of the public in the Metropolitan area. Even now the Commissioner and members of London District cannot attend this Assembly because they must be available in case of need at three demonstrations taking place in London today.

In the enormous conurbation now known as the West Midlands, St. John Ambulance was on duty for 17 days on end. Never were the qualities exemplified by the four arms of our Cross - prudence, justice or fairness both to patients and to the ambulance men , temperance and fortitude never were they more needed and never were they more fully displayed.

Yesterday at our Annual Conference at County Hall we devoted the whole morning to the consideration of the role of the volunteer in periods of industrial unrest. This is a problem which is likely to remain with us for some time to come and we were all indebted for the timely intervention of one of our Assistant Directors General, Mr. O'Leary, himself a senior trades unionist. on the es entia l differences between and the importance of stressing our role as serving the sick a nd injured but in no way being involved in or concerned with strike

breaking. He emphasised the need to talk this through at all levels with strikers and especially ove r cups of tea with the pickets. Many valuable lessons have been learned as a result of these operations, particularly the need for reliable vehicles and the importance of radio communications, but what has pleased me most of all has been wide-spread recognition of the quality of the service offered by St. John volunteers.

It would be wrong on this occasion not to mention that next year has been designated 'The St. John Year of Nursing', with the aims of encouraging more members of the public to take nursing courses , to improve the quality of our nursing training , to recruit more professional nurses and to make this side of our work more challenging.

As regards St. John Ambulance overseas the Director of Overseas Relations will be speaking about this more fully. but I cannot let this occasion pass without reporting to the Assembly the appreciation and gratitude which was still being expressed for a grant of over £5,000 to help rebuild a hospital ward damaged in the Biafran war and for the work of a St. John team of doctors and nurses who spent more than six months helping at that hospital. I was commanded to express the thanks of St. John in Calabar particularly to the Council in London and I take this opportunity of discharging that duty now.

In January of this year I visited Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone , spending about a week in each country. I was accompanied by Lady Dorman and Group Captain Siessor. We were greeted with enormous enthusiasm. hospitality and publicity from the Head of State to the lowliest Ambulance Member. Since these countries had become politically independent there had been only one visit flom Headquarters in the early 1960s.

(Above) The Lord Prior Lord Caccia. arriving at St. Paul's Cathedral for the annual service of commemoration and re-dedication.

(Below) The parade of members. which started from West Smithfield. entering St. Paul's and flanked by the guard of honour.

Independence should not mean isolation.

Last October the Superintendent -in-Chief visited Kenya for the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Brigade and more recently the Commissioner-in-Chief carried out an extensive tour of Rhodesia, South Africa, Malawi and Mauritius. We must all remember that no St. John organisation can look to a well-funded international headquarters in Geneva. Our international headquarters are here in London, in this Assembly, in the Chapter General and in the Council of the Order. I am convinced that we should be doing more to help our organisations in the Third World countries

the

Mr. J ohn Cooper, Londo n Ontario. Priory o f Canada.

In recognition of his outstanding gallantry when. on the afternoon of Jun e 26 1978. he dived into verI rough water III an attempt lO rescue three young Dutch Ilsi,c)rs IIhom a 15 foot wave had swept off l.ak e I-.ne pier. near Port lighthouse. Ontano. rhough

not only with equipment, financial aid and help with training, but also by regular visits from Headquarters when we

of

of

and

and to

June

the

g carried out by th e members of St. John Ambulance, with energy and imagination , w ith determination and with devotion to our Lords and Masters, the Sic k.

FOUNDATION CONFERENCE

three weeks and was discha rged from hospital thre e months after the accident.

Mr. Andrew Wallace , Volunteer Fireman. Yarmouth, Nova Scotia , Priory of Canada.

n recognition of his outsta ndi ng gallantry when on October 2, 1978 he was the first fireman o reach a fire in a house in Yarmouth. Nova Scotia. and was informed tha the re was still someo ne on the upper noor. Twice Mr. Wallace entered the building the second time wearing a breathing pack. bu on each occasion he was driven back by names. moke and intense heat before he could locate the vic tim For a t hird time. now accompanied by Mr. Greg Cook. he entered the building and continued the search. and together they found the victim. unconscious and not breathing. and after removing him from the house hey successfully admi ni stered oral resuscitation. Mr. Wallace 's perseverance and total disregard of hi s personal afety thu resulted in the victim's life being saved.

Mr. Donald Anthony Richard, Canadian National Railwa y Worker, Brilish Columbia, Priory of Canada.

In recogni ti on of hi s o ut stand in g galla ntr y when on August 3. 1978 he was wi th a sm all work·party on th e s hore of the sw ift -nowing Skeena Riv er and hea rd cries fo r help from a 10-year-old g irl who was bei ng s wept downstream c lut chi ng an overt urned ka yak. Whil e h is compa ni o ns went o summ on help. Mr. Rich ard tri ed to follow the kayak by running along the s ho e, bu t was unable to keep up with it. Th ough not a st rong sw imm er, and with com plet e disregard of hi s per so nal sa fet y. he t herefore decided to swim to the kay a k a nd o n reach in g it he stead ed it while the gi c limb ed o n op. Believi ng that th ey were upstream of so me particularly dangerolls rapids. he persuaded the girl to res on hi s ba ck while he attempted. and successfull y accompl ished a g ru ellin g swim o the s hore Only later did he ea rn that the y were down stre a m of t he rapids in which t he gi rl 's fa th er had a lready drow ned

in very dense smoke. With g reat difficulty they managed to get the old lady out of the hut after smother ing the burning material which surrounded her. and carried her lo be treated at a nearby dispensary where she died five days later as a re s ult of seve re burns of the legs. hand and scalp.

Mr. Greg Cook, Volunteer Fireman, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Priory of Canada

n recognition of his great courage when. on October 2 1978. he risked hi s own life by entering a burning hou e in Yarmouth and helping to rescue a man who had been overcome by smoke and fumes. Wearing a breathing pack Mr. Cook accompanied his colleague Mr. Andrew Wallace into th e burning house to search the upper noor for the mi sin g man. Mr. Wallace had a lr eady made two previous attempts to locate the vic tim bu had been driven

LONDON DEPUTY

Mr. John H. Gerrard , OBE, MC, QPM, Assistant Commissioner of for the Metropolis , has been appointed a Deputy Commissioner of London District S1. John Ambulance from S1. John's Day.

Mr. Gerrard, who has been London's S W. Area President, will have the prime responsibility for all training of S1. John personnel in Greater London.

THE GREAT PARTY

The London District cadet displays and demonstrations at the great children's party in Hyde Park, May 30 and 31, were not only visited by Princess Anne and Prime Minister Mrs. Thatcher but also many interested youngsters left their names and addresses for further information to be sent to them with a view to joining S1. John.

London District also of course covered the event. Five mobile units and five ambulances and nearly 60 members were on duty each day treating 74 cases on the first day and 87 on the second; on both days four cases were sent to hospital.

AROUND and ABOUT

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

BY THE EDITOR

SPEEDWAY TRAGEDY

On June 8 members of Hackney Combined Division , at their usual duty at Hackney Wick speedway stadium, found themselves at the centre of a scene of death and traged y.

A popular local speedway star, Vic Harding, 27, was involved in a high speed crash which proved fatal. The packed stadium was silent when the news was announed and the rest of the evening 's programme was abandoned.

St. John personnel were immediately on the scene and as well as undertaking the task of removing the mangled body to hospit al,

they helped to comfort his parents and girlfriend, who had been watching the event. Earlier in the evening there were two other accidents. The first involved a rider with severe chest injuries and as the local Hackney hospital was c lo sed for casulaties, the S1. John team had to go to Whipps Cross hospital some four miles away. The second accident occurred whi le the St. John ambu lance was returning from Whipps Cross and was dealt with by the London Ambulance Service.

Said D ! Supt. David Bouch ar d , 'My

ON CALL-ASHORE AND AFLOAT

London District was on duty ashore and afloat for the 1979 Head of the River Race (down -river, in the opposite direction to the Oxford and Cambridge race), which this year drew a fleet of 400 rowing eights.

Providing the first aid cover for the spectators lining the river banks and bridges were four ambulances, a cardiac unit and two static and one mobile radio controls.

Afloat, to Jook after the more than 3 000

oarsmen were five SJ A boats, four from London's Tideway Division the other from Weybridge Division The SJA boats were stationed along the course wit h Thames Rescue boats , which did not carry radios , between them. Police and PLA boats were also on patrol.

Due to the preva iling conditions, which produced rough water down stream of Hammersmith Bridge, extra boats were stationed on this section. But in fact it was further down stream, between Fulham Football Ground and Putney railway bridge, that the wind suddenly increased and brought havoc to the lightweight rowing

eights. Within 15 minutes 18 boats were swamped Crews were hauled from the ebbing river whi le police boat s towed the water -logged craft clear of the fleet of oncoming competitors.

Altogether 162 oarsmen finished up ' in the drink ', but only one who was hit b y a boat had to be taken to hospital to be treated for a suspected ruptured kidney.

It had been a long wet duty for the crews - ambu lan ce and nursing members - of the SJ A inflatables. A bus y day for the members on duty ashore too. But a day of fun for thousands - with no tragedy to m a r it.

MIND BENDERS

Find

I. Markets in th e sou lh (6).

2. Someone who's learn ng (5).

3. Enr apture (9).

4. Prince 's lip. gives fundamental truths of subject ( 10).

Answers: Upside down - are at the boltom of page 179

division worked marvellously e s pecially in keepin g people ca lm after the third accident, but i was an evening I should hate to ha ve repeated.'

SAILING

13 yo ung ambulance members selected from the Bri gade to sa il on this year's cruise in the ' Sir Win sto n Ch urchill left from Teesside on Sunda y June 10 for 2 weeks sail training afloat. They were met in Darlington on the Saturda y afternoon and transported to Cleveland County HQ in Middle s brough wher e they were put up for the night. The Brigade arranged a part y in the evening at a local club, which was much enjoyed b y everyone.

On Sunday morning a visit was made to the Captain Cook Museum recently opened

THE FIRST

Cadet Andrew Furlong

THE SJA WHITTINGHAM FAMILY OF KENT

y, June 23 , ha ving sailed to Norway where a day wa s spen t ashore near Oslo , returning home via Inverness. A reception was laid on for the

De v o n s h ire a nd Ke n t. T h ey h ad a ll e njoyed a wo nd e r f u l e x p e r en ce afloat. The p e rform a n c e of h e Bri gade pa rty m e as u re d up t o the h igh s tand ar d s requir ed a n d three membe rs h ave bee n g v en outsta nding a ss essment s

SJA AT WEMBLEY

At the rec ent h ome in terna iona l be t ween England and Sc o tl a nd a W e mb ley Stadium the L o ndon A mbulanc e S ervice c a ll ed fo r

the ass ista nce of St. John, An ambu l ance a n d the newly -commissioned Northern Area mobi le un it we r e man n ed by members of the St. P anc r as Division led by their Supt. De rek Ru dge. T here we r e four LAS amb u lances in at t e nd a n ce, D ur n g t h e day S J A a tended to 4 2 casu alti es 10 of w h om needed hospital tr eatme n t. We mb1 ey Sta d ium is not usua ll y a St. Jo h n duty and ou r members were co n g r a tul ated on their efficiency by officers of t he Lo n do n Am bu ance Service.

ADVENTURE WEEKEND

The article A Year of St. John Adve n ture (Ju n e Rev ew) refe rr ed to a n adve n ture weekend at Wharf Shed residential centre nea r Mat lock on Oct. 26/27 / 28. Detai ls of th is can be obtai ned from CSO A ndrew Collington 137 Ladywood R d, Ilkeston, Derbys (phone Il kesto n 326886) - not CSO D Travis, as stated. M I N

was tra n sfe rr ed to HQ Staff as an ass stant to he Ed ito r of t h e Review and compet itions Officer - the lat t e r task nvo lving her t r ave ll ing a ll over t h e country at weekends. In 195 J she was appointed to London D strict Staff with r esponsibility for o r ganising first aid cover for the Festival of Britain, which for a long period involved her in work ing for never less than 13 hours on weekdays and often at weekends as well. For t he past 14 years Miss G r oom has been London Distr ict Sec r etary, and she has also been secretary to the St. John Council for London since its formation in 1971. Throughout thi s time she has continued to hold overall responsibility for arranging first aid cover at the many and varied public duties undertaken by Brigade member s in London, a responsibil ty which reached it s climax in 1977 with the v ast number of additional pub lic duties undertaken at events connected with Her Majest y's Silver Jubilee. Miss Groom became a Serving Sister of the Order in 1958 and was promoted to Officer in 1964 and to Commander in 1972.

Mr. G. A. Kilgower (Divisional Officer, Towcester A & N Division, Northants) has been awarded the BEM in recognition of 45 years' outstanding service in the Brigade which he joined as an AIM in the Kingsley Division in J 934, Having later moved to Northants he joined the NHSR in 1950 as part of his Brigade activities, and has re&ularl y s ince then done voluntary duties at Northampton General Hospital on Saturdays and during holiday periods. Havin g become a Boy Scout at the age of 11 and an Assistant Scout Leader at 30, he has for the past 35 years held various Scouter appointments in Northants in addition to his record as an extremely active Brig ade member. He is also County Secretary for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and a member both of the National Trust and of the local committee of MIND, as well as bein g a long - standing member of the Towcester Parochial Church Council and a Churchwarden for the past 5 years - a t r uly r e markable record of Service to Mankind in, and indeed beyond, his local community.

Mo re Honour s

Witho u t the help of The Times or (at the time of writing) of the Birthday Honours Supplement to the London Ga ze lfe it has been much harder than u s ual to identify members of the St. John family who have been honoured for their services in other fi e lds. No doubt there have been quite a n umber of these, and I hope that our readers wi ll bring them to the Editor's notice so that t hey may be congratu lated in a later issue. Bu t I must at once offer our congratulations to two whose names were immediate ly s po tt ed: Brigadier Joan Moriarty, a mem ber of he Association Committee and an Officer

of th e Order of St. John , whose keen interest in St. John Ambulance has been of immense help and support to us has been awarded the CB in recognit ion of he r services as Director, Army Nur si ng Service s and Matron -in -Chief of Lhe Queen Alexandra 's Royal Army Nursing Corps; and Mr. K. Cliffo rd Co o k, a Repre senta tive Knight on Chapter - General of the Order Chairman of the St. John COlillCil for Merseyside and an Assistant Dire c tor -Ge neral of the Association , has beerl awarded the O BE for his services as Chairman of the Merseyside Improved HO lses Association.

SJ Uganda r e p o rt s J oh n Kintu arrived in London f rom K ampala via Nairobi on the morning of Tue sday, June 26, and spent much of the day with Group - Captain John Siessor (Secretary, O ve rseas Re lations) telling his news and pl a nning a very full programme of int e r views and visits during the next fortnight until hi s return to Kampala scheduled for July 12. Then, to my immense joy he came to stay with me for the first night in England, an d o n the following morning I took him back to H Q for a conference with the Chief Commander, the Commissioner-in-Chief, the Director Overseas Relations , and others For nearly 7 weeks after I had written a bout him in 'At Random' for June we had , despite all our efforts. been unable to obtain a n y n ews of him, for it was still very difficult to m a ke any sort of communication or contact with Uganda. Then, on the evening of Frida y, June 22, during the Lord Prior 's

r eception at the House of Lords a telegram a rr ived from J ohn Kintu to say that he would be in London on the following Sunday (St. J o h n's Day). Even so, he was delayed for a further two days, as no seats could be guaranteed (except to government officials and d plomats) on the one small plane that left Entebbe for Nairobi each day. But it was good to see him at last, alive and well; and although he told his story with c h aracte r istically low-keyed modesty , it was wonderful to h ea r how both the Association and the Brigade branches of the Foundation in Uganda though almost enti r ely cut off from the rest of the world, had qu ietly gone on carrying out the purpose that St. John Ambulance exists to serve - often under conditions of ext r eme difficulty and indeed danger , but with courage , honour and integ r ity , in the highest t r aditions of t he Order

The St. John Council for Uganda had decided , as I mentioned in June, that it would be most impolitic to hold meetings as a body for so long as Amin held control of the country, but as individuals they had been most supportive of the work of St. J ohn Ambulance; and it was significant that one of the first things that happened ea r ly in May, very soon after Amin had been driven out of Kampala, was that the St. J ohn Council assembled for its first meeting for about 8 years. At this meeting the Council decided to send J ohn Kintu on an official mission to London at the earliest opportunity bea r ing a letter and report from its Acting Chairman to the Chi e f Commande r. It is still early days. and Uganda mu st continue to remain very much at th e forefront of our thoughts and prayers. But one thing is certain - that S t. John in Uganda is determined to use all its resources of training and service in first aid, nursing and community welfare to heal the wounds that the country has suffered in recent years. In this task it will need all our help and support both mate r ial and spiritual: and while we salute the courage of St. John n Uganda during the past. I have no doubt that we can confidently assure them of our help in meeting the challenge of the future

RESULTS

1st:

2nd:

3rd:

Ambulance

3rd:

Accident Surgery

by P. S. LONDON, MBE, CStJ, FRCS. Surgeon, The Birmingham Accident Hospital and member of the SJA Medical Board

ALTHOUGH the hospital has become world-famous since it was established in 1941 it is by no means unusual for visitors from this country as well as others, to ask, 'What do you do at the Birmingham Accident Hospital?' Some ask how many beds there are, others ask if there are any beds. All this goes to show that accident surgery is not a well known, or at least a generally understood, branch of surgery

Accident surgery can be defined as the surgical and associated care of injured persons, and an accident surgeon is one who spends inuch if not all, of his time looking after injured persons and their injuries. (Let it be noted that the injured person is mentioned first). Treating injuries would be a largely technical exercise were it not for the fact that no two persons are the same in the way in which they react to their injuries and to the treatment recommended. As a result, an attempt should be made to provide the treatment that will best meet the particular patient's requirements as determined by personality, occupation, interest and age.

It may also be asked, what is the difference between accident surgery and accident and emergency work and so-called trauma and orthopaedics?

Accident surgery deals with the effects of injury, whichever part of the body is affected, and it allows the surgeon concerned to take continuing responsibility for his patients from the time when they first come to the hospital until they are finally discharged. Even then, they may come back years later with trouble that may be a late effect of the original injury.

Accident and emergency work is usually confined to the casualty department, where the sick as well as the injured seek attention The accident and emergency specialist has 3 principal tasks other than to organise a service and to teach:

1. To resuscitate the seriously ill or hurt.

2. To despatch to the appropriate specialists the patients with conditions that need their care.

3. To deal with the mass of 'minor'and not-so-minor --,- conditions that need skilled rather than specialised medical attention.

Trauma and orthopaedics. Although trauma is transliterated from a Greek word meaning, particularly, an open wound and , more generally, an IOJury, British orthopaedic surgeons tend to use it to mean injuries of bones, joints, muscles, tendons and nerves.

For the accident surgeon the effects of injuries are his principal if not his sole concern. For the accident and emergency doctor and for the orthopaedic surgeon, dealing with injuries and their effects is only part of his job and they are understandably selective in what they deal with.

A misconception

It is sometimes objected that there can be no justification for one surgeon (and his supporting staff) trying to deal with injuries as diverse as those of the head, chest abdomen, limbs, eyes, face, jaws, blood vessels, and not forgetting burns and scalds. Such objection is usually based on the belief that an accident surgeon is presumptuous enough to set himself up as a neurosurgeon, thoracic surgeon, general surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon, ophthalmic surgeon, maxillofacial, dental, plastic and vascular surgeon all rolled into one. There is no such animal, nor could there be, but to operate on injuries of the head and brain requires much less skill and equipment than to operate on cerebral tumours, aneurysms or selectively to destroy tiny and troublesome foci in the brain. The same applies to the other specialities. Military surgeons are trained and have demonstrated magnificently their

severity. Patients do not like to trouble their doctors (or cannot be bothered to make the neces sa r y arrangements to see them) and come to the ho spita instead, perhaps with so mething that is in no se n se either the result of an accident or an emergency. Night workers may drop in at 3 o'clock in the morning, oblivious of the fact that the doctor t he y see may have been called from the bed into which he or she had flopped ex hau sted only a few minutes before. Emergencies (from the patient's point of view) quite often declare themselves at suc h late hours when th e prospect of an un comforta ble night at home becomes unacceptable. It is interesting o find how often those coming at weekends are acting on the advice of a drinking companion that they 'o ught to have an xray'.

ability to deal with all sorts of injuries from battle In war it is usually necessary to evacuate the wounded after receiving the necessary first surgical treatment but at lea st some of the surgeons to whose further care the wounded are evacuated have in their time been engaged in forward surgical units and possess the skills for both immediate and continuing care. The term basic surgery has been fittingly applied to this. The Accident Hospital is the only hospital in Britain that deals solely with injuries and their effects.

Some figures

About 40,000 new patients are seen each year and over 5,000 of those require admission for periods ranging from a few hours to many months 99% of the patients have not been very severely injured and most of the remaining 1% have been injured by road accidents. The smallness of their proportion gives no hint of the many hours, days and even weeks of concentrated and continuous attention that each one may require from doctors and nurses.

About 3,000 are burned and about 1 in 10 of these needs to be admitted. Their care may continue on and off for years because severe burns cause severe scars, no matter how prompt, skilfully performed and successful skin grafting may be. Growing children outgrow their scars, as it were, so that these have to be 'let out' by grafting from time to time

Apart from the burns unit, which is supported by both the national health service and the medical research council, the surgical staff of the hospital are based on 3 teams that take it in turn to spend 24 hours (48 hours at weekends) on duty for all new patients coming to the hospital. These vary from trivial bumps and bruises that need no medical attention to injuries of the utmost

suicide or deliberately injured their wives, ch ildr en or comp lete strangers

How does this work at the Birmingham Accident Hospital differ from the work of other accident services a nd accident and emergency departments?

A second task, which s performed twice a week, is to keep an eye on out - patients, who mayor may not have been admitted to a ward. The third task is to carry out ward rounds, teaching and operations that are not urgent. It may be asked how it is that an Accident Hospital comes to have 'cold operating lists The answer is that not all patients come immediately afte r being injured and although some need an operation it ca n wait -a torn cart ilage, in the knee, a contracting scar from a burn, failure of a fr actu r e to heal properly - these are conditions that can wait their turn for treatment.

Other work

Apart from the care of patients, there are nurses, medical students and postgraduate students to be taught, research to be carried out, reports to be written, meetings to be attended and so on The doctors are supported in their work by physiotherapists, remedial gymnasts and occupational therapists and also by what used to be ca lled almoners, who still dispense state alms on a vast scale but are now called medical social workers. They have an increasingly important and difficult part to playas families break up and old people li ve in creasingly in iso ation and neither able nor accommodated in such a way as to look after themselves if even slightly handicapped. Such patients a r e usually old and have nowhere to go: they s h ould not be occupying a bed that should be available for someone who ha s been injured - but it may be impos sib le to find anywhere else until many month s ha ve passed. Social workers provide other links between the hospital and the world outside and can give advice and assistance on grants and allowances, aids for the disabled, modifications to the home, s pecial care for those with psychological and social difficulties, and they have an emergency role in dealing with the families of the severely injured and perhaps mentally disturbed persons that ha ve attempted

Firstly, the same group of doctors look s after a patient from arrival to final recovery. Specialised help is available but in many cases it is not necessary. In other services, the patient with severa l injuries may be lo oked after by severa l groups of specialists and may have no idea who 'his' doctor is. In the battle against disability from injury there is need for a ch ief-of-staff, as it we re to co- · ordinate the work of his specia li sed 'divisiona l commanders'. Each method has its advantages and it s disadvantages but increasing specia li sation in training makes it almost impossible nowadays for an accident surgeon, as defined earlier, to come into existence. The emergence of the new specialists in accident and emergency work to deal with a wide range of conditionsbut only in preparation for handing the patient over to _ one or more specialised groups-has turned current thinking against the concept of continuing care on a broad front. Accident surgery is best practised by surgeons who spend all their working time in one hospital and are not afraid of being up all night - perhaps more than once in a week - but there are easier and more profitable ways of making a living.

After that remark, it may be asked what is the attraction that accident surgery can

exert? It is exciting in that important things are liable to happen suddenly and require prompt and decisive action. There is great satisfact ion in seeing a severely injured person re gain colour, awareness and activity in the course of resuscitation and then being alert and perhaps even cheerful and in many ways well after treatment. There are the tragedies of persons that survive as mental and physical cripples, after severe cereb ral injury perhaps, and of complications and other misfortunes but once a person has recovered, that is in many cases that. There is the satisfaction of meeting the many different needs of patients and of trying to decide how best to coax this patient, coerce that and jolly the next along; of planning a programme for the management of an unusual or serious injury and seeing that plan completed successfully some months and perhaps several operations

This is the stuff of medicine and surgery in all its forms - the personal and the technical challenge - but for some it is most satisfyingly found in the care of injured persons and their injuries.

For the information of those who have heard rumours that the Birmingh am Accident Hospital is to close it can be sta ted firmly and clearly that the powers-that-be that make plans, take decisions and provide money have stated their firm intention to keep the hospital in being, together wit h its burns unit and the support of the medical research council, and accommodate it in new premises next to a district general hospital.

The Birmingham Accident Hospital - soon to move to new premises

THE DARMSTADT Division of West Germany 's Johanniter Unfall-Hilfe celebrated their twentieth anniversary last April and as the town is twinned with Chesterfield, Derbyshire, an invitation was received for a party of St. John Ambulance members to join them for six days , staying with Johanniter families, for the celebrations.

So on April 24 a party of fifteen members under the leadership of the County Secretary Mrs. Claire Lambley, left Heathrow Airport and were met at Frankfurt Airport by members of the Johanniter. Their minibuses transported us to the homes of our host families and were used throughout the following few days to take us to the various places of interest and events.

A welcoming party was held on the first evening in the Darmstadt Parish Hall, with a speech of welcome by the Area Commissioner, Herr Reinhardt Krug von Nida, who is a priest of the local Lutheran Church. He was presented with a gift from our party of a crystal glass Centenary Goblet, which he assured us would be given a place of honour in their headquarters

Vastly different

The following day we were taken on a tour of the Johanniter Operational Headquarters. Their organisation is vastly different to S1. John Ambulance in the UK. The Johanniter is part of the Health Service, assisting in the operation of the ambulance service with the Red Cross and two similar organisations. Conscription is still in force in West Germany and young people may serve in the Johanniter in preference to the Armed Forces. Many remain in the Johanniter after their period of compulsory service and continue as volunteers.

The Darmstadt Division had six minibuses, two of them equipped with ambulifts, two extremely well-equipped ambulances used as Flying Squad vehicles

SJA Derbyshire visit Johanniter Darmstadt

and several ambulances which were out on duty, all of them in communication with the radio control room in the Divisional headquarters.

We then visited the Johanniter Federal School at Nieder Weisel, where we were welcomed by Wolfgang 'George' Mahr (a regular visitor to Nottingham) who is the Training Officer. We also visited the Order Church, adjacent to the Federal School , which was used as a hospice in the Middle Ages. For 60 years the church was used as a cow shed by a local farmer but was then returned to the Order. It is now the Headquarters of the Order in West Germany. After lunch in the Federal School we were shown a film made for the Johanniter of an accident on one of the local autobahns. It was one of the finest training films I have ever seen, interspersed with a commentary by Wolfgang Mahr. A film such as this would, I'm sure, be highly criticised in this country as an invasion of patient's privacy, but it is a valuable aid to training. The film highlights the use of helicopters, supplied by the Federal Government, for dealing with emergency situations. At present eighteen helicopters are in use but this is to be increased to 25 by August 1979.

Demonstrations given by the staff of the various training aids used at the school gave us much food for thought about our own meagre resources back home. A startling revelation was that the average age of the members of the J ohanniter was 21 Y2 years!

The next day a Civic Reception was held at the Darmstadt Town Hall, where we were met by the Burgermeister Horst Seffrin. We visitors were all presented with a bound book on Darmstadt and a lapel badge with a coat of arms of the town. The local press was there in force and a group picture appeared in the Darmstadt Echo that evening.

Father Manfred Knodt, who has been

A getting-to-know-each-other trip to West Germany by D. LAMBlEY, Area Supt.

very involved with the twinning arrangement with Chesterfield took us on a tour of the local Lutheran Church. A lovely church with a magnificent organ, one of our nursing members accepted an in v itation to give a short recital. A climb of 250 steps to the bell tower rewarded us with a wonderful view of the town, and a shuddering experience when the clock struck noon Father Knodt kindly invited us to lunch in the Church Hall where we had our first taste of German sausages.

After lunch we went on a guided tour of places of interest in the town, including the lovely Russian Orthodox Church. A spirited rendering of the 23rd Psalm by our group after a hymn had been sung by a German party, was a fitting climax to the visit.

After supper we invited our hosts to a party at a local hostelry, where everyone enjoyed themselve s

Further insight

A visit to the local fire headquarters the following morning gave us a further insight into the deep involvement of the Johanniter in the efficient rescue organisation of the town. Here was a Johanniter member, sitting alongside a Red Cross member, manning one of the control consoles in the operations room. The equipment used by the Fire Service, especially for rescue, was breathtaking and brought back memories of the TV series 'Thunderbirds'.

We had a free afternoon for sightseeing in the town before the 20th Anniversary Celebrations in the evening at the Parish Hall of Friedensgemeide. Here there were 200 guests, many speeches were made (all in German) , and string music was rendered by a 10hanniter doctor and his family. Gifts

were presented to the Johanniter from various organisations followed by a buffet and a massive tom bola. We managed to win quite a few prizes and everyone had a wonderful evening. An invitation was extended to us for 1980, when the rural area of Darmstadt are holding anniversary celebrations within their Division. I am sure there will be no problems in assembling a group for that date!

Saturday morning was free but several of us were able to visit the stab le s of Herr Josef Nickerman, the famous Olympic dressage rider. In lovely sunshine, we were able to watch famous horses being put through their paces in fabulous surroundings A visit to the city of Heidelburg in the afternoon gave us a chance to purchase souvenirs and gifts.

On the final day we attended a church service in the Johannes Church, followed by a morning barbeque in the garden of the Church Hall. Sausages , beer and minerals were the order of the day. We met the County Commissioner , Herr B. Von Plathen of Hessen who invited us to visit them again. In the afternoon, four Johanniter minibuses took our group and some Johanniter members on a tour of Oppenheim, where we visited the Katharinen Church with its famous glass windows and Charnel House. Here was a rather gruesome reminder of the 30 year war of about 1400 AD - the bones

of over 20 , 000 bodies stacked neatly in orderly piles

Another interesting visit was to the wine cellar of the Hugenotten family, where we were able to sample and compare various local wines An official farewell was made to us by the Area Commissioner, more badges and certificates were presented to our group, also a silk embroidered Johanniter pennant was given to our County Secretary for display in the County Office.

At 7 o'clock the following morning we bid farewell to our hosts. Herr Rainer Mattes, the Divisional Secretary presented us with a beautiful cake, decorated with the emblem of the Johanniter Unfall - Hilfe , to eat on our

It was a wonderful visit to our friends

Darmstadt , made possible only through the kindness and hospitality of the members of the Johanniter Unfall-Hilfe. We hope to meet them again in Germany and in this country in 1980. Many new friendships were made. And the ties between our two organisations have indeed been strengthened.

GREATER MANCHESTER

Departure time for the pa rt y from Chesterfield Station (Photo: Sheffield Newspapers Ltd .)

A Johanniter rescue wagon Co

Beryl Pha r (2nd from right )

PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUPS

from Mrs G. A. Vines. Divisional Superintendent

Last October at the conference in London I asked a question about doing a short F.A. course for pre-sch oo playgroups. Mr. W. Oliver, the National Training Officer, took my name and phone number an d I thought that was that! But to my amazement I had an invitation from Bill Oliver to meet to discuss the matter with him. I did not realise what I was letting myself in for!

I collected my argument together and with all the answers I went to Grosvenor Crescent. Mr. Oliver was very interested and really spiked my guns by telling me to set the ball rolling and report my findings.

With the help of my local Playgroup parents , I gave four 2-hour lectures on first aid (the syllabus was recommended by Mr. Oli ver from a one-day course). The mothers were very impressed and it whetted their appetites for more knowledge. I had ten mums in the class and four have since signed to take a full F.A. course. At the end of the course six of them wrote me their feelings about the course and I was most surprised and gratified by their helpful comments.

The outcome of all this is that the London Pre -School Playgroup organiser has , with discussion at Morle y College , agreed to incorporate this short course in the Pre-School Playgroup Leaders Course with a view to extending it to other colleges, probably throughout the counties.

The beaut y of this is that a good la y instructor ca n do the course quite easily and there is no examination to arrange at the end.

Should any County wish to try and extend this course in their a re a I should be only too pleased to help pass on my knowledge, and will always put them in touch with their local Pre-School Pla ygro up organiser.

This course has obviously got its drawbacks , but I found that it gave me a great deal of satisfaction to impart some useful knowledge.

Incidentally I am now looking for other sources to use this four 2hour course. It s an admirable source for ne w members, ha ving given the public a taste of first aid and jf put to them properly they wi ll want to take a full course.

147 Half Moon Lane , London 5E24 Gwen Vines

300 BC LEG PROSTHESIS

from Dr. Ian Fletcher Assistant Surgeon -in - Chief

I was most interested to read A IM Dan Little 's article Swimming with the Handicapped (June Review).

In his comments about artificial limbs he mention s the leg prosthesis which was found at Capua about 300BC and thought to be still in existence. Some months ago I tried to trace its whereabouts and learned that it was in the museum of the Royal Colleg e of Surgeons but was completely destroyed when the College was so badl y d a maged during World War II

May I correct a small but important error which crept into Mr. Little's text? Modern artificial limbs fit onto stumps (or the trunk when no stump exists) and are definitely not 'wired' into the nerves There have been a few very inaccurate press reports recently about children having to undergo operations in order to wear myo -electric arm prostheses and this has caused a certain amount of confusion.

Apart from this little inaccuracy I much enjoyed the article and lo ok forward to its continuation in next month's issue

Headquarters Ian Fletcher

JUNE COVER PHOTO

from R. l. Coleman. Sergeant

With the other members of this Division I was appalled by the cover photo of the June Review, showing six Brigade members , four of them officers , attempting to load an ambulance. Adverse reaction to photographs such as this is summed up in the June Ambulance Journal, where a correspondent refers to 's truggling amateurs'. It really needs only two people to load an ambulance: provided th ey both know what they are doing Photos like this create a bad public

im age They are on ly useful for illustrating how not to do it ; YOU CANT SEE THE PATIENT FOR THE PIPS.

Farnborough & Cove Division R. L. Coleman

The Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. J. C. Graham, writes:

Whilst accepti n g that there is some substance in this criticism of the cover photograph in the June Review we cannot tell from the photograph what other circumstances s urro unded this incident - thi s did take place during the demonstration in Southall. It is quite cl e ar they are not at that moment loading the ambulance. They appear to be making the patient comfortable on the stretcher and co vering him with a blanket which I agree should not involve six m e n I am pe rsona ll y prou d to be a 'strugg lin g amateur and ' knocking each other without possessing the fu ll facts creates an equall y bad public ima ge. Despite the June Ambulance Journal I do not think our image has ever shone brighter than in recent months

INSIGNIA FOR SALE

from Mrs. Winifred M. James. Area Superintendent (R)

At a re ce n t antique sale I was amazed to see part of the insignia and the miniature medals which had be onged to a Knight of the Order for sa le and marked at the pr ice of £95

Is there any official ruling on thi s matter? If not, are ther e an y means whereby insignia , decorations and meda ls can be returned to Headq u arters if relatives of the deceased member do not wish to re tain them , rather than that they should end up on a junk stall ?

Would it be possible for the Order to take the initiative in m a kin g some official arrangement whereby insignia , decorations and St. John badges should not be allowed to be offered for sale in the open market , as it does tend to belittle the stat u s of t h e Order of St. John ?

I sha ll be pleased to h ear of othe r members' feelings about hi s matter

Great Malvern Winifred M. Jam es

The Secretary-General writes:

The Chancery is always glad to receive the insignia of deceased m embers if their relatives do not want to keep them. But the insignia a r e their personal property , so we can hardly insist ; and unfortunatel y it is well known that medals of all kinds command a high value nowada ys on t he antique mark et.

VALUE OF COMPETITIONS

from Mrs G A. Vines Divisional Superintendent

May I say how much I enjoyed Miss Pfister's report on the Medical Conference 79 (June Review) but what a s h ame that we co uld not all enjo y s uch obvio u s ly excellent lectures.

H ow right Dr. Roylance is ! Competitions s hould be training exercises. For years I did competition work , but un fortu n ate y due to business commitments I ha ve not been ab le to co mp ete, but it neve r ceases o a m aze me h ow in accidents competition training comes to the fo re. Confidence in o ne 's ability is a prime factor, whether in competitions o r for real, and we can on ly develop this by competitive training.

One of the newer members of our Division and team who had not a lot of confidence in herself, recently had to perform mouth -to - mouth resuscitation and external heart massage. She is n ow 'ove r the moon ', but o nl y because s h e went in feeling confide n t that she cou ld help the patient, and was ab le to delegate police help and bystanders.

Mind you she nearly needed first aid herself after the casualty was removed!

.1980 YEAR

OF NURSING

London 5E24 Gwen Vines Now is the time to plan your training project at home or abroad for next year

1980 h as been des ignated the Year of training projects planned under (c) above in Nursing in St. John The a im is to improve order that members may apply for them in the quality of nursing training within St. order of preference, and plan their holidays John Ambulance and make it more for next year accordingly. Where sponsors attractive, while recognising that first aid have not yet provided firm dates , applicants remains our first priority. At the same time it s hould indicate when in 1980 they could be is intended to encourage more members of available for the desired project(s). the public to learn basic home nur s ing. APPLICA nONS

To mee t the a bove aims it is planned : Members s hould apply in writing direct to:

a To inaugurate annual Nursing Headquarters St. John Ambulance, 1 Bur s arie s , details of which have Grosvenor Crescent, London SW IX 7EF. alread y been published in June 79 Envelopes s hould be marked Year of Re view a nd Brigade Orders Ma y 79 Nursing in the top left - hand corner

Age Limit

There is no age limit for adult Brigade members on the Acti v e Li s t , but where dut y in hospital is involved attention is drawn to Brigade Gene r al Regulation 107a

Overseas

b. To encour a ge more members of the The following information onl y is required public to take a nursing cour se and so at this stage: improve their ability to care for the Full Name s ick and t he elderl y at home. R ank / A ppo intm ent Da te of B r h c. To g ive qua li fied adult Brigade D iv isio n o r F o r ma ion volunteers will be able to alter their order of preference , up to a closing date to be announced later

Ambulance dispute in South Glamorgan

THE ambulance crews of South Glamorgan staged a 24-hour strike from 00.01 hrs. to 23.59 hrs. on Monday, January 22, 1979. St. John Ambulance, helped by the Mountain Rescue , Emergency Corps, and Army personnel, covered the 24 hours. Four army ambulances, complete with crews and a major in charge, were used.

The volunteer services were organised by the Commissioner for South Glamorgan, Dr. George Mitchell, and four Brigade ambulances were used during the day. There were 47 volunteers, 38 of whom were St. John personnel.

During the 24-hours only emergency work was carried out; there were 33 calls. 20 of these were accepted by the army, 11 by St. John Ambulance, one each by the Mountain Re scue and the Emergency Corps crews.

On March 16, the ambulance personnel of South Glamorgan were again in dispute with the Health Authority and a complete strike commenced at lOa m that day. It continued until March 28, when the members belonging to the General Municipal Workers Union returned to fulltime duty at midnight. However, members belonging to the

NEWS from WALES

National Union of Public Employees did not return to duty.

This meant that part of the Vale of Glamorgan was not covered for emergencies and the volunteers Gontinued to cover these areas until midnight, March 30, when the NUPE members returned to norm al working.

During this period the radio control was situated in the Temple of Peace and Health, with a direct line to the Ambulance Control HQ and a direct radio link to our Brigade headquarters in the Castle Mews. This meant that the ambulances and crews could wait in the Mews until they were required, when they proceeded to the Temple of Peace.

The co-ordinator of volunteers manning vehicles throughout this dispute was again the Commissioner.

Of the 117 volunteers, 82 were St. John Ambulance personnel; there were also volunteers from the administrative staff of the AHA. Eleven ambulances were operated from 8am to midnight , and seven from midnight to 8am each day of the dispute. The ambulances were crewed by a driver a first -aider and an attendant.

During the period in question there were 895 calls answered, 427 of these calls were 999 and other emergencies and 468 were

New Chief Surgeon

A Cardiff GP Dr David Will ia mson ha s been appointed the new Chief Surgeon for Wales and will advise the Chief Commissioner on all matters concerning medical and su rgical work of SJA in Wales as well as be responsibl e for training Dr Williamson who qualified in Edinburgh joined St. John in 1965 as a Divisional Surgeon and was promoted through several posts unti the present top appointment. Altogether 215 doctors are involved in active St. John service n Wales (photo : S Wales Echo!' routine admissions and discharges.

During the last two days, March 29 and 30, the volunteers cove red only the emergencies at Barry and Cowbridge, with 27 calls.

Valuable experience was gained by Brigade members. for it was quite different applying mouth -to -mouth resuscitation to a 20 -stone man who had been drinking, with vomit still around hi s mouth, to training sessions in clean surroundings.

A letter was received from the Chairman of the South Glamorgan Area H ealt h Authority which read : 'We couldn't ha ve g0t by without you.' Donations to St. John Funds were received from two elderly ladies from Ely who were visiting Cardiff, and £ 10 from a boy who had been subjected to many unkind remark s by the pickets at the Royal Infirmary a t Cardiff.

Keith Dunn

AUDIO VISUAL AIDS by

Phillip Adams

IT IS a marvellou s feeling to be able to say J told you so'. Earlier this year a ve r y distin g ui s hed per so na ge wrote to my chairman to sugges t the St. John Ambulance multi -med ia appraisal panel s hould not sc reen material recei ved from out s ide the UK. When my chairman showed me the lett e r [ s u ggested that it was not fundamentally a good idea. Thereafter, the fir st. film that we showed to our panel meetIng bor e o ut my thoughts. It was in fact one of the best tr a ining film s ] have ever seen entitled Ho spita ls Don 't Burn Down (Australian).

This is one of those films that s impl y s hould be seen by everybody. Appraisal panel member Dr. Lucas, who is an adviser to the Home Office in re spec t of fires and re uscitation, was extreme ly impres sed by thi S production. I sugges t to all our members tha.t they bear it in mind for a county trainIng day. disaster exercise, special eve nt or a li ke. It 's a real horror movie. I have a copy for loan at £ I 0 per exhibition.

[ am somewhat dismayed that the absolutely splendid film Instructional Te chnique (which is in 4 parts) has not been used more by our members; I hope that when courses star t during the Autumn / Winter period. people will take advantage of this excellent film - it is of course also recom mended by Pa t Adams. the Chief Officer Brigade Training.

I ofte n have phone calls asking what is the late st position in respect of St. John films. Here it is in a nut shell; there is an old film made by a former Lord Prior entitled The Lord Prior 's Film - this is a brief journey to Jerusalem, Crete. Malta , etc .. and though an amateur production has a g reat deal of charm. There is the excellent film The Order of St. John which was made a few yea rs ago. Next there is To Sustain Life, which is the James Archibald Centenary Film. mainly the work of the Brigade And finally Knight s of Malta , which was shown in a BBC2 Chronicle Programme. This transfers exceptionally well to the 16mm ratio and all who have seen it have strongly recommended its exhibition; it's one of those films that can be shown at a Brigade evening or more spec ificall y to friends , relations and people outside the Foundation.

The SJ A 16mm film library has been transferred to Messrs. Golden Films; in thi s · co nn ection t he y merely act as our age nts. po st the film s, inspect them, etc. - by thi s means we hope we can render a better

for some reason the panel seemed to think that I was their target!

When J was in Brigh to n at the Briti sh Indu s trial Scientific Film Festival. one of the th.ings .shown wa s the Exhibition of Training Film s In 3D. 3 D is of course nothing new , but to have a 3D training film on normal 16mm is new. A new company called Steno Image Technique s is working on the documentary film to give 3D service: will be very interesting to see what happens In re s pect of thi s project. Alas , such films st ill need spec ial viewing glasses.

se rv ice to all of our users. But reque sts for films should sti ll be addressed to me at He adqua rter s - Philip Adams, Secretar y, Visual Aids, St. John Ambulance, I Grosvenor Crescent, London SW IX 7EF.

I hear from the Ministry of Defence that there is a project whereby those absolutely splend td Ro yal Navy films Give Him Air and Don 't Let Him Die are down for revision in the future: however I don't anticipate that any of these films in their revised versions wil l be available until 198 1. Give Him Air has been such a stand-by for us that I am s ure all members will be delighted to hear that it will be brought up to date and in line with modern - day procedures.

Another new film acquired for the library IS One in Five. This is a 20 -minute colour film that shows that during their working life one in five people have a heart attack ; it postulates that, contrary to popular belief, rr:anual workers are more prone to coronary disease than executives working under s tre ss It shows early warning signals. etc. and tells the n:ajority of us to modify our life-style: thiS tS available for £5 and is strongly recommended.

Talking of modifying life styles. I took a certain amount of s tick at a Multi -Media Appraisal Panel earlier this month. There were two Camera Talks tape / slide presentations. one entitled Fit or Fat and the other Problem Drink ing Both of the e presentations are really splendid. but

OVERSEAS

Sri Lanka

The newly appointed Commissioner (le ft )

Dr S. F De Zoysa with the Commander

Dr Oswin Fe r nando

Superintendent Mrs. S V. Alyar and the Dis t rict Jud ge a the annual insp ec tion of SJA Gamp at ha

Dr. Fernando spoke of the co ncern of Sri Lanka's SI. John Council for the teaching of first aid in industry as well as in schools and to the publi c. Industri a accidents and deaths n the country were on the increas e

I see that our old friends the Graves Medical Library a re toying with the idea of making a bank of slides of injuries Pa t Turnbull. one of the stalwarts of the Institute of Medical and Bio logical Illustrators. has been engaged on a project to find out if this is feasible. Naturally I have written to Dr. John Graves and said we should be delighted to offer any co-operation that we can. To have slides available of all sorts of injuries would be of the greatest value to our in structors. r hope this project comes to fruition.

The Medical Conference held at Nottingham in April was a fantastic s ucce ss and many of the papers referred to training a nd the use of audio visuals in training. Five tapes of the conference are available from this office at £3 each. Available individually. the subjects covered are:

and

While at the Festival in Brighton we made a to the Engineerium at Hove. Anyone thinkIng of coming to this area. I recommend a vis it. for it is absolutely splendid. Follow it with a trip to the Church a t Sompting, of which the Order of St. John is a patron This would make a delightful day out! Enjoy you rse lf.

News from Divisions/Centres

A call for urgent aid. (3). 20. Point to certain confusion in nitrogenous constituent of muscle. (8). 21. Bird and French part of alimentary tract. (6). 23. Just rewards from many a

, Nannau Doigellau Gwynedd, tel. Dol gella u 422255.

wild seed. (5). 24. Part of body lost when humiliated (4). 26. Commanding officer with a degree is in a deeply uncon scio u s state. (4). 29. Small hawk commonly seen in Britain (7). 31. Pains return as one arrives. (7) 32. Watery di sc harge produced when he is immersed in rum (5). 33. Elucidation of nature of a disease could be aiding 19 Across. (9).

Down:

1. Infective agent of influenza measles , poliom ye litis, and s mallpox (5). 2. Perhaps only one of those present is suffering from a m ental defect. (3.3.5). 3. Unusual association of artist and engineer. (4). 4. Weapon chewed by ruminant with fractured leg. (6). 5. Use rin se producing involuntary passage of urine (8) 6. Hash about right becomes rough to the touch (5). 7. Electrical discharge causing pain ful eye condition. (3). 8. For 28 Down , it is likely to include analgesics. (9). 14. Crude package of conducting tissue in 6 Down appears to belong to him. (6.2.3) 15. Clenched hand is in foot. (4). 16. The sinoatrial node. (9) 17. Ode to a female animal. (3). 18 Pack a body orifice to control bleeding. (4). 19. Breathed noisily due to nasal obstruction. (8). 22. Scrap wrongly with a distinguished anatomist. (6). 24. A large number after sure disorder in part of blood. (5) 27. Rough sea about half beasts of burden. (5). 28 Father in a response to injury. (4). 30. Apply sense of sight to an ecclesiastical district. (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 7(79)

Across:

I. Endemic; 5. Eyeball; 9. Go.nad; 10. Suffocate; II. Torpor ; 13. Levy ; 14. MOH; 16. Range; 17. Marijuana; 20. Broken leg; 22. Drink; 24. Lay; 25. Rash; 26. Vessel; 28. Paregoric; 29. Bolus ; 30. Rost.rum; 31. Tetanus.

Down:

1. Eighth rib; 2. D.end r.on; 3 M.a.d; 4 Case; 5. Effleurage; 6. E.bony; 7. Anaemia; 8. Leech; 12. Obese; 15. Emplastrum; 18 Judge; 19. Ankylosis; 21. Oxyuris; 23. Insulin; 24. Leper ; 25. Rigor ; 27. Scot; 29 Bit.

Crossword No. 6(79):

netelast

Netelast in the new , specially designed, handy-to-carry St. John packs makes bandaging body sites easier and than ever before. No cutting or Just follow the instructions and diagrams on each sachet.

FOR YOUR AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY EOUIPMENT

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PLEASE SEND FDR COMPLETE BROCHURE

SUMMER

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A/Co mm G A. Fo rb es (Phot os Neill Burro w , Sh effo d)

IT MUST be an occupational hazard of all co l umnist s to s uffer occas ional moments of depression when the y wo nder whether an y one e ver reads their column and at other times to fear that their reader s ma y gi ve their remark s a grea t er w eight of authorit y than the y either pos s ess or were intended to con ve y. By the end of 1979 I shall ha v e had the v er y real p leasure of w riting to y ou eve r y month for eight y ears , and I'm certainl y no exception in ha vi ng experienced both the s e hazards during that tim e. M an y kind readers ha ve been mo st encouraging in the w a y th ey h av e urged me to carry on , and th eir insistence has if anything incre as ed during the pas t 18 months since I re t ired from the ac tiv e l is t of the Brigade While th is is very g ratify ing , I can ' t help feeling ( a) that there must be other read er s who w ish I would stop but are too polite to sa y so , and ( b) that I'm probabl y getting stale without perhaps realising it , a nd that it would be good both for St. John and for the R ei f ew if in the fairl y ne ar future At Random w ere either take n o ver b y s omeone else or replaced by somethin g to ta ll y different.

The chief value of the Re v ie w, as I see it , is as a means of communicat ion throughout the whole of the St. John famil y - the Order , the Hospital , the Association and the Brigade - both at home and o verseas , involving the sharing not merel y of factua l information (whether about our history , our first aid and nursing techniques , our recent activities or our future plans ), but also the sharing and discussion of suggestions and ideas. In th is wa y it can become a forum for the exchange of ideas as well as news , and at least sometimes a means of challenging , stimulating and even inspiring us to make fresh efforts and seek new horizons in our quest for better and more effective wa y s of carr y ing out our service to mankind as the changing years go b y

THE opening of the first purpose-built Association industrial training centre by Mr. P. A. Lingard Director-Genera l of St. John Ambulance Association, at Digby Hospital, Exeter, on Jul y 25 was a landmark in the history of SJA. And SJA Devon should be

The ne new Centre is ready for work

A LANDMARK IN INDUSTRIAL TRAINING

First purpose-built Centre opened in Exeter by Devon Association

proud that they conceived and executed this project.

The purpose of the Centre is to meet the ever-increasing tasks given to St. John Ambulance by legislation contained in the Factories Act 1961, Section 61 , the

Construction Act (Hea lth and Welfare Regs.), the Offices, Shops and Railways Premises Act 1963, and the new and particularly important Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974.

Monthly courses

To meet all the requirements of these Act s and their additions and amendments, St. John Ambulance in Devon has organised monthly courses in industrial first aid occupational first aid , cleaner food handling, hygiene and welfare. The new Centre will teach these subjects to industrial and commercial candidates. Particular attention however, will be given to the 4 -day course in first aid which specialises in the treatment of injuries likely to occur in an industrial or commercial environment in particular.

It is also planned to hold additional courses for teachers youth organisation s and voluntary bodies where a knowledge of first aid , welfare and nursing would be appropriate. These courses will be held in the

evenings or at weekends.

Staff for the courses has been drawn from the most experienced and knowledgeable SJA doctors, SRNs and lay instructors in the County , most of whom have been directly involved in industry or commerce and/or hold Occupational First Aid certificates.

Help from

Planning for this Centre, which took over a year to complete, included financial backing by the Devon County Council and Exeter City Council, as well as considerable help in site selection by the Area Health Authority. The SJA Devon County Director, Major M. J. Malcolm, thanks these bodies for their co -operation help and understanding, which have been instrumental to the succe s sful completion of the proj ect.

In addition

In addition to this Special Centre in Devon there are over 30 St. John Ambulance Centres Branches and Brigade operations which run first aid and nursing courses for the general public There are also

Association training units in Torquay , Plymouth, Sidmouth and Braunton where industrial first aid training and other related courses can be taken by those unable to attend the Exeter Centre due to ti me and distance factors.

Leading body

St. John Ambulance is of course the leading certificate issuing body in the United Kingdom annually training more than 87,000 industrial workers in first aid. In an average week, about 5,000 first aid certificates were awarded to people in all walks of life, from mammoth industries to remote villages. The UK's working population of 25 million would suggest a trained first aid requirement for industrial purposes alone of some 500,000 people. This does not take into account the needs of the general public or schools with over 8 million children. The modern comprehensive school contains as much plant and equipment as the average small factory and therefore qualified first -aiders on the staff is a mandatory prerequisite within the educational system. In Devon, this problem has been fully recognised by the Educational Authori ties

and St. John is working closely with them to fulfil a need for at least one first-aider 10 every school in the count y A first aid qualification has many use s:

1. It gives people another skill.

2. It equips them to aid their family the public and occasionally even themselves in cases of injury and sudden illness.

3. It may equip them to join the specified number of first-aiders who are required by law in industry on a scale of 1 to 50 workers

4. It teaches self-reliance and s afety consciousness.

5. It provides knowledge for youth leaders engaged in adventure activities

6. It is invaluable for teachers and anyone in charge of young folk.

With the opening of its new Industrial Training Centre , Devon St. John Ambulance Association has set itself up to carry out adequately the objective of the Order - for the Service of Mankind.

NEW NATION WIDE FUND RAISING

St John and littlewoods launch lottery

WHATEVER may be said about the evils of money , there is no way of running St. John without an ample supply of it. Funds have to be raised if first aid is to be given. And much better if both can be performed relatively pain le ssly So in fund-raising terms the opportunity offered by a new liaison between The Order and Littlewoods Lotteries Ltd is less time -consuming and more cost- effective then most.

The Order of St. John is sponsoring a series of lotteries which are managed by Littlewoods. The Company has produced a series of instant lotteries each of 40,000 tickets which sell at 25p each. The income from each lottery is therefore £10,000, of which St. John receives £4 000. £3,800 is devoted to prizes and the remainder of £2,200 goes to the operators and vendors

The buyer of a ticket knows almost immediately if it is a prize winner, which is why the lotteries are called 'instant'.

But we need your help. Will members and supporters of St. John ask their friendly newsagent, tobacconist, publican (any retailer in constant touch with the general public , not forgetting the works' canteen) if they would be interested in helping St. John by placing the lotter y tickets on sale? The three main reasons why they should do this are:

1. They will be helping St. John.

2. They recieve 7 % c ommission from the operators Littlewoods.

3. The attraction of the product may bring in new customers

Once the name and address of the retailer is passed to Grosvenor Crescent (an ample supply of simple forms is readily available) the St. John invol v ement is at an end.

A representative from Littlewoods , with full explanations , tickets and posters , will then call on the retailer and continue to look after him for as long as he stays in the scheme Retailers may drop out at any time they wish. At the close of each lottery money due to St. John is sent to Grosvenor Crescent with a full breakdown of the various sources from which is was derived. One half is then forwarded to the Counties with details of where the tickets were sold.

So the more effort you make the more funds for your County.

This method of fund raising is so painless that there are bound to be some who suspect its simplicity. Some people say that there are so many of these lotteries around that St. John would never be able to establish sales points for themselves. One person on the Isle of Wight has established eight in as many days! Asked how he did it, he replied 'I asked'. Some people will refuse, but because we are St. John the percentage of refusals will be lower than for most other causes.

An added extra is that the money derived

from this source is in addition to other fund raising that you may undertake. Most of the people who purchase a ticket are not doing so to support St John. The y are buying a ticket ( more likely two tickets) in the hope that they win the top prize of £ 1 000.

This income for the whole of St. John is supplementary - and regular.

It is also possible to extend the project. Littlewoods hold an unlimited supply of St. John lottery tickets. And of course they can be used at any function you organise or service. At the West Midlands Spectacular, for instance held at the beginning of June 12,500 tickets (£3,1£5) were sold on behalf of a much less known charity (Littlewoods provided the stand and some staff and the charity received the extra 7 % sales commission).

So if you are involved in or know of any such show, exhibition , gala etc, regard it as an opportunity for fund raising. Please let me know about it in good time, so that between us we can arrange everything and make full use of the opportunity.

For further information about these lotteries write to me, John Pellow, at 1 Grosvenor Crescent London, SWl. If you wish you can have practical help as well. This is not money for old rope. This is money for new ambulances - and somewhere to keep them. For new equipment. Help towards that new HQ Help that you are constantly needing. Help that is now organised on a national scale.

HOW OFTEN have you come upon a traffic accident and want to help but are not sure what to do first? You have your skills, but rushing in straightaway to render first aid is not always the most important factor or indeed the wisest thing to do

Every accident situation is different. So it is not possible to lay down a set of pr iority rules which are hard and fast.

There are , however a number of factors to be considered and acted upon as the circumstances dictate.

Whenever an accident occurs it is usual for a number of poe pIe to stop at the scene. Basically these people fall into three categories

Those who wander around aimlessly just adding to the hazard which exists. The would-be - helpers who are willing and capable of rendering assistance but need someone better able to cope with the situation to tell them what to do. Then there is YOU.

A quick but thorough appraisal of the scene is well repaid since it will allow you to see what needs to be done and to formulate an overall plan in order of priorities

You cannot do everything yourself. But once you know exactly what requires attention you can direct others and then concentrate on the task for which you are best suited.

Much will depend , of course , upon how you arrive at the scene. Usually this will be in your own car or as a passenger in someone else's. Let us look at some of the common sense rules which apply in such a case.

Protect the scene

Firstly you should endeavour to PROTECT THE SCENE It is most important that other drivers readily recognise the hazard ahead and so avoid running slap-bang into it.

If several cars have already stopped in positions which shield the approach side of the accident you should try to pull up on the 'safe' side, that is beyond the accident. If this is not possible due to the road being obstructed, the best place to park your car is close to the nearside of the road or clear of the road altogether.

If you are the first on the scene, stop your car at least 20 metres before the obstruction. Open the doors wide on both sides of your vehicle and leave them open. (See Fig. 1)

This will not only enable drivers coming up behind you to see your vehicle sooner (because of the greater visual area) but the wide open doors will tell them your car is stationary.

On motorways and other roads for fast moving traffic, it is probably safer to pull well over to the nearside but in any case the 'buffer-zone' should be increased accordingly.

First actions at a traffic accident by

DON FRANKLIN

Do n Franklin, SBStJ, is a se n io r police ojJice r who has served for many years in Ihe IrajJic deparlmenl of his force. His inleresl in firsl aid and road IrajJic accidenl procedures spans more Ihan 30 years and SIems from his ea (l' experiences as a vol unla ry ambulance driver allendanl prior 10 Ihe establishmenl ofafull-lime service He joined SI. John A mbulance as a cadel and 25 years later became Area Commissioner for NOrlh Oxfordshire, an appointment he ha s held for 10 years. In passing on some of Ihe experlise he has gained in managing road accidenl silualions he mentions one piece of advice he himself had Ihe good sense 10 wke as a you ng co nslable - he married a Siale Regislered Nurse

Immediately you stop, put on your fourway flashers. Experience has shown that this warning device is more readily recognised than any other form of hazard marker currently available to the motorist

Incidentally, if your car does not have a system fitted it is well worth the relatively small expense involved to have this done

If your family or friends are also in your car and you cannot pull up in a safe position , make sure they get well clear of the car as soon as possible. It would be dreadful if another vehicle crashed into the back of your car and they were stiLI in it. On a motorway and especially if they are not going to help, have them move right off the carriageway and hardshoulder, where they will be at minimal risk.

At night

At night do not leave your car on the carriageway if this can be avoided. If possible, position it so that the front I?oints

lighting conditions Mine originally had tapes on each side, but I found these rather fiddly so I replaced them with a single piece of elastic

Put the safety jacket on immedi a tel y you get out of your car at the scene of the accident, otherwise you will never find time to get into it. In addition to making you at least ten times more conspicious , a safety jacket somehow gives y ou status. It puts you in the s ame uniform as the emergency services and the would - be helpers w ill more readily accept your directions.

Golden rule

Always remember the golden rule which applies at the scene of any road accident. Never turn your back on moving traffic while the scene is unprotected. This rule is paramount on a motorway or dual carriageway, where in a matter of seconds a speck in the distance can become a ton of metal hurtling towards you and as lethal as a cannon ball. You must never allow yourself to become a casualty and try to prevent others from becoming one too.

directly at any obstruction at an angle of about 30 degrees to the road. (See Fig 2)

Your headlight s will then illuminatE: the hazard without causing dazzle to drivers approaching from the opposite d irection

Ask other drivers arriving at the scene to do the same.

If you or anyone else has a beacon type lamp the place for this is on the roof of a car on one of the approaches. The shiny roof will reflect and magnify its light, and its he ig ht will add considerably to the distance from which it can be seen. Never put such a lamp on the road itself. For not only does this reduce the distance of visibility but it will not be seen by a driver really close to it. And more than likely it will be squashed flat in a very short time

Narrow Roads

On a narrow winding road , as soon as several people become available , ge t someone to stand along the road in either direction at a sufficient distance from t he accident to warn other motorists. They should be instructed not to stand in the road and to wave a piece of clothing such as a scarf, for the best effect. I would emphasise, however that I do not recommend this action at night or in conditions of poor visibility.

Having protected the scene , it is equally important to PROTECT YOURSELF. I always carry a safety jacket in the glove pocket of my car next to the first aid kit and a powerful torch - all ready for immediate use. I recommend the slip-over type of jacket which rolls or folds up quite small and takes up little space. The best kind incorporates both fluorescent and reflective material, which makes it equally effective in any

When you approach the vehicle or veh icle s involved in the accident always consider there is the risk of fire Do not smoke and do not let others smoke or use naked light s Turn off the ignition key and if po ss ible get someone to disconnect the battery. Unless the vehicle is obviously incapable of rolling yank on the hand brake.

As you approach , look all around. I have seen would -be helpers paddling in acid to the extent that their shoes disintegrated and their feet were badly burned. Once I saw a man nonchalantly lift up a power cable which sagged at waist height barring his way and duck under it. A minute earlier that cable had carried 12 000 volts. Whenever power cables are brought down the maxim is If you are not certain it s dead - you could be dead for certain '.

Tanker accidents

Accidents involving tankers are really something quite different. The best advice here is do not approach too close to the vehicle and do not place yourself downwind , for obvious reasons. Difficult as it may be , resist the temptation to go to the aid of injured and prevent others from doing so, pointing out they risk serious injury or even death

It is far better to concentrate on alerting the Emergency Services who are fully equipped to deal with almost any kind of toxic or corrosive spillage.

Every tanker carrying a potentially dangerous load should bear a special kind of

A road accident

Fig 1 Protecting the scene in daylight

coded marking on both sides and on the rear of the vehicle known as the HAZCHEM mark (Haza rdous Chemicals). (See Fig. 3).

The mark is in the form of a large label which can be read from a- relatively safe distance and if communicated to the Emergency Services will enable them to know what type of protec tive clothing to wear and whether breathing apparatus is required.

Do not sacrifice accuracy for speed in obtaining the Hazchem code number. If

Fig. 2 Protec tin g the scene at night

possible write it down and then check it. When the Emergency Services arrive stay where you are instructed to wait until you are told it is safe to assist.

Lastly PROTECT THE CASUALTIES. Tell others at the scene who you are. You will find that this has a three-fold benefit: You could be unwittingly barking out orders to the local General Practitioner or to the superintendent of a neighbouring St. John Ambulance Division. It will reassure those less skilled And it will go a long way to quelJ (ov erleaf)

demonstration by members in Cornwall ( Photo : Robert Roskow Truro)

the know-all who invariably appears at the scene of most accidents and who will kill otT your patient out of sheer ignorance if left to his own devices.

As soon as it is established that someone has been injured make sure that an ambulance has been sent for. Never accept I think someone has gone for one .' It is always far better to duplicate a call in these circumstances.

Send for right equipment

Always link Police with any kind of request for assistance and Fire Service if a person is trapped or there is a fire risk or any kind of spillage which is suspect. Many lives have been lost by delay in sending for the right equipment.

On an unfamiliar open road it is a good idea to send someone otT in both directions with messages. The nearest telephone could be miles in one direction and only a few hundred yards in the other. Many houses these days have telephones fed by underground cables A tip for your messenger, however , is that if overhead wires are present follow the wires spurring otT the main pole - they will lead to the house with a telephone.

When you come to deal with the casualties make a cursory examination of each. There have been occasions when the person most in need of treatment has been neglected because the first-aider rushed to the nearest casualty.

If a vehicle has rolled over, or has burst open, then it is likely that someone has been thrown out and could be some distance away, hidden in a ditch or even on the other side of a hedge or fence Never overlook this possibility and get someone to search while you attend to the needs of those mo r e obvious casualties.

First impulse

As a first-aider you will know that only in very few accidents is it essential to remove casualties from a vehicle. The first impulse of an untrained helper is to drag the casualties from their seats and, what is probably worse, lay them flat on their backs on a cold and sometimes wet surface.

Providing there is heartbeat, clear airway, breathing and no serious haemorrhage, it is often far better to leave the casualty where he is until the arrival of the Ambulance Service or the Emergency Care Scheme doctor, complete with fracture board, inflatable splints and entonox.

You should not attempt to move a person who is trapped unless there is a risk of fire or other serious ·injury If it does become necessary to move such a person get helpers to support each part of the body as the casualty is freed.

Good use can often be made of helpers to treat casualties with minor injuries. Many

others along these lines . If breathin g is not present , tilt the head well back to en s ur e a clear airway .' A s imple action which is often s ufficient in it s elf a nd whether the ca s ual ty is sitting or lying is relatively imma te r ia l. 'If breathing does not restart , pinch th e soft part of the casualty 's nostrils together a nd encompass the mouth with your o w n , blowing gently at your own normal r a te o f brea t hin g until a s li g ht rising o f th e c h es t is seen .' You will know that in all but the m o s serious case s, haemorrh a ge will generall y s top of its own accord

people particularly those old enough to ha v e experienced the Second World War , ha ve a fair idea of how to apply a prepared sterile dressing, although the y would probabl y ca ll it a field dressing

I have often heard it said th a t ther e s n o substitute for a comprehensive First Aid Kit , but I do not necessarily agree with hi s In a road ac c ident situa t ion a simple kit containing a selection of large , medium a nd small prepared sterile dress in g s , triangu lar bandages , sterile cotton wool , a re e l o f z in c oxide tap e l in to 1Yzi n. wide , h a lf a d ozen s afet y pin s - and perhap s th e lu x u ry of a good pair of scissors - all in a flat airt igh t container for s peed y a c c es s, is a ll t ha t is normall y required Remember o repla c e an y items used at the fi rs t opportunit y. M a n y motori s s no w ada y s ha ve the good s en se to carry a first aid kit , and e ven if th ey themselves are not tra ined it is a v ailable fo r those who h av e a better idea of wh a o do

Without equipment

Having been taught the basi c life sa v ing principles , y ou will know that mu c h c an be done without equipment to preser ve life In a few well chosen words you can also in st ru c t

Unconscious patient

You c a n help b y r a is ing the le vel o f t he a ffected part above the heart and b y squee z ing the injured part back to get he r while main t ainin g a fairl y firm pre ss ur e.' Turning an uncon sc ious person on t o o n e s ide in the recover y po s ition to pre ve n inhalation of v omit

SJ Music-Makers

TH E EVENING of Monday, Ju ly 23, was

S t. J o h n's night at the Royal Tournament, Ea rl s Court. To be more apt , it was wit h o u q ues io n the n ight of the Br ig h ouse St. J o h n A m bu lance Co r ps Ba n d (W. Yorks)

T h e Roya l To urn ame n t is one of London's longest running shows and on ly the best of our co u ntry's Military, Air Fo r ce and Police display teams are selected to perform at it. The teams train fo r mo nths and months to achieve t h e kind of excellence demanded. So the Brighouse D rum and Trum p et Band had to be good to say the least. On the night n ot on ly were they good - they we re sensat ional! Sandwic h ed between displays of R oyal Air Force air sea rescue and unarmed combat by Royal Marine Commandos, the band made its debut. They marched on at peak time, half way through the programme, and held the arena enthralled for 13 minutes instead of the original allotted 7 or 8 m nutes.

Without a hint of bias, I can say that the audience's response to the band's performance was just a hair's breadth from a standing ovation. It wasn't just that they made an excellent sound and gave an impressive display. The band was somehow special - ditTer ent - exciting. And that's what people remember.

Doubtless this was the reaction of HRH, the Duke of Gloucester Grand Prior of the Order, who was in the Royal Box to take the salute. For the following morning he telephoned the Lord Prior, Lord Caccia, to express his personal appreciation and

Special - different - exciting: that was Brighouse Corps Band at Royal Tournament

The Duke of Gloucester and bandmaster Stuart Farley on the evening of the performance co ng r atulatio n s t o t h e B righo u se SJ A Band on the i r per formance

The band was formed in 1937. It s p resent s tr ength o f 60 m em be r s in cl u des 22 gi r ls, who joi ned fo r t he fi r st time th is year. Most of the me m bers live in B r ighouse and at least ha lf the b a n d com pr ises fami lies who have 2 , 3 and in one case 4 chi ld ren as members.

As we ll as p layi ng a t St. Jo h n f unctio ns th is high l y-com pe t itive group of youngsters, whose ave r age age is 15, consist en tly competes against othe r noted bands. This yea r t h e Bri g h ouse S J A Corps Band h as entered s ix competitions, gained fou r Sup reme Cha mpi ons hip s. a seco n d and a

The band spotlighted at the Royal Tournament performed for 13 minutes - and captured the audience

third place. On the strength of su c h s u cc ess, the band will go to Wemb le y Arena next Novembe r to compe e in the M a r c h ing Band Champ io n ships - an e ve n b y in vitat ion on ly.

S tua rt Farley is he lead e r a nd dri ve behind the band. D rum Majo r at 15 Band Maste r a t 18 , S tuart F a r ley is s t ill o n ly 24 A dress designer by profession. he design ed he band's u n ifo r m which drew s o much comment at t he R oyal T ournament. All the membe r s in t h e b and a re t r a ined in first aid. T he ir u niforms, equipmen t and ex tra s are p rovided by the b a n d 's P a rent s A ss ociat on. Watch out for the B righo u se SJ A Corps Band at Wembley in Nove mber. The y are outstan d ing.

T eresa Noel J o h nso n , PR

CHEERS!

TWO BRISTOLIANS

Two Bristol cadet s who between them have given 2 ,200 hour s of voluntar

, Annette Pring, 17 and Robin Cr a n e, 15 , recei ved s p ecial s e rv ce

from Area Commi

One s ometimes hears of Brigade members w h o refrain from send i ng letters or articles direct to the Editor for fear of acting contrary to Regulations by fai lin g to correspond through the 'proper channels'. But BG R IS4 does not place any restriction on th e ir writin g direct e xcept in rare cases when they wish to challenge or criticise St. John policy (at either nationa l or 10calleveI). They shou ld then, of course first submit their contribution to their Commissioner and then , subject to his permission , forward it to the Editor with a clear statement that they have done so. With this exception , our readers are strongly encouraged to write d irect to the Editor on any s ubject likely to be of general interest to other readers He does his best to promote our usefulness as a forum for discussion by publishing all such contributions - provided of cour s e , that they are neither libellous, offensive or subversive of good discipline When a correspondent sends in a query to which there is a fairly clear -cut answer or appear s to be writing under a misapprehension which may be shared by other readers , his letter s usuall y referred to the appropriate HQ officer so that an official reply can be published at the same time as the original lett er. Co ntribution s whi c h give Ln stru c ti o n or a d vice o n medic a l. fir s t aid or nursing subj ects a r e s imilarl y referred to our medical and nur s ing adv sers to en s ur e that we do not ad v ocat e techniques whi c h are c o ntrar y to tho s e approved by St. John Ambu ance. Thu s we do our best to ensure that we do not publi s h unsound advice on such matter sor a le a s t where the issue is debatable , that we m a ke it quite clear that that is so. On rare occasions when we are reque s ted to pu b li s h a n o ffi c ial announcement it s o ffi cia l n a tur e is ve r y c lea rl y s a ted At all other ime s our readers should interpr e t articles and letters as the sincere personal opinions of their writers , designed to give good advice , correct misconcept ions stimulate interest , publicise new ideas and ( often) provoke further discussion. Incidentall y, this applies as much to At Random' as it does to any other contribution. sincerely hope that never mislead you or give you bad advice, but I should be the last to suggest that what appears in this column carries the same weight as our published textbooks and regulations though I also hope that it would be in keeping that the concluding sentence of the Introduction to BGR in 'abiding always by the general principles laid down '. For example my recent attempt (July Review) to offer basically correct guide -lines' on the wearing of medals on occasions when no definite instruction has been given has already I understand been misinterpreted as over -ruling a long -standing custom whereby those doing public duty on certain Royal occasions in London District do wear medals.

AT

RANDOM

cont. from p.193

Wh a t I was ry ing o say, in s imple words , w as thi s: if y ou 'v e been gi v en clear in s truc t ion s, obe y them ; but if y ou 'v e been g iv en no instruction s, yo u'll probabl y be ri g ht if y ou follow th e se guide-lines So next tim e I tr y t o help yo u , do plea s e read the w hole pa ss a g e and n o t just the bit s that h a pp e n t o ca c h yo u r eye or s uit your p e rso n a pr e ferenc e !

And p le a s e be m o re forthcom i ng in se nding th e Edi t or y our own contributions

to w a r d s m a king the R e v e w an e ven more

s timul a t n g f o rum for d isc u ss ion and a more e ffe c ti v e mean s of c o mmunication among all o ur rea der s.

Year of Nursing

F o ll ow in g t h e a n no un ce m e nt in para 2 of Bri ga d e G ene r a l C ir c ul a r 3/79 tha t 19 8 0 ha s be e n desig n ate d Th e Ye a r of Nur s in g' in St.

J o hn th e Jul y iss u e ( BG C 4 /7 9 ) and

Au g u s t Re vie w gi ve further d e t a ils a nd a fir s t li s t of t en special training pr oj ects These pr o e c ts a re de s ig ned 'to g ve qu a lified adult

Bri g ad e m e mber s ( both m e n and women )

m o r e o pp o rtunit y t o pr ac ise nursin g i n

hos pit a a nd in th e co mmunit y through i nter est in g t ra inin g a tt ac hme n t s in the United Kingdom and over s eas '. All of them a re ve r y clearly projec t s which offer a wide r a nge of attractive oppo r tunitie s to all keen membe r s who hold a nursing certificate. The dates are fa irl y well s pread ov er the year a nd hardly any would i nvol ve an absence of more than 14 da y s, so it sh o uld not be d ifficult for applicant s to fit them in w ith their normal holida y per iods Three of the ten projects are open -ended as regards both the number of St. John members and the

length of time involved, but the other 7 would appear to involve a minimum total of 110 Brigade members , 36 places being restricted (by the nature of t he project) to women only , and the remaining 74 open to both men and women. Onl y a very small number are restricted to officers or NCOs , the vast majorit y being open to Ambulance and Nursing Members and officers of any rank or grade.

Here is a wonderful selection of o pportuni t ie s for extending our nursing experienc e, and there 's a good chance that further project s will be added to the list.

Detail s about how to apply are given in para 1 o f BGC 4 / 79 ( pub ished with July Brigade Orders ), of which 3 copies are sent to every d v ision in the country and shou ld therefore be easily available for you to consult. No closing date for applications has yet been fixed , but the sooner you apply the better and if addition s or alterations are made to the list of projects you will be able to amend y our priority of choice before a closing date w hich will be announced later.

What about applying for?

m a ke sure that the lect urer s we comed .' I From the Cl ass Sec retarie s Han dbook S1. John S u pp li es Oep l.)

If you have the time and inclination to become involved in a longer and certainly no less adventurous project overseas, what ab o ut appl y ing for a 1980 Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship ? About 100 o f the s e Fello w ships are awarded annually b y the Churchill Trust and are open to all UK citizens of either sex and of any age or occupation. The y are designed 'to enable men and women from all walks of life to gain a better understanding of the lives and work of people in other countries overseas, and to acquire knowledge and experience which will make them more effective in their work and in the communit y when t hey return'. Ten categories of projects are selected each y ear for applicants to choose from , and included in the ten for 1980 are three which a r e closely related to var-ious aspects of the work of St. John Ambulance, namely (a) voluntary service work and organisations , ( b) communit y health work , and (c ) the provi s ion of care for latchkey children (where both parents go out to work ) Further information may be obtained from your St. John County Office (to all of which have been sent copies of a brochure about the scheme) , or by writing direct to The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, 15 Queen s Gate Terrace, London SW7 5PR. Final application forms have to reach the Trust Office by the Erst day of November, so if you think there s any possibility of your wanting to apply it's already high time to obtain further details Those St. John members who in former y ears have been lucky enough to be awarded a Churchill Travelling Fellowship have certainly foud it an immensely worth-while experience which they wouldn ' t have missed for anything!

ORDER

INVESTITURE

Mrs.

(Left)

by the lord Prior, lord Caccia london, July 12

Commander (Bro ther)

Lt. Col. Peter St. George Hereward Maxwell. MC (SutTolk).

William Henry Sheldon (Derbys).

Arnold Wright Rh odes, OBE. C PM (Sur re y).

Harry Lomas. CBE. MIFE (Dorset).

Peter' H ygate (Kent).

Joseph Bird (Essex)

William Arthur Oliver (Surrey).

Cha rl es Ph ilip Langland (Surrey).

Lt. Col. George Maxton Macalpine Mailer -Howat. MC (East Sussex).

Edward George Lawrence (London).

Commander (Sister)

Lilian May. MIss Dufeu (Jersey).

Violet Altce. Mrs. Winter. MBE (Kent).

Officer (B rother)

The Rev. Dr. Brian Andrew Campbell Kirk -Duncan (London).

Sgn. Cdr Ramsdale Ramshaw Pearson, MB, BS, Royal Navy (Hants).

Derek Kingsley Brown (York).

Cyril No r thwood Batham (London).

Aian Fvfe (StatTs).

Gp. Cpt. Robert Ellis Woolley. GM. MRCS. LRCP. MFCM. DPH. RAF (Surrey).

Stanley Bright (Worcs).

Maj. Alan Thomas Merson. TO. MB. ChB (West Yorks).

Richard Mason Bompa MBE (Cumbria)

Frederick Benjamin Loades (Essex).

Stewa rt Anthony Snook (Wi lt s). Wilfred Turner (Devon).

G p Cpt. J ohn Maurice J ones, BDS. LOS, RCS, MBIM ( Bucks).

Col. Patrick Monro Stock -Murdy, MB. DTM & H ( London).

Maj.-Gen. J ohn David Ca re w Graham, CB, CBE (Kent).

Geoffrey Myers BS c, CEng, MICE, FClT (N Yo rk s).

Arthur Par so ns (Staffs).

Lt Co l. William Marri o Eld er TO MB ChB, RAMC (Cheshire).

Albert Elli ott (Cumb r ia).

Mal co m Wat so n (La ncs).

Lt. Col. Pa ul William Seargeanl TO MB ChB, FRCS (Norfo lk ).

Arthur J ohn Sunderland (West Midland s).

Ron al d Ald erso n Middleton M B, BS (Co. D urh a m).

Kenneth George Bolton , MCSP (Sussex).

Lt. Col. Desmond Paul Hopton (Hants).

Lou is Va len tine Port e y, MD BS c, MRCS , LRCP (Wilt s)

C ha rl es Henry Kelly QPM LLB (Staffs).

Major David H a milton Knowles (Berks).

Eus ta ce Edwi n Dodd We s Midl a nd s).

Ca pt. Anthony William Stanley Spargo. SRN. RAMC (Ha nts).

Freder ick Rich ar d s, QPM (Cheshire).

Officer (Sister)

Ruth Emily, Mrs. Parks ( Hant s).

Margare t Eli zabe th Miss Co llin s, ARRC, QARNNS (Hants).

Mar y Th ere sa, Miss Holley H ants).

Ju ne Dori s, Miss Be ssell ( K en t).

Olive. Mr s. Dawes (La nc s).

Mario n Alice. Mi ss Tagg (London).

Lt. Col. Gwenneth Anne Staines, ARRC. SRH. SCM. R FN (Suffolk).

Serving Brother Leonard Beaman (London).

Cyril J oh n Greenaway (Kent).

Ba sil J ames Muir. MB. MChir. FF A R CS. DA (N Devon).

George Alfred Will iam Fitts (G los).

Edgar Ron a ld Boo tie (Middx).

T ho ma s Hen ry Evans (Leiceste ). Wiliam St an ley Jam es H oldham (Lincs).

Th omas Tith er (Merseyside).

Samuel Tock (H umber side).

Arthu r Ti ckne r (Kent ). Col. Ri cardo Regi nald Owens, aBE (Surrey).

Frederick George Stevenson (No rthant s).

Carey Walter Perry (Leicester).

Roube n Victor William s (Hert s).

William J ohn Hann ah Wil son (Dor se ).

Richard Lindl ey Norris, MB , BS (Devon ).

Martin Hu g h Frank lin AMES (Hants).

William Frank Tay o r (H ertford)

Eri c Regin ald Lee s (London).

Terence William Wakefield (Worcester).

Robert Vernon Mo rri s (Gl os)

Cha rle s Arthur Tinsworth ( London ).

David Ross Winter ( Kent ).

Raymond Ha ywood Herts).

Peter John Andrew, MB, BCh (G tr. Manchester).

Keith George Henry Pitkethly, MBE (Londo n).

Derrick George Lawrence Hert s).

Robert Walter Gunther (Humberside).

Peter Victor Brown BEM (London ).

Se

CADET CHAT by

Jim

FIRST a brief introduction. This new column will appear in the R eview every month and will be devoted to ideas, hints , tips and s ugge st ion s for improving cadet actIvItIes Cadet news and photographs should as in the past, be sent to the editor for publication throughout the Review, Cadet Chat is for new ideas for the cadets. Ju st drop me a line about them and I'll pass them on to everyone. In the coming months I hope to announce news of an exciting competition for cadets. Meanwhile

Safety

Safet y has been uppermost in our minds for som e time but with the new safety laws we should have an even greater awareness of the subject.

The Department of Prices and Consumer Protection has ssued a Safety Pack for Schools. The pack contains a number of card s dealing with vario u s aspects of safety which can be used for work on the Road and Home Safety proficiency s ubject and with some adaptation with juniors. While initial stocks last , copies are free. Just drop a line to The Department of Prices and Consumer Protection , Millbank Tower , Millbank, London SW 1P 4QU.

More material for safety activities is available from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents most of which is

a

written espec ially for children and i s avai lable free of charge o r at very little cos t. New titles are added regularl y so it is advisable to send for an up -to -date catalogue from The Safety Education Di vis ion ROSPA. Canon House. The Prior y, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6 BS (Tel. 02 J233 2461).

Safety rhyme

Can some of you com plete the fo llowing rhyme about safety and dangers in the home?

TEN little children thoug hl SInking matches fine One set himself alight - and then there were nine. INE little children playing round the gra

HOI coal jumped out at one - then

COVER FOR RIDERS

from David Barbour, Commander for Berkshire

The Commissioner and Superintendent for Northamptonshire, both riding people , have written to the British Horse Society pointing out the need for more riders to take first aid courses and to join St. John Ambulance. There are three reasons for their proposal:

First , the demands made on the Brigade to provide first a id cover at riding events seem to be becoming excessive and are apt to be taken for granted.

Second the frequency and severity of riding accidents, sometimes in remote places, makes it necessary for every rider to know how to deal with such an incident.

Third there are riders of all ages who are also exceptionally able. If they could be persuaded to take a first aid course the y might be persuaded to join the Brigade and would thus augment our all too meagre stock of potential leaders

The British Horse Society is sympathetic and has passed the proposal to me because I sit on various British Hor se Society committees. They have asked me to submit our case at an appropriate meeting. This is an opportunity which must not be wasted.

The Society already includes first aid as a part of some of th eir tests. but I look forward to stressing the need for refresher courses every three years. However more evidence would be welcome from any of your readers , particularly on two aspects:-

(a) Are demands on the Brigade by riding events really becomin g excessive?

(b) Evidence that a knowledge of first aid has materiall y helped in the handling of a riding casualty.

Once our case has been thoroughly substantiated. I shall be in a strong position to put the need across. Would any reader with evidence on first aid and riders please drop me a line or telephone me ?

I have it in mind eventually to put a loose leaf nsert on behalf of S t. John in certain riding journals. But first let us get a really good 'punch line' based on facts.

St. John House, 101 London Road, Reading, Berks.

Home: Burghfield Common (073-529) 2057. Da vi d Barbour

WHERE'S OXON?

from Dr. A R. Maisey, County Surgeon, Oxfordshire

After reading the July Review I was depressed to not ic e a whole issue without mention of my County , Oxfordshire. We did not even figure in the list of Order investitures. Could these omissions mean that we are a St. John backwater? Certainly not. We have a most active Youth Section, the Enterprise Unit, reviewed in previous issues of the Review; we have many excellent Divisions, one a recent finalist in the National Competitions; and from County Headquarters we have many organised training days, seminars and study days.

We really must be less shy and write to you about these activitie s . I might even consider moving house to ensure that Oxfordshire is named in the Review!

Lives in Bucks. Ton y Maisey

IS MERGER WORKING HERE?

from C. A. Hale, Divisonal Superintendent

Does the left hand know what the right is doing? At times it seems the answer is no. Many of us can remember the amalgamation of the Association and the Brigade and since that time heard the 'oneness of St. John Ambulance referred to on many occasions. But at grass roots level it seems that this 'oneness' is in danger of being exploded as a great myth, for two completely different philosophies exist on such a basic subject as the teaching of a certificated first aid course.

On the one hand we have the divisional superintendent recognising the need to recruit more members to his division , and realising that the best way to do this is to run a public first aid course. On the other hand we have a set of Association regulations which seem to be designed to ensure that if the course is run, the standard of instruction given will be third rate, and the division's funds will be greatly reduced.

208

Lel us jus t consider what happ e n s when a first aid course for th e public is arranged by a division. Usually the divisional superintendent appo int s a class secretary and then sits down to discus with him the instructors that they can ask. The best in structors are usually found among the ranks of the more experienced lay instructors. These people know how to teach, they know what language to use for the man in the st re et, they know how best to put over both the theory and th e practical. having probably done it many tim es before at 'E s entia ls' courses and divisional training evenings. These people don't usually charge for their services. They may be the be st, and the cheapest, but Association regulations won't allow them to do the job and so the c ass secretary and division al supe rintendent have to find a doctor.

Now some doctor s are very good first aid instructors. but the majority ! We've all seen it. Eventually we find a doctor who is prepared to do it. and we hope that he isn't going to be too bad and that enough people will attend the course to pay his fee s.

We curse the Association regulations.

What we have is a very intere sti ng but frustrating situation. On the one hand we have the Association believing that the higher the qualifications you ask your instructor to have, the better instructor you will get; but reality showing that the higher qualification you ask for , the fewer there are with that qualification available. And when that qualification is not designed to equip the person to leach fir aid anyway, the inevitable result is a lowering of standards and the demotivation of lay instructors.

Perhaps I can make, through the pages of the Review, a constructive suggestion, or suggestions. First, I wo uld suggest that any lay instructor who has been qualified for three years, assisted on three adult courses and instructed on three essentia l courses should be recognised as a competent instructor on the adult first aid course. Examiners on la y instructors' courses should bear this in mind whe n awarding passes. Second I would suggest that we should utilise the medical practitioner s that we have available to in struct on a spec ial advanced anatomy and physiology course, and that la y instructors who gain this additional qualification should be recognised as qualified to examine on an adult course and, if member s of the Brigade and hold no higher rank , be appointed one star officers.

My suggestions have certain obvious points in their favour:

1) We will be able to run many more first aid courses.

2) Our courses will be cheaper.

3) Our standard of instruction will be higher.

4) The medical practitioners that are prepared to give their time can be better utilised.

5) Lay instructors will be encouraged to study and achieve a higher standard, both as teachers and as first - aiders , with a resultant raising of overall Brigade standards.

6) Recruitment will be aided.

Let me assure that small overworked band of Brigade surgeons who do give their time free of charge, and often achieve a high standard of instruction, that this letter is not intended as criticism of them. Indeed if there were more of them I would not feel compelled to write at all. r continued on p.2IO

THE CORNWAll METHOD OF BLANKETING UNDER A CASUALTY

from C. G Lang, CSO (R)

These details of a method of blanketing under a casualty might interest readers.

I devised the idea some time ago and submitted it to the supe rintendent of a local division , some of whose members are the 'models' in the photographs. This division has practised the method for many months and has now adop ted it as their standard procedure.

The two main advantages of this technique are instant covering of the casualty and a 50 % reduction in mo vement of the casualty when getting the blanket under him Wadebridge, C. G. Cornll al! Lang

The Chairman of the Review Management Board writes: Our readers are reminded that the publication of an item such as the above does not imply that the s uggestion s contained in it have received the official approval of St. John Ambulance. It is only by experiment that we can make _ progress; and if the Review is to f ulfil its function as a forum for di scuss ion of all subjects that may be of interest to the Order and its Foundations, our readers must be encouraged to use their initiative in sending us original ideas for publication and comment, irrespective of whether their suggestions are eventually adopted, adapted. amended or rejected.

Start to turn casual ty on to uninjured side Casualty snug blanket unrolls as and casualty is turned comfortable

Blanket

Blanket in position roll close to trunk

Exam ination of top half (bottom half covered)

Exam nation of bottom

NEWS from SCOTLAND

There have been enqumes about the pamphlet , written by Rev. P. H. R. Mackay, that I referred to some months ago. Copies can be obtained from Mrs. S. Laing , Highrig. Torphichen, Bathgate, West Lothian.

The handing over of the St. John Crusader , the specially adapted canal boat to give free cruises to disabled people along the Union Canal, to the Seagull Trust by 'the Prior The Duke of Hamilton during May (see July Review ), was in the nature of a 'double first'

The Seagull Trust , whose Chairman is Mr. J R. Hume, was recently set up to encourage the pro vision of boats of this kind for use by the disabled on inland waterways in Scotland, and the St. John Crusader is the first such boat to be presented to them. But since the boat was purchased by the Edinburgh Committee of the Order and is to be operated and maintained by the St. John Volunteers, a new offshoot of the Order in Scotland, this also marks the first major se r vice by this new organisation within the Edinburgh a rea.

It is significant that, while the boat was being painted in a secluded backwater near the village of Ratho, 60 people came to look at it in the space of 15 minutes. Now that the St. John Crusader is fully operational and

dressed in the vividly attractive colours and insignia of the Order it will become a mobile advertisement of the Order ' s imaginative concern for the mentally and physically disabled throughout Scotland

Not only will the St. John Crusader be seen by tens of thousands in its vital work but the impact made upon voluntary and statutory organisations will be of great benefit to the image of the Order in Scotland

On the first day alone, for example, eight cruises were made, and one has only to look at the names involved to realise the wide spectrum of disabled who will eventuall y receive benefit: Graysm ill School for the Disabled ; Priory Chapter and the Seagull Trust: Murrayfield Day School for Spastic s; Lamb s Hou s e - Elderly Disabled ; Ro ya Blind Asylum Donaldson s School for the Deaf; Longstone Day Centre - Adult Defectives; Gogarburn Hospital f or Mentally Disabled.

For the disabled themselves the fact that a hydraulic lift can enable wheelchairs to be handled with ease is a very great boon. There is additionally a therapeutic benefit to be derived from moving, at a maximum of 3 mph , through some of the most attractive scenery in Scotland. As our picture show s, the name of the boat was unveiled by Alan Hobkirk, a 14 - year old boy from Graysmill School at a ceremony well attended by the press. R W

BEFORE the dis s olution o f t he r e li g iou s houses in England th e prin c ip a l

a nder y of the Kni g ht Ho s pitaller s in Sussex was at Poling a li t tle village hard b y the ancient town of Arundel. The Land s a t Poling were belie v ed to ha ve be e n a g ift to the order by John FitzAlan o f Arundel (a forebear of the present Duke o f N o rfo lk) sometime before 1244 In 1309, as a r es ult of the suppression of the ri v al o rder o f Knight Templar s, the hospitallers w er e cons id e rably enriched by the acquisition of all their land s and properties Thus the Bailiwick of Poling became enlarged to include property a t Shipley Chichester, Saddlescomb e, Cokeham and Compton to g ethe r with land s at Pococks and Midhurst which the order already possessed. Apart from the s e possessions , the commandery at Poling wa s endowed with lands from a number of parishes including Combe , OfTham Up Marden and Rumboldwyke.

ST.JOHN IN SUSSEX

St. J o hn returned, this time to rent the oid College bu ildings as almshouses for the elderl y poor. Thus histor y had come full circle and the charitable work of the original fo undation of s ecular canon s who ran a home for poor elderly men was unexpectantl y revived.

Nursing cadets who received the r Grand Prior Awards and standard-bearer

Lewis Edward Richards

(promoted Knight of Gracel. at the floral tribute to the Order outside Cardiff Castle on investiture day in Wales June 30

(Photo: Richard Bos wort h Hill's Welsh Press)

In 1381 the hundred of the manor of Poling was settled on the newly established College of Arundel b y Richard IV Earl of Arundel. Little is of the fortunes of the commandery at Polin g from thi s date until it was dissolved under King Henry VIII in 1541, when all the order 's propertie s were forfeited to the crown. The Poling commandery and all its lands were made over to the college of secular canons at Arundel , which as time would tell was a strange coincidence judging from the more recent developments of the Order in Sussex.

The College o f the Ho ly Tri nit y, Our Lad y and all the Saints was founded b y Ri c hard IV. Earl of Arunde in April 1381 ( th e d a te o f licence as granted b y King Richard II was April 1). This foundation was ostensibly a compliance with papal demands that the Earl found certain chaplaincies w ithin his domain of Arundel. The College ho we ver with a complement of twelve c h a plains, proved of great benefit to the Earl a nd hi s famil y s ince the round of pra y er and Ma s ses were largely intended to invoke he a ven for the salvation of the Earl , his family and his ancestors. The twelve clergy of the College were governed by a master who in turn acted as rector of the parish with the gift of '-appointing his own vicar for the pa s toral c are of the parishioners.

This situat ion obtained until 1546 when th e Colleg e was dissolved b y order of Henr y VIII. The fate of the old College buildings wa s th e n left to the elements and as a quarry for a ny seekin g to shore up delapidated ho m est e a ds or farm walls. For 430 years the Colle ge underwent many changes of occupation being finally restored by the lIth , 14th and 15th Dukes of Noffolk Then in 1976 by strange coincidence the Order of

On April I 1980 the College. or Prior y as it is now called, will celebrate its sexcentenary. an occasion to be celebrated b y the Order of St. John and the order of the Kn ights of Malta. who now jointl y run the almshouses occupying the old College buildings The structure as it now stands include s three sides of the original quadrangular building, including the old master s residence and chapel. The chapel. although intended nitially for the exclusive use of the secular canons , is occupy i ng the site of the chancel of the old parish church of St. Nicholas The church of St. Nicholas was in fact built at the same time (1380 ) as the rest of the structure and forms part of the whole complex as erected by the fourth Earl of Arundel. Thus April 1 1980 will include the anniversary of the erection of the parish church and should give ample scope for a joint commemoration.

In case these events should pass unnoticed, a small history of Arundel Priory has been written which records the six hundred years of its history and in commemoration of its historic anniversary - to be published by Messrs Phillimore & Co., of Shopwyke Hall, Chichester, Sussex.

(Photo:

News from Divisions/Centres

PILCHER-GREENE

HONEST INJUN!

We have the best in Ambulance & Emergency equipment

(PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS)

5T. JOHN REVIEW

AUTUMN is the Divisional Superintendent's best time for programme planning. But if you, who are reading this , don't happen to be a Divisional Superintendent , please don ' t heave a sigh of relief and , thinking 'This month's At Random doesn t apply to me , turn at once to another page. For it does apply to you, no matter what rank you hold , and whether you've been in the Brigade for 40 years or have only just joined. It applies to you for one or more of at least four reasons: (1) because your Superintendent, however wise and experienced he may be, can't possibly do the job properly on his own; the Divisional Surgeon and Nursing Officer , the Di visional Officers and NCOs, and the Secretary , Treasurer and Storekeeper will all become involved in consultation somewhere along the line ; and at some stage there will have to be a meeting of the Di visional Advisory Committee (BGR.122), of which even if you' re not one of those already mentioned , yo u may be an elected or co-opted member; (2) because , if you are a member of county or area staff at least some of you will have an interest in the plans that your divisions are making, and it may be your duty to be near at hand to give tactful help and advice in the planning process , especially (but not only) to those Superintendents of recent appointment; (3) because , as a divisional member of no matter what rank , the division s programme of training and activity is your show , and you have every right - and should therefore be given opportunity - to put forward suggestions for its betterment , while loyall y accepting the fact that your suggestions won t necessarily , or immediately , be adopted ; (4) because all members should have some idea of what programme planning involves, and even the most recent recruit may become a Divisional Superintendent some day!

Very well then , October has come , and it's high time to start planning our divisional programme for 1980. In making the suggestions which follow I shall have in mind a combined adult division of about 24 members. But with very minor adaptations they will apply equally to cadet divisions , to divisions combined in other forms than A and

Earl Mountbatten

by Marjorie, The Countess of Brecknock, DBE, Chief President

'LORD Mountbatten's tragic was a s tunning shock to all the world and a very sad loss to all of us in St. John.

Not only because of the association with him through his wife, who was so beloved by all our members , but for his real interest and the help he gave us as President in the Isle of Wight , and often behind the scenes.

Lady Mountbatten and he worked as a wonderful team a nd I know how helpful she found his sound advice and suggestions as far as St. John was concerned and how she relied on his support. The outstanding work she did in the Far East during the la st war would not have been possible without his co-operation, although this in no way detracts from her fantastic achievements.

Later, in India, he again made every effort to further her plans for St. John and always found time , despite his own heavy re sponsi bilities th ere, to advise on the future of our organisation throughout that continent.

As President of the Isle of Wight he gave a great deal of important assistance in the background and even found time to represent the island at a County Presidents' conference in London , where he made many very useful suggestions.

Much had been written of his many and great achievements, but I feel not enough has been said of his kindness and interest in people He received many requests for help and always tried to respond. I received many letters from him at Headquarters saying " Could you do something to assist this poor person and please let me know what happens?"

Lord Mountbatten was proud to be a Knight of the Order and I am sure he would be happy to know how many members took part on the sad day when all the world said goodbye to a great and lovable man.'

london, September 5

THE Order was repre se nted at the funera l Abbey received a tt e nti on.

service for Lord Mountbatt en at (Below) Lord Mountbatten 's Westminster Abbey by Lord Grey of· charger D o ll y rider less and w ith her Naunton, Bailiff of Egle. master' s boots reversed in the stir rup s, being The route of the fu neral process ion was le d in the procession.

lined by 850 St. J ohn Ambulance person rie l (Rig ht ) Th e fl ag- draped coffin of Lord from throug hout the coun tr y, and 23 first aid Mountbatten is carried by a R oyal Navy units were in attendance. Every SJA member beare r party as it lea ves Westminster Abbey. on duty in the Abbey wore the-Burma Star. ( Opposite page) Lord and Lady

Of the 276 ca ualti es treated. 12 were Mountbatten (in St. J oh n uniform) taken to hospital. Five people in side the couple everyo ne will remember.

Photos: Press Association

The Dowager Baroness Brabourne

Member of Chapter General of the Order

THE Dowager Baroness Brabourne, who died aged 82 from injuries received when Earl Mountbatten's boat was blown up ofT the west coast of Ireland, was the youngest daughter of the sixth Marquess of Sligo and the mother of Lord Brabourne, the son -inlaw of Lord Mountbatten, who was injured in the explosion.

When her husband was Governor of Bengal she took an enthusiastic and active interest in the Order of St. John and for her work over the years was made a Dame of the Order She was also made a Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India while in Bengal.

She was a member of Chapter General of the Order of St. John, vice-president, of St. John Ambulance's London District, and president of the local division at SJA Headquarters.

The- Div. Supt. writes: 'She was the President, and the quite ideal president of 99N Knightsbridge Division. She supported us in all our troubles, joined with us in our gatherings, and was always with us whatever we tried to do. I knew I could ask for her advice and her support in any difficulty ; and no matter what trouble it was to her she would always back us up She was everything that a president sho uld be; but more than that. she was our friend.'

Doreen Brabourne is remembered as a kindly person with a gift for raising funds and an abundance of original ideas that s he personally would pursue to a successful conclusion. She had an enduring intere st in the Order 's Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and for many years was a member of the Ladies Guild (never missing a meeting) , which makes itself specially

respons\ble for welfare at the hospital.

She was, for nearly 40 years, a member of the Central Council of the Royal Overseas League and all its executive committees. At an age when regular travel to business meetings would have daunted many, she attended assiduously, maintaining a lively and concerned interest. Her understanding and her genuine sympathy for those in need was a light which shone through all she did.

Notting Hill Carnival

A heady, happy day out this year - without violencebut still there were casualties taken to hospital Concern and cur io sity

IF IN recent years the Notting Hill Carnival has been synonymous in the public mind with a battlefield set to reggae music, this year's celebrations were quite different. True, people did get hurt; there were 77 casualties , but these were minor injuries. Of the 77, however , 34 people did need hospital treatment, eight of whom ' were policemen. But there were no vicious stabbings, brutal assaults or knife attacks. For once the atmosphere was perhaps what the organisers thought it should be -a heady , happy, toetapping day out for everybody , all -comers welcome black , white or indeterminate.

On

the Monday

The St. John Ambulance duty provided first aid cover on Sunday August 26 and on the Bank Holiday Monday the emphasis in terms of manpower and vehicles being heaviest on the Monday of course. There were 15 ambulances , 11 mobile first aid units and 189 SJ A members on duty , including doctors and nurses.

To Ireland

Come Monday evening , when the carnival fever was beginning to fizzle out, the whole country was awash with horror over the Mountbatten tragedy in Ireland. It seemed as

though on this Bank Holiday Monday, the violence and senseless bloodletting, which usually confines itself to the streets of Notting Hill, had moved across to the west coast of Ireland with the same pointless savagery.

Teresa Noel Johnson, PRO

On the spot treatment while the music goes on

Photos Neill Burrow Shefford Beds

( Below All smiles now - thanks to the Salvat on Army

by Ronald Macbeth, OM, FRCS, Commander

y hea rt d isease, d iabe t e . and epilepsy, Eac h ma n does t wo weeks o n du ty in hi s own pa rti c ul a r pec ial sk il l. followed by two weeks asho re, Helicopters

He is fer ri ed to and fro by hel icopte r a nd t his a ir c raft is in fac t t he wo r k- ho rse of t he o ff-sh o re set- up, It is a lso use d as a n yi ng a mbul a nc e, An y med ica l co ndi tion whic h ca nn ot be treated on he spo t mu s be refe rr ed to a land-base d docto r an d the patient goes by h el icopte r. S in ce the he li co pt er serv ice is ex pe nsive t o ru n a nd since fo u r t o s ix ho ur s m ay ela pse betwee n notifi c ati o n a nd th e p at ient 's deli ve ran ce o n land , it is o b v i o u s that th e c orre ct info r mat ion must be re layed to th e s ho rebased doc t or whose respo nsib ilit y it is to decide on what happens next.

First aid me;dics

Th ere a re thr ee lay er s o f m edi cal ca re fo r t he c rews o f t he o il -ri gs and s hip s. All e mplo yees are give n ve ry ba s ic trainin g in fir st a id , s in ce th e mos t likel y per so n to look a fte r yo u if yo u are ill or injured s t he ma n wo rkin g a lo ngs id e yo u Thi s tr a inin g is g iven o n t he bas is o f t he KISS prin cipl e - K EE P IT SIMPL E, STUPID. Addi t o na ll y a bo ut o ne in t we nt y of th e cr ews, call ed M edi cs ho ld a F ir s Aid Ce rtifi ca te This may ha ve bee n iss ued by o ne of th e vo luntary bo di es, but mor e us uall y th ese peopl e take a co ur se a t t he In st it ut e of E nvir o nm ent al and O ffs ho re Medi c ine of Aberdeen Univ ersit y M e di ca l Sc ho o l. Th e cour se run s fo r thre e da ys, at th e e nd o f whi c h t he candid a t es ar e e xa min e d by wri tten que stion s, or a ls and

pr ac ti ca ls, Th e ce rtifi ca t e is in par a ll el with that o f St. John

t rave n o us th er a p y a nd t rac hea l intubm e nt.

On -shore doctor

T he seco nd ayer of ca re is th e o n-s ho re d octo r. He s us u a ll y a

a nd it will be u p t o him to dec ide whet he r he nee d s to n y o ut to t he ri g, T rea tm e n t ins id e a hel co pter s hamp ere d b y vi bra ti on and no ise so hi s mo tt o o n be h a lf o f th e pa ti e nt s 's ur vi va l'. Th e re is no pl a ce for heroi cs either in the air or on t he rig

Surgeon

T he fi na l layer is t he Cas ua lt y Sur geo n at th e base hos pi ta l - ie. at Le rwic k in S het la nd, o r a t A berdee n, H e mu st be mo re th an a mere bo ne-set t er beca use so me of t he seve res t nj u rie a re to t he c hest an d abdome n.

Industry and NHS

The re po nsib il it y of m ed ical care offho re is t ha t of t he o il co mp a ni es, bu as oon as th e pat ie nt c rosses th e lin e of th e h ig h-tide mark be becomes t he care of t he National Hea lth Se r vice. It is o b vious t h at for mooth working t here mus t be close coope ration be t ween the t wo res pons ible bodies, The oil compa ni es have rea lised how muc h ext r a work their activities t hr ow upo n the hore -bases Na tiona l H ea lth Ser vice a nd do th eir bes t to give s upp o rt. For exa mpl e, the impac t o f the ndu st r y o n Sh et la nd has bee n cons id e rab le Si nce 1972 th e po pul a ti o n has increased from 18,000 to 2 1 0 00, Ca ua lti e h ave r ise n from 1,0 0 0 t o 3,000 a yea r and have inc rease d in seve ri ty, Wh e reas p rio r to 1972 a fa rm er driv in g ho me o n a Saturday n ig ht mig h t go ofT t he roa d a nd wo ul d t he n ha ppi ly leave hi s ca r in the bo g to be retri eve d o n Monda y, now he is mor e oft en in vo lve d in a co lli sion H os pit al a dm iss io ns have in c rease d b y 2 1%.

Diving hazards

Re fe rence has bee n m a d e to t he hazards of dee p-sea di vin g a nd t o d o thi s ju stice wo uld requ ire a no th e r ar ti c le. An imp o r ta nt poin t s th a t a t d epth th e m ent al and ph ys ical pe rfo rm a n ce o f th e hum a n a r e b o th dimi nis hed H e i in a hos til e wor ld whe re hi s jud g me nt a nd ca pa bi liti es may be i mpa ir ed H o weve r th e effec t s in a di v in g bell d iffer onl y in deg ree fr o m th ose afni c tin g amate u r div e rs, whe th e r th ese use o xyg en or not.

Breath -held diving is of it self hazardou s, particularly when the diver return s t o the surface This may seem surpri sing , but it has to do with the fact that on s urfacing the oxyge n pr ess ur e in th e blood o f he br a in is s ud de nl y lowe red and th e diver m ay become un consc io us. Such a cas ualt y m igh t we ll co me th e way of a ny of us, bu luc ki ly a ll we need o d o is t o give t he co n ve nti o nal t reatme nt fo r t h e un co n sc io u s and po te nti a ll y dr o wn ed pe rso n.

AROUND and ABOUT

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

BY THE EDITOR

Meet Mrs. Jean St and ng DI S of oneyear-old Hankham Combined D iv ision (Sussex), which grew from a i rst aid course lay-instru€tor Jean ran at her 7year-old daughter's village school. A home nursing course followed , and finally 21 members completed enro ment forms. The Division just grew - all in 12 months too. (Photo Eastbourne Gazette

BEATEN BY OLD MAN WIND

Conditions were very good and hopes were running high I hear from our Blackpool PRO, when 14-year-old Blackpool Ambulance Cadet Karl Beniston , who became the youngest to swim the English Channel last year, set ofT from Morecambe on August 12 in a bid to beat the 7-miJe Morecambe Bay swim record of 2hrs 35mins. Morecambe Bay, with its fierce tides, is considered a bad swim by the experts.

Karl's coach, his father Jack Beniston , who is a member of the Blackpool Combined Division, had every confidence that Karl would break the record. But halfway across, with Karl swimming strongly and ahead of time, the weather changed and high winds slowed him down to almost a stand-still. You just can't beat Old Man Wind - so a

disappointed Karl had to abandon the attempt.

Karl will make another attempt on Morecambe Bay next year and meanwh ile goes to Egypt to swim the River Nile as the British representat ive in the United Arab s international championships. His ultimate goal is the double channel swim (both ways ) which he hopes to achieve over the next few years.

Good swimming Karl.

HELP!

Bexhill SJ A camp committee are very much in need of an electric potato peeler (a spudbasher) and an industrial -type food -mixer (a grub basher ) to ease the catering tasks of the thousands of members who use the camp ever y ye ar.

If anyone can help, please get in touch with Registrar Laurie Hawes at Headquarters, Grosvenor Crescent.

ONE DAY POSTAL COVERS

The last day for ordering copies of the oneday postal covers to celebrate 100 years of St. John work in the Royal Borough of Windsor (profit goes to the local divisions) is November 1 - from Supt. E. L. E. Hearne , 35 Deve reaux Road , Windsor , SL4 11J.

THANKS,

SAFE

Pirie s aid that thi

en treasurer since the Council wa s formed in 1971. Al fred Gil ston , fir s t a ss o c iated with St. John in 1927 , join e d th e E as t London , Division a s a n ambulance member in 1928.

B

e r in 194 2 Offi ce r in 1958 and Co mmand e r of t he O rde r in 1966.

On be h a lf of t he Co un cil. Gp. Ca p t. Pi rie not o nl y h a n ke d A lfre d fo r hi s lo n g an d fa ithful serv ice, but a so sa id how m uch e ve r yo ne appr e ci a ted a ll t h a t he ha d d o ne o ve r t he yea r s . H e wished him a lo ng a n d happ y retir e m ent. W.A. H.

EVENING OUT

I hea r t he re was a SJ A a di es get-togethe r at Gl oss op rece nt ly (did y ou have to cook y our own s upp e rs fe ll o w s?). And nin e of th e 38 ladi es wh o a tt e nd e d t he re uni o n to ce le br a te th e 40th a nni ver s ar y of th e Gl osso p N ur sing

Div is ion (D e rb ys hire Pe a k A rea) wer e found er m e mb e r s. On e m o r e, Mr s. Ma rj o ri e Picot , ph o n ed fr

IN FLOWERS

Christmas holiday s, resulting in either holding th e exam la ter or afte r further revision, or holding it at a t im e when some of h e ca ndida tes are unavailable which would be unfair to them after al l the time and the cou r se fee s that they've s pent in preparing fo r it ; or (c) discovering in November that there are seve ral members who haven't passed t heir annual re -exam, and it' s now imp ossi ble to find an examiner before the e nd of the yea r. These a r e just hree examp les out of many that co ul d be g iven , but eno u g h to show the importance of timebudgeting.

. A cake speci;llly made for the occasion by Mrs. A. Holding was cut - no doubt as a symbol of Derbyshire (or ladies) solidarity - by the oldest and the youngest present: 89 years old Mrs. Harriot Winterbottom and 16 years old] acqueline Bailey. Ladies night at Glossop Jacqueline 16 and Harriot. 89 , share a duty.

Everyone seems to have had a good time. County Secretary Mrs. C. Lambley explained the procedure which had to be followed to confirm the date of the division's formation. Four Glossop nursing cadets read the aims and objects of the Order, explained

(answers)

the meaning of our badge and the White Cross, and then read the St. John p ray er. Memories of special things that happened during

as

; for

can be

as

and if we don t budget our time at least as Garefully as our money we shall find it terribly

to run into an overdraft at the 'time-bank' - for example,

by (a) leav ing no tim e for a periodic checking and up -dat ing of our divisional emergency call -out sc hem e, so that we aren't ready to take our proper part in a surprise exe r c ise, or indeed in a genuilile emergency; ( b) finding that our Association FA or Nursing course for the public has been started too late to complete it ( including revi s ion and examination) before the summer o r the

So we s tart by finding out what is the maximum time available durin g the year for our weekly training programmes. The answer might seem to be 52 weeks; but that 's only the 'gross' time at our disposal and what we need to discover is the 'net' time genuinely available to spend on our training. Most divi s ions have at least 3 or 4 weeks' rest from regular weekly meetings during the summer holida y period, probably at least one week at Christmas and perhaps another at Easter and possibly in one of the other weeks when there's a public holida y. That doesn't mean, of course, that the members never see each other during these weeks for they tend to coincide with the division's busiest times for public duties, when a ll available members are needed to work together oftener than usu al rather than less often - but, with their own holidays and their family commitments to cons ider as well, there is n o time left for regular divisional training. So the 52 weeks is at once reduced to about 46.

The MUSTS

Then there are the MUSTS in the divisional programme; and the sooner we can get the dates for these fixed , the better we shall be able to plan round th em. I refer of course to s uch events as the Annual Inspection the Annual Re -exam and the Annual General Meeting All of these normally take place on the division 's regular weekly training evening, and attendance at the first two of them counts towards the minimum 12 attendances required for annual efficiency. And the AGM may be similarly counted if (as I think it should, for the pub lic it y va lu e to guests as well as for the inter est of our existing member s) it includes an instructional film or slide-show or talk. These three alone will at once reduce our 'expe nd ab le balance to 43 weeks; but in fact it will be rather less, because both the Inspection and the Re -exam will require some refresher' training and rehear sa l for at le ast one week before each, so we had better think of o ur balance' as being 40 weeks at the very most.

If yo u r division never runs an Association F A o r Nursing course fo r the public, or happen s not to be doing so in 1980 - and

I 'm certa inly not recommending this, least of a ll for Nurs in g or Combi ned Divisions in the 'Year of Nursing ! - then you can budget on ha v ing next year an outside maximum of 40 week s for planning and carrying out the programme of your choice. But before considering what that choice may be , we must first look at the position of the majority of divisions to whom the 'if' at the beginning of thi s paragraph doesn't apply. An 8session course (and it's extremely difficult to complete either the First Aid or the Initial Nursing sy llabus properly in less), plus one evening for revision and another for the exam , occupies 10 weeks ; s o two such courses in the yea r reduce your 'ex pendable balance of the time when you can have the whole division together for other forms of training from 40 weeks to 20. I'm not suggesting it isn't worth it; indeed, I hope that next year some ambulance divisions wh ich have as yet no (or only a very few) members with nursing certificate s will deliberately choose to organise an Initial Nur s ing course for their own benefit as well as for potential recruits and other members of the pUblic. And to make these calculations now is an essential part of our preliminary budgeting of time. But I would emphasise that a year s programme which includes two Association courses doesn't reduce the 'expendable balance' of time for other activities to 20 weeks for the whole of the division, though it does mean that 20 weeks s the maximum that the Superintendent can have the whole of the division together. A few members will be required each week as helpers for the duration of the cour s e. and there will probably be some who could with advanta g e brush up their basic training by attending the whole of it. But I should per so nally call it very improvident budgeting to provide no alternative for members of a combined division than that they should, year after year, spend 20 weeks, re -s itting' the two beginners' courses which formed the basic qualification for their first joining the divisions. If that's all the fare we can offer them , no wonder if their keenness flags and some even drift away altogether. The 'basics' must of course be practised by everybody frequently, but to a higher standard and in more rea li stic and adventurous settings than are possible on a beginners' course; and that is best done in another room (and sometimes out-of-doo r s) by those members of the division who are not required to help on the course.

The Choice

So we end up with a maximum of 20 weeks in which we can choose the rest of the items in our programme for the whole division together. And what is the choice?

All sorts of first aid incident s in reali stic surroundi ng s (yo ur competition team s houldn 't be the only ones to be presented with such a chal enge!); a surprise divisional emergency exercise'; training in casualty simulation, and in how to react to the treatment you are given when act in g as a casualty visits to places of in terest such as (in small number s, of course) a Hospital Casualty Department; talks by visiting speakers on specialist subjects, eg, medical and surgical conditions and new treatments the Order of St. John , the B loo d Transfusion Service, the National Health Service, Community Welfare; some of these may be illustrated by films, filmstrips or slides, which can also provide useful instructional material (eve n without a specialist speaker) on such other s ubject s as the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem. the Hospital Library Service, and St. John Overseas; and don't forget the ve r y important semi -social events, such as an open evening', a combined evening with you r neighbouring cadet division, or an inter-divisional quiz.

All these suggestions (an d at best they are only examples) are far too many to fit into 20 weeks in anyone yea r and would amply fill a 40-week programme. And that's without mentioning the occasional even ing when at least part of the programme should (with prior notice) be devoted to a divisional general meeting' (other than the AGM, see BGR.125), whe n all members have a chance to raise any matters relating to the general welfare of the division: nor indeed have I mentioned the very important subject of fund - raising which, though the Superintendent's responsibility , can only be carried out with the help of the w hole division.

Certainly there's no time to spare, no tim e to leave members hanging around wondering what's going to happen next. Th e Superintendent and his Advisory Committee have a big task ahead in planning next year's programme if they want to 'keep their balance of time out of the red '. And it's not a minute too soon to start planni n g NOW. Next month I'll try and give you some ideas about how the various stages in this planning can best be carried out.

Aftermath of the 19 77 Cup Final ( Ph oto London Express News Feature Service l.

1980 YEAR OF NURSING Training Projects

THERE has been a very encouraging response to the Brigade Circular , publi s hed with July 1979 Brigade Orders , calling fo r volunteers to undertake training attachments in UK and overseas during 1980 - Year of Nursing'.

As the next Brigade Order s will not appear until November 1979 this is desi gne d to update the information on individu a l projects and to make general comments on the scheme to date

List of Projects

The List of Projects is republished with new information in italics Speci a l attention is drawn to the new column headed 'C losing Dates '. It is hoped to notify successful applicants within one month of each closing date. In each case reserves will also be selected and notified , but the y will remain eligible for other project s for which they may have applied.

Eligibility

It will save disappointment if potential app lican ts look carefully at column 4 which lists t h e catego r ies of Brigade personnel which the sponsor can accept in each case. In accordance with custom, we have used t he terms 'N u rsing personnel or 'N' to refer to women , and 'Ambulance personnel or 'A' to re fer to men.

Cruise in the QE2

More applications have been received for this project than for any other , including a number from unsuccessful applicants for the 1979 voyage, who have been promised priority in 1980 Unfortunately we have now heard from Cunard th at, owing to increasing pa ssenger bookings, they will be unable to tell us until February/March 1980 whether they will have any spare berths to allot to St. John next summer

It is not possible to hold up selection for this until the Spring without prejudicing the

Selection will not be related to the date of receipt of applications All received up to the closing date will have an equal chance of success .

chances of many applicants going on other projects on their priority lists. The Superintendent -i n -C hief has therefore decided to close the QE2 li st on 30 September 1979. The two Nursing personnel selected, together with two reserves will be notified in October, but because of the uncertainty , will remain eligible for consideration for other projects taking place later in 1980.

Cost

It is not yet possible to give the cost of each project because travel arrangements have not been finalised, but most applicallts for overseas projects can expect to have to pay their own fares to the airport or port of departure and return. Volunteers for projects within UK will normally be responsible for t he ir travelling expenses, but help may be given in the case of Serial I (Aberdeen) where justified by distance

Special ar r angements may also be made fo r volunteers from Northern Ireland.

An accident cou ld be

The result of breakdown of systems within the body such as a cerebra haemorrhage that ma y leave the

basis.

2. Another result of system breakdown could be blindne ss - agai n , temporary after an accident or illness, or permanent loss of vision due to either of the factors mentioned. The injurie s to the body caused by accidents are many and the disabling effect is one that you meet most frequently when providing care in the home.

Illness of many forms may mean the person is un able to pro v ide for his own needs and that he cannot cope with the medicines and diet that the doctor has ordered,

The fact that he may not be ab le to think and plan for living frpm day to day is a fact that you, the person providing care, should remember.

In cases of illness, disability or both, the

HOME NURSING

This article by Miss Margaret Mcintosh, who is Area Nursing Officer of Cornwall, Ontario, and a Public Health nurse, appeared in SJA Canada's Eastern Ontario Speaks

fear of the change in routine habits of wo rk and play are often so great that having to think of such simple things as paying household accounts for electricity, fuel, and food, is unbearable. What I mean is the support you provide is not just seei ng that the person is comfortable and clean but that the ' messages carried out

for the above items will ease the person's mind and permit him to relax and rest. The shopping' required for obtaining food and the added work of preparing meals is often too much for the ill and the elderly. The pro vision of meals-on-wheels service is to me. the most beneficial service that has developed in this country in the pa st ten years, You have to see what good is accomp lished not only by the nourishing meals provided but also by the daily contact with someome 'looking in ',' The volunteers who carry meals to the homes are often the ones who find the person in a poor state of health requiring immediate medical attention and more care than relatives or neighbours have realised. What we need to do is think ahead of what the patient may need in an hour, in 8 hours and during the night. Try to anticipate hi s needs. Then proceed to plan for his ways and means to see that the needs will be met. You will be surprised to see how much anx iet y yo u remove from the patient when arrangements are made for him which will keep him comfortable until yo u can give him care again in 10 minutes, a half hour, an hour or in several hours time.

'SELAMAT DATANG SABAH is the welcome emblazoned over all roads leading from the port and the airport into Kota Kinabalu , the capital of what used to be known as North Borneo. The words say: Welcome to Sa bah. Earlier this year I was pri vileged to be chosen by the C -in -C , Major-Gen. Peter Leuchers , to follow in his footsteps after his visit to Sabah in February 1978.

I landed at Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday , February 7 two days later than intended , because of an industrial dispute involving the Malaysian Airline System And I felt more than just a little apprehensive as even though there were rows of smiling faces on the airport terminal overlook ing the runwa y, none of them seemed familiar or directed at me , and neither could I see a St. John uniform. However , immediately after passing through Immigration control I was met by Dr. Dingley who is one of the most senior St. John Officers in Malaysia , together with a large reception committee of smiling officers and members , all smartly turned out in gleaming white SJ uniforms. I was escorted to their headquarter s in a triumphant procession of cars and ambulances.

Driving from the airport into the cit y we tra veJled along a tree -lined dual carriagewa y, and there at the end , facing us , wa s the St. John headquarters , with an enormous e gh tpointed cross taking up half the sid e of the building. My spirits , which had started to flag the closer to Sabah I got, were beginning to ride very high again

After the excitement of arri val I qui c kl y settled down with Dr. Dingley and Rajah Indran , the State Commander of St. John , to discuss the programme arranged so far. I was then taken by R ajah Indran to his ho me , where I was to stay for a short while Th a t evening I was the guest of honour a t a reception held at the Rumah St. John by the nursing members of the Headquarter s Divis on nearl y all of whom are also nurse s at the local Queen Elizabeth Ho s pital. I cannot claim , as the C -in-C when he wa s in Sri Lanka , to have been asked if I was an eligible bachelor (St. John Re v iew , Ma y 1978), but one very pretty nurse did scald me because my daughter was only 12 year s old and yet I was older then her father! I suddenly felt a lot older. I t ried to ex c use myself by telling her that in my younger days I had served a number of years in the Royal Navy and hadn t really got round to marrying until I was settled in a civilian job. However it wasn't long before I recovered from that body blow to my ego.

On the wall of the hall in which the reception feast was held was the memorial plaque to Lady Edwina Mountbatten, who died while on a visit to Sabah She stayed at a house which is now within the Army Barracks compound , but this was the fir s t

Welcome to Sabah

The C-in-C was asked to send a lecturer/adviser for a 6-week ·tour of SJA Sabah by CHARLES DEMPSEY, D/Supt. Upton-on - Severn Division plac e I was o see It impr esse d me o n arri va l. how muc h t hese peo pl e love t he Ro ya l Famil y, and in pa rti c ul ar Lo rd Mountbatt e n ; a ls o th eir de ep res pect fo r St. John . To them it is little s hort of a reli g io n. Thi s impre ss ion ne ver fa ded during m y sta y, a nd co n inues in let ters I no w receive.

The next da y was s pent sett ng in O n he Frida y ca me m y fi rs t publi c d uty, to o bserve and assis t a t t he bir t hd ay ce leb rat ions of th e Pr o phet Mo ha met whi c h wa s to be held in the Pa dan g' (fi e ld ) in t he centr e o f K o ta Kinabalu. We arin g the Cro ss o f St. J oh n in the middl e of a con g regat io n o f th o usa nd s o f mu slim s a t o ne o f t heir relig io us fes ti va ls made me feel ove rdr esse d in th e ex tr e me. I would hav e fe lt a li t tle le ss c on s pi c uou s if I had le ss knowledge of the hi st o r y o f t he Orde r. Non ethele ss, I e njo ye d the fun c tion.

That evening I was taken to a Hindu te mpl e to see the preparation s for the Fe s tival of 'Thaipu ss am ', which wa s the next d ay. Th e followin g morning I wa tch ed the o rdeal o f

earn es t. Fir s tly th ere was a lo ng driv e into K enin ga u , a la rg e to wn in th e int eri o r , with two St. J o hn me mb ers I was goin g to s a y we we nt by roa d but ro a d is not rea ll y th e ri ght wo rd Dri vin g a lon g th e ' roa d s' was ver y akin t o ridin g a ca mel with a limp in a san d st o r m. On e soo n feels ho t tir ed a nd brui sed fro m hea d o toe. Th e Di v s io n a t Keni nga u wa s K a dazan , th e ethni c na ti ve. The y are a ver y gentl e, enthu si a s tic fun -lovin g people. Th ey t ri ed ve r y ha rd o n my as e ve nin g t o ge t me me rr y on ta pa i', or he loca l ri ce win e. I th o ro ug hl y enj oye d th e a tempt. Th ey rea ll y we re a ha pp y b un c h . I da nced th eir lo c al trib al dance with th e m. The y san g a so ng especia ll y co mp ose d fo r me. I was so rr v to leave. I had lect ur ed t hem fo r two d ays: we had disc ussed their pro bl ems. I intr od uce d t he m t o t he N a ti ona l Coa l Board series o f slides, an d s howed th e th ree Nava film s D o n t le t hi m Di e, G ive Hi m A ir . a nd H andle H im wit h Care. T hese fi lms a nd slides were to be used at a ll my poin t s of ca ll.

F rom Ke ni ngau I went to Tamb un an, further in t he interior. Tambunan is quite a small spraw ling tow n with ju ng e a ll a rou nd.

T he largest inc idence of d isease is malaria, an d acc ide n ts a re qu ite co m mo n T here is a ve r y efficie n t hospi t al in the tow n Most of t he injur ies sustained in acciden t s seem to h ave been aggravated by bad handl ing of t he ca ua ltics before reachi ng hospi t al. St. J oh n is very m uc h i n emb r yo, being fo r med by one of t he ma le nurse at the hos pita l. All of h is members are schoo l c hil d re n I was only a ble to pend one even in g wi t h t hem. then it was b ack to K K to fl y t he next day across th e Sta e to S a nd a kan

cl ass ! La ngu age did no t see m to be mu c h of a pr ob lem. In fac t , o n occas io n I got o n bett er with o ut a n interpre er. I was ve r y relieve d to leave t he east c oas t a nd ge t back t o K ota Ki nabalu a nd a pil e of accu mu lated mai l fr o m ho me. J the n sta rt ed on a se r ies o f lec tur es, wit h t he F ir e Bri ga d e or ' Bo m ba' at th e a irp o r t, t he P olice F o rce, Sco ut Lea d ers, Girl G uid e Lead e rs a nd me m be rs o f th e p u blic - as we ll a s ins tru c tio n a nd d e bate with he St. J o hn membe r s. I spent fo u r days at he G aya C o ll ege, th e St a t e tr a ini ng co ll ege for eac he rs. In Ma laysia, a ll teac hers a re obliged to t ake part in youth organisation activities a ft e r sc hoo l hours - Sco uts, G ui des, Boys Br igade. Red Cresce n t (C ross) o r St. J o h n Ambu lance, whi c h eve r hey choose. As I was visiting, the co ll ege ki nd ly a ll owed me a li tt le of their study time. J e njoyed my im e the re. teac hing u nd er the bes co ndi t ions with up -to -date equipment. My next trip out of K K was to Lab ua n, an island on the west coast, whe re I lectured for a day in the dockyard. O n Labuan is the G raves a nd Memorial Garde n of t hos e who fe ll in No r t h Bo rn eo and Sa r awak d ur ing he Japanese occupat ion dur ing the last war. D u ri ng my hort visit ac ross th e State I never sa,,, one garden as neat and trim as

M y fi rst o pp ortu nit y to s tud y th e St. J o hn ex pert ise, as it we re, was o n he fir s t S a tu rday w h en th ey h e ld th e S tate comp et it io ns . A s we ll as th e us ua l fir s t aid and nu rs in g co n tests, t he re we re t wo unu s ual fa cet s to th e comp et it o ns In add iti o n to th e un ifo rm in s pec ti o n th e tea ms, me n a nd wom e n we re expec ted to d o a 5- minut e drill exerc ise, whi c h was t a ken ve r y seriou s ly a nd t he st a nd a rd o f drill was extr emely hi g h.

Sec o ndl y, hav in g be en given a s itu a tion , old wh ere th e p a ti ent was a nd wha t was wro ng with him -a n o pe n frac ture , ri g ht tibiate am s had o tr ea pr epar e and load t he st re tc her a nd th e n c a rr y the patient ov e r an ob stacl e co ur se befo re loadin g him into a n a mbul a nc e. T here was a tim e limi t a nd ma rk s we re a ward e d fo r tr ea tment as we ll as s tr et ch er drill.

On the Mond ay I st a rted my t o ur in

Hindu me n and bo ys havin g th eir s kin fac e and ton g ue pierced with s pear s a nd ho o k s befo re car r yi ng th eir kavad i (o r bu rden) a di s tan ce of t wo mil es in he br oi lin g sun from the beac h to he ir te mpl e; an d t here to have the hoo ks a nd spea rs re moved with no t a dr op of b loo d being s pill ed !

S a ndaka n a ve r y large town on th e east c oast, is known locally as Little H ong Kong b eca u se of i t s many geographical s imi larities. It used to be the capital o f the S tate. At Sa nda ka n I was take n to see he N a t ure Conse r vancy ce ntre. whe re t he o r ang ut a n (ma n of th e woods) s rehabi lit ate d a ft er be ing in a zoo o r kept as a pe t. whi ch is ill ega l. The a ni ma ls we re be in g tr ained to go back int o th e wi ld . A t fee d ing time I was t ake n in to t he ju ngle by t he keepe rs to wa t c h th e o ra ngs co me d own from t he t rees to co ll ec t t he ir da ly ra ti o n of ba na nas. Eac h a nim a l has a na me a nd a ro ll ca ll is ma d e t o see if a n y have wa nd ered o fT - a ha bi t e nco ur age d by th e kee pers as a he alth y sign th at t he a nim a l is beco ming in de pe nd e nt. A ft e r thr ee days in S a nd aka n, I fl ew furth e r so ut h t o La had D a tu , a tow n no o n m y o r igi nal tim e t a bl e but in c lud ed a t th e ir

ur ge nt requ est. I co uld s t ay o nl y o ne ni ght a nd th e n fl ew so uth again to T a wa u, th e cl oses t I was t o ge t t o t he equ a to r A t all thr ee of th ese town s m y re ce pti o n was o ve rwh e lming. M y cl ass es starte d o ff with an ave r age o f 30 p eo pl e, a nd g r a du a ll y incre ase d until I wa s o bli ge d t o mo ve out of a ro o m into a la r ge ha ll. I n o ne cla ss at Sa nd a ka n I end ed u p w it h ove r 100 in a

(Right) At Sandakan ( L to R) Regiona Commissioner the author Regional Surgeon

Our June cover

from D P. Bell, Divisional Officer

As one of the persons adorning the cover of the June Review (left at rear , 2 pips only) I feel that I must reply to the unfounded comm e nts of Sgt. Coleman ( Re view , Aug) After readin g his le tt er and a so m a n y other lett e r s o ver the y ears I ha ve com e t o th e conclusion th at bein g a member o f St. John in a large cit y is w or ld s ap a rt from b e ing a member in a rural area. Trying not to be facetious probabl y t he onl y incidence of ci vil disturbance Farnborough and Cove ha v e kno w n is a n outbreak of postman ' s knock b y the local infa nts school. St. John in London , and I am sure in other lar ge cities , h av e to with seriou s ci v il disobedience and violenc e al l too frequently Th e photo in question was taken ver y close to w here poli c e a nd demon s trator s were clashing Bricks l;>ottle s a nd paint we re fallin g very close the paint on my raincoat bear s testimon y In s u c h a situation speed is essential for the patient 's safet y an d, mo st importantly , your o w n For Sgt. Colem a n 's inform a tion DSO F .Wic h (on the left , to m y left , one crown , one pip) and m y self had ju st dre sse d a wound to the patient' s stomach The patient wa s then to be blank e t e d and loaded on the ambulance b y the crew al s o in the photogr aph. A n orderl y 4 -m a n load w a s in fact effected, and no apologies o ffe red, a s it is ea s ier , qui c ker and s afer in the s e circum s tanc es t o lift a h eavy p ol ice officer into m y d iv ision 's ambulance wh ich is rather h igher at the b a c k than some ambulances in pub lic s er v ice A furt h er patien t wa s b eing brought to the ambulance (s ee figure at ri g ht h a nd ed ge of p h oto), borne b y all a mbulance members. The London Ambulance Serv ice wor k ed alongside St. John at this dut y and the y, a s si s ted b y th e ir officers and police were loading ambulance s in a sim la r m a nner. I have no doubt that mo st peop le dealing with this inciden had s ome concern for thei r own s afet y, hence h e need for a sw ift , effi c e nt disposal to ho s pital. A s regards the s nipe in the Ambul a nc e J o urna l, s urel y thi s s ex pected fr om s ome elements of th e professionals a fte r the acti v ities of S1. John in January and Februar y of thi s y ear. Such c omments should be tr e ated with the contempt they de s erve

As to t he comment about ' too many pip s', in London offic e r s le a d b y and get on with the job alongside other ranks , e s p ecially when operating in difficult circumstances There were 14 ambulance members from my division at the incident many of whom attend e d a t a financial lo s s a s the duty commenced in the later aft e rno o n and a g ain , in thi s re s pect officers must s et an ex ample to en co ur age t he other ranks

I do no t obj ect to constructive criticism from peop le who are fully awa r e of w h at they are tal kin g about. This, sadly, cannot be said about S gt. Co leman's remarks Maybe one day he will have a chance to see fi r s ha n d the ype of problems which St. John can face.

Padding t on Ambulance Dil'ision D P. Bell

I NSIGNI A FOR SALE

from G. H G Tillin g

M rs. J a m es (Review Aug.) may be pleased to know that each success ve issue of the Year Book of the Priory of Scotland invite s members of the Order to return any insignia that they do not wi s h [0 keep.

However, I do not th ink one should condemn sale on the open market. A great deal of historical information would have been lost for ever if it had not been possible for competent numisimatists to buy and study ins ignia, and carefu ll y preserve it either in private collections or n mu seums.

I do no t think it belittles the status of our Order that non -member s are interested in buying the insignia. What would be terrible, if it ever happened, would be the knowledge that nobody thought our in s ignia worth hav ing!

Edi nburgh G. H. G. Tillin g

THE BRIGA DE 'S FUTURE

from Mrs S. M Woo dwar d Divis onal Offic er

I h ave often wonde r ed, as no doubt many others have, why our me m bership has decreased so much in recent years. I realise that the absence of a national emergency, such as war, is partly the cause, but I also th i nk it is largely due to the structure and image of the Brigade as it n ow stan d s. A un iforme d organisation with a broadly -based military s tr uct ure an d hie r a r chy, does not appea l to many people these days.

I wo ul d t h e r efo r e make the fo ll owing suggestions for co n sideration:

I. S impli fy th e unifo r m d r astically. There need be no difference b etween t Ji e officer s' u ni fo r m and that of the rank and file thus, p a rti c u la rly in the case of ambu lance members, cutting costs co n s idera bl y on promotion. Have a uniform that can, in the main, be p urc h ased anywhere, with a minimum of badges and insignia.

(a) Ambu lance members Marks & Spencer grey or black

t r o u se r s, w hi te shirt and bl ack (stores type) anorak. Once aga in bi g saving in costs.

(b) Nu rsing me m be rs Bla ck sk irt, wh ite s h ir t and bl ack anorak.

I n wint e r a b lack or g rey cardigan co ul d be added. This outfit wo ul d cater for warm days as well as winter ones when nur sing members at p resent in ill-fitting cotton dresses.

A s impl e white over a ll cou ld be worn for any actual nu r s ing d uties.

If officers fee l they need to look different, this cou ld be achieved by a different belt o r hat band, or a pin-on lapel badge.

2. Appointment of Officers (not Supe r ior): All appointments s h ou ld be for a period of t hree years. This wou d enable members to accept an appointment to officer without feeling they have bee n lumbered for life. At the moment officers who fee l they can no longer fulfil their commitments have three a lternatives. They can step down and lose rank (a step that not many are prepared to take); they can go onto the County Poo l (a bit of a 'no-man's land' this); or they c an resign fr om t h e Brigade. Sadly the last a lt ernat ive is he one which many resort to, a n d good members a r e lost this way.

There are many who, over a short period, can give much to the ro le of officer, and if they are given the optio n to step down g r acefu lly a t the end of that period, many more people would be willing to come forward, and the Brigade would thus benefit.

I am sure I am not alone in having thoughts along these lines, and I would be interested to hear other members' comments and suggestion s.

East Grinstead

MEDALS AND UNIFORM

S. M. Woodward

from Rear-A dmiral J. D. Trythal l. Comman de r & Co mmi ss ioner, So mers e

I have read with great interest and general agreement the remarks in July 'At Random' on medals and uniform. I have, however, one comment on the wearing of meda s. In Somerset I have interpreted 'Church Parade Order' on page 4 of the Uniform Regulations to include weddings, funeral services and memorial services where these are Sl. John Ambulance uniformed occasions. This is in line with the Armed Forces procedure and I suggest it should be ours as well.

Taulltoll

SHIELD FOUND

fr om Marjorie Eatwell, Serv ing S is er

1. D. Trythall

MANCHESTER

I have in my posse s sion a shield mounted on a wooden surround (with a stand) inscribed: Warwickshire Central Corps Quiz Competition 1944. Morris Engine Division. Pte A. Lomas.

This was dug up in Northern Ireland by a metal detecting enthusiast a few month s ago. I have no idea if this division is still in existence or no1. and wondered if any relatives of Pte Lomas or even the man him elf would be interested to have the shield returned to them. Failing that, perhaps the Wa r wicks division would like it as a museum exhibit?

76 PriOl)' Ave, Hungerford, Berks. Marjorie Eatwell

IDENTITY CARD

from Thos H. Hollingworth, Div. Secretary

For the second time this year the Newark Divisions have had the privilege of Mr. J. A. Wilson the Area Training Officer, Nottinghamshi r e Amb ul ance Service, giving a lecture at th eir Headquarters.

The first Lecture was on 'Dangerous Chemicals on the Road and in the Home'. his second on 'Major Incidents' and the role of t h e Voluntary Services in a Major Inc ident.

One of the points raised in his last lecture was 'Identity'. Mr. Wilson told us that at a major incident , the whole area is sealed off and only authorised personnel allowed in or out.

This point was emphasised by Mr. Wi lso n when he told u s abo u t t h e Chief Officer of the Ambu lance Service in Nottingham w h o was refused admission to an incident despite the fact that he was ident ifie d by his own ambulance crews. The Ch ef Officer was not in uniform and at that time identity cards were not iss ued by t h e service.

One assumes that on members being called out to a major incident they are expected to turn out as qu ck ly as possible. Members w h o have time to don uniform would have no difficulty in

In view of this would it be practical to have a uthenticated id entit y cards issued b y Brigade Headquarters ?

admission to the scene of the incident, those without uniform could experience difficulty. assoc ia t ed with the Ca d e Movement. To be assoc iat e d would ne e d a form of identification and the weari n g of the s hields on a dult un iform would help the Grand Prior holders (some of w hom may have the s hi e ld s) to identify m e mb ers who were cadets a nd th e se rvic es given t o t he public.

A simple card with the Brigade Badge , a s pace for a passport size photograph , member 's name and address and signature, and a s pace for the signature of an officer senior to the bearer.

On the reverse of the card a certificate t o indic ate th a t the bearer holds a v alid First Aid Certificate, with spaces for the date of expiry entered and initialled by a s uperior officer.

This in it self would encourage more cadets to give th e ir services to the public. Perhaps it will a lso h elp in th e recruitment of more members. espec ia ll y of bo ys to o ur'Cad e t Divisions. I would like to ap p ea to all offi cers and members in -charge o f Cadet Divisions to vo ice t hei r opinions and views on the s ubject. Newark Thos. H. Hollingworth Stockport Juli an Chow

SPECIAL SERVICE SHIELD DO YOU KNOW THESE BADGES from Julian Chow, SRN, ONC, Div Superintendent from Peter W Dodds

I write to bring up the subject of the award of the SpeciaJ Service Shield to cadets giving 200 hours or more valuable work to the loc a l community The subject was brought up more than two y ears ago i:1 the Re v iew but si n ce then have not heard a n y more about it.

I wo u ld be g r a efu l for the h e lp of R ev iew readers in obta ning informat on about th e following Brigade badges, which ha ve eme r ged in my rave s within he Bri gade.

A column for everyone interested in cadets

CADET CHAT

byJIM

The upside -downer - Fin the notice up s ide down and watch the reaction. 'Don', Read' notices - Fold the notice and mark it 'Not to be read by Cadets o r 'Do not read this A sure way of getting your notice read!

In Greater Manchester, m y Commissioner, Colonel Price , writes to the cadets individuall y, congratulating them personally fo r their achievements. I can see the g low of happiness and proud ne ss in their faces as th ey show me the letter s from th e Commi ss ioner HIMSELF. Th is is s hor t- lived w hen they are told t hat the y will not be ab le to wear the badges when promoted to the Adult Di v ision

White metal title SJ5AB and SJ6AB. Which areas of the co un try wore these titles, when introduced an d w hen w thdrawn.

2. White metal tit e DURHAM a n other NORTHUMBERLAND When were they int ro duced a nd when withdrawn.

3. The date of intr oduc ti o n of th e ova cloth s t yle of county titles.

4. A s il ver s tar w ith red ce ntre , sim il a r to the old 3- year service s tar r would be ple ased to hear fro m anyo n e who can help with these

It takes something like two to six yea rs for one to obtain the s hield , dependjng on the area one lives in. The effort made could be said to be similar to the effort put in for the Grand Prior Award , and I personally can t see why a cadet on promotion should be depri ve d of wea rin g t he shield. I ha v e yet to come across any ex -cadet who is n ot pr oud to be enquiries. In addition I am interested in making contact with fe ll ow collectors of Br igade insignia. Any documentary evide nc e of the above items will be co pied and returned. Any obsolete items looki n g for a goo d home would be welcomed.

BRI GAD E FINALS report

I WOULD like to congratulate a ll the teams who, by their hard work and enthusiasm, reached the B riga de National Finals; not everyone can win, but to have taken part can be considered meritorious r am immensel y grateful to all competitors present.

Although 'Brigade Finals nerves ', as ever, led to occasional error in general terms, I thought the standard of first a d and nursing shown in these tests was good; having said that, I intend to make some minor criticisms of teams and individuals not in a carping spirit , but so t hey may be aware of their deficiencies.

TEAM TESTS

Dewar Shield - Some of the teams were of a very high standard, but there was s ome criticism of the rough handling of the patient who was suffering from heart trouble.

Perrott Shield (Nursing) - Most assessed the situation well at the beginning and established rapport easily with the patient. Procedures were carried out with due consideration for the comfort of the patient, although the manual dexterity was variable.

On the whole, instructions to the patient and helper were good. Some teams tended to start treatment rather too early

White Knox Cup (Ambulance Cadet)There was an extraordinarily high standard 234

85 Carol Avenue, Brol77sg rol'e, Worcs. Peter Dodds

FOLLOWING last month 's theme of safety training at this time of the year I thought we shou ld remind ourselves of the dangers of fireworks , The Firework Maker s Guild publi shes the Firework Code, w h ich sets out the safe way to use firework s Thi s code could be used as the basis of a game for younge r cadets or as a sti mulu s for a poster competit ion based on aspects of firework safety. Good examples of poster s would be mo st welcome in man y sc hool s and with im agination they are easy to produce. Copies of the Firework Code are sent to all schools Individual copies of the po ster are ava lable to officers -in -c h arge of divisions from Mr. Ra ymond Du veen, Firework Makers Gu ild. 16 Bolton St, London W 1Y 8HX

Communication

by the Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. J. C. GRAHAM

of work show n by cadet team s, bearing in mind that in the graveyard scene they were worki n g in difficult cramped co nditi ons; it was by no mean s an easy test and I t hou ght the cadets came o u t very we ll inde e d

Dunbar-Nasmith (Nursing Cadet)S o me teams tended to be s urpri sed by th e s implicit y of the test and were looking for so me t hing far more comp lic a ted than basic first aid tasks. Manual dexterity was fair, although it was obvious that some had n ot practi sed appropriate procedures some team s were rather t oo garrulous abo ut what the y wo uld do ins t ead of actually performing those ta sks.

Mo st teams were kind and considerate to th e patien but tended to confuse the help er with complicated instructions given far too quickl y.

INDIVIDUAL TESTS

Dewar Shield - In the majority of cases the priorities were absolutely right; the diagnosis of injury was very good. The handling and int e rrog ation of t he cas ualt y in most cases was absolutely fir st rate

Perrott Shield - The ma jo rity of competitors assessed the s ituation well at the beginnin g and established good r a pport with the patient. The procedures were carried out with due consideration for t he co m fort of the

patient and o n the whole instructions both to the patient and to the helpe r were quite good.

White Knox Cup - Mo st cadets assessed the orde r of priorities very quickl y and ably and th e genera l handling of the pat ients was good: one fault was that the steri lity of th e wounds was not carefully maintained and more care and time was ne eded fo r th e examination of the casual t y; on the other hand , there appeared to be genu in e tho u ght and consideration fo r t he casualt ie s b y the cadets - we ll done!

Dunbar-Nasmith Cup - Most cadet competitors easi ly established rappo rt with the patient and they we r e very co n s iderate for patients' comfort; they were very good publicity agents for the wo rk of St. Johnone competito r even anno unc ed that s he was St. John!

Once again many co mp etitor s ne eded more practice in u s in g the equipment provided, a nd in tests they s h ould use that eq uipment r ather th a n telling the judge what they intended to do!

F inall y, let m e sum up b y sayi n g that a ll t he judg es were impr essed with the very hi gh s t andar d s of first aid and nurs n g and hop ed t h at compet i tors would go away and produce even high e r sta nd ards next year. I a lso hope that Co un t ies will u se top teams in a training rol e.

Some divisions are lucky enough to have their own headquarters, or at le ast a divisional noticeboard , but do they use the noticeboard as well as the y sho uld ? Other divisions who a r e not so lu cky a nd ha ve to borrow a meeting place are often not a llowed to leave any sign of their occu p ation or even to put thing s on the wall for the even in g. But do they use this as an excuse to avo id u s ing poster s o r ch arts?

Take Care of Yourself

V. M. Vickery, J. F. Fries, G. A. Muir Gray, S. A. Smail

George Allen & Unwin £6.50

Thi s b ook is divided into two sections. The first part d eals with your habits and your health, h e lp s yo u to choose yo ur general practitioner talks about his responsibilitie s and the kind of advice a n d treatment you can expect from him , and how you can be refe rred on for a seco nd opinion. This is followed by a section on drugs and medicines, ho sp i ta l treatment and th e var o u s se r v ic es a n d help that yo u can expect in illness. It is well set o ut and easy to re a d a nd gives useful information. For in sta n ce, there is a li st of the various self- help societies , details about dental care, optical serv ices, ch i ropody and less we ll known branch es suc h as chiro practice, osteopat h y and acupuncture.

The Firew o r k Code Poster

A noticeboard should be an important focal point for members which the y grow accustomed to using, and so in the long run make everybody's life easier. It shou d be a s il ent salesman for the Divi sion and ref1ect the excit ing and stimulating activities you arrange. So make sure it stands out from its surroundings by using a bright background

The notices s h ou ld be colourful and eyecatching - easy and cheap to do even by the least artistic among us. You could even try a notice of a different shape - say triangular or hexagonal. Here are some noticeboard ideas: ll/ustrated board - There is a lot of material in comics and newspapers that mi gh help li ven up the noticeboard. Have you a cartoonist? Encourage members to bring items for inclusion on the board.

BOOKS

The second part of the book is a series of self-help char ts about what to do in various situations. This spans such topics as fever first aid ear, no se and throat , eye and skin problems, arthritis , back pain and other aches and pains - to mention only a few. The other side of the pa ge tends to deal with the conditions such as chest pain, whi le the other graphically displays certa in signs and symptoms and asks the question, do you have any of these? If yes, see your doctor. If no, it will ask a further question; if the answer to t h at is no you take a certain path, maybe make an appointment with your doctor ; if it is yes, apply home treatment.

Again this is well set out and I think would be a h elp to many people.

The book to my mind has two disadvantages: one is the price; the

Alternatively - For those who are not allowed to put anything on the wall, here are two ideas for displaying information. (I) An o ld clothes-horse covered with hessian makes a useful portable board , with notices pinned or taped to the hessian. ( 2) Hang some material over the bar of a wire coathanger and s titch it on. The bottom of the material can be fo lded up and stitched to make pockets.

CAN YOU SUGGEST ANY OTHER WAYS OF IMPROVING COMMUNICATION?

First aid noughts and crosses A s a variation on first aid quizzes, why not try a noughts and crosses game with correct answers being a warded the appropriate symbol? Perhaps you could also play a game of bingo in a similar way. Have you an y ideas of simple games to share with others?

Pen Pals

I hear that Ian Tik tin is prepared to help cadets find a St. John pen pal. Just drop him a line , giving your name, address, age interests and whether you would prefer to write to a boy or a girl. He can't promise a quick response but will try. lan s address is 56 Moorfield, Ha rlow. Essex CM18 7QF.

New road signs

Ha ve you got any ideas for a new road sign - perhaps with a St. John connection?

Contributions to this column should be sent to Jim ', 57 Morgan Crescent , Th eydon Bois Epping, Essex - I look fo r ward to hearing from you.

second is that it may, rather than assist the medical profession and take pressure off their surgery, encourage people to carry out treatment and medications without full y understanding what they are about. I would hesitate to re commend it to members.

The Anatomy and Physiology of Obstetrics (6th edition)

C. W. F, Burnett (revised by Mary Anderson)

Faber & Faber £2.25

This 6th edition of a well known and well tried text book has been brought up to date and re -illustrated, not always to advantage. The present format is less clear than it was previously and the paper used is not nearly so good. However the text maintains its previous high s tand ard and I would be delighted to recommend it to anyone who was thinking of undertaking midwifer y training.

NEWS from WALES

SCOTLAND

OVERSEAS

News from Divisions/Centres

LlNCS: Three Spalding members having served 153 years between them, receive retirement gifts. They are (L to R) 0 0 Miss Vida Braybrooks, 51 years w th Nur sing Div " receiving gift from D/ Pres. Mrs. D. Melling; % Len Wilson. 52 years. and Sgt. Frank Stoner 50 years. of the Ambulance Division who received their gifts from D Pres Mr L. Van Geest. (Photo: Les Prudden)

LONDON TRANSPORT AMBULANCE CENTRE - A first aid confenmce was held at the Griffin Rooms, Pelham Street, South Kensington on September 5, which was attended by District and Branch Secretaries.

The chair was taken by Dr. P A. B. Rame Chief Medical Officer, London Transport Executive a nd Vice - President of the Centre, who welcomed the members to the 17th annual con ere nce that h ad been arranged by the Centre.

Dr Ram e then formally opened the conference, addressed the members and introduced the first speaker, Dr. R. Goulding, Director, Poisons Unit, New Cross Hospital, who gave an excellent a lk on poisoning.

The next speaker was Dr. F. Lewington, Principal Scientific Officer, Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory, who gave a most interesting and in fo rmative talk on The Role of the For ensic Biologist.

After lunch the delegates heard a n excellent talk by Dr. B. G. Lucas, Consultant Anaesthetist. University College Hospital Medical School. Finally an open forum was held a which a panel answered questions from the delegations on first aid matters.

OBITUARY

Major Samuel Newsom, TO, JP. FRCS. rormcr Assistant Commissioner. Lan cashire. Commande r or the Order. Miss Margaret M. Parkes rounder member in 1915 or Whitby Nursing Division , North Yorkshire: later Divisional Offi cer and Treasurer. Serving Sister. Died July 3. aged 89. F. H. Parlatt, Ambulance Member, Newark Ambulance Division. ror 40 yea rs. Lay In stru ctor and Divisional Secretary. Serving Brother (Below) HANTS : The Basingstoke nursing cadet novices team in the Douglas Pumps Ltd competition - they won the runners-up cup. the seventh cup and one shield the division have won hi s year.

(Above) DORSET At 'Dor chester Combined Cadet D ivision's annual inspection County Commissioner Mr J. Bon ham-Carter presented certificates and congratulated N C Gillian Young. 16, who gained her's with distinction and a silver star for 600 hours service. (Photo: James Phillip s) (Above) DORSET: London Dist rict's annual camp at Wyke Regis Army Camp near Weymouth. Maj-Gen John Acland GOC SW chatting to Cadet Leaders Andrew Whitfield and Carolynne Penney.

CUMBRIA: (Left) Gosforth Round Tabl e chairman Peter Sacre (left) and Lad ie s Circle cha ir man Marga et Barber present a Resusc iAnne to Egremont Division president Dr. John Strain.

(Right) Later. Dr Strain presented the Grand Prior's Badge to 14 -year-old Cadet Sandra Downton (Photos: Cumbrian Newspapers)

GTR MANCHESTER : Cadets

March (5). 9. Unpleasant smell with

patriot in childbirth. (II). 11. A horse sta

layer of the skin (4). 13. Head man has

(4). 1.5. Tissue from amber men. (8). 18. Turn out abou

in dinner jacket. (6) 19 Organ with internal , middl e, and ex te rna l parts (3) 21. Strange love between p o le s featur es n fi cti on a l works. (6). 23. Having ingested ether Ted is restrained by a rope . ( 8) 26 P art 240

of h eart , lu ngs and skull. (4 ). 27 Parasite spreading b y leap s and b o un ds (4). 28. Organisms producing boil s, gonorrhoea , and scarle t fever (5). 31. Roo t used fo r e meti c, expe c torant , and di a phoreti c p re p arations. (11) 32 Girl in fe ver. (3). 33 Containing much edibl e anima fles h (5) 34. Chronic lung condition du e to inh a la t o n o f fin e part ic les of iron ( 9)

D o wn:'

1. A wasting disease such as locomotor ataxia ( 5) 2. Rad ioacti ve meta l providing nu clear power. (7) 3. Two - footed animal. ( 5). 4. Gi ven pre-operativel y to reduce respiratory tract secretion s. ( 8) 5 Ev e rgreen s hru b honouring v ictors (6). 6 Fracture in vol v in g o nl y a flake o f bone (4) 7. Pose fo ll owing poor aid for one carr y ing ex c ess fat (7) 8.

Part of habit for source of aconite. (9) 14. Hurry for an aquati c plant. (4).15 Upper sternum (9).16 Rattle in t he chest. (4) 17.

Consume a blend of tea. (3). 20. Kept within the body. ( 8) 22 The

n te rn al organs (7) 24 Vitamin D deficien cy d ise a se. ( 7). 25

Delib er ately ig nores the rules ( 6) 28 Occupi ed b y th e profe s sor. (5).

29 Intes inal obstruction. (5) 30 Giddy at Hampto n Co ur t. (4 )

S OL UTION TO CROSSWORD No.9 (79)

Across:

1. B ice p s; 4. A d enitis ; 10 Albumin; 11. Oestrin ; 12. Kirk; l3 Tr u e; 14 La d.le ; 17. U reter ; 18 Ta.kings; 20. Eel ; 22. Fi b r o.ma; 23.

S lo u g h 26. Asses ; 28. A .l to ; 29. Sign; 31. Rost. r um; 33 On trial ; 34 W ind war d ; 3.5. Tennis

D o wn : 1. Bla ck o u t; 2. Cybernetics; 3. Pump; 5. D u odenal; 6. Nasal; 7 Tar ; 8. Sa ni es; 9 Snore; 15. Deg l utition ; 16 R ear 18 Tea ; 19. Ills; 20 Embalmer ; 21. Shin.gles ; 24. Marrow ; 25. Stool ; 27 St r aw; 30. Stye ; 32 Sun.

Crossword No.8 (79): The first correct solution opened was from Mrs. Barbara G lson, 123 Grange Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk.

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Readers'Views p.256

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felt for this November issue , the background theme of their recent presentation group - SPRING - was a ppropriate. But not only that. their faces - t\ study them - speak of Spring too. (With the r' I exception of young Bill , in the middle who was probably feeling outnumbered).

PLAN Nl NG a year s programme for the division is too big a subject to discuss in any great detail in two instalments of 'At Random'. What I wrote last month, to which this month's instalment is a sequel, is a mere digest or preview of what I hope will appear on the subject in the revised edition of the booklet The Divisional Superintendent on which I'm working at present. It is largel y based on the previous edition compiled some ' 12 years ago by Miss Nancy Sale, from whose experience as a training officer I learnt an immense amount while working as a member of her training team in Bucks. Having made the calculations described last month and carefully considered the extent to which they apply to your own division, you will find it best to carry out the detailed planning in five stages:

1. Get a large diary, or convert a notebook into a homemade diary, and enter the dates (or at least the provisional probable dates) of all the 'musts' in the year's programme - the AGM, the re-exam, the divisional inspection. any Association courses to be held, any competitions in which you hope to be involved, flag day and house-to-house collections, and any other special events. Put in it, too. the holiday periods when your division will not be holding a regular weekly training evening for all its members. Some of these entries will have to be adjusted later on, but if your programme doesn't exist at an early stage as an adjustable 'ske leton it is liable to end up in complete chaos.

2. Make a list, with the First Aid and Nursing manuals (and, where appropriate, with the syllabi for cadet proficiency subjects and the training of St. John Juniors) at your elbow, of all the items of training that you consider essential or desirable to include during the coming year, with special attention to those items of practical work that are not normally included in annual re-examinations but are essential to the proper treatment of a patient or casualty, and plan these in a progressive order, keeping specially in mind the needs of your new members. The help of your divisional advisory committee should be continued on p.25}

AS a first-time visitor to the Nottingham Leadership Conference it seems to me that delegates keep returning to this event year after year - this is the 18th, by the wa yfor several clear reasons ; knowledge information. camaraderie and s heer enjoyment. They also come to compa re the conference with last year s , confident in the knowledge that , like a London bus th e re 's always another one behind.

Attendance this year (as always) wa s excellent - about 480 delegates including several colourful figures from overseas.

In his opening address on the S a turda y morning, Colonel Pat Adams w e lcomed Wolfgang Oehrl , Chief Trainin g Officer , Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe and his wife , Margot; Pat Luxton, St. John Ambulance New Zealand; Dr. J. A. Smith , Deputy Surgeon-in-Chief SJA , Republic of South Africa and , probably he most noticeable overseas guest, Miss Pat Gelderbloem. A SJA nurse , midwife and community health worker from Capetown, Miss Gelderbloem arrived for the first session in a SJ A uniform -a chic black trouser suit, with white shirt and rumed neckerchief. She designed the eyecatching - for females as well as males - outfit herself, which Colonel Adams alternatively described as mar v ellous or extraordinary.

The opening address brought poi g nant moments for Pat Adams, for after 8 y ears as the seemingly unchallenged Godfather of Nottingham, this was to be the last he would organise as he retires as Chief Officer Brigade Training & Cadets next Ma y . H is successor is Brigadier F Semple. Ho wever , sentiment did not obscure duty and before the assembly split up for group discussion , Col. Adams again briefly reiterated the meaning of Nottingham. It was , he said: a reunion of the most dedicated Brigade members to exchange ideas and information , to take heart from good communicators and to master leadership - ie , the art of getting people to do things because they want to , rather than because you want them to

Contentious issues

This year there were 20 discussion groups each choosing their own subjects. After lengthy debate, the Commissioner-in-Chie f, Major-General Peter Leuchars and Col. Adams asked several group leaders to address the floor on their own particular subject.

The ensuing hour or so raised several contentious issues which pin-pointed SJ A training standards, internal politics and outward images

It was generally felt that doctors were not necessarily the best people to judge first aid examinations or re -examinations. Would a major re -examination once every three years, geared more towards practical rather than written ability and assessed by a

Nottingham 1979

Knowledge,

information, camaraderie and sheer

enjoyment - at the Godfather's farewell

by TERESA NOEL JOHNSON, HU Press Officer

sur geon from out si de the Di v is ion be a better ide a t h a n the pre sent s y'stem of annu a l re -ex a minations ? Couldn't St. J o h n trainin g standards be more li ke tho se requir e d b y he Health Service. ask e d one deleg a te ?

Examinees in the Health Service a re ; after a ll, tested on new knowledge not old Dissat isfa cti o n within th e ran k s a bo u t lack of s ufficient officer tr a inin g was a n sw er e d b y the C -in -C There is. he sa id , a new national training s y llabus fo r office r s a nd NCO s pri o r t o promotion. H av in g mastered proper instruction te c hniqu es. t hese people s hould then be able to go back to the counti es ad e qu a tel y equipped t o tra in others,

The image of St. John. a s ubject of monument a l pr o portion s. was we ll encapsulat e d in on e que st ion As we m ove into the 1980s , as k ed one group le a der , is it a lw ays nece s sar y for g oo d c ompetent le a ders in St. John to be of a c e rt a in a g e?

Where are the 20 -y ear -olds, w her e a re th e 30-y ear-o ds ? Well where are the y?

The open forum ses s ion w hich foll owe d lunch w as equall y livel y. Wh y s houl d an yo n e not qu a lifi ed in fir s t a id be allo w ed to wea r SJA uniform. asked one delegate ? W e ll , came the an s wer I agree w ith th e sent im e n t entirel y but there have to b e c e rtain admini s trati v e exceptions. , Th e re w a s much talk about t he wea ri n g of b a d ges, which elicited two kinds of respon se On e delegate felt that with all the badges that SJ A members could conceivably wear do w n o n e sleeve , the Brigade would soon resemble t he Brownies. Another simpl y said ' W e' re h e r e to serv e people not to get blood y medal s.'A remark which naturall y brou g ht the hou se down.

Gladys Godley began the Saturda y afternoon programme with h e r talk Destination E verywh e re Like Graham Greene , Mrs Godle y could easily la y cl a im to being a citizen of the world. An ex- BOAC stewardess and now a Ju stice of the Peace , her gift for apparent total recall is helped by a sharp eye which absorbs detail like blotting paper. Escape from Nottingham for a while s he s aid , and we a ll zoomed back in time to the days when a trip to New York took 18 V2 hours. On thi s trip you went vi a

Mo nt ego Bay, nh a lin g on a r ri va l t he mixed d e lig h ts o f sce nt e d tr op ical fl owe rs and av iati o

beac h ba

in t h e co r al ocean. a n d were fin a ll y lull ed in o nea r intox ication by ca lypsos a nd r um punch R eality. as usual, spo il t every th ing. Ri ding through the shanty t ow n s in th e co o n ial pa rt of tow n Mrs. Go dl ey (act ua ll y s h e was Miss. then) could no t help not ici n g cer t ain c r ude not ices stuck o n tree s w hi c h r ead 'Come to LondonLo ndon T r a ns p or t n eeds you - Lo n do n hospi al s n ee d yo u

By th e time Mrs. Godley had married. havi n g partia ll y reno u nced Mount Fugi. the

Sout hern C r oss and dawn-over-New- York for babies. mortgages and Manchester. she had p r obab y dealt with every known human calam ity wit h compassion. humour and g rea t percept io n T he applause after her talk was well d ese r ved

A mind like

P lanet ea r th was next on the agenda. with Phili p A d a m s from SJ A HQ. An expert on vis u al a ids with a se lf depreca t ing manner th at d oes li tl e to hide a mind like a steel t r a p M r. Adams in troduced us t o the world of vis u a l a id s -t h eir use and m isuse, When u sed co rr ectly. h e said, v isua l a ids can play a n ex tr e m e y use fu l part in educational tec hn ology. Fo r instance. a well drawn and ca p tioned sl ide show ing the workings of the hum a n h ea rt can sta n d a one wit h o ut the n eed for m ovemen t o n film or explanatory co mm e n tary. Howeve r , a m udd ed overd e t a il ed s lid e w ill confu se th e a u d e nce no m a tter h ow good t h e acco m panyi n g co mm en t a r y . A well w ritt e n fi lm w it h vo ice an d move me n t used as a traini n g techn iq ue in fir st a

baJlroom d a ncin g did not se gre g ate the Come Dancing experts from the Saturda y Ni ght Fe ver addicts The mixture worked and nobody , de s pit e their youth o"r vintage , reall y wanted to stop dancing at all. For most of us Satu r d ay night merged into Sunda y morning and the new day began wi t h an in t erdenominational s ervice conducted by the RevereI').d Stuart Burgess

When Dr. Tudor Powell Jones , the Dean of Education at Gwent College of Higher Education and a Nottin g ham regular took the floor on Sund ay morning he s aid he was a ner vou s and wo rr ied man Ner vou s because nobod y likes to expound about anythin g ve ry mu c h a fter a hea vy night ; and worried because although this wa s his sixth speakin g oc ca sion at Nottingh a m and hi s eighth appearanc e, he felt that just two more sessions might s peed up the cirrhosi s process

Dr. Powell Jones is a profe s sional commun icator who feels that , given certain guideline s, most people can learn the art of commun ication However , there are barriers Fear for instance - am I bright enough, will I dry up ; lack of pr eparation - do I know enough about the subject; length - are peop le looking at their watches even wor se, have the y taken their watches off and lain them aside -time to gi ve up!

A void cliches and jargon A home is a home not an accommodation unit. Look your audience in its collective eye , not at the ceiling Thus armed and using the nine letters in the two words SAINT JOHN , Dr. Powell Jone s neatl y laid out the fundamental s of communication:

S - stimulation and moti vation

A - aims and object ives

I - instructor and his or personali ty N - notes, prepare them properl y T - timing , get it right

J - joy , try to entertain , don't be a bore o - organisation

H - honesty prove your credibilit y N - not too long, enough said

One couldn't help thinking that C for charm wouldn ' t come amiss in this context.

Did we know , asked the next speaker Professor Alasdair Steele-Bodger that there was a Roy al Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal s but only a National Society for the Pre vention of Cruelty to Children? Priorities e s tablished , the Professor embarked on a very amusing discourse about first aid for animals. Animal care is part of SJ A training so the talk was highly relevant.

Rule number one is first catch your tiger. As animals do not lie still when hurt or injured or offer the vet the part of their anatonomy requiring attention , they have to be restrained They might bite , scratch , kick , claw or simply run awa y - but they don t

teJl lies , which se e ms reasonable Wh en examining a mouse , hold it by the tail , a rabb it -by its ear s, run a noose round a pig s upper jaw and as it obligingl y sho ots backwards , tie it to a post and , simpl y place the beleaguered budgerigar in a 100 roll for inspection.

To arrest a no se bleed in the hor se, simpl y sho ve cotton wool up the affected no stril until help arrive s; to stave off compl ete haemorrhage in the budgerigar sprinkle the a ffected a rea with powder ; and if your pet cat or dog has swallowed something n a st y a dminister a do se of washin g so da, whi ch usually brings up the offend ing obj ec t.

So mewhere amon g all thi s excell ent ad vice on animal first aid care , the Profe ssor mentioned the old adage about the quick a nd the dead and applied it to vets. Presum a bl y all his professional life the Profes sor has been exceptionally quick!

Thi s see med a rath er odd tim e fo r a fa rewell pr ese nta iton to Col. Pat Ad a ms, sa nd wiched hal fw a y between haemorrha gin g bud gies a nd Sunda y lunch. Howe ve r, two admirable SJ A he avy we ights perform ed t he deed with mu c h style.

As a testament a nd thank y ou to Co lo nel

Pat s ei g ht ye ars a s the Nottin g h a m Godfather ', he wa s pre sent ed with a her al di c scroll bearin g the follow ing inscript ion ' Like old parc hm ent th e olde r you ge t th e mo re pricele ss yo u become , The scroll la y o n top

A letter from Pat

D e ar S t. J o hn R evi ew, Durin g 'No ttingham this year I experi enc ed so m e thin g I shall n ever forget - wh en I was prese n ted with a magn ific ent sc ro ll , s ig n ed by a ll t hose att e nding an d m any oth ers, a s weI! as several most ge n ero us g ift s.

A t th e tim e wa s so u tt erly ove rcome by emotion ( and s urpris e) tha t 1 fou n d it difficult to expr es s adequat ely my t ha n ks for all th a t was do ne for m e - tears literally welled in m y eyes !

I s till cannot expr ess s t rong ly eno ugh the warmth of my feeling s to th e m e mb ers for th eir trem endo us gen e rosity, a nd for the friendline ss and s incerit y th ey displa y ed. It makes me very proud o belong to a n or ganis ation in which h e re are so many wond erfu l and kind p eople

Ma y 1, through y our pag es , humbly express to all those who contributed to that memorable occasion my de epest a nd most heartfelt thanks for th eir genero s ity and for making it a day shall rememb e r for the rest of my life.

I wish each on e of them e very su cce s s in the future and many very happy

'Nottinghams ' to com e Y ours sincerely Pat Adams

o f a bout

500 s ig na tures fr o m Nott in gham a ficion ado s, fri end s and we ll -wi shers. Jo hn Webb Dir ec tor of Suppli es, presente d Colon el Pa t with a tankard t o ex p ress h is a ppr ec ia ti o n a n d e nj oyment of the N o ttin gha m get -toge th ers and then the Col o nel, no q uite stea d y as a rock but help ed b y th e prese nce of a marmalade jar -a no ther gift - got to hi s feet. It was a difficult mo me nt, h a ndl ed wi th much d ign ity. Co lonel P at was vis ibl y moved and open ly admi tt ed hi s emo ti o n a nd sa dn ess t hat this wo ul d be hi s last No t t in gham. 'I sha ll miss you .' was a ll he cou ld - or needed - to say. It wo ul d be un fai r and inaccurate to say t hat d urin g th is conference the best had been ke pt to last. T he first speaker after lu nch on Sun day was qu ite p henomenal. She was Peggy M a kin s, alias Evelyn Home, formerl y ed it or o f t he so-ca lle d ago n y column page in Wo man magazine.

Th ere are some rare people around who ca r ry life with them and Peggy Makins is o f1 e. Sh e s poke for over 40 minutes without notes, hesita t io n or a trace of nervousness

NO bod y wo ul d have minded if she had gone o n a ll ni ght.

Th e fin al speaker was Bryn W illiams. A gi ft ed r aco nteu r wi t and yarn -spinner ex traordinaire. he swooped on to the stage a nd announced himself as ' FrustratedTh ornton Heath'. Actually everyone knew he was a toastmaster, first ly because he was in 'bat tl ed ress' and secondly because he had bee n a reso un d in g s uccess at Nottingham '78.

Mr. Wi ll iams theme was how to keep your head whe n all about you are lo sing theirs and he told several hilarious tale s to exe mpli fy the point.

Sad ly, space will not permit the telling of al l. But one we must include. 'Colonel Pat : sai d Mr. Wi ll iams, a propos of noth ing, a lege nd in his own lunchtime.'

Dur in g h e c los i ng address, MajorGe ner al Le uc hars made several salient po in ts. He fe lt t hat from t he feed-back from t he gro u p d iscussions he now had a better id ea of fundame ntal pr ob lems within St. J oh n; a nd prob lems t here a re, as clearl y ind icated in the a larming drop in recruitment fi g ur es durin g 1977/78. There were shades o f E d war d VIII when he sa id something wo uld be do ne. It was n't just a q uestion of Ho me , Ja mes - and let pro blems resolve t hemselves' The C - in -C inte nds to act.

He a lso took the o p portu n ity of a nn o un c in g a new competi t io n -a trop hy t o be awar d ed to the fi r st D ivision to devise a reall y o ri gin a l piece o f equip ment for use in fir st aid tr a inin g.

A y ear is a s ho rt t ime in St. John, co nclud ed h e C -in -C - maybe - but at Nottin gh a m t im e does n't matter, peop le do. 'Notting h am 198 0 will be September 19 to 2 1

YANG, YING an d oth er things

SJAA instruc tors ' wee kend produces 'much to ponder

THE tiLie above simply means the positive a nd the negative sides of human nature , two st range words perhaps that were used at this year's 2-day semi na r for he St. J o hn Ambulance Assoc iati on of Inst r uctors at White lands College. London, September 8 and 9.

What's positive about this seminar? Its increasing popularity. More than 150 delegates. from as far apart as Renfrewshire and Cornwall. and two from Germany. attended the weekend.

Vis u a l aids

Assembling on Saturda y morning under the direction or Dr. John Chambers. chairman of the seminar committee, the delegates were officially welcomed by Arthur Gatum. chairman of the Association or Instructor s , and were soon immersed in the use and mi suse of visual aids, a first class session by Phil Adams (we ll known to reader s) from Headquarters. The session demon st rated how, by using many types or visual aid and audience participation, a lec ture can be both amusing and instructive.

Following Phil 's talk was a display and demonstration or equipment available from firm s such as Vickers Medical. Ambu (UK) Ltd, Magiboards Ltd, Camera Ta lks Ltd and the National Audio Vi ual Centre. O ur own Supplies Dept and Casualties U nion also had displays

After lunch a not inappropriate subject 'The Uncon cious Patient' was discussed by Dr. Ingrey Senn; followed by Mr. A R G rove talking on kin g rafting.

Full o r id eas

Next Dr. R. D. Winch int roduced his mobi le accident unit - a fu ll y equipped Land -Rover - a vehicle full of ideas and innovation. The last speaker of the day. John J os lin, described the role of the River Police.

T he first subject discussed on t he Sunday was ac upuncture - and it was here that Yang and Yi ng reared the ir heads. Dr. M ichae l Co he n, of Ha rl ey St reet. br o ught a lo ng his ac upuncture need les, 12 in ch to 10 inc hes long, which in treatment ca n be in serted to about a thousand points of t he bod y. The ancient Chinese, we were told,

whom are doc to rs. The BMA , we were told , is now looking into the subject and articles on it have appeared in it s journal. Does it hurt? is the fir s t question of many. Apparently some people do not even know when a needle has been inserted.

Other lectures were on subjects mo re allied to first aid: cliff rescue; respiratory problems (or 'why bother to breathe ', as t he s peaker put it); spinal injuries; and finally, an open forum.

Plenty to ponder

used acupu nct ure well before 500BC, when the Ye ll ow Emperor codefied medical pract ices in a vas t volume of which this subject cove r ed some 200 pages

Ac upu nctu re is based on the supposit ion , it seems, t hat the body has a positive and nega ti ve side to its physical and mental make -up. an d that there are channels of energy which are in turn related to certain orga ns. As t he pulse can be felt at the wrist as an indication of the heart action, for instance, so the p ulses of other organs can be similarly detected at the wrists -a concept wh ich Dr. Cohen admitted is difficult to accept or understand by those trained in Western medicine. One positive aspect of acupuncture. however , is that unlike modern drug therapy the re are no toxic side effects fro m it. Wit h re gard to t he abuse of drugs, acup unct ur e is now be ing studied as a possible treatme nt for heroi n ad d iction.

The acupuncture register in Britain lists about 200 membe rs. about a quarter of

Questions at the forum included : whethe r vomiting after a coronary attack is usual (it isn't); why the assessment of lay instructors had ceased; should there be a senio r instructor grading. based on a mo r e comprehensive manual, making provision for the requirements of the Health an d Safety at Work Act; why does the Brigade accept SENs for certain tasks while the Association does not; should lay instruc tors attendances at courses and seminars be recorded on personal record-cards at County level: can the latest F.A. equipme nt be included in manuals: why is there nothing in the manuals about cyanide poiso ning; could the panel enlighten the audience o n the limb manipulation method of resuscitatio n (it couldn't): and should there be a specia l badge for handicapped people who successfully take a F.A. course?

Plenty to ponder. in other words. It was left to London District's Dep ut y Commissioner John Gerrard to sum up an d congratulate the organisers on a ver y successful. thought provoking weekend.

Walte r Hoadley

A PONDER HERE

Prin

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THIS report covers some of the more outstanding moments of a cruise of the Sail Training Ship Sir Winston Churchill , that I and twelve other Brigade members were fortunate enough to take part in last June

I must begin by saying that if you ask any of those twelve they will all echo my thoughts that the whole venture was a most memorable experience and one in which I feel privileged and grateful for having been given the opportunity to participate.

The cruise set sail at 1500 hours on Monday June 11 from Middlesbrough Dock en route for Horten Norway, spme forty miles from Oslo. Arriving at noon on Friday the 15th , our stay lasted 36 hours when we cast off and headed for Lillesand about 15 miles from Kristiansand, on the Southern tip of Norway An afternoon was spent there having a marvellous barbecue on the beach before setting out to cross the North Sea back to Inverness , Scbtland.

At Inverness we were due to rendez.vous with a B:8C camera team and John Noakes of Blue Peter' fame for some filming off the coast of Scotland. However, thick fog built up on our arrival early in the morning of so there was no filming Instead Captain Butcher the ship's Master , decided we should spend the evening in Buckie , Banff, about 50 miles along the coast. Setting sail again around midnight for Newcastle upon Tyne , we arrived at our final destination in the afternoon of Friday , the 22nd.

The highlight of the fortnight could be listed under two headings: those that were planned and those that were not. The planned ones include a great evening in Middlesbrough with our hosts, those Cleveland County envoys, A / S O John Restorick and D/Os Mike Dickenson and Les Taylor, now firm friends of every Brigade crew member. They arranged for us to be entertained and fed in the Fiesta nightclub, where festivities went on until the early hours. In addition they organised a marvellous luncheon on Sunday prior to our joining the ship, where the guests included Mr. Alan McKay from Headquarters , their County Commissioner Major Bowron and President Lady Guisborough, and Captain Butcher.

In Horten, Norway, one evening was spent by the whole crew, some forty people, in a discotheque. Due to the high prices in Norway the second evening was spent more cheaply playing cards and darts in a quieter establishment!

The barbecue in Lillesand made a most enjoyable afternoon and things started to get · really interesting when one of the ship's mooring ropes was strung across from one side of a small bay to the other and the more adventurous of us, myself included , proceeded to cross the bay hopefully without gettmg wet.

On our return to England the Brigade

Sail Training

Parties of SJA members are now regularly setting off on cruises aboard the STA's schooners by AIM PAUL INGHAM (london District)

once again did u s proud. The local s, Northumberland County gave u s a meal fit for a prince and s howed us around Newcastle before putting us on our trains bound for home.

The unplanned hi ghlights were generally caused by the weather. The cruise began in conditions excellent for sun-bathing but useless for sailing. The wind, conspicuous by it s absence, gave us two knots under fu ll sail , so engines were used.

Returning ac r oss the North Sea, the conditions on the whole were 'interesti n g'. The generally high winds and seas often became very high winds and seas, sometimes bordering on the treacherous The greater part of the crossing was made at angles of list in exce ss of twenty degrees. In addition, endeavouring to keep our appointment in Inverness meant our engine s were used extensivel y, which accentuated the buffeting b y every wave. So mealt imes became somethin g of an education, as did other everyday functions, It was in conditions such

nothing s hor of diabolical, rain was pouring down and mo st of the crew had had almost no s leep in the la st twenty hours due to the rough condi tion s. At twenty -past -midnight, on the bridge above the howl of the w ind was heard an agonising scream. One of the St. John members of our watch had slipped on the aft deck and 'sa very hard on a large cast iron cleat fixed to the deck.

After gaining permission from the watch o ffic er, I and the third Brigade member , Desmond Young from Devon , left the bridge and went to his aid. He was in intense pain a nd could not move any of his body, with special emphasis on his legs. With the deck at an acute angle, ourselves and the casualty were constant ly sliding. Visibility was very poor and the situation quite desperate. The dreaded 'c alculated risk' had suddenly con fronted us and I decided we would have to get the casualty be low decks, the chartroom being the nearest and only really accessible shelter. The ship possessed a Neil Robertson stretcher although most of the straps were broken. Improvisation, by using monkey straps normally used for safety when aloft, meant it could still be used.

Almost twenty minutes elapsed before he was safely below, during which time he had been dragged along the deck in the stretc her (carrying was far too dangerous) and lifted or lowered on near ve rtical companionways by several of his concerned crewmates.

Once in the chartroom, Paul Whitehouse was summoned and also the Captain came from his cabin. Paul could do little more diagnosis than I could, ie, the injury was thought not to involve a fracture but uncertainty told us to treat for the worst.

However Paul did advise the Captain on the capability of some of the drugs on board and the Captain administered a pain reliever.

as these that several minor catastrop hies occurred.

The first was in fairly high win d s when the s hip was to be tacked A wooden block about the size of a rugby ball, which formed part of the jib topsail sheet, broke free and struck a crew member across the head. Having knocked him momentarily unconscious, his wound was bandaged. He was then ordered to bed , under close observation for a day at le ast, by the Captain at the s ug gestion of one of the Brigade members, Paul Whitehouse, a stu dent SEN, and in fact the highest medica authority aboard.

The second accident occurred during my watch. (The crew is split into three watches each of thirteen members and a watch leader , and the S1. John co ntingent was divided roughly evenly bet ween the watches).

On this night, our turn of dut y began at · midnight and asted four hours, and the watch contained three St. John members. The wind was gale Force Eig ht, the sea state

Sailing in 1980

Last June 16 as you've just read, fourteen ambulance members from all over Englandembarked on the Sail Training Association schooner Sir Winston Churchill at Teeside.

Malcolm Miller May 25 - June 7 1980 - 3 nursing members.

The casualty spent the night in the chartroom, constantly but unavoidably under the feet of the navigator, with either Desmond or myself at his side keeping a record every thirty minutes of his condition.

Relieved .at four in the morning by other Brigade members , we went to bed. We somehow slept and on awakening found our casua lty in his bunk at breakfast time. He had awoken at six, the pain much relieved, and with much assistance was allowed to retire to his berth.

Fi nal diagnosis was a severely bruised sp in e in his sacral region:-all in all a relief from what had been a cause of great concern on everyone's part.

The poor fellow was naturally very delicate for the remaining three days of the cruise.

The other accident again in high winds, when the foresail was being raised.

The wind took the sail far to eeward and because of lack of proper contro l by a crew member (who shall remain nameless, not a Brigade member I hasten to add) the gaff, a s par at the top of the sail some twenty-seven fee t lon g and with the cross-section of a

Two weeks later, looking bronzed and fit, they disembarked at Newcastle after an incident -packed cruise.

This month sixteen nursing members will have enjoyed the rigours of life aboard a sailing shi p having sailed from Southampton and returning to Dartmouth on November 10.

Brigade Headquarters have arranged further cruises in 1980, once again for the 16 -24 age group. Berths for S1. John Ambulance members have been booked as follows for next year.

Sir Winston Churchill June 15-28 1980 - 13 ambulance members.

October 5 - 181980 - 13 nursing members.

medium sized tree, snapped at its junction with the mast. Suspended only by its halyards, it then wedged itself in the shrouds

There it stayed for some time before conditions permitted it to be brought safely to the deck. This happened one day before the end of the cruise so did little to hamper our progress, but it was a bit embarrassing when we docked.

Our ceremony for docking at Newcastle was an elaborate affair. Once in the estuary of the Tyne, with startling precision every sa il on board was handed as one. Obviously this was a ship with a crew that had mastered a high degree of teamwork and discipline. Our hearts lifted with pride. Next, over half the crew was ordered aloft to prearranged positions in the rigging to adorn the foremast.

The whole spectacle was enough to bring a lump to our throats - with a sense of belonging , part of a great team. After all it had been us who had sailed the grand lady of the sea, all 153 feet of her, from England to Norway and back, 1392 miles and a record of the longest journey yet made by the Sail Training Association on a standard cruise.

Every Tyneside worker stopped what he was doing to stand and marvel at the 'Wi nnie as she passed.

This final displa y embraced everything that participation meant to me. Every member of the crew a worker, each one willing to do his task without question, simp y because it was the done thing. Each one my friend and colleague in a great adventure, not without its dangerous and hazardous moments. And it had been the teamwork that had brought us through every one of those moments.

It crosses my mind now how marvellous it would be to get every member of the Brigade

October 5-18 1980 - 3 ambulance members.

Details of how to apply for a vacancy will be published in Brigade General Orders for November. Competition fo r vacancies is very keen and standards are high. On the June cruise three of our members, Paul Whitehouse of Berkshire, Paul Ingham of London District and Adrian Smith of Dorset we re recommended to return by the Master at a future date as Watch Leaders / Boatswain's Mate. This is quite a mark of achievement for our members, as normally only three or four are nominated for these appointments out of the total crew of thirty-nine.

on one of these cruises but that is impossibl e of course. So all I can suggest is that units of St. John seek out past crew-members and learn from their experience what tru e teamwork. dependent on one another really is.

11980 - Year of Nursing

SOME members are confusing bursaries and training projects in their applications to HQ. To clarify:

The Nursing Bursaries, to be awarded in 1980 and annually thereafter. are to enable the applicants to study a specific subject which will be of benefit to themselves and to St. John. Two bursaries will be availabl e each year - one for a professional nurse and one for a Brigade officer/member. Detai ls and method of app li catio n were published in Brigade Orders for May 1979 and in the Review of June 1979

The Training Projects, open to Brigade members who hold a valid first aid certificate, give an opportunity to do some practical nursing in an interesting environment in the UK or overseas. Details were given in Brigade Orders for July 1979, in a subsequent circular to County HQs dated Sept. 3, and in the Review for August and October.

Stop Press

Dates for training project Serial 1 (St. John Nursing Home, Aberdeen), open to two nursing personnel any grade (nonprofessional): April 4 to 17, May 3 to 16, May 24 to June 6, June 14 to June 27.

Dates for training project Serial 10 hospitals homes of the J ohanniter Orden West Germany open to 1 SRN and 18 nursing personnel (knowledge of basic German expected): March 16 to 29 1980. 247

In 1975 when 37 young SJA membels manned the training schooner Malcolm Miller the Chief Commander Sir Maurice Dorman (in sailing gear) presented a St. John la g to

DOWN UNDER

A reader has just sent me a copy of the latest edition of the First Aid Manual published by SJA Australia , the first time full colour photographs (and many of them) and drawings have been used in this publication.

It looks fine and sells at 4 Australian dollars which is just over £2. SJA Australia has also published its first Cadet Manual , which covers 3.11 the proficiency subjects as we ll as regulations , etc , in full colour , wh}ch should be popular with their 6,000 cadets.

Other news from Down Under comes from Newcastle (pop ulation 400 ,000) where the Association branch has increased its first aid courses from 104 classes in 1976 to 330 so far this year with certificates issued going from 1588 to 4,000 Two full-time staff have been taken on to cope with the demand.

TRAPPED

The SJ A Searider rescue boat , which ope rates on Rutland Water with SJA and RLSS crews was involved in a dramatic rescue early last summer , I hear. Weather conditions were cold , overcast , wind gusting 11 to 16 knots, water temperature 10 degrees C. In other words , English sailing weather.

AROUND and

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

When the Searider, with 19 years old Stephen Lisle (SJ A) as cox and 17 years old Tim Page (RLSS) as crew, was on duty watch a Wayfarer dinghy with a family of four aboard - Mr. and Mrs Taft and two young daughters (8 and lO-year-olds)suddenly found itself in the middle of a race , with sailing dinghies bearing down on them. In the panic to get out of the way, a gust of wind capsized the dinghy. The mother ' was thrown clear , but the father and two daughters were trapped beneath in an airpocket.

When the SJ rescue boat arrived on the scene, Cox Stephen Lisle stayed with the boat w hile Tim Page dived overboard and without hesitation went under the boat to

ABOUT

BY THE EDITOR

HEY!

Bonzo of he Thames Va lle y police dog eam see ms to have enjoy ed working with Bletchl ey SJA members at the recent Milton Keynes Show Abo ve he keenly watched members dealing with a casualty and then when it was his turn t o get on the st re tc her too - for a laughhe pushed the casualty off and rode home n style le ft)

Photo s: Bedford Coun t y Pre ss)

B lackpool Cadet 14-year-old Karl Ben iston - SJA 's nternationa lo ngd ist ance swimmer - comes as hore after fin ish in g 3rd in the Cross-Channel race, Earlier n August he was first amateur ) in the Riv er Nile race He was also 2nd in th e annual Lake Windermere race find father and one daughter free of the rigging, but the younger daughter was trapped with the rigging around her throat.

Tim calmed her and untangled her , then persuaded all three to go deeper to get free of the boat. Having s ur faced they were then helped into St. John Searider and the sailing club's Searider (which had come to the scene).

The family was then taken at speed to the rescue station where they and Tim were treated for exposure by SJ A personnel

Barbara Beeston , Peter Howie (Lincs) and Joan Williams

4-WHEEL-DRIVE

I hear that a converted van capable of ploughing through mud water and snowdrifts is the latest addition to Lewes Division's (Sussex) mobility.

The new 4-wheel-drive ambulance was handed over recently to Area Commissioner David Burchell by the chairman of the firm who supplied the Russian-built van at a rock-bottom price of £6,500 It 's the fourth 4-wheel-drive vehicle bought by SJA Sussex.

The vehicle 'can drive in the most extreme weather conditions (remember last winter?)

MIND BE NDERS

Find the fir s aid word or

an d can tow the Divisi o n's

-point events, The money for the ambulance was raised b y the Divi sio n with help from the s uppliers a nd local organisations, A big thanks everyone conce rned

OUR WAY

Being

Divisions recently decided to hold their own incident particularly as they have a major airport, rail junction and motorway in the Borough The Horsham Divisions willingly co-operated and the local British Rail authorities helped by providing a goods-yard site at Horsham together with other facilities.

BR also suggested the type of injuries to be met and simulated an explosion with burns, wounds and fractures, a crane driver in his cab with a heart attack, and fatalities. There was an assumption that the public authorities were not available, being fully occupied with other explosions, thus giving the Brigade a free hand. Casualties were to

be

The call-outs were based on primary calls to three members followed by a snowball system of members phoning whoever was next available on prepared lists. Despite the number who were on holiday , over 30 members answered the stand - by call reporting to their Divisional HQ within 30 minutes. After the casualties had been made up and dispersed, the report to site call was made and 5 Brigade vehicles plus private

Horsham HQ but 9 miles from Crawley. Over 20 casualties were located , treated, labelled and despatched within 50 minutes and everyone went back to Horsham HQ for well -deserved refreshments.

Several points have arisen from the exercise, some not yet cleared. To begin with the Divisions would not have been called to such an incident unless the County service could not cope. The quick clearance of the site was because casualties were given a short five - minute trip to save petrol and time A sizeable incident would have meant evacuation to the designated hospital 20 miles away, which would have given problems a bout shelter and comfort. Some members cannot be contacted by phone and no answer has emerged to this problem if nearby members are not available to call on them. There is also a need for clearly defined ro le s for nursing officers and ambulance crews who should not be used in organised teams.

Neverthele ss the exercise was deemed a success at the debrief and the call -out sys tem proved workable, particularl y when so man y senior members were away. All feel more confident for the future and are looking fo rward to the next exercise.

WATER SAFETY

RoSPA is publishing a quarter ly journal Water Safet y Today which should interest members involved in water accident prevention Contributions to the magazine on accident prevention and first aid afloat are also welcomed b y the edito r. A year's s ubscr ip tion (4 issue s) is £3.20 (free sample copies can be obt ained by sending a large self- addressed envelope) from RoSPA , Cannon House, The Priory Queensway, Birmingham B4 6BS.

MIND BENDERS (answers)

sought at this stage, particularly over items involving the presence of your Divisional Surgeon and Nursing Officer on date s when they are likely to be available.

3. Fill in the 'ske let o n with at lea s t the headin gs of s ubj ects th a t you hope to cover e ach week durin g th e fir st six months of th e year a nd tick these on yo ur list, so th a t you can see clearly what remains to be d o ne durin g the seco nd h a lf of th e yea r.

4. Mak e a more detailed programme for a period of not le ss than three month s, and g ive a duplic ated copy of this o all members of adu lt divisions and to at least the Cade Leader s a nd NCOs in cadet divisions. At this stage, consider carefu ll y (a) keep in g a goo d balanc e between a sma ll amou nt of lis t e nin g, a moderate amount of watching, a nd a la r ge amo un t of doing; (b) arranging most of the work in manageable groups of about 6 to 8 members, moving from one subject to ano th er at regular intervals, so that a ll w ho are watching and listening ca n see a nd hear, and none of those who are 'doi ng' need s t and around idle; (c) at least some tim es (a nd eve n if you do not have a co mbin e d division) including practical work involving both sexes and a ll age-groups, becau e that is what your members wi ll have to cope with when they're really 'on the job'; (d) get t ing away from the classroom a tm osphe r e of the beginners' course in both fi'rst aid and nursing, by realistic treatment of ca u a lt ies in difficult positions or unusual places - a cel la r , a ca rp ente r 's s hop a factory ya rd , ou td oors af t e r dark. a sim ul ated car accident, a swimming pool , or o n the sta ir s of a private house - and taking a sma ll group to carry out nursing proc edures in the home of one of your nearby members or supporters. In add ition , ke ep in reserve a ' pool' of questions relating to the s ubjects be in g ta ught or practised , to fill up any gaps in the pr og r amme fo r gro ups which fini sh their ta sk sooner than expected, or the s up e rnum e rar y members of a g roup that is too lar ge to carry out it s a ll o tted task.

5. Finally (and ideally a week before each me et in g), check with your sto re keepe r that th e n ecessa r y eq uipment wi ll be avai lable , and brief you r Divisional Officers, NCOs and any other help e r s so th at they will know exactly what the y are expected to do and have ime to brush up any details that they may want to check befor ehan d.

On the night , the Sup e rinte nd ent hi mself will sometimes be taking an active part in running the programme ; but not neces sa ril y so, for so me of the b est programmes are those in which the Superintendent a pp ears to be doing nothing bu t lookin g on while all the work' is being done by his assistants, because all his planning and organising h as been done in advance.

AT RANDOM

cont. from p.241

For example

A s a n exam pl e of it planned pro g ramme

(s tage 4 above) for a 3-mon th period from Apri to Jun e, let's imagine an adult combined division w hich has held its AGM in March but st ill ha s its annua l in spectio n and re-exam to come.

It has comp leted an Association course b y mid - March, and competitio n team was narrow l y defeated in the co unt y competitions after winni ng the area round.

It s weekly meetings last for 112 hours , s tarting punctually at 8pm with a full hour 's train ng. followed by notices and the a rr angement of public and other duties , and ending with light refreshments.

It is with the first hou r 's training that our planning is concerned. and the programme for the 13 weeks might run so meth ing like this. wit h questions from the pool' as useful fillers for otherwise idle moments:

Week 1. Groups do practical wo rk for 20 minutes each, after w hic h each group moves on to a nother of t he following 3 s ubjects: (a) Gi vin g liquids to recumbent p atie nt in bed ; ( b) Lifting casualty in recovery position onto a st retcher; (c) Treatment of spra ins and other minor injur ies.

Week 2. 20 -minute groups on: (a) C a re of the mouth of a ve r y ill patient: (b) Treatment of two injuries on one cas ualt y; (c) Emergency re suscitation.

Week 3. Preparation for re-exami nation. Members make their own c ho ice of practical work to revise in both first aid an d nursing, while small g roup s are tested in turn on theo r et ical questions.

Week 4. Divisional re-examination. While this is going on, all un ifo rms are inspected so t h at adjustments ca'n be made and any

FOUND AT NOTTINGHAM

A s mall cameo, probably lost from a piece of ewellery , was found in the Senior Common Room Willoughby Hall during Nottingham weekend. Will the owner please contact Vicki Beevor of the Cadet Office , Headquarters, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London , SWl , phone 01 2355231.

mI SS Ing items obtained in time for the Annual Inspection.

Week 5. 15 minute s' demonstration of procedure for applying a simple ste rile dre ss ing followed by IS - minute groups on: ( a) Applying the dressing demonstrated; (b) Applying other types of first aid dressing ; (c) Control of severe bleeding

Week 6. Setting up a first aid post at a loca l school, and attending to previously briefed 'sick' and 'injured' persons who come in for treatment, correctly recording details in Occurrence Book.

Week 7. 30 minutes summing up of last week's work, and practice of any treatments not adequately carried out; 30 minutes planning and rehearsal of realistic first aid and nursing activities to be demonstrated by groups at Annual Inspection.

Week 8. 15 minutes drill; 20 minutes' blindfold bandaging in small groups; 25 minutes ' preparation for Annual Inspection.

Week 9. 15 minutes' drill; IS-minute groups on: (a ) Positioning a casualty with , eg complicated fracture of the ribs, acute heart attack, etc ; (b) Emergency resuscitation under difficult conditions ; (c) Rehearsal of group demonstrations at Annual Inspection.

Week 10 Annual Di visional Inspection.

Week 11. Incidents at the swimming pool , with the co-operation of the Swimming Club.

Week 12. 20 minutes summing up and discussion of last week's work; 20 minutes practice of any first aid treatments not adequately carried out; 20 minutes a rrangements for (a) flag day and house -tohouse collection and (b) local church parade for Sunday following St. John 's Day.

Week 13 Midsummer barbecue with cadets in President's garden with a few quickie' first aid incidents realistically introduced at unexpected moments.

Wot-no ?

There are some omissions which may at first surprise you in this programme - no films or film-strips no v isiting speakers, and not very much nursing. But , remember, this is a programme for only three months of the y ear: and they are spring and summer months, when we should try to get out of doors as much as possible , when we've recentl y completed a beginners course and hope to have some new members to cater for , and when we're concentrating on the run -up to our re-exam, our inspection , our flag day and our most intensive period of public duties.

Films. film -strips and visiting speakers are best for winter evenings; and the winter is the best time, too, for concentrating on our nursing training, so long as we don t let it lapse entirely during the summer months. It 's all a matter of striking the right balance at the right time; so good luck with the planning of your divisional programme for 1980!

THE annual conferences of the Association of Chief Officers and the Ambulance Service Institute , together with a large trades exhibition of ambulances and equipment, were held in Guernsey Sept. 22 to 25 This was the first time that these events have taken place outside the UK. and Guernsey St. John Ambulance and Rescue Service was delighted to be host to the 300 delegates and their wives who attended.

Trade exhibition

AMBEX '79

Guernsey - and its SJA Ambulance and Rescue Service hosts UK Chief Ambulance Officers and the Institute's conferences

Sir John Lo veridge, Bailiff of Guernsey and SJA President welcomes delegates of the Association of Chief Ambulance Officers Also Lady Loveridge and he Association 's president, Mr W C. Collett

The exhibition was formally opened on the Saturday by the Bailiff o(Guernsey Sir John Loveridge Kt, CBE, (Sir John is Bailiwick President of St. John in Guernsey and Chairman of the St. John Council in the island).

A neet of ambulances supplied by leading manufacturers was on display in the centre of the hall. Surrounding them were stands

containing the atest in communication facilities - radios , data processing and updating equipment. Equipment directly invo ving patients' welfare on disp lay ranged from stretcher trolleys and carrying chairs to the latest idea for the immobilisation of fractures - the vacuum s plint.

Oxygen therapy units. r es uscitator s, oscilloscopes and defibrillators on display stressed to delegates and the many members of the public who attended the event the need for ambulance services to keep pace with advancing technology in the immediate care of the sick and injured.

Ambulance Service Institute

The Annual Conference of the Ambulance Service Institute was held on Saturday, Sept. 22, and two papers were presented

Preparing the exhibition hall

The first was given by Mr. J. CarsonSmith on The British Columbia Ambulance Service; followed by Mr. G. E. Turner, MBE (Reg ional Ambulance Officer , Wessex Regional Heath Authority) who provided material for debate on The Future of the Ambulance Service

Demonstration

Some 200 of the delegates were taken to the island's south coast on the Sunday morning where a demonstration was staged by the SJA Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue Service involving members of their cliff resuce and inshore lifeboat teams. The local headquarters was also opened so that visitors cou ld inspect the equipment used by the service.

Chief Ambulance Officers conference

Monday and Tuesday were devoted to the 31st Annual Conference of the Association of Chief Ambulance Officers.

The event was officially opened by the Bailiff. Sir John warmly welcomed the defegates stating 'You are members of a select profession working in the service of humanity ; your calling means that you have a very warm place in the hearts of all those you serve. You are so welco me to this Island.' Sir John outlined the island's history and spoke about its ambulance service with its many unique features. He expressed the hope that the conference would be the most successful ever held by the Association.

The two days were given to the

Cancer Nursing - Radiotherapy

presentaiton of papers important to the work of the United Kingdom professional services. Transport problems of Special Diseases were discussed by Dr. R. H. Raynes, followed by An Evaluation of Resuscitation Equipment by Dr. B. Lucas, who is one of the Assistant Chief Medical Officers of the St. John Ambulance Association. In - hospital trall1l11g for Ambulance Personnel was presented by Dr. P Baskett. Fleet

Management (Mr. T. Goldrick) and Senior Management Development (Mr. W. J. Frazer ) occupied the latter part of the conference. Earlier there were controversial discussions and papers presented on the Aspirations of the Ambulance Whitley Council. with speakers Mr. C. Roberts (a Management View) and Mr. M. B. Martin (Staff Side).

R. J. Herve

Edited Robert Tiffany Faber & Faber

£2.75

This is a small book written for nurses covering all aspects of the care of patient s with the various types of cancer. It is simply written and expects readers to have the knowledge of nurse training behind them. However, many members would find much of it interesting and, while I would not suggest they bought the book, if it could be borrowed from a local library they would find it useful background reading, particularly if they have relatives or friends who are undergoing any kind of radiotherapy treatment.

Web of Violence

Jean Renvoize

Penguin Books Ltd. £1.50

There is a terrifying aspect of our Western so called affiuent society and that is family violence; and what is even more terrifying is that the problem is increasing, as every social worker knows.

We do not know all the causes and reasons for this frightful indictment but the author tries to help us understand something about the problem in this excellent Penguin named, only to aptly, Web of Violence.

T.J.C. W.

Medicines, a Guide for Everybody

Peter Parish

Penguin Books Ltd. £1.95. Second Edition I think Dr. Parish s title for his excellent paperback is far too modest. I cannot help feeling that the reader who digested all the information in this book would know more about the currently used drugs than the average doctor. Not only does the author give a working pharmacology to help in understanding the effects of the various medicines in common use, but he also gives an opening paragraph to each section on elementary physiology to help in understanding the workings of the human body

This is an outstanding book, easy to read and fi!ls a much needed gap if the patients and doctors are to be educated in the cautious use of all the drugs that are available this present time.

T.J.C. W.

Who Cares?

Penelope Leach

Penguin Special 75p

This little Penguin book by Penelope Leach ,

a social psycohologist who after many ye ars working with young families is convinced that society does Little to help parents meet the children's needs. In this book she is attempting to set out a programme to change society's attitudes to parents and their young children. She feels every woman who chooses to have a family should have the right not to work but stay at home and care for them. That we should provide help rather than escape for mothers. That there should be adequate day-care for mothers who want or need to have a job outside the family. Her message is: that we should make a society in' which people care about people; a society in which parents really understand what producing a child involves; and we see that those who elect to be parents are recognised and regarded with a place at the top of our priority list within society. But we should teach everyone to recognise that inconvenience or unhappiness in the lives of parents reflects badly on their children. And finally we should recognise that while child care is for parents , parent care is for everyone.

It is an interesting book and one which could stimulate thought and discussion. It has ideas for anyone associated with voluntary work and could form a very good discussion for a divisional evening.

SJA Guernsey 's cliff rescue demonstration -w th a number of watching delegates in the background

School Venture Weeks

An educational support service organised by Butlins in which SJA is participating by

EDWARD GOODMAN

A rea Staff Offic er, D ev on

EACH SPRING since 1972 the Butlin organisation has opened s ome of its ho lida y camps exclusivel y for schools:

(a) to enable and encourage children to take part in all kinds of creative pursuits

(

b) to help the s ocial education of children

b y enabling them to and work with teachers students and others.

(c) to give the adults an opportunit y to gain 'in service' experience under ideal conditions.

These weekl y camps are organised to accommodate s pecific age groups s u ch as 8 to 11 and 11 to 14 They are held for up to five week s each year at Minehead (Somerset) Barry Island ( South Wale s), Clacton (Essex) , Bognor Regis ( Sussex) and Q,uporth (Cornwall). In 1980 a further centre at Pwllheli (North Wales) will come into the scheme and in 1981 it is proposed to add Ayr in Scotland - in volvi ng our colleagues in St. Andrews Ambulance Association.

Subjects

Thi s year alone almost 30 000 children spent a Venture Week at Butlins , being introduced to or developing skills in a var iety of activities selected by themselves or their schools from the available range of about 50. These subjects range from a bseiling to weight training; art to road safety and boating to table tennis.

School groups are accommodated in chalets with private bathrooms, etc, and are responsible for keeping them clean and bedmaking. The standard criticism of this type of event is the mass feeding. At the camp I

Butlins,began offering School Venture Weef<s at their Minehead Centre in 1972 In 1979 we will be running

Venture Weeks in 6 Centres around the country

The weeks have catered for nearly 100,000 children so far This rem arkable level of success has been very largely due to the close co-operation which eXists between teachers, youth leaders , students from Colleges of Education, members of H M Services, volunteers In the localities and Butlin staff involved in this project.

This booklet te ll s you something about Schoo Ven ture Weeks , what they are, where they are, who they're for and what objectives they meet. But a booklet can on ly tell you so much If you are interested In finding out more , please gel In touch With one of our speCial ist team in Exeter. You will find details on t he bac k of this booklet. A 16mm colour film

made In 197 8 IS also availabl e on short loan

An ex tract rom Butlin s booklet on the School Venture We eks attended. the quantity of food was adequate and t he quality was good. when you bear in mind that t he catering staff were feeding 2,500 people in four iarge dining halls. I ha ve had much les s and far worse me a ls in cafes and ser v ice areas.

A par t from the public , the two aspects of the Butlin ima ge w hich a r e totally absent from th e se weeks are the amusemen t s and t he public address sys t em. The teachers accompany their children on a 10 o r 15 to I ratio a nd are responsible for discipline and ens uri ng that t he ir children a tt e nd their se ected · activ iti es. Teachers prefer the Venture Weeks to the normal 'sc hool camp' as, a lthou g h they do have teaching sessio n s wi th their children, these are very much in the minority Th e actual tea chin g and supervision of the o r ganised activities are in the hands of the sup port teams. The se s pecialise in their particular s ubj e c ts and are large ly students from uni versit ies and t eac her training colleges o r spec ia lly se lected members of the Armed Forces. The Parachute R egiment team, alongside w hich I have worked twice , bring their dea th slide' which s fantastically popular , even w ith the you n gest children.

St. John teams

The 65 in st ru cto r s who made up the St. John teams this year came from a ll parts of the country. The only qualification was a current lay instructors's certificate so t eam members ranged from ordinary Brigade members or Association lay instructor s to Commissioners.

While uniform is worn whenever

o f the camp a n d the abi lity of t h e vo lunteer in s tru ctors to work with professional teacher s and academ ics On the other hand 3,255 fai led to attend a second session In a nticipation of this, the first session always included o r al re s u sc itation.

This year for ch il dren who had completed th e course, a w ritt e n 'quiz' was introduced which contained a n e nquiry sec ti o n for any who we r e interested in cont inui ng their training at h o m e i n the St. John Cadet movem e nt. As a result of this , nearly 1, 500 c h ildrens names and addresses have been distributed to. the appropr iate Counties to follow up.

Let me reassure you that life on a Venture Week is not all hard work. This year the Cornishmen demonstrated the Floral Dance Mediterranean perils

nightly to their English cousi n s and the Priory of Wales upheld their na tional tradition of magnifice nt s ing ng in the evenings.

What is to be gaine d from Venture Weeks?

I am s ure that the 30,000 children who attend each year mature a lot during their week; fr om learning to live without Mum (wh ic h , for many me ant tying shoe-laces and controlling their s pendi ng money for the first time) to mixing in a ve r y varied community. They were introduced to a number of sports and hobbie s wh ich they could continue at home and had a g limp se of how others live.

Our teams I am s ure , obtained a greater satisfaction than they had felt for a very long time They were most strenuous weeks , from

applicable for work, on the occasions I have attended rank was always disregarded in the e nthusia sm to do a good job. Another great s tren gth of these teams has been the wide variety of backgrounds combined with a common ability. Thus, there was always someone with the right experience or 'qualification ' to handle any type of chi ld who attended.

But it was on ly from 1978 onwards that flISt aid was included in the options availab le on Venture Weeks. It was felt that the 2-hour Emergency Aid syllabus would best fit in with the Weeks' other act ivities - and holq the attention of so me of the children - so each schoo l show ing an interes was aske d to programme two separate one-hour sessions for its pupi ls. Many schoo ls were happy to do this, believing that first aid knowledge is a u se ful asset to their pupils and appreciating ' cla ssroom' sessions for their children in an essentia ll y 'physica l week. The two-hour sy llabus contains the four basic life -savi ng ski lls.

(1) self (and patient) prese r vat ion (2) exhaled air resuscitation (3) control of bleeding (4) care of the unconscious

Fitting in

In 1979 , 8,600 child r en attended two sessions a n d were awarded Emergency Aid attendance vouchers, as were 2 16 members of the adu lt suppo rt teams who specifica ll y asked for this training in their own lim ited free time. Th is was a good examp le of the St. John teams' wi llin gness to fit int o the activity

Recently delegates of 17 nations met in Monte Carlo to ake action aga i nst th e growing contamination of the Mediterranean. The underwater exp lorer Jacques Cousteau , told the delegates that the fi s h of this sea are becoming smaller and s maller and that contam ination , which was formerly limited to coastal zones, is now a problem of the entire enclosed sea. The review To the Point International declared 'The scie nti sts h ave found that h e eve l of mercury in fish is so high that some of the Adriatic fi s herfolk have enough mercury in the body to poison a cat and that a diet of 2.5 kg (5.5 Ib) of Mediterranean fish each week is enough to ensure that death will occur within 20 years.

One of the principal problems is that more than lOO cities situated on the Mediterranean coast discharge their sewers direct ly into the sea without any treatment. Many industries do the same with poisonous chemical su bstances. As a result, it is said that one of every seven swimmers in the Mediterranean can expect to contract some form of infection'.

(Editor : Holidaying in the Med next year?)

Greater care on the stairs I In the USA , during 1976, 538,000 persons received I " treatment in hospital A(, for injuries received in -i:::.. k t::::;{1;./l j' f II 1/ i a s on s t aI r ways \ 'I./Y Amo n g h e causes 1 were: carry in g parcels l(iJ/ \' ,,/ w hi ch obstructed the \ v iew tripp in g over 'r 'hf! :r l o n g skirts, wide

which many team member s went home quite drained. They were, however , an opportunity to study the teaching techniques of others a nd to le arn new applications of the same st r aight forward lessons. Indeed, the variat ion s in lesson control simply to teach the s ame four topics was truly sur prising. Thi s was partly due to the varying ages and abilities of the children which affected the pac e' of teaching. Thus with some the course could be easi ly covered, leaving t ime to spa re whereas other groups needed a pain staking step-by-step development so that the two hours were not really adequate. Perhap s what best sums up the experience is that when the Training Manager visited the team of which I was a member, we all demanded a place on a team next year.

trouser -legs, platform shoes loose slippe r s or flip flops' , objects (such as toys) left on a stair, stairways s lipper y from moisture or ice and inadequate lighting As contributory causes, turning the head in conversation and hurrying on stairways, are specifically mentioned.

Danger - private pools

In the USA the Consumers' Safet y Commission made a study recently which revealed that, of the severe injuries related to swimm ing baths , the greater part had occurred in pools belonging to homes or apartments or those of hotels or motels. It was found that, in man y cases, the depth of water was not indicated and that many injuries resulted from individuals jumping or diving into water of depth ess than 1.2 metres (4 feet)

Mind your backs, please!

Leonard King, a New Zealand specialist, says that one should always lift objects using the strength of the thigh muscles NOT those of the back To be more specific, the feet s hould be no fur her apart than the width of the shoulders , one foot shou ld be a little in front of the ot her the back should be ke pt as s traight a s possible and the knees should be bent, the legs being straightened gradually , not suddenly. The American publication Industr y Week quotes this advice after mentioning that 'according to one sourc e of information 6.5 millions of North Americans dail y suffe r an injury to the back'.

Why so much cancer?

At a convention of the American Health Foundation attended by ove r 1,000 physicians and dieticians, Dr. E. Wynder and others stated that cancer is c losely related to dietary factors in a ddition to the other recognised causes such as smoking, food addi t ives or industrial by-products. A study showed that animals fed on synt hetic foods tended to develop more tumours than similar animals fed on a natural diet. It was held by some speakers that the eating ha bit s in their youth predisposed many individuals to develop some form of cance r later in life.

For broken bones

In St. Barbara 's Hospital in Gladbeck Federal Republic of Germany the treatment of broken legs by encasing them in plaster (which has been the method used for so many years) is being replaced by u sing wrappings of 's ponge rubber' (act uall y plastic foam) , which is then stiffe ne d with a wrapping of metal mesh. Although these wrappings are very much lighter in weight, in actual fact they are firmer than the gypsum. plaster. and moreover, they are far easier to remove.

SJA AT WEMBLEY

from D. R. Keirle. First Aid Organiser I was most interested in the story SJA AT WEMBLEY (A. & A. Aug. Review). SJA's London Transport Corps was in attendance with their mobile unit and ambulance at Wembley Stadium in May 1975 for the England v. Scotland football match. They dealt with 70 c as ualtie s some being hospital cases The duty was carried out in conjunction with the London Ambulance Service and , when the match finished , the Corps was given the task of transporting to hospital those casualtie s who had been treated and retained within the stadium first - aid room.

Whenever large crowds are expected at one of the Wemble y venues mid-week or weekend, the Corps provides first aid cover at the London Transport Wembley Park Underground Station , and have done so for the past thirty years.

So although you were correct in stating that St. John Ambulance d o not normally cover events at Wembley Stadium at least St. John members are in close proxirriity.

London Transport Executive D R Keirl e

ANOTHER CADET BAND from Tom Quinn

The article on the Brighouse Drum and Trumpet Corps Band and the letter Where's Oxon? (Sept. Review) prompt me to write a few paragraphs on a Division in Oxfordshire that has a splendid Cadet Band.

It is the story of the Banbury Cadet Band.

For the past twenty years or so , since it was first formed , the Banbury Cadet Band has practised one even ng a week every week of the year, no matter what weather the town has been blessed with.

Bandmaster Donald Claridge took o ver the rein s when founde r James Amos was promoted to Area Staff Officer in 1974. Both men have Forces backgrounds , so there is no shortage of good old fashioned 'swank' and a high standard of drill whenever the band turn s out. And a high standard of discipline has always been maint a ined within the band, for the cadets are well aware of the importance of this when wearing the St. John uniform

The band consists of more than 40 ambulance and nur s ing cadets. It has been blessed with a strong following of parents and supporter s, and has a very high reputation in the town which also has Arm y Cadet Air Training Corps , Sea Cadet and Caledonian Youth Band s

During 1977, the band had the honour - along w ith the Brighouse and Southwark Brigade bands - to take part in a salute to the Queen to mark Her Majesty's Silver Jubilee. This march from Horse Guard s Parade to Buckingham Palace was the largest gathering of youth bands for any parade in the world and comprised some 85 youth bands and majorette troupes. The salute was taken by The Duke of Gloucester, who is of course our Grand Prior.

The Band played before Princess Anne at a Cadet Rally at RAF Locking, Weston-super-Mare , in June 1978 A few weeks later w e received a letter via Headquarters expressing HRH's congratulations 'for a superb performance'.

Among our other more prestigious engagement s we include the 1975 Biggin Hill International Air Show and the St. John s Day parades in London, which we have taken part in many a time. Incidentally, last year, before the parade moved off, the band had a small ceremDny of its own to perform. Two of the older members of the band, one leaving and handing the post of Bandmaster 's A s sistant to the other, both (between them) presented to the band a new mace , which is now carried by one oftpe younger members.

Only recently has the band ventured into the competition field, and last March, on only our second attempt, we won two trophies, one a s second in our class and the other as the most improved band in the whole competition!

The band has 'flown the flag' for the so -often-forgotten (or so it seems) Brigade in Oxfordshire and in many counties all over the country at SJ A functions such as opening ceremonies and annual parades, or as guards of honour to general salute for the Commander

u c h exce ll e nt lec u r es ; ma y I remind a ll reade rs th at th ey ca n e nj oy he lect ur es by purchasin g ca s settes of th e conference , d e tail s o f w hi c h a r

Headquart e rs

IS THAT ONE OF OURS?

from John Sykes, Associate Member

D O Ha s elgrove ' s letter (Jul

recognise

public might also be helped

I accept that there should be a general similarity of whit e ve hicl es (rightl y replacing the former bl a ck on es) a nd r e d s trip es. But co uld n o t the St. John insignia appear prominently on th e side s and /o r th e rear doors?

I wonder what other mem bers think of thi s idea? Oxon

NURSING OFFICERS' MARKINGS from

'us'

de. It was fe lt a lso that it mig ht

t ract fr o m t he imp o rt a n ce of th e G ra n d Prior 's B a d ge and t h a we sho u ld re t ai n th e p r ese n t p r actice where b y he GP B a d ge s t he o nl y

badge wh ich may be wo rn by ex-cade t s o n the ir a d u t uni fo r m H eadquarfers

P. A. Ada m s (Co l .)

SKITTLES AND from F Seers Divisional Secretary

M ember s o f Tewkesbu r y Ambulance Di v is io n at t he k ind invitatio n of Westo n - u pe r -Ma r e D ivis io n , r ece ntl y a tt en d ed a soc ia l eve n ing a h e

La m b I nn, Wo rl e. whic h n c lu ded s kittl es, Tewkes bur y w inn n g th e matc h Eve r yo ne th oroug h ly e njoyed t h e eve nin g w hic h was a n o pp o r tu ni ty to m ee t membe r s o f t he o th e r d iv is io n . A re tu rn even ing a nd m atc h is

to be h eld a t Tewkesbury in Ma r c h

I s thi s side of SJ A n eg lec t ed? W ith m o r e soc ia l occas io n s s u c h as

t hi s one. we m ig h t get mo r e members.

Tell 'kesbu/:l ' F. S eers

FIRST AID IN THE BIBLE?

from N/ M Maghull

T ry A c t s C h a pt e r 2 0 , Ve r se 7 - 10. But do n 't u se a m o d e rn tr a n s l a ti o n.

Lil'erpool N / M Mag h ull

Editor: Th e sort of reply I ike N M M ag hull. Afra id I co u ld n' t decyp h er yo ur name, hou g h

THAT AMBULANCE LIFT

from P English Divisional Superintendent

Th e ette r f ro m R. L. Co e man (Au g ust R eview) a b o ut 's trug g li ng a m a te ur s' pr om p ts m e t o w rit e a bo ut loa din g a mbul a nces. H av in g h ad

2 m ont h s tr a inin g in Civ il D efe nc e, w hen I joi ne d SJ A in 19 4 1 h e

co rr ec pr o cedur e was 4 m e n loa din g and o nl y in a n em e r g enc y 2 men.

I s ugges t th a Fa rnb o r o ug h and C ove D is tric ge h o ld o f a n o ld SJ

b oo k o r C D manu a an d do so m e rea a m bu la n ce lo a d n g a nd th ey w ill

find th at i s n ea and pr ec ise a nd put s le ss s train o n member s (nursin g m e mber s ca n ass s t if th e n ee d s a ri ses)

Wh y do we h av e 4 m en team s ? T h e c omfo r of the p a tient is our

prim e o bje c ti ve and we in thi s divi s ion tea c h a ll fir s a id cl asses t h e

w ay to loa d a n a mbulan c e so th a t they ca n ge t ass istanc e from th e ge n e ral publi c s hould the need a ri se. I wo nd er how S gt. Co e m a n would

CADET CHAT by Jim

Simple mapping

DURING the winter months outdoor activities can be hampered by the weather, but you can do some indoor traInIng looking ahead to the spring. This idea can be used on a winter evening b y a small group. Make up a set of 22 cards (index cards 6ins . by 4ins. are just right ) as follows:

The first card which introduces the kit by briefl y explaining about maps includes a d iagram of how to take map references and tells the cadets to look closely at the ne x t 20 cards each of wh ich bears an Ordnance Surve y map symbol on one side and a description of the s y mbol on the other.

The final card carries a list of 14 map references , each of which is the reference of one of the 20 map symbols . The cadet has to find each one of them select a route which visits each and descr ibe the route. If a number of different final cards (the is t of map references) are made , several cadets can use the kit , each having to look up h

o w n set of references on his cop y of he map , and describe his route.

Youth travel bargains

All Cadet Divisions should by now have received details of British Rails travel concessions for young people taking part in group activities.

Young people under 18 tra v elling separately to a central point for organised group activIties can qualify to pay only half the adult awayday , weekend monthly or standard return fare on trains

a column for everyone interested in cadets

ighbou r hoo d as a n in div idu a pr oject. T he hi rd sectio n is a gro up p r oject an d the last T ime for A ct io n su gg es s ways help ca n be give n in he co mmun it y T he kit is pa c k e d in a c ol our cod e d wallet to g e the r wi th a handbo ok and li s t of source s for fur t her informa t ion. It co nta ins all t he m at erial s need ed for wo r king wit h a gro up , is colour ful a nd live ly in approach, and wh at's m o r e it is F R EE - fr om Goo d N eig h bo u r Ca mpa ign, B r o o k Ho u se, 2 Torrington Pl ace, London WC 1.

If you have any ideas on how we can be G oo d N ei g hb ours p ease drop me a line a bou t.

Tra n ing aids

I was recently ta lking to someone from Sco ut n g m agaz ne abo u t tr aining aids for v a r ious activities who s u ggeste d that

Sco u ting Trai n ing Charts might be useful so ,I sent for some. The charts are well pr oduced, n two colours and r ange in price from 15 p to 30p each. S u bjects include h illwalking, saili n g , forestry , rescue knots, m eteorology, swimming safety and many ot h ers. W h i e they a re specifically produced fo r Scout use t h ey are sti ll re leva n for some of our cadet activities If you would like an or d er form for these charts , send me a stam ped ad dr essed e n velope.

eir neighbours in need -o n e of t he prim e a ims of our o w n o rg ani sat ion.

As pa r t of t he ca m p aig n a kit has bee n produced for u se in sc hool s w h ich wi th

I dea s

Have YOU any ideas for games or activities fo r cadets? It's impo r tant that we share these id eas and all contributions are welcome.

P ease send them to me at 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Bois , Essex CM16 7DU

All cont ri b u tions will be acknowledged. I look forward to hearing from you.

NEE D S IN YOUR STREET

In an average neighbour h ood o f 1, 000 peopl e he r e a r e:

62 ch ildren under 4

184 children bet ween jj a nd 16

174 pe o ple o ver pe ns io n able age

25 people o v er 80 o f w hom 18 a re wom e n

117 people over pen sionable age witho ut a car 97 of these wit h o ut a phon e

52 people o v er pensionab le a ge li vi n g alone , 47 of them withou t a car and 3 4 without a t elephone

20 people w ho are ment a ll y h a ndi c a p ped , 5 of them severel y

142 women an d 171 men who consult their

G P eac h year for some form of mental illn ess

1 pe r so n w h o is d eaf, partial ly deaf, or hard of hearing

3 pe o pl e w h o are blin d o r partia ll y sighted 322 fami lies, o f w h c h 32 h ave only one p a ren t

41 a dul ts w ith a r eading age below that of an ave r age n ine-year -old

33 f amil ies w hich m ove each year 14 pe o p le wit h p h ys ical d isab il ities other han to t a l or p artial blindness or deafness

ONE IN FIVE. 16mm. film. 17 mins.

One copy distributed by HQs Visual Aids Section, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London. Hire Fee £5.

The film is intended for every kind of industrial and commercia l audience. Contrary to popu l ar belief manual workers are even mo re prone to coronary disea se than executives working long hours under stress. By recognising the early warning signals and modifying our li festyles, we can al reduce the devastating con sequence of a coronar y attack during our lives.

Appraisal

This is a we ll produced film that s how s five candidates for heart atta cks - it di sc uss e s di et, exercise, the c hol esterol theory and th e fact that women are also prone to s uch attack.

Manife st y, thi s fi m is intended for every kind of co mmercial and industr ial aud ience in the hope that viewers, aware of early warning signs will attend their own doctor s.

This film is re co mmended for uni ve r sal view ing.

MODERN AUDIO VISUAL AIDS

Camera Talks Ltd., 31 North Row, London WLP 2EN. Free

Thi s cassetted tape and accompanying 47 sl ides) s a PR packet that ex toll s the virtues of Camera Talks and th e ir products.

Appraisal

This tape and 47 slides, no t o nly pUblici ses Camera Talks, but also the u se and man y types of audio/visual aid equipment. Its free and might be useful for a training day o r ind eed o show to potentia l doners.

CARE OF THE DYING AND THEIR FAMILIES

Tape/slide presentation , 35 transparencies.

Camera Talks Ltd. 31 North Row , London, WIP 2EN. The price for slides set in boxes; £6.95, cassetted tape commentaries; £3.95, and printed commentaries; SOp

Made in co-operation witli St. Christopher's Ho s p ice.

Thi s pre se nt at io n deals with nur s ing of the terminall y ill.

Appraisal

This is a goo d pre se ntat ion that s h ows nursing care of the terminally ill ; it will have value to our audiences, spec ificall y to those members who work in h os pital s. However, it does n ot bear comparison with the excellent 16mm. film avai lable from S t. Christopher's Hospice.

LIFTING AND CARRYING IN HOSPITAL. Part 7.

Tape/strip/slide programme.

Camera Talks, 31 North Row, London WIR 2EN.

Slides £6.95, tape £3.95, strip £4.95.

Appraisal

This

MAKE

Appraisal Thi

ONE LAST SHOCK. 16mm. film. 20 m nutes. Hire or Purchase, Millbank Films.

A safety film for industrial audiences - it highlights careless att itudes towards electrical safety.

Appraisal

Thi s is one of the best accident pre ve ntion films available. It is in fact an

Central Film Library, Government Build ings, Bromyar d Av e n ue , Acton, London, W3. Hire £6.00.

Thi

Appraisal

News from Divisions/Centres

TOP QUALITY BALL PENS

WITH

Anatomical models

Do you need the 'Breath of Life'?

JOHN HOUSE CLUB

.

The Warden, S t. John House Club, 50 Eaton Place , SW1 X SAP phone 01 -2352732

desire to scratch. (6). 17. Girl beneath a flat fish. (8). 19. It is a fallac y to take up a recumbent posture. (3). 20. Impetigo of rugby forwards ? (5 - 3). 22. Incorrect maths with a paroxysmal dyspnoea. (6 ) 25. Sounds bronchitic. (5). 27. Intravenous infusion. (4). 28. Barn used for husks of co rn (4). 30. Squeezes out rapid means of transport. (9) 3l. Sound from a number in veneral disease. (5) 32. Surgical equipment from the Isle of Wight? (7). 33. Abrasion resulting from strange capers. (6).

Down:

2. Irritant poison is nicer as disorder. (7). 3 Painful skin lesion given by rose (4). 4. Attack violently an animal to be sick. (6). 5. Cyst of memb rane lining respiratory and alimentary tracts (8). 6. Edible green plant. (5). 7. In this condition, 13 Across is a cause of severe pain and incapa city. (7). 8. Pacemaker of the heart. (4-6-4). 9. Doctor who can be moulded to shape? (7.7). 15 . E mbryo micro-organism. (4). 17. Attach a dose of drugs to he addict. (3) 18. Major and mino r constellations. (4). 19. Abnormal forward curvature of the spine produced by mixture of oil and dross. (8). 21. Again fail in one s duty in set-back in convalescence. (7). 23. Congenital facial deformity produced by real dislocation in hip (4-3).24. Constriction of the pupil. (6) 26. Sensation conveyed by the first cranial nerve. (5) 29. Despite this call, the cricket match will continue. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 10 (79)

Across:

1. Thumbnail ; 6. Charm; 9 Bo.a ; 10. Partur it ion ; 11. Shied; 12. Peel; 13. Bo ss; 15. Membrane; 18. Tu .xed .o; 19 Ear; 21. N.ovel.s; 23 T.ether.ed ; 26. Base 27. Flea; 28. Cocci; 31. Ipecacuanha; 32 Eve; 33. Meaty; 34. Siderosis.

Down:

1. Tabes 2. Uranium; 3. Biped; 4. Atropine; 5. Laurel 6. Chip; 7. Adi.pose; 8. Monkshood 14. Rush 15. Manubrium; 16. Rale; 17. Eat ; 20. Retairied; 22. Viscera; 24. Rickets ; 25. Flouts; 28. Chair; 29. Ileu s; 30. Mazy.

Crossword No.9 (79' The first correct solution opened was from Mrs. Barbara Gilson, 123 Grange Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk.

PHILIP HARRIS MEDICAL HAS IT ALL WRAPPED UP!

Philip

We

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

MOTOR INSURANCE SCHEME

ST. JOHN REVIEW ,

1980 - Year of Nursing p.271

Around and About , by the Editor p.272

Making and using cheap non-proj ected visual aids by C. V. H ancock p 2 7 8

Cadet Chat , by Jim p 281

Readers Views p.282

News from Wales - N Ire l an d p 284

National FA Comp , Post Office - Christmas Puzzle p 285 News from Divisions/ Centres p.286

Crosswo rd p.288

EDITORIAL and ADVE RTiSEMENTS

Edited and produ ce d for the Order of St John by Driscoll Produ c tions

I NEVER expected to have the pleasure of revisiting Nairobi, still less that I should witness there a superb performance of counter-marching by the band of the Scots Guards and the ceremony of 'beating retreat' by the massed bands of the Kenya Army, the Scots Guards, the Kenya Police and the Kenya Prison Service, the salute being taken by Mr. James Mageria (Deputy Commissioner of SU A Kenya) in his capacity of Chairman of the Nairobi International Show! It was the last day of the show, and during the afternoon I was taken round the first aid posts by Prof. Leslie Whittaker (Principal Surgeon) and met all the St. John members on duty, including 3 Brigade Surgeons, 2 Nursing Officers and myoid friend Mr. J avan Mavisi (Training Officer). They were having a pretty busy time, and I was glad to see that a number of cadets were on duty with the adults and making themselves thoroughly useful.

If it comes to that, I never expected to be taken down off my 'retired' shelf and sent on another St. John mission overseas. So you can imagine with what immense pleasure I accepted the Chief Commander's invitation to visit Uganda as his personal represe nt ative and in response to an appeal for help from their St. John Council. Part of my brief was to arrange , by kind permission of Sir Charles Markham (C SUA , Kenya) , for St. John in Kenya 'to act as a forward base .and forwarding agent for supplies and equipment destined for St. John in Uganda ' . In the course of making these arrangements I received an immense amount of help and advice from Prof. Whittaker , whose personal knowledge of Uganda and long experience as Principal Surgeon for Kenya proved invaluable , and from Mrs. J. Chadwick , who recently succeeded her mother (Mrs. Anne Everard) as Executive Officer and Secretary at St. John HQ in Nairobi. Mrs. Everard, after many years' service to St. John in both Kenya and Uganda, has now

returned to her native Jersey where I was delighted to hear

that she has been appointed Bailiwick Nursing Officer. continued on p.276

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR TO ALL REVIEW READERS

(Above) The O utpa tie nts DeptDr Tuck Tu ck discussing the treatment of a child s eyes with the mother (Left) Matr o n Mrs Ruth Parks in the ch ildren 's ward

I was going to Jerusalem

So made a point of calling at the St. John Ophthalmic Hospital to see for myself. I came away with 'a question

by BERNARD CRAWLEY

THIS AUTUMN I was going to be in Jerusalem for a week, so I made up my mind that I would visit 'our hospital' while I was there. On enquiring at the hotel desk I found that the 'Eye' hospital was very well known indeed and the telephone number was soon forthcoming. I rang and was put through to Dr. Morgan who told me that they would be glad to see me , and made an appointment for the next morning.

The next morning when my taxi arrived at the hotel I told the Arab driver where I wished to go and he assured me that he knew it well. On the journey , at high speed as is the way of Jerusalem taxi drivers , he told me that relatives of his had been glad of the services of the St. John Hospital in the past.

On the way we passed the Jafa Gate to Jerusalem old city, near where there is an inscribed stone marking the spot in the old city where the hospital was sited before changes of the frontier made it necessar y to move the hospital to its present position n East Jerusalem the Arab quarter.

We soon arrived at the hospital and as I entered the hall I was struck by the lightness and airy coolness of the place , a welcome relief from the heat and dry dust outside. I was made welcome and taken to a waiting room while th e new Warden Dr. M o rga n was located when I was shown to h is room He welcomed me to the hospital and afte r talking for a while about St. John work n England and asking how I was enjoying Jerusalem he took me along the torridor to Matron 's office to introdu ce me to Mrs. Parks.

Mrs. Park s old me of the work the hospital set out to do , how service to mankind here meant treatment for eve r yone regardless of race or religion She explained how , as there were no serious attempts being made to treat eye disease , at its own expense

The Order of St. John had set up this hospital in 1882 on the road to Bethlehem to deal solely with these diseases, especially trachoma. I also learnt that treatment u sed to be free to all, but it was now necessar y to make a charge. This charge was kept small and the very poor and all children under twelve, were still treated free.

She then asked me to sign the visitors book in which I saw the signatures of Prince Philip Princess Alexandra, Angus Ogilvy , Mrs. Thatcher and many others We then se t out to tour the hospital. Everywhere was the same effect of light , space and coolness , and the staff who s.eemed so happy, even patients who seemed happy , some moving around others in their beds, each bed with its cover with the St. John emblem worked onto it.

First to the children's ward to see the small children, some very small, most with large white pads over their eyes, a sight few see without a pull at the heart strings But many were prepared to return your smile and the decorations and toys in the ward

mu st have gone a long way to help the young sufferers. Young children in this ward have their mothers with them Then the male ward and the female ward again cool again s t the outside heat , again the large white pad s over eyes, sometimes over both eyes The se wards together with two small private rooms contain the ho s pital's eighty beds

Mrs, Parks then showed me the three operating theatres with the recovery room n ext door; and downstairs below the theatres I saw the central sterile s uppl y department with its tw o autoclaves, ifts to the theatres a nd stores of dre ss ing s etc.

I watched the sister packing and checking se t s of instruments ready for use in the theatres, and looking at the se tiny delicate in s trum e nt s I saw them as things of beaut y indeed. The next visit was to the laundr y, u s t re -equ ipped , thanks to the Priory of Scotland, with two washing machines, a dryer, and an ir o ning machine. Mr s. Parks told me that before they had this equipment it had not been possible to iron all the bed lin en b y hand

We then came to the out-patients clinic , which is entered from a shady courtyard at the back of the ho s pital. Having opened at 7.30am, the re were still plenty of people waiting to be seen by one o f the five doctors at work, eac h with an interpreter. I was told that as many as 200 people a day are seen and t re a ted Here there is a dispensary where medicine and drug s can be pur chased.

I was then shown the Prayer Room , a s m all very quiet room which Matron explained was not a chapel but a room for prayer, which could be used by people of all, or eve n, no religion. In this room there was a very beautiful tr ipt ych w hich the hospital carpenter had made from wood taken from the Dome of the Rock during repairs The carpenter, by the way , is a woman.

The hospital has two other important roles outside the direct service to mankind First as a training unit for ophthalmic nursing Graduates from many hospitals come to the Ophthalmic Hospital for this tra ning , and there is also a sister from the Royal Navy and one from the Royal Air Force. Second , there is a research programme on trachoma which has been going on at the hospital for many years and is at last showing some positive results. Our hospital is playing a majo r part in this important work.

There is also now an eye bank at the ho s pital , which has widened the scope of work which can be undertaken. King Hussein of Jordan has bequeathed his eyes to the bank , and. Qthers are being bequeathed from many parts 6r the world.

I would like to remind readers that 1982 is the hospital's centenary. As I walked around reading the many plaques in wards and rooms, on equipment and beds , stating that

small children some very small m ost with la ge white pads over th eir eyes , many were prepared to return your smile, young children have h eir mothers with them, .'

they had been supplied by this or that group, I found myself thinking why not a plaque saying St. John Ambulance, London District - or a UK SJ A County - on something by the centenary?

For afJY further information about the St, John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem please contact Public R elations Department at 1 Gros venor Crescent, London SW1X 7EF.

FOLLOWING a six week visit to the Palos Verdes Peninsula, some 20 miles south of Los Angeles in South California , I was privileged to be able to visit the Paramedics of the city and the county of Los Angeles and the Emergency Department of the San Pedro and Peninsula General Hospital -a large ultra modern hospital serving the San Pedro and harbour area of Los Angeles

In the city all Paramedics , although operating ambulances from the many fire stations for emergency calls , are medical personnel only , and do no other job than the ambulance work for which they ha v e been specifically trained. County Paramedics on the other hand do a combined job of fireman / paramedic

Training

training of these personnel , together with those from private ambulance services who do a vast amount of transport work under contract to the many city authorities in Southern California, is the same and held under the auspices of the City Fire Department, who organise classes in the City Hall administration block. These men , who are already trained first-aiders , attend courses of 5 to 6 months approximating to some 1 000 hours concentrated study. The course is divided into three seetiqns - all of equal importance One third is spent in the classroom at Fire Brigade HQ, one third at a large General Hospital and the balance in the field under constant instruction from fully trained colleagues Examinations are held at the end of the course and proficiency certificates are awarded, but refresher courses have to be constantly attended to keep each man up -to-date in his knowledge and technical procedures

The ambulances , coloured red and white have warning sirens far louder and more penetfating than those on most British vehicles and carry far more flashing lights (mostly red). When racing to an accident in the centre of the city the volume of sound they create above the roar of the traffic is so great that nobody in the vicinity can ignore it. They are a two rear-door, van-type vehicle with a sliding door to the patient compartment on the right hand side A square mesh red harness, which is slightly elasticated, fits to six fixing points on the body inside the rear doors, and is set up whenever the vehicle is on the road. This is to prevent the ejection of the patient or attendant should the rear doors spring open - and is mandatory following a fatal accident last year.

Equipment

One basic trolley stretcher, very robust in design and with legs that let down so that it becomes virtually a hospital trolley, is carried. Both head and foot ends have a 90 degree range of movement so that the patient

268

EMERGENCY in the USA

AIM M. F. JACKSON, of Grays Div, has been studying the work · of the Paramedics in Southern California

c an be carried a s in a carry -chair The trolle y stretcher locks into the centre of the floor of the a mbulance so is accessible from bo t h sides for treatment en route to ho s pit a l.

A s econd stretcher is also carri ed , plus a scoop stretcher. Both piped and p o rtab le ox y gen are available together with suction apparatus working from the po r t a ble o xy ge n cylinder. Two full -length and one half-len gt h s p inal boards are av a ilable , all s lott ed do w n both sides for attach ing bandage s or rope s Each vehicle a so carries stocks o f s tick flares. Pointed at one end and about a foo t in length and % inch in diameter these ar e placed around an accident site and burn fiercely for ab o ut half an hour , gi ving excellent visual protection to tho se en gage d n rescue work

Several large cantilever-t y pe case s w it h handles conta i n the drugs dres s ings , syringes intra v enous infu s ion a pp a r a tu s, intubation gear , the portable cardiac monitor and defibrillator s, and the radio tel ephone receiver for contacting the base hosp ital. Both inflatable and Hare s plints (the mod e rn version of the Thomas splint) are carried and an Ambu -bag and mask Each v ehicle has in addition , a set of Mast inflatable antishock trou s ers. There are about 30 drug s in a case and many of the s y ringes are steri le , pre-loaded and ready for immediate use

Emergency cases

It was interesting t o le a rn that med ic al or surgical emergency cases are often dri ven direct to the Fire Stations w here the Paramedics appear quite happy t o offer advice treatment. The station I vi sited emergency call-outs every 24 hoprs.

All the hospitals to which patients are conveyed are termed Paramedic Ba s e Stations and each has a spec i al communications room for the two -wa y radio conversations with ambulances , each vehicle having its own call s gn. There is a very large wall clock with a sweep second hand over the desk faeing the operator and a tape recorder is strategically placed and switched on the moment a call is received All recordings of every conversation relating to a patient's treatment both in and out are retained for reference. In the centre of the

method appears to b e t h e use of an oesophaga obturator airway - a blun t ended oesophagea t ub e desig n ed to be inserted into t h e oesop h agus wit h o ut using t h e aryngoscope, and perforated at the upper end to enable oxygen to pass down the trachea. The lower en d has an inflatable cuff which prevents regurgitation and t h e tube is passed rapidly down the throat under n ormal vision wit h no difficu ty whatsoever , the pat ient's head bei n g in a n o rm a l position to the trunk -a useful point in suspected cervical injuries Tiss u e injury from the passing of these tubes, confirmed by both Paramedics and the San Pedro Hospital , is less than I % and can therefore be virtually ignored

telem

t r y system, and the presc

in g of

gs fr om t h e basic list. In a dd iti o n , they are in tensively trained in a bou t a do z e n o r so eme r ge n cy illn esses with w h ich the P arame di cs a r e consta n tly c on f ronted and h ave h e a u th o r ity to advise o n the givin g o r wit hh old ing of d ru gs fr om the standard li s t h avi n g r eceive d a ll the info r ma t ion o f th e pat ie n t's vita signs over t he FM r a di o. A ll d ru gs u sed can be replaced on th e amb u lance at t h e hospital o r back at t he Fir e Station.

Radios

The P a ramed ic s ha ve th e a utho rity o use th e d efibrill ato r s as th ei r u dg e men t d ic ates a nd also car ry pre- loaded st erile long need e sy rin ge s fo r dir ect inj ecti on into the h eart if th e o c ca sio n wa rr a n ts it. E a c h amb ul ance ha s 3 radio s -o n e on h e F re Br igade frequenc y, one o n the Base Hos pita l's frequ e n cy, a nd on e o n t he InterH ospital! Ambulan c e fr e qu e n cy The B ase Hospital r a di o can gi ve instructi o n s for tre a tment o v er the vehicl e' s loud hailer w he n for e xample, pat ient s ar e b e ing tr e a te d some y ards a w a y from th e a mbul ance A p o r ta bl e telephone with a j ack is al s o carr ed fo r plugging in o a house te lephone sy ste m if a patient is b eing tr e ated for ex ampl e, in a high - rise block of flat s and d i r ec t communication is requir e d b y phon e. Portable rad io w o -way set s ar e ca rr ie d as s t andard prac t ice

While British teaching of in t ub atio n u s uall y embra c e s th e e ndotra c he a l tube , plus the use of a lar y n goscope the Califo rnian

In the county many Paramedics man a rescue truck, the ambulances required fo r emergencies coming from private contractors who work in conj u nction with the Fire Brigade and are called out by the Police Department. There are some ambulances manned by the Fire Brigade, however, in certain of the smaller cities such as San Pedro. The county Paramedics have a constant propaganda campaign to promote the serv ice Fo lders, leaflets, open days an d school visits are arranged and householders are s upp lied with small adhesive labels to attach to their telephones giving the local Paramedic number and encouraging them to use it. These rescue t r ucks are often called to private residences for medical emergencies even where hospitalisation may not be required , and their services are given willingly at all times.

Gave all the facts

Everywhere I went in my investigative tour I was most impressed by the zeal and enthusiasm of the personnel concerned. The Fire Brigade administration officers in the City of Los Angeles, the captains in charge of Fire Stations , bot h n the city and cou n ty did their utmost to p lace everythi ng at my disposal in my quest for factual information and were also interested in the British National Health Service both from hospital and ambulance viewpoints.

All t he emergency room hospital staff and the Paramedics arriving with patients, from my observation, worked in complete ha r mony as o n e com b in ed team a nd it became very obvious that this was so whe n I listened in to the two-way co n versations between Paramedics and the Base Hospital right from the time that an am bu lance attended an emergency u n til the patient was w heeled into t h e emergency care depar tme nt of the h ospita l and the h os pital staff took over the contin u ing treatme nt.

Most h ospitals a lso have proper landing facil ities for h elicopters and have the ability for two-way radio co n versation with the helicopter crews whet h er Coastg u ard or p r ivate ( under perma nent contract to the

(right) showing the

, which is

net on

xed across the rear entrance when travelling as a gLfard against the doors spr nging open. There was a fatal acc i dent last year through such a mishap

hospita l).

Finally , there is a meticulously coord inated scheme between the local hospitals (nearly all privately f u nded and not State controlled) and the P aramedic service,

together with the Fire Brigade and U. S. Coastguard helicopte r s in this area in dealing with a major emergency. Regular practic e s are held periodically to assess the working of the scheme and to improve it where p ossib le.

HEADACHE is one of the most difficult problems a first-aider has to deal with; but if one remembers that headache is usuall y a symptom not a disease this information and assessment followed by treatment may help

Working in industry for many years, I have devised the following formula:

The Individual

An adequate history is required to help the sufferer and I have found the following questions helpful :

1. Do you have any other symptoms as well as the headache?

2. Did y ou sleep well?

3 Were you out drinking last night?

4. How much fluid have you drunk today?

5 Is it noisy where you have come from?

6. Is there vibration where you have come from?

7. Are you doing something that requires a lot of concentration?

8. Is the lighting adequate or faulty?

9. Have you been doing a lot of physical exertion ?

10. Have you been sitting/standing awkwardly for a long time?

If you study the questions their answers usually bring us back to the two main categories in the formula namely dehydration or tenseness

What is the answer? And what are the treatments a first -aider can give?

Dehydration

Copious amounts of liquid Not just a cup of tea or water but at least two pints of fluid reasonably quickly, more if possible The first-aider has to be very persuasive to get this across to the patient. If the cause is very intense heat for a long period of time added salt in the form of 's aline tablets will be required. This condition is usually rare unless it is a part of the conditions of the environment, then the persons themselves know they must take liquid and salt.

Tenseness

The headache caused by tenseness needs a little more explaining to understand When the muscles go into spasm (tense), the blood

270

HEADACt\E and the first-aider

One of the most common complaints and difficult to doal with by NORMA E.

D/D Steeple Clay don Combined Division, Bucks cannot circulate properly as the muscles squeeze the vascular system and prevent the blood from c ir c ul a ting around the circuit so it is necessar y to relie ve the muscular spasm.

How does the first-aider do this?

The easiest way is to help th e person rela x and to ma ssage the a fTected part. This is quite easy and within the scope of a firstaider if two rules are observed. Warm hands and gentle but firm pressure applied.

How?

Have the pat ient slttmg in a suitab le c ha ir, one that will leave the head and sho ul ders accessible from behind. They sho uld be able to place their feet firmly on the floor and have their spine straight. Hands to be placed in the lap in a relaxed position.

Ask the per son to concentrate on their breathing which should be even - the inbreath and the outbreath the same ength.

At first their breathing will be so me w ha t heavy but as the sooth ing action of the gentle stroking and massage progresses, relaxation will gradually develop and the breathing will become quiet and even. The eyes should close.

Stand behind the person and place the warm fingert ips on the forehead and gent y and easil y stroke the forehead and then increase the pressure slightly and with a rhythmical movement press and stroke towards the temple. When the temple is reached take the fingertips bac k towards the ears and release. Repeat as many times as is comfortable for the patient and the fingertips

During this time the breathing should be encouraged by gently repeatin g the rhythmical breathe-i n 2 , 3, and out 2, 3,in 2, 3, out 2, 3. If the headache is over or behind the eyes , this may be sufficient to relax the tension. If the headache is through tenseness in the neck and shoulder area the follo wing procedure may be adopted. Stand behind the patient and gently expose the top of the shoulders. Starting at one side of the neck, gently stroke down towards the top of the shoulder, where the collarbone joins the upper arm bone. Return

na u sea, so bed is often the answer, and this resolves itse lf once the thunder passes.

Vascular constriction

the hands to the neck edge and taking the fingertips of both hands to the front of the muscle whic h goes across the shoulder from neck to sho u lder junction, and thumbs of both h ands at the back of the muscle , feel for any tensenes s of this muscle and ge ntly squeeze it between the fingertips and the thumbs, gent ly moving down the muscle. Repeat this gentle massage a few times and repeat on the other side of the neck.

If the person 's head moves away from the s ide you are working on, gently move it to lean into the side you are massaging to keep the muscle loose You will find the person relaxing under this gentle, soothing action, and you will have the sat isfaction of feeling the musc le become loose and less tense. When the shoulders are finished, stand a little to the left or right of centre and place the right hand (if you are standing to the left ) at the base of the neck ve rtebra and with the index, second, and hird fingers of the right hand at the right s ide of the spine, and the thumb at the left, gently squeeze the fingers and thumb together, and at the same time manipulate the fingers and thumb in a circular movement , gradually and slowly moving up the spine to the base of the sku l l.

Do t h e same on the other side, using the other hand and standing a little to the right of centre. E ncourage the person to let their head relax back a little to present a loose muscle. Repeat as many time s as is comfortable.

It is important not to use too firm a pressure otherwise you will cause soreness whic h is the opposite of w h at you are trying to do. This wi ll cause the muscles to go into spasm again.

You wi ll notice that while you are doing this the person is gradually becoming more and more relaxed , especially if you encourage their breathing by counting for them Remember everything shou ld be rhythmical - breathing and massage. When yo u becom e proficient do not be surprised if they doze off. Achievement fulfil led!

The headaches caused by allergies, toxic poisons , are beyond the scope of the firsta ider. Medical help is required The thundery weather headache is usually accompanied by

If the forehead and head become very co ld this causes intense pain followed by a throbbing h ea d. Hands and feet which become very cold can cause sudden throbbing heads and sometimes migraine. Moving in to a warmer atmosphere, warm drinks and gent le movement of the parts to slow(v improve circulation is the answer. But this must be done carefully so as not to induce 'hot -ac hes Warm covering and gentle exercise is the preventive measure for this type of headache, which is quite co mmon in the o lder person.

Summing-up

The first -a ider need s no drugs or special equipment for these s im ple remedie s The good fi r st- ai d er already has th e req u ir ements. Observation (t he e n viron ment) , speech (question), touch (massage) and the re - assurance of human contact and unde rstanding, coupled with a warm room, warm hands and gentle but firm movements.

Those fingers

Practice is required to acquire supple fingers and this can be achieved by manipulating plasticine or a medium soft firm ball. Short nails are a must to prevent scratch ing.

1980-YEAR OF NURSING

ALTHOUGH SJA's Year of Nursing is 1980 , by the time you receive this December Review the 'Year' will ha ve been well and truly launched in London - by a press conference on October 23 at Headquarters and by the Royal Ball at the InterCo ntin en tal Hotel on November 5.

The press conference, attended by journalists from national papers, health and social services publications and the nursing press, was both a successful public relations exercise and further proof that showbiz suppo rt for any cause is vital.

Dame Anna at present rehearsing a West End, Bernard Shaw revival , dropped In to say hello nd wish us luck. Two 'A ngels' - actresses Angela Bruce and Joanna Monro of the BBC / TV nursing series - were at the conference throughout the morning and nearly sto le he show. Wearing their TV hospital uniform s, they swo pped note s with two SJA nursing officers, Mrs. Sheile Jackson and Miss Lynn Domingu ez, and posed for photographers.

When called on to speak , both girls referred glowingly to the work of SJ A volunteers, offering their open-hearted support for the aims of the 'Year', which they endorsed by saying they would both be taking a SJ A nursing course in the New Year.

Lady Moy r a Browne Superintendent- inChief, and Miss Rosemary Bailey, Chief Nursing Officer, summarised the events of the Year of Nursing, most of which have already been circu lated through Brigade Orders and the Review But one important item of news is that the first three nursing bursaries wi ll be presented to two professional nurses and one non -pro fessional by the Queen Mother at a reception at St. James's Palace on the evening of March 20

Conclusion

I am often asked if massage is dangerous It can be in certain cases. But the common headache is usually caused by the above reasons. If you are careful to note the environmental conditions and your questions are carefully phrased, diagnosis can be fairly accurate, but of course if in doubt the medical profession must al ways be consulted. Deep massage techniques must only be performed by qualified persons and must not be confused with the simple and ancient form outlined.

In this day and age when human contact is

The Supt-in-Ch ef Lady Moyra Browne. with Anna Neagle and TV se r ies Angels nurses Angela B u c e and Joanna Monro

The Commissioner-in-Chief, Major-Gen. Peter Leuchars, presided over the conference with skill and relaxed charm - nursing it , in other words.

FURTHER INFORMATION

WHEN applying for a Bursary or a Tra ning Project, please do so in accordance with the original Brigade Orders on the s ubject (as reproduced in the Re view in June and August respectively). Applications lacking esse ntial information cannot be considered. There is some confusion between the Nursing Bursaries (May B O.) which are sums of £250 to be awarded for the study of a subject chosen by the applicant, and Training Projects (July B O.) which are attachments to hospitals, etc, in the UK or

The Div. Secretary

the Supt should find train , appoint Secretary.

REEVES

IN AIR CRASH

London District's Deputy Commissioner Major-Gen. Sir John Younger, and Lady Younger , were aboard the airliner that crashed at Athens airport during October.

Lady Younger cracked two ribs and, apart from shock, both are well.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT

I hear that London's Tideway Division carried out a continuous 24-hour duty during August at the N ational Fireball sailing championships at the Welsh Harp, Hendon.

20 members, including a crew and ambulance from Wembley Division, 2 boats, trailer and a Transit van were involved.

Throughout the race, from lOam Saturday till lOam Sunday, there was a radio link-up between the Transit acting as base control, the boats and the standby ambulance, with members (who'd brought sleeping bags) doing 3 hours on and 3 hours off duty. Meals were supplied by the organising club.

Tideway Division's president, Col. D. D. Rothschild, who turned up on the scene on Saturday morning with 'a few comforts to carry you through the night', spent the day alongside his division.

It was a calm night with the 40 sailing craft eerily going round and round the course. When Tideway's Div./Supt. Alex Baker went to the clubhouse for breakfast at 5.30am he was rather taken aback by a voice calling 'May I join you?' Col. Rothschild, in the colours of the London Rowing Club now, was back with his division.

With the race over, boats and equipment were dismantled and everything had to be got back to its various bases. It was a long

AROUND and

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

ABOUT

BY THE EDITOR

weekend. And Tideway Division s ays 'thanks' to all concerned.

IN CONFERENCE

Training and leadership was the theme of London District's Officers Conference held at the London Zoo on October 13. Despite the unusual meeting place and the date , 210 London officers and 19 from the Home Counties attended.

Mr. K. Pitkethly , chief training officer of the London Ambulance Service, speaking on leadership potential, listed the foHowing points as what he expected from officers: set an example (in appearance as well as actions) , carry responsibi lity (which should not later be usurped by those higher in he hierarchy) and not tr y to do e ver y thing

Col. Pat Adams , HQ ' s Chief Officer Brigade Training , w ho s poke on p ot en a l officer training s aid that lor a voluntary organisation such as St. John a per s on had to have the time t o do the job properly Two suggestions he made were : a one -da y cour se on planning a programme for the year ; and a course on methods of instruction. He went on to say that he wa s trying to get the Brigade instructor 's certificate accepted b y the Association as equal to the la y instructor 's certificate. During que stion time he said that training should apply to new as well as existing officers

London Commissioner Derek Fenton spoke of the growing understanding between SJ A and the London Ambulance Serv ice and also the Police He also mentioned talks going on to improve training and expertise , and the weekend resident ial course to train the next generation of leaders.

The Supt -in -Chief, Lady Moyra Browne, speakin g about 1980 - The Year of Nursing, said that to date there had been a very good response to the projects publicised - 260 women and 5 I men had applied to

The London E lectricit y Board 's personnel d irector Mr. A. Dow , spoke on Th e Exerci s e o f Mana g ement. Manager s (officers in SJ context) h a ve to pe rs u a de , he said , and to per s uade meant having a good abilit y to communicat e. Answering a que s tion o n whether a manager should be able to do eve rythin g hi s employ ees can do he said that he could man a ge electric ians , for instance but he co uld not do their work

The da y fini s hed with a light -hearted look - a s lide presentation by Dr s. Handle y and Lund ( Area Surg , Wol verhampton , and Div Surg , Welwyn Garden Cit y) - at what could happen to Joe and Len after promotion within SJ A. At another London District conference for Surgeons and Nursing Officers held on October 2 8 , Deputy District Surgeon Dr. Donald MacKay said that the following

(Above) At a reception a Avon county H Q t he D i rector Genera l Mr. P A. Linga d presents h e long service meda to development o ff ice Mr.

(Right) Soon after arriving in

(Be ow) The first signature for SYl years goes into the vis it ors' book at St. John HQ watched by Dr. Kit yo and (righ John Kintu. (Be ow right) A meeting with Mr. David Bar ow. nspector General of Police and SJ Commissioner

To Entebbe

Having first , in accordance with m y brief, spoken by phone from Nairobi to Mr. R ichard Posnett. British High Commissioner in Kampala , and confirmed that he approved and supported my visit, I arr iv ed at Entebbe airport by a Uganda · Airways flight from Nairobi shortly after midda y on T uesda y October 2 I was met as I came off the plane b y the Revd Dr G M. Kit yo (Acting Chairman of Council) Mr. Kitam irike (a member of Council and officia l police photographer representing the Commissioner , Mr. Da v id Barlow , w ho is also Inspector-General of Police) Mrs. Katende ( Staff office r representing the Principal Super intendent , Mrs. Luyomb ya) and Mr. John Kintu (Executive Officer and Secretary).

I was t aken to the VIP lounge w h ile my passport was stamped and my baggage collected, and we then set out in a police Volkswagen 'combi' with a superb WPC driver at the wheel and stopped at the Lake Victoria hotel where they had kindly made an advanced reservation for lunch. But that was not to be , for another part y had alread y consumed it! So we drove 21 mile s to Kampala and at the third attempt found a hotel where they prepared an excellent meal of egg, bacon, sausage and beans washed down with what Dr. KitYb diagnosed as pure unblended Ugandan tea. (Don't ask me where the hotel found the eggs and sausage s, for these are alas still totally unavailable to the ordinary shopper in Kampala).

We then went to St. John HQ which seemed to be a hive of activity of one sort

and another, and where I signed the visitors book before viewi ng the damage done to the building when two mortar-bombs landed in its compound during the war of liberation. Finally I was taken to the guest house at Makerere University w here I was to stay, and whe re John Kintu remained till 6pm discu ss ing details of my programme. The curfew starts at 8pm, but night falls with equatorial suddenness between 6.45 and 7pm, and all wise citizens are careful to reach their hom e s by then. This m eans that meetings and gatherings have to stop at or soon after 6 o'clock to give people a chance to get home b y da y light.

I had hoped to spend at least 5 and if possible 7 da ys in Kampala, and John Kintu had prepared for me a most interesting programme for a week's visit. But on the very day before my arrival I h eard that the Uganda Po lice had mo s t generously proposed to give me official sec ur ity cover

for a period of 3 days. Knowing something of he vast amount of work that they already had to cope with, I realised that this very great honour had been done to me as the Chief Commander's personal representative, and that I must accept it with deep gratitude and curtail my programme accordingly. And it was indeed a great help to ha ve the same WPC driver and 'com bi e ntirely at m y disposal throughout my visit whenever I went outside the universit y campus. I must also pay tribute to the splendid organisation of John Kintu and others in concentrating into 3 days and at very short notice, all the main ite ms originally planned to be spread ove r a week.

On Wednesday morning John arrived in my 'whi t e Maria' and we took to St. John HQ the supp ly of StJ A forms, certificates, warrants, etc that I had brought with me to tide him over till they cou ld print their own.

Then to Mulago hospital to meet Dr. Kit yo

Mr Williams (left) meets members at t he biggest parade of the Brigade in Uganda for more han S years. and be low) addr ess ing members of the St John Council

and Mr. Kiryabwire (Principal Surgeon). Dr. Kit yo s h ead of the dept. of anaest h etics at Mulago, and recent y he became ordained and helps at weekends as a vo lu ntary member of the staff of Namirembe Cathedral. My next visit was to the British High Commission where Mr. Posnett, who became a KStJ in 1972 when he was Governor of Belize, g r eeted me most warmly and made a number of very helpful suggestions. He offered to lend St. John a projector for training courses until it cou ld get it s own, and on part in g he told John Kintu to be sure to let him know whenever he could help in any way.

With senior officers

The rest of the day till 4pm was spent (with a brief break for lunch) in most useful discussions with all the senior officers in St. John Ambulance - with Dr. Kasirye (Di recto r Association) at his clinic near the main market, with Mr. Barlow (Commissioner) in his office at the Ministry of Justice, and with Mrs. Luyombya (Principa l Superintendent) Mr. Mayanja (Deputy Commiss ioner ) and Mr. OkotOmara (Ass istant Commissioner) at St. John HQ - as well as further consultations with Dr. Kit yo and John Kintu, and a brief visit from Mr. Mugoye (Organising Commissioner of the Uganda Scout Assn.) to whom I conveyed greetings from the Chief Executive Commissioner at BadenPowell House in London. I was also delighted to meet, t hough alas all too briefly. John's wife and children. Mrs. Kintu had formerly been Deputy Commissioner of the Uganda Girl Guides as well as a staff officer in the Brigade.

On returning to HQ at 4pm I was surprised and delighted to find at least 50 Brigade members (i ncluding about 10 N/Ms and 3 professional nurses) drawn up on parade. I shook hands and said a brief word to each, and t hen made a short speech of greeting from all at HQ in London, thanking them for their faithful service during the dark years and assuring them of our support in facing the future with courage and hope.

Council meeting

The St. John Council for Uganda, whose individual members maintained their supportive role throughobt the 8 years of Amin's regime but did not meet as a body , was reconstituted immediately after iberation. Its Chairman, Dr. G. N. Bogere, an Officer of the Order who had formerly also been Commissioner and was a most dedicated servant of his country and worker in the cause of St. John offered his professional services to the liberating forces as soon as they entered Kampala. But sadly - no doubt because he had b een CMO to the Ugandan army - he was taken prisoner and (at the time at which I write) his

whereabouts and fate are still unknown His home was then looted and his wife and children were bereft of virtually all their po ssessio n s.

N arrow escape

Dr. Kit yo, who had been an Association lecturer and examiner since 1965 and a Council member since 197'1, and who had the narrowest escape from being s hot by an over -exuberant soldier during the liberation, was appointed Acting Chairman of the Council, which has now been restored to a membership of 20 including the new holders of such of the Grand Prior's Appointments as had fallen vacant.

It is a widely representative body, including four members of the medical and one of the nursing profession, the InspectorGeneral of Police and one other senior police officer, the Cardinal Archbishop of Kampala, the Anglican Bishop of Namirembe and the Dean of Namirembe Cathedral , and several influential businessmen.

Immediately after the parade of Brigade members, the Council held an emergency meeting at which 12 members were present and 3 other officers were in attendance.

After receiving a most enthusiastic welcome as the Chief Commander's personal representative I told them of the Order's grant of £ 10,000 to be spe nt on their most urgent needs in rebuilding St. John Ambulance and restoring its effective service to their country - Association training manuals and eq uipment, Brigade first aid equipment, transport and office requirements - and they were particularly heartened to hear that the first consignment of goods selected by John Kintu when he was in London in July was expected to reach Nairobi by the end of October. They were

a lso deeply moved with gratitude when I handed to Dr. Kit yo a grant (in dollars) of £200 from the Brigade Benevolent Fund towards the rel ief of Mrs. Bogere and her family, together with a letter of sympathy and good wishes from the Commissioner-inChief. I also told them that a gift of first aid dre ssings and bandages from the firm of Messrs. Smith & Nephew was on its way, and that I hoped to buy in Nairobi a secondhand office typewriter as part of a gift from the Combined Di vision at my home in Epping. (They have po ssessed no St. John vehicle of any kind for several years, and most of the meagre remains of their equipment, including their only typewriter, was looted after the mortar-bomb damage to their HQ in April).

Thanks

We discussed many other matters of detail, after which Mr. Kiryabwire proposed in very moving terms a most heartfelt vote of thanks to the Order , the Brigade Benevolent Fund, Messrs Smith & Nephew and the Epping Division for their respective gifts. We then heard a delightful performance of partsinging by the 'St. John Singers', a group s tarted by John Kintu to sustain their morale during the dark years. And, finally, I became the most surprised and delighted possessor of a very lovely Ugandan drum. which I gather they had kindly intended to present to me 3 years ago when I failed to reach Uganda, and had kept for me ever since! Dayl igh t was fast running out, so we closed down hurriedl y to enable everyone to get safely home by nightfall. And my space, too, is fast running out, so I must echo Hilaire Belloc 's sudden interruption to his tale of Lord Lundy by saying: I'm getting tired and so are you, Let's cut the story into two.

Kampa a. ( L to R) Mrs. Ka ende. St aff Offi cer; WPC Driver; Watk in Wi lli ams; Dr. Kit yo. Acting Chairman of Counci and John Kintu. Executive Offi ce r

After the St. John Council meeting -a drum for What will his neighbours say7

Rationale of use of aids

THERE ARE often problems in communicating information to learners and in developing concepts and skills relating to that information, In many cases at this stage in learning the problems arise because the real experience which we might wish the learners to have is too complex, happening too rapidly, too slowly, is not readily available, or simply is too small to be observed or too large to be manageable in the learning situation.

When such problems occur we tend to provide the learner with some form of simulated experience because this is more manageable and can be tailored to suit the learner 's needs. Such simulators, or substitute experiences , are audio-visual aids to instruction. It should not be assumed that because they are substitutes they are inferior to the real experience. In many cases, at this early stage in developing concepts, the substitute may be superior to the real experience.

For example, an enlarged scale model of the ear and its mechanisms will quickly communicate the basic operation of those mechanisms whereas the real objects are too small to be easily observed. This is not to suggest that we replace all real experiences by substitutes in each learning situation. This clearly would be a dangerous approach since all substitutes are alterations and simplifications of real experiences. After developing the basic concept concerned with the topic being learned, the learner must be presented with the real situation or object so that he can establish the relationship between the substitute and the real experience.

Generally speaking therefore, once the learner has understood and verbalised the concepts required, the substitute experiences or learning aids are dispensed with, just as a crutGh is dispensed with once ones bones and muscles are mended.

Making and using cheap non-projected aids

PARlONE

by C. V. HANCOCK, MSc, FIOB, Te

Head of Learning Resources Unit

Bolton College of Education (Technical)

Briefly, the learning aids or substitute experiences in current use fall into the following main categories:

1. Models and mock ups',

2. Still and cine film.

3. Graphic illustrations.

4. Reprographic material.

5. Audio material.

Television of course uses all of these but conveniently channels them through the one medium, the TV screen. Some of these learning aids, such as still and cine film are 'p rojected by the use of optical systems, others such as models, and many graphic illustrations are non - projected and do not require any electro-mechanical or optical systems to allow them to be seen by the learners.

This article sets out to examine some of the advantages of using 'non projected' aids and to discuss how they might be produced.

Non projected aids

In general non projected teaching/learning aids such as models, graphic illustrations, photographic prints and reprographic material lie at the cheaper end of the audiovisual spectrum. They are often made of readily available relatively low cost materials and do not require a power supply or any expensive projection equipment or other facility such as screens or black out in their Fig. 1 Fig. 2

use. For this reason they are often very useful in presenting information but in addition they have positive qualities in aiding understanding.

Models

The usefulness of models can be summarised as follows:

Because of the use of the technique of scaling up or down in size from the real thing to the model the object may be quickly viewed from a variety of angles.

By cutting away or removing sections of the model one can give views of the interior which might not be possible in the real object.

Where the model is made up of a number of related components then the assembly of these components can be practised on the model until the technique and process is acquired.

Fig. ] shows an example of an enlarged model of the human ear and particularly the bones which transmit sounds. The comparative size of the model bones and the real and very tiny bones, encased in the small perspex block which stands in the foreground, is quite marked. Such a model obviously is able to communicate to a group of learners and relationship between the bones far more readily than would the real object.

Fig. 2 shows a scale model of the human brain which uses the technique of being able to remove sections in order to s how their relationships and functions. Again, this would be difficult with a real brain.

Mock ups

Mock ups are often not to scale but are working constructions which illustrate the basic e lement s of a machine or component or object. They are thus not as refined as a sca e model and may not look like the real object. However because the confusing or distracting detail has been stripped away they often can convey more clearly the action or function of the real thing.

Thus a resuscitation dummy is a 'mock up' which represents a human body and copies part of the respiratory system but is not in any wayan accurate model of a respirating human body.

Fig. 3 shows a 'mock up' of a Bourdon gauge used on oxygen cylinders to register the gas pressure, The 'mock up' shows that the action is that of a flattened tube straightening itself as the gas enters it. This straightening effect is magnified and indicates itself on the background scale, In the real gauge the tube is made of brass, in the mock up' it is a typical Xmas-party paper tube which uncoils as one blows into it. Nevertheless from this 'mock up' the basic concept can be grasped and later verbalised in the form of a written description or diagrammatic sketch.

In producing models and 'mock ups' it is essential to have to hand a variety of materials such as wood, chipboard , hardboard, card, plastics and a wide range of adhesives and paint. A typical kit of joinery tools is useful and a small electric bandsaw for cutting out shapes from sheet materials quite essential.

Fig 3

Charts or posters

Charts or posters are a combination of graphic and pictorial information designed to establish relationships between key facts and concepts in an orderly way. The main advantages of using charts may be summarised as follows:

They save time in the classroom or workshop because the instructor is able to begin to teach immediately from the prepared poster or chart. With chalkboard illustrations the learn ers have to wait until the illustration can be drawn on the board.

They are a permanent record of work and are not transient as is chalkboard work which has to be rubbed out during and after a lesson.

They can be recalled for recapitulation or revision at any time without the labour of having to redraw the illustration. Thus their cost in use is low compared to similar chalkboard illustrations.

Since they are a permanent record of work they may be used by more than one instructor and the accuracy and standard of instruction will not vary between instructors.

For learners who may have missed some of the instructional periods the posters are available for them to study and to bring themselves up to date.

Using the projection method of chart production (referred to later) charts can be more quickly produced and to a higher graphical standard then equivalent chalkboard illustrations.

Chart production techniques

The main principles for designing a chart are as follows:

Layout the illustration roughly to scale on a piece of paper so that the relationships between the parts can be established and a pleasing design develops.

Keep the information on the chart simple,

avoid using too many words, present one idea on each chart.

Use bold lines for the illustration and plan for contrast between the line and the background.

Ensure that the illustration is large enough for the audience for which it is being produced.

Use colour for maximum graphic impact. It would be a mistake to lay down rules for sizes of charts or illustrations. The size wi ll depend on the size of the class and the nature of the illustration. Before designing the chart in detail the instructor should investigate all the factors in the situation and then design the chart to fit those factors. Certainly in most cases, by virtue of better contrast and the use of brighter colours, illustrations on charts can be much smaller than the equivalent drawing on a chalkboard and still be quite adequate.

Charts may be produced by drawing directly, full size or to scale, on a suitably sized piece of paper or card. If the illustration is a simple one this method is probably the easiest and most effective assuming that the producer has a certain skill in draughtmanship. However, not all instructors are capable of producing professional looking illustrations and in most cases the fastest method of producing well finished charts is by enlargement from an original drawing found in a text book or similar source.

Such enlargement can be achieved in a number of ways. One way is to grid the original drawing with a series of squares so that each part of a line in the illustration falls within a square. The chart on which the enlargement is to be reproduced is similarly gridded, but to a larger scale, and each section of the illustration is then copied from each small square on the original to the larger but corresponding square on the chart.

Clearly with original drawings of some complexity this is likely to be a laborious

Fig. 4

method

A less laborious technique is to use a pantograph. This is a plastic or wooden device shaped like tongs or scissors. B y fixing this device to ·a drawing board and following the lines of the original illustration with an attached steel point , a attached to the other end of the device traces the same outline but magnified in scale. This is a simple and cheap device which requires a little skill in use and, provided that th e illustrations are relatively simple, can result in reasonably finished drawings

A more accurate and rapid method requiring very little skill is the use of an episcope. This technique consists of placing the original drawing in the episcope which projects the drawing to any size needed on to the card or paper being used as a chart. The thus projected outline is quickly lined in with a felt pen either freehand or with a ruler where accuracy is required. Fig. 4 shows this technique being employed. The episcope is on the right of the picture projecting fro m a small original of the bones of a hand on to a piece of white card clipped to the wall. The

Fig. 5

Fig. 6 projected lines seen faintly on the card, are being lined in with a felt pen. Chart display

When in use charts can be displayed by a variety of methods. The simplest is to pin the chart to a wall board with large headed pins. This has the disadvantage that charts cannot quickly be removed and changed. Also over a period of use the corners of the chart disintegrate due to repeated holing.

Alternatively there are various types of clip which can secure the chart. Typical of these are the steel Bulldog spring clips shown in Fig. 5. In this case the charts, enlarged and reproduced from the very small illustrations in the St. John Manual, are secured to a hardboard hinged backing so that it forms its own stand up display unit.

Another type of clip is the Klemm boy clip , which is made of plastic and uses a plastic roller in a slot which grips the card edge.

These clips may be screwed or stuck to the required surface on which the chart is to be displayed. Fig. 6 shows two of these clips

Fig 7

Fig. 8

supporting a chart, produced by using the episcope approximately 24 x 28ins in size.

The method of displaying thi s chart and others is by attaching it to the side of a home made chart case in which can be stored some 20 charts. The whole case is easily set up, carried around and provides storage and display for charts. An ordinary case handle is fixed to the top for carriage.

A further method of supporting charts where there is available a magnetic board s the use of disc steel magnets. These, as shown in Fig. 7, are simply placed over the corners of the chart and hold it firmly in position

Where smaller charts can be used , as with small groups, then a smaller chart case of the sort shown in Fig. 8 may be used. If a steel sheet is fixed to one side of the case, then again steel magnets may be used to support the chart. The dimensions of this chart are approximately 18ins. x 12ins.

A final method of supporting charts on wall or other vertical surfaces is by using Plastitak or Blutak, a plastic rubbery material w hich adheres to surfaces wi thout staining , marking or destroying the surface. (To be continued next month)

ORDER SERVICE AT CHESTER

Some 700 members from Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Clwyd (Wales) paraded through Chester on October 13 for the Order Service at the Cathedral. During the service the new County Colour was dedicated and seven nursing cadets and one ambu lance cadet were presented with their Grand Prior certificates by the Lord Prior Lord Caccia.

WITH CHRISTMAS in mind I would like to suggest some festive activities. The following items are quick and easy to make utilise mainly waste materials , and are good fun for cadets to make and take home

CADET CHAT

byJIM

decorations can be made by" twice folding s quare or circular paper diagonally Cut in from both folded edges towards the centre and then open up.

Cheerful Santa

Nativity scene

Use cardboard tubes, cartridge cases or clothes pegs as the base for nativity characters dressed in felt or scrap material.

To make this cheerful Christmas decoration you will need one large matchbox, cotton wool, red felt paper and felt pens. Cut away half the top of the match box sleeve and cut a 2cms by 5cms piece from the middle of the back of the sleeve. Cut a finger hole in the bottom of the tray and stick a piece of card across half of the tray (as shown in diagram). Cover the sleeve and the top of the tray with red felt. Draw a face

cadets organise their own? For fancy dress parties I've found Gail Haley's book Dress Up and Have Fun (Magnet Books SBN 0 416 87460 6 price 65p) very useful. She gives simple instructions with lively diagrams and illustrations to show just how you can turn an old bed sheet, cloth and ribbon remnants, cardboard , coloured paper, foil, string and paint into believable and exciting fancy dress clothes. She shows how to make everything from the top of the head - with wigs and masks - to incredible shoes with pointed and curling toes. Why not buy a copy for the Divisional library?

Christmas competition

For our ftrst competition which is open to Cadets onJy you are asked to make as many words as possible from the two words HAPPY CHRISTMAS. Words should be of two or more letters and must NOT include proper nouns (names). The cadet sending in the most words will receive a gift token. The competition closes on January 30 and aU entries should be sent direct to me at the address below.

More competition news

Christmas log - a super table centre for Mum

Christmas log

Cut a log of wood about 20cms long and )Ocms thick. Drill holes for a candle. Add holly and other suitable greenery. Set on a base of stiff card and spray with frost, silver or gold. A super table centre to take home!

Christmas lant ern

Lanterns

Make use of old egg cartons together with coloured and silver papers to make Christmas decoration lanterns. More

Cheerful Santa and beard and stick the beard and lower part of his mouth on the tray. Cut off the top of the face and stick it on the sleeve. Assemble matchbox - by holding the box and inserting a finger in the hole Santa can be made to laugh

Parties

As Christmas is the traditional time for parties why not arrange one for your Division? Cadets enjoy the traditional games played at home and with a bit of imagination others can be arranged. Why not let the

1980 is to be the St. John Year of Nursing and I thought it would be a good idea to have a competition based on that theme. Full details of the competition have yet to be arranged but look out for more information in future editions of the Review.

Help please!

Thanks to aU those people who have already contributed items for the column. However I still need more! Your ideas on games, activities, meeting nights, things that work well with cadets are aU welcome. And don't forget those road signs with a St. John connection. If your division has a newsletter , I would be pleased to receive a copy.

Send your contributions to 'JIM', 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Bois , Epping, Essex CM16 7DU.

A Happy Christmas to you all and I'm looking forward to hearing from you in 1980.

MEDICAL SELF-HELP

from T. J. Ryan. Commissioner. Oxfordshire I read with interest (Oct. Review) your review of the book 'Take care of yourself.' This book gives clear instructions as to when home treatments are appropriate and when one needs to consult a doctor.

Your reviewer hesitates to recommend this book because he feel s that it might encourage people to carry out treatments and give medications without fully understanding the implications. In my view there is such a tremendous need for medical 'self-help' that it would be a pity to discourage any attempt to train people in simple procedures. Procedure training does not expect people to have a complete understanding of the many quite complex activities they may carry out after such training

It seems to me that this book is a very clear and concise guide for home use.

Oxon

IDENTITY CARD

from Watkin W. Williams

Terence J. R y an DM, MA, BM, BCh, FRCP

Mr. Hollingworth's letter (Oct. Review) stresses the vital necessity of Brigade members being able to provide proof of their identity when they instantly, and without delaying to put on uniform respond to an emergency call and arrive at the scene of a major incident which has been closed to all but authorised personnel. Frustrating as it must have been to the Chief Officer of an Ambulance Service to be refused admission to an incident because he was not in uniform and had no identity card , it would perhaps be even more frustrating to volunteers who had, maybe at great personal inconvenience left home or work in immediate response to an emergency call for help to arrive at the scene only to be turned away through lack of proper means of identification.

When the' Adult Membership Book' (size 3in. x 4 1Mn.; price 20p from Supplies Dept.) was revised about 3 years ago it was specially designed to provide for this situation. It has a small pocket suitable for taking a passport-sized photograph and / or first aid certificate , and if the membership details for which space is provided have been properly filled in and kept up to date, all the information specified by Mr. Hollingworth is readily available. In addition, it gives its owner ample space for recording all Brigade attendances and duties performed over a period of 5 years, as well as providing other information useful to the member. It fits easily into a wallet or the small pocket of a handbag , and'should ideally be supplied to all adult members by their Division and carried by them at all times, thus not merely serving as a means of identification at the scene of a major incident but also making it far easier both for the members and for their Divisional Secretary to check and maintain accurate records of service.

Epping Watkin W. Williams

JUNE COVER PHOTO

from Sgt. R. L. Coleman

May I reply to Mr. Bell's letter in the October Review? His childish comments reveal such astonishing ignorance of the truth that it is hard to believe that he wears two pips on his shoulders. His patronising comments about 'rural' divisions shows up his bad geography ; even the most junior recruits in London are surely aware that units from many counties regularly assist London District at duties ranging from full ceremonial to downright dangerous.

May I assure Mr. Bell that, far from living in seclusion, officers and men from this Division were actively engaged in London duties long before he put on a uniform. His ill-considered comments are an unwarranted slur, not only on my own Division but on the many others from outside London District who are always ready to help out - often at very short notice.

I wa s one of the Di s trict Starr Offi cer s Cadet s who fought ver y h a rd for their ser v ices to be recognised when they went into a n adult divi s ion It is a great joy to see th ese lovely

from G A Vaiden

practical and theory , is not long del

Farnborough R. L. Cole

Editor: This subject s now clo s ed fo r cor

THE

BRIGADE'S

FUTURE

from S P. Apted. Ambulance Member

As an ambulance member w ith s x yea

s' se r vi c e in a cadet

ion and three y ears in an adult divi

of Mrs. Woodward (Oct. Review ).

The ambulance member s unifo rm

I

I

with a great deal of pride. Insignia such a s the countr y / d is tr c e m b lems encourage this pride in s ervice to th e loca li ty. C o n t r a r y t o th e v ews of Mrs. Woodward , I feel that more badges , s u c h as he r ece nt ly introduced waterman 's badge s h o uld be a d o pted

The cadet uniform has certain simil a ritie s to t h e o n e p ro p ose d by Mrs. Woodward for ambul a n c e memb e r s. I h ave wo rn t

nifo

m

r s ome years and feel sure that if thi s s y e we r

ambulance members it would pro ve ve r y unp o pul

comment on the smartness of the

ny changes as suggested in th is letter would b e s h eer

B r iga de would lose much of its distinction and chara c ter. Mrs. Woodward is deluding her

of uniform would encourage

effective to encourage recruitment with

campaigns

more positive

the Brigade after the age of 16.

The result of appointing officer s for period s of

rs would disrupt the smooth running of divisions and produce

ck of discipline as appointments of s enior officers would be

ie wed as merely temporary.

Overall, I believe that the Brigade s hould advertise it self far mor e, but leave its uniform and structure as the y a re. Wimbledon S P A pl ed

SPECIAL SERVICE SHIELD

from Mrs. P. Harrison-Roderick. Vice - President Cadets

I am very happy to report (Sept. and Oct. Review) that a ll cadets in the Priory of Wales retain their well earned Special Service Shield award on their adult uniform.

5 Home we {{ , Ha vanl, Ha n t s. G A Ya lden

AN IDEA

from A GP Holder

M ay I put for w a rd a n id ea th a m ay impro ve Bri gade r e-e xa m s? A s fi rst

The d o ctor wo uld a ke n ote of ho w th e memb e r h a nd les, ex amine s a nd t r ea t s t h e cas u a lty.

Th e r e ma y be man y pr o bl e m s w it h s u c h a m eth o d of r e-exa m the s ize o f th e divis io n fo r in sta nce, so I leav e it with your r ea d ers to a ir t he ir v ie ws o n the m a tte r

Lo n don

DID YOU NOTICE?

from M. Prise ott. Divisional Secretary

A G P H ol de r

How man y re a der s noticed th at th e ad ve rt s in g leaflet offe ring H o me M e dical Guide Cards (Oct. Re vi ew) asked What would you do if y our child s wallo wed a d a n ger o u s dru g?' a nd th e an sw e r give n was m a ke him v omit '? Doe s St John agree w ith this method o f r eatment b y the public ? M y amended m a nua l s a ys s eek medi c al a id I would hope t ha t even if Headquart ers c a n t get the cards changed the y will not lend approva l to them how ev er indirect (i e. circu lating the c ard s in the Re vie w).

Next the old question of uniform. Whil e agree ing that the y are expen s iv e , if D / O Woodward 's s u gge sted uniform w ere adopted n o t o nl y would A/ M s have a n outfit loo kin g li ke a school uniform but it would be much ea s ier for a p e rson t o pas s themsel f off a s a membe r o f the Bri g ade To bring me on to m y nex po int would such a uni form be recognised b y the pub lic or other organisations such as the police ? Then Thos. H. Hollingwo rth s point on ide n tit y ca r d s s hould s ure ly be seriously considered. I feel that all SJA personnel should hav e them and also , like the Red Cros s, name badge s Lastl y, I don t kno w what the call -out ins t ructions are in Newark , but Northampton s hire s sa y to take your uniform cap and first a id kit - the idea being the police would recognise y our cap and let y ou through to a n in c iden t. I would also sa y if you have a reflectiv e jacket with AMBULANCE on the back , take that as well. M y kit , cap , jacket and safety he lme t a re all k e pt in one place s o th a the y can be quickly grabbed in an emergency Wellingborough

M. Pr isc ott

The Chairman of the Medical Board, Mr. Philip Newman FRCS, writes: The leaflet advertising Home Medical Guide C a rds men t io n s four possible actions to take in the ev ent of a child swallowing a dangerous drug Answer 2 would be contrary to the teaching of St John

In order to maintain a reasonable price for the Review , publication of some advertisements is absolutely necessary , but choice is difficult. A number of applications are received and the majority are rejected by the Medical Board as unsuitable and misleading. This leafle t w as one that was passed as less confusing than most. It is important for re a ders of the Review to realise that St John does not necessaril y ad v ocate or support that which appear s in the adverti sing page s

NEWS from WALES

News from Divisions/Centres

TREKMASTER THE GO ANYWHERE AMBULANCE

STANDARD AMBULANCE SPECIFICATION INCLUDES

BUTEL AUTOS LIMITED

Across:

1. Many endeavoured to be crippled. (6). 4. Successfully cured of drug addiction but now dehydrated? (5.3). 10. Working period of the heart. (7). 12. Condition treated by incision and drainage. (7). 13. Container for marijuhana. (3). 14. Quant ity represented b y number 7 Down . (4) , 15. Clenched hand is at centre of foot. (4). 16 , Salt of potassium is

possibly inert. (5). 18 Urgent call for aid. (3). 19. Canter crazi ly in profoupd sleep. (6). 20. Inflammation of the large intestine. (7). 22. A religious woman from any point of view (3). 24. Flexure of the low er part of the large intestine (7). 25. Upper opening of the stomac h ( 6). 27. Hair style for a small cake (3). 28. Takes care of the intellectual powers of people. (5). 30. Part of each lun g and tooth. (4) 3 1 Develop a sick ly appearance and lose vitality. (4). 32. A perien t fruit of little value. (3). 33. Taking a specimen of cerebra -spinal fluid by lumber puncture. (7). 35 Increase in size near eg deformity. (7). 36. G ra sp ing the fact that it is infectious? (8). 37. It is obviou s when patient loses one. (6)

Down:

1. Doctors leave nothin g for vector of malaria (8). 2. Taking air in to the lungs is a brilliant idea (11). 3. Small island in a river. (4) 5. Unpleasant response to a drug. (8). 6. Where to eat in Germany? (5). 7. First digit. (3). 8 pouble set back for sex gland. (6). 9.

Reproductory organ produced by fracture of spi ne (5). 11 Amoun t of liquor for a small child. (3). 15. Fellow on examina t ion is an e nemy. (3). 17. Depth of burn applied in harsh interro gation of prisoners. (5.6). 18. Vile and worth le ss people total about a hundred (4) 20. Chewed by ruminants (3).21. Country in which rain can a lways be found (4). 22 Got inner disturbance in a co nst itu ent of air. (8). 23. Bet o n inactivity prescribed for a lumbar strain. (4.4) 25 Poin ted ly ignore a la ceration. (3). 26 Dru g given to produce vomiting. (6). 27. Fought with the fist s when high on drug s"? (5). 29. Common nam e for ir onworker. (5) 31. Greek letter preced ing a layer of meninges. (3). 32. Parasitic jumper. (4). 34 , It follow s soft depression , (3), SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 11 (79) '

Across:

1. Na.use.a 5. Mycosis ; 10. Laser; 11, Secret.ion ; [2. Sane ; 13 Di sc; 14, Sepia ; 16. Itched ; 17 Flo.und er; 19 , Lie; 20 Scrum -pox ; 22. Asthma ; 25. Rales ; 27. Drip ; 28. Bran ; 30, Expresses; 3 1. V.a li.d; 32. Needles; 33. Scrape.

Down:

2 Arsenic ; 3. Sore' 4 Ass.ail ; 5 Mucocele ; 6. Cress; 7, Slippe d ; 8. Sino -a trial node ; 9 Plastic surgeon; 15. Germ; 17. Fi x; 18 Ursa; 19. Lordosis ; 21. Re.lapse ; 23. H.are-l.ip 24. Miosis; 26. Smell; 29. O ver.

PILCHER-GREENE

54 years of experience have given us a world wide reputation for the building of AMBULANCES and MEDICAL VEHICLES.

An achievement we aie justly proud of.

Over 50 years of experience have gone into the designing, building and furnishing of our specialist Ambulances, PILCHER - GREENE Vehicles are CUSTOM BUILT to withstand the most rugged conditions, and our continuing export achievements are proof

enough of our past success Suppliers to: AREA HEALTH BOARDS, LOCAL AUTHORITIES, FACTORIES CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, VOLUNTARY & WELFARE ORGANISATIONS . PILCHER GREENE LIMITED, Victoria Gardens, Burgess Hill, W.Sussex,England RH15 9NA. Telephone: Burgess Hill 5707/9 Telex: 877102 Telegrams: Ambulap,Burgess Hill

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