St John Review (1982)

ST JOHN REVIEW

Front-end conversions (as above)

Reconditioned vehicles (as below)

above M or N regd.

NEW ALSO AMBULANCES

IL' regd. vehicles

THE BEST news that I can bring you from the Review to start the New Year is that of the reco very of our Editor after suffering severe internal bleeding from a perforated duodenal ulcer. It was grand to see him the other day in remarkably good form, though still of course having to take things a bit more gently than he had thought would be necessary. In a year tha t includes the Centenary of the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and the Golden Jubilee of the St John Cadets we shall be in greater need than ever of his expert help , and wish him an early return to full health and a good year to follow.

Nottingham

One of the most encouraging ev ents for the S t John Review in the past few months has been the inclusion in the syndicate discussions at last September's Brigade Leadership Conference at Nottingham of the question: 'Does the Review live up to your expectations? Should it be more controversial in the fields of F irst Aid and Nursing?

I don't know how many syndicates were invited to discuss this question - certainly not all of them - but I received notes of the very interesting points raised by syndicates 3, 11 and 15, together with a transcript of the taped report given to the whole conference by Maureen Hindhaugh of syndicate 15 and notes of the resultant discussion held in open forum.

Though some of the points raised were based on ignorance or misunderstanding of the correct facts _ and those who raised them must certainly not be blamed for that - while others urged that we should include items that we've been trying for years to persuade people to send us but have so far met with little success the most encouraging feature of the reports was large number of positively constructive suggestions t hat they contained.

Those who took part in these discussions will , I'm sure, be glad to know that copies of the notes and report Con tinued on p. 10

RESULTS

JUDGES: Men's team test: E. C. Dawson of Orpington. Women's team test: 1. S. Moffat, of Carlisle. Individual tests: : T. Simpson , of Winterslow; A. R. Harbinson, of Pwllheli; D. F. Rice, of Southampton; and r. W. Pinkerton, of Paisley. Men

I.

(Markham

2.

6

Grand Prior's Trophy

AT the 32nd year of the Grand Prior's Trophy competition, held on December 1 at the West Centre Hotel, London SW6, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, the Grand Prior of the Order, presented the trophies.

In his opening speech before the winning teams had been announced, the Grand Prior said that although he spent much of hi s time making awards and presenting prizes relating to subjects of which he had little knowledge , on this occasion he had no such worries for he had taken and passed a first aid examination with St John Ambulance, of course!

'The programme should be based on social and family activities rather than on any Brigade work. An excellent scheme - we look forward to the next one. '1 would prefer less wind.

TRYING to put up a tent in the teeth of a 60 mph wind is quite exhilarating, especially when it's dark and raining. Like aircraft, caravans should be parked facing into the wind to avoid premature take-off, and one heeds. the warning - leave the awning till mormng! Cardboard signs cannot be seen when they are wrapped around posts. Storms create friendships as well as wreak havoc.

These were just some of the lessons learned as a result of staging the first St John members' caravan and camping weekend rally early in October. The seeds of this idea were sown at the 1979 Nottingham Training Conference with the intention of bringing closer t?gether. Having looked at our camp site and chatted with friends, it was decided

Rally Round

Nearly 300 turn up for first SJA weekend rally

obviously needed somewhere bigger and With more facilities. A recently opened mari?a park just north of Cambridge prOVided exactly what was required . Good communication almost always poses problems in St John. Having decided to invite members from counties within 100 miles of Cambridge, we were rather staggered to discover that this meant over 2,000 divisions in 23 counties! So each adult a?d cadet division was sent a booking form via County Secretaries and a short article was placed in the Review Even then some divisions didn't know about the rall;

The weekend began at Landbeach Marina Park on the Friday with terrific winds and rain, yet members arrived by car, van and motorcycle from Brighton Chichester, the borders of Wales:

Birmingham, Bolsover, and on around the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk. A few delayed their arrival until the following day because of the weather conditions.

Intentions of having a hot cup of coffee or tea awaiting for everyone as they arrived - my first half hour was spent swmgmg from someone else's awning and others were similarly tied up all around the site. With surprisingly few complete collapses and ripped canvases, we battened down for the night, the last arrivals making it from Birmingham around 1 am. One unlucky party from London decided early in the evening to retreat to the comforts of a hotel, only to suffer a further setback when the boot of their car jammed shut with alI thei.r c1oth:s inside and refused to open untll morrung when the AA arrived!

The weekend's programme was kept deliberately light and flexible, mainly to let people do as they wished - meet and talk fish in one of the Marina's lakes cook splendid barbecue meals, see the films on first aid and St John life in general, spend money on a wide range of items which the Supplies Department had kindly sent at rather short no t ice, and so on. On Saturday evening everyone gathered in t he Park's main lounge for a Barn Dance which was great fun for young and old. manager got such a shock when he saw the crowd tha t he opened up a second bar. back at the camp, local diVISional members and four senior cadets looked after babies and toddlers whose parents were at the dance, in contact with the revellers by radio in case problems arose. On Sunday morning and in better weather, the Salvation Army led us in a service of worship, after which we had an open forum to di sc uss mainly the future of rally idea. Outside t he hall Weybridge's Ill-shore rescue boat took to the water. The mixed Weybridge / Rutland Water crew then demonstrated the rescue of a chap from Spalding who clumsily deposited himself in the freezing lake The speed with which he capsized and righted his sailing boat four or five more times, left some in doubt as to his lack of sailing ability.

The Marina Park provided toilet and blocks, chemical toilet disposal POllltS and a shop selling ordinary goods as well as camping accessories. There was also a for those seeking a change from their own cooking. The younger Statistics

Counties represented 17 Number of people 295 (incl. 85 children)

Cost per pitch £6.50

(A balance sheet for Rally 1 will be presented at Rally No.2.)

(Top

chap from Spalding who kept turning his boat over with some skill

children (and adults ) spent much of their time on the adventure playground. A special rally pennant was produced to mark the occasion -I still have a few for sale at £1.20. Wandedng around it was impressive to see the range of camping and caravaning equipment - the luxurious insides of some of the 'vans' have to be seen to be believed. This weekend rally was a great success for one main reason. The object was to bring the family together under St John auspices and this we did Twenty-two related people from Basildon, with seven super tents, said they had had their first family party for a long time. A St John Cadet persuaded his non-St John parents to come. A chap confined to a wheelchair spent a great weekend under canvas. Many friends were

made and there was plenty of time for leisurely conversation. New ventures were discussed - motorcycling to Jeru salem in 1982 was one, and having more rallies was another.

The venture could not have taken place without a great deal of help from, among others, Peter and Rosemary Castle and their girls from Stamford, who gave me much advice and practical assistance, beside s running the Supplies st all; the Assistant C-in-C, Gerald Easton, who spent the whole weekend with us; the staff of the Marina Park; and, by no mean s least, my wife for keeping me going!

To those nearly 300 people (including 85 children, 30 under 8 years old) who came, thanks for enjoying yourselves and offering

£5M endovvment appeal launched for the Ophthalmic Hospital

AS THE whole of St John must know by now, 1982 is the centenary year of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and the diamond jubilee year of the St John Cadet movement.

The financial plight of the hospital has already been well documented and despite new, exciting projects and centennial celebrations. 1982 Centenary Year has a darker side to it. For the financial success of Centenary Year is crucial to the hospital 's survival in the Middle East. The situation is as follows: if the necessary money to keep the hospi tal open in perpetuity does not come in during the course of 1982, the hospital will face closure.

The Endowment Appeal consists of 80 separate donations of £70,000 each; enough to endow one bed. The Cadets, as part of their Jubilee Job Fortnight in July/August 1982, are pledged to raise enough money from their efforts to endow at least one bed.

So, having set the ball rolling with the younger element, in mid-October the Order officially launched its Endowment Appeal Fund with two functions on consecutive days.

On October 13, a press reception, held in the Chapter Hall at St John's Gate, was by Arab diplomats , Journalists from the Middle East press and the BBC's Arabic Service, as well as representatives from the national press

The Lord Prior, Sir Maurice Dorman, after welcoming everybody introduced the two guest speakers - Sir Stephen Miller,

help in running the next rally To those who didn 't, come and join us at:

Rally No.2

Landbeach Marina Park, Cambridge April 23 to 25, 1982

Details and forms from your County Secretary, or from me: 7 Bow Cottages, Station Road, Sutton-in -the-Isle, Ely, Cambs CB6 2RN. £7.50 per pitch.

And in September another rall y in another County. Details to all Divis ions soon - we're going national! Ian Phipps, County Staff Officer, Cambridgeshire.

Hospitaller of the O r der, and Mr Musa Bishut y, a Palestinian journalist and former Head of General Talks, BBC Arabic Service. Sir Stephen spoke generally about eye disease in the Middle East and went on to emphasise the enormous work load carried out at the hospital despite its fragile financial base and precarious geographical location on the West Bank of the Jordan. One project planned for 1982 and of immense importance to the people of the West Bank is Outreach. Using fullyequipped mobile units, staff from the hospital will initially cover schools and camps in the area screening patients for eye disease and teaching basic hygiene.

Musa Bishuty made it clear in his first sentence that as a Palestinian himself, he was speaking on behalf of thousands of other Palestinians who have either been treated at the hospital or benefited from it in some other way. As is well known, the hospital is open to anyone, but t he main patient intake is Palestinian , so if the hospital were to close the repercussions for people suffering from eye disease and living in or around the West Bank would be devastating.

On the following day Wednesday, October 14, the former Lord Mayor of London, Sir Ronald Gardner Thorpe, kindly gave a luncheon at the Mansion House in the City. Guests included Arab ambassadors and diplomats and many

representatives of big business, finance, industry and the media.

After an excellent lunch, Sir Ronald made a thoughtful speech in which he highlighted not only the work of the hospital and the Order but also the vast contribution made to the quality of English life by all the other voluntary organisations. Sir Maurice Dorman spoke next and the Centenary Endowment Fund Appeal was laun ched. Sir Stephen Miller and Geoffrey Meek, Director of Public Affairs, both made brief speeches and to complete the proceedings Mr Ataf Halassa, First Secretary at the Jordanian Embassy, addressed the assembly In an impressive speech, Mr Halassa not only underlined King Hussein of Jordan's great commitment to the hospital, he also pledged his country's continuing financial and moral suppo rt for the hospital, not only in its Centenary Year but for always. Equally important, he urged other Arab guests to use their influence to ensure that this hospital which has served their people so well for so many years will continue to do so. It is too early to hold a post-mortem on the press reception and the Mansion House lunch , but already the portents are good. Articles about the hospital have been published in the Arab press and pledges of financial aid have been received. We await events

T.W. 7

photo) At the barn dance 'Where's my partner gone?' (Left) Demonstratio n 01 a rescue of a

Left) Musa Sishuty former head of general talks sse Arabic service, speaking at the press reception (Right) The Lord Prior , Sir Maurice Dorman and Lady Dorman , welcoming Mr Atal Halassa, Fir st Secretary at the Jordanian Embassy in London

AN AMBULANCE CALL

I would like to thank everyone who sent get-well messages during my spell in hospital at the end of October, and which meant the loss of the December issue of the Review. This was my first experience of hospital as a patient and I cannot speak too highly of the way I was looked after, a patient brought in late during a weekend evening with a duodenal ulcer unsuspected until it perforated.

I am now on the way to complete recovery, but it is surprising how long it takes for the body to be normal again after a considerable loss of blood. Useful stuff, obviously. I'll have more respect for it in future. And thanks to that anonymous person who gave the blood that is now making me tick more strongly every day.

MUSEUM NOTES

The museum at St John's Gate, which was closed for a week over the New Year, will re-open on Tuesday Jan 5, and will then be open as usual on Twesdays, Fridays and Saturdays , from 10 am to 6 pm, with guided tours of the Gate and Church at 11 am and 2.30 pm. Parties for tours of the Priory buildings should book in advance with the Curator at St John's Gate, St John's Lane, Clerkenwell, London ECIM 4DA, tel 01-253 6644 ext 35.

On

A new biography of Sir James Cantlie, the distinguished surgeon who wrote early editions of the St John First Aid Manual, has just been published. Written by his granddaughter, Mrs Jean Stewart, it traces his contribution to the development of first aid, nursing and medical training at home and abroad. Copies will be available from the Library. Benefits from the sale of these will go as a donation to the Order, through WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF

the

Sir Malin Sorsbie has once again saved the St John Ambulance service in Kenya by wiping out its accumulated debt which amounted to the equivalent of £13,000 sterling. Sir Malin has been a great supporter of the Order of St John in Kenya for many years and has in his time donated

14 ambulances. The Order provides the only reliable ambulance service in Nairobi so that citizens of that large city are indebted to him for enabling it to continue its devoted service to those in need of help. Sir Malin, who is a Knight of the Order, earns our respect and gratitude which has been acknowledged personally by the Lord Prior.

SJA/Band Aid First Aider of the Year

Elaine Rawlins, a 17-year-old S t John Cadet from the Coulsdon and Pur ley Cadet Division, beat eight other regional finalists to first place in the national finals of the First Aider of the Year Competition.

Normally there are ten regional finalists who take part in the national finals but, sadly, this year the competitor from Plymouth could not attend. The event took place in the Chapter Hall, St John's Gate, London ECI on the evening of November 18.

Elaine joined the Cadets in 1975 and had her first real life experience of coping with an emergency at the age of 11. She and her brother were walking on Farthing Downs, in Surrey, when they came across a man lying unconscious on the ground. Immediately, Elaine diagnosed a diabetic coma and stayed with the pa tient until her brother

(Left) The nine fina ists with Barbara Cartland and (right) the winner , 17-year-old SJA Cadet Elaine Rawl ins

returned with help and an ambulance The day after this competition took place Elaine was due to take her adult first aid examination - a piece of cake naturally! After A-levels at school this summer, Elaine will start a three-year SRN training course at Guy's Hospital, London. How did she feel about winning the competition? Her smile as she accepted the first prize of £500 from Miss Barbara Cartland - as well as a personally-inscribed Barbara Cartland novel - says it all.

BY THE EDITOR

at Margate

Timsbury (Avon) nurs ng member 18-yearold Sarah Purdy, who has joined St Bartholomew s Hospital London as a medical student Sarah, educated at Bath High School, jo ned the local division as a cadet in 1974 and gained her Grand Prior s Badge in 1980 Keep at it Sarah

WEDDING BELLS

Transport Staff Sergeant Harry Langrish, of 374 Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames Division, London District, recently received a reward for 15 years hard work with the Division - he married one of his regular weekly ambulance run patientssclerosis sufferer Mrs Vera Castell. Romance blossomed for bachelor Harry, 67, after widow Vera, 66, invited him to share her Sunday lunch, as she was sorry for the man who always seemed to be working under ambulances every weekend at the Kingston ambulance station just across the road from her house. Harry says he will continue his duties as welfare driver for the Division.

Best of luck, Mr and Mrs Langrish. (See photo).

Cpl Carl Keeble of Fareham , Hants, is thanked by Mr and Mrs Henwood for saving the life of their son Edward (left). (See story LUCKILY FOR )

K ngston s Harry and Vera (See story WEDDING BELLS above) (Right) What's going on - or not going on -

North Yorkshire's Filey HO s reopened by the Marchioness at Normanby, Coasta Area president, with Filey D I S J P Ward, the Mayor and Area Comm J. D Morley _ (Photo: Scarb orough & District Newspapers) (Below right) Essex HO, Lancaster House, Chelmsford, which has been rebuilt internally. (Story on next page)

(Leftl Models Chris and Pam, with the owner of Flair Boutique, Clifton, who put on a fashion show which raised £300 for SJA Avon 'Thanks', says County Supt Mrs Marina

with the help of

The enormous cost of the necessary repairs was in no way matched by the financial resources of the Order in Essex, and the threat of having to sell the house and move to smaller and much less convenient premises was a very real one. This threat was lifted, however, through the magnificent generosity of Mr John Carter, a member of the St John Council for Essex. He offered to have Lancaster House virtually re-built at his own expense.

The neces sary work was put in hand during the early months of 1981, and in September Lancaster House was handed back to the Order renovated to a very high standard.

At the rededication service of the HQ, the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis, who is County President of St John, expressed heartfelt thank s to Mr and Mrs John Carter on behalf of the Order. Through their kindness St John in Essex is proud of now possessing one of the finest County HQs in the country. (See photo on p 9).

(with her , abovel which BEXHILL CADET CAMP

Cyprus and Rhodes to Ma ta, with many

raised £7,500 for SJA The winner of the raffle at the Bexhill the views taken

It then concen-

FILEY HQ RE-OPENED Town Council, many organisations in the Cadet Camp during the last two weeks of trates on the history of the Order of St John

On Sunday, Nov 8, the Filey HQ in the town, the St John Council and neighbour- August ha sn't yet c laimed their prize. The in England, describing the medieval priory ,

Rosemary. (Photo:

Photography Tring ) Museum, St John's Gate, St John's Lane, receiving

the

London EClM 4DA. It is hoped the slides John Ambulance Meritorious Service will eventually be available from the Award at a special presentation evening last Supplies Dept. October. Edward and his parents were

Coastal Area of North Yorkshire was re- ing divisions. Debts have still be be repaid winning ticket is number 154 (serial ES the establishment of the Venerable Order in opened by the Marchioness of Normanby, but the target was achieved and the Division 3365) and the holder should get in touch 1831, and the formation of St John LUCKILY FOR the Area President, after a complete has a home again which is the envy of many with the camp commandant, Miss Win Ambulance and the Ophthalmic Hospital. The life of Edward Henwood hung in the present and took the opportullity to thank Carl for saving the life of their son. (Photo on p. 9). renovation costing approximately £25,000. larger divisions. (See photo on p. 9). Willis, 179 Hazelbank Rd , Catford, The seco nd set of 20 slides s hows the balance when he lay seriously injured in

Three years ago it was found that the two London SE6 lLU (tel 01-698-4707). rooms of St John's Gate and the Grand Edinburgh Road, Portsmouth, in CORRECTIONS storey building had rising damp, wood- ESSEX HQ REBUILT Application forms for the 1982 camp, Prio ry Church, all those currently open to December 1980. With a blood clot formed In the November issue: the author of the worm, and dry and wet rot. Every piece of In 1980 Lancaster House, the fine old house which covers a 6-week period, sho uld be visitors. The set is complete d by five slides in the back of his throat, obstructing his article Would You like an Easy Trip? was wood in the building had to be replaced, the in the centre of Chelmsford which is owned available this month. Will divisions please of important objects in the museum airway, time was running out. Luckily for Dr Norman Paros, not Pasos as printed; shell chemically treated and then by The Order of St John, was found on include the approximate number atten ding collection, including the Rhodes Missal. Edward, Carl Keeble, of Fareham, was and on page 248, the caption to photograph completely reconstructed internally. The survey to be in a dangerous structural and the date they wish to co me to camp. The sets are available with an accom- passing in his car. Carl, who is a member of 'No rthants County Director .' should small Combined Division, with a few adult condition. panying commentary at £10.50 for the Portsmouth Division, qujckly assessed the have read Nottinghamshire, and Jack members and many cadets, under the This presented a most worrying problem SLIDES history of the Order set and £5.25 for the situation and removed the blood clot from Barker is not the County Director but an leadership of newly appointed Div /S upt to the Order in Essex. Lancaster House There are two new sets of slide s on the set on St John's Gate, Grand Priory Edward's throat, enabling him to breathe. instructor; the County Director, Mr A. R. John Ward, set to work to raise the served as HQ for the St John Council, for Order of St John now available. One set of Church and Museum (postage and packing Carl then treated the other injuries, which Tozer, was also very much involved in this necessary funds. Every possible source was the Association and Brigade in Essex, and 40 slides covers the history of the Order extra). included fractures and head injuries. Emergency Aid session for the hard of tapped and help was forthcoming from the for three divisions in Chelmsford. f rom its origins in Jerusalem, through All enquiries should be made to the Edward is now better, although still hearing.

and if they were at Nottingham they may preen themselves on having contributed to them.

Some points

referred to were circulated to all members of the Review Management Board (which meets approximately quarterly) as an item for discussion at our meeting at the end of November. With an already fairly full agenda we didn't have time to get very far with the list of your comments and suggestions, but found them so interesting that we decided to have a special extra meeting of the Board in January to continue our discussion. So I can with absolute confidence assure those who contributed to the very stimulating discussions at Nottingham that their reports will neither be swept under the carpet nor be allowed to gather dust anywhere else!

Having said that much, plus a big thankyou to the contributors, I feel that at this early stage it would be irresponsible to make any rash promises about sensational changes in the Review. But I'm sure that before long the more observant among our readers will see a few changes creeping in,

Avoiding the temptation to get involved in discussing a number of your suggestions which I hope we shall be able to adopt (or at least adapt) for your benefit, I feel I may safely mention the following points in the hope of clearing up misunderstandings and refreshing faded memories:

(a) All members of our Management Board would warmly support your request for 'well informed articles by members of the medical and nursing professions on subjects in their own particular fields'. But we find the request disappointing because we hoped that in the past 2\12 years we'd been doing rather well in that respect!

Starting with the article on 'Accident Surgery' in August 1979 by Mr P. S. London of the Birmingham Accident Hospital, we have published at least eight major articles of the type requested, and several other less lengthy contributions.

Wheedling articles out of busy and distinguished surgeons, physicians and nurses (especially if - with or without just cause - they doubt their own ability to write in simple enough terms for the non-

professional rea der) can be rather like getting blood out of a stone. But we're immensely grateful to the sto nes that have bled for us so far, and, with further contributions in the pipeline, we shall go on trying

(b) Articles for Secretaries and Treasurers are requested. I admit we haven't done much for Treasurers, but if they have specific points on which they would like help and advice I would suggest that they should detail these in a letter to 'Readers Views' and we'll try and provide them with an answer. But as regards advice to Secretaries, is it possible that there's some egg on my face? I've devoted so many past instalments of 'At Random' to the duties of both Superintendents and Secretaries that I've sometimes feared they would scream for mercy. But for those who still want more, may I be forgiven for commending what a member of HQ staff described as two of my latest novels - Class Secretaries' Handbook (1972) and The Divisional Secretary (1979), both published by the Order, both currently available at the Supplies Department, and both worth buying solely for the illustrations for which can claim no personal credit.

(c) We'd love to be able to publish fewer

photographs of 'posed' groups and presentations, and more 'action pictures'; but the latter are terribly hard to come by, and sending out new members on public duty armed with a camera (as suggested at Nottingham) really wouldn't do because (i) members in uniform are expected to give first aid in an emergency and are not there to take photographs, and (ii) they've joined the Brigade in order to do first aid, and if we fob them off with photography it will be our fault if they resign; there's already far too much holding back keen new members from actually doing first aid, preferably with an old hand near by to keep a watchful eye without undue interference.

(d) Some of the best photographs occasionally show badges and uniform incorrectly worn, but there's a limit to which one would feel it iliscreet to publish these - certainly not if they looked in any way scruffy or discreditable. But what is the purpose of photographs in a magazine? to _ illustrate some of the more events of life just as they happen, If sometimes a bit untidy or inaccurate III detail. It's all a matter of preserving a sense of proportion.

(e) To what extent should we be justified In publishing controversial matters of first

aid and nursing if this left our readers in a state of confusion? This would sur ely be doing a very grave disservice to our cause, and my own view is that our only justification for iliscussing controversial procedures is to provide an authoritative explanatory statement of the correct answer to the controversy. And this we sometimes do.

(f) How I wish I could say 'yes' to the request for the publication of an annual index! But the sort of indexing that would be of any use is a highly skilled and very time-consumjng (and therefore expensive) job We tried it a few years ago, but to my great regret found that in relation to the demand the cost was prohibitive

(g) I thjnk it's fair to say that many of our critics (even kindliest ones, whose suggestions we greatly value) often seem to imagine that the Review has a vast editorial and production staff. In fact we have only (i) the Editor, a highly experienced freelance journalist who has acquired a very considerable knowledge of the Order and its Foundations, but has other irons in the fire and his work for St John is only part time, (ii) the 'Review Sales' office, which is seldom staffed for more than two days a week, though other staff in the public

affairs department will of course receive and record messages at other times, and (ill) I should also perhaps include myself, since I do quite a bit of voluntary work as an 'editorial consultant', nearly always at my desk at home, and much of it consisting of sub-eiliting material containing ideas and information that are worth publishing but would be unintelligible to most readers in the form in which we receive them. Consequently we rely very heavily on the illitiative of our readers in sending us material, and can only publish what you send us - and then only if we can understand it and don't have to rewrite it from scratch! (See the St John diary p. 19 for brie f guidebnes about how to submit material; your request for an article on this subject has been noted for future action).

(h) As a light-hearted tailpiece, I enjoyed the request for advice on what to do 'When runlling to an emergency and your hat falls off, and an officer states that you are incorrectly dressed'. My advice to the fIrst aider would be to do his utmost to keep his mouth shut and his neck cool, and to get on with doing first aid. Bu t what I might possibly say to the officer when I got him into a quiet corner had perhaps better be left to the imagination.

The Joint training officers for Hertfordshi re, Paul Herbage (0

THIS FOURTH biennial conference began for some of us on Friday evening, the responsibilities of families having been organised and set aside temporarily for the weekend. We met in the sittingroom of one of the local hotels which was to be invaded for the weekend by the black and white figures of St John members.

We were lucky to have with us in the hotel Mrs Vicky Beevor and Mr Shaun Glenny from Headquarters, along with Mrs Glenny, and we spent a happy evening making new friends and renewing old, surely a very important facet of the conference, and of the St John organisation itself.

On Saturday morning, the conference proper was officially opened by the Mayor of Harrogate, Councillor F. Thackray He made us feel very welcome and at home in the elegant surroundings of the Royal HalL although the weather was not as hospitable . We had to abandon a walk through the delightful Valley Gardens because of heavy rain, although even the rain could not disguise the magnificence of the trees in their autumn colours.

Mr J. G. Buxton, Commander, South and West Yorkshire, gave us an outline of the conference programme, and welcomed all the delegates. Then followed an informal Brigade presentation by Lt Col. Peter Mortimer, Commissioner, South and West Yorkshire, ably assisted by Mr George East, our friendly County Administrative Officer, with his vast assortment or' millinery I should point out here that Mr East metaphorically used different hats to bring forward several points that were of interest to many of the delegates. (With a different script, we could always use them for fund raising!)

A new slant to our first aid was shown by Dr Joan Sneddon, who is senior lecturer in Psychiatry at Sheffield University. In this day of increased mental and stress illnesses, inevitably a St John member somewhere will be faced with a psychiatric emergency Dr Sneddon put the subject over to us in a clear and fascinating manner. The message was - remain calm outwardly, even if you do not feel it inwardly, and always be a good listener.

An exciting and tantalising glimpse into the new approach to first aid training was given to us by Mr Shaun Glenny, the training manager from national headquarters. This of course is specifically relating to the implications of legislation regarding First Aid at Work. I for one, cannot wait to get my hands on one of the new packs available in 1982 It is going to be a breath of fresh air for first aid , both in training and learning.

After lunch, Mr Robert Wright SRN, RMN, who is senior charge nurse in the Accident and Emergency department at the General Infirmary at Leeds, gave us sensitive and caring advice on the management of the emotional problems of sudden death. Mr Wright pointed out that first-aiders were quite likely to be helping not only the 'conventional casualties' but also those emotional casualties who are with the patient, or who are 'waiting', perhaps at a pit head, or outside an

Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Conference

Harrogate, October 24 & 25 1981

operating theatre. Grief can take very many forms - sometimes purely practical help is irrelevant - the grief stricken person may need only someone there to listen, or just literally to be there.

In this year of the di sa bled , Dr H. G. Frank, the next speaker gave us an insight into the different types of disabili ty, and what can be done to help the disabled to improve the quality of their lives. We were reminded that old age itse lf is a type of disability - a soberi ng thought.

The Reverend Norman M. Bowman , the secretary of the Priory of Scotland, was unfortunately unable to be with us as planned, and Dr Victor Altman, the Kirklees Area Commissioner, gave u s an amusing and informative talk about his experiences as medical officer at numerous motor race meetings.

Highspot

Saturday evening was the social highs pot of the weekend. The Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate gave the conference an official reception, and a wonderful evening followed, fuelled by a lively musical group, and a good supper. Many people would especially welcome the extra hour in bed that night, as British Summer Time officially ended.

Sunday started with a religious service lead by the Reverend Nicholas Webb. The rest of the morning was to have a definite 'cadet' flavour. Mrs Vicky Beevor, from national headquarters, gave much interesting information on the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. Her cute and ski lful illustrations won everyone's heart.

After coffee, we heard from Carolyn Jackson of Wakefield Nursing Division about her many and varied experiences on her visit to Bermuda for the St John Ambulance International First Aid symposium. She obviously enjoyed herself, and made many St John friends from different parts of the world. Helen Barber, a nursing cadet from Bradford Area, spent a holiday sail training on board the Malcolm Miller. Her slides were fascinating, and I felt quite dizzy at times looking down from the rigging (via the slides), even though I was sitting firmly in

my seat on terra firma.

David Sillito, from the Leeds Area, was obviously an old hand on Camp Windermere. He told us of the many activities available, and I am sure many cadets will want to have a go in 1982.

An interesting and very enthusiastic talk was given by Mr W. Ingleby , who is the President of Wrenthorpe Cadet Division (Wakefield Area). He gave us many ideas and tips which I am sure those in the conference involved, particularly with cadets, found useful. Patrick Lewis ably coordinated these four talks, headed i n the programme as 'The Local Four' - sounds like a good title for a thriller - and thrilling were their experiences.

For me, perhaps the highlight of the conference was the performance given by the combined Barnsley, Royston and Frickley Cadet Band. These young people gave a splendid professional display and are a credit to St John Ambulance Cadets and their le a der s.

We were privileged to have with us the Commissioner-in-Chief, Major-Gen. Sir John Younger. He presented many awards, and said he had enjoyed his visit to the North, and a warm Yorkshire welcome.

Many of you will have read in the St John Review the excellent articles by Miss Claire Bertschinger SRN , on her experiences with Operation Drake. She showed us a magnificent series of slides, talking us through them to the accompaniment of exotic music. The whole audience was spellbound, and s napped out of the hypnotic state induced by these far away places in lime to be transported again - this time a little nearer home , to the fells and potholes of Yorkshire. Dr John Frankland gave us a witty, informative and well illustrated talk on his cave rescue experiences. Although he assured us that, properly trained and equipped, pot holing and fell walking are safe sporting activities, I still think they are all mad! - A walk along a railway subway brings my heart in to my mouth, and my pulse racing! Dr Frankland gave us useful advice on treatment of hypothermia - this condition of course can be found in less far away places than the fells, and is certainly to be borne in mind as the winter approaches.

In summing up, Mr Buxton echoed the feelings of all the participan ts in the conference that it had been a most worthwhile and enjoyable weekend. I have attended many of these regional conferences and personally feel this was the best ever. The mixture was right, and there was much to interest our cadets. The social side went with its usual fling, proving that St John is not all work and no play. I hope I have whetted your appetite for the fifth biennial conference in two years time. Do come along, I am sure it will be worthwhile, and the more delegates the merrier. Ladies, give yourselves a break. During my weekend in Harrogate, I didn't even boil a kettle such blis s for a busy housewife and mother - and the family lived to tell the tale!

Exercise CALL OUT

THE AIMS of this recent exercise for all divisions in Eastern Hampshire were to test the Area and Divisional call-out systems, and to give some practical experience to members of working in conditions of smoke, wet and dirt, with mass casualties. The local Fire Service provided the fire and smoke, and also helped with the removal of some of the 'trapped' casualties. Members set up a casualty clearing station, and a holding unit for the more seriously 'inj ured '. Casualties were provided and made up by members of the British Telecom First Aid Centre, Por ts mouth, and by the British Red Cross and a local St John cadet division. Mistakes were made, and lessons learned, but everyone felt the exercise was very worth while.

Mrs J. M. O 'Neill, ASO Training and Dwies

Julie Hyde SRN, Area Sup! (Nursing), Barns/ey Area, S & W Yorkshire.

EASTERN HAMPSHIRE'S

Photos: Portsmouth and Sunderland Newspapers ltd

CALLING No. 23 NORWOOD DIV

from Gerald Pawle

A handsome silver-headed stick with a metal ferrule has recently been shown to me by its present owner, Mr R. G. Fox of The Post Office, Goldsithney, Penzance, in whose possession it has remained for many years since he bought it at a charity fete.

The silver cap is embossed with the badge of the St John Ambulance Association and bears the legend 'Presented to Sgt W. T. Wilks b y Members of the No. 23 (Norwood) Division, No. 1 District.

Mr Fox would very much like to know if the Norwood Division is still in existence as there is no date mentioned on the stick. He has generously offered to present the stick to t.hat to any relation of Sgt Wilks' who may care to get m touch with him.

Penza nee Gerald Pawle

THE UNPAID VOLUNTEER

from Ian Jane, RMN, CQSW, Area Staff Officer

1 am sure that Watkin Williams' At Random (Nov. 81 Review) on the subject of the relationship between St John Ambulance and the Health Authority Ambulance Service will generate a great deal of discussion and no doubt 'hot-air'. I should like to offer these comments.

Firstly, wearing my St John hat, I give an from a paper I presented recently a for officers from the Ambulance Police and Fife SerVIces. Orgamsed by the County Council's Area Emergency Officer, the seminar aimed to put perspective the current roles of various voluntary serVIces WIth particular emphasis on their 'Emergency Action' plan 1 feel str<:>ngly that we should continue the dialogue with our profeSSIOnal colleagues whenever the opportunity arises, emp.hasising our 'different' role and inviting support, understandmg and cooperation.

I am pleased to report that my paper was received with interest by those attending the seminar, though 1 am bound to say that a number of my St John colleagues took issue with me over what ther felt was implied criticism of our members. 1 hope that a careful readmg of the following extract will show that it attempts to support the St approach to the 'amateur (unpaid)' worker rather than to devalue It.

'The St John Ambulance organisation is not, not does it pretend to be a "reserve front line ambulance service". St John has a long tradition of service to the community in a number of tried and tested roles and these will always, at least in peace time, be given priority. Such roles include the provision of first-aid at pu blic e v en ts, public and industrial training, befrien.ding the elderly and handicapped, escorting patients during lone dIstance transfers and assistance in hospital wards and out-patient departments.

'The statutory emergency services rightly state that enthusiastic amateurs can do more harm than good - and of course, most, though not all, St John members are "amateurs"! St John Ambulance channels and harnesses the enthUSiasm of - "informed" amateurs through "training, a formal command structure, and nationally standardised Brigade Uniform re-inforces this structure and at the same time proVIdes recognition to the public and those in authority.'

Changing hats, I feel able to comment on the that 1 feel professional (paid) workers should have devel?pmg the skills of the community at large. I work as a trammg offIcer for a County Council Social Services Department. Whilst my task is to provide continuation training for such peoP le as socral workers, occupational therapists home helps, reSIdential homes staff and others I am encouraged by my department to become involved with the of members of voluntary organisations. These include, I am pleased to say, St John Ambulance and The British Red Cross Society, but also a great many others.

I firmly believe that the unpaid volunteer is here to. stay an.d not only is there a clear role for them, but that, on a WIder baSIS, It IS vitally important that the community at large to take responsibility for its frailer members and those m dlfllcultIes!

It is my belief that professionals in any of 'caring' professIo.ns who really are concerned about the 'welfare of the commumty should encourage volunteers - by the same token, such unpaid volunteers must respect and be sensitive to the position of their professional counterpart!

In conclusion then, yes, let's keep on talkmg to each other and moving hopefully closer together - but I am afraid that .there are several slices of 'humble pie' to be eaten first by both partIes before real progress can be made!

from Chris Batten, Ambulance Member

I was very interested in At Random (Nov. Re view) concerning the relationship between professionals and volunteers in respect of ambulance cover.

With this in mind the reply from Myra Meredith in Readers Views concerning the April cover is all the more amazing. Surely we s hould promote St John ambulance duties in the best possi.ble light and be willing to learn from any subsequent comme n ts In an effort to improve our performance? As it is two recent covers hav e attracted adverse comment (the April 1981 cover and the June 1979 cover showing the multi-per so n lift into the back of an at Southall) and it should be remembered that the ReVIew IS seen by those outside the Brigade, including professional ambulance personnel. Instead of being an? situations sensibly with a view to WidenIng conSIderatIo n of vano us ambulance techniques, we gloss over this by trying to ju stify what happened.

Finally, did Myra MeredIth, a PublIc Relations OffIcer, bother to check on what experience Mr Davi s might have had to pass comment on the April cover?

Calford, London Chris Balten

RETIRED MEMBERS

from S. C. Bishop, Editor, Coventry Area News

Have you received any comments on the abandonment of our retired members (Brigade Order 1713 July 1981)?

As we are a so -called welfare organisation it was rather fIttIng that Mr W. Williams should mak e some comments on Welfare (October 'At Random') in which he said: 'I hope there. is no member of the St John family so hidebound In hIS mterpretatlOn of our service to mankind as to say "This is no concern of mine" .' I hope that HQ has taken note of thi s comment, for is that not what they had done? Some of our younger members are asking is the good of serving an organisation which cannot look after ItS own. Coventry S. C. Bis hop

Mr Watkin Williams wriJes in reply:

I am deeply grieved that my friend Mr Bi shop should h.ave Imagmed that BO .1713 indicated that Brigade HQ was In any way 'abandoning' our retired member s, and, further, that he possibly suspected me of sniping at HQ (in October 'At Random ') for s.o going, since my remarks about welfare were totally unrelated to thIS particular subject.

On the contrary, my first thought on reading BO.1713 was 'Hurrah! At last HQ has had he courage to recognise that the wearing of Brigade uniform indicates to the general public wearer is currently qualified in first aid and normally In ba.slc nursing, and that he or she is physically capable of makIng effective use of those qualifications in any emergency .'

So long as the Retired List was regarded as an 'section' ?f the Brigade, its member s were permitted to wear uruform on certam approved occasions (and often did s? on .numerous occasions), which might well be very t o the pubhc If their standard both of certification and of phYSique did not qualIfy them to perform effective first aid, and have maintained there was no justification for this. SInce transfernng to the RetIred List nearly 4 years ago I have only worn uniform (as a Divisio!lal President) on appropriate occasions for so long a s 1 held current first

aid and nursing certificates and believed myself to be in a reasonable state of physical fitness. But I must that did break that rule (and in the of the CommlssIOneHn-Chief too!) when attending the openmg of the new county HQ In myoid county of Buckinghamshire, a mere 2 V2 months after I had suffered a heart attack I can only say thatI now reaJise that this was an illogical thing to do since though still certificated, I was not physically fit, and that if the event occurred tomorrow I should not wear uniform. Possibly - dare I suggest? - the of the Order was chosen with rather more haste than tact If there was any fi sk that it would be interpreted as an 'abandonment' of our retired members. I know full well and Mr Bishop knows, and lots of other former Brigade know, that there are still countless useful job s that we can do for St John in all sorts of ways which don't involve wearing uniform or passing exams or getting down into a muddy ditch on a winter's night to render first aid (though I bet we'd all ha ve a sta b at it if the emergency arose and there was no one better able to help) And I hope we all know , too,. that thoygh Retired (with a capital R L) no kept In counties, both count!es and areas and diVISIOns will st Ill mamtrun a very close contact wIth their retired members, and make use of their se rvices whenever possible (and that will be often), and - most important - ensure tha t they are still treated as honoured and much loved 'elder member s' of the St John family in their declining years.

THE REVIEW from J E, Smith , ASO Cadets (A), East Surrey 1 have been in St John for almost 40 years and have seen it face many problems in which some people's ideas flourished and others died 1 find that I personally agree with all that Mr Watkin Williams writes in 'At Random' and I hope he will - go on writing. He has a very down-to-grassroots outlook, and if all our member s put hi s views into action St John would have very few problems, communications would be more effective and personaJjty problems less likel y to arise Could a selection of so me of the best extracts from At Random' over h e yea r s be reproduced in booklet form and given to every new officer? It needn't be glossy covered -a duplicated effort would do! But 'At Random' did receive one brickba t during a syn dicat e discussion at Nottingham, where many considered that it was too long and contained too much 'waffle' (the word used) in praise of people in the New Year and Birthday Honours lists.

I'm sorry to hear the Re view is sti ll losing money. I'm not at all sure that officers, NCOs and presidents are given any information about it when they are appointed. I know there are many county and area staff officers and presidents who do not purchase a copy. Since we make it an obligation for divisions to have a copy, cou ld we not insist on all staff officers having one, si mply as a me ans of communication? Could a note to this effect, with a s ub scription form attached, be paper-clipped to all warrants of appointment?

They co uld be left in the envelope while he warrant was being formally presented. I suppose someone will say that this would lower the dignity of the warrant, but I wouldn't agree. Combined, and especially quadrilateral , division s should be stro ngly encouraged to take in at least two copies of the Re v iew A sing le copy never gets round all sections of a combined division , especia ll y one in which both adults and cadets are involved.

And why should we not have a pile of back numbers of the Review on the table at Nottingham for delegates to take away free, as well as copies of the current issue for sale? It would be better than throwing them away. And why do we so seldom find them for sale at national and county eve n ts of all kinds?

There were a number of criticisms at Nottingham about the content of some of the issues, especially the excessive number of pictures of presentations, etc. 1 did comment that I thought the problem was caused by the type of material sent in to the Editor: he can only print what he gets! But this was something that delegates couldn't seem to see: they blamed but themselves. One of the problems with photographs is that we always seem to have a coloured film in our camera when the ideal picture presents itself.

I think the only real answer is for all of us who value the Review to go on pegging away at persuading our colleagues (many of whom are hardly aware that it exists) to subscribe to it and use it more widely as a mean s of communication.

St John without its 'house magazine' would be quite unacceptable, whatever the cost or loss on its production.

Betehworth, Surrey J. E. S,mith

from W. E. Street, Divisional Officer (Reserve)

As a re g ular reader of the Review and its fore-runners since 1937 , I (Continued overleaf)

Greater Manchester

do not agree with B. W. Nicholls (Sept Review) that its quality has deteriorated. The photographs alone are worth the price, and as to articles it is up to readers to voice their opinions, as Miss M. Meredith said in the October issue.

It is disturbing, however, to read that of 79,000 members in the UK so few buy our magazine. In 197 5 I suggested that all divisions should be responsible for its sale, and be required to buy copies for 750/0 of its strength as a minimum .

Exmouth W. E. Street

THAT CUPPA

from Percy English, Superintendent

May I add to the letter Thanks from Police (Oct Review)? Having had the pleasure of also being on duty with other Harpenden members at the Royal Wedding and joining a mobile from Kent for a friendly cuppa, next day I wrote to the section commander asking him to thank the powers-that-be on behalf of Harpenden members for the best sustenance received on a London duty. Harpenden's mobile, and tea, were stationed elsewhere . Harpenden Percy Eng/ish

WE PRESIDENTS

from Mrs M. Verrier, SRN, President

I would like to say how very much I enjoyed the recent Presidents' Conference and c<;lngratulate all who organised it. The choice of speakers was excellent and gave us much to think about.

I greatly a ppreciated the talk by Sir Stephen Miller, the Hospitaller, about the Opthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and the information about its management and running costs .

Also the training programme which is being planned for schools and the general public is very impressive and will take some coordinating and organising.

Another 'highlight' of my day was meeting and speaking with other presidents and vice-presidents, and exchanging views and ideas - one of which was a suggestion for a special dress for female presidents to wear on occasions such as this.

Portsmouth Nursing Division Mary Verrie r

OUR DISABLED DAUGHTER

from Mrs M. E. Dockery, Divisional Superintendent

I was very interested in the article on Spina Bifida (Aug. Review).

I am the proud parent of a Spina Bifida daughter, and also a St John cadet superintendent. How do these come together, you may ask?

Our daughter Patrice, lOY2 years of age, wears supports on both her legs and a plaster cast jacket for scoliosis, which has quite deformed her spine.

Patrice is a very happy, independent young lady. We have been quite strict with her and she was brought up with the attitude 'okay, she has some problems, but so have a lot of people and she has a greater number of assets'.

After spending her first five years in the Central Remedial Clinic School in Dublin she now attends national school and is a very capable pupil and accepted by all. She is lucky she is mobile and able to walk short distances, and is very well up in her class work.

This year Patrice learned to ride a two wheeler bicycle (with no stabilizers). It took a lot of perseverance on her and our behalf. Her biggest problem was stopping and not falling off, as she did on many occasions, and I got many an angry stare as I made her pick herself up and start again, but it was worth it all. Now she is really one of the gang on our road, and goes everywhere on her bicycle

In May/June she did her preliminary course in first aid and is now the proud owner of a First Aid Certificate, and hopes to take her Home Nursing soon: She joined the Girl Guides in June and was away at camp for four days and thoroughly enjoyed it and is looking forward to next year. She also plays the guitar quite well, but we are a big sick of 'Country Roads'!

By the way, Patrice is not our only child. We have another daughter, Judith, who is a very talented Irish dancer at only seven years of age and has won lots of trophies and medals.

Well, where does St John playa part in all this? As I said I am a cadet superintendent with St Clares Nursing Cadet Division (the tops!). For the past two years our nursing cadets and some ambulance cadets have combined in helping the Spina Bifida Association run an independent training holiday for disabled teenage boys and girls.

The way it works is 30 disabled boys and girls are divided into three groups of 10, with two boy and two girl cadets looking after each group. The cadets are not allowed to do anything for the children, only ensure that they do everything themselves. Everything,

from rising in the morning, making their beds, cooking their own meals and coping with life in general. The cadets live and work with the children for two weeks in the same house. The disabled get special tuition during the day from nurses and experts to help them adapt to life and manage for themselves.

It is also fantastic training for our cadets. It is unbelievable how they communicate with and help those teenagers, but the best thing a bout this holiday is the satisfaction the cadets get from it; they fall into bed each night and are all up bright and sparkling at 8 am every morning.

As you may gather, what with Spinda Bifida associations, guitar lessons, dancing lessons and St John, our family are always on the go. By the way, my husband is a district Officer in St John We regularly pass each other on the door step, going to meetings duties, etc, but it's great to be so busy. And happy.

Dublin

THAT BERET

Maura Dockery

from Jean S. Leech, Divisional Superintendent May I through Readers Views make a plea on behalf of the nur s ing cadets of St John?

When - oh when! - are the powers-that-be going to do something about that 'awful black beret' that the girls have to wear with outdoor uniform?

We are told recruitment is essential to maintain our strength, but when you present the new recruit with her uniform, and she sees the dreaded 'black beret', not only is it quite a job to persuade her to wear it, but it is a problem to make it look smart and neat. This is not just my division's view, for I have yet to meet an officer or cadet who is not of the same opinion.

The final straw was at this year's Remembr a nce Sunday Parade, when we stood behind the Girl Guides with their smart air hostess type headgear. Glancing along the line of my nursing cadets I felt very sorry that we should look so smart and neat only to be let down by the 'dreaded beret'. We have heard rumours of a change in head cover ever since I began to be involved with cadets 15 years ago. But let's make it now. It may not be important to grown-ups, but it certainly is with today's young ladies. They don't want something that is stuffed into a coat pocket and hidden away at the first opportunity.

Framlingham , Suffolk Jean Leech

PEN PALS

from Miss S. J. Moss

I am a 41-year-old nursing member, an animal/country lo ve r, amateur artist and horsewoman, who seeks correspondence with a Welsh-speaking nursing member for friendship, exchange of SJA news, and help with Welsh language lessons.

35 Castle SI, Stafford ST16 2ED S. 1. Moss

from Jenny Abas

I am an SJA member in Malaysia and am very interested to learn more about activities within the movement - so I'd like to find a pen-pal SJA member in the UK. I am a Malay girl, aged 16, and still studying in Form 4 in a convent mission school here.

Some of the interesting things I like to know about are proficiency badges, special shield badges and camps (including the coming jubilee camp in Hobart, Tasmania, in January)

I hold the rank of sergeant as cadet leader of my school divi sion, which is a very interesting post and offers many challenges.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

PO Box 57, Johore Baru, Johore, Malaysia Jenny

FOOTBALL DUTY

from Gary Saynor, Cadet Leader

I read with interest the story Spotlight on (Oct Review), as our division, Bredbury and Rorniley Combined, together with Stockport and Cheadle Quadrilateral, give first aid coverage at the local Stockport County football ground. Stockport Club's magazine recently published a short article on our work, headed: THEY DO SUCH A GREAT JOB and ending WELL DONE ST JOHN WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU?

We have a nucleus of at least six members on duty under the control of Sergeant Tony Harrop, of Stockport and Cheadle Division.

Stockport

Have you joined yet?

Gary Saynor

the St John House Club, london

Professor Lionel Butler, FRHistS, DPhil, MA

THE Librarian of the Order of St John, Professo r Lionel Harr y Butler, died s uddenly in London on November 26 at the age of 57.

His appointment as Librarian in 1969 , while he was Profes sor of Medieval History at St Andrew's University, heralded a new era in the libr ary and museum of the Order at Sr John' Gate.

He initiated a programme of reorganisation designed fo r the better care, display and availability of the collections. He also ensured that the library and museum department \ovas properly staffed and funded, and under his direction new museum display rooms were opened in 1978 and 1981.

Dr Butler was an acknowledged authority on the history of the Order, his

pamcu ial lIdd of intere t being the period when t he Knight held the island of Rhodes. La t year he wrote the pamphlet The Siege of Rhode 1480 to accompany an exhibition held at St John s Gate. He wa a gifted peaker \ ho comm uni cated his enthusiasm for [he history of the Order to a wide range of audience.

Since 1973, Dr Butler had been the Principal of [he Royal Holloway College University of London, and wa recently involved in discussion on the reorganisation of the university. He is survived by his wife Gwendoline the well-known no velist, and his daughter, Lucilla, who i aloin olved with St John.

Dr Butler's loss will be deeply fe lt by his many St John colleague and friend, who found him a lwa ys ready to help. P. W.

NEWStrom SCOTLAND

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY St John

Association press on with fund-raising for the day hospital extension at Dalrymple Hospital which was opened on Sept 10. In addition to the public appeal , local churches have helped by taking retiring collections, and the ladies of the St John Association have launched an ingenious 'spiral' scheme that might be of interest to others. A hostess invites 6 others for coffee or drinks at a moderate charge. Each of these six then invites 5 others in a similar way. Each of these invites 4, and so on, until a large number (6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2) have contributed. The total gathered can be quite considerable Priory Headquarters, Edinburgh With the help of a generous gift from Dr T. A. Ross, CStJ, a memorial gate (in memory of Dr Ross's wife) and railings are being erected round the 18th century house at 21 St John Street, once the home of the Earl of Wemyss, which is the headquarters of the Priory in Scotland. The gates carry the arms of the Priory in colour and are very substantially made and hung. The work is being done by Pioneer Tec, which began in 1976 as a job creation project to give unemployed youngsters an opportunity of assessing their aptitude for certain industrial skills. The trainees are helped to acquire habits of good timekeeping and industrial discipline as well as learning the beginnings of a trade and the handling of tools and equipment.

Annual fund-raising events held recently have included the Central Region Charities Saturday on Sept 5 when voluntary organisations, amongst them the Order of St John, erected stalls in the grounds of Regional Headquarters at Viewforth, Stirling; The Edinburgh St John Association's sale of work in the Freemasons Hall, George Street, Edinburgh on Oct 3; the Glasgow St John Association function in the City Chambers on Oct 6, which this year takes the form of 'an evening with Scottish Opera', with buffet supper.

Fife Association

Brigadier H. N. Crawford, OStJ, kindly invited members of the Fife Association to meet in his home, the historic Naughton House at Wormit, for a very pleasant evening with buffet supper on Sunday Aug 23. About 84 people were present and over

20

medical consultant , and Col. T Lamb (r ight)

chairman Angus SJ Associat on, tryi ng the two chairs presented by the Association to Stracathro Hospital.

(Photo: D. C Thomson & Co .)

£360 was raised for the funds. Naughton House was built in 1793 and was the home of Admiral Adam Duncan, hero of the naval battle of Camperdown in 1797.

Long Service Recognised A Certificate of Service, limned on vellum by the Limner, Mr Charles Burnett, and signed by the Prior and the Chancellor of Scotland , has been presented to Mr Herbert J Green, KStJ, who was first Chairman of the Glasgow Committee of the Order and of the Glasgow St John Association.

St John Historical Society

There has been considerable interest shown within the Priory of Scotland in the newly formed St John Historical Society. Membership forms are available from the Prior y Secretary, 21 St John Street, Edinburgh, and further information may be obtained from Dr Duncan Shaw, Librarian, c/ o the same address.

Lennox Row Hospice

On Oct 23 at a party in the hospice, Mr and Mrs W. S. Thomson were thanked for more than eighteen years faithful service as wardens of the Lennox Row Hospice, Edinburgh The local committee presented them with crystal, engraved with the badge of the Order. The new wardens are Mr and Mrs Andrew CrHiy , Glasgow

Glasgow St John Association held another highly successful social evening in the City Chambers on Oct 6, when music was provided by members of Scottish Opera, and the Lord Provost welcomed everyone. A total of almost £6,900 was collected for the funding of the new eventide home as a result of the function

and the efforts leading up to it.

Although the youngest branch in Scottish Priory, the Committee and its Association in Angus have already established an effective fellowship of 43 life members, and interest still continues to grow in the area.

As the accompanying picture illu st rates, they are steering their efforts along lines appropriate to the Hospitallers of St John by providing amenities for the local hospital.

In Dunbartonshire and Fife, both of which are counties of rich variety and scattered population, the St John Associations are encouraging local groups to function under local conveners and subcommittees within the St John Association for the area

In the highland area, ce nt re d at Inverness, mountain rescue work and the Search and Rescue Dog Association continue to benefit from the support given by the Order and its Association.

The Perthshire Committee has provided medical equipment for the Athol Centre, Pitlochry, the District Nursing Service , and the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem.

The Gift Centre at the St John Nursing Home, Aberdeen, continues to raise funds for the Association, which helps, among other things, the Sitter Service fo r the Handicapped and mountain rescue Plan s for the extension of the Nursing Home go ahead enthusiastically.

Priory Secretary, the Rev Norman M. Bowman, was disappointed that a temporary indisposition preven te d him from attending the biennial Conference of Humberside and West Yorkshire, which he had been invited to address.

WALES

South Glamorgan held its first large scale marathon on Sunday Sept 20; it was also the first in South Wales and the first time that the local St John Ambulance had been involved in such an event.

Sponsored by the Western Mail to raise funds for the Rookwood Rehabilitation Hospital, Cardiff, SJA supplied 74 members for the 26-mile event. They manned 22 first aid posts and nine ambulances were on hand for serious casualties

Sgt Bill Bass and 0 /0 Bob Davies , from Cardiff Divisions, on marathon duty

The 3,650 competitors were started from the City Hall by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff and just over 3,000 completed the course. The first man over the winning line took 2 hours 26 minutes.

Hundreds of competitors, suffering from cramp and blisters to complete exhaustion, were treated by the Brigade members, who came from 10 Cardiff and 3 Vale of Glamorgan divisions. They were on duty from 8.30 am to 5 pm and received the highest praise for their work from everyone concerned with the event. Mr Donald McDougall leaving St Giles Par sh Church, Wrexham, after being installed as the Chancellor for

Northern Ireland

On Safari

27th March

A great day out-at special concessionary rates-for of the .5t. John's Ambulanc e Brigade and theIr famIlIes, whIch \Alill also raise much needed funds for the Brigades activities

• Drive through Seven Game Reserves (using your own coach or minibus)

• Dolphinarium and Killer Whale Show

• Extensive Areas for Picnics

• Children's Farmyard and Play Area

• Band Displays and Exhibitien Stand

Lionheart Tours of the Holy Land

Including a visit to the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in its Centenary Year

Enjoy the experience of a lifetime and support your hospital in the Holy Land. Visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Acre, Tiberius, The Sea of Galilee, The Jordan Valley, The Dead Sea, The Negev Desert with time to relax on the Mediterranean Coast at Tel Aviv/Jaffa.

For brochure and further information write or call Jean Taylor, LIONHEART TOURS, 66 Stamford Hill, London N16 6XS. Telephone: 01-806 0991.

Harmful occurrences in disturbed li ves (5). 13. Fuss for a contraceptive device (4). 14. May be spermatic, spinal, or umbilical (4). 16. Abode of Adam and Eve (4) 18 Part to separate surgjcally by cutting (7) 21. Consume in theatre (3). 22. Printing machine or drug raising blood pressure (7) 23. Her second letter for a medicinal plant (4) 26. Tuck in carotid artery (4).27. Part of plant for medulla oblongata (4). 28. The police hasten growth artificially (S). 30. Nerve carrying impulses from brain to muscles (5). 31. Rooted and converted to preparation removing unpleasant smells (9). 32. Terminal part of vertebral column (6) 33. Diets in a mixture for inflammation of lymph nodes (8).

Down

1. Carminative spirit (6). 2. Mine for pro st heti c upper limbs in the axilla? (6). 3. Laceration is in the dermis (S). 4. Are only pills given at this period of the ward routine? (8.5) 6. Melodious in well-ventilated conditions? (4). 7. Feeling of well-being not justified by patient's true con diti on (8). 8. Established in an erect posture (8). 10. Fires enthusiasm in the haematolog y laboratory? (5.3.5.). IS. Aftermath of wound is an un ending scare (4). 17 . Spinal structure resulting when dan ce hall lack s oxygen (4). 19. Rapidly and widely sprea din g infectious disease (8). 20. Nice tour for patient having functional mental disorder (8). 24. Mammary gland (6). 2S. Examination is for a gonad (6). 28. Contract the brow muscles to show displeasure (S). 29. Dull brain matter (4)

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 11(81)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 1(82) by A. A. Potter Across: 1. Lmp.act; 4. A. versio n ; 10. Lullaby; 11. The.atre; 12. Ambu; 13. Firm; 14. Moral; 16 Extend; 17 In.cu.bus; 22. Ascites; 23. F labby; 26. Tests; 29. Peel; 30. Flat ; 32. Purpura; 33. C han cre; 34. Symptoms; 3S. Tissue.

1. Ill-fated; 2. Phlebitis;

of

(8),

(8).

(6), 9 Dose meant for

in

(S) , 12,

Leech; 27. Serum; 28. Stunt; 31. Magi.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

FIRST AID STATIONS - STRETCH ER WALL KITS

Three

AMBULANCES

VF SPECIALIST VEHICLES

ST JOHN REVIEW

IN UNREPENTANT defiance of those members of a Nottinghamshire syndicate who are alleged (January Readers Views) to have complained of my writing 'too much waffle in praise of people in the New Year and Birthday Honours lists', I'm at it again! - not, I hope, because I can't take criticism, but because I'm firmly convinced that it would be a very sad day for St John if we ever failed to congratulate those of our members who have been honoured for their services, or to derive inspiration and pride from a brief account of their achievements. So let us offer our most sincere congratulations to those who were honoured in The Queen's New Year list for services rendered either wholly or principally through their St John membership. But first let me say that far too many Brigade members talk as if they thought (and some of them really do think) that all our 'top brass' have been imported at that level from outside the ranks of the Brigade and without having had any experience either in a division or as 'ordinary first aiders'. That, however, is far from being true. Of course there are some who have come to us in that way - and what an immense debt we owe them for injecting into our veins the distillation of their experience and leadership in other walks of life! But there are also many who really have 'grown up in St John', and I think the balance is pretty well maintained, and that anyone joining a Cadet or Adult Division today can be assured that there lies in his or her first aid bag the blank warrant of a Grand Priors's Appointment at either county or national level. And it's worth noting that all three holders of Grand Prior's Appointments who received the OBE on New Year's Day started their Brigade service at divisional level .at least 30 or more years ago. They are Dr J. C. Graham (Surgeon -in-Chief of the Brigade), Mrs. M. Reffold (lately County Superintendent, Humberside) and Dr M. A. Weller (Commissioner, Essex). Continued on

THE PRIORY FOR SOU .TH AFRICA'S

Mobile Eye Unit

Established in 1975, it is operated by the South Africa National Council for the Blind mainl.y. for the Coloured and Indian rural communities

WORK in the ophthalmic field has lon.g been a St John activity and there is a tradItion of more than 13 centuries behind Ophthalmic Hospital in which was founded in 1882 and ongmally situated on the Bethlehem road outside the. Gate in Jerusalem The mamta!ned its activities after 1917 1ll following Allenby's occupatlOn of Jerusalem in the 1914-1918 war and throughout the 1939-1?45 war.. The Hospital was evacuated to ItS present on Mount Scopus outside the old CIty of Jerusalem after the Israeli/ Arab troubles of 1948. I S In seeking to perpetuate. tra.dltJOna t John work in the ophthalmic fiel d .and emulate the example of Grand Pnory m 1951 the Priory for South Africa esta blished an Ophthalmic Foundation to form: 'The nucleus and pivot of a and scientific attack in Southern Afnca upon ophthalmic disease, particularly the preventable. A research library, laboratory, statistics and record centre and a Central

The Unit at work Mr Brits Field Officer, Nurse and patient

Hospital, complete with. a. fleet. of mobile clinics and extensive trammg wJlI work to this end.'

The Foundation was responsible for the establishment and running of the St John Eye Hospital at Baragwanath, which went from strength to strength to become the foremost institution of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. Its very success was, however, its undoing and the Hospital was handed over as a gift from St John to the Transvaal Administration in 1974 as recurrent charges for equipment, staff salaries and similar expenses made its upkeep and control by a welfare organisation increasingly difficult and, eventually, impossible . St John Mobile Unit

After the hand over of the St John Eye Hospital the Foundation decided that it could best continue its work through a Mobile Eye Unit which would carryon its work in the prevention, care, treatment and early detection of eye diseases and visual defects.

In consonance with this decision the Foundation donated the sum of £10,000 to the South African National Council for the Blind to purchase the equipment for the St John Mobile Eye Unit wruch it was agreed would operate under the auspices of that orgamsation. The Unit, however, continued to belong to the St John Ophthalmic Foundation.

The Foundation's association with the S.A. National Council for the Hnnd nas proved a most felicitous and mutually satisfactory one. They are the largest organisation in South Africa in the field of every kind of work for the blind and the Council's knowledge, expertise and staff availability has set the seal of success on the work of the Unit.

How the Unit works

The Unit carries out pre-planned tours decided upon by the National Council for the Blind, in accordance with an overall plan, to rural areas, mainly in the Cape and Natal but including special tours to

Homeland areas such as KwaZulu, Lebowa and KwaKwa for a whole working year of eleven months.

The work of our St John Mobile Unit is mainly for the Coloured and Indian communities in rural areas where the people cannot for geographical or financial reasons, or both, visit ophthalmologists and optometrists for eye testing or for suspected visual defects. Its services are provided free of charge and the tours are planned in conjunction with local health authorities at various levels.

Among the services rendered by the St John Eye Umt are:

(i) the diagno sis of patients reporting to clinics organised by the Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness

(ii) the treatment of patients at clinics

(a) medically, by the application of drugs

(b) surgically - smaller surgical procedures are execu ted by field clinics while larger operations are carried out at the nearest hospital,

(iii) refraction - eye testing - of patients requiring this service undertaken by pupil optometrists at tached to the School of Optometry of the Witwatersrand College for Advanced Technical Education,

(iv) the supply of reading glasses and / or prescriptions for glasses to adults,

(v) the supply of prescriptions for glasses for Coloured and Indian pupil patients to the Department of Health, as a result of which it is no longer necessary for the Department to bring children to larger centres to be refracted. The children are also examined ophthalmically as an additional service,

(vi) the presentation of lectures and film shows to the public and nursing and medical staff of local hospitals.

All these services are made available under the superVIsIon of an ophthalmologist. The following services are also rendered:

Microsurgical instruments used by the unit on tour

(i) registration of blind persons,

(ii) channelling to other services or mode s of treatment of persons who cannot be su pplied locally,

(iii) referral of partially sighted or blind persons to schools or work shops,

(iv) free supply of glasses to indigent patients through 'Operation Bright Sight ', a project sponsored by Lions International.

(v) supply of equipment and aids of all kinds for people of all races.

The Unit consists of an ambulance for conveying equipment, patients and staff, a mobile clinic with additional built-in equipment, a saloon car for conveying staff and a complete range of ophthalmic theatre instruments. It will be apparent that the Unit is a fully equipped one and able to operate independently with only clinic, ward and theatre facilities being required from local authorities, Divisional Councils and hospitals.

Before each tour a comprehensive circular is sent to all organisations to whom it might be of interest, giving full information about the tour and where the Umt will be operating from on the vari ous days of its tour.

Where possible and if it is in a not to o remote area away from its nearest Di vision, St John members have been asked to report to the Field Officer in charge of the tour to volunteer assistance with matters such as publicity for the visit, clerical and similar work, the transportation of patients and in arranging accommodation, particularly for Coloured and Indian staff.

When the Unit goes on tour it does so for ten to twelve da ys and it is staffed by a qualified Ophthalmologist who is not on the permanent staff of the National Council for the Blind but is invited to accompan y a tour and is medicall y in charge of the Unit during the tour; a Field Officer, who is the administrative leader of the tour; four Registered Ophthalmic Nurses and a Driver/ General Worker.

At the conclusion of every tour the

Mobile Eye Unit (cont.)

Senior Field Officer prepares a report - we are naturally sent copies of these - which are circulated to members of the Ophthalmic- Foundation National Committee

The tours go on and on in this way year in and year out covering new areas and localities and sometimes repeating previous visits with an average of 1,200 people being screened and about 70 operations being performed on each tour.

To date the Unit has carried out nearly 60 tours, screened nearly 63,000 people and had performed nearly 1,600 operations.

Because the Unit brings its much needed professional standards and skills to the most remotely situated and poorer members of our community, the cost per patient factor is rather high but we feel and know that we are providing a service that is not being duplicated or even attempted by any other agency in South Africa and, for that matter, by very few in the world.

In this context the National Council for the Blind, it should be str€ssed, operates its own Mobile Eye Unit on which the St John one was based, which operates entirely amongst the Black population in rural areas. Our joint services thus complement each other and cover all elements of our rural population.

In addition to the regular tours the Unit had also carried out ophthalmological surveys with specialised staff, one such having been conducted amongst Indian school children in the Laudium area of Pretoria in 1978 when some 2,900 children were screened in the course of a nine day tour.

Tribute

The appreciation of the work of the Ophthalmic Foundation quoted below is taken from a joint representation from ourselves and the National Council for the Blind to the Department of Health for an

OUR NOTICE BOARD

From the Commissioner-in-Chief

FOLLOWING the review of First Aid and Nursing Training in the Brigade undertaken by my predecessor, virtually every county was in favour of new Ambulance Members , newly promoted Ambulance Officers and NCO's holding an up-to-date Nursing Certificate. A mcrease m id y for the Unit. The paragraph quoted is the reflection of the views of the Director of the National Council for the Blind and was no t concocted by Priory to 'boost our claim' It gives just some ide;:t of the high esteem in which the Unit and its work are held b y an organisation which is pre-eminently qualified to pronounce on Blind Welfare work in South Africa.

'By seeking potential patients and by its unique contribution of ophthalmologists and optometrists this interim service has become part and parcel of the health set-up of the Republic of South Africa and it has already developed a permanent character in the rural areas. Ser v ice organisations, welfare organisations , women's organisations, agricultural unions and other organisations are working with us in imparting an unprecedented community service. These invaluable services to the community, in a sphere where the need is only match-

A column for

Commander, the Director-General and the C-in-C

number of counties advised against making this mandatory and I believe this is wise although I would like to make it clear that I most strongly support the idea and would appreciate all efforts at county and local level to encourage its implementation.

ed by the efficiency of the aid at present provided, cannot be continued without assistance on the scale applied for by us '

Every man, woman and child in St John and our many friends and supporters can be proud of the Ophthalmic Foundation and its work which is now being extended into the creation of St John Eye Clinics in the peripheral hospitals in the vicinity of Homeland areas. This new field of endeavour for t he Ophthalmic Foundation has been pioneered by Natal and the Durban Centre and has raised £10 000 to pay for the first three Eye Clinics. We hope that t he above acco unt of the origins work and aims of the St John Mobile Unit and the projec t ed future direction of the Foundation's work will enable you to give some answers to those who wonder and ask:

'Yes, but what is the Ophthafmic Foundation? What does it do and how does it "fit in" into St John?'

( R eprinted from The Call)

Exercise Wear '81

Dockside emergency tests liaison

EXERCISE WEAR '81, held at South Docks, Sunderland, on Sunday October 1 I was organised by the Tyne and Wear Port Liaison Committee to see just how well the police, fire brigade and voluntary organisations worked together in the event of an emergency All the services knew there was to be such an exercise, but the Committee's chairman, the Fire Brigade's D / O Robert Gregg, had given no hint of time or venue.

The incident

Two ships were lying alongside each other in .the dock, with contract labour doing mamtenance work on them, when there was an explosion. The harbour gateman was alerted and he notified the Harbour Master the Police, Fire Brigade and SJA. The St John personnel were at St John House Sunderland, about two miles away but called in from street patrols and the fire bngade from their statio n

The p.olice arrived first, to make a quick reconnaIssance and then set up an incident P?st; then the fire brigade, followed by SJA With an ambulance under the com mand of Dr J. B Heycock, No 5 Area Commiss ioner. The SJ A ten t was erected as a casualty clearing statio n and incident post.

CasuaJties

There were eight casual ties in the dock and four on the two shi ps. Nuo:bered lifebelt s, representing were dropped into the dock at Intervals from the outer ship and were recovered by a police launch , which took them to the harbour master's launch where they were exchanged for a live injured casualty. The police launch took the casualtIes to the other side of the dock to a SJA stretcher party, who transported them to the casualty clearing stat ion (the tent) where they were by Dr Heycock. Treatment was gIven by nursing members and after documentation the casualties were h takef!- by the SJA ambulance to a fictitious Ospltal 1 Y2 - miles away

The four casualties in the ships, which all senously injured, were found in unlIghted places from which rescue was not easy (Ie , the hold, etc); they we: e proVIded with miners' cap lamps whIch they s,:"itched on when they heard the rescuers (firemen) approaching SJA who were not to board the ships un ess asked by .t he fire officer in charge, the emergency first aid on t e quayslde and then took them by stretC.her .to the casualty clearing stabon for exanunatlOn by Dr Heycock.

Casualty clearing statjon was no suitable building available tent was used as a clearing station manned by Dr Heycock and five nursing

members, an identification policewoman a SJA documentation officer. With varIOUS and photographers to-ing and fro-mg, the tent became rather at times; and at the end of the exercIse collapsed in the high wind Observers' comments

The Committee members were u!lammous m reporting that SJA members dld a job, and as volunteers they were a credIt to the community.

Observatjons

With the exception of Dr Heycock and the Centre Secretary John Knox, t hIS the first experience of such an exercise for the SJA members, most of whom were o f the younger element fro m the Sunderland area. included fluorescent Wa.1stcoats identifying the different roles of members and the consideration of buyino a wheeled stretcher of the York' type. b

Casualties

Transferr ing a casualty from ship to quayside

Princess Anne visits SJA Humberside

750 - plus one - for tea at opening of HQs new extension

OCTOBER 29 1981 will be long remembered by cadets of Humberside, for on that day HRH Princess Anne visited their headquarters at 97 Spring Bank, Hull, and opened its new extension. The £62,000 extension, financed by a grant from the Inner City Development Committee, comprises two lecture rooms, kitchen, games room, meeting / drill hall, and a garage which doubles as an additional games room.

The County - - Commissioner, /" Mr Bryan Molloy, - is presented to Her Roya l Highness. Right, is Mrs K. Molloy, Divisional President

And what happened to you'? Cadet Christopher Westcott explains the cause of his black eye {casualty simulation demon -

Rachael, j4 being nursed by Cadet

/ 0 Mrs Ruth Pullen

The original HQ (a Georgian house) was opened in 1976 after having been restored by cadet personnel who not only raised the necessary funds but also carried ou t the work. The Headquarters was so successful that it soon became too small for the numbers wanting to become St John cadets, hence the need to expand. We were fortunate to receive the building grant and another grant from the Queen's Silver Jubilee Trust Fund, to provide recreational equipment, etc.

The day began for us at 6 am - we had a busy day ahead. 750 teas had to be prepared; six large turkeys and some 1,500 pastries, cakes and buns were cooked, and hundreds of sandwiches made. And then a final brush and polish up before the nearly 500 cadets and over 250 VIPs, officers, presidents, auxiliaries, press and police arrived.

By 4 pm everyone, to the last junior, was in place and awaiting the arrival of Her Royal Highness. The Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor and the County Commander, Lord Westbury, welcomed Princess Anne at the entrance to the building, and 10-yearold Junior Elaine Westcott presented a posy. Lord Westbury then escorted Her Royal Highness past a guard of honour of 12 ambulance and 12 nursing cadets and into the building, where VIPs were waiting to be presented.

Princess Anne's tour of the building covered every aspect of cadet training, including a real baby (Rachael, who was watched over by mum, Divisional Nursing Officer Mrs Ruth Pullen) who got plenty of child care.

In the new extension the Commandantin-Chief stopped to chat to many cadets, especially t ho se playing snooker and baking in the kitchen.

After unveiling a commemorative plaque, Princess Anne presented Grand Prior certificates to 28 cadets; while cadets

Stephen Jessop and Fiona Bramley presented HRH with two commemorative beakers for her children. All the cadets present received one of these beakers.

The Princess stayed for tea, a tea which included one cadet from every division in Humberside. 'Terrific,' was the cadets verdict on their visitor, the tea, and the day. 'Abso lutely terrific!'

Jessop,

Jacqueline Marshall

Mrs C.

D I Supl

(Below) D Supt Mrs Ann Linskill introduces Cadets to Her Royal Highness pr e sent commemorative beake r s to Princess Anne for her children

The Commandant - in - Chief talk ing to % Mrs Christine Milburn

Photos Hull Daily Mail

(R ght) D Os J Morton and E Coa es d scuss ing the fine arts o pool w th the Prin cess

S c ones , Cadets Matfin , Morris are for eating

Coming shortly . .

.

March 4: A Night of Knights. The Order's Royal Gala, which will be attended by Prince Charles, at the new Barbican Arts Centre to celebrate the centenary of the Ophthalmic Hospital and the Diamond Jubilee of the Cadets.

May 9: London Marathon. It is anticipated that there will be some 16,000 runners this year. Anyone who wishes to run for charity and hasn't yet selected one, will be invited to run for St John Cadets. Sponsor forms available from Richard Radcliffe, Public Affairs Dept, The Order of St John, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X 7EF.

July 10: National Freestyle Dance Night. Clubs and discos throughout the country will be invited to join in - and everyone who participates gets themselves sponsored. The person who raises the most cash for St John will be presented with a £500 cheque by one of the Bee Gees at the St John Cadet Extravaganza, to be held at the Royal Albert Hall on October 9.

A BLOODY EVENING

London District's PRO Walter Hoadley writes:

'It was the bloodiest public duty I've ever seen,' said one witness of London District's coverage of the New Year festivities in Trafalgar Square.

To deal with what proved to be a record crowd of 150,000 revellers, the Brigade mustered 17 ambulances and four large mobile units, with four doctors, eight nursing officers and 140 other personnel.

(As usual Surrey's Weybridge Division contributed personnel and vehicles.)

It was just as well that SJA was in such force, for by the time the duty ended at 4arn they had dealt with 402 casualties, 108 of whom were taken to hospital by ambulance. Two of the mobile units, which sutured 28 casualties and so avoided sending them to hospital, had to have blood swabbed from their floors afterwards. There were many cases of cut feet and hands; and the more seriously injured included a fractured skull and a battered and cut face. There were two deaths: one due to cardiac arrest; the other a man who fell from a high statue.

With London's Commissioner Derek

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN MY SON

Meet the Burden St John family of Bristol. Cedric, 16 gets a k:ss from Mum, D / Supt Diana Burden , with Dad, Eastern Area Supt Leonard Burden (right), brother Gerard , 14 , and sister Elspeth , 12 - when Cedr c received his Grand Prior certificate recently, the first for Oldland Common Quad Div sion. (Photo: Wessex Newspapers)

IN LIVERPOOL

The Duchess of Gloucester, opening a 3-day Action Age exhibition in Liverpool, says hello to ASO Miss Z Parry, D O W Kay and ASO T. Jenn ngs at th e SJA stand Fenton for much of the evening was the Lord Prior, Sir Maurice Dorman, Lady Dorman, and the Supt-in-Chief, Lady Moyra Browne, who also visited the London Ambulance Service's HQ and New Scotland Yard's operations room.

SAVED I hear that Nelson, Lancs, member

Geoffrey Richards and workmate Jim Duckworth, who had taken a St John first aid course, saved the life of fellow worker Colin Sanders when he collapsed and hit his head on a concrete floor. Said Mr Richards: 'He wasn't breathing There was no heartbeat. I started to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and Ji m applied heart massage By the time the

The C- in - C presents a r.etirement gift to HQ s Tom and Ivy Fazan during November 100 YEARS

(Left) The Vice- President of the Red Cross, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, who made the presentation of London District annual awards in November, congratulates the Area Comm. Harold Mulligan and Area Supt (N) Mrs Mulligan who have 100 years SJ service between them

ABOUT

BY THE EDITOR

ambulance arrived, Mr Sanders had recovered quite welt. I think he would definitely have died if help had not been on hand in time.'

Mr. Duckworth said: 'It just demonstrates how important first aid training can be.' Geoffrey Richards Mr Sanders, 50, saves workmate who attributed his collapse to high blood pressure, said: 'I'm feeling fine now. I aim to thank my work mates as soon as possible

IRISH AWARD

Co ng ratulations to Northern Ireland's Deputy Commissioner, Col Jimmy Hughes, CBE, TD, MEd, DL, who is one of four people from the province among the 12

Miss E. M. Blower D/Supt of Cosham N/C Div, was particularly proud when these three cadets (Diana Pain, Tina Littlefield and Sarah Anderson) received their Grand Prior's Badges from Hampshire's Commissioner, Mr R Harris, because they make 40 GPBs for the Division in 11 years! A record for Hants

CHAMP

Meet Corporal Terry Fasey, of Newstead Colliery Division, South Notts, who has won the Thomas Bowler Shield - which is recognised as the all-England championship in casualty simulation. He also won for the second year runn ng two championship trophies of the Notts and Derbyshire regions

Desborough Cadet team which won the annua F ag Bearers competition held in Northants recently (Ba ck ) Desb orough D O Alan Glover and Sgt Darrall Panter , 14, t he flag bearer , with his escorts Corporals Sean Marshal and Mark Guyett holding he Dick Lewis trophy

( Right) Windsor NurSing Division s D O Miss Joan Carlton and Eton Division s D / Supt (R) Stan Irwin attending jockey Paul Cook , who dislocated his shoulder in a fall at Windsor Race Course and was taken to hospital

Eight Johanniter- Unfall- H ilfe members from Kiel were guests of SJA Coventry for a week during October, staying members homes. Coventry IS twinned with Kiel and Coventry members were invited to Kiel in 1980 Here the visitors and SJA members are viSiting the Lord Mayor of Coventry, with the leader of the JUH party Herr Klaus Plathow, on the Mayor's eft, and Coventry Area CommisSioner W D Heath on his right

s new Landro ver ambulance is dedicated after two year's of fund rais ing by the Division. A 4- wheel drive veh cle has been very badly needed for duties in this area , particularly d uring a w nter su c h as th is year

winners of all Ireland ' s 1981 People of the Year awards. Mr Hughes who was, among many other appo i ntments , the 1981 chairman of the Northern Ireland regional committee of the International Year of Disabled People , was made chevalier of t he Legion of Honour by the Fren c h Gove r nment earlie r in the year.

D r Jimmy Graham joined the Brigade 30 years ago as a Divisional Surgeon in North London. 14 years lat er he was appointed Assistant to the Surgeon-in-Chief and was promoted to Surgeon-in-Chief in 1974. Having worked with him very closely for a number of years I can bear witness to his indefatigable energy and caring concern in promoting the highest standards of efficiency in first aid among Brigade members and the development of welfare as a valuable form of St John service. All this he has achieved in his spare time while holding the important post of CMO to an international food-producing company whose trade name is a household word, as well as being for several years Chairman of the Occupational Health Committee of the British Medical Council.

Mrs Marie Reffold took her FA certificate in 1938 and spent t he first two years of the war serving at the Western General Hospi t al, Hull. During this time

Nearly 100 busy St John 'professionals from Grea t

end of the war and becoming D iv. Supt. in 1967, he has during his 41 years' membership averaged about 700 hours' voluntary service annually - on Brigade Public Duties, as an Association Lay Instructor and as a regular helper at the Chesham St John Medical Comforts Depot -a truly remarkab le record. M r H Nash (Div. Offr. Wimbledon & M er ton A & N Division, Greater London (Prince of Wales's) District) has given 49 years' continuous Brigade service in the Wimbledon area and was the prime mover in building a new HQ and t r aining centre for his division after the war, first raising the funds and then personally directing the building operatio ns by volu n teers. Since retiring from employment he still performs many public d u ties d uring o ther mem b ers' working hours, and serves voluntarily for at least two days a week in the wards of St George's Hospital, Tooting. Mr C. E. T. Lucas (State of Western Australia) and Mrs A. M. Wines (State of Victoria, Australia) have also received the BEM fo r their long and devoted service to St J oh n ' d ow n under'

Others

As we ll as the a bo ve, we offer o ur congratulations to th e followi ng mem b er s of the St John fami ly wh o h ave been honoured for their services in other fields

(their St John appointment being given in brackets), and we hope that details of any further awards to members who have not yet been spotted in the list will be sent t o the Editor so that we may congratulate them in a later issue.

Life Peer: Sir Murray MacLehose (P resi dent of St John Council for Hong Kong), as Governor and Commander-inChief, Hong Kong.

KBE: Surgeon Vice-Admiral J. A. B. Harrison (Member of the Association Committee), as Director-General of Royal Naval Medical Services

CBE: Mr Ignatius KiJage (lately Commander St John Ambulance Papua, New Guinea), as Chief Ombudsman, PNG.

OBE: Mrs. M. A. Beastall (President, Mickl e over AC & NC Division, Der b yshire), for political and public services in East Midlands; Mr E. A. Lawrence (Brigade Commissioner, St Lucia), as Commissioner of Police, St Lucia.

MVO : Revd J. F. M. Llewellyn (an O ffici a ting Chaplain of the Order of St Joh n), as Chaplain of St Peter-ad- Vincula at HM Tower of London

C o lonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service : Major General C. W. B. Purdon (Commander St John Ambulance, Wiltshire), lately Deputy Commissioner, Royal Hong Kong Pol ice.

(Right) Nottingha

(A b ove) Avon s Yate and Chipping Sodbury Division is presented with an ambulance by Yate carnival committee chairman Dave McCaghrey , handing keys to DI Supt Les Friend. (Photo: Myra Mered ith)

(Above) Ambulance cadets from Camborne ready to set-off for the weekend from their HQ

A taste for

SJA Cornwall's Cadet Weekends

Adventure

IN THE LAST two years we have greatly extended our adventure training for cadets in Cornwall. We have an annual camp, which has been popular for many years, but last year we tried the idea of adventure weekends leading to proficiency certificates in expeditions and rambling.

We used the Cam Yorth Adventure Centre (an old school a few miles west of St. Ives on the north coast of CornwaJl) in 1980 to introduce 68 cadets to the delight s of an outdoor life. During the first weekend, in April, they were assessed for kit, outdoor cooking and nutrition , re sc ue and sur viv al , map-reading and campcraft (which they had l ea rned with their Divi sions), and then spent the night under canvas in a field near the Adventure Centre.

Next morning we had a nice 5-mile hike over the moors to work up an appetite for Sunday's roast lunch.

( Left) Kit-check at Carn Yorth. Sonia Hodge, Michelle Weightman and Janette Thomas, all from St Ives, with Ph ip Jones (Pen zance)

The second weekend we walked over the moors to an overnight ca mp site near Cam Kenidjack, ca rr yi ng everything we needed - tents, food and water. T here were some wonderful concoctions se rved up for supper and for break fa st on Sunday! After all tha t waJking we s pent mo st of Sunday playi ng rugby (although I doubt if many Cornwall Rugb y Union referees would have recognised the game) and other games b efore walking back t o another roas t lun ch.

In June we were off aga in T his time it was more of a h oliday celebra t ion; an assa ult course on th e Saturday morning and the presentation of cert ifi cates by our County Commissioner, Mr C hri stoph e r Petherick, in the afternoon. On Sunday morning we went for a walk to the vi llag e of St Just.

The weather had been perfect for all three weekends, and our luck h eld for t h e Junior Adventure Weekend wh ich was held by popular request early in October.

So after such a good start we weren't surprised to have 110 cadets waiti n g to go to Carn Yorth again in 1981. The first-timers were to work for proficiencies in expeditions and rambling, whi le for the second-timers we planned outdoor rescue and survival, acciden t prevention and (for t hose old enough) rock-climbing.

Again, the first weekend was mostly taken up with assessments. The weather wasn't too good, and unfortunately it wasn't any better for our second weekend in May. In fact, it poured!

And the third weekend was even worse. It rained so hard that we had to bring the pa r ty camped ou t on the moors back to the school for the night, and some of the tents at Carn Yorth s uccumbed to our Cornish gales. S t ill, with plenty of hot food and drink everyone s tayed cheerful.

The climbe rs had better luck. They had been able to get in quite a bit of climbing over the three weekends, practising on some old mine-wall s with lovely granite blocks, and then tackling some of the seacliffs at Sennen Cove.

In s tead of a presentation at Cam Yorth, we held a Gang Show and Proficiency Presentation Evening (which is a story in itself) in June, 0 we had to wait until October before we were back at the Adventure Centre with our juniors. The weather had changed again, and we had three beautifully sunny days. We had a glorious view of ships rounding Land's End from aUf c amp-site, and our juniors were able to go on a mini-ramble around Cam

Kenidjack and to gain their Nature Study certificates.

We're very pleased with the succes s of our adventure weekends. Although they mean a lot of hard work for the officers (and especially for our Area and County Staff) we were delighted to have plenty of repeat business in 1981 from satisfied 1980 customers, so we can't be too far ""'fang!

The Adventure Centre, one of several run by Cornwall County Council, is an ideal

base, with cooking facilities and emergency sleeping accommodation, and the nearby fields have wonderful views of the sea and the Scilly Isles (when it's not raining). The weekends are a good way of getting officers and cadets together. They help everyone to get to know each other, and to have a lot of fun at the same time. We're just hoping for a bit more sunshine this year!

D I S A T. Rutter,

(Below) Plenty of juniors here with senio r c adet NCOs, at the end of the first jun or

Starting the day with a sizzle. Cadets from Illogan breakfast at Carn Kenidjack

the moors

Photos by the author

Conference time for juniors at their first weekend at Carn Yorth

Camborne

Below) Mark Woolc ock ( St Ives) and Sharon Maddern ( Penzance) ro ck climbing u nd er in stru c tion

weekend

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PEOPLE

What are you doing?

andrails that are too low. to be of to user. There IS. also an overhanging almost ImpOSSible for most disabilltles Without a great deal of assistance.

Problems for the disabled in Sawtry

THE t rue success of IYDP will be measured by the continuation beyond December 1981 of its aims and the work generated.

Project by St John Ambulance Cadets, Sawtry Division, Cambridgeshire

THIS PROJECT was undertaken by St John Ambulance Cadets, Sawtry Division, to discover and publicise the difficulties that disabled people have to overcome in everyday life in Sawtry. It is hoped that the information gathered will lead to various improvements to existing facilities to enable life to be made easier for these people.

We set about this task by firstly finding ways of simulating various disabilities and then by using these simulations to carry out various everyday tasks around the village.

The bulk oflhis exercise was carried out on March 14 , 1981. We would like to thank all the people of the village who helped to contribute to this project, especially to the residents of Mellors Court and the shop owners.

Simulation of disabilities

A number of disabilities were considered and ways to simulate these were tried out prior to the project.

Wheelchairs: Two types of wheelchair were used, one where the disabled person could propel themselves and the second where the wheelchair was pushed by another person. Thus the reactions of both the disabled person and the person having to push were recorded.

Back injuries: Back injuries or restricted mobility of the back were simulated by placing a long splint up the back of one of the cadets, which was subsequently bandaged into position to prevent forward or backward movement from the waist.

Arthritic hands: Arthritic hands or other disabilities involving the hands. One or both hands were bandaged bulkily to prevent adequate movement of the fingers. In some cases clenched fists were so bandaged.

Athritic or limited mobility of the legs: This was simulated by splinting the back of the leg secured with bandages and giving the person a walking frame or walking sticks to use.

Disabilities to arms: Problems with movement of arms were simulated by tying or bandaging both arms to the sides.

Blindness: Blindness was simulated by blindfolding a cadet but it was accepted that this was dangerous and the person was always accompanied.

Deafness: An attempt was made to simulate deafness by putting plugs in the ears, but this was not successful, as all persons who tried this could still hear adequately.

Dumbness: Simulating a person unable to speak was simply carried out by a cadet going into certain places using only signs and no voice.

These simulations were practised for two weeks prior to the main exerise. Mellors Court

On Friday March 13, prior to the main

38

exercise, several cadets went to Mellors Court to talk to the residents to establish the sort of things that they would most appreciate in the way of aids in Sawtry and to find out some of their problems at firsthand.

From our brief discussion with the residents, it was generally felt that a bus travelling from MeUors Court to the Post Office at least once a week would be most beneficial to the elderly people living in the flats.

We were then taken on a short tour of the home and found the following difficulties:

1. Narrow corridors - difficulty in moving a wheelchair down them.

2. A 360 degree stairway, making it impossible to move an ill person from upstairs on a stretcher.

3. Bathrooms, too small, with a normal sized bath unsuitable for elderly people, with only one aid, a bar.

4. On entering the front of the building we noticed that it had high, overlapping steps which has caused disabled people to trip and fall, and at the front door, a metal ridge of height at least lcm, being very dangerous if fallen upon. Also the step actually into the building was found to be difficult by persons suffering from arthritic legs, etc.

5. All through the building, the fire doors opened in opposite directions to each other and were found to be somewhat heavy to open.

6. On entering one of the flats, we noticed that the elderly person with a walking frame, living in the flat, had to manoeuvre himself and his frame a considerable way before being able to leave his flat, because the doors opened onto one another.

7. On leaving, we noticed that the edge of one step was broken, so that if anyone stood on it, they would fall and injure themselves.

The general view of our party, after visiting Mellors Court, was that some of the areas could have been made more easily accessible for the elderly living there, because old age in itself could be a disability.

Journeys and everyday activities

The report is divided into four headings: Highways and Byways; Shops; Public Buildings; and Miscellaneous.

Highways and Byways: Many of the kerbs were considered to be too high to manage, especially when using walking frames and wheelchairs. This was particularly noticeable at the entrance to Greenways car park, where it became necessary to walk or push wheelchairs quite a long way up the hill in order to cross.

Footpaths: Many of these were in a poor state of repair with a number of potholes.

During the year SJA Divisions, Areas and Counties stepped up their established services to the disabled and handicapped, and initiated new schemes, some of which have been reported and written about.

But there often seems to be a relu ctance or is it modesty or la ck of lime? - to put pen to paper, or use the typewriter, to send in reports of the valuable work which one hears has been or is being done.

So please send a report of your scheme to help the disabled and handicapped to Mrs L. C. Best, Staff Officer to the Superintendentin-Chief, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW IX 7EF. The Chief Commander 's offer of a £10 prize for each scheme selected for publication in the Review w ill continue during 1982.

A report of what you are doing could inspire others and so help to ensure the real success of IYDP!

This was particularly noticeable at Church Close and outside the Doctor's Surgery, whose (sharp) inconveniently placed gravel also caused man y problems.

Roads: The junction of High Street and Gidding Road contains a very sharp corner and there is also a bend in the road close to Mellors Court, both of which were considered to be dangerous.

Shops: (cadets used wheelchairs and walking frames) Freezers too deep to remove anything. Not enough space. Trolleys inconveniently placed. Shelves too low and too close together. Large plastic bags and trolleys obstructing path outside Limited space between shelves. Lots of obstructions Very Limited space. Difficulties of access to the building and / or to a particular counter or department. In one shop 'a very helpful shopkeeper' and in another 'very helpful assistants' eased these problems.

At two shops, no problems whatever were encountered.

Public buiJdings

Church: (Approach) No path for a long way up the road. The path that is there at the top is too narrow for wheelchairs, etc, and is crumbling dangerously at the edges. Very hard on the pusher as the hill is very steep. (Gates) Easy for pusher to open providing the wheelchair brakes work. (Door) A difficult step to get up. There is a bench to rest on but it is dangerous as a plank is missing. (Inside) Reaching Communion rail is difficult, as there are several steps. Easy access to main aisle. Space for wheelchair at front and rear of church.

Junior School: There is a bump in the road to slow down cars, but this proved difficult to cross with frame and wheelchair. Main entrance, satisfactory.

Infants' School: No difficulties noted. Library: Good access. Easy to get around shelves. Very helpful librarian.

W.1. Hall: Several steep steps with

Doctor's Surgery: .Access covered with gravel causmg great for wheelchair, frame and arthntlc legs. Always help at hand.

Miscellaneous

Phone Box: Great difficulty m pullIng the door open and it 90es spring back! Impossible for wheelchaIrs, etc: hard to dial and push money m With any dis ability of the hand s..

Buses: Steps were too hIgh gettmg on and off the bus, but there was an extremely helpful bu s driver. It was noted that at the bu s shelter by the Co-op there was no seat; al so cars were parked at the Bus Stop, cau sing the bus to stop in the middle of the road

Summary

The general feelings of the St John Cadets

What of 1982 and beyond?

following this exercise were that in man.y cases the pathS were in need of some repair and that certain kerbs should be lowered, especially crossing the entrance to Greenways car park. A white or yellow hne painted a little way in from the kerb edge would be useful and beneficial to persons without clear vision.

Benches would be greatly appreciated both the elderly and the general publIc walking up School Hill, Green End R?ad.

A public toilet would also be appreclated somewhere in the village and also a Zebra Crossing in the vicinity of the Green.

It was found from our project, that people had difficulty in e,ntering the telephone boxes in village .. One suggestion would be to mcrease .the size of the door and make it somewhat ltghter. The actual telephone would be better with push button numbers rather than a dial for persons suffering from arthritis of the hands. Also better lighting would be helpful in the box.

We found that cars were parking in bu s lay-bys, thus causing an obstruction. By painting a sign on the road at the bus stops to say that it was a 'Bus Only' area could help to alleviate this situation It was also felt that seats in the bu s shelters were greatly needed

After discussion with elderly folk it was discovered that it would be most helpful to have a cheaper bus fare to pay, a 'free pass', as happens in several countles.

Most members of the public were found to be both helpful and co-operative while we were carrying out our numerous exercises. We found that a better awareness of peoples' disabilities by those who do not have any could help to improve the situation

We hope that this report highlighted the major problems of dl s ab.led. living in Sawtry, and that the be of use in planning future a?d Improvmg existing, facilities about the VIll age.

New charter for the Disabled to be presented to world's governments

THE Rt Hon Alfred Morris, MP, was Britain's first-ever Minister for the Disabled, 1974-79. He is Chairman of the World Planning Group set up by Rehabilitation International to draw up the 'Charter for the 1980s' as its major contribution to the International Year of Disabled People (IYDP). He writes: More than 500 million people are disabled in the world today. In every country, at least one person in .ten has a physical, mental or sensory handicap. Here in Britain there are over 5.5 million disabled people

Yet even these figures do not. tell whole story. For disability is a family affaIr and affects vast numbers of people who are not t hemselves disabled. The mother of a disabled child is involved li ke the child of a disabled mother.

With millions more, their lives are profoundly affected by disability in the family. In fact, a recent Gallup survey found that, in Britain, 29070 of us have a disabled person in the family.

The International Year of Disabled People has successfully spotlighted the problems and needs of disabled people and their families. But what of 1982 and beyond? All of us involved in IYDP want it to be more than a 365-day wonder, which is why we are planning now for the years ahead.

That is why the 'Charter for the 1980s' is so important. It is the work of a World COmmittee that met under my chairmanship and whose members were drawn from rich and poor countries alike.

The Charter is being presented to Heads of Government all over the world and was presented to the Prime Minister in London on November 11. It makes over forty

recommendations and its four main aims are 1 to save as many people as possible from becoming disabled by maximising the prevention of disability;

2. to reduce the handicapping effects of disability by the provision of adequate rehabilitation services;

3. to ensure that disabled people are a part of and not apart from and they can participate fully in the hfe of their communi ties;

4. to promote full public awareness of th.e problems of disabled people and of their right to social equality.

Every country is urged by the Charter to adopt an action plan for the achievement of these aims in this decade. The plan should cover all aspects of national life and involve every agency, statutory and alike, that can make life better for dIsabled people.

lf our problems in to the standard and quality of lIfe tor dIsabled people in Britain seem those ?f the Third World are dauntmg by companson.

Fifteen out of everyone hundred children born in the Third World this year will die before their first birthday. One quarter of the rest will suffer from deficiency diseases

handicapped people to a

club for the disabled. It has been a great success and s of course much cheaper than a f itted ift and three-quarters will lack any kind of modern medical care.

Again, millions of people become avoidably blind and others WIll become preventably both deaf and blind. Another sombre fact is that India today has more disabled people than Britain has people. Let no one say that the resources are available for the achievement of a be tter for the world's disabled people The truth IS that too much is spent on the munitions of war and too little on the munitions of peace.

If only 1% of what is now spent on weapons of destruction were .to spent instead on the prevention of dIsability and the rehabilitation of disabled people, the lot of the disabled in the Third World could quickly be transformed.

The 'Charter for the 1980s' emphaSIses that disabled peo ple should be cared for in the community rather than in institutions. It calls on all nations to ensure that , wherever possible, the disabled are helped

What of 1982 and beyond?

to live at home as fully integrated members of their local communities.

All of us want, however, to do more than simply stay at horne. We want to go out to cultural, social and other events. Most of us also want to work if we can. So also do the disabled (for they have abilities as well as disabilities) and access to buildings is essential if they are to live a full life.

Yet 'access' is not only about getting into public buildings. It has the much wider meaning of going somewhere and being accepted. And that, in t urn , means improving public attitudes to disabled people.

The able-bodied of today are often the

disabled of tomorrow and we must challenge people everywhere to think more deeply about the problems and claims of disabled people.

Britain's 5.5 million disabled people (and the world's 500 million) have the same rights as all humanity to grow and to learn, to work and to create, to love and to be loved. Without these rights, they are gratuitously further handicapped by the loss of opportunities and responsibilitie'S which should be theirs.

All of the Charter's aims are deeply important, but none more so than prevention. The pressing need now is to extend primary health care to all communities and to step up our assault on the six major diseases of childhood.

The 'Charter for the 1980s' calls for the total eradication of poliomyelitis by the end of the decade and, with international co· operation, this can undoubtedly be done.

The Charter's recommendations cannot all be put into effect at once, which is why IYDP must be seen not just as a year that can soon be forgotten but as the start of a new era for disabled people.

The kind of society the Charter seeks is one where there is not pity but genuine respect for disabled people; where understanding is unostentatious and sincere; where it is the abilities of people , not their disabilities, that really count; and where the disabled have a fundamental right both to full citizenship and social equality.

DIVISIONAL ACTIVITY

CADET CHAT. o by ,m JIM

Proficiency subjects AS YOU WILL know, the proficiency subjects are being revised where appropriate in the light of experience. I am told that the following changes are now taking effect.

The age group for International Friendship has been widened from 11-15 to 11-20. The following new subjects are available and copies of a typescript syllabus are available from Miss V. Beevor, SJA Cadet Office, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SWIX 7EF:

Consumer Rights

A new teaching pack for young people called 'Is the Consumer Always Right?' is now available from the Dept of Trade, Room 2526, Millbank Tower, London SWIP 4QU.

The pack consists of 10 sections each of which is printed on an attractive two-colour folded card. The cards can be photocopied for use with a large group and details of other resources available are included in the pack.

The pack provides valuable information on consumer rights and should be an interesting change to training in a division.

Play it Safe!

ROSPA produced a publicity pack to coincide with the broadcast of the BBC Play it Safe programmes last year.

The pack costs £6.75 and contains posters, pamphlets and two wall charts covering baby and

wallcharts

Lionheart Tours of the Holy Land

Oxfords hire

Birmingham

GRAND PRIOR'S FINAL

from W. H Kay, Divisional Officer

As a regular competitor and competition judge over the last 40 years, may I remark on the consistently inconsistent standard of judging competitions. While congratulating the organisers for setting up very realistic scenes, all the effort is wasted when the judges fail to judge realistically.

I refer to the recent Grand Prior competition in London when a petrol drum had exploded alongside a man using an oxyacetylene burner (not welder, as stated on the card).

Every team turned off the burning equipment with the exception of one, the Scottish Gas Board team, yet they won the competition! Allowing for the fact that they may have obtained higher marks in the individual tests, they should have got no marks after a few minutes in the team test, as had it been 'for real' they and the casualties would have burned to death. For they failed in the basic principles of first aid. They did not get their priorities right. They did not remove the danger.

When one is beaten by a better team one can say 'That is the standard we must reach in order to win next year.' But when one loses through errors of judging it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

(Incidentally I was not a competitor, just a spectator.) And although I come from Liverpool it is not sour grapes because the MOD team, also from Liverpool, did not win, as I would have marked them well down in the results.

May I now thank the judges, patients and all who put so much time and effort into helping us learn first aid, which is the reason for competitions. But how can one improve standards when the team that carried off a trophy would have been seriously burned in a reallife situation?

Liverpool W. H. Kay

SIR JOHN FURLEY

from Col M A. Demetriadi TO, Commissioner, Suffolk

As a one-time medal collector and member of the Orders and Medals Research Society, I was most interested to read Museum Notes on the decorations of Sir John and Lady Furley in the November issue of the Review.

What a splendid 'family group', as we say, of no less than 20 to one man and four to his wife. When Sir John was knighted in 1899 he was presumably appointed a Knight Bachelor, as there is no other insignia included among his medals. He died in 1919, just seven years before the introduction of the badge of a Knight Bachelor , which would have added one more to his distinguished group. How sad that he full size insignia of his Order of Vasa and of the Order of Dannebrog appear to be missing.

The second point of interest is that Sir John Furley recei ve d the Metropolitan Police issue of the 1887 Jubilee Medal when he was Director of the Ambulance Department and about to be in charge of the Brigade. Charles Tozer in his book 'The Insignia and Medals of the Grand Priory of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem' is of the opinion that members o f the Brigade on duty at the Jubilee received the general type issue, and of course at the 1897 Jubilee (for which Sir John received the clasp to his 1887 medal) the first medal with a special St John Ambulance reverse was issued to those who participated. This practice of issuing a special version of a commemorative medal was continued for the Coronation Medals of King Edward VII in 1902 and King George V in 1911. What a pity that it was discontinued when St John Ambulance Brigade participation in the meantime had probably increased several-fold!

John Furley was awarded the Queen's Medal for the South African War of 1899-1902 with clasps for Natal, Orange Free State and Transvaal, but presumably did not stay out till 1902 and thus qualify for the King's Medal 1901-1902, but it is very surprising that he apparently did not receive the special St John Ambulance Bronze Medal for the war, awarded to those who went overseas.

It is interesting to note that Furley was one of those relatively few people to be awarded the British War Medal for the 1914-1918 War, but apparently was not awarded the Allied Victory Medal, which suggests that he would not have served in an active war zonesurprising for one who had been so active in the Franco-Prussian and Boer Wars, even though he was near the end of his long and eventful life, though we know that he went to France to see the Ambulance train which he had designed.

It would be interesting to know whether Mr E. C. Joslin of Spink

and Sons Limited, can identify Medals 15 and 19 from hi s considerable knowledge of foreign awards.

Finally, it would be nice to know who was this 'dynamic young man', as Ian Fletcher calls him in his 'Brief Outline History of the St John Ambulance Association and Brigade', published in the magazine 'Injury'. Where did he come from? What did he do which enabled him to become so much involved with the International Red Cross and St John?

His is a remarkable story when one comes to think about it. Here is a man born just five years after the re-establishment of the Engli sh Tongue of the Order. How did he come to attend the first Red Cross Convention in Geneva at the early age of 27 and be appointed a Knight of the Order a year later - surely the youngest Knight of modern times. That he was a Knight of Justice indicates that he was probably a man of quality and substance, since apart from Priors o f Priories, only those entitled to bear Arms may qualify to be classified as 'of Justice'. He certainly left himself very little time to follow an y profession or career, involved in the Red Cross Conventions from hi s late 20s, the Franco-Prussian War in his mid-30s, Director of th e Ambulance of the Spanish Army at the age of 37 and then of ou r own Ambulance Department a year later.

Now that we speak of the 'Merger' in 1968 of the 'non-uniformed Association and the uniformed Brigade of St John Ambulance, it is interesting to look back and see how well 'Merged' we aJl were in Sir John Furley's day. His Ambulance Department, founded in 187 5, raised Invalid Transport Ambulance Corps, which were bande d together into the Brigade in 1887, but nine years before that Furle y had started his Ashford Corps. At Queen Victoria's Diamon d Jubilee in 1897, when the Brigade had no uniform of their own , those on parade wore, we read, 'The Highland type dress of (h e Association complete with Glengary'! If only the Brigade had never been conceived as a separate entity we need not have gone through a ll the agony of the 'Merger' - or have we yet done so?

Woodbridge, Suffolk

BOILER SUITED from Howard L. Gregory, Divisional Officer

Hospital Helpers

West Dorset members help local hospital every evening

NIGHT SISTER Gill Caddy, of Weymouth and District Hospital, writes: West Dorset St John Ambulance members have a chance of putting their skills into practice by helping at the Accident and Emergency Dept of our hospital. This idea started about five years ago, and has proved interesting to the members and helpful to the hospital. Members have to be over 18 years of age and hold a nursing certificate. Usually two come to the hospital each evening at about 8pm and stay until llpm, although during busy periods, especially in the summer, they often stay later.

The job s they do include writing patients' particular s on the casualty cards, escorting patients to X-ray and examination by the doctor, answering the telephone, bandaging a nd setting up suture and dressing trolleys (und er the supervision of the duty sister or staff nur se), and making tea for patients, their rela t ions , and of course staff!

Members say they enjoy coming to the Dept, and feel they gain experience which is bound to come in useful on other duties

We a t the hospital are grateful for the time th ey giv e to help us Thank you.

WEY M OUTH & D IS TR ICT HOSPITAL

ACCIDENT DEPT.

THIS DEPARTMENT IS FOR ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY CASES ONLY NON URGENT CASES SH OUlD REPORT TO THEIR OWN GENFC T lONER

M. A. Demetria di

I read with interest Miss K. Little's letter Pernickety Me? (No v Review) about being regarded as a 'Cadet Officer'. I'm reminded of an incident at an exercise a few years ago when a bumptious corpor al informed me that as 'Cadet Officers only wore pips as a courte sy rank' he was therefore taking charge over my head! He's probabl y still wondering what I was laughing at, but he'll never make the sam e mistake again, at least not with me.

Miss Little, every good circus has a clown; don't let them bother you. Cadet Branch is a speciality, as you say, and we therefore have nothing to prove.

However, I have the fee lin g that there are those in our midst who regard rank as an end in itself, rather than a means to an end. Agreed, it is essential on major exercises or call-ou ts, but what about t he smaller duties or escort jobs? Personally, I've invested in a white boiler suit upon which I've sewn side flashes and which serves to save wear and tear of my uniform. I never bother to disp lay my rank on it.

My colleagues know what I am, as do I and our Lords the Sick couldn't care less provided we do our jo b s properly, and it's their feelings not our own pecking order which surely must take priority. Poole, Dorset Howard

L. Gregory

NEWS from WALES

A MAN dedicated to the St John movement has achieved one of his ambitions - he will be responsible for Cadets in the Newport Gwent District.

Keith Dunn, 25, of Newport, Gwent, joined the Brigade as a St John Junior at the age of seven and has worked his way through the ranks to his new rank of County Staff Officer (Cadets).

When he took charge of the Gwent Health Authority Hospitals Division in 1974 there were only five or six members. Now there are 75 members, who have their own headquar t ers and ambulance and take part in an exciting programme of adventure

OBITUARY

Dr H. Colin Boyd , TD, 58, Down Area Commissioner, collapsed while playing squash on November 24 and died. A keen sportsman who had played squash for Ireland" and Badminton for Ulster, Dr Boyd was well -known for his work in anaesthetics.

trammg. Members of his Division also undertake hospital duties in Newport, including every weekend at Newport's Accident and Emergency Department , helping as volunteers in

Overseas

Greater Manchester

OBITUt\RY

On Christmas Eve, Mrs Mary Dean of Altrincham, who celebrated her lOOth birthday in April 1981. Mrs Dean, whose daughter Miss Elizabeth Dean is a former County Superintendent of Cheshire, had a long association with St John.

CONGRA TULATIONS

To Nursing Member Karen Holt and Ambulance Member David Sherwood, both of Rochdale Combined Division, who have announced their engagement. David, a grand Prior Badge holder, has been associated with St John since joining as a cadet.

SIR PHILIP SOUTHWELL eBE, Me

Sir Philip Southwell, CBE, MC, Bailiff Grand Cross, who died on November 30, aged 87, was Director-General of the Association from 1960 to 1968. He was also a past President of the East Essex Centre of the Association.

A former director of the Kuwait Oil Co, from which he retired in 1959 to live in Essex, in 1946 he helped in the rebuilding of the Order's Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem and the fight against trachoma.

He was also latterly much involved in the development of North Sea oil and the bu ilding of production rigs in Scotland. He only retired from this work in January 1981 at the age of 86. Those who knew him well will remember a man whose first interest was in the service of others His wife Mary, whom he in 1926, shar ed enthusiasticall y in this interest. She died III September after 55 yea rs of devoted marriage , They are survive d by two sons.

News from Divisions / Centres

OBITUARY

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AD23 E 82 --------

Procedure s for ear ly diagno sis of ca n cer of the cervix (5 5)

20 Pathological sac contain i ng flu id (4) 22 Part of ner ve ce ll from decapitated Saxon (4) 24. Does i ind icate when the b atsman ha s received twenty? (10) 28. Five es tabli s hed an u ndergarment (4). 29.

Bu ll an d mare combine for protec t ion a gainst inclement weather (8). 31. Takes a s wift course t h roug h p ro fe ss i ons (7). 34. Men after a month with te m perature increa se (7) 35. Mark of woun d a hindrance in streptococcal fe ver (7). 36 Th oro u ghly soaked in a star duet (9).

Down:

1. Posts cr ipt about salary increa se res ul ts in commendations (7). 2. Unusual act with tile is perceiv ed b y the se nse of to u ch (7). 3 Distal part of the small intestine (5) 4 Severe in a verbal form (7). 5

Consumes a mixture of teas (4). 6 Ca u se temporary inability to breat h e b y a bl ow ove r the s olar pl ex us (4). 7. He has a d rlll for treating carie s (7). 11. Suet is in ma ss o f ce ll s of one kind (6). 12 Free from pain and discomfort withou t di fficult y (4). 15. So u nd reSection (4)_ 17 Mak e a blend of 1009 (3) 18 _ In fla mm ation of se b aceou s glands common at p u be r ty (4) 19 Wrongly treats a judge of win e (6), 21 Address for a knight (3). 22. Poc ket of p u s requiring incision and drainage (7) 23. Ended abov e (4). 2 5 Unco nt rolle d artist po litician, and worker (7) 26 Di sease f ro m me n in shattered ta il (7). 27. Rear part of ship separates doctor and edi tor posted overse a s (7). 30. Shaky ind icatio n of rising temperatur e (5 ) 32 Sen se o r gans supplie d b y eighth crania l nerv e (4). 33 Ma n ipul ates a fra ct ur e (4).

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 2(82 ) b y A A P o tter SOLUTION TO CR OS SWORD No 1 (82)

A pr ize of a P a ignum pen will be awarded 10 Ihe se nder of Ih e firS cor lT!clly co mple ed Cross wo rd No 2(82) op ened on Ma r I. Se n d 10 S I J o hn Rev ew Wo o d Col la ge. Hig h Co rn er BUlley. Wo odbr dge. S u fol k [P12 3QF Across:

1 Hin t ed pi e c oul d be powe r f ul analgesic drug (9). 8. Shorten a part of the Nose (7), 9. Nice tan for Coleridge' s mariner (7). 10 Preregistra ti o n stat u s of do ct o r and nurse (7). 13. Aiming to achieve a b etter fig ure (8). 14. U ses the eye, from left and rig h t (4) . 16. 48 Across: 1. Glau.coma; 5 Cares s ; 9 Nematod es; 11. R.up .ia ; 12. Evils; 13. Coi l ; 14 Co r d; 16. Eden ; 18. S ect ion; 21. E a t ; 22. Press.o r ; 23 Her. b ; 26. D art; 27 Bul b ; 2 8. Force; 30 Mot or ; 31. Deo dor a n t ; 32. Coccyx; 33 Adenitis

Down : 1 . G in ger; 2 Armpit; 3 C u t.i s ; 4. Medicin e ro u nd;

TOP QUALITY BALL PENS

FIRST AID STATIONS-STRETCHER WALL KITS

PILCHER· GREENE

JOHN REVIEW

ONE winter's evening about 8 years ago I was staying at St John House and became engaged in conversation with a very charming, very spry old gentleman who appeared to be travelling round Europe entirely on his own despite his ad vanced age which he presently revealed to be 93. Two days previously he had flown from Scandinavia to Scotland where he had business, and had intended to continue by night train to London; however, a rail strike had made this impossible and he had to come by air, but was unable to get a flight till the afternoon of the day on which we met - thus, to his great annoyance, robbing him of the only free day that he had hoped to spend in London. On the following morning he was due to go to Oxford to keep an appointment with Bodley's Librarian, returning that same evening and flying 'home' the next da y. By this time I had pieced together enough evidence to reach the conclusion that 'home' was Malta and that I was talking to Sir Hannibal Scicluna. We checked up by phone to Paddington that trains would be running in the morning, and ordered him an early taxi , so he was able to complete his tightly-planned programme without any further frustration or delay. I met him again at St John House on a couple of later occasions, but it was that first evening which I had the great good fortune and privilege to spend with him that impressed itself so firmly on my memory

Sir Hannibal Publius Scicluna, Kt, MBE, MA, LLD, FSA, was born in Malta on February 15 1880, and in due course led a very busy professional life as a lawyer in the Malta Civil Service, besides being for many years Librarian of the Royal Malta Library and Director of the Malta Museum. Indeed, it was as a distinguished archivist and historian , both of Malta and of the various Orders of St John, that he became truly famous, and his pre-eminence in this field was recognised by his being made a Knight Grand Cross of Magisterial Grace with Continued on p. 58

FRIDA Y is really children's day. Schools are closed and many fathers are free; not that we lack a reasonable number of children coming to the Clinic on other days. School is popular but there are always those who like to m iss a day at school. Most of our children are not paralysed by fear. Maybe the simplicity of life and the fact that their mothers have had little education to encourage anticipation reduces the transference of fear from mother to child.

Certainly it is the mothers with their secondary education who wear western style clothes whose children are much more anxious. Children of mothers who still wear the national costume, with the lovely lines of embroidery running down to the hem from the well-decorated bodice, have few problems. But it is not just anticipation Somehow many modern mothers have lost the art or maybe the confidence to discipline their children and to gain their straightforward co-operation. What have we done with our sophistication? We have compounded anxiety, indecision and complexity all together, and we call it culture.

Simple and Sadly, there are those both from simple households in which the whole family will sleep together in one room, parents just a little raised up on a mattress whilst the children have a mat, as well as sophisticated families - where fear has been given free way. The family has threatened the unruly child that the doctor will give him 'the needle' unless he is good. So he arrives, is ushered into the half dark examination room, sees the doctor already in his white coat ",rith a nurse at his side, and with a sharp cry moves away. It would seem that the chance of a good examination is already lost, but not so. Just sit quietly for a moment whilst we ignore the child, sit the parent down and then encourage him to bring the child up on his knees. The father

Observations of diseases of the eyes in children attending the St John Ophthalmic Hospital, Jerusalem

I ABDULLAH, LET ME LOOK AT YOUR EYES'

by HENRY BACKHOUSE, Senior Eye Physician

Abdullah let me look .'

will then give the history whilst the boy gets his bearings. No word will be louder than necessary to be heard and no movement will be faster than dead slow, but within a remarkably short time almost every child will allow himself to be properly examined, using a bright light and everting the lids. Some have even gone off to sleep A few need wrapping up. With babies and occasionally with older children we fail to get co-operation; but not often. A boy came in last week because his eye doctor had been unable to remove a small rust spot on his left cornea He was stiff with fear, slow to respond, but finally we were able to persuade him that despite our using the needk he would not feel any pain . He lay still whilst I sat by him on the couch and removed the offending piece, which had already caused some inflammation in the eye over the four days it had been there. For three minutes he did not move a muscle, then got down off the couch, a young man full of confidence and relief, and made the return journey two days later, 60 miles from his home accompanied only by a friend.

One trouble we have here is that so often parents say one thing and do something else. They promise the child a reward, a bicycle, a doll but then give nothing. It is one of our first principles in gaining the child's confidence that we tell them everything necessary for them to knownot too much of course - and then once their arms are safely but gently out of the way, they will let us even inject their lids. Wrapped up in blankets with their hands away from their faces, even small children may understand enough when we explain what we are doing to them against their will.

Parents status

Parents are very proud of their status here. Father is called Abu Mohamad and mother Imm Moha!TIad if their first born son has that name. They never take the name of the daughters, To be a parent gives

see more than our fair share in clinic of combinations of muscle palsy, faIlure of the lens to develop, inability of the retina to focus and even failure of the globe to at all. Two months ago, blind parents brought in a ?abe not yet a old asking us to say If he would see. FIrst glance showed that the globes were smail, but more careful examination revealed that on one side the globe was tiny and on the other non-existent. The babe appeared to have light perception. On hearing this, father refused to acknowledge the babe as his, rejected him from the house, and he has been sent to a home. Fortunately today there is no lack of such homes and the babe, though lacking his mother's love , will grow up among similar children prepared for the hard life he will lead.

Won't wear glasses

you status, secures the next generation, and provides labour for the family land in a society where still most people have some hereditary property. Property preserved In order to preserve this property, man y marriages are arranged between first cousins. Such marriages are often hap py, the couple have similar thought pattern s and natures , and there is little friction, bUl there is one great dra wback Marriages between close relatives, such as would be discouraged in western soc iety, produce many malformed babies, and we seem to

Mothers from simple households as well as sophisticated families

T here is sti ll a great reluctance on the part of old or young to wear glasses. Whilst in Britain many girls can only be persuaded to wear glasses (if they will not wear con tact lenses) whe n they can no longer see to distinguish their boy friends on the other side of the street, here for girls it is such a shame to wear glasses that even near blindness will not make them wear them.

This is partly because no girl may show any blemish which reduces her chance of marriage bu tit is also because in the villages almost no adults will wear glasses. Maybe no more than 40 per cent of women who have their cataracts removed will wear glasses thereafter! 'I would be ashamed,' they will say 'we villagers never wear glasses.' And nothing moves them. Even people of 40 who can no longer see to sew, will answer, 'Never mind sewing, do not want to do it if it mean s wearing glasses.

Mothers willing

But we do have our triumphs among the more educated. Mothers are now willing to undertake a long course of treatment for children whose conditions require glasses, where one eye may be lazy. We have our moments of pleasure on seeing such children pass through their various stages of preparation for operation beginning with the wearing of glasses; covering one eye; admission to ho spital for operation and finally a more steady state with a chance of two good eyes and normal appearance. People here are much more reconciled to their condition than in Britain or the United States of America. In such places parents will move heaven and earth to get some Improvement in the condition of their child's eyes. Every condition that has to be accepted rather than changed is a defeat v.: hich parents bear with great dIsappointment. Here, the will of God' is taken to be the way things are however Sometimes fatalism gives peace in sltuatl?nS which cannot be changed, and SometImes it denies the patient the opportunity to be brought into a better way of life.

Take Abdullah, for instance, whose name appears in the title of this article. He was brought to the clinic as a babe of one year old with a history that one eye had a grey membrane behind the pupil. Like too

many patients here , he was found to have an a dvanced and rapidly growing cancer of the lining of the eye. The surgeo n advised removal of the eye as soo n as po ssib le. The parent s demurred, saying that this was the third interview in which they had been advised to take this course but they were looking for an alternative to surgery which t hey refused to consider. 'It is Allah's will,' they said on hearing that the child would die from hi s cond ition.

Accept OUT words

Not all are so resistant to explanation, and today we are able to save the eyes and lives of many patients over the years s uffering from this condition as parents accept our words and allow the eye to be removed and later replaced with a very good artificial one. Abdullah has a name full of religious significance. It means 'se r va nt of Allah' and most boys' names and many girls' name s are simi larl y significant. It has always been so, but today

there is also a revival of religious zeal in the land

Up to now, the Hospital has retained an enviable repu tatio n for good treatment and faithfulness with no interest in charging more than a minimal amount for its services Patients will come from allover the country because they trust the advice we give. The season is almost upon us when Palestinians from all over the Middle East come home and con s ult us for themselves and for their children, even though today there are excellently equipped hospitals in every Middle Eastern country. They do not return to us because we have a laser or an ocutome amongst our modem equipment but because generations have learnt to trust our word and expertise. We are their Hospital, the people's Hospital. So, when we say to Abdullah 'Let us have a look at your eyes', behind those words is a history of excellence; a history of caring and history itself of which, by God's Grace, we shall remain a part.

(Right) Matron - Mrs Ruth Parks - with two of her small patients in the children s ward , which is financed by the American Society of the Order of St John. (Below) Nursing Sisters with young patients in the gardens which surround the Hospital

GUERNSEY

Rock-climbing Weekend

TWO superintendents in Guernsey recently succeeded in getting their cadets where they have always wanted them - on the end of a rope.

Seven cadets volunteered to be victims on the island's first St John rock-climbing course, which was compressed into an intensive weekend on the south coast cliffs.

One of the cadets tries a handhold during a climb ( Below) On the way downabseiling

SJA MUSIC MAKERS

LES McLachlan tells me that Southport Band is going 'internatio nal '. On April 13 the band flies out from Gatwick to Malta for a week to give five concerts. Civic greetings and gifts are being entrusted to Les for presentation to dignitaries at a mayoral reception on that island in the sun. At present the band is busy raising the 'w ind' and looking for local sponsorship

Out of the weather St Audries Band foresook to Salisbury

Superintendents Keith Fothergill and David Eaton are members of Guernsey's cliff-rescue team, which is operated by the St John Ambulance & Rescue Service. Both have attended a mountain resc ue seminar in Snowdonia in order to keep the island 's service up-to-date.

On the evening before the course they gathered the ca dets together for a briefin g on the equipment which would be used. This ranged from advice on correct footwear to a demonstration of t he various items of ironmongery which modern climbers use.

The session also included instruction on knots, ropes and safety procedures, and a warning on the penalties for losing a superintendent over the edge of the cliff.

The following morning saw the candidates huddled together in gale force winds and heavy rain on the cliffs of the south coast. Despite this slight distraction the instructors decided the course would contin ue, so anchor points were set up at a cliff face known as La Table des Pion s.

for the trip. Good luck , Southport. Let 's have a full report when you get back.

Taking cover

Brenda Knight tells me that St Audries Band was booked to play on the la wns outside Salisbury Cathedral for the recen t Order Service. But the weather turned ou to be so atrocious that they just had to find some cover. So they lined up on either side of the entrance porch to the cathedral, and the show went on Our two photograph s show how those arriving for the service just couldn't miss t he band. Good thinking here.

Four methods of abseiling were demonstrated, and then the cadets were asked to practise on a 30-feet high rock face.

When they all showed a reasonable degree of proficiency, a break for lunch was called. Such was the intensive nature of the course that the meal - fish and chipswas taken on the cliffs before the afternoon session began

By this time the weather had improved, and the cadets were taken to a different face for instruction in climbing techniques. Some were shown how to belay a leading climber safely, while the other s learned how to use handhold s and footholds in various ways during a climb. Before the end of the day the boys changed positions so all had a chance to suffer at the hands of everyone else.

On the seco nd day of the course aching limbs were again s ummoned out to the cliffs, and further practice in climbing and abseiling took place. Top ropes were used for safety in all sess ions, and the day culminated in a climb up a 60-feet high face near Portelet harbour.

To round off the session, the cadets were asked to collect the equipment left behind - which involved abseiling down the face again!

The following weekend the boys once more assemb led on the cliffs, t hi s time for pract ical tests organised by Alan Gray, a local youth officer and former outward bound instructor. The satisfactory outcome was a proficiency certificate for six out of the seven cadets, and a cancellation of the beds which had been reserved just In case Neil R. Tucker, Public Relations Officer

Christmas carols

The Su ssex Knights were also hit by the weather at their second annual carol progr amme given in a local shopping centre (complete with Christmas tree) on Dece mber 21. They and the singers retired tothe HQ to continue in the dry The same happened the year be fore, so in future thIS IS to be an indoor event.

Expenses

I'm glad to hear that some Federation band s attending functions are now re ceiving expenses on a scale recommended by HQ: travel plus refreshments plus £ 1 per head as a minimum. In the past bands ha ve all to often expected to provide their se rVJ.ces and their own travel expenses - for h.onour of performing. But you can't uy mstruments, etc, with honour, I'm afraId. (At least, I don't know of anywhere.) You need cash.

Newsletter

Does your band issue its own newsletter? I f so I p ease send me a copy. If not why not? Even 'f . ,. f lIt IS only a simple list of orthcomi ng events, a newsletter keeps and supporters in touch. The ussex Knights produce a two or three page newslette r every two months or so,

A cadet carefully picks his way on the long climb

reporting on events, future activities, fundraising ideas and events. It is sent free to all members, parent s and supporters, and response to it is very goo d.

Charlie Wood

We regret to record the death of Charlie Wood, of Worthing, at the age of 73 Charlie was bandmaster of Lancin o Division's band from 1953 until 1979 it amalgamated with Southwick's The Sussex Knights and he became their musical director with bandmaster Roly Gillam. His I?ve of music began, he said, at the age of SIX, and he was still working on arrangements a few days before his death.

Items for publication

Don't be shy - let me know what you're doing in your band. You don't have to be experienced in writing. Give us the fact and we'll knock it into shape for publication. Pictures should be black and as large as possible. Win. by 8 m. Ideal. You may feel (rightly) that certalJ1 band s are always in the news. That's because they feed us with information. So send your news to me - Mark Gillam, 95 Applesham Way , Portslade, Sussex.

Band member saves baby

LAST May, Jayne Vines, of the Southwark Corps of Drums, was on her way home when she came across a very distressed mother screaIillng a s she held her young baby Reali sing something was wrong with the child, for it had now turned a very un-natural colour, Jayne grabbed the baby (the frightened mother ran off), turned it upside down, and slapped it twice between the shoulders. At which a whole biscuit popped ou t of the child's mouth! And then he began to yell loudly Jayne called the mother back and reassured her that the child was perfectly all right now. This all happened so quickly that neighbours with the mother only realised what had happened after the event.

A number of people , including the 14-month-old child s parents, congratulated Jayne for her promp t action. The local doctor said that the child would have needed surgery but for Jayne's action

Jayne, a Grand Prior Cadet, who joined the band two years ago, plays the marimba.

CADET CHAT by JIM

Diamond Jubilee Year

I HAVE received details of badges which are available for sale by St John units and one in particular may interest you.

This is the Diamond Jubilee Year badge Fund raising badge which it is rec-

ommended can be sold for 25p to raise funds for your division These badges are available in packs of 50 from N.L. Display Services Studio 1143, 41 Norwood Road, London SE24, at £13.80 for two packs (minimum order) including postage and VAT.

Dance Night

The National Freestyle Dance Night on July 10, in aid of the Cadets' Diamond Jubilee, will be supported by the Bee Gees, and it is hoped that thousands of clubs, discotheques, dance halls and hotels will have people dancing the night away for the St John Ambulance Cadets Each dancer will be asked to find sponsors and thus raise funds for the Cadets.

The Bee Gees are donating cash prizes to the dancers who raise the most money, and will present them personally at the Cadet Rally at the Albert HaJJ on October 9

It is hoped that this will be a massi ve event raising over £1()(),OOO in one night. 50 per cent of all the money raised will be shared equally among all the County Cadet offices.

Jubilee Year Activities

Jubilee Jobs F ortnight, July 24 - August 8. July - Nijmegen Marches -3 St John teams of 22 Cadets.

October - Sail Training Cruise on the Sir Winston Churchill.

October Cadet Rally at the Royal Albert Hall. Wha plans have YOU made for this year? Please write and let me know about your plans.

Windsor Safari Park

Divisions should have received details of the special arrangements that have been made for parties of St John members to a tt end the special St John 'Fun Day' to be held on March 27. For a fully inclusive entrance fee of £1.10 per person of any age admission can be obtained to the Game Reserve, Children's Farmyard and Amusements, Parrot Show, Dolphin and Killer Whale Show, Band Display and Exhibition Stands. The park is open from lOam to 6.30pm. Booking forms appeared in the January Review, or contact the Party Booking Office, Windsor Safari Park, Winkfield Road, Windsor, Berks, SL14 4AY

Letters

The following letters were sent to me recently by cadets and I include them to show some of the interesting activities that our cadets can be involved in.

My thanks to Deborah Woodley and Samantha Harri s - Cadet Chat Badges are on the way to you both.

be bored and you really enjoy yourself

N /C Samantha Harris, CN50 Division Games for your Division

CROWS AND CRANES

Equipment - Chalk or string to draw line.

Aim - Winner is team with survivors left at end.

Divide group into two equal teams.

Form teams up on either side of a line draw n across the middle of the hall. Each person must have a foot touching the line, hands by their sides and facing umpire.

Name one team 'crows' and the other 'cranes'

Dear Jim,

I am a nursing cadet with the St Helens Division. To celebrate the Cadet Jubilee Year we will be taking part in many activities. We have a train trip to London in March, followed by a cadet cruise on the 'Royal Iris' in April. To raise funds we are holding a car wash and a shoe shine day in Sf Helens

We are in the process of organising a long weekend camp for cadets. As well as these activities we on Merseyside are lucky to be having visits from the Queen and the Pope in May, and we are hoping some of our cadets will be going on these duties.

Our cadets are very busy at present We have two teams through to the next round of the County First Aid Competitions, together with a junior team. We also have eight members through to the next round of the County Quiz.

Deborah Woodley, aged 12

Dear Jim,

I was 10 yea rs old, on holiday and very bored, when my mum, dad and I vis ited the Royal Tournament on the chance of getting some tickets. My dad was a regular soldier and is now a member of the T.A ., so of course he was very interested in all the army exhibits. l wandered around rather uninterested and getting more bored until I came to the St John stand, where I had an interesting chat with a very nice man. I filled in a form and then forgot all about it. In September I received a letter from the Div / Supt ofCN50 Romford Division inviting me to join a new first aid course that was just starting. That was in September 1980.

I have now passed first aid home nursing and four other proficiencies. I have started working towards my projiciencies for 1982 and have 602 service hours to my credit.

So for anyone who is bored - join a St John cadet division. Then there's no time to

Umpire calls out the name of one team. Thai team runs for safety (usually the end wall of the hall). The other team chases. Any person s 'tagged' before they get to safety is out, eg if umpire calls crows the n the cranes would chase all the crows.

All players not out return to line ready for next call, co ntinue until one side s eliminated.

There is no se t order in which you s hould call the teams.

STREETS AND LANES

Equipment - Nil.

Aim - To catch the other per son

This is a game of tag. One person (robber) is being chased by another (police).

Select poli ce and ro bber

Form rest of group into lines (at least three), double arm d ista nces apart, fingers touchin g

When the group faces you the rows betwe en players are called 'streets'.

When you call 'lanes' the group swin gs around, arm s outstretched at right angle s o you (like a right turn). The spaces betwe en players are now at right angles to the street s. Start the chase with the umpire calling 'streets' and 'lanes' to change he direction of the chase.

Continue until robber is caught.

Change players and continue game.

Competition am sorry that due to a misunderstanding he results of the po ster co mpeti tion held last year were not made known Unfortunately there was a very low response to this competition an d therefo re the judges decid ed that it was nOl possible to award a prize in any section. It was good to receive the entries from the seven cad els who produced posters and I thank them for th eir efforts. Each one s hould have received a Cade l Badge and if not please le t me know and I wil l arrange for these to be se nt.

Contributions to th is column should be sent to 'Jim', 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Bo is, Epping, Essex, CMI6 7DU.

Can you think of a funny or apt caption for this sketch? If so , send it to Jim , fJ7 Morgan Crescent , Theydon Bo is Epping , Esse x, CM16 7DU, giving your name, age and division (and address, of course) The cadet who sends in the best caption will receive a Platignum pen

Lancashire, Lonsdale Area

Afloat

THE Arnold School Rescue Unit Quad

Di vision came into being on July 3 1981, when 10 members of the school were enr olled in St John Ambulance and one oth er member of the sc hool transferred member ship to the Division. Thus these eleven cadets became founder members of till s special waterborne Divi sion. The cer emony, held on the parade ground on a brilliantly sunny day, was conducted by the Area Commissioner, Lt Col Adrian Royle, who was accompanied by the Commander, C ol Donald Long. After the new division had been inspected the cadets gave a short demon stration of rescue techniques on Fairhaven Lake.

Re scue duty

Prior to the enrolment ceremony the cadets h ad put in many hours of rescue duty with the inflatable craft which was presented to them by the Brigade. This r escue boat, apart from gIvmg these youngster s the chance to train for communi ty service, has also added a new dimension to the waterborne activities provided by the school. The cadets turn out for trai ning with great enthusiasm, and ha ve spent many hours on duties covering sch ool and club sailing, Blackpool SubAqua Club's annual raft race, the North West Area Enterprise championships, the 3-da y UK Sailboard national champions hip s, and nine cadets manned r escue craft during Julie Bradshaw's Succes sfu l four - way swim of Lake Windermere last year.

More training

The Divisional Superintendent, Lieutenant Andrew Hardcastle, is to be complimen ted on the splendid work cadets are doing. During he winter months the Division has been involved in more training, area competitions and other activities in Lonsdale Area, in which there are rivers, canals and lakes ever popular for water Sports. The new division is certain to be of great value locally.

Mrs I. Haigh

(Above) Going on duty the eleven founder members of the new rescue division. (Photo Evening Gazette, Blackpool )

(Right) Lonsdale Area Comm ssioner , Lt Col Adrian Royle , with D Supt Lt Andrew Hardcastle , inspecting the members aher enrolment (Be ow) Lancashire's Commander , Col Donald Long , getting to know the lads and they get to know him

MEMBERS'RALLY

The second St John members' rally will take place at the Landbeach Marina Park, Cambridge, from April 23 to 25 1982. This self-catering weekend is open to all St John members and their immediate families who have a touring or motor caravan, trailer tent or ordinary tent. The accent is on meeting each other on a social basis - a report of the first rally appeared in the January Review. One slight amendment has been made: there are no application forms this time. Just send a stamped addressed envelope with £7.50 per pitch to Ian Phipps, 7 Bow Cottages, Station Road, Su tton - in-the-Isle, Ely CB6 2RN. Information and a registration form will be returned to you A pitch refers to one unit - caravan or tent, etc - regardless of how many people use it. We hope you ll be joining us in April.

ON-THE -SPOT

You never know when your first-aid knowledge will be needed.

Driving his heavy tanker along the M 1 near Wakefield, A I M David Wright saw a four-vehicle pile up just ahead of him.

David, a member of Derbyshire's Coalite Division, rendered immediate on-the-spot first-aid before the arrival of the Police and Ambulance services.

Now David has received a letter of commendation from the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police praising him for his 'competence and knowledge of first-aid'.

The seriously injured driver he treated recovered from his injuries.

WEEKEND CAMP

Berkshire Enterprise Unit will be holding a weekend camp for all St John members between the ages of 15 and 21 over the May Day Bank Holiday (April 30 to May 3) at Wellington County Park, Stratfield Saye, Reading, and would like to invite all St John members of this age group from other

WHAT'S

OF ST JOHN,

BY THE EDITOR

District Supt Miss Neville-Kaye. Mr Fenton thanked everyone fO.r their support in providing and eqUipme nt which enabled the DIVISIOn to carry out ItS special duties Later, gave a demonstration of a rescue III which 0 / 0 Paul Evans (Ealing Division) 'fell' overboard from his boat.

CHAMPS

In a nail-biting finish, with the marks on the la st question deciding the result, Derbyshire's Dronfield ambulance ca dets retained the Robinson tr ophy as the ambulance cadet quiz champions. Later they beat Bolsover, the nursing cadet champions, and won the Coallte shie ld. BBC television presenter Alister MacDonald was que stion-master.

HOSPITALLERS CLUB

counties to join them. Price £2

bring own tents and catering. Boating, windsurfing, model boats, nature trails, etc, are all available. Details from Berkshire County Superintendent, Lady Elizabeth Godsal, Haines Hill, Twyford, Reading RGlO ONA.

BOGLE - BOGLE

I hear that Lancashire's Lonsdale Area held a Bogle evening. What's a bogIe evening?

Well, it seems it's a time for letting down your hair, doing your thing. The theme of the one in Lonsdale Area, run by SJA Lytham St Annes, was spooky, to say the least. It was all witches, warlocks and ghouls, flashing coloured lights, music, dancing, games, and grub (bogIe hot pot). Everyone seems to have had a great time - and raised £250. They're holding another bogIe evening at the end of 1982. So - get bogling, you boglers.

FERGIE RESIGNS

I was sorry to hear that Brig Fergie Sempl e has resigned as Chief Officer Cadets and Brigade Training and left Headquarter s at the end of January Fergie did valuable work while at Headquarters and we wish him the best of luck in t he future.

BOATS

During October London District's Tidew ay Division held a presentation of boats ceremony at Putney. Crews stood by their boats for an inspection by the Commissioner, Derek Fenton, and the Division's three benefactors: the Duke of Westminster, Princess Helena Moutafi an, and the chairman of the Thames Herita ge Trust and hi s wife, Mr and Mrs Coleman. Also there was the C-in -C , Sir John Younger, London District's Deput y President, Mr J. W. Bamford, the Commander, Col. H. A. Lewis, and a

I hear that the Hospitaller of the Order, Sir Stephen Miller, has become patron of The Hospitaller s Club, which is open to all Brigade officers, presidents and vicepre side nt s. At the club's AGM in London on Januar y 8 Theobald the following were elected: President, S. E. Gunner; Vice-President, S. W. Broom; Hon Sec, B. J. F. Theobald, 22 Goat Road, Mitcham, Surrey; Hon Treas, S. J. Abbott; Hon Social Sec, V. W. Phillips;

Moreton Cadet team, who were winners of the Wallasey section of the annual first aid competition between Hami lt on Ontario (Canada), Southwi ck (Sussex), and Wallasey (Merseysidel. With them are Wirral Supt (N) Miss Holden and Cty Comm Col R. H. Jones. Overall winners were Burlington Div Hamilton Canada

( Above ) Tideway D ivision awaiting inspection (Right) The Duke of Westminster ma kes himsel comfortable on the boat named aher his wiie , Natalia Mr and Mrs Coleman (in background talking to Div Boswain W Turney by the boat named after the Thames Heritage Trust of which Mr Coleman is chairman. See story BOATS)

(Right) The Chief Commander, Maj-Gen Peter Leuchars, on a recent visit to Suffolk making a presentation to Mr Charles Bennet 82 who is shortly to retire from he post of treasurer of the three divisions in Beccles after 53 years' service. Mr Bennet was a founde r member of Bec cles Division in 1927. (Photo: Beccles and Bungay Journal)

Below, right) Mr Brian Woolett of British Telecoms , Bristol (left), presents a TV and video equipment cost ng £1,300 to Dr Campbell Mackenz ie, oi Southmead Hospital s renal transplant unit in memory of M ss Lynne Cutciiffe, a divisional Officer who died in May aged 31 The funds were raised by Lynne s colleagues. Avon members were invited to the presentation by her parents Mr and Mrs Bernard Cutciiffe (Photo: John Harvey )

Right) At the open golf tournament at Sandwich, KentRed Cross and SJA members working side-byside. Who said they don ?

(Photo: G. van der Woude)

Committee, B Abbott, D G. Fenton, C. Reeder and R W Seabridge; Hon Auditor, D. G. Griffiths; 2nd Hon Auditor, B. Porter.

Full details about membership can be obtained from the Secretary.

IN CAMP

Last year a party of 82 officers and cadets from Notts spent a week camping at Bodfell Hall, a lovely site between Pwllheli and Abersoch, Gwynedd , Wales. The party travelled to camp in two coaches and the drivers, Chris and Lynn (the first time we have had a lady driver), sta y ed in camp and soon became firm fa v our ites with the cadets.

A programme of sporting activities, outings and social events was organised for the week and fortunately the weather was kind to us. Sporting activities included cricket , badminton rifle shooting and a football match between a team of female and male officers and cadets, although at times there seemed to be some confusion as to who was actually playing on which side , and the space between the goal posts of the female team had a habit of narrowing while those of the male team got wider and wider !

Riband of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, as well as a Knight of our own Most Venerable Order and of sev eral 'authentic ' Orders of St John in other countries.

Professor R. Shackleton of Oxford wrote of him recently in The Times: 'He was very proud of his links wi t h this country: his knighthood, his fellowship of the Society of Antiquaries, his honorary degree from Oxford, his son's Rhodes Scholarship. He was a notable and discerning benefactor of the Bodleian Library, where he created and maintained a splendid collection on the history and geography of Malta, including the history of the Knights His most important publication was a substantial account, almost stone by stone, of the cocathedral of St John in Valletta, published simultaneously in English and Italian. His career was one of outstanding public service to Malta, inspired always by unshakeable loyalty to the crown. On his hundredth birthday over two hundred guests came to a memorable luncheon given in his honour in Valletta. The reading of the Queen's

IN CAMP

Nottinghamshire s camp in Wales Left) A good clean up on the final morning (and ready for travelling).

(Right) The winners of the tent pr ze - Clipstone Colliery ambulan c e cadets

During the week outings were arranged to Nefyn, Abersoch, Butlins Camp, Caernarfon and a whole day was spent travelling by the Festiniog Railway to the slate mines at Llechwedd , where most of the party went underground to see the workings of the mine. The return journey was again by the narrow gauge railway to Porthmadog , and then back to camp by coach.

It wasn't all 'play as the usual duties had to be carried out after Flag each morning. And competition for the tent prize hotted up during the week with so many volunteers for ex tra duties that it was difficult to find something for them all to do. Many of t he party had ne v er camped before and it was fascinating to see them develop their enthusiasm und e r the guidance of the more experienced campers at least , mos t of them became enthusiastic!

One of the highlights of the week was the inspec t ion by t he Commi ssion e r for Gwynedd, Mr s E. Jones, accompanied by Mr P. Jones, the Count y Training Officer.

A s we had never met a lad y commiss ioner before ev ery one was ke yed up to see what she would be like She wa s charming and

telegram was greeted with rapturous applause.

Sir Hannibal died on December 21 1981, peacefully and without illness at St Catherine ' s Home, Attard , Malta, less than two months before the 102nd anniversary of his birth.

'He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again Further reactions

You will no· doubt be glad to hear some further reactions of the Review Management Board to suggestions for improving the Review made in syndicate discussions at the Brigade Leadership Conference at Nottingham last au t umn. We continued at some length our study of these suggestions at a special meeting held a few weeks ago, and the following points should be added to those which I mentioned in 'At Random' for January:

(a) Contributions published under 'Readers Views', though sometimes excellent, are too often long-winded, tedious or trivial. We'd love to receive many more letters of a kind most likely to stimulate and interest you all, describing members' interesting - and sometimes amusing - experiences, and we can assure you that such letters are never rejected! But it would be bad editorial policy to be too strict in rejecting letters that might only

the cadets took to her straightaway. As inspections can be such an ordeal , we were very grateful to Mrs Jones for making thi s one such a pleasant event. Camp wouldn't be camp withou t th e so c ial side and, as usual, this went wi t h a swing Besides the fanc y dre ss we had a Miss Camp competition (one look ed suspiciously masculine -I think it wa s the wrinkled tight s and tottering walk that gave the game away), and a knobbl y kn ees competition for the bo ys. Each tent provided a team for a general knowl edge quiz. The atmo sphere was so inten se it was like wat ching Uni ver s it y Challen ge! C a mp fi re was a great success but I t hink the hot dogs were even more so. A di sco wa s t he fi nal event of the week (I on ly hop e the p e ople o n t h e nearb y cara v an s it e were fans o f Adam and the Ant s) , Bu t he gr and fi nale wa s a f irework di spl ay wi th r ockets lighting up the sk y announ c ing to the Ll yn P eninsula that St John No tt ingham sh ire would be leaving them in pea ce the f ollowing da y All in all it was a mo st e n joya bl e, if s omewhat tir ing week, and t he valu e of it w a s perhaps be s t exp re sse d b y the ambulance cadet who on Saturda y morn ing

interest a small minorit y of r ead er s.

(b) We strongly support ed the plea for more active participation in t he Cad et Chat ' page Thi s could be one of our most worth- while item s if more readers t ook a share in contributing to it. One gain s the impres sion that t he va s t majority of cadet divi s ions never look at the Revie w be cau se the y expect it t o have nothin g t o offer t h em - which bec ome s, of course, a selff ulfilling expe ctation

(c) The crossword seems to ha v e attra cted fairly widespread criticism for being too difficult for most readers and, in pa r ticul ar, f or containing too man y technical (med ica l and anatomical) terms We hope to adju st this in due course, but, having in mind th at some young people are better crossw ord solvers than readers of riper years , we wouldn't wish to label an easier cross wo rd as being only 'for cadets'.

(d) It was said that, while the Review is good at communicating information about past events, we don't do enough about advertising future ones. Well, we re encouraging both the Order and the Association and Brigade branches to make more use of our readiness to give advance information about coming events, and hop e that this will happen.

(e) It would of course be helpful if, as suggested, counties sent us more news than

Shropshire

a fter onl y a few hour s sleep and then volunteering to empty the E lsan s s houted ' See you ne xt year from a departing c oach. Ob viou sly h e had caugh t the camping bug. Fran ces Sm y th, Commandant

PAUL AND ROSEMARY

Her ts tr ai nin g offi ce rs Paul and Ro s em ar y

Her bage , who se weddin g p ic ture app e ared in J a nu ary's R ev iew, are not o f cours e , st ill wit h t heir res pec ti ve di visio ns no w that the y are coun ty tr ain i n g office rs.

IN THE

ALPS

I hear th at 52 Su rrey ca d ets an d a d u l ts went on a 12- da y se lf-c a te rin g h o lida y in Switze rl a nd last s umm er, tr ave llin g by coac h and stayi n g in a large chal et in t he Bernes e Ob e rl an d. T he f ull y-e quipp e d chalet incl ud ed a ta bl e tennis roo m a nd a fall-o ut sh elt er (w hi ch al l new S wiss homes must have) whic h was us ed fo r eve ning enterta inm ep{.

they d o a lr ea d y about th e activi ties of th eir di vis ion s an d ar e a s, provided t ha t t he y can do so wit ho ut d ela y But ne ws items have a way of cooli n g off prett y qui c kl y, and if you want y our ne ws to st and ev en an outsi d e chan ce o f be in g publi shed while it 's real y ho t' , th e n s end it direct to th e Editor

(N.B. no t t o Re vie w Sal es ) Even a couple of day s' dela y in f orwarding material can at a critic al s tage in t h e production of a mo nt hl y mag azi ne , mea n a month 's delay in its publi cation

(f) We s hall certai nl y go on trying to get mo re teaching ' article s on f irst aid an d ?urs ing, a s well a s on t raining and In st ru ctional techniques ; but they do have to be very well written , and the best people to do thi s aren ' t alway s the most readily available We fel t , too , that we should be fUll y j ustified in s ome t imes repeating really good instructional articles after a n interval of not less than , sa y , three years provided that the subject-matter was still up-to -date.

(g) Of course more advert isements would help to cover costs; but we do have to be very careful to advertise only those products and items of equipment which are recommended or at least approved for use by. our members, and this involves mamtaining the closest possible liaison with Our Medical Board.

(h) Fund raising, and the effect of the

NEW PR-MAN AT HQ

as d eputy to Geoffrey Meek, the d re ct or

Health and Saf et y at Work A c t on t he role of f ir st aid in St John were two o t he r sub j ect s on which articles were s pec iall y requested, and we shall hope t o s a tisfy tho se reques s be f ore long

(i) A f urther, and far f rom n ew, suggestion wa s tha t our commun ication s would be greatly improved if the Rev ie w c arried Brigade Orders and G ene ral Cir cular This suggestion is being care f ull y c onsidered and there seem s litt le doub t t ha t it could be implemented at least in part , even if not complet el y in t he man n er proposed

(j) W e are ver y anxious to carry ou t the re c ommenda tion tha t the R ev ie w s hould includ e a 't rainin g a nd in fo rm atio n ser vic e' , with d etail s of t yp ica l c ourses for in s tru c t o r sec r e ta ri es, o ff ice rs, e tc.

(k) On the subject o f getting good ac tion photograph s' , t o which I referred in January p 11, para (c), while ag r eeing that it would not be proper for members to be taking photographs when on public duty in uniform, there was general consensu s that auxiliaries, supporter s, and even acti ve members who were not in unifo r m nor officially on duty, should be encouraged to do this; but not just new members, who should be given e very encouragement to get into uniform and take an active s hare in dealing with any casualties that occur.

Final ly, may I remind you that all that I 've written above is a continuation of what I wrote in January and that the two t o ge t he r shoul d b e regarded as a single report on our reactions to your very welc om e suggestions; also, that I 've only refe rr ed to some of the points raised at Nott ingham, bu th is d oes nor mean that t h e remain d er were ignored, nor indeed th a t t h ey were necessarily rejected. And, once ag ain , o ur thanks to those who contribute d s u ch u sefu l id eas a b out the future of our ma gazine. It now remains f o r you to help u s transl a te so m e of them into action! S c. Bis hop o f C o ven tl)

Si d Bis hop joined the Brigade in Coventry in h is mid f o rti es and completed nearly 25 years' v alu a b le se rvic e , much of it as an A rea S ta ff O fficer in the Coventry Area of t he West Mi dlan d s an d for the past 4 years a s a memb er of the County Pool. F o r and c ap a bl e E di t or o f t h e Coventry Ar ea Ne ws, a n exce ll ent pu bl icati on from whi ch extr a cts h ave frequ ently b een quoted in he R eview. H e d ied in h os p ital on Octo b er 23 1981 a t th e ag e o f 6 8, fo ll ow ing a h eart atta c k and is s urvi ve d b y h is d a u ght er, M r s Ju li e Danner , t o w ho m we offer our d eep sympath y. His f un eral was atten d ed by a large numb er o f u nifo r med Briga d e members f rom t he C o ventry Area. W. W.

OBJECT: Identify the main problems in bringing up a handicapped child and formuJate the aims and objectives which should be used by professionals in meeting their needs.

FIRST of all I feel I ought to define the term 'handicapped' , although there are obvious problems in so doing, as handicap, disability, and impairment can all come together and people use words such as handicap and disabled interchangeably.

Harris (1972) defined 'handicap and disablement as follows. Handicap: the disadvantage and restriction of activity caused by disability. Disablement: the loss or reduction in function of mobility. While impairment may or may not lead to disability (ie, the lack of one toe would be disabling whereas loss or control of muscles in an arm would cause an inability to perform many different movements and this, in turn would lead to handicap in many different way s , such as washing dressing etc.)

It is known that most handicapped children are afflicted early in life and long before they have acquired many skills. They may, of course, never have possessed normal abilities, and those they do have are often abnormal. These children have to be trained even to develop basic skills such as walking, as in the case of a cerebral palsy baby, and t his is called habilitation not rehabilitation.

First, we must consider the difficulties which parents experience in adjusting to the child's abnormality and the subsequent disturbance which might be caused resulting from anguish between the parents and the child Secondly, we have to take into account the demands made upon the family as a result of the child's condition It has been said that caring for the handicapped child exposes the family to deprivation and privation. For the sake of clarity 'privation' means the absence of the usual comforts and the necessities of life, which can be classified in three areas:

1. Emotional consideration which can influence the course of personal relationships within the home.

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PEOPLE

Bringing up a handicapped child

by Dr Terry Glanvill, E. Devon Area Commissioner

2. Isolating factors which restrict the quality of contact between members of the family.

3. Practical problems - carrying out the normal duties of domesticity.

McKeith thinks that it should be considered highly normal for parents to feel revulsion or protectiveness towards their handicapped child so that rejection and over-protectiveness does occur. Bentovin described both the rejecting and hostile parents as being too perfect in their attitudes, thus creating a too cohesive family. He makes little mention of the influences of ou tsiders upon the parent/child relationship. Families with handicapped children are generally regarded as being in need o f many types of assistance, ie, information, counselling and practical advice.

Many families with handicapped children have a tendency to isolation and lose contact with the community as a whole.

Some parents believe that people ou tside the home are reluctant to accept the handicapped child as an individual personality, as they do themselves.

Many problems have to be overcome by parents of a handicapped or disabled c hild

The first, of course, is the initial shock. It is a shattering experience to find that your long-awaited baby is afflicted and the parents' problem, which they must overcome, is one of accepting the fact that the child has an affliction. They have to educate themselves into this acceptance

Having accepted the fact, and finding there nothing to alter the fact, parents have to face the problem of overcoming many other difficulties, ie, how will they manage, what will happen in the future A thousand and one difficulties leap to their minds There are many factors involving the care of the child, ie, Health Services, etc. Parson and Fox recognised the problems in caring for the handicapped child in the home, the damands made on time, and that such time and the attention required may also interrupt the relationship of the parents themselves. These demands may also exacerbate sibling rivalry.

From a personal point of view, I feel that all families facing the problems of bringing up a handicapped child should have help in the early stages, a time when it is needed most, therefore early diagnosis is essential. Some defects in a so-called handicapped

person can be corrected, thus avoid in! disablement. Heart disease can be correct e: without any residual effect. Soml disabilities, hypothyroidism and enzym deficiencies, which lead to m e nta retardation, can be given adequa treatment, especially if diagno sed very earll in t he life of the infant - ho r mon; replacement in the first condition am modification o f diet in the second -thu avoiding handicap. So it is essen t ial th1 families of children in certain handi car groups bring such c hildre n for a ss ess m ent s ince degrees of handicap var! considerably. It is und e rs tood and we known that children who are handic a pPei require help from variou s source s, b ut II achieve the best res ult s e arl y and a ccura dia g no s is a nd assess m e nt is necessary , followed b y pro vis ion o f goo: serv ice s - medical diagno s tic pro cesses nursing proc e dure s and examination of c hild thu s e s tabli s hing a d efinih evaluation of t he child 's functional ab ilitiei Not only would this be invaluable t o II!: c hild, but I feel it would be of e ve n mOlt value to the parents, enabling them to fet some mea s ure o f se c urit y in the kno wledg: that t here wa s s omeon e t h ey c ould refer I( whenever th e need wa s t h e re.

The problem s facing paren t s of I handicapped child are o f a nature. One problem is overcome, an othr rears its ugly head , and thi s in many case continues throughout childhood in l( adulthood. Who will c are for the chi!: when the parents are unable to do so? H OI will they manage financially? How will ever cope?

A normal child enjoys the richne ss 0: ex perience and ha s fle x ibility to s elect hl particular development, whereas ma n! handicapped children have few and often do not appear to have mu e! flexibility.

In may cases parents need to be trained U handling their handicapped child in ord f" to avoid secondary complications, ie, il cerebral palsy flexion and contraction 0: dislocated hips can occur. This does nC! necessarily occur in cerebral palsy bu t condition with secondary requires management. The ultimate aim 01 all good management is to help create ar individual who can enjoy everythinl possible in the face of handicap. Therefof one should endeavour to train th l

Care of stroke victims

BRI STOL R oya l I nfi rm ary's sc h oo l of nursi n g was t h e ve nu e fo r 170 Br is tol a nd on h A on Briga d e members LO stu d y th e ca r e of stroke vict im s in t h e I nte rn atio na l Year of the D isa bl e d T h e sc hoo l of n urs in g made a ll t h e fac il it ie ava il ab le to m e mb

Bat hin g a patient and assisting t h em i n an d out of t h e ba t h was pract ise d , toget h er w i h t h e u e of li ft in g app lia n ces . A vo lun tee r pa ti e nt M rs Vale ri e M oore, a di vi iona l office r, wa s her se l f sl igh t ly in c apa c tated, h avi ng f rac tur e d h er a n kle a t camp.

ASO Miss Jennifer Treadwel l explained the first aid aspects of a s t roke an d h ow to dea l with the all (00 familiar occurrence of bei n g ca lled to help a neighbour. CSO Miss Joan Frieze d e m o n st rated care for a paralysed patient with special attention to feed i ng and provision of suitable diets.

Th e p roblems associated with incontinence formed the basis of a n n teresting and entertaining talk by Sister Blannin , of the r esearch department of Bristols' Ham Green Hospital. After lunch Dr Richard Langton - Hewer a consultant n e ur o logist from Frenchay Hospital, explained in detail the co ur ses, treatme n t and prognosis of stroke victims and his staff d e mon strated physiotherapy given to rehabilitate as many pat ie n t as possible back into everyday life.

(Leh) Lihs for the disabled

( Right) De m on str at io n of mouth ca e

Dr Glanvill being congratulated on being made Mayor at Hon ton

(Left) The str o ke victim

(Right) Lowe r ing patient into a bath /

Bringing up a handicapped child (contd.)

handicapped child in skills which he would not otherwise be able to do.

Special educational assistance must be explained to the parents, such as help given by remedial teachers, teachers of the deaf, speech and occupational therapists, special classes in ordinary schools, and it has to be pointed out that in certain schools provlslOn has been made for some handicapped children (ie, those suffering from epilepsy, language disorders and autism). The selection of a handicapped child, however, is not easy.

At this point I would reiterate the main areas of need for advice and help for handicapped children and their families.

1. Assessment of the handicap.

2. Application of the developmental stages to the teaching of children of all ages

3. Financial support.

4. Counselling .

5. Education and career.

6 Aids and help in the homeeducation in use and care of equipment.

All these should be made available from the State, ie Social Services, Social Security, Health Authority, Educational Authorities, and some voluntary bodies (eg, Mencap, Spastics Society). There should be help available in all cases from one or all of these sources. Help should also be available from the purely voluntary services, such as St John, etc. All can and will give help to families in bringing up a handicapped child .

The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 charged Local Authorities to provide facilities for the handicapped through the Social Services Department.

In Devon, I get the impression that within the current financial restrictions a great deal has been provided for the handicapped child, particularly in the early age groups, while virtually all children of school age are being given an education even if this means residential placement.

Although, as I said previously, very little is done within the 0-5 year old group, efforts are now being made to find them places in Play Groups or Nurseries. To support this, of course, professional agencies such as psychiatrists, psychologlsts, and advisory teachers must be made available. Speech therapists, physiotherapists working in the schools, health visitors working in the community, careers officers, all have their part to play in the life and education of the handicapped child.

I feel there is more to be desired with regard to the Social Services. Social workers should be given more opportunity and time to give families the support they need, especially in the cases of those who are at risk. Home helps, travelling allowances, adequate attendance allowances for difficult children, occupational therapyall these and more can be of paramount assistance to families who most need help.

What are you doing?

THE true success of IYDP will be measured by the continuation beyond December 1981 of its aims and the work generated.

During the year SJA Divi s ions, Areas and Counties stepped up thei r established services to the disabled and handi cappe d, and ini ti ated new schemes, so me of which have been reported and written abo ut.

But there often seems to be a reluctanceor is it modesty or lack of time? - to put pen to paper, or use the typewri te r to se nd in reports of the valuable work which one hear s has been or s being done.

So please sen d a report of your scheme to help the disabled and handicapped to Mrs L. C. Best, Staff Officer to the Superintendentin-Chief, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SWIX 7EF. The Chief Commander's offer of a £10 prize for each sc heme se lected for publication in the Revi ew will co nt inu e during 1982

A report of what you are doing co uld in sp ire others and so help to ensure the real succes s of IYDP!

In order to help parents of mentally handicapped children there is a book entitled 'Help' available It indicates who to contact if help is required. Therefore, improvement in serv ices to young people, thereby ea sing the problems facing the families and making the opportuni ies to give the handicapped child a more fulfilled life can be summarised as follows:

1 Early assessment of the handicap in close cooperation with parents, toget her with regular checks by the Advisory Services for the pre-school child.

2. Psychiatric help for parents to overcome t he emotional crisis.

3. Provi si on for play group or nursery placement.

4. Research into various handicaps.

5. Improved training for teachers of the mentally handicapped.

6. Greater provision of special day care, which is more than nursing care.

7. Residential centres.

8. Closer liaison with parents and schools for moral support.

9. Improved training of nursery staff particularly with regard to education.

10. The greater use of voluntary aid. Lastly but by no means least.

11. Improvements in the advisor y services and careers officers appointed for the disabled. This is a very specialised job.

Integral and voluntary charitable organisations with the Sta te services should reduce the cost of expertise and experience and make the service more available for all tho se who need it. There mu s t be m any parent s with a handicapped child who ha ve not had the benefit of some of these services. Help given to families in the shape of attendance allowances is an all important inno vatio n and I suspect, unles s told of by the professional agencies, man y people with handicapped children would not apply for the facilities that are available. The type and degree of handicap, of co urse , has to be taken into account, but all members of the commu nity hould be given (he opportunity W help themselves as much as they can and this applies to the handicapped, children or otherwise, as much as anyone else. To gain co nf idence and self respect works wonders. There must, however, be considerable flexibilit y. Child psychiatrists, paediatrician s, psychologists, neuroanawmists, heal lh visitors, social workers, speech t herapi sts, and many others must ha ve the opportunit y to play their part a professional agenciesplus assistance on holiday relief availabl e from St John Ambulance and other vo luntar y organisations.

Cheshire Home Weekend

Living out under canvas AND helping the handicapped

THE BRIGADE in Norfolk ha s started an Adventure Training Section to enable cadets and adult member s to enjoy activities which are concerned with outdoor life and in which they might not otherwise be able to participate. However, it is also an aim of the section to incorporate these adventurous activities with the more common aspect s of St John life, and as a result activities have occurred where cadets spend a weekend at a Cheshire home.

Weekends at the Grove Cheshire Home, East Carleton, near Norwich, took place during May and October 1981, and although the time was primarily aimed at helping and working in the home, cadets and staff lived out under canvas Six cadets from divisions throughout Norfolk

staff on duty all the time, so there were two basic shifts worked, 7am to 2pm, and 2pm to lOpm As a result we were to be ready for the first people to arnve at 7am, which mean't an early start. Admittedly it was difficult to find our way into uniforms at 6.30am, but enthusiasm was not at all lacking, the cadets being ready start getting up, make beds and see to theIr needs without needing any encouragement. The residents' breakfast was served at 8.30 and it was meal times which proved to be the most rewarding. Many of the residents are unable to feed themselves, due to nervous and muscular deseases, so we had to feed them, some being more difficult than others because they were lying down or could not chew properly. Naturally, at first we felt a little uncertain about this feeding How much to give them? Where in the mouth to put the food, and how often? the patients were most helpful and It soon became a very pleasurable task. We helped at all meals , including coffee and afternoon tea.

However, feeding was just one of our jobs. Beds was another. At one point the cadets were involved with setti ng up ripple bed s and air beds , which mean't they co uld tes t the apparatus, so giving them a better insigh t into the purpose of the bed s, as the air rippled under the pressure areas of the body. It was not only the actual caring for the residents, but also the companionship which mean't so much to both parties. Cadets wrote or typed letter s for them , tidied cupboards , helped with jigsaws, tapestries and rug making, as well as sitting with them to watch television. All of which was rewarding to bo t h the cadets and the residents

We catered for ourselves, cooking on small stoves in the gro und s. Some of the cadets had not been campi ng before, so this gave them so me basic knowledge before going on to adventure camps, expeditions and hill camping. In fact, every meal at both weekends was s uccessful, the only complaint being that the coffee was inclined to be luke warm! But the house staff compensated for that by supplying frequent cups of tea and coffee.

CAR BOUND

34- year ·ol d Michael Wise who has been confined to a wheel chair since birth, spent 15 years persuading doctors and local health authorities that his phys ical disabilities should not stop him from driving a four wheel car He got

attended each weekend.

The weekends, from Friday evening to Saturday evening, pro ve d tiring but extremely interesting. The tents were pitched on grass in front of the home, s,o enabling us to see all the comings and goings, which made us feel very much part of the 'family', as the residents and staff were called. The friendly atmosphere was SO apparent that it would have been difficult not to enjoy ourselves.

Friday evening was spent introducin g ourselves to everyone, finding our way around the home and generally getting the feel of the situation before we started our specific jobs the following morning. Because the Cheshire Home is primarily for handicapped people it is essential to hav e

During the May weekend the cadets had the opportunity of enj oying themselves with a raft on the lake in the grounds, but durin g October it rained all weekend so we spent most of our time in the house On the Sunday morning we were surprised there was no service, or anything else organised , so v:e soon had everyone singing to the of the old piano kept in the slttmgroom corner.

It was the insight into the lives of these han.dicapped people, their problems and happinesses, which proved so to us. We gained some nursing expenence from these weekends, but it was the understanding of those less fortunate ourselves that was most rewarding. Let s hope that more cadets will get a chance to participate in such rewarding weekends.

N/M Janet Mann, Norwich Centra! Division

Here, Jimmy Saville presents the car to Michael at Stoke Mandeville Hospital

Information

The Directory for the Disabled, a handbook of information and opportunities for disabled and handi capped people, which was first published in 1977, has now been reprinted in its third edition. It is available in paperback price £5.50 (plus £1 postag e) and hardback £9.25 (plus £1.60 postage) from Woodhead-Faulkner Ltd, 17 Market Street, Cambridge, CB2 3PA.

Holidays

Winged Fellowship Trust, which specialises in holidays for disabled people, is widening its scope of planned holidays to cater for those interested in drama, music, art and even bridge, and a speech therapist will be available to help those rec overing from st roke s who have speech difficulties. Further information from Winged Fellowship Trust, 2nd Floor 54 66 Oxford Street, London WI 9FF.

Car seat for disabled children

COSTING approximately £84, this Britax car seat designed for a handicapped child won the company's 5th Design Council award in four years.

The shell of the seat is made of glass fibre re-inforced with impact grade resin A series of slots cut into the back of the seat allows for repositioning of t he harness straps. If ne cessary the st raps can be slotted in at different heigh ts or larger hole can be cu t in the shell to suit the need of a particular child.

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

1. The nervous system consists of two parts:

(a) The system and (b) The system.

These together control the (c) and (d) of the body and the level of (e)

2. The brain is situated within the skull.

It is the seat of the (a) , the emotions and the (b) It is here that impressions received by the senses are brought by the (c) nerves and are analysed.

The orders are given through the (d) nerves to the (e)

3. When a (a) nerve is cut there is a loss of sensation.

When a (b) nerve is cut there is a loss of power of movement.

4. Unconsciousness is due to interruption of the norma) (a) of the (b) , brought about by some interference with the functions of the (c) system and (d)

5. Give three causes of unconsciousness: , and

6. Levels of consciousness:

(a) Cannot be roused at all.

(b) Alert, answers questions normally.

(c) Can be roused only with difficulty.

(d) Easily roused. It is important for the doctor to know if the onset of unconsciousness was (e) or (f)

7. Concussion is a widespread but (a)

Nursing in Norfolk

NORFOLK'S Great Yarmouth and Broadland Area have made a positive move on sex equality by holding their first mixed nursing quiz last November, when nine adult and four cadet teams competed for the Nursing Cup and the Arthur Childs Shield (cadets). The quiz was held in the circus ring of the Hippodrome, Great Yarmouth, where County Staff Officer (Welfare) Stan Peel, complete with roving microphone, traversed the ring coaxing answers from adults and cadets. The questions, taken from the Home Nursing syllabus, were put by judges Robert Guest, District Nursing Officer, Mrs E. Guest, Senior DNO, and Mrs Aileen Dawson, Gt Yarmouth Divisional President.

Both winning teams - Gt Yarmouth (adults) and Belton (cadets) - had a majority of female members. Join 'em, lads, to win at nursing, it seems.

On January 23 the divisions again joined forces for a nursing training day at GorJeston's new District General Hospital,

by Roy Jackson and Bruce Coltman of the Northumbria Police Centre

disturbance of the working of the brain.

Brain (b) is a good description of what occurs.

Signs and symptoms of concussion: (c) ., or (d) loss of consciousness, lasting usually for a (e)

Breathing is (f) (g) is also present.

The face is (h)

The pulse is (i) and (j)

Recovery may be accompanied by (k) and (I)

Give two causes of concussion: and

Compression is a condition of actual (a) on some part of the brain, by (b) or (c) within the skull or by a (d) of the skull itself.

The signs and symptoms of compression are: (a) of the limbs or even (b)

Breathing becomes (c)

The face is (d)

The pulse will become (e) The pupils of the eyes will be (f)

(g) or (h) on one side of the body may be present.

Hysterical fits usually occur as a reaction to (a) upset or (b) stress.

Hysteria is controlled by (c) the casualty gently but firmly.

As soon as possible give him (d)

12. Diabetes is the result of a (a) of the normal method of using (b) supplies in the body, because a substance from the (c) is not being sufficiently produced. This substance is called insulin.

13. Insulin coma is due to an (a) supply of insulin.

The face is (b)

There may be (c) sweating.

The pulse is (d)

The breathing is (e)

The breath is (f)

14 Diabetic coma is due to an (a) supply of insulin.

The face is (b)

There is (c) sweating.

The pulse is (d)

The breathing is (e)

The breath smells of(f)

15. The effects of burns and scalds are (a) and their seriousness depend s upon many factors. The most important being the (b) and (c) rather than the (d) of the injur y

16. A burn or scald where only the outer layers of the skin are damaged is called a burn.

17. A burn where the whole thickness of the skin, including the nerve endings is destroyed is called a burn

(Answers on page 69)

GREATER MANCHESTER

Congratulations o Mrs H lda Fenton , SSS tJ, wh o has been awarded the Royal Humane Society s resuscitation certificate for saving the ife of a woman who fell into a river Mrs Fen on is Area

Staff Officer (Aqmin and Finance)

which Stan Peel described as 'an experiment in co-operation'. Co-operation between the statutory and their voluntary counterpart.

During the morning a staff member of the hospital took a party of professionally qualified Brigade members on a tour of the hospital, explaini ng all the latest developments and ideas, which was an eyeopener for many. After lunch the party was joined by some 50 other members (mixed) for a series of carefu lly scripted 'journeys'

THE WORLD ABOUT US by Jack

into various areas of hospital work and group 'games' concerned with dealing with patients. It was an afternoon of contra sts, from the excitement of the E & A Dept, to a moving session on the care of the dying. These were two important events for nursing and ambulance members, area events which should be developed and expanded.

Rosemary Peel, N / M

The history of the triangular bandage IN THE 19th century, in the prin cipal European countries, consideration wa s given to means of reducing t he enormou s los s to military strength by the death and disablement of great numbers of wounded soldiers. It would be good to be able to s ay thi s i ndicated a growing humanitariani s m , but , in fact, this was not really the primary object ; all the great military leaders, s uch a s Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte , fa voured mea sure s calculated to deal wi t h ca sualties likely to be abl e to f ig h again

In 1831 a Dr Mayor , o f Lau s ann e, suggested a triangu lar bandage as the be s t mean s of k eeping a dre ssing on a wound o f head trunk or limb s, bu t hi s propo sal rou se d no g reat en t hu si a s m

In 1859, A ndr e Dunan t w i n esse d th e fe ar f ul carnage a t So l fer in o ( w h ere th e Frenc h d efea ted t h e Aust rian s i n a runnin g ba ttle lasti n g sev eral da ys in w h a t ca u sed th e great es t i nfan tr y sla u g h te r record e d to th at d at e - 40 000 d e ad and wo und e d fiU ed t he st ree ts of t h e t iny Alpin e v ill age and the fiel d s aro und) and , f r om t hi s, t h e

In te rn a tional Red C r oss was born.

In 1854 th e dr ea d f ul p rivations o f h e Crimea n W ar b ro ug h t F lore n ce N ig htin gale in to wo rld -wi d e a n d eve rl asti n g renow n.

All thi s led up to the International C onvention in Geneva of 1863 formulating a code of 'humane conduct between civili sed nations' in a time of war (which many people would consider to be a contradiction in term s !). This made specific rules for the treatment of wounded and pri s oner s of war.

But first aid, as we understand it, is due largel y to a Prussian doctor, Johannes Friedrick Esmarch (1823-1908) who, during the Franco German war of 1870, as head of the German army 's medical service s, became a specialist in war wounds and c ompletely re-organi sed these service s. He took up Dr Mayor's almost-forgotten propo s al and, with typical German thoroughne ss, e v olved the famous Esmarch

A pplication s, s tandardising the way in w hi c h a dressing c ould be held in place on a n y part o f the human body. He decided t ha t a square piece of calico , or s imilar s tout cloth of one metre length and br ea dth cut along a diagonal would have th e warp and woof of the weaving running the mo st ad v anta geou s wa y for t he p urpo se, and, since the diagonal would be 14 1.4c m or 56 Yl inches ( the diagonal o f a squ are s s id e multiplied by the square root of 2, a s P ythagora s pro ved 2500 years ago),

it would be long enough to g o arou n d the body of even a s tout German sol d ier. These Esmarch Appli cat i o n s were standardised basic pro ce dur e in R AMe, ARP (later Civi l Defe n c e), St J ohn, St Andrew and Briti sh Red C ro ss training and were used, virtuall y un c han ged in the Boer War and World W a r s I and II. Some application s ha ve be en dr o p pe d in line with changes in medical t h o u ght (eg, we no longer encircle t he c h est with two overlapping broad - fold bandages for fractured rib s) but man y still persist to thi s day (eg, arm y slin g, dr essing on left or right che s t and back , e tc), although there are many modern an d, in some ca s e s , preferable wa y s o f 's e curing a dressing to a wound in any par t of the bo d y.'

An onlinous element

What is 486 million tim es more poisonou s t han ars enic and s o d eadly that ju s t a thimblefu l could h old s u fficient to des tro y the entire human race?

According to t h e review Parade i s PLUTONIUM, t he r adio - acti ve element used in atomi c bo m bs and nuclear reactor s Plutonium is m et in its natural state o nl y in tra ce s i n the mineral uranium. Yet the nuclear-reactor gene rators dotted about the world are produ ci n g enormous quantit ies of thi s element. It is somewhat di sc o nce rting that, in ac t ua l fact, there are at le ast 1, 800 kiograms (1314 tons) of plutonium unaccounted f or in these undertaking s, lost or di s appeared without trace or w hereabou t s.

SJA NATIONAL FIRST AID COMPETITIONS 1982

P o li ce (Men, W o m en & Ca d ets)

Natio n al Co al B oar d (Mi n e r s & A n ci ll ary W o r ke rs)

E ectr c it y S up p y In dust r y (Men & Women)

Ministry of Defe nce (Men & Women)

B r it is h Ports A ssoci ati o n ( M e n )

N a tional Do c k L a bour B oar d (Men )

T hur sd ay J une 17 T hur sda y June 24

B P C hemical s ( In t erna t ional) Ltd ( M e n & W o m en )

F ire Bri gades (Men)

T he Pav ili o n Garden s, Bu xton

T h e Wi n te r G ar den s, Bla c kp ool.

Th e Co rn E xch a n g e, I pswic h

C hur c h Hou se, Wes tm n ste r London S WI

T he Pa vili o n Garden s Bu xt on

The Pa v ilion Garden s, Bu x ton.

The Pa vilion Garden s, Bu x ton.

Fir f. Ser v ice Technical College , Moreton-inM a r s h

S a turda y Jul y 17 S John Ambulance Bri g ade ( Men W o men & C a det s) Thur sday National I ndu str ial September 23 (Men & Women ) Saturda y Ocrober 3 Wednes da y October 6 Tuesday O cto ber 19 Thur sda y Oc t ober 21

T uesday Ocrober 26 National Road Pa sse ng e r Tran sp ort (Men & Women)

Gas Industry (Men & Women) Tuesday Grand Prior s Trophy November 30 (Men & Women) Fairfield Halls , Croydon Qu een Mary

Bri t is h Rail , London Tran s (Rail) ( M e n & Women) The Po s t Office (Men & Women) Briti s h Tel ec ommunications (Men & Women)

T h e Winter Garden s, Margate.

Th e A s semb y Rooms , E din b urgh

T h e Assembl y R oom s, Edi n b urgh ( Pr ovisional) Glasgow.

The P avi ion Gardens, Bux ton

PROFESSIONALS AND SJA

from David Hilton. Ambulance Member

As a professional ambulanceman, I read with interest Watkin Williams's reply to A/M Mark Partridge (At Random, Nov '81), and fully agree with him in recognising the debt that the modern ambulance service owes to the BRCS and St John Ambulance.

Ambulance personnel today have a lot to offer to St John, and for an organisation in the 80's St John should change its attitude to us: it should recognise our improved professional standards, as inclicated by ASI or AEMT awards, either by allowing holders of these awards to wear their badges in St John uniform, or by granting them a position similar to that enjoyed by SRNs and SENs.

Otherwise the anomaly will arise wherein an Ambulance Member who is a professionally qualified AEMT will have to take over from officers of the Brigade the charge of a patient in order to initiate the advanced life-support procedures which, in the absence of a medical practitioner, none but an AEMT may perform.

Perhaps the extreme shortage of full-time ambulancemen in the ranks of the Brigade is the reason why we have as yet no ambulance train ing manual for our members

Epping Combined Division, Essex

from A T. Chamberlain Ambulance Member

In t he current climate of tension between East and West an interesting and often raised question is: 'What would be the roie of St John Ambulance in the event of a nuclear strike against this country?' This is difficult to answer, since no nuclear strike has ever been made against any country having a nuclear-orientated defence system. Before any attempt is made to define a role that the Brigade might be expected to play, it it useful to consider the effect of a 'limited' attack against one of our large cities. Take, for example, the effect of a typical five megaton device falling on central Birmingham. Available data suggests that all buildings within a radius of about a mile and a half would be totally demolished. Further out damage would be progressively less severe, but even at a distance of ten miles, depencling on terrain, windows would be smashed and telephone lines put out of action. What would this mean for the Brigade , which has 43 Divisions and West Midlands County HQ located in the area? It appears Ukely that at least 50 per cent of Di vis ional HQs would be rendered unusable; this includes the County HQ. Therefore, any equipment, including ambulances and major catastrophe plans stored at these builclings, would be unavailable for use and any planned role for the Brigade must take these unpalatable facts into account.

No centrally organised first aid capability by the Brigade would be available within the affected area, which could reasonably be expected to cover an urban area of 50 square miles. It is quite clear that any Brigade role would be on a purely local basis in the immecliate aftermath of a nuclear strike. Long range transport of casualties would not be feasible, due to the number involved and also loss or damage to hospitals. For instance, in the above example, two D ist ric t General Hospitals would be completely destroyed and of the remainder in the Birmingham area four would be damaged to a greater or lesser extent. Such a catastrophe would severely test any Brigade members' ability to render first aid in their local area, since the current teaching of first aid assumes that transport to hospital and subsequent treatment is readily available. Brigade members will find themselves very much on their own following· a nuclear attack. Provided that the strike was limited it is to be hoped that normal services would be resumed within a few weeks. If the attack was a concerted one, however, then services as we know them might be resumed only after many months, if at all.

In the past, the Civil Defence policy towards first aid has been to ensure treatment of the greatest benefit to the greatest number of cas ualtie s, by giving hospital priority to those whose requirements comparatively simple. The peace-time principle of giving the highest p ri ority to the most seriously injured would not necessarily be maintained. The Lightly injured, which would include many who in peace-time would be admitted to hospital, would have to be cared for in the local community.

Guidance s hould therefore be given to Brigade members as to how to cope under these conditions. Firstly, consideration should be given to the specia l injuries associated with nuclear warfare, such as flash dazzle, radiation burns and radiation sickness. Secondly, consideration must be given to the care of injuries in the absence of

hospital or medical treatment and the pnonty, under the nell conditions, of each injury. Thirdly, sterile equipment and the means to sterilise equipment may be in short s upply Some gu idan ce is required here. Finally, all members should receive information on their skills to others, so that first aid and subsequ ent nur si ng techmques can be used most effectively within the community

These points are put forward for discussion and are not intended to be an exhaustive list. Once it is accepted that, in the general case the Brigade's role in a nuclear attack rests with the individual members working in their immediate locality , much may be don e to prepare for a catastrophe which we hope will never occur.

Walsall A. T. Chamberlain, BSc, PhD, CChem, MRSC

FIRST AID AND THE DISABLED from Mrs Joyce Parker lay Instructor

We in St John are pledged to bring first aid to as many of the publ ic as possible , although some of the less fortunate may never be able to pass a certified course by reason of physical or mental disablemen l. Nevertheless, at the 1981 Instructors' Seminar I showed a 5-minu te amateur film of two young men, sufferers of Down's syndrome (mongolism), who had learnt and used first aid procedure s witn safety. I took the two young men to the seminar with me, and they answered with confidence the simple que stions put to them by the audience.

What I would like to see is a series of badges for first aid achievement awarded to members of the public, irrespective of age or disablement , and recognised nationally. This may well help to overcome the prej uclices and misunderstandings of some of the public towards handicapped people. After all, the Scouts and Guid es have badges for vario us achievements, so why not first aid badges awarded to those who because of age or disablement are unabl e to attain a certificate?

Suggested badges; cleaning a wound; stopping bleeding; treating burns (minor and serious); mouth-to-mouth; recovery position; care of blisters, stings, etc. The possibilities are endless.

London SW14

CADET JUBILEE YEAR

from Barry Theobald, Area Staff Officer

Joyce Parker

As an ex-cadet/ adult member of a Brigade band, I would very much like to see a major band event organised for the Cadet Jubilee Year , all bands being invite d to a competition of bandsmanship and playing skills.

Perhaps such a competition could then be held annually, with the winner being 'host' band for the following year. I would be happy to present a winner's prize and feel sure many others would be only too willing to help in any way.

Such an event would be very good PR for both bands and cadet divisions, and the Brigade as a whole.

Mitcham, Surrey

THAT BERET

from D. Heslop. Divisional Superintendent

hats would be a joy to wear.

The girls are proud of their except the dreaded beret. Doesn't HQ think that a new deslgn would probably help to attract iris whereas the present hat puts them off joining St John. cadets have had a change of head-gear, but all that has been done for the girls since I ha:-e been in St John (1954). is to change the material and theIr dress. I am not thiS as a potential of women s lib, but as a male Super ill charge of a combined dJVIslon.

So come on, St John, put a smile on our girls' faces and hear them say 'Thanks St John - you're great!'

Skipton Combined Div Derek Heslop and N/O Mrs Jean Grainger

from Paul Dew, Ambulance Member

Jean Leech's letter reinforces the view expressed in my letter (Review, March 1981) about our image. And it leads to the question of an alternative, exactly what headgear and other items of uniform would be most acceptable to most member s. Perhaps any proposals could be published in the Review, so that the people who have to wear the uniform could make suggestions before a final decision is made. Communication problems are often referred to in the Review and this suggestion would, I feel, overcome that problem as well as removing the feeling many members have that they never get the chance to express their views to those who make the deci sio n s on such a sensit ive su bject as uniform.

Ruislip North wood Div Paul Dew

FIRE BRIGADE HELP

from T. K. Shiner , Corporal

During a recent discussion with a local fire brigade senior officer a comment was made which should be of interest to our members. The officer was very critical not only of St John but also the county ambulance and police service as to procedure at road traffic accidents.

He stated that in his experience in most cases when any of the above arrived at the scene they immediately attempted to rescue any trapped people with very little or no thought as to whether they were going to be successfu l without special ctlttingg(,'1r Tf they were

unsuccessful without this gear they then alerted the fire service - so wasting valuable life-saving time. The officer stated that in any RT A or other incident where so meone might be trapped, the correct procedure is to alert the fire service imm ediately before attempting any rescue In other words, at the same time as notifying the ambulance service. If the rescue is successful without the help of the fire service they can always return to base, the fuel cost involved being outweighed by the fact that they were on hand quickly. I suggest that it would be an interesting evening for all divisions to arrange a visit to their local fire station to see the various equipment that is carried on their vehicles. It makes one more aware of the assistance that the fire service can offer be si de s putting out fires.

Bournemouth

SJA MALTA CENTENARY

from Anthony Zammit, Association Director

Barry Theobald

Reference Jean Leech's letter (Jan. Review) concerning the awful black Beret, my N / O and I agree and are in full support of a change of head-gear. Anyone connected with nursing cadets knows the struggle it is to get girls to wear the beret. Their remark about the ha t is ugghh-yuk! A smarter and compact design, such as the air-ho stess

T. K. Shiner

St John Ambulance Association, Malta, will be celebrating its lOOth birthday in September 1982 - and this is an open invitation to all St John personnel to join us for this event. It would be superfluous to go into detail s of the centuries old connections between the Order of St John and Malta - they are known the world over. Just come to Malta for your holiday and not only enjoy the island's history but take part in celebrating the spirit of the Order.

A UK travel agent is handling booking s for the week's holiday from September 6 to 11 Further details can be obtained from St John Ambulance HQ, Overseas Relation s, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X 7EF.

Valletta Anthony Zammit

LOVELY, AREN'T THEY?

from John Sykes. Associate Member

Those who, like me, enjoyed Mr Knott' s account (Jan 82 Review) of Oxfordshire officers' visit to the J ohanniter-Unfall-Hilfe in Germany might be amused to know that (because of the time during which the headquarters were in Malta) a member of the Roman Catholic branch of the Order is called in German ein Malleser! Abingdon Di visions John Sykes

Lionheart Tours of the Holy Land

Including a visit to the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in its Centenary Year

Enjoy the experience of a lifetime and support your hospital in the Holy land. Visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Acre, Tiberius, The Sea of Galilee, The Jordan Valley, The Dead Sea, The Negev Desert with time to relax on the Mediterranean Coast at Tel Aviv/Jaffa.

For brochure and further information write or call Jean Taylor, LIONHEART TOURS, 66 Stamford Hill, london N16 6XS. Telephone: 01-806 0991.

David Hilton

BRIGADE ROLE IN NUCLEAR STRIKE

NEWS from SCOTLAND

THE Priory of Scotland publishes a year book, the successor of its annual report, which is sent to all members of the Order in the Priory and contains reports from the Executive Officers, the twelve area committees, and the thirteen St John Associations throughout Scotland. It also contains a complete roll of the Priory and much other useful information.

In the interests of closer fellowship and understanding within the Order in the UK, a copy of the Year Book will be sent to anyone connected with the Order who applies to the Priory Secretary, 21 St John Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8DG, enclosing SOp. The new Year Book should be ready in March

With the Year Book invitations are issued t o the annual Festival of St John in June, at which those admitted or promoted during t he year are invested with their insignia. P r eparations are being made to hold the Festival in 1982 at the Church of the Holy Rude (that is the spelling), Stirling, and Stirling Castle on June 24.

The Librarian, Dr Duncan Shaw, visited the Library at St John's Gate in December and made useful contact with the staff

Standard

WALES

T HE photograph (above, right) certainly lo oks like a pit coal-face, but it isn't. It's a mock-up built by young members of the Maerdy Division, Rhondda Valley, in the cellar of the local Conservative Club and u sed f or training local first aid teams.

Maerdy's Div/Supt, NCB employee Collen Morris, said: 'It took a lot of hard work to build and it's completely authentic.

and his wife visiting flats at St John's Court, Partickhill, Glasgow - a housing project run by the St John (Glasgow) Housing Association Ltd. (Right) Mrs Margaret Fraser, chairman of the SJ Highland Association, hands £13XJ cheques to Constable Brian Gallacher, for the Search and Dog Rescue Assoc; Bill Ritchie , for the Assynt Mountain Rescue Service; and Peter Cliff, for Caimgorrn Mountain Rescue team. (Photo : Aberdeen Press & Journal)

there. One practical result may be the preparation of a combined catalogue for all books held in the libraries of the Order in the UK. There was also a useful examination of books held in duplicate. The Priory suffered the loss of its Genealogist on December 1 by the death of Sir James Monteith Grant, Lord Lyon King

of Arms, an Edinburgh lawyer of g rea l distinction who held among other title s thaI of Secretar y to the Order of the Thi stle, Scotland ' s most noble order. The new Genealogist will be the new Lord L yon , Malcolm Rognvald Inne s of Edingight (so is that), whose father wa s al s o at one time Lord Lyon.

Officer (Cadets). Keith set the Division 1974 and it is the only one III Wales to be III hed to a hospital and to bear the name attac f an Health Authonty.

o Mr Giles said: 'Members have not only been on duty in cinemas, dug gardens and run errands, bu t can be seen every weekend at Newport's Accident and Emergency Departmen t' .

Mr D. Cantlay, Headquarters Staff Officer, enrolled eight cadets and esented special service shIelds and stars to pr AI' L Neil Madden (800 Ison eeson (600 hours), Jeremy Bnght (400 hours) and Alyn Jones, Keith James and Carol Madden (200 hours).

The Division was presented WIth a slIde projector by their Parents and Friends Associa tion.

OVERSEAS

Nigeria

NIGERIA'S first dIVISIon Wlthlll a teachmg hospital was registered during 1981. Staff members of various departments of Lagos University Teaching Hospital and CoUege of Medicine, at Idi-Araba, formed division some time ago under the leadershIp of Dr Joseph A Shyngle. The division , which was officially commissioned with a parade and inspection, operates reasonable-priced ambulance servIce III Lagos a nd th e ho pi tal b o ard ha s g iven it a grant to expand it s activities.

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS: 11

Answers

1. (a) Cerebro-spinal ; (b) Autonomic; (c) Movement; (d) Functions; (e) Consciousness.

2. (a) Intellect; (b) Will; (c) Sensory; (d) Motor; (e) Muscles.

3. (a) Sensory; (b) Motor.

4. (a) Activity; (b) Brain; (c) Nervous; (d) Circulation.

5. (i) Asphyxia; (ii) Head injuries with damage the. brain ; Shock; (iv) Fainting; (v) Stroke (apoplexy); POI (vii) Heart attacks; (viii) Epilepsy; (ix) Infantile convulsl (x) Diabetic emergencies

6. (a) Coma; (b) Full consciousness; (c) Stupor; (d) Drowsi (e) Sudden; (f) Slow.

7. (a) Temporary; (b) Shaking; (c) Partial; (d) Short time; (f) Shallow; (g) Shock; (h) Pale; (I) Rapid; U) Weak; (k) Nausea; (I) Vomiting.

accident?

We used steel arches and struts, a piece of tramway, and even a colliery tram.' The white tube (left) is the first aid station and contains all the equipment. The Division plans to include a mock cage in this realistic training area.

In the picture (L to R) are Collen Morri s and A/Ms Peter Harries and Neville Davies, all members of NCB first aid teams.

Tributes to Division

A NEWPORT Division which has been helping at the Accident and Emergency Department of the town's Royal Gwent

Hospital, has completed 3,354 hours of voluntary service during 1981.

Alun Giles, Divi sional Presiden t a nd Area Nursing Officer for the Gwent Health Authority, paid tribute to the offi cers, members and cadets of the Gwent Health Authority Hospitals Division at their enrolment and presentation of award s ceremony held in November.

Mr Giles paid a special tribute to Keith Dunn, Supt-in-Charge, who left th e Division that day to take up responsibili ty for all cadets in Newport as County Sta ff

8. (i) Blow on the head; (ii) Fall from a height on the feet; Falling heavily on the lower part of the spine; (iv) Blow point of jaw.

9. (a) Pressure; (b) Blood; (c) Fluid; (d) Depressed Fractu

10. (a) Twitching; (b) Convulsions; (c) Noisy; (d) Slow; (f) Abnormal; (g) Weakness; (h) ParalYSIS.

11. (a) Emotional; (b) Mental; (c) Reassuring; (d) Somethin do.

12. (a) Disturbance; (b) Sugar; (c) Pancreas.

13. (a) Excess; (b) Pale; (c) Profuse; (d) Rapid; (e) Shallow Odourless.

14. (a) Inadequate; (b) Flushed; (c) No; (d) Slow; (e) Deep sighing; (f) Musty apples or pear drops or acetone.

15. (a) Similar; (b) Area; (c) Extent; (d) Depth.

16. Superficial.

17. Deep.

The

is presented to Cadet Sgt Alison Leeson by Alun Giles, president of Gwent Cadet Division (Photo : S. Wales Argus)

ivisions / Centres

OBITUARY

Laurence Granville Myers, 86, founder member of Yorkshire's Tadcaster Division in 1936. Divisions's superintendent 1937 to 1965, when Mr Myers was placed on retired list. Serving Brother. Died Decem ber 4 1981.

JOHN REVIEW

KENT: Five Folkestone

(16),

(15),

(14),

(Below) LANCS: Awards for Poulton-Ie-

(Left) BUCKS : Bletchley N/ C Division 's Jane Hyde receives her Grand Prior certificate, watched by DI O Mandy

Phillips,

Comm (L to R) Nicola Raybould (15), Joyce Vincent-Squibb (17),

Woolery (15), Allison Hoare (15). (Photo: Rugby Advert is er)

M, N Reg. Front-end conversions (as left) £3,250 M, N Reg. Standard V6 vehicles £2,250

All with recon engine, 12 months MOT, repainted, fitted new beacons and horns, 3 months vehicle warranty, 10 months on engine. ALSO AVAILABLE: Cots, Division lettering, etc.

V.F. SPECIALIST VEHICLES

convoluted bowel (5) 11 Attachment to boot to compensate for s hor tening of a limb (6). 12. Part of hospital represented by councillors (4). 14. Become pigmented from exposure to ultra-viol et radiation (3). 16. Asian country in reversed aid (5) . 18. Prot ein constituent can provide aid in coma (5.4). 20. Pain of dental cari es (9). 22. Pu s appears finally in tuberculous ulceration of the skin (5). 24. Wipe up secretions with an untidy mas s of hair (3).25. Repeat ed twice for call to emergency services (4). 26. Suture f or a pain in th e loin (6). 29. Notes altered for start of fe ver (5) 31. This fever is mononucleosis (9). 32. Condition due to adrenal cortex insuffici ency (8.7).

Down:

1. An opinion about the scenic situation? (9) 2. Under the influen ce of tranquillising drugs (7). 3. Social group in 16 Across (5). 4. Unusual one left for Christmas (4).5 Distension of abdomen due to flatulence (10). 6. Pack applied to control internal bleeding an d re du ce swelling (3). 7 Cat-bite produce s patient in a wast ed condition (7).8. No war f or the mountain ash (5). 13. Allow saliva to run from the mou t h (5). 15 Substance promoting formation o f a malignant growth (10). 17. Showing extreme pallor characteristic o f severe shock (5) 19. An exudate to release from medical care (9) 21. Placed the thu mb against a fi ng er (7). 23. Sesamoid bone from two girls (7). 24. Tumour composed of smooth-muscle tissue (5). 27. Diets changed for seaso nal festivals (5). 28 Having a bare scalp (4). 30. Brief instruction to take the medicine thrice daily (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 2(82)

Across: 1. Pethidine; 8. A .bridge; 9. Ancient; 10. Student; 13 Slimming; 14. Sees; 16. Smear tests; 20. Cyst; 22. Axon; 24. Scoreboard; 28 V.est; 29. Umbrella; 31. Careers; 34. Aug.men.t; 35. ScaLlet; 36. Saturated. Down: 1. P.raise. s; 2. Tac .tile ; 3. Ileum; 4. In.tense; 5. Eats; 6, Wind; 7 Dentist; 11. Tissue; 12. Easy; 15. Echo; 17. Mix; 18. Acn e; 19. Ta st er 21. Sir; 22. Abscess; 23 Over; 25. Ra.mp.ant; 26 Ail.men.t; 27. Dr.aft.ed; 30. Rigor ; 32. Ears; 33. Sets.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

FIRST AID STATIONS-STRETCHER WALL KITS

Children s ward

I FIRST visited the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem in 1965 on my way to a lecture tour in Australia. The British Council invited me to visit Amman and there I spoke at a meeting of the Jordanian Medical Society where I was shown warm hospitality.

After my talk, I was ddven from Amman to East Jerusalem, crossing over the River Jordan and I well remember the fascinating journey. On seeing the Hospital for the first time, I was surprised by its magnificence. Dr. Boase was then in charge as Warden and lssa Marogi, the Superintendent, introduced me to the Old City whose history he knew so well. At that time, it did not occur to me that I would ever hold office in the Hospital. However, in 1969 my senior colleague, Sir Stewart Duke-Elder, was looking for a Deputy Hospitaller and he asked me to apply. I did and was thrilled to be appointed.

The Hospital of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem was founded in 1882 on the Bethlehem Road and was devoted to eye care because of the high incidence of ophthalmic disease, particularly trachoma, in that part of the Middle East. It was funded as a charitab le Foundation first by this country alone and later helped by the Order in other parts of the world.

In 1960, when the present Hospital was built in East Jerusalem, research into

The aim of the Ophthalmic Hospital's Centenary Year is to establish a £5 million Endowment Fund

trachoma was undertaken and later Professor Barrie Jones of the Institute of Ophthalmology in London organised much of the field work in Iran. Sadly, just when the results of many years' labour were about to be assessed the Shah's government collapsed and statistical confirmation of the success of the research work proved impossible. Nevertheless, much has been achieved in the practical management of this blinding disease.

Thanks to the efforts and energy of my predecessor, Mr T. Keith Lyle, the equipment in the Hospital has been kept up to date and indeed today it compares favourably with that of any ophthalmic hospital. Operating microscopes, lasers, fluorescein angiography, micro-surgical instruments and all other ancillaries needed in a modern eye hospital are now in everyday use - costly though they are

Sir Stephen Miller, former Surgeon Oculist to Her Majesty

The Queen and now Hospitaller of the Order of St John

Towards the Future

by Sir Stephen Miller, KCVO, MO, FRCS

The Hospital has never had funds to spare and its present financial situation is grave. A few years ago, the Hospital' s annual running costs were £100,000. These have now soared to £500,000 a year. In 1978, but for the generous help of friends in the Arab world, the Hospital would ha ve closed. Today, it can only continue to operate with the support of such wealthy communities and] have every faith that it will do so.

At the same time, it is important that the Order of St John should continue to produce surgeons and find nurses to serve the Hospital and train local personnel; it is also important that members of the Ord er and members of St John Ambulance should continue to have an interest and involvement in their Hospital.

A Hospice or Refuge for the sick under the aegis of the Order has been in existence continuously since the beginning of the twelfth century - first in Jerusalem, then in Acre and later in Cyprus, Rhodes and Malta

The Most Venerable Order on its own has maintained a Hospital in Jerusalem for nearly 100 years by dint of generou s donations of money and expertise. During the ensuing 100 years, the Order cannot hope to undertake this task alone. But, with the help of high-minded humanitarians, it should be possible to assure the Hospital's survival for a second century.

A Cobbler's Tale

by Dr Henry Backhouse, Senior Eye Physician

Dr Henry 8ackhouse has worked for many years in the outpatients' clinic at the Hospital. He has a particular feeling for very young children and for the elderly. As an indication of the kind of devotion the Hospital inspires, Dr Backhouse has written an account in conversation form of the case history of one of his patients - Abdul Rahman. Rahman has been coming to the Hospital for treatment for the past 40 years and the following conversation piece between Doctor and patient catalogues the moves, changes and difficulties this Hospital has experienced throughout its recent history. All the copy in Quotes reflects Abdul Rahman's thinking; the rest, including explanations in parentheses, is Dr Backhouse's reply.

ABDUL Rahman (Slave of the Merciful One) son of Assad (the Lion) and I were sitting talking at the end of morning clinic. These day s he is a happy man He live s with his wife called Samiha (Mild) and his s mall son Faris (Horseman) in the shadow of the Dome of the Rock. Moslem tradition says that Abraham offered up [s mail on that very spot nearly 4,000 years ago. Abdul's father lives next door on the edge of the Temple Mount in a house rented very cheaply from the Moslem Charitable Lands Agency. '] have always liked coming to this Hospital. You have treated me like a man When many others have despised me I am 45 years old but I only married two years and now that I have a son, r am equal wlth other men. Now I am called Abu Fari

and people respect me. Before, they reviled me because I am a cripple and walk with sticks. But I have always worked when I could and I am a cobbler with a workshop in Bethlehem Apart from these past two years, life meant very little to me, but I always liked coming here.'

Abdul Rahman looked at me out of his bright right eye and screwed up his lid over the shrunken globe of his left eye. 'I remember I was only five when I first came here with such pajn in my left eye. For two days, my father did nothing. He had been blind since he was a baby and the Old City markets were the limits of his experience. But I could walk then so I asked my father to come with me to the Hospital in the Valley (A valley just south of the Jaffa

Gate where the Hospital once was prior to t he partition of Palestine in 1948)

'The night before we made the journey I could not sleep. At first light we set off through the Suk (market) to the Jaffa Gate, down past the Sultan 's Pool, across the Causeway and up a slope to the Hospital. There were many others before us. Some, from the villages, had come on donkeys. Almost everyone was barefoot. In fact, it was just like being in a market with all the donkeys braying at each other.

'When I sat down, a combination of fatigue and pain sent me off to sleep. It was the sudden crush of people pushing past me into the Hospital compound that woke me up.

'We had to get a card and then sit and wait our turn. I thought it would never come. Then, a thin-faced man called Mohamad came and looked at my eye with a light and a small bit of glass (loupe for examining the eye) which hung around his neck Today, we call this man Abu Ahmad, but in those days he had no son.

Mohamad took me to the Doctor who could not speak Arabic. I think he wanted me to sleep in the Hospital but the Doctor said no. Instead he gave me some cards and told my father to put drops in my eye. One bottle was full of dark liquid (Argyrol) and the other was filled with clear water (Atropine). The Doctor told us to come again the next day .

'After they put the drops in my eye at the Hospital the pain eased But later that night it returned with such ferocity I was physically sick. Suddenly the pain went, water ran down my cheek and eventually I Conrinued overleaf

AIR WING

The SJA Air Wing celebrated its 10th birthday on February 2 with 500 missions to its credit, which means that it has averaged 50 mercy flights a year over the ten years of its existence. Or nearly one every week. And to think, when the idea of such a service was first mooted, the main concern was whether there would be sufficient demand for it!

Its 503rd mission, on February 18, was the first time the Wing had been asked to fly a surgical team for a pancreas transplant. The 3-man team was flown in difficult weather conditions by Wing pilot Stanley Hales, from Worcestershire, in his own aircraft. With the plane and pilot standing-by within 15 minutes of the original request at 1O.55am, they left Birmingham at 15 06 for Newcastle, where they landed at 16.05. The team removed the pancreas from the host donor, rejoined the waiting plane with the life-saving organ, and were flown back to Birmingham by 21.46. The pancreas was transplanted to the recipient that evening.

Talking to Stanley Hales on the phone later, he said: 'I'm happy to do anything

any time - for St John Ambulance and the Air Wing I should be honoured Here speaks the voice of the Air Wing's 150 volunteer pilots in the UK, who make available to the service 110 light aircraft for mercy missions, day or night.

THE BIG DANCE

Richard Radcliffe, of the Order's Public Affairs Dept, writes:

On July 10 tens of thousands of young people throughout the country should be shuffling, tapping, twisting, reeling, jiving, flinging, waltzing and maybe doing the cancan, tango, turkey trot, hokey-cokey, rumba, samba and polka - all for the Cadets!

Between now and then I will be asking discos, ballrooms, youth clubs, clubs, hotels, pubs and other organisations to take part in what I hope will be a massive ARROWS

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

be run as any normal dan ce night at the venue. All sp on

forms and pos t ers are sent to the clubs well in advance so that good sponsorship ca n be gai n ed, and we then give publicity to all h e venues so that there are plent y of people at each dance. After the night we keep fingers crossed that the money rolls in. We hope the incentive will be £1,000 prize mon ey for those who raise the mo st mone y (t hi s ha s been donated by the very well known group the Bee Gees) and Pernod have agreed to give away prizes at t we nt y differ e nt locations to those over 18 There is nothing yo u have to do (unless you really want to!) We just want the who e event to be colossal - and to raise

£ 100, 000 ! Th e thought terri fie me - if it fai ls, wi ll I have to do a quick s lep oul?

There is one co nsolation - if I pa s out from t e ns ion at least there mu st be somebody around qualified to revive me! In other words - if b y any chance you know any friendly clubs or disco, fee l free to rope them in and please le t me know.

SICK BED READING

Reading in bed for any length of time can , as we a ll know, become ery tiring, especia ll y for [ho se w h o are already weak through illne ss. The Briti sh Library of Tape Recording s for Ho spital Patients (BLOT) was set up as a charity in 1964 to help here and also wit h the problem of patient s unable to read for themselves.

Since then BLOT has s upplied hospital throughout the UK with a library service of recorded books and playback equipment at cost price. The equipment can be u ed for group listening or by individual s with a pillowphone in pub li c wards.

BY

TH E EDITOR

So if you're confined to bed in hospital and fi nd reading a book exhausting, ask f o r the se rvice And if you would like to help BLOT ex pand its service, he y're at 12 Lant Street, London SEI lQR

WELL SPENT

The Edwina Mountbatten Tru st, which was set up as a permanent memorial to Countess Mountbatten of Burma with the main objects of s upporting t he work of St John Amb ulan ce Br iga de The Save the Chil dren F und and the nur sing pro fess ion , increa se d it s gra nt to £6,000 eac h in 19 80. Much of the grant to SJA we n t towards the costs of the Int e rna tiona l Youth Conventio n at Mytchett, w hi ch was of course atte nd ed by many yo un g m e mb ers from O ve rsea s. Money we ll sp ent, I'm sure the late Lady Mountbatten wou ld have agreed.

LEGION ' S CONCERN

Great concern for h e ever-i n creasi n g demands w hi ch are constant ly being made on the ervices of The R oya l Briti s h Legio n is ex pre sse d by the Chairman, Mr Ron Buckingham, n the Legion s Annua l Report for 1981 j u st published. Consider-

: The chairman o North Norfolk D st ic t Council and the SJA County CommiSSioner and Commander Col. C. E

ably more funds are needed if the Legion is to keep pace with inflation, it seems, let alone expand its varied work in the community.

'With the changing patterns of life and the introduction of the Welfare State following the end of World War II ,' says Mr Buckingham, it was considered that in future the individual would want for little of the basic essentials o f life. Thi s has proved not to be the case Today the caring service provided by the Legion is in as much demand as it was in the twenties, when the Legion was founded. With indi vidual s

But in a recent letter to me, John reports one compensating piece of good news:

'Disappointed a s I have been, my only compensation has been the near completion of the reno v ation of our headquarters buildings, which I was charged with overseeing. In the obtain i ng circumstances it has been no mean achievement to have succeeded in using, for the purpo s e for which it was earmarked, the aid s o generously given to us by the Order!'

Maintaining a supportive and friendly connection with St J ohn - in developing countries is a matter of immense importance t o us all. Unless we can show them the way, they may have little or no idea of how much St John has to contribute to the health, safety and well-being of their society; and yet, when once they have made this discovery and have developed and adapted St John training and activities to suit their own needs, there is so much that they can give u s by way of example and inspiration, of friendship and new ideas. It

li

ing noti c eabl y longer, we now have to extend the facilities provided by our Home s so that ex-service men and women may be given continued care when they are no longer able t o look after themselves. '

1981 marked sixty gloriou s years of The Royal Briti s h Legion, which coincided with the International Year of Di s abled People It was a parti cu larly memorable j ubilee with Her Majesty The Queen attending no le ss than three Legion events, including a rededication service in Coventry Cathedral in Jul y, when the nation wa s experiencing public disturbance and rioting As the is a two-way exchange of the utmost value, and I trust that it is one that we s hall always take the greatest pain s to preserve through frequent exchange s and c ontacts in t he years to come. That is why I, for one, am so eagerly awaiting the Chief Commander' s return and looking forward to hearing hi s latest news of our friends and fellowmembers in the countries that he is vis iting. And I hope that we shall again be lucky enough to read some of his new s, and s ee some of his photographs, in the Review.

Public image

We are, I believe, very fortunate in maintaining a close and friendly relationship with our advertisers, and this is a matter of great importance both to us and to them. It is also a matter which calls for great delicacy of understanding, because a magazine like ours is so narrowly restricted in what it may properly advertise. While it's obvious that we must avoid advertising products which carry any possibility of health hazard, it is less obvious but equally important that we must avoid those which, however excellent they may be for use by highly trained personnel or for selective application at the discretion of a professional expert, are not suitable for ordinary di visional use. This means

count r y's larg est pr ivate employer of di s abled people, t he Legion made its co ntribution to t he [YDP by s tartin g to build the 'Churchill R ehabi li t ation and Assessment Centre' in The R oya Briti sh Legion Village near Maidstone, Kent , w here th e re are already a ho spital, a housing estate and workshops fo r disabled people.

The C hairm an conc lude s: 'The D iamond Jubilee ha s brou g ht t h e Legion ve r y mu ch to t h e forefront of the ge neral public. More people t han ever now recognise the extent of the organisation's b e n evo lent and maintaining the closest possible liai son with our St John Medical Board and seeking their advice when there is the sli ghtest doubt. Even so, somethi ng or other occasionally s lip s through our net, especiall y if the de ta il s of an advertisement which ha s been accepted in principle are delayed and do not arrive until mayb e ju st before or eve n j ust after, our prin ters' d ead line date. And we al so ha ve to try and ensure that advertisements carrying photograph s of St John members are such as will reflect credit on the Brigade by showing us to the public in a good li ght, and this is a matter on whi ch we cannot expect our adverti sers themselves to be in a position to judge. In this respect , the photograph advertising re-conditioned ambulances on the in side front cover of our February issue aroused what I thought was very justifiable indignation among Brigade members because the two men in uniform standing beside the ambulance looked SO scruffy.

There are forms of 'untidiness' whi ch may even be honourable in action photographs of someone doing an emergency job, either of first aid or of engine repair, and w e could actually do with rather more of these. But this was not

welfare work for the e -Service com munity channel 9 For anyone who needs help. The The caring serv ice [hat the Legion provides monitoring station contacts the appropriate will however, only be maintained if all ervice. con'tinue lO dedicate their ervice Later REA CT hopes to provide a regular un st intingly durin g t h e coming yea r .' information ervice on CB Radio, including The Poppy Appeal, on w h ich he Legion uch news as r oad condit ion s, accidents, large ly depends for it income, rai ed mis ing per on ,flood onditions, and SJA

£4,901,973. W hil e this represented an and Red Cros activitie. increase over the previous year of 9.15070, it Further inFormation can be obtained was under the rate of innation. from REACT UK, 142 Lutterwonh Road ,

HELP SERVICE

REACT UK stand for Radio Emergency

Associated Citize n Teams United Kingdom , a voluntary organi a ti on with the aim of providing a 24-hour monitoring ser ice thro ugho ut the UK on Citizen Band one of them It was a po ed photograph of an officer with the knot of his tie wandering off in the direction of his right ear and the buckle of h is belt slewing round towards his groin, and an A I M dre ed in an old pair of grey flannel bags and half a spec ial duty un iform. It was a photograph which s hould no t in a n y circ um sta n ces h ave been taken, and whi le I must (a) exo n erate the advertisers who were not re spo nsible and whose support we value, and (b) express regret on behalf of the Review that thi was 'another one that got away', I hope it will ha ve t h e co mpen sa tin g effec t of making our members r ea li se ju st what they can look lik e if t hey aren't much m o r e ca r eful of their public im age at all tim es, even w h en they don 't suspect the presence of a photograph er. But that doe sn't mean that they s hould be afraid to be seen - and photographed - getting spattered with mud or blood in an emergency, or di scardi ng t h eir cap a nd r olli n g up their sle ev es when t hi s enables them to do more efficient first aid.

Emotive

My remarks in January 'Readers Views' about the impropri e ty of wearing Brigade uniform when one is either ph ys cal ly unfit or no longer possessin g a c urrentl y val id FA

unealOn, Warwicks CV 11 6PE. Phone (0203) 383005.

PEN

PALS

The British section of The Inrernational Friendship League, to which many SJA member s write apparently, links pen friends certifi ate have drawn a severe reproach from one of my friends who is a Commis ioner and warm commendation from four others who hold various fairly enior appointment in the Brig ade.

The ubject i a highl y emotive one which (as shown, I think, by t he letter from Old Codger' on p 90) is apt to generate more heat than light so I hope that those who wi h to di cu it will ha e a night's sleep before they peak or write, and then keep their remarks to a low key. For myself, I wa a member of the A tive List of the Brigade for ne ar ly 40 year, 23 of them at divisional level, 0 I hope 1 cannot be ju tl y accused of not knowing or understanding the feelings of the rank and file'.

Yes, it i indeed a good uniform, to be worn with pride; but I per onally cou ld only wear it with pride if I had rea onable certainty that I was capable of carrying ou t what, in the eye of the public, the wearing of it implie At the moment, though I till possess a valid FA certificate, h ave vo lun ta ril y given up wearing the President's uniform to whi h 1 am entitled, beca use 1 don't con id er my elf fit enough to be m u ch more than an 'ar mchair first aider' in any emergency; and I 've tra elled aro und the country, and indeed over ea, in uniform exten ively enough during the

It does not link them within the UK. All enquiries s hould include the following information: Sex, age, sex of pen friend preferred, occupation, hobbies and interests, languages in which you can correspond (one languageEnglish - is sufficient), plus any other information that might help make a suitab le linking In other words tell [he League all about yourself, so [hat they can find someone with whom you'll have much in common

The address of the League in the UK (and please se nd a stamped, addressed envelope for their reply) is: IFL Pen Friend Ser vice, Saltash, Cornwall.

Good luck

years when I was Deput y C-in-C to know full well what the public expects of its wearers when an emergency suddenly occurs. But I don't exclude the possibility that with an improvement in health and strength and another FA re-exam, I may yet 'i ear m y Pre ident 's uniform again! Meanwhile, if there were no one more capable than myself to help, I trust that I should never hesitate to gi e the best fir t aid that 1 po ibly could and would never dream of passing by on the other si de'. And [ hope that if or when any amendment to the temporarily su pended B .O. 1713 is published, it will re trict the wearing of uniform b y retired members to tho e of us w h o are till qualified both physically and a fir t aiders.

Apart from the Chel ea Pensioner ho are in a unique position of honour, I can think of no more highly respected body of men and women than the members of the Royal Briti h Leg ion \ hen they appear on parade on Remembrance Day proudly wearing their medal and decoration s but in civi li an dre And, writing a one 'Old Codger' to another who i apparenrly four years younger than myself, I hope that thi t hought will be a ource of on olation and pride to the writer of the letter published thi month

Mrs Joyce Gorin, Supt of Barnstaple Nursing Division dazzles the boys of the N Devon Road Haulage Association with a big, smiling thank you when they presented SJA Barnstaple with oxygen equipment. (L ro R) The Assocration's David White Tony Pearce and chairman John Evans (Photo. Waverley Phoros Barnstaple)

Orpington (Kent) 394 Division's Cpl Ken Carter keeps his distance from the dainty but well-shod feet of Midnight Lady as he checks her for injury at a local horse show ( Photo: Sgt Ray Harl ng ) in the UK with others overseas.

CADET CHAT byJIM

Home Safety ROSPA produce a series of quiz sheets for use in home safety training, and shown below is sheet HS / CP 16. The sheets display a number of dangerous activities and situations and would be good value when working wi t h most ages of Cadets and, indeed, the Juniors.

Sheets HS / CP 1 8 and HS / CP 19 both illustrate p a rticular hazards to be found in the k i tchen These sheets are available at a cost of £4.75 per hundred (they can be mixed t itles if your prefer) including post and packaging from ROSPA, Cannon Hous e, T he Priory, Queensway, Birmingham B4 6BS

Brigade Cadet Camp 1982

The Januar y issue of Brigade Orders gave de t ails of the annual Cadet Camp to be held at Be x hill-on-Sea. The dates are July 17 to A ugus t 28 and it would be nice to think that t here is a reall y good turn-out this year.

Applica t ion s s hould be made to Miss W. Willis, 17 9 Hazelbank Road, Catford, London S E 6 lLU.

Adult help is also needed to fill particular posts s o if you are able to assist please contact Miss Willis.

Brigade Leadership Course Nottingham I unders t and that this year's course, held at Nott i ngham Uni versity from September 24 to 26 , is open t o Cadet Leaders as well as

adults. I have been to several of these weekends and always found them most interesting and worthwhile. It would be good to have a fine turn-out of Cadet Leaders, so if your Cadets are interested obtain application forms from your County I District Office. The closing date for applications is July 1 Ideas Ideas Ideas

Earlier this year I asked for your ideas and plans for Cadet Jubilee year. My thanks to those who put pen to paper to contribute. Here is a selection of ideas that you might feel worthwhile.

Try a new activity like: Learning sign language - Semaphore - Braille - Morris Dancing.

Or try a new sport, such as: Cyclo Cross - Cycle Speedway - Surfing - Hor s e Riding - Go Karting.

One of the RoSPA home saf ety quiz sh ee ts

Or arrange a badge subject you've neVer done before.

Or arrange for your meeting night to be held What about in a bal!oon, In a raIlway station, in a polIce statIOn, at a fair-ground, or on a boat?

Or hold your badge presentation ceremony somewhere special - like th e Mayor's Parlour, The House of Commons (ask your MP), or the local Cathedral.

WHATEVER YOU DO MAKE IT SPECIAL * AND * LET THE PRESS KNOW. Make the most of this year to encourage interest in the Cadet movement.

And ensure that your Cadets get as much as possible from it.

If your Division arranges something special let me know - please. If possible try to send me a black and white photo and I will publish it. Cadet Chat badges to all members of your division on receipt of details.

Games

Some more games for you to try in YO ur division.

Reef Knot Relay

EQUIPMENT - One chair for each team,

One bandage for each team.

AIM - To be the fir st team fini s hed

* Divide group s into team s of approxima t el y equal abilit y

* Line t e ams up at one end of the hal l.

* Place one c hair for e a c h team at oth er end of hall with one per s on s itting on it as patient.

* On the wo r d g o on e per s on runs to the

THE FAULTS

patient, wraps a bandage around the patient's arms and ties with a reef knot and runs back to team.

* Next person runs down, bandage and reties around leg. ThIrd person unties and reties around arm and so on until team is finished.

* If knot is not a reef knot then that person must try again until the knot is correctly tied.

* First team finished are the winners.

* Variations - Hop Instead of run - TIe a specified bandage instead of reef knot.

First Aid Baseball

EQUIPMENT - Five chairs set out in the pattern of a baseball field.

AIM - To score the largest number of home runs.

* Divide into two teams of equal ability,

* Umpire acts as pitcher who asks all questions. "

* First batter sits on home chalr and IS asked a one, two or three base question.

* If question is answered correctly then batter moves to the base chosen.

* Ensure that - difficulty of question increases as a larger number of bases is tried - that there is no prompting.

Contributions please to' Jim', 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Bois , Epping, Essex.

Cadet Spectacular

Royal Albert Hall, Oct 9, 1982

Programme

First , I would like to thank the 24 Counties whi c h submitted suggestions for the programme. All these were s ent to Major M J. Parker, producer of the Royal Tournament, who has kindly agreed to produce this show for u s He has drafted the outline programme, which embodies nearly all the ideas received, but in a simple form designed to include the maximum number of performers with the minimum need for local rehearsal (See next page ) If any of your Cadet Division s are disappointed that their contribution is either omitted or swallowed up in a larger version, please explain to them that the Albert Hall arena and stage are very large , and unsuited to small-scale acts, especially those with a spoken text. I wa s impressed with many of the plays and verses written by cadets, and am sorry that they cannot be heard on this occasion,

Performers

The number of cadets required for each item in the programme is shown. Except where the County is named the number in each case will be made up on receipt of the replies to the proforma sent out. The following additional information may be helpful:

The Choir (600)

The choir will be made up from Wales (100) and from all other Counties entering, until the total is reached. Major Parker is hoping that the Welsh group will be willing to give an item on their own, perhaps sung in parts, but otherwise the choir will not be expected to have rehearsed beforehand The aim is a Joyful Sound, rather than expertise! The programme will include the words of all songs, and the singing will be led by celebrity yet to be named.

continued overleaf

Cadet Diamond Jubilee and Brigade Training

Activities for 1982 /83

Event and Dale Cost Eligibility

HQ METHODS OF INSTRUCTION COURSES

4 / 82 Easthampstead Park May 14th-16th 1982

5/ 82 October 15th-17th 1982

6 82 Ea s thamp s tead Park December 3rd-5th 1982

1 83 Ea st hamps tead Park Januar y 14th - 16th 1983

2 83 North of England February 25th-27th 1983

OUTWARD BOUND COURSES

Expedition and Moun t ain Leader s Ju y 17 th-30th 1982

Potential Leader s August 2nd-14th 1982

Cadet Leader s hip Jul y 31 s t- Augu s 10th 1982

Cadet Leader s h p Augu s 10th-21 s t 1982

Sail training October 24th - No vember 6th 1982

Nijmegen March ( H o lland) July 16th-25th 1982

Commonwealth Games Sept. 27th-O ct. 11th 1982 £30

I Further details are available from your County HQ. Applications should be made now to your Commissioner. There will be no firm closing date but late application s will be dealt with on a first come first served basis.

2. There will also be in 1982 a national orienteering competition in conjunction \ ith the new orienteering proficiency subject and other acti vi ties to be organised a t County level.

3. The Cadet Spectacular will take place in the Albert Hall on October 9 1982 Detail s are available from your County HQ.

Major D. Beat MVO, Director of Music, Sc ots Guards, has kindly agreed to conduct t he band and choir at both performances.

The Bands

Again because of tm size of the Albert Hall , it will probably be necessary to combine more than one of our Cadet Bands on the stage. A fur t her band will be required in the Arena for Item 9

Mr D. Minney, Chairman, St John Ambulance Band Federation, will recommend suitable bands to Major Beat, and will no doubt arrange through his normal channels for Major Beat to hear them play. I hope that as many as possible of our good Cadet Bands will be represented.

Dress

With the ex c eption of Items 2 (Tableaux), 6 (PT) and the Irish Dancing Team , all per f ormers will wear uniform.

Timing

Performers should aim to arrive at the Albert Hall by 9am or as soon after as possible. Maj or Parker will make up and rehear se i t em s as cadet s arri ve.

There will be two performances , at 4 to 5.50pm and at 7 30 to 9pm. This will allow time for a meal and relaxation between performances

Meals

It is intended to pro vide t wo main meals for all performers and staff : lunch and high tea ( bet ween performance s). T ea / coffee / refreshments w ill also be a vailable

As this is an ex pensive item, it is regretted t hat it will not be possible to cover parents or other spectators There are howe ver ample faci li ties in the Albert Hail for and light refreshments , for those who do not want to go outs ide the Hall

Tickets

Spectators ticke t s are available from the Regis trar, St John Ambulance HQ , 1 Gros venor Crescent London SW1X 7EF . Prices are: Balcony , £1.50; 2nd Tier, £4.00; Grand Tier , £5 00; Loggia £4.00; and St all s £3.00.

Accommodation in London

Many performers will no doubt t ra vel up with their families or friends who will make their own arrangements for overnight accommodation However, where performers and their officers are without anywhere to sta y in London before a long

CADET SPECTACULAR: Provisional Programme

I.

10.

journey home, it is hoped to arrange accommodation with the help of London District.

Travelling Expenses

I am aware that th is question has alread y been illscussed by the Cadet Advisory Committee, and that it present s a considerable problem. The whole idea of this celebration is to enable the max imum number of cadets to participate to be watched by as many of their parent s and friends as can get there. However, t he size of the cast envisaged (some 1, 100) clearly makes it impossible for the Order to give a blanket guarantee to pay all their fare s Nor can I believe thi s to be necessary where short journeys , or perhaps family group s

To tal time 92 minutes

tra vell in g b y car , are in vo lved.

Th e maj or ity of p erfor m e r s w ill possess s tudent ticke ts. Man y o f t heir p a r en ts or o ff icers w ill ma ke u s e of C he a p R e t urn fares I am hope fu l tha t we s hall fi nd that we are able t o co p e with all cas es in real need w h er e ca d ets c a n n ot o t h erw ise take par t.

Reserves I would a sk Co unti es t o ma in t ajn t heir own 're serves ' so th at a n y per fo rm ers

AEROMEDICAL

EA STH A M PSTEA D P A R K in Ber ks h ire was the s a lub r iou s v en u e fo r th e re v it a lised and re surr ecte d tra in in g wee k e nd fo r new an d experi enced a ir att endant s of t he St Jo hn Aero medi cal Se r v ces We m et ea rl y eve nIn g on F rid ay, Janu

we knew h e was du e to fl y to Pe ki ng and on to re m ote Xia n t h e next we e k to esco r ba ck a yo u ng man revive d af t er a c ardiac a rr est.

Train ing Wee k e nd

Are the following true or false: 9.

3.

4.

6.

Lotions can be used for mild sunburn. 16. Electrical burns are not usually deep. clean water.

8 Drinks can be given if the burnt 17. Sunburn can be caused by reflections 23. Immersing the burnt part for ten person is con scious. from snow. minutes in cool water helps to replace (Answers on page 91) body fluids.

s were

ere, in cl ud ing HQ staff, the Aeromedical ec h elo n an d a d visory team, g u ests a n d air attendants. We were ho no ur ed by the presence fo r the w h ole of the weekend of t he Assista n t Comm issionerin-Chi ef, G era ld Easton (h im se l f a n ex-p il ot a nd t he onl y p erso n present wearing f ull wings on hi s jacket), a nd t h at pi oneer air attendant, our dep u ty S ur geon- in-C h ief D r A rch b ald, the ch ief g u est. The C-in-C, Major-Gen Sir J ohn Younger, joined us for lunch and the afternoon on the Saturday, accompanied by his Chief Staff Officer, Group Captain Ted Packwood.

Gr ou p Captai n George Baxter, the new Director, had arranged and organised the who l e venture and planned the com prehensi ve and deman d ing programme, aided and inspired by that lively 'veteran' and the founder director, George Woodhill. Both were supported by Tricia McQueen, whose beguiling voice is so well known to air attendants cajoling and importuning us to fly to faraway places at impo si bly hort notice a nd unsoc ia hour

Fi m Friday evening was for getting to know each other and settling in to our quarters. After supper, a short film was shown on reducing injuries in air acci d ents. The hard work started at 9am o n the Saturday, when after the in tro du ction of vario u s staff, D r Roger Green of Br itish Ajrways remin d ed u s of the 'P h ysio logy of F lig h t' and recent advances of knowledge in this field, inclu d ing our su rvival time if an aircraft decompressed. Mrs Cat h y Stretton, one of t he Aeromedical p an el a n d an experie n ce d nurse tu tor and atte nd ant, then to ld u s about pre-flig ht preparat io n and in -flight care. Her top ics range d from the b asics of n ur sing techni q ues in airc r aft (a spray to disg u ise sme ll s was o n e essent ia l) , to reveali n g t h e secrets o f her o wn personal in-fl ig h t b ag. This s eem ed t o c on ta in en o u gh fo r a camel jo urn ey a cr o ss th e S ah ara, let alo n e a h reehou r fligh t t o Ca n nes.

Dr Tom Evan s, an ex-ca de t and u niforme d surgeo n of London Di strict , a C o ns u ltant Cardiolo gist a t the Ro y al F r ee Hos pital , followed b y giv ing a ver y ex pert talk on t he care and a sse s sme nt of the ca rdia c pa tie nt. One major le sso n w as p ost- infar ct p atie n ts ma y not b e fi t to travel for at leas t ten d ays or fo r up to h ree wee k s. Dr Eva n s' parti cipat ion was h eig h ten ed dramat ical ly as

H e was to b e accompa ni ed b y h e Se rvice's Technical Officer, t r ave l-worn D erek C ark (he gets n to all t h e acts) an d b y a represe n tat ive of Vickers L td , t h e agent s for the Laer d ah l range of imm ed ia te care a nd traini n g eq uip ment.

After lunch (all mea ls were very good) the company d ivided into t h ree groups fo r demo n strations and seminars. Bri an R ockell, t h e deputy d irector of S up p lies at the G a te, a n d P eter Br own, prou dl y s h ow ed off their extre m e ly we ll -eq ui pped, m o d ern an d g leam ing Aeromedica l Services ambu lances and de m onstrate d some of their favourite 'toys'. These ambula n ces, cost ing up t o £20,000 with their equi pm e n t, are use d not o nl y for airport pick-ups but also for journeys across Europe.

John Perkins SRN who supervises the Coventry base, Gra h am R obinso n a charge nurse in an in tens ive care unit near L on d on, and Dr An d y H andley who h a s sp ecia lise d in immediate care, demonst ra te d t he u s es o f the equipment available at both St an ste d and Coventry, which ranges from defibri ll ators, drip sets and cardioscopes to s h eets, urinals, and bedpans!

Meanw h ile in the main hall, the two Georges explained how the Service was organised and its day-to-day r un n ing, whi le the latest concept in aerome d ical uniforms was mode ll ed by suave D erek

This very full day was followed by an informal dinner funded by the Service. Receptive after much wine, followe d by port,

we applauded Dr Archi b ald as he thanked the o r g a nisers (two new jokes also) and e n joyed Andy Handley's facilit y as a public s p ea k er when he p ro p osed the toast 'The St John Ae r o m edical Services'; he then spun a mar vell o u s t ale, no t who ll y ap ocryphal, of t h e joys and ha zar d s of being an air atte nd ant! A further post-prandial treat was a h ig hly expert a nd engrossing audio-visual history o f the Service, presented by the ubiquitous Mr Clark. This included slides of a rum p led-l o oking St John cadet who bore a re mar k a ble resemblance to our speaker. Sunday 9a m started with a lecture on a nalge sia and the use of drugs in flight. This wa s f ollo wed b y the inimitable D r Brian Lewis, Consultant Anaesthetist, County Surg e on of Kent and an expert raconteur, s pe akj ng on 'Th e Ventilated Patient' - a very useful and witty talk. Harry Garnett and Eli z a b eth Welch, both RMN, then lectured on the care of the psychiatric patient, and Cl a r e G uess, a pa ed iatric Ward Sister , spoke on the Paed iatric Patient' - a subject whkh really d oe s require expertise.

Ma j o r injur ies

Ex p erienced air attendants spent Sunday afterno o n listening to a talk by St John Sur ge on Mr Ken Walker, a Consultant Orthop aed ic Surgeon, on the transport of ma jo r in juries, while the Aeromedical panel in terviewe d aspirants for the Service, both d octors and nurses One nurse with a pilo t's licence, and anoth er - a new recruit already committe d to fly to Lenillgrad two days later - who co u ld speak Russian ! The panel were most impressed by the high sta n dard of those who presented themselves an d were encouraged to find that many said t he y wo u ld like to join St John rather than j u st be a uxil i aries.

Probab ly w h at the whole weekend achleved an d r einfor ced more than anything else w a s t he amazi n g d egree of enthusiasm and dedication shown by all students present, all volunteers and unpaid. Equally impressive an d encouraging was t h e high standard of pro fessi on alism reached by volunteers who have r eall y w o rked to achieve this standard. U n fo r t un ately, this professionalism now d eman d ed b y the companies and industries which emplo y u s means that the lay a tte ndan t is i n le ss d emand for flights and o t her j ourn e ys.

I t wa s very grat ifyi n g to hear favourable com men ts fro m the B ritish Airways doctors pr esent - they had tho u ght us amateurs, I'm su r e.

F inall y, I mu st congratula te Ge o rge Baxter a nd hi s st aff on suc h an exc ellent weekend which it is hop ed will be an a n n u al event, t ho ugh d ay tr aini n g wi ll also be given later t his y ear at Coventry and Stansted. Dr orma n Paros County Surgeon , Essex

SINCE our visit to the Castle of St Peter at Bodrum in 1979 (Review May 1980), the Tower built by English Knights has been opened to the public. With Major Hamish Forbes, the Secretary of the Order of St John, we were honoured to be invited to attend the opening ceremonies by the Turkish authorities.

The formal opening was to be on October 16 1981 and we arrived in the picturesque fishing village of Bodrum a couple of days earlier. We took with us three large banners made by Denis Collings (heraldic artist of the Order) as the Order's contribution to the English Tower's refurbishment.

,t Bodrum

Revisited

Order sends banners for English Tower

A rehearsal of the opening was arranged to familiarise us with the procedures. Timing, as in all ceremonies, was important.

Our progress through the Castle, viewing the other recently presented museum displays en route, culminated in our arrival at the English Tower just as the sun was setting.

A new drawbridge was being constructed to fit the drawbridge holes recently discovered during the restoration works.

Inside, we presented the banners to the Director of the Museum, Mr Oguz Alpozen, so that they could be hung in time for the formal opening. These large banners show the medieval arms of the Order (a white cross

Pame a Willis, Curator of the Order's Museum speaking at the opening ceremony of the English Tower. (Below) Major Hamish Forbes (centre). Secretary of the Order, with the Vali and the Director of Antiquities and Museums outside the Chapel of the Knights. (Photo: Stella Dyer )

on a red background) and the coat-of-arms of Thomas Docwra, Prior of England (1501- 1527). He was Captain of the Castle of Bodrum before becoming Prior and his arms appear above an entrance gate, carved on a piece of marble probably taken by the Knights from the ancient Mausoleum nearby. St. John's Gate too bears Thomas Docwra's arms, and we felt this was an appropriate link between England and Turkey

The day of the opening ceremony was bright and clear. A huge eye-catching red Turkish banner hung between two towers of the Castle (built by Italian and French Knights) and its ramparts were decora ted with flags.

We met the other guests and officials: the Mayor of Bodrum; the Kaymakam , Governor of Bodrum; the Vali of Mughla , Governor of the province; and the Director of Antiquities and Museums for Turkey Speeches were made outside the entrance to the English Tower by Major Forbes on behalf of the Order of St John, Pamela Willis as Curator of the Order's Museum , the VaH on behalf of the Turkish authorit es and Mr Oguz Alpozen as Director of the Bodrum Museum.

A ribbon was cut and Mr Alpozen gave three heavy knocks on the wooden door. A voice inside challenged him, 'Friend or Foe?' and upon receiving a satisfactory response from Mr Alpozen, the door opened. A figure in English medieval costume - the Keeper of the English Tower - appeared, to invite the guests to enter and accept his hospitality Inside, the air was heavy with incense; flaming torches and firelight illuminated the long table laden with oriental delicacies. A new spirit of co-operation between the Order and Turkey was symbolised by the banners hanging above. Some showed the development of the Turkish flag from the 13th-century to the present day. Others represented the arms of the Rhodian Grand Masters of the Order.

Medieval music was playing and the whole scene with cost umed figures and the period setting evoked a picture of times past. At the end of the ceremony we were escorted along the ramparts by torch-bearers, and made our way down through the Castle, feeling that we had had a glimpse of its earlier history. The following days gave us opportunities for a closer look at the restoration of the English Tower, including the unusual straight stone staircase up to the roof. From there our view of the Island of Kos and the nearby watch-towers gave us an insight into the medieva l communications system of the Order. Dr Butler, our late Librarian, had done detailed research on the beacon and signalling systems of the Knights in Rhode s, and from the top of (he English Tower we could imagine these in operation. Before our departure the military authorities were kind enough to show u the watch-tower on the hill opposite the Castle, across the harb our. We were privileged to accompany the museum staff in their welcome of the Turkish Minister of Culture, who had come from Ankara to see the developments at

Bodrum Museum. The ceremony of admittance by the Keeper of the Tower was repeated, and it will be a regular feature reenacted for visitors to the Engli sh Towe r during the summer.

Bodrum Castle is a museum of marine archaeology and we saw some of the work of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology centred at the museum (it was recently featured in a BBC Chronicle programme).

Finds from the most recent underwater excavations, that of an 11th-century ship trading in glass, are housed in the lower storey of the English Tower. There the Knights of St John had their grain store.

Once the drawbridge was up, the tower could have been self-sufficient while under siege.

I At the Wharfshed.

ON THE canal ide at Cromford, near Matlock, Derbyshire, is t he Wharfshed, an old warehouse which was once used to unload goods from trains to cana l barges

Today the interior of the fine old building is completely modernised and used as a residentia l ce ntre for yout h groups for adventure activities in the area. It has two dormitories (to sleep 24 people), two leaders rooms (each for two), kitchen and dining area fo r self-catering, a lounge area and lecture room, plus showers and toilet facilities It is owned by the De r byshire County Council and comes under the care of the National Peak Park Ranger. It was to this centre that 24 cadets from all over Derbyshire made their way last summer for a week's adventure activities - somewhere that you might like to take a party of cadets too.

In charge of the Derbyshire party was CSO Andrew Collington, with ASO Valerie Mohan (Peak Area), Mrs Carole Alvis

24 Derbysh ire cadets stayed at Wharfshed for a week s adventure activities

(Derwent) and Richard Eaton (Peak).

Activities included a torchlight walk of about 6 miles; building bivouacs and sleeping in them; a 40-mile, 2-day walk from Castleton to Thorpe, a small village near Ashbourne, which is known as the Limey Walk because it is along the edge of the limestone rock; raft building and crossing the canal with them; and rock climbing.

Thursday afternoon was the only time during the week that the cadets had to

We returned home with plans for future co-operation. It was clear that our visit had cemented the links established by the first Order visits in 1979. The Turkish authorities and the Director of the Museum and his staff made us most welcome.

We are sure that any British visitors, especially St John members, to this delightful Mediterranean village will find an equally warm welcome, and the Castle of Bodrum with its English Tower of particular interest. Pamela Willis and Stella Dyer

themselves, while the staff prepared the evening 'banquet for the gue t : Dr V Leveaux Direc tor Derb hire, and Mr Leveaux; County Secretary Mrs C. Lambley and Mr Lambie, I ir & Ir Rolfe from Chesterfield, ho have done 0 mu h to help our cadet over many year.

For transport we hired t\ 0 IS-seat Ford Tran it mini buse 'It \ as a great week' aid all the cadets.

The Castle of St Peter at Bodrum, Turkey - a castle of the Order 's from 1404 (Photo Stella Dyer)

Museum

GRAND PRIOR'S FINAL

from David Hallard, HQ Competition Manager

[n the February R.eview Divisional Officer W H. Kay of Liverpool appeared to unfaIrly relate 'consistently inconsistent standards of judging' to the St John HQ organised 1981 Grand Pn?r's Trophy event by coupling this expression to his comment s on a sl?gle factor he witnes s ed in one of the te s ts from a seat in the audIence.

I refer to his criti c s m of the Ladies' Scottish Gas Board team who won the event although they failed to turn off oxy-acetylene following the ex plosion of a petrol tank during weldin g, In whIch the burner, according to the text of the test was e x tinguished in the blast. '

In the s e circum s tance s there was no reason for the judge to s top he test inform the team members that they had been burnt to death ThIS team failed t o obtain marks for turning o ff equipment whereas other teams which did gained points. Where is the Inconsistency in thi s ?

Incidentally, there was one other competing team who failed to marks on the same point - M.O.D. , Liverpool, who in their excItement turned the gas valves further on instead of off!

It be added that considerable research went into the stages of t his particular test and advice sought from offICIals .of the British O xyg en Company who generously supplied he weldIng s et used.

'The mark s ob ta inabl.e for turning off the gase s were deliberatel y w ntten down It was deemed inadvisable t o incorrectl y fill colour c oded cylInders With compre ss ed air to introduce the hi ss of escaping gases desired b y the judge Ox yg en and acetylene c ould no t be u sed o f the inherent ri s k s and in the interest s of safety both cyl!?ders had been 'washed out' with nitrogen and lef t unpressunsed

In clo s ing 1 would suggest that it would not encourage teams t o enter at any level if stop the te st' judging policie s were adopted ?atlOnall y. Training can onl y be constructive when teams are permItted to w ork to the conclusion of the time limit set and marks for all work actuall y performed. Pro v isi on is made for judges to dedu ct a proportion of total mark s pos s ible for fai lure to per f orm any a ct for which positive marks are not ob t ainable Headquarters Da vid Haliard

from Peter Thorpe

I have before me the Januar y 1982 iss ue of the St John Revi ew giving the re s ult s of the Grand Prior' s Trophy competition, and I offer my c on g ratulatIOn s to all the wi nners and in par t icular, to he lad y from Cornwall who achieved the highest individual w omen 's award had the privilege on many occasion s of competing in thi s competitIOn, .ma y I offer a constructive critici s m o f the pre sent on co mpetition is run. How can you po ss ibly ha ve a hlghe.s t award, for both men and ladie s , with four different judges judgmg four separate individual tes s ? fair system would be to have an award for the highe st Indi Vi dual 10 .each respective lane and only then can each individu a l h.ave 's portmg chance' of achieving one of the highest honour s in first atd competition work.

our generation hav e t h e time and the exper ie n ce to ca rr y out, such as outIngs for chIldren and pen ion e rs to quote but two.

We are s uppo sed to b e an Order of C hi va lr y. I kno w all the argument s about so me se nior m embers n ot be in g up to sc rat ch ph YS Ica ll y, an d ma y b e les than ag il e mentally, a nd in uch ca e no offIcer wo.uld se nd them on duty; and I would heartil y agree With t h at. But thi S order creates a great in just ice in n ot a ll owing the wear!ng of uniform at a ll. The e cuse that the public expect s anyone In St John unIform to be 100070 efficient in cases of err:ergency.falls flat when one con id e r that our president wear Bngade and all too often they are of an advanced age, and n.o t per so n 10 a th o u sa nd outs id e of the Brigade wou ld k n ow the SIg n Ifica n ce of their white gorget patche I joined t he Bri gade in 1927 at the age of 17 and lik e hundred s of others wh? have a lifetime of ervice it was glad ly given in a far mor e dedI cated SPlflt than is often found now. Looking back, our fau t wa that we not on ly did the job we lo ved, but we often saC rI f ice d and n eg lected our familie to do it. They are the ones who can now say of John H ow can t h ey do thi to you? I s thi s the great Order of chIvalry and tradition t h at we have heard so much about all the se years?: In t hi age when g r eat indignat io n i expre ed t he attacks, mu ggmgs and r obbing of o ld fo k, are we 0 ery different w hen in effect we say: You have committed the unpardon a ble s in of rea c h ing three sco re years an d ten. We do not want to know you.

Leics

Editor: See At R andom

Old Codger, ex CSO ( ame and address s upplied)

WHAT WE SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE

from D Haselgrove , Divisional Officer

May I dra w atten t io n to the advertisement on the in ide front cover 19 82 R ev iew? First, t h e divi sio nal supe rin tendent w it h his t ie and belt buckle to one s ide, and po ss ibly hi hirt u nd o n e at the n eck, Second , t h e amb ul a n ce member eems to be wearing grey trousers.

Thi s photogr ap h will do n othing for the image of St John as [ 'm s ure mo st memb ers will agree.

WINTER DUTIES

Ambulance Snowbound

Surrey's Weybridge Combined Division AFfER a day of heav y s now a nd blizzards, it came a s no surpri se to receive a phone call that evening (Friday D ece mb er 11 ) from the local Ru gby Club cance llin g he weekend first aid cover, due to four inches of snow on the fo ur pitches. What was a surpri se was the phone call T received n ext mornin g at 9.30am fro m my Superintendent (noted for his b e li ef in mi racles) informing me ha t h e had received and accepted a transport ca se, t h e bad n ews being that it was the next day (Sunday) and to Sunder land Co. Durham He had in fact fo und two avai lab le members, D / N / O Jean Nissen and her son A M Derek Nissen, but we needed one more to s hare the drivin g. After a co upl e of phone ca ll s, we found somebody.

Ringing the patient' relatives, to confirm times, etc, I earned t hat the lady in question was s uffering from advanced terminal cancer and it was imperati ve that she return home that weekend.

I rang for the lo ca l weather forecast and checked conditions with some friends in York and Div/ Supt Jeff Nice, of Nettleham Division, Lincoln, who offered help shou ld the ambulance n eed it.

O n go in g to check the ambulance t hat evening, 1 found 18 inche of snow against the door s of Headquarter, so I et to work with a hovel. A fter a while everything seemed set, so I went home. The third crew member then rang to say he was unable to go because of work commitments. [ had an abortive even in g trying to find a rep la ce m ent, so early the next morning I tned N / M Ti n a Parker' s number again and this time she answered.

'H ullo, Tina - are yo u working today?'

Yawn. 'No, why?'

'Ca n yo u do a transport trip?'

Yawn. 'Yes -w h ere to !

'S underland

heard how our crew were getting on? Th en at 5.30pm came a rever se-charge call from Blyth, Nottingham. It was Der ek: 'We've run into a s n ow drift. The engine's packed up. I' ve rung t he RAe. Any suggestions?'

They had been making good time, he told me, until they reached Nottingham where they suddenly ran into a blizzard , with visibility down to a few feet. Snow got into the vehicle's electrics. And then they ran into a snow drift.

Derek had left Jean and Tina in the ambula n ce with the blue ]jght flas hin g (at least that s ti II worked) and managed to get a lift back to t h e nearest service statio n.

While Derek and I were talking on the phone the ambulance suddenly appeared at the ervice station with a police patrol car which had found our two N / Ms , got the amb ul ance's engine started, and escorted them back. As conditio n s were so bad the crew went off to a n ear b y ho te l for the night.

Next morning there was another phone call from them They were still stuck in Blyth as the alternator had seized up The one and only garage there wa doing everyt hin g to get h em mobile.

They

where the engine was immediately attended to, the

being sup plied with endless cups of

They eventually resumed their journey and arrived back in Weybridge at 5.30pm In the ew Year we received a letter from the patient's relatives: 'It was nic e of the ambulance crew t o respond so quickly to our req u est and arrange transportation that weekend. Please extend our sincere thanks to all of t hem. Mrs had a very comfortab le journey and he passed away on De cember 22 in her own home - as \ as h er wish.'

Ray Pennock

The G:an? Pri?r's Trophy competition is one of the highlight s of year In fir s aid and I say to the competition committee correct thi S anomaly by introducing a highe s t individual award for each re s pective individual lane Falmouth

A GOOD UNIFORM from Old Codger

Peter Thorpe

Hig h Wycombe

Editor: See A Random OPEN COMPETITION

from I. A Hollick Divisional Secretary

As o.ld timer affected by t he infamous B O 1713 which is now happII.y In s uspend.ed animation, may I express the hope that the next stage It will be moribund and then demise. It seems to me that our policy are not in tune with the likely reaction to s uch a the indignation felt, or how fa r the ripples wi ll go If thiS particular pebble is thrown into the pond In the se day s of fallIng s trength s, many divisions will be hard pushed to fulfil duty reque s t s for the many summer weekday events which member s of

D. Ha se lgrove

The Co lli ery Di v s ion's 19 82 ann u a Open First Aid

CompetItIOn wIll take pla ce on Saturday, April 24, 198 2, at the North LeIcester M Iners' Welfare Ce ntr e, Coa lv ii1 e, Leics, at 1.30pm. Fo r d etails phone m e o n Coa lvi ll e (0530) 3659 1, office hours, or Coalvtlle 8 10044, evenings. Leics I. A. Holli ck Have you joined yet? ... . the St John House Club, London

'Whe r e's that ?' 'Sunderland, Co. Du r ham Now th e good new s. You leave in half-an-hour.' Her reply is not printable.

At 9am t h e c r ew set off from HQ to pick up the ir patient at 9.15. 3.30pm m y phone r ang. They h ad

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS: 12

Answers (Questions on p 56)

NEWS from SCOTLAND

DR IVAN TAIT KStJ, Chairman of the Order Committee, and Mr H. Forbes Murphy, Chairman of t he Edinburgh and SE St John Association, presided over a well-attended annual general meeting of the Order and Association in the Edinburgh area at the Freemasons Hall, Edinburgh, on Thursday February 25. Plans for fund raising were launched , including a Flag Day on May 22 preceded b y house collection beginning on May 17.

The Annual General Meeting of Central St John Association was followed by a dinner attended by a large gathering of distinguished guests. Dr Thomas Reilly , MC, pres ided and the guest speaker was Sheriff Nigel Thomson of Edinburgh, who s poke of the charitable activities associated with the Order of St John in looking after the sick and disabled from the time of the Crusades until the pre se nt, while in Scotland local Associations s upported a wide range of good works.

The Chancellor, Mr Wm A. P. Jack , in tha nking he speaker, illustrated the truth of his remarks by referring to the latest addition, a games room, to the Holiday Home at Strathyre which was built by the Central Committee and Association. Mr Archibald Ru sse ll , Chairman of Central Committee, presented a St John plaque to

At a display stand: (L to R) Dr G. Mitchell, Director of Association; Dr J N M Parry Commander; Mr G. Townsend, F. W. Equipment Co. Ltd Dr D. B. Price, Chief Commissioner ; and Dr D W. Williamson, Chief Surgeon

WALES

THE BRIGADE Surgeons and Nursing O ffic er s confe rence, held at The Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells, over the weekend February 13 14 , was very well s upported both by delegates and manufacturing companies who displayed their late st equipment.

The chairman for the weekend was Dr D. W. Williamson, the Chief Surgeon for Wales, and the sub ject discussed was Cardiology, the main s peaker being Pro fessor H Henderso n FRCP, Con-

Mr and Mrs W. Tho mso n, retiring warden and matron, rece ving a parting presentation from Mr G H Tilling , chairman of Lennox Row St J o hn Hospice Edinburg h. (Photo: Sco tsman Publicat ions)

Mrs M. E. Lundie, Matron of Erskine Hospital for war disabled, whose residents make good use of the Holiday Home. He also thanked Mrs Mathieson, Commissioner of Girl Guides for Stirlingshire, for the gift of a wheelchair to the Holida y Home. Mrs Mona Reid Kerr proposed t he Vote of Thank s Good relationship s with the Rotar y organisation, whose motto Service above Self', is in sym pathy with that of the Order of St John, have been furthered t hrou g h visits paid and talks given to lo cal club s by the Chancellor and t he Prior y Secretary (who while in the USA also spoke on the Order of St John to Mooresville Rotar y Club, North Carolina). Th e Rotarian s in

Stranraer have given their support, b y a donation of £750, t o the Dumfrie s and Galloway St John As ociat ion, whose ambitious work for the good of e ld erly da y patients at Dalrymple Hospital continues to prosper.

A Memorial Service for the late Sir Ian Bolton, formerly Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire and an Hon. Pre ident of Ce ntral St John A ociation, wa held in Glasgow Cathedral on Wedne da y Janu ary 24. Scottish Priory wa repre ented by Mr James MacLaren Ander on OSt] at the Memorial Service for Dr Lionel Har ry Butler , Librarian of the Order, al Grand Priory Church on January 29.

Northern Ireland

LONDONDERRY Six nursing and three ambulance cadets from S on Mills Combined Cadet Division and one nursing cadet from Limavady N /

Hospital in Jerusalem.

Commissioner of the Brigade, Major-Gen C. M. Gumer is we ll pleased with the growth of the Brigade and its Cadet Divi

s ultant Cardiologist at the University Hospital of Wales, who also brought along the Hospital Cardiology team.

The conference was welcomed by the Mayor of Llandrindod Wells, Cllr A. Pritchard, and the guest speaker at the dinner was Dr W. R King, who is a member of the I nspectorate of Chief Commissioners.

The weekend was organised by the Chief Training Officer, Mr J P. Harries.

The Chief Cadet Offi cer, Mr s H G. Lewis (centre) with her County Cadet and Staff Officers at their Annual Conference Also sitting are the Assistant Chief Commissioner for Wal es, Mr C J Parry, Chief Staff Officer, Mr J. P Harries, and Deputy Chief Cadet Officer Mr D A. Cantley

OVERSEAS

Miss Megan Alwyn Brigade member daughter of Canberra s Association President , Lt-Col John Alwyn , conducting a Care of the Sick in the Hom e course at Priory HQ Student in Arab dress is from Egypt Australia

The new sub-district and newest s ub- ce ntre of St John in Australia is in Canberra, having been granted autonomy from New South Wales in 1979. A number of programmes have been sponsored by St John, including a course of first aid instruction ajmed at creating co mmunity awareness. The programme , called 'Don't Let Them Die' consists of twenty hours' instruction, followed by a theory and practical examination to grun the basic first aid certificate. Indeed, a first aid certificate and a home nursing certificate in every home is the aim and inten t ion of a steadily growing educational programme mounted by St John Ambulance Association. It has been one of the most successful of its kind in Australia and has alread y proved equally successful in the schools, the Civil Service, the Australian Federal Police at recruit trairung level (150 graduates so far), and a specially structured junior course for school children over the Christmas holidays. The Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Sir Colin Woods, is delighted with the standard of instruction and equally importantly, the results obtained by his police cadets at their examinations. The Police Classes are conducted by Mr Lionel Davies, BEM, who has been a keen honorary worker for St John for many years.

Equally enthusiastic is the Ladies Committee which raises funds for the Ophthalmic Hospital under the chairmanship of Mrs Pam Byles. Since 1979 it has raised £4,500 for the Ophthalmic

Nevvs frol1J Divisions/ Centres

HQ STAFF OFFICERS

WANTED

TWO Staff Officers are required for the Training Section of St John Ambulance Brigade National Headquarters in London.

The persons selected will be in the age range of 25-50, with a sound knowledge and practical experience of Training, gained either in Industry, the Armed Forces, as a teacher, youth leader or as a St John Ambulance Brigade Officer.

The ability to methodically assess training needs for a volunteer force of Adults and Cadets, to prepare and supervise training programmes, to write and speak fluently are essential.

Salary negotiable around £6 , 500.

For application form write to: The Registrar / Staff Manager, St John Ambulance, 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SWIX 7EF.

1982 DIARIES - 18p each

£25.92 per gross plus VAT

Ball Pens, Key Fobs, etc - all printed to your requirements

For sample and Price list

BOSTON SUPPLY Co. Dept. SJ 112 Victoria Road, Netherfield, Nottingham NG4 2MM

ST JOHN REVIEW

To Review Sales. St John Ambulance 1 Grosvenor Crescent London SWl X 7EF

Please supply / renew * annual subscriptio

THE WORLD ABOUT US by Jack

Just looking fattens

'Just looking at food makes me put on weight' is the grumble of many people who are preoccupied with weight problems. There is evidence nowadays that this could well be true. In a declaration about an investigation, recently completed at Yale University, the review Science Digest states that 'Persons who are sensitive to the "signs" of food, such as seeing or hearing beefsteak cooking in a frying pan, secrete high levels of insulin When they are confronted by these signs, especially if the food is one of their favourite dishes, they excrete even more.' The investigators came to the conclusion that, since the hormone, insulin, can accelerate the conversion of sugar into fat, to see, smell or even hear food cooking can have a fattening effect.

The battle against blindness Reporting a conference held in Italy

recently, the Southern Gazette stated that, in that country, for every 100,000 inhabitants 200 persons are blind. In the United States and the countries of Northern Europe, the number of blind people per 100,000 inhabitants varies between 50 and 80. But the number per 100,000 grows to 1,000 in Pakistan, 2,500 in Nigeria and 3,000 in Ghana. In spite of the modern methods for dealing with diseases of the eyes, the periodical calls the battle against blindness a 'very difficult fight'.

Near death through lack of A little girl of two years of age, living on Long Island, New York, was at the point of death because her diet had not varied over a long time. According to the report, in the morning she ate semolina, sausages and kidney beans, at mid-day sandwiches of sausage and kidney beans and, for the evening meal, rice and beans with very small portions of pork She was taken to hospital when she became ill and it was found that her heart was enlarged and her lungs were beginning to fill with fluid.

The doctors thought that the child's illness was due to a virus, but she did not respond to treatment. Then one of the doctors remembered a three-year study made by Chinese investigators who had found that the lack of the mineral selenium in a person's diet resulted in symptoms of

this kind and could cause death. They made examinations which revealed that the child had the lowest levels of selenium that had been met in anyone before. They administered tablets of selenium and at the end of one month the Ii ttle girl was restored to health. Selenium is found as a natural component in foods which the patient had not been eating , such as eggs, tunny fish , wheat germ, bran, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes and onions.

Increase of hypertension in China

It has often been stated that high blood pressure is a problem peculiar to the western countries. But now Wu Ying Kai, director of a cardiovascular centre, announces that there has been a dramatic increase in cases of high blood pressure in the Peoples' Republic of China. 'For a long time it was thought that there were very few cases of hypertension in China, ' he state s . 'In general we still have only a few cases but if we follow in the same rate as the last twenty years I think we shall soon reach the same level' (as western countries). In the large cities, such as Shanghai, the cases of high blood pressure have increased by 10070 , a rate corresponding to that of the United States .

Living on air

It has been reported that a Canadian , of Windsor, Ontario , lost more than 37 kilograms (nearly 6 stones) by following a remarkable method Under medical supervision , he kept , in his stomach, a n inflated globe for six months Reuter 's News Service reports' He felt satisfied by the smallest morsel.'

process of scapula (8) . 10. Treated fracture by intramedullary fixation (6) 12 Deceased after the proper time (4). 13 Footwear produced from hose (4). 14. Time of first symptoms of an illness (5) 16 Serious heart condition due to a gamble by the auricles? (6.7).20 Twinges experienced by marksmen? (8.5). 24. Facial appearance indicative of severe shock (5) 26. Part of brain, ear, liver, and lung (4). 27. Conception of the mind (4) 30. Speak hesitatingly having note to change (6). 31. Condition due to paralysis of dorsi flexors of ankle (4.4). 32. Strange lustre of coat from Ireland (6) 33 Part of cardiac cycle when ventricles are contracting (8).

Down

1. Scurry about for part of old dress (6). 2. Blood groups with right to terminate pregnancy at an early stage (5). 3. Seaweed source of iodine (4) 4. Are hurt badly in tube through which urine is voided (7) 6. Acids used by body in synthesis of proteins (5) 7 Frequent complication of the common cold (9).8. Eighth cranial nerve (8). 11 Possibly suffering from an affliction of 8 Down (4) 15 Distres s oneself with regret for ornamental work (4). 16. Type of mosquito transmitting malaria (9) 17. Limb left for example (3). 18. Group of wards for which a Nursing Officer has responsibility (4). 19. Epidemic sweeping Europe in 1957 (5.3). 21. Invalid (4). 22. Age at which person becomes capab le of reproduction (7). 23. Acid present in sour milk (6).25. Point at centre of nice environment for a relative (5). 28. Allow saliva to dribble from the mouth (5). 29. Eject saliva forcibly from the mouth (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 3 (82)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 4(82) by A. A. Potter Across: 1. Vasoconstrictor; 9. Endosteum; 10. Elbow; 11. Patten; 12. Ward; 14. Tan; 16. In-dia; 18. Amino-acid; 20. Toothache; 22. Lu-pus; 24. Mop; 25. Nine; 26. Stitch; 29. Onset; 31. Glandular; 32 Addison's disease.

1. Viewpoint; 2. Sedated; 3. Caste; 4. Noel; 5. Tympanites; 6.

Ice; 7. Tabetic; 8. Rowan; 13. Drool; 15. Carcinogen; 17.

21.

CLAS SIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

23.

24.

19

28.

TOP QUALITY BALL PENS

Ashen;

1. Transient loss of consciousness enforced.in wartime (8). 5. Sea Discharge;

Opposed;

Pat-ella;

Myoma; 27. Tides;

ends

sickly feeling (6). 9. Joint between humerus and acromion Bald; 30. T.D.S.

THE OXF-ORD VACSPLINT

Advantages of the Vacsplint

• lightweight, re-usable, yvashable.

• waterproof - blood and urine proof.

• conforms to patient and maintains desired position

• does not restrict circulation

• does not change shape when evacuated.

• can go over dressings, compression bandages or clothes

• does not cause undue pressure on the limb, so"d08$ not need to be let down periodically.

• easily removed to adjust dressings

• vacuum may be released in orderto change position if desired, and then evacuated to maintain the revised position

• does not need to be bandaged on.

• adjustable Velcro straps, or improvised ties , are sufficient.

Method of application

1 Lay flat iilnd smooth to even thickness, and partially evacuate by opening valve, applying suction and closing valve

2 Mould the splint whilst in this malleable cond ition Hold in position, with straps if necessary , and fully evacuate

3. Re-adjust straps or ties I

for use in

ACCIDENT DEPARTMENTS

AMBULANCES

HOSPITALS

FIRST AID DEPARTMENTS

EMERGENCY RESCUE SERVICES

SIZES AVAILABLE

OVS100 - 50 x 30cms For children and fractures of the forearm

OVS120 - 65 x 50c rr For full arm support

OVS130 - 80 x 70cms for occi pital and cervical support after trau rna OVS130

OVS140 - 90 x 60c for leg and trunk support Developed by THE OXFORD Orthopaedic Engineering Centre, in conjunction with the Radcliffe Infirmary and Oxfordshire Area Health Authority Ambulance Service

OVS100

31 st July

By popular demand, a second ' special' day has been arranged for 31st July.

A great day out - at special concessionary rates - for members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and their families ) which will also raise mu c h needed funds for the Brigade s activities

• Drive through Seven Game Reserves (using your own coach or minibus)

• Dolphinarium and Killer WhCile Show

• Extensive Areas for Picnics

•

•

SORTING through s o me old files the other day, I came a cr o ss so me no tes o f the p rogrammes of a series of area confere nc es which I was responsible for organising annuall y in the mid -sixties in what was then the South Bu cks and is now the East Berks Area. One of our highlights was an Any Questions? session with a fairly h i gh -p o wered panel t o discuss the questions put to them b y m em b er s of the audience. In 1964 the panel, for whom I a cte d as questi o n -m aster, consisted of a County Sup eri nten d ent o f more than 20 years' experience in that appo i n tment, an Area Nursing Officer whose husband was an Amb ul ance Mem b er and 3 of their 4 daughters were Ca d ets, a C o unty Vice - President for Ambulance C ad ets who w a s als o a retired Brigade Surgeon of long a n d wi d e experience, and a well - known author and b r oad caster with n o St John affiliation.

Lo oki n g thro u gh the questions that were put to that pan el 18 years ago, I was struck by the fact that most of the m wo u ld be e qu al l y relevant t o day, and I thought t ha t a selecti o n would be worth passing on to you to stim ul ate discussion at divisi o nal meetings or perhaps even a t an o t h er area c o nferenc e somewhere. So here are ten o f t he twelve q u esti o ns that were discussed, plus a brief indi c a ti on o f the St John involvement and approximate a ge (so far as I can r em em b er!) of each questionerd et ail s whi ch o fte n , I t hi nk, have a bearing on the merits o f t h e qu esti o n asked. But I'm not giving you the least h in t of t he v iews o f the panel, and still less those of the que sti on-ma ster (wh o ex officio has no views), so that your d iscu ssi o n of them may be totally free and unp r ej ud iced.

l. Fr om a m al e D iv. Su pt. (48) of a Combined Adult Di v ision: 'M an y p e ople t hin k t h at the Welfare State has made unn ecessary, and per h a p s even undesira b le, the help of volun tary part-t ime n u rses in hospitals, and of v olun t ary p art - time am b u l ance crews. What does the Continued on p. 106

Nurse Training School Revived

the end of the course.

However, the situation at the beginning of 1981 was difficult because in the fourth month of training we move the students onto the wards. With only five on the course instead of twelve we were obviously very short staffed

Again an advertisement went into the local paper describing the course Out of 50 applicants, we selected six students of whom one girl and four boys started the course. Since the first course began in January 1980, there have been minor changes in the training programme The policy so far has been to recruit students in January of each year and to complete the training in June or July, eighteen months later. June and July coincide with the school leaving period By the time we recruit in Jan uary all the best available talent has been snapped up.

Students of the Training School who have just completed their course, with (centre, left) Miss Ena Burke and Nursing Sister Mrs Mary Manarious

AFTER a lull of several years, due to lack of money, the Hospital's Ophthalmic Nurse Training School is once again in full swing under the energetic direction of Sister-Tutor, Miss Ena Burke. Miss Burke now takes up the story.

The first intake of students arrived in January 1980 and have now completed their 18-month course. Nearly all of them had come from refugee camps on the West Bank with a poor grasp of English and even poorer job prospects.

Only nine out of the initial twelve managed to complete the course which was split into nine months of theoretical work, all in English, and nine months of practical training. One girl left to get married, one boy simply could not master the essentials of English and failed the exams twice and another naughty boy was asked to leave, not for the same reasons.

Top of the class after the final exams in July 1981 was Sarni Bayya. Likeable and very clever, Sami has already found work in a hospital in Amman. A treatise on Political Economics was his first choice in the Book Prize. Prize-giving Day in the lovely Hospital cloisters was a very happy occasion. All the students received a St John tile as a memento of their days with us. Sami was lucky. Although two of the other students were employed full-time at the Hospital and two others were taken on at the Augusta Victoria Hospital, the remaining students did have trouble finding proper hospital work after completing the course. However, the 98

majority are now in work despite the dismal job opportunities in this part of the world. The new course began in January 1981.

Out of 50 applicants, 12 students, nine boys and three girls, were selected. From this initial star class, only five actually began work. I attribute the large drop-out rate to all too familiar reasons: the cost of living in Israel soars ever higher; most of these young people are regarded by their families as breadwinners with no time for study and, even though students in training at the Hospital have a better chance than many other young people on the West Bank of having some kind of career, there can never be any guarantee of proper employment at

Basic Facts about our Hospital

THE Hospital has 82 beds, an extensive outpatient department, two theatres, an Ophthalmic Nurse Training School and an Eye Bank. It provides employment for over one hundred local people and first class ophthalmic treatment for anybody who needs it. The staff, nurses, physicians and surgeons, are recruited from within the ranks of the American Society of the Order and the Priories in the Commonwealth as well as from the British health service. Salaries are paid by the Order of St John, not by the Israeli health services or by the world relief organisations which operate in the occupied territories. Every year the Hospital treats about 35,000 patients and performs over 4,000 operations.

IT IS estimated that there are 40 million bbnd people in the world. Approximately 90 per cent of these live in the developing countries of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. In these countries, the prevalence of blindness (inablility to count fingers at one metre or more, with the better eye) is 20 to 60 times higher than in the developed countries of Europe and northern America. This blindness causes immeasurable human suffering and it also costs the developing nations a minimum of £14 billion annually. This is due t o loss of production (£20 per person per month) and the cost of caring for these people (£10 per person per month).

So, we now propose to recruit a full class of twelve students in September followed by a smaller intake in January. Life is not getting any easier out here, but talent and determination will usually succeed whatever the odds. Take Ibrahim for instance. He completed part o f the course last September and wants to go to university and then on to medical school. His parents have no money and although he has applied three times for an UNRWA (United Nations Relief Works Agency) scholarship, he was rejected on all three occasions But this bo y is clever and talented. We will try and help him on his way to medical school, perhaps one in Egypt or Pakistan and then have a stab at the main bugbear - applying for and receiving a grant to finance his further education We await events.

Pr izeg iv in g for the students in the Hospital's cloisters watched by

In the developing countries, the main causes of blindness are trachoma, suppurative corneal ulcer s, onchocerciasis (river blindness) , vitamin A deficiency (associated with protein deficiency), cataract and glaucoma. These conditions account for 90 per cent of all blindness. Studies in several countries indicate that sight could be restored in nearly half these cases and much of the remaining blindness could have been prevented, had existing treatment been available at t he appropriate time. The planning and development of an effective and practical programme for the control and prevention of blindness caused by these di seases is complex. To organise suc h a programme, it is imperativ e to first examine the magnitude of the problem, curability and preventability of blinding diseases and the resources available

Trachoma

Trachoma, a c hronic keratoconjunctivitis, is the commonest ocular infe ct ion. If affects 500 million people living in the rural populations of Asia, the Middle East, northern and eastern Africa. The disease ca uses blindness, as a result of complica tions such a trichiasis (abnormal lashes) and entropion (deformity of lid), in nearly 8 to 10 million people. However, trachoma can be cured with existing drugs , blinding co mplications prevented and its transmission can be interrupted. In order to develop a successful pro gramme for the control and prevention of trachoma, it is essential to identify the populations at risk and adopt t hose method s of treatment which are most effective and practicable for particular communities.

Our own field and laboratory st udies which were partially supported by the Order of St John, have s hown that t he following three groups are at high risk of be coming blind and therefore requiring particular attention :

(a) Young children with moderate to severe trachoma They carry the main reservoir of infection and may develop severe conjunctival scarring and corneal defects which can result in blindness These children generally come from families with poor standards of living and hygiene.

(b)Young adults, particularly mothers of children with moderate to severe trachoma In these adults , the palpebral conjunctiva is scarred and shows no sign of active trachoma, but these people are likely to develop chronic, moderate to severe sub-conjunctival inflammatory responses (thick lid). This condition

Control and Prevention of Blindness in Developing Nations

by S. DAROUGAR Professor of Public Health Ophthalmology Institute of Ophthalmology,

London

develops following frequent exposure to t he trachoma agent, and can cause subconj unctival fibrosis, shrinkage and lid deformities which may lead to the development of trichiasis and entropion.

(c) Adults who develop blinding trichiasis and entropion. The prevalence o f tric hiasis and / or entropion is as high as 10 per cent in some of the rural populations of the Middle East. About one third of these people are blind and t he remainder are in danger of becom ing blind.

The method of continuous treatment of trachoma with tetracycline eye ointment (t hree times daily f or six weeks) is not practical for mass treatment of rural populations. The method of intermittent treatment with tetracycline eye ointment (twice daily for five days each month, for a period of four to six months each year) recommended b y the World Health Organisation, has a very high failure rate at present. This is probably due to mothers reluctance to use eye ointment regularly for their own eyes and in the eyes of their children; the lack of effective supervision by health workers in the majority of villages; wastage of ointment due to excessive heat and melting of the base and exchange of the eye ointment with other families.

The results of a pilot project carried out by our group from the Institute have shown t hat oral therapy with doxycycline (Vibramycin) or sulphametopyrazine (Kelfizine-W), once weekly for three weeks is highly effective in reducing the severity of active trachoma, suppressing shedding of trachoma agent and reducing the severity of sub-conjunctival inflammatory responses Although the initial cost of oral therapy with these drugs is high compared to topical treatment with eye ointment, it has several advantages; (a) the drug can be administered by health workers, who can treat a large number of patients daily, hence the failure rate will be very low; (b) there is therefore no need for regular follow-up surveys of patients which compensates for the high cost of the drug; (c) the treatment is also effective against other infections in the ears , the respiratory tract, the gastro-intestinal tract

and the skin, which are conditions common in rural areas.

It is essential to provide f acilitie s for the surgical correction of trichiasis and entropion at village level. Studies in Burma ha ve shown that this can be achieved efficiently and economically using mobile teams, each comprising one or two nur ses or health assistants.

Suppurative Corneal Ulcers

Suppurative corneal ulcers may develop following acute conjunctivitis, or trauma sustained in agricultural work In the tropical countries of Africa and Asia, corneal ulcers are responsible for up to 20 per cent of blindness The ulcers are usually caused by bacteria or fungi and are preventable or curable. A programme for treatment and prevention requires facilities for the early detection of ulcers , identification of the causative agents and the availability of effective anti-bacterial and anti-fungal treatment in villages. Unfortunately, in most of the rural areas, there are no such facilities. Thus , there is an urgent need to promote re se arch into the pathogens which cause corneal ulcers in these countries, and their drug sensitivities, to be followed by the development of an effective but cheap eye o intment containing appropr iate antibacterial and anti-fungal compounds This ointment would be made available in villages for the prevention and cure of the ulcers Onchocerciasis

Onchocerciasis , or river blindness, is one of the most important causes of blindness in Africa. It is also a local problem in some other parts of the world. In the typical form, adult worms are located under the skin, and thousands of larvae or micro filariae are present in man y other areas of the bod y particularly in the subcutaneous tissues and the eye. The microfilariae , and not the adult worms, are responsible for blind ness. Onchocerciasis is highly prevalent in communities located near rivers where the vector (black fly or simulium) breeds In hyperendemic villages, up to 80 per cent of the popUlation may have skin nodules containing the adult worms, and ocular damage. Corneal and retinal lesions can be found in most age groups, but blindness is more common amongst the adults Onchocercias is is a preventable and curable disease. A major project to control onchocerciasis in the Volta river region of Africa is at present in operat i on. Howe ver, in many other areas, the clinical and epidemiological features of the disease are not yet well defined Although there are drugs effec tive against the adult worms and microfilaria , most of them are unfortunately highl y t oxic and can provoke severe, damaging allergic reactions to the adult worms and microfilaria which have been killed by the drug. It is vital to promote collaborative research between scientific institutes in the developed and de veloping countries to produce more effective , but less toxic drugs; methods of controlling allergic reactions to dead adult worms and microfilaria and effective but p racticable methods of controlling the breeding of black fly

Vitamin A Deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency or erophthalmia is an 99

important cause of blindness in the riceeating areas of South Asia and in the undernourished communities in Africa. The disease results from a lack of vitamin A, and protein caused by malnutrition and infections such as gastroenteritis. It is common amongst young children, and the destructive corneal lesions are frequently seen in children of less than one year old. Xerophthalmia is a curable and preventable disease. Treatment comprises massive doses of Vitamin A with concomittant treatment of associated systemic infections. Vitamin A can be distributed as large dose capsules or through fortifying food products.

Glaucoma

Acute and chronic glaucoma is one of the major causes of blindness in developing countries. In some of these countries, the prevalence of glaucoma appears to be very high. Glaucoma is curable and its ensuing blindness is preventable by medical or surgical treatment. However, in the rural areas of developing countries, the disease still causes a considerable amount of blindness, because of the lack of facilities for early detection and the absence of ophthalmological services. A programme to control and prevent glaucoma must be developed. This requires epidemiological

oner

a guard of honour welcome the Princess

PRINCESS Margaret, the Grand President of St John Ambulance, not only opened a new headquarters for the four divisions (two adult and two cadet) at Leytonstone on M arch 19, but she also saw a new ambulance dedicated and handed over to the Divisions.

The Princess, who was welcomed by Greater London's Commissioner Derek Fenton, toured the new premises and saw demonstrations by cadets and adults, which included the use of the Hines (Dr Hines is the Divisional Surgeon) cervical splint, a new concept for dealing with spinal injuries.

The money for the new HQ was raised by voluntary contributions (one friend of the Divisions raised over £6,000) and help from London District HQ. The new ambulance, which means the Divisions now have four ambulances, was donated by the Woolfson Foundation.

Addressing the gathering of members and friends inside the HQ, Princess Margaret especially thanked the Mayor of Waltham Forest (ellr Davis) for all the support given St John by his Borough.

100

surveys, education in detecting early signs of glaucoma and the establishment of ophthalmological units to treat glaucoma medically or surgically, as appropriate.

Cataract

It is estimated that in the developing countries, about 10 million people are blind because of cataract. In many of these countries, cataract occurs at a rather younger age (30 to 40) than in developed countries. In the absence of ophthalmic services, these patients are condemned to remain blind, and are also at risk of developing complications which render them permanently blind. There is an urgent need to establish mobile teams in these countries to perform cataract operations, and to train junior physicians, health assistants and nurses to carry out surgery, until adequate ophthalmic units are formed.

Programme for Control and Prevention of Blindness

In the developing countries, programmes for the control and prevention of blindness , based on the application of existing knowledge, could be highly successful, given adequate investment, sound planning and close co-operation between national and international organisations. Such programmes could also be highly costeffective. For every £1 spent, more

would be gained, through the increased productivity of those who would otherwise be unable to work through blindness Money saved in looking after these people would also be considerable In most developing countries, the efficiency of the programmes for the control and prevention of blindness, is seriously hampered because of the lack of staff with adequate technical and managerial experience in addition to lack of resources.

It is absolutely essential that international organisations and scientific institutions assist these programmes, through staff training, exchange of experts (technical and administrative) and promotion of studies for the development of methods , policie s and strategies for the control and prevention of blindness, appropriate to the current situation in each country.

The Order of St John , in collaboration with the Department of Preventive Ophthalmology, London, is actively involved in promoting research projects for control and prevention of blindness caused by trachoma. The Order is also involved in developing a simple training programme in Oman for early detection and treatment of blinding eye d iseases at vi llage le vel and in developing a training programme for eye health education.

AWARDS

ORDER AWARDS Life Saving Medal in Silver

Mr James Montgomery Marr, Standard Oil Tanker Driver, Priory of Canada

On the morning of October 25 1979 Mr Marr was driving his tanker along an unfrequented highway in Briti s h Columbia behind a Shell tanker which left the highway and capsized, its driver being trapped in the cab. With great di fficulty and at grave personal risk Mr Marr rescued the driver; while he was doing so the fuel draining from the tanker caught fire and exploded, but he successfully completed the rescue despi te both men bei ng surrou nded by flame, as witnessed by two hunter s who arrived just before the explosion [Ook place.

Dr Hugh Charles Came ron , of Rice Lake, Ontario, Priory of Ca nada

In the early hours of January I 1980 Dr Camero n heard c r ies for help co ming from the frozen lake and, ca lling to his neighbour Mr Andress, they both we nt [0 the resc ue They saw a man's face in an open patch of water some 20 metres from the shore. At hi s first attempt to reach the victi m (one of two male skaters who e companion had already fallen through the ice and been drowned) D r Cameron himself fell thro ugh but was pulled out by Mr Andress who then ran back to hi s cotlage for a rope and lifejackel. Meanwhile

Dr Cameron swam out to the drowning man who e grasp wa 0 constrictive that they both submerged before he co uld break the victim's hold and use the rope by which Mr Andre ss eventually dragged them both [0 safety.

Life Saving Medal in Bronze

Mr William Helmut Andres, Air Canada employee, Priory of Canada

Mr Andress accompanied Dr Cameron in rescuing a drowning skater at Rice Lake, Ontario, on January 1 1980. Having fetched a rope and lifejacket and hrown them to Dr Camero n, he tarted pulling Dr Cameron and the vict im to the shore until the build-up of ice blocked progress. He hen jumped on the ice to break it and became himself s ubmerged, but w ith great difficulty and danger he managed to get all three near enough to the shoreline for other neighbours who had arrived [0 pull them a fel y ashore.

Ambulance Officer Robert James Toshach, of Marleston, South Australia, Priory of Australia

Late in the evening of September 27 1979

Police attending a flat in Marleston were co nfronted by a mentally disturbed young man armed with two rines who resisted arrest by s hooting at them. Mr Toshach, who already knew the offender through the latter having formerly been a St John cade t , arrived and at great personal risk persuaded him to hand over his rifles and agree to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital where Mr Toshach contin ued to visit him and helped to improve his emotional cond ition.

Dr Edith Susan Mowbray, Divisional Surgeon,

January 1 to December 31 1981

Guernsey Nursing Division, Bailiwick of Guernsey

Dr Michael Mowbray, Divisional Surgeon, Guernsey Ambulance Cadet Division, Bailiwick of Guernsey

On the afternoon of June 26 1980 at Le Bouillon, Guernsey, Dr Susan Mowbray heard a woman crying for help in a field near her home, and on entering the field found an injured woman and a man who was unconscious or dead. They had been attacked by a young Guernsey bull who was still in the fie ld , very agitated and accompanied by a herd of heifers. Dr Susan Mowbray was forced to retreat before being able even to examine the casualties, but she called for further assistance and was joined by her husband.

Dr Michael Mowbray assessed the situation and, while Dr Susan Mowbray and two others organised a diversion at the far side of the field [0 di st ract the bull and his followers he went to the victims and found the man to be dead and the woman suffering from a fractured pelvis and other injuries. Despite the constant risk of a further anack he continued LO treat the patient and remained with her until the bull and heifers had been enticed into a neighbouring field and barricaded there so that the patient could be safety conveyed LO hospital by ambulance and in due course the body of the dead man removed to a mortuary.

Mr Mark Allan Quandt, Lac La Rouge, Saskatchewan, Priory of Canada Shortly before midnight on November 21 1980 two men were travel ling across Lac La Rouge by snowmobile and blundered into an open body of water and submerged. One man was too heavy to hoist himself onto safe ice, but his companion managed to get ashore and went to some nearby houses for help. Mr Mark Quandt and his father set out, taking with them a 16ft length of 2" x 4 " plank. Going ahead of his father with this plank till he came close to the open water, Mark Quandt narrowly avoided becoming himse lf s ubmerged; but lying prone on very thin ice and using the plank and a floating ice pan, he managed to lever the victim out of the water and slowly dragged him back to safety.

Certificate of Honour

Ambulance Cadet Richard Battrick, Weymouth A I C Division, County of Dorset

On July 13 1980 Ambulance Cadet Richa rd Battrick (aged 14) was being given a Jjft home by car by a nei ghbour whose daughter was also a pas enger, when the driver had convulsions and blacked out. With great presence of mind Richard switched off the e ngine and steered the car safe y LO a halt at the side of a very busy street. He immediately sent for an ambulance and while awaiting its arrival he restrained the driver from doing himsel f an injury while convulsant and, since he remained unconsciou , ensured tha t he maintained a clear airway.

Miss Elizabeth Cowe, Priory of Scotland Miss Cowe was a stewardess on board a D anair

plane which crashed at Sunburgh in the Shetlands in August 1978, During considerable confusion almost amounting to panic among some of the passengers she saved lives by restoring calm; then , at great personal risk she marshalled many pa ss engers out of the rear door

by Surgeon Hines, the Divis onal

CADET

by JIM

CHAT

Community Service

The CSV Advisory Service, based at 237 Pentonville Road, London N 1 9NJ (01-278 6601), produces a series of very useful teaching materials and simulation games on subjects like Health, Local Government,Growing Old, The Environment, and many others. They are all very reasonably priced and I have used most of them to very good effect with young people. Publications are available by post, individually or through two subscription services. A catalogue giving full details of the publications is available on request.

Say No to Strangers

This new film, available from the Central Film Library, Chalfont Grove, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9 8TN, is an updating of the film Never Go With Strangers made in 1971. It follows a very similar story line, but now uses updated techniques and rhythms.

The aim, as before, is to make children aware of the existence of dangerous who may look just like anyone else - but without instilling general fear and mistrust.

The film has been highly praised by police, teachers and others and would be valuable to use in the division. It would be worth arranging for a representative from the Crime Prevention Department locally to attend the showing to answer questions and lead any discussion. Useful advice is available from the same source about a wide range of crime prevention matters, which would prove an interesting way of spending an evening.

Magazines and Newsletters

My thanks to Donald Borzoni who sent me two copies of the magazine, called Not The St John Review, produced by Cadets in his Division entirely by their own efforts. I must say that they are very impressive and make very interesting reading. Since my first article about newsletters I have received a few examples from allover the country and I know that those divisions which have regular communication in this form find them very useful. Why not try arranging for some of your Cadets to edit a small newsletter for your Division? These days they can be very cheaply and easily reproduced on plain paper copiers and the like. If you have a newsletter or magazine please send me a copy - Cadet Chat Badges for all those who send them!

Each month I try to include some games for use at meetings, and this month I thought that it would be useful for new officers to have guidance in the use of games. This extract comes from the Australian Cadet NCO manual:

Games only contribute effectively to a programme if they are planned. Games can contribute to our programmes in a number of ways:

(a) They break up a period of listening with an activity period.

(b) They contribute to the development of skills

(c) They help build teamwork

(d) They make the night more enjoyable for the Cadets.

Any game which does not achieve one of the above objectives is not worth playing.

The eventual aim is to build a list of games which can be played in a number of siniations, so that all the Cadets understand the rules and the method of playing

Points to Note

(a) Size difference in our Cadets may make it difficult to run physical games which are fair to everyone.

(b) Cadets generally are interested in learning the correct rules and developing tactics within those rules.

(c) It is difficult to explain all the rules of a game in the short time allowed in one night.

(d) Cadets cannot be expected to make valid suggestions about the games they would like to play if we do not show them the range of possibilities, or if they have not had the opportunities to play the game properly

Suggestions

• That those responsible in the Division draw up a list of games planned .

• This list should specify the game or games to be played, at least a month in advance.

• This list should be updated as required

How to Introduce a Game

Preparation

• Choose games carefully, remembering the aim of the session.

• Consider the number of players, size and shape of playing space, season of the year, how players will be dressed and time available. Allow up to half an hour for a vigorous programme. It is better to have a short period of vigorous play than a longer one requiring rest breaks.

• List the equipment needed and make sure it is in good order.

• If necessary arrange for t he area to be marked out before the players arrive and have all equipment ready to hand. Presentation When games fail to interest it is often because of poor presentation.

• Explain the activity clearly and briefly. Illustrate rather than de scribe in words. Get playing quickly.

• New games often can be learned in parts. Explain the start, finish and method of scoring.

• Allow free practice of skills before introducing competit ion

• Get the able players to coac h the weaker ones.

• The number in a relay team should be small, otherwise interest tends to wane and control to s lacken

• Be fair and expect the players to be likewise.

• Make sure teams are even in numbersee no player starts ahead of the starting li ne or time - impose penaltie s if rules are broken - stand where you can see the finish of a competitive race or relay. Name the winners clearly and without delay.

• Teach players to respond to the whistle, but use it sparingly.

• Safety: Do not play running games on sli ppery floors or when players are wearing unsuitable footwear. Be sure that there is sufficient space around any obstacle or near any wall or fence.

Send to

Contributions to this column should be sent to 'Jim', 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Bois, Epping, Essex CM 16 7DU

Rtbbo n

THAT old maxim about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb certainly seemed to come true for the Cadet Department this year .,.

We at Headquarters opened our March Review to a roar in Readers' Views from Messrs Derek Heslop and Paul Dew, not forgetting Mrs Jean Grainger, for a new hat for our Nursing Cadets. So we closed the month, like the lambs we are, by announcing A New Nursing Cadet Hat, which we hope will put those promised smiles on our girls' faces and grace their heads in this their Diamond Jubilee Year.

Modelled on the nursing cap, and made from the raincoat and red quilted lining, with specific refinements as detailed in the instructions, t his hat will not be stocked by the Supplies Dept (at £4.50). It is designed for home production at a cost of less than 70p each, excluding the badge.

Order from Supplies Dept.

Instructions on how to cut and make to size and style will be available from the Supplies Department when you order your material. It is hoped that Nursing Cadets, their loving mums, aunts, sisters, friends or even officers will sharpen their scissors and oil their sewing machines in readiness. Six hats can be made from one yard of raincoat material (£2.60 p y.) and half a yard of red quilted lining (£1.00 p.y.), plus four black poppers and a little under half a yar d of 1/4 inch white corded silk ribbon for each hat.

Imaginations are probably running riot, but that is half the fun of opening a long awaited package. Over the years dozens and dozens of nur sing ca det hats have been tested, but all proved unsuitable for many reasons. A blocked hat , such as worn by air hostesses, falls off in action, won't stuff into a pocket, and makes small young girls look as though they've raided mum's wardrobe!

Tried on all shapes and sizes

Our Jubilee present has been tried on all shapes, sizes and ages of Nursing Cadets and their views about it have been sought. With flying colours it has won the hearts of three tough committees. It was designed, made and first tested by Devon's County Staff Officer for Nursing Cadets, so congratulations and thank you, Mrs Margaret Lavers!

It would be miraculous if our choice pleased everyone, but we feel confident that almost everyone will find this little hat enchanting. So - smarten up your hair girls. And to help you, a new Proficiency subject on personal grooming will be available soon.

Vicki Beevor HQ Cadet Dept

hat for NursingCadets

DIY is answer to pleas in Review

1) Using Indoor Paper Cap as

2) Add seam allowance around the whole pattern. This size should fit most cadets but for juniors and smaller girls the pattern will probably be adequate without adding this seam allowance if taking seams of not more than \12 /1

C - D , using a catchstitch which is barely visible on the right side

2) On right side, stitch white ribbon, running absolutely central between lines C - D (FIG. 1).

3) Along line D, fold back the facing of turn back (right sides together) and tack on seam line D - C both sides (FIG. 2). With wrong side uppermost tack red quilted lining all round from C - B, A, etc, to C, leaving the horizontal line C - C unstitched in order to turn right sides out. Machine stitch. Before turning to right side trim seam turnings to 1/4 /I snip points near stitching and clip curved seam edges (FIG. 3). Dr-r--------.,.,D (FIG. 2) C C A (FIG. 3) SNIP

(FIG 4)

4) Turn hat right sides out. Press turn back well with a damp cloth. Press remainder with damp cloth allowing red lining to show at the back edges. Care should be taken to make good points at A and B (FIG. 4).

5) Carefully handstitch the two materials together along the line C -C after turning under the black material seam allowance. The stitches should not be taken through to the underlying material.

6) Finish off with press studs to secure points A at the back which should meet but not overlap. Also to fasten points of turn back at B (FIG 4).

It

CADET SPECTACULAR

Royal Albert Hall, Oct 9

IT IS

If

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

COMMANDER LONDON

Mr John Bamford is to succeed Col H. A. Lewis as the Commander St John Ambulance for Greater London from St John's Day, June 24.

Mr Bamford, who lives in Pinner, is currently Deputy President SJA Greater London and was formerly its honorary auditor and financial adviser Until his retirement , Mr Bamford was the City Treasurer of Westminster.

REVIEW SALES

MONICA'S MISSION

13-years-old Nursing Cadet Monica Williams, of Humberside 's Scunthorpe N / C Division, was so heartbroken when her baby brother died two days after he was born that she decided to start her own fund -raising scheme for the Special Baby Care Unit at Scunthorpe General Hospital.

Monica compiled and printed her own children's magazine, The Mad Mag, which she sold at school for lOp a copy. Mothers

generously paid £1 a copy. And the Coventry paper firm, who supplied the paper for her venture free of charge, donated £5.

Eventually she took £30 along to the Baby Care Unit which she presented to gynaecologist obs tetrici an, Mr Brian Heywood, to go towards the cost of specialist equipment.

THE ROYAL TOURNAMENT

The Royal Tournament will be held at Earls Court from July 14 to 311982, with separate

performances at 2.30 and 7 .30pm (excluding Sundays and the matinee performance on Mondays)

The 'St John Night' will be the evening performance on Monday July 19, when a Brigade Cadet Band will give a display in the arena. Tickets are available at the entrances to Earls Court or through the usual agencie s and there is a discount for parties of 10 or more.

BURSARY WINNERS

Mr Ian Scott of Smith & Nephew, and Miss Rosemary Bailey, Chief Nursing Officer. (Right ) Mrs Isabel Barclay , winner of the non-professional bursary \ \

You may have noticed from our front page that Review Sales, which deals with subscriptions and all other orders for copies of the Review, has been moved to our editorial and advertising address in Suffolk since the April issue. All departments of the Review are now at the one address, which should result in a more efficient service to readers. You can now phone us on any aspect of the Review seven days a week, 24 hours a day. But I might be in a bad mood if you ring in the middle of the night, and we do get away some weekends.

For change of addresses or alterations in numbers of copies ordered, please remember that our distribution lists are amended one month before the issue appears; ie, May issue lists are finalise d on April 1. After that date they will be for the June issue.

And when referring to an order, please supply the name and address of the person to whom the copies are sent. Our lists consist only of the names and addresses of the recipients of the Review. No one else.

SPIRITED

I hear that casualties attended by Isle of Wight members at the naming ceremony of the British America's Cup challenging yac ht Victory at Cowes were cuts from the remains of the

I

that two Brigade members,

Mrs S. V. Kitt, RGN, from Shottisham in Suffolk and Mrs Isobel Barclay from Peterlee, Durham, are the winners of this year's St John Ambulance Nursing Bursary Awards. Lady Moyra Browne, Superintendent-in-Chief, made the presentations on the evening of March 25 at SJA Headquarters. The bursaries, instigated as part of the 1980 Year of Nursing, are awarded in two categories: Occupational Health, sponsored by Smith & Nephew Ltd and worth £500; and

County Nursing Officer for SJA, Suffolk. I Non Professional, sponsored by the National Federation of 18 plus Groups of Great Britain, worth £250.

To qualify for the bursaries, applicants have to be members of St John Ambulance and submit a written project designed to broaden their own nursing experience and thereby ultimately benefiting the Brigade. Mrs Kitt, who works at the College of Further Education in Ipswich, will be using her Occupational Health Bursary to take an occupational health course. Mrs Kitt is

Mrs Isabel Barclay, the Non Professional winner, is a Nursing Member in the Brigade which she joined in March 1979. She plans to use her bursar y to further her knowledge of eye disease at the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem which, this year, celebrates its centenary. With this knowledge, Mrs Barclay hopes to extend the help she and other St John members give to the blind and partially sighte d in Co. Durham.

panel think about the principle of this kind of unpaid voluntary service in our affluent society and within the framework of the Welfare State?'

2. From a male Div. Supt. (58) of another Combined Adult Division: 'Ought one to be proud of belonging to a movement whose early history is primarily one of battles, wars and crusades?'

3. From a Nursing Member (50) in a Combined Adult Division: 'If the purpose of a nurse's cap is to cover and enclose the hair, should not a style be adopted which does this more effectively? Or, if it is no longer thought necessary for the hair to be covered, might not the cap be abolished?'

4. From a Cadet Leader (17) in an Ambulance Cadet Division: 'Is the growing of long hair by a man necessarily undesirable, and how would members of the panel react to seeing an Ambulance Member performing a public duty in uniform with a Rolling Stones hairstyle?'

5. From a male Div. Officer (35) of a

SJA DAY AT WINDSOR SAFARI PARK

On Saturday March 27 the proprietors of the Windsor Safari Park kindly arranged a .'isit by St John Ambulance members at specially reduced party booking rates. They also gave a donation to SJA funds based on the number of members attending. Over 1,500 members came for the day from as far away as Birmingham, Leicester, Doncaster and Devizes. The visit proved so popular, particularly the Dolphin and Killer Whale shows, that the proprietors have kindly donated a further day on Saturday July 3l.

We were given a special display area in the Parrot House, where Nobby Clark mounted his excellent display panels showing the history of the Order, the Association and Brigade, together with the display illustrating the work of the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem.

On July 31 additional attractions will include a band and a celebrity. The Review will again carry a booking form, and Counties adjoining Berkshire will be sent letter booking forms. As this is Cadet Diamond Jubilee Year, all donations will be going to Cadet Divisions. So why not come and join us on safari on Saturday July 31?

ASO Major G. 1. Flint-Shipman, PRO Mid-Berks Area

surfaced, but was told by the woman that her husband was still under the dinghy. Mr English dived again, to find the man entangled with the sail. He managed to push him to safety, he surfaced and was hauled aboard the rescue boat.

The family were taken to the rescue centre, where they seemed none the worse for their ordeal.

MASS CASUALTY STUDY

London District were hosts on February 28 to an important study of the implications of a mass casualty situation such as might arise in Greater London in war.

The study, at Edwina Mountbatten House, was arranged jointly by the Regional Health Director (Designate) and the Greater London Joint Emergency Executive Committee, which, under the chairmanship of the Baroness Hylton-Foster, consists of

Combined Adult Division: 'In view of the proverbial danger of "a little learning", do we, in our adult FA courses, teach the public too little about too many things, and would it be better to provide fuller instruction and practice in a much smaller range of absolutely essential matters?'

6. From a Corporal (16) in a Nursing Cadet Division: 'Would the members of the panel like to see first aid training made compulsory in schools and included among the subjects which may be taken in GCE?'

7. From the Area Commissioner (60)inevitably male, because evolution hadn't yet produced the female of that species: Does the panel think that the existence in the country of two separate voluntary organisations doing the same kind of work leads to overlapping of effort and the risk of unhealthy rivalry? And would not their service become more effective if the BRCS and SJAB united to form one single body?'

8. From a Div. Supt. (35) of an Ambulance Cadet Division: 'Granted that our cadet divisions provide the most obviou s source of recruitment of adult members of the Brigade, what can we do to reduce leakage at the transition stage, and how far should we consider some leakage to be inevitable, even under the most favourable conditions? '

representatives of St John Ambulance (London District) and the London branch of the British Red Cross Society.

The study was attended by the Government Co-ordinator of Volunteer Effort in Civil Defence, Air Marshal Sir Leslie Mavor, National Health Service Medical Officers with responsibili ty for the Health Service response to a war emergency, and representatives of he Armed Services the Police, the London Fire Brigade, the London Ambulance Service, the WRVS and officials of t he Home Office and the Depar t ment of Health and Social Securit y. Briefings on 'What Modern Warfare Might Mean for this Country' and 'London Region Home Office Planning were given respec t ively b y a Director of the Home Office College, Easingwolh, Yorkshire and by a Group Emergency Planning Officer of

9. From a female Area Staff Officer for general duties (50): 'W hat can be done to stimulate interest in first aid in a district or village where there is little or none?'

10. From a Div. Officer (62) of an Adult Nursing Division: 'If the members of the panel were each to be elected a member of the House of Commons, what Private Member's Bill for the relief of human suffedng would each mo st like to introduce?'

The birth of the Air Wing

The official birthda y of the St John Ambulance Air Wing is generally accepted to have been Wednesday February 16 1972 (not Feb. 2 as accidentally misquo ted in 'Around and About' last month), on a bitterly cold afternoon during a power cut. The place of birth was Alexander Fleming House at the Elephant and Castle, at a meeting held between representatives of St John Ambulance and the DHSS to discuss the possibility - but, as the DHSS then thought, the improbability - of our helping with the emergency transport of kidneys for transplant operations. Professor John Blandy of the London Hospital might aptly be called the progenitor of the Air Wing, for it came into being through the agency of the combined division at St Margaret's Hospital, Epping, which procured a pilot and light

the Greater London Council. Dr A. S. Mackenzie, the Health Director (Designate) for the No.5 (Greater London) Region spoke on health service aspects of Home Defence Planning

The problems likely to confront the health serv ic es in the event of a war emergency are formidable and the probability of civilian cas ualties on an unprecedented scale would mean ca lling for volunteers trained in first aid on a large scale. It is possible that a future war might start with a period of non-nuclear conventio nal war and small scale attack s against vital installations and centres of government, but it could escalate into a nuclear strike with widespread destruction and casualties, and ra dioacti ve fall out would impose severe restraints on movement. Particular consideration was therefore given at the study to the organisation required for the setti ng up and staffing of Casualty Collecting Centres and First Aid Posts.

aircraft in response to Prof. Blandy's SOS for the transport of an urgently needed kidney. In t hi s success story, however, we innocently co ntra vene d t he officially accepted procedure whereby the DHSS arranges for the emergency transport of kidneys, and t he Air Wing came very near to bei ng a boned. By sheer chance I was handling the matter at HQ in my capacity as Deputy C-in-C at that time, and I was lucky to be able to persuade the DHSS to stay execution till we had had a chance for further di sc ussion And that is how it was that we came away from our meeting on that bitter February afternoon te n years ago with the newborn infant just alive and officially accepted as the agency which would be Summoned by the DHSS when no other means of transport was available.

Since then there has existed the closest and most harmonious relationship between the Air Wing and the DHSS. Our first official call came within the first week of our existence, and since then the number of appeals has averaged almost exactly one a week - 502 in ten years - and not one single appeal has been refused, which is a magnificent tribute to the devotion of our 150 volunteer pilots and a much smaller number of flight controllers who (sometimes from their homes and sometimes at the

No arrangements for the deployment of the ambulances could deal adequately with the number of casualties likely to be involved and the combined resources of the St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross Soc iety would be insufficient to man all the first aid posts. Many other people , however, have had first aid trai ning , particularly in connection with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations and many of those WOUld, it is hoped, come forward to assist with injured survivors.

In a mass casualty situation there would be a necessity to operate a priority system for the categorisation of casualties.

Heal h Authorities throughout the country are required to draw up contingency plans in collaboration with the Local Authorities t hat could be put into operation in a war emergency. The in vo lvement of St John Am bulance and the British Red Cross Society in the manning of first aid posts and casualty collecting centres also entails

Control Centre at Epping) maintain a roundthe-clock service to receive appeals and organise all flight details from the first receipt of a request until the pilot has reported his or her safe re turn to home base with mission accomplished.

For the first four years the appeals were all for the transport of kidneys, but in the fifth year came a break-through with the first request, from Professor Ro y Calne of Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, for transport for a liver transplant, which involves taking the complete surgical team to the hospital where the donor's body lies then back to the hospital where the recipient is waiting, and finally, maybe, returning the team to their own base Since then, a similar procedure has been followed for heart transplants and (most recently, in Februar y of this year) for a pancreas transplant - the Air Wing's 503rd mission with which it began the 11 th year of its existence.

On April 3 a large gathering of pilots, flight controllers and guests assembled for a slightly postponed 10th birthday party of the Air Wing, held, by kind permission, in the Chapter Hall at St John's Gate. We were specially fortunate in having Prof John Blandy and Prof. Roy Calne as our chief guests, and in being able to welcome he following generous helpers and supporters of

que stions of mobilisation and trammg, transport, equipment and communications, and t he Greater London Joint Emergency Executive Committee is playing an active role in assisting the Reg io nal Health Authority in preparing realistic plan s which, hopefully, ma y never have to be tested in a war situation.

(F.R.A.J

NATIONAL COMPS

The following amendments have been made to the diary of national fIrst aid competitions as published in our March issue: The competitions of the British Ports Association on May 20 and the National Industrial on September 23 have been cancelled The BXL Plastics Ltd competition will be held on Tuesday September 28

FOR UNIFORMS

I suggested to the advertiser of suit-bags on page 119 that they might be very useful to Br igade members for their uniforms.

the Air Wing: Group Capt. K. Lovett and Wing Cdr. J. Harding of RAF Wyton, Squadron Leader M. Holdsworth of RAF AJconbury, Major P. Smith and Capt. S. Sowa of the USAAF Base a t AJconbury, Mr S. G. Fitch of the National Air Traffic Services, Mr R P. Ollerenshaw of Bri tish Airways, and Mr R Poole y of Airtour Associates Internatjonal Ltd at Elstree. Speeches after supper were brief and to the poin t. Squadron Ldr. Pat Patt ison summarised the first ten years of the Air Wing's history, in which it has graduated , thr ough kidneys, livers, hearts and pancreas, to 'deali ng in all the offal but none of the prime cuts'. Prof. Calne said that his work would be impossible wit hou t the Air Wing, and told us of a girl who had a liver transplant 18 months ago and had recently been wearing him out with exhaustion on a ski-ing holiday And, finally , the Commissioner-in-Chief presented the Howard Trophy (aw arded annually to a pilot o r flight controller who has made an outstanding contribution to the Air Wing s services) to Mr J. A. Box of Letchworth, who has been on flight control duty every Sa t urday night for the past seven years. On such an occasion t here is an added dep t h of meaning to the con entional birthday greeting , 'Many Happy Re turns'.

At Wiltshire county competitions held at Me ksham on March 6

Left) The winning ambulance team from Swindon (L to R Edward King, Frank Yates, Tony Selman and Ken Lane) also took the Rennie Cup (team test), Taylor Young Cup (in dividua aggregate) and Mr Yates won he Police Cup (individual) (Right) Mrs Patricia Purdon, wife of Wilts SJA Commander, presents the Kelshaw Shield to Ian Stevenson of Amesbury, the winning A IC team They also won the individual aggregate the uniform cup and Joan Creese the individual cup. (Photos Griffin)

Emergency offshore

The author takes a look at the work of paramedics on board Britain's oil-rigs

By R. G. DAVIDSON, RGN, RMN, Cassel Dip(lond.), EMT (Maryland, US)

THE PROSPECT of Britain developing small satellite communities or man-made islands around our shores became a reality in the early '60's. It was not, however, until almost a decade later that the provision of medical care on these islands demanded attention

The response was prompt and almost overnight the word 'medic' became part of the everyday language on barges, rigs and platforms offshore. It is almost true to say that, at that time, medics were indeed a mixed bag if not the offspring of the witch's cauldron: first aiders, sick bay attendants, nurses, failed medical students, chiropodists, Jocks, Tafs, Dutchmen Yanks and some of unidentifiable professional ancestry. This was not to last, however. Soon the influence of the client operator major oil companydesirous of a better service - began to have its effect.

In th€ space of one year, and ahead of legislation, the picture was transformed. Certain prerequisites of entry to this particular job had been identified, some innovative programmes of training had been undertaken. Legislation was, of course, inevitable as was more general interest of the medical and nursing professions. With the initial recommendations for training in 1977 falling short of most expectations, a period of active interest, debate and experiment has followed. Within this hubbub of debate and discussion, I decided to seek support for a trip across the Atlantic to look at how experienced organisations have dealt with the provision of non-doctor specialist in cases of medical emergency, multIple casualty and severe trauma. It is these crises more than any other which confront the medic with his greatest challenge. In this article I shall talk mainly of my experiences in the United States. In doing so, I shall dwell principally on emergency medical care since the same problems exist in any isolated practice, be it on an oil-rig in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, a field camp in the Sahara, or a construction site in the Far East

In this article, I want to invite the reader to come offshore, to attune his ear to the industry's language and to gain a better perspective of the medic's function with emergency care as an integral part. Information given is based largely on my

Platform - A steel or concrete structure secured and immobile on the sea bed and which has drilling and production capabilities.

Semi-submersible - Smaller structure supported on floating pontoons which may be self-propelled or towed with both drilling and production capabilities.

Drill ship - Converted ship with drilling derrick, hitherto used for exploration, but may become more familiar in the future for development of marginal fields.

Barge - Floating structure, usually towed but may have some means of self-propulsion, used for pipe- laying and construction.

Jack-up - Floating structure, secured in position using extendable legs which project down to the sea-bed

Flotel - Converted barge or semisubmersible, used to provide accommodation support for major operations.

experience with my present employers, but most can be applied throughout the industry in different locations.

Several people are still confused as to the different structures offshore This short inventory of offshore hardware may help you tell the difference between the many units generally referred to as 'rigs'.

Places and people

There has been considerable interest in all areas of the North Sea but in simple terms, the southern area has gained its reputation in gas fields, while the central and northern sections have produced more oil but with Pr oduction platform FA (Graythorpe I) in BP 's Forties Oilfield in the North Sea (Photo British Petroleum)

Medics arriving at the scene of an accident by helicopter

usable gas also. The northern North Sea is noted for its extremes of weather, greater depth of water and the technological challenge. Oil development has been undertaken by one or more of the oil companies, the National Oil Corporation , or a consortium of smaller agencies.

In the midst of this commercial activity are to be found the drilling and construction fi rms with their supporting agencies, all providing specialist services to the industry. It is estimated that the industry attracts over 15,000 people, who will spend part of their working time offshore. Of this number six to eight thousand can be considered longterm oil industry personnel. It is worth noting that, contrary to popular belief, the percentage of workforce indentified with the purely oil activities, for instance drilling, is remarkably small. The offshore populous embraces, if only for a time, the skills of man limited only by diversity itself. Now, as we head into the '80's, these offshore islanders, in t heir communities of 10's and 100's have become a more familiar aspect of our industrial panorama Their uniqueness can, however, no longer be attributed to the newfound commodity - oil - but may continue as far as medicine is concerned, because of the isolation and the response time in medical crises.

Medical responsibility offshore

The use of the term first responder' best describes the responsibility which a medic ha s offshore in dealin g with problems across the whole spectrum of health care. It is this very response, be it to initiate treatment or seek advice, which often determines the final outcome of an ailment, injury or outbreak of illness. In an emergency, time is of the essence. Circumstances may dictate that medics perform techniques more commonly found only within the precincts of a casualty unit. There can be little doubt that these emergency medical skills must be taught, proficiency acquired, and protocols established for their timely use

The debate on how much medics should

impending major illness necessitating evacuation ashore.

2. Food chain supervision Ensuring that catering and hotel services reach the standard required by the client. Responsibility commences with food problems identified on arrival of shipment, from defrosting through preparation and presentation, to waste disposal - the food handlers and their work standards must be monitored. General hotel services, embracing communal and personal hygiene, require similar scrutiny.

3. Environmental monitoring. Knowing the plan and the plant process helps one recognise the menaces contained thereinthe nosie, heat, radiation, chemicals, gases - will be closely observed by our colleagues in safety, but health and safety are of necessity closely inter-related in a modern i ndustry. Participation in on-site environmental monitoring is a developing feature of the offshore medic's role.

do for patients with non-urgent clinical conditions is, however, less easily resolved. It could be said that, if every patient presenting at a GP practice had flown two to four hours, necessitating a day or more off work, the country would indeed grind to a halt. This concept, if applied offshore, may help readers recognise that the medic's function in this situation consists of achieving a balance between ensuring that every employee retains his right to visit his GP despite geography, and helping the patient decide whether, in fact , it is necessary to be seen at all. On rare occasions, a medic may have to use his skills to enable both employer and employee accept the need for consultation ashore From the foregoing, it should be obvious that additional skills in clinical assessment and evaluation are essential and this must be a feature of preappointment training.

At the heart of every treatment the decision of whether to treat or not raises a further series of ethical arguments. Given that the medic has had the benefit of a maturing profession, for instance, nursing (military or civilian), the recognition of one 's limits should be second nature This in conjunction with a sound medical communication system, enhanced diagnostic skills and sensible protocols, prepare the way for a therapeutic management of the patient's condition. I cannot emphasise too greatly the importance of control, communication and confidence, as the main operatives in the chain linking the offshore therapeutic team With these priorities established, and that is a must, the remaining question 'with what to treat' can be answered with clinical safety. In these circumstances, then, the extended role of the nurse may, offshore at least, have attained a new dimension.

Task - summary

1. Assessment and treatment of all ailments with, as necessary, instruction from a responsible physician. Included here is the recognition of signs and symptoms of

4 First aid training With a company already committed to providing basic first aid instruction for all employees, the role of the medic centres around reinforcing this programme. Time is readily made available for practical sessions with weekly exercises, providing a splendid opportunity for instruction

5. Search and rescue. With the resources of helicopters and medics already deployed offshore, it is understandable that assistance be offered in times of emergency to other installations and the fishing industry with whom we share the North Sea. Medics have been given the opportunity to gain experience of being lowered onto fishing vessels and retrieved by helicopter Se v eral rescue responses have been made

6. Di ving medicine. Few medics will serve offshore without some contact with the diving industry and its particular problems A knowledge of diving medicine has already been prescribed by the Health and Safety Executive in order that medics be able to give 'sensible advice' when called upon to do so. A t the very least , medics should be able to act as a link-man in emergencies but, for those interested in this specialised field, a full-time involvement and commhment to diving medicine must be the only acceptable solution.

7. Psychosocial problems. Most employees offshore experience and live with strains of separation from friends and loved ones. In all cases, a period of adjustment is called for and, in most cases , adjustment achieved. For these a supporting awarenes s is sufficient. For some, however, adjustment may be too traumatic or even impossible, requiring that they return to shore-side employment. In considering the remainder, one must be careful to differentiate between those whose domestic commitments compel them to work offshore and those who elect to continue for more complex reasons. Contrary to what some journalists would have us believe, the oil industry may not be causing divorce , alcoholism and other instabilities, but rather indirectly providing an opportunity for some to act-out their disordered relationships. In any case, medics will respond to whatever situation presents by supporting without

COMMANDER (Brother)

Anthony Leonard A'Court Robinson (Avon)

Wing Commander Robert Winster Bracken, MBE (North Yorks)

William Edward Hadden, MB, BS, MRCS, LRCP, MFCM, DTM&H (Dorset)

Herbert Kitchener Bourns, BA, MB, BCh, FRCS (Avon)

Leonard Thomas Holman (Surrey)

COMMANDER (Sister)

Heather Prudence, Lady Miller (London)

OFFICER (Brother)

Col. Patrick Kevin Coakley, MB, MCh, BAO, FRCS(Eng), FRCSI (HQ BAOR)

John Richard Shortland, BSc, MB, ChB, PhD, MRCPath (South Yorks)

David James Polkinghorne (Cornwall)

Thomas Henry Carter (Cheshire)

Lt-Col. John Graham Holmes-Smith, MB, BS, MRCP, MRCS, DObst, RCOG, DCh, DTM&H (BFPO)

Hamish Scott Renton (Hants)

Stuart Martin Latham (Surrey)

Richard Henry Bloor, LLB (Leics)

Gilbert Clive Hinkley (Derbys)

Capt David William Sinclair Buchan (London)

John Mower Alexander Paterson (Bucks)

Peter D. Catlow (Lancs)

Rear-Admiral Edward William Ellis, CB, CBE (Hants)

Charles Pickering (Manchester)

Alan Arthur Moir (Avon)

Kenneth Lee, MB, BS, LRCP, MRCS, DIH, MFOM (Cheshire)

Denis Robert Keirle (Bucks)

Noel Rodney Herbert (North Yorks)

110

ORDER INVESTITURE

Mr John Bamford, of Pinner, Middlesex,

Govier

Cornwall

by the Lord Prior, London, Feb. 18

Captain Jack Bowler (Hants)

Claude Henry Burdett (Leicester)

William George Derby (Kent)

George Kenneth Gibson (Staffs)

Reginald Victor Goodchild (London)

Raymond Harris (Kent)

John William Hodges (Derby)

Edmond Murphy (Avon)

Silas Victor Woollin (West Yorks)

Joseph William Wilson (Su ffolk)

Leslie Malcolm Palmer (Suffolk)

James Lawson (Lancs)

Ian Basil Mustoe (Glos)

Thomas Nevil Stott (Essex)

Thomas Joseph Quinlan (Merseyside)

Fred Phillips (Cheshire)

Ivan Trevor Palmer (Cambs)

David Stuart Mander (Lanes)

Leonard Jack Mawer (Wilts)

Raymond Moore (Kent)

John Desmond Holden (Essex)

Ronald John Broome (Leics)

Harold Albert Benjamin Johnson (Lancs)

Serving Sister

Margaret Elsie, Mrs Richard s (Surrey)

Mary Ayton, Mrs Andrewes (London)

Irene Alice, Mr s Brown (Notts)

Colin Frederick Walter Dyer (London)

Capt Francis Anthony Bland, RN (Surrey)

Sydney Appleby (Herts)

Anthony Stuart Jolliffe (Herts)

Geoffrey Norcross (Bolton)

Michael Barrett (London)

George Lightfoot (Warrington)

Andrew Ivor Pearmain, FRCO (Surrey)

OFFICER (Sister)

Elizabeth Rosemary, Mrs Watts (West Midlands)

Florence Ethel, Miss Garrett (London)

Lily Florence, Mrs Tyler (Kent)

Margaret, Mrs Ridsdale (North Yorks)

Sylvia Mary Peregrine, Mrs Coigley, SRN (Warks)

Marjorie, Mrs Riley (West Yorks)

Norah Webb, Mrs Mason (Staffs)

Ivy Annice Mary, Mrs Glover (North Yorks)

Marjorie, Miss Galloway (Cleveland)

Doris Mabel, Mrs Fulljames, BSc, PhD (Middx)

Mary Bernadette, Mrs Newton (Lancs)

Serving (Brother)

Arthur James Wyman (Glos)

Fred Broadhead (Halifax)

Joseph James Crooks (Cumbria)

Michael Alexander Findlay (London)

Richard Massie Dugdale, FRICS (Somerset)

Alfred William Chapple (Hants)

Norman Fish (Staffs)

James Patrick Fitzgerald (Kent)

W.O. Michael Christopher Cornelius Joseph Gregory (RAF Uxbridge)

John Douglas Boyce (Herts)

Bernard Richard Teaque (Sussex)

Norman John Taylor (Worcester)

David Stacey (London)

Elizabeth Mary, Dr Druce, MB, BCh, BAO, DCH, DR COG (Oxford)

Jennje Louise, Miss Eaves, MA (Lancs)

Diana Marga r et, Mrs Wall (Devon)

Anne Margaret, Mrs Flint (Salop)

Thelma, Mrs Parfitt (Glos)

Aldwyth Hilda, Mrs Howat , MB, BS (Lanes)

Edna, Mrs Weston (Middx)

Esquire

Mr R. Percival, Knight of Grace, presented his personal Esquire, Malcolm Geoffrey Shaw, of Tonbridge, to the Lord Prior.

INVESTITURE,

March 18

COMMANDER (Brother)

John Bamford (Middlesex)

Lawrence Ernest Albert Hawes (Kent)

COMMANDER (Sister)

Dora Lillian, Miss Harris (Avon)

Kathleen, Miss Govier (Cornwall)

OFFICER (Brother)

Hugh Conn Reid, MB, ChB, MRCGP (South Yorks)

Sidney Norman Black (West Midlands)

OFFICER (Sister)

Diane Veronica Cecil, Lady Wills (Avon)

Serving Brother

Wilfred Arthur Tuck (Tyne & Wear)

Percy Norman Harvey (Cheshire)

(Left) Ian Middleton,

Tyne

were both invested as Serving Sisters on March 18.

John Lang Wil son, MB, ChBEd (Hants)

Lt-Col. Ronald Ernest Cole-Mackintosh, OBE (East Sussex)

John Christopher Baile y, MB, ChB, DObst, RCOG (Avon)

Charles Hugh Willjam Tibbles (Beds)

Ian James O'Callaghan (Berks)

Anthony Hud son (Bucks)

Robert Geoffrey Course (Essex)

Brian Whitaker, SRN (South Yorks)

Kenneth George Smith (London)

Reuben Jonathan Vasey (Co. Durham)

Alan David Willjs (West Midlands)

Kenneth Roy sto n Crane (Avon)

Commander John Marriott, RN (Berks)

Ralph John Mason (Kent)

Ian Middleton, SRN, RMN , BTA, TNC (West Yorks)

Frederick Brian Whiteley (Cheshire)

Leslie Charles Bamber, SRN (Sussex)

Leonard Richard Pearson (Staffs)

Robert Kenneth Carmen (London)

John Flanagan (Co. Durham)

Basil Ernest Fenn (Essex)

Geoffrey Robert Welch (Herts)

James Henry Swift (Leics)

Edwin Douglas Canavan (Essex)

Charles Henry Harrold (Norfolk)

Stanley William Morris, MBE, QPM (South Yorks)

Frederick James Cooper (West Midlands)

Peter Crawford Willan (Avon)

George Leonard Constant (Northants)

Percy Theodore Gooderham (Dorset)

Howard John Elkin (Cheshire)

David Frank Parsons (London)

Douglas Newby (Co. Durham)

John Albert Bennett (Kent)

Frederick Kershaw Dixon (Lancs)

Reginald Cecil Hjggins (Notts)

Frank Poppleton (West Yorks)

Raymond Reginald Drury , MB, ChB, DObst, RCOG (Wilts)

Michael John Emslie, MB, ChB, MRCGP (S ussex)

Melville Watkins, MRCS, LRCP DPh (Essex)

Kenneth William Needham (Lincs)

Ronald Jack Bangay (Kent)

William Wright (Co. Durham)

Donald Curts (Beds)

Alec Robert Webb (Bucks)

Paul Boffa MD (Surrey)

Bas il Ernes t Bright (West Midlands)

George Albert Dingemans, LMSSA (Sussex)

Reginald George Willmott (Surrey)

Brian Frederick Walker (Staffs)

Ronald Danjel Jones (South Yorks)

Claude Frederick Mead, JP (Essex)

John Owen Young (Lincoln)

James Enock Taylor (Co. Durham)

Ian Thomas Patrick, MB, ChB (Bucks)

John Burns Cooper (Cleveland)

Wallace Higginbottom (Derbys)

Samuel Albert Harris (West Midlands)

John Henry Bradey (South Yorks)

Sidney Thompson Nicholson (London)

Edward John Adderley, JP (Lancs)

Bert Ronald Holland (Bucks)

James Dixon, MB, BS (Tyne & Wear)

Kenneth Cragg (Leics)

Jack Fi tzclark (Herts)

Roben Malcolm Griffiths (Yorks)

Thomas Twigg (Staffs)

Arthur Frederick Green, BSc FRlC, MIPHE, MIWPC, LIFireE (London)

Serving Sister

Eileen, Mrs Morris ( Hants)

Margery KethJeen, Mrs Baron (Aldemey)

Marion, Mrs Oldfield (Co. Durham)

Grace, Mrs Chorlton, RRC, SRN (Cumbria)

Barbara Ann, Mrs Thomson (Co. Durham)

Mary May, Mrs Williams (Berks)

Vivienne Jill, Mrs Rose (Avon)

Jane, Mrs Webb (Co. Durham)

Pamela Rosemary Gladys, Mrs Fitzgerald (Hants)

Margaret Roscoe, Mrs eve (Cheshire)

Greta, Mrs Dryden (Cumbria)

Alice Evelyn, Mrs Cornish (Surrey)

Eileen Margaret, Mrs Hart (Lanes)

R ita, Mrs Hudspeth (Tyne & Wear)

Dorothy, Mrs Lucas, SRN (Avon)

Elizabeth Joan, Mrs Pease, SRN (Berks)

Jennifer Mary, Mrs Philljp s, SRN (Herts)

Ann Elizabeth, Mrs Goodman (Cambridge)

Joan, Mrs Gladders (Cleveland)

Winifred, Mrs Garforth (Cumbria)

Hilda, Mrs James (Derbys)

Anita, Mrs Willis (Tyne & Wear)

Janice Mary, Mrs Wright (Essex)

Serving Brother

Mrs E. Ashcroft collected the insignia of Ser ing

Brother awarded to her late father: Peter Wi e, M.B., B.S. (Co. Durham)

OXYGEN THERAPY IN FIRST AID

from A. P. Hickox, Managing Director, Speciality Oxygen Service Ltd

The October 1981 St John Review published an article by Dr B. G. B. Lucas, Dr A. B. Raffle and Dr J. C. Graham entitled 'Oxygen Therapy in First Aid'. Since much of what these gentlemen wrote was, in my opinion, either inaccurate or misleading, and sometimes both, I confidently expected to see a rebuttal published long before now.

Meanwhile, since I have an obvious commercial interest (as managing director of Speciality Oxygen Service Ltd) in the subject matter of the article, I requested the independent and unbiased opinion of Dr M. Rosen, Consultant Anaesthetist, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff. Dr Rosen, in turn, sent the article to Dr Peter Baskett, Consultant Anaesthetist, Bristol and Weston Health District (Teaching), Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol. I enclose the letter Dr Rosen received from Dr Baskett whose permission has beeen given for its publication. I need make no further comment. Richmond, Surrey A. P. Hickox

from Peter Baskett, BA, MB, BCh, FFARCS, Consultant Anaesthetist

Thank you for sending me the papers by Bernard Lucas and various colleagues which criticise the use of oxygen in Immediate Care. It is sad to see gentlemen holding senior advisory positions with St John Ambulance expounding views which display a serious misunderstanding of the benefits of oxygen therapy.

I can understand the emphasis placed by the writers on the importance of ensuring good ventilation as a first principle and of explaining the action of high inspired oxygen concentrations in patients with chronic obstructive airways disease in potentially reducing ventilation volumes by removing the hypoxic drive.

However, it is quite illogical and irresponsible to propose that, as a result of this sequence in a particular and relatively easily identifiable group of patients, oxygen should not be used in any patients at all.

Oxygen has been shown to be of considerable value in patients with myocardial infarction with poor tissue perfusion, in trauma with blood loss , and particularly in head and chest injuries. In these patients, with ventilation perfusion inequalities and impaired facilities for oxygen transport due to haemoglobin loss and poor peripheral circulation, there is little doubt that a higher inspired P0 2 will convey a considerable improvement in oxygenation at cellular level. Under these conditions oxygen in solution in the plasma plays a much more significant part than is suggested by the authors.

Certainly competent first-aiders should be ta ught the importance of a clear airway, adequate pulmonary ventilation and oxygen therapy. It would seem to me to be a highly retrograde step for St John Ambulance to consider removing oxygen from their ambulances when it can be of so much value in so many patients. It is noteworthy that no professional ambulance service has chosen to follow this course and I can only conclude that the medical advisors and the instructors

of St John Ambulance do not have the confidence in their teaching capabilities and the calibre of their trainees to allow sensible u se of oxygen therapy in those patients who stand to benefit enormously from it , because they cannot identify a relatively small and obvious group in which there is a potential hazard.

One hopes that St John Ambulance will think again and get their priorities right.

Bristol

Peter Baskett

from Dr P A. B. Raffle OBE, Chief Medical Officer, SJAA, Dr l. C. Graham OBE, Surgeon-in-Chief, SlAB and Dr B G. B. Lucas

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, SlAA.

We would make two comments in reply to Mr Hickox's letter of February. Firstly, would he produce his evidence that what we wrote was inaccurate or misleading ; and secondly, he asked for an independent, unbiased opinion from Dr Rosen, but Dr Rosen, for some reason, asked someone else Peter Baskett, possibly because of his involvement with paramedics and emergency care technicians, has sadly misread the theme of the article, which is the value of oxygen therapy in first aid, not in immediate care. Immediate care, by definition, is done by whole time professionals who ha ve received considerable paramedical instruction St John first-aiders are part-time, and no attempt is made to train them as paramedics.

We would also comment that phrases such as 'oxygen has been shown to be of considerable value' and 'oxygen in solution in the plasm plays a much more significant part' sound ex-cathedra without supportive evidence.

Headquarters P. A. B. Raffle, J. C. Graham and B. G. B. Lucas

One of the picture bandages, given by Pr incess Christian to the late Supt Fred S mmonds of the Royal Windsor Ambulance Division See letter Th e Triangular Bandage

THE TRIANGULAR BANDAGE

from Watkin W. Williams

May I add a postscript to Jack's very interesting account in The World About Us of the origins and history of the triangular bandage (March Review)?

As stated, the triangular bandage invented in 1831 by Dr Mayor of Lausanne never caught on, and might have remained for ever a mere curiosity in the annals of medical history had it not been for the resourcefulness of a London policeman and the ingenuity of a German doctor. To quote from 'At Random' for March 1973:

'When the young Dr Friedrich von Esmarch was visiting London to see the Great Exhibition in 1851, he saw a policeman who was doing first aid at a street accident pull out his handkerchief and, folding it into a triangle, use it in this shape to keep a dressing on a wound.

This gave the doctor an idea, and on his return to Germany he experimented with different ways in which a triangular piece of cloth (larger than a handkerchief) could be used for slings and to keep dressings and splints in position. In 1868, by which time he had become Professor of Surgery at Kiel University and was soon to be SurgeonGeneral of the Prussian army, he made an engraving showing a scene at a front line dressing station, with casualties bandaged in such a way as to demonstrate t he various uses of his new triangular bandage ; and he had it printed for instructional purposes on triangular pieces of linen, the size of a square metre cut diagonally in half.

'This became the standard form of bandaging taught to the Prussian Army Medical Corps, and its first extensive use was during the FrancoPrussian war of 1870. A year or two la ter HRH Princess Christian a daughter of Queen Victoria, brought some of these over to England and thus introduced triangular bandaging, as we know it to the country where, about twenty years before, an unknown London 'bobby' had first sown the seeds of the idea.'

One of these picture-bandages, showing Prussian soldiers complete with their spiked helmets and bandaged and sp linted for every injury in the book , was given by Princess Christian to the late Supt Fred Simmonds of the Royal Windsor Ambulance Division, and is reproduced here. And it always thrills me to see that even after more than a century we have found little cause to alter or improve on the methods of bandaging that Dr von Esmarch invented. Epping, Essex Watkin W. Williams

HARSH TREATMENT?

from J Vernon, Staff Sergeant

It is surprising to find so little apparent interest shown regarding the amended Brigade Regula tions concerning Re tireme nt and the Retired List and the brief ensuing correspondence on the subject.

Although I do not have any strong feelings regarding abolition of the Retired List, surely a situation of discrimination now exists which under circumstances of race or colour, would produce howls of injustice.

!n. his reply to S. C. Bishop (Readers' Views, January), Mr Watkin WIllIams states that his 'first thoughts on reading Brigade Order 1713 was, Hurrah! At last HQ has had the courage to recognise that the wearing of Brigade uniform indicates to the general public that the wearer is currently qualified and physically capable ' If Mr Williams has had further thoughts on the matter, surely he will have se.en that this cannot have been HQ's reason for scrapping the Retired LIst, as this will only apply to members retired from active service

I in full agreement with Mr W. Williams' views concerning requlIements for wearing of uniform, and the acceptance by the public the uniform implies qualification in first aid. Although with umforms nowadays having all become so uniform, I am not at all Sure that very many people even know to which organisation anyone pe:s?n belongs, especially in the dark I thoroughly applaud Mr W. WlllIams' decision not to wear uniform as Divisional President now he his physical condition might prevent his making adequate use of hIS undoubted ability as a first aider. This decision, however is nevertheless an entirely vo lun tary one on his part, and, I belIeve, is in no way governed by Brigade Regulations. we have the situation where a retired member, with years of trammg and practice, suddenly becomes ineligible to wear uniform whereas a president, most of whom I have known do not even a basic knowledge of first aid, would be permitted to appear in public

The Order of St. John JOHN •

Greater Manchester

of the nimblest young fingers got moving recently - trying to solve the Rubik cube at an event held at Manchester University organised by St John Ambulance in aid of the Cadet Diamond Jubilee.

Sixty youngsters, the finalists from competitions held in schools in Greater Manchester, were competing in three age groups for silver trophies as well as trying to beat the world record of just over 24 seconds. The winner in fact unscrambled 29 cubes in 20 minutes.

The event was the idea of Dame Kathleen Olleren shaw, who is chairman of the Council of the Order of St John in Greater Manchester and has the honour to be the only woman to be President of the National Institute of Mathematics.

Dr David Singmaster, mathematics tutor who brought the cube to Britain, related the history of the cube and introduced novel variations from all over the world.

Making a guest appearance with three of his colleagues from the Wes t Midlands was the British champion Julian Chivers, and between them they unscrambled a staggering 97 cubes in 20 minutes John White solved the cube behind his back in about 3 minutes, while Richard Hudson did it in one hand.

All these events were sponsored, the money raised going to St John

( Right ) Dr Dav d Singmaster who brought the tantalizing cube to Britain , at the Supplies shop with county Secretary Beryl Pipes and N M Margaret Spruce who manages the stores at County HQ.

(Be low) Nobby Clarke from Headquarters with two cadets at the exhibition he organised and installed in the University building foyer

Rubik cubing for SJA

SOME

wearing uniform. This is no criticism of our Presidents. I hold them in the highest esteem. They rarely get true recognition for the hours and years of unstinting voluntary work with only the satisfaction of knowing they are helping us. As a newly appointed President once remarked to me, 'Even if I do not feel able to undertake first aid work, being able to relieve you people of some of the work of fund raising, social events, etc, does leave the qualified members more time for training and duties.'

It is a purely personal view that on occasions it might be advantageous for a President to wear uniform, eg, when appealing as a guest speaker at a meeting of one of the charitable organisations appealing for financial assistance or otherwise promoting the interests of the Brigade. (The President could always be accompanied by a qualified member.)

Of more concern to me than who should and should not wear uniform is the brusque amendment on Retirement. 'All members on reaching the age of 70 except those with special permission to remain on the Active List or Reserve will be retired. Surely HQ is not out of touch with the work of the Divisions to the extent that it does not realise that the older member, retired from full-time occupation, and frequently fitter than some of the under 65s is in great demand for covering week-day duties when most of the Division would be at work? Yes, we do know about all the useful non-uniform jobs that can be done. Probably most of us have been doing these for years, alongside our Brigade duties. These jobs, however, are not what led us to join the uniformed branch. I can still remember that as a keen young man I was led to join my first Division because I felt I had an aptitude for first aid work, coupled with a vocation to serve the sick and injured in an organisation I respected and admired, and whose uniform I was proud to wear. (Even the button cleaning, blancoing of cap bands , and boning the leathers were accepted cheerfully as part of presenting a smart appearance ) Throughout all my Brigade service I have endeavoured to hold these ideals and maintain the highest standard of knowledge and practice Unless present day youngsters differ greatly, I do not think many will be influenced by the compulsory retirement of their older comrades, as S. C. Bishop suggests. From comments made to me by friends outside the Brigade, and people with whom I come in contact on Brigade duties, I am more concerned that the Brigade image may be some what tarnished by what the public seem to regard as rather harsh treatment of its loyal and long serving members who ask nothing more than being allowed to continue service to mankind in the way for which they were trained. Until now, I had been under the impression that, provided I remained efficient and submitted a doctor's certificate of fitness, I could be of service to the Brigade. Now it seems that before long that privilege will be denied me. Although the new Brigade Regulation includes the words 'except those with special permission', how many members with perhaps more than 50 years efficient service to their crdit are going to risk the indignity of permission being refused?

Not to worry. I shall accept the ruling as the disciplined member I have always tried to be, but Brigade member or not, I shall continue to keep myself trained to the highest possible degree of efficiency in case some unfortunate person needs my ministration when there is no trained person under the age of 70 available, uniform or not. Lich/ield Division J. Vernon

PLUTONIUM - THE

FACTS

from B J. Wilson, MA, President

The article The World About Us (March Review) includes a tailpiece headed 'An Ominous Element' which refers to plutonium and carries information apparently taken from another publication entitled Parade. It is not sensible for the Review to publish scaremongering information of this type without checking the facts first. May I put plutonium into context for your readers?

What is plutonium? It is a silvery-white metal, and although minute amounts can be found in nature under exceptional circumstances, it is basically a man-made element. It gives off a type of radiation which can be stopped by a piece of paper or the dead outer layer of the skin. It is, therefore, safe to touch and is not a hazard as long as it is outside the body. It is, however, highly carcinogenic when deposited inside the body by breathing in its dust. It is not the most toxic substance known to man, being less hazardous than botulinus toxin and other

biological products, lead arsepate (a common ingredient of pesticides) and potassium cyanide. It is not even the most dangerous from the radioactive. point view when naturally occurring radon gas IS four tImes more tOXIC 10 thIS case than plutonium

Today's power production reactors, which are fuelled by uranium create plutonium internally as an inevitable part of their energ; production. Like uranium, it is a reactor fuel and some of that in reactor.s is 'burned' during normal running, providing a sIgrnficant proportIon of the overall heat, which is the whole purpose of the reactor. One particular type of plutonium, plutonium-238, is very useful as an isolated power supply source on a very small scale, for example for batteries in heart pacemakers and for communications in space I am not suggesting that plutonium is not a dangerou s substance, for it is . However, it should be viewed in perspective , and recognised that society has learned to protect itself against harmful materials of which plutonium is only one. Handled carefully there should be no danger from it, and, in fact, there are no known case s of cancer in man having been induced by plutonium

It is sad that a reputable publication like St John Review can publish disreputable statements like the one at the beginning of 'An Ominou s Element'. It is not possible to say that one thing is 486 million times more poisonous than another, and it is certainly in no way feasible that a thimbleful of anything could be divided and sub-divided in such a way that every member of the human race could inhale a part of it!

210 Division, London B. J. Wi/son

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

from Mr G Sharp

May 1 through the St John Review conduct a poll on how man y divi si ons nationally would be interested in an open competition comprising both First Aid and Home Nursing?

The Format would be:

4 man Team Test; 4 man Nursing Test; 4 man Improvisation Test. No.2, No 3, No.4 Individual Test, First Aid or Nursing. No. 1 Leader Tests First Aid and Nursing (1 each).

3 man Test First Aid or Nursing.

1 and 2, 3 and 4 Pairs Test. First Aid or Nursing. Transport Test. Uniform Inspection.

This idea is not unique as the format has been used very successfully in New Zealand, with the day usually ending with a function, eg, Disco, Dance, etc, which gives the teams time to wind down and get to know one another. This would necessitate a Saturday competition or possibly a long weekend to enable travel to the venue and overnigh t accommodation.

Would any Di visions interested please contact me.

90 Windsor Terrace, East Ham, London E6 4LE G Sharp

MAY YOUR FEET GO WITH YOU

from Keith Edwards, Divisional Officer

This year's Gillette Marathon, a gruelling 26-mile jog around the streets of London, should certainly shed pounds and moans from its (estimated) 14,000 competitors - including myself. I donned my tracksuit last November and have since been toiling at miles of foo tpounding training around Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Richmond I'll be at the line-up for the start at Greenwich at 9arn on Sunday May 9.

If any other Brigade members are competing, let's hear how you get on through the Review. And let's hear from last year's entrants too Good luck for this year. And may your feet go with you. London SWl1 Keith Edwards

WE'RE TRAINED TOO

from N. Pocock, NEEB

Is it not time the powers-that-be recognized nursery nurses as highly trained people? I trained for two years and am now in charge of a 50-place nursery and its staff. The first aid we have to do is very intensive and we are told a good nursery nurse is always a good firstaider. Our work with children demand s this. And yet we are not allowed to wear our badge on Brigade uniform. Come on, nursery nurses, let's fight for our right to be recognized as trained nurses Surely someone at Headquarters will do something for us.

Essex

Emergency Offshore (from p.109) interfering, by counselling without taking over, and by referring when necessary and helping the patient recognise the need to do so . Old bogey - new opportunity

Many years ago as a young nursing officer in a Salmon pilot scheme, I remember the hours of deliberation spent on the subject of non-nursing duties . W ith no wish to repeat such experiences, let me just state that from the outset one accepts a commitment to administrative tasks by mere acceptance of the post as a medic. One's involvement in the platform's social and administrative mechanisms can either make or break the job, particularly for newcomers For me it is not the 'old bogey' but a splendid opportunity to keep in touch with one's population.

When the crunch comes

The single, most important, function of any medic offshore must be their ability to deal with a medical emergency (M! and arrest), severe trauma and multiple casualty situations. Management of disasters, even at loca l level, requires a know ledge of plant breakdown patterns and pos s ible mec hanism s of injury. Accessibility and availability of protected zones must be identified immediately following the impact

Band Festival - Barry Theobald, writing in the letters page of the March Review, suggests that a major band competition for Brigade Bands should be organised for Cadet Jubilee Year.

It was suggested at the last AGM of the Federation in October that such an event be held, but it was agreed that it should not be a competition. This was put forward to HQ by the Executive Committee for consi deration , but because of the pressures this year with the Albert Hall Rally, etc, we were asked to defer it and bring it up again for 1983.

It was felt that an event of a noncompetitive nature would attract more Brigade Bands. Barry's offer to provide a trophy is much appreciated and no doubt a 'Band of the Day' could be declared by some system.

Such an event could hardly be left to one band to host, due to the very large problem of a suitable venue and the costs and organisation involved But in no way will this idea be forgotten We shall be in touch with HQ later in the year for support and backing for it.

Guernsey - There are definite signs that · the band being formed in Guernsey is underway, as we hear from David Leach, of Potter's of Aldershot, that they recently visited him and left with a load of instruments! We look forward to hearing how they are progressing and to welcoming them as members of the Federation.

Cadet Jubilee Rally, Albert Hall - It has now been decided that the bands taking part in this event will be as follows. The

period. The resources and deployment of assistance, as provided for by emergency standing orders, must also be known. Medics must be familiar with the control and communication arrangements during disaster so that their input will provide the necessary information required to mobilise appropriate relief. An initial situat ion report would include the number of i njured, number of life-threatening emergencies (that is obstructed airway, absence 0 f breathing, absence of circulation), number of severely injured (in other words, those requiring immediate attention) and numbers of minor injuries

It should be noted that the primary assessment of the overall situation, which will be concluded in seconds rather than minutes, takes precedence over individual treat ment. The second assessment, which will be more detailed in nature, should help identify priorities for treatment. Treatment will almost certainly be initiated for th ose with life-threatening emergencies, with simp le airway maintenance and control of bleeding, probably being delegated to a competent first aider. With pr!orities established treatment of individuals may now be undertaken.

Management of the individual who is severely injured or acutely ill, commences

SJA MUSIC MAKERS

N. Pocock

opening fanfare and the marching band display will be by the Southwark Corps of Drums, while the stage band will be a combined effort by members of St Audries, from Somerset, Wilnecote, from the Midlands, and Southwick, from

si milarly with the establishment of priorities First, securing and maintaining a patent airway. The use of adjunctive equipment may be necessary. Second, ventilation using, if necessary, rescue breathing, mechanical ventilatory assistance and supplemental oxygen. Third, circulation, external cardiac compressions, careful monitoring of pulse and blood pressure, medicating a failing heart, the use of defibrillation equipment (though not generally available in the North Sea is now receiving active consideration since its absence may deprive the arrested patient of his only chance of survival).

Conclusion

The oil industry showed wisdom in looking to nursing as a maturing profession from which to recruit those individual s most suitable for this particular task. In doing so it was also prudent to insist on further training and to lend support to those organisations prepared to undertake this function. It is vital, however, that such individuals regardless of location, who have become detached from the bulk of their profession be involved in an aggressive continuing education programme

Mr Davidson is occupational hygiene co-ordinator, BP Petroleum Development (UK) Ltd

Reprinted rom N ursing Times

Sussex. This combined band will be under the direction of Major Duncan Beat, Director of Music , The Scots Guards. A weekend rehearsal for the stage band has been arranged for October 2 and 3 at St Audries School, by very kind permission of the Headmaster, Mr J. Tough.

Band Badges and Annual InspectionsNegotiations between the Federation and HQ are still going on regarding both these subjects and bands should be hearing something on them within a few weeks. It has been a very long and drawn out procedure, but we feel that we may now be seeing some results.

Newsletters - Our request for newsletters has brought forth one response, from the Surrey Band. Many thanks Please keep us on your distribution list. Surrey had an unusual engagement in January, outdoors and in the snow, to open the Capel bypass. I won't tell you more as they are going to send a full report for the Review. Their newsletter even has a Situations Vacant co lumn, where they are asking for a Drum Major. I wonder if they ha ve had any takers?

Percussion Training Day - David Minney is in the process of arranging this, but it is taking longer than expected. Hoped for dates are end of April or May. Don 't shoot the lad, he's doing his best , and he has been very tied up with negotiations with HQ and arrangements for the Albert Hall.

95 App/esham Way, Ports/ade, Sussex Mark Gillam

NEWS from SCOTLAND

1982 began with some interesting contacts between the Order in Scotland and its representatives overseas.

While on a visit to Ochorios, Jamaica, in January, the Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair (DStJ) presented first aid certificates to St John Cadets at Prospect College, founded by Sir Harold Mitchell for Jamaican boys between the ages of 15 and 18 Lady Aberdeen also played the organ at the Service before the presentation in Sir Harold and Lady Mitchell's Chapel, which is attached to the College, and visited the St John Shop which she described as 'very good

Mr William Gordon, Chairman of the Council of St John Associations in Scotland, while in Vienna - also in January - had the opportunity of meeting and exchanging courtesies with the President of the Order in Austria (Johanniter Unfall Aufe).

Later this year Dr Paul Mackenzie, Director of the Glenshee Ski Rescue Service, is going to Norway where he hopes to exchange ideas and experiences in this field of common interest.

Scottish Priory continues to support the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem As well as maintaining good works 'pro utilitate hominum' in their areas in Scotland, local S t John Associations have also responded to Dr Blair 's suggestion of providing equipment for the Eye Hospital - eg, Perth and Kinross sent an ophthalmoscope and lens ; Glasgow gave four practitioner ophthalmoscopes, and Aberdeen provided an overhead projector useful in teaching nursing staff and trainees.

WALES

to R) The Prelate; His Grace the Duke of Hamilton (Prior); Wm A P. Jack (Chancellor) ; D r Thomas A Ross, who presented the gates in memory of his wife Eleanor.

(photo: The Scotsman)

The Priory 's donation took the form of two heated food trolleys each of which can contain 56 meals - equipment urgently requested by the Warden.

Donations from members in response to the Hospitaller of Scotland's appeal at the time of the annual Festival in 1981 amounted to nearly £1,200, and along with covenanted and other subscriptions totalled £3 ,653 for the year to the benefit of the Ophthalmic Hospital.

At home Pert h and Kinross Association have presented turntables (to facilitate the movement of patients in their homes) to the local District Nursing Service. The St John Cadets have been busy making foot stools for use in Strathcarron Hospice, and one of the leading Cadets , Andrew Smith, took first place in the cycle manoeuvrability and road safety tests held at the Central Scottish Police Road Safety Fair - the second time a St John Cadet has won this open competition.

Twelve Cadets also ran a very successful restaurant at the Lothian Community Relations Council charities hypermarket.

Falkirk District Council showed their

appreciation of the Cadets' work by granting a donation of £50 towards the Cadets' service to the sick and needy.

The official opening of the extension of Strathyre Holiday Home for the Blind and D isa bled built and maintained by Central St John Association, is planned for May 22.

The handsome memorial gates and railings erected outside Priory Headquarters at St John Street, Edinburgh, were dedicated by the Prelate of Scotland, the Very Reverend R. S. Barbour MC, DD, after the Chapter meeting on March 8th (see photo).

Highland St John Association centred at Inverness suffered during the winter from the terrible weather conditions which made travelling difficult and meetings almost impossible. In good heart nevertheless, they have organised flag days and a cheese and wine party for the month of May. A number of donations have been received from people who were rescued on the hills with the help of Search and Rescue Dog Association -a service heartily supported by the Order and its Association at Inverness.

N.M.B.

THE first of many events planned by Cardiff Castle Division to raise funds to buy a new ambulance was a marathon stretcher pull from Merthyr Tidfil to the Castle Mews, Cardiff. The 27-mile route taken by the officers, members and cadets was completed in 8 Y2 hours. (Photo above).

Three stretchers were pulled in relays by 14 adults and seven cadets. Three ambulances also accompanied the walk.

The groups were met halfway by the Mayor of Cynon Valley, Cllr A. Davies, who is a vice-president of Abercynon Division

The Commissioner for South Glamorgan Mr D. Hartley, and his Deputy Miss P. Rogers along with the Divisional President Mrs H. B. Singer, were at the finishing point to greet and congratu late the tired walker s with much appreciated refreshments. £500 was raised.

Cynon Valley district held a sponsored swim, started by Cllr A. Davies, who himself raised £135, when 39 swimmers raised £600 which is to be shared between the Ophthalmic Hospital and lo ca l divisions.

(Left) Mr R. J Boyd, who retired in 1980 after many years service with St John, the last 15 as N. Ireland Association Secretary, leaving a recent investiture at which he was awarded the MBE (Right) Retirements Cheques are presented to Armagh Area Commissioner George Hanthorn (2nd from left) by Area Supt (A) Andrew Shill day; Portadown Div /Su pt Miss Molly Toal (2nd from right) from Dr Jack Mi ll er, Portadown Div Surgeon Retired? - Mr Hanthorn will continue to be very active with the Association and the Brigade; Miss Toal continues with the Division as a nursing member

N. IRELAND

On February 12 the Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Right Reverend Dr Robert Eames, visited RathmuUan Church, near Downpatrick , Co. Down, and dedicated a memorial plaque presented by the Commandery of Ards.

The plaque records the fact that the present Rathmullan Church, erected in 1703, is on the site of a former church described in 1615 as having been dedicated to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in the year 1213AD OBITUARY

Mrs Mary Gladys Bailey, MBE, who died on Christmas Day 1981. Served at the St John Ambulance Hospital, Etaples, France, during First World War, and became Serving Sister in 1917. Appointed first Divisional Superintendent of Whitehead Nursing Division in 1939. District Nursing Officer 1945 - 50

Colonel George Gregg, OBE, TD, QHP, DL, MD, FRCP, DPhysMed, who died February 13 1982. Joined Brigade as District Training Officer in 1952, District Surgeon in 1955, and Belfast Area Commissioner in 1957. District Commissioner 1960 - 67. Became Knight of Justice in 1966

James Huey Hamill Pollock, CMG, OBE, died March 14 1982 aged 88 years. Member of the Senate of Northern Ireland 1954 - 57, being Deputy Speaker for two years. Knight of Justice of the Order in 1950. Lieutenant of the Commandery of Ards 1952 - 61.

OVERSEAS

AUSTRALIA SJA in Canberra had a busy time attending exhausted casualties at a Fun Run (this massed running is becom ing a world craze)

Test your Knowledge of the Manual: 13

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

1. A poison is any substance, (a) (b) or (c) , which, when taken into the body in sufficient amounts, may (d)......... or even destroy life.

2. A poison may be taken either (a) or (b)

3. A poison may enter the body in the following ways: (a). by breathing poisonous gases or fumes. (b) , by swallowing. (c) under the skin. (d) . .. .. . ... ..... . ... through the skin.

4. Hydrogen Sulphide, Cyanogen Gas or Cyanide Fumes are

5. Swallowed poisons act quickly, either: Directly on the (a)...... causing retching, (b) , pain and often (c) ........ . Common causes are (d) berries and infected and decomposed (e) Severe symptoms are caused by corrosives (strong (f)......... and (g) ) which burn the lips, (h) gullet and (i) ... . .. ... and cause (j) pain.

6. Swallowed poisons can also act on the (a) system after absorption into the (b) Common causes are excessive alcohol, or tablets taken to (c) , pain.

Poisons entering under the skin arise from the bites of (d)......... reptiles, some (e) and certain insects

7. Poisons entering through the skin can be certain (a) used by farmers. They can cause (b) if swallowed.

8. Apart from the possibility of death from the poison, life may be endangered by: (a) A ______ A. (b) C V S. (c) C ___

9. If the casualty is conscious (a) · , what happened; remember he may (b) at any time.

10. If lips and mouth show signs of burns, give quantities of (a) (b) or (c). .. ....... to (d) ..... . .. . the poison.

n. If the casualty is uncon scious and breathing freely, place him in the (a) · , thus ensuring an (b)

12 Send any particulars of the suspected cause of poisoning, if known, to hospital with the casualty, together with any (a) · , any (b) , and any (c)

14. When the casualty is poisoned b y aspirin, the casualty has pain in the (a) , and is sweating (b) with (c) breathing and a (d) pulse.

15. Travel sickness tablets are atropine-like drugs. An overdose causes (a) at first, (b) later.

16. The berries of (a)......... (deadly nightshade) cause the skin to be (b) and (c) The temperature rises to (d)., °C (104°F). The mouth is (e) ........ . and there is intense (f) The pupils are (g) and breatbing is (h)

17. Barbiturates and other sleeping tablets cause (a) depression with (b) of breathing, leading to (c)......... or even coma, with failure of (d) function.

18. The aim of First Aid in the treatment of poisoning is to (a). and (b). the casualty urgently to (c)

13. In the treatment of poisoning by pesticides, the casualty must not be allowed to (a). at all. (b) · must be removed. If convulsions are present, sponge freely with cold water his (c) , back of the neck, (d). and body. Place bim in a (e). ; if necessary fan him. Give as much (f). or well (g) . . . . . .. as he can swallow.

by Roy Jackson and Bruce Coltman of the Northumbria Police Centre

Nevvs troln Divisions / Centres

Please

QUESTIONS (on

p. 117)

and ANSWERS

Answers

1. (a) solid, (b) liquid, (c) gas, (d) damage health.

2. (a) accidentally , (b) intentionally.

3. (a) through the lungs, (b) through the mouth, (c) by injection, (d) by absorption.

4. rapidly fatal.

S. (a) food passage, (b) vomiting, (c) diarrhoea, (d) poisonous , (e) food, (f) acids, (g) alkalis, (h) mouth, (i) stomach, (j) intense

6. (a) nervous, (b) blood, (c) relieve, (d) poisonous, (e) animal s.

7. (a) pesticides, (b) convulsions.

8. (a) asphyxia, (b) convulsions, (c) coma.

9. (a) ask him quickly, (b) lose consciousness.

10. (a) water, (b) milk, (c) barley water, (d) dilute.

11. (a) recovery position, (b) open airway.

12. (a) remaining poison, (b) box, carton, bot t le , container, (c) vomited matter.

13. (a) exert himself , (b) contaminated clothing, (c) head, (d) spine, (e) current of air, (f) water, (g) sweetened drink

14. (a) abdomen, (b) profusely, (c) laboured, (d) full.

IS. (a) excitement, (b) depression.

16. (a) Belladonna, (b) hot, (c) flushed, (d) 40 °C (e) dry , (f) thirst, (g) widely dilated , (h) noisy.

17. (a) respiratory, (b) failure, (c) collapse, (d) circulation.

18. (a) sustain life , (b) remove , (c) hospital.

(8). S. Out of breath (6). 9 Tract from kidneys to external meatu s of urethra (7). 10 A danger for a Spanish city (7) 11. Season for periodic rise and fall of sea-level (4). 12. Nourishing dish from Wes (4) 13. Supple in body (5). IS. Motor supply to some of the muscle s moving the eyeball (8.5). 19. Restorative provided by malodorou s sailors? (8.5). 23. Hurts badly in a small wood (S). 25. Take care of the intellectual powers (4). 26. Pain f rom each dislocation (4). 29. Unknown beginning to cartilaginous proce ss of the sternum (7) 30 Abdominal cyst common in females (7). 31. Indifference to ones condition (6). 32. Large vessels emptying into the right atrium (4.4).

Down

1. 24 Down breaks through the gum (6). 2. Spot where the optic nerve leaves the retina (S). 3. Star role for a poisonous metal (4) 4. Haemostatic (7). 6 Concerned with the iris, ciliary body , and choroid (S). 7 Injuries requiring a true F.R.C.S. (9). 8. Base diet for endocrine-deficiency disease (8). 10 Become pale for a flower (S) 14. Image from lido (4). IS. Defective vision due to image not being sharply focused on retina (9). 16. Female gamete (3). 17 Meanderin g line for African river (4). 18. Condition requiring urgent action to restore breathing (8). 20. No insane wanderer (S) 21. Vasovagal attack (7).22 Protrusion of intestines through weakness in abdominal wall (6) 24. Has crown, neck, and root (5).27. Facial feature and a coun try (S). 28. Anatomical vessels and ducts (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 4(82)

Across: 1. Biackout; 5. Nausea; 9. Shoulder; 10. PiT''1ed; 12. Lat e; 13. Shoe; 14. Onset; 16. Atrial flutter; 20. Shooting ",; 24. Ashen; 26. Lobe; 27. Idea; 30. F.alter; 31. Drop foot; 32. Ulster; 33. Systolic. Down: 1. Bustle; 2. Abo rt; 3. Kelp; 4. Urethra; 6. Amino ; 7. Sinusitis; 8. Auditory; 11. Deaf; 15. Fret; 16. Anopheles; 17. L.eg; 18. Unit; 19. Asian flu; 21. Null; 22 Puberty; 23. Lactic; 2S. NLe .ce; 28. Drool; 29 . Spit.

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ST JOHN REVIE W

TH E JOURNAL OF ST J OH N

Volum e 55 No.6 J u ne 1982

Cont e nts

At Random, by Watkin W. Williams p.12 1

SJ A Ludlow shows how to attract new members p.l 22

Outreach - a programme of the Ophtha lmic Hospital p. 123

Hypothermia p.124

Cadet Chat by Jim, p.126

Around and About , by the Editor p.128

SJA Stafford exercise with RAF p.132

40 years service with SJA - Dr Walter Cashmore p l33

Round -the -wo rld with SJA by Graham Robinson p.134

Action at t he Grass Track p.134

Ambulance training in S.E London p.136

Questions and Answers: 14 p.137

Readers'Views p.138

Humberside p.138

Greater Manchester p.139

News from Scotland - Overseas - Wales p.l40

News from Divisions / Centres p.142

EDITORI A L and ADVERTISEMENTS

Edited and produced for the Order of St John by Driscoll Productions Wood Cottage, High Corner Butley, Nr Woodbridge SuHo k IP12 30F AdvertiSing rates on request.

(STD

PILCHER· GREENE

THE CHIEF Commander returned early in April from his five-week tour of six countries in East and Central Africa Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Apart from studying and discussing the present state of Association and Brigade activities in these countries, his main task was to assess the extent to which St John could usefully become involved in the teaching and development of Primary Health Care (PHC) as a uniquely valuable contribution to the welfare of the local community. He found that the only two of these countries in which St John would at present be able to carry out an extensive project for teaching Primary Health Care were Kenya and Zimbabwe, but that such a project was already in existence in Zambia under the direction of the Ministry of Health , which would greatly welcome and benefit from the help of St John Ambulance if only St John had the numerical strength and the necessary training to enable its members to give it. In Kenya, the Ministr of Health ha s already such a scheme in operation, with which St John could u efully co-operate, especially among small isolated communities in the remoter areas of the country.

But in Zimbabwe St John ha e alread reached a fairly advanced stage in planning a PHC project which the Chief Commander described a 'the most exciting and impressive new development in St John Ambulance in Africa today' In it, they plan to send out, for a 6-week period twice a year, two PHC instructional units, each in charge of an SRN, to train rural community leaders in basic hygiene , first aid, nursing, nutrition, child care, ante-natal and post-natal care and emergency childbirth. Two Eye Testing Units ha e also been formed and are undergoing training. These will work in conjunction with the PHC units, visiting rural areas to test eyesight and where necessary fit and i ue glasses

A ll this I personally find particularly thrilling new ,

FALLING numbers, sub-standard premises and little to look forward to in 1981. That was the bleak outlook facing Shropshire's Ludlow Ambulance and Nursing Divisions in the Autumn of 1980. But what could be done? We couldn't launch another appeal to the local townpeople, as we had only just finished a similar campaign to help replace the divisions' existing ambulance with a more up-to-date vehicle.

Because of our totally inadequate headquarters (which consisted of two small rooms in a cellar) we had two options: Either find new accommodation or let the division slowly but surely fold up. Add to this the sudden death of our Cadet Superintendent, who had been one of the cornerstones of the division, it looked as if the latter alternative was slowly but surely becoming a reality. Not only had we lost our beloved superintendent, which in itself was a big blow, but we were also faced with the possibility of losing our ambulance garage, which had been at the depot where our superintendent had worked. And the chances of keeping it seemed remote.

It now became obvious that something had to be done, and very quickly. Who could we turn to? Nobody was going to let us have property for a pittance, which was all we could afford. So in desperation we wrote to the local council asking if they knew of any sites which might be suitable

SJA Ludlow shows how to attract new members

• Go out and sell the Brigade to the public

• Get a new headquartrers

• In other words - Bring 5t John into the '80s

(Above) The Earl of Plymouth (President, Ludlow Ambulance Div) watched by DI S E A. Peachey (Ambulance Div) and DI S Vincent Burmingham (A C Div) with Ma or D H Small (right) County Commissioner (Left) Open ng the ambulance garage adjoin ng the HQ. with Mike Plant (chairman Ludlow Round Table ) and Bill Webb (cha rman Rotary Club) for garaging an ambulance.

We received a sympathetic reply informing us that we may be able to have one of the garages at their local depot. This was ideal as a short term arrangement, but we were faced with problems over access to the garage as well as insurance.

It was during one of the meetings with the local council when we were trying to get round the problems of access and insurance, that someone enquired about the possibility of buying or leasing a piece of ground from the council on which to build our own garage.

They checked and informed us that they had what they considered to be the ideal site which was in the process of being developed. It was between the local police and fire stations, and as there was no county ambulance stationed in the town it became obvious that this was what we had been looking for, and subject to the local planning committee giving us their blessing, the site was ours.

The initial plan was to build a garage on the site, but then someone had the bright idea of erecting a new divisional headquarters and garage. We knew that a traditional type building would be way above our means, so we looked at alternative types of buildings and decided that a prefabricated unit was our best bet.

We sent out tenders to various com-

save ourselves from total exhaustion.

We enlisted the help of a local builder (which we could ill afford) and also received help from the local Probation Service who every Sunday sent uS' 6 to 10 lads who were serving community service orders, and with the help of our skilled and unskilled labour force the site soon began to take shape and we all looked forward to the opening in December. Weekends and evenings were spent concreting, painting and erecting the as as fencing and generally gettmg the sIte ready for the opening.

panies, telling them exactly what we wanted and finally after a vi s it to their factory we decided on a fairly local company whose price and specification suited us. This was a small family business who favoured the personal touch, and they were very helpful in the initial planning and design stage. The unit, which measures 38 ft by 12 ft, consists of a main lecture room, a smaU fitted kitchen and a toilet block. The cost of the unit was £3,800, which included transportation from the factory and all the necessary electrical and plumbing fitting, plus three wau heaters.

We now had to set about collecting enough money to finance the proj ect and every possible source of finance wa s explored We held coffee evenings and rummage sales and other such events to help raise the necessary cash, but we were still a long way short of the target. You can imagine our surprise and delight when we learned tha t the County Commissioner , Major D. SmaIl, had secured a £3,000 grant from a national trust (£1,000 from the Jubilee Trust, £2,000 from the Edwina Mountbatten Trust). It also became obvious that the local Round Table and Rotary Clubs were willing to help such a worthwhile charity and they agreed between them to find a considerable amount of the money towards the cost of the garage

Installing the services was the next financial burden we had to overcome, but again lady luck smiled on us; a local businessman who was developing the site next to ours agreed that it would be beneficial to us both if we put our service pipes and cable in the same trench and have them connected and inspected on the same day, saving us both a considerable amount of time and money.

During the next two months the St John 'moles' were busy digging trenches, laying pipes and building manholes all hours of the day and night and in all types of weather. We got to the stage where we were working every hour available and it became ob'Vious that the two or three of us who seemed to be doing most of the work were going to need some help, not only to get the site opened before the winter set in but to

The builder who had helped us also turned out to be a godsend; he gave all his time free and saved us a vast amount of money. This was also the case with the electrician. It wasn't until then that we appreciated how much members of the public were prepared to help St John in any way they could. And it shows how highly they value the services provided by the Brigade.

Opening Day arrived, and everyone it seemed wanted to be at the opening ceremony: !he Mayor, Deputy Mayor, local CounCIllors, Commissioner and other members from County headquarters. Everyone wanted to see what St John had achieved in the town. The opening and dedication went off well and everyone concerned enj oyed themselves.

And so to the future. We now have a new headquarters and garage, a fully equipped, modem ambulance , and above all a new found. interest in the town, which in the short tIme we have been operating from the new headquarters has boosted the number of adult and cadet members by between 15 and. and hopefully this is just the begmnmg of a major revival in a town which once had a division of fifty ambulance members alone.

Not being content with what s been done, we're now aiming to buy a vast of training aids to help keep the lDterest. of our new found members, as well as a fund to raise enough money to buIld a brick skin around Our new headquarters and make it a more permanent site

Finally, what can other divisions learn from Our experience? I'll tell you. Don't sit around waiting for things to come to you' they never do. Go out and sell the to the general public. Explore every option open to you. Don't be content with what yOU have got. Always try and better and bring St John into tbe eIghtIes.

You may be saying to yourselves: It's all fight for them. They've got their new place. They were lucky and had plenty of money. But you are very much mistaken. We are a division of about 15 adult members very limited resources. But with a little bIt of luck and a lot of hard work on everyone's part we took the risk. And what handsome dividends it is now paying off'

And will do, hopefully, for a great man; years to come.

Vincent Burmingham,

D I S Cadets

Outreach

AN EXCITING and much-needed programme in preventive and curative ophthalmology called Outreach has begun on the West Bank of the Jordan.

Outreach operates from the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem under the auspices of the Order of St John. mooted in 1980, Outreach compnses two fully equipped mobile units. One donated by the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, will be used for research and health education and the donated by Canadian Opera tion Eyeslgh t International of Calgary, is used to treat patients on site

Work began in January with visits to the Women's Charitable Society in Beir ZeIt and the Rafidia Hospital in Nablus.

Mobile units bring eye care to remote communities through research, treatment and training

Of the first 79 patients examined by hospital staff, 9 were referred to the St John Ophthalmic Hospital for operation. There is now a weekly clinic at .the Rafidia Hospital wi t h plans to tram local staff in simple eye procedures and an eye clinic takes place once a month at Beir Zeit. Personnel manning the treatment mobile unit will eventually extend their activities to schools camps and villages all over the West

The first King Hussein Fellow at the Hospital, Dr Lee Chumbley , is using the second mobile unit to carry out an ocular status survey amona the rural populations of the West Bank. It is hoped that the results of the survey will be published.

Geriatric Hypothermia

Summary of talk and discussion by Professor A N EXTON-SMITH, MA

MD FRCP MRCS, Barlow Professor of Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, University College, London, at the Medical Board, St John Ambulance HQ, on June 25 1981.

HYPOTHERMIA of the elderly was studied by a committee of the British Medical Association in 1964. It was defined as a body temperature below 35° centigrade. To obtain this a low reading thermometer registering down to 28° centigrade is necessary and must be used rectally.

The heat of the body is spontaneously created by metabolic activity within the core and lost by radiation , convection, conduction and evaporation from the skin surface and from the respiratory passages, known overall as the shell. The temperature is regulated by the calibre of the vessels supplying the shell which are controlled by the autonomic nervous sys t em. The vessels contract in the cold and dilate in the heat.

In the winter of 1972 a team of nurses went out to visit 1020 old people in the British Isles Hand, mouth, urine and rectal temperatures were taken and the room temperatures and other details noted. It was found that there was a significant correlation between low body temperature and advancing old age. Ten percent had a core temperature below 35 . 5° centigrade. Hand and urine temperatures in cold conditions normally differ by 4.6° centigrade but in these old people the average was 2.9° centigrade, indicating insufficient peripheral vessel contracture to conserve internal heat.

Seventy-five percent of the old people were living in rooms below 16 8° centigrade (65°F).

In another series of a 1000 people; over 60 years of age , li vi ng in the London Borough of Camden, 150 were brought to hospital for full investigation. It was found that one-third were fit and two-thirds suffered from some form of illness. It is known that men are inclined to be fit or alternatively afflicted by some illness from which they may recover completely or die quickly, whereas women live longer but are more inclined to some chronic disease causing physical incapacity.

Many of the handicapped had difficulty in getting out of bed or a chair, and because of this such action as closing a window or getting coal for the fire might be omitted.

Seventy percent of old people had to pass water at night , which might involve a hazardous journey in a cold corridor, or up and down stairs. Falls were not uncommon and the person, unable to get up, might

remain there until found by someone else.

Forty-five percent suffer from insomnia and twenty-eight percent take hypnotics which increase unsteadiness.

The autonomic nervous system controls body temperature and blood pressure. It had been found that fifty-six percent of males and forty -five percent of females are unable to make adequate circulatory adjustments in response to changes in environmental temperature. Characteristically, old people neither sweat nor shiver

Another important factor is the lack of thermal perception. Touching two aluminium plates of different temperature, young people can distinguish a difference in temperature of Y2 ° centigrade whereas many of the aged cannot perceive a difference until over 5° centigrade

Old people are slow to recognise a change in room temperature and often fail to realise that the room is too cold. An easily visible room thermometer can be helpful

In summary there are three important etiological factors causing hypothermia in old age:

1 Impaired thermo-regulatory capacity

2 Impaired thermal perception.

3 Impaired physical capacity caused by locomotor disorder or chronic illness such as hypothyroidism, cardiac failure, bronchopneumonia.

Simple adjustments that can be institu t ed by a visiting nurse:

a Call in doctor if illness is su spected.

b Concentrate heating to one room, preferably the basically warmest, where the person can live and sleep

c Adequate clothes, blankets or rugs

d As sure adequate food

e Extra funds for fuel.

f Bed pan, urine bottle or bedside commode.

g Room thermometer

In persistent hypothermia the core temperature must be re-established slo wl y, as too rapid warming can cause collapse from fall in blood pressure.

The person should be insulated with adequate blankets over and underneath and round the head. The room temperature should be raised if below 18 3 ° centigrade (65°F). Electric blankets, hot baths or alcohol are contraindicated.

If the core temperature does not respond the person should be transferred to hospital.

Immersion Hypothermia

Summary of talk and discussion by Surgeon Commander FRANK GOLDEN, OBE PhD MB BSc

HYPO

DA vMed Royal Navy, Head of Department of Survival Medicine, Institute of Naval Medicine, Gosport, Hampshire.

A GENERATION ago nearly all deaths in water were thought to be caused by drowning; more recently hypothermia has been blamed , but undoubtedly the pendulum has swung too far. Body cooling which occurs very rapidly in cold water may quickl y lead to incapacitation and death from drowning. Very few deaths in water are caused by hypothermia alone.

In 1975 there were approximately 1000 immersion deaths in the United Kingdom It is interesting to note that the majority wer e males between 15 and 35. Many evidentl y died within 10 yards of safe refuge and were known to be competent or good swimmer s. Why do they die ?

Deaths occur in four stage s: -

1 Initial , within 2 to 3 minu t es.

2 Short term, within 3 to 15 minutes

3 Long term , 30 minutes and longer

4 Post immersion (after re scue ) dea t hs.

Initial and short term deaths

Sudden immersion in wa te r at 15 ° centigrade t he a verag e earl y summ er temperature of t he E ngli s h C hannel ca uses marked physiological rea cti o n in peopl e who are no t a cc ustomed t o it

There is:

Increase in pulse rate

Increase in res pirat ion

Increase in b lood pre ssur e

This mas siv e car dio -res p ir ato ry dr ive t hrows a grea t strain o n th e syst em and can cause death in a pe rs on wit h hyperten si on or coronary disease with a t enden cy to cardiac arrhythmias Young people ma y b e incapacitated b y tetan y

A person who accidentall y fall s in t o cold water or dives in to a ss ist ano ther indi vidual , may be overwhelmed by t hese car di orespiratory responses and liable to drown In rough and t urbulen t wa t er , even when a life jacket is worn, ther e is a liabilit y to inh ale water.

Hydrostatic pre ssure is another factor : the venous return is increased so that in t h e vertical position the cardiac output is boosted by 30 to 400/0 Increased pressure on the gastro-oesophageal sphincter may cause vomiting and inhal a tion of gast r ic conten ts.

Conservative reflex (diving response)

This reflex is prominent in di ving mammal s It allows them to stay submerged for 30 to 50 minutes. It occurs in man to some exten t, particularly in children. Young children can sometimes stay submerged or floating fac e down for quite some time and are capabl e of being revived by resuscitation long after death would seem likely.

THERMIA

T h e reflex cau ses apnoea , p r ofo und brady cardi a an d m assive va so con st r ict io n, re sulti ng in o xyge n c on servat i on.

Re susci t a ti on attem pt s s h o uld no t be ab a ndoned pr em a tur ely and the d ecisi on to commen ce resusc ita ti on effo rts sho u ld never be us ed on rep o r t ed /o bserved t im es o f subm ersi o n

A bility to swim is decrease d by co ld wa ter, es pecia ll y in those n o t u se d to immersio n in cold water.

L ong t erm problems o f i mme r sion

Immersion in cold water for a long period will ca u se hy potherm ia.

Estimate d ti me of survival for a fully clothe d ad u lt:

Water at 5°C I h our

Water at lOoC 2 h o urs

Tr ue h ypot h ermia can cause death only if the airway remains open. When the body temperature falls to 34-5 ° centigrade consciousness will be impaired and a liability to inhale water So hypothermia can only b e the cause of death in calm water wit h the airways protecte d by a life jacket. Mo derate degrees of hypothermi a may com plicate near

S

dro wn ings, in which ca s e t he treatmen t o f

dr ow n ing wi ll always take t he p r eceden ce over any treatment re qu ir ed f or t he hy p o th erm ia

Post immer s ion (afte r rescue) death

Sometim es a per so n , lost i n water , ma y be l ocate d , rescued, t ak e n ab o a r d in an ap p a r ently fit state an d sub se qu ent ly di e.

Sec ond ary drowing is ca used by la ck of oxygenation. Inhaled wate r ca u ses an infl ammatory re a ction with oe de ma o f the lu ngs which prevents su fficient oxy gen getting to the blood. Th is can occur at an y ti m e b etween 15 minutes an d 72 h ours a fte r re scue.

R ewarming collapse ca n be an a dd it io nal comp licati ng factor. T he skin warms, the p er iph er al vessels dilat e bu t t h e rea cti o n is at first unmatched by increas ed car dia c output resu lting in a fall in b lo o d p ress u re.

D elayed warming of the vasomot o r centre may be a causative factor.

Rewarming in a hot bat h h as an immedia te beneficial effect but is po t entially dang er ou s because of t h e risk of r ewar ming co ll apse

It is con train dicate d fo r h yp o t hermi a o f

S

o you have an y p h otos

like this?

THIS year we hope to open a new museum room devoted to St John Ambulance history. I know we have been promising it for a long time but this year it will actually happen!

Preparatory wo rk has reveale d t ha t our co ll ect ion does not have any World War II 'St John in Action' photographs. We have a few like t he one shown here, incl u ding a splendid group co pied from an album belonging to a St Jo hn member who a prisoner-of-war, b ut there are lots of gaps

In our coverage of the broad spectrum of the work of St Jo hn duri ng the Second War.

If you have any ph o tographs that you co u ld eit her give th e M u seum o r allow us to make co pies, we woul d b e de lighted to see t hem. Last year I m a de a more general ap p eal for ite m s wh ich bro u gh t in some very interesting o bjects and d oc um ents T h is ti m e we a r e being m o r e spe cific a n d j ust asking for Wo rl d War II photogra p hs to make sure th at wh en we tell t he St John Amb ul ance story in the new d isplay it will be as com plete as poss ibl e. Co n t act me a t St J o hn 's Gate, St Joh n 's Lane, London EC ] M 4DA. Te lep hone 01-253 6644. Ste lla Dyer, Assistant Curator Picc adi lly Und ergrou n d St ation d uring the Bl itz in 1 9 41

y oung

Another

collap se

Conclusions

Immedia

CADET CHAT by JIM

I HAVE NOW heard from some divisions about their activities to celebrate Jubilee Year. Congleton Ambulance and Nursing Cadet s are holding a s ponsored arm sling event with each cadet having 30 minutes to appl y as man y slings as possible. Their Div Sup t Mrs Susan Derry, tells me that also they will be entering a float in the town carnival on the theme of the World of Cadet s The Wind sor Nursing Cade t Division decided to make a permanent contribution of a tree to their local community. The idea arose dur i ng dis cussions on the local Remembrance Day Parade and talks with the Mayor (who happened to be there!) and the local council as to suitable si t es and planting da t es. To continue St John links with the past a Cedar tree was chosen and on March 28 th e tree was planted a t Whitele y s on t he Maidenhead Road. If y ou are arranging s omething special to celebrate t hi s year please let me know Good bla ck and white photograph s of activi t ies are al so welcome with y our reports.

To celebrate Jubilee Year, New Cross Quadrilateral Divi s ion held a sponsored Stretcher Carry in Deptford Park on April 4. The Di visi on' s PRO Mrs J Neale write s: 'We were fortunate to be visited b y the Ma y or and Mayoress of Lewisham and the Mayor of Greenwich during the event, which did no t raise as much as we hoped, about £100 , but it was certainly fun! We completed 60 mile s one for each glorious cadet year.

But the biggest bonus came f r om a report in the local paper, which also mentioned we needed help in redecorating our HQ. The manager of the local Communities Industry responded by offering a team of unemployed to do the work if we provided the materials. Naturally , we jumped at the offer and can

now look forward to training in brighter surroundings We hold a lot of public Association courses, so this might improv e our image! Good luck with t h e Cadet Spectacular we have book e d our ticket s, and c arryon with the interesting column .'

YHA

I ve mentioned th e ser v ic es of thi s organisation before and here's a letter from Jean Lawrence of Soham, C amb s which reinforces what I ve said 'Seven junior cade ts and m y husband and I have ju s t return e d from

njo ya bl e weekend at Colches er YHA, and

CADETS: Write a caption

we r e £ 1. 70 fo r a yo un g p erso n s le epin g acco mm o d at io n (£ 2.60 ad ult ), £ 1.50 su pp er, £ 1.25 full br ea kfast, a nd 65 p fo r

F ur t h e r d et ail s o f yo u t h ho s t e ll i n g ar e av ail a bl e fr o m : Y H A Na t ion a Offi ce, T reve ly n H o u se, S t Ste ph e ns Hill St A lba n s, H er t s.

S pe ci a l Se rvi ce S hi e ld Ga r ry Say nor, 16, from Chesh i re, h as written to me about the Service S hi e ld a nd part of h is letter is repro d uced be ow. W h at a re yo ur v iew?

I agree w i t h the r e be in g a page fo r ca d e t s in he R ev iew, si n ce this p r ov id es u s w ith a n opport u n i ty to ex p ress our views, b u t it seems a pi t y the page is no t very we ll su pported.

'I \ ould like to know the opin ons of other cadet abo u t the Spec ia l Se r vice S hield. I feel cadet who have str ve d so hard for the shie ld or crosses deserve, o n promot io n t o the ad ult divi ion, t he privi lege of retain in g the ir award T h ere wo u ld be no need for the B riga d e to pay fo r he awa rd, a the cadets them e lves wo ul d gladly buy the badge. In h e ad ult divi io n there would be a chance to prove t h at cadet strive hard, as well as t h e badge be ing held in high e teem by ca d et an d ad u lts a l ike. J wo uld welcome op inio ns of cadet a n d off cers, s ince th e reten t io n of t he ba d ge wo u ld pe rh aps h e l p t h e t ransfe r of cadet to adu l t divis i on. In th ese diffic ul t ime we sho ul d we co m e any h e l p in reta i ni n g cadets during t h e "trans fer" age '

THEME SONG

Repnnled from The DIVisional Secretary a booklet avalfable from the Supplies Dept Home S afet y ' In A p r il I r e produ ce d a co p y of one of R o SPA 's F ind t he Fault s h eets an d th is c re at e d s o mu c h in t e r est I 've dec id e d to re pr o du ce ano t h e r thi s m o nth . T h e s h eet

HS /C P 8 is a vailabl e f rom R o SP A, C a non

Hou se, Th e Pr i or y Qu ee n sway,

Birm i n g h a m B4 6BS in a minimum quanti ty of 100 fo r £4 .7 5

Write a Caption

T h e re was a m ag ni f icent res p o n se to this co mp e iti o n in the M arc h iss u e a nd t h e w inn e r is Paul Hit c h cock, a ge d 14, of

No r fo lk 's Der e h a m Co mbin ed Di v is on, to w h o m a P la ti g num pen ha s b ee n sent. H is ca p tio n is g ve n ab ov e C a d et Chat b ad ges will be se n t to a ll ot h e r entrants in that co m pet tio n. A n d w at c h o u t for furt h er co mp e tit io n s!

C adet Chat badges

A n ew ba d ge has now been des igne d an d I a m c u rrently a waiti n g d e li ve ry of them T he

b a d ge u ses th e d es ig n at the h ead of t h is co lumn a nd i n f u ture wi ll be se n t to a ll co ntribu to rs to h e co lumn If yo u have somethi n g you wis h to contribute, h en p lease se nd i t to m e - Jim ', 57

M o r g a n C r esc en t, The y d o n B o is, Epp i ng, Essex C M16 7 D U Derbyshire cadets Michael Chapman (foreground) and Stuart Foster getting to grips with rock climbing while on a Week's adventure activities at Wharfshed last summer. See April Review for report

Tu II,. IUll e of 1\1 FR o uril e h in gfro rn fh e So un d o M u c

Bl ankets and s re t chers, a nd c ea n irs t aid boxes,

Bl ack hoe and bere t and knee h ig h whi e ocksie,

P eop le wi h b lack eyes, a n d ar m s bou nd in s li ngs

T h ese are a few of o u f avo u rite thi ngs.

Ban d ages - b e dp a n s, a nd ca la m n e lo ti o n Kao lin p o ulti ce is o ne of o ur po ti o n

S tr e c h fab r ic pl as er, a nd t h in gs mad e w ith s t r in g !

These are so m e of o ur fa vo ur i t e thin gs

WINNER 'I thought it was practical next week

E lb ows a nd knee-ca p s, a nd f em u rs an d n ose,

Rad iu a nd uln a, and footsie a nd toe e , Co[[o n woo l , ga u zes a nd b an d age pa d ri n gs,

All of w hi c h m ake u p o u r fav our ite th i n g.

W he n [h e do g bil es Wh e n th e be e s tin g !

Wh e n yo ur n o e bl ee d !

W e mp ly p i k up a ll o ur f avou ri te th i n g , a nd [e n d t o yo ur eve r y n ee d.

Mrs J ea n S L eec h, DI S

Framlingham Nursing Cadets

From Paul Hitchcock, of Dereham Combined Division

SJ HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The St John Historical Society, which held its first AGM at St John's Gate on May 6, has been formed to promote the study and appreciation, in the widest sense, of the history of the Orders of St John, their Foundations ana works.

The Society already has a distinguished membership and is holding regular meetings in London, for interesting talks, and visits to places of interest throughout the country. It also issues a newsletter.

Details of membership can be obtained from the Secretary, St John Historical Society, C/O The Museum of the Order of St John, St John's Gate, Clerkenwell, London ECIM 4DA.

LONDON WINNERS

London District's cadet poster competition, for which the first prizes in the two age groups were flights on Concorde, was dominated by nursing cadet winners. In the 8 to 13 years class, equal first prize went to Leah Kingswell, of Hampton and Molesey Combined Division (S. W. Area), and Lorraine Staniford, of Edgware and Mill Hill NC Division (N. Area). The winner of the 14 years and above class was Mary Sentance, of Bexley Heath Combined (S. E. Area).

These three winners went on their Concorde flight (which were presented by British Airways) on May 16, a "trip around the Bay of Biscay.

The six runners-up in the poster competition received a gift token of £15 each and a day out with the Army or the Police River Division. Ten highly commended entrants received a gift token of £5 each. The competition drew over 100 entries.

London District's two 'Best Cadets of the

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

Year' were also nursing cadets: Ullin Jodah, of Hendon NC Division; and Jane Stutchbury, of Greenford and Northolt. Their prize was to be weekend guests at Longleat, the stately home and safari park, which were presented to them by Lord Christopher Thynne of Longleat.

You may have already read that this is the (Left) A lovely picture of 20 - years-old

bandaging Cadet Stuart Feetham to raise £50 at a sponsored evening for a fund to help Amanda Strang the girl who suffers from the 20th century allergy syndrome. (Photo Rank Hovis MacDougals

RECRUITS

As Deputy Cty Sup Mrs Esme Perryman presents certificates to the general public at Avon's Fishponds Ambulance Division , Supt Ron Ring waits for lOaf the class of 28 who are join ng the Division, which is going combined (Photo : Myra Meredith)

last issue in which At Random appears. It does not seem more than 10 years ago since Watkin Williams, he author of the column, first made arrangements with me for the deadline for his regular contribution. But it is. 10 1 2 years to be exact. No t only has Watkin faithfully kept to t hat deadline for At Random ever si nce (magazines have to work to very tight schedules), but he has also been a great support to me in much of the editorial work

St John is a vast organisation with many ramifications. And to wri te abou t all aspects of it, as the Review has to , with an y degree of accuracy demands a grea t deal of knowledge and experience of the organisation. Which is what Watkin has and makes available to me whenever I need it. Also some material sent in for publication, which through lack of knowledge of the subject I just do not understand, Watk in takes over for rewri t ing, to return it beautifull y typed and fully comp rehen s ibl e The Review owes a great deal to W W

HOLIDA YS FOR DISABLED

The Pines Trust takes its name from a house standing in its own grounds on the outskirts of the little town of Bishop's Castle in the heart of the border hill country of southern Shropshire.

Appropriately for The Year of The Disabled, the Trust was set up in 1981 with the aid of monies from the Queen's Silver Jubilee Trust.

To enable and encourage young people to work together to provide and maintain in Shropshire a camp site, recreation, and associated buildings for the disabled. Consultation showed that there is a demand for camp sites and holiday centres for use by the disabled and a national lack of places which are suitably equipped to meet that demand.

The Trust has taken a lease of the grounds, part of the ground floor and much of the upstairs of The Pines. Disabled groups or individuals, together with their helpers or families, will be able to spend weekends and

At the opening of the Sefton Area headquarters, Merseyside, by the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Wing Commander K.M. Stoddart, AE, who is President of the St John Council, Merseyside

USEFUL FITTINGS

Members of SJA Essex put in a lot of time at Stansted Airport during ear l y March helping the hostages of the Tanzanian hijacked plane before they were returned home (Photo : Evening Standard )

NURSE OF THE YEAR

For the first time in 40 years the SJA Birmingham 'Nurse of the Year' title as been awarded to a male. 17-years-old Bruce Evanson, of Sutton Transport Combined Division (he transferred from the cadets last year) was presented with the silver r ose bowl by the Area Commissioner, Dennis Smith. 'Now that I've broken the ice: said Bruce, perhaps more males will stand a chance of winning it.' Watch out, ladies

not least because of my memories of visits to these same six countries (plus Swaziland and, in South Africa, the KwaZulu Bantustan) on various occasions during the seventies. These visits convinced me that St John has an immense amount to offer to recently independent African nations when once they can accept that it is not a possibly suspect legacy of colonialism and can appreciate (a) the very high degree of autonomy enjoyed by their national St John Councils and, in particular, (b) that St John is there to improve the quality of health and welfare in their own community, whose needs may be very different from those in, for example, the United Kingdom, and (c) that they must therefore adapt St John activities in ways which best serve those needs and must not feel bound to run it in all respects 'on the UK model'. The St John Overseas Seminar in Nairobi in March 19S1 made the first big breakthrough in getting this message across, and the PHC

holidays camping in the- grounds or in the house and looking after themselves with the help of the specially adapted kitchen, toilet and washing accommodation. A lift will make the upstairs accessible for wheelchairs. The remainder of the house is partly used for

projects are perhaps the most significant of its direct results.

Uganda

It is all too sadly clear from the Chief Commander's report that in Uganda both the national economy and the security situation are at a very low ebb Poverty, unemployment, the very high price of even the most essential commodities, and an almost total lack of exports and of foreign currency - all these combine to produce an atmosphere in which theft and armed robbery would flourish even if there were not the additional risk of attacks by roving bands of anti-government guerillas. Despite all this, and despite having now no form of ambulance transport whatever, St John is carrying on with cheerful determination and courage in Kampala and Jinja. First aid courses are run for the Police, student nurses, Prison Officers, teachers, the Nytil cotton works and the Bank of Uganda, and a nursing course has recently been started for cadets; but all classes and meetings have to be conducted during da ylight hours, so that those attending can get home before dusk which falls with little variation soon after 6 pm throughout the year. The Brigade continue to do a small number of public duties, and recently carried out

various occasional public purposes, and this will help to pay the running costs.

The Trust expects that users of The Pines will be of all ages but that the majority will be younger people Although the disabled naturally want to be as independent as

successfully the ambitious task of manning a 'tented hospital' on a 24-hour basis for 3 weeks at a youth seminar near Entebbe. Such a magnificent record of service under extreme difficulties deserves our fullest possible support in supplying them with the essential items that they need to continue carrying out t heir vital role until t ime s become easier and they are better able to stand on their own

One of the most encouraging features of the Chief Commander's report relates to the development of St John Ambulance in Malawi A few years ago their St John activities had almost ceased to exist except for one Ambulance Division in Blantyre

Today they have two flourishing Ambulance Divisions, with two more in prospect, and have just formed a Nursing Division ; they have also recently acquired a new ambulance and a site for a new HQ and have now raised t he money to build it. They hope that the building will be completed within the next four months and that the y will then be able to expand their training programme.

It is relevant to add that the Assistant C-in-C has recently visited Swaziland and reports that plans are now going ahead with enthusiasm to extend St John training

Th e Chief Commander in Kampala ( Below Inspecting a cadet division , and (left ) addressing the St John

big day possible, holidays of thi s kind are not u sually practicable without help from other people and it is a prime object to ensure that young people are enabled and encouraged to give that help. Substantial opporturuties will exist for young people, either through the throughout the co mmun ity. For many years it had been almost entire ly restricted to first aid t rainin g at the P o li ce Training Co ll ege, despite a recognised need for basic first aid training in the community and especia ll y in scho ol s, and for t he development of safetyoriented first aid in the forestry and mining industries.

By and large, St John has a vast contri bution to offer in improving the quality of life in all these countries, but this can only become pos s ible when the co untrie s themselves have become aware of what we h ave to offer and, with strong backing from their National St John Co uncil s, are willing to accept, adapt and expand it to suit their own loca l needs. And if I add that they need OUf help and support in doin g thi s, let me a lso express the very firm conviction, based on experience, that t he right way to give this h elp is to develop a partnership in whi c h we ourse lves are at least as ready to le arn as we are to teach. Doctors needed Before lea vin g the su bject of Africa, it may be of int erest to some of our St John

established disabled or youth organisations or in family or other informal groups, t o join with the di sabled in shari ng and providing holidays at The Pines Young people will also be helping to de velop and maintain the centre. The adult and cadet di visions in

doctors and their medical friends to know that, contrary to what seemed to be the case of a year or two ago, her e is a great demand for expatriate doctors with at lea st two years general or speciali st medical experie n ce to work for a few years in government (mostly ex-mission) hospitals in KwaZulu. Male and female doctors are equally welcome, and of course medical married couples are at a premium! This is both an opportunity and a challenge, and those who respond to it will not only be g iving somethi ng that is immensely valuable but will be enriched by receiving a reward far beyond the val ue of what they give -a professional exper ience greater than any that they could possibly obtain at home. May I recommend any who, without committing themse ves, wish to know more about this, to write to Dr Anthony Barker CBE, MD, FRCS, 14a Lansdowne Road, Wimbledon SW20 SAN. Dr Barker, together with his wife Dr Margaret Barker , spent about 30 years at the Charles Johnson Memorial Hospital at Nqutu in KwaZulu, where he was Medical Superintendent until (Leftl Investing Mr Mwanga as Officer Brot her, Kampala. And (belowl presenting first aid cenifica es in Kampala. (Photos: E K. W Kitamirikel

Ludlow, Shropshire, will be glvmg their assistance and participating in this project. The superintendent of the Ambulance Cadet Di vision in Ludlow, Mr Vince Burmingham, is a Trustee of the Pines Trust. The Pines will be in use this summer.

1974 (please if possible get hold of a copy of the Re view for Feb 1976, pp. 36 -7, for an inspiring account of their work). He is also on the advisory committee of the Bureau for Overseas Medical Service and Chairman of the Zululand Churches' Health & Welfare Association Trust with which I m yself have also been connected for a number of years.

The last

This is my 125th and final 'At Random'. But let me hasten to reassure or dismay youas the case may be! - by adding that this doesn 't mean that I'm giving up writing for the Re view. What it does mean is that, especially after my illness last year, I have reached a stage when it would be an immense relief to be free from the necessity of meeting, willy nilly and no matter what I feel like or where I happen to be, an inexorable deadline date each month. And as soon as I became conscious that this had become a burden felt it would be better for St John and for the Review, as well as for myself, that I should make a break. Having, as it were, invented 'At Random' by sticking my neck out at the first Re view Board meeting that I e\'er attended ( ov. 1971) and describing the sort of 'feature that I felt the RevieH' sorely lacked, I was promptly asked to go and produce it, and the fir t instalment appeared in January 1972. Since then I've been immen ely grateful to all my reader for your tolerance, your interest and your support throughout a far longer run' than I would ever ha e thought po ible. In many ways I'm very sad at the pro pect of giving up writing what I'\'e come to regard as a monthly circular letter to a vast number of friend in many lands, and often visualise them indi idually as I'm writing. But I'm sure it's the right thing to do. I shall still look forward to keeping in touch, and I hope you'll do the ame. Meanwhile, 'At Random will cea e to exist, and some day somebody will think up a ne\\' ideadifferent, and I hope better. So good lu k to him or her - and it!

Photo : Sutton Coldf ield News)

(Right) Winners of the Nursing Cadet Section of the Greater Manchester annual competitions held in March Stockport and Cheadle Quad Div's team (L to R): N/C Alison Clare, Sgt SallyAnn Field (Leader), Cpl Tony Boe N/C Rachel Lavin and Cpl Suzanne Fenton

St John weddings (Above) Lytham St Annes members form a guard of honour when their Nursing Officer of the Cadet

visio n le ft church hand-inhand with Edwin Ronson Ambulance Driver Sandra 's two children are both cadets. (Right) Shrewsb ury cadets with thei r

SJA Stafford exercise with RAF

FOR SEVERAL years we in Stafford Division have been concerned about the system we should adopt if a larger than normal incident occurs at a public duty. Like so many other Divisions, the number and type of duties we attend increases each year.

We had already had small divisional exercises but these were only a partial test. We therefore decided to contact our local R.A.F. Station who had all the facilities which would be needed on one site. A contact was established with Squadron Leader Roger Wood, who not only obtained the permission of his Commanding Officer for the exercise to take place but also enlisted the help of the various branches of the service, MOD Police and Staffordshire Fire Brigade. We obtained the help of Raynet and the North Staffs branch of Casualties Union

The scene was an open day and fete at R A F. Stafford. Part of the entertainment had been a flying di splay. A small aircraft carrying passengers crashed into a static display which was filled with spectators. The result was panic and confusion, and a stampede away from the crash site leaving it reasonably accessible.

We had set up a first aid post in a sports pavillion and as this was a large duty we were assisted by members of other division s in South Staffordshire, (Penkridge, Cannock, Rugeley, Perton). As will be seen from the photographs, the sc ene was very realistic. The area was cleared relatively quickly and the 38 patients were either taken directly to a hospital within the site, or via our first aid post which rapidly became a rest centre/dressing station. Chasetown, Rugeley and Penkridge provided additional ambulances which would in a real incident have been provided by our Local Authority Ambulance Service We certainly learned a number of lessons, including the need for a very good communications system, the need for effective control at the scene and the importance of accurate labelling and documentation at the scene and elsewhere. However, we do feel that th e exercise was a great success. We are indebted to our County Commissioner, Col. G. Higgs, for handling publicity on the da y. The exercise received good coverage from various local newspapers on at least five occasions and a full ten-minute spot on our local radio statio n.

We are now waiting for another Division in our Area [0 organise another exercise so that we can put the lessons we learned into operation

(Left, top) The scene is set. (Middle) The first response Walking casualties were taken out of danger to the ambulan ce loading point. Bo ttom)

Some of the less seriously injured are unloaded from ambulances. (Photos: Staffs Sentinel!

P. J. Bennion, D I S

(Below) Our first aid post became a rest centre dressing station. (Photo: Express & Star Wolverhampton) • jd .j

WHEN WAR broke out in 1939 I had been in General Practice for just two years. In 1940 I was asked to give first aid lectures to ARP personnel, VAD nurses, etc. I was given a St John first aid book and had to get on with it. I had no idea what a separate subject and art first aid was, and soon realised that the only way any newly qualified doctor or nurse can sa tisfactorily learn first aid is from an experienced firstaider. A view unchanged even today. I struggled on, and on January 1 1941 became a Divisional Surgeon. It was only then that I really started to find out what first aid was all about. However, my education was short lived, for in April 1941 I was called up into the RAF At that time I knew nothing of the St John organisation, and had never heard of the Order. What a great pity this was, for I spent eighteen months in the city of Jerusalem doing medical work for my unit and Headquarters Levant. I had vaguely heard of the St John Hospital in Jerusalem, but never visited it; such was my ignorance of St John. I was discharged from the RAF in 1945 and resumed my post as Divisional Surgeon. One incident which I weU remember during this period was when I turned up one evening to take the annual re-examjnation. I found only t he corporal there to greet m e and ten minutes later another member turne d up. Two more turned up in the next ten minute s and by this time I was feeling very angry, having given up my evening and so few turning up. I returned home in high dudgeon and promptl y sent the exami nation papers back together with my resignation. In tho se days the papers mu st have gone straight back to London HQ; at any rate t hey were the people who got my resignation. I did not deJjberately by-pass County HQ I don't think I knew they exjsted. This resulted in a great row and my being told off by the County Surgeon and eve ntually withdrawing my re signation and carrying on as usual.

In 1957 I became a Corps Surgeon, and fro m then on began to find out what it was all about, giving lecture s, con ducting examinations and competitio ns. In 1960 I was made a Serving Brother of the Order. It was during this period that two amusing experiences took place. I had obtained a uniform, and had become so used to wearing it that, Jjke most members, I became unconscious of the fact that I was in it. On one such occasion, when going to a competition, I came across a road accident involving a motor cycle. As was my custom, I stopped to see if I was needed. Joining the crowd and seeing that the cyclist had only injured an ankle, I started to make my way back to the car. Just as I did so a voice in the crowd announced. 'Here's a St John man. Make way and let him look after the casualty.' What could I do? I had to stay till the ambulance arrived some twenty minutes later. Which just shows that when doctors arrive late, they sometimes do have a legitimate excuse!

On another occasion when I was leaving

40 years • service withSJA

by Dr WALTER CASHMORE

OBE, MA MRCS, LRCP , MRCGP who retires this month as Commander StJA, West Midlands

home in uniform for a competition received a call to a patient in the village Going up the garde n path to the house, a man who was leaving stopped and said, ' I' ve just been telling yo ur missis about a new cleaner. I'll bring it round tomorrow for you both to have a look at.' He had mistaken me for the man of the house, a bus driver!

In 1965 I became Coun ty Surgeon and was made an Officer Brother of the Order. In 1969 my wife and I went to Malta to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Malta Division. My wife, being the County Superintendent, marched in the front rank of the first company in the parade. Myself, a mere County Surgeon, was way back in the rear rank.

When in 1970 our County Commissioner found he had not the time to continue his SJA work, Sir William Pike, the then C-inC, said to me when he came to Birrningham: 'You have plenty of time, doctor, now you've retired; you had better become the Commissioner.' However, it was made plain that you could not have a husband as commissioner and a wife as superintendent. I was not particularly worried as we were very happy as we were, and it was not the policy at that time for doctors to act as commissioners, as they were considered more useful to the Brigade in their capacity as surgeons.

But it soon became plain that they could not find anyone else for the job, and in 1970 I was appointed Commissioner. In accordance with policy my wife had to resign, but with the understandin g that she would come back as county president after twelve months. Time proved how right this policy was. It would have been an impossible ituation for a husband and wife to be in c harg e of the ambulance and nurs i n g member at the same t ime In the following year, 1971, I was made a Commander Brother and at t h e cou nty inspection my wife was presented with her certificate a County President.

In 1975 I commanded a first aid uni t to Rome, for duty in the Vatican City during Holy Year. For this, all members were presented with the Medal of Good Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta. On the form

for this duty we were asked if we spoke any languages. Thinking that my French was good enough to find out what was the matter with any patient, I put down 'French'. During our stay we were inspected by the Grand Master himself and I was informed that he would Jjke to address us, but as his English was not perfect, he would speak in French, and would I please translate as he went along. My heart sank into my boots, until, remembering that one of the ambulance men was a mid-European who had been in England for many years, I saved my face and handed the job of translation over to him.

In 1977, our Centenary Year, we held an Order Service in the new Coventry Cathedral. In ovember of that year I became a Knight of St John and had the honour to receive an OBE in the New Year Honours list.

Having been so ignorant about the St John organisation when first joinjng, 1 am in f ull sympathy with the new member who has not the vaguest idea what it is all about. It takes many years to grasp the fundamentals of this modern organisation of ours and none of us will ever know the full and detailed history of the Order.

When first becoming County Commissioner, I had to learn the administration from the lay members, who had years of experience, just as a new doctor should learn his first aid from experienced members.

One thing I have realised 0 er all these years is that it is the divisional superintendents and their ambulance and nursing members \ ho are the most important people in the whole set -up. They are the people who do the work and who count. They are the backbone of our organisation. Corps, Area, County, and ational Headquarters and e en the Order itself, have to be there for administration but the fundamental basis of our organisation is the Division, and without it where hould we be?

My wife ha s been retained on the West Midlands St John Council, a I hope to be when I retire this month - June. It i one of the many ways in \ hich retired members can be of u e to St John.

(Adapted rom all

TELEPHONING my ten days of availability to the Aeromedical Services department turned out to be far from routine, for the reply was; 'Good. You can do this trip from Geneva to New Zealand. We'll arrange it so that you can come back the other way.' I acknowledged the trip and spent the next few moments collecting my thoughts. What did he say? Eventually it sunk in. I was on a round-the-world trip with all expenses paid.

I started to arrange banking f acili ties and packed my nursing bag for the likely needs of the patient's treatment. And within a few days, the staff of Aeromedical Services at Headquarters had finalised all details, something air attendants learn and trust they do to the finest degree.

The patient, a 64-year-old New Zealander, was on holiday in Europe when he suffered a stroke. While recovering in a Swiss hospital he climbed out of bed, went onto the balcony and fell two stories to land on the first floor roof garden of the intensive therapy unit, fracturing his ribs and hip in the process.

Eventually he was declared fit to flythis time by aircraft - and so British Airways, on instructions from Aeromedical Services, commenced the repatriation process. As it was to be such a long flight with no stopovers, two attendants would be required. Derek Clark, the Aeromedical Services technical adviser, and described by HQ as a well-seasoned traveller, was to be the other.

AEROMEDICAL SERVICES

Round-the-world with SJA

by GRAHAM ROBINSON SRN

DNO Rushdon Combined Division

The plan was for one attendant to collect the patient from Geneva and bring him back to London, from where the two attendants would then travel with him to New Zealand. I was to do the first leg so drove to Heathrow to start a once-in-alifetime trip.

Having left the car in the long-term park, collected my ticket and gone through airport security, I was on a BA Trident Two bound for Geneva. At Geneva, I got a taxi to the hotel where I had a reservation and settled in for an early night in preparation for the next day's marathon.

The following morning I went back to the airport to awai t the arrival of the patient, who was on a three-hour ambulance journey . Eventually he arrived, accompanied by a Swiss nurse, his luggage, medications medical notes (in German), etc. The nurse and I spent the next few minutes collecting the necessary information for the in-flight care. A large supply of incontinence sheets said a lot for what might be in store. The patient, a

relaxed, kindly man was a little confused but was able to communicate quite well. He was fed with a liquid diet via a naso-gastric tube, but the diet gave him diarrhoea. His urinary outpu t was controlled by an indwelling catheter. He was nl!rsed semirecumbent in the ambulance.

We now had to await the arrival of hi s wife and daughter who held the flight tickets for all of us When the airport business was finalised, we were driven to the apron from where we got the patient aboard the aircraft.

At London, we were off-loaded by Heathrow paramedics and the patient was transferred to the British Airways Medical Centre, near Terminal 3, to await boarding the Boeing 747 for Los Angeles.

Meanwhile I cleared customs, etc, at Terminal I, meeting another SJA Aeromedical attendant inbound from Ireland.

Next I found Derek waiting at the Briti sh Airways medical centre and toge ther we negotiated Terminal 3 at spee d (w hich is far from easy) to our patient, wh o was b y now

ACTION AT

on the plane. At 11. 55 BST, we were off.

The patient travelled very well, but on occasions needed sedation. The first casualty of the trip was the naso-gastric tube, followed by an incontinence sheet. It is surprising what one can do on a Jumbo Jet in front of 4()() passengers without anyone apparently noticing! Screening facilities are rarely really adequate, and to work on the window side of the aircraft a mountaineering course is needed, as six seats are folded down and a sick berth unit is built over them.

The patient was co-operative enough to take his tube feed orally, and a sedative helped him to settle for the flight. All drugs were recorded as given (in British s ummer time); anti-hypertensives, cardiac antiarrhythmics and anti-coagulants were required on a regular basis.

The relative s were able to talk to the patient whenever there was a free moment, which gave the attendants time for a re st. In Los Angeles we were disembarked by paramedics for a fee of £30 and waited in the Air New Zealand first-class lounge, as there were no medical facilities for patients in transit. This arrangement was quite com fortable until we learned that 30 other passengers were also to occupy the room for four hour s. We asked for other accommodation, as we felt that the other passengers would not have the same interest in faecal incontinence as our patient. We were given a private room, the managing director of Air New Zealand's office,

complete WIth light refreshments.

The next stage of the trip was on a Air New Zealand DCIO, a super plane and a company second to none. The next stop was at Tahiti, for a warm Pacific midnight refuelling. Then on to Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, where our second landing attempt was successful. A t ropical rain storm and change of wind direction forced the pilot to change runways on his lan ding approach. At Rarotonga the sec urity officer recognised our uniform and introduced himself as the St John representative for the airport. There was only time to buy a souvenir here, a Cook Island crown, a collector's coin. Then we set off on the last leg to Auckland.

Finally, after 24 V2 hours flying, a nd six refuelling, we arrived at Auckland to the greeting; 'You must be the pommies with the patient.' An acknowledging grin was the reply, and the patient was then scooped out of the aircraft by St John Auckland (the full-time ambulance service). We were driven to the hospital, where we handed over our patient to a doctor in the accident department.

The patient was now conscious of his surroundings and more alert. Hi s relatives were so relieved at their safe return home that they donated £200 to the Aeromedical Services, with which it is hoped to buy a Laerdal suction unit.

Alan Pickering, the senior duty officer, St John Ambulance Auckland, took us to a hotel where two day's of sightseeing was

arranged for me. Following a wash and brush-up, Derek departed for Australia. The next day I took a domest ic rught to Rotorua, in the volcanic region of New Zealand where I st ayed with relatives of the patient.

During the ne xt 24 hours I toured the Lake Di strict, visited the Maori Arts Centre, and saw hot geysers and boiling mud pools. I also went to two Maori concerts and attended a Hangi, with the Maori tribal custom of cooking dinner in the ground.

I managed to visit an agrodome and be introduced to the sheep farming industry, to see the remains of a village buried by volcanic action 9S years ago, and to bathe in the Polynesian Pool - a swimming bath of hot water from natural springs, temperature 48 degrees C. This natural hot water is also used to generate electricity and for domestic central heating. All this sightseeing wou ld not have been possible but for the Harvey family, who organised the best way of seeing most in the shortest time.

Back in Auckland I caught a British Airways Jumbo, named City of Liverpool, back to London via Melbourne, Perth (where Derek boarded) and Bombay. The total flying time for the whole trip was 52 hours, time away from home 170 hours, or just over seven days.

It was an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime journey, with the SJA Aeromedical Services never ou t of reach of its two air attendants

.THE GRASS TRACK

AND on hand for just such an incident at a grass-track meeting at Althorne, Essex, are AIM Ronald Morten and N/M Sharron Sutton, both of Chelmsford Marconi Combined Division. They're not there for the entertainment. They're there in case something goes wrong. This time the rider was just bruised and grazed. Next time it could be different. But they'll be there - Ron and Sharron, Bill and Mary or Tom and Thelmathey'll be there whatever happens

• They'll always be there

AMBULANCE TRAINING IN S.E. LONDON

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

1. Cramp is defined as (a) , (b) and painful contraction of a muscle or group of

(1) Poor muscular (c)..... during exercise; (2) (d) as in swimming; (3) Excessive loss of (e)......... and (f) from severe sweating, diarrhoea and persistent (g)

2. For the treatment of cramp the shortened muscles must be (a) (1) In the hand, forcibly but (b) straighten out the fingers;

(2) In the thigh, straighten the knee and (c) the leg with one hand under the (d) while pressing down on the knee with the other hand.

3. All eye injuries are (a) Blows by blunt objects may damage not only the eyelids, but also rupture (b) of the eye, the lens and the (c) Any wounds caused by sharp tools may (d) the eye baJJ.

4. The treatment of eye injuries is: (1) Prevent the casualty from (a)

(2) Do not attempt to remove the foreign body if it is: (b) of the eye, or (c) in or adherent to the eyebaU or cannot be seen, but the eye is (d) and painful.

5. Earache may occur suddenJy during (a) travel or in (b) swimming, due to a sudden change of (c) on the (d)

6. A rupture is called an abdominal (a) This condition is a (b) of some part of the abdominal contents through the (c)......... of the abdomen under the skin.

7. Rupture occurs most frequently in the (a) but is not uncommon at the (b)......... or through the scar of an abdominal operation. It may occur after exercise, (c)......... objects, coughing, or even when straining on the lavatory when (d)

8. Rupture may arise as a painJess (a) which may persist or (b) It may

by ROY JACKSON and BRUCE COLTMAN of the Northumbria Police Centre

occur suddenly with swelling, pain and possible (c)......... (d) St. g (e)......... may present these signs and symptoms and is an (0 surgical problem.

9. The First Aid treatment of a rupture is:

(1) (a) the casualty;

(2) Lay him down and (b) his head and shoulders, (c) and support his knees;

(3) If (d) occurs, or seems likely, place him in the (e) ;

(4) Seek medical aid if (0......... or (g) persists;

(5) (h) attempt to reduce the swelling

10. In asthma, sudden attacks of (a) breathing occur most often at (b) , and the casualty has difficulty in forcing air (c) his lungs.

11. The treatment of asthma is to: (1) Place the casualty in a (a) usuaUy sitting up or leaning (b) resting on a table or pillow, but keeping the (c) ; (2) Reassllre him and provide plenty of (d)

(3) Obtain (e) or send to (0

12. Hiccups are commonly the result of a digestive (a) or (b) Relief may be obtained in va rious ways, eg,

(1) Taking (c) of water; (2) (d) tbe (e) ; (3) By (f) the attention. If the condition persists for more than a (g) the casualty's doctor should be informed.

13. Stings are caused by: (1) Bees. (2) (a) (3) Wasps. Remove the sting if present using forceps or tweezers or the (b).... of a

(c) which has been (d) by passing it through a flame and then (e) it.

14. In the treatment of stings, (a) creams are useful if applied immediately. Otherwise, apply (b) spirit or weak (c)......... solution or a solution of (d) of soda.

15. If the sting is in the mouth, give a (a)......... of (b)......... teaspoon of (c) of soda to a tumbler of water. If there is much swelling in the mouth, or there is (d) " place tbe casualty in the recovery position and give (e)......... Seek medical aid immediately.

16. In cases of dog bites, treat as for (a) Snakes will not (b) attack unless (c)......... or (d) Some snakes are (e) and their bites are dangerous and may be (0......... Snake bites are greatly (g) and the (h) increases the degree of (i) to the casualty.

17. The treatment of snake bites: (1) Calm and reassure the casualty and (a) Never let him (b) if agitated; (2) Flush the wound with (c) and wash away aU (d) that may be round the wound or has oozed from it; (3) Support and (e) the limb; (4) Obtain (f) as soon as possible.

18. Winding is the result of a (a) in the (b) part of the abdomen «c) ) which may cause (d) or even coUapse.

19. Stitch is a painful (a)......... of the (b) It occurs during games and running, particularly if the person is not in training, or if exercise is taken soon after a (c)

20. The treatment of a stitch is: (1) If not immediately relieved by (a) give sips of (b) (2) (c) the affected part of the abdomen.

At the recent Annual Brigade Conference at Bridlington. (L to R) Lady Westbury , County President ; Mrs A. Jackson, County Supt the Mayor of E Yorks Cllr Marjorie Kirk; Mr B. Molloy, County Commissioner; and Mrs D. Edwa rds, Deputy County Commissioner

Humberside

ON Saturday, April 24, a luncheon was held at the Youth Centre, Withernsea High School, North Humberside, to mark the 70th anniversary of the formation of t he Withernsea Nursing Division in 1912. About 30 people were present, including the County President Lady Westbury, and the County Commissioner , Mr. Bryan Molloy.

Area Surgeon Dr. K. McGuane organised a s pecial study da y on Sunday, April 25, at Scunthorpe for members in South Humberside. A good attendance heard talks on 'The Eye', 'Surge ry in the Solomon Islands , 'Tackling the unconsciou s patient', 'Oxygen', and 'An approach to competition work'. The day was voted a great success and the domestic arrangements first clas s An hour long phone-in programm e was broadca st over the BBC Radio Humberside network on April 21, based on the booklet by Mi ss R Bailey, Simple Nursing at Home. The team of 'experts' in the studio were Cty Supt. Mrs. A. Jackson , Area Surgeon, Dr. K. McGuane, and Cty Nursing Officer, M r. E. Lambert. The broadcast followed an earlier seri es on first aid. Both programmes appear t o have been well received.

It has taken Bridlington Combined Division two years to save up for this mobile first aid unit - paid for b y donation s from the people of Bridlington. Pictured below, at t he dedi cat ion of the unit, are (left to right) Mr. George Bentham , Area Commissioner; Mr. Bryan Molloy, County Commissioner; and Mrs. Sylvia Harvey, D ivis ional Superintendent.

Bridlington Divis ion's new first aid unit

HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

from Mrs E K. Thorn SRN RSCN Divisional Superintendent ON reading he se regulation s (April R ev iew) severa l points come to mind.

1. 'All Brigade members' - do es thi s mean, or will this mean t rain ed nurses?

2. The 'day refresher course' - is this equa to three or four twohour evening sessions?

3. On the first two or three readings I thought we were fa ll ing i n line with the Red Cross and abandoning t h e re-exam, but now I see we have to have a yea rl y re-exam and a h ree yea rl y refresher co ur se. Why?

4 Why doe s a new memb er h ave to take are-exam - 'w ith i n 12 months' - if he hold s he n ew ce rti ficate and not be exempt from the re-exam if he ha s obtained a certificate during the year Jan u ary to December?

5. If we are going to e nd up with one certificate, what happens to the 's ocial' first aid classes run by so many divisions? The people who attend them are not going to be a bl e to attend four who le days, and I doubt whether they will want to pay for and attend sixteen evening sessions. We shall b e forfeiting a lot of local goodwill and potential recruits if this happens.

One of m y memb ers was quizzed by the unemployme n bene f it staff What is vo lunta ry work? - Why do you do it?' Wit h a ll these changes, I am beginning to wonder.

Ly mington Hants Elizabeth Thorn

The Commissioner-in-Chief replie s:

1. The t erm 'all Brig a d e members ' was u se d in para 8 of the C-inC's letter. In the context in which it was writte n it refer s to all Brigade member s who are holder s of an Association First Aid certificate. Current Brigade policy do es no t require Do ctors or Nurses to hold a First Aid ce rtif icate before they engage in public du t ies. HSE regula t ions ho weve r require Nurses to h o ld a certifica te before practis ing first a id. Future Brigade policy on t hi s aspect is under discu ssio n and det ai s will be published ater.

2. Ideally this co urse, b eing d esigned for 8 h ours, s h o uld be completed in one day Howe ver, no objection to 2 x V2 day modu les. For information, an alternative 2-Day Refresher Co ur se ha s been de signed for hose not hi g hl y knowledgeable in First Aid at Work and thi s could be broken do w n simi la rly into half da y modules (Total - 4).

3. The yearly re-examination h as o n g been Brigade policy and relates to the higher practical standar d s d e m a nd ed of memb ers. Similarly all members are r equir ed to renew their F ir st Aid Cert i ficate at 3 yearly interval s There ha s b ee n no c h a n ge to current poli cy. Para 10 of the C-in-C's letter refers.

4 Question 4 relates to para 11 of the C- in -C's letter and the answer is really in sub para (a) The HSE ce rtificate does not cover all the subjects the Brigade require s of it s member s b e fore they go on public duties Hence the need to complete the Brigade reexamination.

5. In the coming months it is hoped that a number of matt e rs which are uncertain at the moment will become clear thu s enabling us to determine our policy for the future. Un t il further notice the adult certificate will run in parallel with the HSE certificate and be used for social first aid and Brigade requirement s.

A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING PLEASE

from Rosalind Bullock

I would lik e to reply to t he letter (Apri Review) which was c ritical of the appearance of two ambulance member s who s e photograph appeared in an advertisement in the Fe bruary Review.

These two men had tak e n time off work to travel almo st 400 miles (a round trip of about 800 mil es) to collect a vehicle when hey were asked if a picture could be t aken. It was not st a te d that the photograph would be used for adv e rti s ing And i t was no t a que sti on of please would you get into uniform a nd pop around the corner for a publicity photograph.

I'm s ure we all make an effort to wear our uniform wi t h pride and be a c redit to it, but who among u s h as not at so me time or other, when on publi c dut y in bad weather or s imilar circumstances, a ppeared less t han s martl y t urned out and had rea so n to be glad tha no record exists of it?

So plea se show a little under sta nding that hin gs are not always what the y ma y appear to b e. A nd ma y I say t hat we in our Di vision a re proud of our 'new' vehicle a nd also of our member s, without w hose dedicated service and hard work there wo uld be no Di visio n. Liphook, Hant s Rosalind Bullo ck

WANTED

from lain Armstrong , Divisional Off icer

I wonder if we could make an appeal throug h the Re view to any divisions or members who may have any o ld style ambu ance cadet uniforms of grey shirt, tie, lan yard and belt? If anyone wis hin g to get rid of them for a small price woul d get in touch w ith me, we wou ld be most grateful.

115 Manchester Road, Broomhill, Sheffie ld S30 3B W Jain A rm strong

QUESTIONS (on p.137) and ANSWERS: 14

Answers

1. (a) sudden; (b) involuntary; (c) co-o rdination; (d ) chill in g; (e) salt; (f) body fluids; (g) vomiting.

2. (a) stretched; (b) gently; (c) raise; (d) heel.

3. (a) potentially ser iou s; (b) b lood vessels; (c) reti n a; (d) perforate.

4. (a) rubbing the eye; (b) on the pupil; (c) embedded; (d) inflamed.

5. (a) a ir ; (b) underwater; (c) pressure; (d) drum

6. (a) h ern ia; (b) protrusion; (c) mu scu lar wall.

7. (a) groin; (b) navel; (c) li fting heavy; (d) constipated.

8. (a) swelling; (b) worsen; (c) vom itin g; (d) strangulated ; (e) hernia; (f) urgent.

9. (a) reassure; (b) support; (c) bend; ( d) vomiting; (e) recovery position; (f) pain; (g) vomiting; (h) do not.

10. (a) diffi c ult ; (b) night; (c) out of.

11. (a) co mfortab le po s ition; (b) forward; (c) back s raig h t; (d) fre s h air; (e) m e dic a l a id ; (f) hos pital.

12. (a) di st urban ce; (b) ner vo u s n ess'; (c) si p s; (d) h o ldin g; (e) breat h (f) distracting; (g) few hours.

13. (a) hornet s; (b) po i n t; (c) n eedle; (d) ste rili se d (e) coo ling

14. (a) antihistamine; (b) surgica l; (c) ammonia; (d) bicarbonate.

15. (a) mouthwa s h ; (b) one; (c) bicarbonate; (d) diffic ul ty in breathing; (e) ice to su c k.

16 (a) wounds; (b) u s uall y; (c) tepped on; (d) cornered; (e) poi so nou s ; (f) fatal; (g) feared; (h) fear; (i) shock.

17 (a) lay him down ; (b) walk about; (c) soapy water; (d) venom; (e) immobili se; (f) medical aid.

18. (a) blow ; (b) upper; (c) so lar plex u s; (d) fainting.

19. (a) s pasm; (b) diaphra g m; (c) m e al

20. (a) re s t; (b) hot water; (c) ge n tl y rub

Greater Manchester

NEWS from SCOTLAND

THERE was a very good attendance at the Glasgow St John Association annual general meeting in the City Chambers on April 27, when the guest speaker was Sir Robin MacLellan, CBE, Chairman of the Scottish Tourist Board. In a stimulating and witty address 'In praise of Volunteers'

Sir Robin mentioned three illusions from which our country tends to suffer:

1. That happiness is central heating in a suburban bungalow, three cars in the garage, colour television, etc, on the assumption that science has the technology to provide all the physical comforts and that society must therefore be happy. The volunteer knows better, he knows that happiness comes from what you do, not from what you have.

2 That if we are free from all restraints of moral or conventional discipline,

The Air Wing in Dundee

everything in the garden will be lovely, and because everyone can express their individuality, society will automatically be sound. The truth is that without common respect for some standards and some uniting purpose, we live in a state of moral confusion.

3. That collectivity is the way to Utopia, and individual effort and thought tends only to be a troublesome deviation. Not only can such views lead to Gulag; the volunteer knows from experience that it is in terms of individual life that the spirit of service is best realised, since it releases the individual from the narrow love of self to the fulfilling love of neighbour.

Sir Robin went on to say how much he was impressed by the enthusiasm of the young once their sympathy was aroused.

Active participation was the best form of education

('Y ou hear and forget; you see and remember; you do and you understand.')

The volunteer was the best reminder that money was not man's chief motivator.

THE Dundee branch of the St John Ambulance Air Wing was recruited in 1972 by Don Duncan and was first called to fly a kidney from Glasgow to Sheffield in June 1973. Since then, 28 missions have been flown carrying 32 kidneys and a rare blood sample from Scottish airports to N. Ireland, Dublin and 13 airfields in England.

There are four primary pilots available and a back up of a further four. Aircraft available range from the Aztec (seen right over the Tay Estuary) to Cherokees and Cessnas, whose use is actively encouraged by Tayside Aviation under the chairmanship of R. Lovat Fraser. Co-operation by the local authority is also very generously given - allowing use of Dundee Riverside Airport at a moment s notice.

A typical mission is initiated by a call usually at around midnight from the duty controller at the Epping Centre saying 'This is the St John AmbulanceAir Wing -I ha ve a kidney in Aberdeen to go to Cardiff - can you help?' It takes about 20 minutes to get out of bed, check met, aircraft, call a second pilot, drive 5 miles to the airport and get airborne Aberdeen is 25 minutes away, 10 minutes on the ground and not one but two kidneys delivered to the plane. One for Cardiff and one for 'Somewhere else'. Airborne and a message confirms 'Take No 1 to Cardiff and No.2 to London - please don't mix them up.' Two bours, twenty minutes later Cardiff -a quick turn round and 40 minutes later London Elstree aerodrome and a welcome by Bill Bailey A further, but not so quick turn round and we're back at Dundee for breakfast.

Alexander Middleton, Group Controller

OVERSEAS

Kenya

A new ambulance is presented to SJA Kenya by the Rotary

Neither Henry Ford nor the Wright Brothers launched their epoch-making products because a financial wizard promised good profits. Commitment to an interest not only leads to a ful filled life but to an enriched society.

Sir Robin was enthusiastically thanked. Brigadier Balharrie, Chairman, reported on t he splendid progre ss made towards the cost (almost £200,(00) o f purchasing, altering and f urnishing the new Home for the Elderly. With regret he intimated th e resignation for personal reasons of Mr John Kennedy, Secret ary of both the Order a nd the Association Committees. Mr Kenned y had in fact by his dedi cation and enthusiasm fulftlled the ro le of a chi ef executive.

The Chancellor, Mr Wm A. P. Ja ck, congratulated Glasgow on a ye ar of continuing su c cess, a nd briefl y outline d events and activ ities in oth er par ts of t he Priory

The nex t big eve nt f or the A ss o cia t ion in Glasgow would be t he 'Soire e' in th e C ity Chamber s on October 12. N.M.B

WALES Hospital Helpers

to

tt ac hed to a hos pi

l a nd to bear the name of a Health

utho r it y. It h as over 90 me mb ers, wh ose ages range from 7 years to 25 years. It s Di visio na l P res id ent is t he A rea N ur sing Officer for the Gwent He alth A ut h o rity a nd c hai rm a n of th e R oyal College of Nursi n g, Mr Alun Gil es.

Adult me mb e rs of th e D iv is io n (over ] 6 years) have bee n und erta ki ng d u ties at the A&E Depart m ent of Newport's Royal Gwent H ospi al si nce Fe bru ary 198 1, an d h ave now completed over 832 ho u rs of voluntary service to th e co m munity in the department.

AU me m bers have u nd ergo n e an inte r view with the D epartment's Nur s in g Officer (w h o is a lso the Division's vice-president (nursing) a nd car ri ed o u the ix -session t rai ni ng plan. C ur rently, there are ] 8 me mb e rs, a mbu lance an d nurs ing, u n dertaking d uties on Friday eve ni ngs an d Satur d ay afte rn oo ns a n d eve nings. D u r ing t heir t im e in t he department members have ga ined much be nef i i n th e for m of trai ning. Three nursi ng membe rs have app lied to take up n u rs ng, two hav ing been accepte d D uring t he inclement weat he r of Februa r y a nd Marc h , members were on duty for f ive s uccess i ve eve ni ngs, s u pport ing the staff of the A&E department as we ll as on t he wa rds.

News from Divisions/ Centres

(Above ) HANTS Three of Bournemouth Quad Division's six teams in the County competitions shared six trophies

I SJA MUSIC MAKERS

Thanks to Gwent and Surrey bands for sending me their newsletters. It is good to see that some bands are now producing their own newsletter; keep up the good work and please keep me on your mailing list.

St John's Day Parade

The annual St John's Day parade, on Saturday June 26 to St Paul's Cathedral, will be led in the adult section by The Sussex Knights (Southwick) Band, and in the cadet section by the B.F.R. Corps of Drums Badges

New badges for bands have now been approved by HQ, but they are now subject to approval by the bands themselves.

Non-members

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 6(82) by A. A. Potter

A prize of a Platignum pen will be awarded to the sender of the first correctly completed Cross word No 6(82) opended on July Send to St John Review. Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Woodbridg e, Suffolk IP12 3QF Winner Crossword No.4: Miss F. M Nelson, 32 Moss Lane, Middleton Manchester.

Across

1. A gipsy had mixture for difficulty in swallowing (9). 6. Restrict a painful muscular contraction (5). 9. Cough mixture produced by sin cult (7). 10. In a melancholy state using old fuel (7). 12. The sheltered side in Fleetwood (3). 13. Fish gametes for deer (3). 14.

(Left ) MERSEYSIDE : Bill Bowman, 65 who retired as Supt of Bromborough Eastham and Port Sunlight Div , receives a farewell gift from President , Wirral Area John Harney Mrs Bowman (left) has jobs in the house for him

I understand from David Minney that there are still some bands which have not joined the Federation I would like to try to encourage these bands to join, for surely this is in everyones interest? We would like all SJA bands to be involved in the continual discussions with HQ about bands and their role in the organisation.

MOT inspection

As some of you will know, the MOT inspection is now mandatory for all SJA bands This has been approved by the Commi ssioner-in-Chief.

Professor's seat (5). 15. Lesion of skin or mucous membranes can be cruel (5). 16. Motor supply to flexors of wrist and muscles of hand (S.S). 19. Spinal structure can be floppy for computer software engineer (4). 21. Sour sweet (4).22. Strange tin for medkation checkjng secretions (10) 24. Rectal infusion given for absorption or to promote evacuation (5). 26. Amputates tails (S) 27 Moral transgression in disinfection (3) 28 Bed for a small charge (3). 29. They make one sick (7), 30. Let list change for congeni al disease characterised by spasticity (7) 32 Save about SO for soothing ointment (S) 33

Determination o f na ture of a patient' s illne ss (9)

Down

1. Hallucipated state due to prolonged alcohol intoxication (8 7). 2

Four points for a special faculty of the body (5). 3. At a high temperature (3). 4. Drug s having effects similar to ovula tion produ ced by sage gents (9) 5 Dread for a poisonous snake (5). 6. Telephone United States for new bone developing at fracture sites (6) 7

Psychoses characterised by grave emotional disturbance (9) 8

Stricture of the distal outlet of the stomach (7 .8). 11. Snake-like fish (3) 14 Preserve a painful callosity (4) 17. Basic unit of the grey matter of the brain and spinal cord (5.4). 18. Chicken-pox (9).20 Terminal orifice of the alimentary canal (4) 23. One born in the place (6). 2S. French word for Ministry of Transport (3). 26. Given medicine (S) 27 Aperient for sailors (5). 31. Pigmentation of skin produced by exposure to ultra-violet light (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 5(82)

Across: 1. Embolism; 5. Puffed; 9. Urinary; 10. Granada; 11. Tide; 12. Stew; 13. Lithe; IS. Abducens nerve; 19 Smelling salts; 23 Hurst; 2S. Mind; 26. Ache; 29. X-iphoid; 30. Ovarian; 31. Apathy; 32. Vena cava

Down: 1. Erupts; 2. Blind; 3. Lead; 4. Styptic; 6. Uveal; 7. Fractures; 8 Diabetes; 10. Go-wan; 14. Idol; 15 Ametropia; 16. Egg; 17. Nile; 18. Asphyxia; 20. No -mad; 21. Syncope; 22. Hernia; 24. Tooth; 27 Chin-a; 28 Vasa.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

THE OXFORD VACSPLINT

Advantages of the Vacsplint

• lightweight, re-usable, washable

• waterproof - blood and urine proof

• conforms to pat ent and maintains desired position.

• does not restrict circulation

• does not change shape when evacuated.

• can go over dressings , compress i on bandages or clothes.

• does not cause undue pressure on the limb, so does not need to be let down per i odically

• easily removed to adjust dressings

• vacuum may be re leased in orderto change position if desired , and then evacuated to maintain the r evised position

• does not need to be bandaged on

• adjustable Velcro straps, or improv i sed ties, are sufficient.

for use in

ACCIDENT DEPARTMENTS

AMBULANCES

HOSPITALS

FIRST AID DEPARTMENTS

EMERGENCY RESCUE SERVICES

SIZES AVAILABLE

OVS100 - 50 x 30cms For children and fractures of the forearm

OVS120 - 65 x 50cms For full arm suppor t

OVS130 - 80 x 70cms for occipital and cervical support after trauma

Method of application

1. Lay flat and smooth to even thickness, and part i ally evacuate by opening va lve, apply i ng suction and closing valve.

2. Mould the splint whilst in this ma l leable cond it on Hold in pos ion, w ith straps if necessary, and fully evacuate

3 Re-adjust straps or ties

OVS130

OVS140 - 90 x 60cms for l eg and t runk support

Developed by THE OXFORD Orthopaedic Engineering Centre, in conjunction with the Radcliffe Infirmary and Oxfordshi re Area Health Authority Ambulance Service That run

OVS100

AMBULANCES

ST JOHN REVIEW

News

Cadet

Reconditioned vehicles with recon. engines, panels as required, resprayed, fitted beacons, horns, etc.

3.

Ju st our o the 900 members who were on duty thr o u g h o ut the 26-mile course. After finishing he race, this runner thought

8.15 am in Greenwi c h Park, the starting po nt. The Guards r ee fall pa rachute team float down with St John ags stream ng out

Photo Glen Harvey)

HAILED as the biggest marathon in the world - it even put New York's 'biggest' in the shade - the second London Marathon on Sunday May 9 saw more than 16,000 citizens, many of them decked out in the wei r dest ' gear', set off on a 26-mile jog-ofall-jogs.

Which of course meant that this was a massive logi s tical exercise for St John, with twice the runners as last year and bigger crowds lining the route.

Although St John Ambulance was the marathon' s o f ficially designated charity, many other charities and commercial organisations had sponsored runners.

The day got o ff to a spectacular start for St John with a parachute jump in Greenwich Park at 8 15 by members of the Guards' free fall parachute team. The six paras, jumping from 2,500 ft, each carried a St John flag during their descent. Their target was to land on a huge St John flag staked to the ground. Having made their successful jump , an hour later the tough paras joined the other runners from the start of the marathon, in which they ran on behalf of St John Cadets,

There were two s tarting points for this year's mara t hon , at Greenwich Park and on Blackheath. From an initial entry of 16,350 starters, an astonishing 15,758 managed to complete the gruelling 26 miles and 385 yards.

The St John medical and first aid cover

That run around London

consisted of 22 ambulance stations located along the route, 38 ambulances, one cardiac unit on Westminster Bridge (where the race finished), and 900 members, including 22 doctors and 32 nursing officers.

The race organisers had allocated several rooms in County Hall as the first base recovery area. A second recovery area was set up in Jubilee Gardens behind County Hall. A total of 1,292 runners were treated, mainly for cramp, stomach pains, and blisters. Of these, 34 were taken to hospital. At the end of the day, however, only four runners (suffering from dehydration) remained in hospital.

There were casualties among the public too. One emergency maternity case was rushed to London Hospital, and another spectator, who had fallen on to spiked

t he 58 s pec tat o rs reported i nj u red uffered nothin g bu fa in ts.

A Wel s hm an wo n t h e race (i n 2 hour 9 min s, 2S se cs), a m othe r of t wo wa the fi r woman h o m e (20 mi n ut es late r t han th e fi rs t man) th o u sa n d, I 'm ur e, we re ti ff all o ve r fo r a few d ays -o n e of h em immedi a te y se n t St J ohn £100 for a tt end ng h is cramp - an d general ly the capital of London th o r o u g hl y e n joyed it self. A great d a y

Running for SJA

IT A L L b ega n at th e 198 1 Mara th o n afte r a day of ve r y bu sy pu bl ic du ty W e were s ituated at the fini s h in Co ns titu t io n Hi ll. Thi s was th e fir s t ex pe ri e n ce for a ll o f us of a mara t hon and a lth o u g h o ur b r ief in g f r om London Di s tri c t was ve r y co m p re he n ive, le ss on s we r e le arnt a nd n o t ed for th e n ext year whi c h promi se d o b e a n eve n la rge r even t. On th e wa y h o m e M a rtin Kin g, Deputy C SO C adet s f or

t Gr ee n w ic h . T h e s ig ht of n ea rl y seve n tee n

t h o u sa nd p eo pl e co n vergi n g o n thi s d e li g h t ful p art of So u t h L ondo n was

unb e li eva bl e. On e ca n o nl y be f ull of a dmira io n for th e o rga n ise r s w h o ha d plann e d t h e eve n t so we l.

Th e m o b le un it s a nd a m b u la n ces o n

du ty at th e sta rt were th e n m ove d i n co n voy wi th a p o li ce escort to Co un ty H a ll , rea d y t o rece ve t h e ri u m p ha n ru nners afte r t h e

gr u e llin g 26 mi les of London st r eets. W e we re stat ione d in Jub il ee Gardens, w h e re a g iant v deo sc r ee n kept us in to u c h w ith th e

progress of the runners. We lost coun t of the numb er we tre a ted. It wa s a cas e of 'aJJ hand s on deck . Some of the runn e rs feet

had to b e s e e n to b e believed, bu they all

clut c h e d their Marathon M e dal s with pride

Mar t in fini s hed in 3 hour s 2 8 minut es . H e wa s a mon g t h e man y w ho n ee ded a ss ista n ce f rom our team o f fir s t- a id e r s a t Co un ty H a ll. But after a s hort re st and s om e re f re s hm e n t, he wa s so on on hi s fe e t a g ain

C on g r a tulation s and man y t hank s fo r t he m ag ni fi ce n t effor t h e and hi s te am pu t in f or our cau se. S M Latham, Deputy

Those thermal blankets . The thermal 'space' blankets used in marathons preven lo ss of body heat and dehydration. The blankets made from 23 micron polyester film metallised with an aluminium coating of jus one millionth of an inch provide a combination of ligh t weight and thermal efficiency which makes them ideal for comforting accident and emergency victims S nce this year s marathon the manufacturers, Bowater, have received a number of serious enquiries about the blankets from Health Autho ri ties M edical and

travelled up to my thighs. No, I said. No. It can't be. 1 slowed down, the pain easing a little, and [ accepted as many cups of water and glucose as I cou ld get. But so me of the stat ions had run out of cups. People held out buck ets of water. With cupped hands I scooped out water, to drink , sp lashing my face, my neck, saturating my teeshirt, bu t st ill the pain was there. By the time I reached the Tower and those dreadful cobbled st reet s (aren't they quaint?), my bod y was deaden ed with pain and the other runners around me seemed to have either streaked ahead or s lowed to a walking pace

That run (cont.)

bo t h sexes were packed like sardines in the long caterpillar to the starting gates. Again the aroma of embrocation creams filled my no stri ls and the atmosphere seemed tense.

Suddenly the gun echoed at 9.30 sharp and the procession gradually moved forward a step or two (a funny way to start a race, I thought), and then after what seemed a long delay we broke into a jog and we were passing through St Mary's Gate and away. Crowds applauded and cheered u s on. Flags waved. And with the sound of panting and pattering feet we wound our way down Woolwich Road and my pace quickened.

By the time I reached the Cutty Sark, the morning was warmer and humid, and running was becoming noticeably more difficult. I slowed down to stop at two mile interval s to grab a paper cup of liquid sustenance of either water or a sugar and salt glucose mixture.

Passing through the Boroughs of

Lewisham and Southwark we left Jamai ca Road and branched right over Tower Bridge. I remember was s urpr ised to see, as I entered Cable Street, the 13 -m ile s ign

Half way, I said to mysel f Crowds still lined the route three or four deep in places, encouraging us on. Here and there banners were held aloft with messages on t hem 'Good luck, John.' And 'We're thinking of you, Mike .' Someone shouted out my number. 'Come on?' he yelled. 'Co me on!' I pushed on. We continued down Manchester Road to circuit the Isle of Dogs, which seemed a tiring run through endless narrow streets. We passed pubs, where people supping beer and spirits waved us on through the open door s. I was aware of other runners si tting b y the roadside clutching bare feet , or crouched in corners in a state of collapse. I pounded down West Ferry Road, which led to narrow, winding st reets. And then just after passing the 20-mile signpost, I s uddenl y felt my leg muscles seize and m y knees lock in sickening pain. A sickening pain which

AA's Silver Medal for SJA service

One of the two S lver Medals awarded by the AA for 1981 went to the Aeromedical Services

ST JOHN Ambulance Aeromedical Services were awarded the AA's Silver Medal for 1981 for the work of their voluntary teams of medical personnel in repatriating seriously ill or injured travellers from abroad.

The award, one of only two made for 1981 at the AGM of the Automobile Association on May 20, was accepted on behalf of the Aeromedical Services by the C-in-C, Major-Gen Sir John Younger, who was accompanied by the Aeromedical Services Director, Gp Capt George Baxter.

During 1981, the Service undertook 860 mi ssions, the majority of which involved bringing back motorists from abroad.

AEROIMEDIC:AL SERVICES:

My feet pounded the road with little feeling, just barely st umblin g along. Upper Thame s Street appeared and more and more runners were gr indin g to a halt with cries for help. Reaching Trafalgar Square wa a victory in itself for me, with crowds on all sides calling encouragement, which lifted me as I entered the Mall, with in the di stance Buckingham Palace. The Palace eemed s o far away as plodded towards it, eventually reaching the end and bearing left. Five minutes later I was entering Parliament Square, with the crowds cheering me on as reali sed there was a con s iderable gap between the runners in front and behind me.

And then the climb up to the centre of Westmin s ter Brid ge - and it wa s a climbm y whole body racked with pain, my che t aching, my ank les st riking each other as my feet made no sen e now of the road surface or whatever it was I was st umbling aero s. And then sudden l y there wa omething different ahead. A ll round wa s cheering, shouting The finish? - Could it be? I found one la s t bur s t of energy and ped acro ss. It was the finish. They were taking my number. A medal was pressed into my hand. People were holding m e on e ith er side. Leading me somewhere. A hot cup was thrust into my hand I drankBovril. It was all over. All 26 mile s of it. I didn't have to go on running. could stop now. And re st. Keith Edwards, Wandsworth 311 Di v

Mr P A IToily) Lingard - to County Director , Suffolk

THE POSition of Director-General Association c han ged hands on St John's Day 1982. Mr P. A. (Tony) Lingard was s u cceeded by Mr D. E. (Don) Seymour. We are very sa d to see the departure of Mr Lingard who gave u s all a pleasant shock (having left the Electricity Indu stry!) wit h his foresight, dedication and unending ent hu sias m. It was due to all these qualities that the recently iss ued Training Package was published on ti me , and he has, without doubt, made a n invaluable contribut ion to St John Ambulance in maintaining o ur national primacy in fir t aid training.

NEW DIRECTORGENERAL, ASSOCIATION

However, we warmly welcome his s uccessor, and are convinced that Mr Seymour will make a major contribution to our cause. His vast knowledge and experience in marketing and management organisation will be of the greatest help to SJA, and he should prove to be a worthy successor to Mr Lingard.

Mr Seymour has recently retired as Deput y Chief Executive of the Smith & Nephew Group of Companies, the leading British owned manufacturer and distributor of pharmaceutical products He remains on the main Board as a non-executive director and will retain hi s chairmanship of several su b s idiarie s within the Group, including interests in the USA and other western hemisphere countries.

As a graduate of Manchester University and a fellow of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, he ha s s pent a lifetime in t he pharmaceutical industry. He started his profes sio nal career in Herts Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and has been with Smith & Nephew for the last 28 years, taking an active part in the development

Brought HOl11e

Mr D E lOon) Seymour - to Director-Ge neral and considerable growth of that company.

Other plans initiated by Mr Lingard for Emergency Aid and Schoolchildrens' Package will keep Mr Seymour well and truly occupied, but let us take this occasion to wish Mr Lingard well in his new position of County Director of Suffolk. It has been said that he never took out of a job more than he put in - what better accolade could b e accorded to Ton y Lingard. We wish him, and his charming wife Enid, God speed and all good fortune in his retirement from National HQ - and at the same time we welcome Mr Seymour. A.B.

Major- Gen Sir John Younger, the C in - C received the medal on beha lf of the Aeromedical Services from Lord Errol Iright)

ALSO on May 20, the C-in-C and Lady Younger, together with air attendants Dr Tom Evans and Mr Derek Clark, and Aeromedical Services director George Baxter, were guests of Vickers PLC's Chief Executive, Mr David Plastow, who thanked the Aeromedical Services, particularly the two air attendants, for repatriating a Vickers' employee from China last February.

The young patient, who had s uffered a massive heart attack,

The C-in·C has a good lo ok at the fine set of equipment presented by Vickers David Plastow lIeh)

followed by cardiac arrest for some 55 minutes, was cared for by Chinese medical authorities until fit enough fo r the journey.

On behalf of the company, Mr Pla stow presented the C-in-C with a gift of medical equipment (two portable modulaide sets and two portable suction units , made by Vickers, together with voltage converters) fOJ the Aeromedical Services.

148

In the Pope's footsteps

SJA members cover th e Papal journey around the country

AFTER month s of planning, and then the last minute anxietie over a po sible cancellation, the UK vi it of Hi Holine

Pope John Paul [[ took place in a blaze of suns hine from May 28 (0 June 2.

De sp ite smaller crowd than expected and disappointing sales of ouvenir, for hundreds of St John members on dut y during the six days and for the millions who followed it on TV, th is fi rSl Pope' s vi it 10 our islands was a memorable, magical and moving experience.

The first three day s were based in London, where on duty were 1,200 member s, including 15 doctors and 40 professional nurses, with 37 mobile first aid units, 58 ambulances, and four special cardiac ambulances (the latter were not used).

Days 1 to 3, London: 600 casualties treated, 14 taken to hospital. On the Friday evening Cardinal Hume, Archbishop of Westminster, personally thanked St John member s for their help throughout the first day.

Day 3, Baginton Airport, Warwick s. 200 on duty (s hared wi th Red Cross and Territoria l Army). 700 casualties, 18 to hospital. At Liverpoo l: 500 on duty (shared with Red Cross and RAMC) 183 casualties, 6 to hospital.

Day 4, Heaton Park, Manche ster. 500 on duty (shared with Red Cross and Territorial Army) 600 casua lties, 7 to hospital, including a priest from Papa l podium. York , 215 on duty (shared with Red Cross and RAMC) 248 casua l t ies.

Day 6 (Day 5 t h e Pope was in Scotland), Ninian Pa r k, Wa les. 750 on duty (shared with Red Cross) 600 cas u a lt es, 5 to hospital.

On a personal note One London member who, during the Year

of N u rsing, d d a two-week duty at a hosp i ta l in Rome and during a Papal audie nce H is Ho liness was abo u t to ack n ow ledge ou r ma n w h e n a c hil d n earby co ll apsed a n d diverte d attention. On Friday May 28 the same m ember was on duty outside Westm inster Cathedral and this time he got clo se enough to take the Pope' s hand, knee l and kiss his ring. T. W.

Lt. Col. Arthur Goring, Assistant C-in-C 1957 to 1972

LT-COLONEL Arthur Goring, who died on April 16, wa A ss istant Commi ionerin-Chief from 1957 to 1972, with special respon s ibility for Cadets and Le a der hip Training. In St John, as formerly in the army, his outstanding characteristic was hi immen se ly caring concern for the wellbeing of ind vidual people, with the re ult [hat he probably had a w ider circle of fr iends of all ages and types from among his trainee s in the Brigade tha n any ot h er enior officer before o r since. It was he, loya lly supported by a devoted team of helper, who built up and estab li h ed the unrival led succe s of

Nottingham '. Equally uccessfu l \ ere the King George VI Memorial Leadership Training Courses - which howe er came to an e nd in 1971, no becau e of Arthur' impending retirement but becau e the fund which financed them had dried up. Sadly, he had littl e time fo r t ho e who did not s hare his view, and a he was also nothing if not an individua list there were those who pardonably s u pected him of trying o (Urn the St John Cadet into a private army'.

But (hi \Va not so, for in fact he did an imm e n se amount to integrate the cadet branch into full member hip of the Brigade

and to have t heir officer recogni ed a of equal tatu with those of adult di\'i ion. And one of his mOSI frequently repeated saying de er\'e pr en ation for all lime: ' The real ucce s of a cadet di\ ion not mea s ured by the number of il member, it ([ophie or it badge, but by \\ hether there exists a clo ely re la ted adult di\'i ion full of e - adets all wearing the Grand Prior' badge.' For ever;1 year aft r hi retirement he continued to maintain a clo connection with the Order as an A i tant Direc(o r of Ceremonie W. lI'.

(Above) The Pope celebrates Mass for the first time on Eng ish soil amid he splendour o Westm nster Cathedral. (Photo: Ted Blackbrow)

(Photo: Glen Harvey

John inside Westminster Cathedral (left), the Lord Prior , Sir Maurice Dorman, and, behind him an ambulance member. While (below) plenty of SJA activity just

STAND COLLAPSES

I he a r th a t 15 adult members and five ca d ets, w it h one a mbulance , were on duty at No r m a nb y Hall Park Scunthorpe , for the BB C It' s A Knockout programme on M ay 3 when a st and holding some 600

W

the

and

and

AB 01

BY THE EDITOR

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

JIM'S PROGRESS

Hadlei g h a nd Benfleet Combined Di v is ion 's DI S Mr s Pa S a nderson writes :

On Sund ay Ma y 2 heart tr a n s plant

p ati e nt J a m es K ell y set off from Southend

Ho s pi ta l , E ssex, o w a lk and cycle the 72 mil es t o H a re f el d Ho s pital , Her ts

4 7 yea rs o ld Jim recei ved hi s 23 y ears old ' h e ar a lm ost two year s ago and wa s dete r min e d t o complete this sponsored journe

that Jim s h o uld h ave s om e supervi s ion and back-up, so six m e mber s of our Divi s ion a cco mp a n ied him w th the Di vis ional ambul ance

W e pla nn ed t h e route , carefull y noting t h e locati o n of all ho s pitals along the way, ensure d t h at a g ood s upply of fluids , fruit

Heart tr an splant p at ent James Kelle y cycles 72 miles with SJ A esco rt s fr o m H adlei g h and Benf eet Combined Di v sion. ( See st o ry Ji m's Progress) Photo Evening Echo, S outhen d )

Mar e Reffo d sec retary to the 5t John Co u nci for Hu m be rs de with her husband after re ceiv ing h er OBE a Bu c kingham Palace recen tl y and light refres hments were available f or Jim, and made him promise that he would give up if neces s ary, Our day started b y meeting at 4. 30am and leaving Sou t hend Ho s pital a t Sa m W e were fortunate that the da y w as dr y and bright , but there was a cold w ind Jim alternated between walkin g and cy clin g.

When he walked one of us walked wi t h him, keeping in radio contact with the ambulance , and when he cycled we we r e never far away, Jim was in fine f orm and after a mo st enjo yable day we arri ved at Hare f ie ld

ition ha s b eco m e qu ite a n eve n t i n the lo c al c al e ndar.

From an o ri g in a l e n t r y of 43 t eams,

HIGH FLYING APPEAL

o ken with every packe t of Elastoplast whi c h has to be sent off to the appeal for the ambulance for London District. Fo ur cadets from Holborn Combined Division, Lady Moyra B owne, the Supt-in - Chief, and Sm th and Nephew staff gave the appeal

which competed in local pub and clubs, fo u r reached the final staged at the Caldicot Labour lub in April. It seem s the Labour Club knew what il wa s up to in agreeing to host the fina ls with it many fo llower. For the Club's leam won the trophy after a great tu s le with Northgate' s team. After pre entation of prize the local D vi ion received a nice cheque. Thank s pool fan s and players

MUMS AND DADS

Sl John Ambulance ha s been referred to a s fir t aid for broken limb '; Mum s and Dad, London' Fo tering I nformation Serv ce, could be s aid w be 'fir t aid for broken lives.'

It e limated that there are about 19,000 children in care within the 32 London boroughs. A considerable number of these childre n are in need of a fo ter home. Suitab le couple and single \ omen in the London area are urgently needed to act a s foster parent and 0 provide ome of the e chi ldren with the opportunity of being part of a family. The chi ldren range from babie

The Bel family were wId 2 V2 year ago that t hey cou ld either make a success of the St John Ambulance Brigade Band in Newpo rt or d isband it a ltOgether. The band had run down to twenty member and h ere wa a danger that it would have to be abandoned.

Now t he family ca n it back on t h eir a u rels - because the band ha gone f r o m s u ccess to u ccess and da ug ht e r

Di a nn a ha ju s t wo n her Orand P ri or's b a d ge.

Di an n a an d her yo u nger brother, J ames, we re b oth m ember of t h e S t

J o hn Ba nd seve ra l years ago, w h en i t b eca m e a p pa re n t that t h e ba n d's days mi g h t h ave t o be num bered. Fa th er

Ma lc o l m, a ectu r e r at N as h Co ll ege, a nd m o th er O le n ys, a n a u x ili a r y nur se a t St. Wo o los Ho s pit a l, step p e d in to h e lp.

Ha rt c ff e D ivision members h ghk icking fo r the O p h h al mi c Hospita at a fu nd raisi ng St T r n ia ns disco held at County HQ ( P hoto: My r a Meredith)

With M a lc o lm in c h a r ge a nd G le n y as drum m a j or, Ja m es as h ea d dru mm e r R igh ) Br istol's

THREE OF A KIND

11-year -old Hazel Boyce became the third generat on of her family to become a Brigade member when she was enrolled into Bedminster Down Nursing Cadet Div sion in Brist o l. Look ng on is her mother ASO Mrs Brenda Boyc e and grandfather ASO Mr Cyril Kelloway (Photo: George Gallop)

The Bell family father Malcolm, mum Glenys James and Diana

MUSICAL BELLS

and D ia n na as lead be ll p layer, th e o nl y

St John band in Wa les h as go n e u p i n the world It has become a divis io n in i ts ' own righI, teaching f ir t ajd to ca d ets

The band p lays all over Wa le. Har d work and di cipline have been t h e watc h word, and mem b ership h as a lmo do u bled.

And n ow 16-yea r -o ld Di a nn a h as " T b ecome o n e of t h e yo un ges t ca d e t s in

N ewport t o w in th e Ora nd P ri or b a d g e 1 -t h e o nl y one gai n e d n Wales for so me t i me. She has take n 12 d iffere nt s ub jects" r ang ing fro m f ire f ig htin g to ramblin g, a nd ha worked hard fo r more tha n f o ur years. Her you n ger b rother J a m e h as comp leted m o r e t h a n 20 0 h o ur vo lunt ary serv ice.

Pa re nt s Ma lco lm a nd Ol e n ys a re w e ll pl eased. W e h a ve t ru gg le d to p r o v ide so m et h i n g for p eo ple th a t i s w o rt h w hi le,' sai d O le n ys.

J I /'/ J

RAFT TO

to working teenagers; some are handicapped; some are of mixed race. All need a home, whether for short or long periods. Volunteers to take children for a short time are just as welcome as those who would like to foster in the longer term. Allowances are paid to all foster parents to cover expenses.

Foster parents do not necessarily have to have children of their own - they do need to love and understand youngsters. Do you or any of your friends have a spare room or a bed at home? If you live in one of the London boroughs would you be interested in becoming one of the 'Mums and Dads'?

Full details, including notes on children who could be available for fostering, may be obtained by contacting London's Fostering Information Service. Write to: Mums and Dads, 34 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HW or telephone 01 839 4036.

NEWTON ABBOT REPORTS

I hear from Newton Abbot, Devon:

Many cadet divisions struggle to maintain

their numbers. But Newton Abbot ha s no such problem, thanks to the ever-flowing adrenalin of DI S Neil La Chevalier and DI O Roger Mann. Their recipe for success is variety: activity evenings, games, proficiency s ubjec ts, camps, and not forgetting firs t aid.

The latest venture was a pantomime.

Aided by a local teacher, the two officer s directed the production which involved most of the nursing and ambulance cadets

'Goo die Two Shoes' was a great success with the audience of nearly 250, who did not have to pay for the show bu t showed their appreciation with a silver collection afterwards, which raised £100 - sufficient to cover expenses.

The adult division were recently presented with a large anatomicaJ model, which was bought with £350 raised at an Xmas draw at a much-frequented public house, Newton Abbot's Jolly Abbot, to which we are most grateful. The model illustrates all the internal organs, most of them being removable. It will be used by both adult and cadet divisions for training.

At the recent county first aid competitions, Newton Abbot teams took first place in all team tests and most of the individuals The role of Devon County champions now reads:

SJA Newton Abbot has been hitting the headlines in the West Countr y with their competi tion successes. Here's the behind -thescenes story (above) of their secret, which inc lud es a cadet pantomime (right) and a new anatomical model for the adults (left)

Newton Abbot Ambulance Division

Newton Abbot Ambulance Cadet Division

Newton Abbot Nursing Cadet Division

Newton Abbot Ambulance Cadet Junior Section

BIRDS RECOGNISE ME

I received the following plea from Mr Ir ene Van der Schans, D I O of Little Thurrock

N I C Divi s ion Essex.

Although I always make a point of wearing my un iform correctly, 1 have often felt a li ttle irritated when the public fail to reco g nise me as a me mber of SJA. 1 have often been mi s taken for a traffic warden, Red Cross and Salvation Army member, and a policewoman - all of whom do a good job, of course.

But my faith was somewhat re to red the other day, not by the human race, but by one of our feathered friends. r was about to go out of my front-gate to make my daily visit to an elderly neighbour when s uddenly s omething fell to la nd a coup e of yards from my feet. It was a male blackbird, its wings outstretched. As [ made a cautious approach I could see the bird's eyes flickering and its beak appeared to be open. As 1 got nearer I expected it to fly up into my face, but there was no movement at all, not even a slight flutter. C lo sing close in 1 then sa w the end of a piece of bacon rind hanging from the end of it s beak, the other end obviously stuck in the bird's throat.

Having said to my se lf 'Keep still- I'm a

first-aider,' r then carefully removed the obstruction from hi s mouth. No time for recovery position here, or any re-assurance. He immediately stood up , s hook him self, and then f ew off - leaving hi s donation on the very spot where the operation had taken place.

So if birds recognise me as a member of SJA, why can't the public? Not that 1 want them to drop out of the sky at my feet.

(P.S Please cut your bacon rinds into sma ll pieces if you intend putting them out for the birds.)

PORTRAIT IN UNIFORM

Kodak te ll s us:

A professionally taken portrait of you or your group - children and adults - in uniform could be t he key to a cash prize from Kodak Limited, who during the Autumn are running a 'Portraits in Uniform' competition from September 1 to November 30.

Traditiona ll y people love to be photo8;ap hed in their formal uniforms , now Kodak make it fun - and with luck profitable - to be photographed in 'informal liniform too, as individuals and in clubs or g roup s. And that can mean clothing and equipment that you wear and use for a hobby, sport or intere st.

Whether yo u're a sergean t-major or a graduate, a girl guide or a fi s herman , a potter or a jogger or ju st play weekend football, you co uld win a s hare of £2,000 Kodak cash prize, provided the prore s ional portrait which you have had taken of yourself in uniform is printed on

CLARE'S BACK

Greater Manchester

I FIRST became interested in the problems of s etting up terminal care units about five years ago. At that time I was asked to join the Medical Advisory Committee of the Dorothy House Foundation in Bath as the GP representative

In 1976 the Foundation had great plans and idea s for the future, but in practical ter ms it con s st ed of one nurse who was caring for terminally ill patients ' in their own homes Now we have a comprehensive home care service and, opened in September 1979, a five-bed in-patient unit.

The problems have been innumerable but the results most rewarding. I, per s onally, have learnt a lot during t his time and a s a result feel more competent to deal with m y own dying patients.

The concept of a terminal care unit whether i t be called a 'hospice', 'continuing care unit', 'af ter care unit' or 'symptom control centre', seems fairly straightforward an d s imple

The i dea of 'the best of all possible care' for the dying patient would be accepted by a ll people, but great difficulties are encountered when trying to put thi s into practice

Early units

Early in 1979 there were 43 s eparate unit s functioning in the British Is les, and many more in the embryonic stage of development. The way ea c h individual unit had progre sse d ha s been moulded by several factors.

T he mo st important of these are :

1. The type of community served, whether inner cit y s uburban, provincial city or rural.

2. The vis ion of the individual or the st eering committee setting out to provide the s ervice

3. The financial re s ource s availab le

4. The a vailabilit y of a site for development or buildings for conversion.

5. The encouragement, or otherwi s e, of other established medical and nurs ing s er v ices.

New developments are taking place within the c ity of London, where, until recently, the old established hospices such as St Luke 's in Bay s water and St Jo s eph' s in Hackney were the only places s peciali s ing in terminal care

In 1968 Dr Cicely Saunders opened St Christopher's Hospi ce in S ydenham and laid the foundation s tone of a whole new concept of terminal care. She set out to look s cientifically a sy mptom control and to face all the needs of the dying patient. Most of the units which have developed since then have followed in her footsteps.

The Royal Marsden Hospital in London has recently converted a ward exclusively for terminal care. This ward is used when active curative treatment is no longer pos s ible. The pace of this ward is quite different f rom that in the rest of the ho s pital, and the aim s are no longer cure but to en s ure a peace f ul end for the patient.

The DHSS is at present looking into ways of promoting better terminal care in the large general ho s pitals, particularly the t eaching ho s pitals, by considering the se tting up of s imilar wards. The Depa rtment is also looking into the development

Setting up terminal care units

by BRIDGET MATTHEWS, MR, RS

SUMMARY: I have been extremel y fortunate that with the help of an Upjohn Fellowship, I h ave had the opportunity to visit s ome of the terminal care unit s, both established and developing, in the U nited Kingdom. There is a great variety in the method s of their development and also in what they have set out to offer. T he y have all had teething problems and have solved them in different ways. I have a ttempted in rather general term s to record some of the experience gai oed an d le sso n s learned.

of better education for nurses and medical students in the care of the dy in g, e n ab lin g them to b e m ore aware of the ne eds of the dying.

In the Eas En d of Lo ndon Dr Richard Lamerton, of St Jo seph's Hospice, saw the need for a hom e care service, and h as de ve loped w ha t can be d escri b ed as a f ir stclass primar y h ealt h care team specia lisi n g in te rmin a care. Thi s team include s docto rs, nu rses, a physiotherapist and a socia l wo rker. I spent a week with this team and cannot spea k too highl y of the se rvice he y are providing.

The development of hi g h ri se flats ha s isolated man y fam ili es and br oke n up communitie s General pract ice in London' s East End s difficul t, vis i t ing a lm ost mpo ssible, and many of t h e doctor s h ave lock- up s ur geries and are not avai lab le after 5pm Once a patient ha s been accepted by Dr Lamerton' s team h e / she is visited as ne cessary and s ab le t o ca ll for help any time of the day or night, and it is a lways available.

Once a genera practitioner ha s r eferred a pat ien he no longer has to take a f ur t her part in the care of that patie n t. This I found sa d, but it was perhaps easy to understand why i t has happened A good deal of time co uld b e spent driving through heavy traffic and wa iting in traffic jams to get from pat ien to patient, and parki n g s often difficult or almost impo ss ible Knowing that these patie nts a r e bein g well cared for, the GPs can s pend the i r time w i th other p rob lem s.

I fe lt t hat in this part of London there s hould b e m any more units like the St Joseph's H ome Care Unit as there must be many more patient s in need of th s quality of terminal ca r e.

Units in the smaller cities and towns and those in rur a areas are working more closely with genera l practitioner s. I n mo s t cases the ge neral practitioner make s a pers onal re ferra l to the medical director of the unit and often a domiciliary vi s it is done together to decide on t he management of the patient. Where there is a hom e care se r v ice it is often pos s ible to keep the patient at home. However w h ere thi s does not e x ist, referral by the GP u s uall y s ignifies the p at ient' s need for in-patient hospice care.

Our ho s pi ce in Bath is unu s ual in not having a medical director , bu t t h e nurses and v olunte ers work with the general practioner lookin g afte r the patients at home

th o u g h we have now appoi n ted a medical officer who und ertakes th e care of patients during their admission to our surgica l uni t.

S ervices now offered

What, in fac t a r e the se rvice s offe r ed by h e 43 unit s no w f un c tionin g in Great Britain? T h ese range f r om tota l in -patie nt care of th e patient w h suppor t for the fami ly to a n out-pat ient advisory ervice for patien ts at home T h e ca re is always rather sp ecial and can be divided into three ca tegories:

Ph ys ical care: This is the care of a body, the nu rsing of the s ic k patient, the co ntr o of his sy mptom s, dressing hi wounds and ge n era ll y making him as comfor ab le a poss ibl e

Emo ional care: Thi i not only treating the pat ient's a n xieties and depre ss ion but allowing him the c h ance to express his fear s and to ask que s tion and even LO talk about death if he s hould a wish.

Social care: Thi include s ca re of the pa ient's fa mily, asses ment of he patient' s home and job, a nd hi s- financial and material need s.

As it takes time to g i ve th is sort of ca r e a very high ratio of staff to pa t iel1ls is required in these units.

Home-care se r vice

More and more unit are developing a home care service. Thi s is not on ly Ie s expen ive th an in-patient care but enab les more patient to be looked after. I f possible, mo s t patients wou ld prefer to die at h ome and mo st fa milie s wou ld prefer to look after t h e m and wit h e n ough s upport are often ab le to do so. With the move towards more fa mily ca r e, to provide s u pport for the patient's fami ly not on y during the e rminal illn ess but immediat e ly after bereavement and occasiona ll y through ong-te rm follow-up

Fam il y ca r e ca n include s u ch th in gs as s impl e pra ct ica l h e lp with hou sekeepi n g o r c hild re n , a laundry se rv ice, h o m e nur sing, nightsitters, the loa n of eq uipm ent, writing letters for patient, ar r angi n g tran port to hospital and many ot h er serv ces

Care immediately after the bereavement ca n just mean s omeone t o talk to, or h e lping with fun e ral arrangements, atte ndin g th e f un eral and ma y extend to family soc ial eve nin gs' in t h e following weeks or in many ca s es a card of rem embrance sent on he anniversary of the death. The need for b ereavement follow-up is Continued overleaf

London Northern Area

On Annual Parade

Two nursing divisions celebrate their 50th birthdays

Tudor Enfield Nursing Division s Supt Mrs D Loach receives the Division s golden jubilee certificate from Lady Moyra Browne

SOME 250 mem bers from London 's Northern A r ea, under the command of the Area Commi i oner, Harold J. Mul li gan, and led by the band of The Honourable Artillery Company, marched to Enfield Methodist Church on May 16 for their annual church parade. Two nur ing divi ion, Tudor Enfield and Southgate, \ ere celebrating their 50th year of service and their jubilee certificate were pre ented LO them during the ervice by the Superintendent-in-Chief, Lady Moyra Browne.

At a reception after the service, Area Pre ident John Turner welcomed the Mayors and Mayores e of the six borough s covered by Northern Area: Barnet, Camde n Enfie ld Hackney, Haringey [slington: Al so present were the London District Commis ioner Derek Fenton, District Supt, M i s Mary Neville-Kaye and Commander Jame Dickenson, Y Division Metropolitan Police

(R igh t) At the reception. The Mayors and Mayoresses of the six London boroughs Cove ed by Northern Area with (centre back) the London' CommiSSioner, Derek Fento n Lady Moyra Browne and Commander James Dickenson.

Extreme righ t is Mis s Mary Neville - Kay District S u pt

Below) The big day for London Northern Area members. (Photos by Clive Milner Ealing)

74N Southgate Nursing D ivi sion's Supt Mrs I. Err ngton with the Division s golden jubilee certificate

Setting up terminal care units (cont.)

variable f rom family to family but is invaluable in s ome cases.

Most of the present units in Great Britain have been conceived by the inspiration and e nthusia s m of one individual person. In many in st an ces t hi s has been a doctor, but in other s nurses, clerg y men and la y men have provided the initial impetus. Their reasons f or thi s are varied and range from a deeply religiou s conviction to other very per s onal reason s, most common ly a distressing experience of death where, had the circumstan c e s been different, this might have been le ss painful.

Establishing a ho s pice

Having been convinced that a project is possible other enthu s iast s have become involved and in mo s t cases steering committees have been se up to investigate the fea s ibility of forming a unit.

Early in the development of a hospice , deci s ion s have had to be made within t he st eering committee s on how funds should be raised. Most unit s ha ve felt the need for the s ecurit y of National He a lth Service backing. Application f or fund s from the National Heath Service are made either to the di s trict management t ea m s or to the area health authorities. In s ome cases loc al authorities ha v e al so been approached for joint f unding with the NHS.

Where the project has appealed to the di s trict management teams or area he a lth authorities, sums ha ve been granted fairly readily, but often due to shortage of f unds, acrimoniou s argumen ts have ensued. Di scussions as to where priorities should lie and whether terminal care should take money away from acute s er v ices are c ommon causes o f contention. Allies or antagonists in influential positions have

made a lar ge difference to the time taken and to the ease with which a unit ha s developed.

Some units have been set up wholly within the framework of the N ational Health Service and others have had only partial National Health Service backing

Many of the units have st arted independently and almo s t all of them help in s om e wa y toward s their running expenses.

Most steering committees at a very early stage have re g istered as charities and many also have regi s tered as companies. A s these uni ts have an emotional appeal, raising mone y by publi c s ubscription is often easier than with o her charities. However, it still require s devoted volunteer s to organise coffe e mornings, flag day s, fete s and so on.

The need is a continuing one and therefore f resh ideas continually have to be s ought for rep eated fund raising. Public appeals have been made on televi s ion and radio, a nd in s ome cases a pro fess ional appeal di r ector has been brou g h t in to help with mone y raising. Thes e appea ls and publi c ity c an be costly them se lves.

In almost every area loca l c hari tab le organi s at i ons, s u c h a s Ro ta r y, R o und Table, Women' s In s titute local sc hool s, have all played a part. Local firms and companies ha v e g ive n d o nations or fin a n ce d part of the equipment ne e ded

Any gift of mone y wh ich continues year a ft er year, suc h a s sponsorship of a bed o r a c ovenant, is particularl y valuable Apart from donations of mone y, p e ople h ave a so given their s er v ices free of charge; t h ese include s olicitor s, a r c hitect s, accountants a nd insurance brokers.

Of all the man y c hariti es which ha ve helped in the s etting up of termin a care unit s, 1 think the one which mu st b e men t ioned especiall y is the National Society for Cancer Relief (NSCR) Thi s So c iet y ha s

h e lp ed, and is continuing to h e lp many new units to becom e establi s hed, The Society al s o continues to help individual patient s in time of n ee d The NSCR is also dr a wing together the various uni ts throu g hout h e country by or gani in g se minar s wh e r e by repre se n tat ives from the de ve loping unit s ca n meet to di sc u ss pr og r es The older esta bli h ed ho sp ices also arra n ge se min a rs, and m ore recently t h ere have been seve ra l wee k e nd a nd week lon g c our ses t aking place to discuss the various aspects of termina care, 1 hav e b ee n a bl e to attend day se minar s at St Luke' Ho s pic e in Sheffield, S t C hri s toph e r 's Ho s pice in S ydenham a nd St Jo sep h 's H o p ice in Ea London 1 ha ve a so been a bl e to atte nd a weekend co ur se ar ra n ge d by the NSC R a t Re a din g University , and a week' co ur se in Oxford on 'Sy mp tom contro in terminal care'

Choosing a site

The s ite of a h o pice depends la r ge ly on t h e facilities available at the tim e. Units which de ve lop wit hin t h e grou nd s of a ge n eral ho s pi tal benefit from the faci lit ies that this ho s pita l has t o offer, and can in many ways provide the broade s t pectrum of care. Michael Sobel l Hou e in the g round s of the Churc hill Ho p ta l at Oxford is an exce llent exam pl e. A te rm inal u nit ca nnot work in isolation and n eed the availability of ac u te medical se r v ce. Pat ient often deve lop such comp li cation a patho l ogical fract u res, paraple gia, i nt e tinal obstruct ion a n d ha emorrhage. Therefore the avai lab ili ty of radio logy, pathology, s urgery, radio-therapy and so on are im po rt ant. In some case land has been available wit hin t h e gro und s of pecial ist ho pitals, for exa mpl e p syc h iatric or geriat ri c ho spi tals, and as thi s and h a been ava il ab le it h as be en u sed for sit ing a unit. An example

New County HQ for Notts

The Ba ili H of Egle, Lord Grey of Naunton, un ve iling the plaque Left is Mr J. M. Carter MBE, chairman of the St John Council

DURING the la s t 12 months there has been a great deal of activity in SJ Nottinghamshire - activity and hard work which ha s resulted in the fulfilment of the county's ambition of owning its own headquarters, a fine building on the city's main ring road Council.

After looking at a number of buildings , the chairman of the county SJ Council Mr J. M. Carter suddenly found a recentl y vacated employment exchange which had just come on the market. It was ideal for an HQ, but the cost was £35,000 - which they hadn't got - and a number of commercial organisations were al s o interested in it.

So St John swung into action with appeals to the local au t hority, industry and commerce, trust funds and the general public An amazing offer and 'act of faith' came from Sir John Eastwood - he promi se d to match pound-For-pound any figure rais ed, up to £10,000. Within three months £43,000 had been raised, including Sir John' s £10,000, and the building had been acquired by the SJ

St John took over th e building on Jun e I 19 81 - wit h a lot of work st ill to do. Cleaning and de co r at in g we r e hi g h on the age nd a and the help of the Community Service s Indu s tr y was e nli ted. Teams of young cleaner s and paint ers wor k in g under the g uid a n ce of their leaders s lowly transformed the buildin g, t h e fin al to u ch being an 18-inch high s ign ST JOHN COUNTY HEADQUARTERS emblazoned acro ss its front wall.

Opening day wa s April 18 1982 , with th e Ch ef Com m ander, h e C-in-C, and the Director-Gen e ral pre se nt. C ivi c dignitarie s included the Lord Mayor and .Lady Mayore ss o f h e Ci t y of Nottingham , Th e Sheriff of Nottingham and hi s lad y, the C hairm a n of Nottingham Co unty Council and the mayor s and chairmen of eve r y borou g h and district council in the county. A proud day for SJ Nott s WF.S.

of this is the Countess Mountbatten H o m e in Southampton.

In so me cases buildin gs a r e available for c onver s ion as in Bath and Bri st ol. [n other pl aces s it es have be e n don a te d or offered at peppercorn r e n ts for purpo se- built unit s , So me unit s h ave been exce p t io n a ll y lu c k y to ha ve be a u iful buildings and si tuations o u t look s an d views. Others have had to make do with lesser fac iliti es but one t hin g t hey all see m o h ave in commo n is a n at mo sp h ere of c h ee rfuln ess and ca lm co mbined w ith hom e lin es s ofte n sa dly acki n g in a busy ge n e ral ho s pital. The stee rin g co mmit tees of p ur pose-b uilt u ni ts ca n a ll without exception, re late unen din g sto rie s of p r ob lems with plann ing perm iss ion, p la n n in g appea ls, build in g co ntractors, building reg ul at ons, building materia ls and esca lating co ts. They can also re late difficultie s with de lays i n eve r y stage of dev e lopment; rarel y h ave unit s bee n ab le to open at the t im e orig in al ly planned.

Le arnin g fr o m others

Having co mpl eted th e bui ding, prob lems have arise(1 w i th furnishing a nd equ ipm ent. One lesson that has been learnt by al l i that every tem should be c ho sen with care' mistakes have been made with such as the type of floor covering to be u ed in a ward, and rep lacement can be very expe ns iv e. T h e sharing of exper ence through seminars int e nd ed to he lp tho e who wi h to set up ho sp ices saves much time, money a nd discus ion.

The early years of developmenr of a ho spice are difficult. There are so many th in gs to get ri ght. An e normou s amounr of ene rgy and dedication are needed. It esse ntial to be able to accept critici m, to rethink ide a and to be prepared to s tart aga in

Staff mu st be taught h ow to accept the

concept t hat the patient mu st be a llowed to remain di g nified unt l d eath, and that even the most difficult patient must be unders tood and respected, T h ey mu st accept the fact that , ho wever h ard they work, in the e nd m ost of t h e patient s are going to die. 1 s ay mo s t , becau se all ho s pice s relate sto rie s of in co r rect progno s is, or diagnosis, and so me pat ents who have been referred to them for termina l care are st ill a ive many years later , Recovery, h e r efore. not being expected, there are the s maller goa ls of keeping the p atie n t comfortab e o r helping h im to sleep thr ough t h e ni g h t. Provided the goa ls set are to a ce rtain extent attainable, the staff will not lose heart.

One of the biggest problems that has to be overcome is the accepta n ce of a new unit within an area The fact that it has been conceived at all is perhaps a cr iti cism of the type of care that is at present being provided, and some existing medical and nursi n g services fee l very strong ly about th is.

Some genera l practitioners wi h to continue to care for their own patients in their own way and will have nothing to do with the un t. Di str ct nu rses feel threatened when their patienrs are visited by a hospice nurse. Con ultants very often do not ee the need for a terminal care unit, and the genera l public would often rather turn a blind eye to the fact that people are dying in their community. If these units are to be accepted they must work with the existing services and be felt to be an a set by all those in health care.

To establish a terminal care unit requires hard work, tact and diplomacy from those working for and within the unit. In the in t al stages particularly they must prove the ir value and s ho w tha t they have a ervice to offer. I n most units visited,

acceptance has been the big prob lem an d the re s ista nce fro m exisiti ng medical a nd nur s in g di sc ipline s one of the biggest hurdle s that has had to be overcome. Acceptance is also needed from patients' familie s and this is made easier if the family can be introduced to the service by being offered help in sma ll practical ways before the patient is in a terminal state of il ln ess. The time and method of referral is of the utmost importance. All units prefer to make contact with the patient at p r eterminal stage, at the time w hen active curative treatment s ceasi ng to be a possibility. In this way there is time to develop a relationship with that patient. Most units insist, quite right y, that the source of referral should be the patient's general practitioner, and most units prefer the general practitioner to maintain his involvement and interest.

Publicity

In discussing the acceptance of such units, the language used in publicity must be very carefu ll y chosen. The brochures and patient pamphlets produced by different units explaining how they function and what they are trying to achieve take many hours of careful preparation. Some brochures, by trying to avoid the word terminal, have never quite managed to explain clearly what their unit aims to do, It is very difficult to put into words what terminal care e ntai ls without evoking a certain amount of anxiety.

Appeals and publicity brochures must also be extremely carefully worded. On occasions badly worded reponing in a newspaper has caused considerable upset and distress to a unit struggling to get off the ground, and also distress to existing services which have been reponed as not coping' ,

Continued overleaf

The fine new HQ on Nottingham s main ring road, The Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Commander P, Francklin, was among the robed Knights of the Order a t he open ng ceremony, IPho tos: Charles A Noble, Nottingham)

Setting up terminal care units (cont.)

Once a terminal care unit is comp le ted and begins to function what may have started as an emotiona l ide a l has now turned into a practical reality. An increasingly large number of people are needed to look after the functioning unit. These will include a medical director or in some cases a medical advisory committee, consultants to deal with specific problems, doctors to help run the unit (these may include local GPs, rotating SHOs, GP trainees and in some cases medical students on attachment).

Both day and night nurses are needed for the in-patient beds, and domiciliary nurses for a home care service. It is generally agreed that these nurses need specia l training, and provision has [0 be made for them to attend trainin g courses at the established hospices. Auxiliary nurse s, secretaries, socia worke r s, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, cooks and cleaners are also needed.

Volunteers provide a very valuable work fo rce but in order to use this efficiently a volunteer organiser is essential. Volunteers can be numerou s at the onset but a wellorganised volunteer course will often delineate those people who have a genuine intention to help. From the moment of employment of the first staff, contracts, s uperannuation, car allowances and so on come into play , and the question of union membership ha s to be considered.

The patient s, by definition, will be extremely ill, often with bed sores, incontinent or with fungating wounds Their mobility will be restricted and all these factors must be taken into account in the design and planning of the hospice.

Specially engineered equipment is available, for example water bed s, extractor f ans with built in deodoriser, flushing commodes and man y other aids. The screening of beds, the removal and storage of bodies, the access of undertakers particularly in the smaller units without several entrances, are all problems that have to be overcome.

The starting of a new unit is the ideal opportunity of doing things right from the start. There is the chance to design good patient record forms, admission forms, discharge fo rm s, drug charts, good systems for stor ing and recalling statistics, developing systems for coping with inquiries and donations.

Inquiries about the hospice should alway s be answered and donations, however small, should be acknowledged. Keeping people informed is also important and very often the distribution of newsletters is helpful. Successful units considered a ll these facts; others have made mistakes by not passing on information, acknowledging offers of help or thanking people for gifts or services rendered.

The place of religion

Something I feel I must mention, as it is so very important, is the place that religion plays in the term inal care units. Many are Christian Fou nda tions but in these units I have met sta ff of all types of beliefs and many wi th no beliefs at all.

160

Prayers are often sa id at the ho pices and serv ices are available for those who wish to attend. However , I have never found any patient who ha s fe lt any pressure put upon him to alter hi s own beliefs or who has been embarrassed by the beliefs of those around him. Prayers are more often silent than spoken, and I h ave been greatly impressed by this aspect of the care, and also by the fact that the staff are chosen for themselves rather than for their religiou s beliefs. [ am sure than no one need feel a n y fear of religious persuasion.

Most units have a chapla in or a prie s t avai lable if the patient should wish to see one, but no pressure is put on the patient to do so.

Some units have included a psychiatri st as a member of their team. Where a psychiatrist has been involved he ha s proved to be valuab le, not only in advising patients and relatives bu t also in helping the staff with their problem s. The staff of hospices are not immune from such feelin gs as distress, anger, and occasionally even a dislike of a patient or task they have to do

Often they feel guilty at not bein g ab le to rise above these feelings, and being able to discuss this with a p syc hiatri st has been of great benefit.

Wi h the vast increase in the number of units being set up, education is becoming an important factor in this work. Many new units are finding that within the first year or so they are being asked to train staff. All units already functioning are f indin g educative work a much lar ge r task than they anticipa ted. The y are having t o teach while they themselves are still learning.

As well as the teaching of professionals there is lecturing to the publi c a nd the teaching of volunteers to be don e. Doc tors and nurse s with an abi li ty to s peak well may f ind that they are bein g asked to lecture time and time again. Thi s ca n be very exhausting, but also it is in va luable in the training of more a nd more people to the idea of better care.

St Christopher's Ho s pice no w ha s a large education centre and undertakes a large amount of education in this field. Students and visitors come f rom all over the world to their study days. They also have a lar ge

comprehen s ive library, and lit erature is easily available to a ll who want it.

Conclusions

The hospice movement one of the rapidly developing facets of h ea lth care at t h e present time. In recent years physicians have been appointed as consultants in te rminal care and by the carefu monitoring and contro l of sy mptoms a ubtle change is taking place whereby the art of caring for the terminally ill is developing into a sc ience. I feel that with the trend towards better education, the haring of new ideas in open approach to the prob lems of dying, many more patient s are going to benefit within and without the ho p ce movement.

From m y expe rience the main problem s found by the developing unit s have been:

I. Initi a l acceptance from existing m ed ica l di sc iplines

2. Communication difficulties and mi sunderstandings ca u sed by the se.

3. M ista kes in planning a nd design, pos ibly because of la c k of experience or de tails that have been overlooked.

4. Occa ionally t h e appo intment of staff who have proved unsuitable - a probationa r y period of emp oyme nt For a ll staff s now being considered by many ho pice

5. The problems of iting a unit. These are u ually due LO horta ge of avai labl e land. The idea ite i centrally placed in the com munil Y il erve and ea il y access ibl e to public tran port.

There are many other problems but these are the ones that seem most apparent.

I ha been a great privilege to be ab le to vi it the various unit and to meel the people involved in initialing them. The feeli ng one gelS wi hi n the hospice movement is that of joining a n ever increa ing family.

* "ould lik e to thank all those people \\ ho h ave been so kind in howing me their unit s and discu sin g thcir problems. I \\oult! al 0 lil- e to th anl- Upjohn for giving me the opportunity o develop thi intcre 1.

Dr Matthews is a general practitioner in Bath

ThiS arlicle firsl appeared in Ihe JOllrnal of Ih e Royal College of General Praclilion ers, A II gUS 1980 alld is reprililed wilh Ihe perlllission 01. Ihe edilor.

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Procedure

at

Road Accidents

1. In motor accidents there may be conditions when a proper examination is difficult or impossible when a has to be taken.

2. To protect the scene of an accident, send s9meone to put out (a) on both sides of the accident, commencing (b) to (c) yards or metres away.

3. wellmeaning people bundle the injured into cars and rush them to hospital.

4. In a motor accident the difficulty for the First -ajd er is how to know that an unconscious casuaJty has no injury.

5. Some casualties, especially small children and babies, may be (a) having been thrown some distance away, catapulted (b) or hidden by a (c) within the vehicle.

6. If in your own car, park it in a (a) preferably (b) , before attending to the accident.

7. Many injuries could be (a) by the use of suitable (b) crash helmets and (c)

8. In dealing with road accidents, the First-aider must ensure that no (a) is present or can (b)

9. It may be necessary to move an unconscious casualty if the (a) or (b) stops.

by ROY JACKSON and BRUCE COL TMAN of the Northumbria Police Centre

10. Road accidents can be divided into three main categories:

1. Accidents involving those (a) a vehicle.

2. Accidents involving the (b) of vehicles.

3. Accidents involving (c)

11. If a calculated risk has to be taken, the problems in these conditions are (a) and (b) to remove a casualty from a crashed vehicle when:

1. A proper examination is (c) or impossible.

2. He may be (d) '"

3. He probably has (e)

12. As a general rule a First-aider (a) deal with a (b) casualty at the site of the accident.

13. (a) may aggravate the casualty's condition and worsen the (b)

14. When a pedestrian is injured, a (a) should be made of the (b) of the casualty if moved.

15. When an accident involves the occupants of a vehicle, (a) the engine; better still (b) Apply the (c) Do not allow (d) by anyone.

16. In a motor accident, if a (a) does not start right away, it is (b) to occur.

17. Fire in the wiring usually begins as under the bonnet or dashboard.

18. The priOrities of treatment in road accidents should be directed to: 1. (a)

(b)

3. (c)

19. If the casualty in a vehicle is conscious and can be reached, he should be questioned and examined (a) for (b) and (c) The former must be controUed and the latter immobilised.

20. In trapped casualties in many positions, the (a) .......... tends to fall to the (b) and block the (c)

It can be difficult to maintain an adequate airway where the casualty is unconscious and has severe (d) injuries which involve the mou th, especially if the (e) is broken.

21. When moving the casualty, make him comfortable, moving him as (a) and (b) as possible. (c) him and protect him from the (d) Ensure that all (e) are carried in the recovery position. Maintain observations on (f) . ......... and (g)

22. In dealing with a road accident, it should always be borne in mind tbat the damaged car, or one passing, may have a (a) and a (b) may also be available.

23. When a casualty has to be removed rapidly, if the crashed car has a (a) then an attempt should be made to remove the casualty in position on the (b) if possible.

The Pope passes the St John first aid post in Canterbury and gets a special wave from a member (right). Photo: Mirway Ltd

NEWS from SCOTLAND

ON SATURDAY May 22, in the glorious setting of Strathyre, Miss Rodney Murray OBE, CStJ, sister of the late Sir Andrew Murray, after whom the House is named, opened the new games room which has been built on to the Holiday Home for the disabled, opened three years ago. Miss Murray assured those present, who included a number of residents at the home, that this new extension would have gladdened her brother's heart, as he was always eager to make others happy. (Sir Andrew was Chancellor of Scottish Priory for sixteen years before he died). A plaque commemorating the occasion was un veiled in the games room by Miss Murray Mr James Anderson , Convenor of Central Regional Council, paid tribute to the excellent work done by the Order of St John and its

WALES

Outdoor activity

A 3-day course in outdoor activities was held at the Boys Clubs of Wales Centre, Abercrave, in the Swansea Valley over Easter.

The idea for the weekend started back in October 1981 at Skewen Division, West Glamorgan, where cadets wanted to try the more adventurous badge subjects. Robin Partin, an instructor at the Centre and also with the A TC, whose mother is in charge of Seven Sisters Nursing Cadet Division, volunteered to take on the course. All told, eight divisions in West Glamorgan became involved and with some extra help from the ATC cadets the final number on the course was 75.

Miss Rodney Murray. sister of the late Sir Andrew Murray opening the new extension Iright). with Mr W A P Jac k Chancellor And labove) with Mr Archibald Russe l Chairman of the Order committee. !Photos : Central Regional Committee)

A ss ociation in Central Re g ion and especially to the initiative and drive of Mr Archibald Russell, Chairman of the Ord e r Committee The C h ancellor, Mr W. A. P. Jack, thanked all who had made the Home such a success, and the Rev Norman M. Bowman Priory Secretary, cond u cted a short act of dedication.

The games room is spacious and beautifully equipped with curtains, a full-size billiards table and sco reboard, and s mall table for other games suc h as c he s or draught s. On Saturda y May 29 the Glenrothes

Eight of the nine cadets who were enrolled recently into Gwent's Cwmcarn Division by Assist Comm

Mrs V. Willmott At the enrolment were Mrs B Lewis , Chief Cadet Officer for Wales M E F Oldland , County Commissioner and"" Staff Offi ce rs

The weekend included rock climbing, caving, hill walking and canoei n g, with a disco on that Saturda y evening to burn up

branch of Fife St John Association organised a g arden fete in th e grounds of Glenrothes Ho sp ital, where eight tall did s uch goo d business t hat something lik e £3 ,000 was rai e d for the benerit of the Ho spita l. Cooperating with the Association were the Inn er Wheel,

Northern Ireland

ON FRIDA Y, April 2.3,.a Grand Ga la Ball was held in the City Hall , Belfa s t (by kll1d permission of the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor), in aid of the work of St John.

The Knight Commander, Mr Mer y n Denni so n, and the Chapter of the Co.mma nd ery Ard s welcomed as their principal gue t the Grand Prior, Sir Maunce Dorman, accompanied by Lad y Dorman, and the Lady Mayore of the City of Belfa t Mr Gail Lennox accompanied by Mr Harry Lennox.' ,

Over 250 people , including many members of St John attended the ball wa s organised by a committee under the cha'irmanship of Mr Julie Mayne. Sub tantial funds were rai sed for the work of St John from the ale of ticket , priLe draws and a tam bola

For many year until the beginning of 'The Troubles' th e St John Ball had a regular place on th e orthern Ireland soc ial calendar and it hoped that the Ball will once again become an annual

The Knight Commander, Mr Mervyn Dennison, the Lady Mayoress Mrs Gail Lennox , and the Grand Prior Sir M au rice Dorman

Lady Dorman and NurSing Member VI Laverty Ihow the Irish can smile

Below) Ormeau DiVISion members who helped at the Ball. N M Vi Laverty DI S Br ian Connolly, Area Supt Joy Jackson, A M Err ol Monro e, and N M Vivien Cairns

News from Divlsions/ Centres

··CADET CHAT byJIM

FOLLOWING the highly successfu da y out for cadets at Windsor Safari Pa rk, arran gements have been made for a further 'Fun Day ' on July 31. Included in the day are sev en dri ves through game reserves, children's farmyards and amusements, parrot show, do lph in / killer w h ale s how , band display and celebrity. Open fro m lOam to 6.30pm , admission is £ 1.10 per p e rso n of any age. A donation of lOp per head wi ll be made by he proprietors to St J ohn Ambulan ce funds.

Applications shou ld be made to: The P arty Book ing Office, Windsor Sa fa ri Park , Winkfield Road ,. Windsor, Berk s SL44A Y Games

This month I offer so me games for use at di vis ional meetings.

Sorting game. Sort cadets into gro u ps and give ea ch a picture of a different animal or object. Cadets are t hen asked to make noi ses like those associated with the subject of the picture. Cadets making the same noise (or the noise of the same animal) then join into group s.

Indentification jigsaw. Prepare a set of jig saw pictures of peop le w h ose work helps us: i e, ambu lance driver, fi reman , policeman, soldier, etc Cut the pictures n to r ea sonable size pieces and having given them to cadets arrange races to complete each j igsa w

Warm up game Split the gro u p into two and make two large c ir cles on the floor with cadets well spaced round them.

Number eac h cadet in each circle. To start he game call out a number and the cadet w th t ha t num ber mu st run round the out si de of the c i rcle. On retu rn to his place he ca ll s another number, and so on. The game can be varied wi th ot h er movement s. What am I? On the back of each cadet pin a label giving the name of an object, place, person or animal. Don 't let the cadet see t he label. The aim of each cadet is to ask others que st ion s which will help him to find out what his label says. Questions must only be answered b y yes or no. When he cadet gets his name right he p ins the label on his chest and continue s answering que stions from other s trying to find out who they are.

First aid bingo. I ss ue bi n go cards which show var ious diagrams of first a id equipment or treatments instead of

numbers. The winner is obv ious ly the cadet with f ull hou e ! Help! [f you h ave any games t o offer please se nd det ai ls to me at the address hown below Cadet Spectacu ar - October 9

The programme for this event look s very interes t ing - make su re t h at you book tickets ear ly.

Jubilee Year

More divisions have written g ivin g detail s of the activitie they are undertakin g, but could do with more. A lso needed s information about Coun t y, Di str ict o r Area ac tiviti e. Good bl ack a nd white photograph w ill be we lcome.

Cont ribution s

I f you have a con tribution lO m ake plea se sent it to Jim ', 57 Morgan Cre cent, Theydon Boi s Es s ex CM 16 7DU. Cadet C hat badge wi ll be em to a ll contribulOr !

NO THATS NOT THE VERY FIRST PATIeNT

se rvice (9) II. Where to eat in German y? (5). 12. ot con tipated (5). 13. Unpteasantly co ld and clammy (4). 14. Rhythm of the heart (4). 16. B ile (4). 18 Unaffected per SM harbouring pathogenic mi cro· organisms (7). 21 Fu at beginning of adole cence (3). 22. l\lu c le raisin g a limb (7). 23. Poor care for an ethnic group (4). 26. kin lesio n from rose (4). 27. Twisted feet in a fund-raising function (4). 28. Fruit with eye and throat a ssoc iation (5). 30. Bring lO an erect posture (5). 3 1 Abnormal inversion of eyelid cau ing cornea l irritation (9).32. Concerned with.the chin or t he mind (6).33. As in diet for inflamma tion of ly mph glands (8).

Down 1 Capab le of living (6). 2. Artificial pigmen ta tion of s kin (6). 3. Clean arrang ement to incise an abscess (5). 4. Infective mono nu cleosis (9.5). 6. Part of heart and lung s (4). 7. This year can produce a psychoneurosi s (8). 8 Free from features endangering health (8). 9 Accept that one has made an error and now is in a good posture? (5.9). 15. Acid found in urine and in auricle (4). 17 Perform s immedi ately before Roman s (4) 19. It alarms in a mild fo rm of smallpox (8) 20 Turning outward s of an eyelid; for example to examine for fo rei gn body (8). 24. A little sp irit with dres in g material provide s support for an injured limb (6).25. E lbo w of tho e who frequentl y appear in court? (6). 28. A painful ca llo ity for a fruit (5). 29. Antitoxic preparations from blood (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 6(82)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 7(82) by A. A. Potter

Across: I. D ysphagia; 6. Cra mp 9. Linctus; 10 Doleful; 12. Lee ; 13. Roe; 14 Chair; 15. Ulcer; 16. Ulnar nerve; 19. Disc; 21. Tart; 22. Astringent; 24. Enema; 26. Dock s; 27. Sin; 28. Cot; 29 Emet ic s; 30. Little s; 32. Sa.l.ve; 33. Diagno s s A prize 0/

Padeham

Woodbridge,

Down: I D e lirium tremen s ; 2 S.e.n.se; 3. Hot; 4. Gestagens; 5.

Adder; 6. Ca ll.u s ; 7. Affect ive; 8. P y loric s teno sis; II. Eel; 14. Co rn ; 1.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

3.

1

THE OXFORD VACSPLINT

Advantages of the Vacsplint

• lightweight, re - usable washable.

• waterproof - blood and urine proof.

• conforms to patient and maintains desired position.

• does not restrict circulation.

• does not change shape when evacuated

• can go over dressings, compression bandages or clothes.

• does not c ause undue pressure on the limb so does not need to be let down periodical y

• easily removed to adjust dressings

• vacuum may be released in order to change position if desi red, and then evacuated to maintain the revised pos ition

• does not need t o be bandaged on.

• adjustable Vel c ro straps, or improvised ties, are suffi c ient.

Method of application

VF SPECIALIST VEHICLES

NEW MOTOR INSURANCE PLAN

ST JOHN REV IEW

How

Around

Sussex

CadetChatbyJim

Half

Problems

School

Readers'

ONE of the most valuable assets that we in St John possess is the enthusiasm of our members. Occasionally, this enthusiasm has to be gently channelled in the right direction, but it should never be crushed. When a criticism is necessary, it should be constructive, well informed and preferably in private. This being so, it is sad to see no less a person that an area staff officer, whom one would presume should know better, making use of your extensive circulation to criticise a corporal from another area. To begin with, I would want to know a lot more about the regulations applicable to the Priory for Wales, including local variations, before I opened my mouth and put my foot in it. (See letter in Readers' Views this issue). I doubt if the corporal has gone to the expense of producing his own one off badges, although current Supplies prices could soon make this economically feasible. In any case, if he was improperly dressed, it is the job of his divisional superintendent to correct him, not an outsider. In my view, he presented a much more creditable image of the Brigade than many of the 'correctly' dressed members I have seen, including a well-known personality who appeared to the world on television during a royal wedding. I know which one I'd prefer to look after me if I were injured, and I wouldn't care what method he used to hear of my plight , or to summon help. Just because there are a lot of idiots misusing CB that's no reason to dismiss its potential out of hand.

I realise that very few staff officers ever wear, or even own, a Special Duty uniform, but this is what the corporal is wearing and my Dress Regulations, both Ambulance and Nursing, give the beret as a permitted alternative. As a storekeeper, I'm only too pleased when members at the 'sharp end' show enough respect for divisional funds to provide themselves with an outfit suitable for the dirty duties and save their more expensive dress uniforms for the type of duty where one many occasionally find a staff officer. After twenty-two years in the RAF, I know better than to wear mess d ress on the dispersal. Carryon with the good work corporal and show the public what 'Pro utilitate hominum' really means.

Lincoln D.R. Hooper, SE OS Di visional St o rekeep e r 169

June 26

ANNUA L SERV ICE AT ST PAUL 'S

CONFERENCE

D ESPITE the torrential rain and a Tube strike, the SJA annual Foundation C onference, held at County Hall on Friday June 25, was remarkably well attended Chaired by the Chief Commander, MajorGen Peter Leuchars, the conference was both controversial and emotive, as its main theme called for closer integration of SJA's Association and Brigade. It also marked the farewell of Mr P. A. (Tony) Lingard as Association Director-General.

In chronological order conference subjects were: 'Implications of the Introduction of the First Aid at Work Training Package'. Mr Lingard and Sir John Younger, Commissioner-in-Chief, discussed the short-term plans while the Chief Commander outlined long-term policy.

A heartening address by Mr W. H. Gibson, CBE, QPM, Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, followed entitled 'Community Relations - The Police and the Brigade Roles' Rapport has existed between the Brigade in London and the Metropolitan Police for many years. Mr Gibson mentioned recent examples of such close co-operation at major public events: the Royal Wedding, the Pope's three-day visit to London, and the massive CND Rally held in Hyde Park on June 5. But, said Mr Gibson, it was the Notting Hall Gate Carnival of 1976 and its near blood bath that really showed him what St John members are made of. For all the help and support given by the Brigade to the Metropolitan Police over the years, Mr Gibson paid tribute, singling out Derek Fenton, Commissioner, Greater London, for special mention.

If St John Ambulance sometimes thinks it has an image problem, went on Mr Gibson, the same problem but more magnified also exists for the police in this country. Since the riots of Brixton and

Toxteth, nationally the police have made an immense effort to improve their public image, with major initiatives and projects in London, including a human awareness training course for police cadets at the Police Training School.

After lunch, Brigadier Aubrey Miller (HQ Chief Secretary at the time) gave an outline of events which led up to the amalgamation of the Association and the Brigade in 1968; which was a natural lead-in for Colonel M.

A. Demetriadi, SJA Commander, Suffolk, on 'The Case for Closer

The pros and cons of a complete merger at national level between Association and Brigade occupied conference for the next 20 minutes. Some delegates felt strongly that complete merger would be wrong. The Association, said one, is a distinctly commercial undertaking raising money for the Brigade, which is basically involved in the voluntary application of first aid. Other

Lord

The Lord Prior in procession to the Mansion House's Egyptian Room for the Annual General Assembly of the Order

Douglas Fairbanks, Jnr, Knight of Grace of the Order. at the Mansion House

The

Mayor of London, Sir Christopher Lever, with Lady Lever, in procession for the Order's Annual Assembly. (Photos Glen Harvey)

Integration'.

Foundation Conference (cont)

delegates felt that the Association and the Brigade already worked together in near harmony in their counties.

Inevitably, the old chestnut of the St John image was raised in connection with merger. 'The Scouts changed their image for the better,' said one delegate, going on to quote from Proverbs 29, Verse 18: 'Where there is no vision, the people perish.' A silence followed while some delegates absentmindedly cleaned their glasses. Portentously?

In conclusion the Chief Commander put forward that he was in favour of increased co-operation and understanding between the Association and the Brigade. Towards this aim, he intends to establish a working party at National HQ which will take 'a long, hard look' at the implications of merger.

T.W.

Birthday Honours

WE OFFER most sincere congratulations to two officers of the Brigade who received awards in The Queen's Birthday Honours list in recognition of their long and outstanding service to the community as members of St John Ambulance.

An OBE has been awarded to Dr Kenneth Nicholls Palmer, Commander St John Ambulance for Essex and a member of Chapter-General of the Order. Having served with distinction in the RAMC during the war and also for many years in the Territorial Anny, Dr Nicholls Palmer joined St John Ambulance as Assistant County Surgeon for Essex in 1964 and became County Surgeon in 1966, Deputy Commissioner in 1968, Commissioner in 1970 and Commander in 1973. In this capacity he has proved conspicuously successful, and despite being a very busy member of the medical profession notable for his expertise in the field of Physical

172

(Above) Sir Maurice and Lady Dorman with (left) the retiring Director-General P. A (Tony) Lingard , and Mrs Lingard. Mr Lingard who lives in Suffolk, is to be the co unty 's new Director (Association) Centre is SJA 's Chief Secretary Brig Peter Body

Dorothy Dudman, and Gen Sir Rodney Moore Registrar of the Order

Still discussing merger? - Former Order Secretary-General, Mr N. C. (Nicky) McClintock, and former Director lverseas Sir Leslie Monson , 'Perhaps we should have (Photos: Glen Harvey)

Medicine, he has somehow managed to find time and energy to be an extremely active leader of St John Ambulance in a large and flourishing county.

Miss Beryl White, Deputy County Superintendent for Bucks since 1969, has been awarded an MBE. Miss White joined the Brigade in a High Wycombe division in 1947 and was very soon promoted to be an NCO and subsequently held various appointments as an officer at Divisional, Corps, Area and County levels before becoming Deputy County Superintendent just over 13 years ago. She is entirely responsible for supervising the welfare service given by St John members throughout Buckinghamshire, as well as taking a prominent part in the county's civil emergency arrangements, and for many years she has averaged well over 300 hours' St John duties annually. She is also a very active member of the Appeals Committee of the St John Council for Bucks and devotes much time and energy to fundraising events despite being herself in fulltime employment.

We would also warmly congratulate the following members of the Order and its Foundations who were honoured on Her Majesty's Birthday for services rendered mainly or wholly in other fields:

KCVO: Lt-Colonel Simon Bland (Comptroller, Private Secretary and Equerry to Princess Alice Duchess of Gloucester and to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and formerly Comptroller and Assistant Private Secretary to the late Duke of Gloucester) , in recognition of 21 years' personal service to the family of our Grand Prior.

Knight Bachelor: Mr Clement Arrindell (Patron of St John Council for St KittsNevis), as Governor of St Kitts-Nevis.

CBE: Mr C. J. Anderton (County Director, Greater Manchester), as Chief Constable for Greater Manchester; Brigadier R. I. Thorpe (Member of St John Council for Fiji), as Commander of the Royal Fiji Military Forces.

OBE: Capt. Micbael Bendix (formerly a County Staff Officer and Area Commissioner for the South Eastern Area, Essex), for public services in Essex; Dr A. F. Bromwich (formerly Commissioner for Northern Territory District, Priory in Australia), for public services in the field of health.

MBE: Mr B. S. Ward (Secretary of the Rove StJA Centre, Solomon Islands), for public services induding the establishment of St John Ambulance in the Solomon Islands W.W.W.

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Handling and Transport of Injured Persons

1. In the handling and transport of injured persons, tbe comfort and well being of the casualty is tbe first consideration. His condition must not be aggravated nor his (a) by frequent (b) or rougb and burried (c)

2. A sick or injured person may be removed to sbelter by tbe following methods:

1. Support by a (a)

2. (b) and the 'kitchen (c) carry.

3. (d) lift.

4. (e) S R.

5. (0 (e.g. Ambul ance

6. (g) and (h) transport.

3. The metbod to be adopted, and it may be necessary to use more tban one metbod, will depend upon:

1. Tbe (a) and (b) of the injury.

2. Tbe number of (c) and (d) available.

3. Tbe distance to (e) ........ ..

4. The nature of tbe (0 to be (g)

4. Tbe aim of first aid treatment is to (a) tbe casualty to reach bis destination witbout bis condition becoming (b) Tbe following principles must be kept in mind:

1. The (c) assumed by the casualty or in which he has been (d) must not be (e)

2. Throughout transport a (f) must be kept on - the (g) of the casualty; - tbe maintenance of an (h) .................... , the control of (i) , - tbe continuous immobilisation of (j) and (k) wounds.

3. The transport must be (l) and (m)

S. Metbods of carrying: If help is available, (a) to move a seriously ill or injured casualty (b) .........

6. The cradle carry is for casualties of (a) .................. or children. Lift

by ROY JACKSON and BRUCE COLTMAN

of the Northumbria Police Centre

the casualty by passing one of your arms well beneath his (b) and the other (c)

7. The human crutcb is executed by standing on the casualty's (a) except wbere there is injury to an (b) Assist the casualty by putting your arm around his (c) , grasping bis clothing at his (d) and placing his arm around (e) bolding bis band witb your (0

8. A pick-a-back is used if the casualty is (a) and able to (b) He may be carried in tbe ordinary pick-a-back fashion.

9. Tbe Fireman's lift and carry is only to be used when tbe casualty is

10. The four handed seat is used wben tbe casualty can assist by using (a) or (b)

11. The two banded seat is mostly used to carry a casualty wbo is unable to assist by

12. Tbe kitcben cbair method is used when the casualty is (a) .......... and without (b) injuries and is to be moved (c) ... ....... or (d) stairs or along (e) An ordinary kitcben cbair can be used. The way should first of all be cleared of (0

13. To execute a blanket lift, roll tbe two edges of tbe blanket up against tbe (a) of the casualty. If

The first-aiders acting together grasp the (b) of the blanket, (i) and U) lift the casualty to a (k) to enable tbe 0) to be pusbed underneath. It will be necessary for the firstaider who is supporting tbe (m) to keep his (n) apart, to allow the (0) to be pushed (p) tbem.

14. If in completing the blanket lift it is not possible to push tbe stretcher (a) the casualty, it should be placed close to the casualty's (b) or (c) and after carefuUy (d) tbe casualty, tbe first-aiders sbould move witb sbort even (e) until tbe casualty is directly (f) tbe stretcber.

15. Before (a) the casualty by blanket lift on tbe stretcber, ensure tbat the (b) are in the correct (c) Witb neck injuries place (d) at eacb side of tbe head to (e)

16. In special circumstances slings may be used for lifting and may be made from (a) , roller towels, (b) (C.D pattern) etc. , and passed under tbe casualty's neck, (c) small of tbe back, (d) and (e) The ends of tbe slings are tied to (f) one on (g) of tbe casualty. Test that wben the (b) .......... is taken up, there will be an (i) .................... on all slings. With one first-aider supporting his (j) , the casualty is then loaded on to a stretcber in the (k) as for a blanket lift.

poles of sufficient (b) and 17. Civil Defence webbing bands are (c) are available, the edges made in two lengths, those of (a) of the blanket sbould be rolled round tbem. This will make tbe feet for lifting at bead, (b) lifting of the casualty mucb easier or (c) and those of and (d) «d» liff' ti: g bundker thde While tbe two first-aiders continue e sm 0 t e ac an t b () the (0 ......... . o support tee and the Wben the webbing bands are (0 the remaining applied and the casualty 's (g) first-aiders place themselves on (g) and lower limbs are (h) of the casualty. b b' ed d lif d , e can e raIS an te I I on to a stretcher. page 191

At the Lord Prior's reception at the Institute of Directors Sir Maurice Dorman with retiring HQ driver,

How two Divisions set about

Romsey Ambulance Division

IN March 1981 several members of the Romsey (Hants) Ambulance Division decided that there was a need for a fundraising committee to raise money for · important items of equipment needed by the division.

The committee was formed under the chairmanship of Divisional Officer Fred Gritt and proceeded to formulate plans to raise funds. A 50150 sale was the flrst to be held and resulted in some £500 being banked. Encouraged by this, a public appeal for help was launched through the local press, but for some reason this was unsuccessful. Other means of fund raising were tried, such as stalls at various events. Discos were also tried, and it helped as the division had a DJ as a member! A refreshment stall during the local carnival brought in much needed revenue.

Through the public appeal not being successful, it was decided to write to the local Lions Club, the Rotary Club, the Round Table and the Test Valley Borough Council and Bottle Bank committee. The replies from these organisations were more than encouraging, with the Lions donating £40, Rotary £250 (our president is a Rotarian!) and the Test Valley Council £800.

Enquiries with the Area Health Authority concerning redundant ambulances brought forth lists of those available. A site visit to the ambulance workshops resulted

In Hampshire they formed a fund-raising committee:

in a bid being made for an 'L' registration Bedford CF ambulance. Anxious days followed until a letter arrived conflrming the bid was successful and on receipt of the cheque the vehicle could be picked up.

Some work had to be carried out on the ambulance and to the covered way where the vehicle was to be parked. This again was carried out by the members of the fund raising committee.

January of this year saw the ambulance handed over to the Brigade by the treasurer

Dave Thompson at a public dedication service held within sight of Romsey Abbey.

Since then the committee has set its sights on radio equipment.

With the right committee, we have found that anything is possible.

Bill Goddard Cpt

Soham Combined Division

ON Sunday, October 18 1981, Soham Combined Division's new ambulance was dedicated. This 'baby' was conceived nearly two years ago when the division of some thirty members found that their 'trusty steed' was in need of major surgery to enable it to pass the MOT. Unfortunately 'transplants' were difficult to obtain and it became obvious that life was short for this essential vehicle which was bought for £400 in late 1977 , nearly two years after the

division was formed.

A special appeal fund for a replacement vehicle was launched when the local Rotary Club donated £300 to the division. Fund raising began in earnest and the divisional members were hard pressed to cope with organising jumble sales, dances, cake stalls, sponsored walks, bed-pushes, etc, as well as giving many hours to public duties and providing public first aid and home nursing courses, giving lectures and demonstrations to local WI groups, youth organisations, etc.

There was much discussion about the advisability of a new vehicle, followed by the decision to buy new if possible because it was realised that the replacement vehicle would have to be very durable as the villagers have long memories and are unlikely to consider us so sympathetically in the near future. The flrst year's fund raising was the hardest, as other charitable organisations had yearly plans firmly in hand and our pleas for help could not be answered unt il the following year. Also members found the strain of duties and fund raising exhausting, but they dare not slacken the pace as inflation was gaining on them.

Next a Friends' Association was formed and some of the busiest people in Soham were asked to join and every willing worker was welcomed with open arms . Everybody's talents were used to the full. For instance, an ambulance member suggested an auction of donated items, another member's husband was persuaded to lend us a potato-storeshed, and divisional members spent many evenings knocking on people's doors and informing them of the event in case they had not read the endless posters that we had made and the coverage in the local press. Then a collection of goods was organised and the divisional surgeon's husband, Simon Frost, the trans-Atlantic yachtsman, acted as auctioneer. A great deal of hard workbut very rewarding and a great morale booster to outbalance the dance which had to be cancelled because of lack of support.

Another great boost was the £1,000 raised by the Pumpkin Fair, an annual charitable event in Soham, at which many local organisations combine for a common causethis year it was our ambulance appeal fund!

The Friends' Association, divisional members, juniors and cadets helped with some of the stalls, and we gave a display of first aid as well as providing first aid cover for the public on the day. (Incidentally, we were also able to help at a road accident just outside the fair ground - so competition incidents can happen!)

Our new ' baby' is a new Bedford CF230 van, which has been fltted with obscured glass side-windows and a sun roof/emer-

raising funds. • •

In Cambridge a Friends'

Association

gency exit. Divisional members spent hours doing some of the conversion work and trailing off to traders who had been coaxed into offering their services at reduced rates to enable the interior and floor to be lined. One even enjoyed fltting an upside-down blind to the bulkhead members had installed - a blind essential to privacy but which made the greatest use of the shape of the head lining. I could go on and on about the conversion work, because our ambulance became so personal to those who worked on and for her.

So the message to divisions which feel that they need more funds is 'Don't give up, especially when the going is tough. Help

comes when and from whence you least expect it.' We all felt at times that we were strugg ling against impossible odds and losing the battle to maintain enthusiasm. But it can be done with much goodwill and patience from divisional members.

And the an swer to those who question the need for an ambulance for our division is that the nearest hospital to the location of the majority of our duties is 20 minutes drive, and a call-out

DANISH medical review recently described how a youngster of 18 years of age was pushed into a "swimming pool during some high-spirited skylarking. Afterwards the lad went to sleep without taking off his tight 'cowboy pants' of stout denim which were soaked. When he woke up, after 11 hours, he found that jeans had shrunk. This had obstructed the circulation of blood in the veins and caused damage to the muscles of the tight leg which remained permanently crippled. The doctor who wrote the article warned young people about the danger of buying 'cowboy pants' which are too tight and warned them especially against putting them on soaked to make them fi t more closely to the body.

Frozen stiff but alive 'The body was frozen, in a state completely solid, like a lump of meat just taken out of a deep freeze.' With these words Dr George Sather described the ph ysical state of Jean Hilliard, a girl of 19 years of age, who was found in the snow after having passed a night of December exposed out-of-doors with temperatures of 20 degrees F. The girl's car had broken down on a motorway in north-east Minnesota, USA, and she had been obliged to walk to a house which was some 3km away, but she collapsed 4 Yz metres from the door of the house. By the morning she was found and taken to hospital The doctors were unable to administer nourishment by the veins owing to there being in a state of congealment so solid that it was not possible to get through the skin. Her temperature had fallen so much that it could not be registered on a clinicaJ thermometer. Her pulse rate had fallen to 12 pulsations per minute. But after passing some hours wrapped in electric blankets she recovered. 'I cannot explain how she is alive,' declared the doctor. 'She was literally a block of ice. It is a miracle.'

Romsey's ambulance is dedicated. (L to R) Mr R Harris. County Commissioner; Cllr P. Brans, Test Valley Borough Mayor; Canon R. Chamberlain, a Chaplain of the Order Mr D Thompson Treasures ; and 0 0 in cha rge Fred Gritt

(Photo: Pat Sillence)

NEW MANUAL

The new manual 'Caring for the Sick'which replaces the third edition of the Nursing Manual - has just been published by the three Voluntary Societies. The content of this book, the Association Branch says; is much wider than the present joint manual and incorporates the care of the elderly, children and the disabled, as well as general nursing care of the sick.

In order that it can be used for initial and advanced nursing courses and examinations, and for re-examinations in nursing, the Chief Nursing Officer is preparing the necessary syllabus so that the new manual can be brought into use for all courses and consequent examinations with effect from January 11983. Class Secretaries registering nursing courses starting in September / October 1982 should therefore be warned that the present third edition will be used.

Competitions and Brigade re-examinations, in accordance with normal practice, will continue to be based on the third edition for a further 12 months, and the new manual will, therefore, be used for these purposes with effect from January 1 1984.

HOSPITAL EXHIBITION

In this the centenary year of the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, the museum has produced six graphic panels on the hospital's history which are available for loan by divisions or St John members.

The panels tell the story of the Order's work in Jerusalem from the first hospital in the 11th-century to the present day. The foundation of the Ophthalmic Hospital in 1882 is described, the closure of the hospital in 1948, and the building of the new hospital in 1960. The exhibition is completed with an article by the Hospitaller.

The panels could be used as an exhibition on their own, supported by leaflets and posters, or as the basis of a larger display with local contributions.

The panels measure 12ins (30.5cms) wide by 44ins (112cms) long. They can be fixed to a flat surface by mirror plates, or they are light enough to be attached to Marler Hayley expo-loop display boards by the dot and dash system.

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

SOUTH ATLANTIC BOUND

Jill Marshall, St John

Two welfare officers - one St John, the other Red Cross - flew out to the South Atlantic on June 24 to join the hospital ship Uganda to look after the well-being (not medical or nursing) of wounded servicemen being brought horne in the ship.

The St John girl, Jill Marshall, whose family live at Tetbury, Glos, joined the Service Hospital Welfare Dept in 1973,

Enquiries about them should be made to the Assistant Curator, Museum and Library, The Order of St John, St John's Lane, London ECIM 4DA, phone 01-253 6644.

HOSPITAL GIFTS

We and the Secretary-General's office at St John's Gate often hear from members when they return from a visit to the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem with glowing reports of the wonderful welcome they received there. The Secretary-General's secretary, Mrs Jeanette Taylor, tells me that there are always some things waiting in her office that

(Left) Princess Anne, Commandant-in-Chief of Cadets, at the SJA display and talking to CSO (C) R. Fordham, with ASO (C) Valerie Holton, during her recent visit to the Green Park Youth Training Centre, Bucks. (Photo: The Bucks Herald)

(Right) The Jordanian ambassador in London, HE Ibrahim Izzidin, presenting a £500 cheque to the SecretaryGeneral, Sir Peter Hudson, for the Ophthalmic Hospital on behalf of the Anglo-Jordanian Society, who have pledged the proceeds of all their functions throughout this year to the hospital

speaks Spanish, and had been serving at RNH Stonehouse, Plymouth. Previously she had postings in Cyprus, Germany and Belfast.

BRCS's Barbara Taylor, of Harrogate, Yorks, joined the department in 1972 and was at the SHWD HQ in Grosvenor Crescent prior to the Uganda posting.

I bet the boys were pleased to see their faces and legs.

need taking out to the hospital - so saving heavy postage and customs duty. At the moment there are some paper back books, for the library, and some small silver presentation cups. So perhaps you would ring Jeanette when you're going out to the hospital to see if there's anything you could take. Just imagine the welcome you'll get delivering the goodies.

IN DURHAM

The Lord Prior , Sir Maurice, and Lady Dorman spent a long weekend visiting St John in the Durham area June 18 to 20. They

BY THE EDITOR

were entertained to lunch by Lord and Lady Barnard, the County President, with the Council of St John.

They visited SJA Peterlee, opened Durham City's new Divisional HQ, went to Chibburn Priory, and visited Burnopfield Division, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

On the Sunday nearly a thousand cadets from Co Durham, Cleveland and Northumbria marched to Durham Cathedral for a service of re-dedication, which was followed by an assembly on the Palace Green which was addres sed by the Lord Prior, who also made awards.

LONG WALK

A party of 34 members, from North, South and the Midlands, made a preliminary 58 kilometre walk in two days in the Northampton area over the weekend June 12/13, in preparation for entering this year's Nijmegen International 4-day march in Holland.

The group, led by Alan Sharkey, were so successful in their wet, try-out walk, which finished at Wellingborough, that on arrival they were surprised to learn that they had won three of the four trophies at stake.

FIFTY GLORIOUS YEARS

'Fifty glorious years', was how a founder member County Staff Officer Eileen Gleadle-Richards described the story of 15th Harrow Nursing Cadets when she presented

NEW BOYS

ACTORS

Barbara Taylor Red Cross

0 / 0

Andr ew Bryant and A M Richard Battri ck burn midnight oil

The display room set up for business

Sussex is looking after its members

Publicity problems solved for divisions; just book the unit - as it should be

A FEW months ago I said in an article in the Review: 'I wonder what project our Commissioner Ken Bolton will have in store for us next in Sussex? Well - it's publicity Not the sort that makes the average member shrink into the woodwork. The strange thing is with tons of leaflets and posters produced each year to boost recruitment, on a drive around the country not one is seen in a prominent place.

There are usually three stock answers to such publicity. We do not like the posters. It's too expensive. There 's not enough time to do it. Ken Bolton was only too aware of these views, so he said: We'll get a county displa y unit which divisions can borrow for recruiting and fund-raising at shows, fetes and carnivals.' Everything would be there for them; just deliver it to the site.

The Commissioner's first port of call was the St John Council for Sussexfor the money. Then he went to see various vehicle body builders. A chassis was selected, 16ft long and with twin axles to eliminate wheel arches. The unit was to have 8ft headroom and the front would open to give a covered area 13ft in depth. Access to the rear would be wide enough to take stretchers so that the

vehicle could double as a disaster unit. Ken was going to make sure it earned its keep Inside is a cooker and sink and also a generator, to be independent of mains supply.

When the finished unit was delivered three months ago, we started work on making and fitting display boards and shelves, spot and flood lighting, a video and TV unit, side awnings, curtains and signwriting. We have put the Grand Prior's film on tape (courtesy Commander John Hammond, Grosvenor Crescent) for the video and we are also making a tape about interesting duties and places that members attend - for potential recruit s, of course.

To tow the unit our old Toyota Landcruiser has been completely rebuilt and fitted out as an ambulance (again with a dual role), with cot and scoop stretchers, inflatable splints, Entonox, oxygen NuPac, radio and aspirator.

No moans or problems about publicity or those posters now. Every division in Sussex can concentrate on first aid and public duties - and simply book the publicity unit when it wants to put on a show at a big event.

C. Westwood, CSO, PRO The publicity unit ready for action

Royal birth

NAOMI Tremain, aged ten, of Tintagel, sent me this poem soon after Prince William of Wales was born. A Cadet C hat badge is on its way to Naomi

The New Born Prince Welcome little prin ce Welcome to this land , One day you'll be its ru ler

And we all think that g rand

Your mother soft and gentle Will watch you as yo u grow, She'll guide you to the right paths

As on life 's way you go.

Your father too will be a king And rule hi s country we ll , He will show yo u lot s of things in life And many stories te ll.

So happily we sing Welcome little boy.

Canal Safety

British Waterways Board are concerned about the number s of chi ldren and adults found swimming in their canals and rivers. It is highly dangerous and can result in tragedies, say the Board.

The current spe ll of hot weather ha s encouraged people to look fo r some coo l water in which to bathe. In some areas the nearest stretch of wate r is one of the Board' s river navigations, canals or re s ervoirs. The Board are st ron gly recommending the public not to sw im in them.

Swimming in the Board's waterways contravenes the Board 's b ye- law s but this recommendation is not simply a case of applying formal regulation s. The waterways can be dangerou s Ca nal s have lock s that are deep and sluice tu nnel s which induce strong currents. Ladders at the lo c k s are for boater s to use NOT for swi mmer s Rivers are deep a nd sw ift , boat s may be passing or there may be imm e rse d and dangerous debris which the eye cannot see. Reservoirs are constantly being drawn upon to supply water to the canals.

Regrettably each year a number of people drown in the Board's waterways. It is foolhardy for the public to e ndanger themselves by using the waterways a s

swi mming pool s and the Board are most anxio u s t hat the dangers are fu ll y realised and the practice discouraged

Jubilee Year

Top marks to Weymouth Cadets for their Rag Mag, a copy of which they se n t me , produced to ce lebrate the Jubilee Year. The picture s hows % Andrew Bryant and A I M Richard Battrick burning the mid ni ght oil producing t h e ma gaz ine Money raised will go to the division. Well done -a first rate effort.

Car sticke rs Jubilee Year stickers have been p r oduced by Grenoside A I C Division for sale to members and friends. The st icker s are eye catching and a good way of bringing attention to the cadet movement.

Supplies from lain Armstrong, 115 Manchester Road, Broomhill, Sheffield S10 3BW. Prices 1 sticker, 20p plu s.a.e .; 10 stickers, £1.80 plus P & P of 15p for 10 ; 100 and more, se nd for d eta il s. Cadet service

Garry Saynor's letter in the June Review raise d so me interesting comments. Two replies are included below for information. Have yo u any other ideas?

From P. Drew (aged 28!), of Hil/ingdon, Middlesex:

Garry Saynor's lett er raised an i n terest ing point which I t hin k de serves ca reful considerat ion The main objection , I think, will be on the grounds that a lin e ha s to be drawn somewhere between what is permissible on adult uniform and what is the limit. If a Specia l Service Shield badge is permitted o n adult uniform a long with the o of E and th e Grand Prior's, both of wh ic h are already wo rn on both uniform s there is a risk of becoming cluttered, especia ll y as adult badg es, chevrons, stripes, etc, are gained. As a suggestion to overco m e the 'trauma' of the cadet-to-adult sw it c h it is ce rtainly worthy of consideration and Garry is to be congrat ula ted fo r putting hi s views on pap er for all to see.

HALF A CENTURY OF SERVICE TO ST JOHN

Miss Nancy Sale with retirement present

MISS NANCY SALE, MBE, DStJ, ha s recently retired after more than 50 years' service in the Brigade. Her name has for many years been a household word among St John members i n Bucks - and indeed in a much wider field among those who attended our King

George VI Lea d ersh ip Trai nin g Cou rses a nd t h e earlier years of 'Nottingham', for she was one of t h e most vital member s of Arthur Goring's team which o rgan ised both t h ese events.

Nancy Sale took her first St John certificate in Aylesbury in 1929 because her mother suggested that as Brown Owl it wo uld b e u se ful to her if any of h er Brownies hurt themselves while in her charge. She at once join ed the Aylesbury Nur s in g Division and within two yea rs was prom ote d to D / O an d three years later to Superintendent. In 1944 she b ecame ASO for Cadets in North Bucks, and in 1956 was appointed Co un ty Staff Officer in charge of leader s hip training, a responsibility which she co ntinu e d to hold with immen se inspiration to others for 25 years - in c ludin g t h ree years while s he wa s officially doing a st int as County Superintendent until anoth e r s ui ta ble person be came available. Her two most imaginatively s ucce ssf ul

From lain Armstrong, aged 19, D / O of Sheffield

I can fu ll y und erstand and appreciate what Garry Say nor is trying to say: You can join the a dul ts but let' s forget you were ever a cadet.

I know from my own experience that ha ving been a cadet for five years, having done 2000 duty hours and attended well over 250 divisional meeting s, I was told that to promote to the adult di v ision had to attend a first aid course of 12 two-and-ahalf hour meeting s with a group of people from t he general public who had no knowledge of the subject. Is Cadet f ir st- aid t raining a fairy - tale?

Then to add in sult to injury, I was told that I couldn't count my five years' se r vic e towards my Service Chevron. It had to be '3 years cadet membership counts as one year adult membership to quo te BR 103 (c). Can anyone exp lain why?

I believe the cadets are t he life support machine of the Brigade. Turn them off and the Brigade would drop dead. They must make up a very large par t of Brigade membership and, more imponantly, do a lot of duty hours.

I quote 'Cadets offer help today and hope for tomo rrow '. Over to you.

Help

I need help in producing this column on a regular basis If you or someone you know would like to contribute items, particularly craft activities , games, exercises and training ideas please drop me a line. Pay is at the normal St John rate!! Other contributions to 'Jim', 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon B ois, Epping, Essex.

de velopments in the field of leadership training have been (a) the a n nual weekend training for 15-to-21-year-olds (ie. bringing together older cadets and younger adult members) at Green Park, Aston Clinton, and (b) a training and assessment course for new officer s in the Brigade which covered, extended and replaced (with HQ approval and support) the conventional and often sadly unimaginative and unrealistic 'promotio n exam' procedure It was my good luck to spe nd 28 of my 39 years on the acti e list of the Brigade i n Bucks, and during at least ten of those years (including two whe n I was officially her CStJA and Commissioner) I had the still greater lu ck to b e a regular assistant on Nancy Sale 's 'training team'. So it was a special pleasure to me to be one of the man y present at her retirement party at Aylesbury on April 30, when Irs Margaret Boothman (for many years our County Superintendent) came over from Jersey to present to her, on behalf of u s all, a c,?llection of birds in Royal Worcester porcelain and a cheque. And an ode in h e r honour, written by an anonymous poetess from orth Bu cks and of which I have space to quote only the la st few lines was read to the assembled co mp any:

To night we gather here to say, on this her special day, A thank yo u' for her service in a very special way.

If our Miss Sale has packed her bags and says this is the end, Then all St John, not only Bucks , will lose a special friend

But all of u s who know her feel s he only waits the call, And if we need her training skill she'll still be on the ball. St John be co me s a way of life , and o n e that cannot fru l, And that we know s he n eve r will, n ot our Miss Nancy Sale! Happil y, t h e call h as already come and has been accepted, for Miss Sale has kindly co n sented to write a series of articles for the Review on ' How to Run a Division', w h ich we hope to tart publi hing in the autumn.'

IV. W. W.

THE preparation of a first aid competition, while initially apparent as merely the choice of an incident with appropriate casualties for treatment, is fraught with problems and difficulties. The surgeon who does so, like one who in a foolhardy moment consents to judge a baby competition, is liable to criticism from competitors, their friends and relatives, the onlookers and authorities at various levels. Some of this is justifiable criticism and some inevitable as a result of the circumstances. I would like to draw attention to some of the problems that have arisen during my experience of preparing such competitions at Corps, Area and District level.

A major problem concerns the regulations for that particular competition. Rarely are these clearly defined in detail, though sometimes there is definition in principle. In some instances the competition is a team event, in others individual; occasionally a combination of both Yet competitions should be appropriate to the particular event so when there is dual purpose the preparation is more exacting to cover those purposes.

Some competitions are intended to assess team capability, itself co-ordinated individual action. Others incorporate functions beyond practical first aid to the patient, such as patient identification, the passage of messages by hand and telephone , the utilisation of bystanders and ambulances or other transport, th e obtaining of a h ist ory of other diseases complicating the possible present postulated injuries and a multitude of other factors. Not only the examiner but also the participants should have a clear definition of the exact function of the competitions and the role of the competitors

The administrators of the competition should give precise guidance to both the

Problems in preparing first aid competitions

It looks easy, but in fact there are many pitfalls

by LESLIE R. WHITTAKER, District Surgeon, Kenya

examiners and the candidates in these regards Diagnosis is often, but not necessarily, included as part of the examination. There are different teams and individual competitors with the result that the mock up of the , incident and the make up of the patients must be repeated exactly Such is dependent upon very good make up and identical acting by the presumed patients. Rarely is this achievable with that exactness desired for fair comparative assessment and one wonders whether it would not be better to separate the diagnostic component of the examination . Basically this involves two separate examinations at one of which diagnostic capability is assessed and at another practical capability, not necessarily of the same situation. Such does have the advantage of assessing these two aspects separately and avoids the inability of accurately assessing practical ability when the diagnosis has been missed. This has been tried with some success in the Kenya District competitions. There has been a separate assessment of diagnostic capability Immediately before the practical event

which is to assess practical capability the team leader has been told the number of injured patients and their injuries and ha s been allowed for a minute or two to discuss the problem with the team prior to proceeding to the incident.

Another problem arises over the marking of such competitions. It is essential for the examiner, the judges and the competitors that the required standard of first aid required is at least to a degree defined. Put bluntly this usually means that correct action and answers will be dependent upon current St John teaching. It may be decided that the definition will be in acc'brd with the current 5rst aid manual. This does limit the field to a degree but is a reasonable defmition. Care must then be taken that all questions and answers are in that manual. Should it be decided that the manual should be exceeded this should be clearly stated. However, there is then a major problem for the examiner and the judges, namely to what extent is it reasonable to expect the manual to have been exceeded and how does one fairly compare the abilities of a small rural Division with, for example, the

well organised, repeatedly practising and almost full-time team from a well organised industry.

I believe that the examiner should choose the incident and prepare the marking sheet in accord with the regulations of the competition and the chosen standard which should be decided by the organisers of the competition. This is a major and difficult task that can be very time consuming if, as it should, all relevant aspects of the incident and treatment are included, yet it is essential if fair assessment is to be made. Even with the greatest care it is almost inevitable that some aspect will be omitted or be controversial and I have found it advantageous to allow a small percentage of marks to cover such a cont ingen cy to be awarded by the judges at the time of the competition. EquaUy the examiner should advise the mock up and make up required and check it at the time of the examination to see that it is correct. A problem here is often the cost in man hours and materials. Many casualties mean people and much material and the use of ambulances, transport and. drivers.

Guidance on marking should be given by the examiner setting the competition. A major decision is whether marks will be taken off for faulty action or comment. This should be known by all concerned. Latitude of assessment should be given A reef knot loosely tied in an unsuitable site warrants a mark, but not so much as one correctly tied in the proper place. The marking system should allow for this. The judges should have prior discussion with the examiner, and perhaps even those in charge of mock up and make up so that all clearly understand the objects of the test and the marking sheet and its utiUsation This is best done at the final draft of the test

to avoid last minute amendments. Even with this preparation the judges will have individual appreciation of the candidates' presentation and I consider it most important that the same judge should assess all the candidates participating in anyone event or, that part of the event for which that judge alone is to be responsible. In a busy team event there is often need for more than one judge, sometimes even one for each casualty with a subsequent discussion leading to an assessment of overall team capability and leadership. With, say, a team of four and two or three casualties, it is not reasonable to expect one judge to watch all the action, to record his marks as he does so and to avoid fatigue which will lead to lack of comparability of marking towards the end of a long competition. I believe also that marks should be awarded as they are gained or lost and not hopefully remembered until the team concludes its presentation.

The judges have a major problem if the candidates have alternative methods of treating the patient. If the treatment is reasonable, but in another book, to be fair resort must be made to the competition regulations, for how otherwise can fair allowance be made in the marking sheet which it se lf cannot be ignored Above all last minute decisions during the event must be avoided. If in the accepted manual alternative treatments are available then due and equal allowance must be made for both in the marking sheet. This can be difficult. An example would be the different methods of blanketing a patient with one or more blankets, for using one involves less work and materials than the others yet equal marks have to be made available.

Judges have a further problem in relation to the equipment available to the com-

petitors for treatment. Some could have almost every possi ble gadget, perhaps spares conceale d about their person, whilst others have only basic minimal equipment. A decision should be reached as to whether personal clothing may be used as a substitute for equipment. Disparities are bound to lead to difficulty of fair assessment, so I believe that equipment for each event should be standard. In Kenya we have recently gone further; we have placed on a table at the incident site a limited range of equipment to be used and allowed no other. Such might include one blanket only, so it becomes clear if there is such a patient that only one blanket may be used on the stretcher. Thus may be resolved some of the problems of alternative treatments.

Now, what of the competitors themselves during the competition? They should have been advised fully of the procedure. The team leader at least should be permitted to ask the judge reasonable relevan t questions to which there should be fair answers by the judge In some instances a fair answer may be, 'Sorry, I cannot answer that question'. Whatever answer is given to a competitor to a question should be similar for any similar question from another candidate. It has been known in some examinations for -the contestants to describe to the judge what he or she is doing. I do not approve of this. With a team event the judge carmot concentrate on all the team comments, observe the contestants' actions and record the marks. Also there is a tendency to 'rattle off the textbook' rather than to do things practically. The test is no longer a practical first aid event but rather a test of memory of the manual. Both judges and contestants need to be advised on such matters in the competition regulations so that all know how to act correctly. (Continued overleaf)

Shawbury Quadrilateral Division teams won both the Adult NurSing and Nursing Cadet competitions

Problems in preparing first aid competitons (cont,)

At the conclusion of the competition there may be factual or assumed justification for criticism, not only of the examiner and judges, but perhaps of the organisers and even the contestants themselves. Destructive criticism and 'bellyaching' at this stage are of little value and may be detrimental. I believe it to be much better to accept, as one would at a sporting event, that the judges's decision is final. However, all examiners and judges will accept, and will be grateful for, constructive criticism so that any possible fault can be eradicated or minimised in future competitions. So such criticisms can be expressed later to the organisers as constructive recommendations for improvement of the competition in the future.

There is one major group that tends to be forgotten; the observing public. How uninteresting it is for them if they do not know what the incident is nor what the casualties are How interesting if they do. To permit such and to ret<iin secrecy relevant documentation must be prepared beforehand and kept secure while competitors must be segregated prior to release of such information to observers. Again this is more work for the oranisers but well worth while for public participation and public relations.

So, when you feel discontent after a competition remember. the examiner and judges have their problems too, and help them with your constructive advice to rectify, if possible, any errors you believe exist.

National First Aid Competitions

Fire Brigades,

homes and then for the Officer ilc the Division to call on the child, talk to its parents, and try to make sure that the job we started is completed by the enrolment of a new recruit.

6

8

Max marks:

The St John The Baptiste Trophy was awarded to: No.6 District - Avon.

Mr George Clarke, President of Chief Fire Officers' Association, CFO Hampshire Fire Brigade, presided at the presentation ceremony, and the trophy was presented to the winning team by The Lord Grey of Naunton, Bailiff of Egle, The Order of St John.

Individual Tests

(First aid to be rendered in six minutes)

No.1 and No.3. Judge: Dorothea Coles.

The first-aider is passing the physics laboratory when he hears a scream from within, and on entering finds that a woman canteen assistant has overturned an electrical automatic coffee dispenser, scalding both her hands with its contents.

First aid materials, cold water and a telephone are available in the room. No further assistance is forthcoming during the test.

No.2 and No.4. Judge: R.H.P. Fernandez.

The competitor calls at the machine shop to pick up a pump part just as a mechanic has a high speed grinding wheel disintegrate while he is using it.

Examination of the injured man will reveal that he has sustained a fracture of the lower jaw and also has a fragment of the broken wheel firmly embedded in his chest.

Some first aid materials and a telephon e

Schools Venture Weeks 1982

BUTLIN'S has come and gone once again.

'Butlin's' being the Schools Venture Weeks held at Centres each year. At the Bognor Regis Centre it all started off with a 'Miniweek' occupying the last three days of Easter week, and this was followed by three full weeks of fun and action for the several thousand children involved. The numbers present during the first two weeks were not as high as usual, so there were correspondingly fewer children taking the First Aid course as one of their activities, but in the third week it was oack to what we have come to expect, with over two thousand children present. It was not surprising, therefore, to find at the end of the week that we had broken our previous 'record' by taking a total of 704 through the Emergency Aid course.

Even though, throughout the four weeks, approximately one-third of all the children took first aid as one of their activities and it was still not possible to meet the full demand for it. Several teachers told us that they had not been allocated all the first aid

184

classes that they had requested. The Liaison Officer had set limits on the number of children for each session, thereby making sure that there would be sufficient time for every child to DO the practical work involved, a policy with which we fully agreed. A grand total of 1715 children and teachers completing the course and so qualifying for one of our specially designed certificates was, we all thought, a really worthwhile effort.

For some of the new instructors it was quite an experience to find that, in addition to the children in the class they were taking, there was also a teacher (or sometimes teachers). Some of these teachers, with no previous knowledge of first aid, approached us at the outset and asked if they could have a certificate like those issued to the children, and to this question they were given the simple answer, 'Do the "same as the children and you can have one'. For one such teacher there was not only a certificate but also an early opportunity to put into practice what she had learned. One of the

are available in the workshop. No further help arrives before the completion of the test.

Team Test

Judge : Peter M. Brown of Birmingham

The team members are about to carry out a I (l)d visit to a building site when a hoist drops some distance to the ground floor while it is being serviced for a fault.

Two engineers are injured in the accident.

One, who is working in the lift cage, sustains a deep severely bleeding laceration of his left wrist from a screwdriver blade and bilateral vertical compression fractures of both legs

The second, who was adjusting cage roof switching gear, has a closed fracture of the left side of pelvis and remains unconscious through concussion for the first six minutes of the test.

The site clerk of works knows where first aid materials are housed and can telephone for an ambulance, which will then take 10 minutes to arrive from a hospital three miles

away

First aid to be rendered in 15 minutes

20,000 children took first aid classes

boys in her class put his arm through a pane of glass and sustained quite a severe cut.

Remembering what she had so recently been taught, she gripped the injured arm firmly and held it up in the air, maintaining this treatment for the short walk to the first aid room. This was a case where the children were proud of teacher!

The co-operation of the teachers was sought to enable us to present to the children our new leaflets which, we hope, will further stimulate their interest in first aid and lead many of them to consider joining the Cadets or the Juniors. A number of the teachers said that they would talk to the children when they returned to school and would then invite them to complete the leaflets, with their names and addresses, and would then send them on to headquarters.

What was more important was that 291 children completed the leaflets whilst they were still at Bognor and these were forwarded straight away. All that now remains to be done is for the leaflets to be sent to the Cadet Divisons nearest to the children'S

Sometimes the comments of the teachers can be most interesting and informative. Whilst discussing the role of cadets with one teacher, he said 'This is our fourth year here and we always make first aid our first choice of activity. The youngsters enjoy doing it, apart from its usefulness in an emergency. I'm sure that after they leave us (in the junior schools) some of them take it up seriously just as all your people do'.

For one of the weeks we had the assistance of Sarah Gobby. This was Sarah's third year with us but this time she had graduated from being a Junior to a fully fledged Cadet. In her own little way Sarah seems to 'get through' to the children attending the Schools Weeks. Perhaps, being more or less of their own age, the

children feel that 'if she can do it, so can we'. Sarah's appearance in Cadet uniform also seemed to have a certain amount of fascination for the children and this, hopefully, may set some of them thinking that St John is right for them Regrettably, Sarah's father (who is also her Divisional Superintendent) could manage only one week at the Centre as an instructor. It would be an ideal arrangement to have an instructor for each week with his, or her, own child present as a young cadet to help as Sarah does.

Once again we had Mary Whittaker, our deaf colleague, with us but this time it was for two of the weeks. Despite her handicap Mary makes a tremendous impression on the children. Her patience and effort in making herself understood endears her to all privileged to work with her. She has become so much a part of the scene at Bognor that during the weeks when she was not there we had many inquiries about her

Martin Proctor, instructing on side drums, and (right) Jayne Vynes (with David Minney in background) instructing on xylophones

SJA MUSIC MAKERS

Introduction to percussion

THE Band Federation held a percussion course under the direction of Martin Proctor of the Scots Guards on May 15 at London District's HQ. The response to this course had been disappointing, but 24 members, from Barnsley, St Audries, Surrey, Southwick and Southwark, thoroughly enjoyed the instructional day.

The course was divided into three classes: side drums, taken by Martin Proctor; tuned percussion, taken by Corporal Jayne Vynes; and the lone tri-tom player, taken by Band Sgt-Major Stuart Green. The last two instructors were introduced to us via the Southwark Corps o f Drums.

The first half of the day was devoted to basic music reading and techniques, the second half to sectional practise of an arrangement of a piece of pop adapted by Martin Proctor.

The course finished with all three sections coming together as an ensemble to play the " complete piece, the result reflecting the work put in during the day by both lilstructors and those attending the course. Thanks are due to Martin, Jayne and Stuart for instruction, the League of

from the teachers. 'Has the lady who is deaf come this year?' was a typical question put to us.

Finally, one of the lighter moments of our stay at Bognor. One of our instructors who was new to Schools Weeks had just got himself settled nicely in his chalet, and then it was time for the evening meal. On his return, however, Peter had a big surprise waiting for him, for sitting on his bed was an attractive young lady teacher who informed him, in the nicest possible way, that this was the chalet that she was to occupy for the week. But it was soon sorted out -a clerical error had led to doublebooking. Peter had to move to an unoccupied chalet!

The total number of children taught in all camps during the exercise was 19,678, and 223 teachers trained. A very good effort for which all instructors should be congratulated.

Friends of the Southwark Corps of Drums for the refreshments, and London District for the use of their superb premises.

In harmony

Two members of B.F R Corps of Drums, Yorkshire, were married on May 8 at Hemsworth, Yorks. Malcolm Bowmer, superintendent of Barnsley, and Michelle Carling, superintendent of New Monkton Division , met through the band some seven years

St Audries Band Somerset bringing the streets of Weymouth to a standstill for SJA flag day diamond jubilee of Weymouth Division and the band Division s own 40th birthday. So impressed was Weymouth Round Table that St Audries Band has been invited to play at Weymouth Carnival, one of the best in the South

ago, when Malcolm started to teach Michelle to play drums, progressing through tenor, major, glocks, and now We are delighted to welcome them both in London for the percussion course at the end of their honeymoon, and on behalf of all Federation members we wish them every happiness and may their new life together always be in harmony and the right key. Mark Gillam PRO} 95 Applesham Way} Portslade.

M. Harris} Co-ordinator} Bognar Regis

OUR RELIGIOUS HERITAGE

from the Chairman of the Review Management Board

I was saddened to find, on reading the inspiring account published this month (July pp.158-9) of the opening of the new County HQ for Nottinghamshire, that in the otherwise very comprehensive list of dignitaries who honoured the occasion by their presence no mention whatever was made of the Bishop who appeared in both the photographs and who presumably blessed and dedicated the new building -a vitally important part of the ceremony.

While all readers will surely know that we belong a Foundation of the oldest Order of Christian chivalry, some may not be aware that meetings of Chapter-General of our Order always start and finish with prayer, that all meetings of local St John Councils are likewise opened with prayer, that Cadet Enrolment ceremonies normally conclude with prayer, and that all our principal HQ buildings and most of our ambulances are solemnly blessed and dedicated for our use to the glory of God and in the service of man. And I'm sure there are a very great many who will share my most earnest hope that these evidences of our religious heritage and commitment will never be lost sight of, since they mean infinitely more to us than just 'offering a sop' to the spirit of tradition.

Epping, Essex Watkin W Williams

Editor: It was the Lord Bishop of Southwell whose name was inadvertently omitted . The report says he dedicated the building. Another name not published but included in the report is Commander A. S. Mortensen, Commander, St John Ambulance. Our apologies to both.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND from D. A. Woollacott

I am an auxiliary member and have been a first-aider for a number of But I am not medically qualified, merely a fairly intelligent engmeer. I regularly read the St John Review and frequently feel that some of the articles published are couched in medical terms which are incomprehensible to me. The article which prompted this letter, Hypothermia (June Review) used which were so much gobbledy-gook to me and I suspect the maJonty of your readers. I was unable to find any of these defmed in the current authorised Manual of First Aid, but I did fmd a reference to 'simple, clear and authoritative text.' (Foreword to Manual, para 5.)

Changing the subject , I am also engaged in trying to raise funds for a for our local division. One way in which your otherWIse adrrnrable magazine could help divisions similarly placed to ours would be to publish when county and metropolitan authorities are selling off their vehicles.

Ashburton, S Devon D A. Wool/aeott

Editor: Health Authorities throughout the country dispose of their (either when 7 or at 140,000 miles) in different ways, and It would be a forrrudable task for us to keep check on who is doing what and when. The simple answer is to get in touch with the area Supplies Officer (or his successor under reorganisation last April) of your local Health Authorities for information on vehicles coming up for sale. I got plenty of information from the Suffolk Authority at Ipswich in a 4-minute phone call.

HOLY

from A. G. Geard

SBStJ

Last October I went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with Lionheart Tours. There were eleven people in our party, including four gentlemen of The Order of St John. We had a wonderful time in the Holy Land and saw many interesting places which brought the Bible to life for me. We covered over 800 miles in the area.

We visited the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, where we received a warm welcome from the matron, Mrs Ruth Parks. She is a delightful lady and was so kind to us, providing a meal which we all enjoyed. She later took us on a conducted tour of the hospital.

- At the Ophthalmic Hospital - (L to R) the letter writer, Mrs Higgitt, Mrs Houston, Mrs B. N. Houston, Friar Vincent Wall. Mrs Irish, and the Matron.

Since returning home I have given many talks on the tour, including one at the Taunton HQ, and have sent £40 to London for the hospital in its centenary year.

I wish the Hospital matron, her staff and all officers connected with the great Order of St John well, and may God bless their efforts with success.

Somerset AT RANDOM

from Errol Jones. OStJ, JP

A. G. Geard

How sad it was to read the last At Random by Watkin W. Williams (June Review).

No doubt there will be a lot of response to this loss fr om the UK, but as an overseas reader may I express my thanks for his efforts and time involved, which is very much appreciated. The loss will be greatly felt.

Watkin's writings let readers know what was happening at the top, including changes in regulations, to what was happening overseas.

"I would strongly ask that the column be kept going b y someone with the knowledge and ability to express St John in everyone's language.

To Watkin, good health and happiness from Down Under. Newcastle, A ustralia Errol Jones

NO PRIVATE ARMY

from I. Gwyn, Assistant Commissioner

Reference the letter from ASO R C. Symonds (July Review), I am surprised that an officer so well informed on dress regulations is unaware that the Priory for Wales has its own cap badge The Priory also has its own amendments to dress regulations and the beret IS uniform for special duties. My own combat pullover has epaulettes on it, as should that worn by the worthy ASO.

As to the CB radio, the caption to the photograph made it quite clear as to the context in which it had been used.

Dyfed

THE SJ WEEKEND

from Gerald Easton, Assistant C-in-C

I. Gwyn

In a letter to me after attending the General Assembly and the service at St Paul's, a visitor from the Priory of South Africa, Mr Ian Haggie, wrote the following:

'We found the activities on Saturday most stimulating and the St Paul's service was an experience which I shall remember for a very long time. In fact the last two days have been extremely valuable in giving me an even better concept of the valuable activities of St John and the people who are so dedicated and responsible for maintaining the Order'

I find these words most appropriate in describing the St John weekend.

Headquarters Gerald Easton FOUND from Mrs Enid Clayton. Divisional Officer

My employer recently found a bronze St John medallion in the garden of his cottage in Beer, Devon. It would be interesting to know how old the medallion is and perhaps return it to its owner. It is endorsed with the registration number' 1525' and the name' Annie M. C. Bull'.

I would add that it has now been polished and looks as good as new 27 Aldwych Close, Aldridge, Walsall. Enid Clayton

The Nursing Officer discusses Head injuries and unconsciousness

WI!H THE use of the car and the rising rate of aCCIdents, IS probably the most common cause of brain damage seen m hOSpItal wards. The majority of patients are admitted for because of danger that they might develop senous later It IS therefore important that the observatIOns made by the fIrst-aider and nurse are a good indicator to the degree .of unconSCIOusness Descriptions such as stupor, semi -coma and are not clearly defmed, so they are best avoided, as they can mea.r:t different things to different observers.

Po- but ?rief description of the degree of responsiveness of the patIent IS essentIal. Examples are:

Fully may react in normal ways when spoken to.

Your des.cnptlon may be: reacts normally to speech; aware of his surroundings and what has happened to him.

Less fully conscious: may be rousable, can answer questions and obey SImple commands such as 'grip my hand'.

Your. description may be: rousable after talking to him; answers questIOns but slow to respond; obeys verbal commands. coma: may n?t obey verbal commands, but responds to painful stlmulus by .Wlthdrawmg part of his body to which the pain is applied or by pushing the exarruner away when he touches him

Y?ur description may be: does not respond to verbal' comman ds' WIthdraws arm/leg away from touch / painful stimulus.

Very may make no purposeful response to pain but perhaps goes stlff m arm/leg (extension) and moans.

Your.descripti?n may be: no response to verbal commands; moans become stiff and rigid when touched or painful stlffiulus IS applied.

deep coma: no response whatever; he may grasp your hand If placed m his.

Your may be: no response to verbal command; no response to any no verbal response; grips my hand if placed in his.

Your descnptlon may also include: Whether they react to light, whether pupils are equal and if possible SlZe ill m.m.

Vomiting (description of content and amount); fits or spasms (tlffie of, and appearance during).

Pulse and Respiration. Rate and volume (very fast and bounding) any change of (whether he stops breathing for a few second; and then breathes rapIdly for a few seconds, whether there are extra heart beats).

Your sh ould be made frequently (ie. every five minutes) If IS deeply unconscious, and should be clearly written down - If. p.osslble on the back of a casualty sheet.

It IS Important to bear in mind that the patient may be deaf or dumb and unable to the meaning of the spoken word.

Another factor IS that the response to painful stimuli may affected by or .com plete paralysis, or sensory loss of one half o the. body: ThIS IS an unportant observation to record, especially if IS a difference between the two sides of the body, and if this becomes more pronounced, indicating some kind of progreSSIve damage to the brain.

f are tW? main reasons for altered states of consciousness o owmg head mJury:

1. I!lay be widespread brain damage involving the brain and the begmrung of spinal cord (vital centres), which would have at tIme of accident. This may be caused by even very nunor bleeding or the tearing of nerves.

2. Deepening of unconsciousness are usually due to large blood clots expanding and by continuous bleeding causing compression over the surface of the brain.

a f:om the irnrnediate brain damage, the main complications of ead illJUry a:e: a. Haemorrhage. b. Infection c Epilepsy.

N Fu,:ther readIng: Chapter 10 - First Aid Manual. Chapter 10ursmg Manual.

Re Adrian L. Hughes, SRN, Nursing Officer pnnted from Leyton and Leytonstone

Merseyside

Bebington Round Table chairman Max Cook presents

resusci - anne to

Graves for Christchurch Quad Division, Bebington. Wirral. Thanks Tablers

younger

OVERSEAS

NEWS from SCOTLAND

THE ANNUAL Festival of St John took place in the Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling, on Thursday June 24, when over 400 people filled the church for a Service of Commemoration and Holy Communion.

Thereafter the General Assembly was held, during which 65 postulants were invested with their insignia by His Grace the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, Prior of Scotland.

The procession marched from the ancient Guildhall opposite the church to the service, and afterwards they processed to Stirling Castle where lunch was served to approximately 320.

Th e service was led by the Rev. P. H. R. Mackay, the devotions by the Rev. Tom Crichton, and the scriptures were read and the sermon preached by the Rev. Stanley Pritchard, who tellingly reminded the congregation that communication, so important in helping others, depended as much on what we are as on what we say or write. Dr Eric Smith played the organ with his usual skill and two Heralds from the Court of the Lord Lyon graced the procession.

Among the guests were Major Hamish Forbes, Secretary of the Order; Councillor James Anderson, Convener of Central Regional Council; the Moderator of Stirling Presbytery; and the Rev. Charles B Edie, Minister of the Church of the Holy Rude.

On the eve of the Festival, Wednesday June 23, Central Regional Council welcomed about 125 members of the Order who were attending the festival at a reception in the Council Headquarters, Viewforth, Stirling.

to

BOOKS ... BOOKS available from St John

News from Divisions / Centres

4.

5. (a) do not attempt; (b) on your own.

large; (1) safe; (m) steady.

6. (a) light weight; (b) two knees; (c) round his neck.

7 . (a) injured side; (b) upper limb; (c) waist; (d) hip; (e) your neck; (f) free hand.

8. (a) conscious; (b) hold on.

9. not too heavy.

10 (a) one; (b) both arms.

11 . using his arms.

12 (a) conscious; (b) serious; (c) up; (d) down; (e) passageways; (f) ob structions.

13. (a) sides; (b) length; (c) rigidity; (d) prevent sagging; (e) head; (f) lower Limbs; (g) each side; (h) rolled edges; (i) carefully; U) evenly; (k) sufficient height; (1) stretcher; (m) feet; (n) legs; (0) stretcher; (P) between.

14. (a) under; (b) head; (c) feet; (d) lifting; (e) side paces; (f) over.

15. (a) lowering; (b) pads; (c) position; (d) firm supports; (e) steady it.

16. (a) broad bandages; (b) webbing bands; (c) shoulders; (d) knees; (e) ankles; (f) stout poles; (g) each side; (h) weight; (i) even tension; U) head; (k) same way.

17. (a) two; (b) neck; (c) feet; (d) three; (e) chest; (f) hips; (g) head; (h) steadied.

ST JOHN REVIEW

of

Greater Manchester

is in a faculty to make responsive to stimuli (9). 11. T idy cattle (4 ). 12. Tax a Gael (4) 13. Astragalus (5). 15, Discharge from a wound (7). 16. Wound produced by bats (4). 20 Rhythm of the heart (4), 22. Nurse aiming to become SRN could be stunted (7) 25. The bod y in the anatomical position (5).27. Pre-eminent part of the foot (4) , 28. Accustom baby to solid food (4) 30. Flat foot (3 6).31. Part o f mandible and pelvis appearing in opera music (5). 32. Mora l transgression in Helsinki (3). 33. A spiritless change in wave-lik e contractions of intestines (11).

Down

1. Feign illness to escape work (8). 2. Part of brain concerned with transmission of sensory impulses to the cortex (8). 3 . How a part o f the heart and lungs may fly? (4). 4. Lesion characteristic of 23 Down (7). 5. Syrupy cough mixture (7). 6 Live in exits (5). 7. A numbe r after which all is reversed in the armpit (6). 8. Change bra set for a secretory gland (6). 14. Ethnic group in care (4).17. Styptic salt (4) 18. Muteness turns to painful straining to evacuate bladder or bowel s (8). 19. Narrowing of an anatomical opening (8). 21. Rare tin fo r athletic instructor (7) 22. Pustular infection of beard area sounds like a severe mental illness (7). 23. Skin infection from a strange sphere (6). 24. Argue for sanity (6). 26. Spring flower (5). 29 Waste product of protein metabolism (4)

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD 7(82)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 8(82) by A. A. Potter Across: 1. Vitiligo; 5. Rachis; 10. Attendant; 11. Essen; 12 Loose ; 13. Dank; 14. Beat; 16. Bile; 18. Carrier; 21. Ado; 22 Levator; 23. Race; 26. Sore; 27. Fete; 28. Apple; 30. Raise; 31. Entropion; 32. Mental; 33. Adenitis.

Down: 1. Viable; 2. Tattoo; 3. Lance; 4. Glandular fever; 6. Apex; 7. I. Prevents regurgitation of blood from left ventricle (6.5). 7. A Hysteria; 8. Sanitary; 9. Stand corrected; 15. Uric; 17 Acts; 19 pound for a priestly garment (3). 9. Depart for a holiday? (5). 10. It Alastrim; 20. Eversion; 24. Sp lint; 25. Tennis; 28, A· corn; 29. Sera.

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• easily removed to adjust dressings.

• vacuum may be released in orderto change position if desired, and then evacuated to maintain the revised position.

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• adjustable Velcro straps, or improvised ties, are sufficient.

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ST JOHN REVIEW

Contents

The

The Junior Sunday School speaks

FOLLOWING a st John's-tide appeal in our parish church (which shares with the Order the patronage of St John the

in support of the Hospital Centenary Fund,

junior Sunday school (ages between 4 and 9) decided that they wanted to make the Hospital the charity to which their current accumulation of weekly ' pennies' should be sent. So I was asked to come and teJl them something about it - no easy task when the youngest has only just struck 4, but I managed to enliven a very simple summary of the history of the Order and of the Hospital by showing them pictures as well as some actual Order insignia. They were very attentive and some of the older ones asked some quite good questions, and before their interest showed any sign of flagging I handed round a selection of photocopied pictures from hospital brochures for them to colour with crayons and take home. The total sum of their savings for the Hospital amounted to £12.20, which I thought was really splendid.

If no more than a hundred Sunday schools or similar groups throughout the country could follow this example during the autumn (perhaps coinciding with the centenary celebrations in Jerusalem in October) and each group managed to raise £10 , the resultant £1,000 would make a very significant contribution to the Hospital Fund, and I have no doubt that it would be possible for the Hospital authorities to use these children ' s gifts in a way that would speciaJJy contribute to restoring the sight of children.

Brigade Finals

White Knox Indi vidual CuP. Bedmaking Cup

Beccles (S uffolk): Tweedale Cup Lisnagelvin Co mbined (Northern Ireland ): Cunard Cup

PLACINGS

Ambulance: 4th Chasetown Combined (Staffs) 281 5th Markham Main (S & W Yorks) 279; 6th (Joint) Belleshan.ge r Col li ery (K ent) and Redruth (Cornwall) 276; (JOint) Dawdon Co lli ery (Durham) and Parkslde (Merseys lde) 275; 10th Norwich Central (Norfolk) 265; 11th Crynant (Wales) 233. Nursing: 4th St Alban s (Leics) 296; 5th Ormeau (N. Ireland) 293 6th Norwich Centra (Norfolk) 291; 7th Jarrow (No'rthumbria) 280; 8th Wareham COmbined (Dorset) 276; 9th Tamworth Combined (S taffs) 275; 10th BmtOl Central (Avon) 232; 11 th Sharrow (S & W Yorks) 225. Ambulance Cadet: 4th Grays (Essex) 238; 5th Blshopston (Avon) 229; 6th Branksome Co mbined (Dorset) 226; 7th Darlington (Durham) 211; 8th Hull North West (Humberslde) 207; 9th Y.M.CA. (Northern Ireland) 191 ; 10th BenlInck Co lliery (Notts) 174 11th Ha slingden Co mbined (Lane s 172; 12th Malden & Coombe (Greater London) 139. Nursing Cadet: 4th Beccles (Suffolk) 259; 5th Guildford No.2 (Surrey) 257; 6th Hul Kingston (Humberside) 256; Bournemouth Combined

SIR KEITH JOSEPH WELFARE CUP

QUIZ

SHOWN at the bottom of this page is the St John Junior pocket book, w hi c h was produced at the request of Cadet Officers (officers of cadets?) through the Cadet Advisory Committee. The pocket book is printed on card and record s the progress of a Junior though three years, and in addition space is available to record Proficiency Subjects ea rned, re su lt s of Association courses and date of enrolment into the Ca dets. The book s are distributed by the Cadet Department at Brigade HQ, London, together with a plastic wallet in which it can be kept. Your County or Area will have made arrangements to obtain s upplie s of these books, and you should approach the appropriate Staff Officer for s uppli es Any difficulties regarding the supp y of the books s h auld be re ferred to the Cadet Department at Brigade HQ.

The book s are a very val uabl e way of encouraging Junior s to work for future membership of the Cadet Division and I strongly re co mmend their u se in Divisions. Growing old in Britain today

This is the title of a teaching pack produced by t he CSV Advisory Service, 237 Pentonvi lle Road, London Nl 9NJ, for young people, which includes a wide variety of imaginative and st imula ting material to educate young people about old age and e n co urage them to explore their own attitudes and perceptions of it.

The material written by Chris Riley,

consists of a series of workcards, looking at such topics as: housing, transporta.tion, health, income, action groups, image s of old age and how our attitudes about old age are formed. The set contains workcards designed to be used by students and detailed notes are included fOJ leaders on the use of the material s with groups of different ages and abilities. Price of the kit is £6.50, plus 15070 postage and packing charge for si ngle items (cash with order).

St John Cadet Spectacular I understa nd from the Registrar that tickets for the Spectacular at the Albert Hall on October 9 are se lling well, bu t there is still a long way to go to fill the hall , and it really would be a great achievement to do t ha t. The programme for the performances is well advanced and promises to be good

If yo u 've not arranged to being a group of Cadets yet, then please do so NOW. I look forward to see ing you there. Cadet Chat Badges and posters will be available.

Games

My thanks this month to Mrs J. Harper, of Clifton Combined Cadet Division, for the game below. If you have any ideas for garnes, please send them to me at the address below.

St. John Junior

Pocket Book

Mrs

You require a number of plain white postcard s. Write First Aid questions on one card and the answers on another. Make as many as you wish.

I wrote bone questions and answers in red, burns and scalds in green, and miscellaneous questions and answers in blue.

The idea is to place all the answer cards face up, so you can see the answers on a large table and mix them up Then line your teams up with equal numbers in each. On the word go, the person in charge gives a question card to the first competitor in each team, and they have to go to the table and pick out the answer to the question. One point is given for each correct answer. The team with the most points in a limited time wins.

We have played this game in my division a number of times and my cadets love it. It helps probationary cadets b y ha v ing the questions and answers in the same colour. They then know what colour to look for, and it also helps them to learn.

Your contributions Contributions to this column are always welcome. Please send them to 'Jim', 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Boi s, Epping, Essex CM167DU.

WELFARE PROJECT

1979 was a very eventful year f or the Tamworth Divisions, Staffordshire. After over 60 y ears of con tinuous service to the town , the divisions were about to embark on a major building programme which would give them their first permanent headquarters of their own. No longer would they have to meet in the Town Hall or at schools and clubs; and they would be able to store their equipment in their own building instead of at members homes.

It was also during 1979 that two of the members attended ' a conference organised by the Spastics Society. And they were appalled at what they learned, especially r egard i ng the mentally handicapped. There seemed so many club s and e sta blishments for the disabled which would not accept the mentally handicapped. On their journey home the two me-fibers discussed the conference and decided that the Division

Helping Hands

A new HQ in the offing how can we expand our services, SJA Tamworth asked itself. Here is the answer

s hould try to organise something to help t he handicapped in their new headquarters

The idea was put to the Divisional Committee. Some o f the officers were a little apprehensive about the suggestions, but support came from the Divi sional Surgeon and permission was given to form a committee to do a feasibility s tudy of t he proposal.

The committee which was formed consisted of the two members, a represen tative of the Social Services, four St John members under the age of 21 who had just come from the cadets, and two handicapped people. Each member of the committee was allocated a task to complete, such as finding out whether there was a need for thls type ofproJeci-in ihetown- the cost, type of building, and our ability to provide adequately trained _ After many meetings and much hard (Left) Multiple sclerosis sufferer

Sid Tay or, who is on the committee checking he ght of toilet handrails (Below) Tea

work, a report was prepared and presented to the D ivision early in 1980. The co mmit tee's findings were briefly as follows.

Whether there is a need for such a serv ice After much discu ssi on the committee felt that the most pressing need was for s omew here where h e h andica pp e d co uld be taken on a regular b asis, so that the relatives who care for t h em 24-hours-a-day, 7- da ys -a- w eek , cou ld h ave a break. It was found that this applied to all handicapped, including the aged A lot of doubt was vo iced regarding mixing the mentally and t he ph ysical ly handicapped. However, with three rooms available it was considered possi ble

Cost Th e cost of setti ng up the project was estimated at £6,000. This included makin g the new h ea dqu arters s uitable for the handicapped , and too ls and specia li sed eq uipment for hobbie s. A r equest was made to the Queen's Jubilee Appeal for help, but this was rejected on the grounds that· not enough young people were in vo l ved , a

decision still not unders tood by u s slOce

750/0 of tho se involved are under 21. Not uet e rred by this set-back, the c ommittee felt that Wil;i <: Ilf fici e nt hard work th e money could be raisea. gr oup rece ived seve ral s ums of money donat ed from va riou s sources.

Building

In t he report on the building requirements t he commit t ee received treme nd o u s supp o rt f rom the Building Com mit tee, who agreed to in stall wider doorways, m o re s pac iou s t oilets, handr ai ls, etc, providing the group agreed to cover the extra cost. All these were fitted in t h e buildin g a s it was built, so saving the cost of a lt eratio n s at a later date.

Ty pes of handicapped

A ll forms of handi capped people wer e studied, including the need s a nd abilities of each gro up

Training

Training for interested members was arranged by the Divisional Surgeo n a nd the Divi s ional Nursing Officer, and it i n cluded v isits to var ious centres fo r the handicapped and a visit to a hospital for the menta ll y subnormal.

Fo ll owing the training, enthusiasm for the scheme de ve loped throughout the divisions. On the question of manpower , it was fe l t that the best way to ke ep yo ung members was to get them act ively involved in the projec t. If member s were doing a worth whi le duty, their interes t in St Joh n would be maintained.

The committee's findings were taken back to the Divi s ional Committee with a recommendation that the starting date sho uld be 1981 - the Year of the Disabled.

The finding s were di scu sse d and, des pit e one or two doubtful member s, t h e committee was given the go-ahead.

The new headquarters bu i lding was opened by the Lord Prior on Marc h 21 1981. A lot of hard work had been don e over the last few month s, both on t he building and the welfare project. A date for t he f ir st meeting was set for the first Friday in September, to be followed by a meeting on the third F rida y in every month. Large sc ale publi city was organised t hrou g hout t h e di strict, both in the lo c al pr ess and b y posters and leafle ts. Also a meeting was ca lled for all inter este d people w ho were working with the handicapped at the time.

The proj ect was to be called ST JOHN AMBULANCE HELPING HA NDS, and a special motif was de sig ned.

The first me et ing wa s arranged. The m embe rs did not quite know w hat sort of re spo n se to expect. One or two p eople had expressed a desire to attend and were picked up by the divisional a mbulance In fact the first night went ve ry well, wit h nine handicapped people turning up wit h their re latives (which we e n couraged for the first few sessions). The group met at 7pm and sat at tables playing d ominoes, cards, connect four, and ot h er simi lar games The response was quite good. Tea and coffee we r e serve d and all went well, t h ough the disabled and our m e mbers were both a li ttle tentative in everythi n g that first eve nin g.

But from then on Helping Hand s progressed rapidly, becoming stronger in attendance and in its faci lit ies. A record player, TV, and a pool-table were added before Christmas (items which belong to (Left) Mr Lawrence plays pool for the first time in 15 Samantha Walton tries her hand at table ten nis with a cadet helper

the n ew '[ am wort h St John Ambulance Youth C lub) At Christmas we had a special party whic h was organised by adu l t a nd cadet SJA member s. There was carol singi n g, a nativity play, dancing by a nur sing member, and seasonal tunes played by a SJA band Refre s hment s included sherry and mince-pies. There was a Christmas tree and streamer s festooning the room

After Christmas, the Helping Hands' meetings went back to normal, with tabletennis and free Bingo being added to the entert ainments. We now have a regular attendance of 27 handicapped people, several of them coming on their own, thus giving their relatives a break - which was the committee's original main intention. Future plan s Helping Hands has just acquired a new w heelc hair and during this summer it is hoped that we sha ll be able to make outings to nearby parks and other attractions. Requests are co ming in for more frequent meeting s, and it s almost certain that we shall ha ve to hold two meetings a month instead of one. We can offer overnight accommodation for up to six handicapped people, so enabling relatives to have a complete night's rest from their responsibilities. Thi s, however, will only be done when someone asks for the service. Our main aim at present is to firmly establish confidence from the handicapped and their relatives.

(Report prepared by Nursing Members Joan Bar wefl, 18, and Helen Andrews, 16: and Nursing Cadets Julie Andrews, 14, Hazel Blaym ires, 14, and Y vo nne Gamble, 13.)

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ON THE SCENE

Headquarters Medical Secretary, Lt-Cdr

John Hammond, was in his office at Grosvenor Crescent when the car-bomb exploded in Hyde Park killing three soldiers and maiming more than 20 people during July.

John grabbed his first-aid bag and was on the scene within a few minutes, helping first a woman who had lost a foot and a hand, and then a soldier with a badly broken elbow and leg.

'One of the significant things,' he said, 'was these tiny circular holes in their clothing, where nails from the bombs had slugged them. It was a devastating scene of carnage.'

C LAY CROSS IS 50

Derbyshire's SJA Clay Cross celebrated its 50th birthday this year with the gift of a caravan for use as a mobile first aid post. The caravan, and an awning, was presented to them by Mrs Evelyn Ball in memory of her husband Lesley, who died earlier this year. Mr Ball was a founder member of the Division which was formed in 1932.

Thank you, Mrs Ball.

THE REV WALKS

I hear that the Rev William Beer, a member of the St John Council for Northamptonshire, accompanied by church warden David Lambert, made a two-day sponsored walk from Briar Hill, Northampton, to St John's Gate, London -a distance of about 65 miles.

They raised just over £500, which is to be divided between his church and the St John Council.

100 NOT OUT

SJA City of Leicester Area celebrates its centenary on November 14 and plans to issue a limited edition of 500 first day covers on the first day of issue of the 1982 Christmas stamps November 17.

Covers with a full set of Christmas stamps cost £2.95 each, or alternatively with a single stamp at £1.95. The covers will be despatched inside a stiffened outer envelope to ensure that they are delivered in pristine condition. Orders with cash to be sent to Mr. G. K. Shaw, 73 Repton Road, Wigston, Leicester, to be received by October 30 at the very latest. Cheques should be made payable to St. John Ambulance - City of Leicester Area. It is hoped that a limited edition of 50 of these covers will be signed. Please send S.A.E. details.

200

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

JODY CALLS TO SAY

One-year -old Baby Jody calls on SJA 's David Nobbs, S. Wilts area superintendent, at Stonehenge pop festival , for last year Dav id carried out the first-ever delivery on site and brought Jody into the world. David who is on the staff of Salisbury's Old Manor HQspffal, has been responsible for cover at the pop for the last 6 ye ars ca mping on site for the two weeks with 14 other members Their medical tent is open 24-h ours -a-day , with loca GPs at nightly surgeries. This year there was another birth

Other activities which have been planned in addition to the window displays in different parts of the City , are a visit to St John's Gate in August, the planting of a tree in the DeMontfort Hall Gardens in the autumn, and a centenary dinner at Leicester HQ on November 13. Earlier this year the Leicestershire County Council entertained representatives of St John at a dinner at County Hall.

CHARIOTS OF I hear that Filey, that handsome town on the Yorkshire coast that I've never been to but must visit one day, holds an annual chariot - yes, c hariot - race in aid of the local SJA.

A total of 17 chariots of varying shapes, sizes and origin are pushed around Filey , calling at nine pubs (ab !), where the team members have to drink either a half pint of beer (a half?) or half a pint of lemonade.

Gloucestershire: Order of St i John's May Ball was attended by ) Princess Anne. (Left) The Princess chatting with Commander SJA, Mr Edward Copping, and County Comm, Major Nicholas Warry (Photo: Glos Echo Cty Supt Mrs Caroline Elwes (ri ght) hands HRH a posy of flowers (Right) The Lord Lieutenant Col. t!I M. St. Gibbs, and the Deputy ! Lieut, Mr H E1wes (Photo : Wilts ,# and Glos Standard)

First past the post this year got a II-gallon barrel of beer; their time 11 mins I4 Y2 sec. Women's teams enter the event. Must go to Filey one day to see it.

MEMBERS' RALLY

Cambridgeshrie csa Ian Phipps writes: Well, the wind didn't blow, tea and coffee were served and, hopefully , the lessons learned from the first venture were put into effect.

Our second rally for members and their families with a love of, or curiosity about, camping and caravanning was held in April, again at Landbeach Marina Park ne ar Cambridge. Some 300 people gathered from various parts of England - and New Zealand, from where the parents of one coup le had just arrived - for a holida y! There were new folk as well as those who came to the first rally last year (See Review J a nuar y 1982). The specia l feature was to

BY THE EDITOR

have been a lar ge mobile unit and 'fro nt line' ambulance from the West Midlands sta bles but, sadly, the unit suffered a breakdown on the way. It has been promised for the fut ure The ambulance proved to be of great interest. Saturday night's 'barn dance' included a disco, which exhausted everyone. There was an even more exhausti ng event on Sunday morning -a time d four-person (male, mixed and very fema le) stretcher race, transporting three car wheels over an obstacle course in the adventure playground Speed was essential, comfort irrelevant and disqualification for dropping a wheel. A team from West Mid land s won with the time of 1 minute 8 seconds. Among the also-rans were the organisers, running after everyone else had fin ished just to prove that it cou ld be done ('T he art of leadership is getting others to do what .') It is hoped that the three people with cine cameras will be able to produce a film of the whole rally

From money raised during the weekend, and a special pennant depicting the Ophthalmic Ho s pital , donations are being sent to JerusaJem We were again grateful to the Salvation Army for leading Our Sunday open-air service.

We now have a problem with which we would like help. From the experience of two rallies, we believe there are certain essential features which a rally site must have They are:

1. Space to accommodate around 100 units (caravans and tents);

2. Facilities on site - toilets and wash areas / showers, a shop selling basic provisions;

3. A hall large enough to hold up to 300 people for our exclusive use, with space to dance and a bar (preferably in a side room so that children can sit/dance legally in the main room / hall).

The last feature has proved to be a most important part of the social aspects of the rally for it is there that everyone meets.

Many asked for another rally this year, but two proposed sites didn't meet the requirements outlined above and rather than use an unsatisfactory site we are prepared to wait until early next year for rally No.3.

If you know of a suitable venue please get in touch with either Area Commissioner Philip Player, (130 Ninesprings Way, Hitchin, Herts) or myself (7 Bow Cottages, Station Road, Sutton-in-the-Isle, Ely CB6 2RN, Carnbs). A popular date would be

(Leh) Meet 11-year-old Kathy Hepworth a cadet of West Yorkshire's Horbury Division, enjoying herself at WAYS Week, Wakefield Park, where Horbury, Wakefield and Netherton Divisions were on duty. Restraining Kathy's steed is former cadet Susan Beaumont, 19, who is now an assistant dental nurse. (Photo: DI S A. P Oldroyd)

April 1983 and the earlier arrangements can be settled the better.

Finally, if you think you can't rally with very young children, can't stand the smell of open-air barbecued T-bone steak and sausages, find talking to people (even about things other than St John) boring, and absolu tely hate enjoying yourself - then rallying St John-style is definitely not you.

RESCUE COMP

After running cadet rescue competitions for a number of years, it was the turn of the adults this year in Yorkshire.

Eight mixed adult teams from Coastal Area of North Yorkshire assembled in the grounds of Mulgrave Castle, Lythe, Whitby during May. Four patients had been secreted in and around the area of the sawmill and required rescuing by various means. Only basic first aid was required, as the emphasis was on rescue based on Chapter 15 of the manual.

All team members were provided with protective helmets and wearing wellingtons

(Leh) N Yorks Coastal Area's rescue competition for adults attracted eight mixed teams Here's the winners, from Whitby, preparing for the removal of one of the four casualties hidden around a sawmill. See story RESCUE COMP

(Above) What's this - the Commissioner (Mr R Harris) and the Commander RN suddenly feeling faint when the girls are practising first aid? It happened at Gosport's HMS Sultan when certificates were presented to naval employees after a first aid course given by SJA Hants Sgt W Stoneham (centre), a former RN CPO gunnery instructor . RN Photo)

and old clothes set about their tasks with en th usiasm. E veryo ne fo und the competition very instructive.

The winners were the team from Whitby, seen in action in the picture: DI S John Matcalfe, DNOs Jean Stonehouse and Rodney Clarkson and 0 / 0 William Harland.

HELP A PENNANT

A reader kindly sent me news of a disabled driver's 'HELP' pennant which is to be launched by the Department of Transport.

A disabled driver in distress can display the pennant at right angles to the driver' s window of his stationary car - anyone seeing this should stop and offer assistance . Of course, distress could be medical distress not only mechanical. Watch out for this pennant.

FUND RAISING

I hear that St John in South and We st Yorkshire has a very practical idea which s successfully raising funds. In outline , instead of sending flowers to a funeral people are asked to send a donation to St (Below) Retiring Northants Nursing Supt , Mrs J E Halford , with Thrapston Division's latest Grand Prior Badge winners : (L to R) Cpls Stephanie Ellmer and S mon Loaring Sgts Wendy Cornwell and Mar k Langley and Cadet Leader Jayne Pearson On appointment as Cty Supt in 1!:li8 Mrs Halford s first official function was enrolling cadets at Thrapston, so was her last, on June 22 1982 when she enrolled 16 cadets

John Ambulance of the county (' 00_ thus in time of sorrow helping a cause which does so much for the Jiving.') and the name of the deceased is then inscribed in a Book of Rememberance which is kept permanently on display at the County headquarters. C6Mnhyou

1

Ambulance Course. To study the nature of the threat, problems of survival and recovery operations, government policy in wartime Home Defence, s tatutory re s pon s ibilitie s, relation s hip s and coordination with local government and other agencies

Nominations

HOME DEFENCE COURSES

County Headquarters have been informed of forthcoming va cancie s at the Home Defence College at Easingwold as follows : a. Course 82184 (8-12 Nov 1982)

National HeaJth Service Officers in the Wartime Health Service, To help prepare NHS officers, in the company with other government officers to discharge their respon si bilitie s in the wart i me health service. One vacancy for a Surgeon b. Course 83 1 (3-7 Jan 1983) Genera] Home Defence Course. To fit officers to as sist in the development and execution of Horne Defence. One vacancy for a Staff Officer.

c. Course 8317B (14-18 Feb 1983)

EnvironmentaJ Health Officers (Designate) of Local Wartime Headquarters. To help wartime EHOs (designate) to discharge their responsibilities in Home Defence planning and operations One vacancy for a Surgeon

d Course 83 / 9 (28 Feb-3 Mar 1983)

Joint British Red Cross / St John

DOWN UNDER UP

I hear that Brigade strength in Australia at 31 Dec 1981 totalled 14,267 members, which is, understand, 20070 up on

There are 650 divisions, giving an a verage of 22 members a division. Of t he total, 6,873 are cadets and juniors. What 's the formula?

nights). Entertainment will be included in the cost. Site: 20 acres.

Make a note now for next year, and visit the beauty spot of North Staffordshire.

Further details from: D IS Mrs Mavis Green, 2 Derwent Close, Cheadle, Staffs, or CSO(NC) Mrs Maureen Upton, 51 Blythe Avenue , Meir Heath, Stoke-onTrent. Tel: after 6 pm Blythe Bridge 4049.

SEMINAR

The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation is holding a one-day seminar on Transport Developments and Initiatives in London WB on October 14. Full details from The Conference Office, RADAR, 25 Mortimer St, London WIN BAB.

'THE BISHOP'

Captain Brian Duckworth of the Church Army, who is also an ambulance member, recently made local Brigade history when he assisted the Rev R. J Hockley in a service at Barnby Gate Methodist Church, Newark.

During the service cadets of the Newark Nursing Cadet Division were enrolled by the Southern Area Commissioner Mr R. Haworth, assisted by ASO (NC) Mrs A. Monk.

Brian , popularly known in the Division as 'The Bishop' or 'The Rabbi', read the lesson. The Rev Hockley told the congregation before the enrolment that Brian, who was in Brigade uniform, would be leaving Newark at the end of the month

During his three years in Newark, Brian has been an assistant warden at an old people's comp lex, and it was through this work that he came to the Brigade.

Having obtained his first aid certificate, he joined the Division, and went on to obtain his nursing certificate. In addition to his work as a warden, he worked closely with the probation ser vice

Brian's new duties in the Cranmer group of churches around Aslockton will be more pastoral than those in Newark. He will also be working at the Detention Centre, where he is to act as assistant chaplain.

Newark Ambulance Division is pleased to know that it will not be losing the services of this very popular , hard-working member.

ESSEX SEMINAR

The West Essex Association Centre will be co ndu cting a one-day te aching seminar on Sunday October 3 from lOam to 6pm. Topics for discussion include, motor cycle head injuries, industrial skin condition s, teaching resuscitation and external cardiac compression, the role of the chaplain in major emergencies or disasters, handling bone injuries during first aid, the volunteer and the professional on the scene of an accident.

Sounds a full and fascinating programme. Full details and app li cation forms from Centre Secretary Mrs M Starling, 54 Manor Road, Harlow, Essex, CM17 aBE, phone Harlow 417573.

TAXI TRY OUT

The CR6 taxi - likely replacement for the traditional London taxi - began its fir st operational trials in ordinary working conditions during July.

The prototype taxi will be on trial in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, for more than a year while its performance is monitored by staff of the Transport Operations Re search Group of Newcastl e University.

A major feature of the new taxi is that it ha s been designed with the needs of disabled people very much in mind.

It carries a ramp to h elp wheel-chairbound passengers enter and leave the

IT WAS IN APPLE BLOSSOM TIME

ve hi c le, and the basic Range Rover on which the taxi i based has been adapted in a variety of ways to accommodate passengers in their wheelchairs alongside able-bodied passenger s. The prototype is owned by the Department of Transport, but during the tria ls it will operate as part 0 f the Peterborough taxis fleet, earning its keep in the same way as the rest of the fleet with no s pecial fare scales.

Disabled people have often avoided taxi travel because of the inconvenience, but organisations for disabled people in the Peterborough area are being urged to use the CR6 as much as possible during the trials, so that the re se archer s ca n learn about possible changes which might be needed in the fina l design of production models.

ON COURSE

I h ear there was a specia presentati on at Ascot Racecour se to SJ A' s Mr and Mrs W. H. Perris, of Brackne ll, earlier in the year. Mr Perris, a superintendent of Mid Berkshire Area pool, and field officer in charge at Ascot racecourse, has attended all The Ra tcliff RVP 250 Welfare Lift , fitted to a Surrey ambulance, which has been developed in consultation with hospital s and medical authorities With a 250kg capacity, the lift is simply push - button cont r

race meetings at the course since 1937 Mrs Perris, who was superintendent of Bracknell Nursing Cadet Division until her retirement, ha s attended race meetings at Ascot since 1939 and has been in charge of the jockeys' hospital for the last 10 years.

The clerk of the course at Ascot, Nicholas Beaumont, who is president of SJA Mid Berkshire , invited leading Brigade members to lunch with the Marquess of Abergavenny before the presentation (of a colour TV set) to Mr and Mrs Perris in the winners enclosure after the first race.

I was expecting to re ceive a photograph of the occasion, but alas it did not

materialise Howe ver, best wishes to Mr and Mrs Perris.

WRONG INFO

[ regret to say we were supplied with the wrong names of people in two photographs which appeared in the August Re iew. On page 171, it was not the Lord Mayor of London a nd Lady Lever but the Sheriffs, Alderman Lady Donald son and Mr A. Eskenzi. On page 172, with Sir Maurice D orman and Dor othy Dudman was Rear Admiral Ro yer Dick, a former C-in-C not Sir Rodney Moore.

In H erefords hi re, when 0 / 0 Sandra Ew ins, of Kington Combined

And in Whitby, North Yorkshire, when Theresa Wilson left St Hilda's Church on the arm of SJA 's Kevin Page, 0 0 of Whitby Divi sion to pass through the guard of honour, with just everyone sm iling. Kevin's best man was Whitby Ambulance Cadet Division's nursing officer, Rodney Clarkson. Best wishes Theresa and Kevin

Abo v e left)

That horsedrawn ambulance (for which at first they had no horse) with Supt Hartland seated, and NCOs (staring in t o spa ce)

DUDLEY AMBULANCE DIVISION

90 YEARS AGO this month - on September 141892, to be exact- a meeting was held in a school hall in Dudley, West Midlands, with a view to forming a corps of St John Ambulance Brigade in the town.

During the evening Dr F S. Goulder was appointed honorary surgeon, James Slater as chief superintendent, and 23 foundermembers were enrolled into what was to be known as the Dudley Corps of SJAB.

Following that meeting attention was turned to recruiting more members and acquiring equipment for training in first aid (things haven't changed much, have they?).

A concert and an ambulance display, held on April 24 1893, raised £9 lOs 5d for buying equipment. The Corps was now ruvided into three sub-sections: 1. Dudley Division; 2. Railwaymen; 3. Police Ambulance Section. And a cycle section was formed.

Uniforms were adopted in 1895 and members went to London for three days (enjoying the visit immensely but getting little sleep) in 1897 to line the route of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee procession.

A wheeled litter was bought in 1899 and in 1900 a horsedrawn ambulance (they had been seen on the visit to London) was acquired. But the Division had no horse, so they used the Doctor's when needed. This

problef!1 wa s permanentl y s olved b y pre senting the ambulance to Dudle y Corporation (a du stcan h o r s e wa s then to be borrow ed ) with the pro vis o tha t the Di vis ion could us e t he ve hicle wh e n needed.

Durin g the Boer W ar 10 m emb e rs volunteered for du t y in South A frica , one of them, Private S. H. T. Clark son d yi ng o f fe ver at th e war.

The first men t ion of s tr ee co llec t ion s b y Dudley Div is ion wa s in 1904 a nd in t h e following year the A cc id e nt R e p ort Book was in s titut ed in w hich memb e rs reco rd e d de t ail s of a ll cases att e nd ed.

Du ring the 1914-18 war in which man y Dudle y member s ser ve d o ne Pri va t e J R Harper wa s awarded the Military Medal in 1918.

In 1922 the St John F o o t b a ll C up competition was st ar t ed f or loc al t ea m s within a se ven mil e r a diu s. And i t was in 1924 and ' 25 that regular publi c dutie s ex pand e d r a pidl y into c in e ma s s katin g rink s, e tc

Four members repr ese n t ed t he Divi si o n at the review by t he Prin ce o f Wale s in Hyde P ark in 1931 o ce lebra te the S t ] ohn centenar y ARP lecture s be gan i n 1935 , the Dudley Zoo dut y s tart ed in 193 7 and continu es to thi s d ay.

The Ambulance C ad e t Divi sion w as s tarted in 1941 , th e Nur si ng Ca d e t in 1943 and the now f amiliar ca det b a nd in 1953

In 1956 twenty-two member s a ttended the Royal Review at Wind sor and in 1957 there wa s a full turn out of the Divi sion for the Queen' s visit to Dudley.

In 1964 the Mayor of Dudley opened the new headquar ers in Vicar Street for the u se of all Division s in the Dudley A r ea which wa s built with money left for th e purpo se by a founder - member of Dudley Nur s ing Division, Edith Ollis. The Di v ision 's fir s t motor ambulan ce wa s bought in 1977, a garage buil t in 1979 , a nd two more n e w vehicles in 1980.

And so we come to nearly a hundred years of continuous service to a c ommunity by a group of people from the community A group of people activated by the ideals of St John. Well done, SJA Dudley!

This material was s upplied by Mr P earso n wh o is preparin g a his tory oj th e Divisio n

( Right) 1926 : Ch arl es O llis now Co r ps Sup erinte nd en

IN A PREVIOUS article I suggested that first aid practice consisted of two main operations. (See Fig. 1).

The training input consists partly of information communicated by the inst ructor, upon which the first aider can make an intelligent decision. This information will include signs, symptoms, typical histories and recommended procedures. Experience greatly reinforces this part of training but it is highly likely that most first aiders will have to cope with serious emergencies with only his training to go on. Retaining all of the necessary information is therefore of fundamental importance to the would-be first aider , and of course achieving this is a basic problem in instructing. While success in this depends partly on the motivation and ability of the trainee, the working philosophy of the instructor must be that success or failure is entirely his responsibility. Giving the class a suitable written test at the end of a course is a permanent record of the effectiveness of the information part of the instruction and in Abingdon Division, we always give such a test. As I said in my earlier article, no feedback, no progress. The test consists of 15 questions which only need very short answers and saves the examining doctor much of the donkey work of the exam , enabling him to concentrate on the weaknesses in each trainee's answers and to frame aural questions pertinent to the trainee's occupation.

Conveying information to the trainee can be boring or it can be interesting and stimulating, depending largely on how it is presented. To memorize an item of

Charts and Diagrams

FOR EFFECTIVELY CONVEYING INFORMATION

G. J. RICHARDS, BA, tells us how to use them

information, the trainee's brain has to receive it through sense organs, mainly his eyes and ears. Hence the importance of audio visual aids. Then his brain has to process or digest the information by sorting, classifying and filing it in his memory. This is, of course, done subconsciously, without us knowing what is happening We soon know, however, when it is not working, as when we have to grapple with very unfamiliar words and phrases. Try reading an article from the BMA Journal. If the information is difficult to process, it is hard work or even impossible for the trainee and he may soon give up if he is not academic, or is busy, tired or not highly motivated Trainees, then, become bored when there is hard work to process in their minds. The instructor's task is to present the information so that the trainee easily assimilates or processes it. One important way in which information can be effectively presented is by way of a chart or diagram

They are also extremely useful in planning and decision making, and I will also refer to that. Some charts will be very familiar and I apologise if I appear to be teaching my grandmother to s uck eggs, but they are too important to leave out.

Proportions and percentage s are easily illustrated by the 'pie' chart, the most familiar of which shows the percentage of gases in inspired and expired air. (See Fig. 2).

Many people are easily put off b y bare figures, but the pie ch art is under stood by nearly everyone. Why not present your Division' s accounts at the next AGM in this way?

The family tree is not only used to show our (and the dog's) pedigree but can present a complex and wide ranging subject such as the causes of asphyxia. (See Fig. 3)

The presentation is best done so that the class member can consider one item at a time, with the chart being chalked up item b y item on the board. This is the cheapest

and st ill one of the best aids. If the Division is keen enough to have an overhead projector as we have in Abingdon, the items can be uncovered one at a time.

A slightl y more technical i llu stration, much clearer than the bare figures, is the graph. Most young people are familiar with them in sp ite of what ha s been said about contemporary educat ion (See Fig. 4).

This shows the c han ges that occur during the latter stages of brain compression. It is probably not s uitable for initial first aid courses, unles s you need to blind a difficult class with science, such as a group of teachers. It is, however, useful to make several important points to advanced first aid classes. Various colours can be used, of course.

We often have to communicate the details of a process or procedure, and much more in te resting than the written list is the proces s chart. (See Fig. 5).

Part way decisions

Some procedures require de cisions to be made part way through them and the previous cliagram cannot show this because it cannot branch into two or more courses.

A diagram which can show decisions to be made and choices of action is the algorithm, used universally by computer programmers. (See Fig. 6).

Algorithms instruct on the decisions that have to be made and the criteria by which they are made, and quite complex instructions can be broken down into a series of simple yes no decisions.

Diagrams and charts are not restricted to instructional purposes, they are widely used for planning, for instance Planning straight forward projects, such as yearly training programmes are aided by the const ru ction of a Gantt chart. My chart for Abingdon Division at the beginning of the

year is shown (Fig. 7).

For the cost of four sheets of graph paper, a detailed plan of the Division's annual training can be constructed which shows clearly at a glance the proportion of time spent on each main subject, specia l events to be catered for, and thus avoiding double bookings - surel y the biggest mistake any planner can make. An att ra ctive ly drawn up chart in numerous co lours is guaranteed to impress any inspecting officer.

Gantt c harts are not capable of depicting several related, simultaneous events, but network charts can These show an event as a straight line, its beginning and end as circles, the line and the circles numbered (See Fig. 8). This sh ows even t 10 to 20 and the time it takes, 8. Here is a simple network for a project (Fig. 9).

The very act of drawing it imposes a discipline to logic and to think hard, at least I had to No proj ect too co mplex to be

10 D E.ClS IONS .1 1000 1-1,,-'"> 61::£.'" DON/"..,.£D '/ 0 'u£.

Fig. 8

planned b y this method, and one can even do the necessary calculations to identify events which are likely to hold up the completion time, the critical path But that is outside the scope of this article.

Finally, charts can be used to aid and illustrate decision making, something not often done methoclically. The decision tree can show all of the options and their likely outcomes, thus making a rational decision more likely (See Fig. 10).

As in most skilled professions, success in instructing and planning lies in the preparation, which is unseen by the audience. It is the preparation that the amateur skimps. Whether it is painting the front door, growing tomatoes or gjving a lecture

Recommended reading: 'Flowcharts, logjcal trees and algorithms for rules and regulations' H M.S.O.

The Nursing Officer discusses Comparison of Clinical Features

DIABETES MELLITUS

DEFINITION: A di sorder in which (iss ues fail (0 use glucose, s o that there is increased s ugar in the blood hyperglycaemia) and sugar excreted in the urine (glycosuria)

Causes: I. Usually unkn ow n (idiopathic), The patient may be obese; there may be a family history of diabete s. In young patients the body may be fighting itself. 2. I may be due to (i) Oth e di seases, or (i i) Drug s, eg, s ter oids.

C linical features: 1 W e ight lo ss an d weakness due to inability to use glucose 2. Incr eased urin e produc ion, due to glucose allracting water and removing it rom the body 3 Thirst re s ulting from No .2. Complications: Co m as. Hyperglyc ae mia (sugar coma or diabetic ketosis) Hypoglycaemia (in s ulin coma). Hyperglycaemia: This is due (0 a high blood s u gar leve , ca used by :

BODY: Hyperglycaemia

COMA: Gradual onset of weakness and drowsiness over

BREATHING PULSE:

SKIN: OTHERS: Treatment several days

Deep breathing (ai r hunger) with mell of acetone on breath Face nushed.

Limbs may tremble, patient may complain of headaches and abdominal pains may vomit.

Fig

THE

EX-JOHNNIES?

from Mrs Dorothy M. Edwards, Deputy County Commissioner

In the July Review Miss Sheila Puck Ie raised the question of an exmembers association. This year we got such a group very successfully off the ground in Humberside.

For a long time we had missed some of the 'o ld familiar faces', and we thought they might just have missed us too. The first step was to find out if they were in te rested, so I sent out an exploratory letter to find out if interest existed in the formation of such a club. 80070 replied to the letter, 60% in the affirmative. So we caped. an inaugural meeting, which was well supported, and heard theIr VIews on the type of meetings they would want and how often.

The upshot is that we now have a monthly meeting each attended by about 25 ex-members. More are on our register, and not always the same 25 or so come along, 8 0 I should say there are currently about 50 names on record - with many more to be added.

At the first meeting we had an ex-County Commissioner, Mr Cyril Jackson, who is tailor-made to be chairman. In support a committee of two was appointed - an Area Staff Officer, who had just retired, and another ASO who would be retiring in September. The meetings are going exceptionally well and are entirely self-supporting. The programme includes films, visits, and keeping up with St John today, for all our ex-members are keen to know what we are doing now, as well as mulling over the past. Membership covers all ranks and at the last meeting over 500 years of total service was represented. Current County and Area Staff pop in to meet everyone and enjoy a cup of coffee, and a good time is had b y all.

I would like to stress two points:

1. When I was trying to get this idea off the ground, I contacted only those ex-members who had left St Jom: at retirement .age or earlier for medical reasons. It would not, I belIeve, be a good ldea to include those who had worn the uniform for only a short time and left through disenchantment. I felt such folk do not qualify for membership.

2. This ex-members club has a great role to play in St John. Most of us have seen sad faces when the time comes to step out of uniform permanently. The club helps to bridge that gap - with familiar faces and conversation. Also, for those with retirement just around the corner, our club means the future is not so bleak.

What's in a name? Our little band would have loved to be called 'The Old Johnnies', but they felt national HQ would not relish that. But 'The ex -Johnnies' would surely be acceptable?

Already they are helping us with flag days and other fund raising events And the welfare side is not forgotten, for our County Welfare Officer is an ad hoc member of the committee.

Kingston-upon-Hull

from Miss Monica E White, ex·County Staff Officer

Dorothy M. Edwards

I was extremely interested in Miss Puckle's letter 'For Retired Members' and would support her idea whole heartedly. Only recently, after attending funerals of two dear St John friends.' it seemed to emphasise the sad fact that this was so often the only tlme when ex-St John folk met again after retirement, and a funeral is hardly the time to celebrate. I did later suggest at a meeting that more needed to be done to keep members together and I know that this would be of interest to many. In Bucks we do have a tea party once a year for retired members, but this is not enough.

I think it would be a pity to keep any group to the officiall y retired (65 years and over). There must be many who have given years of service to the Brigade and have, for various reasons, had to finish before the official age. No doubt many would welcome the chance to meet old friends and catch up on news. For a caring organisation we do sometimes seem to be very 'care less' of our own who have given so much to St John over the years.

It may not be ess entia l to have a central organisation, as Miss Puckle suggests, but I feel that it could be very helpful if some administrative guide-lines could be set out from London. These would possibly encourage the less sure to think about starting a group. In the long term one might envisage county and even regional 'get-togethers'. We have all made friends over the years with members in other counties.

The name 'Fellowship' seems quite appropriate. I am a member of myoId school 'Guild', and my ex-employer's '25 Year Club', but the term 'Fellowship' I think has a pleasant, warm and friendly tone.

Marlow Monica E. White

of a fellowship fo r retired members is an excellent idea, including the format suggested by Miss Puckle. How about St John Brigadi e rs for a name?

Southampton

FIRST AID AT WORK

from North of England

Ref HSE First Aid at Work Regulations 1981, para 42, First Aid Instructors. When the Commissioner-in-Chief gave us some guidance notes on the new regulations in April's R,eview" unde.r paragraph headed 'First Aid and Occupational F ir st AId Trammg should be given by' he only mentioned 42(c). May I quote 42(a)'Medical practitioners and nurses with knowledge and experience of First Aid in the work place.'

Could the Director please state whether an Occupational Health Nurse with 12 years experience (and a member / officer of St John for 30 yea rs) comes under 42(a) or has to attend a St John familiarisation course before giving l ectures based on t he new First Aid at Work Training Package. The HSE states that I can give lectures to our own work force without furthe r training.

I ' d be obliged i f you can clarify this point as our Centre Secretary has been told that only nurses with RNT certificate are excused the fu ll familiarisation course and they have to attend a V2-day course I'd be happy to attend such a course, but do not want to pay £10 for it if it's not necessary!

No rth of England

Headquarters replies: The Secretary-Association, who is responsible fo r advising on the interpretation of the above regulations, states that where courses are conducted in the name of St John Ambulance all nurses need to understand the principles and system of our unique Training Package before instructing on suc h courses. I f such a nurse holds the RNT qualification, then he or she is excused the full twoday familiarisation course and, subject to the endorsement of the County Director, can attend the half-day course, as the writer suggests She is also correct in suggesting that she can give lectures to her own workforce without further training, but not in the name of St John Ambulance.

I take this opportunity to say that our new Training Package Course is the first ever of its kind in First Aid at Work and offers St John Ambulance a marvellous opportunity both to improve our standards of training and, which is perhaps even more important, to achieve a measure of sta ndardisation so that no matter whether a student is trained in the far North or extreme South West of the country we can be assured that there will be a recognizable hallmark of our training throughout.

COMPETITIONS

from David Hallard, Competitions Manager

The article Problems in Preparing First Aid Competition (August Review) carried a lot of sound advice for those inexperienced in staging local events of an 'open' nature, in which the treatment of simulated casualties is not required to accord with the current First Aid Manual. It also highlights the reasons why it is difficult for competitions to enter the international field of events.

In this country, of course, all important competitions are organised under the g u idelines of approved rules for the conduct of

national competitions, which are obtainable from t h e SupP.li.es Dept, and are also incorporated in our manual 'First Aid Compet itIOn s and Casualty Make-up', which gives advice to organisers, ju.dges, casualties, bystanders and competitors in avoiding the many pitfalls wh ic h can be e ncountered in this important fie ld of tr a inin g Headquarters David Hallard

GIVING CADETS THEIR DUE

from Watkin W Williams

The letters quoted in 'Cadet C hat' from Garry. Saynor (Ju n e) from P. Drew and lain Armstrong (August) raise some mterestlng and importan t points; and although none of them are new, it's very encouraging that they sho uld continue to be raised by our younger members, though I am sadly distressed by lain Armstrong's reaction and I should like to try and give him some comfort and encouragement. With this in view, may I offer the following comments:

1 lain interprets Garry as trying to say 'You can join the adults but let's forget you were ever a cadet'. Now I don t believe that is what Garry is trying to say, but it's tragically obvious it's V:'hat lain is saying very loud and clear about the way he feels he IS received by at lea st some of the adults whom he has recently joined: The tragedy is that such a reaction should be possible; and, beanng 10 mind that I don't know lain personally and that my next remark may be irrelevant to his case, it would still be a tragedy even if he were so bumptious that he drove the adults up the wall by perpetually bragging about the wonderful things he'd done in the cadets! But let me assure you, lain, that your experience, though alas than it s hould be, is still a minority one. And let me remmd ad.ult members who read this that, even if lain's remark about cadets bemg 'the life support machine of the Brigade' is not merely tactless but exaggerated (bearing in mind that the Brigade f10uri s hed for 35 years before cadets were invented), they are still our most valued and useful source of adult recruitment, and any adults who fail to make cadets warmly welcome when they accept promotion to adult status should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

2. Whether the Special Service Shield should be worn on adult uniform has been a subject of d iscussion for several decades. P. Drew hits the nail on t he head when he says that 'a line has to be drawn somewhere between what is permissible on adult uniform and what is the limit'. We don't want to deck ourselves out like Chri tma s tree s, and it' s al lea s t arguable that ea c h additional badge that is sanctioned for wear on adult uniform tends to devalue each and every one of the badges already sanctioned The Grand Prior's Badge, being the climax of the cadet training scheme, has held the unique position of being the only cadet badge which may continue to be worn throughout the whole of the ex-cadet s adult membership, since it has been felt that if any other badge of lesser importance were similarly 'carried forward it would detract from the importance of the Grand Prior's Badge. But of course a case can be made for weari n g the Special Service Shield, and it's a case that has been successfully established in the Priory for Wales which has its own regulations on such matters. Those who feel strongly that we should follow the Welsh example should not give up hope or imagine that the dice are unfairly loaded against them; but I honestly believe that at pre sent they are in a minority.

3 Of course cadet first aid training is not a fairy-tale. Nor do the members of the ge neral public attending an adult first aid course necessarily have no previous knowledge of the subject. I hope I may be allowed to say without unkindness that those are two foolish and unfair statements which I trust that lain will regret having made when his indignation has somewhat coo led. There is a very wide range of development in the capacity for knowledge, understanding and practical ability of cadets between the years of 11 and ]8, and this is ref1ected in their progress as first aiders throughout these years. But standards do a las vary pretty widely, and I'm afraid I have met a number of cadets who definitely need to take a full adult co ur se (which also ha s a wider ran ge of the cadet. one) befor e qualif ying for adult membership. And If I may stnke a per so nal not e, I took my first adult FA course in 1926, and I've been taking a re-ex am (often preceded by attending a full course) pretty frequently ever si nce, and I can hone tly say that I don't think I h ave ever attended a course w ithout learning something new and worthwhile which may have helped to make me a better first aider.

4. If, as 1 gather, lain Armstrong is a Divisional Officer, he

Lonsdale Area, Lanes

ON SUNDAY, June 27, a parade of more than 100 cadets fr?m the Area was organised to celebrate the Cadet Diamond Jubilee and to coincide with the Sunday nearest to St John's Day. The parade marched off from the HQ led by the band of Blackpool Combined Cadet DlVlSlOn and the standards of Poulton, Blackpool and Fleetwood Divisions were carried. At St Chads Church the parade was met by the County Chaplain, Rev. P. Goodson, the Deputy Mayor of Council, Cllr Tom Dickens, the Area Commissioner, Lt-Col Adnan Roy!e , Area Pre sident Mrs Irene Haigh, County Cadet Officer (NC) MISS Connie Banks, Area Supt (N) Mrs Mary Newton, ASO Mrs Edna Dempster, and Area Nursing officer Mrs Margar.et Holmes. During the f irst hymn the three colour parties moved very splendidly down the middle aisle to the chancel, where the chaplain received them and placed the Poulton flag upon attar. The sermon given by the Chaplaill referred to St John m great detail, and the questions were answered very quickly by the cadets who were enthralled by the chaplain's words. On of the Service the colour parties moved up to the chancel to receive the Cadet Flags, and the parade formed up again outside the Church to march back to Poulton passing a ba se where the salute was taken by the Area CommlSSlOner. Refreshments were provided at the HQ by the Poulton Cadet Division on comple t ion of the parade And didn't the cadets tuck in and enjoy the goodies. 1. H.

During British Telecomm s walk from Preston to Weedon to raise @> money for the South ,. .., Atlantic Appeal Fund N M V Newton, A I M J Pape and N / Cadet J Taylor (Photo B / Comm )

from Mrs J Ford, Divisional Superintendent

The formation

J. Ford

anyway doesn't qualify for service chevrons, because they're not by Officers or NCOs. But he will some day qualify for the ServIce Medal of the Order, and his question about why cadet service counts for less than adult service towards the Service Medal (and chevrons) needs to be answered. It would be absurd to claim that one year's service by an ll-year-old cadet is of comparable value to the community with that of a cadet who has been a member for 3 or more years; nor is either of comparable value with that of an adult of greater maturity and more rapidly expanding experience. Any attempt to solve the problem by devising some kind of sliding scale of qualification is bound to be rough and ready, but an attempt to each case ?n its individual merits would be even more grossly unfaIr. The ServIce Medal of the Order is an award sanctioned by Royal Authority, and the approved conditions of qualification allow that the first 3 years of efficient cadet service shall count as one year, the 4th and 5th years together as one year, and the 6th and 7th as one year. Thus, a boy or girl becoming a cadet at 11 and maintaining cadet efficiency each year will by the age of 16 have qualified for 2 years towards the Service Medal, and if at 16 accepting promotion to the adults will have the chance to complete qualification for the Medal at the age of 29, while one remaining a cadet from 11 to 18 will be able to complete qualification at 30; by contrast, a person who has never been a cadet and joins an adult division at 17 cannot complete qualification for the medal till the age of 32. Thus, cadets who prove themselves keen and efficient can ·get a three years' flying start over non-cadets in qualifying for the Service Medal. And if I am right in believing that we are still the only voluntary organisation to whose junior (ie pre-adult) members a comparable privilege is granted I think you will agree that our cadets really are pretty well treated!

Epping, Essex Watkin W. Williams

RETIREMENT AGE

from Mrs P Manister, Divisional Officer

With reference to W. R. Bateson's letter (July Review), I agree with all five of his suggestions for older members of St John divisions.

It is very demoralising to be made to feel redundant and only fit for the scrap heap. Even if you are over 65, there are any number of duties that can be covered in administration and if your doctor considers you are still fit for active service, then 1 think his opinion should govern your length of service.

I am now having to produce a doctor's certificate every year in order to stay in the Brigade until I am 70, but with 21 years' experience and still being medically fit, I cannot accept that I am because I am over 65. This has long been a sore point WIth me and I would welcome the regulations being updated in view of the fact that people seem to live longer these days. I hope other senior members will write in with their views and suggestions.

Woking P. Manister

S.O.S.

from Miss Joan Barker, County Staff Officer

I have a small silver cup engraved BERNARD AND PHILOMENA MEMORIAL TROPHY. Can anyone enlighten me as to the origin and purpose of the cup please?

Hull

PRIVATE ARMY

from W J Roberts Divisional Superintendent

SJA MUSIC MAKERS

Fanfare trul11peters

MY picture (rather out of focus, I'm afraid) s how s the fanfare trumpeters of the Southwark Co rp s of Drums, under the direction of their bandmaster, Sgt-Major D J. Minney, SBSt, on the steps of Guildford Cathedral on Sunday May 16 , at the Surrey County Review and Service of Red edication which was attended by the C ommissi oner- in-Chief.

Fanfare trumpeters of the Southwark Corps of Drums on the steps of Guildford Cathedral

Joan Barker

In reply to the letter Private Army (July Review), the private army referred to is The Priory for Wales, or Area 8.

The uniform worn by the member is identical to that worn on occasions by our Chief Commissioner, with variation in rank, of course. On the matter of badge and bere t, this is our own badge of Wales and we are all proud of it; also the shoulder flashes read 'St John Wales' - not a county. As for the CB radio, have no comment, but how many lives have already been saved with the assistance of their users?

CaernarJon W. J. Roberts

Editor: We have received many letters on this subject and feel that we now all know that our man was properly dressed. The subject is closed to these columns.

The Falkland conflict reminded me of . . .

AIM M. F. Jackson, PRO of Grays Ambulance Division, writes:

THE following artiGle, which appeared in The Sunday Times of June 27 1982, shows that as so often happens in medical matters, particularly so far as treatment is concerned, the wheel has turned full circle.

As a member of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth of the Brigade, I was called up prior to World War Two and served for the first three years in the 64th General Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, with some 1,400 beds. As we were the first and largest hospital to be reached from the Western Desert, we were continually treating horrific battle casualties

TELEVISION viewers have been curious to note that soldiers burned in the Falklands return with plastic bags on their hands. The bags in fact mark the return of a 19th century treatment using an antiseptic, hypochloride -a relative of household bleach - as a healing, sterilising and pain-relieving agent. This is what the bags contain.

It was used in Custer's Indian campaign and in the First World War on burns and wounds, saving thousands of limbs from gangrene. But during the Second World War it was generally replaced by anti-biotics. The plastic bags used in the Falklands were organised at 24 hours' notice by John Bunyan, a former surgeon in the RNVR and a descendant of the Bunyan of Pilgrim's Progress. Bunyan, who is

212

from all three services. Prior to the proper advent of penicillin and other antibiotics I well remember having to treat numerous patients with 'messy' gunshot and shrapnel wounds, hideous bu rns, complicated compound fractures of limbs and torn muscular tissue where there was excessive suppuration - and , believe it or not, we were using Eusol (Edinburgh University Solution of Lime) in large quantities for daily dressings which I believe is sodium hypochloride! The results achieved in cleaning up such terrible injuries were Ii ttle short of amazing even then, and thus we see this good oldfashioned remedy coming into fashion again after all these years.

SECRET OF THOSE BURNS

now consultant to the Shriners Burns Hospital in Galveston, Texas, pioneered non-friction bags rather than bandages for the dressing of bums

Resistam:e to returning to antiseptics continued up to a couple of years ago when it was discovered that one of the materials in the phagocytes - the white blood cells which fight infection - is hypochloride.

Yet today only half a dozen English hospitals use it and specialist burns units such as East Grinstead continue to resist it.

Bunyan has had to go abroad for recognition until the recent hostilities. Curiously, another latter-day pioneer of hypochloride treatment is Professor Carlos Cindono in Buenos Aires. Its cheapness and ready availability makes

it part ic ularl y suita ble in the Third World.

The hypochlorid e used professionally is slightly different from domestic versions. But hou se hold bleach is sufficiently similar to be very effective on burns.

For adults Bun ya n recommend s neat bleach which shou ld be washed off after 10 minutes following which there will be no pain and healing will follow. For children it should be diluted one teaspoonful to a pint before application.

It clean s wounds, reduces swelling s and stems bleeding, he says - 'It ha s proved nothing s hort of miraculous on burned children in Galveston.'

Glenys Roberts © Time Newspapers Ltd

The trumpeters so unded the fanfares to herald the start and finish of the service, while on parade outside the Cathedral for the inspection was the Surrey St John Drum and Trumpet Band, under its bandmaster David Tyler.

Guernsey

The regional competltJOns held at Lewes recently gave the Band Federation's southern area representative Roly Gillam a c han ce to meet the young bandmaster from Guernsey, Shaun Stacey This band is now on the road, having completed its first parade. We await further information about it from their PRO.

North and South

St John's Day parade to St Paul's Cathedral during June saw the combining

of the North and South to provide the music, with t he parade being led by the South with the Sussex Knights from Southwick, and the band from the North being BFR Corps of Drums from South Yorkshire.

We hear rumours of a sp lit of the BFR Corps of Drums following the completion of that parade The cause, it seems, is travelling arrangements for practice, etc, as membership is spread over three towns, some 13 miles apart, which makes travelling and inconvenient. We look forward to hearing about any developments.

...-----------------A SHORT HISTORY OF

FROM the earliest times rubbing parts of the body has been used for curative purposes. It is known to have been employed by the Chinese as far back as 3000BC. It was probably from them that the Japanese learned the art, which is sti ll much used by both. Greeks, Romans, Turks, Egyptians, Hindus, and Persians have always practised some form of massage

Well known names along all the centuries are connected with it. Herodicus, 500BC, the founder of Medical Gymnastics, compelled his patients to have their bodies rubbed. Hippocrates, 460BC, said the physicians sho uld be experienced in rubbing, 'for things that have the same name have not always the same effect. For rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that is too rigid'. 'R ubbing can make flesh, and cause parts to waste.'

Ascelpiades, a Greek physician, I28BC used rubbing combined with active movements. Julius Caesar, 55BC, had himself pinched all over every da y as a means of getting rid of neuralgia.

Celsus, a Roman physician at the beginning of the C hristian era, advised that friction should be u sed several times a day in the sun, and found that 'chronic pains in the head are relieved by rubbing the head itself', and that 'a paralyzed limb is strengt hen ed by being ru bbed.'

Galen, AD 130, physician to the School of Gladiators at Pergamos, as a preparation for the exercises ordered the bodies of the com batants to be rubbed ti ll they were red and then anointed.

Ambrose Pare, AD 1575, described 'ge nt/e , medium, and vigorous friction,' and the effect of each, and recom-

Massage

mended that in dislocations, joints should be moved about 'this way and that way' in order to resolve the effused fluids so as to facilitate reduction.

Hoffmann, physician to the King of Prussia about 1700, recommended rubbing and exercises.

Over two hundred years ago the French used massage extensively. Then it is heard of among the Scandinavians and Germans, by whom it was scientifically worked out.

Mr Grosvenor, a surgeon at Oxford, in the ear ly part of 1800, became famous by his success in curing stiff joints by friction. About the same time or later Mr Balfour , of Edinburgh, treated rheumatism, gout, sprains, etc, by rubbing, percussion, and compression.

In 1813 the Ro yal Central Institute was established at Stockholm, and Peter Henry Ling introduced his system of movements. He was not the originator of the Swedish movements, but he systematized them. They were divided by him into passive, active, and resistive movements. Active movements are those made by the patient's own effort. Resistive movements are performed by the patient while the operator resists, or part of the patient's body is moved by the operator while resistance is given by the patient. Passive movements act chiefly on t he joints and blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerves connected with them.

Active and resistive movements act on the in a greater degree, the will

the day was made for the Sussex Knights at the conclusion of their display in Paternoster Square by an invitation to represent Brigade bands

Wilnecote

We note in a letter from Wilnecote Di vision (Staffs) to Brigade HQ (a copy was passed to the Federation PRO for information) that the band is progres sing well and obtaining plenty of engagements. They, as with St Audries and Southwick , are busy with rehearsals for the Ro y al Albert Hall.

of t he patient being brought to bear on the movement. They all cause increase of arterial and v enous circulation, and accelerate the lymph flow. It remained for Dr Mezger, of Amsterdam, to revive massage and put it on a scientific basis. He practised it in 1860, and some years later was brought into prominence b y his cure of the then Da nish Crown Prince , who had suffered from a chronic joint affection.

Profe ssors Von Mosengeil, Berghman and Helleday, pupils of Dr Mezger, made many experiments, and f rom this time (1860 to 1874) massage became a recognized treatment everywhere.

In 1877 Dr Weir Mitchell, an American neurologist, had proved its usefulness as an auxiliar y in his treatment o f neurasthenia, and was instr umental in introducing it into his country. Since then it has been taken up by the leading physicians and surgeons in all countries.

Many other names might be mentioned; the above are sufficient to show how massage has been handed down from the earliest times, and is not, as one still often hears, a new treatment '. Massage is not a cure for every ill, but it has proved to be a good remedy in cases in which it is indicated, and the y are neither few nor far between. It is now more used and on a better footing as a remedial agent than it has ever been. Incidentally, the 'service' advertised in pornographic magazines is not massage To do massage properly and to be able to follow intelligently the directions of the medical man, some knowlec1ae of anatomy is essential.

James Stewart, Sgt

Continuing with the St John Day parade,

at the Royal Tournament at Earls Court in 1983.

NEWS frol11 SCOTLAND

THE ANNUAL SERVICE in the ancient Preceptory of Torphichen, the oldest surviving property of the Order in Scotland, was held on Sunday June 27. Members of Chapter processed in their robes, with the Cross, Sword and Banner. The service was conducted and the sermon preached by the Rev. Tom Crichton, OStJ, Minister of Torphichen; the lessons were read by the Chancellor and Mr William Hendrie, Secretary of the Torphichen Committee of the Order. Music was provided and an anthem sung by pupils from George Watson's College, Edinburgh. After the service two cheques were presented, each of £500, representing funds raised for the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem, and for the Pinewood School Swimming Pool Fund. (Pinewood School serves mentally handicapped children in West Lothian).

The Order Committee and its Association in Highland Region raised over £700

WALES

I AM climbing up a rock face alongside a cadet whose feet and hands have become glued to the rock. We have a little chat and find her a few more footholds and climb out of the shade, off the rope into the sun. We sit there chatting as another climber clips onto the rope to start her ascent. This is the last morning of our three day course at the Abercrave Centre.

I was lucky to get Robin Partin, of A.T.C.·and the Abercrave Centre, to give a few talks to our Division in October 1981. At Christmas time we thought of a course; since then it has been all go and 75 people - Cadets, A.T.C. and Seniors are here at Abercrave.

On Friday Eric Bartlett talked to us on Mountain Rescue - he is the Area Coordinator - and when he said cold wind I knew what he meant after being on Llyn- YFan, with a hill walking party. The free and easy that followed showed what energy these cadets have.

Saturday a bright day - hill walking above Graig-Y-Nos I am learning to read a map and- compass. Vernon Watkins, 214

at a most successful wine and cheese party in Inverness on May 19 when two films about the work of the Order were shown

The Chancellor addressed the meeting. Fife St John Association supported by the 'Inner Wheel' and the 'Friends of Glenrothes Hospital' held a garden fete in the grounds of the hospital on Saturday May 29, as a result of which £4,750 was raised for the benefit of the patients and other local charities. The fete was opened by Russell Hunter, popular Scottish actor and TV star.

Scottish History Society

The Scottish History Society is planning to issue in the autumn of 1983 'The Knights of S t John', edited by the Reverend Dr P. H. R. Mackay, Dr Ian B. Cowan, and Dr Andrew Macquharrie, a book of some 250 pages. The volume, as well a s reproducing the Torphichen Rental, which gives details

of the Order of St John's former land holdings, contains an extensive introduction which gives an authoritative and definitive history of the Order in Scotland The Librarian of the Priory of Scotland has made an arrangement whereby members of the Order or of St John A ssociations can obtain copies by post by applying, with a cheque for £8 per copy, not later than December 31 1982, to Ian B. Cowan, E sq , PhD, Honorary Treasurer, The Scottish History Society, The Department of Scottish History, The U niversi ty of Glasgow, 9 Univer s ity Gardens G 12 8WH

OVERSEAS

Australia

The St John Ambulance in Australia will celebrate its centenary in ] 983.

The annual meetings of the Priory will be held in Melbourne, Victoria from 22-26 June, ] 983.

A special programme of social events is being planned to include a Centenary Banquet.

The Australian Championships will be held on Saturday, 25 June, ] 983

The Annual Service of the Order will be held on Sunday, 26 June, 1983.

The first St John Ambulance Brigade Australian Conference, which is open to all, will be held 27-28 June, 1983.

For further details, write: The Secretary, St John Council for Victoria, 285 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne. 3000, Victoria, Australia.

by Roy Jackson and Bruce Coltman of the Northumbria Police Centre

(Above) At a service to celebra t e 50 years of St John work in Brecon , Powys Brecon Divison s Supt Mrs B. Roberts is presented with the jubilee certificate by County Commissioner C. V Dav es. Later (right) Mrs Roberts and the youngest Junior Jennie Green cut the division's birthday cake at the reception, at which Chief Training Officer Peter Harries announced that Brecon cadets had been awarded the Lord Aberdare Shield (for gaining the most Special Service Shie ds in Wales during 1981)

Aberdulais Division, is a good teacher. He can teach an old dog new tricks. I don't think I can fit in canoeing this time as I must save my energy for the disco tonight. Dinner cooked and served by Mrs. Gilliam Davidson, Superintendent Port Talbot Division and her band of helpers.

My wife is among them. Haven't seen her since I got here, or my two daughters who are Cadets. I did hear Helen was thrown in the lake for being too clean! It's time to get off the rock now as the ambulance has come to take us caving. Jack Evans, Assistant Commissioner, and also Mrs. Evans, Assistant Commissioner for Afan, are aboard. Jack is dressed to get the cows in, and looks happy, like everyone else up here. They want another course, but I'll have to see if I survive the mud bats at Porth- YrOgor. I have got the secret formula, which is only known to Abercrave instructors, so we could be back in September.

A. H. Morris

ST JOHN ROYAL BALL NATIONAL RAFFLE

(proceeds from all ticket sales will be kept by the counties responsible for their sa/e)

This raffle has been set up for the St John Royal Ball in aid of the St John Ambulance cadets to be held at the Hotel InterContinental, London on 8th December 1982 The Ball will be attended by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester. ALL MONEY RAISED FROM THE RAFFLE CAN BE KEPT BY THE COUNTIES RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING THE TICKETS All tickets are 50p each and there are ten tickets in every book All counterfoils must be returned to The Order of St John , 1 Grosvenor Crescent, not later than 1st December 1982 and the draw will take place on 8th December at the Ball.

TO APPLY FOR TICKETS PLEASE FILL IN THE APPLICATION FORM and return it to:

The Order of St John, the Public Affairs Department, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X 7EF.

SEeo ND PRIZE: THIRD PRIZE: A San Francisco Holiday One week's holiday for two plus air tickets , in the top class Inter Continental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco. A set of custom made golf club s. AND MANY, MANY MORE PRIZES

I Please send me books of raffle ticket I NAME I ADDRESS I I I I

(Left) The procession leaving after the service in the Preceptory of Torphichen (Right) The Rev. Tom Crichton presenting a cheque to the Hospitaller, Mr D. I. Liddell Grainger KStJ

(Right) Actor Russell Hunter opening the garden fete at Glenrothes. (Leh) Mrs Janet Halkerston, chairman of Fife St John Association

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

QUESTIONS (on

and ANSWERS: 17

- upper abdomen.

True.

False - stretched.

True. 19. False - pink faced and quiet. 20. True.

21. False - 20C, 68F. 22. True.

23. False - at night.

24. True.

25. False - rapid.

before a short operation (5). 13. Organisation providing hom e entertainment in central part of Britain (3). 14. Note for a smal l amount of medicine (5) 16. Radiograph showing s tate of soft tissues of a joint (10). 19. Fastener for breeding hor ses (4). 21. Excursion for a drug addict (4). 22. Often an early indication tha t the patient has diabetes mellitus (10). 26. May conceal facial pallor (5) 27.

Lettuce from Aegean island in 22 Across (3).28. Opted wrongly for a storehouse (5) 30 Deficiency of mu scle tension (9). 31. Grin abou t a ring in area between abdomen and thigh (5). 32. Return lad [0 Women's Institute for test for typhoid fever (5). 33. Membrane lining medullary cavity of bones (9). Down

1. Mad stranger becomes the leader of the Knights of Malta (5.6).2. Therapy using X-rays, radium, or active isotopes (5). 3. Hung er caused by severe blood loss or acidosis (3). 4. Thrush at the extreme left of politics? (7) 5. Carcinoma scar and a laxative medicine (7).6. Women's parts of Muselim dwellings (6).7. Torus pain is in muscle turning the palm upwards (9) 8. Not a particular one (3). 12 Opening of a sweat gland (4) . 15. Space between t he pleurae of the two lung s (11). 17. Valve in the right side of the heart (9). 18. Narrow beam of light for a large fish (3).20 Second-hand (4). 23. Permit for disregard of propriety (7). 24. Easily-digested sweet produced from copper and broken darts (7). 25. Weird lament concerned with the mind or the chin (6) 29. Explore a wound with a blunt-ended instrument (5). 30 Old enclosure for a berry (3). 31. Anaesthetist's term for nitrous oxide (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 8(82)

Across: 1. Mitral valve; 7. A.lb; 9. leave; 10. Sens.it.is.e; 11. Neat; 12. Scot; 13, Talus. 15. Exudate; 16. Stab; 20. Beat; 22. Student; 25. Erect; 27. Arch; 28. Wean; 30. Pes Planus; 31. Ra.mus; 32. Sin; 33. Peristalsis.

Down: 1. Malinger; 2. Thalamus; 3. Apex; 4. Vesicle; 5. Linctus; 6. Exist; 7. A.xi.Ua; 8. Breast; 14 Race; 17; Alum; 18. Tenesmus ; 19. Stenosis; 21. Trainer; 22. Sycosis; 23. Herpes; 24. Reason ; 26. Tulip; 29. Urea.

1983 DIARIES - 19V2p

THE OXFORD VACSPLINT

Advantages of the Vacsplint

• lightweight, re-u£able, washable

• waterproof - blood and urine proof

• conforms to patient and maintains desired position

• does not restrict circulation

• does not chang@shapewhen evacuated

• can go over dressings, compression bandages or clothes

• does not cause undue pressure on the limb, so does not need to be let down periodi cally

• easily removed to adjust dress i ngs

• vacuum may be released in orderto change pos t i on if desired , and then evacuated to ma i ntain the revised position.

• does not need to be bandaged on

• adjustable Velcro str aps or improvised ties are sufficient

for use in

ACCIDENT DEPARTMENTS

AMBULANCES

HOSPITALS

FIRST AID DEPARTMENTS

EMERGENCY RESCUE SERVICES

SIZES AVAILABLE

OVS 100 - 50 x 30cms For children and fractures of the forearm o OVS130 - 80 x 70cms for occipital and cervical support after trauma

Method of application

1. Lay flat and smooth to even thickness , and partially evacuate by opening valve , applying suction and closing valve

2. Mould the splint whilst in this malleable c ond ition Hold in pos ition, with straps if necessary, and fully evacuate

3. Re -adjust straps or ties

OVS120 - 65 x 50cms For full arm suppor t

OVS140 - 90 x 60cms for leg and trun k support

Developed by THE OXFORD Orthopaedic Engi neeri ng Centre, in conjunction with the R adcl iffe I n f i rm ary and Oxfordshire Are a Health Authori t y Ambulance Service

Ring or write for detaIls:

NEW MOTOR INSURANCE PLAN

AMBULANCES FOR SALE

Reconditioned

ST JOHN REVIEW

Greater Manchester p.231

Nerves, by P S. London p.232

Readers' Views p.235

News from Scotland - Wales p .2 36

Order Investiture, July 8 p.237

Overseas - News from Divisions / Centres p .23 8

The World About Us , by Jack p.240

The Review and You

THE Review is interested in publishing anything and everything directly or indirectly concerned with the activities of St John. When submitting material please remember that the magazine is read throughout the UK - in fact, the world - so don't refer to something or somewhere locally without explaining what or where it is exactly. And if written in longhand, please PRINT all names (people, places, etc.) in capital letters. Think in terms of the reader knowing nothing about your area or your division, or which coun ty you're in.

Please, if possible type your material , with treble spacing between lines (for corrections to be inserted) and wide margins on all sides (for printer's instructions). Black and white glossy photographic prints (8ins by 6ins ideally) are preferred, but we can use colour prints if they are of a very high quality with plenty of light on the subject.

Try to think for yourself whether something would make interesting reading for others. We find that when we publish a story on an unusual subject we immediately get two or three submitted on the same theme - and of course we can't use them unless they are a development on the first story (which the authors never understand!).

If it interests or amuses you, just put it on paper in y our own way, keeping it simple , and send it to us. I bet we ' ll like it.

How glad I was

A letter from a Di visional President:

How glad I was to be encouraged to take the St John Review.

As a SJA supporter and a President of a Nursing Cadet Division, I felt it was my duty to become a regular reader of the monthly magazine of St John. Now , after several years, I find myself looking forward to the next issue, having gained much useful and interesting information from its pages.

It was the first page 'At Random' which really made me decide to purchase the journal. First impressions count a lot. I am truly sorry and disappointed that the August issue has no similar article. Like others , I sadly miss Mr. Watkin Williams' contribution. Let's hope the Review Management Board will find someone of his calibre and experience to delight readers once more in the columns of our journal.

And long live Cadet Olat. I pass on my copies of the Review to the cadets, hoping they will get chatting too!

Newark, Notts

Fmricia F. Hine

Welcome Home!

WELL ORGANISED public duties planned well in advance are usually a pleasure to attend, but they are a trifle predictable. This cannot be said of two duties carried out recently by divisions in the Central Area of Hampshire - the return of the QE2 and the Canberra

At very short notice our Public Duties Officer, Ted Carr, was asked to provide first aid cover for the crowds who would welcome the return of QE2 to Southampton from the South Atlantic, with 800 servicemen and volunteer crew members. We were asked to provide as much cover as possible for this event in the Ocean Terminal of Southampton Docks, and being mid-week many of the 16 members who attended with three of our

Canberra rust streaked is welcomed home (Photo Southern Evening Echo)

Central Area Hants cover return of the QE 2 and Canberra

ambulances had to take unpaid leave from their work.

An estimated 10,000 visitors were there to welcome the QE2 as she docked one hour earlier than scheduled and although this disrupted the organisation and caused emotions to run high, only a small number of casualties required treatment, with one suspected heart attack case taken to hospital.

In all, a very quiet duty and, with hindsigh t possibly overstaffed

Within three weeks, another urgent request was received by Central Area to provide first aid cover for members of the public attending the return of our 45,000-ton 'Great Willte Whale' - Canberra. Th is return was scheduled for a Sunday , when three other major events were being covered Southampton Divisions were committed to covering the three-day Southampton Show and other Divisions were committed to cover the two cycle and motor cycle events. Based on previous experience, it was agreed t o provide one ambulance plus one first aid patrol to cover the estimated 12,500 member s of the public. With five days to go and a little more thought, it was found possible to provide two ambulances, one from Bishops Waltham and the other from Romsey, plus a total of 24 members.

As the Canberra appeared out of the mis t at about 10.30 the noise and excitement, heat, la ck of facilities and sheer emotion caused the casualty rate to increase dramatically, and by 11 am when the ship had docked and passengers started to disembark all medical facilities including our own were totally overwhelmed. Casualties were coming so thick and fast that some members, including our Area Commissioner, Harry Dymond, were dealing with more than one at a time! The sit uation then gradually improved, and by 3 pm all the passengers were clear of the ship but not clear of the

berthing shed . It was 5 pm befor e the duty was officially stood down. Due to the pressure of work, accurate records of the duty were difficult to keep, but it was estimated that over 100 casualties were treated for conditions ranging from heat exhaustion to heart attacks and advanced labour , with seven cases being taken through the crowds to hospital. (Left) After unveiling the plaque the Princess received a Roya l Crown Derby Dish presented by 14 - year-old Nursing Cadet Sandra Morris Right is the SJA County Director Dr V M Leveaux (Right A

After a nine hour duty, which was originally planned for 4 hours, and with a crowd of 50,000 instead of the planned 12 500, our members were exhausted. It was truly a most rewarding public duty and our thanks must go not only to our members but to members of other agencies for their help in making the duty such a success.

If all goes as planned, within the next year we shall have a mobile First Aid Post to use at dutie s such as these, plus an extended radio net.

Da ve Guy, Area PRO

t people were there

On the day, by 8 am some 12,000 people were waiting at the quay side, by 10.30 they had increased to an estimated 32,000. All vantage points in the Western Docks were occupied by visitors from all parts of the country, to meet the 2,500 troops and the volunteer crew

Soon after arriving, the Duty Officer, Div Supt. John Parsons, realised we would be overstretched so arranged for assistance from the Army and Navy 'medics', and the British Transport Docks Board medical staff. Our members were divided into two groups, one at each end of the berthing shed, from where roving patrols were sent out.

Princess Anne opens training centre

PRINCESS Anne flew into Derby on July 26 to nam e the new £175,000 St John Ambulance Princess Anne Training Centre.

As Commandant -in -Chief Ambulance and Nursing Cadets, there was for HRH a rousing march past of 240 cadets to mark the 60th anniversary of the cadet movement, led by Dronfield Ambulance Cadet Band , and the Central Mounted Division, with both horse and pony riders, at the rear.

After unveiling a plaque at the centre, which opened in September, the Princess

me t member s of the fund-raising committee which has produced £110,000 towards the project. Going through the centre, HRH was greeted by the children's steel band of the West Indian community whose centre is nearby. The Princess then walked throug h the open market set up by the St John presidents and paused to talk to almost all the stall holders.

Cheerful and chatting, patient and unhurried , Princess Anne had a smile for all in Derby during her visit.

(Left) 4.30 John Parsons cools off by

Waltham s ambulance (Right)

30: A lull after the storm

bouquet for the Princess in front of Area Commissioner Peter Greaves and other members

The Ophthalmic Hospital's Centenary Celebrations

AS

agent.

Those who are

arranged by

The Lord Coggan, the Prelate of the Order and former Primate of All England. A buffet lunch will be held in the grounds of the hospital after the service.

in

We

NEW AUDIO· VISUAL PROGRAMME

READERS who have seen the cent ena ry is s ue of Jerusalem Scene', the new sletter o f the St John Ophthalmic Hospital , will remember a short article about a ne w film for the hospital. Because the cost of filmmaking is so high, a new technique w a s to be used.

Sound & Vision Communi c a t ion s produ ced for the Order earlier th is year a 12-minute full colour programme invol ving about 250 slides. What's so different abou t slides? The answer lies in the way in whic h they are projected. Three projectors are used instead of one, and each slide di ssol ves in to the next (like tho se fading sun se t s in Wes t erns !) gi ving the imp r ess ion o f movement. The commentary is provided b y a clever little tape which , when in sert ed into a special micro-processor unit , al s o tell s th e projector s when to change slide s and t urn themselve s on and o f f. The effect is so good tha t in one example, an a udien ce can he a r the m o b ile 'Outreach' van star t ing up, and

The Dean of Jerusalem's sermon at St Paul's

JESUS'said 'as I have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet', and ever since, in many places and in every age, the followers of Jesus have placed themselve s be fore others - both known and unknown - to serve them in whatever way they could They have looked for the best way of 'washing feet' in their particular day, discovered the particular needs of friend and stranger , and have done all in their power to meet those needs as an expression of love and concern.

Today we are here in St Paul's Cathedral to thank God for the love that he has shown to his children through the hands and hearts and skills of the people of the Order of St John , and in particular I would like to pass on to you some real facts about your hospital in Jerusalem which are cause for genuine thanksgiving Living and working in Jerusalem, I have

t he n it a pp ears to move towa rd s t h em. The w hol e prog ram me fits i nto a b o u t half a do ze n la r ge packages, w hi c h ca n b e easily tran s por te d Ast u te re ad ers wi ll rea l ise t h at user s a ls o nee d t o ha ve s om eo n e from H eadquarter s to o p e r ate it, as th e equ ipment is rath er s pe c ia lise d. A lim ited nu mber of video cassettes of this n ew p rog r a m me are avai lable on loan to c ounti es fo r th ose spec i a occas io n s. Both VH S an d B etam ax are avai la bl e T h ere is al s o plen ty o f b ack- up materi al ava il a bl e in t he wa y of lea fl ets, posters, co ll ect in g b oxes, etc . D o please ask we are always pleased t o help T he new pr ogramme has b ee n shown seve r a l tim es, a nd t h e ve r dict is un a n imous - well d o n e, Sou nd & Vis ion !

E n quir es to M iss Vero ni ca A. S h arpe, Publi c Affairs D e p artment, T h e Order of St John , 1 Grosve n o r Cresce n t, Lon d o n SWIX 7 EF.

St John's Day Service

t he opportunity for getting to know what S t John people, your people on the spot ou t there , have done, and continue to do, on our behalf. This they do for many people, no matter what their politics or nationality, their religion or financial state might be Jesus once said , ' Go and tell John the blind receive their sight . and I am thrilled to say that still today, the blind still do receive their sight sometimes. I was told of the excitement, the joy and uncontrollable pleasure shown by a four-year-old girl, blind from birth with a congenital disease, who after a successful operation at your hospital, could see for the first time in her life. She rushed around the ward excitedly touching the floor, the chairs, touching people - in fact, touching everything in sight. IN

SIGHT! Sigh t give n b y Go d thro u gh t h e ove and s kill s o f t he p eo pl e o f S t John. I h ea rd of th e d e li ght of a yo ung m ot h er, who s e bab y was b o rn blind bu after a s u cce ss fu l op erati o n it b eca m e o b vio u s that the infan t was see ing t hin gs. Mum n early wore h e r se l f out wi th wav ing h er a rm s, ceaseles sly attra cti n g th e b a by s a tent io n an d getting the re s pon ses wh ic h gave her su ch obvious relie f, happiness and gratitude Yes, through the willingne ss o f Jesus di sc ipl es d o 'was h feet in the mo st m eanin g ful way t h ey can God' s love still flo ws into ma n y individuals and families and tha s real ca use for gre a thanks giving today On the other hand, I hea r d the s tor y of a seventeen-year-old gi rl, who , together with St John, had b e en fighting a losin g ba ttle

ov er t a limg Sig h t. You r p eop le ill the hosp ital in Jer u sa lem kn ew th at i f t h ey didn 't su cceed, t h e g irl wo ul d be b lind. Quite n a tu ra ll y, he young la d y ref use d to accept t hi s as a p oss i bi lity, s h e was at a teac h er trai nin g co ll ege an d d etermi n ed to succeed. S h e was go ing to go th roug h life h e r way, w ith h e r sigh t, and s h e was adama nt , unpr ep are d to a ll ow for the possi bi ity of blindn ess or train herse f for t h at life. Well s h e di d go b lind, but s h e did s ucceed. S h e did qu a lify as a teacher and she does work a n d s u pport her n ee d y fam i ly - but w h at b roug h t about the c h a n ge? Where is the missing link?

T h e answer is that at that time, St Jo h n had an R.A.F. sister working at the hospital, and this sister went beyond the ca ll of duty. She gave up much of her free time to visit the young lady in question in her home in Beth lehem, getting involved, loving, serving and caring. Finally she succeeded in the difficult task of bringing the young lady to the point of wanting to accept rea lity, of learning Brai lle, of learning to cope and to succeed in life wjthout sight.

Not long ago, an Arab family gave a 'mansaf', a typically Arab feast, for the staff of your hospital as a heartfe lt thank you.

T h eir connection began when their son a fourteen-year-old shepherd boy was looki'ng after his sheep and goalS near to the town of Nablus, and there he saw a piece of metal. This innocent and curious young chap made the mistake of picking up the object - and of course it was an explosive device. It exp loded, and he was in an awful mess. Fortunately, it was a Thursday, and your ambulance was doing its rounds with a doctor and nurses. They stopped to help and the boy was taken to St John's. A lt h ough he lost hi left hand and one eye, and had a foot bad ly mutilated, he went horne before too long. He is so proud to have been in St John's and loves to return and greet the staff both local and expatriate, and the family's love of St John was expressed in their feast provided for the staff. (Do you remember the New Testament's reference to Heaven being where there are no more tears or pain, but where there is a marvellous banquet?)

Whenever possible, St John helps to provide worthwhile training for local people to take t heir p lace in the staffing of your fine hospita l. I bring to mind one young man, born in a refugee camp, hav ng lived there a ll of h is life, who is br ight, has passed for the University, but h e could not afford to pay bu s fares nOr buy the necessary books. He was looking for work in my Pilgrims' Hos te l, bu t I p ut him in touch wit h t h e St Jo hn Hospita l, wh o gladly accepted him and trai n ed h im. He d id so well, both staff and patie n ts we r e so pleased wi th him, that t h e hos p ita l a u t horities have been inst ru mental in sec urin g a p l ace for him n Lon d on to f u rt h er h is medica training. Your Matron will meet h imat Heat h row in a mo n t h 's time. is tr ul y ca u se for great t h anksgiving, in so m eo n e b y e nab ling him to deve lop, to tr a m , to ac hi eve know ledge a n d dignity,

a n d then ret u rn to s p read th at ex pert is e an d love among his own p eop l e. Lastly, 1 wo ul d lik e to tell yo u o f an American gent leman wh o w as a p atie n t in your h ospital. H e aske d m e t o look out o f the window a nd do w n i nt o t h e c ou rty ard b elow as he sai d 'I watc h hu n dr e d s of Ar abs crowd ing t hr ough t h at door for l ove! Ho w lucky they are to h ave t h is p la ce a nd the s e people'. He went on: When I was in rouble as a visitor, my C on s u l to ld me t o ri n g St

John 's. I di d , an d the doctor who poke to m e o n t h e telephone said "Come right over, I ll b e waiting for you". The American g e ntl e m an en d ed by saying 'I've had great a tte n t io n, skill and love l' e been able to feel as h o u g h I 'm back home with my own p a ren ts l ooking after me. If I had to go t hrou g h th e who le world to find a ho pital to treat m e, I couldn't find a better place'. Wh a t a marve ll ous, and absolutely genuine re co mm endation.

The first of a series on improving your divisional meeting

THE SCOUT motto 'Be Prepared' is arJ excellent starting point for planning a nondull divisional meeting. Members of St John Ambulance should be prepared for any accident that is likely to occur in the home, at work, on the road, or at all the various public duties they attend. The list is endless. This preparation begins with the theoretical and basic practical knowledge being gained from the study of textbooks and the first aid course, and then training at divisional meetings, which should aim to produce the ability to assess, to diagnose, and to make the right decisions as to the best treatment together with the skill to carry it out.

Victory on the Falklands was not gained by soldiers who had never trained outside their headquarters, but by men who had practised under such harsh and difficult conditions as are found in a Norwegian winter. This should be an example to all of us who may have to carry out first aid under a wide variety of circumstances. Our training should make our members ready for anything, not simply having to do up a fractured leg in the middle of the floor at headquarters. And our training should never be dull.

Winter is ahead of us, so it will probably be necessary to have meetings in headquarters for a while, but even so a start can be made on training of a really practical nature. To do this a small number of the Division, say three to five, should form a group and sit down with a notebook to make a list of awkward places where an accident could happen in their own headquarters, even if this means using a little stage setting. Should the Officer(s) wish to take part in the group, well and good, but if they all do, the group will have to get together at some time other than the hour of the meeting, as there must be someone free to run the meeting for those members not in the group

The list which is prepared should include such places as halfway through the narrowest doorway; on any step or steps inside or outside the building; in the toilet; on the bed (heart attack, unconscious or not breathing); under the heaviest table which has been pushed against the wall and must not be moved; up against a wall with the casualty unconscious on his back and heavy debris pinning down the legs (this can be boxes and members told they are too heavy to move); entangled with a step ladder, the casual ty having fallen off it.

Next, decide on a suitable injury or injuries for a casualty at each chosen spot and allot one member of the planning group to each site During the following week each of these leaders should think over his her allotted situation and check the correct first aid treatment in the textbook, considering any possible modifications that may be necessary under the circumstances. Also decide what equipment and other properties should be available.

For each of the incidents four people will be required - the leader (one of the planning group), two members as first-aiders, and one as the casualty: The number of incidents which will be required should be the average

How dull • IS your meeting?

asks NANCY M. SALE, former County Staff Officer (Training) Bucks

number attending the meeting divided by four. If the number present on the night does not divide evenly, have one first -aider instead of two in some parties.

Leaders should arrive at the meeting in time to see that all is ready at their particular site, with first-aid equipment or improvised material and such blanket(s), cushions, bowls, etc, as i t is felt should be available; but the first-aiders must ask for and fetch the items and take nothing for granted.

Throughout the prac t ice of incident work there should be as little make-believe in staging as po ss ible, though s ome will probably be necessary, such as a ta ble to produce a tunnel or trench. But no makebelieve should be allowed in the treatmen t. For instance, burns must really be put under running water, completely immersed or otherwise kept continually co ld and wet. Pulse rates mu st always be properl"y taken and immediately written down so that thi s becomes routine.

In this type of work first-aid equipment for several small parties will often be needed, so it is convenient if a number of plastic carrier bags are always ready with practice equipment in them. The contents should be: six triangular bandages; tissues to be u se d as dressings, ea c h with a cottonwool backing in an envelope (any square of paper folded and stuck down); a few compressed dressings, which are expensive but can be washed, re - rolled and a number of times; sponge rubber cut to various sizes for the padding of fractures; safety pin s; labels and a pencil which can be rubbed out and the labels re-used. The labels can be any cardboard cut to shape with a piece of string attached The dressings take a little time to prepare but they should produce a proper regard for cleanliness and technique That useful, interesting meetings do require preplanning and preparation is something that must be realised.

At the meeting the members are divided so that each leader has three, or as already mentioned, two if the number is unequal.

Latecomers can be fitted in to these parties

Each party goes to one of the sites and one member is chosen as the casualty and quickly briefed as to injuries, symptoms and put into the required position, which should very rarely be lying flat on the back. The two firstaiders then have the site explained to them if this has had to be staged and are told the history and what the injuries are. Together with the leader and the casualty they discus s the problems before starting the treatment.

This may be tried several ways before a satisfactory result is obtained. There may be more than one method of achieving a good and efficient result with as little movement as possible of the casualty. It is no use havin g a violent argument about it. If necessar y, agree to differ and try to get a higher opinion later on, or, better still, if your Divisiona l Surgeon and / or Nursing Officer are at the meeting they can at once advise on the likel y benefit or otherwise of any treatment and the way it has been carried out, particularly having regard to the degr ee of shock lik ely to be present and the importance of no t causing this to worsen. So why not explain to these two officer s what is being plann ed and ask them to come along? Even a short visit could prove of the greatest value.

As there is to be discussion and trial and re -tr ial of the practical work, it may be as well at thi s stage to allow at least 15 minut es for each incident. Experience teaches how long items in any programme are likel y to last, but if members are working in parti es they mu st all end together and a signal for this mu st be given. Each party then moves on to the next incident (all moving one way, clockwise being best) , the leader staying put and giving the next par ty the same incid ent, but making sure the same person does not always act as the casualty. In one hour with this timing , each member will have taken part in four incident s.

Several evenings may well be occupied with incidents arranged in this way, with all members perhaps being given the chan ce to put forward ideas for situations and injuri es. The time limit may possibly be reduced as thoughts and reactions quicken, bu t there must always be time for discussion and the final work should be well done. Too often wrong or ineffective treatment is given and noted but not corrected, so that there is no improvement. As we practise our first aid so as to be able to carry it out efficiently, everyone should surely agree that th e ir work should be as near perfect as possible. Training must progress through having two or more injuries on two or more casualties , but always in a realistic and difficult situation, which later will include situations outside headquarters. Also later on work must be done in the dark and with the use of torches; diagnosis must be practised and procedures for 'C are of the Patient' brought in and all the ways a casualty may be moved , lifted and disposed of, this last in my experience often being the part of the treatment which is worst dealt with So if you feel your meetings are not as interesting and challenging as they could be and that the standard of work could be

improved, I hope you will accompany me through the three or four articles I hope to write, which will include the planning of a Divisional programme.

In the meantime, may I suggest:

(a) That theoretical knowledge is not enough;

(b) That experience comes best with opportunities of treating numbers of

genuine casualties, but for man y member s it will have to be gained from the training given at Divi sio nal meetings;

(c) That a successful mee ti ng must be planned beforehand and nearl y always involves some time being spent in preparation;

No inspection for Cadets at Guernsey annual review

They put on a display of their activities instead

GUERNSEY cadets devised a clever way of avoiding the usual inspection at the annual review of the Island' s Brigade. They put on a di splay of cadet activities to celebrate the D iamon d Jubilee.

The review followed the u s ual fo rmat at first, with the Commissioner-in-Chief, Major-General Sir John Younger, being acco mpanied by Bailiwick Commissioner, Mr Harold Touzeau, on an inspection of he ad ult divi ions.

The St John Ambulance and Re scue Service was also on parade, with some of its ambulances, ambulance cars, inshore rescue boats, mobile radar unit, land ro vers and other rescue units.

But instead of inspecting the cadet divisions, t h e C-in-C after presenting orne awards and taking the salute at the mar ch

Youth leader Allan Gray explains some of the canoeing techniques to the C-inC and Lady Younger (Photo: Guerns ey Pr ess)

past, was asked to attend a display of cadet activities. This was held in the open air , and included demonstration s of over 25 subjects which cadets can study during their St John career. A whole range of activities was illustrated, from crochet to canoeing, and from rock-climbing to resuscitation.

The Commissioner-in-Chief watched cadets demonstrating flowercraft, campcraft, casu alt y simulation and a host of other skills, and was particularly interested to see ca dets abseiling down a 60-feet-high scaffo lding tower which had been specially e rected in t he area.

Many members of the public were present , and the C-in-C found the display an excellent way of illustrating the activities which the youth of today can enjoy as St John cadets. Guernsey's annua l review this year was

(d) That if for some rea son the attendance at a meeting is sma ll time should not be wasted just s itting about. Keep the planned programme for another time, di vide into co uple s, and take it in turns to act as a casua lty (making up the injurie s and situation) and as the firstaider. Just two people can have a useful meeting.

notable also as one of the last engagements attended by Sir John Loveridge, who is President of St John n the Baili wick, during his term of office as Bailiff of Guernsey.

The Bailiff is the civil head of the Bailiwick, being Pre siden of the S t ates of Deliberation - the island's parliamentand is the senior judge in the island, presiding over both the Royal Court and the Court of Appeal.

Accompanying Sir John at the review was Lady Loveridge, who is extremely acti ve as a Vice President of St John , and who has expressed her keen intention of maintaining her interest and support for St John Ambulance in [he Bailiwick.

ei/ R. Tucker Public Relations Officer

Divisional Surgeon Dr J. Gibbs holds the attention of a group of cadets while the C-in -C looks on (Photo: Guernsey Press)

Canoe instructor A llan Gray with cadets and the sleek crah they tra in with (Photo: Guernsey Press )

STRIKE BEATING

I hear that this year's Surrey Cadet Camp in Guernsey for the first two weeks of August nearly had to be abandoned because of strikes. Due to the rail strike in July the campers decided to go by coaches to Portsmouth , from where the Sealink ferry was to be taken. But the day before departure it was learned that Sealink Ferries were going on strike on departure day. So the programme was hurriedly reshuffled and 85 cadets and camp staff were rounded up (some from duties) to leave on two coaches, with three vehicles of equipment, for Portsmouth to catch the last ferry -4 Y2 hours after the decision to leave a day earlier was made!

This was Surrey's 25th consecutive summer camp and it included a large propor tion of young adults who had been cadets f or many yea rs. During the camp many places of interest were visited , including the Isle of Herm and Guernsey's SJA ambulance and rescue service.

There were no strike problems on the return journey. Including travel and food, the 15 da ys cost cadets £65, adults £80.

DHSS scheme: Opportunities for Volunteering

The scheme is to make grants available to voluntary organisations who wish to assist unemployed people to undertake voluntary work in the health and personal social services field. The scheme will initially operate until March 31 1983.

Counties, Areas or Divisions initiating and developing new schemes such as: self help projects; renovation or adaptation of premises; gardening and decorating; or establishing a neighbourhood caring scheme, might qualify for grants.

Full details of the scheme and guidance notes for applicants, along with application forms are available from Mrs L.c. Best, Staff Officer to the Superintendent-in-Chief, St John Ambulance HQ, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SWIX 7EF.

of course. (Photo: The Maidenhead Advertiser)

PRESIDENTS MEET

S & W Yorkshire's Wakefield Area President

Dr L.J Burns, and hi s Vice President Mrs Nancy Jackson , are holding a meeting for Presidents and Vice Presidents, along with members of the Friends of St John in the Area, to discuss fund raising and recruiting It is in the interests of divisions , stresses Mrs Jackson, that superintendents encourage their presidents and vice president s to attend.

The meeting will take place at 7.45pm on Wednesday October 20, at the Brunswick St HQ. Wakefield.

FOR THE DISABLED

Two interesting residential projects for disabled people -a drama (Oct 16 to 30) and a photographic (Nov 13 to 27) fortnigh t - will be held in Nottingham. Details from Elin Prichard, Winged Fellowship Trust, 64 Oxford St, London W.l. CB RADIO USERS

Neil Tucker , SJA Guernsey's PRO, writes : St John voluntary personnel in Guernse y held a joint exercise with CB radio enthusiasts recently.

Exercise 'Spoonbill' invo lved a minibu s full of people on a bird watching expedition

The St John Historical Society met at Ansty , Wiltshire , dur ing July to visit the old Commandery of the Order (from 1211 to the Dissolution ), the Manor House , and the c hurch Organised by Lt Col John Speller (SW Wilts Area Commissioner) and The Historical Society the day began with a picnic in the Manor grounds, a showing of the film' Journey to Jerusalem', a talk about Ansty by museum curator Pam Willis tea and a short service taken by the Rev. Robert Willis, a member of Wilts St John Council, in the o ld 'Orde r Church of St. James S. Wilts cadets then staged three tab eaux - 13th century Ansty, cadet work today, and first aid

In the photo L to R) are: The Lord Prior Sir Maurice Dorman, with Mr Donald Adamson's two sons, Lady Brockman Lady Dorm an, Donald Adamson, Mrs Spe ll e r , Vi ce Admiral Sir Ronald Brockman (County President Devon). and Lt Col Speller. In the background is the old commandery building

BY THE EDITOR

around the island's coasts, which failed to return to a pre-arranged rende zvo us.

A call was put through to the local branch of REACT, the volunteer CB emergency group, who mobilised CB users to search the island's coasts for signs of the missing party. When the people were located , it was found that severaJ had been injured while scrambling over rocks on a dangerous part of the coastline, and the Guernsey Ambulance and Guernsey Nursing divisions were called in to render first aid and evacuate the casualties.

The whole exercise, the brainchild of St John members, took several hours to comp lete , and was such a success that it is hoped to hold a similar combined operation in the future.

TO GERMANY

A party of two adults and four cadets from SJA Suffolk went on a week's exchange visit to a Johanniter camp in Germany earlier in the summer. Mary Muncaster, one of the cadets, tells us about it.

Our party (Mrs D. Leek, Mr P. Welham, Nico la Day, Paul McManus, David Goodwin and myself) met at Ipswich station at lpm on a wet and blustery day and took the train to Manningtree and then on to Harwich. The Prinz Oberon sailed at 3 pm from Harwich to Bremerhaven, and in spite of a c hoppy crossing we enjoyed our sailing very much, with no cases of seasickness!

During the evening we attended a disco on board, which was good fun.

After a night on the ship, we docked in Bremerhaven at lOam where we were met by a member of Johanniter and taken to Oldenburg by minibus. After lunch with our hosts, we met the German ca dets whom we were to camp with for the week, and all then left fo r the campsite which was roughly a I - hour drive away. Having arrived at camp, we erected our tents, and had a good look round the surro unding area. The campsite was situated in the middle of a large forest. On Saturday morning we went on a nature walk through part of the forest, and learned the German names for many trees and shrubs. The forest is very extensive, and a

KENT. (left) Former Area Commissioner Ron Young ( eft) and former Area Superintendent Jack Hewitt - with 48 and 54 years St John service respectively - jointly cutting the specially decorated cake at a farewell party to mark their retirement

KENT

lot of felling had been going on in the area in which we walked. During the afternoon we learnt different knots and how to perfect them. The evening was great fun, as we tried to teach the German cadets how to play rounders, although we could not really agree the correct rules between ourselves!

Early on Sunday morning we put on uniforms and went to the local church. This had many interesting paintings on the walls and was clearly very old. The service was very interesting, and we were made very welcome both by the Vicar and also the congregation.

The afternoon was spent on an exercise in the forest. The camp was divided into three groups, and each group was sent into the

KENT. (right) At the County Cadet Rally to mark the diamond jubilee of the cadets, the inspect ing officer Mr Cyril Hygate, former Commissioner for Surrey, presented awards and toured the displays. (Photo: L .J. Robus) forest with just a small length of thick string and told to make a stretcher with it and wood lying about, and then having put our 'patient' on it to bring them back to the campsite. We found that this was the easy bit, as we then had a stretcher race over an obstacle course. This really was a lot of fun.

Monday was spent in the beautiful city of Hanover. Our first visit was to the Johanniter Ambulance Station, where they have 20 vehicles with some very impressive equipment. After a very interesting tour, we were given lunch and then take n to see the Rescue Helicopter which they also use Then came a chance to look round the old city of Hanover, and also visit the impre ssive gardens, which include a maze and the tallest fountain in Europe.

Tuesday was our last morning in camp and was spent taking down the tents and cleaning

REVIEW

Gloucestershire County Review. (Left) The inspecting officer the Lord Lieutenant Col M St J.V Gibbs and County Supt Mrs P M Riley having a word with D S Mrs P. Taylor of Cheltenham Central Nursing Div. Behind them, the Commander Mr E. Coppins and (right) Area Comm G.T. Clark. (Below) Col Gibbs commenting on Di v. Nursing Officer H. Edingto n's medals. (P hotos : G. Fleck)

up before returning to Oldenburg, to the homes of our hosts for lunch. In the afternoon there was a civic reception at the Town Hall with the Mayor, and we were all presented with a book about Oldenburg After shopping for gifts we returned to the homes of our hosts for the night.

Wednesday was the first day back at school for the German cadets, so we all got the chance to visit a German school, which pro ve d both amusing and confusing. We found the school to be more modern than ours, and class work was from early morning until just after lunch time. Later that day we set off to catch the ferry back to England. We were all very sad to leave Germany as it is such a beautiful country. The weather had been lovely, and we had made lots of friends.

Our s hip sailed at 6pm and after settling in once more and having a meal, we went to see a film in the ship's cinema. We arrived back in Harwich at llam. to be greeted by cool, showery weather - we knew we were home. We took the train back to Ipswi c h , and said our sad goodbyes.

FLINT BARN HQ

After 30 years of seeking an HQ of their own, Sussex's Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding Division has plans to convert an ancient Sussex flint-walled barn at a cost of about £32,000. The Division's Parents and

Brotton, who has been a member for 51 years - for he ast 20 as a Servi ng Brother. Leonard who has covered many duties, received a retirement gift of a teasmade presented by Deputy County Commissioner, Mr T C Taylor. Photo Whitby Gazett e)

Friends Association, hard at work to raise t he cash, ha s so far produced a half of it. Sounds an interesting project. Hope the Division tells us about it when it's finished.

At Sidcup, Kent, I hear that work is well advanced on a new HQ to bring the three divisions of Sidcup and Chiselhurst under one roof.

The old HQ, bought for £250 in 1946, has been demolished and the one that is going up in its place will cost - wait for it£47,000. (Things ain't wot they used t'be). Most of that figure has been met by the Council of St John and Bexley Council, with the divisions still having to find £4,000. An exciting project.

10-yea

The 57 member s of Towcester (Northants) Division, who at present meet in the town's Youth Centre, have set their s ight s on raising £32,000 for a 60ft squa re new HQ. Since 1977 the Divi s ion ha s increased its membership by 10.

And I hear that Hornsea Division Hull, opened it s new HQ at the end of July. There' s nothing like having a home of yo ur own

CADETS 'SUNK'

I hear that thieves sto le the engine of SJA Blackburn 's 17ft cana l boat which they use to cover charity walks along the Leeds to Liverpool canal.

The Sierra Juliet, which cost £2000, was bought from cadet funds 12 months ago, and was moored at Hyndburn Marina in Church. The thieves smas hed their way inside and made off with the outboard motor.

The boat is also used to train cadets in lifesav ing techniques. 'We ca n't afford to buy a new engine,' said DI O Trevor Williams, 'so we won't be able to use the boat unless the engine is repla ced.'

HOSPITAL TAPES

The British Library of Tape Recordings for Hospital Patient (BLOT) has added more books to its lists of recordings and has issued an 'approval' cherne for hospitals wishing to try the system.

Of the 40 new titles now being sent to hospitals in the UK, Northern Island, Eire and the Channel Islands, some are in Asian languages.

Since BLOT's playback machines are sent out on what is basically a mail order system, it is now offering hospitals a free trial period during which they can assess the equipment and service offered.

Full details from BLOT (which is of course a charity) 12 Lant Street, London SEI lQR.

REVISED MANUAL

The Association Branch writes:

Competition Secretaries are reminded that to allow time for first-aiders to assimilate the content of the 4th ed ition of the Joint First Aid Manual, all tests for national first aid

at industry and small firms. (Photo: North Western Newspaper Co Ltd)

competitions leading to next year's (J 983) Grand Prior Trophy events will continue to be based and judged on the content of the 3rd edition of the Manual.

However, any eliminabng events held in 1983 leading to 1984 national competition finals will need to be based and judged on the content of the new 4th edition of the Manual.

Any questions relating to this circular should first be addressed, please, to David Hallard, the Competitions Manager.

PARKING PROBLEM

I hear that two members of Alvaston Divis ion, Derby shi re , 1 M Mrs Pa t Farthing and A I M David all, delivered a baby after a woman went into labour at a gymkhana. The baby was delivered in their parked ambulance at Queen's Medical Cenrre, Nottingham , with the help of a hospital doctor who cut the child s umbilical cord, just 15 minutes after [he alarm was raised at the gymkhana. Well done, Pat and David.

THE ORDER lo st one of tis most devoted servants with the death of Wing

Commander Henry Howard Drummond early in the morning of the August 18.

Harry was one of the founding members of the St John Ambulance Air Wing who played a leading role in the discussions which led to the formation of the Wing under the aegis of the Department of Health in February 1971, for the emergency transport of human organs by air for transplant operations.

Harry would be the first to pay tribute to the dedication of the Air Wing pilots distributed throughout Great Britain and of his much smaller team of control room operators . The dedication and zeal which Harry inspired in them and the quite fantastic number of hours that he

personally spent on duty almost all of them at night, have been instrumental in large measure for the efficiency and success of the Air Wing. Harry was a very human person, traighr as a die, who et himself a very high standard in every endeavour on which he embarked. He was prepared to go to endles trouble to ease the path of other and together the e attributes enabled him to achieve great distinction in the war as a bomber pilot· eminence and su ce in his chosen career. and a special place in the community in which he lived.

We offer our heartfeld sympathy to hi wife and his family, and we are joined by his many friend throughout the realm of aviation and medic i ne.

T.F.

r - old Nichola Wild acts as a patient for Penine Area Commissioner, Mr D .G. Lund at Lancashire's first 'appointed persons' first aid course aimed

Wing Commander Harry Drummond, AFC, DFM

Well done, Banbury!

I WAS AT the Royal Tournament on July 19 when the Banbury Band performed at the evening show. I was there to see what goes on exactly in readiness for our Tournament performance in 1983, and to assist chairman David Minney in checking arrangements for Banbury's performance As it was, David couldn't make it, so I spent an hectic two hours sorting out the arrangements so that everything went smoothly for the band on arrival. When they did arrive Don Claridge had young Debbie, one of his glock players, in a wheelchair following a recent operation and I was asked to push her into the arena for the rehearsal and the performance. I was very pleased to be able to help.

The rehearsal went well and everybody was very happy. The arena itself with an empty auditorium was a daunting prospect. What wou ld it be like when it was full? The band was soon to find out. At just after 9pm the introduction was made and the spotlights came on. This was it!

All the many hours of rehearsal and effort that had gone into the performance was really worthwhile, for it went perfectly and was very well received. Months of hard work were compressed into 8 minutes and 45 seconds. I now know what we have to follow next year.

The Northants St John Band Soon after hearing of the split up of one SJA band , the BFR Corps of Drums, from Yorkshire, there is now news of the joining forces of the Kettering and Rushden SJ bands to form The Nort hants St John Band, under the com bined direc tion of Margaret Maber and Ken Robinson They are also changing to the special band uniform as laid down in regulations. We wish them well with their 'marriage' Badges

The new bandmaster's and bandman's badges ha ve now been approved and are available through the Federation Supplier only, at 95 Applesham Way, Portslade, Sussex BN4 2LN. They are of silve r wire and hand embroidered, and because of the expense involved will be made to order ONLY.

Correspondence

The Federation chairman would be grateful if everyone would reply promptly to lett ers sent out from the Federation, even when the answer is in the negative.

If more convenient, phone your answer to him on 01 337 6778 (home). Or try Roly Gillam on 0273 507255, ext 32 (work), or 0273 416983 (home). David and Roly are in touch with each other at least once a week, It is frustrating waiting for post and nothing arrives!

Roy Gillam

CADET CHAT

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme

THIS MONTH have decided to publish a li st of organisations or estab li s hment s which offer opportunities for participants in this scheme for expeditions and residential qualifications Further details about each can be obtained from the relevant organisation. Some also offer su itable activi tie s for those not involved i n the D. of E sc heme Contact them NOW for the 19 83 programmes.

Brathay Hall Trust, Brarhay Hall, Ambleside, Cumbria

Development courses for young people in Industry aimed at improving skills in teamwork, self confidence and self awareness Details from the director of Ma rketing (Amb leside 2436).

Dalguise Centre, Dunkeld, Perthshire Week long courses all year round offering involvement in a variety of outdoor activities. Cost £J 2. Apply to the Manager. Field Studies Council Centres

The nine residential Centres run by the council offer courses in biology, geography and geology. Other courses cover environmental topics including birdwatching , landscape appreciation and photography. Cost (one week) £87 (school course), £93-£J03Ieisure courses. Detailsfrom Education Officer, Field Studies Council Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, S Y4 i HW, High Trenhouse, Malham Moor, Settle, Nort h Yorkshire

Residential courses in which th e activities include hand milking, weaving, climbing, orienteering, breadmaking, butter and cheese production, walking and farm project. Brochures from Elizabeth Varney (Airton 322).

Lindley Lodge, Watling Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Swinton Centre, Masham, N. Yorkshire. Hollowford Ce ntre Castleton, Derbyshire

Lindley Lodge is a spec ialist resource for the residential De ve lopment Training of you ng people, it also provides quality accommodation for young people's events. Over 200 companies (including UVP, YOP's) sponsor young people on co urs es which use both indoor and outdoor learning media.

Loch Earn Sailing School, Dalvreck House, CriefJ, Perth shire

Week long courses in sailing and seamanship, RYA Certificate courses in dinghies and keelboats 20% reduction in normal fees for A ward Scheme participan ts. Details from the Principal.

Malham Tarn Field Centre, Settle, N Yorks, BD249PU

Week long co urses in Natural History, Geology Local History, Landscape Painting, Walking, etc. Full details from the Warden (Tel: Airton 33i). National Conservation Volunteers, 36 St. Mary's Street, Wallingford , Oxfordshire Practical countryside conservation work throughout Britain, undertaking s uch work as tree planting, drystone walling, pond clearance and footpath maintenan ce. Camping/v illa ge/hostel type accommodation.

Tasks all yea r lasting /-2 weeks. Participants must be over 16 become members of the NCV (£3.50) and are asked to contribute towards food and accommodation. [)etailsfrom the Administrator (Please enclose s. a. e.)

Outward Bound Schools

The five Schools run by the Trust in Scotland, Wales, Lake District offer a select ion of courses. Age range 16-20 years Canoeing, mountaineerll1g pot holing, climbing and expeditions. Mountain Leaders courses, including training and assessment, Lake District and Scotland. Full details Jrom Outward Bound Trust, 360 Oxford Street, London WiN 9HA.

PHAB - Physically handicapped and ablebodied PHAB organises residentia l courses and h olidays for physically handicapped and able bodied people of all ages. These holidays and courses are suitable for the Residential Project. Apply to Devon shire Street, London for a brochu re. Royal School of Church Music, Addington Palace Croydon CR9

A wide var iety of cou rses hroughout the country, for choirs and individuals. Dera ils and application forms for affiliation or personal membership can be obtained from th e Secretary_

Ty-Isaf Activity Centre, Trapp, Llandeilo , D)jed, S. Wales

Courses throughout the yea r in canoeing, climbin g, caving, and expeditions. Detailsfrom the Warden, Brian Edmunds (Tel: 0558 822444).

YHA Mountain Centre, Peny-y-Pass Youth Hostel, Nanr GWYrUJnt, Gwynedd

BELLS

Somerset bell ringers who rung the St John doubles (a double has 1 .260 changes!. They are (L to R back! A I M Tom Han cock. CSO John Comer. David Westlake (front! Winif red Kingsbury. Deputy County Surgeon Corporal Sarah Comer. and Rosemary Higman. who with David ..I!I!!!':. are friends of St John

Rock climbing, mountaincraft, mountain photography multi-aclivity and Mountain Leadership course available for gr oups and individuals throughout the year. Scott ish winter and summer A /pine courses arranged Details from the Chief instructor.

Bowles Outdoor Pursuits Centre, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells Courses throughout the Summer and Winter in rock climbing, dry s kiing, canoeing, s ailin g and orienteering. Cost from £26 (weekend) to £76 (week). Details from the Secrelary.

Bradwell Fie ld Studies and Sailing Centre, Bradwell Waterside, Nr. Southminster, Essex A variety of weekend/ mid-week and full weeks co urses. Sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, fishing, field s tudi es. Cost from £5 50 per day (Residential). Details from th e Warden (Tel: Maldon 76256).

Brathay Centre Jor Exploration and Field Studies, Old Brathay, Ambleside, Cumhria Courses in biology, freshwater ecology, geog raph y, geography / biology and geo lo gy. Details from the Centre (Amb leside 3042).

Community Service

A econd edition of the Oxfam publication 'Voluntary Service' has been published. The booklet details all the opportunities for vo untary service that are available, enabling a cho ce to be made by the individual volunteer which will reflect his / her own interest and ab iliti es. Further details are availab e from: The Volunteers Co-ordinator , Oxfam H ouse, 274 Banbu ry Road, Oxford, OX2 7DZ.

Cadet Jubilee Year

By the time that you read this co lumn the Cadet Spectacular will have been held at the Albert Hall. I hope that you were there! I hear that Kington Cadet Divi ion, Herefordshire, has been busy organi ing a large number of events to celebrate this year which led up to a Job Week which mainly involved wa hing cars to raise funds for the Ophthalmic Hospital. From Somerse t comes news of a quarter peal (1,260 c h anges) of bells that was completed by St John members at CarhamptOn Church and lasted 44 minutes. Well done everyone! Do you know of any other activities completed thi year? If 0 plea e let me know.

Ideas

This month I received a long letter from a Cadet S up erintendent on the s ubj ect of organising activitie for cadets, the detail of which I am reproducing h ere becau e I feel it very va lid.

Training Suggestion

Gel all you r officers together for the day to swap ideas and suggestions. Don't be lempted to include the administration side, with a wad of the various BFs to go home with. ThaI 's enough to put off the potential new officer for life. Plan the day so that you are Ih e cade ts and let officers tryout new games on you as the guinea pigs. It's a good way of getting to know your other officers and you'll have a fun day.

Planning is the key to success.

Long t erm: A who le year (September 10 July to coincide with school holidays) with an outline plan. Have a yea r ca lendar and cross out all school hols. and mark olher dates which are important. You can th en see at a glance the possibilities of what can be fitted in.

Short Term: Perhaps 3 months at a tillle to maybe readjust some of the lon g term plans.

Individual meetings: Plan each meeting in detail, making sure your helpers know exactly what th ey are doing. Don't let them s it around with nothing to do - they won' t stay very long Once your eve nin g is planned, try to Slick by il.

USE you r older Cadels and NCOs Consult them re g ularly. They will ha ve marvellous ideas and suggestions and will organise an evening for you if you leI them - bUl give them plenty of warning.

Visit other organisations in your area. Scouts and Guides ca n teach us a lot about programme planning: their leaders attend regular {raining sessions These are very wo rth while if you can

Adventure Weekend Review

'WE UNDERSTAND it took a great deal of work and many problems to put it together, but we assure you it was well worth it. It was great fun. And we hope, in fact plead, that you'll have another such weekend, or even week, very soon.' This is an extract from one of the many letters from cadets and juniors received after our Jubilee Celebration Adventure Weekend.

The weekend was intended to provide facilities for officers, cadets and juniors to join in a celebration of our Diamond Jubilee by furthering interest in the proficiency subjects - particularly those not so regularly studied or attempted at divisional leveland by participation in fun and games.

The venue was Wyvern Barracks, Exeter

- army barracks which were formerly the headquarters of the Devon and Dorset Regiment, but now with only a skeleton staff to look after the empty buildings. The Army authorities and the Ministry of Defence gave us the fullest co-operation from the initiation of our plans, and the Army personnel at Wyvern could not have been more helpful and a pleasure to work with. The kitchen and dining block, NAAFI, gymnasium, dormitory blocks, together with the vast playing areas and facilities containing the popular assult course, and of course the huge parade ground, were all made available to

Real interest in something produces quietness among cadets. Model making engrosses them

us. Without these splendid facilities we should have had many more headaches in accommodating more than 500 officers and cadets from Friday to Sunday.

Over 30 proficiency subjects were offered to the cadets and juniors, each being asked t o select three subjects of first choice with a further three of second choice. It was realised that we were setting ourselves a mammoth task to find qualified lecturers for so many subjects, and with the popularity of some of them more than one lecturer would be required for the bigger groups, but only three subjects had to be withdrawn from the programme, leaving 31 proficiency subjects for study. Members of the Police Force with cars and motor cycles, firemen with their engines, road safety officials, Police cadets and Dartmore rescue teams covered some of the most popular subjects such as orienteering, outdoor survival and rescue, fire fighting, motorcycling and cycling , while another ubject popular with both boys and girls was taking place in the NAAFI block - cookery. Cadets prepared a four-course cold buffet which they were to serve to the Commander, Commissioner, Superintendent, Knights and Dames of the Order who would be among the many distinguished guests for the Sunday county review.

It is surprising how quiet cadets can be when they are really interested in something and this was apparent in the many rooms where smaller groups of girls and boys were engrossed in photography, flower arranging, clay modelling, music, map reading, raffia work, toy making, _ table tennis, natural history and needlework. Veterinary surgeons and an RSPCA official, most apologetic for his late arrival after a crisis with 4,000 head of poultry; physical education staff from a large comprehensive school - all gave their services freely throughout the weekend, as did a married couple from the Services who supervised one of the most popular adventure pursuits - the assault course. Not only were the girls clamouring to have a go, but officers too were put through their paces!

With the day starting with a 6.30 rise-andshine, and only brief periods for refreshment, there seemed to be plenty of energy for games, tug-of-war and of course a disco! In spite of all this (and very little sleep the first night and only a little more the

second), the turnout for the Sunday review made us all proud to belong to CSt John'. By Sunday lunchtime the double decker buses and coaches were converging on Wyvern Barracks, the sun was shining and so many cadets and officers were pouring out of the vehicles that our fears that with such a large parade ground our cadet companies would be dwarfed were groundless.

The review took the usual form of a short Service, which included the enrolment of well over 100 cadets, followed by the inspection by the County Commissioner, the late Wing Commander W.R. Archer SRN, BTA, RNT, accompanied by the Commander, Rear Admiral Sir Ronald Forrest KCVO, and the County Superintendent, Mrs V.A. Trebilcock. After the presentation of Grand Prior Certificates the march past concluded the formal ceremonies and all marched off to music of the Barnstaple Nursing Cadet Division Corps of Drums.

After all the fun and games and the final ceremonial review) we experienced a stark

reminder of the need for trained first-aiders. Within a short time of us leaving the parade ground, ambulances and fire engines with their blue lights flashing and sirens wailing were racing to this very spot. And then a Police helicopter came in to land with seriously injured people - there had been an accident on an approach road to the motorway. Some of our officers who are policemen or special constables or full-time ambulancemen, instantly reverted to their professional roles, to control the traffic or to use Brigade ambulances to back up the professional services. It was a sad but unforgettable sight for the many members watching this scene from the peTimeter of the parade ground. Although a Jubilee celebration, this adventure weekend at Wyvern Barracks was such a tremendous success that it will undoubtedly be the first of many more to come.

Greater , Manchester

MORE than 80 cadets and staff from all over the county spent an enjoyable week together at their annual summer camp held at Barnston Vale on the Wirral, where cadets studied hard to obtain proficiency certificates in various subjects towards their Grand Prior Awards.

and

0 0 Pauline Draycott , creating life-like injuries

Road safety and cycling groups. (Right) The helicopter bringing injured from a motorway accident at the end of the weekend. (Photos: Cinetronics, Wells)

Devon Cadet Jubilee

The Chief Commander Major -Gen Peter Leu c hars who spent a day at County HQ recently. in the grounds with Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw and S r William Downward respectively chairman and president of Council

Casualty simula ion - Cadets Susan MacDona d and Pamela Nicholls with

Mrs M.D. Levers

Practising glazing in the handiman s class - Graham Susan MacDona l d of OHerton & Roberts of Whitf i eld an Heaton Moor Quad D vision Wilkinson of Atherton and shows oH her space-age uniform Mark Farnworth of Hindley n which she entered for the

Best nursing

ambulance cadets of the week - Bernadette Hussey (of Fitton Hill) and Anthony Tilley (of Whitefield) fancy dress competition on the

,

NERVES

I WAS STIMULATED to write this article by one of the mock casualties in a very successful training exercise that was attended by first-aiders from many countries and took place at the Royal Army Medical Corps training centre. The casualty concerned had a large wound of the buttock, the nature and position of which suggested that the sciatic nerve had been damaged, so that I asked the simulator about feeling and movement in the leg and foot. It was normal and from surreptitious questioning I fOlll1d that in the

The President of Casualties Union, P. S. LONDON, MBE, CStJ, MB, BS, FRCS, MFOM writes about this subject for the simulator of injuries, but the information is of equal value to those treating the casualty.

explanation of the simulator's role and performance there had been no mention of the sciatic nerve. This made me wonder how much members of Casualties Union know about nerves, what they do, where they are, how they may be injured and what happens if they are injured.

WHAT NERVES DO

Sensory nerves

These run to the brain, by way of the spinal cord, carrying information from the skin; from special organs such as the eyes, ears and tongue; from muscles, ligaments and tendons; and from our 'innards' or viscera. In this way we can tell by feel the shape, size, weight, texture and temperature of anything that we touch or that touches us. We can tell the positions of our limbs in space and we can control them accurately without looking. Consider the touch typist or the pianist whose hands are used with great skill and without the guidance of the eyes. The expression 'to get the feel' of something is well known and acknowledges how much we know by means of the sense of touch. From our viscera we experience feelings of a full bowel or bladder, of colic or of the gripping pain of angina pectoris.

Motor nerves

These run from the brain, by way of the spinal cord to muscles, and to glands, allover the body. The nerves control the actions of the muscles and also such glandular

Fig. 3. The position but not the complexity of branching and combination of the right brachial plexus is shown together with the courses of the ulnar median and radial nerves in the arm

Fig. 4 The co urse of the radial nerve is shown dotted where it runs behind the humerus The median and ulnar nerves are shown in dots and the brachial, radial and ulnar arteries in line functions as sweating and salivation; some of them subserve the voluntary activities, others the invollll1tary ones.

Sensory and motor nerves enter and le ave the spinal cord separately but they join near the cord (fig. 1) to form the main nerve trunks and their branches These are consequently known as mixed ner ves and from there the individual nerve fibres are distributed to their manifold des t ination s by way of the branches

What we refer to as a n e rve is like an electrical cable inasmuch as it contains a very large number of tiny ner ve fibres each of which has its own very delicate sheath of insulating tissue, which is a fatty substance called myelin Each nerve fibre depend s for its function and survival on its cell bod y and the combination of the ce ll body and it s fibre (or fibres, there may be several) is ca lled a neurone (fig. 2) WHERE ARE THE NERVES?

We need concern ourselve s only w i th the main nerve trunks, parti c ularly in the limb s. These are often referred to as the peripher a l nerves because they run to the outskirts or periphery of the body

The upper limb

After they have left the spinal cord the individual nerve roots branch and their branches come together in new arrangements, from which emerge a second set of branches, which are the peripheral nerves. This branching and recombination is like the tracks in a railway marshalling yard that allows trucks from many different places and carrying a wide range of goods to be shunted about so that a new arrangement of mixed goods from several sources become a

are paraly se d the r es ult is known as w ri st drop (fi g. 6). The nerve also con veys feeling from a s mall area on the hand (fig. 7).

The median nerve runs from t h e inner side of the a rm, in front of the e lbo w a nd down the ce n t r e of the forearm (wh ich is w h y it is called median) to e nd in the hand (fig. 4). It supplies so me muscles that bend the wrist and fingers, a nd a so the thumb, and it s upplies the skin of rath er more tha n h a lf the hand with its se n so r y ner ve fibres (fig. 7).

The m e dian nerve contro l s the strength of the grip. It is acco mpani e d by the brachial artery in the arm and by it s branch, the radial artery, in the forea rm (fig. 4).

The ulnar nerve runs from the inner side of the arm, behind h e bony prominence on the i nner side of the elbow and then down the inner side of the forearm to the wrist and hand (fig .4) It supp lie s some of the muscles tha t b end the wrist and fingers. Whereas the median ner ve cont rol s mainly the strength of g rip the ulnar nerve controls the more delicate and nimble uses of the hand. It supplies the skin of rather less than half the hand (fig. 7).1t supplies some of the muscles by the brachial artery and in the forearm by its branch, the ulnar artery

of lying on a nerve during s leep.

In t hi s section i t w ill be mo s t convenient to d eal w ith the manner of injury and it s implications for staging and with the effects of t h e injury and its implications for acting a nd to do this for each of the main peripheral nerves.

THE BRACIllAL PLEXUS

1. Traction Injurie s Staging. A motor cyclist is thrown f rom

s m ach in e and finds that he has lost the use of his arm, which feels dead bu may also be painful. There may be grazing or brui

ing of the shoulder and on the same s ide of the face or crash helmet and there ma y be tenderness immediately behind the c ollar bone.

Wrist drop the result of damage to the radial nerve

single train with a single destination. In other word, it make possib le the rearrangement of individual nerve fibres in order to bring together those upon whi c h a particular part of the limb depends for its proper functioning.

T hi s marshalling yard' is called the brachia l p exu (plexus is a network) and it runs aero s the angle between the neck and the co ll ar bone , behind the collar bone and so into the armpit from which it emerges as the 3 main nerves to the upper limb (fig 3).

The radial nerve s oon leaves the other two to run acros the back of the humeru s and quite clo e to the bone and then down the outer side of the arm and forearm t o the hand (fig. 4) It supplie s mostly the muscles that bend the wrist backwards and a lso the muscles that pull the bent fingers into lin e with the palm and put the thumb in the thumb up position (fig. 5). These are known collectively as extensor mu cles and if they Fig 7 The dotted area marks the skin that s suppl ed by the radial nerve the shaded area that supplied by the med an nerve and the blank area that supplied by th e ulnar nerve

The lower limb

The r ea rran gement of nerve fibres to the lower limb is the lumbosacral plexus but it s tucked away inside the pelvis, from which emerge the sciatic nerve at the back and the femoral nerve in front (fig. 8a)

The sc ia ti c nerve runs straight down the back of the thigh, where it supplies the hamstring muscles which bend the knee. At the back of the knee one branch goes straight on d ow n the ca lf, to the inner side of the ankle and so into the foot (fig. 8b). This is the pos t erior tibial nerve and it control the pedal-pushing action (flexion) of the ankle, foot and toes and supplies about half the skin on the so le of the foot. The other branch is called the common peroneal nerve (the perone is another name for the fibula) and it makes for the outer s ide of the knee, then run s do wn the f ront of the leg, in front of the ankle a nd into the foot (fig. 8a) [t controls th e upward (extension) movement of the ankle and toes but it supplies only a ver y small area of skin on the top of the foot.

The e two main branches of the ciat ic nerve are accompanied by branche s of t he femoral artery The scia ic nerve has no large companion artery.

The femoral nerve runs down from the middle of the g ro i n and breaks up almost at once into branches to the muscles (Quadriceps) and the skin of the front of the thigh (fig. 8a). It is mainly responsible for s tr aig ht ening the knee. The femora artery a nd vein run down the inner ide of the thigh and p ass to t h e b ack of the limb just abo e the kn ee, where they become the popliteal vessels.

HOW MAY NERVES BE INJURED?

Nerves m ay be injured in wo und s caused by knives and ot h er shar p thi ngs, road accidents or bulle t; b y h e pr essure of broken bones or dislocated joint and even by the pre ure

2. Wounds

Stag in g. A penetrating wound abo v e the clavicle, which may bleed profu

y if a subclavian es el ha been damaged Acting. The numbne sand pa

more like ly to effect part of the limb

Fig. 5

Fig 6 Extension of the wrist fingers and thumb depends upon the activity of the radial nerve

the shoulder, the elbow or the hand rather than the whole of it and there is likely to be tingling as well as numbness

3. Dislocated shoulder

Staging. Dislocation of the shoulder sometimes damages the axillary nerve.

Acting. There may be numbness and tingling affecting an area about the size of the palm of the hand below the point of the shoulder but this is rarely noticed by the patient unless he is asked or tested.

THE RADIAL NERVE

1. Fracture of the humerus

Staging. The fracture is about the junction of the middle and lowest thirds of the shaft of the bone.

ULNAR NERV E -1edian fJerve

Acting. The grip is weak, the hand will not work properly and the wrist and fingers droop (fig. 6). The patient can grip, but only weakly because without the extensor mu scles to steady the wrist the flexor muscles cannot act to full advantage. Numbness and ti ngling may well escape notice in the small area affected (fig. 7).

2. Wounds

Staging. These rarely damage the nerve but they would lie somewhere near the course of the nerve

Acting. As for 1.

3. Saturday night paralysis

Staging. As a result of drink or drug s the victim may be asleep for hours with the edge of the table or chair squashing the nerve against the back of the humerus.

Acting. As for 1.

THE MEDIAN NERVE

1. Supracondylar fracture of the humerus and dislocation of the elbow.

Staging. A child has fallen and injured his elbow.

Acting. Fracture is more often responsible than is dislocation and fracture may cause

234

little swelling and no deformity at fir st. The most characteristic sign of this injury is the pointing index finger: the others are partly closed into a fist but the index finger sticks straight out (fig. 9). This is because a ll the muscles t hat bend it are supplied by the median nerve. There is numbne ss and tingling in the thumb and index finger and the action of pinching is weak and clumsy. The radial pulse is sometimes sent a nd rarely, the hand is pale This is becaus e the artery is sometimes pressed on as well as the nerve.

2. Wounds

Staging. These are mo st likely to be near the wrist; where the nerve is near the surface and they may be deliberate as with attempted suicide or result from putting a hand through a sheet of glass. Such wounds may cut a ll the tendons, both nerves and both arteries here (fig. lOc).

Acting. The index can be bent because its flexor muscles receive their nerve supply about the wound but pinching is weak and clumsy and the thumb and index finger are numb. If tendons are cut the power to grip is more or less reduced.

3. Carpal tunnel syndrome

The nerve passes under a tough band at the f ront of the wrist and may come under pressure as a result.

Ulnar tJerv Tendon :1 adial Artery Hsdial Fig 1 Db.

Staging and acting. A middle-aged or you ng er, pregnant woman complains of numbness an d tingling in the hand, often with pain, which may spread up the fore a rm as well as affect the hand. Characteristically, the pain is worse at night and the patient wa lk s about flapping the affected hand about. There are no physical signs and the hand can be used normally.

THE ULNAR NERVE

l. Dislocation of the elbow

This occasionally damages the nerve, s upracondylar fracture rarely does.

Staging and acting. The elbow is swo ll en and more or le ss deformed The hand feels awkward, clumsy and weak and it tingles and is numb on t he ring and li tt le fingers and on the adjoining palm. Its posture is abnormal (fig. 11) The radial (and ulnar) pulses are present.

2. Wounds

The most likely site is at the wrist, as with the median nerve, and the ulnar artery may bleed bri sk ly.

Staging A brawl, fall or attempted su ici de

Acting. As for 1

THE MEDIAN AND ULNAR NERVES

Staging. They may both be severed, together with the brachial artery or the inner si de of the arm (fig. 3) or at the wrist with their respective arter ies.

Acting. The hand is numb and useless; the pulses are unlik ely to be felt at the wrist.

CLASSIFICATION OF INJURIES

There are three degrees of damage to n erves.

l. Neurapraxia, in which the nerve fibre s have not been severed and from which recovery occur in hours or days. It results f rom a knock or mild pressure.

2. Axonotmesis, in which the nerve is still in continuity but the individual fibres are broken. This may be lik ened to the squashing of a raw sausage between the finger and thumb; the ski n remains intact but the filling is parted. The further part of each divided axon disappears and recovery takes place in weeks or months, according to how far the divided fibres have to grow to reach their destination s. They grow about an inch a month

3 Neurotmesis, in which the nerve is c ut across or torn more or less completely.

Recovery cannot take p lace unless the two ends are st tched neatly together.

From the point of view of t he actor,

THAT AGE LIMIT

from M Priscott, Ambulance Member

It would be a pity if the rank and file of the Brigade gave up contributing to the Review. Of the eleven letters published in June and July, only one is clearly from someone who is neither an officer nor an NCO So here is a cry from the rank s.

Just because one reaches the age of 65 doesn 't mean that one has to become incapable. An older member can often draw on useful experience and be a rea ss uring presence at an incident. So if the oldtimers are fit and qualified and want to carryon, why not? Most of Britain 's leaders are either near to or over the pension age!

Wellingborough M. Priscott

OH FIONA!.

from K C Robinson, Division Superintendent

During the last few months our division h as been successfu lly participating in a lot of adventure activities organized by the Northants Ea tern Area Youth Team, winning (among others) the Basketball Trophy and the County award for endeavour.

£250-plus, the cost of our last Brigade set. Licences are held by members p erso nall y, and one licence costi n g £10 is all that is needed for three sets.

Call signs are simple: AI, A2, etc., not elaborate CB-handles such as 'Hairy-Bear'. We feel this type of call sign is nece ss ary to preser ve the respect of other users and the dignity of the organization. Radio procedure is roughly the same as that in Brigade use.

The main argument against St John using CB, as I understand it , again I quote D.R. Hooper's comments 'Just because there are a lot of idiots misusing CB is not our experience. We use channel 30 on duty and have little interference. We simply ask other Breakers to lea ve the channel available when necessary. A case in point was at a recent large local show. We simply said on channel 14, could breakers not use 30 as it was being used for first aid at the show, and the local CB club assisted in this request. They are flattered that at last somebody else saw its potential.

We must recognise that the necessity of a Brigade frequency is essential where many divisions work in co-operation, and in large builtup areas where the use of CB is excessive.

Members of our di vis ion like to think that we are efficient in economics as well as in first aid knowledge, and cost effectiveness has to be efficient these days

So plea se, Headquarters, let us use CB. The Government has I m not asking for Brigade radios to be replaced by CB, but to be allowed to use t hem.

SMILING LASSIES

from Derick Heslop

I would like through the Re vi ew to thank St John HQ for putting the smile back on our lassies' faces. The new-style nursing cadet cap was made by a nursing member of our division and had its first major public appearance at the Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate recently. It was the only one there over the three days, and w as greatly admired by all attending St John personnel from North Yorkshire. So fro m so me satisfied nursing cadets - Thanks St John! Skipton Derick Heslop

Fig 1Dc. Cross section of the forearm near the wrist. Note the various depths of the main nerves and arteries however a n erve s uppo ed to have been damaged the immediate effects are the same except that tingling is more likely with partial and le ss serious damage than when a nerve has been completely divided. Wasting of muscles does not appear for some day s after a nerve had been damaged but takes some weeks to become fully developed.

(Reprinted from Casualty Simulation , the journal of Casualties Union)

Fig 1 1 The posture of the hand caused by damage to the ulnar nerve in the forearm

This award for endeavour was won by Corporal Ian Norman for taking the place of a female member due to compete in the Corby pentathlon. As Ian took the girl's place at the last minute none of the records or wrist bands could be altered in time, so Ian was known as 'F iona throughout the events. Of course, for the rest of the day Ian took a lot of stick from the other lads , but he weathered it. This is just one of the joys of bein g in a combined division. Rushden Combined Cadet Division K. C. Robinson

CB RADIOS from A Plea Rushden's basketball team (L to R Darren Dennison Fiona Henty and Ian Norman, who became Fiona in the pent· athlon event

Congratulations to D R. Hooper (August Review) for hi s relevant comment on the criticism of the Welsh corporal , but I would like to raise the issue of CB radios

Why is it , as D.R Hooper says, that some 'dismiss its potential out of hand'? It is a most practical and economical piece of equipment.

Being a CB owner and user, as are other members of my divi ion, I cannot see any serious disadvantage to its use , especially ou t of large cities. The Brigade does no t only exist in built-up areas.

My Division uses two hand-held, two-channel (14 for calling, and 30) CB radios which cost £25 each. The Brigade Frequency radios cost £350-plus each new (we are no longer allowed to buy secondhand) and are far too expensive for many divisions. Our sets are supplemented, if necessary, by members' vehicle et as a base. The e vehicle sets cost between £45 and £100, depending on qua lit y, against

CARING FOR THE SICK

from Adrian and Gillian Hughes , Nursing Officers

Congratulations to the producer s of t he new nursing manual Caring for the Sick. It is nice to see bright, modern text, whic h looks at the pa ient as an individual, taking into consi dera tion their total needs - physical, psychological and social.

We look forward to using it for our future nursing course. London £3 Adrian and Gillian Hu ghes SR s

NURSES DICTIONARY

from W H R Jones , SRN

r was interested in D A Woollacott's letter (August Re iew) concerning articles cou hed in medical terminolog y. I recent ly sat hrough several lectures given b y a doctor for a group of people interested to learn something about first aid, and I wondered if many of the course understood some of the terms used.

Having retired from the nursing service, and so know something of the difficult ies student nurses have, may I recommend to Mr Woollacott a little dictionar y Bailliere 's ur es Dictionary '. You can get a cop y at any good bookshop or d i rect from Bailliere Tindall, 7/ 8 Henrie tta S t, London WC2E 8QE.

It is worth its weight in gold, and many a time saved me \vhen faced with a difficult question

Emsworth w'H.R. Jones

I AM COLLECTING.

_ from Mrs M.1. Holdman County Staff Officer

I am ollecting old St John publications - first aid, nursing, hygiene, child care, etc. - and wonder whether anyone ha an y old copie that they do not want.

If there is sufficient interest for a swap scheme, I would be willing to help f people will send stamped addre ed en elopes.

2 Sturrock Court, M l. Holdman Grantham , Lines.

Fig. 9. The pointing index finger of median paralysis at the elbow

A.Plea

NEWS frol11 SCOTLAND

ON SUNDAY, August 29, the grounds of Scone Palace, by courtesy of the Earl of Mansfield, were the scene of a 'Rescue and Service Display', when demonstrations of lifesaving by helicopters, mountain and ski rescue teams, police dog search teams, the Fire Service and the RNLI contributed to a varied programme that included static displays, brass bands and activities for children. Organised by Perth and Kinross Committee of the Order of St John and its local Association, funds raised will benefit Perth Royal Infirmary, Glenshee Ski Rescue Service (manned by Boy Scouts), as well as the Ophthalmic Hospital of St John in Jerusalem. The programme was opened b y

WALES

Investiture, Cardiff, July 10

Knight William Ed war d Jones, Clwyd

Commander (Brother)

Thomas Lincoln Benson, L.M.S.S A., Pow ys

William Samuel Bowen, West Glamorgan

Robert Henry Jone s, South Glamorgan

Jeffrey Hamlet Silcock, J.P., F.l.D.P., A.I.W.M., Mid Glamorgan

Henry Lister Wilson, M.B., Ch B., M.R .C. G.P., Gwent

Commander (Sister)

Mrs. Virginia Elizabeth Cooper, Gwent

Mrs. Eira Herbert, S.R.N., R.F.N., Mid Glamorgan

Mrs. Menna John, S R.N. , R.S.C.N., O.H.N.C., Headquarters

Mrs. Susan Eva Williams, M.B.E., J.P , Headquarters

Officer (Brother)

George Alan Bailey, Gwen

Thomas Clifford Bowen, Powys

Wilfred Peter Davie s, Clwyd

Gareth Emlyn Gower, M.B., B .S., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.Ob s t.R.C.O.G., West Glamorgan

Gordon James Hart, Gwent

William Henry Jenkin s, Gwent

Desmond Robert Kitto, B .A., South Glamorgan

James Leech Knights, Powys

Harry Launder, West Glamorgan

Peter John Mann, J.P., South Glamorgan

Alfred Thomas G. Mills, South Glamorgan

Hugh Curig Owen, Gwynedd

Terence John Rogers, West Glamorgan

William John Stokes, Mid Glamorgan

Albert John Barnes, M B.E., South Glamorgan

Lt. Col. John Edward Humphreys, O.B.E., Headquarters

the Countess of Mansfield, OStJ , who is Honorary President of Perth and Kinross St John Acsociation.

The Priory of Scotland will be represented in Jerusalem at the centenary celebrations of the hospital in October by Mr William Gordon , CStJ, Chairman of the Council of St John Associations in Scotland.

On the occasion of the Royal visit to St Mary's College, St Andrews, on July 1 Lord and Lady Lindsay and Mr and Mrs Gavin R. Reekie of the Order of St John had the honour of being presented to HRH t he Duke of Edinburgh This gave appropriate recognition to the fact that a part of the premises used by the University was at one

The procession on St John's Day , 1982 , leaving the ancient Guild Hall and about to enter the pre - Reformation Church of the Holy Rude in Stirling, where James VI was baptised , Mary Queen of Scots worshipped and John Kn ox preached

(Photo: Whyl er, Stirling)

time the property of the Order, which helped to finance its recent re toration.

Members and friends of the St John Association in the Edinburgh area have had severa l opportunities this ummer of enjoying short trips along the cana aboard the St John Crusader, the converted canal boat used to provide outings for the disabled.

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, the Rt. Hon. Cllr. Phil ip Dun l eavy , presents a Priory

Vote of Thanks to Mr Derek Fent on, Commissioner for London Di strict, for his assistance to the Priory for Wales. (Photo: Terry Downey Cardiff)

Officer (Brother) (Associate)

Myer Cohen, South Glamorgan

Officer (Sister)

Miss Gwyn et h Caroline Edmunds, Mid Glamorgan

Mrs. Hilda Mary Evans, Gwent

Mrs. Audrey D Green , B.Sc., F.I.F.S.T., Gwent

Serving Brother

Eric Jack Barnett, M.B., B.S., M.R.C.S., L.R .C. P. , D ObsLR.C.O.G. , Clwyd

George Thomas Britton, Powys

Albert John Henry Blackmore, Gwent

Da vi d Clive Davies, Mid Glamorgan

Victor Frank Eckley, S.E N., Gwent

Gareth Lloyd Evans, Gwynedd

William Henry Greenway, Dyfed

Michael John Griffiths, Headquarters

Evalds Janis Licitis, Mid Glamorgan

Michael Henry Manship, Gwent

Bertram Maybury Headquarters

John Morgan, Headquarters

Simeon avis, M.B ., B.S., L.R .C .P .,

M.R.C.S ., Powys

George Henry Perry, Gwent

Alfred Pidduck, Gwent

Ivor Powell, Mid Glamorgan

Roydon Prew, S.R.N., R.M.N. , B.T.T.A .,

South Glamorgan

Richard Meurig Pugh, Dyfed

William John Roberts, Mid Glamorgan

Stanley Albert Rogers, South Glamorgan

James Alfred Smith, Clwyd

Stephen John Snelling, Gwent

Arthur Desmond Stephens, Mid Glamorgan

Maldwyn Stokes, West Glamorgan

Hamish William Stonebridge, Powys

Captain Francis Edgar Thomas , Mid Glamorgan

Earnest Alfred Verbruggen, Headquarters

Arthur Raymond Walker, Gwynedd

Kevin Weigh, Clwyd

David Oli ver Williams, Gwynedd

John Lloyd Williams, Gwynedd

William David William s, Mid Glamorgan

Ronald Young, Clwyd

Serving Sister

Miss Iris Mary Brown , Powy s

Mrs. Diane Margaret Davies, Headquarters

Mrs. I re ne Foulkes, Clwyd

Miss Maureen Gallagher, S.R.N., West

Glamorgan

Miss Jean Harrison, Headquarters

Mr s. Betty Hopkins, South Glamorgan

Mrs. Anna Lynette Francesca Hughes, Mid Glamorgan

Mrs. Barbara Helen Margaret Humphries, S.R.N., Gwent

Mrs. Ivora Jones, S.E.N., Gwynedd

Mrs. Mary Wyn Jones S.E.N., Gwynedd

Mrs. Beryl Maglona Lewis, S.E.N., Powys

Miss Alice Mary Angela Luddy, South Glamorgan

Mrs. Ros emary Dorothy Newell, Mid Glamorgan

Mrs Vera Jean Powell, South Glamorgan

Mrs Annie May Pri ce, Clwyd

Mrs. Barbara Roberts , Powy s

Mrs. Joan Elizabeth Smith, Clwyd

Mrs. Margaret Joyce Stuart, Powys

Mrs. Betty Symons, Gwent

Mrs. Ir ene May Thomas, South Glamorgan

Miss Elspeth June Vaughan, S.E.N., Clwyd

Esquire

Mr. Donald J ames McDougall, Knight of Justice to present his Per so nal Esquire to the Prior.

Mr. Hector Donald McDougall

ORDER INVESTITURE

by the Lord Prior, London, July 8

Commander (Brother)

Cyril James Anderton, QPM, CBIM (Manchester)

Geoffrey Meek (London)

The Prior 's Procession headed by t he Sword of the Pr iory for Wales With Lord Aberdare, the Prior for Wales , is Sir Stephen Miller, the Hospitaller of the Order en route to attending the annual service of Commemoration and Rededication. (Photo: Terry Down ey, Cardiff)

Alfred Lewis Hill, Mid Glamorgan

Rever e nd Malcolm John Hill, Gwynedd

Gordon Sydney Hu g he s, Mid Glamorgan

Win ston Hughe s, Dyfed

Glyn Martin Jones, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Mid

Glamorgan

Griffith Jones, Gwynedd

Dr

The July 8 investiture in the Grand Pr iory Church, Clerkenwell , is over and the Sword Bearer car rying the Processional Cross leads the departure of the Lord Prior's procession

LDS (S. Yorks)

John Lewis Herbert, MB, BS (Dyfed)

Tom Jarratt (Somerset)

Henry Anthony Avery (Middx)

John Darley Ayers, BEM (Surrey)

Ronald Hodgson (Essex)

Robert James McDowell (Bucks)

Major James Egan, LSSC, MBIM (Hants)

Albert Charles Sparrow (Essex)

John Palette (Berks)

Anthony Haith (Kent)

Alexander Courtney Johnstone Miller (Herefordshire)

Ernest Edward Swain ( orfolk)

Thomas Watkinson (Lanes)

Reginald Worthington (Cheshire)

Jack Alec Bloodworth (Glos)

Athol Noble Hepburn, RD, MB, ChB, MFOM, DPH ( Berks)

Lt-Col Robert Leslie Wilson, MCSP (Salop)

John Edward Himing (Middx)

Maj-Gen Joseph Porter Crowdy QHP, MB, ChB (London)

Kenneth Oswald Albert Vickery , MD FFCM, DPH (Sussex)

Major Timothy Tufnell, MC (Berks)

Maynard Green (Northants)

James Patrick Amos (axon)

John Erskin e Nicholson , aBE, TD (Lincs)

Grp-Capt Frederick Robert son Hulm BDS (Bu cks)

Bernard John Ord (Cleveland)

Major David Lionel Bowron, TD, LLB (Cleveland)

Huw Dyfan Walters (Dyfed)

William Adams (W. Yorks)

William Reginald Pullen (London)

Bernard George Budden Lucas, FFARCS, CIMechE (Dorset)

Commander ·(Sister)

The Princess Helena Moutafian, MBE (London)

Officer (Brother)

The Rt Hon Francis Nigel, Baron Napier & Ettrick, MVO , DL (London)

Lt-Col John Connellan Bowman, TD, BChD,

Grp-Capt John Arthur Guiness Slessor (London)

Orficer (Sister)

Isla Carolyn, The Lady Abinger (Suffolk)

Shirley Miss Goldthorpe (London)

Mabel Florence , Mrs Harrison (Norfolk)

Irene Gwendoline Cameron, Mrs Amos (axon)

Phyllis Emmerson, Mrs Bell, SRN (South Yorks)

Florence Dorothy, Miss Brown (Warks)

Evelyn Margaret, Miss Rice (Norfolk)

Mary Rose, Mrs Jones, SRN (Guernsey)

Margaret Hemsley Mrs Handyside aBE (Tyne & Wear)

r

Margaret Hilary, Mrs Hayes, SR (Sussex)

Mary, Mrs Batson, SR SCM (Kent)

Ethel May, Mrs Spencer, SE (Lancs)

Margaret Lesley, Mrs Thomas, SRN (West MidJands)

Grace Patricia , Mrs Oxbury, SE (Norfolk)

Alma Marjor ie , Mrs Morris (London)

Margaret, Mrs Jones (Berks)

Patricia Mary Rose, Mrs Chersle y (W Midland s)

Serving Brother

John Hamilton Cracknell (London)

Geoffrey Arthur Gorham (Herts)

Walter Alan Horsewell (London)

Dennis Charles Alfred Jones ( London)

George J ones (London)

John Eric David Saner, MICE, MIMechE (M erseyside)

Keith McBean (Cleveland)

Michael Waude (Greater Manchester)

John Wilson Walsh (Merseyside)

Douglas Alexander Usher (East Su ex)

Brian Arnold Taylor (Cleveland)

John Radley (London) [van R obert Parkes (Staffs)

Cyril James Nelson (C lwyd)

Thomas Morris (London)

Edward Hilton (Lancs)

Sidney Glasson Gill (Middx)

Michael Barrie Davies (Worcs)

Ha rold John Keown (Merseyside)

Joseph Dronsfield (Greater anchester)

John Alfred Horrex (Surrey)

William Neil Tonkyn (Surrey)

John Alfred Alderson (Surrey)

Claude Frederick Mead, JP (Es ex)

Eric ViClOr Wilson (Herts)

Serving Sister Lucy, Mrs Lane (Dorset)

Miriam Harriet Miss Cox (Surre )

Barbara Mary Mrs Henn (W. 1idland)

Eileen Marjorie, Mrs Shepheard (London)

Maud Elizabeth, Mrs Austin (London)

Margaret Osyth, Miss Price (Surrey)

Jean Miss Hickman (London)

Mr William Jones of Clwyd is congratulated by Lord Aberdare on being made a Knight of the Order (Photo Terry Down ey, Cardiff)

Henry Lister Wilson from Gwent is invested as a Commander Br othe

Australia

TO CELEBRATE the centenary of St John Ambulance in Australia a series of events are being planned in conjunction with the Annual Meetings of the Pr iory of the Order in Melbourne, June 20 to 26.

Monday, June 20

9 am -5 pm Brigade ThemeGe t ting Better 8 pm St John Oration delivered by Mr Peter S. London, MBE, CStJ, FRCS , Senior surgeon , Binningham Accident hospital, U.K.

Tuesday, June 21

9 am - 5 pm Brigade Conference. Lectures to be given on head injuries, sOft tissue injuries , infection prevention , continuing care wi h particular reference to pressure areas. The se lectures will be followed by discussion groups and workshops; at the workshops demonstration s will be given i n a practical wa y of ano x ia, cardio-pulmonar y resuscitation, lifting techniques, accident pre vention and other topics of in tere st t o th e firs t aider

It is hoped t hat a s many member s of S t John as possible will be able to attend t his conference

OVERSEAS

Fund Raising in Kenya WHEN HE the late Mzee Jomo Ken ya tta be came President he asked the people of Kenya to 'all pull together', t he Swahili word for this phrase being ' Harambee ', a word that has been of the greatest significance ever since It is perhaps because of the spirit of Harambee that people from all walks of life contribute generously by donations and hard work t o the ver y m a ny cau s es - ho s p i ta ls, schools foundations education, etc and in our case St John Ambulance Br ig ade A visitor from Engl a nd , him sel f a m emb e r of St John and activ e in the Brigade, called in at the Nairobi HQ re centl y Durin g th e course o f conver sation the que s ti o n of ambulances was raised and the c omm e nt made that St John in Ken y a mu s t re ce ive heav y government or muni c ipal sub s idie s in order to maintain thi s ser vic e He wa s ve r y surprised when told this w as not t he case and almost all St John fund s came from member s of the public, ei t her direc t ly o r t h ro u g h companies, wh ile the amount of m o n ey give n b y way of grants was minimal. How then can St John in Ken ya continu e

to expand? The answer is simple; an ac t ive and

News from Divisions/Centre s

Reduction of life expectation

Are we reaching the limit of the ability of medicine to lengthen life? For the first time in 12 years, in 1980 the expectation of life in the United States went down - by an average of nearly three and a half months in comparison with what it was in 1979. A study carried out by the Metropolitan Life Assurance Co shows that in 1980 a male recently born could expect a life of 70 [ years, while in 1979 the figure would have been 70.2 years. Girl babies born in 1980 could expect to live 77.5 years in comparison with 77.9 years for those born in 1979.

Salt and high blood pressure

The result of a study made recently in Liverpool, reported in The Lancet, supports the belief that high blood pressure in human beings is related to the consumption of salt - the more salt consumed the higher the blood pressure. The scientists have thought this for some time but it has been difficult to demonstrate it in a convincing manner. According to the current reasoning this is due to the facts that different persons react in different ways to the consumption of large quantities of salt and that the reaction takes place slowly.

The co-relation is supported by studie s which compare cultures and societies which use little or no salt with those which use large amounts of salt in their diet. These studie s showed that it is only necessary to take as

THE WORLD ABOUT US

little as 200 milligrams of sodium daily, whereas in the majority of western countries the daily consumption is about 10 grams. Although the National Council of Investigation of the USA recently advised the American public to reduce the daily consumption of salt to about 3 grams, some authorities believe that even this amount is too high.

A new Plague of Egypt' 'The "super-rats", which weigh as much as 2kg (4 Y4 lbs) each, have emptied granaries and have eaten entire crops of tomatoes and other vegetables. Waves of the rats climbing the trees have attacked orange groves and devoured the frwt. Rats on the roofs have come down during the night and bitt e n sleeping children.'

This is not an announcement of a horror film but an account o f the invasion of the rats which are devastating Egypt. What is the cause? 'Afte r the war of [967 with Israel,' says Mohammed Helmi, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture, 'the people abandoned farms and villages along the banks of the Suez Canal and t he rats multiplied amongst the ruins When Egypt

regained the canal zone, in the war of 1973, the people returned and the rats were driven out so that they emigrated to the Nile Delta and up the Nile Valley.'

It has been calculated that t here are between 200 and 400 millions of rats and the number is constantly growing. ]n some areas as much as 80% of the harvest has been devoured and a 'state of emergency due to the rats' has been declared in nearly half of the farming land of Egypt.

Artificial skin

The doctor s of the General Hospital of Boston, Massachusetts, announced that the y obtained a good result in the use of artificir>I skin as replacement for skin which had been destroyed b y burn s. The artificial skin wa s made from cowhide, shark carti lege and plastic material and was used in the treatment of 10 patient s who had s uffered third degree burns which covered fr om 50 to 90 per cent of the body Dr John F. Burke, the leader of the surg i ca l team, s aid that, of these 10 patients three ' probably would have died ' if the repla ceme n t had not been carried out. None of the patients needed drugs to support the natural immunit y s ystems of the bod y. So the new skin did not increase the risk of contracting a fatal infe ction. Dr Burke said that it was too early to predict how lon g the bod y would tolerate this artificial skin without reje ct ing it, but he believed that it could be for all the person 's life.

siders (6). 18. Usual presenting symp t om in otitis media (7) 2 1 Painfu l and disabling rheumatic affection of soft tissues of loin (7). 23. Ex ces of fluid in the tissues (6).25. Unable to lie as lant (4).27. Ruth become s injured (4). 28. Restri c t painful , s usta ined, muscle cont r action (5) 30. Pro cess ensuring an adequate supply of oxygen to all cells of bod y (1 I). 31. Exactly a person's right (3).32. Grab hold of a bone of the shoulder girdJe (6). 33. Paediatric patients (8).

Down

1. Deli cate inner layer of arterial walls (6). 2. C ity in whi c h th e St John Ophthalmjc Hospital is situated (9). 3. [s beneath laceration in the dermi s (5). A murder for an aural str u cture (7).6. Metal essential to formation of haemoglobin (4) . Drool badl y producing pain (5). 8. Difficulty in breathing (8). 9. Attendant to a Scotti s h s hooter (6) 15. Use drop for stimulus (4). [7. Incline body of s lender ph ys iqu e (4). 19. Title given to members of the trurd grade of the Order of S t John (9). 20. Asphyxiating shock (8). 22. Rela t ing to the eye (6). 22. Large flightless bird (7).24. Often a source of internal haemorrhage resulting from abdominal injuries (6). 26 Ducts draining secretions from lacrimal sacs (5). 28. Semicircular structure of the inner ear (5). 29. Pathological appetite for abnormal foods at tropical centre (4)

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 10 (82) By A.A. Potter

7 Sinclair Mansions. London 8LN W1 2 Across 1. Gave drug by a parenteral route (8). 5. Suffering from effects of a blow over the solar plexus (6). 10. Preservative for a sailor (3). 11. Wry-neck (11). 12. Reflects on goddesses (5). 13. Rattling sound heard on auscultation of bronchitic chest (4). 14. Useful constituent of highroughage diet (4). 16. Small upset about nothing in obstacle race for

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 9 (82)

Across: 1. G.eriatric; 6. Hosea; 9. A.dd.er; 10 Dys .t ropy; 11. Dr.o.op ; 13. I.T.A.; 14. Minim; 16. Arthrogram; 19. Stud; 21. Trip; 22. Glysosuria; 26. Rouge; 27. Cos; 28. Depot; 30. Hypotonia; 31. Gr.o.in; 32. Wi.dal; 33. Endosteum.

Down: 1. Grand Master; 2. Radio; 3. Ajr; 4. Redwing; 5. Ca scar.a; 6. Harems; 7. Supinator; 8. Any; 12. Pore; 15. Mediastinum; 17 Tricuspid; 18 Ray; 20. Used; 23. Licence; 24. Cu.stard; 25. Mental ; 29. Probe; 30. Haw; 3 [. Gas.

NITRONOX EQUIPMENT

NITRONOX has 2 unique and important features

THE FIRST IS A FACILITY FOR TWO HOSE CONNECTIONS THEREBY MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR TWO PATIENTS TO BE TREATED AT THE SAME TIME THE SECOND IS INSTANT GAS INHALATION THE MOMENT THE UNIT IS SWITCHED ON

Nitronox * equipment for use with Entono x** gas (50 % Nitrous O xide and 50 % Oxygen) consists of the two stage regulation of the gas resulting in patient-control l ed inspiration

In the first stage the pressure in the cylinder is reduced to aproximately 120 p .s. by means of a piston ope rat e d regulator The gas is then conducted to the second stage regulator (or d e mand) regu ato r by means of four feet of gas conduction hose secured at one end by quick release co upling and at th e ot h er by a knurled hand tight e ned ring

The second stage regulator is a diaphragm operated fail-safe downst re am tilt valve requiring a maximum inhalat ion pressure of 2cm / wg. The mask connection is international Rugged , durable and dependab e, Nitr onox* is supplied wi th a heavy duty carrying case with shoulder strap (on request) in the blue colour code of Enton ox** and conforms to all rele vant British Standards.

SAFE PAIN CONTROL

equipment can be used safely by even an i nexperienced first aider providing the patien controls th e amount of gas inhaled

Pa in can be medically harmful and so the speedy provision to the p atient of pain relief can be instrumental in assist ng th e patients eventual successful recovery

One of the most important values to the use of Nitronox* is that the gas.acts as a pa in -killer for only as ong as the gas is be ng inhaled and therefore has no side e ffects to hamper or delay subsequent treatment because the effec quickly disappears.

Users of Nitronox* need not be professionally qualified but first a d knowledge is desirable Certa nly t should be clear y understood that th e gas is a airly power f ul analgesic (pain kille ) but it is not an anaesthetic (complete deprivation of sensation ) although patients tend to drowsiness and may even lapse nto unconciousness

It should a so be clearly understo od that the gas is inhaled as the patient requ res it th rough the demand v alve and the patient should be the judge of how often it is nha ed Therefor e. oniy in exceptional ci r cumstances (such as illJury to hands ) should the mask be held to the patien t s face. The patient should be told to ensure " a good seal - mask o face-for effective use and a l so informed that it often takes wo or three minut es befo re

ief is obta ned.

Outlets for two patients

SPECIFICATIONS

FIRST STAGE REGULATORPtston operated pressu re redUCing , set at workin g pre ssure of 120 psi incorpora t ing vyon

AMBULANCES

ST JOHN REVIEW

Revievv Sales

WILL EVERYONE please note that Review Sales (that's the selling part of the Review) is now at our Suffolk editorial and advertising address - so all mail for the Review should now be sent to the one address. Review mail that is still sent to Headquarters is bound to take some time in being forwarded. A number of readers do not seem to understand that we cannot immediately execute changes of address to which the Review is sent. The magazine is despatched by post by our distributor on about the first of the month. Computer lists of the names and addresses have to be sent by us to the distributor a month before the Reviews are sent out. So on the first of each month all amendments, changes of names and addresses, etc, that have been received by us over the previous month are made on the lists for the issue of the following month - and sent to the distributor. Once the lists have been sent we cannot make any further alterations to that month's distribution. Such alterations now have to wait until the following month. So an address change that arrives the day after the lists have been despatched cannot be executed until the issue of two months ahead.

I hope that is clear to everyone. Also when writing to us about an order please AL WAYS teU us the name and address of the person to whom the Reviews are sent. That is the only record we have and the ooly way we can trace an order in our records. Ideally, send the address label.

There have been a number of enquiries recently about reduced rates for bulk supplies of Reviews to St John units in the UK. This system still operates, and in fact is very successful. At present the rate is 50p a copy for six copies or more a month sent to one address; billed either annually in advance, or, if you prefer it, quarterly after they've been received so that the number of copies can be changed any month (but of course if the number falls below 6 copies then the full rate of 66p a copy is charged). These prices include postage, of course. The cover price is 52p. The annual subscription is £8 (which works out at 66p a copy). Overseas SUbscription is £9.50. We cannot, I'm afraid, operate the reduced bulk rate overseas.

o Pray for the peace of

gathered in the grea Cathedral set in the Is le o Ely in Cambridgeshire.

Whoto: Brian M Lan e)

Jerusalem

'Let us dedicate ourselves and all that we are to God's great service, remembering our Christian calling and our obligations as members oj this Most Venerable Order oj SI John oj Jerusalem.

THUS the Lord Bishop of Ely called upon those present to re-dedicate themselves to the service of our lords and masters, the sick. On a warm September afternoon members of the Order, the Association and the Brigade , and friends, gathered in the great Cathedral set in the Is le of Ely in Cambridgeshire. The Lord Prior' s Procession, having passed through the lines of cadets, entered the West Door to the ound of trumpeters of the Household Cava lry. The silver and gold cro se of the Order, the colourful banners and the Sword of the Order were each followed by men and women wearing the distin ctive robes of the senior members, but one's atlention was always drawn to the white eight-pointed cross and its symbolism. In his addre s the Lord Bi shop matched the hi tory of the Cathedral through the years with the hi tory of the Order, the foundations of both originating in the eventh century and then becoming more firmly e tabli hed in the Middle Ages. Similarly, in the present both need to look forward with di scernme n and courage, but with care for the people at the heart of their actions and in ervice to God Leaving the magnificent so und of the organ playing Walton' 'Crown Imperia l', the proce ion returned to the North Door to where the Lord Prior, watched by many hundr eds of people, presented twelve cadets with their Grand Prior certificates, before thanking hi ho t, the Lord Fairhaven, for the d ay's ho s pitality.

It was a sp lendid and movin g afternoon, remembe red in many different way; but with our thoug hts focused particularly on the Ho sp ital and curre nt events in the Middle East, perhaps the words and music o f the anthem hould remain uppermost in our thou g h ts ' 0 pray Jor the peace oj Jerusalem: they shall prosper who love thee.

I. D. Phipps

(Top ) The Lord Prio 's procession.

(Middle) The Lord Bishop matched the history of the Cathedral through the years with the history of the Order.

(Right ) Aher the service, the Lord Prior , Sir Maurice Dorman pr esented Grand Prior ce rtificates to 12 cadets - here to Julie Mason of Wisbech Nursing Cad e Division who also received a certificate for completing 1000 hours of special service. (Photos: Brian M. Lane)

Training Ambulance staff • In the '80s

Ken Smith is Training Officer for Kent Ambulance Service and until recently was an instructor in the London Ambulance Servic e. He is Divisional Officer of the 41st Royal Arsenal and Wool wich Division S t John Ambulance (London District).

OUR CONCEPT of today's ambulance man or woman is probably very much out of date

A first aid certificate and a driving licence are no longer all that are required to do this job.

In 1966 the Miller Report made recommendations for t he t raining of ambulance staff, and as a re sult today's ambulance personnel are highly trained in the care and management of the sick and injured. It might help i f we look a t the selection and training of such sta ff

Selection: There is now a national standard of selection procedure which includes tests based on a pre-learning booklet, an aptitude test, a one-hour driving test, a nd finally appearance before an interviewing panel. The successful candidates then undertakes an introduction course of two weeks, which is normally run by their own Authority. This includes basic first aid an introduction to ambulance aid kinetics' organisation of the within the National Health Service, etc. This precedes their six weeks basic training programme

Basic Training: This is undertaken at a Regional Ambulance Training School, the majority of which are residential. Instruction is given by ambulance aid instructors, assisted by visiting speakers , ie, midwife, police , fire officers, physiotherapists and others.

The Department of Health and Social Security gives a list of subjects (reproduced here) to be covered. Evaluation of students

MILLER BADGE

is by progres s ive a nd end of c our s e assessments

Courses: A t wo-week dri vin g course IS under t aken dur i n g the rainee 's first year. Thi s is ba s ed o n t h e Poli ce Roadcraft Manual.

Most of the ins tru ct io n is carr ie d out in ambulances, althou g h som e is in ca r s. Th e emphasis is on s afety a nd p ati ent comfort. Time is de voted to m a no e u vrin g a nd on a skid pad.

In Hospital T raining : On e wee k in a hospital is includ e d in he f ir s t ye a r o f training. This co vers most of the d e p art m en ts so that ambul a n ce staff get a b etter unders t anding of t h e wo r ki n g of a h os p ita l and how patient s a r e p ro ces se d Operational Training: C arried ou t by som e authoritie s , h e re n e w crews are s up er v ised 'on the road' , carr yin g ou t th e full range o f ambulan ce dut ies. It ha s the ad vanta ge o f easing in t r a ine es a nd ev aluatin g t h eir potential.

Miller Qualification: T h e Tr ainee qu ali fi es for the Mill er B a d ge an d Cer t ificate w hen h e ha s s a t isfa c to ril y co m p leted the f irs yea r.

Post Proficiency : A ll staff are req uir ed to attend a t wo- week refresher co urse eve r y five years.

Extended Training: M any A utho r itie s ar e now carryin g out ex t ended training f or ambulance st a ff. Thi s course ma y var y i n length and in skill s t aught. H owe ve r , mos t courses include: 1. In t ub a tion ; 2. Infusion

Intubation i s t h e pl ac ing of an endotracheal tube into a pat ie n t's t rachea in

AMBULANCE AID INS T RU CTOR BADGE

order that a clear airway may be maintained; it will also assist ventilation.

Infusion is the process by which lost body fluid is replaced via an intravenou s infusion. This will help to maintain blood pre ss ure, thus ensuring that the circulation does not close down before reaching hospital.

Some course s al s o include cardiac monitoring and defibrillation.

While the cour s es are normally run at Regional Training S c hool s a con s iderable proportion of time is spent in a hospital , either in the operating theatre or a coronary care unit.

Once qualified staff are required to keep up their skills by attending refres her cour ses at school and in ho spital.

Conclusion. The training of ambulance staff is quite extensive , so the Brigade member or officer you meet on a public duty wearing the Mill e r Badge will have considerable experience He or she will be making provisional diagnos es, and oft en life or death deci sions , every day of their working life

Gone ar e the da ys o f S w o o p and Sc oop '.

Present day proc edure is t o s tabili s e the patien before remo val, and pro v ide li fesuppor t te c hniques e n route t o hospi t al.

I hope thi s articl e w ill he lp u s all t o ha ve a bet t er under st anding of pro fess ional ambulance personnel.

THOSE of you w ho ha ve be en cadet

mem b e r s 0 f S t John w ill know t h at t h er e is a secret band of p eo ple w ho d eserve St J o hn

Aux il iar y badge s a s mu ch a s an yo n e. F or rea s ons w hich wi ll so on be o b vio u s, however , th ey prob a bl y wo ul dn 't wa nt suc h an aw ar d

They are known to most cad e ts simply a s Mum '. And if you want t o kno w ho w the y quali fy for a s pe cia l a ward , rea d o n

When th e boys livin g n ext d oo r t o us in v ited m y two boys to go t o a S t J o hn meetin g with the m o n e We dn esday in N o vemb er 1977, J had no idea ho w it wo uld chang e m y f amily's way of life. No - o n e warned m e t ha t bein g in t h e S J o h n organisation is a wh o le new expe r ie n ce, a kind of religious cult f rom wh ic h o n e can never esc ap e, and when , a year lat er, m y daughter joined, I kn ew there was n o t urn ing back

Thi s is how m y life has chan ge d: E ach wee k for 4 V2 y ears, I ha ve had t o rush th e eve nin g meals o n We dn es days and Fridays so th e children can get to t he train ing hall on tim e; m y p u rse is raided tw ice a wee k for 10 p en ce pieces, and J ha ve t o c hase around th e hou se sear chin g for on e of t hree black berets which have found t heir way into the back of th e draw ers. A lso each wee k I have to rem e mber to soak shir ts, g lo ves, or haversack straps in biolo gical powder t o ge t them white, and a void trippin g o ver t he black shoe- cleanin g brushes strewn allover the kitchen floor!

No-one warned me that m y evenings would be spent attempting to sew little black and white badges in the correct positions on uniform sleeves, or explained why , in spite of using pins and tape measure, the badges never look straight!

I have had to learn a whole new language offirst aid terminolo gy , and now understand

PATIENT CARE

t he m ean ing of such p hrases as 'Th e P arson's Shield ', wh ich means a per iod of panic leadin g up to a first aid competition of some importan ce, and 'Ann ual R eview' means f ranti c cleaning of u mform s an d polishing of sho es. Th e phrase T eam t rain in g' means two bo y s dashi ng ou t of the h ouse st raight after Sunday lun ch an d thus avoidin g t he washin g-up, an d I now u n d ersta n d that 'c as ualty s im ulation ' m ea ns comin g home cov ered in revo lt in g pret en d inj uries which refuse t o co me off e ven whe n scrub bed in the bath. I of en wo nder wha t would h appen if these casual t ies ha d a re al accident on the way home - th e am bu lanc emen woul d n't kno w wh ere t o s tar t!

N o -on e warn ed m e t ha t m y son wo uld k eep a b ox of make-up powder puffs and f ace cream in h is b edr oo m; I was re a//y worried ab o ut t his u n t il J f o un d o u t it was a// to d o wit h t his casualty sim ulat io n'!

Th e annual summer camp was a bit of a s ho ck . E ach July I ha ve a p ani c t o fi n d al/ th e item s on the kit list , and imag ine my difficulty last summ er wh en all three d ecide d to go especial/yas th ey s ee m ed dete rm ined to take the best tow els, cro c k ery and cutlery with them ! Just wh en it seem ed t h ey we re ready to go, I am told tha t each on e needs a dustbin sa ck and coa t han ger 'Whatever

for?' J ask. The answer was that Mrs Tucke r would be very cross if they didn't have them, so it was obviously ve ry important. I dashed off to the nearest shop for some black sacks Perhaps Mrs T. puts the cadets in them and hangs them from trees when they misbehave (J later found the bags are fo r putting uniforms in!)

If p reparing for camp is bad, imagine wh at the return home is like! Last year three lots of smelly clothes and sleeping bags fi//ed the kitchen, and covered the floor with so much grass that I'm sure the camp field mus[ have been completely bald! It took my washing machine a month to recover!

And now something else has crept into the family Who had the bright idea of forming a band? We now have to rush suppe r on Thu rsday nights as well, and in [he corner of the sifting-room we have an enormous bel/ -lyre, which vibrates the whole house when played!

Fina!!y , I musr Ee!! you how the fourth member of my family was enticed infO (he Sf John web. I[ a// began when Mr Fo[hergill said fo my husband 'How aboUl going on the Parents and Friends Commillee? It doesn '[ email much \1-'ork, just a few meetings.' We!!, I IVon't believe him ever again.

The fund raising events, especial/y [he bingo, seem EO come round a// [00 frequently. The blessing is that S f John hasn '( devised a uniform for commitree members, so at least J don '{ have to wash a white shirt, sew on badges or find his beret - well, not yet anyway!

P erhaps a/1 new 'Sf John jV!ums' should be given a warning : Danger! Sf John wi!! change your life irreparably! Then at least they can't say no-one warned rhem!

( R eprinted from SJA Guernsey' Quarterly News)

What the Miller badge means, , by K. G. SMITH, F.A.S.1.

A series on improving your divisional meeting

I STAR TED my first a r ticle on the Divisional meeting by saying that the firstaider should 'Be Prepared'. To this should now be added 'and Up-to-Date'. Our two new handbooks, 'First Aid Manual' and 'Caring for the Sick', are available and should form the basis for future Divisional training even if courses are not started until 1983. The vital importance of the first-aider being able to pick out the major first aid cases is high-lighted in the new First Aid Manual. The priorities and required techniques are in a clearly marked section right at the beginning of the book.

If you have been, as suggested last month , working in small groups, discussing and trying out first aid in awkward places, now is the time, using the same methods, to go on to accidents where the casualty has two or more injuries and / or there are two or more persons injured. All members will then become accustomed to dealing w ith situations where an immediate choice must be made as to which injuries require major first aid A first-aider may well know in theory that lack of breathing and / or heart beat, severe bleeding and unconsciousness are all matters requiring immediate action , but when one is faced with several casualties there is a great temptation to waste time wi t h the first person found regardless of the fact that there is a normal response and no obvious signs of severe bleeding, and that t he only complaint is of some pain in one leg

An elementary way to help members to realise that certain injuries must be sought out and immediately t reated , is to prepare a series of cards, each with an injury clearly written on it , the injuries ranging through t he different fractures, burns, medium and severe wounds, an unconscious but still breathing casualty, and asph yx iati on , with some of the cards having t wo injuries on them. Spread these cards out round the Headquarters and, having given each member two matchsticks, let them go round putting these on the two cards which each individual feels would warrant immediate treatment. A short time limit should be set , with no going back or second thoughts, followed at once by a discussion on whether proper decisions have been made.

This practice may then be carried out o ver wider areas such as a car park or a big garden, where it would be more effective to have disposable plates rather than cards on which to write the injur ies. If the plates are spread over a really wide area , the members' ability to remember where particular cases are will also be tested

This may seem a crude method of instruction, but played for two or three evenings, with some fresh cards added each time, it does help members to make quick decisions to pass over some cases, and also to realise that some conditions such as fractures of both thigh bones, suspected fracture of the s pine or internal injuries, though extremely serious, are no t priority for treatment, though they may well be priority for transport.

When it comes to a decision on the

When faced with several casualties, some quick decisions are needed

says NANCY SALE, former County Staff Off i ce r (Training) Bucks

t reatmen t of a casualt y wit h wo or mo re injuries it will oft en be f ound th a t th e t reatment o f one in jury will co nflic t with t h e t reatment o f a nother. Us in g the ima gination while going through the M anual s hou ld provide you wit h several ex ampl es. When dec iding on the treatment o f s uch cases a general pointer is to con centra te on the most serious in ury Th e n ew in stru ctions fo r a modified Recover y Po si ion will sol ve so me difficult ies and it would al wa ys b e helpful t o have t he ad vi ce of the Divis ional S ur geo n Ei ther reading o n a card or b eing to ld what the injurie s are supposed o b e sa ves t im e, so it is particularl y u seful w hen sim pl y leading up to a d isc uss ion or t he tryi n g ou t of methods of treatment. But diagno sis is alli mpo r tant in any r eal case of injury and so must receiv e a lot of attention in t h e Divisional tra ini ng programme. As it is t h e Divisional members themsel ves w ho will most often be a c ti ng as cas ual ties, t h ey should ha ve sufficient kno wl ed ge to be abl e to simulate various conditions and should be given the opportunit y of pu tti ng t h is knowledge into pract ice so tha t ho se t akin g t he part of first-aider s ma y learn to d iagn ose correctl y. I have the greate st respect and admiration for the member s of Casual t ies Union and have constantly used their services for b ig t raining exercises, and sometim es to give a D i vision a whole evening of diagno s is. Bu t it is impossible to ask for their help at ever y meeting at which first aid training is to tak e place. Even if there are several members in a Division who are expert in casualty simulation they should not be depriv ed o f first aid and nursing practice by being used exclusi vely as casualties

If members study signs and symptom s a n d, if possible, receive a little expert help , especi ally on ho w and when to relax, this will not only provide cas u a t i es who a re responsive, but t he standard of diagnosi s will mpro ve. H ave you ever as k ed r et ir ed member s to come b a c k a nd act as p atie n ts for nursing pr a ct ic e or even as ca s u a lt ies? Some o f t h e m mi ght lo ve it. In the ne w M anu a l th ere a r e i n s tru cti o ns on a n umb er of con d itions when the p ul se, brea t hing a nd level of responsive n ess s hou ld b e c he c ked and reco r ded. Besides un cons ci ou s ne ss t h ese cases n clu d e, amo ng othe rs, h ear t a ttack, fainting, crush i njuries a nd in terna l b eeding. When mem b ers are practisin g, t he lea d er taking t h e gro up shou ld state t h e co n ditio n of the breathing and p ulse approp riate to the case, but only after t h ese ha ve b een prop erl y checked. The casualty s h o uld be able to react correctly to the testing of l evels o f respo n s iveness. The proce d ures will b e fo u nd on pages 14, 37, 89, 40 and 98 of the new Manual.

c G rou p w or k, i f carefu ll y will g iv e a ll m emb ers the 0p p ort umt y t o a ssess consi d e r a lt e rn a tIv es and m a ke T hi s is necessa r y f a fi r sta ider is to carry o u t th e res pon s ibilities as

Even among healthy members there will be some slight variation of pulse and b reat h ing, and an increase in rate may be o b ta i ned by a little hard exercise. To test the mem b ers' methods and accuracy divide into groups of three, the middle one of the each trio lying down. Number those in each group 1 to 3 and see that everyone has p en and paper, and that at least two in each group h ave watches which record the seconds. Nos 1 and 3 take and write down the pulse and breathing of No 2, then change places, so that No 1 and finally No 3 is in the middle. At the end, each person will have had pulse and b r eathing recorded by two persons simultaneous l y and the two results should agree If any members have difficulty they m ight perhaps have special practice with your Nurs ing Officer. Once the accuracy of everyone is assured, the checking of the pulse, breathing and level of response fo llo wed by the immediate recording of these, together with the time, should become part of the treatment of all serious cases during training so that it becomes routine. There is an exciting time ahead of us with two excelle n t new handbooks, and everyone will be anxious to attend an Association course in b oth First Aid and Caring for the Sick. Bu t having learnt at these courses a ll about the new ideas and treatments, the time wi ll come to resume the ordi n ary Divisional i n st r uctiona l meetings, where everyone should gai n experience and acqu ire real skill in a ppl yi n g t h e new methods and pr actising h em und er all possib le circumstances. I have n ev e r b ee n an advocate of m embers attending a course on the same ma nu al year a f ter year, b u t fee l the Div isiona l m eet in g is t h e pl ace to perfect our care for t h e sick and i njur ed, a nd h at to wo r k n gro u ps for a go od part o f t he time is h e b est way to a chiev e qur a ims. T h e u se of g roup s offe rs s o man y a d van t a ges : a. Seve r a l mem b ers will b e i n vo lve d in p la nnin g, pr ep ari n g a nd ca rr yi ng o u each e vening's pr ogra mm e b At the meet ing al l m emb ers will b e kept bu sy a ll th e t im e.

The centre co nsists of what

worker s cottages, built in the latte: half.of the la t century, which command a beautiful vIew across the village and moorland. We took over the lease of the buildings in the spri ng 0 f 1980 when they were in a very poor state of repair after a number of years of The task of restoring them, over a twO year penod,. undertaken by a few Brigade members supervlsmg some very willing cadets.

The centre now con ists of bunk bed accommodation for 32 cadets and their officers n four dormitories Additional tented accommodation can be pitched in the adjoining Y4 -acre field. All cooking and dining equipment

is provided and a disproportionate number of ?oys and gir ls can be accomm o dated by of the dormitories and h e two separate tOllet / washrooms.

Strangers to the area wi ll find t h e North Yorkshire moors and adjoining coast ine an ideal setting for summer weeken d or a week's camps. Commondale h as a direct r ai l link to the beauuf uJ fishing po r of Whitby and also to T h is year t h e cent r e has be en u se d exte nSi ve y for t h e first time an d we have h ad visitors fr o m as far afield as Bristol , D urham, Manchester, and Mid dl esborough, an d we h ope tha t 1983 wil l divisions fro m allove r the count ry vlSlung Commo nd a le. If

CHIEF COMMANDER VISITS .

The Chief Commander commenced his tour of Humberside during September with a short visit to B.P Chemicals Ltd, Hull, where he inspected the recently opened Acetic Acid Plant. The produ c t is t he base for many materials a nd the plant, largely American, embodies a number of 's pace-age features It is most impressive, eve n to the non-technical!

Top management praised the B.P. St. John Division to the Chief Commander and it was self-evident that close links exist between the two organisations.

Next, the Chief Commander visited County and Northern Area Headquarters in Hull where he met representative members and saw two first aid demonstrations He

LOOKING AHEAD

24 Oct / 6 Nov: ST AS Sir Winston Churchill departs Southampton for SJA cruise returning Portsmouth 6 November.

6 Nov: l1am - all day. County Communication Officers' Confe rence, Conference Room.

9Nov: 6.15pm. First Aider of the Year Competition Finals, Middlesex Hospital. Mr Henry Cooper to present prizes.

14 Nov : Remembran ce Sunday.

20 No v: 10.30am - all day. County Nursing Officers' Conference at Conference Room, Headquarters.

30 Nov: Grand Prior's Trophy Competitions, Pavilion Gardens, Bu xton

24 Dec / 4 Jan: Headquarters will be closed for Christmas / New Year holida ys.

Counties are invited to send items of their future events for this new regular feature.

also expressed approval of the lecture facilities and the spacious garage, which accC?mmodates five ambulances , stores, eqUIpment , etc.

Moving on to the Cadet Headquarters in Hull, the extensions to which were officially opened by Princess Anne la st October, the

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

Chief Commander presented Grand Prior Badges to ten nursing cadets and two arnbulance cadets in the presence of their families. During lunch at the HQ, Major General Leuchars met members of the St John Council, and others from the county generally. The meal, by the way, was prepared by cadet officers and friends, and served by the Grand Prior cadets.

During the inspecting officer 's tour of the building, the staff sat down to their meal being served by senior SJA members, ably led by County President, Lady Westburywhich delighted the cadets!

During his tour of the premises, the Chief Commander was very impressed with the nursing 'ward' and its equipment.

In the afternoon the Chief Commander headed south - crossing the Humber Bridge for the first time - for the Scunthorpe D iv isional HQ , where a one -day conference on chaire d by t he Registra r, Laune Hawes, was concluding. Many of the 50 mem bers at the confe rence had the opportunity of speaking to the Chief Commander.

At the end of a ve r y busy day, the Chief Commander climbed into his car to head for London, but not b efore expressing hi s tha nk s for the programme and his satisfaction with HEAVY?

.. (Be ow) SJA Norfolk 's Commander, Co l. C. E. Knight hitches a ride as Norfolk's St oke Holy Cross Division cadets set off on the county's Grand Bed Pu sh during the summer (Right) Cadet Michael Woodhouse, of North Wa sham Division , abseiling at the Royal Norfolk Show from a display at the St John stand organised by the Norfolk Adventure Tr aining Section (Photos: Eastern Daily Press)

all he had seen - especially for those chat s with so many member s.

(See photo at top of next page)

YNYSYBWL SINGS

I hear that a concert by the Ynysybwl (don t ask me to pronounce it) Male Voice Choir, which was organised by SJA Pembroke s hir e in aid of the Laser and Intensive Care Unit fund of local Withybush Hospital, was relayed by British Telecom to the hospital 's radio station so that all the patient s could enjoy the singing.

What a good idea. Thanks Brit ish Telecom. The evening's entertai nm e nt was organised by Dyfed County Officer Cadets Mrs A. Robbins.

MIXED TEAMS RULING

The Secretary Association writes:

Following the 1981 Grand Prior Trophy competitions representations were mad e by several competing organisatio ns for clarification of circumstances under which mixed teams of men and women enter the various Association national final competitions organised by St John Ambulance.

In fairness to al l competitors the following rules relating to mixed teams entries w ill be

BY THE EDITOR

effective for all Association national competitions leading to the 1983 Grand Prior Trophy competitions which are intended for teams entering as either male teams comprising four male members, or female teams comprising four females:

1. A mixed team may be admitted to a National Competition when it is not possible at any given workp lace / location to recruit a team of four members of the sa me sex, subject t o the following restrictions:

(a) Three of its four competing members are to be of the sex in which the team entry is made

(b) If the team is entered as a male team with one female member, the team reserve may only be another female. Furthermore, in order to maintain the numeri cal dominance of the sex for whic h the team is entered the reserve may only take the place of the female team member.

(c) If the team is entered as a female team with one male member, the team reserve may only be another male. Furthermore, in order to maintain the numerical dominance of the sex for wh ich the team is entered, the re se rve may only take the place of the male team member.

2. The approval of the Director-General of the St John Ambulance Association mu be sought for any change in the membership of a mixed team after qualification for entry to the Grand Prior Trophy competitions. This should be read in conjunction with the General Rules for National First Aid Competitions.

Paper carnations made by ca dets formed the Order cross at the flower festival to commemorate the Ophthalmi c Hospital's cente nary and Cadets diamond jubilee held in Peterborough. (L to R) DI Os Mrs Mason Mrs Wicks and Mrs Roe

(Above) The Chief Commander (centre), at the Cadet HQ , HUll, aher pres enting Grand Pri or's Badg

WELCOME

At Longton IStaffs) Nursing Divis ion first aid certificates are presented by CSO Mrs Maureen Upton afte r a course Imainly to Guides) which produced many recruits to SJA IL to R, front) D O

Mrs Joan Walker, CSO Mrs Upton Guide

Commissioner Mrs Ma uree n Key, Guide Linda Ellis (who joined the Div ision!. and (extreme right) ASO Alan Fyfe

HELP FROM INDIA

Fifty women from the Women's India Association visited London District's Edwina Mountbatten HQ during September. Among the party was the wife of the High Commissioner for India, Mrs Seyid Muhammad.

There was a twofold reason for t he visit.

First, to learn about the work of SJA (and it surprised them that it was all voluntary); second, to present a cheque for £2,500 to the Commander of London District, John Bamford, to help in achie ving the St John objectives.

The chairman of the party, Mrs Uttam Annand, said: 'We raise funds for various charities by means of functions throughout the year. In May we had a gala ball at Grosvenor House which raised f20,OOO, and it was from this that we have great pleasure in presenting this cheque.'

Accepting the most welcome gift, the Commander said how the money wi ll be particularly use ful in assisting St John cadet work during this their diamond jubilee year.

VAD ASSOCIATION

This association has been formed with the objects of helping ex-RN VADs to meet and keep in to uch (as s uddenly seems to be the need of ex-St John members too), to hold regular reunions, to issue newsletters, to help members who are ill, lon ely, and where funds are available to help financially. Members are asked to enrol other ex-RN VADs and to give information to the Secretary, and to help in fund-raising projects in their area.

Enrolment fee is £5 , followed by an annua l subscription of f2. New members will be issued wit h a bound book containing the name s and addresses of those who have joined.

The Hon Sec is: Mrs Frank Toulson, 53 Granada Road, Hedge End, Southampton S034AU.

POUNDS FOR POUNDS

I head that Mrs Barbara Bee sto n, D O of Crewe Nursing Cadet Division, is planning to shed pounds to rai se pounds for the

and Amanda Neal Icentre), both 16 Both have GP badge holding sisters, they joined SJA together in 1977, and both have 5 years ef fi cient se rvice. Do they look alike?

division with a spo n sored slim.

Mrs Bee ston will be weighing in at 14 1;2 stones and 5ft 5ins high, but she hopes to lo se about 30 lbs over three months and raise £50 to fl00.

She said: 'Some of the cadets say their mums may join in as well.'

Good luck, Mrs Beeston!

LONG RUN

Plymouth's Sherwell Nur s ing Division he ld a dinner-dance during September to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Formed on September 5 1922, under Mrs H. Ha stings, their fir t superintendent, Mrs D. Parry who took over in 1937 only retired last January - after 45 ye ar a Di v Supt!

TO GERMANY

A team of six Brigade members and a reserve from West Midland's Coventry Area gained an overall succe s in a major first aid competition in Germany recently.

The competition, held at Eutin, was open

IBelow) D S

250

(centre)

to first aid units of the Johanniter-Un fa llHilfe in the Schleswig-Hol stei n District of North West Germany It is held biennially and covers five separate te sts (ie, theory, diagnosis, team tes t, resuscitation and cardiac massage, and stretcher test), in which this year the Coventry team gained respectively two firsts, two second and a seventh, which gave them first place overall.

The Coventry team i believed to be the only St John team in England which competes abroad. The first invitation was in 1978, when the competition wa held in the town of Lubeck, the re ult being third place overall. In Kiel in 1980 an overall position of second was gained

Before the competition began, Area Commissioner W D. Heath (who took this team to Germany) was awarded the Johanniter Badge of Honour for forging link s of friendship between the JohanniterUnfall-Hilfe and SJA, thu furthering th e work of Johannit er.

We wonder if Area Comm sioner Heath is the only person from Eng land to hold this award? Avon Assist County Commissioner , Mr George Creech receives Br islington Combined Division 's ambulance on behalf of the Order. IL to R) The Rev. Roger Clifton (who dedicated the vehicle), DI S George Puzey , and cre w Cpt Bob Conners and N M Ruth Tanner (photo: Myra Meredith)

SJA Coventry 's first aid team Ileader Area Comm W D Heath) with the Lord Mayor of Coventry Cllr Eddie Weaver, before leaving for Germany See story TO GERMANY.

(Above) Two London members - DSO Gladys Richardson and D I S Iris Sullivan - with the Directoress and doctors of the hospital in Naples where they have been helping for the third year runn ing. They first went to the hospital as a Year of Nursing project

A GUY LIKE FAWKES

Christmas card deliveries

IN NOVEMBER 1981, the Government announced that a licence was being granted for charities to deliver Christmas cards to raise funds during the period November 25 to January 1 in each year up to 2006. The con dition s of the lic ence are as follows:

Only Christmas cards may be delivered Christmas cards may only be delivered by c harities and persons authorised by a charity to act on its behalf.

Charities may authorise anyone to act on their behalf but all monies collected must go to the funds of the charity. Person s authorised must not themselves receive payment.

Groups need not apply for a licence; the Government announcement is suffic ient. There is no specific charge laid down for delivering cards. There is no age limit on people who may take part in the sc heme Stamps are not needed but if used must not look like Post Office stamps. Delivery of the cards may take place in any part of the U.K. There are no restrictions on organisers advertising the scheme in any way.

To organise a local service would involve much planning and effort but it could be well worthwhile. Why not get together with a local Scout or Guide umt and share the profits? Further guidance on the subject can be found in the September 1982 Scouting Magazine.

Firework safety

I make no apology for repnntmg the firework safety poster which contains the

Firework code. Last year saw a record low figure in more than 12 years for injuries relating to fireworks - hopefully it will be even less this year. Please remind your Cadets about the code.

Training to lead

The following courses are organised for Duke of Edinburgh's Award leaders:

January 28-30 1983. St. Columba's House, Woking, Surrey - Residential training courses for Award workers, leaders and Gold participants (Service Section). F urther details from the S.E. Regional Office, 81 High Street, Bromley, Kent BR1 lJY.

April 9-10 1983. Ripon College of Education, North Yorkshire - N.E. Regional Study Conference. Details from N.E. Regional Officer, c/o Richardsons, We tgarth & Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 2, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear NE28 6QL.

November 4. Royal Geographical Society, London. Expedition Advisory Centre Course - 'Planning a Small Expedition Seminar'. Cost £8.00 (not including lunch).

November 27. University of Sheffield. Expedition Advisory Centre Course'Planning a Small Expedition Seminar'. Cost £8.00 (not including lunch).

December 3-5. Gilwell Park, EssexExpedition Leaders Planning Course. Cost £23.00 (inclu s ive). Detail s: Information Officer, Expedition Advisory Centre, The Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR.

December 6-7. Bushmills Residential Centre - Expedition Gear Making Course.

February 11-13 1983. Bushmills Residential Centre - Expedition Training for Leaders. Different types of expeditions, ideas for exp lo rations, campcraft. Details for both the above from: B J. Dillon, Youth Officer (Operations), NEELB, County Hall, 182

Galgorm Road, Ballymena , Co. Antrim, BT4Z 1HN.

May 13-15 1983. Lairthwaite Centre, Keswick -A practical conference for leaders and trainers concerned with expeditions and explorations by a variety of means on land and water. Details from: N.E. Regional Officer, c o Richardsons Westgarth & Co. Ltd , P.O Box 2, Wallsend, T yne & Wear NE28 6QL. Jubilee Year activities

My thanks this month to YeoviJ Combined Cadet Division for information about their

Nevv Devon HQ opens

(L

activities. The concert they orgartised and the sponsored car wash raised £90 for the Ophthalmic Hospital funds. Well done! Cadet Spectacular

What a splendid day we all had at the Albert Hall! It was good to see so many Cadets there. I look forward to hearing fro m Division s about the many activities that they have taken part in this year.

Contributions

If you would like to to contribute to the column, please write to 'Jim' 57 Morgan Crescent, Theydon Bois, Epping, Essex

THE NEW County Headquarters for Devon St John Ambulance was officially opened in Exeter on September 8 by Major-General Peter Leuchars, Chief Commander.

The prestigious new premises, probably the first custom-

SJA training centre and offices in the UK, will be the control cenrre for both the Brigade and the Association. The building will link-up with the service's industrial training unit which was opened three years ago, and it is hoped that the pre-fabricated, single storey building will

Costing

AS 1981 was the International Year of Di sa bled People, we met at the beginning of the year to discuss what we in Berkshire could do for the IYDP. We had many schemes, but as our main activity we decided to run a holiday f or an equal number of St John members and disabled between the ages of 16 and 25. I felt that, as I hardly ever came into contact with disabled, when I did meet them would find it difficult to communicate without being patronising, and difficult to forget about their disability. If we could run a holiday for young people, what a lot of good it would do to all our young St John members, as well as helping the disabled meet normal young people.

Being the first time we had attempted anything like this, we did not really know how to start. I obtained several brochures from HQ in London, one of which was from PHAB (Physically Handicapped and Abled Bodied) which se emed to contain all the ideals we were striving for. So I telephoned and arranged to visit them. PHAB gave me lots of ideas, and told me about Avon Tyrrell, which is the residential centre of the National Association of Youth Clubs in the middle of the New Forest. It seemed the ideal place for such a holiday, and includes a large s wimming pool, lakes for canoeing, and every facility imaginable. PHAB also said that they would send a couple of their staff to help us run t he week, and also lend us their minibus.

However, we had to delay the holiday for a year, as a quick totting up on an envelope showed that it would cost £7,000 - an incredibly large amount. Those going on the holiday were to contribute £25 each, but that still left £5,000 to raise.

Surprisingly, finding the money was not

254

as difficult as we thought. Being the IYDP, many firms and Rotary Clubs wanted to help, and they welcomed the opportunity to sponsor one or two local people for a holiday. I wrote about 50 letters, and 80070 sent money.

In the autumn of 1981 we had launched the Berkshire Enterprise Unit for members between the ages of 15 and 21, and th is helped tremendously in running the holiday.

70% of those who came were Enterprise members, and therefore they knew each other well, had worked and enjoyed themselves together in the past, and gave every support before the holiday actually began.

Off we set.

Anyway on Sept 11 1982, off we all set.

72 of us - 32 disabled and 34 young St John members, who included two qualified nur ses.

All the St John members came from Berkshire with the exception of three from the Oxfordshire Enterprise unit; and then there was a canoeing expert, and an arts and crafts lady. There was Berks Eastern Area Superintendent Joan Packham and myself. And last but not least our coach driver, Jim Mitchell. We took a coach with a platform lift for wheelchairs, the PHAB minibus, fishing rods, a disco, a video camera, plenty of spare wheelchairs - and Clint, our blind boy' s beer-loving guide dog, who soon became very much part of us.

Right from the start the week was a fantastic success. The atmosphere was quite outstanding, with complete integration between St John and disabled; the laughter, the noise and the sense of fun was unending. The most difficult part of the week was to persuade anyone to go to bed, and when

Holiday for Disabled and Young SJ

by

Lady Elizabeth Godsal County Superintendent Berks

All ready to leave - with Jim at the coach door eventually each night I crawled into my bed in t he early hour s of the morning, if I had forgotten to lock my bedroom door during the day, I was certain of an applepie bed, or finding my dressing-gown sleeves sewn up so I couldn't get my arms in. All the young St John members were really marvellous, and completely took over all the 'nursing' ide of the disabled Everyone we came into contact with said they had never met such a caring group of young. Our helper from PHAB, Graham Turk, admitted he had great apprehensions about coming with us, as he thought we would be prim and proper in starched aprons, but he said it was a long time since he had met such a crazy lot. Even the cleaner at Avon Tyrrell, who had been there for 30 years, said it was many years since she had met such a nice group of young people.

During the week there was never a dull moment, and we were really lucky in having marvellous weather. Our activities included a day trip to the Isle of Wight (I hope the ferry has recovered from water-pistol fights!)

Beaulieu, riding for both able and disabled wagon trips in the New Forest, a visit to the London production of 'Annie' in Bournemouth, films, discos and talent shows. One of the most important people of the week was Jim, our coach driver.

Unfailingly good-humoured, he was so much more than just a driver. When not being thrown into the swimming pool, he was joining in with It's a Knock Out, helping with the games, and giving Joan Packham and myself all the support we needed.

Oddly enough the most difficult task in organising the holiday was finding the disabled Having never undertaken anything like this before, we had no contacts, and

disabled young people are very wary of leaving their families to go away with people they have never met. The disabilities varied from severely disabled, who had to have everything done for them, several blind, and some with only slight disabilities but because of them found it difficult to relate to other young people. One boy, whose only disability was a withered arm, admitted that he had never danced before in his life, although he was over 20, and yet there he was on the dance floor at our discos right to the end.

Will we have a holiday like this again? Everyone has asked for it to be repeated, and the thank-you letters and offers of help from those who came have been wonderful. Our

IN THESE days when litigation against the actions of doctors and other hospital workers seems to be increasing, there is one important thing all first-aiders should remember - to immediately make a note or record of all first aid treatment given.

This appeared to be a matter on which there was full agreement by the first two distinguished speakers at the 9th annual Lay Instructor' s Seminar held at Whitelands Co liege over the weekend Sept J 0-12. The importance of thi message was not lost on the J 82 delegates from all parts of the country, from Lothian in Scotland to Cornwall. (Alas, no one came from the Principality or Northern Ireland).

First Aid and the Law, by Mr J. A. Watt, who is the Senior Solicitor for the Medical Defen ce Union, told how all were affected by both stat ute and com mon law, an d that while much is set out in the F.A.W. handbook he burden of statute law for correct treatment to a casualty falls on the employer an d not the first-aider. The fir taider's duty under common law makes it clear that he is subject of the contract which exists between him and his employer. Not that everything is so delightfully imple or clear-cut , because so many factors come into the matter, not the least being the law of tort. The extent to which a first-aider has a duty to anyone involves other con iderations because although the first-aider is in aver; strong position in law he cannot force his attentions upon anyone not wanting themotherwise it could result in action for as a ult upon the person. Mr Watt said 'If a patient is unconscious and the f irst -ai der goes in and gives treatment, the law will always take a lenient view where a person seeks to assist in an emergency.' But, and it an important but, there is a statutory duty for the accident to be written-up, and if contemporaneous notes are not made the fir t-aider becomes liable to criticism; if the notes are only brief it still the best evidence available afterwards, and, moreover, such notes can always be referred to in the witnes -box should the need arise, say, concern ing a fatality It is true that first-aider could be sued if they are negligent in their duties because, legally, he or she should be

young St John members have already offered to start fund-raising again, but it might be more difficult now that the IYDP is over.

The administrative problems were enormous, but of course it would be much simpler a second time. We have tentatively booked Avon Tyrrell for next September, but there are still many decisions to be made.

It was all so worth while. The social worker in a Rehabilitation Hospital rang me three days after we got back to say that they were all amazed at the improvement of the young people they had sent, both physically and psychologically. The boy that had joined us, who had been an international rower before he had a motorbike accident 18' months previously, had improved so much

that they felt he could go home much earlier than they had thought possible. Somehow he could now face up to his disability and realise he had a future, and could make friends with normal young people. He hadn't wanted to come to Avon Tyrrell, as he didn't like the idea of being associated with a 'disabled holiday', and his sad face at the beginning of the week had been heart-breaking. But then he started grinning, and soon his smile was always there. I also got a letter from a St John member who said that, including his years as a cadet, he had been 15 years in the Brigade , but he felt that he learned more about people in the one week at A von Tyrrell than during all those 15 years. But there is still the problem of raising the money

BE SURE YOU WRITE IT DOWN

says London's PRO WALTER HOADLEY after attending an instructors seminar

competent in their subject, degree of skill and the exercise of care.

What then is the instructor's position?

Legally one gathers he is well placed because while the patient could sue if the first-aider 'got it wrong' ,in turn the instructor could be blamed, although it is doubtful whether the agrieved patient wou ld take action beyond the first-aider or his organisation.

The Coroner of Bedford, Dr J. D. Harte, in his illustrated lecture showed how the law and medicine are related and also underlined the importance of notes made immediately following any first aid treatment given. Since it is the coroner's duty to find out the cause and facts concerning sudden death, any firstaider on the scene at the time could be called to give evidence in his court. He did emphasise that inquests are only part of a coroner's job but that he ha wide latitude in calling for evidence and that because his court is one of enquiry and not liability, no one is on trial - that being the function of civil or criminal courts. Both speaker aid that the subject of Law and First Aid is one that could be discussed for days!

Medical ubject were covered in the afternoon ession - the one on kinetic lift ing having to rely entirely on films because of the non-appearance of the peaker! The Blast, Bullets and Bomb illustrated lecture however, made a terrific impact on audience. Mr M. Owen-Smith, Can ultant Surgeon to Huntingdon County Hospital made graphically clear by means of lides the great difference in wounds from highvelocity source (such as Armourlite rifles) to those from hand-gun s. The relatively low velocity bullet drills a hole in the body without the deadly effect of cavitation, which is caused by the shock waves of high velocity impact This also result in gros

infection being drawn into the wound. The lesson was that gas-gangrene is the threat that lurks behind every high velocity wound Bomb s not only produce fragmentation injury but also perforation of eardrums, so making patients deaf to diagnostic questioning.

Perhaps a more controversial issue was introduced when Mr Owen-Smith said he considered that at large bomb incidents patients with wounds from glass splinters should not be sent to 'clog -up ' hospitals, but should be sent to some place where skilled first-aiders could give them adequate treatment. His pictures of victims killed in various urban bomb disasters were horrific, but they also showed the great progress made in dealing with such wounds - perhaps most importantly that certain wounds of high velocity impact should not be immediately stitched, but that the damaged, and therefore dead, tissue should be excised, the wound then being left four or five days with just a light covering. During this time it becomes healthy and can then be sutured \\ ith a very good chan e of healing. In hi \ iew all young surgeons over the last ten years hould no\\' know how to deal with high velocity war wounds. He also thought that people with first aid knowledge are invaluable when incident occur on the streets. Enthu ia tic applause reflected the feelings of the delegates to this enthralling lecture.

The next day delegate -were gi\ en the latest information on the First Aid at Work package by the A sociation' national training manager. After thi an Army Educational Corps major explained the Sy tern Approach to Training. And later, in two eparate e ion, two con ultant (one a plastic surgeon) dealt with maxi lIe facial lOJuries, and the other. a neuro urgeon, with epilep y. A lively open forum preceded the cIo ing address by (he chairman of the Eastern Telecom Board. Greater London' As ociation organi "er must have been impressed by the expre ion of satisfaction shown by the delegate for the va t amouO[ of knowledge ",hi h had 0 generously been pia ed before them. Credit must also be given to London for once again organi ing this now regular national

SINCE the late 1940s and the installation of the first radio equipment, ambulance services have developed various sophisticated communication systems, and employed staff trained and experienced in medical matters and dealing with the public. Since those early days too, the small ambulance fleets have become large, and the vehicles themselves modern and purpose built.

The ambulance service has, therefore, gained invaluable experience in both communications and fleet management.

It has seemed logical for some time that ambulance services could provide a general commu nication system for the whole of the medical profession both within and outside the NHS, but while such a concept was mooted well before the 1974 organisation of the NHS, nothing practical emerged from these ideas un t il the NHS was re-organised and the ambulance services became part of the new health authorities. This was one of the major steps towards greater integration of t he separate services contributing towards patient care.

Combining Systems

In the Cardiff area, the City of Cardiff Ambulance Service was amalgamated with part of the Glamorgan County Service, under the auspices of the South Glamorgan Health Authority. The first need in those early days was to combine the two ambulance radio systems, both of which needed updating. To control the ambulances, a Pye Telecommunications FM system was installed which has been continually modified and upgraded as necessary.

The old Cardiff City AM system was retained by the ambulance service for the non-ambulance transport service, for which they had become managerially responsible. This scheme will soon be changed to an FM system and thus integrated with the rest.

In a normal week, the South Glamorgan Ambulance Service answered some 4000 calls, of which 250 were emergencies and 400 urgent calls. During a normal week they256

COMMUNICATIONS

the key to better primary health care?

lecturer in general practice in the Welsh National School of Medicine, and Gordon Lloyd, a GP and part-time lecturer at the same school.

Experimental Scheme

would run a total of 22,000 ambulance miles. Added to this were the needs of the community nurses and midwives of the newly set up Domiciliary Medical Health Service, and of all the other staff, medical, administrative and technical, plus the whole of the non-ambulance transport fleet, which provided transportation for a host of services such as laundry, blood transfusion, pathology samples, couriers, personnel and urgent medical supplies. All of these staff were looking for a trouble-free routine communication service, as well as the ability to deal with major incidents, which an area such as South Glamorgan - with its airline routes, roads and motorways, railways , shipping, heavy industry in concentrated population - must always expect.

The Area Chief Ambulance Officer, Mr Peter Mann, therefore asked the question: 'Could one AHA's central communication and transport organisation serve the varied needs of all these aspects of the authority'S operation?' A chance to test that question was there, and it was taken. In July 1976 , Britain's first integrated NHS control centre for all local NHS transport and communications was opened

Since then the system has been extended and improved and, gradually, a large number of staff, medical, para-medical, administrative and technical have been brought into the communication system. The exception to this was the 200 or so general practitioners in the area. There may be arguments against introducing the independent general practitioner into such a system, but when common sense is applied, any such arguments must be outweighed by the obvious efficiency of including them Peter Mann and his colleagues were certainly in no doubt about the rationale of bringing modern communications to the general practitioner.

Mr Mann had the enthusiastic help and support of two doctors - Simon Smail, Radio Wales' 'Radio Doctor,' and senior

in primary care. All patients who had used the system in the first few months were asked to complete a questionnaire, and it emerged that they felt more 'in touch' because the doctor was still available, even when on his rounds. With very few exceptions, patients also expressed satisfaction at the way their calls were handled by the ambulance service, and said that they were pleased at the speed with which the doctor was able to attend to them.

The idea of an experimental scheme for a GPs TAMERS (Telephone Answering and Message Relay Service) system was put forward to the health authority and, after numerous working parties and steering committees had discussed it, was accepted in principle. The ambulance service provided the equipment for the basic radio scheme, and Pye Telecommunications Ltd provided much help and some of the equipment.

Towards the end of July 1979 the ambulance service set up an experimental communication system with the doctors in three Cardiff practices, who share a common night duty rota. The three practices served just over 15,000 patients and were manned by seven principals and four registrars. The doctor on call had a two-way radio in his car, and a long -ra nge pager also operated by the ambulance control staff. Both radio and pager could be used at any time, controlled from the ambulance service base stations. The radio could easily be transferred from one car to another at the end of a non-call period.

When the surgeries were closed, patients rang a number which connected themthough they did not know it - with ambulance control. All calls were an swered Doctors answering service - Can I help you?' Because the control staff were trained and experienced, they were able to ask a series of pertinent questions to elicit the nature of the patient's complaint. The doctor was then contacted, either by telephone, radio or pager; in the latter case, he would reply either by telephone or radio.

If the message was passed by radio , a simple code was used to describe the patient 's symptoms to preserve confidentiality, though names and addresses were in open speech.

If further confidential discussion was needed, the doctor would go to a telephone and contact the control officer. As a result of their experiences, the participants were able to draw up a comprehensive manual, showing all the procedures to be followed in normal circumstances, and the actions to be taken in various sorts of emergencies.

After two years, the study showed conclusively that not only was the system feasible, but it represented a major advance

As the experimental scheme drew to a close, tenders for the supply of the full communications equipment were processed, and the contract was awarded to Pye Telecommunication s Ltd. As the new sc heme was also to serve other spec iali sts, such as community nurses and midwives who would relinqui sh their old system and jo i n the new one, it was felt important that the ambulance messages should be on one radio channel, and all the AHA messages to GPs, nurses and midwive s should be on another.

Latest Equipment

It is impos sib le to arrange full radio cover of terrain such as that in South Glamorgan from one station, and the new scheme uses three Pye F 402 base stations, employing the ASSORT voting system and pip tone. Initially there will be a couple of dozen GPs and community nurses, each equipped with a Pye M 294 mobile with TED 6 one-digit status selective calling, and encoder-decoder. They will also have the latest PG 7 FM fivetone alerter or pager (either overlay or ambulance pager). The selective calling system is the EEA five-tone standar d using the pyeline 5 system.

In the ambulance control room, a radio position is dedicated to the system, using the Pye UED6 base encoder-decoder which has automatic acknowledge facilities, toget he r with printer and VDU options.

It is expected that there will be 100 mobiles in this scheme by the end of 1982, and eventually there will be some 300 mobiles operating in the ystem.

The setting up of the new medical c hannel ha s meant that the equipment once used by the nurses has become redundant. It is P e ter Mann's policy however that no usable equipment should be discarded and accordingly the old equipment will find a new use in providing communications for security staff in the vast University Hospital of Wales complex at Cardiff.

TAMERS is a service, not a commercial enterprise. The idea is to increase the efficacy of primary care to patients. Although it is a non profit-makin g scheme, it must be funded to break even, and the participating general practitioners will pay a specified sum for the extra responsibility laid on the ambulance control staff, administration of the scheme, and part of the base station equipment cost.

Doctors can rent or buy the mobile equipment, and pay fo r the service by deductions from their sa laries The mobile equipment is suited to the user. The GP with a mobile in his car will also have a econdary pager which alerts him when he is away from

Ambulance

the vehicle. His mobile will acknowledge the call and report status automatically On the other hand, the consultant in the teaching hospital will probably find a long range pager more suite d to his way of working.

It is interesting to note that t he Chief Administrative Medical Officer and the airports and docks medical personnel are also considering joining the scheme, for they have roving commissions and, while they have pagers, they have no means of verbal radio communication at present.

Freedom and Flexibility for GPs

From the GP 's point of view the system offers t he freedom and flexibility needed both in daytime and, more especially, when on call in the evening. No longer will the duty doctor, or spouse, have to stay near a telephone all the time.

Similar systems are being considered fo r the Gwent and West Glamorgan areas, where the secondary radio channels are already being set up. All this is in accordance with the Naylor report on Pat ient Transport Services which, according to 'Ambulance Journal', acknowledges that 't he ambulance service has acquired considerable expertise in the field of communications and, indeed, as the major repository of communications technology in the NHS it seems logi cal to consider the desirability of other par ts of the NHS looking to the existing ambulance service communication network for developments in the communication field'.

The working party commended this recommendation to health authorities, particularly for the community and primary care serVlces.

In his 1981 presidential address, Laurie Caple, of the Association of Chief Ambulance Officers, said; 'The NHS has st ill not tapped our expertise in the fields of telecommunications, and fleet management and maintenance. As the largest users of radio and vehicles in the NHS, we can identify the excessive waste of scarce financial resources caused by the failure of individual districts to acknowledge that we in the a mbul ance service can offer more cost-effective and, suspect, efficient non-ambulance transport and telecommunications services. The work

undertaken in South Glamorgan Health Authority is an excellent example' No -on e who has experienced the TAMERS system at work should have any fears for its future. It has helped to draw together rwo crucial aspects of primary health care - the independent family doctors and the ambulance staff. In doing so it has given a feeling of security to rhe former, and raised the morale of the latter. The NHS locally has also found a way of achieving a closer integration of the primary health care services by a method which has shown considerable advantages and no disad vantages.

In the final analysis, the greatest benefit has been to the patients. They can now be totally confident that their telephone call for help will be sympathetically and competentl y dealt with, and that their own GP or a known colleague will give them ad v ice or rrearmenr in a fraction of the time ir would have taken formerly Pye Telecommunications Ltd are proud to be associated with such a demonstrably beneficial system. Article supplied by Pye TelecommunicaTions Ltd

BOOKS

The Family Doctor : His Life and History By Ronald Gibson , George Allen and Unwin, in association with Pulse 1981 £9 50

This is a fascinating book. Nobody i better fitted than Sir Ronald Gibson to recount the history of general practice in thi country , and to forecast its future. Him elf a family docror of unrivalled e perience, he ha al 0 held (and still holds) high office in great nat ional institutions and has taken part in negotiation at the highest level to con erve and to impro e primary care. Hi writing radiates human warmth and hi pa ionate belief in the crucial role of good general practice in medicine. A few mi take (chien)' in date) do nothing to dimini h the i ntere t of thi out tanding book.

E. Grey-Turn er 257

OUR ST JOHN GUILD

from Mrs Peggy Williams, Hon Sec

We were pleased to read news (Sept Review) of other groups of retired St John members. Our Guild was inaugurated in October last year by our Area Commissioner, Mrs M. Bowler.

The purpose and function of the Western Area St John Guild (Hants) - surely a more dignified title than 'ex-Johnnies'! - is: l.

To be open to retired and ex-members and auxiliaries; 2 To be a continuation of work for the community and active members of St John, and to provide an opportunity for social activities.

We have a small committee, a chairman, secretary and treasurer, who make sure we are financially viable - and we intend to remain so.

During our first year members have given talks and a film quiz, and local people have talked to us about their work (and some from further afield). We have had a lively first aid quiz (with another planned), a most successful stall to boost our funds and a very pleasant and informative outing to St John's Gate.

We meet once a month, beginning with business, followed by a talk, ending with tea and a chat. It is delightful to keep in touch with old friends and we hope, through the Review, to make many new ones. We will gladly receive ideas for developing our group and pass on information about what we are doing.

We meet on the third Friday of the month at St John HQ, New Street, Lymington and any members visiting this popular holiday area are warmly welcome to join us.

It would be a good idea for Headquarters to have details of all the groups in order than they may be put into touch with one another, but we think each group should operate individually according to their local needs.

Has any other group a badge? Our members would very much like to have one.

Best wishes to all other groups of ex-members.

1 Conifer Crescent, Peggy Williams

Pennington, Lymington.

Editor: Would groups of retired members - whatever they're calling themselves - like to communicate through the Review? If there's enough material we'd be delighted to give you space of your own, as a column, in which we can include names and addresses of secretaries of each group, so producing a record of groups.

USE OF CB RADIO

from Mr A. F. Bareham, Brigade Radio Communications Officer

In reply to 'A Plea (Oct Review), the decision not to allow the use of Open Channel (CB) radio was taken by the Commissioners' Conference after considering the implications for the Brigade and an instruction to that effect was issued. The subject is constantly under review and no valid excuse is seen at the present time to make any change.

When dealing with patients confidentiality is essential; this condition cannot be met using open channel communications, which as its name implies is open to anyone in range to receive.

Headquarters A. F. Bareham

BURNS

from Mr R. F. Brown, FRCS, Consultant Plastic Surgeon

My attention has been drawn to the letter on burns on page 212 of the September, 1982 St John Review and the re-print of Glenys Roberts' article from the Sunday Times entitled 'Secret of Those Burns'. Mr John Bunyan himself has agreed that there are many factual errors in that article, not least the fact that he had nothing to do with providing plastic bags for the Falklands and in any case silver sulphadiazine (Flamazine) was used for the treatment and not hypochlorite (sic).

The British Burn Association felt so strongly about this article that two workers active and well known in the burn's field from the Birmingham Accident Hospital submitted a rebuttal which was printed in the Sunday Times two weeks later, on July 11 1982. The paragraphs are as follows:

BURN BAGS

There is a dangerous inaccuracy in your article on the secret of the burn bags (page 20, June 27). Household bleach is corrosive and damages normal skin. Burns would be exacerbated by its use.

The British Burn Association is concerned that people may act on the recommendations made and aggravate their injuries.

Very dilute sod ium hypochlorite (an active ingredient in many bleaches) has been used to treat wounds for many years and also to disinfect infants' feeding bottles. But medical specialists concerned with burns mostly prefer to use other materials.

Plastic bags containing an antibacterial cream (si lver sulphadiazine) have been widely used in the UK for the treatment of burns of

the hand for some years; this technique features in a recent Royal Navy teaching film.

J. C. Lawrence and A. R. Groves

MRC Industrial Injuries and Burns Unit, Birmingham

I hope you will publish at the earliest opportunity these comment s since it is extremely dangerous for first aid worker s , the read e rs o f the Review, to be given this advice. (One has the horrifying vi s ion of neat bleach or Domestos being poured ov e r the head of a s mall child who has sustained a domestic scald).

I am sure that your Medical Advisers would be equally di tre ss ed at the recommendations to use household bleach, even on adult burn s, without dilution. In any case Mr Bunyan agrees that a great man y hospitals do use Y2 070 sodium hypochlorite as a routine dressing for open wounds and burns.

President, British Burn Association R. F. Bro wn ENIGMATIC

from James A. Albery, Chief Cadet Officer

Very little in recent issues of the St John Review has provoked as mu ch comment as your somewhat enigmatic caption accompan y ing the Canadian emblem for the Sixtieth Anniver s ary of Cadet s (Au g Review). First, let me say how pleased I was to see it reproduced in the Review. The emblem was the creation of one of our Cadet Offic ers and we are very proud of it. Second, allow me to point out that i t is the 60th Anniversary of Cadets in general that we are celebra t in g along with cadets throughout the whole international famil y. Our own cadet movement in Canada is somewhat younger than your s in the U.K. Our first Canadian cadet divisions were started i n 1933 , one in Manitoba and the other in Ontario.

We have taken note of the coincidence of the sixtieth anniv e r s ar y of cadets and the centennial of the Ophthalmic Hospital and h a ve borrowed an idea of the former Chief Officer of Cadets in Britain , Brigadier Fergie Semple. Every cadet in Canada has been chall enge d to raise the sum of $5 for a national fund for the Oph t halmic Ho spital.

This sum will be donated in an appropriate way early in 1983

As for the difference in the proportion of cadet / adult s trength in our two countries, I can only hope that there is no concern in the U.K about 40% of the Brigade being cadets. The contribution mad e to the youth of the country by the St John Cadet programme is tremendous. In Canada, we have a growing cadet movement and we will be working to close the gap over the next few year s . I ha ve a s a goal the attainment of a 30% cadet membership for the Brigade in Canada.

Finally, may I take this opportunity to say how much I enjoy receiving and reading the St John Review, as do many other s in Canada. It contributes immensely to the feeling of belonging to a truly great organisation.

Canada

James A. Albery

Editor: In the U.K. we are indeed concerned, not because we have too many cadets but because we have too few adult members, which seems to indicate that our rate of leakage is too great, especially among older cadets. Perhaps Canada has the solution and can tell us what it is?

ROLL OF HONOUR

from M. F. Jackson

I have been given to understand that there is no official Brigade Roll of Honour recording those members who gave their lives in order that this country could remain free from Nazi domination in the 1939-1945 war.

I myself, as officer i/c cadets, lost four of my boys, all young men to be printed in Italy rather than England. on the threshold of their lives, and we have their names suitably • West Oxford Division Bryan W. N icholls commemorated on a Roll of Honour Board at our HQ at Grays, and we do remember their supreme sacrifice and all that it stood for. Al s o, THE IDEAL COMPETITION b f h from P Dew as a mem er 0 t e R.N.A.S.B.R called up prior to the war, I lo st one of my dearest friends from a North Country division who died I found the article about fir s aid competition s (Augu s t R e vie w) ve r y on active service in Egypt while working alongside me. interesting. One of the best competitions I was ever invol ved with wa s When one considers that one of our mottoes is Pro Fide (For the a local effort between Ruislip-Northwood Div and Harrow (Kodak) Faith) and we are in essence a Christian organisation, I wonder whether Div. The key to the success of this event was realism, realistic make we have kept faith with those of our members who died on active up, noisy awkward casualties and a 'real' set con si sting of the area service, when some 37 years after the event, no such roll exists? After set aside for barbecues in the local woods! The accident

such a .Iong lapse of time, with changes in divisional officers, involved burns, which were of course to be expected

secretanes, members dying, leaving or retiring, it could be a very With actual fires buring

difficult undertaking, particularly as old records get misplaced, lost competition we had

or destroyed. and valuable / social/training

Nevertheless, I consider this omission at Brigade

that should be rectified as soon as possible from information

by all

NEWS (rol11 SCOTLAND

REQUESTS are sometimes received by the Headquarters of the Priory of Scotland for help in arranging first-aid courses or even for ambulance services and equipment. Readers are reminded that only in Scotland does the Order lack the services of the St John Ambulance Brigade as a means of serving the public. Owing to a long-standing agreement with the St Andrew's Ambulance Association and the Red Cross, the Order of St John does not operate first-aid or ambulance services within Scotland. Requests for first-aid courses might usefully be addressed to the St Andrew's Ambulance Association, St Andrew's House, Milton Street, Glasgow, G4 OHR, telephone

041-332-4031.

Mr William Gordon, Chairman of the Council of St John Associations, represented the Priory of Scotland at the Hospital Centenary Celebrations in Jerusalem during October. He was able to take with him an undertaking from the priory of Scotland to add further new equipment to the laundry of t he Hospital.

The 18th-century building which is occupied as the Chancery at 21 St John Street, Edinburgh, is undergoing considerable renovation. A central heating system is being installed and a good deal of necessary maintenance work is being done externally

On Saturday , September 4, the Order of

St John took part as usual in the annual Charities Fayre organised by Cent r al Regional Council at Viewforth, Stirling Although the weather was cha n geab le and numbers attending less than la st year, approximately £1700 was raised by the various stalls manned by Central St John Association and its friends.

In Fife a distinguished company gathered on Sunday, September 5, at Naughton House, the hom e of Brigadier an d Mrs H N. Crawford, w ho once again made their histori c house available for the good of the St John Association. About 90 guest s enjoyed their hospitality, which included a buffet supper and music from Mr and Mr s George Gordon. Abou t £250 was raised. The success of the evening may be measured by the fact that another of the same is already being considered. (N. M. B .)

Glos: Air-crash

ONE evening in late September members of the Cheltenham Friendlies Combined Division attending their weekly meeting were called out to a full scale air crash emergency at Staverton Airport, just outside Cheltenham.

On arrival they were told that an aircraft had burst a tyre on landing, causing it to swerve off the runway and plough through a group of visiting aircraft enthusiasts. The pilot , who was unconscious, and four passengers, including a very vociferous

pregnant woman (played by a member of the airport staff), were trapped inside the aircraft and a number of spectators were lying around injured. Fire was an additional hazard - a fire engine was standing by.

At the actual scene of the crash, they found it was in fact a very realistic exercise designed to test their knowledge and skill in first aid when faced with a hazardous situation

Daylight was fading and 16 casualties (the number was unknown to the rescuers), whose

pacified, is taken to safety. (Photos: injuries ranged from ca rdiac arrest, severe internal and externa l bleeding, fractures, burns, hysteria and three dead, had to be found, their injuries diagnosed and treated accordingly

Arrangement s and planning of the exercise, which was originated by two Brigade members Richard Nugent and Charles Tasker-Evans, and supervised by DIO Cedric King of the Friendlies, was one of the best kept secrets in Gloucestershire, especially when one considers how many people were involved.

The exercise its e lf was a great success, a lot was learned, and as a n official said: 'It was just such realistic exercises that kept SJA personnel fully prepared for the real thing.'

SJA Music Makers

THE St John Ambulance Banbury Cadet Band gave a spectacular performance before the Duke and Duchess of Kent at the Royal Tournament this year With so many excellent items and the mass bands from the cream of the British army on the programme, it is not easy to shine at the Royal Tournament But under its bandmaster Don Claridge the Banbur y Band received rapturous applause. Their smart light infantry pace as they entered the huge arena at Earls Court contrasted effectively with the arger adult bands. After th e performance var ous military personnel agreed that the band was well up to regular army standards and a credit to St John Ambulance.

(Ab ove) The band carries out a co mplicated counter - march routine, and (right) the members before their stacked instruments. The 4 -years - old band mascot (foreground) marched across the arena with t he band on departure

The young lady in the wheelchair (front row, right) would have played her drum on the occasion had she not only been re eased from hospital the previous day

She too paraded in her wheelchair with the band at the finale NAAFI Ii f' ORCE5 ONl.:f

Gloucestershire Echo).

News from Divisions/Centres

OBITUARY

P12500

destroy vigour. (3). 14. Prin CIple u nc h a nge d by reversal. (5). 15. Complete loss of consciou sness (4) 16 . S how ev ide n ce of poor health at the top. (4). 18 Palindromi c cu ff o f t h e s h oulder joi n t. (7). 20.

Substance stimulating production of a n t ibod ies. (7). 22. Di scern m ent within the range of vis ion? (7). 24 Old F r en c h love st o ry. (7). 25

Medication to be given b y mouth. (4) . 28 . A d etary l ack may produce a form of 5 Down . (4). 29. Bone of mid d le ear impo r ta n t to blacksmith (5) 30 Joke used to ho ld t h e mout h open. (3). 32. Abnormal forward cur vature o f t h e lumb ar spine. (8). 33. Suture for the womb. (6) 35 Me c hanism b y w h ich the b ody loses excess h eat. (8) 36 Fine , involuntary mu sc ul a r qui ver in g. (6).

Down

1. Hind pa r t of the thigh (3 ) . 2 It is in ert i n a n eye di s o rder. (9) 3 Former performance is absolutel y acc ur ate. (5). 5. D ef icie n cy in the quali t y or quantity of red c o r pu scles. (7). 6. Secon d cervica l vertebra. (4). 7 Short-sighted per son . (5) 8 Headq u arte r s of t h e Order of St John in Britain. (1 1). 11. Head -dr ess fo r the k n ee? (3). 12. Reminder of an old wound (4).14 Wr y- n eck. (11) 17. Part of the brain where injur y ma y b e in stan t l y f a t al (4). 19. Pul ls sturdy vesse ls' from guts (4) 21. Bow-leg de f orm it y (4.5 ). 23 Twis in g o f a n arte r y to arrest haemorrhage during surger y (7). 24. So und t h e th r d fin ger. (4). 26. Consent to reach the same conclu s ion (5) . 27 Bo y f rom Vladivostok. (3). 29 Sub sequently twi s ted e ar a ro und fo ot. (5 ) 3 1. Metabolic disorder a ss ociated wi t h exce ss uri c ac id in bl o od. (4). 34 Titular prefix to name of knight. (3)

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 10 (82)

Across: 1. Injected; 5 Winded; 10. Tar ; 11. Tort ic olli s ; 12 Mus es; 13. Rale; 14. Bran; 16 SlaI.o.m; 18. E arache ; 21 . L umb a go; 23 Oedema; 25 Cant; 27. Hurt; 28 Cramp; 30. R es piration; 31 Due ; 32. Collar; 33 Children.

Down: 1. Intima; 2. Jerusalem; 3. C ut.i s; 4. E ardrum ; 6 Iro n ; 7

Dolor; 8. Dyspnoea; 9 Gillie; 15. Prod; 17. Lea n; 19. C omm a nd er 20. Electric; 22. Ocular; 23. Ostrich; 24 Spl een ; 26 N as al ; 28. C an a l 29. Pica.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

Send to Driscoll Productions, Wood Collage, High Corner, Bulley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IPI2 3QF.

NITRONOX EQUIPMENT

NITRONOX has 2 unique and important features

THE FIRST IS A FACILITY FOR TWO HOSE CONNECTIONS THEREBY MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR TWO PATIENTS TO BE TREATED AT THE SAME TIME THE SECOND IS INSTANT GAS INHALATION THE MOMENT THE UNIT IS SWITCHED ON

Nitronox * equipment for use with Entonox ** gas (50% Nitrou s Ox de and 50 % Oxygen) consists of the two stage regulation of the gas resulting in patient -controlled inspiration.

In the first stage the pressure in the cylinder is reduced to aproximately 120 p .s. i by means of a piston operated regulator The gas is then conducted to the second stage regulator (or demand) regulator by means of four feet of gas conduction hose secured at one end by C! quick release coup ing and at the other by a knurl e d hand tighten e d ring

The second stage r eg ulator is a diaphragm operated fail-safe downstream tilt va ve requirin g a maximu m in halation pressure of 2cm / wg The mask connection is international.

Rugged , durable and dependable N itron ox* is supplied with a h eavy duty carrying ca s e with s houlder strap (o n request) in the blue co lour code of Entonox ** and co nforms to all r e l eva nt B r iti sh Standards

SAFE PAIN CONTROL

Nit ronox* equipmen can be used safely by an nexperienced fi rst aider p roviding the patient controls the amount of gas inhaled.

Pain can be medically harmful and so the p rovision to th e pa tient of pa in r e l ief can be instrumental in assisting th e patients eventual succ essful recovery.

One of the mos important values to the use of Nitronox * is that the gas as a pain -killer for only as long as the gas is being inhaled and there fore has no side effec ts to hamper or delay subsequent treatment because the effect quickly disappears

Us ers of N itronox' need no be professionally qua if ied but f rst aid knowledge is desirable.

Certainly it should be clearly unde rstood that the gas is a fa ir y powerful ana gesic (pain killer) but it is not a n anaesthetic (c omplete deprivation of alt hough p ati en ts tend to drowsiness and may even lapse into unconciousness.

It should also be clearly understood th at th e gas is inhaled as the pat ie nt requires it through the demand valve a n d the patient should be the ju dge of how often it is inhaled. Th erefore only in exceptional circumstances (s uch as injury to h ands should the mask be held to the patients face.

Th e patient should be told to ensure "a good seal" - mask to face - for effective use and also in form ed t hat it often takes two or th ree minutes before pain relief is obtained.

'T rade r.'1ark applications pending Entonox

AMBULANCES

P reg Transit / Hanlon Mk IV (as above) with front end conversion and extras £4, 150 (other years som e times available)

N reg Hanlon Ills £2,550 with front end conversion £3 , 550

R@painted, new engines, 12 months MOT, warranty

ST JOHN RE VIEW

When

REMEMBER

Please

Chief Commander with SJA Cumbria

He goes out to see members at duties

THE CHIEF COMMANDER Major General Peter Leuchar s , paid hi s fir st visit to SJA Cumbria during August , wher e h e wa s the overnight g ue st of Count y Commissioner Dr and Mrs Stitt, of Carlisle.

Th e Count y Commi ssi oner ide a of th e Chief Commander meeting member s o n dut y, ra t he r h a n the more formal insp ec ti o n , certainl y kept him on the move. Fir s t c a ll of the da y wa s o Cumbria Police HQ , P e nri t h , to meet Mr Price, the Ch i ef Constabl e a nd SJA C ounty Dir e c or , al so the SJA C ount y D e ve lopment Officer , Mr Cole y. N ex t stop , just a few miles down the ro a d , took in the Lowther Ho r se Dri v in g Tri a ls in w hi c h HRH The Duke of Edinbur g h was competing. On arrival the Chief Command e r was met by No.1 Area Comm J F y nn es, Area Supt W. Hind and other a rea s t a ff. After the i ntroductions he wa s sho w n around the main f ir st aid and control unit , ambulanc e and c ro ss c oun t r y L / R ambulance , provided b y Ambl es ide Di v s io n and und er th e c omm a nd of DI TO P. Thompson.

The Chief Comm a nder and hi s p a rt y h en embarked on a mini- safari to d r ive a round the 18-mile cour se to meet personn e l f r o m Penri t h, Working on, Carlisle, Wind e rm ere and Kend a l Divi sion s, w ho were mannin g t h e v ariou s hazards and obstacle s on the cour se. By now the ime schedule was in tatters, but no matter, it wa s back to the central fir s t a id unit and th e specially set up field cant ee n for a three course lunch ably prepared and s erved by Sg t J. Prickett and A I M J Graham

After lunch there was a 30-mil e dri ve through Lakeland to the head of Windermere, England' s largest lake, settin g of the highlight of the Commander's vi s it: the handing over and dedication of the (Top ) The Chief Commander gets the feel of A mble side Division's new 17ft rescue boat for u se on Windermere The Commissioner Dr G Stitt and Area Pres Mrs Stitt wi h crew members Nei Cro s sland (right) coxswain and his two sons Keith and Br an (left ). (Centre) with D TO P Thompson and Sgt J Prickett (left), discussing the layout of Ambleside Division s Land - Rover ambulance Dr & Mrs Stitt right (Below) Inspe c ting th e first aid unit

Ambleside Di v is ion' s new r es cue boat. On a r rival at the aptly named Water e dg e Hot e l on the s hore of Windermere, Major G e n e r a l Leu c har s and hi s party we re w e lcomed by No 2 Ar e a Comm R. Martin and DI S G. S a nd e rs , with introductions to variou s d ig nitarie s and divisional members

Th e C hi ef C ommander re cei ve d the k e ys of th e bo a t from Mr T Rumman s, A re a S a les M a n ag er , Ev inrud e E ngine Ltd, and th e d e di c a t io n se rvi ce wa s condu c ted by the R ev A A y re. Af t e r th e ce r e mon y the C hi e f Co mmand e r a nd C ount y C ommi ss ioner were s

N. Cro ss

Th e boat, a

D

D

r y,

a forward cuddy

gi ves ampl e pr otect io n again s t the element s with lar ge w ind ows (and forward wind sc re en wip ers) to g ve a ll round v is ibilit y . S a fety ra il s are f itte d fore and aft of th e cudd y , and na v g

stage of his tour, a 40-mile drive to Work ington in the north of the county where he was to inspect the divisional HQ. T h e day ended with a cocktail party, atlended by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, at Hutton in the Forest, home of Lord Inglewood.

Dorset Dark Disaster

NOT A GHOST STORY BUT AN EXERCISE

AFT E R t h e last Dorse t m ass cas u a lt y coun ty e erci e P ortland P eril' in 19 80, o n e D i i ion uggeste d tha t t h e n ext exe rc ise s h o u ld, by way of c h a n ge, b e in darkn ess.

T he ma j or ity of Di vis o n s favo ur ed thi s id ea a n d 0 exercise DDD was p la n ne d It took p lace ate o n Satur d ay O cto b er 16 a t t h e

We ex Speedway S a dium b y ki nd p erm iss ion of t h e p r op ri eto r. T he lo c a t ion wa ke p sec ret - or we h o p e d so ! - but m embe r w h o ha d vol u nteered t o att end we r e asked i n ad a n ce of t h e ag ree d dat e to b e a h ome in t h e evening.

Thi 999 ca ll wa m a d e:

'From h e W essex Speedway Sta d iu m ,

R adipo le Lane, Wey m o u t h. 5 o r 6 tock cars have j u t co llid e d h ere at hi g h spee d caus in g heavy exp los ions an d la rge fi r es.

Feare d la r ge numb e r o f cas u a lti e, inc ludi n g ma n y specta ors i n h e cove red stand d u e to m asses of h eavy a nd fl a m i ng fl ying de bri s. E lect ri c ca bl e cu t a nd no

li g h t in g. A ll e m e r ge n cy se r v ice s re quired imm ed iate ly.'

T h e P o lice, Fire Bri ga d e a nd Ambul a n ce

Se r vice rece i ve d t hi m essa ge , but un fo rtu nate l y we r e (in th e ory) alr e ad y h eav il y c ommitted a t th e scen e of a major r ai lway acc ide nt , w hi c h had o cc urr e d a bo ut h a f-an- h o ur ea rli er in anoth e r par t of th e c oun ty. Th e Ambulance Ser v ice c ould onl y pro v ide limit e d r es ource s, a nd its ce ntr a l c ontrol th e ref o r e imm e di a t e ly c alled out St.

J o hn Ambulance , w hereupon the in t ernal 's now-b a ll ca ll -out pro ce dure wa s put in o p e r a tion. So m e 200 m e mb e r s and 10 a mbulance s of Di v isions bas ed all over the count y a nd up to 30 mil es from Weymouth ga th e r e d at th e ir pr esc rib e d Divi sional A e mbl y Point s, a nd in due c ourse moved off to he in c id e nt s it e as ordered The y arri ve d o n s it e at the Ambul a n ce Parking

loading point. It was wet d a rk and so m etimes m uddy

Documentation. the facts all the fa ct s , can take tim e

Point i n po u ri ng r a n wit h hi gh wind (which cert ai nl y add e d unwa n te d realism!)

Fortun a tel y m ost of the casualties were un d er c o ver 0 f th e st and

In t he ab se n ce of Co u nty Ambulance Serv ice office r s, SJA office rs deplo yed memb e r s a nd g en era ll y dir ected the si te op e r a t ion dur i ng w hi c h 85 casua l ties were found and t r e ated It wa s ass um ed that loca l ho s pi t al s would b e he a vily loa d ed with the a r ge number o f cas u a lt ies f r om t h e railway a cc id e nt , and s o it was i mm ediate l y d ec ided to set up a te mporar y em e rgency h ospital in a loca l h a ll. Nur s in g m e mb e r s were despat c hed a t on c e to prep ar e t hi s p ace for c a ualti es , whi c h w o uld b e evacuated there

la t e r b y ambulanc e. Th e lightin g was eve ntu a ll y re tored o n t he site (In pra c ti ce, th e F ir e Bri gade wo u d h a e pro v id e d emer ge n cy flo o d li g htin g muc h sooner) The op e ra t io n w as c lo sed down toward s midni g h t. Man y important lesso n were brou ght ou t

Before leaving for London the next day, Major General Leuchars expressed his appreciation to the County Commissioner, D r St itt, and hoped he would be able to pay another visit to Cumbria next year , but perhaps at not such a hectic pace. P. Thompson PRO at an officer debriefing some da ys later, 8nd these were to be passed on to Di visions. Ir \Va concluded rhat more rain i ng was needed in certain respects, and al so thar some changes in procedures f or deployment and control hould be di cus ed w th the Dor et Ambulance Service.

The Dorset Ambulance Service kindl y provided radio and other equ i pment for the exercise As usual , the Casual t ie U nion, the WRVS, and Raynet co-operated fully and played their re pecti v e parts magnifi ent Iy. The exercise wa observed by the chairman of the Dor et Counry Council ' Protection committee , enior officer of the Police , Fire and Ambulance Service, the County Emergency Planning Department, and the British R ed Cros Society. The chairman of the S t John Counc il , our Deputy Counry Pre idem and our County Dire tor al 0 came along to encourage us.

(Above) Supt -in- Chief , Lady Moyra Browne (left), arrives with the new girl at HQ, Lady Beevor , who re tire d recent ly Ursula Westbury Assist Supt-in-Chief from the Cadet Office, from THIS was the view put forward by delegates Wolfdietrich Pelt z of Johannit er at this year's Leadership Conference, held Unfall Hilfe, Germany. at Nottingham University on September 24-26. The theme 'Whither Nottingham?' gave delegates the chance to air their views on the structure of future Leadership Conferences. Should it be held at all? How often? What should we do?

The conference weekend began with an informal evening on the Friday. A film show had b@en arranged after dinner, and for some (including myself!), the first adventure of Nottingham began in finding the way to the main Portland Building from the halls of residence. The evening finished with a disco, about which some of us were more enlightened than others

The serious work of the 22nd Leadership Conference got under way on Saturday morning. In his opening address, the Commissioner-in-Chief outlined the aim of the gathering after welcoming Lady Westbury, the new Deputy Superintendentin-Chief, Mr A. L. Budd, as Cadet Advisory Officer, Dr Tudor Powell Jones (well known to many Nottinghamites) and Herr Wulfdietrich Peltz, of the Johanniter-UnfallHilfe Sqn Ldr Witherow and Miss Jennie Eaves were welcomed as the new Staff Officers Brigade Training and Cadets, and the delegates said farewell to Mrs Vicki Beevor this year as a guest after helping to organise the conference for many years. The assembly then broke up into syndicates to tackle the vital question of Nottingham's future.

The afternoon saw the conference's two main speakers and the delegates returning after lunch (no problems with finding the 270

Long REPORTS

Live

VERONICA SHARPE OF HQ'S PRESS OFFICE

Nottingham!

way this time!) to a curtained hall with a battery of audio-visual equipment set up at the rear. In this, the centenary year of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem, delegates welcomed the Hospitaller of the Order of St John, Sir Stephen Miller, who told the story of the hospital with slides. Sir Stephen told delegates of the hospital's establishment on the Be hlehem Road , its move to the Old City of Jerusalem in 1948 after being destroyed in the fighting which followed the termination of the Briti s h Mandate, and the completion of the new hospital in 1960. He showed something of tlie important work of the hospital (the only consulting ophthalmic hospital in the Middle East), including the new Outreach project , and showed slides of some of the patients His talk was followed by a showing of the new tape-slide programme produced earlier this year (see October 1982 Review for details), which was extremely well received with a spontaneous round of applause. The second speaker was Dr G. Murray McKay, Head of the Accident Research Unit and Reader in Traffic Safety at Aston University. With the help of slides, mainly showing wrecked cars, he gave delegates a fascinating insight into the world of accident causes, citing such incidents as victims crashing through windscreens, etc. It emerged that in the majority of serious or fatal accidents no seat belt had been worn, an object lesson to us all. The interest shown

by delegates was reOected in the complexity and number of the questions w hi ch fo ll owed

This ended the serious business of Saturday for most delegates - syndicate leaders, however, were putting together the programme for the following day Saturday evening's entertainment was eagerly anticipated - 'Hurry up, get your g lad-rags on It appeared that by a lt ernating the band and the disco catered for everyone's taste, and a good time was had by all. The good time, I gather, continued we ll into the morning after in some cases

Sunday morning saw a return to work after the morning service, w hich was taken by t he Rev Alan Caldwell, Chaplain to the University of Nottingham. The syndicate reports were eagerly awaited - would other sy ndicate s agree? ft would take a great deal of time to sum up all the individu a l points made by syndicates, but a number of common points emerged.

It was felt that Nottingham as a place was a good, central venue with excellent facilities.

To hold such a conference centrally in the UK was important from the point of view of distance to trave l.

Nottingham Conference should be held annually. There was di sc ussion among syndicates as to the frequency of the conference, and it was agreed that anything less frequent than an annual conference created too long a gap, which would hinder continuity.

(of Surr ey ) reports

There wa a general wish for an informal programme on Friday evening, not starting too ear ly , so that delegates could join in as and when they arrived. Jt was felt important to remem ber that some delegates could not possibly arrive until 7 or 8 pm, but that they, too, wished to feel a part of everything. Similarly, it was agreed that the conference programme could be usefully extended to around 4 pm on Sunday afternoon, with a flexible programme to take account of travelling home.

The Open Forum was another item that came into question. All syndicates agreed that an open forum was desirable, enabling all delegates to contribute, although there was a difference of opinion as to whether questions should be submitted in advance. Some syndicates suggested that questions and answers in the Open Forum shou ld be published in a subsequent issue of the Review; a ll agreed that answers to questions should be forthcoming, whether at the conference or on another occasion.

There was a good deal of interest in the idea of forming some kind of planning committee to ap prai se the conference and gather together suggestions for the following year. Most syndicates felt that this committee should be formed from delegates of previous conferences and not on a cou n ty basis, as this might not be representative.

One or two synd ica tes suggested a kind of 5-year plan for the conference, with the 6th

yea r taking the same kind of line as this year: a reappraisal. All syndicates agreed that it was important to have the programme fixed early and well pu blicised. Several syndicates agreed that it was important to make use of the Review, both in the publicity stage and in writing up Nottingham. To quote from one group 'the Review ought to give a lot more coverage to Nottingham, imaginatively written up, and with photographs as well, which would help to advertise it as something worthwhile to come to and encourage all the people who don't normally come.' (How imaginatively written up is this, wonder?)

Some of the other points mentioned were the number and type of speakers (look around within St John as well as outside!) and that Saturday everung was an important social event, encouraging people to mix (at one point there was a plea for a metronome for the band ) and exchange ideas and views freely.

The Open Forum which followed did much to extend the discussion, with such questions as whether the conference name should be changed, the possibility of obtaining some kind of grant in order to

DA TE FOR YOUR DIARY

NOTTINGHAM CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 23-25 1983

further the quality of the conference, and how to submit questions f or the Open Forum. Other questions included something on the Advanced Nursing Certificate ' s fate, the Cadet Proficiency Certificate Scheme, the date of publication of the new First Aid Manual for Cadets and the age limit for cadets taking part in cadet competitions. In conclusion , the Commissioner-in-Chief summed up the very useful work which had been done by delegates towards structuring future Nottingham Leadership Conferences - 'we will be taking very seriously indeed the points you have made he promised. Sir John also brought out the need for improvement in communications - greater use of the Review was one way - but he also stressed thaf communications work both ways. In spire of the problems, however, he said that there was still an enormous amount to be proud of, in the caring work done by ind ividual divisions which probably never reaches the ears of Headquarters, and that it was these small, unseen things which were as much a vital ingredient to the spirit of St John in the Brigade as the big and more spectacular occasions.

The date for next year ' s Nottingham Leadership Conference has already been decided - put it in your diary Now: September 23-25, 1983. The title of this piece is taken from the comment of one syndicate and the views of all delegates: Long Li e Nottingham!

The Commissioner-in-Chief, Sir John Younger (right), with the Rev Alan Caldwell , the University of Nottingham Chaplain, and (le ft) Gerald Easton Assistant Commissioner-in-Chief

Sitting on the floor chatting

(L to R) D O Jackie Jenkins

ANO Anne McMeekin, AM Douglas Chariton and DNO - all from

No 3 syndicate - CSO Maureen Upton (of Staf · fordshire) reports

No 10 syndicate - ASO Kathleen Be nsberg

FALSE ORDERS OF ST JOHN

The international Committee appointed jointly by our Order, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Johanniter Order on the Continent, held a meeting in London on September 21 and 22 and reviewed the situation arising from the increasing numbers of bodies in many different part s of the world which nowadays claim to be an Order of St John.

More than 150 of these bodies have now been identified. Many of them are not at all what they purport o be and in many cases their claims to be concerned with works of charity ha ve not been substantiated. The committee hopes that all our members can be reminded of the dangers that these organisations pose for us. When in doubt about the bona fides of anybody using the name of St John, or purport i ng to be associated with us , enquiry should be made to the Secretary General at St John's Gate.

AWARDS

Our congratulations to:

Miss Elizabeth Patten, BRCS, Service Hospital Welfare Officer, Princess Alexandra Hospital, RAF Wroughton, has been awarded the MBE in recognition of her services to relatives of the wounded during the Falklands campaign.

Squadron Leader H. G. Pattison, DFC, has been awarded the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Sword of Honour in recognition of the services of the Brigade Air Wing.

NEW DPA

Richard Radcliffe, previously deputy DPA , has been appointed Di rector of Public Affairs at Headquarters. Geoffrey Meek, who has been unwell lately, will contin ue as a consultant working from home.

CAMP FACILITIES

Following the undoubted success of Kent County's training weekend in September,

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

LOOKING AHEAD

8 Dec: Royal Ball, Intercontinental Hotel.

15 Dec: St John Musical Society concert, St John's, Smith Square, London.

22 Dec: 12 noon, Headquarter s Staff Christmas Party.

23 Dec: Christmas lunch, St John House.

24 Dec: HQ closes at 12.30pm. Reopens 9am 4 January 1983.

and the various caravan gatherings such as have b ee n held by Staffordshire and other counties, the Assistant Commissioner-inChief, Mr Gerald Easton, has suggested that counties may care to avail themselves of some excellent camp facilities s uitable for a St John gathering which have come to his attention.

They would perhaps offer relatively easy arrangements at a suitable venue for an informal 'come who can' acros s -counties event. The County HQ would broadcast a se lected date, invite St John personnel and their families for a weekend and make the bookings. The eve nt would include, say, one or two lectures by an acknowledged authority on his sub ject. Thi s might be followed b y a forum. On the Saturd ay a dance, wit h possibl y a di sco for the you nger members as well.

Two camps already pinpointed are: Jubilee Bo ys' Brigade Camp 'B', Whitecliffe Ba y, Bembridge Isle of Wight.

This camp is equ ipped with a permanent kitchen, marquee and tentage. Detail s and brochure can be obtained from Mr Stuart Taylor, 54 Elmsworth Road , North End, Portsmouth, Hamp s h ire.

FAST

and

SRNs and eight ambulances, on duty at Newquay s St Mawgan Air Day, where SJA treated over 100 people Doesn't Elizabeth look capable?

New Bea ch Hol iday Camp Hythe Road, D ymc hur c h, Kent. (Te l : 030-382-2233). Accommodation i in two-bedroom chalet a nd self-ca t e rin g.

The St John Cheltenham Rally (caravan and tent) is at Cheltenham Racecour e , Prestbury Park, from July 22 to 25 19 83 , and (including a coac h trip) the cost will be £8 per unil. There wi ll al 0 be di co / barndan ce , barbecue, children' events and (retch er ob tacle race. Plenty of fun, in other word. Fu ll details and app li cation form (S.A E plea e) from Mrs C. Syer, 6 King William Dri ve, Charlton Park, Cheltenham, GL 53 7RP.

BEXHILL CAMP

From 1946 to 19 70 the only mean s of transport available for Bexhill SJA camp fo r the carriage of (ores and camper' lug g a ge , wa a Ford van hir ed each year for the fiveweek period. ]n 1970 we thought our se lves

The Duchess of Gloucester was at the service of rededication and Inve stit ure for the Priory of Wales at St Dav ds Cathedral recent y En rou t e sh e ca led at Whitesands Bay to see the SJA offshore rescue servi c es (Below le h ) Sandy Buttle presenting members of the Pembroke Marine DiviS io n an d (below) the Duchess chatting with Mr Holloway

BY

THE EDITOR

very lucky when Monty Levy, Supt Chislehurst and Sidcup Division, asked us if we were interested in purchasing another Ford van for £60! It had a new engine and was in good condition. This was too good a bargain to miss - especially as it carried us through until 1980. Finally I was driving it to the garage for petrol unaware that the back bumper had fallen off in the path of a police car which was following me! I managed to talk myself out of the situation and decided, very reluctantly, that the va n which had given such very good se rvice was falling apart and was really only fit for the scrap heap. We realised £lIon it at the scrap yard!

At the sa me time as parting with 'our' van, the special bus hired to convey campers to the bea c h in the afternoons was cancelled owing to shortage of c rews. What next ? What could we afford? What would be advantageou to the cam p and the campers? Another van or a minibu s? ]t was a difficult question, as we thought the latter was impo ssib le due to it s price. However, during one of Brigadier Semple's visits to the camp we discussed t he matter with him. Imagine our urpri e when later we recei ve d a message aying if we could find a minibu s the Edwina Moun tbatte n Fund would assi t u s financially. Where to sta rt looking was our next headache, with the opening date of the 1981 ummer ca mp almost upon us. Then out of the blue Mrs M. Dougla Area Staff Officer Surrey, phoned to ask if we would be intere ted in a minibu that belonged to 'The Windle Valley Day Centre for the Elderly', where she was working, as they were about to purchase another with a tai l lift. Thi was 'pennies from heaven' and an opportunity not to be missed. The AA was contacted for an inspection and as the report was good, also the price, we lost no time in clinching the deal and moving it to Bexhill

CADET HELP

NEW HQ

Bexhill campers and the new camp minibus See story BEXHILL CAMP

The residents looked at the occup ants in astonishment as we drove around the town, for on the back doors was printed 'The Windle Valley Day Centre for the Elderly'!

By the 1982 camp, thanks to Ray Pennock of Weybridge and his colleagues, our minibus had had a major overhaul and its colour changed from fire -engine red to pristine white, with the lettering as seen in the photograph (so kindly taken and presented by Mr T. Symons from Stafford Division).

We should like to thank the Edwina Mountbatten Committee for the generous donation which enabled us to realise our ambition; and, in addition to those already mentioned our Camp Committee: Bill, Mike and Phillip from Brighton and Roy and Keith SE Area London, who give so much of their time to the maintenance of the camp. The dates for the 1983 camp are from July

TEACHERS

23 to August 27. Application forms will be available by Januar y. When applying please give dates required and the approximate number wishing to attend.

Win Willis

STA CRUISES 1983

The Sail Training Association (ST A) has provisionally reserved a number of places for St John Ambulance personnel on their training cruises sa iling from Oct 9 un t il Oct 22 1983. Personnel are encouraged to take advantage of this fine adventure training.

The STA is a charitable non-profit making organisation and the service it provides is paid for by people and organisations with widely different abilities to contribute. The full cost of a two-week cruise in 19 83 is estimated to be £425 per person. The STA allots bursaries of £135 on each berth. So the opening offer for the two-week cruises is £290. St John Brigade Headquarters wil l allow a further £100 per person f rom tr a inin g funds. Costs to the i ndividual or count y will thus be £190 each berth. Bargain price, eh? • Personnel interested in taking part in one of the 1983 cruises sho uld apply through District /C ounty Headquarter s, who wi ll in turn pass to Brigade HQ the names

applicants

possible No money s hould be sent. Payment will be requested after a berth has been allocated; the money is not required until t hr ee months before the start of eac h cruise. Bids are to be sent through District / County Headquarter s to he Staff Officer Bri ga d e Training and Cadet , at 1 Gr osve nor Crescent, and must s tate: a Title and full personal n ames. b Birth date. c Home address. d. Cruise requir ed (Ser No and date). e. St John Ambulanc e County f. Recommendation of County Commissioner. (Suc cessful allocation of berths will be subject to availability and the manner of applicants).

Cruise No 273 for Girls aged 16 to 24, from London / Southampton on STS Malcolm Miller Cr uise No 297 for Boys aged 16 to 24, from Shoreham / Southampton on STS Sir Winston Churchill.

EMERGENCY SERVICE

I he ar that twelve Derbyshir e St John

ambulance

recently provided

I3-da y ambu lan ce crews' st rik e. Together with other vo luntary organisation s, St John members were on stand-by throughout Derbyshire and were called out for e mergen c ie s and a cc ident s only. The service was co-ordinated b y County and Area s taf fs and the Derb ys hire P o li ce.

Said County Commissio n er Da v id J e nkin: 'We did nOl wish to aggravate the strike itu a tion but we and other voluntary ervice were able to pro v ide emergency cover to relieve patient s uffering and di stress It wa excellent experience for our per so nnel and perhap made them even more proficient for c all -o ut s under normal c ondition s.' JINJA TO _ r h ea r hat David Sekindi Div Sup! of a divi ion at the yan za Tex t ile Indu s trie s factory in Jinji, Uganda, recently v isi t ed Lancashire to see texti le mills and to meet local SJA members.

Area Supt L Harri s, of Fleetwood, took him to meet the lo ca l ambu lan ce c adet s and later over 100 members welcomed him at the Area dance , which wa s held at the lCI Social Club, Thornton, where David was pre ented with a SJ Lanca hir e tie.

PARTY

During

Di

After the f i ve action-packed days of real L a n cas hi re hospitality, David returned to Lond on, en rou te for home.

YES M'AM

Newar k Ambulance Di vision, ce leb ra ting it s 70th anniversary in 1982, was inspected for th e first time by a woma n in Ocwber. The lady who broke the long run of maJe domin ance wa Area Supt ( ) Mrs J. Le w s, w h o represented the Southern Area Commi sioner at the annual inspection of Ne wark Di v is ion s a nd St John Juniors.

N ewa rk ur s in g Di vis ion is also 30 years old thi s yea r.

GLIDER ACCIDENT

Derb yshire P olice have praised three Derby s hi re SI J ohn nursing members for th e ir professional assi tance fo llowing a glider accident. Bu xwn's Police C hie f Supt

T. Baile y thanked the vol unt eer - Mrs C. Denni s, Mrs H andley and Mrs H all - who a iste d i n treating a 62-year-old g lider pilot Mr J H ave rl ey of Cha p el -en -l e -Frith

A NEW CRAZE hit British shores this year. No longer content to don their velour track suits and jog gently round the block the British have been overcome with the masochistic urge to run a punishing 26.2 miles at a time. In 1982 no self-respecting borough in the land was without its marathon and people of all shapes and sizes were eager to take part. Some of them had never run so far before, many were inadequately prepared for the ordeal, and if it hadn't been for organisations such as St John Ambulance, the marathons could have turned into nightmares for those taking part. In the south, we had more than most. The year saw marathons at Winchester, Southampton, Basingstoke, Fleet and Fareham. Those who organised the events for St John were faced with a situation they'd never encountered before. They came across many problems and learned many lessons. Here's how one area staff officer, Dave Davies set about coping with marathon mania

'The Gosport /Fareham marathon was held on April 4. Planning started back in December 1981, and the Eastern Area St John were invited to attend progress meetings of the marathon organising committee once a month. They were asked to take overall responsibility with assistance from the Red Cros s. The first thing that had to be done was to establish just what resources were available in terms of manpower, ambulances, tents, first aid caravans and so on. A medical guide was then drawn up after consultation with the casualty surgeons from two district hospitals nearby and consultants in sports injuries. It was se nt to all divisional officers. The marathon was to be run on one circuit - over hilly country. Divisions were allocated first aid points next to the m arathon watering spots. There were to be 13 in all, six of them manned by the Red Cross, the rest by St John. It was also decided that there'd be a casualty reception centre with eight beds, manned by two divisional surgeons , nursing officers and nursing and ambulance members. This was to be near the finishing line A minibus, with a nursing and ambulance member, was to follow the runners, picking up casualties and dropping them off at the next first aid point. These points were at two mile intervals, Foot patrols were also to cover the route.

'The police had overall control of t he event and would help cover emergencies. The St John medical radio control point was set alongside their own central control point at Gosport From here organisers could talk to all ambulances and receive messages from the foot patrols and FAPs via the ambulances

The county ambulance service provided a control vehicle, giving direct access to the district hospitals and the county centre and preventing any duplication in answering emergency calls. There was good liaison between them and St John.

-----------

Water - lovely water ...

(Right) One of those occasions when water never tasted so good! N/M Angela Davey, of Cheltenham

_________________ Town Combined Division supplies a glass of water to one of the nearly 2,500 participants in the Cheltenham Half Marathon - a sponsored event the money from which is being donated to the 'Crack Cancer Campaign'. (Photo Town Crier, Cheltenham)

Marathon Mania

JENNY CUFF, Hampshire PRO, tells us about St John involvement in those big runs.

Are you all prepared for a marathon in your area?

A week before the event, a briefing was held for all divisional superintendents, nominated staff and r adio and transport officers to finalise details

'On the day itself, all first aid points were in position by 10.30 and operationa ,by 11.00 - the race start in g time The casualty reception centre, a large marquee loaned by a local firm, was rigged at 08.30 and electricity was run in from a nearby beach cafe. Cold water was provided in an insulated container and hot water in an electric tea urn. Treatment tables, beds and chairs were set up, and the staff were ready for action by 11.00. Other St John member s set up radio and control points and checked them. All ambulances were positioned, and drivers advised of alternative routes to the casualty reception centre avoiding the runner s '137 St John members were on dutythre e di vis ional surgeo n s, eight nur s ing officer s, five area officers, 49 ambulance officers and members, 56 nursing officers and members, and 16 cadets. They were instructed that all minor cases should be dealt with at first aid points where there was a qualified nur se on duty, but anyone causing worry should be transferred to the CRC where he or s he could be treated by the surgeons or taken to hospital if nece ssa ry

'Even before the race began, the St John staff had sprung into action. They were asked by police to take a road accident ca,ua ltv to hospital in Cosham.

Ten minute s after the runners had set off, the first patient wa taken LO the CRe with a torn ligament of the th igh, As the race progressed, runners were brought in suffering from cramp, abdom in al p ain, blistered feet and legs, abrasions, mu scle strain, s prained ankles, bleeding nipples, insect bites and headaches, Only one was taken to hospital -a runner s uffering from exhaustion, whose temperature and blood pressure refu se d to return to normal even after one and a quarter hour s of treatment. The la st cas u a l ty was the last man to finish. He was 78 years old, bur a regular road walker. When he arrived at the CRC he was in a severe state of collapse and exhaustion, his feet raw and blistered He see med slow to respond to treatment, and doctors were just preparing to send him to hospital when he sat up in bed, swung his le gs over the side and announced, " I'm OK now. I a lw ays finish this way ." Then , after a check-up, off he went, lea ving everyone gasping in amazement.'

When the race was over, St John members cou ld cong ratul ate themselves on a smooth operation that had broken new ground in their work. No doubt the co-operation between themselves, the police, the county ambulance service and the Red Cross h ad cont ributed towards the s uccess of the whole marathon. The preparations begin any day now, but this time the organisers ha ve a good blueprint to guide them.

TO CELEBRATE the centenary of the St John Ambulance Association in 1977, the Oxfords hire Cadet Camp was held in Malta.

To mark the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the St John Cadets, Camp '82 was in West Germany.

During the last week in March a 'scouting party', consisting of the camp commandant, CSO Ray England, and the quartermaster, ASO Margaret Snowdon, was taken by car to Germany by the Deputy County Commissioner, Mr H. F. Knott and his wife, to ascertain the suitability of a youth hostel which, it transpired, was superb. The accommodation was to be in tents, with the use of a building containing kitchens and toilet facilities, including showers. Terms were negotiated and dates fixed, with the help of some Germans with an excellent command of English, phrase books and sign language. We returned to Oxfordshire and wheels were put in motion, with a 'correspondence course' continuing between us and Franz Vater, who never tired of answering all our questions. At the end of July all the planning and dreaming became reality when a small advance party set off in the early hours of Monday morning to travel to Germany by train, arriving at the camp s ite in the early evening with one idea in mind - sleep!

A warm dry morning. A rare event in most of our previous camps, but this one was in the Taunus Mountains of West Germany and such weather was to prove to be he rule rather than the exception. It was Tuesday and the ad vance party, a little fuzzy at the edges after the previous day's travelling, faced a busy time preparing for the arrival of the main party. There were tents to be erected and shopping to be done, daily supplies to be arranged and ordered from local farms and shops. However, our friends of the Johanniter Unfall-Hilfe had other ideas, and while the quartermaster and the camp commandant's wife were borne away to do the shopping, the commandant and the camp banker, Sgt Dave Baker, spent a fairly leisurely day watching the camp spring up around them. The tents and equipment were loaned, delivered and erected by various 'divisions' of the JUH and the civil disaster stores and, while we were hoping this wasn't an omen, the Germans welcomed an opportunity to practise setting up the equipment 'fo r real'. By late evening everything was ready, even to electric lights in he tents, and so we set off to meet the main party. 'Could there be a hot drink ready for them when they arrive at the camp site?' 'Of course, no problem.' The reply came from John, a JUH volunteer, who wanted to spend his holiday cooking for us!

It was an answer we were to hear many, many times throughout our two week stay.

The train arrived in Frankfurt just after midnight, on time after a journey of 650Km. 67 cadets and adults, who had been guided, coaxed and sustained throughout the journey by deputy camp commandant Bill Hughes, and all of whom were obviously tired, dragged their luggage off the train - or was it the other way round? A fast, smooth trip along the autobahn in a comfortable coach, the promised hot drink and we were all too ready to climb into our sleeping bags.

'A lie-in tomorrow,' our leader had said. None of u s had heard the 'providing you're up b y 9!' Few took advantage of the offer.

Even the only real rain of the camp didn't

278

No Problem!

That was the summing up of this SJA cadet camp in Germany

dampen the enthusiasm to see Germany by daylight. After the initial excitement had subsided, the 20 hours spent in reaching our goal caught up with all but the hardy ones and the remainder of the day was spent at ease with just a gentle introduction to the chosen proficiency subjects, which included casualty simulation, camping, map read i ng rambling and others. Duty officers were given a tour of all the facilities which were at our disposal, duty cooks, a Cook's tour of cookers, pots and pans, washing-up facilities and the 'se rvery' The camp nurse, Mrs E. Oates SRN, was introduced to her surgery and th e first aid store -a wardrobe!

The camp site was on top of a mount a in known locally as 'Uhu', with splend id views across a forested valley, with the forest it e l f within a few ya rds of our kitchen door. The village, Lang e nhain-Ob er Morlen was within easy walking distanc e, a lthou gh a bumpy ride away for those laz y enough to make use of the thre e mini-buse provided by the Johanniter.

Thursday was the f ir st normal' day of the camp. Up at 7.30 and a quick wash or shower before flag break at 8.00. After a continental breakfast of rolls, st ill warm from the village bakery, and coffee, came the daily tent inspection with competition fierce for point s towards the best tent award

Proficienc y classes took up the rest of the mornin g. Lun c h at 12.30 and then the afternoon free, fo r walking in to the village, a bus ride nto the nearest town, Bad Nauheim, or just taking it easy. After the evening meal at 6.30, more free time, th is time on camp, pl ay ing energetic games like volleyball or Bri t is h (or was it German?)

Bulldog. Flag down at 9.30 and then a singsong and hot drink round the camp fire before lights out at 10.30.

Another hot sunny day for the trip to the Rhine Valley. Our convoy of coach and thr ee Johanni ter mini-bu ses, two driven rather warily on the 'wrong' side of the road, made its way to Mainz, a busy but friendly city, with its large , colourful market in the s quare of the impressi ve cathedral. On to Rudesheim, an old town famous as a wine centre, with narrow cobbled streets overlooked by the ma ss ive Niederwald Monument, high on the side of the Rhine valley. A steep coach ride took us to the Monument, where we had a picnic lunch provided by our camp cooks. After a leisurely stroll and souvenir shopping, the more adventurous raced the coach ba ck to Rudesheim in the cable cars which run between the Monument and the town, but could only manage a close second! Then a iC!1g picturesque drive through winding wooded valleys back to camp and a meal.

Saturday, and it was our turn to entertain our hosts. Casualty simulation is new to the J ohanniter and a group of them was eager to learn some of the basics of the subject. And, with specially imported bread pa ste and our own expert Doreen Hughes holding them enthralled throughout the afternoon, it

unanimously declared a very worthwhile exercise and resulted in more new friends. The following day a s pecial service was a rranged for u at Niederweisel. Th e 12thcentury church of the Order was a perfect setting for the local community, the Johanniter and St John to sing and pray together. One of our nursing cadets was asked to read the P sa lm, in English of course. The buildin g had originally also been a ho sp ice. We could see the duct s in the roof which had enabled th e s ick and injured to hear the services from their bed s in the lar ge ward above the church, which now serves as a Chapter Hall, and which we visited after the service. A few yard from the ch urch , the old loh anniter ho pital now used as a residential training choo l for emergency medical technicians. We spent an interesting hour looking at, and playing with, their very comprehe n sive training eq uipm ent. After a quiet afternoon , we had a li vely even in g with a paper chase. A team from each tent raced against the c lock to follow a trail of arrows to find a dozen numbered pieces of paper. Not ea y when the forest turn the even in g into night. 'Are there really wild boars in here?'

The camp in pection was on one of the hottest day of the fonn ight. By late afternoon everything wa in place, and even the officers' tents were pre entab le. And just as well, for it was all being recorded on video tape by the 10hanniter. No excu e for dozing at attention n the hot sun either; for the tour of inspection began with a one gun salute from the Chief Training Adviser's own cannon I A thorough, but fair in pection was carried out by Herr G. Prusko, Member of Parliament for Hessen State, Herr H. Wagner, Deputy Training Advi er, federal Training School, Herr V. Eh rm ann, Deputy County Commissioner, accompanied by his wife, and our fr iend Wolfgang Mahr, Chief Training Adviser, Federal Training School, with his w ife Gudrun.

The inspection of tent s, equ ipm ent, state of cooking and toilet facilities and even the officers tents was carried out by a team of instructors from the training chool, ex-army professionals! Everybody appeared to be su itabl y impressed by our turn-out. Later in the evening the annual Mis Camp contest was judged by an i nt e rnational panel, assisted by a team of eager stat stic ian s with rulers and tape measures! Bad Nauheim was the neare s large tow n to the ca mp s ite and the most interestin g in the area. On the Tue sday the local JUH had arranged a n official visit to the town where we met Burgermeister Bernd Rohde and the Spa Director , Dr Eduard AIL We were s hown the spa baths to which people come from all over the world. We were then in roduced to the Fire Chief and shown around his stat ion. On Wednesday evening a group of camp officers joined the entertainment at the local Feuerwehrwache (fire-station) where they were celebrating an anniversary. (continued overleaf)

Our friend Wolfgang Mahr Chief Training Adviser at the Federal Schoo his wife Gudrun and their two children

(Above) L to R: Franz Tom and John. our two German cooks at Hessenpark. (Below) Getting down to business

(Above ) The popular messing tent The JUH flag flew alongside ours ( background ) throughout the camp

A break from put tin g up tents. Seated in vehicle doorway nearest camera is Franz Vater

(Below ) Cadets and officers at the Hessenpark camp

Determined to show us as much of Germany as they could, our friends next took us to Saalburg and Hessenpark

Thursday and the last chance for many to buy reminders of German y on our final trip to Bad Nauheim Also a chance to bu y an y 'props' needed for the camp concert that evening. The weather sta y ed fine and so we were able to build the stage in the open-air. With distinguished guest s , including Herr B. von Plateu, Knight Commander of Hessen Commanderie , in the a udience, the concert was enjo y ed b y everyone , especially as our friends insisted on taking part, with a song about the ' unshaven far from Oxford in

their repertoire

Too soon it was the las t d ay. Too soon it wa s exam day! Cadet s , a nd lecturers, scribbling away, both provin g that they had learnt something and enjoyed themselv es. It was a hectic a f ternoon f or some : how had Mum managed to get all that in such a small case? But in it all went somehow , and we were ready for the la st Fl ag Down in Germany. Not an unhappy occasion because we had all made lasting friends , som e of whom we will meet again ne x t ye a r w hen they visit us in England Not a happy occasion , for none of us wanted to leave. But a time to reflect on the previou s tw o we ek s,

CADET CHAT by JIM

Christmas -a time for fun and learning

MOST DIVISIONS ha ve a part y f or cade t s around Christmas which is a good t ime f or socialising. This year wh y not inv ite paren s and friends along to take part in the fun and games? You could combine the party with an open evening to show the work the cadets have been doing during their weekl y meetings. Such open evenings can be very helpful in publicising the Division if y ou let the press know in advance -t hey will be especially interested if you can arrange some out of the ordinary acti vities. You ma y also be able t o encourage some parent s to come along and help. I know of a number of Divisions that have encouraged par ent s t o help with activities for juni ors. Make s ur e also that some members of the Adult division also attend the evening to continue fostering links with the unit that you hope all y our cadets will join In addition to parties try to link your training to the time of Christmas. There a r e many people who are elderly and infirm who have special needs - not just at this time of the year - and you could focu s on these problems and how the y can be o vercome.

Your Di v ision ma y be able o d ev elop some long term links in the area with people who need help of one k nd or another . To fo s ter international unde rs tandin g, w h y not encourage cadets to find out how people of other countries celebrate the Christmas season. Perhaps they could all dress up in appropriate national costumes during the party night. Some national dishes could al so be prepared to eat at the same time.

Craft activities

One of the easiest things to make which is

(righ

practical t his time of year and fun would b e a Christmas table decoration , All that is needed is small logs, some card, aluminium c ooking foil, holl y, red candles, a n o f s pra y s now and some glue. Simply c o ve r a pi ece of thick card with the foil to mak e a ba se slightly larger t han th e lo g a nd t h e n s tapl e o r tack thi s to the lo g w hich you ha v e previously drilled a hole in t o take the candle, Then arrange the holly around t he log and base - stapling into position A g e ntle s pra y of s now and perhaps a red bo w will mak e

Th e D ept of Trade has iss u ed t his c artoon a bo u super g lue injuries - wh y not m ak e copies of it for your cadet s?

on the pla ces we had se en and on th e thin gs we had done. And on he peopl e who Could find 'no problems ; too m a ny to name th em all, but e s peci a lly Wolfgang , who se or g ani s ation was so effici e nt and wh ose laugh so infe c tiou s Fran z Vat e r, Our interpreter and driver who had lot s o f patience but littl e le e p John, who se h o bb y wa s helping to c ook for 7 En g li h p eop e, and Kurt our c oach dri ve r who spo k e excellent American Wher e, we a s k our sel ves, wil l we ce le br a t e the ne x t anniversary?

Aufwieder se hen Ray E ng land and Da ve B aker

e nth usiastic young p eo pl e. Wh e n y ou c on sid e r w h at li tt le ti m e th er e was to r eh ear se the ca d et spectacu lar i t we nt o ff we ll. By th e

eve n n g pe r formance even the pa p e r b ag ex pl os ons in the 1812 Ove rtur e we r e beg innin g o a rri ve at h e r ig ht ti m e !

On e t h ing that concerne d m e at th e

Sp ec t acu l ar was t h e very large n u m ber of cad ets w h o a ll eged that they h ad not h ea rd of Cadet C h at. r know h e r e a r e m a n y of ficers who make su re t h at t h eir cadets see t h e R eview but it's clear t h at many d o n ot. Your Di v is iona l copy of the Review is fo r th e u se of ALL members of t h e Div is io n so pl ease m ake sure that it is available at eve r y m eeti ng for them to read i n a free mo m e n t. C omp etition

I was able to arrange for Bill Pertwee, Is la St C la ir and Robin G bb to autograp h a copy of t h e programme at t he A lbe r t Ha ll a n d t h is mo n th I a m offering it as a pr ize for the best account written by a cadet of the day spent at the Spe c ta c ular. The accou nt doe not need to include d e tai ls of t he event itse l f, b u t rather th e impr ess ion s of the d ay . I know orne cad e t s were trave ll in g from 3 amot h er s were s leeping on the floor in St John HQ's There mu t ha ve been funny moments to rem e mber. Please send entrie s to me at the addr e s b e lo\\ C LOSING DATE

JA UARY 1.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

At th e Sp ec ta c u la r I n o ti ce d a number of cadet proudly we arin g t h e ir D of E badge and one of th em Andr e w Fee l y of Barns ley

ha s written to te ll m e a bout hi s parti cip a tion in th e sc h e m e To a c hie ve hi s Bronze a nd Sil ve r a w ard s he took part in a numb e r of act iv

a ve r y e ff ecti ve a bl e ce n r e p iece w hi c h is e a sy enou g h to b e m ade by any youngster. Cadet

IF TH I S DOE S N T DO THE TRICKGET MEDICAL AID

THE highli g h t o f Surre y ca det s s uperday on Sept 19, t o ce le br ate th e ir diamond jubilee, wa s th e pr ese n ta ti o n of a £3000 cheque to

Animal Welfare

Th e R S.P .C. A. ha s pr o du ce d a le a flet g vin g de tail s o f t he e du cat io n al re so ur ces ava

d ga m es.

Cows and Leopa r ds from Sri Lanka

H ye n a Game f r om the Sudan (this s a Lud o style ga m e)

D ara from Ni ge ri a Five F ield Kono (which is like Chinese

{Ll Re x Percy after r e ceiving the £3000 cheque for the Ophtha mi c Hospital from Surr e y cadets of the year Mark Watts (Ash Vale ) and Karen Blake (G ui ldford ). (R) The Surrey SJ Drum and Trumpet band

Surrey's Superday

Mr Rex Per cy, Kni g ht of St John, for the Pr i n cess An n e a t the Cadet R ally in R eigate Order' Ophth a lmic Ho pital appeal. ea rli er in the year.

The day t art ed with a port competition, In t h e afternoo n a variety entert a n ment won b y Sunbur y A I C Div, 2nd Guildford feat ur e d th e Surrey SJ Dru m a nd Trum pet A I C Di v , third Addle s ton A & N Div. b a n d an d turn s f r om d ivis ion s, t he wi nn e r s

Of th e s t a ti c e hibition the judges be i ng: 1) Merst h am A & N Ca d et D ivaward e d fir s t to Dorking N / C Div - songs wi th g uit ar; 2) Leat h e r hea d A & N camping; second Guildford No.2 N / C Di v Ca d e t Di v - act in g o ut ' Wh e r e h ave a ll th e - profi c iency subje c t; and third Newdigate F owe r s go ne '; 3) New di ga e & C a pe l A I C & Capel A & N Div - Ophthalmic Hosp ita l.

CADET SPECTACULAR

from J. E. Smith, Area Staff Officer

In Surrey we had a bit of a mystery over the Cadet Spectacular and I wonder if other counties are the same. We started sending advance information about it round the county from late 1981 and repeating at regular intervals. There were enough copies for nearly all cadets to have one. It has been talked about in the Review, piles of leaflets have been sent out from Headquarters, yet the build up, the expected anticipation of the occasion was negligible. Officers a few days before the date did not have a clear idea of when it was, still less did their members. Adult members were saying, 'Oh, I didn't know adults could go. I thought it was only for cadets', and so on. Here we had a great day arranged, the first time St John had tried anything like this, a display that had similarities to the British Legion festival and The Royal Tournament.

This was Cadet Diamond Jubilee, the expertise of the organisers of The Royal Tournament had been marshalled, three Cadet Bands had gone to the trouble of spending a whole weekend prior to the day practising together, plus display teams from the North of England and Ireland To those offficers and members who complain about parades and reviews here was an opportunity to see if St John could put on something entirely different. Despite all this I should think the majority of the membership only had a vague idea about it and cared even less. It was for all those who watched or took part an outstanding event. Right from early morning the rehearsals were enjoyed by all participating, with over 1000 cadets taking part, all had to be organised into a few hours , into a show fit for a princess and the public to see.

They had to be fed, rested, rehearsed again, and then two performances - all in one day. The atmosphere was wonderful throughout the day, the cadets enjoyed it to the full. I have never before brought home a more enthusiastic group of cadets from a St John event.

Now there were a lot of people at the performances , especially in the evening, but there were empty seats. There should not have been empty seats. People should have been paying to sit on each other's laps. There should have been people unable to get tickets. With just a little more effort on the part of many divisions and staff this could have happened.

At t he c;onclusion the commentator said: 'See you again in 60 years,' too late for many of you who did not see the show. Those of us who were there will have our memories.

Can those who were not at the Albert Hall explain this apathy or lack of organising ability in not making it possible for the maximum numbers to see the show? Is it again just lack of communication?

The only criticism I would make was that many people were without programmes due to the fact that programme se llers were not at every entrance. I made a long trip round corridors before I found a cadet with a supply and it is a pity that revenue from programmes will be lower than it could have been.

Nevertheless, a jolly good show and congratulations!

Grays M. F.

Jackson

THE LVLE WARD from Sir Stephen Miller , KCVO, Hospitaller

It was a particular pleasure for me to be present at the unveiling ceremony, which took place at the St John Ophthalmic Hospital, Jerusalem, on Tuesday October 5, when the male wa rd was designated as 'The Lyle Ward'. It is only since taking on the duties of Hospitaller two years ago that I realise how hard my predecessor, Mr Keith Lyle, must have toiled over a period of more than a decade on behalf of The Order. He managed the hospital during an extremely difficult time of financial stringency, of inflation and of war. And yet he handed over in December 1980 , a going concern which he had transformed from a 'co lonial-type' institution to an up-to-date modern hospital.

Medals earned in time of war or medals deno ting years of devoted service can only be proudly exhibited in civilian dress - hence apart from the brigade. .'

I suggest that members at the highest level eIther rescmd thIS outdated piece of ludicrous legislation or satisfy me and many others as to its justication.

Peterborough E. Chapman

Headquarters replies: The Superintendent-in-Chief and are very sympathetic to the feelings of nursing personnel on thiS su bject. But in fact neither may ambulance personnel wear me.d.als or raincoats. This St John Ambulance rule and tradItIOn IS mime WIth regulations of Her Majesty's services, where medals are never worn on overcoats.

It is realised that in cold weather outdoor parades nursing personnel in dresses (not suits) need to wear their overcoats or raincoats and so may not wear medal s, and that ambulance personnel on the same parades, not wearing overcoats or raincoats, are to wear

Unfair it may seem, but this is t he rule and It IS not pOSSIble to change it. .,

Christine Best, Staff Officer to the Supenntendent-tn-Chlef

THAT AGE LIMIT

from Chairman , Rules & Dress Regulations Committee

Mr Priscott, of Wellingborough (Oct Review) need no fear about being allowed to serve after the age of 65. BGR 10(1) alrea.dy

Active List: Adults The age limit for retention on the Active LIst IS 65. ]n specia circumstances, and su bj.ect to a ?f medical fitness for their Brigade duties, retentIon on the ActIve LIst may be extended in individual cases on a yearly basis up to the age of 70, with the personal approval of the Commissioner. bey<?nd the age of 70 can only be authorised by the Commlssloner-m-Chlef. Headquarters Gerald Easton

ARE WE BEING RUDE?

from Miss Margaret Spurway, Divisional Superintendent I notice in News from Scotland (October), and on two prevIOus occasions, a St John service in Stirling is stated to have been held in the Church of the Holy Rude, which of course should be Holy Rood

In most ca es spe llin g mistakes do not matter much, but as rood is a very acred word, and rude so far apart in meaning, I am surprised the error occurred.

Thank you Headquarters for putting on such a worthwhile event. Perhaps we should try smaller, similar events in Counties or Regions. Betchworth, Surrey

from Miss R. Orme, Area Staff Officer (Cadets)

1 E. Smith

No doubt quite a lot will be written about the Cadet Spectacular. I would like to say a little about the behaviour of the 1200 or so cadets taking part.

Many had travelled long distances either on Friday night or Saturday morning. They then spent varying times from 9am to 2pm rehearsing, with only a short break for lunch, before having to change and be in position by 3.30pm for the first performance

They had the run of the Albert Hall but were always ready when required and I did not hear a raised voice having to call them to order.

The youth of today take a good deal of 'stick' about their behaviour , but I think we owe these young people a debt of gratitude for upholding the high tradition of St. John and putting on such a good show.

Windsor R Orme

from M F. Jackson, Ambulance Member

It was my privilege to attend the Cadet Spectacular at the Albert Hall, in company with other members of Grays Division, and I would congratulate all the cadets on a most excellent show very well performed.

In view of the fact that there was only a proper rehearsal on the day in question, the whole performance went off very smoothly and reflects the greatest credit on all concerned.

The one thing which particularly impressed me was the superb musicianship of the combined bands on the platform, who merged superbly as one cohesive unit and played with confidence and skill the many items throughout the show. As one interested in music, when listening to youth bands and orchestras hesitancy and occasional slightly flat notes through lack of experience and possible nerves have to be accepted, but here we were watching and listening to a firstclass brass band, plus organ, of which the conductor must have been very proud!

It was entirely appropriate that the Lord Prior, with the other Great Officers and members of Chapter General, s hould initiate a lasting memorial to his name in the form of an eponymous ward, ensuring that his good work will not be forgotten by those who follow us, and it was also appropriate that he should have been with us at the centenary celebrations to receive assurance of our gratitude for his outstanding efforts and a token of our affection for him and for hi s wife Jane, for they worked together most successfully as a team throughout his sojourn as hospitaller. I am glad of this opportunity to add my thanks to that of t housand s of patients and all his fellowworkers.

London W.i

Stephen Miller HOW LONG IS THAT?

from Kenneth Black, Divisional Superintendent

One of the main functions of St John Ambulance is to teach , and a vital principle of teaching is to use a language the learner understands. The latest edition of the First Aid Manual is speaking to me in a language I cannot under sta nd, as all the measurements are metric.

I conducted a survey of my work mates and found that not one understood the metric measurements in the manual. As I am an ancient dodderer of 51, I asked people 30 years' younger, but they also could not understand

The conclusion is obvious: the current manual has very ser iou s deficiencies I would say that for many years to come the manual should give all measurements in both British Imperial and metric systems.

I would also urge the Supplies Department to do the same. When people are looking through catalogues, one repeatedly hears the cry: 'How long is that in English measurement?

Sheffield K. Black PRIDE DENTED from Mrs E. Chapman

I would like to bring to your attention a matter of considerable concern to a number of loyal and patriotic members.

On ceremonial occasions during the winter months the pride and honour with which we march is severely dented by an archaic regulation forbidding female nurses to wear medals on their raincoats.

Torqua y ':1argarer Spurway Editor: We too took up this point with the wnter of News from Scot land but in the ca e of Stirling it is the Church of the Holy Rude. Much Scottish spe lling was phonetic, and hence Stirling gave its c hur ch this written name, as it is to this day. And who are we to change it? But thank you Miss Spurway for clearing up a 9uestion which I'm sure puzzled many other readers. I should have mcluded a note to this effect when publishing the word. Rude of me, wasn't it?

GIVE US A NURSING POSTER

from Mrs N E Phillips PRO

Firstly, may I congratulate all who were with Cadet Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall. T he enthUSIasm and enjoyment were infectious and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Secondly, alas, is a different picture entirely!

Posters ]982. The SJA First Aid posters are excellent, I must admIt, but w h en will 'they' produce a poster suitable for nursing, home nursing, or cari ng for the sick? Even a fairly blank poster with a. few words would be better t han nothing.

I am aware that primarily first aid is more important, but with the present socia climate and an ageing population it is important than ever for our nursing classes to be clearly and WIth eye-catchmg impact brought to the public's notice

I had high hopes of ge t ing the right sort of nursmg dunng the Year of Nursing, but I have yet to meet anyone who liked the poster produced then. What a wasted opportunity.

I, and others, are thoroughly disheartened by contmually pleadmg unsuccessfully for nursing posters.

Welling, Kent N. E. Phillips

BOOKS

CASUALTV! by Hugh Miller Enigma Books. £7.50.

This is a true, blow-by-blow account of a weekend 10 the Casualty Department of a large hospital. We get to know everyone here - staff and casualties, warts and all.

NEWS frol1J SCOTLAND

THE PRIORY of Scotland extend hearty Christmas greetings and best wishes for 1983 to all readers of the Review.

St John Cadets in Scotland

Like the term CSt John Association' the words CSt John Cadets' do not mean in Scotland exactly what they may signify elsewhere. Having no St John Ambulance Brigade attached to the Order in the Priory of Scotland, local Associations support their Area Order Committees in good works of many different kinds, much, but not all of it, related to the handicapped, the elderly and the hospitalised.

The St John Cadets really grew out of local leadership in Denny, when Mr D. Wa t son Law, then an Officer of the Order, gathered around him some likely lads and introduced them to the ideals of the Order.

This was put on a more formal basis in 1980 when uniform, ranks, etc, were defined in a Constitution, and the aim was defined as 'to introduce young people to the ideals of the Order of St John and to involve them in practical service consistent with these ideals'.

St John cadets of Scotland presenting footstools to the Strathcarron Hospice. Their supervisor, Mr D Watson Law s 6th from right

Mr William Gordon and his wife represented the Priory of Scotland in Jerusalem durin g the celebrations marking the centenary year of the hospital. At the reception after the investiture Mr Gordon intimated the gift of a steam press and steam generator, the latest in a series of gifts which the hospital has received from the Priory of Scotland Fund Raising

The annual fund-raising effort in Edinburgh, the Autumn Fair, was held on Saturday

toys and other useful articles. My photograph shows footstools presented to Strathcarron Hospice. Gift to the Ophthalmic Hospital Membership is open to both sexes between the ages of 10 and 18. There are now about five local companies in different areas. There is keen interest in craft work which produces

WALES

St John still hopes to keep hill house MEMBERS of the St John Ambulance Brigade from allover Wales gathered in Machynlleth recently for a party, but no-one was q,uite sure if it was to say farewell to Dynyn, the house in the hIlls above Eglwysfach, or not. (Photo right by Patrick Smith, Machynlleth).

The Brigade had a 16-year lease on the house, which expires In December but strenuous efforts are being made to renew the lease. The party gave first-aiders who have used the house a chance to enjoy nostalgic reminiscences. The house is used for training and adventure activities and is in use for nine months ?f year. In anyone year about 500 people make use of It. members form a working party to make sure it is kept .In good order and ready for occupation as soon as spring comes round.

Mr. Harries, the Chief Training Officer, said that if the lease lS renewed they would spend the first year decorating and undertaking structural repairs before any more training groups would be allowed to use it. When they took over the house, back in 1966, it was just a shell, four walls and a roof. The Machynlleth St John Division spent two years working on it to make it habitable

OVERSEAS

October 2 in the Freemasons Hall, and a to ta l of approximately £1200 was raised.

Glasgow Sf John Association met in the City Chamber s on Tue day October 12 for an excellent buffet supper, and funds benefited by appro x. £6,000.

The Secretary General and the Chance llor of the Priory of Wale with his wife were welcome guests at Prior y Headquarters on Tuesday Octo ber 19 when t hey were shown the premise by Mr W. A. P. Jack , Chancellor of the Priory or Scotland. A new central heating sys tem has ju t been installed and re-decoration is taking place. N.M.S.

TlNin lNin for Gas first-aiders

NORTH West Ga s first-aiders scored a triumphant t win win in the recent gas industry'S national fir t-aid competition held in Glasgow.

The men, defending their 1981 title , and h e women, both won their events against other gas team from all parts of Britain.

Both North West Gas teams have been out tandingly ucces ful in the industry's annual fir t-aid competitions. The men have won even times and the women nine. Both teams also came top in 1973.

Two members of the current men 's team were al 0 in the victorious 1973 team. They are veteran first-aider, captain Jack Buckley, a senior arrears collector of Winsford, Cheshire, and Bill Swift, of Stockport, a standards in pector.

Two other members, John Bowers, management services officer, of Warrington, and Alan Richardson, Manchester area service engineer, of Broadley, Rochdale, were also in la s t year's winning side. Their reserves were Kevin O'Donnell, a radio operator, of Atherton, and Noel Vernon, of Farnworth, w ho works in the service department at Bolton. Both are newcomers to th e team.

When the women' team scooped top prize in 1980 they wen t on to be runners-up in the

first -aiders

St John Ambulance Grand Prior Trophy competition. Their captain is still Mrs. Audrey Kettle, of Lostock Graiem a senior wages clerk at Winsford.

Other team members were Mrs. Irene Bradley of Liverpool, a bureau supervisor; Mrs. Gloria Pyett, of Timperley, an accounting assistant; and Mrs. Doreen Harg reaves, of Lymm, a senior computer operator. Reserves were Miss Hilary Hallows, of Knutsford, a bonus clerk, and Miss Sheila -loore, of

IT IS MOST important that we as an organisation become more security minded about our vehicles, equipment and buildings. While on duty we must never leave vehicles unattended If it is necessary to leave a vehicle unattended for any length of time, then the vehicle must be locked to protect equipment and personal gear. Vehicles left overnight, unless in secure premises, should be immobilised, radio equipment and other va lu able equipment should be removed for safe keeping.

Where portable radios are used on duties, they should not be carried by individua ls on their own on patrol. First aid patrols must not be less than three adults, one of whom will be responsible for the radio. A senior

cadet may be part of a patrol but should be extra to the number and should not be the radio operator.

Cadets must not be is sued with portable radios on public duties. Portable radios should always be worn correctly with the shoulder strap over the opposite side to the first aid haversack and the waist belt secured in position. Radios should NOT be removed to render first aid. This has resulted in portable radios being stolen.

Where any equipment is secured in any vehicle, make sure it is correctly installed and all screl'/s and bolts have been tightened with orthwich, a clerk. The men's team gained their victory by scoring 320 V2

Remember - time is the enemy of every thief. Make it difficult for them to do a quick job on your vehicle. Don't be complacentit s too late after that equipment has gone saying 'Who would have thought it This will not get it back.

When you do lock it away, make sure a proper lock is used, not one of those locks which any old key will fit. If it's worth protecting, it' worth a good lock. Better to spend a couple of pounds on a lock than a couple of hundred pound to replace lost equipment.

Laughing all the way North West Gas

Nevvs fronl Divisions/Centres

Safety aids from aim

A range of REFLEXITE* retro-reflective Labels - such as - FIRST AID. (f Ill)} 8}}}} '\ • NURSE. '\ ll}}

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Further information available on request from the Secretary.

124 Sloane Street, LONDON SW I X 9BP

Tel: 0 I 730 9 I 57 AN INDEPENDENT CHARITABLE FOUNDATION SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTARY EN DEAVOURRegistered No. 207994

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Ambulance markings, tapes, and Legends HIGH VlSIBILIlY JACKETS AND TABARDS

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10. Vital organ h as ear between its extremities (5). 11. Name it incorrectly for occ up ant of institution (6). 12. A fighting service returns to a great distance (4) 13. Eggs from Czechoslovakia (3). 15. He s uppli es equipment to make the ride more comfortable (7). 17. 201 behind circle put at the back of the head (7). 20. Northern Ireland poli ce back a dog (3).21 Lacking in consideration for others (7). 22. Affecting a part of the body of current interest (7).24. Tease a bone (3).26 Fai l the examination to keep the hands warm (4). 27 Treeless Arctic plains (6). 30. Thrown in to concede defeat (5). 31. Surgical procedure (9). 32 Minute maids are in space between the two p leurae (11). 33 Protection for the eye (3). Down

1. Pharyngeal structures re-constructed in slots (7). 2. A prim lady forms tract of nerve fibres conveyi ng motor impulses from cortex (9).

3. App ly a remedy for a s pecial entertainment (5). 4. Palate (4). 5. Indisposed because some lines are fully sold? (3.2 5). 6. It is no t the same turn to her (5). 7. Final stage of insect metamorphosis (5). 8. Hold back the tissues to help the surgeon (7). 14 Formed by calcane um , talus, tarsal and metatarsa l bones (4.2.4). 16 . Lie contorted ly in Polynesian f10wer garland (3). 18. Repair a tooth (3). 19 Army punishment which cou ld be part of nur se's training? (4-5).

21. Pouch containing the testes (7). 23. Having profound know ledge co mmi tted to memory (7).25. The legs in genu varum (5).26. Island having close associations with the Knights of St John (5). 28. Deprive of weapons by amputation of an upper limb? (5). 29. Physique of person free from excess fat (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 11 (82)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No 12 (82) by A. A. Potter Across: 1. Her'pes; 4. Marasmic; 9 Mitral; 10. Var icose; 13. Sap; A prizeoJa Platignump en will be awa rded to the sender oJ the Jirsu:orrectly comple edCrosswo rd 14 Tenet; 15 Coma; 16. Peak; 18 Rotator' 20 Antigen' 22. In ·sight · No. 12 (82) opened on I. Send to SI John Rewew Wood COltage, H igh Corner Burley. Woodb ridge. '. Suffolk IPI2 3QF. Wi nner Crossword No 10 : Mrs M. E McNeill , 24 Woodland Drive, 24 Romance; 25 Oral; 28. Iron; 29. AnV il ; 30 Gag; 32. LordOS IS; Newtownabbey , Co. Antrim 33. Uterus; 35. Sweating; 36. Tremor. Across. Down: 1. Ham; 2. Retinitis; 3 EX 'a ct; 5 Anaemia; 6. Axis; 7. Myope; 1. A slight blow to rem?ve f1U1d from a body cavity (3): 3. Office 8. C le rkenwell; 11. Cap; 12. Scar; 14 Torticollis; 17. Stem; 19. Tugs ; of held by of from Truro police (II). 9. 21. Genu varu m ; 23. Torsion; 24. Ring; 26. Agree; 27. Lad; 29 Antenor carnes motor fibres and postenor carries sensory fibres (5.4) A· ft· er; 31. Gout; 34. Sir.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

NITRONOX EQUIPMENT

NITRONOX has 2 unique and important features

THE FIRST IS A FACILITY FOR TWO HOSE CONNECTIONS THEREBY MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR TWO PATIENTS TO BE TREATED AT THE SAME TIME THE SECOND IS INSTANT GAS INHALATION THE MOMENT THE UNIT IS SWITCHED ON

Nitronox* equipment for use with Entonox ** ga s (50 % Nitrous O x ide and 50 % Oxygen) consists of the two stage regulation of the gas resulting in patient-contr o lled in s pirati o n.

In the first stage the pressure in the cylinder is reduced to apro x imately 120 p.s.i by means of a p is ton ope r at e d r e gulator. The gas is then conducted to the second stage regulator (or demand) regulator by means of four feet of g as conduction hose secu r ed at o ne end by quick r el e a se coupling and at the other by a knurled hand tightened ring

The second stage regulator is a diaphragm o perat ed fail

g

ma

imum inhalation pressure of 2cm wg The mask connection is int e rnati o nal Rugged , durable and dependable, Nitrono x* i s su pp

(o n request ) n the bl u e co lou

SAFE PAIN CONTROL

Ni r o n ox* equ pmen t can be used safely by even an n exper enced first aider providing the patient con rols the amount of gas inhaled.

Pain can be medically harm f u and so the speedy p rovision to the pat en of pain relief can be instrumen al in assisting the patients eventu a successful recovery.

O ne o the most im portant values to he use of is that the gas acts as a pain-killer for only as long as the gas is being nhaled and therefore has no side effects to hamper or delay subsequent treatment because the effect qu ckly disappe ar s U se r s o N t ronox* need not be professionally qualified but fi rs aid knowledge is desirab le.

Certai nly it shou Id be clearly understood that the gas is a fairly powerful analges ic (pain kil ler ) but it is not an anaesthetic (complete depriva t ion of sensation ) a though pa ients tend to drowsiness and may even apse into u n conciousness

It s h ould a so be cle a rly understood that the gas is inhaled as the patient requires it through the demand valve and the patient should be the judge o f how often t s inhaled. T herefore , on y in exceptional circumstances (such as injury to hands should the mask be held to the patients face.

T he patient should be told to ensure " a good seal" - mask to face - for effective use and also informed that i often takes two or three minutes before pain r elief is ob ained.

'Tra de r:lark appllcallons

SPECIFICATIONS

STAGE REGULATOR -

REGULATOR

CONDUCTION

Outlets for t wo patients

TO PATIENT

LINDERS

working