St John Review (1987)

CENTENARY YEAR BEGINS

Contents

From the Director Public Relations p.1

SJA's Schools Project looks forward - AI DS p.2

Nationwide Raffle results p,2

Do you know your Manuals? (11) by Bruce Coltman pA

Where are you going on holiday this year? p.6

Around and About by the Editor p,8

Tetanus Protection by C. Latham Brown p.12

Centenary supplement

A Divisions' bed at Ophthalmic Hospital p.13

Cadet Chat by Jim p.14

First Aid after Head Injury by P S London p 16

Ambulance competition in Surrey p.17

Readers Views p.18

Another side to St John p.19

News from Scotland - Wales - SJ Fellowship p.20

Champions of the Cross (11) by Hugh A. R Edgell p.21

News from Divisions/ Centres p 22

Events 1987 p,24

From the Director Public Relations

OUR CENTENARY YEAR will give us a tremendous opportunity to inform the general public about how St John works and , most important of all , to increase public support. There is an amazing level of ignorance among the public about the S t John Ambulance Brigade, In 1987 , I need your help to try to put this right.

Of course , there will be a number of television and radio programmes and newspaper articles which will be organised by National Headquarters There will also be a number of events which will receive media coverage. Our aim is to make use of the publicity which we obtain to put the message across that St John Ambulance Brigade is an unpaid voluntary organisation which is sophi sticated , forward-looking , fun to belong to and , abo ve all , relies on the support of the general public for the work which it does.

Publicity during the Centenar y Year will howe ver , not be confined to the Brigade ; it will also encompass all aspects of the work of St John and , in particular , the teaching of first aid in schools , to the general public and to industry.

But this will not be enough I would be most grateful if we could all work together and all act as publicit y officers on behal f of St John There is a vailable from National Headquarters a ma ss of public it y material to assist y ou in carrying out this tas k - publicity brochures , posters , a brand new video And , if y ou need it , we can pro vide help and ad vi ce.

We must , in 1987 , put St John Ambulance on a firm footing b y making the general public , upon whom we depend for support , aware of us With your help , as counties , di visions and individual s, we can achieve this

AIDS

ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR FIRST-AlDERS

AIDS virus (now known as HIV) and other infections like hepatitis Bare carried in the bloodstream of infected persons but are not easily transmitted to others unless the blood is injected or where large quantities of infected blood come into contact with broken skin . Moreover , there is no conclusive evidence that infection has occurred as a result of infected blood coming into contact with a person s skin, for example of hands , as would occur when carrying out first aid. Nevertheless , any blood that splashes on unprotected skin should be washed away with soap and water as soon a s possible.

The AIDS virus has be e n found only occasionally in saliva and in very small quantity when compared with blood. No AIDS infection is known to have occurred as a result of carrying out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The risk to a first-aider of suffering any infection when giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is extremely small and should not discourage a prompt response in a life -saving emergency.

The use of rigid airways by those

2

unskilled in their use may cause bleeding increasing rather than di minishing any risk of infection.

After consultation

The Chief Medical Ad visers of the Voluntary Aid Societies (St John Ambulance, St Andrew s Ambulance Association and the British Red Cross Society), after consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of the Departmen t of Health and Social Security , therefore see no grounds for recommending changes in resuscitation techniques , or procedures for arresting bleeding , as described in the First Aid Manual , because of AIDS or the virus associated with it.

The Director-General and the Commissioner -in - Chief ask that all As sociation personnel and every Brigade member be told of the content s of this letter. A similar statement is being issued by the British Red Cross Society and by the St Andrew's Ambulance Association.

Dr C. White Ch ief M ed ical Officer

Dr J. C. Grah a m Surg eon -in -Chief

WITH ALL THE information and help given by count y schools project officers and many other R e vi ew readers I can now produce an interesting information package to assist those promoting the scheme. The package s hould be available shortly. But please continue to send me an y information you collect , with pictures if po s sible , on the Schools Project in your a rea.

A very hea rtwarmin g letter comes from Mr s Joan Ta y lor , Centre Secretar y, Bucks who write s about a s pecial school for disabled pupils , the Oliver Wells School , Netherfield , Milton Ke y nes : ' Mary , th e Humanities teacher , used the SJ A first aid video kindl y lent by Mr s Jo a n Ran son , a St John friend of the school. The te s t sheets were copied

NATIONWIDE

RAFFLE WINNERS

1st Prize : A Pe ugeot 309 GE1 3 5-speed car Winner (No 159265 ) -B Co x, 230 Sopwith Cr e scent Merley , Dorset BH21 1XL

2nd Prize A 6/ 8 day cruise for two aboard Queen Elizabeth II from Southampton to Southampton, value £1,750. Winner (No 1 07277 )

- J. Clemeng e r, Upper Llanadog Elan Valley Rh ayad e r Powys

3rd Prize : A weekend break for two at The Chur c hill Hotel London Winner (No 155560) - Mr R. Hillyer, 3 Desborough Rd, Kettering , Rothwell , Northants WW14 2JG.

4th Prize: A w e ekend break for two at The Drury Lane Moat House Hotel London Wmner(No 107278)E. A. Taylor, Pentreceithon , Rhayader , Powys

5th Prize : A JVC portable colour television Winner (No 128947)J. Thomas, 73 Highland Ave, Aston Park , Deeside, Clwyd.

6th Prize: A case of Gordon's Gin Winner (No 141561) - V. Ford , 37 Fanshawe Way , Hove, Plymouth, Devon.

7th Prize: A gallon of famous Grouse Whisky. Winner (No. 25425) - Mrs J Wilderspin, 46 Hills Ave Cambridge, Cambs.

and Sue , the school SRN, tested the pupils who were capable of completing the first aid test. Philip, who suffers from a muscular disorder , instructed the recovery position from his chair. A British Rail instructor (fir s t aid) visited the school and re-tested the class and followed on with the next section of the cour se, although the pupils have not yet taken their test. The small photo g r a ph (left) sho ws W end y, who s u ffer s from cerebral palsy , pr a cti s in g the next part of the cour se. Sh e c a n no w manage to use he r hand s C olonel R. J Thom as, Commis si oner for Buc ks, pre sent ed th e ce r tificates a t th e school.

Press comment N atur a lly th e s chool is very pleased

with the pupils achie vements and local press comment was: " St John Skill s - It takes a special kind o f sk ill and a special kind of caring to learn how to look after injured people , especially when you need a bit of extra phy sic

l help your s el f. These children from Oli ver Well s Spec ial School at Netherfield learned th e sk ill s and technique s of first a id a s part of thei r normal s chool curriculum. " ' I am forwardin g the t w o

1.

Where are you going on holiday this year?

IT WAS HARD to believe that a year had passed since the 1985 Avon Tyrrell St John disabled holiday , which was visited by Princess Anne. There was no royal visitor this year , but plenty of VIPs - those lovely di sa bled youngsters who come back year after year for the St John treatment. There were quite a lot of new faces too, both disabled and St John Our age range is 16-25 years, with an equal number of St John youngsters looking after their disabled counterparts on a one to one basis, so each year we lose a few at the upper age limit , and gain some younger recruits , which is nice for everyone. This year we welcomed a young man Anthony Knife, from Wanstead, and in 1987 would welcome helpers from throughout the country, so that they can go back home to perhaps help start a similar scheme in their county. St John disabled holiday s throughout the UK. Think about it.

Own minibus

Our great achievement this year was to raise enough funds to purchase our own minibus , specially converted for the disabled. It is a 12 -seater Renault Trafic, which has a ramp for easy access and positions for bolting wheelchairs to the floor. We took delivery of the vehicle three days before the holiday and it was a great success.

6

Transporting 85 people around the countryside requires a lot of organisation. This year we seemed to solve the problem with an Alder Valley bus converted for the disabled and a fleet of five minibuses.

The A von Tyrrell minibus was dedicated at our Sunday evening service by the Rev Dick White , who agreed to be with us at very short notice Everyone there will remember that special evening which followed a very strenuous activity day.

The annual Hampshire v Berkshire football match was won this year by Hants , and resulted in our first casualties of the holiday. Nothing too serious, fortunately , and it didn 't stop anyone participating in the open day 'It's a Knock-Out Competition ', which was followed by a super display of motorbike acrobatics by the Tigers, a team of school boy /g irl riders. It was great fun for everyone to be given rides after the display. Our County President circled the field at the top of a ladder on a bike! The week was blessed with sunshine, which made all the outdoor activities very enjoyable. Swimming , canoeing and fishing at home, riding and sailing a little further afield. A day in a Country Park, theatre or cinema in Bournemouth, a funfair in Southsea, and the beach at Mudeford were all enjoyed , but the highlight of the holiday was the ' Barn

Dance'. Mr Rick Melia came down from Oxford to ' Call' for us and the sig ht of 20 wheelchairs char gi ng around doing a Virginia Reel , with everyone laughing, was a sight for sore eyes and many sore shins he next day!

All too soon it was the last night. The Avon Tyrrell stafT always look after us well and provided a sumptuous buffet. And then it was time for our very own talent s how , invented and compered by Tom Yendell it was up to all previous standard s. Afterwards we danced the night away.

Get-togethers

Sad to say farewe ll to all our lov ely friends. But never mind , Berkshire were to host a reunion on December 13 in Maidenhead and we hope now with our minibus to be able to organise more get-togethers from the Hampshire end. And we'll be writing to everyone about the 1987 Holiday in the New Year.

If anyone would like more details please contact:

Glenys Duke (Commissioner)

St John House, Worthy Lane, Winchester, Hants.

THEY DID

.

It is reported that two women who learned first aid from recent television programmes saved the life of a bus driver on No vember 4. London Country Bus dri ver Mr Ro y Stace slumped over the wheel of the 370 double decker bus ' as he drove along London Road, Grays Essex.

The bus crashed into the back of a large bedding delivery lorry and passengers jumped to safety. But one woman passenger and a woman pedestrian immediatel y started resuscitation when they realised that Mr Stace had stopped breathing.

Mrs Mo Hayden of Stanford -Ie-Hope gave 59-year-old Mr Stace the kiss of life and Mrs Mariane Still of South Stifford carried out heart massage T heir efforts started Mr Stace breathing again He was taken to Orsett Hospital where his condition was later s aid to be stabl€.

Neith e r Mrs Ha y den nor Mrs Still had given first aid treatment before. They learned the techniques from watching recent programmes screened in connection with the Save-a-Life Campaign. Save a life they did.

ADVERTISING

Sean Glenny, g eneral manager A ssociation Branch writes:

In the United States many mass campaigns in CPR similar to Save-a-Life , have been conducted And it has been found that the campaigns led to a downturn in the number of general first aid cour ses, becau se the American public thought that they had alread y learnt first aid

It is therefore recommended that advertising of first aid courses for 1987 corrects this fals€ assumption. For example' You ha ve learnt basic emergency first aid in Save-aLife , please consider adding to your knowledge and skills by attending a SJ A complete first aid course '.

MEET

Meet the Vincent St John family of Plymouth , who between them have clocked up 131 years service to the organisation.

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN 21 years

service

Mrs M. J. Vincent honorar y member , divisional secretar y and tr e asurer with 12 years ' service ; Ambulance Cadet Paul Vincent, 4 years service ; Divisional Superintendent Andrew Vincent 25 years service ; Nursing Cadet Julie Vincent 5 years ' service,

BY THE EDITOR

(f) Recommended by their County Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner as suitable to undertake this type of duty.

This is a very demanding duty and only experienced members can be considered. On some occasions we are required to treat as many as 300 casualties in two weeks.

Volunteers are required to leave on the followin g dates:

May I May 15 May 29 June 12 June 26 July 10 July 24 August 7 August 21 September 4 September 18

Applications to your County Secretary, please. When forwarding names, please give addresses , date s of birth , home and work telephone numbers , present appointment and full length photograph.

Nominations are to reach Staff Officer Administration SJA Headquarters 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW I X 7EF , b y March 1 1987.

VICTIM SAVED I hear that Review Board chairman Dr

St

He was s unbathing on the island of Sanibel in the Gulf of Mexico on hi s 62 nd birt hday when a man came running a lon g the beach screaming that a child h a d been attacked b y a shark. The man had bee n carrying the child

' The c hild was grab bed by the upp er t hi gh and buttock , A woma n h a d kicked the s hark and it let go of the child.

' At a fir s t glance I thou ght the le g wo uld have to be amputated.

' Th e fe mur , m a in a rt e r y, vein and sc iat ic nerve had b een bitten through.

' 1 treated the gi rl for shock and he lp ed

ANNIVERSARIES: ( Le ft) The 90th for London 's 3 65 (No rw ood and Crystal Pala ce ) Combined Divi sion on Oct 31 , when Supt D erek Eag estone received the cak e made by one of the youngest m embers , Tr acy H ills. And (below) Northumberland s Wood horn Ambulance Divi sion's 75th anniversary certificate

was handed to Supt J. Crook and N M D Alderton (you ngest m e mb e ) by th e Comm issione r M r G H Crowther.

At Kin g s Lynn D ivisio

s.)

when th e param e dic a l se r'/ i ces arrived 20 minutes later.

The girl was th e first to be bitten b y a shark on the coas t in 30 yea r s Her leg ha s been save d, Dr Paros, a n immediate care GP and c ount y s ur geo n SJ A Essex, said he did not stop to con sid er the legal implications.

1 did what any trained first -ai der would have don e,' he sa id

EATS

If you're fond of inter esti ng food a nd drinkand who is n t ? - SJ A Southern Essex ha s produc e d a centenary booklet Food + Thirst A id, w hich contains 44 pages of id eas for vic tual s to d we ll on and then hop efull y put into practi ce.

Faar-i-kaal - cru sa der Aapjack s - stov ie s - Rhodes puddin g (fo r knight starva tion )Joan 's foll y (my wife's a Joan) - N ew York farewell punch - the se are the so rt of thin gs you ll experience by se ndin g £ 1.50 plu s 18p po s age to Bob Britton, 59 Buxton Ro a d Grays RM 16 4XU for a copy. Have a good tim e,

Helens and Knowsley Area Merseyside (Commander, Commissioner, Director, Members of Council and Presidents) wer e joined by th e St H ele ns M ayor and Ma y or ess for a pre-centenary lunch at

Tetanus Prevention

A personal view by

C. LATHAM BROWN, Leeds Centre

GETTING INTO conversation on a bus , one or two y ear s ago with an elderly lady who had a gr a zed face and a bruised eye she told me cheerfully that she had tripped and fallen in the street. Fortunately , her only injuries were the superficial damage to her face and as it happened a doctor had been on hand to look after her ; however , a s she had never had an y protect ion against tetanus the doctor ins sted that she should attend the local hospital Accident & Emergency Department straight away for this purpose. Thi s, she s aid had been the mo st distressing p a rt of t he w hole incident ; when all she wanted to do was to g o home and lie down and be soothed and comforted to get over the pain and shock quietly she had to go to hospital , w hich for her was a strange place , and wait until she could be seen to have the tetanus injection

Embarrassing

As a first aid instructor , I had alwa ys been conseious of an embarrassing inconsistency in mentioning tetanu s protection to cl a ss member s, sin c e until that time I had never had any tetanu s protection myself The con versation with th i s lad y prompted me to action , and I found it was amazingl y easy to book an appointment at my doctor s surger y for the first injection of a primary cour se of protection , and for the subsequent injection s

ON CAMERA for

THE AMBULANC E launch Flyi ng Christine II operated by Guernsey 's professional St John Ambulance and Re s cue Service wa s fea t ured in the lTV programme Highway rec e ntly.

The programme was recorded in the Channel Island of Sark and introduced by Sir Harry Secombe , w ho was seen arriving in the i sland on board the ambulance launch before interviewing the Chief Officer Mr Michael Dene.

Sark has no hospital to serve its population of 500 , and the Flying Christine acts as a marine ambulance to transport the ill or injured to hospital in Guernsey.

Manned b y full-time Ambulance and Rescue Service staf f who volunteer to train as boat crews , the launch is fitted inside with a comfortable stretcher cabin which resembles the interior of a road ambulance, but carries additional search and rescue equipment to enable it to transfer patients from oceangoing ships at sea and to engage in search and rescue work with the local lifeboat and other authorities. Neil Tucker, PRO

at six weeks and six months. At first aid classes, I had generally asked class members to indicate by a show of hands whether they were themselves protected against tetanus and this revealed that , since class members always came from varying backgrounds there is certainly a sizeable proportion of the population unprotected. It is in fact considered that most people over fifty years old are at risk bu t most class members are y ounger than this.

Ask ng class members to indicate similarly whether the y had ever known anyone who had had tetanus pro vided a good demonstration of the rarity of the disease in Britain , since few people have encountered it , but cases do occur , sometimes arising from apparently extremely trivial causes 2 Of the one hundred cases treated in the intensive care unit of Leeds General Infirmar y between 1961 and 1977 , in sixty-five patient s the probable source of infection was thought to have been a wound , twelve having been very minor wounds such as small splinters or thorns, and thirty not having been considered by the patient s serious enough for them to ha ve taken medical advice 3 There are approximatel y t we nty notifications of tetanus each year in England and Wales , most of them in adults of over fort y- five years of age4 It is a serious disease requiring intensive nur sing , possibly including artificial

respiration and fe edin g by gastric tube , and about 10 % of cases do not reco ver. r now endorse confidently the recommendation giv e n on pa ge 69 of the current First Aid Manual th a t 'E veryone s hould be inoculated against tetanus regularly .', and I find that class members who have not been immunised a g ain s t tet a nu s, and perhap s feel uncertaint y about it , welcome a fe w minutes discussion , and a recommendation , if in doubt , to ask their doctor s advice. Instructors who have alw ay s been immunised may not be aware th a t hese doubts and uncertainties do seem to exi st amon g cla ss member s, and by reso vin g them the se potential fir st - aid e r s ar e goin g to be pos it ive in the advi ce the y g ive t o ca s u a lti es, a nd indeed to o th e r peo pl e gener a ll y.

Cleaning wounds

The import a nce of cl ea nin g wound s thorou g hl y is, o f c our se , a noth e r as pect o f tet a nu s pre ven t o n , a nd pr ev en t io n of

r infec tion s. * (I ) A t r ak c hi S. A. & W lson D H . ( 1977) E pid e mi o ogy. Who is ike ly o

By the time you read this , the Centenary Year will have been successfully launched from the Great Hall of St Bartholomew's Hospital and we will all be eagerly awaiting the many celebrations which will occur during the year. Without question , the highlight will be The Great St John Party in Hyde Park on Saturday, June 20 , where we shall welcome our Sovereign Head, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth , the Grand Prior , His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester , and other members of the Royal Family. For all of us , it will be a day of great spectacle , great enjoyment and great fun , which will live long in the memory

However, I believe , it is also a time when we all might stand back for a few moments from the daily bustle of St John life, not only to give thanks to all those who have gone before but also to reassess our own personal positions.

To our predecessors we owe the very fact that the Brigade exists today and their example of service , part i cularly in the war years, is a beacon of light for us to follow. The difficulties under which they laboured seem inconceivable to many of us as we enjoy the whole range of modern communication methods and the technical advances of the 1980s. But, in s 'pite of all this modern gadgetry, we are basically the same people

. The influences upon our lives may be different today, by such as television and the press, but the white cross which you and I wear is still the same after a hundred years; surely there has never been a more

appropriate time for us to live out our motto 'For the Service of Mankind ' to the best of our endeavours.

We live in diff icult days but for the public at large St John represents someth i ng which is good and steadfast about the British way of life . They ' expect - we must not and will not let them down .

In the Centenary Year , therefore , as we go about our duties let us do it with good grace , in good heart and display that quality so missing in society today - kindness; but , above all else , let us TAKE PRIDE IN ST JOHN.

CONTENTS INCLUDE:

• The Badgers History Centenary Events

The Great St John Party Commemorative Postage Stamps The Chief Commander looks to the future

J ohn S unde r land Commissioner-in - Chief

GET SET FOR Tal BAJDGIRI

New members of the St John family are born on January 1 - the St John Badgers. This is the name for the new junior section for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 10. The birth of the Badgers is the way in which St John can mark the fact that Its Centenary is an occasion not merely to look back over its first 100 years but also to look forward to further generations of work in the community.

One of the purposes of the Badger programme is to develop common sense , fair play , self-control and courage - qual ties which will both be valuable to the children generally and contribute to interest in and identification with the St John Ambulance Brigade and its aims. So , before long , there should be a new generation of caQets who have completed the Badger programme of activities.

Of course , these activit es will be fun , for another purpose of the Badgers is to provide a happy , fr i endly , helpful place for the children to spend th @ir time The programme includes many enjoyab le activities , ing picn cs, parties, games and sports. The extensive tra.ining scheme is des gned to entertain the Badgers as well as to encourage them to succeed

BADGER SUCCESS

Their success will be r@lated to nine activiti@s , for each of which there are a number of achievements On joining, each youngst@J will receive a folder , record card and coloured wall chart illustrating the Badger ' s progress. A certificate will be presented for each topic and, when a child has completed four topics from the same section, he or she will be awarded the appropriate sticker for the wall chart and a small trophy badger. Completion of the ' Badger Course In Absolutely Everything' will be marked by the presentation of a special edition pottery badger

The children will wear versatile and inexpensive uniforms which have been designed to be useful and attractive. They will belong to their own Badger Sets, each of which will have its own identity and leaders.

THOROUGH PREPARATION

Everything possible has been done to ensure the success of the Badgers. They were conceived in the West Midlands by CSO Cadets Susan Taylor and A rea Staff Off icer Cadets Susan Graves Th e two Susans (as they have inevitably become known) paper on the training of juniors. As a result , the decIsion was taken to try a new scheme for children and four counties - West Midlands , Lancashire , Humberside and Norfolk - were chosen at a CSO Cadet Officers ' Conference in November 1985 to run experimental groups

These began in the four 'trial' counties in March 1986 with 50 children, a number which had risen to 400 by the end of the year. The idea and the programme were thus validated and the formal birth of the Badgers was agreed to be an appropriate happy for a year destined in any case to be one of celebration.

LEADERS IN PLACE

So the beginning of 1987 sees Badger leaders in place throughout the country. They will directly for the County Commissioners as non-uniformed personnel. Indeed , many of those being appointed have not previously been involved in St John work and the Badgers will clearly bring in new, Through a nationwide programme of course.s , leaders have been taught how to organise schemes In their counties, so all is in place for the formal launch.

Perhaps, unusually for such an event, we can. expect the Badgers to multiply very qUickly after their The first 50 have already become 400 and they will be joined by current Juniors So the message is clear : the Badgers are here!

PUTTERIIT JORR OR IROW

Centenary Year will provide an unrivalled opportunity to put on a show about St John At a national level , the Centenary Exh ibi tion arranged by the Museum will open on June 13 and run until Septem ber 26.

LOCAL LEVEL

The greatest impact will , of course , be achieved by sim ilar ex hibitions being held allover the country Th e Awareness Fortn ight will provide a natural period for displays - especially for their opening. Clearl y. material - photographs and record books , for exam pierelating to the history of St John in the area will be appropriate to county and town museums and other venues, such as civic buildings, wh ich are always worth investigating

Other possible sites for displays include building societ ies' windows and bookshops, which will be able to feature the centenary history, A Century of Serv ice to Mank nd

GENERAL RESOURCES

Local resources can be supplemented from the at St Johrn s Gate, which can lend equipment , first aid pouches and books, posters and - if there is space - uniforms. Demand in Centenary Year and especially during the Awareness Fortnight could , however, outstrip the supply and those who plan we ahead will certainly get the greatest choice.

PAGEANTS AND PROCESSIONS

The un iforms from the museum at St John s Gate are for display dummies , but not for wear i ng. Centenar y Year will , however , provide an excellent occasion for St John members to mount pageants and to participate in process ions For those who do not have them readily to hand, Museum Curator Pamel a W il lis has photocopies of the articles which appeared i n the Review ten years ago with details of how costumes can be made from simple patterns to illustrate St John through the ages.

The re are three sets of patterns: representing the medieval Order are the dress of a hospitaller brother , a knight and a hospitaller s ster ; showing the early days of the Brigade are the uniforms of an ambulanceman and a nurs ing member of 1895 ; and from 1922 there are four uniforms - an ambulance member , an ambulance sister, a nursing cadet and an ambulance cadet.

With a little planning there should be every opportunity and all the ingredients necessary for St John to put on a good show in 1987

i New posters and leaf lets (wh i ch can be used indiv i dually or in a C entenary Appea presentation folder) are avail a ble. Bo th give information about the history of St John and current activ ity. il lustrated by colour photographs There i s also the 20 minute video / film

alaTORY

1987 marks the Centenary of the St John Ambulance Brigade.

Over the last hundred years , the service given by St John Ambulance has grown dramatically. It has played an important part in supplementing military and naval med cal services in wartime and has provided a continuing First Aid service to the community The Cadets were founded in 1922 and more recent developments have included the Aeromedical Service , which repatriates the sick and injured from abroad , and the Air Wing, which provides a service for the emergency transport of transplant organs.

Today , members of the Brigade give more than 4 million hours of their time each year in caring for oth@r people and ass isting at all kinds of public events , at work and in the home.

ORIGINS

The Brigade is a charitable foundation of the Order of St John. The Order takes its tradition of caring for the sick from the medieval Knights of St John , the Knights Hospitaller. It also takes its name from them , being in full the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem

This indicates the ori§ i ns C)f the medieval Order of St John in Jerusalem , where the monastic brothers ran a hospice for pilgrims. The Order developed a military religious as well as a caring role and, after the Crusaders were pushed out of the Holy Land , was based first i n Rhodes and then in Malta.

In the meanwhile , however , the English branch was dissolved by Henry VIII (not , we should add, because of something particular to St John but as a result of the

King s wider concerns and the suppression of the monasteries)

The Order was revived in 1831 and its members looked for a useful role to play in the tradition of the Hospitallers of old. They sent representatives to the meetings which led to the foundat ion of the International Red Cross Society but it was the experience of war which gave the British Order of St John its inspiration for meeting the needs of modern society.

AID TO THE INJURED

Members of the Order - particularly Sir John Furleytreated casualties on the battlefield and provided ambulance transport for the wounded , notably in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. They realised that there was a need for a trained reserve for the Armed Forces Medical Services and that there was no proper provision for the treatment and transport of those injured in civilian life , for example , vict i ms of ndustrial and travel accidents The first step was the formation in 1877 of the St John Ambulance Association to provide training for members of the general public i n ' Aid to the Injured - what we now call First Aid

The pioneering work in First Aid , which met an important need in the provision of health care for the community, and the foundation of an eye hospital in Jerusalem in 1882 led HM Queen V ctoria to grant the British Order of St John a Royal Charter It thus became a Royal Order of Chivalry , with the reigning Sovereign as its Head

THE BIRTH OF THE BRIGADE

Soon after the formation of the Association , its certificate holders felt that they should put their knowledge to regular use for the benefit of the community. They set up Ambulance Corps of the St John Ambulance Association with the primary purpose of having members on duty at places where accidents were likely to happen. It was soon decided that these Corps should be banded together and properly constituted

So, in 1887, was born the St John Ambulance Brigade. It was designed to be a highly-trained body of volunteers to be present at public events to give First Aid treatment and to organise an ambulance service. It is the Centenary of that foundation which we are celebrating in 1987.

BOOR

A CENTURY OF SERVICE TO MANKIND

The Centenary is a splendid opportunity to put into hard covers the story of the St John Ambulance Brigade. The Grand Prior, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, has written the foreword to this book which tells why the Brigade was set up and all that it has done.

The extent of its achievement is very clear and the chapter headings show why 100 years of the Brigade are so worth marking and recording for they cover The Great War , the development Into the Fabric of the Nation and the Second World War.

Every aspect of the Brigade ' s her i tage is included and there are also chapters on Wales , Ireland and The Islands , St John in the Air , The Brigade Overseas , St John Cadets , Training and Competitions and Public Duty. There is a wealth of material woven into the text , which pays due attention to all the elements of the Brigade, not least the many outstanding individuals who have made such an important contribution to its work.

THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE

It WOUld , however , be wrong to suggest that the book is merely a backward looking, historical record. It comes right up to the present day. the Modern Brigade , considers the way St John s activities are developing

with a chapter on Care in the Community and even looks into the future with a glimpse of the Badgers

Author Ronnie Cole-Mackintosh was asked to write the history after he had given a talk to the St John Historical Society. He had become interested in St John as a result of research on Brigade members who went to South Africa in 1899 and the Br i gade s contribution i n the First World War.

THE STANDARD RECORD

The book gives a fasc nating overview of the first 100 years of the St John Ambulance Brigade. It is likely to stimulate others to fill in the details of the history of their own counties , d visions and units and is certain to be a standard text for a long time , establishing the record of the Brigade's contribution to our society

Published by Century Hutchinson , the book w i ll be available through bookshops , where it will be £8 95 , but can be bought from Support St John (St John Supplies Department) for the special price of £4.95

A FILM FOR ST JOHN

As 1986 drew to a close , a total of six hours of f lming was reduced to the twent y minutes which form the final , pol shed ve r sion of celebration of St John and it s work Shoot i ng had been going on throughout t he year and throughout the country to provide material wh i ch represents as much as possible of St John activities

The film should help to make the work of St John better known to the vast majority in our country who , too often , take St John for granted

DOCUMENTARY STYLE

Production of the film has been undertaken by Wor d W de Pictures They created two fictional d i visions , one northern and one southern , with a loose story-line which follows their dut i es and weaves in almost ever y aspect of St John Ambulance - Airwing , Aeromedical , nursing and caring, F rst A d Duty. training , Associat i on teaching and adventure training for youngsters , to name but a few - before bringing them together

St John will thus mark its Centenary by using the most modern medium It is, however , also an expensive one and support from BP has made the enterprise possible BP s generosity will also ensure that videos can be made available at a reasonable cost - not more than £13 .

The Commissioner-in-Chief is certain that there will be a great demand for the video. ' Every division w ll want one for publicity and promotion to use at open days, fetes and fund-raising events ', he says , ' and many members will want a copy of their own as it is such a splendid demonstration of our work .'

The Centenary Year will last from January 1 to December 31 but the particular focus for St John activity will be the 'Awareness Fortnight', running from Saturday, June 13 to Sunday , June 28.

As a prelude to the fortnight, on the evening of Friday , June 12 there will be a special fund-raising banquet at the Royal Naval College , Greenwich. This event is held successfully each year to support the work of St John but the Centenary Year will clearly be the occasion for a special effort.

In the same way, the 1987 Overseas Conference is one of the series which brings together representatives of St John from all over the world every three years. The Centenary will, how€ver , give a special importance to this gathering which will be held in London at St John s Gate and 1 Grosvenor Crescent

THE GREAT PARTY

The centre-piece and highlight of the Awareness Fortnight will , of course , be The Great St John Party, which will undoubtedly gain national publicity. It is equCillly certain that local newspapers and radio stations and regional television news and magazine programmes will want to have a local or regional 'angle '

on it. This will give counties and districts an opportunity to publicise in their areas their preparations - the special contributions they are making to the festivities , the children they are bringing to join in the fun and the performances they have arranged for their own stage , the major stages or , indeed, both.

STAMPS

There is also certain to be nationwide publicity on Tuesday, June 16 when the Post Office puts the special issue of stamps to mark the St John Centenary on sale. Philatelists will be preparing their First Day Covers and these and the stamps themselves will certainly make St John a news story.

PLAN AHEAD

Counties and districts should inform their local and regional media as soon as possible about the special St John Awareness Fortnight in June 1987 and their plans for The Great St John Party and local events Stories will be particularly effective if journalists are able to prepare background pieces , feature articles and magazine spots to tie in with the Fortnight. After all, it will not happen again for another 100 years!

THIIRIAT IT JOHN PARTY

PARTY MEANS FUN

What better way could there be to celebrate the Centenary of the St John Ambulance Brigade than to throw the biggest party ever? And , as St John is a family and parties are occasions for all the family, especially the younger members. over 100 ,000 children between 6 and 16 years old from all over the country will be invited to join the members of St John Ambulance and their families so that they too will be able to have the day of their lives.

material depicting the history and tradition of St John and demonstrations or instructions on First Aid.

The smaller performance areas will be used by entertainers and acts brought to the party by the counties and also by professional entertainers who will both perform in the central area and circulate around the county areas Equally, it is hoped that counties w i ll bring large-scale displays and 'happenings which can be shared by everybody.

ATTRACTIONS OF ALL KINDS

THE LADY WESTBURY Superintendent-in-Chief WRITES

There CCiln be no doubt that Saturday June 20 19!H will be the highlight of the Centenary Year. It will bring together all the aspects of St John - the formality and pageantry of the Order with the informality and exuberance of a massive party, the solemnity of the set-piece occasion with the joy of celebration and the meticulous planning required for an event on such a

viii

scale with the spontaneity of all the individuals who will be making it their day to remember.

We can be sure that the day will be memorable for one particular reason; HM The Queen, the Sovereign Head of the Order , and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh have graciously agreed to join St John for the ceremony with which the day will start and to tour The Great St John Party as it gets under way.

SALUTE TO THE SOVEREIGN

The Ceremony will be an occasion for all the members of St John to offer homage to Her Majesty and to join her both in remembering the Brigade's record of achievement over one hundred years and in looking forward to a further century of service.

HM The Queen will literally be at the centre of the world of St John during the service, on a rostrum placed at the focal poi li'l t of a human eight-pointed St John Cross. So, a few quiet moments for reflection and re-dedication will provide an appropriate opening to such an important and auspicious occasion; and they will be a fitting overture to the Royal Command: 'Let the party begin.'

There will be demonstrations, competitions and a lot of entertainment - the cast list of over 4,500 performers includes bands - military, police and, of course, St John - clowns, actors , dancers and personalities. As at any good party, there will also be food and, as this will be the largest ever party, it will require some particular catering. It is planned to include the largest ever sausage, the largest ever black pudding and the largest ever jelly - and much more besides. The entertainment and food will be free.

THE PROGRAMME

The day will begin at 11.00 am with a brief ceremony and then the party will get under way. The first part of the day will be for the members of St John Ambulance, their families and their 100,000 young guests. The public will be admitted at 2.30 pm for the last couple of hours and the event will be covered by the press, radio and television. This will enable millions more to enjoy this unique occasion and will give them a marvellous picture of the strength of St John.

There will be a central area for large-scale performances, demonstrations and events and smaller areas shared by groups of counties. Each county will have a tent for exhibitions of its work, the display of

The counties have already promised over 100 attractions of various kinds. These include displays of St John work and First Aid equipment past, present and future, bands of all k i nds - jazz , highland pipe , country and western and Northumberland pipe as well as those from St Audries, Wadebridge , Southport and Barnsley and more - other performers - dancers (folk , Morris , horn , Irish, floral and rapper) , choirs and a puppet show - attractions - vintage cars , steam engines, hot air balloons and an airship - and pageants - the Siege of Belvois, Robin Hood and Captain Cook

There is, of course , still more to come , not least from the five counties which have yet to disclose their plans. (Perhaps they want to surprise the rest with their ingenuity and do not want others to steal their ideas.)

There can be no doubt that Hyde Park on June 20 1987 will not only be the biggest party ever held but also the best. It will be good because it is being organised by Major Michael Parker , who organises the Royal Tournament each year He put together the last biggest children's party in Hyde Park - which ours will replace in the record book - and is giving his services to make this a very special occasion for St John It will be the party of a lifetime - indeed, of a century. It is not to be missed.

ITAM'I

POST OFFICE MARKS

ST JOHN CENTENARY

On Tuesday June 16, the Post Office will be issuing a set of four special commemorative stamps, a First Day Cover (an envelope with a special design) and a Presentation Pack (a set of stamps mounted on a card which wiil also contain information about the stamps and St John). There will also be a set of postcards illustrating the stamps; the postcards will be released on Tuesday , June 2

The stamps will be 18p (for First Class Inland Postage) and 22p, 31 P and 34p (for Overseas Postage).

The stamps show St John on duty. The first three values illustrate scenes from the past -a stretcher carrier in 1887 , the Blitz of World War II and a pop concert in the 1960s - and the last brings the story into the present - the transport of transplant organs in the 19808.

ST JOHN'S OWN COVER

There will be a special St John First Day Cover with a design to mark the Centenary; it will bear a cancellation with a pictorial handstamp which will also be designed to symbolise the event. This will , of course , provide a very worthwhile memento for members of St John - but it will also have a wider benefit. The issue of the stamps and all the other material by the Post Office will bring the Brigade ' s work to the attention of the public in general and philatelists in particular ; the special St John's cover will add to this.

AN OBVIOUS CASE

It is a mark of the importance of the work of St John that the Post Office has included it in the 1987 stamp programme. There are always more requests and suggestions for special issues than there is room for in the carefully controlled annual programme. The Post Office emphasises that Because the selection of special subjects is of national interest and importance ' the Post Office Board, when deciding upon stamp programmes, observes specific criteria.

The case for St John must have been particularly clear cut because it satisfies the first four of the list of criteria! These are:

a To commemorate important anniversaries;

b. To celebrate events of national and international importance ;

c. To reflect the British contribution to world affairs , in particular to the Commonwealth and Europe , in a variety of fields including the arts and sciences;

d To reflect the many and varied aspects of Britain and the British way of life

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

We should not , however , expect another issue featuring St John in the near future. The Post Office ' s conv€mtions include the statement that 'Past and future years are considered to ensure balance and variety of su bjects , taking one year with another .' The case for 1987 was aided by the rule that 'Anniversaries are restricted generally to 50 years or multiples thereof'but the combination of the two points might mean that there could be some time to wait before St John appears on British stamps again.

The 1987 special ssue will, therefore , provide a very important opportunity to publicise St John. And, through sales of the Order s own special covers , it wi l l provide an important opportunity for raising funds for the work of the Order ' s foundations

St John Supplies have commissioned a special range of items to mark the Brigade's Centenary. They have been designed to be of the highest standardas fits the occasion. The selection is set out in a new catalogue devoted to the commemorative items

LIMITED EDITION HIGHLIGHTS

The 'stars of the show are the five tems which will be available in exclusive 'lim ted editions' , only a specified number being produced and each accompanied by an indiv i dually numbered Certificate of AuthentiCity The f i ve items are : a figurine of a uniformed mem ber ; a mounted enamel badge ; a sim i larly enamelled copper box n the style of traditional patch-boxes ; a bone china mug and a solid nickel silver medallion.

A FULL RANGE

There is a full offering of all the other items which could be expected - cuff links and a tie, tray and tea towel , T-shirt and sweatshirt, goblet and rotating pendulum clock - and more besides. Needless to say, all carry an inscription marking the Centenary and the St John Cross , mainly in the authorised Centenary Logo, which was suggested by a Brigade member and chosen from amongst those submitted in a competition to suggest the design

rUID RAIIEI6

Centenary Year , a year e>f increased public awareness of St John, will, of course, be a marvellous opportunity for fund-raising efforts.

Most counties will be taking 'advantage of the heightened profile of St John to organise centenary appeals and will be co-ordinating their activities with the National Headquarters and London District Appeal.

Many special fund-raising events are being organised during the Centenary Year , both by National Headquarters and by other courilties

This is a tremendous chance for St John to make the general public aware of how much St John contributes to the community - and how necessary it is for the community to contribute to St John to enable its work to continue on a sound basis in the future.

The catalogue has been distr i buted by Support St John (St John Supplies) from where further copies are available. x

Bone China Mug

Enamelled Box

Medallion

Tankard

Goblet

No.103 Badge

A 'UTURI 'OR IT JOBR AMBULARCI

One of the great strengths of St John Ambulance in the past has been that , whilst it has continued to provide the First Aid teaching and service which are its primary commitment , it has also been ready and willing to respond to new needs as they have developed. This must and will be our main aim for the next 100 years

FIRST AID

As far as we can see ah€:ad, there will be a call for First Aid t€:aehing and for a First Aid service. More and more people are realising the importance of First Aid and we should aim for it to become part of the curriculum in schools and part of the profession of other groups, such (§is bus and lorry drivers and sports officials to name but two. So there is likely to be not just a continuing but a growing role for teaching basic First Aid

THE BRIGADE

Similarly, we can anticipate that the need for the skilled high!y trained volunteers of the Brigade will not only continue but grow for two reasons. First , with extra leisure time and the growth of exciting pastimes , the risk of accidents is likely to increase while - and this is the s€:cond reason - the NHS ambulance service is going to be under ever greater pressure.

MEDICAL ADVANCES

Advances in medicine which prolong as well as save lives probably create a larger population of elderly and disabled people requiring simple , basic care and assistance. This may hav@ two results; we are likely to find that there is a call for training people in how they can better look after themselves and others and, also, the increased demands for trained volunteers able to undertake welfare work , community care and basic health activities now carried out by divisions of the Br igade may eventually require the creation of yet another arm of St John Ambulance.

KEEPING UP WITH CHANGE

Other pressures will arise from developing technology and new demands and, again, just as St John has responded to these with the creation of the Air Wing and the Aeromedical Service, further developments will

meet a ready response. Already we are to be involved in the formation of special teams who would go into the area of nuclear accidents and I have no doubt that other avenues for our work will open up in the future.

Those who give their leisure time to voluntary, unpaid service - whether in the First Aid services we now provide, or in the possible larger group trained in basic health and welfare techniques, or in new sections not yet envisaged - will be just as valuable members of the community as their predecessors have been. For those who are already members and those outside who wish to devote some of their leisure to THE SERVICE OF MANKIND, St John Ambulance offers a bright and exciting future. ----

Chief Command er

A Divisions' bed at Ophthalmic Hospital

The Hospitaller, SIR STEPHEN MILLER, reminds us of an uncompleted pledge

IT IS OFTEN said that if you want a job done quickly, ask a busy man and it will be accomplished. The same observation may be applied to institutions. One might think that St John Ophthalmic Hospital, Jerusalem, with its 45,000 patients per year and 4,500 major operations, would keep its staffdoctors nurses and non-medical employees at full - stretch, almost to exhaustion - but not so. Other activities thrive beyond the immediate care of patients

For instance Dr Lee Chumbley, our American Hussein Fellow at the hospital , h as interested himself alon g with the late Professor Mester (a bio-chemist) of Paris in the formation of cataracts in diabetics and he h as asked himse lf why cataract is so much more common in those who suffer from diabetes. He then proceeded to send specimens of cataracts he had remo ved from patients (diabetics and non -d iabetics) to Professor Mester to elicit any difference which might exist in their chemical constitue nt s Professor Mester reported that indeed there is a difference in the two groups; not only that , he has found a neutraliser of th e chemical reaction found only in diabetic cataracts. This trail of discovery will be followed meticulously by a clinical trial in the hope of gaining control of cataract formation in patients who suffer from diabetes.

Genetic blindness

Dr J alili, who has been at the hospital for nearly a year, has interested himself in the large number of blind children he found while visitin g villages of the West Bank. He has found that the fundamental cause is genetic It remains to be elucidated where the site of blindness lies - in the eyes themselves in the conducting pathways to the brain or in the brain itself. Sophisticated instruments will so ve this question and Dr J alih is proposing to employ them on these youngsters. The family trees of the children involved will be investigated and tabulated in the hope of discovering a pattern of inheritance . Such information may lead to advice on marriage and assessment of the risks involved in any particular union Such guidance may well influence the incidence of suc h family tragedies in future generations.

Dr Anthony Morgan the hospital 's warden, and the Outreach team have been studying the widespread disease in young people which produces weeping, itchin g and redness of the eyes, particularly during the summer weather (vernal conjunctivitis). Every child, however, in the West Bank does not suffer in this way, so there must be a genetic tendency as well as an environmental factor in the production of this disease. With

Dr Lee Chumbley at work at our hospital.

the help of Dr Mala , of London University and the Haematological Department of The London Hospital , tissues of these patients ha ve been typed and com pared with the tissues of normal health y people to tr y and establish a marker. If s ucce ssful it ma y be pos si ble to label the children of a family who are hkely to develop this di sease and thus make it possible to apply treatment earl y in life to prevent its onset. With the use of new drugs by the British firm , Fisons , methods of treating this most disabling affliction are increasingly effective. The results of studies on these dru gs are awaited with interest.

Training of local personnel is one of the major aims of our hospital so that the torch of knowledge is p asse d on to trainee doctors and nurse s who can even tuall y take part in caring for their own people and in turn pass on their skills. A new course of two years for practical nurses has been set up by our matron , Miss Pauline O Donnell , and our sister tutor , Mrs Mary Manarious. This will enable the trainees to sit for a diploma and if successful apply for jobs throughout the Middle East. In addition a nine month course has been instituted for trained nurses, mainly from Bethlehem University. This is a course in hi gher education wherein the graduate students acquire special knowledge in ophthalmology which they can exploit on joining a general hospital and accept sole charge of the eye department.

A trainee doctor always comprises part of our ho s pital team. Such an individual joins us for a year and then directs himself towards a higher diploma for which he may study in the UK or elsewhere. At the moment there are two postgraduate doctors in Britain, one at Glasgow , the other at Bristol University , taking courses for a higher diploma granted by the Royal College of Surgeons - ophthalmologists who began their careers as trainees at St John Ophthalmic Hospital.

Lastly · the hospital staff are taking an active interest in the prevention of eye

disease. Sister Kaibni joined the Outr ea ch team la s t year and s pends mo s t of her time training primary health workers in the vi lla ges so that t he y ( main ly women) can recogni se early eye di sease in chi ldr en or th e elderly and make s ure they are directed into the proper channels for adequate therapy. In addition primary health workers teach the young about th e gene ral care of t he eyes, a nd a s trachoma is still a disea s e which is endemic in some of the vi llages , this aspect of the hospital's work is of real v alue. The s e item s of service are of course in addition to the routine work of the ho s pital. Without a hospital base howe ver , s uch endeavours could not be undertaken and so it is vitally important that our hospital continues to ha ve t

The first The special' aspect of t h is gift was discussed wi th the secretary of the D ave ntr y Di vis ion and he was asked and agreed to make it the first £ 1 000 to wa rd s the endowment of a ' Divisions' Bed'. At tha t time the endowme n of a bed cost £70,000. but this sum has since ri se n to £85,000. due to inflation.

Since 19 84, £ 19 000 has been contributed to The Order from many Di vis ions to wa rd s this project and as Hospitaller I am extremely grate f ul for this support. The total sum , howe ver, is still well short of the £85 ,000 required.

Recently a new brochure was produced showing photographs of the ho s pital its staff and patients with the minimum of text , and copies were sent to each UK count y for distribution to the Divisions. As there are some 5 000 Divisions or sections of Divisions , a rela tively small contribution from each (a pproximatel y £ 15) would enable The Order to endow a Di visions' Bed'. An endowed bed has a plaque pl ace d above the head - piece recording the name of the donor and it will remain there as long as the hospital continues to serve the poor and deprived in Jerusalem. May I as Hospitaller once more draw the attention of reader s to this opportunity to help finance the ho spi tal help which will be recorded in such a way that pabents who are treated in its wa rds can see for themselves to whom they are indebted. You.

Major-General Peter Leuchars

Ch ief Commander

byJIM GAMES

Forts and Arabs

All cadets stand in the middle of hall. Leader shouts commands which the last member to obey is out '.

Forts - Run to one end of hall.

Arabs - Run to other end.

Sandstorm - Lie on ground, face down.

Snakes - Get off ground.

Freeze - Stay where you are, without

Camels

Officers moving.

- Pig -a -back.

- Stand to attention.

These can be changed and added to to suit local conditions

The same game can be played with a Navy' theme. The words are changed to Port, Starboard , Fore and Aft, (using all four walls of the hall). Sandstorm becomes bomb attack, Snakes - Sinking, Camels - Up the rigging , also Submarines - Lie on back, one arm in air.

Another game on the same lines, 'Compass' Make one end of the hall North, then South East, West.

The four corners become - NE , SE ,

Again, on the same idea, change the names to ' Bones'.

Worcester Area Camp

Minefield H ave team leader at one end of hall, the rest of the team are blindfolded at far e nd The hall is then covered with chairs, forms , etc. The team leader shouts his orders to the first cadet (e.g. , Four paces forward, turn half left , etc.). [f a boy touches a mine he is out. If he reaches the far si de he gives the orders to the second cadet. With three leaders giving orders at once this can lead to a good laugh for all.

Knockout drill

Best played with recruit s, but whole Division can find this useful as revision. Senior NCO gives orders. If cadet makes a mistake or is slow in turning, etc., he is 'o ut '. Last cadet ' in wins.

Nursing cadets of Seaton Devon with trophies and (left) NM ( R) Reg Wallis becomes Serving Brother and NM Ted Soper received his Long Service medal.

If senior cadets are in the squad, why not ask your adult leaders to join in. This makes the cadets try even harder.

Divisional cycle-rally

Our unit has held one most years. Last year s was split into four sections:

( I) Test on Highway Code

(2) Mechanical check on bike

(3) A road test

(4) Over an obstacle course

Have you ever thought of ?

Asking so meone from the local university to come along and talk of the role and work of the university.

OR you may be able to use part of the campus for an exercise.

You could try the same with the local race course.

Asking the local Scout Leader to take some of your cadets over the local camp site. Then they can make and stay in overnight bivouacs

Visiting the local Fencing Club. Our nearest group are run by the YMCA or yo u can get details from:

Amateur Fencing Association, 83 Perham Road , London W 14

Haverfordvvest

Photo: Sabre Photos

First Aid ( THE RIGHT) SORT after Head Injury

by P. S. LONDON, FRCS

LOO KIN GAT some of the tragic consequences of serious injury of the head it may seem that anything as simpl€ as first aid could not have anything to offer in the early management of these unfortunate victims. In fact, it may well be that in some cases the right sort of first aid can improve not only the prospects of recovery but the degree of recovery

In order to understand the important part that first aid may be able to play in improving recovery, it is necessary to understand a little about what happens to the injured brain and about the importance of oxygen for the normal working of the brain.

Many years ago a famous scientist said that lack of oxygen not only stops the machine but wrecks the machinery The machine to which he was referring was the brain . From time to time newspapers report that scores of thousands of pounds have been awarded in compensation for an accident that occurred during a general anaesthetic when, for one reason or another, the oxygen supply was cut off. The result can be a mental and physical wreck because som€ parts of the brain die if they are deprived of oxygen for even a few minutes. Similar results sometimes occur because for no fault of anybody 's the heart stops beating for longer than the brain can remain normal without oxygen. If the normal brain can be completely wrecked by lack of oxygen, it follows that the injured brain will also suffer additional damage if it is deprived of oxygen.

Clear lesson

Some years ago doctors studying patients brought into hospital with injured heads found that if their blood pressures were low they recovered more slowly than those with similar injuries and normal blood pressures , whereas if the oxygen supply to the brain had been much reduced the degree of reco very was reduced.

The lesson is clear: the injured brain needs it s full ration of oxygen if it is to have the best chance of recovery, and this is where first aid comes in.

Why is it so important that the injured brain should receive plenty of oxygen? The 16

answer now offered is a much simplified account of complicated events

When, following an accident, a person is admitted to hospital in coma, with abnormal breathing and abnormal posture or movements of the limbs , this condition is the result of damage done to the brain in the course of the accident; this is called the primary damage because it is done right at the beginning What happens later and may lead to the death of the patient is the result of later or secondary damage and h as been referred to as the second accident.

What happens is that, like any other injured part the injured brain swells but unlike other injured parts the brain is in a bony box and cannot swell much without being compressed. The inner tube of a pneumatic tyre is under no pressure from the outer cover until it is inflated, but as it is inflated more and more it comes under more and more pressure. In the same way, as the injured brain swells it fits its 'outer cover (the skull) more and more tightly and there is increasing pressure upon it. This pressure is exerted on the myriad of tiny blood vessels throughout the brain that carry the blood and, hence oxygen, to all parts of the brain. The pressure can rise to a level at which the flow of blood is much reduced and the brain becomes starved of oxygen.

The shape and contents of the skull are such that there are some awkward edges and corners against which quite large and very important blood vessels can be squeezed or kinked. When this happens , the part of the brain to which that blood vessel would normally carry blood and oxygen has its blood supply cut off.

A striking analogy is a room full of people If more and more keep pushing in , those that are there already move away from the entrance and if there is an exit they will be forced towards it; if they are forced through it they may be injured by being squeezed against its edges. It is easy to understand how soft tubes containing blood can be closed in this sort of way. In the ma ss of the crowd the pressure may be so great that the persons there cannot breathe in. They are not crushed to death by being

no doubt that they have improved the prospects of recovery in many cases and sometimes dramatically.

squashed flat but suffocate d by the fact that the y cannot ex pand their chests to draw in sufficient vital oxygen-containing air to keep them alive.

This was well recognised by the torturers who devi sed the press' as a means of punishment and causing a li ng ering death.

The injured brain swe ll s because it ha s been injured and it s blood s uppl y may be seriously reduc ed by the swelling. This in turn inflicts a further injury because it depri ves the brain of it s due ration of oxygen.

This seco ndar y damage causes more swe llin g a nd a vicious c ircl e is created. Other causes of pressure within the skul are bleeding and a lso the congestion that occurs during , for examp le a fit. One has only to watch a person havin g a severe bout of coughing to see how the face becomes purple and the veins in the nec k a nd face sta nd out. The same happens during fits of convulsions and it affects the brain just as much as it affects the face and neck.

Apart from what happe n s to the skull a nd the brain in an accident, injurie s of the chest can reduce the supp y of oxygen to t he blood and serious bleeding can reduce the amount of blood that is available to th e brain and other vi tal organs. These adverse effects may thu s be added to the changes that have already been described and make matters worse than ever for the injured brain.

Counteract

Modern methods of resu sc itation used in hospital make it possible not only to ensure that there is enough blood to go round all important parts of the body , and that it has plenty of oxygen in it but they m ake it possible to counteract the swelling of the brain and so promote the flow of blood within it. In addition, any blood accumulating within the skull can be let out by an operation. Modern methods make it possible both to keep the pre ss ure within the skull down to a safe level and to recognise in good time whether or not an operation to relieve pressure is required. The use of these methods cannot undo the original damage, nor can they always halt the changes that lead to the death of the patient, but there is

What is all too obvious, however, is that it may be half an hour or more before elaborate methods of treatment can be applied to the patient and that during this interval, some of the dangerous events that have been described may be going on and taking the brain towards, and even beyond, the point of no return. Friends and relations of the permanently affected victims of such injury will probably read that passage with alarm, even with horror at the thought of if only .', things might have turned out quite differently. It is certainly a chilling thought but several careful studies have shown that there are unlikely to have been many cases in which what happened, or did not happen, before the casualty reached hospital made much difference to the final result. Furthermore, these studies were carried out before the setting up of doctors' flying squads in many parts of the country and the government's recognition that the training of ambulance crews sho uld include the use of certain special techniques and pieces of equipment.

What does this leave for the man or woman or even the child in the street to do?

The answer is 'A great deal'. The usefulness of their efforts at first aid may not be

measurable in terms of recovery and avoiding ' what might have been but if one comes across an accident it is a tragedy if one can do no more than wonder what to do and wish that one knew. To be able to do something that may be useful is very comforting and if the patient makes a good recovery nobody can deny that you had a part in it.

What to do

The most important part of first aid in such cases is to make as sure as you can that the casualty has a clear passage through which air can enter and leave the lungs.

This passage can be blocked by vomit, false teeth or blood ; it can be blocked by the collapse of the tongue that so easily occurs during unconsciousness or if the jaws have been broken, and it can be blocked by being kinked or twisted as when an unconscious person is slumped over a seat belt or lying in a heap on the ground. This is not the place to go into details about how thi s should be done but it is worth mentioning that the position of the head and neck adopted during running allows free passage of large amounts of air and this is the position to be aimed at. Turning the head sideways is not recommended because it impedes the flow of blood from the brain Holding the jaw forwards and pulling the tongue out (using a

handkerchief to grip a very slippery object) may also be effective, especially if the victim is lying on his or her back The safest position, however, is known as the coma or recovery posit ion and it resembles the position in which many of us settle down to sleep - on the side but slightly face downwards with the upper knee and hip bent and providing support. This position can be brought about by one person who knows how to do it. It should be mentioned that any movement of the head and neck of an unconscious person should be carried out slowly and gently so as not to make worse any injuries of the neck that may also be present. Thi s applies particularly to removing a motor-cyclist's crash helmet and dragging out of a motor vehicle.

Describing hese measures in words is not good enough; they need to be practised with dummies and models together with carrying out artificial ventilation of the lungs, the so-called kiss of life. St John Ambulance, the British Red Cross Society, St Andrew's Ambulance Association in Scotland and many factory first-aiders can teach these methods. Do not wait until you have an emergency on your hands to decide that it is something you ought to know. Learn now.

(Reprinted by kind permiSSion of Headwa y the National Head Injuries Association.)

Am bu la nee

Competition in Surrey

AN AMBULANCE competition, judged by London Ambulance Service officers but in which no professional ambulance or doctor could compete, was held by Surrey's Cranleigh Combined Division during October.

It comprised six team tests: Vehicle inspection: a thorough mechanical and bodywork check as well as suitability and maintenance of equipment.

Driving test: a +-hour test, judging general handling, confidence, smooth ride (which around Cranleigh is difficult) and safety.

Non-Urgent removal: an asthma case is taken to hospital on doctor's advice. Basic procedures, such as blanketing trolley and carrying chair, patient handling, carrying down stairs, and reassurance taking doctor 's notes to hospital and medication plus general welfare.

Emergency incident: diagnosis, first aid , patient care and handling, use of equipment , vehicle positioning and loading.

Diagnosis: examine, diagnose, answer questions on condition and explain treatment.

Radio procedure.

Results: 1st (Join t): Cranleigh A and B teams; 3rd Dorking A; 4th Guildford; 5th Dorking B.

In the diagnosis tests A M James Daborn (Guildford) and AIM Ken Selley (Cra.nleigh B) gained 100 % and 93% marks respectively. A trophy was presented to the winning teams which had been bought with a gift from West Surrey Area President Mr Felton. Thanks to all who competed, the casualties ', the cadet runners, my wife for the lunch, the scrutineer and especially Mr George Healy and his judges for organising the event.

Ralph Brown Div. Supt. 17

At an exercise held by

•••••••••EJ Weybridge Division.

COMMUNICATIONS

from Mr E. W. Ogden, Divisional Officer

As a member of St John and RA YNET I was pleased to see the letter from Nicholas Negus (October Review) extolling the virtues of the latter. I heartily agree with all his remarks and would like to add a few of my own.

Regarding the difference between CB and RA YNET, CB is unfortunately very vulnerable to malicious interference as anyone licensed or not can buy a set for a few pounds and create havoc on any of the 40 channels. It is also limited on range if operated within the legal power limits.

As far as St John radio is concerned, most of the units I have had contact with operate old converted Pye radios or similar, which are beginning to show their age. If money was no object we could all go out and buy new equipment, but I have heard adverse reports on some of the 'approved' models. Even then the range would be limited, especially on the sort of duty and terrain quoted by Mr Negus.

A further and, in my opinion , one of the major advantages of using RAYNET , is that it frees St John members to do the job they train for - first aid An Area Staff Officer (not of my Area, I hasten to add) was heard to remark recently that if some of his members weren't used as radio operators, they would probably leave St John. I refrain from comment, both about the staff officer and the members concerned.

In N. Area Hampshire recently, we used RA YNET on the duty at Middle Wallop Air Display , which is spread over three days. This involved a total of 59 RA YNET members manning radio links at four F A posts a base hospital and the control tower for deven hours each day. In addition, while they were off shift' walking about the static display, they had their radios with them, and on at least one occasion were able to call up and direct an ambulance through a dense crowd to the scene of an accident immediately it happened, while the accompanying St John member was able to concentrate on first aid.

During the three-day duty many lessons were learned on both sides, but the overall impression afterwards was that the exercise was well worth while - and when can we do it again?

For some reason I am unable to understand why there seems to be prejudice in some areas of St John against outside assistance; is this another instance of the introverted attitude referred to in D /S Millband s letter in the October Re view? There even seems to be a hint of this in the Communications Adviser's comments at the end of the letter from Mr Negus (,Without the need for an intermediary'). One would have hoped for a little more positive encouragement in the use of RA YNET from that quarter, rather than just a bald statement of the regulations and a gratuitous appreciation,

Incidentally, in this re sp ect it is now permitted for a first - aider to talk direct to another, in certain circumstances, over a RA YNET frequency.

Finally, I think we are neglecting our duty to provide an efficient organisation if we do not liaise and exercise, when possible, with any groups with which we would be expected to work in the event of a major incident - they do happen even in peace time, as some areas can testify.

Basingstoke E. W. Ogden

Communications Adviser, SJA HQ writes:

Being relatively new to SJA and not a member of RA YNET, I quickly realised that there appeared to be pressure from some quarters to use RA YNET for SJA's communications. I therefore considered it useful to give the subject an a iring and hopefully finalise the controversy.

To answer Mr Ogden 's main points:

(i) It is implied that Raynet take over all SJ A radio communications. If this were so there would be no need for SJ A to have radio channels allocated to it by the Department of Trade and Industry. Raynet was not set up to take over the radio communications of voluntary or any other organisation. It is an emergency network which may be called upon by the user services.

(ii) Many members of SJA would not agree that they should dispense with their radio sets and concentrate on first aid. They point out that without their own SJA radio facilities hey could not carry out their first aid duties so effectively, particularly when in some Divisions the number of members have decreased.

(iii) Be it as it may some Areas / Divisions do not wish to use Raynet for their normal day-to-day communications.

(iv) The number of sets in use by SJ A has increased over the years. During 1986 alone about 80 new sets were purchased. 18

May I add that the DTI and senior officers of Raynet are aware tha t some members of the latter organisation lobby' to use their radi o communications facilities They deprecate this approach, as it does more harm than good to the Raynet organisation. I therefore propose to leave matter s as they are at present, that s SJA will continue to use its allocated radio channels for its communications and Raynet used where appropriate subject to the app ro val of that organisation.

DOWN'S SYNDROME

from Dan Little

I would like to express so me views on the item entitled Surgery for Down 's Syndrome contained in the column The World About Us by Jack (July Revie w).

Cosmetic surgery for the characteristics, particularly facial, which identify Down's Syndrome people has been available for a considerable time and is not a newly developed technique as one might be excused for believing after reading J ack's report.

1 am suprised that such a ne ga tive and controversial point of view as the application of cosmetic su rgery which is rarely performed to correct a medical condition, should have been reported in th e R el'iell'.

There are many more medical and educational aspects of a far mor e positive nature associated with Down's Syndrome which could ha ve been reported. These would have been more enlightening to the members of St John and broadened their under stan din g of the difficulties a Down 's person and their families may experience.

The list of such subjects is numerou s but a selection of curren/ topics is as follows:

(i) Reports of research into congenital heart defects.

(ii) Reports of research into the common occurrence of airway obstruction.

(iii) Advice to parents and helpers on Atlanto -axial in stab ilit y.

(iv) The process of statementing a child under the 198 Education Act and who to contact for advice.

(v) The improvement of life expectancy of Down's Syndrome people.

(vi) Reports on re sea rch into why Down 's people have greater s usceptibility to Leukaemia.

Returning to cosmetic s urger y, the acceptability of a Down' s Syndrome person in the community at large is not, as suggeste d, going to be achieved by this process. Dr Stratford, of Nottingham University , succinctly summed this up recently as follows:

If we are concerned about the attitudes of the community to the appearance of Down's children , we need to set about re -educating the community rather than rebuilding the face of Down's child.'

I for one agree with Dr Stratford and would not subject my son (who by coincidence has Down's Syndrome) to the inconvenience and associated discomfort of cosmetic surgery just to suit the whims of a society which, according to Jack 's a rticle, accepts and accords a higher grade in the so cial sce ne to individuals that conform to it s requirements of appearance. This is commonly called discrimination.

Finally, I would suggest that before quoting reports in the Revi ew which appear to give authoritative advice, which could affect the liv es of handicapped people, the authors should seek specialist guidance from the appropriate body, in this case Down's Syndrome Association.

Herts Dan LillIe

CADEBY DIVISION MEDAL

from

A. S. Harman. Divisional Officer

As a medal collector, I recently purchased a St John L.S. medal issued to No. 5333 Cpl J. G. Hinton, Cadeby Div, Dist 5, SJAB, 1926 , with five 5-year bars, total service 40 yea r s, 1913 - 19 53. The medal ha s wear on two sides, which tells me it ha s come from a group

Can anyone tell me what Mr Hinton 's rank was in 1953 and where is or was the Cadeby Division?

The Fruit Garden, Black Pond Lane, Lower Bourne, Farnham GUJO 3NW A. S. Harman

with requests for items of Brigade history. I have at various times tried to no avail, to get the St John History Society to cons id er a collectors group. Indeed attempts to gain some help through Supplies Dept have failed. However, it was intere sting to see old ' T' badges being sold as collectors items'.

I wonder whether it would be possible for a collectors group to be formed to harness the interest that undoubtedly exists ? Perhaps some link with the Brigade Museum would be of mutual advantage. It see ms to me to be vital for the Brigade to harness the existing enthusiasm of collectors to preserve much of its past achievements. Indeed it is apparent that such collect ion s are popular at displays and may be of value during centenary year.

CALLING COLLECTORS 1 shall be pleased to hear both readers' and an official view. from Peter Dodds, Divisional Nursing Officer

Can I make a plea through the Review for a wider acceptance of collecters within the Brigade? I note with interest the periodic lett ers

AT THE END of March 19 86, our Division (Tilbury Cadet) recei ve d a call from Thurrock Duke of Edinburgh's Award Club. Not unusual, you may say. But it was not our first aid skills that the Thurrock Club needed. It was an invitation for us to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme's 30th anniversary walk from Buckingham Palace to Balmoral in Scotland. Some walk. And also to join with the club in a project to mark their 10th year. As 1986 was also the 10th anniversary of the formation of Tilbury Division, and our members ha ve t aken part in the award scheme with the Thurrock Club from t he very start (we have two gold, two silver and four bronze award holder s) - this was so methin g in which we just had to be involved.

The walk from Buckingham Palace to Balmoral, which started on June 22 had been well publicised by press and TV , and all we had to do was provide members to take part. But what about the Tilbury SJA / Thurrock club project? As the Essex borough of Thurrock is on the north side of the River Thames, some 25 miles down river from London, an expedition by water would be appropriate; also our division 's HQ is actually in Tilbury Docks. So this seemed an exciting and apt way of celebrating the two groups' anniversary.

A meeting was arranged to discuss the water transport we would use from Thurrock

One of he two sailing boa ts setting off for the upriver tr p.

Another side to StJohn

OUT AND ABOUTDOING EXCITING THINGS

to London and it didn ' t take long for us to settle for sailing boats and canoes. The only problem could be time of tide , but a check showed it could not have been better. On Saturday June 2 1, the da y before the start of the main walk high tide at London Bridge was pm, perfect for us as it would take about five hours to sail the 25 miles from Thurrock Yacht Club , which was to be the starting point for the two boats carrying five young people and a supervisor.

All the arrangements for the sailing part of he project were made by Thurrock Club members, and the canoeing organised by the Tilbury SJA members. In 1985, three of our members (Matthew Lane , Mark Hyde and Steven Mansfield) had completed their DoE Gold A ward expedition by canoe on the

River Wye, and over the past two yea r s our members had built a reputation for canoeing ski ll.

The first thing was to get permission for the trip from the Port of London Authority. This was given and the Authority also agreed to provide a launch to carry our canoes from Tilbury to the Thame s Flood Barrier, which is ten miles down river from Tower Bridge, or about 2+ hours paddling time. Just right. Our canoes would start paddling above the Barrier and be escorted by another PL A launch.

One thing more we needed to organise was a congratulatory scroll. addressed to His Ro yal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, and signed by all who took part or helped with our project , which would be carried b y our members on the 8-week walk to Balmor al and handed to His Royal Highness. We made the scroll.

The trip up river went without a hitch with the PLA launch Benjleet taking our canoes and crews to the Flood Barrier. After that the PLA launch Ravensb ourn 11 accompanied the canoes , all to arrive with our two sai lin g boats at the landing stage at Tower Bridge on schedule. After loadin g our boats on trailer s for the journey home , we continued to Buckingham Palace, carrying our scroll and then returned to Tilbury to start our 8-week walk to Balmoral the next day. But that s another story.

Tomm y Lane Div / Supt 19

2 Cauldon Ave, Cheddleton, Leek, Staffs ST13 7EL Peter Dodds

The canoe group (left to right) Nick Webb , 19. Mark Hyde 20 and Matthew Lane 18. T hey each have seven years canoeing experience.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

On the morning of November 8 1986 the first ever conference of Order chairman and secretaries within the Priory of Scotland took place in the Chancery in Edinburgh.

The Prior , the Viscount of Arbuthnott , presided over a gathering of representatives from twelve of the thirteen branches, and a number of executive officers.

In welcoming all those present the Prior spoke of the value in reflecting on how we gave effect to both parts of our motto - Pro Fide Pro Ulitate Hominum - and emphasised that in all our charitable efforts there should be a continuing accent on service to mankind beyond the initial monetary donation.

The Rev Tom Crichton , Chaplain , then spoke of how at present we give expression to the religious dimension of the Order and suggested ways in which this might be extended and improved.

The Chancellor, Dr Duncan Shaw, then spoke of the organisation of the Order and of how the present structure of the Priory had evolved over its forty years of existence. He suggested for consideration various changes that might be made and invited ideas on how the fortieth anniversary of the Priory in 1987 might be marked.

After a buffet lunch general discussion on the subjects raised at the morning 's session took place. As a result, various proposals on organisational and structural changes were agreed for consideration of Chapter in due course, as well as ways in which the fortieth anniversary might be celebrated.

All were agreed that the holding of the conference had been well worth while and might well be repeated on some future occasion

SJ FELLOWSHIP

THE ST JOHN AMBULANCE Brigade is 100 years old. May 1987 bring past and present members closer together in fellowship as we celebrate this birthday.

We are starting well with the formation of two more branches of the St John Fellowship, bringing the total to 63:

Boston Branch, Lincs.

Contact Miss M. P. Davies, SRN, 3 Sunningdale Drive, Boston, Lincs. PE21 8HZ

London Transport Fellowship, London District

Contact Miss L. Duckett , 306 Eastern A venue, Redbridge, IIford , Essex IG4 5AA

The Centenary Year was launched on December 2 at a ceremony in the Great Hall of St Bartholomew s Hospital , which for nearly 800 years has been a close neighbour of the Priory of the Order of St John. This launch was a press briefing to tell the world what the Brigade has done, and what it is going to continue to do in the future. Two members of the Fellowship were first to be introduced:

WALES

Miss Mary Holley, OStJ, chairman of the St John Guild, Western Area, Hants, who may be said to be the founder member of the St John Fellowship , since she had already brought her existing St John Guild to the notice of Brigade Headquarters before the Fellowship was formed. She was previousl y D / Supt of the Brockenhurst Cadet Division with 39 years Brigade service.

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

Written and illustrated by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order

D AMARAL'S treachery could not be overlooked. The Council of the Order tried him, and he was condemned to death. Why Andrea d 'A maral betrayed his comrades is not clear, but it has been thought that he considered their hopes of retaking the Holy Land were nothing but hopeless dreams, and he wanted to put an end to their needless sufferings. But the damage had been done. This act of betrayal was to achieve all that the previous assaults of the enemy had been unable to do.

Realising that the city was now at his mercy, the Sultan ordered his troops to recommence their assaults. Wave after wave of their best troops were sent against the weakened Knights, but they could not gain entry to the city.

The suffering endured by the defenders was terrible. Heat, hunger, wounds and sick ness had worn them out, and the hospital was full to overflowing. They could not hope to hold out for much longer. The English Knig ht Nicholas Fairfax had managed to slip through the Turkish fleet and reach the island of Crete where he had hoped to find reinforcemen ts, but there was none available. Storms at sea had prevented them sailing from sout hern Italy where they had assemb led

The Sultan ordered his troops to concentrate on the already weakened bastion of Englan d, and it was clear that they would soon break through into the city. The civilian population knew what fate awaited them if the strugg le continued, and they appealed to de L'lsle Adam to surrender if the Turks wou ld gra nt reasonable terms.

De L'lsle Adam was torn between putting an end to the suffering and holding to his vow never to surrender to the enemy. It was a difficult decision to make After much thought he made up his mind. They would surrender.

Suleiman The Magnificent ', respected as an enemy, was also renowned for his fairness. Rather than destroy such a gallant band, he gave the Order twelve days to pack up their equipment and leave the island He even offered them transport. It is not without regret that I force this brave man from his home in his old age,' said Suleiman , as he watched the departure of de L'Isle Adam and his followers. It was January I 1523.

Search for a home

For the next seven years the Order had no settled home. Leaving Rhodes, they sailed to the island of Crete, but they were not welcomed. From there they moved to Sicily, but an outbreak of plague forced them to leave. They then moved to Viterbo near Rome, but the plague followed them there. Finally they went to Nice in the south of

THIS is the story of two of the greal Military Orders which were part of the everyday scene in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their influences on local life. The Order of St John was founded to carefor pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to grve protectton to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of their founders. Within a few years, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wielding immense military and political power in the Holy Land and Europe. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspCClOn and disapproval. The other was to survive to the present day and in the process {urnfull circle to serve its 'masters the sick'.

France. Their morale was at its lowest ebb in their history

De L'Isle Adam did all that he could to hold the Order together. He reminded the members of their vows to serve the sick and of their aim of one day returning to the Holy Land where their foundations lay , and where they had gained their reputation. In s pite of his age, for he was now over 70 years old, he set out on a tour of Europe, visiting kings and princes seeking their help. His immediate target was to recapture the island of Rhodes , De L lsle Adam lands in Malta.

forces and arms against the perfidious enemies of Holy Faith'.

Malta

Although the rent that the Order had to pay to Charles V for the island was small - a falcon on All Saints' Day - the offer was not so generous as it appeared. Together with M alta went the responsibility for defending the port of Tripoli on the north African coast. Apart from Tri poli , almost every other port on the coast was in the hands of a Muslim ruler and the corsairs made full use of these bases, attacking Christian ships and ports all round the western Mediterranean sea.

for from there the Order cou ld continue its battles with the Turks and it was close to the Holy Land.

No-one seemed willing to help them. The fact was that by this time the idea of raising 'cr usades' had long become a thing of the past. The rulers of Europe had enough troubles of their own, and the growing Reformation movement was threatening the Catholic Church. As far as they were concerned, the Order of St John was a piece of the past , and it had no useful role to play Further, it was very wealthy and under the control of the Pope alone owing no allegiance to a European king.

Visited London

In 1528, the Grand Master visited London and had talks with Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey. As an act of kindness , Henry gave the Order nineteen cannon and a supply of cannon-balls, but little else. Other rulers also gave small presents , but in general de L'Isle Adam received little support for his ideals

One or two rulers offered him the use of small islands in the western Mediterranean, but these were of no use in the Order 's work against the Turks. In any case the rulers of these islands did not welcome the thought of a military order in their midst. The future looked bleak indeed.

Finally, in 1530, Emperor Charles V of Spain offered de L'Isle Adam the island of Malta, some sixty miles south of Sicily In the official document drawn up for the purpose, Charles stated that he gave them the island in order that they may perform in peace the duties of the religion for the benefit of the Christian community and employ their

The Grand Master dispatched a group of Knights to survey the island of Malta , and the report s he received were not encouraging. The land was barren and the climate was very hot and unpleasant. The islanders were little more than barbarians, speaking a mixture of languages quite unlike anything the Knights had come across. The villages also were frequently attacked by corsairs. In its weakened condition, the Order would be hard-pressed to settle on the island and fulfil its obligations to defend it and Tripoli.

Last opportunity

De L lsle Adam realised, however. that this was probably his last opportunity to keep the Order together. In the autumn of 1530, the Order assembled in Messina in Sicil y and loaded its equipment for the voyage. Headed by their great carrack Santa Anna. under the command of the Grand Prior of England, William Weston. de L'Isle Adam and the Knights set sail for Malta. As the Santa Anna and the galleys edged their way into the largest of the two harbours on the north coast (later called Grand Harbour) it became clear that the reports of the scouting party had been only too accurate. The autumn sun was still very hot and the crews perspired profusely as they worked at the great oars. The light hone y-coloured rock reflected the glare, hurtin g the eyes of the Knights as they peered at their new home. To their right rose the great bulk of Mount Sciberras, barren and shimmering in the heat. To their left was more rock and reddish brown soil, where the land sloped more gently away from the water and on towards the south of the island

As they progressed slowly up the harbour they saw the small fortress of St Angelo perched on the tip of a promontory, and beyond it the little fishing village of Birgu. It was not a promising beginnin g to a new chapter in the life of the Order.

News from Divisions/Centres

HANTS: Caroline Elsworthy, of Winchester City N/ c Division , receives her Grand Prior Award from Area Commissioner David Guy, with Deputy Cty Comm Harry Dymond and DI S Mrs A. Streeter.

LI NCS: Skegness members demonstrating during a Save-a-Life course (Photo: Skegness News.)

AT NEWARK Ambulance and Nursing Cadet Divisions joint enrolment service on November 23 the Rev Alan Howes blessed the nursing cadets' new Rag, given to them by their President Mrs Patricia Hine , and eight nursing cadets and one ambulance cadet were enrolled.

OBITUARY

E. Buckingham, 77 , ex -Staff Sgt, Woodford Green N. London. Serving Brother. Hon. member St Neots (Cambs) Division. 37 years service. Standard bearer at two St Paul's Cathedral services. Died September 29.

Bill Dodds, SEN, Supt Novocastrian (Staffs) , of which he was founder member in 1937, until 1975 , then on Reserve. Serving Brother. Died after major illness October 24

Frank Jenner, Ambulance Member with Cranleigh (Surrey) Division for more than 40 years

Frank Murkin, member for many years in Essex and author of hi s world -wide experiences as a member of SJA Aeromedical Services which were serialised in the Revie w Died in Taunton October 27.

Horace Rawson, Sgt Derby Combined Divi s ion. Serving Brother. Died April 8. Aubrey Staniforth, ASO , South Derbyshire Serving Brother. Died October 7.

Jack Winter, 6 5, Area Superintendent , Oxfordshire to 1985 , then President Wantage Cadet Divi s ion which he founded 30 years earlier. He joined Port s mouth Cadet Division at age of 12. Commander of the Order. Died September 27.

AVON: The dedic ati o n of Bishop ston A & N D

NORFOLK: (Below

CHESHIRE: (Above)

ear and heart . ( 7). 21. Stupid animal? (3). 22. Speech defect. (7). 24, Exercise a standard of conduct. (7). 26. Edi ble grain resulting from di sorder in male. (4).27. Tied to food regimen. (4).29 Show weariness when doctor has no thi ng before small operation (5) 31. May pant in ear-drums. (7). 32. A case of cutler y for the dining place. (7). 33. Hormone-deficienc y d ise ase produced by mixing 27 Across and 30 Down. (8). 34. Pioneer in the field of smallpox prophylaxis. (6).

Down:

1 Inflammation of a vein (9). 2. Inactive medicine from location with unpleasant smell. (7). 3 Facial appearan ce due to wo rry or old age (5). 5. Apprehensi ve being sick but comfortable ? (3-2-4). 6. Deceased after the due time (4) 7. Drug inducin g high temperature. (7) 8. Having a feeling of healthy bodily warmth. (5), 9, One-eyed god of war. (4). 15. Final product of metabolism of 25 Down . (4). 17. Intense aversion. (4). 18 Precur sor of bone during skeletal de velopment. (9) 20 Lid retractor giving a s urprisin g enlightenment ? (3 -6). 23. Toxic state due to renal failure. (7). 25. Take one trip for essential part of 27 Across . (7). 26. Muffled the sound, (5). 28. Credit for a paras ite . (4). 29. Crowded together is stupid. (5). 30 Foundation for part of the skull. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 12 (86)

Across: 1. Ductless; 5. Lactic; 10 Lantern; 12. Retinal ; 13 Son ; 14. Rate ; 15. Talc; 16. Rears; 19. Crick; 20. Roisterer ; 23 Not on call ; 25 Mad·am; 26 Local; 29. Norm; 30 Host; 32. Lot ; 33. Erupted; 34 E·motion; 35. Ten·don; 36. Pyogenic.

Down: 1. Do·l·or; 2 Constrict; 3. Lien; 4. Sino-atrial node; 6. Alter; 7. Tin·ea; 8 Co·lost·rum; 9. Brachial artery; 11. Toe ; 17. Eye; 18. Skin ; 19. Confluent; 21. To·mb; 22. Red lotion ; 24. Ova 27. Churn ; 28. Lot·to; 30. Hot; 31. Tonic; 32 Long.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

National First Aid Competitions 1987

May

May

decided

Oct o ber 14 POST OFFICE Norb reck Castl e Ho tel (Men and Women) Blackpool

October 28 BRITISH RAIL, LONDON TRANSPORT RAIL Winter Gardens (Men and Women) Eastbourne

December 1 GRAND PRIOR'S TROPHY Fairfield Halls (Men a n d Women) Croydon

ST JOHN REVIEW

Volume 60 No.2 Contents

Raffle winner co ll ects p.25

SJA Fellowship p 26

Ta lki ng Point p 26

Essex says The Hyde Park Party p.27

Grand Prior s Trophy p .2 8

On the Canterbury road p 30

Around and About by the Editor p.32

The First Three Years (FAW) p.35

Cadet Focus by Jim p.36

Presidents meet p.38

About Medals (8) Final p.39

Order Investiture, Dec 4 p.40

New Year Honours

THE FOLLOWING Honours have been awarded to members of the Order of St John for public services not necessarily connected with the Order.

CBE: Mr C. F. Payne, QPM, DL ( Commander St John Ambulance , Cleve land .)

OBE: Dr D. B. Price, MB, BCh, BSc, DRCOG, FRCGP (Lately Chief Commissioner, Priory for Wales. )

MBE: Mr J. L. Wilkjnson (Lately Area Commjssioner , Cheltenham and Cotswold , Gloucestershire.)

BEM: Mrs R. Beadnell (Divisional Superintendent Nursing, Marske Division, Clevela nd. )

BEM: Mrs F. M. E. Edmonds (Nursing Member Kidlington Divisio n , Oxfordshire.)

Raffle Winner

THE St John Ambulance nationwide raffie ' s first prize of a Peugeot 309 car was collected by Mr Barry Cox , of Wimborne, Dorset from the Pavilion Theatre Bournemouth , on December 20 (some Christmas present). His existing car , an elderly Morris Minor, just didn t make it to Bournemouth and his mother-in-law had to bring Barry and his wife to collect the prize. A grass track racing dri ve r , Mr Cox said he had often been picked up for 'repairs by SJA members. The 1986 raffle raised £91 , 197 for SJA throughout the country compared with £53 ,800 in 1985. It is hoped to have two new cars as prizes in the 1987 raffle So , stand b y .. . .

Queen Mother says IVes' to invitation to Fello\Nship tea

NOTICE is hereby g iven that the fourth Annual General Meeting of the St John Fellowship will take place at St James ' Palace London SW 1 on Wednesday , May 6 1987. Items for the agenda should reach me by March 15 1987.

Members will be delighted to hear that HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother has agreed to come to tea with us after the meeting in recognition of the service given by

former members of the Brigade over so many years.

I hope that every branch of the Fellowship will be represented at this our own centenary celebration. I shall be writing to branches with further details.

31 Malvern Court, Onslow Square, London SW7 3HY Sheila Puckle National Se cre tal ),

EsselC says •

THE CULMINATION of a two-year detailed study of the cadet movement of St John in Esse x was the subject of a high lev el stud y day held at the Agricultural College in Writtle last November

Those who a ttended the study day, and the y included the Commissioner-in-Chief, th e Superintendent -i n-C hief, Chief Officer of Cadets, a lar ge number of se nior officers from the neighbourin g counties a nd most of th e ad ult and cade t officer s of Essex, heard the Chief Scout, Major -Gener al Walsh. and I3rigadier John Rigby of the BRCS talk about their organisations.

Colonel Geoffrey Morgan Deputy Commissioner for Essex, gave the audience a resume of the very full a nd len gt hy report produced by the gro up who had been asked to carry out the st ud y He mentioned some of it s 47 recomme nd ations , which ranged from the need to amend Brigad e

PARK 'N' RIDE TO

Regulation 79 and the requirement to produce new and updated training manuals , to the desirability of making changes in the cadet uniform.

Mr Budd, the Chief Officer of Cadets, was asked to give HeadquarteTs opinion of the report. He began by commending the initiative that had led to the study being set up and the thoroughness with which it had been completed. He said that, although asked to give the HQs opinion he was unable to do so (Edit: he would cease to be Chief Officer Cadets from the end of 1986.) Instead he gave his personal ideas about some of the recommendations.

The Chief Scout began his talk by defining the ai m of sco uting and commented that the St John cadet organisation did not appear to ha ve a very clear aim. He went on to talk about the new scout

The Hyde Park Party

SO LV E A LL your worries about how to get to the Great Part y on Jun e 20! Forget leaving at the crack of dawn and getting back shatte red because of the journey! Spend the weekend with us at K nebworth Park , in Hertfordshire. You can be in central London by electric train in just half an hour from the nearby station.

TALKING POINT

Essex Cadet Group report ...

THIS PAGE contains a report on an excellent and stimulating Officers' Study Day held at Writtle Agricultural College, Essex, on Sunday, November 23. (That the chairman of the Review Board is an active member of St John Essex is of course not relevant!)

Titled 'Cadet Organisation ', the theme of this year's study day was based on a report by an Essex Cadet Group.

The day was enhanced by the presence of a top echelon from National HQ: the Commissioner-in-Chief, the Superintendent-in-Chief and the Chief Officer for Cadets, as well as by staff officers from neighbouring counties.

Many of the conclusions of the report are worthy of comment: Senior cadet groups should be established; award certificates should be issued promptly. Cadet officers should be young enough to relate to their divisional members and should not be discriminated against by adult divisions. Recruiting should be encouraged from schools and priority given to the age group 8-11 (and from the Badgers). Proficiency subjects should

be expanded and badges for the subjects awarded (as in the Scout Mo ve ment). New editions of preliminary manuals should be produced as soon as po ss ibl e, especially for juniors. Cadets should attend public duties under adult supervision and be involved in active training ; and cadet camps must be encouraged Uniform changes are urged (again ?) Cadet service should count towards adult service.

There is much food for thought in these the main conclusions.

Most impressive was the talk by the Chief Scout; one of many appealing ideas in his talk was the 'patrol' system - one senior cadet to be the leader of a group of six, who remain together as a team for as long as possible. This helps teach leadership and responsibility.

A stimulating and interesting study day. Well done, all concerned!

(Copies of the conclusions of Ih e reporl can be obtained from the Depuly Commissioner, SI John Ambulance HQ 140 Mildmay Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 OEB.)

N.P.

St John Ambulance Family Rallies began in 1981, with the objective of enabling families to be together at social gatherings. Usuall y over a weekend, they have been self-catering events for owners of caravans, motor homes , trailer-tents or tents. We've barn danced in a barn, beseiged Alton Towers, and crossed white water rapids (on foot). Now we want you to join us in hav ing fun at the greatest party of the century.

The site

K nebworth Park is just off the A I eM) in beautiful Hertfordshire countryside. It is within easy reach of the M I and M 25 motorways and other major trunk routes from the North and West. The family seat of the Lyttons , the Tudor mansion in the 260 acre park dates from 1492. More recently it has been the site of huge pop concerts; there are plans for the development of new leisure facilities.

The rally It is intended to open on Thursday, June 18 in the afternoon and go through until Tuesday, June 23. You can stay for one night only or for more ; longer stays may also be po ssi ble. You are welcome, providing ju st one member of your family is a member of some part of St John - Brigade, Order, Fellowship, etc - regardless of age! You will need your own accommodation and cooking facilities; the provision of your own sanitation will be essential - chemical disposal points will be available.

RESULTS OF TWO-YEAR STUDY OF OUR CADETS

training scheme and finished by pointing out that Venture Scouts were an excellent group of people for St John Divisions to recruit from, since unle ss they became Scout Leaders, there was nothing else in scouting fo r young people afte r the age of 21.

Two young SJA cadet officers of the county, Dicken Hughes and Kay Fraser , were asked to give their views on the report. Neither agreed with all the recommendations, but both welcomed the fresh look it gave to the cadet organisation, and the awareness it had aroused among all members of St John in the county and beyond. Mr Charles Sparrow, the County Commissioner, then in vited those who had been listening to the presentation s to give their views on the report and its recommendation s Tommy Lane , Superintendent of the Tilbury Combined Cadet Division spoke

for most of those present when he welcomed the report and said he hoped that now it had produced suc h sensible ideas for improving the organisation, they would be implem ented and not left to gat her dust. Mr Sparrow gave his assurance that he wo uld do his best to have them put into practice and hoped that the Commissioner-in-Chief and the Superintendent-in-Chief would suppo rt his effort s The study day was the third held in Essex to consider in depth issues of vital concern to the future of St John. The fir st, two years ago. considered leadership and it s place in St John. Last yea r's subject was the place and importance of women in St J oh n These studies give Brigade officer s the c hance to hear the views of others who have had to face similar problems to their own and how they solved them.

Stay overnight atSJA

Family Rally

A programme for the rally will include a soc ial evening on Saturday night ; other ideas, such as a barbecue or dinner are being explored. During the weekend there will also be the Volvo Club 's classic car rally in the park.

To and from the party

The station is a few minutes from the park entrance. There will be plenty of parking (If there's sufficient demand , we could look into shuttle transport to and from the park.) The electric train service runs at half-hourly intervals and takes 30 to 35 minute s, plus a short tube journey to Hyde Park. Incidentally, while we're away the site will be looked after for us.

Cost per pitch

£3 per night, plus a £3 administration fee , regardless of the number of nights you stay. E.g.: 1 night = £6; 2 nights = £9 etc.

The administration fee will include the cost of hiring a marquee or hall for the Saturday evening gathering and knees -up. There is no restriction on the number of people on one pitch.

Booking

If we are to go ahead with these plans, we must have at least a certain number of units to make it worth while. If you intend to come, WRITE NOW to: Phil Player, 130 Nines prings Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

Say how many units (i.e., caravans, etc) you wish to make a booking for and enclose a large stamped addressed envelope. Your booking will be acknowledged only if enough people respond. We cannot go ahead if too few.reply. Do not send any money at this stage.

The deadline date for indicating that you want us to go ahead is March 1, so write to Phil now.

Ian Phipps, Rally Steering Committee

THE SUCCESS of the Three Cross Award video owes much to the endeavours of some police first aid instructor s from Hendon. It was their uncomfortable' task to convincingly bring alive Emergency Aid on the video.

As a thank you, the Association branch recently held a small reception at Grosvenor Crescent to present them with honorary membership of the St John Ambulance Association and a copy of the video. Peter Galloway, Assistant Director -General, who pre se nted the awards, said that as well as teaching school children emergency aid he also hoped that by learning how to administer emergency aid children may also learn how to care more , and so eventually be less inclined to acts of violence and thinking twice before causing others pain It was the first time the instructors had seen the completed video and all were impressed by its quality and thought how well Jim Foster - 'Jim' - linked together the sequences. John Care, the street casualty, said that while lying in the road for the filming at least four London ambulances stopped to assist him. When

asked if he enjoyed the mouth -to - mouth resuscitation by Janet Fielding , the beach casualty, Ken Atkinson said that he was too pre -occupied with avoiding hypothermia to be able to enjoy anything

Schools project officers meet The first get- together of county schools project officers (o r repre sentatives) will be at St John's Gate, Clerkenwell , London, on February 26.

It is hoped that by poolin g experiences over the past year, and discussing new ideas, we will all benefit and make plans for an even more successful year ahead. There has been much progress with the schools project in man y counties and with their help and advice, counties who are experiencing difficulties may find a way to re-assess their approach to the project and utilise the success of others to their advantage.

Thank you again for the information you have sent me regarding the schools project in your area. I am sure you know by now how important it is for us to receive this feed-back.

Anne

1.

Macleod, Schools Project Officer

B. N.

Police actors John Care, Ken Atkinson and Jim Foster receive a copy

RESULTS

Grand Prior's Trophy

THE CULMINATION of a yea r 's hard work for fir s - aid teams from a llover the country came at the end of November with the Grand Prior 's Trophy Competition. The champion teams, having competed throughout the year to repr ese nt their industry in the Grand Final converged on the Fai rfi e ld Halls in Croydon for the eve n t. They were put through their pace s in both individual and team tests on impressi ve ly reali s tic sets rangin g from woodl a nd scene to railway halt , comp le te, of course , wi th alarmin g ly convincing casualti es. Thirteen men s teams and n ine women's team s gave their best throu g hout the day , striving for the coveted titles and magnificent trophie s.

As the last tests were in progess, Her Royal Hi g hne ss The Duchess of Gloucester arrived and accompanied by the DirectorGeneral Robert Balchin, looked at th e display mounted in the foyer featuring all aspects of the work of St John Ambulanc e With great interest , she then watched the final teams in action and later met both com petitor s a nd casualtie s. The climax of the day was reached with the announcement of the re s ults The Director-General presided at the ce r emony, and thanked all w ho had taken part in organising or compet ing in the event , and the Duchess, her self a qualified first-aider , presented the t rophie s to the winning teams.

The men 's c hamp ionship trophy was won by the Lancashire Constabu lary, the runners up were the St John Ambulance team from Markham Main. The St John team had another success ; their fourth team member , Tony Delaney was awarded the trophy for the highe st sco ring individual.

British Gas triumphed in the women 's competition , winning the championship trophy Once again a St John Ambu ance team, Glynneath N ur sing Division, were second A member of the winning team, Madge Mitchell made her second appearance on the stage to receive her award as highest sco ring individua l.

Highest ndivid ual scores (Left) Madge Mitchell of British Gas (No rt hern) team with 53 points, a nd Ton y De la ney of SJA ( M arkham Main) with 54 points.

NEAR THE village of Swingfield, which is on the Canterbury road in Kent, 7 miles from Folkestone and 5 from Dover, stands a large gaunt stone building with lancet windows of a religious house. It is the chapel and all that remains of the once prosperous Commandery established by the Order of St John in the 12th century and was built between 1145 and 1150, in the reign of King Stephen of England and Pope Eugene III. The Commandery was founded by the Sisters of the Order who in their red habits were seen going about their charitable work in the area for only 35 years, when they were moved to Buckland , Somerset in 1180. After the second seige of the Order's headquarters in Rhodes in 1522 , when the knights surrendered to the enemy with great loss of life, the sisters went into mourning and from then on wore black until the Order was dissolved in England in 1540.

Brethren Took Over

After the Sisters had departed in 1180, Swingfield (or Swenefield, in the early spelling) Commandery was taken over by the Brethren (Brothers) of the Order until the Dissolution, when it became Crown property and soon a farmhouse. It was still used as part of the St John Farm buildings until 10 years ago, when it was acquired by the Department of Environment. After a 10-year restoration programme the building is now administered by the English Heritage (of the Historic Building and Monument Commission), or is ours, in other words, the peoples', and should you wish to visit this fine old chapel of St John, write or phone Mrs Bayly (who holds the keys) at nearby St John Farm , Swingfield, Dover , phone Selsted (030383) 202.

When you enter the chapel from the south door there are three beautiful shafted lancet windows which face east, and over them can be seen the outlines of three circular openings which are now filled in with stone. In the late 14th century the original steeply pitched roof (covered with wood or thatch) was replaced by the present splendid crown

chapel. The blocked doorway once led to the south wing of the farmhouse (which existed when I was a boy). There is a fine moulded 16th-century ceiling which was concealed for many years. I"ooking at the porch from outside one can see the outline where the shield of the Order was once displayed.

In 1540 the extensive Commandery lands were leased to a Mr Thorgood and T. Horseley; but in 155 I Henry Palmer, of Wingham, was granted the house and site which remained in the family until 1770219 years. The site included many buildings to the north-west of the chapel, some being used as late as ) 941 for farm purposes. In 1806 most of the Commandery buildings had fallen down or been demolished , often for their stone for other building s. How lucky we are that the chapel survived!

Swingfield Commandery

post roof with its collar purlins. It was the erection of this new roof that caused the circular lights to be abandoned ·and closed.

The two storey entrance porch may also have been added at the same time.

It seems certain that while still in the Order 's possession the chapel's size was reduced by partitioning a part of the west end to make two rooms, one above the other, as extra accommodation. This could have been about 1526 when the Commander was Sir John Rawson, Prior of Ireland. After the Dissolution in 1540 a large chimney was built through the roof and the whole chapel was floored over, with a storage cellar under.

The windows on the north side were altered and bogus lancets constructed to match the south side in style though not in position. The well preserved lancets on the south side are original. On entering the chapel one gets an impression of what it looked like in the 14th century and how it was transformed into a farmhou se

On the south wall east of the doorway is a consecration eight pointed cross and nearby a modern stairway leads to the first floor.

Here is a gallery in the place once occupied by its late medieval predecessor, with a short passage leading to a later bedroom. Off the bedroom is a small room above the porch

Traces of medieval stone work are visible in the adjacent wall. Excavations in 1977 uncovered the foundations of the choir stalls and screen. Remaining in the chapel is an aumbry (for keeping vessels) and also two piscinas (for washing vessels and hands). A bracket on the north wall once supported a statue. During the excavations three skeletons were also found and a fourth, in a lead coffin, was located but not uncovered.

Visitors entering the chapel through its medieval north-west porch, with its two feet thick walls, face the former farmhouse parlour, the south wall being that of the

In 1338 The Grand Master of Rhodes , de Villeneneuve, requested the Prior of England, Philip-de-Thame , to make inventories of all the Order's properties in England (about 200), which included Swingfield Commandery These inventories can be seen in the archives of the Order in Malta.

At that time the Commander of Swingfield was Sir Ralph Basset, and also in residence were a sergeant, bailiffs stewards, three chaplains, cooks , bakers, chambermen, boys to wait on the Commander and other officials , and also a Serving Brother and a Corrody holder. The last was a person entitled to accommodation and sustenance at the house usually as a result of his gifts or a cash payment to the Order.

The income of Swingfield was made up of marks and English money (in all £82) from rents of land , a windmill (larger than the one at Clerkenwell), a dovecot and contributions from the faithful at nearby St Peter's, Swingfield, and St Andrew's, Tilmanstone.

The two churches were appropriated to the Order by Archbishop Stephen Langton in ) 216. The north chancel window of Tilmanstone Church includes the arms of the Order in stained glas s.

Three Priors of England

Of the nine known Commanders of Swingfield, three of them became Priors of England. They were William Huiles, John Weston and William Weston () 527 ) William Weston was at the la st seige of Rhodes and also commanded the g reat ship Sal1ta A I1l1a on passage from Cyprus to Malta in 1530.

Sir William (as he later became) Weston was the last Grand Prior of the Order of St John in England up to the Dissolution

That large, gaunt stone building , with more than just the air of a religious house , which stands nearby the Canterbury road in Kent to this day, is there for all to visit, to look at and to feel ... to feel a part of the history of the Order in England, which (as today in the form of St John Ambulance) was once a part of the everyday life of the country.

Compiled from material

supplied byJACK HEWITT

MATCHMAKER WIN

Lytham St Annes SJ A members Stewart and Alison Dow had to say no to a celebration trip to Malta-until they scooped £ 10,000 in Express Newspapers golden matchmaker contest, I learn from the Sunday Express. Stewart, 37, and Alison, 32, could not afford to go on the Brigade centenary visit but, as they sipped champagne during a reception at Express Newspapers in Manchester, Mr Dow said: 'The trip is now on!'.

The couple were invited to take part in the Golden Matchmaker accumulator draw.

SUNBURN?

The first aid post holiday camp duty at Canet in the south of France, which is covered by UK SJA members for five summer months, last year involved a staggering 9,249 cases (or 462 a week)albeit many of them minor.

Details of this year's duty were given this column last month.

BE WARY

Ipswich Association Manager, Colin Pickess, writes:

On a four-day FA W course, during the instruction on taking pulses, had done the normal procedure (i.e. explaining) and then the class (with a partner) checked one another's pulse rates which, of course, afterwards called for an analys is of results. Bearing in mind that the average heartbeat is 72, I explained that there is obviously a high and a low pulse. One of the students said he had found a pulse rate of 39. Assuming he had made a mistake, cheGked his subject and, much to my surprise, I obtained a rate of 38. Obviously, something was wrong.

WHAT'S GOING

IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

Papworth Hospital, where the original pacemaker was replaced, Obviously he was unable to finish the four-day course , but I am pleased to report that he is now fit and well and has booked to attend another first aid course.

So be wary when doing the circu lation se ssion.

RN GIRLS

Queen Alexandra student nurses Carol Vaughan and Jane Olver who both joined the Royal Navy Nursing Service in July 1984, met during the 6-weeks basic training at HMS Raleigh at Torpoint, Devon and

CIVIL DEFENCE

SHARP END

out of 25. Take it easy, Jane

During a break I quizzed the gentleman concerned about his pulse. He declined to give much information, but he did say he felt a bit lifeless, I then suggested he should see his GP. His reply was 'What, immediately?' I suggested 'as soon as possible', He agreed The same evening I received a phone call

from his wife, thanking me for my alertness, as her husband was now in Guy's Hospital, London Apparently he had had a pacemaker fitted seven years before and a wire had come adrift. By the time he got to Guy's his pulse rate was down to 29. They repaired the pacemaker and then transferred him to

County / District headquarters have been advised of forthcomin g vacancies for the next six months cycle of Civil Defence College courses at Easingwold, North Yorkshire , as follows:

Course 87/16A: April 21-24 '87

(Joint SJ A/BRCS course)

Aim: To give officers an understanding of civil defence and their potential contribution to it. (30 vacancies for staff officers,)

Course 87/25: June 22-26 '87

(Environmental Health Officers' course)

Aim: To help wartime Environmental Health Officers discharge their responsibilities in civil defence planning and operat ion s. (Vacancy for I surgeon.)

Course 87/28: July 13-17 '87

(General course)

Aim: To fit officers to assist m the development and execution of civil defence plans. (Vacancy for I staff officer.)

Nomina tions are to be made as soon as possible through the usual channels. Allocation of places on these courses will be made by Brigade HQ from lists submitted by County/ District HQs.

JUBILEE

Commissioner ,

and present members

of

At Lynton ( N Devon) Combined Division 's 50th anniversary bazaar and exhibition held in the Town Hall which closed with a fancy dress parade and social evening.

have remained friends since. They are both SJA nursing members (and ex-cadets) who are now on their third year of training at the RN Hospital Haslar at Gosport , Hants.

Carol is a member of Nottingham 's Blidworth Colliery Combined Division , and Jane of Guildford Nursing Division , Surrey. They both keep in touch with their divisions when on home leave. (See photo above.)

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Following the successful 1985 season, thanks to enthusiastic support from divisions from various parts of the country, who responded to our invitation in the Review, first aid cover was again provided at Newquay's Town Beach during the 1986 summer.

Tragedy hit the town just before the season opened when a lifeguard was killed by a cliff debris fall near our hut and to which we then lost access. But the local authority loaned us a cubicle which with our ambulance enabled us to open for the season.

The first SJ A team , D / O Keith Griffin and four lively young first-aiders from Dawdon Colliery Division, Co Durham arrived on July 12. Then a contingent from Pershore

(Worcs) Division followed , under the eye of D / S Sue Jeavons and Ken Perry (on a second visit). Early August saw the arrival, again for a return visit, of John and Yvonne Marland, with their group of 40 adults and cadets from Yardley Quad Division, West Midlands who camped out. Cornwall SJA Interlink West helped out during the middle of August, with John Dennis providing the cover. D / S Caroline Meldon, with Janice Jones and Pat Dutton , and their party of 12 adults and cadets from Dudley Div is ion near Wolverhampton, closed the season of Newquay Beach duty at the end of August.

Only 81 cases were treated during 1986 compared with 228 in 1985, due no doubt to the fact of us losing use of our beach hut and the poor summer. Our 1987 season begins on June 20, and we should again like to welcome SJA teams for this holiday duty Our ambulance hall (with cooker, crockery , toilets , etc) will again be available as free accommodation to visiting divisions (bring airbeds and sleeping bags), and with a party

of four to six members there would be pl e nt y of time off duty to e njoy a holiday.

The period August 8 to 22 has already been provi s ionally booked by Great Barr (Birmingham) Division. Interested di visions should get in touch with our secretary, John Slocombe, 72 Bonython Road Newquay, Cornwall TR 7 3AL, phone Newquay 873840. (See pa ge 39 for photographs.)

WATCH THE BIRDIE

Jo a n Woodbridge, Amersham Fellowship, writes ( reference Beware High Flyers, Nov '86 R eview).

1 recently visited East Africa and spent five days on safari in the National Wildlife Park s. On these safa ri s it was considered safe for us to get out of the Land - ro ver in certain areas (i.e., those equipped with the usual 'co n ve niences ') On one such occasion our guide -driver said we cou ld also eat our packed lunches. But why should I (t h e only SJ A member of the group) be picked on as a target by an African kite? (O r at least my sandwiches, in hand, still in foil, but opened ready for consuming?) The kite appeared from nowhere (we were watching a group of

monkeys nearby) and grabbed my lunch , its talon scratching my finger at the same time. My FA treatment was to make the wound bleed a little, spit on a clean tissue , wipe the cut, and then apply insect bite cream - the only antiseptic I had. There were no unpleasant after effects. In fact, I became quite proud of my kite mark ' Kite bite. Call it what you will. But yes, the R eview did warn us back in November - BEWARE HIGH FLYERS. (And not only feathered ones

FIRST AID AT WORK

YOURS

The First Three Years

I CAN REMEMBER very vividl y the anxiety I fe lt that first Jul y. The previous week had seen the comp le tio n of a course usi ng the old style of teaching a nd now I was having to use the new sty le - the First Aid at Work package. Looking back I realise how naive was as an instructor of the new method and what 'gu in ea - pigs were the first bunc h of students. The fo llowin g are my perso na l t houg ht s and reRections on the first three years and the changes that have been made. How the 3 years have affected t he studen ts, courses and instructors

Booklet

During the first year it was very hard going, as most of the students were unprepared for the concentration of effort, pace and t he new way of examining. It was obvio u s a sizeable proportion of the stude nt s had no idea of the course content and that some e mployers were sending the wrong type of person. This was overcome by producing a descriptive booklet w hi ch set out the course work , advised employer s on the choice of candidate and reminded them of their legal ob li gations. Once this booklet beca me well circulated a noticeable change took place. New s tudent s are younger, brighter and more active. Candidates who preferred the lecture-chalk -an d - board co urse gradually dropped away. The s tud ents now often say how much they enjoy the courses and how much fun it all is, an d '1 never realised there was so much Roor work, how much bare s kin to work on' and, 't hat we are actua lly expected to touch one another To ga uge students' opinion of the courses a questionnaire , which s regularly updated, is handed out at the end of each course. Basically it is to find out what the st ud e nts think of the instructors , the course the venue, why they have come, what they think of St John and whether they would like to join.

Not Long Enough

The last two questions bring some inter est ing answers. They think St John is wonderful', does a marvellous job ', 'co uldn t be done without', and it is surprising the number of people who wish to

learn more about how to become a member.

With very few exceptions students say four days is not long enough for the full course

One of the biggest problems of the package has been the examination. For the students it is hard work, but they are not unhappy about the thoroughness of it. It is explained to them at the beginning of the course and they accept that they may not pass. Some of them say they wou ldn 't h ave it any other way after puttin g so much effort into the learning. If they receive the certificate it is something to be proud of and they know they will fee l competent to put into practice what they have learned. If they fail, they ha ve not wasted their time. What they have learned will help to save a life and in many cases they return to take the who le course aga in and usually get through the examination s uc cessfully.

The instructors find the volume of paperwork a hassle In our area , instructing has to cease at 12.30 p.m on Day 4 , the last written work handed out , marked , entered up. posted on the board and the rooms prepared for the examination, the students briefed once again and ready to start the examination prompt at 2 p.m. We have had to adapt the package to take in the prevailing requirements of industry and commerce, the doctors who do the examination and the local travel arrangements, so that everyone is finished by 5 p.m. It is quite an organisational feat to get 20 to 22 people through the examination in 3 hours.

Another hurdle to be overcome was persuading the doctors to adopt the new approach. They were sceptical and some were against change. Eve n t ually the remainder were happy to put some time in at a workplace to ge t the feel of what first aid in a working situation was all about and to learn first aid procedures at the 'scene'. the examining teams work together smoothly. They have also worked to achieve a sta ndard which when compared with the start has gradually improved. The candidates coming back for the refresher and rs-examination pose some problems which are still to be overcome. By writing a letter to the employer pointing out why and where their candidate failed and advising how they can

overcome this problem , has gone some way to alleviating the high number of failures first e n countered, but there is s till a lot of educating to be done to get the p asses on the refreshers up to a s atisfactor y percentage. The FA W package has made a marked difference to the quality of the instructing. As the years have progressed it is noticeable how the standard has impro ved. The instructors have become profes sio nal in their manner confident without being arrogant. and above all more enthusia s tic. Contrary to expectation s the instructing has not degenerated into 'a utonoma·. Each instructor has brought hi s own personal experience into the teaching , often researching into subjects they knew little about , and above all learned how to involve students in active partic ipa tion in s uch a way that they sometimes don ' t even reali se it is happening. Each instructor has de ve lop ed h is or her own particular style and when compatibly partnered provide a varied. interesting and invigorating course.

Failing

The employers were very put out at first if a candidate failed to make the grade. Some were downright rude, as it was assumed by them that by paying' certificates were automatic. Letter writing, visits and good public relations methods have won over the majority. There is still a lot to be done. however, in the way of educating the employers, as far too many are still only 'paying lip service to the law', but attitudes are g radu ally being changed.

The package st ill has faults from the instructor's point of vie w. [t would be silly to believe everything is perfect. One of the main faults is the continued printing of outdated information. How lon g will it be before the new Riddor will be incorporated into 'dutie s of a first-aider' and for how much longer is the suicide section to be continued in the Burns and Scalds ? It really is time the Fire Service was consulted about the rescue of persons from a building. When is the treatment of eyes going to be updated to conform to the current regulations? And when amendments are made. when are the Continued

(Left) RN girlsStudent nurses Carol Vaughan and Jane Olver. See story

CADET FOCUS

THE title of our regular cadet articles has been changed, you'll notice. Cadet Focus is in fact far more suitable for our articles. Weare not just chatting, we are focusing on ideas which should help those who run cadet sections and divisions. Write to Jim if you have any particular problem in your cadet division.

Activity: Paper

quiz

WORKING IN teams, the cadets must de v ise a quiz fro m the pi le of newspapers and magazines which you have previously pro v ided. Allow approximatel y 15 minutes for them to do this before Letting each leader move to a neighbouring team with his quiz Teams must then complete the quiz presented to them in the given time (for example, five minutes ), after which the leaders move on to the next team and so on.

Just to give yo u a few ideas for suitable quizzes , here are a few suggestions.

Cut out pictures of objects (such as cars, vacuum cleaners microwave ovens and the like) in such a way that not all of the object can be seen. Mount them on paper or card and number them. The other teams must identify each item.

Cut out a number of news stories and separate them from their headlines then mount both on separate pieces of paper or card. The teams must pair up the story to its headline and the team which completes the puzzle in the s hortest time wins.

Affix advertisements on to paper or card, having previously cut out any reference to the name of the product being advertised.

Teams must correctly identify the produc or service being offered in each case.

Devi se a news quiz, the answers to which may be found by looking through the pages of one or more newspapers When the teams

come to try this quiz, the leaders should encourage the newspaper(s) to be divided , s heet by sheet, among the whole team to both save time and ensure t hat everybody is in volved in the activity.

Cut out and affix to paper or card photograph s of famous people. Teams must correctly identify them

Using the' front page of a non -tab loid newspaper, make a jigsaw by sticking the paper on to card and cutting it into a number of geometric shapes. Teams can either make one difficult puzzle or, better still, each cadet can make their own to be completed by an individual in the other teams. This would ensure that everybody is kept busy! Once again, when teams come to complete the jigsaw, the one which does so in the shortest time is the winner.

Organise an afternoon of 3-legged sports, for example, hockey, basketball, tennis and so on. The really adventurous will attempt 3-legged leapfrog and long jump.

Divide your unit into teams of, say, three members and provide each team with a bag of assorted items of food. These could be anything from bananas to dehydrated mince. Teams must return to the HQ at the end of

the meeting with the food prep a red in as appetising a way as possible.

Have a series of talks from a policeman , marriage guidance councillor, poacher, Buddhist di sc jockey, MP, taxi driver, fireman yo ur County Commissioner a sailor, drug addict, vicar , punk, a rti st, journalist, explorer , s port sma n , yo uth worker, blind person, nun or mana gin g director - about their work, life, hobbies or beliefs.

Rai se funds by makin g s trin g pi ctu r es, s hell ornaments, rope mat s and potholder s, jewellery, model s from matches, lamp shades, pottery carvings , candles , by se llin g seco ndhand books to book s hop s, make ra g rugs or bottle lamp s.

An idea for dark nights

Collect used tubes or toilet rolls. Across one end stick a firm card.

Issue these to each cadet. Then hand around cards, show ing the various star formations.

The Cadets then take pins, and by holdi ng the tube up to the li g ht they make holes in the card. Thus by holdin g the tube up to the light they have eac h made a formation.

Thi s could be tied in with a a lk on the subject.

ENERGETIC GAMES

Snakes. No equipment needed.

Two or thr ee catchers are chosen. Anyone caught hold s hands with their catc hers , forming a s nake. Both the head and the tail of the snake can catch extra players When everyo ne ha s been caught, see which snake s the longest.

Snake Game. No equipment nee ded

A line of players is linked by thei r little fi nger s, their arms rai sed in the air. The head of this s nake runs under the arms of h e next two players, winding in and out of their bodies until he reaches the tail. The others fo llow without letting go of hands!

Squirrels Tails. You will need: string tails (one per cadet), buttons spills for 'n uts '. Eac h pl ayer has a tail h ang in g fro m the back of the belt. A pile of 'n uts is placed in the middle of the h a ll. The players start off in their homes and the object of the game is to get as man y nut s home (o ne at a time) as possible and at the same time to catch the other squ irr e ls' tails. If a player loses his / her tail they mu st return home but a ll is not lo st as tail s can be bought at the price of three nut s each! At the end of the game, each ca det co unt s the number of points gained, scori ng one for each nut and three for each tail including their own.

Tanglewood. No equipment needed.

The players divide into two groups, one at each end of the hall. The first group moves forward to the middle say in g We're the old women of Tanglewood'. The second group move to the middle asking: 'A nd what can you do?

'A lmost anything,' replies the first group. Well do it, then!'

The first group mimes a pre -c hosen activity (or something unexpected or unlikely) in the middle of the room. When the other group sho uts the correct answer the first group runs back to their end of the hall while the other group tries to catch them. Anyone caught joins the second group, who begin the game all over again.

Game: The Big Match

Roughly divide the Division into two and then all sit with the leader in front the

cadets. Each s ide sho ut s t h e name of their c ho sen team, but the moment the leader 's hand is raised there must be silence. The last cadet to make a sound scores an own goal (awar ded to the other side). In their enthusiasm and excitement at being allowed to shout , many forget to watch the referee. Good fun , keep it brief.

Handicraft: A Pocket Puzzle

Material: Hole punch , glue sticky tape, coloured pens, kitchen Aim; and for each cadet - jam pot lid , circle of thick card slightly la rge r than the neck of a jam jar, three ba\lbearings (from cycle repair shops).

Method: Each cadet punches three holes in the card and incorporates these holes into a picture (for example , eyes and nose of a clown, porthole s of a s h ip).

When coloured, stick the picture in the jam jar lid , insert the ballbearings , cover with clear kitchen film and secu re wi th sticky tape at the back.

AT CAMP

Cross Wires

Cadets a ll s it in a lar ge circle, Show them what the y have to do. Grip your no se with your right hand and your right ear w ith your left hand. then relea se both and clap hands.

Repeat by gripping your nose with your left hand and left ear with your ri ght hand. ow. give orders, slow ly at first. and then gradually s peed up

Contributions

Contributions and entries to competitions in this column should be sent to Jim , St John Ambulance HQ, Cadet Dept. , I Grosvenor Crescent, London SWIX 7EF. If yo u have any ideas about games, training activities or events that your cadets have taken part in and enjoyed, please write because I am always in need of material to include in the column Badges are sent to all tho se who contribute to the column.

(Abov e) Derbyshire's cadet-of-the-year Neil Gregory, of Hathersage (the county's first). received his certificate du ring November from the Lord Lieutenant, Col. Peter Hilton With Neil

are (left) No r man Young, Officer Cadets, and the D/S upt, Peter Gregory (Neil's father)

(Right) Cadets of Poole (Dorset) East Howe Quad Division form an eight pointed cross at a party to Geleb rate Cadet Leader

Six hundred hours service awards for Littlehampton (Sussex) cadets

Samantha Street and Samantha Truscott (right) from Lady Loder cha irman of SJ Council. (Left) Div Pr es Mrs Susan Cheney and (right) Cty Pres Mrs P Stewart-Roberts. (Photo: James Clevett).

Merseyside's weekend cadet camp (for 130) at Barnston Dale inc luded brass rubbing, a disco, animal care, fancy dress, Order history , games, needlework, handyman, etc. ( Photos F. B laine).

No.7 Region Conference, Exeter, Sept 28

PRESIDENTS MEET

PRESENT: The Chief President, Presidents from Avon 16, Cornwall 5, Somerset 16, Wiltshire 9, Gloucestershire 1, Devon 25 and County Staff, Devon 5

THE COUNTY President, Vice-Admiral Sir Ronald Brockman opened the conference with pra ye rs and then welcomed Mrs Harold Phillips, the Chief President, and all present from no. 7 Region.

Dr A. Blowers

Assistant Director-General

Dr Blowers said it was essential t hat the Association and Brigade did not compete. From 1977 to 1985 there had been an overall decrea se in members of 30% which is most ser iou s and must not continue. There had been an increa se in Brigade duties ; members were working e ve n harder and less t ime was available for fund-raising. There were man y other organisations in the field and it was necessary to be competitive in training and first aid in order to survive.

Between 1984 and 1985 the Association had increased the number of courses available. It is necessary for indi v idual counties to make their own efforts in recruitment, backed by cent ra lised schemes from National HQ A total commitment was required from all, with established harmony between the Association and Brigade.

Mr A J. Sunderland

Commissioner-in-Chief

Mr Sunderland said it was necessary to be more professional in order to combat falling membership. This is a very complicated organisation and the remedy lies in getting the St John house in order. It is essential to dispel the public impression of Dad 's Arm y' caused by incorrect dress and general sloppiness. ) mprovements had to be made in time for the Centenary otherwise any recruits gained would fade away. There is a need for people who can contribute mechanical or administrative skills without necessarily being qualified first-aiders. This is where Presidents could help. Young enthusiastic people should be encouraged to start new divisions. He suggested that divisions in Devon could be twinned with divisions , say, in industrialised areas and benefit from shared experiences. He went on to say that the best thing to happen in St John would be the launch of the Badger scheme, and he envisaged 25,000 Badgers by the end of 1987. St John Ambulance is at the 38

crossroads, and it is essential to get it right as the Centenary approaches. All should take pride in St John and di spense w ith pes si mistic talk.

Mr M. J. Malcolm

Assistant Director-General

Mr Malcolm said he was speaking on a national level rathe r than county. The Association had seen many dramatic changes recently and had assumed enormous responsib lities. Revenue from FA W courses had increa se d tremendously , but there had been a loss of 4 ,000 members a yea r and this must stop.

Although not commercially orientated , St John must not be blind to the increased revenue pro v ided by FA W courses. Seventeen courses were run by the Association and there were ways in which Presidents could help in bringing these to the attention of the public. They could, for instance through associations such as the YWCA contact young teenage mothers who would benefit from instruction in First Aid and Child Care. This would be a considerable contribution

Mrs B. M. Cowper

Health and Safety Executive

Mrs Cowper said that as Chief Employment Nursing Adviser she had a long association with St John Ambulance. She referred those present to the First Aid at Work HS E publication , on page 24 of which was listed common-sense factors with regard to training courses. She stressed the need for FA W courses to reflect changes in the workplace. Industry is changing; heavy industry has almost disappeared. Chemicals are now the largest hazard , not machinery There were very few fractures nowadays, and first aid training should adapt accordingly. It was essential to continue with life saving first aid (i.e ., resu sc itation); essential to stop bleeding; essential to deal with unconsciousness.

AIDS is not an epidemic, but it is a problem. There had been panic about mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but no known cases of transmission by saliva. Devices can be used but should be kept on one's person otherwise valuable time could be lost. At

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH AND FOREIGN ORDERS, DECORATIONS AND MEDALS (8) Final

present course s do not give sufficient emphasis to h ygiene (i.e., to handwashin g, cleaning up spi lt blood, washing with bleach. etc). It is the emp loyer's responsibility to ensure first -aiders are adequately trained. and the r esponsib ili ties of any first -a ider are eno rmou s. It is essent ia l to ask examining doctors and nur ses what experience they have of first aid in the workp lace. 1.000 courses are registered nationall y every month, wh ch means a very large number of people are bein g trained.

Lt-Col John Mills

Director of Public Relations

Colonel Mills s aid that one of the mo st importa nt aspects of li fe in St John is that of direct contact. It is important to improve th e presentation of St John to the public. and the Centenary Year will provide a splendid opportunity to improve this image. It is esse n t ial to think positively about publicity. and Centenary Year will st imulate much i nt e rest in St John. Doubtless the Bad ge r sc heme will attract thousands by the end of 1987 and it is de s irable to put over the idea of a complete family working toget her. H e hoped that Presidents will look to see what they ca n do to get he message over.

Miss Neville-Kaye Chief Welfare Officer

Mi ss Neville-K aye refer red to the 1< eit h

Jo se ph Cup which had been won by a Devon division from 1974/75 to 1979/80. She went on to say that Pre sidents can play a very important role in welfare work as they usuall y provide a contact with the outside world. They can often help wit h the use of cars and te lephon es, a nd provide opportunities for young people to h e lp the aged, those people discharged early from hospit a l, caring for carers, etc. Pre si dent s can often discover latent talent, and it was important to get hold of people who would lik e to se rve but who do not h ave much time. She would very much like to see peopl e fro m th e counties at national HQ when they visit London.

AS WILL BE appreciated, nearly every country has its own syste m of honours. Eac h country ha s developed its particular blend of awards flavoured as much by national characteristics as by hi s tory and current political views. Often a new regime will sweep away an earlier system, or will modify it. Others will permit reco g nition of earlier honours while only inaugurating and bestowing new ones which may be seen to be more fitting to c urr e nt circumstances or opinion. Generally speaki ng, modern republics have co n tin ued the systems inh erited from their earl ier monarchies. Many continue to award or der s, even sti ll in several classes or grades, together with decorations and medals. Other more radical regimes tend to award ega litarian decorations, i.e., of one c la ss, for which all are supposed ly e li g ibl e. The wide va riety of views can be readily perceived by examining a few examples.

The Soviet Union ha s numerous orders a nd medals, the highest of which is the Gold Star Medal. The holder of this decoration is style d 'Hero of the Soviet Union ' The medal is a sma ll go ld star medallion which is worn at all times One may notice this particularly in press photographs of the more disting ui s hed political figures - look out for it next time. A Hero is also eligible to have a bronze bust erected in he town or vi ll age of his birth. Unlike the British custom, a repeat award of any Soviet decoration results in just that - two , three or even more medal s of the same design are worn side by s id e (and the Hero gets another bust erected each time!).

We must all be familiar, too, with the image of the typical American se rviceman of whatever rank, with his uniform always adorned with a veritab e fruit salad of ribbons. Their custom is to issue medals frequently and in abundance, almost at a whim, it seems As may be readily understood. with s u c h enormous armed se r vices and in a soc iet y where s ze and

quantity are seen as merit s, production of large number s of even poor quality m e d a ls can initiate tempting commercial undercurrents. Although the United States does not go quite so far as to award their servicemen a medal for just breathing, sometimes they appear to come perilously close to this! There was, for example, an Armed Forces Medal 1967 , which was given to every US se rviceman just for being on strength in that year! Some British personnel on exchange duties at the time in the States were offered the medal but did not recei ve Briti s h sanction to accept it.

One can be a little le ss cynical about the popularly known Purple Heart Medal. This medal originated by George Washington in the days of the War of Independence , is no wadays (s ince 1942) awarded to any serviceman killed or wounded in hostile combat. The medal is of unusual design, being a gilt heart-shaped frame with a bust of George Washington in gi lt on a purple enamelled ( n ow plastic) background and suspended from a purple moire and white-e d ged ribbon. Its original design is said to have been a purple silk badge in cushion form with the design embroidered thereon; this was fastened to the jacket. The badge was awarded for meritorious military acts in the field. Only two or three of these originals are said to have been awarded. The award was only re - in s tituted in 19 32. (Although there has not been a British equivalent, during both the major wars our custom was to authorise the wearing of Wound Stripes on the cufT of the uniform. These were small gold or red cloth bars worn vert icall y, about 25 mm in length. After each war these were discontinued.)

Interestingly enough, however , the United States are very sparing with their higher awards for ga llantr y and achievement. Nevertheless, they seldom wear full medals, even at high national ceremonial. Awards

are

and rewarded by a grateful government or society.

While thei r 'm iddle range' awards s uch as the Silver Star, Distingui s hed Flyin g Cross or Distinguished Conduct Medal, say, lTlay be relatively numerous, as is their tendenc y to award repeated CLUSTERS (equivalent to our Bar s ), quite the contrary is the case with higher decorations. The Medal of Honor (their equivalent to our VC), the Congressional Space Medal of H onor. the Di st in guished Service C ross and Legion of Merit are sparingly awarded. particularl y when one considers that the United States are virtually 50 fairly lar ge countries in one! Decoration s are not customarily awarded to civilians.

The United States also meet s courtesy with courtesy and awards three grades of the Legion of Merit to forei gne r s. Thi s being in the form and appearance si milar to a European order. is there fo re generally understood and found equally acceptable.

In West Germany, once the extremes of political life had s ubsided after the 1939-45 War, decorations from previous eras of both the monarchy and the Third Reich were permitted to be worn a gai n. so long as these had no political connotations. The se earlier awards are worn alongside current Federal awards, but political embellishments such as the Nazi swastika are forbidden and have to be removed. Thus. the Germans have at least contrived to give due patriotic acknowledgement for individual heroic deeds 'in the service of the Fatherland'. What such an arrangement could conceal, however, may be worthy of conjecture! In the NATO context the Federal Armed Forces have strict rule s to prevent diplomatic embarrassment, and do not wear the older ribbon s on their uniform s Japan's long-standing dynast y still offers much the same style of orders a nd awa rd s as before, but titles are no longer bestowed. This is a mark of the new democr a tisation efTected si n ce the trauma of the war. Continued on p.45

Vice-Admiral Sir Ronald Brockman.

West Midlands CSO Cadets, Miss Susan Taylor , helped by two ocal Badgers talked about the new youth section.

Pershore ·s D/ S Su e Jeavons and cade ts Cath y Martin and Alison Amphlen

ORDER INVESTITURE

Leonard Barker (Humberside)

Major Dominic Diarmuid Campbell (Lo nd on) Emily, Miss Hunt (London Transport)

Major-Gen Douglas Stuart Pat on, CBE. QHP. MB. ChB, FFCM (Min of Defence) Officer Nicholas Rex H art ley Burgess, BSc, PhD, MIBiol FRES. FRSTMH (RAMC) Albert Edward Clark (Humberside) Wing Commander Douglas W. Connor DFC LLD (Londo n)

J ean Rosemary , Mrs Danzelman, SRN (Sussex)

George Clarence East (S & W Yorks)

Shelia Mrs Har vey (Humberside)

Major Joan Irene Marks, TO. RGN. HV (QARANC)

Elizabeth Arm Mrs Reynold s (Warwicks)

David Lawrence Simpson (Co. Durham)

Lieut-Col Jo hn Robert Skene TD. MB. ChB DOB s , RCOG(RAMC)

Serving Brother or Sister

John Row e Aberdeen, FASl. FAI. ARSH (Co. Durham)

Anne Josephine. Mrs Baker (De rb ys)

Michael John Bancroft (Somerset)

Florence Jean Mrs Blacker (Avon)

James Alan Box (SJ Air Wing)

Anne Gwendoline, Mrs Boyle (Glos)

Donald William Brokenshire (Devo n

Norman Gordon Broom (Devon)

Shirley Esther Mrs Brown , SEN (Co. Durham)

Arthur Nicholas Burge (Devon)

Geoffrey James Foster Burgess, MBE. TD (S & W Yorks)

Wendy Elaine Mrs Burton, SRN (Cambs)

Godfrey H ay ne Chambers (W Mids Police)

John Charlesworth Clague, RIRA. AFAS (Kent)

Robert Nigel Clemson W Mids Police)

Hazel Margaret, Mrs Cockerell (S & W Yorks)

Francis William Cockings (Bucks)

Lieut-Cdr J a me s Edgar Co llin s, RN(Retd) (Somerset)

Mary Allinson, Mr s Coombes (Avon)

Joan Veronica, Mrs Corbett (W Midland s) John Cornish (British Rail)

Gloria Jean, Mr s Coyne (London)

John Lewi s Crane, MA ChB (London)

Peter Miles Baily Crookes, BA MB. BChir (Notts)

George Alfred Cuppleditch (Lines)

Helen Margaret, Mrs Davie s (Leics)

Keith John Davie s (British Rail)

Janie Margaret, M rs Day (Cornwall)

Joyce Mr s Dougla s (Glos)

Ernest William Dou st (Br itish Rail)

Jo an Julia Vyvyan, Mrs Eames (Somerset)

Elizabeth Joan, Mrs Eather (London Tran sl'JOr t)

Joyce Violet Mr s Ellery (Cornwall)

Arnold Roy Elliott (London Tran s port)

William David Evans (British Telecom)

Aubrey Richard Barham Farris (British R ail)

Captain Charles Beaumont Fetherston-Dilke, DL RN (Warwicks)

Heather Grace Compton Mrs Fielder (Glos)

C harles Henry Garrall (British Rail)

Je an, Mrs Grimshaw, SRN (BAOR)

Douglas Howard Grist (British R ail)

Sybil Grace, Mrs Gwynne -Jones (Avon)

Roy Hamer (Gtr Manchester)

Harold Harper (North Yorks)

Brenda Maureen. Mrs Harrison (S & W Yorks)

Mervyn John Neville Hatcher (POAC)

Agnes Doreen, Mrs Hedges (Herts)

Brenda Marian Mrs Hillier (Hert s)

Derrick Joseph Honeywell (London Transport)

Beryl Cecily, Mrs Hough (Devon)

Anthony Edward Irvin (Avon)

Philip J efferies (Avo n)

Albert William Josey (Be rk s)

Major John Wells J oy ner (Devon)

Angela Elsie, Mrs King (Bucks)

Desmond Hugh Ernest Stanley King (SufTolk)

Ro se -Marie Christine. Mrs Larkin (Devon)

Jo yc e Priscilla Ellen, Mrs Lathwell (Bucks)

Pamela Ann, Mrs Lewis (Glos)

Sidney Charles Lloyd (British Rail)

William Local (Co. Durham)

Annie, Miss Lovett (Beds)

ai n McGregor Maclntyre, MB. ChB, FFARCS.

MFOM (S & W Yorks)

Roy Ian Martin ( British Rail)

Fr ank Maud e (S & W Yorks)

Gordon May (Somerset)

Joyce Frances Mr s Mayes (Cambs)

Alistair Douglas McLean, BEM (S & W Yorks)

David James M cSevn ey (Dorset)

Sergeant Thomas George Meade (RAMC)

Donald Whitehouse (NCB)

Peter Theodore Mande Whitehouse (W Mids Police)

Branwen, Mr s Melville-Smith (Glos)

Dorothy Margaret Mrs Wilson (S & W Yorks)

The First Three Years

(continued from p.35)

instructors going to be told? When are all the first aid teaching organisations going to get together and agree on what is standard procedure, for example, resuscitation? Also When is there going to be an agreed terminology instead of the mix of medical, nursing and first aid , as we have now? One of the biggest difficulties an instructor has is keeping up-to-date with current legislation, regulations and trends, It costs a lot of money for an inctividual to subscribe to the necessary professional bodies to keep oneself abreast of all current information even if

they know where to go for the information.

Surely it is not beyond Headquarters' abilities to get advanced information on forthcoming changes and to keep the County Directors informed?

All things considered I am glad to have been involved with the First Aid at Work package from its inception. It has not been so dreadful as was forecast. It has been accepted by industry and commerce, educational establishments and students. The instructors have overcome their fears and I personally have found it a pleasure to teach.

Norma Reeves (Mrs), Buckinghamshire

Sean Glenny, General Manager, Association, writes:

Many thanks to Mrs Reev es Jor

thoughtful comments upon the FA W pack-

The fiJth edition oj the

Among other items , R1DDOR (reporting oj injuries, diseases and dangerous' occurrences) and more emphasis all eye injuries will be included.

At a recent meeting with the HSE we emphasised that the 4-day course is too intensive and that 5-day courses are preJerable. We learnt that the HSE is considering dropping the i -day refresher and possibly the Occupational First Aid course

Insurance

IN MARCH 1986 I decided, as secretary of the division , to look at the insurance of our equipment and found that cover amounted to £400, with a maximum claim of £ I 00 per item. And the only equipment insured was that stored in our first aid post on Durdham Down , at a premium of £30 a year.

A rough estimate of the renewal value of our radio and ambulance equipment, which was not stored in the Downs first aid post, was in excess of £3,000. It was not covered. A local insurance broker put me in touch with Sun Alliance, Croydon, and a new ' all risks' re -instatement policy was suggested. The premium was I % of value of goods insured per annum, compared with the 7+ % we were currently paying

On October 3 I as it was close to the seco nd anniversary of the purchase of Clifton Division's first ambulance -a 1976 ex - A von ambulance service Bedford CFwe put the ve hicle , Bessie , through the MOT test with no problems.

En Route

On November I we were booked mobile' to the Downs first aid post , where the division covers the Downs football league Thirty soccer matches take place each Saturday afternoon and the duty can become hectic. En route to the duty we noticed a rather strong smell of petrol and radioed our control saying we were return i ng to base. But suddenly, flames came from under the bonnet and we evacuated. A policeman radio€d for the fire brigade.

The crew of our second vehicle for the duty, a Land-Rover ambulance saw what happened and came to our aid with two 8 kg fire extinguishers. Unfortunately, we could not control the fire and within five minute s the fire brigade arrived. By then the vehicle was well alight and the priority was to get the g as cylinders out as soon as possible. It q uickly became clear that Bessie was a 'write off'. My heart sank a s all our hard work raising the funds to buy and equip the vehicle had literally gone up in smoke.

We Met

The next day we met to check the damage and assess what it was going to cost to replace the vehicle and equipment. The cab was gutted and as the fire had spread to the rear of the vehicle, most of the equipment had either melted , burned or was severely smoked damaged. We calculated the cost of equipping another vehicle to be at least £3 ,200 and on top of this we had to find the money for another ambulance. The insurance cover which had been taken out saved the day. And it occurs to me to suggest that there must be other divisions who have not checked their insurance policies lately. If you are one such I suggest

DO NOT LEARN THE HARD WAY

academic year (leaving the final term for important revision for university exams).

A first aid course organised on this basis was run for the first time at Cambridge for the academic year 1985 -86. The course was not well publicised and as a result we had initial interest from only about 15 - 20 people , only seven of whom took the exam at the end of the course.

One of these, who had no previous knowledge of first aid has since become an active member of the local St John division and is also treasurer of Cambridge University First Aid Society. (1 must stress that the Society exists only to promote first aid knowledge; it is not a recruiting device and the present committee includes an active Red Cross member.)

Another member , who has been a SJA member for a number of years, has become the secretary (and has also been persuaded to write this article!). Others also joined the local division , one of whom has s ince graduated and transferred to another division close to where she is now working.

RESCUE

's

you check that insurance right away and get an up -to- date stores catalogue and price list. You may be amazed just how much replacement equipment costs nowada ys, And make sure that your equipment is on an all risks' policy on a ' re-instatement' basis , which means the cost of replacement , not what it cost. Also make an allowance for

inflation. And ensure that your ve hicle carries fully com prehen s ive insurance.

Clifton Division could ha ve learned th e hard way. Mak e s ure you r di vision isn't one of those that does.

Chris Taylor Dil'S ec Clifton A & N Dil' A I'on

ITS E E M ED (a university first

aid

society) A GOOD IDEA

I WONDER how many times most of us have heard the comment it seemed a good idea at the time as ambitious plans have evaporated into nothing? Well, there are times when things that see m good idea s do so because they are good ideas. One such idea , I think , s the newly founded Cambridge University First Aid Society.

Although not present at the time, I am assured that the idea of teaching university students first aid came from a discussion between DIS Chris Hale and DIO Graham Clark. Graham is a clinical student at the local hospital and Chris is involved with the University Rugby squad. Both were con -

cerned about the number of sporting activities occurring within the university during the day when Brigade members were not available to cover the events, so leading to a general lack of first aid knowled ge at events where it could be essential.

The idea of teaching students first aid seemed an ideal solution, so the division set about organising a first aid course along line s that would be acceptable to students.

Cambridge terms are only eight weeks long, so an eight -week first aid course with an exam is impossible. The way to get around this was to have a ten -week course with an exam split over the first two terms of the

Hopefully, others will follow and so the Brigade nationally should benefit from the Society's activities.

This year (1986-87) we organised ourselves better and had an initial interest of about 130 people although now the course has started we have about 40 people who have paid membership and are coming along regularly. The local St John division provides lecturers , but by taking the course there is no commitment to join the division.

Encourage

We encourage people who are already member s to come along as a society cannot function without officers, and the organisation of the Society's affairs is done by students (i,e., the treasurer and myself) and we shall be leaving Cambridge soon!

We believe that this 'goo d idea was a ve ry goo d idea. Our treasurer was inexperienced in first aid; but has since been 'b itten by the bug and jo ined St John Perhaps in these times when we hear so much about recruiting difficulty, and the 'uncarin g

TREE climbing, rumm ag in g in burned o ut buildings, chasing across fields, tight-roping over a beck, playing football. Sounds like so me fun escapade, doesn't it ? 1t wasn't. It was SJA North Yorkshire's ideas for a cadet competition. Hardl y surprising that 17 teams e ntered some of them travelling 50 miles to take part.

It happened on October 12 in the grounds of Clifton Ho sp ital, York.

Te st 1 involved retrie vi ng casualties from a burned out workshop. Test 2 meant crossing a deep stream by a ve ry precarious 'bridge' with the casualty. Test 3 located a cas ualty deep in bushes and undergrowth. Test 4 involved an over-size lad stuck high in the fork of a tree.

At the end the di shevelled teams received awards from County Commissioner Ted Broughton. Winners: Caterick 228 pts. Second: Acomb, 221 pt s. Third : Whitby, 184 pts

Re scue from (below) a fire and (r ight) a tree (Pho tos: D S K. Rawling)

youth', divisions in other university towns might benefit by lookin g se riou sly at providing facilitie s for st udent s to learn fir s t aid. Here in Cambridge we have show n that intere st exists, people do want to learn fir st aid; they should be given the opportunity. Irre spective of whether or not people join St John (or the Red Cro ss), we are training more people in first aid than otherwise might under go suc h training. If we are helping towards a society that is more aware of the need for first aid, and more skilfu in its application, then I believe we are accomplishing our objectives.

Existing member s of the Brigade who are comi ng to Cambridge to study are asked to contact us ; both to help us with our work and to help them maintain their Brigade efficiency during their time here.

Cambridge University First Aid Society, Downing Co llege, Cambridge.

Kathleen Jupp, Secr etary

NEWS from SCOTLAND

THE CHANCELLOR of Scotland, Dr Duncan Shaw, with Mr A.ndrew Lawson, form€rly Preceptor of Torphichen , and M r J. Forrest McLelland, Director of Ceremonies, who with other members of the Order and Association in Scotland visited Malta in November.

WALES

THE first life has been saved as a direct result of the introduction of the SJ A Project for Schools in Wales.

It involved Helen Hawkins, 17, a 6th-former of Newport's St Joseph's High School, who was on holiday with her mother in Malta when her mother collapsed in a side near the hotel. She had been complaining of sickness and a headache and then fainted. She lay on the pavement and suddenly began to make strange noises - and Helen realised her tongue had fallen to the back of her throat. Helen acted quickly, seeing that her mother 's breathing was unobstructed, and then placed her in the recovery position.

An ambulance arrived and took Mrs Hawkins and Helen to hospital, where Helen reported to doctors exactly what happened. Her mother was detained for four days.

Helen, who was recently presented with th€ Priory's Meritorious Certificate by Mark Robinson MP, Under-Secretary of State for Wales, reports that her mother is now in good shape.

One hundred and thirty-nine

of Gwent's Risca

E.

The Chancellor of Scotland (centre), with the former Preceptor of Torphi c hen (left), and the Dire c tor of Ceremonies. The group visited most of the sites and buildings associated with the history of the Order and the executive officers participated Six

for Wales who completed a week's training at Priory HQ (Left to right) Re ce iving their certificates from the Commander Dr John Parry are: Mrs D. De Rooij (Pilkington Glass), Mrs Shelagh Jon es (Bass Wales!' Mrs Anthea Morgan (B.P.), Mr Martin Morgan (US Army ), Mr Selwyn Harry (R.O.F.), and Mr Allan Hopkins (Age Concern).

Nine Three Cross Award winners of N ewb ridge (Gwent) School receive their certificates from Dir ec tor Association Wales Dr George Mitchell, and the headmaster Mr P. J Phillips receives a plaque.

Twenty-one pupils of Newport 's Queen 's Comprehensive School received their Three Cross Award certificates from Keith Dunn, Wales chief training co-ordinator, and as the school has trained more than 50 pupils the headmaster received the Priory's special project for schools Gertificate. Here Keith hands over a video teaching package on beh@lf of a lo!!:al fi rm to the school.

at the morning service in the Scots 1< irk of St Andrews, in Valetta, on Sunday, November 23.

NORTHERN IRELAND

THE BAILIFF of Egle, The Right Hon Lord Grey of Naunton, installed Colonel Bertrand Dawson Cotton as Knight Commander of the Commandery of Ards in Northern Ireland on October 22.

The ceremony took place in Hillsborough Castle, which had been the residence of Lord Grey when he was Governor of Northern Ireland from 1968 to 197 3, and when he was a so the Commandery's Knight Commander.

Colonel Cotton has served the Order in the Commandery as Director of the Association, Treasurer and latterly as

I n the Commonwealth, members have moved in varying directions. Canada, s ince the thirties, has not accepted titles, even knighthoods, yet continues to accep t British awards that do not bring titles. Then, in recent years in common with the older dominions, Canada has inaugurated her own national awards of honour. Among these are the Order of Canada, the Order of Military Merit and seve ral bravery awa rds.

In Australia, British orders are acceptable alongside Australian national awards but bravery is decorated extensively with newer national decorations. (E.g., The Cross of Valour ranks in Australia after the Victoria Cross and George Cross but before all other decorations.) Their premier order is the Order of Australia. An unu s ual feature of the honour s system in Australia had been that recommendations have been made not only through the Federal Government but also by the individual States direct to the Crown. You may have noticed this in the listings of New Year or Birthday Honour s in the press, where alongside the Australian List are also the Queensland List, New South Wales List, Tasmania List and so on, for British awards. This arrangement stemmed from the fact that each State s self-governing within the Commonwealth of Australia; (each State indeed sti ll has its own Commissioner in London while the A ustrali an High Commissioner represents the whole nation).

New Zealand has created the Queen's Service Order (QSO) and its associated Queen's Service Medal (Q SM). These have in common a very distinctive Maori style ribbon of a black brown and white steps de s ign. Both The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales wear this decorationplain to see by its ribbon even in black and white photographs!

At Hillsborough Castle (left to right): Mrs J. E J ackson ( D epu ty Area Comm, Belfast), the Bailiff of Egle , Miss A. D Paton (ANO Belfast).

Mrs M. Cromie (Area Tre as B e lfast!. DI S G G. Stoops (YMCA/Ashfield Div) and Mr F. Higginson (ASO (C) Belfast).

Lieutenant. He has succeeded Mr M. W. Denni son, who had been Lieutenant from 1978, and Knight Commander from 1981 , having had almost 39 years service in St John.

Following the installation , the Bailiff of Egle recei ved and inve s ted the following members of the Order:

Officer (Brother): Robert James Lilley, Michael Denis O'Hara, and Andrew Shilliday; Officer (Sister): Mrs Isobel Russell Elliott and Miss Sarah Jane Kerr; Serving Brother: Andrew Paul Cooper, Hugh

I ndia and Pakistan lon g entrenched in the ways of the British Raj , now have their own compre hen s ive lists of honours and awards. Their military decorations are, in several cases, modelled on pre vious Emp ire awards then as now always much prized by their fine Armed and Civil Services alike.

Similarly South Africa, no w also outside the Commonwealth, has transposed several Union decorations by change of name or style. Additional new honours are also available.

On the extreme frin ges there have been systemat ic degradations of earlier arrangements and awards such as those dear to Uganda's former President Idi Amin. An erstwhile NCO in the King's African Rifl es, when he achieved the astronomical rank of Field Marshal during his own regime (still within the Commonwealth) he quite seriously also styled him se lf as 'VC. CBE, DSO etc'. These stood for 'Victor iou s Commander', Conquerer of the British Empire and so on, and the respective decoration s did exist. We are not told who else, if anybody, also benefited from such pathetic di stinctions!

Conclusion

In this series of articles over recent months I hope I may have offered some s imple interesting facts about medal s, outlined a little of the daily protocol involved and whetted the interest in what is a very wide

a nd engrossing subject. There is much misunderstanding and some confusion, frequently shrouded by mist s, mystery and inaccuracies by our present-day folklore! (E.g Young Johnnie wears his Dad 's medals on Remembrance Day!'; 'One should always salute the holder of a VC I' or 'City Fire Brigade Medals are worn on the right - hand side!' - all untrue!) I hope to have dispelled some unfounded myths such as these and replaced them with a few clear pointers, facts or explanations which you have found easy to follow.

I should li ke, in concluding. to appeal if I may to those fortunate enough to have insignia not to wear unreco g nised ribbons on Brigade uniform. I would also remind those who are members of the Order of St John. not to wear the in signia of more than one grade at once! You cannot. for example. be a Ser ving Brother or Sister and an Officer. or an Officer and a Commander at the same time! Correct display of ribbons and insignia can only enha nce all round the status and dignity of decorations and other awards. I h ope, too, that I may have encouraged all concerned to read correctly the signs and symbo ls of achievement and excellent service. Often an int eresting picture may be perceived by 'reading a row of ribbons which so mebod y s displaying. One can, thu s, understand better how the holders have been recognised.

J. H. W.

Members of the Order in Clwyd and Brigade members at the annual carol service at Buckley. They are (left to right, back): Rev Brian Taylor, Pres Flint - Div; Rev David Griffiths, sub-chaplain and i/c Holywell Div; Commissioner Clwyd

Mr

R. Eaton; former Commissioner, Major D. J. Griffiths; Dr Islwyn Jones, and Mr E. Rogers. (Front) Cadets Mark Steele (Coedpoeth), Susan Rutherford (Holywell), Kathryn Hughes ( Ruthin), Julie Bloor (Wrexham), Lt-Co L. J. Egan, Chairman Council; and the Rev G. Price vicar of Buckley.

Doherty, Joseph Englishby, John Henry Getty, Francis Arthur Higginson, and George Gary Stoops; Serving Sister: Mrs Rosalyn Elizabeth Bland, Mrs Janice Deirdre Houston , Mrs Mary Norris Paisley, and Miss Anne Doreen Patton.

The Bailiff of Egle then presented certificates for the Grand Prior s Badge to Amanda Brown (Lisnagelvin Q) Sharon Creane (Northland A / NC), and Rosemary McGranaghan (Strabane A NC); and 1,000 hours of Voluntary Service to Christine Maginnis (Ledley Hall A NC).

to be kept stabilised and at peak condition. Casualty records to be accurately completed and collected at regular intervals. Emergency and medical supplies to be replaced from duty stores as necessary. Personnel to report and depart. Press statements to be made. Our members to be fed at agreed intervals. What, no lost children?' remarks the police liaison officer. And all this from a converted mobile aid unit add up once again for the need of a purpose-designed radio control! administration unit. The Commissioner stating to all: We are going to make do NO LONGER. We are going to get a get a .'

Command Unit

Getting a Command Unit

WE ARE GOING TO MAKE DO

NO LONGER, said the Commissioner

(Herts.)

ANOTHER PUBLIC duty with a crowd of 120,000 and even in the middle of summer the rain and mud paint a scene so well known to St John members! Throughout the duty there will be 200 of us working different shift patterns over a 48-hoYf period, and the 200 of us look like getting very wet!

The organisers tell us that an estimated 120,000 people have gone through the turnstiles, but no doubt a similar number has climbed the barbed wire fencing or the metal perimeter screen to avoid paying the entry fee. Those not in peak condition for that sort of thing will end up cut and bruised in one of our six mobile aid units in the arena, to be later stitched together again at the Medical Centre as just some of the 1,500 people treated by our members during a typical pop (some call it music) festival at Knebworth Park.

Ear plugs will be the order of the day for most of our members and wouldn't it be nice to also be shirt sleeve order? But in mid -July it is back to the car for the raincoat. So far no ambulance has got stuck in the mud, but the four-wheel-drive Land-Rover type vehicles are having a busy day - an urgent case leaves the Medical Centre, which receives all serious casualties, injured or ill.

The police motorcyclist leading the ambulance helps to make good time to hospital and later we learn that despite complications mother and baby are both doing well. Heavy traffic all around us proves the need to maintain emergency exit routes, and the police maintaining them are getting just as wet as we are! It is a good job we in St John have friends and support from at least one organisation on site.

Our R T operators under the hard pressed duty officer are doing a truly trojan job and the ambulance pool officer is now up to his ankles in mud (forgotten to bring his wellies - learned this one when I was an ambulance member). All is going well and the minor problems of the day are gradually getting sorted out, but the converted mobile aid unit does not make an ideal nerve centre' for such an operation. Added to which the Commissioner wants somewhere quiet to hold a press conference (no statements made to the media except by the senior officer on duty and that includes local radio station interviews as well). In addition the duty support officers have to ensure that hand-held transceivers have their batteries replaced at intervals and re-charged Electricity supply to the duty R T control console

Some of the suggestions we received from the police, the ambulance service and many others , included call it a Command Unit , so that it is not confused with the statutory services' control vehicles Build into it an administrative / office area Can it be made in a way so that it can be used for public relations purposes in the local town square Fit it with RT for all approved St John frequencies Have a spare radio for 'backup ' in case the main RT goes wrong! (From an optimist.) And what about tea and coffee for the troops ? And a spare wheel and jack And a security device. A portable generator for when we blow up the main incoming electricity supply! This saw the county public duty officer driving off in a cloud of dust up the Great North Road occa s ionally avoiding the odd pub on the wa y, and quite convinced that the County Commissioner this time really had gone mad. And Where did all this finance for the project come from?' said the County Treasurer to the Commissioner 'Spoke to a lot of people, including the Hertfordshire St John Council came the reply. Yet another considerable understatement.

We had by this time decided to seek suitable towed units in order to avoid the cost of engine maintenance Al s o we commissioned a professional organisation to present us with some artwork and designs , again to identify the St John Ambulance Command Unit from those of the statutory services and other organisations at large events The result was a magnificent reflective Green stripe with reAective White St John crosses along its length and clearly seen in the photographs - the colours used meet the proposals set out in international medical colour code recommendations.

Ideal

} have found them' , came the excited message from our now travel -worn public duty officer and off to join him went one of our area commissioners with several years experience of caravanning 'They are ideal, but modifications necessary,' came back.

In the event, two industrial type caravans were towed south down the A I Motorway and gradually the County Command Unit ,

complemented by its Command Support Unit, with a lot of hard work were brought into existence.

Many Calls

Many calls were made to secure s uitable radios ( strange how Supplies Department are not allowed to stock this sorf of thing)

Tel e scopic a erial s pump up so high that a he licopter pilot asks for a red light on top (It' s tru e !) S t ron g g uylines for it as well.

Ba tterie s of s ufficient power together with s pecial chargers that will keep the electric s upply topped up w hile in use . (They call it

TP2 s y stem , available from most cara v an ac ce ss o r y s hops.) Table s and chairs bought fr om M FI chain stores. Many different plugs a nd socket s An external telephone with its connection points Both mains and battery li g htin g fitted. Fittin gs of many types modified to meet our requirem ents A ramp , a nd an extra door in the s ide. Floodligh tin g, a heat e r for winter , an electric fan for s ummer, a coffee machine All o f this for the Command Unit alon e, with equal a mount to do on the Command Support U nit sent the public duty officer hot foot' in se arch of volunteers and the local Rotary C lub lo s t mo s t of it s members for a time! But

it must be said that the man who did the wiring did not get a single wire crossed and not a single fuse has blown yet! (Hope they were fitted ) And out of the blue since it had originally been cancelled came the request for the St John Ambulance in Hertfordshire to provide emer ge ncy aid and medical facilitie s for y et another music festival. When the Count y Commissioner came back from his annual holiday all had gone well. Ye s, e ven the radios had for once worked! The Command Unit made read y and the Command Support Unit nearl y finished but could be used on the day. So much ' midnight oil' had been burned by the gallant few ' that as a result the price of petrol went up! The de-briefing held and the les s ons learned In 1986 there was a similar number of ca s ualties , some very serious indeed. And it didn t e ven rain!

Supplies Update

A NEW column Supplies Update will be appearing in the Review. It will bring you the latest information about new products and up-to-date news on any delays or deliveries of products at the Supplies Department. We shall continue to distribute Supplies News in the Review three or four times a year and hope our update column will fill the gap between issues.

This month you ll find the latest Supplies News inserted in your Review. Since going to press, we are able to bring you news about

the latest impression of Dress Regulations (Adult), which has just been reprinted. It has been brought completely up to date, and includes all the latest changes. Its price has been held at £3.65 for the 1987 edition. To order quote PI 1360.

Brian Rockell Director Supplies

I BOOKS I

Psychology for Nurses: A Concise Nursing Text (6th edition) by Annie Altschul, CBE, BA, MSc, SRN, RMN, RNT, FRCN, Emeritus Professor of Nursing Studies, University of Edinburgh; and Helen C. Sinclair, BSc, RSCN, RGN, SCM, RNT, Lecturer, Department of Nursing Studies, University of Edinburgh.

Bailliere Tindall ISBN 0-7020-1160-6 £3.50

THE POPULARITY and success of this book has led to its sixth edition. The revised and expanded textbook of psychology provides nurses with an understanding of human behaviour and the psychological needs of patients an important part of the nursing process

The concepts of need stress , anxiety and crisis intervention are discussed. Development from early childhood to adulthood , and its theories are adequately explored. The book includes a detailed account o f attitudes, the patient and his family , dependence and autonomy of decision making B y readin g the book people will develop skills in leadership and appreciate human interactions when dealing with sick and health y clients. The 22 chapters are easy to read and comprehend. At the end of each chapter there are many references for those who wish to expand their reading and knowledge of a particular subject.

Andrea s M. Kirki s

excessive payment is damaging to the battery. (12). 19. Scientific truth (3). 22. Only a fraction of standard amount s (4 - 8) 25. A co -ordinate on nerve fibre. (4).26. Derogatory sibilant s ound. (4).27. Black s mith 's equipment for ossicle of middle ear. (5) 29 Itchin g. (8) . 30 Carpenter s tool for finger cau sed by deta c hment of exten s or tendon (6). 31. Breathing difficulty. ( 8) 32. Brought muscle into state of high tone. (6).

Down:

1. Section of anatomy department where boffins study the vertebrae ') (4-4). 2 Not allowed to participate (8). 3. Fomentation put ba c k between points (5) 5 Having more pronounced symptom s with diminished sense of touch? (7-5) 6 Acid important in pathogenesi s of gout. (4). 7 Cold application controlling bleeding and reducin g swelling. (3-3). 8. Light-footed (6). II. Condition requiring urgent treatment by dialysis. (5-7). 15. Group of wards under charge of a Nursing Officer. (4) 17. A fellow has a minor frost-bite lesion ? (4 ) 18. Censure a sharp blow. (3). 20 Obstruction due to twisting of a loop of small intestine. (8) 21. Placed in quarantine (8). 2 3 Breathed convulsively having some degree of 31 Across. (6). 24. Upset so g lum for influential people. (6) 27 Humiliate a part of the skull. (5). 28. Beast in loin. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.1 (87)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.2 (87) by W. A. Potter

Across: I. Papule; 4. Diplopia; 10. Learned; I I. Lateral ; 12. Bread ; 13. Note; 14. Stew; 16. Trophic; 19. Auricle ; 21. Ass ; 22. Stutter ; 24. Example; 26. Meal; 27. Diet; 29 Dr·o op; 31. Tympana; 32. Canteen; 33. Diabetes; 34 Jenner. Across:

I. Provides nourishment early in life. (6). 4. Swelling due to escape of fluid into tissues finally melting. (8). 9. Arm splint is a mess. (4-2). 10. Part of pelvic floor often lacerated during childbirth. (8). 12. Wake-up and make angry. (5). 13. Eye reputed to cause illness by a look. (4). 14. Foetal membrane covering the head at birth (4). 16. Demanding

Down: I. Phlebitis; 2. Place·bo; 3. Lined; 5 I11 -at-ease; 6. Late; 7. Pyretic; 8. Aglow; 9. Odin; 15 Urea; 17. Hate; 18. Cartilage; 20. Eye-opener; 23. Uraemia; 25. Protein; 26. Muted ; 28. Tick; 29 Dense; 30. Base

ADVERTISEMENTS

The county of Hereford and Worcester are proud to present their second crystal goblet, to celebrate the CENTENARY OF THE ST JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE r887-r987

again manufactured by Royal Brierley Crystal, hand made and 'Cut in full lead crystal with engraved logo, packed in its own box, displaying royal warrants.

I deal for presentations or to supplement your I977 goblet.

ORDER YOUR GOBLET NOW FROM:

K. H BILLINGHAM , C.ST.J.

24 PRIORY COURT, OLD SWINFORD STOURBRIDGE, WEST MIDLANDS DY8 IN}

Telephone: (03 8 4) 374155

PRICES:

If collected (by arrangement) £14.95 each

If despatched in UK £17.95 each

If despatched overseas please notify K H. Billingham

To: I'; H BILLfNGHA 1, CST]., 24 Priory Court, Oldswinford, Stourb ri dgc,

GOBLETS AT ['4

e

(COLLECT) GOBLETS AT [1.7-95 e ach (POSTED )

PROs CONFERENCE, London, Jan 23

1:

A pack of Speaker s' Note s will s hortly be a vailable from the PR D e partment. Thi s c ont a ins text on all asp ec ts o he w ork of the o r ga ni sat ion and s hou ld be u se ful for tho se requiring b a ckground informat on in o rd e r to prepare talk s on St John

As discussed at the previous PROs conferen ce, po ster s were be i ng pr o du ce d from the di s play boards. They would be ha the original size (30 cm s quar e) and would be available at the beginning of F e bruar y from the Suppli es Department.

The production of a poster for promoting th e Gr ea t St John Part y wi hin th e rank s of the Brig a de wa s rejected. It w a s thou g ht th a t th e res ource s could be better used e lsewhere

John Mills requested that all countie s which had produced a po s ter to publicise their Cent enar y Appeal s hould s end a cop y to th e HQ PR Department. It wa s suggested that in thi s w a y countie s mi g ht be a bl e t o u se artwork alread y p r epared and thereb y reduce c o st s

Deputy Director of Public Relations requested information a s o which counti es w ere producing their own Fi r st Da y Cover s Of tho se repr ese nted at the conference , Greater Manchester Northampton s hire , Kent, We st Midl a nd s and London were plannin g to do th is

He also requested any updated informat ion on centenary e vents t o be s ubmitted to he PR Department to e n a bl e a revi sed sch edule to appea r in he R ev ie HJ R e ports on event s takin g

e a rl y Feb. ) Film launch The film For A II Th e Right R eason s, s pon sored by BP , is to b e aunch e d on Thursday March 5. The film now includ ed a fund - rai sin g appe a l by Jimmy Tarbuck a t he end. It would be available from the date of the l aunch from t he Supplies Department.

5:

Television coverage Video film was s hown of a report broadca st on J o hn Cra ven's News r ou n d following the national launch of the Badger s and the Centenar y on Decemb e 2 , and t wo news reports s hown a s a result of t he Su ss e x launch.

An extract from the Wake Up London programme on first aid fea turin g members of St John Ambulance screened in Januar y wa s also s hown Various o her broadcasting project s wer e report e

6: Sport

St John Ambulance later this year.

COl A briefing for foreign journalists on the work o f St John Ambulance in the UK was being organised by the PR Department in conjunction wi h the Central Office of I nformation. This would take place in April.

Tom

St John House Club

Major Sydney Nicoll

Ref

ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volume 60 NO.3 March 1987

Contents

New Year Honours p.49

Lord Prior in Tasmania p 50

Centen a ry Update p.51

First Nat i onal Cadet Leader of the Year p.51

Do you k now your Manuals? (12) by Br uce Coltma n p 52

Sc hools Project p 54

AIDS

SJ Fellowship p 55

Around and About by the Editor p 56

Cadet Fo c us by Jim p.60

Aeromedical Conference p 62

Holistic Nursing Care b y Raymond Skarrat t p.64 Bomb! p.65

Readers Views p.66 Something

Champions of the Cross ( 12) by Hugh A. R Edgell p 69

Getting a

off the ground p.70

NEW YEAR HONOURS

ALL READERS will wish to join in congratulat ing the followmg members of the St John family whom Her Maje st y ha s been pleased to honour at the New Year in recognition of their outstanding services to the Order of St John and its Foundat ion. (In more detail than in Feb issue).

LIFE PEERAGE

Field Sir Edwin (Noel Westby) BramaU, GCB , OBE , MC, Lord LIeutenant of London , who recentl y ret ir ed a s C hi ef o f the Defence Staff and is no w President of S t John Council for London Distric t.

eBE

Mr C. F. PAYNE, QPM, DL, Commander St John Ambulance Cleveland , for his services as Chief Cons t abl e a nd t o in Cle veland. Mr Pay ne has been our C o un ty Director srnce 1978 became the County Commander in 19 84 and a Commander (Brother) of the Order in 1985.

OBE

Dr D. B. MB , BCh , BSc, DRCOG FRCGP , Prior y for Wales CommISSIoner , who has re c entl y ret ired after a lifetime of service to St John Dr Price joined as a cadet and pa s sed through all ranks untIl he became C hi ef Commis sioner and he is the first officer to achie ve this He made great c han ges in rank structure and general procedures which ha ve done much to revitalise the Bri gade in Wales.

MBE

Mr J. L. WILKINSON latel y A rea Commission er of the and Cotswold Area , Gloucestershire , for his work ill the field of medicine and in particula r for his work for St John He has been respon sible o ver the la s t four years for orgamsrng cov er at Gatcomb Par k Horse Trials and espec iall y for co -ordmatrng personnel from three counties to co ver the A ir Sho w, which has o ver 1 000 spectator s ea c h da y, wlth over 600 ca s ualties Mr Wilkinson was made a Commander o f the Order in 1972.

BEM

MRS R BEADNELL, Divisional Superintendent of the Marske Nursing Div ision , Cleveland for her exceptional dedication to the and 8t John, Her division won the Keith Joseph CuP m 1985 , and the 22 strong team under her leader ship earned out 5 , 155 voluntary hours caring for the sick and elderly.

M.R S F. M. E. Nursing Member K idlington DlVlslOl?- , Oxfordshlre, now retJ.red at the age of 74 , ha ving been many years for training members of the Forestry CommlsslOn lD first ald. She is also ver y involved in the WRVS and local churches. COVER

Lord Prior

• Tasmania

CENTENARY

TASMANIA'S St John Ambulance members were honoured with the visit to the state of the Lord Prior of the Order of St John Maj. -Gen The Earl Cathcart, in September as part of his Australian tour.

During his three da ys there, Lord Cathcart was entertained by the Governor, Sir James PlimsoU and visited several division s n Hobart and Launceston areas. He met an estimated 150 of the 600 Tasmanian members.

One feature was a visit to Dodges Ferry Combined Division , about 40 km from Hobart, which runs a full emergency first aid and rescue unit.

Lord Cathcart gave strong support during his visit to the idea of voluntary help. There is something essentially good about people helping their fellow man ,' he said in a newspaper interview 'A thread of unselfishness runs through the St John Ambulance service throughout the world.'

'The service could never be replaced by Government agencies , which were never as cost-efficient as voluntary bodies ,' Lord Cathcart said.

I For all the Right

Reasons'

THIS FILM o f the work of St John is coming along apace. Our g re at s upporter , co median Jimm y Tarbuck, has recorded the commentary and also a brief postcript which appeals for contributions so that the video can be used for Centenary Appeals - or, indeed, for any appeals. (Of course, if it is not appropriate, this would not ha ve to be shown.)

BP, who made the film possible in the first place, have now ge nerousl y agreed to host a launch of the film. This will be on March 5, when the guests will include journalists, representatives of organisations which might use the film and invited representati ves of St John.

The video will be available immediately after the launch from the Supplies Department. It shou ld be ordered in the usual wayprice £ 12.95 order number P 19998.

Events

CORRECT I ONS to the li st in the Ce nt enary Supplement published wit h the J anuary Review:

The Greyhound Racenight at Hove, Sussex will be on June 18 (not 7).

Suffolk's Gala a t the County Showground, Ipswich, will be on July 12 (not 7).

The finals of th e Grand Prior's Trophy Competition will be held on December I (not November 27)

Newly notified events are:

March I Centenary Service, St Mary's Church , Ash, Surrey

Ap ril I Gloucestershire - Warrinder dress sale, Beaudesert Park School, Minchinhampton.

May 14 : Gloucestershire - Warrinder dre ss sale, Flaxley Abbey, Newnham.

May 22: Glouce ste rshire - Open day , Daylesford H ouse, Moreton -in - Marsh.

May 30: Carnival, Durham City.

June 14: Re -dedication and Thanksgiving Service Durham Cathedral.

June 24: Northumbria - Reunion and Thank sg iving se rvice, Wallsend or North Shields.

July 2: Gloucestershire - Barn Dance and Barbecue Fire Service College, Moreton -in - Ma rs h.

July 17: Northumbria - Barn D ance and Barbecu e, Galagate Farm, Norham, Berwick.

July 17: Music and Wine Party, Polam Hall Darlington, Co. Durham.

(M

during his three-day visit to Tasmania.

(Bottom)

July 26-August 2 Buckinghamshire Centenar y Cadet Camp at Stoats Farm, Totland [s le of Wight.

August 16: Open Day, Rab y Castle Staindrop Co. Durham.

September II : Concert and Reception, Police HQ Aykley Head s, Durham

September 12 : Fun

Publicity Programme 1987

The Director of Public Relation s

As

(Top) Two-year-old Ebony Wood presents a bouquet to Lady Cathcart during the Lord Prior's visit to Dodges Ferry Division Tasmania

iddle) The Lord Prior Th e Earl Cathcart with members of Dodges Ferry Division and Ambu lance Training Offi cer Geoffrey Whi t e

The Lord Prior and Lady Cathcart with District Supt Anita Laird , Mr Theo Ca si maty , president Dodges Ferry Division, and Mrs Margaret Raszeja , president St John Auxiliary.

1.

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CENTENARY YEAR

Cold launch in N. Tyne

WE IN North Tyne Area planned to start our celebrations for centenary year with the launching of our radio communications scheme at the New Year's Day road race from Morpeth in rural Northumberland to the Civic Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne, a distance of 14t miles along the A road.

This is always a very exacting duty for the St John personnel who minister to the 1,600 participants of this international event.

As centenary year was being born, the rain had not stopped here for over 24 hours and the temperature was down near freezing. During the morning the rain continued and the wind became ferocious. Our immediate reaction was to prepare for hypothermia cases to be treated in our two caravans.

Our radio scheme got off to a good start.

As the system went live a hot dog van selling refreshments to spectators burst into flames and our first message was 'Send for the Fire Brigade'. This was happening while the leaders of the race were less than two miles from the finish.

The winner crossed the line, the second and then the third runner , who promptly collapsed from hypothermia , which was the signal for the flood gates to open. Over the next 2+ hours we dealt with 60 cases of hypothermia, three of whom had to go to hospital.

Our two caravans were rapidly swamped

SCHOOLS PROJECT

School Venture Weeks programme to be extended

THROUGHOUT the past eight years St John Ambulance, in conjunction with Butlin's Holiday Centres, have successfully run courses for school children aged 8 to 12 as part of their School Venture Weeks. The children pay for their week's holiday, which includes swimming, boating, fencing, artwork, video making and many other activities.

Our first aid sessions have been highly praised by both staff and teachers, especially the efficiency of the instructors, who are all St John Ambulance instructors. After each session the instructors give the children a talk on how they can join St John Ambulance if they wish to.

This year we are promoting the St John Ambulance Three Cross Award scheme to the teachers and parents who accompany the school children on these School Venture

with bodies and very soon I was being asked to go to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle s banqueting suite where D i S Lillian Molley and the girls from her division had set up a hypothermia treatment centre. The civic central heating was going great guns and the mayoral carpet was getting soggy.

The radios saved an awful lot of leg work for everyone concerned and it was wonderful to be able to have an up-to-date situation report at the touch of a button and not to be wondering what was going on along the route

By the end of the day everyone was ecstatic about the radios - cold, wet, very tired but jubilant that we had coped (doesn t St John always?) with what was really a major incident.

Our communications adviser , Mike Sawyer , didn t get much chance to work on the radios. He is now qualified at making tea and pushing stretcher trolleys - not bad going for his launch day as well.

Our centenary year got off to a flamboyant start, even though the temperature was low and we were all ver y cold . But have you noticed it is always cold when there' s a launch. Of a ship that is I was very proud of our personnel that day and the way in which they coped.

Bruce M Collman A rea Commissioner

WE

Reflections

Another day of snow and ice - unable to get to work - no food in the shops - why bother to get up? But how lucky I am to have a warm house and bed to stay in if! wish!

This year I have been very acutely aware of the hardships of those who have to suffer so much as soon as the temperature dropsboth the young and the old. For the first time I have offered my help to the various voluntary services who keep a look out for those in need at times such as these.

54 Weeks. With the co-operation of the Butlin's Centre managers we will endeavour to get the video shown to all teachers and parents present (they are very elusive after 'working hours'), thus making more of the general public as well as teachers aware of the Three Cross Award scheme for schools.

Joining St John Ambulance and coordinating the Schools Project has given me a new perspective to life generally. I had not realised that so many people gave so much of their valuable time to help the general public, asking nothing in return. Being part of the St John 'family' has now given me the impetus to go out and see what I can do for others in need.

By teaching the St John Ambulance Three Cross Award scheme in schools we can educate our youngsters that 'caring' is not just for mothers and babies, but involves everyone. That every life has a meaning and that each person can be and should be responsible for his J;J.eighbour in some way.

A nne Macleod Schools Project Officer

FUR THER to the circular issued by National Headquarters on October 16 1986 (Jan Review), new advice has now been jointly issued by the Department of Employment and the Health and Safety Executive in the booklet AIDS and Employment which is being distributed to employees through their employers. In section 7 of the booklet' Are There Any Special Precautions Which First Aiders Should Follow?' it states (among other things):

'First aiders should always cover any exposed cuts or abrasions they may have with a waterproof dressing before treating a casualty whether or not any infection is suspected. They should also wash their hands both before and after applying dressings.

Whenever blood, semen or other body fluids have to be mopped up, disposable plastic gloves and an apron should always be worn and paper towels used; these items should then be placed in plastic bags and safely disposed of, preferably by burning. Clothing may be cleaned in an ordinary washing machine using its hot cycle. The AIDS virus is killed by

AIDS

2. Its significance for first-aiders

household bleach and the area in which any spills have occurred should be disinfected using one part of bleach diluted with ten parts of water ; caution should be exercised as bleach is corrosive and can be harmfu l to the skin.

If direct contact with another person s blood or other body fluids occurs the area should be washed as soon as possible with ordinary soap and water. Clean cold tap water should be used if the lips, mouth, tongue eyes or broken skin are affected and medical advice sought.'

The mopping up procedure outlined above should be carried out using paper towels soaked in the recommended bleach solution and left over all the contaminated areas for 30 minutes before removal and destruction The wet areas must then be dried thoroughly.

The final paragraph of this section of

AMBULANCE RALLY

To celebrate the Brigade centenary , Grays Ambulance Division are organising a display and rally of vintage ambulances at the Orsett Show, near Grays, Essex. Any Division or individual who would like to display an early ambulance would be most welcome. The event is on Saturday Sept 5, when an average of more than 15 ,000 people visit this agricultural show.

Further details are available from: Divisional Secretary Grays Ambulance Division HQ, College Road, Grays, Essex. Telephone (0375) 380434.

An early response would be appreciated.

0071

J ames Bond - not the troubleshooter - has been appointed Chief Officer Cadets at National Headquarters. Jim is an Assistant Commissioner of London District.

LOSS LEADERS

I hear that Chris Penn and Patrick North are pounds better off - and so is Thame's St John Ambulance, Oxon.

Chris, Divisional Offic€r of Thame, and Patrick treasurer, have just ended a sponsorftd slim designed to boost funds for a new ambulance and headquarters.

Chris, 27 , lost 1 st 5 Ibs and Patrick dropped a full 3 st.

It was tough going,' said Chris. 'We both like our beer and had to end up on white wine and soda water.'

They hope to have raised most of the cash nft€ded for a new ambulance and to have boostftd the headquarters fund as well.

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

CLIFF RETIRES

C. J. Parry , MBE, KStJ, Brigade Secretary for Wales - receives a cheque from H R H The Duches s of Gloucester, Commandant-inChief of the Br ig ade in Wales, as a token of estee m a nd gratitude from his

Mr Parry whose grandfather was a found er member of one of the first divisions in Wales at Dowlais in 1897 completed 54 years of distinguished St John service, 26 as Brig ade secretary, and rising from Cadet to Assist a n t Chief Commissioner for Wales.

Gala Ball on Friday, May 15 at the Metropolitan Police Sports Club, Imber Court, East Molesey, Surrey . The reception will be at 7 pm for a 7.30 dinner followed by danc ing until midnight.

Tickets price £ 12.50 can be obtained from the Area President , Mr William Best QPM, 3 Dickerage Road , Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 3SP, phone 01 -942 7039. Please enclose a 13p stamp for postage of tickets. All Brigade members especially

former members of the Area, and their friends are welcome. Early booking is advisable to avoid disappointment.

U S. BOUND

Fly with us to Disneyland for a 14 -day holiday , that is the cente nar y year plan of DIS Mrs A. Wilcox of Reigate Combined Cadet Division, for at least J OO members and cadets. But hold it, the holUfay is to cost £500 a head,

BY THE EDITOR

So if you're still interested, get in touch with Mrs Wilcox on Caterham (Surrey) 44413 to be one of those 100 needed to make this trip-of-a-lifetime next November. There's plenty of time to save .

THE CADET

London Northern Area has chosen an Area Cadet of the Year from its 24 cadet divisions to mark centenary year.

The panel of ex-cadets, headed by London Co mmander Derek Fenton , c ho se 15-yearo ld Elai ne Sullivan a corpo ral of Bowes Park Division as the winner. Congratulations Elain e.

COMING HOME

St John Aeromedical Services' repatriations fo r 1986 were:

FIFTY TODAY

Celebratin g its golden jubilee during the Brigade s centenary year is North Yorkshire s Tadcaster Division, when D I S John Parnaby recently received an illuminated scroll from Ouse Area Commissioner John

THREE CROSS

Laxey (Isle of Man) Combined Cadet Division recently presented thi s stretcher to the island's volunteer Marsha l s Assoc ation for use at the TT and other major motor cycling events SJA man first aid posts with the marshals.

When it began in December 1936 Tadcaster was a closed division at the local brewery but opened its doors to other members soon after the war. Apparently its doors are now open even wider , for it is desperately looking for members.

Best wishes , Tadcaster.

A NURSING CAREER?

The Nurses Christian Fellowship runs a summer school for people over the age of 15 whQ are interested in taking up nursing as a career. The one week course provides an opportunity to find out about nursing with all its joys, opportunities and frustrations.

The programme includes a visit to a school of nursing, demonstrations and films on nursing Information and advice about nurse training is available and the course is run by nurses widely experienced in the various fields of hospital and community nursing

The dates of courses are August 1-8 or August 8-15 1987, and they are held at

Cheadle, Staffordshire, in a beautiful country mansion. They cost £92 excluding travelling costs.

For further information write enclosing a stamped addressed envelope to: The Summer Schools Registrar , Nurses Christian Fellowship, 277 A Ewell Road, Surbiton, Sur r ey KT6 7AX.

MUSIC MAKERS MEET

The annual general meeting of the St John Band Federation will be at 11 am on April 4 at London District HQ , 63 York Street, London WI.

AIDS

An Association branch statement by General Manager Sean Glenny says:

I. Policy statements on AIDS have been issued by the Surgeon-in-Chief and the Chief Medical Officer dated October 16 1986 and January 9 1987. (Published in the Review January and March 1987.)

2. The contents of these statements should be passed to and discussed early with students on all first aid

of Weymou

for your support.

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

The book Champions of the Cross which is being serialised in the Review is temporarily out of print and SJ A Norfolk will Jet us know when the new edition is available.

1986 Prize Winning Letters

THE REVIEW Board's selection of best letters publi s hed during 1986 are: 1st (£20) Let's Twin Divisions (Oct) from Mr D. Millband of Garstang Lancs ; 2nd (£ 10) What a lovely (April) from Mrs Gwen Vines of Herne Hill , London ; 3rd (£5) Stop Moaning! (Apri!), from Mr R. Dixon , of Lincs.

THE CHEERFUL red furnishings, plush seats, so ft lights and colourful plants and flowers in the reception lounge were a far cry from the usual impression one gets when entering a hospital. But this was the scene w hich greeted members of the King 's Lynn a nd Hunstanton Division s, led by D O Michael Richard s, when the y visited Stoke Mandeville during November. The atmosphere was heightened by a smiling Mrs Teresa Ward clinical teacher of in -service trai ning who was to guide t hem round the hospital. Mrs Ward led the way along red a nd white painted corridors to the seminar room where she gave a brief histor y of the unit which was started by the Austrian / German-born neuro -s urgeon the late Sir Ludwig Guttman. The £ 10 million building costs had been raised by th e efforts of Jimmy Savile and all the members of the public who had s upported him. The unit, said Mrs Ward, was divided into six wards, named after the four patron saints of the British Isles, and St Francis (the Healer) and St Joseph (the Worker). The aim of the unit is to get patient s back into the community as useful members of society. To achieve this a programme based on progressive patient care was devised with patients assessing their own progress. For instance , patients coming to the unit are placed in six-bedded bays , but after an initial period they are placed (depending on injury and progress) into twin - bedded rooms, and finally into single rooms. Patients are responsible for keeping their single rooms clean and tidy , which encourages independence, preparatory to returning home However, home-going can present problems and to help overcome them Social Services and the Hospital Social Workers assist with home alterations to kitchen, bathroom, etc. But it is not only the patients who have to make adjustments. It might well prove a traumatic experience for the family to adapt to a loved one confined to a wheelchair. So relatives are invited to stay at the unit prior to the patient's discharge, to watch staff and learn every-

To

Stol<e Mandeville

th ing that has to be done , much of which is taken for granted, such as washing feeding, dre ss ing , occupational therapy and ph ys iotherapy. Watching and coping by oneself are two different things, and someti me s coping can pro ve quite overwhelming.

To make the transition from hospital to home as easy as possible for all concerned, the unit has a private fiat where relatives and patient ma y spend a period on their own learning to adapt, but with the knowledge that at the other end of a bell is a trained staff member to give support if necessar y

After thi s interesting and illumin a ting talk members were shown a vide o of patients with varying degr ees of paral ysis, who recounted how their accidents occurred and how it had affected them ph ys icall y and emotionally.

The unit deals with between 600 and 800 spinal injuries a y ear , 50 % of them the result of RTAs. But Mrs Ward said that there was now a marked reduction in injuries to front-seat passengers and drivers , due to the use of seat belts , but spinal injuries often occurred to back seat passengers who were not wearing belts. 25% of spinal injuries were due to sporting activities , the most common being from swimmers diving into shallow water and sustaining cervical fractures. After watching on video how staff turned patients, the members were instructed by Mrs Ward and practised this on themselves

A guided tour of the unit enabled members to see for themselves the efforts made to keep wards as cheerful as possible:

bright yellow sheets , two colour TV sets to a bay fish tanks , posters and ma scots, and a giant banana some 5 feet long suspended over one bed!

O f great in terest were the showe r and bathing facilities. Patients are transported from their war d on a portable plastic bed-lift direct to the shower room, whe r e a shower can be e njo y ed lying down and hair washed, all with no further mo vement. The adjustable-height baths are quite ingenious. Again the plastic trolley-bed was used and patients lowe red into a bath which by means of s imp le controls could be raised or lowered to a height to suit patient and staff The £1 , 800 Mobiliser trolley is worth its weight in go ld . At the press of a button patients can be lifted from bed to trolley , transported to X-ray, and placed effortles s ly on the table. This means that only two people rather than four are required to transport and lift a patient. This piece of American equipment is not provided from Health Ser vice funds. At the end of the tour Mrs Ward was warmly thanked \;)y D / O Michael Richards and D / O Mar na Goward asked her to accept a small gift from the members. The VISit to the unit was interesting and enlightening, but perhaps the main thought was relief at not ha ving had such an acc ident with its life -changing effects The wor d s above the well in the foyer perhaps say what most feel after a visit to Stoke Mandeville: THANKS BE TO GOD AND ALL WHO HELPED IN THIS BUILDING signed: Jimmy Savile. Anne Knights A SO Norfolk

The Norfolk SJA party with guide Mrs Teresa

A new ambulance and a caravan were given to Staffs

Chasetown Di vision by friends of St John in memory of a Brigad e worker, Mrs Joyce Walker mother of the Divis on s vice-p r esident and also of the superintendent.

Ward (second from

A NUMBER OF years ago, an April Fool's joke which involved millions of television viewers was a programme about the spag hetti har ves t in Italy. A film showed farm workers collecting long strips of spaghetti from the trees. How many games and activities can you work out usi ng either raw or cooked spaghetti? To get you started here is a relay called:

Spaghetti line: Teams in re lay formation.

Place a number of long strips of cooked spaghetti in front of each team at the far end of the hall. On the word go' cadets run up one at a time and tie two pieces together with a reef knot. The team with the longest unbroken line when the whistle blows is the winner.

EASTER CUSTOMS

Egg rolling takes place in many parts of the country. Hard boiled eggs, coloured and decorated , are rolled down a slope. Prizes are presented to the child whose egg rolls the furthest. It is thought that the origin is the rolling away of winter to allow new life, symbolised by the egg, to take over.

Hiding chocolate eggs: The picture of the Easter bunny is a well-known favourite, but centuries ago it was the hare that was sacred to Easter. A popular was when the Easter Hare is said to have hidden eggs about the area and children had to search for them.

Marble championships held on Good Friday have been very popular in many places in Sussex and Surrey since about 1600. A circle is covered with sand and a team of six try to knock out of the circle as many of the 49 marbles as possible with their glass 'tolley'

by JIM

Oranges are also popular for rolling down hills at Easter but here is a recipe for a chocolate coated orange:

Ingredients: one orange, four squares of chocolate.

Method: Core the orange but leave the skin on. Break the chocolate up and put down the hole. Cover with foil and place in the hot embers of a fire. When the chocolate has melted, cool and then remove the foil. Peel the orange.

BOISTEROUS GAMES

There is often a need to play boisterou s games so that the cadets can let off steam ' Games such as these a re often more effective if not played too often or for too long. Watchful supervision is needed to ensure that the game does not become a free -for-all , or too rough.

Glove Hockey. You will need: I glove bean bag, 2 rolled up newspaper sticks.

The players stand in two teams, facing each other and at a distance of about 5 feet from the opposing team. The glove and sticks are placed between the teams and goals are marked at either end of the hall.

Each player is given a number, starting at the number one. When a number is called the appropriate player from each team runs to the middle, picks up a stick and tries to score a goal by knocking the glove into the opponent's goal. As soon as a goal is scored, or if the players get tired, call another number and two other players continue.

Four-legged Race. Can be played with small numbers. You will need: something to tie legs together (e.g ., scarves).

GRAND PRIOR AWARDS

Cadets get into threes and tie their legs together as for a three -legged race. Pairs of threes assemble, one at each end of the hall. The idea is to exchange ends of the room, but by passing through each preferably without falling over! The wmners are the first pair of threes to change ends and remain together.

British Bulldog. Can be played III a small hall with small numbers. No equipment needed.

A catc her is chosen and the rest of the pla yers gather at one end of the hall. The catcher calls 'Brit ish Bulldog' and the group attempts to reach the other end of th e hall. When someone is caught the catcher must lift them off the ground and say British Bulldog 1-2-3'. If the catcher succeeds in doing this the game continues with two catchers - the cadet who has just been caught becomes the second catcher. The game is repeated and the number of catchers increases until one person is left. The cadet left is the win ner and the first catcher in the next game.

Mrs Shelagh Farrell. Avon Deputy County Commissioner, presented Paul Bookham with his Grand Prior award and waited for a slice of his celebration cake, proffered by Miss Julie Moore , the newly appointed member- in-charge of Hartcliffe Ambulance and Nursing Cadet Division, Bristol. (Photo : Myra Meredith)

Grand Prior badge

Additional recommended safety rules: I If the catcher is a sma ll cadet, there should be someone to help him / her.

2. If after two or three goes, no -one is caught, an extra catcher should be appointed.

3. When caught, it is better if the cadets do not resist being lifted otherwise a mad struggle could develop.

GAMES FOR SMALL HALLS

Tadpoles. You will need 2 tennis balls/ bean bags.

Half the players make a circle with one cadet standing in the middle of it. The other players form a line (the tadpole tail).

The player in the middle of the circle throws the ball to each player in the circle in turn , counting the number of catches. Start again if the ball is dropped. Meanwhile, the first cadet in the tadpole 's tail passes her ball over her head to the end of the line, and the last girl in the line then runs around the circle and back to the front of the line. She then starts off again, passing the ball over her head and down the line. When all the

players in the tail have run, the game stops and the players change over. The team with the highest number of continuous catches are the winners.

Witches Glue Pots. You will need : chalk

Mark four (or more) large circles (glue pots) on the floor. A 'glue witch (who is sticky) is chosen and any player caught by her is put in a glue pot. Those in the glue pot also become 'sticky' and can catch players running past , but only as long as their feet remain inside the glue pot. The last cadet to be caught is the witch next time.

Shops. No equipment needed.

Choose three (or more) players to be shops (e.g., chemist, news agent , grocer, etc). When a 'shop' catches someone she counts to 10 while the cadet tells her five items that can be bought at that shop '. If the cadet fails to do so , she has to go to Woolworths (a stationary person - not necessarily a player). At Woolworths ,. the cadet then has to list 10 items she could buy there; there is no limit and when she has done so, she may rejoin the game.

Night Squares. You will need: chalk spills. Mark a large square on the floor. The players stand at the other end of the room. When the hall is completely dark (or when they have been blindfolded) , they make their way into the square.

After a short time the lights are switched on again , and anyone outside the square is given a spill. Play the game again, making the square smaller each time and marking it in a slightly different place each time. The cadets with the fewest spills at the end are the winners.

Contributions

Contributions

At Malvern Nursing Cadet Division 's 50 years celeb rat ion get-together the c ake (above) was cut by Div isi on 's first

cadet, Mrs Brenda Martin, who was among 25 of the Div ision's ex-Grand Prior cadets present. (Right) The County President. Lady Hunt in gton-Whiteley , presented the jubilee ce rtificate and two more GP awards. (Photo:

Aeromedical Report by Conference

DR A. HANDLEY

REPORTS of St John Ambulance training conferences are a regular feature of the Review and are often much-of-a-muchness.

The Aeromedical Services residential training weekend has for several years been held soon after the Christmas festivities ebb and is rather different. It is compUlsory! In order to achieve and maintain an elitist level of performance SJ Aeromedical Services require that the medical and nursing personnel attend regular training sessions and the residential weekend is part of that training. So far as we are aware, SJ Aeromedical is the only UK organisation in this competitive field with a formal training scheme.

In return , the attendants, many of whom are auxiliaries and are not full members of the Brigade, are rewarded for the many hours of professional skill which they give every year with conference free board and lodging from Friday to Sunday, and a free annual dinner, which has become very popular.

The venue for the 1987 weekend was Manchester University, January 9-11. A doughty contingent from Aerom@d HQ at Grosvenor Crescent had arrived in advance to check in participants on Friday evening -

in bleak midwinter and all. It was uplifting to hear HQ operations staff greeting nearly everyone by Christian name and the handshaking and hugging of new and old acquaintances and friends who were soon transported upstairs to the bar and a free glass of wine for everyone and much lively chatter. Who had been where this year? Who had lost a patient (not deceased, you understand, merely misplaced)? How helpful are the police in Korea? Normal Aeromedical conversation.

Friday evening's buffet/ banquet was an experience. There were mountains of superbly prepared food which seemed untouched even after all had been fed. And it must be said that the catering throughout the weekend was very good indeed with black pudding in the breakfast fry, and the chicken Kiev on Saturday evening was tasty enough to overcome the radioactive humour of some diners.

Changes

The official proceedings were fired up by Dr J. H. E. Baker (affectionately known as Harry) Assistant Surgeon-in-Chief SlAB and chairman of the SJAB Aeromedical Professional Panel who told us of the many

profound changes at an operational level which had taken place in HQ during the past year and of our dealings with insurance companies and commercial interests. Evidently the upstart puppy Aeromedical Services was being unceremoniously hauled back to heel on the Brigade chain by Lt. Cdr. lohn Hammond (Staff Officer to Surgeon-inChief) Aeromedical Headman Elect who is to be Controller. We heard with regret of the departure of David Dew, outgoing director of Aeromedical Services, after a long illness and the conference sent him its best wishes.

Burlesque

This interesting opening report by Harry had been preceded by one of those pieces of burlesque which ardent Brigade watchers collect in the manner that others revere Georgian silver. One of Grosvenor Crescent's operations staff, in an attempt to maintain that spurious confidentiality of inside information which is a feature of Brigade machinations , asked that anyone who was not an aeromedical attendant should leave the room. His request was directed at a Brigade Commissioner of Greater Manchester whose person and uniform he had obviously failed to recognise - recently retired Dr Kenneth Leese , and his wife Joan (County Nursing Officer) , both experienced attendants in their own right, and he is on Aeromedical's professional panel. The gaff was compounded when the Commissioner was offered hospitality at the bar which was being provided by Greater Manchester Brigade anyway. Fortunately Ken Leese is big enough to laugh it off.

The remainder of Friday evening was spent in a time honoured ritual of bar and banter with most people abed by 0300

Saturday morning saw some hardy types taking a brisk walk before breakfast, while a few of the late partygoers were crawling to the lecture hall with cottonwool plugs in their ears to lessen the deafening noise of Alka-Seltzer.

Harry Baker welcomed back his flock with a humorous, succinct presentation on AIDS , which is probably destined to become a regular problem in aeromedical evacuation.

Wide range

0940 Group Captain Colin MacLaren, Consultant Adviser in Anaesthetics to the Royal Air Force, held his audience effortlessly for two sessions while covering a wide range of clinical problems and technical aspects which the RAF have solved. His talks were illustrated with slides and all present were intrigued by his descriptions of VC 10 air ambulance work Hercules transport to and from the Falklands, and a case of Lassa fever transported from Sierra Leone wrapped in plastic. (The young lady survived.) Finally before lunch on this first full day Assistant County Surgeon Vic Galland , from Preston delivered a paper on the transport of neonates. This s a highly s pecialised field in which SJ Aeromedical has so far not had very many requests for transport , but following the extremely generous donation of an incubator by Eric Thurston two paediatric 's ets ha ve been purchased and are in use. Vic took his listeners through the pitfalls associated with the transport of these our youngest and smallest clients and , while everyone present mu s t have learned from his expertise most were convinced that airborne neonatal intensive care was not a field to enter lightly.

AT THE RACE MEETING

Left) Taunton (Somerset) Ambulance Divi s ion's a mbulance working alongs ide the local Red C ross vehicle at Taunton Race Meeting. The two organisations regularly cover duties (ie Taunton Marathon ) together.

(Above) At the wheel , Corporal David Staple prepares to follow rider s around the course.

(Right) Here's Taunton s ambulance team (Robin Slade, Mark Scribbins, Steve Mitchem and Colin Slade who recently won the annual Bateson Quiz (ambulance v nursing divisions) on first aid, caring for the sick g eneral knowledge, and knowledge of the Order. The Bateson Cup wa s presented three years ago by Taunton member for 50 years, Ron Bateson. For the first two years it was won by the Nursing Division.

Psychiatric problems necessitated about 12% of the assignments in 1986 and during the afternoon Martin Riley RMN , of the professional panel and Dr R. C. Ingrey Senn, psychiatrist and Deputy County Surgeon, Hertfordshire , discussed and guided everyone through the clinical and legal implications and problems. Martin in particular was impressive as a caring, thoughtful nurse in his 'uniform' of jeans and sweater, which was discarded later for a suit and tie at the dinner. A good and encouraging session. (Psychiatric repatriations are not done, usually, in uniform, to avoid the police image.)

On the Sunday morning the start was delayed until 0930 (allowing participants another half-hour for hangover or exercise) when Dr Gillespie from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine spoke on those subjects and rapidly enlightened attendant s about illnesses they might contract while working in warmer climes ; and also about the different patterns of disease in these areas. Again his paper was amply illustrated with slides and OHP foils , and his talk with personal anecdotes of snakes and colonial life.

Foreign airports

Dr I an Donnan , who surfaced after the coffee break , is Medical Director at Manchester Airport , and until recentl y a GP in Cheshire and another attendant with a great deal of practical expertise under his SJ belt. He took us through some of his experiences at foreign airports and laid down ground rules for circumventing trouble both at home and abroad How to actually re c ord the details of aeromedical missions was the

final subject of the morning delivered by another member of the aeromedical profe ssional panel , Dr Norman Paras who achieved the seemingly impossible of getting all his OHP viewfoils the wrong way round , while the enraptured throng took bets that at least this t ime he could get it right by pure chance!

Winding up , Harry Baker answered questions , parried thrusts about long debated difficult areas in the medico-legal field and thanked the members and others for attending. And so nearly everyone departed , the majority driving south east whe r e a blizzard awaited them.

Reward

A final word about the annual dinner. A s previously mentioned , this was instigated as an 'instant tradition to ' reward auxiliary members for the r unremittingly generous service. After -dinner speeches, top-tables , and top-brass-formality have been conspicuous by their low profile. This year , however , the pattern changed. The new Commissioner -in·Chief amused us with his after dinner wit but assumed a Brigade knowledge from a non-Brigade audience. Mr Stoller, County President of Greater Manchester w ho had sponsored the predinner champagne , re s ponded for the gue s ts The w ho le proceeding s were recorded on video-tape by E ric Thurston of Talair , who 15 years a g o probabl y fle w more aeromedical missi ons than anyone and ha s been a tower of strength since.

The excellent dinner was follo wed by a disco , when hair was let down and much wine drunk.

Holistic Nursing Care

THERE HAS been a considerable amount of anxiety generated by what is considered a new approach to the care of the sick as described in the new manual. Thi s is o some extent both understandable and regrettable Understandable because it is new to the St John member and requires a different approach by the teacher; regrettable because it means that previously we have either learnt or been taught procedures' that are looking for a patient whereas now the situation has changed and we look, primarily , at the patient's needs and then search for a possible solution.

In order to understand what is meant by the title of this article it is necessary to investigate what is meant by care and caring.

Fig I is a simplified expression of the idea of caring

Caring is central to nursil'lg inasmuch as curing is central to medicine. In fact it is probably true to say nursing is caring . Caring is having concern about the health of the patient; not only having concern, but showing that concern. If we are concerned about the health of the patient then we must be concerned about the anxieties of the patient and then recognising that his or her family will also have related anxieties; then it therefore becomes obvious that caring also includes helping the patient and the family to cope with their worries as well as the problems associated with the patient s health In order to make any attempt to help

WAKEYWAKEV!

An early morning call for Badgers (left to right) Claire (10) and Debbie Liv es ay (7 ofWalsall, and Rach e Moore (9 ) of Blo xw i c h by Badg e organiser John Bla ckwell and Mr s Joan Blac kwell,

3. GIVING CARE: This is t h e stage that in the pas t we have concentrated o n and it 's imply ' invol ves instituting action to sa ti sfy th e pati e nt 's nee d s.

4. EVALUA nON: Having g ive n t he ca re, we must decide whether the pati e nt is better or worse as a r es ult of the ca re a nd if necessa r y a lter our approach.

Back to Mrs Smith , w ho h as been pal ie ntl y waiting fo r us to finish our discussion. We have o bt ained a g reat deal of information about Mr s Smith a nd we n ow hav.e to a n a yse this and try to id entify w hat her probl e m s are, bearing in mind her age and leve l of dependence.

Mrs Smith ma y have been used to occ up y in g a fema le r o le in th e family such as looki ng after' h e r hu sband by cook in g hi s meal s and providing companionship. She now misse s this as in dicated by her reluctance to cook for herself and her apparent se lf-neglect. She li ves in an environment that is le ss than d es ir ab le. Do you get the idea ?

CARING

Fig 1 A simplified expression of the idea of caring.

the patient and famil y the carer need s to be comforting both in action and attitude and the only possible w a y this can be done successfully is to respond to people in their totality , which is the point at which we started. Responding to people in t heir totality is , in my view the meaning of holism hence the title of this article

Returning to the manual , or s hould I say the manual and the User's guide to Caring for the Sick, as it is essential, in order to obtain a comprehensive view of patient care, to use the User 's guide in conjunction with the manual when studying the material that is relevant for looking after the s ick. But at the same time it is important to remember that the manual is only a guide to care and should not be regarded as a prescription for care.

At the centre of the concept of holism is the patient and his or her needs, not the carer and the nursing actlVltles. Using thi s definition the patient may have social and emotional needs as well as physical needs

Mrs Smith's history provides a good example to study in a holistic way

Mrs Smith is aged 83 and lives in an upstairs flat in an old converted house in an area of the city which was once occupied by a more prosperous section of society. Her heating consists of a one-bar electric fire. The bathroom and toilet are both on the floor above. She is generally in good health, apart from painful hips due to long - standing

Holtsmill Lane by RAYMOND SKARRATT BA (Hons), SRN, RMN, RNT County Nursing Officer, W. Midlands arthritis and moves ro und the flat using a tea trolley for s upport. Hot wate r is obtained by bo ilin g it in a pan on the gas rin g in one corner of th e living room. She wo uld use a kettle bu finds it too hea vy to lift. When yo u vis it her on the request of a mutual fr iend s h e opens th e door a nd you see she is weari n g a flim sy ni g htdr ess, a threadbare dressing gow n and a pair of ill -fittin g s lipper s. As yo u enter her living room yo u notice some biscuit s and a half finished cup of tea, w hi c h she tells yo u was for he r lunch , but s he hasn ' t felt lik e coo king since her husband died la s yea r. Whilst chatting to you s he explains that she is 'o n water tablets but she cannot get to the toilet easily so she us es a plastic bucket with a lid which she empties each morning. When she was young s he used to do vo luntary work but now doesn t go out. Your mutual friend fetches Mrs Smith s perrsion and any shopping that she asks for.

Before tackling the above patient study I would like to introduce one more idea; the problem so lving approach to nur s ing. This is a way of looking at the patient and his or her problems in a logical way. It has four stages I. ASSESSMENT: The object , here , is to obta i n and analyse information, looking for clues that will lead to the patient s needs being identified.

2. PLANNING: Having identified where the patient may need help, a plan of action can be decided upon that will help to overcome the patient's problems.

Let' s now lea ve the detai led analys is and state so me of the problems / needs of Mrs Smith and, alongside, put the apppropriate unit where the answer can be found.

Prob lems/Nee d Cause U nits to Consu lt Need for safety Poor environment I Poor mobility 2 Poor foolwear 4 Lack of heati ng 7. 8 Need for Death of husb and 14 recr ea tion Poor mobility 2 Stairs Lonelines s I 2

Mrs Smith, as you can see, h as many problems eac h of which has more than one cause. You m ay find it useful to try to determine the rest of Mrs Smith's problems

and di sc us s them with yo ur Nursing Officer at a divisiona l meeting.

Havin g consu lt ed the various units you are able, with advice from a professional nurse, to select the appropriate nursing care for Mrs Smith and carry it out.

To summa rise: Holism is looking at a person in their totality. Attached to Mrs Smith's dangerous sl ipper s is an old lady who has been rece nt ly bereaved and ha s lost interest in he rse lf a nd the world around her. She has pain w hen she moves around which adds to her misery. She has lost some of her dignity by being unable to use the bathroom and toil et in a normal way and finds that the only way she can cope is by using a plastic bucket, a much more complex problem than was at first thought on seeing her ill-fi tting slippers when s he opened the door to us.

Comp lex, but more intere sting and worthwhile to be able to say, I have he lped Mrs Smith to cope with her problems' rather

than , I got Mrs Smith a n ew pair of slippers from the welfare stores.

When you are learning about caring for the sick try to think of people you know or have already looked after and study them in relation to their environment , family , and friends, looking at each of the activities of living and your learning will become more interesting and exciting. If you carry out the above activity yo u will have been cons id eri ng the patient in a holistic way and using the manual accordingly. Have another look at Fig

When in London stay at

St John House Club

St John Hou se Club

St John House Club

St John House Club

St John House Club (Right) Fred Dawson tends a casualty.

(Above) Pa ti en t s were spread in more ways t h a n one in the car park.

(Left) Caring in th e makeshift L hospital.

A TALK on AIDS was in progress a SJA Sussex 's seco nd an nual training weekend of 1986 (t h e C -in - C and hi s w ife were there) held at Sussex Po lice HQ, when an exercise was activated by the Co un ty Commissione r , J ohn Shjppam , w hi ch involved a car bomb exp lodin g whi le 32 people were touring th e P o lice HQ. T h e probl e m for first - a ider s was inten sifie d by other bomb explosio ns in the area cutting off all out side h elp. The exercise was fi lmed by the Police TV unit.

Below ) Fatali ties (five) were dummies.

Photo : Josef Lopuszynski

TRAINING

from Mr p, Horah. Ambulance Member

The quality of service provided by St John Ambulance members is crucial to the future of the organisation. That makes their training an important issue.

As members we all want to increase the skills we can offer but getting to all the courses is difficult. Many busy people cannot afford to give up every weekend for duties and training and members with families already have to make sacrifices to attend - but the organisation would be lost without them. Members are expected to attend training courses which do not materialise frequently enough or are over subscribed.

What is needed is a more flexible approach to training. I would like to suggest something along the lines adopted by the Open University , Manpower Services Commission, and the Industrial Training Boards :

(a) 'On-the-job training' in caring for the sick and first aid which allows members to work through a record book practising a range of skills. Time limits can be set, examination can be done by an appropriate officer. A member can be assessed while on duty or during a training evening

(b) Units assignments for members to work through on the theoretical aspects of first aid or nursing

On-the-job training' is something I experienced while serving my apprenticeship a few y ears ago. I can see a use in St John for this method for new members or cadets.

Unit training by correspondence is something I am doing now, receiving sponsorship from my employer through the MSC. It could be used by St John for internal courses (e.g., promotion or appointments).

Training has to be made simpler for members. This does not mean you have to allow standards to lower.

There are many things to consider in my proposals which I have briefly suggested. Has this kind of option been considered ?

Crystal Palace Di vis ion (Nov 6) P. Horah

HQ Staff Officer Brigade Training writes: On the job training offers a very realistic and pract ical way to improve knowledge and skills. This approach to training is among the many methods constantly under consideration and review for St John training.

AIDS AND THE FIRST-AIDER

from Mrs B. Smith. Divisional Superintendent

On Dec 2, I received a memo via HQ dated October 16 regarding AIDS and its significance for first-aiders I was utterly amazed at its total lack of regard for the safety of fi rs -aiders and the obvious head-in-the-sand , ignore-it-and-it'll-go-away attitude. It is s o contradictory it is laughable. Not easily transmitted unless no conclusive eviden c e nevertheless wash as soon as possible and occasionally risk is small but etc.

L et me write this out again AIDS is perhaps not easily transmitted but there is a risk however small. One drop of infected blood on unprotected skin could be contagious You do not need a whole crate of broken milk bottles to cause a cut, a minute sliver of glass will be neither do you need a handful of tin-tacks to cause a puncture , one m a tyre could have devasting re sults. Am I making myself clear? There has not been any conclusive evidence YET, but there is always a first time. The virus has been found in saliva, albeit in a very small quantity , so this in itself is a real risk to a first-aider giving MTM and even though the risk is extremely small nevertheless the risk is there and one first-aider catching this disease is one too many.

The memo should have suggested that to err on the side of caution would be the right attitude to take wear surgical rubber or disposable polythene gloves when dealing with blood (these take up little room in a pecket or bag) and HQ should procure post-haste and supply to all members, 12 inch squares of boil able material with a non-return mouth-piece in the centre for MTM procedures. These were available a long time ago, so I am given to understand, and would be cheaper and less bulky than the face-masks available now, but even these are better than direct contact.

Nurses in casualty departments of hospitals are now instructed to wear surgical gloves when treating casualties, so why not us? AIDS is

a killer and although not easily contracted the risk is there unless precaution s are taken. There is no cure , only a slow painful death, We are always taught Make sure there is no further danger before you do ANYTHING'. Surely thi s is of paramount importance where AIDS is concerned?

Newark, D ec 2 Belle Smith

Editor: New advice on AIDS for first-aiders from Headquarters appears on page 55 of this issue.

ILLOGICAL?

from Miss L. M, Jackson

I recently applied to transfer from the Nursing Division of the Southport St John Ambulance Corps to the Ambu lan ce Division but was refused, presumably because I am female!

The facts are these, virt ually all the duties I have performed have been as an ambulance driver or attendant. I have not been called upon to cover a nursing duty simply because there ha s been no need for such - most of the duties in the Southport Division are ambulance or first aid. Therefore it seems illogical for me to be acting as an ambulance member yet not officially acknowledged as s uch.

Fortunately in mo s t organisations sexual discrimination is a thing of the past Isn 't it about time the SJA mo ved with the times?

Southport 28 Oct 86

SEXIST

from Maura Russ

L. M. Jackson

I am writing to air my views about the St John national competitions, which also involve regional and county rounds. In this competition the ambulance member s do first aid team tests and first aid individuals while the nursin g sections do first aid team tests but home individual s

I believe thi s s sex ist , becau se why s hould girls or ladies have home nursing compulsorily while the males do not ? Aren t men as capable of making beds as women? Also it is being unfair to boys, because many are turning to nursing as a worthwhile career and they are being deprived of basic training.

This competition is on a national sca le , but in a few yea rs time men could be properly tra ined in home nursing to the same degree as females. Also, in the actual competition, there could be a first aid team test then two members of the team could do home nursing while the other two do first aid. This would be fair to both sexes.

Understandably, this is a major task to restructure nationally but I believe St John should move with the times and give equal opportunities to everyone in the organisation , cadets and adults. There is even a risk that the ambulance cadets may believe that women should make the beds while they don 't have to bother. Our organisation should update this competition as if i does not constantly change it will soon become outdated and old -fashioned.

Brislington Cadets, Avon Maura Russ

Headquarters writes: Clearly this member has not seen the new competition rules which were issued in September 1986 , ref para 2, g and h, and para 3 f and g. There is no longer any sex discrimination.

Something was amiss ...

I LEFT WORK as usual on Monday, January 19 at 5 pm and drove home by. my usual route. After about two miles , this route take s me a hill to staggered crossroads junction and as I approached the Junctl.o n I realised something was amiss as crowds of people were stand lllg around. As. I drew nearer I saw a person lying half on the and h a lf III the road. I immediate ly stopped the car and grabblllg my first aid kit ran across the road.

I introduced myself as a first - aider and knelt down beside the He was an e.lderly of about 75 years and he complained that hiS le gs hurt. I Immediatel y s u spected fractures. His leg s were bowe d and could not get bandages around them. I checked him over and there dl? not seem to be any other injurie s, apart from a nasty gas h on hiS fight hand and over hiS left ear. He was covered in dirt and slush from the recent snowfalL By this time a nurse had arrived and dealt with his hand and head.

,He continued about hi s le gs, so I told him that I was gO illg to try to straighten them. I did this , slowly and carefully, and I doubted there were any fractures as he did not complain more than he [ managed to get h.is together and reached for a Brigade tnangu la: bandage makmg It mto a broad bandage. But I fo und it was hardly big to u se as a figure of eight bandage around his ankles. I did ,not attempt further dressings, so as not to cause unnecessary pam.

It occurred to me at this stage that whatever had hit him had not The gentleman told me that he had been shopping and had VISited the library in Margate. He had got off the bus at a nearby stop and ,,:alked to the junction to cross the road. The bus turned to go up the hill , and ,as he ste pped off the kerb the side of the bus knocked him over. dnver was unaware of what had happened A taxi driver saw the aCCident and went after the bus and managed to stop it. The bus returned and a very shaken driver emerged. amb ulance arrived a couple of minutes later, followed by the police. The ambulance suspected a fractured femur, so they put on a broad bandage big enough to go around hi s knees, and gave Ento no x. He was loaded on to a trolley stre tcher and then into the ambu lance. I one of, the ambulance men his glasses , some small change, shoppmg, and a hbrary book - called, of all things, Collision Course!

Westgate Combined Division, Kent A. M. Grahame Bredbere

Supplies ........ Update

!HE LATEST edition of Supplies News will have reached you as an msert III February Review. Don't forget to take advantage of t he reaI!y speCial offers. T?ere's only a limited s upply of the gift range so yo u II to order qUlckly. Our latest Accessories Catalogue will now be r.eachlllg all account holders, but if there are any readers of the who, as an account holder, do not recei ve one, our Salesline

Will be pleased to send a copy - ring 01-2510004.

Unfortunately our Public Affairs Department advised us incorrectly ab?ut the size o! the Poster Sets (S 15 360), Although the error was spotted, It was too lat e to amend Supplies News - the posters

Will be 30 cm square (not 60 cm square).

It has taken longer than we would have wished to clear the back orde r s for cadet jackets - our supplier has tried to keep apace with the - sorry, but we will not be able to clear all of the back orders for 38 illS and 40 ins u!ltil ea.rly March. Meanwhile, we're ready to meet the demand for uruform Items III preparation for the Centenary celeb rations.

As you will know , there's been a massive demand for our Centenary Range. By the time this Review reaches you we hope to have cleared any outstanding items.

of the Sunday T im es will have seen the good publicity we received ill the Colour Supplement during January Our first aid kits tested against outfits from a number of organisations and were highly recommended.

We've had lots of requests for disposable gloves and we have Illtroduced a pack of 100 one-size (fits aU) polythene gloves. To order, quote F l266?, £ 1.35 per pack. Send your order to us , in the normal manner, quotmg one unit for each 100 pack required.

Brain Rock elL Director Supplies

MERSEYSIDE

We ve got it! (right) Liscard's Maria McClure 9 and Sally Adams 8 win the junior competition. ( Below right) And the Wallasey Juniors again brought home the Cheshire Quiz cup.

(Below) Miss G. M , Huntley (left) , former D S Liscard Cadets was presented with a centenary clock on her retirement by D S Mrs B Miller (right) on behalf of Area Staff and Wa lasey members, (Centre 0 0 Adults) Mr D. Dodd.

The Mayor of Wirral v isits a Save a Life class at Wirral' s community centre.

SINCE its inception just over 2 years ago the Musical Society of the Priory of Scotland has devoted all the proceeds from each of its concerts to the support of the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem. In this way the Society became a main subscriber to paying for a special Laser item of equipment which the Priory committed itself to providing. Happily, the total sum of £25,000 has now been raised and even more happily is proving to be a great boon in the treatment of the terrible eye defects to which people of all races in the Middle East are subject, particularly the young.

The Society is now busily preparing for its next concert, the proceeds of which will

WALES

TWO NEWPORT schoolgirls who saved the life of an attempted suicide were presented with the Order of St John parchment scroll of commendation at Hartridge High School, Newport , Gwent, recently.

The two 14-year-olds, Andrea Williams and Gillian Yarnold, were praised on their actions when they arrived at the scene of an attempted suicide: 'Their presence of mind and the skilled attention to the injuries of the man is worthy of the highest commendation.'

Andrea and Gillian, who both live in the Beechwood area of Newport, are members of the SJA Christchurch Division. They were presented with the commendation by the Commissioner for Gwent, Dr John Lloyd , CStJ.

NORTHERN

IRELAND

THIR TY old folk who attend the Edgcumbe Day Centre, Belfast, were presented with bumper food hampers on December 16, gifts from E Company 7/10 UDR based at Palace Barracks, Holywood. The occasion was a Christmas party organised by St John. After enjoying a festive meal, the old folk were treated to a musical evening by local artistes. Then it was time to be photographed with Santa Claus by Harold McClean, superintendent of SJA's Ledley Hall Cadet Division. In thanking 7/10 UDR, the Commissioner for Belfast, John Hughes, praised the regiment for their generosity which he said had become a tradition lasting 11 years. He added: 'St John is not only concerned about first aid but also plays a valuable role in the community in caring for the sick and the elderly.'

NEWS from SCOTLAND

again be devoted to the support of the Hospital. This time the concert will take the form of a piano recital given by the young Korean pianist Miss Ju Hee Suh and will take place on April 24 in the MacRobert Centre, Stirling University, the venue for the inaugural concert of the Society in March 1985. Tickets, price £5 each, including sherry , may be had from the Secretary,

Captain Eric Scott OStJ, 17 Bellevue Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 6NE.

Miss Ju Hee Su was born in Seoul in 1967 and began studying the piano at the age of four. Already by the age of nine she was playing concertos with the National Symphony Orchestra of Seoul and since has performed in many parts of the world and with many orchestras, including , the London Symphony, the Tokyo Symphony and the New York Philharmonic. The Stirling Concert to be given by this brilliant young pianist promises to be a very enjoyable occasion and it is hoped that it will be well supported by members and friends from all over the country.

Two Newport schoolgirls, Andrea Williams (left) and Gillian Yarnold, with Order scrolls, and the headmaster, Mr Tony Buckle. ( Right ) Commissioner for Gwent Dr John Lloyd and (left) Assistant Commissioner Mr Malcolm Bell.

The Commissioner for Clwyd, Mr E. R Eaton, presenting gifts to the Deputy Commissioner for C wyd , Tony Bilsborough and his family in appreciation of all they have done for the Brigade in the county over the past years. Tony , Jan and their son Christopher are returning to their native Lancashire.

At the St John Christmas party, Belfast.

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

Written and illustrated by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order

Part 12

The Early Years

THE PAST few years had been a difficult time for the Order. The loss of Rhodes, the unwillingness of the Princes of Europe to assist in its recapture, and the problems involved in finding a new home had all combined to lower the morale of the members. The high standards of the earlier days had deteriorated rapidly and many K nights, Chaplains and Serving Brothers had given way to the temptations of an easier li fe. Drunkenness and duelling were commonplace and physical comforts seemed to be more important than the spiritual duties and responsibilities. Yet the Order had surv ived, and de L'Isle Adam was determined that it should continue to do so. The immediate need on their arrival in Malta was to provide a suitable base for their future operations. Fort St Angelo was strengthened, and proper defences for the village of Birgu were erected to protect the vario us Inns and the new Hospital. No-one knew when the Turkish force s might once again seek to destroy the Order.

As well as fortifying Birgu , they stre ngthened the defences of the ancient capital city of the island, Mdina , set on high ground roughly in the centre of the island , although this was too far from the sea to provide an adequate base for the Order 's galleys. Grand Master de la Sengle (c 1555) also built the massive fortifications on the peninsular south of Birgu , and this area was named Senglea after him.

As the defences were improved the Order 's galleys resumed their harassing of the Turkish shipping and corsairs throughout the Mediterranean area. These expeditions took the place of the old caravans and were still regarded as essential for the Knights if they were to become eligible for promotion. The galleys were based in the creek between Birgu and Senglea, and the entrance was guarded by a heavy chain strung across it.

In 1552 the Knights addeci to their defences round the harbour by building a small fort on the northern tip of Mount Sciberras, which they named Fort St Elmo. This provided additional defence for Grand Harbour and also protected the entrance to the other harbour - Marsamascetto. In the same year, a famous Corsair Dragut Reis, known as the 'Sword of Islam' landed on the island, but found the Knights too strong for him. He withdrew and sacked the island of Gozo instead. Life was returning to its old ways.

The English Langue Meanwhile, in England, the Priory was facing other problems. For some years King Henry VIII had become increasingly concerned over the power of the Pope within his realm. The church, including the monastic orders, were under the Pope's control, and in

THIS is the story of two of the great Military Orders which were part of the everyday scene in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their influences on local life. The Order of St John wasfounded to provide carefor pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of their founders. Within a ft.w years, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wielding immense military and political power in the Holy Land and throughout Europe. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspicion and disapproval. The other was to survive to the present day and in the process turnfull circle to serve its 'masters the sick '.

many ways this divided the allegiance of the people. It was as though there were two kingdoms in the country - the church ruled over by the Pope, and the state ruled over by the King.

As relations between the King and the Pope worsened, and the King was excommunicated from the church, Henry decided to abolish the monastic orders. For one thing they represented the power of the Pope in the country, and for another they were extremely wealthy whereas the King was often short of money

Elizabeth, however, did not dissolve the Order, and this was to have importance some centuries later.

La Vallette

Jean Parisot de la Vallette was elected Grand Ma ster of the Order of St John of Jeru salem in 1557 at the age of 63. He came from one of the noble st families of Pro vence, then a separate kingdom in France. He joined the Order in 1514 , and as a yo ung K night took part in the siege of Rhode s in 1522.

La Vallette was experienced in fighting the Turks. 1n 154 I he had been unfortunate enough to lose his s hip ·San Giovanni while taking part in a caravan' and he had been captured by the enemy. For a year he survived the life of a galley-slave. Fortunately for himself and for the Order in later years, he had been exchanged for some Turkish prisoners, and he rejoined his fellow-knights in Malta.

The Engl ish Priory was dissolved.

In 1538, the King decided to make certain demands of the English Priory of the Order of St John. Among them were (a) that all those who wished to enter the Order should take an oath of allegiance to the King; (b) that no -one should be appointed to a Commanderie without the King's consent ; (c) that the King alone should regulate the amount of money sent overseas by the Orde r; and (d) that the Prior y and the Commanderies should not recognise or support the Bishop of Rome (tlle Pope) In addition, the first year's income from the estates should be paid to the King and not to the Priory. Clearly the Order could not accept these conditions , and so on May 7 1540, Henry dissolved the English Priory, and the estates were confiscated. Many estates were purchased from the King b y lay - men.

At this time there were fifteen Knights of the Order in England and a further ten serving in Malta. Of those in England, some managed to escape, while others were caught and executed. Unable to join the Order because it was now illegal, recruits were now few, and those who did join were mostly from English families living abroad. The English Priory appeared to have come to an end.

Then in 1553, Henry's daughter Mary came to the throne. She was a Roman Catholic, and she willingly restored the Order. During her brief reign, the Order revived, but when she was succeeded by her sister Elizabeth, a Protestant , the Order's estates were once again confiscated.

La Vallette was a K night who held strong views on the standards required from those who belonged to the Order. and he had felt great disappointment and shame at the bad behaviour that had become almost commonplace over the years. Now, as Grand Master, he had the opportunity to do something about it and to put ne w life into the Order. One of hi s first tasks was to tighten the discipline and to remind the Knights of their high calling. Then he began to reorganise the finances of the Order wh ich had become ser ious Finally he determined to provide defences for Birgu and Senglea that could withstand anything that an enemy might throw against them. Under La Vallette·s leadership , there was no time for a comfortable life.

At first the Knights must have resented th is new Grand Master with his grand schemes, but he per s isted in striv in g towards his ideals. Before lon g the defences of the island and the morale of the Order were both greatly improved

Apart from Dragut s Rei s s unsuccessful attack on the island in 1552, and occasional raids, the Order had been left in peace in Malta, but La Vallette knew hat this could not last for ever. Sooner or later Suleiman The Magnificent' would t ry again to destroy them. In 155 I Dragut Reis had attacked and captured the port of Tripoli held by the Knights, but they were pleased to be rid of that responsibility.

La Vallette's concern over the likelihood of a Turkish attack was well founded. Within a fe,\! years, Sultan Suleiman was to mak e his final effort to destroy the K night s of St John for ever.

The book Champions of the Cross is ouf oj print but is being reprint ed. Delails oj pri ce, elC, oj Ih e nell' edilion ll'ill be published ll'illI this serialisalion as SOOI1 as available.

WOMBOURNE is a small but growing community, 6 miles from Wolverhampton and 7 miles from Stourbridge and on a bus route between the two towns. SJA divisions have existed at each of these locations for more than 50 years and there is also a division at Dudley, 6 miles away but with no direct bus service. All these divisions are part of West Mid lands county but Worn bourne is in a narrow arm of Staffordshire extending south to Kinver (5 miles from Wombourne) where there has been a division for nearly 60 years. The route between Wombourne and Kinver is by country lanes and not at all attractive in winter. The next nearest division is at a site for new building over the past 10 years. The route from Wombourne travelling into the western suburbs of Wolverhampton and out into Staffordshire again.

Originally, Wombourne was a farming area but there are also the remains of nailors' cottages. Now it has developed as a dormitory to the neighbouring Black Country.

Red Cross

Until about 10 years ago, the BRCS had a unit in the village but membership dwindled and all that now remains is a Medical Comforts Depot. Since then vague consideration has been given to establishing a section of the SJA Kinver Division in Wombourne, particularly as the Divisional Superintendent of that division until 1984 resided in Wombourne. Several adult first aid courses were held but no new members were gained.

The establishment of the new division can be traced to three propagatory events.

In 1982, a regular twice weekly duty at West Midland Cheshire Home was undertaken by Perton Division and, as a result, a member of the Home's staff took a first aid course with them, together with her daughter and a friend, and then all joined that division. They had been enthusiastic members but travelling was difficult and dependent on the availability of a private car. Their continuing membership was becoming questionable and also that of the two other members who had subsequently joined ; they all lived in or near Wombourne.

The Area Staff in discussing ways of combating the small but regular fall in membership considered the establishment of new divisions and Wombourne was thought to be a likely site.

At their request, a talk on St John Ambulance was given to the wives' group of Wombourne Methodist Church at the end of which several people expressed an interest and it was discovered that one had been an officer of cadets in Wales but had not made contact since moving.

The decision was made to go ahead with the project to establish a division in Wombourne in summer 1985 and a planning meeting was held. In addition to the Area Commissioner, this meeting was attended by the Area Surgeon and other members of Area Staff and also Mrs McMurrey, the

Wombourne

Getting a new Division off the ground

Perton member and team leader at the Cheshire Home, with Miss Owen SEN , who had expressed an interest in joining.

It was decided to hold an adult first aid course and use this as a means of collecting together interested people in order to attract them to the idea of joining the Brigade. This was timed to commence in early January 1986 - perhaps , in retrospect, not the best time as the bad weather which affected the third and fourth weeks caused problems.

Four means of publicity were used.

I. An announcement in the Parish Magazine which is an ecumenical publication with quite a large circulation.

2. Small posters in shop windows in the village centre.

3. An announcement on local commercial radio.

4. The distribution of 10 ,000 A5 leaAets by members and volunteers to residences over an area roughly 11miles square.

The message conveyed posed the question: would they know what to do if the person next door to them suddenly collapsed? And invited them to attend a free demonstration of CPR. Those who wished to continue could enrol for the full course at a cost of £5 inclusive of the manual. Again, those who wished to do so could take the examination at extra cost.

It was thought that the combination of a free taste, no commitment and low cost would provide the most attractive conditions and it was hoped that an attendance of fifty could be achieved.

The leaAets were distributed over a period of ]()'days, commencing after the Christmas

Quad Div (Staffs) is born

holiday. It was snowing at the time and a 4-hour stint was the limit of endurance. But 8,500 leaAets were actually delivered , the larger houses with long drives being avoided!

The postal service had our sympathy with the varying positions and types of letter boxes and the dogs which tried to catch your hand as you pushed the single folded sheet through!

We provided for the most optimistic forecast by providing 50 manuals , six manikins a doctor a nurse-teacher and four instructors (first aid) and the use of a middle school music room with seating for 40 and a further class-room with seating for 25. At the time of commencement of the course the accommodation was free to St John Ambulance, but for the la st four sessions a charge of £2.20 per night per room was levied.

Everyone seated

The free session was advertised to start at 7.30 pm and at 7.25 there were eight people present. By 7.45 the number had grown to 96. We did manage to seat everyone for the initial talking session and general demonstration and then six groups of 16 students each were distributed over the allotted accommodation and one other classroom we found available. We returned to the music room for the last 20 minutes of the evening and the programme for the rest of the course was described. All 96 attending enrolled and some enquired if others could start the following week! This was agreed as we were able to obtain the services of a further two instructors and we expected that numbers would fall over the first few weeks. Bad weather caused a sharp fall to 46 on the

third week but afterwards attendance (eturned to 70/75.

When the adult course was under way, an Essentials of First Aid course was announced. Fifteen enrolled and two of the instructors undertook the instruction before the adult course commenced.

There was no mention of Brigade membership in the publicity and none on the first five evenings of the course. On the sixth evening members came in uniform the Order of St John film was shown, the local branch of Casualties Union provided simulated casualties, which were treated by student groups, followed by discussion, and from this point on the relationship established between the members and students was exploited to foster an interest in Brigade acti vities.

Finally, 59 people took the examination and 58 gained certificates. Of these , 26 have

joined the Brigade and form the new Wombourne Quadrilateral Division with the five members who transferred from Perton Division, three people who gained a certificate elsewhere and the 13 cadets who passed their Essentials examination.

While the first aid course was in progress

Mrs McMurrey attended a pre -promotion course and passed at the level of Divisional Superintendent, so there is no problem of leadership but the identification of suitable Divisional Officers and NCOs is being pursued. A person of considerable experience of fund - raising has accepted the po sit ion as President and Miss Owen, the SEN will become a one-star nurse.

The division has already undertaken three public duties in and around Worn bourne (o ne with assistance from Kinver)

successful unit and Area Staff expect to keep closely in touch for the first year or two. A Caring for the Sick course again open to the public , is to be held in the autumn and it is hoped that this will further increase membership Next year an FA W

course should be held in the spring. Uniforms have to be obtained and work will be needed to convert a touring caravan, which has been donated , into a first aid unit. The cadets are embarking on a fire fighting course and History of the Order and, obviously, Initial Nursing will be necessary. Fund-raising has commenced with a jumble sale and a football tote and a three-legged pub crawl is plann ed

Cumbria County Nursing Officer Cadets, Miss Young, presents Ambleside Nursing Member Mrs Phylis Carpenter with her 15 years Service Medal.

1887 1987

Availa ble January-December 1987

The county of Hereford and Worcester are proud to present their second crystal goblet, to ce lebrate the CENTENARY OF THE ST JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE 1887-1987

again manufactur ed by Royal Brierley Crystal, hand made and cut in full l ea d crystal with engraved logo, packed in its own box, d i splaying royal warrants

I d ea l for p1' esen tations or to supplem en t your 1977 goblet

ORDER YOUR GOBLET NOW FROM:

K. H. BILLINGHAM, C.ST. ]. 24 PRIORY COURT , OLDSWINFORD STOU RBRIDGE, WEST MIDLANDS DY8 IN] Telephone: (0384) 374155

If despatched overseas please notify K H Billingham 1-

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.3 (87) byW. A Potter

Across:

I Muscles moving the eyeballs. (6). 4. Collection of fluid in a body cavit y or joint space. (8). 9. Three changes to a n early anaesthetic (5). 10. This is rum used fo r excessive hairine ss. (9). II Pall for a s mall amount of liquid (4). 12 Gamete fertilised by spermatozoon (4). 13.

72

An increase in sal ary to get out of bed. (5). 15. Th e rapeutic drill

I'egimen from Scandina vi a. (7). 6. Part of neck from primate from north. (4). 18. Provide weapons for an appendage of the trunk. (3). 2 1

He takes aluminium to effect a c ure (4). 22. Intense light so ur ce confuses Clara wit h politician finally. (3-4). 25. Round li ga ment of hip joint formed by trees. (5) . 27. Old Indian coin fo r a gi rl ; w hi chever way one looks at it. (4) 28. Temperature-regulating orga n. (4).30. Working for the ho spital co nsultant. (2-3-4). 3 1 Morning before ou r lo ve affair. (5). 32. Acknowledgement of merit. (8). 33. Cause of m any funct ona l diso rde rs. (6).

Down:

l. More than the do c tor ordered. (8). 2. Removed from th e eye. (6) 3. Raw chang e at end of day is crooked. (4). 5 Lar ge aperature in the occipital bone. (7-6). 6. Appendage of the soft palate. (5). 7. Inflammatory ophthalmic condition (6). 8. Locally anaest heti sed. (6). 10. Suffer from one-sided lo ss of sanity, one is inclined to think ? (4-4-1 -4).14. Parasite for a small c hil d. (4).17. Lesion of va ric e ll a. (4). 19. Support ske letal tis s ue for spine. (8} 20. Protesting strongly like a bab y? (2-2-4). 23 Connective tissue in first romance. (6) 24. Northern circle. (6).26. Period of time for a sp lint er. (5). 29. Stop the lame. (4)

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.2 (87)

Across: I. Breast ; 4. Ef·fu sion; 9. Cock- up ; 10 Perineum ; 12. Rouse ; 13 Evil; 14. Caul; 16. Overcharging ; 19 Law ; 22 Half portion s; 25. A·x·on; 26. Hiss; 27. Anvil ; 29. Pruritus; 30. Mallet; 3 1. Dyspnoea; 32. Tensed.

Down: l. Back -room ; 2 Exc luded ; 3. S·tup·e 5. Pee lin g worse; 6. Uric ; 7. Ice -bag; 8. Nimble; II. Renal failure; 15 Unit; 17 C hap ; 18. Rap ; 20. Volvulu s; 21 I so lated; 23. Gasped; 24 Mogul s; 27. A·base; 28. Lion

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

CENTENARY FIRST DAY COVER JUNE 16

On June 16 1987 the Post Office will be honouring the work of the St John Ambulance Br i gade by issuing a set of four stamps depicting various aspects of the service throughout the United K ngdom.

This First Day Cover, printed in colour , will bear all the four stamps cancelled in London with a p i ctorial handstamp on the first day of issue.

This Official Cover will be a strictly limited edition.

Price to the general public is £3.50 p lus 35p for post and packing. Price to members of St John is £2 .65 plus 35p for post and packing up to ten First Day Covers.

If drawing from Supplies Department, please quote Code E.26. K-

BRIGADE CENTENARY FIRST DAY COVER - JUNE 161987

PRIORITY ORDER FORM

Please send me cover(s) @ £ 2.65 plus 35p for po st and packing

Name

I enclose herew th cheque / postal order for

Orders will be dispatched after June 22 1987

ST JOHN REVIEW

allow 28 days for delivery

Roll Giving p .7 3

Do you know your Manuals? (13) by Bruce Co ltman p 74

Do Motorway Service Stations need Cover? by Robin Wegner p.76

London Calling p.78

FA Training and the YTS p .79

Around and A b out by the Editor p.80

Cadet Focu s by Jim p 84

The British He art Foundation by David Matthews p.86

Orde r Inv estiture, Feb 5 p.88

Readers ' Views p.90

Badg e rs a' Bursting p. 9 1

N ews from Scotland - W a les - N Ireland p.92

Cham p ions of the Cross ( 13 ) by Hugh A. R. Edgell p .93

SJA Musi c Makers - Suppli e s Update p 94

St John Fellowsh p p 95

Crossword p 96

Cottage , High Corner, Sutley, Nr Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 3QF. Tel: Orford (0394) 450548.

E DITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS

Edited and produced for the Order of St John by Driscoll Productions Wood Cottage, High Corner Sutley, Nr Woodbridge, Suffolk IP 12 3QF. Advertising rates on request. Phone: Orford (0394) 450548 Edito r : Frank Driscoll.

Printed by: Hill s & Lacy Li mited Lo ndo n and Read ing

Contributions -

on.

It is important on your fo r m that as well as giving your addre and bank account detai ls, you put down all the names by which people might know you (eg , St John Ambulance. Blanktown: St John Blanktown: St John Brigade Blanktown, etc).

Park I n' Ride to the Hyde Park Party

3.

1.

2.

6.

London calling •

CENTENARY YEAR began on the stroke of midnight when a giant Badger joined the crowds celebrating in Trafalgar Square. He or s he, we're not quite sure which, became the target for dozens of people with cameras who wanted to 's nap' their friends with Badger.

Centenary year begins in Trafalgar Square - a giant Badger (was it one, two or three people standing on each other s shoulders)) appeared and out came the cameras.

As usual it was quite an eventfu l even in g in Trafa lgar Square with 215 casua lti es being treated and 28 of them going to hospital for further treatment In o th er incidents in th e West End of London, ambulances from the St John column in Whitehall dea lt with a further 58 ca e taken to hospital. These cases were th e result of emergency calls under the control of the London Ambulance S erv ice and are another example of the close co-operation between the two organisations.

London District s SJA Pr esident , The Duke of Westminster had a 'go' at a doubledecker on the famous skid-pan at London Transport's Chiswick works when he vis ted a d vision of the London Transport SJA Corps. Earlier , he arrived at Brixton Div ision at the wheel of a new m nibus for its ded ic ation.

Belo w) During the bad weather in January, a Shogun emergency vehicle was loaned to London D strict because ts Land -Rove was off the road for repairs. One trip the Shogun made was to fetch an organ transplant team, which had arrived at London Airport by SJ Air Wing plane, to a London hospital.

(Below) Some of the 100 Northern Area cadets who spent a day training at Tottenham Hotspur's football ground.

Two days later th e first Centenary Exhibition was opened in the Church Farm House Museum. Hendon It s how s the history of St John with uniforms , equi pment, and numerous photograph s and memorabilia relating to the work within the Borough of Barnet which con tain s 13 St John adult a nd cadet division s Many senior officers of Northern Area London District were pr ese nt at the opening ceremony performed by Miss Pamela Willis , St John mus e um curator who had loaned many of the exhibits. The exhibit ion is planned to move to another mu se um in the borough after a few weeks. It was organised by Div Supt Stephen Krau e of Barnet Divi sion.

Cover at sports events

The serious lo ss of life in the deva sta tin g fire in the stand a t the Bradford City football ground almost two years ago must have invoked much thought among the hundreds of SJ A members who r eg ularly perform public duty at football leag ue matches throughout the season. Indeed , the fire and the resultant inquiry set up under Ju s tice Poppl ewe ll to investigate the safety regulations offered such provocation to Commander Derek Fenton of London District that h e saw the inquiry as a n id ea l opportunity to make c lub s even more aware of the need for better first aid facilities. He says that such facilities have been a 'Ci nderella aspect of tbe arrangements made at not on ly many football grounds but a lso at other sports venues.

Mr Fenton describes their former shortcomings under the following headings:

(a) SJA members were working in inadequate first aid rooms and there was an urgent need for new faci liti es, adequate li ght, heat sinks, hot water, as well as stretchers and trolley stretc h ers;

(b) Divisions were in many cases havin g to supply their own materials;

(c) th e donations received from clubs at the end of the season were in many cases derisory, based on 50p per thou sand spectators, a nd insufficient to cover the cost of the materials used and the expenses incurred by the members on duty, say six to eight people with an ambulance.

Mr Fenton says: 'I s ubmitted to National HQ some suggestions on how improvemen ts cou ld be made and the se, in turn, were forwarded to the Popplewell Committee who considered them and included them in the recommendations of their interim report.'

The next step was to discuss the implications with the Chairman o f the Licensing Committee of the Greater London Co uncil. The Committee fully supported the recommendations and included them in the requirements for the grant of a General Safety Certificate (an extens ion of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act, 1975) to the 11 grounds used by football league clubs in London. However , a l though the GLC was negotiating with all clubs it had acted in only three cases at th e time of it s demise in the s pring of 1986. The responsibility then passed to the London boroughs within which the c lub s were geographically situated. They had different ways of dealing with the situation, in some cases through the Licensing Department , and in others through the Building or even Public Health Department.

Commander Fenton continues: Not only did I follow it up with the London boroughs but I wrote to the clubs at the 11 London grounds and, as a result of subsequent visits, found a greater wish to talk about improvements , with one exception. 1 am happy to say that th e 10 grounds all agreed to impr ove the facilities by buying new equipment ; they all agreed to replenish expendable mat erials; and they a ll agreed , again with one exce ption to increa se their donation to £4 or £5 per thousand spectators this season, and £5 per thousand next season.'

One or two point s became apparent during the exercise. Mr Fenton soon realised that it was essentia l for a very se nior officer to negotiate on behalf of SJA (viz, Commander or Commissioner) , and he or she must visit every ground to ensure uniformity. It was also interesting to note that a number of borough licensing authorities, having sought and obtained our opinions stressed to football clubs that the improved standard of first aid fac ilities would be mandatory.

After the Act has become operative it is Intended that amateur clubs will be covered in a similar mann er, and indeed a ll sports venues with a capacity in excess of 1,000 persons. It is anticipated that they, too, will have to be li censed and there will be a requir ement for the provision of medical facilities.

London District foresees a busy year a h ead in 1987 advis ing local authorities and the many sporting venues including London s three ice rinks major at hl etics gro unds tennis, cricket and rugby stadia. Mr Fenton s last word on the subject: 'It d.oesn't even stop there. Theatres C1l1emas, and other places of entertainment are not at present included , but they might well be in the foreseeable future.'

FIRST AID TRAINING AND THE YTS

THE EXPERIENCE of St J ohn Ambulance in South and West Yorkshire is that there is a growing re a li sation of the va lue of first aid as an integral part of a wide range of YTS courses. The closely interwoven relationship between practical activity a nd theory make s first aid a particular ly appropriate learni ng approach for YTS tr ainees. Besides the obvious advantages of the young people on a first aid course being equ ipp ed to deal with accidents and emergencies in all kinds of situations, both at home and in eisure pursuits as well as at work , first aid also makes an invaluable contribution to lifeskills training , in ways which may include the following:

(i) Personal safety - the vit al awareness wh ich all first-aiders must practise when approaching an accident situation.

(ii) Communication skills - the ability to find out from the casualty and other people what happened , and to obtain information about the casualty's injuries and condition ; also the ability to make an accurate and succinct 999 ' emergency telephone call.

(

iii ) Observation skills - both the circumstances surrounding the accident , which help towards obtaining a history of what happened , and the 'signs of the casualty's condition, such as visible injuries and bleeding , pulse rate , breathing and changes in level of response.

(iv) Problem so lving - the ability to make an accurate diagnosi of a casualty's condition from the histo ry of what happened, the signs observed by the first-aider and the sym ptoms described by the casualty; followed by the ability to treat correctly and make suitable arrangements for the further care of the casualty.

(

v) Social skills - many first aid practices require efficient team work if they are to be successful, as in transporting a casualty or controlling crowds; also the two important concepts in the treatment of a casualty, gentleness and reassurance - this may require talking to the casua lt y, holding the casualty s hand , or stroking the casualty's brow. In medical emergencies basic human needs must overcome personal prejudice, and trainees on first aid courses need to practise techniques of reassurance in sim ula ed situa tion s, using eac h other as 'casualties'

(vi) Personal responsibility - the ab ilit y to ta ke correct action when an accident occurs, t ake charge of the situation if necessary and make a written note of useful information, s u ch as the casualty ' s name and address and accurate details of any observations such as pulse rate. The YTS scheme at Bramley , Leeds , h as a well estab li s h ed, varied programme for its 70 'premium train ees', all of whom hav e been referred by th e Careers Service

as educationally disadvantaged to a greater or lesser degree. Bramley Centre has, over the years, developed a good level of expertise in designing programmes for individual trainees to ensure that the maximum benefit is gained from the opportunities the scheme creates.

First aid training is an integral part of the Bramley sche m e and Jim Crow a highly experienced first aid instructor appo int ed by St John Ambulance to teach the Bramley courses has over the last four years taught well over 150 trainees. His experience is that any initial he si tation on the part of the trainees is , with patience and skill, overcome in the majority of cases. Jim believes this growth in the confidence of trainees to be due in part to th e fact that he teaches first aid from a strong practical base , introducing theoretical principles only at the point at which they justify the reason for the practi ca l activity.

The comments of Bramle y trainees made at the presentation of certificates reveal a positive attitude to th ei r first aid course One trainee said Before it started I thought I would soon drop out - but it was aU right. I know what to do at an accident Another trainee who was expecting a baby in the spring, said I now know what to do if my bab y chokes on its own food.

The practical based assessment at the end of the course at Bramley leads to the award of the Essentials of First Aid Certificate. A range of courses and awards is available to YTS providers depending upon the amount of time and mone y sponsors wish to allocate to this activ ity. Certificates of competence ma y be awarded to candidates successful in an examination held at the end of the course. an examiner being appointed by St John Ambulance. Certificates of attendance may be

where there is no formal examination,

for these to be awarded the

must be satisfied that learning has taken place Types of

and

and most

During

TESCO COLLECTION

The

WHAT'S GOING ON IN JIMMEET

THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

John Ambulance Brigade by includin g the centenary logo on the stamps. This is in appreciation of the Brigade 's atte nd a nce at th e Tourist Trophy races a nd 'invaluable assistance' over the years.

CENTENARY UPDATE

Commemorative plaque

BATH and Portland Stone Ltd of Portland in Dorset have kindly offered to have a stone plaque made for St John Ambulance in commemoration of the Brigade Centenary

The clay model has al ready been prepared by Mr Morris Jones the carver, a t hi s workshop in Kilmer sde n , Somerset. He has undertaken a number of important ass gnments during his career as an architect ur al carver, and these include work for Westminster Abbey Wells Cat hedral and the Royal Naval College at Greenwich

Carver Morris Jones at work on the clay mod e of the SJA commemorative plaque which is to be presented to SJA's HQ (See story

IS

A small piec e of hi story was enacted the other day. On an air ambulance trip undertaken by St John Aeromedical Services from Stansted to Toulouse , France. the aeromedical team comprised father and dauahter

Paros , a member of the Aeromedical Professional Panel and County Surgeon for Essex, was accompanied by his daughter Jane an established Aeromedical Attendant and a nursing sister working for British Airways.

t of sta mp s on May 27 1987 to commemorate the 80th ann iv ersary of their Touri s t Trophy Motor Cycle Race. They w ill a l 0 be ack nowl edging the centenary of the St

The plaque , which will be po itioned in the e ntrance hall of Grosv e nor Crescent, will be approx im ate ly 1 metre square and will depict , in relief , the centenary logo with St John 's wort.

The date for the unveiling ceremony at Grosveno r Crescent ha now been fixed for Wednesday June 24. The plaque wil l be a lasting and fitting reminder of the centenary as we embark on our second century.

British locomotive

A British Rail electric loc o mo tive will be named St John Ambulance on November 4 th.is yea r. The cere mony will be pr esided over by the Duke of Gloucester , our Grand Prior , who is him self a train enthusiast.

The locomotiv e will work mainl y on th e London to Midland route, making occasional tri ps to Ipswich and Norwich. The namin g ceremony is lik e ly to take place at E uston Station in London in preparation for its first journey.

Publicity programme 1987

The Publicity Programm e for 1987 has been amended since the March R eview to take account of revisions currently being made to the cadet training programme. DPR will now concentrate on publicity with an emphasis on young people in September and not in Mayas originally planned

LUCKY FOR SOME

CENTENARY UPDATE)

(Left) Barry Theobald, a London S.W Area staff officer from Mitcham has been elected President of The Hospitallers Club a London District club which supports th e Opthalmic Hospital.

(Right) Appointed Presid e nt of SJA Belfast Area is the Rev Dr Morwood Meldrum , succeeding Lady Macdermott.

a nd (can yo u hear the squ ea ls of impropri e ty of 80 years ago?) s ix

GERMANY CALLING

A silver cup recently presented to Combined Division one of four SJA di v isions within the Briti s h Forces stationed in Germany , is to be awa rded to the Cadet of the Year of the four divisions. Called the Allengrove Cup, it was presented b y Allengrove Fin ance, a Weston -super-Mare financial advice compan y with offices throughout BAOR whose chairman , Paul Sp e ncer , is the so n of the late David Spencer BEM , who retired as corp s supt at Weston after 44 yea rs with SJA Avon.

During 1986 , Sennelager Di vis ion gave 875 hours of community service and h as done much work with y outh training schemes and public first aid courses

OPEN DAY

SJA Abingdon , O xon is holding an open day at Mi lton Manor House (kindly loaned by their president , Mrs M. Mockler ) over the weekend Aug 15- 16. Apart from the magnificent grounds and setting of the house , th e re will b e family attractions (cat and dog shows , crafts, s talls a sponsored dog walk on the S a turd ay, and of course plenty of 'teas') from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be a caravan rally for a limited numb e r of campers at the show at £5.50 a vehicle.

Further information from Jeff and Viv Fuller 4 Maberley Clos e, Abingdon, Oxon phone 0235 32987.

SJA Rally No. 8

A St John family rally (8) is to be held over the weekend Jul y 10-12 at the Essex SJA Gala showground, Gt Leigh s, Chelmsford.

A pitch for caravan, trailer or tent will be £8 , which includes a b a rbecue and ad mi ssion to the gala on Sunday.

D e tails from Mr P. Watts, 29 T en n yson Road , Maldon, Essex CM9 6BE. Maldon 52015.

HOLIDAY IDUTY

SJA Loo e Cornwall is also offering the use of its ambulance hall as accommodation for any di vis io ns w ho would like to send memb ers for a summer holid ay/beac h duty. Ring Mrs Crystal Starke y, Looe's 0/0 , on Lanr eat h 20558.

ESSENTIALS OF FIRST AID

The lowest age limit for this cour se for yo ung people is now 10 years and p age 17 of Class Regul a tion s should be a m e nd ed to '(aged 10 years a nd over),

EX-MAYOR PRESIDENT

Cllr Mrs Barbara Langstone , the Mayor of Barnet 1985/6 , was in s tall e d r ecently as P resi dent of Finchley Co mbined Division by Area Commissioner V. W. Phillip s a t their h eadq u a rt ers a t Finchley open a r

the cross of the Order a nd a plat e commemorating hi s nin e yea rs of se rvi ce. Mrs Langstone th e n a nnounce d that s he would be taking h e a dult first a id course run during the day a t th e H ea dqu arters. During th e eve nin g 14 m e mb ers were pr ese nted with their Caring for the Sick ce rtificat es b y th e new Pr eside n t.

FEW

TAKERS

Hudd ersfie ld Division's hot tip ( D ec R eview) on rai sing money for yo ur division o n the 1987 Malta Marathon (they ra ise d £1 ,000 in 1986) produced only five interes t ed divisions who rang president Mrs Yvette Worrall. One from eac h of Essex, Gu ernsey, London, Stockton-an-Tees and Sussex.

But if any d ivis ion did t ake up t h e tip without ge ttin g in touch with Mrs Worral wou ld th ey let the Review ed it or know ple ase.

Leeds Central Co mbin ed Di vis ion ce lebrated its 80 th bi rt hd ay wit h a s m a ll dinner party for members a nd ex -m e mb e rs in early March.

Th e divi s ion's first BFI (which they st ill have) gave the th e n streng

20 nur s in g members; today it is 23 m e mber s, 17 ladies

SUMMER'S A'COMING

Romford Ca de Leader Ni c ola Youl'lg an d her tw o brot hers w it h AND Mr s D. Bodley del iv er sil ve r pap e r coll ec t e d by Ro m ford Cad e t s in aid of guide dogs for the bl nd (Photo Sid Low e )

HER E ar e s om e pro g ramm e id e a s a nd gam es

Herding

Three-sid e d pens , one for e ach team , should be built together in a lin e w ith the e ntr a nc e t o e a c h pen on t he opp os ite s ide to th e on e n ext to it. Pen s c an b e made b y using sisal and stave s a nd mu s t be large e n o ugh for a w h o le t ea m t o stand in. The te a m s a r e gro uped 2S m e tr es a wa y from th e pen s o n th e oppo site si d e t o h e ir own p e n 's e ntrance T e am memb ers are blindfold e d except for th e ea d ers, who mu s t herd t h e ir t e am s int o th e ri g ht p e n b y shoutin g dir e c io n s Th e first tea m w hich g e ts all it s m e mbers into it s pen win s. The gam e can b e mad e mo re d ffic ult b y marking o ut rout es the team s mu s t follow

Kim's game trail

A short s isa l trail is la id out a mon g trees or s t av es if ne ed be About 20 small obj e ct s s uch as a pap er clip , p e ncil or coin , ea ch in

by JIM

a s mall pla s ti c ba g, a re hung f rom th e sis al eve ry fo ur fee t or s o Th e t ea m s are blindfolded a t th e st a rt o f the tra i l and th ey must tr y to id e n t if y th e obje ct s f ound e n rout e b y fe eling th e m. Wh e n th e t r a il is co mpl e t e d t ea m s h ave five minut es in w hich t o writ e do w n a li s t in ord e r o f

di sco v er y of t he o bj ects. On e p o int is scored for ea ch corr ec tl y id e ntifi e d obj ect, a further bonus point can be given fo r e ach obj e ct that is placed in t h e corre c t order a nd po sition.

Water bomb circle

A nice w e t ga m e in the true spirit of th e

It 's - a -Kn oc kout th e m e. A arge c ir cl e s m a rk e d out o n th e g r ass u s in g te nt p e gs an d sis al. It s pr o bab ly a goo d idea f yo u pl ay this ga m e t wi ce Fir st, wi th th e Bad g ers and then with the C a d e t s The e am s of pla ye r s st and a round t h e circl e N obod y s a ll owe d t o s ep in to th e cir cl e or mo v e from th e ir po s iti o n durin g th e ga m e In front o f each p e r son are thr ee w a t e r b o mbs mad e by filling b a

B is for: Baby sitting Thi s is a way of rais in g so m e cas h for th e Di v isio n whil e s till a ll ow

g

d o yo ur hom ewo rk R e m e m ber t o be orga ni sed, co urt e ou s a nd pun c tu a l a nd a lso to und e rt a k e so m e t ra inin g (as a Di v isi on ) so t h a t yo u kn ow h o w to cope w it h an y e m e r ge n cy befo r e y ou ge t t h e r e.

Ballet

N o

St

Ballooning

Not

Ballroom

Basketball A

Beachcombing A

Beekeeping

K ee p bees in th e ga rd e n a t your H ea dq ua r te r s a nd pro du ce yo ur ow n h o n ey.

M ake s ur e yo u ge t a p p r opr iate tra ning a n d p erm iss io n fir t , th o ugh !

Birdwatch

H ow m a n y diffe r e nt spec ies ca n yo u spo t ocally?

A r e a n y e nd a n ge re d in a n y way? If so, how ca n yo u h e lp p rotect th e m ? Co ntact t h e R oya l Soc iety for the Pr otec ti o n of Bir ds fo r help a n d a d v ce o n t hi s o n e

Birth control

Your local Fam il y Pl an nin g Assoc iat io n w ill b e o nl y too h a p py to come an d d isc u ss t hi s o ne wi th yo u Norm a ll y a very in teres tin g m eet in g!

Boating

Canoe in g, rowing a n d go in g ab r oad on a cross-Ch an n e l ferry all co unt as boa t in g, so yo u are only limi ted by you r ow n h o ri zons on t hi s o n e. Ha p py boat ing

Bowling

Th is can b e indoo r carp e bowls, fl at or cro wn green. It h as b eco m e a s p o rt fo r a ll ages rece n ly, so ge o u t th ere an d sta rt ea rn in g. D o n t fo r get enpi n b ow in g too.

Avon s fir s t Badge rs, He len Ca rve r a nd Ma tth e w

Va ughan (of Br is o l S ou th Se t) esco rt ed t h e Li g ht of Peac e a t t he las t ann u a l carol s e rvice. (Pho to: My ra Mer edith).

2 Regional competition qualification In

an eliminating r ound prior to t he regional competition and then

to q u

ify before h e regional compet ition, t

run ners-up, if qualified, w ll rep lace th e m in the reg onal competition.

3 Changes in membership of team

A t eam hav i ng won a regional competition may not alter its member hip for the final compet t on, except by h e inclusion of the rese r ve, w ithout t h e sanct ion of the Commissio n er -in -Chief; and should the occasion ar ise ( ick nes domestic reasons. etc) application for anction to change s membership must be made th rough the u ual Brigade channe s. If per mi ss io n is given, any eligible membe of the Division m ay be substituted a n d n a m ed, on co n d ition that R u le 1 is not con t ravened.

4 Books on which tests are to be based

T h e Essenrials of FirST Aid and Preliminary Nursing ( nclud in g any amendments and s u pplements bu excluding appendices).

5 Arrangements of tests

The compet it ion wi ll cons ist of two round.

O ne ques tion wi be p u t to each Cadet in eac h round. T he first round will consist of q u e t ions on first aid. The second round will co n t of questi ons on nursing.

( ) MeThod - The q u e tion ma ter will read the q u e t io n to the competitor. If th e q u estio n is n o t u n derstood wi ll be r epea ted.

( ii ) T iming - T h e competitor must co m ple e h e an wer within 30 second.

A ig n a will be g ive n at 30 econds to ndicate the end of time.

6. Marks

A m ax imu m of five m a r ks wi ll be given for each an weT. Mark wi ll re ate to he co r rec tn ess of th e a n wer a nd wi ll be decided a nd a nn ou nced imm ed iately by th e u dge, w h o s h a ll exp lai n why a n y ma r k h ave bee n d e du c t e d. Thi s w ill be

next competitor.

7 Judges (a) Jud ges for: (i) F rst a id sha ll b e m e m be s of t h e m e di ca pro fess

8 Preparation of tes t s The tests for the eliminating competitions shall be prepared by the judges selected and shall be crutinised by the County Surgeon or for the regional competitions by the County Surgeon of the county organi ing the regional competition. For national competitions the tests shall be prepared by the judges selected in consultation with the Surgeon -in - Chief and approved by the Commissioner -in-Chjef.

9 Ties

In the event of a tie the team who e mark (excluding the leader·s) are the highest hall be the winning team.

1D Entry forms

(a) Official entry forms hall be obtained from Brigade Headquarters and must be used throughout the competitions.

(b) The entry form of the team winning a regional competition must be countersigned by the Competition Secretary. and must be forwarded to the Brigade Headquarter, London. not later than four weeks prior to the final competitions.

" Custody of national t roph es (a) After the final competitions. the national trophies shall be held by the winners until the next fina l competition

(b) The officer-in -charge of the divi ion w in ning any of the national trophjes shall be re ponsible for its safe keeping and return to the Commissioner -in-Chief in time for the nex t compet tions, and in an undamaged condition.

12. Insurance of national trophies

Comprehen ive insurance policie for all national trophie hall be the re ponsibility of Br igade Headquarter.

13. Knowledge of competition regulations

These regulation govern the national final of the Cadet Quiz-and provide minimum req u irement for countylregiona round. P rov id ed h e p ir i of the regu lation s mai nta i ned, arrangeme nt m ay be varied to meet Co unt y/Area circu mstance.

Ja n uary 1987

THE FOUNDATION was created by a group of doctors because they were dismayed by the lack of money available for research into diseases of the he ar t and circulation. After two ye ars of preliminary work by the Founding Committee, t he Foundation was granted its Charter a nd Memorandum of Association as a Registered Charity on July 28 1961. At that time, apart from approximately £50,000 per annum, provided by the Medical R esearch Council there was no mone y available for heart research except for a few individual university projects. This was woefully inadequate to tackle Britain 's number one killer disease and compared very un favourably with the situation in the USA, Canada, Australia and a number of other countries.

The first clau se in the Memorandum of Association gives as its aim to undertake and promote m edi cal and scientific research relating to diseases of the heart and circulation and subjects relative thereto, and to promote postgraduate medical training therein'. Clearly the first n ee d in order to discharge this responsibility was to collect money and to this end a powerful Appeals Committee was formed. This was directed by Mr H. G. Lazell , chairman of the Beecham Group of Companies ; the Hon Gavin Astor, owner of The Times was its president and Lord Cobbold, Governor of the Bank of England , its treasurer. Lord Evans, the Queen 's Physician , was responsible for gaining active support for the Appeals Committee from many influential figures in business and industry. The appeal was first dir e cted to commerce and industry and

The British Heart Foundation

Checking a pacemaker which has been in use for seven

by DAVID MATTHEWS

CBE, MD, MCh, FRCS

Medical Spokesman

raised £1.2 million after which a national public appeal fo r £3.5 million was launched in 1963. With this capital it was hoped that £500,000 per annum would be available to fund research but at first capital growth was slow. In the last ten years, how ever, it has steadily and rapidly increased and th e Foundation has become the leading medical charity in Britain dedicated to cardiac research , of which it now funds approximately 70%. It is i mportant to note that the Foundation depends entirely on the generosit y of industry and the public, receiving no mone y from Government or Government agencies, other than the VAT concessions granted to charities. It is a remarkable tribute to everyone who contributes t hat from an impecunious start 25 years ago the income for 1985/86 was £14 million and it is pleasing to be able to report that 80p in every pound donated goes directl y tow a rds the Foundation's work, administration costs having b een kept to 3.3p and appeals and fund-raising to 11 1p with 5.6p going to reserves

The success of the Foundation has resul ted from increased and increasing public awareness of its existence and of the work it does. This is achieved by promotional and fund-raising activities of many kinds, organised both nationally and locally. A recent Gallup Poll showed that one in four people know about us our objective is to make it one in one We have an extensive national organisation with 11 regional directors supported by county organisers and about 450 fund-raising committees. This is the backbone of our support which is complemented at headquarters by an appeals department , an

advertising agency, a public relation consultancy and a press office.

Th e headquarters also ho uses the administration and medical departments. The medical department is responsible for recomm endat ions to the Financial and General Purp oses Committee and the Council of th e a lloc at ion of money. It is run by the consultant m edica l director , assisted b y th e med ical public relations spokesman. The department is divided into thre e sections, eac h run by an administrator in charge of th e relevant committee each of which meets quarterly; the committees are the Research Funds Committee th e Cardiac Ca re Committee, and the Education Committee.

The administrator of the R esearc h Funds Committee is also responsible for the Fellowships Committee and the Chairs and Re sea rch Groups Com mitt ee. The total budget for th e three committees in 1985/86 was £8.3 million.

Research Funds Committee

This had a budget of £3 million for 1985/86. All applications for research grants are channelled through it. The committee consists of 20 experts who represent a ll di sc iplines of cardiac re sea rch , both scientific and clinical. Every applkant ha s to submit a detailed protocol which is studied by the appropriate member of the committee and also by an invited expert in the field from outside the committee, without collaboration between the two. The applications are also circulated to every member of the committee. At the meeting the expert committee member gives his assessment,

after which the opinion of the in v ited externa l assessor, who is not present at the meeting, is read o ut. The applicat ion is then discussed by the whole committee. It will be seen that the sy tern is very searching. Even with th e very generous budget at the disposa l of the committee, however, only about half the submissions considered worthy of acceptance, can be fund ed.

Since it inception in 1961 the Foundation has created 18 profes orial chairs; 16 are medical and two are surgica l. These are centres of excellence si ted in University Medical Schools wh ere the profes ors carry out research and upervise the work and training of postgraduate re earch workers. The capita l cost of eac h chair averages between a half and three-quarters of a million pounds and each needs an annual top-up allocation for inflation , new eq uipment and the incl u s ion of new projects. The Foundation also finances six research group s. The purpose of these is to enab le a team of researchers to be kept to gether for a period of five years to study exciti ng new developments. For example, one is re searc h into genetic abnormalities responsible for inh erit e d hea rt disease, and another is into Magnetic R eso nance which s tudies the chemistry of the livin g cells in heart tissue. Every re searc h gro up costs about £0.5 million.

The Foundation usually has aro und 200 research workers in the field a t anyone t im e Be s ides all this the Foundation g iv es senior research fe llow s hips for a p er iod of up to five years; intermediate research fellowships for three years and junior research fellowships for one to two years fo r trainees , together with exc hang e fellowship s with th e USA, Holland, Sweden and Australia for mor e senior workers.

in the foreground. The tech ni cian uses a mirror to view the surgeon's work.

Cardiac Care Committee

This has a budget of approximately £1.25 million and finances the purchase of lifesaving cardiac equipment to front line situations suc h as hospitals which find themse lves close to motorways or industrial developments and are unable to obtain the necessary equ ipm ent elsewhere, ambu la nc e services and air/sea rescue organisations. The equipment needed is very varied but defibrillators , CPR packs, electrocardiographs and monitors are among the commo nest. More rarely a good case can be made for very expensive equipment such as the echocardiograp h. Great care is taken by th e committee to be sure that the eq uipm en t cannot be obtained from any other source and it is expected that local fund-raising efforts will provide some, and sometimes a ll the funds; even in s uch circumstances purchase through the BHF is worth while because the BHF buyer can purchase more economically and VAT is avo id ed. It is a so possible to be sure that th e eq uipment soug ht is the most s uitabl e ava ilabl e. The max im um sum which can be provided from BHF fund s for anyone it em is £10,000. The provision of cardiac care equipment in this way fills a vital a nd often desperate need , besides which i i good seed corn for propagating widely the act iviti es of the Foundation at presentation ceremonies.

Education Committee

This had a budget of £350 ,000 for 1985/86. Its main thru s t s towards the medical pro fess ion to k ee p them ab r east of pro-

gress as a result of research, particularly with regard to diagnosis and treatment. This is done by funding lectures at postgraduate medica l centres nationwide, both for GPs and specialists aild by m ailing factfile sheets to practitioners. The se summarise on one sheet of paper current thinking on diagnosis and treatment of the commoner cardiac problem s, and have proved very popular. An importan t inhouse facet of medical education is t he holding of seminars and workshops at headquarters every few months , bringing together research workers and clinicians to exchange information and debate problems of mutual interest and concern. It is extremely important that everyone should know what everyone else is trying to do and these gatherings have proved to be ve r y valuable.

For the ge ner al public the Foundation has produced 16 pamphlets on a variety of subjects concerned with heart disease w hich are of common concern. for example , angina. high blood pressure. risk factor, palpitations, hean surgery and 'back to normal' after a heart attack. The e are written in simple language with technical terms reduced to a minimum. and a re sent free of charge to enquirer: we have a lr eady given away more than five million copies. The Foundation al 0 has a useful range of posters for CPR in truction and for teaching school children the ba ic about hear t problems and the dangers of smoking. There a r e, of course, other publications as well, of which perhaps the eries of descriptive leaflets on congenital cardiac anomalies i \vorth y of special mention. The Foundation s essentially a research charity. But it is becoming increasingly

A heart operation in progress. The heart! lu ng machine is

ORDER INVESTITURE

(Devon)

Crass (No rth umbri a)

(Somerse t)

ot h y Cron in ( Londo n Fr a ncis

Cyphus (Oxon)

ert Andrew Will ia m D Arcy (Sta fs)

s J o hn Da vey (Wilts )

Mrs Durrant ( N Y o rk s) Leo n ard John Edwa d s (Me t Poli ce) Margot El izabe th Mrs Ellingswo rth (S J Air Win g)

Edwa rd Evans (W Mids Police)

o hn Farley (S J Air Wing)

Alan Farrar Le ics)

ks)

J oa n E li zahe Ll, Mr Shepherd. SR (S & W Yo rk s)

Eric A ll e n S imp o n (S & W Y orks)

D av id Arthur S mi t h (Notts)

Cat her ine Mrs Smy t he (Gtr Manche tel')

J o hn R ud d oc k Solari. BSc. MB, C hB MRCGP.

DO bst. R COG ( W Midlands)

Erne S tevens (Sus ex)

Derek Alexander Thoma (Met Police)

J ane ll e Lynda. Mi sTi ll ey (Gtr 1anc h.:s er)

A li so n Irs W alker. SRN (S & W Yorl. )

J anice. Walker. S R (Warw ic ks)

Robe rt W al k.: (Nort humbr ia)

Sc gea nt Step he n Roge Wh ee ler ( RAM C)

Erna, Mr Wi lkin on (G lo )

Peter E ri c Will ia ms (Guernsey)

S usan H e le n EliLab e th. Mrs Will ia m s-Yeage r. SRN (Guernsey)

The Harassed Housewife

Wouldn't it b e fun

to find a ll t h e jobs were done

T h e r e was no mor e shoppin g

Nothing more to cook

One could simpl y think of topping

Sit - and read a book!

Bu t there are sh irt s t o pr ess

One child needs a new dress

Friends are com in g to dinne r

And that's just for beginners!

There's h e b e d to be mad e

Th e bath to clean

The table to b e laid

Do you think they 'l l think I'm m ea n

If th e r e's on ly bean s for tea?

Hi s army shirt needs a b utt on

I wo nd e r if I'll be thought a glutton

If I p a use for a coffee

T h ey' ll wond er w hat I'm cloin g '

Oh God , th e c hil dre n ar e gluin g

T he spare wool to tbe sofa

And th e clog's don e a puddle

God , what a muddl e!

Did I h ear the phone

It s probabl y my moth er

and

directed to th e truggling m a n by a bysta nd e r. T he m an h ad gone under the s urf ace a couple of tim es before Mr Harri s m ade co ntact b y fee lin g a round w ith both hand a nd feet, where u pon he brought him to the surface

\;;:::: The Supt-in-Chiej Lady Westbury sent us this poem (hop e it has no bearing on the Westbury household) suggesting that readers might like to try their hand at writing a similar ditty about St fohn. Lady Westbu ry to judge DPR suggested a title: Fi rst-aider.

She want to come to lunch

And I was pl a nning on a brunch. ow h e wants the shirt

At th e bottom of h e pile

And I mu st ring the builder

The roof' lost another tile

The telly's on t h e blink

There's a blockage in th e s ink

Som eo n e's just wa lk e d mud

Ov e r m y n ew ly-was h ed floor

And nov" one do g ha s got blood drippin g fro m its p aw

No d o ubt a u s u a l

Wh e n the c hil dren are in b e d rIl collapse in a h eap

With a dr ea dful t hrobbin g h ad

Oh! what a jo y it would b e

To think th a t p e rh aps on e d ay

I'll wake o find t h e d ai ly ch ores

Hav e vanished a nd go n e away.

My hu s b a nd will m c)an::::::::::::::::::;:::::::;::;::::::::;:;:;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;::;:::::; :::::::::;::: ::;:;:::::;:;:::::::;:::::;:;:::; :::::;:::::::::::::::::;:: :;:::::;:;::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::::.

AMBULANCE FIRE

from Mr G. G. Clark, ASO (Transport)

Ref Insurance: Ambulance Fire (Feb Review) may I draw the attention of readers to the results of detailed checks applied to all Avon St John vehicles as a result of the fire reported in the article.

1. On two vehicles the plastic petrol supply pipe which crosses the engine compartment had deteriorated and needed to be replaced. This we believed caused the fire in the Clifton ambulance.

2. The securing brackets for the petrol tank on one vehicle needed replacement due to corrosion.

3. Only the minimum number of gas cylinders necessary should be carried on a vehicle and all should be turned off when not in use. The location of the cylinders should be dearly marked.

4. If the crew suspect a petrol leak they should immediately stop, close all doors, turn off all electrical equipment, remove any patient to safety and summon assistance without using the vehicle 's radio.

The ambulance crews involved in the Clifton ambulance incident showed great presence of mind in containing the fire and the prompt arrival of Avon Fire Brigade avoided a serious incident but there are always lessons to be learned.

Happily, Clifton Division was able to purchase a replacement vehicle from Avon County Ambulance Service and were on duty with the vehicle for the first time at Bristol Illuminated Carnival on November 19.

Bristol and N. A von, Feb 22 G. G. Clark

GOOD ADVERT from Richard Cooper

I write wearing the hat of local co-ordinator of Save a Life , but I think everyone who reads this will understand that as a member of St John any other hat is always worn on top of the St John one.

To the point! I was amazed by Shaun Glenny stating in the Review (Jan. 87) that the Save a Life campaign would probably mean a downturn in public attending our first aid courses.

On the contrary, I believe that if we in St John take an active part in the campaign then it will be an extended advertisement. Nice in the centenary year!

Can I say what happens in my area and the results we have had from the campaign? An instructor is reminded before the session that he' is in attendance for the Save a Life campaign but is at liberty to 'push' his own organisation. You know, by saying things such as 'Well, in St John we

At the end of a session, each trainee is given a slip of paper telling him that he has only undergone emergency aid training and that it is much advised that he now undertakes a full first aid course and the address of local organisations St John , Red Cross , etc, is given. The result so far for the local division here has been five students enrolled on the current first aid courses after attending the 'taster' of Save a Life.

For the first time since coming into contact with Shaun Glenny (at the run up to First Aid at Work), I must disagree with him. It's up to us in St John to obtain the best we can.

I can assure him , and everyone else, that 1 would not be involved in this campaign if I did not believe that we are doing the best for 'The Service of Mankind'. Bath, Feb 12 Richard Cooper

TWINNING DIVISIONS

from Doug Millband, Divisional Superintendent

Further to my letter in the October Review in which I suggested that the ' twinning' of Divisions could only promote much closer ties between the many far-flung units of the Brigade throughout the United Kingdom, I wonder if readers are interested to hear how this experiment fared?

First, I would like to express my appreciation of the Commissioner-in-Chief's encouraging remarks. I wonder if anybody responded to his request for 'feed back' from readers. I presume that the two letters which appeared in the December Review are the sum total of that feed-back. Both those letters were encouraging although I have to say that neither party has written

to me to take the matter further. I received a di rec t response from five Divisions. Add to this the positive replies from the two correspondents and we have the soul-destroying total of seven. That, in itself , answers the question of whether the experiment was a success or not.

It would be easy to make the assumption that this abysmal response proves that St John Ambulance Divisions are indeed introverted. One has to make allowances, however. Each Division receives a copy of the Review. How many of the members see it ?

How many members were given the opportunity of expressing their views on the idea? There is ample evidence that in far too many Divisions superintendents make the decisions without the membership ever knowing what is on offer. Perhaps an initiativ e is required from Headquarters , although even this is no guarantee that rank and file members will ever hear of it. If I am being too harsh in my assessment then the only other conclusion one must draw is that St John Amblllance Brigade is , ind ee d , a truly introverted organisation. What other conclusion can one reac h ?

Exchanges need not be time consuming , eve n for very busy Divisions , and surely there can be nothing but an advantage to b e gained by a closing-in of the family of St John ? I did not expect a landslide of enquiries but must confess that th e actual response was a devastating disappointment.

My own Division has established what already promises to be a very healthy exchange with Helston Quad Division in Cornwall.

We have exchanged letters and tapes and the respons e in m y own Division has been wildly enthusiastic. They cannot wait for the next tape.

I received enquiries from only four other Divisions. I will not name them because , although I have passed to each the names and addresses of contacts at the others, I do not know if they have taken the matter any further. The Divisions were from Tyne & Wear, Wiltshire, Northamptonshire and Hampshire. I was particularly disappointed with the lack of response from northern counties who , in my experience, are frequently complaining about the Great Divide between North and South. Exchanges gave them the opportunity to make a hole in that imaginary divide

There was one further encouraging result from the experiment.

At least some of us from the bottom of the tree will be encouraged to note that some of those at the very top share our ideas for the strengthening of the Brigade as a whole. If we are thinking along the same lines , there has to be some hope for the future

Garstang, Jan 10 Doug MilLband

THINK AGAIN

from Mr L. Sarson

1987 , say Age Concern, is the Year of Celebrating Ag e and was launched in London with a big campaign , spelling out that people of 65 and over are very active and have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. This is also acknowledged by the leaders of this country.

In 1987 the Brigade celebrates its centenary and according to the latest Brigade Orders also celebrates the disposal of their most

experienced memb ers of 65 years and over. These people hav e served for many years and now cover th e nin e to flve mid -week duties that member s at work cannot attend without lo s in g a day's pay (i e, hors e racing and trial s, OAP coach o utin gs and concerts, lecture s and demonstrations, p a rticul a rly for the 4-day FA W courses). This applies no t on ly to ambulance and nu rs in g me mber s, but also to over 65-year-old doct ors, SRNs and SENs.

Is thi to prove that we r ea ll y a re lun at ic s? W e know rec ruitment to th e Bri gade is very poor at present but c uttin g out th e 'dead wood to o ea rly is not the answer. Today the hi gher ranking officer of co unty and area are not just flgureheads but memb ers who go out on active duty and are respected for it. Think again, HQ. Anybody can make a mistake. Retirement from th e Bri gade s hould be a t 70.

Cambridge , Jan 6 L. Sarson

HELP!

from Mrs M Sharrock, Divisional Superintendent

We a r e desperately in need of some old style uniforms for June 27, when we take part in t h e carn va l parade in Southport.

In particu la r , we nee d apro n with cross-over straps, indoor handk erchief sty le' h a ts (officers and members) and ambulance cadet unifo rms with white braid trimm in gs on the front. We need these items to make our division' s float a huge success for centenary year.

2-1 Radnor Driv e, Southport (070-1212888) Marion Sharrock

NOVEL PROBLEM

from Norman Green, Divisional Superintendent

The article BE WARY (Aro und and About Feb Re view) has prompted me to put pen to paper. Our Division's (A.E.R.E. Harwell Oxon) last publicflrst aid course produced a novel problem. One lad y pointed out that , due to surgery some years ago, she ha s o nl y o ne carot id arte r y. She was most perturbed that someone performing CP R on her, or ind eed omeone else like her, may miss the perfectly good pulse a nd assume that the heart h ad stopped. I now , of course, tell studen ts to check the other side, quickly , if no carotid pulse is apparent, while reminding them of the dangers of c hecking both sides at once! The days when we crea ed our own cas u alties if things are a bit quiet are lon g gone!

Furt h er to the High Flyers (of the same issue) saga I feel, since o ur s was the divi ion und er in spec tion at the time , that I ought to clarify the situation. Early reports that the intru sive bomber was the Egle of Bailiff were ate r discounted - unl ess he can fly backwards. I, of cour e, have my own theory.

Incidentally, pl ease remove all reference which may id e nti fy our division, and espec iall y my e lf. Otherwise r may be up before the beak!

Wantage, Oxon Norman Green

WANTED

from Mr C. N. Cowey, Assistant County Commissioner Cheshire Ambulance Service hav e re-acquired one of its old ambulances, a 195 1 Bedford KZ built by Lomas of M a nchester. Th e exter ior is intact and in good condition , but the int er ior has been stripped of all fittings.

Can you help ? There must be a great deal of o ld eq uipm ent lYll1g about St John building s and some of the eq uipm e nt may be from this type of ambulance.

Urgently needed are:

A bell - Winkworth typ e, int e rn a l striker

A Lomas MKlO stretcher and fittings which was in general us e from 1948 to th e 1960s

A glass meter carafe and hold er.

A bed pan and hot water bottle in porc e lain

Any other it e ms of equipment that will suit a vehicle of this era - seats, lockers , etc.

H you can help please contact John Homer on 0606-45861 or Stuart Ashf.ord on 0606-41329. They will greatly appreciate any help or adVIce you can give to get the old vehicle back to it s onglJ1al condition.

Newtown C. N. Cowey

BUCKS: Bedgrove Combined

Di vision's rst Badg ers in January, with their leader N/M Rosemary Stratfull. There are now 32 Bedgrove Badgers and a waiting lis for the autumn.

Badgers a'Bursting!

W. MID: By Feb 7, five weeks after their launch 130 Badgers were at a Badger Bash at W. Midland s HQ (right), where bangers and mash were the favourite. (Above) They also cleaned the Badger bus

LONDON: CN50 Romford claims to have the fi rst Badger Set (12) in London by Jan 20. Here (below) are four of the m.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

AS SOME readers may recall , the Prior of Scotland , the Rt Hon the V iscount of Arbuthnott, CBE, KStJ , was appointed as HM The Queen 's representative known as His Grace the Lord High Commissioner, to the meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when it met in Ma y 1986. We are h appy to report that Lord Arbuthnott has again been appointed to this high office by Her Majesty for the meeting of the General Assembly in May 1987. Lord and Lady Arbuthnott wiII take up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse on the evening of Friday Ma y 15 following the historic Ceremony of the Keys when the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Dr John McKay, who has just been made an Officer of the Order hands over the Keys of the City to His Grace who promptly returns them to the Lord Provost for safekeeping.

In itself this high honour conferred on the Prior of Scotland for the second time is noteworthy enough. What makes th e occasion quite unique is that the Moderator who will preside over the week -l ong deliberations of the Supreme Court of the Church in Scotland a gathering often referred to as the nearest thing Scotland has to a Parliament will be Dr Duncan Shaw, who is also the Chancellor of the Order in Scotland. The office of Moderator of the General Assembly is the highest honour which the Church of Scotland can confer on any of its ministers and we offer the Chancellor our warmest congratulations and very best wish@s on attaining this high office.

To add to the uniqueness of the occasion the Moderator-D esignate, the title in the Church by which Dr Shaw is known until formally elected following the Constitution of the Assembly , has invited the Priory Secretary to be respon sibl e for th e Moderator's administrative and socia l duties for the duration of the Assembly. Never be fo re ha s tbe Order been so intimately involved in the affairs of the General Assembly and it is arguab le if it w ill ever b e to the sa me extent again.

Dr H. R. F. MACDONALD, OBE, CStJ

DR HECTOR Macdonald, Chairman of Council of St Andrew's Ambulance Association and Commandant-in-Chief of its uniformed branch, the St Andrew's Ambulance Corps, died suddenly on January 28.

Dr Macdonald m ade an outstanding contribution to the development of the voluntary first aid movement not solely in Scotland but throu gho ut the UK. It was typical of his dedication that on the day h e died, he was taken ill as he drove t o St Andrew's Headquart ers in Glasgow to attend the Scottish Police first aid competition: the previous day he had been in London at th e Tripartit e Committee me eting of St John, St Andrew's and the Red Cross to discuss policy on the First Aid Manual.

Perhaps his major contribution to first aid training and practice was his championship and active work for th e growth of

With the Lord Mayor of Cardifffour South Glamorgan life savers.

WALES

FOUR South Glamorgan men who gave two people the kiss-of-life were recently presented with SJA in Wales Meritorious First Aid certificates by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff.

In the first of two incidents Christopher Luckaweckyj , 19 , and Thomas Bond, 34, carried out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and heart mas sage on an elderly man who had collapsed in the street with no trace of pulse or breathing. Eventually the man regained consciousness when the amb ul ance arrived Both men were tra in ed by SJA last year on a special first aid course at their work.

In the other in c id ent Leading Fireman John Hall , 33, and Fireman Terence Holland, 37, applied artificial ventilation to

co-operation and liaison between the three voluntary aid societies, a factor of our work which bas developed so healthily over recent years. On a more practical level, he was an indefatigable supporter of first aid competition and as a judge hi s wa s a very well-known face. His contribution was recogni se d by hi s appointment as an Officer of the Order of St John of J e rusal e m in 1972 and a s a Commander in 1978.

After qualifying at Glasgow University in 1942 , Dr Macdona ld join e d the Royal Army M e dical Corps, seeing active service t hroughout Europe, includin g landin g with the Allied Armies in Normandy on D - Day

On demobilisation he returned t o Glasgow to clinical postgraduate s tudi es at the city's Royal Infirmary, his s tudi es bringing him a seq uence of additional medical qualifications. At the same time his interest in the teaching of first aid d eveloped and his fir s t lin ks 'wi th St Andrew's Ambulance Association were in 1948 when he became one of th e Association's recognised lecturers and exam in ers.

At the tim e of his death h e h ad been cha irman of its Council for 11 years.

As befitted his Highland background , Hector Macdonald was a fluent Gaelic speaker and very much involved in voluntar y work on behalf ofthat community. His other se rvi ces inc lud ed th e R oya Briti h Legion a nd the British Medical Association. His death will be severely felt in the organisations to which h e gave so willingly of hi s time and talents. He leaves a wife, Laura. and a grown- up family.

The funeral service in Glasgow on Feb 3 was attended by Dr C. C. Molloy and Brig Robin Middleton of St John HQ. London.

a 3-year-old boy rescued from a fire. Both men , with others of th e South Glamorgan Fire and R esc u e Service, are tra in ed in fir t aid by St John Ambulance.

The Director, Association for St John Ambulance in Wales , Dr George Mitchell, praised the actions of the men under difficult conditions.

N. IRELAND

24 cadets of Londonderry 's Northland Division carrie d a 'loaded stretcher (the lightest member) on a 15-mile trek to raise funds for equipment.

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

Written and illustrated by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order

Part 13

The Turkish threat IT WAS THE year 1564 Th e quays of th e city of Constant in op l e were hiv es of indu stry. The Bosphoru s, th e narrow s tri p of water se parating Europe from Asia Minor, was filled with shipping of every kind. There were m erc hant s hip s, troop ship s, ferry boats and mo st striking of all a vast fleet of war galleys. Stores of food and water s uppli es of cannonballs, gunpowder, words, mu skets and other weapons were b ei ng load ed into the waiting sh ip s. Troops of the Sultan' army were campe d nearby awaiting their orders to embark. SuJeiman's inva sion fleet was almost r eady to sail. Its destination was Malta. In a few month s' time the Knights of the Order of St John of J eru alem would be no more. No fortress, however stro ngly co nstructed, no man however brave , would be able to withstand such a force as this. Turkish sp ie s in Malta had assured Su le im an that the island would fall within a few days. No-one on the Turki h side doubted it.

800 miles away in Birgu, La Vallette listened to the report s of his agents in Constant inopl e. It was obvious that the Sultan was going to attempt to ove r whelm the Order once and for a ll. La Vall e tte, however , was not going to g ive in without a fight.

Orders were sent out to Priories all over Europe, s umm on ing th e Knights of the Order to repair to Malta at once. By April 1565 , 700 Knights had arr iv ed and with other troops, including islander the Order's forces amounted to some 8,000 men. The Viceroy of Sicily visited the Is a nd and promised that h e would do all in his power to ha sten further reinforceLa Vallette h ad m ade hi s preparat ion s. He could do no mor e.

Meanwhile the Turkish fleet put to sea.

Although not as strong as the fo rc e ent aga in st Rhodes in 1522, th e Turkish force was st ill to be reckoned with. Over 180 sh ip s set sai l for Malta , tran sporting over 40,000 men, among whom were everal divisions of th e dreaded Jani ssar ie s, the crack troop s of th e Turkish army. The ad miral commanding the fleet was the corsair and Sultan's so n-in-l aw Pali while the army was under the command of General Mustapha, who had fought against the Order in Rhodes and was renowned for his crueltv.

On the morning of Friday May 18 1565, a look-out on Fort St Elmo saw the horizon to the north- east fill with th e sai ls of a vast fleet. The Turkish invasion forc e had arr ved.

The Great Siege, stage 1

The first movements of the Turkish fl ee t caused some con fusion among the watch109 members of the Order as it bypassed obvious landing-place at Marsascirocco 1I1 th e south-east, and continued on along

!HIS the story of two of the great Military Orders which were part of the everyday scene In Medzaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear to their influences on local life. The Order of St John wasfounded to provide carefor pdgnms to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of their founders. Within a few years, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wielding immense military and political power in the Holy Land and throughout Europ e. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspicion and dzsapprovaL. The other was to survive to lhe present day and in the process turnfull circle to serve its' masters the sick '.

the so uth coast. The next day, how ever, the fleet returned to Mar sase irocco and began di se mbark the troops. Apart from observmg these movemen ts the Knigh ts mad e ':0 attempt to engage the enemy, prefernng to wait until the ene m y's plans became clear.

passed and still the fort held out. For he Turks, however a worse misfortune was still to come.

The fall of St Elmo

Setting up their headquarters at the extreme so uth ern end of Grand Harbour the Turks mounted a small attack aoainst Birgu a nd Scnglea to test the and then withdrew. At a council of war Admiral Pali expressed concern for safety of hi s ships in Marsascirocco and it was decided to attack and destroy Fort St Elmo on the tip of Mount Sciberras, thus opening the harbour of Marsamascetto for the fleet. Accordingly, the heavy iege artlllery was m an h and ed on to Mount Sciberras and down towards the little fort at its tip. A small battery was also placed opposite Fort St Angelo where La Vallette had his headquarters. Fort St Elmo appealed for more men and th ese were sent acros from Birgu by boat under cover of darkness. Tbis means of sendino reinforcements was to continue a lmo st the last.

On May 24 the Turkish bombardment of St Elmo began, while in between the bombardments the Jan issaries were brought in to assau lt the .defences. In pite of heavy lo sses, the Kl1lghts held firm. One of their most effective weapons were fire-hoops, whIch se fire to the flimsy clothing of the Turks.

On May 30 the defender were sta rtl ed to see a notb er fleet approach. It was the corsalr Dragut from Tripoli. Dragut expressed concern at the Turki h plan , a nd co nsidered that it would h ave been better to have s ubdu ed the rest of the is land first to prevent reinforcements from r each ing the Knights. However, as the a ttack h ad begun, it mu s t continue. Further batteries were placed on the points on either slde of St Elmo , and the bombardments a nd assaults continued.

Genera l was furious. The tiny fort bad cost hlm some of hi s best troops and vast quantities of ammunition but nothing had been achieved. Something would have to be done quickly if hi s troops were not to lose heart. A month had

On Monday Jun e 18 the corsair Dragut had gone up to Mount Sciberras to watch the progress of the assaults. Although over 80 years old , Dragut still preferred to be With the troops rather than direct the battle from the rear. As he was talking, a splinter of stone caused by a cannonball from St Elmo struck him in the head. Although it did not kill him , he was so badly wounded that he died a few days later. So ended the career of one of the greatest of the corsairs. It was a loss that the Turks could ill afford. In the days that followed. the assaults and bombardments continued but on every occaSIOn the Kl1lghts rallied and beat off the attackers. By Thursday June 21, the guns of St Elmo were almost silent, as the defenders grew less and less in numbers. Those \vho were left were worn out and everyone was wounded.

Ad'!1iral Pali now ordered his ships to close m towards the fort. Then began one o f the fiercest barrages of the s iege. The guns on Mount Sciberras were joined by those of the fleet and by thos e on the two points. Round after round was poured into the a lr eady crumbling ruins of the fort. Yet still St Elmo held o ut. Over in St Angelo La Vallette watched and wait ed for the end. There was nothing he could do now.

Early on the morning of Saturda y June 23, Pali's ships entered Marsam ascetto harbour. The J anissaries massed for the ir final assault. Within minutes they had overcome the last resistance of the Knights , and the red and white flag of the Order was hauled down to be replaced by the cre cent of the victorious Turks. St Elmo h ad fa ll en at last.

It was not an easy victory. The Order of St John had lost 1,500 men. but the Turks had ljst over 8,000 including some of their finest troops. Enormou quantities of ammunition had been used up. and there were still the strongholds of Birgu and Senglea to bombard and a ault. The Turks could not afford such heavy 10 ses. Their supp ly position was also difficult. What s hould they do? If they admitted defeat and returned to Constantinople. tbe Sultan anger would be terrible. The attack must go on.

From the Knights point of view, the los of St Elmo wa a evere blow. but not unexp cted and they could ill afford the loss of 1,500 m e n. However, the Order had sho'vVn th e Turks that victory would be a costly business. The defeat of St Elmo alone had taken 31 days.

Th.e book .Champions of the Cross is 0111 of PUllt but IS bellig reprinted. Delails oj price, etc, oj the lie\\, edilion will be pllblished \\ ilh this serialisatioll as SOOIl as apailable.

The fall of St Elmo

HAMPSHIRE 's North E as t Ar ea Corp s of Drums wa s r e c e ntly in s pected b y th e Band Feder a tion (M a rk Gilli a n South

Owing

B

ano t her to AIM R o ge r Billin g, for drill instructi o n ; and th e th ird to AI M R eg Da vis, w h o a ught d r um s (a nd b e came so

MUSIC MAKERS

St John Fellovvship

Agenda Th e proceeding s will b e gin with prayers said by Th e Rev e r e nd Dr

B. A. C. Kirk-Duncan Officiating Chaplain of The Order of St John.

1. W e lcom e by the Ch a irman, Maj-G e n D S. Gordon , CB , CBE DSO JP , DL

2 The Lord Prior of St John , Maj-G e n Th e Earl C athcart , CB DSO MC

3 Apologi e s for ab se n ce

4 Minut es of th e third AGM held o n Ma y 28 198 6 to b e appro ve d 5 . M a tte r s a ri s ing

6 Ad o p t io n o f th e Annual R e port f or 1986/87 , inc o rpor at ing th e n e w C h a n e r of th e St John F e llows hip: Propo se d b y th e Chairman ; Second e d b y th e Vice-Chairm a n

7 Ad o pti o n o f th e Centr a l Ac co unt s for 19 86 : Propo se d b y th e Tr eas ur e r Sec o nd e d b y th e Nat io nal S e cre tar y.

R eso lution to p ro p ose a n i ncr ease in t h e a nnu al br a n c h sub-

sc ription : Pro pose d b y Mr E. G. Gr oves , S C a mb s ; S eco nd e d

b y th e N a ti o n a l S e cre t ary.

8. Th e Ce ntr al C ommi ttee a. Approval o f th e followin g a ppointm e nt s for 198 7/88:

Pr es id e nt - Th e Co un tess o f B rec kn oc k , DBE

C h a ir m a n - Major- G e n e r a l D. S Go r don C B , CBE DSO JP , D L

Tr eas ur e r -M r G o rdon M o nr o, FI C A

N at io n a S ec r e t a r y - Mi s S he il a Pu c kl e , MB E, TD

Br a nch - M i s Eve y n Booc oc k -L e ices t er s h ir e

R e pr ese nt a ti ves Br a nc h M r S Bunk er , F C IS -Am e rs h a m Br a nch , Buck s M r E . G G ro v es -So uth C ambrid ges h ir e

Br a n c h

Mi s Ma ry Holle y - St John Guild W. Ar e a, H a nt s. Mi ss Lilian R i l ey - Pr es ton Corp s Branch , L a n cs. Prop ose d b y Mr L Ev a ns, H a rrow & Distri c t Br a nch ;

St

r expir es on May 1 and full details are in Suppli es News (winter). If you require an extra copy, please ring Sale s lin e (01 - 251 0004). The St John video is now availabl e. Thi s e xcell e nt 26-minut e vid e o is a n id e al r ecruiting a id VHS only , ord e r P1999 8 a t £1 2.95

Th e British Heart Foundation (from p 87) involved in giving information to the public about, for example, se lf- help to reduce the risk of a heart attack by life -style changes.

Although public health education is the responsibility of Governmen t through the Health Education Council (recently restructured as the Health Education Authority) and of other charities whose charters embrace educatio n and sometimes rehabilitation and we lfare as wen , the Foundation is playing an increasing ro le. While it responds fully to enquiries from the public , mostly by letter or telephone, it does not set out to run a consultative service, which is rightly the responsibility of the patients' doctors.

Research achievements

An im m ense amount of progress has been made in research into diseases of the heart and circulation in the last 30 years and the BHF has played a leading role in many of these advances. It is regrettably a fact, however, that we do not yet know all the causes of heart attack and are not , ther efore, able to prevent them ; the best that can be done at present is to reduce the risks and much work has been done to establish proven risk factors. Three are now generally agreed: smoking, obesity and high blood pressure. Much work has also been done regarding the vexed questions of diet and stress but there are still differences of opinion among experts in both these areas.

Advances made as a result of researc h , h owever, i ncl u de th e fo n owing: r h eu m at ic h ear t disease h as vi rtua ll y d isappeared from the western world: hig h blood pressure, untreatab l e 30 years ago, can now be controlled by drugs in the majori ty of cases : drugs have been discovered to relieve the water ogging of t issues in heart fa il ure and the searing pain of a ngina: Pacemakers h ave been deve oped to contro l irregu l arit ies of the heart bea t : defibrillators have been invented to ove r come ot h erw ise fata l fibri ll ation: surgery is an acceptably safe way to replace damaged heart valves and bypass blocked coronary arteries, and operations have been deve loped which have changed the 80% mortality of children born with congenital heart defects to an 80% surviva l rate. This surgical revo l ution has been made possib le by the invention of the heartllung machine with which blood can be supplied to all the vital organs, while the heart is iso lated to enable the surgeon to operate on it.

On the diagnostic side equally great advances have been made. After the war the physician only had his stethoscope and blood pressure cuff; a prototype electrocardiograph was just being introduced. Today, the electrocardiograph is very sophisticated and ubiquitous and can be used under conditions of co n trolled exercise as well as at rest. The heart can be visualised accurately on a television screen and all its chambers and valves examined

as th ey work. T h e coronary a r ter ies ca n a lso be v sua lised by the passage of rad ioopaq u e dye into t h e m thro u g h a catheter. M u c h r esearch h as a lso gone into perfecting 110n-invasiv methods of examinat on wh e r e no needles or cat h eters are req uired ; ecboca r d iography using an ultrasound technique is one such example. Most recent is t h e development for medica l purposes of m agnetic resonance to study the b iochemistry of liv in g ce ll s in the h ea rt muscle ; this opens u p a very exc iting new d mension of cardiac r esea rch in which we can study function at the basic cellu la r level. Genetic abnormalities have a lso been identified in some families who are especially prone to heart attacks in ea rl y m iddle age. M e mber s of th ese families who are at most ri s k can now be identin ed by genetic screening so that preventative measures can be taken. Hereditary factor in heart dis ease are certain to become increasingly important a nd the Bri t 11 Heart Foundation is a lr eady funding one research gro up and will shortly start to fund a seco nd in thi important neld.

Di agnos is and treatment h ave advanced in spectacular fashion and much progress has bee n mad e with causat ion But further progr ess is ur ge ntly needed in hi s ne ld to make prevention a r eal ity , and the BHF is d edicated to funding research to ac hi eve this goal, together with t h e realisation of continuing adva nc es in diagnosis and treatment.

Auditory organs . (4).14 Wets abo ut a m ea t dish. (4). 16. Reducing pain and di sco mfort (6). 17. The cause of most admissions to the Casualty Department. (8). 19. Tra n a MD producing or ienta l fruit. (8).21. Get off th e bu s; it' s on fire. (6).24. Strange grin for a nnger. (4). 25. Int estina l p a ra s ite (4). 26. Force out the eye using the thumb and orthopaedic surgeon's tool. (5) 28. Reverse it with the old tax (5).29. Collection of ex trava sate d blood in the tissues. (9).

30. Early sy mptom in coryza, measles and gl an dul ar fever. (4.6) 31. He takes politici an to plant yielding narcoti c drug. (4).

Down:

1. Great test on iri s fo r cause of diarrho ea and vomiting. (6-9). 2. Clot or fat g lobu le occluding a blood vesse l. (7). 4. Relax t h e bowels. (6). 5. Cease to progress food r es idu es through the inte stines (8). 6. Pain f rom eac h disord e r. (4).7. Utter so und of glee. (7).8. Florence Nightingale. (4.4.3.4). LO. Arteries s uppl y in g th e heart muscle. (8). 15 Paralysis of both sides of the body. (8). 18. Subject to censure from the robin. (2.6). 20. Grossly abnormal foetus (7). 22. Blood sugar produced by lettuce covered by ad h esive. (7) 23. Single-celled an imal is a cause of dysent ery. (6). 27. Take physical and mental re axation. (4).

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.4 (87 ) by W A Pott er

Across:

1. Matter of the brain and s pinal cord (4) 3. Va lve controll ng junction between small and large intesti nes. (4 -6). 9. O il- secreting glands associated with hair-follicle s. (9) 11. Bone at root of the tongue. (5). 12. Sovereign ensuring t h at lines are straight. (5). 13.

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.3 (87)

Across: 1. Ocu lar; 4. Effusion; 9 Ether; 10. Hirsutism; 11. Drop ; 12. Ovum; 13. A-ri se; 15. Sw e di s h; 16. N·ape; 18. Arm; 21. He·al; 22. Arc la·mp; 25. T eres; 27. Anna; 28. Skin; 30. On the firm; 31. Am·our; 32 Acco lade; 33. Stre ss

Down: 1. Overdo se; 2. Un h ooked; 3. Awr·y; 5. Foramen magnum; 6. Uvula; 7. Iritis 8. Numbed; 10. Hav e half a m ind; 14. Mite ; 17. Pock; 19 Back·bone; 20 Up i n arm; 23. St·roma; 24. Arct c; 26 Spell; 29. Ha l t.

American Express' St John Ambulance Brigade Support Programme

The marketing programme for St John Ambulance Brigade will run until 1st July, although some individual promotions and events may continue beyond then.

American Express' campaign wi l l be linked directly to marketing expertise.

To fund the campaign, each time an American Express Card is used in the UK until 1st July, American Express will contribute 2p worth of support to the Appeal.

For each new Cardmember it will donate £5 worth of support. A further £5 worth of support will be added for every holiday booking through an American Express Travel Agent.

On top of that, a contribution will be made from the sales of American Express Dollar travellers cheques in the UK during this period.

The money raised will be used to fund a number of activities designed to increase awareness of 5t John Ambulance Brigade and its Centenary Appeal, and thereby help achieve the £10 million target. These activities will include:

National press advertising

Publicity through American Express Cardmember magazine Expression and direct mail to Cardmembers

Cardmember promotions and sale of St John first aid kits to raise appeal funds

§8 National and regional fund-raising events

Principal sponsorship of the Great St John Party on June 20th for some 100,000 specially invited children

Promotion material for the Appeal through businesses accepting American Express Cards

American Express and Community Support

The company has a philosophy of helping the communities in which it operates. It sets aside 1·5% of net profits world-wide for this sort of activity. In 1986 this was worth $14 million.

Last year in the UK St John was the beneficiary of a cause related type promotion linked to the tercentenary celebrations for Bond Street , sponsored by American Express. From that event, enough money was raised to buy a mobile unit for St John.

In the UK the company has been involved in a number of community support projects, mainly in the arts and education. Some recent activities include:

Marketing and financial support for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

Marketing and financial support for the National Trust

Raised £250,000 to help send the British team to the Los Angeles Olympics

Sponsored 'Je Suis Ie Cahier'; the sketchbooks of the Picasso exhib iti on at the Royal Academy of Arts

Sponsored Ballet Rambert in its centenary year

Sponsored a tour of British cathedrals by the London Festival Orchestra

Funding a pilot curriculum development scheme in schools

Running the 'Four Seasons' community support programme from the company's operation centre in Brighton where they 'adopt' a local charity or community project each quarter.

ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volume 60 No 5

Contents

The Lord Prior in New Zealand p.98

SJA film - Cadet Disco p.99

Centenary Posters p.100

May 1987

Do you know your Manuals? (14) by Bruce Coltman p.102

Around and About by the Editor p.104

Cadet Focus - Block Buster, ga me one p.108

Plea se doctor, am I fit to fly? p.110

Schools Proj ect p.111

The FA management of Spinal Cord Injury, part 1, by J. Harry Baker and James W. Little p.112

Reader s 'Views p.114

Stjohn FellowshipAGM p.115

News from Scotland - Wales p.11 6

Northern Ireland - Supplies Update p.117

100 years o f SJA Newark p.118

Police competition p.119

Price 75p a copy Subscriptions £11.00

Edited and prod u ced for the Order of St John by Driscoll Productions, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Nr Woodb r idge Suffo k IP12 3QF. Advertising rates on request. Phone: Orford (0394) 450548. Editor: Frank Driscoll.

Printed by: Hills & Lacy Limited, London and Reading

Contributions-----------------

Contributions to the St John Review are a ways welcome. They should be typed, treble lin e spacing on one side of paper only. (if in longhand p lease print names of people , places , etc) and send to the editorial address above.

If possible supply a phone number for the writer. Material can vary from a paragraph for Arou nd and About to a 5 000 word article - but it s h ou ld all have some connection with St John and its work. Photographs should be glossy black and white prints or good quality co lour prints , not negatives or transparencies. If photographs are to be returned , write on the back RETURN and name and address. Press day is the 1st of the month preceding he cover date.

AS YOU may be aware, the St John Ambulance Brigade have been adopted by American Express as their Community Support Project for 1987. The marketing expertise of American Express will be a tremendous boost to the Appeal and gives us the broadest ever publicity platform to help us raise the money we desperately need in St John and there is no doubt that by their advertising the public at large will become much more aware of the work that we do. American Express will be mobilising its one million UK card members , its 4,000 employees and wide range of business partners which accept the American Express card.

The major promotional campaign has been under way since the beginning of April with advertising in the national press and promotional material appearing in shops , hotels and restaurants throughout the country . Apart from tills American Express have made a substantial cash donation to the Centenary Appeal and it is estimated that their total contribution to the Brigade during the Centenary Year will be in the region of £500,000 , which by any standards is a mammoth amount of money.

A photograph showing the St John " family " was specially commissioned by American Express and is being used on the front cover of their magazine Expression that goes to their card members and has a print run of 550 ,000 with a readership of 1·3 million The photograph is also being enlarged to poster size which will be appearing in all their travel shops and certain other locations.

JOHN SUNDERLAND Commissioner-in- Chi ef.

Lord Prior in Nevv Zealand

THE WAIKATO-KING Country welcomed the Lord Prior and Countess Cathcart to its region while they were on their tour of New Zealand during March. At Hamilton, the host city for most of the short visit, the Earl Cathcart opened a new building for St John.

Waikato is a dairy farming area and the weather that day proved why there is plenty of lush green grass for the cows to munch. It poured with rain.

That evening a group of members from all sections of St John attended a dinner in honour of the Lord Prior, at which he was presented with a book entitled St John in New Zealand 1885-1985. This was pub-

lished to commemorate the centenary of St John in New Zealand and was edited by Dr Rex Wright-St Clair, president of the Waikato-King Country Centre, who made the presentation.

The following morning, while the Countess was taken to see the sights of Hamilton, the Lord Prior inspected the Ambulance Control Centre for the region.

He asked questions of ambulance operations personnel, including how they coped with the earthquake emergency, when ambulances were deployed by this control room. Fortunately there were so few injuries from the earthquake they carried only about 15 patients over the period, but

Film launch

THE ST JOHN Ambulance film For All The Right Reasons received its first showing on March 5 at BP s London Headquarters, Britannic House. An audience of over 150 representatives of St John, British Petroleum Worldwide Pictures and potential St John supporters attended the event which was hosted by BP, the generous sponsors of the film.

COOL ... CADETS AT THE PALAIS

LONDON District's first event in Cente nary Year has taken place , and by all accounts it was a great s uccess, if not a 'how ling' success. The Hammersmith Palais bulged at the seams with some 1 ,200 dancers drawn from as far afield as Essex , Hampshire, Surrey Hertfordshire and bordering places. The decor at the Palais was really something to be seen - Mecca did us proud, and you should have seen the scramble for centenary balloons!

Joe Loss - of revered memory in the Hammersmith Palais' heyday; who, incidently remembers Harry Leader, Joe Loss's predecessor? - was totally eclipsed by our DJ, Angus Gibson. The music jumped (is that the ' in ' word?) from the moment the doors opened until they were closed

KILLER GLASS

SJA initiative

they were on stand-by for a further 48 hours.

Later, in brilliant sunshine (thank goodness) morning tea was taken with 12 invited guests on the Kingfisher, a small boat on which they travelled the Waikato river which runs through the heart of Hamilton. Down river they went as far as Cobham Bridg e, named after the then Governor-General, Lord Cobham, and up river past beautiful homes to where the ducks were waiting to be fed!

Once ashore, it was off to Cambridge for lunch with St John members and then across the border to the next region of the Lord Prior's visit to New Zealand.

ROBERT Balchin, SJA's DirectorGeneral, has l aunc h ed an initi ative to reduce the number of accidents involving glass doors an d windows in shops, offices, schoo ls and of course th e h om e 'G lass can kill,' he warns, 'b ut if the public are aware of the dangers and how best t o avoid them, we sho uld be ab le to drastically reduce the numbers injured.

50,000 injuries

'More than 50,000 people are injured in glass-re late d accidents each year and a staggering 27,000 of these requ ire hospital treatment.' Mr Balchin cont inu ed, 'T hese frighte ning statistics hav e prompted us at St John Ambulance, in consultation with the Glass and Glazing Federation, to warn

Present were the Commissioner-inChief, John Sunderland , Lord and Lady Westbury, Sir Peter and Lady Van Eyck, and the Commissioner and Commander of London District, John Gerrard and Derek Fenton, plus many distinguished friends.

Our special thanks , and especially mine are due to Mrs Mary Fagan for all the support and encouragement which she gave us and without which the event would not have been the great success it undoubtedly was.

In conclusion my thanks to all the cadets who turned up and for having such funwhich of course, was the object of the exercise. It was a fun night , and I certainly enjoyed myself!

Marjorie Griffiths District Staff Officer (Cadets)

The SJA sticker for glass doors

the p ubli c of this danger, to give information on how to prevent unnecessary casualities and to provide advice about the emergency treatment of injuries caused by glass.

St John Ambulance have printed 50,000 colourful stickers to be distributed free to anyone who wants to take action to protect themselves from injury. These stickers are available from St John Ambulance centres throu ghout the country and should be applied to large windows or doors at eye

The 26 minute film, with commentary by Jimmy Tarbuck, the comedian and great supporter of St John, was very well received and it was generally acknowledged that the film does justice to the many aspects of St John Ambulance - in less than half an hour!

The film has a short appeal made by Jimmy Tarbuck as a postscript which it is hoped will prompt the public into showing their appreciation of our work by donating to funds It is envisaged that For All The Right Reasons will be of use on numerous occasions as a visual aid to promote St John and increase public recognition of our work , particularly during the Brigade Centenary Year.

The film is now available on VHS video from the Supplies Dept price £12.95, order number P19998. 16 mm copies of the film - ideal for showing to large audiences - are available on loan from the Public Relations Department at National HQ. level to make the glass more visible, especially for the shortsighted and elderly.

Toughened glass

The Glass and Glazing Federation have made 1987 Safety Glazing Year and have issued strict guidelines to glass suppliers about the use of safety glass in appropriate areas. Toughened glass is safe and it does not break into dangerous spiky fragments which cause very serious injuries and deaths.

CENTENARY

POSTERS

1.

3.

a. Indirect

2. When carrying a stretcher by this method all bearers should move off together but walk

9. In what depth of water would you carry out this technique? 11. Befo re ifting a casualty on a blanket what sho uld be done?

Blisters contain

13. When treating a wound with a foreign body present what technique is being applied? 14. For which injury is this position part of the treatment?

Al1lsvver's on P, 120 103

at work for the last four years and outline plans are now being converted into reality.

Much of the celebration is being planned with publicity in mind, not only to focus attention on the achievement of 100 years of service but also to interest today's generation in the work of St John. A sixweek long exhibition is planned to take place at the Harris Museum starting in February. This will cover all aspects of St John work during the last 100 years and also have a 'hands on' exhibit where visitors can try their hand at resuscitation and test their skill at first aid on wmputers. Th.e exhibition will be manned by uruformed personnel for much of the time.

The exhibition will also be used to launch a schools painting exhibition in the that it will inspire some interesting entnes. These will then be exhibited during open week at Preston HQ in June. The Open Week will also feature first aid demonstrations and exhibitions.

The publicity committee would like to from anyone who could lend any exhibits from the past, partIcularly uniforms Alternatively, if you are making uniforms for your celebrations this year perhaps you could lend them to us next year. If you think you can help please ring or write to Alec or Meg Burford, Jack Green Cottage, Brindle, Chorley, Lancs

Area Commissioner (left), welcomes the new president of Oldland Common Division Dr Robert Brown , and vice-president, Mrs Ann Czerencses. (Photo Myra Meredith)

PR6 8NS, Hoghton 2944 (evenings) or Preston 35268 (daytime).

BIG

RESUS

Rickmansworth and Chorleywood Quad Division is hoping to set a national SJ record. in. May with a 24-hour non -s top resuscltatlOn mar a thon. This sponsored event is for urgently needed d ivis ional funds, as their main fund-raising event for 1986 on August Bank Holida y Monday was rained off.

28 members will be carrying out resuscitation in stints of 5 minutes each for the 24 hours. The marathon will be started at 3 p m. by the Div Supt Mrs Madelaine Pearce and will continue, b y both adults and cadets , until 3 p.m. on Sunday May 17. Visitors are welcome between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Division 's HQ.

ANOTHER STAMP

They cost £4 for standard cover, £6 for cover signed by the Div Supt, £7 50 for one signed by Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, chairman Greater Manchester SJ Council, and £10 signed by the Lord Lieutenant of the county. They can b e ordered before June 16 from Cotswold Covers, Leige House, Marshfield, Chippenham , Wilts SNI48LZ.

WISH YOU WERE HERE

Due to cancellations there are vacancies at Newquay Division for parties of members to man t he beach hut for weeks commencing Saturday s August 8, 15 and 22.

Why not make up a party and come to Newquay , Cornwall , for a holiday and provide first aid cover at the St John hut ? Free accommodation available. Contact by Phillip Swift, of Jersey's St Helier Combined Division.

I STARTED my first week at RN Hospital Haslar on AS ward , part of which is the coronary care unit. I found that, working on the ward , one needed a good knowledge of nursing because a lot of the time was spent making b eds and taking TPR an d BPs. I also found that it was necessary to have a good bedside manner, as the age range in this ward was from 50 to 90-yearo ld s

While in thi s part of the hospital I learned h ow to take blood pressures properly and also about patient care - something which cannot be achieved with casualty simu lation

Never too busy

I spent some of my spare time on duty accompanying the doctors I was surprised to hear how open the y were with me when discussing some of the patients' conditions - they were never too busy to answer my questions or explain a difficult point.

L. Wilkinson (2nd from left) who was awarded the MBE n the New Year's Honours.

With them is vice-chairman of Council, Mr H L St. G. Carey and County Commissioner, Major P C. C. Gobourn (right).

John Slocombe on Newquay (0637) 873840.

HOLIDAY?

Jack Mee , county secretary of Cleveland

SJA members

on t\NO \Neeks training

. In a RN Hospital

tells me that they have some weekends and weeks free during the com i ng summer at their Sandhills Centre at Commondale, their residential holiday house on the Moors. Phone him on 0642 550291 if yo u are interested.

ma king beds helping on drug rounds giving patients their food , taking and recording blood p ress ures , pulse and respiratory rates). All the patients in the CCU had heart complaints of some kind and I expected to be faced with cardiac arrests all the time , but when one did occur I wasn't there!

The first week in the A & E was most enjoyable and helpful so far as St John work is concerned. I was involved in treatment of overdose and burn victims, and helped the doctor stitch wounds. Almost 70% of my time in A & E was spent with the doctors observing diagnostic techniques for sprains, fractures and the occasional head injury. Other duties included trips to the X-ray department , applying slings and bandages and giving treatment in the resuscitation room. I enjoyed this part of the course so much that I offered to come back on the Saturda y evening, which was well worth while.

Accommodation

This cover will focus on Heywood Division , the seco nd oldest in the UK , and will bear a Heywood postmark.

Greater Manchester County is organising a first day philatelic cover to coincide with the national iss ue of St John Ambulance centenary stamps by the Post Office on June 16. Let's

Continued next page A cheque for £1 500 is handed to Hants SJA by the leader of Hampshire County Council, Mr Freddie Emery-Wallis (right), towards the £5,000 needed to make a video about SJA Hants

After I had be en at the ho spital for a few days I worked for a great deal of the time on my own , which gave me a sense of confidence in that I was trusted to be left alone. I also had the chance to go to the gastro department to see a gastroscopy, which is a test where a tub e is pa ssed down the throat (a fibre-optic camera, in fact), to explore the sto mach fo r ulcers, etc. I a lso saw a tube removed from the chest which h ad been inserted for a pneumothorax (co llaps ed lung ) This had been done to help the lung inflate again.

In the CCU I was taught how to wire up a patient for an ECG, which I thoroughly enjoyed learning. The unit is very specialised , which meant I had to look and learn, because of the acute condition of the patients.

The second week was s pent in the accident and emergency department , which was completely different. For the first few days we were relatively quiet, so I went to the theatre , where I witnessed many operations from removing knee caps to taking out varicose veins. I thought the most beneficial part was watching the anaesthetist inserting airways and intubating patients.

I also visited the medical museum at the hospital, which consists mostly of equipment taken during the Second World War. Stored in g ass jars were parts of the body showing the deformity or disease concerned.

About a mile from the hospital is the Royal Institute of Naval Medicine where I was shown recompression chambers for divers. Our guid e tried very hard to explain th e t echniq ues used but I found some of the information rath er complex. It was interesting to see the institute's efforts to combat sea sickness, a problem of course for any navy.

My last fo ur days at Haslar were spent back at the A & E department , which was very busy now. It would take a lon g time to explain every injury I saw and the different tr eat m ents I h e lped to give. But the experience I gained on this two-w eek course will certainly stand me in good s ead for the work of St John on publi c duty And I can certainly recommend this course at Haslar to everyo ne

By Eric Rolland, also of Jersey

THE two-week course at the hospital was divided into one week in the accident and emergency department and the other in the coronary care unit. The CCU was quite different from the other parts of the hospital ; here we were concerned with improving our nursing abilities (eg,

During the second week in the CCU I also visited the Institute of Naval Medicine, where I saw the largest recompression chamber in Britain and watched operations in the theatre.

Our accommodation at the hospital was a four -b edded room with a wardrobe beside each bed and reading lights. There were TV rooms, a laundry, showers and bathrooms , and a small store with irons, ironing boards and vacuum cleaners. Overall , these junior rating quarters were comfortable and the other occupants were very friendly and helpful.

The food at Haslar was ve r y good. Every day there was a cooked br eakfast and main meals consisted of three courses plus dessert and coffee, tea or cold drinks. Evenings were usually spent in the Haslar Club, which is within the grounds , either playing pool , snooker , watching TV or having a drink with someone.

I found the two weeks very interesting , gaining confidence and knowledge The hospital staff, doc tors and nurses, couldn't have been more helpful in answering questions and explaining every th ing. Anyone who has not h ad hospital experience should go on this course

Four fellas who staged a 24-hour table tennis and darts marathon to raise £240 for Cornwall's Indian Queens Division , with Div Surgeon Dr Robert Grundy.

PENNIES FROM ?

(Left) Stoke Ambulance Division visited the Mayor's Parlour for President Mr K Green to present a photo of the Queen in robes of the Order to the Lord Mayor of Stoke.

AVON: Lennard Burden,

Gloucester County Commander, Major Nick Warry (left) organised a celebration lunch for Area Commissioner J

F D S M I p C E N H A R J B V 0 G K L U W T X Y Q

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lanes) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions. 114 schools in Lancashire have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of aU the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

Which is the largest and strongest bone in the body? B.

What separates the chest from the abdomen? V.

What takes messages to the brain?

What takes messages from the brain? O.

What is used to control external bleeding? G.

What can be used to apply indirect pressure? K.

Is used to check for cardiac arrest. L.

Used to support the upper limb. U.

High blood pressure might cause this to bleed. W.

The elderly and very young often suffer from this. T.

A person who is not breathing is suffering from. X.

It works at either 16 to 18 or 20 to 30 times a minute. Y.

People suffering from this generally have a yellowish Q. appearance.

It drops when we faint or are shocked.

Never make a person do this if they have taken a corrosive poison.

This is essential to avoid brain damage.

Do not use in the case of epilepsy

Another name for the patella Helps to fight disease

A patient who is not stable is said to be.

Used in treating burns.

Rises with fever but falls with shock.

The only certain way to confirm a bone is fractured.

A greenstick fracture generally occurs in the

Used by doctors, nurses and first-aiders to find the history of a casualty. Answers on p.120

Wakey WAKEY!

LANCASHIRE

Poulton-Ie-Fylde combined cadets need to raise £200 to get

DEVON

CHESHIRE

AIR TRAVEL is now a commonplace experience. Most people will fly at some time in their lives and increasingly elderly and/or ill people seek advice from their GPs about their fitness to fly.

For example, after an infarct should Grandad's longed-for flight to see his Australian grandchildren be cancelled for good or merely postponed and, if so, for how long?

There are a number of absolute contraindications for travel by air (see below), various chronic conditions that involve limitations and others that require just caution and commonsense.

Most aircraft fly at cruising altitudes from between 28,000 ft to 43 ,000 ft and very occasionally even to 45,000 ft. Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude and the aircraft is pressurised with atmospheric air to avoid problems such as hypoxia due to the decreased partial pressure of oxygen and expansion of gases within the passenger's body.

Patients with chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary pr.oblems should all have supplementary oxygen as routine or on demand at all times at flight levels above 22,500 ft.

This is the greatest height at which cabin pressure can be maintained at sea level with a differential of 8.6 psi, which is termed the max-diff'.

Should the cabin pressure rise much above this preset level a 'dump' -valve operates automatically, venting the air to atmospheric to avoid over stressing the aircraft hull.

If it is felt that a passenger may need supplementary oxygen during the flight then the doctor should notify the airline in good time so the necessary arrangements can be made.

British Airways has a form - MEDIFthat should be obtained by the sales office or agent or by the GP; -part 1 being completed by the former while part 2 is a

Please doctor, am I fit to fly?

Dr Robert BRUCE-CHWATT looks at the sick passenger - and the problems that might be posed before and during flight

confidential medical report from the patient's doctor to the airline's medical department.

In a patient with cardiopulmonary problems provision will need to be made for 28% humidified O 2 at a flow rate of 4 litres/minute for the duration of their flight.

The patient who has a colostomy should wear a large bag, carry a spare and be warned of the possible complications during the climb to cruising altitude.

Motion sickness may also be a worry for prospective travellers.

Requesting a seat near the centre of the aircraft will minimise the effects of pitch, roll and yaw.

Those prone to motion sickness should take an anti-motion sickness drug before flying such as promethazine theoc!ate (Avomine) , dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or cinnarizine (Stugeron). The use of

Transderm-Scop patches, a transdermal method for the administration of scopolamine (hyoscine) 1.5 mg, is not recommended due to side-effects.

Having dispatched his patients, with suitable advice, the holidaying GP may well meet up with some of them when he too takes to the air.

A doctor may be found on board an aircraft in 75% of life-threatening emergencies and, in aU, medical help will be sought in one in 50 international flights on wide-bodied aircraft.

The incidence of emergencies is around 1: 13,000 souls carried, passengers and crew , of which half involve passengers and half crew.

The worst problems encountered are neuropsychological (47% of total), fainting, fits or mental illness with stress and anxiety (16%), cardiovascular problems (15%), the gastrointestinal system (12%) and respiratory problems (10%) Less likely, more serious problems also occur but rarely

All airlines are required to carry first-aid kits and to provide portable oxygen sets. The kits have a minimum standard laid down, but most airlines provide more comprehensive drugs and equipment for use by cabin crew or doctor. If a passenger requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), then the best place to put them is in the aisle. It may seem rather public but is certainly the quickest and best place. In order to compensate for the hypoxia of cabin alt itud e it has been suggested that the person performing ventilation should maintain a high exhaled p0 2 by breathing from an emergency 100 % oxygen supply.

The mild hypoxia due to the cabin altitude means that speed is even more important in establishing CPR once cardiac arrest has been recognised.

Continued on next page

The absolute contraindications to travel by commercial aircraft

• Terminally-ill patients unlikely to survive the journey.

• Contagious diseases - public health regulations at destinati(m: open pulmonary TB; hepatitis; poliomyelitis from onset to three/ four weeks; notifiable diseases; and acute gastroenteritis - patient risk and infection of the sewage system of the aircraft.

• Fractures - air trapped within a plaster cast can expand compressing the enclosed limb sufficiently to cause ischaemia. New casts where the limb is still oedematous should be split, especially for long flights when the occurrence or dependent oedema is common.

• Radiological investigations or laparoscopy - there should be a delay of days after the introduction of air into body cavities for diagnostic or therapeutic reasons.

• Cardiovascular disease coronary thrombosis in the first three weeks; cerebrovascular accidents (within two weeks due to possible cerebral hypoxia); seriously decompensated heart disease

In the case of unresponsive cardiorespiratory distress, despite the use of portable oxygen or abdominal pain due to gaseous distension, or even the 'bends ' when a passenger has flown too soon after scuba diving, the doctor may request the pilot to cruise at a lower altitude which would allow a corresponding sea-level cabin pressure (22,500 ft).

If a passenger's symptoms persist and there is evidence of a more serious illness such as intracranial bleed, myocardial infarction embolus or major haemorrhage then the question of immediate diversion of the aircraft must be considered. This is, of course, ultimately the captain s decision, but he will almost certainly take the doctor's advice and then find a solution.

SJA's

In general, fortunately, the medical 'emergency' can be managed on board and radio messages to the final destination can provide for an ambulance.

Since the current airline kits do not contain diagnostic equipment, doctors travelling by air might consider carrying their stethoscope , an aneroid sphygmomanometer and last, but by no means least, a 'Champion' Swiss army penknife. The question of aUeged medical malpractice may arise, but all doctors should feel a moral obligation to assist in any way possible.

Remember that in most European countries it is a criminal offence not to render assis ta n ce

A British doctor would not be covered

SCHOOLS PROJECT

Schools Project Manager, Anne Macleod

would be covered by his usual m e d ical insurance. Robert Bruce-Chwatt trained as a GP but is currently a s hip 's surgeon with P&O lines. He has a special interest in a viation medicine.

• Colds and URTls - patients should be advised not to fly during the congestive stages of an upper respiratory disease.

• Eyes, ears, nose and throat - recent eye surgery (air distension and rupture of the iris); acute sinusitis; otitis media or eustachian tube dysfunction; trismus or wired jaws (danger of motion sickness) - escort should have wire-cutters or fixation should be with rubber bands.

• Haematological - anaemia with an Hb lower than 40% or less than 7V2 g% or an RBC count of less than three million per mm 3

• Gastrointestinal - acute diverticulitis; ulcers; there should be a 10-day wait after any abdominal surgery; for gastric bleeding wait two-three weeks.

• Psychiatric - requires a qualified escort (registered nurse or doctor) for safety reasons and to prevent disturbance to others.

110 (cardiac asthma or severe hypertension with complications).

• Offensive conditions - wounds (gangrene) or skin diseases.

• Pregnancy - five weeks before expected date of delivery for long flights; four weeks for short flights.

For flights of less than an hour there are practically no restrictions if there are no pains.

• Divers - scuba divers should be advised to allow two or, better, 12 hours between their last dive and boarding a commercial aircraft; this delay should be extended to 24 hours for deep diving with decompression stops since liberation of dissolved nitrogen is satisfactory at sea level, but is increased at relatively low cabin altitudes (5,000 ft) resulting in the 'bends'.

• Bronchopulmonary pneumothorax with mediastinal shift and/or a vital capacity of less than 50%. As a practical rule if a patient can walk 200 metres and climb a step or climb 15 steps without difficulty, then he or she is able to travel by air.

(Reproduced by permission of the publishers of PULSE)

A HANDSOME new certificate is to be presented to all schools which use the Three Cross Award video and have trained over 50 pupils for the SJA One Cross Award. The certificates signed by the Director-General are now available free of charge from National HQ to counties who submit the names of qualifying schools. Maximum publicity should be obtained when the certificates are presented.

With each certificate, which have been sponsored by International Thomson Organisation pIc , London, will be a letter naming the sponsor.

We feel these certificates will provide an ideal opportunity to re-establish contact with schools which purchased the video and also give the slow-to-start' schools an additional goal at no cost to themselves. But please do not forget the special schools' , as this is one certificate that may well be within their pupils capabilities.

I look forward to receiving names of schools who qualify for the certificate from county representatives of the Schools Project. A list of qualifying schools will appear monthly in the St John Review

Stjohn Ambulance HQ Anne Macleod 1 Grosvenor Crescent Schools Project London SWIX TEF Manager

Derbyshire

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School , Green Road, Ashbourne Derbyshire DEO lEP

Middlesex

Villiers High School , Boyd Avenue, Southall , Middlesex.

WE WILL first outline the reasons why the injured spinal cord may deteriorate after injury ; we will then study each of the potential hazards which may produce secondary deterioration in cord function and the reasons for moving a casualty from the ' position found' on to his back or on to his side; and we will then cover the practical techniques:

First action, Holding the head ,

The log roll from prone to supine, Rolling to clear vomit from the mouth, Converting this to the stable side position

The lift with the surface markings for the lifters' hands.

The best demonstration of the techniques is the film on spinal cord injury handling made by the Irish RFU in 1982. This is available from the Medical Branch St John Ambulance HQ (AV Aids Section) on loan.

Introduction

The management of SCI is hindered by clinging to rules concerning handling established many years ago when the nature of cord injury was unclear and the only mechanism envisaged for deterioration was secondary mechanical disruption from injudicious movement.

Reviews of secondary deterioration have shown that there are two groups - those in whom the diagnosis was missed and may have been handled incautiously, and those in whom the diagnosis was made and no obviously injudicious handling was catalogued; yet still deteriorated.

The view hitherto has been that diagnosed or not , all these folk were handled in such a way as to cause movement either of vertebral elements to induce cord compression or to cause shift of one body in relation to another - again producing compression with deterioration in consequence.

Those who deteriorated after arrival in hospital and were observed not to have been mishandled had their deterioration ascribed to 'act of God '.

On this basis was produced not only the written rules , but a mishmash of unwritten tradition and folklore (much of it one step removed from witchcraft), some unchanged since 1887; producing the following 'Ten Commandments':

1. Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a special injury in which the normal rules of first aid are suspended. In an effort to avoid mechanical movement risks may be taken with vital functions by delaying movement until disaster strikes.

2. Members of the Voluntary Societies are a proper agency to move patients with SCI.

3 Immobilisation of the spine is produced by bandages to the lower body and by a cervical collar made of newspaper.

The First Aid Management of Spinal Cord Injury PARTONE

by J. HARRY BAKER1 and JAMES W. LITTLE2

4. Patients must be carried round on a rock hard base.

5. The sole cause of deterioration is movement of the back and the most useful service a first-aider can do is to prevent this NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

6. The hallmark of SCI is a total inability to feel move as evinced by a failure to waggle the fingers and toes to command coupled with anosognosia (a feeling of being 's awn in two')

7. Ventilation is always compromised in any other position than supine and that makes the supine position (ie, flat on his back) essential; even at the expense of the airway and inhalation of vomit.

8. Opening the airway correctly moves the cervical spine.

9. Moving the limbs carefully moves the spine.

10. Positioning to preserve life will damage the spinal cord; leaving alone will not - though death may ensue. Complete cervical injuries die anyway or are better off dead ; therefore it is better (and quicker) to die incomplete than live complete.

Management was conducted by a doctrine of calculated risk' based on these assumptions. Curiously, no plan for performing this calculation was vouchsafed to the first-aider who generally therefore used a basis of panic.

But the tragedy is that each of the assumptions are either wholly or in most part wrong.

New imaging techniques such as CT scanning, studies of cord oxygenation and blood flow in humans and the ability to monitor cord funct io n electrically including during operations whose alleged function is to 'decompress the cord ' has produced much new evidence.

Reviews of how patients are handled and whether they deteriorated have shown that for there to be major and permanent movement induced deterioration there must be two things present - a missed diagnosis so that movement is not carried out carefully and, secondly, movement in the vertical axis as well as the horizontal.

1. Consultant in Spinal Injuries, Welsh Spinal Injuries Centre, Rookwood Hospital, Cardiff CFS 2YN. Asst Surgeon in Chief, St John Ambulance

2. Area Staff, North Tyneside Area, St John Ambulance, Northumbria; St John Headquarters, Lesbury Avenue, Shiremoor , Newcastle upon Tyne.

Correspondence and requests for reprints to HB.

'incomplete', where there is some feeling andlor movement and recovery may still occur.

But the symptoms and signs of incomplete cord injury are not well recognised , despite the fact that overall, the number of incomplete cord injuries (which have a recovery potential - and a deterioration potential) are increasing both absolutely and as a percentage of total SCI.

What does not cause deterioration is careful movement in the horizontal axis.

The other factor we found in the reviews is that those in whom there is major deterioration of the 'ac t of God type h ad no incorrect movement but did become underoxygenated (hypoxic) generally or the cord blood supply fell (underperfusion). These were produced by airways obstruction , underventilation from wrong positioning or other causes of a splinted diaphragm , eg, a distended abdomen damaged lungs, aspiration of vomit and underperfusion from shock from multipl e injuries.

Finally, the d amag ed cord demonstrates autoregulatory failure , ie , that blood flow to the cord refl ects th e blood pre ss ur e. In healthy man there can be wide fluctuation s in blood pressure before either brain or cord blood flow is impaired sufficiently to produce a permanent 's troke or a similar event in the spinal cord producing paralysis. Thus , if yo u faint, you do not normally come round and find you are paralysed. In the damaged cord, the situation is completely diffe rent and a fa ll in blood pressure - especia lly induced by sitting or standing up - will add damage from oxygen lack to the primary injury

There are ther efo re three enemies of the cord which may produce a secondary injur y - mechanical disturbance , general hypoxia and underperfusion. Attention to all three is necessary to secure a good result and a bad result can be brought about by ignoring anyone of t hem - even in an attempt to preserve the other two. The modern philosophy of the immediate handling of these patients is based on this

Recognition of spinal cord injury

One of the main reasons why people are incautiously moved is because the SCI is not recognised One hopes that with the textbook threesome' of local tenderness , total sensory loss and total motor los s below the injury SCI would not be missed!

However , the classic first aid texts include signs which are rarely found at the scene, such as deformity, swelling and bruising (which may only be seen later) and anagnosognosia (a feeling of being severed in two) , this last only being found in 4% of SCI!

They take no account that either th e vertebral column may be mechanically unstable or the spinal cord sensitive to oxygen lack following injury but with no obvious signs of cord damage (yet!). Spinal cord injuries may be 'complete', ie, no feeling and no movement below the level of injury and with no scope for recovery , or

The motor symptoms and signs may be confined to muscle groups close to the trunk only and the screen of 'waggle the fingers and toe s' may not be sufficient. Controlled movement or testing of power against resistance and without movem e nt s permissible - the spine should not move; the physios mov e all the limbs every day through a full range in a spinal unit without moving the spine.

The legs may be littl e affected, the arms more and the hands most. It is common in old people with arthritic necks and narrow spinal canals. They go giddy, fall down and hit their faces, pushing the head back and extending the neck (the centra l cord injury).

A one sided rotational force may produce a n injury with paralysis on one side and pain and temperature loss on the other.

Both these last ypes ba ve been diagno sed as 'hysteria'. Beware!

The sensory patterns you may encounter include - as well as the well recognised tingling a nd 'pins and needles' - an electric shock like pain at the moment of impact (with no other indicator!); disturbances of nerve fibres conveying information as to where th e limbs are suc h th at the patient thinks he is still in the position in which he was at the moment of injury , despite being clearly in another; burning pains throughout both arms or both lower limb s. The last, associated with misinterpretation of the stimulus so that touch registers as pain is seen frequently in low lumbar injuries. Beware the sensory pervert - he is not a hysteric Beware th e old lady in the front seat of the car with os t ensib ly littl e wrong and burning pains in both arms! Finally , most patient s will not tell yo u that 't hey ha ve an incomplet e paraparesis of the anterior cord pattern ! Minor degrees of sensory or motor loss often produce ill defined symptoms - often described in the same words The favourite term s which must alert all who deal with these folk are:

Clumsiness, Stiffness, Heaviness

These symptoms must always be tr ea ted se riously.

The major causes of SCI are:

Road accidents: People thrown out of cars, ' whiplashed' in the front seat, hit on the back of the head by back seat passengers Who are not 'be lted (the 'fly ing granny syndrome') and all motor cyclists. Any chest injury may have a spinal injury as well

Continued 011 p.120

Crash is the real thing

FIVE 'vict ims of a make-believe accident had a n amazing escape on their way horne in Marchwh e n they were involved in a real-life crash. South Shields SJA member David Collins and four friends were on their way back from a first aid co mpetition in Co Durham when their car h ad a blow -out at 60 mph. T he Triumph Acclaim hit the central reser va tion and overturned, but a mazingly nobody suffered serious injuries

An ambulance was called but there was already plenty of expert medical help on hand , as a team of doctor s and nurses who h ad also b ee n at the competition were travelling behind.

The five h ad b een acting as casualties for the Durham County St John Ambu lance finals at Peterlee.

David (25) was driving and h is passengers included hi gi rlfr iend, trainee nurse and Brig a de member

Caroline Carron (22), of Felling Joe Nielson (72) , of Whitburn; Alfred Brown (61) also of Whitbum, a nd his wife Norma (60).

Ca roline suffered whiplash injuries, Alfred had a sp r ained right sho uld e r and his wife was tr eated in hospital for a dislocated right shoulder.

D av id sa id: 'Our simulat ed injuries were a lot mor e serious We couldn't ha ve had better medical atten tion at t h e acci dent.

Po lice and firemen at the wrecked car. ( Belo w) SJA member Jim Scott treats Mrs Norma Brown. David Collins (left) and Caro li ne Carron comfort each other. ( Pho tos: Sunderland Echo)

WELL DONE, LONDON!

from David P. Bell, Divisional Officer

Having a 'go' at county and area staff officers, or our managers as I prefer to call them , is a common occurrence in St John these days and, in all fairness, the criticism is often well deserved. I mah no apologies for this practice , as it is something I indulge in myself , and often with great relish. However , if we are to continue to criticise and expect the criticisms to be lis te ned to , then we must also give credit when management get it right.

In one area, particularly in London District , it has been got right in respect of the implementation of the recommendations of the Popplewell Report following the Bradford football stadium disaster. I say a hearty 'We ll done ' to London District 's Commander, Derek Fenton, and his staff, for their work in making football and sports grounds comply with the first aid recommendations. For too long members covering these arenas have had to put up , in the most part, with appalling conditions , lack of equipment, and paltry donations. A lot of discussion took place last year about the 'lunatic' advertisements , but the fact is that in the eyes of some businesses we are lunatics . Who else would provide skilled staff, often including doctors and nurses , for just a few pounds donation and for that staff to put up with absolutely anything, invariably without complaint. St John was being abused , particularly when one considers the amounts paid out by arenas for stewards and security staff.

From my experience of a number of arenas in West London, the situation appears to be changing. I have seen first-aid rooms reorganised and resupplied at the arena s expense and, hopefully , proper donations will soon be received It is nice to reap the benefits of Mr Fenton s professional approach , although I would not be surprised if , in some quarters , h is intervention was seen as interference. Substantial improvements can be made when a professional approach is adopted. St John must always be voluntary and no charge must ever be made to the injured , but that does not mean we should subsidise businesses.

Now that management has shown what can be achieved , may I suggest they now sort out the examination fiasco , bring about changes to encourage recruitment and, most of all, work hard to achieve a situation where, by 1990 , no St John member ever has to go on to the streets begging for money

37 Paddington Di visi on David P. Bell

and the member to take an optimistic view and make

St John Ambulance vibrant and exciting. I only wish there were 36 hours in the day

The article (Feb Review) First Aid at Work - The First Three Years by Mrs Norma Reeves points out certain faults in the package.

For lesson 17 , Duties of a First Aider 6.3.1, I use , in conjunction with the FAW instructors' manual , the H.S.E. publication HS(R) 11 and H .S. E 11 (REV) Riddor.

The Health and Safety Executive are very helpful in updating information but you have to approach them. The telephone directory will put you in touch with your nearest HSE. However, June should bring us all up to date.

The March Review has further information on Aids. The HSE will also supply a booklet on this subject.

Also in March Review, Peter Horah writes on training (Hello Peter remember me?). My criteria in recent years has been why should St John volunteers put up with second best and outdated equipment? And as Peter knows, I put words into action.

By using the FAW instructors' course manual, the instructors' manual, and the professional approach - with visual planning, training and display equipment - training can be fun. All this requires funding and as Peter knows, there are ways and means for this but a catalyst is required.

From St John Supplies (P11901) the Adult Membership Book provides means to keep records, and a simple addition to this book would provide the necessary training records.

Peter, it is really up to the officer-in-charge, the instructor (FA)

I was interested in the letter Sexist from Maura Russ (March Review) about first aid and home nursing competitions, etc. As HQ stated, there is no longer any sex discrimination anyway. But in previous years we still had a choice. Ambulance teams could include two nursing members , and nursing teams could include two ambulance members.

The first ambulance cadet team that I trained in 1976 h ad one boy member , who , like the rest of the division , had passed hi s horne nursing exams (he is now a qualifi ed doctor, by the way).

In our part of Hampshire home nursing is compulsory for boys and men - none of our lads are deprived of basic training. Several members are trained nurses anyway. For a few of them making beds and giving bed-pans is worse than a visit to the dentist , but they still have to do it. In return , nursing memb ers do 'am bul ance aid' training, and go out on wet, muddy duties with the men. Whether HQ has made it compulsory or not is irrel evant. If yo u think they should be trained in nursing, then train them , as we have trained our boy cadets for the last 12 years to my knowledge.

Lymington Cadets

TWINNING

from Mr J. W. Humphrey, Corps Officer

StJohn Fellowship

ANNUAL REPORT

April 1 1986 to March 31 1987

THE ST JOHN Fellowship ha s h a d another successfu year. Branches now total 68. Dunng the year 15 new branches were registered, among them our first overseas, Perth and Melbourne in Australia. We are especially glad to welcome these overseas m e mber s a nd look forward to m ee ting so m e of them at the AGM In May and at the Great P arty in Hyde Park in June third p,..GM was held on May 28 1986 a t St John HQ , West Midlands, by kind permission of th e Commander. Th is was the first attempt to hold the AGM outSide London and it proved a n o uts t anding success, thank s to the generosIty of the HQ s taff , th e BirminghamJSutton Co ldfi eld Fellowship Branch and the Brigade members a nd cadets w h o looked after us. The Birmingham Branch has si nce become the firs t with over 100 members' they have 109 member.

On October 29 1986 the Counci of the Order of St John gave formal recogmtIon to the St John Fellowship as a branch of the Order th ereby granting the Fellowsh Ip permanent sta tus to be embodied in a charter. now await in g fin a approval. The charter will replace our existing which It closely resembles. Thi recognition is a major step in the development of the Fellowship, of which we can all be proud.

Also In October 1986, t h e National Secretary, Shiela Puckl e, was invited to at No.6 Region Presidents ' Conference at Oxford , which reflected the Interest In the Fellowship taken by Presidents in many counties. They prOVIde a va lu ab le contact with the active side of St John a nd we are grateful for their s upp ort.

All Co un ty HQs a re now n ot ifi ed of the formation of branches. Most have inclu?ed the Fellowship in their plans for the Brig a de Centenary in 1987, both In local events and in the exodus to Hyde Park on June 201987.

Our Presid.ent Lady Brecknock , Chairman Major General D. S. Gordon, and t h e National Secretary have much e njoyed their vis its to branches dunng the year. A branch is not only a meeting of old friends: it exemplIfies the tradition of St J ohn in a sense of continued service combined with initi ative a nd responsibility. It is a positive source of support to the commulllty a nd of satlsfactlOn to Its members. It also gives them a lot of fun.

Branch reports NEWS from branches grows as our numbers increase and it appears in the quarterly FellowshIp Newsletter so there is a constant flow of information both ways.

This year branches have continued to arrange joint meetings often in the form a summer outing to visit another branch, which produces a we lcomin g tea.

M. Stenning

A number of Divisions in our Corps are interested in forming an international relationship with other Division s throughout the St John world. This would enable us to compare divisions, duties first aid background and perhaps form a lasting friendship between members. It would also help cadet divisions participate in their International Friendship badge

We have all heard of twin cities, or sister cities, how about twin or sister Divisions?

Any division in the UK who would like to participate in this type of activity, please write to me at the address below and I shall put them in touch with similar divisions in Victoria , Australia.

(Editor: Please write direct to Australia.)

The similarity will be based on type of area - eg, metropolitan , suburban, or rural, also on number of members , types of duties covered, and whether ambulance/nursing, combined or family divisions.

Looking forward to a host of replies.

Lot 11, The Crescent, 1. W. Humphrey

Mt Evelyn 3796, Victoria, Australia

Kent has carried this further by h aving an annual meeting of all four Kent branches.

Branches reported num ero us e nj oyab e outings, some to sta tely homes and gardens, others o St John' Gate. Among the more unusual were visits to the Mars C hocolate Factory a Slough (Amersham branch), Turner's Organ Centre at Northampton (Harrow) and Great Ormond Street Hospital Branch because a member works there).

Indlvldual Vlsltors included a retired Brigade member from New Zealand who attended a m eet ing a Blyth, Northumberland , and the Secretary of Durham Branch who was delighted to be welcomed by the Bailiwick of Guernsey Branch when he visited hi s daughter on the Island.

Members are doing valuable work for St John and their local com muni ty. London Transport visit their old Divi s ions to tra i n competition teams, and have qualified Judge and a casualty m ake- up artist a mon g their members. Many other branches help at compet ition s either a stewards or ca te r e rs. Crawley Bran c h in Sussex coped with the lunch and tea at No. 11 Regional Competitions, while the Hampshire branches combined to cater a large number when Princ ess Anne opened th e n ew County HQ at Winchester in July.

We reported last year that the Secretary of Northern Area Br a nch had visited the Secretary of Western Area Branch Devon: whIle In hospital In Essex. Thi.s year it s good to learn that Mrs Wa y is mu ch although stlll In hosplt a l and has join ed the new Epping Branch Thls IS what the St John Fellowship about.

Finally, we were delighted that two members were invited to attend the press launch of th e Brigade Centenary Year. The combined service of Mr Evans and Miss Mary Holley almost made up 100 years S. P.

BURY CORPS

TRAINING

from Charles Harrold, Staff Officer Instructor

life in

Norwich Charles H. Harrold

HOME NURSING from Mrs M. Stenning, Divisional Superintendent

NEWS from SCOTLAND

THE ANNUAL general meeting season in Scotland is upon us again and by the time this issue of the Review is in distribution most will have held their meetings when the retiring committees will have given an account of their past year's activities and will be outlining their proposals for the future.

Since in Scotland the Order does not run an ambulance or first aid service, the several branches have to find other outlets for their financial endeavo urs once their commitment for the support of the Hospital in Jerusalem has been met. Our photograph shows the Association chairman, Mr Morton T. Ross (front centre), with the top table guests at the annual general meeting and dinner of Central

WALES

Branch. The guests included the Chancellor. Dr Duncan Shaw, and Lt General Sir Robert Richardson (standing behind the chairman) who were the after-dinner speakers. At the meeting which preceded the dinner, the Order chairman, Mr Archibald Russell (standing rear second left), announced an ambitious retirement housing project for the Branch which will necessitate its raising funds in excess of £400,000 over the next few years. We wish the Branch well in this most worthwhile project.

NORTHERN IRELAND

THE beginnings of the Northern Ireland District training team, formed in 1980 , were experimental and tenuous, but after gaining experience on the first instructors ' course in 1981 the team soon built up valuable expertise. Today, there are over 60 qualified first aid instructors throughout the Province.

One of the early lessons learned by the team was that candidates for the course should qualify by passing a rigorous written and practical first aid examination and interview. In preparation for this , some Areas run intensive refresher courses.

Weekend instruction

Once accepted for the course, a candidate undergoes a weekend of instruction and practice on how to prepare and present a lecture. This is followed by a practice day , when the candidate gives a full lecture and is constructively criticised b y the team. The final examination usually takes place two weeks later. The average success rate is 73% and those who are unsuccessful are usually encouraged to try again

The re-validation of certificates is now beginning to take up a lot of the training team's time and this involves considerable travel for the team who prefer to observe and assess instructors in natural situations

The training team are (left to right in photo, right) Sam Hall , Area Comm (founder member); Dr Betty Nicholl , Dist Comm' Norman Birnie Dist Training Adviser; Mrs Joy Jackson , Dist Training convener ; Marvin Gowdy , DSO (C). The medical representative is Dr M. D O ' Hara

IN THE Budget the Chancellor announced extensions to V AT relief for charities and the Value Added Tax (Charities) Order 1987 will have come into force on April 1. We are having detailed discussions with HM Customs and Excise to establish those items on which relief may be claimed. It is possible that radio apparatus will be one of the concessions. We shall give more detailed guidance as soon as possible although you need not delay purchasing because it is usually possible to claim retrospective relief for purchases made after the order comes into force. While on the subject of VAT, you should not be paying any VAT on ambulance repairs. So often we hear of Divisions who are paying VAT needlessly. Watch out for prices which are taxinclusive; you may find this when purchas-

Mitchell, Director, Association; Major Robin Medley, Chairman, SJ Council, Gwent; Mr John Over Chief Constable; Mr Mike Pugh, Headmaster; Mr Garth Jenkins, Chairman Gwent Council; Keith Dunn, Chief Training Co-ordinator, Wales (Above) Keith Dunn with Croesyceiliog pupils receiving Two Cross Award certificates.

Londonderry members and Belmont

with t rophies won

THE NEW ARK Divisions commenced their celebrations of this momentous year by opening an exhibition in the Museum of Folk Life in Newark on Monday, January 5 , to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the registration of the Ambulance Division on January 15 1912 and the Brigade's Centenary.

Recent research into old copies of local newspapers reveals that St John has had a presem:e in Newark since 1877, when classes in 'Ai d to the Injured were held.

Following a visit by Surgeon Major Alan Hutton to Newark in 1884 for the presentation of certificates and medallions to successful candidates a Centre of the Association was formed that year.

The first classes for ladies were held in 1883. Charges for the classes which remained the same for many years , were 5/- and 2/6 for ' genuine artisans'.

Mr F. H. Appleby, the surgeon who started the first classes , was presented with an engraved silver tea kettle, stand and spirit lamp by the classes of 1884-88 as a token of their appreciation The kettle was shown to the writer before it was presented to Newark Town Council for display and safe keeping. (The writer tried to get it for the Order of St John's museum.)

There are references to the formation of an Ambulance Corps and Nursing Guild in Newark in the papers , but no specific dates of their formation. In 1890 there are newspaper reports about the Ambulance Corps and Nursing Guild attending the first review of the Midlands Counties, in Woollaton Park, on July 5, and that special trains would run from Lincoln to Nottingham for the review.

The same year Mr F. H. Appleby was admitted to the Order in the Grade of Honorary Associate for his services to the Association. The editor of the Newark Advertiser received a copy of the annual report of the Newark Centre in 1899 which stated that classes had not been held during the year because the Doctor was too busy . Mr Appleby was a Surgeon Major in the Midland Bearer Company of the Volunteer Force when the Boer War broke out in 1899 During the early days of the Association , Mr Appleby was often lecturing twice a week because classes were not mixed and 118

100 years of SJA J,. ] Nevvark

a nd an Earl were invested as Bailiff's Grand Cross of the Order by His Majesty King George V.

The exhibition in Newark. (Photo: G. W Bailey)

there appeared to be a great demand from men and women wishing to attend the classes.

Mr Appleby was admitted to the Order as a Knight of Grace in 1910

Dr F. S Lambert, of Lincoln , after examining a men s first aid class in December 1911 , suggested that a Division be formed, and on January 12 1912 the Ambulance Division was registered and ready to go on duty.

Supt Geo. Reed bought the first uniforms for the Division ready for its first public duty at Newark Show in May. The first recorded casualty was treated by a member of the Division at the show and there is a photograph of him on display in the exhibition. In June the Division was present at the Royal Review of 1912 , in Windsor Great Park.

The 1914-18 war saw some of the Royal Naval Sick Berth Reservists at sea on Saturday , August 2 , and copies of the telegrams ordering them to report for duty are on display. (The originals in the scrapbooks are too delicate to exhibit.)

999 CALL

Today we take a 999 call for granted On September 8 1916 Geo. Reed received a telegram from Lincoln asking him to attend an accident somewhere between Newark and Lincoln. (A copy is on display .)

The visit of Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary to Newark in 1928 presented the Brigade with manning problems. Geo. Reed overcame this by instructing his squads to double from one post to another when the Royal Party had eassed and casualties were dealt with. (There were no lightweight stretchers then, only the Furley which weighed about 22Ibs.)

A copy of the orders for the day for this Royal Visit is on display and it is interesting to note the instruction to the Red Cross nurses: 'Nurses in charge of a First Aid Station will familiarise themselves with "the telephone call instrument".'

Supt Reed's next royal occasion was his investiture as a Serving Brother of the Order by King George V at Buckingham Palace in 1931, the centenary year of the revival of the Order. Three Royal Princes

1945 was 'crisis year' for the Ambulance Division. After 5 1/2 years of war it was proposed at the annual general meeting that the Division be disband e d until hostili ties ceased. The proposition was defeated.

There have been a number of royal visits since 1928 , but th e visit of HRH The Prince of Wales provided Supt P E. Smith with many headaches. Despi te assistance from outside Division s, all posts could not be manned and it was th e 'order s of th e day ', compiled by Supt G. Reed in 1928 , which helped to solve the dilemma. A copy of the 'orders of the day' for 1928 was se nt to the Prince of Wales.

Amongst the items on display are copies of Standing Orders , issued by Supt Reed ; detailed lists of the members of the Division serving in the Army and Navy in 1914-18 ; a copy of an appeal , dated August 10 1914 , for nurses to serve in Belgium from Stuart C. Wardell , Dep Commissioner , No .5 District.

A telegram, August 4 1914 , requests Supt Reed to , Wire Wardell number m en willing to join expeditionary forces possibly this week. Chambers.'

Geo. Reed 's instruction for the drill in an air raid rehearsal on Jun e 31918, makes interestin g reading Para. 6: In case of a cut artery, Improvised Tourniquet only to be used. No Mechanical Screw Tourniquet to be used at this Reh ea rsal. Tourniquet s to be put on slack, circulation not to be stopped under any condi tion.

A newspaper report on the rehearsal comments on the ingenuity of using a one-legged man as a casualty with a leg blown off.

Photographs portraying the Ambulance Division in its early days are displ aye d alongside those showing all the Newark Divisions on various reviews and inspections from the 1950s to the present day.

In pride of place is the Meritorious Service Certificate presented to Private Horace Cree , of the Newark Fire Service Section, St JAB, for saving a boy from drowning in the sea. Private Cree , a fulltime Fire Officer , now retired , is the only recipient of this award in the history of the Brigade in Newark.

Editor: The exhibition closed at the end of March but a similar exhibition will be in Newark Library all June and also in the Nottingham Building Society, Newark, for the middle fortnight of June.

Police

Scarborough, March 12

National First Aid Competition

The First Aid Management of Spinal Cord Injury (continued)

Falling from a height on to the feet , falling , jumping or flying - usually when on drugs - out of the window.

G ymnastics and trampolining

Rugb y football - when the serum collapses or when tackling or b e ing tackled Horse riding and hunting Skiing.

Hang-gliding.

Diving accidents - usually the victim is drunk and so are hi s associates which means he is rescued half drowned as well as with a spinal injury

Weights falling on the back (eg , in the mines).

The fall down stairs on to the head and falls in th e elde r ly a s described earlier. Alcohol is often associated here ( as with RTAs)

Christmas and famil y celebrations are risk y - a ge d par e nts come to stay with offspring in a strange hous e . Grandfather gets filled up with port and waking with a full bladder in the middle of the night , and still half asleep and half merry , takes the first turn on the left , which in his home goes into the bathroom but in this hou se is the stairhead There is a cra sh , h e is found at the bottom

of the stairs somewhat befuddled and is dragged into the living room to 'sleep it off on the sofa In the morning , he is found to be unable to move. Buy Grandfather a 'jerry for" Christmas ; Grandma is usually safe - she drinks le ss port and doesn ' t have trouble with a prostate gland! In summary:

THINK SPINAL CORD INJURY

Raise your index of suspicion If in doubt: Stop. Wait. Think. Do not let the casualty get up; do not heave him up ; do not let others lift him up

If whoever is on the spot does that much , 95 % of the problem will have been solved. What we must mak e clear is t h a th e patients who are mass ively damaged ne e dlessly - thos e who could have walk e d a gain but who will not thanks to improper handling - are to all intents and purpo ses nev e r the viGtims of attendants who thought of a cord injury and adopted all care in movement. Minor deficiencie s of t echniques do not , as a result of the sli ghtest mov e m e nt ', take fhe fit p atient with no signs and , in th e twinkling of an e ye, turn him int o a permanent compl e te paraplegi a

Not thinking of th e diagnosis will d o it ; sitting him up will do it ; but not Bert Bloggins not recallin g the fine print' of the log roll so long as the patient is moved with care in the horizontal axis

(Con.ti n ue d nex mo nth)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.5 (87) by W. A. Potter

Across:

1. Symptom welcomed by comedians (7.S) 8. Disea ses due to structural changes in the body (7). 9 Suffering from loss of memory (7) 11 Bodily suffering for a tiresome person. (4). 12. Hairless. (4). 13. Dress or paroxysm of shivering (S). lS. Peruse

Do you know your Manual? (14)

ANSWERS 1.

menu cont ainin g se cr etion ca rryi ng sp e rm a t ozoa . (S) 16 A mercy cot provides r e d blood ce ll of p e rni cious a n ae m ia. (9). 19 .

Reminder that on e wa s once nouri sh e d b y vessels fro m th e placenta (9).21. Fri e nd from north- e ast in th e H i ma layas . ( S). 23. Former statute is strictl y corre ct. (5). 2S. Se cond ti er is p a rt of th e face (4 ) 26. Fem ale animal righ t for a perso n of ac t io n (4). 28.

Infectious di sea s e of childhood (7). 29. A tt ire for m o d esty f ro m Gene sis . (3.4) 30. Dom es tic op er a t or? ( S. 7)

Down:

1. Antiquated notions of e lderly p e r so n (7).2. Me diaeva l d o mes ti c servant who could b e seen. (4 ) 3. Tissu e d epri ve d of blood suppl y. (9 ) 4. Se cr e tor y organ (5). S Art ery and ne rv e o f th e for earm. (S).

6. Facial feature with homo sex u al gi vin g sce nt e d bouqu e t. (7) 7. Ovarian s tructur e se cr eting prog es t e ron e and m aint ain ing pregnanc y. (6.6 ) 10. Large fat corn providin g tr a nspla nt t o res t o r e vision. (7.S). 14 Can al t ermin atin g r e ctum. (4 ). 17 B a rg ain not availabale on cr edit erm s. (4.5) 18 Po ssesses a form of snow. (4). 20 Spuriou s show of courag e (7). 22 E sse ntial n itr oge n o us constituent o f diet. (7). 24 Bon e of low e r limb is in vit a l use. (5) 2S. The fund a mental ingr e dient. ( S) 27 13 Acros s, p a rt icul a rly in malaria (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.4 (87)

Across: 1. Gre y; 3. Ileo-caecal; 9 Sebaceous ; 11. H yoid ; 12. Rul e r ; 13. Ears ; 14 Stew ; 16. Easing ; 17 Accident ; 19 Tamarind ; 21. Alight ; 24 Ring ; 25. Worm ; 26. Goug e ; 28 Tith e; 29. Ha e matom a; 30. Sore throat ; 31. He mp

Down: 1. Gastro-enteriti s ; 2 . Embolu s; 4. Loosen; S. Ob struct 6. Ache; 7. Chortle; 8. Lady with the lamp; 10. Coronary ; lS. Diplegia; 18 In bother ; 20 Monster; 22. Glu co s ·e; 23 Amoeba ; 27. Rest.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS 23p a word (mill. £4.60);

illcl. VAT. Selld (0 Sf John Review, Wood COllage, High Corner, Butiey, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3QF.

THE 4th NATIONAL AMBUlANCE RALLY

INDSO.. S.F•• P...

SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER

Organised

Very

of £3.50 for adults and £2.50 for children. (under 4 years admitted free of charge) entities you to see all the shows and drive th rough the animal reserves as many times as you like ! In addition WINDSOR SAFARI PARK undertakes to make a contribution of 2 Sp per head towards ST JOHN AMBUlANCE FUNDS.

ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volume 60 No.6

Contents

TheGreatParty p.121

Talking Point - Marketing Seminars p.122

Nursing Bursary Winners p.123

Centenary Exhibition p.124

Special Investiture p.126

Back in Action after Refit p .127

Around and About by the Editor p .1 28

Cadet Focus p .1 32

Does FAW 'Save a Life'? p .1 34

A Street Scene -100 years ago p.135

The FA management of Spinal Cord Injury, part 2 p.136

Readers'Views p.138

SJA Music Makers p.139

News from Scotland - N. Ireland p.140

SJ Fellowship p.140

How to draw our Eight Pointed Cross p.142

Schools Project p.143

Butle y Nr Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 3QF. Tel: Orford (0394) 450548.

EDITORIAL and ADVERTISEMENTS

Edited and produced for the Order of St J ohn by Driscoll Productions, Wood Cottage, High Corner Butley, Nr Woodbridge

THE GREAT PARTY

PREPARATIONS for the record -breaking Great St John Party (June 20) are well in hand and excitement at National Headquarters is mounting. Organising the lar gest children 's party ever is quite a feat, as an event on this scale has never been serious ly contemplated in SJA before and has caused a few logistical headaches for the organisers - Lady Westbury , Major Parker and David Barnes.

However , all is progressing well for the event which will bring together some 40 , 000 St John members in an act of rededication and also be a fun day for them, for their families and some 100,000 in vited children.

As you are no doubt aware, Her Majesty The Queen , His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh , and other members of the Royal Family will attend the party , which will receive extensive television coverage so that viewers throughout the country will be able to witness this special occasion SJA counties' now at an advanced stage , include dIsplays , demonstratIOns and performances. There will be numerous entertainments from a fairground and circus to bands , theatre tents, clowns, puppets , magicians Punch and Judy and military displays. These are just a few to whet your appetite!

The statistics make fascinating reading. There will be 3 ,000 metres of fencing put up in Hyde Park (to keep us in or others out!), 130 tents , 100 toilets. There will be 1 ,000 senior Scouts and Guides to supervise control of the site , 15 stages and 15 arenas - not to mention over a million items of food and drink

There is no doubt that Saturday June 20 will be a marvellous day for all those associated with St John , and the thousands childr en and members of the public who will be there or WIll see It on TV or hear of it. This party will undoubtedly create an enormous amount of interest in St John , and do much to publicise us in the Brigade's Centenary Year , and encourage volunteers to come forward to join our ranks. But , perhaps most important for all of us it will certainly be a day to remember.

They s h ould be typed, treb le line spacin g , o n on e side of paper only , (if in longhand p ease pnnt names of people, places, etc) , and send to the edi t oria l address above. If possible s uppl y a phone number for th e writer. Material ca n vary from a paragraph for Around a nd About t o a 5,000 word art cle - but it s hou d all h ave so m e co nn ectio n with St Jo hn and its work. Photographs shou

are

be returned wr

e on the back RETURN and name a nd address. Press day is the 1st of the month precedi ng th e cover date.

CPR Training

ON PAGE 134 of this issue is an important paper on resuscitation b y authors of the Priory of Wales They are to be congratulated on their original work which raises vital points on the effectiveness of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and also promises further findings on their rese arch

What has previously been proven in man y journals with valid references is that at the end of training in CPR onl y 7 to 10 % of those examined performed adequately enough to have kept a real casualty alive. Thi s paper from Wales reache s an even more disturbing conclusion: th a t of those tested in their evaluation 50 % di d not produce e ven one effective chest compression or one e ffective breath!

The authors carn e to the conclusion that the recording type of mannikin is the most efficient wa y of examining the effectiveness of CPR but the signal used correctly a lso has a p lace.

Conversely , the Seattle experience in tra ining 400 ,000 citizens showed that poor CPR was better than no CPR at all They reported t hat survival rates in victims arr iv ng at hospital increased considerably when citizen CPR had been administered

The Save -a-Life campaign with its five hour training procedures has already produced repor t s of lives saved and near misses ' s alvaged . These findings will be reported in a later issue of the Re v ie w.

Brigade general regulations now insist that CPR be e xamined by a doctor every year of the two years between the triennial statutory examination Failure of this test results in loss of efficiency in th e year's assessment Likewise , in Public First Aid examinations failure in CPR results in failure in the whole examination

What ar e th e lessons to be learnt ?

The recording mannikins are very expensive way beyond the purses of most division s. Should not county headquarters have one such mannikin, preferably two , for use by examining doctors or instructors? Could not these be hired out to divisions, at modest cost, for training?

All testing in CPR must be examin ed most stringently , with no allowances for good old Fred '. CPR should be practised monthly and informally reexamined three monthly with the formal appraisal ann u ally

The public expect first aid to be just that; to save lives competently and effective ly. And of all first aid CPR is the most vital. We must be professional in our skills

ASSOCIATION

Marketing Seminars

A SERIES o f two -da y marketing seminars for count y delegates ar e being held this year by St John Ambulance A sso ciation . They ar e b eing dir e cted b y Miss Joann a Kozubska , an associate profes sor with th e International Management Centr e, Buckingham. Their purpos e is to focu s on the challenges of the changing environment as we move into the 1990s.

The seminars are highl y participativ e and build upon the experience and e xpertise of delegate s to assis t them in the development of realistic marketing plans which can be implement e d in t h e ir counties.

The first of these seminars took pla ce on March 18/19 at Grosvenor Crescent , under the chairm anship of the organ is er , Mr Mervyn Malcolm. It wa s opened by Mr Robert Balchin , A ssociati o n DirectorGeneral , who in welcoming the par t icipants stressed the need for marketin g professionalism in the face of today s widespread competition in a market with limited growth opport u nitie s The seminar , which was fully subscribed , included the Chief Commander and de legate s from six co u nties, including Nort hern Ireland.

The first se ssion was devoted to the broader aspects of the concept of marketing and its application in helping achi eve the aims of St John Ambulance This was followed by a number of practical case studies which were undertaken by individual county teams, after which there was a group discussion on each team s report. On the second day, participants concentrated on the implementation of marketing p lanning and the approach to the creation of an awareness of the impor-

from a fres h vi e wpoint b y de t e rmining pr eci sely wh a it is we ar e e nd e avouring to achi e ve and t h e n how b es t thi s ca n b e done and th e reby se rv e th e ov e rall int e r es t s of ou r org a nis ation. Oth er parti c ip a nt s s aid that a lth o ugh th e semin a r ha d b ee n h a r d work , bec a use of th e fri e ndl y a tmo sph e r e aq d th e outstandin gly cl e ar w ay J oa nna Ko z ub sk a had co ve r e d e a ch as p ect, th e y re ally h a d enjo ye d it. Wi t hout exce ption , a ll found it a part ic ul a rl y s timul a tin g exp eri enc e Mor e import a ntl y, th e se mina r h a d incr ease d ever yo n e's e n ergy and e nthu s ias m t o ge t b ac k to co unt y h ea dqu a rter s t o put int o pr ac tice th e n ew id eas whi ch h a d bee n co vere d du ring th e t wo d ays

Bank to use

SJA instructors

NE GOTI A TrO NS were s ta rt e d in 1986 with th e na ti o n al h ea dqu a rt ers of the

t a nce of mark e tin g within th e SJA org a ni sation The final sessi o n wa s d ev ot e d t o h o w to train St John peopl e in ba sic m ark e tin g and sellin g skill s P a rticipant s' comm e nts at th e co nclusio n o f the two -d ay se min ar made it cl e ar th a t th ey all th o u ght it well wo rthwh ile. Th e Ch ief Command e r M ajor-Gen e r a l P ete r Leuchars , wh o has long b ee n a kee n prota gonist of the ne e d for a more pr ofessional appro ach b y St J o hn A mbul a nce Association to the mark e ting of it s t ea chin g skill s, said th a t h e hop e d all counti es would t a ke full ad vanta ge of th e opportunity to particip at e in th e programm e o f seminars which h as been arr a ng e d th is year. H e fe lt that th e seminar whi ch h e h ad attend e d had h e lp e d giv e th e nec ess ar y impetus to shak e off any t enden cy to complacency which might be in d a n ge r o f developing in r elation to th e tr a inin g courses we offe r to the public A s a r esult , he was confid e nt th at it would start counties reapprai sin g Associ at ion obj e ctiv es Miss Joanna Kozubska of the Inte rn ational Management Ce ntre Buck i ngham

Tru stee Savi n gs Ba n k in London to use St Jo hn A mbul a nce Associa tion in s truc t o rs a nd FA W co urse m an ua ls fo r th e B ank s new YTS p rog r amm e. Thi s specia l progra mm e se lect s o uts t a ndin g yo un g peo pl e fo r a se ri es of co urses o n ba n k in g a nd alli e d s u bjects wi th th e ai m of e mpl oying th em in th e ba nk up on th e s uccessful co m plet io n of th e tr aining sy ll abu s . I was s ugges ed by Mr Me r vy n Malco lm , SJ A Ass is t an t Di rec t o rGene r a l , t h a t it wo ul d be pa rti cul a rl y he lpfu l t o bot h th e T SB a nd th e stud e nt s if th e sy ll a bu s includ e d a fo ur-d ay FA W co ur se in th ose co un ti es as ye t unin vo ved. A t th e tim e, T SB h ad j ust a p po in ted Na ti o na l T r ai nin g Ma n age r Mr R oy Be ntl ey a t its n a tiona l hea dqu a r ters a n d h e was m ost e nt h usias t ic a bo ut th e id ea. Af er seve r a l m eet in gs th e pl an was a pp rove d b y th e b a nk, a n d st a rtin g thi s year TSB 's R egio n al T ra inin g Ce ntr es have bee n in cont ac t with St J o hn Ambul a nc e Assoc ia tion in counti es wh e r e th ey will b e re s po ns ibl e for F A W tr a in in g. Th e beg innin g of th e sc h eme will b e mod es t , in vo lvin g o nl y a few hundr ed YTS stud e nt s It ca n le ad , ho we ve r , t o a m ore ambiti o u s p rog r a mm e a nd o f co urse th e r e is alw ays th e spin-off o f inc r eas in g o ur F A W cour ses with TSB e mpl oyees. As mo s t FA W cours es will b e h e ld o n sit e a t th e B a nk s tr a ining ce ntr es, a sav in g ca n be rea lised a s th e agr ee d na t io n al fee per candida te h as b ee n se t. The e nsuing publici ty will b e h andl ed by St John Ambulance s publi c it y d e p a rt me nt in conjun c tion wi th TSB s a d ve rti sing and ma r ketin g d epartm e nt. This will b e of particular importance to th e St John Ambulanc e Association and Bri ga d e durin g t hi s vitally important cen te nar y ye ar.

Should County Director s wi sh to re ceiv e information or assi s tanc e with thi s n ew programm e, would t he y pl ease cont a ct Mr Mervyn Malcolm at HQ

£500

Mr s Pa ul na Geschwi n d o f Ea ling , Lo nd on Dist ct, to ok t h e S mi th & N e phew A w ar d (£ 50 0 for a p rofes si onal nur se. D ist ri ct N

The Chief Commander, Major-Genera Peter Leuchars (r i ght) with North e rn Ire land's Dire ctor , Victor C arke

Centenary Exhibition

Mrs William Sleath Gent, of Uckfield, Sussex, in the 1890s

A CENTENARY exhibition of SJAhere's just a taste of some of the photographs - is to be held in the Grand Priory Church of the Order at Clerkenwell (just across the road from the Gate) from June 13 to August 28, Mondays to Saturdays , 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (but not June 20), and Sunday July 12 . Admission is free.

The exhibition will be opened at 11.30 a.m on June 11 by newscaster Sandy Gall. Further information can be obtained from the Museum and Library at St John 's Gate (phone 01-253 6644)

A fine body o f men, complete with all names, of Dowlais Div ision, near Merthyr Tydfil , South Wales in 19 11 Ready for any Emergency' th s one was captioned in the 1930s. What's the man inside the dr ver's cab holding.

World War II photo is captio ned 'Air Raid precautions '.

SPECIAL INVESTITURE

St John Ambulance & Rescu e Service , is now fully operational after a major face-lift. Earlier this yea r the fast rescue craft returned to the boatyard where s he was built for mechank a l m aintenance and a s truc tural survey,

Bravery on the Field

1200-MILE RIDE

A gruelling centenary effort is being made by DIS J. Waggitt , of Doncaster 's Kirk Sandall Combined Cadet Division and three Friends of St John , who are going to cycle on tandems 1200 miles (12 miles for each of SJA's 100 years) from St John Point, north Scotland (5 miles along the coast from John o'Groats) to Land 's End, then on to London 's Hyde Park in time for the Great Party celebrations. (And a strong cup of tea, I imagine.)

June

Details of their route are given below. If any SJA units on the route can keep watch for them, in case they need assistance , they would be most grateful. In return , any divisions who wish to use these efforts to raise funds in their own area are welcome to do so.

The teams hope to see you along the route , or in Hyde Park. Their route is:

June 13 ) St John Point A9 to Aviemore.

June 14, A9 to Inverkeithing, Edinburgh , Bonjudward. June 15, A68 to Scotch Corner, Al to Doncaster. June 16, Sheffield A61 and A38 to Lichfield , Walsall, Dudley and Worcester , A38 to Bristol. June 17 , A38 to Tiverton, Crediton, Okehampton , A30 to Land's End. June 18 A30 to Launceston , Crediton , Taunton Sparkford. June 19 , Wincanton, Shaftesbury, A30 to Staines, Brentford, Chiswick , Notting Hill Gate to Marble Arch.

(See

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BEAT THIS!

Not one, not two but three Grand Prior Awards all to the SAME FAMIL YI Yes, beat that. This record is set by the Priestley family of Sefton. Photo (L to R) shows Jill, 12, with 8 proficiencies so far, ASO Mrs Pam Priestley Dav d , 16, GPs, Wg-Com Ken Stoddart Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside, Ric hard 19 and Hazel 17, both GPs. Mr Priestley (Dad), to stay sane (ie Lunatic posters), is a Scout Leader. Thanks for the great story Pam.

GOOD FUND RAISER

The Isle of Man Council of St John found a novel way to raise funds with a tea dance on Mothering Sunday , March 29. Held at Castletown Golf Links Hotel , 150 people enjoyed every moment of the afternoon, with romantic music to dance to and a delightful tea.

Welcoming everyone, Lady Kerruish, chairman of Council, congratulated Mrs Pat Heath who had organised the afternoon in her usual meticulous way , and thanked the fund-raising committee who had provided a magnificent raffle and baskets of home-made chocolates which were sold by cadets.

The Council was delighted to learn that £2,066 had been raised, which will go towards the furnishings for the island's new HQ, to be opened by PriDG:ess Margaret on July 4.

CENTENARY STAMPS

HONEYMOONING

I hear that Leeds Halton Division's superintendent is marrying the Division s divisional officer. Is that allowed? In the rules , I mean ? Alison Jones, 24, is th e super and Ian Marr , 25, is the D/O. Who obeys whom at future divisional meetings we can't help wondering Alison and Ian were cadets toge th er have been engaged for two years and by the time you read this the y should be honeymooning so mewhere in Yugoslavia. Someone sent me a picture of the happ y couple but the quality of photograph y was just too poor to print. Sorry.

CHEERS

A centenary dinner was held by SJA Cambs at Queens College, Cambridge, on April 4 at which the county's Lord-

BY THE EDITOR

Lieutenant, Mr M. B evan, proposed a toa st to the Brigade EMMA·JANE

Emma-Jane Howell, th e Essex r e presentativ e at the first national cadet leader of the yea r competition , writes:

On Friday Dece mber 5, I arrived at the St John Club in London where th e re were cade t leade rs from 19 other counties. NODe of us had m et before and we all wondered what the weekend had in store for u s.

Luckily , the first part of th e programme was supp er , and here is an appropriate place to commend the food which was delicious th e whole weekend. During supper we met h e people who had organised th e weekend and after we cadet leaders had got to know each other we even tu ally went to bed.

Saturday morning and some how we got up bright and early a nd arrived at St John HQ in Grosvenor Crescent. This morning we were to give our 5-minute talks , which we had been told to prepare for. Mine was on the subject of recruitment and I'm s ur e the building shivered as our hands trembled with nerves' We need not have worried as Mrs Sunderland (wife of th e Commissioner-in-Chief) and Mr Bond (Assistant Commissioner London District) were very nice about our efforts.

The rest of th e day was spen t on group discussions concerning the future of St John: work on projects in which we planned a 5-week programme for our division and informal interviews with Mr Sunderland (Commiss ioner -in-Chief ) and Lady Westbury (Supt-in-C hief) This was the part which for man y was one of t h e highlight s , as we at last had the chance to giv e our opinions to the people who could make the changes (goodness knows how many pages of no tes and ideas we put forward between us!).

That eveni ng we went on a sight seeing tour of London which gave us all a super chance to see the light s as well as some of the famo us buildings. After a fairly long chat and a few silly games it was off to bed. Sunday, the last mornin g, and we all felt

HOLDING THE BABIES

Northern Ireland Newtownards Divi sio n 's members took on a very special duty for two nights a week-- on n ig ht shih at 17 Benford Dr ive - the home of the Mills Quads Working in pairs our girls soon got into the routine of feeding , winding, changing nappies comforting and then settling down the four babies born to Siobhan and Leonard Mills Here's the happy team with babies, who now sleep the night through

IN THE CAN

like old friends and a change in all our accents was noticeable. Mine was now a kind of EssexJY orkshirelMidlands and some were even stranger combinations!

Today, it was the presentation of our projects and panel interviews. During the project presentation we had to describe our divisions and why we planned the different events in our 5-week timetable. After the panel interview , which I found most enjoyable, and lunch , it was time for the debrief.

Here we gave our views on the weekend to help improve the competition in future years.

Then, the presentation and results. Rebecca Hutchison, from Leics, became cadet leader of the year, and I am proud to say that I was joint runner up with Judi Norman, from Guernsey. As part of our prize we will be running Headquarters for one day in the Easter holiday, so beware!

However, the weekend had not felt like a competition. It had been a chance for us all to make new friends, try different things and meet the people at the top of our Brigade.

Thanks to all those who ran the weekend and the Guild of the Freeman of the City of

Three resusci juniors, worth more than £1,000 were presented to SJA Avon by the Trustees Saving Bank. TSB district manager Alan Bubb (left) handed them to Avon SJ Counci l chairman George McWatters, (Photo: Bristol Observer), Secretary of State for Social Services, the Rt, Hon, Norman Fowler, MP for Sutton Coldfield with Badgers (large and small) at a West Midlands Brigade centenary party,

London for donating the prizes. A special thanks to our chaperone, Paula, as well and good luck to any future entrants.

Editor: No news of disruption at National HQ over Easter.

AT LAST

Derbyshire's Hope Valley Cadet Division received its first Grand Prior Badges (in fact, Colonel Hilton presented six) for 33 years. The evening also meant seven new cadets, bringing the division s strength up to 35, of whom 23 are girls

BADGER BALL

Tickets for the Badger Ball at 8,30 p.m on Friday June 19 (including a champagne reception) at The Brewery, Chiswell Street, London E1, are £30 each (tables of 10) from Miss Jennie Eaves at National HQ.

NEW MANUAL

Mr S. H. Glenny, Association Branch, writes:

The Fifth edition of the First Aid Manual

(FAM) will be available from August 1987, Also available will be the corresponding new First Aid at Work (FA W) package.

SJA first aid competitions up to and including Grand Prior's on December 1 1987 will be based on the FOURTH edition F AM. SJ A national final first aid competitions conducted from December 2 1987 will be based on the FIFTH edition FAM.

First aid courses which commenc e before August 31 1987 should be based on the FOURTH edition FAM and its corresponding FA W package. First aid courses which commence from September 1 1987 should be based on the FIFTH edition FAM, and the corresponding NEW FAW package, If further clarification is required , please telephone National HQ,

SNAP

Wolverhampton Area are organising a photographic competition open to all. Entries must show a member of St John in uniform, and taking part in a recognised activity. Further details will be given in the Review, but carry your camera and start

London Eastern Area's new president, Mr Len Keable (4th from left back) recently met divisional presidents and vice-presidents, officers and members-in-charge of divisions. Mrs Jo Anne Keable (4th from right back) is

Corsham (Wilts) Division, ooking for a arger ambulance, read about SJA Dover's

F D S M I P C E N H A R J B V 0 K L U W T G Y

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lanes) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions.

150 schools in Lancashire have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game (see Around and About, p. 131). We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

GAME TWO

How to play (if you don t already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctl y the y have scored that square. The object s to take all the squares in a line verticall y or horizontall y in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of cour se to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

F. After a serious accident we may suffer. B.

D. Injury to a joint

S The common exp r ession for apoplexy. V.

M We say a person is suffering from this when a bone is broken O. in several places

I. A person suffering a diabetic coma lacks thi s K.

P. This varies in rate from slow , normal , rapid and weak L.

C. The bones of the wrist are known as. U.

E. A person suffering from major or minor fits is said to be

N. This part of the femur fits into the acetabulum W.

H. One of the common hern ias.

A. Medical term for a stroke. T.

R. Pulse rate checked at the wrist is known as G.

J. The common name for the lower mandib le Y

Because of the oxy gen , bleeding f rom th e lun gs ca uses th e blood to be

These carry blood back to the he art.

On arriving at the scene of an accident , this must be us e d carefully.

If these are bleedin g, urin e will appe a r sr:nok ey.

A wound is said to be this if caused by barb e d wir e or glass

If both bones of the leg or for e arm are brok e n we might find this.

When tissues and blood ve ss e ls are damaged we call them a The ankle bones are given this medical term.

This kind of wound is generally caused by a sliding fall.

A s breathing deteriorates , it changes from sighing to this

Answers on p. 141

SHROPSHIRE

DERBYSHIRE

THERE IS always a risk when certificates of competence are awarded that they reflect competence in passing a particular test and not necessarily competence in performing ' a particular task. Applied to resuscitation, the question may therefore be asked whether such training teaches people merely to pass examinations, resuscitate mannequins, or to save lives.

The aim of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is to provide a skill which can be generally applied across a range of situations under which cardiopulmonary arrest occurs. The essence of testing is to assess this skill so that only those who are competent in resuscitation should achieve success on the test . Conversely , trainees who are successful on the test might be assumed to be competent in resusGitation. Any test of resuscitation should be designed to test the student's ability to apply what they have learnt in an emergency.

Most recognised first aid qualifications require an adequate performance of CPR. Training and testing usually take place on a mannequin such as 'Resusci Anne Three different methods of assessment may be used:

(1) A trained observer produces a visual estimate of competence.

(2) Electrical switches inside the doll indicate performance via coloured lights.

(3) Student s compressions and ventilations are measured inside the doll and results recorded on a paper print-out.

An investigation recently conducted at the Polytechnic of Wales examined the adequacy of testing CPR by observation alone, the method used in the St John Ambulance First Aid at Work (FA W) course - the standard test for St John Ambulance Brigade and much of industry.

Forty -six qualified Brigade members were tested, all of whom had successfully passed FA W within the previous 12 months. Subjects were tested at their regular weekly training sessions. They were not forewarned of the test and hence the possibility of last minute ' revision' was eliminated. The subject's performance was assessed visually using FA Wand American Heart Association (AHA) checklists and objectively using the mannequin print-out, which was assessed using AHA criteria.

Three tests were used to analyse data: Pearson's product moment correlation, the Phi coefficient and the Point Biserial Correlation Coefficient.

A strong relationship was found between scores on the two checksheets, but no significant relationship was found between either checksheet score and successful resuscitation (predicted by measures of compression and ventilation on the mannequin).

The results of the FA W assessment overestimated the ability of sample to perform 134

Does FAW IS ave a Life'?

B. J. Aldridge, R. J. V. Hughes and J. Prince

CPR. Neither was the AHA checklist any better.

Only 9% of the sample could perform compressions and ventilations to the standards of the AHA, as assessed by the mannequin print -out.

55% of the sample produced less than 10 adequate compressions during the 100 second test period. 25% of the sample produced either NO effective compressions, or NO effective ventilations OR both during the test. This was not 'bad CPR', it was a case of no CPR.

It may be that the remaining 36% could perform some maintenance of ventilation and circulation for a short period - so called 'bad CPR' - but the criteria for this are ill defined.

The inference must be that many qualified first-aiders in industry and the St John Ambulance Brigade who have been trained and assessed using the FA W checksheet and who have passed the assessment would still be unable to successfully perform resuscitation in an emergency.

There are a number of possible explanations for the low standard. One is that either those tested or their instructors were unusually incompetent members of the Brigade. We felt this not to be the case as the sample were drawn from six different divisions and had been taught by six different instructors. We concluded that the results were due to several deficiencies in the FA W teaching and testing package.

Firstly , FA W claims to use a 'systems approach' to training , an essential element

of which is the provision of feedback. Under this system, for successful learning students must be given feedback of how their performance compares with the criteria demanded Feedback is also essentia l for the instructors; both to correct error and also since they need to know the success of their teaching.

Secondly , objective information on actual performance of CPR as opposed to subjective impression is necessary for both examiners and administrators in their compilation of records of qualified personnel. However , recording mannequins, whose print-outs could provide both feedback in training and objective evidence of competence, are not normally used Thirdly, a key element for the acquisition of skill is practice. If the FA W minimum requirements for student/ instructor/mannequin ratios are followed, trainees cou ld have as little at 15 minutes practice of CPR. Combining compressions and ventilations in the right ratios , to the correct depth, at the correct rate and without dangerous errors is a difficult skill. To become competent, the student must be given more practice on mannequins which provide feedback.

Lastly, criticism may be made of the approach provided by the FA W checksheet to resuscitation, which tries to use a checklist model of performing first aid. Providing students can perform ventilations and compressions correctly, it is assumed that they will be able to deal with the whole situation. A checksheet of the FA W pattern takes the management of a complex social situation and reduces it to the performance of a sequence of simple motor skills. The condition of patients and the environment around them are dynamic and not given to such simple analysis.

Thus first aid is an activity characterised by 'problem solving and whether those persons who can adequately perform ventilation and compression on a mannequin can effectively handle the dynamics of the real situation remains to be demonstrated.

The aim of resuscitation testing is to predict , on the basis of performance in a carefully controlled simulated situation , what an individual would do when presented with a genuine cardiopulmonary arrest. Therefore we should move towards the design of a test that adequately simulates the field conditions within which resuscitation takes place. The approaches of the FA Wand American Heart Association can be contrasted in these respects.

The AHA test calls for a complete demonstration of the procedure for managing cardiac arrest , including checking the patient, recognising the condition calling for help, etc. The FAW test only requires a demonstration of those steps directly associated with providing ventilation and circulation . The AHA examiner will consequently have a more complete picture of what the student can actually do.

Continued on p.141

A Street Scene

1 00 YEARS AGO

SETIING the scene for the Corporation of London's banquet on May 5 at the Guildhall to celebrate the Brigade's centenary - at which the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Lord Mayor were present - was this recreation of a street accident outside the Guildhall back in the 1880s.

A boy (actuall y it was 8-year-old Badger Lee Innell) is tended by members wearing unif o rms of the day - with the Lord Mayor, the Rt Hon Sir David Rowe-Ham, who has come to see how they're getting on. The horse-drawn ambulance and its driver are from the London Ambulance Service's museum.

Non medical matters matter!

WHY IS IT that the diagnosis is not made and the patient is walked or carted away like a sack of potatoes to the side of the sports field , road, racecourse or racetrack?

In a review of all the cases with doubtful immediate handling known to one of us (HE), we found it was not solely a question of the 'thick first-aiders' or unaware doctors.

Some of them may have been less than aware - and most have not the benefit of detailed teaching - but neither of these factors alone contributed to disaster In every catastrophic deterioration there was always an administrative failure as well. The result was to put the first-aider (or doctor in some instances) into adverse circumstances when dealing with the case. The result was that it was necessary to work at a disadvantage. As a result, the diagnosis was not made.

If there was no mechanism for controlling the field, and the man was removed precipitately before he and his attendants were injured

If there were no marshals and the fence collapsed before he could be extricated with some attempt at care

If the ambulance bogged down or was not available , and a needless lift and carry was under take n

If the gates to the field were blocked by the vice-president's Rolls , so that there was a precipitate deceleration of the ambulance

If the equipment had been removed from the ambulance so it could be used to collect surplus ' flags towards the end of the day.

If t he radio s did not work and the doctor could not be found If the safety and control system was in the process of bein g dismantled with two races to go

And so the dismal catalogue goes on.

It cannot be too strongly s tated that the advisers can only make the attendants aware of the hazards and how to overcome them. And the attendants can only practis e their sk ill s to the extent that circumstances allow them to.

Pre ve ntion - and the sett ing of standard s of safe ty generally - to pro vide the attendants with the best chance of salvag ing the patient depends upon the exercise of will b y the sport it se lf We are not pointing the finger at anyone spo rt or control body; (in this article, anyway!) - it is true for all sport s where there s a high chance of ser ious injur y and so me chance of cata strophe.

Ten commandments for handling

Assuming that tho se with possible SCI can now be correctly identified how may the information on the nature and risks be put into practic e? To replace the old ten commandments' we described earlier , we have dev is ed a n ew set of ' ten commandments which mu st be applied to all cord injuries or sus p ec t ed injuries

The 'First Aid Management of Spinal Cord Injury

PARTTWO

by J. HARRY BAKER1 and JAMES W. LITTLE2

1. Deterioration in cord function after injury is brought about by:

Mechanical displacement between vertebrae or else displacem e nt of vertebral fragments, which impinge on th e cord; anoxia from underventilation, airways obstruction , or lung damage following aspiration of vomit; underperfu s ion as a result of reduced cord blood flow from shock or being sat up.

All causes are equally important. The rules depend on these facts.

2. Airway breathing circulation and unconsciousness must take priori ty.

3. Positioning follow s these prioriti es.

4 Urgency follows these prioritie s - do not wait for assistance to deal with 2 on mechanical grounds.

5 Casualties become paralysed because the diagnosis is not made and because then casualties are sat up or stood up

6. Gravity is the biggest enemy of the cord: it is the largest force applied through the spine following that of injury and it is the prime source of und erperfusion.

7 Diagnosis is prompt e d by circumstance of injury. Any disturbance of motor or sensory function how eve r slight , bizarre or transient is pre s um ed to be SCI till proven otherwise.

Think spinal cord injury

8. Make the diagnosis and stop others standing or sitting casualties up an d do not sit or stand them yourself.

9. Otherwise move as little as poss ibleyou can wait 30 minutes at least. Do not move on grounds of convenience. Wait for the ambulance and clear the route. Lifting and tran s port is only a first aid s kill in extreme circumstances.

10. Careful horizontal movement (log roll ) with the diagnosis in mind do es not produce permanent cord damage; it is thoughtl ess un contro lled mov e m en t

1. Consultant in Spinal Injuries, Welsh Spinal Injuries Centre, Rookwood Hospital Cardiff CFS 2YN. Asst Surgeon in Chief, St John Ambulance.

2. Area Staff, North Tyneside Area, St John Ambulance, Northumbria; St John Headquarters, Lesbury Avenue Shiremoor, Ne wcastl e upon Tyne.

Correspondence and requests for reprints to HB.

Use jaw lift/head tilt (in that order).

Do not use neck lift/jaw lift

The first 10 to 15 degrees of head tilt is at the base of the skull, not the neck.

Ensure the airway is clear

Ventilation is always impeded in a cord injury as either the chest wall or abdominal muscles are tak e n out (or both) , l eav ing th e patient ventilating only with his diaphragm.

which do es the damage. The detail of the manoeuvr es is not critical.

One applies the rules , sta rtin g with th e patient as found '

Position as found

The need to move ma y be dictated by th e position in which the casualty is first found.

This is u s uall y one of:

a. Supine (i e, flat on hi s back)

b. Pron e (ie , lying face down) with th e head turned to one side.

c. Trapped bolt upright/s e ated (eg in car)

Maintain this po s ition unless:

1. Dan ge r

2. Airway

3. Breathin g

4. Circ ulation

5 Unconsciou s nes s dictate otherwise.

Unless compelled to move b y th ese factors ; on land a ndin the open an int e rval of 20 minutes is acceptab l e in the isolat e d cord injury. In warm , dr y co ndition s or indoor s it may b e l onger - up to 45 minutes For multiple injuri es it is mor e imm ed iat e to move th e pati e nt supine.

We will now look a t e ach of the fea tur es dictating m ove m e nt in turn

Danger

The first is danger and is self-evident. It ma y b e r e lative (eg, in eq u estria n events where the casualty may be trapped und e r fencing or int e rtwin e d with the un sta ble remnant s of a fe nc e), one ha s to balance a controlled move with as much horizontal component as possible earlier than one would wish , against t he risk of th e fenc e remnants collapsing , with an unc o ntroll ed massive mov e ment in severa l directions at once. This is a matt e r of judge m e nt. Th e former is preferred to the la tt er The calculation is to assess whether th e fenc e WILL collapse or not.

Remov e as be s you can compatible with your own and the casualty 's safe t y. His spine will have to take its chance

Airway

Airway obstruction will lead to anoxia and h e nce cord deterior a tion as well as puttin g life a ri sk The ri sks to the cord from mech anica l factors induced by clearing the airway are l ess than those induced by the anoxia arising if nothing is done.

Breathing is always di s tre ssed bec a use of reduced amount of air entering th e lun g, if nothing e se This and chest pain from associated chest injur y m ay obscure SCI.

A clinically fractured breastbone is presu m ed to hav e an associated SCI.

Th e indicator of und e rventilation is cyano s is Carry out th e seq u ence below until pink '.

Clear the airway as th e casua lt y li es (in po s ition found )

Position supine , unless trapped so diaphra gm not splinted

Support ventilation - mouth to mout h , mouth to ma sk, bag and ma s k , m echanic al resuscitation/ventilation , etc.

Circulation

Cardiac arrest can always be a primary event (eg, the scaffolder who has a heart a ttack and fa lls from a height ). In multiple i njurie s, it may be from ble e d i ng to d ea thnotabl y with thor a cic extension injuri es wi th aortic split or ruptur e. Mor e lik e l y, however is the Rak e's Pro g r ess' of airways obstruction respiratory a rr es , cardiac arre s t It can also acco mp any a respiratory arrest due to a ver y high c ervical i njury

There is , however , a primary cause o f cardiac arrest which is due to the effect of stimulat ing an unoppo se d para sy mp a th etic nervous system. The parasympathetic n e rvous sys tem (the vagus nerv e) does not pass through the spinal cord. The sy mpathetic n ervo u s system does and is damaged in the injury. Unlike intact man where considerable parasympathetic stimulation is necessary (eg, a k ara te blow to the voicebox) , the stimu lu s n SCI may be much smalle r , especially if the patient is hypoxic/hypothermic.

Cardiac arrest requir es ECC - place supine.

Unless primary or post obstruction/ respiratory arrest , due to cardiac s tandstill from an unopposed vagus

Can be caused by suction , attempts at airway insertion , intubation , endobronchial suction.

Hypoxia and hypothermia make this likely - prevent them.

Unconsciousness

Although there is a high association of head injury with proven SCI , the overall incidence of all types of cervical spinal injury (including all those with no cord

Frustrated

First Aid Instructor

We ll do body - plinting, - But wha t do yo u know!

The foreigner 's back no w a nd i n the fro nt row.

You need a Plank Miss for to do up you r fract u re, Yo u a re in a mess a- doing hi s lacture (lec t ure).

injur y or any i kelihood ther eof) is around 10 to 15 %. Th e re are 85% who ha ve no cord injury. To refuse to move any h ea d injured, unconscious casualty will place many more people at risk than it h elps.

The ne e d therefore is for movement into a safe po sition vis-a -vis the unconsciousness ; at the same time exercising a s much car e as one can, because of the known association with cervical SCI.

In SCI the need is even mor e press i ng , as if vomit is inhaled the mortality and morbidity is vastly increased. SCI itself raises th e risk because if the diaphram is weak there is more chance of stomach contents silently s wirling back up the gullet. There will not be th e us ual warning signs one sees just before vomit ing ; the stomach and intestines cease to work and this makes vomiting more lik ely. And lastl y , vomiting is increased when th e stomach is full of alcohol a nd the association of SCI and alcohol is more common that not.

The unconsciousness is d efini te; th e SCI presumptive.

Unconsciousness takes priori ty

Clear and maintain th e airway

Vomiting with aspiration kills these patients or puts them on ventilators long term - do not let it happen

Position in stable side position , (aka recovery position)

Imminent or present vomiting or an airway which will not stay open in the position found:

Other

c. Unexplained

d.

Isolated SCI patients are conscious; if they go uncon scio us think:

a. Obstructionlunderventilation b. Shock/other injuries.

lady Westbury chose SJA poet (1)

OUR MOBILE

from V. E. Allen-Smith, Divisional Superintendent

On a dismal night last year, the sky in Watford was illuminated by a conflagration. Sadly for us the arsonist had chosen our mobile, and it was reduced to a sad chassis sitting on burned-out wheels!

Nothing daunted , Watford Ambulance and Nursing Divisions set to raising money so that a new much-needed mobile could be ordered. It is now in use and money is being raised and kindly donated too by friends and organisations who appreciate the work of St John

However, there is still a long way to go and our Nursing Cadet Division decided that they would like to help in a special way and so be associated with the new mobile.

At our planning meeting last January various suggestions were discussed: a sponsored silence (No, not our Division); a sponsored walk (well, we'd have to wait for lighter evenings); dress up and shake boxes in the High Street (sorry, not allowed). Anyway at last someone suggested a 'sponsored bandage' and the idea took off A cadet with access to a word processor got permission to print the sponsor forms, and then we set to and made a list of all the bandages we OUGHT to know (try it sometime!). We invited our Deputy Area Commissioner , Mrs K. McFarlane, and the Div Supt of the Ambulance Division , Mr D. Creasey , to come and ensure fair play.

The evening arrived and also the cadets - all raring to go. New cadets acted as patients for the girls to bandage. The scene was busy - organised chaos - as heads, arms , elbows , knees , etc, all got the full treatment. And as each bandage was completed the judges looked to see that all was well, and then marked the sponsor form.

All too soon Mrs McFarlane called 'time' and the action ceased. Bandages were put away and the girls went home. Soon the sponsor money started coming in - £10 , £20 , £30 , (wouldn t it be good if we could get to £50?). We did , and £60, and on to the grand total of £85. Which we proudly handed to Mr Creasey at a later meeting. Now we can truly say with pride' Our mobile'.

Watford V. E. Allen-Smith

MEET AND GREET

from Mr L. Keable, Eastern Area President, London

I should like to take the opportunity to use the columns of the St John Review to thank everyone who came along to the Meet and Greet at Marlow Road, Maidenhead , on Saturday, March 1. I was so delighted with such an enormous turn-out and hope that this will be just the first of many such profitable get-togethers. I would wish those unable to attend to feel free to write to me so that I can make their acquaintance.

May I hope that we will all go forward in a happy working relationship together. I would welcome all ideas for fund-raising and publicity.

Walton Cottage Hotel, Marlow Road Maidenhead

A TIP from Mrs M. Sharrock L. Keable

Here's a tip for nursing cadets from my daughter, Kathryn.

She slid an 'Alice band through the brim of her black outdoor hat instead of trying to secure it on her head with hair grips. The result is a hat that stays firmly in place even on windy days. Not a bad idea for an ll-year-old.

Southport Marion Sharrock

SWIFT BOOT NEEDED from Darren Skinner, Ambulance Member

With reference to letter Twinning Divisions (April Review) Mr Millband states that every Division receives a copy of the St John Review. This is true. He then asked , 'How many of the members see it?' My reply to that is none of the members in our division see it and when asked if the Superintendent would bring it to the meeting, the excuse is always the same: 'I forgot it.' So I took to

138

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

purchasing my own copy. Mr Millband , I hope this backs up your point!

On similar lines, may I take up this opportunity of asking other divisions if they have a similar problem to ours. We have 41 members registered with our division sounds impressive. But we are lucky if 20 turn up to a meeting, and on every weekend duty the same nine members out of those 41 actually show the division is publicly active.

We have a divisional committee which meets once in a bluemoon to discuss matters concerning the division. Our new 21-yearold divisional officer is facing a battle to try and bring home to the members on the committee the equipment and changes the division needs. But no one will do anything to help because the committee members never go out on duties to see what equipment we have to work with! As far as promotion is concerned, the people who work for it never get it. We have TWO sergeants whom I haven t seen for about 4 months! All I can say is that some people in St John need a swift boot up the backside to get them moving!

Worcester Darr en Skinner

SUPPLIES UPDATE

WE HAVE now heard from HM Customs & Excise that the relief from VAT announced in the recent Budget applies to supplying radios channelled on the St John Ambulance frequency. Relief is claimed by submitting a V AT declaration (see Brigade Orders May 1983)

Stocks of the limited edition Centenary Badge , Ell , are now exhausted but an alternative badge is available based on the No. 19 Badge. This will be available as product E34 at £4.95 each. A new catalogue of centenary products will be published in time for the Great Party and will be available in Hyde Park on June 20. It will include some exciting new products.

In error our manufacturer of anoraks has manufactured reversible coats. Regrettably, this will delay us clearing the remaining orders of anoraks but we shall receive stocks shortly. We have been able to strike a very good deal on reversible coats to take them off the hands of our manufacturer. Profit from his mistake! Although they do not have the thermal insulation of our latest coat, and cannot be fitted with a hood, at only £24 each they are remarkable value. A comparable coat would normally sell at £40. A limited supply only is available, so order quickly

Order U02070 34 (fits 34"-36")

38 (fits 38"-40")

42 (fits 42"-44")

46 (fits 46"-48")

From time to time we are able to obtain bulk supplies of surplus

contract carpeting at £5.50-£6 per square yard. This cord carpet, in neutral shades, is suitable for heavy use. It would normally sell at £15 + per square yard. If you are thinking of recarpeting your headquarters, let us know and we may be able to help.

SJA Music Makers

Nevv Federation

THE ANNUAL general m ee ting of the Band Federation was held at London District HQ on April 4. Pres e nt were the Advisory Committee, the chairman, Leo Budd , 16 band repr esentatives , and members of National HQ staff, who included Lady Westbury, Supt-in-Chief, Gerald Easton , Deputy C-in-C, Lawrie Hawes, Chief of Staff, and Michael Parker , organiser of the Great Party in Hyd e Park on June 20.

The meeting opened with the fo rmer chairman's statement, which included the treasurer's report. The former chairman proposed the fo llowing resolutions.

1. To distribut e the funds of the Federation of St John Ambulance Brigade Bands to those bands in membership as at December 31 1986, after ta king into account all expenses and realisation of assets.

2. That the Federation of St John Ambulance Brigad e Bands in its present fo rm be wound up and any relevant material handed over to National H ea dquarters.

Proposals for

new Federation

This was outlined by Leo Budd , who has been appointed chairman by the Commissioner-in-Chief.

The new chairman announced that the aims of the Band Federation should remain the same and the Federation should be made up of band leaders of St John Ambulance Brigade bands and all those interested in the support of our bands and concerned solely WIth matters of band, musical interest and function. An advisory committee from members of the Federation should be

Badges

Roly Gillam will still hold the stock of bandmaster and assistant bandmaster 's badges. Ken Robinson will still hold the stock of drum and bugle badges. One member of the corrimittee will also carry out the duties of PRO (Band) and will be available to attend any Headquarters or Regional PRO meetings.

The Headquarters Advisory Committee will meet at regular intervals or when required by the Commissioner-in-Chief. An annual meeting of all the Federation Bandmasters and those interested in the welfare of band s will be he ld in London or a suitable venue, with weekend seminars being considered.

Finances

The following are to be funded by Headquarters:

1. Area Band Advisers carrying out band inspections.

2. Area Band Advisers attending Headquarters meetings.

3. Arranging for nat io nal meetings (coffee and tea).

4. The cost of transport for a specific band for a national event (ie Ro yal Tournament ).

formed, with a chairman to be nominated by the Commissioner-in-Chief, who is to be available at Headquarters for meetings , and to consist of two Area Advisers from each of the three areas, and one or two vicechairmen who mayor may not be an Area Adviser.

The Advisory Committee chairman appointed will co-ordinate all aspects of the Advisory Committee, keeping the Commissioner-in-Chief informed of the number of St John Bands their state of competence , etc, and band involvement nationally.

The Federation chairman said h e would not be available as chairman of the Advisory Comrn.ittee seven days a week, and especially in the eve nings, when the majority of band business and advice would be required, and also he may not be suitably qualified to answer questions concerning musical matters so he has decided that there is a need for an executive officer with musical experience to be available on the phone to answer any technical queries

Each Area will now have two appointed Area Advisers and each Area will cover so many Regions , ie:

Northern Area: Regions 1, 2, 10 and the Commandery of Ards.

Central Area: Regions 3 , 4 ,9 and Wales

Southern Area: Regions 5,6, 7 and 11.

Regulation 159

This wiU be completely re-written to includ e the aims of the Band Federation, the inspection procedures , grading of bands , terms of reference of the Advisory Committee, and give the need to promote goodwill, prestige and calibre of Brigade bands.

5. Stationery and secretarial duties for Headquarters Staff.

6. Committee out of pocket expenses (ie, phon e, stamps, etc).

7. Training courses arranged by Headquarters payment of professional tutors , etc.

bucket in the shape of a drum. 'O

again, Gerald, from the Federation we would like to say thank you for what yo u did for the Federation while you were President.

At Kingston

On April 11, three Federation bands entered the Kingston Youth

and

of Drums , from Dorking The Hants band entered class I , the

experienced section, in which each band

Dudley Corps of Drums is getting back to strength.

NEWS from SCOTLAND

AT A PLEASANT ceremony held on March 25 at his home in North Berwick , the Rev Patrick Hugh Robson Mackay, MBE, ChStJ, PhD , FSAScot , was invested with the insignia of office as a Sub-Prelate of the Order by the Chancellor of Scotland , Dr Duncan Shaw.

Dr Mackay has been associated with the work of the Order in Scotland since the days of its re-constitution as a Priory in 1947, being at that time the Parish Minister

N.IRELAND

THE ANNUAL training weekend of St John Ambulance , Northern Ireland was held in the Northern Counties Hotel , Portrush , on Saturday and Sunday April 4 and 5.

The Commissioner-in-Chief, Mr John Sunderland , and his wife, joined us for the weekend, which commenced with a cliff rescue simulation at Rarnore Head by cadets and yo ung adults. Unfortunately the north easterly gale prevented the launching of a lifeboat to conclude the rescue with a breeches buoy lift. The C-in-C enjoyed the demonstration in spite of bitter cold and gale force winds. The day continued for the cadets and yo ung people with tra ining in abseiling and camping techniques and adults were given , indoors , a display of camping and a demonstration of first aid for minor injuries sustained at the camp fire. Excellent lectures were delivered on burns and scalds , and haemophilia; Saturday ended with a grand dance which was thoroughly enjo yed.

Sunday began with a short church service conducted by Methodist Minister , Mr Richard Taylor, who had composed a

IT GIVES me great pleasure to announce the formation of four new branches, one our first branch or 'C hapter in Canada (where the term branch denotes an Association Centre); another is the first to be formed in Herts. We welcome all new members.

Durham Region Chapter, Oshawa, Ontario

Contact Dr R. J. Kimmerly, BA MD CM

152 Simcoe Street North ,

140 Oshawa, Ontario LlG 4S7, Canada

Invested at home, Dr Mackay (2nd from left), with Dr Shaw (2nd from rig

and the Priory

Mr W. Smith.

of Torphichen , the ancient headquarters of the Order in Scotland. Indeed he is one of only six members of the Order in Scotland which now numbers nearly one thousand who is still serving from those early excit-

hymn especially for St John Ambulance (words below) , which was sung with gusto by the members. Any simple tune will set these words off well.

A most successful and enjoyable weekend was had by about 160 participants who are looking forward to next year.

o Life of love so freely given For all the fallen race. Lord of all life , of earth and heaven

We humbly seek Thy face.

Among the suffering Thou didst move To comfort and restore; Within the compass of Thy lov e, Mankind need ask no more

All healing comes, 0 Lord from Th ee For body mind and soul; Thy spirit yearns to make us free, And to present us whole.

By serving others, Lord , we see The working of Thy will. In serving others we serve Thee And all our powers fulfill.

We dedicate our lives a new With gladness and with praise. Give us in all we seek o do Sufficient, sove reign grace.

R. H. Taylor

SJ Fello\Nship

Western Area Branch, Cornwall (2)

Contact Mrs P. J. Ingram, 57 St George 's Road , Hayle Cornwall TR27 4AL

Loveland Guild, Winchester (3)

Contact Mr R. C. Harris, 23 Winnal1 Manor Road , Winchester , Hants S023 8NW

ing days. It is a fitting tribute to his many years of devoted service and to his many positive contributions that he should have this additional honour conferred on him in the Priory 's 40th anniversary year.

St Albans Branch, Herts

Contact Mr F. H Saunders 154 Hitchin Road , Stotfold, Hitchin Herts SG5 4JE

An account of the Annual General Meeting of the St John Fellowship held at St James 's Palace on May 6 will appear in the July Review.

31 Malvern Court, Sheila Puckle Onslow Square, National Secretary London SW73HY

Does FAW 'Save a Life'? (Cont.)

Our investigations would suggest the following changes be urgently considered :

1. There should b e a change of allocation of time in resuscitation training. Les s time should be given to lecturing and demonstration , more to s upervised practic e with feedback. A good training film, showing resu sc itation in 'fie ld setting', could be used to save time.

2. The maximum number of stud e nts per mann e quin shou ld be reduced from 10 to six, thus giving each student mor e individual practice o n a doll.

3. The training mann e quin s should give direc t feedback ei ther by print-out , flashin g li ght, or ga ug e. Feedback would be withdrawn as st ud ents gain proficiency.

4. The same mannequins sho uld be used for examinat ion s, with the mannequins arranged so that the students co uld not see the tape, lights , etc

These suggestions are not new ; they would merely serve to bring FA W into lin e with t h e accepted standards of the

The First Aid Management of Spinal Cord Injuries

Part 2 (Cont.)

So far, the discussion ha s been th eoret ical, since without a sound underst anding of th e th eory th e degr ee to which one is pr epared to countenance mov eme nt would traditionally hav e been regarded as reckless.

SJA Music makers (Cont.)

had 5 to 8 minutes in the arena. Th ere were three bands in this class. The Surr ey band entered class II , to give a full musica l and marching displa y for 8 to 10 minutes in the arena. There were seven entries in this class. The Southwark Corps of Drums e ntered class III , the championship contest , giving 'a full musical and marching display of 10 to 12 minutes in the arena. There were five entries in this championship class.

Out of the three St John bands , two came away from the contest with a trophy. Hants Corps of Drums took the Encouragement Trophy. And Surrey Corps of Drums were joint winners for best Drum Major class II.

Overall results were: Hants third in their class; Surrey fifth in their class , and Southwark fifth in their class.

Royal Tournament

The band to represent SJA at the Royal Tournament this year will be from

World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists.

It has been suggested that even ' bad CPR can be adequate to save life and that therefore the standard of resuscitation attained is not particularly important an d rigorous standards may not provide the best costlbenefit. In this series, however , many of the 's uccessful FA W trainees cannot manage even poor CPR'. Resuscitation is a skill which ha s to be performed in very stressful circumstances. It is not surprising in such circumstances that many trainees have been found to show gross losses of skill under the pres sures of actuality. If s ubjects have been trained to the point of 'ove rlearning ', a certain level of automatic skill functioning will develop thus e nabling the students to perform resuscitation without devoting all their attention to the mechanical actions and also to continue effec t ive ly despite distractions. This will reduce the gross lo sses of skill when under stress. If , howeve r , their resuscitation sk ill s are barely adequate in classroom testing to begin with , they have little chance of success when those sk ills are clinically applied.

This suggests a further need - that training should continue beyond attaining the criteria and ai m for overtraining and include applicat ion s to 'realistic emergency sit uat ions. These measures

To sum up:

Think spinal cord injury.

Do not sit or stand the patient up.

Do not let anyone else do so.

Move to protect airway, breathing, circulation and unconsciousness.

Move carefully sooner rather than allow or

Dronfield , und er the direction of P eter Butcher. The performance takes place at 2.30 on the afternoon of Sat , August 1.

New band

Blackmore Vale St John Band (Bandmaster Mr R. Joyce), from Shaftsbury , Dorset , which formed la st January now has 24 members , has joined the Fed eratio n Welcome , Blackmore.

Dudley Corps of Drums

Formed in 1953 as th e Dudley Ambulance

Cadet Drum s and Bugle Band then renamed the Dudley Corps of Drums it played with the West Midland County Band at St Paul's Cathedral (St John's Day) parade in 1975 and '76. After a decline , recentl y the ban d was revived and now has members from Dudley adult and cadet divisions. The bandmaster is Mr R. Haywood. The band is planning a 5-mile sponsored walk locally to raise funds.

To all bands

If any St John bands are selling instru-

would also help to offset the present rapid rate of decline of CPR skU I after training which ha s been demon strated in both Briti s h and American studies. We p lan to further research many of the issues raised in this paper a nd hope that medical practitioners and others involved in teaching , testing and assessing CPR from the Brigad e, and workers in the behavioural sciences will be able to work together in addressing some of these iss ues.

ht), the Priory Limner Mr Charles Burnett (with cushion).

Secretary,

Cadets and young adults practise cliff rescue on Ramore Head Portrush.

How to draw our

EIGHT POINTED CROSS

cross is a strictly specified geo me tric a l cons tru c ti on.

Fortunate y is easy to und ers t and as t is complete ly speci fi ed by ust tw o simpl e rules:

Rule 1: The e ight points of t he cross li e equally s p aced 00 the cir cu mfe ren ce of a circle, makin g th e principal angles 45 degrees eac h.

Rul e 2: The re-entrant ang les at the e nd s of th e a rm s of the cross are each 90 degrees.

Th ey are fo rm e d by d rawin g s tr aight lin es from each point across its ow n ar m t o th e point thr ee points distant fro m it. (See Fig S.)

Any cross wh ich fails to satisfy both of th ese rules is incorrect. Professionallypro d u ced cr osses a re also li able to be wrong.

Even some SJA uni for m bad ges are sli ght ly wrong, as r eade rs can es t for th emse lv es.

The cross s hown in Fig Ib is ypica l of ho se pr oduced by SJA m embers. Viewed by it se lf , mo st members would prob ab ly see nothin g wrong with it. Only h e side -by -s id e comparison with a correct cross (F g 1a) makes i obvious h ow wrong it actua ll y is.

Fig Ib br eaks both design rules. Firstly the point s of th e cross a r e not eq u a ll y s p aced (eg, LN do es not eq ual NP) therefore th e principa l angles such as NOP are not 45 degrees. Secondly, the re -e ntrant a ng les are in correctly form e d and do not eq ual 90 degrees. (Compare r e-e n tr a nt ang le LMN with th e cross in g of th e dotted lines. See a lso F g 5).

Th e geometrical d es ign of the e g htpoint e d cross s hould n ow be und e r s t a nda b e. However, Pamel a Willis po ints o ut i n her not e that th e pl ain eight-po int ed white cross does not b y it se lf constitute th e badge of the Ord e r and SJA. The identifying feature of our cross is th e li ons and uni co rn s in the principal angles. These should a lways b e included in cros ses produced by members. Th ey can be copied from o ffici a ll y-produced emblems or flag s, perhap s with the a d of graph pap er if necessa ry. To con fo rm with regulations , the diameter of the circle enclosing th e li o ns and uni co rn s must not be less

Th e eigh t-p ointed cros s is an ancient emb lem the de sign of which h as varied over the ce nturies as can be see n from old illu s trations. The de s gn is now s tandardis e d like th e geometrical construction described in this a rticl e. The plain e ight-point e d cross is not ex clusiv e to St John , but i s u sed b y a variety of organisations in many countries Nor is the de sig n protect e d b y law The official b a d ge of Th e Most Venerable Ord e r of St John and of St John Ambu lance includ es lion s and unicorns in the principal ang les. These are the s upporters of th e Ro ya l Coat of Arms , and their u se in the Order's badge was gra nt e d b y R oya l Charter. The eight-point e d white cross with lions a nd uni corns is th e uniqu e and di st ing ui s hing badge of our Order, and our excl u sive use of it is prot ec ed b y law.

In rec e nt time s, th e plain white cross

than one half nor more h a n two-thirds of the diameter of the circles passing t hr oug h the eight points of h e cross.

I suggest that all SJA members learn the correct design of th e cross th ey wea r. The best way to do this is to pr actise d r aw ing crosses using th e method give n h ere. As we ll as being an interesting exercise, m a ny members may find it a potentially useful ski ll

(For the definitive rules on the design of our cross , a n d a sample illustration , see R oya l C hart e r s , Statutes and Regulations of the -Order of St J o hn Statute 36 a nd Appendix II para. 2(i).)

Drawing the cross

Co ns tru ct th e drawin g as accurate ly as possib le u sing a sh arp p e ncil. In p articu ar, all diagonal lin es should pass exactly through the

ST JOHN'S GATE

without lions and unicorn s h as come into use for SJA uniform b adges. This stands out more clearly and h el ps mak e memb e r s easily d e ntifiable to the public However, the plain white cross is st rictly s peaking the badge of the Sovereign Mi litary Ord er; inde ed, anybody can us e it as it ha s n o s tanding in law. \

Members who draw our cross are th erefore encouraged t o include the lion s and unicorns which distinguish our badge from all other eig ht-p o int ed crosses. Without them, the plain wh ite eig ht -pointe d cross do es not const itute the official bad ge of th e Order and SJA as laid down in the S tat ut es and R eg ulations. For the sake of un iformi t y an d our image to th e public , m e mbers s hould make any crosses they produce conform to the correct official badge whenever possible.

cent r e of the ci r cle. If t h e desired size of the cross is too large to be drawn wit h compasses , first draw the two diagonals (Fig 2. AC, BD) and then draw around a la rge circu lar ob ect (eg, a cake tin) po si tion ed as accurately centr al as possible.

Eq uipm e nt: paper, ruler penci l compasses, eraser. ( Di viders o ption a l. )

Fig 2 1. Us in g compasses, draw a circle o the required s ze of the cross.

2. Draw a h orizonta l diagonal (AC)

3. Draw a vert ical diagonal (BD) as perpe ndicular as possible. This is best done by bisecting the horizontal diagonal. To do this, s trik e the short arcs shown (top an d bottom) with the compass point at A and

4. Accurately divide th e circle into eight and th e n 16 equal divisions. This can be done by r epeated bisections or by careful use of dividers.

Fig 4.

5. Draw the four diagonals shown These define th e four arms of the cross , and their e nd poi nts are th e e ight points of the cross.

Fig 5.

6. To draw the r e -entrant ang les , draw straight lin es from each point across the arms to the poin t three points distant from it.

7. Erase all construction lines (which should have been drawn lightly).

Examine the finished cross (Fig la). It will be noticed that some of the bnes have been accent u a e d by a gradua l brocrdening , creating a slightly three-dimensional effect. To re m ember how to do this , imagine that the cross is slightly convex, resting on the paper only at the points. Imagine also that it is illuminated by a small light a few inches above the upper left principal angle. Then imagine the shadows that would be cast and broaden the lines to duplicate the se shadows Note that the broadenings are made away from the body of the arms not into them As an alternative the lines in question can be accentuated by being drawn uniformly thicker than the o th ers. (These shadings have become the fashion in recent times but are unofficial. )

If carefully drawn this attractive effect can give a professional appearance to the drawing, and make the cross stand out when viewed from a distance. To complete the cross the lions and unicorns should now be added in co mplian ce with the Statutes and Regula tions.

SCHOOLS PROJECT - Out and About

THE THREE largest teachers' unions meet for their annual conferences in Ap ril. The ven ue s cha nge annua ll y and this year I visited the Assistant Masters a nd Mistresses confere nce in Harrogate; the National Union of Teachers In Eastbourne; and the National Association of Schoolmasters/ Union of Women T eac he rs confere nce in Bournemouth. The delegates attendi ng the thre e conferences came from schools throughout England , Ireland , Scotland and Wales.

At each co n fere nce I displayed The St John Ambulance Three Cross Award for giving delegates information leaflets and , wherever .posslble ! talkmg them through' the school s project in detail. (I also gave InformatlOn on the Badgers to teachers with pupils under 9 years ) It was encouragmg to learn that many of the teachers were already Inv o ved m The Three Cross Award sc heme. Some had learn e d about it from my visit to their confe re nces las t year.

The teac hers grea t for the scheme pra ising the video a nd comphmentlOg SJA fO.r prod uclOg an Emergency Aid package that can be used as a teachl1: g .a ld by t h e teachers themselves. They liked its versatlhty and slmph clty 10 Implementation. and find that the scheme fits in well with ot her projects in the chool cur riculum.

THE LADIES GUILD

have sRecially commissioned for Centenary Year a limited edition (l00) of this beautiful , multi-colour SILK SCARF. Price £35.

ORDER from: The Ladies Guild , St John 's Gate , Clerkenwell, London ECIM 4DA

This year there see med t o be much more interest in the Schools Project. It appears that th e 'education bodies' are becomi ng increasingly more aware of the need In sc hools fo r both teachers and pupils to have some ba sic knowledge of Emergency Aid. THERE IS A NEED AND WE CA FILL T HAT NEED.

Schools to receive the new certifi cate for training more than 50 pupils for the SJA One C ross Award: Cornwall Fowey Co mpr ehe nsive School

Th e Windmill Es t ate Fowey Torpoint Comprehensive School Carbiele R oad Torpoin t Anne Macleod , Schools Proje cT Manag er

Our Eight Pointed Cross by PAMELA WILLIS Curator of the Order's Musuem at St John 's Gate

Chairman: Countess Cathcart

The county oj H ereJord and Worcester are proud to p resen t their second crystal goblet, to ce l ebrat e th e

CENTENARY OF THE ST JOHN AM BULANCE BRIGADE r887 - r987

again malluJactur ed by Royal Brierley Crystal, hand made and cut in Jull Lea d crystal wit h eng rav ed logo, packed in its own box, displaying royal warrants.

I deal Jor pr ese ntations or to supplement your I977 goblet.

ORDER YOUR GOBLET NOW FROM:

K H. BILLI CHAM. CST.].

24 PR I ORY COURT, OLDSWINFORD STOURBRIDCE, WEST MIDLANDS DY8 IN] Te lephone: (0384) 374 155

PRICES:

If co ll ec t ed (by arran geme nt) £14.95 each If despatched in UK £17'95 each If despatc h ed overseas pl ease notify K. H Billingham 1-----

1. Formerly a sacre d song for disease characteris e d by rash. (8).5. Allow to endure pain (6). 10 Bone of middle ear u se d in smithy . (5). 11. Swollen. (9) 12 Implements from broken stoo l. (5) 13. Di sab le d by ma le disorder. (4). 14 Perform veterinary oophorectomy. (4) 16. Was frequently affe cted by anthracosis.

(4 .5 ). 19. Character of flesh overgrowth on granulating wound (5). 20. Severely cri ti cise cooked m eat. (5). 21. App li e d tra ction (9). 24. L ean schedu le of work for the s urgeon. (4). 25. Very dry i n vulgar idiom (4).26. Change of h eart, early and prompt. (5).28 Inflammation and so lid ification of th e lungs. (9). 29. Just rewards. (5).30. Flag officer. (6).31. A pause for inspiration ? (8).

Down:

1. Connective t issue which may be 21 Across. (7). 2. Saves base collar for gumboil. (8.7). 3. Bone dislocated in severe ank le injuries (5). 4 One up set about idol becomes a spectre. (7). 6. Employed editor from United States. (4 ). 7. Bored and irritat e d but not lacking food? (3.2.2 .3. 5). 8. Crying or affec ted by conjunctivitis (3.4). 9. One of a number of compounds h av ing same a tom s arranged differentl y. (6). 15. Tips back sal va for 20 Across. (4). 17. A small child is cause of scabies. (4). 18. Consume a bl e nd of t ea. (3). 20 Deterioration in patient's conditio n after partial recovery. (7). 21. Muscular physique (6). 22. Attribute of n ei th er blonde nor brunette. (3.4). 23. Assistant back st age and i n the th ea tre. (7). 26. Strange qualification for a dance (5). 27. L un gdama gi n g at m os pheri c condition. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.5 (87)

Across: 1. Fee lin g funny; 8 Organic ; 9. Amnesic; 11. Pain ; 12. Bald; 13 Rig·or; 15. Se·men; 16. Macrocyte; 19. Umbilicus; 21. Ne'pal; 23 Ex ·act; 25. B·row; 26. Doe·r; 28 Measles; 29. Fig leaf; 30. House surg eon.

Down: 1. Fogyism ; 2. Esne ; 3.Ischaemic ; 4 . Gland; 5. Ulnar ; 6. Nose·gay ; 7 Corp us luteum ; 10 Corneal graft ; 14. Anal; 17. Cas h offer; 18. Owns; 20 Bravado ; 22. Protein; 24. Tal us ; 25. Basis ; 27. Ague.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

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NEW CA T A LOGU E of aud io - vis ual a id s for Fir s Aid (23 colou r s lid e sets ) H ome Sa fety a nd R oad Safety FREE fr om F C. CU RTI S LTD. 6 Miletas Place, Lylham S l Annes La ncs FY8 I BQ. Te l. 0253 73538 1 FOR SALE : Ta bot Expre ambu ance (3 years o d) as fea

Barbara Cartland , Henry Cooper, Hayley Mills, Bob Monkhouse , Sterling Moss, Ted Rogers , Jimmy Tarbuck£7 50 each

RESCUE SERVICE

ST JOHN FELLOWSHIP

D. S. Gord o n. Th e pro cee din gs ope n e d with p ra ye r s s aid b y th e R ev Dr Bri a n Kirk-Dun c an offici a tin g C h a pl ain t o th e Or d er. Th e n th e chairman w e lcom e d our gue s ts, th e L o rd Prior , th e S e cr e t a r y-

G e n e r a l of he Ord e r , th e Chi e f Co mm a nd er, th e Ch ie f Pr es id e n t a n d th e C

hi s pl ace on the pl atform w ith o ur pr es id en t , L a d y Brecknock , and ch a irman , Maj or-G e n era l

is as fo ll ows : Open Divi s ions and C e ntr es : £ 1 , 000 worth of equipment

C losed Divisions : £1 000 worth of equipment

Th e pri ze will go t o th e unit wh ich r a ses h e l a rges t s um pe r member b e twee n May 15 1987 a nd Jun e 30 1988.

In addition the St John E ye Hos pital in Jerusal e m and St John Overseas will each offer a prize of £500 worth of equipment to the unit having the highest collection in their category for the s a me period.

Rules

l. Th e min imum qu a li fy in g a m o unt t o e n te r is £1,0 0 0 fo r St J o hn Ambul a n ce, bu £5 00 fo r th e Ho sp it a l a nd Ov e rseas co mp e titi o n s.

2. Th e d e ci sio n s o f th e a djudi c at o r s (Dir e ct o r -Ge n e r a l and C ommiss ion e r-in- C hi ef) ar e final

N ote

Pr o gre ss will b e m o nitor e d on th e C AF a nd o th er

C h a riti es A ge nt s' co mput e r s

Please remember St. John on payday PAYROLL - TAX FREE GIVING

Miss Betty Bi rd of Birmingham/ Sutton Coldfield Branch pre senting flowers

OVER 250 DELEGATES from all over the country gathered in Nottingham on Friday March 27 for the 51st St John Medical Conference. Having battled through the elements to the University campus on a particularly blustery March evening, the delegates were relieved to find a warm welcome and a meal waiting for them. High expectations from previous medical conferences were not to be disappointed - the weekend proved to be extremely stimulating, informative and entertaining. A wide range of topics was covered.

The weekend began with separate sessions for county surgeons, nursing officers and medical officers. After briefings , the delegates gathered to watch the film For All Th e Right Reasons the new St John publicity video introduced by General Leuchars as a means of telling the public 'a little bit more about who we are and what we do'. Sponsored by BP the film is available on VHS video from the Supplies Department at £12.95.

The second film to be shown Resuscitation in infants and children was made by Dr David Zideman a Consultant Anaesthetist and Secretary of the Resuscitation Council (UK), and an Assistant Surgeonin-Chief, for teaching resuscitation techniques on the young. The film is available from John Hammond at National Headquarters.

Then followed the ' ice-breaker' wine party at the Jesse Boot Conference Centre, which was for many obviously a welcome chance to renew old acquaintances from previous medical conferences.

Key phrase

Sir Douglas Black welcomed us formally to the conference on Saturday morning and introduced the forthcoming seminars, suggesting that the 'perception of risk' was to be a key phrase for the weekend.

The first session of the conference was opened by the Chief Commander. Major incidents was the overall title and the General proceeded to outline the role of the voluntary aid societies in such crises.

The role of St John Ambulance was, primarily , to support the armed forces in time of war and assist the National Health Service in peace if a major catastrophe were to overwhelm the emergency services. St John Ambulance was working with the British Red Cross Society to prepare strategies to set up and operate first aid posts and provide welfare facilities at very short notice in the event of such a disaster.

The first speaker on this topic was Mr Peter Savage , a consultant surgeon at Queen Mary 's Hospital in Sidcup, Kent. Mr Savage talked about preparation and strategy for coping with large numbers of casualties arriving at a hospital or first aid post with limited resources. He outlined the procedure of 'triage' - the sorting of casualties to ensure that the greatest good was achieved for the greatest number. He said casualties should be divided into four categories: those requiring immediate treatment, delayed treatment, minimal

148

SJA

Nottingham University, March 27/29

Medical Conference

treatment, and expectant or palliative treatment.

Mr Savage related the problems he had experienced when mounting an exercise to put a hospital casualty management plan in to action. He stressed the importance of co-operation betvveen the voluntary aid societies, but found that joint command of Red Cross and St John volunteers had not been set up during the exercise. Transportation had failed due, it was felt, to lack of communication and command and this had contributed to the ' death' of all five critical casualties. Mr Savage finally reminded the audience not to underestimate the psychological effects of disaster on those involved, if not injured; up to 80% of those involved were likely to suffer ill effects, at best needing clear guidance, at worst in a state of confusion.

Superintendent Bernard Bryan , of the Staffordshire Police , spoke on the role of the emergency services in major incidents, with particular reference to the Colwich rail disaster on Sept 19 1986, in which he was directly involved. He stressed the need for a logical approach to the incident. Various factors must be assessed init ia lly ; size of the area involved, the component parts, the number of casualties, and the existence of other potential hazards such as toxic fumes.

The incident officer (probably the first on the scene) should set up an incident post , assess the major problems and take responsibility for organising resources rather than rushing to administer aid. He should keep a log of the movem e nts of all personnel, as full records would be n eeded later for the inquiry and he should organise the equipment, transport, and rest areas and take overall command of the scene.

At the scene of a major incident the Police would have overall control, while responsibility for rescue rests with the fire service, and removal of casualties with the ambulance service. Superintendent Bryan also warned against expressing an opinion to the press as to why an incident had occurred; only the facts should be reported.

The third speaker in this section, Mi ss Anne Strickland, a senior nurse at the Trauma Unit, Westminster Hospital , spoke on the role of the professional nurse in responding to major incidents.

From her work in the accident and emergency wards of the Westminster Hospital it was clear that Miss Strickland had extensive experience in dealing with large numbers of casualties at short notice. When dealing with the results of terrorist activity, she warned of the need to be prepared for a possible secondary device designed to foil the emergency services.

He was adamant that such an accident could not happen in Britain because of the way in which our nuclear reactor s are constructed. A radically differently designed reactor is used in Britain. The Magnox and the Advanced Ga s Cooled Reactors do not possess th e inherent design faults which exist in tho se in operation in the USSR.

She emphasised the importance of co-ordination , communication, support and decision making , dealing with enquiries from the media and anxious relatives.

When notified of incoming casualties, Miss Strickland told of the need for controlled preparation and on their arrival the assessment of clinical priorities and so metimes the need to concentrate on those who can be saved. On a practical point she said that the patient 's documentation should accompany them wherever they were taken

Debriefing

Finally Miss Strickland r e minded the audience not to underestimate the effect that such incidents can have on s taff ; thorough debriefing sessions were advised.

After the coffee break Mr S Tachakra , a consultant surgeon at th e Central Middlesex Hospital, spoke about the Bhopal disaster in India which happen ed in December 19 84.

He gave a very vivid account of the effect of the escape of quantities of th e volatile chemical MIC, used mainly in the production of pesticid es, from the Union Carbide plant in central India It is estimat e d that a quarter of a million people have been affected by the gas; 2,500 died and 50,000 are permanently disabled

The fir s t escapes of the gas were noted in the early hour s of Dec 3 1984 and although many of the residents of th e city attempted to evacuate, there were many thousands of casualties, initially experiencing watering eyes and coughing, and later developing serious respiratory problems , who were treated in three main hospit a ls and man y makeshift areas.

Mr Tachakra detailed the efforts of hundred s of volunteers who risked injury themselves while working in appalling conditions to help save lives. There was a severe shortage of drugs and the problems of identification and burial of the dead had to be overcome.

Dr Cox, Chief Medical Officer of the Central Electricity Generating Board , then gave a talk entitled 'Chernobyl'. Dr Cox was at pains to put the nuclear accident at Chernobyl into perspective. He stated that 31 people died as a direct result of the accident, and a total of 1,000 people were taken to hospital suffering from radiation sickness. 45,000 people who were evacuated are likely to have an increased mortality rate of 2%. However, without wishing to minimise the effects of the disaster, Dr Cox stated that the effect of the accident at Chernobyl was less than from bomb blasts carried out by the Chinese in the 1960s.

Dr Cox reassured the audience that regular safety checks were undertaken on all UK reactors and emergency procedures were practised frequently , so that if the unthinkable did occur the effect would be minimised.

He concluded by say ing that first aid principles differ little from normal procedures in the treatm e nt of injuri es caused by radiation. Conventional treatm en t of burns was recommended in the imm ed iate a ftermath ; radiation sickness was a medium-term effect.

Aft er lunch, the seco nd sess ion , which allowed del egate participation , was 'Sk ill s in Practic e', consisti ng of four se parate demonstration

'Cas ualty Simulation was a fascinating chance to put ourselves into th e role of patient. Led by Mr R ead m an, Director of Drama for the Nottingham Education Authority , the ession a llow ed all to participate in role-play and pointed out to all o f us the value of seeing life from anot her angle.

A demonstration of changes to the reco mm ended procedure for card iopulmonary r es usc itation , recovery position, spina injuri es and fractures a nd the use of traction was given. These a mend ed procedures will be d e t ai ed in th e 5th ed ition of the First Aid Manual which will be published in July 1987.

The 23 P a r ac hu te Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps, und er the command of Lieutenant-Colonel L P. Lillywhite , energetically demonstrated th e workings of a mobile medical post and outlined th e role of th e members of the in between and dealing WIth major or minor casualties.

The third session, chaired by Dr Harry Ba)<er, was concerned with AIDS. The first speaker Mr Richard Foord, a nurse counsellor and trainer, gave a very clear account of the ways in which HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus) can be transmitted. The virus is found in body fluids can be transmitt ed through sexual lI1t erco urse, blood to blood contact (drug users' shared ne ed les, receiving infected blood products) , and from mother to baby. Nursing and medical manage ment of AIDS patients should, sai d Mr Foord, be carried out with the same pr eca utions as used for normal patients - gloves and apron should be worn when dealinG directly with body fluids , any cuts should b e covered with waterproof plasters, and needles should be disposed of promptly.

Mr Foord thought it unnecessary to Isolate patients unless they reque s ted it, and emphasised that nursing care should always be carried out with concern for the patient and respect for confidentiality.

(Co l1lin ued overleaf)

WINTER CLIFF TRAINING

REGULAR IN-SERVICE training during th e wi nter months can be uncomfortable for the full-time members of the professional St John Ambulance and R escue Service in Guernsey, for training includ es not only ambulance aid but also practise in th e variou rescue facilities offered by this n o table service

Windswept cliffs and rou gh winter seas provide t esting conditions for members of the cliff rescue team and th e crews of the inshore rescue boats, an d biting eas er ly winds see m ed to spring up to meet every regular training session.

Two joint exercises held towards the end of last winter had cliff rescue team m e mb e rs abse iling down cliffs with a Bell mountain rescue st r etc h er which was th en transferred to an inshore rescue boat. Th e inflatable craft had to manoeu vr e into narrow gulleys, with rocks just beneath the surf. and then edge close enough for the stretcher to be transferred fro m the rock-strewn beach by the cliff team.

The opportunity was used to put a n ew ly-commi ss ioned in shore boat

through its paces, and to test stowage of the stretcher in various positions en route round the coast and back to harbour. The only complaints heard were from the cliff rescue team who , having rescaled the cliff to retrieve their equipment. arrived back at the ambulance station to find the marine crews had emptied the kettle Both teams are operated by qualified professional ambulancemen from the St J ohn Ambulance and Rescue Service in Guernsey. which also operates a marine ambulance launch , recompression centre and lighting team in addition to the road ambulance ervice. The winter usually provides a quieter time for training in ambulance and re s cue work but this year started ominous l v the inshore rescue boats \-vere called out on Jan 2 and on Jan 3. and by the end of March the cliff rescue team had performed their first rescue of the year.

N e il Tucker PRO

(Above An SJA Guernsey inflatable enters the cove, while (below ) two members, with the d i smantled stretcher on their backs start to abseil down the cliff.

(Photo Guernsey Press)

Mr Peter Randall , founder and a director of Body Positive , a national charity promoting self-help to those with HIV , spoke about the need for the public to understand the problems facing AIDS sufferers. People with HIV positive often carry the virus for years before developing symptoms associated with AIDS, and the psychological consequences of not knowing if or when they were to become seriously ill were often severe.

The fourth session consisted of video presMtations by Dr and Mrs Lund a nd Dr A. Handley. Delegates were required to 'exa mine' candidates in the Caring for the Sick tests - an individual adult nursing test in the form of a competition, and part of a level 2 Caring for the Sick examination. As 'independent assessors', we were required to mark the te s ts to discover the degree of uniformit y!

Saturday night conference entertainment included a sherry reception followed b y dinner and a dance at which everyone seemed to have a good time.

Following divine service on Sunday morning , Dr Brian Lewis Commander for Kent , began the final session, which was chaired b y Mrs Radwanski , with a talk on resuscitation over the last hundred yea rs.

NURSING

MUCH WAS HAPPENING both in nursing and in St John before the formation of the Brigade in 1887. It is m y aim to put the early days of nursing in St John Ambulance into the wider nursing context.

The hi s tory of the development of nursing is not by any mean s a s mooth progression from the rough Sarah Gamp to the Hygienic Angel of Mercy that many histories of nursing written prior to the 1970s would have us believe. So excellent has been the pUblicity , with its source primarily the matrons of the London and provincial teaching hospitals that t he public in general and many nurses believe that Florence Nightingale alone inspired the prog ress of nursing from extreme degradation to the light of shining dedication. Nurses themselves have needed that belief - in the midst of appallingly low wages, loftg hours poor working conditions and arduous discipline - to keep them in the system. Florence Nightingale became a cult figure idealised by national and world opinion ; she did much for nun;ing but there were others with different and equally valid points of view.

There was much disagreement; between those who were for and against the establishment of a national register of nurses; between those who stressed the importance of nursing as a role for a band of professional women serving a lifetime of dedicated service; and those who saw the value of teaching nursing skills to a wide range of women and men who would remain amateurs but who would use those

He spoke amusingly about the m.any different methods of resuscitation which have been employed in the cause of lifesaving in the past - with varying degrees of sucG:ess'

The second talk was by Miss F. Storr on 'One hundred years of nursing in the Brigade '. Miss Storr spoke about professional and voluntary nursing over the past hundred years and the long-standing relationship between the two categories, as they served the public s ide by side.

Dr Hugh L'Etang gave the last lecture of the conference on 'Political Illness', a subject of some wntroversy and evidently surrounded by secrecy and disinformation.

He gave us a fascinating insight into the possible consequences of illness of key politicians. Pointing to several examples of past politicians, who ,""ere significantly under medication or suffering from severe illnesses , while still in office with considerable power, Dr L Etang gave us much to think about with an election looming.

The Chairman, Sir Douglas Black, brought the conference to a close, thanking all those invo lve d , both organisers and speakers, in making the weekend such an unq ualified success.

Miss Storr's talk about the early links between SJA and general nursing

skills on behalf of their neighbours in need.

The hospita l trained versus the VAD.

Finally between those who were co nvinced that nursing was a task for the working class and those who saw it as a role for ladies wishing to serve society.

St John Ambulance found itse lf in the midst of these disagreements that affected the development of nursing but it has done much to foster public admiration and respect.

In the 1840s, Elizabeth Fry was instrumental in establishing a training for nur ses in London but its links with an Anglican religious order meant that it was not acceptable as a n a tional patt ern It was not until 1860 that Florence Nightingale used the money given to her by a grateful nation after the Crimean War to demonstrate her commitment to the need for nurses to be properly trained. She established a training school that was to provide a concept of training and a source of trained nurses who were prepared to go out to work in other ho s pitals and established training schools.

By 1887 many hospitals had begun a training programme and most rapidly recognised the value of the probationer as a cheap form of labour. This was necessary as the changes in both medicine and in society made the traditi onal methods of care of the sick unacceptable.

Hospit a ls in the early part of the nineteenth century had staffed their wards with a single nurse who lived in a room just off each ward and whose prime role was custodia!. The degree of cleanliness of a patient

was not considered critical to their recovery. There were a few treatments such as the application of poultices and leeches carried out by nurses and the doctor or his apothecary administered what medicines there were.

During the century a revolution occurred in medical care. The discovery of anaesthetics allowed much more surgical intervention. The recognition of the principles of asepsis offered greater hope of recovery from that surgery. A rapid growth in the understanding of the causes of disease and the drugs that would alleviate symptoms if not yet cure them were advances that meant change fo r nurses as well as doctors.

Alongside this was the rapidly changing role of women in society and in the Victorian ideas of social class and of propriety, in particular what a lady could or could not do. How could a lady remain a lady if contaminated by the horrors of sickness and i njury ? Yet there were many upper middle class ladies with time on their hands who were anxious to serve and to escape from the restrictive confines of their homes. Yet in order to protect them from the coarseness and ind ecency of contact with disease th ey were requir ed to liv e in nurses' homes obey strict rul es of behaviour and etiquette, and wear a uni form, the original aim of which was to render them a nonymou s. It is interesting how gradually uniform became a s tatus symbol. The fri.lls, th e badg es and th e insignia in cre ased and nowhere more so than lat e r in the St John Ambulance Bri ga de. There were many women who had tim e and opportunity to care for others, but not the inclination or freedom from family ties to make a commitment to a life of such seclusion. Non-professionals were asking for instruction in the new ways of caring for the s ick. Mrs Beeton 's first ed ition of Good Housek ee ping in 1861 contained a sec tion on s ick room nursing

At this point St John Ambulance begin s its work.

The Order of St John was closely involved in the establishment of the R ed

The author

Miss Fannie Storr, SRN, SCN, RNT, has three consuming interests: nurse education, career and history. She is a Director of Nursing Education, watching carefully the changes being put forward by the U.K.C.c, in project 2000, which aims to prepare the profession to progress into the next century.

She ran a clinic for deprived children in South Korea, a country devastated by war for almost 10 years and she retains a deep love and respect for that country.

She is a nurse historian currently studying the roll of the nursing society, in particular in Gloucester over the last 200 years, using the wealth of hospital and other records that city possesses.

She is a member of the Royal College of Nursing Group.

Cross, founded to aid the sick and wounded soldiers in the field in 1864. The British National Society for Aid to Sick and Wounded was founded in 1870 and was composed largely of members of the Order.

By 1872 the first moves to establish ambulance training for laymen were made and in June 1873 the first attempts of th e Order to establish an interest in nursing were made , thanks primarily to the efforts of Lady Emily Strangford, who had become a Dame Chevaliere of th e Order in the same year.

Lady Strangford believed strongly in the value of short courses in nursing that would enable the non -profess ional to give care to the sick. While Florence Nightingale concentrated on the preparation of the d e dicated profe ss ional in both civilian hospitals and in the armed forces, with the stress on the vocational aspects, St John under Lady Strangford was to id entify and develop the import a nc e of the volunteer.

In order to develop the concept of voluntary aid St John Ambulance Association was inaugurated b y the Order of St John in 1877 Within s ix months the Association registered tw elve centres with more than a thousand men and women as students.

Two years later the first syllabus of in st ruction was issued and it i ncluded five lec ture s for men and women on first aid and a sixth, for females only , which dealt with sick room nursing.

In 18 80 the Association created a separate syllabus for home nursin g to be followed by those women who had already completed the first aid course. Thus the importance of nur si ng was already established in St John Ambulance before the Brigade was formed in 1887.

Lady Strangford died in March of that yea r and her service to St J ohn m erited a lengthy obituary in The Times, which is a tribute that eve n to d ay is paid to very few women. It is strange that Lady Strangford's name and that of Mrs Bedford Fenwick, who opposed Florence Nightingale on th e matter of registration for nurses, disappeared almost completely from traditional historie s of nursing and from the folk memory of both the nation and the profession, yet both played a crucial part in establishing permanent and vital developments in nursing during the early years. The role of the St John Ambulance Brigade in creating a public awa rene ss of the value of good nursin g care has b een outstanding.

Nursing Guilds of the Association were founded across the country, starting in Oldham in 1885; Leicester, Richmond in Surrey and Ravensthorpe in Yorkshire in 1886; and South Shields and Oxford in 1889. In 1890 the first Nursing Division of the Brigade was established from the London Children's Home-Nursing Guild. The members did duty among the sick poor in Bethnal Green and in their first year made over 500 visits to the homes of the poor.

Prior to that, in 1884 an eight-week residential course in practical instruction in Con.tinued on p. 160

NURSING Member Alice O'Rourke, of Leics' Barwell & Earl Shilton Division , had the biggest surprise of h er life on her 70th birthday She had agreed to meet SJ A officer Jeanne Ward, ' to be presented with a donation for the Division , but on arrival at th e local Constitutional Club she was met by CSO Ron Betts who, holding a larg e album, greeted her with: 'A lic e O'Rourke This Is Your Life' , and suddenly the whole Divi sio n appeared.

After thi s s hock, Al ice was escorted to the seat of honour and a birthday party with 150 guests began (secretly arranged by Duty Officer Jeanne Ward and Officer-in-Charg e Linda Coyle. Alice's sisters Lynne and Margaret were also in on the conspiracy).

The role of host compere was ski lfull y and humorou sly carried out by CSO Ron Betts, as he took Alice back to 1940, when she was evacuated to Earl Shilton fro m London. In 1942 she

with regular evening duties over many years a t Sunnyside Hospital, Hinckley. On September 30 1981, Alice was inve sted as a Serving Sister of the Ord er, which was the result of research carried out by member Colin Faulks, a cadet of earlier years. Alice helped with cadets for many years and in 1982 was approached by Cadet Superintendent Sylvia Ellar about an Alice O Rourke Trophy , to be awarded annually to the mo st promising nursing cadet. The first to receive the award was Lynne Vernon , now an adult member. Alice was frequently asked to become an officer, but she declined as she felt she did not want more responsibility. She enjoys being a nursing member and also participating in social events. She helps with fund-raising and each year her speciality is providing a doll, which she dresses beautifully in a knitted outfit and people are asked to guess the name or birth date.

Alice - this is your life!

became a nursing member of the Earl Shilton Di v ision and also joined the Civil Defence, where she was taught to drive an a mbulanc e by the Police. Also, one of her duties was with the County Ambulance Service, and now she was re-united with friends and colleagues from those three organisations. These old associates were traced by Officer Jeanne Ward, h e lp ed by PRO Betty Hague. An ex-motor-cyclist (Mr R. Cheaney) recalled when Alice used to bandage his hands at the Mallory Park Race Track over thirty years ago! Also

Mick Marden (now Western Area Commissioner) recalled how a a cadet he was reprimanded by Alice for asking injured international racing s tar Bob McIntyre for his n ame; Alice thought he should know it.

In 1957 Alice received her fifteen years' service medal, therea fte r one bar every five years - which were replaced by two Gilts in 1982 after 40 years' service. She has seen many changes, one being the merging of Barwell and Earl Shilton divisions in 1978. She has carried out numerous duties at local events, outings and the a tres , together

She had planned to retire on her birthday this year. but has been permitted to stay on, because she is extremely fit (with doctor's certificates to prove it). She has a great sense of humour and is well respected by all members , who frequently call on her knowledge and experience.

After all the reunions, the party got into full swing, with refreshmen ts provided by cadets and parents , together with a birthday cake from Cadet Superintendent Sylvia EllaT. At the end of the evening, Alice (centre in photo above) received a bouquet from the County Ambulance members and gifts, including an enlarged and framed picture of h er investiture and her certificate (the originals secretly supplied by her sisters). Finally, Ron Betts presented her with the THIS IS YOUR LIFE' album.

Everyone agreed that all th e hard work had been well worthwhile just to see the look on Alice s face throughout the even in g. Guests said it had been one of the most enjoyab le evenings they had ever had But th e most rewarding comments were from Alice herself, who said it had been one of the 'happiest events of h er life '.

SJA FILM IN LIBRARIES

National

(Es sex) Divi s ion took up the hot tip of Huddersfi e ld Division ' s 1987 M a lta Marathon (Dec '86 Review) and raised £160. And yet some divisions claim they can t afford £11 a ye ar

BY THE EDITOR

for the Review. Just one idea from the magazine has produced 15 times the annual subscription for Corrington. Enterprise that's what is needed .

BEACHY HEAD

East Sussex Willingdon Division , who recently bought an ambulance received some useful fund s from a local 50-hour CB marathon. With three operators working in relay , the club Open Arms Charity got sponsorship for each call they made on their CB sets and to ensure that as wide an area as possible was covered the two-day event took place on a cold and windy site on Beachy Head , where Willingdon s ambulance and the county publicity van was parked to give support (See photo p. 154 .)

WETHERBY GALA

We hear that SJA Wetherby is holding a sponsored centenary swimming gala on July 4 at the town s High School from 10 am to 5 pm, but starting with a procession through the town to the school. Divisions in South York s and Leeds Metropolitan Area are welcome to enter the gala and of course raise their own funds. Wetherby member P. J. Greenhill is the organiser of the gala

YOUR HEART

During April Norman Fowler , Secretary of State for Social Services launched the Look After Your Heart campaign to be run jointly with the Health Education Authority

SHOWBIZ V SJA

C-in-C visited Hamp s h ire recently. (Left) he called on a group of cadets on a local Enterprise weekend camp - and stayed for lunch and later (above) opened the new headquarters of Hedge End Division, Southampton Also in the photo are Hampshire's chairman of Council, CommanCier E. A. Morrison RN and Hedge End DIS Maureen Dymond

DEVON REVIEW

SJA Devon's centenary review at HMS Devonport Plymouth, on May 3 mustered 700 officers and

and

officers from St

Mr Fowler said: 'Hea rt disease kills about 150,000 people in England every year. This is 30 times the number who die as a result of road traffic accidents. To put it another way one person dies from heart disease every three and a half minutes.

'T his " epidemic" costs us dear. Heart disease brings much misery and human suffering. In addition, industry loses millions of working days every year because of it.

'The time has come for us to mount a concerted attack on heart disease , and that is what the campaign we are launching today is all about. It is also why the Government has agreed to provide £1.5 million for the campaign this year. That is an extra £1 million over already announced plans. With £1 million coming from the Health Education Authority , this means over £2.5 million for the coming year. The British Heart Foundation has already agreed to spend £20,000.

'A variety of factors can contribute to the disease in different individuals , but there is general ag reement that the main ones include: - smoking; - an unbalanced diet ;

Peter 's Squar e n 1983. - lack of exercise - high blood pressure and - 's tress' in its various forms.

'Anyone of these carries its own dangers. Any combination increases the risk dramatically.

These factors are all linked directly to the way we live. It follows, therefore that we can all do a great deal to help ourselves. The problem is that people often think you have to give up all the good things of life in order to be healthy. Nothing could b e further from the truth.

'Each person has a clear responsibility towards his or her own health. This was the

view of virtually everyone approached as part of a survey carried out during th e planning of the campaign. We see our role as telling pe op e th e facts so that individuals can take the action necessary to safeguard their health and that of their family. The s urve y showed s trong support for this , too.

Th e "Look After Your Heart " campaign takes a big step forward by advising people directly about the main risk s of heart disease. We do not see this campaign as a flash in the pan , though. We see it as the start of a s us tain

NEW POSTER

IF THEY WEREN'T HERE TODAY WHO WOULD CARE?

Cambs county competition winners who received trophies from the C-in-C (centre ). 1st, team trophy to Cambridge Eastern Gas Ouad Div (Dave Bone , Phillip Smiley, and (reserve) Sally Ann Stephen): 1st nursing team to Grays (Essex) Nursing Div (Mrs Vandershane and Mrs Has er).

Many senior SJA officers and friends at the memorial se rvice at Clacton, Essex on May 9 for Mrs Mary Seymour ASO Training, Eastern Area, Essex who was a sen or member of the SJA team on duty n St

Four

Helens, Merseyside, went to their twin town in Germany Stuttgart, during April to the city's 25 years celebration of St John (Johanniter- UnfallHilfe) A group of members also came from Trieste another of Stuttgart's twin towns

If you have any queries or further thoughts on the Review's

Block Buster, ring compiler Vic Helmore on 02572 64454 or write 114 Greenside, Euxton, Chorley, Lanes PR7 GAP.

F p A 0 D C R K T S M I E N H J B V L U W Y G

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lanes) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions. 153 schools in Lancashire have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

THREE

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

A turned out foot and shortened limb might indicate this is R. broken J.

A sufferer from this has sweet smelling breath. B.

Causes deterioration in the body's vital functions. V.

The medical name for the lower jaw bone. O.

When bleeding is said to be concealed or revealed K.

The result of a fractured spine L.

Caused by involuntary contraction of a muscle. U.

Embedded foreign bodies should never be removed from this W. by first-aiders. T.

Entering the blood stream it causes the bends. Y.

A bone in the arm and it is funny.

The medical term for the upper chambers of the heart. G.

Valves in veins and heart are NOT this.

Where two or more bones come together

There are roughly 10 pints or six litres circulating in the body.

They lack muscle and elasticity.

The air we breathe in contains roughly 20% of this.

Joints in the fingers are known as.

Reaches from the knee to the ankle

The cord joining mother and baby at birth.

Cells responsible for removing ha rmful bodies.

An easily improvised bandage.

When deteriorating into deep shock, the breathing changes from deep sighing to this.

A wound with a small hole of entry but larger exit.

of

OXON

(Right) Running in the London Marathon for Bicester Cadets, Gary Robinson of Aylesbury finished the 26-mile course in just over four hours raising £200 for the Division.

(R i ght) Nursing cadets of Hereford's Holy Tr i nity Division helping arthritic sufferers into church for a service during Arthritis Care Week.

(Above) Fiona Cowie (with parents). 17 , the first to gain the Grand Prior award at North Worle Combined Cadet Division which was formed in 1981, receives the award from Lady Willis, county president. (Photo: Western Mercury).

(Below) Five Bishopston cadets received their Grand Prior awards from Lady Willis: (L to R) Sean Dillion , 15; Andrew Sutton 16; Charles W ghtman, 16 Colin Domaille, 16; and Stephen Delve 18 (now adults). (Photo: Myra Meredith)

INVESTITURE

Nursing (cont.)

District Nursing had been established in St John's House, Worcester. By 1900, arrangements were made for working class women aged 22 to 45, who already held the first aid and nursing certificates , to be trained in cottage and maternity nursing through sessions of voluntary service in hospitals .

Midwives

This did not conflict with the workings of the Midwives Act of 1902 which recognised and established the statutory training and qualification of midwives for the first time There was a clearly defined difference between the midwife and the maternity or monthly nurse. At that time 'confinement' meant exactly that , confinement for at least four weeks and maternity nurses were required to assist in the care of the mother and baby during this period when she was supposed to do very little for herself. The midwife's skills were comparatively expensive and could not be afforded for more than the delivery and one or two post-natal visits.

In 1903 a nursing course for men was established using exactly the same syllabus as that for women though nursing lectures had been given to men since 1894.

The role of the nurse within the organisation was developing and the nursing divisions had become the responsibility of nursing officers. In 1911, the first Lady Superintendent-in-Chief of the Nursing Corps was appointed. Lady Perrott was to lead the nurses of the Brigade through the First World War when many who held the nursing certificate were to join the Voluntary Aid Detachment, created to supplement the armed forces medical services and whose members became known as VADs. They served with bravery and distinction both at home and in the front line hospitals in France and elsewhere.

In 1911 a Brigade order was issued that 'Trained and Certificated Nurses' might be enrolled as members of the Brigade provided they held the first aid certificate of the Association, though by 1914 this proviso was withdrawn. This was the beginning of the long and fruitful association of the professional and the amateur within the membership of the Brigade.

Who, in 1911 , were these 'Trained and Certificated Nurses '? They were nurses who had worked as probationers in a hospital for anything from one to three years They could have received a carefully planned training with lectures from matron and the doctors, or a hotchpotch of experience with a minimum of lectures and study. At the end of the specified period each would receive a certificate from the hospital and it offered no information as to the quality of the training received . The trained and certificated nurse had such a varied background and the dangers of this had been recognised as far back as 1889. Mrs Bedford Fenwick had led a campaign to establish a recognised standard by means of a register. Each year, from 1907 to 1914, a private members bill to establish a register was introduced to parliament but failed. Many doctors opposed the move

160

though others saw the value, but in 1910 the greatest opponent of a national register and examinations for nurses died. Florence

Nightingale was convinced that the vocational aspect of nursing would be lost , but the sheer weight of the problem of the extreme variation in the quality of nursing skills being offered by the so-called trained hospital nurses began to tell. Then the war intervened and both trained nurse and V AD were called upon almost indescriminately to cope with the volume of sick and injured flowing from the front during the four years of the First World War. Nine thousand members of the Brigade served in a variety of capacities during the war.

The four years of war saw a great change in the position of women, at work , in society and politically. They were called upon to work in every sphere and after 1918, when they were given the vote, the predominantly female profession of nursing was given statutory recognition in the 1919 Nurses' Registration Act. Mrs Bedford Fenwick became S R.N.1 , but the Act was not an end but a new beginning. Until a system of examinations could be set up , registration was to be offered to those already practising nursing who could provide evidence of three years general training or of one year's training and two years' service before November 1919

Many nurses feared the invasion of the profession by all and sundry, not least the wartime V ADs As a result the final implementation of the Act became a struggle between the factions and the Minister of Health had to intervene to prevent the new register of nurses becoming the province of an elite few.

The register was in five parts, a general part and four supplementary parts containing the names of male nurses nurses caring for persons suffering from mental diseases , sick children and fevers. Male nurses remained on a separate register until the passing of the 1949 Nurses Act.

In spite of the unemployment of the post-war years nursing failed to attract enough recruits and by 1930 the shortage was becoming so acute that the Lancet appointed a commission to inquire into the reasons for the shortage of candidates , trained and untrained, for nursing the sick in general and special hospitals throughout the country and to offer suggestions for making the service more attractive to women suitable for this necessary work'.

Out of the twelve members of the commission, two were nurses, both matrons. Among its many findings the report identified poor pay and prospects, long hours of work, the rigid conditions and discipline of institutional life and the extreme lack of social life.

Efforts were made by many hospitals to improve the conditions of work and nurses salaries but this was a time of economic crisis for the voluntary hospitals, which were primarily dependent on charity to provide for a rapidly escalating medical service. The first proposals that the State should take over the medical services were beginning to gain ground.

In the meantime, the nursing divisions of the Brigade were flourishing and by 1931 there were 579 of them with a membership of thirteen thousand. Many were helping to alleviate the shortage of nurses by undertaking hospital duties and visiting the sick in their homes. Towards the end of 1938 the growing fear of impending war resulted in the Government setting up a Central Emergency Committee for the Nursing Profession to ascertain the nurse power of the country and, through the Order of St John and the British Red Cross Society , to compile a register of nursing auxiliaries who were prepared to offer their services in an emergency.

In 1939 the committee, with the BRCS and the St JAB , asked the General Nursing Council to consider the position of V ADs and Civil Nursing Auxiliaries who wished to train as nurses , but the G.N.C. were adamant that there should be no reduction in training.

Interim report

However , in 1937 the Government had set up an Interdepartmental Committee on Nursing Servic es to enquire into th e recruitment , training registration and terms and conditions of service of person s engaged in nur sing the sick. The committee could only produce an interim report before the war and that recommended that a grade of nurse known as the assistant nurse should be given a recognised status and placed on a roll supervised by the G.N.C. The war resulted in other priorities being dealt with first but the problem was exacerbated by large numbers . of auxiliary nurses being called upon to work in many hospitals and in 1943 the Nurses Act was passed which brought into being the State Enrolled Assistant Nurse , the SEAN. Existing assistant nurses were to be admitted to the roll On producing evidence to the satisfaction of the G. N .C. that they are persons of good character and have such knowledge and experience of nursing as to justify their enrolment'. Many nurses of St John Ambulance must have taken advantage of the Act. Mrs Bedford Fenwick , now in her eighties, was so convinced that this was a retrograde step for nurses she lobbied Parliament incessantly before the Act was finally passed The U.K.c.c. Project 2000 proposals which advocate the return to a single grade of qualified nurse may well be proving her right. A further concession was won at the end of the war when much discussion took place between the G.N.C. and St John Ambulance and other voluntary agencies whose members had undertaken considerable nursing work during the war. It was decided that auxiliaries who had not less than two years' experience of nursing the sick in hospital under the supervision of trained nurses could, if recommended by the matron, receive six months reduction in training for registration After the war came the 1946 National Health Service Act, which brought about the formation of the NHS in 1948 It took some time for the St John Ambulance Brigade to develop its role with the new service, but it was not long before some

NHS hospitals were seeking help from volunteers to cope with the still recurring shortage of nurses. Steadily , new link s replaced the old, meeting changing needs but maintaining the same tru s t and confidence

Qualified nurses giving of their time and energies in the training of St John Ambulance perso nnel , judging competitions of th e nursing divisions , and St John

TRAINING

Ambulance volunteers ready to help out with both skill and generosity when called upon. The Cadets, first started as Juvenile Groups in 1903 and now a vital part of the Brigad e, are also a valued so urce of recruits into the nursing profe ssion. A long s tanding and continuing relationship between th e professional and the amateur, ba se d on trust and r espec t , which s till

Mr P. Horah (March R ev iew) ha s the right ideas about training and suggest that tho se d ea ling with Brigade training summon him to HQ to find out about his other id eas. He suggests a fl exi bl e approach to training and perhaps long-term assessme nt. This ha s been done with ofDcer and camp warrant training which can be done over a long or short term , at th e discretion of th e candidate or sen ior officer, and it is a lo t bet te r than bavin g to say a candidate has to do it over a giv e n period. Why is this not done for in s tructor training? We see m to give all a tt e ntion t o up gr ad in g the few instructors we h ave and giving very little thought to those who hav e neve r had any trai nin g in in str uct ion yet eve r y week h ave a go at divisional level, b ecause that 's the best they hav e. As Mr Horah says , many me mb ers want to update their prowess as demonstrators or instructors yet cannot attend a 4-day course. A lo t of budding instructors a r e ba rred from the ultim a t e award b y inflexible methods. We are told that the Health and Safety Act is a t the back of the present rulings.

Surr ey 1. E. Smith

NO BADGERS HERE

Mrs M. Smailes,

Divisional Superintendent

In Folkestone there ha s been a very successful junior section runnin g for over 33 years without a break , always numbering between 12 and 18 m embers. They have a lw ays met separa tel y from th e cadets but have th e occasiona l inter-section and divisional function and a lw ays a joint Chr ist m as party. They have always taken part e nthusiastically in all events organised by the area for juniors. The programme they follow is virtually the same as the package now brought out for the badgers. They have badges and certificates and reco rd cards and wall charts. They go on outings, hav e parties , craft eve nin gs, spo nso red knit-ins a nd spo nso red sile nce for fund-raising, competitions, etc

At present as far as I know there is no one willing or able to start a badg e r set in Folkestone. We have been told that we are not to take in any more juniors How can we tell a parent we are unable to ta ke a yo ung st er when there is nowhere e se for h er to go? It is eve n more difficult when an older sister is already a junior o r has bee n a junior. The majority of our cadets come from our juniors. Agreed, if ther e was a badger set they might come from that , but as yet that has not be en prov ed Our record of over 33 years has be e n proved

SUPPLIES UPDATE

AS A RESULT of the changes announced in the Budg e t , we as k ed

HM Customs & Excise to clarify the Chancellor's budget s tatement.

As we mentioned last month , VAT relief can now be claimed on radios channelled on the SJ A frequency. HM Customs & Excise have now confirmed that servicing of radios and spare parts (solely for radios on the St John frequencies) , are also e ligible for relief.

Radio pagers, training models (eg, Resusci-Annes) and mobile first aid units are not eligible for relief. Mobile units may qualify for relief if they are able to satisfy the requirements of an ambulance.

This would only apply to motorised unit s which could comply with the definition of an ambulance (see Brigade Orders May 1983)

serves th e public in the 1980s when the need arises. References

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

Has bureaucracy gone mad. How can we turn away our cadets and adu lt s of the future? As I see it , there is a need for us to be allowed to continue to take in juniors where a badger set doesn't exist.

National HQ Badger Leader Jennie Eaves writes: It is very encouraging to hear of your successful Junior Section which yo u have been running for 33 years. The key to St John Badgers is flexibility. There is no reason at all why you sho uld wait for someone else to start a Badger Set in Folk estone The person who is currently looking after your Juniors can quite easily register as a Badger Leader so that you can increas e your recruitment immediately.

Your County Badg er Leader will show your youngsters and th eir parents the range of Badger m ater ials and your curr ent Junior Leader th e 'Badger L eader's Guide to Absolutely Everything . Your current Juniors th en have th e cho ice of remaining Juniors until their 10th birthday or becoming St John Badg e rs. Your County Badger Leader will also help yo u with the indi vid ual counselling to decide for which of the Badger award your youngsters hav e a lr eady qualified.

I look forward to registering the Folkestone Badger Set very soon.

More VAT relief confirmed .

We shall be presenting a submission for future legislation contesting that such items should be included.

All account holders will hav e received a mailing together with order forms to order the n e'vv edi tions of The First Aid Manual and First Aid at Work Course Book Stocks of both books reach u this month and despatche s will take place in rotation. Order now for ea rly receipt. We 've just relea ed a new Centenary Gift Ca t alogue and members at the GJ·eat Part y will hav e seen them. If you would like a copy, ring Salesline on 01-251 0004. Our next Slippli es e li's wi ll appear in the September R e view together with a leaflet hawing the Christmas range for this year.

story of the General

Council.

from Mr J. E. Smith

Editor.

Folkestone Marion Smailes

First action

HEAD AND SPINAL injuries share the feature of being thought of as highly specialised to the extent that the basic rules become obscured. This must not happen and the same sequence of analysis and action must be undertaken as with any other injury

1. Consider safety.

2 Consider need for resuscitation.

3 Think SCI.

4 Control the head and neck.

5 Position to protect : Airway Breathing , Circulation , Unconsciousness.

6. Get organised.

7. Recruit help:

Brief/train the helpers you may need BEFORE the need/emergency occurs

Head and neck control

In cervical injuries it is essential that movement of the head and neck is controlled as soon as possible.

It should be applied without positive traction. Your hands should just engage the head or base of the skull without exerting a positive traction force. There are two forGes which may give problems: one is a sudden change in force applied, which is wh y a cervical collar is useful as a long stop in case you fall over during extr ication/transport. The other is the low force long pull ', which may either reproduce the injur y (as without careful study of the X-rays it is impossible to speculate on the forces which did the damage - and you may not be able to even with them!) or especially in the high injuries , you may even produce overseparation of the bones and stretch the cord

Cervical collars have their place but the attendent must appreciate that it is his hands which will insulate the head and neck against movement during extrication and transport - and not any collar applied.

The changes in forces as the casualty passes over bumps in the terrain and round corners and bends can only be protected against by a dynamic absorbent system. Apart from spring loaded skull traction (used when the casualt y is moved from hospital to SCI centre) the only system available is the attendant's hands. Therefore:

1. Steady and support the head. NO TRACTION

2 Once applied , stay on until handover.

3. Cervical collars are an extra: NOT a substitute

4 Position may vary on hair length/ grease, etc.

5. Keep it on in transport.

The First Aid Managel11ent of Spinal Cord Injury

PART THREE (FINAL)

by J. HARRY BAKER1 and JAMES W. LITTLE2

6. Do not give up because: a collar has been applied and the case is on a stretcher in the ambulance.

Clearly there are times (eg , when the casualty is being winched into a helicopter) when one has to rely on adjuncts alonethis is common sense!

Holding the head and neck

This may vary with hair length , greasiness , access etc, but the following is the easiest way. You should aim to be above or behind the patient so that the fingers point south '; it is much more difficult to hold a head still with the fingers pointing north and your own wrists in dorsiflexion. There are two basic positions:

On front/side:

1 Thumbs on the prominence of the cheekbone

2 Fingers on vertical part of the lower jaw. (ie the part without teeth , which articulate s with the skull).

On back:

1. Thumbs on vertical part of the lower jaw.

2. Fingers curled round the base of the skull.

It is easy to slide from one to the other. A relieves B by approaching from behind and placing his hands over B s and taking control before B releases Try to gain access to a sitting casualty from the rear.

Log roll

This will need to be done before the casualty is definitively transported - unless the casualty is unconscious or having difficulty with airway control. It is one thing to control events and move a casualty only when he starts underventilating while he is on the ground - it is another thing to do this in the back of a moving ambulance with only one other to help!

If left prone for more than 20 to 30 minutes, the risks of underventilation escalate Also the head is nearly always

1. Consultant in Spina l Injuries, Welsh Spinal Injuries Centre, Rookwood Hospital, Cardiff CFS 2YN. Asst Surgeon in Chief, St John Ambulance. 2 Area Staff North Tyneside Area, St John Ambulance, Northumbria; St John Headquarters, Lesbury Avenue, Shiremoor, Newcastle upon Tyne Correspondence and requests for reprints to HB.

PREVENTION IS BETTE R: 3. BRIEF A T E AM IN ADV

Use of the stable side/recovery position Thi

twisted to one side. The mechanical ri s k is small but the effects on cord blood flow as at least one vertebral artery (which nourishes th e cord) i s kinked are considerable

The techn que is as follows

1. Gain can trol of the head.

2 Organise three people down one side , two down the other side

3. Straighten the leg s and arm s to the side.

4 The thr e e pla c e their arm s to th e far s id e and roll to them.

5. The two roll by lifting up.

6 Only move on command of h e ad holder.

7. Roll lik e a log to the vertic a l.

8. Head , if turn ed to s id e, will rot a t e to neutral ; let i t - but do no t force if lock e d.

9 H e ad must st ay in n e utral from then on.

10. From the vertical , both s id es wo r k to a llow smooth d esc en on to back

11 Head holder s lide s h a nd s to supine po s ition.

Clearing vomit

One can encounter patient s who whil e conscious , may not be able to easil y cl ea r vomit from the r mouths and s tart t o roll about cough , s plutter , etc. Suction ma y a ssist (but beware of cardiac a rr e st). If you do not have suction and you h a ve pe o ple who can assist , the followin g t e chniqu e s valuable It should be performed ( wh e r e possible) in preferenc e to twi s ting th e h ea d to one s ide Th i s is be c ause not onl y of th e mechanical force s but becau s e the mov ement will obstruct the vert e bral arteries and reduce cord blood flow (see abov e)

1. Use a reverse of the log roll to the vertical.

2. Keep head in neutral - the object is to avoid twisting the neck

3 Team holds there while assi s tant nearest the head sweeps the mouth

4. Beware of cardiac arrest.

Emergency log roll/turn

Clearly an emergency may arise such as the sudden onset of vomiting just as you arrive on the scene. Do not be ' fazed by the small print' - return to basic principles

1 Do the best you can with whoever you have.

2. The emergency takes priority.

s up er vi se a m a nu a l lift. Th e ec hniqu e

d esc rib e d is la b o ur int e n s ive bu t o n e is de a lin g with untr a in e d ass is t a nc e a nd fi ve p eo pl e is th e ideal. Y o u ma y h ave t o do it with less; but w hil e thr ee ass ista nt s a r e u s u a l in a s pinal unit th ey a r e tr a in e d

With untr a in ed folk , th e ri sks in cr ease as less p e opl e a r e u se d

1. M o r e than o n e t ra n sf er s o n ly indic a ed if:

a. Th e a mbul a n ce s tretc h er ca nno t co m e t o s ite

b D a n ge r di c t a tes eme r ge n cy m o ve m e nt.

2. M a nu a l te chn qu es a r e u sed for th e s al e tr a nsfer:

a l di s put e m ay h ave n o ed co rr es pond e nc e on wh a co n s titut es thi s p os ition! Th e a uthor s use th e e rm s int e r c h a n -

gea bl y ( wh a t is in a n a m e') ) to m ea n , lik e

Humpt y Dumpt y 'exac tl y wh a th ey m ea n b y it ; n o mo re a nd n o less !

1. Th e r e is n o thin g m ag c a b o ut thi s p o io n 2 Th e SSP /RP s a n a nti -vo mitin g d ev ice.

3. It mu s t b e thr ee p o in t s t ab le.

4 Th e b a ck mu st b e s tr a ig ht.

5. At leas t o n e h e m id a ph ragrn mu st b e un s plint ed.

6. T hi s m ea ns th e tor s o is a t a n a n g le of 70/80 degrees t o t h e h o ri zo nt a l. A t ru e la t era l is un stab le. M o r e t h a n 70 or 80 d eg r ees s p lint s b o th di a phr ag m s.

Placing in stable side/recovery position

In a n eme r ge n cy, d o it yo urse lf - t h e r e are tw o di ffe r e n ces:

a. D o n o t ro t a e t h e h ea d ; steady

an d s u p p o rt it o nl y

b G et as cl ose to h e tor so - n o t 9 in c h es away. R o ll on t o yo ur thi g h s a nd b r in g leg up to 90 d eg r ees.

And o f co ur se, th e r eaf e r yo u a r e go in g to hold th e h ea d!

W ith h e lp:

L og r o ll t o th e tru e la e r a l. Th e h ea d will b e in n e u tr al (y ou a r e h o ldin g on to it ).

H e lp e r s th e n brin g th e upp e r l eg to 90 de g r ees Th e n th e r e m a inin g a rms

a nd le g a r e p os t io n e d Th e ad jus -

m e nt will r es ult in 10 d eg r ees b e in g lost to p r oduce th e corr ec t tilt o f 70 /80 de g r ees. It n ee d n o b e allowed f or wh e n turnin g th e to rso

Indications for a manual lift

While turnin g /rollin g is a comm o n n ee d liftin g m a nu a lly with o ut a djun c t s is l ess c ommon. Oft e n a s coop str e tch e r will b e a vailabl

e. H o w e ve r , it m a y not or it m a y b e no u se. In this ca se , th e s enior a tt e ndant

b e he a doctor or first- a id e r will h a v e o

9. T ea m of t wo lower cas u al t y o n to a rm s.

10 T ea m of t wo th e n in sert ar m s und e r b e t wee n I a n d 3 a n d be t wee n 3 a nd 5 o n th e ot h e r s ide.

11. D o not cross h a n ds. D o n o h old h ands.

12 Two o th er h e lpe r s pr e p a r e to s lid e in s tr e t c

a. If n o scoo p o r s imil ar stretcher

ava ilab le

b Th e scoo p does no t work (eg, ve r y so ft g r o u nd )

Stretchers

Th e e nthusias m to m a int ain 'stability' leads

to ove r ri g id s tr e tc h e rs be in g u sed, w h ic h co ntri b ut e n o th i n g to th e m ec h a ni ca

sta bilit y of th e s pin e (as a trol ley s tr etc h er

w ith th e n a tur al h o ll ows of t h e spine i nfi ll e d with soft p ad din g is q ui te s u fficient)

b u t w hi c h ca n ind uce press ur e soreses p ecia ll y if h e p at e n is s h ocked a n d ha r d o bj ec t s are lef t in t h e p ockets.

A ri gid tr e tc h e r: one w hi ch is no impro v ise d

D o N OT a dd pl a n ks/boards to an o r d in ary s tr e c h e r.

D o OT leave case o n a d oo r lo n ge r th an esse nti al.

D o O T l eave a coop stretc h er un de r case o n ce tr ans ferred . T ake o ut a nd p ut b ack a t n ex t transfer.

The manual lift

Th is sect io n descri b es h ow a m a nu a l ift is o r ga n ise d. A w ith a ll th ese t ec hni ques, pra c ti se a t orga ni s in g t h e m is esse n tia l. I t m ay b e w o rth w hi le tr ying o ut your s u pe rvis ory s kill s us in g a t ea m o f f ri e nd s/ wo rkm a t es, e tc It w ill h e lp th ei r awa r en ess of S C I -b ut impr ess o n t he m t h at it s n o t th e b e a ll a nd e n d a ll' of S CI m a nage m e nt!

1. Y o u mu st s till b e h o ldin g t h e h ead. If n o t w h y n ot?

2 P os t o n t h e h e lp e r s thr ee a n d tw o, as b efo r e.

3. S ec ur e th e a rm s, ac r oss t o rso f p ossi bl e 4 H e lp ers bare fo r ea rm s a nd r e mov e r in gs, etc.

5 T ea m o f t w o pla ce ar m s o n fa r s id e. 6. To co mmand roll to w a rd s th e m 10- 15 d eg r ees.

7. H ea d c o ntroll e r e n s ur es h ea d s ays n e utr al as bod y m oves

8. T ea m o f thr ee ins e rt a rm und e r cas ualt y t o e lbo ws

H

of a n atomical buttock.

ASS I ST A IT 4: A p pex of nata h illock. ata l crea e (end of buttock).

A SS ISTA IT 5: T hi gh. Be low knees.

S I DE A SIDE B SIDE

NEWS from SCOTLAND

AS INTIMATED in the March Review , a Gala Concert was held on April 24 in the MacRobert Art Centre, University of Stirling, in aid of the Ophthalmic Hospital in Jerusalem.

This was the third concert organised b y the Order of St John Musical Society of Scotland since its inauguration in 1985

Once ao-ain the audience was enthralled by music provided on this occasion by the we ll -known Korean pianist , Miss Ju Hee Suh a former child prodigy who is s till only in her late teens. In 1984 , at the .age of 16 Miss Ju won the second pnze as youno-est ever prize winner in the history of the to Leeds International Pianoforte Competition. Since then she has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra , English Chamber Orchestra Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Northern Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Groves.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Centenary exhibition in Belfast

A LIFE-SIZE bust of the Brigade 's first Medical Officer in Chief is the focal point of Northern Ireland 's centenary exhibition. It is of Sir William MacCormac , who graduated in medicine from Queen 's College, Belfast in 1857 and had the distinction of working with Florence Nightingale in devising better methods of treatmg the wounded in war.

The Brigade has had a continuous presence in Northern Ireland for 95 of the 100 years of its existence. The first division was formed by the Belfast Fire Brigade in 1892 and on display at the exhibition is a photoo-raph of its first horse-drawn ambulance. to Northern Ireland 's close association with the Republic of Ireland is recorded in the display of trophies. The oldest, the Belfast Challenge Cup, was first presented in 1902

These are just a few of the concerts and piano recital engagements undertaken by this fine young musician. It was therefore not surprising to hear the spontaneous outburst of applause after the Prelude and Fugue in B Major (Bach) and. the Appassionata Sonata No. 23 Op 57 111 F Minor (Beethoven) had been render e d Nocturne No .5 and Ballad No.1 (Chopin) and other works received the same tremendous ovation. At the end of the evening , it seemed only fitting that Miss Ju H ee Suh with her personality, charm and music, should receive the grateful thanks of the audience with four curtain calls.

The Prior and Chapter of the Prio ry of Scotland are grateful to all who supported this excellent concert and its most worthwhile cause which has benefited by £1,000 as a result

and past winners have included St John 's Gate (Guinness) and City of Dublin (as recently as 1948). Also on display is the beautiful silver cup presented by a former Commissioner-in-Chief, Sir Otto Lund, for competition between teams from Northern Ireland and the Republic and currently held by Northern Ireland.

All the uniforms , medals and memorabilia were selected from sources in Northern Ireland. The exhibition traces the history of th e Brigade in the Province , which at its peak during the Second World War numbered 108 divisions with 3,600 members. The exhibition, staged in the Ulster Museum, continues until August.

Representative s from all Belfa st divisions formed a guard of honour at the official opening on May 3, when the ceremony was performed by the Di s trict President, Viola, Dowager Duches s of Westminster. Tragically , as the world soon heard she was killed in a car accident on her way home that afternoon.

WALES

The Chief Ambulanc e officer for Powy s Health Authority, Mr Ian Harvey-Coulton (right) hands the keys of an ambulance for use by SJA Powys to Deputy Commissioner Mr Joneswith CSO W. Roberts and Mr D. Jones.

the

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

Part 14

Written and illustrated by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order THIS is the story of two of the great Military Orders which were part of the everyday scene in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their influences on local life. The Order of St John was founded to provide carefor pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Temp/ars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of

The Great Siege, stage II SUNDAY Jun e 24, was th e Feast D ay of St John the Baptist, th e Patron Saint of the Order, but there could be littl e rejoicing a mon g th e m e mber s of the Order in Birgu a nd Senglea. With Fort St 'Elmo taken, they were the next target for the Turkish assaults.

During the nex t few days, the Turks removed their heav y guns from Mount Sciberras and h au le d them round to n ew positions overl ook in g Birgu and Senglea. It must b ave been hot and tirin g work in tbe h eat of mid-summer.

Meanwhile, for the defenders, there was more welcome news. Four galleys from Sicily bad managed to avoid the Turkish fleet, and had landed so m e 700 men on the north-west coast of th e is land. Under cover of darkness, and help ed by a night mist , the new force made its way round behind the Turkish lin es, and arrived at Kalkara, oppos it e the northern s hor e of Birgu. La Vallette quickly se nt a fleet of small boats to bring them across to St Angelo, w h ere they joined their weary co mrad es.

General Mustapha was infuriated whe n he heard of this , and threatened all kinds of h orrors unless the Knight surrendered. La Vallette would not give in. The Order would fight to the la t man.

The story of the s iege during July is one long record of iege warfa r e. Bombardments followed by assau lt s almost hourly. Try what they wo uld the Turkish troops could not ga in an en tr ance to eit h er of the Knights' s tr ongholds, althoug h there were very many killed and wounded on both s id es.

Although t he capture of Fort St Elmo had opened the Marsamascetto harbour the Turkish s hip s still could not gain admission to Grand Harbour, due to the guns of Fort St Angelo. Admiral Pali now ordered 80 ships to be hauled over l and from Marsamascetto to Marsa. The Knights were now be s ieged on all sides. More guns were also placed on the high ground of Corradino, where th ey co uld fire down on Senglea.

All through July the attacks continued.

The Turk s tried every thing. Direct assaults were beaten off, landing parties blown out of the water or dispos ed of as soo n as they came ashore, while assaults by swimmers were met by Maltese sw immers who soo n dealt with the enemy. The Knights of St John appeared invincible.

Suddenly, on Tuesday, August 7, the Knights were amazed to see the whole Turkish army in r etrea t. Had a relief force arrived at last ?

Marsa and Mdina

Unfortunately for the def en der s in Birgu a nd Senglea, it was not tbe arrival of a relief force that had caused the Turkish forces to r etreat. The ca us e originated in La Vallette's foresight before the siege began.

Knowing that the cavalry sec tion of the Order's troops would be of little use in the close siege warfare that would be invol ved, La Valette had sent it to defend the old capital of Mdina, with instructions to sally out from time to time, an d attack Turkish foraging parties and patrols. On this occasion the cava lr y had managed to reach the

city dressed all the inhabitant s as so ldi ers and stationed them on the walls. The sight of this large garr ison was too much for the Turks. They withdrew to their former positions in front of Birgu and Senglea. For some days, they did not resume their assaults but continued to bombard the defences. Sickness and wounds, to say nothing of the numbers killed, had taken a terrible toll. It was a welcome respite fo r th e weary defenders. But the Turks were not finished yet. On Saturday, September 1, they launched a massive assault. Wave after wave of the fittest troops were flung against the crumbling defences of Birgu and Senglea. Time after time the Turks were driven back with heavy losses. Mustapha and Pali could only wonder at the courage and strength of their enemy. Nothing tbey could do seemed able to defeat t h e defiant Knights.

and found it almost deserted except for sick and wounded. Sweeping through the camp, they massacred everyone in it and set it o n fire.

General Mustapha's anger knew no bounds at this o utrage. The Turkish armies became more determined than ever to put an end to the Knights resistance as quickly a possible. Employing hi s engineers, Mustapha a tt e mpt ed to blow up the Order's defences so th at the Janissaries and other troops could follow up with massive as au lt s, but th e Knights did some mining of th eir own. On August 18, the Turk blew up a large sec tion of h e Birgu defences, but La Vallette himself led the Knight into the breach and the enemy were repulsed. By this time, th e Turki s h commanders were becoming worried men. Unless they co uld defeat th e Order within a few weeks. the a utumn weather would threaten their shi ps and force them to withdraw. Supplies were also running short. Yet th ey could not return to th e Sultan without some victory to report. Mdina, the old capital, might provide th e opportunity for a victory.

The Mdina campaign, how eve r, was no mor e successful. The comma nd er in th e

Inside Birgu, however, conditions were terrible. As the weeks passed, the defenders grew steadily weaker. and their losses were heavy. The hospital was full to overflowing but no man could hope to rest while he was still capable of holding a pike or musket. Wounds which might have put a man o ut of action for weeks under normal conditions were treated as though they were mere scratches. Everyone knew what their fate would be if they were defeated. Death in battle was preferable. Away in the countries of Europe. the gallant stand of the Order was hailed as a miracle and everyone was moved and impressed by the heroic resistance of the little band under their leader La Vallette. In England, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I ordered prayers to be said in every ch urch for th e victory of the Knights over the heathen forces that threatened Christian civilisation. All Europe realised that if the Order was defeated. there would be little to stop the Sultan's forces advancing into southern Europe. A victory for the Knights was essential.

Meanwhile, unknown to either General Mustapha or La Vallette, help was on the way. On August 25, the Viceroy of Sicily had set sail for Malta with a fleet of 28 ships and nearly 10,000 men. The force would have arrived sooner if it had not been delayed by a severe gale that had scattered the fleet.

Miss Ju Hee Suhbeautiful music from Korea

Hauling the Turkish ships overland.

Turkish camp at Marsa

News from Divisions/Centres

OBITUARY

Clayton Freeman, Area Staff Officer (Cadets) Barnsley. Over 50 years SJA service , h av ing joined as a lO-year-old cadet Army Medical Corps, then Poli ce Force Serving Brother. His wife Kathleen is s uperintend e nt of Worsbrough Division , Barnsley Died March 25 1987. William Victor Savage, 84, foun d e r Letchworth Ambulance Cadet Divi s ion of which he became s up er int ende nt Officer of the Order. Died February 251987.

Dr Robert George Brims Young, MB ChB DPH , FFCH, OStJ. Formerly an Officer of St John Ambulance , Lewes, E. Sussex. Died February 2 19 87.

National First Aid Competitions

Grays Ambulance Div is ion s Supt David Wheatley eceiving portab e analgesia equipment from L fe Support Eng n ee r ing's Sarah Ri chards and Helen Stevenson Block Buster (3) ANSWERS

Femur

Challenging • • •

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.7 (87) by W.

1. When ruptured one cannot raise t he h eel. (8.6). 10. Re strict a painful muscular contraction. (5). 11. Having a valgus deformity of the lower limb s. (3-6) 12 Bon e about which t h e h ead of the radius rotates. (4). 13 It returns wi th h esitancy for rank. (4). 14. Fibre for

ropes with sails. (5). 16 A fair tomb for benign tumours o f connective tissues. (9). 19. A gir l is wron g. (5) 20. Or g an s composed of cement pulp , dentine and enamel. (5) 21. Bit e s buns for obesity. (9 ) 23. Low joint. (5 ). 25 E ye co nditi o n pr es ent in fir st year. (4). 26. Baby born with hol e in the h e art (4 ) 2 9 Wing i n group in adolescence (7-2). 30. Suffe ring from ps ychosi s characterised by abnormal excitement. (5) 31. Pa ce maker of th e h e art (4-6.4).

Down:

2. Measure an ear ly worker on penicillin. (5 ). 3. One pharmaci s t m akes little devils quoted on th e s tock e xchang e. (4).4 Function o f synovia (9). 5. Seams tre ss havin g p a rt in was t e disp os al. (5) 6. Levels out seven changes (5). 7 . Tract from mouth to anu s. (9) . 8. Small hard lump s in the skin or interna l organ s (7). 9. Ruffian at the back of the neck (6) 15 The two together in p lacebo therapy. (4). 17. Co ll apse of physical or mental health. (5-4). 18. Defective vision without organic lesion. (9) 19 Bon e about which atlas rotates. (4).20. Might this be the antidote to nitrous oxide? (4-3) 22. Therapist co n cerned wit h articulation. (6). 24. Rice mixture with a genus of shrubs. (5) . 25. Present in urine in untreated di a b etes. (5). 27. Brow due to worry or old age (5). 28. Si g n of prophetic s gnificance. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.6 (87)

Across: 1. Ex·anthem; 5 Suffer; 10. Anvil; 11. Distended ; 12 Tools; 13. Lame; 14. Spay; 16 Coal miner ; 19 Proud 20. Roast; 21. Stretched; 24. List; 25 Ar·id; 26. Rathe; 28. Pneumonia ; 29. Meeds; 30. E n sig n ; 31. Breather.

Down: 1. E la s t ic; 2. A lveo la r absc e ss; 3 Talus; 4. E ido !· on; 6 Us·ed; 7. Fed up to the teeth; 8. Red-eyed ; 9 Isomer ; 15. Spit; 17. Mite; 18. Eat; 20. Relapse; 21. Strong ; 22. Red hair ; 23. Dresser; 26. Rum·ba; 27. Smog.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

Melita Heritage

A. Potter

ROYAL MAIL COACH COMMAND

ST JOHN REVIEW

Contents

Queen's Birthday Honours p.169

The Great, GREAT Party p.170

Around and About by the Editor p.176

Cadet Focus - Block Buster (4) p.180

Nurse Patient Communication by Isobel Elliot p.182

N. E. Derbyshire's new headquarters p.184

Essex Colour Dedicated p .185

Readers'Views p.186

Greater Manchester p.187

News from Scotland - Wales p.188

Northern Ireland - Overseas p.189

St John Fellowship - Supplies Update p.189

News from Divisions/Centres p.190

National First Aid Competitions p.190

SJA Poets No.2 and No.3 p.192

of

(Below) 167 ,000 people on a 250 acre site After days of wet weather, on party day the weather was lovely.

The Great GREAT Party

Painted faces, plenty to see and do , and fun everywhere - that was the theme of the party in the park to commemorate 100 years of service to the community by St John

The Queen, the Sovereign Head of The Order of St John is delighted by all the activities at the Great Party.

The Duke

Edinburgh, accompanied by Lady Westbury, Superi nt e ndent-in-Ch ief, tour the Great Party.

Ambulance.

TWO LETTERS FROM ...

Her Majesty

Dear General Leuchars

Having been absent on another engagement yesterday, I am only now carrying out The Queen's instructions, given to me on Saturday at Windsor, to send you her warm thanks for receiving her at the Birthday Party in Hyde Park on Saturday. The sudden interlude of bright weather for the morning of the Party was a clear sign of intervention from above and thus an impressive tribute to the Order of St John; and it ensured that the Party was an enormous success. Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the celebrations, and as always were impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of aU members of the Order. Few other organisations could have mustered and organised such a large and varied range of events and happenings, and it was clear that the Party gave great pleasure to many thousands of people.

The Queen would be grateful if you could convey to all the Officers of the Order , and all who played their part in arranging such a successful and enjoyable occasion, her warm thanks and greetings.

Buckingham Palace Kenneth Scott

His Royal Highness

The Duke of Gloucester has asked me to let you know how impressed he was by the fantastic turnout of St John in Hyde Park on Saturday last. It was really quite remarkable and the fact that so many members gave their support only goes to show what a great spirit there is in the Ambulance Brigade and for this you personally deserve an expression of His Royal Highness's appreciation and congratulations. Would you please pass on these thoughts to all those at your Headquarters and in the field who did so much to ensure the success of the event.

I am sure everyone involved must feel justifiably proud.

Kensington Palace Simon (Bland)

Saunders from Clacton , Essex take a snack and rest their feet.

(Photo: David Merritt).

(Below) The Queen stops to have a word with John Stuart, president American Express Europe (who have contributed £V2 million to SJA's £10 million centenary appeal) and the Duke of Westminster (centre), president National HQ and London District centenary appeal.

A letter from . ..

On June 20 my son and I were at the party in Hyde Park. We were there only an hour when I was taken ill.

May I with the help of your paper please give a big THANK YOU to all the people who were very kind to both of us, and the nurses and cadets who looked after my two grandchildren, aged 2 and 5 years Also the doctor, from Birmingham, who was manning First Aid Post No.4; I do not know which part of Birmingham she came from. I was in the ambulance for }1/2 hours. I wouJd like to thank the two ambulancemen who managed to get me out of the park and into St Mary's Hospital, Paddington.

I was there for 6% hours. An ambulance brought my son and myself back to Portsmouth.

If you couJd publish this for me I would be very gratefuJ as I would like to thank the people who helped us. Many thanks.

Portsmouth Doris Rowe (Mrs)

from the CHIEF COMMANDER

Dear Confrere

I thought now that the dust has settled I would like to write and thank you for all the tremendous amount of hard work that your county put into making the Great St John Party in Hyde Park such a success. I know only too well the amount of planning, and the number of people, involved in organising such excellent county exhibitions - to say nothing of actually getting your members to Hyde Park.

I am sorry that I did not get round every exhibition: I think it would have been a genius who could have! I hope that you will be able to use your county exhibition for future events in your county. I was especially pleased though, when walking round, to see how much everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves and the great family spirit that prevailed.

There is no doubt that the extremely good publicity that we gained, both on television and in the press, will be of tremendous benefit to us. I am sure that it will generate great interest among the public, and in that connection we have already had here a large number of enquiries as to how people can join St John Ambulance. It will therefore be most important to ensure that we utilise the opportunity which this excellent publicity has given us to our advantage. Events such as this can be forgotten by the public all too quickly, and it is essential therefore that we do not sit back but go out and encourage members of the public to join us.

I hope you will pass on to all St John members in your county my sincerest thanks for the splendid contribution they made towards the success of the Great Party.

Headquarters Peter Leuchars

You could have your face painted any way you liked by courtesy of the American School.

St John Air Wing first day covers were being sold in the Essex tent by Pamela Wynn (right) and her boyfriend Graham Mohr, both from Epping. (Photo: David Merritt)

Ther e were plenty of energetic pursuits for the young to try

AFLOAT WITH DIANA

Four hundred Hampshire school children enjoyed a trip of a lifetime aboard the newly refitted QE2 when they were invited for a short 'voyage in the Solent'.

Among them were twenty Hampshire badgers in uniform. The party , from Hampshire 's western area, was led by DNO Mrs Cheryl Currie and included Debbie Calvert , Tracy McMillan, Isabel Munro and Alison Pordum.

LOOKING AHEAD

August 16: TV Training (fun ded by AMEX), HQ Conference Room

September 8: British Gas FA Competitions Chester

September 10: Investiture , St John's Gate

September 26: Service of Re-dectica tion , Truro

October 23-25: Finals of Bisto Badger Competition

After leaving Southampton Docks , the QE2 anchored in the Solent off Cowes to await the arrival of the Princess of Wales by launch. Meanwhile, the children enjoyed a party in the Mauritania restaurant on board , being entertained by Keith Harris and Orville

As a salute to the occasion there was a fly past of Harriers and Concorde, ending in the Princess releasing a mass of coloured balloons .

PARTY DAY MERCY FLIGHT

While the Brigade Centenary celebrations were taking place in Hyde Park (on Saturday , June 20), the SJA Aeromedical Service swung into action to bring back to Britain an elderly lady who had become seriously ill in Austria while on a continental tour with her husband. Soon after being contacted by the Service, Northern Executive Aviation's 500 mph Learjet air ambulance, with a doctor and nurse on board , took off from Manchester Airport to pick up the patient at Munich The lady on a stretcher, and her husband were landed at Hum Airport just over three hours after the jet had taken off from Manchester. An ambulance was standing by at Hum to take the patient to a Bournemouth hospital.

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

BY THE EDITOR

RETIRED

The Earl St Aldwyn resigned as Chancellor of the Order of St John from March 1 1987. It was with regret that HRH The Grand Prior accepted and approved his resignation. Lord Grey of Naunton has since been appointed as Earl St Aldwyn's successor and Lord Vestey has taken up the appointment of Bailiff of Egle.

Earl St Aldwyn served the Order for some thirty-six years, during which he was chairman of the St John Council for Gloucestershire for 29 years, ViceChancellor , and, for the past nine years, Chancellor of the Order.

The Pr i ncess of Wales with Badgers on board QE2 for a Solent cruise. (See fi r st story) Back in Manchester, after a round trip of more than 1,000 miles, air attendant Elizabeth Thornley, a sister at Booth Hall Hospital , Manchester, said: 'Th e return flight was made " high above the weather " to make sure that the patient was as comfortable as possible.

1,000 FLIGHTS

The following letter was received by the Chief Commander from Robert Pooley Master of The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, when it was announced that the Air Wing had completed its thousandth mission:

I am delighted and thrilled to pass on the Guild's and my own personal congratulations to the St John Ambulance Air Wing on completing it s 1,000

(Left) Mrs Thatcher presents two Badgers Daniel and Stuart Weaver from Romford, with a £2 000 cheque raised by the Conservative National Golf Tournament for the Brigade centenary appeal.

(Right) Ted Barton, an occupational first-aider with the Electrical Supply Industry at Staythorpe Power Station, Notts, and DIS of Newark Ambulance Cadet Division, receiving the BEM, awarded in the New Year's honours, from Sir Gordon Hobday, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire.

mission , a feat that I believe is outstanding in the history of general aviation The number of lives that have been saved due not on ly to the generosity of many general aviation pilots , but also their skill, is a credit to all who have taken part in the Air Wing 's success since its conception and formation in 1972 It has been a great privilege for me to have been involved with the organisation from its early days.

The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators paid tribute to the St John Ambulance Air Wing in 1981 by presenting it with the Guild 's Sword of Honour and I know all our Freemen join me in congratulating your remarkable team of aviators, who hav e saved so many lives over the last 16 years.

Tributes to the retiring Chancellor were paid by Sir William Pike , Sir Maurice Dorman, and Mr H L. St G. Carey. Lord Caccia said that the Chancellor's resignation was a sad occasion for those who had known him for so long; and that the qualities which he brought to the Order would be sadly missed.

SNAP!

SJA Wolverhampton Area is holding a centenary photo competition which closes on Oct 31 - so you still have plenty of time to snap that winning picture.

Entries must be 10 in x 8 in maximum size , colour or black and white prints with entrance fee of 2Sp per print from under 15 year aids and 50p a print for over 15 year aIds.

The subject naturally is the work of St John and entries must show a St John member in uniform or taking part in a recognised act ivity The competition is open to all , members or otherwise. There will be major prizes in each class.

We hope the Review gets the chance to publish some of the winners Full details from David Cook, 129 Stubby Lane, Wednesfield , Wolverhampton WVll 3NE phone 0902 730562.

THANKS

Glos Commander, Nick Warry, presents a gift to Mary O'Hara, the Celtic harpist and soprano, after the centenary appeal concert held in Cheltenham early June.

Pres i dent, St John in Essex, Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis is flanked by the President's Cadets 1987 - Louise O'Connor, of Epping and Paul Hughes, of Harlow, after he invested them They wear a special black and white lanyard and have the privilege of accompanying the President, who is Lord Lieutenant of Essex , on all occasions when he represents SJA.

A race meeting at High Gosford Park racecourse Newcastle upon Tyne, held n aid of the centenary year appeal. (L to R) Michael Ingram; Lady Westbury , Suptin-Chief; Fay Smith ; Sir Ralph CarrEllison; Lord Ridley Mr R Green-Steele, Cty Director ; Mr D. Smith and Dr L. Constable, Commander.

Ludlow Nursing Cadets looking very fierce in the local carnival. 'Bones are our Business'was the theme of their floatand it won the overall prize. (Photo: Peter Bartlett).

MEET TWO SJA GIRLS

MOBILITY

FOR MATTHEW

Matthew Barker, of Twickenham and Whitton Cadet Division, was recently presented with his Grand Prior Award, 1 ,000 hour shield and the Area Individual First Aid Shield for the second year by Deputy Area Commissioner Mrs Joyce Beckworth at a ceremony in Twickenham. Matthew has now joined Twickenham Adult Di vision.

COLLECTING NOW

The members of the Ladies Guild of the St John Ophthalmic Hospital will be holding their annual bazaar on November 17 1987. If anyone is able to contribute towards any of the stalls listed below, we would be most grateful to have the goods sent to: The Order of St John, 1 Grosvenor Crescent, London SWIX 7EF and labelled 'Lady Miller , for the Bazaar' . WE ARE COLLECTING NOW. China and Glass; Gifts; Good-as-new clothing; White Elephant; Toys ; Food; and any types of bottles for a Bottle Stall. CARE IN THE COMMUNITY

The next period of the competition for the Keith Joseph Welfare Cup will be the eleven months commencing December 1 1987. Details for the Competition will be circulated to Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners , CSO Welfare and County Secretaries during August 1987.

Please start thinking about your entry now!

'More than 250 ,000 people a year need hospital treatment after garden mishapsbe careful, ' says RoSPA.

Lawnmowers are one of the biggest danger areas with hovers or rotary mowers the major culprits. RoSPA advises gardeners to buy machines with plastic blades rather than metal ones and to fit a residual current circuit breaker to power points so the current is automatically switched off if the mower goes wrong.

Other hot-spots include ladders (too many people over-reach and fall), garden fires (use firelighters rather than meths which can set you alight), and forks (which can pierce your foot rather than the ground). If there are children around, fence off fish ponds and pools

For more detailed advice you can send off for the RoSP A Safety in the Garden leaflet (price 75p) from the Home and Leisure Safety Division , RoSPA Cannon House, The Priory, Queensway Birmingham B4 6BS.

' Preventive first aid!

THANKS

I hear that North Yorkshire freemasons have made a £3,000 donation to SJA towards a county mobile first aid unit , the largest grant given to a non-masonic charity by the Yorkshire lodge this year.

THERE was great excitement at Rocks Park School, Uckfield , Sussex, when reporter Caren Deko from BBC Radio 4 arrived to interview pupils who are involved in taking the SJA Three Cross Award. Their teacher, Trish King, had arranged for some lO-year-old pupils to enact scenes from accidents to make the recording session more life-like When pupils expressed how they felt about learning emergency aid in school, one said: 'The whole idea of this course is so that we can do it for real, and pull ourselves together, and not panic too much.'

Caren Deko gave the award scheme a very good 5-minute review on the BBC Schools Radio, which many schools tune into, and we hope that interest will

SCHOOLS PROJECT

be stimulated by the programme which was broadcast on June 11.

Schools nominated for the new certificate

Cheshire

Hartford High School, Northwich.

Blacon High School , Melbourne Road, Blacon , Chester.

Cleveland Sheraton Grange , Oxbridge Avenue, Stockton on Tees.

(Right) Hereford and Worcester Deputy Commissioner, John Champion, receives an ambulance from Kington Lions Club on behalf of Kington Combined Division. (Photo Peter Johnson).

(Below) Richmond (N Yorks) Division's new ambulance (after 18 months fund-raising) is dedicated by the Rev Charles Iliman, with Lady Zetland, County President. (Right) Cornwall's Redruth Ambulance Division (the first formed in the county in 1881) proudly shows off its new £17,000 ambu lance, which took two years of fund-raising.

(Above) Blacon High School. Cheshire is the first in the county to receive the new certificate for gaining more than 50 One Cross Awards. (Right) Derbys Queen Elizabeth 's Grammar School Ashbourne , is the first in their county to receive the certific;te from Anne Macleod Schools Project Manager.

If you have any queries or further thoughts on the Review's Block Buster, ring compiler Vic Helmore on 02572 64454 or write 114 Greenside, Euxton, Chorley, Lanes PR7 SAP.

V R E M I S Y 0 C T 0 I D N H E L R E C S

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore. Chorley (Lancs) Centre Secretary. for first aid questions. 160 schools in Lancashire have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

Veins which enter the right atrium. H.

Produced by the pancreas E.

Test this pulse for possible cardiac arrest. L.

Medical term for blood clot. M.

Bone at the back of the skull.

Unless further danger exists, never do this in a case of O. fractured spine.

These are only present in a conscious patient. R.

Respiratory muscles between the ribs. E.

In cardiac arrest or too much alcohol , the pupils become. C.

Nearly 80% of the air we inhale consists of this.

Embedded foreign bodies in this should never be removed by S. a first -aider.

In shock or with severe bleeding, before sighing a patient will

Elderly people and babies often suffer from this.

Grand mal or a fit is known as this

When short of oxygen these often appear bluish.

Messages from the brain are carried to all parts of the body by these.

If a supply of this is not received by the brain for three minutes , its cells begin to die

Cells produced in the bone marrow.

A sling used for severe bleeding or fractured collar bone

Footballers often displace this but first-aiders must not reduce it.

Touch something too hot, cold or sharp and this takes a warning message to the brain.

Answers on p. 186

HEREFORD

K ngton

Combined Cadet Division's team which for the first time will be competing in the national final competitions. Only the Division s nurs ng cadet team has previously reached thes e finals.

AVON

Jason Lug g, cadet corporal with Thornbury Division who proudly displays h is 1,000 hours voluntary certificate, spent many of those hours helping in an elderly people s home (Photo: Myra Meredith)

CORNWALL

(Below) Helst on Q cadet quiz team which represent their county at the National Finals in London during July

LONDON: Western Area 's Neasden Close D ig ger s (Badgers) served breakfast for local senior citizens.

SUFFOLK: A party of Lowestoft nursing cadets with DIS Mrs G Castel and her husband and the Pres ident, recently visited Malta and the SJ HQ there

MERSEYSIDE

CSO (Cadets) Mrs M McKay presented Grand Prior Awards to Wallasey Cadet Division s (L to R) Sgt Petra Craven , Jennifer Wright and Cpl Kathleen Hynes.

GLOS

25 cadets were enrolled at a Gloucester church by Lord Vestey (3rd from right), the new Bailiff of Egle (see p.177) during May. Lord Vestey is chairman of St John Council , Gloucestershire.

Zoe comes home

GRAHAM Lloyd-Brandrick, a member of the SJA Aeromedical Service, who is a paediatric nurse at Haltan General Hospital, Runcorn, volunteered to help rescue a baby born two months prematurely on the island of Corfu.

Little Zoe Madden, whose parents come from South London, was born while they were on holiday in Greece but required special treatment in England. The Aeromedical Service made arrangements for the day-o ld baby and parents to be flown back to Britain in a chartered Lear jet, transformed with special equipment to an air ambulance.

SJA's Dr Victor Calland, a GP from Preston and Graham boarded the plane for Corfu and returned with the child to Gatwick airport, where police provided an escort to King's Co llege Hospital.

The baby was treated before the flight and her condition maintained during the flight and road journey by St John ambulance to London. After Zoe had been returned home , her mother Mrs Lesley Madden (in pic with Graham), said: 'We are extremely grateful for the St John Ambulance Aeromedical Services for all they have done to get Zoe back to England

NURSING

by ISOBEl ElliOT

Nurse Patient Communication

COMMUNICATION is not an optional extra in nursing but an integral part of care, particularly in the approach to patient care as outlined in the manual

Caring for the Sick.

Here the approach is clearly outlined in five stages:

Assessing the patient's needs

Identifying the problems

Planning the care

Giving the care

Evaluating the care

How then can one assess the patient's needs unless one has some understanding of inter-personal skills?

Inter-personal skills involve interaction between two or more human beings, each of whom is unique. Some patients are easier to communicate with than others.

No longer does the nurse traditionally dictate to the patient what to do, albeit that this is a fairly easy method of communication, but rather a partnership in caring is established, allowing the patient to make informe.d decisions, to participate in care and t6 'be as independent as is possible where it is safe to do so.

Menzies in 1960 suggested that nursing work is organised in order to help nurses distance themselves from the patient, the emphasis of nursing care was on 'doing

182

things', and talking to a patient in isolation of a task was unacceptable , further reinforcing the concept of 'social distancing ' .

We now know that these concepts are past tense, the first stage of the present tense being 'assessment of needs' out of which emerges:

(1) Those aspects of care which the patient can perform unaided.

(2) Those aspects of care which require a nursing input.

Inter-personal skills

To effectively assess a patient's needs, one requires to have at least some understanding of inter-personal skills. What are the essential components of inter-personal skills?

1. To be aware of self.

2. To be an active listener.

3. To be able to ask questions - not interrogate.

4. To be able to respond, encourage and reinforce.

S. To be able to give information.

6. To be able to open and close conversations.

1. To be aware of self

Do you see yourself, hear yourself as others do? One of the most effective ways

A stern expression may indicate 'I am not pleased with what you are saying'. Alternatively a pleasant expression may be saying 'It does not matter what you say or how you say it, I am pleased to listen'.

Proximity is not shouting at the patient from one end of the room to the other, which is totally condemned. But nearness, besideness, enhances listening, particularly if coupled with touch, which is both comforting and reassuring and gives credibility to the li stener

Listeners

There are two types of listeners , the active and the passive. The active listener is the one who demonstrates by paying attention to what is being said; the passive listener demonstrates non-attention (eg, looking out of the window looking around the room, tying her shoe laces etc). Which are you?

Pay attention to non-verbal clues (eg, the patient who says 'I'm fine; I don't have any problems ') while avoiding eye contact, and looking anxious and unhappy.

Be prepared to cope with emotions (ie, verbal aggression), and remember there is an underlying cause. It is advisable to keep one's voice at a low or lower pitch. If a patient is tearful then provide the privacy for the expression of the emotion. It is considered in counselling skills as good therapy for the release of emotions.

Finally, the skilled active listener can enable the patient to identify the problems within the framework of a wide range of needs, as outlined in the Caring for the Sick manual.

3. To be able to ask questions - not interrogate

In this article three types of questions will be considered:

(i) The closed question

(ii) The open question

(iii) Multiple and leading questions.

of creating this awareness is the use of video and role play, on hearing one's voice on a tape recorder.

2. To be an active listener

Active listening entails: providing an environment conducive to listening, avoiding distractions, distracting mannerisms. It means telling patients verbally that you are interested in them, being aware of the non-verbal communication (eg, the nurse towering above the patient and by doing so establishing the superiority and possibly evolving from this the 'social distancing' or 'superiority' concept). Standing over the patient, particularly the elderly patient many of whom have limited neck movement, and are unable to raise their heads to locate the voice, can hardly be conducive to effective listening The elderly patient may have some impairment of hearing or sight. The patient with a hearing impairment may depend heavily on lip reading so don't turn your back on the patient during social interaction.

Body position establishing eye contact and being aware of any 'senses deficit' on the part of the patient are crucial factors in the active listening process

Para language (eg, mannerisms) gestures need to be used positively in the list ening process, a nod, a smile of encouragement.

non-value is evident in that it does not help the patient to share his or her feelings. It only reveals the nurse's assumptions.

The multiple question serves to invite confusion rather than clarity. Eg: are you worried about the operation? Is it the thought of the injection?

Value: demonstrating interest in the patient.

Non-value: leading and confused.

4. Responding, encouraging, reinforcing

Not only does one demonstrate the skills of active listening and mentally processes what is being said, but one maintains eye contact and echoes patient responses (eg, I am a bit worried, using words like 'urn, nodding the head). This is the area of reward, encouraging the patient to enlarge on thoughts behind the statement.

Some understanding of inter-personal skills is required

5. To be able to give information

This invites two questions in the initial stage:

(i) What does the patient already understand?

(ii) Is the patient ready to receive information?

3. (i) Closed question

The patient does not have a choice other than that provided by the nurse. Eg: are you feeling well today , Mrs Jone s? Yes or No.

The value of the closed question lies in that it is useful for obtaining information quickly and questions are easy to answer. The non-value lies in that it does not accommodate thoughts, feelings, hopes and, if prolonged, may sound like an interrogation.

3. (ii) Open question

Eg: how do you feel , Mrs Jones?

The value with the open question is that the question can be answered in a number of ways. The patient is given a high degree of choice. They require more than one or two words for an adequate answer. The patient may reveal information that the nurse had not anticipated and they accommodate thoughts, feelings and hopes

The non-value of the open question is regrettably the time factor.

3 (iii) Multiple and leading questions

The leading question accommodates the nurse leading the patient towards an expected response . Eg: it's a cold day, isn't it?

The only value of such a question is interaction or opening a conversation. The

precious and needs to be utilised to the maximum. Closed questions save time in the short term but are not to the patient 's advantage (eg, hello , Mrs Jones, feeling better, are you? A leading question does not invite , inspire, or encourage conversation).

'Hello, Mrs Jones , I'm free for ten minutes. Is there anything you want to chat about?' Mrs Jones may well reply What I have to talk about may take longer than ten minutes, but .' Then when closing the conversation, a possible step if the conversation is clearly not over , eg , ' Mrs Jones, I have to go now. Would you like me to come back again at 4 pm this afternoon and continue our conversation?' And don't, on the peril of your life, forget.

A step

Letting patients know that there is someone willing to listen and to take seriously what they say is a step towards making the patient feel more comfortable and reassured. Comfort and reassurance does not emanate from Don't worry , I'll look after you or 'You're going to be all right' . This approach only suggests that the patient s worries are not worth considering.

In conclusion, let us ensure that we assess patient needs effectively and create a true partnership between nurse and patient by being aware of inter-personal skills and utilising them to the maximum.

NB: Beware of the centipede who never experienced any problem with walking until someone asked him which foot he put forward first.

It takes no longer to communicate well than to communicate poorly. Skilled communication is essential to assess the patient's needs identifying the problems plan the care , deliver the care and to evaluate it.

This is often complicated by anxiety and stress (eg, the patient is anxious about his or her condition and the nurse is under the stress of a heavy workload). With this in mind , establish what the patient already knows and understands and still wants to know. Using questioning and encouraging skills , observe and listen to the patient to determine how he or she is receiving the information.

Assess

One can assess: how much information to give the patient at anyone time , decide if the use of examples may be helpful, recognise frustration, hostility , encourage the patient to discuss these feelings and so improve your understanding of each other.

It may be necessary to use not only verbal information , but written instructions diagrams and demonstrations. Keep the language simple and avoid medical and nursing jargon.

6. Opening and closing conversations

Involves using skills sensitively for the patient's best interest in the time available.

Do remember that communicating with a patient is not a way of passing the time but an act of care performed for the well being of the patient. Nurse's time is

Definition of inter-personal skills 'Styles of behaviour used b y nurses in dealing with patients, relatives and others.' Egan.

1

1

N.E. Derbysh'ire's

THE NEW county headquarters and tramlOg centre for North East Derbyshire , Alma House , Chesterfield, was o£?clally opened on Friday May 8. The ancient hand over and dedicatIOn service was conducted by the Lord Prior of Order of St John Major-General The Earl Cathcart; The BIshop of D erby, the Rt Rev C. W. J. Bowles , and the Chairman of the St John Council for Derbyshire, Mr Gilbert Hinckley. Alma House cost £104 ,000 , three-quarters of which has been funded by St John in the county. It is hoped that the balance will be paid for from funds raised during the centenary appeal. SJ A Derbyshire hopes to raise a total of £100,000 during 1987

from HM lord i eutenant for Essex , Sir Andrew lewis, President, St John in Essex

(Above) The lord Prior, Major-Gen The Earl Cathcart says 'Hello' to cadets lining the entrance of the new HO (left) The plaque is unveiled (l to R) Mr Gilbert Hinckley, chairman SJ Council Derbys; the lord Prior; Col Peter Hilton, president SJ Council Derbys; Mrs Winifred Hilton, County President; and Lt-Col John Hetherington, Commander.

Essex Colour Dedicated

ON SUNDAY June 7, the new County Colour of the Essex St John Ambulance Brigade was dedicated in Chelmsford Cathedral.

The service was conducted by both an Anglican Bishop and a Roman Catholic Bishop. Processing into the cathedral were the Mayor of Chelmsford and other Essex Mayors the Knights of the Order of St John robed) , the Commissioner the President of St John in Essex and the clergy.

One lesson was read by a Nursing Cadet Leader Emma-Jane Howell , and the second was read by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis, who is Essex SJA County President. The colour was carried by Area Staff Officer Gillian Mann who received it from the Lord Lieutenant after it had been dedicated . After the service the colour party were positioned outside the West door so that all Brigade members could see the new colour as they left the cathedral. Following the dedication service, the Brigade members met in Chancellor Hall, where the County President presented awards, including Grand Prior badges and Service medals.

Knights of the Order leave Chelmsford Cathedral after the dedication service.

Centre is Dr K. W. Nicolls Palmer , chairman , St John Council for Essex.

PHOTOS BY DAVID MERRITI

Area Staff Officer Gillian Mann receives the Colour

BADGER LEADER'S BRIEFCASE

from Mr A. E. Kemp

I have been asked to express my divisions' astonishment at the very poor quality of the Badger Leader's bri.efcase. It is .made of black cardboard the side seams are stuck wIth double-sided tape , and a plastic handle slots into two slits on the top of the case. The handle came away the first time the case was picked up ,. a?d the seams parted company within two weeks of the case

Included in the case's price of £20 is a limited supply of statIonery and the set registration fee. Putting it mildly, we feel that the case and its contents represent very poor value for money ; money that is in very short supply .

The BadO'er set was an immediate success. All we ask for are accessories are a reflection of that success at a sensible price.

Goring-by-Sea, Sussex A. E. Kemp

HORRIFIED

from Mrs R. Wallis

I was horrified to read an article in the Daily Mirror (Wednesday April 29) entitled Ambulance Gets a the Sack'. I am particularly upset by It and would lIke to VOice my opinion through the Review.

My husband, Bernard Wallis, has an artIfiCIal leg and has been a member of the Alton Quadrilateral Division for the past nme years, rising through the ranks to .Divisional Superintendent: During the nine years he has carned out a sponsored cycle nde raising money for a much needed ambulance and a walk to raise money for Alton's new headquarters He IS one of Hampshire St John 's qualified d.rivers , being an advanced motorist, and before he Jomed the Bngade.he was an advanced driving instructor and often lectured to vanous club.s and organisations on safe driving. H e has passed the Bntish School of Motoring high performance course and IS also a member of League of Safe Dr iv ers Class l. He entered a.n ambulance aid competition a few years ago and walked off WIth the for best driver , having achieved 100% marks. He has no difficulty m loading and unloading and regularly carried out transport dutIes ; the patient s families commg back to us again and again because of the efficient and caring treatment shown to them He has also been very successful in building up the Division not only with obtaining members and vehicles, but in gaining more duties for the division to cover. .1 am to that people who use our services come. back tIm.e and. tIme a.gam because of the efficient and well orgarused way III which their events are dealt with.

In October 1986 my husband was admitted to the Order of St John as a Serving Brother , in recognition of his dedicat!on to the Brigade. I absolutely deplore Mr Leavy 's (an SJA offiCial) use of the word 'cripples' and question his statement we a rule that you must be medically fit' If that be the we must have a medical examination before we Jom, whIch we do not have. The regulations say be of suitable physique'. I think that Mr Leavy ought to reconsider his own posit ion in the and he certainly does not understand the mearung of chanty or have the understanding of other people's misfortunes. There are plenty of other jobs within the Brigade that Mr (the sacked hero of the Mirror story) is well qualified to do, leavmg the more able people to do the more jobs

I feel that with the drastically declImng numbers of the Bngade we need all the help we can get. If present members with medical ailments are going to be retired, then we could see a faIr percentage of the membership disappearing, which is disturbing in the Brigade's centenary year when the emphas1s IS on recruiting

Alton, Hants R. Wallis

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

BRING BACK OLD PALS from Mr R. Phillips

Why are a lot of good members leaving St John?

First, why do members have to buy two manuals a new First Aid Manual and a First Aid at Work manual ? A lot of members would like to do first aid for St John only and not be forced to take First Aid at Work. So let's have the first aid exam for St John. only, and if a member wishes to do first aid work then let hIm take the exam and his place of work pa y for It.

This would bring back a lot of our old pals.

Why should we have to pay £8 for two manuals when one would do?

Leicester

DRAWING OUR CROSS from Miss A. Wisla

Greater Manchester

N.W. Area

Roy Phillips

I was amazed to read of the suggestion (June Review) of using a circle as the basi s for drawing our cross It looks so co mplic ated It is far easier to draw a sq uare , divide each side into three , and draw the cross by using the middle third of each side

Superimpose a square on to Fig S of the article, and you'll see what I mean.

LondonNW4 A. Wisla

STUDYING PROBLEM from Messrs D. Bevington and J. Reeves

We are currently employed on a community project in Cornwa ll to examine the problems of recruitment and falling membership of St John Ambulance in the county

We would be interested to hear from divisions anywhere in th e United Kingdom who also have such problems and, pos sibly, hav e come up with some answers. For more information abo ut our project , contact us.

15 Richmond Hill, Truro. Truro 41674

Block Buster (4) ANSWERS D. Bevington J Ree ves

v. Vena cava; I. Insulin; C. Carotid; T. Thrombosi s; O Occipit al ; R Remove S. Symptoms; I. Interco sta l ; D. Dilated; N. Nitrogen; E. Eye ; Y. Yawn H. Hypothermia; E. Epilepsy; L. Lips ; M. Motor nerves ; O. Oxygen; R. Red blood cells; E. Elevated; C. Carti age; S. Sensory nerve.

ON APRIL 3 , the N.W. Area held their centenary dinner dance at the Brookfield, Westhoughton, when 120 members guests and friends got together for the eveni ng Guests included the Bishop of Bolton (N.W. Area President) and the Mayors and Mayoresses of Horwich and Westhoughton. Albert Swindells Mayor of Horwich is a member of Horwich Ambulance Division, and St J ohn Ambulance has been his mayoral charity during his term of office.

Derek Lowe , Superintendent of Bolton Corps, and his wife, Betty , made a magnificen t centenary cake for the occasion. Iced with the black and white emblem of the Order and surrounded by hypericum ,

BURY CORPS

the Lancashire red rose decorated the corners, and each side depicted the name of the area and its three member corps. This is now a very treasured memory , as Derek tragically died from a heart attack on June 9 while visiting a local division. Our deepest sympathy is extended to his widow and two sons, Peter, member-incharge , and Andrew an ambulance member, both of Westhoughton Division.

During the winter months N.W. Area Surgeon Dr David Taylor was hard at work on a superb oak carving of the SJ cross and scroll which was presented to Deputy County Commissioner Miss M. G. Owen , to be displayed in the County HQ.

The dinner was also the official launch of

Bury Division s Toni Crawshaw , 15 , who helps with handi cappe d children and wants to be a physiotherapist (she will be). with her Grand Prior 's Award certificate. And (right) members at Bury carnival. Photos : Bury Times).

the N.W. Area s main centenary fundraiser. Each year the Bolton Quilters Guild produces a sampler quilt for a charitable cause to rai se funds, and we were honoured and delighted when 1987 was chosen to be our year. Mrs Elisabeth Taylor , wife of our Area Surgeon nominated St John and gave her time and energy in ensuring this goal was achieved.

The qUilt has already appeared at many venues and is to appear at many more Area St John events throughout the summer.

The quilt, which is to be raffled , has been worked in the St John colours of red , gold grey , black and white, and contains the St John emblem. All 20 panels are of different qUilting and a booklet describing these accompanies the qUilt.

Raffle tickets are on sale at 20p each , or a book of five for fl. If you would like to participate please send yo ur cheque and SAE to Mrs J. M. Hibbert N W. Area Treasurer, 6 Nightingale Road Blackrod , Bolton BL6 SDX. It would be wonderful if a St John member were to win the quilt. The draw will be on Friday October 30 at Bolton Corps HQ The result will be published in the St Joh n R eview

The centenary cake, with Area and three Corps. (Right) The magnificent quilt presented by the Bolton Quilters Guild. Tickets for its raffle are available

NEWS from SCOTLAND

In the April Review it was reported that when the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland met in May, the occasion would be unique in the history of both the Church and the Order. This stemmed from the fact that HM The Queen's Lord High Commissioner would, for the second time, be The Rt Hon the Viscount of Arbuthnott, the Prior of Scotland, and the Assembly's Moderator would be Dr Duncan Shaw, the Chancellor.

The assembly duly took place and was generally pronounced to have been one of the best conducted gatherings of its kind for a long time - a tribute to the skill of the Moderator in controlling a gathering of some 1,300 ministers and elders, known as commissioners, and drawn from allover Scotland.

To add to the uniqueness of the occasion, it was announced during assembly week that the Sovereign and Military Order of Malta had conferred on both the Prior and the Chancellor their Cross of Commander of Merit pro merito

Our congratulations to the Prior and the Chancellor on receiving this honQur.

WALES

SO FAR in Wales over 3,500 pupils have taken part in the St John Ambulance in Wales project for schools and every county in the Principality is taking part in the project.

appointed persons certificates to 27 employees of the borough council, the Priory 's chief training co-ordinator Keith Dunn presented a SJ tie to the Mayor. (Photo: South Wales Argus).

A spec ial elementary first aid course for eight disabled people employed by Beaumont Products, Barry, was conducted by S. Glamorgan organiser Peter Brooks.

In Gwent where the project was launched by the Prior for Wales, Lord Aberdare, youngsters from the first two primary schools to take part in the project have been awarded with their Welsh One and Two Cross Award certificates and badges.

The presentation to Usk Primary School was attended by the Chairman of Gwent County Council , Councillor Garth Jenkins , Doctor George Mitchell, Director of Association in Wales, and Keith Dunn, the

Priory's Chief Training Co-ordinator. All three presented over 40 One and Two Cross Award certificates and badges to the pupils. One of the pupils , Andrew Drought, is the son of the Director of Education for Gwent, who at first hand saw what the Three Cross Award is all about.

In the second presentation at St Woolos Primary School, Newport, Keith presented One Cross Award certificates and badges to over 30 pupils and the headmaster, Keith Beardmore , was presented with a Project for Schools certificate and plaque.

More than 20 comprehensiv€ schools as well as eight primary schools in Gwent now include first aid in their timetable.

Every pupil in Welsh Schools who take part in the project now receive a congratulatory letter from Keith Chegwyn, who is one of the stars in the Three Cross Award Video.

NORTHERN IRELAND

ON SUNDAY June 14, the annual Commandery of Ards service of commemoration and rededication was held in St Co lumb a's Parish Church, Omagh, Co Tyrone. The preacher was the Rev W. P. Quill, who is president of the recently formed Castlederg Ambulance and Nursing Division. After the service 250 SJ A members, Cadets and Badgers were inspected by the Knight Commander, Colonel B D. Cotton. Two recently purchased ambulances were also dedicated. Colonel Cotton took the salute at the march past , which was led by the Murley Silver Band from Fivemiletown. After the march past all who attended the service went to the Church Hall for tea which had been prepared by the members of Omagh AIN Division.

OVERSEAS

The Lord Prior, The Earl Cathcart, visiting SJA in Auckland during h s tour of New Zealand early this year.

(Left) Accompanied by the Assistant Commissioner, Trevor Hamling , the Lord Prior nspecting District Staff at Headquarters.

At Usk Primary School, Keith Dunn and Cllr J enkins presented certificates.

WE ARE very pleased to announce the formation of a second branch of the Fellowship in Canada , in Alberta , and a :fifth branch in Kent:

Calgary Chapter Alberta, Canada

Contact Mis s Vernon a Potts, 2905 , 12th Street , N E ., Ca lgary, Alberta TIE 7J2 , Canada

Folkestone Branch, Kent (5)

Contact Mrs M. E Collins , 9 Sandwich Close Folkestone, Kent CTIO 3QG

It was good to meet so many members at the Great Party, and especially to welcome DSO Dick Lucas , representing Perth Branch, Western Australia, who was with his wife and sisters I was also glad to meet Mrs Joan L. Patterson, Chief Officer Cadets, and Mr King from Melbourne, to whom I gave greetings for our branch there; and the representative of Ghana, to whom I gave a brief on the St John Fellowship.

Finally I would like to thank through the Re v ie w the 27 members o f the Fellowship who volunteered to check vehicle passes at the gates to the Hyde Park site on the three days before the party. They came from eight branches , including West Cornwall , Preston , Lancs, Westgate, Kent,

Supplies Update

THIS MONTH we ll be mailing to all account holders the autumn edition of Supplies News and it will also appear as an insert in the September R e vi e w. There's a lot to look out for , including details of new books now available and some really tempting clearance sale offers. Included in the mailing is our new Christmas range. The ever popular diaries are there and this year the discounts are even bigger if you order a quantity. Many members have asked us if the Great Party products are still available and the answer s 'yes' , so keep sending your orders in to us. Everyone in the Park should have had our cata-

The Lord Prior

Service Medal to Div Supt

McEwan. and Amersham , Bucks. Even the London branch members had long journeys from home. All stood for hours in appalling weather and remained cheerful throughout May Badgers of toda y grow up to be like them.

31 Mal v ern Cour t, Onslow Squar e, London SW7 3HY

logue but we ll be sending an extra one in the autumn mailing and you can continue to order centenary products as Christmas gifts Everything is available b y mail order except sticks of rock T hese were too fragile to send by mail and our entire stock has now been sold out.

Make a note in your di ary that the Supplies showroom at Priory House will again open on a Saturday. The next date will be Saturday November 14 - ideal for Christmas gift shopping

The most important book introductions are the 5th edition First Aid Manual and the First Aid at Work Course Book Both are now available and there s a special order form to use before October 1. Extra copies of the order form and all other catalogues are available b y ringing Salesline, 01-2S1 0004.

melitensi.

(Above) After the Mayor of Islwyn (Gwent), Cllr Fred Perkins had presented

After the service - Col B. D. Cotton (on right of banner), with some members of Chapter and guests from Sovereign Military Order, with the preacher (left), the Rev W. P Quill.

News from Divisions/Centres

National First Aid Competitions (cont)

Nat Dock Lab Board, held Buxton, May 30

OBITUARY

Min

We

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.8 (87) by W. A. Potter

(4) 16 Violently attack animal to be ill. (6 ) 18. Br e ath e noi s il y through obstructed air passages (7). 21. Dr e ad a Scott ish loch (3). 22. Officer commanding more than one hundred put in th e b ack o f the head. (7) 23 Wrongly clears the white of the eye. (6). 2S . F ift y had meal after the scheduled time. (4). 27 Taste be st appr eci a t e d by the sides of the tongue (4 ). 28 Giv e vocal applause for go o d spirits. (5) 30 Lower part of uterus. (6). 31. Generalis e d we akn ess and langour (8) 32. The de velopiQ g child during the fir s t two months of pregnancy . (6) 33. Male sex hormone having no dan ger. (8)

Down:

1. Mineral basis of plaster of paris (6). 2 . .A gin scale for pain-killer (9) 3 Very wicked person if return i ng before end . (S). 4. Joint speech. (12 ). 6 Window between middle and i nner ear. (4). 7. Implement used at beginning of surgery (S). 8 Soap y e nd to difficulty in breathing (8) 11. Domestic operator on the wa rd ? (S.7) lS. Sphere of medicine (4) 17. Pals upset in Europ e an mountains. (4). 19 Making sound provision for the futur e with good distant vision (3.6).20 See 1 Across 24. Note synthetic fib re for writing implement (6) 26 Broth mixture giving pa inful pul s ation. (S) 28 Old announcer. (S). 29. Physique of electrician? (4)

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.7 (87)

Across: 1. Achilles tendon; 10 Cramp ; 11 Bow-legged ; 12. Ulna ; 13. Ti·er; 14. Sisal ; 16 . Fibrom a ta ; 19 . A mis s; 20 . Teeth ; 21. Tubbiness; 23 Ankle; 2S. St·ye; 26 Blue; 29. Gro win g-up ; 30. Manic ; 31. Sino-atrial node Across: 1 and 20 Down. Part of ovary conta ining and discharging ovum (8.8) S Addicted to drugs placed in the eye (6). 9. Foetal organ receiving oxygen and nourishment from mother. (8). 10 Care is arranged for decay of teeth and bones (6). 12 Exhorted to action (S). 13. Coagulated blood (4). 14 Blood vessel from live infant.

Down: 2 Chain; 3 I ·mps ; 4 Lubricant ; S Sewer ; 6 Evens; 7. Digestive; 8 Nodules; 9 Scruff ; 15. Bo·th; 17 Break -down ; 18. Amblyopia 19. Axis ; 20 Tear gas ; 22. Speech ; 24. Eric·a ; 2S. Sugar; 27 Lined; 28 Omen. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

CENTENARY EVENTS Sept 1 to Dec 31

SEPT

3 CLEVELAND: Pro-Am Golf Tournament - Cleveland Constabulary

OXFORDSHIRE: Centenary Year Fair, John Radcliffe Hospital , Oxford.

4 WILTSHIRE : Buffet Supper , Marlborough College.

5 MERSEYSIDE: St John Handicap Race , Haydock Park.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: Rushton Flower Festival.

8 MERSEYSIDE: Civic Reception , Liverpool.

11 COUNTY DURHAM: Concert and Buffet , Durham Police HQ.

BEDFORDSHIRE : Vauxhall

Motor s Male Voice Choir, St Paul 's Church , Luton

NORTH YORKS Flower Festival , Markenfield Hall , Ripon , 11 - 13 (see p 216 for details).

12 BERKSHIRE: National Ambulance Rally , Windsor Safari Park

COUNTY DURHAM : St John Centenary Fair , Durham Police Headquarters.

SUFFOLK: Centenary Family

Outing - American Theme Park.

MERSEYSIDE: Centenary Buffet and Disco, Southport.

WEST MIDLANDS: Cadet Party, Dudley Zoo.

AVON: Centenary Celebrations, Ashton Court.

DEVON: Disabled Persons ' Rally , Barnstaple

13 LEICESTERSHIRE: County Review Victoria Park , Leicester.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Centenary Parade , Review and Gala

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: County Review at Nottingham Castle , and parade through the City.

16 CLEVELAND: Antiques Quiz , Bushb y Hall.

19 WILTSHIRE : Medieval Music a Evening , Devizes

BEDFORDSHIRE: Gala Evening Mill Theatre , Sharnbrook

20 MERSEYSIDE : Centenary Service , Sefton Parish Church

WEST MIDLANDS: Dudle y Area Review

DEVON : Cadet and Badger Fun Day Plymouth

21 to Oct 4 NATIONAL ST JOHN

YOUTH AWARENESS

FORTNIGHT (Week 1 - St John Cadets , Week 2 - 3X Award)

24 MERSEYSIDE : School Band Concert , Rainhill.

25 COUNTY DURHAM: Coffee Morning a nd Fair.

SUFFOLK: Centenary Dinner Dance Ipswich Moat Hous e.

WEST MIDLANDS : Black Country Night.

26 CORNWALL: Order Service , Truro.

GUERNSEY: Cheese and Wine Party , Government House

CLEVELAND: Northern Light s Race Meeting Redcar.

27 WILTSHIRE: Golf Cup Competition Final.

AVON: Treasure Hunt , Westonsuper-Mare.

28 SUSSEX: Sponsored Race at Goodwood

MERSEYSIDE : Pla y, Little Theatre , Birkenhe a d.

OCT 1 WILTSHIRE : Theatre Evening , Swindon

ESSEX: Centenary Appeal Concert Chelmsford Cath e dral.

2 SOMERSET: Centenary Dinn er D a nce , Taunton.

AVON: Dance , Ke y nsham

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE:

C e ntenar y D a nce , Burton Latimer.

4 NORFOLK: Centenary S ervice Cromer.

9 SUSSEX : Dinner Dance , Hov e Town Hall

WEST MIDLANDS Dinn e r Dance , Coven tr y.

ESSEX : County Centenary Dinn e r Dance.

10 C OUNTY DURHAM: Concert , b y Band of the Arg y l e and Sutherland Highlanders.

HERTFORDSHIRE: Reception County Hall , Hertford

LEICESTERSHIRE: Fellowship Centenary Dinner County HQ

11 LEICESTERSHIRE : O r d er Service , Leicester Cathedral.

12 WEST MIDLANDS: Re-opening o f Walsall/Sandwell HQ

14 COUNTY DURHAM : Conc e rt

Military Bands, Darlington

16 LEICESTERSHIRE : Finger Buffet at Gunthorpe Hall

21 SURREY: Centenary Dinner , Guildford.

31 WEST MIDLANDS : Concert , So h mull Male Voice Choir

NOV

4 Naming of British Rail Locomotive, Euston Station.

6 MERSEYSIDE : Civic R eception , St Helens.

BEDFORDSHIRE : Centenary Dinner , RAF H e nlow

7 CORNWALL: C e nt e nar y Ball , H e adland Hotel N e wqua y. AVON: Firework Displ ay Bristo l.

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE: Craft

Bazaar Ketterin g

12 BEDFORDSHIRE Centenary Concert, Bedfords hire Police C hoir.

14 DEVON: R a inbow S a le B a rnstaple

15 HERTFORDSHIRE : S erv ice , St Albans Cathedral.

16 NORFOLK : Ce nt e na ry B a nd Concert Blues & R oya ls , Norw ic h

19 WEST MIDLANDS Charity Show , Dudl ey.

DEVON : Centenary Draw a nd Antiqu es Ev en in g Kingsbridge.

20 MERSEYSIDE : Cent e nar y D i nn e r , Liv e rpool

27 Grand Prior 's Trophy Competition Fairfield Halls , Croydon. WILTSHIRE : Gala Theatre Evening, S a li s bury. WEST MIDLANDS Gala Dinn er Dance Birmin gh a m

28 SOMERSET: Ca d et Cente na ry Disco , Brid gwa ter. DEVON B a rn D a n ce , Pl ym out h

29 BEDFORDSHIRE: Ord e r Service B ed ford. DEC

2 Royal Gala Ball, Hotel Intercontinental , London. COUNTY DURHAM : Co nc ert , D arlin g t o n

4 MERSEYSIDE: Ar ea D a nce , Rainhill

6 National Thanksgiving Service, St George's Chapel, Windsor and Nationwide Services.

12 MERSEYSIDE : R e tir e d M e mbers' C hris tma s D ance , Speke

ESSEX County Centenary Carol Service.

13 OXFORDSHIRE : Ce nt ena r y Ca rol S erv ice Kidlington

18 CLEVELAND Concert, Cleveland Town Hall

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Th a nksgiving Servic e Rothwell.

ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volume 60 No 9 September 1987

Contents

Centenary Events Sept 1 to Dec 31 ifc

The Great Party - Nationwide Raffle p.193

Order Service at St Paul's p.194

Essex Gala p.196

New HQ for I of M p .1 97

Help (from SJA) in the Kitchen o f No 10 p.198

Schools Project - Unique Centenary Fa n p.199

Around and Abou t, by the Editor p.200

Brigade Finals: results p.204

Cadet Focus p.206

SJA Block Bus ter (5) p.209

Readers'Views p.210

News from Scotland - Wales p.2 12 N. Ireland - Overseas p.213

Champions of the Cross (15) by Hugh A. R. Edgell p.214

SJ Fellowship p.216

nd white pnnt s or goo d quality co lour prints not negatives or tra nsp are nci es. If ph o tograp hs are to be returned write o n the back RETU.R-N and na me a nd address Press day is t he 1s t of the mo nth precedmg t h e cover date.

THE GREAT PARTY

To all members of Sf fohn

On behalf of Major Parker, David Barnes and all of us at National Headquarters, London, may say thank you for the wonderful letters we have received from so many of you and from other organisations who he.lped us It was a magical day. The Good Lord ga ve u s the one fine da y this summer, and The Queen said: It must be a miracle.'

But without the participation and enthusiasm of all members who travelled many hundreds of miles, not onl y

Order Service at St Paul's

(A

I BRING you two s tories. The first is abo ut an a rm e d hold-up on the road Th e re is nothing n ew a bout that - a defenceless traveller and a bunch of thugs. That is modern hi st ory ; th a t is also ancient history. If you list ened to th e Lesson thi s afternoon you will remember that Jesus told a sto ry about just such an event. The traveller had done nothing wrong , but they set on him and wounded him and left him half-dead Then two very re ligious people came along the road. Seeing t he man with the life see ping out of him the priest said, no doubt, 'Lord here am I send him! ' Another very religious gent leman, a Levite , pas s ing by , looked at the man whom the thugs had set upon a nd eft him by the wayside. Then by good fortune there came by a m a n of a race quit e different from the traveller 's He saw the disaster. He did not appoint a comnlittee ; he did not find an excuse ; but he jumped right in with first a id. He had no kit with him , but he had his lunch ; so he used the wine and the oil that he would have drunk to h eal the wounds. He took him to a local hotel and left so m e money with the keeper. He made plans for future aid when he came back tbat way again. It is a good story and yo u can read it in Luke Chapter 10. My second story is different. He was a little man , he was rich; he was mis erab le; h e was hated because he was an inco m e- ta x man , and such m en are n ever very popular with us who have to pay the tax. He was all the more unpopular because he earned his living from the people who had invaded his country and therefore he was thought of as a traitor. So little Zacchaeus , for that was his name , was a poor shrivelled -up man, all seized up inside. But he heard one day that the young prophet from Galilee was coming through his town but the crowd was so great that he feared he cou ld not get at him. So he shinned up a sycamore tree that he might look down on the one he longed to meet; and, miracle of miracles, when Jesus came by he looked up at Zacchaeus in his tree and he said: 'Zaccbae us, I want to have dinner with you this very night .' It took him no time to get down from the tree to chase back to his house , to open the doors and to let the Christ in. And somehow that little man, through his friendship with J e sus, opened up a nd blossomed as h e had never thought it possible to do before Salvation had come to his house.

There are my two stories - one about a man with a broken body who needed first aid, and the second about the m an with a broken h eart who needed contact with J es us.

Two years ago a numb er of us in this Cathedra l went to Jerusalem for the centenary of the great eye Hospital which our Order runs and staffs in that city. We marvelled at the skill and the expertise of that team of doctors and nurses who, quite regardless of race or co lour or creed brought every year sight and healing to those in need. Two week s ago in Hyde Park many of us who are here today

PLAQUE FOR NATIONALHQ

ON JUNE 24, St John 's Day , a uniqu e ceremon y took place in the en tr a nce hall at St John National Headquarters in Lo nd on. Representativ es from Bath and Portland Stone Ltd member of St John Ambulance in Dorset , St John Headquarter s personne and past Commiss oners-in-Chief of the Brigade gat hered to witness the C-in-C John Sunder la nd , (right) unv e il a stone plaque as a lasting souvenir of the Brigade's ce n te nar y. T he plaqu e, one metre square, depicts the St John Ambulance Centenary ogo in relieE. All who hav e seen it are full of adm iration for the craftsmanship a nd minut e detail - ri gh t down to horn s for th e unicorns on th e St John cross! The plaque had a na rrow escape when its sack wrapp in g caught fire on the night after the Great St John Party in H yde Park Fortunate y , thank s to the work of Bath and Portland Sto n e Ltd it stands in the e ntran ce hall at 1 Grosvenor Crescent so clever y re s tor ed that it bears n o visib le scar.

shared in that father -and-mother of a Great Part y. How we enjoyed that day when we were celebrating the centenary of the St John Ambulance Brigade So it is under standab le that we think today especially of them and of the work that they do for no payment, becau se they love people and they want to help them Marvellous work, some of it humdrum , so me of it rather exciting. I think J would like to belong to the Airwing part of it or the Aeromedical Service What a thrill !

So we have had two stories and we have had two events , and it seems to me that they highlight the object for which our Order exists. I see our Order as an army doing battle against our three great enemies. What would yo u say are our greatest enenlies? I think they are ignorance and sickness and sin. And we are an army who for centuries h ave been battling against those enemies, who today are battling with undiminished vigour , and who in the future years will fight with even greater determination. An anny doing battle against wrong - that is a negative way of spelling out the object of our Order. Let me put it more positively. I think we are a healing force. Men and women, boys and girl s (now the Badgers included) , going out for health , for wholeness, for holiness (because 'w hol e nes s' and holiness' are the same word), the wholeness of society and the wholeness of individuals who get hurt. At the heart of our movement is the Christian Faith. We make no bones about that. We are proud and thankful that at the heart of our Order down the centuries there has been , and today there is a great strong faith in Christ our Lord without whom we cannot be whole men and women as God made us to be We cannot be healthy or whole or holy until we are right with God and right with one another. We find in J esus our Lord that he is the way, the truth and the li fe. And so we go to our world, hurt and damaged as it is, and specially to our Third World for we work in some 40 countries overseas. That is why so me of yo u youngs t ers will not settle down to an easy life in England but will volunteer for service overseas in the name of Christ your Lord. You will go for the healing of the body, you will go for the e ducation and training of the mind , you will go for Christ himself as the Lord of life who came to give us life and give it to us abundantly.

You are going home in a few minutes What are you go ing to take with you? You are going to take with you two stories - the man with th e broken bod y, the littl e man with t he broken heart Two events to highlight our work - the Jerusalem Hospital the Hyde Park Party of the Ambulance Brigade. Two ways of looking at our work - a battle arm y, a healing force. And on this Re-dedication day , one word of Jesus: ' Corne after me. Take up the cross , and follow me'. God bless you all

Setting off in style to review the county's ambulances in a 1924 RollsRoyce Emma-Jane Howell President's Cadet; SJA Commander, Joseph Bird and County Commissioner, Charles Sparrow (Left) Clacton Cadet Sarah Pryke, 15, at the controls of an RAF jet.

(Below right) A Civil War re-enactment memb er explains his uniform to Hadleigh and Benfleet Cadets Sandra Pierce and Innez Moore. PHOTOS BY DAVID MERRITT PRO

(Below) Dunmow members on their book stand. (L to R) Alison Jackson, Pat Jarvis, Marion Br ight and Susan Weston. (Right) More fund-raising - this time with cards - by Hadleigh and Benf leet members.

Essex Gala

THOUSANDS of people came to the Essex Showground, in beautiful sunshine, to enjoy the Essex St John Gala. There were displays by bands, flying microlites a Civil War re-enactment by the Sealed Knot Society, It's a Knockout, vintage tractors and military vehicles, not to mention the many stal ls , trade stands and, of course , a funfair.

It was a super day. Anglia Television presenter Caroline Oldrey joined us for the day, as did many special guests. It was particularly nice to welcome a St John Commissioner from New Zealand.

The Gala did , as was intended, help to raise funds. Above aU, the Essex St John Gala was fun!

THE NEW Isle of Man St John Headquarters in Glencrutchery Road , Douglas , was formally declared open by Princess Margaret, Grand President St John Ambulance, on Saturday, July 4.

The splendid new building replaces the old headquarters used by the Brigade since 1951 and which over the years had proved increasingly inadequate for its needs , especially garage facilities for SJ A r.O.M.'s three vehicles.

Work began on the new building in April 1986, and in June of that year Mr William Scholl a member of St John Council and a trustee of the Scholl Foundation, whose generosity helped to make the project posunveil .e d a (now incorporated mto the bulldmg) to maugurate th e site.

W<:nk was completed this year and the Bngade moved into its new home in April.

The Princess was greeted by the SJA Commander, Frank Weedon QPM, who outlined a short history of the r.O.M Brigade , and by Lady Kerruish, who thanked HRH for her presence. A plaque to mark the opening was then unveIled by the Princess

Inside t he building HRH met some of the local people connected with the work of St John , including two veterans of the Brigade , Mrs Ver a Quirk , whose SJ associations date back to 1912 in Ramsey , and Mrs Ethe l Flanagan who was the island's first nursing sister in 1947. Both ladies were proudly wearing their St John medals and obviously delighted to meet the Princess. Also presented was Mrs Anne Rolfe, who last year received the Order 's Life .Silver Medal for her courage in attendmg ll1Jured nders in the local motorcycle races at great risk to her personal safety

Outside in the sunshine, HRH talked with interest to the Badgers and watched a demonstration by Brigade members of how they would deal with a motorcycle accident. She seemed very impressed by the speed and efficiency with which the casualties were stretchered into waiting ambulances.

St John Isle of Man is very proud of its fine new headquarters and delighted that the Grand President of St John Ambulance gave it a royal official opening.

New HQ for I of M

Anglia TV's Caroline Oldrey was escorted at the show by Area Commissioner David (lucky) King, of Romford.

Prin cess Margaret signs the visitors book after opening the new HQ in Douglas , with the SJA Commander Frank Weedon.

Basildon and Pitsea Combined D ivi sion won the ambulance crew competition, with Peter Morris receiving the trophy from the County Commissioner, Charles Sparrow

DENNIS Thatcher, of No. 10, was literally handed a tea towel at an unusual SJA presentation recently, which was the idea of Joseph Bird, SJA Commander of Essex. Mr Thatcher had been playing in a charity golf tournament at The Warren Golf Club, Woodham Walter, near Maldon, in aid of St John Ambulance in Essex, and Mr Bird, remembering a comment by the Prime Minister that she enjoyed cooking providing Dennis did the

THERE ARE MANY surprising ways that news of the Three Cross Award gets around Here is one story with a happy ending.

Mrs Owen, nursing sister of The Royal Ballet School Richmond, was unpacking her son's bags after he had arrived home from boarding school and came across a newspaper Younger News which she glanced through. In it she saw and read an article headed 'Emergency Aid' by reporter Karen Deco, of BBC Radio 's 'In the News' programme for children, reporting on her visit to Rocks Park School, Sussex, where pupils were using the Three Cross Award video for lessons on Emergency Aid.

Mrs Owen was interested in the sub ject and telephoned the BBC for more information. The BBC gave her my name

HELP (from SJA) IN THE KITCHEN OF No 10

washing up , decided to encourage the habit by giving him a St John centenary tea towel!

As Commander of St John in Essex, Joseph Bird also presented Mr Thatcher with a St John book for the Prime Minister, and a St John Essex tie for himself. The Brigade are most grateful to John Carter, of Essex St John Council, for organising the event, and the many people who supported him. It raised over £2,000.

During the tournament one player, Amerigo Soldani , scored a hole-in-one , which was witnessed by husband-and-wife St John members Peter and Janice Blowes. Needless to say , drinks were enjoyed all round to mark the super shot.

After the tournament , Mr Thatcher found time to talk to St John Ambulance members present and even discussed the finer points of golf clubs with Area Commissioner David King.

Schools Project

AT ROYAL BALLET SCHOOL

and subsequently I visited The Royal Ballet School and discussed with Mrs Owen the scheme which she thought would be ideal for her students to study in the autumn term.

The top form of the schoo l (aged 16 years) were leaving at the end of the summer term and requested that an

Emergency Aid session be held in July before they departed.

Pupils at the Royal Ballet School are boarders and live a secluded life in their school situated in the middle of Richmond Park. They have little contact with other children apart from school holidays , and most of their spare time is taken up with

ballet practice. The pupils , both gir s and boys, felt they would benefit from some guidance in Emergency Aid before leavi ng to go to their upper school, where they would have to liv e in 'digs' and fend for themselves

From September, Pamela Bradley , the biology teacher , will teach all pupils from 11 years upwards the Three Cross Award and we look forward to presenting them with their certificates. We are getting many more enquiries from schoo l teachers about both the 4-hour course for teachers (which I immediately forward to appropriate county HQs) and the Schools Project , which I answer personally. Many schools are now using the video as part of a health care programme in the new GCSE as well as in their school curriculum. There are many ways the scheme can be used by teachers once they become aware of its potential. It is very encouraging to hear that the Brigade is benefiting with recruitment to the cadets and in some instances school teachers joining the Brigade after teaching the scheme

Anne Macleod Schools Project Manager

of

A new certificate is presented to

by

and

from their

Bradley.

Unique Centenary Fan

TO BE RAFFLED

A UNIQUE centenary fan has been produced. The fan leaf is hand painted and depicts scenes of St John Ambulance throughout its history. It is mounted on fine ivory sticks, and the guards are ornamented with the badges of the St John Ambulance Brigade and Essex.

Jointly produced

The fan has been produced jointly by The Fan Museum Trust and St John in Essex. The fan was painted by Barbara Huxley, a well-known artist. The fan will be raffled to raise funds for the St John in Essex Centenary Appeal.

Tickets for the raffle on December 13 can be obtained from: St John Ambulance Appeal Office, 32 Great Wheatley Road, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7AP. (SOp each.)

There will be only 12 printed copies made of this fan.

Schools nominated for the new certificate

Buckinghamshire Shaw House School, Church Road, Shaw , Bucks.

Greater Manchester

Plant Hill High School , Plant Hill Road, High Blackley , Manchester. S & W Yorkshire Warmsworth Middle School , Mill Lane , Warmsworth Doncaster.

SURREY Collingwood School , Kingston Road , Camberley , Surrey.

Here it is - a drying up cloth for a delighted Dennis from Joseph Bird , Essex SJA Commander. Photos: DAVID MERRITT, PRO Dennis Thatcher congratulates Amerigo Soldani for holing-inone, witnessed by members Janice and Peter Blowes

SJ,Il s Director-General Robert Balchin at the ballet schoo l's emergency aid lesson

Royal Ballet School pupils receive instruction on a model

biology teacher, Pamela

(Above) Ernest Marshall (left), Director Essex Appeal Fund

Barbara Huxley, artist and Charles Sparrow Commissioner Esse x. (Photo: David Merritt). Th e fan (below)

PM's VIEW

This message from the Prime Minister was read out by Lord Skelmersdale, Parliamentary Secretary , DHSS, at the St John Ambulance Brigade Foundation and Centenary Conference on July 3:

'From its humble beginnings over one hundred years ago, the St John Ambulance Brigade has developed to provide a service which is an essential part of the life of our country. The spirit of your volunteer members, giving as they do their expertise and their spare time without thought of material reward, is a shining example to the societ y in which we live today. And it is not just in your traditional role of providing first aid cover at public events that you will be remembered today. I have been deeply impressed by the achievements of the Air Wing whose volunteer pilots carry LOOKING AHEAD

Sep 3: British Gas FA Competitions, Chester

Sep 10: Investiture, St John's Gate

Sep 21-0ct 4: Youth Awareness PR Campaign

Sep 26: Service of Re-dedication, Truro

Sep 30--0ct 1: IMCB Seminar

Oct

Oct 23-25: Finals of Bisto Badger

Oct 24: Marketing Seminar , Newcastle

Oct 28: B.R. London Transport First Aid Competitions, Eastbourne

Oct 29: B.T. Competitions, Eastbourne

WHAT'S

GOING ON

IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

PARTY GOERS

transplant teams and organs on vital missions and by the Aeromedical Service, whose doctors and nurses bring sick and injured people back from abroad.

'I am delighted to see that you are marking your centenary by looking to the future and setting up a new mbvement for six to ten-year-old children, the Badger s, and I am glad to note you are examining how to enlarge your work in th e field of Care in the Community.

'But if an organisation such as yours is to continue to contribute to the country, th en the people of the country must make their contribution to the organisation. I understand you need help in two ways: firstly, the provision of funds for training centres, mobile units , ambu lances and medica l equipment , which you must have·if you are to continue to provide an up-to-d ate service in the future. And seco ndl y you need the manpower to enable yo u to meet the ever increasing commitments demanded of you. I trust you will be

NEW BOOK

This is the cover (an early Canadian SJA photographnote the unusual street number) of Stjohn in Focu s, a new book of h is toric photographs telling the story of the Brigade published by the Order 's Museum. It cove rs the Brigade's first official duty at Queen Victoria 's golden jubilee in 1887, the Boer War 1899-1902 , both World Wars , St John overseas , and up to today. St John in Focus is available at £5.50 a copy (do not send money you wil be nvoiced) from The Museum, The Order of St John, St John 's Gate, St John's Lane , C erkenwe ll , London ECl M 4DA.

BY THE EDITOR

successful in getting this message across to the public in your Centenary Year. I thank you and your predecessors for all you have done in your first hundred years, and wish you well for your second century in the service of mankind.

Margaret Thatcher

SONG AND DANCE

The six members and their wives seen doing the Birdie Song and Dance at the Hyde Park party on TV are, I hear , from Rushd en, Northants, Combined Division and between them h ave clocked up 170 years of SJA serv ice Something to sing about?

PARTY WITH PURPOSE

A very succe ssful cocktail party - with plenty of stalls and raffles - held recently at Harrogate by the local Friends of St John raised over £3,200. An annual event, this su m is an all-time record. The target was to supp ly a Resusci-Anne to the local division; th e balance is to be given to the Air Wing. The Friends chairman, Mrs Pippa Green, also announced she had recruited another volunteer pil ot complete with plane for the Wing and that three more were in 'the pipeline Everything for the party , including the venue (a member 's house) was provided by members of the committee, which since it was started 20 years ago by county PRO Mrs John Shearman, h as rai se d thousands of pounds for StJohn.

With the completion of the new river bridge at Bideford, North Devon ocal charitable c ubs got together for a day of fund - raising by cha rging £1 a day to walk the bridge The result , over £11 000, divided between three charities, meant £3,780 for Bideford SJA.

All smiles from Kirkby (Notts) Colliery Div ision members. And why not? For they're the first division in No.2 Corps, Southern Area to pass Caring for the S ick, level three They are: ASO Pat Bailey; Treasurer Carol Rowbottom DIS Norma Lane 0 /0 Jacqueline Flint Sgt Carol Will ia ms Cpl Pauline Willows ; and N Ms Bronwen O Shea, Joanne White and Jacqueline Tift.

N. Yorks

Commissioner Ted Boughton , with County Surgeon Dr Joan Young, receive a framed set of special SJA stamps from the GPO to commemorate their is sue

Fun at Lancashire's Bury Corps. (Right) Corps Supt Mrs F. Hyde and Nursing Member Sue Whittle with their cuddly patient. (Teddy bears are all the rage again aren't they?) And (above) Radcliffe Division's float in the local carnival real y hammers home the Badgers theme. (Photos: Arthur Willis).

Mrs Mary Platt, commissioner of Merseyside's St Helens and Knowsley Area, is congratulated by the deputy county commissioner , Mr N. Pimblett, on her 20 years' service and now retirement.

LANCS SEC RETIRES

I hear that Miss Greta Whittaker, Lancashire county secretary who started work in the county office as a clerk in 1943, has retired. Miss Whittaker became assistant secretary in 1960 and county secretary in 1976. She was made a Serving Sister in 1970 Officer in 1978 and Commander in 1983, having been awarded the MBE in 1977.

KENT COVERS

SJA Kent has issued a first day cover (below), designed by Area Nursing Officer Nigel Griffiths, with the London first day of issue cancellation (June 16). The covers have been signed by Lord Cathcart (Lord Prior), Lord Grey of Naunton (Chancellor of the Order) , Lord Coggan (Prelate), Lord Bishops of Hereford and Rochester (Sub Prelates), Lord Aberdare (Prior for Wales), Lord Aldington, Lord and Lady Westbury, Lord Wilson of Rievaulx , The Duke of Westminster, the Commissionerin-Chief, the Chief Commander, Robin Leigh Pemberton (Lord Lieutenant of Kent and Governor of the Bank of England), the Rt Hon Edward Heath MP, the Commander Kent and President Kent. The cover shows the logo of Leeds Castle , in Kent, in which the St John Kent Spectacular took place. The covers are available signed with one stamp at £2.60, signed with the set of four stamps at £4.00 and plain FDCs at £3.00 Some of the signatures are also available on Post Office

manned four of their six ambulances

NEW POSTER

poster which has been produced by SJA Hampshire and is available (5p a copy, post free) from Assistant County Secretary, St John Ambulance HQ, St John House, Worthy Lane, Winchester S023

to St John Kent) to Nigel Griffiths , 25 Tuam Road Plum ste ad, London SE18 2QX. All proceeds to St John

(Left) Mrs Doro thy Lucas ANO for Woodspring, with 22 years' service , receives farewell presentations from Area Commissioner Alf Pratlett as she is moving to Tavistock, N. Devon. Do you hear Devon? (Photos: Myra Meredith).

(Right) D/O Miss W. M. Sollitt, OStJ of N. Yorks' Scarborough Nursing Division with the certificate she received from the deputy cou nty commissioner Mrs J. St. Jobn Jlmbulance Vartey, to mark her $ris.ade 45 years' SJA service. KENT (Photo: Scarborough & L- ---1 District Newspapers). r.JilliI••

MOBILITY

OVERSEAS CONFERENCE

The delegates outside No.1 Grosvenor CrescentNational HQ.

AS JUST ONE of the functions programmed for the centenary celebrations during June, the 4-day Sixth Triennial Overseas Conference took place at National HQ from June 23 - 26. A total of 53 delegates from 24 countr ies (including the UK) attended, representing well over half of our overseas family'. The previous conference had been held in 1983 in Toronto , on the invitation of the Priory of Canada, which celebrated its centenary that year. The next conference shou ld thus have been in 1986 but it was postponed by one year in order to coincide with the Brigade centenary, and thus give delegates the opportunity to attend other functions such as the Great Party in Hyde Park and the St John's Day celebrations in London.

Delegates had before them a varied agenda, including a number of items of important and topical int erest These included a wide-ranging r eview, with contributions from four overseas countries, of how such countries set about the man agement of major incid ents: exa mpl es were bush fires , ea rthquak es, cyclones and a ircra f t hij acks. Other major topics were

Primary Health Care in the Third World, modular training in Canada the agonising problem of AIDS, recent developments in resuscitation techniques , an interesting presentation on the Hospital in Jerusalem by the Hospitaller and a comprehensive display of modern equipment at HQ London District. It was also found possible to spare almost an hour for the TV coverage of the State opening of Parliament! This was something that most delegates h ad never had the opportunity to see before and inspired a lot of interest.

All work and no pla y not a bit of it!

On the evening before the conference started t h ere was a reception at Grosvenor Cresce nt and on the next evening all delegates , plus spouses, embarked at Charing Cross pier on a specially chartered boat for a fascinating voyage down river to Greenwich. The 50-minutes-odd trip passed quickly with a n enjoyable drink a nd a buffet supp er, to the accompaniment of an exce llent commentary from one of the crew who dispensed a mine of information on the var ious city land-mark s lining the river banks. On arrival at Greenwich there

was a tour of the Royal Naval College with an expert guide whose depth of knowledge during visits to the Chapel and the Painted Hall were a revelation. Later in the week delegates were generously entertained to an evening reception at HQ London District , and on the last evening a dinner was held at St John's Gate.

The success of these social occasions, as well as the success of the conference itself , was due in no small part to the most co-operative and efficient manner in which London District helped transport delegates to all the var iou s places included in the programme under the direction of the Commander Mr Derek Fenton and Mr Harry Lake

The future of Overseas Conferences in London is presently under review. It is thought that perhaps regional seminars give b e t te r valu e for money, always a vital consideration these days, but the unanimous view on this occasion seemed to be that the triennial meetings in London sho uld continue.

The Metropolitan Pol ice Commissioner, Sir Kenneth Newman (right), hands over a new ambulan ce to London District SJA Commander, Derek Fenton, w th Lad y Newm an and Area Commissioner Les Webb. T he ambulance, to be used by SJA in Leytonstone, was a gift from the Metropolitan Pol ce and presented at the Police Hors e Show and Tournament.

WINNER

COMMONWEALTH

QUIZ

Bolsover's team (Derbyshire) receive the Goveted Dewar Shield from famous wrestler Mick McManus as winners of the adult first aid competition. Last year they finished third.

THIS MONTH brings details of exciting new developments for the future of the Cadet movement. First, however, an apology from me for the lack of material in the column during recent months. Smce joining the full-time staff at Headquarters , with the events celebratmg the centenary taking priority, I have had little i me to put pen to paper. I hope that there will no longer be any gaps m our offer.

I must also correct a misunderstandingsince the change of title of the column it has not been intended to issue badges to contributors. In recent years there have been less than a handful of contributions a year and it does not seem realistic to commission a new badge for so few. No doubt getting a contribution in print will be satisfactory enough!

However, enough of the introductionhow about some ACTION?

The St John Cadet Action Pack

Many of you will have heard of the Action Pack which was launched in June at meetings 'around the country for C/S/O and AlS/O Cadets. This exciting new scheme was prepared by a working party made up of volunteers representing every level of the Cadet movement.

The following questions/answers should help you to understand the scheme:

by JIM

Q. What does the Action Pack stand for?

A. ACTION stands for Aids Cadets to Identify Others Needs. The pack is not intended to be a complete first aid or nursing qualification but rather a taste of the basic skills that a St John Cadet will learn.

Q. What makes up the Action Pack?

A. Firstly there is a book of teaching notes which outlines the scheme and the details of each session. This is being issued FREE of charge to all Cadet and Quadrilateral Divisions courtesy of the Royal Jubil ee Trust. Next is the Action Pack leaflet (shown below), which outlines the scheme and the opportunities open for St John Cadets. This is also used as a recrui tino leaflet and will be available

for fro m Supplies Department.

The final essential part of the pack IS the Personal Record Card. This card enables details of the Division to be conveyed to potential cadets their parents/ouardians. It also mcludes space personal details needed for the BFC4 as well as a record of the cadet's progress through the scheme. This is also available from Supphes Department.

Special Service Shield

FOLLOWING discussion, it has been decided that in future the following pattern of hours will qualify cadets for the award of the Special Service Shield.

The new scheme will come into operation with effect from September 1 1987, when new style badges should be available from the Supplies Department.

The revision in the hour qualification has come about as a result of requests from counties where cadets find it very difficult to achieve the earlier low er limit of 200 hours. Each award will be sig nified by a different co lour badge and awards in excess of 1,000 hour s will in future be noted only by the issue of the certificate from this Headquarters, which will be issued on the achievement of each successive 1,000 hour stage.

by National Headquarters

1.1. Bond Director Cadet and Training June 29, 1987 National HQ

Q. Are there any other items in the Action Pack?

A. Yes, there are two optional items available from Supplies Department. There is the Actiol] Pack Badge , which can be issued to potential Cadets while following the Action Pack. The other is the Action Pack Certificate, issued on successful completion of the course.

Q. How long does the Action Pack course last?

A. It is designed to take about six sessions , but this will depend upon the age and ability of the students. It is, however , important that the course is completed quickly, without lowering standards.

Q. Is the course studied in any particular order?

A. No , each session stands on its own and may be studied in any order.

Q. Who may instruct the Action Pack course?

A. Officers/Members-in-Charge of Cadet Divisions , other suitably qualified adults and cadets (where possible holders of a Cadet Instruction Certif1cate)

Q. What subjects are included in the Action Pack course?

A. There are two sessions on basic life support, two on basic caring skills and two on the image and identity of the St John Ambulance Organisation.

Q. What happens when a Cadet completes the Action Pack course?

A. She/he becomes a full member of the cadet movement entitl ed to wear full uniform, as in current Dress Regulations, and participate in all activities provided by the organisation.

Q. When must a Cadet complete an Essentials of First Aid course?

A. This will depend on many things including the programme arranged by the Division as well as the age and ability of the Cadet. In any event she/he will have to obtain a certificate to complete th e Grand Prior Scheme and participate in competitions, etc.

(continued overleaf)

(Above) StanfordIe -Hope (Essex) Combined Cadet Div ision's float which took first prize in the local carnival.

(Right) Southport Cadet Division 's float showed cadets in all he old style uniforms, with their Supt, Marion Sharrock, on foot in an 1895 style and her daughter, Kathryn, who collected £28 towards the carnival proceeds. The Division recently enrolled 36 cadets.

(R ght) It was cake all round for Bristol Stoke Lodge Badgers after they received their Badger packs and badges. (Photo: Myra Meredith).

( Left) Lisa Goodsir, 15 of Avon s Clutton Cadet Div s on receives her Cadet of the Year award from the Di vi s on s Vice-President, Mrs Mary Tilley (Below ) Cadets of Avon s Portishead Division took the trophy at Woodspring swimming gala (Nailsea cadets were runners-up) and received it from Area Commissioner Alfred Pratlett. (Photos: Myra Meredith )

(Below) Twenty Shaftesbury Dorset Badgers and some cadets made and served breakfast to the elderly in a local hospital.

Q. Isn't this a lowering of standards?

A. Definitely not, all Cadets will be expected to reach the same high standards of proficiency as before - but now we recognise that training takes time, and depends on many factors related to the individual. -

Q. What formalities are there?

A. None! The course does not have to be registered. If you issue a certificate (which really is a good idea) this should be done immediately the course is completed. The date of joining is the date of completion The enrolment ceremonies will then be held as soon as possible after this (certainly within six months).

Q. What about Caring for the Sick qualifications?

A. This will continue to be available but will no longer be a qualification for membership. A new guide for the Preliminary Level Certificate suited to cadets has been sent to your CISlO Cadets.

Q. When will Brigade Regulations be amended?

A. This will be done in due course. In the meantime your county has been sent details of relevant changes which you may refer to.

Q. What about the Annual Re-examination for Cadets?

A. This will take the form of a Basic Life Support Exam, as in the adult section, with a re-examination before the expiry of any Association Certificate that is held.

Q. What do I do if I don't understand the scheme or there are any further questions?

A. Please contact your AlS/O or CISlO Cadets who has had the opportunity to be briefed on the pack and will have further details.

Q. What next?

A. The Action Pack is the first stage of development of the St John Cadet Challenge. Many more exciting ideas are on the way so please keep reading this column, the Brigade Newsletter and the mailings we shall send to Divisions who return the reply slip issued with the Action Pack materials. 208

'Down in the woods something stirs .' In fact, it is 14 Folkestone nursing cadets, four of whom are getting breakfast during the Spring Bank Holiday camp, together with two adults.

Cadet Proficiency Scheme

The new handbook for the scheme is now available from Supplies Department, P09580. Bigger and much better than the old cards, the handbook will prove to be of great value to members running Cadet Divisions. The handbook also includes a reply slip to enable updates of information to be sent to Divisions. The new scheme is now in operation and the book is already proving highly popular because of the detail shown about each subject. A typical subject entry includes a list of suitable instructors examiners, a detailed list of the areas of study required, together with teaching notes to assist instructors. Often suitable visual aids and handouts are provided in master copy form for issue to cadets. Another section offers details of where further teaching materials and help may be obtained. Each subject section ends with assessment guidelines to assist examiners.

Cadets currently studying proficiency subjects from the old scheme will be able to complete these and then join the new scheme. All Cadets now starting to work for the Grand Prior's Award must follow the new scheme. Details of the change over have been sent to CSOs

Cadet instructor courses

Many of you will know of the Cadet Instructor courses which we offered as part of the Brigade HQ training scheme. They have proved immensely popular and applications have been received at the rate of

The game that is making learning first aid FUN

If you have any queries or further thoughts on the Review's Block Buster, ring compiler Vic Helmore on 02572 64454 or write 114 Greenside, Euxton, Chorley, Lanes PR7 6AP. V W R K T D H L P E N G B D C A S I J M

three for every available place. I am sorry that a number of people will be disappointed. In 1988 we plan to offer more courses if funds allow. Later in the year a detailed syUabus for the course will be issued to counties so that the course may be run at local level.

Cadet uniform

Details of the new Cadet Dress Regulations should have been received by Supplies Department account holders. The new regulations formally acknowledge that the black sweater may be worn by both boys and girls. A new design sweater with cloth patches on the upper arm will allow all the revised badge positions to be used. Girls will be permitted to wear a white blouse (black bow tie) with either a black skirt or trousers.

New designs for the proficiency badge as well as the Special Service Shield and service badge are also launched this yea r. In addition boys will now wear a white pouch on a belt instead of the haversack. Full details of these changes are in the new Cadet Dress Regulations , available from Supplies Department.

Cadet Leader of the Year

The competition for 1987 will be held at Gilwell Park on December 11-12. Nominations (one per county) are due to HQ by October 1.

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lancs) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions. 160 schools in Lancashire, as well as authorities in Staffs, Cheshire, Northumbria and Nottinghamshire, have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

GAME FIVE

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line , the game is all square.

V. What are the 33 bones of the spine called? R.

T. Medical term for the windpipe. H.

P. In stupor, these respond to light. C.

E. With a fractured base of skull , blood and cerebral fluid escape A. from here.

S.

N. To test circulation , press these and they should return to K. pink. L.

W. Cells in the blood that fight infection. I.

D. These are sometimes displaced or slip between the vertebrae. J.

G. A fracture generally diagnosed in a child. M.

B. A splint that is always available.

D. An unconscious person with dry flushed skin and sweet smelling breath may be suffering from.

System responsible for the continuation of the famil y. Element of the blood which attracts oxyg e n f rom th e lungs Collective name for the wrist bones. The upper receiving chambers o f the he a rt. In a case of stove in chest thi s bone is mo s t like ly br oke n If these are damaged and urine is p a ssed it app e ars smokey. Organ which stores energy and produces bile. Produced in the pancreas and passed into th e blood. This position is where two or more bones meet. The only movable bone in the lowe r jaw

IIfracombe, Devon, has 78 Badge rs (above) meeting on two evenings a week who recently chose a prince and princess Badger to lead the local carnival (in a cart and horse). They are ( eft) Mark Lees, 7, and Hayley Poulton, 8 - both really looking the part.

THE GREAT PARTY The following letters have been sent to Lady Westbury Supt-in- from South Belfast Ambulance Chief and Chairman of the & Nursing Division Centenary Year Committee.

We the members of South Belfast would like to take this opportunity of recording our thanks to all involved in the organisation and running of the Great Party in Hyde Park.

On the day, we decided to speak to as many people as possible, and these included delegates from Hong Kong, Uganda, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Eire and of course UK members. Even the London Fire Brigade were approached to quell the fire in our feet, but they thought we would be more able for that job. Since then we have corresponded with SJA Essex and what marvellous, caring people they turned out to be.

This was a wonderful day for holding out the hand of friendship to members from all over the world and, while we may never meet again, we have memories of so many people with the one common cause - to Serve. We hope that all present experienced the goodwill and friendship as we did.

from New Scotland Yard, London SWl

Hopefully, by the time you receive this note, you will have recovered from the outstandingly successful event of June 20.

The weather prospects must have given you kittens but, in the event, it was a lo vely day and no-one seemed to mind the problems under foot. No doubt there were many snags - all I can say is that they were not apparent to your guests and the subsequent television viewing was first class.

I have marked our file - bring forward in 99 years - and if they do it half as well then they ought to be delighted.

Many congratulations to you and your professional team.

from the Chairman , BBC

It was a wonderful day and I followed it all myself on television

- I am not surprised that yo u found the atmosphere magical; television gets that across. I am forwarding your letter to the BBC Television people because I know how glad they will be to have received it.

GREAT PARTY BUT

...

from George S. Richardson, Corps Supt

Diary of events: Out of bed at Sam. In uniform and pick up grandson at 6am. Go to Nott ingh am City, park car at 6.35 am. Wait with other members of City Area for coach (must be on coach for 6.50am). Coach arrived at 7am. All aboard and away at 7.10am Coach got lost on London North Circular when driver went past sign 'Hendon RAF and Exhibition'. De-bussed at 1O.15am and walked from RAF Station to Colingdale Tube Station. Other coaches were arriving along with ours and Police and London Transport very helpful. Train already in station.

Tannoy told us: 'People for Hyde Park Party take this train, change at St Pancras onto the Piccadilly Line for Hyde Park Corner.' Full train and off we go - but we do not want Hyde Park Corner? We have orders to enter by Gate E from Marble Arch Station, enter box by Gate B if in uniform. So along with tens of thousands queuing for trains to Hyde Park we arrive there at 10.55am. Enter Gate A, start walking around perimeter fence towards box Gate B ', too late - balloons have

'We all had a very enjoyable time says this party piece, signed on the back by

go ne up - maroons have just gone up - and cheering from an area to the north of us. We had blown it!

Saw Prince Philip and Lady Westbury riding by, gave them a cheer. People were running towards th e VIP tenLWe ran and saw Her Majesty, Our Queen, and thousands of cheenng, St John people. We all had a g!and day. Had to take off my jacket, too hot. Good Job I had put on my best whlte shm!

Rain clouds started gathering at about 3.30. Better get back to Notts County tent and collect hand luggage. Along with our County Commissioner and County Commander, we set off for Tube Station at Marble Arch at 4.40. Queue there, but after changing at Tottenham Court Road onto Northern Line route we s hould have taken in the morning), we arrived along wlth thousands more from Notts, Yorks, Durham and all points north of Watford at RAF Hendon at 5.30pm. Rain falling fast! Coaches inside RAF Station. We had to wait outside Getting wetter and wetter. Orders from coach-driver that morning: 'Back on coach , ready to leave, at 6.45pm'. At 6.15 s0I!1e. kind police inspector came along and told us to ask pe!mlSSIOn at RAF Security to go in and find our coach. We did coach door locked. Coach -d river came at 6.45. We climbed aboard and went to collect the rest of our party on the road outside the Air Force Station. Coach off for north of Watford at 7.15. Home at 10.10, tired but we had been there, to the greatest party I had ever been to. Ate at least two pounds of sausage. A good day spoiled for thousands , by many of us not gettmg into the square on time and filling all that space m our flag (as seen on TV b y our families)

Reasons:

!

a) Coaches disembarked too far from Hyde Park. b) Sent to the wrong station c) London Tube over-crowded.

What to do about it:

(a) Coaches, under central control of Police , held at nearby football stadium car parks and brought to entrances at Hyde by numbers (each coach was given one) and passengers at their correct ' gates The coaches could then go off to their respective park for the day.

(b) Passengers given a position and time to be outSIde the park for leaving; board their coach and away home.

There is no need for 13,000 coaches to be nearer the Park at any time than it takes for un-loading and loading with, say, a dozen coaches at each gate.

Nottingham

George S. Richardson

I SUPPLIES UPDATE I

THE NEW First Aid Manual and First Aid at Work Course Book reached us during July and within days large quantities were being delivered nationwide. We have both books in stock and now is the time to check out yo ur stocks for autumn courses

This year our Christmas mailing includes the Exley Publications catalogue. This is a whole range of general-interest ideal as Christmas presents , and for every book sold the publishers Will gIve 25p in the £1 to St John. Don't forget to show the catalogue to y our friends. They will want to buy!

The new catalogue supplement for the Cadet Uniform shows the complete range of products now available for cadets. Members with the existing uniform will find there are new style badges avaIlable, including a new Service Badge, Cadet Service Shie ld , Cadet Leader Markings and Proficiency Badge.

The revised Resuscitation Chart , based on the 5th edition of the First Aid Manual, is available now It is competitively priced at £4.25, order number P03200. There is also an A4 size chart available , encapsulated in plastic, at £1.95. Order P03206. St John units will enjoy a discount as the charts will be available at the pub li cation discount scale.

There's been an enormous response for centenary products since the Great Party. Our credit card order line has been especially busy and on at least one occasion the answering machine tape was filled to capacity and some orders may not have been by us. If you ordered on the answering machine credit card 11l1e (01 - 253 5790) during June or July and have heard nothing from us , please let us know about it as soon as possible.

The GPO Liverpool District Manager, Mr G. Armstrong, presents a set of centenary stamps to Capt H. T. Duffy Commander Merseyside

Poulton Primary School won the Junior Challenge Trophy with 40 pupils ga i ning heir SJA Three Cross Award Certificates and Karl Wild received the cup for the school from the Mayor of Wirral.

A centenary reception for members at Wallasey Town Hall hosted by the Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Arthur Smith Merseyside

NEWS from SCOTLAND

IN THE MAY Review, it was reported that the Order Committee for Central Scotland had decided to launch an ambitious appeal for over £400,000 to build a residential home for the elderly in the village of Polmont where the Order had been given a parcel of land. As a fund-raising effort to this end, a Scottish Variety Concert was arranged for the evening of June 17 in the concert hall of the Leisure Centre in Airth Castle Hotel , near Stirling.

Many well -known national and local artistes readily agreed to give their services free in order to maximise the income from the function, as did the well -kno

BBC announcer, Robbie Shepherd, who acted as compere. The proprietors of the hotel generously waived all payment for the use of their premises and excellent facilities. The artistes taking part included Miss Valeri€ Dunbar the Alexander Brothers John Doig, James Nicol and accompanists Arthur Blake and Alan Boyd , as well as local accordion and pipe bands. All agreed

WALES

A GWENT policeman who saved the life of a 13-year-old boy from drowning has been presented with the Priory for Wales Meritorious First Aid certificate.

Fast acting PC Phillip Norman went to a canal in Cwmbran, Gwent , and found a boy lying unconscious on the canal bank. The youth had stopped breathing and had a faint pulse. PC Norman administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until the ambulance took the boy to hospital. The boy recovered and was later released from hospital.

Keith Dunn, the Priory's Chief Training Co-ordinator, presented Constable Norman with the certificate on behalf of the Director of Association at a special ceremony held at Gwent's Police Headquarters, Cwmbran.

already got off

to a very good start as a result of the very generous donations from two prominent members of the Order in the Central Area

NORTHERN IRELAND

THE ST JOHN Badgers were officially launched in Northern Ireland at an impressive ceremony on June 6 at The Queen's University , Belfast. St John members wore uniform so that publicity would clearly identify the Badgers as part of the St John family.

The launching ceremony was chaired by the District Commissioner, Dr Betty Nicholl. An outline of Badgers , who and what they are, was given by District Badger Leader , Marvin Gowdy. Badgers carrying large replicas of the cut-out trophies were organised by Assistant District Badger Leader Mrs Carol Connolly. The District Vice-President , Col. J. Hughes officially launched our newest section. Local magician Paul Gomac entertained the wide-eyed and happy Badgers with startling ease and after the ceremony the

The Badgers getting off to a good start in Northern Ireland

University s Physical Education Centre ' s facilities were opened for the youngsters , many of whom had travelled up to 90 miles to take part.

The first Badger Set was formed in Northern Ireland

OVERSEAS

nursing member Beverley Eyton, who works at Flint Post Office, presents commemorative first day cover SJA stamps (courtesy the local Post Office) to local divisional leaders. (Left) Mr D Gunther, acting manager Flint P.O.; Beverley; David Moore, Flint Div; Fred Rogers, cty staff and Deeside

Joe Williams, Flint.

Evening Leader, Wrexham). PC Phillip Norman, and Mrs Norman , after receiving the Meritorious Certificate from Keith Dunn

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

THIS is the story of two of the great Military Orders which were part of the everyday scene in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their influences on local life. The Order of St John was founded to provide care for pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of their founders. Within a few years, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wielding immense military and political power in the Holy Land and throughout Europe. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspicion and disapproval. The other was to survive to the present day and in the process turnfull circle to serve its 'masters the sick '. Part 15

Written

and illustrated by

Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order

LA VALLETTE surveyed the ruins of the little towns that they had fought so valiantly to defend. Hardly a house remained standing and every man bore some mark from the fierce combat that had taken place. Yet the spirit ofthe Order had never been higher. The retreat of the Turks from Mdina had shown that they were weaker than before while the lull in attacks demonstrated that maintaining assaults had become too much for them. Some of the Knights wanted to go out and attack the enemy without waiting for reinforcements , but La Vallette was wary. It would be better to wait and see what the Turks would do next.

The failure of the attack on September 1 seemed to have completely disheartened the Turks. Attacks on the following days were few and lacked enthusiasm. Perhaps they were summoning up their strength for one last , final attempt.

As dawn broke on Saturday , September 8 the weary soldiers on duty 011 the battered parapets of Birgu and Senglea could scarcely believe their eyes. The enemy had disappeared! Stretching before them were the empty gun positions and shelters. Nothing remained but the smoking embers of the Turkish fires and the heaps of dead beneath the walls It was a scene of complete desolation.

As soon as they had made sure that the Turks had really gone some Knights rode round to the Marsa and on to Mount Sciberras to the ruins of Fort St Elmo where their comrades had died so valiantly. Even as they did so, the last Turkish ships slipped out of Marsamascetto.

Meanwhile , Mustapha , learning that he had been tricked , sent some of his troops ashore to join battle with the relief force. It was his last opportunity to save the day They were no match for the new troops

as nothing but a relic of the crusading days , and of little value in the defence of Christendom. These attitudes were forgotten now. Everyone saw that the Order in its tiny island home was a vital force in the defence of the Christian world. Even the unfriendly princes of Europe realised that but for the bravery of tbe Knights of St John in Malta, their own thron es would have been in danger. Nothing could have prevented the Turkish forces pourin g into southern Europe. The victory of the Order was a victory for Christendom.

Congratulations poured in to La Vallette and bis gallant band. Offer s of help for rebuilding their shattered home were plentiful. Princes showered La Vallette with personal gifts, and bells were rung in church steeples all over Europe. In Protestant England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker , ordered special prayers of thanksgiving to be used

Meanwhile, in Europe, the fame of the Order's victory brought man y more young men to join th e Order, and soon its numbers were growing rapidly. It was no long er a dying Order.

The Most Humble City of Vallette

For some years La Vallette had been dreaming of a really worthy city that the Order could regard as its own home. His idea was to build a great city on the slopes of Mount Sciberras. In December 1565 , the famous Italian Architect Laparelli arrived with hi s plans.

The si t e on Mount Sciberras was a goo d one. To the south it would overlook Grand Harbour, Birgu and Senglea while to the north it would protect the harbour of Marsamascetto that little Fort St Elmo had tried so valiantly to defend. It was a grand scheme.

On March 28 1566, La Vallette laid the foundation stone. He named the city after himself - 'Th e Most Humble City of Vallette '. Soon th e walls began to rise round Mount Sciberras , for it was to be a fortress as well as a home. If the Turks came again, as they surely would do , the Order would be well prepared.

La Vallette did not live to see the completion of his dream. In July 1568 , he was overcome by t he heat of the sun , and on August 21 he died.

At first his body was laid to rest in the little church of 'O ur Lady of Victories' which had been built almost directly after the victory in 1565 , but later it was removed to the great church of St John , completed in 1578.

Above La Vallette's tomb in the Grand Masters' crypt is a verse composed by hi s English secretary,

But there was no time left for even a final assault. Early in the morning of Friday, September 7, the relief force landed in Mellieha Bay, and the Turkish defeat was assured. Mellieha Bay was an ideal landing place , with its gently shelving sands.

General Mustapha and La Vallette both heard the news of the landing at the same time. Quickly La Vallette took advantage of the event to add to the Turkish worries A message was passed to the Turkish headquarters that 16,000 troops had landed. It was too much for Mustapha and Pali . They might have attempted to drive off 10,000 men but 16 ,000 fresh troops wa s more than they could manage. The only thing to do was to withdraw. Quickly the Turkish troops were taken from their lines and embarked in their ships at Marsascirocco and Marsamascetto.

214

Hundreds were killed as they were driven towards St Paul 's Bay where Pali's ships were waiting It was a complete and utter defeat Of the force that had left Constantinople in March, 21 000 men had been lost, and nothing gained The Sultan Suleiman The Magnificent' had been humiliated before the whole world. The Order of St John of Jerusalem would live on.

The cost of victory

The Order of St John of Jerusalem had also suffered terrible losses. Over 250 Knights had been killed and other casualties amounted to over 7,000. The island had been laid to waste jts buildings and fortresses practically destroyed. Yet in spite of it aU, the victory brought nothing but good to the Order.

Many people had looked upon the Order

in churches for several weeks afterwards. It had been a great victory. Never agai n were the forces of Islam to present such a threat to the Christian world.

For the Order in Malta, however the rejoicings were short-lived. There was much work to be done to repair th e damage. Day and night members of th e Order, their slaves and the local inhabitants toiled to clear the rubble bury the dead, repair damaged equipment, prepar e new defences The hospital was full of seriously wounded and dying men, and th e nursing side of the Order'S work was in great demand.

La Vallette realised that although th e Turks may have been defeated on this occasion, it would not be long before Suleiman decided to gain his revenge. To re-equip the force and rebuild the defences was the first priority.

St John Fellowship

A few feet away lies the body of Oliver Starchey, the only Knight who was not a Grand Master to be buried in the crypt. He was also one of only two English Knights who took part in the Great Siege. Elsewhere in the crypt are the remains of other Grand Masters , including those of de L'Isle Adam , who first brought the Knights to the is land.

The Turkish fleet leaves Marsamascetto.

La Vallette is showered with gifts.

Oliver Starchey, who had been with him throughout the siege:

La Vallette s tomb in St John s Cathedral.

N. Yorks Flower Festival

IN CONNECTION with the centenary the Council for the Order in North Yorkshire are staging a Flower Festival on Sept 11- 13 in Markenfield Hall which is between Ripon and Harrogate off the A61. The flowers will be disp layed by the Harrogate Flower Club in this lovely medieval, moated and fortified Manor House which was recently restored by Lord Grantley, who has kindly lent it for the occasion. The courtyard was a gathering point for the Pilgrimage of Grace, and the original Great Hall and kitchens together with the Chapel are to be the focus of the festival. A special exhibition will be mounted for a preview on the Friday evening; on the other two days the Cadet Violin and Recorder Band and the York Mystery Play, both of which were at the Great Party , will perform at intervals. Demonstrations of first aid and the new Resusci -Anne are also planned.

The Flower Club has taken our centenary as their theme , and many beautiful and unusual displays will be on show. Not only do we hope that the weather will co-operate , but also that the black swans on the moat will also oblige by showing off. Descriptive souvenir programmes will be entrance ' tickets '

SJ Fellowship

Your membership of St Jo h n is not coming to

is no branch near you, some notes on how to start one.

If your Division would like a talk on the Fe ll owship I can arrange this , given du e notice.

31 Malvern Court, Onslow Square, London SW73HY Sheila Puckle National Secretary St John Fellowship

'YOUR CLUB'

St John House Club 50 Eaton Place London SW1 X 8AP

THIS MONTH we welcome the formation of a new branch in Devon: RESERVATIONS - 01-2352732

All St John Members

Coiyton & District Branch, Devon (2)

Contact Mrs L. G. Griffith, are welcome The Nourse , Dolphin Street Block Buster (5) ANSWERS

Colyton, Devon EX13 6NA. V. Vertebrae; T. Trachea P. Pupils; E. Ear; N. Nails; W. White; D. Di sc; G. Greenstick· B. Bod y; D. D iabetes; R. Reproductive; H. Haemoglobin ; C. Carpa l:

As we approach the autumn, this seems to be the moment to say to all those reaching the end of their active service with the Brigade this year:

A. Atria; S. Sternum; K. Kidneys ; L. Liver ; 1. Insulin ; J. Joint; M. Mandible.

precious metals (5). 13. Market for parasites ? (4). 14. Group of girls , larks or quails. (4). 16. Brutal Nazi police using postage. (7). 19. Inflammation of iris, choroid, and ciliary bod y. (7). 21. Incomplete cure for a dog. (3).22 Lacking the sense of smel l. (7). 24. A murder in tympanic membr ane. (7).26. Large incised wound. (4).27. Catch sight of a skin blemish (4).29. Temperature high in part of lower limb. (5). 31. Into gas for muscle opposed in action by another muscle. (7).32. Heartburn (7). 33. Organ producing male gametes (8) 34. Rest period for fold in organ. (6).

Down:

1. Rule again broken producing nerve pain. (9). 2. Directions in Paris for a partial paralysis. (7) 3 Streak of good fortune. (5). 5. Series of steps taken to achieve a desired medical or surg ica l re sult. (9). 6. Light beams for fish. (4). 7. Not term for severe bodily or mental suffering. (7) . 8. 5 Down potentially harmful to the patient. (5). 9 Complain about protein-rich food. (4). 15. Perceiv e stimuli through the eighth cranial nerve (4).17. Service provided by Mary. (4).18. At the back of the head. (9).20. Cartilaginous joint. (9). 23 Composed of bony tissue. (7). 25. New e dition of book about progeny (7). 26. Hard work for transplant. (5). 28. Group and cross - match blood. (4).29. Number of layers of meninges (5) 30 A small version. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No 8 (87)

REVIEW CROSSWORD No.9 (87) by W. A. Potter

Across:

1. Muscular prominence of mammary gland. (6).4. Poor rate for a surgeon. (8). 10 Curt lie for membranous structure of labyrinth of inner ear. (7). 11 Threadworm. (7). 12. Check for purity of

Across: 1. and 20. Down. Graafian follicle; 5. Hooked; 9 Placenta ; 10. Caries; 12 . Urged; 13. Clot; 14. Ve·in; 16. Ass·ail; 18 . Sniffle 21. Awe; 22. Oc·ci·put; 23. Sclera; 25. L·ate; 27. Sour ; 28 Cheer; 30. Cervix; 31. Debility; 32. Embryo; 33. Androgen.

Down: 1. Gypsum ; 2. Analgesic; 3. Fi end; 4. Articulation; 6. Oval; 7. Knife; 8. Dyspnoea; 11. House Surgeon; 15. Pill; 17 Alps; 19. Par-seeing; 24. C·rayon; 26. Throb; 28. Crier; 29. Wiry.

ADVERTISEMENTS

FESTIVAL OF CAROLS

at the

GRAND

PRIORY

CHURCH St John's Gate, Clerkenwell with the CHOIR OF ST. PETER AD VINCULAR, H.M. TOWER OF LONDON

Organist: John Williams, MA, FRCO on Tuesday, December 15 1987 at 7 pm

Arranged by The Order of St John Musical Society in conjw1Ction with The Carol Service Committee of The Order of St Jolm Ceremonial Staff

Tickets £7 each or £20 family ticket (max four children under 16) from: Festival of Carols) Order of StJohn Musical Society) St John)s Gate) London EC1M 4DA

Further details will appear in the November Review

ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volume 60 No.10

Contents

Lisa of Hungerford p.217

Schools Project p.218 October 1987

SJ Fellowship - SJA Medical Conference 1988 p.219

Brigade Finals, reports on p.220

Around and About, by the Editor p.224

Block Buster No.6 p.228

Cadet Focus by Jim p.229

Do you know your Manuals? (15) by Bruce Coltman p.230

Nurse training with the RAF p.232

Training a Scout first aid team, by Sarah Cutler p.232

Frustrated First-Aider p.233

Readers' Views p.234

News from Scotland - Wales p.236

Overseas News p.237

Champions of the Cross (16) by Hugh A. R. Edgell p.238

Lisa of Hungerford

CADET INJURED IN SHOOTING

OUT OF THE shooting tragedy in Hungerford on August 19 has come one ray of light , the sav ing of the life of Lisa Mildenhall. Lisa , a 14-year-old cadet from Hungerford , was shot and hit four times by a man she knew as a neighbour. Two bullets lodged in h e r hip , another in the left leg and a fo urth in the groin.

Mrs Sylvia Pa scoe , a Brigad e member for four years and divi siona l secretary of the Hungerford Divi s ion , who lives next door to Lisa's family heard Cad et Lisa Mildenhall. the sou nds of breaking glass and Photo

children screaming. On hearing that Lisa was hurt, Mrs Pascoe rushed to her as she manag ed to get from the side of the house to the kitchen. Lisa's moth er was distraught , but Mrs Pascoe applied pressure to sta unch the flow of blood from wounds in Lisa s leg using all the pads , towels, etc , that cou ld be found. Another neighbour , Mrs Fiona Pa sk , called an ambulance and then helped Mrs Pascoe ap ply pressure to the wounds Mrs Pascoe said afterwards that without Mrs Pask's help the task would have been impossible.

Together they managed to control the arterial bleeding and to keep Lisa in good spirits - joking to her and reassuring her despite the sound of continuing gun shots. 45 minutes after [he incident, an ambulance was able to reach them and Lisa was taken to ho spital in Swindon. She had lost three pints of blood but remained conscious , and it is evident that the clear headed and speedy application of emergency aid techniques is what saved her life.

Lisa s a fighter, said Mrs P ascoe. Lisa s determination to get well is only too evident.

On August 28 the Commissioner-in-Chief John Sunderland , and Mrs Sunderland together with Lady Elizabeth Godsal Commissioner for Berks , called in on Hungerford Division s cadet and badger meeting and met members of the adult division , man y of whom knew victims of the tragedy which came to this small community. The C-in-C's party was then escorted by D IS Steve P ye and Sergeant Fred Richens to visi t Lisa in hospital in Swindan. Surrounded by her family - two of whom are also cadets - Lisa was in excellent spirits and well on the way to recovery, even possibl y in time for the beginning of school term! She could already walk unaided and was looking forward to going home soon.

Suffolk IP12 3QF Advertising rates on request Phone: Orford (0394) 450548. Editor : Frank Driscoll.

Contributions to the St John Review are always welcome. They shou ld be typed, treble lin e spacing, on one side of pap e r only , (if in longhand pleas e print names of people, places , etc), and send to the editorial add ress above. If possible supply a phone number for the writer. Mat e ria l can vary from a paragraph for Around and About to a 5,000 word article - but it s hould all have some connection with St John and its work. Photographs should be glossy black and white prints or good qu a lity colour prints , not nega tives or transparencies. If are to be returned , write on the back RETURN and name and address. Pres s day is the 1st of the month preceding the cover date.

With flowers and cards from well-wishers around the room , Lisa proudly showed her visitors fan mail which included a signed photo from Bo y George and admitted to having almost enjo ye d being a celebrity. The Commissioner-in-Chief then presented first aid certificates to Lisa and her sister Marie, 13 - which so far as we know is the first ceremony of its kind to be held in a hospital!

COUNTY SECRETARIES

The annual postal subscription of the Review will be increased from January 1988 to £12 (85p a copy).

South West News

SCHOOLS PROJECT

St John Fellowship

The biggest FA course in the world

THE DIRECTOR-General, Robert Balchin, was recently faced with the task of presenting 360 students with One, Two and Three Cross Award certificates (990 certificates in all) in 30 minutes at Collingwood School, the largest comprehensive school in Surrey. The pupils solved this problem by organising one boy and one girl from each class to receive a certificate on behalf of all the other children , otherwise Mr Balchin would have been worn out by hand shaking.

Eighteen months ago Mr Peter Halls Dickerson, the headmaster of the school, saw enormous possibilities in the St John Three Cross course and determined to introduce it to his school. He asked several members of staff to look after the project and together they persuaded 14 other members of staff to go on an Emergency Aid course with Surrey St John Ambulance. One of them Mrs June Carter, later took the First Aid at Work course, joined the Brigade and is currently studying to become a first aid instructor. She is also encouraging Collingwood pupils to join the Cadets.

Collingwood School chose the period after the examinations in June and July to stage the course. The teachers were instructors and a two-day exercise was planned involving the services of the Surrey and London Ambulance Service, the local Fire Brigade and Road Safety Officers, and DIS Mrs C. Rhodes, Sgt Mrs K. Lewin, (who is also a teacher) , DIS A. Bailey, (a London Ambulance Instructor) from Chertsey and Englefield Green Division.

While the children were being taught resuscitation individually, others in small groups did projects concerned with emergency techniques and learned a great deal about dangers that can exist iri the street and in their own homes. There was a competrtion for the best project, and finally one of the classes was awarded a special cup for the best presentation on Health and First Aid. The teachers reported that they had never seen the children so highly motivated. The course, with its video, is useful for children of all ages and even those children who are in no way academically minded have found it absorbing and stimulating.

All the children passed the course. The staff were happy but exhausted and one fireman commented that such was their interest that he felt that no child who had gone through the course and listened to the additional lectures would ever be tempted

218

to make a false 999 call. The presentation ceremony of certificates in the school's assembly hall was in front of many parents and guests. The Director-General had particularly asked that members of the Brigade should be present in uniform and the County Commissioner for Surrey, Stewart Latham, and a number of his staff were present on stage, together with Miss Joyce Ashby, County Director for Surrey. The Director-General congratulated the children on taking enormous trouble to learn about emergency skills and then presented the headmaster with a framed certificate for over fifty candidates. Mr Halls Dickerson assured everyone that the course would be a regular part of life at Collingwood School from now on and he understood that much of the success was due to the planning and enthusiasm of Mrs Carter. No one would have any excuse to do nothing when examinations are over. It was a wonderful day. Once again The St John Ambulance Three Cross Award has been an out and out success.

Anne Macleod Schools Project Manager

600 electricians take 3X course

BRIAN HEALEY, one of the regular St John Ambulance instructors, reports:

'Ask anyone what ITA and BBC mean and they will tell you all about television, but pose the question to people who have attended the Emergency Aid sessions and they will reply in a different vein.

'People coming into the Safety Centre during a part I and II session have been amazed to find bodies lying everywhere as people mastered the art of placing each other in the recovery position.

'Though emergency aid is a serious

subject there have been a few light-hearted moments during the sessions. Such as when we were taking each other's pulse. We each took hold of the person s wrist on our left. As we did this , a member of management came in and thought we were forming a daisy chain, so he left immediately.

Exercise discontinued.

'Then there was t he student who developed his own way of checking the responsive level of his unconsciou s casualty. Instead of a gentle tap on the face, a shake of the shoulders and a shout "Can you hear me? ", this chap tapped the casualty on the face and whispered in hi s ear "Work this weekend?". The casualty sat bolt upright and replied,· " Certainly".

The success of the sessions ha s depended on the willingness of everyone attending to participate in the practical work. It was amazing to see heavy-handed process operators , fitters boiler-makers bricklayers , electrical control personnel plumbers, painters , joiners, rail transport personnel, and all the assistants supervisors of these craftsmen, handlmg casualties with care and compassion and applying bandages and dressing wounds with a skill that would have picked up points at any 5rst aid competition.. .

Finally, let us not forget the objectives of the Emergency Aid Session :

- 'Prevention is what we must aim for first aid is required after prevention has failed.

- 'To give an understanding of Emergency Aid so that this knowledge may be implemented in the event of an emergency.

- 'To improve personal safety awareness to gain a sense of pride and ownership of the equipment that is situated on the site for emergency use.

Remember 'Whoever you are, and wherever you are, you will never know in advance that there is an emergency waiting for you just around the corner.

BE PREPARED TO SAVE A LIFE!'

SOUTH & West Yorkshire have done it again! They were the first county to start five branches and now they are the first to have reached six - and there is more to come , they say!

Doncaster Area Branch, S & W Yorks (6)

Contact Mr W. T. AlberTY , 5 Brockenhurst Road, Hatfield

Doncaster DN7 6SH

I was invited to their annual county Fellowship meeting, which was a great occasion this year, because Mrs Laura Pendleton received her BEM from the Lord Lieutenant in front of her family and 150 Fellowship members. Mrs Pendleton was awarded the BEM in the Birthday Honours for her long service to St John

and the local community. I was delighted to be able to congratulate her personally. It was a very heart-warming event, with some of the smallest Badgers I have seen helping to serve tea which included a magnificent centenary cake made by a young ambulance member. We were indeed one family.

Fellowship Charter I am also proud to announce this month that the Grand Prior has approved a charter for the St John Fellowship , thereby confirming our status as a permanent branch of the Order. Copies will be is s ued to branches with the next newsletter. The charter supersedes the constitution of the Fellowship which was introduced at the inaugural meeting on St John 's Day 1983.

A Century of Service M k - d VCWASNOT to an In WON AT ARNHEM

THE AUTHOR of A Century of Service to Mankind (the story of SJA) , Lt-Col R. E. Cole-Mackintosh, reports an error on page 79 of the book where he writes that LanceCorporal H E. Harden won his VC at the battle of Arnhem. This is incorr ec t , for Arnhem had been fought well befor e January 1945. In fact Harden 's act of gallantry was performed during the to the German frontier and the Slegfned Lme. 45 Commando in which Harden was a medical orderly was ordered to capture Linne in preparation for advance to the Rhine. So the text should m fact read the battle 'fo r Linne '.

The official account of 45 Commando records the situation nea r Linne on January 23 1945 , when the marines were pinned down by heavy German fire and then describes the actions of LlCpl Harden. The bridge near the site of the

action includes two memorial stones , one in Dutch and the other in English which were placed on it by the Dutch people. Harden is buried in Nederweert War Cemetery, his gravestone the carved Victoria Cross and the mscnptlOn Greater love hath no man than this , that a man lay down his life for his friends'. Henry Eric Harden was trusted and respected in his unit ; by one marine as a man of fine spmt and strength. He is the only other rank of the RAMC to win the VC the other recipients being officers. Har'den thus has a very special place in the history of his Corps; just how special is shown by the statement of the Secretary of State for War in the House of Commons when he referred to the award I do not remember reading anything more heroic.'

SJAMedical Conference

April 15 to 17 1988

Programme

Friday April 15

Group meetings and a film show Ice breaker wine party

Saturday April 16

Oral and maxillo-facial injuries

First aid treatment of wounds and burns

Child abuse

Rape Psychology of trauma to the carers

Panel discussion

Pros and cons of airways

Spot diagnosis

National joint emergency

Executive committee

Triage

St John Ambulance in the year 2000

Conference dinner and dance

Sunday April 17

Divine service

History and treatment of fractures Anatomy of murder

Reflections of a Chief Nursing Officer

All are welcomeSend SAE for application form to the Medical Department

1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SWIX 7EF

Th e Queen discusses the School Project with Anne Macleod at the Great Party.

IN HONOURED MEMORY OF -

(Right) Memorial stone on the bridge at Linne. And (left) the grave of Lance-Corporal H. E Harden VC.

-' HEN RY ERIC .HA-RDEN. V.' C.

THE 1987 BRIGADE Competition Finals were held on Saturday July 18 at Fairfield Halls, Croydon. The results appeared in the September Review.

The Brigade has held a national first aid competition since 1893, when Dr Symons Eccles, MB, Han Surgeon to St John s Gate Division , presented a cup to commemorate the wedding of HRH The Duke of York, Sub Prior of the Order of St John, to Princess Mary of Teck (later King George V and Queen Mary). The Symons Eccles Cup remained the principal award at the Brigade Finals until 1897 , since when it has been awarded to the team finishing second.

In 1897 the Symons Eccles Cup was replaced as the premier trophy by the Dewar Shield, which was presented to the Brigade by Sir Thomas Dewar, Sheriff of London, who was a managing director of a distillers. Sir Thomas had won a reputation as one of the wittiest speakers of his day and his reason for presenting the shield was 'to commemorate the diamond jubilee and the valuable service of St John Ambulance Brigade'.

Nursing competitions started in 1922, following the presentation of a shield in December 1921 by Lady Perrott (Lady Superintendent-in-Chief) in the name of her late husband Sir Herbert Perrott, who was chief secretary of the Association from its inception until 1915.

Cadet competitions were established after World War II and in 1947 trophies were presented by Major A. C. White Knox, Surgeon-in-Chief, 1951-1961, and Lady Dunbar Nasmith, Deputy Superintendent-in-Chief, 1942-1953. These trophies were to be awarded to the winning team in the ambulance and nursing cadet competitions respectively.

Regulations changed

The 1987 finals made history in two ways. Firstly, it is our centenary year, and secondly , the competition regulations having changed over the past year saw the first occasion on which the Dewar Shield was awarded to the winners of a pairs competition, as opposed to the four-man team which still continues to be the basis for the cadet competitions.

An added highlight of this year's finals was the Commonwealth Cadet First Aid Competition, with teams representing Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. The competition consisted of two tests, one with equipment and the other being an improvisation test. The teams comprised four members.

Here are details of the various tests that made up this year's finals together with the comments made by the team of judges at the conclusion of the competition.

THE COMMONWEALTH CADET TEAM TEST WITHOUT EQUIPMENT. This was set on a tropical beath with a father, mother, son and nephew having a picnic. The lads are out in an inflatable dinghy , powered by a small outboard engine, which breaks down offshore.

220

Brigade Finals

REPORTS ON HOW THE TESTS WERE HANDLED

1. By BRIAN L. PORTER, Staff Officer to the Surgeon-in-Chief

Of the two youths, one, a diabetic, paddles furiously towards the shore but collapses in the boat and hits his head on an anchor. The other youth goes over the side and tries to swim and push the craft ashore, but is attacked and bitten by a shark, sustaining an amputation of one leg. The mother, seeing this goes into hysterics.

The judges made few comments after this test, however, they were a little concerned over the wide variation of standards shown by the three teams taking part. In some instances the control of bleeding relating to the amputated stump was late and in most cases attempts to elevate the stump were either slow or non-existent.

With regard to the second casualty, suffering from diabetes and minor head injuries , there was a delay in reaching a diagnosis and subsequently starting the appropriate treatment which was disappointing. However, this was mitigated to some extent by the good use made of the improvised items of equipment by the teams.

Campsite

THE COMMONWEALTH CADET TEAM TEST WITH FIRST AID EQUIPMENT. Staged against the backdrop of a campsite, two men are camping when their stove explodes . One receives severe burns to the face, chest, arms and hands , while the other has burns to the eye and a penetrating wound to the left eye.

The judges were full of praise for the way in which the teams coped with this difficult test. Only one comment was made and this concerned basic life support, when teams failed to check to ensure that the airway was clear. Otherwise excellent care was given generally and the teams coped well and managed the incident with intelligence, making full use of the first aid equipment.

The Dewar Shield, adult first aid competition

The team test was set in a railway compartment. An elderly man who has just got onto the train (which has just left the station) and while putting his suitcase onto the luggage rack he has an angina attack. He falls back on to the opposite seat, dropping his case on top of two people sitting under the rack. One, a middle-aged man, is hit on the head by the case and complains of numbness and tingling in his

arms and hands and a severe pain in his neck. The other, hit on the face fell and hurt his wrist.

On this test there was concern over the poor standard of patient care and these comments particularly applied to the patient with the cervical spine injury, which in most instances was not immobilised adequately. Control shown by the team leaders was non-existent and on most occasions the team acted as two individuals with very little communication between them There was also throughout the competition poor organisation within the confined space of a railway compartment. The bandaging technique also left a lot to be desired, especially at this level.

Individual tests

Individual Test No 1 (leader) was staged in a lower floor flat bedroom. Two brothers, in their twenties and under the influence of alcohol , had been involved in a motor cycle accident late at night. They decided to sleep it off and the following morning display obvious signs of injury. The first has compression and the second has received an impacted left humerus. It was a feature of this test that the casualty with compression was often moved unnecessarily and often without proper examination. The recovery positions used were in most cases very poor.

Individual Test No 2. The scenario for the test was two workmen preparing an old barn for repair. One of the workmen was dismantling a framework using a coal hammer. The hammer slips and he strikes his right knee with considerable force , fracturing his kneecap.

An overall impression of a good standard of care and safety was given. The test provided some very good efforts. However, although the candidates asked many questions of the casualty, only occasionally did they listen to the answers being given. The well primed casualty had all the information to give if only allowed to without interruption. This would have made it considerably easier for the candidate and as a result full use was not made of the equipment, including the splints.

White Knox Cup, cadet first aid competition

The team test was set on the forecourt of Fairfield Halls, and consisted of three casualties of a motor cycle accident. The rider, swerving to avoid a pedestrian, suf-

fering an angina attack , lost control and crashed. The rider received multiple grazes and became unconscious , while his pillion passenger suffered a fractured right humerus.

The equipment for this test was limited so as to ensure that the teams improvised where possible. Many old newspapers and rags were suppli e d , but they were not used as had been intended. For in stance the newspapers could have been used as an emergency cervical collar on the unconscious rider - in fact , only one cervical collar was made during the whole day of tests. The treatment of the pillion passenger with the fractured humerus was poor , with the wrong slings being applied and a triangular bandage being used wrongly.

When the ambulance arrived there was a lack of information about the incident passed to the crew. This information should have included the history and signs, level of consciousness and pulse etc , relating to all casualties. In general terms, the judges were also concerned over the lack of care shown to the unconscious casualty.

Our thanks go to the London Ambulance Service (Mr Ken Smith) who kindly provided an emergency ambulance with full crew for this test. Also our thanks are due to The Royal Automobile Club (Supt Norman Winchester) who provided the motor cycle from their Watford HQ.

Individual Test No 1. Staged in an hotel reception , where the receptionist, standing on a high stool winding a clock, falls and strikes her right shoulder on the edge of the desk, causing a fractured right clavical ;

she also injures her head , inflicting a depressed fracture to the right side of the skull

The overall understanding of the situation created on this test was good The cadets were let down by the same faults that let down the adult teams on this test. Th e problem areas were :

( 1) The recovery position was good but little attention was paid to the extension of the neck, and the airwa y, once turned into position

(2) Very few compet i tors can take th e pulse correctly.

(3) The elevated sling was poorly applied and in most cases loose ; on several occasions the knot was also placed on the windpipe.

All candidates who undertook this te s t would benefit from further periods of instruction and practice under the eye of an experienced instructor. All will make good first :aiders.

Individual Test No 2. This was set in a hairdressing salon. The hairdresser makes a mistake while trimming a customer ' s hair. The irate customer gets up angrily , pushing the hairdresser away , then stumbles and grabs the electric hairdryer for support. But in error he grabs the electric cable , which breaks. It is live and the customer suffers deep electrical burns to the right hand and also shock. The hairdresser is injured by a sharp scissor stab to the palm of the left hand.

The general care and safety aspect of this test caused concern. Little attempt was made to switch off or indeed unplug the

powe r suppl y o f the hai rd ry er , w hich was nece ss ary in v ie w of the ob vi ous d a ng e r s from the appliance. The gener al care of th e patie nt wa s t oo 's lap-happ y', and despite their injuri es it was suggested b y t he c omp e titor s th a t th e casualties were grumbling too mu ch Wh e n it came to u se o f d re ssi n gs, c a d e ts were misreading the in f ormation on the dr e ssing packets and on man y o cc as ions the se packets w e re opened o nl y to b e di s carded before use Wh e n dr ess ing s we r e used they wer e frequentl y inad e qu a t e ly appli e d Individual Test No 3. A ca de t is crossing the local sports field where two t e en a gers are kicking a football around On e, acting as goalkeeper , dive s at th e fe et o f his m a te , which results in a collision. T h e go a li e sustains a blow to the h e ad , rend e r i n g h im uncon scious , while the o th e r f alls and injur e s his e lbow

During the tes t the majorit y of t e am s failed to establish the correct priorit y of tr e atment , often treating the fra ctured elbow prior to dealin g with the unconscious goalkeeper, which is alarming gi ven the implications of po ssible airw ay problems

There was a variety of r ec ov e r y positions used for the unconscious p a ti e nt the majority of which were ineffe c i ve. In many cases the competitors left the casualty f ace down on his stomach. which is very disturb i ng when e veryone holding a first aid certificate , a t a n y le ve l , hould be able to perform this basic li fe support Co nrillu ed ol'er ieai 2 2 1

Cadets from NW. Hull tackling a motor cycle accident in this year's White Knox Cup competition

procedure with confidence and get it right! First aid kits should be examined, and use made of the items in the most efficient way.

Individual Test No 4 was staged in a garden. A man who is digging pushes the fork through his rubber boot into his left foot, causing a puncture wound over the metatarsal region.

The judges' comments on this test in the main again relate to basic procedures that should have been carried out without second thought. In the majority of cases there was a long delay in elevating the leg to assist the control of bleeding, and when applied direct pressure was often intermittent. There was also insufficient checking of pulse and many comp@titors had problems in finding the correct position at which to take the pulse.

There was often a delay in placing the fork in a safe position. In most cases there was a lack of reassurance given to the casualty and the bystander. As in other tests, competitors were often arguing with the casualty about the most comfortable position for him to be placed in. There was a reluctance to leave him on the garden bench, where he was comfortable, and make use of the bench armrest to elevate the leg. Instead, many competitors wanted to lay the casualty on the grass. They also failed to use the casualty or bystander to obtain information or help.

Treatment was poor and in most cases the competitor did not check for any foreign body/contamination and few asked about anti-tetanus injections. There was also, as in other tests, a lack of familiarity in the use of the standard dressing; and when a splint was used there was a noticeable lack of padding.

The Dunbar Nasmith Team Test. Set in a hardware shop, a woman assistant climbs a stepladder to reach two cardboard boxes from a high shelf. The boxes are very heavy and she loses her balance, falling from the ladder to knock herself unconscious. She also bruises the side of her head, and sustains a right colles fracture.

Another assistant, pushing a loaded trolley, hurries to help. The trolley runs over a customer's left foot, fracturing metatarsals.

The customer s husband then suffers an angina attack. Their teenage grandson, who knows first aid, is able to help.

The comments from the judges on the test reflect so many of the problems encountered during this year's final. Basic life support treatment of the unconscious shop assistant was poor and there was not sufficient understanding of the control of the airway, or distinguishing between types of breathing , particularly when the airway became obstructed due to head position.

Competitors also found it difficult to take the pulse in awkward positions.

On the whole TLC (tender loving care) is often forgotten and team leaders must acquire the ability to assess situations and organise procedures before implementing treatments, thus avoiding unnecessary handling. Leadership standards varied, but all too often the leaders could not be identified or at the other end of the scale, were obtrusive and far too loud in their instructions.

Conclusion

The standards at this year's finals varied from team to team. However, it was noticed that additional training was required by most teams in:

(1) The approach and care of a distressed casualty.

(2) Basic life support procedure s (ABC), especially the recovery position.

(3) Applying dressings and bandages.

May we add our congratulations to the teams that reached this year's finals and indeed to all who worked so hard behind the scenes: Casualties Union , stage hands, stewards, etc.

We now start training and preparing for the 1988 fin a ls based on the new Fifth Edition of the First Aid Manual.

COMMONWEALTH CADET COMPETITION

THE COMMONWEALTH Cadet Competition evolved from an idea to provide a event for cadets and was first held in Adelaide, Australia, in January 1986, between teams from Australia, Canada, Fiji, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and the United Kingdom.

The competition is for teams of four. Each team competes in two tests, one utilising first aid equipment and the other without equipment, but relying more on initiative and improvisation.

Abbot Division from Devon, which came fourth. The competition trophy, the Commonwealth Cadet Shield, was presented by the cadets of Australia.

The second competition took place at this year's Brigade Finals, with teams from Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, the winner being Australia, with a combined team representing four states.

Dr W. D. V. Burton, County Commissioner for Cambridgeshire, was senior judge for the team test without equipment and writes this report. Two United Kingdom teams entered the 1986 competition, Ringmer Division from Sussex, which came first, and Newton

FIRST OF ALL I would like to say what a privilege it was to be asked to devise and judge this test and to meet the teams concerned. My brief from Brigade HQ was: Commonwealth Cadet Team Test, no equipment, write a test round the general theme 'A beach scene'.

A tropical beach scene seemed appropriate with, essentially, two easy cases for the team to deal with - easy, but one of which was unusual.

Scenario: Father, mother, son and nephew are having a picnic on a tropical beach. The youths are out in an inflatable dinghy powered by a small outboard motor which breaks down offshore. Mother had gone to the clubhouse, half a mile away. Father was dozing in a chair on the beach

Casualty 1: Teenage son, an insulin dependent diabetic, tries to paddle the dinghy to shore after the engine fails. He feels dizzy and then collapses, striking his 222

2. By Dr W. D. V. BURTON, Commissioner, Cambridgeshire head against the inboard anchor, sustaining minor abrasions.

Casualty 2: The 25-year-old nephew goes over the side to swim-push the craft ashore. Close inshore he is attacked by a shark which takes off his leg below the knee.

Bystander 1: The father/uncle wakes up on hearing the general commotion, dashes down to the water's edge and pulls the dinghy on to the beach.

Bystander 2: Mother, who appears a few minutes into the test, is horrified by the accident and becomes hysterical.

Problem? Could we find an amputee to play the part of casualty 2? Dr Ian Fletcher, Assistant Surgeon-in-Chief, located and obtained the services of 25year-old Neil McCallum, a former St John

evening before to look at the sets and make any last minute adjustments On the Friday evening I met my co-judge, District Surgeon Dr J. M. Clarke from Northern Ireland, and we made final decisions on who was going to judge each section of the test.

Competition morning starts early with a visit to the Casualties Union preparation room to meet the 'casualties' and inspect the make - up. (All casualties and make-up experts receive the appropriate parts of the tests well in advance.) When we arrived, Casualties Union were in the process of making up a shark bite model and fitting it to Neil's leg stump. The result was absolutely magnificent but horrible - as shark bite injuries are. The creation was of torn flesh' 'soft tissues' and bone. A dreadful sight.

All was ready and we moved to the set, positioned the casualties, and the make-up team completed their task by squirting a realistic amount of 'blood' around the wound and a fine spray of water to produce a cold, clammy skin.

The casualties were positioned thus: the diabetic in the dinghy the shark-bite case on the beach.

The set was of a typical beach picnictable, chairs, tablecloth , towels , packs of paper napkins, bottles of sweet drinks, a jar of sugar and a beach umbrella. The rubber dinghy was on set along with odd bits of rope, th e small anchor and the outboard engine attached to the stern.

That , then, was the setting. How did the teams do?

Approach

After a few sharp intakes of breath on seeing Neil's wound, everyone settled down quickly and the team leaders took charge well and delegated duties to team members.

Examination and treatment

Casualty 1. The diabetic teenager. We had envisaged and required a quick diagnosis and immediate provision of a sweet drink to allow sufficient recovery so that the patient could be helped into the shade of the umbrella. This did not happen. Everyone was slow off the mark with the diagnosis, and some were slower than others in observing the obviously placed bottles of sweet drink , thus in none of the tests was this casualty deemed by the judge to be ready to move. However , one team put the umbrella over the casualty judge and dinghy , thus obscuring them for the rest of the test! It wasn't what we expected, but it was good thinking.

Casualty 2. The shark bite. Observation was good but in one case a competitor did not listen to the story and thought the injury was due to the outboard propeller. The actions taken were most interesting. One team member immediately seized a towel and applied excellent pressure to the wound and used a belt to secure it. This was good. At the other end of the scale , a competitor asked me , the judge, if he could use the bit of rope as a tourniquet! He received the usual reply , 'Yo u do what you think best'. He then applied his hands round the leg above the knee to apply pressure. This didn t work and he finally applied pressure to the wound with paper towels from the picnjc basket.

No one made the casualty as comfortable as the y might have done , or elevated the limb comfortably. Raising the leg or what was left of it on to the side of the rubber dinghy would have been much more comfortable than using a beach chair.

Someone started to bind the leg to a paddle but abandoned it because it caused painreal pain .

Examination for other injuries was reasonably good but should never be carried out twice on the same patient by two different team members!

Bystander Mother/Aunt. Management was generally good , and I was enormously impressed with one team leader who took her aside and gave her long, excellent and kind counselling to the effect that she should not blame herself for what had happened.

Disposal. We had considered that the Bystander 1, father, would be sent off to the clubhouse to phone for help , ambulance, doctor , etc. This did not happen , as each team sent a member off half a mile thus pr eclu ding return to the scene. I thought this was a waste of a first -aider , especially as father was standing around with no job to do. The messages sent were clear and concise.

Casualty Marks. I always like to allocate marks for the casualties to award for reassurance, communication , care and gentleness. The casualties are warned beforehand that the y will be asked to do this. In this test there were 10 marks , each to be awarded by Casualties 1 and 2 and Bystander 2 (mother). The average mark was 7.

Summary

1. Listen and retain what you are told by casualtieslbystanders.

2. Don 't ask the same question twice.

3. Do tell the patient what you are going to do and why.

4. Don't be put off by a nasty-looking illJury. A wound is a wo und , anywhere.

5. Team leaders please use your eyes on the set and take in what you see ins tantl y and improvise intelligently.

Cadet who, as the result of an accident, had a below-knee amputation some years ago. (More of Neil later.) This problem resolved, the test was written, bearing in mind the following objectives.

1. Assessment of leadership and team organisation.

2. Elucidation of history.

3. Intelligent improvisation of what is on the set for rendering first aid.

4. Correct pulse taking.

5. Good observation.

6. Stamina in the face of a really horrible injury.

7. Correct examination for 'other injuries'

8. Management of hysteria.

9 Assessment of communication, care, sympathy, gentleness and reassurance.

Brigade Finals' judges assemble the

Obtaining the story of what had happened was not all that brilliant and some competitors did not listen carefully to what they were told. Thus, the diagnosis of insulin dependent diabetes was made later than we expected and so effective treatment was late.

Reassurance was excellent but confidence in the first-aiders spoilt, in some cases, by repetitive questions by different team members.

Then came management of the casualty's repeated question 'What's happened to my leg ?' This was answered with great care , tact , kindness and consideration, with one exception, the reply being You've got a bit of a cut on your leg '. This competitor simply had not listened to the distraught bystander telling the casualty Your leg has gone, Neil.'

The bleeding was checked by all teams very well and continued reassurance was excellent. Pulse taking and counting was accurate.

NURSING TESTS

Perrott Shield

THE CHANGE in competition rules resulted in a nursing team test being staged for the first time alongside the first aid team tests at this year's Brigade Finals. The setting was the bedroom (and adjacent bathroom) of Mr and Mrs Miller - a young married couple both suffering from influenza - and their hungry, two-monthsold baby daughter, Jane. It was 9 o'clock in the morning.

6. Do practice 'e xamining for other injuries'

Acknowledgements

I am deeply grateful to Casualties Union for their most excellent and hard work and above all to Neil McCallum for an absolutely magnificent and consistent performance. Thank yo u all very much.

Dr W. D. V. Burton. GBE, MRCGP , County Commissioner, Cambridgeshire

3. By HELEN E. GRIBBLE, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer

The judges commented that most teams assessed the main areas of need - in this case to see that both parents were encouraged and helped to wash, to have something to eat and drink , for the double bed to be remade , and for a feed to be prepared and given to the baby , as mother was now unable to adequately breast feed her. The planning of care proved to be variable, but for some teams this was incomplete and disorganised. To help give the care

Mrs Miller s aunt arrived a few minute s after the start of the test. This lady was very well intentioned but 'knew it all' and could make a thorough nuisance of herse lf - with careful handling by the team members , and on th e whole this was done well - she could prove to be more of an asset than a hindrance. In this situation competitors need to take care not to patronise. The judges were disappointed Continued 017 p.233

TEAM SPIRIT

At 4.30 am on a Sunday morning in early August a team of SJ members met at Leicestershire county HQ to go by bus to Donington Park race circuit for a pre-race (6.30 to 10.30 am) centenary collection at the gates.

The team comprised the Commander and his wife, the County Commissioner and his Deputy, Area Commissioners and Staff Officers, chairman of the St John Council, four Council members, and 23 officers, ambulance and nursing members and senior cadets.

They collected £1,364. Team spirit indeed.

FAW AND NURSES

It has been established from the HSE that the requirements for nurses to teach and examine PAW are as follows:

The nurse should be a practising nurse with experience of first aid in the workplace.

A practising nurse is defined as - a SRN/SEN who is registered with the UKCC (to be renewed every three years). ST JOHN IN BLOOM

Recently, SJA North Yorkshire tried out a new version of the open garden with considerable success. Owners

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF

BOUT

BY THE EDITOR

CHALLENGE

ANYONE passing through Hyde Park one fine summer afternoon at the beginning of August must have been mystified by a strange sight - a softball match between the American football team, the LA Rams , and a joint American Express/St John team. Quite a sight! (Photo right.)

The precise rules of the game (and still are to some of us), somethlllg of a mystery. Softba ll is just sufficiently different from the familiar game of 'r ounders' to be confusing. However , everyone entered into the spirit of the game and worked on the assumption that hitting hard and running fast were the clues to success.

Despite the handicaps of inexperience and dare I say it , physique , the AmexiSt John team put up a brave and valiant defence and managed to salvage a very respectable defeat losing by only one run LA Rams 9, AmexiSt John 8.

ON THE AIR

as a very happy afternoon, it raised over £560 in a couple of hours (Left) All the fun of

SOCK IT!

This , however was just a warm-up for the real match the following week when the Los Angeles Rams took on their compatriots, the Denver Broncos, at Wembley Stadium. The American Bowl proved also to be a closely contested affair, and a lot more fierce than softball! However, the good news for St John was that a collection taken during a brief IS-minute interval raised £3,695 - a sum matched by American Express, sponsors of the game, ye t another generous gesture towards our Appeal.

And Georgia Prontiere, owner of the Rams is a member of the St John Gala Committee, so perhaps we can look forward to more connections between St John and American football in the future!

with a video recorder by Lady Vestey. Centre is Dr W. H. B. Ellis, vice-chairman of council.

GREAT PARTY CALENDAR

Dorchester Division is , I hear, producing a 1988 calendar as a memento of the Great Party. Each month will show a different photograph, with a tear off section giving dates with space for notes.

When Coastal Area held its ce ntenary dinner and social at the Saxonville Hotel Whitby

The cost of the calendar is £1.25, plus 20p postage and packing, or £25 plus £2 p. & p. for 25 calendars. They are available from the Div Supt , Mr W. Wilson, St John Ambulance HQ , North Square, Dorchester, Dorset DTI IHY. Please mark your envelope 'Calendar'. Telephone queries to him on (0305) 62872.

ON RECORD

Induded in a time capsule to be buried in concrete at a Hounslow town redevelopment - intended to be found when the building is demolished (from the latest reports on concrete this could be as little as 10 years) - was a SJ A Great Party programme and a current first aid manual, both supplied by Geoff Francis, ASO SW Area, London. JERSEY CREAM?

A reader from Jersey writes: I am 84 years old and attended the Great Party in Hyde Park and am now making an album of pictures of the event which I will give to St John Ambulance in Jersey. I have now actively retired as I

Cobham (Surrey) Div ision recently held their 50th birthday party , at which Dr J. Lytle, a long-term friend and supporter, presented a £500 cheque to the Divisional Presiden t, Mrs P. Henderson,

St

AT WAR

D/S Mrs

of Saffron

meets SJA Essex County Sergeant Major Barry Biemans wearing a different h at at Audley End. Barry, a member of the Sealed Knot Society, was i n a re-enactment of an English Civil War battle.

Mr Danny Carty chai rman of the Northern Ireland Post Office Board receives a centenary goblet from SJA Commissioner, Dr Betty Nicholl, at the opening of the Post

A reader who organises a Fellowship branch writes: There is a real need for the Fellowship. A woman came up to me the other day at a

Outward Bound courses 1988

A NUMBER of places have again been reserved during 1988 for St John Ambulance personnel by the Outward Bound Trust (OBT). There wi ll be six courses of one week's duration for the age group 16th to 20th birthdays , and two for those between 14th and 16th birthdays. Details have been sent to all CountylDistrict headquarters, to whom applications should be made

The OBT is a charitable non-profit making organisation and the full cost of courses h as be en limi ted to £195.50 per person. St John Ambulance is willing to provide a subsidy this year of £135.50, th us the cost to Counties/ individuals will be reduced to £60.

The courses aim to provide opportunities for young people to und ersta nd themse lves and move more closely to fulfilling their potential and bring students to recognise their individual physical limitations and social abilities This is achieved by active and energetic routines involving physical effort on treks, waterwork, canoeing, ropework, obstacles, rock climbing, etc, together with mental application There is problem so lving under st ress initiat ives, cooperation with and leadership df others in a team All under the supervisio n of sympathetic and expert instructors, serving to make the individual aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

Senior Young Courses

July 9-16 '88 at Aberdovey, Gwynedd

July 30-Aug 6 88 at Ullswater, Cumbria Sept 10-17 88 at Rhowniar Gwynedd

Junior Young Courses Aug 20-27 '88 at Rhowniar Aug 27-Sept 3 '88 at Rhowniar

HURRY! APPLY SOON FOR A FANTASTIC TIME! APPLY THROUGH COUNTYHQ

AIM Fred Hodson,

The game that is making learning first aid FUN

If you have any queries or further thoughts on the Review's Block Buster, ring compiler Vic Helmore on 02572 64454 or write 114 Greenside, Euxton, Chorley, Lancs PR7 6AP.

H V P T S E D F M R G L K I B 0 J C A N

Balloon rocket race

Equipment per team of six: one sausageshaped balloon length of th in string, drinking straw and sticky tape.

Tape the drinking straw to the balloon. Pass the string through the straw and fix one end to a chair some distance away.

Each team blows up their balloon and holds the end tightly waiting for ' blast-off' , when each team lets go of the balloon First to reach the far end is the winner.

Balloon art

An activity which the Cadets will enjoy and which can also be used to decorate your headquarters.

Each cadet needs one round balloon and several lengths of thin string, one metre long. Cadets dip their individual pieces of string into p as te and then them. over and around the balloon III vanous dIrections. When dry , pop the balloon and spray th e rigid str ing sculpture with brightly colour ed paint.

Presents

Put a sweet or small pres e nt inside a balloon (enough for each child) and blow them up Leave them in a large bunch to be released at the end of your part y.

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lancs) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions. 160 schools in Lancashire, as well as authorities in Staffs, Cheshire, Northumbria and Nottinghamshire, have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

GAME SIX

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

H. May occur in the groin, abdomen or lower chest. C.

V. If these stretch and their valves fail they become varicosed.

P. They consist of solids, liquid and gases and can kill. R.

T. Collective names for the ankle bones. K.

S. In making a diagnosis we study the fiv.e s<M1S€S-.

E. A first degree burn causes reddening of this.

D. Separates chest from abdomen and is the main muscle of A. respiration. G.

F. This part of the anatomy comprises 14 bones. I.

M. Red blood cells are made in which part of the bones? J.

L. This and its gland are part of the body's defence system. N.

B. If oxygen is missing from this for 3 to 4 minutes its cells begin to die.

If the eyes fail to respond to light and touch the patient is in what?

The system which takes in oxygen and passes it to the blood.

The common name of the patella.

The type .of fracture which is the most serious and invites infection.

Study of the body 's structure.

What is the common name of the oesophagus?

The type of bleeding that can be either revealed or concealed.

The main vein in the neck.

If the pulse rate is 72 beats to the minute and regular, it is what?

Answers on p. 239

by JIM

Bean bag grab

Equipment : one bean bag for team of six.

Place one bean bag in front of each team at the far end of the room. Cadets line up in relay formation and number off. A leader calls out any number of instructions, for example, forward roll, ten press-ups, touch toes five times and so on. Then the leader suddenly yells Bean Bags number ' Cadets race up and grab a bean bag

Reduce by one the number of bags. The cadet who does not grab a bag loses a life.

Blindfold feeding

Cadets sit in pairs on chairs facing each other. They are blindfolded. Each is given a saucer of food Uelly, raisins or small sweets) and a small spoon. They now have to feed each other - don't forget to issue aprons or some other form. of protective covering if they have to feed Jelly palr whose plate is empty first are the wmners.

Blanket and ball

A parachute would be ideal, but a blanket will suffice. Place the blanket on the floor with a larg e soft ball or beach ball in the centre. Cadets arrange themselves around the edges of the blanket , grasp and lift, trying to make the balJ bounce it falling off the blanket. They Illight try rolling the ball from side to side of the blanket or perhaps round the e dg es. (Left) Somerset 's Commissioner, Mr J Luttrell presents Grand Prior 's certificates to Glastonbury and Street Division 's Karen Dunthorn , Helen Jenkins and Lisa Purchase , with DI S Miss Valerie

(Below) At Sudbury (Suffolk) Quad D vision s cadet enrolment evening, Claire Johnson (centre) received the shield to become cadet of the year. Four cadets moved to the senior section of the Division

Greedy Holy Trinity (Hereford) Combined Cadet Divi sion s team took six trophies at Casualties Union s open FA competitions at Buxton in May Back (I to r) Sharon Johnson, Vanessa Hil and Kathryn Nicholas. Front Wendy Evans and Christine Walker.

(Below) Ryhope (N orth umbria cadets acted as casualties - here's Chr s Harvey looki ng the worse

traffic accident exercise involving the adult div isi on and the emergency services

(Below) Badgers of Jersey served a surprise tea party to senior citizens of St Peter's parish during July.

NURSE TRAINING WITH THE RAF

County Nursing bfficer before applications are processed by Lady Westbury , Superintendent-in-Chief.

IN 1986 RAP (Hospital) Ely accepted adult members of St John Ambulance for a two week training course. Similar nursing courses had already been established at other military hospitals with great success.

Members participating in this type of course come from allover England and from a wide variety of backgrounds and occupations.

All members must be a minimum of 18 years, but there really is no upper age limit - the most senior member at RAP(H) Ely has been 54 years. Applicants from the St John Ambulance have to be approved for the course by their Commissioner and the

Training

a Scout first aid team

by Sarah Cutler, NIM

AS A MEMBER of the local St John unit in Molesey I am often asked to go and talk to the youth of the area on first aid. Sometimes that may mean just explaining what the Brigade is all about, at others teaching and encouraging new members into the cadet sections.

Through personal friendship I have become heavily involved with the 3rd Molesey Scout Group, participating in the teaching of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venture Scouts and their leaders. In fact, 13 of the Venture Unit have just completed and passed their public first aid course. However, it IS the Scout troop where most of my time is spent. The leader , Dave

Currently Ely has accepted 25 members for the courses where they work under the supervision of the medical and nursing staff of RAP(H) Ely in casualty , theatre and the wards.

Mr William Ismay, a SJ A member for 21 years, has been the most recent member to participate in the course. He is a foreman meter-reader for the Electricity Board and lives in Workington, Cumbria, with his wife. He has two grown sons , Philip a student nurse at St Mary's Hospital in London and Co lin who works in a factory in Workington.

Mr Ismay has undertaken many courses

The author with her successful Scout first aid team and the Scout assistant commissioner, Surrey.

while in St John Ambulance, but no previous course had involved real patients. He was a popular figure with patients and staff during his short stay with us and gained a great deal of professional knowledge.

It is good to know that with all the depressing situations that are reported in the media some people are still willing to give up their time to learn to be of greater service to others. I'm sure that everyone sends Lady Westbury their good wishes fo r success with such a humanitarian venture as this and any similar service venture that she may undertake in the future

P. D. Surridge

Reprinted from the magazine of RAF H ospital Ely Edit: Facilities are now availab l e for UK memb ers to train in RAF and RN ho spital s.

and over again and reached a standard of which any Brigade member would be proud, especially considering he suffers from asthma.

The team leader, Duncan Rolls, is perhaps one of the best young potential firstaiders I have met. He is eager to learn, and quick to pick up new techniques , executing them very well indeed and is already showing good leadership skills.

The team not only had good leadership but also strength in depth. David Prentice is another young man who is very good at first aid and so are the other members of the team Adam Griffin and the reserve Steven Ponsford.

After a final frantic evening of revision and quick questioning I wished the team the best of luck for the competition, which was organised by the Red Cross for teams from all over the county.

The situation the teams faced was: A road traffic accident involving a car and a pedestrian trapped under the bumper. The driver has apparently run off unhurt but in the car are two passengers with injury. The car engine is still running.

I know all about frustration, It happens every day , The ambulance has broken down , There s a stack of bills to pay.

Th e First Aid hut is leaking

And the rain is pouring in Th e Cadets are getting restless , Good Heavens! What a Din!

Our numbers are depleted , New members must be found , There's a fun run on next Sunday

And there 's water all around It's rain e d and rained for weeks now ,

And the sun just will not shine, What I'd give to go on duty

Where it ' s nice and warm and fine!

After checking for danger , the team immediately switched off the engine Duncan Rolls then assessed the casualties for priorities, allocating a member to each casualty

The person under the car was a ResusciAnne and Stephen Vosper immediately commenced resuscitation procedure The casualty was not breathing but there was a pulse, so Stephen continued ventilations until the exercise was completed.

The passenger in the front of the car had sustained head injuries, wit h a wound , and decreased level of consciousness. David Prentice comforted the casualty and treated him for shock, applied direct pressure to the wound, then dressed the head wound by using an ambulance dressing. He monitored the casualty for level of consciousness throughout the exercise.

The other casualty, in the back of the car, had a fracture of the lower arm and was severely shocked. Adam Griffin applied an arm sling and treated the casualty for shock

All the time the team leader offered back-up to hi s team , advising where neces-

FRUSTRATED

FIRST -AIDER

by Sandra Mogridge

The un iforms look threadbare , There 's no money in the bank , An appeal was launched to help us , But ju st our luck , it sank!

The inspection ' s fixed for next month , The exams are shortly due I'm feeling tired and fed up , And I think I'm catching flu!

Brigade Finals (cont.)

not to see real excellence in the giving of nursing care but most teams were firm , gentle and careful in their handling of patients

Baldwin, feels that a knowledge of first aid is very important and the majority of the troop have completed their ambulance badge, which is how I got involved. I started teaching a group of 12 Scouts of whom seven took and passed the exam. Those who did not take the exam this year were not quite ready , but will be completing it this year. They certainly enjoyed their practical , bandaging their friends in some of the weirdest combinations of injuries imaginable.

During the course I was asked to go over the resuscitation procedure and major first aid techniques with the Scout first aid teams who were going to take part in a

local competition. I did this and discovered a group of young lads filled with so much enthusiasm that they were a real pleasure to teach. Both the teams did well in the competition, with one team winning.

After this success, Dave asked me whether I would be prepared to coach the team that were entering the county first aid competition, I agreed and we spent many happy hours talking about the way to approach an incident and practising on simulated casualties.

The team was trained to a high standard and one member, Stephen Vosper, was nominated to complete the resuscitation part of the competition. He practised over

The overall comment of the judges was that team members needed to practise working together , to recognise and sort out the priorities of care so that important details are not missed. In this test very few competitors even noticed, let alone removed , the large family cat asleep in the baby's cot. Unfortunately Mr Miller was rather neglected by most teams , his wife and noisy baby became the prime focus of attention.

Nursing Individual Test No 1. This test was set in the living room of a warden controlled flat. The occupant, Miss Bone had just been brought home from hospital by ambulance following a two-week admission for investigations. Miss Bone was almost blind but could distinguish light from dark with the aid of thick spectacles she was also rather deaf and used a hearing aid - which was sometimes temperamental and she lost patience with it. Miss Bone

sary and helping to keep their momentum going. He also called the ambulance.

The second oral part of the competition involved each member being que stioned on first aid ranging from no se bleeds to burns, in which the team also did extremely well. Overall , the team gained an 80% mark , and won the competition.

The fir st time a team from Molesey had won it and only the third tim e that a unit in the Esher District had won since the competition started in 1957

The trophy was presented to the team by the Assistant County Commissioner Steve Hall , who complimented the team on their success and said that the judges had commented on the high standard set b y the team and which was the best see n for several years.

I was also presented with a thank yo u shield, but the real thanks I got was the satisfaction of knowing that these five young lads would be able to expertly treat and look after a casualty and that I had fostered an interest in the Brigade in two or possibly three of the team , probably going on to join the Cadets.

The public seldom thank yo u , Sometimes it really rankles

When you re on a public duty , And there s mud up to your ankles 'And you do all this for nothing! The startled people say , And you wonder if it s madness , At the end of each hard day.

Bu t is it reall y worth it?

I ask myself each week , After another tiring dut y, As I soak my aching feet.

However much I grumble And think I am insane , If I lived this life a second time , I'd dQ the same again.

was delighted to be home again but annoyed to find her flat had been redecorated in her absence. The colour scheme was not to her liking (a view shared by competitors and onlookers alike!) and the position of the furniture rearranged.

The main aim of this test was to enable competitors to demonstrate their skill in forming a sympathetic and practical approach assisted by personal contact with the blind person If competitors had listened to the patient and then asked appropriate questions they would have gained more from the time spent assessing need , and hopefully , this would have led to a care plan to suit Miss Bone rather than what the competitor wished.

The patient was mainly concerned for two things , to telephone her sister to let her know she was home and to contact the warden via the intercom system. The competitor would also find eye drops and tablets among Miss Bone 's luggage, and marks were gained by ensuring that the patient knew how to deal with both of these items . The judge's overall comment was that

physical needs took precedence over the psychological needs , but that some physical contact was given by every competitor. Nursing Individual Test No 2. The patient suffered a stroke two weeks ago and had been cared for at home. Most of the paralysis was of his left leg but some occurred in his left arm and side and there was also difficult y in speaking and eating due to a partial facial paral ysis. His recovery had been uneventful until the previous day when he felt unwell , had a raised temperature and had vomited. The competitor arrived to find that the patient bad recently vomited , soiling h is pyjamas and bed linen and that his anxious wife need e d reassurance, and help to wash him remake the bed and take his temperature

The judge commented on the efficient and caring manner in which the nursing was carried out with considerable manual dexterity The standard of assessment of need and planning care although not high was showing improvement and competitors were able to identify the priorities.

The judge was impressed by the encourConrinued on p.240

SJA's William Ismay (above left), of Workington, at work on Ward 2 of RAF Ely Hospital. (Also right).

PUBLICITY COLLAGE

from Mrs Maureen Lewsey, Divisional Superintendent

The Folkestone Division has been working hard over the past years to improve, modernise and update their headquarters, much of the work being done by the members themselves. Feeling the new look outer hall needed a focal point for waiting parents and visitors to St John, and having a large heap of Reviews in HQ, I made a collage of pictures from the Review, especially of our Division and others in the Area and County whom we know and work with In addition, pictures were included showing all forms of St John activity and 'famous St John' personalities with whom we had had some connection. Looking at the collage, one can always see something different and it can be updated at any time with ease.

Hythe, Kent Maureen Lewsey

NOT SO EASY

from Mrs Marion Smailes, Divisional Superintendent

With reference to the reply from National HQ Badger Leader , Jennie Eaves, to my letter in the July Review, as I see it to start a Badger Set is not as easy as it first appears. One cannot just re-register the current Juniors as a Badger Set and hope that all turns out right.

Juniors were attached to Cadet Divisions and the administration, providing uniforms, finances , in fact everything was dealt with within the administration of the Cadet Division. From the Badger literature I have read and from points put over at an area meeting attended by the county Badger leader, I understand that Badger leaders have to be between 18 and 46, and cannot be the same person as the one running cadets. The administration, programme planning finances, uniform, etc, have to be dealt with separately from the Cadet Division and that Badgers are separately registered and are in fact a completely separate unit, the Badger leader wearing a Badger leader uniform and not a St John uniform , even if a St John member

Our problem is that the person currently running the Juniors is not able to fulfil all the requirements for a Badger leader and as yet no reliable person who is the right age, free to turn up every week come what may, organise, programme plan, fund raise, free to take the Badgers out at weekends, be responsible for the administration and a thousand -and-one other things involved in running a unit - has been found. The majority of the parents of our existing Juniors are either Brownie or Guide leaders, members of our Adult Division and already fully committed with duties, training, running a home and working. Others are not interested in a full-time commitment. The young adults, too, are fully stretched with school or college work and other outside activities as well as their numerous St John commitments.

Folkestone Marion Smailes

National HQ Badger Leader, Jennie Eaves, writes:

As previously explained to Mrs Smailes, the organisation of St John Badgers is very flexible, with many successful sets attached to Cadet Divisions.

As there obviously seems to be a communication problem or misunderstanding in these Badger guidelines, I am currently liaising with the Commissioner and county Badger leader for Kent. I am sure that by working together we can find a way of 'painlessly' registering the Folkestone Badgers.

WHY NO MEDALS?

from Mr B. R. Woollett, Divisional Superintendent

I write on behalf of my Division and other Brigade members who were not happy about the instructions that 'Medals wi ll not be worn' at the Trooping of the Colour ceremony held on June 13 to celebrate Her Majesty's birthday.

It seemed wrong that St John were singled out for this particular instruction, as both members of HM Services and the Police were

READERS VIEWS

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

wearing medals while members of St John had to suffice with just medal ribbons. The membership of St John take, and have always taken, pride in their activities and would have been even more proud to display the achievements of those activities in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen.

Talking with fellow officers about this instruction brought man y hearsay reasons , many of which were so stupid that they could be disregarded out of hand. The only reason that seems to bear any credence was that medals could have interfered with our members carrying out first aid duties. When one had time to reflect on this, however , this reason loses credibility , as at other activities (ie , Church Parades Royal visits , special fes6vals , etc) where full regalia and medals are worn , not one member of Joe Public has suffered unnecessarily as a result of the medals.

Perhaps someone can give an acceptable rea so n why medals were banned by St John on this prestigious occasion?

Chatham B R. Woollett

The Commissioner, London District, writes: The answer is quite simple. This is a public duty event for which the order of dress is public duty order. This is set out on pages 29/30 of Dress Regulations which states no medals This has been the order of dress on all such occasions since the book was published. The occasions on which Review Order should be worn are also shown and would give ample opportunities for the wearing of medals.

Incidentally, during the past two years Her Majesty The Queen has inspected detachments of the Brigade on duty at Buckingham Palace on three occasions. They were wearing Public Duty Order and she congratulated them on their smartness of dress.

MAXCAMRASS from Mrs Joyce V. Parker, Instructor 425 Division

About seven or eight years ago I took Max Camrass and another young man, Kenneth Parker (my son), to a seminar of instructors at Whitelands College , London SWI5, where they demonstrated a litt l e of their knowledge and first aid procedures

These two young men suffer from Down's Syndrome, but they are both very alert, so much so that Kenneth reprimanded one or two of the audience for not being quiet enough at the beginning of the demonstration At the end they received a standing ovation.

I was delighted , as I am sure all present were, and others whose interest lies in assisting the handicapped, to read recently in the national press of the success Max had in saving the life of a customer who had a heart attack, I understand , at Max's place of work, Safeway Store , Hammersmith.

It is fantastic that, having not received any further tuition since that seven or so years ago he remembered my words: 'Don't panic - think. And get on with the job.'

For such an outstanding achievement and showing the public that some Down's people have a lot to give to society, I feel

St John Ambulance should give Max some official recognition, such as honora!y membership.

When considering any mentally handicapped person as a pupil, I look for and expect certain minimum intellectual requirements that will enable them to benefit any casualty they may meet , and be capable of treating without placing themselves in any sort of danger. It would be interesting to hear readers' views and experiences in this field.

East Sheen Joyce Parker

THE REVIEW from Miss Sarah Cutler

As an avid reader of the R eview I was amused to see the typographical error on page 191 (August issue) in the National First Aid Competition results , MOD section The opening pairs winners reads: HM Navel Base Devonport.

I have heard of people putting their heart and soul into competitions but never their stomach It caused much jollity, especially with the Naval Medic in our division.

East Mo/esey Sarah Cutler

from Len Aldwinckle, County Pool

I have received the R eview for 26 years and hav e watched it wax and wane during that time I s hould like to see more members adding their contributions, together with reports on new and improved first aid materials , splints , stretchers , etc Then maybe we would gain the interest of the industrial first-aider.

St e venage Len Aldwinckle

Editor: We hope it' s waxing at pres ent.

SUPPLIES UPDATE

FOLLOWING th e publication of th e new First Aid Manual there is a complete rang e of new editions of publications incorporating all the alterations resulting from the latest manual.

There is a new edition of the Essentials of First Aid ( Order R00020 at £3.25 pe r copy) and Emergency Aid in the Workplace (Order R00009 at £2 .20 per copy). For instructors , there is the latest edltlOn of the FIrSt Aid at Work Instructor 's Manual (Order R00005 at £15.95 per copy) The Instruc to r s Manual is even more durable , with a brand new polypropylen e cover.

In our Autumn Supplies News in this issue of the R ev iew we announced that new sets of Vu Foils are available. We a lso have a small quantity of conversion packs which convert th e ' old' Vu Foils (POOOn) to the 'new Vu Foils (ROOOll). The conversion pack is £19.50 , Order R00012. There are only 54 of these packs , so first come , first served. We are now stocking the component items for the Cadet Action Pack:

Certifica te Personal Record Card Badge Leaflet

Order now for early delivery.

BADGERS in Cambs

P60003 16 p

P60002 20p

P60001 20p

P60000 18p

We've been pressing our manufacturers for improved dates for some of the gift items in the Centenary Range. At the tlme of writing (late August) we hope to clear all back orders during September with the exception of E22 Classe Ballpen , E23 Centenary Ballpen, E24 Tray and E32 Great Party T-Shirt , which are due October. We'll be sending these out as soon as stocks are received. There is sti ll a strong demand for all the range and we re planning to meet all of your orders for Christmas.

As 1988 approaches, we ll be running down on a number of centenary products so don't be disappointed - order quickly before stocks run out. As always diaries are selling quickly. So order your diaries now before the Christmas rush.

in Hereford and Worcester

NEWS from SCOTLAND

THE ANNUAL Festival of St John in the Priory of Scotland took place on Wednesday June 24 in the Cathedral Church of St Machar, Aberdeen. As this was the 40th anniversary of the reconstitution of the Priory of Scotland as a separate Priory, Chapter had earlier decided to invite representatives from the Priories in the other parts of the United Kingdom and in Europe to attend. In the event because of concurrent celebrations and other commitments, only the Secretary-General, Sir Peter Hudson from Headquarters; Mr Donald MacDougall , Chancellor of Wales, accompanied by Dr George Mitchell; Colonel Bertrand Cotton from the Commandery of Ards; Mr Jan Ankarcrona from Sweden; and Colonel R. Campbell of Altries , representing the Sovereign Military Order were able to be present. Sir Harnish Forbes, the former Secretary of the Order, and Lady Mitchell from Bermuda were also present to process and to share in the celebrations.

In a well-filled church, the service was

Part of the procession approaching the Cathedral Church of St Machar, Aberdeen. (Photo : Aberdeen Leopard Magazine).

conducted by the Rev Tom Crichton, Minister of Torphichen, the scripture lessons read by Sir Maitland Mackie, and the sermon preached by the Most Rev L. E. Luscombe, Episcopal Primus of Scotland, following which the Prelate , the Very Rev Professor R. A. S. Barbour celebrated Holy Communion according to the tradition of the Church of Scotland. After the Sacrament the Prior of Scotland, the Rt Hon the Viscount of Arbuthnott, inv.ested 61 postulants in their several grades of office.

In the afternoon, following lunch in an

WALES

adjoining university hall of residenc e enjoyed by 232 members, guests and friends, short reports wer e given by the principal office -b earers on their work during the year. The proceedings were brought to a close by the Prelate leading the assembl y in prayer.

As usual on the Sunday preceding the Festival, the annual service in the Preceptory of Torphichen also took place. In this special year, Chapter and members were delighted to welcome to the service the Lord Prior , the Earl Cathcart , who read one of the lessons.

OVERSEAS

I RECENTLY had the good fortune to be sent to Gibraltar to conduct a first aid instructors' course for the Armed Services stationed there Links between Gibraltar and the Order of St John go back some 400 years. Today there is one ambulance and nursing division, a combined cadet division and eight closed divisions. And there are plans to start a Badger Set. Imagine, badgers and apes - whatever next! What is St John doing on the Rock? Believe it or not, the ambulance service in Gibraltar is run solely by the Police. Drivers and attendants can often be found tending an accident victim and the next minute arresting him for drunken driving

One of our lads , Eddie Taylor, whom I met on the instructors' course , is in the Police, as is his wife Sue. They and another member of the Division , Jane Evans , kindly gave me a conducted tour of the Rock and the St John HQ and provided me with much of the information on their activities.

Considering there are only 22 divisional members they are an extremely busy lot. As the Gibraltar police are not allowed to cross the border into Spain (and that includes the ambulance) , St John provides a regular service ferrying patients from

Papua New Guinea - record breaking

GIBRALTAR

by Mike Raven Hampshire PRO

Wynne-Harri

Newport Training Centre ON AUGUST 12, the Prior for Wales, the Rt Hon the Lord Aberdare, opened a new training and activity centre for the Brigade in Wales at Dyfed. This centre is unique in Wales, being the only facility of 1ts kind owned by the Order of St John in Wales. The object of this Centre is to provide facilities for lectures and training courses as well as being a base for adventure breaks in the delightful town of Newport, with its close proximity to the sea and the Preseli Mountains. Local facilities include sailing, canoeing, surfing, pony trekking, climbing, orienteering and walking, which makes it an ideal setting for small groups of up to 14 young people. The original building was a small two-roomed cott.age. It is.now a fine two-storey property which can accommodate up to 14 1ll dormItory style or larger numbers for non-residential courses. The facility will be used by groups from SJA divisions throughout Wales and the UK, and will be available to other youth organisations. It is also the headquarters of the Newport Division.

Gibraltar to Spain for dialysis treatment at least three times a week. Gibraltar patients requiring 'Cat Scans' are also transported to Malaga in Spain twice a month which is a 5-hour round trip. Yes , they do get expenses, but that often only just covers the petrol. Nothing changes , does it?

As you would expect , the bulk of their work involves transporting ill and injured tourists from Spain to Gibraltar for treatment or aeromedivac to the UK. For this they work in close co -operation with Euro Assistance , Tyrilian Air Ambulance and SOS International. An exci ting life , but very demanding. All communications around the Rock are via CB radio (note St John radio experts). The system works extremely well with no breaches of confi-

ST JOHN Ambulance Boroko Cadet Division is claiming a world record resuscitation marathon to enter into the Guinness Book of Records.

Robert Stanbury and Wyatt Pace completed a 53 hour CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation - 15 compressions alternating with two breaths) between May 15-18 1984 in Omaha Nebraska , USA. The duration record for continuous CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is 125 hours , set a t the Hyatt Regency , Long Beach California, by teo teams of two Junior Heart League teenagers on May 1-6 1984.

A team of 12 St John Ambulance Cadets of Boroko Cadet Division , Papua New Guinea , has set a new world record of 250 hours CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) by teams of two 00 July 15 1987. It took Simon Grant , the cadet superintendent and the cadets six months to get the whole event planned and organised. A week before , the Cadets had 24 hours non-stop CPR practice on a resuscitation dummy. The teenagers completed 250 hours at 1900 hours on July 15 The previous record of 125 hours was passed at 1400 hours on July 10. The record claim will now be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records.

Oman - HM's picture

'Commander Anthony Bateman hands over a framed print of the Leonard Boden portrait of the Sovereign Head to Christopher Ling, TD, HBM Vice Consul at Muscat , on St John the Baptist day this year. Anthony Bateman , a member of the Order, leaves Oman after over four years as a contract officer of the Sultan of Oman's navy , where he was head of personnel aod training. He was delighted to discover that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos is ao Associate Knight of the Venerable Order , and wears the ribbon on his various uniforms. Anthony and Christopher Ling discovered that they had in common the unusual distinction of each having had a

pair of grandfathers one of whom was associa ted with the Venerable Order , and the other with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. (Anthony was deputy chairman of St John Ambulance in Cape Town.)

The picture was discovered hanging on the back wall of a picture framers in a bazaar area outside Muscat, presumably uncollected by a client who found the cost of the large frame too much. Anthony couldn t resist bargaining for it in order to hang it in his house as a complementary portrait to that of HM Sultan Qaboos. When the time came to depart Oman , he could think of no more fitting place for the rather splendid picture of the Sovereign Head than her own Consulate.'

(Left) The Prior of Wales opening the new centre at Newport. (Right) The Prior inspects one of three canoes presented by the Chief Commissioner (behind), Dr David Williamson , to Newport's DIS (left), Norman Jones; with the Vice Chancellor, Anthony Brown (right).

(Below) At Swansea's Plasmarl Division Supt Jack Smith receives a plaque and signed photograph in recognition of the Division providing first aid cover for fun runs over

St John HQ on the Rock, with (I to r) Jayne Evans, Eddie and Sue Taylor.

(Above Boroko cadets celebrate breaking that record And (below Anthony Bateman right) hands over h s picture in Oman

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

THIS is the story of two of the great Military Orders which were part of the everyday scene in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their influences on local life. The Order of St John wasfounded to provide carefor pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of their founders. Within a few years, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wielding immense military and political power in the Holy Land and throughout Europe. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspicion and disapproval. The other was to survive to the present day and in the process turnfull circle to serve its 'masters the sick'. Part 16

The succeeding years

Written

and illustrated

by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain

of the Order

THE REBUILDING of the defe nc es of Malta and the construction and development of the new city of Valletta were to occup y the interests of the Grand Masters for the ne xt 200 years

Valletta itself rose quickl y on the barren slop es o f Mount Sciberr a s , and on e of the fir st tasks undertaken by the a rchitect Laparelli was the redesigning and building of a ne w Fort St. Elmo . This was completed in 1568

B y 157 1, sufficient buildings h a d been provided for the Order to move officiall y from its old headquarters in Birgu and the town of Senglea. Inns f or the Langues had been erected , and man y of them were decorated b y the fines t artist s av ailable.

The Order of St John spared no expense to bring in the best architects , builders and artists to make t heir new cit y worth y of both its n a me and its purpose .

One of the mo st important works was the new Great Hospital. It was opened in 1575 , and became famous throughout Europe for it s e xcellent facilities and care of t he sick It wa s a v ast building The Great Ward was ov e r 500 feet long and nearly 35 feet wide , and could house as many as 600 patients Not onl y did the Orde r provide a skill e d nursing staff , but doctors and surgeons as well A school of anatom y was also there. Anyone could make use of its services , whether the y were freemen or slaves , rich or poor , and their rank, cre ed or rac e was not taken into account. Patients were indeed treated as 'our masters the sick ', for the y even ate off silver dishes , and had linen or cotton sheets on their beds Each Langue provided the staff for a week at a time.

Church of St John

The next most important building was the great Conventual Church of St John. It was begun in 1573 and consecrated in February 1578. The fir st to be buried ther e was , as we have seen , La Valette himself

From outsi de, it was a plain building , but inside once again no expense was spared It was built by Girolamo Cassar, and was nearly 200 feet long and 120 feet wide .

Over the years man y famous artists were employed to decorate the ceiling and walls , and they are covered with scenes from the life of John the Baptist and heroes of the Order. The side aisles were set apart as chapels for the Langues , and the stone walls were carved with badges and other 238

decoration s indicating the Langue in possession.

If much of the tim e of t he O r der in M al ta wa s spent in building the City of Valletta it was not forgotten that worship and nursing only made up one side of the Ord e r ' s work

There wa s still the fight again s t the Turk s to be continued . Within a short time of the Great Siege the Order s galleys were once again roving the seas , attacking Turkish shipping and harrying the cor sair s along th e north Afri can co a st. As we h av e said the life of a galley slave was hard but for the Knights victory often brought rich rewards . Merchant ship s belonging to the Tur k s were often laden with tre as ures in th e wa y of silk , gold silver and other valuable good s.

One Knight of the Order who became a legend in his own lif e time was Romegas , Commander of the galle ys , who in 1564 , just be fore the Great Siege , had actually captured the larges t ship in the Sultan ' s fleet named the 'Sult a na ' It was full of presents for the Sultan ' s harem. The money rais e d from th e s ale of s uch treasures was used to supply and e quip the Order in Malta , and some of it was kept as it was for the collection of works of art that the Order was assembling in Malta.

The expeditions of the galleys continued to provide the 'caravans for the Knights , and to fight in this way still required immense skill and courage.

onc e a ttempted to raid Malt a, and they had been beaten off quit e e asily. As time p assed , the Ord e r 'S gall e ys b ecam e more and mor e orn a e, a nd e ve ntu all y th ey we r e of more u se as sh o w-pi e ces th a n as fi g btin g ve sse ls. As tbe stru ggle s wi t h tb e Turk s gr e w mor e infr e qu e nt , so th e Ord e r tri e d to find oth e r outl e ts for th e e n e r gies of it s m o r e adv e nt urou s m emb e r s. M a n y o f th e youn ger Kni g ht s be gan to live lives o f luxur y, and they found tb e st a nd ard s and di sciplin e of th e Ord e r h ar d to a cc e pt. Man y peopl e b ega n t o th i nk th a t p e rh a ps th e Order o f St John

Th

o nl y r ea l Turkish thr ea t ca me i n 1669, whe n t h e T urk 's m anage d to destroy th e p ort of Ca nd ia on th e n orth e rn coast of th e isla nd o f C r e t e. Th e Ord er's ga ll eys h a d so me ti mes u se d th is as a b ase, b

n

i t

uld d o so n o lo nger. 'Caravan s' g r a du a ll y di e d o ut. On e res ul t of th e T ur kish ca pt ure of Ca ndia was the buil di n g of Fort R icaso l o n

Do you know your Manuals? (15)

ANSWERS

Galleys be c ame show pieces

rat h e r han fi g ht ng ships

t h e old G a ll ow's P oint to p rov id e furth e r pr o t ect io n f or G ra nd H a rb o ur . It was co mpl e t e d i n 167 0 M o r e d efences we r e con-st ru cte d b e hind Birg u an d Seng lea know n as t h e 'Cotonera Lines' c .1670, but t h ey we r e never co m ple ted du e t o lack of fund s a t th e tim e. Ear lie r d efe n ces built th ere were the 'Marg h e ri t a Lin es' c. 1640. In 1722, Manoe l de Vilhena was elec te d Grand Maste r a nd h e a t once b ega n to re info rc e t h e d efe n ces of Va ll etta by buildin g mo r e fo rtifi ca ti o n s f r o m Ma r sama -

Block Buster (6) ANSWERS

H. H e rn ia; V. Veins ; P Poisons; T. Tarsa

Decline of sea-power

The Sult an 's foreca st tha t his beard would grow again did not turn out to b e very accurat e. The victory of th e C hristian powers at Lepanto in 1571 marked th e decline of the Turkish sea-powe r, and thus of opportunitie s for the Order of St John to continue its warfar e with th e Turkish shipping. However , it must not be thought that the Chri stian victory imm e diately put a n end to the Turkish threat. The Sultan 's galleys still roamed the seas , a nd were still a danger to peaceful shipping and ports. But opportuniti e s for fighting th e m slowly grew less and les s. In the hundred years between 1565 and 1665 the Turks only

The galley was a long , low vessel, propelled by banks of oars rowed by slaves , but also carrying a lateen sail. The usual method of attack was for several galleys to mo ve in tow a rd s th ei r victim on a ll si d es at once th e n mo ve away. Aft e r so m e h o ur s o f this, th e ene m y sh ip was p robab l y runnin g sh ort of ammun ition , a n d th e n th e galley s clos ed in Gr a pplin g ir on s we r e thrown on to th e vict im a nd th e Kni ght s poured ove r th e s id e. M o r e o fte n th an not , th e e n e m y sh i p surr e nd e r e d. The Turk s and corsair s co nti n u e d t o threaten we ste rn shipping fo r s om e yea r s, until in 1571 a combined fl ee t o f th e Christi a n po we r s m a n age d t o co rn e r th e m in the Gul f of P atr as in G reece. Th e famou s battl e of Le p a nt o re sult e d in th e utter defeat of th e Turkish sea -pow e r , although th e Sult a n of th e tim e did n o t seem to regard it a s such H e co mm e nt ed th at hi s b ea rd had only b ee n sin ge d - It will grow again!

1. A. 2. Hazardous c h e mi cals

3. A p p ly d ir ect pressure

4. 10-20 min utes

5. A.

6. Gen tl y m assage he u pper abdomen

7. Sy vester's me t hod

8. One min u te

9. C.

10. T h e so u nd si d e

11. To attac h a gu ide rope

12. A crus hing in ury to t he left arm

13. B efo r e swe ll ing starts

14 Mou th to nose

15. 38°C (10 1°F)

S. Signs; E. E pi de r mis; D Dia ph r agm F. Face: M. Marrow; L. Lymph; B B rain ; C. Coma; R R espirat ion; K. Kneecap; O. Ope n ; A. A n atomy G. Gu ll e ; 1. In t e rn a l ; J. Jug

S John s Church Valletta.

Brigade Finals (cant.)

agement given by practically all the competitors to the patient with a view to independence, and also the instruction and helpful tips given to his wife. This competition was set to test the competitors' skill at good basic nursing care and it was encouraging to see how well it was achieved.

Dunbar Nasmith Cup

There being no change in cadet competitions this meant that the usual team of four each entered a nursing individual test after the team test in first aid.

Nursing Individual Test No 1. This test was set in the bedroom of an elderly lady who had been confined to bed with an attack of influenza. This was to be her first day up but before being helped out of bed she wished to wash her hands and face. The competitor was required to remake the bed and change the top sheet as she had spilt tea on it.

The judge's comments on the competitors performance echoed much of what has been said in recent years in that the majority of cadets quickly establish a rapport with the patient and are considerate for their comfort , but lack the manual dexterity to carry out the nursing care. This is shown by the untidy and often disorganised manner with which they handle the equipment, demonstrating an unfamiliarity with simple practical tasks. Some competitors tended to ignore the

helper and only discussed the procedure or gave instructions to the patient.

Nursing Individual Test No 2. The setting for this test was the living room in an elderly lady's home. Her bed had just been brought downstairs and a neighbour was waiting for help to get it made up and the patient settled comfortably in bed. At the start of the test the very deaf patient had just arrived home from hospital where she had been examined following a fall during the previous night when she got up to use the commode

The judge commented that too much attention was given to getting the bed made and insufficient priority to the shocked patient obviously in pain. This competition was also a test of communication skills and some cadets did not do very well; they failed to speak looking at the patient and had a low tolerance level when the patient did not respond at once and from then on tended to ignore them

Nursing Individual Test No 3. This test took place in the patient's kitchen. She was elderly, rather confused , slightly deaf and very agitated about the loose dressing on her leg It should have been obvious to the competitors that this lady needed 'sorting out' - the buttons on her dress were undone , her cardigan was on inside out, her tights had slipped down to her ankles and her hair required combing - but most cadets missed this and were preoccupied with the dressing. The manual dexterity shown was variable although some competitors did very well.

REVIEW CROSSWORD No. 10 (87) by W. A. Potter

Across:

1. A matter of dispute,for progeny. (5).4. Like a baby. (9).9. Spur on the heel. (9). 10. Not in sound health (5) 11. Main change on a foetal membrane. (6) .13. Nothing in gauze roll. (4). 14. Run to container for cremation ashes. (3). 16. Secondary malignant

240

The judge's comments regarding communication with a deaf person reiterated those in Nursing Individual Test No 2, namely , that more eye-to-eye contact was required.

Nursing Individual Test No 4. The patient in this test had recently had a chest infection and required an inhalation. This was a very straightforward test and on the whole was well done The competitors easily established a rapport with the patient and gave her clear instructions on how to use the inhaler. The one adverse comment from the judge was regarding safety, protection for the hot mouthpiece of the inhaler was often inadequate, otherwise the standard of care was good.

In conclusion, one has to say that we failed to see the high standard expected at Brigade Finals from either the adult or cadet teams, due in most instances to a lack of practise with the correct equipmentany amount of discussion does not incr ease manual dexterity this is achieved by constantly carrying out the procedures. The lack of communication skills in cadets causes concern for their future performance in assessing need in order to plan care - this is very dependent on the ability to ask appropriate questions and to listen to the answers. Over the next few mouths those responsible for training within their Division would do well to bear these poin ts in mind and give all members (not just the competition team ) the opportunity to practise frequently nursing procedures in order to improve the standard of patient care.

tumours. (10). 18. Girl from Benidorm (4). 21. Lower point of .heart and upper part of lung. (4). 22. Material charac ter ising li ving cells. (10). 24. Hawaiian hardwood derived from oak. (3). 25. In a tense , irritable state of mind. (4). 26. Walk dem a nding little exertion. (6).29. Construct one's physique. (5). 30. Invent and use new words and phrases (9). 32. Concerned with study of plants on a Baltic disruption (9).33. Restrict maximum. (5).

Down:

1. Each aim is disrupted in diminished blood supply to an organ. (9). 2. Work place of artist and beautician. (5). 3. Are upset for a very long time. (3).4. Mental concept. (4). 5. The third dentition ? (5.5).6. One run for basic unit of the nervous system. (6).7. Acute, highly-infectious viral disease is often epidemic. (9). 8. Solid food ingested , masticted, and swallowed. (5). 12. Supplant by force. (4). 15 Disease induced by the physician. (10). 17. The sex offender is person giving treatment. (9). 19 Medic<;l.tion allaying irritation of the alimentary tract. (9).20. Catch sign of a skin blemish. (4).23. Nurse on structure joining muscle to bone. (6). 24. Eastern meat preparation on skewer. (5). 27 An early narcotic. (5). 28. Staphylococcal infection of the skin. (4). 31. Nocturnal bird of prey (3).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.9 (87)

Across: 1. Nipple; 4. Operator ; 10 Utricle; 11. Oxyuris; 12. Assay ; 13. Flea; 14. Bevy ; 16. Gestapo ; 19. Uveitis; 21. Cur; 22. Anosmic ; 24. Eardrum; 26. Gash; 27. Spot ; 29. Thigh; 31. Agonist; 32. Pyrosis; 33. Testicle; 34 Recess

Down: 1. Neuralgia; 2. Par·es·is; 3. Lucky ; 5. Procedure ; 6. Rays; 7. Torment; 8. Risky; 9. Beef; 15 Hear; 17. Army; 18. Occipital; 20. Symphysis; 23 Osseous; 25. Re·issue; 26. Graft ; 28. Type; 29. Three; 30. Mini

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS

23p a word (min. £4.60); semi display £23 single column inch (min. £J 1.50) illcl. VAT. Send to St John Review, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 3QF. NEW CATALOGUE of audio - visual aids for First Aid (23 colour slide sets), Hom e Safety and Road Safety FREE from F. C. CURTIS LTO. 6 Mileta s Place, Lytham St Annes, Lanes FY8 1BQ

SHErS ONLY TEN BUT HER MUM LOOKS UP TO HER.

If yourre about ten or twelve then yourre old enough to save someoners life. All you need is the right training.

Join the St John Ambulance Cadets and yourll learn what to do when someone is hurt or injured. Your uniform will tell people you know how to cope. In fact yourll probably know better than • your Mum or Dad.

Talk to us today and meet some cadets. They'll tell you more. ST

HErs ONLY TEN BUT HIS DAD LOOKS UP TO HIM. >;-

If yourre about ten or twelve then yourre old enough to save someoners life. All you need is the right training.

Join the St John Ambulance Cadets and yourll learn what to do when someone is hurt or injured.

Your uniform will tell people you know how to cope. In fact yourll probably know better than _ your Mum or Dad.

Talk to us today and meet some cadets. Thetll lell you more.

ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN

Volume 60 No. 11

Contents

Radio Appeal p.241

Navy Day 1987 p.242

Save a Life p.242

Cadets take over Headquarters p.243

Real Helping Hands in Essex p.244

Commonwealth Cadets at Bucks Camp p 246

Books for Christmas p.247

Around and About, by the Editor p.248

Cadet Focus by Jim p.252

Block Buster (7) p.254

Nursing in the Community p 255

Order Investiture, Sept 10 p.256

Supplies Update p.257

Readers'Views p.258

News from Scotland - Wales - N. Ireland p.260

Nationa First Aid Competitions p.261

Champions of the Cross (17) by Hugh A. R. Edgell p.262

NEW LOOK FOR CADETS

ST JOHN AMBULANCE Cadets are being given a new look. A new action-orientated scheme for cadets , aged between 10 and 16, has been launched to encourage young peop1e to join in the many exciting activities available - adventure training for example. To complete the new image, a change of uniform is being introduced - no longer will the boys carry the familiar haversacks and at last girls can wear trousers!

The cadets , numbering 25,000 throughout the country, have the opportunity to take part in mountaineering, canoeing, orienteering and literally hundreds of other activities, but they also play an important role in the community in the

caring tradition of St John. They have the opportunity to take part in welfare programmes , perhap s visiting the elderly or nursing the disabled. Of course , cadets also learn first aid techniques which they use while assisting adult St John members manning medical posts at public events - the role for which St John Ambulance is probably best known.

The cadet uniform has been adapted to suit the new action image. For boys the white haversack is being replaced with a compact and practical hip pouch; and girls can now wear warm and comfortable trousers or a black jumper and skirt, as an alternative to the traditional grey nursing dress.

RADIO APPEAL

A NATIONAL Radio Appeal on behalf of St John Ambu ance Brigade Centenary Appeal for £10 million is to be broadcast on Sunday , Nov 22 at 8.50 am on BBC Radio 4 (VHF 9295 1500 MW)

The BBC has chosen the Brigade 's Centenary Appeal for a 4 1/2 -minute radio appeal in the regular charity appea l slot on Sunday mornings known as The Week's Good Cause

The appeal will include a n interview with HRH The Princess Ro yal, who is Commandant-in -Chief of the Ambulance and Nursing Cadets. The Princ ess Royal is keen to show her app reciation publicl y of th e work of St John. This is the first time a member of the Royal Fami ly h as lent their support to a broadcast charitable appeal in this way.

Emma-Jane Howell , a cadet leader from Essex , has been chosen to take part in the interview and naturally is 'It' s unbelievable! she said, when told the news. LIve ly Emma dJd , however think that it would be 'a bit nerve-racking although she is looking forward to the interview enormously and has already thought of lots of questions she would like to ask the Prince ss.

A member of St John for nine years, Emma-Jane began her St John life as a Junior. She was prompted to join St John when at the age of e igh t she witnessed a road accident and , watching people who were able to help, sh e felt she too wanted to know how to cope - and ever since she ha s been hooked on St John

Since becoming a Cadet, Emma-Jane has gained her Grand P rior's B adge a nd taken part in numerous activitiesholidays with the handicapped , and of course num e rous first aId duties. One of her favourite activities, which she became involved in through St John , is working with Hospital Radio Every week Emma-Jane presents a children's show and a chat show an d meets Jots of the patients at Thameside Hospital Radio which broadcasts to three Essex hospitals - she loves meeting and talking to the children.

Re cent ly Emma-Jane has become a Bad ger Leader in h e r home town of Leigh-on-Sea. She has charge of 20 'li vely but lovely ' Badg ers who are extremely enthusiastic , not to say Emma-J ane sees the Badg ers as the future of the orgallls<\tlOn and another generation of Cadets and adult members .

whit e prints or good quality co our prints not negatives or transparencies. If pho tog r aphs are to be returned, write on the back RETURN a nd name and address. Press day is th e 1st of the month precedi ng the cover date.

Ambulance station - at the ready.

EVERY YEAR the Portsmouth Naval base opens its gates to the public from 10 am to 5 pm for three da ys over the Auaust Bank Holiday , which for any Brigade of course is one of the busiest times of the year. It was no exception for Eastern Area of Hampshire this year, for not only was the vast dockyard event covered but also numerous other duties. There was th e SDP Conference, an American footban fixture a football match between Portsmouth and West Ham, and the usual 3-mile coverage of Southsea seafront. Resources were stretched, but with the assistance of Central Area adequate cover was provided.

The Naval Base is a walled establishment within the City of Portsmouth In fact

THERE HAS been a good response to the television series; over 110 ,156 inquiries have been received in Great Britain. A grand total of over 75,000 people have been trained under the Save a Life Campaign in England alone. In Wales 13,879 and in Northern Ireland almost 3 000 people have taken the Save a Life course from the start of the campaign up to the beginning of August this year.

As a direct result of the 2-hour course a total of 22 lives are reported to have been saved - surely proof of the value of even basic emergency-aid training.

Repeats of the 6-part TV series began on October 15 , with programmes being screened on consecutive Thursday evenings at 11.40 on BBC1. There will be no programme shown on November 26 , the last of the series being on December 3. Another repeat of the series is planned for the beginning of January, but details are not yet available

Here are some of the cases:

Mike Connell from Mossley , Ashton-Under-Lyne, was able to save his friend 's life while they were out drinking together. John Malaney collapsed for no apparent reason and his airway was blocked Mr Connell placed him in the recovery position and Mr Malaney recovered.

Patrick Cullum

fate enabled Patrick Cullum; of Norwich, to assist at a road accident.

242

it has often been described as a city within a CIty. It measures some three by four mil es and has an extremely intricate road system. Much of the area which the public is allowed to visit is of a relatively dangerous nature - dry docks with drops of hundreds of feet , caissons, industrial plant and machine ry, to mention just a few hazard s.

Coupled with this, 25 ships and submarines were open to the public, with gangways from ship to shore allowing access for inexperienced people keen to clamber over the vessels. In fact, nearly 80,000 peop le arrived during the three days to see the base. The base had been designed to b e It has i s own police , medIcal and ambulance services. At one time it even possessed a fire service and a mortuary.

SAVE A LIFE

Just how successful has the campaign been

Patrick was out jogging and had broken away from the rest of the runners when a car crashed into a ditch nearby. Steven Hayden of Norwich was driving and Patrick found him unconscious. He clea re d Steven 's airways and having made sure an ambulance had been called just waited with him. Patrick was praised by the ambulance men for not attempting to move Steven.

Mark Davis

Charlotte Stopani, 7 , unnoticed by pool attendants, was seen by Mark Davis, 10, lying motionless and face-down in the deep end of Shirley Baths, Southampton . Thinking she was just playing, he went down and tapped her, but there was no

Navy

ALL WAS QUIET

ASO John Pearson

Under Area Commissioner M. Pickstock, th e Brigad e was required to take over medical a nd ambulance services duri ng the th ree d ays. A comprehensive cover was provid ed that would be put to the test especially as in previous years t he event was considered to be no normal duty.

Good facilities

Operations were centred in th e Base Medical Centre. Here good m edical facilities were provided, with three stretcher ba ys and three cubicles for minor injuries. Two doctors , a trained nurse , nursing members and cadets manned the ce ntr e. A communications control was set up within the complex with h igh an d low band Brigade frequencies being used as well as a R aynet frequency provided by the

response. Quick-thinking Mark realised she was drowning, hauled her to the side and shouted for help. While adu lt s gave her the kiss of life , Mark remembering the Save-A-Life programme s on TV, rushed to dial 999. Doctor s later said she h ad been in ex tr eme danger. Another 30 seconds and death or permanent brain damage would have occurred.

Cynthia Dutton

while 30 people a a bridge sess ion in Bromsgrove , Worcestershire, were unabl e to dislodg e a toffee from Mrs Jean Kirkham s throat , Cynthia Dutton happened to pass by She immediately recognised the sign s of choking and asphyxia that she saw on the Save-A-Life TV programmes. She carried out th e Heimlich manoeuvre and was able to save Mrs Kirkham.

Mary Gallagher and Bill Martin

Mr W. H. Martin, vice principal, and Mrs Gallagher Woranan both from Castlereagh College of Further Education, Belfast , worked together to save a 45-yearold mature college student who collapsed entering the college. Bill Martin had thre e weeks previously completed a Save-A-Life course that he had arranged at the college. Mary and Bill reacted quickly to the situation and gave both mouth-to-mouth breathing and cardiac massage then placed him in the recovery position , having called an ambulance

Day 1987

UNTIL THE LAST HOUR

tells us about a Portsmouth duty

Portsmouth R aynet Group.

Under the direction of Area Staff Officer R Lilly , a satellite ambula nce station was set up at a central point from which four emergency vehicles covered th e base. To co mpl ement th e Medical Centre , two first aid posts were established in distant a re as where minor injuries could be dealt with on the spot.

999 system

In the event of an accident or emergency the Naval Base telephone system was ava il ab le with emergency ca ll s activa t ed by dialling 222. This provided a 999 system straight to the Ministry of Defence Police HQ. They would take deta ils of any emergency and pass them on to the SJA control room. From there, ambulances

from Rebecca Hutchinson, Leicestershire

MY DAY in London started at 7 am , in time to catc h the 8 o'clock train from Leicester, arriving in London at 10.25. After a long delay, I th en made my way to Grosvenor Crescent.

I met the other Cadet Leader Judi , and h ad a cup of tea with the Superintendentin-Chief , Lady Westbury. In the absence of the C-in-C Lady Westbury asked us to write to all county commissioners about the Cadet Leader competition, which takes place every December , outlining th e qualities they should look fo r in entrants.

We were then t aken b y Lord Westbury to the House of Lords for lunch. This was the highlight of the d ay for me. Before e njoying a beautiful three-course lunch , we were each given a box of House of Lords chocolates and a book on the places we h ad seen durin g our tour of the House.

Then it was back to Headquart ers, where a lot of time was first spent packing Badger briefcases and later answering an enquiry about competition rules. We did speak to the C-in-C on the telephone and he seemed a very friendly person.

On the whole I found the da y interesting but I would have liked to have been more involved with the actual running of Headquarters from an administrative point of view. This I feel would hav e given me a greater insight into the running of our organisation.

were detailed to attend incidents. Cases were transported to the Medical Centre or stra ight to hospital with a police escort.

SJA was in fact operating an emergency ambulance se rvic e.

Compared with previous years, at first the duty seemed unu sually qu iet. Many assorted cases were dealt with , ranging from minor cuts and bruises to suspected heart attacks. Seventy-seven casualties were treated, with five requiring removal to hospital. Little did the 40 SJA members on duty know that this was the lull before the storm

At the end of the last day , in the arena the Ro yal Marine Band was playing Sunset The arena was surrounded by

CADETS TAKE OVER HEADQUARTERS

A coup d'etat? No, prize for being Cadet of the Year

I also feel tha t with a little mor e thought more topics of interest co uld have been included, such as being able to see an inve stiture (wh ich is usually only heard abo ut by cadets and not seen) a look at our historical heritage at St John 's Gate , or to have seen the Supplies department. With reg ar d to the competition itself , I would advise cadet leaders who wish to prove their leadership qualities to enter it. It certainly taught me a lot about myself. As they say, it is not the winning but competing that counts. (But it is fun to be a winner!)

from Judi Norman, Guernsey

Monday April 27 1987 was certainly one of the more memorable da ys of m y life I arrived at Grosvenor Crescent ",rith mixed feelings of excitement and anticipation, not knowing quite what to expect. I was taken

stands seati ng up to 30 people on each stand. Suddenly one of- the stands buckled and collapsed. Area Surgeon Dr Collette Pickstock was passing the arena when the collapse occurred. The situation was quickly assessed and a radio call for assistance made , the time being 1720 hrs. A vehicle was dispatched and when it arriv e d at the scene it requested further help. Within four minutes three more ambulances were on the scene. Injuries were varied, the majority being wounds and suspected fractures. These were all treated, as were many spectators shocked by the incident. Cases were transported (Continued overleaf)

to see Lady Westbury the Superintendentin-Chief who impressed me very much She has quite a formidable task in the job she does, but from what she told us I think hers is the job I would do if ever I had the chance.

Rebecca and I were then left at the desks of the C-in-C and Lady Westbury to write letters to count y commissioners encouraging them to enter cadets for the next cadet leader competition.

We were then whisked off to the Houses of Parliament , where Lord Westbury showed us around the House of Lords. We fe lt like royalt y as we were escorted round t he empty chamber. We were then taken upstairs for a superb lunch , surrounded by so many important pe ople All too soon we returned to Grosvenor Crescent to get ' back to work'. While seeing how HQ is run , we had to work ourselves , trying to solve problems in letters from the counties. The day passed all too quickly and soon it \-vas time to leave.

The thing that impressed me most on my visit to HQ was how friendly everyone was. I had the chance to meet the top people in St John and their dedication and enthusiasm for St John is very contagious. I returned home full of new ideas and enthusiasm which I am doing my best to pass on to the cadets of my division , with the hope that they will gain as much from St John as I have.

Dean

(Cadet), Mr R. Lilly (ASOL and Mr C. McCloud.

Central Area's ambulance admitting a casualty.

(Continued from p .243)

with a MOD police escort to the Base Medical Centre, where a triage was set up by Area Staff Officer J. Pearson. Within 20 minutes, 12 casualties with relatives arrived at the Centre, in addition to police and naval officials. Every member was working to tbeir limit, both in quantity and quality. Wounds were cleansed and dressed , fractures assessed and immobilised, shocked and distressed patients were calmed and reassured. Confused relatives were also comforted.

Space scarce

Cases were sorted by priori ty , as space was becoming scarce. Ambulances and police escorts were preparing to transport the injured to hospital. In fact, four were

REAL

Picture story by DAVID

MERRITT

(Left) Essex Radio sales girls on the air with 'black and white' minstrels (L to R) Steve

Williams Peter Wallen Neill Fenwick and Chris Wallen. One l istener pledged money to hear them sing 'Land of Hope and Glory '. They didl

Our reporter, PRO Dave sang, too. (Below) Esse x Radio's John Hayes discusses SJ cadets on the air with Steve Williams, IIC Southend Cadets.

Steve is a professional charge nurse with Southend Hospital 's cardiac unit

EVERY YEAR Essex Radio an indep e ndent local radio station , stages a weekend broadcast called Helping Hands to raise funds for local charities. This year St John in Essex is the major beneficiary

As a result, on September 12 and 13 Essex members were deployed all over the county. Radio House was also invaded! Essex Radio had obtained from local firms many superb items to auction on the air , including a brand new car!

Celebrities gave their support free.

Letitia Dean and Adam Woodyatt from BBC TV's Eastenders spent Sunday afternoon both on the air and receiving pledges on the phones. Tim Polley Joann Kenny , Ruth Carraway and Tina Mahon (a li as Grange Hill's Banksie , Jane, Helen, and Ronnie) visited several swimming pools where sponsored swims were taking place , and also encouraged youngsters to join St John. Chas 'n Dave came and increased the value of a piano donated for auction by playing it on the air. The Essex Radio presenters, themselves local celebrities, gave their all to raise funds.

Money was pledged to play certain records on the air At one time a teenage girl phoned in pledging all her pocket

taken to hospital and two taken home. The whole incident , from the first call to the last case discharge, lasted 40 minutes. The storm was over , leaving soiled dressings, empty wrappers and dirty linen to clear away. Final administrative details were collated and members on duty were dismissed with the praise and thanks of their Area Commissioner and Surgeon.

Each member leaving the duty had a feeling that they had done a good job. It was lucky the incident was not as serious as it might have been, but the experience will help members to act - as they did that day - in a true Brigade fashion on future duties.

1. R. Pearson ASO (Central Area) Medical Centre. (L to R) Miss C. Taylor, SEN, a casualty, and Dr Hahn (Div. Surgeon).

HELPING HANDS IN ESSEX

It's all from local Radio

money to hear her favourite record. Seconds lat er, her father phoned offering twice as much NOT to play it! The excitement was tremendous, and as word spread , the money rolled in.

Amid all th is, hard work was going on The Essex Radio staff were going flat out! The girls answering phones worked shifts because of the number of calls. Technicians kept all the equipment working, and even more people were counting money.

St John members played their part throughout the weekend. Perhaps the hardest worked were the small team of cadets who kept everybody supplied with tea and coffee in Radio House. They were constantly brewing up, and carrying trays of paper cups with tea or coffee up and down three flights of stairs. The y were very excited seeing all the celebrities. Comments like ' Hey look , it's the Eastenders' were frequently followed by cries of 'Wa tch the step! But not a drop was spilt.

St John members were on duty at most of the twenty swimming pools where the sponsored swims were taking place. At some pools members were selling stamps and raffle tickets. But Essex St John still met its full public duty commitment. Members on duty on Southend seafront had a brief visit from the Eastenders, who were very interested in supporting St John. The whole weekend was a great success! The money is still coming in and has already exceeded all expectations.

Essex St John Ambulance Brigade would like to express their gratitude to Essex Radio without whom it could not have happened. Helping Hands - you were magic!

Sou thend cadet Perry Bush keeping Essex Radio commun ity relations manager John Haye s happy with plenty of coffee.

(Below) Mrs Joan Norton, of Esse x County HQ, met Chas 'n Dave in the auction studio

The Countess Howe, Buckinghamshir e SJA Vice-President, shows the overseas cadets around her home, Pen n Hous e

Commonwealth Cadets at Bucks camp

SJ A Buckinghamshir e marked centenary year by inviting 20 cadets from all corners of the St John world to join the annua camp at Totland Ba y on the Isle of Wigh t in July. T his was the 24th camp on the s it e and the last to be held at Totland Bay , so it was very appropriate that the cadets could join their Bucks colleagues to commemorate both the centenary and the last camp here.

Cadets from New Zealand , Canada, South Africa Cyprus and Malta spent their first week at the camp. They were pleased to join the other campers in welcoming th e Lord Prior - the Earl Cathcart - and Co unt ess Cathcart on the Tuesday when they visited the camp. Also present were SJA Commander, Bucks, Bob Payne , and Commissioner John Thomas. The Lord Prior especially commented on t h e sp lendid organisation of the camp and said that he was particularly impressed by the h appy family atmosphere and air of relaxed efficiency during the day. In add ition to training activities , campers visited Ventnor, Carisbrooke Cast le , Blackgang Chine and Osborne House. A liv ely talent s how was held on the Friday evening and the camp rounded off with a fancy dress party on the Saturday evening

On return from camp th e overseas cadets split up and joined the various host families in Bucks to sample English life and see how local St John divisions were organised. However, a number of special

events were held for all our vIsItors. On August 4 they and their hosts visited St 10hn 's Gate and the Priory Church. After touring the Museum they went to the Tower of London to see this famous old London landmark. The following week they spent the morning at Windsor Castle, visiting the Dolls House and State Apartments before making a specia l journey to Penn House, home of the Earl and Countess Howe. Lady Howe is our County Vice-President and she kindly acted as a guide for specia l tours of Penn House. After tea in this lov ely building the whole party posed for photographs with Lady Howe. We are very grateful to her for her kindness in hosting the afternoon.

The visit of our overseas cadets concluded with a disco at the new High Wycombe St John Headquarter s. This purpose-built , £110,000 centre resounded to disco music, which proved to be a perfect ending to a memorable visit.

All our guests have sent letters of thanks to the organisers of the visit, but we have singled out a special one from 14-year-old Josef Fenech, of Malta:

Dear Kurn e ll Pa y ne ,

In the name of all the Maltese divisions I would lik e to thank all the people who I am sure wo rked hard for the camp to be successful. I shall always remember th e British people as a kind and welcoming

BOOKS always make a very acceptable Christmas present. And those s tocked by t he Mu eum and Library of the Order of St John would be of particular interest to anyone involv e d with St John Ambulance. Below are brief reviews of just a few of the books available from the Museum Shop. If you would like to receive a list of all the books on sale, please send a stamped addressed envelope to the Museum and Library , St John's Gate , St John 's Lane , London EC1M 4DA. Or, if you wish to order any of the books mentioned below , please write to the same address, but do not send any money. An invoice , including the cost of postage , will be included with your books.

The Cross and the Crescent. Malcolm Billings. BBC Books. £9.95

This book was produced to accompany the recent Radio 4 programme of the same name. The Order 's Librarian, Professor Jonathan Riley -Smith, assisted with both the series a nd the book, for which he also wrote the foreword. The book is based on a series of interviews with historians and some of the most recent research on the subject. It traces the history of the Crusades over seven centuries and tries to shed new light on the action and motives of those involved. It has 240 pages and over 100 illustrations many in colour, and including some from the Order 's own collection housed at St John's Gate.

ra ce. I wish to thank you in particular for inviting us to join yo ur camp, which was attended by a lovely number. I also wish to thank the Camp CommandantMr V. Smith, for managing to make us so welcome at the camp I also wish to thank the family who generously accepted to us to stay with them after camp

So Thank-You all I am already planning to come for my

BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS

Medieval Monasteries of Great Britain. Lionel Butler and Chris Given-Wilson. Michael Joseph , London. £8.95

A fascinating study of all the main monasteries in Great Britain This book is in two sections - the first , by Lionel Butler (former Librarian of the Order of St John) explains how monks and nuns were the chief creative force in the early English church and how in the Norman era new monastic orders came from the continent to revitalise the Christian life of the whole country It covers the development of the monasteries right up to the dissolution and leads on to the gazetteer compiled by Chris Given- Wilson. This describes the history and architecture of 80 monasteries in the British Isles.

The book has 415 pages and is b ea utifully illustrated with black and white photographs and site plans It has a hard cover and usually sells for £12.95, but the Museum and Library have a few copies available at £8.95, which is the normal price of the paperback version. The book is now out of print, so this may be your last opportunity to obtain a copy.

St John's Gate - Headquarters of the Order of St John. The Order of St John. £1 This brief but very concise guide to the

holidays to England next yea r Although it is not possible to come to your """hole camp, I would like to come and see everyone for a day or two. If it is possible when summer app roaches please keep me informed about the dates. I would like to meet my old friends, boys and girls Hop e to hear from you Malta sends her love.

Great to have met you.

Josef

buildings owned by the Order in Clerkenwell is a 'must" for all St John Ambulance memb e rs. It covers the history of St John's Gate. the Grand Priory Church and the orman crypt and also a synopsis of the history of the Order. It includes photographs and illustrations. many in colour, of the various rooms and some of the objects in the care of the Museum.

St John Ambulance Museum Guide. The Order of St John. 30p

A complement to the guide to St J obn 's Gate. this pamphlet very briefly covers the development of St John Ambulance and includes several old photographs from the collection held at St John' s Gate.

Malta Views - A Catalogue of the Topographical Prints and Drawings of Malta in the Museum of the Order of St John. Stella Dyer. The Order of St John. £6 This catalogue gives details of 181 prints and drawings of Malta, which make up the collection owned b y the Order of St John. Paintings by such artists as Brocktorff, Goupy and the Schranz brothers a re included. This is an int eres ting book , particularly for anyone \ovho has visited the island (or plans to), as, through the paintings, it covers the development of Malta from the Great Siege in 1565 to the 20th century.

(Conrinued all p._61)

(Above) Signing the visitors' book at Penn House under the eye 0f Bob Payne SJA Commander, Bucks. ( Be low) At the camp at Totland Bay , Isle of Wight The LGrcl Prior and The Countess Cathcart joined the campers, who included a group of Badgers.

Cadets from New Zea and with The Earl and Countess Cathcart

20 YEARS ON

On September 10 at 8.55 am, a SJA Air Wing flight touched down in Hanover exactly 20 years after the first ever Air Wing flight which, oddly was destined for the very same hospital in Gottingen in West Germany.

This fact is all the more astonishing because this year's mission, the Air Wing's 1,085th, is the only one to use precisely the same route as the inaugural flight on September 10 1967.

This September the Air Wing arranged for an HS125 jet to transport a 5-strong

Nov

BY THE EDITOR

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

Chief

15: Fund-raising/Appeal Awareness

Nov 19: 11 am Investitures , St James 's

Nov 20-22: Divisional Staff Course, Birmingham

Nov 21: National Student Fund-rajsing Day (St John one of 23 charities that will benefit)

Nov 22: Centenary Appeal Radio Appea l

Nov 27-29: Divisional Staff Course , Berkshire surgical team from Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridgeshire, to collect a donor liver from a hospi tal in Gottingen. Having flown to Hanover, the team then transferred to a helicopter to complete their journey to Gottingen.

The team returned with the donor organ via Hanover to Stansted Airport , arriving at approximately 8.30 pm the following evening. The recipient was a 2-year-old girl waiting for surgery at Addenbrookes Hospital.

D-G AT TEDDiES PIGNIC

I hear that 40,000 owners of teddy bears took their beloved 'pets' to the great Teddy Bears' Picnic at Knebworth Park,

Stevenage, on August bank holiday Monday. SJA (Stevenage Combined Division) were of course on duty.

The Director-General Robert Balchinwith his very small teddy - was there too , accompanying Viscount Tonypandy, the retired Speaker of the House of Commons , who officially opened the picnic. Lord Tonypandy is president of the National Children's Homes, in aid of which the teddy bears picnic was held. And everyone had a good time , I assure you All and everyone. Small and large. Teddies and humans

Talking of Robert Balchin , in September the Vatican awarded him the Commander's Cross of Merit, an honour rarely given a non-Catholic , for his work in con-

D-G (and very small teddy) with Lord Tonypandy.See story D-G AT TEDDIES PICNIC.

nection with first aid in schools, which has now really got a grip of the country. It is under the day-to-day direction of Anne Macleod HQ's Schools Project Manager. The Association Branch must b e congratulated on this grass roots push in teaching first aid where it should be the most effective and longest lasting

BOAT FIRE RESCUE

A Weymouth member , Andrew Bryant , risked his life to save three women when their boat exploded and caught fire recentl y. Andrew, (23), who had been on duty with SJA aU day during carnival events was walking along the road just past the Town

COME TO ENGINE NAMING!

Thanks to British Rail, a brand new locomotive will be named St John Ambulance by HRH The Duke of Gloucester , Grand Prior of the Order , at a ceremony at Euston Station in London at noon on Wednesday, Nov 4. If you are in London on fhat day , you are very welcome to come along and join the naming - preferably in uniform. The locomotive will then form part of the 13.10 departure for Birmingham , stopping at Milton Keynes, Coventry and terminating at New Street Station, Birmingham , just before 3 pm. On board will be invited Cadets and Badgers having a great party provided by British Rail. Perhaps you might be able to greet the train as it arrives at these stations along the route. See you on Nov 4.

bridge when he heard the explosion.

He said: I was walking along the road by the Municipal Offices and I heard a bang and saw a flash. It was around 9 o'clock and at first I thought it was th e fireworks. 'Then I saw something fly up in the air The boat was burning and I saw three women standing on the deck of the boat next to it.

Andrew said his girlfriend, Debbie Steer told him she had seen someone jumping in the water. So he ' phoned the ambulance and the fire brigade.

He continued: 'There was a small rowing boat tied up by the bridge so I untied it and jumped in. The stupid thing was it was only when I was in the boat I realised it didn t have any oars. But I found a long pole and tried to push myself towards the boat with it.

'I pulled up alongside the Joanne , the boat next to the burning Anaconda, where the women were, and got them into the rowing boat. One woman had burnt her feet -I don't know how badly , it all happened so fast. When they got ashore the ambulance was already there. '

POOR OLD FELLA

ONE STAR

It

YEARS

JOUSTING

Geoffrey Mulcahy,

Executive of Woolworth Holdings, presents a cheque for £25,000 towards SJA's centenary appeal to Lord Westbury at The Guards Polo Club Windsor Great Park, during the summer in the presence of the Duke

Andrew, who has been an SJA member for 11 yea rs , said he didn 't have to treat any of the women.

Two of the women were taken to Weymouth and Dis tric t Hospital where one was treated for shock and the other for burns.

ST JOHN IN FOCUS

The Rev iew only received the cover photo (below) of the booklet St John in Focus which appeared in the September wIth an announcement of publication. However, the Chief Commander did receive a copy of the book and writes:

'So me of yo u may have alanced at the photograph of this book in September Review then turned to the next page, because It was not a very striking write-up.

So I have the edItor to reprint the photo agam together with this letter because having read the booklet I want tell you what an excellent publication it is.

As a photographic record of the work of St over the last 100 years, it IS mformatIve, mteresting and beautifully put together, and I think one of the best booklet s to come out during centenary yc:ar. If you decide to buy it , I hope yo u wIll enJoy It as much as I did. Incidentally I get no commission on sales!

P R. Leuchars, Major-Gen Chief Commander

£5.50 a copy (but do not send money, you will be invoiced) from The Museum , The Order of Sf John , St John's Lane, London ECIM 4DA.

members) raised £600 for the Divi sion. (Right) SJA West Midlands' control room using Digital Mobil e Communications' open access paging service for covering this year's B rmingham Walkathon.

NEW COLOUR

BADGERS' BADGES (or stripes?)

L0colnshire 's first Badger set - South VIew Badgers Crowland - tell me that the y held their first (of many more , we're sure) presentatIOn evening and party for 19 members and parents, at which the county Badger leader, Mrs Roz Ireland, presented badges (badgers' badges, is that OK?) and each small badger shook paws with a giant guest badgc:r (alias Jaf!1es Nuttall CSO).

Anyone mterested m helpina or joinin a the set should get in toucho with Hucker, South View CP School Reform St, Crowland, Lincs.

HIGH TECH FAY

I hear the Wilts nursing member 19 - yearold Fay Osborne , of Quidhampton , is to spend the next three years workina out a c.omputer programme which could tlOruse the Brigade 's record-keeping system natIOnally.

She is the only member in Wiltshire to be acceptc:d on the Sovereign's Award scheme WhICh was launch ed this year. Now she must find £1,000 to pay for the equipment which will enable her to create the programme.

If the scheme is successf ul it will be used first in th e Salisbury Division, then spread to the could eventually be available natlOnwide. And if it is National HQ in London , s he Will receIve h er Sovereign's Award from the Queen herself.

'I keep a lot of Brigade records myself and I realised that it would be much better

The new book published by the Museum See story ST JOHN IN FOCUS.

The Dir ector-General Robert Balchin felt that the St John Ambulance Association shou ld make a gesture towards the Brigade in its Centenary Year. The Association, which celebrated its en years ago , therefore deCIded to present a new flag to the Bngade to be carried by the Colour Party at the St Paul's Cathedral Service each year. The DG asked all Association County Directors for a donation towards the Colour and within a couple of months every had contributed.

The Colour was presented by DIrector-General to the Commissionerin -Ch ief during the 1987 St John's Day Service on July 4 and \V as blessed by The Dean of St Paul's, the Very Reverend Alan Webster. The DG said he intend.ed the Co lour to be a symbol of the fnendship and close co-operation which exists between the two branches of the Order.

if. they were kept on computer. I'm planlllng to a basic computer data base and develop It from there ,' said Fay , who works at the Norwich Union office in Salisbury.

She is not a computer expert as such, but she has her own personal computer at

Rickmansworth and Chorleywood Quad Div isio n 's sponsored 24- hour non-stop resuscitation earlier n the year raised £1 , 100 and generated a great sense of togetherness in the Division, which is bound to p;oduce other dividends. Started at 3 pm by DIS Mrs Madelaine Pearce, DIOs Dennis Stratford and Jenny Phillips then took over, then the three youngest cadets, until 24 hours later the whole d vision had been nvolved and champagne corks popped when the 24 hours was completed. Here are the c hamps.

home and. dabbles in programming. All of her work IS voluntary and there will be no financial gains for ber - just the love of it and tbe prestigious award at the e nd.

So she is interested in hearing from anyone who might be able to sponsor her. If yo u can help , rin g her on Salisbury 333279.

FOR XMAS

The SJA Air Wing first day covers with centenary stamps (full details June Review , Around and About) are still avai lab le and could well solve your Christmas present problem. They are fascinating covers glYl ng the of the Air Wing the hand stamp Incorporates the Wing's badge , and the flown covers give details of the mercy flight and are signed by Wing personnel.

Prices are: £3 85; signed £5.35; flown on rrusslon £6.35 ; and signed by Mr (pdot) and Mrs WInston Churchill £10 .35from SJA Air Wing (Covers), St Margaret's Hospital , Epping, Essex CM16 6TN.

WEDDING BELLS for (left ) Essex s Pamela W nn (Epping Division) and Graham Mohr (Harlow Divis on) at St Andrew s Church North Weald Pam and Graham , who f rst met at a county competition two years ago, wi live in North Weald Graham is transferring to Epping Division And (right) Spalding (Lines) Comb i ned Divis on s Diane Howard (one star nurse) a nd Michael Chapman (AIM) at Spalding.

HQ corrections

First, here are the winners of Keith Joseph cup for Wel fare, ":'hitstable (Kent) Division rece iving the trophy at the 1987 Brigade Finals. The Hlghworth (Wilts) Division - photo published with Brigade Finals report - were runners -up. The Centenary Events Sept 1 to Dec 31 calendar in our September issue incorrectly gave the date of the Grand Prior's Trophy competitions as Nov 27. The correct date is December 1 1987.

(Left) At Stockpert and Cheadle Div is ion's fun day which raised £600 are Miss Stockport Messenger and SJA's Freda Grayson and Dorothy Hurst , Sgt.

(Above) at the Haydock Park (Merseyside) SJA Centenary Stakes county commissioner Col. R. H Jones presents a SJA carriage clock to winning jockey, Ray Cochrane.

(Left) Langwith Colliery Divi sion's (N. Derbys) fancy dress pram push (yes, they're the

(Below) Hunstanton (N orfolk ) Division s new mobile unit is consecrated by the Rev Canon Michael Sexton

Sally Mitchell and Nadine Mitchellno, they 're not sisters - of Rye (Sussex) Nursing Cadet Di vision are happy enough while helping on the adults'tombola stall at the County Fayre (Photo: Alan Jones , Camber).

Stockton Heath (Cheshire) Badgers thoroughly enjoyed serving breakfast (with all the right cereals, of course) to 36 residents of a local old folk's home. With them is (left) Diane Griffiths, DNO, and the Home's supervisor (right).

Lostwithiel (Co rnwall Badgers as they entered the tow n 's carniva to get a third prize in their class. (The bowler-hatted gal with a painful shoulder is their leader, we feel sure, we think, we hope )

(Below) Grand Prio r Awards to Rugby nursing cadets with DIS Miss Doris Rose , (L to R) Maria Watts, 17 , Rachel Weedon, 15, Rachael Lee, 16 Nicola Constable , 16, and Hayley Davies 15 - and the County Commissioner, Mr E. O. Crosby. (Photo : Rugby Advertiser)

A SELECTION of new books suitable for children:

The Worst Witch, £3.99 tape By Jill Murphy , Read by Miriam Margoyles. Puffin Cover to Cover Story. Third and Goal, £1.75

Laurence and Matthew James. Methuen

Postman Pat's Travels, £3.99

Stories by John Cunliffe. Andre Deutsch

Blockbusters Quiz Book 6, £1.75 By Sphere

Nanette Newman's New Fun Food Factory, £1.95 Collins

Funfair

The see-saw at the f unf air h as broken down. Make a new one from the materials at your disposal.

Equipment: two short spars for the cross legs; long spar for the top bar; 4 pickets; long plank or long spar for the see-saw ; sundry lines and ropes; decoys.

Tree Camouflage

You are to co nceal your group and gear , which includes this (name some object) , in this tree at least ten feet above the ground Storms are expected so make a tree shelter.

Equipment: some heavy object; rope.

Snakes

You have come across a swamp full of deadly snakes that can reach up three feet. Cross the swamp.

Equipment: two se ts of rough stilts (or the gear to make them); light line.

Time Piece

Construct from natural materials an article that will measure time. This must not depend on the sun , moon or any other planetary object.

Equipment: what the Cadets ask for, within reason.

Telephone Cable

The river stretches for miles in each direction. The telephone lines across it are made of a new subs tance that is only destructible by fire. Your job is to destroy the cable as near to the centre as possibl e The cable may not be touched by hand

Equipment: what the Cadets ask for, within reason (but say no to oxyacetylene cutting gear!).

Flood

The area is likely to be flooded in a matter of ten minutes or so. Get your Cadets into this tree at least t en feet up. Make a fire and light it , make some toast for your re scuer s as well as a cup of tea.

Eq uipment: sheet of tin small billy tea, milk, sugar , water bread , butter matches.

Golden Gimmick

The gimmick mu st be transported across the water by each member of the group. The rope must only be touched by your hand s.

Equipment: rope over water ; a heavy gimmick.

That's Magic

This is an o ld favourite of mine. It's a card trick which tells a story. Show the audience the four jacks from a pack of cards. They are thieves about to break into a house represented by the rest of the pack. One is put in the basement one on the ground floor , one upstairs and the la st jack is placed on top of th e house to act as lookout. You then tell the audience that the lookout has spotted a policeman coming and all the thieves dash up on to the roof to join him You then peel off the top four cards and there are the four jacks! How did they get there ?

The trick is easy , but you must be careful not to give it away When you displa y the four jacks a t the beginning , you have three other card s hidden behind them Place all s even cards on top of the pack so that you seem to be putting the jack s into the house ; you are really removing the three extra cards so that the jacks are on top of the house all the time!

Cadet and Training Department COURSES 1988

Feb

5- 7 Divisional Staff, Alvechurch 19-21 Staff Officers, Scarborough

Mar

4-- 6 National Conference , Bath 11-13 Clywd - closed course 18-20 Divisional Staff , Whirlow

Apr

8-10 Cadet Instructors , Kelston 15-17 Cadet Instructors , Cambridge 22-24 Badger Leaders , Alvechurch

Sept 9-11 County Training Officers Study Weekend*

16-18 Cadet Instructors , Birmingham

Oct

7- 9 Divisional Staff, Kelston 14- 16 Staff Officers, Thaxted 21-23 Cadet Instructors, Harrogate

Nov

11-13 Staff Officers, Birmingham

25-27 Divisional Staff , Riding Mill

*Details to be advised lat er direct to Co unty Training Officers.

Further d etai ls to follow in 1988 programme

Glou cestershire's president. Lady Vestey presents the Best Cadet of the County cup to Leader Lisa Trigg (Gloucester St George Div) and Sarah Nash (right) who stood in for Sgt Rachel Attwell (Cheltenham No 1 Div ) who tied for the honour.

J ane Parker (left ) - of Gloucester St Georgereceived her Grand Prior Award. (Photo; N orman Preece).

(Above)'A junior cadet sitti ng 0 n the back of a huge swan, which was about to take off was the subject (the wings flapped, by the way) of Fo lkestone Nursing Cadet Divis on s f oat in the Hythe Venetian fete (f ying into a 2nd century of service)

(R ght) Dartmouth (Devon) cadets demonstrate resuscitation at the Mile of Tokens displays

(Right ) Thrapston (Northants Badger Robin Parkes does the honours of serving breakfast to 1 rs-old Mrs Brawn the oldest of 35 res dents at a local old folk s home served breakfast by 14 Badgers.

2nd prize went to Ry e Nursing Cadets for this float representing Sleeping Beauty. They look like very lively beauties to usbut never mind, t deserves 1st prize.

The game that is making learning first aid FUN'

If you have any queries or further thoughts on the Review's Block Buster, ring compiler Vic Helmore on 02572 64454 or write 114 Greenside, Euxton, Chorley, Lanes PR7 6AP.

C R V N B F E Y P H D T S I A L 0 U W G

StJohn Fellowship

I AM RECEIVING so many enquiries from members about to retire from the Brigade that it may help to publish the location of all St John FellowshIp Branches in the UK at Sept 23 1987. There is not space to add addresses, but most will be known to the local Divisions and County Secretaries who hold their Branches addresses. If in doubt, please ask me

Avon

Bri sto l

Weston -su per-Mar e

Berks

Cty of B e rks (Reading)

West Berks (Reading)

East Berks (Slough)

Maidenhead

Bucks

Amersham

Beaconsfield

Aylesbury

High Wycombe

Cambs

Peterborough

South Cambs (Cambridge)

Cheshire

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lancs) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions. 160 schools in Lancashire, as well as authorities in Staffs, Cheshire, Northumbria and Nottinghamshire, have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

GAME SEVEN

C. The upper seven bones of the spinal vertebrae.

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

B. This consists mainly of plasma , red and white cells and platelets.

P. If fractured, the patient may well feel need to pass water.

H. Excess insulin in the blood means the patient is suffering from

D. With severe external bleeding, the first type of pressure is.

R. The pulse rate taken at wrist area.

F. The two pairs of ribs attached to 11 and 12 thoracic vertebrae.

T. Swallowing this is the main danger of an epileptic fit.

S. A person suffers from this when the pupils respond to light and touch, and the body to pain.

I. What is the opposite to a diabetic coma?

V. These fail when the veins are stretched whatever the cause. 254

E. Sling u sed for fractured collar bone or severe bleeding hand.

A. When this valve opens it allows blood to be pumped into th e aorta.

L. If bright red and frothy blood is coughed up , it comes from

O. Large bone at the back of the sku ll.

N. If bleeding it should be pinched for 10 minutes below boney part

Y. A child of this age group sometimes suffers from hypothermia.

U. If bleeding OCClHS in the kidneys, this may appear smokey.

W. The best thing to use on burns.

G. This type of wound has a small hole of entry and a very large exit.

Answers on p. 263

.--------1 NURSING 1-----------,

CARING IN THE COMMUNITY

by Florence E. Wilson, SRN, SCM, RNT, County Nursing Officer, Essex

THERE ARE 10 million people of pensionab le age in this country. Many are fit and healthy and completely capable. of living without support from state or family.

Shortly after the implementati.on of the Beveridge Report by the formatlOn of the NHS, which promised to look after any citizen 'from the cradle to the grave', there was a baby boom which provided promise of a sufficient number of working, earning subscribers to the NHS and the DHSS.

Unfortunately, this did not last, and a r eduction in the number of births means a smaller subscribing population and a reduction in the revenue for supplying the services necessary to maintain the promise

These services were now expected by the population , who were paying for them. by deductions from thell wages/salanes. Increasing unemployment also lessened the number of subscriptions and increased outgoing payments.

Cty of Cheshire

CornwaU

Eastern Area

Western Area

Devon

Exmouth & District

Colyton & Di strict

Dorset

Weymouth & Portland

Ea t Dor et (Bournemouth)

Durham Durham Co unt y Essex

Epping Harwich & District Glos

Cheltenham & District Gloucester Area Greater Manchester

Bailiwick of Guernsey Branch Hants Western Area (New Forest) Central Area

Loveland Gui ld (Win c hester)

Hereford & Worcs

Boston London District Northern Area (Palmers Green) Tower Hamlets Harrow & District

London Transport (Bake r St) South West Area (Thornton H eat h)

verpool Area

Helens & Knowsley

& District

(Eas tbourne )

Midlands

nghamJSu tto n

Sabsbury South & West Yorks

Leeds Centre

Sheffield

Halifax

Kirklees Area

Doncaster Area

North Yorks

York

If there is no branch near you, why not form o ne? Details from me.

Before the last war , people were used to looking after disabled and elderly relatives in their own homes. They absorbed the neces sary skills from their own mothers who, in turn , had received their skills from pa s t generations when heal th visitors and community nurses were unknown

Mentally and physically handicapped disabled members of society rarely reached adolescence but now their numbers are increasing neces s itating more care.

People without the aid of antibiotics , modern resusci ta tion techniques and aseptic surgery, died earlier. To?ay '. the elderly population is fast outstnppmg m numbers the generations who will subscribe for the services and be available to care.

All this conspires to stretch the Statutory Services to their limit , especially the community nursing services. Combine increasing inflation falling numbers of earners and increasing economies applied by the Government , and these services are prevented from expanding to meet the increasin cr need. Rising prices in care institutions mbeans many families will be unable to afford to place elderly relatives in rest or nursincr homes. The increasing tendency of the Ggvernment to shift responsibility for the elderly and disabled from national government to local government spending , the closing of institutions to lessen Government spending without providing the local government with extra revenue for the resulting necessary extra spendlOg, means the disabled and elderly will become an increasing burden on the public.

This means that the care of the elderly or disabled will fall on the housewife or mother in her own home, the daughter of the elderly, or the parent of the disabled. The current generation has no knowledge of caring for family members in the home. Care of a child duri ng the 'infectious disease phase of life does not with that of a large adult whose dIsabilIty is permanent and/or increasing.

A quick , informal survey of the need for basic nursing skills in the home , from community nurses and s uch chanties as Crossroads shows that between 50 to 90% of the supporting families of could have been given an eaSler tlIDe If they had some idea of basic nursing skills.

One nurse who gave a course of lectures to a WI iroup found that 90% of the group had dependent relatives living with them and were anxious for knowledge of how to deal with them. The community nurses pointed out that they were only speaking for the patients they knew. Charities such as for spastics and Mencap said that man y of their members managed. sometimes of necessity, without statutory help They only saw the tip of the iceberg; many who needed help ne ver surfaced. The problems are basic. Community nurses cannot cive 24 hours' service. The daily visit is helpful , but what happens in the afternoon when grandma spills her tea over the bed or vomits, or is incontinent? The community nurse does her best to instruct the carer but there is frequently a lack of confidence by the carer in her own ability. As I know from personal experience, if there is a nurse living nearby, there is a knock on the door and a timid voice says ' Grandad has wet his bed, the nurse won be back till morning and he's so heavy. Could you help me , please?' No nurse of any consequence will refuse , but wouldn't it have been better if the knowledcre of how to deal with this , how to lift a patient without the lifter' risking injury , could have been taught before the need arose? Whether a short basic course could be squeezed into an already over-crowded school curriculum, whether more/or better advertised short basic courses could be given to the public some possibly during the day when the housewives are free as the children are at school- is something to be considered. Could we not co-operate with the Community Nursing Services or Hospital Authorities, and ask if members of the public neWly, or shortly to be, faced with difficulties could be referred to us?

31 Malvern Court, Onslow Square, London SW73HY Sheila Puckle

National Secretary St John Fellowship

Added to this is the increasing employment of women. The maiden aunt', who would previously be pleased to stay and look after the e lderl y in their own home for board and keep, is no longer available. She now puts on her make-up, slams her own front door behind her and goes to shop, office or facto r y to maintain her own independence.

The increasing number of elderly and disabled in our community, the decreasing finance for supplying services means that more and more people will have to accept responsibility for their relatives, whether they know how to or not. A knowledge of basic nursing skills would help both the patient and the carer and relieve the pressure on the Statutory Services.

George King, Area Superintendent (R), North East Greater Manchester, with 54 years SJ service and now chairman of the SJ Fellowship, Gtr. Manchester, is invested a Commander of the Order by the Lord Prior, Major-General The Earl Cathcart.

ORDER INVESTITURE

by the Lord Prior, London, September 10

Commander Joan Kenyon, Lady Armitage, MCSP (Cambs)

Kenneth Frederick B ake r (Somerset)

Peter Bander van Duren PhD (London)

June P atricia, Mrs Goodson (Devon)

Desmond George Kane (Eire)

George Albert King, SEN (Gtr. Manchester)

Winifred No r a, Mrs Kingsbury, MB, ChB (Somerset)

Audrey, MrsMiles, SRN, SCM (Lines)

Peter John Miller, MRCS, LR CP (Warwicks)

Major Andrew Napier (Lo ndon)

Brian Peter Harvey Orange (Hants)

Dennis Arthur P arker, JP (Essex)

Major Arthur Rees MBE (Lo ndon )

Christ in e Helen, Mrs St George (London)

Major Nicholas John Warry , MC (Glos)

Elsie May Mrs Williams-Hubbard (Heref & Worcs)

Officer George Allcock (Derbys)

Brigadier Peter John Beale , MB , BCh, FRCP , DTM&H(MoD)

Julia, Mrs Beatson (lOM)

Terence Richard Beatson MB BS , FRCS (lOM)

Kathleen Mary, Mrs Bensberg (Surrey)

Frederick Alfred Brown (London)

Thomas Crosby, Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer of the London Ambulance Service , who is a member of the Council of the Order for London, is invested as an Officer of the Order.

Mrs Diane Fleming , of Grimsby, who was until recently a controller at the Air Wing's operat io n centre at Epping for 14 years, and now lives in Grimsby, becomes a Serving Sister

Lennard Edgar Burden (Avon)

John Stuart Champion, CMG, OBE (Heref & Worcs)

Gerard Nevile Mark, The Rt Hon The Lord C inton (Devon)

Lieut -Col Ronald Ernest Cole-Mackinto h , OBE (SJA HQ)

Thomas Patrick Crosby (London)

Peter De Vere Beauclerk Dewar, RD, JP FAA] (London)

Cyril Dunham (Lines)

Mary Caroline. Mrs Durlacher (SJ Music Soc)

Jennie Louise, Miss E aves , MA (SJA HQ)

Gwladys Evelyn Mrs Evans (Hants)

Linda , Mrs F acey, SRN (Somers e t)

Capt a in Sidney Roy Fisher JP DL (Lanes)

The Revd William Brian GornalJ, SRN (Lancs)

Derek James Greenhill (London)

Clarence Alfred Stuart Hadler, RGN. RMN, RNT DipN (Avon)

Brian Hayes QPM , BA (Surrey)

Ruth Winifred Mrs Higgins (Jersey)

Harold Sydney Arthur Hillier (Hants)

Ernest Jones BEM (W. Midlands)

Daisy Mrs Leach (S & W. Yorks)

Adelaide Rebecca Mrs Lewis (Norfolk)

Raymond J oh n Lunnon, MPhil (Bucks)

Major Fergus John Matheson (Norfolk)

Robert Vernon Morris, LLB (Glos)

Patricia Claire, Mrs Parker SEN (Lo ndon )

Philip Edward Read (S. Africa)

George Rothwell (Gtr. Manchester)

Maj-Gen Robert Scott , MA , BM MCh FRCS , DTM&H(MoD)

Robert Christopher Smith (B uck s)

Colin Peter Smythe (London)

Phyllida Katharine Mrs Stewart-Roberts (Sussex)

William Tansey (Staffs)

Jacqueline Mary Mrs Varty (N. Yorks)

David Graham Wheadon (Dorset)

Bet ty Patricia , Mrs White (Herts)

Annie, Miss Wilding (Lancs)

Peter Glyn Williams (London)

Col Thomas Henry Wilson, OBE , TD , MB BS , FRCS, LRCP (C vil Aviation)

Serving Brother or Serving Sister

Hamish Graeme Anderson (London)

Evan Be swick, RNMH, RGN (Dorset)

Mildred, Mrs Bootland SRN SCM (Gtr. Manchester)

Enid, Mrs Brice (Kent)

Mrs Lilian (Pat) Humphreys, London District Eastern Area Staff Officer responsible for publicity, and previously superintendent of Chingford Division, who is also an Association instructor, becomes a Serving Sister.

Amelia Ann, Mrs Butcher (Cambs)

Dennis Stephen Caplin (London)

Pauline Joan, Mrs Chadwick (Gtr. Manchester)

Amy , Mrs Chatburn (Gtr. Manchester)

Olive Angela , Miss Colbrook ARIBA (London)

Rosina Lucy Mary, Mrs Coleman (Lo ndon)

Margaret Constance, Mrs Complin, SRN (Dorset)

Frank C(1rnish (Cornwall)

Leslie Davenport , SRN, RMN , RNT MRlPHH (Gtr. Mancheste r)

Edna Winifred, Miss Davis (Glos)

Mary Davina Miss Dunn (Jersey)

Joseph Dyson (Gtr. Manchester)

Philip David Eas ey (Avon)

Margare Mrs E nn ion (Cambs)

John rvor Evans (Met. Police)

John Llewellyn Evans (Salop)

Diane Joan Mrs Fleming (SJ Air Wing)

Robert Gibbs-Barton (Cleveland Police)

Noel Searle Godman (Herts)

Peggy , Mrs Hamnett (Berks)

Shirley Anne. Mrs Hardacre ( O xo n)

Willi a m George Hatton, BEM (Cambs)

Willi a m Thoma s Edmond Haylock (Cambs)

Robert William H ea th BSc MB. ChB (Avon)

Millicent Alice, Mrs Hester-Knibbs (Bucks)

Arthur Edward Hill (Jersey)

John Francis Hockings (Devon)

Eileen May Mrs Hooper (London)

John William Hope (Co. Durham)

Lilian Patricia Mrs Humphreys (London)

Eileen, Mr John s (Cornwall)

Irene Mary Mrs Jon es (A von)

Elsie Ma y, Miss Kennedy (Herts)

Andrew Charles Kinch (Dorset)

Alfred John Robert King (Lines)

Jo yce Marthe Mrs Kiflin g, SRN, HV (E sex)

Gordon Kirby (Bucks

Jo a n Marg a ret Mrs Kirk SRN, ONC (Lincs)

Stella Coral, Mrs Lacey (Herts)

George Lathwell (Bucks)

Ir e ne May Mr Le Page (Guernsey)

The Venerable Frank Lowe (A ust ralia)

Christmas cards

WE HAVE been lucky enough to obtain the artwork to produce two further Christmas cards with a Great St John Party theme. The Giles cartoon of the Great Party has been reproduced in packs of 10 (Order T57 at £1.60) and The Radio Times illustration of the Great Party has been produced in full colour and also packed in lOs (Order T56 at £1.95). Only a limited quantity of each have been produced, so order quickly. These two additions to our 1987 Christmas card range can be ordered on your Christmas card order form or added to your account holder 's form.

Aluminium cylinders refilled by British Oxygen Company (BOC)

From March 1987, BOC have introduced a new requirement for aU aluminium cylinders which are to be filled by them. A special thermoplastic test ring which melts at 100°C must be fitted under the cylinder valve to indicate if the cylinder has been heated above this temperature and that it has become unsafe for further use. These test rings are fitted at the time of valving, which must be carried out under supervision of a BOC inspector.

(Left) John McK ie, Divisional Officer of 211 Division Nat io nal Dock Labour Board and Nat io nal HQ nstructor, becomes a Serving Brother. (Right) Miss Pauline Storrs SEN, Divisional Officer of Dukinf ield Quad Division, SE Area, Gtr Manchester, who is very involved in fund raising (particularly in concert acts)' becomes a Serving Sister

Henry Barlow Mackay (Gtr. Manchester)

Gillian Ro se, Mrs Martin (London)

John Daniel McKie (London)

Edward David Morris (London)

Stanley Joseph Morton (Essex)

David Kenneth Mugridge (London)

William George Murray (Avon)

J ohn Alfred Nunn (Avon)

Keith Daniel Oldland (Bucks

Thelma Mary , Mrs Parker (Essex)

Denni s Parkinson Lanes)

Andrzej Stefan Rejman. MD, MRCP MRCPath (London)

Gail, Mrs Rob e rts (La nes)

Michael RobertS (Lanes)

Lillian Elizabeth, Mrs Robinson (Essex)

Stanley Robinson (Berks)

James Scott (Co. Durham)

Michael John Shirley, GIFE (London)

Ebenezer Shuker (Co. Durham )

Muri e l , Mrs Sibley, SEN (London)

William Srigl ey Sinton MB BS DOb st, RCOG (Avon)

John Ryhrner Snow (Co. Durh a m)

Anthony Pet e Statham (Me rse ys ide )

Patricia Moya, Mr Stewart (Berks)

Harry Stoddart (Derbys)

Pauline Ann, Miss Storrs, SEN (Gtr. Manchester)

J ea n Margaret Mrs Summerhill (Avon)

Michael H a rold Taylor (Berks)

Stella Anne Mis s Taylor (Bucks)

Wilfred George Taylor (Essex)

Patrick Chester Charles Wade (lOW )

SUPPLIES UPDATE

If pneuPAC cylinders are sent to BOC for refilling without the test ring tag and if the y are fitted with a cylinder valve stamped 'pneuPAC' or 'PPP ', BOC will require these to be repressure tested by them and fitted with a test ring. BOC will make a standard charge for this. The cylinders will then be suitable for subsequent refilling by BOC.

If pneuPAC cylinders are sent to BOC for refilling without the test ring and if they are fitted with a cylinder valve stamped ' pp ', BOC will require that the valve be brought up to their latest standard by the original valve manufacturer. Accordingly, these cylinders have to be sent for upgrading , free of charge, to Pr essure Products (Manchester) Ltd (see below) Pressure Products Ltd will upgrade the valve and then stamp the value with an additional 'p' which makes the valve acceptable by BOC. Pressure Products Ltd are not authorised to fit the test ring and, therefore the above procedure will have to be followed if the filling is to be carried out by BOC. Alternatively, Pressure Products Ltd will refill

Peter Ward (Gtr. Manche ster)

Margaret, Mrs Warwick (Gtr. Manchester)

William Webster , SRN (Gtr. Manchester)

Welbourne (Gtr. Manchester)

Mrs West (London)

John West (Londo n)

Bridge t, Mrs Wicks (Cambs)

Wisewell (Hants)

BRIGADE MEMBERSHIP

from Mr H. J. Elkin, Divisional Superintendent

St John and the Red Cross are both suffering from the same problem in los ing members. I believe the reasons are not particularly original and that many other similar organisations suffer from general support (not financial) in that the average member of the public does not want to commit themselves to any sort of voluntary work on a regular basis. Most people want a weekend of leisure and are quite happy to watch others standing for eight hours in the rain at a motor cycle scramble! Everyone knows that each division is different in terms of type and age of leadership and the sort of regular training sessio ns members can expect.

I believe that Brigade members have left because of the FA W certificate but this is only the tip of the iceberg an d goes back to people in general who would have left any organisation after a term of service ranging from six weeks to six years! Have a good hard look at some of the people who have left your division and analyse why they left. You may have some surprises

So what is the answer? I do not believe there is one good reason but I li st below my own ideas on the subject.

1. Let u s have one certificate to cover all aspects of first aid and the relevant parts of Caring fo r the Sick.

2. St John Ambulance must be one of the worst organisations for publicity and attracting new members. Over to you at Grosvenor Crescent!

3. Make radical changes to Brigade regulations, most of which are superfluous and outdated.

4. Let us have a higher standard of.first aid and ambulance aid for Brigade members. How well trained are your divisional ambulance crews?

5. Is your weekly training night interesting, does it attract yo ur members to attend? Do you have social functions?

I can not wave a magic wand but I am concerned about what will happen to St John in our next century. I am very proud to belong to a wonderful organisation and this year complete 23 years ' service. I hope to continue for a lot longer yet.

What about having the view of the C-in-C himself, or even a national survey of Brigade membership to gain their views?

Macclesfield H. 1. Elkin

The C-in-C writes:

I was interested to read the views of Mr Elkin regarding Brigade m.embership and agree with many of his comments. However , I would make two points.

1. We recognise at Headquarters that certain changes are necessary and we are actively pursuing these but I appreciate this may not be fast enough for some. I would, however, ask for Mr Elkin's forebearance as the workload upon Headquarters during the centenary year has been massive and it has been necessary for us to work to certain priorities.

2. I cannot agree with Mr Elkin's comments about pUblicity. What other charitable organisation has had so much television coverage? - The Great Party, breakfast television, Blue Peter and .Going Live to name a few, radio broadcasts both national and local and press coverage galore. If readers are in any doubt, they can call at Grosvenor Crescent to see what press coverage has been achieved.

AMBULANCE RALLY

from Mr K. R. Crane

Four of our memb ers attended the Ambulance Preservation Society Rally at Windsor Park on Sept 14. When we got there after a two hour journey we saw quite a number of vehicles arriving so we made straight for them, but having seen about half of them we were amazed when they all started their engines to drive off for a trip around Windsor, leaving us to look at nothing. After all we had come to see ambulances. However, they began to return 1 V2 hours later, parking so that back doors could be opened for inspection by Brigade officers and the Mayor. Then some of the vehicles left. By the time we left the site only half the exhibits were still there.

We felt that more could have been made of the day. We have all seen CF ambulances over and over again and although some equipment varied they were all basically the same. We found the old ambulances very interesting and brought back memories of how we used to cope with situations with very poor equipment and

READERS VIEWS

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

vehicles with poor suspension. The brand new vehicles were of great int eres t and we picked up many ideas from them. W e eve n met the new community vehicle from our own area, which we knew nothing about as it was only two weeks old.

I feel that to make the day next year a lot more trade stands should be invited which really would hav e given us what we were looking for , to enable us to improve our standards Weston-super-Mare K. R Cran e

THOSE PRICES from Michael Castle, Divisional Superintendent

The new cadet uniform is indeed very smart but the big que stion is who is going to pay for it?

I'm sure if my cadet officer asked parents of her cadets for £70-£80 for uniform they would think she was a lunatic (is that what the lunatic poster is about?) and cadet number s would fall even faster than they are at pre sent.

I am at a loss to understand why everything bought from Supplies costs so much. Surely someone in purchasing at Supplies could find a company prepared to supply uniforms , e tc , at a much lower price for bulk orders than at present.

As for the cadet service shie ld , it's a good idea to have a shield for 100 , 200 , 500 1 ,000 hrs , but why change the colour of the 200? Would it not have been more se nsible to keep it r ed?

I sometimes wonder how some of the new idea s come about. Are they for the brigade as a whole or just to increas e the coffers at brigade HQ?

Goring and Durrington Div , Sussex. Michael R. Castle HQ writes:

We believe that on the assumption that an a mbulanc e cadet has hi s own shirt and trousers, the new uniform will be £37.73; and the same figure applies to a nursing cadet wearing a grey dress. Wh ere a skirt, sweater and bow tie are called for it will be £46.83

There has been a very wide consultation on the new uniform with cadets across the country , and eve ry endeavour has been made to rationalise cadet uniform in line with adults and so avoid extra purchases on promotion to adult divisions and also to present a modern image.

CADET CAPES from Mrs M Smailes, Divisional Superintendent

Our Division has a surp lu s of grey cadet capes , six 30 inches long , three 28 inches long , in fair condition , and feel they are worth £2.50 each, but would be prepared to sell all nine for £20 , if anyone would like them. Buyer either collects or pays postage lA Wingate Rd, Folkestone, Kent M. Smail es

HOW NOT TO DRAW OUR from Mrs I. Van der Schans, Divisional Superintendent

I must correct the erroneo us assertion by Miss Wisla (August Review letters) that the St John cross can be constructed from a square whose sides are divided into equal thirds. It will be obviou s that her method does not make the eight points equally spaced and is therefore wrong. The arms are too narrow, rather lik e fig 1b in

my article (June Review). Also, if a square is drawn around a correct cross (fig 1a or the one on the Review cover), as s h e suggests , it is again obvious that the square's sides are not divided into equal thirds by th e points the centre portions being larger than the adjacent ones.

I can assure readers that my article was properly researched and based on the Order s statutes specified, and that it was vetted by St John's Gate. Also, the drawing method is the simplest that gives perfect accuracy. However, it is less troublesome (but less accurate) to divide the circle into 16 by using a protractor. Whatever method is used however, it must sat isfy the two official design rules explained in my article. Better still, use officiallyproduced emblems whenever possible to project the best public image of SJ A.

Grays Essex.

Our Presidents

1. Van der Schans

THERE WAS a meeting at National Headquarters on September 16 to discuss how Presidents and County Commissioners could h elp the Badgers. The fo llowing were present:

From the counties

Mr J. M. Carter - President Nottinghamshire

The Han Pearl Lawson Johnston - Presid ent Bedfordshire

Mrs U. Lloyd Owen - President Norfolk

Mr N. K Stoller - President Greater Manchester

From HQ

Mrs Harold Phi llip s - Chief President

Miss Jennie Eaves - Special Project s and Badger Leader

Mr John Sunderland - Commissioner-in-Chief

The me et ing was very successful and it is intended to hold such meetings at regular in tervals in the future.

1988 Conference

There will be a conference for presidents only in London on Wednesday June 291988 in Church House, Westminster. Names of speakers and other details will be sent to counties shortly.

SJA POETS

Get his Name and Address

I've got this friend who is quite in a daze

About how we work and why it pa ys to get their name and address first of all, Aren't their injuries most important of alP

The nearest h e s got to the first aid stand was a minor cut sustained to his handHe asked the nurse Will I live or die? '

'Your name and address , please ', came the repl y

They 've got young cadets here, very well taught , They ve learned their first aid , and their kits they have brought , They record all the treatments, I take a quick look

They've been taught to put name and address in the book!

'One's crashed his car' - 'This one's been in a fight' , Their injuries often give you a fright, Breath smelling of pear drops' - diabetic I bet , Quick - you ve still got his name and address to get.

There's been an accident down on the beach , They 've capsized the boat but they're all within r eac h. The shark's got hi s leg, don ' t let him die yet, We ve sti 11 his name and address to get.

One day my friend may be injured or sick, Then when he pleads 'get my family quick ', He'll realise then that I'll do my bestBut to do so, I must have hi s name and address.

M. E. Stenning (Lymington)

Ken Wilson, area treasurer, lends an arm to Halton cadets Eleanor Cullen (Sgt) and Louise Cartwright to practise wound cleaning

(Right) How Halton 's Richard Fletche (AIM) felt at the Genesis pop concert after being continually asked

NEWS from SCOTLAND

A CELEBRATION of the 40th anniversary of the reconstitution of the Priory of Scotland was held in the Cathedral Church of St Mungo , Glasgow , on Sunday September 6.

The service of celebration took the form of a songs of praise in which the famous Glasgow Youth Choir , conducted by Miss Agnes Hoe y , participated together with a large congregation , all in fine voice. A joyful sound of praise and thanksgiving was heard in the old Cathedral.

The officiating clergy w e re the Rev William J. Morris , SubChStJ , Minister of Glasgow Cathedral and the Rev Thomas Crichton ChStJ , Minister of Torphichen. The organist was William T Ritchie and the accompanist to the soloists was Mrs Nancy Crook , SSStJ. The soloists were Rog e r Crook , SBStJ , and Mr George B. Gordon OStJ. The two anthems sung by the choir were Praise Him by J . S. Bach and Make a Joyful Noise by G. F. Handel.

Bouquets from th e various Associations represented were later taken b y nursing staff to hospitals in Gla sgow.

Knights of the Order and members of Chapter were also represented and their

WALES

FORTY-NINE pupil s from Y Bon Faen Church Primary School , Cowbrid ge, West Glamorgan , were recently presented with their certificates and badges by the Director of Association Dr G. M Mitchell and Keith Dunn , the Chief Training Coordinator for Wales The school was also presented with a St John Ambulance Project for Schools certificate and a St John Ambulance plaque.

Over 16 Guide and Scout Leaders from Newport , Gwent, were recently presented with their First Aid at Work certificates by the Mayor of Newport , Councillor Bob Allan.

The leaders underwent two weekends of training conducted by instructors, Mrs Cynthia Duggan and Mrs Margaret Berry

LASGOW YOUTH

Bucks retired members centenary lunch

procession at the close of a d a y of praise and thanksgiving was memorabl e, Other organisations repre s ented we re nursing staff from Glasgow Hospitals , the Red Cross , St Andr e w' s Ambulance Association , Councillors of the City of Glasgow District and St r a thclyde Region , Principals of Scottish Universit ie s, Strathc1yde Police , Strathcl yde Fire Service , and all religious denominations in the City of Glasgow

(Left) Cowbridge school's Nichola Treherne and Gareth James receive certificate and plaque from Dr Mitchell (centre ), Director of Association, with headmaster Clive Nash and SJA training coordinator Keith Dunn (left). Newport Scout a nd Guide leaders (right) gain First Aid at Work certificates

Down Area cadet

, fo r m a n y yea r s Co unt y

T r a inin g O ffice r , M r s D McNe il (A m e rsh am ) , n ow 90 yea rs a nd wh o sti ll takes a kee n int erest i n St J o h n eve nt s , a nd MISS Sh e Il a

Pu ck le , nat io n al secr e t a ry St J o hn Fe ll ows h i p The gu es ts we r e welc om e d b y L t.- Co l R. A, P ay n e , Co mm a nd er Bucks , t o a m os t

e njoya bl e a nd h a pp y occas io n

He ad girl and he ad bo y of S ca b o rough s Glads t o n e Ro ad J u n io r Sch o o rec eiv e th e ce rt fic ate f or be in g h e f rs t sc hool in th e c oun ty aw arded over 50 one cro ss aw a rds fr om N , Yor ks SJA Dir e ct o r Roy Cumm ngs who is also deputy Ch ie Con st ab le, Area Comm John Mo r ey ght nstructed the ch d re n Phot o : Sca rbo rou gh E ven i n g News ),

BOOKS FOR C HRIST MAS ( co n tinu ed fr o m p.247)

FORCIDLDREN

Medieval Knights for Colouring and Cutting Out. Iceni Publications. £2.95

C ont a inin g 12 illu str a tion s of E ur o p ea n K n ig h ts fro m h e 11t h ce ntur y t o th e end of th e 16t h ce ntur y , t hi s b o ok is d es ign ed so th at by followin g t h e in stru c tion s chIldr e n ca n colour a nd th e n asse mbl e each kni g ht. Information is also gi ve n on changes m th eI r a rmour and th e r e a sons for th e ch a n ges.

Focus on Histor y : The Crusades. Viola Bailey and Ella Wise. Longman. £1.50 . Ba sed on a se ri e s of illu s tr a tion s, thIS book e ncoura ge s chIldr e n to study the illus tra t ion s in d et ail and so to th ei r own conclu sions about them, Small proj ect s ar e set a nd It IS th a t r ea d e rs produce th e ir own notebook on the C ru s ad e s V a n o u s asp ec ts, s u ch as travel , armour , si e ge ma c hine s a nd a lso ea ch of th e C ru sa d es , a r e looked at in some detail.

OTHER ITEMS

Other items also availabl e from th e Mu se um Sh o p includ e va rious St John Ambulance fir s t d a y covers and the se t o f si x post e r s on the history of St Johr: If you would hke, furth e r details of th e se , eIther wnte or VISIt the Museum at St John s G a te,

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

Written and illustrated by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order

THIS is the story of two of the great Military Orders which were part of the everyday scltne in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their i1J!luences on local life. The Order of St John was founded to provide care for pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerousjoumeys. Both of these Orders were to develop far beyond the visions of their founders. Within a few years, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wielding immense military and political power in the Holy Land and throughout Europe. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspicion and disapproval. The other was to survive to the present day andin the process tumfuli circle to serve its 'masters the sick'. Part 17

The last decades AS THE EIGHTEENTH century progressed, the Order began a period of decline The rise of Protestantism in Europe had deprived it of its British and German possessions; the Turkish menace had all but disappeared , and its wealth began to undermine the discipline of the Knights. The island home of the O rder became little more than just another of the Courts of Europe. Many of the Grand Masters used funds of the Order at their disposal to erect churches and other splendid buildings on the island and for th e maintenance of their courts. Duelling and drunkenness and the desire for luxurious living replaced t he austerity of earlier years.

The loss of income from caravans made some difference to the finances of the Order. For a short time the Order extended its influence to the islands of th e Caribbean, where it attempted to develop some plantations , but these were not very successful.

From time to time Grand Masters attempted to revi ve the old standards but political ideas on freedom and equality were making their influences felt among the members. Only the hospital continued to bear true witness to the work of the Order.

Towards the end of the century the American colonies won their independence , and a similar revolution was taking place in France, where the majority of the Knights had their origins. The leaders of the French revolution had little love for the aristocratic Knights and the Royalist cause , and confiscated the Order 's property The fortunes of the Order were but a reflection of the age.

On May 10 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Malta with the French fleet at Marsascirocco Harbour, and landed his

troops. There was little resistance from the Knights and the Grand Master Von Hompesch who was a mild and weak man, surrendered at once. Napoleon was in no mood to deal leniently with the Order.

The y were ordered to leave the island immediatel y A few days later Von Hompesch and the Kn ights sailed out of Grand Ha rbour for the las t time on their way to Trieste. After 268 years , and some of the finest in their hi story , the Knights of the Order of St John were once again without a home

The Soveriegn Order

Napoleon was determined to erase the Order of St John from the scene and set about ran sacking many of the buildings and their treasures. Fortunately, some of the Knights had managed to hide part of the valuable paintings and other treasures , even painting a pair of silver gates in St John's church with black paint to prevent the French from carrying them off Many of the old records of the Order from their

years in the Holy Land and Rhod es were also preserved. Napoleon , how ever, did m a na ge to remove enormous quantities of silv er and go ld , eve n melting down the dishes from the Great Hospital. Loading his loot into hi s flagship L'Orie nt, he set sail for his campaign in Eg ypt. Not long afterwards, on August 1 1798, the British Admiral Horatio Nelson caught up with the French fleet and sank most of his ships.

The treasures of the Order la y in th e sand at the bottom of Aboukir Bay.

Von Hompesch stayed in Trieste but some of the members of the Order moved to Moscow in Russia for the Czar, Paul the Mad, had a great regard for them.

Although he was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, h e was only too keen to place them under his protection.

Some years later the Order moved again and finally went to Rome in 1834. The present Grand Master rules the Order from that city today.

The Order still retains its international membership , and it is still dedicat ed to medical work begun by Gerard in Jerusalem over 850 years ago. All over th e world there are medical centres. In Malta there are several medical establishments run by the Order, and they have a special representative on the island.

In 1968 , the Grand Master, His Most Eminent Highness Angelo de Mojana returned to Malta on a state visit. He was the first Grand Master to return to Valletta in an official capacity since Napoleon ordered the Order to leave in 1798.

The care of the sick will always remain the most important reason for the continuation of the Order , even if the heroic days of warfare against the Turks are gone for ever. The great bastions of Krac des Chevaliers, Rhodes , Birgu Senglea and

Valletta will always stand as constant witnesses to some of its greatest years. Our story is incomplete , however. For a few moments we must turn back the pages of history, and return to England in the sixteenth century, and the reigns of Henry VIII, Mary and Elizabeth I.

The English revival

As we have read , in May 1540, Henry VIII ordered the dis so lution of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in England and confiscated all its estates. Some Knights fl ed the country, others were caught and executed for refusing to accept Henry 's conditions. It seemed that apart from any Englishman living abroad, there was no hope of the English Langue continuing.

Then, in 1553, Henry's oldest daughter Mary came to the throne, and as she was a Roman Catholic s h e willingly reinstated th e English Langue. She also managed to regain some of its property. Once again all seemed well

Mary died in 1558, and s h e was succeeded by her sister Elizabeth who was a Protestant. Once again the Order's estates were confiscated but for some reason Elizabeth did not dissolve the Order. This meant tha t, in theory at least , the English Langue and Priory was still in existence in England. Nevertheless it was sti ll not possible for E nglish Roman Catholics to openly support the Order , and those who wis h ed to enter it had to do so from abroad.

The Order in Malta naturally did not recognise th e dissolution of the Order in England, and it continued to appoint Grand Priors to the English Priory for

'YOUR CLUB'

St John House Club

50 Eaton Place London SW1 X 8AP

Meeting to revive the Engli sh Priory.

many years afterwards, although the Grand Pr ors were unable to take up their appointments in England. To all intents and purposes the English Priory was in abeyance.

In 1831, a break-away group of French Knights decided to attempt to revive the English Priory , including Protestant members. Wi th their encouragement a commi ttee was formed to see how this could be achieved. The Reverend Sir Robert Peat was elected to be the new Prio r of the Venerable Langue of England'. A few years later he was succeeded by Sir Henry Dymoke who once again took the title of Grand Prior '.

All seemed set for the revival of the English Priory of the Order

One great problem remained to be solved , however , before the Order could be fully developed. It was the problem of religiou s allegiance. Throughout its history , the Order had been a Roman

Catholic foundation , and membership of the Roman Catbolic Church had been one of the cond i tions of entering the Ord er. England was a Protestant country. Th is problem did not seem to be too much of a hindrance, howe v er for some yea r s earlier a German Protestant Priory had been accept e d.

This book can be obtained price £2.50 a copy pl us 37p posrage from S[

JOHN REVIEW

Von Hompesch surrenders to the French

The Hospital Valletta.

REVIEW CROSSWORD No. 11 (87) by W. A. Potter

Across:

1. Dimness of vision beginning in the morning. (9). 6. Scrub vigorously and search the area thoroughly. (5).9. Wide-awake and watchful for warning of emergency. (5). 10. Long veins of lower limb, frequently varicose. (9). 11. Writing materials from skin. (4).

FOCUS ON

N. Yorks Deputy Commissioner Mrs Ja cque line Varty and her husband celebrated their silver wedding last June. Here's a picture of the young couple's wedding day , when the bride, an ex-cadet with the Grand Prior's award, was a member of N. York's New Earswi ck Nursing Division. Later, she was in Kent's Rochester, Chatham and Swanley Divisions, Harpenden Division and three years ago returned north to start Northallerton Division Many of the guard of honour are still known to the 'yo ung couple' and are either serving members or in the Fellowship Best wishes Mr and Mrs Varty!

12. Sound on percussion over consolidated lung tissue. (4) 13. Wearied with adorned head. (5). 15. Jabber to a nurse? (6). 16. Congenital absence of an anatomical duct. (7). 19 Met punk in an untidy, dishevelled state. (7). 21. Ferryman carrying souls across the Styx to Hades. (6). 23. First class piece put back in long bone. (5). 25. Inarticulate. (4). 26. Competently and cleverly done. (4). 28. Lid retractor provides unexpected and surprising news. (3-6). 29. Surpass others in performance. (5). 30. Metabolic disorder characterised by diarrhoea, fatty stools, and anaemia. (5). 31. Failure of cardiac sphincter of stomach to relax adequately. (9). Down:

1. A vehicle with a muscular inco-ordination. (6).2. Speed likely to produce cervical fracture. (5 -4 ). 3. Yet one is the abominable snowman. (4). 4. Skin lesion containing products of suppuration. (7).5. A thousand pull a part of semicircular canal of labyrinth. (7). 6. Taste foodstuff in the pancreas (10). 7. Stimulant to the olefactory nerve-endings. (5). 8 Air remaining in lungs after forced expiration. (8). 14. Prominence formed by the thyroid cartilage. (5-5). 17. Vitamin-deficiency disease scrubs out disorder. (9). 18. Endocrine glands. (8). 20. Meat not forming inner surface of pia mater. (7). 21. Discharge from inflamed mucous membranes of upper respiratory tract. (7). 22. Cheekbone. (6). 24. Dim and indistinct in outline. (5).27. Intrauterine contraceptive device. (4)

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No.1 0 (87)

Across: 1. Issue; 4. Infantile; 9. Calcaneal; 10. Unfit; 11. Amni·on; 13. Ze·ro; 14. Urn; 16. Metastases; 18. Enid; 21. Apex; 22. Protoplasm; 24 Koa; 25. Edgy; 26. Stroll; 29. Build; 30. Neologise; 32. Botanical; 33. Limit.

Down: 1. Ischaemia; 2. Salon; 3. Era; 4. Idea; 5. False teeth; 6. Neuron; 7. Influenza; 8. Eaten; 12. Oust; 15. Iatrogenic; 17. The·rapist; 19. Demulcent; 20. Spot; 23. Tend·on; 24. Kebab; 27. Opium; 28. Boil; 31. Owl.

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FESTIVAL OF CAROLS

at the GRAND PRIORY CHURCH

St John's Gate, Clerkenwell with the CHOIR OF ST. PETER AD VINCULA, H.M. TOWER OF LONDON

Organist: John Williams, MA , FRCO in the presence of H. R.H . Princess Alice , Duchess of Glouc es ter on Tuesday, 15 December 1987 at 7.00 p.m.

Arranged by The Order of St John Musical Society in conjunction with The Carol Service Committee of The Order of St John Ceremonial Staff

Tickets £7 each, children under 16 £ 3

Cheques payable to Support Stjohn Ltd., (FOC) with s.a.e. to Order of StJohn Musical Soci e ty St John's Gate, London EC1M 4DA Telephone 01-253-6644

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ST JOHN REVIEW

THE JOURNAL OF ST JOHN Volume 60 No.12 December 1987

Contents

SJA's Mobility p.265

Princess Royal at HQ - C-in-C's Chr stmas Message p.266

Queen Noor presents cheque for Hospital p.267

Going on Holiday p 268

Caring for the Disabled by Betty Pickard p 270

SJA Essex p.270

Around and About by the Editor p 272

Block Buster (8) p.276

Cadet Focus p 277

Abingdon's Mobile Unit p.278

Order Investiture p.280

Schools Project p 281

Readers' Views - Supplies Update p.282 from Lincs p .2 83

News from Scotland - Wales p.284

SJ Fellowship - Competitions p .285

Champions of the Cross (18) by Hugh A. R. Edgell p 286

First Aid by Badger Natasha Kenway p.288

SJA's MOBILITY

THROUGHOUT England and Wales , St John Ambu lan ce has a fleet of 1 ,500 vehicles - including Land-Rovers, caravans and boats in addition to ambulances and mobile first aid units - which it has to keep in tip-top condition to be ready to go into service at a moment 's notice . At virtually every public event, you will see St John Ambulance Brigade members at work serving the community , and there will almost certainly be a vehicle on hand to act as a first aid post for treatment of casualties or to provide emergency transport to hospital.

Other than ambulances , which are exempt from road tax , St John vehicles are subject to all the normal running expenses - insurance, regular servicing , repairs and road tax. In the West Midlands , for example, it costs £3 ,500 a year to keep a busy ambu lance on the road. While in London it is estimated that it costs at least £25 to take an ambulance to a public event, with any extra mileage adding to the cost.

These costs of course only cover maintenance; it is also necessary to replace or purchase new ambulances which, fully equipped , cost around £20,000. A mobile first aid unit, essential equipment for large duties such as the Birmingham Superprix or the London Marathon, cost as much as £45 ,000. At the New Year celeb r ations in Trafalgar Square, for example , eight mobile units and 22 ambulances are on duty.

Edited and produced for the Order of St John by Driscoll Productions, Wood Cottage, High Corner, Butley, N r Woodbridge, Suffolk P1 2 3QF. Advertising ates on request Phone : Orford (0394 ) 450548. Editor Frank Driscoll.

Con t rib uti ons o th e St John Review a re a lways welcome They should be typed , reb e line spaci ng, on one ide of paper o nl y, (if in longhand please print names of people , p laces etc) , and se nd to th e editoria l address above. If p ossib le su pp y a phone numb er for the writer. Material ca n vary from a paragraph for Around a nd About to a 5,000 word article - but it shou d all hav e some connect ion with St John a nd it s work. Pho tographs

The upkeep and purchase of vehicles is , of course , only one of many costs incurred by the Brigade , and as we move into the 21st Century it is anticipated that demands made on the Brigade will be greater than ever before In 1987, the centenary of the Brigade s formation , an appeal has been launched to raise £10 million - money desperately needed to keep St John on the road.

So remember, when telling anyone about what St John Ambulance does for the community as a whole, its voluntary manpower also has to be mobile - at a price.

The Princess Royal being

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

from the C-in-C

IT HARDLY seems a year since I was last putting pen to paper to write a Christmas note to all members! 1987 has been a time of celebration, reflection and great change for the Brigade.

It has been a marvellous year in every respect with numerous events that will live in the memory for generations to come. The Great St John Party surpassed all expectations - a wonderful day for all in St John, but I shall also remember the numerous smaller celebrations I attended throughout the country.

Princess Royal at National HQ

ON WEDNESDAY , October 21 , li fe was more frantic than usual at National HQ as staff were making sure that headquarters looked its very best - for a special visitor.

HRH The Princess Royal , Commandantin-Chief (Ambulance and Nursing Cadets) , made a private visit to the Brigad e office at 1 Grosvenor Crescent.

She met the Commissioner-ill-Chief , John Sunderland, Lady Westbury, Superintendent-in-Chief J im Bond Director of

Cadets a nd Training , and J e nni e Eaves , Special Projects and Badger Leader, and other m embers of Brigade staff, and spent over an hour discussing future pl ans for th e Brigade and the Cadets in particular.

After the visit, the Commissioner-inChief said how delighted he was that she took such a keen and ac tive interest in th eir activities. The Princess was given details of the new Cadet ACTION pack proficiency scheme and uniform.

However, we must build on the achievements of the past year as we prepare to launch ourselves into a second century of service. We must continue to strengthen our ranks with enthusiastic members and particularly encourage the young. We have seen the birth of our new youth organisation, and I am delighted that we now have over 650 Badger Sets throughout the country. We have a new and exciting image for the Cadet movement - offering a real challenge to young people.

As I write the Appeal total has topped £3,500,000 - but we must carryon the valiant fund-raising work. We still have another six months and I am confident that we will reach our £10 million target. Finally, I wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

fohn Sunderland Commissioner-in-Chief

GIVE AS YOU EARN - OR PAYROLL GIVING

THIS IS a unique opportunity for charities to benefit from sub stantial sums of money, backed by Government.

The Government agreed the scheme which came into action from April 5 1987

What is Give As You Earn? It is a method of donating money to your favourite charity tax free. An individual may donate from 25p per week to £120 per year (£2.30 a week) to a charity from their wages or salary before they start paying income tax, so long as they receive their salary or wages under the PAYE system. This really means that at today's income tax basic rate of 27%, if an employee wishe s to give the full £120 per year it will cost himlher only £87 .60 , about £1.68 per week Obviously , any lesser amount would be very welcome and the tax concession would be proportional.

How does it work? The employer agrees to take part by registering with a Government nominated Charity Agency. For St John Ambulance the agency is the Charities Aid Foundation. The individual completes a form stating the name of the charity, the amount donated and hand s it to his employer. The employer then deducts the sum on pay day , passing it to the Charity Agency who in turn passes all donations to the respective charity.

What if the employer does not wish to take part or restricts choice? The e mployer can refuse or limit the number of chariti es, therefore it is up to the individual to convince his employer to take part If he cannot then he could try usi ng either unions and staff bodies or bonding toge th e r with work colleagues

How does St John Ambulance become a main receiver of donations? Our unique sales force is the 60,000 St John Ambulance members plus all the particip ants of our First Aid Courses. The potential donors are friends - relations - fellow workersmembers of your C hurch - sports club , in fact anyone with whom you come into contact. Some companies and clubs have charitable committees which should be contacted.

What action should St John Ambulance take?

(a) Each county should form a committee (similar to that for the Appeal) and plan a campaign of action

(b) To approach all companies in the county to nominate St John Ambulance as their principal charity, or at least one of them Get them to register with the Charity Agency, ie THE CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION. This can be done by

Queen Noor presents cheque for Hospital

AT A RECEPTION on the evening of September 30 at St John 's Gate in C lerkenwell, Queen Noor Al Hu sse in of Jo rdan, presented a very substan tial cheque to endow a bed at the St John Ophthalmic Hospita l on behalf .of the Friends of the Hospital. H e r Majesty 1S patron of the Friends of the Ho spi tal and a great supporter of th e ho s pital 's work in treating 45 ,000 peopl e with seve r e eye disea se each year.

On b e half of the Order of St John , Lord Westbury Registrar , accepted th e cheque , say ing W e are extre mel y indebted to the Friends of the Hospital for all th e work they do to raise desperatel y ne e ded funds

to enab e th is m a rv e llous eye hospital to continue '. Qu een Noor , in her capacity as Patron of the Friends an internat iona l group dedicated to fund-rai sing for t

anyone be th ey ve ry sen io r or the most junior me mber.

(c) Get every St John Ambulance member to sign up at leas t two donors. Fifty member s signing up two donor s at £1 per mo nth eac h equals £1 ,200 per yea r.

R egiste r all groups within the county with Charities Aid Foundation via the Headquarters Appeal Offi ce, 1 Grosvenor Crescent , London SWl , ie, County HQ , Council , Association, Division , Nursing , Ambulan ce, Cadet and Badg e rs. All are in need of funds , all can be nominated by the donor. BUT UNLESS YOU ARE REGISTERED you will not receive th e m. Funds de signated to an unregist ered group will go the to th e Headquart e rs of that charity. Finally , individuals or employers can change their donations at any time , so St John members must always be vigilant and keep their organi sa tion in the forefront of the public mind.

At National Headquarters , Paul Bumstead , Counties Liaison Officer in th e Appea l Office is the person to contact with any problems or for information. His number is 01-235 5321 extension 269. Ring him if in doubt. He will also be notified by Chariti es Aid Foundat ion of all monies donated to St John.

The

HRH

Duchess of Gloucester is presented with a £35,000 cheque for the Br gade by John Petersen , of American Express, at the premiere of the

Her

Noor

Huss

Jordan presents the cheq u e to Lo rd WestbUry.

Martin Newman of the Scottish Widows' Fund and Life Assurance Society, presents a £5,000 cheque to John Gerrard London D istr ict Commissioner The donat on wa s organ sed by V scount Arbuthnott, Grand Prior or S cotland and ex-chairman o Scott sh Widows in Edinbu rgh

when nearest the came ra.

Going on Holiday

MEMBERS of the Berkshire Enterprise Unit and helpers from Hampshire and Beckenham met for the sixth year running at Avon Tyrrell House in the New Forest during September for another week's Disabled Holiday.

The mixture was much as before , with an equal number of St John members caring for their disabled friends, with 80 in the group this time. We were delighted to welcome new friends in both categories, as it is so important to have injections of new blood into any 'family' Many of our 'regulars' were there, and from the moment of arrival until departure time there was a wonderfully happy atmosphere generated by a great feeling of comradeship among the members of the group.

Avon Tyrrell is a large country house in lovely grounds. There is a heated swimming pool and a boating/fishing lake, a football pitch volley ball and tennis courts a small gym and a wide variety of indoor games. Throughout the week this year we ran a series of indoor championshipspool , table -tennis, draughts, chess and trivial pursuits - all being p ayed in every spare moment. I have now been initiated into the game of pool, and got as far as the second round, so I must practise more before next year!

We started the week with the annual Hants and Berks football match, which Tesulted in a draw. Sadly, on Sunday afternoon the rain came down in buckets for 268

SJA members and disabled youngsters on their sixth annual New Forest holiday

our open day, so we were confined to the house and managed to play some of our ' It's a knock-out' games indoors. These had been organised by Farnborough Ambulance Cadets Parents' Association, who turned up in force and brought with them a wonderful surprise, a large cheque for £2,000 as a donation towards the cost of the holiday. The money was raised last Easter with other St John members on a sponsored walk from Land's End to St John's Gate in London. We also welcomed the Mayor and Mayoress of Havant, who had sponsored three of the disabled youngsters' holidays, our County VicePresident and her husband, and many other guests.

One of the highlights of the holiday is always a trip to the theatre or cinema in Bournemouth. This time we saw Evita, a very good production which we thoroughly enjoyed. When things got a bit quiet on stage the audience found our party very entertaining.

Horse riding is always a favourite holiday activity, although the last group to set off returned like drowned rats, and they included our distinguished guests, the Commissioner-in-Chief and his wife, Mr

on the holiday. This year Tom Yendell and his fiancee, Lucy Nankivell, were in charge and many inspired p ictures and hats were produced during the week. Mrs Sunderland modelled the hats for the judges, Mr Sunderland and our County President , Mary Fagan , and so good were the entries it was a difficult job to choose the winner. Karyn Lowe was eventually declared the winner, and all the other entries were highly commended.

The last evening is always the highlight of the holiday with fun and games provided by the Roving Activities Team of the Hants Boys' Club, a superb buffet produced by the Avon Tyrrell chef and his team, then our own talent show, which always brings the house down , and finally dancing the night away with Dilwyn Jones disco music.

The 1987 holiday was voted one of the best , and we all departed looking forward to the reunion in the Maidenhead St John HQ on December 5 and to next year's holiday. After 6 years at Avon Tyrrell we have decided that the time has come for a change of venue, so next year's holiday will be at Puckpool Holiday Camp, Ryde , Isle of Wight , from September 10 to 17. The camp , which hosted the Disabled Olympics a few years ago , can offer many facilities and is also right on a beach.

and Mrs John Sunderland. We were delighted to welcome them to Avon Tyrrell and to be able to show them just what goes on there. I hope they enjoyed their stay as much as we enjoyed seeing them.

We were blessed with a lovely day for our sailing excursion from Lymington which is arranged every year for us by General Lloyd, ex-Area President. It is a great thrill to make to sea in the little and large yachts - and some of the party reached the Isle of Wight. We also enjoyed sunshine for our visit to Marwell Zoo which is always a popular trip. The zoo specialises in breeding endangered species of wild animals, so it was an opportunity to see creatures which are becoming rare.

A good discovery and valuable addition to the holiday is the new Sports Centre in Ringwood , which gave pleasure to everyone. A special seat hoist on the edge of the swimming pool meant that everyone in the group could go for a swim, and there were excellent badminton and squash facilities and a sauna. Something for everyone.

That was followed by a trip to a deer sanctuary in the New Forest to see the deer being fed. Unfortunate l y for the first time in 12 years, the deer were frightened away by a barking dog and failed to appear! We were slightly consoled by visiting a nearby reptiliary where we saw adders and rare snakes and toads basking in the sunshine. You can't win them all.

The Art Room is always a popular place

Anyone interested in joining us next year can receive details from Glenys Duke, St John County HQ , Worthy Lane, Winchester S023 7 AB. We can assure you of a warm welcome and a marv e llou s holiday , so come and join us!

C enys Duke CO ll1miss ioll e r, I-fampshire

The C- n-C , John Sunderland (above), seeing the riders off. And (below) with plenty of help to demolish Hampshire s cake.

(Below left) On the trail And (right) on the rails - a miniature train ride at Marwell.

'DOES HE TAKE SUGAR?' When this programme was first broadcast some years ago now, the title reflected the inability of many of us to cope with our own emotions and embarrassment in the presence of disability. At a recent study day on handicap, in the North East, one speaker, the matron of a Leonard Cheshire Home, entitled her talk Person disabled, Society the handicap and emphasised that we are almost all guilty of expecting disabled people, regardless of the type of handicap, to have no voice of their own.

It is comparatively easy to offer help to someone we know who has a disability or handicap. But it is a little more difficult to look around and discover what local needs are waiting to be met , and where we can best offer individual or collective help.

The stress on families with a handicapped member, perhaps needing feeding, changing , guarding at an age when one could have expected independence, is relieved a little if someone offers to amuse the patient , push out a chair, bring

Operation Storm

IN THE EARLY hours of Friday October 16, the coastal areas of Essex , together with other areas of South and East England , were severely affected b y storms. Strong winds, gusting to over 100mph , caused e xtensive damage to property and fallen tree s blocked communication routes.

In the aftermath of the storm , which mercifully did not inflict too many casualties in Essex, there was considerable concern from rela tives about old people living alone, with whom contact could not be made.

With the help of Essex Radio , St John Ambulance in Essex mounted an operation in which messages were passed to three St John operations centres , who in turn deployed members from St John Divisions living locally to visit the old people , ensure they were all right , and get a message back to the originator. A lthough there was no need for first aid or ambulance assis t ance, St John Ambulance made a significant contribution in allevjating worry and giving peace of mind

The speed with which the operation was mounted was a credit to the members concerned , who dropped everything , and within one hour all three operations centres were manned and in business (even if one duty officer was in tracksuit and slippers!) Well done , Essex! When you were really needed , you produced the goods.

Nostalgia

Southend rocked to the nostalgic sounds of the Beatles on September 29 Essex Radio' s Greatest Memories Band, a

270

NURSING

Caring for the

in fresh ideas and conversation to allow the rest of the family time to be with non-handicapped children, or to take a breather themselves. In any caring situation like this, we must be sure that we can be consistent with offers of help, for a one-off break is no use.

Needs vary

Obviously needs vary from individual to individual , and vary too between mental and physical handicap The PHAB (Physically Handicapped Able Bodied) groups in many areas particularly welcome help from able-bodied young people to join in the various activities they organise , and which seem to give as much pleasure to the nondisabled as to the disabled.

SJA ESSEX

Southend rocked ... 1892 . Beatles look-and- sound-alike gro up , gave a charity performance in aid of the Helpin g Hands appeal.

Members from Southend SJA Divi sion s were on duty at the famous Cliffs Pavilion , which was packed to capacity. During the interval members sold raffle tick e ts and the draw was made by St John Cadet Ian Logan.

While Sergean t Pepper style music boomed out St John memb e rs joined the crowds who were rocking in the aisles. It was a great night , wh ich raised a lot of money

St John in Esse x are very grateful to Story and Pies by David Merritt

At the present time when so many people are out of work , there is the opportunity to h ave a change of scene oneself and to be of use to others as a volunteer helper with holid ay schemes.

The Winged Fellowship Trust provides holidays for severely handicapped people (physically handicapped only) at three centres between March and December each year, and uses volunteer help. Pay your own fare ther e and receive free board and lodging for one or two weeks. You can get application forms for either helpers or clients from the Win ge d Fellowship Trust , Angel House , P entonville Road London N1 9XD.

Nowadays there are many young people i n wheelchairs having s urvived spinal accidents, and th ey are usu a ll y

Disabled

Southend SJA boys and gals get hyped in the aisles at the Beatles nostalgia night

• • • The Big Storm ...

Walking the Essex Way

Essex R adio for h e lpin g yet again in a rea ll y po sitive way.

1892

A first aid certificate issued by the St John Ambulance Association in 1892 bas come to light after man y yea rs hidd e n in a n attic.

The certificate was awarded t o FREDERICK CAUSE, who was born o n Jun e 2 1872 in Shoeburyness, Essex. When h e left sc hool Frederick fo'llow e d in hi s father's footsteps as a ma rket gardener. H e duly joined th e vo lunt eer fir e se rvice in Shoebur yn ess and was awa rded h is fir st a id certificate at the age of tw e nty

wonderfull y independent, pl ay in g ga m es and managin g their hou se h o ld s from wheelchairs. But there are thin gs that are difficult for them and help could be welcome so long as we do not mak e a nuisanc e of ourselves tr yi n g to do things they wou d pr efer to do for th e mselves. Accompanying a wheelchair patient to th e shop s may widen the range of places accessible, as no t all ha ve self-opening door s, pe rh aps taping articles or t extbook p assages for a bli nd person, and feneti ng about in your own area to see what provision is made for di sab ility. Do your local cinemas, churches and theatres h ave whee lch a ir access? Do any of them ha ve the loop system for th e deaf? The public libr ary is usually a good source of information of this type. Another grow-

Just before World War I he was made Capta in of Shoeburyness Fire Brigade, a position he was to hold through two World Wars. Frederi ck di ed in 1960 a t the grand o ld age of 87. His certificate had been awarded by the Shoeburyness Brancb of t he St John Ambu lance Association.

Walking the Essex Way

Many people, including army and St John cadets , set off to walk the Essex Wayan September 26. The walk, some 60 miles t hrou gh beautiful Essex scenery, would take the average walker all weekend. Walker taking part were sponsored to benefit St John. They gathered at Epping Railway Station, where the Lord Lieutenan t for Essex, Sir A ndr ew Lewis, starte d them on th eir way.

Frederick Cause, c 1895 behind h is greengrocer's shop in Shoebury ness

NURSING

BY BETTY PICKARD, SRN, SCM, HV, County Nursing Officer, Durham

in g gro up of folk with va rying de gre es of handi ca p is that of multipl e sclerosis, and h ere we mu st be 'pre par e d t o find th e degree of di sab ilit y fluctuates and act accordingly.

Tired of 'experts'

A d el igh tful paraplegic girl I met recently said that she was tired of 'experts' - after several years in a wheelchair sh e co nsid ered that she was the ex pe rt in all but purely m edica l matters.

Many St John members already work wit h the elde rl y who may present proble ms of a h and icappin g nature - poor vision, deafness, mobility decreased an d independence eroded , perhaps by arthritis or strokes, and whether they are

The Lord Lieutenant found time to chat to St John members who were manning the checkpoints. At t he time, no one had blisters, but a few were expected!

in their own hom es or in sheltered accommodation, the need for outs ide visitors and h elp is still there. Families lookin g after e ld erly relatives need a break jus t as much as those caring for a handicapp ed child Th e setting up of s troke clubs in many areas means that vol un tary h elp is needed for assisting patients with walki ng, feeding and in ma n y cases with speech therapy.

Caring for the sick gives useful information both in the text and in the reading list for those interested in learning about disability and the user's guide to the above manual also suggests areas of further learning in this field.

In a short article it is impossible to do more than touch the surface of the s ubject. We need to fully explore local needs and possibilities , and then , without considering polishing our haloes , to decide wh e r e we may be able to work happily to give companionship, help or suppo rt. One thing the disabled do not want is the 'do-gooder' , for as with the rest of us laughter and friendship are invaluable.

Air Wing stamps

Some special Air Wing First Day Covers are still available. Each cover is stamped with a full set of the St John stamps , cancelled with a special Air Wing handstamp. A limited number have been flown and signed.

These covers make excellent gifts, both for young stamp collectors and experienced philatelists. The flown and signed versions are very much for the serious philatelist, and very few were produced. The ordinary cove rs are more readily availab le and being less expensive will appeal to the younger collector.

Covers are available from: St John Appeal Office, 32 Great Wheatley Road, R ayleigh, Essex SS6 7AP. Before ordering, phone (0268) 775156 to confirm availability and prices.

Right )

Youngsters with the Lord L ieutenant, Sir Andrew Lewis , and the chairman of Epping Forest Distri ct Co un ci walk the Esse x W ay for SJA. (Above)

Organising

Secretary of the wa l k, Mrs Diana Norman (wife of E. Esse x Area Comm Bill). receives a centenary gift from Joe B ir d Commander SJA Essex.

GONE FOR TIGER

A county commissioner writes:

I am sure commissioners get heartily fed up with reading the many varied excuses for not attending the annual inspection

Here is one which must be unique for England:

'Will you please accept my apologies as I will be unable to attend the annual inspection on Sunday. I will be in London collecting a tiger for a film.

That made my day.

SJA IN GERMANY

In a simple ceremony in Rheindahlen , West Germany , the SJA Area Commissioner, the Reverend Malcolm Jones , presented Major-General R. S Blewett,

LOOKING AHEAD

Dec 1: Grand Prior s Trophy compet itions Croydon.

Dec 2: Annual St John Ambulance Ball Inter-Continental Hotel (fund-raising event).

Dec 3: 1100 Investiture, St John 's Gate.

Dec 6: Order Service, Windsor.

Dec 8: PR In Touch Committee.

Dec 12/13: Cadet Leader of Year competition, Gilwell Park.

Dec 17: Christmas Party - The Gate

Dec 22: St Joho Ambulance Christmas Party, 1 Grosvenor Crescent.

Dec 23: PM Christmas Break starts,

Commander Medical, BAOR with the badge of SJ A President and Air Commodore A. T. Johnson , Principal Medical Officer , RAF Germany, with the badge of Vice -President of the Area.

Since the establishment of St John Ambulance with the Forces in Germany this is the first time that there has been a president and vice -president and reflects the progress being made in the growth and development of the area , which now has its own area surgeon and area staff pool and

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD OF ST JOHN

QARANC, Area Adviser in Nursing. See story SJA IN GERMANY,

five Divisions and more are forming in the near future.

Members of SJA serving in the Forces who are posted to BAOR, or their wives who are with them are heartily invited to continue their membership by joining one of the quadrilateral divisions at Bielefeld, Wildenrath, Gutersloh, Sennelager or Osnabruck.

HOLIDA Y HELPERS

The Holiday Care Service, a charitable organisation, provides free information and advice about holidays for people with special needs.

Their project Holiday Helpers aims to introduce suitably experienced volunteers

to people who wish to take an independent holiday but need the assistance of a carer or companion to make this possible. Enquiries are regularly received from e lderly people , those disabled by a physical or mental handicap, and those who have a communication problem, which may be difficulty with vision , hearing or speech,

To date, the scheme has successfully matched' approximately 75 holidaymakers with volunteer helpers; holida y destinations have ranged from Skegness to Egypt. Requests for helpers for s umm er 1988 are already reaching th e Holiday Helpers office, and to keep up with the increasing demand it is essential that they recruit more volunteers In aii areas.

Write or phone Holiday Care Service, 2

At the AGM of SJA Cornwall the

John

ABOUT

BY THE EDITOR

Old Bank Chambers, Station Road , Hor ley, Surrey RH6 9HW. Telephone: Horley (0293) 774535.

CHANNEL AHOY!

SJA W estgate's (Kent) Nursing Officer

Karen Dewey 26 , of Margate, made a fine 12-hour continuous swim (without even touching the pool sides) ea rlier in the year to raise £450 for her division, Karen, who admitted that she found the going on the 13-mile swim very tough at time s, said: I was involved in a motorcycle accident so me yea rs ago and broke m y leg in severa places, so swimming is one of the only sports I can really tak e part in now. And after this, I wouldn t mind trying the Channel.'

On presenting First Aid at Work certificates to company employees Dr Richard Saunders, Director of Product Research a nd Development , Cyanamid of Great Britain Ltd , spoke of th e very long

Sally Ann Holliday , grand-daughter of CSM K. Holliday of Chesterf ie ld's Arkwright Division raised over £200 from a sponsored swim of 30 engths of the local pool in 13'12

David Stocksborough, of Epsom and Ewell Division, receives a letter of commendation from Surrey Commissioner Stuart Latham for saving the ife of a mental y ill patient who set fire to herself, (Photo: Epsom and EwellAdvertiserj

C-in-C,

Sunderland , receives a gift of Cornish b isc uits from two Badgers,

Cyanamid of GB's Dr Richard Saunders hands out FAW certificates to the company s latest SJA-trained employees. See story FAW

and successful training relationship of the company with St John Ambulance SJA. have taught first aid to their Pharmaceutical and Chemical Plant employees at Gosport Hants , on a continual basis for 30 years. Today the company has 60 FAWand an Occupational First-Aider in addition to their permanent medical staff

GREAT PARTY CALENDAR

Dorchester Division is, I hear again , producing a 1988 calendar as a memento of the Great Party. Each month will show a different photograph , with a tear off section giving dates with space for notes.

The cost of the calendar is £1 25 , plus 20p postage and packing, or £25 plus £2 p & p. for 25 calendars.

They are available from · the Div Supt

Mr W. Wilson , St John Ambulance HQ North Square , Dorchester, Dorset DTI

1HY. Please mark your envelope Calendar'. Telephone queries to him on (0305) 62872

SIGHTS SET

hear that North Yorks Acomb Combined Division, which has never owned its own ambulance , having relied on the vehicles provided by the Area is making an all-out effort to get its own vehicle.

Mark Riordan, of Kettering HO Badgers, won first prize in a competition in the brochure handed to children at the Hyde Park Great Party. (Photo: Evening Telegraph, Kettering).

During the summer 15 of its members (well , actuall y it was 13 as the other two were masquerading as gorillas) made a 3-day sponsored bed push which finished in York.

DIS Susan Ferguson and her merry team (including the two ' gorillas ) a re open to any help or suggestions for money-raising events to hit that goal - an ambulance of their own.

OBITUARY

Mr W. R. (Ron) Bateson founder member of the Taunton Ambulance Division (formerly Acton , London 1929- 1939). A member for 49 years until retirement in December 1982. Died September 2219 87 , ag e d 76 ye ar s. Officer Brother.

Miss E. M. Bruce-Steer a m e mb e r for 25 years , the last 16 of which as Count y Superintendent , Somerset until retir ement in 1970. Died September 13 19 87 , aged 83 years Dame of the Ord e r. Charles Alfred Higgins, CStJ Chairman Northumbria Centre S t John Ambulance A ss ociation Form e r Ar ea Commissioner North Tyne Area , Northumbria 52 years service. Di e d September 28 19 87.

The game that is making learning first aid FUN

If you have any queries or further thoughts on the Review's Block Buster, ring compiler Vic Helmore on 02572 64454 or write 114 Greenside, Euxton, Chorley, Lanes PR7 6AP.

P D E Y T C A N H F B S R I V 0 L G U W

SJA BLOCK BUSTER

The popular lTV game has now been adapted by Vic Helmore, Chorley (Lanes) Centre Secretary, for first aid questions. 180 schools in Lancashire, as well as authorities in Staffs, Cheshire, Northumbria and Nottinghamshire, have so far applied for computer discs of this SJA game. We thank Central Independent TV for permission to use the name BLOCK BUSTER.

How to play (if you don't already know)

Two teams or opponents. The first chooses a letter in the grid and the question master asks them that question. If they answer correctly they have scored that square. The object is to take all the squares in a line vertically or horizontally in the grid - to be the winner of the game. An opponent tries of course to block any line, by taking a square in it, of the other team. In the unlikely event of all the lines being blocked, so that neither team can complete a line, the game is all square.

District's

E.

Study of how the body works is known as

A rise in this sometimes causes children to lapse into convulsions.

Very low temperature in the aged may mean they are suffering from

People exposed to weather temperatures of zero degrees centrigrade or less often get

First-aiders are advised, despite the cause, never to burst these.

Before a wound or fracture can be treated it must be

The result of spasm of a muscle is known as

A pulled muscle is commonly called a

A non-slip knot used by first-aiders.

If direct pressure fails to stop bleeding, we use

In a conscious person this ensures food enters the stomach and air the lungs.

A. The main artery carrying blood from the left ventricles.

V. These are non-return and separate the atrium from the ventricles.

O. The action of food and waste product s passing between cells and blood.

L. Type of wound caused by broken glass , barbed wire or shrapnel.

Y. This discolouration of the body generally results from jaundice

N. The other name to where the umbilical cord is attached.

G. A major epileptic fit is also known as

U. The larger of the two forearm bones.

W. The name given to the circle of arteries at the base of the brain.

Answers on p. 285

of

and Morden

falling

a

Stephanie Pankhurst,

London

Cheam

Cadet Division, says 'Here it is!'her Grand Prior certificate

at the annual inspection. (Photo: Sutton and Banstead News).

(Below) Kent's Area Supt Mrs M Spencer presents Grand Prior certificates to Lydd and New Romsey cadets Miche l le Santer, Joanne Darragh, Tracey and Tanya Brooks, with their DIS Mrs J. (Photo: Folkestone

(Right) Graham Sharpe of West Yorkshire s Thorne Colliery Cadets received a certificate of commendation for saving his baby cousin s ife after

into

garden pond. Graham also received the Division's Vincent Ward trophy for achieving most in the year

(Left) Kingsbridge (Devon) Cadet 5gt Delphine Cove and Leader Mary Potter, both 15, have received their Grand Prior Awards. Kingsbridge's Cadet of 1986 award is Hayley Jarvis, 17. ( Ph oto: South Hams Newspapers).

(Right) He reford and Worcester county cadet leader of the year is 15year-old Amanda Emms, of Worcester.

Abingdon Division's new £23,000 Mobile Unit

ABINGDON DIVISION'S first mobile medical unit in 1977 was converted from a BMC van for £980. The vehicle did sterling service, from Trooping the Colour to motor-cycle scrambles in awful conditions.

It housed a trolley stretcher, sink unit, water tank and heater , space heater, bench seat and storage cupboards. Much experience was gained from this vehicle. For instance, we found the conversion was carried out too cheaply. Every time we

by G. J. RICHARDS

lurched along a farm track, the cupboard doors sprang open to deposit its contents on to the floor. The vehicle's springing was dreadful and drivers developed a love-hate relationship with VAT as it was affectionately known from its number plate.

It convinced us, however, that there is no substitute for a self-propelled, fully and

permanently equipped mobile unit. Caravans were definitely out , so were horse boxes provided by horse event organisers. A replacement for VAT was first mooted in 1983.

The specification for the new unit was gradually hammered out. The van that it would be based upon would be the largest possible compatible with our existing garages , for drivers who are not HGV licensed , our type of duty and country (viz

In act i on for the first time at the local marathonwith Nursing Officer C. Barker giving treatment

farm tracks and small lanes). The best bargain would be secondhand with a low mileage Conversion would be by professional coach-builders to professional standards. Internally, the facilities would include a refrigerator, gas ring, sink, water tank, pump and heater, work surfaces and storage space. Oxygen would be piped to flowmeters over two York IV trolley stretchers, with Laerdal aspirators fitted close to the stretchers. Heating to be powered from LPG cylinders , electrical power supplied by batteries, with mains or built-in petrol generator. Externally, an awning would provide additional shelter for four Furley stretchers on trestles, lit by external lights.

Eventually the right vehicle was found, a Mercedes-Benz 608D diesel van with a mileage of 20,000 miles and costing £8 ,500. The entire specification was carried out by a local firm of coachbuilders, with the exception of the petrol generator which could not be built-in. The conversion cost £12 ,500. Equipment other than medical is carried in a trailer towed by the unit. This includes steel stretchers of WWII vintage , trestle , canvas stretchers , blankets steps , awning sides and front , and generator plus many small items. This keeps the unit itself uncluttered.

The trailer will eventually be fitted so as to double as a small first aid post-cum-

personnel shelter. The internal layout of the unit can be seen from the diagram and photographs. Windows were not specified because they would preclude the provision of storage space. However, a large coach type roof light was fitted and this has been found with fluorescent lighting, to provide quite adequate illumination. The spacious front passenger seats enable the driving cab to double as a radio control room. The doctor's cabinet is equipped to the recommendations of the Accident Dept of the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. The total cost of the unit and trailer was £23,000. Generous donations were received from: Mr Phillips of P.P.P. £1,500 Abingdon Round Table £400 , and Vale of White Horse DC £100. The remainder of the cost is being raised by Abingdon Division.

Readiness

One Sunday morning in 1986, the officer-in-charge of Abingdon Division received a call at 10.10 for first aid cover at Oxford City Road Races , which the organisers had completely forgotten about. The first race was at 11.00. The new unit was in position , with two ambulances and eight members by 10.50. This fully justifies the original specification of readiness within five minutes of arriving in position. Clearly this unit would be of immense value at the scene of a large inciden t to

7 LASS C.ABIN'E-T5

provide on-the-spot treatment for minor injuries, and more serious injuries requiring urgent attention. We find that modern equipment such as this is very much appreciated by organisers of horse events and motor-cycle scrambles. All but the newest members have attended ambulance equipment training courses and so are quite conversant with the unit s equipment except of course the doctor s equipment This unit now joins Abingdon Division s fleet of two Mercedes-Benz ambulances and a Land-Rover cro ss-country ambulance.

The new unit was dedicated in March 1986 by Father K. Kinnaird , in the company of Sir Ashley Ponsonby , Bt , MC , Lord Lieutenant of Oxford shire , Mr G. H Easton , Deputy Commissioner-in-Chief , Mr D Franklin, Commissioner Oxfordshire, the chairman of Vale of White Horse District Council and the Mayor of Abingdon.

In conclusion , the writer would like to p lace on record the contribution made by the Officer-in-Charge of Abingdon Division Ray Francis , OStJ , to this project. Without his vision , design work , supervision and constant drive , it would never have seen the light of da y B y donating his first aid instruction fee s, he has made an unknown but very large contribution to the costs of this project.

The working surface, sink, etc.

SE.AI OVER

Professiona coach bui ders carried out the conversion.

C

ORDER INVESTITURE

Schools

Project

we r e pr ese nt e d with th eir cer ti fi ca tes by Mrs Ca th e rin e Stre tt o n Coun ty D ir ect or of Lo nd o n St J o hn Ambul a nce. Th e t hird- yea r stud e nt s a r e now wor king o n th e T wo Cross A wa rd

Monkwray's emergency aid pupils

Nine tee n M o nk wr ay, Cumbri a, schoo l childre n we re rece ntl y pr es ent e d with th e ir e merg ency aid ce rtifi cat e s a nd ba d ges a ft e r succe ssfull y pass in g th e S t John Ambul a nce One Cro ss Aw a rd

With th e t e n year aid s (in ph o to ) are back (1 to r) Mr s F e nwi c k (Secr e ta r y St J o hn ), G e org e H o ug hto n (fi rs t ai d ca ptain , March o n); Dr R. Macfar la ne , who prese nt e d th e ce rtifi ca tes; Mic hae l Ke nn e dy (examin e r ) a nd Mrs M Atkin son ( cl ass e ac he r)

Local radio success

Du e to Na t ional H e adqu a rt e r s a nd C ount y PR

Depar t me nt s' effort s th e Three C ro ss Aw ar d sch e me has be en promot e d on many BBC lo cal radio station s St John re pr esentati ve s wer e invit e d to discuss the sch e me and in som e instances thi s wa s followed b y a visi b y the BBC ra dio te am to a loc a l school to int e rview pupils who ha d succe ssfull y comple e d th e co urse.

Reflections on 1987

Even thou g h we ha ve not re ache d our ultim a te goal of EVERY SCHOOL in En gla nd te aching th e Three Cros s Award , we ar e slowl y but sur e ly making headway towards th e day wh e n ever y child over 10 ye a rs will have some knowledg e of how to save a life. Ev e ry county in En gland now has schools using the course, ma ny thou sa nd s of childre n h a ve received certificat es a nd badges ,

(Above ) Villiers High School , Southall, third year stud e nts

Mon kwray

10-year-old

children with

cates

THANK YOU, ADDISCOMBE

from Mr N. Butcher, Divisional Superintendent

After the g ale of October 16 , East Sussex , or at least parts of it were found to be devastated . Our village , Maresfield , at the junction of the A22 and A272 , was completely cut off by fallen trees , without power and few telephones still working Luckily , mine sta yed in se rv ice

We began to cut our wa y out and at the same time had to deal with immediate needs. I was elect e d on to the emergency committee to handle medical and welfare matters

B y 3pm Friday we had cut our way through fallen trees wide enough for one way traffic and by Saturday noon we were able to get to nearby towns only to find that we could not obtain candles gas or generators .

I rang AIM Rodne y Ford , of Addiscombe Division who with his wife and daughter have been our friends for years , and told him of our needs for th e village. Some three hours later Rod arri ved at our house with gas , lamps batteries and candles. He then spent 30 minutes on the phone and at 7pm DIO C. Dunsmore arrived with further supplies

On Sunday October 18 they both deliv e red more supplie s which had been obtained b y Addiscombe members. Our grea t est need was lights a s we were feeding people of the village from a chuck wagon. Addiscombe members therefore went t o churches , including St Paul's , for candles and on Tu e sda y and Wednesday October 20 and 21 , candles were delivered. Addiscombe als o obtained candles for other nearb y villages that were cut off.

The ir help in our time of need is much appreciated. On behalf of the villagers of this area and Uckfield Divisi on we sincerely thank you ; ladies and gentlemen of Addiscombe Division You reall y liv ed up to the motto , in t he se rvice of mankind Uckfield Quad D ivisi o n N. Butcher

L/CPL HARDEN, VC from S/Sgt T. G. Meade, RAMC

With regard to the article in the October Review the writer is of course correct , LlCpl Harden did not win his VC at Arnhem but at a village called Brachterbeek in Holland.

He was , however wrong on the point of LlCpl Harden being the onl y RAMC other rank to win the Vc. Of the 31 VCs won by the RAMC , the r e are two other rank s: the second was LlCpl John Joseph Farmer , VC , who won his VC at an engagement with t h e Boers at the Majuba Mountain. He h e ld a white flag o ve r wounded and when the arm holding the flag wa s shot through he called out that he had another. He then raised the fla g with the other arm and continued to do so until that one was also s hot through John Farmer died on June 301930 . The abo ve information is taken from The Medical Victoria Crosses , printed b y Arro w Press Aldershot , Hants and obtainable from the RAMC Museum

Invernes s T. G. Mead e SJ GIRLS SALUTING? from Carl Hart, Sergeant '-

Following a parade with HM Forces, members of the public here commented that the St John girls had not saluted. Well, that s because St John girls do not salute.

But do you think it is time femal e s of St John Ambulance did salute? Or should our girls (sorry , ladies - cadets included) just carry on bowing their heads ?

Drop me a line if you have any views and why. 85 Old Oscott Hill Kingstanding, Carl Hart Birmingham B44 9SR

NOT THE ONLY ONE

from Mr G. H. G. Tilling

Members of the Order in Scotland send very best wishes for the succes s of the Home for the Elderly which you reported in the 282

Readers' views and opinions, which should be sent to the Editor, although published are not necessarily endorsed by the Editor or the Order of St John and its foundation. Although readers may sign published letters with a

I SUPPLIES UPDATE

THERE HAS been a lot of conc ern ove

th

tim

it h as t ake n for parcels to r e ach cu stom e r s Th e P os t O ffice h as m a d e ch an ges to their op e rating syst e m which we re int e nd e d to brin g impr ove m e n ts . In September and Octob er we learnt th a t som e par ce ls we r e ta king up to thr ee wee ks to r ea ch thei r d es tin a ti o n , ins t ea d of the cu stomar y few da ys We k n o w thi s ca use d a lot of inconvenience a nd the Po st O ffice have now ass ur e d us th at th e pro bl e ms are solved The da te th e p ar ce l was p ack e d and l eft o ur ware h o use s shown on your de sp a tch n o t e. Th e P os t O ffi ce are gu ara nt eei n g deli very within 7 days of that d a t e. If parce ls a r e d e laye d in transi t , please let us know.

We've had to d e la y despatching two of th e b o ok s ann o unc e d in the October R ev iew. The y ar e Ess e nti als of Firs t A id ( R00 02 0) a n d Instructor 's Manual (ROOOOS ) and ar e d e la ye d p e ndin g ch a n ges in the medic a l content. We ' ll r e comm en ce d e liveries as soon as possible

On a more po sitiv e note we' r e now stockin g th e B a dg e r F irst Aid Kit Very competitivel y priced at onl y £2 9S, th e durabl e cont a in er with the Badger theme contains a range of F irs t Aid mat e ri a ls and is ideal as the first First Aid Kit for a Badg er. Ord er FSOOll. Just in time for Christmas we have introduced a gift voucher. If you can t think what to bu y a s a Chri stma s gift , bu y a vou c h e r. Available in £S unit s, order ZV0002 on your order form (for a £20 voucher order 4 x ZV0002 ) . Pleas e hurry though , becau se th e last posting date for Christmas is approachi ng qui ckly

It s still not too late to order centenary products befor e we cl ose for Chri stmas (after busines s on December 23) We ' re aiming t o despatch all orders before we close and we'll r e open on Janu a ry 7 1988 , after stocktaking. We still have diaries so if you've forgotten to order, don ' t d e lay. There's the pocket diary TSOOOO , comp e titivel y priced at £2 2S , or the notebook diary TSOOOI at £3.4S. A very happy Ch r istmas to all of our r e ad e rs .

from SJA Lines ... .. . Lines ... Lines

Sponsored ride ON WH AT T U RNED o ut to be a co ld a nd we t Sund ay aft ern oo n (Sep t em ber 6) , 42 rid ers t oo k part in a 16-mil e h o rse ride in South L in coln shire t o r a ise m o n ey for th e ce n te n a ry app eal of th e St Jo hn Co unc il , Lin co ln shire.

T he rid e h as b ee n h eld fo r th e last 4 years a t Grimes th orpe Cast le , wh ich is o wn e d b y B aroness Wil loug hby De Eres by , wh o is a member of the Order. The d ay r a ise d £1 ,000 for which thanks go to th e rid ers (an d h orses) wh o braved t h e a pp a llin g co nd i tions to take part.

Congratu latio ns a lso t o th e fo llowing :

D avid Lowes , from London , for raisi ng the mos t sponso rs hi p (£130) ; L in da and C live

B ro th er h ood , who at 8 years old were t he yo u ngest riders ; and to 'Ben ' who , at the grand o ld age of 30 , was the o ldest hor se to co mpl ete the event.

T h a n kfu ll y , members of Bo u rne and S tamfor d Divisions w ho covered the event h ad a qui et afternoon fro m the po int of view of first aid but they wer e kept fairly b usy looking for the odd lo s t rider!

A specia l mention must go to Nicola Castle who flew the Stam ford Nursing Cadet Division ' s flag by completing the ride - the only SJA member to do so. She r aised £93 in sponsorship , the third highest to t al of t he day. Well done , Nicola!

Fi n a l t h anks go t o Baroness Willoughby De Eresby for the use of her e state ; Mr Gr ime s , t h e estate manag e r , for se tting up the marquee and organising and marking out the course; a n d e ve ryone else who he lpe d in the smooth running of thi s e vent.

Let ' s hope the weather is a little kinder n ext year!

Uni t

Holbeach Combined Division has received a Mobile F irs t Aid Unit from the local Lions Club. Based upon a secondhand 14ft Monza caravan , it was converted by Weiland Holiday Hire of Cr owland.

Twin rear doors allow access for the trolley stretcher. New cupboards and work surfaces have been fitted opposite the stretcher. Ceiling mounted track allows a curtain to be drawn fully around the stretc h e r a r ea

At th e front the caravan is standard , providing seating for four around a table , with washing , cooking and storage space.

Th e table can be removed if the area is needed for treating minor i njuries.

Total cost , including purchase of the van, wa s in the region of £2 ,000 On show

Every fourth year the town of Boston in Linco lnshire holds a 4-day tra de fair one of the largest to be organised outside London. Held during the last week of September , the local Division were again fortunate to be offered a free stand to use as the y wished.

Using

NEWS from SCOTLAND

DURING

WALES

the Rev. Wm Wat kins officiated The enrolling officer was the Dyfed Commiss ioner, Mr E L Jones , assisted by Miss L Jones, Asst Comm Also present was the Vice-Chancellor for Wales, Mr A. J Bowen, together with divisional officers in c h arge

Northern Ireland

St John Fellovvship

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE from Major-General D. S. Gordon, Chairman, St John Fellowship: ' On behalf of your Central Committee send all members our warmest good wishes for a joyful and healthful Christmas. 1987 has seen the St John Fellow ship by charter as a perm a nent branch of the Order of St John and honoured with the pre se nce of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at the reception after our AGM at St James 's Palace on M ay 6. I hope that all who have served St John in any capacity now know that they need never lose th e comradeship and satisfaction it has given them. A Happy New Year to you all! We welcome the fourth branch to be formed in Hampshire , bringing the total to 78: St John Fellowship, East Hampshire. Contact: Mrs F Handley , 14C Waverle y Road , Southsea , Hants POS 2PW

Greater Manchester Fellowship fund-raising

home of Dr and Mrs Leese during September

Block Buster (8) ANSWERS

P. Physiology; T. Temperature; H. Hypothermia; F Frostbite ; B. Blisters; D. Diagnosed ; C. Cramp; S Strain ; R Reef ; 1. Indirect; E. Epiglottis; A Aorta ; V. Valves ; O. Osmosis ; L. Lacerated ; Y. Yellow; N. Navel ; G. Grand Mal; U. Ulna; W. Willis.

CHAMPIONS OF THE CROSS

Written and

illustrated

by Hugh A. R. Edgell, Assistant Chaplain of the Order

THIS is the story of two of the great Military Orders which were parl of the everyday scene in Mediaeval Europe and the Middle East. Many towns and villages in Britain also bear witness to their influences on local life. The Order of St John was founded to provide carefor pilgrims to the Holy Land and the Poor Knights of Christ (The Templars) to give protection to pilgrims on their dangerous journeys. Both of these Orders were to developfar beyond the visions of their founders. Within a few ye,rs, monks and fighting men had become one and the same, wieldi"g immense military and political power in the Holy Land and throughout Europe. Within two centuries one of the Orders was to disappear under a cloud of suspicion and disapproval. The other was to survive to the present day and in the process turnfull circle to serve its 'masters the sick'. Part 18

A new Priory

CONFIDENT that the revived Priory of England would be accepted and recognised by the Order's Headquarters in Rome, the new committee proceeded to gain official recognition. To their disappointment, in spite of long and friendly talks, in 1858 the then Lieutenant Master (for no Grand Master had been appointed at the time) refused to accept an English Protestant branch of the Order. If there was to be an English Priory it would have to be distinct from the main Order in Rome

The English members were not put off by this rebuff They decided to continue as the English Priory and to see in what ways they could continue the main work of the Order , which was to care for those who were in need of medical assistance , no matter what class , colour or creed they belonged to, thus living up to the great traditions of previous centuries.

During the time that the talks were going on between the English Committee and the Headquarters in Rome, the Crimean War had broken out, and an English woman named Florence Nightingale had brought the attention of many people to the urgent needs of those who were wounded and sick. The conditions under which they were nursed were appalling , and there were very few people who were able or qualified to give them even the minimum of help. Here was a real challenge to the new Priory and the Committee was quick to see its opportunity.

Florence Nightingale's work in the hospital at Scutari in Turkey (just across the Bosphorus from Constantinople) had also aroused the interest of other people abroad.

In 1863 a conference was held in the Swiss city of Geneva at which all those concerned with the welfare of the sick met to consider what could be done to help. As a result of this conference, the famous Red Cross Society was formed. At the conference was Sir John Furley , a member of the English Priory, and he saw the way in which the English Priory could help. When the war between France and Prussia broke out in 1870, the members

of the Priory immediately formed a 'Society for Aid to Sick and Wounded in War' , and once again Englishmen found themselves involved in a war on behalf of the Order. This time , however, they were there as 'servants of the sick', rather than armed knights. The interest of the members in ambulance and first aid work grew as a result of their experiences. How could these services be developed?

St John Ambulance Association

The need for ambulance and first aid services was obvious in time of war but they were also essential in time of peace Men and women employed in the factories and mines were in constant danger from machinery and other hazards of their work. There were also the everyday accidents that occurred in the home. If men and women could be trained to render help for the injured , and prevent further complications until the arrival of a doctor, many of those who suffered serious injury would be able to recover and work again. The plight of those who were unemployable because of injury was pitiful.

This first aid aspect of the Priory 's work together with its other interests, was largely due to three men who devoted themselves to the future of the English Priory. They were John Furley, Edmund Lechmere and Francis Duncan. All three were extremely concerned at the often unnecessary suffering endured by the injured at the hands of well-meaning but ignorant people. They were determined to do something about it

On June 241877, the General Assembly of the Order met to discuss the problems and the result was the formation of the St John Ambulance Association. The work of the new Association was to be the provision of instruction for volunteers in the basics of first aid, and to provide an ambulance service for their use. When a person had been trained and passed the necessary examination he would be given a certificate.

Within 6 months 12 centres for instruction had been set up in London and the provinces. At first it was mainly men who volunteered,

A coal mine accident.

but soon women began to take an interest too. They came from widely different backgrounds , but all were concerned about the care of the injured. Soon railwaymen and policemen were included in the courses.

Within 5 years over 130 centres had been opened. Several centres were also opened in the Caribbean islands. Already the Association was extending its work to overseas communities.

In addition to receiving instruction in first aid, some women were given training in home-nursing, so that they could give adequate care to those at home who were ill or recovering from injury.

Gerard of Provence would have rejoiced at this necessary extension of his original work.

St John Ambulance Brigade

So successful were the Association 's 'fi rst aid' centres that numbers coming forward for instruction increased rapidly As time passed those who had gained the coveted certificat es began to work together in groups , calling themselves 'Ambulance Corps'.

This voluntary joining together was an opportunity which could not be wasted. On June 24 1887, the General Assembly of th e Priory met to discuss this new development.

The result was the formation of the St John Ambulance Brigade '. It would be for volunteers who would render assistance when ther e were accidents or sudden illnesses in emergencies.

At fir s t there was no official uniform, and members wore an arm-band bearing th e eight-pointed white cross, but soon an optional uniform was developed , in black with white cross, haversack and so on.

Not everyone, however, appreciated th e services of the new Brigade. Members in uniform were often laughed at , and some doctors were openly opposed to what they considered amateurs. In one parade in London members of the Brigade were actually pelted with sticks, stones and orange peel! The white cross was still likely to be misunderstood and involve those who followed it in danger.

The public attitude towards the Brigade changed considerably , however after an event that took place during Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee Parade in 1887. A man was seriously injured in the crowd, and the Brigade members who were helping him realised that he required immediate hospital treatment. Regardless of what anyone might think or say, they rushed the injured man straight through the Royal Procession just in front of the Prince of Wales! The Prince was quick to notice and admire this piece of daring aid, and quickly became a firm friend of the Order. A year later he became Grand Prior himself. In the same year (1888) Queen Victoria granted the Order a Royal Charter , and she became Sovereign Head of the Order. From that time on, the reigning King

or Queen has always become the Sovereign Head of the Order, and the Grand Prior has always been a member of the Royal family. With Royal approval, opposition to the Order and its foundations quickly disappeared.

Brigade members also provided auxiliary services for hospitals and the medical branches of the armed forces. These became very important during the later World Wars.

St John Ophthalmic Hospital

The Grand Priory in England had not forgotten that it was in the Holy City of Jerusalem that the Order had its origins, although it had not worked there for over 600 years. As relations between the British and Turkish Governments were friendly it was decided to approach the Turkish Sultan for permission to open a new hospital in Jerusalem which would concentrate on the healing of eyediseases one of the most common scourges of the Middle East.

In 1882 , the Sultan gave permission for the English Priory to open a hospital and he presented it with a site on the Bethlehem road to the south of the old city. For many years the Order worked on hindered only b y the large numbers who flocked to it from all parts of the Middle East.

On the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918) , the British and Turkish Governments found themselves on opposing sides and as a result the hospital was forced to close down. The buildings were used by the Turks as an ammunition store. In 1917 the Bri t s h troops entered Jeru salem , but before they could occupy the city the Turks blew up the buildings. Fortunately the damage was not too severe and the hospital was partially re-opened in 1919. Its vital work continued.

Throughout the Seco nd World War (19391945) the ho s pital continu ed to provid e the

'YOUR CLUB'

St John House Club 50 Eaton Place London SW1 X 8AP

St John's Gate , Clerkenwell (1504).

Headquarters of the British Order since 1874

principal centre for h ealing of eye-diseases in the Middle East , with the majority of its patients coming from Arab lands. When the country was divided by the United Nations in 1948 , between the Arabs and Jews , the hospital found its elf on the Jewish side of the boundary in the new s tate of Israel. Its work among the Arabs was much reduced. Eventually plans were made for a new hospital on th e Jordan side of the boundary, and in 1960 the new buildings were opened with the support of King Hussein. It stan ds near Mount Scopus , about one mile north of the old city.

Today the hospital continues its work, and in addition ha s an eye-bank , a research centre and a training school. The senior nursing staff are mostly British but the junior staff are mostly Arab. Since 1967 and the 'six da y war between Israel and the Arab States , the hospital has

F-I rst A-Id

FIRST AID is to help you learn how to treat people who have hurt themselves in an accident or an incident. First aid started when the Crusades went out to fight on a boat called Santa Anna. They were going to the Holy Land. It was a very big boat because it had to fit in all the horses and things they needed.

There were a lot of people injured and wounded in the fight. They started to make small hospitals which sometimes only had a blanket for a bed and it was very dark. They had to squeeze through the door as it was very low. You can still see them if you go to the Holy Land. There are shie lds above the doors They spread the word which later was known as St John Ambulance.

The St John Ambulance started in · 1887 and this year it is celebrating its centenary. The patron is the Queen and the Grand Prior is HRH The Duke of Gloucester, and they do a lot of things to help.

Cadets wear uniforms and go on duties to help, if people get stung or hurt. They help at races, where a lot of

people get hurt. They're usually sprains, strains, fractures or broken arms or legs. But you can just go to fetes and other places where there are not many injuries.

Now there are Badgers for under ten year olds. It is good fun being a Badger. We are named Badgers because we wear black and white and badgers are always busy. The Badger's uniform is black and white, with a nurse's hat and a badge that says St John Badgers with a picture of a badger on it. We learn how to do slings, bandages, ring pads and fold up blankets. We also learn some of the history of St John and do a little test on it to see if we can be a Badger. There are a lot of things to do as a Badger, and I think I will enjoy it because I want to help people.

If you want to be a good first-aider you need:

DEDICATION

by Badger Natasha Kenway,

aged 9, of Poole

REVIEW CROSSWORD No. 12 (87) by W. A. Potter

Across: 1. Discoverer of penicillin. (7). 5. Cause of shadows-over the eyes. (7). 9. Permanent dentition in tennis match. (6.3). 10. After spring month put on a protective garment. (5). 11. Be indisposed in Thailand. (3). 12. Suit for Hebridean island. (4). 13. Acid present in blood in excessive amounts in gout. (4). 14. Male reproductive

288

a loca l home for the elderly.

organ resulting from deformity of spine. (5). 16. Stimulating the eighth cranial nerve. (7). 18. Lab rule for German measles. (7).21. Card game for a doze. (3). 22. Does he accept delays in treatment with equanimity? (7). 24. Accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. (7). 27. Eleven in upturned cot is poisonous. (5). 29. Stone from Bury (4).30. Ventricle pumpingblood into the aorta. (4).31. American cuckoo found in Albania. (3). 33. Blood groups swindle for Elizabethan writer and statesman. (5). 34. Difficulty in speaking due to short fraenum. (6-3). 35. Material causing blockage of a blood vessel. (7). 36. Endures pain. (7).

Down:

1. Is in unusual fault in unnatural passage in the body. (7). 2. Removed surgically. (7).3 . Current carriers in electrolysis. (4).4 . Condition characterised by pyrexia , diarrhoea and vomiting. (6-9).

5 Main part of skeleton of the hand (10.5). 6. Indian victory trophy covering the cranium. (5). 7. Real and disordered in endocrine glands. (7). 8. One does not recall having this affection. (7).15. Legally-qualified seamen. (4). 17. Great power in crusades. (3). 19. Lay bet on rear part of the trunk (4). 20. Assume a recumbent position to make false statement. (3).22. Addictive drug with 15 Down is safe to drink. (7). 23. Vehicle for hire. (7). 25. Unusual rate in the operations room. (7). 26. Orthopa:edic dogs? (7). 28. Cut an anatomical duct. (5). 32. Strike a blow for part of blood pressure measuring equipment. (4).

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD No. 11 (87)

Across: 1. Am·blyopia; 6. Scour; 9. Alert; 10. Saphenous ; 11. Inks; 12. Dull; 13. Tired; 15 Needle; 16. Atresia; 19. Unkempt; 21. Charon; 23. Tib·ia; 25. Mute; 26. Ably; 28. Eye-opener; 29. Outdo; 30. Sprue; 31. Achalasia.

Down: 1. A·taxi·a; 2. Break-neck; 3. Yet i; 4. Pustule; 5. A·m·pull·a; 6. Sweetbread; 7. Odour; 8. Residual; 14. Adam's apple; 17. Scorbutus; 18. Ductless; 20. Tomenta; 21. Catarr h ; 22. Zyg0lma; 24. Blear; 27. Coil.

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Eastbourne Badgers and chef, after serving breakfast i n bed for residents of