The Red Cross Society is becoming more and more practical, and is getting
closer and closer to the everyday life of the people. In the past it has
been distinguished by affording relief in times of great calamities,
famines, epidemics, floods, fires and plagues, but, as the organization
spreads throughout the country and becomes localized its merciful
missions reach the thresholds of the schoolhouse and the home. It is now
circulating a little pocket edition of “The American National Red Cross
Text Book; a Manual of Instruction; How to Prevent Accidents, and What to
Do for Injuries and Emergencies.” It was prepared by Major Charles Lynch
of the medical corps of the United States Army, who distinguished himself
as medical attache with the Japanese Army during the late war with Russia
and has recently been detailed to make a special study of possibilities
of Red Cross aid to armies in time of war.
The book is published for the Red Cross Society, and is being circulated
from the headquarters in the War Department with the hearty indorsement
of Judge Taft, who was president of the Red Cross Society long before
he was elected President of the United States. Brigadier General R.
M. O’Reilly, surgeon general of the United States Army, writes the
preface, in which he explains the necessity and the usefulness of the
booklet, which, he says, “will serve to fill a place of its own in the
ever-increasing movement for the relief of human suffering.”
“Notwithstanding the many excellent works already in existence on
first aid instruction,” continues Surgeon General O’Reilly, “none of
the writers so far as I know, have given much thought to teaching the
prevention of accidents. While this subject is necessarily treated rather
briefly here, at least enough is said to call attention to the importance
of prevention as contrasted with cure, and, for this reason, it seems to
me peculiarly appropriate that this book should have the indorsement of
the Red Cross, as the beneficent mission of that association, like that
of the good physician in treating disease, should be to go deeply into
causes which are responsible for the physical sufferings of humanity,
rather than resort solely to palliative measures.
“Another novelty in the present manual is that it treats not only of
first aid as given by the individual but also of relief columns, bodies
designed to administer first aid as organizations. Army conditions
emphasize the necessity for the creation of organizations in order that
first aid may be given with maximum efficiency. And there are many
situations in civil life, such as vast concourses of people, great
fires, railroad disasters, which equally demand first aid organizations
instead of individuals, who, however well taught they may be, must, under
such circumstances, work at cross purposes, unless they are united into
a disciplined body in which the special duties of each are carefully
defined.”
Gen. O’Reilly might have added something about the importance of the
little book for the household, for it seems to contain directions
for every possible accident that may occur to human creatures from
concussion of the brain to chilblains. There ought to be a copy on every
farm and ranch, in every factory and workshop, on every football field
and in every gymnasium. There ought to be a copy in every automobile.
Every railway conductor and brakeman should be required to carry it
in his pocket, for it tells him what to do in every kind of accident.
Organizations seek such books for the instruction and guidance of their
members, but they must be brought to the attention of households, where,
I think, this will be most useful in preventing as well as relieving
the little accidents that occur daily and the little afflictions that
children and grown people suffer. These are often thought to be so
insignificant that no attention is paid to them, like mosquito bites,
stings of insects, injuries to the eyes, poisons from ivy, burns and
scalds, wounds from fish hooks or shotguns, and Dr. Lynch has explained
what to do under every circumstance and condition.
The Red Cross book should be used as a text-book in schools, for it is
full of practical physiology, and children can be trained to render
effective first aid to each other. The ordinary text-books on physiology
are doubtless full of important information, but as a rule they are too
theoretical to be applied to ordinary everyday accidents.
A copy of Dr. Lynch’s book has been placed by the District Red Cross
Society in every police station and engine-house in Washington. The
Cleveland society has done the same, and it would seem that every city in
the country might follow these examples with profit. The Red Cross relief
column at the time of the inauguration will be supplied with copies.
The book is compact and small, with flexible covers, so that it can be
carried in the pocket.