FIRST AID TO THE INJURED
“NOW, all at once,” directed Chief Arrestem. “One, two, three!” and the
two officers and the two ambulance men lifted the dollsmobile high up
over to the other side of the road.
“Well, friends,” said Officer Arrestem, “if there’s nothing more we can
do, we’ll return to our duty.”
“Nothing more, thank you,” the head nurse answered.
The driver had quickly smothered the flames of little Soami’s frock by
using the automobile robes.
“Oh, my goodness!” shrieked Mrs. Brave, “where’s Shesa? I wonder where
my dear daughter is! Where is she? Where can she be?” she kept on
asking, crying hysterically.
[Illustration: SMOTHERED THE FLAMES OF LITTLE SOAMI’S FROCK]
“Hush! quiet yourself!” commanded the assistant nurse, who came in the
ambulance. “We found your daughter a few moments ago where she was
thrown. She had fainted, but she is all right now.”
“Oh, sit her up; don’t let her lie there!” exclaimed the mother.
“Indeed, you must keep quiet,” said the nurse, “or we cannot do
anything for anybody. It is better for her to lie down than to sit up.”
“I’d keep quiet if I knew what to do! Every woman and man, too, ought
to know.”
[Illustration: THEY ATTENDED THE MOST DANGEROUSLY INJURED FIRST]
“Yes,” replied the nurse, “every person ought to know something
about first aid to the injured.” She and the other nurse were busily
directing the orderly and driver of the ambulance in every movement,
giving them explicit directions.
They attended the most dangerously injured first, stopping the bleeding
(hemorrhage) of Mr. Brave’s head and bandaging a dressing in place.
They applied soothing carron oil to the burns on little Soami’s arms
and legs.
They bandaged temporary splints to little Ibee’s broken arm, and,
since Mrs. Brave’s scalds were not serious, they attended her last.
Under Mr. Brave’s broken leg they placed pillows to make him more
comfortable.
“If I’d only remembered to turn off the power this never would have
happened,” he muttered. “How foolish of me!”
“There would never be any accidents to speak of,” said the assistant
nurse, soothingly, “if everybody did everything right, you know.”
“If everybody just kept his head cool,” said Mr. Brave, as he tried to
move his position, but fell back with a groan.
“Give him a half-teaspoon of aromatic spirit of ammonia, Miss Helpem,”
said Miss Bossem, who was engaged in spreading the stretcher.
“Now, everyone ready to lift this patient,” she directed, as she and
the driver and orderly knelt on one knee beside Shesa, and Miss Helpem
took her position on the opposite side of the stretcher. As the three
lifted Shesa, Miss Helpem carefully held the stretcher in place, and
afterward helped carry the patient to the ambulance. Next they carried
the two children, using a stretcher for little Ibee, and making a
two-handed seat for Soami. (A “sedan chair,” you know—the kind you play
with at school.)
“I’m sorry neither doctor could leave the operating room to come, Miss
Helpem,” remarked Miss Bossem, to her assistant, who was Mary Frances,
you remember. “If you will wait here with these two patients,” (they
were Mrs. and Mr. Brave) “I will return with either Doctor Surecure or
Doctor Quickenquack.”
“Oh, why can’t you take my dear husband along?” begged Mrs. Brave.
“He’s awfully hurt! awfully!”
“Please explain to her, Miss Helpem,” said Miss Bossem, getting into
the ambulance, “that it is far better to wait for the doctor to attend
a broken leg than to attempt to place it in splints—unless it is
absolutely necessary to move the patient.”
Miss Helpem turned to Mrs. Brave, who was by this time quite exhausted,
and after explaining the situation, treated her, as she had all the
others, for—
SHOCK
_Cause:_
A severe injury, or even the sight of one, will often
cause intense nervousness, which is very weakening.
This is especially true if the patient is suffering
from severe bleeding. _Check the bleeding before
treating for shock._
Shock differs from fainting. The patient’s face becomes
pale and the skin cold, the pupils of the eyes large.
_What to do:_
1. Send for the doctor.
2. Place patient on back with head low to allow plenty
of blood to enter head.
3. Give hot water or hot coffee, or one-half
teaspoonful aromatic spirit of ammonia in a quarter of
a tumbler of water.
4. Hold smelling salts to the nose.
5. Do not excite by trying to remove clothing unless
absolutely necessary, but keep patient warm by use of
hot-water bottles and blankets, etc.
6. Cover patient. Rub limbs toward body.
7. Do _not_ give whiskey or any other form of alcohol,
if any other stimulant can be found—and _never whiskey_
in case of _hemorrhage_ (severe bleeding).