Handbook of First Aid

Handbook of First Aid Review

As a first aid worker in civilian defense you may wonder how you will behave under the conditions of an air raid -- conditions which you have never experienced and find difficult to imagine. How will you react to the sight of serious wounds and of blood -- how will the cries of the injured affect you? How will you bear yourself in the presence of the dead and dying? This is a serious problem, but as soon as your imagination is confronted with the reality of the 'incident', your qualms will vanish. Horror and its kindred sensations are caused by helplessness; when we have the power and knowledge to deal with horror, it disappears. The dark loses its terror when we turn on the light; a casualty's cries will cease to unnerve you when you have the power to ease the pain that causes them. While examining and treating an injury, talk soothingly, almost as you would to a child with a cut finger. People in pain are like children. Encourage a casualty to talk if he can safely do so; it will bring confidence to you both. Be gentle and yet be firm in your care of injured persons. Carefully think out your course and then stick to it. Take your time. Do not become flustered by those around you. Never discuss an injured person's condition or the condition of other casualties in his hearing. He may ask how badly injured he is. You must make some answer, but remember that a doctor is the only one with enough knowledge to appraise the situation accurately. If it can be avoided, do not lie to him about his condition. On the other hand it would be even more foolish (and possibly disastrous) to tell him the truth bluntly. There is a happy medium which you must find, and it will vary according to the bearing of the patient and the nature of his injuries. Be as quiet as possible. Try to impress the casualty with your confidence and competence. A casualty's cries do not necessarily indicate the gravity of his condition. Those who complain the most may be only hysterical. Actually, the person who cries loudly may be less seriously injured than the one who does not, because he has more strength with which to cry. With your limited experience it would be unwise for you to try to classify wounds as to seriousness. Persons claiming injury should be seen by a doctor no matter how trivial the wound may appear. Those who seem to be suffering only from nervous shock or hysteria may be in as much distress as the one with an obvious injury. They too should be seen by the doctor. You must never assume on your own responsibility that a person is dead or that there is no chance for his recovery. It is regrettable to make a mistake in caring for an injured person, but mistakes are made as easily in first aid as in anything else. If you should ever happen to make one it must be put in its proper place - under the heading 'experience.' By practice and study you will become expert in first aid, which lessens your chance of making a mistake.

This a World War 2 copy.This is a historical document, I would not use it on actual people without checking the validity of the procedures.